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#also it’s amazing how she can hold that ice sword for so long
shelbgrey · 9 months
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hi! would you please do a dating seeley booth headcanon sfw/nsfw? i really love your work ❣️❣️❣️
Dating Seeley Booth Headcanons:
Paring: Seeley Booth x reader
Summary: just some headcanons about dating the toughest, cutest FBI agent I know.
A/n: some NSFW content is included so beware
❤️Dating Seeley Booth Mood board ❤️MasterList
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So you work at the Jeffersonian, I just feel Seeley is just attracted to badass smart girls, and that's what you are.
He can't help but love your nerdyness and you never sees to amaze him.
So you guys would be through Cam, she was your best friend and she thought you two would hit it off. That was true but what she didn't realize the age gap.
It's not bad and there's no reason to go into too much detail, but I feel like Seeley would indeed go for you the second he got the chance but I think he'd be insecure about his age.
We know he doesn't really talk about his feelings, but the thoughts about being too old would cross his mind. He's probably only like five years old so it's not a big deal, but when he sees you laughing with Lance he can't help but feel you deserve someone your age.
You got that thought out of his head quickly and reassured you wanted him and only him.
Of course it's now a joke to you two, now you can joke about it and your Friends do to.
“Hodgins, you call it daddy issues, I call it taking care of the elderly” you joked. Seeley spit his beer out not prepared for your response.
Now, let's stop being so down in the dumps and talk the good stuff.
Now this would be a friends to lovers, at first he was your best friend and your shoulder to cry on, but it didn't take long for you to fall head over heals for him.
You tried to ignore it and didn't want to really ruin your friendship, but you quickly found out he felt exactly the same.
He has no problem opening up to you, in fact if he wasn't to talk about the war or maybe a rough case he'd go to you. Your his 'Shrink' and it annoys Lance like crazy.
You wear his dog tags for luck, one time when he was off in another state for a case you wore them because you missed him. The it kinda turned into a good luck charm.
It made his heart swell with love when he found out, you didn't really think he'd be mad but you didn't know what his response would be.
“they look better on you anyways”
Being with and FBI/army man means you have a designated bodyguard, you never felt so safe than you do when your with him.
One of your first dates was a hockey game, that peaked your interest and you asked him to teach you how to play.
He's always there to catch you when your about to fall on the ice, and if he can't get you in time he'll fall too so you don't get embarrassed.
After awhile you guy just ended up sword fighting with the hockey sticks, he also kept the Puck you guys played with and he keeps it in his office.
Speaking of office, you can go in his when ever you want cuz he made a key for you.
If your cold you'll steal his goofy socks or his jackets, he had theses black socks with cute little aliens on them that he now only sees if your wearing them.
He gives the best bear hugs, you just feel so safe and warm in his muscular arms.
You love just being in his arms, there's no feeling better than that.
His arms or hands will he around your waist any chance he gets, he loves your curves and your body... He just wants to hold you all the time.
There's a lot of neck and forehead kisses being handed out by this man. He loves wrapping his arms around you from behind and just trail soft kisses down your neck.
This man need physical contact a lot too. He's a big cuddler and just needs you in his arms, he's really just a big ol' teddy bear.
You joke about that, he can be so mean looking and tough but he's really just a big teddy bear.
“I'm not a teddy bear” he said trying to not to smile. You shook your head and held him tighter. “Yes you are, my big teddy bear”
He loves it when you curl up on his lap when he's working, he can't get enough of you running your fingers run through his hair.
He's a rough kisser, he's way taller than you so usually he hold your chin between his fingers and lift for head up to kiss you.
He also loves forehead kisses, it's just such a soft and gentle gesture he loving doing. But I think he likes it when you do it more.
He likes laying his head in your lap while your on the couch, he finds it soothing when you run your fingers though his hair too.
He loves cuddles, if your in bed or on the couch he needs to be holding you. He loves it when he's laying in bed and your lying on top of his chest.
He also thinks it's cute when you just kidda space out and play with his tie while your in his lab waring for him to get his work done.
Seeley refuses to sleep unless you have fallen asleep first, he just needs to know your okay before he can have a good night sleep.
Most of the time he'll wake in the middle of the night and need to hear you breathe, or just make sure you’re safe beside him and unharmed.
your entire relationship is based on natural and domestic intimacy, you guys don't care where you are if you want to touch or kiss you will.
So like, I said he's super over protective, so that includes his driving habits changed drastically, he once drived like a maniac, but the first time he had you in the car he drove safer than he did when he took his divers test.
But when you guys got comfortable with each other his old habits came back.
He either drives like a maniac or a grandpa. There’s no in between.
“Jesus Christ, Seeley, we Are Not on a race track, why Are You Going so Fast?!!?!?”
You guys don't really fight, the only thing you fight about is when one of you is being reckless in your line of work. You hate how Seeley thinks he's Bulletproof and don't really care about the danger he's running into.
“You don't always need to be a fucking hero, Seeley.”
“I know what I'm doing, can you just trust me on that?"
“You'd lose your goddamn mind if I pulled even half the shit you do.”
“You’re damn right I would.”
You love doing undercover stuff with him, no matter what it is. One of your guys favorite ones was when you had to investigate a killing that was linked to an Elvis impersonator conviction. Seeley knows you love Elvis but the impersonators are questionable to you.
“this is like the worst and best thing that's ever happened to you” Seeley chuckled.
You guys just like staying in and watching movies or hocky. You got him into the marvel movies and now he loves them just as much as you do, he loves Moon Knight and you convinced him to dress up as Capitan American one Halloween.
Your Favorite show to watch is Supernatural.
You also like watching Family Feud and making fun off the dumb awnsers or just play along. “that's the naked grandma guy!”
Your like a mom to Lance and always getting on to Seeley if he's teasing your 'kid' top much.
“leave him alone” you said slapping his chest.
NSFW headcanons:
He finds it hot when you cuss, at first he was suprised to hear such nasty words fall out of your adorable mouth, but now he can't help but feel his pants tighten when he watches you pace around the room, speaking all kinds of disrespectful verbs and adjectives.
He has a tendency to grip the headboard when he's close to cumming.
there's alot of office sex with him, they're mostly quickies which aren't his favorite but he's never apposed to it.
He's a soft/mean Dom, it just depends on his mood. But no matter what he always makes sure your comfortable. He loves to take control in the bed but would never push you.
Bondeg kink, handcuffs, his ties, belts, he'll tie you up with anything if your comfortable with it.
He love getting head. I feel like he’d like having you on your knees. Plus, feeling your lips around him pushes him closer to cumming in your mouth.
He loves missionary, keeping eye contact while he fucks you. He loves how you dig your nails into his back and wrap your legs around his waist to bring him impossibly closer.
He has big chocking kink, he won't be too rough about but he loves wrapping his fingers around your neck and feeling your pulse when he's ramming into you.
Hair pulling, he loves feeling your fingers in his hair or he'll tangel his fingers in yours and tug on it when he's getting head or about ready to cum.
Loves eating you out,your legs around his head. He loves your legs in general and loves leaving kisses on the insides of your thighs. He'd rather pleasure you for hours than receive.
This man is amazing when it comes to aftercare. He knows exactly what you need. After your both cleaned up, he'll pull you to his chest to cuddle.
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arandompeep · 4 months
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Okay so I am having thoughts about Worldless × Genshin Crossover thingy so have some more thoughts:
Both Edda and Aven does not know how they even got to Teyvat, all they know is that they blanked out and is now suddenly in a ridiculously colourful world where they can't absorb anything. Meanwhile in Teyvat, some may have noticed two extremely bright meteors, one blue and one orange, one night.
The wildlife also confuses them a LOT. Why aren't they shapes? How can they hold their form all the time? Why they seemingly can't use absorption on any of them?
And then they probably encounter their first human. It didn't go as well as Edda, Aven nor the human has expected.
It would be funny if they don't have visions, but instead use their default skills. People wonder how they can use two elements at the same time... but it's actually not Teyvat's elemental energy, it's just their skills.
Also: They are both extremely confused by humans: Why do they need those weird shiny things to give them abilities? What's up with all those structures? WHY DO THEY NEED TO WEAR CLOTHES?!
If would be funny if they can only communicate via chirps/ honks/ sonar. Because imagine someone giving an extremely long-winded and epic sounding speech and then Edda just... gives the most disappointed chirp.
They can glow, very useful in caves and stuff.
Edda, Aven and Idyia may be friends.
Childe might have tried to fight both Edda and Aven... and it did not go well (They used the big green sword attack).
Wanderer challenges Edda to a race, only for her to casually run past him... while he was flying over water. Cue the entire team (Except Wanderer and Aven) begging her to ferry then across bodies of water. She just ice bridges when she's with a bunch of people.
(Not too sure on what Archon Quest you're on, so if you haven't finished Fontaine's Archon quest, don't read this please) Edda and Furina being water-running buddies. I could imagine them chasing each other while running on water.
Aven being scared of Yae Miko for some reason.
Edda would probably be really good at Genius Invokation TCG, her deck would be Oceanid Taser (Rhodeia/ Oceanid, Fischl and Mirror Maiden... or Thunder manifestation if we're talking about 4.3 deck).
Everyone being a bit confused about Edda and Aven's "disappearing body" thing.
Everyone also being confused about where on Teyvat they came from.
I could imagine both of them being somewhat concerned for Rhodeia of Loch. Like... does she need help or anything? She seems a bit... paranoid to both of them. Edda did eventually managed to get her trust though.
dude this is amazing I love your thoughts about this crossover sm, ty for sharing!!!! 💕💖💕💖💕💕💖💕💖
edda would not have a fun time in fontaine methinks,,,, she does not like water
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animezing-fandoms · 3 years
Text
The Gift She Wants
Masterlist
Warnings: None this is just pure fluff.
Relationships: Nalu
Summary: Natsu attempts to write Lucy a love letter for her birthday. 
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Lucy’s never really enjoyed her birthday. It used to be fun when her mom was still around. But after her death, her birthday had always been ignored by her father. But that all changed once she joined Fairy Tail. Every morning on July 1st she’d walk into the guild to find a huge party set up for her. It was a sweet gesture even though the guild hall usually wound up trashed by the end of the day because of all the drinking and fighting that ensued. 
But that wasn’t the only thing that was the same every year. The presents that Lucy got from her friends were all the same. Gray would make her a little ice sculpture of a star that would melt after a day but she never had the heart to tell him. Gajeel did something similar with jewelry but it was made out of iron and really big and bulky so they were all too heavy to wear for long. Similarly, Erza would give her a sword or some other weapon that was too heavy for Lucy to lift. Juvia would offer her baked goods she made herself but for awhile Lucy was always cautious to eat them, knowing how jealous Juvia was about her friendship with Gray. Thankfully that wasn’t a problem anymore, and now her gift was one she was looking forward to along with the book from Levy and perfume from Mira that she got every year. There was only one gift she truly dreaded and that was from Natsu. 
Every year she hoped that he would give her something different, only to be proven wrong when he whisks her away on some dangerous job that leaves her exhausted, dirty, and bruised. The only good part about it was that she got to spend time with him, and have a little fun when she wasn’t fearing for her life. And as the years went on, she hoped that perhaps him taking her on these jobs alone meant that he would talk to her about things. Things that she knew he probably never thought about but that deep down, she dares to hope that he does.
So she thought she knew what to expect during her birthday party this year when he approached her, holding something behind his back. She took a deep breath, ready to see what job flyer he’d present her with only to find a book with a pink bow wrapped around it instead. 
“What’s this?” Lucy asks, surprised and cautiously optimistic. “Is it part of a job or-”
“No it’s not a job. It’s just a journal.” Natsu says. “I couldn’t figure out what to get you for your birthday this year so I asked Gildarts for advice and he told me I should get you something that you’ve been wanting to get or something you’d like so I thought I’d get you both!” 
Lucy was confused and touched at the same time. She was also relieved that for once she wouldn’t have to worry about getting hurt on her birthday! And it was a really sweet and thoughtful gift! She likes to write so he got her a journal...He really thought about it to get her something she’d enjoy! Is he starting to change? 
“Thank you so much Natsu!” Lucy exclaims, beaming with happiness as she holds the gift to her heart. “I love it!” 
She had no idea just how much she’d love it later.
--------------
After the party, she brought all the gifts she was able to carry back to her apartment with her and immediately unwrapped the bow on the journal to open it. 
To her surprise, there was already writing in it. Natsu’s writing. 
Her heart sunk. The last time he had written her something was a note telling her he was leaving for a year with Happy. And then the guild disbanded and she was all alone. He wasn’t leaving her again was he? 
With her heart pounding, she scanned the page, reading the words and bracing herself for heartbreak. But instead she found the opposite. 
Dear Lucy,
I hate writing and I’ve never written something like this before so I don’t know how good it’s gonna be but this is something I know you want to hear so I’m gonna try my best for you like I always do. I’m not good with words. Most of the things I say to you make you upset with me so I try to show how I feel about you with my actions instead of my words. And while I think that’s given you enough of an idea to know that I care about you, I don’t think you get how much I really do. So I guess I’ve got to be more clear and I figured since you love writing this is the best way to do it. 
You’re amazing. You’re so powerful, beautiful, and kind and you shine brighter than any star or dragon’s fire. I have no idea why you still hang around an idiot like me who doesn’t know how to treat you right but I hope the reason is because you feel the same way about me that I do about you. I’ve never had feelings like this before, so I’m sorry if I’ve frustrated you but I just don’t know anything about love aside from how I feel about you. Gramps and Gildarts used to lecture me on how great relationships are and how they hoped I’d fall in love and get married and have kids someday but I never wanted that because there wasn’t anyone I wanted to do that stuff with until you came into my life. 
It took me awhile to figure it out but now everything they told me about makes sense. I want to be with you Lucy, as more than just a friend. I know I don’t deserve you but I’m working hard to make you happy because that’s what you deserve. And I can tell that not knowing that has made you unhappy. So I’ve got to just be straight to the point and say it. I love you Lucy Heartfilia. I think that’s what you want to hear, so that’s what I’m giving you for your birthday.
~Natsu 
Lucy’s tears of joy were dripping onto the page so she quickly closes the book to keep her tears from washing away those sweet words. 
This was better than she could have ever imagined. And all she wanted was to run to Natsu and start this new chapter in their relationship together. Thankfully, knowing him, she didn’t have to go far. 
With tears dripping down her cheeks, she pulls back the curtain to her bedroom to find the man she loves and his blue cat in her room. She’d never been so happy to have them break into her apartment. 
“Lucy did you like the-Aw damnit, you’re crying!” Natsu exclaims, looking hurt and disappointed with himself. “I messed up again!” 
“What did you expect, you took relationship advice from Gildarts!” Happy chastises. “That guy can’t hold onto a woman, what does he know-” 
“No you didn’t!” Lucy reassures him. “Natsu it was perfect! I love it! I love you too!” She exclaims. 
Before Natsu has a chance to process what she said, Lucy dashes across the room, tossing the journal onto her bed before throwing her arms around his neck as he catches her in his before she kisses him. 
Happy’s jaw drops and Natsu’s eyes go wide for a moment, surprised by her affection before he returns the kiss, closes his eyes and moves his hands along her back to hold her closer to him as he relishes in this new feeling. 
She brings her hands up to his face to run her thumbs along his cheekbones while his hands settle on her hips as they gently pull apart. 
A blush forms on Lucy’s face as she realizes what exactly she’s done and is immediately embarrassed by how forward she was being. 
“Oh my gosh I’m so sorry that probably came out of nowhere and I should have asked first-” Lucy rambles before Natsu’s chuckle pulls her gaze back to his face and when he sees the warm look in his eyes and the smirk on his lips, she instantly relaxes. 
“It’s fine Lucy. I was hoping you’d kiss me. I just hope it was a good kiss, considering I’ve never done that before...” Natsu admits shyly. 
“It’s okay. I’ve never kissed anyone before either.” Lucy tells him. “This is new for me too. We’ll figure it out together, just like we do for everything else.” 
She rests her head on his chest and Natsu holds her close and rests his cheek on top of her head. 
“Well you know a lot more about this stuff than I do. So you’ll have a lot to teach me.” Natsu admits and Lucy laughs. 
“Well you gave me a very thoughtful gift, so clearly you’ve already got some idea of what to do.” Lucy says. 
“You just mean so much to me.” Natsu says. “I’ve never felt this way before for anyone else and I doubt I ever will. You deserve someone who can make you happy and give you everything you want.” 
“Well if everything you wrote in that letter is true, then I have no doubt that person is you.” Lucy says. “I just want one more thing.” 
“What is it?” Natsu asks, pulling back to look at her. “Whatever it is I’ll give it to you.” 
“Just tell me you love me. I know you wrote it but I want to hear you say it.” Lucy requests. 
Natsu smiles, more than happy to fulfill that wish. 
“I love you Lucy.” Natsu says and fresh tears spring from Lucy’s eyes as a result. 
“I love you too Natsu.” She says before kissing him again. 
The sounds of Happy sniffling pull them out of the moment. 
“What’s wrong little buddy? Are you crying because you’re happy for us?” Natsu asks. 
“I’m so happy for both of you!” Happy sniffles. “But I can’t believe that someone as dense as you managed to get a girlfriend before me!” He wails and the new couple laughs. 
Yep. Definitely the best birthday ever. And now Lucy couldn’t wait to see what Natsu would do for her next year. 
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kalstar · 3 years
Text
What my Genshin Team members would say about each other
Featuring Jean, Bennett, Chongyun, and Xiao
A/N: This is basically what I think they would say about each other in those "about ___" voice lines in the game. The setting is you the traveler, have put Jean, Bennet, Chongyun, and Xiao in one team. This is what they think about each other after a couple months of fighting and adventuring alongside each other. Is this where I slowly turn into a writing blog?
Tw: mentions of death (?) (no one dies it's just Xiao being mean)
Word count: 2.3k
Story (?) under the cut
Jean
About Bennett
"Bennett? I think he's very charismatic. I hear that he goes on adventures on his own, it must be hard dealing with everything by yourself; he seems like a very independent individual. I think he would make a great member of the Knights of Favonius in the future if he so chooses.
I very much admire his perseverance and positivity. Even when we were faced with near-death experiences, he could still laugh and brush it off as if it was nothing. He always manages to cheer everyone up. It's great having someone like him to boost our morale on the team.
I've heard a little bit about his past from the Adventurer's Guild… How he was found as a baby barely holding on to life… without having any real parents and that extremely bad luck of his, I truly hope that we're able to at least bring him a bit of comfort. I should check up on the Adventurer's Guild every once in a while... "
About Chongyun
"Hm, Chongyun is quite the strange one. At first, I was always so confused on why he always stayed in the shade and it really concerned me how much ice cream he was eating at a time… but then he told me about his congenital positivity and it made a bit more sense. It's strange how this condition of his works, I've never heard anything like that in Mondstadt before. I wonder if we can find a cure for it.
He seems to be very invested in his training as a martial artist and as an exorcist. He's constantly pushing himself to be better and learning how to control his condition. He always asks me about how to train or how to be stronger. I hear he's already the best exorcist in Liyue, I can only imagine the heights he can reach as he continues to grow.
Chongyun reminds me a lot of myself when I was younger. I was very focused on my training and kept pushing myself to the limit. It's quite nostalgic to see that side of me living through someone else. I hope that he can achieve his goals in the future, I think he very much deserves it."
About Xiao
" I thank you, traveler, for giving me the opportunity to fight alongside someone as powerful as Adeptus Xiao. It truly is an honor to be working with him. I never thought I would live long enough to see gods of another region, but you've made that possible. I am in your debt.
Adeptus Xiao is truly one of the strongest fighters I've ever seen. I've only heard stories about the power of Adepti, but to see it with your own eyes is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The way he gracefully moves on the battlefield with seemingly little effort is truly inspiring.
When the other boys are asleep, we often have long conversations over the fire. We would talk about our troubles and worries over the campfire, hearing the wisdom of someone as wise as him, it brought a bit of comfort. There is a lot about Adeptus Xiao that I don't know, especially about this "karmic debt", but I hope that we'll be able to help him get through it."
Bennett
About Jean
“It’s really awesome that I get to fight with someone as cool as Master Jean, and it’s all thanks to you traveler! I always travel alone, so to think that I can go on adventures with someone as amazing as her, maybe I’m not so unlucky after all! I hope my bad luck doesn’t get in the way of our adventures though hehe.
Don’t tell anyone, but I always try my best to impress Master Jean hehe. I always put out my best effort whenever she’s around, not that I don’t usually, but you get what I mean right? I make sure to hit the enemies harder and my fire burns longer! I know it’s silly but if I impress her, do you think she’d let the Adventurers Guild team up with the Knights of Favonius?
She can be a bit intimidating with how strict she can seem sometimes but she cares about everyone a lot! She always makes sure that everyone is doing alright and if they ever need anything. She's taught me about a lot of things, like how to better treat my wounds, what plants are safe for eating, and how to better hit weak spots of enemies. She's just so cool!"
About Chongyun
"Chongyun? I think he's super cool and strong!! Do you see how big his claymore is?? How can he just swing it around so quickly AND he can summon even more swords from the sky! Man, I wish I could do that, maybe more people would want to join my adventure team. I should train with him and ask for tips.
Both Chongyun and I can't eat spicy foods and Chongyun can't even eat anything warm, so we try to be careful of what we eat. Though there has been a couple of times where his condition, I think it's called "Congenital Positivity", started acting up after we ate something hot in Liyue. He acted all hyper and energetic, it's like he was drunk or something. Thankfully I could give him a popsicle before Adpetus Xiao could throw him in a cold river.
Since Chongyun is the best exorcist in Liyue, I asked him if he could get rid of my bad luck with his cool exorcist powers. He used these blue talismans and made a summoning circle thing with his hands, it was so awesome! I think it worked! For like… an hour… but it was still really cool!"
About Xiao
"To be honest, I was really scared of Adeptus Xiao at first... He looks like he could kill me just by his sharp stares! It sends shivers down my spine sometimes... I didn't know much about legends in Liyue since I never really travel far from Mondstadt, but after fighting with him for a while, I can see that he's definitely really strong; he's probably the strongest person I know!
Sometimes I find him looking really sad and when I get the courage to ask him what's wrong he always says that it's none of my concern... I've overheard a few of your conversations with him, something to do with "Karmic Debt" and his burden to carry or something? I don't know much about Adeptus Xiao's past but I wish he would stop being so hard on himself...
Whenever we rest after a really hard fight, I always offer to heal up his wounds. I know what it’s like to get hurt a lot of the time, so I try my best to help patch him up. He wouldn’t let me treat his wounds at first, but over time he warmed up to me and I make sure he always feels better by the end of it!"
Chongyun
About Jean
"It's an honor to be fighting alongside someone as important as Master Jean, I wouldn't have this chance if it wasn't for you traveler, I don't know how I could ever repay you! I don't know much about Mondstadt but it's very interesting to learn more about the areas of the world, maybe our exorcist services could reach their people someday as well.
The first time I saw Master Jean fight on the battlefield I was truly starstruck. She was able to control her movements so well while also supporting all of us; it was amazing! I also heard that she was able to take down five ruin guards on her own, she must train very hard every day to be able to do that...
Being able to meet and fight with Master Jean has been a motivating experience. I hope I can learn much more from her and maybe become as skilled and strong as her one day. She's quickly become a role model for me and I highly respect and admire her. Again, thank you very much for this opportunity traveler!
About Bennett
"Ah, Bennett? I think it's really nice having someone my age on the team that I can easily talk to. Sometimes we exchange stories and legends from our hometowns. I'm glad I get to share more of Liyue with other people and it's also very fascinating to listen to the stories of Mondstadt. It just shows how diverse Teyvat can really be.
Bennett's passion can be a bit much sometimes so I need to keep my distance... I hope he doesn't notice, I know many people tend to avoid him because of his bad luck but I hope he doesn't think of me like that. I just... don't want to embarrass myself in front of everyone ahaha...
Bennett says that ever since we started adventuring together his bad luck has decreased. He thinks that I bring him more good luck and that I’m his “good luck charm”, I think that might just be placebo, but I appreciate the sentiment. Maybe one day it would be possible to exorcise one's bad luck. He would definitely be the first I test it on if I ever figure it out."
About Xiao
"To be honest, I wasn't very pleased when I found out he was on our team. Of course, I have the utmost respect for him, my family and the Adepti have been exorcising evil for generations, but his demeanor isn't one that I'm particularly fond of... But, after spending more time with him, I realize that we have more in common than I thought.
Though Adeptus Xiao is definitely a very skilled and powerful warrior, he can be a bit... strange... We were in Dragonspine one day and I saw him try to eat the snow. I gave him one of my popsicles instead and he looked so confused. He seemed to enjoy it but I guess there are even some things that Adepti don’t know about.
I've gotten to know him a bit more and though there are still many secrets that he holds, I realize that he just wants to protect Liyue like the rest of the exorcists. He seems to face his own struggles and demons as well, whenever he looks more down than usual, I offer him some of my Qingxin infused water and it seems to calm him down a bit. I'm glad that I can at least help him a little bit in any way that I can."
Xiao
About Jean
"At first I thought she was just any other human, but you told me she was the leader of the people of Mondstadt, I quickly realized there was more to her than meets the eye. She's a very skilled fighter on the battlefield, it's impressive to see a human fight with such strength and skill. I've only ever seen that kind of power from you, traveler.
The people of Mondstadt are very lucky to have someone like her to lead them. She can work well with just about anyone. She was brave enough to ask me to spar with her at one point. I assumed she had a death wish but she can carry herself very well and never holds back.
Often times she asks me for advice about a lot of different things. I keep telling her that I'm not a teacher nor a fountain of wisdom, just an Adeptus. Though from what I can see, she seems to be stressed over a lot of the little things that go on in Mondstadt, if this keeps up she’ll burn herself out."
About Bennett
"That Bennett... he can be very overbearing. How can a human be so happy when their life has only been filled with turmoil. It confuses me and I can never understand what sort of tricks he's trying to pull on me... He has such a passion for adventuring but knowing his luck he's going to get himself killed at some point...
Honestly, I pity him. No one dares to go on adventures with him anymore, why hasn't he given up and moved on to something else? You humans are always so confusing. You find it admirable, I think it's just asinine. Though... I guess he is quite a skilled adventurer, it would be ignorant of me to not acknowledge his skills on and off the battlefield.
It annoys me that he can just live without a care in the world. How can one have such bad luck? He’s just… always one step away from death. How has a mortal survived for this long when the archons hate him so much. It truly irritates me how reckless he can be and leaves me to save him at the last second..."
About Chongyun
"It brings me a bit of peace of mind to know that there is another person from Liyue with us. I don't feel... as much of an outcast... I hear that he's from a family of exorcists. I've never paid much mind to the affairs of humans, though because we share similair duties, it was unavoidable that I would cross paths with them at some point.
I must admit that it's fascinating how he exorcises demons. While I exorcise demons and monsters with my spear, he seems to exorcise evil spirits... just by being present... I never knew that such things were possible. I hear it was because of his congenital positivity, I think it's an impressive skill, though he seems to treat it as a curse of his own.
It’s strange, whenever Chongyun is around their screams and cries don’t sound as loud as they usually would be. It’s as if all my years of karmic debt and demons within slowly fade away into nothingness. Maybe it's the cooling aura that he always carries with him or the Qingxins he brings back. I wonder if he actually has anything to do with it."
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lovewillthaw-j · 3 years
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Elsa’s powers appreciation (part 2 of 3) - Freezing
To recap, I’d like to classify Elsa’s powers into 3 categories and 3 posts - making things out of ice/snow (part 1), freezing (and melting) and movement/kinetic energy.
Before I dive into part 2 - I received some comments on the first post about Elsa’s ice decorations on Arendelle castle, which I missed out on. I would classify them as medium sized objects that she creates out of ice =)
What is the difference between part 1 and part 2? Well, I make a distinction between her creating something that was not there, versus her freezing (ie lowering the temperature of) something that is already there. Of course this is just my opinion and some are arguable, such as the snowstorms - you could say she created it or you could say she froze the weather.
1. Small-scale freezing
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In the first row, she freezes window sills both as a child and as Queen: in between, she is freezing the scepter and orb before the coronation (and also during the coronation itself).
In the second row, she freezes water under her foot and discovers she can walk on water. To the right, are 2 contrasting examples of her freezing the water fountain. In the first, she physically touched the fountain; in the second, she has “levelled up” and can freeze the fountain without physical touch.
2. Freezing the room she is in + the floor of the Enchanted forest
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In the first row, she freezes the floor of the great hall (and the whole hall too); next to it is the sad scene after her parents’ funeral, which she didn’t dare to attend for fear of hurting everyone in her grief; rightmost, she is freezing the room within the ice palace and causing a mini snowstorm. (for snowstorms, she also uses her kinetic powers which I will cover in the third post)
In the second row are the two times she froze the forest floor, first to stop the Northuldra and Mattias’ soldiers; second during her fight with Bruni.
3. Further lowering the temperature of an already cold place
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I want to point this out cos she does it quite a lot. Her powers are just THAT awesome! In the first row, in her anguish from hurting Anna, she lowers the temperature of the already cold great hall, causing more ice to form on the already icy floor and to spread up the walls (2nd pic) Next to it, in the ice palace, as she despairs while talking to Anna, we hear the sound of ice forming and we see more ice fractals appearing in the castle walls (which are made of ice and are already cold).
In the second row, with the castle glowing red, again more ice fractals appear and icy spikes form on the walls. On the right is a screencap from the dungeon scene showing more ice forming on the walls as Elsa’s emotions cause the temperature to drop further.
4. Freezing an entire geographical area + weather
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This hardly needs description. She freezes the entire fjord and causes it to snow in summer in Arendelle. 
Later on, after breaking out of the dungeon, her panic causes a massive snowstorm to form around her (again, snowstorms also involve her kinetic powers), engulfing the castle and lowering the temperature even further, such that huge spikes of ice block Olaf and Anna’s path inside the castle; also, so much snow blankets the castle that Anna is able to slide down the side of the castle safely to the ground. The storm also causes the fjord to freeze even colder; some of the ships move as a result of the warping ice and one of them topples and almost falls on Kristoff and Sven.
In the final image (post Great Thaw), Elsa has got it under control and is able to make it snow in a controlled manner and only in the castle courtyard.
Not shown is the epilogue of F2 where she has frozen the Dark Sea and gallops over it on Nokk.
5. Her hair
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Haha, now for something light hearted. You can argue that this is a separate power, but I’d like to think that she froze parts of her hair in place to give her iconic hair do. Watch the progression of the screencaps - her long locks by the side of her face initially drape down, and with a sweep of her right and then left hand, they get plastered to the side of her head. Magic frozen hairspray...
6. Uniquely Olaf
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Have you ever stopped to consider that the magical personal “flurry” that Elsa made for Olaf is pretty mindblowing? She literally made a mobile, perpetual freezer! ie, a localized zone of cold temperature that is cold enough to snow and keep Olaf from melting, AND follows him everywhere! To put it another way, in 1840s Arendelle, Elsa has invented a fridge! (that follows you) Wouldn’t every household want one of their own for those hot summer days?
Olaf’s permafrost is similar and a little bit frightening if you see it as Elsa “encasing” you in ice. She can permafrost all her sentient creations including Marshmallow and the snowgies now. 
7. Freezing head and heart
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This is one of the darkest sides of Elsa’s powers. She is able to send her freezing powers “into” a person and if it is the head - knock the person unconscious and turn some hair white; if it is the heart, the person freezes from within and their hair will turn all white like Elsa’s, prior to becoming an immobile statue of ice. Do you know what this reminds me of? I watched a nature documentary on certain parasites which infect insects and take over their mind before killing them from within. Could Elsa control your mind? I think Evil Elsa could...and would...(Hell, if Nattmara could...why not Elsa. -FoS)
I like to think that during the fight with Weaseltown’s men, she was falling to the dark side and if that had not been arrested, she could have easily unleashed her powers and frozen the hearts of all her assailants.
BTW, I did not realize before that when she hit Anna in the head, you can see a snowflake impact Anna’s head briefly. (captured in my screencap)
In the second row, I want to point out that frozen Anna’s body was SO COLD that Hans’ sword frosted up before the sword made contact and shattered. And this brings me to the next point...
8. Freeze metal and stone to ultra low temperature that they break
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So I did some research and some metals can shatter once it is colder than a specific temperature called the “ductile to brittle transition temperature”. Cheap non-alloyed steel can shatter at about -30 degrees Celsius. Alloyed steel can withstand much colder temperatures. This is important when building metal structures eg ships and rigs for use in the Arctic or Antarctic. I’m no materials scientist so I’ll let people chip in on this if they wish. 
The point is, our Queen CAN FREEZE TO COLDER THAN -30 DEGREES!!! And she sure has superhuman invulnerability to cold! Human skin sticks to cold surfaces.
In the rightmost screencap, Elsa has broken out of a solid stone dungeon! Maybe she blasted it open (we don’t know) but this too is freaking amazing! I did some brief research and this is called frost weathering or frost shattering. Essentially she could break through stone by rapidly freezing all the water in it since water expands on freezing. (again, I’m no expert)
It is my belief that in F2, she could have destroyed the dam singlehandedly. Earth Giants pffft. And she would have stopped the water at the source too.
Elsa is definitely impervious to her own cold - she hugs frozen Anna (who is cold enough to break metal) cheek to cheek and is unscathed.
Interestingly, in F2 Anna holds the ice sword that Elsa made without being hurt by the cold - perhaps Anna gained some cold tolerance after coming back from being frozen herself. And she hugs Olaf all the time too.
9. The Nokk + Magic Freezing Thighs 
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Elsa is pretty fearsome in combat - I will touch more on this in the third post. Here, she figures out pretty rapidly how to stop the Nokk by freezing him. In the epilogue of F2, one of the most beautiful FX scenes - she freezes the Nokk and he willingly obliges and becomes a beautiful ice horse that can travel on land.
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Have you ever wondered how Elsa stays on the Nokk “bareback”??? (bareback referring to Nokk...although Elsa’s dark sea gown is pretty bare in the back too lol) I know @super-mam-te-moc and I have! 
Look at these 3 screencaps - on the left, the Nokk is bucking and thrashing around, trying to shake Elsa off; in the middle, she is riding the Nokk at a speed faster than the tsunami of water; and on the right, the Nokk is rearing up on hind legs while Elsa makes the huge ice wall with her hands in the air. In all these situations Elsa stays firmly on the Nokk and never falls off or slides off!
Our conclusion is - she has magic freezing thighs that help her stick to the Nokk...LOL
10. Melting
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Lastly, Elsa is able to melt everything she made. With the help of Anna’s great love (lovethawmode) she melted the entire fjord and Arendelle. (kinetic powers are at play here too as she makes everything float into the sky and coalesce into a giant snowflake)
In F2, she also demonstrates melting the ice floor that she froze.
What we don’t know yet is whether she can melt “natural” snow that she didn’t make herself, or whether she can reverse a natural winter and turn it into summer. Let’s wait for more out of this world powers in future shorts, movies or series!
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As Usual
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Pairing: Mando x Reader
Summary: When Mando finds himself in need of some help in a tiny village on Arbiflux, he may leave with more than he expected. 
Warnings: Violence, mentions of sexual assault (or at least alluding to it), a lot of unimportant OC’s with names to fill the town
Word Count: 5700
A/N: This is my first Mando fic so I’m really sorry if it sucks. I tried though and if you guys enjoy this, I have an idea for another one.
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The Mandalorian caught your attention the moment he walked into your family’s blacksmith shop. Tall, angular, and mysterious, the man landed his ship in the large clearing just on the other side of the river from where your town was and made his way across the utilitarian wooden bridge directly to the shops. You watched in curiosity as this new stranger made his way into your village, a small bundle of something you couldn’t make out walking right next to him. 
You had heard stories of the Mandalorians and the Great Purge, though you were no expert by any means on anything other than simply knowing they existed. Seeing one in person though felt surreal. For all you’d known, they’d been killed off years ago. But apparently not all because one was approaching you quickly. 
“Can I help you?” You asked, taking your worn protective leather gloves off and walking towards the open mouth of your family’s forge where the Mandalorian had approached. 
“I need a part for my ship to be fixed.” He answered shortly in a vaguely robotic voice. 
Tousling your fingers through your locks, you attempted to blindly force the stray hairs into place, “Well, we don’t get too many visitors with ships here. Your best bet for finding someone who can fix your ship would probably be in the city.” 
“Where is the nearest city?” He questioned, lifting a small bundle of tan fabric off the ground. Your brows furrowed when you saw that there was a small wrinkly green baby but the Mandalorian tucked the child further into his chest, almost shielding him from your view for some odd reason. 
Writing the action off, you pointed to your right with your thumb, “About ten miles west.” 
“How long is it to travel?” 
“On foot, about four hours. With a kaadu, maybe two.” You explained, gesturing to the large reptilian creatures in the pens around town. Mando sighed heavily and you got the impression he was on a limited time constraint, “What do you need fixed?” 
The man shifted, “The ventilation system. The fins on the fan are damaged, blocking it from spinning. The oxygen is hardly circulating throughout the ship.” 
“Broken fins? They metal?” You asked, to which the man just nodded, “I might be able to help if that’s the only problem. Can I see?” 
The Mandalorian led you back to his ship and you walked inside, skin crawling with excitement. You’d never been on a ship before. Like you’d told the man earlier, they never really landed in your little village and you seldom traveled to the bigger cities. It was like a metal maze, cramped but still somehow roomy enough to be comfortable. 
You took in your surroundings as he led you through the small hallways, stopping when you saw an almost book-like assortment of massive sheets of a black substance with what appeared to be carvings of screaming people. An uneasiness settled in the air that the Mandalorian noticed, glancing back over his shoulder to see you looking at his assortment of bounties that had been frozen in Carbonite. Since people had come after him, he wasn’t really sure what to do with the criminals he had yet to deliver but the thought was always pushed off. It wasn’t like they were going anywhere. 
“They’re alive. Just should have cooperated.” Your brows furrowed in confusion at his words so he continued reluctantly, “Bounties.” 
“Oh, you’re a bounty hunter?” You asked, relaxing slightly. Knowing that whoever these people were were both criminals and still alive, you felt a little better. They must have been pretty bad people if they had bounties on their heads. 
You were far from naive but you weren’t well experienced in matters of the universe. Arbiflux had been your only home, and, even then, you seldom left your small village. Always work to do, anything to help your family. You’d always dreamed of adventure though, getting off the forested planet and exploring the galaxy. The Mandalorian must have travelled all over the galaxy in his line of work and seen so much. It made you envious. You took his silence to your first question as an agreement so you continued, “I’d imagine work would have taken you all over the place. I’ve never left this planet. Hell, I’ve only ever left the village a handful of times.” 
“I have been to quite a few planets.” His modulated voice humored your musings, turning to continue his way to the ventilation system. 
You trailed behind, vague metal echoes following your boot covered footsteps, “What are they like?” 
“A lot of desert planets. Some have swamps. Some have forests. Some are just cities. A few are all ice. Some are a combination.” As he spoke, you fantasized about all the planets that could be out there. You had done so many times before and every time the new planets became more and more fantastic, sometimes to an unrealistic degree. But how could anything be unrealistic when you didn’t really know the constraints of reality in your own universe? 
“I’ve always wanted to see them.” You mused out loud, “Your ship is really nice by the way.” 
Mando looked back at you and, although you could see no hint of expression behind the helmet you immediately recognized as being made from beskar, he had an eyebrow cocked at you. It didn't sound like you were making fun of him but he knew the Razor Crest was anything but. "You haven't seen many ships before, have you?" 
 With a small shrug and slightly twisted face, you shook your head, "We don't get too many people coming through town and I don't make it into the city often." 
Mando almost felt bad for you. He had learned how to read people easily and you were an open book. It was in the way you stood, the words you spoke, the way your eyes twinkled in amazement at the smallest things on his ship. You were a girl who loved her family and had a sense of duty to them. He assumed by the look of the shop you worked in that blacksmithing was a generational career, probably dating back to your grandparents, at least. He could see the love for your community and home but he also saw a fire for adventure, for anything other than what you knew. With every word, every little subconscious movement, his image of you became clearer and clearer. 
"This is the fan." Mando stopped suddenly and pointed to an open panel in the ship's wall. You halted quickly, having almost forgotten why you entered the Razor Crest to begin with. "The rest of the system works. I was able to fix the wiring. It's just this part here that was damaged and now it won't rotate. It won't circulate the oxygen." 
He stepped to the side, allowing you to step in and inspect the damage. It was a long cylindrical metal piece with five slanted blades evenly spaced around the circumference. There was a mechanism in the middle that led you to assume that it spun around on some metal rod and the blades circulated the oxygen throughout the ship. Sure enough, two of the blades were bent and crumpled, so much so that when you gave the device a little test nudge to see if it would spin at all, it only rotated an inch or so before the crumpled fans hit another part of the system with a klink, preventing it from moving more. 
"As long as these just need to be flattened and straightened out, this should be a breeze. I could have it done by the end of the day." You continued to inspect the blades to get a full understanding of the damage. "So what happened to it anyway?"
"There was an altercation on board with a passenger. A stray shot from her gun hit the panel that used to cover this and it bent everything up." Mando remembered the fight with the Twi'lek woman. She was a fellow bounty hunter, yet another person who wanted the money for the Child. 
The slight black scar from the laser on the wall confirmed the report and you ran your finger over the smudge, curious to see if it would wipe away. It didn't. "Sounds like such an interesting life." 
“You said you could have it done by the end of the day?” The Mandalorian ignored your wistful comment and set the Child on the ground, making sure he stayed in eyesight. He didn’t see you as someone who would harm the baby but he also couldn’t be sure after everything that had happened. 
You nodded, “Yeah, this looks pretty simple. But you’re going to have to take it apart. I have no clue how any of that works and I don’t want to be responsible if it breaks.” 
“That’s no problem.” The Mandolorian stepped over and pulled on a few wires, disconnected a few fuses, and before you knew it, the overall fan had dislodged from its place with a hiss of decompression. He turned it in his hands until he found the button he had to push to unlock the mechanism holding each blade in place. It took no time before he handed you the broken blades one by one. 
You held the blades in your arms, moderately sized at about 18 inches long and 9 inches across. Leaning forward, you inspected the intact ones to get an idea of how these needed to be shaped. “Well, there’s not much to do in the village while you wait, I’m afraid. There’s a little bar you could hang out at I suppose. They serve some decent food.”
“Thank you. I’ll be around.” He responded in his typical concise manner. 
The blades really were quick work, like you’d expected. What took the longest was the order you had before, which was making the metal wedges of Naz Ta’ron’s ridge plow that he’d ordered to be made last week. Farm equipment made up most of your work, unfortunately, aside from the occasional weaponry. The weaponry never took too long, definitely not as much as you’d like. Making swords and hatchets was a hell of a lot more interesting than manufacturing plows and wheels. 
By the time the sun had just begun to set, you had finished the third blade, dipping the last blazing orange, newly repaired fan blade into the large bucket of water, bubbles sizzling aggressively at the contact with the nearly molten metal and cooling it rapidly. After setting it down on the workbench to cool, you untied your leather smock and brushed the loose strands of hair out of your face. As far as you could remember, these looked exactly like the intact fans back on the ship, though in better condition. You had no idea what they looked like new but this had to be close. 
*
Throughout the day, you’d watched from afar as the Mandalorian had wandered through the booths before returning to the ship with what you presumed to be a basket full of supplies. That was earlier in the day and he’d since been waiting in the bar you’d told him about earlier. You powered down the forge and gathered the fans before walking over to the bar. It was only a few buildings down, no more than a few hundred feet away, so the walk was quick. People meandered around town on their usual paths, the ones you came to know each person in the small village to take by heart.
When you entered the bar, the usual people were in there. K’jann Ving, Jared Amavia, and Haera Kiwai all sat in their usual seats with their usual drinks. All so usual. The only thing out of place was the Mandolorian sitting at the booth in the corner with his little baby whatever-he-was. 
He noticed you enter right away, which wasn’t saying much considering the small size of the room. You walked right up to the table, “Fans are all finished up. Figured I’d drop them off.” 
You placed the sheets of metal on the table. The Mandolorian reached down beneath the table and pulled out a small brown bag, “How much?” 
“30 credits?” You estimated, not really knowing how to price such a repair. Compared to other weapon repairs, though this was only slightly more because there were more than one things needing repairing. 
The Mandolorian began to sift through his bag, presumably counting out the coins. The little green baby by his side stared up at you with adorable large eyes and cooed. You couldn’t help the smile that crept on your face when his tiny arms reached out towards you, though you made no move to pick him up, opting to give him a tiny wave instead. Babies had always seemed to like you. Your nieces and nephews had loved you from the moment they were born. 
A commotion sounded from outside the bar that stole your attention away from your payment and the Child. Your brows furrowed when you made eye contact with K’jann, who looked equally as confused as you did. Jared stood up from his spot at the bar and walked to the door, “What the hell is going on out there?” 
Before he could find an answer, a bright flash of light struck him in the chest and he fell, lifeless. You shrieked and jumped at the unexpected attack. “Get down!” The Mandolorian demanded, pulling you closer to him before shoving the table over. He pushed you to the ground, scooped the child up, and placed him beside you hurriedly before you could comprehend what was happening. You were lying on the ground on your back, using the table as a wall of sorts to shield from the gun shots that were assailing towards you. 
“Protect the Child!” The Mandolorian demanded of you, his voice surprisingly calm considering he had just been randomly attacked. 
The baby reached up and clung to your shirt, struggling to pull himself up into your arms for protection. You reached around his body and scooped him up, flinching when a blast of laser zinged a little too close to your face for comfort. 
“You’ve been a hard one to reach, Mando. You could’ve just given us the Child and it would all be done with but now we’re gonna kill you, take the kid, and your shiny armor.” A man’s voice taunted from the other side of the table barricade. 
What the hell kind of trouble was this guy in?! 
The Mandolorian jumped over the table and you reached out for him, his cape slipping through your fingers as he disappeared into the fight “Wait!” You called out to now avail. What the hell was he doing? There were a few grunts and groans. The laser blasts stopped being directly in your direction and began to be shot more erratically around the room. 
“Get him out of here!” The Mandolorian’s modulated voice yelled at you from the other side. 
This was it. You were going to die. This was what you got for craving adventure. 
The baby squirmed against your body, making little fearful noises. Rolling over onto your knees, you scooped up the baby and held him tightly against your chest before reaching into your pocket and procuring a blaster. Peeking around the corner of the table first to ensure that it was clear to run, you took off like a bullet, darting as quickly as possible to the door. 
The Mandalorian was fighting against two humans, a Rodian, and a Cerean woman at once. It appeared like he had them until the massive Cerean woman pinned him on the table, hand crushing over a part of his forearm that he seemed in a struggle to have access to. 
You didn’t know anything about this man other than the fact that he was a bounty hunter with a broken ventilation system. Why did you want to help him? Why were you putting your life on the line to aid him when you knew damn well he could very clearly be in the wrong? Why did you trust him so much when you knew literally nothing about him? 
The Cerean woman fell on top of the Mandalorian the moment you pulled the trigger. He groaned at the heavy weight but used her body to knock one of the human men down. He quickly tapped on his forearm, right where the woman had been pressing, and a large flame shot out towards the Rodian, who shielded his face. 
You began to run towards the door again, so close to escaping with the child, but something hard suddenly knocked your feet out from under you and you crashed to the ground with a painful thud. You clutched the baby close to your chest as you fell, using your body to shield him from the impact. Your eyes opened to see a tall Zabrak woman that you hadn’t seen previously standing over you. 
“Aw, Mando! Using some little village girl to save the kid? That’s a new level of low.” She chuckled sadistically, rolling her eyes from the Mandalorian and back to you, “Sorry, babe, you don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into. Hand over the kid so I don’t have to kill you.” 
You froze in fear for a moment, brain stuck buffering in a desperate attempt to comprehend the situation you were in. 
“Guess I have to kill you.” She continued with an unapologetic shrug after only a second or two. She had a large staff in her hand that she spun around with skill, picking up enough momentum for the black metal rod to look like a blur, before slamming it down right where your head was. Thankfully, you rolled to the side just in time for the stick to slam into the ground with enough force that it very easily could have killed you. 
Without a second thought, you aimed the blaster that was still in your hand just in time and shot her square in the chest. Her body crumpled into a heap of black robes, her staff clattering to the ground. It took you a moment to realize that the commotion had ceased. 
The Mandalorian hurried over to you, “Are you okay?” 
Your whole body was shaking but you nodded, adrenaline pumping through your veins, “What the hell was that about?” You demanded, sitting up finally. When you looked around, you noticed that everyone who had attacked was dead. The other patrons of the bar had seemed to escape. 
Mando reached to take the kid from your grasp but stopped when he noticed how the small alien snuggled into your body like it was the safest place in the galaxy. You looked down to inspect his little body for injuries but he thankfully appeared unharmed. “I’ve been quested to bring him to the Jedi. He was originally a bounty I was supposed to bring in but I learned that the man who wanted him was going to hurt him. I couldn’t give him up. It’s my duty to protect him. People all over the galaxy like this have been trying to get the bounty on both of our heads.” 
“What’s so special about him?” The baby looked like any other baby alien. You hadn’t necessarily seen many baby aliens but this one didn’t seem particularly extraordinary. 
“I honestly don’t know for sure. I do know he can do things with his mind when he wants to, though. I figure it has something to do with that.” He extended a hand, pulling you up to your feet, “I’m sorry you got involved.” 
You shook your head slightly, looking around at the bodies littering the bar, two of which you were responsible for killing, “You said they were going to hurt the baby?” You asked rhetorically, “It’s no problem.” 
“Do all small town blacksmiths just carry blasters on them?” He asked, nodding towards the gun that was still in your hand. 
You tucked it away again, “We’ve gotten a few less than pleasant visitors from neighboring cities and towns. Just some jerks who come to town looking to pick a fight with the men or take what they want from the women. Pull out a blaster, it’ll usually put them in their place.” 
Mando thought about what that actually meant for a moment and a few more pieces of the puzzle that was you began to click together in his head. He couldn’t help but wonder how many times you’d had to pull the gun on a man who was trying to take advantage of you and the thought made his heart sink. He didn’t know you nearly at all but nobody deserved that. There was a twinge of protectiveness in his chest that made him want to track down anyone who’d ever threatened that sort of harm to you and show them just how good at killing the Mandalorians really were. 
There wasn’t time for that, though. If these five bounty hunters were here by now, there’d be more soon. He couldn’t risk getting caught up with any more people who wanted to take the Child. “Well you’re a good shot,” He complimented with a small nod of his helmet, “Anyways, we need to take off now. If they already knew we were here, others will be here soon. You said the parts were ready?” 
You nodded, “They were. I’m not exactly sure where they are now, though.” Your face twisted as you gestured around the freshly wrecked bar, furniture pieces just as strewn out of place as the cups and plates that were on them.
The two of you looked around for the fans and people from around town slowly funnelled into the bar, also helping to clean up the debris from the attack. “You need to go.” Zim Golu, the bar’s owner stood over Mando, who was crouched down to pick up one of the fans that he’d finally found. Zim Golu’s arms were crossed, his cheek bleeding from being hit with something during the fight. 
“I’m sorry about the damage,” Mando stood up, “I just need to find a part for my ship and we’ll be off this planet as soon as it’s installed.” 
Zim Golu stepped closer, “I don’t care about your part. I want you out of my bar.” 
You looked over from the next table over, setting down the chair you had picked up where it was supposed to be. “What’s the problem?” You questioned, walking over to the pair with furrowed brows. 
“There’s no problem.” Mando responded calmly, “We’ll be leaving as soon as I find the pieces I need.” 
“No, he’ll be leaving now.” 
The Child, who had been wandering around the building while you all cleaned, came up and held onto your leg. You glanced down before gently running your fingers over his head. “We cannot leave without these pieces. The oxygen can’t move through the ship without them. We barely made it here as it was.” Mando again was calm but insistent. 
“What don’t you understand, Mando? Look at the trouble you’ve caused my bar and this whole town.” Zim Golu clearly had no intention of backing down, despite the fact that the intimidating Mandalorian towered over him. 
You stepped forward and extended your arm between the men, “Mando, why don’t you go back to the ship and wait there. I will look for the pieces and deliver them when I find them.” You sent Zim Golu a look that told him that that was what was going to be what happened, whether he liked it or not. “How’s that?” 
The bar owner shot Mando a dirty look before pointing to the door, “Don’t come back to this place again.” 
Mando stood strong and emotionless under the shield of beskar and stared down Zim Golu as he walked away. 
“I’ll meet you at your ship in a few. We’ve already found two so the last one shouldn’t take long to find.” Mando looked down at you while you spoke. You handed him the first two fans you found, “Maybe you can get these installed while you wait. I’m sorry about Zim Golu. He’s always cranky.” 
“No, I understand. I’d be mad if my bar was destroyed by strangers too. Thank you for looking. We’ll be on the ship,” He beckoned for the Child to follow him out the door but the baby was hesitant, only wanting to be near you for some reason, “C’mon.” Mando picked up the baby and carried him out. 
Finding the last fan was more difficult than you had hoped. When the table was pushed over, it had been kicked under a shelf in the corner and it took you lying face down on the ground to finally see it. 
When you got to the ship, you awkwardly stepped up onto the ramp that led up to the Razor Crest and just up to the entrance of the main hull, “Uh, hello? Mando? It’s Y/N. I found the fan.” You announced, looking around while you waited for the man to appear before entering the ship. 
He climbed down a small ladder and approached you. You extended the fan blade out to him, “Here it is. Sorry it took so long.” You apologized, following Mando as he took off down the hall towards the ventilation system. “How did the other two fit? Is it working?” 
He stopped by the busted open wall panel that was supposed to conceal the ventilation system and pulled out the cylindrical piece that the blades attached to. He slipped the last one into place and it fit perfectly, “They fit nicely. Now we just need to see if it works.” He slid the mechanism back into place and reattached all the wires that he’d removed earlier. “Stay here and tell me if it spins properly. I’ll head up to the cockpit and activate it.” 
With that, he disappeared before you could protest (not that you were going to) up to where you assumed the cockpit was. You waited patiently until the low hum of the ventilation system kicked on and the fan began to rotate without a hitch. The Child waddled around the corner and right to you, arms up, asking to be held. You lifted him into your arms with a smile and held up your palm to him, “We fixed it! High five, buddy. Or, well, high three, I guess.” You chuckled, counting his fingers. The baby didn’t understand what you were trying to achieve so you gently tapped the palm of your hand against his in a forced high five. 
“Is it working?” Mando’s robotic voice asked from behind you and you spun around to face him. 
You nodded, “Everything’s looking good.” 
Mando immediately noticed the Child in your arms but, for once, he didn’t tense up at it. You felt safe, which perhaps was an error to assume such characteristics, but he couldn’t help it. Besides, he’d never seen the Child so affectionate with anyone other than himself. “Thank you for all of your help. I’m sorry about the trouble we brought with us.” 
“It’s no problem. If I’m being honest, it was kind of thrilling.” You chuckled, looking away with a small blush. That probably made you sound crazy. 
A silence settled over the two of you and Mando watched as your attention quickly turned back to the Child in your arms. “He really likes you.” Mando noted, “He’s not usually like that.” 
A small smile appeared on your face, “Well I must say I’m pretty fond of him too. He’s adorable. And, for what it’s worth, I think what you’re doing is really noble.” You told the Mandalorian. Why did complimenting him give you butterflies? You had no idea what the man looked like. For all you knew, he could have tentacles for a mouth or four eyes. But, regardless, there was just something about him that made you uncomfortable in the best way - in the sort of way that left your skin crawling with excitement and a constant little urge in the back of your head that made you desperate for him to like you. 
“I appreciate that.” 
Another small moment of silence again left you rocking back and forth on your heels. “Where are you off to next?” You inquired curiously. 
“I don’t know. We’ll figure it out though. Tatooine isn’t too far from here. We might go there and lie low for a day or two.” Mando responded. 
A question had been whirring around your mind since the Mandalorian first arrived and enlisted your help but you didn’t realize how hard asking it would actually be. You knew, though, that this was your last chance. “Can I come with?” You asked, the words coming out quickly. 
“This isn’t a passenger ship.” He answered simply. 
“I don’t mean like a taxi or whatever. I mean... “ You struggled to figure out how to ask, “Can I come with you guys? Wherever you go, I don’t really care. I don’t have any money to pay you but I can help however you need. I have some survival skills in the wilderness. I can sort of fix some things. I have child care experience. And I’m a fast learner for anything else you might need.” You chewed your lip while waiting for the Mandalorian to respond. 
“Why would you want to do that?” 
You sighed, “I just… I don’t want to die here knowing I never did anything but smash metal with a hammer. I don’t want to spend my whole life stuck in this little village when there’s an entire galaxy out there to see. I understand that joining you would mean a life of danger but I think I’m willing to risk that.” 
Mando pondered the proposition. He had no actual need for a companion on his journey to deliver the Child to the Jedi but he could see the potential luxury in having one. Clearly, the Child really liked you. Fighting and caring for the Child was difficult at times and having an extra pair of hands would definitely prove helpful. Although you weren’t a trained warrior, you could hold your own in a fight and had no problem pulling the trigger when the moment called for it. You did have the ability to fix things that he wasn’t able to, at least when you had the proper tools. 
Beyond that, he could see your desperateness to leave this planet. Mando had never been what many would call a “softie.” He did what needed to be done and would do whatever it took to meet those ends. He had his ethics, of course, and obviously he felt bad for the people that he couldn’t help but he had to admit that he often had the “not my problem” mentality. Perhaps it was attributed to his newfound position as a father figure or maybe it was because he actually cared about you for some unknown reason, but he found himself sympathizing with your situation. He could see in your eyes that you saw hope in him and the Razor Crest as a way to get off Arbiflux. This was your opportunity to leave behind a life of “the usual.” But he still couldn’t help but find himself stuck on what you said earlier about the men from neighboring towns coming in to take advantage of the women here. The fact that you carried a gun in an otherwise safe community simply to defend yourself against men like that actually enraged him. His “not my problem” mentality seemed to be receding to his yearning to help you in some way, especially after all you’d done for him. 
He couldn’t believe he was doing this. “People try to kill us almost everywhere we go. You will never be safe. Can you handle that?” 
With a hard swallow, you nodded your head. 
“We are leaving in thirty minutes. Take only what you need.”
Your eyes widened with surprise and a big smile spread on your face, “Wait, are you serious?” 
“Yes. As long as you understand what coming with me entails, I could use the help.” Mando didn’t actually hate his decision to allow you to come with. Part of him was actually a little excited to have another person, an actual companion, on board. Of course, he would gladly kill you or strand you on an icy planet the second you indicated any harmful intent towards the Child but that seemed highly unlikely at the moment. 
The way you did a little excited jump made him smile under the helmet. Your enthusiasm and gratefulness gave you a humble, real, and, frankly, slightly adorable energy, despite the badass edge of literally forging blades and shooting people. “Thank you so much! You won’t regret this. I will be right back!” He watched as you ran off the Razor Crest, presumably to your home to grab a bag of personal belongings. 
Mando moved to the main hold and sat on a box, the Child standing on the ground and looking up at him. He could have sworn that the little green baby was giving him that look. It was the look that kids gave their friends when their crush walked by. “Hey, knock that off. You better be on your best behavior for her. She’s willing to help you not get killed so be thankful she’s coming along.” Mando told the tiny being, who just giggled in response. “We’re just helping her! It’s not like that.” Mando insisted to the Child, exasperated with his silent (imagined) insistence. It didn’t occur to him that he really was just arguing with himself. 
He stood up and did a once around the ship to try and work out the logistics of living with you. Frankly, he wasn’t sure where you’d sleep or how living with another person was going to work as it had been so long since he’d spent more than a few days with someone. All Mando knew was that he wasn’t totally dreading your company.
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pillage-and-lute · 3 years
Text
Thicker Than Water (Part 3)
Part 1 Part 2 (here) Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8
Ao3 link HERE
Finally here, now that I’m feeling a little better.
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Traveling with Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer was hard. They went slow for Yennefer’s sake, and for that Jaskier was thankful, but his entire body ached.
He’d woken up cold and damp, body sore from lying on the ground in his cheap bedroll, but he didn’t complain. He drank heavily from his water skin to keep his stomach from growling, unwilling to use up precious food for himself. He was being brought along on this journey against Geralt’s -and his own- wishes, but he would not be a burden.
He forged ahead, even, at one point, taking a bag from Yennefer. She didn’t have much to carry but he recognized the full body exhaustion on her face. She didn’t smile at him or thank him, but she nodded gratefully.
Jaskier reflected on that. He had wanted to hate the witch, especially back then, after the djinn, when he’d seen her and Geralt...playing hide the sausage. He found that he couldn’t. He was an artist, he appreciated beauty and pain and the use of words and an excellent storyline. Yennefer checked those boxes. Jaskier felt ashamed to want to dislike her. She’d held back forces at Sodden, she was strong and good with Ciri and cared for Geralt. He appreciated all these things.
It was just...she and Geralt and Ciri were all together. A powerful sorceress, a twice-made Witcher, a hero, and their adopted child with untold power and a regal birthright. It made a family. And just like with his own family, there was no place for Jaskier.
It hurt.
But he wasn’t supposed to be part of the family. He wasn’t there to share in the chatter Ciri directed at Yennefer and Geralt. Geralt even talked back a little, answering in one or two words the stream of questions. He answered them though. Jaskier wished he’d ever answered him.
Then he felt silly. He was jealous of Ciri, who was a child. A brave child, but a child nonetheless, who’d lost her home and her family and everyone she knew in a very short time. Of course Geralt would answer her questions, he was a good man.
He also liked children, Jaskier knew. He let his memory drift to a happier time. 
It had been a summer fair in a tiny, agricultural village, tucked among wheat fields like a lost button beneath a patchwork quilt. The sun had been warm and the whole world was amber. Jaskier was playing music with a scratch band of anyone who wanted to join. Lighthearted jigs and reels had unfurled beneath his hands. He played The Willow Wedding and The Flowers of Fairside and other simple country songs that his fellow musicians might know. All around them people were dancing and laughing. Flower crowns were made. Young women shyly offered them and young men shyly took them to indicate blooming romance, but almost everyone in attendance had one, old and young.
Geralt had been standing, looming without intention, at the edge of the crowd, near Jaskier. In the shadows, in his black outfit (Jaskier had insisted he leave the armor back at the in) he looked out of place, like a thistle in a bouquet.
Then a little girl in a neat yellow pinafore, dyed with weld, probably, and carefully embroidered with little yellow roses at the collar stopped by the musician. She was perhaps four years old, and she looked at the dancers and then just sat down and began to cry.. It had been a sight to bend even the hardest heart and Jaskier had been just about to stop playing when Geralt crouched in front of her.
“What ever is the matter?” Jaskier had heard him say, softly.
“Everybody’s dancin,” sniffled the little girl. “An nobody wants to dance wif me.” She reached up and took the dandelion and daisy flower crown from her dark, bushy hair.
Jaskier’s heart just melted and he wanted to cry in sympathy as one big, blobby tear rolled down a round cheek. She scrubbed it away hastily but more were hanging on lashes all around her big, brown eyes.
“Nobody wants to dance with you?” Geralt said, affecting a wide eyed look of surprise. The girl sniffled again and pointed to the edge of the dancing, where a group of kids, a little older than her, where all wheeling about together.
“Not nobody,” Geralt said, gently putting her flower crown back on her head. “You haven’t asked me if I want to dance, have you?”
She sniffed the last of her sniffles and looked up, a slow smile starting. “Do ya wanna dance wif me?”
“Of course,” Geralt had said, then he’d very carefully lifted her so her tiny feet were safely away from trodding, and he’d set her feet on the tops of his big, black boots. Then Geralt had danced, a little awkwardly, but holding her little hands in his large ones and taking big steps so she bounced on his boots, which resulted in her shrieking with delight. 
Eventually an older girl had pulled her away to go spin about with the others, but the memory lived in a quiet, warm place in Jaskier’s chest. He thought of it often, and the way the little girl had offered a tiny daisy from her flower crown. It had remained in Geralt’s fingers as he returned to his place, brooding in the shadows, spinning it between thumb and forefinger occasionally.
“Dandelion,” Ciri said, pulling him from his reverie. “Jaskier, can you tell me a story?”
Jaskier glanced back to see the look on Geralt’s face, but then wasn’t sure why he had, the witcher’s expression held no answers, it never did. The story that leapt to mind was, of course, Geralt dancing with that child in the sunshine, but he didn’t tell it. Instead he leapt into a tale, a long one, of the son of a king who wanted to marry the lovely daughter of an evil enchanter.
It was a good story, very long with lot’s of parts, so Ciri could ask for more again and again, and there were amazing characters with strange tales and true love and magic and wishes. Everything a good story needed. Jaskier prided himself on doing the voices for each new character.
Ciri traipsed along beside him, hanging on his every word. She was a good audience, making surprised noises or saying ‘oh no!’ at just the right points. Jaskier even noticed Yennefer listening, occasionally smiling to herself at a joke or a good part of the story. 
Geralt walked on ahead. Jaskier had no way of telling if he was listening, but he probably wasn’t. The story was fantastical to the extreme and if Geralt were listening he would probably be scoffing and complaining about how that ‘can’t be done with magic’ and ‘there aren’t river dragons, there’s only water serpents, they’re different species entirely’. 
It was funny, though, when they stopped for dinner-Jaskier picking at the rations offered, reluctant to use up supplies but unwilling to worry Ciri- he continued the story, and Geralt, who had been sharpening his sword, stopped.
Of course, it was probably simply that the blade didn’t need much sharpening, or that Geralt wanted to allow Ciri to listen. Still, Jaskier felt good. He hadn’t complained, he wasn’t eating too much food, and he wasn’t much of a burden.
And Ciri liked the story.
They kept walking after dinner, so long as they still had light, relying on Geralt in the dim twilight to find a spot to camp. Jaskier told more of the story, not even a third of the way through, and occasionally Ciri asked questions.
“Why did the king’s son not want to marry the oldest sister?”
“Because she was too cold,” Jaskier said, inventing, because the story didn’t say. “She was beautiful, but she could not love, so her heart turned to ice and everything she touched froze.”
“And the middle sister?” Ciri asked, wide eyed.
“She was too warm, she was angry, all the time, and so her heart turned to fire and all she touched melted or burned.”
As the story he told progressed, Jaskier used his additions in the story. The king’s son, fleeing with his soon-to-be bride, the youngest sister, had to escape the sorceror’s wrath, but the sisters tried to stop their youngest sister leaving, melting the chains of the drawbridge so that the couple couldn’t escape.
Ciri gasped and wrapped one hand in Jaskier’s traveling cloak, hanging on to him as tightly as she held to his words.
Then the eldest sister in the story sent a blizard after the couple, who had escaped the draw bridge just in time. Yennefer, who looked a little better after their meal and short rest, sent a tiny swirl of snow, a miniature blizzard from her finger, letting it play a moment with Ciri’s hair before dissappearing. 
Ciri laughed with delight and Jaskier sent a smile to Yennefer, who nodded at him surprisingly warmly. A good story made everyone happy, he supposed.
They stopped for the night in another clearing. Ciri begged for more of the story before bed. Geralt sat, setting the fire so it could burn through the night, while Yennefer brushed out Ciri’s hair. It was a perfect, domestic little scene, and Jaskier felt odd, seeing it from the outside, but also in the spotlight of Ciri’s focus. 
He plucked his lute quietly as he told the story. In truth, there were many little poems buried in the tale, and he’d long ago made little tunes for each so that they could be sung. When he came to one, though, he didn’t sing it. He just plucked out the tune as he talked, and when the poem passed he continued through the story, letting his music be the background.
Hopefully it was less annoying that way. 
He wasn’t about to offer this perfect family a fillingless pie.
As he finally lay down to sleep though, he quite felt like a fillingless pie himself. Ciri and Yennefer had once again bedded down in the magic tent and Geralt was rolled up in his bedroll in his tent, across the barely glowing fire. Jaskier lay awake.
His bedroll was thin and his ribs fairly ached with hunger, but Geralt had said they were but a day away from a town. Jaskier could buy supplies there, he still had a little coin, and that way he wouldn’t use up the others’ food.
He could play in the town too, earn more coin. They wouldn’t stay there, he knew, not with half the continent searching for a white haired witcher and his child surprise. But the others needed supplies too, and Yennefer said she had enough magic for a small glamor to hide Geralt and Ciri’s hair and her eyes.
Jaskier settled in for the night. Earning coin made him useful, and therefore not a burden, so he would earn coin.
He made a list in his head of things he should buy to prepare for the trek up to Kaer Morhen. Gloves, his only pair had worn out last year. A thicker cloak, his was practically threadbare. Grapeseed and linseed oil. One for the beard he was growing and the other for his lute. New lute strings.
He rolled over on his bedroll, trying to avoid the root digging into his spine. He’d need to make quite a bit of money. He wasn’t sure he’d be able too. It wasn’t safe to sing about the white wolf, not too much, or someone might recognize him as himself, rather than just some bard singing Jaskier’s songs. 
Country ditties then, but they made less money. It wasn’t just his supplies he needed to buy, either. Jaskier didn’t want to just not be a burden, he wanted to help.
They would all need thicker clothes and lots of food to make it to Kaer Morhen. He wasn’t a good hunter so he could really only help by supplying money to buy what they needed. He had little right now, and he felt shame rise in him. He’d had no way of knowing he’d meet up with Geralt and his child surprise, but if he hadn’t drunk so much of his money than he could be a better help. 
He could sell his lute.
The thought came into his mind like a knife, and it turned his stomache. He could sell his lute, but the beautiful girl was the only physical thing he had to remind him of Geralt. Filavandrel’s lute. It would be worth a fortune, of course. Elven made, everyone knew they made the best instruments.
It was just...he couldn’t bear the thought of letting the lute go. He loved how she played, loved the memories he had. He knew the story behind every shallow scratch and scuff, and who could love her the same? And when the danger was passed and Geralt never had to see him again, what would Jaskier have then? A handful of memories, turned bittersweet, then bitter. Nothing concrete. He’d go back to Oxenfurt, maybe even Lettenhove. And there would be nothing for him to hold to remind him.
He couldn’t sell his lute.
The thought ate at him as he tried to sleep though. He had in his hands the means to help them all so much, and he was too selfish to do so.
Sleep eventually claimed him, and he dreamt of a mountain, wind whipping about his ears and carrying words to him.
Shit shoveler. Burden. If life could give me one blessing...
He awoke sore and badly rested, tears dried on his face.
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@frywen-babbles
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abbysfrenchbraid · 3 years
Text
Kissed by a Wolf - Chapter 9
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in this chapter, the reader takes up combat training with Eivor and goes on a walk with Valka. I hope you all have some wonderful days with your loved ones!
CW for alcohol consumption, choking/assault imagery, nudity
Inspo pic by @classicnovaproductions​
Heather
The next few days were filled with training, tasks, and getting to know people. You got up early every morning and either joined Valka for a few hours of learning about healing and plants, sometimes at her hut, sometimes on walks through the forest, or you helped Sfáva in the kitchen, preparing food for the day or running errands for her. Around noon you ate with your old friends and in the afternoon you had taken up training with Eivor.
 Eivor’s wound was healing well, but she was not yet allowed to train heavily so she was all the happier to have you to instruct and guide.
 You had been working with a short sword, first wooden, then metal, for a few afternoons now and while it was still extremely hard to swing, you started seeing a smoothness in your movements. When you stepped into the training area with the straw dummies and wooden targets, the sun already hung low on the horizon and tiny snowflakes were fluttering from a singular cloud in the sky. The days were at their shortest now, Winter solstice was only two nights away.
 “There you are!” You turned to see Eivor, dressed in thick leather and furs, with two axes in her hands. She looked lovely, her lashes and hair embezzled by ice crystals and her breath moving through the air like clouds in strong wind. She gave you the smaller axe and fastened the other one to her belt.
 “I want to introduce you to another weapon today. I have a feeling you’ll be good with the axe.”
 You weighed it in your hand. It was wooden with a dark metal blade; thin red leather strips were wrapped and fastened around the bottom for better grip.
 “How do I wield it?” You tried a few slow strokes through the air. Eivor stepped behind you, closing her arms around you as she grabbed the axe and your hands with it, encasing your fingers in her soft, warm palms. Her mouth was right next to your ear and when she spoke, her breath tickled your skin.
 “You hold it with a firm grip, but make sure your wrists stay loose. Don't stiffen your arms, keep them moving and natural. Engage your core while you swing so the weight of the weapon doesn’t pull your body with it.” She lifted your hands with the axe to your top right and made a slow, perfectly diagonal cut to your bottom left.
 “Never swing straight down unless you’re absolutely positive you will hit something. Otherwise, you might hit yourself. You can swing upwards, too.” She guided your hands from left to right with a slightly upward motion. “Never straight, though.”
 She let go of you and stepped around you.
 “If you need more momentum, you can turn and swing the axe just at chest level, drag it up or down into your target.” She took your hands and twirled you around as if you were dancing, then she grabbed them tightly and executed a quick stroke through the air.
 “It is also important that you practice to stop this motion if you miss. You need strong arms and again, an engaged core. Try it.”
 She took a few steps back and you assumed your fighting stance and tried a few cuts through the air. Eivor was right, you needed strength to move the axe without flinging your whole body around and you also needed the strength to stop its flight. She was watching you with crossed arms, biting her lip as she closely observed your every move.  After a while, she nodded.
 “Try it on the straw figure. I’ll show you a combination.” She took the heavy axe from her belt and stood in front of the straw man. Suddenly she became a whirlwind, hacking at the figure three, four times and sending straw flying everywhere. Then she repeated the combination slowly, showing you a diagonal cut from the top left to bottom right, a horizontal blow from the right, a counter-clockwise turn into a full-force blow to the neck from the right, and at last a skull-splitting hit from the top down.
 You could only imagine the terror and fright it had to cause in her enemies to see her on the battlefield. She was glorious, turning to you with a glow in her eyes.
 “Now you.”
 You stood in front of the figure and repeated her example slowly at first, trying to remember the right order and direction. She nodded encouragingly and seemed satisfied with your precision. You dared to work faster and started continuously repeating the combination, over and over again, harder and faster every time until your lungs and shoulders were on fire and sweat was running down your temples. Eivor was cheering for you with her booming voice, yelling at you to go another round and to hit harder, to keep your core tight and your wrists loose.
 When you turned to her, out of breath and happy with your new weapon, she looked incredibly proud, smiling at you and stepping forward to grab your shoulders.
 “I knew this was the right weapon for you. We shall continue training with others, but I think it wise to focus on the axe from now on. You will be a force to be reckoned with.”
 You continued training until the sun was long gone, fighting the straw figures in the light of several torches, learning new moves and more difficult combinations from your      drengr,     and giving it your all until you had absolutely no strength left in a single fiber of your body. Eivor had made you run laps and fight every figure in the course, climb obstacles, and defend yourself from a figure behind you. In the end, all you could do was lay down on a snowed up ball of straw and try to regain control of your breath.
 Even though Eivor’s training was rigorous and she always managed to completely drain you, you felt the happiest after working with her every day, proud of your accomplishments and hard work and delighted at spending this much time with the warrior. She was also in high spirits every time, amazed at your quick learning progress and your willingness to push yourself until the very end.
 She let herself fall down on the straw next to you. It had stopped snowing and the last small cloud was slowly making way for a clear sky filled with thousands of stars.
 “You did well today.” Eivor’s voice was smooth as silk, and she sounded very content.
 “You’re a great teacher. It’s my pleasure,” you replied.”I never thought I’d be one for fighting.”
 You thought back to the kitchen on the day you had first met Eivor. William had hit you so hard you had been thrown back into the shelves and almost died later when the wound had festered. What would happen if he tried this now? Would you be able to defend yourself, even without a weapon?
 A meow tore you from your thoughts. Birna had come to pick you up for supper. Eivor greeted the cat with great enthusiasm and picked her up, cradling her in her arms.
 “Are you hungry, my little princess? We shall find you something to eat.”
 The cat answered with a satisfied grunt. You made your way to the longhouse together, all of your stomachs growling with hunger after the long day. Eivor gave you Birna and joined Sigurd at his table while you visited Sfáva at the hearth. She was delighted to see Birna and gave her some leftover ham right away.
 “You hungry?” She answered your surprised expression with her almost toothless smile. “I learn English now. Eda.”
 The old woman had only spoken Norwegian so far, making it hard for you to communicate. Apparently, Eda had started spending time with her and teaching her a few words of your language. Even though Sfáva spoke with a thick accent, it was wonderful to suddenly understand her. Following an impulse, you stretched out your arms in joy and she immediately hugged you tight, her smell of herbs and wool filling your nose. What a wonderful woman.
 “Well, may I have some supper?” you asked, stepping back and smiling at her. She grabbed a bowl right away, filling it with hot stew and sausages.
 “You always hungry now. You fight.” She gave you two additional slices of dark rye bread and you had to laugh. She was right. Ever since you had taken up training with Eivor, you ate twice as much as before. A voice next to you joined the conversation.
 “Well, the best fighters deserve the best food.” Norvid was standing next to you, grinning widely. “I saw you training the last couple of days. You are making great progress.”
 You lowered your head as a gesture of gratitude and thanked him for his kind words. It really did mean a lot to be noticed by the other warriors.
 “Did I hear that right? You chose the axe as your primary weapon?”
 You were surprised he knew.
 “Word travels fast here,” you answered him, “but yes, I think the axe calls to me more than other weapons. We’ll see how much I call to the axe in the days to come.”
 As you excused yourself and wished him a nice evening, you felt someone’s eyes on you and as you looked up, you could see Eivor watching your interaction with a sour expression on her face. When she caught your gaze, she turned to Sigurd and continued talking to him.
 You made your way to Lewin, Aelfric, and Hal and joined them for your meal. They had also heard about your endeavors on the training grounds and were happy for you. They all knew how much you had had to take back in Williamsburg and how good  it felt to become stronger and more confident now.
 “Has anyone seen Eda?” Hal asked casually while he wiped his bowl with a last piece of bread.
 No one had met her since she had left her cell and you were all desperate to know where she was and how she was doing. Maybe you could ask Randvi later. But you had been right in the assumption that she apparently just wanted some time to settle in and recover.
 You left the longhouse early instead of staying to drink and talk. You were sweaty and dirty and in desperate need of a bath. Valka had offered you to use hers whenever you wanted, you just needed to fill it yourself. You knew she was still in the longhouse and you were glad to have some time to yourself, quickly grabbing a fresh tunic and a large cloth from yours and Eivor’s hut.
 Valka’s cottage was only dimly lit by a few candles, but you did not light any more. You poured two buckets of water from outside into the kettle over the fire, then you went out a few more times and brought in as much snow as you could carry in your woolen shawl, letting it melt into the hot water. When it was warm enough, you filled it into the wooden bathtub and added some mint, sage, and lemon balm into it to help with your sore muscles.
 You left all your clothes on a pile next to Valka’s bed and stepped into the steaming water. Slowly sinking down into the bath, you took deep breaths to adjust to the heat and inhale the wonderful scents rising from the water. The candles were flickering and painting landscapes and figures on the wooden walls, the steam was dancing through the air and your muscles were finally starting to relax.
 After a while, you let yourself sink underwater, holding your breath as the water finally encased your head and your soft hair caressed your neck and shoulders. As you emerged, you began to rub off the dirt and sweat from your face and neck. A quiet noise at the entrance caught your attention.
 Eivor was standing in the door, frozen and bright red, her hand still on the handle. You could see her heart drop when your eyes met.
 “Forgive me Y/N, I didn’t mean to -” She rubbed over her eyes and stared at the floor. “Valka said I could take a bath in here, I didn’t know you…”
 Of course. You were absolutely sure Valka had known. The little witch. You had to stifle a laugh.
 “It’s alright, Eivor. I’m almost done. This bath is terribly dirty though, you should probably warm up some fresh water for yourself.”
 The blushing warrior just nodded and went out again to get water and snow. You noticed you had forgotten the soap on the sideboard. Should you get up and risk standing completely wet and naked in front of Eivor when she came back? It was not like she had not seen you naked before; she had washed and dressed you when you had been sick and feverish. But things were different now. Even though you still had not kissed since that unlucky drunk embrace, the tension between you often thickened the air and stopped your breath.
 You still did not feel completely ready to give yourself to Eivor, even though at times you wanted to. Randvi had been nice and respectful toward you since you had spoken to Eda and she had not moved in on Eivor anymore, but Eivor had also been mostly sober ever since.
 It had been an idea of yours to wait until the winter solstice when everyone would celebrate and drink to see how Eivor behaved and to decide then if you wanted to let her in. Even though the wait was torture sometimes, it would be worth it in the end and it would show her how serious you were about your conditions for this relationship to work.
 The door opened and Eivor came in, filling the cauldron with water and not daring to look in your direction.
 “Eivor, could you please hand me the pine soap over there? I need to tame this nest on my head.” The last few days had really taken a toll on your hair, the braids from the ceremony now ruffled and loose while dust, dirt, and sweat stuck to your hair.
 The blonde seemed to hesitate for a moment, then she took the dark piece of soap and slowly came over to you. When you saw how nervous she was, you suddenly felt a great calm and confidence come over you. Instead of covering or crouching in the water, you stayed splayed out and relaxed, visible for her under the surface. Red patches formed on Eivor’s neck as she handed you the soap, intent on only looking into your eyes.
 “Thank you.” You began lathering it in your hair and on your neck and chest. Eivor had moved to the fireplace, but she suddenly straightened up and half-turned.
 “I could… I can help you with your hair. If you want. I know how knotted it can get from training.”
 She took the wide-toothed comb Valka had used to detangle your hair the last time and took a step toward you. You smiled at her.
 “That would be nice. I’m still not used to maintaining it while wearing it down.”
 Eivor knelt down on the floor right behind your head and started running her fingers through your wet hair. Every time her fingertips touched your scalp, it felt like tiny flashes of lightning struck your skull. The warrior began to hum as she slowly combed out every strand of hair, starting from the bottom and working her way up. Finally, she grabbed a small pot, took some of the warm, clean water from the kettle, and poured it over your head to wash out any remains of the soap.
 As you began to get up, she held out a hand for you and helped you stand and step out of the tub. Like before, her eyes were fixed to yours as she handed you the large cloth to dry yourself off. You wrapped yourself in it, then you stepped to Valka’s great wooden table and took some of her Cedar oil, massaging it into your sore shoulders and arms. Meanwhile, Eivor dragged the heavy wooden tub to the door and emptied it into the bushes next to the hut before putting it back in its place and starting to fill it anew.
 You slipped the tunic over your head and let the sheet fall to the floor before wrapping all your dirty clothes in it. You decided to wash all your things right in the morning, Eivor’s clothes included. As you turned around to her, you were now the one caught off guard. She had already undressed and was stepping into the tub with her back to you.
 There were tattoos down her spine and on her shoulder blades, beautiful artwork in dark blue and black. She had loosened her braids and her long, wavy hair was falling down her back and over her shoulders. When she grabbed the sides of the tub and lowered herself into the hot bath, the muscles at her arms and back danced under her skin. My drengr.
 “I’ll see you at our hut?” you asked shyly. Eivor gave you a look that made your heart skip a beat.
 “Yes, my darling. I will join you there.”
 You had already fallen asleep from exhaustion when Eivor came back to your hut. She found you curled up with Birna. The quiet closing of the door woke you up and you kept your eyes closed, listening intently as Eivor threw her clothes on your pile in the corner, took off her shoes and slipped into bed with you.
 She smelled fresh, like soap and healing calendula and sage. Valka must have come back and given her infused oils, probably for her healing wound. Eivor scooted close to your back and you lifted your head slightly so she could slide her arm underneath your neck before hugging you tightly to her chest.
 “You smell nice,” you mumbled and pushed your hips back against her almost unnoticeably. You could tell she noticed very well though, her breath stopping for a moment before she replied.
 “You look beautiful when you sleep.” She pressed a light kiss to the soft patch of skin behind your ear and hugged you tight. Birna was purring quietly. Her family was all here.
 -
 After training your axe fighting for the entire next day, ignoring your sore muscles and pushing yourself even harder, you were picked up by Valka at the training grounds for a sunset walk. She had brought bread and dried fruit, as well as two big jugs of steaming hot mead.
 You thanked Eivor for another productive day and for her endless patience and confidence in you, then you dried off your face with a small cloth and slipped into your fur coat, gratefully taking a sip of mead.
 As you made your way on a path along the shoreline, Birna joined you for your walk. Even though she still did not like the snow, she had grown so fond of you that she rarely let you out of her sight anymore. Valka showed you where to still look for plants and how to dig for roots while you told her about the things you had learned today. She was happy with your progress, content that you were fulfilling her prophecy so closely.
 On a small meadow where thick fir trees spared some of the ground from the snow, you actually found small white flowers. Valka explained that it was winter honeysuckle, a beautiful little plant that was most beloved for its fragrance. She rubbed a few petals between her fingers and held them up to your nose. It smelled delightful. She would show you how to distill the essence of honeysuckle tomorrow.
 A while later, while the sun was already setting and drenching the world in beautiful orange-golden light, you found little red buds sticking out of the snow. It was heather, a flower usually associated with good fortune. You collected it all in a jute sack and Valka told you that the tiny buds could be used to aid with digestion and bladder issues. It astounded you every day, the way nature gave you everything you needed to heal and to help, to eat and drink, a cure for every illness and aid in every situation. You stuck one of the small heather branches into your shirt so it rested between your breasts, right over your heart. The winter solstice tomorrow would bring you luck and happiness, you could feel it.
 This year you would not celebrate Christmas as you had done your whole life, but instead, the solstice would herald Yuletide, twelve days of celebrations. There would be sacrifices and feasts, fights and dances, singing and storytelling. Valka’s eyes were gleaming when she told you of the traditions and her plans for this year’s feast. You could tell this was special to her and you had a feeling that it would be like nothing you had ever experienced.
 As you started to make your way back, daylight now dwindling fast and leaving the world gray and dim, you could hear a wolf howling in the distance. You shuddered, terrified of the wild beasts that had sometimes ripped apart your Lord’s sheep and dogs. Valka sensed your fear and took your hand in hers.
 “You must not be afraid of the wolves anymore, little dove. You belong to Eivor Wolfsmal and no wolf will ever harm you.”
 Her words made you think. Up until now, you had thought the name stemmed from her family or maybe a sweet story from her home, but you had never really considered a strong meaning behind it. Now that you thought of it, that was stupid. Only people who went through extreme pain or overcame great obstacles were given those kinds of titles.
 “Where did that name come from?” you asked Valka, “Wolf-kissed?”
 The healer squeezed your hand. It was dark and the lights of the village only slowly became visible in the distance, but the moon was bright and lit your path in the white snow.
 “You have to ask Eivor that, it is her story to tell. I can say however that it was not a mere kiss by the beast that gave her the title. Did you ever notice the scar on her neck?”
 Your stomach twisted. You knew the scar she was speaking of. It was dreadful and large, covering the entire right side of her neck from her hairline to her throat. You had thought it a burn mark or something obtained in a fight. Had it really been the result of a wolf attack? The thought scared you even more. Valka held your hand tightly in hers.
 “Ask her, she will tell you what happened. You need not be afraid, I promise.”
 As you finally came close to the village again, Valka stopped and turned to you.
 “I wanted to tell you how greatly I enjoy spending time with you. People come to me with questions all the time, but they just want to hear answers, they do not want to find the answers themselves or even learn how to ask the questions the right way. You truly listen to me and you have already learned so much. I hope I can teach you everything I know so that one day you may know more than me.”
 You wanted to laugh, but she was completely serious. You drew her in for a hug and mumbled your gratitude into her furs.
 “Thank you, Valka, for all you do. I am just as eager to learn and grow as you are to teach. You are a wonderful friend.”
 “Y/N, is that you? Valka?” A voice in the dark called out to you. A big figure was stomping along the path toward you from the village. It was Eivor, visibly agitated. “What the fuck are you doing?”
 You could see her breath in the moonlight as she came closer.
 “Uh… We collected plants for Valka and for the Yule festival?” You were not sure what you had done wrong. Eivor came to a halt in front of you and immediately pulled you into her arms, sighing as she pressed you close for a moment, then she held you at arm’s length and shot you both angry looks.
 “What were you thinking, alone out here in the dark without anyone to protect you or at least a torch? Have you gone mad? Thor's hammer, I was so worried! Valka, what is your explanation for this?”
 Valka seemed not at all impressed with Eivor’s display of rage and worry.
 “As Y/N said, we were collecting plants. The moon lit our way, we were close to the village and only walked along the shore. There was no need to worry. We are no longer in Norway, with bears and wolves all around.”
 You quickly glanced at her but decided to keep the howl you had heard to yourself. Eivor grunted, then she grabbed you both by the arms and began to stride back to the village, pulling you along with her. You could have sworn you heard Valka giggle, but the drengr between you ignored her.
 Back at the village Eivor told you, a little too sternly, to go to her hut and wait for her there. She had set up a basin with hot water for you to clean yourself and the clothes you had washed in the morning and hung in front of the fireplace would be dry by now.
 “I need to go to the longhouse and make more preparations for tomorrow. Valka, will you come with me?”
 The seeress just nodded, gave you a secretive smile, and went ahead. Eivor stayed behind with you. She sighed and pulled you in for another hug, kissing the top of your head and rubbing your back.
 “Don’t ever scare me like that again. I thought you were lost and I would have to call up everyone to go look for you, the day before Yule.”
 You wrapped your arms around her waist and looked up at her.
 “I apologize,” you mumbled. “I should have told you where we were going and how long we would be gone. I won’t leave you in the dark anymore.”
 “Thank you.” Eivor pressed another kiss to your temple. “I’ll see you later.” She left for the longhouse.
 Birna rubbed herself against your ankles - you had completely forgotten about her! She had followed you this entire time. You had to laugh as you picked up the cat and held her close; you had not been without protection after all.
 Back at your hut you dropped all of your clothes to the floor and splashed some of the warm water in the metal bowl into your cold face, relishing in the wonderful prickly sensation of your skin warming up. You cleaned your body with a small piece of soap and a cloth, then you slipped into a fresh tunic that was still warm from the fire.
 As you waited for Eivor, you mended a few holes in your clothes and the quilt that kept you warm in the cold winter nights. Picking up your clothes and folding them so you could stack them in the corner, you noticed the little branch of heather among the heaps of fabric and fur. You spun it between your fingers a few times, contemplating over the things you had learned from Valka today.
 The Yule festival would be wonderful and you were hoping to bond with the other clan members even more, maybe even to see Eda again. You noticed that you had forgotten to ask Randvi about her. Hopefully, the matter would resolve itself tomorrow. Even though you were on good terms with Randvi now, you were still not too keen on spending more time with her than was absolutely necessary.
 You were half asleep when you heard Eivor at the door and sat up to greet her. She seemed to be in a great mood.
 “How are the preparations going?” you asked, pulling the blanket up to your chin.
 “Oh, fantastic. We will slaughter an ox tomorrow and roast him over a great fire. We will eat like kings for days!” Eivor beamed at you and jumped into the bed, quickly sliding under the blanket and pressing her cold cheek to your shoulder, making you squeal and try to scramble away, but she only pulled you closer.
 After playfully wrestling with her for a moment, you settled down and she tucked a strand of hair behind your hair. An idea suddenly came to your mind.
 “Eivor, will you teach me how to fight without weapons?”
 “What do you mean, my dove?” She gave you a confused look.
 “I mean fighting like when you pulled Norvid off of me the other day. I want to learn to defend myself even if it’s not a life or death situation.”
  “Oh, I see.” She sat up. “Right now?”
 You had thought she could just put this into her training schedule for you, but you would not say no to a few new skills on the spot.
 “Why not?” You got up and stood next to the bed. Eivor stood next to you. Birna seemed to know exactly what was going on and hid under the bed.
 “Alright. First, what to do when someone hugs you without your approval. Show me what you would do.” She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around you. Your first instinct was to hug her back, but you remembered just in time that you were supposed to fight her off. You put your hands between you and tried to push against her ribcage, but she did not move an inch. Instead, she pressed you closer and you could not move your hands anymore.
 “See, this is your first mistake,” Eivor chuckled. “You gave up your hands. Never let them capture your limbs and if they have, try to free them first. What you could do now is either headbutt me, stomp on my foot, or kick me in the groin if your legs are free to move that way.”
 You slowly put your foot on hers and pressed down. She laughed at your careful movement and let go, then she hugged your ribcage again, leaving your arms free.
 “Now you could punch me in the ribs or the head, but as you have no training in that regard, I could probably take the hits and lock you in again. It’s better to go straight for the head. Grab it with both hands if you can and twist it away from your body.” You gently placed your hands around her head and turned it away. “If I don’t want you to snap my neck, my body has to move along.” She turned with her head and loosened her hug. You mimicked stomping on her foot and she let go completely, stepping back and grinning at you.
 “Perfect!” Eivor took your hand and whirled you around, suddenly grabbing you from behind and pinning your arms to your body.
 “Now how about this?” Her breath was hot behind your ear and sent shivers down your spine.
 You tried to wiggle free, scratched at her sides with your fingernails, and put all your strength into freeing your arms, but she held you in her iron grip. You resorted to stepping on her toes again, but she only loosened her grip slightly.
 “You need to drop your weight first,” she instructed. “Bend your knees and let yourself fall down, then smash my foot with yours.” You followed her command and she gave way enough to take a step forward. “Now kick your foot back and catch my knee.” You did as she told you and she let go before immediately pulling you in again.
 “You can also throw your head back and try to break my nose before taking that step forward and kicking my knee.” You tried it out carefully.
 “If you need to run away, always go for their knees or groin so they drop and cannot follow,” she reminded you. “Let’s go again.”
 With a playful growl, she jumped toward you and you squealed as she grabbed you from behind, then you let yourself fall down, stomped on her foot, and kicked her shin. She gasped in pain and let you go, rubbing the spot where you had hit her.
 “Good girl,” she groaned. “Remind me never to surprise you from behind.”
 You laughed and began to apologize, but she just grabbed you and threw you on the bed, pinning you beneath her. She sat up between your legs and pinned down your throat, keeping the weight of her hands on your collar bones instead of actually choking you. Her face was smooth and focused.
 “Now, what you do if someone is holding you down like so is this: You grab my left shoulder with your left arm, so go across” - you placed your hand on her shoulder, your pinky finger touching her burning hot skin - “then you press my right hand to your chest with your right hand and hold it tight there.”
 You grabbed her hand and pressed it to your collarbone, almost sure she could feel your heart beating faster in your chest.
 “Now you raise your right leg all the way up under my left armpit and wrap it across my back.” She waited until you had hooked your leg around her body, now completely entangled with the large woman on top of you.
“Your final move is raising up your left leg, pushing me further to the left with your hand on my shoulder, and lifting the leg over my head.” You suddenly realized that you were only wearing a tunic and linen undergarments, your legs wide open underneath her and your tunic sliding up to your stomach as you lifted your hips to wrap your legs around her shoulder. Your cheeks began to burn hot with blood, but you followed her orders quietly.
 “Now you have my shoulder in a tight lock, my head is pushed away from you and you have captured my right arm. If you pull it, it will seriously hurt me.” You immediately let go of her hand and she straightened up and smiled at you. You pulled your tunic down, blushing at the look she gave you.
 “Again, faster this time.” She repositioned herself between your legs and pressed her hands to your throat.
 You concentrated. Left hand to her left shoulder, right hand holding her right arm down, leg up, left leg over and pull. Eivor tapped your thigh and groaned again, rubbing her shoulder this time and moving her arm in circles a few times to loosen up the strained muscle. She looked quite impressed with you.
 Jumping up from the bed, you got in your fighting stance.
 “Let’s try again, full strength this time,” you said and you could see Eivor was stifling a grin. She would never risk hurting you.
 She got up and paused for a moment, then she moved in so quickly you had no chance to react, hugging you from the side and clamping down your arms. You tried to drop your weight, but she just pushed her hips forward and picked you up, your legs flailing in the air uselessly. She threw you on the bed like a sack of flour, then she straddled you and pinned down your wrists above your head.
 You were so stunned that you did not even attempt to wriggle free, staring up at the blonde above you. Her icy blue gaze burned into your face, her mouth was slightly open and her breath fast as her eyes wandered to your lips. Slowly, she lowered her head down toward yours, her gaze still fixed to your lips and her grip tight around your wrists.
 For a moment, you breathed in each other’s air. You were one.
 At the last second, you realized your advantage. In one swift motion, you rammed your hips upwards so she flew forward over your head and had to let go of your hands to catch herself. You wrapped your legs around her waist and pulled her right arm underneath her and to your right so she fell on her shoulder and rolled to the side, leaving way for you to roll on top of her. Now you were straddling her, her arm still in your hands.
 She was completely thunderstruck, her eyes wide as she realized what had happened. Then she started laughing, her deep baritone filling the room. You could feel her chest vibrating beneath you, a sensation that made blood not only rush to your cheeks but also further down.
 Quickly, you got off of her and let yourself fall to the mattress next to her. She was still chuckling.
 “You got me, my delicate dove. An important thing people often forget is the element of surprise. If you have it on your side, you can defeat the greatest, strongest warrior.”
 Eivor turned to you and rested her head on her bicep, dreamy gaze wandering over your face again. She was completely infatuated with you.
 “Can I ask you something?” you said quietly.
 “Of course, my darling.”
 “Why do they call you Wolf-kissed?”
 The warrior rolled on her back again and crossed her arms over her head, studying the wooden ceiling like she always did when she was struggling to put the chaos in her head into words. You followed her gaze and waited patiently.
 “Sigurd is not my real brother. His father was the head of our clan and my parents were great drengrs, fighting at his side. One day he was giving a feast when we were attacked. I was only a child. It was Kjotve the Cruel. He slaughtered my parents and many of our clan. I only survived because Sigurd fled with me, but we got separated and I ended up injured on a frozen lake.” She laid her arm over her eyes as if trying to see the scene before her.
 “When I came to my senses, a wolf was there with me. He was all alone and looked like he was starving. His pack must have cast him out. My axe was just out of reach and he attacked me, biting down into my neck to kill me. My cries alerted two ravens nearby” - she lifted her arm again and gave you a bittersweet smile - “and they distracted the wolf long enough so I could grab my axe and strike it. Sigurd found me soon after and his family adopted and raised me.”
 Your heart felt like a little clump of cold, hard clay after listening to her frightful story. What could you say to her? She let out a quiet laugh.
 “Don’t worry, you do not have to pity or console me. I have long made my peace with wolves and I have taken vengeance for my parents. Now all that is left of that terrible day is my scar and my voice.”
 She hesitated for a moment, then she looked at you again.
 “And a tremendous fear of losing those I love.”
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athys-obelia · 3 years
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summary: no one's evil au lmfaooo but make it pt. 2
character/s: anastacius de alger obelia, claude de alger obelia, athanasia de alger obelia, jennette de alger obelia
and here's part 1 <3
oh my god okay. okay. so.
ana, claude, athy and jennette - they go on a LOT of vacations
claude complains every single time but anastacius pulls his trump card and sends athy and jettie BOTH after him
u think he's strong enough to say no after that? lmao jokes
and their vacations always go this way:
jennette: isn't this scenery just gorgeous, uncle
claude: indeed it is. and...quiet
jennette: ...too quiet
[cut to anastacius in the distance, fighting a bear as athy cheers him on]
athy + anastacius, hands down the most chaotic pairing yes i will not be taking criticism
they have tea in ana's palace everyday, just the two of them, they're so poised and picture perfect through the entire thing everyone thinks it's just the emperor giving profound advice to his heir
it's actually them deadass scheming,,, ana has no qualms discussing everything from court gossip to military tactics, both of which she's so on top of all the time
if anyone shit talks jennette or claude, this tea party is where their slow and agonizing demise is planned out to the dot
[true story - count sivan once made the fatal mistake of expressing his favour for athy as the next empress, dissing jennette by comparing her to athy sm which inevitably sparked a debate that ranked the princesses. a week after athy's sources informed her of the kindling behind this new debate, the count's sudden divorce became the talk of the town, and the man's business faced bankruptcy all of a sudden. the sivans still haven't recovered.)
athy n jennette were actually allowed to visit kiel in arlanta a few times, except it was too dark at their first arrival, postponing the meeting to the next morning
buttt then jettie can't sleep and she decides on a midnight snack run (their hotel doesn't really have the maids the palace does, but oh well. she's left the palace w lucas n athy plenty of times)
felix tags along btw, he knows this trip is important to the girls since they're leaving the palace without their Overprotective Papas™ for the first time and want some sense of independence, but... she's just so smol n he couldn't bear it if anything happens so he just shadows her
she totally knows he's there
n e ways so there's a juice place right beside their hotel which she aims for, but when jennette reaches it, it's closed
and out of nowhere, a voice addresses her - "hey you, do you come here a lot?" she nearly jumps out of her skin at the brunette, relaxing when she sees he's literally a kid around her age and not a murderer lmfaoo "me neither," he continues without waiting for her, pouting at the closed sign, before he asks for her name and whether she's new in arlanta
she confirms that yes, she's only visiting, and refuses to tell the stranger her name, still feeling strange at being addressed as 'you' for the first time (well, minus lucas, but he was like her brother and had the emotional capacity of a teaspoon, so)
he eyes her. "you're so weird. i've never seen a girl out so late before, and alone too. are you stupid?"
(felix has his sword out at this point)
she's flushing now and has no idea why she's still out here, but then this stranger kid apparently senses her mood and tells her the best ice cream store in arlanta is not too far away
(he also explains he knows someone who's starts doing weird things when she's hungry as well, and tries to defend that ice cream is actually a healthy midnight snack, "you can just take a healthy flavour like strawberry or mango, mangos are healthy,,right"💀️💀)
so jettie has travelled all the way from obelia, she loves her papa but he would have a heart attack if he found out she was ever awake this late?? yeah bc she's never getting this chance again, jennette accepts the offer
the stranger boy seems to be taking the whole "i'm not telling you my name," thing like a joke, and asks what he should call her since 'you' was getting boring
she goes with "lady j" and like a knight, the boy becomes "sir c"
(felix is on the verge of committing a crime - the princesses can only have one knight, after all)
they walk as the the boy navigates the streets in the dark, and she asks whether he's from the academy, seeing his uniform
"of course i am! you could probably tell bc i look so smart, right?"
she snorts. "yeah, that."
she also comes to know that this guy,,,well he might as well be a tourist? she's out here asking stuff like "oh where's the statue of lady alphia?" or "aren't we really close to the museum where they keep the first emperor's sword?" and he goes "lady do i look like your brochure?? but if you turn right from here there's a cool arcade and across the street from there is the best street food vendor you'll ever eat from."
well at least mans had his priorities straight 😌
"so can you take this off?" he asks, pointing towards her dress once they've neared the store
um???????? sir tf????????????
anyways jettie has been living with lucas n her dad farr too long to not take this the wrong way?? "...no?"
the boy raises an eyebrow "look, it looks like an expensive cloak but i promise i'll return it, alright? i gotta hide my uniform."
ohhhhhhh. 😳.
so she unfastens the cloak and because he's kinda just staring at it cluelessly (he can't even tie his shoelaces fight me), jennette sighs and moves the clothing over his shoulder, fastening it in place at his neck
he's literally a tomato when she looks back up and realises that yes, we are way too close rn
bc she's ana's daughter, jennette by default cannot function when she's flustered. so she kinda stumbles backwards like a fish out of water (years of princess training n etiquette? where art thou??) and 'sir c' has to grab her forearm so she doesn't bump into the pillar behind her smfh
the shopkeep is definitely suspicious of this pair that's definitely too young to be out so late, but chalks it down to his sleeplessness
they escape the store with the ice cream before the shopkeep can ask any questions, and 'sir c' escorts jennette back to her hotel. he climbs onto the roof of the building, helping her up as well
(felix wishes he had a magic stone to capture this moment, this is the first time he's seen jennette become such fast friends with someone)
she stands on the roof (it hurts her butt so she doesn't wanna sit)
"my sister would be so jealous right now," jennette murmurs, "she told me her ideal first date would be either a picnic or something like a moonlit walk. we're having like a moonlit picnic."
it's silent for a few seconds the boy speaks up, "is this a date?"
oh-
oh.
"i mean- i didn't- i don't- uh."
give her some time lmfao she's loading
"i don't really mind that," he tells her, and she thinks she might just walk off the roof in her embarrassment - who just says something like that?? "you're probably feeling really lucky right now, right?"
jennette: ✊😔
he does look pretty in the moonlight, she admits to herself, listening as he excitedly tells her about his siblings at home and how she should send an offering to the gods since they gave her the good fortune to be on a date with the most good looking one of all four of them
in turn, she tells him about how she spent her childhood away from her amazing dad and had gotten closer to him recently, about her sharp-witted uncle, her sister and friends
(the 'friends' section includes felix and he's melting)
she smiles - it's almost as if, at finding out he treasures his family just as much as she does, they've gotten a bit closer
and he tries to listen. jennette had guessed that his temperament was somewhat like her dad's - her dad didn't know how to listen, always making his opinion known before anything else, though she supposes as emperor he could do that
'sir c', on the other hand, tried his best, his blue eyes focused on her as he almost burst from the unsaid words he was holding back, trying to let her finish. the sight was an odd mix of sad and insanely adorable that she couldn't help but let him tell her about everything he couldn't hold in
sensing she could pass out from her exhaustion nearly half an hour later, and 'sir c' escorts her to her window and helps her sneak in bc "what sort of knight would i be otherwise?!"
(felix can't stop shaking the entire night)
the next morning, jennette's heart is pounding as kiel shows her, athy and felix across campus - the chance is low, but still...
"ezekiel!" comes a voice, and the four watch as a turquoise haired boy waves down the alpheus heir "are these the guests you mentioned?"
kiel introduces the trio to johannes vastia before asking, "where's cabel?"
"at the training grounds, he asked if you could bring everyone there so he could show them around there."
"... they're my guests though?"
athy is quick to befriend johannes (i mean she and his sister are practically the same person, so) and at the grounds, jennette's blood runs cold
(so does felix's)
the brunette doesn't notice her at first, arguing with johannes about something as kiel introduces him as cabel ernst
jennette is hyperventilating?? actually back up is this girl even breathing??
cabel ernst from kiel's letters? the 'loud and obnoxious cabel ernst', who gradually turned into 'my acquaintance cabel ernst', then 'hardworking, passionate cabel ernst', and finally 'my friend cabel'?
she'd actually rather admired this slow build of respect between her friend and the ernst boy, and had even expressed her interest to meet him
"this is the first daughter of his highness prince claude de alger obelia, princess athanasia-" cabel mock salutes the princess before his mouth forms an 'o' and he remembers to bow, "-and here's the emperor's only daughter, her highness princess je-"
andddd his eyes widen comically "-hey, lady, it's you?"
yeah jettie is on the brink of literal death - her entire face reddens as this...cabel, grins at her
she watches as he glances behind her, "and you're the guy who was following us - sup?"
felix flinches "...you knew...?"
cabel shrugs. "i mean you do kinda suck ass at the whole subtle thing."
"don't say it like that," jennette retorts, "felix was trying his best."
"princess 😭😭 you knew as well?"
"uhhhh no?"
athy + kiel in a corner: 👁️👄👁️
they watch as cabel's eyes widen all of a sudden and he just,,,runs away
...🐦...🐦...🐦...
yeah well anyway he comes rushing back a few minutes later, a piece of cloth in his hand "...*huff* here *huff*...you go."
athy totally flips out "jennette is that your CLOAK???!??"
"uhhhhh no?"
"um do you realise uncle would literally wage war at this."
and as if it would make everything better,
"i washed it," cabel offers with a grin
"you didn't," the vastia heir deadpans
"i mean, johan helped a little bit."
kiel smiles murderously at the pair. "johan, did you know cabel took the princess out?"
"wait, you're a PRINCESS??"
your honour they aren't very smart
so the group orders some coffee (milk for cabel smfh) to find out what happened, cabel mentions "date" and everything goes to shit again lmfao
kiel and felix scheme against poor cabel while athy n johan get over that stage pretty quick ("listen. MY sister will be living with ME after the marriage and if your friend wants to be with her he'll have to come with us to obelia." and johan's just like "fine by me ✌️😊") and start planning the wedding
cabel + jennette dip n sneak out of the academy again to get the juice they couldn't the night before bc shit is getting awkward here
on another note, our uncle cius' musical intelligence is actually very high - he can probably play more instruments than i can name tbh, but he feels most comfortable singing and i shit you not, this man has straight up an angel's voice
(didn't like singing in front of others coz he was secretly a nerd and only knew old love songs with deep lyrics, athy found out and educated him)
jennette tends to have nightmares often, most often regarding their family - she's seen her father murder her uncle for the throne, and vice versa, athy admitting her affections towards jennette were a front to get the position of crown princess, her uncle killing her to solidify athy's claim, etc - her family is her everything, so despite however many times these horrible scenes play before her, she's left sobbing uncontrollably
and on these nights, she leaves for her father's room, who holds her close and sings her to sleep
also lucas n jennette are like sibling duo# 1,,, jettie is an active lucathy shipper even though he denies it sm - like their dynamic is just peaceful walks in the gardens as she watches the plants n lucas shi talks the nobility and kiel
claude and athy have a thing for each other's sleeping on each other? idk it's weird
athy once fell asleep on the couch while reading with him, and claude moved her head onto his lap so she wouldn't be uncomfy sitting - well, she woke up to his hand absentmindedly raking through her hair and it was just so soothing that whenever she's tired and he's working or reading, she just plops her head on his lap and zzzz
and claude wondered what was up with that, so she proposed they switch roles and he felt so awkward trying to lay down in front of her lmao
obviously athy noticed and she just started reading, thinking he might be more comfortable if her attention isn't on him completely - she ended up reading out loud while playing with his collar and he just,,,passed out
also anastacius has definitely pulled jennette aside regarding the issue of his heir at some point - she had been hesitant at first before admitting she wouldn't like to be the empress at all
i know we'd all love to see empress!jettie and her sister duchess!athy ruling the court, but i really really really can't see her wanting the title?
so thus start athy's empress lessons, but holy shit her teacher is mean
like this man makes me want to bash his face in?? so he doesn't like the idea of athy becoming empress over jennette at all, all bc of both hers and claude's mothers being commoners
he has one of those long ass sticks that you use in presentation to point at stuff?? idk but basically mans has athy name every region, its lords and their vassals during their first lesson
the first time she gets one wrong, she's too shocked as the stick meets the delicate skin of her forearm to react
now the thing is, wmmap!athy would probably stand up against this bc her dad is the emperor and she's his only heir, but i imagine with anastacius' social nature he holds many parties / balls where she's probably heard claude's mom + diana slander and it wouldn't be unreasonable for her to be self conscious abt it (now she's the emperor's heir while jennette, 100% royal + noble blood, is right there which probably makes her feel even less legitimate)
so she endures it, the light marks on her arms as well as the taunts of his she's too smart to not understand - perhaps this is the price to be accepted in jennette's place?
and honestly, no one really notices until at breakfast a few weeks in, where jennette mentions how her dresses are still so modest when sleeveless dresses were more in fashion - ana is suspicious because athy is always on top of these things, societal trends and such, and claude is sus from the way she hesitates slightly in her answer, "i haven't had the time lately, i suppose"
the lesson after focuses on ettiquete since everyone knows she's good at politics and such already, but now tears of frustration are pooling in her eyes because what the hell?? this guy had made an opinion of her long before he even met her, so anything she did would be wrong in his eyes
he gives her a sinister smile, "tired, princess?"
"no," she insists, keeping her voice level. he's about to spout some other nonsense, when anastacius enters the room, taking a seat across from her
anastacius watches quietly as athy answers the teacher's questions in her "public" voice. he watches as her usually cheery disposition is replaced by something far more...dead, despite the front she puts on for him. he's soundless as she hesitates in her answers where she normally would've been louder, more confident. he stops watching in silence when his niece flinches at the sight of the stick
oh.
he interrupts her lesson, not missing the way she winces almost imperceptibly when he grabs ahold of her arm, announcing, "we're going."
he just- it's just that that was the moment he knew for sure - the sight of his niece emotionally disheveled for the first time reminds him too much of how his own brother had once been, and he'd... he'd promised he wouldn't let anyone hurt his family anymore
he ends up taking her to the port with some of his advisors to welcome some royal guests, insisting that she would learn better from experience rather than books - but the guest delegation gets so boring that he sneaks her out of the meeting n they end up in the streets
now athy has no idea where they are, but apparently her uncle does?? ana has his hand on her head as he navigates the streets of the capitol as if he comes here everyday, using magic to casually disguise the two of them
in the meantime?
felix is at the port trying to cover for them smfh, he makes up this huge story about how the great wise emperor wanted to familiarize his heir with the locals, understand her subjects, yada yada
back at the palace prince claude is currently dragging a man by his collar and only upon jennette's insistence does he throw him in prison rather than literally kill him
(jettie visits him later in prison to give the guy a piece of her mind, after felix's visit he's sporting a few noticable bruises and the prisoner is practically unrecognizable once lucas visits)
back to athy + ana, they end up stuffing themselves with some super good street food as anastacius confesses that yes, he has definitely been sneaking out of the palace ever since he was a lil kid
athy almost mentions that she, lucas n jettie sneak out too but that might give him a heart attack, so
"it's so pretty, uncle cius," she says, gesturing towards the necklace he holds up. once he's paid for it, anastacius fists the necklace, opening it to reveal the jewel pendant - now imbued with his magic and replaced with gold lettering of the word athanasia
and she realises that yes, that's what both him and her dad have called her all her life, haven't they?
"you're my heir, athanasia," he uncle tells her with a small smile, "i am proud of that."
getting teary, she tells him, "i'm really proud of you too, uncle cius," triggering a very flustered + blushy anastacius
this mans craves validation - not from the sycophantic nobility, or the obsequious concubines he'd dismissed all those years ago, but from the family he thought he'd neither have nor deserve
and just the acknowledgement is so large for athy - he wants her as his heir, not because she's his niece, but bc he trusts her to look after his hard work after him??? - yeah she's totally bawling her eyes out
anastacius magics her a handkerchief but my mans magic isn't that strong?? lmao he's used up so much by now that the 'handkerchief' turns out to be some scratchy tissues
awkward amirite
nope! athy laughs at that, offering him a sip of her drink as she magics another straw and a proper handkerchief lmfaoo
n e ways so when they return, everyone's shocked to learn that the crown heir, princess athanasia will actually be joining the official circles as anastacius' temporary aid - he doesn't wanna entrust her to anyone but family, and decides that the best way to learn is by his side
(she's so confused bc lucas doesn't normally bat an eyelash when she wears the prettiest gowns, but he deadass can't look her in the eyes when she's in her aid uniform - it's more like a suit than it is a dress)
yes lucas women in suits >>>>>
everyone is STUNNED when at dinner, claude proposes they leave on vacation??
anastacius is just not having it?? like no, this is not my brother, and he throws a grape at claude to check if it's a clone or sum (¿¿how does that work??)
anyays so he ain't no felix, ana's aim is ass and it hits jettie instead
mans nearly gets on his knees to apologise
long story short everyone preps for vacation, but by some aCCiDeNt claude n athy end up at a different destination than jettie n ana, when she suggests returning to the palace to regroup, mans deadass sulks
"so you wouldn't like to spend this time with your father, despite barely visiting my office for weeks?"
o-oh
so at their return, the nobility starts pestering everyone that the princesses aren't independent enough, yada yada idc so to quell this annoyance, to the girls' joy, they get to move into emerald palace together, while claude and ana stay in the ruby and main palaces respectively
literally emerald palace becomes such a cool place to be in since it's the residence of the only decent people in this family, the brothers spend hours going through the requests of maids who want to be transferred
it's such a busy time because of athy joining the court and jettie starting her studies as well - naturally, since she isn't becoming empress, she'll be getting the duchy claude + athy were to be given in the beginning
speaking of futures, jettie's interest in plants and cooking has definitely branched out into herbs
claude notices her tending to a small garden during his visit to athy and even gives her a few tips (he had been studying medical since he was a kid, and picked it up again when athy was born and the empire stablised somewhat)
this soon becomes a routinely thing, and he actually starts reading up on some herbs and even orders a few for her prospering garden
after a month of her learning from books, claude proposes adding a medic as one of her teachers, and turns out his hunch was right?? she's excelling at medicine and they keep it between themselves for the time being
it doesn't last long though, bc they're on a hunting trip when ana injures his leg
and !! this girl istg, she gets to cleaning and wrapping the wound without blinking an eye, as if it's the most natural thing ever, and claude is just smirking while athy and anastacius and literally everyone else: 🌟💞✨jettie✨💞🌟
literal tears coming out of anastacius' eyes "how come my daughter is smarter than me😭💅"
claude: that's not a very high standard, brother
anastacius: ✨suddenly i'm an only child✨
behold, the people in charge of running an empire everyone 👏👏👏
even though jennette is claude's (unofficial) student and athy is her uncle's heir, they both ask their dads to the debutante
yes athy does dance with lucas, anastacius sent him an invitation even though he wasn't a noble (he's an active match maker 😌) and nobody dared question the emperor's special guest
at the end of the night, kiel gives jettie a letter from arlanta - it's an invitation to the academy during holidays, from a certain brunette
when she brings up the subject, felix lets out a squeak and literally everyone goes silent 😭😭
athy n kiel are just out here DARING him to spill them beans
but anastacius takes on look at his excited lil kid and decides that yups, she's going to get everything she wants
a/n: i literally don't know how many parts this should have lmaoo but y'all made it this far!! thanks for reading i hope you liked it<3
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swordofpevensie · 3 years
Text
As I've seen it again, here are my favorite things about Prince Caspian (2008):
warnings: It is a very long post and I can't help but swear sometimes.
• How Caspian is confused all the time.
• Prefossor: “Don't use that until you really need to use it.”
Caspian: *Uses it the first time he is in danger.* Good job boy, good job.
• “Phyllis.” “SUSAN!” (Lucy does the same thing in tvodt *emotional voices*)
• That disappinted look in Susan's eyes when she sees Peter fighting, and they way she doesn't do anything to help him. Like girl they are beating your brother??
• Edmund comes and saves Peter by simply jumping on everyone who is trying to hurt Peter. We love a clever and quick boi™
• Lucy's little comfort to Peter. *sniffing*
• Peter's iconic hair, that rebel and sassy hair.
• “I'm not touching you!” “I'M NOT HOLDING YOUR HAND!”
• How happy they are at the beach and the way they finally can have pure fun. *more sniffing*
• Narnia is so beautiful in summer and Pevensies look so beautiful too.
• And for my own please, I'll mention how beautiful Peter looks when he is playing in the sea and walking among the ruins.
• The way Lucy holds Peter's hand to show him the way and THE TORCH SCENE GETS ME EVERYTIME.
• Everyone is like where the hell are we and Lucy is just enjoying her apple.
• And again for my own pleasure, I'll mention how beautiful Susan looks.
• “wHiCh cHeSs sEt?” “whOt?” We love a one confused king.
• That shot when they all stand in their places in the ruins and Peter says “Cair Paravel.” I'm like YES SIR I'M READY TO SACRIFICE MY WHOLE LIFE FOR YOU.
• I'm lowkey attracted to General Glozelle. (shameful sniffing)
• I like it that Edmund is the first one to figure out what might have happened to Cair Paravel. And our confused king is again like “whOt?”
• C'mon Peter is very committed to make a torch and it is SO CUTE. And Edmund watching him is so funny, he is like ‘I'm about to end this man's whole career.’
• I'll not tell my thoughts on the time Peter takes his sword. I'm trying to be a good. *choughs*
• Boom! “Drop him!” YOUR QUEEN IS BACK YOU IDIOTS! OOOH HOW I LOVE SUSAN.
• Peter jumping to the water and Lucy using his dagger to cut the ropes.
• “High King Peter, the Magnificent.” I mean if I were magnificent just like him, I'd tell it loud very frequently too.
• Edmund using sword... 10/10 His final pose 20/10. *chefs kiss and sniffing*
• “Or do I have to sit on your head again?” Narnians and humor? Count me in!
• Caspian's accent... YES SIR.
• “I'm Prince Caspian... The tenth.” and “High King Peter, The Magnificent.” are cousins and you can't tell me otherwise.
• “Running away.” Oh just come into my arms you sad and broken boi. *too many sniffings*
• Proffesor inside: Eheheh they are back. You are a dead man now Miraz.
• That underwater shot... 10/10. Peter paddling... 10/10. All of them sitting in silent, sadly... Okay this one hurts A LOT.
• “We didn't mean to leave you know.” *no more sniffing i'm crying*
• Lucy greeting and trusting in a bear is me vs. life. Susan saying a bear to stay away from Lucy is me vs. life again.
• Peter helping Lucy to stand up and her hugging Peter for comfort.
• And that bear scene is very clever to me. It shows that those bad times have an effect on everyone. How even Narnians, kind, gentle, happy Narnians turned into wild creatures because of bad times. Also Susan not killing the bear immediately shows how gentle she is and she always gives a chance.
• “I can hear you.” We love a done™ prince. And him asking questions about Narnia is so cute!
• That zoom to Caspian's face is kiLLING ME.
• AND REEPICHEEP I'd kill and die for him unless he kills and dies for me first.
• CENTAURS ARE BACK!!! Oh I love them so much.
• “You can't carry a map in your heads.” “That's because we have something in them.” LUCY DIDN'T STUTTER.
• “i'M nOt lOst.” My baby tries so hard I love him bye.
• “OH SHUT UP!” is one of my favorite Peter lines. Also he is very sassy and why is no one talking about it?? (I'll talk about it later btw, eheh)
• IF SOMEONE BELIEVED AND LISTENED TO LUCY THE FIRST TIME SHE SPEAKS, THINGS WOULD BE SO MUCH BETTER AND EASIER FOR ASLAN'S SAKE.
• And Edmund supporting Lucy? We love a supportive and cute brother.
• Caspian is so brave and the speech he gives... *CHEFS KISS* I mean I would fight and die for him too. And when Narnians believe in him, I cry even more. (++Ben Barnes' voice in that accent... Gets me every freaking time).
• The look in Peter's face when he sees the making of the bridge. He is like “Not my kingdom, you bitches!”
• The conversaion between Lucy and Susan... I hate to think their struggles, adjusting to Narnia, adjusting to England.
• Lucy telling a tree to wake up is me vs. life, again.
• The way Peter just comes and hides her out of nowhere... WE LOVE A PROTECTIVE BROTHER.
• When Caspian and Peter fights... Okay, for your safety I'll shut up but the way Peter is ready to hit him with a rock is both funny and shows how a quick and smart fighter he is.
• “PETAH!” Okay Susan, we get it honey.
• “Well if you like, we can come back in a few years.” LIKE WHY IS NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT HIS SASS??
• “You were right to fear the woods.” IS. EXCELLENT.
• Caspian and Peter walking in the front and talking casually. My heart goes *butterlifes* *looove*
• When the papa centaur rises baby centaur's sword... *a loud sniff* .
• I love that there are pictures of Pevensies and Golden Age on the walls. It makes me feel so majestic.
• Caspian: *dramatically lights fire*
• They are looking at The Stone Table and Caspian in the back is like look at the mess you made.
• When Peter and Caspian talk at the same time.
• “There is always a first time.” THAT. SASS. AND CONFIDENCE.
• “We could collect nuts!” “Yes, and throw them at Telmarines!” Reepicheep... Love you babe.
• Okay the whole castle stuff is so freaking cool until the last minutes. Like Edmund and his torch, Susan and THE WAY HE KILLS A MAN BY THROWING AN ARROW.
• But... Caspian babe, kill your bastard uncle anyways.
• And it just should be said: I love how Narnians are always ready to sacrifice themselves because freedom is much more important than their lives. They are not afraid of death as long as it means to get freedom back.
• That poor cat... I don't know what to say.
• You are attacking a castle and your baby Caspian just casually knocks the window.
• Professor doing his best to help Caspian escape and then seeing him back in the castle again... I mean a disappointment level I can relate.
• I wish I could be woken up at night by Caspian, with a sword on my throat? Depends on my mood.
• Miraz being so done is a mood.
• They all are in Miraz's bedroom like:
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• Edmund literally headbutts a man wearing a metal helmet. I am speechless.
• You don't have sword? Don't worry you have a torch... just don't break it.
• Reepicheep and his friends pushing that thing makes me cry and scream.
• “Who exactly are you doing this for Peter?” THE LOOK ON PETER'S FACE.
• When Peter screams “FOR NARNIA!”
• My Queen Susan throwing an arrow to man and killing him despite his armour. I. LOVE. ONE. POWERFUL. QUEEN.
• Sometimes I wish I was an minatour.
• Edmund kicking that dude's head by sliding. A simple and powerful move.
• OKAY SO MIRAZ PUSHING THIS MINATOUR IS VERY PERSONAL TO ME. AND I AM VERY PISSED OF.
• And that minatour holding the door. I love you, you strong and scary baby. And I always will.
• When Edmund casually jumps back, I hear Blow Your Mind by Dua Lipa playing.
• That moment when other Narnians are trapped inside and Peter and Susan watch them... MY BABY PETER HAVE HAD ENOUGH PLEASE LET HIM REST. And Edmund seeing the dead bodies...
• That agressive “HEY!” from Caspian and the way Peter and him just scream at each other, idk what to say but it is sort of funny.
• When mama centaur cries, you know I'm dead on the floor.
• King Miraz getting on his throne... Sassy and majestic af. He is a psycho but you know he has taste.
• “What do you want? Congratulations?” Okay Caspian put that sarcasm down babe.
• When my mom watched the scene where The White Witch sort of comes back for the first time, she was like “Not that bitch witch again.”
• The way Peter pushes Caspian is skcjskfsj MOVE BITCH GET OUT THE WAY
• And Edmund killing the wolfish thing is so cool, he is a very talented warrior. Also him stabbing Jadis, he gives like zero fucks.
• And when the ice is broken, they see Aslan on the wall and it is such a strong scene!!
• Can someone please explain me why Miraz and his men wear those freaking helmets?
• “And she won't be alone.” WE. LOVE. ONE. SUPPORTIVE. AND PROTECTIVE. SISTER.
• No, Caspian you may not, no matter how hot you say Miraz.
• Edmund in Miraz's place... Just perfect. That sass, that confidence, that intelligence. THAT look on his face.
• “Your brother's sword is sharper than his pen.” It is an adage in Turkish btw: “A pen is sharper than a sword.”
• “Or hooves.” Lucy, was that joke really necessary honey?
• THE LOVE OF MY LOVE AND MY ONE TRUE LOVE PETER SAYING “WELL, FEEL FREE.” AND “JUST. ONE.” WITH A BRAVE LOOK ON HIS FACE IS THE CAUSE OF MY DEATH.
• Queen Susan standing on her own, holding her bow to hunt men... YES. QUEEN.
• Proud brother™ Edmund.
• The way Peter snarls at Miraz. I mean I WOULD SURRENDER TO HIM.
• AND MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION FOR PRAISING WILLIAM'S ACTING? He fights amazing and his expressions are both beautiful and real. He makes you feel what Peter feels. I just love the way he portrays Peter.
• “Keep smiling.” King Edmund just knows things.
• And the way he just doesn't listen Peter and fixes his arm... 10/10
• When he hits Miraz's wound. He is a smart fighter, and I'll not even bring up how he stabs Miraz.
• “It's not mine to take.” Me inside: *MINE IS YOURS TO TAKE.*
• Caspian just stop screaming and kill this bitch for Aslan's sake.
• “Not one like you.” WITH TEARS ON HIS BEAUTIFUL BLACK EYES. I HATE HIM SOMETIMES.
• Although I hate that they have to fight again, what the Lord did was really smart, I have to admit.
• Have I told you that I hate that ball-throwing-machines?
• Queen Susan telling archers to get ready and Prince Caspian telling “Narnians, attack!” while riding his horse. ALSO WHAT THEY DID WAS SO CLEVER. PETER COUNTING WITH THAT BRAVE FACE.
• My baby Peter fighting again. And Caspian coming out of the underground. *CHEFS KISSES*
• KING EDMUND RIDING A HORSE AND ARROWING PEOPLE?? MORE CHEFS KISSES.
• Reepicheep's tiny armour OMG
• I HATE THAT BALL-THROWING-MACHINES.
• When they all run again (Not to mention Peter has to attack and fight like for like the hundredth time) THEY LOOK FREAKING GOOD AND MAJESTIC AND KING EDMUND CUTTING MEN IS PER.FECT.
• I AM IN STRONG NEED OF HUGHING AN ASLAN.
• THE TREES ARE COMING BACK HELL FREAKING YESSS!!!
• Queen Susan killing with this bows and arrow is just perfect. I love her. Like so much.
• Ooh there is shield wall? Don't worry Narnians will jump on it.
• Peter proudly saying “Lucy,” and looking at Caspian like “Hehe did you expect that?”
• And my baby yells “For Aslan!” and goes to fight. AGAIN.
• Lucy and her dagger? FREAKING DANGEROUS. RUN AWAY.
• Welcome water grandpa, you are very cute!!!
• Aslan is like hehe this is my friend. He is very proud of his friend.
• The guilt on their faces when they see Aslan is so cute.
• “All of you.” SHUT UP YOU MADE ME CRY AGAIN.
• OH AND REEPICHEEP. PLEASE I LOVE HIM SOOO MUCH. HE'S HAD ENOUGH.
• Aslan calling him “Small one.” awWWW
• “Do you see him now?” QUEEN LUCY NEVER STUTTERS.
• Okay but the way they all look perfect during the parade. Caspian's crown and Susan's dress are my favs.
• AND THAT LOOK ON SUSAN'S FACE. IT KILLS ME.
• What the hell is Caspian wearing when Telmars go back?
• There is a talking lion in front of them and Telmarines still are amazed by a turning tree.
• Peter looks so good in blue and him giving his sword to Caspian is awwww again.
• Peter and Susan are the ones who'll not come back again and they both wear blue while Lucy and Ed wears green.
• Peter shaking hands with the centaur is an another awwww.
• The kiss makes me feel weird but I'm alright with that.
• “I'm 1300 years older than you.” is CUTE TO ME.
• Peter's proud brother smile. 10/10
• The way Lucy looks back at Aslan breaks my heart.
• THE ENDING KILLS ME. DESTROYS ME. VANISHES MY EXISTENCE. THAT LION ROAR. THAT SONG. OH HOW I LOVE THIS MOVIE AND NARNIA MOVIES... I AM CRYING AGAIN.
oooh okay, thank you for sharing this emotional roller-coaster with me. i hope you enjoy it.
love, andrea.♡
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nanaminsonyfans · 4 years
Text
⛓️Taken⛓️
Masterlist ✨ Requesting Rules
Request; Hey can I request a wei beifong x metal bender!reader were when they are fighting the red Lotus she gets captured and tortured? He goes crazy trying to find her and when they do she is badly hurt. I just want some angst with fluff at the end.
A/N; oh hell yeah. this is ANGST at it’s finest, we love a man in uniform to kick some fucking ass, also in this oneshot we are going to pretend they stayed in zaofu for like two months ^^ rock and roll buckroo
Pairing; Wei Beifong x Fem Metalbender!Reader
Warnings; Kiddnaping, torture, angst, descirption of wounds, cursing
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Honestly, everything seemed okay at the time. You were apart of Team Avatar, just growing up as a kid on the streets you found Bolin and Mako, and they decided to take care of you. Birds of a feather stick together. Because you were apart of Team Avatar you got to travel with them to find the rest of the new airbenders. Asumi appreciated having a metalbender on a metal airship. Like, if there’s a dent you’ll bend it out ya know?
Being a metalbender meant you are also an earthbender, you never really liked bending rocks and stuff, plus you could manipulate metal into whatever you imagine. Knives, swords, bracelets, literally anything. When you arrived at Zoafu, you were amazed by how everyone manipulated the metal. A boy had caught your eye, his name was Wei Beifong. He was a twin to a brother named Wing, both the youngest of the family. That was amazing to you, being the youngest one of this entire group.
You both had a lot in common, shared the same sense of humor and competitiveness. You clicked immediately. Fell in love even, he was the flirt that always made you blush. “You look amazing today.” “Green is a great color on you.” “Wow, do you just metalbend? Because something else his bending up.” You always got flustered and stopped what you were doing. If you were bending while he said any of that? It stops immediately and the metal crashes to the ground.
Wei finally asked you out, and you became his girlfriend. You were so fucking happy and so was he. The relationship was amazing, everything was so pure and loving, practicing bending together, cuddles, power naps. Everything with him made you happy. Everyone was so happy for you, Mako and Bolin has never ever seen you that happy. Your smile was simply beautiful and everyone noticed. Korra, your close gal pal noticed more, happy about it. 
Everything changed when the Red Lotus attacked.
Korra was being abducted by them, and because you shared a room with the young Avatar, they took you as well. Knocked you out by hitting your head since they didn’t have another tranquilizer. Your head was bleeding from the force of the blow to your head, leaving a small droplet trail of blood. Pabu woke Mako and Bolin up, both waking up to fight and hopefully save both of you. 
They all tried their best, Wei fought with his aunt and mother to let him go down to save you but being a mother, Suyin refused. They weren’t able to get you, they were fast but Ming-Hua was faster, basically encapsulating your body in water. Bubbles of oxygen rose up to the top, everyone watched in horror as the last bubble rose from your mouth and nose. 
The Red Lotus immediately took you to the hideout that would eventually hold Korra. You woke up to a burning sensation in your chest, you rolled over and started to vomit up water mixed with the last thing you ate. Your head was pounding as you finally regained your vision that was blurry. Your clothing wasn’t the same as what you had on when you went to sleep the other night. More like rags. 
“Don’t bother trying to bend.” A man’s voice said, causing you to flinch and turn towards the voice. A man with tanned skin, broad shoulders, long black hair, and a small and thin mustache. You didn’t recognize this man so your face of confusion caused him to sigh. “I am Ghazan.” Okay, that name rang a bell. You heard of him from adults while growing up, he’s an earthbending master with the unique ability to lavabend. Metalbending was already a substyle of earthbending, but he was the only one you have ever heard of that could lavabend. Even growing up you thought it was a myth.
He also was a criminal, everything was making sense now. You tried to stand up but your chains and registrants only jiggled. “Yuh-You don’t know who I-I am.” You state, fear overtaking your body as if you could sense his power, and that fucking scared you. “You don’t think an earthbending master can’t tell one of their own?” Your eyes widened in which Ghazan just smirked and chuckled softly. “I didn’t know which type but, your face confirmed that suspension.” “Bastard.” You mumbled under your breath earning a slap to the face. “Watch your tone. You are not in control here.” 
Your eyes watered from the hit, your left cheek started to sting from that slap. You tried to bend the chains away to no avail. “Yeah keep trying, you can’t bend platinum.” Ghazan taunted and backed up to the doorway. That’s when you realized you were in a wooden cage, suspending above the ground. You started to panic. “What do you want with me?! I’m not important.” You yell, thinking that they could let you go, they obviously wouldn’t.
“We’ve been doing our best.” Kuvira said to Wei Beifong, who had been worried sick for you for two weeks now. “Well try HARDER.” He hissed and stormed off. “Wei…” Wing sighed and ran after his brother. “Listen, we all care about her and we are looking for her but there’s only so much we can do.” Wing explained to his brother that was now fuming with hatred and anger. “You didn’t care for Y/n the same way I did! You don’t understand how I fell! The person I love his captured and possibly being tortured-” His voice cracked as a few tears rolled down his cheeks. “I don’t even want to think about it.” He sniffled and quickly wiped his eyes before turning down the hall.
Your screams were deafening, this was mostly because Ghazan was burning you with lava, Ming-Hua delicately stabbing your sides with ice spikes, and Zaheer suffocating you then letting you slip unconscious. You felt so weak, like you were on the verge of death but they wouldn’t let you die. That was the worst punishment for you. You just wanted to die or see your friends and boyfriend again. Blood trickled down your leg as you blinked back tears from the spike stabbing your left thigh. Your throat was raw from screaming, so you didn’t even bother with it. Why scream? It’s been clear for weeks that no one was coming to your aid.
To your understanding, it has been five weeks since they originally brought you here. Yes, you were fed, dressed, cleaned, and you had been given water, but doesn’t mean the torture ever stopped. Each passing week they took their frustrations out on you, until you heard other’s come, murmurs of them being Airbenders. ‘Opal, oh my god Opal is with the airbenders.’ 
“Opal! Jinora! Ikki!” You scream, your voice cracking and raw, that’s when you saw then, under your cage. Oh no, these bastards took children? You weren’t anywhere close to the ground so you couldn’t even help them, shit. “Y/n? Oh my spirits you’re okay!” Opal said happily and looked up at you. “Wei? Is-Is he okay?” You whisper weakly and grip the wooden planks with your bloody and bruised body. “He’s worried, hopefully they’ll be here soon…”
It was easy, Korra is going to let the airbenders go and then they would reveal your location. Wei was nervously waiting along with the rest of the Zaofu soldiers, shaking from the anticipation and worry for his girlfriend. “She better be alive.” He mumbled under his breath as they waited on the side of the cliff, remembering the moment he found out you were taken.
Wei’s face fell when Bolin told him what had happened to you, his girlfriend, HIS Y/n. “What?” He snapped, his voice and expression going dark with murderous like intent. “Wei calm down-” Wing started, “Don’t FUCKING tell me what to do.” Wei snapped at his brother and whipped back around to Bolin. “So you’re telling me, you had her, you had them knocked out, and YET you didn’t fucking grab her? You had her in your sights and you didn’t do shit? Ha...haha.” He started to laugh a ran a shaky hand through his hair as tears started to flow down. “She’s gone...and it’s all of YOUR fault.” Wei made the ground beneath him bend into a crater as his emotions got stronger at the loss. He shoved Bolin back and stormed off, leaving a trail of tears behind. 
Wei Beifong was shattered at the loss of his first love. He never gave up hope on finding her, he made SURE everyone was looking for you. No stone was left unturned when searching for you. He was so hurt by this, he swore that the Red Lotus would be fucking obliterated for laying a finger on his Y/n.
Your vision blurred when seeing a familiar tanned skinned girl in blue, but your ears worked. “Strap the Avatar to the platinum chains, and let that earthbender down, she’s too weak to even hold her head up. Bring her to where the Avatar will be held.” The familiar voice spoke, Zaheer. Fuck sake, you were gonna die. You let out a bitter chuckle as you were dragged out of the cell by Ming-Hua and her waterbending. “You’re going to try and kill the Avatar yeah? Good luck, she’s a tough nut to crack. I doubt you’ll be able to do it.” 
Taunting earned you a firm slap to the face which made your vision get spotty and blurry for a second while your head spun. “Do you really want your last word to be bitter and taunting?” Ming asked with snark in her tone. “How’d you know? Really, I’ve been begging for the past three weeks now, thank you for finally taking that request.” You said faintly and breathlessly as you felt yourself loose consciousness. “Fuh...Fuck you...you…” You whisper as you tried to fight the sleep. ‘Damn, I really failed again huh? This shit sucks.’
Your ears rang as your eyes fluttered open, you heard movement, the earth under you was moving, you felt every vibration, you heard whooshes of fire, and a voice. Bolin? Mako? “...Y/n?! Y/n!” The familiar voice of Bolin called out to you. You coughed and looked around, moving your head. “Bo...lin?” You were weak, your voice showed that. “We have to go.” Mako said as he ran over to you, the entire cave seemed to shake. “If I’m going down, SO ARE YOU!” Ghazan yelled as boulders crashed down. The firebender scooped you up in his arms as he ran, Bolin following close behind. “Don’t drop her!” “I am not going to drop her! She weighs like nothing Bolin!” You laughed softly at their sibling bickering. 
“Tha...Thank you...Mako.” You whisper weakly, cupping his cheek. “Y/n save your energy.” Mako said, all big brother like because that’s our beloved mako. You squinted when you got outside. “Y/N?!” Wei’s voice snapped you toward the boy. He rushed over and took you from Mako’s arms. “What...what did they do to you?”
Your legs were covered in burns, gashes, bruises, your collarbone had semi-deep cuts, bruises around your neck, black eye, busted lip, bleeding nose. There wasn’t one place that wasn’t injured. Your hands seemed to be the worst. Your fingertips seemed like they were shaved down, your nails ripped out, and your knuckles bloody and bruised. 
“That doesn’t matter…” You whisper, tears running down your cheeks. “You came for me?” Your voice was soft, almost in disbelief. “Y/n, I never stopped looking.” Wei whispered back and took your hand, kissing your bloody knuckles. “Your safe now.” He said calmly as he noticed you shaking and trembling. Six weeks, that’s how long you were there. Finally, you were safe.
✨Epilogue✨
After a year of healing, you were finally able to do everything you did before you were kidnapped. When you were found, you had brain trauma from the constant suffocating and you had some nerve damage. You recovered, not fully but enough to be able to nothing for yourself, you regained your comfortability to bend again! Wei was with you every step of the way. He did his best to help you and honestly? That was enough for you. You had grown closer with his family as well, them being your family too now. I mean, you were obviously going to marry Wei so everyone accepted it. 
You fought along side them when Kuvira was being like, a major bitch, and Toph had taken a liking to you! After everything happened, a few years later once Wei and you turned 20 you finally had a wedding. Everyone was so happy, Bolin was your maid of honor because he apparently called dibs. You looked simply beautiful and Wei started crying because after everything, he’s just happy to have you, safe and sound.
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soldierswar · 3 years
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Kobik - Chapter IX
Bucky x Reader
Fluff, some angst
Chapter Plot: Kobik meets the people that can help her. But that means you have to face what's to come in the near future.
Masterlist
Kobik could not have looked any more adorable. She was dressed in a little sailor’s outfit with bows at the base of her pigtails.
She was sitting on the floor of the observation room playing Jenga by herself with an impossibly tall stack of blocks trying to grab the most difficult ones without knocking the tower over using nothing but her telepathic powers. Sometimes she would do great, and other times it would come tumbling down before she’d frustratedly put it back together within half a second. Sometimes she’d catch it before the blocks could hit the floor, and you could tell that alone was a little triumph of her own.
You and Bucky amusedly watched her from behind the one-sided glass.
You had convinced SWORD and the scientists to give Kobik a week to recover and unwind before having to adjust to a new life again. By ‘you’ you meant Bucky did the convincing. He charismatically reasoned to the director of this whole case that Kobik was tired, severely anxious, and needed to decompress in order to avoid another episode.
To be fair, he wasn’t bullshitting them at all…For the most part. But if it were up to you to do the convincing instead of your 'too handsome for his own good' husband who you were pretty sure that the director had a crush on…it wouldn’t have happened.
Bottom line, you got to spent a wonderful week with Kobik.
You went to the movies, went on picnics, and sometimes indulged on ice cream in the middle of the night watching Disney movies that Bucky had previously refused to get caught up on since you got married.
As of then, it was one of the happiest weeks of your life. Kobik had come with the two of you for your first ultrasound. And much to your and Bucky’s surprise, Kobik was 100% right. You were in fact 3 months along, and they were pretty sure that it was a girl.
“I told you so,” she shrugged nonchalantly when they gave you that news.
Bucky side-eyed you giving you a look that said, ‘How the hell did you now know about this?’  And as scared as he looked, you could also tell that he was already kind of in love with your child. Just as you were.
Kobik didn’t know that you were watching her from behind the glass exhibiting the room where she would be meeting who would essentially be her new family.
There were so many times during the past week that you wanted to crawl on your knees and beg Bucky to keep her. And low key, you could tell that Bucky wanted to give in. But ironically, the only reason why you didn’t let that happen was because of the love that you had for her. So you and Bucky decided to look at it as an open adoption.
Unfortunately, it didn’t make you feel much better most of the time.
Kobik’s head whipped around when she heard the door open. When she saw who it was, she looked a little bit shy.
“Hi there,” said the woman giving her a smile.
She had a soft, and warm voice. Her husband had his hand placed a loving hand on her back; much like how Bucky was with you when you were nervous.
“Hi,” she replied wide-eyed.
“I’m Kobik.”
They both chuckled lightly before crouching down to sit on the floor in front of her.
Bucky gave you the rundown on who this couple was. As mentioned before, they were excellent scientists specializing in the kind of matter that Kobik was made out of. Cosmic energy.
They looked to be in their early to mid-forties. The man whose name was Adrian was tall, slim, and had a mixture of thick dark brown and silver hair. The woman whose name was Hazel also seemed really lovely. She looked to be maybe a couple of years younger than Adrian. Like her husband she was also slim with long brown hair with soft facial features and looked to be about as tall as you.
“Do you want to see what I can do?” Kobik asked timidly.
Hazel smiled.
“Absolutely.”
Kobik furrowed her brows in deep thought about what kind of party trick she wanted to do. After thinking about it she held her hands upwards and they watched as one by one the Jenga blocks floated up into the air and shifted them in mid-air to make different shapes like castles, faces, and hearts.
The couple both looked at her in amazement. When Kobik saw how they reacted to her little tricks she automatically seemed less shy and was now very proud about winning them over. She seemed to like them just as much as they seemed to like her.
You didn’t realize that Bucky was holding your hand until he started squeezing it. He was feeling the same thing that you were feeling. You knew that she was going to be okay. She would be happy and well taken care of. But he was going to miss her.
“She’s only an hour away,” you reminded him, stroking his hand with your thumb.
He nodded and gave you a melancholic smile.
“One hour.”
After Kobik spent about an hour and a half getting to know her new…guardians, they finally left the observation room to come meet you.
You had left the viewing area to grab lunch. Or rather…second lunch. Of course, when they came up to you, you didn’t even notice for about ten seconds because you were too busy stuffing a large burrito into your face.
“She’s hungry a lot,” Kobik pointed out.
“She blames it on the baby.”
They had a look of delight on their face when she said that, and you couldn’t help but smile proudly.
“I’m sorry, I’d shake your hand,” you said trying to hide your half mouthful of food.
“But I kind of have burrito on my hands. And sorry Bucky had to go take a phone call.”
“It’s okay,” Hazel reassured.
“We’ve met him already. We just wanted to get to know you a little bit more.”
They sat on the other side of the table, and Kobik used her powers to summon a chair from the next table over to your side to sit next to you.
“Well…What would you like to know?”
You and Bucky walked into your empty house already feeling like something was missing. And of course, it was that little rambunctious, stubborn, and playful little human manifested cosmic energy with the biggest heart.
You missed hearing her little giggles or hearing random things shift around because she couldn’t bother to walk over to do or get something like a normal person. This sometimes leads to flying objects hitting other objects and sometimes breaking.
You missed snuggles on the couch. You hoped that she could still get snuggles, even if it was without you. But most of all, you missed seeing Bucky act like a dad the whole time that she was there. Granted, that emptiness would soon be filled by your own little bundle.
It had been 5 days since Kobik’s first meeting with Adrien and Hazel, and most importantly since you had met them. You knew that you had to like them in order for you to be comfortable with handing Kobik over to them. You wanted to hate them, but when you saw how sweet they seemed, it was impossible.
They had given you a brief history of their personal and professional lives. They talked about their methods on what they would be studying with Kobik, how they would try to help her and expand on the research that the previous scientists in Europe were discovering.
When you asked about whether or not she would be spending most of her time in a lab, Hazel took out an iPad from her purse and showed you a tour of what her room would look like, and the place where they would be working. Their studies would all be taking place in their own home so that they could do their research in private. And by the look at the way Kobik was responding to it, you felt a lot better. They even said that you could come to visit as much as you wanted. That won you over.
But you knew that there was a high chance that Bucky may or may not ‘check in’ on her without their knowledge.
“What are we gonna do now with this empty, and quiet place?” you sighed.
Bucky dropped his jacket on the nearest chair.
“Exactly what we did before,” he replied.
“And enjoy as much sleep as we can get…I’ve heard something about babies crying all of the time.”
You playfully punched him on the arm and wrapped your arms around his torso for comfort.
“I have a surprise for you,” Bucky said.
You looked up at him curiously.
“Oh?”
He nodded.
“Well…What is it? Where is it?”
Bucky gave you that familiar mischievous smile and shrugged.
“You’re going to have to wait until tomorrow.”
“Then why tell me about it today?” you whined.
He winked.
“You know I love watching you anticipate.”
You crossed your arms like a four-year-old.
“Well if you won’t tell me, I’m making you go out and buy me ice cream right now.”
He rolled his eyes and grabbed his jacket and keys.
“Cookies and Cream it is.”
@buckylove123 @teenagedreams-bucky @typicalnerd98 @veroxloki @white-wolf-buckaroo @acciosiriusblack @pastel-boy-sungjae @flightsandfantasy @noiralei @unstablesleepygal @general-latino
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pennamesmith · 3 years
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Return of the Skeletor
A family reunion. Find more Skeletor stories here! 
*
Micah remembered the other world. 
Most people could, in fact. The whole planet was affected. They’d all lived a life they thought was perfect. They’d all imagined something intangible. The memories were faded and fragmentary, like the recollection of a dream, but everyone was certain it had really happened. 
Even if nothing that had happened was real. 
At first Micah didn’t realize anyone else had shared in the dream. He’d lost track of time on Beast Island long ago, and when the collapsing portal closed around him he only assumed it was one of the despairing wasteland’s many tricks. He never had long to dwell on the matter, either. Soon after finding himself returned to reality (he could remember shouting to Angella, reaching for her, trying to tell her “I’m not dead!”) Micah had met the loud and unusual Princess Entrapta. And after her there came…
“She-Ra! It’s She-Ra!” a nasally voice shrieked. 
Micah was startled out of his reverie by a sudden clattering of hooves. The door to his Bright Moon office burst inwards and he was presented with the sight of a breathless Swift Wind. Sitting astride the rainbow-winged unicorn was one of Entrapta’s bots, a lanky drone she’d named ‘Skeletor.’
“The time has come!” Skeletor said. 
“It’s true!” Swift Wind confirmed. “I felt the sacred bond return just a minute ago. Adora and the others are back from Eternia! Darla is over the Whispering Woods right now!”
“What?” Micah jumped to his feet, abandoning his desk without a second thought. It was covered in a mountain of paperwork: royal records, his regent’s duties, and the calendar pages where he’d marked off every day since Glimmer and the rest of the Princess Alliance left for their dangerous mission to another universe. He rushed to the door where Swift Wind was standing. 
Skeletor reached out and helped Micah onto the horse’s back. “Join hands as we bring together our mystic powers!” the robot cried. Once Micah was settled, Swift Wind turned and leapt out the nearest window. They sailed through the skies. 
“What’s going on? Are they all right?” Micah asked, with undisguised worry. 
Swift Wind banked, soaring over the tree line. “I’m not sure! The ship is under control but — look, there it is!” 
Darla, the rebuilt First Ones ship, was descending rapidly from the sky over the treetops. Her flight was steady, but parts of the hull were damaged, and smoke trailed from one wing. Suddenly the ship lurched and plummeted into the trees, vanishing from sight. A plume of vegetation went flying as it plowed to a smouldering stop. 
Micah felt his stomach twist. “We need to get closer!” he called out in a panic. 
“I can take you there!” Skeletor declared, urging Swift Wind toward the ground. They touched down by the edge of a long path of smoking destruction that stretched deep into the woods. 
“They must have landed near here,” Skeletor deduced, observing the massive trench in the ground. He hopped off the horse’s back and ran ahead, making anxious utterances as he went. 
Micah dismounted and walked beside Swift Wind. “I hate this,” Micah confessed. “The staying behind, I mean. At least on Beast Island I was the only one I had to worry about, and I was in control of my own survival. But having to stand by while Glimmer goes into danger? I’m so proud of her, yet I’m also so scared.” 
“I know what you mean,” Swift Wind answered. “I trust Adora, but I also worry about her, like, all the time. Whenever we’re apart I get so restless. I just feel powerless!”  
“Sometimes letting them find their own way is all we can do,” Micah mused. 
They came into a clearing in the woods. Darla was there, sparking and steaming but generally intact. Skeletor hammered on the door. 
“Here, let me try to get you out!” he called. 
Something inside the ship made a noise. There was a hiss and a jet of steam, and Skeletor tumbled backwards, landing with a squawk at Micah and Swift Wind’s feet. They all stared at Darla, holding their breath expectantly.
The front hatch of the spaceship popped open. Entrapta erupted out of it, tumbling down the landing ramp in a ball of frizzled hair. She pulled her goggles up. 
“Aha! We made it!” she crowed, taking in her surroundings. “All in the right dimension and everything!” 
She reached into the recesses of her hair and emerged with a haggard Hordak. “Your piloting saved us! I knew you could do it!” she told him proudly. 
Hordak squinted through half-lidded eyes. “Is it over?” he muttered. “Are we still alive?”
“Yep!” Entrapta wobbled to her feet and gathered her partner up in her ponytails. “Now, let’s get you a checkup and some rest. You’ve had a stressful voyage!” 
She suddenly seemed to notice the gathered onlookers. “Oh! Hi Skeletor. Hi Bird Horse. Hi Micah. Guess what? You’re gonna love this!” Entrapta turned back to the ship. “Safe to disembark, crew!” she yelled, before trotting off with Hordak.
“Now we’ll see how clever you are!” Skeletor said. 
Mermista peeked around the door. “Ground!” she cried, throwing herself across the dirt in relief. “I never thought I’d miss you so much!” 
“Oh, it wasn’t that bad a flight,” Sea Hawk cajoled, helping her to her feet. “Why, I can think of a dozen — no, two dozen more harrowing trips I’ve taken in the Dragon’s Daughter XXVIII.” 
“You fishmonger,” Skeletor scoffed. 
Frosta was the next one out, followed closely by Perfuma and Scorpia. “Eternia was amazing!” the teenaged ice princess announced, brandishing a pair of frozen fists. “I got to punch so much stuff!” 
“Come on, it wasn’t all violence,” Perfuma pleaded. 
“Yeah, we learned a bunch about friendship and responsibility too,” Scorpia agreed. 
“Punch! Punch!” Frosta said. 
“You’re becoming evil, I can sense it!” Skeletor hummed approvingly. “Excellent!” 
Catra and Adora came next, and they were accompanied by a young man Micah had never seen before. He had a pink shirt, bobbed blond hair, and bore an uncanny resemblance to Adora herself. A sword hung on his back. He blinked as he emerged into the light. 
Swift Wind’s jaw dropped. “Adora! Is that…?” 
“Hey guys!” Adora grinned sheepishly. “So, funny story. You remember how when I was a baby I was taken from a hidden First Ones faction that nobody has ever been able to find since?” 
She held her hands out, presenting the newcomer. “Well, uh, we found ‘em! This is my twin brother, Adam!” 
Adam smiled and waved. “Hello everybody,” he chirped. 
“Brother?” Swift Wind sputtered. 
“He-Man!” Skeletor bellowed. 
The group fell into a chattering commotion, but Micah was hardly paying attention. Glimmer and Bow had appeared at the top of the ramp, holding each other as they looked out. Emotions that went beyond words swam in the young queen’s eyes. 
Adora saw where Micah was looking and quickly pulled her brother away. “We’ll tell you the whole story later, sir! Trust me, it’s hilarious. Now come on, I gotta show you around Etheria, bro.”
“Sure thing, sis,” Adam replied, grinning hugely. They pounded their fists together, adding their own sound effects as they did so, and marched off laughing. 
“They have been doing that the entire. Trip. Back,” Catra groaned, following close behind the pair. “Somebody save me.” 
“You furry coward,” muttered Skeletor. 
At the entrance to the ship, Glimmer and Micah hugged each other fiercely. When they finally broke, the old king could see that his daughter was smiling through her tears. 
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Glimmer sniffled. “So much happened. You wouldn’t believe how scary things got! Oh, but I totally had everything under control.” 
“I know you did,” Micah smiled back. But he could tell there was more. 
Glimmer’s face turned serious. “Dad,” she said shakily, tripping over her own words. “Listen. Entrapta’s theories about the other dimension were right. When we — I mean, didn’t know if…” 
Bow stepped in. “Your highness, I think there’s someone you should see.” He beckoned gently. Still at a loss for words, Glimmer nodded and took her father’s hand, leading him inside the ship. 
Micah’s heart was racing even before she rose from the chair and turned to face him. His breath caught when he saw the spreading wings, the shining light, the smiling face that he remembered so clearly. 
Their eyes met. It was a miracle. 
Just like on the island, a part of him couldn’t believe this was really happening. But it was. 
They both reached out. They’d mourned each other once. Their hands met. 
“Micah?” she asked, hardly believing it herself. 
“Angie?” 
*
Outside, both the princesses and their well-wishers had gathered around Adam, excitedly showing off the wonders of their planet. He gazed with delight at everything, marveling in the magical light of Etheria. His laugh brimmed with kindness. 
Skeletor elbowed his way through the crowd. “I can’t let any of you delay me! Out of my way, now!” he jabbered. “This is no time for jokes!” 
He made it to where Adora stood with her brother and glared. Adam turned in surprise, not sure what to expect. They stared at each other. 
Skeletor held his arms wide. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment!” he cried. “Take this, He-Man!” 
Then he lunged forward, and wrapped Adam in an enormous hug. 
“He-Man, I am your friend!” 
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carlosxhook · 4 years
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The Law Of Total Madness ~ H.H
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Pairing: Harry Hook x Reader (yes I wrote Got7 into this sue me) + (please don’t I’m broke 🤦‍♀️)
Y/N’s P.O.V
Being Chad Charming’s twin sister was an interesting occurrence, Ben being your best friend for your whole life and growing up around Chad expectation of the perfect sister was exhausting this was where you found your love for singing and dancing thanks to Ben. He also introduced you to your other best friend prince Yugyeom originally from Jypnation and 6 other his friends who made music together the 8 of you were always glued together, you stuck together and turns out it was good for you to get away from Chad he may of been your brother and yes you loved him but god was he unbearable! Even better the 8 of you talk in korean to confuse anyone trying to ease drop Princess love to be some nosey bitches, you were a hip hop dancing, princess role breaking rebellious free soul and Chad HATED that. Perhaps the icing on the cake was that you were secretly dating a Scottish pirate, the only son of Captain Hook, the love of your life Harry Hook. It happened when you and Ben were kidnapped with Ben after convincing him you should go with him for “protection” when really you just wanted to wag chemistry class they kept you and Ben seperate and you and Harry ended up in a long make out session about 15 minutes before the most epic battle you’d ever witnessed, Ben announced that after 6 months since Dizzy, The Twins and Celia came to auradon that 3 more vks would be coming over! Hoping it would be Harry, Uma and Gil you talked to Gil while ‘kidnapped’ you two were close it was nice he seemed genuinely like a good guy, it was nice that he’s loyal to his crew and today was the day they were to arrive. Ben, Chad, Mal, Carlos, Jay, Evie, Doug and I were all gathered around waiting for them to show them around and such, the limo pulls up and all three vks get out my chest gets tight thinking about seeing him again yeah we starting “being a thing” very quickly but I liked him a lot I knew that much “Welcome to Auradon” Ben smiles “Try not to break anything” Chad snarls and I smack him over the head earning a deep chuckle from Harry as he smirks at me “it’s very colourful here” Gil smiles he’s too pure omg “well I would love too stay and help but I promised NaNa I’d be at practice 10 minutes ago, it was lovely too see you all again.” I wave before running off towards the school dance hall and quickly issuing magic to get changed into a red crop top and some high waisted black shorts with black converse, damn I was too cute for my own good sometimes, poor Chad never got any magic my parents had me enchanted when I was little so I could protect myself.
Harry’s P.O.V
“I apologise for Princess Y/N’s departure she’s preparing for a very important event and competition as a representative for Auradon, if any of you need her she’s typically in the dance hall!” Ben hints looking towards me it’s not like her and I were seriously anyways, yeah I liked her, a lot but I’d barely say I thought about her. That’s a lie everyday that stupidly gorgeous girl plagued my mind and she just runs off before I can have her in my arms again, how selfish? Does she even still care about me, about us, we had a connection fuck I knew feelings and l..l...lov that l word made you weak, how pathetic I thought I had a happily ever after.
We go through the entire of auadorn and finally reach the Dance Hall we hear loud music coming from within and I peek in seeing Y/N practicing “let’s watch!” Ben opens the door and we stand at the back my eyes fixated on the gorgeous girl dancing her heart out, “she’s gonna win” Chad laughs at Gils proud statement “please who does she think she is this isn’t the isle she should be in a castle or locked in a tower” Chad snorts “I’m sorry say that again Princey” I growl “cool it” I hear Uma whisper “you wanna get found out huh” she follows. “He’s an ass” I mutter focusing back on the events in front of me Y/N walking towards us with a big smile “what did you think?” She asks as her sparkling eyes meet mine before Chad can even open his mouth I reply “Ye did very good indeed” winking at the now blushing princess “anyways” she chirps “we need 3 more female dancers to back up Yugyeom and I’s duo for the competition, because as much as I’d love too see Jackson, Mark and BamBam in skirts with wigs and heels... I don’t wanna frighten the audience” she giggles looking behind her at the 7 boys now making their way over once they reach us the throw Y/N a questioning look before speaking in what I can only assume in another fucking language.
Y/N’s P.O.V
I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss Harry I did and as much as I wanted to run into his arms and breathe in his scent and glory I know I can’t, I lean over to Uma to get closer to Harry “Hey Uma, I don’t know if ben told you but we are sharing a room, I’m barely ever in my dorm so don’t worry I won’t bother you!” I smile and she just scoffs she’s not the biggest fan of me I mean she did kidnap Ben and I after all, I couldn’t blame her though the Isle was shocking I would wanna get out too I am kinda thankful cause of it I found Harry. That was if he still even liked me, I heard from Mal he’s a player and no good that he flirted with anything that moved I mean one of the old exchange students Nana did that too, and he was harmless I was just hoping Harry’s flirting was too.
“Yugyeom, can we finish I wanna show em to the dorms?” I smile to the fluffy haired boy sweat dripping down his white shirt making it slightly see through “only this once ya, usually I’m the one to try cut practice shorty” he laughs “sweet, don’t forget we go all day tomorrow with the boys!” I point to our 6 other friends and wave shooting them a wink before turning around seeing everyone but the pirates had left “well I’ll shall show you to your rooms I guess” I lead the way to the dorms it’s a bit awkward and the silence burns.
“So Y/N” Gil cuts the air “what’s this competition?” He smiles coming and placing an arm around me I hear Harry growl but I just let Gil rest his arm on me “well it’s a multi-kingdom performance competition, we must sing and dance and the winner’s kingdom hosts a massive party and a heap of important musical performers come for all necks of the woods too play and come watch!” I smile getting excited just thinking about it “Yugyeom and I have a duo, I have a solo and so does he, then a boy group performance and then a girl group performance if we win 3/5 of the categories Auradon will host its first ever K fest, it’ll be amazing!” I stop abruptly “our duo performance is gonna be the best we’ve ever done, and we’ve done a lot” I chuckle “anyways this is the boys dorm 701 Gil and Harry are here and then just down the all at 690 is where Uma will be if y’all need her. Your belongings will be inside for you if you need anything please don’t hesitate to ask” I turn around and walk to my room Uma in tow “so Y/N, been a while huh?” She laughs “indeed it has, how’re you feeling about all this?” I ask pointing around “it’s where I’ve always wanted to get my crew, I got Gil and Harry here, now I need to work on the rest” I see a glint of sadness in her eyes “I’m only really here because I care about those boys and they don’t deserve to rot on an island, yeah they’re dicks and trouble but they’re loyal to me so I am loyal to them, they fight for me so I fight for them. Always!” I was shocked Uma was really caring I didn’t expect this side of her “I’m only telling you this because I know you and Harry are a thing” she pays my back “wait we still are?” I ask hopeful “yeah, the moment he gets you alone he’ll be all over you like a hungry wolf, watch ya back” she laughs I take a deep breath “thank you Uma I wasn’t sure he even still knew me” I lay on my bed and my stomach grubmles “girl you’re so busy dancing you don’t eat” Uma scolds “come on” she grads my hand “were getting you some food!” Running out the door she takes me too the kitchen and starts making food “I used to have make chips all the time at the shop, so hopefully Auradon sir makes them taste better than the grubby isle ones” she scoffs “Uma, can I ask something?” I nervously fiddle “sure princess what’s up?” She says cutting up potatos “Did Harry’s father ever abuse him?” She seems taken aback “it’s just I remember telling Harry I’d stay behind he just had to pretend he had me at sword point, and he said he’d never even pretend to do such a thing because he wasn’t his father.” I wipe a few tears I was confused was Harry harmful “Harry gets his father’s temper or therefore lack of, he had outbursts, I’m sure he’ll still have them, yes to put it shortly his father before he was in the crew would often abuse him. But it wasn’t uncommon, not in the isle love is a weakness.” “Then am I weak for loving him no matter what Uma” why was I even opening up to her “no because I think you could be good for him, just don’t turn him” she jokes “or I’ll use this” she holds her shell out “yes captain!” We laugh. “Maybe finally having a roommate won’t be so bad aye” I smile as she cooks Uma might actually be a really great friend and she knows more about Harry than anyone else maybe Hook and I could work.
*The Next Day*
“Those boys I swear are always late” I mutter to no one in particular “now what’s a gorgeous girl like you doing standing ‘ere all alone?” My heart jumps hearing his voice again “Hi Harry” I turn around smiling “ye know isle got boring without a princess to kiss” she smirks “is that so, awe Harry did you miss me” I joke about he moves closer “believe me or not love, I actually did. Let’s say you left a bit of a mark on me so to speak” I giggle “now come here babe” I pull him in for a long and heated kiss “Lovely doing business with ye princess” he smirks spinning around and walking out. What the actual fuck was that, what is he playing at I’m not just some toy, I turn on the music and start dancing to Bonnie & Clyde by Dean nothing can distract me not even Harry.
Harry’s P.O.V
I fucked it up I panicked and played fuck boy player again the confident fascade is what I’m know by I must keep it up, show no emotion, no weakness. Sorry princess. It’s just how I am.
I walk to uma’s room and knock on the door “yeah what” I hear her shout “it’s me” and like that the door flies open “Where’s Gil?” She questions “running round with Jay apparently they’re besties or whatever I’m just letting the dog loose” I plop myself down on the princess’ bed “geez Auradon beds are comfy” I sigh “I don’t think your little girlfriend would appreciate your smelly leather and metal scent over her sheets” Uma jokes “not me girlfriend” I point out “I’d watch it if I were you then, she gushed on about that Yugyeom boy for a very long time, of she ain’t yours surely she’ll be his I mean they’re never not together.” As if on cue in walks Y/N “Hey Uma did you see where I put my tablets, the ones with the orange jar, I’ve got a massive headache.” She rubs her head still unaware I’m laying on her bed “yeah left hand side of the bathroom counter top” she smiles did I miss something what are they all of a sudden so... friendly...
“Thank you so much oh and by the way I’ll be back late tonight so don’t wait up I’ll sneak in, Yugyeom and I have to rehearse til late cause Ben wants to come watch us and make sure it’s all good” I watch as she leaves then I close my eyes and drift off too sleep surprisingly.
“Harry wake up omg” I hear as I open my eyes too see Uma standing above me “what?” I ask rubbing me eyes then picking up me hook “get off of Y/N’s bed and wake up she’s gonna be here soon” she scoffs “surely she wouldn’t mind a handsome looking lad in her bed waiting for ‘er” I laugh.
Y/N’s P.O.V
“Ben I don’t really understand?” I question “you want us... to kiss?” I point between Yugyeom and I “yes the chemistry is there I’m telling you it’s the winning touch, the performance is so dynamic it just needs the big ending, it’ll leave everyone shocked, stunned and more importantly it shows how well you work together.” The king smiles “are you sure this is a good idea?” He’s gone crazy completely mad oh this is not going to end well “let’s call it a day you two need to eat and back again tomorrow for more practice” Ben smiles holding the door open for us both, “he’s not serious right Y/N” Yugyeom whispers “I hope he’s not, but something tells me he is, it’s fine gyu we are the best this is nothing!” I smile placing a hand on his shoulder “what about that boy?” He asks in a small voice “we aren’t dating he made that very clear, who cares this is our dream we are so close!” I smile side hugging him and briefly laying my head on his “fighting!!” I smile before grabbing his hand and walking to my dorm he always walks me to the door of my room when we practice late “Thanks Yugyeom!” I smile “let’s work hard tomorrow!” I hug him really tightly saying goodbye and open the door to find Uma working on something and Harry asleep on my bed “I don’t remember ordering a strange man in my bed, Uma I think this ones for you.” I point to the pirate passed out on my bed “he’s been like that for hours, I don’t think he’s sleeping at night” Uma shrugs “I’ll be back I have to go try round up Gil watch the scot” I laugh before going to change clothes in the bathroom I walk out no more than 10 minutes later and he’s still there snoring away. “Harry I told you if you were struggling to come find me” I play with his hair and carefully remove the hook placing it right next to my bed I grab the spare blanket from the cupboard and put it over him and when I go to walk away I hear “Please, just stay with me love” he says almost way too soft “I’ll explain later just please” I notice he’s shaking must be nightmares or ptsd “it’s okay Harry I’m right here, I’m always gonna be okay” I smile placing a soft kiss on his forehead and jumping into the free slither of bed he’s left much for my surprise he moves and pulls me close with his arm around my stomach before I know it I’m fast asleep.
Harry’s P.O.V
I woke up and there she was in my arms and it felt right, it felt like nothing could ruin this moment until once again I panicked I’m not used to feeling this I grab my hook and leave her all alone, pangs if guilt hit me but I ignore them I’m a pirate the best one I don’t need feelings they make you weak and I will never be weak. I will make my father proud he will call me his son and I’ll finally have a family, I don’t need some stupid princess to distract me.
Y/N’s P.O.V
I woke up alone in my bed with nothing left but the memory and slight scent of metal and the ocean, or was it leather? Doesn’t matter now he used me again and I let him, I need to watch myself no distractions that would discredit all of Yugyeom and I’d hard work I’m letting Harry ruin this for me. That being said another day another practice T-minus 1 week until we gotta rock this competition he’s obviously gotta work himself else I ain’t here for his amusement ugh, today there’s a big school meeting where we perform some songs as a taster for the school and our sister school (team) Ateez High are sending over their recruits to perform, I can’t wait we have had these prepared forever so we got this in the bag.
{Might do a series on this one, kinda proud my first imagine for Harry Hook x Y/N reader I had to add something kpop okay just bear with me! Got a few requests so I’ll be getting right into them⚡️🤍}
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bridgyrose · 3 years
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I thought up an AU where Rwby died in the breach train crash but their spirits didn’t move on and can still use their weapons as spirits and they become unseen protectors until someone (maybe someone in team Jnpr) saw them.
Jaune sighed as he stood at the memorial to team RWBY, looking up at each of their faces. It had been nearly a year after their deaths during the incident that is now referred to as the Breach. It still wasnt clear if the cause of death was the crash with the train, or if it may have been the hordes of grimm that seemed to overwhelm everyone. Either way, it was agreed between Beacon and the Vale Council to erect a memorial to the fallen heroes after Doctor Oobleck explained what had happened. 
Jaune sat a bouquet of flowers down in front of the memorial, sighing. “It shouldn’t have been any of you. You all were better huntresses than the rest of us. 
Pyrrha walked up behind Jaune and put a hand on her shoulder. “You know they’re not really gone, right? They’ll always be with us.” 
“Always be in our hearts, I know.” Jaune shook his head and started walking off. “We should start heading on our mission.” 
“Do you really think you’re ready?” 
“No, but… we still have a job to do.” 
Pyrrha looked at him sadly, hoping he wasnt still beating himself up. She had watched Jaune blame himself for RWBY’s death for the last year, beating himself up for not having been there for them. She took a look up at the monument, smiling at it. “Please watch over Jaune for me while we’re on this mission.” 
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Jaune used his shield to block the swipe from an ursa, taking a step back to give himself a bit of room. He made sure to get into the stance that Pyrrha had taught him, readying his sword and waiting for the time to strike. He still wasnt entirely sure how he managed to get separated from his team, but he had to survive and he wasnt going to get himself killed. 
Jaune raised his shield once more, waiting for the strike the ursa was gearing up for. He braced himself, sword ready to thrust as the ursa turned to ash and dust in front of his eyes. He blinked for a moment, trying to register what had just happened. The grimm that had been surrounding him, the ursa that had been attacking him, all of them dead and dissipating into the air as smoke and ash. He put his sword and shield away, calling out into the forest. “Pyrrha! Ren! Nora! Are you all here?” 
Jaune was met with silence and rose petals floating off in the breeze. He plucked one out of the air and looked it over, watching it fade in his hand after a few seconds. He smiled for a moment and started rushing back to his camp, hoping his team would be there. At long last, he finally had proof.
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“You cant be serious. They’re dead!” Pyrrha pinched the bridge of her nose. “I know I said they’ll always be with us, but I meant that figuratively. That as long as we hold our memories of them, they’d never really be gone.” 
“Then explain the rose petal I found. It was just like Ruby’s! And the grimm! No one could ever kill grimm that fast besides her!” 
Nora shrugged, looking at her team leader. “Maybe you’ve gotten better at fighting grimm.” 
Jaune sighed and looked between his teammates. “Come on, guys, you have to believe me. They’re alive and they’re out here!” 
Pyrrha and Nora looked at each other, sharing worried looks as they listened to Jaune. They had all watched team RWBY get buried, saw the broken and battered bodies. There wasnt a chance that they were still alive. And now, their team leader seemed to be seeing things. 
Ren sat down a large pot of hash, sighing as he listened to Jaune. “Maybe, you need to get a little rest. You’ve been pushing yourself for so long-” 
“I know what I saw! They’re out there! All we have to do is find them and bring them back!” 
Pyrrha sighed. “And how, Jaune, do you propose we find them if they’re out there? Let’s… pretend for a moment that you’re right and they really are out there. How are we supposed to bring them back with us? And why would they fake their own deaths?” 
“I… I dont know…” Jaune laid back, looking up at the stars. “Maybe… they had something else they needed to do.” 
“Or maybe, they’re acting like guardian angels?” Nora started dishing up some of the hash for herself. “I dont buy that they’re still alive. But if they’re still here, maybe they’re protecting those who are in danger.” 
“So for us to see them again, we have to put ourselves in danger!” Jaune got up and started heading out into the forest. “Nora! You’re a genius!” 
Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora all looked at each other before chasing after Jaune. That wasnt exactly the reaction they were all hoping for with giving him that kind of hope. They all tried to keep up with Jaune, falling a bit behind. The last thing they wanted was for Jaune to put himself in unnecessary danger just to prove a point. 
The three of them finally caught up to Jaune, hesitating as they saw a large deathstalker sitting in front of them, red eyes flashing as it moved its tail up. Pyrrha reached for her weapons, hesitating when she realized she left them at camp. Ren and Nora did the same as Jaune backed up, realizing his mistake. 
“Iceflower!” 
The words echoed off in the wind as a chill started up in the air. A spike of ice pierced the tail from the side, followed by a sharp wind slicing one of the pincers off. JNPR all watched in amazement as the deathstalker in front of them fell, turning into ash and smoke. 
Four figures stepped out from the grimm as it dissipated before rushing off in different directions. A trail of rose petals, glyphs, fire, and shadow were all that could be seen before disappearing a few feet later. 
Pyrrha rubbed her eyes for a moment, trying to understand what she had just witnessed. “That… that was Ruby’s voice we heard, wasnt it?” 
Nora nodded, watching the last of the rose petals disappear. “And that was her move with Weiss.” 
“Yang and Blake were also here.” Ren walked over to where the grimm had stood, looking out to the forest in the directions that team RWBY had gone. “Jaune was right. He did see them.” 
Jaune smiled a bit, glad his team now believed him. “Then we need to find them and bring them back.” 
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Diamonds Are the World’s Best Friend: The Important Roles Diamonds Play in Society
by Shelby Wyzykowski
In the classic 1953 movie “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” is a memorable musical number performed by silver screen legend Marilyn Monroe. Wearing a striking pink satin gown and dripping in dazzling jewels, she is surrounded on the stage by a bevy of handsome suitors that are dressed to the nines. In this glamorous setting, she sings the praises of diamonds…how nothing in the world can compare to how it feels to possess these glittering gemstones. But off-screen, Monroe’s taste in brilliant baubles was radically different, preferring costume jewelry to the real thing. I have to admit that I agree with Marilyn. Diamonds have never held much interest for me. That is until now. After doing a little research, I’ve discovered that, besides their use in the jewelry industry, there are other ways in which diamonds are utilized in society today. In fact, there is so much more to these captivating stones than just their scintillating sparkle.
Perhaps you’ve heard the adage “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” Well, it just might surprise you that this saying holds true for diamonds. In the jewelry world, a diamond with perfect clarity is the much-desired ideal. But in the scientific world, a so-called “poor” specimen that is full of inclusions (imperfections), could hold a treasure trove of geologic information. Researchers are studying them to try and uncover the secrets of the deep-Earth environment. The majority of diamonds are created fairly close to the Earth’s surface, between 93 and 150 miles down. But there are some diamonds, called super-deep diamonds, that come from far down in the Earth’s mantle and are as deep as 500 to 600 miles (the mantle, which is mostly made up of solid and very hot rock, is directly below the Earth’s surface layer, or crust, and makes up more than 80 percent of our planet’s volume). These 3.5 billion-year-old gems formed at a pressure that is 240,000 times the atmospheric pressure at sea level, and this fact makes these tiny stone time capsules extremely valuable to researchers. No doubt geologists would love to travel deep under our planet’s surface like the characters in Jules Verne’s 1864 science fiction novel Journey to the Center of the Earth. Unfortunately they can’t, but these super-deep diamonds are the next best thing to journeying there themselves!
With these diamonds, scientists are uncovering clues to the origins of water on Earth. Did water come from incoming asteroids and comets, or was water an integral component at the planet’s formation? We’re still not quite sure. But diamond research has brought us closer to figuring out how much water lies deep underground. Scientists think that there may in fact be as much water present in our planet’s deep subsurface as there is found in our oceans. They have developed this idea after discovering a special water encased in the inclusions of deep diamonds. Called ICE-VII, this water ice can only be formed under tremendous deep-Earth pressure. In addition to water, geologists have found an elusive mineral in diamond inclusions. Scientists had theorized it to be an extremely common mineral that makes up to 38 percent of the Earth’s volume, but it’s been impossible to create in a lab. Now that it’s been found in nature, researchers have the proof of its existence and have named it Silicate-Perovskite (or Bridgmanite). In addition to Bridgmanite, they have discovered other trace minerals and elements that are commonly present in the Earth’s crust. This means that the materials were subducted (drawn back down into the Earth) billions of years ago by plate tectonics. Deep in the mantle, the materials were encased in a forming deep-diamond and then eventually sent back up to the surface by way of volcanic eruptions. Even more exciting than all of these discoveries is the thought of what geologists still have yet to uncover. They still hope to find carbon from primordial organic matter in these special diamonds. That matter could be a clue to the origins of life on Earth!
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"Earth’s most abundant mineral finally has a name" byArgonne National Laboratory is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
In addition to their contributions to the scientific field, diamonds also have practical uses in society. In the mid-1950’s, synthetic diamonds were invented. Created in a lab, they are chemically and physically exactly the same as natural diamonds. However, these man-made gems do not possess the allure and mystery of natural diamonds, so they are not very desirable in the jewelry market. But since diamonds are the hardest known natural substance, they are ideal for industrial use. For example, they can be pulverized into a fine abrasive that can be made into a “diamond paste” and used for polishing other jewelry-grade gemstones. Small particles of diamond can also be embedded in tools like saw blades, drill bits, and grinding wheels. These diamond-coated tools are very wear-resistant and can be used for mining, deep-sea drilling, and road construction. And there are some ingenious uses for diamonds that you may find to be very surprising. Diamond windows can be made from very thin (thinner than a human hair) diamond membranes. These windows cover X-ray machines, laser openings, and vacuum chambers. A diamond can also make your music sound better. A speaker dome made out of diamonds can vibrate very rapidly because this gem is such a stiff material. So it is ideal for enhancing the performance of high-quality speakers. Diamonds can even help you keep track of time. Small mechanical devices, such as watches, have tiny bearings inside of them that make everything move (in a watch, it’s called its “movement”). A thin coating of diamond makes these parts wear-resistant and ensures accurate time-telling and lasting durability. From helping to build highways to making your timepiece tick, who knew that diamonds could be so useful in so many ways!
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CM18561 is located in the Native Elements case in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems. Source: https://carnegiemnh.org/emu_widgets/mineralogy.html#details=ecatalogue.2019718
Yet another important role that diamonds have played in our world is how they have influenced history. The brilliantly blue, supposedly cursed Hope Diamond, for example, has not brought much luck to its owners since it was discovered over 350 years ago. It was in the possession of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI until their untimely deaths during the French Revolution. Subsequent owners also met with unfortunate outcomes until it was donated to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History where it is now safely on display. Another famous diamond, the 750 year-old Koh-i-Noor, has been owned by many royal rulers. It once decorated the Peacock Throne that was used by the Mughal Emperors of India, including Shah Juhan, the builder of the Taj Mahal. Now in England, the stone is part of the Imperial Crown. Due to an alleged curse, it can only ever be worn by the royal family’s female members. Finally, there is the Regent Diamond, which was unearthed in the early 1700’s. After being owned by several rulers, it disappeared during the French Revolution. Years later, it reappeared in the sword of Napoleon. But he was unable to hold onto it for long. After being defeated by the British in the Battle of Waterloo, the once-great ruler was exiled to the tiny island of Elba in disgrace. Since 1987, the Regent’s home has been at the French Royal Treasury in the Louvre in Paris. But you don’t need to travel to France or Great Britain or Washington D.C. to see the Regent Diamond, the Koh-i-Noor, and the Hope Diamond. Replicas of these three stones plus many more world-famous diamond replicas are on display at the Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems. While you’re there, you can also admire some expertly crafted pieces of authentic diamond jewelry that would make any gem lover’s heart skip a beat.
Even though Hillman’s diamond collection is truly amazing, I can’t help but wonder if it would have impressed someone like Marilyn Monroe. Apart from a single piece of jewelry, the diamond wedding band that was given to her by Joe DiMaggio, she had no real affinity for diamonds. Apparently, the legendary actress didn’t believe that they’re a girl’s best friend. But if she had been given the opportunity to find out about all of the other meaningful ways in which diamonds benefit our world, perhaps this screen siren might have developed a new appreciation for these precious gems. I know that I have. I’d like to think that Marilyn would have too.
Shelby Wyzykowski is a Gallery Experience Presenter in CMNH’s Life Long Learning Department. Museum staff, volunteers, and interns are encouraged to blog about their unique experiences and knowledge gained from working at the museum.
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