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blu-eh · 4 years

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after school summons

[AO3]

or: Danny gets summoned. He doesn’t like it.

It starts with a tugging feeling in his very core.

Danny Fenton pauses. If there’s one thing he’s learned in the last year, it is not to ignore random things that are definitely ghostly in origin. He has just enough time to place his pencil on the desk from where he had dutifully been doing his homework—for the first time in two weeks, mind you—before his vision goes white, he hears a snap, and suddenly he’s not in his room anymore.

For a moment he’s weightless, lost in the feeling of falling. Then, his body jerks and he has just enough time to think, oh fuck—before he’s slammed to the ground hard. His knees buckle under the unexpected weight and he goes down, clumsily, and trying not to throw up what little he’d managed to eat between homework packets.

“Ow,” Danny says.

He lies there, just for a moment, taking in the cool concrete underneath him. He tries to steady his breathing just enough so his mind can process what the hell just happened in the last thirty seconds. He’s still blinking stars from his eyes when he hears the hushed whispers echo around him and a heavy pair of footsteps approaching him. All in all, very bad signs when mysterious (and somewhat painful) things happen to you suddenly.

A gruff, questioning voice asks, “A child?”

“Oh, man,” Danny says, because that definitely does not sound good. Then he forces himself to his knees and looks up.

The first and foremost thing Danny notices is that he’s not alone. He’s on some sort of altar or platform, elevated a foot or so above the ground. A couple feet away, a group of no more than a dozen people surround him in a semi-circle, faces all covered by tattered cloaks. Another cloaked figure, dressed in much more formal robes with gold trimming, stands on the platform a mere couple feet from where Danny is. They all seem to be staring at him, waiting.

Danny hastily gets to his feet. He shifts a little into a sloppy fighting stance, just in case things were to get messy.

The dimly-lit warehouse room and the head covers don’t give him much to work with in the facial feature department, but he’s pretty confident that none of them are ghosts. Mostly from the fact that none of them are glowing and/or ranting about how much of a pain in the ass he is, but it still pays to be wary. Especially when Danny’s situations tend to quickly dissolve from bad to oh my god there are ghosts lose in Amity Park and also he maybe-sort of-possibly died in the process.

Which brings him back to his next brilliant deduction; he’s definitely in ghost form. He definitely was not in ghost form before this. His ghost form is rather obvious considering he sticks out like a glow stick in darkness of the warehouse. He doesn’t even feel the need to check his hair color, this time, but that’s more due to the fact that he doesn’t want to take his eyes off the weird people who managed to summon him from his bedroom and forced him to change into his ghost form.

(He desperately hopes that they hadn’t seen him change—weird warehouse people are not people that Danny generally associates with secret keeping.)

“Is this a cult thing?” Danny asks before any of them can speak. He takes in white line that surrounds him, and the red liquid (which he very much hopes is not blood) used to paint runes and symbols that circle him, and their weird cloak-like robes, and says, “This is definitely a cult thing. Oh my god, did you summon me? Seriously—”

Before this, he hadn't even known he could be summoned. It's just the little ghostly things learned via accident, sometimes, that truly take the icing on the cake.

There’s a tiny spark of anxiety in his gut, but honestly there’s a large difference between humans threatening him and ghosts threatening him. On one hand, he’d take weird cultist over Skulker’s lair any day. On the other hand, pure white walls and experimentation tables aren’t super high on his to visit list either. Worst comes to worst—before they sacrifice him to some ancient gods, more likely—he puts on his scary face (and maybe adds a couple of explosions) and slips out before they even notice he’s missing.

“Silence, creature,” the robed man snaps. Danny zeros in on him and immediately deduces him to be leader from vibes alone. Also the gold trimming on his robe, which very much screams leader of weird cult that summons ghost kids.

“I—okay, you know what? That was just rude,” Danny says. He points to the white line that surrounds him, “Is that cocaine?”

Danny has a feeling he doesn’t want to know the answer to the mysterious red liquid and painted symbols, so he doesn’t ask.

“It’s salt,” one of the other cloaked figures answers, like it should be obvious.

(It’s not actually obvious, and actually leaves Danny with more questions than he started with. Mostly in the realm of how did a group of cultists summon him with salt. He knows salt is supposedly an anti-ghost measure, but Danny is pretty convinced it has little to no effect on him considering the amount of Nasty Burger fries he’s consumed haven’t taken him out yet.)

“Salt,” Danny repeats. He pauses, then awkwardly tags on, “That’s good, I guess, because drugs are bad. Uh, don’t do drugs.”

A cultist quietly, and a little slowly, answers back, “We, uh, don’t.”

“Right,” Danny says. His eyes catch another section of weird in this already weird, cultist warehouse. At the base of the platform sits a variety of bones, so fresh that some of the muscle still clings to them. “Are those bones? Oh my god, did you sacrifice someone? That’s not cool! Murder isn’t cool!”

“Those are goat bones,” another follower says.

“Oh,” Danny says. “Well, I mean, that’s still fucked up on a variety of levels, but I guess that’s better than murder. Unless it's considered goat murder? Uh.”

For a second, there’s silence. The nature of the interaction is so awkward and oppressing that he almost goes invisible just to save himself the scrutiny of these random people and get the hell out of dodge. His curiosity is the only thing that holds him back—that, and the fact that he’s not quite sure if any of these people are secretly hiding ecto-weapons.

Danny very much does not want to be shot tonight.

He looks around the room, eyes taking in every inch of the sparsely decorated warehouse. There’s nothing that immediately grabs his attention, nor anything that really screams danger but it pays to be suspicious of his surroundings in his line of work. A few of the cultists notice this, and start shifting awkwardly as Danny looks over them as well.

Then, Danny’s eyes flicks back to the lead cultist and he says, “I’m going to be real honest here and say that I have no idea what the heck is going on.”

The leader makes no inclination that he acknowledges any word that comes from Danny’s mouth. Instead, he brings an old, wrinkled hand up to his face, like he’s thinking about some complex problem. The leader circles Danny once, then again, and Danny feels something inside him defensively coil like a spring.

He tries not to be bothered when people treat him as something lesser—it’s not, exactly, uncommon for him to encounter. He dealt with being shoved into lockers long before he died, anyways. It doesn’t stop his shoulders from tensing just the barest amount.

Instead of showing this, he brings his feet up to his chest and crosses them mid-air, and fakes a yawn for good measure. A few of the other cultists gasp in wonder and fear. The leader simply stops his prowling and turns to face Danny.

“So this is the fabled Ghost King,” the man says, like he expected better.

Danny feels he should almost be offended if it isn’t for the tiny detail that these cultists—who summoned him by using salt and goat bones—assume he is the ghost king. “…Did you seriously confuse me with Pariah Dark?”

The man pauses, and asks, “Pariah Dark?”

“Yes! He’s like fifteen feet tall, has a huge sword, is a pain in the ass, and has, like, an entire ghost army. I have, I dunno, pre-calc homework in my bag. We are not the same.”

Some of the followers in the background shift uneasily. Danny bares his teeth in their direction, just to see them squirm. A couple take worried steps back and Danny fights off a satisfied grin.

Hey, poke a bull and get the horns. In this case, summon a ghost-teenager and get the ecto-powers.

(He’s slowly becoming more and more aware that these people have no idea what they’re doing.)

“I see,” the leader says. From his tone, he definitely does not see. “It doesn’t matter. Our book summoned the King of Ghosts and that is you, so you will do as we tell you and your pain will be lessened.”

“I am still not the Ghost King,” Danny tells him. “And no thanks. I’ve already used my yearly cult sign up and I can’t say I’m thrilled to join another. If you’re going to hold an initiation ceremony, at least decorate a bit first. Uh, not counting the goat bones and salt, of course.”

“You have no choice,” the leader snaps and steps a bit closer to him. Danny merely raises an eyebrow. “We are the Followers of Infernal. We have summoned you to serve us. You are bound to our will and bound to our grace, as the book foretold. Now bow, demon, for we are your new masters.”

There’s a very large portion of Danny Fenton that is convinced any good karma he held in life did not pass with him during his death a mere year ago. An even larger portion of him is convinced that these guys are no more serious than the GIW is. Danny does not tell the cultists this.

Instead, he squints and says, “Alright. I definitely failed US Government, but I’m pretty sure that’s not legal. Don’t you guys need like, a permit to summon undead beings of mass power?”

“It thinks it’s funny.” The leader’s face is mostly hidden by his robe, but Danny can imagine the sneer there from his tone alone.

“Trust me, I’m not the one who’s a joke right now,” Danny says. He looks back over at the dozen or so followers and grins at them. They don’t seem too keen that he’s not following their master’s orders and bending to their will. He turns back to the leader. “What’s in it for me?”

“What?”

“If I follow you and stuff, what’s in it for me?”

The leader pauses, then says, “You will be spared of punishment.”

“Hmm, that’s not good enough,” Danny says. He angles his body so he's once again looking at the followers and points at one in the middle. “Hey, you! With the cloak. No, not you, the other dude. To the left. Yeah! You. What do you have to offer me?”

The follower looks so startled that he cowers for a second. Then, seeing as he hadn’t been reduced to a pile of ashes from Danny’s gaze alone, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out something small and silver. “Uh, I have a paper clip, your ghostliness.”

“A paper clip,” Danny repeats. “Yeah, sure, fine. Whatever. That sounds neat.”

“You’ll submit to us?” the man sounds so hopeful that Danny almost feels bad for being a jerk. Then, he remembers that they summoned him out of his nice, warm bedroom at ass-o’clock in the night and feels significantly less amounts of pity.

“No, dude, I’m not being your sack of potatoes for a paper clip. Man, you guys are stupid.” Danny rolls his eyes and floats just a bit higher. The other followers shuffle around again, uncomfortable. In front of him, the leader remains impassive as ever. “Where even am I?”

“The lair which you will spend the rest of your afterlife,” the leader says.

“Okay, this is definitely a warehouse, firstly. And secondly, dude, I meant what state.”

“…Wisconsin,” the man allows because of course everything terrible happens in Wisconsin.

“You chose the worst state to have your crappy lair,” Danny tells them. Now he has to fly a couple hundred miles home and hope he gets there by morning, all the while avoiding his creepy, obsessed arch-nemesis. He wonders if Vlad is even aware there’s a ghost-obsessed cult in his home state. Probably not. “Nothing good ever comes from Wisconsin. You can take that as, like, ghostly wisdom or something.”

“Hey,” one of the cultists says, offended. “The Packers are in Wisconsin.”

“Nothing good,” Danny repeats, firmly.

“Enough of this nonsense,” the leader says. “It’s trying to distract you because it fears control. Briar, bring me the orb.”

“Yes, sir,” one of them says.

The followers mutter to themselves and teeter around in their positions. The woman who spoke, on the end, bows and scurries off. Danny watches as she runs through the darkness of the warehouse, footsteps echoing around them, until he can no longer see her among the darkness.

“Hey, if they already listen to you then why do you need me?” Danny asks. The leader doesn’t answer, so Danny floats a bit on his side and puts his arms behind his head. “What kind of orb are we talking about, anyways? Like one of those Spirit Halloween ones? Or is it more like orbeeze? I can’t saw I’m super excited from your ominous it fears control statement, but—"

“Silence, beast,” the leader says.

Danny huffs. “I’m just asking. No need to be so snippy.”

The man ignores him which, rude. Danny’s just about to see how far he can test this guy’s patience when Briar comes back, just as quickly as she had disappeared. She jogs through the warehouse and up the steps of the platform. Danny can’t see her face, but from the way her hood moves to glace at him every so often, he figures that she’s probably nervous. Specifically about him lounging around in a circle full of salt.

“Father Johnathan,” Briar says and bows. In her hands is a glowing, silver orb. It really did look like a generic orb one would find in a Spirit Halloween. “The orb.”

“Your name is Father Johnathan?” Danny asks. He eyes the orb for a second, but doesn’t feel the tingle of ghostly energy from it, so he ignores it. He turns right back to the leader, not able to keep the grin off his face. “Your name is really Father Johnathan?”

Father Johnathan gently takes the orb in his hands as Briar scurries off towards the rest of the followers. Then, he sighs and says, “Yes, creature, my name is Father Johnathan and I shall be your new master.”

“Oh my god,” Danny says, positively gleeful. “I meet real life Papa John and he summons me with salt and threatens me with a Spirit Halloween orb.”

“Laugh all you want,” Papa John says. The nervous air shifts into something a bit more predatory. “You will not be laughing much longer.”

The cultists break into applause and talk amongst themselves loudly. They shift forward, eagerly, as if they want to watch the spectacle up close. They’re only a foot or so away from the platform when Papa John waves at them to halt.

Papa John holds up the orb. It swirls, the silver fog inside consolidating and then dissipating. Something inside it starts to glow the barest amount.

Danny pauses, just for a second, and watches it. There's still no tingle of ghostly energy coming from it. If he hadn’t already thought these guys are a joke, he definitely would’ve been a tad more nervous. As it stands, he thinks nothing of it—no ghostly energy means no control over ghosts.

(Unfortunately, he knows the feeling of ghost-controlling objects quite well. It’s not an experience he’s eager to repeat.)

The orb glows brighter, and brighter, swirling more furiously. The chatter of the cultists picks up to the point where they’re almost shouting, jeering at him. Papa John draws closer and closer, orb outstretched. He holds it through the salt line and touches it to Danny’s chest. The shouting from his followers almost becomes unbearable.

And then….nothing. The orb stops glowing. The fog inside stops swirling. It simply dies in Papa John’s hand.

“Was that supposed to do something?” Danny asks.

Papa John touches him with the orb again, a tad more forceful, so Danny assumes it was supposed to do something. From the panicked whispers around him, it definitely was supposed to do something to him. Danny’s honestly not sure if the outcome is due to him being a halfa or these guys being a joke.

(He’s willing to bet it’s the latter.)

“I think your LED batteries died,” Danny tells him. “Or maybe you mixed up your Spirit Halloween orbs. Better luck next time.”

Papa John stops furiously pressing the orb to his chest and if Danny could see his face, he has no doubts that Papa John’s expression would be livid.

“You will obey us,” Papa John says.

“No,” Danny says. “I won’t.”

“You will—”

Danny swings his feet down so hard that he cracks the very ground he now stands on. Dust kicks up around him as he stands tall, even though Danny’s at least two feet shorter than the leader in front of him. His eyes burn a brilliant green and he crosses his hands over his chest in an effort to look intimidating. The cult thing is interesting and all, but it's late, he still has homework to do, and Jazz has definitely noticed him missing by now so it's probably better to end this before they can get another object from a Spirit Halloween and try that instead.

It works, if the half-step back from Papa John is anything to go by.

“Listen,” Danny says, flatly. “Get a hobby and leave me alone or else you won’t like what I’m going to do.”

He makes his form flicker and the temperature drop in the room, just for dramatic effect.

Some of the followers in the background shift uneasily. A couple take panicked steps back. More than a few look ready to bolt for the door and leave this cult business behind forever.

Danny takes notice and stares at them, smiling wide enough that they could see his slightly-toothy grin. He makes sure his eyes flare, just a touch, and says loudly, “Boo.”

To say the cultists are startled would be an understatement. More than a few stumble back, a couple falling onto their asses. One trips on their robe and is sent tumbling. Another one yells and cowers. Papa John has no time to reign in the situation before two scatter completely.

“Peace!” Papa John shouts over the chaos of a dozen panicking followers. Those that remain do settle down enough to hear his words. “Stand down, there is nothing to fear. It is only trying to scare you into letting it free. It is trapped whilst it remains in the circle.”

Danny snorts. “I can leave any time I want.”

“You cannot leave here, demon—”

Danny raises one single eyebrow and dutifully steps out of the summoning circle.

The warehouse erupts into chaos.

The cultists are yelling now, but this time there’s only because of fear. They scatter over each other, running and tripping over their obnoxiously long cloaks. A couple trample the goat bones to the point where several loud snaps are heard over the pandemonium. It only adds more fuel to the fire as less than a dozen people scramble to get as far away from the platform—and subsequently the ghost-kid—as possible.

“Do better than a paperclip, next time!” Danny calls out to them. They only seem to run faster at the sound of his voice.

Papa John is the only one who doesn’t run. He had stumbled off the platform and away from Danny the second that Danny made it over the salt line. However, in the disarray, he had been knocked to the ground, his orb lay broken at his feet, and his robe’s hood had been yanked off and left on the ground beside him. He sits, frozen, but Danny doesn’t know if it’s from shock or from fear.

Danny takes a step closer to him.

“How…?” Papa John whispers. He’s not looking at Danny—only his old, wrinkled hands. He’s bald, with brown eyes. He looks like nothing more than any generic old man that Danny would see at a grocery store on Sunday afternoon. “We followed the book. We…we took every precaution the book said. We were supposed to have the perfect slave, bound to our every word. We…”

“That didn’t work out too well for you, huh?” Danny says and crosses his arms over his chest. “It’s ‘cause you forgot the dunce cap when you decided to be the class clown.”

“Please,” Papa John says. “Spare me.”

There’s something wrong about this—seeing a human beg for his life at Danny’s feet. Danny doesn’t want to be feared. He never has wanted to be feared.

He presses his lips together and takes a single step back. Some part of him, though, knows that he desperately needs to make his point clear to avoid another situation like this (likely with more weapons, next time).

“I warned you,” Danny says softly. His voice echoes around the warehouse. The man below him shivers in terror. “Do not summon me again, or I won’t be so nice next time.” He pauses, just for a second and can't help but tag on, "Papa John."

He lets his threat linger and hopes the man takes it seriously enough that he won’t get summoned again. Then, the cool strings of invisibility wrap around his body and he disappears from sight. Danny takes one look at the man left on the floor before he shakes his head and shoots up into the Wisconsin night sky. He doesn't hear the shouted response of it's Father Johnathan from several hundred feet below him on the warehouse floor.

Danny waits about all of thirty seconds before he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone.

"Jazz? Hey, yeah, I'm fine. Yes, seriously, I'm fine but you are not going to believe what I just went through—"

#me mentioning my love for spirit halloween no less than five separate occasions #anyways #my fics #danny phantom #i Attempted to mention every single ectober week 2020 in this fic so like. lmao #ectober #ectober 2020 #ectober week #ectober week 2020 #phan phic #phic #tw drug mention #there are no actual drugs but i do reference a drug by name so this warning applies

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serendipityseulgi · 4 years

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8 Ways of Love;

— park seonghwa

according to the ancient greeks, there are eight different types of love. here is:

･*:༅｡ the one known as pragma, the enduring love.

aka, the kind of love that matures and develops over a long period of time, and somewhat rare to find.

8 ways of love series; version i

A love story that shows the progression of yours and seongwha’s relationship from the moment you two become friends, to lovers, to exes, and everything else in between.

love catalyst: the subconscious.

At the age of six years old you declare Park Seonghwa to be your boyfriend, solidifying your “relationship” with a hug.

“Eww, y/n, you have cooties!” your best friend barks, pushing you off him.

“Wha- hey no I don’t!” you squeak.

“Yes you do because Mingi told all the boys not to touch the girls because they have a disease and it’s going to eat our bodies alive!” he practically screeches getting up from the sandbox about to walk away from you.

“Seonghwaaa he’s lying!” you whine out and he huffs turning around to face you.

“Well all the other boys are listening to him so he has to be right.”

“Well I touched you yesterday when we were playing tag and you’re fine!” you defend. “And if all girls have cooties then how come your mommy still hugs and kisses you goodbye in the morning? Wouldn’t you be dead now?”

Even at the age of 6 you were the biggest smartass Seonghwa knew.

After a moment of deliberation, he sighs. “Okay fine, you’re right.” your friend huffs.

“So are you gonna back so we can play again?” you ask, arms crossed over your little body.

Seonghwa nods before grabbing onto your hand to drag you back into the sandbox.

The two of you return to making your sandcastle and it’s only a mere two minutes later does your friend speak up.“Am I actually your boyfriend now?” he asks suddenly and you whip your head towards him.

“Well I hugged you so yeah.” you roll your eyes at him and his soft little laugh makes your tiny heart jump.

Within the next week you two forget you’re “boyfriend-and-girlfriend” and go back to being the best friends you’ve always been, playing in the sandbox after school, watching cartoons at your house, and never missing a single dinner together while your parents listen to the two of you talk your little heads off.

For the record, there wasn’t much of a difference in your so-called relationship and your friendship in the first place when you were just six years old.

At thirteen years old, your best friend confesses he likes you.

“Okay I know this is weird because, I should see you as like, a sister or something, I don’t know!” Seonghwa rants, pacing back and forth in your bedroom as you watch him frantically explain the way he feels about you.

“You know what I mean though? You’re like, practically family to me! Right? Right...” you figure he’s talking more to himself than to you as he asks himself questions that he’s quick to answer to. “Like you’re probably gonna think I’m weird or something, but you are my best friend and I don’t want it to be weird-”

“Seonghwa for the love of god can you just get to your point.” you interrupt impatiently.

“I like you okay?” he says quietly, avoiding all eye contact with you.

His heart is beating so fast he feels like it’s actually going to rip right through his chest. He’s never been nervous around you ever. You’re his best friend, and you have been since you were 5 years old, and he doesn’t know why he suddenly feels like you’re the only girl he wants in his life.

When he hears you laughing at him his heart drops to his stomach and he braces himself for the upcoming rejection.

“Can you come sit next to me.” you ask, gesturing to the empty spot on your bed.

Seonghwa complies, yet his anxiety is rising by the second. He has never been so nervous in all the thirteen years he’s been alive. He almost wants to vomit as his stomach churns at the thought of you telling him you didn’t feel the same way.

“You’re rejecting me aren’t you...” he sighs, plopping down onto the spot next to you.

You shake your head with a smile. “No idiot, I like you too. Obviously.” you roll your eyes at him.

“Wait, what? Seriously??” he almost goes into shock. “Are you joking?”

“I mean, I thought it was pretty obvious.” you shrug. “I was throwing subtle signs at you for the longest time.”

“Like what?!”

“Like the time I kept pestering you to take me to the Valentine’s Day dance, and when I made you hold my hand during that scary movie when you know I never get scared of horror films. Oh, and the time you kept badgering me about why I rejected Hongjoong for no good reason. I kept telling you that you were the only guy I needed in my life and you were too oblivious to realize I didn’t mean it in the friend way anymore.” you chuckle.

“Oh... Oh,” Seonghwa realizes. “I really am oblivious then.”

“It’s okay, I already knew you liked me back anyways.” you smirk at him, grabbing your remote off the bedside table.

You flip the TV on as you feel Seonghwa’s heavy gaze on you. “So does this mean you’re my girlfriend?” he asks you and you pause.

“I mean technically we never broke up when we were six so you’re basically just re-asking me out.” you tease, pulling the blankets on both your bodies as you settle on a show to watch.

“Oh god, you still remember that?”

Of course you do.

“Obviously, how could I forget you screaming to the entire park that I had cooties.”

He laughs at that and you can’t help but smile widely hearing him. You both lay comfortably next to one another, watching intently at the show in front of you, yet both your minds were racing at the fact that officially, you could say you were boyfriend and girlfriend.

“So when did you start liking me?” he asks you.

“Honestly, I think I always did.” you answer truthfully. “But, like actually realizing my feelings for you?” you pause for a moment to think. “I think it was when you got really sick that one time and your parents were away for a business trip, and my mom made me drop off soup to your house. And I was only supposed to drop off the soup but I took care of you because even when you were all snotty and gross and barely awake to hang out with me, I kinda just realized I’d rather spend my time with you doing that than anywhere else.”

His eyes soften at you. “Aww.”

“Buuut then before that, there was also that time that Ashley told you she liked you and I got super jealous and I was actually going to shove her into a brick wall, so ...I kinda just figured...” you add.

“Way to ruin a sappy moment, moron.” Seonghwa playfully shoves you and you laugh.

You cuddle up next to him returning your attention back to the show in front of you. Only a few minutes pass before Seonghwa speaks up again, and his question catches you off guard.

“What if we break up... like eventually?”

You think about it for a second. “Then we go back to being best friends.”

“That easy?”

“That easy.” you nod.

“For the record though, I don’t ever want there to be a time where I don’t like you. I hope there isn’t.” he says.

“I hope there isn’t either.” you assure, and just like that, you two go back to watching tv.

You’ve always had a soft spot for Seonghwa so it never came as a surprise to you, or anybody for that matter when you figured out you had a little crush on your best friend.

In a hypothetical situation, if somewhere along the way your feelings ever started to fade, you still couldn’t picture a life where he wasn’t right beside you no matter what. He was your person, and he has been since you two were five. There was nobody in this world that could replace the bond you had with him.

Even at the age of thirteen, you knew you wanted Seonghwa to be there for the rest of your life.

At the age of fourteen and a half, you and Seonghwa have your first ever fight where he conveniently declares that he loves you for the first time.

seonghwa <3; received 4:24 pm

y/n can u not be like this and talk to me :(

plsssssss

i’m sorry

can u let me come over and talk to u

Your phone continues to buzz as you stare at it beside you, rolling your eyes at his insistent messaging.

You try your best to ignore it but the continuous beeping irritates you to no end.

you; delivered 4:26 pm

i’m mad at u.

seonghwa <3; received 4:26 pm

you; delivered 4:27 pm

can u like do smth with ur life instead of bothering me

seonghwa <3; received 4:27 pm

ouch.

Okay, you admit. That one was a low blow and for a second you almost feel bad until you’re reminded of the fact that you were still royally pissed at him.

you; delivered 4:28 pm

ur actually annoying

seonghwa <3; received 4:28 pm

ya ik i am

but yk what i’m not

someone who is going to do nothing about their gf being mad at them

so open ur window bc im climbing up so i can apologize

stop being a meanie and let me say sorry

Despite how mad you still are, your heart can’t help but skip a beat reading his messages. No matter how hard you wanted to stay angry at him and tell him to go away, you knew you wouldn’t be able to resist him even if you tried. Seonghwa was charming like that, always managing to sweet talk you in every way.

You crack open your window and see his tuft of black hair climbing up your ladder. As he hops into your bedroom you fold your arms across your chest, not daring to say a word to him until he speaks first.

“Look, I’m sorry for being an ass earlier.” Seonghwa apologizes, and all you do is look at him. He sighs before continuing. “I was just having a bad day and took it out on you and I shouldn’t have blown up on you during class. I get it. Dick move.”

“But then you had to go and talk to Ashley about it?” you added. “That was like the worst part of it! Do you trust her more than me or something?”

“What? No! Of course not!” he panics.

“You, and everyone else and their mother knows she’s like obsessed with you!” you shout in frustration. “She’s liked you for so long, do you know how stupid you made me look running off to her knowing how she feels about you?!”

“That wasn’t my intention-”

“Were you trying to make me mad?”

“No, y/n.”

“Did you do it to make me jealous?”

“No!”

“So why Seonghwa, did you have to go and vent to her after you yelled at me in front of everyone when all I did was try to help?”

“I don’t know, okay!”

“I just don’t understand why me of all people you had to take it out on. When all i’ve literally done for you for like the last ten freaking years of us being friends was listen to you when you had a bad day or try to cheer you up when you were down! Never once when I was feeling crappy did I take that out on you. Never.” you explain with a heavy sigh.

“I’m sorry.” he doesn’t know what else to say because he knows he’s in the wrong.

“Do you like her or something?” your voice is quiet and the hurt is evident. “Cause if you do just tell me.”

Seonghwa is quick to shut you down as he pulls you into his arms.

“No, no, no. Y/n, I don’t like her. I don’t. Please believe me.” he begs. “Look, I don’t know why I went to her when I should’ve gone to you. I couldn’t even begin to explain what was going through my head at that point because I don’t know. But I love you, okay? I would never, ever like Ashley.”

Your eyes widen and you pull away from him. “W-what did you just say?”

“I... um...” Seonghwa starts to fumble over his words because he didn’t exactly intend to tell you, but it sort of just came out and now he’s starting to panic.

“Do you mean it?” you ask.

He just nods, a little embarrassed at his sudden declaration.

“I love you too.” you say softly, and he relaxes.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

"I’m really sorry, y/n.” he pulls you close to him, burying his face into your hair as he hugs you tightly.

“I’m sorry too.” you murmur against him.

“I hate fighting with you.” he mumbles.

“Me too.”

“I promise I’ll never take my anger out on you again. And I’ll never talk to Ashley again. And I’ll literally do whatever you want me to if it means you won’t stay mad at me because I don’t like it when you’re mad at me, and I hate making you sad.” he rambles and you let out a small chuckle.

“Just come lay down and watch Friends with me.”

“Okay.”

And you ultimately forget that you’re mad at Seonghwa because you decide that you can’t really stay mad at him after he tells you that he loves you. And although all is forgiven, he still decides to grovel for the next week as a reassurance that he really meant his apology.

So at fourteen years old, you have your first, and last fight with him.

At the age of sixteen, you celebrate your three year anniversary with Seonghwa, and decide you were ready to lose your virginity to him.

“Okay I know you said that the expensive dinner date was enough of a present for you, but you know me and always overdoing it....” he says behind you as you hear the crinkling of a bag behind you.

“Seonghwa...”

“Trust me, babe. You’re gonna love it.” he assures as he walks over to you.

Your eyes instantly fall onto the small red velvet box in his hands and your mouth falls open.

“This was expensive wasn’t it?” you pry and he shrugs.

“Maybe, but I was saving up for it for a while now.” he responds, sitting next to you as he hands you the box.

“I always feel bad every time you spend money on me.” you sigh as your fingers smooth over the velvet.

“I know but it was worth it, trust me. Open it.” Seonghwa urges.

You pull apart the bow and lift up the lid, your eyes widening in awe at the shiny ring placed inside. You lift it out gently noticing the small engraving on the inner part of the band, with both your initials and a small ‘i love you 4ever’ written underneath.

“Oh my god,” you utter. “I love it.” you place the ring on your finger.

“Good because I have a matching one too.” your boyfriend grins at you as he pulls out another box lined with a silver band with that very same engraving.

You pull him in for a hug as he wraps his arms around you instinctively and all you can feel right now is an overload of gratitude for him.

“I actually love you so much.” you say, pulling his face towards you to press soft kisses all over his face.

“Yeah, I know I’m the best,” Seongwha chuckles. “But I love you too baby.”

Your lips mould together perfectly, the kiss slow and soft at first. His hands wrap around your waist and your mouth moves gently against his. But soon enough you’re clinging to him and his body is pressed against yours, the kiss growing more needy and intense.

You knew when things started to get heavy he would stop the both of you from going further, never wanting to push you to discomfort. The furthest you had gone with one another was only third base, but it never went further than that and Seonghwa always left that decision up to you if you wanted to take it there.

You figure if you don’t speak up now, he was going to cut this short, so it’s only then at this very moment do you decide you wanted him to be your first.

“Do you want to have sex?” you blurt out suddenly and you swear you’ve never seen your boyfriend’s eyes go so wide before.

He opens his mouth to speak but he can’t seem to find the right words to say. “I- um, wait, are you being for real?” he stutters. “I mean, I do want to, but, are you sure you want to?” he asks, still in disbelief from your question.

“Shit, sorry I know that was really sudden to ask, but I do want to.” you assure. “But only if you want to.”

“Of course I want to.” his eyes soften, and his hand finds yours in an instant delivering a comforting squeeze.

“Okay so come here and kiss me again please.” you say quietly.

And just like that, Seongwha’s soft lips land on yours once more. Without breaking apart he gently guides you to the head of his bed, laying you down underneath him as your bodies press up against each other.

You swear you can kiss Seongwha for hours and never grow tired of the feeling. You get drunk off his kisses, unable to think of anything else but him. It’s dizzying really, but you love it. You find that off all the things you love about him its his lips, and how impossibly soft they are and how familiar they feel against your own. How much comfort it would bring you, and how all you had to when you had a bad day was just kiss your boyfriend for however long he let you.

It felt like home.

His lips trailed lower to your neck, littering soft pecks across your skin. Quiet noises escape your lips and Seongwha can’t help but grind against your lower half. His hands travel across your body and the ache between your legs grows by the second, and the only thing you can think of is how much you love him, and need him.

Your mind kind of blurs because the next second you find yourself both naked and he’s fiddling in his drawer to find what you assumed to be a condom. He notices your curious stare as he opens his mouth to speak. “M-my dad told me to keep these in here,” Seongwha stutters. “He said to be prepared in case the time comes, and well, here’s the time I guess.” he laughs lightheartedly and the very sound makes your heart swell.

“Nice call on Papa Park I guess,” you joke and Seongwha chuckles.

He climbs over you and delivers another peck to your swollen lips. “Okay, no more mention of my dad please when I’m about to put my penis in you.”

“Sorry, sorry.” you chuckle nervously as your boyfriend pulls you in for another kiss.

"Okay, if it hurts tell me to stop and I will, alright?” his eyes stare deeply into your own.

You nod at him with a small smile, admiring what little of his face you could see in the darkness of his room. “I will, don’t worry.”

“Okay.” he sighs, positioning himself in front of you. “I love you.” he whispers against your lips.

“I love you more, baby.” you say to him before you feel him push himself inside you. You gasp at the feeling and he stills in his spot to let you adjust.

And once you signal that it’s okay for him to move, he does at a slow pace, and you gasp at the intense pleasure. Even though the pain has subsided his thrusts are still slow and controlled, and you don’t know if it’s because he’s afraid to hurt you, or if he just wants to revel in the feeling of you around him. Either way your heart fills with love for this one boy.

“I love you so much, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, you know that?” he whispers in your ear and your eyes shut at his words and the newfound feeling you would grow to love. “and thank you for trusting me right now...” his breathing grows heavy. “because I would do anything for you, and I just want you to know that, okay?”

You almost feel like you could cry because above all the pleasure that you’re experiencing right now, his words feel different, more intimate, and all the more meaningful to you.

And you believe every word he says because you know he truly means it.

“I would do anything for you too.” you repeat his words back to him and he buries his face into your neck as he continues to thrust into you.

So at sixteen years old, you have your first time with the love of your life. And you tell yourself that no matter what happens between the both of you, you were never going to regret giving that part of yourself to him.

At the age of eighteen years old, you do the unthinkable.

You decide after a long and heavy conversation, you two were going to break up. You were both set to leave town to pursue your studies at your dream schools, and you felt that parting ways at this point was the better option.

While you two could figure out a way to make things work while half way across the world from each other, you had to take into account all the factors that would drive you two apart. The time difference, the long distance, the fact that you were inevitably going to meet new people, and that you simply did not want to hold each other back from experiencing a life without one another.

Because all you’ve known almost your entire life was being with Seonghwa, and him with you. You knew it was only fair to give each other the chance to explore something new, and now was that time.

It wasn’t an easy decision by any means, and although it was an amicable split, you’ve never felt the pain of a broken heart before. It hurt really bad.

Your friends and family decide to throw you both one last goodbye party, wanting to celebrate this special milestone with you. And of course there was no way you and Seonghwa could pass up the last good night you two would have together as a couple.

The party was fun at first. The dancing, the singing, the laughing, and the endless exchange of pictures as you guys shared the last few memories you would have as high school graduates.

But as the night started to creep in, you both realized that in less than 24 hours, you two would no longer be attached to one another like you had been for the last thirteen years. And after five years as a couple, you still couldn’t believe that your relationship would come to an end, just like that.

You hear the faint music in the background of your house, as you and Seonghwa sit in your backyard, gazing up at the stars.

“This fucking sucks.” Seonghwa sighs, resting his head on your shoulder as you lean your head on top of his.

“I know.” your throat burns, suppressing the urge to cry.

“I just didn’t expect this day to come. I never thought we would actually break up with each other.” he admits, and you nod your head in agreement.

You grab onto his hand rubbing comforting circles onto his skin, and you feel Seonghwa’s body start to shake next to you. You don’t want to look at him because you know if you see him cry, you’ll cry too.

You close your eyes trying to control your heavy breathing and the quivering of your lips. Your eyes are watering but you refuse to let your tears slip, and your heart hurts like it’s never hurt before, and you don’t know if the pain will ever go away.

“Seonghwa I really love you.” your voice breaks and you finally let the tears fall.

“I know, baby.” the pet name has always affected you, but now more than ever it tugs at your heart strings in a bittersweet way. “I really, really love you too. Always.”

“You know you’re the love of my life right? You’re always going to be.” you state and he delivers a squeeze to your hand in acknowledgement.

“And you’ll always be mine.” he answers back. “You’re my best friend in the whole world and the last five years with you as my girlfriend will forever be the greatest five years of my life. I will always stand by the fact that you are the best thing to ever happen to me.”

As you stare at one another with teary eyes, he knows you’re saying the same exact words to him. He doesn’t need to hear you say it, nor does he expect you to. Your eyes say more than enough to him.

You look down at the rose gold band around your finger and you realize how long you’ve kept it on, never once taking it off since that day Seonghwa gave it to you. “Do you want your ring back?” you utter, your eyes watering once more.

Seonghwa shakes his head. “Please keep it. Because I still mean it. And I always will. I’m gonna love you forever, y/n. Even if you decide to take it off, if that’s the last reminder you have of how much I love you, then please keep it.”

Your heart is hurting, and the tears seem never ending as they continue to fall down your cheeks. “I don’t want to leave you Seonghwa.” a sob escapes from your lips, and Seonghwa squeezes your hand again.

“I know, baby but you have to. You’re going to the school you’ve dreamed of going to since you were in the fourth grade. You’re going to accomplish so much and a build a great life for yourself, y/n. And even though I won’t be physically with you, I’m always going to support you every step of the way.” he assures.

You knew in a perfect world you two didn’t have to break up. But long distance was a bitch, and you moving across the world was never going to be easy on him. You couldn’t force each other to wait for the other. Not when the both of you had to start a whole new life separately. You had to let each other go.

You turn to face him, your teary eyes staring into his own. “I’ll always support you too, okay? No matter what. I want you to make the most of your time in Seoul, study hard, surround yourself with good people and have the most fun you’ve ever had. You’re gonna make so many friends and pursue the career you’ve always wanted and experience new things that you’ve never done before. And most of all, you’re going to meet a girl and love her just as much as you loved me. And you’re gonna fall in love all over again, and just be happy. Just promise me that you will make the most of your time over there and live your life to the fullest. Don’t look back, don’t wait for me. Just live until I get to see you again.” your voice breaks. “And if somehow we find our way back to one another, then just know everything we did up to that point was worth it.”

Seonghwa lets out a sob and nods. “I promise.” his voice breaks and you pull him in for your last goodbye kiss.

At nineteen, you visit your hometown for Christmas, which was the first time you’d be back in a year and a half.

Having missed out on the chance to visit last year with your busy schedule, you made sure not to pass up the chance to see your family and friends. The more you grew accustomed to your new home you managed to find a good balance between school, work, and your personal life, so you found that this year was finally a good time to return back for a visit.

And there was no better time to come home than for Christmas day.

“Yeah, just landed at our layover and waiting for the next flight.” you say to your mother over Facetime.

“That’s great honey, I’m so excited to see you.” she smiles at you and you return the gesture.

“I missed you mom.” you say.

“And I missed you even more.”

You two continue conversing amongst one another, as she filled you in on all things you missed while you were gone before a voice interrupts your conversation.

“Hey babe, here.” Juyeon says, handing you a coffee as he presses a small kiss to your forehead.

“Oh thank you.” you murmur with a small smile as your boyfriend sits down next to you.

“Oh hey miss y/l/n!” Juyeon greets seeing your mom’s face plastered on your screen.

“Juyeon!” she squeals excitedly. “I can’t wait to finally meet you in person instead of over video chat. It was about damn time.” she states and you and your boyfriend chuckle. You hand him your phone allowing them to talk with one another and you smile fondly at the newfound bond between Juyeon and your mother.

“I know, I can’t wait to meet all of you guys too! I know y/n’s been really excited, it was all she could talk about for the last three weeks.” he teases. “And she says you make really good pie so i am definitely looking forward to that.”

“That is such an understatement, I make the best pie.” she scoffs. “And I made one specifically for you.” your mother beams.

After a few minutes of playful banter exchanged, Juyeon hands your phone back to you. “I’m gonna go to the bathroom before we board, I’ll be back.” he excuses himself and you nod in acknowledgement.

“Oh y/n, I just thought I should mention Seonghwa and his family are coming over for Christmas dinner as well.” your mom says and the sheer mention of his name as your heart beating in your chest.

“Oh he’s back in town too?” you ask casually and she nods.

“Yup, he’s also bringing his girlfriend.” she adds.

“That’s great, I’m really happy for him.” you say with a smile.

And you meant it, truly.

You knew of his girlfriend from the few photos he posted of her on instagram, and he seemed genuinely happy. Aside from his newfound love, he was clearly enjoying his time in Seoul like you had hoped, and it was everything you wished for him.

You two hadn’t really spoken over the last year, and it wasn’t really on purpose, you two just kind of drifted, as expected. You two were starting fresh in an unfamiliar place, and you both were finding your way around your new homes. You two were also preoccupied with school, and meeting new people so it was sort of inevitably really that you two grew apart. Of course there were the few times you two would chat, but it never lasted long due to time differences and busy schedules.

Although you missed him immensely, you were beyond happy for the life he started for himself, and you knew he was happy for you too. He did exactly what he promised you the last night you spent together, and that was enough to make you happy.

“Flight 219 now boarding.” the announcer calls and Juyeon meets you right on time.

“Okay mom, that’s us. I’ll see you in a few hours, bye, love you.” you bid your farewell before hanging up, and Juyeon grabs your hand leading you to the gate.

“Ready to go home?” he smiles at you, and you beam excitedly, nodding your head.

As the days pass leading up to Christmas, you spend all of your of time with your family and friends, using every second to catch up with your loved ones. You find that Juyeon is adapting well to your home life, bonding with your father and making your mother love him even more than she already did. You introduce him to your childhood friends and he instantly wins over Mingi, Hongjoong, Yunho and Jennie. You admire how much of an effort he put into forming a friendship with them because he knew how much it meant to you.

You were thankful really, to find a guy who was almost perfect for you.

But still, in the back of your mind, even though you loved Juyeon beyond belief, you knew Seonghwa would always have that special place in your heart.

On the day of Christmas, you and Juyeon set the table as you await the Park’s arrival. You were slightly nervous, obviously, given the fact that you had not seen Seonghwa in over a year and you would be meeting his girlfriend. Although you were happy for him, you still felt anxious to see him and her, and you could only hope that she was good for him, because he deserved that much.

Only a few moments later do you hear a knock at your door and your mother walks over to greet your longtime neighbours. Juyeon stands next to you as he wraps an arm around your waist comfortingly and you relax against him.

You see Mrs. Park first as she walks inside, giving your mother a friendly hug. Mr. Park follows suit as he greets your mother and your father with a wide smile on his face.

And then you see him.

His hair is slightly darker and he does look a little older. But other than that his face is so familiar to you and your heart beats wildly in your chest as the two of you make eye contact. His face softens when he sees you and you deliver a small wave to him as he smiles. His girlfriend trails behind him and you take notice of how beautiful she was. You smile at her too and she returns the gesture and your heart kind of warms seeing how shy she is because you always kind of knew Seonghwa would pick someone similar to him.

“Oh my y/n, how long has it been!” Mrs. Park calls towards you and you hug her tightly.

“I missed you!” you say to her and her arms wrap tighter around you.

“I missed you too, darling. And you look even more beautiful than the last time I saw you!” she compliments. “And who is this handsome man?”

“This is Juyeon, he’s my boyfriend.” you smile, and Juyeon shakes her hand.

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Park. Y/n’s talked a lot about your family.” he says politely.

“Y/n’s picked a good one, I see.” she winks playfully as you notice Seonghwa and his girlfriend make their way towards you two.

“Hey y/n, long time no see.” Seonghwa says and you almost melt at the sound of his voice. He pulls you in for a hug and you notice how he still wears the same cologne that you had bought him all those years ago.

“Yeah, it’s good to see you again.” you smile at him, and although it had been well over a year since you two last saw each other, there was no hint of awkwardness, just nostalgia.

“Oh, this is Juyeon.” you introduce and Seonghwa delivers a warm smile to your boyfriend, shaking his hand respectfully.

“Nice to meet you.” Juyeon smiles.

“It’s nice to meet you too, I’m Seonghwa. Y/n’s... childhood friend.” he decides to say.

“I know she’s mentioned you a lot in her stories.” your boyfriend acknowledges. “From all the things she told me you were one of the people I was looking forward to meet the most. You seemed really great to her.”

“I could only hope so. She was my best friend after all.” Seonghwa glances at you, and you know there’s a deeper meaning behind his words. “And you seem like a really great guy, so I’m glad she has good people in her life.” Seonghwa returns and you find it heartwarming how well their exchange is going.

You look at the girl beside your ex and she’s staring at you with gentle, curious eyes. “Hi, I’m y/n.” you smile at her, extending your hand out for her to shake.

“Rosé,” she beams at you and you don’t even really know her but there was something about her that assured you she was good fit for Seonghwa. “I heard a lot about you as well, Hwa’s always talking about his life back home so I’m really glad I got to meet his best friend. You were really special to him.”

You smile softly. “I’m glad I got to meet you too.” you say.

“Okay, time for dinner everyone!” your father announces and you all take a seat at the table, passing over plates of food and catching up with one another.

“So Seonghwa, how’s Seoul treating you?” your mother asks as everyone turns their attention towards him.

“Uh really good actually,” he responds. “I joined a band actually! Uh, I became friends with these really nice guys. San and Yeosang. They basically recruited me after they found out I could sing and now we play at this local bar every week on Friday’s and Saturday’s. It was really good for me, I think. It helped with my stress and stuff. And that’s actually where I met Rosé.”

“That’s amazing.” your mother comments with a warm smile.

“Yeah he was really shy at first but San kind of forced him to talk to me which I was really thankful for because I was eyeing him for a while and was too shy myself to approach him.” Rosé says. “I still remember the night he asked for my number and he was stumbling over his words and I swear he looked like he was going to pass out.” she chuckles, and everyone at the table laughs along with her.

“Oh my god I know what you mean, he also cracks his fingers a lot and starts to turn really purple when he’s nervous.” you add and Rosé points at you nodding in agreement.

“Yes! I notice that all the time!” she laughs, and you can’t help but laugh with her.

“Trust me, I have the most embarrassing stories of him when we were kids.” you say.

“Oh god, you have to tell me all of them.” Rosé giggles.

“Obviously, we have the whole night for that.” you wink at her, and you realize how easy and natural it was to talk to her, and that confirmed that you indeed really liked her.

Seonghwa watches the exchange between you both, and as you two make eye contact with each other, a small smile appears on his face as you nod at him, silently approving of the girl he chose to bring home for this special day. His heart grows full seeing how well the two of you got along, and he’s forever grateful at how amazing of a person you were that you were so willingly to form a friendship with his new girlfriend.

Although he loved Rosé dearly, there was still a piece of his heart where he’d always love you. And that piece grows a little more when he realizes how you continue to support him, even through this unconventional situation.

Seonghwa decides he’s going to do the same for you, because just like you were happy for him, he was happy for you too.

Of course he was glad you found someone who could put a smile on your face like he once did, and he knows that for you to have willingly dated Juyeon, he had to have been just as great as you were. You always had the best judgement of people.

“So Juyeon, how’d you and y/n meet?” Seonghwa asks genuinely and he notices the way his face lights up at the mention of your name.

“We had a lot of mutual friends and they introduced us. It’s funny actually, I could tell y/n didn’t even really like me that much at first, she was always so disinterested when I would try and talk to her.” Juyeon laughs.

“Probably stressing too much about trivial things.” Seonghwa chuckles.

“Yeah she does that a lot, so overly anxious all the time” Juyeon notes, and Seonghwa agrees.

“Hey,” you interrupt and Juyeon apologizes.

“Sorry babe,” he chuckles. "but yeah, I finally sweet talked my way to get her to go out on a coffee date with me and then the next day she asked to go out for lunch after our lecture. We kind of just ended up hanging out more often and well, the rest is history I guess.”

“That’s great, I’m really glad she found someone that makes her happy.” Seonghwa smiles, and you feel a sense of gratitude towards him.

The rest of the night your families converse with one another and share a few drinks, as you and Seonghwa share old stories with Juyeon and Rosé. If you told yourself three years ago that you would be sitting by the fireplace on Christmas day with you and Seonghwa as exes exchanging stories with your new lovers, you would’ve never believed it.

But you don’t think it’s a bad thing at all. In fact you’re immensely grateful that despite not being as close to Seonghwa anymore, you were able to see each other grow and adapt with your new lives. A life where you made new friends and made new memories. Where you tried things you’ve never tried before, and explored new places. And where you could love other people and still be so insanely happy for one another.

This was a good thing.

At one point during the night the two of you find yourselves alone, a comfortable silence filling the room as you stared at the fire in front of you, basking in its warmth.

“I missed you.” Seonghwa is the first to break the silence.

“I missed you too.” you return. “And I’m really happy for you, you know?”

“I’m really happy for you too, y/n.” Seonghwa smiles at you. “And I really like Juyeon. He seems really great, and he makes you happy, I can see it. That’s all I ever wanted for you.”

You hum in acknowledgement. “And I think Rosé is amazing. She’s perfect for you. And I’m forever grateful that you two have each other. I know we’ve drifted over the last year, but you’re still my best friend in the whole world. And even though I don’t say it often, or even out loud, I’m supporting you through everything. As long as it makes you happy that’s all I care about.”

His heart warms at your statement and he locks eyes with you. “And you know I’m always supporting you too. Seeing you happy and thriving is the best thing that’s ever happened to you. It’s all I want for you.” he states.

Neither of you have to say it, but you know this is your unspoken way of saying that you both still loved each other greatly. You still stood by the fact that Seonghwa was, and always would be the most important person in your life, and you in his. Seeing one another content and happy despite not having each other around anymore, was the one thing that mattered to you both. The maturity and support you continued to show was only because of the immense love you have, and have always had for one another.

The kind of love that lets you give up the person you love the most so they can have a better life without you.

And the kind of love that’s okay with it.

At twenty-one years old, you and Seonghwa meet again.

It’s during one of your breaks where you find yourself extremely homesick. You don’t even give your family a heads up until you’re outside your childhood home knocking at your door.

It was an impulsive decision but it’s not like you were currently in school. You had the time and the money, and you missed your hometown so incredibly bad that it only took you one second to make that decision to come back.

“Coming, one second!” you hear a male voice call behind the door and your eyebrows furrow in confusion.

“Well, that’s is definitely not my mom, or dad.” you say to yourself. “Did they move out without telling me or something-” your internal conversation is cut short as the door swings open and you’re greeted by an unexpected figure.

“Y/n?” the boy says in surprise.

“Seonghwa??” you say even more confused.

“Who’s at the door Seonghwa?” now that’s your mother’s voice you hear and she gasps as she walks over to the door. “Y/n! Oh my god why didn’t you tell me you were coming back?!” she pulls you into her arms.

“Surprise.” you chuckle. “I kind of sort of felt really homesick and impulsively bought a plane ticket last night so I could fly back so... here I am.”

“Well come settle in! Seonghwa was just helping with some renovations in the house but I’ll let you two catch up.” your mother grabs your luggage, carrying it up to your bedroom. “Go grab a coffee or something!” she yells upstairs.

You look over to Seonghwa and he shrugs. “Let’s go then.” he smiles and your heart swells.

The two of you walk comfortably beside one another as you take in the scenery around you, missing the familiar place you once called home.

“I didn’t know you were back in town too.” you say after a few moments of silence.

“Yeah, it was pretty impulsive too actually.” he admits as he looks at you.

“What was your reason?” you ask curiously.

“Break up.” he states and your mouth falls open.

“Wait, you and Rosé...”

He nods. “Yeah, things just kinda, fizzled out. You know, we grew apart, wanted different things, came to a point where we were in different stages in our life.”

“Oh wow.” is all you say. “I’m sorry to hear, she was really sweet. I really liked her.”

“Yeah, she was,” Seonghwa sighs. “I mean, we ended on good terms. We’re still friends, actually. I don’t even think I’m necessarily sad about it to be honest, it’s just different, you know? Like I know we weren’t even dating for that long, like two and a half years at most. But I just got so used to being around her and spending so much time with her, and then things just weren’t really the same after a while. It just felt odd not having someone. And being alone made me miss everything I had here so I came back.”

You nod your head in understanding. “Yeah, I totally get what you mean.”

Seonghwa raises his eyebrow at you. “You mean... you and Juyeon too?”

“Mhm,” you hum. “I think for us we just realized we were better off as friends than as a couple, you know? Like after a while the attraction kind of went away and we were only really together because it was comfortable. And we didn’t want to stay together if we weren’t in love anymore, it wouldn’t have made sense. The break up was easy and it felt right when we ended things, I kind of wish it happened sooner but, I was still thankful for the time we spent together. He is still one of my best friends so I’m grateful for that at least.”

“That’s good.” he smiles softly.

“Hey at least we both can confidently say we have a track record of smooth break ups, right?” you joke lightheartedly.

“Thank god for that.” Seonghwa says with a laugh.

When you two enter the coffee shop you’re once again hit with a feeling of nostalgia as you think of all the times you, Seonghwa, and your friends would spend most days after school, drinking hot chocolate and eating pastries together as you all talked for hours and hours.

“I’ll get our usuals, you can wait by our spot.” Seonghwa offers, and you nod making your way towards your designated table.

The moment you sit down you’re hit with a wave of flashbacks you shared in this very space, and a small smile creeps onto your face as you look back on all the old memories.

After your brief moment of reminiscing, Seongwha sits across from you handing over your cup.

“Sometimes you don’t realize how much you miss home until you’re actually back in all the places you grew up in,” you note as you take notice of the small engraving in the corner of the table marked with yours and all your friends’ initials. Your fingers ghost over the mark and when you look up at Seongwha you see that he’s also eyeing the engraving.

“I remember when we put that there,” he recalls with a smile. “After five years of coming here and sitting at this same exact table with our friends we claimed our ownership by putting that stupid engraving that took us forever to do. As if that stopped people from sitting here anyways.” you both chuckled.

“Well at least Jennie and Hongjoong were brave enough to kick out the people who stole our spot.” you laugh.

“Yeah,” Seonghwa smiles fondly at the memory. “I still remember the days where Mingi and Yunho would bet the barista on how many butter croissants they could eat in one sitting so we could all get a supply of free hot chocolate for a year.”

“And it was only after Mingi threw up everywhere that it turned out all we had to do was ask her, and she would’ve done it anyways because we were regulars here.” you finish with a soft chuckle.

A comfortable silence fills the air as you two reminisce on the old memories of your teenage years.

“Can I ask you something?” Seonghwa says.

“Of course.”

“When you finish university,” he starts. “What are you gonna do afterwards? Like do you plan on living abroad permanently? Or are you gonna come back home?”

You pause for a second. “Honestly, after the first year there, I fell in love with the city. And I truly was planning on starting my life there and making that my permanent home, ‘cause I had Juyeon, and I had my new friends, I had jobs lined up for me after graduation, and just an overall great home.” you say. “But after splitting up with him, and sitting with the fact that I was constantly homesick, I kinda realized that this is my home, you know? Like, no matter how much I loved my new friends, and loved the city, it would never be as special to me as here. Nothing over there compared to everything I have here. And I knew you were gonna come back from Seoul after graduation, and Jennie and Yunho were gonna come back from New Zealand too. And Mingi and Hongjoong, and the rest of them were all still here... I didn’t want to be the only one gone. All my real friends are here, my family’s here... you’re here. I didn’t want to leave that all behind.” you exclaim and Seonghwa’s face softens.

“I’m really glad honestly.” he responds. “Because I missed you a lot. And it would’ve really sucked to know you weren’t gonna be here anymore when I moved back. I just really miss spending time with my best friend.”

Your heart skips a beat. “Well, you have the next two weeks to do that.” you smile up at him.

“I have an idea.” his eyes light up and you raise an eyebrow at him. “Do you wanna have a sleepover tonight? We can have a move night and order take out like the good old times.” he grins at you.

“You had me at sleepover.” you say with a smile and so he grabs your hand, pulling you towards the exit.

When Seonghwa lets you into his house you almost forget the fact that you haven’t been inside in almost three whole years. This was practically your second home and you found comfort in the fact that nothing really changed since you last saw it. Everything looked almost exactly how you remembered it, minus the new couch and dining table, and a few new paintings hung up on the walls.

“Your mom didn’t change much over the last few years.” you observe.

“Yeah, she was going to do a whole renovation like your mom, and she even planned a whole design out, but she opted out last minute. She said she wanted me to come back home to something I remembered.” Seonghwa answers. “I didn’t get why at first but it only started making sense to me the more I started visiting and realized this was like my safety net.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.” you say.

You and Seonghwa walk upstairs to his bedroom, and of course nothing changed inside either. It almost seemed like it had been untouched aside from the fresh bedsheets and clean floor. You notice the small picture frames neatly placed across his dresser table and you realize most of them are pictures with you. You pick one frame up as you remember the day so clearly. A faint smile forms on your face as your fingers ghost over the photo.

“I asked my mom to put those up again recently.” Seonghwa states from behind you. “I was gonna put more with our friends but I realized we didn’t take many with them. They were mostly just of us two. I hope you don’t think it’s weird.”

You shake your head. “No, of course not. I would never think it’s weird.” you say, placing the frame back onto his dresser.

Seonghwa tosses you one of his shirts and a pair of your old shorts that you always left at his house during your impromptu sleepovers. And suddenly you’re once again hit with a wave of nostalgia.

“What do you wanna do?” he asks and you flop onto his bed with a deep exhale.

“Let’s just lay here for a second.” you say pulling him down next to you. “I just wanna remember everything that I missed while I was gone.”

Seonghwa settles beside you and you can’t help your racing heart as he inches closer to you. As you lay next to one another looking up at the ceiling, your breathing relaxes and you revel in the feeling of just being so comfortable and at so at home.

“You don’t know how much I missed this,” Seonghwa whispers next to you. “even though we haven’t seen each other in years and we don’t talk as much anymore, when I’m with you it’s like we never even left each other. Like we just pick up right where we left off. You’re the one person who’s always brought me comfort and I never feel like we have to force things with each other, no matter how much we drifted.”

You feel heat rise to your cheeks and suddenly the room feels so much warmer. Your heart beats fast and you realize how much of an effect Seonghwa still has on you after all these years.

“I think about you everyday, you know that?” you confess, turning your head to look at him. “Every time I’m out somewhere there will always be little things that remind me of you. And I think about all the places in the city I would take you, and the places I know you would love. I think about all the things you would tell me when I was feeling down, and how you would react to certain situations as if you were right there beside me the whole time. I miss you all the time.”

You both stare at one another and your eyes flicker back and forth to his lips and when you look into his own eyes you notice him doing the same. After a moment of just staring into each other’s eyes, unsure of what to do next, Seonghwa pulls you towards his face and kisses you, and the feeling absolutely overwhelms you in all the good ways.

It’s far from soft and sweet, instead heavy and messy, and so intense that your chest burns with desire. You don’t dare pull away from him even when you needed to catch your breath, because the feeling of his lips on yours after all these years intoxicates you and has you yearning for more. He’s pulling you closer to him and you feel like your body is on fire.

Seonghwa rolls on top of you and your bodies mould perfectly with one another, as if you were both the two missing pieces of a puzzle. You can’t exactly describe the feeling but it’s overwhelming and very reminiscent and brings you back to all the times with Seonghwa that brought you so much happiness years ago. It’s a feeling you didn’t know if you would ever feel again and you missed it more than anything.

The ache between your legs becomes overwhelming and before you know it you’re begging him to touch you, and without any hesitation he does. Your bodies press tightly against each other and your desperate need for him only grows the moment he grinds down on you.

The next thing you know, you’re both unclothed and fully exposed to one another, and you see each other in your most vulnerable states for the first time in years. When he finally pushes himself inside you the pleasure is significantly magnified as the fire inside you only intensifies at the feeling of him.

It happens quick at first but Seonghwa decides he wants to take his time with you. Like you, he didn’t know if he would ever feel you in this way again and he was going to use every second with you that he could.

You don’t know how much time has passed but by the end, you both are exhausted and sore, and panting heavily next to each other. It’s dark outside and the room is warm and even though you’re both sweaty and gross, you haven’t felt this good in a long, long time.

“Was that okay?” Seonghwa asks, pulling your naked body into his arms.

“Yeah,” you say with a small smile. “It was perfect.”

So you lay in each other’s embrace for a while and your heart feels warm and fuzzy, bringing you an endless amount of comfort. You feel content at this very moment, and your worries are pushed to the back of your mind as you fall asleep soundly together.

It’s only at 2 o’clock in the morning do you wake up in a haze and through your fatigued confusion does your brain recall the events that took place a few hours ago. Unable to make out your surroundings in the darkness, your eyes widen not knowing if what happened earlier really happened. When you attempt to sit up you feel a pair of arms wrapped securely around your waist and your body relaxes. Soft snores escape Seonghwa’s lips and you snuggle closer to his body to feel his warmth.

It dawns on you that you still are very much in love with Seonghwa, and of course deep down you knew that you always would be. You also knew given the chance (like now) your feelings would resurface because well... they never really left in the first place.

The unknowingness of this outcome has you shifting in your spot and anxiety creeps in as you think of leaving him all over again. Because after tonight, you don’t know if you can bear the thought of parting ways with him and returning to your life abroad where you can’t tell him exactly how you feel.

You don’t realize right away that Seonghwa has woken up next to you and he only does so because of your constant shifting. It’s when he delivers a gentle squeeze to your waist do you finally take notice.

“Are you okay?” his voice his deep and tired and the sound is enough to make your heart beat fast.

“Yeah.” you reply unconvincingly, but Seonghwa has known you all his life and was also the one to date you for five whole years. He knew you better than you probably knew yourself so in an instant he could tell there was something bothering you.

“What’s on your mind?” he asks.

Your back is leaning against his chest, and you can feel his soft breathing on your neck, and instinctively he starts to rub small circles on your arm knowing that was the one thing that could calm you down.

“It’s stupid.” you say, your voice is quiet and laced with a hint of embarrassment.

“Do you regret what we did?” Seonghwa asks and you’re quick to shut down his claim.

“No! No, of course not.” you return. “It’s not that.”

“Then what is it?”

You exhale, letting out a heavy sigh. “Seonghwa I still love you.” it’s almost inaudible to him but he knows he heard you correctly.

He lets out a soft sigh and a smile smiles forms on his face.

“I still love you too, baby.” and when you hear him call you by the name you loved so much, you feel like you’re going to melt in his arms. “I always would remember?”

Your eyes start to water because it’s been so long since you’ve been able to say that to him, and to hear him say those same exact words back to you has a weight lifting right off your shoulders that you didn’t even know was there.

“Why’s that upsetting you?” he questions and you feel him press soft kisses to your shoulder.

“I don’t want to leave you all over again.” you admit.

He sighs next you and attempts to pull you even closer, if that were possible.

“Well we’ll spend the rest of the time we have together and enjoy every second of it. And after graduation we’ll come back home and we’ll pick up right where we left off like we always do.” Seonghwa tries to reassure you and you shake your head, sniffling.

“That’s not what I mean...” you say. “I mean that I don’t want to go back and not be with you. I don’t want to wait out till graduation and know that we aren’t together because I don’t think I can. Not after tonight.”

It clicks in Seonghwa’s brain and he knows exactly what you mean, and so he decides now’s the time to ask you what he’s been wishing to ask you for so many years. He knows he wasn’t supposed to wait for you, but he always knew he would.

“You don’t have to then.” he states.

“I don’t?”

“Do you want to get back together?” he asks and your heart almost stops. “I mean we only broke up ‘cause of the distance right? And we both fulfilled our promises to each other that we would experience a different life and learn what it was like to not be together. We’re in our last year of uni, we’d only have to be apart for a few more months and then we’ll both be back home in no time, permanently. We would never have to be apart again.” he reasons with you.

And it did make complete sense. He was right in every way, so in truth, there really wasn’t anything stopping you from being together again. You don’t have to think much about it because the decision was already made deep down. You knew you wouldn’t hesitate to be with Seonghwa again if you had the chance, and now was that chance.

You turn to face him and even though you two can’t see each other, there’s a small smile painted on both your faces and you lean in to press a kiss to his lips.

“Okay, let’s get back together.”

So at twenty-one years old, you and Seonghwa officially reconcile, and spend the next two weeks together like you planned, catching up on everything you did while you two were apart.

And just like he said, it was like you two never left each other.

And now, at twenty-two years old, Seonghwa pops the question.

And you finally marry him.

"Family, friends, and all loved ones. We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Y/n and Seonghwa. We stand here to support this couple and share the joys of their love and commitment as they solidify this partnership, choosing to spend the rest of their lives together.”

“Through this marriage you make a lifelong promise to one another to always love, respect, trust and honor each other through anything, and everything. You promise to stay committed, and loyal, and most importantly, share your dreams, your happiness, and your sorrows with each other.”

“From today, and this moment on, you will forever be united as one.”

You stare at Seonghwa and your heart beats hard against your chest as you stand in front of him watching his eyes light up and his smile grow by the second. You feel like you’re in a dream and everything around you feels so surreal.

Your eyes scan the alter and you see your mother beside Mrs. Park, both of them clinging onto each other as tears of happiness running down their cheeks. Their smile is wide and filled with so much love and you knew this day was something the two have been waiting for, for as long as they could remember.

You see Mingi, and Yunho, and Hongjoong, and Jennie, your best friends who witnessed every progression of your relationship with Seonghwa from the moment you two met. They’re all grinning from ear to ear and you can’t help but laugh as they silently cheer you on from the pews.

You see your dad, and Seonghwa’s dad, and both of your grandparents, and the entirety of yours and Seonghwa’s family joined together as they smile brightly at the two of you.

And then your eyes meet with Rosé and Juyeon as they mouth a “you got this!” to you and Seonghwa, delivering a thumbs up in your direction, and your heart kind of warms because even after splitting up, the friendship between you four remained and it was evident through their support on this special day.

When your eyes lock with your soon-to-be-husband his lips quirk up into a warm smile as you mouth out an “i love you.”

“Now Y/n, Seonghwa, please join hands” the officiant states.

"Do you, Park Seonghwa take Y/N Y/L/N to be your wife?”

“I do.” he states softly, eyes gazing into yours.

"And Y/N Y/L/N, do you take Park Seonghwa to be your husband?”

“I do.” you respond beaming.

"Seonghwa, please repeat after me.” the officiant says. “I, Park Seonghwa, take thee, Y/N Y/L/N, to be my lawfully wedded wife.”

“I Park Seonghwa, take thee, Y/n Y/l/n, to be my lawfully wife...” he repeats.

"...To have and to hold from this day forward...”

“...For better for worse...”

“For richer for poorer...”

“...In sickness and in health...”

“...To love and to cherish...”

“...And to honour you all the days of my life...”

“Till death do us apart.” Seonghwa finishes and your eyes start to water.

“Now, Y/n, please repeat after me.” the officiant calls on you. “I, Y/N Y/LN, take thee, Park Seonghwa, to be my lawfully wedded husband.”

You exhale before repeating his words. ““I, Y/N Y/LN, take thee, Park Seonghwa, to be my lawfully wedded husband.”

"...To have and to hold from this day forward...”

“...For better for worse...”

“For richer for poorer...”

“...In sickness and in health...”

“...To love and to cherish...”

“...And to honour you all the days of my life...”

“Till death do us apart.”

As Jennie walks over to hand over the rings she smiles brightly at you, as the crowd watches you and Seonghwa each place the new band on your fingers, signifying the start of your lifelong commitment to one another.

“Well! By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife!” the officiant shouts with a smile. “You may now kiss the bride!”

And without a second wasted Seonghwa pulls you in kissing you like he’s never kissed you before and the loud shouts and cheers in the background fills your ears as everyone hollers around you. And when you pull away you can’t seem to wipe the smile off your face as Seonghwa carries you out of the alter.

“Here’s to our new life together, Mrs. Park.” Seonghwa says with a grin as you kiss him once more.

“I love you so much.” you say.

“And I love you even more.” he returns.

So at twenty-two years old you know that you’re never going to stop loving Seonghwa, and that love was made permanent by the unity of your marriage. From the moment you declared him as your boyfriend at the age of six, to the years you spent learning everything together as a couple, growing apart and reuniting, you know that this was a rare kind of love to find, and one that had to mature and progress over a long period of time.

And so you remember the words you said to him all those years ago the night you parted ways, “if somehow we find our way back to one another, then just know everything we did up to that point was worth it.”

Which stayed true four and a half years later, and for the rest of your life thereafter.

LA FIN.

589 notes · View notes

liviusofpella · 3 years

Text

a great combination of fluff, smut, and angst: NSFW(ish) ABC

pairing: Tyril x human!MC (Selene)

word count: 4600

warnings: NSFW

an: nsfw alphabet template by this lovely soul with the slightest change

tag list: @brycesgirl @tyrils-star @lxdy-starfury @rysdumortain

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)Except for being exhausted, Selene is vulnerable, on full display for Tyril (quite literally), and a bit emotional. That’s actually when Tyril and her have the most personal, heart-to-heart conversations.“I met with Deryth today.”Tyril propped his head on his hand while lying on his side and looked down at his lover, carefully covering her naked body with duvet. His hand then rested on Selene’s hip where his fingers stroked the delicate skin.

Several weeks earlier, during a family dinner, Tyril’s father pointed out that ever since Selene and Tyril came back from Whitetower, he could sense a powerful, ancient energy from her. Adrina immediately agreed and encouraged Selene to meet with Undermount’s walking encyclopaedia/prophet/generally the one with no official title but the go-to lady when there’s any kind of trouble. Although Tyril made no remarks that evening, he agreed with his family. Ever since Selene their battle with the Shadow Court, since she wielded the Blade of Light and was able to open portals, he felt that something... unlocked. Something clicked into place.

“What did she say?”

“A lot of unsettling things, actually,” Selene bit her lip gently and turned to lie on her back. With her eyes set on the dark ceiling, she continued. “But also... nothing concrete. She said she’s been expecting me since I set foot in Undermount because she could feel my magic. She also admitted the same thing your father said.”

Tyril’s hand slowly wandered up her body to eventually rest flat on the blonde’s stomach, his finger outlining a faint scar on her abdomen.

“She confirmed that a war is coming, and I’m going to play a pivotal part in it but this time I might not... make it through.”

The elf’s brows furrowed in confusion. “What ar-“

“But it’s not anything I wouldn’t know for a few weeks now,” she interrupted. “I think... she just confirmed my worries. I could still play dumb when those were just my dreams but now... I don’t know, Tyril. I don’t think I’m strong enough to go through something like this again.”

“We’ll be right by your side, Selene,” he responded immediately, his gaze burning a hole in her face.

“I know, love,” she cupped his cheek in her palm and smiled faintly. “That’s exactly what worries me the most.”

B = Body part (their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Tyril’s an absolute boobies-guy. The amount of time this man has spent on one-on-one meetings with Selene’s cleavage would make him the greatest warrior in the history had he spent it on trainings. Even (or rather especially) when they’re already going to sleep, his hand finds its way under Selene’s shirt where it rests throughout the night.

As for Selene... she couldn’t have possibly picked her favourite part of him. She adores every. single. body part of this man.

Due to her constant reminders of how much she loves his body and all the differences between the two of them, Tyril’s outlook on himself changed. He didn’t exactly begin to look out for himself when there were blades involved as she asked him, but he did want to look good for her. And himself. But mostly for her, although she started working on improving his way of thinking.

However, she does have a soft spot for his muscular back covered with several very old scars. She loves giving him a proper massage after a long day and placing kisses from one shoulder blade to another. But what she loves the most is watching his back as it’s covered with long deep-blue, purple, half-noon shaped and sometimes bloody marks that her fingernails leave.

C = Choking (basically an addition to Kink)

“I’m not sure about this, Selene,” he admitted, warring with himself whether to do what do asked and literally choke her or to simply refuse. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t hurt me. People do that, and they’re fine,” Tyril raised his brow, looking at her, all flushed, her hair a mess, a few finger-shaped bruises on her hips, and biting her kiss-swollen lips. “I’ve read that in a book.”

“Did you?”

“Just trust me,” she chuckled, turning to lean against a drawer and swayed her hips invitingly against him, basically impaling herself with his cock for the fifth time this evening.

He still wasn’t sold on this idea but Selene was so sure this would work he was willing to give it a try. However, the second an obscene moan left her lips after a rather hard and smooth thrust, all his inhibitions were forgotten.

Selene guided his hand from her breast to her neck, forcing him to put some pressure there, and he happily obeyed. Selene was like clay in his hands, always happy to fulfil his every wish and always making sure he felt at least as good as her. That night, he wanted to fulfil one of her wishes, however strange it seemed to him.

He pinned her hips to the cold wood with his, fucking her mercilessly as his free hand worked on her bud, leaving her a moaning mess within seconds. Just as his lips busied themselves with her shoulder, guided by her reactions he put some real pressure on her throat, careful not to hurt her.

“This is the last time we are doing this,” he concluded a minute later, holding a panting and somewhat cheery Selene in his arms.

“You’re no fun.”

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Tyril would never admit this out loud, especially to Selene, who’s known as one of the biggest gossip in the whole Morella and an even bigger tease, but for a rather short amount of time he was very jealous of Mal (actually, scratch that, he sometime still is), his light approach to life and his relationship with Selene. The way he could joke about everything and tease the hell out of her while Tyril himself was overcome with guilt and anger. When his sole mission was destroying every single piece of the Shadow Court, Mal would still find the strength to raise the group's spirits, cheer up and motivate them. The way he would make Selene laugh.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

Oh, Tyril absolutely knows what he’s doing. He often leaves Selene breathless, red, and speechless because he’s that good.

Selene on the other hand... well, she knows a thing or two. She’s a great observer and a quick learner, but she doesn’t exactly have much experience. She happily takes everything Tyril’s willing to show her, though.

“So... I’ve found a book,” Selene stated, blushing a little. Tyril watched her curiously as they sat in a secluded part of the House Starfury’s garden, basking in the early afternoon sun.

“What book?”

Biting her lower lip, Selene began untying her dress, wanting her body to catch as many sun rays as she could until the sunset. She tossed the material aside and rested her head on Tyril’s lap. “Remember the one Mal was so interested in?”

“You mean the one he stole?”

“The one he borrowed,” she chuckled, raising a hand to cover her eyes from the sun. “For an indefinite amount of time.”

“I remember.”

“Well, I found a similar one.”

“Somehow I had a feeling this would happen one day,” the elf concluded, eyeing Selene’s slowly raising chest. “What about it?”

“Oh, please. You know what I mean.”

Of course, he did. But he also so happened to love teasing her.

“We need to work on your communications skills,” he commented, with a barely contained smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“Don’t laugh at me,” she chuckled. “I just thought that we could give it a try. Also, I have a feeling I am really going to enjoy watching you as you read it.”

“I already did.”

“No way,” she grinned and sat up to look at Tyril’s sun-kissed face. “When?”

“I have spent a lot of time in the library and that is all I am going to say on this matter,” Tyril admitted, smirking as his hand rested on the small of her back, his fingers gently stroking the hot skin. “If you are so eager, I believe we can start our little experiment early.”

F = Favourite position (this goes without saying)

Against the window. Against the drawer. Against the door if they’re feeling risky. Honestly, even a boulder in the middle of the woods would do if it was big enough to lean Selene against it and fuck her from behind.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? Are they humorous?)

Due to Selene being a massive tease, they usually share a laugh or two during their bedroom playtime. Though there was also that one time...

“I am not ticklish,” Selene assured, sliding her hands up and down his muscular back. Tyril smirked, a devilish plan already forming in his mind, and

“I am afraid I will have to check that.”

“I see you have a death wish, Lord Tyril,” she teased, narrowing her eyes. “And since we both know I’m a much better warrior...”

The elf chuckled and raised his head from between her legs to admire the purple chain of love bites along her stomach. Set on not begging just yet, Selene bit her lower lip and watched her lover delightedly until she realized what he had planned.

“I’m willing to take my chances.”

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? Does the carpet match the drapes?)

Honestly, I find it really hard to believe that the elves grow hair anywhere except for their heads.... I mean, they don’t even grow beards....... Therefore, elf boy is smooth as a baby. Not that Selene minds. Nothing obstructs the view, right?

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? The romantic aspect)

Tyril knows that one way to make Selene aroused is dancing. She takes full advantage of how incredible a dancer Tyril is. She adores the fact that he’s willing to patiently teach her everything about his culture, which includes dancing.

“I actually practised this one,” Selene admitted, looking deep into the elf’s blue eyes. Tyril’s left hand slipped down just above her butt, pushing her towards him, leaving absolutely no space between their bodies.

“You have?”

“With your father,” she giggled, seeing the shadow of jealousy on her lover’s face. “I wanted to surprise you.”

“Colour me surprised and impressed, then,” he smiled. The hand that’s been resting on Tyril’s back moved up to the side of his neck to pull his face closer.

“Since I’ve mastered this dance, I think we can already proceed with our activities,” she whispered against his lips. “I already got a head start.”

“I can see that,” Tyril smirked as he realized the only thing covering Selene’s body was a thin, white nightgown and definitely no underwear.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

The first week without Selene by his side was tough but the second week? On the 9th day, Tyril seriously considered moving to Riverbend forever just so he wouldn’t have to wake up alone ever again. This being said, the vision of seeing her in a few months was... depressing.

“What are you doing?”

“Giving you something to remember me by,” Selene smiled flirtatiously, making herself comfortable on his lap. Having freed his left hand of a book, she guided it to her waist and then higher, and higher until it reached his favourite plaything covered with a thin, lacy material.

Seeing that the strained smile fell of her face as she watched him carefully, Tyril sighed quietly. “I know.”

“No,” she protested immediately and brushed a strand of his hair behind his ear, stroking his cheek while doing so. “Quit glooming. This is supposed to be a good memory.”

He didn’t want her to leave. Not now. Not ever. But they’ve had that conversations many times now, and it wasn’t fair to try to change her mind again as she was clearly set on seeing her brother and taking a well-deserved break from Undermount. Not that he would be able to convince her to stay. She’s too damn stubborn.

“It’s our last night together for some time, love,” she whispered. “Take what you need. Remember me like this.”

Tyril’s hand slowly wandered up her thigh, trying to imprint the feeling of her soft skin in his memory. Trying to remember her taste, her scent, everything about her. Because when it came to Selene, he was greedy. He wanted to know everything about this woman, to know her every thought, every worry. He wanted to be the only who knows her taste and makes her make such sounds.

“Tell me you’re mine,” he begged in between kisses as his warm hands explored her body anew.

“I’m yours, Tyril. Always.”

Remembering how hot her skin felt under his palms, those sweet sounds she would make, and the way she called herself his over and over and over again with no hesitation, he would relieve himself to get himself through the day.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Let’s be clear: Selene is the much more extreme one here. She has a choking kink which actually made Tyril consider a lifelong celibacy for a second just so he wouldn’t have to do it to her again. The fact that Tyril is much older also does the trick for her. And much taller.

L = Location (favourite places to do the do)

Anywhere. Literally. Except for Tyril’s family’s private chambers, there hasn’t been a surface the two of them hadn’t christened when they were alone.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Tyril would never admit it, but he finds it extremely hot when Selene turns into a sassy/bad-ass/protective mode. He’s caught himself on that the first time after she easily took out one of Imtura’s corrupted pirates. And then when she fought like a maniac with the corrupted Captain, already using magic as easily as she’d been doing that since the day she was born and swinging her sword like it was her hand.

Selene is actually a sucker for some romanticism.

She would usually come home much earlier than Tyril, which had its pros and cons. The good side was that she had time to think, to write to Kade, and to just unwind. One of the biggest cons was the fact that she had to wait many hours into the night waiting for her man after a long day and – let’s just say – she was very excited. She categorically refused to touch herself, therefore, she was sentenced for waiting, wriggling in a chair, doing some stupid breathing exercises.

It was a quarter after midnight when she felt his familiar hands embrace her from behind and his warm lips already leaving wet kisses on her bare shoulder up to her neck.

A gasp, followed by a surprised moan left her lips when Tyril’s lips started leaving red marks on its way and his hand quickly made it inside her panties. Scratch the romanticism. After a whole long day she didn’t actually need it.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Tyril would never do anything to physically hurt her even if she asked – the choking she once asked for was the only thing he agreed to do and he swore to never do it again.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill)

To Selene’s delight, Tyril loves going down on her. For his own pleasure. He’s also become quite fond of getting quick blowjobs in the middle of the day. In the middle of the city. In a fairly secluded area. Or inconspicuous handjobs under the table during parties.

Selene’s hand was stroking Tyril under the table, as they watched most of the guests dancing around the ballroom.

“Are you sure there’s no room that we could escape to for a minute?” Selene muttered, playfully stroking his tip with her thumb and watching him clench his jaw and take deep breaths.

“If there was such option, we would be there for the last few minutes already.”

She grinned hearing the struggle in his hushed voice and put more pressure on him, motivating him for a bit quicker finale this time as the song was slowly drawing to an end. The elf swallowed hard, watching as she reached for her champagne glass with her free hand. After she’s taken a small sip, she leaned over and kissed the red-cheeked man, drinking his quiet pants off his lips. Selene grinned through their kiss, feeling some wet, sticky substance in her palm.

“It’s a bit hot in here, isn’t it?”

Adrina smiled as she sat across her brother with an elegant elf by her side. Selene smiled back at the beautiful woman and took another sip of her champagne. “It is indeed.”

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual?)

Unless they’re short on time, they’re slow and sensual. Tyril takes his sweet time making sure not to skip any part of her body, driving her crazy at the same time. He pays special care to Selene’s scars, remembering how insecure they make her feel.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often)

“We have about five minutes before Adrina comes in here,” Selene mumbled and bit her lip to muffle the moans that threatened to leave her mouth. Tyril’s lips worked tirelessly on her neck as his hips slammed into hers.

“That’s plenty of time,” he smirked, pulling her butt towards the edge of a counter he sat her on. Selene wrapped her legs tighter around his waist, making sure he stays right where he is. “Although if you’d like me to stop-“

“Don’t you dare.”

Tyril’s right hand slipped between her legs, his nimble fingers irritating her soft spot expertly, just as his lips caught hers to muffle her moans.

They froze immediately when a soft knocking on the door followed by Adrina’s sweet voice reverberated in the room. Panicked, Selene pushed Tyril and jumped off the furniture, hurriedly smoothing her hair and fixing her dress. Tyril did the same, but he couldn’t stop himself from laughing at the terrified look on her face.

“Imagine if she opened the door,” Selene whispered, helping Tyril smooth his dishevelled hair.

“We wouldn’t scare her for lifetime, if that’s what you worry about,” he chuckled.

“It’s not her I worry about, it’s me! I could never look her in the face again!”

Tyril snorted and leaned over the balcony door nonchalantly, amusedly observing Selene as she opened the door and greeted his sister.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? Do they take risks?)

Not at first, no. However, the farther they are in the relationship, the more Tyril begins to succumb to Selene’s ideas of quickies in public places and trying out some positions from the notorious book.

“It feels wrong, Selene.”

Selene looked up to see his flushed face, and took him out of her mouth for a second.

“Oh, so I can just walk out right now?”

The elf’s Adam apple moved slowly up and down as he swallowed and bit his lower lip. “I’d rather you don’t.”

“Then shut up.”

Tyril’s hand involuntarily slipped down to Selene’s hair, guiding her not-so-gently, and he quickly looked around the secluded library row to make sure they’re still alone.

He gripped the bookshelf with one hand just as he was almost there and glanced down on Selene who watched him intently with her beautiful blue eyes. With his chest heaving and tensed stomach muscles, Tyril grit his teeth not to make any noise when he came.

Selene grinned as she pulled his pants back up and stood up to place a tender kiss to the elf’s under jaw. “One could think you kind of liked it.”

Tyril brushed the loose strands of hair out of her face and stroked her cheek with his knuckles.

“I wouldn’t mind repeating this in the future.”

Chuckling, Selene stood on her tiptoes and kissed her man, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“No bodily fluids exchange in my library, kids.”

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? How long do they last?)

Tyril Starfury doesn’t go for rounds. Tyril Starfury goes for proper sessions, no matter the time of the day, although he has a soft spot for the morning shifts.

T = Timid

Tyril’s anything but timid. The fact that he was willing to fuck in front of the whole city of Whitetower? Yes, there we go. Over time, he doesn’t even pay much attention to hiding his feelings for Selene from his family. Or the elves of Undermount. *cough* handjobs during parties *cough*

Selene on the other hand learns to be more confident. Tyril quite quickly learned that the teasing is just... a ruse. But with time and endless assurance from her man of his love and devotion, she learns to ask for what she wants.

U = Unfair (how much do they like to tease?)

Oh, Selene is the greatest teaser. There’s nothing in this world that makes her happier than watching Tyril flush because of her dirty comments, lose his composure, and get boners in the most inappropriate moments.

She loves to distract him as he’s reading the council’s newest proposals by sitting half naked on his desk, sneakingly squeezing his butt as he’s talking with the heads of other houses during balls, and leaving juicy love bites on his neck before they go out to the town. In this way she gets to hear him moaning before noon, and she marks her territory, letting other women know he’s taken. Two birds, one stone, right?

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc)

Tyril makes it his priority to get Selene as loud as humanly possible when they’re alone. Unless they’re in a public place for a stealthy quickie, then he does just enough to make her almost-as-loud-as-possible. He loves seeing her struggling to stay quiet, he loves teasing her like that, fully knowing she would rather chew off her own tongue than to let a moan escape her lips when they’re in public.

However, it cuts both ways, right? Selene is a mistress of drawing incomprehensible moans from her man, especially in the most inappropriate moments – like during dinner in a bar or in a library. Especially in the library, where they’ve earned a few warnings already.

“Selene, I swear, if we get a permanent ban from the librarian, I will send you back to Riverbend.”

“Feisty,” she chuckled, stroking his calf with her foot under the library table. “Do it more often.”

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

“I’m starting to think you’re letting me win,” Selene panted, smirking at Tyril whom she had pressed against a wall, with the tip of her blade an inch away from his throat. Tyril raised his hands defiantly, smirking at her.

“I would never do such thing.”

“Then I believe I have surpassed my master.”

Selene lowered the blade slowly and let it fall to the ground when Tyril’s strong arms wrapped tightly around her and picked her up to slam her against the wall. “You did indeed. Therefore, I believe I deserve a consolation prize.”

“We wouldn’t want you to go into pieces, would we?” she chuckled, pulling him close to crash her lips against his. They still had a few alone minutes left and like always they were more than willing to spend it a bit nicer than on pointing blades at each other.

Selene was also more than happy to use the fact that their trainings excited him to her advantage. “Are you certain you want to stay here? Someone will come-”

“Too bad for them, then.”

“I’m really liking this side of you,” she grinned and tangled a hand in his long hair as his lips sucked hard at the skin on her collarbone.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

A solid (and a bit scarred) six-pack and a thick, definitely-above-average package. If it was up the Selene, he would walk around Morella naked.

“What about this one?” she asked, kissing a long, purplish scar under his ribcage.

“Kaya.”

“It’s been over a year,” her brows furrowed a bit. “It still hasn’t healed?”

“Magic wounds take longer to heal.”

Selene nodded, and watched his face while placing tiny, tender kisses along the scar. “You have quite the collection, I must admit.”

Tyril chuckled.

“This is the last one,” he pointed to a rather deep scar on his left hip. “No distressful story behind this one.”

“For once,” she grinned. “Is this the one Mal gave you?”

“Yes.”

“It’s my favourite one.”

“It better be, I have it because of you,” he smirked, brushing the hair out of her face.

“You have it because you love me, and you wanted to defend my honour. I didn’t ask you to do that.”

“Touche.”

Placing a series of wet kisses down his abdomen, Selene wrapped her hand around him, already hard and waiting for her touch, drawing a surprised gasp from the elf. “Though I believe you deserve some acknowledgement for your courageous defence of my honour.”

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Tyril is a young, handsome elf, who happens to be the love interest of many, and have a gorgeous woman by his side. Of course, he’s horny as hell. As much as he’s trying to hide it, Selene knows exactly what and how often he needs, as it happens to be her.

“Not again,” Selene giggled, feeling something hard on her thigh. She slid her thumb over Tyril’s kiss-swollen lips, admiring how soft they are. “I would like to come out of this room eventually.”

“I’m afraid this is not going to happen today,” he chuckled as Selene pushed him to lie on his back and straddled him, taking him all in.

The sun was slowly descending, and they haven’t left their bed ever since they woke up this morning.

Tyril marvelled at how the orange sun kissed her pale skin, how beautiful she looked blush-glazed cheeks, and even at how eager she was to go for another round even though the tiredness was evident on her face.

“Selene, no.”

“Come on,” she sighed as he took his hand away from her neck where she guided it. “We’ve talked about this.”

“And as far as I recall I told you I am not going to do this ever again.”

“Fine.”

Z = Zzz (how quickly do they fall asleep afterwards?)

“I love you.”

A small smile crept up upon Tyril’s lips, and he subconsciously wrapped his arm around Selene’s body. He muttered something back, slowly drifting back to sleep. Knowing Tyril, Selene just assumed it was either “Love you too” or “I know.” A soft smile appeared on her lips as she felt his steady heartbeat on her back. Tyril would usually fall asleep first, hugging her so tight she sometimes had problems breathing.

Once she was certain Tyril had fallen asleep, she turned around to look at his peaceful face and was surprised to see a faint of a sleepy smile in the corners of his lips. “Don’t ever forget that,” she whispered, placing a featherlight kiss between his brows.

#tyril starfury #blades of light and shadow #choices blades #tyril x mc #tyril fic #the quintessence of my writing lmao smut fluff and angst(ish)#while writing this i might've motivated myself and i WILL be writing some additional fics with the use of those ideas #also i have no clue how tf the spacing in tumblr posts works so if there are weird looking space IM SORRY I TRIED MY BEST

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alirhi · 3 years

Text

chapter 21

Title: Winter's Frost Chapter: 21/? Fandom: MCU Rating: R to be on the safe side Pairing: Loki/Bucky Summary: Loki never told anyone the real reason he became so obsessed with Midgard. Much better to let them think he wanted to hurt his brother than draw their attention to the one thing in the universe that makes the God of Mischief truly vulnerable. Notes: I don't speak German. Bucky's line came from Google translate, so if it's wrong, take it up with Google lol

Rogers had been frowning in silent confusion for nearly ten minutes. Loki was beginning to suspect that he'd become frozen that way and needed to be rebooted like a computer when he finally shifted position slightly and spoke. "You're sure it was Peggy?"

It would have been better if he'd stayed silent.

Bucky, clearly possessing far more patience than his lover had, nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure."

"Are you really sure, though? I mean, with what HYDRA did to-"

Though his face remained passively, almost serenely blank, Loki noticed immediately when his beloved flinched, and he immediately snapped at Rogers, "Don't you dare."

"Loki, it's fine."

"It fucking isn't."

"It's a valid question," Romanov had the audacity to say. She cast an apologetic look in Bucky's direction, but Loki wasn't about to let her off the hook that easily.

"Kindly do mind your own business, Agent Romanov." Squaring his shoulders and forcing himself to remain calm, he turned back to Rogers. "I will not stand idly by while you attempt to use his trauma to invalidate him simply because you don't like what he's saying."

Bucky blushed, glaring sharply at him over his shoulder. "Do I need to ask you to leave? You rescued me from HYDRA; that doesn't mean you need to rescue me from the whole world. I can fight my own battles."

Heart splintering, Loki reached out to brush back that beautiful, ridiculous mop of hair. He secretly hoped Bucky would never cut it. "You shouldn't have to. This man is supposed to be your friend, not another adversary."

"It's fine, Doll." His smile was still so sad, but Loki had to give him credit for trying. "I can handle it."

"No, he's right." They both glanced at Rogers, who looked mildly sick to his stomach, and much more apologetic than Romanov had. "I should trust you-I do trust you, Buck. You've always looked out for me. I'm sorry."

Well. It seemed miracles could happen, after all. Nodding his curt approval, the Trickster sank down into one of the empty chairs beside Bucky. He'd noticed that everyone was giving the Sergeant a wide berth, as if afraid he might snap at any moment. Just to prove to them all what an absolute Teddy bear of a man James Barnes truly was, he scooted closer and dropped his head onto Bucky's shoulder, hand resting on his back; he heard the other man chuckle, felt some of the tension ooze out of his taut muscles, and smiled.

Thor was looking at him as though he'd lost his mind. Suppressing a laugh as he remembered that his brother hadn't seen him be openly affectionate with anyone since they were small, he shrugged and closed his eyes. It wasn't comfortable; he'd sat on Bucky's left and his metal arm hardly made for a good pillow, but he didn't care. He'd chosen that side on purpose. Bucky hated the prosthetic arm HYDRA had given him and Loki had noticed quickly that he used it as little as possible, as if afraid it would develop a mind of its own and hurt someone. Loki saw it as simply a part of the other man's body and was determined to show him that it was perfectly safe.

"So, Peggy and Howard hired Zola." Loki opened his eyes again just in time to see Rogers shaking his head in dismay. "After everything we went through to bring him and HYDRA down? I just..."

Stark scoffed. "I can absolutely see my old man doing something like that. He always cared more about the science than the people. If this Zola guy was even slightly useful, dad would find a use for him."

"He was HYDRA's top scientist," Bucky reminded him softly. "So, yeah, he was useful. He was a weapons developer and he made the serum."

"The second version," Rogers cut in, unnecessarily, Loki thought. "Doctor Erskine created the original."

"Question!" Watching him as he snacked his way through this meeting, Loki wished Stark would have at least swallowed before calling attention to himself, but he remained quiet and waited. "This serum Mark Two that Zola created and my parents died for HYDRA to get their hands on... Where is it now?"

The snarky bluntness of Bucky's answer made it nearly impossible to hide his grin. "In five extra crispy corpses in Siberia."

"What the hell happened there?"

The two cuddling lovers turned in unison to look at Thor, who smiled like a puppy who'd just successfully completed his first trick. "They were struck by lightning. A lot of lightning."

Stark and Rogers seemed somewhat less amused than the rest of the softly chuckling group. While Rogers face-palmed, Stark gaped at Thor. "You killed them?! Is there anything left? Notes, tissue samples, anything?"

"You're starting to sound like your father," Bucky pointed out. To his credit, that made Stark's constantly flapping mouth snap shut. "The world is better off if that serum is gone forever, trust me. The last thing anyone needs is more super soldiers."

"An interesting sentiment coming from the mouth of a super soldier."

Loki tensed, but before he could even decide if he should intervene again or not, Bucky proved that he could indeed fight his own battles. Voice still quiet but with a steely edge to it that made the Avengers tense and his lover smile, he told Stark, "Steve volunteered. I didn't. I was tortured, strapped to a table, and shot up with that shit without even being told what it was, much less asked if I wanted it."

"And if you had been asked?" Stark challenged, looking oddly more sympathetic and curious than defiant. "What would you have said?"

Shrugging his ancient love off his shoulder, Bucky leaned forward, forearms on the table and hands folded in front of him, and growled, "Schieb es dir in den arsch."

It became instantly clear who in the room spoke German – or, in two notable cases, Allspeak. While the others stared at them in utter confusion, Loki, Thor, Romanov, and Rogers all laughed so hard they quickly had tears in their eyes. Oh, how he'd missed this man's indomitable sass!

"I'd have paid to see the look on Zola's face if you actually said that, Buck!"

"What?" Apparently the only one who didn't have too much pride to admit how left out of the joke he felt, Banner looked from one grinning face to the next. "What did he say?"

Bucky's impish grin stated clearly that he had no intention of translating. Pride bubbled up through Loki's amusement; it appeared he was rubbing off on his mild-mannered companion.

Sadly, Romanov decided to take pity on Banner – and, by extention, Barton and Stark – and told him, "He said 'shove it up your ass.'"

"Huh." Reminding Loki why he liked him so much, Stark grinned. "It kinda sounds better in German. I'm gonna have to remember that one."

___________________________________________________

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louiseleblancdiggory · 4 years

Text

O children

Chapter 1

--January 1987--

Aelin crossed her arms, the soft silk of the armchair she was sitting on feeling strange against her skin. Once upon a dream, she had wore beautiful silk dresses and slippers, matching headbands and scarfs.

That had been a lifetime ago, however. A world ago.

Now, as she seated in a finely decorated room, bookshelves reaching the high ceiling, big windows with carefully built details showing a well kept garden, the only feeling she had was indifference.

Pristine things were always bound to die in a dirty world.

And she had no interest in dying. Not yet.

Even without turning around, she could feel her family’s presence behind her. She knew both Aedion and Lysandra had a limp hand against their guns, and that Elide was surely in a position that would allow her to reach for her knives quickly. This was a peaceful meeting, he had said, but one couldn’t be too careful in a world of traitors. She herself was armed beneath her clothes, the black shirt, pants and jacket hiding any evidence of guns and knives strapped to her body.

She didn’t waver her gaze from the sight in front of her. There was a dark wooden table in front of her, a chair behind it and, instead of a wall ending the room, it was a huge window. Beautiful gardens, small hills and even a pond could be seen. Maybe if she focused long enough, the indifference would be turned to anger. Maybe if she stared at the finery too strongly, she would have the urge to break it.

Instead, she just listened to the rain outside, a small opening in one of the window’s details letting a drop at a time enter the room.

Drip drip drip

She heard the wooden double doors opening once more, footsteps sounding in their direction. She didn’t turn around, still watching the rain and the morning sunlight mixing together. She didn’t raise to meet anyone, not even the host. She just watched and watched and watched.

Her gaze finally broke from the window, looking to the once empty armchair by her side. Where nothing had been before, now a broad shouldered man sat. His silver hair caught in the sunlight, and he spared her a single glance before turning to her companions. Aelin did the same, examining the five men and one woman standing behind him. All seemed just as grave, all seemed just as cold.

She didn’t speak to any of them either, simply turning back in her seat, looking at the man now on the other side of the table.

Dorian Havilliard looked at Aelin Galathynius and Rowan Whitethorn, something like hope shining on his sapphire eyes.

Aelin wanted to crush it.

“Good morning.” He said, his accent so much different from hers. Where the words rolled out of her tongue like a slow and soft melody, Dorian’s words sounded more rushed, more impatient.

No one said anything, the silence sounding eerie. Aelin’s eyes shifted to the window again, her body feeling light and heavy at the same time. She thought the window was perhaps supposed to be a mockery, a slap on the face of those who didn’t even know why they were suffering. She thought of the windows of the houses in her neighborhood, the windows that showed a broken world when you stood inside, the windows that showed broken people when you stood outside.

Drip drip drip

Even the drops sounded softer here. Aelin knew the sound of blood, the sound of a hanged person dripping out until death was kind enough to take them. It had always sounded so dirty on the public squares, it had always sounded like doom. Here it sounded like a natural thing, like a sound you could get used to while reading a good book.

Perhaps this had all been a trap and she would die here. Aelin wondered if her death would sound like soft rain or like dirty doom. She wondered if her death would be relevant enough to even sound like something at all.

She clenched her fists, looking back at Havilliard. He was staring at her, something like fear and worry evident on his face. Although Aelin could see he wanted to, the man didn’t utter another word.

She rested against the armchair, crossing her legs and laying her hands on her lap. “Happy New Year, Mr. Havilliard.”

He looked somewhat relieved she had answered. Maybe he had been staring at her because he wasn’t stupid enough to hope Whitethorn would be the first to reply. That man relied on people’s tension, lived off the feeling of other people’s discomfort.

Aelin turned to Rowan, finding his eyes on her. They slightly narrowed, the pine green and hazel shades in it hard. “Happy New Year, Mr. Whitethorn.”

He nodded almost imperceptibly. “Happy New Year, Ms. Galathynius.”

They both turned back to Dorian, mouths shut once more.

This was a game of power, and there was too much that Aelin could lose. She guessed it was the same for Whitethorn.

“I want to start a rebellion.” Dorian said calmly as if he was talking about the weather.

“You’re a fool.” Rowan said before Aelin could even think of what to say to that bold statement. Aelin thought his voice would sound like an ancient song if it wasn’t so cold, so emotionless.

Dorian almost cringed, and the silence fell on the room again.

“Why?” Aelin heard herself asking, the single word sounding like a gunshot in the room. Dorian turned to her, surprise and gratitude on his eyes. Rowan also turned to her, but his expression was unreadable.

“Because you and Whitethorn are—“

“I know what I am. And I am sure Mr. Whitethorn knows what he is.” She said, a small and predatory smile on her face. She cocked her head to the side, hair brushing her shoulder. “I want to know what you are, Mr. Havilliard.”

“I beg your pardon?” He mumbled, cheeks heating. Rowan was still staring at her, and Aelin spared him a glance before turning to Dorian again.

“What are you, Mr. Havilliard? Why are you doing this? You have the world in the palm of your hand.” She gestured around with a single finger. “Your father is one of the governors. You can rule this world if you wish. And so I wonder, why join the rabble?”

Drip drip drip

“I don’t believe anyone should rule the world, Aelin.” He answered after a moment of silence. His gaze became intense, his words going from cold politeness to hard determination. “And I believe you don’t either. None of you do. You are one of the most important figures of opposition, just like Rowan. If I want to save the world, why not start with those already working in the process?”

“The world can’t be saved, kid.” Rowan said, his voice maybe even harder in order to throughly shatter Dorian’s hope.

Aelin didn’t look away from Dorian, but she nodded slightly. “No, it cannot.”

“It can be changed.” Dorian whispered, almost as if it was a sin speaking of change.

In this world it was, she supposed.

“Why?” She asked again.

This time, Dorian didn’t hesitate, didn’t take a moment of silence. “Because it’s the right thing to do. Because no one should dine while people starve, no one should be able to play God. Because maybe the two of you are right and the world is impossible to save, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need the hope that it can be one day. Because the two of you are that hope.”

Two of the men behind Rowan scoffed, and Aelin turned to them, a leer on her face. “Did you say something, dears?”

“Galathynius.” Rowan said, voice hard. Aelin’s eyes snapped to him, the leer never leaving her face.

“Whitethorn.”

They stared at each other, the silence that was once eerie feeling heavy. Aelin had heard of him before, even if they had never met. His reputation preceded him; the man’s presence was enough to make anyone uneasy. Six foot six, lean muscular body and a face that was always locked in an expressionless state, there was nothing about Rowan that wouldn’t make you want to walk on the opposite direction when you saw him on the streets. The man looked like he was always a step away from crushing someone’s throat with his bare hands.

Unfortunately for him, Aelin had lost most of her self preservation a long time ago. She didn’t care about his reputation, much less about his surly demeanor. She didn’t care about Dorian, didn’t even trust him, but something about people laughing whenever change or freedom was mentioned made her blood boil. If someone didn’t desperately ached for any chance of freedom in their world, then perhaps they were the ones she shouldn’t trust.

“Control your lap dogs, Mr. Whitethorn. I don’t particularly care for any of you, but he laughs at the matter one more time,” she said softly, but there was a threat hidden in the words. “And I’ll fucking rip his spine out.”

Rowan’s eyes narrowed, and Dorian let out a surprised cough.

She turned back to Dorian, completely dismissing Rowan. “Tell me, why should I trust you?”

“Why not?”

Aelin grinned. “I can give you a long list for that. Besides, I’m the one who needs convincing here, not you. Bewitch me, Mr. Havilliard.”

“You don’t have to trust me. You can sleep every night with a knife under your pillow for all I care.” Dorian said, fixing the sleeves of his suit. “I’m sure you read the documents I sent you. I’m offering a full compound for you to work, resources and whatever you wish. If I wanted to betray any of you, I would have already and would have spent way less energy doing so.”

“Betrayal tastes better with time. It’s like good whiskey.” Aelin claimed, reaching forward and taking a decoration from his desk. It was an old coin, slightly bigger than the normal ones. Aelin started playing with it with her fingers. “Why not wait months and then betray me?”

“The world is dying. I have better things than to waste my time with games.”

“Everything is a game. The ones who don’t think that are usually the ones who refuse to admit they’re losing.” Aelin tilted forward, grin diminishing on her lips. “Tell me, are you losing the game?”

“If you think this is a game, you’re mad.” One of Rowan’s companions— one who had laughed— announced, and Aelin’s head snapped back to him.

She smiled viciously at him. “And if you think this is a joke, you’re just as bad as them.”

Rowan turned around, looking at the man. “Enough.”

The guy had the decency of looking slightly embarrassed. Aelin wanted to smile at that, wanted to poke at him some more, but there were more pressing matters at hand. She turned back around. “You still haven’t convinced me.”

“I guess you’ll have to trust me.” Dorian said.

“Trust is earned, not given.”

“So don’t trust me. I asked for a rebellion, not for friends.” He snapped, and Aelin raised her eyebrows. Some part of her, the very stupid one, wanted to believe him. Wanted to get up, shake his hand and dive in. He had the money, the resources, and it was very unlikely that the regime would ever think that the son of one of the most influential governors was the person working to bring them down.

And yet, the smart part of her, the part that had to learn how to survive after her whole life was taken away from her, kept telling her no. Don’t trust him. Don’t let your guard down. Trust those who you know can be trusted. The easiest way of not having a knife on your back was to make sure only a very limited amount of people even had access to them.

“I will… consider.” She said slowly, getting up. Dorian looked at her, half pleased, half surprised. “I need to talk to my companions before I take any decision, and I still don’t know if I should trust you, Mr. Havilliard.”

He nodded silently. Aelin then turned to Rowan, a smirk on her lips. “Good luck convincing this one, though.”

Aelin turned around, both Lys and Elide already on her side, Aedion at her back. She then turned the smirk to the man who had laughed. “Hope you learn some manners, wolfie. Next time I won’t be kind enough to threaten you. Bad temper, you see.”

Aelin felt immensely delighted when he didn’t respond, only clenching his jaw. Despite Aelin’s indifference towards the man, she had to admit that it was impressing how Rowan had control over six people just by uttering a word.

“Good boy.” Aedion whispered as they passed the group, walking out of the room.

“I’ll send for you, Mr. Havilliard.” Aelin shouted over her back. “Send someone after me and you’ll receive their intestines in a box.”

——————

“What do we think?” Aedion asked the moment they finishing looking at their shabby house for any bugs. The place was falling apart, the walls grey as the paint fell off of it. It was cold and mostly dark, the furniture either old or of low quality. But it was secluded, and didn’t call any attention. Most of all, it was livable.

Elide sat on one of the chairs, looking at each one of them before sighing. She raised her hands, and Aelin stopped thinking about her own opinion to listen to Elide’s.

I think he’s both right and wrong. She quickly signed with her hands, facial expressions matching what she was trying to convey. He was right when he said we don’t have to trust him. We are in constant risk as of now, joining him would just be a different type of risk. He’s a stupid idealist, but he’s also rich. And would be a good cover if we actually want to do more change.

“We are doing some change.” Aedion grunted, hands moving a little more slowly than Elide’s. All three of them had learned sign language since a young age, how to communicate and express their feelings and thoughts through signs that were usually accompanied by facial expressions to make it even more clear what they wanted to say. Elide had been born mute, and learning how to properly communicate with her was the bare minimum Aelin and the others could do. Whenever they were in public talking to others, they wouldn’t sign since Elide could hear them —unless they were talking directly to her—, but whenever it was just the four of them, signing was just a natural thing.

Elide believed everyone should know at least the very basics of sign language, and Aelin couldn’t agree more with her. The world had gone to shit, but she also wasn’t going to sit there and pretend like it was perfect before. Most people had as little care for people like Elide now as they had thirty years ago, and it was fucking infuriating.

Not as much as we want, Aed. Elide gestured, her eyes showing determination but the rest of her facial expression showing that ever so slight supplication. Not nearly enough. Her eyebrows creased as she said the word nearly, putting emphasis in what she meant. Elide didn’t think they were useless, or that no change had come from them, but she was right in the regard that it was only a speck of sand in a whole beach.

“What about Whitethorn?” Lysandra asked, her green almond shaped eyes narrowing as she stared at one of Elide’s blade on the table. She moved her hands quickly as she raised her face, prominent jaw and high cheekbones shaping her harsh face so beautifully that sometimes Aelin understood why Aedion stared at Lys so often. “It’s not like the guy is easy to deal or to read. I’m more worried about him than Havilliard.”

Elide raised her eyebrows, nodding slightly.

“Yeah.” Aedion muttered, running his hands through his hair. He turned to Aelin. “So?”

“I don’t know.” She sighed, rubbing her temples. She moved her hands along with her words. “I’m not worried about Whitethorn. He looks like an asshole, and his crew looks even worse, but they have literally nothing to gain by betraying us. We are all in the same shit, even though we’re trying to get out of it in different ways. I just don’t know about Havilliard. He’s the governor’s son. One word from him and I’d be on my way to be hanged.”

“He could be telling the truth.” Aedion said.

“He could be telling a lie.” Lysandra countered.

Aelin turned to Elide, founding her black eyes already looking at her. Aelin trusted everyone in her group just the same, but she had to admit that when it came down to final decisions, she usually consulted Elide last. Since birth, Elide had faced a world that welcomed her in a different way. Aelin could voice her opinions whenever she wished, she could talk to anyone and they would understand, they would listen. In Elide’s case, so many people were cruel and didn’t give her the attention and treatment she deserved. The regime had never made her life easier, had never implemented sign language in public schools, had never declared that public workers should know the basics of ASL. In many occasions, Elide had been forced to keep her thoughts to herself.

Aelin couldn’t even imagine the strength it took to do so.

And Elide had done it perfectly. Aelin usually looked for her for advice because her friend saw and analyzed the world in a different way. She had to be quicker and smarter to live in a world that didn’t care about people, especially people like her. Elide was intelligent like no one Aelin knew, could observe and retain information because that’s what she had been forced to do since birth. She had become so good at expressing herself through facial expressions and gestures, that she also became a master in understanding other people’s minimal gestures and tells.

Elide Lochan was a genius, and Aelin trusted her judgment above all.

Elide gave her a simple nod, but her eyes were slightly wide, the white light from the lamp making them glint with cold determination.

Aelin nodded back, resting against her chair. “We join him.”

Aedion raised his eyebrows. “We do?”

Aelin assented, cracking her knuckles. “We wait a few days before sending our response, of course, but we join them eventually. Havilliard has the resources, and if I will be betrayed, I might as well do it in style.”

Aedion snorted, and both Lysandra and Elide smiled viciously.

And that had been that.

———————

--Mid-January 1987--

Aelin had to admit, she was surprised to learn that Rowan had accepted Dorian’s proposition as well. In her mind, he was too above everyone else to bother joining a rebellion.

And yet, fifteen days later, there they were in that same room, in those same places.

Dorian seemed more at ease now, but both Aelin and Rowan remained with their guard up, the people standing behind them just as cautious.

“You have no idea how glad I am both of you accepted.” Dorian said, sounding somewhat relieved. “One would do, but the two of you is perfect.”

“Why?” Aedion asked. He had requested Aelin’s permission to talk during the meeting before they entered, and she had given him— had given all of them— a green light to step in. “Why Whitethorn and Aelin?”

Dorian sighed, resting against his cushioned chair. Aelin resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She honestly didn’t know if he tried to look as magnanimous or if it was something natural after living all these years surrounded by money and people kissing your ass, but she found it ridiculous.

“They are the different sides of the same coin, you see?” Dorian explained, grabbing the coin Aelin had toyed with two weeks ago. “Whitethorn is the heads. He’s calculating and calm. He appeals to the part of the population that is more centered, more cold when it comes to the regime. People who want change, but will take certain paths to achieve it.”

From the corner of her eye, Aelin saw Rowan narrowing his eyes, but he didn’t deny anything.

Dorian turned the coin to its other side. “Galathynius is the tails. She’s unpredictable and wild. She appeals to the part of the population who can be moved by emotions, the part of the population that has suffered long enough and is willing to do anything to survive. You see, the people want change just the same, but, like Aelin, they will create their own path to achieve it.” Dorian threw the coin up, letting it fall to the mahogany table with a loud thud. Aelin stared at the rolling coin until it stopped, the tails side being shown. “They appeal to parts of society the other can’t. Rowan is too calm for the raging ones, and Aelin is too untamed for the controlled ones.”

Aelin couldn’t tear her eyes away from the coin, the tails side looking like it was burnt.

“We are your puppets, then?” Rowan asked, and only then Aelin raised her eyes to look at Dorian.

He smiled, setting his joint hands on top of the coin. “You are what you wish to be. You’ll work with Aelin, you’ll be by her side to show the population that we should not be divided now. That people with different ways of doing things can unite themselves when they stand against the same enemy, when they have the same morals. You are different, but also a mirror of each other’s deepest thoughts. You are to be a leader, Mr. Whitethorn, and you better be a good one.”

Rowan huffed, but didn’t say anything else.

Aelin had to admit, Dorian knew how to make pretty speeches. She didn’t know if it was his perfect face, the sapphire eyes contrasting with his rich brown skin and pitch black hair, the full mouth looking like it was always smiling just above his defined jaw. She didn’t know if it was because he had been raised among politicians, their ability to manipulate people somehow passing to him. Aelin didn’t know, and she honestly didn’t care as long as he didn’t try manipulating her.

“Once this is over,” she said, voice dangerously low. “Elections will be held, Mr. Havilliard. A proper government will be set. I hope you know that. And despite our differences, I believe Mr. Whitethorn agrees with me.”

Rowan didn’t deny, and Aelin though that was the closest to a yes she would ever achieve.

“What are you insinuating?”

Aelin smiled serenely. “You’re not dumb, Dorian, and neither am I.”

He shifted on his seat, eyes narrowing. His whole friendly demeanor changed, and Aelin wasn’t even remotely surprised to learn that the boy had a deeper personality than he let on. “Is this a warning?”

Aelin’s smile only grew. “It’s a threat. You try to take control by force and I’ll paint the walls with your brains.”

Aedion coughed pointedly behind her, and Aelin turned around to find him staring at her wide eyed. Lysandra and Elide, on the other hand, were trying to contain their smirks.

Aelin turned back to Dorian, angling her head to one side. “But let’s not start this with tension, right? You do understand that it’s all business.”

Dorian smiled, but Aelin didn’t believe in it for a second. Rowan didn’t either, based on his low scoff. “Of course.”

Dorian got up, straightening his suit before putting up another smile to all of them. “You’ll meet my… crew later this week when we go to the compounds. For now, I believe it would be good if you got to know each other. After all, you guys are a team now.”

Lysandra snorted. “I feel like I’m in primary school again. Is this the say your name and one fun fact about you type of shit?”

Dorian grinned at her. “Do you want us to know a fun fact about you?”

Lys rolled her eyes, and Aelin genuinely smiled. If circumstances were different, she would have loved seeing Lys and Dorian going toe to toe.

Trying to calm the mood before a fight broke, Aelin sighed, turning to Rowan’s group and pointing to Aedion. “This is Aedion Ashryver.”

“A pleasure.” Aelin heard Aedion saying from behind her, and she would bet all her money he had done a mock bow.

Aelin huffed at that, then jerking her head to the right. “This is Lysandra Ennar.”

“Hello.” Lysandra murmured, a saccharine smile on her face.

Aelin laughed. “Don’t trust her. She has a pretty face, the inside is not so pretty though.”

Rowan was staring at Aelin with calculating eyes, his face as stoic and hard as ever. His companions were easier to read, though. The tallest man, ebony hair and large figure, was eyeing each one of them calmly. The two identical men— one of them being the one who had laughed two weeks ago— were staring directly into Lysandra’s face. The fourth man was standing behind one of the twins, his flawless black skin and perfect facial features making him seem more of a model than a rebel. She guessed it came in hand sometimes, just like Lysandra’s beauty did. This one was looking at Aedion, as was the fifth man, tanned skin accentuating his pretty tawny eyes and blond hair.

The woman, their only woman, was however staring at Elide. It was such an intense gaze that Aelin wondered if the brunette could see the engines inside Elide’s head turning, her ebony eyes reading into every single one of them, noticing things she would surely tell Aelin later.

Aelin jerked her head to the left. “This is Elide Lochan.”

They now all stared at her, and Elide just stood there, chin high. Aelin looked at her friend, an identical leer showing up on their faces. Aelin turned back to them, shrugging. “She doesn’t talk much.”

Elide tilted her head a little forward and a little to the side, giving them a somewhat polite smile.

Aelin fake whispered. “Wouldn’t trust her either if I were you.”

“She doesn’t speak?” Dorian asked. Aelin sat back as Elide shook her head. Dorian nodded, resting against his table. “Anything I can provide to help?”

Elide turned to Lysandra, quickly moving her hands.

Lys turned to Dorian, a bored look on her face. “Paper and pen would be helpful to have around.”

Dorian nodded once more. “I’ll make sure there is always paper in the dining room, her bedroom and conference room in the compounds.”

Elide assented and then nudged Aelin’s shoulder, silently telling her to continue. “Well, you all know who I am. Won’t bother with presentations.”

The twins scoffed, and the woman had a ghost of a smile on her face.

Aelin was surprised when she saw Rowan rolling his eyes. It had been by far the most human action she had seen him performing. “The twins are Fenrys and Connall Moonbeam.”

The two smirked at her in sync, their posture and smiles making them seem like wolves in human pelts. Aelin didn’t bother even moving her head to acknowledge them, she just swept her eyes through their figures before looking expressionlessly at Rowan again.

“Lorcan Salvaterre.” Rowan jerked his head at the tall man with ebony hair. Aelin raised an eyebrow at him when she saw his sneer, and he only narrowed his eyes in response.

Oh, she would have fun poking that one.

“Vaughan Fagan, Gavriel Mulligan.” Rowan indicated the black and tawny men. Aelin could almost swear she saw a small smile on Vaughan’s face. He and Gavriel seemed like the calmest ones in the group. If she had to actually deal with the bunch of them for a while, she would probably prefer to dealing with the two. The twins seemed like idiots, Lorcan seemed like an asshole, the woman didn’t seem at all friendly and yet she looked like a kind person compared to Rowan.

No, those two would do.

“This is Lyria Salvaterre.” Rowan said, and Aelin’s eyes immediately went from the girl to Lorcan, going back to the girl at the end. She raised an eyebrow, and Lorcan’s eyes narrowed.

“My sister.” He grunted, his voice low and rough.

Aelin smiled sweetly. “Never said she wasn’t.”

He grunted, and Aelin felt a soft and almost imperceptible shove on her back. Judging by the direction it came from, it was Elide’s. It was the girl’s way of telling Aelin to tone it down, to be careful around Lorcan. Although she wanted to poke some more, she rested against her chair, eyes going to Rowan.

“I guess you don’t need an introduction either.”

“No, I don’t.”

They stared at each other, both willing the other one to talk and both not knowing what else to say. They weren’t friends, they weren’t colleagues. To be honest, Aelin couldn’t care less if the man lived or died. She was indifferent to him the same way he was indifferent to her. She wouldn’t be happy if he died, but also wouldn’t be sad.

Rowan Whitethorn was a person like anyone else to her. He didn’t scare or intimidate her, didn’t anger her or even made her feel anything other than boredom with slight peaks of the need to draw a reaction out of him. But she had that with everyone.

He was a step she needed to climb to achieve her purposes.

“Well, so good to see you two… bonding.” Dorian said, cringing at the last word. Even him, with his annoying optimism, knew things weren’t going so smoothly. “Why don’t we start talking plans? Strategies? Surely you guys have thought of something.”

Half because she actually wanted to do it, half because she wanted to see everyone else’s reaction, Aelin casually answered his question. “We explode the republic center.”

All heads immediately snapped to her, faces in different degrees of shock.

“That would take years to plan.” Rowan said matter-of-factly.

Aelin grinned at him. “Good thing I’m not planning on dying soon.”

He scoffed, eyebrows scrunching. He looked almost like a normal man at the moment. “You’re insane. This would be insanity.”

She only grinned wider, winking at him. “Afraid?”

Aelin knew it was a low blow; question his decisions, his courage during their first discussion. They were to be partners, equals. It certainly did put Rowan on a spot, because he shook his head, snickering. “Let’s hear your brilliant plan then, Galathynius.”

“Since you asked so nicely.”

TAGS:

@in-love-with-caramel-macchiato @jlinez @courtofjurdan @aelinfeyreeleven945tbln @ladywitchling @lexflame @sleeping-and-books @annejulianneh111 @perseusannabeth @linshryver @mu-si-ca-l @camilamartinezdunne @dank-queen7 @minaidss @starborn-faerie-queen @booksofthemoon @loveofbooksandwine @jesstargaryenqueen @bluejaberry @multifandommessblog @yesdreamblog @abookishfreak @faerie-queen-fireheart @maastrash @morganofthewildfire @queen-of-glass @heirofthenightcourt @tottenhamboys20

A/N: To write this, I did a long research on ASL, the experience of mute people and talked to people who understand about the topic. That does not mean I can’t commit mistakes or improve, so never feel hesitant about correcting me if I screw up. I want it to be a good representation, not just something I threw in the story!

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shyrose57 · 3 years

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Brothers anon back again. I had a sort of writers block for the last like 2 days which made it really hard to do some questions, but I got em done finally. Sorry about the wait. This one is split between the numbered questions, and next ask is the other questions you asked!

I think I accidentally skipped a question in the last one. I honestly don't completely remember but in case I did skip it by mistake, the groups first travel out of the city's limits and even further beyond in a carriage. When they reach the end of how far the driver is willing to go they then get out and start walking. With Jackie screaming about how their finally going on a adventure.

1: It thankfully doesn't get to to bad before the others notice. And he immediately told them about Dream, wanting to be very clear with what happened and what they where getting themselves into. But they accepted him anyway and helped him.

2: Isaac is the leader cause Cletus is too much of a wildcard and too impulsive to lead safely, Charles is too shy to lead, and while Benjamin is perfect for leading he doesnt really like leading and is more of a follower than a leader. But Isaac can joke around and gets along with everyone but also be able to take things seriously and know when something needs to be handled.

5: They do not, they last for a few minutes and unless its a healing or regeneration potion (in which it can take a few days for it to fully go away) they have no long lasting affects. They do know of eachothers past to an extent, they know enough to avoid triggers and enough to know what not to do when around eachother. They know through telling eachother, and they feel awful Grievous and Jackie had to deal with that, but leave it in the past and focus on making their current life better.

6: Yes and no, while Jackie did mean to throw it at Ran, he ment for it to just hit nearby him, not directly hit him. It was ment to be more of a scare/intimidation tactic than anything else honestly. Grievous's luck is for basically everything, he has won the lottery twice before actually but only those 2 times, he's correctly guessed how many items are in a container more than a few times as well.

7: I use the height charts and they help mostly for comparison, problem is I have trouble applying it to real world stuff and because of that I still have trouble knowing if something or someone is to tall or short. Jackie can get very mean, like he can make fun of someone who just lost a loved one or experienced a traumatic event at the worst. But he usually doesn't get nearly that mean, most he does normally is making fun of how someone looks or how they do certain things. The others comfort him the best they can when he gets sad, and when he gets mean they either encourage it (Grievous), or discourage it and stop him (Watson. Ran is between either encouraging or discouraging it).

8: He was! He spent most of his life adventuring actually! He misses it somedays now since he lives in Subbin, but he believes giving up his adventuring life for a family and friends who needed him is a more than far trade and would happily pick his family over adventuring again. For around 4 years after Ran left Mizu (including the day he left), Ran traveled everywhere, and learned how to survive himself and taught himself different things, like sewing. Ran has made new socks, fixed clothes, and made blankets for everyone at least once. Watson also designs bows and arrows for show, for top functionality, and for just simple (training) gifts to the others. Ran (and Watson) has visited the nether, though Ran tended to stay in it longer than Watson cause he could withstand the temperatures better. And while digging a new tunnel across the nether he ran into ancient debris, which he then messed with until he figured out to mix it with gold and coat his sword in it. He tried to find more ancient debris but sadly hasn't found any, leaving his sword permanently damaged and at risk of breaking. Jackie isn't good at all at painting, its more of a hobby he's trying out. They try to camp out there at least once a week, where Grievous will sometimes build a pillowfort and either force everyone inside or play a game of capture the fort with them. Sometimes Ran will also read during the pillowfort nights, but not to often. Jackie wants to vist a Snow, Savanna, Jungle, Tagia, and if possible, a Ice Spike biome. He also wants to vist the nether but he'll have to fight Ran on that. Ran and Jackie's secondary titles are in Javanese!

9: Ran just kinda went "Hey Jackie, stand still for a second." "Ok?" And then he just picked him up and threw up.

10: When he's first given dinner after already eaten lunch, he just kinda stares at the food. Then asks if they meant to give him food, and when the others say yes, he asks why because he thought people only ate once every few days. His answer shocked the others and they ask him to explain, and he explains futher that he was only allowed to eat and drink once every 3 days. Their horrified by this answer but explain to him how theres 3 meals a day and he can drink whenever, he doesn't believe them at first but eventually accepts it.

11: When the fishermen first come to Ranbob about their worry, he expresses the same worry as them. But says that it's unlikely Ran will hurt the fishermen specifically, because Rans haunting are already friends with them, and Ran wouldnt risk breaking the friendship unless he deemed it necessary for their safety.

12: Ranbob is sad that Ran goes to such lengths to avoid him and keep people away from him, but he has resigned himself to it. As he knew that if Ran was alive it was greatly unlikely that he would trust him and knew he would be avoided. Which is actually particularly why he believes Ran will never trust him again and why he views Ran as a kind of lost family member. One he'll never get back no matter what he does.

13: Their first stop is a nearby flower biome, and after that Watson has planned to lead them to a waterfall he found with a shattered Savanna somewhat close to it. They plan to travel for a minimum of 6 months, they can actually travel for as long as they want to, but Prokius made them agree that they must be back before the next General Pit Battles (which happens once every 5 years).

14: He would 100% run himself into the ground until he's barely alive while searching for them. Benjamin compares Ranbob wanting to go back to Dream, to an abused person wanting to go back to their abusive lover. They believe they've changed and that they truly do love them and want the best for them, but in reality that's not it at all and others have to help them see thats not true and help them save themselves. So it doesn't surprise Benjamin or Isaac that much (it surprises Charles and Cletus though), and after its explained to them, their all more than willing to help Ranbob get over Dream and help him be himself again.

15: Oh definitely. Once they hear the Green-Eyed Enderman is back from hiding they all set out again, and after the group gets attacked and once word spreads that its in a group and there's another enderman with them, they all get targeted. With the Gladiators and Fishermen being targeted as bait or hostages to try to trick the enderman into following a trap. Ran wasnt affected like his brother was. Im talking about trauma and maybe even a bit of PTSD that came from Mizu, caused by Dream. Though both of the brothers have gained different amounts of trauma and PTSD from Dream. I may give the raven to either Watson or Ran, I think its fits both of them really well. I want to have them come across ruins of other Tales but im not sure which ones. Maybe they could find the remains of the Wild West Tale and the Haunted Mansion?

Glad to see you, Brothers Anon, and excited to read!

1: The perfect start to an Adventure. And a funny mental image. Imagining these two groups cramped into carriages is pretty amusing. How ready was everyone to get out by the time they could?

2: The fishermen are really great, and Ranbob is very lucky. I love them.

3: Isaac sounds like he’s a pretty good fit for it then. But nobody’s perfect! What are some flaws of his, leadership-wise?

5: Interesting. What makes Regeneration and Healing last longer? I suppose it’s not relative to the AU, but I am a bit curious. What’s the world’s potions mechanisms, if you don’t mind me asking? And that’s good! They may not know everything, but they know what to avoid, and that’s important. Everyone’s moved forward and are making the best of life, and honestly, that’s pretty cool of them.

6: Welp, Jackie, it seems intimidation tactic failed. However, you have managed to anger Ran, so..there’s that. He won the lottery? Dang. Well, if they ever need money, they can just send him to the nearest casino, I suppose.

7: Aight, so I may have a solution for you there. Whatever height you’re going for, find something in real life that’s just about the same height. Like a tree, or something. Or not, we can always just leave it at short enough to be tossed and tall enough to be the tosser. Jackie sounds like he knows where to hit to make it hurt, honestly. It’s good that they comfort him, though I am curious why they all react as they do to him being mean. Why does Grievous encourage it? And is it more of a depends on the day thing for Ran, or a depends on what was said to Jackie, and what Jackie’s saying thing?

8: Nice! What kind of places did he go? Does he have any particularly interesting knickknacks from that time period? And Ran personally sounds like he knows what he’s doing. Watson’s weapons sound really cool, where did he learn to make them? Is visiting the Nether not a common occurrence these days? Or is it simply that the others never got around to it before? Well, hobbies are always fun to try. Does Jackie keep at it and get better or get bored and try something else? How does Capture the Fort go with these guys, considering they’re gladiators? Why does Jackie want to visit those particular biomes? Is there a reason, or do they just sound cool to him? And why would Ran not want them going to the Nether? Because of the danger?

9: FDXGHJ- He just- tossed him?? No warning?? Oh my gods, I’m dying. How did Jackie react to that? Heck, how did Porkius react to that? I doubt anyone was expecting that display.

10: Oh, no. Now I really want to punch Dream in the face. What the heck, Dream?! He legit asks if they meant to give him food...If one of the fishermen or gladiators doesn’t eventually find a way to punch Dream, I will be forced to travel realities and do it myself.

11: Kind of sad that Ranbob was equally concerned about it. But hey! He won’t have to be, one day!

12: Poor Ranbob. I hope he’s proven wrong, eventually. Do the fishermen know that he thinks this? If so, how do they feel about it? Or does he kind of just keep those thoughts to himself?

13: Flower biomes are really pretty. What did everyone think about it? Did they bring any flowers with them? So this roadtrip could possibly go on for a few years. Did they leave just after a General Pit Battle, or do they have like, less than five years? Speaking of General, is Jackie still the General in this AU? Does he have extra duties because of it? Or is that not something that happened in this AU?

14: Yikes. Reactions to this? Why does Ranbob believe Dream’s changed, as you put it? Is Dream still able to talk to him, or is it because he just misses being there? So Benjamin and Isaac aren’t all that surprised about it. Do they take the reins in helping out? And how do they all do so? It’s good that they’re helping him though.

15: Well, this sounds like it can’t end well. They try to use the hauntings as bait? Is anyone actually captured? Rescue missions? And alright, that makes a bit more sense. I can see how they’d both be effected differently, and honestly, they’d probably both have very different perspectives of the event, all things considered. Ravens for the win! And it’d be really cool for them to come across the ruins of old Tales buildings. Can you imagine the kind of things they’d find? Diaries, faded photographs, moth-eaten clothes, blood stained floors...Like a walk in the past, but they’ll never know what came to be for the people of that time.

#Brothers AU #dream smp #dream smp au #ranbob #tales from the smp #ran #jackie #watson #grievous #isaac #benjamin #cletus #charles #porkius

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yetanotherhoeforpedro · 3 years

Text

Sinfully Armored

Chapter 2 - Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 1

When you walked down to the training rooms the next afternoon, you wondered how you ever let Luke talk you into doing this. It’s not like his mind tricks would have worked on you, although that seemed like the only logical explanation. But when he brought you your favorite breakfast this morning and asked to take the mysterious tinman and fake Yoda with you on your mission with his puppy eyes, you couldn’t disagree. Plus, you couldn’t deny that you might need some back-up, a Mandalorian bounty hunter at your side would be a great advantage. If, of course, he didn’t kill you first, given how much he hated your guts.

As you arrived at the door, you paused and sighed. There was no turning back anymore. With a quick swipe of the Force, you opened it and stepped inside. The Mandalorian was sitting cross-legged on the floor with the child laying across his lap. It was playing with a small silver ball, letting it hover in front of the warrior’s face. It was weirdly domestic, hardly what you would’ve expected of a Mandalorian. You had to admit that how deeply he cared for the little one proved of a somewhat decent character. And Luke hoped you could get along. He had asked you to try and smoothen things out with the stranger this morning, for everyone’s sake. Nonetheless, the idea of spending a good amount of time in space with him wasn’t too appealing.

He looked up at you, the frown almost visible despite his helmet. “Oh, don’t you give me that look, I know you despise me, but we’ll have to put up with each other for a while if you want your kid to become a Jedi,” you said as a way of greeting. He didn’t respond, so the conversation was up to you. “I assume they didn’t teach you much about humor back on Mandalore, huh?” you attempted to break the silence again. “Don’t you dare mention my home,” he growled. “Or what?”, you challenged him, not able to resist the provocation.

He put the foundling down, rose and took a few deliberate steps towards you until he was right in front of you. Maker, he was huge, towering you by maybe one foot. Then he slowly bent his visor down to you. “It – wouldn’t be wise”, he replied. “You know what’s unwise? Threatening a Jedi. If you believe your shiny armor could protect you from me, you’re terribly mistaken,” you retort with a snort, holding his stare. He moved his helmet up and down and you felt his eyes taking you in. Your heart began to beat a bit faster, but not out of fear. You were too horny for your own good as well.

“We’ll see about that”, he said after a while, slowly turned and went back to your new – Padawan? You had no idea what the child was to you. The obvious disrespect conveyed through him turning his back on you made you blaze up with rage. He sat back down and picked the green creature up again. Looking up at you, he added: “Why do you look so furious? I thought Jedi weren’t allowed to feel anger”. That comment didn’t help your aggression. “Why are you suddenly so big with words?” You knew your come-back was weak before you it even fully passed your lips, but he had hit your weak spot. And he seemed to know it. You bet he was looking pretty smug underneath his stupid helmet right now.

Before the situation could escalate any further, Luke entered. “I see you two have become friends already. How nice!” Luke joked, but he shot you a warning glance at the almost tangible animosity in the room. You shrugged, but felt a little ashamed. You should have been above these provocations.

“Are you ready to chase down some Imperial criminals?” Luke went on. “Always.” You grinned at him and the corners of his mouth quirked up slightly in response. The Mandalorian also got up once more. “Let’s go,” he said dryly and pushed past you to get out of the room. “See why I don’t get along with him?” you whispered to Luke. He just shook his head with a smile. You grinned back at him and the two of you followed the rude stranger to the ships.

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

“C’mon Luke, another shitty ship? You’d think we couldn’t afford any new ones!” you exclaim upon the sight of the wreckage in front of you. The ancient ship looked like it had seen far better days. Luke rolled his eyes, beyond dealing with your constant sarcasm. You were well aware that remaining inconspicuous was important for your missions, but you wouldn’t mind a little more luxury for once.

As you were still taking in the ship, R2-D2 rolled up to you. You turned to Luke with a confused expression. “You’ll need a droid on this mission, and I’d trust no one to be more competent than Artoo,” Luke said to you while patting R2. You furrowed your brows. “Luke–,” you began. “A droid won’t be necessary,” the Mandalorian interrupted. “We can handle this.” At that, you turned back to the man. “Are you scared of R2?” you mocked him. “And you’re wrong, we do need a droid to navigate and assist us on this mission.” The intruder sighed. “Fine.” To your surprise, he didn’t seem to be up for another fight with you.

You spun back to face Luke. “We cannot take Artoo with us, any other droid will do. I know what he means to you,” you uttered softly. Luke gave you a fond look. “And that’s why I trust you to take good care of him.” He put a hand on your shoulder. “You’re my best fighter and I want you take him with you. You might think it’ll be a burden to protect him, but he might just turn out to be the one to protect you. You know how often he saved my ass.” He smiled tentatively at the memories.

“All right, Luke. It’ll be an honor to have him accompany me – us.” You smiled at him and put your hand on his shoulder as well. Without a warning, he pulled you in for a hug. “Be careful,” he whispered into your ear. You were astonished at the sudden show of affection, he wasn’t usually that cordial before sending you off to missions. He let you go and you blushed slightly. In your peripheral you noticed a helmet facing you. “I always am,” you replied, but this time the sarcasm didn’t reach your voice. Luke didn’t say anything else; he only pressed a small device in your hand – most likely the map – and brushed your cheek with the back of his hand softly while shooting one last look at the Mandalorian behind you before departing. You looked after him in wonder, the blush probably visible on your face now. Keeping your head down, you walked past the Mandalorian and entered the ship without another word.

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

You welcomed the quiet of the cockpit, staring out into space for hours without hearing any sounds, completely lost in your thoughts. Why did Luke act so weirdly? Why did you have to crush on him of all people? It was not like you had developed any serious feelings for him, at least not yet. He was more of a friend you wanted to fuck sometimes, but you feared that if you gave into those desires, serious feelings would follow, which would jeopardize both your friendship to him and your moral code. You let out a long sigh and wondered if it was time to change your morals. Luke was right, why should it be illegal to love? But your past held you back, as it always did. It would have been downright treacherous to give in to your desires at this point.

Heavy footsteps pulled you out of your identity crisis as the Mandalorian entered the cockpit and sank down into the seat next to you. “What do you want?” you inquired sharply. You were so not in the mood to be taunted by him. He slowly turned his helmet towards you. “What’s with the foul attitude? Missing your boyfriend already?” he replied, his voice tinted with venom. Maker, he knew how to push your buttons. “Fuck you,” you answered, way beyond coming up with witty retorts. “Oh, I don’t think it’s me you want to fuck,” he said, and you could hear a grin in his voice. “Cut the crap. We’ll be here for a while, so why don’t we at least try to get along?” You swallowed your anger down and tried to reason with him. He stared at you for some time before he got up again and left. You wondered why you even made the effort; he was clearly a lost cause.

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

After enjoying a bit more solitude, you decided it was time to fulfill your duty. You promised Luke you’d try to train the green child and it’s not like there was anything else to do to pass the seemingly endless periods in space. You got up and stretched a little, the muscles in your back and shoulders being sore from sitting for too long. As you opened the door to leave the cockpit, your destination was already standing at your feet. “Hey, little guy,” you said, once more a little disheveled by his appearance and allowed him to waddle past you into the cockpit. After a few steps, he turned around and looked at you expectantly. You raised an eyebrow. “You sensed my intentions, huh?” you murmured quietly. Apparently, the Force was quite strong with him.

“I guess you coming to me means you are willing to let me instruct you?” You sensed his approval through the Force. Interesting, why would he have agreed to let you train him, but not Luke? Especially considering the fact that his dad hated you openly and most ardently.

“Great. Now, I don’t want to bore you, but let’s start with the basics,” you began. Grogu cocked his head to the side. “First of all, you need to be sure that you are willing to follow the Jedi Codex. It’s what allows us to use the Force without losing ourselves in it like those who turn to the Dark Side.” Through the Force, the little one showed you images of you and the Mandalorian fighting, a sneer on your face. “Grogu!” you exclaimed offendedly. “I see Luke has already told you all about our principles and all I can say in my defense is that nobody’s perfect and I’m working on it.”

His humor reached you and you couldn’t help smiling at him. His looks really were the only thing he had in common with your late Jedi Master. “You know what, I like you.” You thought you caught a wave of him returning your sentiments, but it was gone quickly. “But between us,” you gave him a conspiratorial grin, “your dad’s a total prick.” He didn’t seem to take any offense in this statement and rather appeared utterly amused.

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

You spent the following couple of hours connecting with Grogu through the Force and going over the basics of wielding such a power. You only stopped as hunger overcame you and your apprentice seemed to lose focus as well. “You did well today, Grogu,” you praised him. The little guy had somehow managed to waddle his way into your heart in the last few hours. “You deserve some rest.” You opened the door once more and spotted the Mandalorian standing next to it. Without a word, he picked Grogu up and left, probably to retire him to bed.

You yawned, feeling exhausted despite not having done much today and groggily searched for your food reserves. You came upon some toast and dried fruits, that’d have to do for now. You took your dinner back to your cot and settled in for a relaxed night, when a shadow suddenly blocked your vision.

Maker, how did he sneak up to you without you noticing? You must have been even more exhausted than you believed. “What?” you snapped at him, simply wanting to eat and sleep. “You wore him down way too much. You can’t wear him out like that, what were you thinking?” he snarked accusingly. The annoyance at his audacity filled you with energy again. “What are you thinking, questioning my methods of teaching like that. Do I need to remind you which one of us is the Jedi again?” You tried to stare at him with as much hate as you could muster. “Do I need to remind you that he is my child?” His modulated voice came out in huffs. “That attitude is exactly why it’s been so hard for Luke to train him.” You sunk back into your cot and laid down. You closed your eyes for a moment and when you reopened them, the shadow was gone.

Chapter 3

Masterlist

#din djarin/reader #Din kind of talking like an elderly Victorian gentleman #the mandalorian/reader #enemies to lovers #star wars #the mandalorian #fanfic

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onbanksofadragonriver · 3 years

Text

Varric x Merrill thoughts

This is a rarepair ship I’ve believed in ever since I saw this fabulous art a few years ago, and the fic “Perfume Shop” (in Russian) has been a major inspiration too. And then recently, @hollyand-writes got me to air my headcanons and to actually get down to writing for this ship, so here we are.

I’ll go by points, but it’s not my goal to somehow attempt to prove that this ship is or should be canon. They’re my headcanons: Don’t like, don’t ship. Also, I haven’t played DA2 in a few years, and have never played any of the DLCs, so feel free to take this with a grain of salt. All dialogue with no specifically indicated source is from the wiki.

Buckle in, this is long!

@geekalogian, @cartadwarfwithaheartofgold ♥

>> Amazing banter

All the companions get frustrated by Merrill’s silly questions, though I believe half of them are actually only asked as a joke. They try to explain it or avoid the question, or sigh about Merrill’s naivete. Fenris is downright hostile to her, and Anders tends to get preachy. Aveline treats her like a child sometimes. Isabela is protective and friendly, but sometimes she sounds a bit condescending and impatient with Merrill’s innocence.

But Varric, he gets her. He gets her silly jokes and just rolls with it, and their dialogues are a pleasure to listen to. It’s with Varric that her somewhat straight-faced, silly humour really shines, because he’s the only one to play along: about frolicking in the woods, and his resemblance to Hahren Paivel, and Bianca having a pretty name, or how his family is like fleas, or Darktown rats following the mage/templar mess, etc. He never brings up her naivete or makes her feel inadequate or as if she’s missed some context. And they’re both so relaxed around each other it’s like Varric has unlocked a whole new dimension to Merrill.

>> Protecting her freedom. The ball of twine and taking care of the gangs.

I’ve seen meta on how Varric paying off the thugs is him infantilizing Merrill, but he does this for Anders too. It’s his way of caring about people. And also, if you see Merrill’s reaction in case Hawke doesn’t let her have the arulin’holm, you’ll see that she’s perfectly capable of realising when people are coddling her, and letting them know — in no uncertain terms — when that kind of meddling is unwelcome. (see also: Varric and his product deliveries below)

I also like to think that half of the reason “nothing ever happens” when she wanders around at night is because Merrill is a badass mage perfectly capable of taking care of herself. One of her default starting spells is rock armour, and when Hawke meets her, she admits to having fought before, and having done so alone. She’s certainly capable or recognising the stupidity and danger Sister Petrice is walking in as she wanders around Lowtown, and that’s in broad daylight.

Also, I’m thinking Varric must have put that protection in place after news of some incidents reached his ears, because it’s not something he does by default to other party members who’re new to Kirkwall. So perhaps it is, or was necessary at some point. On the other hand, perhaps Merrill is totally taking care of herself, and the thugs are not even trying to attack her, they’re just enjoying ripping off Varric :P

I like to think that the Viscount’s gardens were an honest mistake and Merrill did cut down on wandering there after Varric’s comment.

The ball of twine is interesting. Her closest friends in the gang seem to be Hawke, Isabela and Varric, but only Varric actually gives her a tool enabling her to find her way around the confusing human city. I don’t know what others did. Did they expect Merrill to just stay in the Alienage if there was nobody to accompany her around the city? Or did they expect her to find her own way through trial and error? Varric gives her a weird, but apparently functional tool for navigating the city until she learns her own way.

And the common motif between ensuring safe streets, an access to gardens and the ball of twine, is how Varric is safeguarding Merrill’s freedom. She’s Dalish, used to living under open sky, travelling from place to place. She’s used to green, growing things and wandering about as she pleases. And she’s used to doing magic freely and in ways that she herself believes appropriate. Now she’s stuck in a barely hospitable alienage of a city with a strong templar and slaver presence, and Varric doesn’t have the heart to scold her and limit her freedom even more.

Considering Varric is part of the ascendant group in Merchant Guild, who believe in leaving behind Orzammar’s strict caste system and traditions and embracing surface life instead, looks like Merrill’s freedom speaks to something deep in Varric’s own beliefs and values, nonchalant as he seems.

>> Trying to take care of her. Delivering produce.

This gives me feels. First, Varric noticed that something was off. Maybe he missed her showing up at the Hanged Man, maybe he went to visit her. Either way, he noticed that she wasn’t going out, not even to the market. It’s funny to imagine Varric standing in the market scratching his head about what actually goes into food preparation, but more probably he initially just threw some money at the problem, sending someone shopping for her. And then he checked up and saw she’s still not going out. And then he tries to talk her into going for a walk, to get fresh air.

And again this is something I’ve read as coddling and infantilizing, but — when Merrill is clearly not in a mood for teasing, she rebukes him politely: “I’m not a plant, Varric.” She’s not harsh as in case with Hawke and arulin’holm. When Varric leaves, she admits: “Varric is... very sweet. Frequently infuriating and a terrible busybody, but sweet.”

Which at first read as... Merrill not reciprocating Varric’s feelings for her? But on a second thought: what if Merrill is the oblivious one? Not only to Varric’s caring but about her own feelings for him? What if she never considered Varric romantically because she always thought she’d end up with a Dalish partner, and then she becomes friends with Hawke and starts opening up to the idea that what if she takes a human lover? And falling in love with a dwarf has not even crossed her mind yet? (Look lower, queen.)

Because when Merrill cares, she helps people: waters their plants or repairs ancient artifacts. Part of her potentially falling in love with Hawke is due to how they help her, how they have her back. Varric and Merrill have the same love language. I choose to think of it as a mystery, why Merrill is not canonically head over heels for Varric. Maybe she’s so used to his confident, handsome self boasting about all the female attention he gets that she thinks she’s out of his league and has friendzoned herself :P

Additionally, I believe “sweet” and “infuriating” is something that the gang could equally attribute to Merrill herself. Pot calling kettle black? :D

>> Opinions on magic

Varric largely doesn’t have an opinion on Merrill being a mage, a blood mage, or whatever. He’s not afraid, because he has other, more pressing concerns, like Merchant’s Guild breathing down his neck and sending assassins, and when he does mention Merrill’s blood magic being “evil” it sounds like a rehearsed thing that might cause him headache due to other people getting their knickers in a twist over it.

He does acknowledge he’s distrustful of letting “dangerous people run amok” if Hawke sides with the mages in the end of DA2, but apparently he trusts Merrill enough that she knows what she’s doing and leaves it at that. He’s just sick of the whole mage/templar drama.

>> Mutual interest in what they do.

Merrill is interested in what he does for a living, while he tries to keep her out of trouble that would come from her knowing too much. And Varric is pondering why Eluvian is a mirror, and not some other piece of furniture. Not judging each other, just — curious. Showing they are in each other’s thoughts. And I won’t go into details here, because @hollyand-writes has, like, ALL the receipts where Varric thinks about Merrill in DAI, but he does — a lot :) He knows her interest in history and lore, knows that news of ancient elves keeping slaves would upset her, knows she would have liked to see the Dales. He seems to be missing her a lot...

>> Priority.

LOOK at the sequence he mentions his friends in, Merrill is No.1, while Hawke is almost an afterthought :D

Merrill: How do you do it, living in the city without picking a side? Doesn't it matter to you? Varric: Of course it does. That's why I don't take sides. Merrill: That doesn't make any sense. Varric: I've got you and Aveline, Fenris and Anders. Hawke. Isabela. I've got friends in the Circle and drinking buddies in the templars. All of them matter.

And who’s the first person that comes to Merrill’s mind when Hawke calls her pretty? Varric! :D [X]

>> Comfort in storytelling.

Yeah, Merrill says somewhere later that she wouldn’t have made a good Keeper because she’s not good with people, but she did receive all the requisite education. She studied lore and elven legends and history, as much as is left of it anyway, and I believe that storytelling, thriving on stories, is something that she and Varric both have in common.

Maybe she’s too shy to tell her own stories, but she’s definitely enjoying Varric’s and looking for consolation in his stories when things get rough.

Merrill: Varric, how does the story end? Varric: Which story, Daisy? Merrill: The big one. With us and Hawke, the mages and templars. Everything. Varric: You want to know before it happens? You're not worried about spoiling the surprise? Merrill: I might not see it end. Varric: You have to stick with us if you want to find out how it turns out, Daisy.

Merrill: Tell me a story, Varric. Varric: Right now? I don't think we have time, Daisy. Merrill: Maybe a very short story, then? Please? Varric: Fine. "When the cards turned, he lost." Merrill: Oh. Did it have to be so sad?

Merrill: (passing the Hanged Man): "Do you think there's time for Varric to tell us a story while we're here?"

Merrill: I hope we win. Varric will make it a good story, I'm sure.

>> Conclusions & Future

The thing that gets me the most is how good and kind they are to each other. It’s in their teasing, their jokes, the way Varric takes care of Merrill. I love Merrill’s confidence in Varric’s storytelling talent, and I like to think Varric finds Merrill’s confident tinkering with the mirror at least a little bit hot, even if he doesn’t understand magic (Bianca is/was a brilliant engineer, and I think Varric has a bit of a competence kink :D)

I also enjoy thinking of them both as slightly out of touch with emotions: Varric ignoring his own, and Merrill oblivious to his. I like to think of what happens when Merrill realises Varric loves her: because she’s open and honest in her affections, and it would be awesome to see Varric taken by that storm. To see him openly fall for someone so different, at a first glance, but also familiar: a knowledgeable storyteller, confident in her abilities, believing in free will and freedom.

I see them moving on together: Merrill learning to let go of the disappointment that is the unfinished eluvian, and Varric learning to let go of his lingering feelings for Bianca. Yes, the past is important for Merrill, while Varric wants to live in the moment, but the point of knowing the past, for Merrill, is to be able to move forward, and Varric certainly knows his family’s past, so I don’t see any disagreements there. If anything, Varric’s resources and connections can help Merrill get her hands on more artefacts and ancient tomes, letting her continue on her path in some other way.

It’s interesting to imagine their life together. After DAI, Varric pours his own funds into various infrastructure projects until he ends up the Viscount of Kirkwall, and Merrill is in Kirkwall too, helping the city elves. Somehow, it feels logical that at least some of those projects would be new elf housing and improvements to the alienage.

Would they get married? Probably, because I think it would be important to Merrill, and also probably because it might be a better way to protect her, a rumoured/known blood mage, from the Chantry than if she was just the Viscount’s mistress. On the other hand, knowing Varric and his cousin Elmand, and his spy network, and his tendency to successfully evade the Merchant Guild messengers [X], it’s equally possible he’d whip up a completely fake story about how his beloved Merrill is a hatter, and leave it at that. Probably he couldn’t even be found in the Keep, instead preferring to hide out in the Hanged Man or in his wife’s house in the alienage :D

Because, in the end, I think they both enjoy doing their respective Things very much, whether it’s helping elves or writing books, and they let each other do it selflessly, even if maybe it means they can’t live together. (Because can you imagine a Viscomtesse Merrill having to host a ball? Dealing with Hightown nobles? No, I don’t think Varric would ever ask such a sacrifice of her.) But they live close, and help and support each other, and, in short, I think they’d be awesome :)

#dragon age #dragon age meta #varric x merrill #merrill #varric #this is my tiny OTP #feel free to add your own headcanons #ship and let ship!

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loveafterthefact · 4 years

Text

Love After the Fact Chapter 4: Empty Union

Lance and Keith marry, and endure what every couple endures: gossip.

First Previous Next

Lance hears Keith's footsteps falter, hears a tiny chirp as they reach the doors to the throne room. He grits his teeth and pretends he didn't. There's nothing he can do right now except bear the brunt of the work.

The procession enters the throne room, Lance allowing his gossamer cloak to drag the floor behind him. His gold decorations chime in time with his steps. He recognizes a few of his previous paramours among the throng. Poor things. They’ll surely miss him.

Lance has plans.

Lance is the last to ascend the dais, glancing to his sister as she takes her former place next to Coran. Lance sits carefully in his throne, hands dangling from the arms of his chair. His father reaches out to his quintessence, disapproving, and Lance’s gloved hands find their way into his lap, clasped just so. King Alfor draws away.

The doors open again, Emperor Zarkon and Empress Honerva leading the procession in, Prince Lotor following, then Keith, just behind.

The kit looks terrified, but also like he’s trying to look impassive. Lance’s insides clench with guilt. His eyes find a predesignated corner, to where Hunk and Pidge stand. The only people beside his family that Lance actually wanted here. Hunk is smiling, offering a thumbs up. Pidge waves, even as their eyes keep sliding to Keith’s smallish form.

Lance wonders fleetingly if Keith might like them. Hunk, certainly, since the Balmeran will keep him from starving to death. Everyone loves Hunk, anyway. Perhaps he’ll like Pidge, too. The Olkari can be loud and overzealous, but they can be understanding, too. Something Keith might appreciate. Lance makes a note to introduce them to each other as soon as possible...

The royal family of Daibazaal stands to one side of the aisle. Keith kneels before the dais, Shiro’s hand upon his right shoulder.

“Speak, Lord Yurak of House Kogane of Daibazaal,” Alfor murmurs, quiet voice booming through the room. Alfor commands a room just by being in it.

Keith opens his mouth. The entire congregation must hear that shuddering, composing breath. It rings in Lance’s ears.

“I, Lord Yorak of House Kogane of Daibazaal, do hereby swear fealty to the Planet Altea and the presiding Crown. I give my life to the people, my essence to the earth, and my heart to the one who would take it.”

“Speak, Crown Prince Lancel of Altea.” Alfor leans back almost imperceptibly, all the cue Lance needs. Lance stands, slow and trembling. He steps forward, stopping at the edge of the dais, standing right in front of Keith. Allura stands just behind him, hand on his right shoulder.

“I, Crown Prince Lancel of Altea, do hereby accept your oath of fealty to Planet Altea and the presiding Crown. I accept your life, and will keep it well. I accept your essence, and will hold it dear. I accept your heart, and will treasure it always. I, in turn, offer you my life, essence, and heart for your own, to keep, hold dear, and treasure.”

“I accept your generous offer, as you have accepted mine.” Keith sounds like he would rather be anywhere else. He sounds tired.

“Your oaths are heard, understood, and approved, and hereby you are wed,” Alfor declares.

Allura’s hand slips away as she retakes her place. Lance removes his gloves and holds out a hand. Keith takes it, ascending the dais and entering the Altean royal family. Lance turns to Adam, who holds a small pillow bearing a circlet. He lays his gloves next to the piece.

Their hands are now bare to one another, and therefore, so are their hearts. There is no longer anything to separate them.

There is everything to separate them.

Lance gently lifts the circlet, settling it on top of Keith’s head, where it just barely brushes against his ears where it sits between them. They twitch and rotate, adjusting to the gentle touch. It’s kind of adorable.

Lance simply sighs in relief: it fits. Pidge had nearly throttled him when he’d asked them to modify it. Then they’d conceded that they should have thought about Galra ears in the first place.

“Behold Crown Prince Lancel and Prince Yorak of Altea!” Alfor booms. The crowd cheers, more excited for the banquet than for the marriage of their Crown Prince to some smallish Galra nobody.

Lance does his duty and pulls Keith close, one hand at the small of his back, another softly cradling Keith’s face. He presses their lips together as gently and sweetly as he can. Keith responds, his attempt inept, obviously inexperienced.

It would be sweet, if not for the reasons. Instead of dwelling on that, Lance pulls back, rubbing their noses together sweetly. Putting on a show. He draws the pliant Galra into a gentle embrace. That tail wraps around Lance's ankle.

Leaning his head to the side, Lance whispers in Keith’s ear, “Do you remember what I told you in the drawing room?” The Galra nods, muscles shifting beneath Lance’s hands. “The court is a den of lions. Bear with it, and I will get you away as soon as I can, I promise.”

Keith draws back, meets his gaze, but says nothing. Lance isn’t troubled. After all, he’d told the newly-appointed prince to trust no one.

Instead, Lance pulls him in for another kiss, this one more affirming. The courtiers coo and babble. The illusion is working.

...Somewhat.

Keith understands what Lance kept going on about roughly five doboshes into the dinner. The underhanded compliments. The kind that make Keith seethe like nothing else.

“He’s almost cute. For a Galra.”

“Oh, by the Ancients! He has a tail! Oh well. There are worse things, I suppose.”

“It’s actually quite fortunate that he’s small, when you think about it... Not-not that I’m thinking about it dear!”

“He seems gentler than most of his kind.”

“It’s best that he’s the quiet sort. Don’t want those fangs scaring away common folk.”

“He seems surprisingly well-adapted to civilized society.”

“I understand he’s intersex. Freaky, but I suppose it’s for the best. We do need an heir after all. Hopefully they’ll put him away somewhere during, though. I don’t want to see that.”

“He seems very young if you ask me. Almost too young. Though the Crown Prince is probably into that, if we’re being honest.”

Keith stares down at the weird Altean food. It all tastes ‘sweet’, or so he’s been told. He can’t taste ‘sweet.’ Has no concept of it. Instead, everything tastes like what he imagines hatred would taste like: tiny hints and aftertastes that leave him nauseous. He can’t eat.

Lance’s hand reaches down to where his own are clasped tightly in his lap and gently squeezes them. Keith flinches, forgetting his place for a moment, and the warm hand slips away.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Lance chatting seemingly untroubled with some courtier who’s commenting on how the Altean garb “almost seems to suit the little creature.”

“He was trying to reassure you,” Shiro murmurs in his ear, switching to their native tongue in case anyone overhears.

“Of what?” Keith whispered back. “That he likes kits?”

“I doubt it. He was all but scolding Emperor Zarkon this morning. I was listening by the door.” Keith feels a little better at that. Perhaps Lance will be gentle with him, if nothing else.

Never trust an Altean.

Lance is an enemy in an exceptionally pleasing guise. His ears are adorned with piercings and clasps, tiny gold chains strung between them. His bottom lip is painted gold, his upper in blue. His eyes are lined with blue and gold kohl. His bright blue scales glitter in the light. Even his fingernails are blue and gold. Death in a luxurious vessel.

His smile is pretty too, especially when it reaches his eyes. The only people he seems keen to smile at are his sister and Prince Lotor, though he does try for his fathers. And for Keith.

The prince is definitely trying to smile for him. He never looks happy, though. Keith imagines Lance is disappointed. No doubt he would rather have an Altean sitting beside him.

“It doesn’t matter anyway. He’s still going to-” Keith breaks off, scared. His mating instincts, his drive haven’t even kicked in yet. As he is, his instincts are to run, or, if cornered, to lash out. Like any kit. Shiro gives him another pained look, ears down and to the side in a show of distress. Keith takes a deep breath, pushing down his fear, getting control of himself again. He cannot seem weak before these people.

“Well it’s good that he’s so young. He can still be civilized,” a booming Altean voice rings out. Keith stiffens, on the verge of losing his temper, when Lance raises his voice.

“The next person who says a single word against my spouse or our guests will be removed from court. I’ve had enough.” Silence rings out. Lance sips casually from his chalice, not visibly troubled. “Prince Yorak has married into a society that has spent centuries perfecting the art of killing his species. He is extremely brave, and for that and more, he means the world to me. I won’t tolerate another word. Especially from you, Lord Lanval. You’re drunk. Go home.”

Lance rises from his seat in one fluid motion, offers Keith a bangled hand. Keith stares at it, a confusing mix of fear and gratitude making him slow. But anything’s better than being here. He takes the prince’s hand.

The prince turns to his parents, bows.

“Forgive me. I did not mean to cause such a scene. But we are tired, and shall take our leave.” Alfor nods, looking tired as well. Coran’s eyes seem to smile a little. As they head out, Lance puts a hand on Shiro’s shoulder, leaning down to his ear as the conversation begins to pick backup again, loud and lewd as they make their exit. “When you get to your room, Adam will bring you something else to eat. Don’t force yourself,” he whispers. Shiro has never looked so grateful.

The emperor isn’t eating either. Keith assumes something has been prepared for him as well.

He follows the prince out of the dining hall, comments and bawdy jokes hooted after them. Lance sighs, managing a small smile for him. "Come on. Let's get out of here so I can take this paint off my face. It's been driving me crazy all day. And you can take off that stiff vest. I'm sure you hate it."

"I do," Keith admitted. "I really, really do."

"Quiznak, me too. Let's get out of here. There should be some food waiting for you when we get there."

Keith smiles a small, genuine smile as the prince tugs him along down a series of hallways. It's only the second time that Crown Prince Lancel has seemed like a real person as opposed to some particularly well-groomed pet.

Keith likes this person.

#LoveAftertheFact #LAtF #klance #galtean au #altean lance #galra keith #adashi #altean adam #galra shiro #voltron legendary defender #vld

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mysticalmusicwhispers · 4 years

Note

if it’s not too much to ask... india/china hcs pls? i know u ship it so i’d love to hear what ur opinions are!!

Thank you for asking friend!! It’s never a bother :)

Length Warning: Very, Very Long, A Lot Of Rambling

Preface: I honestly don’t know much in-depth stuff about India-China history (all the “history ramblings” is based on my previous knowledge + Wiki), so I don’t have a lot of grounding in what their relationship is like. Also, when writing their history I realized I still see them as a brotp (so the first part isn’t very shippy) but there are romantic ship headcanons at the end. See this cool post for other hcs!

+++

HISTORY RAMBLINGS

- I guess in Ancient Times, I see them having a friendly trading partner vibe; my personal hc of Ancient China is of someone who builds friendships for convenience, and then starts getting attached with time, so I think this is how his attitude was at first. He and India probably had some vague contact through diplomats and travellers who brought back tales to their own country, and then once trading and influence and religious imports (ex. Buddhism) really kicked off, they started actually interacting with each other (as people, not nations) and over time, that just kicked off into being closer and closer friends until they were basically lovers.

- In Hetalia canon China goes along with Zheng He (Ming Dynasty, early 1400s) on his voyages around the world (the episode with a giraffe), and historically they did make stops at India, where they traded and visited Buddhist temples and stuff; this would be fun to examine in terms of Indchu. I’m sure they had more opportunities to visit each other in person (in contrast to Romechu, the true long-distance relationship) but I’d like to see them just checking in on each other, talking about the news of the day and stuff! Talking about trade and the places they’ve seen; Yao rambling on and on about where he’s headed next, India interjecting time to time about things he’s heard about places far away from them. A moment of peace where they’re just super comfortable and relaxed with each other would be amazing

- Ok fast forward a bit to the 1850s-60s: Qing Dynasty is resting in pieces, the Opium Wars have thoroughly beaten China, the government is unstable from the Boxer Rebellion and there’s a bunch of hate at the ruling people, stuff happens. India has been taken by Britain and it’s Not Fun; these two old men are down in the dumps and being bitter together. I don’t think they’re “dating” or whatever rn because there’s just too much on both of their plates, but they are still close friends and still mutually hate England together. I can see them having tense arguments with each other out of pure stress, complaining about who has it worse: India, who has been made into a colony! *gasp* “My pride has been killed, Yao!” and China, who is basically a colony to 5 nations all at once and also reeling from losing HK to Britain. They know exactly how to hurt each other by this point, but they also know they don’t really mean it, and things usually blow over after they’re in their right minds again.

****Also, Indian sepoys were used by Britain to fight China, and Indian opium was shipped to China as well; I think that might have been a sticking point for a while, but I think Yao would’ve slowly accepted that India was not the one making decisions in the end.

- The World Wars: India is in the Gallipoli campaign, conscripted by Britain, China is fighting on the side of the British and French but does not gain a single thing from winning, and has also lost the First Sino-Japanese War (I think Hetalia canon says China got his scar from there). Then Japan invades China, and he and India are fighting together in WWII against China’s estranged sibling/brother/vague relation. Both are beaten to the core, still bitter, but they keep reminding each other that they will just have to weather the storm and wait for their moment. This too shall pass. Same mood as the beginning of imperialism, but more tired and more done.

- After India’s Independence and China’s Government Overhaul: 1950s: India was one of the first non-Communist countries to recognize the PRC instead of the old ROC, but I think they started distancing from each other a little while after? There were territorial disputes with Nepal and I think both countries’ governments might have told them to cut it out and be less friendly with each other because they had rather clashing agendas

- Things seem to be relaxing just a bit, but then the Sino-Indian border dispute (1962) happens, and then there are other clashes near the border, and they don’t know if they can trust each other. Additionally, there’s the Sino-Soviet split, and India is getting help from the Soviets, and it makes things more complicated between them. The relationship is on shaky ground right now, and if they meet in person, both are putting on an impersonal facade. Not very friendly. I think they’re still cooling off until at least the late 1970s, when China’s economic reform happens.

- Skipping to Modern Day: they are cool again and are close friends again. However, they know their countries are competing in population, economy, world status/power, but they’re still friends. They know it might end badly, but I think they’ve learned to roll with the good times and savor it; their pride and hearts have been stomped on already so they don’t care anymore and take risks even if they might come out feeling a bit broken. They are buddies, and they might be dating, and they don’t really care about the boundary between friends and lovers. They are comfortable with each other.

- This article, published in 2007 by Harvard Business Review, presents an interesting take on China and India’s relationship, and in particular, their economies: it says that although people think they’re destined to be rivals because of their competing business sectors, they have developed complementary strengths and it’d be foolish not to work together. I think that could somewhat summarize Indchu’s relationship with each other in the hetaliaverse; they complement each other, and even if they might become competitors, it won’t affect their friendship/relationship because they just fit together. They click; it’s not forced friendship or whatever, they just integrate into each other so well (it’s almost like they’re meant to be together).

- There are border skirmishes (ex. the incident in June 2020), but I’m not really sure how that would factor into their relationship? Maybe they’ve gotten over it and they both know the other personification doesn’t like the fighting, and that their government’s opinions come first? Or maybe it’s still unresolved between them, because India has known Yao for a long time and knows what he’s capable of, and Yao knows what a potent force India can be when he wants? Idk. I think the idea of unresolved tension is more accurate, but I also like this ship because it’s soft and /mostly/ pure in modern day and I sometimes really want to ignore historical accuracy

ONTO THE GENERAL SHIP HEADCANONS!

- They argue with each other a lot, basically like an old married couple; their jibes at each other don’t mean anything though. China insists it’s so their wits stay sharp.

- Also they have debates over various academic topics; it��s basically their fun hobby by now. They’re both intellectually matched and read rather voraciously, so it’s a fun challenge (and keeps their wits sharp)

- I mentioned it before but it’s worth bringing up again: they know exactly how to hurt each other with their words; they just don’t get into bad fights often so they don’t need to cut each other to pieces.

- China is the less sentimental one, but they’re both really good at picking out tasteful, meaningful gifts for each other. “Experiences over material items/gifts” doesn’t really appeal to either of them; they’d much rather stay home being cozy than “gifting” each other a week in the Caribbeans or something.

- T e a l e a v e s (No Teabags unless Strictly Necessary). No coffee, sugar, cream, or milk. Sometimes India jokes about switching over to coffee or drinking tea the British way, and Yao just goes “You’re canceled”, dead seriously.

- They wear each other’s traditional clothing sometimes. Occasionally Yao asks India to wear a hanfu instead of a changshan (men’s equivalent of qipao) because he thinks it’s more traditional (qipao was invented in the 1920s). India has managed to stuff Yao into a qipao at least three times, and has pictures to prove it.

- India likes running his fingers through China’s hair (he says it’s really soft, a comment that makes Yao scoff every time) and he sorta hates his ponytail for that reason alone. Yao knows this, and he tries to make up for it by letting it down more on weekends, when he doesn’t have to look presentable (also India insists Yao looks presentable all the time, another comment that always earns a scoff).

- They teach each other their own dishes. China has been getting in the habit of substituting beef and pork for other things, mainly tofu/chicken/shiitake mushrooms

- They take walks together in the evenings after dinner when they’re in the same place. As long as it’s still light out and the weather’s not too bad, they will do it every day (even if it’s raining, they might just bring an umbrella).

- Their way of showing affection is a) with gifts and b) just talking to each other about anything. It’s their way of winding down for the day and being comfortable with each other; they have long talks about random, silly little things that happened, perhaps a funny (or stupid) meme/joke their siblings sent, or dumb stuff that happened with their boss at a meeting.

- I think they’d call each other nicknames in private. It wouldn’t be something too “sickly sweet” I guess, but something to show they care. They use nicknames sparingly as well, so it doesn’t lose meaning through overuse. (I personally hate nicknames so I’m not giving out any suggestions here, but I think Yao would use something like “亲爱的” for India, basically means “dear/beloved”. Not too flashy or sweet, but still affectionate.)

- China gifts houseplants to India’s apartment/house because he knows India likes them (I think he’s a green thumb). China doesn’t really bother with decorative plants; he prefers to grow spring onions and other low maintenance shit that he can use in his cooking lol he’s all about the practicality

- During ancient times, they had lengthy, invigorating discussions about mathematics, either through letters or in person.

- They aren't really affectionate in public; PDA is limited to hand holding and occasionally a kiss on the cheek. Neither China nor India are the type to “show off” their relationship or their partner.

- Adding onto that, they don’t really announce their relationship to everybody but if you ask them, they’ll tell you. Basically you have to be the one to notice something’s up; they just don’t think it's necessary to share every little bit of information about their lives with people. They're the “secretly married” couple trope; signs of affection are rather subtle but still noticeable because they don’t act that way to other people.

- China forced India to get a Wechat so he can send India 10¥ red packets every week just because he has the app

- Not really a ship headcanon, but these two would throw the best parties??? Like if you want a party that’s really loud and noisy and fun, ask them. They may be old and “not fun” or whatever but they know how to organize large scale events effectively and how to achieve the correct atmosphere, and despite all Yao’s siblings’ trash talk, they usually pull off very stylish, sleek functions/events. Maybe it’s a little tacky here and there but it’s barely noticeable, and everyone is just. Awed.

Yeet that’s it; thank you for reading! This got really long, and I feel like a lot of the headcanons were rather platonic, but yeah! Hope you like it!

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nickysurfer28 · 4 years

Text

Summary: Chris betrayed you..didn’t he? Nicky is determined to find out the truth. But can you handle the secrets of his past?

Word count: over 1-2k count

Warning ⚠️: 18+ adults only. No smut in this chapter. Dream sequence’s , paranormal. Mentioning of vampirism,etc.

Characters: Dr.Nicky Ransom x Chris Evans, Denise Ames (cousin to Nicky), Adrian (evil identical twin to Chris), Viscount Cloverdale (stepfather), Elizabeth (mother), Clare (Nicky’s dead sister)

Chapter 12:

A portrait of Chris stares up at you from the final page of Clare’s sketchbook.

“Oh no...”

Scrawled beneath it, confirming you’re worst suspicions, is a name: Adrian.

“What...what is Chris doing in my sister’s drawing? Unless.. Oh,God. Her boyfriend. The one who ruined her, the one who left her to take her own life.”

Nicky remember it as she see’s the name scrawled there.

“Clare’s love..his name was Adrian.”

It’s hard to breathe,and you don’t. Know what to do.

“Chris was...Chris was the one who killed my sister! He was her boyfriend.” That lying bastard! I’m so...pissed! How dare he? Is this some kind of sick game to him? The fucking nerve!”

Belatedly, another realization hits Nicky.

“Wait...Clare drew this 15 years ago, but this is exactly what Chris looks like today. But that’s impossible! Someone who looked his age 15 years ago would be middle-aged now, unless....unless he doesn’t age.”

Bile rises in her throat. She remembers The Nightmare. She remembers the vampires of her nightmares. She remembers the book she saw when she first entered Chris’s home. The word she saw.

“Incubus..”

“Fuck!” Nicky yelled.

A blur of seething, white-hot rage delivers her to Chris’s house just as sawn breaks.

She storm’s in, not sure what she intends to do- or even could do- but too furious to think that far ahead.

“Where the hell is he?”

She checks room to room, finally finding him sitting in a dimly lit room. He looks up as she enters, an expression of mild surprise on his face.

“Nicky?” Chris answered.

“This fucking guy.”

“It was you. All along, it was you.” Nicky yelled. “I can’t believe I trusted you!”

“Nicky, I don’t know what you’re-“ Chris answered confused.

“Save it, Chris!” Nicky yelled. “I know you were the one who killed Clare. God, you’re the one who took Denise, too, aren’t you? And then you made this big show of helping me find her so you could...what? What was your endgame?”

“Nicky, what are you talking about?” Chris answered in shock.

“Was this all some kind of twisted joke to you?” Nicky yelled. “Am I a joke to you?”

Chris rises from the floor. Nicky steps away as he moves closer.

“Nicky-“ Chris answered.

“Don’t. Every word out of your mouth has been a lie, and I won’t take it anymore, Chris! Or should I call you Adrian?” Nicky yelled.

Chris reels back as if you’d slapped him.

“Adrian?” Chris answered with surprise.

“That’s the name you used with Clare, isn’t it? My dead sister, who you recognized the second I showed you her picture?” Nicky yelled.

“Nicky,no. You have to believe-“ Chris answered still in shock.

“Do I? Maybe you’d like to explain this, then.” Nicky replied in angry.

Nicky thrust the sketch in his face. He takes it from her with wide eyes and trembling hands.

“No...oh, no....”Chris answered with sadness.

“Go on, then. Explain. I fucking dare you.” Nicky yelled. “And while you’re at it, maybe you’d care to explain...why you haven’t aged in 15 years. It’s because you don’t, do you? Because what you told me in my dream last night was true, wasn’t it? You’re not human.”

Chris blanches.

“What the hell are you?” Nicky answered.

He closes his eyes, his shoulders drooping as he lets out a heavy sigh. His eyes, when he reopens them, look exhausted.

“You..don’t have the details quite right, I’m afraid.” Chris sadly answered. “I never met Clare, and I didn’t visit your dreams last night.”

He lifts those tired eyes to meet her own.

“But I know who did. And no, we’re not human.” Chris sadly answered.

“We”? Nicky answered in shock.

Chris laughs humorlessly.

“Yes, Nicky. You guessed it before, didn’t you?” Chris answered. “As a matter of fact, I do have an identical twin.”

“He looks sincere, but he always does. I should... hear him out.”

“You have exactly one minute. Talk. Now.” Nicky answered angrily.

Chris visibly relaxes.

“Thank you, Nicky.” Chris answered warmly.

“Explain,Chris.” Nicky angrily answers.

He takes his fingers through his hair, looking agitated.

“Right. Right....” Chris replied.

He crosses to the antique armoire and returns with a sepia-toned photo.

“And this is?”Nicky replied.

“Proof.” Chris answered.

He hands her the photo,and she gasps.

“That’s me. And that’s my brother, Adrian.” Chris replied. “The picture was shortly before I saw him last. Over 120 years ago.”

She staggers backwards.

“No....” Nicky answered in shock.

“Nicky, I didn’t mean for you to find out like this.” Chris answered sadly.

“Did you mean for me to find out at all?”Nicky replied in shock. “When we’re you planning to tell me..that you’re not human? Didn’t you think that was information I could have used?”

“And I’d have dropped that into the conversation how, exactly? “By the way, I’m an immortal being?” Chris replied. “In what universe would you have believed me?”

He has her there. Her fury deflates, leaving a deep weariness in its wake.

“You’re right. I wouldn’t have believed you in a million years.” Nicky answered. “So, what are you, then, if not human?”

“That’s...a very good question.” Chris sadly replied.

He indicates for her to follow, and leads her into a library.

“Oh my God, are you going to show me..an ancient genealogical tome?” Nicky replied in shock. “Does it follow your bloodline for thousands of years?”

Chris raises an eyebrow. The he laughs.

“No. I just needed a drink.” Chris answered with a smile.

He pours himself a generous serving of brandy, then raises the bottle toward you.

“I... could definitely use a drink about now. It’s not every day you find out that...what,vampires are a thing?” Nicky replied.

“I’m not a vampire.” Chris answered.

He hands her a glass.

“Well...not exactly, anyway. I suppose vampirism is a decent analogy.” Chris replied.

He stands and walks to a bookshelf, taking out a familiar book.

“This best describes us.” Chris answered.

It was the same page that she saw when she first came to Chris’s home. Incubus: An immortal demon that feeds off the energy of sleeping women.

“It isn’t blood that sustains is, but energy.” Chris answers.

He frowns, tapping his fingers against his glass.

“You aren’t sleeping,but this...might work best if I show you. Give me your hand?” Chris replied. “It won’t hurt, I promise.”

Hesitantly, she places her hand in his. An odd, smoothing warmth comes over her, as though she’s been submerged in a hot bath.

“Oh!” Nicky replied.

He releases her hand.

“We can feed harmlessly, you see, by skimming off just what we need to survive.” Chris answered. “Adrian... was never overly concerned with that, though.”

“He takes too much.” Nicky answered.

Chris nods.

“And that’s what he did too...Clare? That’s why she was too broken to go on living?” Nicky replied.

“I’m afraid so,yes.” Chris answered sadly. “Once a human’s life force is depleted... there’s nothing to be done for them.”

She collapse into a chair, her mind reeling.

“I don’t...I’m so...” Nicky sadly answered.

Chris kneels before her, pulling her into a hug.

“I’m sorry, Nicky . I’m so sorry.” Chris sadly replied.

His arms are strong and warm, and she feels a small tremor in his muscles.

“You have to believe me when I say I never wanted to hurt you.” Chris replied.

He takes a long , shuddering breath.

“Does he really mean that?”

She falls into his arms, burying her face in his neck. He strokes her hair.

“I’m sorry, Nicky, I know this is...a lot to take in.” Chris answered. “And I know you must feel-“

“Like you’ve been lying to me since the moment we met? “ Nicky replied.

Chris sighs, his breath rustling through her hair.

“Yes. And I’m sorry about that, too.” Chris sadly replied. “But surely you can understand why I did.”

Slowly, she nods.

“You had no real choice in the matter. I know that.” Nicky answered. “But I still feel like I’m looking at a complete stranger.”

Chris flinches.

“Yes. I suppose you would.” Chris sadly answered. “Let me...explain from the beginning.”

He looks deeply into her eyes,and her kids grow heavy.

“Wh-what are you...?” Nicky replied confusingly.

“A change of venue, that’s all. Sleep.” Chris answered softly.

-somewhat dream sequence or vision-

She closes her eyes... and reopen them in a library nearly identical to the one she was just sitting in.

“Welcome,Nicky, to Cloverdale Hall. My childhood home.” Chris answered.

Chris sweeps back the curtains,and she gasps.

“Whoa...” Nicky replied in shock.

She gapes out the window at the sprawling green countryside.

“This is...incredible!” Nicky answered in awe. “We’re in your dream right now?”

“No. We’re in yours.” Chris replied. “My kind aren’t capable of dreaming. Of sleep at all, in fact. We can merely shape the dreams of humans. Somewhat imperfectly, I might add.”

He pulls a book off nearby shelf, flipping through the pages unintelligible print to demonstrate.

“But if this is my dream, then....” Nicky answered.

She takes the book from him and focus her mind.

“I want to...change it.”

The heavy leather-bound volume shifts into a modern paperback in her hands.

“Awesome!” Nicky replied smiling.

She glances down at the dress Chris put her in.

“And I think I’d rather wear something...normal.”

Her gown dissolves into a tailored blouse and pants. Chris frowns at the mundane modern attire.

“Really? With no limit but your own imagination, this is what you chose?” Chris answered.

“Business casual is my comfort zone.” Nicky answered blushing.

Chris’s smile turns wistful.

“Well. Come with me, then.” Chris replied.

Chris provides a brief historical background of Cloverdale Hall as he leads her down a dim hall...and up to a second hallway that seems to stretch on indefinitely.

“This is...spooky. Couldn’t he have chosen to deliver exposition somewhere less creepy? Wait...what’s that sounds?”

The cry sounds as Chris opens the first door, releasing an elegantly appointed bedroom. A beautiful woman lies in the enormous bed, her golden hair lank with sweat as she grits her teeth through a contraction.

“My mother, Elizabeth.” Chris replied.

“Oh...” Elizabeth answered.

A kind-looking man sits beside Elizabeth, holding her hand as the midwife mops a damp cloth over her forehead.

“Elizabeth, darling, you are so strong. I know you can do this.” The man answered.

“And her husband, Vicount Cloverdale. My stepfather.” Chris replied.

“Stepfather?” Nicky answered in shock.

“Yes. My mother was pregnant when they met. All I know of my biological father is that he was one of our kind.” Chris answered.

“You don’t even know.what he looked like?” Nicky answered.

“I assume he looked something like me.” Chris replied. “But no. My mother never spoke of him.”

Elizabeth lets out another wail.

Chris closes the door and continues down the hall. Shortly thereafter, a baby cries.

“I was Elizabeth’s firstborn, so Viscount Cloverdale named me his heir.” Chris answered.

He opens the next door, revealing a cozy candlelit room decorated in pastel colors. Two angelically beautiful boys sit at opposite sides of a low table, eyes glued to playing cards in their hands.

“Me...” Chris replied.

“Hmm...” young Chris answers.

“...and Adrian.” Chris replied.

“....”young Adrian responses with a smirk on his face.

“You...really are identical!” Nicky replied looking on. “ I couldn’t even begin to tell you apart! I’m so sorry I doubted you!”

“Apology accepted.” Chris replied.

“Hah! I win again!” Young Adrian squealed.

“Drat..” young Chris replied.

“Adrian, my love. Are you cheating?”Elizabeth answered.

Adrian gives his mother a cherubic smile.

“Of course not, Mama.” Young Adrian replied.

Elizabeth sighs, a frown marring her perfect face.

“Darling, you know how it grieves me when you lie.” Elizabeth sadly answered.

“I’m not lying! Chris, tell her! “ young Adrain replied.

The young Chris’s eyes flicker from Adrian to Elizabeth.

“I have no complaints,Mama.” Young Chris answered.

“You... covered for him.” Nicky replied looking on.

“I did. More often than I should have.” Chris replied. “More often than was good for him.”

Centuries removed, Elizabeth looks just as troubled as her adult son.

“Your loyalty does you credit, Chris, but you will not be able to protect your brother forever.” Elizabeth replied. “You must understand, my loves, that there are rules and laws that even our kind must obey to survive. To keep our sanity. If we cheat- if we a,way look for the easy way- we must pay the price in the end.”

“Boring!” Young Adrian replied angrily. “ I’m going to find Papa! He said he’d take me riding after sunset.”

Elizabeth shakes her head wearily as Adrain darts from the room. She strokes a fond hand over Chris’s hair.

“Go on, then. I know you want to join him.” Elizabeth replied.

The young Chris kisses his mother’s cheek and runs after his brother, and the adult Chris closes the door.

“The Viscount knew what you were, didn’t he?” Nicky answered.

“He did. Though for all intents and purposes, we were normal children apart from our sensitivity to sunlight.” Chris replied. “The need to consume human energy doesn’t develop until late adolescence.”

“This is wild. I want to ask him...how many of your kind are there?”

Chris shrugs helplessly.

“I only know of a handful of us. How many more there are, I can’t say.” Chris answered.

He leads her further down the hall.

“My mother didn’t know much about our kind, either, it’s possible we’ve always been rare.” Chris replied. “She’d heard a legend , though, that our kind could become human.”

“How?” Nicky answered.

“Ah, now that she was unclear on. But it was what she desired above all.” Chris replied.” She was fond of Viscount Cloverdale, and in time she grew resentful of the need to feed on him, however willingly he allowed it. And so, when Adrian and I were 14, she took matters into her own hands. She imprisoned herself in her room, and starved herself. It... ended poorly. She went mad with hunger. My stepfather, fearing for her life, broke her quarantine to check on her , and she drained him. My mother overcome with guilt. She ended her life the only way she knew how: by severing her spinal cord.”

He opens another door, and she gasps. She stares in horror at the guillotine looming above the bloodstained floor.

“Oh my God...poor Chris , having to see this as a child.”

She pulls Chris into her arms.

“I’m sorry, Chris.” Nicky answered. “ I had no idea you’d gone through...this.”

He hugs her back, burying his face in her hair.

“It’s all right. I endured.” Chris answered.

“But you shouldn’t have had to.” Nicky replied.

He pulls away with a heavy sigh.

“As a child? No. But as a man I fear Ive earned far worse.” Chris sadly answered.

Chris shuts the door and continues down the hall.

“Adrian and I carried on by ourselves for a time. But as we matured, we found that there was inadequate prey in Yorkshire to sustain two of our kind. We’re drawn to humans with especially strong life forces. Creative types, usually. Artists,writers,performers...” Chris replied.

“Like Denise. And Clare.” Nicky answered.

Chris nods solemnly, opening a door that provides a glimpse out of a window. Beyond the glass, Adrain saddles a horse as Chris looks on.

“Rather than compete for strong dreamers out in the countryside, Adrian left for London while I remained to run the estate.” Chris answered.

He closes the door as Adrian gallops off into the distance.

“And that was the last time you saw him?” Nicky answered.

“For a time, yes, though our paths would cross periodically through the decades.” Chris answered.

He comes to a final door, incongruously modern against the darkly paneled hallways, and pauses.

“What’s through here?” Nicky answered.

“Something for which I pray you can forgive me.” Chris replied sadly.

A terrible sense of foreboding fills you.

“Am I ready to see what’s beyond this door? Yes. Whatever it is, I can handle it.”

She turns the bright brass handle, revealing a familiar room.

“Is this...my room at the Marina Blanca Motel?” Nicky replied in shock.

......end of dream sequence...?

@denisemarieangelina @joannaliceevans-fanficblog @jtargaryen18 @daliaevans @waywardodysseys @pine-fresh-kirk @star-spangled-beard-burn @patzammit @shellbilee @shreyaaaaaaaaaaaa @wintrcaptn @comebackandhauntme21 @littlefiercequeen @mizcaptainphoenix @deidrashouseofpain @ohmy-captain @chris-butt @what-is-your-plan-today @iamwhoiamtmblr @imanuglywombat @jms358 @captainchrisstan @captaincrazyexlover @amazonx @thatsxamericasxass @americasass91 @trishevans @branflakes82 @brilliantkey @bellaireland1981 @nomadevans82 @nbarnes @gothamlovr91 @enigma2112 @southerngracela @kelbabyblue @kellyn1604 @kailyndavillier @katiew1973 @thatgirly81 @ok-buchanan @goliveeasy17posts @tanyam93 @shikin83 @nekoannie-chan @denissjmaddox @raveviolet @iguessweallcrazyithinktho @lovinevans @optimistic-dinosaur-nacho

Sorry if I missed any tags. If you like to be taken off the tag list or know if anyone like to be tagged. Ask or let me know.

#princeofdreams chrisevansfanfic #fanfic paranormal darkchrisevansfanfic

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thewritingof-therose · 4 years

Photo

From THIS, for @megumi-tan

Note: Most of them have been thought with a Illidan/Maiev relationship, even if it isn’t explicitly told. So, if you have doubt about it, you can assume that there is something between them but I simply decided to talk about something else.

Enjoy!

Heartstone/Yu-Gi-Oh:

Maiev is playing only with a DH deck and is actually a "mysterious" participant because she doesn't want to admit using it.

Illidan was mostly using a Mage deck but then, felt the pressure to change to a DH one.

Illidan discovers that Maiev is the one who destroy everyone with the DH deck and he decides to blackmail her about it.

Maiev, a little ashamed to play with the DH deck, has no other choice but to accept the blackmail, expecting Illidan to want her to lose in the tournament but instead, they just spend time together and it's mostly for Illidan to analyze Maiev's way of playing to destroy her when they will be adversary.

The final match is between Illidan and Maiev (obviously) and they just keep taunting each other. But they give one impressive fight and the winner cannot be guessed until the very end.

Heroes of the Storm:

I unfortunately don’t know enough about the game to do that prompt ^^’

High priestess Maiev:

Tyrande would still have been chosen as the High Priestess but right after the end of the War of the Ancient, Malfurion became the Betrayer and as Illidan is lost and probably dead, she decides to put Maiev as the High Priestess while she becomes a Warden to stay with Malfurion.

Tyrande is the one who would release Malfurion, as he was technically the one who put an end to the War of the Ancient, but he goes rogue and try to harness the power of the Emerald Dream to gain in power and exterminate the Legion. Tyrande has no other choice but to kill him herself and after that, the Night Elves use a part of the power Malfurion was harnesting to blow up Archimonde, unfortunately taking Nordrassil with it. After that, Tyrande, who has nothing left, become Maiev’s personal bodyguard.

Within the timeline of Legion, when she hears about the news that Suramar survived and its citizens too, Maiev takes the decision to establish the contact and free the city from the Legion by herself. By the time the War of the Ancient started, she was living there and working in the Temple of Elune (the one on the Broken Shore) and Illidan was working as a mage for Elisande. She goes frontline, despite that she has to trust the adventurers to sneak in with the help of Thalyssra.

Thalyssra isn’t alone in her fight against Elisande and it’s said that inside the city, there’s a Nightborn who had been working for the Grand Magistrix’s demise for years but she doesn’t believe he is a real threat and imprisoned him inside the city's borders. From there, he’s organising a resistance and does his best to help Thalyssra. Of course, Maiev wants to meet him to see how she can help if she puts the Kaldorei’s forces against Elisande. Accompanied by Tyrande, she sneaks into the city and finally meet him. Only to discover that it’s Illidan, transformed in a Nightborn after getting stuck under the protective shield over ten thousands years ago.

To keep him within the city because he’s one of the more powerful mage of the city (and that she probably has a crush on him), Elisande put a spell on him that literally blocks him at the borders of the shield and we she gets killed, despite that Illidan does everything to get her to remove the spell, neither Elisande nor her death canceled it. It’s Maiev, praying to Elune, who remove the magical handcuff, finally freeing him of Suramar.

Step-siblings:

Every times Jarod gets too close to any of the Stormrage twins, Maiev come to pick him up and bring him away, glaring deadly at whoever it was.

Maiev was the more vocal over not wanting to be sibling with the Stormrage. Illidan was well decided to “gently” prank Maiev every times she is unpleasant with any of them. Malfurion doesn’t like the situation that much, but doesn’t dare to say anything, but most of Illidan’s prank actually come from him. Jarod don’t see any problems in any of this and don’t understand why Maiev react so badly.

Strangely enough, Maiev is supportive of Illidan’s mage vocation and often try to push him to be honest and tell the family he don’t want to be a druid.

When the twins realizes that Maiev is actually a really good addition to their prankster team, nothing stop them. Malfurion finds the plan; Maiev executes it; Illidan gets them out of trouble.

Malfurion and Tyrande get together quite quickly after Maiev decided that she didn’t want to spend years watching some petty love drama and put back some senses in their head. Illidan didn’t take it well but Maiev punched him back to reality (literally).

The orphan baby:

There’s a game of “you”, “no, you”, “YOU!”, “I said you!” going on between them to know which one will take care of the baby.

When the baby starts crying, Illidan goes full Illidad mode and Maiev has a moment of “Oh shit, that’s cute” before going back to her normal self and groaning about everything.

They agree on bringing them to Khadgar, because Khadgar is a human and he must know what to do, but when they get to him, Khadgar can only tell them that the best idea is to bring the child to the orphanage of Dalaran and they do that.

Illidan feels a little bad to have dropped the baby there without more than a second thoughts and decide to at least visit the baby from time to time. He’s extremely surprised to see that Maiev seemed to have the same idea as him and got there first.

They spend the day, bickering, but mostly taking care of the baby, even getting thanked by the Orphanage’s lady because there so much more orphans with the Legion’s invasion and she doing her best to take care of everyone but it’s really hard. By the end of the day, they silently agree to come back the next day.

Illidan loses his power and sight:

On the moment, almost everyone tried to convince him that there was another way and that he didn’t have to, but he brushes it off, telling them that it was nothing and that if it had to be done, then so be it. He told them he would be fine. He isn’t.

He’s spending all of his time, alone and now in the dark for good. Stuck in his thoughts, he regrets a lot but if someone come to talk to him, he’s joking and acting as if it wasn’t damaging him. He plays it so well that almost no one try to see if he’s really well or not. But for Maiev.

Having watched him for over ten thousands years, she can see that he isn’t alright at all and that all that joking is just a front. Once he’s alone, she goes to confront him about it. At first, she is angry and her speech shows it. But the angrier she is, the more Illidan denies being unwell and finally, Maiev realizes she’s taking the wrong path with him. She gets next to him and start speaking more softly, explaining to him that she knows him well enough to know he’s not fine and that she just wants to help him. He might have sacrificed his powers and sight, but it doesn’t mean he sacrificed his life. He ends up in her arms, crying.

Discreetly, Maiev begun to help Illidan to adjust to his new life. Wandering around without bumping in everything; learning to read in a special writing; doing some everyday life tasks. People around him can see that something had changed within Illidan but they don’t really dare to say anything.

At some point, Illidan decides to tell Maiev how sorry he is for everything that happened because of him and the decisions he took. All through the speech, she’s holding his hands.

WoD Alternate Azeroth Tyrande:

Illidan believes it’s a prank at first and obviously rejects her because he doesn’t want to in trouble more than he usually is. Then, he sees the Tyrande from his timeline and realizes there are two of them.

He’s extremely conflicted because on one hand, that WoD!Tyrande seems really genuine in her love for him, but on the other hand, he’s pretty sure he had given up all hope to see it happening and doesn’t really have feelings for her anymore.

Maiev offers to kill that Tyrande, as they already have their own.

Illidan is really tempted to gibe WoD!Tyrande a chance, but then, when he asks what happened to him in that timeline, he discovers that he still stuck in Barrow Deeps despite that what should have been the opening of the Dark Portal was long ago.

Then, Illidan decides that his new mission is to free his other self and let him with WoD!Tyrande, like that, it will be easier with his own feelings.

WoD Alternate Azeroth Maiev:

At first, Illidan doesn’t notice that it isn’t the Maiev from his timeline and he openly flirts back in hope to destabilize her but it only makes things worse.

When Maiev discovers the existence of WoD!Maiev, she feels extremely jealous over how she is open about her feelings and that actually, Illidan seems to be somewhat accepting of them. She never thought she would want to kill herself that bad. Thankfully, WoD!Maiev would fill the victim’s role perfectly.

Maiev, obviously, doesn’t admit her own feelings for Illidan and keep bad mouthing the other Maiev and how she cannot be trusted if she loves Illidan, that she is dangerous and crazy, while insulting Illidan a little because that’s how she shows that she loves him. Illidan thinks he noticed the jealousy coming from Maiev but he doesn’t dare to say anything because she still has knives on her.

Illidan doesn’t really like what is happening. One Maiev was enough for him to deal with and you can see him trying to escape the two women through Dalaran and the Broken Shore. At some point, he’s so desperate that he begs Khadgar to sheep him to hide him from them.

Illidan wakes up one morning with both Maiev cuddling him after they sneaked in his tent during the night and he has no other choices but to accept that new life.

Competing journalist:

The popularity of both journal is mainly made by the competition between Illidan and Maiev, this is why they still haven’t been fired from their jobs (and they do good job too).

Maiev tends to format her texts to leave out messages to Illidan, mostly calling him out or straight up insulting him. It’s now a game in her articles to find the secret message.

Illidan, more straight-forward, tends to bad mouth some “unknown” person in his articles. He pretends he’s playing a role with an intervenant who isn’t based on anyone but strangely enough, that “mysterious intervenant” seems to always reply to Maiev’s last articles.

At some point, Illidan decides to drop some bomb to boost the sales of his journals and let it slip that he might be in love with Maiev and he has a good laugh when he reads some reaction that the readers had. What he wasn’t expecting, is Maiev showing up at his house making a scene because how dare he saying such thing through some coded messages and not directly in her face. She obviously pretends not having feelings whatsoever, but why would he do that anyway?

They get on some agreement where they start to work together on all of their articles to create some incredible story that will boost the sales of both journals. And maybe that the love story that are creating isn’t entirely invented.

Anime school setting:

Maiev is the Student Council President and she’s is making sure that everyone is respecting the rules and she is almost feared by the students. Illidan is one of the bad boy of the school “too cool for school” kind of guy, who’s mostly spending his time trying to avoid classes and can be found outside school intimidating some other’s school gang. But he’s also one of the top students when it comes to grades and it frustrates a lot of people.

One day, as Maiev catch Illidan and his little gang trying to sneak out of school again, she defies him to a fight, telling him that the first to give up lose. If Maiev wins, Illidan is forced to go back to class and never try to sneak out again, becoming an exemplary student. If Illidan wins, he wins a pass to do whatever the hell he wants until the end of the school’s year and Maiev cannot say anything about it.

Illidan just laughs at that challenge and already see himself winning and even decides to be gentle with Maiev. At soon as the fight starts, she sends him on the floor and locks him in a position where he cannot move at all. Maiev whispers to him that he shouldn’t have underestimated her, and that if she had chosen a fight, it was because she knew she would win. At the same time, Illidan can see something new shining in her eyes and he straight up fall in love then, announce that Maiev had won.

After that day, not only is Maiev even more feared by the students, but Illidan is now causing less trouble than before. At least to the others students. Now, he’s spending all of his time bothering Maiev, mostly to recruit her into his little gang, knowing that he will never lose again if she is by his side. She’s annoyed, a lot, but at the same time, he’s also kind of taking care of her, bringing her foods, helping her when some students are making troubles. He’s pretending to have become her personal bodyguard, but anyone who saw the fight between them knows that it’s a lie.

Maiev ends up accepting to join him into a gang fight with a rival school, but only if her identity is hidden because there’s no way she will let anyone knows that she enjoy fighting actually. The “Illidari”, like they call themselves, looks at that newcomer suspiciously, but they don’t dare to say anything. They win, easily, and Maiev, who never had so much fun in years, is completely ready to join Illidan again for some fights, still hidden though.

IRL WoW Player:

Maiev is a Night Elf Rogue. She isn’t too much for PvP, always acting as if that part of herself is now behind her, but if you complain in the chat that someone is ganking you, she immediately groups you and she comes to annihilate the ganker. She then proceed to make them live hell until they log off. During the raid, you barely hear her on the vocal but when she speaks, it’s mostly to taunt Illidan about his gameplay, or to reminds of some mechanics.

Illidan is Night Elf Demon Hunter doing DPS. Big, big fan of Warcraft 3, he had been crying about DH not being playable since Vanilla and in the meantime, he was playing a human mage and when Cataclysm rolled in, he race changed to a Night Elf. When the DH had been finally announced for Legion, he pre-ordered the game at the second it was available and had been insufferable on the vocal of the guild for a long time. During the raid, he’s often telling about his life in between boss and only shut up once it the time to fight the boss.

Maiev and Illidan are constantly fighting over who’s the biggest DPS between the two, and if Illidan has to switch tank for a fight, you can hear Maiev whining about it because she can’t prove that she better than him. In those case, she often defy him in a duel to shows who’s the best between them.

The guild changed a lot after all those years but something sure, is that Maiev and Illidan knew each other since the beginning and despite that they seems to not get along with all their bickering, they always been seen together, always joining the same guild. Strangely enough, they have some kind of joke in vocal where Maiev is saying that she will punch Illidan, only to hear him immediately reacting as if he had really been punched. But more strangely, is that sometimes, they would swear they can hear Maiev’s voice coming from Illidan’s mic, when she is muted. But the guildmates don’t dare to ask anything about their privates life.

When they took down Argus in mythic, Maiev misclicked the mute option and all of the guild got the pleasure to hear how Illidan and Maiev were going to celebrate that victory and they only realized that they weren’t muted when Khadgar coughed loud enough to be heard through the headphone. Maiev didn’t speak at all from the rest of the evening and Illidan was barely speaking too, and if he did, you could hear the embarrassment in his voice.

#world of warcraft #illidan x maiev #Illiev #Alternate Universe #Ask meme #I'm still taking ask about that game!

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