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danikamariewrites · 1 month

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Okay but being mated to Az, Cass, and Nesta but you don’t know and a foreign dignitary comes to stay at the House of Wind with the four of you and Rhys asks you to seduce/be flirty with them and the three of them are absolutely feral trying to keep their jealousy down

Just One Night

Nessian x Azriel x reader

A/n: I’ve been dying to write another fic with these four! They would absolutely want to kill Rhys for this especially Nesta.

Warnings: possessive Nessian & Azriel

Today is the day. Nesta had decided for the group that today they would tell you about the bond. She was just waiting for you all to get out of a meeting with Rhys and her sister. The last thing Nesta wanted was to confess the bond - and her love for you - in front of Rhys.

Nesta heard the angry footsteps echoing off the marble floor of her mates before she saw them. Setting her book down she tilted her head curiously at their disgruntled looks. The males dropped into their respective arms chairs letting out dejected sighs. Nesta stood with her arms crossed and a raised brow as she looked between the two.

“Well.” She said sharply. Azriel let out a low growl from the back of his throat. She felt his annoyance down the bond and looked to Cassian for an answer. Sighing through his mouth and rubbing the bridge of his nose Cassian bites out, “Rhys is having her seduce the emissary from Montesere. Cyrus Yarrow.”

When they looked up at Nesta those silver flames were dancing with anger in her eyes. Her left one practically twitching. “He’s having her do what?” She growled. Nesta turned on her heel, black dress flaring dramatically. Cassian grabbed her wrist before she could go give Rhys a piece of her mind.

Her fist balled. The first and only warning Cassian would get to release her. Letting go his open hand hovered cautiously. “Wait. She, just…she took the job. She knows what to get from the guy and we won’t let it get farther than that, yeah?” Nesta cracked her neck, letting out an annoyed sigh. “Fine.”

“You don’t want to be overbearing, Nes.” Azriel said. That deep, even voice relaxing her. “You’re right.” She looked back at her mates as Azriel waved her over. His arms open for her. Without hesitating Nesta sat on Azriel’s thigh, resting her head against his chest. “I know you’re impatient,” he says against her hair, “the Mother knows we are too, but we want to make it special for her.”

———

Pulling out the garment bag from your closet a knock sounded at your bedroom door. “Come in!” You hear whom ever enter, shuffling around the room. Nesta poked her head in your closet. You smile at her, “Hey you.” She gives you an equally dazzling smile. For a moment you swear something like love sparkles in her eyes.

Your heart leaped at the thought then quickly sunk. Remembering how in love she is with Cass. Blinking rapidly you plaster that smile back on your face. “What’s up?” You ask lightly. “I thought we could get ready for the ball together.”

You nod vigorously. “I would love that.” You and Mor used to get ready together - Feyre too - until she found Emerie. Usually when Rhys gave you a job for the evening you liked to get ready alone. Being alone lets you think through your plan for the night. Being with Nesta will be a nice change though. She was able to distract you from the awaiting nightmare of Cyrus.

Cyrus Yarrow was renowned for the females he chose to surround himself with. Always beautiful and charming. He was also quite demanding and handsy when he found something he liked. A shiver runs down your spine causing you to shake, your chin dropping to your chest.

Looking back up you saw Nesta had moved closer to your face. Her hand poised to draw with the kohl on your lid. “Are you ok?” You give her a small nod. “Stay still,” she giggled. A warmth bloomed in your chest at the sound.

———

The ball was in full swing. Nesta had stolen you for the first dance before you were swept away by Cyrus. Azriel had grabbed her waist before she could kill the male, dragging her into a waltz she could do in her sleep. Cassian was sending waves of calm to her down the bond. He stepped in for Az once the song was over. Also so Azriel could keep an eye on you for the night.

“Remember what Azriel said, Nes.” She gave him a curt nod, looking over her shoulder for you as they spin around the floor. “Hey,” Cass demanded, taking his hand from her waist to grip her chin. “She is fine. She is capable. I know the instinct to protect her and be by her is intense, we’re feeling it too. But tomorrow, he will be gone.” “Yeah.” She mumbled. Cassian pressed a quick kiss to Nesta’s lips before dipping her dramatically.

Azriel watched from the shadows as you entertained Cyrus. His party from Montesere was nothing like him. Kind and proper as they chatted with Mor and Feyre. His eyes bounced between the groups wanting to make sure that his court was safe. Feyre stood up straighter. A shocked and confused look pulling at her features.

He met his High Lady’s gaze and she tapped on his mental shield wasting no time in updating her spymaster. Cyrus no longer held the power they were told about. His Lord had stripped his title a week ago. This relieved Azriel. It meant he wouldn’t feel guilty about pulling you away from work and that Rhys wouldn’t give him a tongue lashing.

The Shadowsinger was about to step in and save you from Cyrus’s awfulness when a panicked feeling froze him in place. His shadows had reported Nesta and Cassian were safe. He even spotted them smiling and laughing as they danced.

When the realization hit Azriel that it was you projecting your feelings down the bond ran to you, sending his shadows ahead to pull Cyrus off of you. The look of disgust on your face had his instincts to protect you screaming at him to go.

Azriel drew Truth Teller, holding it to Cyrus’s neck. “Back away from my mate.” Azriel said practically roared. The fae around them stopped, gasps sounded through the crowd as they stared. You clung to Azriel’s arm through the whole ordeal. As the word mate left his mouth you stared up at Az, your eyes twinkling with love.

You had always had a crush on Azriel. But Nesta, you thought to yourself. No, you’d let her go. You have Az now. “Mate,” you repeat. Azriel stilled as the realization of the word he just spoke dawned on him. He slowly turned to look at you. The corners of your lip turning up at the his shock.

“Yeah, umm…” His gaze drifted behind you. You followed his gaze to find a stunned Cassian and a fuming Nesta. “Az?” You ask softly. The party had resumed around you as the couple stepped closer. Cassian placed his hands on Nesta’s shoulders in a calming manner. “Why don’t we all go talk somewhere else.” Cass suggested. “Why do we all,” you trail off as Nesta grabs your hand to drag you out of the ball room.

You kept looking between Nesta, Azriel, and Cassian as she leads you to the living quarters of the House of Wind. Her iron grip never leaving you. Entering the main living room Nesta drops your hand making a beeline for the bar cart housing one of Rhys’s expensive bottles of whiskey. Pouring herself a finger she downs the amber liquid in one go.

“I thought,” she started, her tone dangerously calm, “we wanted to make it special. To do something sweet for our mate.” Nesta flashed her perfect canines in a saccharine smile at the males. Azriel’s jaw tightened. His head dropped, clearly frustrated with himself.

You hold his hand with both of yours. Running your thumb across the back of his hand in calming circles. Nesta’s words caught up with your brain. Our, she had said.

You looked at her with wide eyes. “Our? As in all three of you are my mates.” Cassian couldn’t help but grin. “Yeah sweetheart. You have all three of us. We’ve been waiting to tell you and we wanted to make it special. Cyrus just got in the way.” You covered your mouth as happy tears lined your eyes. That warm feeling in your chest that appeared with Nesta earlier returning. The bond glowing fiercely as it branched out to all three of them.

You sink on to the plush couch taking in the information. You have been blessed with three mates. Each one you were madly in love with. And you get to love them all for the rest of your life!

Cassian came to sit beside you. He wrapped an arm around your shoulders pulling you into his side. You could sense the apology on his lips before he could even say it. Cassian has always been too apologetic for his own good. You grabbed his hand resting on his thigh. “I’m not mad. I am incredibly happy to hear this.” Cassian’s head dropped to rest on yours. Azriel takes the spot next to you wrapping his arms around your waist pressing a kiss to your cheek.

You stare at Nesta who hadn’t moved an inch since you entered the room. You wave her over to join couch snuggles, tugging on the bond to entice her. Nesta ran at you. Jumping to straddle your lap and pushing Cass and Az off you. You hugged her tightly inhaling her scent of fire and steel masked by the vanilla and almond perfume she wears.

“I love you so much, y/n.” She whispered just for you to hear. “I love you, Nes. With all my heart.” You whispered back, just for her to hear.

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jinwoosungs · 25 days

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{ 162 }

moonlight.

jinwoo sung x fem.reader

sung jinwoo walked into the hunter association building for a scheduled meeting with the chairman. while taking casual strides into the building, he let out a yawn. jinwoo believed that nothing out of the ordinary would happen today-

only to be proven wrong the moment he opens the double doors to the conference room as a sudden weight was felt shoved against his chest.

had jinwoo been any normal man, he would have quickly been toppled over. but thanks to the newfound poise he had gained since becoming an s-rank, jinwoo manages to steady himself while keeping an arm around the stranger’s form.

“whoa, be careful.” his voice was gentle and not at all spoken in a manner that was meant to be like a scolding. yet still, he hears the gasp and looks down-

only to be met with someone unfamiliar-

only to be met with you.

your eyes widen with surprise with your lips halfway parted. incoherent sputtering were all he could hear when you back away from him. clearly sensing your embarrassment and discomfort, jinwoo lets go of you while keeping a hand shoved into the pockets of his coat, grey eyes shining with mirth for you.

“sorry for bumping into you, moonlight! i’ll be more careful next time!”

now this was interesting.

never before had he been referred to by such a nickname before.

moonlight?

he replays the word you had uttered in your panicked state over and over again before deciding that he liked it.

ready to say something to you, he was given little time to react when you suddenly bowed down to him, “sorry, but i’m late for a very important mission!”

you end up stepping off to the side, running past jinwoo as the young hunter was left staring off at you with pure amusement in his eyes.

“ah, hunter sung jinwoo! it’s nice to see you again, come on in, there’s a few things i’d like to discuss with you.” chairman go gunhee greets him with a hearty laugh.

despite his reluctance to look away from you, jinwoo enters the conference room with chairman go. during the meeting, the chairman spoke about the hundreds of sponsorship offers he had received for ahjin guild, yet as jinwoo poured over the paperwork, not a single one of those offers stood out to him. clearly, he had you other things on his mind.

why would i need any of these deals when the system provides me with far superior weapons?

jinwoo was dimly aware of the chairman letting out a sigh before saying a name he had never heard of before.

“excuse me?” jinwoo looks up expectantly to see a smile painted on the chairman’s features.

“that’s the name of the new healer that ran into you just now. she gets a bit scatterbrained when she’s nervous, but the young woman has a good heart. ever since ms. joohee lee retired, i have seen her transfer and appearance at our association as a blessing.”

jinwoo winces at the mention of joohee, recalling back their last meeting together when she announced her retirement to him. perhaps he should figure out her address and mail a gift to her?

but chairman go’s next words was what ultimately breaks him out of his reveries, making jinwoo do a double take, “today was her first raid.”

knowing that it was your first raid fills jinwoo with a strange discomfort, his chest tightening as the urge to protect you fills his veins. “you sent her off without me?”

the chairman gives him a confused expression, “i assure you, hunter sung, that this is a low level gate; a mere c-rank. the woman is a certified a-rank healer, and i’m certain she can handle healing her comrades.”

jinwoo’s heart suddenly began to stop just then, being filled with fear as he had flashbacks pertaining to the cartenon temple-

the same double dungeon that had killed him before deciding to choose him as the system’s player.

without even thinking about it, he looks towards the exit and asks for the exact location of where the c-level gate had spawned. chairman go lets out a sigh, collecting all of the documents together into one neat pile before answering him.

“it’s in the middle of the city, you wouldn’t miss it, hunter sung.”

jinwoo thanks the chairman before making a mad dash out of the association’s building and into the busy streets of the city. as he ran, he was able to sense the gate’s power quickly dwindling as it seemed to be on the cusp of disappearing.

hm? that’s strange; is the raid already over?

within the next few minutes, jinwoo arrives at the location where the gate had supposedly been, being filled with a relief when he saw a group of hunters and you in the midst of the crowd. they each call out your name, giving you a thumbs up while expressing their gratitude towards you and your healing abilities.

in return, your expression was sheepish, and a little embarrassed, waving to your comrades as they each returned home for the day. your hand was still kept in an upright position when you finally noticed him standing a few feet away from you with a lazy smile on his face.

you appeared to be flustered now, hands now gripping on tightly to your satchel as you attempted to run away from him by going in the opposite direction-

lucky for jinwoo, he was fast enough, already able to cut off your escape as he appears directly in front of you, eyes glowing a faint hue as his lips were turned up in a smile.

“why did you start running right after seeing me?” jinwoo made sure his voice was soothing and smooth so as to not scare you away. he could see the way your eyes darted everywhere else but at him, cheeks seeming to warm up in response to his question.

“u-uhm, well, it’s because i had run into you earlier and uhm-“

“you had called me moonlight, right?”

it seems he had nailed it, for your expression became even more panicked as you tried to take several steps away from him. but jinwoo, still filled with amusement and joy, was simply having too much fun to let you go.

“come on, there’s no need to look so panicked. your nickname for me actually intrigued me a lot.” he keeps a hand behind your back, preventing you from moving away from him.

“i’m just curious about your nickname for me, that’s all.”

jinwoo had to fight back the grin and chuckle that threatens to escape from his lips (he physically had to purse them in response to your flustered state.)

“uhm, well, that i-is…” you kept stuttering the tiniest bit, even fanning your face in response before setting the palm of your hands against your heated cheeks. “i’m sorry, i’d rather not say, hunter sung.”

jinwoo didn’t like how stifling his title sounded against your pretty, parted lips, making him sigh as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

after all, he would much rather be your moonlight.

“come on, let’s celebrate.” he decides to change the subject then in hopes of getting you to relax around him.

“huh? what? did you say celebrate?”

not even giving you a chance to reject him, he places a hand behind your back while leading you into the city.

“wait… where are you taking me?”

“out to eat at this steakhouse as celebration for your first successful raid.” jinwoo admits to you with a wink and a grin, making you even more flustered in response.

“oh, there’s no need! besides, i’m a little sweaty a-and-“

“don’t worry about it; it’s more of a casual dining experience, and i’m certain no one will be opposed to a healer like yourself dining at their establishment.”

you were ready to protest once more when jinwoo could detect a low, grumbling sound coming from your stomach. a cheeky grin was felt spreading when he looks down at your abdomen. unable to meet his gaze, you fold your arms across your chest, “okay, f-fine! i’ll join you for dinner…”

knowing he had won, jinwoo takes a hold of your hand in his, weaving across the city with a bright smile on his face when he takes you to the restaurant. upon arrival, he felt a little disheartened to see how busy it was, but when the hostess saw him, he was immediately offered a private table near the back of the restaurant.

“hm, i guess it pays off to be an s-rank…” once they were both seated, jinwoo takes a look at the menu while offering you the basket of warm rolls with butter for you to munch on to help with easing your hunger. losing all of your prior shyness now, you take two rolls and place them on your plate, spreading the butter on it before taking a bite. basking in your eager moans as you ate, jinwoo couldn’t help but let out a light chuckle in response.

“is there anything in particular that you’d like to order?”

between bites of your rolls, you shake your head before swallowing. “n-no, i don’t mind having what you’re having…”

jinwoo hums in response, collecting both of the menus when the waiter comes by to take his order.

“we’ll have two 16 ounce steaks cooked medium rare please.”

the waiter nods and writes down the order, “and what would you like to drink?”

“red wine and two waters.”

the waiter then takes the menu while smiling, “got it. it will be out soon, sir.”

jinwoo was finally left alone with you, seeing the basket of rolls already half empty as you worked on what he assumed was your last roll. he smiles at you before taking a roll himself, “do you feel better now?”

“oh, yes! ah, sorry if i looked like a pig, scarfing down all that buttery bread.” you had a sheepish expression on your face now, scratching the back of your head while letting out a nervous giggle.

jinwoo shakes his head in response, “there’s no need to apologize, pig out all you want. you can always be yourself around me.”

he listens to the way you proceed to swallow thickly, not quite brave enough to meet his gaze when you thanked him. humming in response, jinwoo also starts enjoying the dinner rolls while making small talk with you, wishing to get to know you better as you both waited for your food to arrive.

and truly, jinwoo did not hold back with his questions that were strangely intimate.

were you seeing anyone at the moment?

what was your last relationship like?

what was your childhood like?

do you have any siblings? if so, are you the eldest, middle, or youngest child?

when did you awaken your powers as a healer?

what is your…

favorite food-

favorite color-

favorite song?

the moment his questioning ceased was when their food finally arrived, as two large plates steaks with mashed potatoes and broccoli were placed before them.

“well, dig in. and don’t be shy, i know you still must be starving, especially after your first raid.” jinwoo had to make sure to reassure you as he could see the way your mouth was practically salivating at the food.

“t-thank you so much!” picking up your knife and fork, you began cutting into the juicy and tender piece of steak, placing the morsel within your mouth as you let out a happy moan in response.

“delicious!”

jinwoo was filled with utter delight as he watched you eating your meal, taking casual bites of his own food, but never once straying his gaze too far away from you. you continue eating in silence, not saying a word as it was clear that you wanted to savor this meal to its fullest.

you and jinwoo continued to eat in a comfortable silence for the next hour, with jinwoo letting out a whistle at your own, empty plate. “wow, that’s pretty amazing. i thought i was the only one who could polish off this meal.”

you were in the middle of taking gulps of your iced water, setting down your glass before wiping at your lips, “sorry, it was so good… and i guess i was pretty hungry. i had skipped lunch earlier because i was so nervous about my first raid.”

“that’s understandable.” jinwoo nods while taking sips of his red wine. “just… don’t skip meals ever again, okay? your body needs it- especially now that you’re a healer.”

you nod in agreement while giving him a smile. “thank you, i’ll definitely keep that in mind… hunter sung.”

“jinwoo.” he ends up correcting you with a sigh. if you weren’t going to call him moonlight again, then he would much rather you refer to him by his first name.

“ah, what…? you’re giving me permission to call you by your first name?”

“yes.”

jinwoo leans back against his seat with his arms crossed over his chest, “is that a problem?”

you shake your head while clearing your throat, “n-no, it’s no problem at all! if that’s the case, then you may call me by my first name, too.”

when the waiter returns, he asks if you or jinwoo would like dessert, but you both shake your head at the offer. jinwoo gives the waiter his card, paying for both of the meals, which earned another smile from you.

with the dinner date completed, jinwoo places his card back within his wallet, pocketing it before casually walking beside you. you were playing with the straps of your satchel, mouth opening and closing, like you wanted to say something to him.

“the reason i called you moonlight was because your radiance is as gentle as the moon.”

your sudden words makes jinwoo stops in his tracks, feeling his heart begin to pound when he heard that nickname again-

moonlight.

his attention was fully on you now, facing you completely as he rests both of his hands within the pocket of his coat. you did not meet his gaze, clearly embarrassed as you forced yourself to tell him the truth.

“i spent some time perfecting my healing abilities because i held a deep admiration for you… you were achingly beautiful to me, jinwoo… you filled my life with such motivation and light- however, your presence and beauty wasn’t harsh like looking up at the sun, shining so brightly that it may blind me.”

you take another moment to yourself before finally meeting his gaze, eyes shining with a look akin to adoration for him.

“no, instead, your brilliance was more like that of the moon. your gentle rays was like a beacon for me… that’s why, you’re my moonlight.”

once you had finished your explanation, jinwoo felt as though his heart was floating in response. never before had such unbidden happiness filled his veins, the feeling becoming so potent that he had to take a step closer to you.

“oh? that’s why you called me moonlight?” he asks with another grin spreading across his handsome features.

“ah, yes. in my rush… i didn’t want to say your name and my secret nickname for you kind of slipped…?” you admit with a bit of a tremor in your voice.

his rich chuckle was heard echoing into the night air when he leans down, placing a hand on your chin while admitting, “to be honest, i’m glad that your secret nickname for me slipped.”

he hums a bit while brushing the tip of his nose against your forehead. you end up clinging to the front of his coat while shakily calling out to him.

“please, refer to me as your moonlight from now on.” jinwoo gives you a soft smile, taking your hand in his while pressing a kiss against the back of it.

“i can be your moonlight, and you can be my love. how does that sound?”

he basks in the way your smile widens in response to his proposition, giving him an eager nod before wrapping your arms around his neck.

“that sounds perfect to me, moonlight.”

and when he finally leans down to press his lips against yours, it was a sensation jinwoo knew that he would never once forget for the rest of his life.

a.n. - i’ve had this daydream stewing in my head for a while now, and finally decided to write it all down in a more coherent story ｡ﾟ(TヮT)ﾟ｡ i wanted to post this real quick before spending the following weeks doing research with my professor, so please do enjoy!

all stories are written by rei; reposts, translations, and plagiarism are not allowed.

#sung jinwoo x reader #jinwoo sung x reader #sung jinwoo x you #jinwoo sung x you #solo leveling x reader #solo leveling #sung jinwoo #jinwoo sung #.stories

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vickyvicarious · 7 months

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To one thing I have made up my mind: if we find out that Mina must be a vampire in the end, then she shall not go into that unknown and terrible land alone. I suppose it is thus that in old times one vampire meant many; just as their hideous bodies could only rest in sacred earth, so the holiest love was the recruiting sergeant for their ghastly ranks.

Jonathan, 3 October

She lay in her Vampire sleep, so full of life and voluptuous beauty that I shudder as though I have come to do murder. Ah, I doubt not that in old time, when such things were, many a man who set forth to do such a task as mine, found at the last his heart fail him, and then his nerve. So he delay, and delay, and delay, till the mere beauty and the fascination of the wanton Un-Dead have hypnotise him; and he remain on and on, till sunset come, and the Vampire sleep be over. Then the beautiful eyes of the fair woman open and look love, and the voluptuous mouth present to a kiss—and man is weak. And there remain one more victim in the Vampire fold; one more to swell the grim and grisly ranks of the Un-Dead!…

Van Helsing, 5 November

One thing I noticed this year was the way Van Helsing echoed Jonathan's declaration about lovers joining the ranks of the undead. They both use very similar language, but with a couple huge differences. This makes these quotes almost a reverse of one another in a really interesting way.

Van Helsing's theoretical men who become vampires out of love are very clearly victims. They are foolish, fascinated by a vampire woman's beauty, and don't need to have known her beforehand to be mesmerized. Their hearts fail them, when they allow beauty to stay their hand which had previously been poised to kill the undead they've been hunting.

Jonathan's very real man willing to become a vampire (and his presumed others before him) is making a deliberate choice. He is not being tricked into anything. He knows exactly how horrible a choice he is making, and is in fact doing so well away from the sight of any supernatural beauty or mesmeric power. His heart feels the holiest love, which guides it into darkness rather than ever even consider harming the undead he loves.

Van Helsing's assumption is that the men who falter didn't already know the vampire who eventually turned them, and thus no deeper love is really possible. This is very much not the case for Jonathan's quote. But I think even in that situation, the Professor would still consider Jonathan himself much closer to the foolish, mistaken victims of his own quote - rather than recognizing the agency and deliberate nature of Jonathan's choice. That's the main difference for me - even more than the depth of the connection/length of association (though of course that hugely informs the situation and is a necessary distinction), it's the knowing/unknowing nature of each one.

In both (hypothetical) situations the men are guided by their hearts, but Jonathan knows the truth even as he declares he would join his love to be a vampire. In Van Helsing's scenario, the men act against what they know by feeling pity and affection for what they intended to treat as a monster. They forget that the ranks of the undead are "grim and grisly" just long enough to fall prey. But Jonathan never does. He knows Mina would become a monster, knows that in this scenario he'd be joining the "ghastly ranks" of the undead. He doesn't forget that fact. He just considers his love to be more important, enough that he is willing to subject himself to such a terrible fate rather than harm or be separated from her. It's the opposite of someone mesmerized into delaying and being enticed into putting down their weapon. Instead he resists entreaties to pick it up in the first place. (At least to point towards Mina.)

#dracula daily #van helsing #jonathan harker #jonmina

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hubristicassholefight · 7 months

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Swordswoman Showdown Round 3

Malenia (Elden Ring) vs Xena (Xena: Warrior Princess)

(Better here in a "preferred character" sense, not "who would win in a fight")

Propaganda below cut

Malenia

She is arguably the hardest boss in any Fromsoft game.; She is the favorited boss of Animal from the Muppets.

"Arguably" the hardest boss in any fromsoft game? You don't even know. She is OBJECTIVELY the hardest boss in any fromsoft game. On march 1st 2023, a bit more than a full year since the game's release, From Software released the stats on the amount of attempts each boss took for the players collectively. As of march 1st 2023 Malenia has killed the players 329.000.000 times. That's 10 Tarnished every second. That's almost the entire population of the United States. Malenia is also an optional boss in a secluded area hidden away from everyone. According to PlayStation trophy statistics, only 37.9% of people who ever bought the game managed to even REACH Malenia in the first place. Which means among those 329.000.000 people she has obliterated were only the most dedicated of Fromsoft fans. Only 33.3% of people even managed to beat her. That number also includes everyone who beat her with summons, which makes her significantly easier. This means out of all people who bought the game on PlayStation 4 or 5 and reached Malenia which is about 3 million people, 377.000 just fucking dropped her, they didn't even do it with summons. Difficulty aside. Malenia is also extremely pretty and has the softest lips, her Goddess form looks like a painting. She fights with elegance and style unrivalled by any boss in the game, dancing through the battlefield with deadly, fluid motions. Malenia is also 256cm or 8'4" tall. Huge woman.

post let me solo her

#malenia is 8'4“ flat chested and broad shouldered#she kills you with incredible grace and poise#trans icon#id let her Waterfowl Dance on me and Infect Me with her Scarlet Rot...

#malenia is so dedicated to the sword it mends her failing body. she lives by fighting#her strongest attack is a technique that halts the progress of her terminal illness#i can never stop thinking about that. by all means she couldve rotted into a mile of mush before the game started#but she persists!! she persists!!!

#malenia blade of 15 layers of contradictory goals and personality traits summed up in like twelve total lines of dialogue#she's a stupidly good character but shes also a woman who did horrible things in a game with a deliberately vague narrative#so everyone just enters What A Bitch / Step On Me mode with her#as they are wont to do. the lowlives.#anyway what would happen if you hated yourself and successfully became someone who can do plenty of good#and yet the only way to live on and keep doing good would be to embrace the self who causes so much pain#but there's nothing left. so you wait and you rot and you keep telling yourself that you're still the self you love#and then you have to do it again. and now your conflictual agony is over because clearly you lost yourself long ago#and you look up knowing that you're the danger you've always feared you were. and you smile#and turn john eldenring into filet in 2 seconds flat

Xena

Warrior Princess

She wields a sword and chakram. Just had to submit a biconic swordswoman.

i love her. she made me gay as a kid. Anyway, her weapon of choice is her sword, she is obviously very good with it

#unfortunately i have to choose and i have to choose xena#a) utena had no warcry. b) xena fought gods. c) xena has kickass goofy comic book combat which is my favorite

xena didn’t just fight gods. she fucked up a girl’s life so bad that she (calisto) devoted her entire being to destroying everything that xena loved that ended up with calisto becoming a god in order to destroy xena, which didnt work because xena entombed her in lava. and then when xena and gabrielle encountered calisto in the (christian) afterlife (different from the greek one which they also fought her in), calisto dragged gabrielle to hell so xena became an archangel in order to save gabrielle and then sacrificed herself in order to undo all the harm that she did in calisto’s life and then when not!jesus (played by timothy omundson) revives xena and gabrielle, calisto impregnates xena with the reincarnation of calisto’s soul in order to end the cycle of hate. xena doesnt just fight gods. she creates and destroys them

#this isnt even mentioning her fighting julius ceasar several times#telling brutus that caesar is not his friend#xena and gabrielle’s souls reincarnating across centuries in order to kick ass and fall in love all over again#or the time xena became a god but tbh that ep is kinda ‘uhhhhh…..’ even if they did hire a consultant for it

#I think everyone here knows to vote for Xena. I think a couple people here might have some propaganda for Xena saved already#everyone remember that Xena/Gabrielle is CANON and that's a pretty big deal also#(does anyone have that Xena Loves Trans People interview around because that would also make good propaganda)7:47 PM

#malenia #elden ring #xena #xena: warrior princess #poll #official #round 3 #swordswoman showdown

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nestaismommy · 5 days

Text

“What did Nesta even do”

“She’s so useless”

Yeah I’ll show you what she did

A Court Of Thorns and Roses

My hands slackened at my sides. “You went after me,” I said. “You went after me—to Prythian.”

“I got to the wall. I couldn’t find a way through.”

I raised a shaking hand to my throat. “You trekked two days there and two days back—through the winter woods?”

She shrugged, looking at the sliver she’d pried from the table.

“I hired that mercenary from town to bring me a week after you were taken. With the money from your pelt. She was the only one who seemed like she would believe me.”

“What happened to Tomas Mandray?” I asked, the words strangled.

“I realized he wouldn’t have gone with me to save you from Prythian.”

A Court of Mist and Fury

I didn’t dare look at my sisters. Look at this house, that might very well be turned to rubble. I rasped, “There are good people here.”

The golden queen sweetly parried with, “Then let the High Fae of Prythian defend them.”

Silence.

And it was Nesta who hissed from behind us, “We have servants here. With families. There are children in these lands. And you mean to leave us all in the hands of the Fae?”

The eldest one’s face softened. “It is no easy choice, girl—”

“It is the choice of cowards,” Nesta snapped.

A Court of Wings and Ruin

Chapter 18

“By the end of this war, I want them dead. The king, the queens—all of them. Promise me you’ll kill them all, and I’ll help you patch up the wall. I’ll train with her”—a jerk of her chin to Amren—“I’ll go to the Hewn City or whatever it is … I’ll do it. But only if you promise me that.”

Chapter 30

“My sister, it seemed, had found nothing in her books about repairing the wall”

So I just said, “Rhys gave me a layout of the stacks. I think there might be more on the Cauldron and wall a few levels down. You can wait here, or—”

“I’ll help you look.”

Chapter 42

“It was some distant thing,” she said. “War. Battle. It … it’s not anymore. I will help, if I can. If it means … telling them what happened.”

“You went off to battle for a court you barely know—who barely see you as friends. Amren showed me the blood ruby. And when I asked you why … you said because it was the right thing. People needed help.” Her throat bobbed. “No one is going to fight to save the humans beneath the wall. No one cares. But I do.” She toyed with a fold in her dress. “I do.”

Chapter 45

“Its queens sold us out,” Nesta said. She lifted her chin, poised as any emissary. “For the gift of immortality, the human queens will allow Hybern in to sweep away any resistance. They might very well hand over control of their armies to him.” Nesta looked to me, to Rhys. “Where do the humans on our island go? We cannot evacuate them to the continent, and with the wall intact … Many might rather risk waiting than cross over the wall anyway.”

“Armies take time to raise,” Cassian said. “You don’t have the luxury of sitting on your ass. You need to rally your soldiers now.”

Beron only sneered. “I don’t take orders from the bastards of lesser fae whores.”

“That bastard,” Nesta said with utter coolness, though her eyes began to burn, “may wind up being the only person standing in the way of Hybern’s forces and your people.”

“Beron shot to his feet, not bothering to brush off the dust, and declared to no one in particular, “This meeting is over. I hope Hybern butchers you all.”

But Nesta rose from her chair. “This meeting is not over.”

She stood tall, a pillar of steel. “You are all there is,” she said to Beron, to all of us. “You are all that there is between Hybern and the end of everything that is good and decent.” She settled her stare on Beron, unflinching and fierce. “You fought against Hybern in the last war. Why do you refuse to do so now?”

“You may hate us. I don’t care if you do. But I do care if you let innocents suffer and die. At least stand for them. Your people. For Hybern will make an example of them. Of all of us.”

“And you know this how?” Beron sneered.

“I went into the Cauldron,” Nesta said flatly. “It showed me his heart. He will bring down the wall, and butcher those on either side of it.”

She looked to Kallias and Viviane. “I am sorry for the loss of those children. The loss of one is abhorrent.” She shook her head. “But beneath the wall, I witnessed children—entire families—starve to death.” She jerked her chin at me. “Were it not for my sister … I would be among them.”

“Too long,” Nesta said. “For too long have humans beneath the wall suffered and died while you in Prythian thrived. Not during that—queen’s reign.” She recoiled, as if hating to even speak Amarantha’s name. “But long before. If you fight for anything—fight now, to protect those you forgot. Let them know they’re not forgotten. Just this once.”

Nesta remained standing. “The past is the past. What I care about is the road ahead. What I care about is making sure no children—Fae or human—are harmed. You have been entrusted with protecting this land.” She scanned the faces around her. “How can you not fight for it?”

Chapter 49

“You come with us—to Graysen’s estate, and then travel with the army. If you’re connected with the Cauldron, then we’ll need you close. Need you to tell us if it’s being wielded again.”Not quite a mission, but Nesta nodded all the same.

Chapter 52

“I was kidnapped,” Nesta answered coolly, not one flicker of fear in her eyes. “I was taken by the army invading these lands and turned against my will.”

“How,” Nolan echoed.

“There is a Cauldron—a weapon. It grants its owner power to … do such things. I was a test.” Nesta then launched into a sharp, short explanation of the queens, of Hybern, of why the wall had fallen.

Chapter 56

“No, Nesta only made sure that Elain was dozing in her tent, and then offered to help cut up linen for bandages.”

“Faint color had stained her cheeks from the sun, and her forearms, bare beneath the sleeves she’d rolled up, were flecked with mud. Cassian slowly sat on the log where she’d been perched a moment before, groaning softly—as if even that movement taxed him. “Icing it usually helps, but wrapping it will just lock it in place long enough for the sprain to repair itself—”

She reached for the basket of bandages she’d been preparing, then for the pitcher at her feet.

I was too tired to do anything other than watch as she washed his wrist, his hand, her own fingers gentle. Too tired to ask if she possessed the magic to heal it herself. Cassian seemed too weary to speak as well while she wrapped bandages around his wrist, only grunting to confirm if it was too tight or too loose, if it helped at all. But he watched her—didn’t take his eyes off her face, the brows bunched and lips pursed in concentration.

“I helped with the wounded long into the night, Mor and Nesta working alongside me”

Chapter 62

“Your sister came immediately when I explained what we needed,” Rhys said.

“Nesta stood before the map, a fist of bones and stones clenched over it.”

Her eyes shifted beneath their lids, as if scanning the world. “I don’t see anything.”

“Go deeper,” Amren urged. “Find that tether between you.”

A muscle twitched on Nesta’s brow. Her hand bobbed. Her breath then came fast and hard, her lips curling back as she panted through her teeth.

A small noise came out of her—one of terror.

“Where is it, girl,” Amren coaxed. “Open your hand. Let us see.”

Nesta’s fingers only clutched tighter, the whites of her knuckles as stark as the stones held within them.

Chapter 64

“Nesta had stolen something vital from the Cauldron. And in those moments Nesta had hunted it down for us … The Cauldron had learned what was vital to her.”

“We’d landed inside of them, thanks to Nesta’s specifics. With a perfect view of the city of soldiers that sprawled away into the night.”

Chapter 70

“Nesta had known. She gaped up at me, terror and agony on her face, then scanned the sky for Cassian, who flapped in place, as if torn between coming for us and charging back to the scattering Illyrian and Peregryn ranks. She’d known where that blast was about to hit.

Cassian had been right in the center of it.

Or would have been, if she hadn’t called him away.”

Chapter 71

“It’s gone quiet again,” Nesta breathed, letting Cassian haul her into a sitting position as he scanned her face. Devastation and rage lay in his own. Did he know? That she had screamed for him, knowing he’d come … That she’d done it to save him?”

Chapter 72

Nesta stared toward that armada, toward our father fighting in it. “Use me. As bait.”

I blinked at the same moment Cassian said, “No.”

Nesta ignored him. “The king is probably waiting beside that Cauldron. Even if you get there, you’ll have him to contend with. Draw him out. Draw him far away. To me.”

“How,” Rhys said softly.

“It goes both ways,” Nesta murmured, as if my mate’s words moments before had triggered the idea. “He doesn’t know how much I took. And if … if I make it seem like I’m about to use his power … He’ll come running. Just to kill me.”

Chapter 74

Nesta rushed to him, kneeling.

Not to comfort.

But to pick up his Illyrian blade.

Cassian tried to stop her as she stood. As Nesta lifted that sword before the King of Hybern.

She said nothing. Only held her ground.

Nesta jumped back, clipping his sword with her own, eyes flaring wide. The king lunged again, and Nesta again dodged and retreated through the trees.

Leading him away—away from Cassian.”

“Nesta turned over, and threw out a hand.

White, burning power shot out of her palm and slammed into his chest.

A ploy. To get him close. To lower his guard.

Her power sent him flying back, trees snapping under him. One after another after another.”

“And even the Cauldron seemed to pause in surprise—surprise or some … feeling as Nesta looked at the king with death twining around his hands, then down at Cassian.

And covered Cassian’s body with her own.”

I’m not even done but I’m too lazy to complete

#pro nesta archeron #pro nesta #nesta deserves better

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galaxygolfergirl · 7 months

Text

Some of my favorite Helsa fan arts I’ve done throughout the years (dates are in the alt text).

I’ve been thinking about this ship recently, especially its place in the fandom, and I have some thoughts (read below)

Ever since I was roped into this franchise 10 years ago, I think I’ve almost always drawn Hans with a beard. Primarily, it was because I felt that if he ever did show up again in Frozen media, he would be more weathered and unpretentious about his appearance since dropping his facade in the first film. Also because I just thought he would look better with more facial hair (it’s a me thing).

As for Elsa, I’ve never been consistent in drawing her, as it was hard for me to read her animated model, what with her huge eyes and baby nose, as normal, so that’s evolved over the years to a happy medium where it still reads as Elsa, but also reads as human with normal face proportions.

As to why I’ve shipped helsa all these years? Hans and Elsa are two sides of the same coin to me, the main difference being that one of them succumbed to their worst intentions and desires, while the other freed themselves and learned to embrace love and peace in their life. Both were isolated during their childhoods, resulting in years of loneliness, misery, and bitterness; both try to appear poised and reserved, hiding their inner self-loathing; both are intelligent and cunning, both have a definite aggressive streak, and both have interesting chemistry in their very few scenes together. Hans seems to be the only one on equal footing with Elsa who can get through to her throughout the film, mainly for his own ambition, of course, but it intrigued me to see even all these years later how compelling their interactions are.

Why would he sympathetically plead, “don’t be the monster they fear you are,” and stop her from killing those two guards? If he was planning on killing her, why would he go to her and ask if she could stop the winter? Why does he look shocked, almost sad when she tells him that she can’t, like he’s regretting having to kill her? It’s moments like these that paint these characters with more nuance than meets the eye.

I’ve always thought after the first movie, there was definitely potential for a more nuanced and interesting story if Hans were to return. Not simply for revenge, but rather an “enemy of my enemy is my friend” situation, where Frohana would have to work with Hans somehow to fend off an invading force or adversary, like the Southern Isles, to stick it to his family. He and Elsa would be adversarial, for sure, but through forced cooperation, they could open up and become more vulnerable with one another. The amount of angst and turmoil over their feelings for one another would be doubly engrossing. The drama would be incredible.

Now listen: I don’t really expect any of that to happen. I got off the Helsa or die party bus years ago and I’m just mainly enjoying it as it’s own non-canon concept. Believe me, I would love it if it did happen, god willing and the creek don’t rise. But really, when you get down to it, these are movies marketed at little girls, and I don’t think it would really go that far. It’s not easy to come back from holding a sword over a girl’s head, as quoted by Santino Fontana himself.

I grew up with this fandom, I started all the way back in middle school 10 years ago, and this has been a definite learning experience for me in separating the extrapolated world of fan-fiction and the reality of a pg animated musical. I’ve grown up and my expectations are different, and now I understand that canon doesn’t mean shit. I beg, do not take any of this seriously. Just because it has the Disney trademark slapped on it does not mean it’s the end all be all of a story. Stories are fluid things that adapt and evolve in each of the hands they pass through. No one interpretation of a story or a character or a relationship has to be “the right one,” and not every character has to sit on a black and white scale of moral dichotomy, there are always shades of gray.

I’m not saying all of this to be deep about a ship between a Disney princess and a Disney villain that I got into when I was 13, believe I know it’s not that deep. I’m saying this because I’ve lived through fandom and set myself up with false expectations, only to be disappointed. Hell, I took a break from helsa for a solid 3 years because of how burnt out I was. It’s far too easy to dissociate from the text and treat fanon as canon; you’re just setting yourself up to be disappointed. Just let it be its own thing! Like I said, canon does not mean shit! Don’t take things so seriously! Feel free to tell your own stories!

Anyways, I still love this ship, or at least the version I came up with in my head, because I am a storyteller, and I saw potential in these two that could be realized through other means. It doesn’t matter to me if it’s canon or not. Just enjoy it as it is.

#helsa #disney #artists on tumblr #important #illustration #fan art #hans x elsa #queen elsa #prince hans #frozen #frozen 2 #frozen 3 #fandom #disney frozen

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fazedlight · 3 months

Text

Oath (Alex character study, of a sort)

She swore an oath.

“Kara,” Alex said, “What happened? Are you alright?”

“I have to find Lena-” Kara said, racing out of her kryptonite prison towards the Fortress computer.

Is Lena okay? “What did Rama Khan do?” Alex demanded.

She swore an oath.

And as she heard Kara’s next words, she knew somewhere in back of her mind that her oath was about to be tested. “It was Lena,” Kara said, fighting back tears as she tapped at the Fortress computer. “She knew.”

Alex’s eyes widened as she processed what Kara said. She tried to focus - Lena had Myriad, and there was only one thing she could do with it - but there was an image being conjured in the back of Alex’s mind. She trapped my sister in kryptonite, Alex thought, her gut churning uncomfortably, She killed Lex, she knew for months…

Something like rage ran along the back of her neck, her jaw tensing with the idea of Kara, trapped and alone, watching as the woman she loved callously walked away. Alex had long known where that relationship was headed - or she thought she had, until now.

Adrenaline poured through her veins as they raced to find Myriad - portaling from the Fortress to the DEO - though her heart nearly stopped as Malefic stepped in front of her. Gun drawn, she demanded answers, but she regretted what she found. With Myriad and the q-waves Lena had isolated from Malefic, Lena was poised to take worldwide control.

She swore an oath.

“I can still save her,” Kara pleaded, as Alex’s mind scrambled for a plan. Something, anything to stop Lena from brainwashing the world. “You don’t know that,” Alex responded.

The litany ran through her mind - how she had cast suspicion on Lena at every turn, and yet the Luthor always came through. Even when a rift had developed between Lena and Supergirl, Lena showed up to clear the air of kryptonite when Kara fell. When Alex had lost her memory, she had seen so much of the Luthor’s nobility, her curiosity. She’s hurt, Alex knew, she’s misguided.

But she swore an oath.

Claymore, Alex thought, her mind formulating a plan - trying to push out the empathy for how Lena must be aching, trying to chase away her anger that Lena had trapped her baby sister in a torturous cage. Her friend was now her adversary, and there was no longer room for anything personal. If Lena succeeded, the world might be lost. If Alex succeeded, she knew Kara would never forgive her - and she doubted she could ever forgive herself.

She swore an oath.

“We have to start thinking with our heads,” Alex said, “Not with our hearts.”

#I think the writers really screwed up with this one and it BOTHERS me #they could've kept the same plot while still giving Alex a more nuanced take on her thoughts on Lena instead of going all “she's a Luthor”#alex danvers #mel writes ficlets

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dirtytransmasc · 9 months

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Yes, she decided. The moment she continued to go in his chamber, she could advice him to wed laena instead of trying to have a relationship with him, she could have remember him of his duty. She had a choice as everyone has

clearly logic is something that will not reach you no matter what I say but let's try again shall we.

first off, Viserys married for pleasure, not power or political gain. he knew his duties he knew what was best and had no interest. he married Alicent because that's what he wanted. it would be insanely inappropriate for a girl to advise a king on political matters AND it should not be the job of a 14 year old child to tell a king what he should be doing.

second off, she had a father to please, cause again, to reiterate, she was his daughter and she had a duty to him and her house. this was not a duty she wanted, but she didn't have a choice. she was young but se wasn't stupid she knew what her father expected of her, and if word got back from Viserys that she was actively advising him to marry someone else, she would then not only bring disobeying her father but going against him.

thirdly, and more minorly, "she should have pushed him to marry laena" isn't the gotcha you think it is. laena was even younger than her, and even if it was politically expected of him, still fucking gross.

lastly, cause I apparently can't stress this enough, SHE DIDNT HAVE A CHOICE, plain and simple. she had no agency, she had no power, she had no out, she was at the mercy of her father, she had to obey him, she had to do what he said, even if it meant walking herself to slaughter. once she met with the king, he took a liking to her and DEMANDED her presence, he the DEMANDED her hand. again, there was no point she could have said no. she couldn't say no to her father, she couldn't advise the king (he barely tolerated it when she was literally the queen, let alone if she had just been some girl entertaining him in his chambers), she couldn't deny the king of anything, she didn't have a choice.

she was 14 and scared, 14 and trying to survive, 14 and trying to please her father, 14 and sent to a man 3 times her age's chambers, 14 and lusted after by the king, 14 and knowing of her place in the world and what was expected of her. like every other woman in their history, she couldn't escape, she couldn't, there's no plainer way to say it. she faced her duty with poise and a stiff lip, cause that's what you had to do, but she was just a child.

you can't expect her to have been some radical icon, there were none, women who went against their station in life were punished or killed or put into god awful betrothals to lessen the shame brought to her family. she was a nobleman's daughter, she had a house to bring honor to. she did the heartbreaking thing of giving up, for the benefit of her father and house, doesn't mean she wanted it, doesn't mean it was ok, doesn't mean she isn't deserving of pity. giving in to your duty =/= wanting it.

"she had a choice as everyone has" she had a choice every woman has; accept it with grace, be forced into it, or damn herself to a fate much worse (and that's being generous, most didn't even have that many choices). it's the men who had choices, Otto offered his daughter up, he didn't have to, he had no obligation and nothing to lose if he didn't. Viserys had every choice, he could have married whoever he wanted, he could have denied her the second she entered his chambers. the men in her life had every choice to change her fate, yet they didn't take it, and you would rather blame her over them?

and listen, I know your set in your mindset of victim blaming a child bride who was raped until her husband didn't have the health or stamina to keep it up, and that you'll choose to blame her over the men in her life who damned her to such a fate. nothing I say will ever convince you, cause you clearly hate her past where logic will reach. you can keep sending asks with your terrible takes that have no backing or logic and actively ignore the political and societal state of the times and what it means for her as a young noble girl, and I'll keep answering them cause I have nothing better to do and I'll defend my girl to the grave.

#actually unbelievable #I cant wrap my head around this lack of logic and common sense #like her offering up the 12 year old is any better #cause if she did y'all woukd be all over her like a pack of dogs #calling her horrible things #whether or not he even took laena's hand instead #she would have been the evil girl throwing a 12 year old at an olf man to save herself #and the “she had a choice thing” is such a tired insanely incorrect take that is frankly mind numbing #she didnt #that was the point of her position within the plot #she had no choice no power no agency #she did ehat was expected of her to survive #just because she accepted her duty doesnt make it right #I dont know what else I can say about that #its just the fact of the matter #thats what it was like for women #pro alicent hightower #alicent hightower #pro team green #hotd #house of the dragon #currently gnawing on my own leg with anger

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vicioussickle · 21 days

Note

Do you have an Ao3 or anywhere you posted your fanfic, I particularly loved the one with Link having a vision of the goddess from a bathing scene you drew

wowww someone who remembers THAT!! nah i dont have ao3 i dont write long fics enough to warrant it i think... even this was just a little vignette that got long...

i wanted to redo the arte that went with it because its old and i dont like it anymore, im not even sure if i like this writing anymore either but if you'd like to read it here: link's goofy boy thoughts

If he hadn’t been him, she certainly would have bested him. However, the blade goes flying out of her hands. Disarmed.

He wasn’t going to let her win. That would be insincere.

He was lucky. Or cursed. Or blessed. Whichever way anyone wanted to look at it. He was the chosen master of the blade. Even the best men from across the land didn’t stand a chance against him. They never could. Long before he was teaching the princess how to fight. Long before she had him on the ground. Long before he sent the blade flying from her hands.

She did excellent today, if only she wasn’t who she is, she could certainly join him on the battlefield.

His face is very warm and it isn’t just because of the physical exertion. He thinks about it as he catches his breath. Yeah, he liked the idea of that, a lot…

His father told him he met his mother on the battlefield and she was always there. She was a medic. She made some of the best potions one could get… and, which he didn’t really need to know, made him too. His grandmother told him he was always destined to be a warrior, due to being conceived on the battlefield. The thing that did her in was him. He killed her. As his sister often reminded him… He was too young to understand. All he could do was apologize. His father said it wasn’t his fault. Those things just happen. It still hurt, and it would always be one of the burdens that kept him silent. What if that happened to the princess..? And how would that even happen…? He’s thinking of quite a lot he ought not to be.

It would be so much easier if he only had eyes for men… He realized he admires the strength and beauty they possess as well. He couldn’t advert his thoughts from some of his fellow soldiers… This really isn’t what he should be thinking of either.

He watches her. Women are quite wonderful to think about and look at as well. Her long hair tied up, a mess now. Her face was red and she was soaked with sweat… He watched her remove the heavy pieces of armor. Was it inappropriate to watch? He grows warm again and had better sit up. His admiration was going to make itself visibly apparent. He tries to think of anything else, or look at something else. He adjusts his clothing… awkwardly. He isn’t a child anymore, he had recently pulled the blade from the forest again. Berated by the princess’s blue bird friend. He can just imagine what he would say about him training her in combat… That took care of that.

“I suppose I’ll never best you…” She says, she doesn’t say it sadly. Or angrily. She had grown much kinder towards the young man. She was trying to convince her blue bird friend that he was indeed a valuable asset, and he need not doubt him. Asinine, is what he had to say about that. It’s what he said about most things. She would have agreed even just a few weeks prior to him claiming the blade again. She remembers him as a child. He was weird, tiny, and possessed absolutely no social grace. He either mumbled so low you couldn’t understand a word he said, or shouted it so loud you couldn’t understand a word he said. He didn’t know how to bow. He could never address anyone by their proper title. There was no place for him in any kind of court, and she thought it just as asinine as her blue bird friend that her father appointed him to look after her. He was nothing like his father. He was Stoic. Poised. A proper knight…

She smiles at him. Looking at him looking away awkwardly and so obviously flustered by her. Trying to hide it with his hands in his lap. She had began to realize that recklessness and free spirit was something she enjoyed about him. He had been teaching her how to fight, afterall. If her father knew…

He looks up at her. Oh, she definitely has bested him… Perhaps, just not in combat. He picks up the blade again and uses it to pull himself off the ground. Maybe she had in combat too… He’s definitely sore. He could use a good meal or a nap. Both would be nice. That recklessness was turning to reservation. He had felt quite a deal of pressure upon him now being in possession of the blessed blade again. The one he found as a child. The one who sang the most beautiful, and tragic song he ever heard. A voice he hadn’t been able to part with since he parted with it. Since it was returned to the forest. His soul was bound to it and without it he felt loneliness he had never felt before. A heartache that cut deep. Plunged into his chest. Tethered. Aching. Crying. Alone. Pleading for time to past quickly day after day so that he would reunite with it again. His youth lost. Training was the only distraction… and the princess. She soothed the voice. It was quiet when she was around. It was forged by the goddess she was trying to evoke within herself… perhaps that was why. She felt his pain. The loneliness. All the hands that have held it. The flesh it cut. Darkness it vanquished. It saw death.

It’s quiet, now. It was not the blade he used to train with the princess, it was only to be used in the proper circumstance. He rests his hands atop the pommel of the one he used with her. Pressing it into the ground and nodding in response. He’s quiet now, too. Not a mumble. Not a shout. He no longer spoke at all. Only nodding yes or no. Like a proper knight. He was not here to be her friend and he cursed himself for thinking and feeling things about her. Impure, inappropriate things. Treason. He was sworn to servitude. Keeping the princess from harm. Not courtship.

“Well… don’t worry about it. I’m not coming for your title as a master swordsman…” She didn’t see it that way. There was nothing impure or inappropriate here. The women in the desert got to choose their partners. She ought to do the same. He’s cute. She doesn’t want anyone else to have him. Yet, part of her still felt resentment towards him. The way everything worked out for him. Sometimes she wanted to apologize for treating him so awfully… She wished she could get him to speak. What would it take? She stares at him. Standing there. He would cut his own throat if her father ordered him to. He’s just as drenched as she is. Both of them were filthy and there was no way they could return to the castle like this.

There was a body of water they visited after each of their lessons to wash up. Really only for her to wash up. He didn’t look. He stood with his back to her, on guard, of course. His job. He’d splash his face and fix his hair, at least. Making sure his fingernails are clean. He typically bathed with the men… It would be suspicious and unusual for him to take multiple baths. Nobody would know they were here, though.

“Maybe you ought to get in too…” She says, looking at the back of his head. His roughed up hair, dust all down the back of his clothes. “You’re going to have to do something… You’re really dirty this time and you know you’re not going to be in good graces entering the castle like that…” She wants to laugh. He won’t. “Is it… only men you desire?” She isn’t stupid, either. She’s heard things. She giggles. She bets his face is very red now.

Indeed it is. His eyes grow wide. Desire? He didn’t desire anyone. He couldn’t. It went against his oath. He was sworn to servitude. To the kingdom. Of course that did not stop anyone else… Soldiers loved their whores. There was nothing wrong with that, he supposed. Apparently that was how the man he was the supposed reincarnation and… a distant relative…? or something came to be. A romance between a soldier and a lady of the night. However, she could not raise a child and he was orphaned. He lived the rest of his days in a small village, far from the castle town and in the woods. He had never been with anyone. Not even a kiss. He had opportunities. Lots of people thought he was cute. He didn’t want it. All he did was think about it. Lately, an embarrassing amount. What he would do if he could actually flirt back… It doesn’t matter. He sighs heavily and tightens his grip atop the blade as he rest his hands atop it. Staying firm in his position and unwavering. No speaking. He made this rule up himself. He is not here to be a friend. Her question is inappropriate, anyway.

He is becoming more like his father. Her smile drops and she shakes her head before leaning back in the water to wet her hair. Massaging her scalp with her fingers. It’s sad. They were such sad people. His father spent more time with her than his own children. He only took his son to tournaments in which he’d fight. As a child. He hated the way her own father pushed her with his beliefs, but what about the way he exploited his son? She brings her head up. She wishes he wasn’t here. Not because she despises his presence anymore, but for the same reasons she wished she wasn’t here. No expectations. Nobody to answer to.

“What would you do?” She says. Without those things. “What would you do, if you could do whatever you please… Would you want to look at me…? Lie your eyes on what you’ve been told you’re not allowed to see…?”

Her words burn his ears. He feels her eyes on him. His heart pounds. He just wants to be good.

But that recklessness rears itself now and again.

It definitely went against his duty to spar with her. She could hurt herself, and that went against his duty to keep her from harm.

It definitely went against it as he begins to turn, slowly. He looks at her. She’s beautiful. His eyes take their time meeting hers. She’s sitting on the edge of the water. Her skin glistening wet. She glows. She looks unreal. Like the goddess. He drops to his knee. He can’t help it. He saw her when he pulled the blade. He saw eons ago. He saw the goddess. A demon. A curse. A child born to hold the blade. As long as it exists, all these things would too. He does. He exists for her. “I—I serve… only you. I would not exist otherwise… I can not be in a world where I may do as I please…” He mouths these words in a hush whisper. An affirmation. An affirmation to the goddess. She rest inside the girl before him. The voice knows. It tells him. She hears him.

“Come to me…” She says, standing. Her arms stretch out and she stands.

He lifts his head and opens his eyes. He doesn’t see her. He sees the horizon before him, the castle not too far off in the distance. His back was still to the water. He blinks a few times. “Okay, go clean yourself up and let’s go.” She says. The princess. She stood before him now. In proper clothing. Not armor. Not in the bare flesh. He rubs his eyes and nods.

He must have fallen asleep while standing there.

He only takes his gear off and his top and shakes out the dirt, then sits beside the edge of the water. Thinking about what he saw. The voice he heard. She was right here. He stares into the water. It all felt so real. He splashes his face and takes his hair down and shakes it out too and combs his fingers through the tangles. Perhaps he really is just very worn out. He pulls his hair back and dresses again. Taking a moment before pulling the strap that held the blade on his back on. He held it on his lap. Looking down at it. It’s quiet now. He runs his hand down the bright blue and yellow scabbard.

He wants to see her again. The goddess.

#the legend of zelda #age of calamity #breath of the wild #botw #link #princess zelda #zelda #zelink #fanfiction

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onceuponastory · 2 months

Text

raindrops on windows - court gentry x reader

Plot: In the aftermath of another agent's betrayal. Y/N and Court rethink their feelings for one another. Pairing: Court Gentry/Sierra Six x Agent!Female!Reader Warnings: Mentions of death/reader almost dying, violence (nothing graphic though), reader and Court doubting themselves and their feelings. As always, if I miss any triggers, please let me know! Notes: I swear I've been listening to Ryan singing I'm Just Ken at the Oscars on repeat since it happened, so it somehow led to...this. But I also missed writing for Court :)

Not beta'd, so any mistakes are my own.

Apart from the rain pelting down outside. Y/N rests her head on the window, watching as the raindrops race each other down the window. She’s only just calmed down after the horrible events of the night, since she came face to face with death. Sniffling, she rubs her eyes.

How could she have been so stupid?

How could she not have known?

“You alright?” Court’s husky voice asks as he gets in beside her, the sound making her jump. “Shit, sorry.”

“It’s okay. And yeah, I’m fine.” She lies. He raises a brow.

“You know I can tell when you’re lying.” Dammit. He’s good. Court sighs. “You almost got killed by a double agent tonight, Y/N. Nobody expects you to be fine. You don’t need to pretend, least of all to me.” Usually, Court teases her about how he knows her better than anyone. Most of the time, it’s about his constant snarky and sarcastic comments at her expense, and how much he knows she likes them, despite her insisting otherwise.

But this time… she notices there isn’t any snark or a sarcastic comment building.

No. Court Gentry genuinely cares about her feelings for the first time in well… forever.

“I know. I don’t need the reminder.” She snaps, a little harsher than intended. Each time she closes her eyes, the agent’s face looms, poised to take her life. At the last second, Court came in and rescued her, beating the agent to a pulp. She owes her life to him, yet here she is, snapping at him when he’s being nice to her for once. “Shit, sorry, just…. It’s been a horrible night.” She sighs, and Court nods.

“It’s alright.” He smiles.

“No, it’s not. If it weren't for you, I would have been killed. You really saved my ass, and I should be more grateful.” Y/N sighs. “So, thank you for saving my life. Really.” He cracks a grin at that, one which drives her crazy.

“Let me take you home.” He suggests, and she nods, glad to not be alone right now. Although there’s not really another alternative, save for Court dragging her back to the car the second she tries to leave. So, the drive continues in silence. Court glances at Y/N every so often, concern filling his gut. This isn’t what he’s supposed to do. Care for someone else. Or at least, it’s not what Court does. He works alone, he always has. He can’t let anyone else into his life.

Especially not Y/N. The agent he just loves to tease, the one he frequently snarks at. And the one who snarks right back at him, too.

The one he’s so irrevocably in love with. Honestly, he probably has been in love with her for a long time, but tonight was the first time he actually realised it.

When he found out she was in danger, he almost ripped the door to the warehouse off its hinges to get to her in time. That agent was lucky the others got to him before Court. Because Court would have killed him for daring to hurt a hair on Y/N's head. Honestly, he’d burn the world down for her, and she doesn’t even know it.

But he’s always such a pain in the ass to her, annoying her when she’s just trying to do her job. If he told her the truth, how much he loves her… she’d probably just think it’s a joke, or tell him to fuck off. And maybe he deserves it, after the shit he’s been through in this life. Another bad thing to add to the many he’s already experienced. He glances over at Y/N, who's still avoiding his gaze.

Yet, he saved Y/N. That’s one good thing he’s done.

In fact, in Court’s eyes… That's the best thing he’s ever done.

“It’s not your fault.” He murmurs. Y/N shakes her head, not even looking at him, still watching the raindrops as they batter the car. He hates seeing her like this. Usually, she’s so outgoing, ready to take his sarcastic, witty remarks and fire them right back. He’s never seen her so quiet before, so upset.

And it scares him to death.

“Yes, it is. I worked right next to him. I should’ve seen something was wrong. I could’ve stopped this!” she insists. “I’m smarter than this.” Court shakes his head.

“I met him too, remember? We all did. And none of us spotted him.” He points out. “Stop beating yourself up. Please.” His voice carries a hint of begging, an urging she’s never experienced from him before. It’s strange, realising he cares so much about her. But…she likes it.

“I’ll…I’ll try not to.” She says, and Court nods, going back to driving. Y/N looks over at him. He’s focused on the car in front of them at the stop sign, so he doesn’t notice her staring. The street lights illuminate him slightly, and her breath catches in her throat.

God, he's so handsome.

The silence continues, but this time, it’s more awkward, with each person suddenly realising that the feelings they hid for so long, the ones they ignored, might actually mean something different. Y/N gulps. What would happen, if she laid her heart on the line, admitted that she might be falling for the Sierra Six himself? She opens her mouth, wanting to speak.

“I think you should take some time off for a while.” Court says.

“Yeah, but-”

“No buts.” He cuts her off. Y/N sighs, deciding it’s best to stay quiet than argue with Court.

And besides, if she does, she doesn’t trust herself not to admit that she might be falling in love with him. And that’s not a chance she’s prepared to take, to admit everything. After all, maybe she only feels that way because he saved her life? Surely she doesn’t actually love him…

Yet, she can’t ignore the way her heart twinges when she thinks that.

Court soon pulls up outside her apartment, turning to say goodbye. In an instant, the scent of Court’s cologne, mixed with his sweat, hits her nostrils as he leans in closer, and it sends her senses ablaze. “Think you’ll be alright? Want me to walk you inside?” He asks, his voice husky. Y/N’s cheeks heat up. Court raises a brow at her, something else that sends her heart into a frenzy. “Hm?” He asks.

“Y-Yeah. I’ll be okay.” She murmurs. “Thanks again.” He looks her up and down, and she gulps. Now her heart is beating so much she swears it could break free from her chest.

Just tell him. What’s the worst that could happen?

Everything could crash down around you. That’s what.

“Night Court.” She murmurs. For a moment, his face falls. But before she can dwell on it, wonder if it’s because of her and if he feels the same way about her, his smile is back, and he nods.

“Night Y/N.” Y/N reaches for her door handle. A strange feeling builds in her gut, as if she wants him to tell her to stay. But she pushes it down and opens her door, stepping out into the night. With one last wave, he drives away.

And Y/N is alone.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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#court gentry x y/n #court gentry x reader #court gentry #sierra six x y/n #sierra six x you #sierra six x reader #sierra six #the gray man fanfic #the gray man #the gray man fanfiction #the grey man #fanfiction #fanfic #fic

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tskei · 16 days

Text

Whispers in the embers

The story takes place around Deliria, a Draconic Bloodline Sorceress and Astarion and their feelings as they prepare to face Yurgir. Deliria was my Honour Mode character and a lot of details and events from that run will be reflected in the stories from this series.

You can also find me on AO3

Rating: Explicit

Words: 3,7k

Pairing: Astarion (Baldur's Gate)/Original Female Character

Warnings: 18+, Vaginal Sex, Bathtubs, Dissociation, Trauma, POV Astarion, Breaking the Bed, Porn with Feelings, one shot

Summary: Days after the discovery of Raphael’s contract, the gang had still not taken any action to eradicate it. Astarion is beginning to have doubts and prepares to take matters into his own hands.

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It had been two days since they found the damned devil and still nothing. The anticipation was killing him. The answer to the centuries-old question he’d been harboring was tantalizingly close, poised for the taking, yet here he was, trapped in a monotonous cycle of shopping, shuttling between the Underdark and the Cursed Lands. He would have gone and taken care of the wretched thing ten times by now if it were not for the devil’s entourage, a veritable mini-army, while he was alone. As always.

Doubts began to fester; the thought that she might be deceiving him, harboring no true intent to slay the beast, grew more insistent by the hour. But she wouldn't do that when she said she'd help him, would she? Her kindness seemed too genuine for such deceit. Or so he hoped.

Admitting it to himself was no small feat, but there was no denying the truth—he was utterly smitten with her. Her compassionate soul, her boundless determination, the outlandish strategies she conjured for every foe they encountered—she was a whirlwind of exhilaration. It had been an age since he’d engaged in genuine conversation, and she brought a spark of life to his world.

Yet, a nagging suspicion lurked within him, whispering that her interest was merely superficial, drawn only to the pleasures he provided, his physique, his allure. She didn't know him at all, despite everything. Maybe she wouldn't take a second glance if she knew of the deeds that haunted him and what he was really like.

Daydreams of a genuine connection with her often occupied his thoughts—companionship, care, the very essence of a real relationship, foreign concepts he yearned to explore. The feelings he harbored for her were undeniable, a stark contrast to his usual self-absorption. She had become the sole focus of his affections. Yet, the uncertainty of her reciprocation weighed heavily on him.

Especially now when he needed her help more than ever.

A thought occurred to him then. One he would prefer not to entertain but as the days passed with no plans of slaying the creature, it began to gnaw at him relentlessly. Perhaps if he surrendered to her completely, indulged in the carnal dance once more, she might be more inclined to listen to him if he addressed this issue again. They hadn't done that in a little while. As his feelings for her intensified he found it harder and harder to lay with her, the guilt almost crippling.

He partially blamed himself for this, maybe if he'd offered himself more perhaps she would have seized the opportunity to slay the beast without hesitation.

He hated thinking like this. But his instincts were telling him it’s how it always was and now had no reason to be different. He had to just do it, offer himself, get it over with and secure her cooperation. Guilt should have no place here; after all, she would not be left wanting—he would see to her complete satisfaction.

With a heavy heart, he suppressed his emotions once more and ventured out to gather a few things.

Night fell, and he had transformed the remnants of a cottage in the cursed wilderness into a sanctuary of sorts. It had a bed, a fireplace and was somewhat far away from the others while remaining safe from the curse.

Candles flickered on every available surface, a fire crackled invitingly, and he found clean or somewhat clean blankets, filled the bath with warm water and put towels on a chair next to it. He even added some weavemoss and incense here and there to improve the otherwise somber setting. It was a modest offering, but it was the best he could muster under the circumstances, and far surpassing anything they've had during the past few weeks.

He himself would have been looking forward to relaxing here had it not been for the anxiety twisting in his gut, mingling with self-loathing. He inhaled deeply, steadying himself—it was just for one night, and then he would carry on.

He saw her practically dragging herself to camp, her bag overstuffed and making her almost immobile. Why had she not called for him? It was a pattern with her, always overloading her own bag even though she could carry the least of all of them.

“Darling, why don't I help you with that?” he offered, gently taking her bag off her shoulder and dropping it on her bedroll by the fire.

“Thank you, Astarion. My shoulder was starting to ache. “she replied with a tired smile.

She sat gracefully next to it and started taking items out from inside in handfuls. There were so many things sprawled on the floor they almost reached his tent. For a fleeting moment, he pondered whether her incessant hoarding was a quirk of her draconic heritage, but the thought was quickly dismissed. He needed to concentrate on the night ahead.

“Darling, there's something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about, if you would grant me your attention tonight.” he murmured, his voice a deliberate drawl that he knew resonated with her.

“Yes, of course. Actually, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about as well. “she replied and he looked over curiously.

Spinning around while still seated, almost in a comical manner, she grabbed a smaller bag that had emerged from her overstuffed one and thrust it up at him.

“This is for you. “she declared.

Peering inside, he found an assortment of arrows, oils for coating his weapon, elixirs, potions, and a pair of new gloves.

“Your attempts at courtship could use some work, darling,” he teased, a wry smile tugging at his lips.

“Keep them on you, you'll need them for tomorrow when we go after Yiurgir. “she instructed.

Surprise flickered across his face. “What? Weren't you looking for his contract up till now?”

“ No, I never intended to do anything about that,” she scoffed, dismissing the idea with a wave of her hand. “I promised you we'd take care of it, didn't I? I was just trying to learn the layout and look for any potential vulnerabilities.”

Her sigh betrayed her frustration; the search had yielded nothing.

“Also, could you give these to Lae’zel and Karlach?” she said, handing him two more bags, likely filled with similar provisions.

“Of course, uh, sweet dreams,“ he stammered, momentarily caught off guard.

As he assumed his role as courier, a sense of foolishness washed over him. He had doubted her, prepared for a seduction that was now unnecessary. He should have been relieved, he didn’t have to lure her into his bed after all. But there was also an unwelcome feeling of disappointment. He had dreaded this evening for days. Why in the hells was he disappointed about it now?

He could still just go up and enjoy his little set up, no one would notice his absence and if they did, they'd probably think he's hunting. He could go take a bath, sleep in front of the fireplace and prepare for the fight tomorrow.

“Hello, darling,” he greeted her in the dim light.

“Astarion? “ Her voice was groggy from her trance, and he felt a twinge of regret for disturbing her rest.

“There is something I wanted to show you.“

“Oh, right,” she remembered, becoming more alert. “What is it?”

“Follow me, it's not far. And be quiet so we don't disturb the others.”

As they climbed higher and higher, he could tell she'd never ventured here before. He felt somewhat giddy to show her his project.

“What is this place?“ she gasped. One would think he’d taken her to a princess castle and not a dusty old attic.

“Astarion, did you do all this?” Amazement laced her words.

She actually sounded awed and he felt a weird sense of joy that he had managed to surprise her.

“Just a few things I had lying around,” he replied, feigning modesty while his pride soared.

“Oh gods, is that really soap? “She clutched the bar in her hands like one would a precious gem.

“Darling, that’s the most pitiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he teased, unable to resist the opportunity.

She shot back, “I haven’t enjoyed a proper bath since Baldur’s Gate.”

“And I’m painfully aware,” he quipped, his smile broadening at her expression.

She gasped in outrage, the look of indignation on her face was more than worth it.

“For your information, you’re hardly one to talk,” she retorted.

“Hmmm...” He began to unbutton his shirt, each undone fastening drawing her gaze. “That's true.”

“We ought to address this… predicament,” he suggested, his eyes meeting hers, a smirk playing on his lips as his shirt fell to the floor.

She turned away, her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and desire.

“Then you should go first, this is all your doing after all.” she said, surprising him with her restraint.

He approached her, his chest almost touching her back. Leaning in, he whispered, his cold breath tickling her pointed ear.

“I was hoping you’d join me, darling. There’s ample room for two.”

Deliria’s heart skipped a beat, her breath hitching. Astarion’s mere presence unraveled her composure, leaving her speechless and longing. Never in her life had she struggled getting words out yet around this man she could barely string a sentence together.

“I…I would like that ,” she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.

Proud of herself that she had managed even this much, she started unbuttoning her own shirt.

He took off his pants and slipped in the water swiftly. He felt his muscles almost instantly relax in the embrace of the warm water. Groaning softly, he dragged his eyes back to her just in time to catch her steal a glimpse at him.

Eager little thing.

She finally took her pants and undergarments off in one movement. He roamed his eyes over her form as she approached the tub. She was exhuming grace with her every movement, hips gently swaying side to side despite her urgency to get to the tub as fast as possible and hide herself underneath the water. She sat between his legs, her back facing him.

“I… I wanted to apologize to you,” she said, back still turned to him,staring into the cursed abyss.

He had never seen her struggle for words, but now she opened and closed her mouth repeatedly before finally finding her resolve. “I had never fought in my life before the Nautiloid. I would have died on that beach if it hadn’t been for Shadowheart. I only practiced sorcery because I wanted to, almost as a passing fancy. I just listen to the magic in my blood, and it guides my hands when I need it.”

“But… meeting that thing, Yurgir —I’ve never felt anything like it. It felt like the very fire in my veins was extinguished. I knew nothing I did could ever touch it. I felt… terrified.”

Her voice shook, the fear that the devil had instilled in her was clearly still very present. He would have reached out to touch her had he not been completely stunned by her admission.

She was so beautiful, more befitting a queen than a noble’s daughter. She enraptured everyone she met; merchants adored her, people fawned over her, and she wielded her golden tongue even against their enemies. And in battle, her precision was unmatched. She’d never wielded a blade in her life, yet she knew every opponent’s weakness, adjusting tactics on the fly. Every battle seemed almost effortless under her guidance. He could see the dark circles under her eyes, even when she covered them with golden makeup every morning. She stayed up late into the night, preparing for the next battle, researching their enemies, the creatures around them, the types of weapons that worked best against them.

And here she was, before him now, actually vulnerable.

Terrified, just like the rest of them. It was so strange. The image of the fearless, untouchable leader started to crumble before him, and he felt something warm bloom inside his chest.

“I know you wanted to end the devil as soon as we saw it, but… I needed to prepare you. You and the others. You’ll lead the charge tomorrow; the rest will follow your actions. And I’ll try to support you in any way I can.”

She finally turned to him, a sad pitiful smile on her lips.

He took her chin in his hand and kissed her. He had no idea what to say, no idea what to think, still processing this completely unexpected admission. But he knew he wanted to kiss her at that moment, and so he did.

She went along willingly, eager to kiss him back. Still half-turned, she placed her hands on his chest and leaned further into him.

She was so open, so trusting of him without him having done a single thing to earn her trust and companionship. She was always so caring and thoughtful, giving herself freely to everyone. And here he was, lying through his teeth to her—about his feelings, about who he was, everything. She didn’t deserve this.

The guilt he felt lay heavy in his stomach as her eyes looked at him with such tenderness and affection.

Gods, how he yearned to turn back time, to undo the web of lies he had spun around her. Even now, as he stood before her, his hands were empty, his heart burdened with nothing to offer but the shards of his broken honesty. Yet, amidst the chaos of his deceit, a flicker of hope stubbornly ignited within him—a hope that perhaps he hadn’t misjudged her feelings. That maybe, just maybe, she too sensed the unspoken connection that thrummed between them. That she might actually want him.

The water grew cold as they continued their kiss and he felt her shiver against him.

“We should probably move to the bed.” He said pulling away.

He stood first and left the bath. As soon as she was on her feet, he grabbed the back of her thighs and lifted her in the air, prompting her to wrap her legs around him. She gasped in surprise and wrapped her arms around his neck. It was as their first night together, except now he could hold her up like she weighed nothing. Weeks of fighting in the wilderness had increased his strength more than he thought possible.

He carried her to the bed with ease and sat them both down with her in his lap. He pulled one of the bedsheets off the bed and wrapped it around her still shivering form.

She felt his hard length press against her and bit her lip in anticipation. He grabbed her by the hips and lifted her, just enough to position himself against her entrance.

“Are you ready, darling?” he purred against her neck and felt her nod.

She moaned as he guided her way down his shaft. When she finally slipped all the way down and met his hips, he waited, giving her time to adjust to his size.

He moved her up and down a few times, enjoying the way her tight heat wrapped around him.

He leaned back on the palm of his hand for leverage while keeping the other on her hip.

Her lust-filled gaze focused on him before she flushed with embarrassment. She grasped his shoulders and started to rock her hips against him.

The poor thing really didn’t have much experience with this, too used to being pampered like a princess, even in the bedroom. He probably didn’t help her case either, focusing on bringing her as much pleasure as possible during every tryst they had shared.

She was trying her best though, gliding her hips against him, increasing her pace as she gained confidence. Just as she had established a rhythm, he flexed his hips for the first time, pushing up against her. She moaned loudly and threw her head back.

He did it again and again as she bounced on his lap, pulling her hips into his thrusts with his free hand and making her wail and grip his shoulders harder.

Despite every part of him yearning to simply sit back and savor her to his heart’s content, he found it challenging. The all-too-familiar feelings that came of being on the receiving side were resurfacing and he had no idea how to make them stop.

As these thoughts consumed him, his mind wandered away from the here and now, and he lost all sense of time.

“-Starion-“

Her moans reached his ears and he realized his pace had increased, now brutally fucking into her.

“Astarion- Please, please- I… I can’t-“

She was whimpering above him, her legs shaking with exertion as she rode him as hard as she could.

He saw rivulets of sweat drip from her forehead onto his, her mouth open, each breath released as a moan. It was only in moments like these he could see her composure crumble so completely.

He swiftly swapped their position pushing her on her back under him.

He lowered his hand to her center, finally providing some stimulation to the sensitive bud there and she screamed digging her nails into his shoulders.

The impossible pressure in her belly was mixing pleasure with pain as he thrust deep into her. It was on the edge of too much yet she never wanted him to stop. Every brutal thrust erasing her thoughts to the point of leaving her a panting needy mess. She clung to him trying to pull him closer still, the distance felt so large she couldn't stand it.

“K-kiss me...” she gasped out.

She had no idea how she still managed to form words but was grateful that was all the prompting he needed.

He dipped down, finally closing the remaining inches between them and her orgasm crashed into her. She saw stars as wave after wave of intense pleasure wracked her body.

She was quivering around him as if prompting him to come with her. He was helpless to anything other than shudder and moan and grip her more tightly, fucking up into her harder until finally he emptied inside her with a broken cry against her lips. He felt so completely lost in bliss, adrift, with her like an anchor holding him together. His hips thrust impossibly deeper inside her, stuttering in their final movements.

Pulling away, he desperately tried to regain some of his bearings.

He looked at her face, finding her in a similar state- a deep flush spread across her cheeks, her eyes unfocused, drool escaping the corners of her mouth, tears brimming in her eyes, strands of hair plastered to her forehead. She had never appeared more beautiful to him as she did in this disheveled state. A smile tugged at his lips, and he parted them to tease her, but before a single word could escape, a loud crack reverberated through the room, and the bed promptly collapsed under them.

He winced at the impact, while she let out a surprised “Uf.” They exchanged wide-eyed looks of shock, then, unable to contain the absurdity of the moment, he erupted into giggles. She joined in almost immediately, her laughter mingling with his.

“I… can’t believe we broke the bed,” she said, her voice laced with a poorly concealed pride.

“It’s hardly impressive. Given the state of this place, it’s a miracle we didn’t crash through the floor,” he replied, his tone light, trying to match her humor.

She giggled again, her eyes locking with his. “Is that a challenge? To try again once we reach a sturdier bed in Baldur’s Gate?”

A wave of dread washed over him, causing his stomach to churn. He plastered a smirk on his face and leaned in close, his voice a sultry drawl in her ear. “With you? Always, darling. I can’t wait.”

He felt her breath hitch at his words, the reaction he had aimed for, but it brought him no joy. The thought of keeping the facade all the way to Baldur's gate seemed unbearable. Guilt was already gnawing viciously at him; she deserved the truth, and he had to muster the courage to tell her—soon.

He slipped from inside her, briefly forgetting they were still joined. She extended her arms wide and let out a languid yawn.

“I can’t imagine how I’m going to take those stairs on the way down,” she groaned, the finding the very prospect daunting.

“But I think sleeping on this broken bed would be a new low for me,” she added, her voice tinged with despair.

“Oh, don’t be like that, darling. I’m sure we’ll find even grander muck for you to sleep in soon enough,” he teased, his tone light and playful.

“You’re hilarious, have I mentioned that?” she retorted sarcastically, finally freeing herself from his embrace and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed.

“And beautiful,” he replied, running a hand through his tousled curls—a gesture that somehow still managed to look effortlessly sexy.

She stood up, her legs wobbly as if she were a newborn foal, supporting her for a fleeting moment before she lost balance, almost toppling over backwards.

He stood with grace and speed he shouldn't still be possessing, given their activities, and grasped her by the arm, helping her stay upright.

A smug look spread across his face, and she responded with a glare. “Don’t look so proud of yourself.”

“Oh, I’m anything but, darling,” he quipped. “Why don’t I help you down the stairs? I’d hate to be the reason you can’t walk tomorrow.”

She groaned, her embarrassment palpable. But her thighs ached terribly, and her knees felt like jelly, along with dull pains slightly higher.

“Fine, let’s go.” She conceded.

As she lay her head down, sleep threatened to overtake her, but she fought for a moment of lucidity. Reaching out, she sought Astarion’s hand, her fingers gently brushing his. “Thank you for tonight, Astarion. It was amazing.”

He leaned over swiftly, planting a kiss on her forehead. “You’re welcome, my dear.”

As he pulled back, he noticed she had already succumbed to sleep, her breaths deep and even.

#astarion #astarion bg3 #smut #astarion fic #bg3 spoilers #baldurs gate 3 #bg3 fanfiction #bg3 tav #fanfic #astarion fanfiction

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haliteatiger · 1 year

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This my "Tav", Silence. I'm still sorta working out her background details, but for now it's safe to say she's had it pretty rough.

Check below the cut for a lot of rambling and pointless, self-indulgent headcanons.

Her name comes from the fact that she didn't speak for the first few years of her life, instead learning to play the violin and communicating through her art. Someone started calling her "Little Silence" and it just sort of stuck. She didn't know her parents, but was adopted by a noble who saw her as a unique "pet" given her unusual appearance - even for a tiefling - and her musical and artistic talents.

Unfortunately, the guy was bad with money, and ended up gambling away a good portion of whatever Silence earned, in the end becoming desperate enough to try and auction off her virginity when she came of age. Silence, obviously, was not going to stand for this, and managed to escape - possibly killing the man who bought her in the process, she wasn't sure and frankly doesn't care.

With only her violin and a precious few belongings in tow, Silence made her way to Baldur's Gate and was eventually found by a gang of performers and thieves (that I have yet to come up with a name for) where she learned ways on how to survive on the streets and defend herself with her art. Now in her late 20s, and poised to set out on her own due to some complications within her social circle, she was taken aboard the Nautiloid.

There are two sides to Silence - one is kind of quiet, observant, and sensitive. She has a way of simply blending into the background if she doesn't want to be observed (she's good at Stealthing, I guess), and the other is her more or less "bard persona", which is outgoing and charismatic. Contrary to her name, Silence can be quite talkative when the mood strikes her. It's usually when she becomes angry, flustered, or anxious where she seems to forget words entirely and has a hard time articulating herself, which has led into some dramatic situations when she lashes out more physically.

Overall, she's easygoing, and tries very hard not to let her emotions get in the way of her making decisions, and so often comes off as more pragmatic than anything. She's also pretty accepting of those around her even if she is, in actuality, slow to trust. I guess you could say she's highly manipulative as a defence mechanism. So it's not that she lies to people, per se, but she can come off as liking someone more than she does if only to deflect harm from herself. She is not a people-pleaser, however, and has very defined boundaries in terms of how far she's willing to concede to someone, especially a stranger. She's excellent at reading people (most of the time), acts more confident than she seems, knows a little about a lot of topics, and is always eager to learn more. She can be impulsive and rude without meaning to, and has something of a sarcastic and dry sense of humor that always seems almost prepared in advance whenever she snaps back at someone. Her charisma and wit often seem to leave others with the mistaken impression that she knows what she's doing in any given situation, and thus has often been beset with expectations she's sure she's more often than not fallen short of. Somehow, people just seem to think she's the most competent one in the room because she talks a good talk. Due to her dual upbringing, she is capable of blending in with high society as well as she does low. Silence will generally act within her own best interests or those of her friends, but it doesn't really take much to persuade her to do the right thing.

A good example would be when she and the gang arrive at the druid hold and is asked to help the tieflings. Initially she denies getting involved until mocked by Astarion for "turning her back on the needy", at which point, just to annoy him, agrees to help. (Although, when pressed she admits she mostly did it because she realized they needed some things in the area anyway and helping them could be beneficial to their cause). She can have kind of an impish sense of humor and while she doesn't like to see others get hurt, probably does take more pleasure in watching her enemies die writhing in agony than she'd care to admit.

Random fun fact: Silence is a feral tiefling, and her tail is supposed to be reminiscent of a heraldic unicorn's or lion's tail. She often carries it with a curl or S shape as she has a somewhat chronic fear of it being stepped on or pulled. She also has cat-like eyes (that I've had to mod in, but really wish Larian would include them naturally in the game because why not??? Same with more variations in tails...)

Other fun fact is that Silence has a Secret Power in which she's capable of using her tadpole to influence those around her when she plays a song infused with a particular strong emotion. Unfortunately, she cannot replicate the song later, at least not in the same way or with the same impact as when she played it. This generally acts like an empathic attack on those who can see and hear her, impressing upon them the emotion she's attempting to convey through song which can manifest in the audience's minds as how she imagines it - so a full orchestra if that's what she's hearing in her head. As one can imagine, the situations in which this is actually useful are few and far between, as it would require the proper conditions and emotional preparation for it to be effective, although I like to imagine she has used it a few times on a smaller scale to calm tensions in the group when camping some nights.

Relationships with the other NPCs:

Lae'zel - Admires her strength, but is suspicious of her motivations mostly because she seems more than capable of finding this creche by herself, but instead wants to drag the rest of them along with her. Either she's hiding an altruistic side to her or something else is going on. Silence tolerates Lae'zel's nasty attitude, but also can't help but find her and her people's culture fascinating. She often tries to overlook the Gith's biting tongue in order to inquire more about it. It's a mystery to Silence what Lae'zel truly thinks of her, but it's probably nothing good (even if she seems to get bonus points every time she shows an interest in her people.) About the only time she gets anything resembling a compliment from her is when she agrees with her about the use of their tadpole or if she does something worth being commended for in battle. Otherwise, Lae'zel doesn't seem to be terribly fond of Silence's violin playing as the high-pitched tones seem to bother her.

Gale - Gale and her get along famously, and, next to Wyll, finds him probably one of the easiest to talk to in the group. They both share a great interest in magic and, at times, a similar sense of humor (which is to say she's about as bad at puns as he is). They're both well-travelled and well-educated, and if she doesn't know or understand something magic-related, she's quick to ask Gale for guidance, and enjoys seeing him in his element. Gale seems fond of her wit, open-mindedness, and appreciation and interest she takes in the world around her and those that live in it. She seems to have a genuine interest and appreciation for everyone in the group and admires her dedication to watching their backs, even if it's obvious she doesn't entirely trust any of them. He likes that she seems to know a surprising amount about wizardry despite not being one herself - at least enough to ask advanced questions about things that he might consider to be outside the interest of most bards, as well as the fact that she isn't easily fazed by things that would turn most people's stomachs or make them balk in disbelief. As could be evidenced by her rather extensive anatomy studies on the bodies of their fallen enemies ("It's free art references!")

Admittedly, Silence was a bit shocked and uncomfortable to learn about Gale's history and his need to consume magic artifacts, but as he seems sincere in his efforts to keep it under control, chooses not to worry about it and does what she can to support him, which he greatly appreciates. There's still that little nagging voice in the back of her mind, however, even if he's friendly enough to get her to forget that at times. She has to remind herself on occasion that she doesn't really know him.

Shadowheart - Shadowheart and her also get along very well, even if they're both somewhat guarded around each other still, and Shadowheart, when not in the right mood, can be very difficult to talk to just in general. But, it's Silence who is first to lower her defenses, and speak to the Shar acolyte candidly. Silence finds the two of them have a lot in common in terms of how they approach most situations - pragmatic but always erring to self-preservation or that of the group's. Shadowheart seems to appreciate Silence's amicability, willingness to compromise, and respects that, even though she is friendly, she isn't naive about it. It also helps that Silence doesn't seem to have a problem with her being a worshipper of Shar and respects her desire for privacy even without being prompted. Silence appreciates how much of a team player Shadowheart really is, with her main interests usually centring around maintaining the group and essentially keeping everyone content enough not to turn on one another.

Astarion - Even though she enjoys picking on him from time to time, it's almost always in a way that he can also appreciate. She finds it more fun when the other person is in on the joke as well. This can and does include flirting, but thus far, she's made it pretty clear that she perceives it as simply something to laugh about (even if he might be absolutely serious about it). Unfortunately, at least initially, she also finds Astarion to be one of the hardest to read among the group, and picking on him isn't something she started doing until she knew where his boundaries lay. Up until then, she approached him delicately, allowing him to lead the conversations and learning what she could along the way, which, fortunately, he seems more than happy to do. As a result, he takes her quite a bit longer to translate than the rest, and doesn't feel entirely comfortable around him for a long time to come, really only engaging with him whenever he wishes to engage with her. As a result, the vampire tends to find Silence the most comfortable and trustworthy one of the group even if she seems careful enough not to let him get too close. He's likely the first to notice how little Silence voluntarily shares about herself, often distracting the others with reassurances, compliments, and asking questions she thinks they would enjoy answering.

Despite this he appreciates that she's easygoing and down-to-earth, while still having a good sense of humor and seems to know when to take something seriously, and, while at times seemingly easily impressed with the world around her (like he's one to talk), also seems to accept it for what it is and adapts accordingly.

In actuality, Astarion has about as much trouble reading her as she does him, as he's found it impossible to tell if she's genuine in her compliments and expressing interest in others around her. She certainly seems to have a gift for getting people to trust her. She's good at taking control of conversations and deflecting away from topics she doesn't want to talk about in the least offensive way possible, and he's made the mistake of reading her sincerity as naivety. She intrigues him as almost every time he thinks he has her figured out, she does or says something unexpected, or contrary to what he would assume about her, and he's not even sure if she's doing it on purpose. It's possibly a matter of them being out of step with one another, being of differing natures, even if he gets on better with her than he has anyone else in recent memory (insofar as we know about his story at least).

About the only things that get on his nerves at times is that she's maybe a little too soft, and a little too cautious and prone to overthinking than is good for her, mostly because it ends up involving dragging them into doing something boring or "unproductive" (not to their overall benefit). Never mind that she's encouraged him to wait in camp or go on without them if he has a problem with their decisions. It also bugs him that, even if she sees the merit in using the tadpoles, she's on board with the others that it isn't safe to do so until they know exactly what it is they're dealing with. Rather by accident, it would seem, Astarion finds himself liking her more than he realizes, especially after his condition comes to light and, lo and behold, she's not only okay with it, she wants to know everything about it and how they can use it to their benefit, even if she doesn't seem to be too terribly keen on being fed off of, as long as he can sate himself with bandits and ne'er-do-wells, she's off the hook insofar as she's concerned... for now, and has basically told him that she's his "emergency supply" if circumstances require it.

Despite all this, Silence is still vigilant, and while she trusts him with certain things, doesn't trust him completely, and knows full well the lengths to which his type is willing to go to cover their attempts at taking advantage of a situation.

#haligren's ocs #haligren's art #haligren's oc silence #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #baldur's gate 3 tav #bg3 tav #haligren's fanfiction #baldurs gate 3 #baldurs gate 3 astarion #baldur's gate 3 astarion #bg3 lae'zel #bg3 shadowheart #bg3 gale #bg3 fanart #baldur's gate 3 fanart

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jaynovz · 11 months

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Madi Fic Rec List

Well hello again! I’ve been compiling this list for quite awhile, but I finally sat down to finish it.

To me, Madi is characterized by this strict balance between her fiery spirit and the poise she must display as someone raised from birth to be a leader, to be royalty. She’s wicked smart, but also desperately young and inexperienced. She’s thoughtful and conscientious, but with an underlying desire to just go, explore the world, be part of something big, and effect change for her people.

Anyway I just love Madi a lot, and these are some of my favorite stories featuring her in the fandom. They’ve been helpfully categorized into sub-sections!

Enjoy~~

Madi-centric:

Burial at sea by le_mru:

Summary: Two years after Skeleton Island, Madi sets out to find Flint and recover the treasure for the Maroon community, Flint is adjusting to a life after death, and Silver interferes as usual.

in a vault of starlight by whimsicalimages:

Summary: The distance between Nassau and Savannah can be measured as: six hundred and thirteen nautical miles, five thousand pounds’ worth of pearls, or four extraordinary lifetimes.

Alternatively: in the aftermath, Madi writes her own story.

Lightbringer Verse by ElDiablito_SF:

Summary: After failing to fix her relationship with Silver, Madi sets off to find Captain Flint again.

i’m a black ocean leaping and wide by loosedindecember:

Summary: “I am going to Jamaica,” she tells Long John Silver, pirate-killer and pirate king, “and I will have my war after all. And you are going to help me.”

Madi gets her war, and a life beyond war, too.

Quid Pro Quo by annbonny:

Summary: "Trust is a strong word, particularly pertaining to pirates.

She trusts John Silver, but with every day that passes, she is gradually realising that he may not always be around. If Flint ends up killing him- or more likely, she suspects, they kill each other- who will guarantee that the alliance will hold? What is to keep Teach from wiping out her and her people when he feels they inconvenience him?”

OR: Madi adjusts to her role as queen. It is a steep learning curve.

armed with the past and the will by whimsicalimages:

Summary: The language of winning and losing, this language that men favor – Madi can speak this language, though she disagrees with its precepts. Success takes different forms, and failing once does not mean failing forever. It does not even mean failing the next time.

lacuna by doomcountry:

Summary: Madi loves him, and that is her misery. She hates him, too, and the two are at war without ceasing in her breast; the torment, now, after sixteen years together all told, is that it has all dulled, all settled out like water undisturbed.

SilverMadi:

Where There Is Great Love by stele3:

Summary: A brief interlude in the Tether series that jumps back in time to...establish certain things.

“Do you not have a comb?”

Twitching with surprise, Silver turns. The princess—Madi—stands on the shoreline, only a few feet away. Silver quickly glances around and finds her bodyguard standing back near the treeline. Kofi, that’s his name. (Stoic man, much taller than Silver, always has a knife and knows how to use it. Silver would need the captain or Billy with him to survive an encounter.)

He smiles for the princess. “I fear that would only make the problem worse. We had little to eat in the doldrums, and that made all of this quite breakable.” He gestures to his hair but lets his hand trail longer through the air. Better that she think them weak and easily overcome. If his own body is to be a metaphor, well, at least he finds it apt.

Love and Kindness by Wildehack:

Summary: “This is insulting,” John complains, as Madi fastens the shackles around his wrists, looping a chain through to the hook in the bulwark above his bed. “I’m not rabid.”

(Or: the inevitable sex-pollen AU.)

anything for your queen by urca:

Summary: the Silvermadi pegging fic, as promised!

lover please do not fall to your knees by lucystonersix:

Summary: Despite themselves, despite everything, Madi and Silver fall in love. Missing scenes, with spoilers only through the end of season 3.

Into the Blue Blue Sea by Magnetism_bind:

Summary: Madi slowly realizes she's drawn to the pirate with the blue eyes.

FlintMadi:

Maybe in Another Life by samedifference61:

Summary: At the rail of a ship James doesn’t command, they stand shoulder to shoulder.

"John still thinks you’re dead,” James states, because it’s something that needs to be said aloud before they continue.

With eyes unblinking toward the rolling sea, Madi says, “And he still thinks you should be dead.”

James’ lip curls in anger. The wounds of betrayal are too fresh for either to say anymore.

your legs are the north star by jaynovz:

Summary: Then there’s a hand on his shoulder, warmth seeping through his shirt. He peers up into deep solemn eyes. Madi. They've struggled, side by side, ruling in concert, for weeks. Through the toil of retaking Nassau, hardening themselves from this feeling which weakens his knees in its intensity, the sheer hopelessness swamping him like dark waves.

Flint cannot let himself fall away into the abyss, he cannot fade and forget. There is at least one thing left, standing strong and entrenched as a mangrove tree, even as she mirrors his own sorrow.

"Come, Captain, it is late. Let us rest."

taking orders by le_mru:

Summary: Written for the Black Sails Rare Pair Week:

“To be entirely frank,” Madi says, her voice loud and clear in the silence of the evening, “I am concerned if you can take orders, Captain.”

“Orders?” He scoffs. “From whom? Blackbeard?”

There has been some discussion around making Teach Admiral of the fleet, which Flint was, of course, firmly against.

“No.” Madi takes a step to the side and turns graciously, facing him fully. “From me.”

she hangs upon the cheek of night by ElDiablito_SF:

Summary: Madi won't let Flint sleep, but he secretly doesn't mind.

(Set after 4x05)

Line of Sight by samedifference61:

Summary: Flint leans in close so the others won’t hear him. “She wants me to teach her how to use a blade.”

Or, Flint finds it difficult to refuse Madi, and Silver has insecurities.

On Gossamer Wings by khazadspoon:

Summary: It was the first time he had seen a woman naked since Miranda.

Miranda had been slender. Her skin was pale and soft, her hands lightly calloused but still delicate when they touched him. She had been commanding in her sexuality and he had loved her because of it. She had taken control from him, taken the reins and lead their lovemaking with confident and caring hands.

But Madi… Madi was not Miranda.

stitched with its color by x_etoile_x:

Summary: He is my friend too.

She’d reached out to him for the first time after he’d said those damning words, slipping her small hand into his and leaning against his side. Had duty not pulled them back into the world, he thinks they might yet be standing on that beach, like silent watchers in some myth, fading away to nothing with their eyes fixed on the sea.

The scene where Madi tells Flint that Silver is alive.

let it rain, cuz you and I remain the same by jaynovz:

Summary: “We have some time yet to wait,” Madi says, taking note of the sun’s position. Their contact isn’t due at the tavern until after dark.

James strides over to the bookshelf. "What would you suggest?" he asks, humming. He strokes a finger along the spines. "I bought a new book in the last port. If you wish, I could read it aloud." James casts her a hopeful smile over his shoulder, standing at a loose parade rest, eyes crinkled and warm.

Madi is so helplessly fond of him in this moment, the way he brims with excitement at the thought of such a simple pleasure. It is appealing, she admits, the thought of settling against James’ sturdy chest as he reads to her, feeling his voice rumble against her back while Madi is charged with turning the pages. Madi stretches languidly and rises from her seat. As much as she enjoys that type of quiet domesticity, she has a more adventurous suggestion for how to pass the time. In truth, it’s something that she's been considering for a while.

Madi cuts James a sly glance as she approaches. "Do you remember the time I caught you in here with John?"

something beyond by eleutherya:

Summary: "The bay isn’t visible from the rebel encampment, but he faces it as surely as a compass points north. Up on the fort, Flint stands with his back straight and his shoulders set, his hands folded neatly behind him. He stands there as though, if he simply waits long enough, if he hopes hard enough, the sea will return John Silver to him."

Madi and Flint have a discussion about grief after losing John Silver. Set directly after 4x01.

OT3, MadiSilverFlint:

I’m getting tired, and i need somewhere to begin by lacecat:

Summary: Madi watches him steadily as he approaches her. “Perhaps one day,” she begins, but cuts herself off with a swallow, blinking back tears. They won’t be able to fill the hole between them, but maybe they can try to build around it, accommodate it.

He lays a rough palm on her cheek, gentle. He loves her so much. “Perhaps,” Silver says, even though they both know it’s the furthest from a promise. They have survived on far less, after all.

how we could be brought here by love by mapped:

Summary: A 4x03 AU where Flint receives a minor injury in the battle of Nassau Town and Silver is very shaken by it.

I wish for once we could stay gold by jaynovz:

Summary: Madi has discovered that pirates truly are a grimy bunch, but her two have managed to keep fairly clean the last few months when they had access to fresh water.

The governor’s mansion is filled with bustle, men scurrying about, seeking answers from both Captain Flint and their new King, but there is time enough to steal them away. Time enough this evening for some respite, to cleanse the grief and violence from the last few days alongside the dirt.

Good Morning by bana05:

Summary: As Madi prepares to take care of her lovers, they instead decide to take care of her first.

the only way out is the way back in by samedifference61:

Summary: And Silver obviously means to further agitate Flint’s state when he says, “Do you know what she said to me this morning? She said, ‘I cannot understand why the two of you have not been intimate yet.’”

a shared bath, a conversation about death, and a promise

a three way knot by jauneclair:

Summary: Flint knits; Silver pries; and Madi secretly doesn't mind at all.

your heart is the only place I call home by vowelinthug:

Summary: Madi learns the secret of John Silver's past: he used to be the worst.

pass on your way, then, with a smiling face by youremyqueen:

Summary: Flint sleeps in the spare room until he doesn't.

join your hands to your hearts by jauneclair:

Summary: Madi's approach to diplomacy in negotiating relationships is not what Flint expected.

Two Points In Space by illgiveyouallofme:

Summary: Since Silver returned from the dead, Madi has watched him and Flint dance around each other. She decides to take matters into her own hands.

And then everyone takes some things into their own hands.

As always, if you have a potential inclusion, feel free to DM me and I will check it out! Thanks.

#madi black sails #silvermadi #black sails #jay's esoteric rec lists #madisilverflint #it's ot3 o clock #john silver #james flint #fics recs #black sails fic recs #madi #flintmadi #long post

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lunarblazes · 2 years

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There has always been one False Symmetry.

Only one. She made sure of that. She knows that there’s—there’s an other, sure—but she’s—there has always been only one False. Strange things happen, it’s fine, but there’s still only one. And there never has been another.

(Someday she’ll start believing it.)

When people in the rift’s domain start talking to her like a friend, False knows she’s made a grievous error. There’s an other, here, then, and if there’s an other she needs to know what it’s doing.

There’s a watchtower installed the next day. She doesn’t bother wandering the premises. She knows there’s nobody there, but she keeps her sword inconveniently in hand as she builds. False checks, double-checks, and triple-checks the air behind her shoulder.

This is for them, she tells herself. If they find her, she’ll hurt them. She doesn’t know it but she’ll hurt them and I can’t let that happen.

Every time someone confuses them False’s spring grows a little more tightly wound, her posture more alert, her sword closer and closer more constantly.

She’s dangerous, she’s dangerous, she’s dangerous.

It presses against False’s temples, behind her eyes, the weight of this knowledge, this great threat. The hermits would laugh her off if she told them. They’re not people who are often driven to panic or fear; she’s seen a few come close with this rift thing, but hermits are tricky. They think they always know best, and if she tells them, they’ll go hunting, or worse, to befriend it. Aided by infinite respawns, they’d assume their invincibility was assured and try to lay eyes on her.

They’d never even remember what hit them. Curious things. False has to keep it from them. It hurts that she can’t trust them with knowing, but it’s for their own good.

She must carry the weight, the operation, the knowledge, on her shoulders in the same place where her head once stood, because when the greatest threat to your friends is someone who wears your face, you must stop carrying such a distinguishable weakness. When you can’t look your own mirror image in the eye without flinching, you learn to stop looking. Better to smash the mirror first. Nobody can see you’re weak, then, the soft underbelly of the hermits.

You’re waiting for it to remember before you strike, like a coward. Poised and coiled like a rattlesnake but without the fangs to make it count. You’re watching and watching that mirror, transfixed, but there is nothing you could use to smash it, not a sword or a fist or a stick, nothing except your own head. There is nothing to do about it but hurt yourself.

And, secretly, False is scared. Bone-deep terrified. She almost fell asleep in the tower because she never sleeps anyways—there is no home to shelter her here—and it’s—it’s that she’s so tired, she’s been living without this terror for so long, so confident in her stupid plan working, that she’d forgotten what it was like to live like a desperate, starving wolf, eyeing everything like a meal. Any of these emperors could be aiding her. Any of the hermits could—could find her and get confused and killed and it’s—it would be her fault, then, and there would be nothing she could have done to stop it.

Her head hurts and her vision is blurry. She hasn’t been drinking water. It seems so insignificant in the face of such a strange, all-consuming terror.

There might be something wrong with her.

But she can’t do anything until she’s smashed that mirror. Make sure her work has truly been undone.

#falsesymmetry #hermitcraft #lunar prophecies #empires spoilers #inspired by second’s wonderful e!false ficlet #i thought it was interesting that hc!false would be the only one to respond yes to e!false’s question #none of this makes sense bc it’s 7 am and i’m still sick lmao i tried i just have incurable brainrot

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jenniferstit · 1 year

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pac: killer femme fatale ♀

your deadly traits

77777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777 *+°

one

you operate at your best when you are surrounded by opulence. financial security matters quite a bit to you… you see financial security as the one true form of security in this life. in fact i actually see you as someone who will fight off any feelings you may have for someone, unless they can prove to bring a sense of security to your life. some may see you as a gold digger, but that’s not quite the energy i’m getting. it’s just that we all have non-negotiables in life and i see that for you, someone with no sense of financial stability is not something on which you are willing to compromise. you know your worth, you know what you bring to the table, and you evaluate what others can bring to you to in order to enhance your life. you are very dedicated to your cause, and you are patiently awaiting your counterpart to enter your life. i’m getting a visual of someone fully dressed in hair and makeup, uncomfortable tight clothes, jewelry, fragrance… everything, just sitting poised in bed waiting for a quality person to walk through the door. you have no problem turning people away and letting them know specifically why they are not for you… savage. you don’t mince words. i do see you as someone bored and unsatisfied with your options. boredom is not good for you… i see you as someone who could entertain options that you know don’t fit your standards just to tickle yourself, but the other person is kept in the dark abt simply being your temporary form of entertainment. i think Carmilla aka the Bloody Countess from Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is the perfect embodiment of this energy. she’s not just a vicious killer, she enjoys toying with her victims, promising them exactly what it is they’ve been searching their entire lives for… she uses their own desires to lead them directly to the most horrific of deaths. she relishes in the demise of humans & she feels it is within her destiny to treat humans as livestock because she is a vampiress, a superior being. she will do anything for her cause: to exercise power and authority over those she deems less worthy. she embodies the shadow traits of the energy i am picking up in this pile (of course in the most extreme way). however, Carmilla at her core, is a hurt woman. she feels like she dedicated everything to the success of vampire kind, only to be ruthlessly betrayed by the king of vampires himself. this betrayal plays a huge role in the portrayal of Carmilla’s bloodlust in this film. she undermines her own beliefs by betraying a vampire in this film, bc she was once betrayed by a vampire… she feels she is owed everything she wants bc of what was sacrificed. it’s this sense of entitlement that i would say is the most deadly thing abt the energy in this pile… be aware of this entitlement and don’t let it dictate the way you treat others.

two

you can’t let anything go. there is a petty, child-like energy here… eye for an eye. you take pleasure in coming out on top, always. i don’t think you can ever be wrong. moreover, i don’t think that you are ever satisfied. there’s a gluttonous energy here… like a kid in a candy store. you aren’t just satisfied with having candy, you have to take it from someone else, watch them cry and then eat it in front of them lol. emotionally, you are extremely volatile. when you are going through it, everyone around you is going through it bc you put them through hell. other people just don’t know how to deal with you. however, unlike the first pile there is a sense of self-awareness here. it’s like you have these breakthrough moments where you want to be better or you fantasize abt the idea of being more “normal” or balanced. it reminds me of that scene in Kill Bill where Gogo is talking to that boy in a seemingly normal, flirty, teenage interaction, but then she stabs him with her tanto, spilling his blood everywhere lol. that’s the thing, you love being chaotic, and it’s not a secret. some of you don’t know the definition of patience, and it shows. there is a certain amount of pleasure you derive from being a wild card. you embrace this as living your truth and you don’t want to change. your emotions will get the best of you every time, if you let them.

three

you have a strong amount of passion, it’s almost overwhelming. not many people can match your level of intensity, which is why you tend to be a loner. you fiercely chase after what you want, however your goals are always changing. your endgame doesn’t seem to be quite as defined as some may assume, you just try to make the best choices at that time, optimizing whatever situation you’re in. a lack of clear ambition can make room for deceit or manipulation. you would make a great second-in-command bc you are a go-getter, and other people would jump at the opportunity to use you to do their bidding. there’s an awakening happening for this group. you have yet to realize your full potential, especially when it comes to career. there are energies around you that look at you and see a wonderful opportunity, be careful whom you align yourself with, in any capacity, but i am getting a specific message abt romance/marriage. you awaken a certain amount of sexual and/or creative energy in others, i’m getting that you could possibly end up becoming someone’s muse. this pile’s energy is very concise, like a story that is still unwritten. this pile could be full of late bloomers. your time will come.

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