#which is partly (mostly?) the company's fault

[spooky-bunnys]

Hey! I really like your work. Can I get the new episode of Baby Haitani please and thanks!

Haitani Baby Brother Part 4

I'm so glad! Hope you Enjoy!

It's been almost 5 months since the incident. Sanzu has fit semi-well in the Haitani household. His relationship with (Name) had improved greatly. But the brothers weren't too happy with the Alpha at the moment.

Sanzu sat on his knees in the living room. Being lectured by Rindou, because the pinkette tried having some "special" time with (Name). Which might be added was warned not to happen by the doctor, due to a chance or harming the pups.

"Seriously Sanzu! You were making direct eye contact with him, when he told you no sex because of the pups! What's wrong with you?!" Sanzu huffed. "It's not my fault! His scent is getting sweeter. And since I haven't been able to mark him, it's getting tougher to hold my inner Alpha in." Rindou sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

He was partly right, Bonten had been so busy he hasn't be able to actually mark (Name). There's been more traitors being exposed, and more companies have been trying to double cross them. So (Name) has been mostly by himself, with guards of course! Can't leave him unprotected.

Which is bad considering, (Name) is getting closer to his due date. Which had everyone on their toes. (Name) was currently in his nest, enjoying his cheesecake with honey. Waiting for his Alpha to come back. He wanted cuddles.

A knock on the bedroom door, startling from his food land. "Who is it?" "It's your favorite brother~" "I thought Rin was talking to Chiyo in the living room?" Ran threw open the door making a dieing animal noise. (Name) laughed loudly. "I'm kidding Aniki. You both know I don't have a favorite brother."

Ran scoffed and grumbled. "Well your last check up is tomorrow. We're gonna have it at HQ so everyone can be there. If that's okay with you?" (Name) nodded excitedly. He missed the others company. He wasn't allowed to leave the penthouse, according to his brothers and his Alpha.

He knows they want him safe, but he missed the sun and fresh air. Even his balcony privileges had been taken away! (Name) laid down his empty plate, and slowly leaned up. Holding his stomach carefully.

Ran quickly helped him sit up. "Bathroom break?" (Name) nodded quickly and Ran laughed. Ran help him up and took the dirty dishes. "Now remember the doctor said, to be careful with the cheesecakes." (Name) pouted and nodded.

He didn't get to eat them as much as when he was first pregnant. Due to the sugar level of the cheesecakes. But his cravings have weirded everyone out. Especially when he ate vanilla wafers with mustard. (Note: I love that combination lol)

When they arrived to the appointment, (Name) was clinging to his Alpha. He'd been extra clingy this morning. They figured it was because he was due anytime now. While Sanzu was just enjoying the attention.

The brothers following them, grumbled in annoyance. Their baby brother barely gave them attention anymore. They missed (Name) coming to them for attention. But now, he had Sanzu and soon, he'd have his own pups.

Upon entering the doctor office, (Name) noticed that the upper members, were already inside. (Name) greeted them with a bright smile, rubbing his very round stomach. He paused momentarily, before smiling widely.

"Chiyo! The pups are kicking!" Sanzu immediately placed his hands on (Name)'s stomach. He smiled feeling the hard kicks against his hands. "Their gonna be strong pups my love." Everyone smiled at the loving moment.

But that died quickly when (Name) violently cringed, gripping his stomach tightly. Sanzu immediately cupped (Name)'s face. "(Name)? Love what's wrong?" (Name)'s face scrunched up. The brothers quickly pulled him away and handed him a trash can.

(Name)'s body shook while he was sick. This worried everyone tremendously. (Name) yelled loudly and stared at his feet. Water surrounding them. Everyone froze. Mikey was the first to react. Quickly yelling for someone to get th doctor.

Sanzu quickly helped (Name) onto the hospital bed, that was in the room. His scent revealed how truly worried he was at the moment. It felt like forever until the doctor finally arrived. The doctor quickly made his way over. "I wasn't expecting him to go into labor. I don't know if he'll make it to the hospital."

The brothers immediately starting arguing saying that he should've been prepared. But (Name) silenced them, when he started yelling in pain. Making everyone flinch. The scent of distressed Omega filled the air. Making the Alpha's panic.

(Name) had fainted from the pain. He couldn't remember much of what happened. He remembers holding his Alpha's hand so tight, he thought it'd break. He remembers seeing his older brothers paicking faces.

Then there was darkness, then there was a bright light.

If you want to read others. Click HERE

#male reader #x male reader #tokyo revengers #tokyo revengers x male reader #male omega reader #bonten #bonten x male reader #sanzu #haruchiyo sanzu #sanzu haruchiyo #sanzu x male reader

[fuck-customers]

Currently in an ongoing stubborn passive-aggressive battle with my boss/company/both (idk exactly who is at fault, nor do I care) in which they schedule me the bare fucking minimum hours a week (3) while claiming "low hours from corporate/due to low sales" while simultaneously hiring new people semi-weekly, yet I refuse to quit like I know they're trying to make me, partly because of the principle of the matter since I'm stubborn and partly because I know that's what they want me to do, so I cannot collect unemployment.

Any advice on passive-aggressive shit to do to my boss/workplace? I already do the absolute bare minimum amount of work possible, mostly because I literally can't get anything properly done in that amount of time. Yet, I try not to fuck over my non-management coworkers. It is not their fault.

Posted by admin Rodney.

[blueikeproductions]

JD’s personal belongings in the AU.

A lovingly documented binder of Dinosaurs Attack! cards arranged in order of the story. Still missing a few key moments of the story he is determined to finish.

Some personal items of his mother, Jocelyn, he keeps in a tiny box hidden from his father, who threw everything out when she died. Mostly movie ticket stubs from movies JD and Jocelyn saw when he was little, some jewelry, and a t-shirt of her favorite band. His most cherished yet cursed belonging is the key lock he wears, the only thing he found in the rubble of the building his mom suicided in. JD had a fight with his mom the day before over his dad, and JD blames himself for pushing Jocelyn to suicide. (It wasn’t his fault, as Jocelyn had already planned to do this anyway, and emotions were raw then.)

A sizable stack of 7-11 cups he collected from Las Vegas to Boston, each having a different style logo and promotion to show how long he’s been suffering.

A lava lamp.

A 70’s transistor radio he keeps by his bed.

A harmonica he usually keeps in his pocket and plays when he’s sad… which is often.

A pocket knife. Usually used for mundane purposes, though during a particularly bad mental health day, he considered suicide and attempted to cut himself, but instead just threw the blade at the wall of his room in frustration. The blade hung there for days until he finally took it down.

His gun. Originally he bought it for self defense due to Bud moving them into particularly dangerous crime ridden areas. It saw the most use in Hawkins and later Sherwood. He sleeps with it, keeping it under his pillow due to Hawkins PTSD and mild paranoia.

An old toy pop gun from an old Cowboy Halloween costume he had when he was five, from a memorable Halloween where he got a massive haul of candy.

Some assorted posters from his favorite bands and movies, like Big Fun, the Pixies, Westworld and Godzilla, though they’re beat up and torn from how often he’s had to take them down and hang them back up.

A small stack of classic literature and pulp science fiction, most of the former technically stolen from libraries of moves past. Moby Dick, Huckleberry Finn and Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde are the most well read and worn, with him currently working through the original Jaws novel.

A small Transformers collection that was spurned on by Dan when they originally met. Besides Fangry, his collection is incomplete Special Teams mostly. Dinobots Slag (his favorite dinosaur happens to be the triceratops) and Snarl, Terrorcons Rippersnapper, Cutthroat and Sinnertwin (partly for their edgy names), Pretender Rattletrap, Cassettes Overkill and Slugfest, and 2/3 of the Triggerbots and Triggercons. (He’s missing Backstreet and Crankcase, and the flip out guns amuse him.) His holy grail are the Japanese exclusive Autobot Dinosaur Cassettes. When JD gets stressed or anxious, he’ll start fidgeting with whatever Transformer is in reach, transforming it over and over.

JD’s clothes are similar to what’s seen in the original movie, though he also has some 7-11 t-shirts, with a Pac-Man one he wears the most. He also has a fascination with McDonald’s Mac Tonight, and has some t-shirts related to him he wears around the house.

When JD moves in with the Bravermans at the end of the Westerberg adventure, most of his stuff was confiscated by authorities investigating fraud from his dad’s company when Bud died in a construction accident, leaving him with only a few clothes, books and figures he could comfortably carry in a duffel bag.

#heathers 1989 #heathers movie #blueike productions #blueike #heathers the musical #heathers au #jason dean headcanons #jd headcanons #jd heathers #heathers jason dean #transformers #heathers #heathers 1988

[freeuselandonorris]

for the ask game: 1, 19, 20!

heyyyy thank you for asking! 🫶

what are 3 things you’d say shaped you into who you are?

ooooh bloody hell. let's see. 1. being an only child in a single parent household. it's made me very happy with my own company (sometimes to a fault) and very close with my mum. also probably contributed to why my inner fantasy life is so active lmao 2. having a period of very poor mental health through my teenage years/early 20s. i basically lost the years between 13-23. it's made me very careful about looking after myself now i'm older and it forced me to have to understand myself more. it's also made me more keenly aware of not wasting more time. 3. art school. i went to a fairly prestigious art school in london and it really opened my eyes to class (i'm northern and working class) - it was the first time i'd really come across PROPERLY priveleged people (a close friend was the daughter of a tory mp and i was later a bridesmaid at her wedding at westminster palace lmao, weirdest day of my life) and realised just how much the world was skewed to their success. also made me realise i like making art but i hate the art world and most art people. still wanna write an art school AU one day.

19. favourite thing about the day?

when i'm having a good head period and can manage it, my morning routine is the best. i get up and make my lil coffee (V60 4 lyf) and then sit down and write for an hour - i like writing first thing before my brain is knackered from Life - and listen to lauren laverne's 6music show, then i read for however long i have left before work. sometimes i'll burn incense or a nice candle. for a while i was doing morning pages too although i find them a drain long-term. it's just my time, yknow? i try not to look at my phone or anything.

i'm going to be moving to a partly office-based job again and not being able to do my morning routine on those days is the thing i'm most upset about.

20. favourite things about the night?

i'm the kind of person who has a brain that is constantly chewing on to-do lists and anxiety spiralling about All The Things I Must Do and i like feeling like i am mostly done with the day's tasks by evening (even though i find it hard to stop percolating them or adding more sometimes). recently i've got into the habit of listening to shaun keaveny's daily grind podcast on my headphones while i cook my dinner which is a rly nice way to mark the end of the workday, although i guess that's evening more than night.

i like that the night can be either end of the spectrum - it can be the time for extreme cosiness, feeling safe and protected and sleepy, or it can be the time for excess and sleaze. when all the hidden things come out to play!

from questions i think it would be fun to be asked!

#ask meme

[sako-mii]

Hello! I was wondering if you were still doing genshin character match ups~

If so, here it goes!

I'm an Aries, INTP, and hetero. My love languages (giving) are acts of service and physical touch.

I can say I'm an introverted person who enjoys her own company. At first impression people often tell me that I'm the serious, uptight, and quiet,type (which is partly true). Although I might initiate conversations with strangers to fill an awkward silence, I like to keep people at a distance (emotionally). Although with people whose company I have taken a liking to and enjoy, I cam be pretty outspoken and expressive! Sometimes I'm honest to a fault, I say things as I see it and can be accidentally rude. In friendships, I'm usually the mom friend who likes to crack lewd/crackhead jokes.

I have a love for the arts (mostly visual arts, I'm an artist who draws in her spare time). I also like listening to music, daydreaming, and just enjoying peaceful moments in silence. I also really like to do intellectual discussions with people who can match my energy!

I dislike being late, mixing pleasure with business, dishonesty, mind games, pushy people, and crowds.

I'm can be an absolute perfectionist in academic/craft/career settings, and I think my strongest trait is my willingness to take initiative and cooperate. I like helping others in any way I can, and I like taking on the support role in group dynamics. Also secretly a hopeless romantic~

Being a Forest Ranger has it's perk, you get to learn about all the different environments and you get to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

You're job is to write down all the adventures and refine the drawings to send the new gathered info to the akademiya.

But you also teach Collei, while Tighnari trains her to be a Ranger, you focus more on her education and help her read and write.

Tighnari sometimes tells you shouldn't put too much pressure on Collei, you say that to him as well. But it's just you both being overprotective.

However, you win the upper hand when tighnari passes out after eating a poisonous mushroom and gets dragged back by your coworkers. He sure got am earful from you.

At first, your coworkers were surprised how you can even talk to him like that, or why he hasn't talked back. But soon they find out about your close relationship. Only you are able to scold him like that.

You would always stand beside him when he's making some herbal medicine or antinodes, helping him to write down every step. Of course he could do it alone, but he likes it when you look so focused (on him)

He will bring you a flower every time he comes back, mostly lunar lotus. He would tell you about the benefits from the flower but you know he just wanted to get you something

Whenever he comes back from patrolling the area, you both sit together and watch the forest together in silence. Sometimes you talk about different kinds of stuff too. Just know that you won't be able to stop him once he starts to talk about plants.

He likes it when you touch his ears. At first he was a bit reluctant and felt flustered at the thought. But now he doesn't want to admit that he likes them. He'll just quietly lean his head towards you so you can touch his ears. He's probably going to deny it if you ask him if he likes it.

Over time he starts to like your jokes as well but definitely rolls his eyes when you and cyno start your puns and jokes. He's tolerating it only for you.

Hello~ first of all I'm so sorry it took so long (⁠⇀⁠‸⁠↼⁠‶⁠) but I hope you like it!

#misa: answers #genshin impact #matchup #genshin impact matchup #tighnari #tighnari genshin #tighnari x reader #tighnari x you

[chirons-mortar]

Rich Guy Villains in Batman

My brother once observed that Batman has few "rich guy villains". By this he means fantastic villains who operate in high society, most of their wealth is made legally, are a part of Bruce's social sphere, but also make Gotham a worse place and may commit super crime. Lex Luthor would be an example of this type. Most Batman villains are criminals, and the rich ones are often mobsters whose wealth is not legal and rarely hang out in Bruce's social circle. A common theme in Batman media is that the rich are partly at fault for Gotham's state, but by lacking these villains it can be written off as criminals ruining the city, alleviating the wealthy of some responsibility. At worst the Gotham elite tend to look callous and decadent, but not evil or hurting the city. Court of Owls is the major exception I can think of but they are fairly new and have few major personalities. For fun we like to come up with "rich guy villains" and I felt like doing fanart of some in the future. They are mostly animal themed and are meant to reflect aspects of Bruce/Batman's personality or themes.

Tybalt Rexton "T. Rex": "Evil industrialist Bruce Wayne incapable of letting go of the past" Described by Brontes in this post, he is from the oldest of the old money families in Gotham, and once were considered equals to the Wayne family. However, while still wealthy, his industries have fallen on hard times. He holds onto past glory and resents the new money families whose influence now exceed his.

Corso Family: "Evil Bat Family" Brontes described them in this post. A corrupt family, the patriarch has placed his children throughout Gotham's institutions to spread their influence and cover for any scandals that may occur. At least one member of the family operates as "The Hound", a criminal and rival to Batman.

Magdalene Bird "Magpie": "Evil Batcave" A Brontes reimagining of Magpie, she is a collector who has a hidden vault called "The Nest" where she keeps the secrets of Gotham's high society. She is from one of the old families of Gotham, but is also a blackmailer of Gotham's elite. She is also a collector of magical and technological artifacts which she might use for crime or auction.

Angela Sabbato "Seabat": "Evil charitable aspect Bruce" One of my characters, like the Waynes she had her life shattered by a mugging. She was spared, but her son died and husband was left in a coma. She founded charities to help rehabilitate criminals but in truth her rehab is designed to blackmail them to become a part of her "Tank" and they must work for her as a roundabout punishment.

Drew Mouldwart "Mole": "Evil paranoid/loner aspect of Bruce" One of mine, Drew comes from old money but was betrayed and inherited little. He took his pittance and founded a security firm, but in secret made money through corporate espionage. His first target was his family who he ruined. Highly paranoid, he continues his espionage on other Gotham institutions, and even spies on his own employees.

Dwight Oliphant "White Elephant": One of mine, he reflects how Bruce has people he trusts and contribute to his success, like Alfred and Lucius Fox. Dwight inherited his company from his father, but has bad impulses and a toxic personality. Most of his success comes from his underlings. However, power is going to his head and his coterie are wasting massive resources saving the company from his decisions. Most stories involving him follow his inner circle who do the hard work, but Dwight will often betray them for petty reasons.

#batman #comics #fanfic

[wehowl-archive]

nick sorrentino + adhd ( reposted from my old blog )

nick has had adhd since childhood; when he was a young boy, it presented mostly as hyperactive. he talked a lot, moved a lot, butted into conversations. he was bullied by some of the other young pack.

he didn’t do too greatly with school. since he went to a fancy-ass private school, it was likely the teachers noticed something and potentially brought it up to is parental guardian, who in the human world was his GRANDFATHER, Dominic Sorrentino. However, Dominic is a very traditional man, who also didn’t like the suggestion of sending nick to a doctor ( werewolves don’t get involved with human doctors. ) so he likely came up with a lie that everything was sorted and the school went along with it. He didn’t tell Nick about it. If he told Antonio, he would have said that it wasn’t anything to worry about and he had it sorted. But there’s also a good chance he didn’t tell Antonio.

During high-school, Nick struggled academically. He didn’t fail any classes, but came close to some. Dominic didn’t care, as he didn’t think schooling was that major of a thing anyway. Most Sorrentino’s only had a high school education, and college wasn’t something Nick was aiming for anyway. However, Nick did care about what his peers thought of him. He liked to be liked, and when people didn’t like him, he tried to make himself even more likable. This was a big issue during his teenage years. As he grew older, he grew out of it - but he still cares about other peoples opinions of him, even if he knows he shouldn’t.

As an adult, ADHD affects him more inattentive. He’s still hyperactive but that is displayed in a different way than as a kid. He gets bored of projects easily, and doesn’t really focus as much as he could on some tasks (which is partly why many of his business start-ups fail.) Of course, when he gets onto something that he REALLY wants to do and enjoys, he excels at it. It just so happens that Business related things are not that. (and graphic design is. he saw the customer website for his fathers company, and was appalled. he worked on a better version in an allnighter and absolutely hyperfocused on it, and suggested it to his father.) Though he is still is easily distracted and can forget things. And when he does, and it’s important things - he’s VERY harsh on himself. In Framed, he forgot to take these two business contacts out for a lunch (which he absolutely was dealing with a bigger issue) and when his father called him to ask what’s up, Nick reacted like this after the phone conversation:

God, he couldn’t believe he’d done that. He didn’t even want to imagine what Antonio was thinking right now. Shaking his head, seeing Nick backsliding, all the hopes he’d built up in the last couple of years, seeing his son finally growing up and playing a role Trying not to feel a pang of disappointment. Telling himself it was a one-time slip … and knowing it almost certainly wasn’t. Nick reverting to being Nick. As immature and unreliable as ever.  

there’s a lot to go into how he thinks antonio is thinking of him, but that’s a headcanon for a different time lol. he sees himself as unreliable. immature. and no matter how hard he tries, he’ll never change. this ofc is not true. he doesn’t know that his brain is working against him. that it’s not his fault. he doesn’t know about his ADHD, his executive dysfunction, hyperfocus, rejection sensitive dysphoria. And once he does know, things start just going “oh - huh.” for him. which is relatable.

#🖊 nick // headcanon #i decided i'm gonna repost some of my headcanons instead of reblogging them #mainly the ones that do have a readmore #but here is my adhd boyo nicky #i love him

[the-letter-horror-lover]

You are the only one for me - after effects.

Xbertyx

Summary:

Set a few years after the end of the Elan series, showed mainly through the eyes of Ronald and Claude. Alan and Eric will crop up in a later chap.

The original you are the only one for me series still needs 4 or so more chapter updates but I wanted to keep that separate, as those chapters are set in the original Elan series. Also, I liked the ending of Elan - so think of this more as a spin off series.

Notes:

For pettyevil (D4tD).

Chapter 1

Chapter Text

Ronald was now twenty eight, having been married for several years. Not much had changed in the household during that time, apart from the recent passing of their dog, Titan, which had left Alan and Eric completely heartbroken. Angelina and Luna had also married the previous year.

Rudgar was still working as a doctor at Alan’s local surgery and Eric still worked at the pharmacy with Sascha, who’d become a dispenser and then a dispensing technician.

Sascha would also sometimes still help Alan with his commission art when he had the time. The play that he had written had been looked over by a theatre company and discussions over turning it into an actual musical would begin in a month’s time.

Ronald had found a few other men in their twenties and had been playing at local music gigs with them. He still had no job, though that was partly Claude’s fault. The elder man – now in his mid-thirties - had told Ronald not to even both looking for a job. His first reason for saying this was that the household had enough money coming in from his, Eric’s and Rudgar’s professions. The other reason was that he was still worried that Ronald’s health would deteriorate again. It didn’t matter how many times everyone else in the household told Claude that Ronald was now fine, the accountant just wouldn’t budge.

Not that Ronald was too fussed over this. More time at home meant more time allowed to raid the fridge. Still, Ronald hadn’t been in the best of moods for the past two weeks. Claude was acting unusual. Well, Claude had always been a tad strange but this was different. He was definitely hiding something and Ronald wanted to know what exactly was going on.

As the account returned home, Ronald was waiting for him in the hallway. “Ronald, what -.”

“Claude, we need ta’ talk. Now.”

Chapter 2: A little grey but mostly black.

Notes:

*edited* Ronald still can't swear properly due to the brain damage he received.

Shit - ship

Fuckin' - fuzzin'.

Chapter Text

Claude’s appearance hadn’t changed much since he had first met Ronald, bar the few streaks of grey in his hair and the glasses that he had to now wear permanently, not just for reading.

Ronald’s appearance had changed quite a lot since the wedding, as he was slightly heavier and more muscular than he had been. Compared to when his seizures were at their worst, he looked much healthier, his skin lightly tanned from the summer sun. His hair had also changed again, being fully blonde with black and purple streaks running through it, curtesy of Eric’s hair dressing skills.

Ronald would often tease Claude about his greying hair, calling him an old fart and the like. When Claude had become more withdrawn two weeks ago, Ronald had wondered if he was just upset about what he had been calling him. Now, Ronald was about to find out, even if he had to drag the truth from his husband.

Claude eyed him, no emotion showing on his features. “What do we need to talk about?”

“Y’.” Ronald stated, scanning his face for any clues to what was going through his mind. “Y’ been avoidin’ me recently and I wanna’ know why.”

“Avoiding you? Do not be ridiculous.”

“I’m not! Y’ ‘ave been actin’ really weird lately.”

“I have been doing no such thing.”

“Y’ really ‘ave!”

“Ronald -.”

“Don’t y’ wanna’ be wi’ me anymore or somethin’?”

“What? Where did that silly idea manifest from?”

“Can y’ blame me for thinkin’ that? Y’ haven’t been talkin’ ta’ me properly for tha’ past two weeks.”

“That … has nothing to do with you.”

“Then what’s tha’ problem? Oh … ship, Baldroy hasn’t been released from prison, has he?”

Claude’s eyes widened slightly from the sound of that name. “Thankfully not, as far as I am aware.”

“Then … has Joker?”

“No, Ronald. You are still safe, do not worry.”

Ronald’s hands clenched at his sides. “Well I am fuzzin’ worried, so tell me wha’ tha’ matter is!”

“There is nothing -.”

“Stop lyin’ ta’ me! I can tell when y’ lyin’!”

“Ronald -.”

“Jus’ tell me wha’ tha’ matter is!”

“I … I do not wish to cause you any worry.” Claude pushed his glasses back up his nose.

“Babe … jus’ tell me what’s goin’ on. I don’t care wha’ it is, I jus’ need ta’ know.”

The elder nodded slightly. “V … very well ….”

“Now would be good.”

“I … have been experiencing pain and fatigue … for a while now. Maybe the … last six months or so.”

“And?” Ronald let out a shaky breath. “Y’ been ta’ tha’ doctors yet?”

“About … a month ago. They referred me on for testing.”

Ronald let out a gulp, his voice turning shaky. “It’s not … Cancer, is it?”

“No, no, nothing like that.”

“Then wha’?!”

“They found out that I have some liver damage.”

Ronald’s heart almost stopped in his chest. “W … wha’?!”

Chapter 3: Na, na, he hasn't.

Chapter Text

Claude didn’t answer him straight away, so Ronald asked again. “Wha’ did y’ … jus’ say?”

“I said that my liver is damaged. It is quite stupid really, I do not drink excessively.” Claude stated, pushing on the side of his glasses.

“No, but y’ used ta’. Y’ used ta’ drink a lot and y’ still drink every night.”

“I would have thought that my body would have been used to it by now.”

Ronald huffed at him. “Claude, a liver can’t take a load of booze for a long period of time. Y’ need ta’ stop drinkin’.”

“Yes, the doctors have stated also that that would be a wise idea.”

“So y’ gotta’ stop.”

“I see no reason to.”

“Y’ wha’?! Y’ fuckin’ idiot, y’ gonna’ end up dead if y’ don’t stop!”

“Do not be ridiculous.”

“I’m not! How are y’ gonna’ take care of a kid if y’ can’t take care of y’self?!”

“A child?”

Ronald froze on the spot. “Y … yeah.”

“You wish to adopt?”

“Y … yeah. I’ve wanted a baby for ages and -.”

“Then find yourself another partner.”

“W … wha’?”

“I have never wanted children and you damn well know that. What were you thinking, just dropping that on me like this?”

“Well … I was gonna’ tell y’ eventually, a … and how do y’ know tha’ y’ don’t want a kid? Y’ never tried ta’ -.”

“I just know!” Claude shot him a glare. “This discussion is giving me a migraine.” He turned on his heel, key pushing back into the front door.

“Claude -.”

“I need a break away from you and this house.”

“Fuckin’ wait! Don’t y’ dare jus’ fuckin’ run away! Y’ always do this! Y’ … always run away from … things when they ge’ too hard!”

Claude didn’t answer, opening the door. It was slammed shut and locked quickly. Ronald let out a grunt and slammed his fist against a picture on the wall, glass shattering and embedding in his skin. “Fuckin’ prick!”

----

Eric returned home, finding Ronald in the living room staring at his hand. “Shit, wha’ did ya’ do, punch a wall?”

“Glass.” Ronald replied bluntly.

“Why? What’s tha’ matter?” Eric took the empty seat on the sofa at Ronald’s side.

“Claude’s pissin’ me off.”

Eric sighed. “What’s happened this time?”

----

Once Ronald had explained the situation, Eric inhaled sharply. “Damn … everyone is gettin’ fuckin’ sick.”

“Y’ wha’?” Ronald asked.

“Al didn’t wanna’ … be tha’ one ta’ tell everyone this but … remember tha’ cough he’s had for a couple of weeks?”

“Umm … yeah?”

Eric scratched the back of his head. “Well … tha’ doctor referred him on for tests ….”

“Eric, what’s goin’ on?” Ronald sat up from his slouching position. “Did … they find somethin’?”

Eric looked away. “Y … yeah.”

“Wha’? What’s tha’ problem? Tell me already!”

“Al … he’s got lung cancer.”

“Na … na, he hasn’t.”

“Ronnie, I’m bein’ serious.”

Ronald could only sit there and gape in disbelief.

Chapter 4: A choice with no regrets.

Chapter Text

Ronald swallowed the lump in his throat. “C … cancer.”

“Yeah but … they caught it early.” Eric stated. “He’s gonna’ be jus’ fine.”

“Chemo?”

“Yeah, he starts it in a few days.”

“But … wha’ if it doesn’t work!?”

Eric shot at glare at him. “It will work.”

“But it could spr-.”

“Ronnie, enough! He’s gonna’ ge’ better!”

“But -.”

“I’m not listenin’ ta’ this! Tha’ doctors all thought tha’ ya’d never walk again but ya’ did. He’s gonna’ make a full recover jus’ like ya’ did.”

Ronald nodded slowly. “So … so wha’ did tha’ doctors say?”

“They said he’s got … really good odds.”

“G … good.”

“Yeah ….” Eric paused for a moment. “Wi’ Claude, ya’ need ta’ ‘ave a good think ‘bout ya’ future.”

“Wha’ do y’ mean?”

“Wha’ do ya’ want more? Kids or him.”

“Fuck tha’, I want both and -.”

“Claude’s not gonna’ change his mind. Everyone knows tha’ he’s never wanted a baby.”

“But for me, he -.”

“No. He’d never agree ta’ it. And plus, from wha’ ya’ tellin’ me, he can’t even look after himself. He’s always had a drug problem and if he can’t stop drinkin’, that’s another addiction he’s gotta’ overcome. Ya’ can’t bring a kid inta’ tha’ shit.”

“Yeah … I guess.”

“So think it over.”

“I choose Claude.”

Eric frowned at him. “Ya’ can’t jus’ decide tha’ right away, ya’ -.”

“I can. I could manage ta’ live wi’out children but I can’t live wi’out Claude. Every time he left me, my health went ta’ shit again.”

The larger man paused for thought. “But he has … put ya’ through some shit over tha’ years. Is he really worth it?”

“Y’ wha’?”

“I mean, I like tha’ guy but he’s run off a couple of times and cheated on ya’.”

“That’s in … tha’ past.”

“Who’s ta’ say tha’ he won’t piss off again though?”

“He won’t.”

“And if he keeps drinkin’ himself ta’ death?”

Ronald’s hands clenched, his knuckle sending a shooting pain up one of his arms. “He won’t. I … won’t let him do tha’.”

“He’ll do wha’ he wants, regardless of wha’ ya’ tell him ta’ do.”

“But … he’ll stop. He … wouldn’t wanna’ leave me on my own.”

Eric sighed. “Yeah … I guess. We’ll jus’ ave ta’ wait and see. Want me ta’ bandage ya’ hand up?”

Ronald nodded. “Please.” Damn Claude … y’ best not leave me. I … I can’t do shit without y’.

Series this work belongs to:

← Previous Work Part 8 of Al what are you hiding related works.

#black butler fanfiction

[latte-fairytaekwoon]

𝓤𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓵 𝓔𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓽𝔂 (𝓒𝓱𝓸𝓲 𝓢𝓪𝓷)

𝑃𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔: 𝐶ℎ𝑜𝑖 𝑆𝑎𝑛 (𝐴𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑧)× 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟 (𝐹𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑒)

𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑟𝑒: 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑠𝑡, 𝐹𝑙𝑢𝑓𝑓, 𝑆𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝐴𝑈, 𝑉𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝐸𝑟𝑎 𝐴𝑈.

𝐼𝑛𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: "𝐼 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝐼 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑐𝑒. 𝐼 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑦 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠. 𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐼 𝑑𝑖𝑒, 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑑: 𝐼'𝑙𝑙 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒."- 𝑈𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑙 𝐸𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦: 𝐵𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑟

𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡: 4.4+𝐾

𝑊𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠: 𝑀𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑢𝑙𝑡, 𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑘𝑖𝑑��𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑔𝑢𝑛𝑠, 𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑡ℎ, 𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛.

𝑇𝑎𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡: @little-precious-baby @yunhofingers @multidreams-and-desires @brie02 @deja-vux @galaxteez @yunhoiseyecandy @rvse-miingi @couchpotatoaniki @daniblogs164 @a-soft-hornytiny

━━━━━━━༺۵༻━━━━━━━

~May 17th, 1859~

When their eyes met it was as if time had effectively stopped moving. The sharply dressed male stood immobile by one of the pillars across the ballroom, feet glued to the floor and unable to pick themselves off it. Likewise, the elegant and ethereal lady sitting at one of the tables looked just as mesmerized by him as he was enchanted by her. For a while both of them just stood there, admiring one another as they tried to comprehend what was that tugging sensation they began to feel in the middle of their chests. The chatter and music in the background faded, their ears no longer registering any sound, scent, or object around them. Even their vision blurred everyone else, the only clear image they saw was the person they were currently fixated on.

As if he was in a trance, the male managed to regain his sense of control and began walking towards where she was. As their distance started to get smaller, the pounding in their hearts became more agitated and rapid, their lungs desperately trying to grasp air. When he stood right in front of her, a sense of calmness fell upon them that was even more strange to them given that they had never been acquainted with each other nor had any connections between them. Placing one arm behind him while the other came up just below his chest, he bowed to her, letting her glimpse and admire the top of his head, his hair as golden as the rays of the sun that would shine through her slightly parted curtains during the sunrises. Since she was sitting down, she acknowledged his greeting by lowering her head in a respectful manner. Coming back up, the hand that was placed behind him outstretched towards her.

"If my lady is not otherwise engaged, may I be so bold as to claim the next two dances?"

Unable to reject him, partly due to etiquette but mostly because something pushed her to accept, she smiled sweetly at him.

"You may kind Sir."

As soon as their hands connected, a rush of sparks flowed through their bodies, the feeling so electrifying and magnetic, it became more intense when he placed one arm around her waist while hers found a resting spot on his shoulder. Their other hands intertwined themselves together, their fingers perfectly molding against one another, a rather improper gesture to do at a ball especially between two individuals who had absolutely nothing to tie them together, but neither of them cared. It felt proper and necessary, even more so as their bodies glided across the floor, dancing in tune to the orchestra's music.

"I don't believe I've ever had the pleasure of seeing you before my lady." He suddenly spoke up, voice slightly buffering with nervousness.

Luckily she either didn't notice or chose not to care about it.

"No I'm afraid not. Such a pity if you ask me, you seem like a lively and agreeable person to be around." Although she had always been encouraged not to judge by outward appearances, she could not fathom the gentleman right in front of her to have any sort of evil or fault in him. He was beautiful, his features so sharp and his eyes although looking so mysterious and deadly seemed to hold so much tenderness and frailty in them. Despite his strong and bold looking frame, she could tell he was a man of delicate emotions and gentle feelings. No alarms or voice in the back of her head were warning against him, instead they were silenced as her heart urged her to stay by him and with him.

"And you seem like a lady seeking adventure and freedom." He boldly stated.

She quirked an eyebrow up, puzzled at how he could possibly ascertain such a theory.

"And may I ask what makes you say that?"

Lips curling into a smile, she swore she could melt when tiny dimples appeared on each of his cheeks, a true rare beauty that one hardly saw in those times and were very much admired.

"I look into your eyes and I see yearning, longing for something. As if you are searching for a hidden gem. And there's a hint of gloominess in them as well."

His description shocked her to the core. How could this perfect stranger, whose name she still had not known, possibly see all of that from just a few minutes of interaction?

"Do I look that forlorn?" She began to worry about anyone else being able to see what he saw.

"No...... I guess you could say I just...felt it." His eyes held a lively sparkle in them that just seemed to captivate her even more.

He hesitated to speak out what was on his mind, but seeing as the music was about to come to an end, he knew he had to say it before it was too late.

"If it's all right with you, would you mind if I came to call at your house and be introduced to your parents?" A faint pink hue spread across his cheeks and even his straight nose had a rosey tint at the tip of it.

Although she was no stranger to having young men call for her in hopes of establishing a courtship, it was the first time she was actually excited and looking forward to any future meetings with the man in front of her.

"I'd be delighted if you wished to do so." Her smile was more dazzling than all the glimmering chandeliers that decorated the ceiling and it made her dance partner feel more at ease to know she was just as jolly about a possible acquaintance as much as he was.

As soon as the music ended, they properly bowed to each other but the male, even himself unsure of what came over him, took hold of her hand and held it up to his lips, placing a feather light kiss to the tips of her fingers which left quite a few shocked faces on those who were close enough to witness the act.

"Consider this as our formal meeting my lady."

━━━━━━━༺۵༻━━━━━━━

August 23rd, 1859

The pair walked side by side across the pastured fields, bright and vivid dahlias acting as their chaperones, all arrayed in either red, yellow or purple coats that had already bud into full bloom. The river nearby had tiny ripples flowing through it due to the light breeze that was refreshing during a rather warm summer day. Behind them, her home was still bustling with excitement and anticipation of what was going to come, hence why they allowed the couple to wander outside by themselves, fully trusting them to maintain propriety. Ahead of them, a vast expanse of trees were to serve as witnesses for such a joyous occasion.

Gazing over at his loving companion whom he had learned to cherish and care about immensely in the short time they've spent together, he felt his hand shake as he touched the side of his pants, feeling the weight of the small black case he was hiding in his pocket.

"You are on edge." Her sudden statement startled him.

"Once more you hit the nail straight on the head." He chuckled, his hands going back to their previous position of staying behind him.

"Do you trust me enough to tell me about it or would you rather we pretend I didn't say anything?" She offered.

Hearing his footsteps suddenly halt, she too stopped walking. Facing over to him, she couldn't read his expression as he had lowered his face, no doubt thinking about how to proceed about with the conversation.

"May I ask......how do you feel about me?"

She was not prepared for that question and yet she had hoped to one day be asked just that. She didn't even need to think too hard, she knew the answer to that already.

"I believe you to be a very kindhearted, caring, and vibrant sort of fellow. And I am extremely grateful to be able to have you in my close circle of friends."

Although he was happy that she felt joy in his company, he felt a little saddened and worried about her use of the term 'friends'. But pushing past his fears, he gathered his courage to speak his next words.

"And have you ever wondered if there's a possibility of us becoming closer than just friends?" He looked at her with in a hopeful daze.

He could sense, feel her uneasiness. It seemed as if their emotions were so intertwined that whatever one was feeling, the other would soon get a notion of it. And right now, he could feel how she slightly panicked at his suggestion.

"If it displeases you, please just let me know right now and I swear I'll not make you uncomfortable with anymore talk of-"

"I would love for nothing more than to be more than friends with you." She didn't want to be rude and interrupt him like so, but she found she could not control herself. Her fingers fidgeted with the lace trimming of her dress, agitation clearly shown in her countenance.

"From the very first moment I saw you, I felt this strange and utterly overpowering attraction towards you, as ridiculous as it sounds. And having come to know you, I was ready to say yes the minute you asked for my hand if the moment ever came...."

She paused to collect her thoughts, taking in a deep breath.

"But at the same time I'm afraid. I know, because I was raised as such, that women are brought up to be good wives, be docile, pliant, obedient and stand behind their husbands and do what society expects of them. And I don't know if I can do that...no... I don't want that. To be locked up in some beautiful golden cage for the rest of my life, with no freedom and my liberty stripped away from me...... I'd go mad." She admitted, immediately turning away from him, not wanting to see his reaction to what some would consider her brazen speech.

"So if what you are seeking is a wife who will be content to sit at home and wait for your every command I suggest you go look somewhere else. I refuse to be that sort of woman, even if it means becoming a spinster for the rest of my life." Her last words got choked up due to tension rising in her voice as she fought back tears, not wanting to cry in front of him.

She felt him right behind her and did not flinch when one of his hands came forward to caress the smooth skin of her cheek.

"My pretty little dove....don't you know that's why I wanna marry you?"

She turned her head to look at him with incredulous eyes.

"Remember when we first met? When I talked about how you seemed to be searching for freedom? Adventure?"

She nodded, never able to forget how she felt the first time they glanced upon another nor the conversation they had. Taking a hold of her waist, he shifted her position so she could face him and see how in earnest he was.

"I'm willing to offer you all that and more. I don't want you walking behind me, I want you by my side as my equal. I won't ever lock you up in a cage. On the contrary, I want my little dove to spread her wings and soar up further than the heavens........ and I want to be by her side to see it."

Her hands came up to clasp around her mouth as she let out a sharp gasp when he suddenly dropped down on one knee. Reaching into his pocket, he produced a black velvet box that contained a stunning ring inside.

"I've already asked for your parent's permission, all I gotta ask now is if you'd make me the happiest man alive and accept to spend life by my side.... and love me?"

She allowed him to take her hand and slide the gem onto her ring finger, tears already pouring down her face. Sniffling softly, she took her hand off her mouth to reveal an emotional and awkward smile as a wave of emotions took over her.

"Yes!"

He released a breath he didn't realize he was holding. Sprinting back up, he picked her up and spun her around gleefully. Once he put her down, his hands cupped her face and he leaned in to give her a passionate kiss. Even after pulling away, he still kept her at a close distance.

"I love you.....from now until eternity."

━━━━━━━༺۵༻━━━━━━━

October 9th, 1861

"You sure you're going to be ok?"

Pushing her hat out of the way so she could look down at her doting husband who was standing right next to the open carriage, she couldn't help but give him a mischievous smirk.

"I'll be fine. I should be the one asking you that."

He gave her a puzzled look.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked.

"That I give you 10 minutes before you're moping by the fireplace, missing me to no end." She snorted softly at his pouty expression.

"You're actually wrong..."

Hopping on top of the step so it could be easier to reach her, he nuzzled his nose against hers.

"I'm already missing you and you haven't even left yet."

She giggled at his cheesiness, allowing him to press a tiny kiss on her lips, which was then followed by another one, then another, until she finally had to push him off before he delayed her trip any further by peppering more kisses across her face.

"All right all right, I get it. I'll be back before supper, it's not that long of a ride to my parents house. Think you can wait until then?"

He shook his head negatively, which made her roll her eyes.

"Well you're going to have to deal with it."

Bending down, she gently stroked some of the hairs that were tussled against his forehead.

"I love you." She smiled at him.

Taking her hand to place a kiss on top of it, her husband never took his eyes off her.

"I love you too. Please stay safe."

With longing eyes, he watched as the carriage was being hauled away in the direction of the woods that surrounded the estate. He didn't look away even minutes after the carriage was out of sight, watching as some of the white flowers fell from the immense trees, petals scattering across the pavement and on the freshly cut grass. Something about the way the flowers fell sent some sort of uneasy feeling in his stomach, but he chose to ignore it, thinking it was probably nothing.

Making his way back in the house, he suddenly stopped when the same feeling crept back up to him, this time more intense than the previous one. His palms which were tightly clenched behind him, were sweating profusely. His heartbeat making more agitated and there was an unusual pounding resonated in his head, that although didn't exactly hurt, it was sending off alarms. He could sense that something bad was going to happen, he could feel it.....

With a sharp intake of breath, he raced over towards the stables where all the horses were kept. Unlocking the door that held his personal horse, he didn't even bother to saddle up or even put a bridle on him. He simply jumped up and threw his leg over the horse, who stood in place to allow his trusted master to get properly seated.

"Go!" He exclaimed as he gently yet firmly kicked the horse on its side, the stallion immediately taking off in the direction that the carriage had gone, the rider hoping and praying that he was only being delusional about the strange sensation that was striking fear in him.

Meanwhile, not far off in the distance, the young lady quietly sat in the carriage, listening to the conversation her two drivers were having amongst themselves, sometimes even laughing at any jokes they cracked along the way. She looked very peaceful, looking forward to paying her parents a small visit, the presents she had purchased for them rattled against her side, all neatly wrapped in white with light blue ribbons decorating them. Her eyes would often drift away whenever she heard the rustling sounds the tiny woodland creatures would make or when a bird would start chirping a little tune.

She was startled abruptly by the sound of gunshots and before she could even ask what was going on, she watched in horror as the two men in front of her fell to ground, blood pouring out from their heads as their soulless eyes stared back into her. The horses were going berserk, letting out loud neighs while fretting about uncontrollably. Standing up, she carefully maneuvered herself and got off the carriage hoping to hop on the driver's seat and regain control of the horses, but she was stopped when a strong hand gripped her wrist and harshly tugged her back.

"You're a really pretty thing." She stared up into the cold eyes of a marauder who scanned her face before looking at his partner.

"How much do you think they'll give us for selling her off to a whorehouse?"

His accomplice shrugged nonchalantly.

"Beats me, but I guess we're going to find out."

Not backing down without a fight, she kicked her arms and legs as much as she could, putting up an intense struggle against her kidnappers. She made sure to scream at the top of her lungs, hoping it would reach someone's ears and come aid her. She nearly freed herself when she hit one of them right in the jaw and bit harshly down on the other's arm which was draped across her neck. She could only take two steps before she was being manhandled once more. She elbowed and kneed at the man, trying to break free from his grasp. Getting frustrated and fed up by her struggle, he took out the pistol he kept by his belt.

"You fucking bitch!"

Pressing the barrel against her stomach, the bullet pierced straight through her, making her choke on the scream she was about to release. Her senses went numb, all she could feel was pain as she felt her life being stripped out of her body.

"No!"

Arriving just as the bullet was fired, her husband swiftly yanked out his own gun. First he made sure to aim at the one who had just shot his beloved wife, the bullet striking him right on his forehead, giving him an instant death. When his partner tried producing his own weapon, the rider was already two steps ahead as he shot him straight through his throat, this time the death was more painful and elongated, but eventually he too met the same fate as his dead companion. Quickly getting off the horse, he ran over to his wife, tears already brimming down his face. Taking a hold of her hand, he first made sure that she still had a pulse and was conscious.

"Love. Darling. It's ok, you'll be ok. All right? Just stay with me, keep your eyes open."

She could feel him rip off a part of her dress and use it as makeshift gauze to press against her wound in an effort to stop some of the bleeding. She could not bring herself to cry, she had no strength left in her to do that. Still she managed to bring one of her hands up to clasp one of her husband's hands.

"I love you.......I always will..." Her voice came out rather raspy and strangled.

Knowing what was happening, her husband began to cry even harder, his arms desperately clutching onto her.

"No! Don't say that my little dove! You're going to be fine! Trust me." He seemed to be saying that more to himself than her, trying to convince himself that this was not real, that it was only a nightmare that they'd get through with together.

But she had already resigned herself to her fate. Knowing she had no time left, she reached up to cup one of his cheeks, her thumb stroking his skin softly.

"Remember.....we'll meet again someday..... I loved you now....and I'll love you in another life."

With one last faint smile, she held her final breath before her head fell back, eyes closing as her spirit left her body. Her lover's body trembled erratically, eyes scrunching tightly, teeth clenched so fiercely they could nearly break apart by his sheer strength. He clung his soul mate's lifeless body against his own, sobbing violently against her neck. Looking up, he let out a heartwrenching and agonizing scream that echoed across the forest.

Part of him died that day just like the love of his life.

━━━━━━━༺۵༻━━━━━━━

~April 15th, 2019: Present Day~

"Man...that is one sad, depressing story."

One of the members of the group sighed out as his other mate read out the history behind the beautiful and seemingly enchanting forest that they were currently touring across.

"I know right? To think that such a tragic love story occurred right here." One of the taller members said, stepping carefully around the branches that were scattered about the field.

"Enough of this romantic soulmate nonsense, how long is this trail anyways? I'm tired, I'm sweating, it's hot and I'm hungry. Which one of you guys decided it was a good idea to go into nature and explore it? Especially with all these bugs around." The nagging individual slapped his arm once more, killing off another mosquito that seemed to take a liking to his blood.

While all of them continued on ahead, forming pairs or simply admiring the view alone with their phones to capture memories, the lonely member all the way in the back kept his head down. His cat like eyes often looked around, taking in some small details that hardly anyone paid attention to. Brushing some of his black bangs away from his eyes, he felt some sort of nostalgic feeling as he walked along the semi even path laid out for tourists like them. He stopped in his tracks when he came to a particular spot. Looking to his right side, he saw a very narrow off trail that led into the more dense and deep part of the forest. Although his mind told him to stay on the trail so as to not get lost, he found some strange force pulling him in the opposite direction. Without even second guessing it, he wandered off, not caring about if his group mates saw him or not.

As he past all the trees, shrubs and even the tiny squirrels and butterflies that still inhabited those regions, he couldn't shake off the deja vu feeling that fell over him. He strangely felt familiar with his surroundings, even though he was kilometers away from his home country. As he made a sharp turn to avoid hitting against a wide tree, an image suddenly flashed in his head. A galloping horse, the rider, whose face he couldn't see, passing right by where he just past.

"Weird..." He brushed it off, thinking that perhaps the rays of the sun were starting to get to him.

As he came upon a more wider path, he stopped immediately at a certain spot. Another image seemed to pass through his mind, although more blurred, he could faintly make out a silhouette of a man holding onto the body of a woman. Just as soon as it came, it soon vanished. He didn't understand why, but standing right on that spot seemed to cause him pain. Indeed he could feel tears welling up in his eyes and he had absolutely no idea why.

"God what is wrong with me?" He thought as he wiped them away, perhaps he was being extra emotional or something, especially after hearing that story about the forest.

A snapping branch made him aware that someone else was approaching where he was. Looking up in the direction, he felt his breath being taken away as two [insert color] eyes were locked on him. He couldn't even blink, he just continued to stare at the figure standing mere feet away from him. The same energy that pulled him in that direction was suddenly making him pull his feet off the ground and make their way towards the person. He had never seen them before in his entire life and yet.....

He felt as if he knew them, his heart feeling some sort of longing and aching for them. And he could sense that the other person was feeling the exact way he was, for they too were taking careful steps toward him, keeping eye contact with him. Soon they both stood right in front of each other, both had mesmerized expressions as they studied the person in front of them. Without knowing what caused him to do that, the male reached a hand out towards his partner, which she did not hesitate to hold in her own. A wave of shock ran through both of their bodies when they touched, their emotions suddenly burning with passion and love that only grew stronger as their fingers clasped against each other. Swallowing hard, the male decided it was time to speak up.

"Hi..... my name is Choi San."

The woman smiled at hearing his voice. Even though it was the first time she heard it, she knew it, it was oddly familiar.

"I'm Y/N L/N." She responded.

Neither of them flinched away, they simply continued to stare at one another. Although strangers, they felt as if they knew each other for centuries. Unable to help himself, San lowered his face so he could press his forehead against hers.

"It sounds insane..... but I feel I love you." He confessed, his lips brushing against hers.

She let out a soft hum at his statement.

"Then I guess we're both insane, because I feel like I love you as well."

Closing the gap between them, San cupped one cheek with his hand, giving her the faintest whisper of a kiss. The feeling was so raw and so endearing that it sent a warm sensation to their hearts. When they pulled away, his arm snaked around to wrap around her waist.

"It's like we were destined to be."

She chuckled at his words before finishing his sentence.

"Yes....you and I.....

Until eternity."

━━━━━━━༺۵༻━━━━━━━

#ateez #ateez san #ateez scenarios #ateez imagines #ateez fanfiction #ateez fanfic #ateez reactions #ateez fluff #ateez angst #ateez san angst #ateez san fanfic #ateez san scenarios #ateez san fluff #ateez san fanfiction #ateez san imagines #choi san #choi san imagines #choi san fanfic #choi san scenarios #choi san fanfiction #choi san angst #choi san fluff #ateez soulmate au

[ibijau]

It is @veraverorum ‘s birthday today! So they get a birthday fanfic, because I love them!!

(also on AO3)

It hadn’t been Nie Huaisang’s plan to visit Lan Xichen in seclusion.

But that was the issue, of course. Lan Xichen always interfered with his plans, willingly or not. That stupid man, with his too forgiving heart and his big eyes, his strong shoulders… Nie Huaisang’s entire life would have been much easier if that idiot of a man had been even just a little less handsome.

Not just because of the effect it had on him, Nie Huaisang told himself every time he became angry about it. He was not the only one who had put up with Lan Xichen longer than necessary just because he happened to be handsome when he smiled. Surely the Lans would have realised what a fool their sect leader was, if they hadn’t been blinded by his good looks and his undeserved air of wisdom. And Jin Guangyao either hadn’t been immune, or else he would have gotten rid of the man who forced him to continue pretending he was a paragon of virtue.

Lan Xichen had one great skill, and it was to be so handsome people became as stupid as he was just to get one smile from him.

It wasn’t a bad skill. It certainly was one Nie Huaisang envied on occasions. His own life would have been much easier if he’d had such a talent… but instead, that beauty had been wasted on a man who thought people were mostly good and deserving of second chances.

What a joke.

Nie Huaisang had opened a bottle of Emperor’s Smile when he’d heard that Lan Xichen had entered seclusion, and privately celebrated what he’d thought to be the man’s first wise decision in a lifetime. He’d also celebrated the fact that, now that he was safe from the effect of those kind eyes and strong shoulders, he would regain some degree of control over his traitorous desires.

Perhaps Nie Huaisang too was a fool sometimes. The effect Lan Xichen had on people couldn’t be countered by mere absence, he soon learned. And after only a few months, he found himself missing Lan Xichen’s company.

It was only because of old habits, he told himself at first. After a decade of constant contact through letters and visits, of course he’d grown used to Lan Xichen’s frequent presence, useless as that had been. It would pass with time.

Time passed indeed, but the gnawing coldness in his heart did not, and Nie Huaisang instead found himself longing for Lan Xichen with increasing frequency. Everything reminded him of that man, be it his birds (Lan Xichen had more than once complimented how well trained they were), his favourite painting brush (a present from Lan Xichen. He should have burned it and gotten another, but it was a very good brush), a set of robes (Lan Xichen owned one that matched it), or even the damn sunset (it had been a very pretty one though, and Lan Xichen had a fondness for those).

It took Nie Huaisang a while to understand why his thoughts always returned to Lan Xichen. Partly because he had little time to spare for that problem, busy as he was preparing the return of his sect’s former glory. Then, one evening, in the company of some passable wine and a frankly pathetic novel, Nie Huaisang was hit by a realisation: if he couldn’t stop thinking about Lan Xichen, it might have been because he was in love with the man.

The idea was ridiculous. Repulsive, almost.

Whatever else others might have thought of him, Nie Huaisang knew his own value. He had proven himself to be smarter and more cunning than anyone else in his generation. His appearance was also above average, even if he’d looked rather awkward before puberty worked its magic, meaning he’d been left out when that stupid list of bachelors had been created. His cultivation was on the lower side, but only compared to some of his most talented peers. In fact, Wei Wuxian in his current body had a much worse level than him, and would remain that way until Lan Wangji had fucked a golden core into him. Then, there was the matter of Nie Huaisang’s other accomplishments, which were many: he had perfect mastery of the six arts, he’d learned to be politically astute, his taste was excellent in all things.

Almost all things.

Apparently, when it came to men, his tastes were shit. After all Lan Xichen had nothing to commend himself except a pretty face, a pleasing body, and a charming smile. Certainly he had also once been a very accomplished young man, but the burden of leading Gusu Lan had not left him a lot of time to continue improving his mind, and he wasn’t quite as interesting a person to chat with as he’d been.

Lan Xichen was a man one might have taken a fancy to, a man perfectly fine to fantasise about, perhaps even to fuck once or twice for the novelty of it if he could be convinced, but that was it. Only a fool would have fallen in love with such a person, and Nie Huaisang wasn’t a fool.

He refused to be one.

So he took that unpleasant realisation and set out to destroy any unnecessary emotions. He tried, at first, to simply stop thinking about Lan Xichen. A vain effort, he soon realised: the more he wanted to avoid that topic, the more his mind lingered back onto it. Nie Huaisang thus decided another approach was necessary, and started working on a detailed list of all of Lan Xichen’s faults.

The list was lengthy enough. Lan Xichen was a fool, he was blind to the fault of others (a kind heart), lacked judgement (trusting), had horrible taste in friends (Nie Huaisang was hardly better), he was weak willed (but only on personal matters), too forgiving (and yet he had killed Jin Guangyao in the end)...

The list was a mistake. It did nothing to reduce Nie Huaisang’s feelings, and only ended up highlighting those qualities of Lan Xichen he disliked thinking about, since they ruined his comforting image of the man as a complete idiot.

Briefly, Nie Huaisang considered looking for a different lover. For a wife even, if it came to that. The idea was dismissed as quickly as it came to him. He didn’t feel ready to get married, not until his sect was back to its proper place as a great one, and he certainly felt no inclination toward the concept of having children. He’d rather pass the title of sect leader to some talented cousin or even a no-name disciple who would have proved their value, rather than some brat whose only accomplishment was to have been born and who would feel entitled to power for that reason, regardless of talent. 

And as for merely taking a lover… searching for a replacement was too much of a hassle. He’d have to find someone handsome, reliable, trustworthy, capable of putting up with his personality… and at that point, it’d be easier to just seduce Lan Xichen than find another person with those exact same qualities.

Having reached that conclusion, Nie Huaisang accepted the inescapable and started planning a visit to the Cloud Recesses.

It couldn’t be good for Lan Xichen to remain isolated, anyway.

-

It was surprisingly easy to get into the Cloud Recesses. It helped, of course, that Nie Huaisang had timed his visit carefully, so that Lan Wangji and his too-suspicious husband were away on a Night Hunt when he happened to come by. Those two would have interfered with his plans, while Lan Qiren, even though now aware of his true personality, had some lingering affection for Nie Huaisang. He’d been the old teacher’s worst student for three years in a row after all. That sort of thing created bonds.

Besides, Wei Wuxian’s mild dislike of Nie Huaisang could only serve as a recommendation.

So Lan Qiren welcomed Nie Huaisang with all the honours due to a sect leader. They had tea together and played weiqi while discussing the different problems Nie Huaisang had invented to come there. He had, he realised, missed the Cloud Recesses. The place had an air of careful elegance, an ethereal look to it that contrasted sharply with his own home in the Unclean Realm. Luckily, he would get to enjoy it for more than that single afternoon. In spite of his and Lan Qiren’s efforts, they were not able to solve everything that Nie Huaisang had needed to discuss, so he was invited to stay the night. Nie Huaisang tried to protest, and pretended he couldn’t possibly impose himself that way, when already his visit had been unplanned, but Lan Qiren would hear none of it and had a guest room prepared for him.

Dinner was a pleasant enough affair. The food was plain, and there could be no conversation because of Lan rules, but silence was not an unpleasant thing, and Nie Huaisang had a fondness for Gusu Lan’s tasteless cooking. 

After eating, Lan Qiren and him chatted some more. They talked about events of their youth, and about how promising the new generation was. They talked about mistakes they’d rather have avoided, and those they would repeat in a heartbeat. Lan Qiren had always been pleasant to chat with, and that only became more true as Nie Huaisang became older. Then, at last, Lan Qiren had to send his guest to his room, and bid him goodnight. Nie Huaisang answered in kind.

Alone in his guest room, Nie Huaisang sat on the bed and waited. He waited, first, for the bell signaling bedtime. Then for the second one which announced that the curfew had started. After this he waited a little more, just for safety, and left his room.

To make himself as silent as possible, and to give the illusion that he was merely sleeping, should someone enter the room, Nie Huaisang left his boots behind. The gravel of various paths was uncomfortable under his feet, but he’d dealt with more painful things before, and he didn’t stay very long on the path anyway. Having come to this place for so long as a youth, having returned to it so often as an adult, Nie Huaisang prided himself in knowing every shortcut to every part of the Cloud Recesses. It was easy, then, to make his way to the isolated little house where Lan Qiren had mentioned that his nephew had chosen to live for the duration of his seclusion.

There was a light inside the house, the flickering flame of a candle that weakly offered a beacon into the night. Nie Huaisang smiled at the sight, both because his plan would be easier if he didn’t have to wake Lan Xichen, and because being still up was a blatant violation of Lan rules. Having broken one rule, Lan Xichen had to be in a mindset where breaking more might be considered. Encouraged by this, Nie Huaisang knocked on the door.

For a moment there was only silence coming from inside. Then the faint sound of ruffling fabrics, of light steps on a wooden floor, and the door opened to reveal Lan Xichen.

Lan Xichen looked much more put together than Nie Huaisang would have expected. It worried him briefly, as a Lan Xichen in full possession of his senses would be harder to seduce. But there was still a certain air to the other man, something in the way his robes were slightly too creased, his hair not tied quite as tight as usual… Lan Xichen wasn’t at his worst (good, Nie Huaisang had no interest in a pity party) but he wasn’t quite at his best either, and that was all that mattered.

So Nie Huaisang put on his silliest smile, and prepared himself for a little game.

“Er-ge! I was here for business and I just thought it’d be nice to say hi!’ he chirped. “I hope you don’t mind? I know you’re in seclusion, but…”

“Stop,” Lan Xichen cut him, his face turning pale.

Nie Huaisang tilted his head and blinked innocently, even going so far as allowing himself a slight pout

 “Er-ge? Are you angry that I came? I just thought…”

“If you’re going to play a comedy, then leave,” Lan Xichen said. “I’ve had enough of being lied to.”

Instantly, Nie Huaisang dropped his smile. “Then if I’m honest, will you let me in?”

Lan Xichen hesitated, which once more marked him as a fool to Nie Huaisang. A clever man would have realised nothing good could come of a conversation between them. A clever man would have wondered why Nie Huaisang had felt the need to come to that house in secret at night instead of requesting a meeting through more official channels.

Lan Xichen wasn’t a clever man. He stepped aside and gestured for Nie Huaisang to come inside that little house.

The place wasn’t anything impressive. Furniture was sparse even by Lan standards, though the bed did have a few more blankets than was usual, making it looking almost obscenely comfortable by contrast. There were also many books, some of which were currently being read if bookmarks were to be trusted. No musical instruments though, and no sign of Shuoyue either.

“I can try to make some tea if you’d like,” Lan Xichen offered, inviting Nie Huaisang to sit at his little table. That was where most of the books had been left, as well as writing implements. It appeared Lan Xichen had been taking notes on something, which he now had to put away. “I hope you will forgive me for the mess. I do not get a lot of visitors, and those I do get don’t usually come in.”

“And yet you make an exception for me,” Nie Huaisang replied with a smirk. “Er-ge, how kind of you. But don’t worry about the mess, we both know I’m worse than that.”

“Do I know that?” Lan Xichen sighed as he finished cleaning the table. “I once thought I knew you, I’m not so sure anymore. How much of everything was a lie, Huaisang?”

“Enough of it. But not all. It’s difficult to always lie. Even San-ge must have been honest sometimes, I suppose, though probably not with either of us.”

At the mention of the man he’d killed, Lan Xichen startled and gave Nie Huaisang a pleading look. Pain was a good look on him, Nie Huaisang decided, though he’d probably look even better panting in pleasure.

“I’m sorry, am I not supposed to talk about him?” Nie Huaisang asked with a smile. “But he’s been such a great part of both our lives, I can’t help it.”

“Huaisang, please…”

“You must miss him so much,” Nie Huaisang remarked. “He was your very dear friend, your confidant… though what sort of a confidant, I must now wonder. People have started throwing the word around about Wangji and Wuxian, did you know? So of course it got me thinking…”

“It wasn’t like that,” Lan Xichen objected, hands clenched into fists as he finally sat down opposite his unwanted guest, forgetting all about the tea he’d offered to make. “San-di and I were only…”

“Oh, so it’s San-di now. No more A-Yao?”

Lan Xichen glared. Nie Huaisang smirked.

“Why are you here, Huaisang?” Lan Xichen asked, sounding so tired and old that Nie Huaisang’s heart, if he’d had one, would have ached for him.

“Why do you think I’m here, Er-ge?”

Lan Xichen fell silent, his gaze falling to the table between them.

“I think you want to finish your revenge,” he said at last, meeting Nie Huaisang’s eyes again. “I think you blame me for your brother’s death. I suppose I understand your line of thinking. I gave San-di the means, I pushed for Da-ge to tolerate him much longer than he ever would have… How could you not blame me for what I’ve done?”

“He’d have done it without you,” Nie Huaisang retorted with some amusement. “And if you’d tried to oppose him in any way, he’d have started hating you just as fiercely as he hated Da-ge. He might even have killed you, and wouldn’t that have been a loss? No, believe it or not, I don’t blame you.”

“How low I must have fallen in your esteem, then, if I am not even worthy of blame.”

Without thinking, Nie Huaisang nodded. Lan Xichen was nothing but a pathetic idiot, unworthy of every advantage given to him, of the goodwill the entire world insisted on extending to him, and yet…

And yet Nie Huaisang couldn’t tear his eyes away, and found himself impossibly endeared by this fool of a man who dared to think he was important enough to deserve his hatred, when he was already unworthy of his love.

“Why are you here?” Lan Xichen insisted. “If it isn’t to torture me with guilt or to kill me…”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Nie Huaisang retorted. “A more interesting question, I think, is why did you let me in if you thought I might wish to kill you?”

Distress flashed across Lan Xichen’s perfect face. Nie Huaisang was still only getting used to causing fear in others, and usually enjoyed it. To his surprise, he found Lan Xichen’s terror less pleasant.

“I’ve… missed you,” Lan Xichen confessed, averting his eyes. “Even if there was a chance you had come with ill intentions, I’ve missed talking to you and it felt worth the risk.”

Something warm and sharp exploded inside Nie Huaisang’s chest, delicious and painful all at once. He’d never thought Lan Xichen more stupid than he did in that moment. He’d never been more delighted by that stupidity, either. After everything that had come to pass, after every lie, and deception, Lan Xichen could still miss him.

How pathetic.

How wonderful.

“Er-ge, I am starting to think you have a type,” Nie Huaisang teased, just barely resisting the impulse to reach for the other man’s hair and steal a forceful kiss from him. Just a moment more, just to see how low Lan Xichen might fall before being granted what they clearly both wanted. “I do suppose I have a lot in common with San-ge, hm?”

“I miss him too,” Lan Xichen agreed. It felt like a slap to the face. Nie Huaisang would have struck him, if he hadn’t already known he’d be the more hurt of the two. But before Nie Huaisang’s anger could fester, Lan Xichen continued. “I haven’t missed the two of you in the same way, though. I… was always more fond of you than I ought to have been. I used to think you felt the same. What a fool I was.”

“Indeed you are,” Nie Huaisang said, leaning over the table without thinking. He was glad, suddenly, that Lan Xichen hadn’t gotten around to making tea, because he suddenly decided that he intended to bend that man over the table and fuck him until he begged for mercy. 

Fools, after all, needed to be punished so they might learn better, and Nie Huaisang would be more than happy to dole out that punishment, to show Lan Xichen his true place in the world. And then, when Lan Xichen would be at his lowest, filthy and abused and beautiful, Nie Huaisang would show that he could be kind too, when the mood struck him. 

“Er-ge, my dear Er-ge… you certainly like being lied to, don’t you?” Nie Huaisang chuckled. “I suppose I could continue lying to you, if it’d make you feel better. Is that something you’d wish for? For sweet, stupid little Huaisang to fawn over you again and get stuttery every time he meets your eyes? I could do it again, quite easily.”

“Huaisang, don’t. I’m ashamed enough to have thought it was real.”

“I’ve told you earlier: it’s impossible to constantly lie, Er-ge. Some of it had to be real.”

Lan Xichen glared at him, eyes shining as if he might cry, hurt and furious at once. Nie Huaisang only smirked at him, and watched as the other man slowly processed what he’d said, and what the context for it had been. Lan Xichen’s glare softened into a frown which shifted into fear before settling on something fragile and hopeful.

It was amazing, Nie Huaisang thought, that any person with Lan Xichen’s life experience could still so easily trust others. He almost envied it. It must have been so easy to go through life like that, refusing to accept that people, as a whole, were nothing but a bunch of selfish assholes. It also made him furious that Lan Xichen had learned so little, that he was so determined to let himself be abused again by whoever his stupid little heart would settle on.

But Nie Huaisang would reward that stupidity well, and take full advantage of a trust he knew he didn’t deserve.

That beautiful imbecile was his now, Nie Huaisang thought as he finally grabbed Lan Xichen by the collar to pull him into a kiss, and what a beautiful reward it was for every crime Nie Huaisang had committed.

#xisang #nie huaisang #lan xichen #mo dao zu shi #mdzs #jau writes

[kae-karo]

May I request Kaeya “well this is a predicament”

this did not in any way go the direction i was expecting but i hope u enjoy it lmaoooooo tysm as always bb 💜🐙💜

[send me a dialogue prompt from this list and a genshin character!] 

tags: canon divergence, grompy diluc, a lil bit of zhongluc at the end there for funsies

----

“And I won’t do you the service of assuming you’re intelligent, so let me tell you about the lovely chains currently binding you!” 

Diluc huffs out a breath of irritation - really, they get it, Dottore’s a mad genius and has some incredible plan that likely involves his and Kaeya’s untimely and rather gruesome deaths, probably at the behest of some scientific research or other. 

“Oh, these? Do tell,” Kaeya prompts - an entirely unnecessary thing, but he seems to be having quite a lot of fun bantering with the doctor. Diluc squeezes his eyes shut for a moment, feels the full weight of the chains wrapped tight around his chest and waist, binding him back to back with Kaeya.

The chains wrap his wrists and ankles as well, and his hands are starting to ache from the angle and pressure.

“These incredible feats of engineering are infused with electro energy!” Dottore announces as though he expects a round of applause. Diluc turns to stare at him, impatient. “If either of you archons-blessed Vision-wielders happen to activate your wonderful powers, you’ll be-”

“Hit with the impacts of the elemental reaction, we understand,” Diluc deadpans, and the doctor’s wide grin falters for a moment. Drops into a dangerous sort of grimace that Diluc only quirks a brow at.

“Watch your tongue,” he hisses, “or I’ll cut it out myself.” 

“Quite an impressive threat, and a rather impressive invention as well,” Kaeya says with honey in his tone. Diluc should probably be grateful for the way Kaeya attempts to smooth things over, but he did not ask Kaeya to follow him here. Did not ask for his help, and wouldn’t need it. He’d probably be out of these chains and halfway home by now if Kaeya hadn’t spent the past ten minutes egging Dottore on, keeping him around and chattering on about his fabricated plans.

It’d be one thing if the man had said anything of value, but it has become painfully clear that he intends only to hold Kaeya and Diluc hostage, perhaps perform some arbitrary - if disturbing - experiments on them and their Visions. They will not die, at least not yet.

“Now, I simply must ask-” Kaeya starts again, and Diluc elbows him hard in the back of his ribs. To his credit, Kaeya only coughs out a heavy breath, then hums a sound like he’d simply paused to think. “I must ask what you intend to do once the Knights determine our whereabouts?” 

Diluc rolls his eyes - perfect, keep the man talking and continue to prolong their opportunity to escape. If they do, in fact, escape this, Diluc might very well take these chains with him. Perhaps that would prevent Kaeya from finding a way to interfere in every one of his intentionally clandestine activities.

His hands clench tight in fists, and he relishes the ache it brings to his wrists - at least he still has feeling there, though he can’t determine how much longer that will last.

“The Knights of Favonius?” Dottore laughs, a sharp sound. “Oh, I have no concerns. The Knights’ ineptitude is rather well known.”

“On that, we can agree,” Diluc grumbles under his breath, but the doctor seems still acutely focused on Kaeya.

“Do you expect your dear heroes to save you? I can assure you, they will not find head nor tail of either of you,” he says with what Diluc can only describe as immense pleasure at the prospect. His own jaw ticks with barely-bridled rage.

His attention sharpens at the sound of footsteps, and he turns as far as he can manage. But the newcomer must be directly behind him - and directly in Kaeya’s line of sight - because he can’t turn quite far enough to see.

“Il Dottore, sir.” A low tone, deferent, so likely some underling of the doctor’s. “It seems some of our other...guests require your...attention. It’s rather urgent,” they add, and Diluc watches Dottore for any sign of what they might be referring to.

A wicked grin curls his lips, though, as he watches this newcomer.

“Of course, of course.” His eyes flash when he turns back to Kaeya and Diluc. “And with that, my dear friends,” Diluc flinches at the word, “I must depart. Please, remain here,” he says with a manic sort of laugh, then rushes off beyond Diluc’s field of vision.

Diluc exhales slowly at the sound of a door closing, then squeezes his eyes shut. Considers their options.

“Well,” Kaeya starts, tone infuriatingly light. “This is a predicament.”

“Is it,” Diluc deadpans, glares at the wall across from him because he cannot turn to glare at Kaeya properly. “And do tell, what on Teyvat was the purpose in delaying Dottore like that?” His tone takes on an edge, both from his increasing discomfort and latent irritation at Kaeya’s unrequested company.

Unrequested interference.

“No reason really,” Kaeya says, and Diluc growls low in the back of his throat. “Oh, don’t get so worked up. I’m sure we’ll figure a way out before he returns.” 

“I assume you expect me to figure a way out, is that it?” Gods, he can’t imagine how Kaeya’s kept any ranking with the Knights with this attitude. Once upon a time, he cared fiercely for ensuring his - and Diluc’s - success. Would do anything under the sun to make it happen, no matter the cost. And yet, he leans back into Diluc’s shoulders with a contented sort of sigh, like he’s relaxed on a beach somewhere.

Like he’s just waiting to be rescued instead of making an effort to rescue himself.

“When did you become so insufferable,” Diluc grits out, mostly to himself as he tests the strength and tightness of the chains around his ankles. They pull the second he shifts, and he can feel a prickle of something dancing through the metal. It seems Dottore was quite serious about the elemental infusion, then, and Diluc is not stupid enough to risk testing his fire against it.

“I’ve always been insufferable,” Kaeya says easily, clearly amused. “When did you stop putting up with it?” 

Diluc bites his tongue - they both know the answer to that. A heavy sort of silence falls around them, then, and Diluc shifts his focus pointedly to the chains binding his wrists.

“I do not intend to make you do all the work of finding a way out of this predicament,” Kaeya says, tone unexpectedly flat. Resigned, almost, and Diluc frowns down at the chains.

“Excellent. You have an idea?” Better not to get caught up in it, whatever Kaeya’s thinking. Planning, manipulating. Why else have that tone of voice?

“Don’t need one.”

Diluc blows out an exasperated breath. Why does he even bother? He should know better than to get his hopes up with Kaeya.

And yet, at every opportunity, he can feel that tiny spark - maybe this time will be different, maybe Kaeya will prove himself trustworthy, maybe he’ll return to acting like he used to, maybe-

Maybe Diluc is only deluding himself, but try as he might, he’s yet to quash that tiny spark, and disappointment awaits him every time. Disappointment in himself, too - it’s his own fault for expecting Kaeya to act differently. 

A hinge creaks, then, and Diluc straightens up, clears his head of pointless thoughts and focuses on what he’s able to learn from the sound of footsteps approaching. They’re quiet, not loud, and he suspects that it is not Dottore that visits them.

“Ah, right on schedule,” Kaeya says with a smirk that Diluc can hear even if he’s unable to see it. Unease twists through his stomach - an ally of Kaeya’s, perhaps? That’d explain his disinterest in trying to escape, though how he’d planned this, Diluc remains uncertain.

“Naturally. Ah, what an interesting invention.” Diluc doesn’t recognize the voice, and the person remains somewhere behind him and out of sight. Irritation flickers through his head - could Kaeya not have simply mentioned that he had someone coming to find them? That’d certainly have saved Diluc the irritation and concern, at least partly.

“You can take them with you, if you want,” Kaeya says disinterestedly. “Just neutralize the electro energy-” An abrupt snap, most certainly metallic in nature, and Kaeya hums an impressed sort of sound. “Or that.” 

As he speaks, the chains tying Diluc to Kaeya loosen and pool in his lap, and Diluc pulls away from Kaeya the moment he’s able. Kaeya falls back into him, but only for a moment before he rights himself, and Diluc extracts himself from the loose chains to find-

A very tall man staring down at him, and not at all bearing the appearance of one of Kaeya’s usual acquaintances. This man is refined and dignified, undoubtedly - nothing short of regal - and he extends a hand as though he means to help Diluc to his feet.

When Diluc reaches for it, though, the man instead grabs for the chain still binding Diluc’s wrists. It takes a very concerted effort to remain in control of his surprise when the man pulls at the chains, rips them apart like they’re little more than paper.

“Your legs?” 

Diluc’s lips part at the question, and he bites back a dumbfounded ‘what about my legs?’ Naturally, the man intends to remove the chains binding him there as well. He crouches down to Diluc’s level, though Diluc notes that he remains nearly a head taller, even like this.

The man tips his head, then, and Diluc rushes to swing his legs around. Again, the metallic snap, and the chains fall from his sore ankles. He rolls them experimentally, pleased to find them mostly unharmed, and the man straightens up. Behind him, Kaeya wanders the room, and Diluc might care a little about what he’s doing - or planning - except that this unknown man continues to stare down at him.

Extends a hand, and Diluc takes it this time. Why he’s surprised at the ease with which the man pulls him to his feet, he can’t quite say. Can’t say much at all, when he’s all but frozen chest-to-chest with the man, and Diluc tips his head back.

Gold eyes stare unabashedly into his, warm and bright, and Diluc stumbles a step back. Clears his throat.

“We’re leaving?” He doesn’t mean it as a question, but uncertainty slips into his tone. Neither Kaeya nor this...acquaintance? Friend? Whoever he is, though Diluc intends to do some research once they’ve returned to safety. In any event, neither of them seems in any particular rush, though Kaeya hums what might be an agreement at Diluc’s words.

“Oh, ah, by the way,” Kaeya adds as he returns to where Diluc and their mysterious rescuer stand in the center of the room. “Diluc, please meet my dear friend and ally, Zhongli. Zhongli, Diluc.”

“I’ve heard quite a lot about you, Diluc.” Oh. His voice is quite...smooth. Pleasing to listen to. Diluc blinks a few times, attempts to focus.

“I’ll admit, I’ve heard nothing at all about you.” This, for some unknown reason, makes Zhongli’s lip tick up at the corner - almost a smile, and Diluc finds himself unexpectedly warmed by it. 

“You can continue flirting another time, Zhongli. I believe we have places to be?” Kaeya’s tone drips with teasing, and Diluc swallows, feels heat flood his veins and rush to his cheeks. If Zhongli is bothered by this assertion, he does not give any indication. Gods, he doesn’t even deny it. 

Was he, then? Flirting? With Diluc?

“Namely, not here?”

Zhongli’s smile widens just a fraction at Kaeya’s words before he turns, and Diluc stares for a frankly inordinate amount of time before Zhongli’s - and Kaeya’s - disappearance through the door startles him forward.

Right, they need to worry about getting out of here first. Diluc can concern himself with Zhongli’s...maybe-flirting another time.

#genshin #genshin impact #zhongluc #diluc #kaeya #revyourriley #ask

[copperpieceharlot]

Bud I’m sorry to swing into your inbox uninvited like this but my soul is having an OOTS renaissance thanks to your content in the tag and did you say Leverage AU

haha holy SHIT this got Long. but yes. i’ve been. Thinking. (also literally Never feel like you have to apologize for sending me messages. i was Hoping someone would ask me about this. now i have an Excuse to share EVERYTHING ive written abt it :3)

Obviously, Roy is the leader/brains of the outfit. He grew up having some Strong Opinions abt what’s Legal versus what’s Right due to tragic backstory involving the death of his little brother which was definitely SOMEONE’S fault for negligence but since there technically wasn’t any illegal behavior, there were no consequences for it. Also he’s still angry at his dad bc he thinks his dad is also partly culpable (and also also just a dick). He’s the Moral Backbone of the team (alongside Durkon, more on that later) in basically the same way Nate was in og Leverage. He’s actually not the best at figuring out what people want (that’s Haley and, shockingly, occasionally Elan), but once he has that info, he is the absolute best at figuring out the ideal plan of attack to use in any given case.

Haley is still a thief. I mean she maps to Parker almost PERFECTLY. Her dad was a thief & a conman, her mom wasn’t but knew about it and mostly accepted it, but she died tragically in a mugging gone wrong or smth, which made Ian crank the paranoia WAY up and taught Haley to do the same in the name of “safety”. Let’s keep the “Ian is in Trouble and Haley needs money, Fast” which is why she signs on to the first job in the first place. She’s less acrobatic than Parker, tending towards finding (or making) weak spots in security, but she can still make a tumble check when she needs to.

Elan is the grifter who is somehow an Idiot but also not???? It baffles everyone. When he’s playing a part for a con, he’s FLAWLESS, but then the rest of the time he’s just. No Thoughts Head Empty. He probably gets lured in initially because he’s decided to try his hand at being part of a full team, rather than the two-man cons he’s been running that invariably end w his partner conning him as well and stealing half of his take. Also he likes the idea of being Crime Friends. He’s that tweet where it’s like, Roy: “after the heist is over, we split up and never communicate again” / Elan: [about to unveil his Crime Buddies Forever Friendship Quilt Puppets]: “never?”

Vaarsuvius is the hacker/gadget person. They have a Vaguely Snobby Yet Unidentifiable accent, dyed(?) purple hair (nobody has ever seen their roots) and nobody knows who they “really” are or where they came from, but they’re good at what they do so everyone just accepts the mystery. They probably got suckered into the team by their initial employer (who I’ll get to Eventually, lol) framing it as a challenge to their intellect, like, “oh, I see, you’re not smart enough to make this team work for you...” to which they were like Fucking Watch Me and also melted his computer. Anyways. They are joined (digitally) by their Intrepid Friend And Co-Conspirator (his words, not theirs), a fellow hacker known only as Blackwing, or, on certain forums, Blackwing_Bird. (In the first season, V only occasionally references him when saying they’re “calling in extra help” or smth for a particularly complex hack job. He starts showing up a little more in s2 and eventually by the start of s4 is a regular & established presence, but only appears as actions in a computer interface or output.) Elan is convinced he’s an AI, Belkar doesn’t think he actually exists, Haley pretends she doesn’t think he exists, and Durkon and Roy try not to think about it too hard, as long as B and V still get the job done.

Belkar is the hitter. He is on the team bc their initial employer got him out of jail for it. He doesn’t have a tragic backstory, he just likes doing violent crimes. As the series progresses, he grows some empathy & stuff, but really only for people who actually deserve it. Assholes still get decked. It’s all very touching. (Also he has dwarfism caused by achondroplasia. It doesn’t actually bother him and is useful in fights bc his opponents frequently have no fucking clue how to approach him, but he likes Pretending to take offense at stupid things just to see how far he can go with it.)

Aaaand last but not least, Durkon is the least involved member of the team. He’s actually a career criminal and Roy’s mentor, and wasn’t a member of the initial team that [redacted, I’ll tell you later, PROMISE] put together for a couple of reasons, the main one being that he’s Officially retired in order to spend more time with his family, which consists of his mom, his friend (not girlfriend) Hilgya, baby Kudzu, and a truly stunning number of aunts, uncles, and cousins. Roy frequently calls or visits him for advice and he Occasionally shows up to help out on local jobs, but generally he avoids doing crime if he can (as part of a deal with Hilgya, who is also a career criminal; basically, they’ve both cut back on the crime in order to provide a more stable home environment for Kudzu. But sometimes, you gotta do a little crime, and in those cases, Sigdi enjoys spending time w her grandson.)

NOW. THE BIG REVEAL YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR. Who got the team together in the first place?!

The answer: Lord Shojo (or whatever Normal Person Name you want to assign him). Now this is where it gets tricky: he had them do a thing that they thought was good, THEN they thought it was BAD, but then when they confronted him he revealed that it Appearing to be bad was actually a test of character and would they consider working as basically internal investigators for him? But then he had a heart attack, so, rip. But THEN it turned out that he’d left them a bunch of money anyway and they were all feeling kind of Inspired so they formed the Order of the Stick, LLC (which, no, i am not coming up with a new name, actually, because I just don’t care. someone else can come up w a justification for that name, tho, i’m sure it’s possible). Also Miko was there and was unhappy abt their actions, and also their general existence.

Moving on. Villains!

Redcloak is the Sterling replacement, because that DEEPLY amuses me.

Xykon is a season-long main villain, probably one that Redcloak finds himself working for but then “teams up with” (read: blackmails) the Order to bring him down bc even Redcloak finds Xykon distasteful. That’s season 3, let’s say.

Tarquin is another season villain, say season 2. Nale probably shows up pretty early in s1, actually, as another recurring antagonist like Sterling but uh. Less good at it. Anyways the s2 final 3 eps deal with them (accidentally) discovering that Tarquin runs some Evil Empire Company, then trying to outplay him and take him down. Idk if Nale still dies in this version tbh.

Tsukiko is a one-off s1 villain who returns briefly in s4 alongside Miko, who has gone well and truly off the rails.

Season 1 finale has to do w Roy finally getting Vengeance for his little brother.

The vampire squad is the s4 finale villain who do smth terrible to Durkon and then get the Mother Of All Revenge served up to them by the Order.

I envision the show as being 5 seasons (like og Leverage) but I’m not going to sketch out s5 because I think it should be based off whatever happens in the current story arc, possibly involving some legacy of the OotSquiggle.

Other stuff!

The Order of the Squiggle is a legendary criminal team from the 60s who stole a BUNCH of famous shit & then proceeded to legendarily implode. This has no bearing on the plot I’ve sketched out, I just think it’s fun.

The Sapphire Guard members should probably be reworked as FBI. I don’t care about most of them but I do think that Lien and O-Chul could be like, FBI agents who Choose to look the other way while the Order does their very-much-not-legal-but-still-fair Justice Crime, and maybe even help them out on occasion.

So, the Final season-by-season outline, based on everything I’ve written so far:

s1 e1: getting the team together, doing a con for Shojo, then at the end he dies and the gang is like “dang what now?" and intend to split up except then they Don’t.

mid-s1: Nale shows up and tries to trick the Order, but then gets beat like a drum.

late s1: Tsukiko is an underling of the Villain Of The Week, winds up in police custody. But She’ll Be Back.

s1 finale: Roy’s Vengeance: The Vengeaning. also we meet Redcloak as an antagonist.

s2 e1: the truth abt Haley’s father comes out

early s2: The Two Live Crews Job but it’s the Order vs the Linear Guild and the Linear Guild ARE all bad guys.

mid-s2: Redcloak returns. ugh.

late s2: the sapphire guard FBI makes its first appearance, hello O-Chul and Lien.

s2 pre-finale: once again they’re in conflict w Nale over smth, he spends the whole episodes making Cryptic Remarks, they basically beat him (like a drum!) but then the stinger at the end is that Tarquin reveals himself and Elan is like “Dad?!”, roll credits.

s2 finale, part 1: Elan is hanging out w Tarquin bc he’s DEEP in Denial, the Rest of the team tries to take Tarquin down, but it doesn’t work.

s2 finale, part 2: Elan finally gets a clue and they manage to beat Tarquin. still haven’t decided if Nale dies or not, but I’m leaning towards yes. also they rescue Haley’s dad.

s3 e1: fuck dude idk.

early s3: Redcloak shows up, AGAIN, everyone groans. he has blackmail on them, he wants them to take Xykon down.

mid s3: The Rashomon Job but it’s about stealing the Talisman of Dorukan and it turns out that Nale was there too (“oh!” Elan says. “I was wondering why I looked so weird in all those mirrors! But it wasn’t my reflection, it was Nale’s!” “Sweetie, that wasn’t Nale’s reflection,” says Haley. “Huh,” says Elan, “so the mirrors were broken?”, cue eye rolling from everyone else.), and the Successful thief was Hilgya, who’d nabbed it from the owner before it even went on display.

s3 finale: they beat Xykon, actually factually, because he deserves to get his ass Thoroughly kicked, even if only in AU form. Lien and O-Chul are there, so are some other less helpful FBI people. There’s a bit where O-Chul Exact Wordses his way out of telling his superiors about the Order’s less legal activities without technically lying. King shit.

s4 e1: doesn’t really matter. maybe smth to do w some legacy of Tarquin’s company to set up the drama w Malack & Durkon later.

early s4: Durkon gets SENT TO PRISON. Malack approaches the Order abt this because sure they have Different Ethics but they’re still Friends. (Roy is surprised and a little hurt that he’s never heard of Malack, but he ignores that in favor of Let’s Get Whatever Fuckers Did This To Our Friend.)

immediately after that: Miko and Tsukiko return as a Team, preventing the Order from working on the Durkon situation

mid s4: Redcloak makes another unexpected & unwelcome appearance but he’s maybe a little less of a dick? the Order collaborates with Malack & his Crime Buddies (hello, Vector Legion) to pull one over on him tho, because “less of a dick” does not mean “a pleasant or decent person”, and also he was mean abt Durkon being in jail, so he totally deserved it. he still gets whatever he wanted tho, just takes a blow to his pride. also prevents the Order from helping Durkon. they’re having a LOT of setbacks wonder why that could be, not to make sure the season fills its whole length or anything, no sirree

s4 finale: something something taking down the organization, headed by Hel (yes that’s her real name), which framed Durkon for their Big Crime. Durkon goes free and Extra Firmly retires, For Good, He Swears, but says he “met someone new” who might be an asset.

s5 e1: minrah joins the team! and the episode is set in like, somewhere really snowy. that’s all i got.

the rest of s5: don’t know, don’t care, it’s open-ended until the comic finishes up.

#mine #ask #corvidcorgi #order of the stick #oots #leverage #leverage au #oots au #au #outline #haha this thing clocks in at 1.9k words because i am LITERALLY incapable of shutting up #hope u enjoy it bc i spent Way Too Much Mental Effort mapping out how the OotS plotlines might play out in a leverage setting #and then promptly ignored Most of that in favor of making it funnier & dumber & more villain-of-the-week #(bc lbr the comic is Good but it's got an overarching plot form that the Leverage story style does Not jive with) #i'm not tagging all these characters lol

[benevolent-savage]

this is what happens when u enable me lets go

(spoilers ahoy)

Firstly, here’s some somewhat miscellaneous reasons that don’t contribute to any sort of narrative analysis but are still parts of the character I like.

His boss fight is my favorite in the game thus far. It’s not super hard, but it isn’t super easy either, and I even managed to solo it on my Balance after a few practice rounds. Sufficiently challenging without feeling unfair.

His boss fight music. It is a bop and a half, go give it a listen, my soul ascends from my body a few centimeters every time I hear it start up.

His voice. I’m sure it’s processed at least a little but gotdamn his voice is so deep and spooky it startled me when I first heard it. Very curious who his actor is; I think he and Inyanga Whitestripes share the same one. Either way, very well voiced and acted.

His design is very good. It’s the perfect mix of innocuous but also spooky sorcerer fella who knows some shit. And I was afraid that the designers would try and make him like. Handsome? Under the hood? To try and make him more sympathetic? But they didn’t and I’m glad for it.

With those out of the way, the next thing to establish, I guess: I don’t interpret Old Cob to be the main villain of arc 3, nor do I interpret Raven as such. They’re definitely antagonists, but they’re not the ultimate problem; the ultimate problem is their divorce, and how they keep dragging people into their bs. It’s established the Aethyr is a physical manifestation of their anger towards each other, and as it thins, communication between them becomes possible, as Sparck puts it in this thinly veiled metaphor toward the start of Empyrea part 2.

But Cob’s still an antagonist and I love him so I’m gonna talk about that. Most of this is going to be talking about his motivations for doing what he does, since I don’t see him quite as the ‘likes to watch the world burn for the hell of it’ archetype that others might.

One of the reasons that drew me to his character is how legit his gripe is, when put in perspective. Old Cob- or Grandfather Spider, if you prefer- is not a mortal like the other antagonists of previous arcs, which establishes he has a different thought process right off the bat. This new universe was built on his suffering and he has a grudge against the ex wife who made it, so as a god, it makes some sense he’d try to destroy it and build one he would like better. He’s fully aware that what he is doing will hurt people but decidedly doesn’t care, and I appreciate that so much. He’s chaotic as fuck and he owns it, along with his superiority complex that’s as wide as the day is long.

Yet his reasoning is like. Weirdly understandable? Like, if my ex-whatever put me in jail for a lifetime sentence and stole my kidney to pay for a new house or something, I too would go apeshit and want my fuckin kidney back. That’s mostly how I interpret his situation. He’s not doing this for hell of it, he’s doing it because he wants to get back at his ex because he’s bitter and petty and for the most part he knows this but he feels justified in doing do because she ripped out his goddamn kidney- I mean heart, and he wants that back.

And then, even after all that, he and his magic are treated as if they’re inherently evil. While, sure, Shadow is a ‘dark magic’, its actual properties aren’t anything malicious by itself. It is described as “a magic that changes reality,” and that’s it. Incredibly exploitable and you should practice caution while handling it, but used correctly it is powerful and helpful; this is likely alluding to the backlash mechanic, where likes decrease the percent of damage you take, dislikes increase the percent, and I imagine the person meant to be the literal embodiment of the magic in question to be similar in nature: not inherently harmful and lashes out if he feels he’s been mistreated.

Going off that, I’m not sure he ever wanted the FirstWorld to be destroyed, and therefore believes his incarceration to be entirely unjust; he doesn’t deny that he instigated the fight between the Titans, but when it comes to being accused of its actual destruction, he gets angry.

...Okay the written text doesn’t really display how mad he got here, but he was like. Big Angy. Super offended. Honestly, a big part of why I love and analyze the hell out of his character comes from how his VA delivers his lines and his voice in general. If you haven’t heard it for some reason, I recommend looking it up. Anyway, here he’s basically saying he didn’t destroy the First World, and even if he did, he’s suffered enough punishment because of it, to my interpretation. The only one I remember blaming him for it is Raven; Bartleby was there, and I don’t recall him blaming anything other than the Titans for it. This is of course not accounting for the various changes made to the lore since he was introduced, but they could have easily thrown in a line like ‘And now Spider plans to destroy the Spiral the way he destroyed the FirstWorld!’ or something to make it clear it was done intentionally.

And this may very well be straying into headcanon territory here, but I think he holds positive relationships very closely to him, even if things went sour in the end; he clearly still has some remaining affection for the Titans, calling them ‘the children’ and being incredibly angry at Raven for forcing one of them to destroy his Heart.

When Rat loses in Polaris he shows up to praises his efforts and even comfort him, in his own weird way. He reprimanded Scorpion in Mirage, but it’s because Scorpion wasn’t doing what his dad asked him to and got his ass kicked as a result. As for Bat, every time they’re in the same room together he pays him some sort of compliment.

Bat claims that he and his brothers are meant to be his tools, and to some extent that’s true, but he also genuinely cares about them, and it’s really interesting to see a villain defect from the usual ‘not caring about anyone other than themselves’ and openly show affection for his kids while still managing to be an incredible asshole.

In line with this is his relationship with the Wizard. There is, of course, a foundation of manipulation to their dynamic, at least to some degree. I thoroughly believe that Spider was overshadowing Coleridge, at least partly, so our character could bust him out of prison.

And while this is happening, he regains some of his spent power and removes threats to it as well, namely Morganthe, using the Wizard’s help. In fact, I have very little doubt that he was at least partially responsible for her fall; his timing on that two-liner was too on the nose.

But even with that, I think he genuinely treasures the Wizard’s help and company, which is why he attempts on four different occasions to either sway them to his side, or warn them away from what he’s doing.

Boy, I want that vacation, but it’s your fault I’m here.

And then, of course, his relationship with Raven, something that is basically a summation of his character arc. Laden with baggage and tragic in concept, it is my belief that most of what he’s doing isn’t because he genuinely hates the Spiral or he wants to get back at her, but because he loved her and treasured their relationship; so upon her mistreating him, he lashed out at everything she’d made and detested it as a result. But only because he felt betrayed and hurt so he has to inflict that on other people because he is, as aforementioned, a petty and bitter old fuck.

Moving off that line of thinking, an admirable quality he possesses is how smart he is. This guy has so many wrinkles in his brain it must look like a raisin. Well, perhaps not ‘smart’ exactly, but how good he is at manipulating certain situations to his advantage. Like in Mirage; you just know that he was fully expecting Mellori to be there and fully planned to use her as a back up plan, or you could even argue that the whole debacle in Mirage was a ploy to get his hands on her, while having the added possible benefit of things actually working out.

Actually his scheme in Mirage was really interesting now that I think about it. His aim was to turn back time to when the FirstWorld was whole, further implying that he never wanted its destruction in the first place. It would also, of course, be a time where he had his Heart and would have the ability to avoid having it ripped out again. This would involve not having the Titans fight each other again, or at least not starting it and suffering the consequences. It would be everything he wanted to achieve knocked out in one go with minimal muss or fuss, compared to other methods. It’s probably a part of why he shows up personally to bargain with Eerkala and the Cabal, and why he directly intervenes in our Wizard’s efforts to stop him; it was too important to trust to any of his kids, so knowing Scorpion probably wouldn’t have been able to execute it anyway, he used his kid as a distraction for the most part.

I also like looking into the fact that his element, besides Shadow, is Storm, as opposed to pure Shadow or Death, as most major antagonists are. Storm is a school based on invention, experimentation and improvement. This is something that interests me for two reasons: one, the magic of major antagonists is always a part of their character, Malistaire the most blatantly, and two, because of this line he says in Mirage.

To my interpretation, this would imply that he sees the Spiral as something that could be improved. And as a god, he would of course find it his obligation to try and fix this flaw. When he made the barter with the Cabal, I don’t doubt he was being at least partially honest about restoring the FirstWorld; it would certainly fix the flaw it has in the context of stealing his internal organs, but he would also probably seek to improve it, make it more suited to Shadow or something.

Something else I find intriguing is how weirdly honest he is; I don’t recall him ever lying to us once, unless you count omitting certain facts as lying. But that’s absolutely something I can see him using against people, like “I didn’t lie to you, I just didn’t tell you, your fault for not asking ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ .” As said before, he;s really good at manipulating people and he weaponizes whatever he can; @that-wizard-oki​ made a really great post about how he uses conflicts- his fault or not- to his advantage, and does his own thing in the background without interruption, Mirage and Neumia probably being the best example of this, with Scorpion and the Cabal serving as distractions while he either carries out things himself or gives instructions.

To pull all of this together narratively, I think it’s important to consider this line from Mellori during one of their confrontations:

He feels powerless, so he puffs up his god status. He has little power to fight with, compared to before, so he mostly manipulates and creates back-up plans while causing conflicts to serve as distractions. His love hurt him, so he lashes out at others and drags them into his problems.

You may ask, “But Sam, these are all bad qualities, why should we like him because of this?” And I would respond “Because it makes him a complex and interesting antagonist.” The kind of character that executes his shitty actions in such a way that you can’t help but respect- even just for the level of dramatics put in to it- while also having a motive that makes you stop and consider that maybe he has a point but is very much handling the situation the wrong way.

Like, c’mon, he ticks so many villain boxes. Tragic backstory? Check. Blatant thespian who owns it? Check. Gets his hands dirty before the climax of the story? Check. Smart/ manipulative/ has back-up plans? Check. Understandable, strong motives? Check.

He’s got layers. Like onion. I felt like there was always something new to discover about him, and for that I can assert my opinion that he’s one of the best characters in Wizard101.

lmao if you read this far into my simp-for-shithead post congrats. feel free to shoot me more asks on the subject bc i cant write persuasive-essay-esque format anymore my brain is rotting. if you will excuse me, im off to listen to the chronoverge combat track for the 82937487734th time

#i get that a lot of people havent gotten far enough into the game to meet him but I ENCOURAGE U TO TRY BC HE'S A GOOD AND FUN CHARACTER OKAY #i need more cob content >:U #wizard101 #w101

[deimosborne]

(STEPHEN AMELL,  HE/HIM,  CISMALE)  careful  ,  ARCHIBALD MAYCROFT  has  arrived  to  the  city  of  dreams!!  they  look THIRTY-FIVE  years  old  and  word  on  the  street  is  they  are  from  BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS  and  currently  reside  in  TRIBECA.  They  are  currently  living  life  in  the  city  as  a  CEO.  one  thing  they  never  want  anyone  to  find  out  is  HIS COMPANY IS USED FREQUENTLY TO HIDE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.  too  bad  nothing  remains  a  secret  for  long  even  in  the  city  of  dreams.  some  people  say  they  are SELF-SACRIFICING,  but  i  think  they  are  LOYAL.

tw . death, abuse, sexual assault, assault, suicide, mentions of hanging, sexual content, mentions of drinking/drugs, and toxic relationships.

archie’s about page is HERE. ( most of the triggers are here including: depression, abuse, suicide, and violence ) 

brief notes;

born october 23, 1987 in potomac, maryland.

the only family he was ever close to was his grandmother & blames his grandfather for her death amongst other things.

is responsible for orchestrating the deaths of his grandfather, brother in-law, and step-father. these are only the familial deaths he is responsible for as his network of influence has led him to get rid of countless others for the sake of business.

was forced to clean up his mother’s suicide - she killed herself out of spite towards his younger sister for ‘stealing her baby boy’s attention from her’ and told betrice ‘this is your fault’ before hanging herself - after his younger sister called him sobbing since their father was nowhere to be found and told archie ‘it wasn’t his responsibility to tend to that woman’s needs’ before hanging up. his grandmother helped but archie never forgave his father. 

was sexually assaulted by his step-father early in life which led to his step-father being the first killed (it was set up to look like an accident) and generally defensive of those he takes a liking to or cares about sometimes with violent methods.

his ex-fiance amaya langston was sleeping with his father and had a manic breakdown during their rehearsal dinner resulting in her stabbing him with a carving knife. this nearly resulted in his death and only by his grandmother’s intervention was amaya sent to jail and not ‘dealt with’ by the family.

his current on and off fling rowan reed seduced him in the wake of amaya’s attack and introduced him to the concept of underground fighting often degrading and mocking him if he didn’t win fights. more than a few times he’s been left bleeding and worn out by rowan simply because the man found someone ‘a little tougher’ to spend his time on.

was in love with thomas hadley, a college classmate he met in the same class as his current best friend after he’d run away from the family to live a normal life. never got to tell thomas how he felt despite the two of them spending time together frequently as thomas was killed in a car accident in the following spring before graduation. he nearly killed himself out of grief but found out the accident was orchestrated by his grandfather as a means to force him back home to take over the family business.

he did take over the family business that fall but it came at a cost he isn’t aware that his grandfather inflicted to ensure archie would never run back to the life he’d built on his own.

he killed his grandfather the following year and made sure his father never would receive a penny more from the family. partly for his own personal vendetta and mostly in retaliation for the abuse his younger sister and mother suffered.

gave up his dream of being a fashion designer even though he found some brief success at it. sometimes he is still wistful and has a box of old sketches in his grandmother’s old house he is currently renovating to remove the modernization his grandfather did to tear out any trace of his grandmother.

generally dislikes most of his family save for his great-aunt margaret who shares his disdain towards his father and his mother’s side of the family.

prefers seclusion and quiet and travels only when his partner is unable to make the meetings. works mostly from home.

is a surprisingly good cook and enjoys gardening.

personality;

for the most part he is the picture of perfect manners doing his best to help those that need it with a smile on his face. in truth he has a vicious temper and anger he constantly has to keep in check and will very rarely show.

one of his methods of ‘venting’ is underground fighting under the name ares because he finds it particularly amusing. he’s put more than a few men into the hospital as a result of lashing out and refusing to back down. this surfaces more often when he is conducting his nighttime business.

has a sense of humor and a love of classics, frequently making references and quotes. typically though he’ll read you stories and stroke your hair as a kind of love language and views stories as an intimate exchange. if ever he asks it’s typically a genuine interest.

generally he could and has slept with anyone but romantically, he’s extremely guarded and rarely allows anyone back to his home much less for one night stands. he has a fairly dominant personality and has spent some time off and on in the kink community. doesn’t get the chance to express it often but it’s just another thing he vents through his fights.

drinks his ‘respects women’ juice every morning and has been known to intervene on a woman’s behalf if it looks like help is needed. likes to blame his grandmother and great-aunt for the lessons in manners and will frequently go out of his way to help.

while he might’ve dabbled in his youth with drugs, typically he sticks to straight bourbon and cigarettes or cigars for his vices. of course he knows it might kill him one day but he’s morbid enough to joke he might not make it that long.

casual banter is nice for him but give him an inch and he’ll spend the next hour just to get your life secrets.

wanted connection;

friends with benefits?

unrequited love (maybe archie is the clueless one)

someone to get him to open up

maybe someone from his youth? could be an enemy or a friend!

someone that is just as feral and guarded as him to have chemistry with and conflicting feelings for while struggling to maintain the balance of his work and his ‘work’. someone to really make him willing to take a match and set fire to his entire empire.

#// there is so much spicy content pls mind the warnings at the top #codintro

[elisaphoenix13]

Delusional (Ch.1)

Okay, so this is something that won't be for everyone. It's a trope that me and my friends got into while RPing so this was born. I think this will be one of those fics that I'll only continue if there's enough interest. Let me know what you think!

Tony had been pissed when his parents told him that his mother was pregnant. He had no idea what possessed them to think having another kid was a good idea when they could barely pay attention to the one they already had, and he even said that. It ended up turning into an argument between him and Howard and Tony gave them both the cold shoulder for the entirety of Maria's pregnancy. Whether it was because of her age or possibly because of Tony's ongoing silent treatment stressing her out, his mother went into labor a month early. Tony couldn't even bring himself to visit his parents or the new baby at the hospital, but they eventually came home with his new baby brother that he almost considered ignoring completely.

But then he realized that would make him exactly like Howard.

So when his parents went gallivanting off to some party one day, leaving their preemie baby in the hands of the maid, Tony finally decided to properly meet his brother. A seventeen year age difference wasn't unheard of, but it still felt weird to walk into the nursery with the knowledge that the baby inside was a sibling. He decided he would make sure the baby was still alive and then go back to his bedroom to study for his physics final, but when he approached the crib the baby was sleeping in...he softened.

His baby brother slept peacefully on his back with his arms stretched out on both sides of his head and every so often snuffled in his sleep. He wasn't covered with a blanket and he vaguely recalled hearing that he shouldn't be at his age, but he was at least dressed warmly in tiny blue footie pajamas. He had wisps of dark hair that looked like they would be soft to the touch and Tony was tempted to reach out and see but he refrained. He didn't want to disturb the baby.

Tony had been so focused on ignoring Howard that he had to wrack his brain for his brother's name, which he knew his mother had told him. He was pretty sure he had been studying at the time and was only half listening, but it eventually came to him.

Scott.

Scott Harris Stark.

It was barely seconds later that the baby started to fuss and Tony looked around a little lost before finally giving in and leaning down to scoop him up. Tony was a goner after that. Scott's hair was just as soft as it looked and Tony was worried he could break his brother if he so much as sneezed. It didn't stop him from taking over most of the responsibilities of caring for Scott from that moment on though. Tony did his research, watched his mother, and even asked the maid for advice, but soon he was changing diapers. He fed Scott, stayed up for hours on end when he was colicky or sick, dressed him, played with him…

Tony was determined to make sure Scott had the love and attention he was deprived of. At least Maria tried with both of them.

But when Scott was just under a year old, tragedy struck. Both their parents died in a car accident on the way to a party, leaving Tony alone with his infant brother. Fortunately he was freshly eighteen so he could have legal guardianship over Scott and Tony had Rhodey and Obadiah for support and help with the company he now had control over. Scott always came first though. Tony made sure he had a decent childhood despite the fact that he easily got sick, and the adorable smiles he got in return were well worth it as Scott grew up.

So was the boy's first word. Dad. Tony never corrected him since he did raise Scott, and his brother never knew their parents. So as far as Scott knew, Tony was his father and Tony made sure to hide away the truth. As far as he was concerned, the lie wasn't hurting Scott and it was partly true in a sense.

He didn't expect it to be easy and it wasn't. Because Scott was born premature, he had special needs in the form of allergies (both food and environmental), asthma, and he even got sick constantly. Most days found Scott in Tony's room because the boy whined whenever Tony tried to put him in his own room, and he was terrified Scott would stop breathing in the middle of the night. Scott slept in Tony's bed until well into his grade school years when he finally started to grow out of his need to be near his father. Tony was still nervous and checked on Scott before he went to bed and at least once in the middle of the night when he woke up.

When Tony first found out Scott was allergic to peanuts, he was a wreck. He threatened the doctors to help his kid when he heard Scott wheezing for breath, and when the boy was finally recovering, he demanded they do whatever they had to do to check for any allergies he might have had. Tony didn't think he could handle seeing Scott as sick as he was again. The wheezing, the hives, the overall misery his little boy had been in…

It turned out Scott was severely allergic to all types of nuts. Peanuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts...if it was a nut, Scott couldn't have it. That was easy enough to plan meals around but then there was also shellfish, sesame, parsley, and pineapple. Whenever they went out to eat, Tony scrutinized every ingredient on the menu if it was available, and if it wasn't, he demanded to talk to the chefs. Fortunately once he learned what food Scott could have, it became second nature.

Tony always made sure to carry an inhaler and epipen with him, had extras held for Scott at school, and more in the boy's backpack. He taught Scott as early as possible what he couldn't eat because it would make him very sick and for the most part, things went well enough. There was only one incident at school when Scott unknowingly ate something he wasn't supposed to, but he was quickly treated with one of his pens and sent to the hospital. Scott was quick to bounce back from that since the school staff had been prepared, so the only constant issue was his asthma.

Scott never let it slow him down and Tony swore he was going to either go gray at 25 or suffer heart failure. The little boy was constantly climbing everything, and Tony once had to pull him off the bookcase that he managed to climb up to the fifth shelf. The fifth shelf. Rhodey had his fair share of retrieving Scott from high places whenever he visited too.

Before Tony knew it, Scott had grown into a young man with a talent for hacking and engineering and had a penchant for tacos, oranges, and lollipops. He helped Tony with a lot of his projects but absolutely refused to help with anything related to weapons. Scott never liked violence and always hated that Stark Industries was solely based on weapons making. Tony never faulted him for it.

"Scott, have you seen my--?" Tony stops mid sentence when he looks over at the young man and finds him at his computers with his feet kicked up on a small part of the desk, dozing with a lollipop in his mouth. "Oh, that's safe."

He walks over and takes the lollipop out of Scott's mouth and he jolts awake. "Hey! I was eating that!" Scott complains.

"Yeah, you were very proactive about it. I didn't raise you for 21 years so you could choke and die because you fell asleep with candy in your mouth." Tony rolls his eyes and sticks the candy back in Scott's mouth before he could protest. "Now have you seen that little screwdriver you like to steal?"

"You had it last, and I've been busy updating Jarvis's code." Scott answers.

"I saw that. I guess you're so good you can do it in your sleep."

"It was uploading!" Scott drops his feet to the ground with an annoyed huff. "And I told you I wouldn't help you with your stupid weapons. That includes finding misplaced tools."

"Fine, fine."

Tony tries fixing the cow lick in Scott's hair and rolls his eyes when it only floofs back into place. He learned very early on that his kid's hair was untameable but that didn't stop Tony from trying. Hair gel, pomade, hair spray...none of it could contain and style Scott's hair. The cow lick worked for him though so Tony wasn't too obsessed with trying to find something to keep it in place.

"Well while you wait for your new code to upload, why don't you make me a sandwich?" Tony says. "I gotta get the Jericho prototype finished tonight."

Scott frowns. "Why do they want you to fly all the way out to Afghanistan? What's wrong with how you usually sell this stuff?"

"It's just for a couple of days volpino. Now where's my tuna sandwich?" Tony asks.

"Probably in the fridge. It's deconstructed." Scott says as he leaves the lab.

"Oh, haha. Funny. I like mine constructed so get on it. Chop chop."

Tony smirks when he hears Scott mumble something under his breath along the lines "slave driver", but with no heat. Things had gotten easier as Scott got older but he never really grew out of his physical problems. He still had his food and environmental allergies, his asthma, and even his tendency to get sick, but that had mostly been remedied when Tony moved them to Malibu. The warm weather helped with that and Scott didn't get sick nearly as often as he did in New York, and that had been a huge relief for the both of them. Tony only wished he had thought of it sooner.

When Scott comes back with the sandwich and sets it nearby for Tony, the man looks up at him and rolls his eyes when he finds the younger man drinking out of a juice box. "You know you can have beer now right?"

"Juice is better." Scott says. "When are you leaving tomorrow?"

"You'll probably still be asleep. Even if I leave late." Tony grabs the sandwich and takes a bite. "So try not to blow up the lab while I'm gone." He adds around his mouthful.

"That's no fun." Scott says sarcastically. "Pepper called by the way. She said she has some paperwork for you to look at before you leave."

Tony groans. "Tell her I'm not home."

"It'll be true in a few hours anyway."

"Don't underestimate Pepper. She'll be waiting on the tarmac for me to look at those papers if she has to." Tony grumbles and then looks up at Scott with a suspicious smile that makes his son narrow his eyes at him. "You're 21. Maybe it's time to start giving you some responsibility with the company."

"I do. It's called making sure my dad doesn't blow himself up because he writes codes when he's half asleep. How are we still alive?"

"Rhodey and Happy." Tony replies dryly before whapping Scott upside the head. "Don't sass me."

Scott rubs the back of his head as he walks back over to his personal workstation to check on the progress of the code. When he had shown an interest in engineering and computers, Tony had immediately set up Scott's own work area with age appropriate equipment that he either replaced or updated as Scott got older. He was good at it too. Tony couldn't count the number of times he got calls from the FBI asking him to get Scott to stop leaving them viruses with laughing cat videos or something. They were always harmless and easily fixed, so Tony's response was to tell them to update their security so Scott couldn't get in.

Apparently they had yet to find a way to keep Scott out and Tony wasn't about to take away one of his son's very few joys in life. As long as it all stayed harmless, Tony would look the other way. He knew Scott was very capable of hacking into pretty much anything, and he was glad his kid was a pacifist. Because Scott was definitely very capable of getting his hands on nuke codes.

Tony actually wouldn't be surprised if Scott had already gone in and changed them.

Some whirring pulls Tony out of his thoughts and he looks over at the kitchenette to find DUM-E making smoothies again. A quick glance told him that there was at least peanut butter and almond milk in it so it wasn't safe for baby boy consumption.

"Hey! Are you trying to kill your little brother with that?" Tony asks and DUM-E beeps sadly when the blender goes off. "You know he can't have nuts!"

"There goes my social life." Scott says and Tony makes a face.

"I don't want to hear about that."

"Says the man whose one night stands I had to chase away."

Tony laughs. "To be fair, it was funny to see them get creeped out when you just stood in the kitchen and stared at them while drinking your juice box."

"...yeah. That was pretty fun." Scott admits.

"Sir, Miss Potts is on her way down." JARVIS says and Tony groans.

"Ugh the dreaded secretary with her paperwork."

There's a few beeps before the lab door hisses open and then the sound of heels clicking across the linoleum.

"Tony-"

"I know," he sighs. "Paperwork. Give it to Scott."

Pepper places the small stack next to his arm. "He's too busy making sure you don't blow yourself up."

"You know I had to teach him how to do that right?"

"And now he's better than you." Pepper says and Scott cackles.

"Ouch. My pride." Tony clutches at his chest in mock hurt.

"Please just look at this and sign. It won't even take you ten minutes." Pepper sighs.

"I trust you."

"Nice try."

#tony stark #scott lang #pepper potts

[lavendersails]

Relations

(This page is a work in progress. These are general guidelines and his attitude towards your muse may change as they interact.)

Spain

Complicated is the best way to put it. Having been a constant in each other’s life ever since he can remember, they’ve been enemies and allies more times than he can count, which means he has plenty of embarrassing stories about the other. He’s always been weary of his neighbour, yet can’t deny that he’s inexplicably drawn to him and probably will be forever, with his most intense feelings (good and bad) being reserved for him.

The thought that he isn’t as important to Spain as the other is to him stings his pride, and it influences his teasing of the younger man.

England

That most faithful of friends… sort of. With the oldest active alliance in the world, the Englishman has a special place in his life, and Portugal tends to acquiesce to most of his requests. Having said that, he also isn’t above flattering Arthur just enough to get something out of him, and is always happy to accept his help. There’s a bit of resentment left from what he perceives as England stabbing him in the back (rather hypocritical of João), but the course of true friendship never did run smooth.

He still teases Arthur, of course, but is subtler about it, which might be perceived as favouritism by some.

Netherlands

The kid who grew too tall… They used to have a pretty profitable trading partnership, and he used to think it was cute how Ned would follow him around, until the brat turned on him. He was pretty bitter about it, especially because it was partly his own fault for underestimating the younger man.

Nowadays the Dutchman is another one of his targets for teasing, mostly relating to football games.

France

He might have had a bit of a crush on France when he was younger (for all of 5 seconds until he realised he wasn’t actually a pretty girl). João has always been cautious of him, knowing he’s not someone you can trust blindly, and tends to overthink anything the blond says. He appreciates how unabashedly himself the older man is though, and finds him to be good company when they keep things light and pleasant.

João also feels a bit self-conscious around him, feeling like they’re night and day with France being so high class and himself so… not.

Macau

The actual most loyal of friends. They’ve known each other for a long time, and tend to work well together, having made a lot of profit in trade in the past. Macau is also a much needed grounding presence when Portugal is about to do something stupid. While he puts on a bit of a façade with everyone else, he feels comfortable enough with Macau to speak honestly about what’s on his mind.

The fact that Macau stayed by his side until 1999 is a miracle, and João is beyond grateful for it.

Ukraine

Oh, did you say something? Sorry, he was too busy smiling at her across the room. He actually didn’t have much interaction with her until the 1990s when diplomatic relations officially started and there was a surge of immigration from her place to his.

What he found was someone who’s sweet and hard-working, with a presence commanding of respect and he has a huge soft spot for her. Probably the most wholesome crush he’s ever had on anyone.

Belgium

He heard about her quite early on, when Flemish knights helped him regain his capital and when he needed people to help settle his land. Flanders was also an important trading centre for him, and he always found her to be pleasant when he visited, with an excellent business sense.

He thinks she’s stronger than she lets on, and that she must have the patience of a saint to put up with all her neighbours.

Greece

2004 stings less since 2016, but sting it still does.

Japan

Portugal was the first European nation to ever set foot in Japan, and as such the interest was mutual. He fondly remembers the good old days when he’d deep fry everything he could get his hands on and give it to the Asian man along with sweets, treats and overly loud commentary. 

To this day he still sees Japan as being very nice, intelligent and a pleasure to talk to, and finds him to be almost like an opposite of himself he never thought he’d like so much.

Norway

Norway has a very important role in Portugal’s life, which is to supply him with codfish. He doesn’t know much about Norway, and doesn’t pay much attention either since he’s usually busy visualizing the process of turning a normal fish into salty cardboard while he’s talking, but nonetheless it’s always a pleasure making business with him. 

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