#'I don't believe in fate/ surely as I share your blood will I end up the same?'

[mycenalucentipes]

Ghosts || Draco Malfoy x Reader - Part 2

summary: Although your tragic ending lead you to being a ghost of Hogwarts, you managed to befriend Draco Malfoy. He would spill all of his secrets and worries to you. You would tell him little stories of you time alive. However, now that the Battle of Hogwarts is beginning, you have no idea what will happen to the two of you.

warnings: swearing, violence, war, explosions, mentions of death, rape, abuse, blood, ummm just lots of angst and sadness :)....

word count: 3,390

a/n: Idk how to summarize lol. I know I've title it as a Draco x Reader, but I don't really see them in a romantic sort of relationship? It would be too cruel to make them fall in love for each other I feel lol. There's going to a third part. I'm not sure how long though

Ghosts: Part 1

As Snape’s brisk footsteps echoed through the bathroom, you instinctively hid behind one of the stall doors, still a little afraid of the stern professor. When Snape entered, seeing your lifeless form, his gaze softened as he sighed and kneeled down for further inspection.

“That unfortunate girl,” he murmured with a deep tone before standing up again. 

“Professor Snape?” You poked your head around, slightly startling the potions master. 

“Ah, Miss L/n. You’re still around,” he replied, trying to play it off as if he wasn’t startled by your sudden appearance. “I offer my condolences for your… unfortunate fate. May I ask what happened? Mr. Malfoy merely informed me that a Gryffindor boy was responsible for a murdered girl.”

With a solemn nod and a pained expression, you mustered the courage to tell the horrors of your ex. “It was my ex, Evander Gallo, he strangled me to death. He was an abusive bastard that wouldn’t let me go. I’m not really sure why.” You left out some more of the explicit details, not wanting to fully share that with a professor. Perhaps you might’ve still been alive had you managed to alert a professor of the ongoing situation. Your ex never let you get by with anything, therefore deeming it impossible to try. 

“I’m sorry to hear that. Why didn’t you alert a professor? Surely one of us could have helped. Such reprehensible actions would have warranted immediate expulsion.” Snape sighed again as you looked away, feeling ashamed all of a sudden.

You shook your head sadly. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t. He had his eyes on me 24/7. Anything I did, word got back to him. I would’ve been dead much sooner had I told anyone.” Snape didn’t quite know what to say to this. 

“There’s no need to apologise. You did nothing wrong.” Snape spoke in a soft and apologetic tone, not meaning to make you feel ashamed of the situation. “Miss L/n. I will come by later with Professor McGonagall. Please tell her as much as you can about this boy. The more evidence we have, the easier it will be to expel him.” With that, he gently levitated your body, taking it elsewhere for proper care. 

“Thank you professor!” You called out as he was halfway out the doors already. 

That evening, you spilled everything to Professor Snape and McGonagall. They stared back, horror in their eyes. How could they not have noticed? Your ex was incredible about not showing any signs of it in public. He kept you in his grasp for far too long that he left you without a fighting spirit. You were sobbing by the end of recounting your time alive with him. 

In the end, they both agreed expulsion was the best possible action. You felt as if a ton of bricks were lifted from your chest. You were so overjoyed that there were others willing to take your side and believe in you. You felt free. 

–==--==--==--==--==--==--==--

About a week later, late in the evening, Draco comes into the bathrooms, seeking your company. This time, he just wanted to catch up and hangout, an escape from the troubles going on in the school. 

“Oh! Hello, Draco. What brings you in at this hour?” You inquired, gracefully floating towards him from your perch on the mirrors. 

He offered a slight smile. “I figured I would come in and check on you.” You felt warmed at this action. He actually wanted to come back and talk to you! You smiled brightly at him and he felt his own heart swell with warmth at your cheerfulness. It was the first genuine, happy smile that decorated your face. Given your first meeting circumstances though, it made sense. 

“Thank you for alerting Professor Snape last time. He and McGonagall came and helped deal with my circumstances. They were so supportive, McGonagall especially. Now he’s expelled!” You cheered excitedly. “I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my chest. I would hug you if I could, haha.” Draco softly chuckled back.

“That’s good to hear, Y/n. I’m glad that prick won’t be around anymore. He really was a wretched git, wasn’t he? Figured he was just another annoying Gryffindor.” Draco smiled back at you, “When they announced his expulsion, the loudest cheers actually came from the Gryffindor table… I wish… others would have spoken up for you.” He added with a hint of disappointment. 

You gave a sympathetic look this time.

“I assume he was probably a prick to the other students, but he kept the abusive, predator side out of the public eye and only with me…So there really was no hard evidence for his expulsion.” You sighed. You seem to be sighing a lot, maybe one day you wouldn’t.

“I just wish it didn’t take the death of you for him to get expelled.” Draco mournfully replied back. 

“Hey, hey, it’s alright now, we can’t change the past events. We’ll try to move on from here I suppose.” You said, trying to change the tone of the conversation. Of course, you would take a while to heal from 5 long years of torture, but this week was a joyous one for you. “So, what’s been up with you?”  

“Not much different from the same situations,” Draco hummed, reluctant to sour the mood again with problems you both already knew about. 

During Draco’s time spent with you, he talked freely and without hesitance. He would trust you until the end of his time. He quickly learned how you loved talking about the candies from Honeydukes and the feasts served in the Great Hall for holidays, usually the desserts. You certainly had a sweet tooth. You expressed with bittersweetness that you would miss being able to taste the sweet flavours of Honeydukes’ treats. 

He loved hearing you talk and ramble about the small joys you had managed to find out of life. It was like a breath of fresh air for him. He asked if you had ever been able to travel before. You excitedly described your time on the east coast of Ireland. 

You talked of how dawn’s sunrise kissed the water, offering it a soft hue of pinks, oranges, and golds. Wisps of scattered clouds brushed the horizon with gentle shades of blush and apricot. Then there lie the tranquil rolling hills and the verdant valleys. The rays of sunlight gave the emerald green vegetation a soft, golden glow. The luscious grass swayed gently with the ocean breeze, glistening as the dew clung to the blades. 

You whispered that it was the only family vacation you had been on, but it was one of the most beautiful places. You wished to go back there someday. 

In exchange, Draco would tell you of his family's travels. They had been all over England mostly. You loved hearing his stories and was always astonished at how much money really could buy you. You asked him about his favourite foods from each place he visited. Then asked about their pastries and candies. You would then sigh saying how you wished you could drink a nice warm butterbeer. 

Another time he visited,he inquired about your time alive at Hogwarts, but not pushing for you to tell about your ex. You still had at least a few fond memories. 

Most of your favourite times were the times you spent alone, enjoying the little beauties the castle had to offer. You often roamed the halls in the early morning, brushing your fingers across the old stone walls, watching the sunrise seep through the windows and getting lost in your own thoughts. The mornings before breakfast were always peaceful. Very seldom did students wander around that early, opting to stay cosy in bed longer. 

You also spoke of how you loved sitting out by the Black Lake while reading a good book. The wind would gently blow against your face and the sun kissed your cheeks. Sitting in the soft grass, you would imagine your life as if it were going how you wanted. Or would make up your own fantasy scenarios that would put a small smile on your lips. It was your form of escapism. It was the only coping mechanism you knew would make life just a little more bearable.

In the middle of reminiscing, Draco interrupted with an abrupt question. 

“Are you able to move on? Um– I mean, from the ghost life?” 

You sadly shook your head. “I don’t think so. I did not think that I chose this life, but before I knew it, I woke up here, staring at my dead body.” You sighed quietly and huffed with slight amusement. “Though, if I could leave, I would definitely move on. I don’t want to be a bitter ghost here forever like Myrtle.” 

Draco was unsure if it were an appropriate time to be chuckling, but nodded along anyway. “If I find a way to send you off, I will make sure to come back and release you.” He offered a small smile. You looked to Draco knowing these chances were slim to none (he knew as well), but still comforted by his words nonetheless. 

“Thank you, Draco. That means so, so much to me.” 

–==--==--==--==--==--==--==--

The last time during that school year that Draco visited the bathrooms, he was in a panic. Just like the first time you met him. (This time, no new dead body to greet him). He briskly walked over to the sinks, breath heavy, tears spilling down his cheeks. 

He stared into the mirror for what felt like seconds, he felt like a serpent was constricting his chest. Ripping his sweater over his head, he threw it to the side, not caring where it landed. By now, you had wandered out from a cubicle, wondering if it was Draco again. 

“Draco?” You called out with a wobbly voice, “What’s wrong, Draco?” You asked in a clearer voice this time. He wouldn’t respond to you. He rubbed his forearm hard against his tears before bringing it back down to the sink. He gripped the edge of the sink so tightly, his knuckles turning white. 

Just then, you hear more footsteps slowly approaching. In the mirror, you could see that the approaching figure was Harry Potter.  Draco didn’t notice as sobs wracked his frame.

“I know what you did, Malfoy…” Harry said in a low tone, “you hexed her, didn’t you?”

Draco’s head shot up and snapped towards the source of the voice. His eyes were frantic and fearful for a second before turning angry.

Before you knew it, Draco quickly drew his wand, firing off a wordless spell. You gasped in horror, not wanting anyone to duel and get hurt or worse. Harry managed to dodge the spell, only to throw one right back at Draco. He also managed to dodge the spell, running towards the cubicles. Harry followed suit. 

You let out a cry of fear, wanting to help, but feeling so useless. You were but a ghost, you couldn’t really do anything, couldn’t protect either of them. Spells kept getting thrown back and forth. Water was bursting from the now broken pipes. 

“Sectumsempra!” You watched in horror as Harry landed a hit on Draco. Without thinking, you tried to step in the way of the spell. Though it hit you, it still went right through your misty form, sending Draco flying back. You winced at the sight of a spell being thrown at you, but only for a split second as you heard Draco’s body hit the ground.

Fearing the worst, you made a dash to go find the nearest professor should anything happen. Professor Snape happened to be heading in the direction where the duel happened. 

“Professor! Please, I need help! Draco and Harry, they– he–, in the bathrooms, please help!” You frantically cried out, so panicked that forming sentences was difficult. Only short bursts of panicked words fumbled out of your mouth. Snape understood though. His pace sped up as he took longer, quicker strides to reach the bathrooms. 

Frantic sobs escaped your lips as you watched the blood pour from Draco’s body, a pained expression painted across his face. Harry stood there, just staring at the scene unfolding. Snape rushed to Draco’s side, kneeling down and whispering the counter spell. 

As his low voice chanted vulnera sanentur, the blood that once marbled the water on the bathroom floor began returning to the cuts on Draco’s body. Draco’s whimpers and groans of pain soon quieted as he fell into unconsciousness. 

“Ms. L/n, I will be taking Mr. Malfoy to the hospital wing now,” Snape muttered while carefully lifting Draco’s unconscious form. You quietly thanked him as he walked out of the bathrooms. 

With a blank stare, you perched yourself atop one of the sinks, thinking back to the events that just happened, the fear, the violence, it couldn’t possibly become any worse, right? 

You sat like that for a while, listening to the water drip and flow from the still broken pipes. Eventually another professor had come in and repaired the broken pieces, paying you no mind as you still sat on the sinks. You weren’t really sure how long you sat there, but it was very dark outside when your mind finally released you from your spiralling thoughts.  

“I think I’ll go visit Draco,” you whispered to no one in particular. You braved leaving the bathrooms to fetch help, you could make it to the hospital wing, couldn’t you? The other ghosts of Hogwarts–minus Moaning Myrtle– could all roam free, so why not you? 

Cautiously, you peeped your head through the door and slowly, but eventually slipped your whole figure out. Once you were out, you peered down at your misty form, smiling that you had left the confines of the bathrooms. 

Everything was calm, night time was always so peaceful. It was almost serene to just float around the empty corridors. The moon shone brightly and the stars twinkled in all of their glory. A soft breeze blew every now and then, making the leaves quiver and the grass sway. Oh how you wish you could feel these little things again. 

Before you knew it, you were hovering next to Draco’s bedside, his expression looked so peaceful. You assumed Madame Pomfrey provided him with potions to help any pains and for a peaceful rest. Looking at the clock on the table, it showed it was nearly four in the morning. The dark blue night was not so deep anymore, but fading into a purple hue as the time ticked by. 

A couple hours had passed by the time Draco’s eyelids fluttered open. He was a bit dazed as he tried to gather his surroundings, unsure of where he was. Without turning his head, he let his eyes slide over to the right of him. He was met with your silvery form, deep in thought, not paying any mind to him. 

“You came.” He said, though it came out as more of a question than anything. 

You startled from your thoughts, “Oh! You’re awake! Are you alright now? How are you feeling? Does anything hurt still? Shall I grab Madame Pomfrey?” You couldn’t help yourself as questions fell from your mouth. Though you quickly slapped your hands over your mouth, squeaking out a muffled ‘sorry’ as Draco slightly smiled at your embarrassment. 

“I’m alright now I suppose. Thank you for coming. How did you leave though?” Draco asked, his brain finally processing that you had actually left the bathrooms. Over the weeks he got to know you, you had not once left the bathrooms where you met your tragic fate.

“You know, I’m not actually bound to that bathroom, right?” You giggled at his question. “I suppose I was just afraid to leave… or maybe I wasn’t ready to face the rest of the world and accept my fate.” You looked down, feeling a little embarrassed about your hesitancy to leave. 

“Oh, I–” “No, there’s no need for any apologies! I feel much better about my situation now though. I feel lighter. I feel more free. Now I’m wishing I actually was free and not stuck here on Earth like this.” You cut Draco off before he could begin any sort of apologies. You had enough of those and didn’t feel like hearing more. You laughed a bit as you expressed your thoughts out loud though, “I can go play with the other ghosts of Hogwarts now. Maybe that will be alright.” 

A genuine smile dawned on Draco’s face as he gave an airy chuckle. “Yeah, go and make some ghost friends. Oh how they grow up so fast!” You punched him in the arm, though your fist went right through, but the gesture made Draco laugh harder. He was glad that things were turning brighter for you. 

–==--==--==--=The Day the War Started=--==--==--==--

Draco was back in your bathroom, ranting, rambling, pouring his heart out to you again. Though you had the option to leave the bathrooms, it was your home base for now. You figured eventually you would choose somewhere else though. Eventually the horrific memories would plague your mind and you would need to escape them, but for some reason, you felt drawn to the bathrooms still. Perhaps, because you died there, your soul and body were somehow connected to the location. Who knows though?

“Y/n, there’s a war coming. Voldemort and his army are already on their way. Y/n, what do I do? I don’t want to face this. I don’t want to have to choose between the innocent and then my parents. I can’t–” Draco would cry if he hadn’t used all of his tears up in the days before. He couldn’t sleep, barely ate, and did not attend his classes since he was stuck at the Malfoy Manor. 

You were at a loss for words, unsure of how to help. The war was coming, there was nothing you or anyone could do to stop it. So you silently sat on your sink, listening to Draco with sorrowful eyes, wishing you could help ease his worries. 

Just as he was going into another rant, a loud explosion startled the both of you into complete silence. Dreading it wasn’t what you thought was happening. 

“Draco, you have to go.” You whispered sadly. He searched your eyes for any reassurance or hope or anything that might give him a clear answer. 

“Will you– will you still be here?” Draco’s voice, raspy from sobs and screams, wavered as he asked in a quiet voice. A sad smile formed on your lips.

“Of course silly. I don’t think I can just disappear,” you laughed slightly and reached for his arm. He felt goosebumps form where your fingers grazed through his arm. “Go, you’ll find your way.” 

He nodded at you, fear, panic, sadness, all mixed into his expression. His stormy grey eyes watered as he looked at you one last time before turning to head out and join the oncoming war. 

Only moments later, you heard what sounded like Death Eaters swarming the hallways, throwing violent spells at anyone and anything in their way. 

Then only a minute later, half of the ceiling and wall came crashing down next to you. Though you were a ghost, you still jumped away, the rubble startling you as it came crashing down. 

The once repaired pipes were now burst again, water flooded the floors once again. You could see out into the hallways now, watching as students swarmed in panic, trying to escape the grasp of Death Eaters. There were students duelling adults twice their age with more magical experience than them. Spells were flying, more walls came crashing down. None of it sparing students and adults alike. 

Everything was so brutal and cruel. The world was cruel. 

Unable to bear watching more death and injury, you fled from your half destroyed bathroom. It was just wishful thinking, but you hoped Draco would come find you, to show you that he was still alive and fighting. It was just wishful thinking though. You didn’t have the bravery to go watch the battles yet. Without being able to help, it was unbearable to watch students sacrifice their lives like this. 

Just wishful thinking.

#draco malfoy x reader #nicosnwrites #draco x reader #draco malfoy #draco malfoy imagine #i kind of rushed this and im sorry for that hahaaaaaa its not edited as well #so i hope i wrote it alright #there will be a part three

[lamemaster]

Subject of Faith

Pairing: Sauron x Human reader

Summary: It was not the cockiness of omnipotence, but a longing that lined your words. And Sauron knew that longing, for Ainur and Men shared it.

"Would you rather put all your faith in someone you can't see?"

"Like the music can't be seen and fragrance can't be held, faith is not a matter of seeing, it is subject to believing." Your answer frustrated Sauron.

A mere human dare talk back to him? A guard of the king of Numenor. A lowly guard whose entire life would be blink of an eye from Sauron.

Yet, Sauron could not stop speaking. Every passing second he poked at every aspect of your existence to find a weak spot. Anything that would quench his curiosity about you.

A distant part of his conscious warned him to restrain. To not reveal his plan and to play the part of a gullible repentant. He truly tried but failed.

You were nothing. A poor human who stood outside his cell for hours. A monotonous and taxing job. But no matter how hard Sauron tried he failed to find a crack.

"Don't you desire for an immortal life, likes of which is given to the elves?" He questioned you, settling back into the now familiar game of unravelling your mind. "How nice would it be to not leave your dear ones, to be with them forever and to not suffer the pain of old age."

You do not turn to face him. Your back does not relax at his honeyed words but you do answer him. You always do. You treat him with the fairness of any other being. Answering his questions while continuing your job. "Maybe it would be easy to accept the bliss of immortality and wish for a life I have never lived. However, how unfair would it be to dishonor a gift given by my creator. How can I a mere mortal know of his plans for me? I can only submit to the one who has given me the chance to see this world and hope for another mercy or another miracle to be revealed." Your voice rings loud in the desolate prison. "Furthermore, I really look forward to seeing my grandparents in whatever fate awaits me," the slight joy in your voice stuns Sauron.

It is not the cockiness of omnipotence but a longing that lines your words. And Sauron knows of that longing. Ainur and Men share it. A lingering remembrance of their true home. Elves, whose fate remains tied to Arda know little of it. A constant tug to overturn the world looking for that one place that promises some relief from the constant restlessness.

The same restlessness grows in Sauron's heart. After eons he finds himself thinking of not Utumno or Valinor but the Timeless Halls where he first came to be.

He resented you for doing that to him. He had heard imploring words of silver-tongued elven lords and forgiving speeches of the Valar who resided beyond seas, but none had bugged him like the simple words of the human who stood guarding him.

And so, the chained Maia rested his head on the cold unrelenting wall behind him. "I hope to see you the day you die. When death will look you in the eyes, I hope you manage to remain as sure as your sound right now."

Months later when Tar Mairon, the closest advisor of the king, finds himself in the same prison. His hands dipped in the warmth of your blood.

You lay on the cold ground that had once been the spot from where you answered his questions with your back facing him. In the past, he rarely saw your face but now as he looks at the peaceful look on your face he knows it to be you.

There is indeed no bitterness or fear in your death. It is acceptance that greets Sauron. Even in death you stay true to your words. Sauron marvels at the stubborn human who refuses to bow to him in life and death.

One day...one day he promises, you will meet again. That day he might force you to kneel or he might end up joining you. That day was too far but it would come after trials that awaited him.

In a twisted fate, he hopes in some salvation you await him. And when he finds you, he hopes to hear your voice and ask you questions that you reply to without a fail.

He will find you when he can't offer you the hoax of immortality or feed you falsehood of greed. You don't need that. You won't accept that.

So, Sauron awaits for his song's end. Maybe his end will guide him to you or some peaceful oblivion.

#the silmarillion #silmarillion #silmarillion headcanons #human reader #sauron x reader #tar mairon #tolkein #one shot #silm fic #silmarillion imagine #I love writing commentary pieces like these #angst with a hopeful ending

[sushywritez]

Stranger Danger | Older!Eddie M. X Fem!Reader | One

PLOT: Eddie is a loving single father and a busy man, he hires you on occasion to watch his child. Sometimes he wish he had the courage to ask you out, but one terrible weekend will prove to him he hasn't got much time.

WARNINGS: blood, slight gore, language, suggestiveness, angst, fluff, thriller, slasher, divorce, and adult humor.

3 Hours Ago..

"Well, that's everything." He shuts his door with a grunt, shaking the mas of water from his curls with a huff. You cannot help, but stare until he turns to you, "Sure you got everything?" You stare into his eyes and nod quietly.

He raises a brow in question and you quickly respond. "Y-Yes, I think so." Eddie nods, going to pull his seat belt on, before snatching the keys out of the cupholder, flashing you a smile. You turn to check on Violet, whom is all strapped in her car-seat giggling to herself. You give her a wave and she waves back, only to be distracted by the car not moving.

"Daddy, car not go!" She whines, thrashing about in her seat.

He turns to peak at her and she whines pointing forward. "Make it go, Daddy." She all but demands.

Eddie all but turns to you shocked written across his face. "Alright then, you heard the little lady buckle up."

You share the enthusiasm and pull on the seatbelt with a click. After was finally able to pull off into the street. As he does the rain tumbles down from the sky, following the rolling thunder, and bright flashes of light. "Looks like we'll be staying inside."

"Inside isn't to bad." Eddie claims as he reaches over to flick on the wipers. "I can stop by that old video rental place and you two can grab some movies and snacks." He offers.

Violet starts clapping, "Yay, movie time!"

You turn to him, "Don't you have all the possible streaming services set up at home?" While he surely made enough to own everything up to Disney Plus, maybe there was a good reason to choose to rent a movie.

"Yeah, duh." He admits with a shrug of his shoulders, "But it doesn't have the same thrill as hunting down the perfect movie and grabbing sugary treats." A good reason indeed. You cannot believe that Eddie would enjoy small things like that, but he's all smiles as he watches your mild dis-interest turn to that of complete joy.

You nod in agreement, deciding an adventure to the video store would do some good. Besides not all older movies were accessible on most streaming services and Violet could spend one on one with you. "Fine then. Let us commence the hunt."

Violet squeals in delight followed by her unique bubbly laughter, "I love movies! Hunt, hunt!" She was her father's spawn. Only a Munson could carry that much energy and excitement. It was extremely precious how the simplest activity could bring joy and life to her eyes.

As they headed towards the store the rain tumbled down from the sky, harder than it was previously. Violet, from what you remember, wasn't to fond of the rain at all. So to ease her stress you and Eddie began to sing to her, as a means of distracting her.

The store was locally known as Family Video, having been started up by a sweet local family back in the 80's and still held it's ground. Sometimes it's nice to dive back into the past. It's all about those memories ones you hold safe and dear. Some memories are darker than others and can lead to a tragic past. This leaves room for a choice and what the universe will ultimately decide as your fate.

Choose wisely....

You and Eddie ended the song right as he pulled into the lot, choosing the closest spot and parked the car. The rain had slowed to a pitter-patter and Violet had relaxed. "Here." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet. "Take my card, get whatever." He holds out the tiny stick of plastic to you and your eyes go wide.

"I-I've got cash, Sir." You deny the money given and Eddie smirks.

"I know, Sweetheart." He reaches over and takes your hand fingers gracing your skin in a way foreign to you. He opens your hand and places the card in your palm. His touch lights something within you, not to mention the endless amount of giving and kindness he shared. "Save your money. Consider, this my treat for working on such short notice." You and Eddie share a brief moment, eyes deeply locked onto one another, closer and closer-

"Can I go too?" Violet piped up from her seat. "I'm the best hunter!"

You and Eddie pulled back to turn and look at the little girl located in the back, eagerly trying to work the belt off her body. You snicker, "Yeah, sweetie. Hold on I'll come get you out." Eddie couldn't stop smiling as you hurried out of the car, slinging on your jacket, and covering your head with the hood.

As you fish the seatbelt off Violet, Eddie watches, it's so gentle and motherly the way you pull her into your arms and out of the seat. He should've just kissed you in that moment. You flash him a small smile and bump the door with your hip, shutting it. He needs to stop waiting, but he's so worried about your feelings he can't commit to it. Not yet, he needed a sign.

The bell rings signaling another customer who'd entered the store, "Hello and welcome to Family Video, my name is Steve how can I-" Mid-delivery he freezes. He watches as the woman approaches the counter with almost a bounce in her step, his heart starts pounding against his chest. So loud that the other patrons might hear, let alone you.

So when he's face to face with you he felt honored to even be in your presence. Your beauty and grace was unlike anything he'd seen around in a long while- "Hi uhmm- Steve, was it?"

Your voice pulls him from his thoughts and he nods, putting on the charm, but a bit to thick. "Yeah!" He confirms a bit too eagerly, "Yeah, that's me. I'm Steve." His eyes trail down to the smaller figure clung to you, nestled safely on your hip. Violet turned to look at him and he sends her a wave, but she just turns her face back away. Must be yours, "Is this your little one?" Steve is a bit to friendly with his question, at which you nearly pale.

"Oh no, no." You dismiss. "She's just one of the kids I babysit, her dad is a close friend and is letting her pick out a movie." You declare, stepping back a bit. Steve does notice this and his fists clench in anger at himself. "Fun." He smiles, biting back a scowl. So it wasn't yours, but a male close friend meant no chance for him. Steve sighs and nods with a semi-friendly smile, "The kid's section is just over there." Through his hidden anger he points over to the right of the counter and you quickly thank him before scurrying away. Violet turns to look over your shoulder back at Steve and notices the way he's still staring at you, hides yet again.

"Okay, here we go." You move to let her down, but she refuses. Shaking her head and giving a series of Uh-Uh's and whining. You're a bit shocked by the sudden behavior, because usually Violet is so outgoing and energetic like her dad. "Sweetie, what's wrong?" You ask crouching down and letting her rest her feet on the ground.

"Scary man. Staring." She whimpers, pointing behind you. "Over there." You look back at the counter where the clerk, Steve is helping a customer, before looking up and catching your eye. You swear you saw him smirk even. A deep sense of dread pools in your gut and looking back at Violet you know that it's time to leave. "O-Okay, sweetie. We'll go to another store, okay?" She nods eagerly and you scoop her up and turn to exit the aisle only to be blocked off by said clerk.

"S-Steve?" You curse the waver reflected in your voice and Violet clutches at our shirt, trying to stay as close as possible.

"Need some help?" He asks eyeing you over, and then glancing down at your empty hands. "You haven't picked anything out." He chuckles, dropping his shoulders and gesturing to the clearly stocked shelves. You force a smile and hold little Violet closer.

"We didn't find anything. So, we're going to try another store." You inform him and turn to walk away, "Thank you." You end the conversation quickly and try to step around him, but Steve does not back down. He instead moves to block off the exit completely.

"I'm sure there's something in the next aisle. Let me just show you." Steve insists stepping forward and you look back outside to the window. If only you hadn't left your phone in the car.

Eddie huffs checking the time on the radio, 8:36. "Huh, they've been in there for thirty minutes, what's taking them?" He tilts his head to look through the windows, but their tinted and it's hard to make out anything with all the downpour. He sighs and cuts off the engine, stuffing the keys in his pocket and hops out of the vehicle.

When he enters the store there's, at first, no sight of you or Violet. This causes him to panic slightly, until he spots the shadows and hears your voice loud and clear, "I said, No! Leave us alone!" He strides across the store, practically stomping over to the aisle you two were in, blocked off by one of the clerks. Eddie saw the fear in your eyes and the tears spilling off his daughter's face was enough. Everything clicked and he lunged for the clerk.

Steve was yanked back by his collar and tossed to the ground. It was like he weighed nothing to Eddie. The clerk groaned in pain, rolling to his side as the pain shot through his lower back. Eddie turns to face you both, "You girls okay?"

You nod and slowly approach him. Eddie quickly escorts you around and away from he injured stranger and eyes Steve on the ground still recovering from being man-handled. Eddie passes over the keys, "Go to the car, I'll be out in a minute." You nod and bid him a quiet 'Be careful.'

Steve watches as you scurry out the door and curses himself for screwing things up. Eddie crouches down over him, "You so much as move a muscle or even look in the direction of that door, I'll call the cops. Got me?"

"Yeah.." He groans looking up at him. Eddie reaches his hand back and punches him right in the nose. It definitely hurt, but the main thing that was concerning was the crimson leaking from his nose. "What the hell?"

"Stay the fuck away from my girls." He demands and Steve nods wiping the blood away on his sleeve. With that Eddie walked out leaving Steve there in pain. Thinking of whole situation just angered him even more.

Present

"And you are sure he was harassing you?" The officer declared.

"Yes! He tried to touch me with a child in my arms!" You argued and the officer sighed.

"Miss, just calm down-"

You had enough, they weren't helping, or listening. "You know what. Forget it." Gathering your things you leave the interrogation room and making a swift exit. Joining with Eddie in the waiting room, still holding a sleeping Violet.

He stands, "What did they say?" He asks and you scoff continuing to walk away him trailing on your heels.

"Nothing, Mr. Munson. They're not listening, let's just go home. I'm sure she's tired and-and I need sleep." He frowns, but nods.

"Okay, Sweetheart. Let's go."

Taglist:

@yaspillz @dahliamae @munsonloverblog @off-phelia @strangerthingsstories5255 @fujiihime @puppy-coded @damon-loves-pie @seratoninsickness @k0urti @thatlonelypieceoftoast @phantomxoxo @wittlewowa @rollergirlworldwide @allithewriter @gothguitargal @eddiemunsons-missingnipple @ali-r3n @harrys-tittie @yearwalker96 @lipglossanon @thepastdied @jessevans @dullsocietyy @littlelimb @ghosttownwherenoonegoes @3rriberri @corroded-hellfire @munson-blurbs

#eddie munson #eddie munson stranger things #stranger things #x reader #steve harrington #eddie munson x f!reader #steve stranger things #slasher fic #crime #steve harrington stranger things #older!eddie #single dad eddie #eddie munson x fem!reader smut #horror writing #horror stories #thriller #slasher!steve

[yanderes-galore]

Alphabet thing I'm talking about: https://www.tumblr.com/yanderes-galore/694826177262682112/i-believe-op-reblogged-you-can-use-this-so-should?source=share

Fandom: BioShock

Character: Sander Cohen

Pairing: Platonic.

Type of Fic: prompts from an A-Z list.

(Required for prompts) Prompt numbers and what list they're from: T3 and V3

Sure! I made this by adapting the plot ideas you gave me in private so I hope this did well :) Sorry it's not exactly like the plot you gave me, after the first line I just went with it-

Prompts Here

Yandere! Platonic! Sander Cohen Prompts T-3 and V-3

“Patience is a virtue. We’ll keep going until you learn.”

“If I don’t keep an eye on you, who knows what will happen?”

Pairing: Platonic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Implied stalking, Threats, Violence, Manipulation, Unhealthy power dynamic, Neglect, Starvation.

Your luck was questionable at best. Cohen had always been one for holding events for various things. Usually it was to display his newest work of madness or to look nice for the papers.

Rapture always had questionable forms of entertainment ever since Adam was invented.

Cohen's newest event was to pick someone at random to learn under him. It was a lottery based event to spread his knowledge on the arts. You had only ever been to one Cohen show and left feeling... strange.

It never was your thing once you realized how intense his whole art exhibit was.

Despite this you somehow managed to get a certain letter sent to your residence in Rapture. A fancy invitation declaring you a winner. Confused you end up opening it...

Only to find out you won an event you didn't even know you were partaking in.

The moment you read the word 'Cohen' you felt your blood chill. You originally thought you could ignore the invitation to this, ask for another winner. Although you quickly began to fear what the man himself may do if you already didn't comply.

With your fate manipulated out of your hands, you accepted the offer with a fearful grin.

Working under Cohen never managed to ease your fear. As his newest muse and newest songbird to work under him, you felt under pressure. Cohen is a perfectionist.

Even though Cohen hasn't harmed you yet during your... internship (?), you fear the idea of it. He is one who finds pain the purest form of beauty and is rather apathetic towards suffering. You've heard the stories.

Like some sort of predator, it was like Cohen could smell your fear.

Cohen was not blind to your shaking and stuttered responses. Ever since he laid eyes on you he thought he could make you something greater. Even when you didn't know of his presence yet.

The first step to perfecting you was to stop all the nerves. How could you ever make art alongside him if you shutter around him? Your nerves make your art suffer.

He takes note of how you struggle to find your own muse under him. Your music is a bit too off-key and your art is too rushed and bland. A good mentor must encourage their student, no?

“Patience is a virtue. We’ll keep going until you learn.”

It sounds like encouragement to those who don't know Cohen. However, you've been around the madman enough to catch the vaguely threatening tone he gave it. He's willing to be as patient as he can with you, but you aren't going to stop making art until he's pleased.

Cohen is the type of man to make you work until you're tired and hungry. He's harsh, claiming to you that your suffering will make your art shine. All you can focus on is the fear, the fatigue, and the hunger that permeates through your gut.

The concoction of feeling makes you nauseated with stress around Cohen. In an attempt to appease him you practice your skills. You try instruments, you try different art forms, you begin to wonder how you even got into this mess.

It's when you push yourself to the point of being irritable and passing out that Cohen relents slightly. You're given enough food and water to survive yet you still struggle and he looks at your art with slight intrigue. There's improvements, he smiles.

"There! The struggling pain you feel is what you need your art to embody! You're getting the hang of it...."

He treats your pain as something that must happen to make something pleasing to his eyes. He wants you to bleed for your art, he wants to feel your emotion in it. To him, this means you get it.

He just needs to push you more.

Harshly, with frenzied arguments and threats, he molds you into what he wants you to be. Your art improves even with your struggling form. Despite your condition, Cohen both encourages you yet disciplines you.

In a way you are his newest piece of work.

He both treats your suffering as good for art yet acts like he has just enough care for your well being. When you aren't suffering due to your needs not being met, you're threatened with being shocked or covered in plaster. Cohen is hard to predict... being here is a struggle to survive.

Cohen hurts you, yet then he whirls around like he cares. He tells you all artists must struggle. You're lucky he's here to help you, he claims while you shake in his grasp.

“If I don’t keep an eye on you, who knows what will happen?”

Cohen says with a threatening grin, like you aren't suffering by his hands. He's just here to keep you alive while he molds you into his perfect work. In truth... you winning his little lottery event wasn't by chance.

He picked you. Your fate was decided by him because he saw you just once. Ever since, he's decided to make you a wonderful artist just like him.

From the start, Cohen decided you and him would be wonderful. You'll both make great things together.

Meanwhile, you just hope you can get by and survive... regardless of how you got into this.

#yandere bioshock #yandere bioshock infinite #yandere sander cohen #platonic yandere

[blackjackkent]

LMAO. Started the fight off and Minsc immediately shouts out to the doppelganger, "JAHEIRA! You have an evil, much uglier twin sister? Minsc does not like this!"

(Matt Mercer is doing tremendously with this character, which comes as no surprise but is still fun to hear. He was clearly SO excited about getting to play him.)

The biggest challenge in this fight is that all four of the good guys are bunched up in the tiny tunnel we came in by, with Karlach in the back and not able to either jump, move, or shoot past Jaheira and Shadowheart, so she lost her opening turn which was pretty annoying.

This is a pretty large fight with some pretty beefy enemies, but extra shoutout goes to the random hyena also hanging out in the enemy roster with only 12 HP and the name "Snicker".

The end of the fight went on FOREVER because the last remaining enemy was on a high ground platform and kept throwing ice knives, which would down Hector, Shadowheart would healing word him back up, and then the entire team would eat shit on the ice surface trying to move to a position where they could shoot the guy. This happened like four times in a row.

But eventually we got there! And Minsc is not dead because (as our kind anon friend reminded us!) we had non-lethal damage on.

He begins to stir as the fight ends; Hector has a brief moment to be impressed by the man's battering-ram resilience.

Narrator: Against the darkness swarming his senses, a single light glows - rage, flaring brighter every moment.

In spite of his considerable wounds, Minsc struggles onto his knees. His breath is rasping heavily in his chest, his eyes wild with fury. Hector can feel the resonance of the tadpole working in the beserker's mind.

"...Killed... her..." Minsc rasps out between his teeth.

Of course, Hector thinks bleakly. He believes his Jaheira is the real one. And he believes we murdered her.

Jaheira - the real one - is at his side in an instant, the druid wildshape flowing off her like water, urgency in every line of her face. "He won't stay down for long!" she snaps. "Tell your illithid to protect him from the elder brain's influence. Quickly!"

"No..." the Emperor whispers in Hector's mind. "This one will not aid our cause. Get rid of him."

Hector scowls. Yet another reminder that he and the Emperor do not share common purpose. This is not about aiding the cause. This is about a friend who needs his help.

Extend your protection to him.

Minsc is beginning to stagger to his feet, a hoarse roar in his throat.

"Don't be foolish," the Emperor insists. There is just a hint of petulance in its mental tone - or perhaps that is Hector's imagination. "He is too unpredictable. He will only be a hindrance to us."

He's Jaheira's friend. Do it.

"No!"

Hector has never heard the Emperor's communications with him to be so deliberate, so stubborn and harsh. Is this because I rejected you? he can't help but wonder, and the thought makes his blood run cold.

"I will not be coerced into protecting him," the mind flayer snarls in his brain. "You do not see what I do - his thoughts, his mind. Pure chaos."

Hector's face must show something of this inner conflict being battled out; Jaheira is watching him intently.

"The mind flayer pours poison in your ear, I think," she snarls, as fierce as the tiger whose form she took only a few moments ago. "Tell it I will tear the Prism from your grasp and throw it in the deepest lava pit I can find! Long after our bones are dust and ash, the walls of its prison will still be burning!"

"Now HELP MY FRIEND!"

"She bluffs," the Emperor responds at once, icily, although Hector thinks he can sense a fractional hesitation. "Surely she would not risk the fate of all for one simple life."

Hector lifts his head, looks at Jaheira steadily for a long moment, and then a dry smile tugs at his lips.

I don't think you want to find out.

He can feel the Emperor recoil inside his mind, a flash of white-hot fury... and then an empty chill. "Fine," it answers harshly. "Have it your way."

Pain stabs through Hector's temple - a pain he has not felt in some time, the sharp pain that accompanied his first meetings with Lae'zel, Shadowheart, and the others back at the nautiloid crash. The pain of the deeper tadpole connection that binds them all, and binds them to the Emperor's protection.

Narrator: His mind unfolds beneath yours, a still lake pulls you down into its depths. Images flash by - battles fought, and friends fallen. His rage grows colder, burrows deeper, as a familiar face crystallizes before you.

"Jaheira..." Minsc groans. His eyes are fixed on Hector, an arrow locked on its target. "You KILLED HER!" He roars the words out, raises a fist to strike, and Hector becomes briefly and acutely aware of just how much bigger this man is than any of them--

"You are being dramatic," Jaheira says with a grin from beside him.

The effect is instantaneous. Minsc goes still except for his head snapping around to look at her.

Narrator: The instant's hesitation is enough. With a sensation of terrible rending, something vast and nameless falls away from his mind.

"There," the Emperor mutters irritably. "It is done."

The huge warrior staggers, putting a hand to his temple. A groan rolls through him like a rumble of thunder... trails off to a soft noise of confusion.

"Jaheira?" he mumbles unsteadily. "I... do not understand."

"Good," she says. Her tone is lighter than Hector has heard it before; all the muscles in her face have relaxed from a tension that he did not realize it's been holding all the time he's known her. "That means you are back to your old ways." She puts a hand gently on his arm and gestures to Hector. "We have a lot to discuss. But first... you have someone to thank."

Narrator: In the sudden silence, your minds merge once more. More memories, sensations, but passing too quickly for you to track. In the same breath, you share everything that happened to you. The nautiloid. The Absolute. The Chosen of the Dead Three.

(A/N: Once again - love the usage of the tadpole as an exposition skip button. XD )

"You." All the rage has dropped out of Minsc's voice, all sign of the darkness of the Stone Lord is gone. He is looking at Hector with frank, openhearted curiosity mixed with regretful pain. "You saved Minsc, while he danced like a mind flayer's meat-puppet. Why?"

Hector smiles slightly, jerks his head to indicate their mutual friend. "Jaheira insisted," he says gently.

"Suggested," Jaheira corrects with a soft chuckle.

Minsc laughs jovially. With the tadpole's influence quieted, it is clear to Hector that the man's natural state is a good nature as big and vigorous as his body. "You do well to heed her," Minsc says brightly. "Jaheira was very wise even *before* she was very old."

He reaches, with a gesture clearly as natural as breathing, towards his shoulder. "There is someone you must meet," he adds excitedly. "He is--" A pause. He hesitates, looks around unsteadily. "He is..."

He begins to paw frantically at the pockets of his armor, his shoulders, even the top of his head.

"Where is he?!"

With an attitude far more frantic than any he displayed in combat, Minsc turns on his heel and darts away without warning, leaving Hector standing with a bemused expression on his face.

#bjk plays baldur's gate 3 #hector carlisle #minsc #miiiiiiiiiinsc <3 #we must go find boo now #and also jaheira you are such a badass and i love you so much

[capcavan]

AFTG tfc ch2 Re Read by cavan

Chapter 2 notes under the cut

back to learning English

It was the weight of his teammate's stare that brought Neil's gaze almost right to him the minyard stare <3 "the normal one"

bro i would end my career there if they all refereed to me as basic bitch Milport Dingo damn they all like their animals don't they "the all black assemble aarondrew wore did nothing to make him taller" damn neil had no idea you are fashionista about what colour pronounce what silhouette types anyone marked that down? Brakes screeched as taxi slammed to a stop inches from aarondrew's pint sized body Kevin had been glued to Andrew's side since the transfer- ofc he is they are dating even if Andrew did not got the memo, one sided Anvin is my jam

I'm sure i am not the first person to point this out but the way neil already ships it has me Both of Kevins husbands share the fact that they told him to fuck off I don't believe in forgivness Do you belive in fate Do you belive in luck do you read tarot Aarondrew minyard chapter 2 Aarondrew is such not careful asshole driver i demand you all to start writing him getting into traffic accidents what the fuck, literary the only reason he is avoiding any right nos is him being in very noticeable nice black car nobody wants to risk damaging "It's too nice of a car to wreck" "Don't be so afraid to die" You are playing for class 1 team (worst one but still!) with Kevin on your side , People are always willing to bleed for him, you've seen the news i have seen it ok.. what was on the news ??? Kevin day and his adoptive brother Riko Moriyama , ok second time <3 <3 <3 kind of off they keep having to refer to this as adoptive brother lmao marking this once would be enough considering they are different ethnicities

ok but kevin had his hand broken what was riko doing? why did he missed game in january ???? in ec its supposedly mentioned testuji beat him up love that :) nicky has jet black hair and brown eyes and darker skin tone ... jet black .. hair ... literary never seen anyone draw him this way nicky deserved so much better "i am hella materialistic" who tf introduces themselves this way neil noting that he cant escape by jumping out of the window makes me wonder how this series would go if the fox dorm wasn't so high up? woudl they get attacked by the mob throwing rocks and other shit into their dorm ? woudl neil escape dorm through windows ?

Neil examining aarons package yeah its not the cigarettes you are after i know it wymacks apartment -covered in paperwork -empty coffe mugs -overfilled ashtrays neil has this thing going on where he can taste blood when stressed i shall remember that nicky stealing painkillers I wonder if andrew just ... casually helps stealing whiskey for kevin on regural ,, i hate coming home and finding you in my apartment" i would too if i lived in such mess "i don't need to be persuasive you just learn to do what i say" sorry my kness are weak

#CavanrereadAFTG #aftg #neil josten #andrew minyard #aaron minyard #nicky hemmick #kevin day

[roseenhance3890]

Sacrificial

It was 11:30 am on a Friday afternoon and you were just chilling out in your apartment, relishing the fact that for once you had a day off to yourself and you could relax for the first time in forever. As you laid on your bed your mind began to wander to the thought of your boyfriend and what he could be doing now. You two had talked earlier that morning, catching up about each other and what the brothers had been getting up to. You smiled when you remembered that call and the sweet words of affection you two shared when suddenly a loud knock at your front door pulled you out of your state, forcing you out of your bed just to answer. “Hello? Who is it?” You called out and in response you heard the faint sound of an elderly man respond. “Hello child! I am part of a local group and I was hoping to have a moment of your time!” He cheerfully called out to you. As you opened the door to kindly tell the man that you weren't interested two large men wearing robes and religious symbols. “W-What the hell!? Let me go!” You cried out, fearful of what these people would do to you. The two men then pulled you aside, allowing more people into your house. You watched as these people ransacked your home and destroyed everything all while praising some sort of god. One of them then grabbed a bottle of gasoline and began to douse the place with it, your eyes widened in horror and you could only scream as the people continued to destroy your home. “NO PLEASE STOP-” You had screamed but was abruptly silenced with a harsh slap across your face. “SILENCE! YOU HAVE COMMITED THE SIN OF FORNICATING WITH A DEMON!” The elderly man whom you presumed was the leader in this yelled. He then continued, “Your sins will surely not go unpunished and clearly you are a temptress sent here by the devil himself to damn us all to hell!” He roared, pointing his long wrinkled finger at you. You inhaled sharply and could only watch as more people came and trashed your home. You felt your pact marks burn as your fear grew, they could sense you were in trouble and were ready to be summoned. You then looked up to the leader and instead of summoning them you gave this man before you a warning. “If you don't stop this and get the hell out of my property he will come for you. He'll kill you all!” You screamed with tears forming in your eyes, blurring your vision and causing your eyes to sting. “HA! You think we will believe your lies?! You dare threaten us?!” He yelled in response before slapping you across the face again. You were then dragged away from your wrecked home and towards the centre of town where you saw a large wooden pole, surrounding it were dozens of people, all wearing the same robes as your captors. You were then hoisted up and tied to the wooden pole, displayed for everyone to witness and torment. As the crowd began to torture you relentlessly you could only cry and beg for them to stop, warning them of your lovers rage and revenge he would surely have for you. “Please stop! I didn't do anything wrong!” You had tried to reason with them yet when you saw a camera crew filming the entire thing you knew they weren’t going to stop. Your wails of agony reached far yet it seemed to urge the crowd to continue their torture on you and after hours upon hours of torment someone approached you with a torch in hand. Your eyes widened in horror and you knew what would happen next… With tears in your eyes you looked up to the sky and a bittersweet smile graced your features as you recalled your life. You then looked down at the people who began to sing and cheer at your inevitable fate and as the flames began to burn your flesh your cries and whimpers turned into blood curdling screams as you felt the fire consume your body. You knew this was the end for you…yet you couldn’t possibly let more people possibly suffer at the hands of these monsters. And so, with the last of your strength you finally summoned him… “I summon you….” Continuation:

#obey me #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor

[violets-in-her-arms-writes]

Happy Worldbuilding Wednesday!

Tell me about the culture in your world in regards to death and the afterlife.

i.e. what are the most common beliefs about it, is there fear surrounding death or something else, are there any gods of death and how to people in your world feel about them, is there an afterlife that people believe in and how does it work, what rituals and practices are there in regards to the dead (burials, mummification, burying them with important objects, burning the body, etc), and anything else you would like to share

<333

Thank you so much for this !!! ♥♥

It took me forever to answer because I actually had to think about this one, but here I am 😅 I went into details for two species instead of the 5 (vampires, Faes, mermaids, werewolves & witches) I had in mind, because I need to think more about the others, but I hope you'll like it anyway ^^

So... The thing about La Fledgling is that it's a story about endings. Lou is immortal, Jo is not. Lou (and most of their friends) will live forever or something close to forever, Jo will die. She has limited time and so much to do, which means that, concrètement, she hasn't really thought about what comes after.

(Which means that I, the author, hadn't thought about it either, but let's blame it on the character, shall we? 💀)

So... Death...

For the vampires:

Vampires can die (insert *people die if they are killed* meme here), as vampires tend to do in other fantasy stories. So decapitation, silver, symbols of faith (and real faith, just waving a symbol won't work - you have to believe), fire, sunlight, stake through the heart... the classics will work, but if you really want to be original and take them by surprise, you could also poison them through the blood servants they feed from. I'm just throwing this out there, no reason.

Several vampire families were killed during the hunter/vampire wars, entire Coven burnt to the ground, knowledge evaporated, entire lignées brought to the brink of extinction. Needless to say, it terrified the vampires who then decided to retire from the public eye and live secular lives among themselves, where they don't have to interact with humans (much. Feeding is another story entirely).

They feared death during these few centuries when it came knocking at their doors, but during the novel, none of the vampires think about death as something that concerns them. Death is something humans and semi-mortal creatures go through, and something that happened to them a thousand years ago.

There is no afterlife for vampires, because they are not supposed to die.

(The rest of the species and their view on death can be found under the cut 🦇)

For the Fae:

Fae live until they get tired of living, at which point they can choose between several options :

become a tree -> really popular, as long as it's not in the moral realm because on Earth you tree might be cut down and you will spend the rest of eternity as a very ugly couch or coffee table

spend a few years as an animal and live as a cryptid in either the fae realm or on Earth (I'm not saying le Dahu is a Fae but... yeah that's exactly what I'm saying) -> marginally less popular and often time not the definitive choice. Old Faes who don't know if they really want to "fade away" or not will spend a few decades or centuries as an owl, a cat or some kind of made up animal/creature, and when their time is up, they'll seen if they want to go for option 1 (*be the seed*), option 2 (go back to their ancient life and keep on living until they get bored again) or option 3 (below)

reincarnate -> the least popular choice by far (Iris Adam, who chose to get reincarnated 250 times is an outlier and shouldn't have been counted), because the fates like to mess with faes and there is no guarantee a Fae will be reincarnated as a Fae in her next life. She could be human. Or a cockroach. Or the southern wind. Or she could be a Fae but come back wrong. Really, there's nothing sure about this option.

Fae who chose to become trees all planted their roots in the same forest and they can be heard, from time to time, giving unsolicited advices to the younglings having fun beneath their branches.

For the witches:

They mostly have the same approach as the humans, except they live up to 500 years instead of 80, which mean they start worrying about it a lot later. They still are the weakest (physically speaking) of all the magical and semi-mortal species, which means they are much more prone to accident and very few actually reach past their second or third century.

For the mermaids:

They also live very long lives and have the advantage of being away from humans most of the time, so when wars or conflict start again on the surface, they can just... swim away and wait for the storm to pass. The older a mermaid gets, the bigger she is, and the more she has to eat. There are only three really old (we're talking several thousand years old) mermaids because they feed on weaker mermaids - or, more precisely, younger, weaker or otherwise hurt mermaids are send bound and pre-broken to the deep caves in which the dwell and the three leviathan feast of the flesh of the unwilling.

Death is either a sacrifice (eaten by a leviathan) or a victory (not eaten by the leviathans bc they 1) died in combat so they at least were not eaten alive or 2) ran away on land to escape their fate which brings its own problems)

For the werewolves:

Mix between the witches and the mermaids. They die of old age (live longer than humans, less prone to disease or accident than witches) or in a fight and then they get eaten by the rest of the pack so that their spirits and knowledge can stay with the pack. Yay.

For Jo (sole human in this crazy friend group):

She doesn't think about it. She'll die when she'll die. She used to be really religious, but her faith was shattered when her whole family was murdered and Lou became a bloodsucker, so she doesn't really believe in an afterlife (be it hell or heaven). But should she be proven wrong, she's ready to throw hands with whomever is here to welcome her.

#i'm sorry this is so so long 😭 #if you read all of that thank you and i'm sorry #inbox 💌 #wip: la fledgling #worldbuilding wednesday

[amplifyme]

I'M BACK! More The Possibility of Being thoughts~.

TPOB Chapter 2, Part 2 

JAMIE, JAMIE!!!!!!! And not only is she back, but so is Sis! (Unfortunately, Sis didn’t see enough of Jamie to form an opinion; so we can’t share the same ravenous mind-virus when Jamie appears here and there.) 

Oh, btw, Sis joined incidentally; and YET, fate (and you) somehow conspired together so she would hear a giant Father chunk. Hilarious, that is.

Father rounded the table and stood toe to toe with him, glaring up at his son with fearless indignity, dressed in nothing more than a robe over a long nightshirt that ended just above his skinny ankles-- Sis died laughing (“Why would you write that??” as in “you did him so dirty, lol”); and I explained that Father is a perfect mixture between dignity and comedy, and that both parts molded a touch of humor into just about everything he did. Of course, she agreed (“Yeah~”). Note: I read this to Sis, and she said “I wouldn’t say ‘did him dirty’-- I was surprised, if anything…. I don’t even know how to describe [it].” 

Sis and I are chuckling over Father’s indignation, btw. Absolutely stellar writing. 

If Diana'd had a fire hose handy, she would've turned it on both of them. THAT WAS GOOD. I laughed, Sis chuckled (“Okay, then”.) 

DIANA SCOLDED FATHER AND VINCENT. I am delighted; and Sis said “I’m enjoying it.” They may not have been related by blood, but that didn't mean the two men didn't share the same mannerisms and expressions. Vincent's mouth also dropped open in response to her words, if not her matter-of-fact tone – maybe both. He set his hands on his hips, shooting her a deeply offended look. I am truly, as the kids say, living my best life. 

"I bet he was a real treat when he was a teenager," she casually observed a few seconds later. (I snorted; Sis “Oh, boy”ed.) Father gave her a sharp look that almost immediately softened into a tiny smile.(When asked what Sis thought about Father’s tiny smile, she replied, “It was very accurate to the canon.”)

“... I don't know if you've noticed or not, Diana, but Vincent can be fiercely stubborn." Sis: “Oh, we have-- we really have.” 

“...But you mustn't think he was ever ill-behaved or that his actions put anyone in danger – other than himself. It is simply part of his character, I think, that he must always test his boundaries." That’s a stupendous observation, I never thought about that. I believe that’s a unique-in-a-way characteristic of your writing you drew from the series: Nan’s V withdrew from further quest, usually (unless in mentally dire extremes), if punished or chastised; and preferred to hide his actions until he was caught. Your Vincent seems to work around it, regardless if he’s told no (even w/ the first fic of yours I read.) There’s an element of unbudgeableness to him that can be managed only with reason, not with commands; and I believe that comes straight from the series.  

She found him in the Whispering Gallery, standing in the middle of one of those rickety wooden bridges she always hesitated to cross. He was facing out into the vast distance before him: a space larger than Diana would've thought possible without causing half of Manhattan to collapse in on itself. And yet both worlds stood solid. She'd found herself wondering from time to time if the world Below was kept in place by the one Above, or if it was the other way around. Somehow, she didn't think one could exist without the other. I adore this entire paragraph. Please, delight me some more. XDDDD

Vincent cocked his head just the slightest in her direction as Diana moved onto the bridge, telling herself not to look down - which she promptly did anyway. Rejoice! Sis laughed out loud! 

Rilke poetry! I’m pretty sure you reblog Rilke here and there; so my curiosity is, is Rilke your personal preference or did BATB incorporate it into the series, too? One of those smaller questions I always wonder when coming across a written work mentioned in other peoples’ stories. 

"I came here. To this very place. After I brought Catherine home… for the last time. And I considered the endless depths of the Abyss. It would've been no more than a single step. But I couldn't take it. Not even in the enormity of my grief. I cried out then. Knowing I was doomed to live. My choice to continue on without her was as terrible a thing to me as her death. And as inevitable." I understand this so completely: been there, done that. You opened my little skull up and put those thoughts on the page. And I love that! Is it patronizing (in a way) to pat myself and Vincent and you on the back for your hard work? I shall reframe it as rewarding. XDDDD At any rate, I am really pleased with that passage. 

He dropped his head and rested it against hers. "You should leave me, Diana," he murmured against her hair. "Leave me… while I can still let you go." She lifted her head and turned in his arms enough to look him in the eye. "Can you?" Vincent steadily met her gaze and then closed his eyes in a slow blink. "No," he breathed. "Then forget about it. You're stuck with me, babe." Magnifique (lookin’ at you, Cathy, who was planning to walk away in S2?) Even Sis loved that, and she’s really a platonic>romantic reader. (Sis: “No, I wouldn’t say it’s greater than… it’s easier to like platonic stuff over romance. I’m not a graph guy. I’m a huge fan of platonic stuff in general-- to crunch it down: I’m a huge fan of platonic relationships; and it’s easier to find relationships that I like better [than it is to find relationships that are] romantic.” Needless to say, she was foaming over platonic relationships-- faux screaming I LOVE IT-- for another minute or two, found-family included. Another note: Sis garbled a string of negatives and then decried that she screamed "I LOVE IT" in the way that she very clearly did.)    

Vincent led them off the bridge, away from the dark and empty space of the Abyss, and back into the candle-lit and close embrace of the tunnels. Beautiful way to end this. 

The only other thing of note is that I had a whale of a time imagining Father making various outraged expressions and twitches while listening to the recording. 

Overall, I’m enjoying myself dreadfully. ;)))) And Sis says about her thoughts: “I haven’t made any yet. I want them to develop more~.” (I guess this fic has joined the ranks of the many other projects Sis and I have started and will finish in time, Cat and Mouse and David Copperfield being the chief priorities as well.) 

Will be back with more thoughts, soon! :DDD

Howdy! Nice to have your sister back with us for this chunk.

Let's gooooo...

"Ravenous mind-virus." Gotta tell you, some of the things you come up with have me on the floor! 😆

Sis and I are chuckling over Father’s indignation, btw. Absolutely stellar writing. 

Thank you. And I agree 100% with this: I explained that Father is a perfect mixture between dignity and comedy, and that both parts molded a touch of humor into just about everything he did.

I had such fun writing both the scene in the study and the one between V & D in the Whispering Gallery. Both of those flowed out of me almost without thought.

That’s a stupendous observation, I never thought about that. I believe that’s a unique-in-a-way characteristic of your writing you drew from the series: Nan’s V withdrew from further quest, usually (unless in mentally dire extremes), if punished or chastised; and preferred to hide his actions until he was caught. Your Vincent seems to work around it, regardless if he’s told no (even w/ the first fic of yours I read.) There’s an element of unbudgeableness to him that can be managed only with reason, not with commands; and I believe that comes straight from the series.  

This aspect of V's personality is one of the few things Nan and I disagreed on. Aside from being fiercely stubborn, he never came across to me on the show as someone who often or willingly bends to anyone else's rules except maybe, sometimes, with Cathy. I mean, from as far back as the Pilot, when Father chastises him for "breaking our most important rule," by bringing Cathy Below, he's consistently shown as marching to his own drum, whether you like it or not. While he obviously abides by the laws set forth by F and the community as a whole, he has no problem breaking the rules when the situation calls for it.

Rilke poetry! I’m pretty sure you reblog Rilke here and there; so my curiosity is, is Rilke your personal preference or did BATB incorporate it into the series, too? One of those smaller questions I always wonder when coming across a written work mentioned in other peoples’ stories. 

Both. I became a big fan of Rilke's in high school, and some of his works were also used on the show. Which made me very happy indeed. I can't tell you how many fics I've written that've been inspired by Rilke's works.

"Then forget about it. You're stuck with me, babe." Magnifique (lookin’ at you, Cathy, who was planning to walk away in S2?) Even Sis loved that, and she’s really a platonic>romantic reader.

Again, thanks. Now might be the time to warn Sis that TPOB is most definitely a romance. It does have its share of platonic relationships, too (D & Elliot specifically). But, yeah, it's a love story, first and foremost.

The only other thing of note is that I had a whale of a time imagining Father making various outraged expressions and twitches while listening to the recording. 

Right?? Oh, to have been a fly on the wall... 🤣

Glad to know you're still with me on this one. I won't spoil you, but Book 3 is when it really kicks into high gear.

#ask and answer #beauty and the beast 1987 #fanfic #the possibility of being #discussion

[savage-rhi]

Immortal Shield Chapter 45: Final Acts

**DM or comment if you want to be tagged in updates on tumblr

**To read previous chapters, hit this link

Tagging: @seradyn​

The rest of the summit went accordingly. More negotiations were produced as were national goals. Countries made their pacts and solidified relations. Though he was active and obliging, Ardyn had mentally checked out long after learning of his betrothal. He had a single mission in mind once everybody was dismissed from the conference hall: confront Noctis.

Almost two years ago, when the king made his proposition to Ardyn to ensure Caelan would be safe, it was a guarantee that no matter the strife they’d come out together in the end. He felt foolish believing in such a fallacy. Ardyn had been deluded yet again by someone he shared blood with. The treachery of his late brother Somnus held no bounds. It followed his own descendants to their poor choices.

Gods, he hadn’t felt this much anger toward Noctis in ages. Ardyn understood how years ago, it was idiotic for him to take out his grievances on a person who played no role in his sad affairs, but now the current king of Insomnia made it personal. He wouldn’t show mercy to the boy just because they had settled old scores and aided the other. That much Ardyn was sure of.

Out in the grand hall, Ardyn went through the motions with his counsel. He verified meeting times and what was to be expected when they’d travel back to Niflheim. He was quick to update his phone schedule with new work orders and people he intended to meet. Every so often, he’d glance over to the king and his posse. Ardyn felt disgusted, watching everyone pat themselves on the back for a job well done throwing him under a bus. Caelan might as well have joined him too in that gruesome fate. They both had been through so much together, only to be permanently dangled at one another like carrots to a horse to keep the beast in line.

“I believe everything is in order,” Ardyn interrupted the conversation among the Niflheim council, no longer having patience. “There is a personal matter I must discuss with the king in private. If you don't mind, I’d appreciate it if half of you could seek an audience with the representatives of Tenebrae. Please get them to clarify the new trade deals they are seeking from us. For the other half, I’d like you to report everything from the summit back to Gralea. Make sure we have our own set of documentation about what has transpired, so we can verify it with the official accounts.”

“Right away,” A councilwoman bowed her head. She wasted no time in gathering up three of the council members and ventured deep into the citadel to find the Tenebrae reps. The others that remained were somewhat beside themselves but went along with Ardyn’s requests. They could sense an uneasy vibe coming off of their leader.

“Are you sure you don’t want us to accompany you, excellency?” The head council member asked. “Given the tension we all felt today, do you think it would be wise to leave you alone with the king?”

“I’m positive nothing unbecoming will happen to yours truly,” Ardyn shook his head, all the while reassuring his supporters. “I can handle this on my own. This won’t take long. I’ll be sure to report for departure.”

The last of the council members bowed their heads respectfully and took their leave. As soon as the Niflheim council was out of sight and mind, Ardyn wasted no time marching up to Noctis and his retainers.

“Excuse me,” Ardyn smiled. Doing his part to keep up with formality. “Would it trouble the king to have a private discussion?”

“Perfect timing! I was just getting ready to seek you out.” Noctis smiled. He handed off documents to Ignis, then addressed his retainers one by one. “Ignis, make sure these are processed ASAP. We don’t need Accordo getting on our case again for late paperwork. Prompto, please check in with Luna and see if she needs help with the kids. Gladio, head for the ward district.”

“Right away!” The three men said in unison. None of them wasted time to venture off to complete their tasks.

Prompto stopped in his tracks to quickly address Ardyn with a proper bow. Gladio sighed and begrudgingly performed the same mannerism. He hated how Prompto was like a boy scout when it came to formalities. Gladio didn’t stick around to talk, immediately heading off to where he was assigned by Noctis.

“Congrats on the election! We’ll have to catch up later!” Prompto sheepishly exclaimed then took his leave. As much as he wanted to stay and chat, Prompto was well aware that Luna had her hands full. The son of the king and queen had just turned two and was quite a firecracker. Nevertheless, Prompto enjoyed being able to help with his best friend's children.

“I’ll ensure these documents are situated with care, your majesty.” Ignis said with confidence. He turned his head to face where he assumed Ardyn was and gave another bow.

“Niflheim will be in good hands under your leadership. Despite our past, I wish you well with your endeavors. You should be proud, excellency.”

Neither Noctis nor Ardyn had the heart to correct Ignis for looking the opposite way. The two men had an unspoken understanding as they side-eyed each other. Ardyn quietly tip toed to where Ignis was staring, clearing his throat.

“You have my gratitude,” Ardyn replied. He watched Ignis give a final bow and then departed from the grand hall, leaving Noctis and Ardyn by themselves. As soon as Ignis was not in his peripheral, Ardyn’s gaze fell upon the Lucian king. He made a fist, feeling his anger slowly starting to return as Noctis sighed.

“I don’t know about you, but today was taxing,” Noctis said tiredly. He rubbed the back of his head, scratching at a spot on his scalp that had been irritating him for a while. “I never thought the Tenebrae Ambassador was going to get to the point regarding chocobo’s being a nuisance to farmers.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” It was hard hiding his bitterness, but Ardyn managed to keep it at bay for the time being. “Whoever chose the old fool to be a spokesperson should be shot.”

Noctis snorted, trying to suppress a laugh. “That might be a bit much, but I don’t doubt everybody in that room has thought of it at least once.”

Ardyn let out an amused huff. As much as he found Noctis’s quips humorous, he wasn’t going to fall prey to comedy.

“May we cut to the chase?” Ardyn offered. “You said you were going to seek me out. What for?”

“I wanted to check in, regarding the betrothal. I know that was--upsetting, to put it mildly.”

“Oh, you don’t know the half of it!” Before Noctis could register what had occurred, Ardyn had punched the king square in the face. His knuckles met the middle of Noctis’s nose. The king stumbled back, his hand gripped the side his face while he hissed under his breath.

“Damn!” Noctis exclaimed. “What the hell was that for!?”

“That won’t be the only thing you scream out when I’m through with you!” Ardyn wasted no time in grabbing Noctis by the collar of his attire. He hoisted the king up off his feet, lifting Noctis into the air.

“You know my history! You know what I’ve been through, and how much I lost, and now you expect me to throw away Cahl for some--some stranger?! You fed me to the wolves to save your own hide for some ridiculous policy! I should’ve known you were a scheming two-faced traitor like your forefathers!”

“Ardyn, let me explain!” Noctis pleaded.

“N-no!” Ardyn growled. “I gave you one too many chances! I put my trust in you with that godforsaken plan! I haven’t seen or spoken to Cahl in almost two years because of you! Do you have any idea how long I’ve suffered!? None of you idiots would relay my messages to her, and none of you kept me informed about her well-being! I had to learn through random channels! For all I know, she’s withering away in some cell! I’ve waited long enough! Now you’re going to tell me where I can find Cahl or so help me I’ll--!”

“I made arrangements for both of you to see each other today!” Noctis interrupted as he yelled aloud. He glared straight down at Ardyn, gritting his teeth from the pressure being put upon his neck from Ardyn’s grasp. He could see there was hesitation in Ardyn’s cold stare, a reluctance to pursue any further.

“What are you talking about?” Ardyn hissed. His voice was still raised. “Don’t play games with me, boy!”

“If you put me down, I’ll explain myself.” Noctis swallowed, he could taste blood in the back of his throat. He didn’t believe Ardyn broke his nose, but he had damaged it quite extensively.

“I know you’re angry with me. I can’t blame you. I haven’t been forthcoming, but I’m asking you to give me grace. C’mon, neither of us can afford to cause a scene! I know this wouldn’t put you in a good light with the public. I don’t want your image tainted because we had an altercation. What do you say?”

Ardyn hated to admit it, but Noctis had him second guessing his own righteous anger. His eyes searched those of his grand nephews, face tensing before Ardyn relented. He carefully placed Noctis down, not before giving the king a shove for the sake of distance. Ardyn looked away, hearing Noctis’s heavy breathing while the king composed himself.

“Let’s take this outside,” Noctis sniffled. He rubbed the outer part of his nose with the sleeve of his shirt, then gestured with his head. “We can walk the top grounds while we have our discussion. The air would do well clearing both our heads.”

“Just shut up and lead, highness.” Ardyn muttered.

The spring air of Lucis carried a sweet aroma that traveled through the gentle winds. The change in atmosphere from the grand hall to the outside world settled the nerves of both Ardyn and Noctis. They were silent as they made their way across the bridge and to the citadel’s right tower. Along the way, a few palace workers made their curtseys. Some were visibly shaken at the state of Noctis’s face but no one commented for it was none of their business.

When Ardyn and Noctis reached the top grounds, the former was impressed with the scenery. A terrace garden graced his eyes, filled with different red and orange flowers. Some Ardyn didn’t recognize at first glance. A few fountains were strategically placed among saplings growing in large containers. If he didn’t know better, Ardyn would’ve thought they were in the gardens, and not at the top of the citadel where the king and queens personal housing was located.

“I’m not sure much of the greenery can endure at this elevation for long.” Ardyn quipped. He couldn’t help himself.

Noctis scoffed, shaking his head. “I didn’t take you for a gardener.”

“I was a healer. Gardening and maintaining the sick isn’t much different.” Ardyn shrugged. “The old masters from my youth told me, that if I couldn’t keep the most basic of plants alive, I stood no chance curing people.”

“I think that’s a concept that should be brought back to the medical field.” Noctis said as a matter of fact. He motioned with his right hand for Ardyn to follow him towards a pergola. The shaded walkway led to a path that encircled the entirety of the citadel’s right tower. They walked side by side, keeping distance but remaining close. There was an unspoken agreement between the two to keep things civil that could be read in their body language. This being his home, Noctis began to feel more at ease.

“Luna has the green thumb between the two of us,” Noctis began. There was still much tension between Ardyn and himself. He decided some light conversation would open the floor. “She came up with an initiative to bring life back into this place. Both my father and grandfather were minimalists. They didn’t do much with the gardens nor decorum. I’m far too busy, so Luna took the mantle of maintenance.”

“How noble of her.” Ardyn mused. He didn’t say it aloud, but Ardyn appreciated the little glimpse into Noctis’s personal life. It helped him reconcile with the bitterness he had felt not long ago. “How has your queen been of late?

“Luna’s doing well. She’s going to be making a pilgrimage soon, in honor of her ancestors. Tenebrae will be hosting her. It’ll just be me and the kids for a few weeks. I’m looking forward to spending time with them.” Noctis smiled. His gaze drifted on to the purple flowers that were drifting off the cross beams above them. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“The betrothal was Luna’s idea, by the way.” Noctis admitted. He looked over, seeing Ardyn’s shock. “I’m not supposed to tell you, but I have the results for who you will be marrying.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me…” Ardyn sighed, rubbing his neck in the same fashion as Noctis did prior. The king couldn’t help but see the similarity and made a face, feeling a chill go down his spine at the mannerism in which they had in common. It was spot on.

“So, who is it then?” Ardyn said aloud. “What poor soul did you all decide to bind to me?”

Noctis raised a brow. “I thought it was obvious?”

“I’m afraid I get rather dense when I’m frustrated to no end. You’re going to have to spell it out for me.” Ardyn sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose. When they came to the end of the pergola path, Noctis guided Ardyn over to a gazebo that overlooked the city. Both the men went for a pair of seats to rest, sitting across from each other.

“Well,” Noctis breathed out. “She comes from a long line of family that served as crownsguard to Lucis. Her father stained the family’s reputation, but she more than makes up for it. She’s something of a champion among imperials, which will continue to help you score points with your constituents. Recently, she was absolved of some rather nasty accusations. I’m sure you can look past it, and see that she’s a good match. Of course there’s the part where you two traveled together for months. Plus last I checked, she was your shield.”

Ardyn’s face slowly started to change. Going from confused and bewildered, to suddenly feeling as if a train had ran him over without a second thought. He felt his heart beating thunderously in his chest. A cold sweat began to trickle down his neck. His breathing became irregular, stirring a bit of a panic within himself. Then came the elation. The wave of euphoria that couldn’t be matched by the rush of blood he felt to his chest.

“Cahl?” Ardyn’s voice was meek. Probably the softest any living person had ever heard. Noctis couldn’t help but stifle a laugh, unprepared for the reaction. Nonetheless, the king nodded. His smile grew into a grin.

“This isn’t a cruel joke, right?” Ardyn was quick to assume the worst.

“No, no it’s not.” Noctis reassured. “Caelan Zamfir is your betrothed. You both are to be wed a week before your coronation as emperor, in five months time. Lucis will be footing the bill for the wedding as a courtesy.”

Ardyn blinked several times. His hands rummaged over his face, carding through his hair and drifting to the back of his neck. He repeated these motions several times in vain to calm himself. He felt a plethora of emotions hit him at once. Anxiousness, exhilaration, and fear were the primary three. He was thankful Noctis stopped talking for a time, giving him plenty of room to breathe and calm his racing thoughts.

“I don’t understand,” Ardyn shook his head. He turned his neck, looking toward the cityscape. Insomnia’s endless towers offered him something to fixate on while he continued to ease his mind. “How did this all come to pass?”

“Are you upset with the outcome?” Noctis couldn’t help but ask.

“No!” Ardyn exclaimed. He observed Noctis jump, and quickly motioned with his hands he didn’t mean anything threatening. Ardyn then settled his hands onto the arms of his chair, his fingertips gently tapped on the surface.

“Can you enlighten me as to what happened behind the scenes?”

Noctis leaned forward some in his chair and let out a deep breath. Unfolding everything was not an easy task for him, considering how hard he had to work to make sure things aligned. Nevertheless, Noctis knew he owed Ardyn an explanation. Not just for the outcome, but why certain conditions had to be met for Caelan to come out on top.

“Let me preface by saying, this wasn’t the original plan the guys and I had in mind.” Noctis clarified before he continued.

“I didn’t anticipate Cae’s trial would take long. Two months at most from what I gathered. When the guard began to uncover Julian Zamfir’s slaughter--and the gravesites began to pile up--I had no choice but to keep her in custody, and extend the trial period. Given the sensitivity of what came to light, I couldn’t afford to let Cae interact with you. Not just for her protection, but yours. There were a number of people that wanted the Homicida to perish without seeing the evidence.” Noctis paused for a moment and got up from his seat. He ventured to a cooler that was nearby that Ardyn didn’t realize had been there the whole time. The king opened the top, and brought out a few drinks, passing one to Ardyn before sitting back down.

“Around that time, Camelia had a heart to heart with me about my crownsguard failing to contain you in Altissa. She didn’t outright say it, but she deduced your stunt was theatrics. That you intended to set Cae free and not kill her. She tried to get me to admit we played a role, but I held my ground. Said you went rogue. She backed off after that.” Noctis furrowed his brows, recalling unpleasant memories from that conversation. He didn’t like lying to Camelia, but he went to the grind on that one to keep the reputation of his friends and country intact.

“What gave me away?” Ardyn’s concern was present in his tone. He watched Noctis shrug then make a face.

“Apparently, you looked at Cae in a certain light. Camelia said she knew everything you said about not having relations with your shield was a farce after that.”

“Can’t say I didn’t try.” Ardyn let out of a puff of air and rolled his eyes.

“You’re not exactly subtle with your affections.” Noctis pointed out. He uncapped his soda, and took a swig.

“Anyway, to keep up appearances that you intended to kill Caelan, I decided to keep you both in the dark. That meant limiting my own contact with you as well. Camelia launched her own private investigation into what happened. I didn’t want to risk her finding out the true nature of our interference. Gladio caught some of her troopers intercepting messages sent to Cae--which we put an end too--but if they happened to be yours, well--I’m sure you could imagine what would’ve occurred. If Camelia didn't push things, and the threats to Cae weren't severe, I thought the guys would be able to smuggle her over to Niflheim. Once both your trials passed.”

Ardyn hummed in thought. His neutral gaze went to the bottle cap of his drink before he unscrewed it and tossed the metal piece elsewhere. Not catching the brief glare Noctis gave for the act.

“I must admit that was wise of you,” Ardyn admitted. He took a sip, finding the taste too sweet for his liking then plopped the bottle beside the left chair leg. “I’ve wanted to snap your neck for it all, but I understand now that your hands were tied. I apologize for my earlier indiscretion.”

Noctis made a face. “I’m gonna ignore you just said that.”

“By all means. Whatever helps you sleep at night, highness.” Ardyn teased. His brows knitted into a worried look, focusing back to the overall conversation. “So…this doesn’t explain the betrothal piece. How did you get me scooped up into that?”

“I’m getting there,” Noctis motioned with his right hand for Ardyn not to jump several steps ahead. The king collected his thoughts, then proceeded after taking another drink of his beverage. “Tenebrae sprung the betrothal during a private meet while the elections at Niflheim were taking place. I didn’t think much of it, until I was informed you were involved in the elections. I honestly didn’t believe you’d get chosen, so it was of no consequence to me until lo and behold, here you are.”

Ardyn smirked briefly at the final remark. There was much he wanted to comment on, but held back. He could tell there was more to the story, and allowed Noctis to continue on with it.

“I didn’t know what to do. It was a few weeks before Cae’s trial, and I was at a loss. Luna in her hour of wisdom, brought to my attention the ward law. She suggested I select Cae to be betrothed to you through that. While I negotiated with the jury to remove the death penalty, I planted the idea among them. They didn’t have to take my advice, but I succeeded.”

“I seem to be missing something,” Ardyn interrupted. “How does Cahl being a ward help with this?”

“I forgot, you didn’t have such things back in your time.” Noctis cleared his throat. He felt a bit foolish for the assumption. “A ward under Lucis means someone who has been convicted of a high crime, but they are not worthy of imprisonment due to a series of special circumstances. Cae hit most of the checkmarks. As a ward, if I the king summon her to perform duties on behalf of the kingdom, she’s legally bound to my command. Some tasks I can give to a ward include being conscripted for war, to act as backup crownsguard, and I can marry them off for political alliances.”

Ardyn was quiet for a long while after Noctis finished. Mixed feelings dwelled in his heart. He didn’t appreciate how Caelan was essentially reduced to a political tool, an end to justify the means. Logically he understood Noctis played the best hand he had available. Though Ardyn wasn’t comfortable having someone be forced into an arrangement such as marriage, he considered himself and Caelan both lucky. At least if she still harbored feelings for him. He didn’t feel ready for that conversation.

“What about the tension surrounding Accordo?” Ardyn piped up, deciding to distract himself from his contemplations. “I doubt Madam Secretary was fond of the idea given mine and Cahl’s transgressions.”

“Don’t even worry about it,” Noctis shrugged nonchalantly. “The prime courts of Tenebrae, Lucis and Accordo voted on the matter since it’s part of the peace treaty terms. You’ll come to find everyone is meticulous with global policies than before. Everything is combed through and everything gets a vote where needed. It was a landslide win Caelan be betrothed to you. Even if Camelia convinced her courts to vote against it, Tenebrae and Lucis have the numbers.”

Ardyn tilted his head, raising a brow suspiciously at Noctis’s remarks. “I fail to see how people voted in favor of this union given that I allegedly tried to kill Cahl.”

“Well, you don’t exactly have a stellar reputation among most,” Noctis said honestly. He finished off the rest of his soda, tossing the empty bottle into a bin nearby from his seat. “Many think forcing you into marrying someone you ‘despise’ is a reasonable punishment for your past, considering they can’t lay a finger on you. Everyone assumes both you and Cae are going into this blind.”

“Oh woe is me,” Ardyn said sarcastically. He and Noctis both chuckled from the remark. Ardyn deeply sighed, letting everything fall into place before he asked what was considered the most important question.

“Does Cahl know what’s to be done with her?”

Noctis shook his head. “No, I thought it would be best if you broke it to her.”

“That’s rather cruel of you, highness.” Ardyn said bluntly. “To place a burden like that on myself. You’ve already thrown so much upon me.”

“Consider it payback for when you played a hand in arranging Luna and I to get hitched.” Noctis snorted. The mockery in his tone he could tell struck a nerve in Ardyn, and he watched while his ancestor looked puzzled by the statement.

“I thought you were ecstatic with your betrothal?”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong I'm thankful.” Noctis nodded. “But initially, you can only imagine how scared I was. And stressed. So it’s only fair you eat shit too.”

Ardyn laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. “I guess I do deserve it…”

“I think we covered all our bases. I won’t keep you waiting anymore.” Noctis said as he got up from his seat, watching as Ardyn followed suit. He motioned with his hand to the bridge where they had come from, then pulled out his phone to check if he had received a text from Gladio.

“I sent for Cae to meet you here at the palace gardens,” Noctis said as he texted back to his retainer. “Gladio picked her up. She hasn’t been notified of your arrival, so I hope it’s a good surprise. You’ll both have privacy. No one will be going in or out of the garden for the next few hours.”

“I owe you a great deal, Noct.” Ardyn murmured. There was a sincere gratitude in his eyes that Ardyn himself didn’t think he was capable of expressing. Ardyn didn’t like being in debt to others, but in this case he made an exception. He was happy to have been wrong about Noctis. The boy did have a heart after all.

“You saved my family and me,” Noctis said earnestly. “It’s only fair you get a loved one back.”

Noctis gave a nod in acknowledgement to Ardyn. There was still much trauma both he and his ancestor needed to unpack from years ago, but the king was beginning to see light at the end of a dark tunnel. This circumstance provided an opportunity to mend the last of their grievances with each other. If anything, Noctis looked forward to the future more than ever. The potential of working alongside his former adversary may signal a new age. One where his descendants would never have to face the Astrals and their endless tribulations.

"Safe travels back home." Noctis bowed.

“Until the next meet then,” Ardyn bowed, finishing up his pleasantries. He wasted no time sprinting off, not wanting to keep Caelan waiting any longer. It didn’t matter if he had his fears and doubts, Ardyn needed to see her again.

“Ardyn!”

He stopped in his tracks, turning around to face Noctis as the king smiled and hollered.

“Walk tall, you got this!”

Ardyn rolled his eyes, shaking his head and shouted back.

“You just had to say it!” He could hear Noctis laugh, then watched as the king motioned for him to get a move on. Ardyn went back to running. He smiled genuinely for the first time in almost two years.

Caelan was sitting by a fountain, situated underneath a large tree. The parterre of the palace gardens was lush. The gentle sound of plants carding their leaves against one another could be heard accompanied by whistling tunes of birds. There were flowers and greenery as far as the eye could see. Most of the flowers were shades of white and blue, matching the king and queens representative colors.

Caelan hadn’t seen anything quite like this. She was so taken that she forgot to ask Gladio why she had been brought to such a place. Then again, Caelan had her doubts she would’ve been able to ask anything given how quickly he departed. She assumed he was busy, and didn’t have time to linger. All Caelan knew was that she was waiting to meet a representative. Whatever that entailed, Caelan hoped it wasn’t anything too serious. She braced herself for the possibility that the king would ask her to go back to being a crownsguard. That was the only logical explanation she came up with.

While listening to the water and admiring more of the scenery, a figure began to take shape in Caelan’s peripheral. She did a double take before settling her eyes on a familiar face. Caelan froze. Her heart leapt into the back of her throat while her eyes widened. She slowly began to rise from her seat, never once taking her sight off the man that drew closer. Her chest began to rise and fall with haste.

Ardyn came to a halt when he stood about ten feet from Caelan. He felt time for the briefest of seconds pause. Every nerve in his body fired off, wanting to rush and embrace Caelan with all the might he could conjure. Alas, Ardyn allowed himself to admire her. His eyes traveled over her body, remembering what it was like to lay beside her while they camped. How it felt getting to know every curve and crevice when they made love. How enrapturing it was to hold her hand and talk to her. He was overwhelmed in the best of ways.

“Time hasn’t cast its spell on you.” Ardyn said quietly. He watched as Caelan chuckled, shaking her head in doubt. Her eyes were watering up.

“You have a beard now!” Caelan pointed out, watching Ardyn grin as he shyly looked down at his feet.

“Yes, your doing I’m afraid.” Ardyn said as he looked up at her. He bit the inside of his bottom lip. “You told me long ago I should change things up so people didn’t get spooked at recognizing the Adagium. I dare admit you’re right. It’s worked in my favor.”

Caelan laughed. She couldn’t believe he remembered that conversation when the two went to help Florens. She took a few steps forward, pointing out his hair.

“The small braids and the half up ponytail my doing as well?”

“Guilty as charged.” Ardyn smirked.

“And…glasses?” Caelan raised a brow, not expecting to see those on his person.

“Oh, these!” Ardyn had the item hanging from the collar of his overshirt. He gently plucked them off, glancing over the black frame before tucking them into the pocket of his large black coat.

“They’re my reading glasses. I can’t see text well up close.”

“The perks of being mortal and flawed.” Caelan said sarcastically, giving a sigh. She smiled while Ardyn laughed at her comment.

“I assure you, I’ve been enjoying my mortality and all it's wonders.” Ardyn said as a matter of fact. Once their chuckles died down, he rubbed the side of his neck. There were a million different ways he could approach Caelan, and indecision was nipping at the back of his mind. He could tell it was the same case for her, both unsure where they stood with the other.

“You look so official,” Caelan broke the silence, wiping away at her eyes. She sniffled then cleared her throat. “I take it you’ve built a nice life for yourself?”

Ardyn let out a nervous laugh, scratching some of the scruff of his beard. “You can say that. I’m--well, I’m the emperor of Niflheim.”

“What?!” Caelan exclaimed.

“Hmm hmm.” Ardyn nodded. There was a playful glimmer in his eyes while he watched Caelan’s jaw drop. She was near speechless.

“How?”

“Well,” Ardyn sighed while he adjusted the collar of his shirt. “After the imperials voted not to behead me, I was sentenced to serving the empire. I started off as a consultant. I’ll spare you the politics. From there I made some gambles that paid off that ended up putting me on the ballot. So here I am!”

Caelan was surprised at how well Ardyn was able to condense something so profound into a few sentences or less. It was a talent most couldn’t come by, even with practice. She had missed that about him. He could either be straightforward or longwinded, and no one would know what they'd get.

“How long do you serve for?”

“Five years as emperor. Another, if I’m re-elected. Once I step down as emperor, I’ll serve the rest of my life as Niflheim’s chief adviser. The weight of responsibility and being mortal seemed a just punishment for my wrongdoings. I can’t outlive everyone I don’t tolerate in politics so unfortunately, I can’t weasel my way out into a different career.”

Ardyn chuckled as did Caelan. He felt goosebumps travel up his spine. Hearing her laugh again at his less than humorous remarks felt like breathing for the first time. That first gasp of breath powerful enough to solidify his place in the world.

“I’m afraid I don’t know much about your predicament for I was kept blind.” Ardyn said as he furrowed his brows. “We’re you treated well during my absence?”

Caelan nodded. She felt some relief come over her, hearing Ardyn was kept in the dark much like herself. She wondered if Ardyn knew the reason for why they couldn’t keep in touch during the separation, and why of all times they were allowed to finally reunite.

“I stayed in a decent part of the keep,” Caelan began. By now, Ardyn and her were walking side by side through the garden. Both still minded each other’s space. “I didn’t get to go outside a lot, but Prompto and the guys made sure I was comfortable. I’m a ward now. I live in a small district not far from the palace with others like me. It’s nice. Not exactly a dream come true, but I’ve been managing.”

“Cahl,” Ardyn cleared his throat.

“Hm?”

“I don’t mean to be too forward but,” Ardyn stopped walking as did Caelan. He faced her, staring deeply into her eyes. “I need to hold you. May I do so?”

Caelan didn’t say a word and initiated the contact. Her arms quickly snaked around his shoulders, hands clasping into place while she felt Ardyn hug her by the waist. Neither of them cared how tight their grips were, nor the fact they were losing breath. Sighs of relief left them as their bodies swayed against the other. Old and new scents began to familiarize themselves as did touch.

Caelan felt a few stray tears cascade down her eyes while she lifted her head up. Her face having been buried in Ardyn’s neck for a time. She blinked while looking around the gardens, trying to keep herself from flying away though she was tethered to him.

“Why,” Caelan whispered. Her fingers gently carded through Ardyn’s red locks. “Why are you here?”

As soon as she said the words, Ardyn adjusted. He swallowed while his cerulean eyes trailed over Caelan’s face.

“I’ve come to take you home with me,” Ardyn murmured. “To Niflheim.”

“What do you mean?” Caelan was confused, watching as Ardyn’s confidence began to wane.

“Well, it’s up to you…I mean, in a manner of speaking.”

“You’re being cryptic.” Caelan teased.

“My apologies,” Ardyn chuckled. “I’m a little nervous. I haven’t done this in a long, long time.”

“Talking to me?” Caelan quipped.

“Well, there’s that.”

They both laughed. Once their antics died down, Caelan’s hands remained on Ardyn’s shoulders. Ardyn’s hands rested at the small of Caelan’s back, his fingers trembled against her clothes.

“You’re a ward of Lucis,” Ardyn cleared his throat. “I’m sure you’re aware of where you stand in the grand scheme of things.”

Caelan nodded. “I’m basically a glorified servant with a title.”

“You’re no such thing in my eyes,” Ardyn’s tone held a warning. He made it clear he wasn’t going to tolerate hearing such proclamations. The dominance of it made Caelan let out a breath she wasn’t aware of holding back.

“Myself and the world leaders wrapped up a summit today. We discussed peace terms between Niflheim and Lucis. Cahl, they--well everyone voted the best path to peace is marriage. I’m to be engaged.”

“Oh,” Caelan bit the inside of her cheek and slowly parted her body away from Ardyn’s.  

Ardyn could feel his own life leaving from his eyes while Caelan began to retreat. His body inclined forward, trying in vain to get back what was lost.

“Cahl--”

“If you’re here to tell me goodbye for good, please make it quick. I can’t--”

“Cahl, let me finish.” Ardyn reached out and gently grabbed Caelan’s right hand. His fingers squeezed around hers. “I’m to be engaged as are you.”

For Caelan, the importance of Ardyn’s words didn’t register right away. They repeated in mind as she settled her breathing. It felt scary in ways, reacting to basic impulses without a second thought. That was something she loved about Ardyn. How he easily pulled the devil out of her. While she calmed down, feeling his thumb tread against her flesh delicately, Caelan’s eyes widened. The epiphany hit her and she was paralyzed.

“Wait,” Caelan breathed out, turning her head to look at Ardyn. “Us?”

Ardyn slowly nodded, offering a small smile as consolation.

“How in--”

“You’re a ward. The king can do whatever he pleases with them. Including marry them off for political alliances. So…you’ve been selected to marry me. For a peace treaty.”

Whatever grit Caelan had left in her dissipated. The dam had broke, and she was crying heavily. Barely a noise left her shaking form while Ardyn let go of her hand, and rubbed his eyes. To Caelan, he looked as if he had shot her and was just now registering the impact of his actions.

“Every step I’ve taken to get me here, was so I could have enough power to free you.” Ardyn pleaded, trying to alleviate the sudden responsibility he had thrown onto her.

“I wish there could’ve been an alternative. I don’t like how this is forced, and I’m sorry this burden falls to you. Just because you and I have been betrothed, doesn’t mean we have to adhere to marriage. I know a lot can happen in a year. I hold no expectation that you to still love me as you once did. And if you harbor feelings for someone else--I can find a way to ensure your happiness.”

Ardyn watched on helplessly while Caelan quietly sobbed into her palms. He wanted to bundle her up into his arms and comfort her. It conflicted with his desire to give Caelan space and the possibility she might not yearn for his touch ever again.

“You’re an idiot,” Caelan murmured. She looked up from her hands, seeing the inquisitive and mildly offended look Ardyn gave and laughed. “What the hell would I do as empress?”

Ardyn tried to suppress a smile, but it couldn’t be helped. He understood then why Caelan had rightfully called him a fool.

“Whatever you want!” Ardyn motioned his arms out for emphasis before they fell to his sides. “Rule at my side. Remain my shield. Go to school like you wanted. Explore Niflheim on your own. Stay at home and do nothing. I don’t care what you do.”

Feeling alright with approaching Caelan again, Ardyn ventured to her side. He carefully cupped the right of her cheek. His thumb wiped away at Caelan's tears while he smiled at her warmly.

“What matters is that you and I are together. I’ll take whatever amount of yourself you’ll allow me to have. I’m yours.”

Caelan took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly while she nodded against his palm. Her head leaned more into Ardyn's touch.

“Are you fine with this arrangement?”

“Ask me.” Caelan teased. Her smile grew so big she could feel her cheeks burning.

Ardyn chuckled. He gulped without meaning to, and stared in between her lips and eyes. Not wanting to miss a single micro expression.

“Will you marry me, Cahl?”

“Yes. Yiisu isa tamdents nyemi.”

“Good,” He sighed. “Casuuway aMdents tanteel ot maatsua ji a aakeyuth tome.”

Ardyn’s words drifted away, taken back by Caelan’s insistent kissing to his mouth. His lips shuddered against hers, shocked at the intensity and warmth that overcame his senses. Tremors fired off in his arms. He felt as if his body had been swept into a tide, and the waves kept crashing against him; never once letting him savor air. He was in utter bliss as was she. Her fingers carded through his hair, remembering where Ardyn liked to be tugged. His hands clasped on either side of Caelan’s neck while his fingertips slinked up to her face, holding her still while he ravaged her. This kiss had a little bit of everything that made up the sum of their relationship: passion, admiration and, reverence. All was known and ever would be.

Neither could remain in the ocean of their fervor. They both came up to the surface, gasping for air while sharing breath. With a mischievous smile, Ardyn gestured with his head to Caelan. Before she could ask what he was alluding to, he had grabbed her by the hand and escorted her quickly out of the gardens.

“Ardyn, where are we going?” Caelan made a face, suppressing a bout of laughter while he stopped briefly upon reaching the exit. She watched Ardyn use a free hand to text on his phone, quickly shoving the device back into his pocket after the message had been relayed.

“I’m taking you to Niflheim! I said you were coming home with me. I messaged for the airship to be ready for our arrival.”

“Wait,” Caelan grabbed a hold of Ardyn’s shoulder, stopping him from pursuing yet again. “I’m not permitted to leave Insomnia. In our case, probably not until the king gives me away when we are married.”

“So?” Ardyn raised a brow. He smirked, watching Caelan avert her gaze. She couldn’t withstand grinning even if the Astrals blessed her with resilience.

“Since when do you and I follow the rules?” Ardyn brought Caelan’s hand to his mouth, gently kissing the top of her knuckles. His eyes swam with devotion as he murmured.

“We make our own rules. We’ve done our time and played our parts. You’re coming home with me. Today.”

“What about the king--”

“Fuck the king!” Ardyn waved off her fears. Their laughter intermingled and their feet carried them to the airship awaiting them outside the palace gates. Nothing could touch either of them, for they finally had everything that had been taken.

All was well for the immortal and the shield.

Notes:

Yiisu isa tamdents nyemi= Yes is my answer

Casuuway aMdents tanteel ot maatsua ji a aakeyuth tome=Because I've wanted to marry you for a long time now

**THE STORY ISN'T OVER, THE EPILOGUE WILL BE UPLOADED SOON**

#ardyn lucis caelum #ardyn izunia #ffxv fanfic #ffxv ardyn #original characters #plot heavy #kind of the last chapter but not #idgaf if its sappy as shit #or cliche at the end #have at it bitches #immortal shield

[yuriko-mukami]

Hi how are you!. I'm Anyi Ishikawa and I wanted to know if I could ask you some questions.

1:. Which Ruki's route do you like the most?

2:. Why did you fall in love with Ruki?

3: Which drama CD do you like the most or do you find it funny?

4: do you like any other character? (Sakamaki, mukami, Tsukinami or kino)

5: Do you think Ruki would be a good father? (Since he raised Shin's son in one of the bad endings)

That's all the questions :D . (Your OC is very cute (´∩｡• ᵕ •｡∩`))

(( Hello dear, nice to meet you~

Sure you can ask questions. Asks are always welcome ^^ I try to answer as well as I can.

1:. Which Ruki's route do you like the most?

I still have his Lunatic Parade route to play, so I can't be sure if that ends up to be my favorite... but anyway. This is a difficult question because I honestly have loved all his routes so far. Each and every one of them has its intriguing moments.

Maybe Dark Fate? It felt so compelling and lured me in very strongly. It stirred up so many emotions and touched my heart deeply, so it kind of left a mark on my soul. Buuuut More Blood was the game that made me fall for Ruki and Lost Eden deepened that love even more... and Chaos Lineage somehow gave me both DF and MB vibes at the same time, so... I just can't say for sure which of his routes I like the most. I enjoyed Vandead Carnival too but it was rather light-hearted fanservice, I think.

2:. Why did you fall in love with Ruki?

(( Gosh, you ask difficult questions! But don't worry that's perfectly fine.

Why indeed? Believe it or not, Ruki annoyed me at first the most. In the beginning, I saw him as the most annoying man ever. He felt so strict, stern, stubborn, and pushy... and well, he still is all that. But the thing is, my annoyance is sometimes a sign of crush and that happened with Ruki. It just took time before I could admit that... So, I guess I just liked him from the very first moment but struggled to see it. Damn, this is embarrassing.

But still, it took a while for me to really fall in love with him. It was probably because we share interests, his complexness intrigues my mind and his past experiences touched my heart. He can be really seductive too, and that was the reason he sneaked his way past my annoyance. And I love this side of him a lot still.

But Ruki is more than a good-looking and hot vampire. He is an interesting person to talk with; I'm fascinated by his intelligence and conversation skills and his love for literature is a nice plus side too. His family orientation warms my heart, and I feel like he is someone I can trust. He also has his sadistic and dominant side... and that just works for me.

I know that Ruki has done terrible deeds and that his jealous and possessive side is anything but healthy... but even with his faults I just can't help but love him.

Aside from canon material, I need to mention that @ask-ruki-mukami is partly responsible for my deep love for Ruki.

So, why did I fall in love with Ruki? I guess he just was there offering me what I've yearned for, checking all those little boxes for the perfect boyfriend and Master husbando.

3: Which drama CD do you like the most or do you find it funny?

(( I still haven't listened to them all, so it's difficult to say. I liked Zero a lot though. And I have the Lost Eden Stella Set CD which has three tracks for Ruki (there are also Shuu, Kou, and Subaru). That's kind of my comfort CD. Sometimes when I can't sleep I just listen to those Ruki tracks.

But maybe the funniest drama CD I've listened to so far was actually the one with the Sakamakis drinking vampire juice.

4: do you like any other character? (Sakamaki, mukami, Tsukinami or kino)

(( Yes! I do like all the other Mukamis... but I kind of see them like brothers or family members, if that makes sense. I don't have any romantic feelings for them. I also like Shuu and Subaru a lot.

A few people have said to me that I will like Carla once I play his routes. So far I still haven't played any, so I can't really say... but he has caught my interest a bit. He is kind of annoying though.

5: Do you think Ruki would be a good father? (Since he raised Shin's son in one of the bad endings)

(( I think Ruki could struggle with parenthood actually. He has a difficult past and becoming a father could bring out his trauma again, so there is a lot for him to work through at least.

Other than that Ruki is very possessive and jealous. He would be like this with his wife and children too. The way he behaves sometimes isn't something children should see from their father. But at the same time, he is family-oriented and I can believe he would want to do what is the best for his family, keep them safe and arrange everything as perfectly as he could. He would be a very strict but loving father, still, he would have his bad and weak moments too.

So, how do I imagine it... Ruki would try his very best but still, he would fail at times, sometimes even in a terrible way. I can't really give a direct "yes" or "no" answer here. But in my heart, I want to believe in him.

-

I guess that was all the answers. Sorry that this turned out so long. I'm bad at giving short answers and ponder probably more than I should. But feel free to drop by in my ask box whenever!

Also, I'm so happy to hear that you find Yuriko cute! 🥺 That warms my heart! 🥰

#answered asks #sekai takoyaki #the admin speaks #ruki mukami #yuriko tsukino #diabolik lovers #diabolik oc

[storytimewithnova]

A Love Beyond Measure

Once upon a time in the bustling halls of Karasuno High School, a seemingly unlikely romance was blooming. Shona Miya, the adorable and affectionate little sister of the Miya twins, found herself drawn to Ennoshita Chikara, the forgotten bench warmer of the volleyball team.

Shona was known for her sweet nature, constantly spreading joy and kindness wherever she went. Ennoshita, on the other hand, was a quiet and reserved individual, often overshadowed by the more prominent players on the team. Their paths had rarely crossed before, but fate had other plans for them.

One fateful afternoon, as Shona was innocently humming the lyrics to "Why" by Sabrina Carpenter, Ennoshita happened to overhear her. The lyrics resonated deeply within him, reflecting his own hidden desires and longing for love. Intrigued, he mustered up the courage to approach Shona, starting a conversation that would change their lives forever.

As they got to know each other, Shona discovered Ennoshita's warm heart and unwavering dedication. She saw past his modesty and recognized his strength, both on and off the volleyball court. Ennoshita, in turn, found solace in Shona's gentle spirit and appreciated her genuine love for others. Their contrasting personalities only seemed to draw them closer, amplifying their feelings for one another.

However, they faced a significant obstacle: their friends' assumptions. Shona's friends believed she was single, while Ennoshita's teammates assumed he was dating the fiery and energetic Tanaka. Aware of these misunderstandings, Shona and Ennoshita decided to keep their relationship a secret for a while longer.

Surrounded by a group of friends at a local café, Shona and Ennoshita couldn't resist the urge to share their truth. Using the lyrics of "Why" as the catalyst for their confession, they carefully chose their words, revealing their hidden love for each other.

Ennoshita whispered to shona

Enno: you sure about this love

Sho: let's get it over with

They went to the smale stage that was set for that evenings open mic and shona started

Sho:🎶I like New York city in the daytime🎶

Enno:🎶I like New York city in the nighttime🎶

Sho:🎶You say you like sleeping with the air off I don't, I need it on🎶

They looked at their friends priceless reaction supressing a laugh and continued

Enno:🎶You like the light coming through the windows I sleep late, so I just keep 'em all closed🎶

Sho:🎶You ignore the music on the radio I don't, I sing-a-long🎶

Enno:🎶I don't ask for you to change, love no no no And you don't ask for me to change🎶

Sho:🎶Tell me how we're not alike But we work so well and we don't even know why🎶

Enno:🎶Funny how the stars crossed right 'Cause we work so well and we don't even know why🎶

Sho:🎶You can call it fire and ice But we work so well and we don't even know why🎶

Enno:🎶We don't even know why, no no🎶

Sho:🎶We don't even know why, no no no🎶

EnnoaMiya:🎶No no no no We like it in the daytime We like it in the end of time No no no no We like it in the daytime We like it in the end of time🎶

Sho:🎶Cold outside and you're just in a t-shirt I have cold blood even in a sweater🎶

Enno:🎶You start your night sippin' by the kilo I don't, I know you know🎶

Sho:🎶I don't ask for you to change, babe no no no And you don't ask for me to change🎶

Enno:🎶Tell me how we're not alike But we work so well and we don't even know why🎶

Sho:🎶Funny how the stars crossed right 'Cause we work so well and we don't even know why You can call it fire and ice But we work so well and we don't even know why🎶

Enno:🎶We don't even know why, no no (no no no) We don't even know why, no no no🎶

EnnoMiya:🎶No no no no We like it in the daytime (we don't even know) We like it in the end of time (we don't even know) No no no no We like it in the daytime (We don't even know, know, know, know, know, know, know, know, know)🎶

Sho:🎶Somehow we end up on the same side And you wouldn't think that we'd be alright Even our eyes are different colors, but we see fine 🎶

Enno:🎶Somehow we end up on the same side (up on the same side) And you wouldn't think that we'd be alright (think that we'd be alright) Even our eyes are different colors, but we see fine🎶

Sho:🎶tell me how we're not alike But we work so well and we don't even know why ('cause we work so well and we don't even know why, why)🎶

Enno:🎶Funny how the stars crossed right 'cause we work so well and we don't even know why You can call it fire and ice But we work so well and we don't even know why🎶

Sho:🎶('cause we work so well and we don't even know why, why) We don't even know why, no no We don't even know why, no no no🎶

EnnoaMiya:🎶No no no no We like it in the daytime (oh) We like it in the end of time (we don't even know why) No no no no We like it in the daytime We like it in the nighttime🎶

When the song had finished they looked at their friends and Their friends were astonished, but their surprise quickly gave way to joy and support. They marveled at how love had blossomed between Shona and Ennoshita, two people who seemed so different but complemented each other perfectly. From that moment on, Shona and Ennoshita no longer had to hide their relationship and could openly embrace their love for one another.

As time went on, their love only grew stronger, and their bond became an inspiration to their friends and the entire school. Shona and Ennoshita showed everyone that sometimes, the most unexpected relationships can become the most beautiful. Like magnets with opposite poles, they attracted each other, defying expectations and embracing a love that was uniquely theirs. As Shona and Ennoshita navigated their blossoming relationship, they encountered various challenges and obstacles. High school life brought its fair share of drama and complexities, but their love remained steadfast.

They supported each other’s dreams and ambitions, cheering for Shona during her soccer matches and motivating Ennoshita to overcome his insecurities and step out of the shadows. Together, they became a formidable duo, encouraging one another to push beyond their limits.

Shona's brothers, Osamu and Atsumu, were initially taken aback by the news of her secret romance with Ennoshita. However, seeing the genuine happiness radiating from Shona's eyes, they couldn't deny the love they shared. Over time, they embraced Ennoshita as a part of their close-knit family, appreciating his caring nature and dedication to their sister.

Meanwhile, at Karasuno High School, rumors of Shona and Ennoshita's relationship spread like wildfire. Some students were skeptical, unable to understand how the cheerful and popular Shona could be drawn to the reserved and introverted Ennoshita. Jealousy and rumors swirled, but the couple remained resilient, rising above the noise. They knew their love was built on a solid foundation of understanding, respect, and shared values.

In the volleyball club, Shona's relationship with Ennoshita blossomed into an unexpected source of inspiration. The team began to recognize Ennoshita's importance, not just as a substitute player but also as someone who had captured Shona's heart. They admired the way he nurtured their little mascot, finding inspiration in his unwavering support for her.

Together, Shona and Ennoshita faced victories and defeats, growing individually as well as a couple. They learned the importance of communication and compromise, finding solace in each other's arms during challenging times. Their love became an anchor, grounding them amidst the chaos of teenage life.

As graduation approached, Shona and Ennoshita faced the bittersweet reality of parting ways. Their dreams led them to different paths, with Shona pursuing a soccer scholarship at a prestigious university and Ennoshita exploring his passion for literature and writing. Though physically distant, their love endured, strengthened by the memories they had created together.

Separated by distance but forever connected at heart, Shona and Ennoshita promised to support each other's dreams and celebrate their individual successes. They remained in touch, exchanging heartfelt letters and sharing their adventures in the pursuit of their passions.

Over the years, Shona and Ennoshita's love story became the stuff of legends at Karasuno High School. Their tale of unexpected love, defying societal expectations, remained an enduring inspiration for future generations.

And so, as life moved forward, Shona and Ennoshita's love story served as a reminder that opposites do attract, and that true love knows no bounds. Their journey showed that sometimes, the most unlikely pairings can create the strongest bonds, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of those who witnessed their extraordinary love.

Years passed, and Shona and Ennoshita's bond only grew stronger with time. They remained true to their promise to support each other's dreams, celebrating each other's accomplishments and navigating life's challenges together.

On a beautiful spring day, surrounded by their loved ones, Shona and Ennoshita stood at the altar, ready to make a commitment that would solidify their love forever. The air was filled with excitement and joy as they exchanged heartfelt vows, pledging their unwavering love and devotion to one another.

Their families and friends looked on with tearful eyes, witnessing the union of two souls who had defied all odds to find each other. The ceremony was filled with laughter, love, and a celebration of the unique journey that had brought them to this moment.

As they sealed their vows with a kiss, a radiant happiness filled the room, spreading like wildfire. The sound of cheers and applause echoed through the venue, a testament to the love and admiration their friends and family held for the couple.

In the years that followed, Shona and Ennoshita continued to build a life together filled with love, adventure, and shared dreams. They supported each other through thick and thin, weathering life's storms with unwavering strength and determination.

Together, they created a home filled with warmth, love, and the pitter-patter of children's laughter. Their love for each other was mirrored in the love they poured into their own family, nurturing their children with the same care and affection that had brought them together years ago.

As time marched on, Shona and Ennoshita grew older gracefully, their bond remaining unbreakable and their love continuing to inspire those around them. They lived a life filled with joy, cherishing every moment and treasuring the love they shared.

When their time on this earth came to an end, they left behind a legacy of a love that had transcended all obstacles. Their story became the stuff of legends, passed down through generations, a testament to the power of true love and the belief that opposites truly do attract.

And so, as their souls reunited in eternity, Shona and Ennoshita smiled, knowing that their journey had been extraordinary and their love had left an indelible mark on the world. Their story would forever be remembered, an everlasting symbol of the beauty that lies in finding love where you least expect it.

#Youtube

[weekendchips]

"Good morning, mystery.

Your greeting is rather bizarre. You criss-cross, swerve, and veer, unpredictable in the paths you choose to take,

Untelling in the choices you make.

Not yielding whence or whereforth you'll take,

Not revealing, hinting, alluding, or leaving any trace.

"Instead of returning the greeting,

You saunter in, leaving barely a toeprint.

Your shoe leaves evidence with a powdery mist, untraceable by even the most apt scientist.

But surely, you stepped in and made your presence known. There is no mistaking the mark you've left behind.

A fleeting feeling, visual remnants, sometimes made into full-fledged art forms. Colours, faces, voices, laughter, expressions, exchanges. Sometimes, even words. Gestures. Subtleties."

The filling and refilling of a glass of beer. Or two. Vestibules of differing heights, different measures.

A sniff of the past and the nostalgia seeps in: tears, questions, what-if's. Why?'s Leading to further queries and ponderings of significance and fate. Reflection of the late night phone calls, what they meant (if anything). Knowing, that you once shared a piece of yourself with this person and they made you feel safe, and whether they knew it or not, you weren't good enough for them. Or they were too good for you. Whether it was the truth or not, it's what you believed, and in your egocentric youth, knew that the only possibility was that they, too, believed things the same way as you.

Maybe that's a fault I've been blessed with from my family line

Maybe it's not a fault whatsoever

Maybe it's a way of coping,

Of not getting too attached. Knowing, inherently, in my very genes, that letting someone in leads to hurt, devastation, an end to living in the only way you know it exists

I sit here coughing, wondering, contemplating my very existence. Daily, skeptical of why or if I [should] exist.

The darker days behind me for now, but knowing they can come back like an unwelcome house guest at any given moment. Knowing, the slightest of triggers may shake this unstable foundation and once again pull me down to my roots, barely holding their footing in the loose soil

I know I can find my way back up to sunlight. I can see the sky, the clouds.

Today it's not blocked or obscured by grey, rain, misery.

It is bright.

It is warm.

I feel life. I might just continue to survive.

I torture myself each second my guard is down (sometimes, I feel the sunny days are the worst for that - that false sense of security lending to a false sense of okayness, an even keel). It's at the least suspecting moments I pounce, picking away at some deep wound, still tender under years of scar tissue and what I thought was called healing.

Yet, I still poke. And I still react. And I'm still human, expecting for some miraculous change, expecting that maybe I will lose touch with my limbic system, and that For Once and For All, my sensitivities will deplete. That I will face the world without feeling every inch of every thing like it is digging under several layers of skin. That my egocentrism will fade away and I won't assume everyone is talking about me when they speak in hushed voices (or are they really just out of earshot and they'renotactuallytalkingaboutmebutimnotactuallysureandsothe a n x i e t y c r e e p s b a c k in.)

And take a deep breath because you've forgotten to breathe yet again. Your head is filling with blood and your brain is on a tangent while your body's oxygen supply is depleted. Your poor body.

Which is the subject of another post.

Moral of the story: Be aware of your internal mono/dia/omni-logue. It really shapes your emotional weather.

This post started as a couple of words about dreams. Man, that escalated quickly. Feels good, though.

It causes me pain to type. My fingers no longer respond to my brain the way they used to. Maybe it's my phone. I don't know.

I know auto-correct has made me lazier than pie, chillin' on a cooling rack. Shiet.

Good night.

[holden-caulfield]

Hatred, you thought.

↪︎ 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

SUMMARY: enemies that get trapped in the same room and have no choice but to work together to get out, inevitably leading the two of them to realize their true feelings for each other to lovers.

WARNINGS: is it angsty? i don't think so, fluffy ending tho

WORD COUNT: 1991

A/N: i'm not really sure what this is, but i used my prompt and this came out... i don't think i ever mention draco but i wrote this with him in mind. also, i don't think they are in school, it's an au of some sort and it's very messy :) it will make sense as you read it tho!!

No way out. An empty room. Just you and him.

Oh, how ironic Fate could be, how insensitive, cruel and ironic.

No way out.

You were stuck, how it happened was still a mystery to you. Such a fool for having let yourself be trapped in there.

An empty room.

No windows, just a door, which was now sealed. The only source of lightning was enough to illuminate both of your faces, his features so sharp in the pale light emanated from the dangling lamp above you.

Just you and him.

It could have been anyone, but it had to be him, of course. He wasn't any happier than you, he despised you just as much as you did, if not more.

But there you were, alone together. Words weren't needed because facial expressions were enough to convey each other's feelings: scowls perfectly disclosed any emotion that passed through your minds. Aversion, loathing, abhorrence, hate.

Such a strong word, you never thought you'd have used it to describe someone, but he was worthy of the title. You hated him, so deeply, so violently, so passionately.

He was much more generous with the use of the word, he hated pretty much everyone who didn't agree with him. But with you. Oh, with you it was different. He made sure you knew he actually hated you. It was not playful banter, it was not temporary animosity. It was pure, unfathomable hatred.

Then why did you find yourself there with him? Fate, once more, came into play.

It has such a weird way of playing, Fate. It can conjoin long lost lovers just as easily as it can unite sworn enemies who would happily have nothing to do with each other. And it takes great pleasure in doing the latter; you couldn't help but imagine the Moirai laughing, deriding you as they spun the inexorable thread that was your own Fate. Insensitive and cruel they were as they got their merciless job done.

"What now?" he asked, but he already knew the answer. He didn't want to admit it, admit he needed your help; neither did you.

But the only alternative was waiting, waiting for the inevitable destiny that would have hit you if you hadn't got out of the room. However, that meant more time to share with him, and neither of you was hoping on it.

"We find a way out, isn't it obvious?" you couldn't refrain the sarcasm dripping from your tone. The even deeper scowl decorating his face was worth it.

"How?" it took a lot out of him to stop himself from snapping at you as he analyzed the only object in the chamber, the door.

"Aren't you the one always preaching about his above-average intellect? Put it to good use, then." you knew snarky remarks wouldn't have helped you to find a way out, but they did help improve your mood, even if only in the slightest.

"No lock. No handle. No hinges. What is your great intellect suggesting?" he threw away that last ounce of restraint he had in him and decided to play your game. A challenge, to entertain you while you endured his vile presence.

"Push it. Break it down."

"Ladies first." you took a running start and collided with the door. It didn't budge.

You tried again, this time he joined you. It didn't budge. Useless attempts.

"Great idea." you could feel the smirk in his voice but you didn't give him the satisfaction and stared at the still-closed door instead.

No way out. An empty room. Just you and him.

When suddenly an illumination: while scrutinizing the room, you looked up and, narrowing your eyes, you noticed a square-shaped line, so thin you couldn't have seen it if you hadn't been so focused.

"Give me a hand, quick!" you let of all the hostilities as an opportunity arose and grasped his shoulder, forcing him to look towards the area your finger pointed to.

He joined his hands and helped you reach what you hoped was a trap door.

"God, i thought you were lighter..."

"And i thought you were stronger but look at us." you stretched your arms to reach it but it was still too high up, "Higher!"

"I can't extend myself, you know?" he said, quite irritated.

"Oh woah, something you can't do? Bewildering..." arms still outstretched, you lifted yourself on your toes. A mistake.

You lost balance and could already taste the blood in your mouth from the inevitable contact with the floor, but it never happened.

Because he caught you. You were shocked and from the look in his eyes, he was too.

"Try not to do other stupid things because i won't be there to catch you again." you quickly lifted yourself from his hold and immediately started to study another way to reach the trap door, your only hope, but in your mind thoughts about what had just happened still roamed freely.

There was no explanation other than the fact that he could not work with an injured person; if you had hurt yourself, you would have been weaker and therefore unable to help him get out. Yes, that was the reason.

"Give me a lift again."

"You can't reach it-"

"Give me a lift. Again." your tone was sterner and he complied, but not before scoffing and rolling his eyes.

You climbed on his hands once more, but it was still too high. You lifted your foot tentatively and placed it on his shoulder.

"Woah, are you trying to kill me up there?!"

You didn't answer, instead using the new added height to reach the ledge. You pushed it open and climbed up, successfully exiting the room you had called prison just moments ago.

"Always."

He smirked disapprovingly, a smile that didn't reach his eyes, and signaled for you to help him out now, so you moved to find something, anything to help him.

It was dark, the only light brightening the new corridor that had just appeared was faint and came from the far end of it.

You crossed the entire hallway, looking for a rope or a box strong enough to support your nemesis when it dawned on you: your nemesis. Why were you even helping him? Sure he had helped you, but that was before you were free.

You had now a choice, he didn't have any. If he did, he wouldn't have been so magnanimous. He surely wouldn't.

You kept on going towards the light, strengthening with every step you took when a rope appeared in your way.

The choice was now concrete. You could help him. Or you couldn't.

"Y/l/n! Found anything?" what to do now? He wouldn't have helped you.

"Took you long enough, huh?"

"I was trying to find something, you ungrateful twat." you sneered as you threw him the rope. He grasped it and began climbing, but you had still time. Time to let the thread go and leave him there. Time to save yourself.

But you didn't, an actual reason still missing in your mind. Too much compassion, too much pity, you thought. But you weren't convinced, you couldn't lie to yourself, there was something else.

He climbed all the way up, you offered your hand to finally hoist him on the ledge. He considered it, he refused it.

"We're not friends, y/l/n."

"Believe me, i know. I was just trying to make sure i hadn't to get you up here all over again. I thought you were lighter, you know?" he glowered at you, but it was not the same as before, as always.

One way out. Just you and him.

You treaded that same corridor you had crossed seconds ago, besides him this time. It was narrow and your bodies tried so hard not to touch but it was close to impossible. Shoulders collided, legs bumped, hands grazed. But eyes refused to meet; hatred, you repeated to yourself.

The light seemed to never arrive even as you quickened your step. You were running, striving to reach that light that you so desperately clang to. But then a sudden stop.

The hand that was once ruthlessly brushing against yours, grasped you. It was rushed, it was vital, it was puzzling. But it held you close to him.

He was your enemy, you needed to distance yourself, but you couldn't find the strength in you to do so. Hatred, you repeated in your head and you pushed him away.

"Watch your step." he said, pointing to a hole in the floor, a square one. You were running in circle.

You felt stupid, to think he had forgotten your rivalry so easily, to think things had changed between you.

"Thanks." it came out of your mouth without thinking. Good manners are hard to forget, you reckoned.

A pause.

"You're welcome." could a situation of forced proximity really change the feelings between two people?

Incredibly thin is the line between love and hate.

You didn't love him. You didn't hate him either. Things were evolving, you didn't know whether it was good or bad, but they were.

"We have to find another way." you thought aloud. He agreed with a simple nod, no remarks. The awkward exchange must have had an effect on him just as much as it did on you, or so you thought.

His eyes were lighter than you had ever seen them, his face seemed tense, but it was not a grimace; that was new. He looked quite entrancing when he wasn't too busy glowering at you, his features looked endearing as they attentively surveyed the area.

Sense of guilt took over because you knew you shouldn't have been thinking about such things, but had he always been so tall and captivating? Had you never noticed that sparkle in his eyes that caused the image of crystals glinting in the sun to appear in your mind? Was he thinking the same?

Undecipherable; intriguing. You wanted to know more, was it possible? You pondered no further and returned your gaze to the corridor, unwillingly.

It was his turn to watch you now because when you turned again you caught him staring.

"What are you looking at?" you couldn't help the defensive tone with which you uttered the sentence, but it didn't bother him.

"You saved me. Why?" he was genuine, he was sincere and this had you even more confused than you already were.

"You did too, it's nothing but a temporary truce."

"Is it?" he whispered without missing a beat and suddenly the walls weren't narrow anymore, no, they were far too wide, he was far too distant. As if reading your mind, he took a step closer.

"Of course it is." were you that sure?

"Are you sure?"

"Of course i am."

"But why did you save me?" what game was he playing? Your mind was not able to form any coherent thought as the man in front of you kept on making questions to which you didn't know the answer. You didn't want to admit the answer.

"It's just a truce, we hate each other-"

"Do we?" his questions were quick, it was much simpler making them than answering them.

"Do we?" you repeated.

"You could have left me there..."

"Do we?" you insisted.

"You didn't have to do that, you could have-"

"Do we hate each other?" you were impatient to hear him say it.

He remained silent but his eyes were speaking, only his mouth didn't allow them.

"Do we hate each other or-"

He cut you off, that same mouth that had suddenly become dumb reached yours. Hatred, you repeated in your head.

You kissed him too, logic leaving your mind, hands entangling in his hair, bodies flush against each other.

Love, you admitted.

Maybe Fate wasn't as cruel as you thought.

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#draco malfoy x reader #draco malfoy #fanfiction #harry potter #fanfic #draco lucius malfoy #draco x reader #draco imagine #draco x y/n #draco malfoy x you #draco malfoy x y/n #draco malfoy fluff

[k-s-morgan]

Hi Katrin! In reference to your previous ask about Ciels final smile of Kuroshitsuji 1, I just have to ask - why do you think Ciel is unhappy in his final moments?

I think I mentioned it a long while back in an ask I sent you (where I just dumped my ramblings about book of murder in your inbox - once again, sorry about that!) but Sebastian leaving Ciel in Paris didn't feel like a rejection to me.

Of course he senses the doubts Ciel clearly has about throwing his life away and I think misunderstands it. I don't think Ciel was second-guessing his revenge, but perhaps his readiness to die.

When Sebastian leaves him, he doesn't seem angry - that much is clear. Instead, he wishes him to "forget everything and have pleasant dreams", with a rather wistful expression on his face. And what this line ends up reading as is a bittersweet goodbye from the demon - an offering for Ciel to let go of his revenge and find happiness in the afterlife with his now soon approaching death.

I think he is disappointed because at some point he started to stop holding Ciel to human standards as he would everything else, but I also don't think he's resentful of it. Ciel is human and he can't keep expecting him not to be, so it was perhaps his fault for doing so.

Not wanting to die doesn't seem like something that would suddenly make Ciel's soul undesirable to Sebastian, so there must be another reason for him to let it go. He cannot offer Ciel life, since he knows that death is readily approaching him, but he can offer him an afterlife.

This offering almost acts as a thank you for the moments of excitement their contract had given his monotone life and I believe that is why he makes it.

He sticks around to see if Ciel accepts his offer, though already expecting him to, and is there to witness the very moment the boy rejects it. Gone is the uncertainty of Abberline's death and the Paris crisis, and Ciel, the Earl of Phantomhive, returns to him - sharper, colder, more ruthless than ever. Sebastian realises his misjudgement and returns to his side, ready for the final battle. Killing an angel. It's laughably symbolic.

I think it is at some point during this battle that Ciel fully acknowledges his feelings towards Sebastian. I completely agree with you - completing his revenge did not fulfil him. I don't think he felt victorious or triumphant from it, or even the satisfaction he might have expected from it. Like you said, he probably realises how wasted his life was in pursuing such a fate, but still understands that it was the only path he would've accepted, being who he was.

But that isn't to say he was unhappy. Just because it wasn't revenge that gave him fulfilment doesn't mean he didn't find it elsewhere. The smile he gives Sebastian doesn't read to me as bitter or condescending, but actually seems quite peaceful. And the reason for that, I think, is that he doesn't fear dying by Sebastian's hand.

Those same reddened eyes and fanged smile would be the last thing he sees – and was that really such a bad way to go? He knew how and when and by whose hands he was going to die, and not everyone could say the same. What's more, at this point, I'm pretty sure he would've realised what he was feeling for Sebastian, so I don't think he would be resentful for dying at the hands of someone he loved.

Sebastian, for him, had always represented the end. And a beautiful end at that. That's why the smile seemed peaceful to me.

He lets go of the bridge. Initially, I assumed it was a mixture of blood loss and a symbolic decision to let go of life and surrender himself to Sebastian, but from your analysis I actually think your idea about him wanting a final act of rebellion is wonderful. All Ciel really wanted was to be remembered by Sebastian, so why not send him one last gift? Let him have one last surprise before it's all over. Die on his own terms - it's a beautiful idea.

He dies in mid-air. We see the exact moment Ciel Phantomhive dies and exact moment his cinematic record blossoms from his lifeless body when the blood loss finally takes him.

It's a beautiful scene, regardless of how you analyse it and I absolutely love hearing everyone's interpretations of it since they're all so different from one another. Reading your analysis in this ask was particularly wonderful to me because it was such a different take from what I was used to. I tjust hought I'd share my view on the scene so I could hear more of your thoughts on the matter. Whether it's in literature or media, watching how the tone of a scene can change as the angle from which it is interpreted switches is perhaps one of the most interesting things you can do.

(My post about Sebastian leaving Ciel in S1 & London Bridge scene for those who are interested).

Thank you for this, I really love your asks, comments, and thoughts! I agree that Sebastian leaving Ciel in S1 wasn't a rejection - I think he was resentful to an extent (he sends Ciel several very dark looks when Ciel stops him from killing the Queen and when they are riding to the hotel), and personally, I see a mix of feelings when he's watching Ciel from afar later. He's quiet and thoughtful, and I think there is a storm of conflicting feelings brewing inside him. I particularly love your words about Sebastian being willing to give Ciel an afterlife.

As for how Ciel takes it... I think he's grimly determined to see everything through. I agree that he fully acknowledges his feelings for Sebastian at this point; I also think Ciel realizes he loves him at the very end of S1, seconds before Sebastian leans closer to take his soul. I imagine the entire life flashing right before Ciel's eyes, his adrenaline spreading through him chaotically and clearing his head in a way he's never experienced before. His reservations, stubbornness, reluctance to succumb to emotions - it's all going to lose its meaning because this is it. In a few seconds, he won't just be dead - he won't exist. I think Ciel is going to see everything with startling clarity, and he'll realize, "Oh. I love you," but of course he won't say it aloud.

I agree Ciel sees the beauty and the peace in being consumed by Sebastian, but at the same time, I see misery in him in those later moments. Sorry, I can't share gifs or even good pics right now, but here are some screens to illustrate what I mean:

I think he looks like in his darkest and saddest moments here. There is sorrow, bitterness, hopelessness in his eyes - he won, but it doesn't feel like it. Ciel always knew he was going to die and Sebastian was going to devour his soul, but now he is being proven right, it is finally happening, and I think he has mixed feelings on this. During their time together, he learned to enjoy life in his way. He enjoyed their games, being challenged, solving puzzles. He always knew it's temporary, but knowing and seeing it are two different things, and I don't think Ciel is as willing to die as he was before. The way he's startled when the Undertaker tell him he's going to die anyway even without Sebastian in the picture, Ciel's sudden burst of emotion when he tells Abberline that he had forfeited his future, his behavior afterward, how he was delaying the conclusion of their contract by holding Sebastian back - I think Ciel was re-assessing things.

This one breaks my heart in particular. In this specific moment, I don't think Ciel doesn't want to die in general, but he doesn't want to leave Sebastian. He's staring at him with emotions he never allowed himself to feel - he's ready, but he's wistful. He wishes things could have been different in some other world, that his book could have another ending, but he knows there is no place for what ifs in his life.

#black butler #sebaciel #kuroshitsuji #ciel phantomhive