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otomes-world · 16 days

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"Under fantasy disguise" part Pomefiore (1)

Fantasy AU “Under fantasy disguise”: world lore (prologue) heartslabyul savanaclaw octavinelle scarabia trigger warning: some self hate, reader in really bad state (but there is nothing grafic), barrely edited text.

At some point, the clouds flying past completely erased the idea of time and space. Slowly brightening sky marked the beginning of a new day. The lump in throat, the approaching nausea and self-loathing merged into one large layer, settling like a burden in your chest. A heaviness that radiates unpleasantly throughout the whole body.

You wanted to pry open chest if only it could give at least a little peace of mind.

However, the much-desired peace would not come. The subconscious told you, or maybe you yourself understood that you couldn’t let go of the situation. Frankly, what happened - all at once - was not your fault. It wasn’t, but selfishness and the banal desire to survive stuck needles into such a subjective concept of conscience, which you didn’t even suspect. When you live in a world of technology - when you don't have to make tough decisions - the world seems simpler.

You didn’t know where the carpet was going. Perhaps it was simply obeying your unspoken impulse to get away. Anywhere. To a place where it will be at least a little easier.

However, during the time you spent in this world, you managed to come to terms with the thought: it won’t get better. The further you plunged into unfamiliar lands and got to know its inhabitants, the harder the blow to your mental health. At some point you thought that the happiest time of your forced journey was wandering in the mountains.

Taking a shuddering breath, you froze abruptly, noticing movement out of the corner of your eye. Something flew past at incredible speed. Glancing briefly at the sleeping cat, you clenched your fists, your nails - or what was left of them - digging into the skin of your palms. The pain helped calm down a little and focus on my surroundings. A moment and something flew by again, this time very close.

It didn't seem to you.

Waking Grimm up with your left hand, you tried to look down. The carpet did not slow down, and therefore it was difficult to try to see anything. The barely brightening sky did not help at all. Suddenly the fabric shook and you felt something cold millimeters from your other hand. Imagining the worst, you looked down, noticing the thin scratch on your skin and the arrow.

Everything inside you suddenly stopped.

Heart began to beat sharply, making already labored breathing difficult. The mind tried to come up with a solution, an escape, something, but apparently the third arrow was the last warning. The last one before something incomprehensible collided with the carpet, paradoxically sobering and frightening at the same time. Intuitively stretching out your hands towards the sound of meowing, you realized in horror that you were falling down. The carpet, which had saved your life several times, was flailing in the air, trying to extinguish the flames that were engulfing the fabric faster and faster.

You closed your eyes and prepared to fall. The sharp blow, it felt like it, knocked out the remaining oxygen on the branch, as did a further fall onto the wet grass. The pain darkened vision. You wanted to scream, but you didn’t have the strength to unclench teeth and utter even a sound. Bent over, you still clutched Grimm to your chest, simultaneously trying to think about something good.

Heartslabyul still caused waking nightmares, but there were incredibly beautiful roses there. Flowers. Pleasant baking aroma. The softly shining sun.

A slow, careful breath literally created a storm inside. The lungs protested, the muscles tensed to the limit. It would be so easy to close your eyes and plunge into darkness if it weren't for the adrenaline still flowing through your veins. Your attacker was still somewhere nearby.

Sitting up with an effort of will, you could hardly resist so as not to fall back. Your side was burning, and the notorious stars were flying before eyes. What kept you from giving up was the realization that the breathing of the cat, limp in your arms, was becoming weaker. The fear of being alone in this world turned out to be enough of an incentive to go against everything: fate, a tired body and, possibly, broken bones.

A rustling sound came very close, and you tensed, preparing for the worst. Having spotted a dry branch nearby, you wondered how much time and effort it would take to grab it. There was a rustling sound again, and this time the steps took him by surprise, but a child appeared from behind the bushes. Even in the semi-darkness, you noticed his light gray hair and pointed ears. Gradually, two more appeared behind him: one with burgundy strands sticking out to the sides and a gloomy expression on his face, and the second, ready to fall asleep at any moment.

The very first, apparently the main one of the trio, took a step forward, raising his hands in a calming gesture, "How are you feeling? How many fingers am I showing?"

You just shook your head, closing your eyes. The voice of reason insisted that you had to run, but fear for Grimm did not allow you to take even a step..

"Us.. can.. help.. you.. "you didn’t recognize your own voice. It sounded so quiet and muffled that you doubted whether you were heard. Your throat burned, but you opened your mouth again to repeat the request as many times as necessary.

"Dominic, it’s not a good idea to bring someone you don’t know home, is it?" The gloomy child spoke, and for a second you again started to panic. "If we bring everyone we meet and cross, we ourselves will soon become the King’s target."

King? That's all you needed. Previous territories also had heads, but facing the “royal family” sounded much more terrible and problematic

"..only a night.. I can.. stay in the forest.. only Grimm.." It seemed like torture to pronounce every word. Your vision was blurry, but you were obliged to hold out.

“Another guest won’t be such a problem,” Dominic answered. "Can you get up?"

No. Even if you wanted to, you wouldn't be able to get up. You couldn't even lie to yourself. You didn’t even have to answer, the main one came up and extended his hands to the cat. With trembling hands, struggling not to pull them away, you allowed the cat to be taken away

"Groom, stay and look after last one. Shelpi and I will go get Neige"

The one who was called Groom grumbled without ceasing, but still approached you. Watching the children disappear among the greenery, you allowed yourself to relax. At least Grimm was safe.

"Hey. Hey! Come to your senses!"

You felt someone shaking your shoulder, but you couldn’t make out anything else. Only at some point did you hear someone’s worried voice, but you couldn’t make out what exactly he was saying.

You came to your senses, then fell into oblivion again. Voices, sounds, light caused dizziness and rejection. The only thing you remembered throughout the entire chaotic state was that pleasant voice and someone’s warm hands.

"You woke up!" Someone voiced it before you even realized it yourself. It’s just that at some point you stopped distinguishing between reality and a dream, but it seems that this time you were definitely in reality. "Wait, I'll call Dominic"

This name fluttered familiarly in memory. That's right, that was the name of the bright child. Following with an unfocused gaze the young man - although now in your eyes he was just a colored spot - who quickly rushed off somewhere, leaving you with him for a minute.

Closing your eyelids, you tried to focus on the present. You weren't abandoned in the forest, that's a plus. The attacker didn't show up yesterday, or maybe you just weren't found. The questions “Who” and “Why” remained unanswered. It would be possible to close your eyes and not chase your tail, as before, but your intuition suggested that this time it would be different. That this was just the calm before the next storm. But you no longer had the strength to look for shelter so as not to be carried away to the mercy of fate.

A quiet knock brought you back to reality. It was strange, the young man didn’t seem to lock the door. Opening your eyes slightly, you squinted, trying to make out the newcomer. As you thought, it turned out to be the same child. Next to him stood someone your age - maybe a little older or younger - with a friendly smile. The corners of your lips slightly twitched upward, but they couldn’t become the same full-fledged smile.

"Are you feeling better now?" Asked the child, who continued speaking after a nod from you. “You’re probably still confused, so I’ll try to speak more slowly. My name is Dominic, my dwarf brothers and me have been living in this forest for a very long time. And this,” he pointed at the young man, “is Neige. Although you may already know him. Let me know what happened to you?"

"…if.. I knew.. someone attacked us while we were flying on the carpet.. we turned over and fell, Grimm.. Grimm! Where is he?" An attempt to sit up abruptly was unsuccessful, causing more circles under the eyes and weakness. A brunette who appeared next to you prevented you from turning over and falling out of bed

"Your friend is okay!" The dwarf immediately answered hastily. "He, like you, needs to rest. But you need to do this first. During the fall, you broke a rib" you immediately touched your burning side. “It will take time to heal.”

"Do you know who could have attacked you?“ The young man asked softly, holding out a glass of water that had come from nowhere. However, you weren't complaining.

Having given a short thank you to him and the boy, as a sign that you were already feeling better, you began to hastily rebuild your plan of action. It was impossible to linger, but on the other hand, going in the current state was no less stupid. You understood that the fall could not have happened without something - there was a limit to luck and the capabilities of the human body - but the awareness did not brighten up what was happening.

“No.. No, this is my first time in these lands,” after a couple of sips it became easier to speak. “We were flying… yes, we were flying,” you strained your tired memory. "…someone shot! I remembered the arrow!" Looking hopefully at Dominic, you saw a worried look. As if he realized who exactly attacked you and the Grimm. For some reason, you doubted whether it was worth finding out the truth. "This is not someone from the royal family, right?"

You tried to laugh, but it sounded pathetic even to your own ears. For some reason, the duo didn't appreciate your joke.

“It might have been Rook,” you frowned, another new name. “He works as a hunter and serves Vi,” the young man tried to keep the conversation going with the same light laugh, which came out better than yours. However the impression he made was the same - he did not inspire confidence.

“Vi?” You asked carefully, afraid to confirm your fears.

"Exactly, you don’t know. That's what I call Vil, he is the king of these lands. We saw each other quite often at the castle!"

You were doomed. You could see the world literally crumbling before your eyes. This is exactly what was needed for happiness. Purely to confirm what you already suspected, you turned to Dominic, "What is the probability that… how did you call him, Rook?.. Reported everything to the king?"

Silence was a convincing enough answer.

Despite the chance of being discovered, you remained in the dwarves' house. It was inspired by the hopelessness and persuasiveness of Neige, who took upon himself the responsibility of your personal doctor. Although this was too strong a word, the process was still more led by the chief of the dwarves. Gradually you got to know the others.

Groom and Shelpi were part of the company that day. Although the first one was rude and hot-tempered, you couldn’t call him bad. It just took some getting used to. Shelpi was his opposite. A dwarf with a perpetually sleepy look, although you could understand him. In your current state, all you wanted to do was sleep.

There were four more gnomes: Timmy, Toby, Snick and Hop. You saw Timmy only from afar and only in someone else’s company. Perhaps he was just nervous around strangers. Toby was a sweetheart whose memory failed him more often than usual. Hop was a classic example of a cheerful child, and Snick's specialty was his perpetual allergies.

Watching their noisy but cheerful routine was a pleasant change from the nightmare that was happening in your life before. Nevertheless, you remembered Heartslabyul’s experience and were in no hurry to relax.

The more time you spent in their friendly company, the stronger the feeling of guilt grew. Understanding that they would come for you. Now or a little later didn't matter. Just like how many troubles befell the cat’s head for the company. Asking to take care of Grimm was another breaking through the ceiling called “selfishness,” but… that incident made it clear that problems were pouring down on your head more and more often. Their consequences were becoming increasingly difficult to correct.

Living with guilt was unbearable.

So much so that you were unable to look into the eyes of your faithful friend, who has literally gone through thick and thin with you, and you decided to leave him.

You didn't even hope for forgiveness. Deep inside you understood that this was just an attempt to come to an agreement with yourself, a struggle for the opportunity to hate yourself a little less. Looking at the recovering cat, this thought took root more firmly in his consciousness.

The pathetic excuse “it will be better this way.”

Gradually you were allowed to take short walks. Your side still hurt, as did the wounds on back, but the fresh air helped to distract you and not drown in self-flagellation. The only activity for which you always had the strength.

Hoping to find your things, you tried to find the crash site from memory. It was stupid, especially since those trinkets were of no value. To some extent, they simply gave an imaginary sense of belonging. Reminders of your home world, which seemed farther and farther away day by day.

Moving aside the branches, you were finally able to find the desired clearing. It was like all the others, but some internal awareness did not allow you to pass by.

Check and leave.

Simple plan - simple implementation. Searching among the bushes without bending down was another challenge. Having sat down, you rose to your feet again with great difficulty, the shooting pain in your lower back made itself felt every time you tried to find your treasured things.

Breathing heavily, you leaned your hand on the trunk of a nearby tree. A little break won't hurt anyone, that's for sure in your condition. Taking a deep breath, you glanced around the clearing once again, making mental notes of where the bag might have been thrown.

There was not a soul around, or at least it seemed so. Perhaps over time you became too suspicious, but at the moment you could not leave the feeling of being watched, no matter how stupid it may sound. Who could be in the deep forest, right? Unless… who attacked you and the Grimm that day. You tsked and took another breath, trying to calm down.

It was dangerous to return to the house: you didn’t want to let Neige and his friends down. Trying to escape in an unknown direction was reckless. You didn’t know these places, one wrong turn and Robinson Crusoe will appear in this forest. Although you doubted that this world had heard of him. The possibility of becoming a discoverer was not encouraging.

"Ma cheri! What a rarity it is to find such a beautiful creature in such a dense thicket,” a voice that came out of nowhere took you by surprise.

Turning towards the sound at a speed you didn’t know you were capable of, you saw a strange blond-haired young man.

“Are you… talking about me?..” You asked carefully, simultaneously looking for a way to escape. Now the suspicions no longer seemed groundless.

"Oui! Yes and yes! A triple "yes" is not enough to prove the sincerity of my words. How brave and reckless are walks in the wilds, where every animal and people poses a danger. I had already decided that that knowledge, Fata Morgana, which had darkened my mind and revealed such a fragile angel in human form!"

He spoke a lot and not very clearly, sometimes you lost the thread of the story. In your best times, you didn’t like such conversations, let alone today. However, this was a good opportunity to look at the blond. He was wearing a cream-colored tunic, loose pants and a hat with a fluffy white feather.

It was necessary to come up with an excuse and as quickly as possible. Perhaps you would be able to wander around, wait for him to leave, and return home without consequences. However, this would be too loud a statement. If there's one thing life has taught you, it was not to think ahead of time.

"Thank you, I guess?.. Did you want something?" You decided to ask directly.

"Oh, that's right. Wandering among the flora and fauna, I found one interesting little thing,” he sadly shook his head while you did everything to prevent doubts from showing on your face. "Obeying the will of my heart, I am trying to find the owner."

Emphasizing the last word, he smiled, narrowing his eyes. The nature of the emotion that flashed through them made you shiver.

"Well, I wish you good luck in your search, sir.."

"Hunt! But you can call me by my name, just Rook,” digging your nails into the palms, you kept a friendly expression on your face through an effort of will. The blond raised his hands in a surrendering gesture, and then also calmly began to close the distance. "I don’t dare to hope that you have heard of me. However, like me about you. His Majesty, Roi du Poison, has been wanting to meet you for quite some time, and who are we to refuse him."

Looking ahead at the outstretched hand and the unshakable figure of - as Neige said - the hunter, you doubted that you had any chance of escape.

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respectthepetty · 6 months

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Is Dan's shadow a succubus? Or more appropriately an incubus?

Homie, how would I know?! I'm watching the same show as you. If I knew what that shadow was, I wouldn't need to suffer through the last seven episodes. I was too busy being scared for my life the first seven episodes to truly think about what that shadow was, and now I have to sit through seven more just like alls the rest of ya to figure this puzzle out!

But why are we gendering the shadow? Is the shadow male? To me, the shadow is just energy, possibly a physical manifestation of Dan's trauma; therefore, is it an extension of him. Like Peter Pan's shadow!

@kenjiyabuki went full big-brain and noticed the painting in the background of Brother Anurak's office is Henry Fuseli's The Nightmare.

Ain't no detective like a Tumblr detective.

And because of this, I immediately went to my favorite art historian (I go to departments often asking BL-related questions which is one perk of working in higher ed), and she immediately said, "It's about sex."

More specifically, repression of desire.

Not everyone subscribes to this interpretation, but . . .

There is a mirror and a vial of water in the left bottom corner on the table in the painting. Mirrors mean truth and serve as a bridge between the two worlds (truth/lie, life/death, conscious/subconscious), while water (describe as a mirror-like substance) also serves as a bridge between two worlds. We don't see the mirror fully, so we don't see the truth of the situation, but two worlds are colliding within the painting.

We've seen a good amount of mirrors in the show.

And water.

The show doesn't have a crazy-looking horse in the background unless we are considering the makruk pieces, which are called "horses" and not "knights" like in chess, the horse in this scenario.

That's a stretch even for me, but we still have the bare basics - a person with the weight of desire resting on him.

A desire to be comforted when nobody holds him.

A desire to be protected when he feels abandoned.

A desire to feel normal.

And Trin had the same desires.

There is definitely some funky business happening at the school because Trin and Dan are linked through their desires and experiences, but the shadow was there long before Dan stepped onto the campus.

Detour - In the third episode, the monk told Dan in order to change his karma, he needed to forgive when the time came after Dan saw his dad briefly playing makruk in his dream. At the end of that episode, Dan saw his father's ghost while he was acting the ghost scene from Hamlet, which is a play about revenge and forgiveness.

The shadow led Dan through a tour of his family's happiest moments in episode four right before he encountered his father again.

And his father asked for his forgiveness.

To which Dan said "hell to the no"

And this is why I think the shadow IS Dan. The monk told him to forgive to change his karma. The shadow led Dan to do just that, but Dan didn't; therefore, he didn't beat his karma and ghost-dad told Dan he was becoming everything he hated. Was this conversation all in Dan's head? Was he, through the shadow, guiding himself to be better than his father? And did he override his subconscious to seek revenge instead because that's what he truly desires?

More interestingly is what shows up every time someone chooses revenge over forgiveness - Trin! Rather than the shadow lurking in the water after Dan's dad died, Trin was waiting for him.

Trin was waiting for him in the bathroom to lead Dan into the funhouse when Nai decided to teach Anan a lesson.

And Trin showed up right before Anan attacked Dan.

Each time, the mirrors and water are present, so wouldn't that make Trin The Nightmare?

Of course, I, a color demon must mention how I find the use of red fascinating mostly when thinking about it in correlation to the painting since red is behind the nightmare figure.

And it spreads underneath the sleeping person in white as if that innocent person is being surrounded by this desire.

All of this is to basically sum up that Trin has a face. The shadow doesn't. Trin is a person. The shadow isn't. Just like those headless figurines the locals use as stand-ins for them to appease the wild ghosts and protect them from harm, Dan's faceless shadow could be his way of protecting himself and hiding his desires from outside forces.

And Trin could be a way to expose all that's hidden, including those desires.

#shadow the series #dan and his shadow #it's like Peter Pan #a whole bunch of Lost Boys #but Trin is no shadow #he has a motive

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oceanbug · 10 months

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when worlds collide

smau non!idol ningning x reader

19. drinking game.

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"You wuss, let’s fight again!"

"Y/n, he’s passed out on the floor." Jimin stared at the tall, dark-haired boy who had passed out after having three shots of vodka.

"Ugh, Soobin’s lame!"

Almost as if he’d heard this insult from the deepest parts of his subconscious, Soon shots up and let’s out a slurred

"Am not!" Before face planting, right back onto the ground. At this point, everyone had been drinking and partying away for a while, and the party seemed to be dying down.

"Since everyone’s looking dead, how about we spice things up? Party games?" Aeri had her usual chipper tone, which was laced with mischief. The plan was to play a game of Never Have I Ever, then lean into Truth or Dare later on. Since Aeri suggested the game, she started off with the questions.

"Ok, let’s get in the circle, kiddos! I’ll go first! Never have I ever dated someone richer than me." No one in the room except Yeonjun took a drink.

"Ugh, as if. I’ll go next. Never have I ever dated someone for less than 2 weeks." Again, no one moved except Yeonjun.

"Never have I ever dated someone, then broke up with them after our English presentation."

"Never have I ever been on the school’s gossip account."

"Never have I ever cheated on my girlfriend." Ok Ningning.

"Never have I ever been over 5’10."

Ok, the questions were getting very obviously targeted. Sure, some of them may count for others, but all of them made Yeonjun take a shot. At this point, he was so wasted that he couldn’t even pick up the glass to take another shot.

"Ok, I’m totally bored. Let’s do truth or dare!"

"I don’t know, ladies, I’m a bi-" Ninging quickly cut off Yeonjun before he got the chance to escape.

"Jimin, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Ugh, you’re so lame. Well, how was I? My kisses are known for being unforgettable." You wanted nothing more than to tune out the conversation, but it was just a game. Having to get used to Jimin talking about other people at some point, you forced yourself to listen.

"Oh? Fine, I guess. I wasn’t really paying attention. Nice-flavored lip gloss, though."

"Cherry." Ningning smiled, seeming satisfied with her answer.

"It's my turn." Yeonjun’s words were slurred and incorrigible. The plan wasn’t for him to actually ask a question, but just get bombarded with questions. But it’ll probably seem less planned if you all let him. So you played along.

"Ok, go ahead!"

Ok, ok, ok…..Y/n. Truth or dare!" He made a cartoonish horror sound after asking.

"Hm, dare?"

"Okkk, you had a lot of talk on Twitter, huh? Put it into action, mama’s, kiss the Ningster herself." Your eyes went slightly wide; you’d only joked about kissing Ninging?

"Your girlfriend?"

"Yup. Do it." All eyes were on you at this point. I mean, I guess it’s just a game? What harm is there?

"Oh my gosh, don’t look so dramatic; come here." Before you could fully turn around, you were lip to lip with Ningning. Ning ‘Rich Bitch’ Yi Zhuo.

"Cherry." Was all you could get out after you two broke up your kiss. You were slightly red in the face and trying to put together what just happened. You looked at your friend Jimin for reassurance of what had just happened, and she could only offer a slight thumbs up. While Aeri could only hide her giggling face.

"Woah! I love parties!" Said the drunk man.

"Ok, my turn then. Yeonjun, truth or dare." Jimin’s eyes were fixated on Yeonjun, ready to ask her question.

"Truth, I can’t pick dare; I got my lady here."

"How was your kiss with Wonyoung? In high school? " There it was, the million-dollar question of the night. Ever since your conversation with Ningning, it was clear Wonyoung was hiding something. If he hadn’t really gotten together with Giselle, then why would Wonyoung lie? The answer was clear.

"Oh, chick’s got wicked tongue action! Blaming it on Gigi was such a crazy thing to do, though. Guess she couldn't afford to lose my Boo-bear Ningning as a friend. I still feel bad for Giselle. I hope she’s doing okay."

"Yeonjun, I’m right here." Giselle waved her hands in front of his face, but it was clear that he was ready to end this night. Yeonjun laid down in Ningning’s lap and fell asleep.

"At least we got enough information out of him." Said a stunned Jimin.

Ningning could only look down at Yeonjun’s sleeping face. She opened her mouth and let out an anger-filled whisper.

“That fucking cunt. Wonyoung’s going down.”

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masterlist ~ next

(Synopsis) Y/N had never been the type to take life for granted. You grew up with the mindset that if you wanted something, you had to work for it; So getting paired up with the university’s “Rich Bitch” Ning Yi Zhuo for your midterm was the last thing you wanted. Are you willing to step into the world of fame for an A+?

taglist (open): @azraism ; @kimsgayness ; @sewiouslyz ; @winieter ; @llluvbluy ; @i06kkura ; @everydayiloveyves ; @edamboon ; @rdfgfv ; @beawolfbealionbeyou

#kpop x y/n #kpop x reader #kpop smau #ning yizhuo #ningning x reader #aespa x reader #kpopsmau #non idol au #aespa #ningning

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agere-fics · 4 months

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Mickey D's

dni: k!nk, anti-agere, agepl4y, or ddlg-esque blogs 🍄 this blog is a safe space for age regressors and age dreamers 🍄

Characters: Modern World AU Din Djarin, Age Regressor Reader

Pairing: Caregiver!Din Djarin x Regressor!Reader

Summary: A long day of work was the tipping point for your stress. Now, you're impure regressing.

Word Count: 764

Content Warnings: Impure regression, stress, physical touch (like hugs), mentions of going to work, work related stress, use of bubby/baba for Din, that's it :)

love y'all 🐈

♡

Most days you can move past that gut wrenching feeling. It lingers in your abdomen, in a stand still, until it bulges out like a cruel, evil monster.

What comes of it is a crying, snotty mess. Makes you feel like the world is crumbling and that soon the universe would be devoured. But after a while... it can actually make you feel okay. Being little turns into a warm, tight hug, with heaps of security and safety.

You're so busy for so long that you hardly ever go into that headspace willingly anymore. Your subconscious decides when it's had enough at whatever point in time.

Today was one of those days and you think Din knew.

For one thing, you had him drive you to work that morning. The less obvious one may have been you biting your nails. Maybe your orderly squared breathing was noticed, too.

You were about to find out as you walked closer and closer to his parked grey pickup truck.

You reached for the car door and swung it open.

"Hey, bug-"

"SHHHH!" You panicked and looked around. No heads were turned or funny faces pulled. You were in the clear.

Din muttered a soft oh.

Belongings flew onto the floor of his truck, followed by you plopping nto the passenger seat. The door slammed shut.

You sighed, covering your face with your hands.

Din started, "Can I-"

Screams were muffled, taking residency in your palms.

"Oh, baby." Din slowly reached his arm over to you, placing his hand on your back. You flinched, but didn't give any other sign of discomfort from it. He rubbed soft circles into you, and breathed a deep sigh.

It hurt so bad, so very bad, this pain in your chest, this ache in your heart, this hurt in your head. But you couldn't even cry. Nothing. Not even a tear. You were so numb to it all.

You threw your body into him, colliding with his side and wrapping your arms around him. "B-bubby." you quivered.

Din leaned into your embrace and kissed the top of your head. "It's alright. It's okay." He assured you. "Some days are not good days. I know the feeling. You're doing so good, and trying so hard. I'm so proud of you for that."

"Don't wanna- can't talk 'bout it anymore."

"We don't have to, little lovebug. I do have something that might cheer you up, though, but only if you're interested-"

You lifted your head and looked at him with wide curious eyes. Your bubby looked right back at you with the universe glowing in his. A grin finally grew upon your face as you moved to sit back in the passenger seat.

"Close your eyes."

You squeezed your eyes really, really tight. So tight, it was kinda uncomfortable. For good measure, you also used your palms to hide your eyes.

"I'm gonna hand it to you, and you have to guess what it is, okay?"

You nodded swiftly.

"Here ya go." Din giggled, loving how happy he could make you.

You heard the crinkling of something but gasped as soon as you felt it. It was that all so familiar bag you've held countless times before. Your eyes went wide. You kicked your legs and swung your body side to side, you were just so excited you couldn't contain it. "It's McDonald's!"

"That's right, my beautiful little one, it's good ol' Mickey D's." Both of you let out little giggles.

What's the best elixir for a bad, bad day? Bubby and your favorite food EVER!

You started to open the bag until Din stopped you.

"Wait, butterfly, hold on." You look at him. "I need you to eat it at home."

"Awww," you frowned. "But why?"

"Because," He thought for a moment. "Because, bubby likes to keep this big, old truck very, very clean... and being clean makes me very, very happy."

You looked at him for a second and eventually relinquished. "Okay. I love you, Bubby. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"I love you even more, honey bee." He kissed your head. Din got settled back in his seat and began to start up the car. "Seatbelts on?"

You exclaimed, "Oh, yeah! check!"

"Okay, we are off-"

"WAIT BABA YOUR SEATBELT!"

Din moved his foot. Luckily he hadn't actually started going yet. His brows wrinkled. "Huh?" He looked down and saw that he did, in fact, forget to put it on.

"Silly bubby, we have to be safe!" You quickly dragged his seat belt into the buckle and made sure he was very properly secured.

"Thank you so much, caterpillar. What would I do without you." He smiled. "Now, can I go?" He looked to you expectantly.

"Yes! vroom vroom!"

Giggles echoed off the car walls, your day was already getting better.

♡

#age regression #agere #sfw agere #din djarin #din djarin x reader #cg!din djarin #caregiver din djarin #din djarin agere #cg!din djarin x little!reader #little reader #reader agere #star wars #star wars agere #mandalorian #agere fanfic #mandalorian x reader #the mandalorian #agere-fics

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fortheloveofbuddie · 8 months

Text

Fuck It Friday

Tagged by my lovelies @daffi-990 and @jesuisici33 💗

Yet another continuation of my little mini series: When Hearts Collide (Can I Take Your Hand?)

Will be tagged by the series name from now on ✨

Find the prev eps here and here

Eddie’s mouth seemed to dry up on the spot and he blinked a few times, trying to grasp the question that Buck had just asked him.

The fact that he had asked for permission to kiss him instead of just doing it, sent shivers down Eddie’s spine and it wasn’t until Buck spoke again that he realized that he hadn’t answered yet.

“Eddie?” Buck chuckled softly, playing with Eddie’s fingertips.

“I’m sorry, what?” Eddie said as his eyes never left Buck’s plump lips.

Pink, plump lips that had been on his mind before. Maybe not always as innocently as this time, he couldn’t deny that.

Buck slowly retracted a hand from Eddie’s and lifted his head up, a finger placed beneath his chin, which allowed Eddie to somewhat focus again.

“I asked if it would be alright if I kissed you”

Buck’s voice sounded like a little bit impatient yet also playful, Eddie’s reaction amusing him. Yet it filled him with immense joy when he watched Eddie’s face light up in a warm, heartfelt smile.

“I always convinced myself that I would be the one who would make the first move”

The words out of Eddie’s mouth were barely a whisper, like only he and Buck existed in this moment.

“Is that so?”

Buck’s hand wandered from Eddie’s chin to the side of his face, cupping his strong jaw.

“Yes” Eddie mumbled, feeling himself grow weak at Buck’s touch.

Over the years, Buck had always made an effort to touch Eddie in any way that he could.

A firm hand on his shoulder, fingertips brushing across his lower back, thighs pressed together in the fire engine whenever they were going out on a call, a careful grab on his hips after ending a hug.

Not to mention the eye contact that always lingered. Eddie had caught Buck looking at him so many times with immense affection radiating through his entire being.

This touch was gentler than all the other times and the soft look on Buck’s face definitely didn’t make it easier for Eddie’s knees to stay steady.

“Well I hate to tell you this but you’re wrong”

Buck grinned before he leaned in, allowing his lips to lock with Eddie’s in a long expected kiss.

It took Eddie about half a second to return the kiss, his arms subconsciously wrapping around the back of Buck’s neck, his heart beating hard and fast against his ribs.

Buck’s lips were like an actual piece of heaven; warm, alluring, even slightly wet and they tasted sweet, a hint of his vanilla flavored chapstick lingering.

Eddie had always teased him about that stupid chapstick yet now, it was the perfect one for him.

He felt Buck’s hands on his hips, his grip tightening as the kiss went on, his body almost trembling as he got to touch and taste him like this.

“God, I’m so in love with you, Evan” Eddie softly breathed out against Buck’s lips, not wanting the moment to come to an end.

He didn’t even realize the words that came out of his mouth until he saw Buck’s face beaming in a wide and elated expression.

The two of them were almost completely entangled, not minding the world around them despite being the middle of a parking lot. It didn’t matter who saw them, all that mattered was this.

This kiss, the soft embrace and the love that was clearly between them, a love than was more than just friendly. A love that had been forged by leaning on each other for emotional support, safety and unconditional love through all of the traumatic experiences that they had shared. It felt unbreakable because they had built a bond up like this, worked through all of their struggles, both professionally and personally.

As he slowly unwrapped himself from Buck, Eddie felt a sense of peace and comfort in knowing that he hadn’t just been imagining things.

“How-… how long?” Buck was now the one to feel shy and Eddie let his hands find Buck’s again, his lips almost tingling from their kiss.

“Almost from the beginning of it all. So uh-… five years” Eddie explained and without hesitation, placed another warm kiss on Buck’s lips, knowing that he was allowed to do that now.

Tagging!! @eddiediaztho @bucksbirthmark @disasterbuckdiaz @wildlife4life @forthewolves @thewolvesof1998 @theotherbuckley @watchyourbuck @wikiangela @excuseme-greentea @giddyupbuck @callaplums 💗🦋

#buddie #eddie diaz #evan buckley #911 on abc #oliver stark #911 on fox #edmundo diaz #ryan guzman #buddie wip #buddie fanfic #buddie fic #fuck it friday #fortheloveofbuddie writes #911hiatus2023 #911 verse #buck x eddie #evan buck buckley #mini series #when hearts collide (can i take your hand?)

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ransprang · 4 months

Text

thank you to @eldergrim for your support <3 we hope you like your match up

if anyone else wants a match up this is our ko-fi

your match up is....

GALE!!!!

SFW

How you met: You were in the bustling city of Baldur's Gate, a gentle cinnamon roll, finding solace in a quaint bookstore. Lost in the pages of an enchanting tome on witchcraft, you suddenly collided with a mysterious figure. “Apologies, I didn’t see where I was going,” he said with dark hair cascading over his shoulders, and voice as smooth as velvet. The pages of the delicate tome you were holding scattered to the floor. You knelt to gather them, and Gale bent down to help you. As you searched for the pages together, Gale’s light-colored eyes met yours, and in that moment, you felt a spark. Over time, Gale began to visit the bookstore regularly, sharing insights into magic and literature. One day, he surprised you with a gift—a rare edition of a book you'd been longing for. Charmed by his present, you agreed to a date and were happy to note he chewed with his mouth closed. As a result, you agreed to a second date too and the rest was history.

Dark hair? Chocolate brown eyes? Just tell us you want Gale goddamn. Apart from his looks he treats you and everyone around him like a gentleman with the utmost courtesy. We know it wouldn’t take long for you to fall for him.

You and Gale would love cooking for each other. He would learn all your favorite dishes and cook them for you whenever the party managed to acquire the ingredients. You would help him prepare meals for the camp every night.

You and Gale would spend many cozy afternoons immersed in your shared passion for witchcraft. Brewing potions and practicing spells together, you both would enjoy the occasional fun accidents when one of you accidentally gets turned into a sheep or accidentally ascends into a supreme being.

One day, when you both are on a shopping errand, in a quiet corner of a magical marketplace, Gale surprises you with a carefully crafted enchanted pendant. When worn, it echoes his voice, whispering sweet affirmations and heartfelt messages. This enchanted gift becomes a cherished talisman, wrapping you in his soothing words whenever you need comfort or a reminder of his affection

Gale would take you on intimate stargazing evenings atop the city walls. With a blanket spread under the vast sky, he would attempt to play a simple melody on his lute, borrowed from Alfira. As the night continued, he would talk about his favorite constellations, and show off his knowledge by telling the story or lore behind each constellation.

Gale would introduce you to the world of dream interpretation and astral projection. Together, you would explore the realm of shared dreams, where your subconscious selves embark on fantastical and kinky adventures. These dreamscapes would become a sanctuary on difficult days camping in the wilderness and the connection you would forge would transcend into the waking world.

Gale and your love languages would be compatible. He loves receiving gifts, especially magical ones he can consume. He also regularly asks for favours so would enjoy any acts of service too. He would show his love through quality time and words of affirmation.

PLEASE send this man to therapy and take yourself along with him. All the ‘oh my ex was a goddess thing’ surely is not good for him. That isn’t to say that he doesn’t love you, rather that a human-goddess relationship probably took a toll on him.

Having an arsenal of spells at his disposal, Gale would help you with your gardening. Since he’s a wizard and not a druid, some of your plants and flowers mayyyy not make it. He’d be very apologetic every time he messes up a spell, “Honey, I’m so sorry about this. I suppose I still have much training to do as a wizard. This is a humbling experience. I assure you, you and your plants are in good hands.”

N/SFW

Gale would be a gentle dom in bed. He’d be willing to indulge in your kinks. If any of them involve any form of hurting you like knife play he’d need more convincing, but ultimately would try it once if that’s what you truly want.

Gale is the master of aftercare. He’d have a sweet dopey smile on his face as he looks at your post orgasm body. He’d run his hand through your hair and pull you into his arms gently cuddling you in his warmth.

Beautiful hands are what you get with a wizard who has been trapped in a tower and the only heavy lifting done are big books. Gale’s hands are mostly intact minus some paper cuts from spellbooks. He loves putting his fingers in your mouth and fingering you watching you come undone under his touch, “My goodness, you look so beautiful with my fingers in you.”

Gale starts off the night by gently making love to you before eventually fucking your guts out. He would like to pound you under the stars out in the fields, where you can even see beads of sweat roll down his chest hair glistening with the starlight.

Gale grunts and groans, he likes to show how much pleasure you can give him. He can sound like a rabid animal if you let him.

Sucking on your clit is his other hobby. He loves to eat you out, it can replace his breakfast, lunch and dinner. Wizard dinner as he likes to call it.

Gale can sprout vines from the ground that entangle you against the wall while holding open your legs, letting you feel the cool breeze. He likes rubbing your folds with his two fingers, spreading the wetness and lubricating you before rubbing your clit with his tip.

He loves smacking your ass cheeks and tightly gripping and spreading them apart. He loves getting hickeys too, when you start kissing on his neck and moving your way down to his chest, or maybe even give him a surprise suck on his cock.

Gale would get naked and go invisible. Asking you to touch him and guess which part of his body you are feeling.

Gale would also produce alot of precum, especially if you masturbate for him. He likes to watch you touch yourself and rub your sensitive clit.

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siren-serenity · 1 year

Note

"Please don't leave me alone! I can give you the finest jewelry, you can live in luxury without having to lift a finger for the rest of your life, I can cook, clean, I c-can give you anything you want. E-Even.. My body... But all you have to do is just be here with me, my angel fish~."

- Azul Ashengrotto

i need you

characters: azul ashengrotto, gn!reader warnings: angst a/n: - my love for azul has no bounds asdfghjkl - thank you so much ame and mero for being so quick to reply <3 - feedback is appreciated!

Azul Ashengrotto has never known such pain not until that day arrived. He remembers vividly your figure standing before the intimidating Dark Mirror, the tense suspense hanging in the air, and your enchantingly beautiful eyes filled with unshed tears. Because of him.

He remembers how he shed all sense of decorum, pushing, scrambling, screaming until his throat had gone hoarse for days, doing anything and everything to get to you. Time seemed to slow as two things happened simultaneously: the Dark Mirror's booming voice as it began the ritual and a cry of desperation tearing from Azul's throat. At last, the students got out of his way and he launched himself, arms acting like a shadow of his tentacles as he wrapped you in his embrace. He feels your warmth, your strange human warmth that sharply contrasted yet complimented his own cold, glacial touch. He smells your scent, so uniquely you, and he could never tire of it.

"Please," he murmurs before squeezing you tight. "Please d-don't leave me alone."

He hears gasps from other students as he openly breaks down, gasping for breath with each word while a strange, choking feeling emerges in his throat. Azul doesn't dare to face you; he's such a coward. Yes, a coward indeed for he fears committing to love. The all-powerful force that unites humanity yet can break hearts in a single syllable. He knows it all too well since it was your heart he broke, one that he knows will take decades for him to apologize.

But Azul Ashengrotto doesn't care. He continues to babble, losing his conscious mind while his subconscious drift off to imagining worse case scenarios in the most vivid colors.

"I can give you the finest jewelry, you can live in luxury without having to lift a finger for the rest of your life, I can cook, clean, I c-can give you anything you want. E-Even...my body...but all you have to do is just be here with me, my angel fish," He pleads, begging before at last, he kneels pathetically. Finally, upon hearing the thump, you face him.

He dares to look up, only to find his heart-shattering. He had hoped, he had dreamt that he had done it - he could finally have you back again! But no, the cruelty of reality slapped him. Your face was barren of emotions, fists clenched by your side, and upon looking into your eyes, he finds no trace of raw emotions.

"Headmaster?" You spoke with a cool voice. You shake Azul's hand away, carelessly throwing it to the side as he gasps out a heartbreaking, heartwrenching "No!"

"I believe that the ritual is finished," You step, and each click against the marble tiles reminds him of how much further you were going, away from him, away from his grasp, away.

Azul shouts out your name just as your fingers touch the surface of the Dark Mirror. A bright light shines around your figure before Azul throws himself forward, arms reaching out to tug you back into his grasp (Azul has never let anything he wants out of his grasps, no he is selfish, he is greedy, he wants everything the world as to offer) but he collides with the chilly surface of the Dark Mirror instead. The pain is but an echo compared to the feeling of his heart shattering into millions of pieces when he doesn't see you.

He murmurs your name feverishly, whipping his head around like a lost child. Out of the corner of his eyes, he faintly registers pitiful looks before realizing the dreadful truth - you were gone.

"Y/N? Y/N?! Come back to me! I need you! My angel fish- I NEED YOU! COME BACK! P-please!"

#azul ashengrotto #twisted wonderland #azul x reader #disney twisted wonderland #angst #i feel like everytime i write azul #he's just in pain #like it's all angst

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smolhoneybat · 3 months

Note

hi! i've been a fan for quite a while. i really admire how you seem to articulate, i found myself becoming more introspective with every video. also it's really nice to see someone talking about games and series i really love. aside from that, i wanted to ask if you had any recommendations like games, books, shows, movies?

hi hi!! thank you so much, pinning the words down is hard but worth it haha 💛

Ooh I have so many... obviously there's the games and shows I've talked about on my channel but standouts would have to be Darkwood, Nier Automata and Arcane but ALSO

Games: -A Space for the Unbound: chill fetch quests in a small town in rural Indonesia, finish your summer bucket list with your gf, pet cats, dive into the subconsciousnesses of your neighbours!

-Ender Lilies: metroidvania platformer with some tight controls like Hollow Knight, gorgeous artwork and music, you play as Lily, a young amnesiac priestess trying to purify the spirits of the dead and stop the plague ridden rain that won't stop falling, you're small and weak but you recruit different spirits to fight with you but it never feels overwhelming or bloated, really enjoyed it

-Signalis: survival horror as an android looking for her gf, she made a promise and she's going. to. fulfil. it. Dystopian future in space with lots of good old rusty machine body horror, strange senses of time and memory and there's some puzzles in there too.

-Sunless Sea: Victorian London was moved underground by bats. Don't worry about it. Go sail the seas and try and turn a profit without losing your mind from the Horrors ^.^ (deceptively a lot of reading in this, plays like a management sim meets VN)

-Omori: 4 years ago Something happened. Omori dreams his days away in his room, carefully not thinking about that Something. Some of the game is in his colourful dream worlds and some out in the real world. Fights are always tinged with emotional rock paper scissors as how you, your friends and enemies feel will affect the fight! He's about to move house and an old friend comes knocking on the door...

(-alsoPathologicisgoodyesI'moneofthoseyoutubers)

Books: -Va11-Hall-A: I...don't know whether to put a VN under games or books so I'm putting it between the two. You're a barista in a cyberpunk kinda world, you listen to patrons while making them drinks and chat. (It's chill but sometimes gets pretty heavy and has a lot of mature topics in it for the record.) -Deathless by Cathrynne M. Valente: an alternate history book that has one foot in the Russian Revolution and the other in fairytale. Marya Morevna marries Koschei the Deathless, and goes back to his kingdom. She makes friends with various folklore creatures, checks in on her sisters who all married birds and her old and new lives begin to collide.

-The Locked Tomb trilogy by Tamsyn Muir: sci-fi necromancers vie to become the next right bony hand of God, first book is a murder mystery, second is a grim tale by a survivor of the first but something is Wrong and you know it is, third is an oddly domestic political tragedy and I loved them all so much, cannot recommend the audiobooks in particular enough (as the first is a murder mystery, all the voices the narrator does are both incredibly well done but let me pinpoint exactly who was speaking even when I couldn't remember their names, also she voiced Daniella in Haunting Ground!)

-The Gentleman Bastards series by Scott Lynch: small orphan becomes a conman in fantasy Italy. Ends up being drawn into some political intrigue and fucks around finds out, frequently!

-Children of Time: Spiders! Once upon a time an arrogant scientist decided to infect monkey with a virus that would encourage rapid evolution within cooperative species but...it reaches jumping spiders. They have their own form of sign language with vibrational tappy patterns against the ground and wiggling their palps! Scientist's consciousness has melded with an AI and is waiting for her monkeys to become intelligent enough to contact her

Misc: -Dungeon Meshi: do you want to learn about the ecosystem of a dungeon while also figuring out how to cook the creatures inside and watch a guy with a monster special interest live his absolute best life? Yeah you do! (I'm really enjoying this rn so ye)

-Mabel: podcast about a home health carer for an old lady who's only living relative, Mabel, is missing. Anna, the nurse, starts leaving her voicemails like a diary and slowly gets drawn into family secrets, fairy logic and goes exploring places she shouldn't (this one does not shy away from heavy topics including serious child abuse and its effects so if that's not for you then leave this one be)

#sorry this took a while to respond to I was chewing on what to recommend!#I'm sure I like some cheerful things too but I cannot for the life of me think of any #I mean A Space for the Unbound is pretty nice for MOST of it but the last section made me cry a lot

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charmercharm3r · 1 year

Text

Violent Delights, Chapter Two: By the Hand of the King

HHJ

Masterlist, Story Masterlist

Chapter Word Count: 3.9k

Story Synopsis: Worlds that were never meant to collide, caught in political and emotional turmoil taken for the worst. But even the destruction of kingdoms that followed couldn't have stopped him burning down the world for the mortal that made his mouth water in thirst and dead heart beat.

Warnings: mentions of blood, vampire!hyunjin, witch!reader, eventual smut, themes of vampirism, family problems, probably very inaccurate representation of how medieval hierarchy actually works, a sappy confession

Previous Chapter, Next Chapter

Hyunjin has never hated himself more than he did now, standing across the room from you, who had never been more embarrassed. With his back against the wall, Hyunjin kept his face towards the ground in an attempt to avoid looking at you, the flush on your cheeks too inviting.

Hands folded politely in front of him, he listened intently to the quiet conversation between Jisung and his father to distract himself from your rapid heart beating through the dining hall.

“You are going to be accompanying me to tomorrow’s meeting. It’s time you start learning about the realm’s political matters,” the King spoke to his son, bringing a glass cup filled with O-Neg to his lips.

“Father, I already understand politics. It’d be more useful for me to attend hunting lessons,” Jisung retorted with half his attention on the prettily plated fruits in the center of the table.

“Not tomorrow, you will be joining me. The council has been awaiting my answer on the realm’s inflation and I’d like your opinion.”

“So ask me my opinion now, not in front of your pretentious councilmen just so they can sit there and whisper about how irrelevant my opinion even is.” The room was silent besides the occasional cricket chirping.

It was the same conversation every meal time, the King telling the Prince to be more princely and Jisung wanting nothing to do with it, resulting in another squabble and someone angrily storming out— who it is just depends on the discussion for the night. This time, the focus shifts quickly from Jisung to Princess Yeji.

“Just do as you’re told for once, will you?” Yeji interjected, raising an eyebrow at her brother. Her voice made your ears perk up, the hem of your dress seemingly less interesting now. Unintentionally— or maybe subconsciously— your eyes fell across the dining room on a particular vampire who was nervously failing to melt into the walls. Hyunjin looked anywhere but you, if possible he’d be just as red in the face except out of humiliation instead.

Burning in the back of your throat, you wanted to get his attention somehow. Why was he avoiding you? Why couldn’t he even look in your general direction? Did you repulse him that much? Disgust laced his features, you could see Hyunjin biting the inside of his cheek, the same face he made when he had to sit with Jisung while he feasted on his weekly blood donations.

A loud thump followed by the clattering of metal dishes echoed throughout the stone room, the center of the commotion being the wooden table. Yeji was sitting prim and proper as usual, though holding her glass exceptionally tight. You looked up in time to see Jisung abruptly standing from his seat, holding himself back from lunging across the table at his older sister. The King did nothing to react at his children’s squabble while the Queen next to him shot daggered stares at her daughter, but still said nothing.

“Stay out of this,” Jisung was biting his tongue. “Go run off to the garden and continue playing pretend with the family witch. That’s all you’re good for.” All the eyes in the room turned to Yeji, with you in her background, suddenly feeling uneasy in the vicinity of so many vampires. Your gaze flickered around the room, unsure of where to look and ultimately settling back to the floor again.

Even under all the crushing attention, Yeji’s cool demeanor didn’t falter. Raising the cloth napkin to her lips and dabbing, she cleared her throat. “Play pretend, brother? Is that what I do?” Unbothered, she smiled up at her fuming sibling. From behind Jisung, Hyunjin took a step closer towards the Prince. “If that’s what you tell yourself to make you feel better, then sure. I play pretend. I also attend all of my classes, have brunch with mother, go to war meetings with father, pick up all of your slack in the council gatherings because my inadequate little brother can’t be bothered to take his role within the hierarchy seriously. So forgive me if I enjoy spending time with my friend in the garden.”

Silence filled the hall again, but you could hear your heart pumping loudly in your chest. If you could hear it, so could every other vampire within a mile. It wasn’t the tension between the two siblings that made your brain race, but rather that Princess Yeji thought of you as more than just an ear to spill her problems to. She thought of you as a companion, someone she could rely on. And it was the most warming acknowledgement you’d ever received, in front of her mother and father at that. But how inappropriate it was for you to be reacting in their presence, not that the Princess or Prince minded. The King shot you one quick, cold side eye and you forced yourself to control the muscle that kept you alive. With the burning in your cheeks, towards the floor did your head fall.

Prince Jisung scoffed, looking at his mother. The Queen understood her son better than most, sometimes better than he understood himself. When her eyes softened and she slowly, silently shook her head no, Jisung stormed off angrily.

“Why can’t we have one meal together without someone leaving prematurely?” The King muttered, not directly at anyone but intended for all ears to hear.

“Because you force him to be someone he isn’t,” the Queen shot her head at her husband, delicately red painted lips flattening into an exasperated line.

He didn’t mean to, but Hyunjin let himself glimpse at you, tracing the pattern of the floor in your head. In the King’s presence, he didn’t allow for more than a millisecond to indulge in the sound of your heartbeat. Guilt paraded beneath his icy skin, but why, he couldn’t understand. Sorrow lingered as well, a tinge of desperation, and a bucket of self-loathing, Hyunjin straightened his posture and waited.

“Don’t talk to me about our children’s issues, Hyesung. I don’t have the time nor the patience to argue with you about this again.”

“Issues?” Yeji raised her voice, mimicking her absent brother by shoving her seat back forcefully. She had both her parents' attention, now. “I am exactly who you raised me to be. I am your daughter and the son you wish you had instead.” Not waiting for her father to respond, Yeji threw her napkin to the table and followed her brother towards the exit.

Your only common ground was now gone, leaving Hyunjin, you, and a few other service staff to accompany the King and Queen. Expressionless, her highness looked in the direction her children left while her husband pinched the bridge of his nose. Out of uncertainty, you looked at Hyunjin, who was already looking back. You couldn’t read his features now, something of a cross between sympathy and worry riddling behind his eyes and sad, pursed lips.

It was quiet for a few more painfully slow moments until the King spoke again, “Hyunjin, go make sure my son doesn’t destroy the courtyard again.” Quick, elegant, Hyunjin bent into a deep bow towards the royals and turned on his heel to leave. Just as you straightened your dress to follow him out of the room, he spoke again. “Y/N, stay. I need to speak to you.” Your breath hitched in your throat at the King’s forwardness. Very rarely did he ever address you by your first name, this time was the coldest he’s ever done so.

Hyunjin could hear your heartbeat pick up erratically again, almost making his footsteps stutter as he came to the wooden door. As soon as he was through the frame, he sharply turned and stayed close enough to listen in. It was purely reactionary, almost a second nature to be near you in case he needed to save you from any monster that wasn’t him.

Your feet felt heavy as you took a step towards the table, almost struggling to breath as though you’d just ran miles to get here. The King was a terrifying man, scary and incredibly powerful. Anyone could have guessed from his aura alone, around his wife, he was practically a god. His love for her overpowered his love for his own children, the knowledge made you internally shake as you approached her side.

As sweet as her daughter, Queen Hyesung gave you a short, reassuring nod before her husband continued his rant. “You are given one job,” he started, eyes of the purest crimson boring straight into you, almost through you. “I expect you to do it. Not feeding my daughter fairytales of outside these walls. Her role here is more important than your life will ever be. Remember your place.”

“Yes, your highness.” You gave him and the Queen a deep bow, “I apologize for overstepping.”

“You can go,” he dismissed you before you’d even stood up straight. When you did, Queen Hyesung gave you another melancholic nod, you escaped the dining hall as quickly as your lead feet could carry.

Hyunjin was still waiting, waiting for you to round the corner and bump into him. He’d make an excuse. Yeah, that’s what he’d do. He’ll tell you that he was coming back to inform the King of Jisung’s status. Maybe you’ll brush against his shoulder and he’d get to feel your body warmth again, or maybe you’ll stop to make conversation and he could comfort you. Maybe he–

The nonexistent air was knocked from Hyunjin’s lungs, sending him flying backwards into the cobblestone floor. Heat flooded his chest as his arms instinctively came to wrap around whatever it was that slammed him into the ground. Fragile, your skin warmed the palms of his hands as his back came crashing flat. He was so consumed in his thoughts that he didn’t realize the speed at which you were walking, he wasn’t braced for your impact.

You’d tried to cover your face to keep anyone from seeing the tears brimming in your eyes, not seeing the vampire that you’d body slammed into. Instinctively, your hands came out to catch yourself, despite landing on the person, your palms scraped against the cold cobblestone. It hardly hurt, you wouldn’t have felt it if the cuts didn’t catch onto the fabric of the vampire’s shirt as you pushed off their chest to stand. Muttering slurs of apologies and bending at the waist for a full bow, your damaged hands trembled at your side, not because of the pain but out of fear that you potentially knocked into the wrong vampire. Cold fingertips trailed lightly over the tops of your hands, not acknowledging your apologies but rather the now slightly bleeding scrapes.

Lifting your head and standing straight from the 90 degree angle, Hyunjin’s eyes were laser focused on your palms. His eyebrows were scrunched together in a concentrated furrow, almost pained as he flipped them over to reveal the injuries to both your hands. It wasn’t dripping in blood, but they would surely scab over by the end of the day. You could feel him shaking as he held you, unsure why.

The tip of his tongue poked out from between his lips, swiping the delicate skin and leaving a glistening layer to it. The scent of your exposed blood was making it harder for him to think, the same sweet, powdery florals flushing his nose as he lightly traced the edge of the cuts. “It doesn’t hurt,” you whispered. Whether you had said something before that, he didn’t know.

“I did this,” he murmured more to himself than you. As he pressed into the tender skin, more blood seeped from the scrapes, your scent growing even stronger. Pushing harder, a small, “ouch,” left your lips, getting Hyunjin to meet your eyes.

“C’mon.” Gently did he guide you towards your potion room. You didn’t necessarily need his help bandaging the wounds, but he stayed anyway. He forced you to sit on the wobbly wooden stool while he fleeted around the room gathering clean cloths, warm water, and something to sterilize. Wordlessly, Hyunjin motioned for you to stand so he could take your spot, guiding you to sit on the table instead. The height difference wasn’t much as you sat taller than him now, but just enough so that he had to look up to meet your face.

But he didn’t, he didn’t look at you once since returning to privacy. Even as you winced under the touch of the warm rag and when he wrapped the clean bandage around your hands, he didn’t dare look at the disappointment and disgust on your face.

If he had, he would see you contorted with concern, nothing but carefulness and longing in the way you gazed into his hidden crimson eyes. When he finally finished his task, Hyunjin moved to stand but your fingers on his shoulder kept him seated. Then, did he finally meet you face to face.

To his pleasure or agony– Hyunjin had no idea– you didn’t push him away. In fact, you stared directly into his beautiful red eyes, seeing the flecks of gold come and go the longer you kept the proximity. It was fascinating, how they quite literally swirled within the red, becoming more and more apparent. Then with the same hand on his shoulder, it came up to the side of his cheek, hesitant. The cold radiated off of him, it was soothing under your fire hot skin like you could almost hear it dimly sizzling. His lips trembled when the pads of your fingers made contact, yourself sucking in a deep breath out of fear he’d shy away.

Hyunjin didn’t move a single muscle. He sat still as stone as you examined his face. “You’re so pretty.” Somehow, the paperweight in his chest tightened as though he genuinely felt it beat.

His tongue was caught in a spiderweb as the words refused to be spoken, mind unable to form the right sentence to portray that– no. If I am pretty, then you are the model goddesses try to take after. And even after they attempt to understand your beauty, they still get it wrong.

Instead what came out was, “you’re so clumsy,” and took your hand gently away from his face. Cupping it between both of his, Hyunjin placed your wounded appendage gently into your lap and stood, leaving you breathless and embarrassed.

What had come over you? Speaking such words to your superior, your lord, a vampire. It was easy to hate living here with monsters, and somehow Hyunjin had made it tolerable. Now, you’d humiliated yourself in front of him and he flat out rejected you. How were you to ever face him after this? You wouldn’t, you decided. You’ll avoid him like the plague and tell Yeji that you just couldn’t attend dinner anymore, she’d definitely understand, right?

“I should go,” voice small, you whispered.

Hyunjin peered at you from over his shoulder, a pained smile and fake chuckle emitting from his mouth. When you raised an eyebrow at him, he rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the floor. “Twice I’ve been in here today and messed it up both times, hm?”

Your head tilted in even more confusion, and he flashed a big, fang filled smile in your direction. “You’re being weird,” you murmured.

“I’m being weird? My apologies, my lady. I’m just not used to having to care for a human. It’s like taking care of a pet.”

“A pet? That’s how you think of me?”

He’d blown it now. There it was again, the words not coming out right and he had no idea how to fix it. Hyunjin anxiously smoothed down the ends of his hair and took two steps towards you, retracting his fangs. “Th– that’s not what I meant.”

“That’s how it sounded.”

“I– I don’t–” he stopped himself, scared that it’d make things worse. In the span of one day, he’d almost bitten your head off, gotten you in trouble with the royals, injured you, made you bleed, and dismissed your clear courting signals. How did he end up here?

“Just say what you mean.” You weren’t messing around anymore, judging by your tone of voice. It was stern, demanding almost, though you were never the type to demand anything from anyone.

“If I tell you, you’ll run away.” He felt like he was collapsing in on himself, sinking into the floor and unable to move so he’d be forced to endure this emotional beating.

You let out an exasperated laugh, “you forget how fast you are. You’d catch me anyways.” It sounded quite literal when you put it that way, though there was a much more hidden meaning that no one had to look very deep for. There was no one other than him, no one that could’ve outshined him in any sense of the word, and no one else you’d risk your life for by the hand of the king.

Still, a cracked smile broke on his porcelain face in a way you couldn’t read other than it wasn’t the kind of happiness that met his eyes. No, Hyunjin seemed like he was hurting, just like every other time he was around you but somehow this was the worst it’s ever been. The gold in his eyes shone brighter, almost completely overtaking the red in the reflection of the yellow candle light. It was impossible to look away, somehow even more alluring than his usual sultry burgundy, something you’ve never seen from any vampire before.

Hesitating, Hyunjin reached up to untie the red ribbon that kept half his hair up, letting it fall into his face. He toyed with it for a second between his fingers before mumbling towards the ground, “I don’t need oxygen and you still make it hard for me to breathe.”

Your heart beat was speeding up, completely numb to the wound on your hands now as you leaned back onto one and the other clutched at your dress. It was thumping loud in your ears, probably even more so for him, watching the way Hyunjin turned to face you but kept his eyes to the floor. “How pathetic do I have to be to wish for something as useless as oxygen. I don’t need air in my lungs or a heart to pump blood through my body. I don’t need to be frightened of time because I have infinite amounts of it.” His slow footsteps echoed closer, “I don’t age or feel pain the way humans do. Any magical illness I face, you’re there to save me.”

Through the fringe of his hair, Hyunjin looked up at you. The gold was more than prominent now, so bright you should’ve been worried. It was like he had a torch of his own behind the very irises that were in his skull. Inch by inch, he closed the distance until he was in front of you again, towering over your nervous figure.

“Isn’t it sad, my lady,” the tops of his thighs brushed against your knees, the only contact besides bringing his hands up to gather your hair and pulling it over to one side. Separating into three strands and beginning to braid, he continued, “I have the strength and power of the gods and yet I’ve never felt more weak than when I’m with you.” As his words trailed off and your breath hitched in your throat, nimble fingers tied off your hair with the ribbon.

It felt like the same bow in your hair was tightening around your neck, constricting you from making a sound other than a pathetic whimper as Hyunjin let his hands fall to the table on either side of you. It strung tighter around your airway when he rested his weight onto them, coming in just centimeters from your face. The crimson eyes you were so used to looked unreal now, entirely replaced by the golden amber of this new Hyunjin. You felt uneasy and excited, cautious and daring all at the same time as he caged you in.

Somehow, between the centimeters distancing your and his lips decreasing and the pounding of your heart in your chest you found your voice again, “truly, it’s pathetic.” His pretty eyes narrowed at your words, though not interrupting. You paused, let him sweat for a moment before continuing, “you speak of immortality like it’s a gift. You get to be young and beautiful forever but at what cost?”

“You think I’m beautiful?” He smirked, with his eyes this time.

“I told you you’re pretty minutes ago and you responded by calling me a pet and poking fun at the fragility of my measly human body. I’m starting to think you enjoy giving me emotional whiplash, my lord.”

“Death doesn’t scare me but you do.”

“Being cryptic again.”

“I want to kiss you.”

“No one’s stopping you.”

“This is,” a cold hand pressed into your chest just where your heart lies beneath. The cold of his fingers grazing your exposed collar bone made goosebumps rise along your skin. “This stupid, useless piece of meat that is keeping my precious little witch alive.”

Possession. Claim. His. His little witch.

There was a tint of desperation that lingered in his tone, making you the slightest more confident. “I’m not yours until you make me yours.”

“You’re asking so much of me tonight.”

“And you’re giving me so little.” Adrenaline in your body made you scoot closer to the edge of the table, knees making way for him to nudge just that much more into you. Even through the thick fabric of your dress and his own clothing, it was exhilarating to feel him against you.

“I know what you want. Take your own advice and say it.” His plump lips brushed against yours, hardly grazing and it sent sparks down your spine.

“Kiss me.”

“One more time.”

“You talk too much.” You closed the almost nonexistent gap, softly pressing your lips to his. It was gentle, a young and inexperienced kiss because that’s as far as it got. Hyunjin repeated your actions, kissing you sweetly without pushing it any further. Skin cold but so good, sharp fangs just one wrong move away from piercing your own flesh. But that didn’t matter. Perhaps you were being reckless but you couldn’t help it, pulling him as close as he’d let you. The push and pull of your two varying strengths felt like a game, an addictive gamble wondering who’d power over the other when the two of you knew who was really in charge. A game of wits, if you will. Who had the most self control and who would be the first to break.

Hyunjin wouldn’t let himself so much as touch you any other way, while you balled your fingers into the thin material of his silk blouse. The sound of your lips colliding and breaking apart, one after another bounced off the cobblestone walls. It was too much and not enough, you’ve wanted to kiss him for so long and now you were overwhelmed while actually being able to do it. The only reason you pulled away was to be able to catch your breath.

“I take your breath away too, don’t I?” Hyunjin smirked against your lips, puckering and giving you a few more chaste kisses and accepting them wholeheartedly.

Match point.

#stray kids fanfic #stray kids #hwang hyunjin #hwang hyunjin fanfic #hwang hyunjin angst #hwang hyunjin fluff #hwang hyunjin smut #hyunjin x reader #hyunjin x you #hyunjin x y/n #stray kids angst #stray kids fluff #stray kids smut #stray kids scenarios #skz angst #skz fluff #skz fanfic #vampire hyunjin #skz scenarios

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eaglebow09 · 5 months

Text

Forgiveness (Revali x OC Anya)

Revali found himself in a place of vulnerability he had seldom experienced, even though he was asleep. The vissage of Anya lingered in his thoughts, her memories a relentless presence that haunted the corners of his mind. He lay on his bed in the dark night, restless and bothered by how things became so complicated.

He had been annoyed by the way he cared for her, how her presence seemed to chip away at the walls he had so carefully constructed around his heart. Revali had always prided himself on his self-sufficiency and his ability to stand alone, but Anya had managed to infiltrate his thoughts and stir emotions he had long buried. She was never suppose to even be there with them, he tried to tell himself, but nothing would qualm his confusion. In the ethereal privacy of his dream, he felt her presence drawing near. The soft, gentle sound of her footsteps echoed in the chamber of his subconscious. He could sense her approaching, and it both intrigued and unnerved him. Suddenly Anya materialized before him, her form radiant yet ghostly in the moonlight, she looked down at him and her eyes held a sadness that mirrored his own, a sadness written with all the unspoken words that hung between them.

Without a word, Anya lowered herself and Revali's breath caught in his throat as her fingers brushed gently against his cheek. It was a touch that sent shivers down his spine, a sensation he had never experienced before. She shook him, and it terrified him. Anya leaned in, her lips tenderly brushing against his forehead. The kiss was soft, a bittersweet promise of forgiveness and understanding and in that moment, his heart ached.

"What have I done." He whispered.

But as quickly as she had come, Anya began to fade, her form dissipating like morning mist touched by the first rays of sunlight. Revali reached out, longing to hold onto her presence, but his fingers passed through the empty air.

He awoke with a start, the remnants of the dream still lingering in his mind. Revali was left with a sense of both yearning and frustration, knowing that the care he felt for Anya was something that could ruin him. As the morning light bathed his room, he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to let down his walls and allow himself to be touched by her in the waking world.

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

Trying to keep some goodies floating out here. My 3rd chapter is in the photoshop phase! Almost there

Poor Revali, Pride truly is a fools downfall. I wonder what happens when Pride and Guilt collide? Can he accept that he was wrong? Or gather the courage to fix what he broke, despite having to admit he was wrong all along? We shall see how it all pans out as our characters set out.

#botw #comic #fanart #art #breath of the wild #revali #webcomic #rito #canon x oc #zelda #legend of zelda #master revali #drawing #draw #hyrule warriors #age of calamity #rito oc #revali x oc #rito champion

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aspiringwarriorlibrarian · 1 year

Note

Random post-shower thought:

I feel like people who say that Iroh from AtlA had no issues overlooked a possibility that a lot of the friction between him and Zuko stemmed from Iroh's own character weaknesses coming into conflict with Zuko's.

Namely, he tended to treat the situation as a game, had a lot of subconscious privilege, and his tendency to (at least in my opinion) project his dead son Lu Ten's personality traits onto his nephew.

A large chunk of Iroh's character stems from him essentially being a very privileged person. Crown Prince and beloved by his nation until the failure of Ba Sing Se. Even then, he treated war like it was a game, even if he was much more affable and nice compared to the other Fire Nation commanders we've seen.

And he basically didn't really start opposing the war until he lost his own son, and realized that this wasn't a game for them...

But even after gaining wisdom, enough to become a White Lotus member who opposed his nation's war, it was pretty clear that his "it's all a game" mentality and privilege were very problematic views that collided hard with his nephew's view of the world.

Zuko had basically lost everything in his eyes (even if he still had some privileges for the first Season), and here was his well meaning uncle seemingly not taking things seriously.

And it makes sense, because Iroh wasn't exiled along with Zuko; he CHOSE to go with Zuko, which while certainly heartwarming, also meant that he didn't really have to take the situation as seriously as his nephew, because (at least until the beginning of Season 2), he could basically return home if he wished. And this privilege subconsciously affected his judgment, caused him to basically not take things as seriously as he should have until it was no longer an option to do so.

His blunders with the poison tea and his rather preposterously lax behavior at Ba Sing Se (being a renowned war general taking refuge in the very city he tried to conquer, literally taking MASSIVE risks by firebending his own tea in the middle of a refugee crisis where ANYONE who was paying attention could see him, being interested in having a tea shop IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEALTHIEST AND MOST LIKELY FILLED WITH MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO MIGHT RECOGNIZE HIM AND SERVING THE EARTH KING) only further highlight the sheer disconnect he has as a result of his privilege as a prince, and it really bites them in the ass.

And to be honest, I think he also had a tendency to project his dead son's traits onto Zuko. While Lu Ten didn't get any significant characterization, I think it's fair to say that he was probably a lot like Iroh, if younger and probably more inclined to follow and want his father's approval.

And I think we see this consistently in Iroh's tendency to try to treat things like a game around Zuko, despite Zuko clearly being someone who takes things extremely seriously, and being emotionally more intense about things in general. And this well-meaning but not entirely correct love ends up being as much of a problem as it was a benefit, because while Zuko DID need Iroh's wisdom, it was also clear that Iroh's wisdom only worked when Zuko didn't have any better options or was thinking clearly, but fell apart for situations when Zuko needed much more profound emotional support for his psychological scars.

And this is especially evident for the bit where Iroh believed that Zuko would want to spend the rest of his life as a tea shop assistant, despite knowing the kind of person Zuko was. Because Iroh was, once again, projecting his own desires and what his son might have accepted onto a very prideful and emotionally wounded young man, and it cost both of them immensely.

And yet, I think this was also the moment when Iroh finally realized the issue, because distancing himself from Zuko, while no doubt painful, was probably necessary for both of them. Because Iroh recognized that he needed to get his own head out of his ass in regards to how he treated the situation, and to also let Zuko be his own man and figure things out his own way, rather than trying to think of Zuko as Lu Ten 2.0.

I should note that this isn't an indictment of Iroh; if anything it just shows that Iroh, as good of a mentor as he may be, was far more complex and had his own character arc to go through.

...This got way longer than I thought it would.

No, it was just the right length to illustrate that he did very much have flaws and character growth. He had a lot of things figured out but he also had a bit farther to go before he could be the parental figure Zuko needed.

#uncle iroh #zuko #avatar

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velvetwarfare · 2 months

Text

‘ WELCOME TO THE STAGE — THE ONE, THE ONLY! FIZZAROLLI! ‘

Betty grimaced as the audience suddenly became a tsunami of screams and hollers, strangers pushing into her and nearly trampling the vampire just to get to the front of the stage. Colliding with the cold floor below with an unceremonious yelp, the red head HISSED and had to keep her short temper in check — the last thing she needed was to be fired from her dream job right after obtaining it.

She knew Fizz was popular — and even popular was an understatement. He was an ICON — and the fact he took her as an apprentice and even lover was beyond her. Normally, Betty held herself up on a pedestal so tall that no one could possibly put a dent in her fragile ego. She was the GODDESS OF HER OWN WORLD. SHE WROTE HER OWN CHAPTERS AND CREATED HER OWN CHARACTERS. SHE WAS THE RINGLEADER OF HER OWN CIRCUS AND EVERYONE ELSE WAS FORTUNATE TO BE EVEN A CIRCUS MONKEY.

But the little imp was not a circus monkey. He was the clown — the true star of the show. Even if she felt like the ringleader, he still was STARS ABOVE HER. A part of her ENVIED HIM FOR ACHIEVING ALL THE ASPIRATIONS SHE YEARNED FOR FOR CENTURIES. THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HER — THAT SPOTLIGHT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HER AS A JESTER AND NOT THIS NOSFERATU - RIDDEN WAR COMMANDER. THE ENVY BURNED HOTTER THAN HELL’S FIRES.

And he was so nice to her. So kind, so patient, so gentle. Her quips made her feel guilty. Sarcasm became limited. Side eyes softened. She felt herself watering down her ANGER AND RESENTMENT — tending to a garden of thorns and nursing it into a garden of colorful flowers instead. Just for him. Perhaps he was more of a LION TAMER rather than circus star.

Watching him glide around the vibrant stage in a barrage of expert dance moves, the audience cheered and clapped along to his melodious voice. Betty slowly rose to her feet, feeling time slow as she digested his craft. All feelings of envy bled dry — and were substituted with something softer. Something more innocent, more cherishing. She could recall some time ago before his performance where she struggled to put into words what he truly meant to her. But what could possibly be described in just one measly word?

Tears streamed down her face in carmine trickles, the salt mixing with the last residue of venom. The bloodshot tint to her eyes had been gradually becoming white again ever since she was taken care of by Ozzy and his medics — and with this session of subconscious crying, they were finally pure white again. Her irises were a beautiful shade of foggy grey — a thunderstorm. She didn’t even register she was sobbing. Fizz definitely could witness the concerning expression on her face when he passed by her front stage — dumbfounded, starstruck, blanking out.

He was elegancy. Beauty. The perfect art of theatrics and drama. The innocence of a gentle clown. The dream that never died despite his past. Despite his deformities, he was still beloved. In another life, she could’ve been that too should the town accepted her vampirism instead of hunting her down. All she ever wanted was to be accepted and loved too.

And she found a genuine, healthy bundle of love with him. An attachment that wasn’t DETRIMENTAL NOR ABUSIVE. SAFETY — A FOREIGN SENSATION.

When was the last time she ever felt this happy and alive in all of her lives? When was the last time she felt HUMAN AGAIN?

That realization hit harder than any of her deaths.

As the lights dimmed and the performance ended, Betty stepped forward to take his hands in hers, her expression still out of it. There were no more red streaks, no more crimson scleras — no more traces of the Pride Ring’s damage. A hushed, shaky whisper,

“ Heaven, “

And then a bit louder for him to hear, staring at him as if he were the strangest creature she’s ever laid eyes upon,

“ That is my answer…Heaven.

You are Heaven. “

@hazbinhive

#🐀 VERSE: A MILLION DREAMS. 🐀#🐀 REWRITE THE STARS. ( betty x fizz ) 🐀#hazbinhive #god. GOD.

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wysteriaz-blog · 1 year

Text

Two Worlds Collided & They Could Never Tear Us Apart

Chapter 9: Hope

You finally speak with someone but she is unfortunately unable to help you. However, she says there are others who may take on the task, which will give you the chance to learn more about this place, the people, and hopefully figure out why and how you got here.

Or read the series on Ao3 / Wattpad!

▪︎☆°○°☆ Playlist ☆°○°☆▪︎

You wake up before everyone does in the very early hours of the morning. You notice Inosuke had ended up on the ground, Tanjiro was at the foot of the bed laying across it, and Zenitsu was still curled up at the top. You miraculously have the middle all to yourself and quietly slip from the bed, being careful not to disturb any one of the boys. Except for Inosuke, you felt bad and he needed to be on a bed and rest properly. You saw his injuries, so there was no doubt laying on the cold, hard ground would be uncomfortable. Ever so carefully you prod at him, trying to lift him up a bit and get him to move. He very groggily mumbles and tries to push you away but doesn't succeed.

"Inosuke.." you whisper, urging him to move, "get in bed, c'mon."

Even though his brain is still heavily blanketed by sleep, he subconsciously knows that you're trying to move him and he grumbles at the slight annoyance. You keep trying and he finally seems to give in. He's heavy and doesn't make it easy, but he does wake up just enough to clumsily crawl back to his bed with your help and clamber onto it, shoving his face into a pillow with a huff as he instantly falls back asleep. You snicker to yourself and make sure he stays there before turning on your heel and making your way out of the room, gently closing the door.

There's a tiny sliver of light peeking in through a window in the hall, enough to help make your way down and look around. You have no idea where you are, but you figure exploring wouldn't hurt anything. You spot an open door that leads outside and step through it, looking around at the land before a voice quietly startles you from behind.

"Hello there," a woman with dark hair and purple tips greets. "If I may ask, who exactly are you, and what is your business here?"

She's smiling softly.. but it doesn't reach her eyes, which is unnerving. She's very pretty too and it makes you feel a bit uncomfortable being stared at by her, when her expression doesn't quite match what her tone of voice is trying to convey. She seems nice enough despite that though, so you awkwardly smile back and watch as she blinks.

"Hello," she greets again.

Your brows shoot up—she spoke english!

You let out an involuntary yelp, caught up in excitement. "Hi! Oh my god, I can't believe this. You speak english?!"

"Yes, a little. What is your name," she asks politely, keeping her words quick and short.

"Y/n! What's yours?"

"I am Shinobu Kocho. You may call me Kocho." She brings her hand up to her chin, resting a finger there. "You are not a demon slayer..."

It wasn't a question. She knew you weren't a demon slayer but she didn't know anything else about you. You were obviously a foreigner... but what were you doing here? You most likely weren't a person she needed to be worried about, you haven't done anything suspicious yet, but she still deems it necessary to question you. Something about you was... peculiar.

"Uhm, no... is that what you all are? Everyone here seems to have swords and kill monsters.. and you're all so strong!"

"Not everyone."

"Ahh, okay. You said demons.. so, is that what those monsters are—demons?"

"Yes." She fixes you with another inquisitive stare. "Do you speak Japanese? What are you doing here, exactly?"

You shake your head and frown a little. "No, I've actually been hoping to find someone who may be able to help me. I'm not from here, which I'm sure you could already tell.. so I'd like to speak with someone, as I honestly don't know how I got here or remember much of anything if I'm being honest. I want to figure that out too..."

Her expression shifts the tiniest bit, her cold and calculating eyes almost softening as she blinks and smiles more genuinely.

"I'm afraid I am much too busy and do not know enough to help you in this situation," she says with an apologetic lilt.

"Damn..."

"I do apologize," she almost sighs, "I have work to do and do not have the time to properly help. I also understand English just fine, but speaking is still difficult at times, so I'm afraid I won't be of much help."

"That's okay, I understand.." you smile lightly, but feeling quite bummed.

"That does not mean I will not help in whatever way I can. I am quite certain one of the others may be willing and more able to help. I am.. to attend a meeting here and I will speak to them about this."

And just like that your hope flares anew. "Really?! Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!"

"You are quite welcome! There are two others who I believe are more knowledgeable than myself, and I am certain at least one of them will be of assistance to you."

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that! You have no idea how tough it's been trying to communicate with my new friends. We've made it work.. sort of, but I'm excited to finally meet someone who I'll be able to really talk to!"

She just smiles and nods before she has to leave. You stay outside and enjoy the rising sun's beams slowly growing brighter. You find a nearby spot to sit and bask in the light, taking in the fresh, warm air as you drift off into a daydream. It's so quiet and peaceful here, just like that other place you stayed at with the beautiful flowers all over the place. Something flutters near you and you open your eyes to a wonderful sight—butterflies. At first there's just a few, floating around on the gentle breeze but then more appear and it makes your eyes shine with awe.

You don't think you've ever seen something so beautiful. Nature always seemed to take your breath away. It had a way of making you forget everything that was ugly and wrong with the world sometimes. It surrounded you like a warm, comforting blanket and it was easy to get lost in it. Getting lost in the beauty of the world was far better than letting anger, sadness, greed, or other things take over you. Sure, things may not always pan out how you wanted or planned, but if you took just a moment to stop and look around you, there were still good things to hold onto.

You had hope for the future.

That feeling has only grown more everyday. Something was going to happen, and all the people you have met and may come to meet, will be important and you couldn't wait to see where life took you.

☽☼☾☽☼☾☽☼☾

Something kept poking him, stirring him awake. His eyes slowly peel open, adjusting to the bright light shining in the room, his head feeling a little fuzzy and barely registering the words being spoken to him.

"Good morning! How are you feeling, Tanjiro-san?" Three voices pour out.

"Good.. morning." He blinks a few times, wincing a little as he sits up and grabs at his side, finding three girls standing before him as they watch him intently. " If I'm being honest, everything hurts right now. That whole encounter up on the mountain was really brutal."

"Oh no, do you need anything!"

"We were all worried for you and your friends when you were brought in, you were all beat up pretty good," another one pipes up.

"Yes, it's very important that you three get some rest and recover for the next couple weeks!" the last girl says.

He smiles tiredly at them. "I'm fine, thank you. But you're right, we really do need to rest..."

"Alright! If you need anything at all, we'll be around," one girl says, bowing and leaving the room with the other two following behind. One girl comes back though and adds an afterthought. "Oh, please make sure your friend takes his medicine! And I'm sorry to ask, but do you think you could get him to be a little quieter? Thank you!"

He nods and yawns after she leaves again, looking around to see his friends still sleeping. Oh, that's right! He was so exhausted that he fell asleep on Zenitsu's bed yesterday. Hopefully he didn't take up too much space. He'll apologize for invading his personal space and remind him to take his medicine as soon as he wakes up. As for Inosuke, he was on his own bed, face shoved into a pillow and limbs stretched out as he snored away. He'll be sure to check on him when he wakes up too.

He looks around a little more, not seeing you and almost gets worried again before he remembers you're all at the Butterfly Mansion. You haven't been gone for long as your scent still lingers around, but it was safe here and he didn't need to worry. Good—everything was fine—all of his friends are nearby and safe. And of course, he can't forget Nezuko. His eyes roam around the room and stop on his box. He slowly swings his legs over the bed and stands up with a soft groan, going to the window and closing the curtain before he pads over to the box.

"Nezuko.. it's alright now, you can come out."

There's a little scratching sound before the door slowly opens and reveals Nezuko, who peeks her head out before crawling outside to sit on the floor. He goes back to his own bed, plopping down with a sigh as she blinks at him from where she sits.

"Hey, Nezuko," he greets with a warm smile.

She seems to almost smile back, letting out a cheery, "Mhm!"

"What you did, protecting me on the mountain.. thank you, again."

"Ehmm," she hums quietly.

"You know, Tomioka, Urokodaki, they've risked their lives on our behalf. So, I... I have to become stronger." He speaks slowly and stares off to the side. "And if it weren't for the Hashira's master, we may not have been spared. Even though I'm in a lot of pain right now, I have to keep pushing forward. That's because I'll be older, and I'll keep growing old until I pass on. After that, if you're still a demon, then you'll be alone... that'd be far too lonely, wouldn't it?"

He looks back towards her, eyes widening the tiniest bit before smiling softly. She fell asleep. She's laying on the ground, her arms crossed and head resting on her hands as she breathes slowly, looking completely content. It must've been hard for her to be asleep for so long, only to wake up and then fight, getting hurt in the process. She didn't heal quickly on the mountain like other demons, but she appears to be all healed now, which he was glad to see. It seemed like she healed faster and gained more energy by sleeping. And now, seeing her sleep doesn't scare him like it did before, because he knew that she was different.

She was strong! She was a fighter and she would fight by his side, for her family, her friends, and any other person that needed help. She had always been like that, but he was afraid that when she got turned, she'd no longer be the person she used to be. She was asleep for so long, he feared she wouldn't wake up and she'd just slip away. But he's not afraid anymore. He felt like she was still human—herself—deep down inside, which gave him hope. She had to be able to turn back, there had to be a way, and he was going to keep fighting until then.

He stands up and walks over to her, carefully picking her up and placing her down on a bed, tucking her in. "I promise.. I will turn you back into a human."

☽☼☾☽☼☾☽☼☾

The Hashira and master all sit in a darkened room, two lanterns giving off a soft glow. The master sits in front of them, his expression solemn.

"Just as you all have reported, the carnage of the demons has grown more than ever, meaning the threat to human life in turn is greater than it has ever been. We must bolster the ranks of the demon slayers. What, then, are your thoughts?"

"The incident on Mount Natagumo says it all," Sanemi drawls. "The caliber of demon slayers has dropped tremendously—most of them are useless. The trainers must have gone gone blind or something, you'd think they could tell if someone's competent or not."

"Well, that kid today sure packed a lot of power. He landed that dazzling blow on you! He's got potential," Tengen, the man with the headband, claims.

Sanemi rolls his eyes. "Tch.."

"The more the human race grows, the harder it becomes to control and unify them. And in this era, that seems to be even more true." Shinobu says.

The man with beads wrapped around his hand speaks lowly. "There are those who've joined us after their loved ones were slaughtered, and there are those of noted pedigree who have hunted demons for generations, but everyone else it's another matter. Asking laymen for the same or even greater commitment to our cause, I feel would be much too cruel.

"But consider that this boy, soon after joining, encountered a Twelve Kizuki! I think he can draw them out. Even we rarely get the chance to confront one, I am envious!" Kyojuro, the man with fiery hair, adds in while holding up his fist.

"The fact that lower-five demon made such a drastic move likely means Kibutsuji is far from Mount Natagumo." The master replies. "Like with Asakusa, whenever he wishes to hide something, he proceeds to create a clever diversion to throw us off his trail. It's quite frustrating. As long as those demons linger as they do now, freely devouring humans and gaining strength as a result, there is only one thing for us to do for the sake of those who have died. I feel... you who are present today, the core Hashira, are the finest unit I have assembled since the first breathing swordsmen of the feudal era." He smiles graciously. "Tengen Uzui, Kyojuro Rengoku, Shinobu Kocho, Mitsuri Kanroji, Muichiro Tokito, Gyomei Himejima, Sanemi Shinazugawa, Iguro Obanai, Giyuu Tomioka. My beloved children.. I look forward to seeing your success. This meeting is now concluded."

They all bow lowly, bidding the master farewell and well wishes and begin to slowly disperse until Shinobu calls their attention.

"I'm sure by now you all are aware of the girl who came along with that group of boys and the demon. I have a favor to ask."

Mitsuri Kanroji, a kind and bubbly woman with pink hair, bounds over to her. "Oh, yes, what's going on?"

"As you may know, she is not from here and doesn't speak our language, therefore, she is unable to communicate with anyone properly. So, I am requesting aid in this situation."

"Hmm, that is troublesome. Do you know where she's from? And what language does she speak?"

"She speaks English, but no one knows exactly where she came from or how she got here, including herself—it appears she has lost her memory."

Mitsuri gasps and there's a mix of curiosity, concern, or indifference on a few of the other Hashira's faces as they take in this information. Sanemi huffs as he walks away without a single word, not caring to stick around, with Iguoro silently close behind. Gyomei says a few prayers, saying he feels sorry for you before he follows the other two shortly after, claiming he would go and continue to pray for your poor soul as his way of helping. Muichiro's indifferent and expresses that he won't be able to help, as he not only doesn't speak any English, but he has memory issues as well and leaves. This just leaves Mitsuri, Tengen, and Kyojuro to continue standing by.

"That is quite the predicament!" Kyojuro voices, intrigued by this situation. "I would be honored to help, it is my duty after-all to lend a hand to those in need, but I'm afraid I don't know much english!"

"I want to help! English is spoken in the west, right? I've always been fascinated by western culture, especially the food, so I learned English so I could buy some if I ever visit some place!"

"How flamboyant! Not to brag or anything but I actually know quite a few languages myself, including English, so I can speak to her no problem."

Mitsuri's eyes light up as she gushes. "Oh, that's so lovely, Tengen! How did you get to be so knowledgeable? I had a hard time learning just one language!"

"It's nothing, really! I just figured the more skills I have," Tengen flashes a smug grin, "the flashier and more dazzling I'll be!"

"Quite impressive!" Kyojuro commends boisterously, a twinkle of amusement in his eye.

Tengen looks to Shinobu, expecting her to also say something about his broad range of skills and how amazing he is, but she simply ignores him and turns on her heel. It knocks his ego down the tiniest bit and he deadpans.

Would it seriously hurt her to compliment someone every once in a while?!

"Alright then," Shinobu says with a tight smile, walking past them. "If you wish to be of help, please follow me."

Misturi cheers and skips ahead, leaving Tengen and Kyojuro to trail behind at a much more leisurely pace as they follow Shinobu to her estate. Mitsuri was delighted to meet someone new, another woman, and a foreigner at that! Tengen on the other hand found it quite exciting to put some of language skills to real use (and show off even more but he wouldn't admit it, even though they all knew it), while Kyojuro was just curious, and it didn't hurt to see if he may be able to help in some way so he might as well tag a long.

This was a strange but welcomed development to them. When all you do is risk your life, fighting demons, and dealing with other serious matters, it's no surprise that they jumped on the opportunity to perhaps learn something new and take a bit of a break while still fulfilling their duty of helping another person.

Shinobu walks ahead with Mitsuri close by, leading her and the other two Hashira to the Butterfly Mansion. When she had brought you up and requested help, she didn't quite expect Tengen, Mitsuri, and Kyojuro to be the ones to take her up on it altogether. Mitsuri wasn't surprising in the least bit, as she was a kind and positive woman, eager to lend a helping hand and learn new things. Shinobu and her got along quite well, and not just because they were the only two women in a higher ranking of the corps. They brought out each other's differences but complemented each other well, where Shinobu was more composed and kept her grounded, Mitsuri was bright and let Shinobu feel lighter and open up more. They've built a strong and respectable friendship, so of course Mitsuri would want to help her friend.

As for Kyojuro, it was a little... odd, for lack of a better word. He was an exuberant and passionate man, but had a very serious and pragmatic side, which made it a little hard to read him at times. One never could tell exactly how he was feeling or what he was thinking, unless he were to say it directly out loud. He wasn't secretive in any way, he was actually very loud and expressive, but there was an underlying obscurity. It wasn't necessarily a question of whether he'd help, as he was quite selfless, but Shinobu wondered why he was still tagging along when he himself said he most likely won't be of use as he doesn't speak your language. He could be spending this time doing something more practical, however, it seems he's letting his curiosity take over and is allowing himself to take some time away from doing his usual very serious work

Now, Tengen on the other hand was completely transparent. He was a lively and outrageously bold man that thrived on showing off and seemingly annoying others. He's good-natured and holds no ill-intent, but he certainly had a bad habit of pestering any and everyone, save for their master, all just for his entertainment. Although he was quite self-absorbed, his motive for helping wasn't purely for the benefit of his own image and standing with others. He was actually a fairly caring and surprisingly charitable man, so as much as he loved to take what he could from others—be that recognition, praise, or anything else—he also loved to give just as much. Helping people made them feel better and that in turn made him feel good too—it was a win, win! Not to mention, you were a new face.. a foreigner at that and that was exciting enough, so of course he was going to take this opportunity to check things out.

And if you stuck around long enough, he might have another person to mess with. Everyone else was pretty used to his antics by now, so the prospect of being able to joke around and get reactions out of someone new was an added bonus!

"Shinobu, have you spoken with her," Mitsuri questions curiously.

"Yes, a little bit."

"Oh, what is she like?"

"She seems like a nice girl, though.. I can't say much else."

"I can't wait to meet her! Another woman—it's so exciting, I hope we can become friends!"

"I'm sure you will," Shinobu replies, smiling softly at her as they finally approach the mansion. "We were outside in the butterfly garden when I spoke to her last, so let's check there first."

Mitsuri beams as her excitement grows and she speeds down the path, heading straight for the garden, leaving Shinobu to pause and check on the other two, who aren't too far behind. Kyojuro has a bright smile adorning his face as they catch up and she leads them to the garden where Mitsuri is waiting, bouncing around as she looks for you. She has no clue what you look like but she doesn't see anyone she doesn't recognize and pouts slightly.

"Aww, she isn't here! Where could she be?"

Shinobu spots Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho, the three girls that help around the mansion, and calls them over.

"Have you seen our guest?"

"Oh, yes! Her and the boys are just finishing up lunch."

"Thank you," Shinobu says before leading the others inside.

☽☼☾☽☼☾☽☼☾

Zenitsu is running around the room, while Tanjiro and Inosuke chase after him and try to get him to take his medicine.

"I refuse to take any more of that disgusting stuff! There's no way something that tastes that horrible is good for you!"

Tanjiro's smile is strained as he tries to reason with him. "Please, Zenitsu, calm down and take it. You won't get better if you don't! I know it doesn't taste too good, but you just have to bare with it."

"I'm gonna shove it down your throat if you don't stop your whining and take it already! I'm tired of hearing you cry about it," Inosuke bellows, trying to circle around and grab him but Zenitsu keeps his distance by hiding behind you. "Stop using her as a human shield, damn it! Don't make me move her out of the way! If I have to do that, I'll be even more pissed off!"

"Don't you dare touch Y/n-chan, you pig!" Zenitsu glares from over your shoulder.

You look confused trying to figure out what is going on, but that's nothing new. You sort of had an idea because Zenitsu started flipping out as soon as he was given something in a cup, which smelled and looked awful. You figure he's trying to get out of drinking whatever it was, and you can't blame him, but it was probably something he needed.. like medicine.

"Then shut up and drink it already!"

"Noooo!"

Inosuke lunges forward and grabs onto you and Zenitsu wraps himself around you at the same time to try and stop him, both of them pushing and pulling at each other with you squished in the middle. You've grown used to it at this point and don't even try to fight it, but Tanjiro quickly intervenes and pries them both away from you, which is impressive considering he was holding the cup with the medicine in it and didn't even spill a drop.

"Hey! Didn't I tell you not to involve her and to stop fighting?!" Tanjiro scolds, pulling you behind him as he scowls at them. "You're both being very loud and rude. You're also going to hurt yourselves more if you're not careful! We should be resting right now."

Zenitsu points his shortened arm at Inosuke."He started it and grabbed her first!"

"I told you I was gonna move her if you didn't shut up and take the medicine!" Inosuke snaps.

"Well, you're not supposed to grab her!"

"Who says?!"

"Tanjiro did!"

"He can't tell me what to do!"

"Well, I said so, too! You should listen!"

"No way, you especially can't tell me what to do!"

You tap TanJiro's shoulder and he turns around, looking frazzled and raises his brow as you reach for the cup in his hand and gently take it.

"Umm, Zenitsu..?"

You're worried he might not be able to hear you because of how loud they're being but his attention instantly snaps to you, which pisses Inosuke off as he yells at him to not ignore him. You hold the cup up and slowly hold it out, his face twisting as he debates going closer to you or stepping further away, because he knows that you're now trying to get him to take it, whether you knew he needed it or not. You were smart, so he thinks it's safe to say that you did know it was some kind of medicine which he had to take, and that you were worried for him and trying to care for him. It warmed his heart at the thought.. but did you know that it was awful and it tasted like he was drinking poison instead?!

"Y/n-chaaaaan, not you too," he whines.

He really didn't want to drink this... but Tanjiro and Inosuke have been trying to give it to him, so you know it's something he needs.

"I know you probably don't like it, but you should really take it..."

You step closer since he doesn't move and it makes him tense up even more. His body screams at him to run.. but his heart tells him to let you be the one to give the medicine to him. Your voice was calm and soft, you seemed to be asking him so nicely, and it was making him feel weak. Maybe it'd be sweeter coming from you? His eyes gloss over and he slowly relaxes as you approach him, going into a daydream of sorts.

Yeah, maybe it wouldn't be so bad if you were the one to give it to him! He's freaking out on the inside for other reasons now as you stand right in front of him, looking incredibly cute as you offer him the cup. He's still hesitant to take it but he does grab it, heart pounding when his fingers accidentally brush yours, a nervous smile on his face. You're looking at him expectantly and it's taking everything in him to not throw the cup away. You tilt your head slightly, waiting for him to drink it and he nearly explodes from the cuteness. Yup. He was weak! How could he resist?! He tosses his head back and chugs the medicine down, nearly choking on it as he quickly leans forward and struggles to not cough his lungs out.

Nope.

Sadly, it didn't taste better...

But you smile and laugh a little, so he doesn't care as much and gives a wobbly grin with tears in his eyes as he stares at you. You gently pat his back and he realizes at this moment that he likes you... like a lot, which kind of surprises him. He's a major flirt (never said he was good at it) and has thrown himself at many women, many times, without success. And sure, it hurt a bit to be rejected, but he never truly thought anything would come of his attempts to woo them. He hardly knew them and vice versa, so even if they did accept his advances, it wouldn't have been real.

Maybe it would have grown into something real.. but that didn't appeal to him now that he thinks about it. He has been desperate to find love and thought that anyone would be fine. He remembers what Tanjiro said the first day you all met, and he didn't quite understand what he was rambling about then, but he thinks he does now...

It hasn't been very long, there's still so much to learn about each other, but what he does know so far is enough to send his heart racing and make his palms sweaty. You were cute, oh, so pretty.. but the more he's getting to know you, how kind and caring you are, the more he likes you. He briefly wonders if the other two might also feel the same but instantly shuts that thought down. Tanjiro made it clear that he had no feelings for you.. at least back then, so he decides not to worry about his potential feelings or lack of. If he changes his mind and does end up liking you.. then he'll worry about it. And Inosuke was, well, Inosuke... an oblivious, hard-headed, buffoon. He wouldn't know the first thing about liking someone, so he isn't worried about him at all!

You haven't once gotten angry at him and you seemed to enjoy his company. You've cared for and comforted him too. Did that mean he just might actually have a chance?! He was definitely going to try and win your heart, which is where he got real nervous, because he really wanted to impress you and make you happy. If he fails and you don't share his affections, he might just die from the heartbreak. Maybe he's being a bit dramatic, but it would seriously hurt a lot and take a long time for him to recover. But he thinks he'd be fine, if he just got to stay by your side and be friends, then he'd happily take it.

He has a dopey grin on his face as he melts against you still patting his back but the moment is quickly shattered.

"HAHH?! You'll listen to her but not us?! Why I oughta—"

"Inosuke.." Tanjiro warns.

"I bet that stuff wasn't even that bad! He just wanted Bubbles to give it to him!!"

"Bu-Bubbles? Who's Bubbles?"

Inosuke huffs and points at you like it was obvious. "Who else would I be talking about?!"

"That's.. not her name..."

"Yeah, well, I can't remember it!"

Right... he's absolutely terrible with names.

Tanjiro just shakes his head. "But why Bubbles?"

"Because! She makes my stomach feel like.. there's weird bubbles in it or something! Like I wanna puke! Doesn't she do that to you, too?"

"Uhh..." Tanjiro's eyes are bewildered as he glances at you. "No. What do you mean by that?"

"I don't know! I just feel weird whenever she touches me!"

"Why is she touching you?!" Zenitsu suddenly hollers, wildly shaking him by the shoulders. "WHERE DID SHE TOUCH YOU?!?!"

"I don't know why! But she put that rag on my shoulder, remember? It made me feel weird! She also grabbed my hand when I was gonna beat the hell out of you, and then I didn't feel like beating you up anymore. And then she touched my head, when we made.. those plant... circle.. things...?"

"Flower crowns," Tanjiro helpfully supplies.

"Yeah those!" Inosuke nods and shoves Zenitsu away, placing his hands on his hips. "She put a flower crown on me and touched my head, which made me feel kind of sick, but it wasn't a bad kind of sick... I think. I don't know why she keeps doing those things, but if I had to guess, I think she likes me!"

"NO WAY!!! WHY THE HELL WOULD SHE LIKE YOU?!"

Inosuke snorts and cackles. "Because I'm the strong and powerful, Lord Inosuke! Everyone likes me!"

"That's debatable... and didn't you lose in the mountains and get all mopey about it..." Zenitsu ribs him. "Doesn't sound very strong and powerful to me."

"Shut up, you almost got turned into a spider!"

Tanjiro opens his mouth to say something, but he doesn't really want to be a part of this conversation anymore, so he stays quiet and just wordlessly pulls you away from the oddly calm chaos happening right now. He's tried all that he can, except headbutting them... and he didn't want to have to do that. Besides, they weren't really fighting anymore—at least not physically—and you weren't literally stuck in the middle of them, so he decided to just leave them be to sort out... whatever this was. They don't even notice him and you quietly leave.

Zenitsu stares Inosuke down, an ugly green monster rearing its head. "Do you like her?!"

"What kind of question is that?"

"Answer me!!!"

"What's it to ya?!"

Did that mean he did like you?! No! No way!

"You can't! I asked for her hand in marriage first, so don't even think about it!! There's no way she'd ever wanna be your wife!"

Inosuke makes a disgruntled sound. "What are you talking about?! Wife? Mar-riage? I don't even know what that means, but it sounds like a load of crap to me!

"What? So, you don't like her...?"

"No, I like her." He shrugs and crosses his arms. "Although she was dumb and got chased by this giant spider demon on the mountain, she was pretty damn brave, and didn't even get a scratch! I did have to save her though, but I think she's worthy of becoming my minion. I admit that she's stronger than I thought!" He perks up suddenly and raises his fists. "I wanna fight her! I bet she's been holding back all this time! I'll finally have a worthy opponent and we can spar every day!"

"...."

"What?"

Zenitsu has a blank stare and slowly turns, walking away and leaving Inosuke to fume at suddenly being ignored.

He was right, Inosuke was oblivious and wouldn't even know if a fish smacked him right in the face. He's relieved the pig-headed man doesn't like you, at least not in the way he does, but he sort of feels bad for him. Has he never been around people at all? And Zenitsu thought he was lonely and pathetic. But Inosuke didn't seem to realize or care, so he guesses it wasn't anything for him to feel pity about. All that mattered was he didn't like you in the same way he did. But if he did miraculously end up liking you more than he did now, then he'd worry about it.

All he had to worry about right now, was figuring out how to express his feelings without being creepy or clingy, and seeing if you might feel the same and give him a chance. He always runs head first into this sort of thing, desperate to have someone by his side, but he realizes he needs to slow down and not rush anything with you because he actually cares. Starting from here, he was on a mission to become a man you'd want, a man you would be proud of, and love!

Which means he has to heal and get his strength back first...

He sighs, turns around and goes back to the room, finding Inosuke already sleeping on his bed. He shuffles over to his own bed and slips under the covers, closing his eyes to get more rest.

Right.. baby steps.

#demon slayer fic #demon slayer #tanjiro x reader #inosuke x reader #zenitsu x reader #rengoku x reader #tomioka x reader #pining #nezuko kamado #tengen uzui #shinobu kocho #sanemi shinazugawa #angst #demon slayer fluff #fluff #friends #humor #jealousy #choose your ending

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carewyncromwell · 5 months

Photo

Carewyn’s eyes grew a little smaller upon his face.

“…You thought of me?”

Something flickered at the back of Orion’s eyes – was it uncertainty? His gaze flitted back down to their hands.

“…Yes,” he murmured. “Not…constantly, but…the memory of your voice was very soothing, on the most restless nights at sea.”

~POTC AU, Act I, Part II: A Maid in Bedlam

“Carewyn…what Beckett did to me was make it so that I’m no longer able to live a normal life. What he did to me was make it so that the only life I can lead is that of a pirate – a creature of few friends, adrift on an unfriendly sea. However much I’ve been able to find independence and camaraderie on the high seas, that doesn’t mean I’ve ever been truly free. For I was never free to stop being a pirate. I was never free to stop running. I was never free…to return to the island where I first met the girl who would flit in and out of my dreams, like a songbird on the wing…see if she was happy…see if…she even still remembered me…”

Carewyn’s eyes widened.

“When I met you, I was an orphan with no name or home to call my own,” murmured Orion. “Although I’ve since crafted a name for myself…thanks to Beckett, I can never have the second. And even if I somehow ever could…that home would not be complete without you.”

~POTC AU, Act II, Part IX: Uranus and Saturn Collide

x~x~x~x

Before Orion Amari became the Pirate Lord of the Caribbean Sea or took command of the sloop called the Artemis -- hell, even before he took on the name “Orion Amari” -- he was merely an orphan raised in a monastery who was forced, at the ripe old age of fourteen, to take on a position with the East India Trading Company as a cabin boy.

The prospect of sailing the sea on its own appealed to the boy who would one day be known as Orion Amari. He loved the thought of being free to travel the world and perhaps find his place in it. Unfortunately the boy was not truly free -- a fact that was made all too plain when he arrived at the ship that would become his place of employment, the Wicked Wench. Almost as soon as he arrived, the fourteen-year-old was yanked backward by his shirt and thrown into a straight line with the other sailors, so as to be inspected by the ship’s owner, the young master Cutler Beckett.

At that time, prior to being named a lord by the King, Cutler Beckett was but the Director for the East India Trading Company. Even at the age of 21, however, he was just as cold, cruel, and calculating as he was in his later years. And upon laying eyes on this ragamuffin boy with dark hair and black eyes who didn’t immediately straighten up and salute at the sight of him, Director Beckett decided to make an example out of him.

“Your name?” he asked very coolly.

The boy frowned up at the young white-wigged man before him. He’d never seen anyone with a face hard and blank enough to rival a marble statue’s before -- did all wealthy man have such an aura, or was it just this one?

“...I have no name of my own,” the boy responded mellowly at last. “Just one I’ve used, in place of one.”

Before the boy knew what was happening, Cutler Beckett had snatched the sword right out of the ship captain’s scabbard and used it to slash into the teenage boy’s arm.

“Ah!”

The boy’s hand flew to his arm, clutching the gash. Blood soaked the torn fabric of his shirt.

“I asked for a name, not an anecdote on your sorry circumstances,” Beckett said very coldly. “Now give me your name.”

The teenage boy choked through his pain. He stared up at Beckett, stunned, as he subconsciously took a step back, his shoulders coming up beside his head.

“They...call me Smith -- ” he mumbled.

Beckett took another swing at him -- this time, though, the boy called Smith managed to dodge: something Beckett did not take kindly to, for he shot a furious look at the ship’s captain, who grabbed the teenager from behind to prevent him from dodging again. Beckett then brought the blade around to cut deep into Smith’s left shoulder.

“Ahhh!”

Smith clutched his bleeding shoulder, crumpling in on himself as the captain released him. Beckett took the opportunity to grab the back of the boy’s shirt, yanking him forward enough to hiss in his ear.

“Well, Mr. Smith,” he said very icily, “take heed that in signing the papers to join this crew, you became one of my laymen. And given you have no family of your own to support you, let alone any title to make you valuable to me, that means that I am the one who controls your fate, future, and fortune. Your life and your livelihood are now contingent on serving my interests. Serve me well, and you’ll be rewarded -- but displease me in any way...and I will be sure to make my feelings known.”

He tossed Smith backward with such force that the boy nearly fell back-first onto the deck -- he only just barely managed to catch himself.

“I am a businessman first and foremost, Mr. Smith,” Beckett said very coolly as he turned his back and strode away. “Give me what I need to thrive -- and you shall have what you need to survive.”

~*~

The boy called Smith (or “Smithy,” to the crew he’d been assigned to) ultimately did not give Beckett what he wanted -- for ultimately, that would’ve involved helping transport a whole ship full of slaves to the Caribbean, to line the East India Trading Company’s coffers. So Smithy instead helped the enslaved people onboard spark a mutiny and then helped them sail back to Africa and freedom. Sadly their leader -- a king called Amari -- did not survive the East India Trading Company’s attack trying to recapture them, but he did give Smithy a gift, to help his people return home.

“This compass...is far more than it appears,” Amari explained, smiling weakly through his coughs. “It doesn’t point your way north -- it points you toward your greatest desire on this Earth...”

With difficulty, he placed the compass in both of Smithy’s hands, enclosing his fingers around it.

“Promise me,” Amari rasped. “Promise me -- you’ll take my people home...”

Smithy glanced at the men and women surrounding them on the deck, all of whom looked terrified and distraught. Then he turned back to Amari and nodded solemnly.

“I give you my word,” Smithy said very lowly.

Amari smiled. “...E dupe...kekere olori...”

Smithy didn’t need to know the King’s native language to know that this was a thank you. And indeed, they were the last words the King would say before he took his last breath.

~*~

True to his word, Smithy brought Amari’s people back to Africa. Unfortunately, upon taking the next ship out of Africa and ending up in Port Royal, Jamaica, the boy called Smith found himself immediately under arrest, on the orders of Director Cutler Beckett, for “theft of Company property.” The fourteen-year-old was clapped in irons, branded, and set for execution the following day. While being transported to another cell by some newly recruited soldiers, however, Smith somehow managed to break free and dashed into the town. He dodged and weaved, swinging down clotheslines and ducking around shops in a frantic attempt to get away -- his heart was beating so fast, he could hardly breathe --

In the midst of running, Smithy heard something clatter to the ground. When he whirled around, he saw that Amari’s compass had slipped out from the inside of his shirt where he’d hidden it.

His heart leaping up into his throat, Smithy doubled back to grab the compass and then set off again at a faster run than ever. It was as his hands clutched desperately at the tiny black-lidded gift, though, that Smithy remembered what Amari had said --

“It points you toward your greatest desire on this Earth.”

I want safety, Smithy thought desperately. I want a safe place -- a place to hide --

He opened up the lid on the compass, to see it pointing to the right.

Too terrified to do anything but run, Smithy actively chose to run in the direction the arrow pointed. It kept veering him right, and right, and right, until he’d nearly made a full circle. At last it finally directed him to a tiny house clustered among some shops with a swallow carved into the corner of the door. Taking no time for a second thought, Smithy barreled up to the door and opened it.

He’d been expecting the house to be empty -- but when he opened the door, to his horror, he realized it wasn’t.

Sitting in a chair made for a much taller person and sewing up a worn dress draped across her lap was a small girl, only about a year or two younger than Smithy himself, dressed in green with a red-ribboned ponytail of ginger hair poking out under her white mobcap. When she looked up, her light blue eyes went to Smithy’s face like a shot.

“Who -- ?”

She stopped at once, though, when she took in the sight of the thick iron manacles around Smithy’s wrists.

Smithy warily backed up, holding up his hands defensively in such a way that the chains attaching his manacles together rattled terribly. The girl’s eyes flew down to the “P” brand on the inside of his arm, gleaming in the candlelight.

“...Pl...please...” was all Smith could stammer.

I’m not here to harm you -- please -- please, just help me --

“Go look over there!”

“That little arsworm’s not getting away -- ”

The sound of raucous yelling in the distance made Smithy flinch. It was the soldiers -- they were catching up -- !

Smithy was about ready to give up and run for cover -- but for what reason Smithy didn’t know, the ginger-haired girl leapt to her feet, her blue eyes narrowed. Smithy was fully prepared to run, thinking she meant to attack him, but instead she darted past him and immediately shut the door, trapping him inside.

Smithy’s face lost all of its color.

“Please -- ” he stammered again weakly. His blood was pumping too loudly in his ears for him to conjure up a better response. “Please -- please -- ”

But the girl with the ginger ponytail brought a hand up to her lips.

“Shh,” she whispered, attempting a smile. “It’s all right. I’m going to help you.”

Smithy watched the girl warily as she darted over to the window to look out. She quickly shut the curtains and then dashed back over to him -- the sudden movement made him back up again, withdrawing like a startled horse.

“It’s all right,” the girl said again.

Her blue eyes flickered with hesitation. Then she brought a hand up to unbutton the back of her dress’s collar and slip a chain out from under it. Once she’d pulled the chain up and out, she showed Smithy the pendent on the end -- a solid gold medallion, emblazoned with a skull.

Smithy’s eyes widened.

“My brother stole this from our grandfather’s cabin, before we were able to escape his ship,” the girl explained. “He was a pirate too -- a much meaner one, though. Charles Cromwell is his name...don’t know if you’ve heard of him...”

Smithy had heard of him. Rumor said that Charles Cromwell’s ship, the Revenge, was the fastest ship in the Caribbean -- able to reappear and disappear like fog on the sea, with a crew more demonic than human...

“So you see, I’m not afraid of pirates,” the girl said with a wry smile, tucking her necklace back under her dress. “Especially not unarmed ones being hunted down by soldiers twice his age.”

Smithy stared at the girl as she set about rebuttoning her collar. His wariness was ebbing away slowly, just enough that he managed to regain some power over his vocal cords.

“...You...do not...”

She looked up with raised eyebrows, surprised by the sound of his voice. Perhaps it was softer than she’d been expecting.

“...You do not fear...working against the likes of the British Navy?” his whisper came out uneasily.

The girl gave a light huff. “Not a whit. I don’t like bullies, no matter who they are.”

Despite himself, Smithy found his lips turning up in a softer, almost awed smile. For such a small maiden, it seemed she had bravery akin to a small lion.

Rap, rap, rap!

A loud, aggressive knock at the door made both Smithy and the girl stiffen like cats. In an instant, the girl snatched one of Smithy’s filthy hands and pulled him across the room toward the back of the house. She led him into a tiny room, where she immediately shoved the bed there to the side so she could get at the worn rug underneath. Then she pulled the rug aside and started sliding out the loose floorboards they’d been hiding. Little by little, a tiny crawl space was revealed, about the size of a small dingy.

“In here,” she hissed. “Hide!”

The knocking at the door grew louder. Smith clutched at his own hands anxiously, for a moment too scared to move -- suddenly looking tense herself, the girl steered him down into the small cellar in the floor. Once he was inside, she slid the floorboards haphazardly back into place and quickly threw the rug over them as a loud, stern voice came from the other side of the door alongside more rapping.

“Open up! Open up in there!”

“Ah -- one moment, please!” the young girl called.

Smithy could hear the girl straining to push the bed back into place. It got a lot darker in his hiding space, as the bed was undoubtedly pushed over it to better conceal it. Then he heard the girl kick off her shoes and dart back across the floor, as if returning to the door.

“One moment more!” Smithy heard her cry, sounding almost frantic, as the knocking grew even more aggressive. “I’m nearly suitable!”

Somewhere in the distance, there was a creak of a door opening. Smithy clutched his hands tightly around the legs folded up against his chest, trying desperately to steady his lightning-fast heart rate and breathing.

“Officers?” said the girl, sounding worried. “Whatever is the matter, sirs?”

“Ahem -- begging your pardon, little lady,” said one of the officers, clearing his throat. “Is there anyone else in the home, with you?”

“Not for a few moments more, sir,” said the girl. “Until my brother arrives home...”

“There’s a fugitive that’s escaped into the area. Just over five feet tall, scrawny, dark hair and a yellow bandana -- manacles on his wrists?”

“Manacles?” the girl repeated, her voice going up a few pitches as if scared. “Is he an escaped convict?”

“Indeed he is, little miss -- wanted by the East India Trading Company itself, for acts of piracy.”

“Acts of piracy...” breathed the girl. “Oh, that’s horrid...”

She sounded very convincing. If it weren’t for how high her voice sounded, compared to the tone of voice she’d used earlier, Smithy almost would’ve believed she truly was as scared as she seemed...

His ears were pounding with pressure. Smithy found himself staring up at the ceiling, trying to visualize what was happening above him. How many soldiers were up there? He’d heard at least two voices...

“He was seen running down this block,” said one of the who-knows-how-many soldiers. “We strongly suspect he may be hiding in one of the houses or shops on this street...”

“Hiding?” said the girl, alarmed. “Oh, sirs, you won’t find him here -- I’ve been sewing in the main room all day! No one could break in here without me hearing them...”

“Yes, well...all the same, we should make sure...the boy’s awfully sneaky...”

“I don’t suppose you’d agree to let us search the premises? Just to ensure your safety, miss?”

There was a pause. Smith clasped his hands more tightly together.

“...Well, I...I suppose...” the girl said reluctantly. “But I’m afraid there’s not much to search...ours is but a very small house...”

Footsteps echoed through the room next door. Smith hunched in on himself subconsciously, cringing as furniture was shifted over and the clopping of boots slapped across the floor.

“Nothing over here.”

“Nor here.”

“The window’s clear -- no sign of any forced entry...”

“Check the other rooms.”

Footsteps in the next room. Footsteps in the same room. Smith’s heart was in his throat hearing a set of footsteps clap closer to his hiding spot. His hands were drenched with sweat and he squeezed them and his eyes tight, trying hard to slow his breathing.

Focus on the smells -- focus on the space -- focus on your breaths. In. And out. In -- and out. Peace -- calm --

They had to hear him. They had to hear him breathing so hard and his heart beating so loudly -- they were deafening, in his own ears, so surely the whole world heard them just as loudly --

Peace -- calm -- peace -- calm --

There was some scurrying outside. Another unfamiliar voice suddenly rang out from a distance, so far away Smithy couldn’t make his words out. The footsteps over Smithy’s head seemed to retreat.

“Nothing in here, sir,” the soldier’s voice rang out a ways away, likely closer to the door frame.

Smithy felt close to collapsing in on himself in relief.

“Begging your pardon, sir -- just here searching for a fugitive,” said the soldier formally.

“A fugitive?” said a dynamic, but oddly sharp voice. “And what makes you think that my little sister would be any sort of criminal?”

“Nothing! Nothing at all!” said one of the other soldiers. There was a note of intimidation in his voice.

“W-we’re just trying to do our duty, sir!”

“Well, see that you do it in a home that doesn’t contain my sister only half-dressed in it,” spat the voice.

Smithy gave a double-blink. “Only half-dressed?” But the girl had been fully dressed when he’d seen her...

Of course, Smithy realized. She did it to explain why she hadn’t come to the door right away. Not only that, but seeing any lady only half-dressed, even a young one, would throw any man of honor off-guard, and would make her look all the more fragile and innocent.

This girl really was clever.

“It’s all right, Jacob,” the girl said reassuringly. “They were just looking for a pirate spotted in the area. But he’s not here -- so now they can check in with the neighbors and make sure they’re safe.”

“Ahem...yes,” said one of the soldiers stiffly. “Sorry to disturb you, little lady...sir. About face, men -- move out!”

With this, the soldiers’ footsteps faded away. A moment later, the front door closed, and Smithy at last felt like he could breathe half-way normally.

They were gone...they were gone. They didn’t find him. They didn’t hear him -- they had gone...

He was safe.

Smithy closed his eyes and bowed his head, repeating this phrase to himself several more times over as he finally managed to slow his breathing.

You’re safe. You’re safe. You’re safe.

“...going, Wyn?”

There was a rustling overhead. Smithy opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling, tensing at once as he heard the bed and rug being moved again. Fortunately, when the floorboards were peeled off, he was faced with the ginger-haired girl from before, who looked very pale, but was smiling fully. Right behind her was a young man of about twenty with a ponytail of curly black-brown hair and eyes just like the girl’s, who looked completely taken back.

“What in the -- ?”

“It’s all right,” the girl said to Smithy. “You can come out now.”

She still had her shoes and stockings off, but she’d clearly retied the bow in her hair (it was noticeably crooked) and tossed a shawl off her shoulders onto the bed so that it’d be easier to hold her hands out to the boy.

Smithy stared up at her, his black eyes running over her face and hands -- there was some trace of blood staining her palm.

“Are you hurt?” Smithy asked, concerned.

The girl blinked, before she realized he was staring at her hand.

“Oh...no...this is your blood, not mine.”

She indicated Smithy’s right arm -- a bullet had grazed it in his initial escape, and it was indeed now bleeding. Even now, looking at the floor more closely, Smithy could see some small blood stains on the floor.

“...I see,” said Smithy. “Forgive me...that must’ve been hard to hide from the soldiers...”

The girl shook her head. “I let them see it. Let the older officers with sisters or daughters think I was changing clothes for personal reasons.”

Smithy blinked, taken aback. Then his face broke into another impressed smile.

“...It seems with your lion’s courage, small maiden, you also have a fox’s guile.”

Carewyn's blue eyes sparkled brightly as she smiled, charmed by the witty compliment.

“Here -- let me help you out of there,” she said kindly. She extended her hands again.

With some difficulty, Smithy took her hands and hoisted himself up and out of the cellar. His dark eyes flitting to the girl’s older brother (who was watching him warily), Smithy tried to wrap his wounded arm a bit more in his sleeve, to prevent the blood from spilling further.

“I thank you for your kindness,” he told the girl quietly, “but I dare not infringe on it more. I must go...”

The girl looked incredibly upset.

“You’re not going anywhere in that state!” she argued. “You’re still locked up in those manacles! And you need bandages on those wounds, or they’re going to get worse. Not to mention it looks like you haven’t eaten anything substantial in days -- ”

“We ran out of rations outside of hard tack a week ago,” Smithy said airily. “But all the same...I cannot impose further hardship on you or your brother, with my continued presence...”

“If you wish to spare me further hardship, let me use a proper lockpick on those chains and feed and bandage you properly -- then you can stay the night to regain your strength,” the girl shot back. “You’re in no fit state to get much of anywhere, as you are now.”

Smithy opened his mouth to speak, but she shut him down.

“You’re staying the night, and that’s that,” she said very firmly.

~*~

This night -- the one in which Carewyn Cromwell fed, bandaged, and sung to sleep the boy who would soon take on the name Captain Orion Amari -- ended up changing both of their lives. One could argue that it was the night the boy Smithy lost his heart -- even if Orion himself would’ve never gone that far, he never forgot the little red-haired maid of Port Royal. If nothing else, she appeared in more than a few of his dreams over the years.

Some of those nighttime fantasies where Orion found his childhood savior again had “realistic” endings, such as Carewyn happily married and mothering several children and/or not remembering Orion, but wishing him well anyway. One particularly unpleasant dream during a storm featured Orion and his crew plundering a ship with Carewyn and her new family on board and them being completely terrified of him. But the ones Orion would dwell on way more than he sometimes felt he should’ve were those with overly romantic trajectories -- dreams where Carewyn recognized the pirate captain at once as the boy she’d saved all those years ago...dreams where Orion returned to Port Royal, only to find that Carewyn had grown up into the town beauty, refusing to wed none but the boy who’d captured her heart so long ago. Dreams where Orion would follow Carewyn’s song through darkness until he found her singing alone in the night and they would embrace and talk as if no time had passed at all...

Orion Amari couldn’t have envisioned just how he and Carewyn Cromwell would meet again or the epic adventure that their unlikely reunion would spark. And as it turned out, the idea of Carewyn harboring the same fondness he’d nurtured in his heart for so long was not as fanciful as Orion might’ve believed.

#hphm #hogwarts mystery #potc au #my writing #my art #aesthetic #moodboard #orion amari #carewyn cromwell #jacob cromwell #I've actually had this 85% finished in my drafts for a while now XD #figured since I'm on a POTC au binge I may as well finish it at last #sorry orion you might claim you never held a torch for carewyn in this canon but yeah right you really kind of did #fortunately carewyn never really forgot you either and was truly just as fond of you even if you were so anxious so much of the time #you're witty and sensitive and soft-spoken and sweet and that's nice :)

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