#a dragon chasing down a pearl…

[dailyhatsune]

miku celebrating new years a little too late

sorry but it’s actually early! happy eve of lunar new year everyone

#hatsune miku #vocaloid #piapro studio #doodle #ask #diamondbrickz #random rambling: i feel like i’ve seen more lion dances than dragon dances? #like. i know how both work given where i live and how long i’ve lived but #i can at least guarantee i’ve seen a lion dance performance every year #can’t say the same for dragon dances; which is a shame because the performances are so cool #a dragon chasing down a pearl…

[livingproofoftbd]

list of awesome manhunt plays

because i always forget which plays are in which videos. figured i'd put it here if anyone else wanted it

2v1

the OG pearl clutch when sapnap dies and he gets his stuff

3v1 round one

covering the water with planks so the hunters die when they jump (MY FAVORITE) (its the first i ever watched :,D )

hunters lava trapping the end portal

3v1 rematch

he drinks the fire res as he jumps into lava and bad dies falling after him

tricks the hunters into thinking his fire res is more strength

as bad and sapnap turn back, he shoots an arrow from a mountain and hits bad from ~100 blocks away

3v1 finale

building a new nether portal to trick bad

splashing an invis pot so no one knows who anyone is

he sets up an end crystal trap in the stronghold and kills them all

bad sneaks up on him and kills him when he’s on half a heart after just killing the other two in the end

3v1 finale rematch

wearing bad’s skin

building his nether portal in a tower

dropping his sword just in time to land on a horse after being knocked from his portal with no water

3v1 grand finale

placing boats under him to cross a lava lake

dropping tnt into the end portal and putting the hunters in the void

4v1 round one

using leaves to tower up and hide in the nether cieling

snd promptly use a fishing rod to pull ant and bad up and kill them from fall damage

we all know it, we all love it. Towering up in the middle of a lake and using frostwalker boots to kill the hunters when they fall

the hunters using end crystals to heal the dragon

4v1 rematch

ant jumping down in the temple with him and setting the tnt off

he kills sapnap and ant with a tnt minecart

the hunters getting prot 4 armour

building a portal on the nether roof and trapping them there with no flint and steel, leaving them to kill themselves to escape

he digs under the end stone and hides in the middle, exploding bed after bed under the dragon as it perches

4v1 finale

ladder clutching when sapnap knocks him down off a tower on the edge of a mountain

trapping sapnap and george in cobwebs and blowing them up

hunters getting full enchanted diamond armour and building a huge castle around the nether portal that dream combats by drinking an invis pot

entity cramming george with minecarts and getting his gear

he lands an MLG on the side of an ISLAND when the dragon hits him

4v1 finale rematch

half a heart and no hunger but still chasing the hunters

the western showdown between dream and sapnap

the under-lava duel between dream and sapnap

ant killing dream with a splash potion

4v1 grand finale

scaffolding glitch

setting off fireworks and killing all the hunters in the portal room

5v1 round one

the boat clutch of all time after sapnap hits him off the tower

stealing sapnap’s enchanted diamond axe and diamond pick

stealing ant’s look and dropping tnt when the hunters dig down

the hunters revive the dragon

5v1 rematch

jumping off the mountain into a village water source

the second boat clutch of all time when he lands on a ghast

rearranging tnt to blow up under the hunters instead of under his portal

visiting the end city

5v1 finale

falling as the tree grows and breaking a leaf at the last second

covers the portal in the nether and overworld in lava

that daylight sensor pearl trick where he disappeared hundreds of blocks from the stronghold

the ender dragon glitch with the water really high above the main end island

5v1 rematch finale

enters the nether within 2 minutes

building a hole to the void to trap the hunter in

sam punching him into his own trap while invis

THE SOUNDBOARDS

the hunters covering the last crystal in obsidian

bad having god-like reflexes, placing obsidian, an end crystal, and exploding it all in like one second

5v1 grand finale

stealing sapnap’s bucket as it falls

trapping the hunters in an ocean monument

bow boosting

throwing a pearl, bone-mealing saplings, and landing on the fully grown tree

building another flying machine

sapnap stopping him by breaking a slime block and sacrificing himself

basically this whole end, dude

dropping tnt and instantly killing four of the hunters, slime clutching and bouncing down to george

fishing his pearls and surviving (perfect throwback to 2v1)

hope you find this helpful if you are like me and can never remember which video the clutch you wanna watch is in

#one of the only good things to come out of me binging the whole series #idk if someone's already done this but whatever #im my own target audience #also its possible i've somehow missed one i was taking notes during watching so i couldve somehow just Not seen one #dreamblr #dtblr #dwt #dwtblr #dreamwastaken #minecraft manhunt #minecraft #gnf #sapnap #bbh #awesamedude #antfrost #georgenotfound #badboyhalo #munchymc #muffinteers #manhunt crew #rewatching era #dt #dteam #dream team #mine

[gabessquishytum]

So dragons. But imma put my own weirdass lil twist on it.

A dragon's hoard is VERY important to them. Not because of its material value, but because all of the gems and precious metals that are accumulated within are the physical representation of closeness. Small kisses and quick embraces shed tiny pearls that can be gathered and strung. More passionate younger wrestling has the dragon's lover pulling silver and gold from their mouth afterward. And sex settles beautiful gems within the body of their lover which are passed (with great pleasure) like beads or oni eggs.

Dream has only a small hoard, but one that he is fiercely protective of. So when dashing thief Hob comes and makes off with a piece of it, he chases him down intending to punish him for stealing a precious memory. But when he closes in there's something that makes him pause, and he decides that perhaps instead he should bring Hob back to his hoard to replace the riches he stole, and then some.

This is such a concept omfg??? Like FUCK yeah make Hob into a little treasure manufacturing slut by fucking him constantly, Dream!!! He deserves it!!!

If Hob is initially terrified, well that soon wears off. He's spread out in Dream’s lair with his legs shackled far apart, and Dream is gently leaning over him, encouraging him to open his mouth. A gold chain as long as his forearm drops into Dream’s palm and Hob keens softly, arching his back in a wanton display of his body. He's only just cum, only just been fucked senseless by Dream’s massive cock, but he obviously wants more.

And so Dream licks his cum out of Hob’s body until the poor thief shudders through another orgasm. When he opens his mouth this time, there's a huge ruby resting on his tongue. He looks close to passing out and his cock can't recover again, but he still demands that Dream fill him up again. He wraps his arms around Dream, and makes a promise - the jewels he makes for Dream will be the finest and largest he's ever had. They will outshine the rest of his hoard. Hob will make Dream the richest dragon in the land, and he'll enjoy every second of it...

#the sandman #dreamling #nsft #cw monsterfucking

[some-pers0n]

Memoir of an Albatross

Chapter 2 - Blood in the Water

[1] [2] [3]

(Art by Loquatic)

Chapter Description: Albatross, a lonely and ostracized dragonet, finds himself on the Sunset Beach. To entertain himself, he chases a seagull, only to then be interrupted by his two sisters.

[CW: Blood, gore, derealization, verbal abuse, bullying]

Albatross was the type of dragon you wouldn't want to be seen around. He was a dragon that others would make up wild rumours about to explain their natural repulsion to him. The kind of dragon that they would whisper about behind his back, yet put on a face of false kindness to try and hide their disdain. There was something fundamentally different about Albatross. Something that made him undesirable.

He understood this from the moment he hatched. He had vague memories of that day. Distant, fuzzy recollections of the looks given to him by the surrounding dragons. How could there not be some discussion? The newest prince of the SeaWings turning out in such a repugnant way? Why did this happen? Was this the result of some secret affair that the queen had with an IceWing? From his unnaturally pale scales and nearly pitch-black eyes, that wouldn't be such a far-fetched assumption. Maybe a curse had been placed on this egg by a rogue IceWing animus, or perhaps it was some genetic mutation.

Whatever the cause may be, Albatross was not seen as the same in the eyes of many. His sisters, Sapphire and Lagoon, were perfect examples of what a SeaWing should be. Rich, royal blue scales with gorgeous wing patterns. They were naturally gifted with those looks. They were the sorts of dragons that artists in the future would look back on, painting their lavish features and gushing about them and their beauty.

Comparatively? Albatross was a freakshow. His scales were a ghastly grey, looking almost entirely snow-white in certain lighting. His eyes were a deep, dark blue that one could easily mistake for being entirely black. His neck was too long and his wings were too big for his body. His snout was hooked and his teeth seemed far too small, even for his relatively young age. His tail was pointy and whip-like. He smelt vaguely of rotting fish no matter what he tried. Not exactly a great sight for the eyes.

Because of his outward appearance, the others judged him. Something beyond his control or will made him into a circus act for others to gawk at. They look at him and either laugh at his features or worse, pity. Show condescending compassion. Say "I'm so sorry for you" or apologize for something he was hatched with.

He wasn't a tragedy. He didn't want to be remembered as a dragon to pity or be seen as some lost cause. He wanted to be seen for who he was. He would do great things one day. He doesn't want his looks or how others treat him to get in the way of that perception. He wanted to be known as Prince Albatross, a SeaWing who did...something. What that would be was still unclear, but he wanted it to be grand. Important. He wanted to be remembered for years to come for what he did during his life.

For now though? He was alone. Better to be ignored and out of sight from the others than to be acknowledged and seen.

It was peaceful at the Sunset Beach. The Island Palace was a quiet place he liked going to whenever he felt stressed or wanted some time to himself. It was only ever used for visiting diplomats to stay, so it was empty most days. The Sunset Beach was a large stretch of pearl-white sand right next to the beautiful ocean. The waves were foamy and the water was crystal blue. Dotted around were small pavilions covered in decorative lanterns.

Albatross found himself sitting on the sand, just a fair bit away from the waves. He had been digging around in the sand, entertained by playing around with the driftwood and whatever else floated onto the shore. Alone with nothing more than himself and the gentle, yet nevertheless powerful calmness of the ocean.

Until...a seagull came down. From a nearby palm tree. It swooped from on high, landing gracefully onto the shores. It stood there, beak digging around for whatever fish or creature the ocean had spat onto the beach. Albatross watched it intently. He was content with simply seeing it pick the grains and scavenge for remains. Yet, as he did so, he couldn't help but feel a small thought worm its way into him.

Chase it.

He didn't know why he wanted to do it. It simply felt right. He had seen Lagoon and Sapphire do the same with their prey. Albatross could never swim fast enough to catch his own food. Too slow. Too weak. Perhaps now would be his time. He could sneak up on the seagull. Grasp it. Feel it writhe and struggle to break free. Feel the fear course through its body as it tries desperately to live on. Feel some semblance of control and power.

The thought disturbed him though. The other dragons seemed just fine with it. They would tear into sharks, whales; for moon's sake,  his fellow peers would cheer and holler in joy upon seeing a prisoner of war be gutted. Was there something odd about him? Perhaps others simply never talked about that part. Kept it under a rug. It was shameful. Some sort of animalistic desire for violence and bloodshed. For dominance. To be a dragon.

They were civilized. They had palaces and kingdoms. Complicated societies and systems put in place to keep a gentle balance. A semblance that they were above the likes of wolf packs. Albatross wasn't an animal. He was a prince of the SeaWings.

...but maybe, for just a moment, he could live a little.

He dug his claws into the sand and pounced. He dove where the seagull was, only to be met with a cloud of dust and debris. It flew away.

"No, come back!" Albatross yelled, spitting out all the sand in his mouth. "Please?"

Miraculously, the seagull seemed to listen. It turned back to him. Eventually, it landed back on the beach. It was entertaining him.

He smiled back. He was about to fling himself at the seagull once more, when he felt something brush against his claws. It was a clamshell. Big one. One of the halves was as big as his talons. It was a dusty white colour, blending in with the rest of the beach.

He grabbed it. "I'm gonna eat you!" he giggled, pointing the shell at the seagull. He imagined it as though it was a dragon's mouth. That it could open up and snap at the bird just like any other set of razor-sharp fangs.

The two continued their dance. Albatross wanted to get it, but at this point, he had more fun playing around. He would leap towards it, the seagull hopping away right in time, and once both parties recovered they'd go again. It was fun. Simple, extraordinary fun. Much better than boring lessons or whatever else his tutors had in store for him. He didn't want it to end.

But, of course, things had to take a turn for the worse, didn't they?

After a couple minutes, Albatross became aware of something. A shift in the air. It wasn't sudden, but it was certainly different. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was most definitely another being present. Watching him. Judging him.

He looked to the ocean. Under the waves were two pairs of glistening blue eyes, glaring at him.

He felt a drop in his stomach as the two dragons rose out of the water, their laughter an ear-splintering chorus of noise. What was once a peaceful and tranquil afternoon on the beach became a playground for them. His sisters.

"Finally! I thought you'd gone blind or something," Sapphire giggled. "I was wondering when you would look over and see us."

"Really? I was enjoying watching him. I didn't think you were actually capable of running." Lagoon teased.

"Why are you here?" Albatross asked. "I thought you both had queen lessons."

"We finished early. Apparently, something happened with Mother, needing to call over all of her advisors. Thank the moons for that. So boring having to learn how to be a queen and to, well, rule over everyone," Lagoon said, passively looking at her claws.

His sisters weren't exactly the greatest of dragons, especially towards Albatross. They made it clear that they didn't like him. He was their weird brother who came out wrong. Who was a blemish on the otherwise perfect royal family. A pathetic good-for-nothing blob that should've been strangled the moment he crawled out of his egg.

Sapphire, despite being the middle dragonet, bossed around everyone. She was next in line for the throne. Even though that'd be years away from now, she acted as though she was on top of the world. Queen of everything. Most of their antics against him were her ideas, with Lagoon tagging along just because she found it funny.

Of course, right when he was having a bit of fun by himself, they'd have to ruin it all.

"So you came over to annoy me?" he asked.

"Annoy you? Why would you think we would do that?" Sapphire gasped. "No, no, we were very interested in talking with you. Seeing what our precious brother is up to! We were so worried about you. We thought you ran off."

Her words were sickening to hear. That fake sympathy and compassion that made his stomach churn. "I was doing just fine before you got here." He swiped at the sand.

"You don't like us?" Lagoon crooned. "I thought you cared about us. Aren't we your sisters? I mean, we could always treat you worse." They walked up onto the shore. They were far bigger than him, perhaps another head taller. "I don't think you'd like that. You're already so weak."

"I am not weak!" he snapped back.

Sapphire let out a squawk of a laugh. "You couldn't even catch a seagull! You just kept jumping around it. Great reefs, that's sad to see."

Albatross turned around and tried to get away, only to trip and fall. His tail was caught under their talons. His chin hit the sand with a distinct thump.

"Where are you going?" They both said in an eerie harmony. "We just got here!"

"Just leave me alone..." Albatross grabbed at his ears, pulling them down to try and block their words out. But, to no avail.

"What? Can't handle a little light teasing? Moons above, that's so sad." Sapphire walked in front of him, looking him up and down. Her eyes landed on the seashell clutched to his chest.

A wicked grin cracked across her snout as she said, "ooh, what's that you've got there?" Her voice was grating, like claws against metal.

"It's mine!" he yelled back. He tried to sound intimidating, but it came out as a mere squak.

"Give it." Sapphire grabbed at it, tugging the shell.

"No! Please, Sapphire..." He held onto it tighter, pulling it back.

"Why do you care so much about this stupid thing?" she laughed. "Do you really not have anything else to care about."

Albatross tried to speak, but the words never found their footing. He stammered and stuttered, choking back tears. Yet, he kept holding on. He couldn't let them take another thing from him. Even if it was as small as a shell, he wanted something to call his own.

"What, are you going to cry?" Sapphire mocked. "Boo hoo, my mean ol' sister took my stupid shell." She whacked him in the stomach with her tail.

He recoiled, letting go. The pain shot through his system, taking the air from his lungs. He gasped for breath as he looked up to her.

She stood there, absently inspecting the shell. "Stupid shell," she said, "I can't believe you fought so much over it. Besides, it'll be mine anyway. Everything here will be mine. I'm the eldest daughter, right? So, obviously, I'll be queen. And when I'm queen, I own everything. You're just a prince."

She tilted her head to the side, mocking his mannerisms. "But, nobody will care. Nobody loves you. We just have to put up with you and your weird, ugly self."

Albatross dug into the sand. Tears welled in his eyes. "That's...not true." He mumbled.

"What's that?" Lagoon asked. "What did you say? Say it again!" She grabbed him by the neck.

"I said it's not true!"

The both of them cackled like a flock of seagulls. "What?! Of course it is! Who even likes you?" Sapphire flicked her tail at him. "You could die right here and nobody would cry. Nobody would care."

Then, a shift in Sapphire's eyes. "You know, that won't be the worst thing in the world. Mother wouldn't even be upset. Princes are only meant to be married off, but who could even stand to be with you." She raised her talons, claws still on the shell. "Wouldn't you like that, brother?"

Albatross's stomach dropped. "No...no, no, no please, Sapphire, no..."

"Sapphire?" Lagoon said, "I'm not...I don't think that's a good idea." She sounded genuine.

"Why not? What has he ever done to us? For anybody? He just makes everything worse." She brandished her claws. "It'd be better for everyone."

Fear took hold of his body. He flailed in all directions, yet he could not free himself from Lagoon's hold. The only free thing was his mouth.

He looked up. He saw the shell. Then, as though instinct itself was speaking through him, he screamed. He could barely comprehend it before the words left his mouth.

"BITE HER!" he yelled, crying louder than he ever had before. "TEAR HER CLAWS OFF!"

The next moment was painted in scarlet. A splatter of ruby liquid on the sand. It pooled and grew larger, dripping down from above.

Albatross didn't feel like himself. There was a loud, piercing ring in his ears that drowned the world out. His body felt cold and numb. His brain was full of fog and he could barely think. He felt detached from reality, like an observer of the chaos.

The pressure that was on him– Lagoon, definitely– released. He pushed himself upwards, staggering to his talons. He looked blankly ahead.

She was thrashing. Her mouth was unhinged as though she was screaming, but Albatross couldn't hear a thing through the ring. Her wails and cries, while inaudible, were full of agony. Her face was painted with horror.

Lagoon was by her side, similarly in shock. She was trying to stop Sapphire, keep her still. Eventually, she tore something from Sapphire's claws. It landed by Albatross's talons, splashing in the puddle of blood. It splattered onto him, his talons, everything.

It was the clamshell. Its jaws held bits and pieces of flesh and gore in them.

He looked back at Sapphire. She held her talons up. Where her claws should have been were fountains of viscera. They were both screaming. Lagoon turned to him, yet he couldn't hear a word. He felt hollow. Absent. There should have been emotion, but instead, everything was muted. 

This...couldn't be real. Why was this happening? He didn't mean to hurt her. He didn't want to hurt her. Whatever it was, he knew it was his fault.

He looked at his talons, and for the first time in his life, he became aware of the slight burning sensation within his claws.

Rapidly, he gained feeling all over his body, as if suddenly pulled back into reality. His knees gave way and he fell to the ground. He shook, trying desperately to make so much as a squeak, yet nothing came out. His eyes were wide with fear.

The screams. By the tides the screaming. It was unlike anything he could properly fathom. A shrill shriek that made his blood run cold. He couldn't properly think of what else to compare it to. He had never heard somebody in so much pain before. 

Lagoon quivered, tears rolling down her face. She looked back at Albatross, her expression shifting to one of hatred and anger. "YOU KILLED HER!" she snapped. "How could you do this?! You- you monster!"

"I didn't mean to-"

"You did! You killed her! She's going to die!"

Albatross tried choking out another response, but he couldn't. He backed away. The sands were stained with Sapphire's blood. Everywhere he stepped his talons became soaked in it. 

It was his fault. Everything. He's to blame. Sapphire is dying. All that happened was a little squabble. She probably didn't mean it when she said she was going to kill him. 

But how? How could he do this? He was just a SeaWing. A normal, typical dragon.

He felt sick to stand there. Slimy and disgusting. A passive observer while watching her sister bleed out and die. She didn't deserve this.

He stared at Sapphire's stubby talons. They gushed blood. He held out his claws, pointing to it. He didn't know why. It felt right. That same instinct rushed through him. This deep-rooted knowledge that he never knew he had.

"Stop bleeding!" he cried out. The words were loud and clear, as if he was ordering Sapphire.

Then, stillness. Sapphire held up her claws. The three stood in silence as the scales began to heal. They did not regrow the talons but left them as is. They were healed.

Sapphire stared blankly at her talons, eyes wide and transfixed on them. Then, she promptly fainted. Not dead, but simply overwhelmed. She wasn't going to die. He saved her.

"It's...healed?" Albatross muttered. "How? Why? There can't be any-"

"Magic."

A pang in his heart. He turned back to Lagoon. "What?"

"Animus magic." She looked at him, her eyes piercing his very soul. "That was magic. You're an animus."

#wof #wings of fire #sp-writing #albatross wof #wings of fire fanfic #wof fanfic

[pookacangetit]

Disney Song!Yuu [Cult Edition: Faction Collision Pt.2]

Previously on Faction Collision: In less than a day, Ignihyde has become the no.1 enemy of NRC, with Diasomnia a close runner-up after it's dorm leader kidnapped the Ramshackle prefect in broad daylight.

Now it is up to our brave heroes to save the prefect from the possessive fae and his cult.

MASTERLIST

Within an hour, Ignihyde has become the No. 1 enemy of NRC and the cult with an 'Attacked on Sight' warning issued to the Ignihyde students by The Council.

Fortunately, almost 99% of the dorm were shut-ins and managed to barricade the dorm from outside attacks and invasions.

Unfortunately, that 1% (excluding Ortho because the prefect would be pissed if anyone harmed their friend, the brother's fair game though) were treated to a hellish dimension of pain from a jealous cult.

It's a good thing that the cult were way more invested in rescuing their god from a jealous dragon at the moment.

This also meant that the Diasomnia students were stamped with an 'Attacked on Sight' order by The Council (Sebek was let off lightly with a punch from Epel after the guy confessed he was the reason why the Yuu recordings were stolen.)

Yuu woke up on a lavish bed, blinking away the sleep in their eyes which threatened to return as the bed was the most comfiest thing they've laid on. It's like I'm lying on a cloud, Yuu swooned dreamily as their weight sinked into the fluffy mattress.

Grim would've liked this, Yuu mused as they drifted off to sleep.

A second or two passed before the prefect jolted up wide-eyed, anxiety quickly sinking in as they realise the missing presence of their partner and the glaring reminder that they were kidnapped by their friend.

"Ah, prefect, you're awake." Yuu's head snapped towards the voice, staring at Lilia as the third year delicately placed a gleaming diadem on the foot of the bed, "I was wondering if you would wake up at all, with how comfortable you looked dozing off in Malleus' bed. That child kept huffing in pride like his birthday came early." He chuckled, bemused.

"Why did you kidnapped me- wait a minute, Malleus' bed?" Yuu panicked, scooting backwards until they hit the headboard of the bed, "WHY AM I IN TSUNOTAROU'S BED?!?!"

Lilia shrugged, though the mischief in his eyes betrayed him, "The young master felt envious when he realised you and Ignihyde shared a gift-exchange system without him and decided to stepped in. You must remember that the fae are a possessive folk, dragons moreso than the rest."

... if Tsunotarou wanted a gift then he should've just said so!! Yuu felt a vein popped as they fumed, unaware of the main point which has shot passed the atmosphere as it missed the obvious target.

A light clinking sound reached Yuu's ears. They tilted their head, squinting at Lilia as the third year placed something in the pile of shiny stuff gathered at the foot of the bed, "Why are you putting so much jewellery on top of Tsunotarou's bed then?"

The light of mischief in Lilia's eyes died, replaced with an unsettling seriousness as he solemmly replied, "For the sake of my grandchildren."

"... your what?"

Lilia hummed, placing a pearl necklace into the growing pile without breaking eye contact. The clinking sound of gems and metal hitting each other filled the silence that surrounded the room as the two engaged in a staredown.

The door suddenly swept open as Silver stepped in, holding an ornate box in one hand and the door handle in the other, "I found Queen Mother's wedding accessories, father. Also, the young master is threatening to burn down the rest of the school."

"... what?"

As Crewel graded the second year's papers, his mind remained distracted by the recent rumours of Ignihyde being a hazing target for the majority of NRC due to their relations with the Ramshackle Prefect.

"Tsk, puppies should learn to share before they chase off their owner with their bad behaviour." Crewel grumbled, wondering just how one energetic puppy managed to charm the rest of their batch into hopeless devotion and fanaticism.

Reaching for his coffee, Crewel took a a sip as he turned to the window facing the schoolyard.

He did a spit take at the sight of a dragon roaring and slashing at a bunch of students who kept attacking the beast, only for their spells to be deflected by a group of Diasomnia students.

Crewel stared, a migraine forming the longer he paid close attention to the battle happening just outside the office.

"GIVE THE PREFECT BACK YOU STUPID LIZARD!"

"YEAH, WE STILL NEED TO PUNISH IGNIHYDE FOR THEIR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY!"

"I rather you not-" "SHUT UP SHROUD!"

"... I want a raise." Crewel said aloud, an eye twitching as he wondered if he should step in as a responsible staff member. Then he recalled Crowley puffing like a proud peacock during the last staff meeting as he praised Yuu like they're his child before deciding to return to his papers instead.

Bad puppies must learn the cosequences of tickling a sleeping dragon, and it is not because he was feeling petty.

Beau: I say we execute them

Sam: That's too harsh, what about stripping them nude and leaving them tied up in the Magift field

Idia & Bob: *tied up* ... do we get a say in this?

Beau: As traitors of The Council, no <3

Jamil: *silently thanking the Seven he managed to stop Kalim from shipping a ton of gold and fortune to Yuu*

Also Jamil: *sweating nervously and praying his bento-exchange with Yuu and Ruggie doesn't get revealed*

《 PREVIOUS

#twst #disney song yuu #twst headcanons #twst imagines #twst yuu #disney twisted wonderland

[mermaidsirennikita]

Is it weird that I want recs of books with kidnapping?

Not at all! I love kidnapping books. Totally natural. There's a reason why it's a mainstay in the genre.

Historical:

A Rose at Midnight by Anne Stuart. This is a dark historical romance, so TW for past sexual assault of the heroine (not by the hero, but described fairly explicitly), the Reign of Terror in France, and some preeeetty heavy dubcon with the hero. I know a lot of discussion has been had about what constitutes enemies to lovers... THIS. IS. IT. The heroine attempts to poison the hero (she actually does poison him, he just doesn't die as she was planning) for revenge early in the book, then escapes his clutches after he figures out it was her. He chases her down and kidnaps her. Ridiculously good and stupid hot if you're down for some true loooooathing and very complicated feelings.

Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale. Allegreto kidnaps Elayne/Elena to force her to marry him as a part of his Evil Scheme. Noncon first encounter, Kinsale is very true to medieval values--Elena's honestly more bugged by the complications that come with her not being a virgin anymore than anything else, AND I will say this is one of the most fascinating sex scenes I've ever read, because when she bites his shoulder he comes like, immediately and looks at her like FRIGHTENED after, and she realizes that it's because he gave up the game and revealed his fetish for pain/being dominated. Which she does use against him! DELICIOUS.

The Hawk by Monica McCarty. This is kind of a medieval kidnapping of convenience. The hero fishes the heroine out of the water and basically hauls her along with him because she's the daughter of an enemy. He's a pretty jolly kidnapper.

The Last Crimes of Peregrine Hind by Sierra Simone. This is an m/m kidnapping. This highwayman kidnaps a dandy because revenge and ransom reasons, and the dandy is like "I can work with this". Much sex enues, and it's GREAT.

A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught. Classic medieval kidnapping; the heroine is Scottish, and the English hero has his men kidnap her (and her sister, I think?) because war. Unfortunately for him, this girl is PSYCHOTIC.

Seduce Me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas. Not a traditional kidnapping, but Kev does kidnap Win as a part of some marriage tradition stuff--ties her up and everything. She is VERY enthusiastic about being kidnapped because she's been begging for his dick for the entire book, and he does give it to her for like 24 hours straight.

Duke of Desire by Elizabeth Hoyt. This is one where the hero kidnaps the heroine and forces her to marry him to keep her safe from the villains, but he then refuses to consummate the marriage because he has some pretty severe trauma from being sexually abused as a child (TW, obviously). The heroine wants children, so this presents a problem.

Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt. This is kind of a coerced kidnapping--Mickey left his infant daughter on orphanage lady Silence's doorstep, and she's been raising the baby for months and has fallen in love with her. So when Mickey takes the baby back (because his enemies are after him and he doesn't want her used against him) she comes running, and he's basically like, if you want the baby you have to stay in captivity here. She agrees.

The Dragon and The Pearl by Jeannie Lin. DELICIOUS. The hero is a warlord, and the heroine is the previous emperor's concubine. He's sure she knows secrets, so he kidnaps her to get them out of her. Sadly, she is very smart, and he finds this Difficult.

Contemporary:

Possession by Adriana Anders. This is more of a kidnapping kink--the heroine fantasizes about being kidnapped, so her husband enlists his buddy to help him fulfill that fantasy in a BIG way. A threesome ensues!

Mafia:

Mafia Mistress by Mila Finelli. Fausto kidnaps Frankie so that she can marry his son, Giulio. However, Fausto ends up being muuuuch more into her, so he pivots to making her his mistress. Duology, leads into Mafia Darling.

Mafia Madman by Mila Finelli. Enzo blows up a bar and fakes Gia's death in order to kidnap her for revenge (against Fausto; this one stands alone, but I'd recommend reading them in order). He then keeps her in a cage on his yacht and intends to humiliate her, but she actually turns out to be almost as batshit insane as he is, and it gets Out of Hand.

The Professional by Kresley Cole. The hero in this book kidnaps the heroine on the orders of his boss (her biological father). But, after he gets her off in a cornfield, things get complicated...

The Master by Kresley Cole. In this one, the heroine is initially a sex worker hired by the hero, and they hit it off. However, she realizes she missed her birth control or something, and they had unprotected sex during her fertile window, and he's VERY pissed and kidnaps her to wait it out. Much more sex is had, and a chastity belt is involved. Loooove.

Dark:

King's Captive by Amber Bardan. The heroine is kidnapped by the hero on the day he crashes her birthday party and kills everyone there, including her dad. Then we jump three years into the future. This one has... quite a twist.

Paranormal:

Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison. The hero is an ancient dragon shifter, and the heroine steals one (1) penny from his horde as a part of a job she's blackmailed into doing. He is NOT PLEASED and chases her down and kidnaps her. However, he's also quickly like "I like the way she smells and her pretty hair and I want to keep her forever".

The Warlord Wants Forever by Kresley Cole. Nikolai (a vampire) kidnaps Myst (a valkyrie) as revenge/also just to claim her because she left him with a literally unending boner for FIVE. YEARS. So his long game is to basically keep her captive and shower her with sexual pleasure until she agrees to stay with him forever. Some pretty heavy dubcon/noncon, but in a "she is loving this but says she doesn't" kind of way.

A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole. Lachlain (a werewolf) realizes Emma (a valkyrie/vampire hybrid) is his mate and kidnaps her because, you know, mating, even though he's VERY displeased about this, what with being tortured by vampires for 150 years. Noncon/dubcon involved.

Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole. A lady kidnapping a man! Sabine kidnaps Rydstrom and sexually tortures him in an effort to get him to fuck her and get her pregnant as a part of her brother's nefarious schemes. Dubcon, obvi, though he for sure gets her back on that score...

Lothaire by Kresley Cole. Lothaire keeps Ellie on death row, and when she decides to just not fight it and die he's like "WOW. RUDE." and kidnaps her because he believes she's the vessel for his actual fated mate, an evil goddess. (He is, in fact, incorrect.) One of my favorite things about this is that he has magical wards set up to keep her from escaping his penthouse apartment, so he just sits there and counts down as she runs to try to throw herself out a window or something and nods when he hears her like, bounce off a force field lmao. LOVE THEIR LOVE.

The Fae Queen's Captive by Sierra Simone. F/f kidnapping. The heroine is kidnapped by the fae queen for Mysterious Purposes and becomes her pet. Not a bad gig.

Sci-fi:

Barbarian Alien by Ruby Dixon. The heroine is kidnapped by her fated alien mate, which is very against the rules because these aliens are Feminist Kings. Fortunately for him, she is very horny and decides to go with it.

Barbarian Mine by Ruby Dixon. In this one, the hero is a SUPER barbarian alien, because he was literally raised off the grid by his dad who died when he was young (his dad raised him off the grid because he did in fact kidnap the hero's mom). He kidnaps the heroine because mating bond, and she's also like ".... fine".

#romance novel blogging #book recs #romance novels

[bullet-prooflove]

Washington!Series Part Nine: Anytime, Anyplace - Captain Joe Milius x Reader

Tagging: @crazy4chickennuggets @kmc1989 @oureternalbond @witches-unruly-heart @shhoooketh @greenies-green @thandesa91 @atomic-art-dragon @irishavengersassemble @factualfic @mydarkestsecretlol @burningpeachpuppy

Washington Series:

Part One: Washington - You and Joe spend the night together before he leaves for Washington.

Part Two: Positive - You call Joe for the first time in two months.

Part Three: Tonight (NSFW) - You and Joe get reaquainted after two months apart.

Part Four: Family - Joe finds out your secret.

Part Five: Distance - Joe finds the distamce challenging when he misses your first sonogram.

Part Six: Kicking - Joe feels his baby kick for the first time.

Part Seven: Charlie 1 - Charlie 1 shows up on your doorstep.

Part Eight: The Right One - Joe wonders if he's the right one for you.

Noah Joseph Milius is born in the conference room of your workplace, one week before your due to date. It’s your last day and you’re in the middle of working a case when he decides to make his appearance.

The problem is the majority of the island is currently experiencing a black out due to a ransomware attack on the power grid, so all of the emergency services are slammed.

Of all the scenarios you and Joe have planned for this is not one of them.

Joe’s been back in Hawaii for over two months by this point and has treated preparations for the new baby like a military operation. You’ve enjoyed having him around over the past few months, the pregnancy has been tough during the third trimester. You’re heavier than you expected, less agile and Joe has been picking up the slack.

You’re fortunate that the medical examiner Commander Carla Chase is still on site otherwise Ernie would have been delivering the baby in the breakroom and you’re not sure your friendship would have survived that.

It’s two hours into the labour that Joe makes it back to Pearl. He’s been fielding the relief operation since the power grid went down. He may have missed most of the milestones throughout your pregnancy, but he refuses to miss the birth. He’s with you throughout the duration, supporting, cajoling, motivating until his son enters the world, wailing.

When he holds Noah for the first time, he looks at you with tears in his eyes because he never imagined the turn his life would have taken when you met. His forehead comes to rest against yours as he cradles the baby close.

“Thank you.” He whispers. “Thank you for giving me this.”

***

It’s a month later that you find the package on your doorstep. You’re coming back from a walk on the beach with Joe, Noah asleep in the stroller when you stumble upon the sky-blue hat box with a shiny gold bow on top. There’s no delivery note, or shipping label. It’s clear that it’s just been dropped off.

“Who’s it from?” Joe asks when the two of you are in the house.

He has Noah cradled in the crook of his arm, a bottle in his hand as the baby guzzles the milk. He’s taken to fatherhood the same way he takes to everything else, with enthusiasm and dedication. Having a baby has been an eye-opening experience for the both of you.

You suddenly have this tiny creature who is dependant on you for everything and at times you find it terrifying, however Joe is always there, a steadying presence when you start to have doubts. Being a father comes as naturally to him as breathing.

You reach into the box and remove a teddy bear dressed in a tiny Hawaiian shirt and a pair of it’s very own aviators.

“I guess Charlie finally decided to reach out,” You say before withdrawing a box of Cuban cigars and a bottle of top shelf bourbon. It’s your brand, the same one he brought over the last time he dropped by. “I suppose we should be thankful he didn’t break in this time.”

Charlie had an irritating habit of turning up in places that he shouldn’t. You’d come home a few times in the past to find him sitting in the armchair, a half-eaten sandwich on the table and a bottle of beer in his hand. You knew you weren’t the only one it happened to.

You recognise the gesture for what it is. Charlie’s way of saying he’s done trespassing in your life because things have changed, you have a partner now, a baby. He respects that.

Joe sets the bottle down before using the corner of the towel he has slung over his shoulder to clear the milk that’s dribbled out of Noah’s mouth.

You pick up the card from the bottom of the box, it looks like one of the ones from the gas station a few blocks over. Its glossy and cheap with a picture of a stork on the front. You open it to find a phone number scrawled on the inside with the words.

“Anytime, anyplace.”

Love Joe ? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

#joe milius #joe milius x reader #joe milius x you #captain joe milius #ncis hawaii

[star-girl69]

I Loved You Like the Sun

a/n: opinions on reader having kids??? also this chapter is kinda like thrown out there it’s a week or two after their wedding and then next chapter is a time skip to the actual canon events. i hope you all enjoy!!

also- my asks are always open if you have a comment on this story or a theory or an idea or anything!! i love talking about these three ❤️

warnings: incest, swearing, mentions of death, tell me if i missed anything!!

Chapter Sixteen- He is the Night

—-

“Y/N! Y/N!” Joffrey calls as you chase after him, over the plateau edge of Dragonstone.

“I’m gonna get you!” You yell, hands outstretched. You finally catch him, lift him up with triumphant shout. He giggles and wraps his little arms around your neck, before a maid follows you with a blanket. She sets it down and heads back to where the guard waits, leaving you with a few precious moments to yourself. And Joffrey, of course.

Rhaenyra and Daemon are insatiable. Constantly demanding your attention, out of the marital bed and inside of it. The most correspondance you had received from King’s Landing was a letter from Viserys himself, questioning if the rumors were true. Rhaenyra confirmed them with a simple letter, but as far as you knew, the King did not reply. It was for the best, you supposed. The King had been getting sicker and sicker for years, and perhaps it was better for him to preserve his energy.

You laid back with a sigh, Joffrey snuggling into your side. He fiddled with a bracelet on your wrist, one made of pearl that Daemon had given you a few days ago.

“Do you see that? I think there’s an elephant in the clouds.”

“There’s not an elephant in the clouds!”

“You can’t see it? Goodness, Joffrey, use your eyes!” He erupted into more giggles and the two of you fell into a easy teasing about different animals in the sky. In all honesty, that particular cloud had looked like an elephant. Joffrey was just too impatient to search for it.

Eventually, the two of you stood up and walked to the edge. Below the cliff was rocky outcrop of Dragonstone, and the caves where the wild dragons lived. You weren’t sure too much about them. You knew that they were dangerous, and that some of them even rivaled Vhagar in size. And in bloodlust.

But your peaceful moment was punctured by the sound of a dragon roaring, and Joffrey immediately hiding in your skirts.

“Oh, Joff…” You murmured, hands tangling in his brown locks. “Let’s go, yeah?” You picked him up, making your way to the guard and handmaiden. The guard seemed to be calm, so you figured the dragons roaring must be a normal thing. It wasn’t even that loud, and you figured it must have been one of the smaller dragons. Certainly not one like Cannibal.

“My Lady,” the guard bows, leading you back to the manor.

“Y/N! Your- your bracelet!” You looked down quickly at you wrist after hearing Joffrey’s words, seeing that it was in fact gone. Your heart sunk.

“Oh. Oh, I’ll- I’ll go look for it, yeah?” You passed Joffrey off to the handmaiden, and your guard seemed skeptical.

“Lady Y/N-” But then the ground practically shook with the roar of another dragon. Joffrey yelped and huddled into the handmaidens arms.

“I’ll be alright. Get him back to the manor. I’m sure it’s by where we were sitting.” The guard seemed unsure, but let you go after you promised you would be back soon.

The walk back was exciting without Joffrey to play with. You found the flat patch of grass where you had laid, but saw no glint of gold or pearl. You made your way towards the edge, seeing nothing still.

It was only when you sighed and looked out over the edge something had caught your eye.

Lying on the sand below you could just barely see the glint of your bracelet. You sighed, eyeing the steep path carved out in the grassy slope to the left of you.

Perhaps you should turn back. But it was the first present Daemon had given you. You knew that even if he did not show it, the fact that you had been with Rhaenyra longer than he had been with you did hurt him. You knew he would understand if you told him, but you a million more even more grander, but this one was special.

So, you took a sure step forward and headed down the slope.

When you reached the sandy bottom, you looked to the left only to see huge gaping caves carved into the rock. Some pillars were still left standing, carved in a traditionally Valyrian way. The most powerful beasts in the world were just feet away from you, wild and untamed. But you were like them in that way.

You took a few hesitant steps forward, making your way to the bracelet slowly. Finally, you bent quickly to pick it up. Not trusting the clasp, you held in tightly in your hands as you turned to head back.

The ground shook with the footsteps of a God, the white of large eyes appearing from the blackness of the caves.

Finally, the light of the sun reached him but it was as of the night was laid out before you.

Cannibal was as black as coal, a dark sky with no stars and no sun.

He did not roar. Did not eat you. Simply took you in with an appraising eye.

You had never felt more fear in your life. Every moment you had loved flashes before you, each kiss, each hug, each hazy night in your bed, and it was not enough. You had not lived.

And so you cowered before a God, because you were not brave like Daemon, and waited to be eaten.

It is fitting that the night should swallow you whole.

You open your eyes to face him, to meet you fate dead in the face like you did with that assassin all those weeks ago, but the night only stared back at you.

He did not try to swallow you whole.

Instead, the beast only held your gaze.

He took another lumbering step forward, and you whimpered unconsciously.

He tilted his head slightly, almost as if he was confused. But he was a wild dragon. You must be making things up.

Then be pressed his head towards you, and you could feel his warm exhales on your skin. You screwed your eyes shut.

You might have been praying. You were out of your body, taken by fear, you could not think. Could not act.

When you opened your eyes again after a few moments, filled with palpable fear in the air, you truly looked at Cannibal.

Truly did.

And then it was as if you were possessed, because why else would you be reaching your hand out to touch a wild dragon?

But Cannibal did not move back. Did not try to swallow you. No, instead let you. You got the feeling that you were changing something, that you were rewriting the threads of fate as you did this simple action.

His scales were warm underneath your palm.

He was the night, you were the sun, but he did not swallow you whole. He surrounded you. But you still shined.

—-

Jace sighed as he looked out the window. Normally he loved his lessons, especially High Valyrian, but philosophy was his least favorite. Jace liked things with answers. Strategy. Battle. Action and reaction.

Thinking deeply like this was not something he particular enjoyed, he had to admit. So as Ser Daros drones on, he looks out the window.

Faintly, he can hear his mother teaching Luke High Valyrian. Their regular teacher was indisposed, and Rhaenyra had seen it as a opportunity to spend more time with her children.

He forced himself to turn his attention back to Ser Daros, although the information went in one ear and out the other.

Then, the doors open and he is greeted with the sound of Joffrey’s laughs. He watches as the handmaiden brings Joffrey over to his mother, and she kisses his cheek before looking around the room.

“Where is Y/N?” Her voice is calm, a little distracted as she brushes a spot of dirt from Joffrey’s pant leg.

Jace’s eyes drift to the guard. But the guard only lowers his head and looks down.

“Lady Y/N is still at the cliffs, Your Grace.”

And he sees the exact moment his mother remembers what is near the cliffs.

She stills, and it as if she is not even breathing at all. He has never seen his mother this scares. Her arms wind around Joffrey, feet unsure as she plants them to the ground and lifts herself up.

He sees the look on her face.

“H-how- how long ago did you-” When she trails off, the room is silent. Jace is silent.

He does not know much about Lady Y/N. Only that she has spun a web in this family, and everyone is trapped it in.

He does not want to see her in the jaws of a dragon.

“About 20 minutes ago, Your Grace.”

His mother stiffens, but Jace can see the erratic fall and rise of her chest.

“Mother-” He starts, and his chair scrapes against the stone ground. “I…” Jace realizes he doesn’t know what he means to say. “I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

His mother gives him a fleeting glance.

“Call- call Daemon, call the guards, call everyone- get them out there and searching for her.”

“Your Grace,” the guard bows, and Jace does not miss the way he shrinks into himself.

Rhaenyra commands a room. Rhaenyra is the princess of Dragonstone. The heir to the Irone Throne.

Sometimes Jace feels that he pales in comparison to her.

But his thoughts are broken by the sound of a dragon roaring. Hard and fast. Loud and terrifying. He could use a million different adjectives to describe it.

But he would never be able to quite express the fear he felt in him. All the way down to his bones, in his very soul.

And when he turned back to the window, the sky was filled with a black mass. Swooping above the ocean, dipping low and high, and for a second he wondered if it was Balerion come again, or Vhagar.

But then his mother gasped, and the dragon flew closer to the windows of Dragonstone.

It was Cannibal.

It had to be Cannibal, because only one dragon was of that size and as dark in color. Only one dragon had a roar like that.

And on his back, dressed in a pale red dress, was the unmistakable figure of Lady Y/N.

“My… my Y/N-” His mother murmured.

Cannibal roared again.

—-

Otto Hightower pants as he finally reaches the council chambers. He had been pulled away when a letter had arrived, coded and from his confidant on Dragonstone.

The letter had scared him to the bone.

And the only thing that scared Otto Hightower was the night, was the absence of light.

The Hightower house motto was “we light the way.” And Otto has always been determined to light the way. To light the way, ensure his family’s name in the future. Ensure his name.

He bursted into the room unceremoniously, but his eyes were only on his daughter.

“Alicent.”

“Father?” She asked, nails curling around the arm of her chair. Confusion was evident on her face. Otto was undone, and his daughter had never seen him like this.

He crossed the room quickly, ignoring the eyes on him, before he reached his daughter.

She looked up at him, and he wanted to crush the fear in her eyes. Foolish. But he had more pressing matters.

He knelt to whisper in her ear, not quite ready for the other members of the council to hear this. He himself had not quite processed it yet.

“She claimed a dragon.”

He has told her daughter all about the dragon’s paramour, the nuisance that was Lady Y/N. So Alicent’s confusion left her face.

“So? We have Vhagar. My son rides the largest dragon kn the world.” She leans back in the chair, confident. “Do not fear, Father.”

“No, no,” he whispers. She frowns again at the urgency in his voice.

“Father?”

“They have Cannibal.”

She gasps, and the two know the darkness has come for them. They cannot be light against this darkness. This they cannot face. Cannot brighten. There is no way to light, even, as it has been swallowed in the back jaws of the killer dragon.

He is the night, and he has come.

—-

taglist:

@wondergal2001 @akiraquote @a-lil-bit-nuts @anginoguera @thatkinkylesgirl1 @stitchattacks @honeypillowsblog @kaloafd @blackhoodlea @softtina @wallace02sblog @tetgod @hotd-fanfic @rxscpctals

[ryin-silverfish]

Chapter 15: Your Horse is Dead

Fun Fact #1: budding legends around the historical Xuanzang already featured an extraordinary horse.

Fun Fact #2: and it's not a white horse, but a skinny red one.

-The unnamed old horse was gifted to Xuanzang by an elderly foreign man, who was an experienced traveller of the western roads. Later, while Xuanzang was crossing the desert, he lost his way and was about to die of thirst; suddenly, the horse took a different road on its own accord and saved the day by bringing him to an oasis.

-Because red is associated with fire, and horses turning into dragons was already a well-known trope in Chinese legends and folklore, said horse evolved into a Fire Dragon Horse in folk operas and retellings.

-In Yang Jingxian's JTTW Zaju, the horse was originally a fire dragon of the South Sea, who, strangely, was sentenced to death for failing to summon rain on schedule.

-Precious Scroll of the True Scriptures (真经宝卷), which came into existence around early Ming, also featured the Third Fire Dragon Prince, and his role was a lot more prominent than in the novel; after Sandy was forced to retreat into the river by SWK, he gave chase and stirred up the whole water body, and when this version of the seven spider demonesses used their silk to seize the pilgrims' weapons, the horse reverted to his dragon form and burnt away the silk with his flames.

-But since "White Horse Carrying the Scriptures" is a keystone imagery in the legends of Buddhism's spread to China, the horse also got a recolor in the Journey stories, and its association with fire gradually weakened, until all that was left was the arson of the dragon pearl in JTTW novel.

-Sidenote: the book only explicitly associated Metal with SWK, Wood with Pigsy, and Earth with Sandy, since in the specific tradition of internal alchemy it followed, Water is basically packaged together with Metal, and Fire with Wood.

-However, if you really wanna associate each of the pilgrim with one of the Five Elements? Tripataka would be Water (River-Float Boy) and the Dragon Horse would be Fire, based on his earlier incarnations as the Fire Dragon Horse.

-The Six Gods of Light and Six Gods of Darkness(六丁六甲) was based on the Ten Celestial Stems, a system of ordinals that, combined with the Twelve Earthly Branches, formed the 60 days/years calendrical cycle. As the personifications of those ordinals, these gods had a long history of being summoned by Daoists for divination and bodyguard duty, going all the way back to Eastern Han.

-The Yu edition might have translated them as the gods of Light and Darkness because traditionally, the Six Ding Gods were female and thus Yin-aligned, while the Six Jia Gods were male and Yang-aligned.

-When Guanyin turned the white dragon into a horse, the Yu translation said he "[holds] the bit in his mouth". Well, in the original Chinese, it says 口衔着横骨, literally "holding the horizontal bone in his mouth".

-This is a reference to the old Chinese folk belief that animals couldn't talk because there were a piece of hard bone inside their mouths/throats; only cultivated animals would be able to get rid of it.

-So yeah, the white dragon was very, very dedicated to his horse roleplay, down to the fantastical throat cartilage part.

@journeythroughjourneytothewest

#jttw reading group #journey to the west #jttw book club #xiyouji

[rxnefairs]

Headcanons ft. Rhaenys and Corlys

do they have an actual ship name or..?

Rhaenys did not know how to swim when she first met Corlys. So, naturally, it was the first thing he taught her upon her arrival at Driftmark.

Corlys doesn’t like to dance. But he’ll dance if Rhaenys asks. If the whole was watching, I’d still dance with you vibes.

Corlys’ lap is the best seat in the house. The best part? That seat belongs to Rhaenys and her alone.

Rhaenys gets piggyback rides because Corlys is the best husband ever.

Tables are their favorite… surface.

In Kings Landing, they keep each other at arm’s length. In Driftmark, however, they have absolutely no problems with PDA. The servants are used to it, they just block out the trauma.

When they were still betrothed, they would chase each other up and down the Red Keep. Usually, it’s Rhaenys baiting Corlys in a very flattering shade of blue. Think of it as ✨foreplay✨

Pregnant Rhaenys means holding court in her dragon boots and one of Corlys’ tunics. It’s her hall, she can wear whatever the hell she wants.

Rhaenys is a bookworm, so Corlys built a personal library just for her. It’s like when Ned built Cat her own Sept in the North.

The best way to show everyone you’re rich is to dress your wife up in those riches.

Corlys commissioned a glass miniature of Meleys for Rhaenys to keep at her bedside.

On days Rhaenys didn’t feel like having her hair styled, she would wear pearls in her hair to compensate. Simple but ✨pretty✨

Corlys will say “my wife” any chance he gets.

The thumb stroke thing that Corlys does began when he was comforting Rhaenys during labor. She always found the gesture soothing, so it stuck.

They give the best hugs. <3

Rhaenys’ favorite color is blue. Not because it’s the color of House Velaryon, but because she loves the way Corlys’ eyes light up when she wears it.

Corlys has a secret talent for drawing. He has a locked box that’s literally just sketches of Rhaenys.

#thank you for coming to my tedtalk #i have headcanons and you can’t stop me #rhaenys targaryen #corlys velaryon #rhaenys x corlys #eve best #steve toussaint #hotd #headcanons

[vesperlionheart]

My AO3 list of authored fairy tale & fantasy stories that I'm proud of. ➊ = oneshots 🅒 = Complete. ☼ = Long Read (over 30K)

↔ Uchiha Shelf • Akatsuki • Konoha • Other

Nightmare Eden: Let Me Wrap My Teeth around the World 🅒 ☼ Rated T - Sakura/Itachi, Sakura/Shisui, Sakura/Madara Summary: Sakura is slowly starving to death and a dhampir with a plane shift key to a nightmare domain is her best hope for subverting damnation. She'll hold hands with Itachi for as long as she needs to in order to get what she wants, but she might not be able to let go.

Castle Zamok ➊🅒 Rated T - Sakura/Itachi Summary: Sakura finds a castle at the end of the world in her search for answers, Itachi reluctantly opens the door.

Lindworm & the Tam Lin Love a Changling 🅒 Rated T - Sakura/Madara & Sakura/Hashirama Summary: Sakura travels as a curse breaker across the land, doing what she can to put some peace back into the world. She doesn't think much of it when she breaks the curse on a lesser dragon or a fae knight, but maybe she should have.

The Black Bull ➊🅒 Rated T - Sakura/Madara Summary: (Based on the classic Scottish fairytale The Black Bull of Norroway.) Sakura is a little girl who finds out her soulmate is a black bull and not the easiest creature to love, but she's not one to let glass mountains or demons keep her from following her heart.

Sugarplum 🅒 Rated T- Sakura/Itachi Summary: "They will use you up, and love you all the while, until there is nothing left of the girl you used to be." Sakura had been a chosen one, once upon a time, but that was years ago, and all the magic has left her. Still, the world calls her back and she has a new role in supporting the next girl savior many years her junior. ItaSakuSaso

The Choosing ➊🅒 Rated T - Sakura/Itachi Summary: Sakura is a monarch set to marry one of the Uchiha princes to unify their countries. She anticipates being told what to do, but doesn't anticipate the choice she is given. “I know it’s already been arranged, but let me do this properly…Will you marry me?”

Salt, Paper, Rage 🅒 Rated T - Sakura/Itachi Summary: Sakura is set on her journey to be the dragon slayer the Uchiha kingdom needs in order to get the recognition she so desperately desires. Along the way, she earns more than she bargained for.

RED KING ☼ Rated T -Sakura/Shisui Sakura/Madara Summary: In the wild country where it never snows but always freezes, the Red King marches his armies against the White Tsar. That is why Sakura is swept away from the lonely streets and the empty barracks into a car with a bastard prince and a promise of redemption, but if only she can face the demons that chased her in the first place and be what the king needs in his war.

Snow-Walker 🅒 ☼ Rated T - Sakura/Kagami Uchiha Summary: In the frozen north where spring never comes the white goddess Kaguya rules on high and all the eligible young girls in the city must be tested by her Rabbits to see if they are compatible with her magic. The lucky few are granted positions in her temples, as clerics to the Many Faced Moon. Sakura is a lower level cleric serving under the Hyuga matriarch, struggling to rise above in ways that seem to come so easily to those with noble blood and pearl colored eyes. It takes her twice as long to learn half as much because of her commoner blood, but what she lacks in magic she makes up for in a myriad of ways. Some said she was as keen as a devil and twice as pretty. When she is caught tampering with a Hyuga’s branch seal she is saved from death only because the law forbids executions of those with the Kaguya magic, thus she is banished to the frozen wastes to die on her own from the elements. But Sakura doesn’t plan on dying. Someone managed to share with her the secrets of Kaguya’s progeny and the source of her powers. Now Sakura has to find these grandkids and their tribe to help her bring down a tyrant in white.

Heartstrings (on my Fingers) Rated T Sakura/Madara & Sakura/Izuna Summary: All the legends say you should never kill a golden Zmey, but all Sakura has is her hunger and her debts so why not curse herself so others might live? Even if her curse lasts through multiple lifetimes, Sakura is willing to pay the price, whatever it may be.

Selkie ➊🅒 Rated E - Sakura/Itachi Summary: Once upon a time she fell in love with a creature from a fairytale. It didn't go well, and so, years later, he's desperate for another chance with the island's fairy doctor.

The Golden Bridle ➊🅒 Rated: T - Sakura/Madara Summary: Sakura knows what it feels like to be trapped in chains, so she can't help but want to set everything free, even if it ends up being dangerous for her later on. She didn't know what the consequences would be for freeing such an old fashioned kelpie.

Jealous gods 🅒 Rated M - Sakura/Itachi & Sakura/Kakashi Summary: When a coup takes the lives of the king and the rest of the royal family, Sakura, the sole surviver, escapes to the edge of the world with Kakashi to strike a bargain with an old god. Her worship in exchange for his power. She's warned he's a dark and jealous god, but that's not enough to sway her. “Let me wear your name like a kiss on my throat, let me roam the world with the freedom of your patronage. The earth is your alter and I am the incense that beckons you here. Make me new."

Uchiha • ↔ Akatsuki Shelf • Konoha • Other

Obelisk Series Eventual Sakura/Sasori Kingdom of Man: Rated T🅒☼ Kingdom of Beasts: Rated T🅒☼ Kingdom of Monsters: Rated M🅒☼ Kingdom of Gods: Rated M🅒☼

Meiji Frankenstein ➊ 🅒 Rated M - Sakura/Sasori/Hidan Summary: “It is true, we shall be monsters, cut off from all the world; but on that account we shall be more attached to one another.” ― Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

The Dancing Fields ➊🅒 Rated: T - Sakura Deidara Summary: Sakura stepped into the wrong fairy circle and ended up trapped in the fae courts where people are compelled to dance themselves to death-if they're not keen enough to find a way around the manners of their captors that is. Deidara is a 'friendly' fae who she finds on her side more and more often. It wouldn't be wise to fall in love.

Spoken with Silver  ➊🅒 Rated: T - Sakura/ Deidara Summary: Sakura considered her predicament unique even though she knew she was far from the first girl to be sacrificed for the sake of a parent’s foolish exaggerations. Fairytale AU spin on Rumpelstiltskin

Let the World Fall Down  ➊🅒 Rated T - Sakura/Sasori & Sakura/Itachi Summary: Naruto gets lost on the roads between worlds and Sakura has to set out to save her friend and bring him back from a land with fae kings and goblin cities. This isn't her first trip through a labyrinth, yet the echoes of her childhood adventures seek to ripple back on her in strange new ways. A broken king under her power, a shackled prince seeking her aid, and an upside-down world that continues to fall-Let it all come down.

Snowflake (A Mad Girl's Love Song)  ➊🅒 Rated T: Sakura/Sasori Summary: Sakura must brave the dreams that were left to rot into nightmares to save her friend's student after an accident with a world transfer scroll. The world she has to brave is one she's not faced in seven years, and it's grown a bit more wicked and wild in her absence. What once began as a young girl's fairytale dream, with dancing snowflakes, sugar horses, candy castles, and dashing nutcracker princes, now is so much more.

His Rose and Her Thorn ➊🅒 Rated: T - Sakura/Sasori Summary: Sakura is dying from a curse and the only way to survive it seems to be shedding her humanity. What else could she do after earning the love of a god? “The moment I saw you, I knew we were meant to be.”

Thief King Sasori ➊🅒 Rated: T Sakura/Sasori Summary: Thief King Sasori anticipates a desert mouse for a wife, but his cunning grandmother has other plans for the ambitious thief with this arranged marriage. “So you’re my future bride? You’re not what I expected at all.”

Lady of the Blackthorn Trees 🅒 Rated M - Sakura/Sasori Summary: Sasori has lost his home, his throne, and much of his will to live when he catches a good look at the sorceress he'd gladly burn for.

Seven Wonders ➊🅒 Rated: T - Sakura/Sasori Summary: Sakura saves a cursed black cat but can't break the curse on her own. She'll need to take him back to her master for that, but it seems like this Black Cat has plans of his own

Between Jupiter and Mars  ➊🅒 Rated: M - Sakura/Kisame & Sakura/Hidan Summary: Sakura is something like a paranormal investigator caught between two haunting forces.

Urban Gods 🅒 Rated: M Sakura/Hidan Summary: Sakura, a blood witch, needs to revive a mad god in order to escape the rain god's attention. She's worked so hard for so long to put him back together, piece by piece, but will this resurrected god be worth the trouble (or the headache)?

Uchiha • Akatsuki • ↔ Konoha Shelf • Other

Stag  ➊🅒 Rated T - Sakura/Tobirama Summary: He was a wizard with a tower and a set of rules he should never break. Sakura was a girl with just a bit of budding magic he decides he can't ignore. Some things were made to be broken.

Songbird  ➊🅒 Rated: T -Sakura/Kakashi Summary: Sakura's family is in debt and she is determined to save them from the money lenders with a risky plan that involves gathering the feathers of a thunderbird to make into a wedding dress. Things did not go according to plan.

Scarecrow Dragon ➊🅒 Rated: G - Sakura/ Kakashi Summary: “We all have secrets,” Sakura breathed.

A Confluence of Stars 🅒 ☼ Rated T - Sakura/Choji & Sakura/Nii Yugito Summary: With the war over between two princedoms, Sakura, a sniper, returns home to celebrate Confluence with her grandmother, the local Story Keeper. She had expected it to be nothing more than just another celebration when the star rivers overlapped and the poor people partied. But, along with the rest of the world, Sakura soon realizes that Confluence did more than just give people a reason to celebrate. A wicked new world filled with monsters and magic straight from Baba's tales spills into theirs, and Sakura is forced to turn to her rifle and her stories to make sense of it.

Gas Station 🅒 Rated: Sakura/Sasuke, Sakura/Naruto, Sakura/Sai, Sakura/Kakashi Summary: Three stowaways make Sakura's job a little more difficult than she bargained for. They say they know it will be worth her while, but she has a hard time believing one gas station could make up for all the trouble she has to put up with as she drives three escaped harem boys across the red, red world.

Uchiha • Akatsuki • Konoha • ↔ Other Shelf

Touken Revolution 🅒☼ Rated: T - Sakura/Kisame, Sakura/Zabuza, Sakura/Haku Summary: Sakura could hear the voices in the steel long before she knew what this meant. Years later she's nearly killed for this reason and is sent running out of the Land of Fire and into the neighboring country of Water for refuge. But her life is still not safe and very well never will be considering that's she's one of the only Sages alive, a person with the power to animate the nonliving as human soldiers. In her hands blades become warriors more fantastically loyal than any human born legion. She's a dangerous player in the world of warring shoguns, but all she wants to do is dirty her hands and make beautiful blades in the forge. In order to stay alive Sakura animates several Kiri treasured blades and is a little surprised with what happens next.

The Spirit of the Oasis ➊🅒 Rated: T - Sakura/Gaara Summary: Gaara doesn't believe in the fairytales the elders spin, but when his siblings go off into the desert chasing one, he isn't far behind. Along the way he might just meet someone who helps him believe.

The Enchanted Snake ➊🅒 Rated: T - Sakura/Orochimaru Summary: “I came for you,” she laughed when she recognized the beautiful saffron color of his eyes. “Please don’t leave me again.”

#it is not lost on my how many of these are Uchiha pairings #I have a type I guess #I know what I like #I should do more with other pairings #my writing #my fanfiction #fanfiction #Ao3 #this is my looking back and reflecting on how far I've come #and what I'm proud of #what I love #I love writing AUs #Sakura #I made a gif for this

[arthistoryanimalia]

For #Feathersday: Some selections from the Kingfisher Headdresses from China exhibition at Art Institute of Chicago showcasing tian-tsui, the traditional Chinese fine art of using the highly prized iridescent blue feathers of regional Kingfisher species (Alcedinidae).

Lots more pieces (including smaller hairpins & earrings) on display at the exhibition, open through May 2023.

It is also important to note that the demand for feathers for tian-tsui nearly drove kingfishers to extinction in China in the early 20th centry, with the last feather factory closing in 1933. But there are now some contemporary artists reviving the craft who make a point of using ethically sourced feathers (collected from molt etc).

1 Cap (清朝 点翠头饰） China, Qing dynasty (1644-1912), 18th-19th century Gold wire, kingfisher feathers, amber, coral, jadeite, ivory, glass, silk Exceptional workmanship and the brilliant color of the kingfisher feathers make this an outstanding example of a woman's headdress. At the center, a phoenix with a peacock-like tail is flanked by a pair of dragons. Stacked above the phoenix are a large bat studded with a jadeite gem and another executed in fine filigree. Gourds, symbolizing the wish for multiple offspring, appear on the sides and suggest that this cap may have been worn by a young woman.

2 Headdress (清朝 点翠头饰） China, Qing dynasty (1644-1912), 19th century Silk-covered lattice, kingfisher feathers, gilt bronze, jadeite, coral, amethyst, rose quartz, and carnelian The central roundel on this headdress features a butterfly with jadeite wings and a coral body while those on either side contain rose-quartz flowers and narrow-waisted bottle gourds, symbols of fertility. Below the butterfly, two bat-like creatures with long antennae and quartz bodies are flanked by gourds. Jade-petal flowers and other plant motifs fill the top register.

3 Headdress (清朝 点翠头饰） China, Qing dynasty (1644-1912), 19th century Kingfisher feathers, gilt bronze, pearls, garnets. rose quartz, jadeite, and glass, applied to a silk-wrapped wickerwork trellis The numerous stylized creatures that adorn this headdress are bats. They represent a motif favored in Chinese art because the Chinese word for "bat" (fu) sounds similar to that for good fortune. The wings of the large bats are fashioned with seed pearls, and red agate cameos indicate the eyes and bodies of the smaller ones. Their long antennae end in pearls, which would quiver with the slightest movement when the headdress was worn. The strings of pearls hanging from the lower rim form a veil.

4 Tiara (清朝 点翠头饰) China, Qing dynasty (1644-1912), 19th century Kingfisher feathers on silver gilt, jadeite, carnelian, coral, and ivory In Chinese culture dragons are powerful but benevolent creatures, and the ones that decorate the top of this tiara chase a central flaming pearl- a combination that probably expresses the hopes for a happy marriage. Around the perimeter, stylized characters for longevity (show) and small figures of immortals symbolize a further wish for long life. On the inner rim, the eight phoenixes facing downward are also talismans for good fortune.

5 Tiara (清朝 点翠头饰) China, Qing dynasty (1644-1912), 19th century Kingfisher feathers on gold and gilt bronze, agate, and lapis lazuli At the top of this tiara, a pair of dragons chase a flaming pearl, a motif expressing hopes for a happy marriage. Below them a pavilion probably represents a paradise of immortals, and still farther down are two goldfish, symbolizing offspring and good fortune. The bottom is composed of a row of birds facing downwards, each holding in its beak a string of pearls suspending L-shaped musical chimes. The Chinese word for chime, qing, is similar to that for celebration.

6 Opera Costume Headdress (民国 点翠头饰） China, first half of 20th century Kingfisher feathers, gilt bronze, faux pearls, and glass This headdress teems with symbols of good fortune. The design centers on a large tree peony and below it, a pair of guardian lions flank a flaming pearl. The next row down features red-headed phoenixes and a dragon. A pair of leaping fish--symbolizing a successful career and abundant offspring- appear above the peony. At the top is a pavilion, perhaps representing a paradise of immortals. More details appear amidst the primary designs: bats and butterflies fluttering their wings and Chinese characters with meanings such as "wealth," "longevity," "nobility," and "glory," collectively imbuing the headdress with an air of celebration.

7 Opera Costume Headdress (民国 点翠头饰) China, Possibly Guangxi province, early 20th century Gilt bronze, kingfisher feathers, pearls, coral, silk thread, and glass Together with phoenixes, mandarin ducks, and bats, four large clamshells decorate this headdress. Each clamshell contains a pearl that is visible only from the side or the top. Contemporary audiences would likely have noticed many pearls dotting the headdress, though, and associated them with the clamshells' contents. In addition to wealth, the pearls probably symbolize a wish for a happy marriage and many offspring. 

[all descriptions above from the gallery labels]

***

The only book I know about (in English) about tian-tsui feather art is this one:

Kingfisher Blue: Treasures of an Ancient Chinese Art by Beverley Jackson (2001)

PS - kingfisher feathers aren't really blue - and in fact no bird feathers are known to have "true blue" pigmentation! It's all structural color, just a trick of the light fooling our eyes. :) (Try taking a single "blue" feather and backlighting it sometime to see for yourself!)

Learn more here:

#kingfisher #bird #birds #birds in art #feathers #feather art #tian-tsui #China #Chinese art #Asian art #Qing dynasty #19th century #20th century #decorative arts #historical costume #headdress #tiara #opera costume #ornithology #color science #blue #exhibition #museum visit #Feathersday #animals in art #book recommendation #Amazon

[siriannatan]

Bouncing Back - ScotfWhip

Of course, 101 is of the 'I meant to write smut but changed my mind' variety. And of course, I had no idea what to call it.

Scott was seething. "Should I take it as you taking your word back?" cold, stiff, weird itch climbing up his spine. Staring at Lizzie, the Ocean Queen take half a step back at his tone. "You, unlike everyone else, know why I joined this alliance when it did not benefit me in the slightest," Scott practically growled, feathers of his wings puffing out as his wings stretched slightly.

"I do, but I never guaranteed anything, Tango was simply faster and I have no reason to turn down him courting Jimmy," she seemed to remember she was a ruler and needed a spine. To stand up for herself.

Scott scoffed. Yeah, sure. Like she didn't turn him down the last three times he tried courting her precious brother. Always citing the ongoing conflict with Wither Rose Alliance - an alliance Scott was part of once, on Gem's request and pressure on her twin brother. "I'll be sending official documents as soon possible, but from now on I withdraw Rivendell from the Cod Alliance. Now if you'd excuse me, I have other matters to attend," he announced and turned, his cape and wings no doubt giving his exit a beautifully dramatic flare. That his new, lizard or more precisely dragon tail hopefully didn't completely ruin. 

Yes. Scott had bigger issues than Lizzie being controlling. Like Aeor's blessing not just giving him bird wings but turning him at least partially into an actual ice dragon. Something no one in Rivendell ever suspected would happen. But between the tail, spikes at the edges of his wings, patches of itchy scales and golden, bit stag-like horns there was no arguing it. Scott was not just an elf with wings anymore.

He just had to hope fWhip didn't toss his letter into a fire as soon as he saw who sent it. Out of the whole Wither Rose Alliance, he was most likely to talk to Scott. Gem was... very much angry with Scott while Sausage and Pearl were busy with an open conflict with Pixandria. fWhip was... Complicated. But there was a slight chance his curiosity could have been picked. If he read the damn letter... that is.

As he stormed out of the Prisma Palace Scott had a glance at Jimmy and an admittedly handsome merling man talking. Flirting. What only made him speed up.

When he landed outside his castle Scott felt like he was about to melt. But as soon as he thought about maybe having a lie down until maybe fWhip responded he was informed the count had recently arrived to talk... That was good. So Scott collected himself and went to meet with fWhip. Building up headache be damned.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" were the first words fWhip spoke to him in a while. Before Scott could scramble a response together there was a cold hand on his forehead. It was shockingly pleasant even with how warm he was feeling. Especially as it shifted, not breaking contact to cradle his cheek and angle his face for fWhip to see him better.

"Why should I be in bed?" Scott mumbled as fWhip's hand left his face. It took a lot of self-control to not chase it.

"It might be a bit forward, but you're obviously in heat," fWhip explained in the same matter-of-fact tone he explained all his inventions to Gem. "My older brother is a dragon. I know at least a theory of what's connected to being a part dragon," the vampire added as Scott blinked at him in confusion. "Your expression is a bit like Sausage's when he's in that state." Scott did not like talking about anyone else when fWhip was just like three steps away.

"And what, pray tell, should I do about it? Until today's morning I had no idea I was in any part a dragon," Scott sounded a bit angrier than he intended but his day was going rather terribly.

"Well, you can either lock yourself in your room for the next few days," fWhip started, rather nonchalantly for how impossible it was for Scott to just not run his country for several days. "Or get some help in satisfying your instincts and desires." He was not insinuating... 

Scott was silent for a painfully long moment. Who was he supposed to do it with even? How much would it even help? There was no way one time would solve the whole problem. But a day or two at maximum would be better than five or more. Or however long he'd have to lock himself. 

"So? I'm not discussing anything else with you while you're in this state," fWhip broke the silence. Loosening his fancy, frilly cravat as he spoke. His hands were suddenly very fascinating to Scott's brain.

"Isn't there some potion that would help?" Scott huffed. He was desperately trying to not think about fWhip in the context of dealing with his sudden condition. It was pretty hard to do with how undeniably good-looking fWhip was. Especially since he seemed to dress up for his visit. Like really dress up. Well-fitted pants, button up and a vest. All dark, making his face and bright hair really stand out. Especially the blue of his eyes.

"Not at this point, if you were to take it yesterday, there is one that would lessen it to an unpleasant feeling instead of uncontrollable horniness,"  fWhip shook his head but Scott caught him glancing somewhere other than Scott's face. He followed it and caught his own tail moving against his will. Was it a side effect of his current state?

"What if I did drink it now?" Scott still tried avoiding his original options. As much as his brain wanted to see fWhip shirtless. Maybe with even fewer clothes...

"I do not have any ready, it takes three days at the fastest to make it," fWhip shook his head. So much for master alchemist's help... "So would you rather I tell your advisors you're out of commission or follow you?" he gave Scott the final choice. "I won't mind no matter which."

Scott bit his lip. "Just follow me," he mumbled, feeling an itch on his cheek, right where fWhip's hand was earlier. As he scratched it he realised there were scales there. Charming.

At least fWhip didn't mind following Scott as he quickly cleared his schedule for the next couple of days. It all went shockingly smoothly. Maybe because there was a vampire with an unnatural love for explosives close by. Or the news that their king was part dragon.

No matter the reason Scott was soon excitedely - it was definitely the heat speaking - leading fWhip to his bedroom. As soon as the door clicked closed. No interruptions aside from food and water and other drinks being left outside until fWhip declared him sane enough to talk to, Scott was picked up, carried to, and practically tossed on his bed.

"Sorry, darling, I don't do nice or bottom so unfortunately you'll have to bear with me," fWhip hummed into Scott's neck, pushing him slightly uncomfortably into the bed. Feeling his fangs scraping skin and scales should not be this attractive but at this point, Scott was too tired to keep himself in check and just let it all go. He was not letting fWhip do as he pleases, at least not without a fight.

'Somehow' he lost said fight...

#my stuff #my stories #empires smp #fanfiction #empiresshipping #empires fwhip #empires scott

[roughentumble]

a while ago i had the idea for an AU where geralt's mind is sortve sent back in time to right before the dragon fight, and he makes different choices at key junctures as a sort of fix-it fic. i agonized over it for a while, then it lay languishing and forgotten in my notes app, so im deciding to publish it as is, which will either encourage me to finish it, or at least put what exists out in the universe.

also he doesnt really Remember he's time traveled, he just gets Vibes at key points

tagging @fangirleaconmigo because she expressed interest in the idea way back when i first had it!

-------

geralt wakes up in a daze.

there's something on the tip of his tongue-- like when you don't remember a dream, but you remember the shape of it. he fights to recall it, because it seems so big, so important, as the last strands slip through his fingers. his body wills him to stand up, and so he does, as if he could chase the fragments that way, but moving only seems to dislodge them further. he doesnt even recall falling asleep. he sees-- jaskier, a few feet away with his back to him, far enough he'd have to call out to be heard, and everything is hazy as he stumbles over, some sort of need he cant name thrumming under his skin. he could get angry about it, or-- or...

he places a hand on jaskier's shoulder, and jaskier whips around in surprise, blinking owlishly at him. he starts to say something, brow furrowed with concern and sympathy, but geralt cuts him off with a squeeze of his shoulder. "i think you were right. we should go to the coast."

concern gives way to joy, like the sun breaking through the clouds, lighting up his entire face. "you-- really? actually, you'd want that? what caused the change of heart, did you whack your head or something?" he waves his hand in dismissal, keeps speaking before geralt can interject. "doesn't matter, really, what matters is that you did. i'll pack my things right away, and we can load up dear old roach, and i can compose a stunning ballad out of this whole mess because i am a miracle worker, and-- oh you'll just /love/ the coast i'm /certain/ of it! fine wine and pearls and the salty sea stretching out forever over the horizon, and the sunsets, oh! to die for, truly!"

perhaps he did hit his head. there's dirt in his hair, more than usual, and he doesnt think he woke up in a bedroll... but he can't find it in himself to care. it all came out so easy, and something about it had felt right. he reaches out to take jaskier's hand in his own, and jaskier only trips over his words for a moment, glancing down at them in confusion, then smiling even brighter, if that was even possible. that feels right, too. in the same way he cant put his finger on. he'll examine it later, when he's a little more awake. for now he just pulls jaskier gently by the hand towards camp, so he can do that packing he was talking about.

they leave the mountain, and the cursed dragon hunt, behind, without much fanfare or a word to the others.

===========

he doesnt like the coast much, as it turns out. sand isnt great for poor roach's hooves, salt sticks in his long hair making it unmanagable, and the large swath of ocean in front of him makes him edgy in a way he doesnt want to put a name to, because geralt of rivia does not /do/ being afraid. it's all logic, is what it is, giant sea monsters lurk in those depths, and surely no witcher is equipped to deal with their likes. a certain healthy cautiousness makes sense, he reasons.

he likes jaskier at the coast, though.

happy and free, laughing, backlit by the sun, sand on his cheek and pants rolled up to the knee. fancy shoes dangling from his fingers.

/foolish bard/, he thinks, stepping closer, brushing away the sand, /foolish, silly little bard, never brings the proper footwear anywhere we go./ out loud he says "i'm in love with you."

he watches closely the play of emotions across jaskier's face, the joy morphing into shock, disbelief, mouth gawping open like a fish. in the next moment he's dropped those fancy shoes to grab geralt's head, yanking him down into a kiss that's equal parts frenzy and passion and finally coming home. they kiss until the water laps up to their ankles, arms tangled around each other.

the incoming waves claim just one of jaskier's fancy, impractical shoes, and he curses the sea, running into the water as if he could fish the thing out, or else batter the sea into compliance. geralt laughs, and laughs, and pulls jaskier from the salty sea to kiss him again, and again, and again, even as he complains about his lost shoe. "you'll be compensating me for that, witcher." he warns, shaking his finger.

"wouldn't have it any other way," geralt responds, breathless with joy, and jaskier sinks into his grip.

========

"i want you to come with me. to kaer morhen."

jaskier stares at him with open-mouth. it isnt an offer given lightly. even in all their years of on-again off-again, geralt never extended this particular invitation to yennefer. maybe he was too scared of being known, or too scared of being trapped in one place-- if things went sour when they couldnt just leave, would it go away for ever? she's gone away forever anyway, for all his clinging and carefully calculated space. she said no, and he found-- he found--

years he's spent, dragging his feet. years, and with jaskier it's so old and yet so new, and he's decided that he is sick of the waiting, of the right pace. he wants jaskier with him, now and always. "this winter, the two of us. up in the blue mountains."

jaskier is nodding before geralt can finish speaking, tears welling in his eyes. "i want that too, love. gods, you know i'd follow you anywhere." and then he laughs, free and joyful and it's the best sound geralt's ever heard in his life. jaskier reaches out, touches his cheek, like he's confirming this is real, and geralt leans into his space to press their foreheads together. inhales the scent of his tears mingled with pure joy, and it smells like the ocean.

=================

they keep heading south, because it isnt time to head north yet, and because geralt's got a feeling he'd really like to disprove. can't explain where it comes from, exactly, just that he feels a tug, senses a rumbling in the earth, hears whispers on the streets. he climbs the rocky outcropping while jaskier waits by roach, idle and bored. he wants to be wrong. wants it so badly he hasnt even shared his theory with jaskier. he looks out over the path below.

he is not wrong.

a sea of black and gold. cintra is the gateway to the rest of the north, and it's about to fall.

============

he tells jaskier to wait in the marketplace. if this works, geralt will be able to meet him there without injury, or at least be able to send someone to fetch him. if it doesnt, he'll need to resort to drastic measures, which should put him in jaskier's path too. he's grateful for this decision when he ends up surrounded on all sides by calanthe's men-- he has no doubt jaskier would be able to extract himself from the danger as he always does, but he still doesnt like seeing it. he holds a knife to the throat of an old friend, and wonders why it feels familiar. wishes that it didnt.

when they fall through the portal, dodging calanthe's trap, jaskier is far enough away from their stall that he doesn't hear the commotion-- presumably, anyway. geralt wishes he could see him, just to confirm he was safe, confirm he actually made it, but he's too preoccupied to linger on the thought.

[transcribe partial convo]

[bars part w/ eist]

finally jaskier has wandered close enough to notice the commotion, and he calls for geralt

[geralt pleads for jaskier's safety, appeals to eist as a reasonable man, as someone who mightve once been called a friend. says he understands eist's commitment to calanthe, but begs him not to doom jaskier by throwing him in the dungeons when he's harmless. jaskier doesnt much like this, but eventually eist agrees, as a favor to someone he respects and as someone who can see reason. geralt makes jaskier promise to stay in his room no matter what happens, and they clasp hands before jaskier is dragged back from the bars]

[maybe describe getaway, but idk if needed]

============

"this is cirilla. ciri, this is--"

"ah-ah, let me do my own introductions, i get to say it so rarely, after all." he says, cutting geralt off and turning to ciri. his shoulders roll back, posture straightening, carrying himself with a sudden air of gravitas. "my name is julian alfred pancratz, viscount de lettenhove. graduate of oxenfurt, master of the seven liberal arts, and esteemed poet and minstrel, better known throughout the kingdoms as the famed bard jaskier. at your service." he bows deeply, a fluid, graceful movement, and when he comes back up he looks rather pleased with himself.

there's a beat of silence. "...my partner." geralt finishes his earlier statement, eyebrow raised and thoroughly unimpressed. ciri mostly just seems surprised. "don't worry, you get used to the chatter."

jaskier splutters, cheeks turning red in offense. "you! that was a perfectly lovely introduction, you

[bicker] i dont know why i put up with you [bicker]

[something abt the moment of levity, but then geralt is saying "we need to go to sodden hill, [why] i think yen is there and i need to find her", then the moment when geralt realizes she is (presumed) dead where jaskier's playful insults fall away]

============

[noticing eskel, gets feeling he needs to check, finds out abt infection, etc etc]

============

[change vesemir pov]

he doesnt think these flowers are the answer. he doesnt recognize them-- though if he knew every part of the formula, it wouldnt be lost to him as well. still, though, it doesnt sound right to his ear, even if he doesnt know as much about flora as one might if they'd dedicated their life to the study of it. he can imagine, though, being desperate enough to believe it. he thinks back to eskel, and how they'd almost lost him to such a stupid error. he feels the loss of their way of life, their traditions, weighing on his shoulders in a way he never thought he'd face in his lifetime.

the little scrap of paper in her hand is so innocuous. and even if it's wrong, or merely an approximation of what once was, he feels the need to keep it, to catalogue it, preserve it as he has everything else in the keep... even the unsavory ones. the metal rack so many boys died on, that countless others were changed in, /chained/ in, sitting in the basement like it's a coffee table. like it's nothing. like it isnt horrific.

but it's all he has. and it's what they needed.

his fingers curl around the paper. "how many other people know of this blossom? would be likely to put two and two together?" he asks.

"not many at all, i would imagine. even fewer would know how to apply the knowledge , or emough inner workings of witchers to make the leap. and it's only a theory, anyway, i cant confirm it as of yet." she replies, watching him closely.

their numbers, so weakened, so devastated. the continent is running out of monsters, but it hasnt run dry just yet-- witchers are still needed, and theyre dwindling. and yet...

he flicks his fingers, and the page goes up in flames. a little cast of igni, and suddenly the secret is unknown once more. "cant let anyone know how we're made-- sorcerers have been after the information for as long as there have been witcher schools. no telling what havoc they'd wreak across the continent if they had the recipe. and... there will be no more boys."

he looks at the ashes in his hand, and he aches in ways he doesnt have words for, for the life he had and the men he lost and all those boys. "i thank you for your diligence, and your offer," he says diplomatically, "but i urge you to forget what you've discovered, and tell no one. and if you do decide to divulge our secrets, then i can only pray your approximations were wrong."

she had looks surprised when the fire burst to life, but understanding settles across her features.

#witcher tag #ogc tag #honestly there are bits here im rly proud of and would like on my blog #i just wish i'd ever finished it

[aifsaath]

Alicent took the brush with the ivory handle, the one Gwayne had gifted her for her fifteenth nameday. Their elder brothers had already left for Oldtown. Quenton for the Citadel, Triston for the Fleet. They had sent her presents of books and ropes of rose pearls. Letters that made her weep with longing for her home.

When would she see the proud walls of Oldtown again? When would she listen to the calls of seagulls at the port as she arrived, perched on a bow of a barge sailing down the Honeywine river? She wanted to walk the cobbled streets to the Starry Sept, to see the old weirwood in the Citadel’s yard. She wanted to chase her brothers up the countless stairs of the Hightower, to hold her mother in her arms for once more, to carve the memory of her scent into every nook of her mind.

King’s Landing was a red dream of kings of this new world; a strange, unprecedented thing. History was being written on its rust-coloured walls, but the bloody ink had not dried yet. The wounds still ached; not even Jaehaerys had soothed them all. Where was the unmarked grave of Ceryse Hightower? No one alive could answer that question anymore. Wet ink and aching scars. Screeches of dragons echoed over the city, reminding each and every soul of the true law of the land.

#aife writes! #alicent hightower #hotd fanfic #The Sky Is Always Red Above Valyria #wip #fic snippet

[zelda-without-a-licence-plate]

Final official Vilia redesign! I have three outfits here.

1- her typical day look. For when she’s out and about in the town or city, going shopping, going to brunch, etc. Palace City is more temperate than the rest of the desert because of the waterways and has a lot more shade, so she doesn’t need as much coverage. Very fashion, very in style-- though as the closest thing to an A-list celebrity Parapa has, she’s the one setting a lot of the trends. All the gems on her clothes, jewellery and even sandals are all diamonds, of course.

2- concept for the pearl dress that is mentioned in Chasing Dragons. in our version Vilia is a dancer, a fantasy burlesque dancer, really. She’s known for sewing all her costumes and clothes herself. She always dreamed of wearing an entire dress of pearls since she was small, and it took her nearly the entire twenty years she’s lived in Parapa to obtain enough refined pearls to make it. There would be more parts to the full outfit, including an actual skirt, but I haven't gotten around to drawing it all yet.

3- clothes for travelling, full desert coverage. protection from the sun and sandboots. this is as dressed-down as Vilia ever gets.

check out our botw fic Chasing Dragons to see more of Vilia!! I love her so so much and she deserves all the nice beutiful things in the world. She also deserves to get to make Link her personal little dress up doll. Link give up on adventuring and move in with Vilia you can cook as much as you want and go shopping every day come on i know you want to Link

#mod car #botw art #botw vilia #Redesigns #vilia redesign #gerudo redesign #loz breath of the wild