#and then for plague tale I could just change the end so that they do necromancy

[jinkiezzsstuff]

Met the Devil 2

lucifer x human!reader

sorry this took forever it’s been hectic i guess im in my fanfic writer era of madness happening and mentioning it in the a/n (im joking… unless) anyways lads hopefully this is okay womp womp

Part [1]

Based on devilish folklore and wives tales so lucifer may be ooc!

Warnings: BODYHORROR; DESCRIPTIONS OF TEETH FALLING OUT. Mentions of blood, reader dies a goofy ahh death, lucifer being an unsure wreck, and he’s got no game, reader is perpetually confused, inaccurate descriptions of religion, swearing, not proof read and i don’t entirely know where i’m going with this teehee lmk whatcha think xxx

word count: 3.1K

Three months, it had been three exhausting months since the incident with Lucifer. As if there was some devine intervention, everything seemed to fall at your feet working out for you, while also simultaneously sucking. Career wise, you were doing much better, after working for Marie and watching her house keeping it exactly how she wished, excluding the devil you had intercourse with, she put in a word for you at her and her husbands church, which you ended up getting.

Although not a very important role, it paid well. You were mostly in charge of cleanliness, cleaning the areas in the front where children played, keeping the holy fountain fresh, sweeping the pews and repairing any unbinded bibles. However the staff weren’t particularly fond of you, the nuns avoided you like the plague, and the priest gave you glares. Thankfully you rarely interacted with them if at all.

However, while your career was better than before, your physical health wasn’t. Things tanked once you slept with the devil. It started slow, noticing hues appear in your skin that you hadn’t before. Despite the various skin, and blood tests, and the general run down of different illnesses that cause changing pigmentation, there was no evidence to prove anything was truly wrong, just random hues of pinks, purples and blues showing up like you were some corpse.

The second minuet thing to change was your nails, at first you foolishly wondered if your calcium intake increased causing the thickness in your nails to double, but you quickly scrapped that al when your nails grew more rapidly. You really hadn’t changed much diet wise for that to be true, odd as it was it wasn’t something you hated.

The worst of it was teeth. One night you woke to a horrific splitting headache, it wasn’t just one part of your head either. The pain seared through your jaw, down your neck, up your face through your cheeks and in the back of your eyes all the way to the tip top of your head. You walked half asleep half dazed from pain to the bathroom, once the light blinded you and you got woken up a bit was when your brain registered the feeling.

Your mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood as you tuned into the sound of tapping in your mouth as the loose teeth collided. When you threw yourself over your sink spitting continuously, you immediately began to cry feeling your empty gums with your tongue, and the worst part was it seemed you had swallowed some too as the amount in the sink didn’t amount to how much was missing.

That night you must’ve passed out because you were woken up by your angry family member shouting at you to hurry. The strangest thing was, however you awoke with teeth, sharp as razors, and the porcelain sink that was never cleared of blood or teeth was now cleaned.

Since your teeth, you managed to not lose nor gain any other strange things, and the only people who didn’t seem to look past these oddities were the people who attended the church or worked at it. It was like they could tell you slept with Lucifer, something in their eyes always felt so intense and aware even if they’d never spoken to you before. The strangeness didn’t end with your appearance or career.

You had weird dreams you couldn’t explain, it felt so real but once awake you could only remember how you felt about the dream. You had close interactions with certain animals, like ducks, goats, crows, and insects as well. It was like they sought you out no matter where you were, people would give you looks when you started greeting the goat like an old friend.

So,now three months after Lucifer, you changed a lot. You know it’s because of him, you just can’t figure out why, but soon you’ll know. Walking into your work place on your day off, everybody’s least favourite thing to do, but it had to be done. You saw the father reading a bible off to the side of the room, and so you approached. He gave you a stern look, and you could tell by his stiff and shifty body language he wasn’t too happy with your presence, antsy to see what it is you wanted.

“Good afternoon father, how’re you?” You start, standing in a way you perfected prior to attempt to seem unthreatening. The priest hummed closing his bible to pay attention to you. “Good child, good. How’re you, is there something i could aid you in?” Straight to the point, mentally you cheered happy you didn’t have to waltz around small talk for fifteen minutes.

“Well i’m alright father, thank you. I was actually wondering about, um, the devil?” The priest's head lulls back slightly eyebrows raised as his mouth opens with a silent o. “Is there temptation in your life?” You shifted on your feet at the question. You hadn’t really thought of it before but you suppose you felt more inclined to act without thinking,and indulge especially after Lucifer claimed you.

“Well yes, but i was more so wondering on what the devil is capable of? Like making deals, and stuff…” You trail eyes casted away to the large sculpture of jesus on the wall. “Nothing, the devil isn’t as strong as gods love. And never in the bible does it state the devil makes deals, that is but a wives tale.” The priest spoke sternly, punctuating his words to get his point across.

This was news to you however, you always thought the devil was more of a a character in the bible. “Father one more question?” You say head snapping back to look at him. “If the devil were to have intercourse with a person, what’s said to be the outcome? Will god punish?” The poor priest looked like he’d seen a ghost, yet you couldn’t comprehend why. Although slightly morbid you didn’t think the question was that out there, perhaps it was the monotonous way you’d said it.

“I’m afraid i don’t have the answer to that,” And with that the priest stood, excusing himself from your conversation walking off down the isle. “I heard the devil picks somebody to carry the antichrist.” Turning to the voice, there sat a woman, old looking wearing a light blue dress. “The anti christ?” You repeat mostly to yourself, but the elderly woman hummed. “Yep. Woo’s the target, sleeps with them, and they give birth to the antichrist. Bad things happen once the child’s born.” The woman explained turning to look back at you.

“And, what if there’s no anti christ, what if the devil just like…” The old lady cackled looking at your puzzled face. She tsked and ushered you near. When in front of her she met your eyes, again with that weirdly all knowing look on them everyone in the church seemed to give you. Holding out her hand to you, you opened yours holding it out to her.

She placed something in your hand but you weren’t able to know what it was before you dropped it shrieking. It was like gripping a hot coal, you gripped your wrist keeled over trying to breath out the pain. Your eyes briefly glanced over to the floor where the object dropped and sitting there was a gold rosary covered in what was more than likely your blood. Peaking up from your bent over position the old woman had took several steps back from you, hand up to her mouth.

Not knowing what to do, you perked up, thanked her for her input, and sped out to the street. Just like the night you met him, the sky darkened and clashed with lightning, then came the rain. The devil himself must’ve worked through water with the way it was a constant anytime something happened.

Walking down the street at leisure, you inspected the wound the rosary left as rain pelted you like no tomorrow. You sighed brushing your thumb over the large cross shaped gash. Suddenly a crack of lightning came down brightly, it was harsh and so very bright. Then another crack, this time however you felt the harshest pain describable. It was like being lit on fire inside your body, or like your blood was suddenly filled with glass shards and you could feel them coursing through.

You couldn’t scream too in pain, you simply slumped to the floor, the searing pain engulfing your body. As your eyes closed, it felt like the floor was sucking you down, but you couldn’t move. You couldn’t even will your eyes to open as you felt the concrete below you begin to engulf you fully. Your lungs burnt as you couldn’t breathe, but like any other regular circumstance where you’d gasp for breath, you were physically unable to. Like you’re body didn’t know how to breath, so you sat there chest feeling tight, burning and your stomach feeling like it was forcing itself inward but nothing changed.

As torturous as it was, it was short lived and finally you felt freed. The concrete beneath you morphed into something softer cozier, the breathlessness left finally you were able to fill your lungs with air almost as refreshing as a glass of water would’ve been, and when you opened your eyes you were greeted by the sight of a bedroom. It was decorated with whites, reds and golds, around you could see engraved apples and ducks in not only the door frames and baseboards but some of the furniture as well.

You couldn’t will yourself to sit up, you still felt the fire on the inside of your body albeit gentler than before. “Hey cookie.” Cooed a smooth voice, you didn’t have to look to know who it was, but thankfully he stepped in front of you, kneeling down to your laying figure. “How you feeling?” You stared at his face, scanning it over and over, his eyes were hauntingly beautiful. The red irises danced around nervously, you watched intently as his forked tongue brushed against the dryness of his lips.

“You’re beautiful.” You mutter half muffled by the fact you sunk comfortably into the mattress that you lay on. Chuckling quietly the king of hell turned and sat on the side of the bed, petting your head very gently like you were made of glass. “Where am i?” His hand stuttered on your head, and finally you rolled over onto you back to gain the view of him. His hat discarded, his suit jacket gone, he sat only in a vest, dress shirt, and his white suit pants.

“Hell, sweetheart.” It was interesting how warmly he had said that to you, looking down at you with almost a pitying expression. “I’m dead?” You jerked up, immediately regretting it as the pain shot through your body from the top of your head down. Sucking in air through your teeth, clenching your eyes shut Lucifer cooed at you reprimanding you for being too quick. “God must’ve struck you down.” His voice lifted as he let out his attempt at a joke, but you weren’t really in the mood to laugh.

“What happened, with me when i was alive.” You ask looking over to him, the expression he had looked slightly guilty, his eyes casted downward, a frown that tried to be a poker face- but failed. “I, well y’see, heh,” Lucifer fumbled picking at his nails and looking around the room. He bounced himself against the mattress almost like he was amping himself up. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay! So y’know you got some human repellant, claws, sharp teeth, that dead look. Sent some little guardians after you! Too bad you couldn’t meet the snake.” Lucifer tisked mournfully shaking his head.

You smiled at him, oddly enough, it was quite endearing that he set out to do these things to keep you safe. “Oh!” He sprung up meeting your eyes properly. “I also made Marie get you that job, and I forced a good pay, always here to help y’know.” The king briefly pinched your cheek before retracting and standing. He looked frazzled, uncertain, he pulled at his clothes like he was trying to fix them. “Sorry it’s been awhile. Y’know i gave up going to earth in like 1850.” The devil laughed out, scratching the back of his neck.

You scooted yourself to the edge of the bed, Lucifer watching intently. “So, what, well I mean, why…?” You were confused head bobbing as you tried to make sense of everything. Things didn’t entirely add up this you were certain of, and you could tell the king was keeping something hidden from you. “As you know hell is well, it’s hell, and you were so…” He trailed off hands circling eachother as he gazed off into space, attempting to find the right words.

Deflating his body slumped over, in one foul swoop it looked as though he’d lost all the will to keep up his charade. “Look I didn’t think you were gonna shake my hand, but in the moment I was hooked on you. The night you took the apple reminded me of days of my life i can’t go back to. So i may have indulged, but i didn’t expect you to be soooo,”

Your eyebrows pinched together as you watched him with judgement, giving him a look that egged him on, yet warned him. “Captivating?” You ‘hmphed’ at his term, as weak and guilty grin overtaking his face. “Okay okay. I enjoyed our night, you gave me advice and helpful conversation I haven’t gotten in, pfft,” He was now pacing, eyes wide as his arms wrapped around himself as a way to secure him.

“Ever, you were a breath of fresh air! I didn’t expect the deal to go through! I didn’t expect you to grab my hand, so when you sold your soul you started to gain those devilish features. I wanted to make sure you were still safe so I manipulated Marie, got you the job, but nothing else was planned!” He exclaimed hands coming up in defence, although it wasn’t like you were angry, you sat there patiently watching him and waiting for him to finish his explanation at his own pace. Understanding this was probably just as stressful for him, if what he says is true.

Blowing out air the king pulled gently at his hair. “I don’t know what to do from here, I sent animals to protect you, I knew something would happen, damnit!” The short man raged eyes blowing up red, that snapped you up, gently you grabbed his shoulders. “I believe you, I have no idea what’s going on either so it’s okay! I’m terrified, but you don’t look any better. Maybe we can figure it out together?” You suggest attempting to be a voice of reason, watching his eyes hue from bright red to the yellow and red irises you’re more familiar with.

He sighed and nodded looking slightly embarrassed. “Do you think we could set some ground rules?” You quirked a brow at that, watching as he once again began to pace. “My daughter, Charlie, we spoke about her, she can’t know I made a deal with you! And for now, she can’t know i did anything sexual. Oh no no no. NO!” Lucifer panicked, switching between gripping his hair and swinging his arms around. It felt like a stab in the gut, it wasn’t your first time being a secret, but you wish you could’ve kept the promise you made to yourself about getting into another situation where you were just a secret fling.

“I’m not gonna pretend that doesn’t get under my skin slightly, I’d prefer not to be the devil's dirty secret, but I understand what Charlie means to you so I’ll do whatcha need.” Lucifer looked at you sheepishly, it seemed like he slightly regretted the choice of delivery as you crossed your arms across your chest, looking at him with a tinge of disgust in your eye. “Okay next, uh let's see, okay you’ll pose as my assistant and you’ll spend the days with me so I can keep an eye on ya….”

You quirk your head, pondering if you should say what you want to say. Which was questioning him and the motive here, it’s normal to say things you don’t always mean in such an intense moment of sex fueled emotion, but now there’s a big consequence and you’re not sure if he really knows what he wants to do. “Hey,” You say quietly grabbing him from his frantic mumbling that he was doing to himself. He hummed at you, his attention refocused on you as he did. “Do you at all regret the deal.”

Lucifers eyes blew wide, his lips puckering as his fingers fiddled with each other. “Regret is a very loaded work y’know- uh, I think- eh, maybe if- okay so,” He fumbled his wings popping out feathers flying around as they did, they puffed out with stress making you gawk. “Uhm, I wouldn't do it again if I had the choice! But still I would've wanted the sex!” Finally he pumped his chest proudly, meanwhile you rolled your eyes. “That’s what most men would do, yeah.” Your tone was bitter, catching him off guard a bit, to be fair he didn’t know what you wanted from him. Normally deals were two sided, but this one you benefited nothing from, except trauma and an early grave.

“I didn’t mean that,” Damn he really lost his way after Lilith huh, every flirtation came out so naturally but now it seemed it was so unsure, no king of a whole mini word of demons should be unsure, he mentally scolded himself for being so unfit.

“Listen can we figure this out later, I still feel the pain from when I died, so I would love to sleep that off.” You say plopping yourself back on the comfy mattress. “Yes, yes of course go ahead! We’ll figure this out together hm, shedevil? Won’t leave you in the dark!” This time his exclamation sounded certain as he jumped into the bed with you, snapping his fingers so the lights blinked out. You hummed too lazy to respond and crawled underneath the covers, it was nice, warm and smelt like him, underneath the covers you felt him slip in with you, his body heat emitting off of him in waves.

You hoped your mind was less clouded tomorrow, hopefully you could have a better conversation with the king about this deal, get things sorted out.

#hazbin hotel x reader #hazbin hotel imagine #hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel oneshots #hazbin hotel lucifer morningstar x reader #lucifer magne x reader #lucifer magne #lucifer hazbin hotel #lucifer morningstar x reader #lucifer x reader #hazbin lucifer #hazbin hotel lucifer #lucifer morningstar #lucifer x you #lucifer morningstar x you

[planetsano]

↻ 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: a gripping tale of love as the reader navigates a complex relationship with the infamous toji fushiguro OR toji fushiguro being a shit boyfriend should be a case study!

↻ 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: age gap (20’s ↝ 30’s), toxic relationship, smut.

↻ 𝗯𝘆𝗿: female reader, female bodied reader.

You see, the thing about Toji Fushiguro is that he’s always been unapologetically and shamelessly him— he’ll always be a man that will be forever stuck in his own ways. He’s selfish, crude, insensitive, and would do anything no matter how foul and evil to put him forward.

So.. it’s cute— no, admirable that you thought you could change him. A pretty, young thing in her twenties dealing with a wreck of a man like him. How sick is that? Really, your first red flag should have been him wearing a shirt three times too small.

Yeah, the age gap was certainly.. more than a few years, which heavily attributed to the mental disconnect in the relationship. You were bright-eyed and naïve, so much life in you and hadn’t experienced a drop of what real life was like. You often romanticized life, finding beauty in the simplest of moments and weaving dreams from the fabric of everyday experiences. Your vivid imagination painted the world with colors unseen by most, turning mundane occurrences into enchanting adventures.

You held on to the “love could conquer all!” and “I can fix him!” mentality or something like that. But your optimism was a double-edged sword, pushing you to cling to the relationship while also blinding you to the reality that perhaps you both needed different things in life. You needed a life partner and he needed a tight cunt to fuck.

It’s ironic because you approached him first.

“Mister Toji..? What’s your wife like?” You shyly played with the ends of your hair, avoiding his gaze like the plague. “Ah?” Toji raised a brow at you, slightly surprised by the forwardness of your question. “Oh right, ‘don’t have a wife.” “Oh..” You feel your face and the tips of your ears become hot with embarrassment. “Well maybe I could.. make you dinner sometime..?”

Toji liked the appeal of having a woman half his age on his arm. But what he simply could not stand was the amount of energy required for it— oh, don’t misunderstand, he never put forth any real efforts anyway, but it was simply the.. expectation. Toji didn’t give a fuck about dates or anniversaries, all he cared about was emptying his balls inside of your pussy, the hot dinners you make for him and cozy shelter you provide.

You liked to play housewife in your own silly little delusion, finding comfort in the make-believe world where everything was picture-perfect. The idea of being the nurturing, organized, and devoted partner gives you a sense of purpose, shielding you from the harsh realities of what really was. It was a cozy escape, a refuge where you could pretend that all your worries were mere fiction.

Yet, there were moments when the illusion began to unravel, and a whisper of doubt crept into your mind. Were you truly content with this role you had assumed, or were you sacrificing your true desires in pursuit of an idealized version of yourself? The nagging ty made you question if he really loved you as much as you were in love with him. Or at all for that matter. He was a busy man but would returning a call really hinder his day? Would a text twist his arm so much? You never ask though, you would hate to upset him or come across as “immature.”

But if he’s just so horrible, this.. big, bad man who found it annoying that you..? That you wanted to hold hands in public! What made you stay? Why stay with a man that seemed to only have his best interest in heart and you were a second, sometimes third, or forth.

His cock.

That cock was an addiction that you had no intention of quitting. The way this man fucked you was enough to liquidate your mind— leaving you nearly brain-dead as his warm seed oozes from your hole. The width of his cock alone made you stretch an absurd amount, teetering the edge of comfortability. His tip relentlessly gives your cervix a beating— bruising it and leaving a delicious soreness that lasts for nights.

Toji’s physical presence was undeniably imposing and large, that alone makes you feel like a delicate trinket, one treasured and protected. Yet, paradoxically, the way he handled you was anything but delicate. His hands, strong and calloused, held a certain roughness that spoke of a life lived on the edge, battle-hardened and weathered. He folds your body as though you were a ragdoll— regardless of your size.

When he’s gone for days on end, you find yourself yearning for his fulfillment— no hand or toy will satisfy you the way he does. Toji’s ruined sex for you.

Toji withheld affection from you whether it was intentional or not. So when he did praise you it felt as though you were a pretty princess— chemically altering your pretty little brain more than a little bit.

He often kept his emotions locked away, leaving you hesitant of where you stood in his heart. The lack of affection was a constant ache, leaving you yearning for even the smallest crumbs of his praise. Yet, when those rare moments arrived, it felt like a euphoric rush, flooding your mind with a mix of serotonin and dopamine.

His praise, though infrequent, had an intoxicating effect on you. It was like soaring to the highest of heavens, as if the whole universe had aligned in your favor. In those fleeting instances, self-doubt dissolved, and you basked in the warmth of his approval, feeling valued and cherished.

But the hesitation lingered, a cloud of doubt that never fully dissipated. You wondered if his praises were genuine or merely an act of throwing a dog a bone, a way to keep you satiated so you wouldn’t throw one of your fits. The chemistry of emotions within you danced between soaring highs and daunting lows, creating a rollercoaster of feelings you couldn’t control.

You found yourself seeking those rare moments of praise like an addict craving their next fix, yearning for his validation and acceptance. The intoxicating mix of emotions left you captivated and vulnerable, making it hard to see beyond the haze of his allure and your love goggles. You chose to believe a ring is on it's way at the end of the day.

“You did a good job today, lovebug.” “Really?” “Mm.”

And you jump, just like a lap dog. But don’t feel bad, I would too if I had a man as fine as Toji. Woof. ♡

#┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° bria writes! #toji fushiguro #toji fushiguro x reader #toji x reader #jujustsu kaisen smut #jujustsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen x reader #toji smut #toji x you #toji zenin #jjk x reader #jjk smut #jjk toji #toji fushiguro imagine #toji fushiguro smut

[fatuismooches]

fabulam diu oblitus - second interlude.

synopsis: The tale of the raven and the sparrow has long been forgotten by most, but some will always remember.

includes: dottore w/ gn! reader

notes: This is the third part of this fic, please read the first two for maximum enjoyment. The tale of your and Dottore's life seems to be coming to an end. Contains non-sexual nudity (you two cuddle nearly nude) and reader has some insecurities about themselves/their body. Of course, mandatory mention to my moot @kaixserzz and all my lovely anons (you too 🎐 anon <3.)

prelude. first interlude. second interlude. postlude. sequel.

“The butterfly’s life seemed to be going well. They had their dear raven who loved them along with his multiple copies. Friends who spent time with them. But in reality, life was much harder and dimmer for them than they outwardly showed sometimes. In fact, the butterfly found themselves plagued by dreams. They weren’t nightmares, but when they woke up, it certainly felt like one. Or when they did have genuine nightmares, they felt the same unease and wept about their unfortunate situation.”

You woke up under the sun, its heat kissing your skin, leaving you warm and fuzzy. Blearily, you rubbed your eyes and looked around, trying to gauge your location. Judging from the bright sun and soft grass surrounding you, one-of-a-kind fauna that could only be found in certain places, you must be in a forest in Sumeru. You yawned, rubbing your eyes, sitting up. It was then you noticed that Zandik was sleeping peacefully next to you as well. Hehe, you couldn’t believe your eyes. Zandik, slacking off? Especially when he always got mad at you for that? Oh, you were so going to tease him later. You reached out to caress his cheek but-

In the blink of an eye, he was gone, and you were confused. Where did he go…? But that was the least of your worries, as another blink had changed the landscape to one of pitch darkness. Immediately, you got up despite not being able to see anything. And then a voice sounded from somewhere.

“[Name].” After someone said your voice, a bright spotlight was cast on you, the only light in the vast darkness that surrounded you. And that voice… it wasn’t Dottore, but it sounded oddly familiar…

“[Name], oh [Name]. The poor pitiful person who cannot do anything useful for themselves or for others,” the voice continued to echo from above, though you could not see who was speaking. But then, as you took in their words, you realized that it was your voice. Your voice was the one sounding from above. How… what? You wanted to question it but you were more focused on the content of their words.

“What are you talking about? Who- who even are you?” The voice chuckled, a carbon copy of how you would laugh.

“Don’t play dumb. You know exactly what I’m talking about. You, who cannot ever hope to be anything more than you are now, forever stuck in that useless body and mentality of yours. You, who-”

“Hey! Ugh, you’re me, are you not? Why are you being so mean?” You replied, frustrated. Was it strange to be having a conversation with yourself as well?

“Indeed, I am you. But I am the truthful part of you. I am the voice that you bury in the back of your mind, the one you try so hard to ignore. But you know that I am right.” You gritted your teeth at your other voice’s words. No, that couldn’t be true. You were far, far better than what this imposter was saying! But before you could refute those statements, they spoke again.

“Just take a look at yourself from before.” And then, another spotlight opened up in front of you. There, basking under the light, was your former self from the Akademiya. Carefree, happy, and healthy, balancing a pencil on your finger as you cheerfully discussed some academics with Zandik. More spotlights flicked on to demonstrate your skilled movements, swiftly handling your weapon in battle. Ah, showing you all the things you couldn’t do anymore. How lovely. And then those lights switched off, and one turned on behind you, making you spin around.

In the spotlight stood a tall mirror, reflecting your current self right back at you. Not just outwardly, but mostly inwardly. Your throat went dry. You were so, so different. Did your illness really change you that much? The bright and lively face from before was a stark comparison to this tired one. The mirror began to reflect your recent memories as well. The ones where the segments had to do multiple tests on you for your health. Or when you needed to be helped with stuff even children could easily manage. Something began to deeply hurt in your chest.

“When you take a look in the mirror, what do you see? I don’t need to spell it out for you, do I?” The voice from above giggled at you. You just wanted to wake up from this nightmare, already on the verge of tears. Please, just let someone wake you up. It seemed that you couldn’t be happy whether in reality or in dreams.

“Okay, you’re right!” You cried. “You’re right… I’m sorry…” You didn’t even know why or who you were apologizing to.

“Ah, so you admit it, do you? Then you must be ready to accept your fate as well.”

“My… fate?”

“Yes, your fate. Do you really think your dear Dottore will stay with you after burdening him so?” That question made your heart freeze.

“I… yes he will! Of course he will! Zandik loves me… he loves me…” Perhaps you were trying to convince yourself more than stating it as a fact.

“Love? You?” A scoff sounded from behind you, the voice being one that was easily recognizable. Dottore. Turning around, you saw your beloved, but you did not feel the wave of comfort you usually did when in the presence of your lover. The mocking tone was one thing but… it was the way he looked at you. Though his mask was on, you could read his expression. And it was certainly not one of love. The feeling of dread was slowly growing more and more larger.

“Zandik…”

“Do not call me that. I am Il Dottore to you. After all, you are nobody special.” Ah. What did you do to deserve this nightmare…? You could hear the echoes of your own laughter in the background, mocking you. What did you expect? That someone on such a high level like Dottore would stay with you? How laughable, yes, how laughable indeed! But the only thing you could do was beg. Dottore began walking away, the darkness cloaking his figure, and you could not help but run, run, run after him, tripping on your feet as you finally closed the distance between him and you. The only energy you had left was to grip onto his hanging white coat.

You clung to his leg, tears streaming down your face as you continued to plead. “Please don’t. Please! Please, I’ll do whatever you want me to. Anything you want. Just please don’t leave me alone,” you sobbed. Dottore was the only thing you had left in this world. What would you do with yourself if he was gone?

The Harbinger only looked down at you with cold, cold, eyes that made your body feel even more frigid. He then opened his mouth to speak, and you knew if you heard what he said, it would break you.

Which is why it was good when your eyes popped open to that familiar ceiling of yours. Not even a second later, you sat up immediately and would have nearly jumped out of bed if it weren’t for a pair of strong arms holding you in place. But, you didn’t register this right away, and you tried to desperately fight the grip on you but it did not let up.

“[Name],” your brain finally processed the voice that had been calling you. “[Name], calm yourself,” the voice was the very definition of calm, the complete opposite of what you were right now, so the soothing tone managed to get through to you. You swallowed, trying to steady your breathing once more, and attempted to relax your shaking body. The hands on your body remained until you had regained some kind of stability before they slid away. Blearily, you opened your eyes once again and lifted your head, blinking repeatedly to see your lover in front of you once again. Ah, so all of that was just a dream? Oh, you were so, so, thankful it wasn’t reality. 

“Zandik?” You mumbled, rubbing your eyes and adjusting to the light.

“Yes, it’s me. From my office, I could see your heart rate reaching abnormal levels, which is why I came to check on you.” You stole a glance at the machine hooked up to you, and indeed, your heart rate was higher than normal even though you had calmed down a bit. You could only imagine the level it was during the peak of your nightmare.

“Oh…” It was hard for you to form full sentences right now after that terrifying dream. 

“What happened?” He didn’t bother asking if you were okay because the answer to that was clear. You wondered to yourself if you should tell him. No, you shouldn’t, it was dumb. And it was just a dream… just a dream that surely would never become reality, so you shouldn’t waste his time with it.

“I had a dream,” you began, and Dottore looked at you expectantly. “But I forgot what happened,” you lied, hoping that he would buy it.

“It did not seem like a peaceful one.”

“Mhm… I’m not sure,” you replied briefly again. You’re not sure he believed you, but he did not further question it. But as you looked at him again, you just had to make sure he was real, and not just a figment of your imagination that would torture you again. So you reached your hands out to cup Dottore’s cheeks, feeling the intact skin under your palms. He looked at you questioningly, until you practically pinched and squished his cheeks, and normally he would have scolded you for such behavior, but you looked like you really did have a terrible dream, so he let it slide. But you still needed extra clarification.

“Are you real, Zandik?” You definitely sounded like you lost it now. But Dottore humored you anyway.

“I am real,” he affirmed.

“Prove it,” you demanded. Dottore looked at you expressionlessly, pausing for a few moments, perhaps contemplating what he should do to prove something so silly, but soon he pulled your hands away from his face and then leaned in to kiss you. His pointy teeth grazed your lips, bordering the line between a bit of pain and pleasure. You lost track of how long he kissed you like that, but you didn’t mind. You knew what he was trying to say. There was no way a fake could kiss you like that. His kisses were entirely real.

The nightmare still remained as a hazy mess in your head, but it gradually slipped away from you as you lost yourself in Dottore’s kisses.

… But that wasn’t the beginning or end of your dreams. They had been plaguing you for a while, and that one just happened to be the worst one yet. You don’t remember when they started, but you remember they started nice. The dreams felt like a warm blanket, cozy and soft, as you were back in the Akademiya from centuries ago. And they ended pleasantly too, but when you woke up, it certainly felt like the opposite. It was more like you were being suffocated, being so plainly reminded of your old life, and how different you were now. And then you wept yourself back to sleep, beginning to dread sleeping. Perhaps that’s why the nice dreams began to turn into actual nightmares. You just couldn’t understand why this was happening to you. But more importantly, you wished that Dottore hadn’t found out. 

You had lovely friends, segments who would dote on you, access to pretty much any entertainment since your lover still was a Harbinger after all (despite his budgeting issues with Pantalone), and last but certainly not least, you had the love of your life with you. Your life should feel pretty good, with all of these wonderful things around you.

But it didn’t. And you hated it. So, so much.

So it was only a matter of time before you’d be found out.

—

“And so the butterfly tried their best to hide how they truly felt. To hide the cycle of suffering from their loved ones, not wanting to burden the ravens even more. Although they tried their best, they could not keep up the act any longer.”

It started off as a normal day. You woke up with the same lingering sense of sadness, from the mini nightmare you had, but that was something you were used to. But you could have never expected this to happen.

It was during one of your regular, daily checkups. Some of the clones were there, doing their own thing, while Omega was the one administering the checkup. And you were getting the needle today, so that was nice, you guess. 

Oh, when would it end? When would you finally be free? When would your body be able to be strong again? How much longer will you be cursed to live like this? 

But after that internal monologue, you didn’t think much of it as Omega’s gloved hands carefully held your arm steady as he injected you with something. Nor did you pay much attention to the segments’ bickering, which was uncharacteristic of you. You usually liked to listen in and give your two cents on their arguments. But you hoped you didn’t seem too out of the ordinary.

However, sometimes when you try too hard, you end up doing the one thing you were trying to avoid. 

“[Name]? What is the matter?” Omega asked you, and then you realized all the other segments were staring at you as well.

“Huh? What do you mean?” You sat up a bit taller and smiled, hoping to appear your normal self. But it was then you noticed the growing dampness on your lap. Your heart leaped in your throat, and you brushed your fingers against your face, to be met with wet cheeks.

Oh. You were crying. After trying so hard not to. A part of you wanted to keep the facade up a bit longer, but it hurt too much to keep pretending, and it wouldn’t work anyway. Good thing Omega finished the checkup already. Otherwise, it would have been torture to sit there and cry while he took your vitals.

“[Name]-” Omega was the only one who could speak because the other younger clones were too shocked and unsure to say anything. But when he reached out to you, you swiftly dodged it.

“It’s nothing. It’s nothing, really!” Your voice cracked embarrassingly enough but you couldn’t pay attention to that, busy wiping your tears. Before the segments could do or say anything else, you quickly made a beeline for the door and exited into the endless corridors. If they called your name, you didn’t hear it, as you bit your lip to hide your pitiful sobs.

Hopefully hiding in your bed under the covers would alleviate some of the pain.

—

“When the raven came to check on his darling, the butterfly mourned to their companion: ‘How can you bear to look at me when I’ve been stripped of everything I once was? My wings, eyes, beauty, and soul are no more. How can you love me when I cannot even begin to like myself?’ The flightless butterfly wept as they attempted to hide their body away from the creature, though their wings were already too punctured to move. Still, they were too wrapped up in their hatred and guilt to face him. The creature was at a loss as to how to comfort his lover. How could he show that despite the fact they couldn’t fly anymore, or that their wings had lost their vibrance and become dull, he still loved them? The creature knew he had to do something, and so he decided to take off the fox fur and truly become the raven again, for his beloved’s sake.”

The sensation of being alone in your bed did not last for long, for soon enough there was a knock at your door.

“[Name]?” A muffled voice came beyond the door and you silently groaned. Of course the segments told Prime, and of course he was here now to inquire why you acted like that. And you think you forgot to lock your door too. You hoped that if you remained silent, he would just go away. You were wrong.

“[Name], I’m coming in.” And seconds later you heard the door to your room open and close, and then the footsteps stopped at the side of your bed. Though your face was under the covers, you imagine he was staring down at you.

“I heard what happened,” he began, and then his footsteps echoed throughout the room again as he walked over to the other side of the bed, where you primarily were. The pause after his sentence made you think he expected you to respond, but you didn’t of course. Then, you could feel the bed creak and dip with Dottore’s added weight, and you could feel the brush of his hands against your legs that were covered by the blankets.

“[Name], you can’t keep your head under the blankets forever. You have to come out at some point.” You hated how he was always right because as he spoke you had the desperate need to breathe some fresh air. Ugh. Reluctantly, you lowered the blanket ever so slightly, to only show your tear-stained eyes and your nose. You could feel Dottore’s eyes on you but you avoided looking at him, placing your arm over your eyes.

“[Name].”

“...”

“[Name],” Dottore’s voice had a deeper tone to it now.

“...What?”

“Tell me what is the matter.”

“Nothing is wrong. I-I just felt like crying,” you pathetically defended yourself. You hated showing such weakness in front of Dottore. Yet here you were, crying about your pitiful self while you were sure he had far more important things to attend to. After you spoke, he studied you for a few moments before he replied.

“I have no intention of leaving here until you speak. You may test my patience if you wish, but I will find out what troubles you regardless,” Dottore spoke rather matter-of-factly. You just wanted to shrivel up into nothing at this point. You knew when Dottore says he’ll do something, he’ll make good on it no matter what. And you were right, for countless minutes went by as your lover remained sitting in the same position, turning his gaze to observe your room at times before turning back to you.

Dottore realized that it had been a while since he was in your room. There were just some days when he could not afford the time, so the segments had been taking diligent care of you instead. He looked around your room and noticed some child-like drawings were pinned to the wall. Ah, that must have been you and Zandy. And the Ruin Machine parts scattered on your table. Probably another segment, perhaps Alpha. He makes a silent note to himself to ask you about everything you’ve done in his absence. He obviously wants to be updated on your life still, despite all of his bothersome duties. Dottore looks back at you and sees that you’re wearing a conflicted expression, perhaps wondering how to say what you want to say. That’s alright. Regrator will survive if he doesn’t get his paperwork today. The silence continues before you speak up softly.

“Zandik…” The call of his real name has his attention back on you, and the scholar is prepared to find a proper solution to whatever has you so worked up.

“Do you really love me?” 

…Alright, admittedly, that was not one of the things Dottore was ready to refute, and the Harbinger finds himself at a loss of words for a few moments, though he does not let it show on his face. Here he was wondering if maybe you had a bad flare-up of your illness, or if possibly some idiot spoke to you wrongly. But instead, you are questioning his love for you? How… surprising and frankly absurd, but he must get to the bottom of this.

“Where is this coming from?”

“I just…” Your face crumples further, looking even sadder if that was possible. “I just don’t understand…” You remember a conversation you had with Childe. He had said you must be quite exceptional to have the Doctor wrapped around your finger. You could only smile and bite your tongue because, in reality, you were nothing special. At least not anymore. Maybe centuries ago, but certainly not now. 

“Understand what?”

“Why you would still love me.” Your statement and crestfallen expression have Dottore’s brain working in an attempt to fully understand this misunderstanding. He could probably fill up a few journals about why you were most dear to him, his pens breaking countless times, about why everything about you far outshone the irrelevant other beings in his world, and why worshipping you instead of even the almighty Archons was something he found far more appealing. But he doesn’t have time for that, no, he needs to make you see how wrong you are as quickly as possible.

“Why would I not love you?” He inquires, hoping to tear down your arguments with reason, that also incorporates his true feelings in it.

“Well, how about my personality? I… I know I’m not the same as I used to be. I might not even be the same person anymore.” Though you generally tried to be as cheerful and happy as you could, just as your old self once was, oftentimes your illness would leave you in a despondent state. And you truly did feel bad, especially when you knew Dottore was taking time out of his busy schedule to be with you, but you just couldn’t bring yourself to speak or even touch him. You just wanted to be alone. But Dottore had an answer for you.

“[Name], I am certainly not the same person as I once was, yet you still love me, do you not? It is no different for you. Furthermore, everyone changes. In a few hundred years, I suspect both of us will be changed people once again. Yet I know that I will still be with you, and you with me, despite our changes. So, do not fear change. You may be different, but my perspective on you shall never change regardless of what you may undergo.” Ah. So no matter how much you drifted away, became distant, swallowed by your illness and your own self-loathing, maybe even becoming unrecognizable to yourself, Dottore would still love you. His words sounded sincere enough, and you wavered a bit, but you still had too many thoughts flooding your brain.

“Okay, but what about my intelligence? I can hardly compare to you or even what I used to be in the Akademiya. Isn’t that a part of what you love me for? But I can hardly offer you anything like that now.” The way you spoke made it seem like you were dead set on making him realize that he couldn’t love you anymore, and though he was indeed a bit confused and even upset that you were looking down upon yourself like that, he continued to prove you wrong.

“You were asleep for over four hundred years. It is only perfectly normal that you are not in the same state as then. But I have no doubt you’ll reach that level once again in due time,” Dottore stated as a fact rather than a possibility. “And, you have actually assisted me with your knowledge far more times than you are aware of. I can think of quite a few times where your words have helped me with my research. So, I will have to disagree with you once again, for you are far smarter than you give yourself credit for.” His voice was calm as he spoke, but it seemed to further agitate you as you chewed on your lip. 

Even as you brought up more points, he shot them down effortlessly. Though his responses did make you feel somewhat better, you still couldn’t help but feel frustrated with yourself. Why? Why couldn’t you see the things he supposedly did? The all-knowing doctor was here, spending so much time in an attempt to make you feel better, something that no one would ever experience, and yet you still couldn’t understand.  By this point, you lay defeated, hand covering your exhausted face. Your constant criticisms seemed to have come to an end as Dottore watched on, scrutinizing you. But you had one last question.

“But me… am I even attractive anymore?” Admittedly, you had trouble looking at yourself sometimes. It was just far too hard to see yourself in a positive light at times. So you had no idea how Dottore could. At these words, there was a delayed response. He remained silent before you felt the bed return to normal, his weight leaving the mattress. Then, you heard the thud of something falling to the floor, and you opened your eyes to Dottore’s unmasked face, red eyes and scars greeting you. But that was not what surprised you. He moved to brush off the black fur that lined his back and the hanging accessories attached to it, the clothing dropping to the floor. And then, he worked at his white overcoat, which pooled at his feet too. You sat up in the bed, watching him with wide and curious eyes. 

“What are you doing?” Your question received no answer as Dottore merely continued to remove his clothing. His gloves came off and his blue shirt did too. The only thing remaining on his upper body was his harness. Which was… kind of funny to be honest, even though it wasn’t meant to be.

But it was then you realized you hadn’t seen Zandik nude since all those centuries ago at the Akademiya. And now you were finally taking a good look at his body, which was covered in markings and scarred skin. So his face wasn’t the only part that had scars… You wanted to reach out, to run your hands along him, and it seemed like Dottore expected you to, in fact, even wanted you to, by the look on his face that beckoned you closer. And so you did, pulling the blankets off of you and standing up, as you hesitantly caressed his skin, all while he looked on closely.

“What do you think?” He questioned.

“What do I think?” you repeated. “Well… I still think you’re awfully handsome, of course.” That was a no-brainer, he would always be incredibly attractive to you. Though before you could inquire as to whether these scars still hurt or not, he interrupted you.

“I know,” Dottore smirked. You raised your eyebrows at that response, but he continued. “Because I know everything about you. There’s nothing about you that I do not keep a record of, and I plan to keep it that way. And though I could once again use my words to answer your question, I do believe it will be more effective to answer through actions. And now that I have revealed myself to you, I hope that you will allow me the opportunity to examine you further to show you exactly how I feel. Yes, I need hard evidence if I am to prove my case to you.”

You took in his words for a second. You were honestly very hesitant about revealing your body to Zandik because you feared what he would think, but the way he spoke with such certainty made you feel a bit comforted. So you relented. 

“Alright,” you murmured, releasing your grip on him to shed your own clothes. Your clothes from your upper half fell onto the floor, leaving you topless. Dottore’s gaze remained on you intently, but there wasn’t anything sexual about this. He simply wanted to observe your beauty. But your bottom half remained covered.

“Continue.” You crossed your arms and sent him a look.

“I’m only continuing if you do too,” you motioned to how his pants and other things were on as well. “I… want to see all of you too.” You would feel more safe that way, not wanting to feel alone. Dottore chuckled.

“As you wish,” he went along with your request and stripped himself further. You gulped as your gaze raked along the rest of his body. His legs didn’t have as many scars as his upper body, but they were still there. Now, Dottore looked at you expectantly, waiting for you to follow through, and you did. You stripped yourself of your lower garments until both of you were only left in your underwear. As the cold air hit your bare body, you suddenly felt wildly self-conscious again.

“Well,” your throat was dry as you mumbled, “here I am. This is me.” You kept your eyes on the floor, not wanting to see his facial expression. Because you were deathly scared of disappointment. The few seconds of silence that followed made you suck in your breath, your stomach churning at what he could possibly be thinking. How frail and weak you probably looked, along with all the other imperfections you hated about yourself. It was all so noticeable to you, there was no way Dottore would miss it either. This was a horrible idea, and you opened your mouth to speak, to forget it, desperate to hide away from your lover when he spoke one lone word that made you stiffen.

“Beautiful.” You couldn’t believe what you were hearing. You hesitantly met Dottore’s gaze so you could gauge his expression, and as much as you wanted to convince yourself that he was lying because there was no way your pitiful self could reach that level of praise from him, you knew he wasn’t. You’ve known him longer than anyone, so you knew when he was being sincere. And right now, there wasn’t a hint of mocking or falseness in his tone.

You could no longer hold his gaze at that simple but heavily loaded word, but in a few seconds, his bare hands were running around your body. You wanted to shy away from his touch, but Dottore’s grip on you was strong and firm. His fingers fluttered down your arms, your tummy, your back, carefully examining every inch of you while you could only watch on… it seemed as though he had your entire body mapped out and memorized. In fact, it seemed like he was enjoying this, a small hum escaping him as he mentally made notes about you. 

“Indeed, quite beautiful, even more than I predicted. Really, it’s rather interesting to see how my hypothesis can fall so short of reality.” His words made your body heat up in embarrassment, but you still couldn’t help but be confused by his words. Surely you weren’t anything that special. But he sure looked at you like you were.

“Would you permit me to have a closer look?”

“I… uh, sure,” you fumbled over your words, still left speechless from that. Zandik then effortlessly picked you up and placed you on the bed, making you squeak from the unexpected movement. He could quite literally see every part of you, as he now hovered over you as you lay on your back, his eyes boring into your figure as he restrained you from trying to squirm away. Your body was stiff and nervous as he hummed, gliding a finger across your body until he reached one particular scar.

“Ah, I remember this one. When I was on the ladder near the bookshelves in the Akademiya’s library and accidentally dropped a book on you.” You blinked once, and then twice at his words. Dottore actually remembered that, just from a mere marking? After you got over your initial surprise, you couldn’t help but let out some giggles at that. You had forgotten how you had gotten some of your scars since you avoided looking at yourself, but that memory was just too good.

“You know you nearly killed me that day? All because I called you ‘love’,” you huffed to which Dottore chuckled.

“You called me ‘love’ in public. Of course I would be startled.”

“It was three AM in the library, and there was no one there,” you rolled your eyes, finding some more comfort at how Dottore’s hands would wander over the parts you considered imperfections. 

“And this one, it was from when that idiot pushed you over.” The scar he was referring to was when you were on a group expedition with numerous other scholars, and some guy thought it would be a good idea to barrel into you, making you take a pretty nasty fall. Zandik was more pissed off than you. Looking back now, it was pretty funny. You didn’t realize it, but Dottore was doing a good job of distracting you from your thoughts. It just felt… really nice to be genuinely appreciated for who you were, despite the flaws you had, and you began to relax a little bit more. 

After some more memories and reminiscing, the room went silent again as the only thing that could be heard was the breathing of you two, your own breaths much calmer than what they were a while ago. Not a single part of your body hadn’t fallen victim to his hands. You were now cuddled into his chest as he held you. You just loved Dottore so much. Though your insecurities still lingered a little bit in the back of your mind, he did help you to feel much better. After all, who else besides you was afforded the words “you’re beautiful” from none other than Il Dottore?

Not to mention how handsome Zandik was. You got to brush your hands all over his body too… Although you were sad he’s been hurt so much, he was still wildly attractive. You wanted to like this more with him… more open. More exposed. You’d still be quite nervous every time, but maybe this could… help you. And you’d get more bonding time with your beloved.

“Zandik… could we start taking baths together?”

“Baths?” Zandik echoed while stroking your hair, then smirked at you.  “Could it be that you want to see more of me, dear [Name]? Why, I could never have expected you to be so bold.” You couldn’t help but blush and roll your eyes at his teasing.

“Yeah, yeah, sure, you got me there Zandik,” you huffed, further burying your face into his chest, fingering the straps of his harness. “I just thought it would be nice to do that with you,” you mumbled shyly, to which Zandik only chuckled.

“Of course. I see no reason as to why we can’t.” Dottore felt you smile against his bare skin, but he felt the need to give you a little talk.

“[Name],” he began, his voice a touch more serious than before, and you knew that he was probably going to lecture you a little bit. He tapped his fingers on your neck, a sign that he wanted you to look at him. So very reluctantly, you stopped nuzzling his chest and peeked up at him nervously. He sighed as he held your chin, just in case you tried to look away like you always did.

“I expect you will not hold your tongue around me in the future, yes? Allowing such thoughts to fester will only lead to further misunderstandings down the line. I do not want to see that for you,” he said rather sternly, but you knew it was with good intentions. Still, you hated putting your stupid troubles onto Dottore. It was surely so frivolous compared to what he had to deal with… And of course, it seems like your lover read your mind based on his next words.

“[Name], your words will never be anything less than important to me. You must speak to me whenever something ails you. All this is not good for your health, either.” Then, after a pause, he added a bit more solemnly, unconsciously holding your nude body tighter against his. “You have been completely silent for four hundred years. I want to hear whatever you have to say, regardless of what it may be.” Ah, that was right. He had to deal with you being deathly quiet for that long…

“Alright, I will,” you promised, returning the gesture and holding him tighter (if that was even possible, considering how weak you were).

“Good,” he replied, back to his usual demeanor.

This wouldn’t be the end. There would still be many days when you felt like this all over again. When your negative thoughts got the best of you and tried to consume you whole. In fact, every day could be a struggle, with your illness and mood fluctuating. But that could wait for tomorrow.

Right now, there was only this moment where only the two of you existed, and that was all that mattered.

Bonus:

Dottore had begun to move away from you, and his warmth leaving your body immediately had you protesting and clinging onto him.

“[Name], you have to put your clothes back on now otherwise you’re going to catch a chill.”

“I don’t want to,” you whined, trying to pull his arm back into the bed. He looked at you with amusement.

“Alright,” he gave into your demands, “but only for a little while more. And you must come even closer then.”

You didn’t know if it was possible to get any closer to Zandik than this, but you happily accepted.

—

“Although the raven and butterfly promised to be bound to each other for all eternity, the butterfly began to long for something more. They became somewhat jealous of the other creatures in the forest, and longed to follow their ways with their own darling.”

Marriage.

It was something that was growing more and more of a need rather than a want. You never thought you would be here, lying awake at night, daydreaming of Dottore marrying you, but here you were now. Admittedly, hearing the stories from the other Fatui agents was mainly what put the idea in your head. When you inquired into their love life, many of them would tell you about their spouse. “Spouse.” What a wonderful word. A sign that their love for each other had reached such a stage had you smiling. But then you realized that you could not call Dottore your husband, nor could he call you his spouse.

You didn’t expect it to bother you that much, but it did. Why weren’t you two married? Was that why people doubted your relationship so much? Perhaps if you had a ring and some papers to show for it, it would finally get through their thick skulls?

Besides that, the idea of marrying Zandik was very appealing. You didn’t need or want some big, fancy wedding, but rather it was the notion of marriage that you enjoyed. Yes, you knew you two would never be apart from each other, but marrying him was still nice to think about. And it would be so cute! So you made up your mind to marry Zandik. All you needed was to get him to agree.

“Dottore, let’s get married.” That one sentence made Dottore stop moving his pen, leaving a blot of ink where he left it resting.

“Pardon?” You had barged into his office a mere few seconds ago and those were the first words you uttered.

“I would like us to get married. You know, officially and all of that.” You stood right in front of his desk, staring at him with a proud smile on your face. Dottore stared right back at you with an unreadable expressionable, silence overtaking the room, before chuckling and picking back up his pen. 

“Very amusing, dear,” he continued writing whatever he was working on. You furrowed your eyebrows at his dismissal, quite offended at how he blew you off, before grabbing the pen right from his hand, unclicking it, and placing it in the cup holder. You had his attention once again.

“Zandik,” you emphasized his real name so he knew you were serious, “I mean it.” Dottore peered at you before folding his hands on his desk.

“Why?”

“Why?” You repeated. Wasn’t it completely obvious, the reasons as to why one would want to get married? And really, how many people could be like “Oh yeah, I’ve been married for a few hundred years!” (You imagined yourself doing that to others in the future. Well, hopefully, you’ll be alive in a few centuries too.) 

“Well, I mean, because we love each other of course. And marriage is one of the highest displays of love one could show to another.” 

“I see,” he seemed to take in your words. “Although I beg to differ. I believe that the mere concept of marriage could never compare to how I have shown my devotion to you in much larger amounts.”

“I-I guess you’re right about that,” you admitted, “but it would be… romantic! And there would be hard evidence, yes, tangible proof for both of us as a sign of our love.”

“Tangible proof?” The Harbinger chuckled. “I already have much evidence of our love. It’s standing right in front of me. What more proof would I want than you?” He then tapped to his neck, and you followed suit, brushing your fingers against your neck only to find a bite mark that was healing. Ugh! How dare he be both romantic and refute both of your points? And also curse him for not taking you seriously! Normally, you would have gotten mushy over the flirting but this time you felt the prick of annoyance.

“It could be like, a new chapter for us. You know.” You were running out of practical reasons. The legal benefits stuff, last names, or whatever, didn’t apply to or matter to the two of you. Your relationship was quite unique after all. A Harbinger didn’t care much for the law anyway.

“I can’t see our relationship changing that much after one ceremony.” 

“Well, it would be gradual…” 

“What exactly would be different?” You couldn’t believe you were going back and forth about a subject such as marriage. Wouldn’t the average person be overjoyed to be proposed to by their longtime lover?! Ah, but you should kick yourself for expecting things to go normally. Zandik was certainly not the average person. 

“Okay, then how about the fact that I want to marry you, Zandik? Nothing more, nothing less. It’s solely what I want. That’s all.” You didn’t realize your voice had risen in volume until after the fact, and you immediately winced at his expression. You probably looked so dumb, getting so worked up over something like this. 

But indeed, you were sure Dottore could see the selfish part of you now. Perhaps there was a part of you who felt guilty for being unable to express your love in the same ways you used to be able to due to your illness. A part of you who still felt terribly sorry for your lover, having to deal with your lackluster abilities. So perhaps by marrying Dottore, it would be a way of showing him how much you loved him, a simple yet clearly efficient act that would hopefully be sufficient enough for a while, until you were strong enough to do more extravagant things. But oh, you should have known better than that. You can’t get away like that, [Name]. So you quickly backtracked your words. There was no use in pushing this subject. And really, you were obviously quite content with the current state of the relationship. He loved you, you loved him. What more could you ask for, especially being the way you are now?

“You’re right, it’s dumb. Never mind,” you mumbled in a deflated manner, gaze falling downcast. “I’ll go now,” you tried to quickly excuse yourself and go hide in a corner, but Dottore’s sigh made you stop.

“[Name], come here,” he called you over to his lap. Although you wanted to just run out of the office, you knew that he would catch you before you could make any good distance, so it was probably best to just comply now. So you made your way to Dottore and sat down on his lap, his hands steadying you and pulling your back flush against his chest. One arm was secured around your tummy while the other stroked your cheek.

“[Name], you know I did not mean to offend you. I was simply curious as to your reasoning.”

“Mhm.” Oh, you were definitely mad at him from the way you refused to meet his eye. He sighed once again, and he knew there was only one way to fix this situation.

“Let us get married.” Those few words made you perk up in his lap and practically swing around, your chest now pressed against his.

“Really?” You looked up at him with pleading eyes, hands gripping the fabric of his shirt. “But why?”

“Yes, really. And for why… think of it as indulging my curiosity while simultaneously making my soon-to-be partner happy. It does interest me to see if our attitudes to each other will change after marriage.” Really, the bigger part of the picture was that he didn’t want you to sulk or be mad at him, he preferred to see you smiling. But he didn’t need to say that part out loud. And he couldn’t anyway because, in the next instant, you kissed him hard before launching into a whole speech.

“Oh, I promise, it won’t even be anything big! I know you don’t like big fancy gatherings, so it could just be the two of us! And maybe the Tsaritsa I think, because we still need the person to officiate it or whatever, but I promise it won’t be a hassle! Trust me, you’re going to enjoy it okay?” You spoke so fast he was surprised you didn’t trip over your words. As quick as you spoke, you pecked his cheeks before hopping off his lap and out the door, muttering something about getting help from Columbina.

…Well, it was a good thing that you were still full of surprises, Dottore thought.

—

“And so the raven and the butterfly promised to join together in an act of union, although their lives were already heavily intertwined. Soon, there would be truly nothing that could sever their bond of love. But the raven still needed a bit of help understanding the importance of such an official union.”

By now, news of his wedding had spread. Not to the underlings, no, he did not want to listen to their gossiping every corner he turned. But rather all of the Harbingers knew of the event. Most of them were completely baffled but had the decency to send their well wishes. For you, mostly. Not for him. And then there were others who wanted to intrude on his business badly. Namely Pantalone. He was the first to wish him, and the first to curse him if he hurt you in any way. 

And now he was the first to badger him on his marriage. Apparently, he believed that he wasn’t trying hard enough, as he left all the details and organization to you. Dottore didn’t really see the problem. He was letting you live your dream, and you were perfectly fine without his input. But Pantalone clearly had a problem with this.

“Dear Doctor, you truly are an idiot sometimes.” Dottore paused his writing.

“Excuse me?”

“Your lack of attention is one thing, but do you think that showing up in bloody clothes is acceptable?” He was probably the kind of person to finish a surgery and then head straight to the wedding right after. Dottore glanced at his arms and indeed, there were some dried blood stains that he had yet to change out of. But he scoffed at the banker, he may not care much for social etiquette, but even he knew the basics.

“Obviously I would wear clean clothes,” he clarified.

“I’m sure you would,” Pantalone replied calmly and sarcastically. “But my point still stands, as you clearly have no idea how serious this is.” Dottore was partially offended by Pantalone’s words. The piles of notebooks about you surely showed how much he knew and understood you.

“[Name] would be happy regardless of what I do. Besides, the ceremony is only for an hour or so. Perhaps even less.”

“Yes, they would be,” he sighed. “I don't think I'll ever understand how that poor thing tolerates you. But just think about this,” he began pacing around the room as if he didn’t subtly insult the doctor. “Of course, I’m sure I barely know the faintest thing about [Name]’s past, but when was the last time you’ve seen them so eager to get all dressed up? So excited for something, hmm?” Dottore crossed his arms and began to thoughtfully consider his co-worker’s words. 

Indeed, you were practically bouncing and glowing with every footstep you took. Really, to think something like this could make you so happy. Perhaps this was another example of how his brain worked differently from yours. You had marked the day on your calendar and the first thing you did when you woke up every morning was count the days until the ceremony. You were also far more affectionate, being in your “honeymoon phase” as you called it. 

Every so often, Columbina, who was also covering the expense for you, would barge into the lab with countless clothes and designers who would customize an outfit for you. Dottore didn’t quite understand or particularly enjoy your friendship, but he couldn’t deny he liked hearing you laugh and smile, so he let it slide. Of course, neither he nor the segments were allowed to see as you insisted it would remain a surprise until the wedding. Zandy was excluded from this rule though.

“It may be only a mere hour, but surely the Doctor is capable enough to make his soon-to-be spouse happy in that short time. Even your own segments know better,” Pantalone continued with a smile still on his face. “I’ll even choose the outfit for you, as I’m sure you have nothing of the sort in that dreadful closet of yours.” And yes, Dottore often showed up to balls and gatherings in his same clothes, ignoring the fact they were usually formal occasions. For your sake, he really wasn’t going to let the Doctor show up to your wedding looking like… that. 

Although Dottore didn’t appreciate Regrator’s passive-aggressive words, he was beginning to understand and he hated that the man was right. Pantalone took Dottore’s silence as a sign that he had won.

“So we have a deal then?”

“Fine,” Dottore grumbled. Ah, the lengths he’d go for you…

“Splendid. I’m sure [Name] will be positively ecstatic by this. Also, the Mora will be coming out of your funding budget.”

“...What?”

—

“At long last, the raven and the butterfly swore themselves to each other, promising to allow nothing to come between their love.”

The date of your wedding had come, and Dottore had barely seen you. Yes, you had been whisked off by Columbina early in the morning to prepare for the ceremony. But he would see you soon enough.

True to his word, Pantalone had provided a suit that fit him rather well. (He could only hope that it didn’t dent his budget too much, though.) As he got ready, he wondered how you would look. He could only assume that Columbina was going to make you look your very best. Although Dottore always thought the tradition of two spouses not showing their outfits to each other until the day of the wedding was stupid, he was beginning to see the appeal of anticipation. Like after when he’s working on an experiment and the only way to progress is to wait. Actually, he thought the concept of marriage was stupid in the first place, but here he was anyway. And he never thought he would ever find himself wearing a suit, but look at him now. Ah, you really did change him, don’t you?

The venue was Zapolyarny Palace of course. There was no better place. Not only was the inside of it quite beautiful, it was the home of the Tsaritsa who would be conducting the ceremony. The wedding was to be a very private thing, with only you, him, and the God in attendance. You both preferred it that way, wanting the moment to be between only you two. So when Dottore arrived at the grand hall, he expected it to be empty, but the Tsaritsa was there before him, already standing at the altar. A smile appeared on her face once she saw him.

“My dear Harbinger, there you are,” she waved him over and he soon found himself standing next to the Archon. 

“Your Highness,” Dottore nodded his head as a form of respect while the Tsaritsa continued to hum in delight.

“Why, you look quite dashing today. I know [Name] will be overjoyed once they see you.” The Tsaritsa had been rooting for you two for a long time, and now it had finally officially come to fruition. Dottore chuckled at her words.

“I would hope so. This is the first time they’ve seen me in such attire. Speaking of, where are they?”

“They will be here soon. Columbina is fussing over them a lot. But you, are you excited Dottore?” The scholar mulled over her words. Perhaps excited was a stretch, but he was indeed looking forward to it. Perhaps it was the act of making you happy that brought him more joy than the actual marriage. Perhaps the idea of seeing the ring on your finger brought him a certain sense of possessiveness knowing others could see his claim on you. Perhaps the idea of kissing you until you couldn’t take it anymore after the wedding was appealing as well.

…Alright, maybe he was excited. The Tsaritsa seemed to notice his inner conflict.

“It’s alright, you don’t have to answer. I know exactly how my Harbinger feels about this all, anyway,” the Cryo Archon sent a knowing look to her subject, to which Dottore internally cursed himself for showing those emotions. But at that moment a door swung open and a chorus of giggles echoed into the room. Columbina’s face peered through the door before she swiftly hid herself again.

“Oh! Looks like we’ve kept them waiting.”

“Huh, Dottore is there already?”

“Yes, dear [Name], now it’s your time to shine~” There was a shuffle of feet and movement in the other room, but he could not see it as you were not near the doorway.

“W-wait! Are you sure I look okay? What if something is messed up or-”

“Darling, you’re worrying far too much. I bet Il Dottore himself will be left speechless by your beauty.”

“But- but, I don’t know, what if he doesn’t- ah, hey!” Your words were abruptly cut off as Columbina practically shoved you out of the room, nearly making you trip and then slamming the door shut with only a “good luck!” You scowled at your friend’s ill but well-intentioned treatment before immediately straightening up, knowing that the Tsaritsa and your soon-to-be husband could now see you.

And then your eyes landed on your Zandik. He was stunning. Well, he was always stunning to you, but his beauty could surely not be described by your limited vocabulary right now. The suit hugged him so perfectly, going so well with his mask. Perhaps it was because it was such a special day, but everything about him just seemed to stand out more than usual.

Little did you know, Dottore was similarly entranced by you, immediately raking his eyes over your figure and analyzing every part of you. Only that he did not outwardly show it unlike you, who stood there comically with your mouth agape. Dottore had always thought you were the most beautiful being to come into Teyvat. Not even the Gods could hold a candle to your beauty, which was certainly a high standard to meet, but you exceeded it. Perhaps it was blasphemous to compare a mere human to an almighty God, but he felt no remorse in speaking the truth.

“Dearest [Name], you look as beautiful as freshly fallen snow,” the Tsaritsa’s praise snapped you out of your stupefied daze and you composed yourself once again.

“T-thank you, Your Highness,” you gratefully accepted the praise, and then realized they were looking at you expectantly. Especially Dottore. His gaze didn’t leave you for one second as you hurried to the altar. Somehow, as you stood across from him, you were a bit embarrassed to meet his gaze. The jitters were finally settling in.

“We are gathered here today to witness the joining of [Name] and Zandik. Two people who have displayed undying love for each other for centuries,” the Archon began, sending soft looks to the two of you, and then nudging your arm to finally meet the gaze of your lover. So you hesitantly lifted your face to make eye contact with Dottore. There he stood, a smile stretched on his face.

The smile was composed of many things. Naturally, it reflected his usual assured self-confidence with a hint of a smirk. But more importantly, it contained something more real, more soft, that even you had only seen very occasionally. Although it was veiled under many layers that left it hard to see, you could see it was a smile of love. That made you grow a bit warm, and you couldn’t help the smile that crept up on your lips. 

“These two have been through the unthinkable together, and yet their bonds remain unbreakable, their love everlasting. Although they do not need marriage to prove how deep their love is for each other, today they will make it official.” The Tsaritsa kept her words short and sweet. She knew either of you did not care for all of the long, boring, drawn-out details. You two just really wanted to get married. And it was better for you to profess your vows in private. She knew her Harbinger would hold his words back in her presence. She then turned to you and asked the question you saw coming, motioning for you two to hold hands. Dottore still wore gloves, but this pair was thinner than his usual ones.

“Do you take Zandik to be your husband? To love and cherish him above all else?”

“I do,” you replied with no hesitation. The God then turned to Dottore.

“Do you take [Name] to be your spouse? To love and cherish them regardless of what may happen?”

“I do,” you could see his shark teeth peeking out from his mouth. The Tsaritsa nodded in acknowledgment of the answers.

“By the power vested within me as the Tsaritsa, the Cryo Archon of Snezhnaya, I now pronounce you as a lawfully wedded couple,” the Tsaritsa said seriously before she switched to a more lighthearted tone. “You may now kiss,” she smiled at the two of you. And then Dottore leaned in for the kiss first, catching you off guard but you eagerly reciprocated. You had intended for it to be a short but sweet kiss, considering the Tsaritsa was right there, but it seemed like Dottore had other plans, as he deepened the kiss. Highly aware of the Cryo God’s amused stare, you tried to mumble a protest against your sealed lips and gripped your husband’s suit harder to get him to stop embarrassing you. But this only made the Archon laugh.

“It is always lovely to see a couple so passionately in love. How beautiful,” the Tsaritsa grinned, giving her last blessing before Dottore finally pulled away from you. “But, I will not intrude on the newlyweds' time any longer. Please, I hope you enjoy the rest of the day, and may it remain eternal in your memories,” the Tsaritsa smiled knowingly at the two of you before making her exit. She was indeed the God of Love. Only you and your new husband remained in the spacious hall now, and a silence swept into the room. Well, what does one say or do after getting married?

“Zandik-”

“Ah ah, we still have one thing to do.” He then produced two boxes presumably with rings inside.

“Oh! The rings!” You had forgotten about that until now, with all of the things that had happened.

“Give me your hand, dear.” Oh, it always gave you butterflies when he called you a pet name. He was really in a good mood. You stuck out your hand and he popped the box open, revealing a gorgeous ring, a dazzling blue jewel in the center. You were definitely going to end up with a sore lip, from how much you were biting it to stop smiling so hard. Dottore then slipped the ring onto your finger with ease, a perfect fit of course. It was no surprise he knew your measurements without having to ask. But now it was your turn. 

You fiddled with his ring in your hand. It was a lot simpler than your one, probably because he did not care much for such extravagance on himself, and he would most likely keep it stored away rather than on his finger for obvious reasons. He definitely did not want the blood of a random person dirtying it…

With bated breath, you tenderly grasped his fingers and slipped the band onto him. It was done, and you were incredibly pleased.

“My husband,” you smiled.

“My darling,” he reciprocated your affections and was about to speak again when you suddenly launched yourself at him, hugging him with as much strength as you could muster.

“You’re mine, all mine. My husband,” you repeated the words as they felt so good on your tongue. Your husband wrapped an arm around you, stroking your hair.

“I have always been yours,” he replied like this was old news. But if becoming your husband would help solidify that for you, then this was well worth it, Dottore thought. “And you have always been mine. It will never change.” He felt you smile and giggle into his chest before you pulled away, a truly happy expression on your face.

“See? I was true to my word, wasn’t I? Quick and simple, just the two of us. You liked it, didn’t you?” Oh, you were just begging for praise now. But he would entertain you, just for today.

“Indeed, it was an efficient ceremony. But I’d say the best part was seeing you like this,” Dottore commented as he ran his hands over your chest, admiring the smaller details about your attire and how well it hugged you. “Very alluring,” he rumbled. You ignored the heat rising up your body as you returned the compliment.

“Well, I could say the same thing about you, love. I would have never guessed you would have greeted me in such an outfit,” you traced your fingers over his tie, resisting the urge to yank on it to kiss him. That could wait for later because right now you were shamelessly staring at him in it.

“Well, I can assure you that you’ll have another chance to further examine me later,” he chuckled at your prying gaze, “but for now, give me your hand.” You looked at him questioningly but agreed when he pulled you closer yet again.

“Did you know? It is customary for newlyweds to dance at their weddings. That is something you would enjoy, no?”

“Oh! I’d love to! But we don’t know how to dance, do we?” Dottore grinned widely, his pointy teeth nipping his lip, making you question him.

“Wait, you know how to dance?”

“Of course. Being a Harbinger means acquiring a vast variety of skills.”

“You never told me that!”

“You never asked.”

“Well, it’s not something I would normally ask you! You should have told me,” you huffed. 

“Now I’m going to look dumb, with my lack of dancing skills compared to you.” Your husband chuckled.

“Do not fret. I will guide you.” He raised your already clasped hands higher until you two were in basic form. Well, as best as you could, because there was not only your inexperience, but your illness made it hard to keep up such a stance. 

And you two danced. If it could be called dancing, considering the amount of time you stepped on his feet or even tripped, along with the multitude of apologies. But it didn’t matter. It was fun, and your laughter rang out loudly in the grand hall. It didn’t matter that it came to a point when your feet couldn’t handle it anymore, you still let yourself be twirled and adored by your new husband, enjoying the first delight of being married.

—

“The hearts of the raven and butterfly were undeniably together as one, which led to great joy for the two of them.”

Alright, you had to admit it. Dottore was right. Outwardly, it seemed like nothing much had changed about your relationship. Life was really the same routine. Your illness and his duties still existed after all. But that was okay! Change does not need to be seen to occur. Perhaps the change happened within you both. Your heart was certainly lighter now. But it would certainly make you happier to partake in some more “domestic” activities, now that you two were a married couple. Though you obviously weren’t going to bring that up to your husband. He already has enough to do, after all! Still working on the cure to your illness too, without rest…

… 

…Well, you shouldn’t think about it too much! You should believe in your husband, no matter what happens. And speaking of, it seemed like your wish for domesticity would be granted without you asking, for one day Dottore came to you with a request.

“[Name], I require your assistance.” Those few words had you immediately intrigued because it was rare that Dottore asked you for your help since most of the stuff he needed help with was far beyond your ability now. Naturally, you were eager to please him.

“I need you to help me…” you held your breath in anticipation, “cook.” 

Huh? In disbelief, you could not help but repeat his words.

“You want me to help you cook? Like a meal?”

“Yes, that’s correct,” Dottore replied, dead serious. You had to hold back your laughter.

“But… why?” Dottore let out a sigh and rubbed his temples.

“Regrator has forced my hand into doing frivolous nonsense for the sake of his games once again. What happened was…” Dottore then went on to explain the conversation he had with the Ninth Harbinger. Apparently, they had gotten into one of their usual prickly discussions, and somehow it had turned into a list of things the other could not do, and cooking had been brought up. Of course, not wanting to appear inferior to the other Harbinger (who was surprisingly a decent cook) declared himself as an okay one too. Pantalone, who loved to be as petty as possible when it came to his co-worker (and could probably detect the lie anyway), requested him to demonstrate his skills to him. If he was a good cook like he claimed, then it would surely be no issue, right? He wouldn’t mind putting his budget on the line, right?

Now, this was one of the very few times Dottore regretted lying for the sake of his goals. That was definitely worth a long laugh, you thought, as you couldn’t hold in your laughter anymore. Dottore was not amused in the slightest. But then you had a thought. You wondered if Pantalone did this on purpose so that you could enjoy the domestic life with your husband. He was very perceptive when it came to these things after all. Maybe you were reaching with that but… you thanked him silently anyway.

“So your plan is to have me help you cook, and then pass it off as if you did all of it? Well, I certainly won’t say no. But I worry for you… I still remember what happened in the Akademiya.” You don’t want to think about the dreadful times of Zandik ruining the dorm’s kitchen when he tried to cook.

“It will be alright. I will follow your lead.” Oh, being in charge of Dottore for a few hours? Well, now you really couldn’t pass up this opportunity. 

For the dish, you had decided to go with something you were familiar with. Samosas. You remember making them for Zandik quite often in the Akademiya. In fact, it was the first dish you cooked for him and one of the things that won him over. Those were good times.

Although, your hands were still not the best at dealing with stuff in the kitchen. They were shaky and you could possibly hurt yourself. So instead you decided to guide him through the technical part of the process. Thankfully, Dottore’s expertise with a scalpel came in handing while cutting ingredients. So that part wasn’t too hard. You just had to ignore how your body warmed when you had to place your hands over his to show him how to properly do it.

Surprisingly, he was rather non-combative as you instructed him what to do, the spices to add, how to mix and add the ingredients, and whatnot. It was rather cute, really, to see him try so hard. The only problem was that he still fucking blew it, smoke filling the room (you had no idea how that could happen) and you had to do it yourself (with him standing protectively next to you as if the food and fire were going to jump out and attack you.) 

At least shaping and rolling out the dough was a less challenging task for him… though it seemed like he lacked the patience and delicateness needed for the rest of it, so he opted to rest his hands around your waist, face nuzzled into the crook of your neck as he observed your handiwork. It was a little bit crooked, considering your shaky hands, but far better than whatever Dottore was doing. And although you welcomed the weight of his chest pressed against your back, you weren’t really sure why he continued to look since this wasn’t all that interesting.

“Dottore, you know you don’t need to stay? I can tell you when the samosas are done, I know you’re busy.” Your husband seemed to playfully ponder your words.

“I’d prefer to observe the skillfulness of my spouse.” The fact that he wanted to stay with you made you smile.

“From this position of all? Mhm, sure thing,” you hummed in amusement as his arms tightened around you.

The domestic life was a good one.

(Pantalone took one look at the samosas and instantly knew the Doctor could have never made them, but did not say a word, for his goal had been accomplished.)

After that, strangely enough, there were a few more events that you would consider “domestic.” They weren’t frequent, no, but you wouldn’t say they were thinly sparse. One of your favorites had just been a few days ago.

“Eh? You want to… read a book with me?” You had absolutely no idea why Dottore suddenly entered your room as night fell with only that request. You were surprised by this as he never took an interest in your novels. Although you took an interest in his scientific texts every now and then, you still preferred your silly fictional novels. It was nice to escape to another world. But that wasn’t the point right now.

“That’s correct.”

“But why?”

“Why not? Is it so strange that I want to learn more about what occupies my lover’s time so much?”

“Well… no,” you admitted. You were caught off guard at first, but of course, you’d happily agree. “Okay, you can choose any book you want,” you motioned to your shelves which was home to numerous other things than books as well. Dottore looked at the variety of books you had before choosing one at random, wiping the dust off. You two then got comfortable in bed, your back pressed snugly against his chest as he held the book open in front of you. Looking at the title, you couldn’t seem to remember what this one was about, so it would definitely be nice to reread it with your husband. 

As he began to read the first few pages, your mind began to recall bits and pieces of the book. And that’s when it hit you. You remember this book had a… particularly passionate kissing scene right at the very beginning that had your face a little hot the first time you read it. Oh, you definitely did not want Dottore to know that! Why did he have to choose this book out of all the ones there? At this realization, you began to grow antsy between his arms.

“What’s wrong?”

“I just realized, we should probably stop reading this book.”

“Why?” 

“Um, you see, this is actually the second book in the series. So we need to read the first book first in order to understand it.” The poor excuse flew off your tongue.

“Where is this first book, then?”

“Well, I don’t own it…”

“So you read the second book without reading the first?”

“Erm, yes, I did actually… and I’m warning you now so you aren’t confused like I was! It’s for your own sake.” Okay, now you had dug yourself in a hole because that was obviously a blatant lie.

“You’re hiding something,” Dottore observed after blankly staring at you for a few moments, before swiftly moving the book out of your reach and flipping through the pages, to which you protested obviously giving yourself away. But it was too late.

“Oh? What do we have here?” He quickly scanned a few pages, his grin only growing larger and larger as you hid your face. But Dottore found it extremely amusing if anything.

“Why, I would have never thought this is the kind of stuff you read. Perhaps there is more that I don’t know about you than I thought,” he teased, causing a loud groan to emit from you. A part of you wondered if he planned this, from the way he was already moving in to nip at your earlobe.

“Tell me, did you come in here because you actually wanted to read or just tease me?” You pouted as he cupped your chin, bringing you close for a kiss, to which you happily reciprocated, albeit a bit peeved.

“I guess you’ll never know,” Dottore smirked before enveloping you in his arms and pushing you down onto the bed, capturing your lips once again. “But I am curious to find out how realistic those scenes could be.”

Needless to say, a lot more kissing than reading got done that day.

—

“The raven and butterfly’s happiness continued for much longer. But of course, every creature is aware that nothing lasts forever, and even the lightning in the sky would agree with that statement. All fairytales must come to an end. That was no different for the raven and the butterfly.”

Ah. The time had flown by rather quickly, Nahida thought. Already she was nearly at the end of this tale, despite how lengthy it was. For some reason, that always seemed to happen whenever she tried to retell this particular chronicle. But now, she was ready once again to see this story to the very end, as always.

However, her gentle heart still cannot help but feel a little bit of pity for the two of you, knowing how this tale ends.

#genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #dottore x reader #il dottore x reader #genshin il dottore #genshin dottore #genshin impact il dottore #il dottore #dottore #genshin dottore x reader #zandik x reader #dottore fluff #dottore angst #genshin impact x you #fatui harbingers x reader #fatui x reader #fatui harbingers #fragile reader <3 #divider by cafekitsune

[don1t1red]

I know that this is a very unpopular opinion but hear me out!

I think not enough people consider Corvo as an unreliable narrator. We see the story from his point of view and all we know about Jessamine Kaldwin comes from his perspective. So, to think on that, do we really know how good Jessamine was as the Empress? 

I know that she is usually portrayed as a good person if not a saint but what if it wasn't that way? A lot of people in the streets are indifferent towards her image, if not hostile; the situation with Delilah; how both Geoff Curnow and Corvo are treated because of their nationality; two hatters recalling how greatly Corvo dealt with workers uprising under her command  – a lot of things are a tell-tale signs that something is not quite right. 

And at this point I have to clarify that I'm not saying things like "boo no I hate Jessamine". No, it's actually quite the opposite, I love her character. But the way it is usually portrayed seems to be so dull and static. Let her not be a saint. 

Let her be manipulative. Let her tell Corvo that "he is not like other serkonans, he is sooo special and that's why he is where he is and not somewhere deep in the silver mine", while being (just as any nobility in Gristol) not very welcome to any outlanders. 

Let her be power-hungry and afraid to lose this power. Remember a bonecharm in her hidden room in the Tower? Who knows how it ended up here! Maybe she knew (or felt) that Delilah was coming, capable of overpowering and taking everything from her. Maybe Jessamine was so afraid to lose her posh life that she was ready to use some kind of a black magic! 

Let her be disloyal. Obviously, she and Corvo developed some kind of codependency. But along with that, she was the Empress so who could stop her from having an affair or two? And Corvo was just the safest option, with a way less unnecessary risks and questions. 

Let her be an imperfect person. 

Obviously, Jessamine could be easily born a perfect ruler and a perfect loving woman for her chosen one and her daughter. But maybe she had to learn it the hard way. 

Maybe she changed along with Corvo. Maybe the plague was a critical point for her character, maybe those months without Corvo made her rethink a lot of things. 

And isn't it tragic, finally understanding and becoming the Empress everyone wants to see in you, just to be killed the other day, because all those changes have been seen as a weakness? Have nothing but faith in your closest one, faith that these people will be more wise than she was? 

Give her some development, give her some motion! She could easily  be a saint, static point.  But in my opinion, she deserves to be not perfect but in constant motion. Trying and learning, understanding and making mistakes. She was too young when she became the Empress, she was a part of gristolian nobility, not so kind to anyone but themselves, she literally had no prerequisites to become a good person. And yet somehow she did. 

It's always so easy to be a "saint" from the very beginning. And it's always so hard to learn how to become one.

#dishonored #jessamine kaldwin #imo all women deserve to be evil #(as a treat) #and esp disho women #ngl i kinda feel as a great part of Emily criticism could be applied to Jess as well #which doesnt make either of them a bad character #just as a fact #oh and also - while im still there - its not a bad thing to write Dauds development as a reaction to her death #but i feel like it was rather a reaction to the *changes* that her death triggered #i understand that she is a “woman in the refrigerator” trope in canon but we all are better than this #so again imo but it would be better to concentrate Dauds character growth aroud those changes and leave this poor woman alone #i really want to write a separate post about him rn lol #anyway thanks for coming to my ted talk #dt (stands for doni talks)

[dollfaced-erin]

I wonder what everyone else(Yanqing, Bailu, the astral express crew) thinks of Y/N

A/n ! :

AHH ! i'm super excited to get requests like these ! they really freshen things up in the current game timeline. This is so wholesome ! Alright, lets do it ! I tried my best to make them sound like how the would respond in the game, so i hope it's not too OOC !

Taglist ! : -

@rebeccawinters , @nayukiyukihira , @pix-stuff , @fluffy-koalala , @swivy123 , @starxao , @kaoyamamegami , @kimura-uzuri , @rsvye , @seikouryuu , @just-here-reading , @matsulovesyou, @sincerely-aaronette , @prettyliliy , @chibiduck , @hermosacolibri , @la-diablas-thingz , @farelady-fate

Yanqing :

𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 (𝘠/𝘯) : "(Y/n) ? Have you seen her around recently ? No ? Oh. I was hoping for her to teach me some more of her skills. For someone the General told me to spar with, I had my doubts at first. But she really has something to show for. Color me impressed !"

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 : "The General had taken me under his wing for as long as I can remember. But from time to time he would disappear somewhere while he left me some things to do. One day I decided to follow him, and then…that was the first time I've seen the General so gentle with someone. Even for a sleeping lady."

Bailu :

𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 (𝘠/𝘯) : "Lady (Y/n) looks just like Lady Dan Jia. The same face, same abilities, same power. If she's a healer like me, do you think I'll grow up to be as tall as Lady (Y/n) one day ? Awh…what should I do ?"

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 : "When Master Dan Feng chose me to be the next High Elder, the Preceptors thought that he had a more…personal reason. Well, Lady Dan Jia was a healer right before I was the High Elder. Perhaps he just wanted to see a vision what Dan Jia would be like without him ?"

Welt :

𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 (𝘠/𝘯) : "Lady (Y/n) is…another interesting individual. She is calm and quiet, and reminds me of someone I know. Ah, that's right. She reminds me of Dan Heng."

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 : "I've seen people with different intentions, one after another, come and go. I've become quite used to reading expressions and body language. Though she says she has lost her memory, (Y/n)'s eyes look like they've seen more than enough."

March :

𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 (𝘠/𝘯) : "(Y/n)...she gives me Himeko vibes. She's pretty, strong, mature and knowledgeable. But she's a little more cold less talkative. But overall she reminds me of Dan Heng, but warmer. Does...that even make sense...?

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 : "You know...when me and Stelle went to go talk to Dan Heng about the change of destination to Xianzhou Luofu, Dan Heng hesitated for a moment. I wasn't sure what it was about, but...it felt like there was something he wanted to do, but he refused to get off the train. I wonder why."

Dan Heng :

𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 (𝘠/𝘯) : "Lady...(Y/n)...is someone who my sins heavily tilt to. I wish to see her and seek forgiveness, but I was told that she never awoke after the destruction.

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 : "Memories of my past are plagued with pain and hatred. But the only thing I could remember from the time in that dark place, was a soft humming of a sweet tune. It...helped me sleep."

Kafka :

𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 (𝘠/𝘯) : "(Y/n) ? Yeah, I've heard of her. Her name was Dan Jia. Bladie's barely ever mentioned her name, but...it's more frequent than others. If you listen closely, you might even hear him say her name in his sleep.

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 : "Blade and...Dan Jia. Or well, (Y/n). They were a tragic romance tale. Like Romeo and Juliet, but with a...twisted end. Right person, not enough time troupe."

Blade:

𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 (𝘠/𝘯) : "(Y/n)...an outworld name suitable for a woman with eyes that yearn for the world beyond the stars. She rises not the Mara contaminating my soul."

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 : "Whenever I am persecuted by the Mara's hold in my sleep, it quickly washes away with the feeling of ice and warm arms holding me with a sound of calm singing overriding the Mara's corrupt taunts.

Introduction (loading screen)

(Y/n) - Dan Jia

Lives in the shadows of her former self, Dan Jia, though is rebirthed as a new person. The majestic horns perched like a crown remind her that she can never run from the past and might one day hoist her true responsibilities on her shoulders once she regains all forgotten knowledge.

Character details (Data Bank)

A woman who her past self was depicted in stories of old as a legendary beauty and her skill in the medical fields and dancing arts. Though being 'reborn', she can never run from the past that looms over her.

She has taken the name (Y/n) as tribute to the only thing her blurred memory could preserve. For the name Jia...means home and family. Something she had lost long...long ago.

Along with her memories.

End note :

I might actually write a character profile for (Y/n) one day... I might even add new characters next time, like Dan Heng IL, Yukong, Fu Xuan, Jingliu, or even the timelines when the High Cloud Quintet were still up and running.

#honkai star rail #honkai star rail x reader #honkai star rail x you #hsr x you #Dragon's Cradle #Dollhouse mailbox #Erin's replies

[bengiyo]

We Are Better Together: Why I Enjoyed the Our Skyy 2 Crossover

I enjoyed this four-part special with every part of my being, but I’m a gay man in his thirties that often feels like I understand exactly where Aof is coming from in his work. As I’ve said many times on this block and in @the-conversation-pod, I desperately want more stories about gays sticking together alongside all of the stories about discovering love. For so many reasons, I love that Aof chose to use Pat and Pran as a catalyst to help Tian and Phupha, and in turn compare their relationship with another couple experiencing some of the same challenges lets them see themselves properly. I have a lot to say, so let’s just get into it.

Funding A Tale of Thousand Stars

There is no way Aof was going to be able to produce a Tale of Thousand Stars special without merging the Bad Buddy budget. If you start from the fundamental problem that it’s expensive to film on a mountain, we need to find a problem that works well. At the end of ATOTS, Tian and Phupha agree to stay in Pha Pun Dao together, but there’s no way that can work forever. Tian has medical needs and a family in Bangkok. We also never resolved the lingering doubts and uncertainty that plagued Phupha in the story, since we focused on Tian’s journey.

With Pat and Pran, they were set on their commitment to each other after episode 11. They are just hiding themselves in college, and won’t experience any changes without some form of outside stimulus. Likewise, Tian and Phupha live in a bubble. I love the idea of shoving these four men together and seeing what comes out of it.

Playing with Archetypes and Expectations

I particularly like Aof shoving these four characters together because it allows Aof to further poke at our expectation and assumptions about BL characters. Aof is aware of the cultural understanding around seme and uke archetypes, and the decision to style Pran to physically resemble Tian is not subtle. However, as we move through the special, we realize that Pran has more in common with Phupha than he does Tian. What a gift that is from, Aof.

Aof invites the viewers through Pran to consider where they sit as viewers in these stories. We are often asked to ride along with our primary viewpoint character and see the world through their lens. Sure, we can challenge their lens, and ask the audience to grow along with the character, but I truly love the way this story hands the lens over to Phupha as we move through this special. As a gay man in his thirties, I am particularly fond of Phupha and the decision to focus on him.

It is hard growing up the way some of us did. We don’t have BL experiences like the ones we fawn over in these shows. Life was hard. We suffered. Some of us are stuck performing a version of masculinity that we haven’t ever been able to unlearn. I continue to present normie because it’s what I was trained to do. I make use of it as the face of my local queer circle. I talk to the government when we need someone who won’t get ignored right away, just like Phupha dedicates himself to the people of his village.

We might expect Pat and Phupha to mirror each other because of their physicality, but that breaks almost instantly. They’re unlike each other. The first allusion to this comes in the reminder that Tian is an engineer, and so is Pat. Additionally, Phupha rejects Tian’s diary immediately because he only gives it a surface reading. It’s only once he gets to know Pran and Pat a bit, and really listens to what Tian is saying that he starts to wake up.

I personally loved seeing these characters get lost in the woods and spin around each other for an entire episode. The best thing you can do when you’re lose in the woods is stay where you are and wait for rescue to find you. Tian can’t do that, and honestly neither can Pat. The common thread between them is how antsy and foolish they can be. Tian went all the way up a mountain with a weak heart the way only a fool could. Pat rushed after Pran to the wilderness with barely a plan because all that matters is getting to Pran.

Like many of the baby gays we sometimes help with volunteering, I wish they would just sit still and let us find them. They’re in such a hurry to grow up and do all the big gay milestones that they’ve envisioned for themselves, but it just doesn’t work like that. Sometimes you have to just finish school and become financially independent. Sometimes you need to let your partner get the help they need and the right diagnosis to manage their neurotic behaviors. Sometimes you need to just having someone beg you to just sniff your boyfriend and get over yourself. Sometimes you need someone who actually understands the weight of internalized homophobia you carry validate that it’s hard. Sometimes you just need to accept that you are now a “we” and admit openly that you can’t live without each other.

You Blame the Rebel That You Sold Out

I’ve been thinking a lot about the instinct I’ve noticed to pick apart the creative team when people find they aren’t enjoying a show for some reason. I wrote about this first during The Eclipse, and I’m feeling it again here. As I said there, I’ll say here: It’s okay to say you didn’t like something and didn’t find this to be your taste.

I’m a lifelong Star Trek fan who can’t watch Lower Decks because I find American animation to rely on a loud quality that I find overstimulating. I also don’t appreciate Seth McFarlane’s brand of humor. I didn’t get into Star Trek: Prodigy because it’s aimed at kids in a way that I found a bit boring to engage with. I think Star Trek Picard is overall pretty bad and a waste of nostalgia. I still love Star Trek, and find things worth engaging with every time I sit down and watch new things.

I recently attended a Matchbox Twenty concert and have been thinking about the song “Rebels” from their new album Where the Light Goes. There’s a portion of the lyrics that I think best covers how I feel about this instinct to turn on the creators when they do something you don’t like with characters they created.

And it's all exciting You were so alive Like a wheel in motion You were terrified you'll lose it Hell, everybody loses It was never how you wanted Now it's never good enough We're all rebels when we're young I think it's time you let it go now When you get angry with yourself You blame the rebel that you sold out You blame the rebel that you sold out That you sold out Let go and be yourself right now Let go and be yourself right now Let go and be yourself right now Let go and be yourself right now

It’s all fun and games when experiences are new to us. We’re excited to be in this new untested space for the first time, but we are all changed by it. We bring different lenses and experiences to the table. We take different things from the stories, and our tastes change because of these experiences. Then the creator comes back with a new season or new outing with these characters and they have different things they want to focus on this time. It’s not what we wanted, and so we turn on them. The only way out of that is to let go and see who you are now.

Aof is a gay man who is working at a major company to tell meaningful queer stories. Aof clearly knows that life is the future, not the past. He’s committed to bridging us to a better world for queer people so that we can see each other more.

We Are Better Together

I love that Pat and Pran met Tian and Phupha. I love that these characters made each other better in the brief week they spent together. I like that they became friends and expanded their queer circle. Your relationship is not the only component you need for stability in your life. You can get stuck in a rut. You need other people to talk to you. You need outlets for your frustration. You need friends to remind you that you’re being obnoxious, and maybe you should just have sex and see if the issue is still there.

Tian and Phupha were not at their best alone. Pat and Pran were not at their best alone. I love the idea of a lonely Pran looking for queer connection on the web and discovering Tian’s diary. I love the romantic notions he projected onto Tian and seeing them shattered by the intense physical reality of life in Pha Phun Dao, and his interactions with Phupha.

About ten years ago, we had a member of our circle who tried to view our group through the lens of Noah’s Arc, and he struggled with fact that we didn’t fit exactly. What a joy it is to realize that your own queerness is distinct in this world, and that you and your friends are special. Bad Buddy and A Tale of Thousand Stars are BETTER for me now that they’ve touched each other.

I love that Phupha finally let Tian love him the way Tian wants to. I love that he let go of his concern about Tian’s wealth. I like that he let Tian’s parents see him properly and extend to love to him that he’s given their son. I like that he finally let’s them thank him for helping their son find stability and purpose, because Phupha maybe doesn’t appreciate how much of a fuck up Tian was being before the transplant. I love that Phupha found it in himself to propose to Tian. I love that Phupha let Tian take charge in the bedroom. I love that Phupha gave Pat and Pran the gift of sharing their love on a stage to adoring fans, and giving Wai a chance at redemption. Pran got to see people finally cheering for their love online.

I can’t claim to understand everyone’s frustrations with this special, and I won’t pretend to. However, I wanted to say quite plainly that as a gay viewer who has appreciated Aof’s work for years, I was particularly touched by this crossover. I don’t care about the balance other seem concerned about between Pat and Pran. I don’t care about how much they did or didn’t talk. All I know is that since episode 5 of Bad Buddy, Pat has shown that he’s all in on Pran and has never waivered. I like that so much of this special was about Pran finally accepting the way Pat loves him, just like Phupha learned to accept the way Tian loves him.

It really is as simple as the final sequence for Pat and Pran for me. It’s Pat asking if they can finally kiss and Pat and Pran again and finally getting that, Pa interruptions and everything.

So, I hope everyone finds peace with reactions to this special. I am completely satisfied, and excited to see what Aof wants to say next in Last Twilight, despite my reservations about Jimmy.

#our skyy 2 #bad buddy #a tale of thousand stars #bad buddy meta #atots meta #Ben watches

[as-u-w1sh]

Lovely as you Are. Wanderer x Y/N

Genshin Impact Wanderer X Y/N Oneshot!!!

Summary: y/n and Wanderer go to Sumeru's festival where he attempts to confess his feelings to you. Auntie Nahida helps Wanderer sort how he feels and they conjure a plan for his courtship towards you!

Type: Oneshot and Fluff! Little hot at the end but nothing to burn your loins off! <3

Warnings: Nothing! Just a little steamy at the end! Helpful auntie Nahida trying to help Wanderer live his best life!

Word Count: 4.3K!!!

-----

Wanderer x Reader (y/n)

: Lovely as You.

The days haven’t changed, and the sun still rises with every daily cycle. There are days in that the atmosphere is clouded but that doesn’t mean that the sun ever leaves despite the nimble nimbus. The forest rustles with the wind as the sound reflects that of the unwavering waterfalls of Sumeru. The animals frolicking and upkeeping with their natural selves as they have done since time. No significant changes with anything external except….

“Amane”, a voice softly called within my daydream.

“Amane”, the mirage dissipated quickly. Real life taking within its wake. The green eyes of Lesser Lord Kusanali curiously examined me as she checked on me, “are you alright?”

I brushed her off,” I’m fine, let’s get back to- “, she chuckled, nonetheless.

“What’s so funny?”, she smiled.

I’ve been working with Lesser Lord Kusanali with what she generally asks for help with. Certain input or more tedious subjects such as establishing stable systems for Sumeru since the abolishment of the Akademiya’s corrupted roots. Weeding out the pests so that Sumeru could come back from the infestation that I took part in a bit ago even if I did wipe myself from the memories of everyone I had encountered. It is the least I could do but even I think that my sins cannot be atoned for.

It’s in the past now.

Currently, other things have annoyingly occupied my mind. I scoffed mentally, how absurd. How could one person plague my mind? How could one person nudge themselves into my whole being so easily as they did? Why does it anger me that I…don’t know what to do…with them? With me? With…us?

“If I may, I would like to ask what troubles you?”, Lesser Lord Kusanali promptly questions.

How do I explain this? Is there way to even explain this strange phenomenon?

“I- Not sure. It’s isn’t of importance, let’ just- “, she interrupted me, “it is of importance because you are my friend”.

“You have helped me countless times, so it is fair that I care about you”, she smiles widely. I couldn’t help but be taken aback by her sheer outpour of care towards me. Lesser Lord…no, Buer…is a benevolent and wise god. I should. After everything…I can…count on her?

“I- “, I sigh while pinching the bridge of my nose. I could feel this unfamiliar rush within my body, within my face, within all parts of me. Buer still looked at me as if she expected an answer. I still couldn’t bring myself to speak but she read me with ease.

“This has to do with y/n?”, she gently grins with her eyes closed with glee.

“How…?”

“It hasn’t been difficult to deduce that you have feelings for them”, she fidgets with her fingers.

“Feelings as in?”, I cross my arms waiting for this conclusion of hers. I trust her judgement in this because I have no clue as to-

“Love”, something within me chokes and I cough while gawking at her. Buer still happy as can be, how can she make such an accusation? “I doubt it- I”, she cuts me off, “you feel affection for y/n. It’s perfectly normal for one to develop a connection with others like this when wanting and yearning for a partner. Tell-Tale signs such as sweaty hands, increased heart rate, or constant thoughts of them”.

I could feel my breathe somewhat grow erratic and my hands shake.

“Amane, this isn’t bad. Listen to me, it’s perfectly fine”, she attempted to reassure me as I sat down on the floor dumbfounded.

“I’ve never felt this way. I don’t know what to do. How can I remove it?”, I asked solemnly.

I felt her small hands hold my cheeks as she guided me to stare at her, “is that really what you desire?”

I opened my mouth and paused before I spoke, “No”.

Truthfully, no.

Never. I like this rush. It makes me feel alive. It makes the air vibrate. It makes me feel like I’m within the seemingly never-ending sky. They make me feel alive. They gave me a name.

Amane.

_

“How about ‘Amane’? I really like the name. It suits you”, they put their finger to their chin as they brainstormed as to what to call me.

“Call me whatever you wish. It does not matter to me nor does it matter genuinely”, I shook my head. So much effort just for a name? So much effort just for me? What a waste. I don’t need it. I’m just a Wanderer. A nobody, no one to rely on me, and no one to rely on. I don’t exist anymore.

“Hey, you could at least pretend to be happy?”, they huffed. I rolled my eyes, “you get worked up over the smallest things, didn’t you just hear me? There’s no need for pleasantries” I waved them off to try and dismiss them.

“It is a big deal. It’s you. You need a name. Not just because it’s a code-word of who you are but because it’s something you own. You aren’t supposed to reflect the name. The name is to embody you.

Amane…is…peace

Ba-dump…

Amane is heavenly

Ba-dump…

Amane is the tranquil sound of rain

Ba-dump…

Amane is You.

You exist to me as Amane. The embodiment of heaven’s loveliest sounding rain”.  

All I could think in that moment was despite the strange rhythmic murmur in my ears or the tingling in my fingertips down to my inner core. I could only take in awe of them.

‘I wish I could be as lovely as they are.’, I thought.

And just like that. They ultimately tied who I was to them. I knew that no matter how many years passed; I could never forget them.

And if they did, this tie would forevermore bring me back to them, one way or another. Even if I was named after the so-called heavens, I would rage my own hell if they ever took them from me.

_

Buer grinned once more as if she could read exactly what was running through my heart-sick mind, “there is no need to try and rid yourself of something just because it is new”. There was a creeping panic, “what if they don’t like me?”

All she responded with was, “What if they do?”, she tucked some of my hair behind my ear.

“You won’t ever find out if you don’t try.  It would be best that even if you don’t get the response you want then at least you got some sort of answer. Even so, do not let one sour event deter you from experiencing all that is good in this world. Do not let your past hold you back”, she confidently lectured me while her small hands went to her sides.

I was just about to say something to contradict her but she quickly put a finger to her lips as if to shush me, “I have a feeling though that they feel the exact same way”, and that one sentence transformed my entire mental process. Buer is knowledgeable but I also know she can tap into one’s mind if she wanted to. Whether she has but never told anyone is something she will keep to herself but that was the confidence boost I needed.

Because what she meant was,

“They feel the exact same way “

Just as quick.

Ba-dump, Ba-dump, Ba-dump, Ba-dump, Ba-dump, Ba-dump!

As if she knew, “let me introduce the concept of courtship and must I mention that there will be a festival tonight in Sumeru”.

“I don’t understand why I need to court if they feel the same wa- “, I scowled.

“Hush now and learn!”, she swiftly quieted me with a determined expression and dragged me away to her data table to show me archons knows what.

I’m having an archon give me dating advice…

How irritating.

*Y/N POV*

“Well goodbye Traveler! Are you sure you wouldn’t like to stay for the new Sumeru festival? Nahida wants the community to grow a little closer and to bring some new fun for everyone! I’m sure she would love if you came. I’m sure though, that if you can’t make it, she will definitely understand- “, I’m cut off as I heard incoming footsteps on the pavement within Sumeru’s City Square.

“Hello, you two!”, I heard a familiar voice.

“Nahida and Amane!”, Paimon cheers as I turn to see Nahida and Amane come towards me.

I sucked in my breathe as I laid my eyes on Amane. Sure, we have known each other for a bit now. A few months as well as when I got my memories of him as Scaramouche. However, that isn’t him anymore. Now, he is Amane. Me and the Traveler decided on the name even if I was the only one spouting any good ideas. We just decided to go along with it.

Even so, I couldn’t help but start noticing him more differently.

He is beautiful.

Even if he is a puppet, he is…breathless.

I can’t take advantage of him though.

I’ve never felt this kind of attraction for anyone though.

He is intoxicating.

He came slightly behind Nahida. His eyes immediately met with mine and I felt the heat rush to my cheeks. I clenched my hands as I tried to calm down my palpitating heart. I like to think that I’ve always been weirdly attracted to him but as of lately, it is unbearable. He ‘tched’ a small smirk as I looked away from his intense gaze.

“I was hoping to speak to the traveler about something, could I perhaps borrow them for a bit?”, Nahida kindly asked. The traveler nodded and Paimon followed as Nahida led themselves away from me and Amane. We were alone. I followed their backs as they disappeared and never once did Amane tear his sight from me. Archons help me. Nahida how dare you leave me alone with him while I feel like this!

“y/n come on”, Amane grabbed my hand and dragged me.

“Eh-? Where are we going?”, I asked puzzled as to why he just yanked me like that.

“Let’s go to the festival”, he plainly said as I looked at the backside of his head. Sure enough, he led me to the entrance of the festival. String banners and lights decorated the stalls to advertise a variety of items, foods, and who knows what else. The sunrise in the distance giving off the rainbow glow of the sky as laughs were heard throughout the area. Children ran around as they played games such as toss and pin the slime. It was such a nice and exciting atmosphere.

I glanced down to Amane holding my hand. His hand was slender and cool. I ran my thumb on one of his knuckles and it was soft. No calluses, no roughness, just dainty delicateness. As soon as I did that, he flinched ever so slightly, he turned to face me. He had taken away his hand fast. He ogled inquisitively but gently at me, “what was that?”

I couldn’t help but be embarrassed, “I’m so sorry! I err! I- “, I stuttered. He sighed and took my hand holding it up. He then put his hand up to it as if to compare them, “you wouldn’t even be able to tell that one of them is fake”. His eyes holding a distant semblance as if he contemplated his existence once more like he always did. “I think that it’s just as real as the one holding it”, I squeezed his hand once. Again, he took his hand.

He scoffed, “Shut up, you seriously say some of the weirdest stuff. How do you even think of that?”, he cleared his throat. I shook my head, same ol’Amane. Still can’t handle even the slightest bit of care or affection.

“Hurry up, let’s go enjoy the festival, or I’m leaving you”, he falsely yawned as he strolled away from me. I was broken of my heartfelt spell by his annoying attitude, “just when you’re finally nice to me, you go back to your old ways”, I groan.

“You should know I am no saint. Besides, I’m being nice by taking you to the festival”, he stuck out his tongue while I ran to catch up to him. Why I ought to-! I was stopped by a savory smell. I stopped dead in my tracks, “Potato Boats! Ah- I love me some spuds!”, I follow the smell.

“Oi, don’t just wander away! You’re going to get lost!”, Amane scolds me as I find the potato boat stall. I ignore him as I see the vendor cracking open some spuds and adding mushrooms with cheese! I run up and observe him while Amane walks to the vendor, “I’d like to buy one Potato Boat with everything”.

“Wait wait! Hold on- I left my mora at h- “, I panicky tell Amane but he shoots me a ‘are-you-serious’ look. “I wouldn’t have brought you to the festival if you were to pay for it. I brought mora, you moron”, he complains. On another serious note, he ‘brought’ me to the festival? I’m extremely confused as to what the context is.

I felt the slight flutter of butterflies in my chest slowly making its way up my throat. I couldn’t help but smile, “I’ll make sure to pay you back”.

“Don’t worry about it”, he made his way back to me with the potato boat as it held two spoons. Two spoons? “It’s so good!”, I cried out in ecstasy. Amane then had a bite. Once more, I was confused. Amane had expressed that he wasn’t really a fan of food in general besides bitter tea… Why would he…” It isn’t bad I suppose”, he shrugs. “It’s okay…You don’t have to force yourself to eat things I like, I know you don’t go for these types of flavors”, I remind him.

“I-It’s not that I hate it or anything, I just- sigh I’m not sure how to do this. Can you tell I don’t do this often?”, he asks a little disheartened.

I couldn’t help but laugh. He gave me an expression of shock, “I don’t get- “.

“Doing this with you is all that matters. It is the meaning that you are willing to try my favorite foods even if you know that they might not be to your tastes. I like this. This makes me happy, thank you”, he breathes out almost a sigh of relief as he chuckles to himself.

“By the way, you eat so sloppily”, he uses his thumb to wipe away some cheese from the corner of my lip as he sucks the cheese off his thumb, “I think it tastes better now somehow”. He smirks while the fluttering feeling in my chest starts again. He must’ve not have realized…calm down.

Calm down.

After devouring my potato boat, we decided to walk by some more stalls.

“Come now! Fortunes of all! Health or love! You decide!”, a young girl advertised while two cats sat near her.

“You! Come here! I hear Harut and Marut wanting me to guide you into the next fortune you desire!”, I pointed to myself and she nodded frantically. I looked to Amane and he just shrugged. Oh well, never had my fortune read before. I decided to take a seat before her.

Should I really trust these types of things? The cats were purring and rubbing up against my legs, “Harut and Marut! I realize you have a message but let me get to it!”, the young girl exclaimed.

“Nabiya! Nice to meet you! I have but a small message for you!”, she pointed to me again.

“About?”, I asked skeptically.

“Health? Not really important…let’s see…You will be pretty good in that aspect”, she mumbled as her cats meowed, “Love! Now, that’s super juicy! Now tell me about your love life”.

A kid is asking about my love life?!

*Amane’s POV*

I couldn’t help but snicker as y/n was put on the spot. I’m so glad it’s them and not me. I’m not sure I really trust what this ‘fortune teller’ has to say but I must admit I am intrigued as to what will be said. I don’t think I’ve heard much about y/n’s love life. Archons, what if they are already with someone and I haven’t even-

“It’s as dry as the Sumeru desert. There has never been anyone and there is no one”, they confirm.

The girl grows into a mischievous smile as her gaze flickers to me.

What?! There is no way that this little brat could possibly-

“Well, I would say that’s going to change fairly soon. It’s really close actually. Could’ve been with you this entire time actu- “, I cut her off as I grab y/n, “alright, that’s enough”.

The girl laughs as her cats’ howl with her. I’m sure the only reason why she didn’t ask for payment was because my expression was payment enough! That too close. Ugh. I have more important things to attend to at the moment. I nearly had my cover blown because of a girl and two cats.

This is so annoying.

“Wait! She didn’t even finish yet!”, y/n groans, “she was so close! You know that even I get lonely too, right? I want to know if I have a true love!”

Oh, if only you knew y/n.

(Time passes) *Y/N’s POV*

“Man, I wanted to win that prize so bad!”, I moaned as we exited the festival. “Those games are all rigged anyways besides why would you want a cheap prize?”, Amane raised a brow as we walked into the forest. “It’s the effort that counts! It meant that I would’ve won something! You wouldn’t understand”, I grumble.

“You’re right I wouldn’t. Because that is such a trivial and insignificant reason to want to spend an insane amount of mora”, Amane shakes his head. We walk deeper into the forest, not knowing where on Teyvat’s name we are going to. Erm-

“Um, where are we going?”, I turned to him.

“Give me your hand”, he held out his hand.

“Sure, where are we AaaaHHH-!”, I yelped as he grabbed a hold of me, and we went into the air. I gripped onto him so tight as we soared through the air, “heh, there’s no need to be nervous. I’m just taking you to a vantage point”.

I wrapped my arms around his neck as his hand moved to my lower back and waist. I could see the design of his hat behind his back as the wind gushed and fueled our flight. “Oh Archons, Oh Archons, we are flying. I’m flying. YOU are flying. You better not drop me, or I swear, I will have Nahida tear you to shreds if I can’t!”, I squeaked.

“Relax, as if I could ever drop you”, his tone sounded offended as I dipped my head into his neck holding onto dear life. I opened my eyes as we flew and admired the stars. Usually, the trees are massive to the point that it can be a little difficult to see the sky in certain parts of Sumeru. I fell in love with the view even as I clasped onto Amane. This truly is a gift. Even more, that my chest was fluttering. I begged internally that this would last longer. I’ve never been this close to Amane. His body is sturdy and lean. I lovingly sighed at the way he held me into him.

“We are here, listen to me. Hold onto me because I’m going to land, alright? Don’t do anything stupid, moron”, sure enough, I felt my feet touch the ground. I let go of Amane and I instantly felt empty.

Empty.

Empty and devoid of him.

I turned and saw the entirety of Sumeru and the shining lights of the festival we were just at.

“How is it? The scenery here should be breathtaking. There’s no need to thank me. I see little point in it”, he breathes out as he sits down on the hill. A tree that we are under as we overlook the beauty of Sumeru.

A tear ran down my cheek. I began to cry.

Amane jumped up as quick as he had sat down and came to me, “hey what’s with you?”

“I’m so upset that this is so beautiful. I’m upset that I had so much fun. I’m upset that this is all over. I’m upset…that I didn’t win that stupid cheap toy. How will I remember how much fun and happiness I felt with you tonight?”, I wept.

I could feel Amane grow silent and heard him take off his hat.

I wiped away my tears as I felt a small nudge against my arm. I sniffled and a small object was put into my hand. I blinked a few times so I could get a detailed view of what was in my hands. It was made of cloth and it had some limbs? I could feel that much.

I looked and it was a tiny doll. Not just some tiny doll, it looked like me. The same hair and the same colored clothes I wore. I looked to Amane and he was looking down as he tried his hardest to hide his face, “you made this…for me?”

A minuscule nod was barely made as he looked towards Sumeru’s golden lights. He looked up to me with the smallest of twinkles within his vulnerable eyes. “You told me you have one of your own…that looks like you. You made me one too?”, I breathed out.

“I…I’m not good at this. Yes. I did. I understand if you do-“, I tackled him as took him to the ground. He made a small ‘humph!’ sound.

*Amane’s POV*

“What gives?!”, I huff. I just decided to give them the doll and they decided to put me on the ground. What kind of thought process is going through-?

I look up and I’m frozen.

They are smiling so wide. The golden hue of the city decorating their face and their old tears as one fell on my cheek. The starry sky behind them as they had me pinned under them. The gentle breeze flowing through both of us as we just were here staring at one another.

I could never be as lovely as they are.

Ba-dump!

Ba-dump!

Ba-dump!

Just then, something took a hold of me. Inches to nothing between us.

I straightened myself up as they straddled me, the twinkle of the universe in their eyes as their cheeks flushed a vibrant red hue. I’ve been selfish as the previous version of myself. No disregard for the lives of others and I had vowed myself to start caring a smidge more. I vowed to not be as selfish even if I am the epitome of being a massive disgraceful persona. Right now though, I laughed at the world to forgive me for being selfish. However, I would beg for them to forgive me for my selfishness this time. Just this once.

I broke the distance and followed what human instincts I have even if I couldn’t possibly be one.

Even if every piece in me wanted to cower and run away this once.

Yet, I couldn’t dare tear myself away.

I gripped their lower back as I ran my hand to their neck and kissed them.

I’ve never been completely sure if anything I have ever done was right.

But this.

This was…right. This is right. They made a soft noise of surprise as I clashed into them. My hold on their body tight as their lips enveloped my own. So wet…kisses are so sweet though. This is…another taste I can acquire with just enough…just enough…I panted as I craved this taste even more. They whimpered as I bit their lip. Their hands scratching into my chest as they dug their nails into my black suit. My…heart is racing.

Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump!

I felt the slight flick of their tongue as they welcomed my own into their hot mouth.

Oh, Archons.

The smooth wet muscle dancing with my own. I sighed as they drank every ounce of me. I would definitely ravage the heavens if they took this from me. I would bring down the sky if they asked me to. I fought back as they pushed into me, tch, seriously. Who do they think they are? I grabbed their cheeks and broke our heavy kiss. They panted as their chest rose and fell.

“More than friends, huh?”, I chuckled.

The blush on their face and the half -lidded look they presented me with drove me insane.

“You…I- “, I ran a thumb down their wet bottom lip and my mouth watered.

They then leaned into the crook of my neck as they grabbed the doll they had set down.

“That’s a good way to end our first date”, I breathe out.

“Date?! This was a date?!”, they shrieked.

“Don’t tell me you seriously- “, I face palmed myself as I groaned. This idiot was oblivious the entire time! Why else would I take them out? Why else would I endure their idiotically cute- I mean, stupid shenanigans?! Archons help me.

They shyly mumbled, “I didn’t think you would like me in that sense. I’m…glad you do…I feel the same way. Thank you for everything. This was the best day of my life…Amane. I love you”, they confessed.

I think I might combust.

“Well. I’m glad this is a successful start to our courtship”

“C-Courtship?! As in marriage?!”

“Well duh. I’m not going to waste my time on anything other than that endgame in a relationship aspect of a partner”, I scoff.

They should’ve known. Either way, they are furiously blushing clutching onto their doll.

Idiot.

My idiot.

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

The End.

#wanderer x reader #wanderer x y/n #genshin impact wanderer #scara x y/n #scara x reader #scaramouche #genshin imagines #genshin impact #oneshot #kunikuzushi #genshin scaramouche #fluff #nahida #genshin x reader #genshin impact scaramouche #genshin oneshots #gi scaramouche #gi wanderer

[allexthakatt]

That This Feeling Flows Both Ways

I was NOT expecting so many people to love that fic as much as I did! As many people requested, heres the part 2 to Do I Wanna Know?

Read Part 1 HERE

CW: Angst! But it ends in fluff, don't worry! Suggestive themes at the end. 16+?? Eddie being all cute!

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

Eddie was plenty of things. He was a little clumsy, loud, hot headed, maybe even a little dim at times. And being in love with you is definitely one of them.

You're on his mind constantly. Even when he's with Stephanie you always seem to wiggle your way to the back of his brain. He wants nothing more than to run to you, to beg for forgiveness and live happily ever after with you in his arms. Just like the fairy tales you would both make up when you were kids.

But then he remembers the tears that plagued your eyes that day. The heart he'd broken. Your beautiful face twisted in pain, and he stays where he is.

This isn't a fairy tale. He broke you, you wouldn't want him anymore. So he settles for her.

Stephanie isn't stupid. She'd noticed your absence and Eddie's new dull eyes. She noticed how much less his energy was now that you weren't here. He didn't tell her anything, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see what may have happened.

But... She can't bring herself to do anything about it. It's selfish, sure. She wants him all to herself, even if he is thinking about someone else.

That is until she changes her mind.

-

Eddie's finally graduating! The day is finally here, he's worked his ass off every damn day and fuck if he didn't doubt himself on more than one occasion; but he made it. He actually made it and can finally say goodbye to the hellhole he called school.

The ceremony was really long, so many names were thrown out before his name was called.

But it was worth it.

When he eventually walked across that stage, snatched the diploma right up, flipped off Higgins, and ran off stage, the air in his lungs felt fresh, and new.

The only people cheering were his friends. Dustin, Lucas, Mike, Gareth, Jeff, and Grant were all woohoo-ing and clapping for their friend. Stephanie was there too, clapping with a soft smile on her face as she sat next to his uncle, who got dressed up for the occasion and smiling brightly at his nephew.

But there was one other person who he didn't expect to see cheering him on, let alone come here in the first place.

You.

You were just standing up tall, cheering even louder than all of them. Your smile huge and proud as you hold up a large sign in the air;

WAY TO GO EDDIE!!

He felt even prouder. You'd meant it, you didn't abandon him. You'll always be his friend, even through it all. And that made this already awesome day even better.

After the ceremony, everyone starts to make their way onto the field to see their kids and grandkids who'd just said goodbye to their adolescence.

Eddie, however was already in the parking lot with his people. Uncle Wayne giving him a hug and patting his back, a few tears in his eyes that don't go unnoticed by Eddie.

"I'm proud of you, boy. I knew you could do it."

There's something so sedimental about the tone in his voice. Wayne knew everything Eddie had been through, had done, and said. Yet he still looked at Eddie like he was his own son. And Eddie couldn't be more thankful for the older man.

Everyone gave them their respective hugs or high fives and fist bumps, congratulating him on a massive milestone he'd worked so hard to achieve. Stephanie giving him a soft hug and kiss, "Good job, baby boy. I'm proud of you."

He fought the urge to cringe. Eddie never really liked that nickname. It made him feel uncomfortable especially when she'd say it during sex. He'd voiced his uneasiness to her multiple times, she still calls him that frequently. Another thing she'd do that made him think about you. you'd respect his boundaries...

"Congratulations, Eddie. I knew this was your year." Speaking of you..

You'd finally approached him with a wide smile on your face, holding your hand out with a bouquet of flowers to give to him.

You were even more beautiful than the last time he saw you.

"T-Thank you! I can't believe I finally did it, honestly. Thought I'd have to stay another year in that shit show."

He took the flowers from your hand, hugging them close as you step closer, smile still as wide as it was when you were in the bleachers.

"I knew you could do it, Eds. You worked so hard and went through so much, if anyone deserves this, it's you."

You ruffled his hair to break the small amount of tension between the two of you. Initially you wanted to hug him. However you didn't know where his boundaries laid and the last thing you wanted to do was make him uncomfortable on his special day.

"I can't believe you came! How'd you even know I was graduating?"

He tried to keep his excitement at bay, but by God if he wasn't going to take this opportunity to cherish you in person again.

"Oh, a couple little birdies may have spilled the beans to me last week."

You playfully roll your eyes and land them on a certain trio of now-sophomores. Each of them looks away quickly as if they totally were not just eavesdropping on your conversation.

"Regardless, I'm glad you came! This year has been hard, but I think it was so worth it. Thank you for coming. It means a lot more than you know."

He grips the flowers tighter, resisting the urge to pull you in for a hug.

"I told you I didn't abandon you, dork. You know I'll always be your best cheerleader."

You go in for a real hug, and it lasts a good minute before you both reluctantly pull away.

"I guess I'd better get going. A certain uncle has plans for a special dinner I hear!"

"Hey! That's a surprise, miss!" Wayne butted in, not thrilled she ruined the surprise, but still ecstatic that she actually showed up for his nephew.

You laugh, the first real laugh you've had in a long while. It felt good to see everyone again. Oh how you missed hellfire and hanging out with them at lunch. It seems like so long ago, such a simpler time.

"Enjoy the rest of your day, Eds. I'll see you around, okay? Congratulations again!"

You shoot everyone one last genuine smile and finally make your way to your car.

Maybe it was the way his smile wasn't forced, or the way there was barely a foot between you two. Or maybe it was just you showing up for him in general even when he said you weren't on talking terms. Whatever it was, Stephanie seemed to finally wake up to reality. He wasn't hers, he never was. He was yours, has been for a very long time.

She decides it's finally time to step out of the way and say goodbye to Eddie.

-

There was a certain... Tension? In the air between Stephanie and Eddie. They'd been attempting to watch some movie together, but both were distracted. Oddly enough, by the same thing.

You.

For different reasons, however. It had been exactly two weeks since they'd last seen you. Stephanie was waiting for the right moment to give him up. It was proving rather difficult, however, due to how much she really likes him. He makes her laugh, he takes her on dates, he treats her like a real person, and holy fuck if he wasn't a God with those fingers..

But she doesn't have his full attention. You're all he's been thinking about, it's become even more apparent since his graduation.

She can't continue being selfish. He's fun, and exciting, and so fucking caring, but he doesn't care for her like he does for you.

And the only thing keeping him from being with the one he cares most about- is her.

"Eddie, we need to talk."

She pulls away from his side, standing up to turn off the abandoned movie.

"Okay? What's on your mind?"

Keep it short, Steph... She thinks to herself. If she rips off the bandaid quickly, maybe it'll hurt less.

"I think we need to break up."

Eddie stands up as well. Where did this come from?

"W-What? Break up? Why? I thought we were going strong?"

She gives him a look as if to say 'Really?'

"Be honest with me, Eddie. For once? You were never mine, and I was never yours. I think we both know where you'd rather be right now. And it definitely isn't here."

She was getting hostile, and she knew it. It hurt, but this was right. She couldn't continue knowing he'd just be settling for her. She deserved better than that.

"And who said that? I'm the one who asked you out right? Why are you doing this?"

The tears were coming, from both of them. Stephanie shakes her head, holding her arms in front of her chest, hoping it'll shield her better from the pain.

"Eddie, be serious. You're so in love with her you practically have it spelled on your head. And don't even try to pretend you don't know who because you know exactly who I'm talking about."

Of course he knew who she's talking about. It's you. It's always been you.

"Eddie I really like you. Hell, I might even love you. But you don't like me. Maybe you did once but that feeling isn't there anymore. And I will not keep sitting here pretending it doesn't bother me."

She takes a few steps closer to him,

"I think we had a lot of fun, Eddie. And holy shit, will I miss you. But... I think this will be best. For both of us. I deserve better, and so do you."

He knew she was right, it wasn't fair to her that his mind was constantly on you. That even when he was intimate with her he wished it was you that was under him. Shes right; she deserves better.

She leans in, giving him one last deep kiss. Her hands find their way to his hair, his hands at her sides. It lasts a few more moments before she pulls away, grabbing her things before walking to the door.

"Ill see you around, Eddie. Goodbye."

And then she was gone, leaving him alone in the living room. Alone with his thoughts.

-

It was pretty late at night when you hear a knock at the door. So light if you weren't paying attention you wouldn't have heard it. Until it starts knocking louder, waiting to be answered.

You pause your movie, putting down your popcorn bowl and make your way to the door, where the knocking is more persistent now. Looking through the peephole you see the last person you'd think of, looking disheveled and red-eyed. Opening the door, you face the man that's plagued your mind all these months.

"Eddie? It's almost 1 in the morning! Come in, Eds it's freezing out here."

You lead him into the house, in the living room where you'd just been. He turns and looks at you, wearing a tank top and short shorts. Clearly ready for bed but from the look of the living room it seems you're halfway through a movie night all by your lonesome.

"Steph, she.. She broke up with me, man. I-I didn't know where else to go, Y/n."

His eyes are watering once again, tears threatening to spill on your floor. You run to him, hugging him tight and holding his back.

"I'm so sorry, Eds. You don't have to tell me anything, okay? But if you wanna talk, I got all the time in the world."

You gave him the warmest smile he'd seen from her. Initially he was worried this would be awkward, however standing here, in front of you in your living room at almost 2am, he realizes this is the most comfortable he's been in weeks.

"S-She just said it's not working out anymore. I just didn't wanna be alone tonight. I'm sorry if I interrupted anything.."

You shook your head, still holding tight on his arm.

"I'm actually halfway through Sleepaway Camp. Wanna join?"

You hold up the VHS box with a small smile on your face. His shoulders relax a little, smiling back at you and sniffling just a bit, nodding and you drag him to the couch.

The rest of that night was the best night Eddie had in a very long time. It was like no time had passed at all between you two.

As you both watched the cheesy horror flick you cracked jokes about the kills and the eventual plot twist at the end. He laughed and dramatically gasped as you 'spoiled' the ending for him, even though you'd both seen this movie at least 50 times together, making you laugh harder at his antics.

There was no tension, no weird lingering stares or awkward glances at each other. This felt nice. It felt right. Eddie felt at peace, recognizing just how much he'd missed you. You're his best friend, after all.

However now, Eddie knows he'd rather take your relationship a step further.

Stephanie was nice, but she wasn't you. No one could measure up to you. There's no one else Eddie would want to be with than you.

-

It'd been months since that night. You and Eddie were back to being inseparable again, and while Eddie wouldn't want to complain about having you back in his life, he wants more.

It's taken him a while, and weeks of denial from him that this was even happening. Pep talks to himself in the mirror more times than he can count, he's finally accepted it.

He's desperately in love with you.

He should've realized it so much sooner. It would have spared you both so much heartache, but now he sees why Stephanie wasn't enough. She just wasn't you.

He wants you, all of you. Your love, your touch, your midnight talks and daytime cuddles. He wants to see you every day and give you hugs and kisses and smother you with his love. He wants to take you on dates and hold your hand, showing you off to everyone in town that he was yours and you were his.

But... Will you accept his love? You'd confessed to him once, and he turned you down. What if you did the same? What if he lost his one chance to be yours? You bore your soul to him almost a year ago, had your feelings for him changed?

God, he hopes not.

But no matter what, he hopes you'll stay in his life. As a lover, hopefully. But as a friend, he'll still take it. Now it's just a matter of telling you his truth, and hoping you didn't change your mind.

-

A Sunday afternoon. A rare day you both had off, too! Eddie had managed to snag a job at a local record store downtown. A job that suited him well. He was brimming with joy when he showed you the paperwork.

"I got it!! I fucking did it! I wowed them with my amazing music knowledge, and I start monday morning!"

You were so happy for him, so incredibly proud to see how far he'd come in his life. He still tried his best to keep up Corroded Coffin, but until all members are graduated, there isn't really much he can do. Until then, 'Recordzz' is more than enough to occupy Eddie's time.

You worked at a bakery a few blocks from the record store. It was a nice, quiet little bakery that always smelled like vanilla. You always did love baking, this job couldn't be more up your alley.

This Sunday, Eddie had planned to spill the beans to you. He was going to tell you just how much he cares for you; just how much he loves you.

He can only hope you still felt the same way.

Laying on your stomach on his bed with a joint in one hand, flipping through a comic book with the other, Eddie takes this time to admire you. You know, just in case this is the last time he sees you like this.

Metallica is playing softly in the background, and he figures this is as good a time as any.

"Hey, I kinda wanted to talk to you 'bout something."

He sits up on the bed and you follow suit, putting out the joint in the ashtray on his nightstand.

"What's up?"

You have a relaxed smile on your face, a combination of being a little high and very content, just in your own little world with your favorite person.

"Remember a year ago, when you... confessed to me h-how you felt about me?"

Your smile falters, just a little. Nervousness kicking in.

"I remember... Why?"

Eddie grabs your hands gently, rubbing soft circles with his thumb.

"Do you... Do you still feel that way?"

Panic.

Pure fucking panic.

Why on earth is he bringing this up? You tried so hard to bury that memory deep in your brain, never wanting to think or be reminded of it again. You'd embarrassed yourself, lost your best friend, and broke your own heart all in the same day.

Yeah, you didn't like to think about it.

But the way he's looking at you, so hopeful and scared, you couldn't bring yourself to lie to him.

"Eddie I'm gonna be honest with you, I don't think I could ever stop loving you. You were, and you still are, my everything. And I truly don't think that will ever change."

A sigh of relief escapes his lips, but he's not celebrating yet.

"I should have realized this a year ago. Y/n, I'm so in love with you. You're my first thought when I wake up, and the last thought before I sleep. You're my favorite person and my best friend. I see you in my life for as long as you'll have me. I wanna be with you, and not just as your best friend. As your boyfriend. And... If you'll let me, I will spend the rest of my life making up for the time we lost together."

His hands had found their way to one of yours, holding them against his chest tightly. Afraid you'll somehow disappear if he lets go.

"Ed's..."

You brought your free hand to his cheek, rubbing it softly.

"I didn't think I'd ever hear those words from you. Do you really mean it?"

He nodded, taking a quick glance to your lips, then back to your eyes.

"I don't think I could ever lie to you, baby. I want you in my life, as a lover, not a friend. If you'll allow me..?"

Without answering, you lean in. Lips finally touching his in a moment of passion. Your hands find his hair, his arms wrap around your back and lean you back down on the bed, hovering over you. You slightly open your legs for him to rest between them, your bodies growing closer and closer, until you break the kiss for just a moment.

"I love you too, Eddie. I always will."

He smiles widely, grabbing your hips a little tighter and leans in again, this time a bit more hungrily.

It was going to be a long night...

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

It's finally done!!! I hope you all liked it, and I certainly hope it was worth the wait???

I'm a wee bit backed up on requests, but rest assured, if you've sent one in I am working on it!

Everyone who requested a pt 2: @ali-r3n @toobsessedsstuff @munsonmecrazy @bibieddiesgf @eddiemunsonsgf2 @notbeforelong @munsonzzgf @daisyridleyyyy @slightlyvicked @ghostiegorlie

#eddie stranger things #stranger things #eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson smut #eddie x reader

[marshmallowprotection]

Hello! Please let me preface this with a body dysmorphia mention tw!

---

I'm just feeling quite insecure lately, especially with all the fan art I've been seeing and how MC is drawn and knowing I don't look like that at all :(

Do you think any of the "versions" of Saeran or Ray would love me less because I have a small chest?

I hope this isn't too nsfw. I was hoping to keep it very shallow! I just feel as though none of them would see me as attractive or worth being loved because my body type is "too small" or whatever

...oof :/

Oh, I don't even need to write a scenario for this because the answer will always be no, they will never love you less because you have a smaller chest. Their love will not diminish in the slightest because of this fact.

They will never think less of you for anything you are insecure about. You are beautiful, Anon. They've grown up in a way that is kept them sheltered from the way society perpetuates beauty standards. They don't know all the nonsense that plagues us every day.

The only reason why we see Ray mentioned insecurities is because he fears he may not be able to live up to his idea of being a fairy tale Prince.

Because in a fantasy world, it would always end with happily ever after, and he needs to present himself as perfect not only to achieve perfection to survive in Mint Eye, but to make sure he is everything you could ever want in a person. You are already perfect as you are in his fantasy, he's the one that's not good enough. You're everything he could ever want in a person.

The same can be said for Suit Saeran. He just isn't in a place where he can communicate vulnerability. Vulnerability almost got Ray killed. He can't be vulnerable and he can't be weak.

It's the kind of thing that gets you thrown into the basement but in the end, he's honest in saying that he was always fascinated by your kindness and wanted to be closer to you because you are this beautiful person he can't imagine being close to somebody like him, especially when you decide to forgive him and give him a second chance.

GE Saeran says it a hundred times and he'll say it a hundred more. You are his love, his first and last love, so you do not need to get down on yourself with any insecurity you may feel. The answer will always be that you are beautiful in his eyes and if you need him to reassure you, he will damn well find a way to make sure you understand that until it's the only thing you know.

Unknown is troubled by the fact that you even like to stay around him, but hey, you're a little weirdo, and being with you just makes sense. He would never say anything about the way you look because he knows what it feels like to be beaten down to the point of apathy after spending years on the receiving end of all kinds of comments that would make you sick to your stomach.

He doesn't have the energy to insult you like that, not if you're in the business of doing it to yourself. He doesn't want you to do that. He's not the comforting type but he certainly won't let you talk about yourself like that.

SE Saeran isn't great at comforting people, either, but the two of you both have insecurities that you need to work on. He has his own things he imagines to be shortcomings, and they feel larger than life compared to anything else. He thinks he won't want to be with him because his hands are stained with blood, the last thing on his mind is your cup size.

He doesn't care about that sort of thing, he cares about the fact that you care about him. You're beautiful, he'll tell you that, but you don't have to change yourself or feel bad. You're not telling him to do that, are you.

#mod kait #ask #mystic messenger #anon #mysme #saeran choi #mysticmessenger #mm #choi saeran #SE Saeran #GE Saeran #saeray #saeran #suit saeran #unknown #ray choi #choi ray #character analysis

[asa-do-your-thing]

Hi! Here on your blog for the first time!

I saw your fic idea list and I am amazed by the range of your ideas.

I would like to know more about the following fics -

• Aemond falling in love with a female ghost

• Criston x greek mythology reader or was it Criston x reader but make it greek mythology

Sorry, my memory is too short!

Thanks for writing and sharing your fanworks with us!

Hi dear! Thank you so much for your kind words! Sorry for the delay, we're currently in an intense heatwave and I couldn't bring myself to write. Here's the first story - keep your eye on my blog and the second one should appear soon as well. I'm sorry if it's OOC or feels weird - I have never been able to master the craft of writing scary stories.

"Princess of Sorrows "

Aemond Targaryen x F! OC - 18+ MINORS DNI

Word Count: 2.6k

Warnings: death, supernatural beings, ghosts, slight angst, mentions executions, mentions suicide, also MAEGOR (although not explicitly).

The room was hollow yet imposing, as if the walls were made of solid stone and stretched for leagues. Flickering candles illuminated its contours, adding an eerie quality to the opulence of the mahogany furniture and heavy tapestries. In areas where shadows lurked deepest in the chamber, mythical creatures seemed to move like ghosts in a faint fog, ever out of reach. At the far end, an ornate fireplace filled the room with warmth, while in the center lay Prince Aemond Targaryen's bed. It was large and majestic, boasting fine silk sheets and a down-filled mattress, surrounded by exotic objects that glowed like spectres in the night.

A painting of a woman with long white hair and crown stars perched atop her head hung on the wall like a menacing reminder of days long gone. She was draped in a rusted wine gown and stared out from the painting with an emotionless, yet weary gaze. Her white eyebrows were knitted together as if she were about to unleash some indescribable fury on whoever had painted her. He had never heard any tales about the painting; but he swore, it seemed to have been there even before he was born. It watched him intently, like a dark sentinel guarding his chamber. He had taken to referring to the woman as the "Princess of Sorrows".

As he sat there in the shadows, pouring through ancient books telling the Targaryen family's stories, Aemond felt a frosty chill ripple down his spine. Occasionally he had the sense that secretive eyes were watching him, and then he'd have to hold his breath until the sensation faded away. Even though his dread was mounting, Aemond never spoke of it out loud. He feared doing so would only manifest its presence further. It was on one of those nights when the moon shone brightly, that Aemond swore he saw a silhouette in the corner of his eye turning the page of a book. His heart skipped a beat as he jumped to his feet armed with a sword, but the figure had suddenly vanished, leaving behind the whisper of skirts. He stayed still waiting for its return, but nothing stirred. Was it all just his overactive imagination? No one could tell.

The next morning, he hesitantly dispatched one of his guards to scour the palace. But not a single one among the thousand women living there resembled the figure he thought he had seen. He was now more certain than ever that his chambers were haunted, yet still afraid to accept it and acknowledge his fear of the dead. Evening after evening, he sent the guard back again and kept his hand firmly grasping his sword. Days passed, yet nothing changed: Alone in the chamber, the Princess of Sorrows seemed lost within her thoughts...and then suddenly, as soon as he started feeling at ease, he'd catch a glimpse of her again. He was determined to unravel this mystery that was plaguing him, but didn't know how to proceed. He kept his guard close by and searched for any other signs of her presence - all in vain.

Finally, after weeks of haunted nights, Aemond had had enough. He gave the silent command and all his guards began their search anew, combing every inch of the palace for any sign of something out of place. But nothing emerged. Defeated and discouraged, they returned to Aemond but he seemed unfazed by the lack of results. He still felt that something was lurking in the dark shadows, hidden from his sight. He kept a keen eye on every corner as he patrolled with his sword, when suddenly one night he spotted something strange darting away from him. Instantly he leapt into action and charged after this mysterious being, running through the darkened halls in pursuit.

As he ran, he felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins, his heart beating wildly in his chest. He had no idea what he was chasing, but he was determined to catch it. The sound of his own footsteps echoed through the halls, and he felt the cool night air whipping past his face. His mind was racing, trying to anticipate his prey's moves. It was then that he saw her again: the Princess of Sorrows, darting ahead of him like a wraith, her crimson gown fluttering behind her.

He took off like a raging bull, stampeding through the castle without regard for consequence. She ran with grace and agility, always managing to stay one step ahead of him. His lungs burned and his heart pounded as he pressed on, determined to catch her this time. Time seemed to stand still as he lurched around corner after corner, hearing nothing but her echoing laughter in response. Eventually, she came to a dead end near his chambers and before she could turn tail and flee, he had her cornered.

He charged towards her, sword swinging. Stopping just short of her, he could feel the heat radiating off her. Her long white hair framed an angelic face, illuminated in the orange light of the torches. Her eyes were like galaxies, dark and deep with a sorrow that seemed to tear through him. She wore a gown of blood-red silk, and in her hands, she grasped a rose as white as snow. Aemond stood frozen in time; mesmerized by this beautiful apparition.

Aemond stood there, his breath caught in his throat as he gazed upon her beauty. He had been taught to fear this entity, but she seemed almost...human. He reached for the sword at his side and found it forgotten. "My... Lady?" he said, not sure what title would be appropriate for such a mysterious figure. The Princess of Sorrows met his gaze with a small, yet pained smile before disappearing back into the mist. Anger boiled within Aemond's veins as he marched back into his chamber, eyes fixed on the portrait of this wretched princess - her face still contorted in pain and anger.

The days seemed to fly by in a frenzied fever, yet the nights crept past with an agonizing slowness. Aemond yearned for the darkness; unable to sleep as he waited for her to appear. He was up before the sun, lost in thought in the shadows of his chamber, desperate for any sign of her presence. Though scared and uncertain, she had him in an unbreakable spell - he couldn't shift his gaze from her as they shared their clandestine tete-a-tetes.

He started to notice delicate shifts in her gestures - the way she'd linger in front of a painting as if it were speaking to her, or gaze out of the window with an enigmatic expression. He realized then that this mysterious creature had feelings like his own, and emotions and thoughts he could barely comprehend.

Aemond found himself captivated by the woman's delicate figure, her perfectly coiffed hair and petite features. Every time he saw her from afar, his heart raced as he walked closer to her in order to get a better look. He opened his mouth each time, but his courage failed him and she seemed to sense it; she quickly faded away like a phantom into the shadows, leaving Aemond perplexed and dejected.

In desperation, Aemond ventured out into King's Landing’s most notorious street - Flea Bottom - seeking out mystical knowledge from an old witch who gave him a spell that will trap any ghost in place if used correctly. Armed with newfound knowledge Aemond returned back to his chambers determined to get closer to the Princess of Sorrows and uncover the secrets that surrounded this captivating creature who had stolen his heart without even uttering a single word.

Aemond cast the spell within his chambers and sure enough, the Princess of Sorrows appeared before him looking less translucent than she had been previously. Her features were clearer, her skin more visible and her eyes filled with a mysterious and deep emotion. Aemond was taken aback at this new transformation; he had never seen the ghostly figure looking so lifelike. She stood there in her usual red gown and her touch was cold and clammy. It made Aemond's skin crawl whenever she got too close to him.

The Princess turned to Aemond, her gaze filled with sadness as if something inside of her was crying out for help "Why did you trap me?" she asked him. He could not bring himself to answer, instead he asked: "Why are you haunting me? What do you want from me?" The princess’s expression softened and she replied: "Your death is near, I only wanted to warn you."

Aemond felt his heart break at those words - the ghostly figure seemed almost too familiar now. He took a step closer to her, desperate for answers yet still wary of what he might uncover. The Princess watched him curiously but said nothing - it was clear that she would not offer any more information until Aemond answered her own question first.

Aemond inhaled sharply, his face grim. "I trapped you because I wanted to find out your secrets," he uttered darkly, his voice like a whisper in the night. His hungry gaze bore into hers and her heart raced. Slowly she nodded, her eyes never leaving his. "Yes," she murmured softly. "There is much more hidden underneath my surface than meets the eye - mysteries only time will unravel. But I cannot tell you now."

Aemond felt his heart breaking as she uttered the words. He had been so certain that she would be able to bring him the answers he so desperately sought. Yet here she was, still refusing to tell him what it was that she seemed to know. How could someone be so secretive and why? His voice betraying his emotion, Aemond asked again, "Please, just tell me what you're keeping from me! What are you hiding?"

The Princess of Sorrows sighed heavily, her shoulders sagging, tears welling up in her eyes. "There are things in this world that are better left unsaid," she replied cryptically. "Things that would only bring more pain and heartache if they were revealed."

Aemond frowned, not satisfied with her answer. He took a step closer to her, his eyes searching hers. "Please," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Help me understand. I am willing to listen, no matter what the cost."

The Princess of Sorrows hesitated for a moment before finally nodding her head. "Very well," she said, her voice eerily calm. "But be warned, you might pay dearly for it, dear Prince."

Aemond felt a shiver run down his spine at her words, but he didn't falter. He was determined to learn the truth, no matter what it might cost him. "I'm ready," he said, his voice steady.

The Princess of Sorrows sighed as she prepared to tell her story. "We had a love that was forbidden," she said, her voice quivering with emotion. "It was passionate and fiery, yet we managed to keep it hidden from those who would have forbidden us. But our luck did not last. They found out and I was forced into marriage while he...he was put to death." Her voice trailed off as tears spilled down her face.

Aemond listened in stunned silence, his heart breaking for the pain and suffering this woman had endured. He could see the pain etched into her features, the sorrow in her eyes. "Who was your husband?" he asked softly, knowing that he was treading on dangerous ground.

The Princess of Sorrows hesitated before finally replying. "He was your ancestor," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "He was a Targaryen prince, just like you."

Aemond felt his world come crashing down around him. He had always been proud of his family's history, of their legacy. But now...now he felt tainted, stained by the sins of his ancestors.

"Who was he?" he asked again, his voice barely above a whisper.

The Princess of Sorrows looked at him with a sad smile. "Maegor was my brother," she said softly. "And my husband."

Aemond felt a wave of nausea wash over him.

He stumbled back, his mind reeling with the revelation. "How...how could this be?" he whispered, his voice trembling. "And what of you?" he asked, his voice soft. "What happened to you after you were forced into marriage?"

The Princess of Sorrows let out a bitter laugh as she wiped away her tears. "I was never truly alive after that," she said, her voice hollow. "I tried to make the best of my situation, but every day was a struggle. My husband was cruel and abusive, and I spent most of my days trying to avoid him. But eventually, I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to be free, to escape the pain and suffering that had become my life. And so, I did the only thing I could do - I jumped from my dragon and ended it all."

Aemond felt a lump form in his throat as he listened to her tragic tale. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like for her, to have lived through such pain and torment. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, his voice filled with emotion. "I had no idea."

The Princess of Sorrows gave him a sad smile. "It's alright," she said softly. "You couldn't have known. But now that you do, you must pay the price."

Aemond felt a chill run down his spine at her words. "What price?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

The Princess of Sorrows looked at him with a steely gaze. "You must be my lover," she said, her voice cold and firm. "And you must die."

Aemond felt his entire being freeze. Time seemed to stop as he heard her words. He couldn't process the meaning, but before he could act on his confusion, he felt the Princess of Sorrows grab him and pull him close. Her eyes were intense and mesmerizing, trapping him in their embrace. Slowly, she leaned towards him and pressed her lips against his. Aemond felt an indescribable sensation course through every inch of his body. It was a strange combination of pain and pleasure, as though something was being taken from him, some essence that he had never known existed until now, flowing gently from him into her.

Early next morning, two guards stumbled upon the lifeless body of Aemond on his grandiose bed. His mouth was agape, his eyes still open in horror as if he had seen a ghost. The maester pronounced him dead due to a mysterious heart failure that was brought about by some unknown force. Despite performing several tests, the maester could not find any clarity as to what had caused Aemond's demise.

Viserra's portrait hung above them, no longer frowning angrily but grinning widely instead. Despite the cheerful canvas painting, the mood in the room was somber as they all mourned Aemond's death; a death that had brought about by one woman's hard-fought desire for freedom after years of agony and servitude. No one noticed the strange smile cast down upon them or how it seemed to cast an ominous feeling around the gathering. Shrouded in grief, each person gathered in this chamber lost in their own sorrow and despair; unable to comprehend what had happened and why it had been allowed to occur.

#fanfiction #house of the dragon #prince aemond #asas fics #prince aemond targaryen #aemond imagine #aemond one eye #aemond targaryen #aemond angst #maegor #maegor targaryen #maegor the cruel #aemond x oc

[anxiouspineapple99]

Hello!! So for the First Kiss prompt. This is probably really a predictable one for Tech but I’d love to read -someone's hair ending up getting caught in the other's glasses/jewelry only with his goggles. Because, yeah!

Have a fantastic day!!❤️🖤❤️🖤

Hey lovely friend! Thank you so much for the ask! 🥰 Again I am going with Tech and Avery because i love them lol.

Tangled

Pairing: Tech x Fem Jedi!OC

Warnings: none just fluffy fluffs!

Word Count: 819

A/N: you can find the first kiss prompts here!

First watch was done and Tech made his way to his rack. It had taken some adjusting to sleeping in his rack again. He’d become so accustomed to crashing in one of the chairs it felt unnatural. And to further add to the abnormal nature of the change, he was never alone. After the night Avery fell asleep on him, arm draped across his chest and leg interlocked with his, he suspected he wouldn’t be going back to regularly sleeping in the cockpit.

This evening in particular, he couldn’t help but notice how soft and peaceful she managed to look on the miserable rack. Her lashes fluttered through the deepest venture into REM sleep, curls strewn about, her lips parted in a sweet pout that he thought was very reminiscent of the princesses he’d seen illustrated in the fairy tales she’d shown him. The stories she read to the children in the Temple. The same stories she now read to Omega.

He’d pored over them again during his down time, memorizing Avery and Omega’s favorites, learning the symbolism and motifs, studying the accompanying art, and contemplating what their appeal was.

Now, standing before her and seeing her laying in his rack looking similar to a sleeping princess illustrated in one of Omega’s favorite tales, he felt he may truly decode the motivations of the heroes who kissed the princesses. He sipped an arm under her shoulders and another around her waist shifting her enough that he could roll her on top of him in the familiar position they shared every time she slept in his rack with him.

“Mmm lovely way to wake up…” she hummed, her blue eyes fluttering open to meet his warm amber.

“I apologize. I had not intended on waking you. You looked so lovely…I do believe I now understand the heroes in those fairy stories.

“My knight in not so shining armor,” she sighed through a sleepy smile.

And so his lips captured hers tenderly, softly, lingering so he could drink her in as his fingers brushed errant curls away from her brow. She breathed him in deeply as if the first breath after nearly drowning. Her hands found purchase at the nape of his neck, stroking his soft curls that were growing a bit longer than he usually allowed. Whispers and giggles were sprinkled in between soft pecks and more passionate languid caresses. Sleep escaped them as they indulged the intimate embrace they were so rarely afforded in a galaxy plagued with darkness and a ship with virtually no privacy.

As always, their time was cut short, this time by Echo who noted some functional anomalies in the hyperdrive and knew Tech would want to see them. However, Tech didn’t make it far from the rack.

“Ouch! Tech! Wait wait stop!”

“What is…oh.”

Tech stood hunched over Avery who was on her knees, a considerable amount of her hair tangled in his goggles. Her fingers gripped tightly trying to ensure there was enough slack to save her scalp from inevitable discomfort or a wayward tug that may prove itself to be even more unpleasant.

“Would you believe me if I said this was all part of my elaborate plan to keep you in bed?” Avery giggled wildly as she tried to free herself.

“I would be disappointed that you’d concocted such a strategically lacking idea,” he hummed as he lifted the goggles off his head and placed them in her hands. “I shall go grab…”

Hunter’s hand dropped down between them from the rack above from where he’d been sleeping. Between his fingers was his vibroblade.

“Here. Also the two of you make more noise than Wrecker’s snoring.”

Avery scrunched her brow indignantly as she took the blade from Hunter. “We were whispering!”

“Yeah, non stop. At least there are breaks in Wreck’s snores,” Hunter groused through an exhausted grunt.

Avery worked out as much of her hair as she could, finally cutting the remaining that was far too tangled to salvage. With nimble fingers she freed the goggles from the leftover tendrils of curls that had ensnared them. She then beckoned Tech closer with her finger, sliding the strap over the back of his head and leaving the lenses to rest on his forehead. She ran her fingertips along the red lines on his cheeks before kissing him softly on the nose and securing his goggles in place. With a soft chuck under Avery’s chin, Tech made his way back to the cockpit.

Avery handed the vibroblade back up to Hunter. “Thank you. I’ll try to keep it down next time.”

“You’re welcome. And it’s okay. Watching you almost lose half a head of hair made it worth it,” he ribbed with a cocky smile.

Avery returned a swift and satisfying kick to the bottom of his rack in kind as she lay back down. “Rude. Just for that I’m whispering louder next time.”

Ragu List: @secondaryrealm @sev-on-kamino @dystopicjumpsuit @mooncommlink @moonlightwarriorqueen @sunshinesdaydream @starrylothcat @starqueensthings @mandos-mind-trick @multi-fan-dom-madness @808tsuika @msmeredithrose @trixie2023 @wolffegirlsunite @mythical-illustrator @wings-and-beskar @wizardofrozz @ladyzirkonia @eyeluvmusic21 @523rdrebel @idontgetanysleep @clonemedickix @isthereanechoinhere96 @littlemissmanga @sinfulsalutations @the-bad-batch-baroness @freesia-writes

#star wars #you asked #and the pineapple answered #the bad batch #the clone wars #tech x oc #tbb tech #tech tuesday #tech my beloved #oc: avery leto #first kiss prompt #but not really a first kiss #oops #anxiouspineapple99 writes

[capricioussun]

The reason i say i have like seven different versions of UF on rotation in my brain is because there are several different Styles of UF that i really like and can never really decide on which I'd consider my Main one, on top of also Lore, which i have a few different ideas for, too.

So like, we have the one i talk abt most often probably, which we'll call AngstFell, because. I'll be honest i love angst and i love doing terrible things to characters. This is the one where they have core issues, supply issues, food shortages, LVlost culling, very complicated and sort of miserable relationships between just about all of the characters. No One is having a good time pretty much, but despite everything, there is still hope...

Then there's how i often mentally refer to it as SillyFell, which is basically just like. If everyone in UT decided to try to be mean and was mostly really bad about it. In this one, things are still generally worse, but having LV is still somewhat uncommon, mostly only guards would have it, and people are generally more sad than they are mean/angry.

And then we have what's probably """closest to canon""" as far as my understanding of it goes, where it's sort of somewhere in between the two prior ones, in that there's definitely still silliness, and their UT selves aren't too far removed from them, but it still can get pretty heavy, and problems aren't as surface level as Silly.

Then we have my """fanon"""fell which is essentially something I've done for most AUs, where i try to imagine circumstances that could possibly, believably (by my own standards and interpretations) make the characters behave more in line with fanon portrayals. This one's way more difficult to summarize since the changes are more character specific, but generally, as far as "seriousness" goes, it falls in a similar place as "Canon"Fell.

And then there's Tale to Fell (v.1) which is essentially based around the idea that UF kind of started as UT, but slowly became UF due to Circumstances like core trouble and slightly different events going down with the humans, both during the war, and with what happened to Chara and Asriel. (End results are similar to "Canon"Fell)

But there's also Tale to Fell (v.2) which is based on the premise of UT slowly becoming UF after Frisk has fallen into the underground due to waaay too many resets and gradual code fuckery. (Opposed to v.1, this is actually a concept I've never seen explored before! Not to say it isn't out there somewhere, but i have a rough draft layout of a potential fic abt it that will...probably never happen bc it would take a lot of commitment lol)

So we have those bad boys, but then there's also differences depending on Lore. Like there's one version i think of sometimes where Papyrus is the older brother, or a version where Gaster didn't make Sans and Papyrus but was actually their adoptive uncle, and another with Gaster Papyrus where, as it goes, the incident that "shattered" Gaster created Papyrus, one where Undyne knew the bros as kids briefly, one where Asgore's just Terrible for like, no real reason, like. There are a lot of ways to think about it!!

And that's not even taking into account all of the Fell based story ideas like the psychonauts one, the one where the bros are gb shifters, one where Papyrus is [redacted], one where there's a zombie like plague outbreak that can only affect monsters with LV, one where Frisk winds up living underground with them all for a Hot Minute, and then of course there's the AUs, like Vesselfell, Horrorfell, Heartfell, Lovefell, Invertedfell, Orangefell, that mysterious one I've been mulling and have not talked about at all with Albatross-

Clearly i am very normal about this 👍

#and that's just off the top of my head there's probably more rattling around up there #i NEED to nickname orangefell Papyrus so bad because he’s so cute and i love him #im taking all of them and putting them in a big jar and shaking it and shaking it and shaking it an #it's like 7 degrees here and my nose is cold and I didn't sleep so you can imagine the headspace I'm in right now (/lh) #sun spots #underfell #i will not be tagging this as anything else for now <3

[darklordazalin]

Azalin Reviews Darklord Adam

Domain: Lamordia Formation: 575 BC (the actual date various in different sources, but I was there to witness its formation, so take this date to be the most accurate) Power Level: 💀💀💀⚫⚫ Sources: Ravenloft Gazetteer Vol 2 (3e); Domains of Dread (2e); I, Strahd the War Against Azalin (Novel).

Based on rumors, Lamordia went through significant changes in its latest rendition, but this week I shall review it as it once was and tell the tale of Darklord Adam and the constant harsh weather that plagues “his” domain. The settlements of this land are constantly assaulted by deadly blizzards and frigid air coming from the Sea of Sorrows in the winter and infestation of insects and insufferable heat in the summer. I do not recommend visiting, especially given how adverse the entire populace is to magic. I am positive my late father would thoroughly enjoy it, however.

Everything about Lamordia is based upon structure and scientific reasoning set within a utilitarian society. The people have a scientific explanation for everything despite the obvious supernatural phenomena that occurs all around them. They are adverse to any type of magic - whether it be the far more superior arcane arts or the divine. This disbelief is so tightly held that the land itself is known to suppress those that attempt any form of casting. Though, I have it on first hand accounts that this effect does not always occur.

It is highly dangerous for those who deny the existence in the arcane to essentially practice it. I’m surprised Lamorida hasn’t imploded in on itself yet, for Dr. Victor Mordenheim’s science clearly surpasses the realm of the supernatural. Given the nature of the domain, you would think Mordenheim would be its Darklord, but he is not. His creation, a flesh golem of rare independence, is the true Darklord of Lamordia.

Let’s dive in a bit to the tale of these two idiots. When Mordenheim and his wife, Elise, were unable to conceive a child, he devoted himself to the study of life and death; above all, other ways in which life could be created. I can...understand that inclination. It is important one has an heir to carry out one's legacy and rule. Of course, he went about it like a blind fool with no sense of the magics he was tapping into for he denied their very existence.

Adam was the result of 13 years of labor which he spent away from Elise. Moredenheim created Adam to appear as a perfect physical specimen. And upon first blush, I suppose one could say that is true. He is muscular yet lean with long black hair and I am told that sort of thing is appealing to some. However, close up he is a mockery of beauty like a horrible painting gifted to a King by a so-called artist.

Made up of pulsating arteries and tendons seen just beneath the thin bits of grey flesh, Adam is disgusted by his own appearance. Interestingly, when my little scholar interviewed Adam he told her that Mordenheim made him but another source provided him with his “soul”. So, it seems that Mordenheim’s science only brought him so far and it was likely the powers he denied that truly brought life into Adam.

Elise was unsettled by Adam’s appearance and despite her discomfort her husband decided to adopt a girl to act as a playmate for Adam. That seems like a very bad parenting decision and coming from me...well, that says something, doesn’t it?

Adam became obsessed with Elise and wanted nothing more than her acceptance and approval. Accounts of what transpired on the night Lamordia appeared on the border of Barovia differs between Adam and his maker. They both blame the other, but in the end whether Adam was a murderous villain or a victim attempting to gain acceptance, his adopted sister fell to her death after an encounter with him and Elise was mutilated.

Death would have been kinder for Elise, but Mordenheim keeps her alive through “scientific” means. Her heart beats through the working of machinery alone and he constantly switches her limbs and skin out in attempts to receive her, but only accomplishes keeping her in constant pain. If the foolish man believed in Divine or even the Arcane and not dismissed those practitioners of both, he could have healed her condition. I myself have been known to use such magics to prolong my own life when I was a mortal man.

Mordenheim’s monstrous creations roam Lamordia, but despite the obvious arcane nature of these creations, the people and the Doctor himself still dismiss the arcane. They will not accept it, just as they will not accept Adam. And this is the curse the Dark Powers bestowed upon Adam, to never find the acceptance he so hopelessly craves. To live alone on an island, over-dramatically named “The Isle of Agony” as he plots against his creator. When my little scholar interviewed Adam he said that Lamordia was Mordenheim’s even though it shouldn’t be and that they were “all his children”.

Adam is tied to Mordenheim and devotes his existence to making the Doctor’s life as miserable as possible, like the overgrown rebellious teenager that he is. Though, this is quite easy seeing as the Dark Powers bond the two together so that Adam experiences Mordenheim’s physical pain and the doctor experiences his creation’s angsty teenage ways.

As flesh golems go, Adam is one of a kind with many immunities to mundane weapons and certain magical energies. Still, without any arcane mastery of his own, a skilled wizard could make quick work of him. Though his curse is interesting, it makes his tie and rule over his own realm obsolete. As such, I will give Adam 3 skulls for this review and Mordenheim does not even get a skull. I despise those that practice the art without respecting it and those who do so without realizing it? Utter fools.

#azalin rex #darklordreviews #ravenloft #mordenheim #adam #frankenstein but ravenloft style

[riddle-me-ri]

Since you want Smut what about Arkham Mad Hatter fem!S/O riding him while saying “You look so good beneath me.” 

A/N: whelp, looks like i’m gonna go cry…asdffgh I haven’t even gotten the opportunity to write Jervis like…well not normal..but non-smutty rip. Well, nothing like going off into the deep end of the pool (I’ve actually done that at the wee age I don’t recommend it but I miss that fearlessness tho) shout out to @mischievous-marchie whose loving, adoring ramblings of him has helped immensely with this.

Trigger Warnings: 18+ ONLY MINORS DNI explicit sexual content (cowgirl position, unprotected sex, biting), and strong language

Word Count: 1.9 k

Arkhamverse Mad Hatter x F!Reader - A Midnight Surprise 

It truly was a miracle. 

Your sweet, loving, devoting Jervis was back home. 

After being under Strange’s selfish, cruel, and calculated thumb for a few years. Jervis was a free man like his other fellow rogues after the Protocol 10 ruling. Albeit stripped of his equipment, his work, and the time away from you. Strange had spun a convoluted tale of your demise to Jervis, beginning his quest for Alice anew. 

You were always there though, always alive. Jervis didn’t even believe it was you, he was so twisted and confused from Strange’s shrilling cacophony of lies. 

It’s been slow going, but your Jervis was finally coming back around. His eyes lit up whenever they met yours, his neutral smile ultimately widening like the Cheshire Cat’s in delight at the sight of you. Fractured as his mind was, he was able to piece back the memories of you. 

However some habits don’t change, no matter how much trauma one goes through. 

“Jervis…darling, it’s time to go to bed.” You called from behind the door to his work room. 

“In just a moment, my dear. I’ll come join you in a minute, did you hear?”

You groaned. Pulling this man away from whatever project plagued his mind was almost as difficult as defeating the Jabberwock. 

You had a card up your sleeve however, one that would benefit both you and Jervis. 

You cleared your mind from the lewd tactic you had planned…in exchange for coming up with a decent rhyme. You have been with Jervis long enough to detect when he was experiencing an overwhelming amount of emotion…he tended to rhyme. Not to mention whenever you rhymed back, you could almost see his pupils turn heart shaped.

“Oh, Jervis, please would you join me in bed and stay until morn? Especially if there is a reward..in return?” Okay, that sounded more clever and flirtatious in your head.

Whatever effect you were hoping for, it worked. Jervis spun around from his desk on his beat-up swivel chair and almost rabbit-like bounced up from the seat. 

“A surprise? Ooh what a delight! Perhaps I can turn in with you proper, if just for tonight.”

Okay, it’s kind of stupidly unfair how good he is at that. 

Nevertheless you grab his wrists and gently drag him to your shared bedroom down the hall. Everything was going exactly according to plan…well, except for however the hell you were going to rhyme what you needed him to do. 

“Errm..uhh…Jervis…it’s imperative for the surprise to be underway, that before you lay down, your clothes must go…away.” 

You got an adorable chortle in response, unsure if it was from him understanding the implications of your surprise or the fact you were struggling to rhyme. 

“I am under you control, for you I’ll do as I’m told.”

Unceremoniously, Jervis began stripping off his dress shirt, pants, and different colored socks. His signature hat, long hung up in his workshop. 

“I admire your efforts, they don’t go unheeded. But if it’s troubling, you don’t have to rhyme, it’s not needed.”

You took a relieving gasp as if you were drowning and finally came back up for air. “Okay thank you, but I was doing all right, huh?”

Jervis chuckled in glee. “Indeed.” He made himself comfortable on top of the mattress, nude as the day he was born. 

You could hear him softly whimpering behind you as he watched you strip off your nightgown. The only clothing you wore were your lacey sky blue panties. His favorites. 

Stealing a glance over your shoulder, he looked absolutely delectable. Stretched out in the middle of the bed, about to be completely at your mercy. 

You turned around and got on all fours on the bed. Slowly inching closer and closer to Jervis. His breathless pants becoming more erratic and loud as you got closer to him. You were hovering over him, slowly lowering yourself on top of him. 

You felt the slightest pressure to your lace cladded core. Despite his rather short and lanky stature…he was decently thick and had a slightly above average length. That length was surely getting hard and was already trying to make headway to it’s final destination. 

Chuckling, you rested your forehead along his. “Seems someone’s excited for their surprise.” 

Jervis nodded, barely affirming with a whisper, “y-yes..”

You smiled sweetly at him, before cupping the sides of his face in both your hands. “My handsome hatter.” You purr before softly locking your lips with his. 

As you two locked lips, you started to softly grind on Jervis’ member. You giggled as Jervis’ gentle moans tickled your lips, but you kept steady with your movements. Your hands raked down from his face towards his chest. You could feel his warm hands encompassing around your arms. His fingers traced your collarbone down to your chest. 

It was your turn to moan into his lips, as he began kneading your chest. You had to break the kiss when he teasingly pinched one of your nipples. 

“T-Two can tease, my sweet.” He breathed, somewhat pleased with himself. He pushed you back, to where he was sitting up against the headboard and you were straddling him.

You let out a small huff…so much for being in control, but this was his surprise. You figured you’d get what you wanted out of him, just as long as you were on top. 

“I couldn’t have asked for a better teaser.” You whispered, before directing his lips by his chin back onto yours. 

After more kissing and groping, you decided to give attention to the aching member just below you. You reached your hand down, and started to softly tighten your grip, with every tightened grip you languidly stroked him. 

Words couldn’t describe what the piercing whimper he let out did to you. It made you dampen your underwear more than you cared to admit, but damn the sounds…his sounds were addicting. 

You leaned in to the side of his face, you began kissing and softly suckling on his soft skin. Breaking his breathing between pants and soft moans. You swear you could almost cum then and there from his noises alone. 

Abruptly, you broke your kiss from Jervis as you laid back on your haunches. You slowly began sliding your soaked garment off of you through one leg at a time, before tossing it to the side. You returned to your straddling position over Jervis’ lap. 

You kept slowly pumping his cock, spreading the pre-cum from the head down to the base. After a few more pumps, you lowered yourself onto him, finally becoming one. Jervis let out a sharp hiss as your walls already began clamping around him. His fingers clutching your love handles for dear life. 

After a moment to get used to the new pleasurable pressure. You grabbed his shoulders and slowly began going up and down, up and down, occasionally tightening your walls every time you went up. 

Jervis was an absolute mess. Whimpers, stifled breaths, moans, and groans. He was like a naughty music box, and you were adamant to keep him wounded up, to keep him playing. His unruly hair, somehow became more so, caked to his forehead in sweat. His lips raw from kissing yours and biting his lower lip. 

You began picking up your pace for a little bit and then slow down to a medium speed. Just when you were sure he’d reach his high, you slowed down. 

“Aaahh…mmm…Ali-Y/N…please…stop…mmm…d-don’t tease..” He whined. 

You couldn’t help the satisfied grin on your face, one that’d rival the Cheshire’s and even Jervis’.  

“I can’t help it, darling.” You leaned your head to the side of his. Lips just centimeters from his ears. “It’s just…You look so good underneath me…” You kissed the skin just below his ear, before softly nibbling at it, causing Jervis to moan more. 

Jervis’ nails pricked and poked your skin, you wouldn’t be surprised if it broke your skin. You knew he’d leave bruises no doubt. You wrapped your arms around his neck and bring him in for another passionate kiss. 

Never once did you stop grinding on his cock, keeping a steady pattern, only speeding up occasionally. You had no doubt though that both of your peaks were near. Your walls anchored down as you began bouncing faster than before, and much longer too. All the way down to the base, and up, where just the tip of his head barely stayed in between your lower lips. 

“J-Jervis…mm..fuck.” It was your turn to be a moaning mess. 

In Jervis’ eyes, you were like the sirens or nymphs at sea, constantly luring him into a state of euphoria. When he was with you, the prospect of Wonderland wasn’t such a delusion, if not the evidence that it exists wherever you are. You are Alice, after all. 

You didn’t recognize the piercing wail you let out, as you felt Jervis begin thrusting into you. Perfectly thrusting into you the exact moment you bounced down on him. 

“Y-Y-Yes…shit…J-Jervis…please, please, please…”

Your hands reached down to the middle of his back, gripping onto him and whatever skin you could sink your nails into. Red irritated lines went up Jervis’ back, as you dragged them up and back to his shoulders. 

The two of you kept a fast sloppy pace. Just trying to chase that inevitable sweet release that’s been building up slowly but surely. You could feel your gut tighten, and tighten with every collision of both your hips. 

“Jerv..Jervis…s-s-so close.” You whined in his ear. You whine reached to a higher pitch when you felt him sink his teeth into the middle of your shoulder. Jervis stilled, you felt this cock throb and shake between your lips. Your walls in turn began convulsing around him, choking him like a vice. He brought his hand lower and began rubbing your clit with his thumb, giving you that final push over the edge. 

“Jervis…” You squeaked, as your fingernails painted his skin in red again at the shoulders. Your nerves were shocked with vibrations and warmth all over. Your legs shook rapidly, Jervis placed his hands on your thighs to calm the muscles. 

The two of you stayed still as an undisturbed pond on a golden afternoon. Trying to catch your breaths and revel in the delicious afterglow. Once you started gaining feeling in your legs, you began pulling off of Jervis, the emptiness causing you to let out a pathetic whimper. You collapsed on the other side of the bed beside Jervis. 

You could feel the mixture of both your climaxes begin seeping out between your folds, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care. You felt Jervis flip over onto his side and you could feel his eyes on you. Stretching your legs, to keep the nerves from rapidly going back to sleep to recover, you flipped over on your side to look at him. 

You brought your hand up to his face, softly caressing the prominent cheek there with your thumb. 

“Did you like your surprise?” You whispered sweetly, as if you snuck him a cookie he wasn’t supposed to have this late as opposed to riding him to infinity. 

“Oh, very much so yes, loved it even, dearest.” He took your hand that was on his cheek, and brought your palm to his lips, kissing it. 

“I surmises…on future nights there will be more surprises…” He leaned his head against your shoulder. 

“We’ll see, my handsome hatter. We’ll see.” 

You both drifted off to a peaceful slumber, knowing as well as the sun would rise tomorrow. 

There would be more surprises to come.

#whelp #i'm a go cry now #I have such mixed feelings about this #and it doesn't help I'm oversensitive af rn #but I couldn't stop thinking about this #and wanted it to be done #ri writes #arkhamverse mad hatter x reader #arkhamverse jervis tetch x reader #arkhamverse mad hatter x reader smut #arkhamverse jervis tetch x reader smut #does this make me a hatterhoe now?

[patiencetakestyme]

The Betrothal in the Brothel, Chapter 1

A/N: I took the weekend off, but I'm back! This is my third fic in a series of three.  You can find the links to the other two in my profile, “What She Deserves,” and “A Fair Price to Pay.”  But you do not need to read the other two to read this one; it stands on its own.  

I saw a post theorizing what it would look like when Lucy, Lockwood, and George started to lose their Talents and were forced to retire.  Needless to say, it prompted a question that left me contemplating an answer.  This fic is my answer to that question, and it's my final happy ending for the Locklyle I have maintained throughout this series.  I hope you enjoy reading it!

Lockwood was the first to lose it.  His eyesight faded, eventually becoming so poor that he required yearly eye exams and glasses.  

Next was George.  He barely noticed it at first; towards the end of his days as an agent, he spent far more time in the archives than he spent in a haunted house.  

Last, surprisingly, was Lucy.  It was surprising, given that she was actually the oldest of the three; the difference in their ages was only a matter of a few months—so few that they could be counted on two hands—but, still, it felt noteworthy, especially to George and his curiosity, which, of course, knew no bounds.  

It took time—years, even, after the debacle at Fittes.  The Problem had, theoretically, been fixed.  The barriers in place on the Other Side had been removed, by none other than the agents at Lockwood & Co.  Lockwood had not trusted anyone else to do the job and do it well, and Barnes, in his desperate need for help, was not in a position to object or make a counteroffer.

Being uniquely and singularly qualified—as the only living agents to travel to the Other Side previously and live to tell the tale—they had finished the work and had been compensated nicely for their efforts.  Ghosts, for the most part, were now free to pass on to whatever awaited them after death.  

However, just as it had been prior to Marissa Fittes actively attempting to use the Other Side to prolong her life, sometimes, ghosts simply chose to remain behind; while there were far fewer ghosts plaguing London in the time after the Problem, it was still, in some ways, a problem.  

They continued serving as agents for as long as they could.  Lockwood was twenty-five when his Talent completely disappeared, several years older than Kipps had been when he had already completely lost his Talent.  Lockwood was never one to hesitate to remind them all of that.  Still, he only chose to issue this reminder once he actually started openly admitting to the fact that he was losing his Talent.  

He started noticing it around the time of his twenty-fourth birthday, but he kept quiet on the matter for quite some time.  At first, he told himself that he couldn’t be certain that he was losing his Talent—that that was truly what was happening—but, while he wanted to categorize this as a misunderstanding, he knew enough to call it what it was:  willful ignorance.  

His whole life had been built around being an agent.  He literally couldn’t remember a time prior to picking up a rapier.  

And worse yet, his relationship with Lucy had been, thus far, nearly completely defined by their status as agents.  They had always worked together:  fought together, protected each other.  What would happen when he was no longer able to carry his weight?  

He feared the impact it would have upon their relationship.  They had been together since the days that had followed the debacle involving Marissa Fittes—idly, an internal reminder went off in the back of his mind; their seven-year anniversary was approaching, and he needed to do something about it—but was that likely to change once she knew the truth:  once she knew he had lost his value to her as an agent?  

He dreaded telling her, but, ultimately, she reacted as he—well, not as he expected her to, but as he should’ve expected her to.  

One evening, upon returning home to Portland Row after a case, he decided the time was right to tell her.  The house was quiet; George, Holly, and Kipps were still out on an assignment, Kipps equipped with the goggles Lockwood himself would soon require to successfully carry out his duties.  

There had been a close call on this given night.  He had sensed a ghost—he could’ve sworn he had been able to feel it—but he couldn’t, for the life of him, see it.  He could sense when it moved, but he could not see the actual glow of the thing.  It was horrifying; it was as if he were seeing a movie on a several second delay, and he was constantly stuck a handful of frames behind the rest of the audience.  

Lucy had very nearly paid the price.  The ghost cornered her, and it was only through the directive actions of her trained eyes that he was able to position himself to make a counterattack.  

It was time to tell her, and he knew it.  There could be no more avoiding the matter.  

“Luce,” he called out to her as she exited the attached bathroom.  She had been sharing the master bedroom—his parents’ old room—with him for quite some time.  He could hardly remember a time, now, that she hadn’t called this room home.  Like every other evening they spent together, she emerged from the bathroom dressed in her pajamas and ready for bed.  

He was already tucked in, under the comforter, waiting for her to join him.  Already, from the tilt of her head and the quirk of her eyebrow, he got the sense that Lucy had questions.  It was uncommon for him to be in bed before she even got out of the bathroom, unless, of course, he was in a bit of an emotional state, which happened from time to time:  when he thought back on all the hardships they had faced, when he thought back on all the family members he had lost, when he thought back on their time spent on the Other Side.  Really, there were a plethora of options, when it came to their trauma.  Still, he wasn’t one to dwell, and, even if he was in such a state, he wasn’t one to show it often.

So, she probably knew to be concerned.  But did she suspect what he had to tell her?  It was hard to hazard a guess; Lucy could be a tough one to read.  

“Yeah?�� she asked, pulling the covers back and crawling into bed so that they lay facing each other.  

His eyes trained on her face.  He loved her so very much.  The last thing he wanted to do in the world was disappoint her, and he feared he was about to do just that, but there was simply no other choice:  he was losing his Talent, and she deserved to know.  

“I’m sorry about tonight,” he started, knowing that apologies always helped ease the awkwardness of a situation.  “I…I wasn’t there for you when you needed me.”  

“What are you talking about?” she asked, her smile tugging at the corners of her lips.  “You came through when I needed you.”  

“That’s not—it wasn’t—” he stuttered:  yet another action that was unlike him.  He released a deep breath and attempted to start again.  “I’m losing my Talent, Lucy.  I couldn’t see the ghost—not fully.  It was barely a shadow to me, and I couldn’t follow its movements to save my life—or yours, apparently.”  

Even he could hear it:  the self-deprecating nature of his tone.  He hated himself in that moment, and in a way he only allowed himself to express in Lucy’s presence, he let the full-force of that dislike push through.  He trusted her in a way he didn’t trust anyone else; he allowed himself to be honest in front of her in a way he didn’t in front of anyone else.  

“I know,” she answered, her eyes not stirring from his.  She didn’t seem worried or judgmental or even angry that he had waited to tell her; she, honestly, just seemed as if she wanted to take some of the burden off of his shoulders.  “I’ve been waiting for you to tell me.”

“How long have you known?” he asked.  Abruptly, he moved to elevate his head so that he could see her better; he brought a hand up to cradle his head and used his elbow to prop it up.  

“Since…” she trailed off, her eyes squinting, as she seemed to try to remember the specifics.  “Maybe the Brixton Banshee case?  Although, I’m still not happy with the paper for assigning that particular name to that particular case,” she meandered, her eyes coming back to his.  “Just because the ghost was a wailing woman, crying over the loss of her children, doesn’t mean she deserved to be called a banshee.”

“You’ve come so far, Luce,” he started, and even he could hear the irony in his tone.  “From your screaming match with Holly in Aickmere’s.”  

“I’ve grown, truly.”  She saw his bit of irony, and undeniably raised him.  “Anyway, you didn’t hear her, which isn’t exactly uncommon for you, but I noticed that you missed a few easy jabs at her with your rapier, which is uncommon for you.

“I don’t think I walked away from that case knowing you were losing your Talent.  I can’t pinpoint an exact moment when I felt that way, if I ever felt that way,” she continued, shaking her head.  “But I just remember being concerned about you—about whether you were maybe sick or off your game.  And then, one day, it just…clicked.”  She paused; her eyes found their focus, as she seemed to return to the present—to the conversation at hand.  “Can you see them at all anymore?”

He nodded, but he could admit that he felt a lump developing in his throat.  “It’s exactly as Kipps used to tell us:  I can sense them, but I can’t see them, and that’s somehow even more terrifying.”  Pausing, he worked to gather his thoughts; he knew he had more to say on the matter, but it was almost as if it were evading him.  Ultimately, he knew his issue:  he feared being brutally honest about it.  

His inability to see ghosts rendered him pretty useless as a leader.  Lockwood had always been their leader.  To face down not being their leader…  He wasn’t sure what his next steps should be, and that was utterly terrifying.  

“Luce,” he started again, his eyes coming back to focus on her.  Seeing her there, laying in front of him, in the bed they had shared for nearly seven years at this point, he started berating himself:  if he couldn’t be honest with her, who the hell could he be honest with?  “If I can’t see ghosts, I can’t be the leader.  I can’t lead us properly when we’re out on a job.  I can’t do anything.  My purpose, my entire life, has been about fighting ghosts.  If I can’t fight them, what am I to do now?”

She shrugged, her expression as casual as ever.  “Retire.”

“Retire?” he asked; his tone was dripping with indignation.  “Lucy, that’s—”

“I mean it,” she cut him off.  The lack of irony in her tone had him hesitating.  “We’ve worked hard, Lockwood.  We’ve done our fair share.”

He continued to hesitate.  There was an implicit conclusion to be drawn from her statement, but he was nearly afraid to ask for verification.  Knowing he had no other choice—he needed to know—he found his courage.  “We?”

She shrugged, again.  He found that he was beginning to hate the maneuver; it was far too casual to competently convey the complexities of the current conversation.  “I’ll retire with you,” she stated, as if it were obvious.  “I’m certainly not going out and looking for another agency to join.”

“Certainly, your loyalty to me has rendered you unwilling and unable to join another agency—” he started, with a fresh batch of irony.

“Oh, I suppose,” she interrupted, with a feigned and dramatic sigh, and he found himself marveling at just how well she was able to top him in packing a punch in a conversation.  “But truly,” she continued, imitating his posh accent—badly; at the very least, it appeared he was not the only one to struggle with mimicking accents.  “What if this hypothetical other agency employs a supervisor?”  She scrunched her nose and shook her head in distaste.

He laughed, temporarily unable to resist the pull of the conversation.  “Of course.  That would truly be the worst of fates,” he responded, doing his best to simply focus on her use of irony and neglect the fact that he had, on some level, been looking for some genuine promise of loyalty in this conversation.  

It was strange; he almost felt as if he had fallen ill.  His inability to see ghosts left him feeling vulnerable, and when he felt vulnerable, he locked things down; he wanted his friends—his family—nearby, closer than ever before.  He had been looking for a reassurance of her loyalty in this conversation, but he understood that Lucy, by nature, tended to avoid that sort of sentiment.  She would listen to him while he expressed his emotions, and she could even express her own on occasion, but she did tend to go for diffusion over compassion.  

He knew this, of course—knew her well enough to know to expect it.  But he could still lament the loss of that reassurance he so desperately needed.  Regardless, he had no choice; he would proceed with the conversation, because that was what he must do.  “And becoming a supervisor,” he carried on, trying to find his footing in this conversation once more.  “The next natural progression in our careers—”

“Isn’t something I’d even consider,” she finished for him.  “Sending kids into death traps, monitoring safely from a distance…” she shook her head, her eyes going out of focus, but only for a moment, as she visibly cringed.  “I could never do it.”  

He nodded, agreeing whole-heartedly.  

“Besides, to do either of those things, I’d have to leave Portland Row—leave during the day…or night, whatever—and go work somewhere else,” she started again, shrugging once more.  Her eyes ran to take in the whole of the room before coming back to meet his, which had snapped up to meet hers sharply.  Was it possible his dose of compassion was forthcoming after all?  “Leaving you and George?” she asked, with another shake of her head.  “I left once.  I’m never doing it again.  No, it isn’t in the cards for me.  So, yeah, if you’re ready to retire, I’m retiring too.”  

He didn’t know how Lucy managed it, but she always did come through in the end.  She’d lead him astray in a conversation, and he’d think he was done for—that he wasn’t going to hear just what he needed to hear, or that she wasn’t going to reach out and grab his hand at just the moment he needed it.  And, somehow, she’d come through at the eleventh hour; she’d say just the right thing and reach for him just at the right moment.

He knew, partially, that this evasive behavior was simply a product of her poor childhood.  She had never properly learned to experience and express her emotions.  He had no real room to talk in that area, but he did consider himself at least advanced in the awareness he had with his emotions.  It was expressing his emotions—particularly when it involved people other than Lucy—that was the bother for him.  Either way, they both had something to learn here, and they were both working on learning it—together.  

“We have the money,” he started again, mirroring her preferred method of expression in this conversation:  a shrug.  “Barnes paid well, considering we ended the Problem, and all.  And we’ve been quite frugal.  With all of our successes over the years, we have quite a bit saved up.”

“Enough to account for George’s monthly Arif’s budget?”

Lockwood winced.  “George may have to restrain himself, but only slightly.  After all, we’ll all have to make some changes.  That’s what one does when they retire.”  

He smiled, but it was false—misleading.  He spoke with confidence, with charm—as he always did.  But what did he know?  His parents had never lived to see retirement.  Hell, he had never anticipated living long enough to see retirement.  He was doing nothing if not playing a guessing game.  But, alas, did he ever do anything different?  As long as he appeared to have everything under control, he knew those around him would follow.  He had to keep strong—for them.  

“We will be fine,” he continued, as much for his benefit as for hers.  “If all else fails, we can always engage in some freelance work.  We do have the best Listener in the country, after all,” he continued, his irony returning to the conversation.

But she didn’t seem to be having it; she shook her head, the severity of the subject matter still clear upon her face.  “If you’re done, I’m done.  I’m not working without you.”  

He wouldn’t exactly say that he had been baiting her with his comment, but, if he had, and if it had been a test, she would have passed with flying colors.  

He loved her in that moment.  He loved her in a lot of moments—they were, after all, in love.  But especially in that moment, he loved her.  

#lockwood and co #lockwood and co fanfic #lockwood and co fan fiction #lockwood and co fan fic #lockwood and co fanfiction #lockwood and lucy #lockwood & co #lockwood & co fanfic #lockwood & co fanfiction #lockwood & co fan fiction #lockwood & co fan fic #locklyle #locklyle fan fiction #locklyle fanfiction #locklyle fan fic #locklyle fanfic

[dailycass-cain]

Well, now that I have time tonight, let's FINALLY dig into this film and my thoughts on putting an Elseworlds of Cass in it with Kai Li Cain.

I'll start with the adaptation itself. After the last few Elseworld adaptations modified the story (Red Son and Gotham by Gaslight) it startled me how mostly untouched the main crux of this one was.

The story is "mostly" beat for beat just like the original comic.  There are changes namely Killer Croc's role in the movie (compared to the graphic novel where he was a human mutated), taking out the Captain of Bruce's ship, and Talia's werewolf henchmen. The movie fixes a few flaws the original story had (Oliver has a handful of scenes in the comic while he's actively investigating and forges a bond with Kai Li). Not to mention his battle with Poison Ivy is expanded on (he doesn’t get trashed causing Bruce to save him. This Oliver backs up physically on being prepared for “the doom” that’ll destroy his city. 

Harvey Dent as well feels like a truly good-natured fellow who truly you believe can change the cesspool Gotham has become. Again, it helps with an extended scene. Not to mention switching Ollie for Harvey in some places helps more strength those bonds as well. 

But the true scope of what truly helps this animated adaptation is Bruce and the "Bat Family" in this. You really get a sense that after his tragedy, besides forging himself into Batman, Bruce made himself this family by adopting Dick, Sanjay, and Kai Li.

But also the movie explains better how Bruce had a foothold in Gotham by putting Lucius Fox into this tale.  It helps the further portions as well letting Fox be the one who is all, "I think Bruce might have cracked with all the death" he's witnessed in the few days back.

But I give the movie full credit in you really get a sense that Bruce cares and is snapped out of his obsession to end the madness by Kai Li for a better quieter moment than the book gave with Tim (who Cass replaces here).

Really it astounds me how much Kai Li has a role in this film. She's the human anchor to Bruce and shielded by Ollie from the terrors of Gotham. That's not to say this kid can't handle herself, it's just Ollie/Bruce have been thru A LOT in this story.

They really don't want Kai Li going down the path both went down to end the madness that plagues Gotham.

However, that really what differs between Tim's original intent of the story and Kai Li's. She's a seeker just like Ollie/Bruce, while Tim's character is just-- there. He isn't given much sadly (then again none of the Robins are). Kai Li’s scenes feel more justified while Tim’s is more he just walks into the exposition by accident. 

That's why I do enjoy about this story more it feels like Dick/Sanjay are active more than Dick/Jason in the comics along with Kai Li. Plus there's a twist in the climax with them that only adds to the ordeal Bruce has to go thru in this to save Gotham.

Why this story's end has that finality to it but--- due to Kai Li being a Cass/Carrie Kelly hybrid I kind of want a sequel actually. Just Kai Li adopting the Bat mantle and trying to save the city from another supernatural threat.

Heck, you can have the BAT-man warn her of the incoming threat to deal with before he's forced too.  Like you can easily visualize it being around the 40s and well how Indiana Jones or the Mummy it could get.

There's still a bunch of Gotham Rogues you could bring to it (Scarecrow, the Court of Owls, Bane, and Clayface just for starters that pop in my head). 

 Not to mention heroes around Gotham with mystical or into the occult (Kate Kane, Ragman, the Creeper etc).

I also just love the voice cast all around this film. Jeffery Combs easily delivers as Langstrom (not surprisingly). While David Giuntoli is starting to make me want him to voice Batman more.

Giuntoli gives his Batman a different darker edge here than Batman: Soul of the Dragon. So it's amazing how he can handle a 70s Batman while going a bit into the grit here.

Christopher Gorham as Ollie is kind of extraordinary in this to me. Literally how he flips from this drunken mess of a person to reveal the inner turmoil within him.  Like Gorham is exceptional here.

Tati Gabrielle as Kai Li just channels perfectly that innocence and trying to be that anchor of "reality" for Bruce given she's all that's left for him.  But also does a good job showcasing the tragedy she has to watch as her father figure descends to madness to save Gotham.

Literally, I'd say everyone in the voice cast delivers nicely here. If there's any negative well...

It's just Talia and Ra's are still by the numbers bad guys here. There's no real motives for either other than freeing an otherworldly creature. I do like Talia is an active player here than the book buuuut...

Her motives are just eh. But that was the problem with the book as well. I do like they gave her a better fate here than the comic (ugh at what that comic did to her).

But still, her and Ra's motives are just so paper thin.  But I digress that's the one flaw this movie could've corrected but didn't. The villains are so hollow and stereotypical. They really needed better motives.

Even with those flaws, I rather did enjoy the story. Honestly more so than the original book.  Cause the movie makes me yearn for more. I mean you have Kai Li here and not have her go down this path with maybe BAT man saving her from his fate.

Okay, I admit it. I want 1940s Bat costume with Kai Li. I just want to see her kick ass and continue where Bruce left off.

Batman: The Doom that Came to Gotham doesn't hit that note Batman: Soul of the Dragon did, but it does come close for me. If they've expanded on the villain's motives than just have them be the same as the comic I probably would've enjoyed the film more.

Still, the places it did expand on I quite enjoyed. Plus the movie feels more like a Batman than the book which had a more pulpier Batman in it.  I'd rank this probably my fifth favorite Batman film (Under the Red Hood, Mask of the Phantasm, Soul of the Dragon, and '89 being my top favs).

But this movie was a pleasant surprise after the mess the last attempt at a Batman Elseworlds gave us that barely resembled the original story (or Batman: the Long Halloween for that matter) I kind of really dug this film waaaaaaay more as the add-ons felt warranted.

Batman: the Doom that Came to Gotham might surprise you. Save for Penguin and Etrigan’s bare butts. That will be sights one will never forget. .... I didn’t mind Etrigan’s. 

Just a last note on Kai Li. I'm okay with it being a loose adaptation of Cass.  You can see the tomboyish nature of Cass shine with Kai Li, the love she has for life, and seeing the good in others (Oliver, Harvey, and pulling Bruce out of the darkness for a tiny bit).

Her impact isn't physical, but hey a sequel can fix that. The seeds in this story can bare one where she becomes a vigilante too. The "wine cellar" and all the toys are good.

She saw the hope bats can bring to Gotham. Sooo maybe sequel bait? If not give me an older Kai Li as a Bat.

#batman: the doom that came to gotham #cassandra cain #kai li cain #movies #my thoughts #batman