#and we ran into our home and lit our hearth and held together as he and the others discussed if there was more to be done but wait | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

jaxsteamblog · 3 years

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Druk

Click here to read the entire fic on AO3

Dragons.

Katara stared, open mouthed, from her spot far below the suspended walkway. Red and blue scales rushed around Thuy and Zuko, bringing tears to her eyes.

Red and blue.

“We felt it was almost prophetic,” One of the Sun Warriors next to her said. “When the Fire Lord married a Waterbender Queen.”

“I can see why.” Katara said hoarsely.

“And with the Avatar being a native water element, it was equally auspicious.” She went on.

“Okay, sorry, I know you’re trying to say something profound,” Katara said, still watching the entwining dragons. “But those are dragons.”

The Sun Warrior chuckled.

“I can see why a Spirit chose you. You have the appropriate amount of reverence for these things.” She said.

Katara did turn then.

“Pardon?” She asked.

“Iroh related to us what kind of person you were, to let us make a better judgement. You are soul bound to the Spirit La, correct?” The Sun Warrior asked.

Katara said nothing. Thuy’s shriek of joy snapped through the air and Katara faced upward again.

“Are those spirits?” She questioned instead of answering.

The dragons rushed back into their respective caves and Katara tried to follow the pair down the long stairs with her eyes.

“Ran and Shaw are ancient beings, but they are not spirits.” The Sun Warrior stated.

“But they don’t live forever.”

“No.”

“That’s a shame.”

“Not quite.” The Sun Warrior said and Katara looked over at her. The woman’s smile was coy, which made Katara frown.

Nothing more was said about it until dinner. Thuy and Zuko had talked nearly non-stop since they were within earshot on the stairs. Zuko was near tears for parts of it, as he spoke about feeling his inner fire connect with the dragons when they passed by. Thuy, who was part way through her training with Zuko, had worked through her mental block around the element.

“Fire is life, Auntie.” Thuy enthused repeatedly. “The sun feeds the grass, fire bakes our bread, it’s all connected.”

“You sound like those musicians Suki likes.” Katara said gently and Zuko laughed at that.

As the revered sun set, the equally sacred torches were lit to illuminate the dining area. Fire dancers appeared in the square of beaten earth, and they only vaguely resembled the ones Katara had seen at other festivals in Caldera. The face paint made her think of home and the drums became hammers to drive the feeling to heart.

The men and women who danced told a story in a language Katara didn’t understand, but she knew what it was meant to evoke. It was a shared fear of the dark, of the dangers that lurked in the unseen spaces around the safety of their hearth. It was a call for the sun to return.

As both Zuko and Katara were caught up in the emotion, a train of dancers covered by a dragon stamped into view. The drum beat changed and the dancers became more grounded, and the Sun Warrior from earlier approached their table.

“Avatar Thuy, I humbly ask for your wisdom.” She said, bowing low.

Thuy looked over at Katara, who nodded, and cleared her throat.

“Of course.” She replied.

The Sun Warrior stood and gestured. Two men came over, carrying a chest on a small palanquin between them.

“A prophecy stated that the blood of an Avatar would be required to bring back the dragons. But as their return is to bring balance, balance would be needed as well. We have looked for a man and woman, light and dark, yin and yang, and we believe you will lead us to the prophecy.” The Sun Warrior said. The two men lowered the palanquin in front of her and she opened the chest. From her seat, Katara could see a glittering gold egg.

Thuy shifted uncomfortably.

“I’m…” She started. Zuko stopped her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Her spirit and her body is that of a woman. Nothing else.” He said, his voice firm.

“My most sincerest apologies, Avatar Thuy, I did not mean that.” The Sun Warrior said, bowing lower.

“Maybe you could skip the formalities and just speak plainly?” Katara offered.

The woman smiled.

“That would be wise, yes.” She said. “Thuy, I have recognized your transition and I believe you are able to find the ones who make a balance, not that you are that person. I don’t think the prophecy speaks of one person, but of two.”

“We did try Hikaru and they couldn’t do anything.” One of the palanquin bearers said, mostly to his companion. Thuy heard him and snorted.

“I appreciate that, really. And, I know it might seem obvious but…” Thuy looked down the table at Zuko and Katara.

“What?” Zuko asked.

“Us?” Katara added incredulously.

“We had the same thought.” The Sun Warrior agreed.

“What?” Zuko repeated.

In bed that night, Zuko and Katara sat up with the egg between them. It was warm to the touch and Katara could feel something hum inside of the shell.

“Do you think this is an actual, for real dragon egg?” Zuko asked.

“They say it is.” Katara said, looking at the egg.

“And we have to hatch it?”

“I guess?”

“How?”

“Does it look like I know how to hatch a dragon egg?” Katara shot back, bewildered.

Zuko frowned, also staring at the egg.

“Why wouldn’t Ran and Shaw hatch it?” He whispered.

“Is it their egg?” Katara asked.

Zuko looked up at her.

“I don’t even know what gender they are.” He said in naked confusion.

“But why would they need a Waterbender to hatch a dragon egg? Dragons were the first Firebenders!” Katara continued in exasperation.

“I think.” Zuko started, but stopped short, staring hard at the egg again. “I think it’s a spirit thing?”

“But that’s not a spirit egg.” Katara said, but sat back. “Do spirits lay eggs?”

“Augh!” Zuko fell back on the bed, his hands in his hair. “This is so frustrating!”

“You know, I really wasn’t expecting our marriage to become some sort of fated, prophecy fulfilling sort of thing.” Katara said.

“Dealing with the political nightmare is enough for me really. I don’t need prophecies added to it.” Zuko muttered.

Katara crawled up toward him, laying down next to him with the egg nestled between them. It certainly felt alive to her.

“It’s still nice, being here with you.” She said softly.

Zuko rolled onto his side and started to brush her hair back from her face with his hand. He was searching her face, looking for something or simply trying to memorize it. This was becoming a habit, now that they were fully entrenched in their schedules.

“Three months is such a long time.” He said, just as quietly.

“How did we handle the separation before?” Katara asked.

“I feel like being married should’ve made me more comfortable with it.” Zuko said.

Katara leaned in and kissed him lightly. He held her face and she relaxed under the warmth of his touch.

“I am glad we got married though.” She said.

“Oh me too, absolutely.” Zuko said and she huffed out a breathy laugh.

“Even if it’s not fate, I’m glad you are who you are. Loving you, being able to love you, kinda helped a lot of other things in my life.” She said.

“Because I’m the son of the man who murdered your mother?” Zuko asked wryly.

“I mean, sorta, yeah.” Katara quipped and made him laugh.

“Maybe that’s the point of this.” Zuko said, lightly tapping the egg with his knee. “Healing after violence.”

“You have to cultivate life in order to heal.” Katara said, quoting one of Iroh’s many wisdoms. Zuko smiled, gazed into her eyes again, and then kissed her.

“I love you Katara, much more than I thought I could ever bear.” He said.

“I love you more than I ever wanted to again. It scares me.”

“Why?”

“What if I lose you? I would die.”

“No, you wouldn’t. You would go on.”

“How do you figure?”

“The love doesn’t go anywhere, Katara. As long as you’re alive, my love for you will exist. Just like how your mother’s love still exists.” Zuko explained.

Katara touched her fingers to her necklace and Zuko brushed his thumb over her cheek. It was only after she felt the cool dampness left behind his movement that she realized she was crying.

“I don’t think we’re hatching this egg.” She sighed.

Zuko looked down and shrugged.

“It’s pretty though. We can keep it in the palace.” He said.

Reaching down, Katara pulled the egg up to their chests. It was almost like a swaddled fat baby, if she squinted.

“Let’s just keep it warm and in the morning, we can tell them we tried.” She said.

“That’s fair. Well, goodnight baby dragon.” Zuko patted the egg and Katara rolled her eyes.

“What would you name a dragon? Fang Jr.?” She asked.

Zuko snorted. “That’s as bad as Mister Whiskers.”

“Oh hush.”

“Maybe Druk.”

“Druk?”

“It means thunder dragon. And, I mean, when I think about our elements together, a storm isn’t out of the range of possibilities.”

“I like it. Druk.” Katara repeated the name. Then, wrapping her arms around the egg, she pressed her cheek against the gold shell. “Goodnight Druk.”

It took them a while to fall asleep. The bed wasn’t very large to begin with, and the egg took up a lot of space. But it wasn’t too foreign; the living aura it gave off made Katara feel like there was just a third person in the bed with them. When she did fall asleep, the sounds of drums and heartbeats tattooed rings of color in her head.

“Katara.” Zuko whispered sharply, sounding terrified. “I broke the egg.”

Adrenaline shot through Katara’s muscles and she was upright before she was even awake.

“What?” She slurred, looking around.

Zuko shushed her, putting his hands on her shoulders and yanking her down.

“I think I rolled over it in my sleep. It’s broken.” He said.

Looking down, Katara saw the silvery, mother-of-pearl sheen of the inner shell. Large, rounded pieces were still between them, with flecks of gold scattered around the bed.

“Oh we are in so much trouble.” She whispered.

“But now we know it was empty.” Zuko said weakly, picking up two of the largest pieces. He looked up and met Katara’s eye, his face pale and sick.

“I don- OW!” Katara’s shoulders seized as something sharp dug into her back. As she went to slap whatever freakish Fire Nation bug had bitten her, the sharp bites moved upward.

Her hand was lightly nipped and her eyes widened. Staring forward, Katara watched Zuko blink.

“What. Is on. My shoulder.” Katara said slowly.

“Druk.” Zuko said.

The thing perched on her shoulder gave a small trill. Something leathery and warm wrapped around the back of her neck and Katara felt her throat dry. A thin red whisker floated up into the corner of her vision.

“Oh. Cool.” Katara said and her breath quickened.

“So, uh…” Zuko leaned forward, holding out his hands. Druk, still unseen, trilled again and beat small wings against Katara’s face.

Moving her hands slowly, Katara pushed the back of the dragon’s small body.

“It’s okay.” She said and Druk protested, but hopped forward.

Zuko’s hands dipped under the unexpected weight, but Katara was focused on the dragon.

Druk was the size of a cat owl kitten; much smaller than what she expected to be in an egg of that size. His scales were a deep crimson color, seemingly purple in the low light. He had a crest of pale yellow fur on his head and his whiskers seemed to have a mind of their own.

Wrapping his tail around Zuko’s hands, Druk postured nobly and shot out a burst of fire.

“I’ve heard most couples get a pet before they have kids.” Zuko said, looking up at Katara.

She moved her hand slowly to the dragon, lightly petting the fur on his head. Druk chirped, flapping his wings, and Katara yanked her hand back quickly.

“How long until he’s as big as them?” Katara asked, holding the hand she had pet Druk with tightly in her other. She looked up and Zuko looked pleased, which annoyed her.

“I don’t know. I don’t know much about dragons at all.” Zuko said, smiling.

Druk flapped more, lifting himself out of Zuko’s hands. He hovered for a second, but then darted right to Katara. She caught him, anxious, and held him to her chest. His front claws came up toward her collarbone and she held him there.

“We brought dragons back.” Zuko said in awe.

“How?” Katara asked, confused.

Zuko finally looked at her, putting both hands to her cheeks and kissing her deeply.

Katara understood then. The Fire Nation had not just hunted dragons after all.

Druk chirped indignantly, shoving his head in between their faces. Zuko leaned back but gently stroked Druk’s fur.

“I guess he has a favorite.” He said.

“Mom is everyone’s favorite, at first.” Katara said, tilting her head to look down at Druk.

“Good morning, Druk.” She added.

Druk stretched upward and nipped the bottom of her chin.

Of course he was a brat.

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#zutara #fanfiction #jax writes #zutara month #modern au #the fic that prompts built

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yungidreamer · 4 years

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Gifted

Summary: The holidays are finally over and she Mingi and Yunho can finally come home. They exchange their gifts and share an unforgettable first under the Christmas tree.

Word count: 8.3k

Content warnings: warm, fuzzy, intense smut. Double penetration, oral sex, finger sucking, mild restraint and control. Cuddly aftercare.

The moment they walked through the door to their house they finally felt like they could breathe. Although Mingi wanted to immediately pull them into his arms, in the end, cooler heads prevailed and they did all the things they needed to do first. They unpacked their clothes, made food, and got all the presents they had received into places where they belonged. School would start on Monday, but that left them with a couple of days just for them. Everything was right in the world.

The Christmas tree was still up in their living room, just waiting for them to do their own private Christmas together. Aside from Yunho getting his suit from Mingi, they still hadn’t given each other the gifts they had bought for each other. While she finished preparing their food, the boys wrapped their presents. Her present was already wrapped in a simple bright red envelope with both of the boys' names written on the front in shining gold lettering. She stood the envelope in the branches of the tree, among their sparkling lights.

When the boys emerged from their rooms, presents in hand, they found her waiting for them in the living room with the food plated and warm mugs full of hot cider. They had made some carbonara as a quick and filling dish they could make with just things they happened to have left in the house. On her nearby laptop, soft music was playing. As tempted as she had been to put on Christmas music, it was starting to get to be too late in the year for it, and they had been listening to it on and off since Thanksgiving. Instead she had picked a little playlist of sort of melancholic instrumentals which would fade into the background of the room.

“What do you think about having a fire?” She suggested, giving her hands a little rub to warm them up. While they were gone, they had kept the heating low but warm enough to keep everything from freezing. No people meant no need to keep the house warm enough for comfort, and now it was going to take a little bit of time for the house to get back to its normal warmth.

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Yunho agreed.

“Would one of you mind bringing in a little more wood while I get it started?” She stood up, heading towards the fireplace. Mingi nodded and went to grab his boots and coat, while Yunho moved to work on getting some kindling ready. She swept the last of the ashes that had been left in the grate down into the little slats that dropped into the built in ash drawer. Yunho then took the little drawer to empty it into the bag of ashes they were collecting on the porch. By the time he got back, she was stacking some of the smaller logs they had inside on the crumpled and knotted newspaper he had helped to prepare. She stood up, getting ready to reach for the super long matches they kept on the hearth, but before she could try, Yunho came up behind her, taking them off the somewhat high shelf to pass to her. He loved when he could do something for her, something simple but helpful. It gave him a deep sense of satisfaction to feel useful or needed, even just for silly things.

Mingi came in, arms burdened with an abundance of wood, just as she slid the drawer back in. Striking the match against the base of the canister, she reached the tip of the lit match to the back of the grate, lighting the kindling from the back. After a few moments, the fire was crackling and popping as it started to come to life.

They ate their meal as they watched it, making sure that it was going to properly catch and grow. With satisfying food, a warm fire, and the Christmas tree’s glow filling the room, it really felt like they were home. When she started to gather the dishes to take them to the kitchen to do, Mingi stopped her, insisting it was his turn to do them and it would only take him a couple of minutes. Afterall, she had already done the dishes they used while cooking. She smiled and let him go as Yunho pulled her into his lap.

“Welcome home, love,” he nuzzled into her hair as he spoke. “I’ve missed you more than you’d believe.”

“I missed you, too,” her fingers played with the cuff of his old, soft sweater. “I really love seeing my family, I miss them too, but home isn’t home anymore without you two.”

“Someday we’ll tell them,” he sighed, trying to reassure himself of this as much as her. “Someday we’ll have a Christmas all together; you, me, Mingi and all our families.”

“Maybe just us, your mom, and my parents,” she said after a moment’s thought.

“Yeah,” Mingi said as he joined them again from the kitchen. “Don’t make me always have to spend Christmas with my parents. Besides, when dad finds out I’m with Yunho, I’m pretty sure he is going to completely disown me.”

“Maybe...maybe when push comes to shove, he’ll actually pick his son over his prejudice,” she tried to give a half note of hope as she spoke.

“Even if he does,” Mingi shook his head as he sat down beside Yunho, pulling her legs into his lap. “I don’t know that I want him there to ruin my happy moments. Even if he can get over the fact I love another man, nothing I do makes him happy anyway.”

“He’s a sour moron,” she stated without a shred of doubt. “If he can’t see what an amazing person he managed to raise, he’s too stupid for me to tolerate.”

“As long as you see it, that’s all I care about,” Mingi took one of her hands in his and pressed a kiss to the back of it.

“We see it,” Yunho confirmed, looping an arm around Mingi’s waist.

“Who is ready for gifts?” She asked excitedly, changing the subject.

“Meeeee!” Shouted both of the boys together.

“Okay, one second,” she told them as she stood up. “I have one more thing to wrap.”

“Wait, why didn’t you do it earlier?” Yunho protested, giving her a scolding look.

“You’ll see in one minute,” she chuckled, knowing they would get it when she came back. She scurried back to their shared room and dug into her desk drawer where she had been keeping the small bag, knowing they would never have a reason to look for anything in there. In the little plastic bag she found the four pieces of silver and lace that made up the lingerie set. It was more for show than anything else, but the little satin tank top and shorts might be something she would use to sleep in when it was hot in the summer. She slipped the bra, mostly made of little lace triangles and thin satin straps, on, followed by the little satin and lace thong, then put on the more practical pieces over them before finally wrapping herself in her large, fluffy terry cloth robe.

She scurried back out into the living room having wrapped herself up for them and was greeted by both of them bursting into laughter, their faces splitting into broad smiles. Indeed they did understand why she hadn’t wrapped that present earlier. It wasn’t terribly practical for cooking or fire building. She pressed a light kiss to each of their lips before kneeling down near both of them.

“Can we unwrap you first,” Mingi questioned hopefully.

“No,” she laughed. “I’m last. But,” she pointed at the envelope in the branches behind them. “You can open that first, if you want.”

“Fine,” Yunho reached up and pulled it out of it’s perch. Both boys looked at it with an intense curiosity. The paper was a bright and vibrant red and had a fine texture to it. It was the sort of paper that begged for the use of fountain pens and sealing wax. Yunho ran his fingers over their names and made a little O face before turning it over to slide his finger under the flap to pull it open. Inside was a little card made from the same paper on which she had written a short letter.

To the boys who make every day special and who deserve the world. Someday I can give you everything you deserve, but for now, enjoy this.

Together they opened the card and found a couple of regular printer papers, folded in quarters. They put the card down and unfolded the papers to see what they were. The first page was a dinner reservation for the first Tuesday in April at a restaurant they recognized as a fancy place in the middle of Manhattan. Mingi’s eyes widened and he looked at her then back at the paper to make sure he had read it correctly. Yunho flipped to the second page to find a reservation for that week in April at a bed and breakfast in New York City.

“That will be over spring break,” she elucidated as their eyes scanned the paper. “Our first trip together. And it’s far enough from everyone so we can just be us. I also wanted a good excuse for Yunho to wear that suit you got him. It would look so good on him. I can hardly wait.”

“This...this can’t have been cheap,” Mingi protested slightly. “You didn’t have to…”

“I know,” she shrugged. “I wanted to. I want to see the world with you both and that is just the first place.”

“We could have paid for this together,” Yunho pointed out. “It’s too much.”

“No, no,” she shook her head. “You’re going to drive us and we can split the cost of everything else while we are there.”

“You aren’t paying for anything while we are there,” Mingi said firmly. Yunho nodded in agreement as he scanned the page of the bed and breakfast again. Located next to Central Park. A great location for entertainment and close to public transportation. Yunho folded the papers and let them drop to his lap. He leaned forward and pulled her into a quick, grateful kiss. She really was too much sometimes. Mingi set the papers and the card on the coffee table before he pulled her into his lap.

“I love you so much more than I can say,” he said as he held her face in his hands, keeping her looking at him.

“I can’t wait to go to the city with my two favorite people,” she beamed at him. “We are going to have so much fun.”

Mingi sighed and kissed the tip of her nose. Her expression was like sunshine and he felt a little quiver in his chest as his heart skipped a beat. She was always pretty and just looking at her could move him, but her grin, how it made her eyes sparkle and how her lips quirked just that way sometimes hit him like a freight train and he could feel the breath be sucked from his lungs. In those moments he knew pure joy and a gut churning fear all at once. It was the thing that made him sure he could endure anything mixed with the, perhaps irrational, fear that it could all disappear.

Yunho read the expression on Mingi’s face and gave him a reassuring kiss on his cheek. He knew that expression, that mix of contradicting emotions which sometimes washed over him. He trusted it more, trusted that it wouldn’t disappear, but in his worst moments he still had those flashes of doubt that he could be that lucky, that people could really love him that deeply, and no matter what might come. Yunho leaned his head against the side of Mingi’s head, silently reassuring him with his presence, his faith.

“Mingi, love, why don’t you open what Yunho got you?” She suggested, running a reassuring hand over his chest. Mingi nodded, taking his eyes from her face but keeping her in his arms. Yunho passed him the wrapped box he had put under the tree, letting it rest in her lap as Mingi began to rip at the paper.

Mingi laughed happily when he saw what was inside. The gift wasn’t the most expensive thing he had gotten that holiday, but it was one of the most thoughtful ones. With his old headphones wearing down from his constant use of them, it was something that showed how much Yunho paid attention to Mingi’s daily life and the things that made it better. He set the box on the coffee table with the papers and guided Yunho’s lips to his in a soft and grateful kiss.

“You like them?” Yunho said self consciously. “I know your old ones are starting to become unusable so I thought—”

“I love them,” Mingi interrupted. “And I’ll think of you everytime I use them.”

“I’m glad you like them,” Yunho gave him a blushing grin.

“Okay, now it’s our girl’s turn,” Mingi excitedly reached for the small package of his gift and placed it in her lap. He had wrapped it in silver paper covered in little white and grey snowflakes. She made a little cooing noise as she admired the pretty wrapping before she found the tape keeping it closed on the back side.

“Just rip it,” Mingi teased, poking at her.

“Fine,” She pouted slightly before complying and gently ripping at the wrapping. Under it she found a simple white matte box, which she carefully righted before opening it to see what was inside. There, she found the little silver and pearl choker he had bought for her a couple of weeks before break.

“Oh, it’s beautiful,” she commented, running her fingers over the small lines of seed pearls. The central panel, a square frame with a bright eight armed star in it’s center, sparkled in the low light. She carefully lifted it out of the box to better examine it, twisting it in her hand to admire the way the little crystals glinted and glimmered. She loved the elegant beauty of it, though she really couldn’t imagine what occasion she might have to justify wearing it.

“Can I put it on you?” Mingi asked, an excited glimmer in his eye.

“If you want,” she nodded, lifting her hair off her neck to make it easier. Mingi fed the necklace around her neck and brought the two sides together in the back, carefully working the fastening closed.

“Let me see,” Mingi said, leaning back slightly. She dropped her hands, letting her hair flow down her back again and turned to let him admire his gift on her. Though it hid slightly in the folds of the collar of her robe, the cream, sliver, and bright glint of the rhinestones looked remarkable against her skin. He loved it on her and he loved that it was his gift sitting there. It marked her as his at the same time it was a statement of his love of her.

“That is beautiful, Mingi,” Yunho praised from beside them. He lifted her chin slightly to get a clearer look at it, but also to admire how the angle exposed her neck. “It’s perfect for our girl.”

“What about yours,” Mingi reminded him, hugging her tightly in his arms.

“Here,” Yunho handed her the small blue box, tied with a white satin bow. It was long and less than an inch thick and slightly heavy in hand. She lifted it curiously and gave it a light shake, enjoying the sound of whatever it was shifting along with the slight crinkle of tissue paper. Pulling at one end of the ribbon, she undid the bow and tossed the scrap of satin off to the side. She lifted the lid off the box and folded the layer of tissue paper to the side. The hair comb, finally revealed, reflected the flickering of the fire and the color of the lights off the curves of it’s decorative scrolls and long tines.

“It’s a comb you can use to keep your hair up,” Yunho explained, pulling it off the pillow of tissues in the box.

“It’s lovely,” she took it from his hands and turned it over in her hands. “It’s real silver isn’t it?” She had taken note of the little makers' marks that had been impressed into the metal near the base of the crest.

“Yeah,” Yunho nodded, nervously watching her reaction. “I saw it and I could just picture it on you. It would look so pretty in your hair.”

“Thank you,” she pulled his face to hers and gave him a slow sweet kiss. “It’s perfect. Practical, elegant, and thoughtful.”

“Can I put your hair up with it?” Yunho proposed. “I want to see it on you.”

“Of course,” she nodded, and started to get up. “I’ll go grab my brush.”

“I can grab it,” Yunho stopped her and hopped up himself, dashing down the hall to get it. He found it on the counter and caught sight of himself in the mirror. After the long trip home he looked a little tired and his hair was a little bit of a mess, but if you couldn’t look a little like a disaster at home, what was the point?

He headed back into the living room to find her and Mingi cuddling under the tree together. They looked precious, her small form enveloped in his long arms. Mingi’s face had a peaceful relaxation to his features that had been missing the whole holiday back with their families. Their inability to be themselves there had impacted them more than they would have guessed it would have. Afterall, six months ago that was their reality full time, but what a difference those few months had made. Home didn’t quite feel like home anymore now that they had been able to live as themselves, fully and openly.

Mingi turned, catching Yunho in his gaze and flashing the other boy a smile. Yunho moved forward and joined them again. She shifted to sit between his legs, giving him her back so he could brush her hair. He really loved when she let him play with her hair. He loved caring for her and taking little moments where he could just touch her without it leading to something. Even when it often did, he had to admit. He ran the brush through her locks, carefully removing the tangles before he started gathering it up towards the crown of her head. Twisting her hair into a bun, he gently fed the comb through the knot to secure it.

“Let me see,” Yunho put a hand on her shoulder, urging her to turn to face him. Turning where she sat, she looked up at him through her lashes, keeping her head slightly down to make sure that he could see the comb and his handiwork.

“Is it pretty?” She asked him.

“It’s nothing compared to you,” he responded, capturing her lips and lifting her face up to his. Her lips were soft and warm under his, tasting slightly of apple. He wanted her, he wanted them, and felt like it had been almost forever since he had been able to touch them without looking over his shoulder.

“Do you both want to unwrap the last present since you have both given me your gifts now?” She suggested, pulling away from him.

“Are we unwrapping you?” Mingi sounded excited as he drew up behind her.

“Yep,” she wagged her eyebrows at him playfully. Mingi’s face split into an excited grin that extended up to his eyes, making them into little joyful crescents. She stood up and grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch, spreading it out on the floor in front of the fireplace. She knelt down on the floor and crooked her finger at her boys, inviting them to join her. They hurried to join her, each taking a side.

Mingi’s hands went to the tie at the front of her terry cloth robe, pulling at it until it was untied. Yunho’s hands went to the front of the robe, pulling open the sides to reveal what was underneath. He slid the robe off her shoulders with Mingi’s help, and tossed it off to the side. She knelt between them in the silver satin set and the gifts they had given her. Somehow it almost looked like they were meant to be together, a symphony of silver and pearl. She knew how to present herself in a way that made it clear she was giving all of herself to them.

“You look so pretty,” Mingi let his eyes flow over the cascade of silver colored satin the draped her curves. “You are my favorite present of the year.”

Yunho laughed but had to agree, her invitation to intimacy tonight was the best gift he could have imagined. “You look perfect, but I’m feeling a little overdressed.”

“You are,” she chuckled. “But I think you could probably help each other with that.”

Yunho caught Mingi’s eyes over her head at the suggestion. He raised an eyebrow to the other boy, as if to ask, what do you think. Mingi gave him a little nod and they both scooted forward to stand before her, where they could reach each other and make quick work of their clothing. Mingi blushed as he looked into Yunho’s warm eyes, enjoying the desire that was lighting them from behind. Yunho leaned forward and brushed his lips over the sharp angle of Mingi’s cheekbones, feeling the heat of the blush that covered them.

“I’ve missed you like this,” Yunho told him as he pulled him against him. The line of their lean bodies matched, hip to hip, where Yunho’s large hand held the two of them together. He could feel the soft bulge of Mingi’s half hardened erection press against him and gave it a teasing rub of his own hip against it.

Mingi let out a small groan and put his broad hands on Yunho’s biceps. “You’re such a tease.”

“And you love it,” Yunho said proudly.

“Shut up,” Mingi laughed, moving his hands to the hem of Yunho’s black t-shirt.

“So impatient,” Yunho teased, but still lifted his arms over his head to let Mingi pull his shirt off him. The sight of Yunho’s bare chest sent a shock of pleasure through Mingi. He loved the perfect, soft, lean muscle of his body. Ever so slightly bulkier than Mingi’s own, he loved the naturally muscular body of the other boy. He simultaneously wanted his own body to be more like that and wanted to luxuriate in the exploration of it. His fingers brushed over the hollow in Yunho’s collarbone, a silly smile on his face as he did.

“Here,” Yunho reached for the buttons on the front of Mingi’s white button up shirt and made quick and nimble work of them. He slid it down off Mingi’s broad shoulders, kissing along his neck to the tip of his shoulder on one side as he did. Mingi let the shirt drop before bringing his hands to tangle in Yunho’s messy locks as his lips moved over his body.

Keeping his lips on Mingi’s body, his fingers dropped to the button on his jeans. Yunho flicked open the button and slid the zipper down. His fingers slipped in the waistband of Mingi’s jeans and boxers, slowly lowering them over his narrow hips. When the cloth fell, pooling at his ankles, Yunho’s hands moved to cup the small tight muscles of Mingi’s butt.

Mingi stepped out of his pants and pulled back enough to be able to see as his hands worked to remove Yunho’s as well. Yunho stepped out of his pants as well as Mingi’s fingers tickled along the fine, muscular v of muscle where his stomach became his hips and more.

“You look so good,’’ he told Yunho, not able to meet his eyes as he complimented him.

“So do you, my love,” Yunho hooked a finger under Mingi’s chin, lifting his face to meet his. Mingi shrugged shyly, not sure how to answer, when he felt like he wasn’t nearly as beautiful as his two partners.

“You’re both beautiful,” she said from where she still sat on her heels in front of the fireplace. When Mingi turned, she was looking at them both with such admiration he could almost believe it himself. She motioned for them to come back, reaching out for Mingi first as he came close. Sitting beside her, he admired the soft curves of her body and the grace of her limbs as she touched him. Her gaze followed her fingers as they danced over his chest and collarbone, then moved up to brush an errant lock of hair off his forehead.

“I love your face,” she said softly, cupping his cheek. “It makes me so happy just to look at you.”

“When you look at me like that,” he softened at her smile. “I feel like I could do anything.”

“Let’s start with unwrapping our gift just a little bit more,” Yunho suggested. Mingi eagerly agreed, his hand slipping in under the hem of the tank top to tickle at her waist before lifting it. Yunho helped from the other side as they slid it up and over her head, careful not to catch it on the comb or necklace. They were surprised by the light lace bralet she wore underneath, but not unpleasantly so. The triangles of delicate lace cupped her breasts, only barely hiding her nipples behind their gauzy fabric. Mingi’s fingers traced over the seam that ran down the center of one before cupping her breast and giving her nipple a brush with his thumb.

“I don’t know if I should be frustrated by the layers or if I like the surprise of it,” Yunho joked from the other side, running the fingers of one hand along the thin strap that held it up. She came to her knees and hooked her thumbs in the elasticized band of the silken shorts and slowly slid them down to reveal the satin and lace thong beneath.

“Just a little more,” she admitted with a giggle as she saw Mingi’s Adams’s Apple bob in his throat as he swallowed past the arousal that was filling him. Between her teasing lace lingerie and Yunho’s beautiful naked body visible just past her, he felt surrounded by temptations.

She stood up to step out of the shorts and Mingi took her gently by the hips, turning her standing body to face him, and brought his mouth to the dimple of her belly button. He mouthed the soft skin there, nipping the skin of her belly as his fingers tightened to dig into the cushion of her hips. Behind her, Yunho took the opportunity to splay his hands over the roundness presented to him, perfectly framed by the thin straps of her thong underwear.

Yunho pulled the panties down and off while she stood, not wanting to wait much longer and taking advantage of the ease the position offered for doing so. He helped her step out of them before he slid two long fingers into the crook of her thighs. Her knees twitched as he teased her lips, spreading the moisture already pooling there. He licked his fingers clean, then set to work unhooking the teasing bit of lace she still wore on her torso.

Mingi was still busy licking and tasting the flesh of her stomach as he worked himself lower to the juncture of her thighs. Yunho pulled at her, asking her to sit again and she acquiesced, slowly coming to sit between his thighs. She could feel his erection at her back and went to reach for it when he grabbed both her wrists.

“Not yet,” Yunho murmured to her. “Mingi, I’ll hold our girl, you make her scream.” His voice held an uncommon sort of determination and Mingi looked at him a second before nodding and moving to lie on his stomach. Mingi used his hands to adjust her hips to an angle that let him comfortably reach her then pressed her thighs wide. He leaned forward and dragged the tip of his tongue over her spread lips, teasing them and drawing a soft gasp and twitch from her.

As Mingi teased her with kisses along her inner thigh, Yunho took both her wrists in one of his large hands, keeping her from touching either of them. He kept them captive against her chest as he held her against him. Over her shoulder he could see everything that Mingi did to her, loving the intense and pleasurable look he had as he worked up to taking her with his mouth. When he finally gave her clit that first intense brush with the flat of his tongue she tried to arch and let out a low shivering moan.

“Shhhh, love,” he teased, kissing the pinking shell of her ear. “You can’t make it that easy on him. He’s barely touched you and you’re already going to scream for him? Can’t have that. Let’s keep your mouth busy.”

He parted her lips with the fingers of his other hand, slipping two fingers into her mouth up to the second knuckle and pressing down lightly on her tongue. The intrusion forced her to suck on his fingers with each swallow as well as kept her facing to where Mingi lay between her thighs. She whimpered around his fingers, giving them periodic sucks to keep the drool that threatened to pool in her mouth from dripping out.

Mingi looked up at the two of them as Yunho held her gently captive and muzzled, a haze of arousal darkening his deep brown eyes. Her eyes met his as his tongue played along her folds. She looked dazed, almost drugged by pleasure, her lips puckered around the other boys fingers in a way that made him think of them taking in other things. Mingi watched as he locked his lips around her clit gave it a gentle and sustained suck. She squirmed as much as she was allowed under his touch, her thighs fighting against his hands to press closer around his head. Her mouth went momentarily slack and a small drop of saliva escaped before she could swallow it. The look of her powerless against the pleasure they were giving her together made him almost painfully hard and he threw himself into pleasing her. He ate at her body, sucking at her most sensitive bits and thrusting his tongue in her tight entrance until she came apart underneath him with a force that left her quivering in its aftermath.

Mingi pulled back and came to his knees between her thighs before wiping the moisture off his face, watching her squirm, still moaning around Yunho’s fingers in her mouth. The other boy only pulled them out, also releasing her hands at the same time, as she started to recover, already relaxing again under his grip. He wiped her damp chin and the skin of her chest, where a small spot of drool had developed near where he had kept her hands captive. She swallowed and leaned her head back against Yunho’s shoulder as she caught her breath.

“Are you ready for more, love,” Mingi asked, running a hand over her shoulder.

“I wanted to try something,” she said as she nodded in response. “What would you think of maybe having you both in me at the same time?”

Yunho and Mingi shared a look, blinking for a second at each other. Of course they had thought about it, fantasized about the possibility, but they hadn’t wanted to ask. Not only hadn’t they approached the idea of doing it together, they hadn’t even tried something more than mostly vanilla sex with her.

“We don’t have to,” she followed up quickly when it seemed like the silence stretched on.

“No,” Yunho rushed to assure her. “It’s just...are you sure?”

“Why wouldn’t I want to?” She looked up at him with eyes that seemed oddly innocent given the circumstances.

“Well, I mean,” Mingi said nervously. “You’re sort of small and we’re a lot to take all at once.”

“We can try it at least,” she suggested. “If it doesn’t work then we don’t have to, but I want to feel you both.”

“Alright,” Yunho agreed, swallowing past his own nervousness. “Do you want to move back to the bedroom?”

“I kind of want to stay here,” she replied. “It’s warm and this is sort of still part of Christmas. It feels right with the tree and stuff.”

“Mingi, can you grab the things we need from the bedroom?” Yunho requested. “Maybe including some pillows.” Mingi nodded, half jogging down the hall to their bedroom. He opened the bedside table and pulled out his favorite lube and a couple of condoms, something that had made it easier his first time with Yunho. Grabbing an armful of pillows, he scurried out to the living room. They were still waiting where he had left them with Yunho holding her against his chest.

Butterflies fluttered in his stomach as Mingi came near. He tossed the pillows on the side of the blanket nearest the fireplace and put the condom and lube near Yunho’s leg before taking a seat in front of her.

“How do we start?” She sat up a little straighter and ran her palms down her legs, revealing the niggling anxiety she had bubbling inside her.

“Let’s lie down,” Yunho put a guiding hand on her shoulder, bringing her to lie on her side with a pillow under her head. Mingi lay down on the other side, face to face with her, giving her a shy, reassuring smile. Yunho stretched out behind her, putting a hand on her hip as he pulled himself closer.

“Hi,” Mingi said somewhat stupidly as he looked into her eyes.

“Hi,” she giggled back. “Would you kiss me?” Mingi nodded, scooting towards her until his face lay beside hers on the pillow. He lifted her top leg to rest on his hip and put a hand on her ribs as he leaned in to take her lips.

While Mingi kept her distracted, Yunho tried to figure out where he wanted to start. He had to take it slow, test the waters. He waited, watching as they kissed, their lips moving with an unhurried stupor. She relaxed under Mingi’s touch in the flickering of the firelight and Yunho let his hands wander to the curve of her hips. As his hand moved to cup the curve of her ass, she pulled away, turning slightly to look at him.

“Just relax,” Yunho urged. “Kiss our boy but promise you’ll tell me if I do something that hurts or just doesn’t feel good.” She nodded and moved back to Mingi, letting Yunho slowly touch her. Mingi pulled her closer, pressing her chest to his as he explored her mouth more deeply. He knew to distract her, keep her relaxed and feeling good, it would help make everything else easier.

Yunho cupped her flesh, spreading her cheeks and letting his fingertips tease along the smoothness there. She reacted to his touch without breaking the kiss, flinching a little before relaxing into his touch. Yunho took a little of the lube on his fingers, spreading it liberally around her. She let out a slightly tense chuckle and pulled her lips from Mingi’s.

“Maybe we shouldn’t,” Yunho sighed, taking his hand back. “We can do it another night.”

“No, no,” she insisted. “I’m just nervous and it kind of tickles. Just keep going.” Yunho nodded, letting his fingers return to test the tenseness of her body as he kept his eyes on her face, trying to read her expression. Her eyebrows raised slightly as he pressed against the tight ring of muscle, but she didn’t pull back. She let out a deliberate breath and closed her eyes, concentrating on the feel.

“Does it feel alright,” he asked, keeping his fingers moving gently as he felt her loosen up a fraction.

“Yeah,” she nodded, but didn’t move otherwise, finding it hard to stay relaxed if she did. “I feel like I don’t tease you nearly enough about having big hands.”

Yunho couldn’t help but laugh at her timely sense of humor. “Big hands? Love, I have big everything.”

“Oh, I know,” she gave a deep, breathy chuckle. “Just realizing it for totally new reasons all over again.”

“Here,” he pressed forward, getting one fingertip inside her. “How is that?”

“Mmmm, good,” she nodded and her muscles fluttered around the intrusion. “Keep going.”

“Yunho is always gentle,” Mingi assured her, kissing her forehead and stroking her upper arm.

“You both are,” she put a hand on Mingi’s chest and pressed a gentle kiss to the tip of his nose. Yunho continued to move as Mingi playfully covered her face in little kisses until she was left a mess of testing pleasure and giggles.

When he could comfortably scissor two fingers inside her, ever so slowly, he decided he had prepared her as well as he could. He slid the condom on and covered it with lube before laying himself down against her back, positioning himself to enter her. Teasing his head at her entrance, he used his hand to steady her hips.

“Ready?” Yunho asked tenderly.

“Yeah,” she confirmed. “Please.”

Mingi looked over her shoulder at Yunho as he lay on the other side of her. His face was tense with concentration as he slowly pushed inside. He sucked in a breath through his nose, taking in her scent and taking in the moment as he drew close to being fully inside her. She was still tight, but gave no sign of discomfort.

“How does it feel?” Mingi asked, looking at both of them.

“Good,” she answered. Behind her Yunho only nodded. He felt himself twitch in anticipation, still not sure if he should move yet.

“Should I...what should I do?” Mingi asked them, his hand massaging her waist slightly.

“Let me move a little,” Yunho’s voice was tight. “Just to make sure it feels alright with just me.” Mingi nodded and looked to her as he felt Yunho shift in preparation to flex his body for the first time. She moved at the sensation of him pulling out half way, her eyes widening and breath catching in her throat.

“It’s okay?” Mingi asked, a worried look flashing across his face. Behind her Yunho stopped in response.

“I like it,” she let out a giddy sound and Yunho felt relief wash over him. “What’s next?”

“Always so eager,” Yunho teased her from behind but sent a look to Mingi over her, giving him the go-ahead to try and enter her from the other side. Mingi adjusted the leg she had draped over his hip, having to move up slightly to be in the right place and at the right angle. She was left between them, the top of her head reaching just past their chins, seeming so small between them. Her hands went to rest on Mingi’s chest, moving with a jittery energy as she waited for him to enter her.

Mingi’s fingers moved to touch between her legs, making sure she was still slick enough for him to enter her comfortably. His fingers brushed over her sensitive clit, making her twitch and clench slightly with her whole body. Yunho let out a groan and bit his lip. Mingi wasn’t sure if he ought to apologize for accidentally teasing, but he couldn’t deny he liked the face that Yunho made in reaction. Mingi positioned himself and slowly penetrated into her body. She made a little breathy oh and Yunho’s eyes widened, a look of surprise coming over him.

“I can feel you,” Yunho breathed. His hand moved down to splay over her lower stomach, almost as if to test if he could feel Mingi invading her from both sides. Mingi pushed forward until he was completely inside. A shiver rode down his spine. She was usually pleasantly tight around him, but he could feel how much Yunho had already filled her. It was strange, Mingi had to admit, feeling both of them at the same time.

“How does it feel?” Yunho questioned both of them before directing a more pointed question to her. “Do you feel okay?”

“I feel so full,” she said slowly. “I want you to move.” Mingi nodded in agreement, putting his upper arm over her to hold Yunho’s hips behind her. Together, they tentatively moved, feeling the other through the thin wall of her body as they did. Within a few thrusts, the boys had managed to find an easy, synchronised rhythm. It was a strange and intimate pleasure that built between them. When they made love together it was always all three of them doing it together, chasing satisfaction as three parts of a whole. But this, this was somehow different. Between the way they could all feel each other at the same time and the way her body hugged them all the tighter with both of them inside it was a whole new experience.

Mingi would have sworn nothing could have felt this good. His hips stuttered in their movement and he felt the stroke of Yunho’s cock move along him through her body. It sent a thrill through him and his hand spasmed, gripping Yunho with enough strength to draw a hiss from the other boy. Mingi apologized, holding himself still in her as he struggled not to just let himself go.

“Mingi, baby,” she said from between them, feeling the tenseness suddenly suffusing him. “You can move. You can let go.”

“Don’t want to hurt you,” he shook his head.

“I’m okay,” she insisted. “It feels so good; just let go.”

“It’s okay,” Yunho echoed from behind her. Both the boys let go, finding tempos that only occasionally matched, but each sent bliss cascading through her body. Mingi reached his orgasm first, the excitement and novel sensations proving difficult for him to resist for terribly long. He spent himself deep inside of her, his cock twitching as he released the pent up cum that felt like it had been building up in him for weeks. He stayed inside her, enjoying the near overstimulation of Yunho stroking against him through her.

Reaching between them, Mingi began to stimulate her, hoping to bring her again though he hadn’t been able to wait for her. Her breathing quickened and he could feel Yunho thrusting still, though he was getting less steady in his movements. Around his softening erection Mingi felt her walls flutter and knew she was getting close.

“Come for me, love,” he begged, loving his fingers against her. “I’m sorry I didn’t last long enough.”

“‘s okay,” she panted, her breath hitching as the pleasure the boys were giving her began to overflow in her. “‘m so close.” Her words had taken on a lazy slur and her skin shimmered in the low light, having developed a fine sheen of sweat, sandwiched warmly between the two boys. Mingi moved his fingers faster and ground upwards with his pelvis.

Yunho moved faster in her, chasing his pleasure, knowing that she was close. He no longer felt the tight squeeze of sharing her body with the full, hard erection of Mingi, but she still hugged him tightly as he moved. The softness of her ass against his hips along with the light slap of flesh against flesh was heavenly. She let out a moan and her legs twitched and straightened as her muscles tried to flex when the pleasure washed over her. The pulse of her internal muscles finally pushed Mingi out of her body and Yunho felt the odd sensation of them squeezing, though not around him as they usually did. He felt them flutter against the base of his cock as he continued to thrust in her from behind. Seating himself as deeply in her as he could and tucking her tightly against his chest, Yunho came, filling the condom in long spurts.

Though he wanted to stay like that for as long as she would have allowed, he carefully pulled himself out and removed the condom along with him. She let out a sound of surprise and quivered again as he removed himself. Suddenly, it felt as though she was emptier than she had ever been and she struggled with the need to pull them closer to make up for it. It was an odd and overwhelming feeling after such an intense experience. Mingi started to pull away, just to get up and start cleaning the mess they made since he had had the most time to recover, but she caught him, her fingers clawing at him with their confused desperation.

“Don’t go,” she told him with a muffled distress, the tone catching the ears of both boys. Mingi scooted close to her again and sent a look to Yunho, still panting behind her.

“Everything okay?” he breathed, rubbing his palm over her chest.

“Yeah, yeah,” she said a little too fast and with too high a pitch to her voice.

“Babe,” Mingi’s hand went to her face, stroking the backs of his knuckles over her cheek. “Were we too rough? Does something hurt?”

“No,” she was quick to object. “I don’t know how to explain it. I just...don’t want to feel alone.” The boys looked at each other, blinking at her somewhat baffling answer.

“We’re right here,” Yunho soothed, giving her an extra squeeze as he did. “We just wanted to clean up a little, love.”

“I know,” She admitted, looking down a little.

“If I promise not to let you go,” Yunho proposed. “Can we move into the bath?”

After a moment she let her fingers drop from where they clung to Mingi and she nodded. Without a word, Mingi slipped away to start running the bath. Yunho held her, tucking her body tightly against his in the moment he gave Mingi to get things started in their bathroom. He rocked her gently, slipping his other arm under and around her as he whispered words of love into the quiet room. Finally he could feel her relax against him a little and he decided it was best to carry her to the bathroom, rather than ask her to walk back there with him. Standing up, he lifted her into his arms, facing him with her legs wrapped around his waist. She looped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck as he made his way down the hall.

The tub was half full by the time they got there and Mingi was in the shower rinsing himself off quickly. He poked his head out when he heard Yunho enter, still worried about their girl. Yunho stepped carefully into the large tub and lounged against the back of the tub as best he could, still holding her tightly against him. She didn’t say anything, but ever so slowly began to settle down in his arms until she seemed to almost go slack. Yunho gently dribbled water down her back where it was above the line of the water, trying to gently wash her without disturbing her.

Mingi, having finished his shower and gotten them all something warm to drink, returned to find her draped over Yunho’s chest as he carefully cupped water onto her back. Mingi set the drinks down, offering one to Yunho before kneeling down on the tiles beside the tub. Yunho, more thirsty than he had thought, downed a few gulps before passing the cup back to Mingi. Unencumbered by another body on him, Mingi decided it would be easiest for him to help by washing her as much as he could without disturbing her. He sponged down her back and along her upper arms, surprised that she didn’t really react, even to look at him.

Is she asleep, Mingi mouthed, catching Yunho’s eyes. Yunho placed his palm against her back to feel the rhythm of her breathing. It was slow and steady, seeming to indicate that she had, indeed, fallen asleep against him.

“What should we do?” Yunho asked, trying to get a view of her face, though it was tucked tightly in against the crook of his neck.

“Get her clean and tuck her in bed, I guess,” Mingi shrugged. Yunho could only agree, letting his hand move under the water to the apex of her thighs to swish and rinse her clean as best he could from that angle. She didn’t move as he gave her a light wash, only protesting slightly when he shifted her to pass her to Mingi who wrapped her wet body in one of their towels.

Mingi placed her in their bed and tucked her in under the covers before climbing in beside her. He pulled the comb out of her hair and slipped the necklace from her neck, putting both of them on the bedside table for the night. He spiraled her hair up and over the pillows in the hopes of keeping it out of the way for the night. Yunho emerged from the bathroom, clean and dry as Mingi finally settled down, spooning against her side. Yunho turned out the lights then joined them, pulling the covers high over all of them.

“Thank you for giving us so much,” Yunho whispered to her in the dark. “Thank you for giving all of yourself to us.” On the other side of her, Mingi gently nuzzled her cheek, giving it a little kiss before closing his eyes. Yunho reached across her, taking one of Mingi’s hand in his before finally letting his own eyes close.

Masterlist

#ateez #ateez smut #song mingi #jeong yunho #ateez imagines #yunho #mingi #mingi smut #yunho smut #kpop imagines #kpop smut #yungi #smut and fluff

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visceryl · 3 years

Text

Forget Me Not

@hogwartsmystory and I co-wrote a short story involving Jaxson (Ethren’s brother) and Konnor a few years after the Order. Hal Greywind belongs to @one-very-angry-hufflepunk and Idmon Malin belongs to @zuulosdovah ------

The pitter of rain bounced off the roof of the colonial farmhouse and dripped down every window. It had rained from first daylight to evening, turning the grounds outside to muddy puddles, while animals sought shelter in barns and enclosures sparsely populated throughout the owned land.

Inside, the dim glow of a single living room lamp and the hearth of a fire lit up the room where Konnor lounged tiredly in a reclining armchair. His feet propped up atop a fluffy mass of white fur as a large dog chewed idly at a cow ankle bone that crunched beneath its jaws. A book’s spine was broken across the arm of his seat, untouched for hours unlike the glass of red wine he turned in his grasp.

Somehow the day off work had been longer and more exhausting than if he’d gone. With no papers to keep up with or assignments to see to, Konnor was left to his thoughts alone in the empty house he called home. Hal and Charlie had invited him over to stave away the blues of the day, but as he denied every year, he’d insisted anniversaries shouldn’t be skipped.

Even the bad ones.

The glass lifted to the edge of his lips as he took down a long sip and set it on the nearby side table. In his other hand, he gripped tightly to the crumpled and dirted remains of a photograph. Taken several years back in shoddy quality and with minimal color, a light leak consumed the entire lower half of it. But the importance of it remained. Grouped all together, Konnor could still make out the faces of those he’d joined the Order with. Talbott, Chiara, himself, Hal, Tonks, Ben, Eileen, Ethren.

He sucked up a breath and his gaze tore from the photograph. His head knocked to the cushioned back of his chair. Like flashes of moments from harder times, they lingered in his mind. The day of the final battle nearly broke him. He ended it with several broken ribs and a scar that ran from his hip down to his thigh, but the worst injury had been the heartbreak after, when bodies were fished from where they laid.

A crack of lightning flashed outside the window, followed by the rolling boom of thunder that shook the shudders. Konnor parted from his thoughts to rub a hand over his face, massaging tiredly at a temple. Beneath him, the Great Pyreneese stirred and gathered to her feet before making off for the kitchen.

“Yeah, I get it. Bit too miserable in here, huh?” he called after the dog. The picture was set aside his wine glass with another fleeting glance before he drew the book in hand again. It was some shitty mystery novel to pass the time.

Konnor read for another half hour until he came to a stop at the end of a page, hardly remembering a single word from the entire chapter. Too distracted. Another gulp of wine disappeared behind his lips. Mourning the dead was like getting your soul devoured by dementors.

He lost himself to thought again, droning out to the crackle of the fire as the rain relentlessly poured outside. Then a knock came. Several harsh repetitive raps that sent Iris into a loud barking frenzy from the other room. “Quiet, quiet!” Konnor yelled out, pushing up onto his feet. He crosses the room, quietly muttering to himself about how Hal couldn’t leave well enough alone. But that wasn’t who he found.

As the door swung open, Konn straightened in surprise, half shielded from the gust of wind and rain.

A cold, unforgiving rain poured down from the angry grey clouds above. It pelted the tattered, brown leather duster of the man who stood beneath its rage, auburn hair plastered against his face.

Konnor's eyes widened. "Jax?"

"Konnor." Tired bags hung under his eyes and rain dripped off the end of his nose. "Mind if I come in?"

Konnor shielded himself half behind the door from the blustering wind. "It's late. Why are you all the way out here?"

"Maybe I just needed to drink with someone other than a little kid." Jaxson caught on to the look of disapproval on the man's face in seconds. "Don't worry," he mumbered, long fingers fishing through his hair. "I didn't just leave him alone. Summer has him for the night."

Konnor sighed. "Come on in," he murmured as Jax stomped into the house, shaking his hair out like a wet dog. "You really need to stop bouncing him around so much. It's probably confusing. And uh... pick your poison." He motioned to a liquor cabinet near where the TV rested.

"It's better than being stuck with me. Believe me."

“Maybe when you get like this, yeah.”

Jaxson made a beeline for the whiskey. He swiped up a bottle and heaved down into one of the chairs. The neon glow of the screen reflected in dull eyes, and wordlessly the man tipped the bottle back.

Konnor eased down next to him, eyes searching the man. "If you're going to drink me dry, you can at least tell me what's going on."

"What. Can't just come over and visit my brother's best friend?"

"Then you should know better. I'm practically a professional at dealing with you emotionally constipated Whitecross boys. And you don't make a habit of visiting. I'm always hunting you."

"The kid keeps me busy. Sorry." Jaxson took another long gulp. Red had flushed onto his cheeks.

His eyes caught the photograph that Konnor had left on the table. The Order always made sure to photograph its members... to remember those gone, or killed during the war effort. That particular one... had been the recruits of 1995.

Ethren.

Jaxson dragged his gaze away, heart twisting into painful knots. “...Ethren and Tonks?”

Konnor grimaced. “...I always pull that dusty old thing out on the battle’s anniversary.” He retrieved his own wine glass, polishing the dwindling remainds and held out the glass. "Don't leave me out. How is Alaire doing? Feels like time has flown."

Jaxson sighed. "Perfect," he murmured as he poured the man a glass. "Somehow, he's managed to dodge a bullet. He doesn't have his dad's cynicism, or his mother's cruelty. He's... growing up to be a very kind and thoughtful boy."

"..he's three now, right? Think you'll consider preschool for him? He'll just end up going to Hogwarts or Ilvermorny, but muggle schools before then aren't so bad."

Jaxson's jaw tightened. "I... I was thinking of just schooling him myself. At first."

Konnor arched a brow. "Yourself? No offense, Jax, but what do you know about current day curriculum? You're already here looking like death just getting by as is."

Jaxson's teal gaze flashed with a sudden rush of anger. "I'll manage!" He shouted, cracks tearing down the cup. A deep breath followed, as fingers massaged his face. "...it'll be fine."

He sounded more like he was trying to convince himself.

"You're not alone, you know," Konnor said, his voice gentle. "In any of it." He stared down into his own glass. "I know you think you have to do it all yourself... but it's not healthy for you. Or the kid. Ethren wouldn't want this for you."

"Ethren's dead. Doesn't matter what he wants."

"That's horseshit. Don't make him come haunt your ass." "Horseshit?"

The edge of Jaxson's lip lifted. “...he's gone. Enjoying whatever paradise he's found, or maybe just...nothing. It's us, the ones who survived who are fucked over."

"Well, I'm sure as hell am not going to sit here and wallow because he made a dumb decision." Konnor's eyes searched Jaxson's face. "There's still stuff we can do. We can live our lives now. I put everything I had on the line to make sure of it just like he did, and now his kid can have a good life and a family if you'd just let him have that. You can't push all your shit onto that little boy."

Jaxson's eyes were tinted with red as he stared down at his hands. Calloused, and decorated with the scars of nails digging into his palms. With a breath, they curled into fists. "I know. Alaire... he doesn't deserve that. I need to get over it. That's why I'm here. I need your help.”

Konnor grabbed Jaxson's shoulder. "Ethren was my best friend. Anything, Jax."

"It's come to my attention that you're proficient in a rare caliber of magic." Jaxson glanced over. "You know how to obliviate."

Konnor's hand lifted up from his shoulder and hovered. "...I learned it in the order." His eyes narrowed. What does that have to do with you?"

"Take him away." Jaxson's voice unraveled into a whispered beg, and he snatched Konnor's hand in a desperate grasp. "Ethren. Please. I... I can't do it anymore."

Silence lifted from Konn as a wave of sadness twisted his features into something soft and knowing. He sighed, letting his shoulders fall. “You can’t seriously be asking me that, Jax. I can’t do that… It’s not right. I know it hurts but that pain is something you have to push through.”

“What’s the point!?” Jaxson snapped. “It’ll never go away! It… it fucking hurts. And it's hurting the kid too. I can’t be this broken husk taking care of Alaire, he deserves better!”

“Obliviating those memories won’t help you any. It's dangerous. It creates holes. Empty spaces... If you completely cut ties with everything that could remind you of him, maybe it could work but that's not the case. Which is why I'm saying you can lean on all of us. We can help you get back on your feet and manage that pain. To give the kid a good life.”

“It’s not enough.”

“It has to be, Jaxson. It’s all we’ve got.”

Jaxson tore up to his feet, knocking the bottle of whiskey aside and it teetered on the end table. Konnor quickly leaned to catch it from spilling as the older man tangled his fingers up through his hair. “You know…” he finally growled. Jax locked his gaze on Konnor. “I thought you of all people would understand.”

Shock rippled over and Konnor pushed up after him. “I do understand. I know where this is coming from, but it’s not the answer.”

“You took Allston’s memories!” His eyes clouded with a lingering wetness. “He was your own brother. How dare you deny me what you did for yourself!”

“Don’t,” Konnor snapped sharply. In a few short steps he got right up into Jaxson’s face, the roots of his hair beginning to bleed from pink to a darker red. The two were level with another, tension crawling between them. “I have to live with what I did every damn day! I have to miss him like he's as good as dead! I took his memories so he would live, Jaxson. You know how easily I could have forgotten him too?! But that's not the point. The point is we have to remember for them. To protect what is left."

“And what about what I want?! Allston didn’t even ask for you to take his memories, you forced it on him. This is… This is something I want! If you were able to take the coward’s way out then I have every right to do the same.”

Crack.

It happened in a flash. A cold anger burned and strangled in Konnor’s throat as the rest of his hair bled with crimson rage and his fist snapped against Jaxson’s jaw. Then he shoved him. With fingers wrenched up in his jacket, Konnor sent Jaxson to the ground. “Don’t you dare call me a coward! What I did saved my brother’s life, I’m not running from what I did. You… you don’t get to come here and do this to me, Jaxson!” He grasped at his throbbing knuckles, turning away as the sting of tears met his eyes. “Especially not today. I lost my best friends. My brother. And you want to call me the coward?”

Jaxson caught himself on an arm as he hit the ground. Stunned. Fingers drifted to the dull ache of his jaw before his teeth ground together, ignoring the slightest twinge of metal on his tastebuds. For a long while he didn’t meet Konnor’s gaze and when he did, a faint sheen of wetness marred his cheeks. “I can’t make it like this,” he whispered. “I’m trying to save my life. I…” His voice cut off in a choke and he bowed over to hide his face. “Everything I did. Everything I was, it was to keep him safe. Now...now.. What am I supposed to do!?”

The hurt strangled in Konnor’s chest. “Find something,” he hissed bitterly. His hands shook and he fell back onto the couch, collapsing to sink his face into his palms. “Find even the tiniest shred of happiness and live. We don't get fairytale endings, Jax, we just have to make the most of what's left and you've got a whole lot waiting for you with Alaire." He dared glance up, wiping a sleeve across his own face. “I’ll be damned if I lose another one of you because you couldn’t stop dwelling on one single thing.”

“An arrow killed Ethren.”

“An arrow didn’t god damn kill him, Jax!” Konnor lashed. He retrieved the bottle up from the table and knocked it back for a long swig to ease the matching ache of his fist and heart. “He couldn’t move on. He couldn’t let go of the poison that is Merula fucking Snyde. She was never going to be good for him.”

Jaxson hadn’t moved from his place on the floor, staring down absently at his own hands. “You mean his obsession.”

“What else?! You’re all selfish bastards. Chasing after your obsessions like starving dogs with little regard for who it ends up hurting.”

“Is that why you did it, then? Allston couldn’t move on?”

Konnor let a sad chuckle rattle from his chest. Angry locks of fiery red had returned to their soft, white shade. "Towards the end.. my cover got blown with some death eaters. I hadn't seen Allston in a while and it seemed like I never would. I was hunted and somehow.. somehow the second I was cornered he was there. He got himself captured and tortured and I know the only reason he knew was because he was doing things illegally. When I found him I got him out, Jax. Before he could kill himself."

“...Sounds like your brother and I have a lot in common then.” Jaxson drew a sharp breath as a tear dripped down from the tip of his nose. “I’m afraid. I’m afraid of falling into the same things he did. Falling until it… I just want to stop feeling like this. How am I supposed to move on?”

"...do what Ethren couldn't. What Allston couldn't. Let go. Be what they couldn't be. Be someone who cares for who they have left, even on bad days."

"That feels impossible," Jaxson muttered. Still on his hands and knees, his fingers gripped his soaking wet shirt, like he was trying to grab at his heart. "I feel like my soul died with him. I wouldn't have made it this far if I didn't have Alaire."

"Maybe you two should go on a vacation. Go somewhere new for a couple weeks... find your soul again, being his guardian the right way. You cut away from your family wealth, right? Look, I'd cover it for you."

"..yeah. Sounds great." Jaxson's voice was numb. Cold. Slowly, he pushed to his feet. "Thanks, Kon. Sorry for... this."

Jaxson went for the door. Konnor chewed on his lip and exhaled in an exasperated breath. "Stop." He motioned to the cushion beside him. "Stay the night, Jax. I think... we can afford a night of booze and talking about him. A night to break."

Jaxson didn't turn. "I thought the point was to not break."

"The point is to not let it consume you." Konnor's let his gaze travel to the picture on the mantle. His smile was sad. "We're just people,” he murmured as he pushed up to take it in hand. His thumb drew over Ethren’s face, and he ignored the sharp twist of his heart. “We hurt. We ache. Sometimes, things feel like it's too much. So a night of drinking and accepting that is good, every once in a while. Otherwise, we just burn out."

Jaxson's head turned. Rather than anger... appreciation glittered in his eyes and he sighed. "Guess that's true," Jaxson said. "Won't do Alaire any good to pick him up and still be wallowing," he muttered as he eased down into the seat.

Konnor followed close after, tipping the bottle his way. "Did Ethren ever tell you about our trip to Paris?"

"You two went to Paris?"

"Oooh yeah. He put me on his damn death trap of a bike." Konnor shook his head with a snort. "Your dad was screwing my mom, so we decided to pay a visit and have a luxury dinner on them after."

Jaxson stared at Konnor for a long while before laughter bubbled from him. The first semblance of a real smile. "That... really doesn't surprise me. Our dad... he was always with other women until..." Jaxson's eyes darkened. His jaw tightened and he downed another gulp.

"...I know. My dad's dead and my mom is basically dead to me. Aren't we just pathetic?"

"Ethren wasn't," Jaxson muttered. "When mom was in danger... he dropped everything to find her. Even used all the unforgivable curses. He would have torn down the world to get to her." He leaned back. His wet hair flattened against the back of the sofa, and the neon light of the television reflected in his eyes. "That was just the kind of person he was. Friend, family... lover. When he bonded with someone, he would never give up on them."

"You really idolized him, didn't you...?"

"Idolize him?" Jaxson considered that. "Guess it's only natural to talk about... the good things when someone isn't here anymore. But no... I didn't idolize him." Jaxson snorted and leaned forward, auburn bangs falling with him. "Ethren was selfish. Selfish and obsessive and downright cowardly , at times. He didn't want to live for himself, so he lived on the whims and needs of others. And when he did want to live for himself, he threw it away, for a war he should have never been a part of and a girl that never deserved him."

"Good. I'd have to hit you again." Konnor stared at his knuckles, already beginning to bruise. Likewise, Jax's jaw was swelling in a rush of blue and black. "We had a no bullshit policy. Sometimes, while we were in the Order, I'd make a phone call to him or he'd make one to me. Like we weren't at war, and no time had passed... we'd laugh or talk or cry or curse until we lost our voices. Something like that would completely undo the stress of having to get up the next day and go right back into a room full of enemies." He grimaced. His hair had dulled to a bluish grey tint. "We had a deal that after everything was over, a few of us would high tail it to some remote island and piss away a few weeks."

"Yeah?" Jaxson said quietly. "Probably Tredyffrin Island... the one our family owns... no one ever goes there anymore. It would have been perfect." The elder brother sighed and poured himself another glass. He stared at the downpour of red pooling at the bottom of the crystal goblet while thunder roared outside the glass window. "He made me a lot of promises, too. Like when he was an uncle, he was going to spoil the shit out of whatever kid Idmon and I adopted. He insisted he'd never have a kid of his own." Jaxson dragged a sharp breath. "...fuck."

"Everything changed... you ever still think about giving Alaire someone to grow up with?"

"...no. Between Idmon and I... we probably only have enough sanity between us for one brat. And that's with the girls' help. Aisling and Summer... they’re absolute life savers."

"Well, I can't blame you for that," Konnor said with a tired smile. "Shit, I always imagined a family and kids one day, but... I think after everything, I've only got it left in me to help all of you guys manage your own rascals. Hal and Charlie have two right next door. And ever since Barnaby found out I've got my own little menagerie, he drags Aisling and their kids over all the time. And Alaire is always welcome."

"He's been so excited to come back and see Uncle Kon." Jaxson's smile was short-lived. "...how do you manage it all?"

"Depends on what you mean by 'all.'"

"Losing Allston. You'll never be able to talk to him again. Losing Ethren... Tonks... Your dad...everything."

"Well, if you haven't noticed, I have a healthy supply of alcohol. But I don't make a habit out of that, my position requires me sober, obviously." He swished his drink thoughtfully. "What really drives me is knowing what all I've still got. Lots of people still want and need me around."

"I don't actually want to forget him," Jaxson whispered. "Remembering the good times...it's part of what pushes me forward. And Alaire deserves to know those stories. It just seems so much... harder this way."

"I know." Konnor leaned over, and his fragile fist punched Jaxson's shoulder lightly. "Don't ever ask me to take away your memories again. That magic can go right to hell."

Jaxson smirked. "...Ethren always hated that spell. He said to be obliviated... it was the deepest violation a person could endure. Those memories are precious." He gave a deep breath and lifted his goblet. "...to remembering the fallen. And living in their honor."

Konnor lifted his glass in turn. "Help me finish this bottle, and the guest room will have your name written all over it."

-------

Morning came with the promise of clear skies. As the sun painted the sky a beautiful array of pinks and purples that began to open up to the blue of day, Konnor rolled to the other side of the bed with a tangle of sheets around his legs. At the end of his bed, Iris snoozed with soft snores.

From downstairs he could hear the rustle of footsteps cascading against the hardwood floors and with a tired rub of his head, Konnor swung himself to stand from the bed. His hair poked out in all directions as his hands raised up in the air and a series of pops crawled up his spine. “Jax?” he called out through the house.

No answer.

Konnor sighed and crossed the room with last feeble attempts to pat his platinum hair down into something presentable. The stairs winding down from the hallway just outside his room creaked with each step. He passed several pictures of Hal, Charlie, and the twins on the way down until his feet stalled on the bottom step.

Jaxson stood at the doorway in the living room, dragging his jacket over his shoulders.

“You’re leaving?”

Jax’s gaze darted up. He looked rough. From the clear as day hangover to the black and blue bruise in the size of a small fist surrounding the right side of his jaw. “...Yeah. I figured I’d leave you to your day.”

“You could always stay for breakfast, you know. Bet you could use it.”

“Nah, I should probably go pick Alaire up. But uh… Konnor?”

Konnor finally touched down into the living room, flicking on the light to join the flecks of light illuminating from the window. “What’s up?”

“Sorry for last night, and thanks. I needed that.”

“Yeah I’ll bet you needed that knuckle sandwich. Just don’t be so much of a stranger. You better haul yourself and Alaire back over here soon or I’m going to lob you another one.”

Jaxson hid the beginnings of a smirk. “Do that and I’ll have to get you back. Don’t worry, we’ll visit soon. I think I just need some time to clear my head first.”

“Then do that. You can always call too, and tell Alaire I say hi.”

Fingers curled around the doorknob, opening it ever so slightly. “I will.” He opened the door, and all but fell backwards as a small toddler came barreling into the house to cling to his legs.

“Found you!” Alaire giggled as he buried his face into his Uncle’s leg and Jaxson blinked.

“Alaire?! How did you-”

“Summer mentioned that you’d gone for the night... and that you might need me.” That voice. He’d know that voice even in a symphony of voices. Idmon Malin came from around the corner, blue eyes soft, his smile kind as he lifted Alaire up into his arms. Blonde hair fell down his back. “I thought I might drop- Merlin’s beard, Jaxson, are you all right?”

Jaxson, still stunned at his boyfriend having shown up out of the blue, blinked. “W-wha?”

“Your face. Bloody- did you get hit with a bludger last night?”

“A...oh.” Red bled onto his cheeks as Idmon’s long, delicate fingers gently brushed his bruise. “No, there was an uh... accident last night involving an erumpent and a... uh-”

“I slugged him,” Konnor purred as he leaned against the doorframe.

Idmon snorted. “Well, I imagine he deserved it,” he said. As Alaire began to fuss, he put the child down and he rushed over to jump into Uncle Konnor’s arms and his gaze searched his lover. “...are you alright. You look... like a mess.”

Two short steps brought Jaxson to his boyfriend. His arms hooked tight around his shoulders and he rested his head against Idmon’s, a ragged breath drawing from his lungs. “...it was a long night.”

“..the anniversary,” Idmon whispered. His palm found Jaxson’s cheek. “You should have stayed with me..”

“Shouldn’t have run,” Jaxson agreed. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize... did you find what you were looking for..?”

“Uncle Konnor!” Alaire tugged on Konnor’s shirt. “Aunt Summer gave me a toy snitch!”

“Did she?” Konnor lifted the boy up into his arms. “That was very sweet of her. And speaking of sweet... I think I have some biscuits in the cabinet. Want some?”

Alaire giggled. “They’re cookies, biscuits are... biscuits!”

“Oh, no,” Konnor grinned as he tickled the squealing boy. “Do not start that, your dad and I got into so many fights about cookies and biscuits!”

Jaxson’s eyes softened as he watched Alaire smile and hug Konnor around the neck. His hand found Idmon’s, squeezed, and gave a breath. “Yeah,” he whispered. “I think I did... let’s stay for a bit, then go home.”

#hphm #hogwarts mystery #harry potter #ethren whitecross #jaxson whitecross #konnor rainwater #hal greywind #idmon malin #alaire whitecross #mine and ren's writing #co-written

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girlofmanyfandoms · 4 years

Text

The Angel and The Siren

A/n: Based off of anon prompt that I’ll post separately so y’all can see that! Ily anon, that prompt was just *chef’s kiss*. Also I got a lotta stuff to do, so idk if this is good or not (it’s not)-

Word count: 2000

Warnings: idk mate, executive dysfunction kicked in and this happened

Writing taglist: @everyonehasthoughts @imaramennoodle @bookwyrminspiration @holesinmyfalseconfidence @percabetn @an-absolute-travesty @linhamon-roll @holesinmyfalseconfidence @linhamon2 @a-lonely-tatertot @loverofallthingssmart @vibing-in-the-void @clearlykeefitz

Linh dozed off to the side before jolting back to life. Marella shot her a concerned look, but she waved it off to the side. She had to fight through this. Sophie’s lips were moving, but all she heard was the distant calls of the wind mixing with the cries of dawn. Off in the distance, she saw a flareodon glide from the forest to the ocean, it’s beak gracing the water just enough to cause a beautiful rippling effect. Yet still, the colors blended and blended together, the world nothing but a watercolor painting fading away.

“Linh!”

“I’m alive,” she blurted out.

“Yeah, I almost couldn’t tell,” Tam muttered, grunting as he helped her up from her near-fall. “You nearly passed out.”

“I’m fine,” Linh reassured him, putting a great deal of her weight on her brother’s shoulder. “I just... need a breath of fresh air.”

“You should probably head home,” Tam suggested, though it was obvious he was restraining himself. “I’ll update you when I get there.”

Linh had an amused look playing on her face. “Tam, I’ll be alright, I’m just tired. I’ll take a walk and see how I feel, okay?”

“But-”

“I’ll go with her,” Marella offered eagerly. She flushed, and began to correct herself. “Just to make sure she’s safe.”

Linh’s face lit up and she grabbed her hand, grinning from ear to ear. Her guardian angel had arrived. “We’ll be safe!” Marella called before dragging Linh out of the house and down the porch of the vacation home.

They drew closer together, Linh examining Marella’s features in full. Oh, she was an angel alright. Her eyes held a sort of fiery determination that dared anyone to approach her, yet showed the upmost sympathy for those who struggled like her. For those who were weak and beaten down before they were strong and built up. Sunlight cascaded onto her, making her blonde locks swirl through the air like flames from a newly made campfire, warming everyone around her. Like a halo.

Marella blushed and glanced to the side. “Is there something on my face?” Linh shook her head and leaned on her a bit, pulling her into a side hug as they approached the shoreline of the tropical island hideout. “You just have a pretty one.”

Marella scoffed. “You’re talking?”

“Yeah, I am.” Linh waded into the water, letting the tides bring her underwater, just to the point where her face was above water level, hair floating around her like thin sheets of sea foam. She sat up slowly, and started swimming farther from shore, stopping to beckon Marella. Follow me, the gesture called. The beautiful siren waited patiently, a strand of hair in her face with her head at a slight tilt making her look both shy and innocent, and sly but deadly. The angel was entranced, so she kicked off her boots and followed without hesitation.

When Marella got close enough, Linh held her by the waist, ordering the water to surround them like walls. She pulled Marella close and guided her in a sort of slow dance, letting the tides carry them. Linh’s movement were fluid, and Marella followed her lead, trying to focus on mimicking her movements rather than her heart threatening to explode in her chest.

Deep breaths, she thought to herself. She’s just doing this to keep Tam and the others off her back. Linh hummed, resting her forehead on Marella’s shoulder. “I wish there was something we could do about this.”

Marella panicked. She couldn’t have meant what she thought, or rather hoped, she meant. “This meaning...”

She broke their link, bobbing up and down with the waves, gesturing around her in a vague, fragmented manner. “All of this. The Neverseen, the Treaty with the other Intelligent Species, my parents, the matchmaking system. Everything. I didn’t ask for this. I just wanted to live my life, just like everyone else. But now the adults are cowards and force a group of teenagers, two of which were banished from their society for years, to save the world. I just-” She paused, her voice cracking as she looked towards the sky to blink back tears. “I just want to be a kid. Is that too much to ask?”

Even Linh, with her sweet and innocent front, was breaking. She was crushed, and broken, and in pain, and it tore Marella’s heart into pieces. “I’m so sorry. I-if you don’t mind me asking, what was that like? Like, what happened before you got banished?”

“I was a kid,” Linh smiles sadly in reminiscence. “An unhappy one, but a kid nevertheless. But when I got to Exillium... I became a monster.”

“You’re no monster.” Marella frowned. “And didn’t the group say that they feared ‘The Shade’ because he was protecting ‘The Hydrokinetic’?”

She chuckled in response. “That’s what they wanted you to think. The others were scared of Tam, definitely, but not before they were scared of me, and not for the same reason.”

Marella raised her eyebrows, daring to swim a little closer and lean on her a bit. “Care to elaborate?”

“I guess it would help to let something out.” Linh bit her lip in thought. “And... if there’s anyone I would want to tell first, it’d be you.”

She breathed for a moment, her action syncing with the swells of the ocean. “I got banished a week after the floods. We were going to Councillor Terik to see if there was any potential that would ‘save us from our fate.’ Terik said that he wanted us to meet with Quinlin and Livvy first, to view our records and check if we had any medical issues. We also had to go shopping for clothes, makeup, accessories, anything to make the two of us look different, like we were born separately. But since we both manifested relatively young, and we hadn’t gotten into Foxfire yet, we couldn’t control ourselves.”

“And that’s when the flood happened?”

“No,” she laughed. “If it were that simple, we wouldn’t have been banished. No, what happened was a combination of neglect, stress, panic, and misfortune.”

“So...”

“So something wasn’t supposed to be there, and we freaked out, and our powers crashed together and ripped the barrier open even further than it was getting.”

“It was already breaking?” Marella asked.

“It was old,” Linh shrugged, though from the way she was examining her damp clothes for lint, it was clear that the siren had told a white lie. She crossed her arms and looked down, presumably in guilt and shame, though most likely to fight off the wisps of pain and trauma that clung to her with a vengeance, like a ghost of who she once was.

The angel was conflicted, but decided to take up her own strategy. She extended her hand. “Let’s get farther away from here. See what the jungle has to offer.”

Linh hesitantly accepted it, the walls descending slowly, soon at peace with the rest of their surroundings. A pulsing of emotions ran through her, a symphony from a past life. It confused her, but despite the vapor clouding her mind, she was able to make one clear thought.

Her hands fit perfectly in mine. Linh shook her head vigorously to clear it of those irrational ideas. She’d learned the hard way what getting close to someone cost. “What are you thinking then?”

“You said you’re stressed, right? Like you can’t be free?”

She nodded, eyes narrowing.

“Let me show you what freedom looks like.” Marella let Linh guide the two of them to shore, releasing all of the water trapped in their clothes and hair back into the environment. Doing an awkward hop to get her boots back on, she raced into the jungle, using her momentum to launch herself onto the nearest tree, managing to get her arms around the lowest branch. She swung her body up and let one arm hold her, using her other hand to aid her in letting out an ear-piercing summoning whistle.

In a moment, the flareodon that had been circling the island landed on Marella’s arm like a hawk. Marella waved Linh over as it preened. “See? He’s free to go wherever he likes and do whatever he likes when he wants to do it; he’s got no calls of the sea binding him to a workbench and no looming duties of the hearth to dedicate his life to. And what does that make him?”

“A freelancer.”

“Free, Linh. That’s the key word. He’s free. And you will be too. You just have to have faith.”

“I wish I had that.” She sunk down against the tree opposite to hers, fiddling with a ridiculously large leaf that had fallen from a nearby plant. “And maybe there is some for you. But I’m a twin, and a previously banished one at that, and my life will be dictated by some stupid matchmaker trying to match me up with a stupid ‘powerful’ man that I’ll never love!”

The flareodon was startled by the quick escalation of her volume and took off. Marella, however, drew closer. “Is there a reason you know that you’ll never love that man?”

Quit the wishful thinking Marella! But still, her heart held hope.

“It’s based purely off of genetics,” she whispered, her voice betraying her.

“Linh, come on, I know it’s something deeper,” Marella insisted, bringing the girl to her feet. She diverted her eyes, refusing to even look up. “Answer me, please.”

“You know, you’ve got a lot of fire in your soul, Mare,” Linh murmured. “It’s admirable. But I think back and I analyze and there’s not a single thing like that about me. All I do is pretend to be an innocent little girl just to drag people down with me. There’s nothing admirable about that.”

“Hey, no one talks about my Linh like that, got it?”

My Linh? their minds screamed in unison. On one end, Marella’s cringe scorched at the edges of her mind. On the other, Linh was drowning in the overwhelming feeling she never dared to feel. Hope. Yet again, in the distance, she heard the wind throwing itself upon the raging waves. Though they weren’t raging anymore. They were systematically crashing together, a docile beat not so foreign to her combining with the whistling of the tree leaves to form the melody she longed to sing all along. Home. This is it. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable-”

Linh tossed her leaf to the side, standing up with newfound confidence. “You didn’t. You don’t have to apologize for anything. In fact, I should thank you.”

Marella laughed nervously. “There’s nothing to thank me for.” She looked around for a change of topic. “It’s getting late, you should head home. Tam said he’d check up on you, he’ll get worried if you’re not there.”

“Tam worries no matter what.” Linh shook it off. “And besides, I don’t want to go home alone. I like... being around you.”

“I like being around you too,” Marella flushed. She glanced to the side and picked up a fallen hibiscus that was still intact, quickly braiding it into Linh’s hair. “There. Now you can have a piece of me wherever you go.”

Linh smiled sweetly, pulling Marella’s collar towards her and pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek. “I think I’d rather have all of you,” she breathed softly, before stepping back and holding her crystal up to the Sun.

“Thanks, babe!” she called, a smirk proving her pride as she stepped into the light.

Marella touched her cheek, in shock from the confession, as goosebumps travelled up her arms. Her other hand frantically searched her pockets for her leaping crystal. Biting her lip, she glanced to the side, having to squint as the sun began its journey to the other side of the world. Surely the crew wouldn’t mind if she slipped away too. Besides, there was something more important. The siren called.

#*bouncing up and down* didja like it?#probably not #but i can dream ☺️#Cade’s writing #kotlc #keeper of the lost cities #marella redek #linh song #tam song #marellinh #linh x marella #linhella

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ozarkhealingtraditions · 4 years

Text

Winter Solstice in the Ozarks

Solstice traditions are hard to find in the Ozarks apart from some signs of upcoming winter weather, but it’s a time of the year I’ve tried reviving in my own life. On this day we celebrate the dying and reviving of the Sun, the vital life force of our lives. Ancient traditions would have been centered on celebration, especially through bringing together of harvested foods for feasting and the all important terrestrial representation of the Sun in the fire.

Personal Purification

I gather purifying plants like red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) throughout the year for use in healing work. The winter solstice is a time of cleansing and preparing the body for the upcoming year. This is most often performed with smoke and water. I always try and make a fire, however small, to which I offer boughs of dried red cedar and tobacco, both solar in nature. The smoke cleanses off the worldly weights carried throughout the year. To this I add a bath made from red cedar, of course, tobacco, a few varieties of the Monarda genus (for loosening ties with draining spirit entities), as well as rabbit tobacco (Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium) which can also be smoked as an aid to protection work.

A tradition added to the corpus of knowledge in the Ozarks from the indigenous peoples of the southeast (including Cherokee, Yuchi, Muskogee, and others) is that all the evergreens hold immense power because of their ability to stay awake during all the days of creation. This time of the year we bring in our evergreen friends to bless our homes and we use their smoke to fumigate our bodies as an act to bolster ourselves for upcoming trials of the new year.

Food Traditions

The winter solstice is a time of feasting, a tradition that has been moved to Christmastime, but one I keep on the solstice as well. The past few years I’ve taken to making one of my favorite treats, mincemeat. It’s a combination of ingredients from the recent harvest like apples and pears, as well as dried fruits gathered earlier in the year. For me it’s a perfect representation of nourishment and renewal. It brings together all the elemental representations of earth, in the form of fruits, of air by the steam of cooking, the fire through baking, and water by the addition of liqueurs, especially brandy. Together this amalgam of ingredients staves off hunger and warms the body, an important remedy in Ozark folk healing to prevent the winter chills to come.

Folklore

There’s a story I always like to tell this time of the year. One with no doubt many hidden meanings for those with ears to hear. It’s on of the Jack tales, focused on the solar figure of Jack, a trickster and wizard in his own right, who in this tale represents the Sun, (the warmth of hearth and home) overcoming the encroaching power of winter and the dreaded cold. Storytelling was an important past time in the winter. With the short days and cold weather, hillfolk would spend a lot longer indoors. This was time for home crafts like sewing, carving tool handles, and telling tall tales.

“Jack and the Stranger”

Once upon a time Jack was visiting his kinfolks down in Greenbrier Holler. Every year, at the winter solstice, Jack’s aunt and uncle would have a big party at their cabin to fight off the cold, and they would have all the families from the holler over for a night of eatin’ and dancin’ and general merriment. Well the much anticipated night rolled around again and Jack’s aunt and uncle’s cabin was full of kin and friends from all around the hills. Despite the snow and bitter cold a band showed up to play, and folks were dancin’ and having a good ole time when all of a sudden a knock comes at the door. Jack went over and opened the door and an old man stood there holding a banjo in one hand and an old rucksack in the other. “How do sir?” The old man asked. “Couldn’t be better if I was in a barrel of gold!” Jack replied. “If you would permit me,” the old man said, “I’d play you this here banjo for some food and a bed to rest my head? Well Jack was the kind of person that would give a polecat a bed to sleep in, so he brought the old man into the cabin, sat him down by the fire, and loaded him up a plate of beans and cornpone. “Everyone!” Jack yelled, “Our guest is gonna play us a song.”

The crowd quieted down while the old man warmed the skin of the banjo beside the fire. He strummed a few notes then started playing just about the prettiest song Jack had ever heard. Well pretty soon Jack was starting to feel sleepy. “It must have been the good food and good dancin’.” He thought to himself. So he leaned himself up against the wall to listen to that pretty ballad plucked by their guest. “I’ll just shut my eyes a spell.” He thought, and as his eyes closed he saw everybody else in the room start laying out on beds and couches and some people were flat out on the wood floor. Everyone hushed up and started dozin’ off. The old man sang some words, but Jack could barely make them out: This song I…yer head…fine…yer house…yer gold… Jack woke up suddenly to the smell of a fire, and looking around folks were in a tizzy running out of the smoke filled cabin. Jack jumped up and ran out into the yard with the rest of his folks. It was broad daylight outside, “We must have slept through the night!” Jack said to his aunt. Jack’s uncle said it must have been that stranger that they’d invited in, but Jack and his aunt hushed the man sayin’ it was always bad luck to turn away a stranger. A year passed by and the party night was here already. Jack and his kinfolks had lit the bonfires and were celebrating with plenty of food and dancin’ in his aunt and uncle’s brand new cabin. Just as Jack started dancin’ with pretty Margaret from up the holler, a knock came at the door to the cabin. Jack rushed over and there standing in the doorway was an old beggar woman carrying a reed flute in one hand and a worn out potato sack in the other. “A fine night sir!” The old woman said. “A fine night!” Jack replied. “If you would permit me,” the old woman said, “I’d play you this here flute for some food and a bed to rest my head?” Despite the protests from Jack’s uncle, he invited the old woman inside the cabin, sat her down by the fire, and loaded her up a plate of beans and cornpone. “Everyone!” Jack yelled, “Our guest is gonna play us a song.” The old woman took out her long reed flute and started playing the prettiest melody Jack had ever heard. Pretty soon he and the other guests were plumb tuckered out and everyone took a seat on chairs or on the floor. Some lay out under blankets, others piled up in the corners of the cabin, pretty soon everyone was fast asleep. The old woman started to sing some words, but again Jack could barely make them out: This song I…yer head…fine…yer house…yer gold… Jack woke up to a similar scene as he had the year before. The cabin was all full of smoke and everyone was running around like headless turkeys trying to get out of the place. Out in the yard Jack’s uncle was a-ravin’ and a-rantin’ about the stranger they’d dare let into their house again. Jack’s aunt hushed the man up telling him that no one should be left out in the cold. Well Jack helped his aunt and uncle build their cabin again for a whole year. They were fast approaching the party night and Jack was sure to not let anything bad happen this time. So he went up the holler to old Mr. Green’s cabin. Everyone said that old Mr. Green was a witch but nobody ever dared call him that, and Jack always figured the man was probably just more wise to the ways of the world than anybody else was. Jack told the old conjurer about what had happened the last two years and Mr. Green told him not to worry then handed him an old hatchet. “What’s this for?” Jack asked. “Jack,” Mr. Green replied, “you make sure your aunt and uncle has their party, and when that beggar comes to the house you let them in, feed them, set them there by the fire, and when they play their song you hold that hatchet up to your head and it will make sure you won’t fall asleep, but you have to close your eyes and act like you’re asleep like the others.” Jack took the axe and knew exactly what he had to do. He rushed back to his aunt and uncle’s cabin and set them to cleaning and cooking for the party they were sure to have that evening. Around midnight and everyone was a-rompin’ and a-dancin’ and having the nicest time, when there come a knock at the door to the cabin. Jack rushed over and there in the doorway stood a little orphan child with a fiddle in one hand and a handkerchief sack in the other. “Please sir,” the child said in a soft voice, “if you’d let me, I’d play you this here fiddle for some food and a bed to rest my head?” Jack just smiled and brought the child into the house. He sat him right there by the fire, and gave him plenty to eat just like Mr. Green had said, then quieted everyone in the cabin down. “Go ahead and play somethin’ fer us.” Jack said. The orphan boy took out his fiddle and started playing the nicest, prettiest song any of them had ever heard, and as the crowd started getting sleepier and sleepier Jack quickly sat down over on one wall and hid himself behind some flour sacks. He held the hatchet up to his head and even though he had his eyes closed he didn’t fall asleep like the others. Pretty soon the boy began to sing and this time Jack heard the words: This song I play, That you may lay Yer head on a piller fine. Yer house is nice, You’ll pay the price, For all yer gold is mine! When the boy was finished playing Jack opened his eyes just a little bit to see him taking off his skin like it was a coat, and there underneath was a strange feathery critter with a face like a possum, with hands like owl claws, and feet like two goat legs. The critter quickly set to gathering up all the coins and jewelry from the pockets of the guests asleep and snoring there on the floor. Then Jack saw him go over to where his uncle hid all the family loot tucked in behind a rock on the mantle and he pocketed that too! Jack quietly got to his feet and crept up behind the critter while he was busy stuffing all the money and gold into his handkerchief sack. And just as the beast was about to spit fire out and burn the cabin down Jack went SWISH! SWISH! with the hatchet a cut the critter’s head clean off. The next morning Jack’s aunt and uncle and all their kinfolks started waking up and much to their surprise the sun was shining and the cabin was still in one piece. “This year’s party,” Jack’s uncle said, “was a mighty success I reckon!” And Jack’s aunt asked him where’d their stranger had gone to, but Jack just told her that the boy had played and played before Jack let him sleep up in the loft, then, this morning, a nice preacher and his wife came and took the boy to live at their house. To this day Jack never did mention that strange critter to his aunt and uncle, never did say nothing about talking to Mr. Green, nor about the magic hatchet.

“Best not worry them.” Jack thought to himself.

#ozarks #folklore #folk magic #traditional witchcraft #winter solstice #traditional medicine #traditional healing #ozark folk medicine #Ozark Folklore #ozark folk magic #ozark folkways #ozark healing traditions

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darksunrising · 4 years

Text

Sola Gratia (2/?)

Masterlist

Rating / Warnings : General Audiences, no warning.

Fandom : Bram Stoker’s Dracula, BBC’s Dracula, various Dracula and vampire lore.

Part 2/? (2452 words)

Author’s notes : Here’s part two ! I also updated part one to be a bit better, don’t hesitate to check it out ! (taglist at the end !)

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“I always thought it was a disputable likeness.”

“JE-sus FUCK-”, I spat out as I turned over, stumbling back from shock. How in the hell- I didn’t even hear a goddamn thing, which was concerning given how close he was standing behind me. An eyebrow elegantly arched at my profanity, he seemed to study my figure. I was suddenly very aware of how absolutely dreadful I probably looked.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think- I didn’t mean to break in- The door-”, I stammered, somehow unable to find any decent words.

A twinkle of amusement brightened his dark eyes, and he didn’t do me the mercy of saying anything to put me out of my misery. I took a deep breath, and awkwardly held out my hand for him to shake.

“I am Eris Cetero. I got caught in the storm, and saw light. I didn’t know where else to go. I would be eternally grateful for your hospitality, sir.”

A bit dazed that I was able to align so many coherent words, I didn’t even have the time to react when the man gently took my hand in his, and planted a light kiss on my knucles.

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Doamna Cetero. I am Count Vlad Balaur, and welcome you into my home.”

I managed to thank him, by God knows what miracle. From the moment our eyes met, he had not moved his gaze, nor did I see him blink, now that I thought about it. A shiver ran down my spine, making me shudder.

“My, you must be freezing. Come, sit by the fire. Do you have anything dry to wear ?”

I shook my head as he led me to one of the sofas facing the hearth, a hand barely hovering over my back.

“My bag is in a sorrier state than I am”, I sheepishly admitted.

“Well, I might be able to find something for you”, he told me with a gentle smile.

“I couldn’t, really, I don’t want to impose-”, I started, but he dismissed my protest with a flick of the hand.

“Nonsense, I will have no one die of pneumonia in this house. Wait for me here, I will soon be back.”

He left the room in long paces, and I followed his tall silhouette as it disappeared into the halls. Whatever I was expecting, it wasn’t that. He did look somewhat close to the portrait, however. I looked up to study it further. The figure was certainly recognizable, tall, some form of nobility in the posture. He was a Count, after all. His hair was neatly laid in elegant black waves across his broad shoulders, so dark it was almost lost to the background. He was obviously younger in the portrait, but still carried as much poise as he did then.

The crackling of the fire almost covered the sound of the rain. A log broke in half in a flurry of embers. The flames licked at the charred wood, and I started to follow their ethereal dance in the darkness. Hugging my knees closer to my chest, I wondered if I shouldn’t drip somewhere else than the Count’s expensive-looking antique sofa. Found myself unable to move, anyway.

My curious host stepped back into the room, dragging me from my drowsiness. He had a pile of neatly folded clothes in hand, and what I assumed was a towel. He was still smiling, which, for some reason, made me a bit uneasy. I shook off the feeling. I mean, he was just an old eccentric man. A little weird at times, but who isn’t?

“I’m afraid you might find the style a bit dated, however, it’s warm and dry, which is what we are looking for, aren’t we?”

He laid the pile next to me, and took his leave, respectfully closing the door behind him. Unsure about what I should do, I still took a look at what he brought. The fabrics were soft, and felt luxurious. Dated indeed. A long wool skirt I just could have worn as a poncho, a thin linen shirt closed by a series of pearl buttons, and a jacket, matching the skirt both in style and warmth. after a sigh, I decided to peel my own clothing off my body. Cold water ran down my back as I slipped my shirt over my shoulders. I decided to keep my underwear, for legitimate and obvious reasons, and put on the outfit the count prepared for me. He even had thrown in a pair of socks and boots, which, curiously, were exactly my size. As I stood up and patted down the skirt, I caught my reflection in a window. There, I was ready to leave for the suffragette rally, whilst my husband slaves away at the vintage car factory. I spun around, and the skirt flared in a very satisfactory manner.

“Are you dressed ? May I come in ?”

The sudden knock on the door nearly made me lose my footing. I caught myself on the back of the sofa, and approved the request. The Count entered, pushing the door with his foot as the carried a wodden tray, holding a steaming kettle and delicate cups. He laid it on a small side table, and turned back towards me, clasping his hands together.

“Aren’t you feeling a tad better now ?”

“Much better, thank you. If I may ask, out of curiosity, where does this dress come from? It’s not very often people have that sort of clothing at home.”

“Well”, he started as he poured tea into a cup. “It is a family home, and I must admit I do not know everyone who ever lived here. It may have been my grandmother’s, or her mother’s.”

He invited me to sit, and handed me a cup, which I accepted gladly. It had a subtle, comforting cinnamon aroma The warmth of the cup was doing wonders for my almost purple hands, slowly regaining a human-like color.

“Eris…”, the Count enunciated, slightly rolling the ‘r’, almost to himself. “What an unusual name. You must have terribly interesting parents.”

“Oh, far worse. Historians”, I scoffed.

“Greek, dare I venture ?”

“Yes. They’re kind fo the reason I am here right now, in a way.”

“Please, indulge an old man.”

He seemed genuinely interested. I guess living in a mountain surrounded by huge “KEEP OUT” signs was bound to make anyone feel starved for any distraction. It was a bit of a challenge not sounding demented as I told him about my family. Strict, absent parents, very demanding concerning school work, insisting on me keeping up with their research. As they were interested in the Classical Greek world, I shifted my interest to the Balkans, which was shocking enough, and became almost disowning when I started a masters in medieval studies. I became a bit estranged to them after that terrible offense.

“Do you still study that field ?”

“Well”, I sighed. “I should hope so. I’m in my second year of doctorate on ‘Archaeological evidence for the conflictual relationships of Balkanic regions and the Ottoman Empire during the 15th century AD’.”

It had him laughing softly.

“That sound like quite some work”, he commented, a strange glimmer in his eye.

“It is. That’s why I had to take a break, coming here. I told myself I’d take advantage of it and work, maybe visit Targoviste. Turns out, I’d rather risk death by the mighty elements than do that.”

I tried to smile, but the weight in my chest started to come back. It lifted while I was running high on adrenaline, trying to escape my doom during the storm, but now that I was out of danger, it sure as hell was back. The Count had a strange look on his face, almost as he was trying to read my mind through my eyes.

“I’m sorry, I just-”

“You must be tired, after such an eventful day”, he softly told me. “Let’s prepare a guest room, shall we?”

He was right, by all accounts. I took a deep breath, and handed him my empty cup as he held out his hand for it. His fingers brushed against mine, just a second, yet long enough that it didn’t feel unintentional. He did nothing of it, and placed the cups back on the tray, before escorting me into the halls. As we left, he took hold of a small candelabra and had it lit over the fire.

We made our way through the lenghthy corridors, and I started undertanding just how huge the place was. Confusing. Labyrinthic, almost. I wondered how I would ever find my way without breadcrumbs, or a trusty ball of yarn. I started taking mental notes of some reference points. A weird cat in a painting here, a knight fighting a giant snail in the corner of a tapestry there, that sort of thing.

“Are you also interested in art, Lady Cetero ?”, the Count asked, semingly noticing my interest.

“A little. I’m afraid I connect better with pieces of armor and war apparatus in general, though. A bit of an influence from my thesis, I think”, I admitted.

“Ah, in this case, I have something I am fairly certain you will enjoy”, he announced, before taking a right into another corridor.

We passed a few doors, and stopped in front of a slightly larger one. He slipped a large iron ring out of his jacket’s pocket, holding dozens of different keys, some oranate, some rougher. Without much hesitation, which was impressive considering the sheer ammount of choice he had, he unlocked the door, and pushed it open, gallantly leaving me to enter.

The room was dark, yest I discerned a faint glimmer across the walls. As the Count stepped in, and lit torches on the walls, I almost couldn’t contain a squeal of excitement. On the wall opposite the door, a suit of armor was displayed on a mannequin. Intricately worked in gilted vegetal arabesque, the darkened iron still suffered indents and scrapes, and the golden sheen had flaked in some places. I ventured that whoever had worn this had very little understanding of the crime it was to ever put such incredible crafstmanship at risk on the battlefield. It was very reminiscent of the kind of battle gear I had studied in my first year, but I never saw a complete one, least of all in such an incredible state of conservation. The suit was surrounded by weapons of the same make, still bright and shiny, the incrustations of stones and pearls seeming almost alive in the flickering light of the flames. The other walls were all covered in an almost artistic display of a large variety of other weapons, which it seemed spanned across centuries and all the surrounding regions of the Balkans.

“This is...Absolutely incredible”, I managed to breathe out. “How did you come to have such a collection ? Even the museum in Bucharest doesn’t compete !”

“I am very interested in history, you see. Some of the pieces here were there before I was born”, he told me, stepping closer to the central figure of the room. “This armor has been in my family for generations.”

He looked somewhat nostalgic, eyes drifting along the glistening metal. He stood tall, and I couldn’t help but picture him in it, his silver hair back to the dark waves of his youth, sword in hand, covered in blood and dust, leading his men into battle against roaring, bloodthirsty waves of ennemies.

“I would love to take a better look at them tomorrow, if you don’t mind”, I asked, trying not to look so eager as I felt.

“It would be my pleasure, however, I will have to take most of the day to attend some... Urgent matters.”

I nodded along, and we left the room, me with a last longing look as the Count extinguished the torches, and locked the door. He then led me along a stone staircase, set in what I assumed to ba a small tower, as I glanced outside through the narrow windows. On the second story, the floors was made of dark wood, which looked a bit dull. I figured if he lived alone, he didn’t have much time to varnish the whole castle. As we walked, the boards creaked in a sinister way, that reverberated through the halls. I couldn’t help but shudder, and though I head a soft laughter from the Count, walking ahead of me.

He stopped to open a door, and entered before I did. It was a fairly large room, with a high ceiling, supported by large wodden beams. An iron chandelier hanged at Mid-height, which was still half a dozen feet above my head. A large fireplace was carved into the wall, which my host had somehow lit as I studied the rest of the room. Behind wooden pannels, a large canopy bed was set near one of the three windows that pierced the wall, opening to a view of the wind-swept valley.

The Count carefully removed the large bedspread, which had probably been collecting dust for a while, revealing divinely comfortable-looking covers and fluffy pillows. To be fair, I was so exhausted I would have slept on the floor with no second thought, had that been necessary.

“Make yourself at home. You will probably find something to change in the wardrobe, if you want. I will leave you this for tomorrow, should you wish to explore”, he told me as pulled the key-ring out of his pocket, and laid it on a large desk. “Have a restful night, Lady Cetero.”

Bowing his head slightly, he exited the room, leaving me alone if it weren’t for the presence still lingering inside. I figured there was a slight possibility that I really were deep into hypothermia, and hallucinating, or, more likely yet, that he was a ghost. I slipped into a nightgown, still feeling a bit like a gothic novel heroine. I wondered a second how I could ever find sleep with all the wonder, excitement and slight feeling of dread that filled my mind. However, as soon as I let the heavy blankets over me, sinking into the matress, everything went quiet, the faint sound of the rain and rumbling thunder slowly lulling me to sleep.

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Taglist : @carydorse @angelicdestieldemon @bloodhon3yx @thewondernanazombie @battocar @moony691 @mjlock

Don’t hesitate to ask if you wanna be tagged !

#dracula #dracula bbc #dracula bram stoker #dracula castlevania #(i see him as like a combination of the two)#(like i love bbc but it lacks hair. gimme more luscious long hair )#fanfiction #dracula fanfic #fanfic #slow burn #gothic horror

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leal-5 · 5 years

Text

Tomb of Time and Destiny: Chapter 10, Part 1

Erza POV

Morning came faster than I was ready for. 'Other dimension or no, I'm going to wring that stupid rooster's neck...' Personally, I think I took the other dimension news quite well. At least the magic stuff made more sense now. Sort of. 'But that doesn't explain why- Argh! one thing at a time Erza, focus on finding Lucy and Levy.'

I reluctantly roll out of bed and move over to the basin of water to splashed my face. Feeling less groggy and a bit more awake, I pick up a brush and I ran through the tangles of my hair. The sun was just peeking over the land, I edged open my door and peeked down the hallway, half expecting Jellal to have posted a sentry at our doors, given our behavior the night before. But no one was there. Only the flickering, dancing torchlight moved. Juvia likely wasn't awake yet.

I edged out the door and closed it softly behind me. I moved down the corridor on tiptoes, past the door that led to the courtyard, to one of the turrets that climbed up to the wall walk at the top. Cautiously, I eased open the wooden door, pleased to see that it was not locked.

Would they be bothered if I went up there again? Surely, Jellal or one of his brothers had warned them all by now to watch out for their crazy female houseguests, willing to scale the castle walls to escape. I snickered to myself. I moved forward, gaining confidence as I did so, barely hesitating at the top. I ducked and pushed.

Nobody was in front of me, the guard already turned the corner so I took a deep breath, appreciating the cool of the evening breeze on my hot face. I closed my eyes and breathed in the familiar scents of spicy sage and sweet forest loam and warm, dusty oak. How can this place smell so right, so much like home, and yet be so wrong?

I blinked my eyes open. I was at level with most of the forest canopy, able to see for miles, to the parapets of the Phantom Lord castle, flying it's violet flag. I leaned forward, elbows on the wall, massaging my scalp, trying to ease away the tension there. Again, I picked up the scents of oak and sage, but now I could smell ripening grain. It was no wonder that Simon, Jellal's cousin, suffered so from 'lung ailments,' as Mira mentioned once- the air was thick with life here.

I tensed when I noticed a figure appear from the corner of my eye. It was Jellal, five feet away from me, hands on the castle wall, staring outward as I was. I straightened and touched my hair, which had become tousled up from the breeze.

"Your hair, do you usually wear it down?"

"If it is not in a braid," I said after a moment. "Or pulled back."

"Ahh." He looked at me from the corners of his eyes until I felt the heat of a flush climb my neck and jaw.

I hurriedly looked back to the forest, hoping he couldn't see my blush in the waning light. I'm freaking Erza Scarlet!!! It's downright embarrassing to be a blushing mess for some..some... guy.

'A hot hunk of a guy might I sa-'

"J-Jellal," I said, interrupting my own thoughts. "I wondered if we could borrow Castor and Pollux to visit any nearby towns."

"Towns?" asked a feminine voice.

I turned, knowing who was behind me already. Carmen paraded down the allure, Ava following behind.

"Goodness, you seem to be fighting the same hair battle as your sister?" she asked with a giggle. "Of course, this summer wind does nothing to help any of us," she added.

'Right,' I thought. 'Soften that dig. Neither of us missed it, did we?'

"Well, I think it's a good idea. I also want to go for a ride into town." Carmen sniffed. She glanced up at Jellal, searching his face for some reaction, but he merely nodded, almost imperceptibly. "It's been weeks since I've been out, and I really want to see to the details of our wedding ceremony."

I smiled, wanting to appear conciliatory, hoping to set her at ease a little so maybe she'd stop constantly trying to provoke me. Life was tough enough without any unnecessary enemies. "I can only imagine," I said. "How much longer until your nuptials?"

"The fifteenth of September. Generations of my family have married on that day, and all have been blessed by good fortune and many children."

"Sounds like the right day, for sure," I said with a nod.

"Why are you eager to go into town?" Jellal said, eyeing me suspiciously.

"Lucy and Levy might be there. It is the next, closest place, no?"

"I will send a messenger to look around," Jellal said. "There is no need for you or your sister to further endanger yourselves."

"Jellal," Carmen said, setting a small, delicate hand on his forearm, "You, of all people, should know the importance of family! You must allow Erza and her sister to continue their search. What if they miss their reunion by a day or two? That would be tragic."

I almost snickered out loud. 'Tragic in that we wouldn't be out of your way for good.'

"Unfortunately," Jellal said, "word reached me this evening that there are mini Phantom Lord armies all about us. Until they clear up we cannot allow anyone to leave."

"Might I remind you that my sister and I are neither a member of this household or bound to your care," I said carefully, pulling my shoulders back and lifting my head. "We're very thankful for your help, but we remain free to choose when and where we go."

A/N: Goddamn Erza!!!! Level down on the savagery!!!

His mouth dropped open a bit, and then he clamped it shut. "Be that as it may," he said, waving a dismissive hand through the air, "you are an unaccompanied female, and it is our duty to look after you."

'LISTEN HERE YOU LITTLE-'

I bit my tongue hard to keep from spewing obscenities. It would be best just to disappear when we decided the time was right. This time without any shadows.

My eagerness to leave seemed to soften Carmen a bit. She studied me a moment and then said, "Won't you come and join us for the morning reading?"

Morning reading? That sounded more like Levy's thing....listening to poetry or whatever they read wasn't my idea of kickin' back and relaxing. "I thank you for your kind invitation, but I think I'm going to check up on my sister soon. Perhaps I could join you next time?"

"As you wish," she said coolly, turning and then pausing at the turret doorway. "Will you be so kind as to accompany me?" she said to Jellal.

He pulled his warm, brown eyes from me and turned to follow her. Mollified, she disappeared, Ava following behind her, but Jellal hovered in the doorway. "There aren't coils of rope hidden beneath that armor of yours right?" he said lowly.

I let a smile spread across my face and gave a little shake of my head. "No."

"I have your word? You won't not step outside the castle?"

Man, he was stubborn. "Not today," I reasoned.

With that, he turned and followed his bride-to-be.

Juvia POV

I awakened, surprisingly not to the sound of a rooster, but to men preparing for battle. Horses whinnying, leather creaking, metal clanking together. I threw back my covers and opened the door to my room, curious to find out what the commotion was all about. Mira stood there with her hand raised mid-knock.

"Miss me?" she said teasingly. I smiled at her and moved to the side to let her in.

"What's happening?" I asked. "Who is preparing to ride?"

"Our knights. For once it's not Phantom Lord, but some other band of criminals. They took a small village under the protection of Fairy Tail, not far from here."

I frowned. That didn't sound good. Who were these guys, some sort of gang, making the most of this latest Fairy Tail-Phantom Lord conflict? I sighed and blew out my cheeks. No matter the dimension, there were always guys ready to swoop in and take advantage of a situation.

We arrived in the courtyard just as the men had mounted up. Gray was leaning down, accepting a flower from Ava, then he straightened to bark orders at his men as she backed away. The horses, excited by the scent of battle on the wind, circled endlessly, fighting their masters. Gray wheeled his gelding around and caught my eye, held it for a moment as if silently asking, 'You'll stay here, right?'

I frowned a little but gave him a tiny nod. The last thing he needed right now was to be worrying over me.

Gray and his brothers returned their attention to the men. They raised their arms, pointing to the sky, and the men came into formation. Two by two, all eighteen of them galloped out the gates, and I felt the ground beneath my feet rumble.

'Juvia will die if she has to spend another moment cooped up in her room.' I thought, walking in the opposite direction of where our bedrooms were. Since I couldn't go out to search for Lucy and Levy in town, what should I do? Hang out with Ava and her posse?

"Juvia would rather die." I muttered. Up ahead I spotted Ava chatting away with her girls. "Nope, Juvia's gon' die."

I picked up the pace and quickly found myself lost. I tentatively knocked on a few doors, but they were all empty. "What?" I muttered, glancing around. "Does Juvia have the plague or something?"

I could still hear Ava's voice from the courtyard. I shivered and kept moving. I couldn't get through this hallway fast enough. I raced to the next nearest door, relieved when I unlatched it and escaped. I ducked into the next corridor, expecting another row of rooms. But it was a massive, dimly lit room.

In the corner, a fire smoldered in the hearth, having chased away the morning's brief chill. Two big windows let the morning light in. We had stepped into the inviting room before I spotted him, lounging on a large horsehair settee, staring back at us with mild interest.

"Mister Simon!" I said, horrified to be discovered snooping. This must be Simon's sickroom.

"No, no," he said, gesturing at me as if to say calm down. "It is quite all right, Miss Lockser." He lowered his book to his lap, and when he smiled, I realized just how down he looked. I wondered if he was thinking about his cousins, galloping off to a battle that should have been his own, if it wasn't for his sickness. He may as well have been a patient in the cancer wing of a hospital, simply biding his time.

A wave of sympathy washed over me. He was obviously a sweet guy, and not much older than me. "Juvia will leave you to your reading." I started to back away.

"I think I'd prefer your company for a moment. Please." He gestured to a chair beside his. I met his gaze and realized that despite his frail appearance, he had the bearing of a young lord. There would be no arguing with him. I moved to the chair and folded my hands in my lap, staring at him as boldly as he was staring at me.

"You probably wonder why I don't ride with my cousins." he said, each word a sigh of long-held frustration.

"No, Juvia means...you are obviously not well...."

"Indeed I am not." Even in those few words, I could hear the wheeze in his breath. He chuckled lightly. "The way you speak is amusing. Is it common in Bellum?"

I frowned a little and looked away, embarrassed. "I-it is not. J-Juvia apologises, it is just her manner of speaking."

"Please don't apologize! I didn't mean it in a rude way! I think it's very interesting!"

My eyes widened slightly but I still smiled at him. "May Juvia ask...what is it that bothers you?"

"Are you educated in the art of medicine?"

Yeah, the art of Walgreens and Urgent Care. "A bit," I hedged.

"Lung trouble. The doctors say that I am full of water."

"Ahh," I said, as if I understood what the heck he was talking about. "If you don't mind, can you tell Juvia what your symptoms are?"

He smiled and laid his book on a small table beside him. "Surely a lady as comely as yourself wouldn't want to speak of such things."

"Try Juvia."

He stared at me, confusion lowering his brow. Maybe not all slang phrases have reached this dimension.

I translated. "Juvia is most interested to know. Maybe she might find some small way to help you."

He looked at me hard then and shook his head a little. "I am not seeking a bride."

He thought I was after him? For what, his money? I raised my brows. "That is of great relief to Juvia since she is not seeking a husband, she has no intentions of staying here for long. Juvia only wants to locate her sisters."

His brows lifted, and he smiled a little, as if he had never heard such a thing from an unattached female. Perhaps he hadn't. Not seeking a husband? What else did the girls here have going for them? No studies, no working. It made me feel a little sorry for Ava. Maybe I should cut her some slack....

"When I wake up in the morning I can barely breathe," he began to tell me, staring back at the fire again, "My servant has to thump my back to break up the mucous, to which I cough so hard that sometimes I wish for death."

Hmm. Sounds a bit like the asthma Levy and I had as kids. I remembered well the horrific feeling of suffocation.... I shook my head at the memory. I sure am glad that we outgrew it years ago.

He leaned back and returned his gaze to me, as if that might be enough to make me run for the hills, but I simply stared back.

"As the morning goes on," he finally went on, "the coughing eases, but this dreaded wheeze stays with me, reminding me of my illness with every breath of every day."

"Does your nose run? Do your eyes water?"

He nodded, clearly puzzled by my questions. His eyes were ringed with deep purple, testimony to his nightly battles to breathe-and possibly to allergies that set him off in the first place. Or it might have been caused by his sleep being so disrupted....

"Do you run a fever? Are you hot?"

He shook his head, then shrugged one shoulder. "I sweat a lot when I cough so violently. But it is not a fever."

"And your appetite? Do you want to eat?"

"At times, but my breathing makes it a chore." He lifted an arm and studied it, as if seeing for the first time how bony he had become.

"What have the doctors told you to do?"

He shrugged and glanced at the fire. "Not much, though they are more than happy to take my uncle's gold for every visit."

"Does steam help at all?" I thought of our old guardian, tenting our heads with a towel and making us sit over a bowl of boiling water when we were all stopped up. It was uncomfortable, but it did get things moving again.

"They never suggested such a thing." he said, studying me with an edge of hope in his eyes.

I eyed the chair on which he lounged. "How often are you on that seat each day?"

He raised one brow. "Most of the day, everyday I'd say."

"Do your symptoms change depending on where you are? Do they get worse when you come in here from your bedroom?"

He thinks my questions over. "My nose and eyes tend to run, but I assumed it was from the smoke."

"That is possible." A familiar voice said from the door. "Or you might be allergic to horses. And lounges covered in horse hair."

"Erza!" I said in delightful surprise.

Simon looked towards the doorway where Erza was leaning on. "Allergic?"

Hmm, maybe that word isn't in use.... "It simply means that being near horses or couches made with their skins might irritate you and your lungs."

His eyes opened wider with understanding.

"You can be allergic to horses, or hay, or cats, or pollen." Erza continued while stepping in and surveying the room.

"Pollen?"

'This dimension doesn't even know pollen?'

"Erm.. That fine dust from the trees that is so thick this time of year. Even grass or weeds. Maybe your doctors have not yet heard of this. It is quite common in Bellum." Yes, we were lying through our teeth, but we wanted him to give our words some weight in case we could actually help him.

I rose and went to the small bookshelf, running my hand over the thick, odd goat-leather bindings. It took me a moment of staring at the covers before I realized that I could actually read this wierd language too.

"Do you read, Miss Lockser?" he asked, interrupting my reverie.

"Well, yes," I said, before I thought it through. I dragged my eyes toward him. Being schooled enough to read in this era was probably rare, even for the guys. "But not as much as my sister Levy."

But he was smiling in delighted surprise. "Books are my constant companion. My uncle has little use for them. My cousin's can read only a few pages before they fall asleep each night. "

Erza and I chuckled.

He regarded us and then took a slow, wheezy breath. "Do tell, how does one avoid daily things such as horses when one lives in a castle? Or dust from the trees?"

I took a survey of the room before I responded his question. "It is difficult. But Juvia thinks she and her sister know of some measures that might bring you some relief. Are you willing to try one or two of them?"

"I don't see why not."

"Great!" I said with a small bounce, my exuberant response shocking him a little. "Juvia means, very well. We shall begin tomorrow!"

"Why not now?"

I blinked in surprise. "Well, all right. Please, summon someone who can assist us." We're gonna need a little help in here.

He reached behind himself and pulled a rope. My eyes followed it to the ceiling, where it disappeared through a small hole. In a few moments, a footman appeared.

"Macao, Juvia and Erza going to help me today."

The servant did not react. Perhaps that was what they strived for-no reaction, just obedience.

"Don't be shy, tell him what to do."

Erza tapped her lips, thinking. "Is this where you like to spend your days? Is there another room with more air? More windows?"

"No, I'm afraid this is the best, and I'll admit, it's my favorite."

"All right, then. I will need you to do exactly as we say for a week, no matter how crazy it sounds. Are you willing to give us that much time?"

He gave her a lopsided grin. "I might be dead tomorrow, but whatever time I have left is yours."

Erza returned his subtly flirtatious smile. They weren't serious about it, of course. It was just for fun. "Good. Then Macao here better get some help. We need this room cleared out, from top to bottom, and then the maids will need to come and wash every inch of it, from top to bottom, with hot, hot water, and some sort of cleanser.... What do you use to disinfect?"

Both men stared at Erza blankly. "She means when there's been something messy, what do the maids use to clean, make it safe again?" I amended.

"Ah, lye is what you're after. And vinegar."

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ninjakitty15 · 3 years

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Chapter 21: Pound Me the Witch Drums (Loki x OFC Pairing)

"This might be the best Falloween yet," I mused as we watched the parade commence down the cobblestone streets, witches of all shapes and colors dancing around.

"What makes you say that?" asked Loki curiously.

"Just a feeling."

"What are you going to do about the other necromancers?"

"Find the top dog and make them my bitch."

"That's my girl," he purred, tilting my chin up to kiss me. "Did it hurt, when your arm went skeletal?"

"That's the reason why it went that way, I told you, holding onto a soul is manhandling a nuclear reactor, that much intense concentrated burning power would fry the one holding it instantly, going skeletal makes it so its a lot less painful for me since there's no nerves there to tell me that's one hot potato. I probably wouldn't survive ripping out yours though, I'm betting, skeletal or not." I rested a hand on his chest, drawn to the power and the beat of his heart before he took said hand and kissed that too.

"You are so much more powerful than you let on."

"People let their guard down easier when they think I'm not up to snuff, makes it easier for me to kick their ass. What did you think when you first met me?"

"From what I was told of Hydra, they're only after powerful and dangerous things, and there you were in their grasp, bound and muzzled so you had to be at least one of those things they hunt so fervently. That alone had my interest at least a little, one solitary woman sitting in the middle of a cell with nothing but a black cloak on and very little else to go on. There's no records of what you were before they caught you and we found nothing on who you are to them, what their intentions were, they covered their tracks thoroughly when it came to why you were there. And then there's the fact that you had no fear whatsoever upon looking at me, you talked to me as if we had known each other before we even met, with such ease and humor. Tony did that when we met but he was also just stalling me so he could prepare to attack after. But you didn't do anything but talk, almost if you knew, as if you were waiting for me all along."

I smiled and shrugged at his assessment. "I could tell whatever reason you were there, it wasn't the reason Hydra was there, you weren't there to continue what they started, that much was clear. You weren't there to kill me, not like you could anyway, not here to experiment, you didn't have that mad scientist vibe I got from pretty much every other person that walked to my cell since I was put there. You seemed curious but not dangerous, not to me anyway, and what did I have to lose?"

"Clever girl."

I grinned. "I am what I am."

"And you are mine."

"Not too long ago, I was you."

"How long are you going to keep making jokes on that?"

I shrugged and smirked. "Till it stops being funny I guess. You gotta work on those dead jokes if we pull that stunt again."

"I thought I played you flawlessly then considering I got them to all focus on me while you pulled a classic surprise attack only I could do so well."

"It's not all about you, Loki," I teased.

"You should know by now I'm a generous lover if nothing else," he purred, kissing me once more.

"Loki, you slippery little ladykiller," a different voice boomed from behind us, causing us both to spin around.

"I beg your pardon," demanded Loki, not quite getting the term.

"Hey, I was like this when he found me," I countered the joke.

Thor stood there, arms crossed, face smug with a playful glare shaking his head at us. "Tony's been trying to track you down for ages, where did you two go? Last place was the park in New York."

"We hit some obstacles and got snagged a few times but it's all good now," I assured the beef god.

"At this point, I don't know which one of you is the real troublemaker here, Tony assures me it's you, Nell, but he doesn't know my brother like I do."

"There a reason you're here, brother," Loki asked boredly.

"There's been sighting of undead raiding buildings we found out after were all Hydra bases, just making sure they're on our side and not coming for us next."

"It's ok to be scared, you know," I teased. "Tis the season to be spooky."

"So I've noticed here especially, everyone's dressed up as different beasts and professions, some naughtier than I remember. But those corpses attacking the agents, that's you, Nell?" Thor asked.

"You won't find many other necromancers that can raise that many zombies, much less spread them between bases, so yes, that's me. Tell the Avengers I said you're welcome and also never send a man to do a woman's work, we're tired of cleaning up your messes."

"That doesn't seem fair," he grumbled. "Very well, do try to stay out of serious trouble if you can, I won't let the others know where you are so you can enjoy the festivities." With that, he was gone.

"I think you hurt his feelings," joked Loki.

"He's a god, he'll survive."

"It's refreshing knowing someone that isn't that fond of him."

"What's so special about thunder anyway, all it is is the sound lightning makes during a storm, big deal, he's the god of storm sounds, how is that even a power really?"

"People could argue what's so special about mischief."

"It's playful, it's fun, it very rarely causes serious harm, it's youthful despite the god of it being ancient, almost childlike in itself but anyone can do it no matter the age. Have I told you what people used to do to houses that refused trick or treaters? They'd throw eggs or toilet paper at the house, very rarely causing any real damage but still got the point across. Life would be so boring without some mischief in the mix but no one would care if we didn't have thunder. It wasn't just because you were the first one to free me that I chose you, hun, I met Thor right after if I recall correctly, I regret nothing."

We continued to enjoy the parade before a few tiny humans known as kids walked over to us curiously. "Are you the god Loki?" one girl asked him hopefully.

"That I am," he replied proudly but stiffly.

"My mom worships you."

"Where is your parents now?"

"Probably wondering where these little maggots ran off to," I mused.

The girl suddenly grabbed his hand and pulled him along, her friends surrounding us as we were lead a woman dressed as a traditional black garbed witch also watching the parade. "Mom, guess who I found. See if he can get us a pony or a million bucks."

"I don't generally offer wishes," muttered Loki as he glanced down at the happy child then to the woman who we guessed was her mother who had the grace to look embarrassed.

"That requires the sacrifice of the firstborn daughter last I checked," I joked.

"And that's why no one would worship you," he teased back.

"That's not true either, you do."

He scowled but couldn't deny the truth of it. "Why do you worship me, mortal?"

"Because you've done more good than you know, I know you were part of the attack on NYC but in doing so you brought together the best of us to keep the world safe, and gods should be worshipped for all they've done, not just for what they're known for," she replied easily.

Without word or warning, Loki stepped forward, touched the woman's forehead, then spoke softly in what I had to assume was Norse incantations. "May your hearth always be warmly lit, may mischief always come in good forms, and the cold never bother you." He stepped away from her with a small smile.

She bowed her head to him, a hand over her heart then looked over to me. "The spirits follow you but you are not a registered psychic or at least not one known."

"I'm not a psychic at all, that's just a side effect of what I really am." I held out my hand to her in invitation.

"Your aura is both white and black but never grey, you used to be human but you're not now, you're something else entirely." She held my hand in both of hers and her eyes went back into her head for a moment before she gasped, her body going stiff. "The pawns have fled or died, one remains, the one that betrayed you. He grows strong and though you are always stronger, you must not hold back like you did before, no matter what happens." She let go, closing her eyes and seemingly returning to normal. When she opened her eyes, she stared at me in horror and fear, putting herself between me and her ever curious child and slowly backing away.

I watched her hurry away from me and shrugged it off, never really bothered by people finding out the truth or just being afraid of me, my last job was all about scaring people for money.

"What was all that about?" asked Loki, watching his new subjects slip away.

"Seems we'll find out who the person that sold me out was after all and you might get to see what I'm really capable of."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It is...Loki, there's reasons I can't tell you everything about me, some of it is forbidden, some of it...it's just better you didn't find out."

"Why? What are you so afraid of?"

I stopped wandering the street and turned around to face him. "The real question here, is what are you afraid of?"

"You think you'll scare me off if I find out the whole truth about you?"

"It's only natural."

"I faced the goddess of death and the whole destruction of my realm and home without hesitation."

"It was never really your home and you let your brother handle her I'm told while you were more backstage stuff."

"Point is," he growled. "There is very little I'm afraid of, and you are not among the few on that list."

"Not yet."

"My love." He cupped the side of my face with one hand. "Whatever you are, whatever you become, whatever you do, you have me, you know this, I gave you my word. You could become the next Surtur or Hela incarnate or worse and you'd still have me."

"Why?" I demanded. "Why such blind faith in me?"

"Because that's what love is, isn't it? It's blind, foolish even at times, but more importantly it's putting your heart and faith in another person no matter what happens between them."

"And do I have your heart?"

He took my hand with his free one and held it against his chest firmly. "You're always so eager to feel it yourself, you should know already it was for a while." His eyes never left me as I was hypnotized yet again by the steady beating of his heart. "What more do you need of me?"

I knew I was being unreasonably insecure all things considered, I knew he was mine and he wouldn't leave unless there was no other choice as he hadn't left me yet and most of the problems we faced were because of me. "I only need you."

"Good. Now why the uncertainty this time? Last time it was because you were being betrayed and had certain doubts where one's loyalty lies."

"I usually relish in other people fearing me but then they feared what they only assumed and didn't truly know, she knew, your worshiper did, she saw what I really was and fled. It made me wonder what your reaction would be when you found out."

"You tease me about my old age yet forget I've been around thousands of years before meeting you, whatever you are, I can promise you I've seen worse."

"But have you loved worse?"

"Does Odin count?"

I blinked, not expecting that for some reason and the uncertainty started to fade. "Would you say so? I don't actually know anything beyond what I read in the myths and what you've told me."

"He was one of the few great beings that kept the Mad Titan at bay as well as my adoptive father and all the secrets he kept, he kept till the very last possible second, if there is anything I picked up from being raised by him, it's holding onto secrets like that. My point is, love, you're stuck with me."

"Gods forbid," I joked.

"Not this god," he argued before pulling me against him to kiss me passionately. "You have all of me for eternity, but can you say the same?"

"I'll probably last longer than you in the end so I'd say almost eternity," I mused.

"Is that so? I recall outlasting you several times at least in certain...circumstances."

I scoffed at this. "What makes you think that wasn't intentional to spare your ego?" I suddenly found myself in a side alley, pinned against a brick wall away from the gathering crowd for the parade.

"Because I know a liar when I see one," he purred in my ear. "But I'm more than willing to prove you wrong there as well."

I was about to make a witty comeback but a sharp gasp escaped my lips instead as he dove in hands first. My mind went fuzzy with pleasure as he worked his magic on me, whispering dirty, exciting things in my ear, my legs shortly turning to wet noodles against him that I had to grip onto his shoulders to keep myself up and bite my tongue to keep quiet in broad public. This was a new one for us, getting me off in public with no reciprocity, all the focus and pleasure was for me. Vaguely I could feel his eyes burning into me, glittering as he watched me unravel in his hands several times before he was sure I had more than enough. I was at a loss of words after that, still half dazed and fuzzy with the aftershocks, Loki watching in pure amusement before tilting my head up to steal a kiss from my already parted, swollen lips.

"You shouldn't be so worried I'd leave you when I've already bought us a place to ourselves, you know," he murmured, taking full advantage of my silence. "I've actually wanted you the moment you were set free after I found you in that cell, the fact you wanted me back set that in stone. It was never about what you're capable of, or what you are either, it was who you are and who you are to me."

"And what am I to you?" I managed to ask through the haze.

"It's simple, really, you're mine. Thought I made that clear in the bedroom many times before this. Not just pretty words, you know. Why would I leave someone I can't get enough of?"

"It's not all about sex?"

"It's not just that, that I want with you."

"Then what?"

"All you are, all you have to offer. Just as you have all of me. All's fair in love and fun stuff, isn't that what you said when we met?"

I scowled at him though couldn't help the smirk underneath it. "Well played."

"Master of tricks, remember."

#loki fanfiction #loki fanfic #loki romance #avengers #necromancer #thor #necromancy #zombies #nell the necromancer #loki x OC #loki x original female character #loki x nell

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little-inkstone · 6 years

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Roll in the Hay Part 3

Summery: A young and cheerful spinner Rumplestiltskin is very happy with his life, so happy he drinks a little too much at the local Harvest Festival. Now it seems his life will never be the same.

AN: Again thanks again to @annythecat, @handwithquill and @gwenore for letting me talk to them about this!

Part One, Part Two

For a long terrible moment Rumple couldn’t breathe. Belle’s words rattled around in his mind as she clung to him, her tears soaking into his thick wool shirt. Pregnant. Belle was Pregnant, and it was his child. In a different world this would be the happiest day of his life. For a moment his mind wandered to that place, a life where Belle was his wife and she coming into the fields to share the wonderful news. He’d pick her up and spin her around and then they’d repeat the act that had led to this news. This was not the world he was living in though. Belle wasn’t his wife, could never be. Instead he was someone else’s husband and Belle was a young unmarried woman.

How would she be able to take care of their baby alone? How was he going to be able to provide for her and any children Milah had?

Rumple’s head began to swim. To keep Belle from getting pulled down with him he untangled himself from her tight grip and fell hard on his arse. Belle let out a worried sound and fell to her knees beside him as he tried to keep from emptying the contents of his stomach. Distantly he could hear her asking him if he was alright, but he waved her off and focused on breathing. It had only been a month and from what he knew that was too early to know for sure. If Belle was mistaken it would save them both. At the same time the idea of there being no new life growing in her belly made him feel oddly bereft. Having a child with her would be a disaster, but believing there was one and then discovering there wasn’t hurt as well.

“H-how do you know for sure?” He finally managed.

“I wasn’t feeling well.” Belle said, her voice thick and choked. “I thought it might be the same fever going around the village, so I went to the hedge witch.”

He nodded numbly at her words. “Then there’s no uncertainty.”

“I’m sorry, Rumple.” Belle whispered.

“Don’t say that.” He said, turning to look at her and shaking his head vehemently. “We did this together, don’t apologize.”

Belle nodded and wrapped her arms around her knees as she bit her lower lip.

They sat in silence for a long moment. One of the lambs wandered over to them and Rumple absentmindedly ran his hand through it’s soft sheared wool. Life would be easier if he was a sheep, he’d have nothing to worry about except the stray wolf, but that’s what his shepherd would be for. But he wasn’t a sheep, he was a man; a man that had made a mistake and slept with a woman that wasn’t his wife. Belle deserved so much better than this, better than him. If only he had had a little less to drink that night, he could have kept his head.

This was becoming all so overwhelming he almost couldn’t stand it. What was he supposed to do? How could he make this better? Those questions along with many more crowded his mind until he couldn’t think straight. Soon the self-hatred followed and he was left feeling like it would be better if he had never been born. It wasn’t a feeling he was a stranger to, but it was the first time since he met Belle that it had come back to him. Life had been wonderful since he’d met her and now Belle was suffering because she had befriended him.

“I don’t know what to do.” Belle admitted softly.

“Neither do I.” Rumple replied as he began to braid a stray piece of grass.

The awkwardness between them was almost too much to bear. Before they had been able to talk about anything and everything, there had almost never been a moment of silence between them. Now they could hardly look at each other. Rumple hated it; he hated not being able to reach out to her. He stood suddenly, taking her and the lamb beside him by surprise. He couldn’t stand this so he wasn’t going to. Reaching out he took Belle’s hands and pulled her up. She went willingly but her eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly open. A moment of madness had taken hold of him, and he wasn’t going to fight it.

“Let’s run away.” He said as he held her hands. “Let’s just leave and start over together somewhere else.”

Belle’s eyes lit up like he had offered her the sun and the moon, and then her smile fell and she reached out and cupped his cheek.

“That’s sweet of you, but we both know that we can’t.” Belle said, the tone in her voice making his chest ache.

“Then let me take care of you.” He begged, cradling her hand on his cheek with his. “Let me provide for you and our baby.”

“I can’t ask that of you.” Belle whispered, her eyes beginning to shine with more tears. “The secret would destroy both of us.”

“You’re not asking, I’m offering; let me take care of you both.” He said, his lower chin beginning to wobble. “Belle, please, I won’t force my attentions on you, but let me be a part of this child’s life.”

“That’s the thing, I want your attentions, Rumple, but I can’t have them.” She replied. Then she took a deep breath and smiled softly at him. “But I won’t keep this baby from you.”

“Then you’ll let me help you?” He asked breathlessly. Silver and gold would be a poor substitute for a father, but if that was all his could give to his child then his baby would never want for anything. He would make sure of it.

“Yes, I won’t ask for anything, but I’ll take what you’re willing to give.” Belle said.

Carefully Rumple reached out and pressed a hand to her stomach. “They’ll want for nothing.” He said fondly. “Neither of you will.”

Belle stepped back and wrapped her arms around herself. “You’re a good man, Rumple.”

She licked her lips as if she wanted to say more but instead she bobbed her head and then turned on her heel and fled. He watched her go, feeling as if he’d missed something very important, but not sure what. Shaking his head he turned back to his flock and began to plan out how he would provide for both his wife and his upcoming child. Rumple had enough stored away to keep himself and Milah comfortable for several seasons, and he was making enough from his spinning that they wanted for nothing. Babies were expensive, but he could make a lot of the clothes Belle would need for their child and a few spare coppers wouldn’t be missed here or there. He sighed; this was all assuming that her parents wouldn’t kick her out of his home when they discovered she was with child. Maurice the blacksmith his wife Colette seemed like kind people, Belle only had nice things to say about them, but they might not be happy about becoming grandparents without first being in-laws.

The rest of the day crawled by at an achingly slow pace. The sheep were happy as they frolicked without a care and at sunset Rumple herded them back to his small barn where they would be safe and warm during the night. Not for the first time he wished he could be as carefree as his herd but no amount of wishing would make it so. Quietly he entered his cabin so as not to wake Milah. She was still in bed, wrapped up tightly like she had been when he’d left but he could tell that she had been up during the day from the way things had been moved around and logs had been added to the hearth. He sat at her side and gently touched a hand to her forehead; she was still warm, but not burning up anymore. Milah let out a groan and turned away from him.

“Killian.” She whimpered.

Rumple’s brow furrowed at the word that slipped from his wife’s lips. What, or who, was Killian?

#rumbelle #rumbelle fic #Roll in the Hay

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of-storms-and-saints-blog · 6 years

Text

No Time for Regrets

Shielded in Flame Part 01: Tainted Hero Chapter 3: No Time for Regrets

The wind shifted, rustling the trees and disturbing nearby leaves. One leaf landed on Brina's face. She blew it off and attempted to sit up. Pain shot through her side, and she cried out in surprise. Memories of the battle flooded her mind. Brina lay back down, pushing her sorrow deep into the pit of her stomach. She covered her face, not daring to look at the beauty of the day.

Some time passed before she could get up. The sunlight was breaking over the treeline. She brushed off the dried paste, taking care around her fresh burns, and shook it from her hair. Some of the green paste remained in its bowl. Brina gently brushed it onto the wounds, breathing relief at the refreshing touch. There were just enough bandages in her pack to cover the worst of the injuries.

Brina dressed and braided her hair back before turning her attention to her pack. She stopped in front of the altar. All that remained were a few charred logs and bones. They looked so alike it was challenging to figure out which was which. A small amount of heat still radiated from the remnants, slightly smoking.

She wrapped the massive horns in a cloth before tucking them deep into the pack with the bowls. Brina tossed the bag over her shoulder and took one final look around the clearing. Some of the grass was blackened and smoked like the altar did. Rocks covered the entire clearing. A pile of ice remained. The demon had disappeared, back to the Fade. A light caught her eye, blue light in the grass near one of the sear marks. Brina knelt. The lyrium? I- I did it without the lyrium! Realization of her accomplishment struck her in awe. Has that ever happened before? “I need to show Augur!” The vial still had the cord attached, so she slipped it over her head and tucked it into her tunic.

Brina ran as fast as she could down the rocky mountainside. The wind shifted again, bringing a foul smell in its wake that took Brina aback. She stopped and gagged before covering her nose and mouth with her arm.

As she drew closer to the hold, thick black smoke filled the air. What's going on? Her heart pounded, bursting from her chest. Brina tore a shred of cloth from her tunic and tied it around her face over her mouth and nose. She secured the bag on her back and readied her bow with several more arrows in her hand.

At the head of the trail, Hulda's hut blazed furiously. A body was sitting upright on her knees with her arms covering her head. It was utterly charred and barely recognizable. Brina's breath caught in her throat once she realized it was Hulda. In horror, she looked in the other nearby huts, also in flames. A few more charred bodies lay around in various positions of fear or attempts at fleeing.

A screech in the distance startled Brina. Fear ran its icy fingers down her back. She hid just in time. A beast rushed past with great speed only to stop nearby where she hid. It appeared somewhat canine with a short muzzle, pointed ears, and long forearms. Its skin was mottled grey and black. The armor it wore was pieced together from several different sets and covered in what looked like black pitch. The gauntlets on its forearms had long sharp blades that pointed upward, and it held two daggers in each hand. It smelled of death and rotting earth.

Nightganger . . . The creature looked around, sniffing the air. It can smell me. Horror gripped at Brina. She covered her mouth and held her breath, hoping it couldn't hear her. The creature cocked its head toward the burning village, then dashed toward a group of figures far to the other side of the hold.

Brina stayed frozen for several hours, afraid to even cry. The fires were dying by the time she dared peak out of hiding. She trod carefully, afraid the creatures were still around. Every hut had burned, leaving empty black husks. All the plants had withered in death or thoroughly incinerated. Elderly, children, some of the women were charcoal around in their homes. All around her was the acrid smell of burning flesh coupled with the coppery scent of burnt blood. The unmistakable smell of sulfur clung to her nostrils. She found the warriors and hunters gathered near the center of the village, weapons in hand.

Brina found a trail of black blood and followed it. The path led to her hut, which had also burned. Leaning against the rock wall at the side of the shelter was her father. His veins were black, and his eyes and skin had gone white. A massive cut across his torso oozed black blood.

“Da!” She ran toward him, thinking he was dead.

He blinked, struggling to breathe. “C-Cub? Is that you?”

“It's me, Da.” She cupped her hands around his face. His skin was icy to the touch.

“I- I don't . . . have much longer . . . There's . . . a sickness . . . in me.”

“Shh. Don't speak.”

With great effort, he raised his hand to touch her cheek. “I'll . . . I'll give . . . Aela . . . your love.”

His hand began to drop, and she held it tight to her face. Her eyes filled with tears and she couldn't keep them back. Grief immobilized her.

By the time she could compose herself, it was nearing nightfall. Brina shut her father's eyes and tore herself away. She made her way back to the center of the village, attempting to contain fresh waves of grief and trying to figure out what to do.

Where do I go? I could go to another hold. Would they take me in? I'm not sure where the nearest one is. They could be deep in the mountains.

Brina walked toward the Augur's hut, knowing it was futile. She was surprised to find his home untouched by flames. Several dozen of the creatures lay dead along the path, making it nearly impossible to pick her way through. At the top, the door stood wide open, and it was dark inside.

She took the torch from the door frame and lit it. “Augur?”

A voice rasped from the darkness. “Br- Brina? Is that . . . is that you?”

Brina found him on the other side of the dead hearth in a pool of his blood. A black dagger stuck out of his chest, and one of the creatures lay dead nearby. “No . . . no, not you too.”

“You . . . you succeeded . . . You are . . . separated . . . from your . . . spirit guide.”

Fresh tears welled in Brina's eyes. “Aye. It is done.”

“Good . . . Good. I knew . . . you could.”

“I- I want to help. How can I help you? Please, Augur. You're all I have left.”

“It is . . . Too late . . . for me. But . . . Not. . . Too late . . . for you. The . . . Grey Warden . . . He went to . . . The tunnel. Go . . . Go to him . . . Help him . . . and his Wardens.” The Augur gasped for breath and coughed up blood. “Take . . . this.” He pointed to the staff just beyond his reach.

Brina picked up the staff, staring in the glowing wolf eyes. “I . . . I can't leave you.”

Augur took her hand in his. “There . . . is nothing . . . for . . . you here. But . . . There is . . . One thing you . . . can do . . . for me.” He put her hand on his forehead.

She nodded. A tear dropped from her chin. Brina closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. A soft light glowed in her palm on his forehead. Her breath shook when she exhaled. When she opened her eyes, Augur had passed on. Brina clutched the front of his tunic to her face, sobbing.

She sensed a presence in the doorway. She turned quickly, lightning bolts circled her hands and forearms, ready to strike. Brina couldn't see who it was. “Gr- Grey Warden?” She turned her back to him. “I'm sorry. I had heard you were going to the tunnel.”

“Don't apologize, Brina. I am sorry for what happened here. What was it he asked for?”

“The Augur and his mate were apprentices together. She was supposed to become the Augur, but when the time came, Stone Bear Hold attacked. A hunting party had crossed onto Stone Bear's Territory. They had mistaken our hunters as a raiding party. The Thane at the time was known for being impulsive. Instead of finding out more, peacefully, he launched an attack. Augur's mate was killed.” Brina looked back at the Augur's frail body. “He always said her favorite place was near the lake. Back then, our hold was located near a huge one. There was a family of ptarmigans that lived in the brush near the shore. He said she always imaged the Lady was watching over them from the eyes of the ptarmigan.” Brina knelt by the Augur and picked up the feather that hung around his neck. “I gave him a memory. After my Ma died, he took me to the base of the mountain near an open field where the rams like to frequent. There was a family of ptarmigans he visited. He told me his story. The ptarmigan allowed him to come close and even let him hold the babies. It's how he remained close to her all those years.”

“I know you've lost much today. Your Augur and Thane observed your trial. As did I. Brina, will you join the Grey Wardens? We need you. We can't replace what you've lost, but we can help you start a new life with the possibility of a future beyond the darkspawn.”

“Those creatures . . .” She couldn't bring herself to use the word.

“Yes. Darkspawn.”

“They are responsible for this. Aye, I'll join you and your order. There's nothing left for me here.”

“Help me close the tunnel before we go.”

***

They picked their way through the dark at the base of the mountain. The dense forest around them pressed close, suffocating Brina. How the Grey Warden stood it, she couldn’t fathom. Brina could barely see the stars through the thick foliage. The forest belonged to Black-Wolf Hold and butted up to a valley to the east; the valley that would take them to the Korcari Wilds.

A fire raged in front of the tunnel where a single darkspawn sentry stood watch. It was quite tall, about as tall as Brina, with thick armor covered in pitch just like the darkspawn she had seen before. This one had a helmet on. There was a black shield nearby leaning against a tree and a black twisted sword tied to the darkspawn's hip.

“That is a Hurlock vanguard. It appears to be non-ranking, which is good for us. It'll be easy to take out.”

Brina couldn't see his face in the dark. “What are you not saying?”

“There's a small retinue not far from here. Closing the tunnel will likely gain their attention. Most of them are just like this vanguard, but I think they may have an emissary among them. They are heading this way. We won't be able to escape before they arrive. We'll have to fight our way through. This Hurlock can't detect us; we're not close enough. But it won't be long before the emissary is aware of our presence.”

“How can you know all that?”

“It's part of being a Grey Warden. I will explain later. Now, I'll distract the sentry. I need you to collapse the tunnel.”

Brina nodded. She and Duncan ran out. Duncan kicked the Hurlock square in the gut before it could draw its sword. Brina stood before the tunnel and braced herself. She held the staff parallel to the ground, both hands on the grip. She raised the staff over her head and arched her upper body around in a full circle before stamping the butt of the staff onto the ground. A large crack formed and traveled into the tunnel and spiraled around losing rocks and debris. The ground shook. Roars and screeches escaped the shaft as it collapsed.

Once the ground settled, Duncan came up next to her. He crossed his arms, but there was the faintest hint of a smile on his face, “I think you'll do just fine. The emissary is here. Get ready.”

Several Hurlocks, like the one Duncan killed, emerged from the trees. An even more massive creature followed behind. It was tall and floated above the ground. Its head was bald. The skin on the nightganger sagged and was pale grey with black mottled spots. Its ears reminded Brina of an elf, a detail that distracted Brina a moment too long.

“Brina, watch out!” Duncan shoved her to the side. A fireball larger than her head burned past her so close she felt the intense heat.

“The emissary?”

Duncan nodded.

The emissary opened its mouth, revealing two rows of sharp teeth, and let out a gravelly screech. It brought its hand up and connected its long fingers as if holding a ball. Lightning and energy formed inside and built up larger and larger.

“Brina, attack now!” Duncan rushed forward with his swords, spinning and lunging as hurlocks attacked.

Brina lifted her staff with both hands parallel to the ground and was about to conjure a protective barrier when a low growl to her left startled her. To her horror, another creature emerged. Is that a wolf? No, it can't be. . . “Duncan?”

Before she knew it, a blade stuck from the middle of its head. She spun back to face Duncan who was fighting the emissary with a single sword. Brina ran to the wolf creature and grabbed the sword. She had to place her foot on its head and pull hard. After a moment, the sword slid out.

Brina ran behind the emissary and breathed deep. She laid the staff down and with her newly freed hand she gathered up the energy in the clearing. Electricity tingled in her fingers, down her arm, and into her other arm, directly into the sword. Electrical currents pulsed through the sword and the blade became sheathed in lightning.

“Hey! Ass Face! Aye, you! Eat this!” Brina brought the sword up over her head and brought it downward. A long blade of light and lightning came out of the sword slicing and electrocuting the emissary. Duncan jumped back just in time to avoid the slash of the sword.

The emissary stood, staring at her before falling apart into two pieces. Black blood formed a large pool in the dirt and grass. Brina picked up her staff turned her attention back to the bear creature. “Duncan, what is this? It looks like a wolf, but something is . . . horribly wrong.” She handed Duncan his sword.

“A blight wolf.”

Brina couldn't help making a face. “That- That's perverse!” Now that they had a moment she was able to look at it really and could see it was, in fact, a wolf, but it was twisted almost beyond recognition. The fur was matted and patchy, covered in the same pitch-like substance that was on the darkspawns' armor.

“I'm sorry, Brina. I had forgotten your clan holds them sacred. I can't imagine what you must feel about these blight wolves. Unfortunately, there is no way to cleanse them.”

“I . . . I understand. The hunters, they said the bears were gone . . . and all the other animals.”

“Yes. Either tainted or fled.” Duncan sighed heavily. “Stay alive. Another small group approaches.”

Several more darkspawn emerged from around the clearing led by an Alpha Hurlock. Brina took a deep breath and pulled her arms tight into her body. She threw both arms out, casting balls of fire. Each ball of flames sought one of the darkspawn enemies, catching them on fire. Some went into a panic, running into trees and each other before falling onto the ground screaming.

The Alpha regained his composure and launched himself at her. She swung the staff around, using it as a control for various blasts before sending another barrage of fireballs. The Alpha managed to block several of the bursts but was unable to advance closer. She dropped the staff, exhausted. The Alpha drew his sword.

A crash through the trees gave her, Duncan, and the Alpha pause. Oh, Lady's Blessed Tits, I hope there aren't more.

Grønvik broke through the trees and tore into the Alpha. Duncan and Brina could only watch in helpless wonder. Grønvik crunched through the armor as the Alpha struggled. The Alpha finally stopped moving, and the wolf dropped it.

As Grønvik stepped away, he shook his head, growling.

“Grønvik? Are you all right?”

Grønvik howled and dropped to the ground. He tried to get up only to fall onto his side. Black blood dripped from his jaw.

“Grønvik? Grønvik? No! No, not Grønvik, too!”

“Brina . . .”

Brina ran to his side. “. . . Grønvik . . .”

“The Alpha's blood killed him . . . I'm sorry.”

“He- He saved me . . .”

“He was a magnificent beast.”

“He would have turned into a blight wolf. . . wouldn't he?”

“Yes . . . I know you are hurting, but it is better this way.”

She put her hand on Grønvik's head. “May you walk in the light and be unafraid of the darkness.” Brina stood and wiped her face with the back of her hand. “We shouldn't linger here.”

#dragonage #dragonageorigins #avvar #avvarorigin #fanfiction

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