#can one day a disaster come to seek one of them that's so great that only one of them is the “chosen one” to make it out alive? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

xxfromthestartxx · 10 months

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Hii I saw that you’re open for requests and I’ve been looking for a Miguel x daughter!reader? Like the reader is the spiderman of her universe and Miguel recruited her. Miguel reminds reader her late father and stuff like that. One day the reader got rejected by her crush and you can do the rest. Preferably if it’s filipino reader hehe

Rejection and... Comforting? (Father figure! Miguel O'Hara)

pairings: Dad! Miguel O'Hara x Daughter! Reader

summary: It was a long day for you, even as the Spider-girl in your universe. You got rejected by your crush and you were tired of living, all you want to do is cry and seek comfort from anyone or anything.

a/n: I'm also taking requests from JJK so feel free to request them!! Also, I've seen reblogs where they can't understand tagalog so I placed the accurate translation so you guys don't need to google it anymore!!

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 (COMING SOON)

You're Spider-girl. You have duties. You have priorities. You need to protect everyone from any harm.

That's what you keep telling yourself, that's what you keep repeating in your head as you try to hold it together. This day was supposed to be your break, hanging around with your friends, and you did.

But it didn't go well, things were told and two of your best friends and one of your friends had a complicated situation. The hangout was great but the aftermath was a disaster to say at least.

The city was in chaos and you immediately got out of the tricycle and went to an empty alley. You let the holographic suit materialize over your clothes and swung away.

The fight was a rough one, that's why you ended up being badly bruised and with a large number of wounds in your body. Even with your patrol partner with you, you can't seem to focus on the fight.

That's why you ended up in your room, fixing your wounds when a notification rang from your phone. It was your best friend, telling you about what happened earlier.

You quickly got your phone and chatted with her, ignoring your fatal wounds and using the healing serum that you stored in your mini-refrigerator.

You quickly drank it and focused on the chats. You can see how worried she is about the problem. And what's this problem you might ask?

Your friend, Mary J. has an ongoing mutual understanding with Peter, who happened to be both of your best friends. The problem is, one of your friends, Dale, has a crush on Peter.

Mary J. hid it from Dale, not wanting to hurt him in any way, now that he found out, it was worse because Peter was there to witness it all. You were there to witness it all.

That's how you ended up having to switch contacts, chatting with Dale, Peter, and Mary J. all at once. It didn't happen that you were so sore and tired.

It didn't help that one of your best friends got into a fight with her mother, so now you are switching contacts between 4 people. Giving them pieces of advice while you process everything.

You were good at giving advice, that's what they say, the same advice you seemed to be ignoring when it comes to you. Your eyes welled up with tears as you read their chats, your empathy being too much.

That's how you are, you tend to absorb people's emotions. You were tired, but you didn't stop chatting with them, they needed you, and you want to be there for them, and it was exhausting.

Another notification popped up, this time, it was your crush. Your eyes widened and you quickly wiped away the building tears, ignoring the chat and continuing talking to Mary J.

You close your eyes shut as you contemplate whether you read it or not, you sighed and opened it, remembering what you sent them. Telling them, asking them to clear up things whether they like you back or just entertaining you because they knew you like them.

You knew the answer, deep down you knew, yet there was hope somewhere. You sighed as you read the chat, not having any time to process before you chatted with Mary J. once again, then chatting Dale.

It went on for hours until you were tired, the problem was toned down and you were only chatting with Mary J. now. You've helped your friends once again, that's what matters to you.

Grace wasn't that much upset anymore, you've convinced her that mothers are really complicated when it comes to parenting. You've convinced Dale to talk it out with Peter and Mary J. when he's ready to.

And Peter, you've convinced Peter to try and give Dale some space for his own good. You were happy to help, always. But it seemed to be so unfair that you were alone with your problems.

You bit your lip, replying to your crush, saying that it was okay and shit like that. They left you on seen which made your facade crumble apart.

One minute you were talking to Mary J. and giving her advice, and now you were casually chatting with her about the chat from your crush.

It took you a full hour to process everything, and by that time, you said goodbye to your best friend and you laid on your bed, holographic suit no longer to be seen.

You sat up, no tears forming in your eyes, but that didn't change the fact that your heart seemed to drop, oh how it was hurting you. You felt weak and vulnerable, not even your fights can compare to it.

You were slowly falling apart as a person and you can't call anyone, you don't want to, you don't want to be a burden. You knew that they have so much going on and you don't want to give them more headaches.

You stared at your room, your once comfortable room now having no sense of comfort, it felt empty. You felt lost. You gripped your chest, where your heart is supposed to be, you clutched it and you want nothing but to just rip it out of you.

You didn't want these to happen, yet it happened and it makes you upset, so mad, so vulnerable. It makes you feel things that were weakening your state.

Your mind was blank, desperate to seek comfort literally from anything, and one place crossed your mind. You let out a small smile and looked at your watch. You stood up and typed the universe where Miguel is.

You entered the portal and used your ability to teleport quickly to his office. "Tito?!" You shouted, shooting a web at the ceiling and descending up. (Uncle?!)

"What is it now, niña?" He didn't bother to look away from his screen, one word from you is enough to know that it was you.

You stayed silent and it was your breaking point, he noticed the silence and immediately looked at you. His eyes softened and his brows were furrowed.

"What happened?" He asked, putting hands on his waist. You only let go of your web and went to hug him. "Ayaw ko na. Ang sakit na." (I don't want to anymore. It hurts.)

Miguel stood frozen, eyes wide from your actions. He slowly put a hand on your head and gently patted it, an awkward gesture for him.

"Anong nangyare?" He asked in a thick Spanish accent, you looked at him with surprise. "You know how to speak Tagalog?" You asked, baffled by the fact that he spoke in your language. (What happened?)

"I'm learning so that I could understand and make sure you don't say anything bad to me." He replies, looking at you straight in the eyes.

You looked back before hugging him tighter, burying your head into his stomach. You let out a muffled cry, feeling your heart drop once again. You hated it, you hated when that happens, you hated that you feel weak.

"Ayaw ko na, tito. Why is living so hard? I don't get it. It's so tiring. Not just from the latest happenings, I just- I've been keeping it at the bay and now it's just, it's just flooding. And I hate it. I hate it so much it hurts." (I don't want to anymore, Uncle.)

Miguel looked at you with soft eyes, hugging you back, it was weird for him at first before he melts, hearing you cry was painful, he sees you as the daughter he longed for, the daughter he thinks his daughter would've become.

"I know, I know, let it out. Let it all out." He muttered, caressing your hair gently and sighing. You stayed there, crying your heart out, not saying a single word anymore, you cried there until there was nothing but sniffles.

You pulled away from him, giving him space after half an hour of crying, he looked at you and gave a tight smile. "So, are you going to tell me what happened? Mierda, pareces un desastre." (Shit, you look like a disaster.)

You couldn't help but smile, understanding what he was saying. “Estu complicado, tito." You replied in Spanish, now it's his turn to look at you weirdly. "When did you speak Spanish?" (It's complicated, Uncle.)

"Since the Spanish took over the Philippines for 333 years?" You snorted, wiping your cheeks. "Okay, fair." He shrugged, "So, ano nga nangyare?" (So, what really happened?)

You looked at him before sighing, pointing at the chairs. He nodded and went there while you used your power of teleportation to teleport there. "Long story. Basta- nakakapagod." (Just- it's really tiring.)

Miguel looked like he wanted to do something but decided against it, "Just.." he trailed off, looking away, "I'm here for you, okay?" He continued.

You turned to him, a small smile gracing your lips. "I'm just... Tired is all. Everything is so fucked up lately, you know?" you whispered, playing with your hands.

"I know I'm saving my city but it hurts. Am I not lovable the way I am? Without my mask, am I not... lovable?" Miguel's eyes widened at your words.

He couldn't say anything, processing what you just told him. "I've never been so weird with someone. I've never acted this way. This is the first time I liked someone so much it hurts. It hurts, tito, sobrang sakit. Hindi ko maintindihan." (It hurts, Uncle, it hurts so much. I don't understand it.)

You sniffled, tucking your knees to your head. "I shouldn't feel this way. I'm too young to have a love life. I'm too young to feel this way." Miguel looked at you, scooting closer to you.

"Hey, hey. Don't talk to yourself like that. You are lovable. You have friends who love you, okay? And what's with the love life talk? Did something happen?" He was soft, underneath all the facade he put through, he was so soft. So soft for you, for someone who resembles his daughter.

"My..." You hiccuped, shaking from the feeling. "My crush chatted me, I asked them to clear things up because I don't want to get my hopes high." You said, "I know that this is our last problem right now, but why does it hurt so much?"

There was silence before you decided to speak again. "Tangina, ang sakit. Hindi ko kaya, ayaw ko na siya makita. Ang sakit kaya sa puso, gago." You cursed, voice lacing with venom. (Son of a bitch, it hurts. I can't stand it anymore, I don't want to see them anymore. It really hurt my heart, asshole.)

"You don't mean that." Miguel was quick to respond, making you look at him. "I've known you for a while now, niña. You tend to say things you don't mean when you're overwhelmed."

"It's just that, I don't know, okay? I'm supposed to be strong, I'm supposed to be there for my friends, I should be there to protect them, I don't have time for me to play around." You ranted out, on the verge of crying once again.

"That doesn't mean you aren't allowed to feel anything, niña. Even after all that happened, you're still a person. A person that's allowed to feel something, okay? So don't invalidate your feelings. Your feelings matter, you matter."

Miguel wasn't sure if his words were doing something, just at least something for you. He wanted to be there, and he is there for you, for you to lean on. He sighed before looking at the ceiling, trying to come up with something.

"Feelings..." he started, taking a deep breath. "Feelings are complicated, it doesn't need to make sense. You just need to find it out yourself. It will take time to translate it into something easier for you to understand... "

He stopped and thought about something, "You can't force yourself to continue saving the city like nothing happened, you need time for yourself." He said, his voice low and his eyes soft.

"What? You're making me take a break?“ you asked, voice cracking. "You have a superhero team back in your universe, right? I'm sure they can handle themselves."

"But-" you were cut off by him shushing you. "It's just until you figure out what you will do. Just so you can have time for yourself to clear your mind." He replied firmly. "I'm not going to stop you from swinging around your city if that's what will help. I just don't want you to go on dangerous missions."

"I get it." You muttered, "I don't want you thinking I'm doing this because you did something bad. Those feelings are normal. I want you to give more time to yourself. To have inner peace." He then clicked something on his watch.

"Do you want anything?“ he asked, "Food, anything?" He asked, standing up from his seat as Lyla materialized in front of Miguel. "Hey, Lyla." You greeted the AI with a smile.

"Hey." She glitched to your side, performing your not-so-secret handshake with her. "Boogsh!" The two of you said in unison, mimicking a bomb explosion. She then moved to Miguel's side, a smile on her face.

You thought for a second before speaking, "I want some ice cream, or fries, or... A float? Hm... Burger seems nice too. But like, kwek kwek? Oh! I know, milk tea! Nah, I think Takoyaki is fine too, but I want something sweet. Maybe spaghetti? But carbonara though...?"

Miguel took a deep breath before facing you, "Forget that I asked." Closing his eyes then putting a hand on his nose bridge. "Mierda, so indecisive." (Shit, so indecisive.)

"Narinig ko yun! Tsaka bakit ba?! Nagtanong ka eh!" You huffed, the tears you've shed now dried into your skin. "Wait! I know what I want!!" You stood up from your seat, walking towards Miguel. (I heard that! And what is it to you?! You asked for it!)

"I want f/f, pretty please!“ you bounced at the balls of your feet, eager to have some food. "Lyla, you know what to do, please." Miguel then tapped into his watch once again.

"Alright!“ Lyla then made a screen appear in front of her, ordering food for you. "Salamat, tito!" You hugged him from behind, the impact was not too strong but it made him tense. Unknown to you, he smiled a bit, just a bit before he let out a sigh. (Thank you, Uncle!)

He didn't know when did he start being this soft to someone, he didn't know that he could be this soft after Gabriella. "Done!" Lyla chirped, pulling Miguel out of his trance.

"You can go now, Lyla. Thank you." Miguel swatted away the projection of his own AI. Lyla rolled her eyes before scattering into bits, disappearing completely.

"What..." You started, "What should I do now? I'm classmates with him, I can't possibly... you know, avoid him?“ you pulled back from the hug, shrugging your shoulders at him.

"Well, what are you willing to do? Miss your classes?" He asked, his voice filled with authority like he was interrogating you. "I'm not going to! Sino ba s'ya?“ you crossed your arms with a huff. (Who do they think they are?)

Ignoring on how your stomach is doing cartwheels inside you. "You are so easy to read, estúpida." Miguel chuckled slightly, his eyes softening with your antics. (Stupid.)

"You need time to heal, take things slow. Just know that the whole spider society is here for you, okay? Don't rush things. You're still friends, right? Just clear things up with them."

You pursed your lips, uncrossing your arms and taking a deep breath. "I can't... I don't want to talk to them." You admitted, shooting a web on the ceiling and descending up.

Miguel could only look at you before he went down to his seat. "As I said, it will take time. They are friends of your friends. It's best if the both of you handle it privately."

"I know. But for now, all I want is to avoid them, you get it?" You stuck there for a while, sticking yourself to the ceiling, spreading your arms and legs like a starfish. "You can't keep avoiding them. There will be a time they will reach for you, you know that. It might be sooner than you think."

His words echoed in your brain, you know he was right. Your crush is part of your friend group, you can't just avoid them. You can't avoid the whole friend group, especially if that friend group is the same superhero team Miguel was talking about.

"They're... part of the superhero team right?" Miguel raised an eyebrow, looking up at you. "How'd you know?" Your heart leaped, remembering the times the two of you will patrol the city at night.

"I have access across the multiverse, remember? Tanga." You let out an exaggerated gasp once Miguel called you an idiot. "Don't use my language against me, descendant of colonizers!" (Dumb.)

"Ay por favor." He sighed, hearing you chuckle a bit. "Yeah, they are." You shrugged, "I guess I need to ask someone else to accompany them to night patrols." You whispered, smiling a bit. (Oh please.)

Miguel couldn't get a grasp on what you were thinking, you were too predictable but not at the same time. It was weird to say the least. You always have this look when you think of your crush, a very lovestruck one.

Miguel had heard you rant about your crush million times, whether it was intentional or not. It's like you were in denial that you've completely fallen in love, yet your actions says otherwise.

The silence was comfortable, just the two of you having your own train of thoughts. It was so rare for you to be this relaxed but you liked it, you feel safe and secured. It's funny because you always had your guard up even when you were in HQ, but now, you feel secure.

"This is nice." You thought out loud, looking down at him. "What is?" He asked, curiosity dancing in his eyes. "You being not angry at me." Once the words left your mouth, you burst into fits of laughter. He only rolled his eyes and grunted.

"Really now?" He scoffed, mumbling Spanish curses. "What?! It's true! You always scold me and the others!" You defended, still in the fits of giggles. "Not always." He rebutted, eyes narrowing. "What do you mean 'not always'? You always do!"

"I don't! I mean, from time to time, yes but no!" His answer made you laugh more, the denial on his tone is just so funny to you. "Yeah, whatever." You tsked at him, shaking your head with faux disappointment.

"I just noticed that you're not in your suit." He pointed at the clothes you wore. You wore a cyan T-shirt with small patterns on the top and pink shorts. Like the usual clothes when you stay home. "Yeah. Na ka pangbahay ako." You shrugged. (Yeah. I'm wearing clothes I usually wear in my own house.)

"You went out with your friends... " He gestured at your fit. "With those." He finished with an amused smirk. "What? It's alright." You scowled, crossing your arms. "Yeah, right. You have a lot of great clothes and you chose those for a hangout."

"I was too lazy to actually dress up!" You huffed, rolling your eyes. "You're lazy in general, mija." He let out a hearty laugh, shaking his head. Your eyes widened at his laugh, it sound so familiar yet so distant.

"Wow, you could laugh like that?!" You taunted, jumping off the ceiling and pointing your hand at him. "What's that supposed to mean?" He slapped your hand away. "And don't point, it's bad."

"You sound like my mother." You slapped his hand back. "Don't let her hear you say that, mija." He teased, a smug look on his face. "Don't you have like, a crush on my mother?" You rose an eyebrow.

"What?" He choked, patting his chest harshly. "Yeah, I've heard it from someone from the HQ." You smirked devilishly, taunting him. "I don't... Have a crush on your mother." He finished.

"Does that mean you’ll be my father?" You both grimaced, "Iih..." You let out a small screech, tilting your head to the side, measuring your hands, and gesturing a 50/50.

"Don't have a crush on her." He repeated, firmly this time. "Don't let her hear you say that, tito, or should I say... Papa?" You taunted, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him.

"I can't believe it! The rumors were true! You have a crush on my mother!!" You shrieked, pulling away before jumping around like a little girl. "I don't!" He called out, massaging his shoulders.

"You so do!!" You giggled, grabbing a file of paper before throwing it up, and scattering it. "Ay por dios, no puedo más contigo." He mumbled, wiping his face and then resting his hand on his mouth. (Oh my God, I can't with you anymore.)

"Okay, that's enough." He mumbled, standing up and looking at the mess you've made. "Clean that up then we can eat. The food is outside the door."

"You're not my mother!" You called out, running to the door with a smile, taking the bag of food from another Peter.

Miguel was left there, a soft smile on his face when he saw you smile. You were complicated, weird, and overall confusing. But it was okay for him, after all, you're his daughter.

a/n: requests are still open! Both from ATSV and JJK!!!

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grizzersmamma · 1 year

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Beyond the Loch | Monster CoD AU | Chapter 1.

Summary: “With monsters now being used the world over to wage war, the military is desperate to encourage non-human citizens to join their ranks. A young kelpie, John 'Soap' MacTavish, is invited to join the infamous Task Force 141, the first task force in history to be headed up by a monster. Soon after joining, he encounters a black dog, an omen of death known only as Ghost. Determined to prove that not all black dogs are harbingers of disaster and misfortune, he decides to become Ghost's field partner, becoming close to the spirit while everyone else flees from him terror. Only time can tell if he'll come to regret it or not.”

Notes: Decided to create my own CoD Monster AU! I’ve seen loads of different AUs, but this will be my own personal take on what creatures the different characters would be.

Pairing(s): Future Ghost/Soap. Other to be added.

Warnings: Unedited because I’m tired ;w;.

Series Masterlist

Next: Chapter 2.

There’s always been a great deal of danger for monsters living in the human world. It is far safer for a monster to simply hide away their true identity and do their best to fit in among the cruel creatures that fear them. Better for humans to remain ignorant of a monster’s nature than to learn of it and potentially cause panic. Panic only leads to people lashing out and monsters dying.

At least, that is what Soap grew up knowing.

Times have changed, however, and for the past decade the military has been on the search for the monsters living within society. There are enemies lurking in the shadows that have seen the potential monsters can bring to the battlefield, and it has changed the way war is waged for every nation, leaving armies around the world seeking out the creatures they once persecuted and hunted.

That was what originally piqued Soap’s interest in the military. It was dangerous to even consider working so closely alongside humans, especially trained killers, but Soap has always had a rather rebellious spirit. A young Soap was always eager to push the limits and challenge himself, so chancing a stint with the forces was just another potential adventure in the making.

Of course, with age and experience on the field he has grown more tempered and far less naïve. He has encountered more than his fair share of humans who think monsters shouldn’t be serving alongside them and as a result have treated him... less than ideally... but there are also plenty who are simply excited meet a monster in the flesh.

Meeting another monster on a base or in the field is a rarity, despite how desperate the military is to recruit more, so it can often be a lonely occupation. He regularly finds himself missing the cool lochs of his home and his old pod. But like all males, once he reached maturity he had to move on and find his own territory.

Soap had hoped that joining a squad would alleviate the need to have a large family surrounding him, but he found it difficult to truly form a bond with a group of humans. They were friends, yes, but not what he would consider family.

So, when Soap is given the offer of joining Task Force 141, the first task force headed up by a monster, he leaps at the opportunity. Not only will there be at least one other monster on the team with him, but he would be working alongside some of the most experienced soldiers in the special forces. His request is approved by the higher-ups swiftly, and within a few days Soap has packed his bags, farewelled his old team and is standing before his new captain.

Captain John Price is a stoic man, or at least that’s how he appears on first glance. He’s friendly enough, offering Soap a pleasant greeting at the gate, firmly shaking his hand, and then personally escorting him tohis quarters and then the captain’s office where they can speak further. Price silently reads over Soap’s file again, lit cigar hanging loosely from his lips. Every now and then the man lets out a small puff of smoke, and Soap gathers that not all of it is from the cigar.

A dragon. One of the most revered of all monsters, almost always treated with a healthy amount of both fear and respect. Just one dragon would be enough to level a city, especially a mature, experienced beast such as Price. No doubt the military was giddy when they learned exactly what kind of creature they had under their command.

Normally, dragons are solitary creatures, preferring to remain hidden away in their dens and only leaving to hunt or gather more items for their hoards. So, for the special forces to have one working for them is surely quite the treat.

Just the sound of Price’s calm, deep breaths is enough to send electricity dancing down Soap’s spine, his brain instinctively telling him to dive into the nearest lake and hide until the threat of the other monster’s presence has gone. But where there is fear, there is also excitement. He has the opportunity to learn from someone with well over a hundred years of knowledge of warfare. He also can’t deny the relief that comes from having a fellow supernatural being so close, especially with the way Price seems to be so unbothered with masking his true identity.

Dragons are more than capable of appearing almost completely human, but the captain is rather loose with his looks. Deep green scales line the visible parts of his arms, no doubt continuing under his clothes, and his fingers are tipped with rather sharp, curved claws. His eyes occasionally flicker between blue orbs and thin slits whenever something catches his attention, and Soap is pretty sure he can see a reptilian tail shifting underneath the desk.

“A kelpie,” the dragon muses aloud, causing Soap to snap his eyes back up from where they’d been lingering on Price’s arm, “we haven’t had a kelpie with us before, so we’ll have to discuss any requirements specific to your species.” Price looks up from the paper, “then you’ll be able to meet the rest of the team you’ll be working with.”

“My requirements should be listed on the file, sir,” Soap answers, a little perplexed as to why the captain would be asking when he already has all the answers he seeks.

Price just chuckles at that, resting his cigar on the ashtray so he can offer Soap his full attention, “you and I both know that the military is severely lacking when it comes to accommodating monsters. They will give you the bare minimum to keep you alive, but I want to know what you need to be comfortable here, not just survive.”

Soap is surprised – for years now he’s been focused on just getting by, ignoring most of his preferences since they weren’t actual needs – it has been a long time since he cared about his own wants. “Not too much, just access to some water,” he offers, not entirely certain if that’s what the captain was looking for. Normally, Soap would try spending extra time in the shower, running the water as cold as possible, but it’s a poor substitute for being able to completely submerge his body in water.

Price just nods, scribbling something onto the bottom of Soap’s paperwork. “Any dietary preferences?” he continues.

“Meat and fish are what I would normally eat, but I can eat most things,” Soap watches as Price adds that comment too.

“That should be easy enough to arrange, we generally keep fresh meat stocked,” the captain nods, straightening out the papers in his hands, before tucking them away back into the manila file they’d come from. It makes sense that Price would have more sway over what happened on base, considering both his rank and his rather intimidating nature.

The file is placed into a locked drawer under the desk, before Price is standing up and gesturing for Soap to do so. “Well, it’s good to have you on board, sergeant,” the dragon smiles showing off some rather pointed fangs and clasping Soap’s shoulder. “Ready to meet the rest of the team?” he asks after giving his shoulder an encouraging squeeze.

“Aye, sir,” Soap grins back, genuinely eager to meet the men he would be serving alongside.

Price guides him outside and down toward the training grounds. There are dozens of men running laps while a sergeant stands nearby, occasionally shouting something to them, while another group are running an obstacle course. But the captain doesn’t lead them over to the other men, instead moving toward a lone soldier leaning up against a nearby wall.

The man is wearing a rather unnerving skull mask with accompanying gloves adorned with the design of skeleton hands. The man seems uninterested in what the rest of the soldiers are doing, gaze firmly trained on Price’s approaching figure. This is obviously another monster, with a lengthy, furry tail swishing lazily behind him, while unnatural, ominous crimson eyes stare them down.

“Sergeant, this is Lieutenant Ghost, you’ll be working under him,” Price begins, stopping just in front of the man in question, “Ghost, this is Sergeant John ‘Soap’ MacTavish.”

Ghost’s eyes slowly roam up and down Soap, expression unchanging. After an almost uncomfortably long moment of silence, Ghost finally speaks, voice surprisingly deep. “Sergeant,” is all he says, and it seems that’s the only greeting he’s going to offer.

Soap forces himself to peel his gaze away from the glowing eyes pinning him in place, offering a grin to the monster. “Good t’ meet ye, LT,” he chirps, giving a friendly fist bump to the other man’s arm, “lookin’ forward t’ workin’ with ye!”

Ghost’s eyes widen minutely and he blinks, glancing over to Price for a second before back to Soap again.

Price seems to be biting down the urge to chuckle, small puffs of smoke escaping his nostrils as he attempts to hide his grin behind his fist. He clears his throat, finally getting a hold of himself, “we’ll leave you to it, Ghost.” He jerks his head to the side, signalling to Soap that they should be continuing.

Soap offers the lieutenant another grin before turning away to follow the captain. As he’s leaving, he’s pretty sure he catches a soft, “fuckin’ hell,” murmured from Ghost’s direction.

“Is the lieutenant a werewolf or a shifter?” Soap asks just as they reach the building housing the recreation rooms. He has never met a werewolf before, but they’re far from an uncommon sight, particularly in Europe.

Price shakes his head, “no.” He takes a moment to mull over his response, seemingly uncertain about something. “Have you heard of a black dog before?” he asks.

Soap pauses, almost tripping over his own two feet. “A black dog? Ah was told they dinnae stray from their homes,” he frowns, thinking back to the old stories he was told as a young colt. Black dogs were terrifying creatures – it was said that so much as looking upon one would bring nothing but death and destruction – they were omens of chaos who typically preyed upon lost travellers, leading them to certain doom. Yet there were also stories of benevolent ones that would guide people back to safety, vanishing back into the night.

To follow a black dog was to allow the ghostly beast to determine your fate, either leading you to your death or safely back home.

“Usually, they keep to their own territories, yes, but Ghost prefers to... wander,” Price explains, waiting for Soap to catch up with him again, “is that going to be a problem at all?” He continues.

Confused, Soap furrows his eyebrows at the captain, “why would tha’ be a problem, sir?”

“Some people aren’t willing to follow a black dog given their tendency to lead people into danger. The people around them don’t tend to last very long which, obviously isn’t too uncommon in our line of work, but people tend to be rather superstitious, regardless.”

Soap is almost offended that Price would even have to ask, but it must be a prevalent issue if even other monsters were anxious to work with Ghost. “No sir, there won’t be any problems,” he confirms.

When they finally reach the rec room price has been looking for, the room is completely dark, with the lights switched off and no windows. Price reaches for the lightswitch and the moment he flicks them on a loud groan can be heard from one of the coaches. A head shoots up a moment later, subjecting the two of them to an annoyed glare.

“Good morning, Gaz,” the captain grins, offering a smirk as the man flops back down on the sofa with a huff. “Soap, this is Sergeant Kyle Garrick, or Gaz,” he starts, vaguely waving in Gaz’s direction, “Gaz, this is Sergeant John Soap MacTavish.”

Gaz mumbles what is probably some sort of hello, waving lazily.

“Don’t mind Garrick, he’s nocturnal,” Price explains, waving away Soap’s slightly concerned glance and ignoring the annoyed noise Gaz makes when he nudges the sergeant’s feet off of the coach. “Gaz here is a vampire, being awake during daylight hours doesn't agree with him,” he snickers, ruffling the younger man’s hair.

“Y’ ‘right there, Gaz?” Soap asks, unable to resist smiling when the other man tosses a pillow in his direction, “good to meet you too.”

“Soap is the newest member of the team, try not to concuss him, Gaz,” Price grumbles.

“Sorry, sir,” Gaz grumbles, blinking tiredly, “... can I have my pillow back?” he asks.

Soap grins, “sure,” he says grabbing the pillow from where it landed on the floor and immediately pegging it back at the vampire’s face.

Gaz grunts but doesn’t attempt to fight back, accepting his fate. A muffled “thank you,” comes from underneath the pillow and, a moment later, the man rolls over, now lying face down on his stomach. His body glows lax as he begins to drift off to sleep again.

“Alright, we’ll come back again later when the lad is a little more awake. I’ll show you the lake, then from there I’m sure you’ll be able to find your way.” Price pulls the blanket off of the back of the couch, taking a moment to drape is over Gaz’s sleeping body. “The boy was only turned recently,” he adds, quietly, “he’s still adjusting to how things work.”

Soap can only imagine just how difficult it must be to suddenly go from being human one moment to being a monster the next.

After he and Price leave, Soap can’t help asking, “how many non-humans are there on base?”

Price hums in thought, “I would say, approximately half of the task force.”

Soap stumbles for the second time that day, staring up at his captain in surprise. He had expected there to be one or two monsters on the task force, not dozens of them. “Why’re there so many of ‘em? Shouldn’y there only be a few?” he asks, stunned.

“The human-led task forces don’t have the experience dealing with non-human soldiers. They do their best, but they’ll never really be able to understand how we all function, that each species of monster is unique and has different requirements. We can’t all just be lumped into one category and treated the same,” Price explains, “I wouldn’t treat Gaz the same way I treat Ghost – they have different instincts and needs – but most humans make the mistake of thinking one monster will act the same as another and then act surprised when things go wrong.”

He certainly isn’t wrong, he’s seen firsthand how poor the military treats some of its monster recruits, particularly the more uncommon species. “Ye handle all tha’ by yerself? How?”

The captain huffs a laugh, throwing a toothy grin Soap’s way, “with hard work and very little sleep.”

Soap joins his soft laughter, genuinely impressed. He gets the feeling he’s going to enjoy working in this task force.

#writing #call of duty modern warfare #john soap mactavish #captain john price #simon ghost riley #kyle gaz garrick #ghostsoap #soapghost #ghost x soap #monster au #kelpies #dragons #vampires #ghosts #black dogs and water horses

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growingstories · 11 months

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The biggest wave

The waves crashed against the sandy shore of Oahu's world-famous North Shore as young Noah Johnson stood with his surfboard in hand.

At the tender age of 23, he had already become a legend in the surfing world, winning every major competition for the past five years. Born and raised in Hawaii, the ocean was his playground, and the waves were his domain.

But on one fateful day, while performing a routine trick during an early morning practice, disaster struck. Noah landed awkwardly and felt an agonizing pain shoot through his back. He was rushed to the hospital where the verdict was given - his back injury was severe, and the doctors shook their heads; Noah Johnson, the prodigy of wave riding, could no longer surf.

Noah's world collapsed around him. Surfing was his passion, his purpose in life. Without it, he felt like a fish out of water. Consumed by sadness, he withdrew from the world, wrapping himself in a cocoon of despair. His surfboard gathered dust in the corner of his small beachside apartment, forgotten and unused.

Days turned into weeks, and Noah's despair morphed into determination. He couldn't imagine a life without surfing, so instead of wallowing in self-pity, he returned to the place that had always brought him happiness - the beach. Unable to engage in any physical activities due to his injured back, he found solace in simply watching the waves dance under the sun.

Even though Noah couldn't participate in the exhilarating world of surfing anymore, he discovered a way to channel his passion and mentor the next generation. Two promising young surfers, Jake and Mia, approached Noah, seeking guidance to fulfill their own dreams. Recognizing their potential, Noah agreed to coach them.

As the days went by, Noah realized his own life was becoming stagnant. Discarding his strict training regimen, he indulged in treats and comfort food, promising himself he would lose the weight later with some cardio. However, those days turned into weeks, and Noah found himself stuck with an unhealthy eating habit and 50lbs heavier.

News of Noah's weight gain spread throughout the surfing community, and his once adoring fans expressed sympathy by bringing him cards and treats. While the gestures touched Noah's heart, it also reminded him that he had lost himself amidst his pupils' successes and his own downfall.

Months passed, and Noah watched proudly from the beach as Jake and Mia the surf dominated contests. Their victories brought him joy, and he realized that his own fulfillment didn't solely rely on his personal achievements. Noah had discovered a new purpose in life - helping others achieve greatness and sharing in their success.

After a year of coaching, Noah found himself another 50lbs heavier. But rather than feeling defeated by his weight gain, he embraced his newfound fulfillment. The extra pounds no longer held him back as he had thought; instead, they had become a symbol of his transformation, both physically and mentally.

Noah no longer yearned for the glory of riding the waves himself but rather reveled in the achievements of his students. With a renewed sense of purpose, he continued to mentor aspiring surfers and embrace life's unpredictable currents.

In this tale of resilience and adaptation, Noah Johnson learned that fulfillment can come from unexpected places. Through the highs and lows of his journey, he discovered that true bliss lies not only in personal achievement but also in helping others ride the wave of success. And as the waves continue to crash against the shore, the legacy of Noah Johnson, the once surfing champion, lives on through the lives he touched and transformed.

#fictionalweightgain #maleweightgain #maleweightgainstories #weightgain #fictionalstories #weightgainstories

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mysticstarlightduck · 2 months

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21 for the writer’s ask game?

Thank you so much for the Ask, @mk-writes-stuff!!!

21. Who is/are your favorite character(s) to write?

This is such a great question! Since I have quite a lot of WIPs, I have a lot of favorite characters I love to write about as well - so, for the sake of making this answer easier for me, I'll choose some characters from Enchanted Illusions and Of Starlight and Beasts to narrow down the list (and because these two WIPs are my "Words Into Potions" project this March!)

While I like almost all of my main characters and POV characters some of them just take the cake when it comes to being the ones I have the most fun writing and creating!

I'll give a quick summary to each of the characters I mention here (:

Of Starlight and Beasts

Leora Tallin - a young warrior from the former kingdom of Idrevan, which was conquered and annexed by the Crimson Queen's army generations ago. Leora was once a terrified orphan child whose magic caught the attention of Meira's army, who intended to have her trained as a soldier for their wars - a fate she narrowly escaped thanks to her older sister rescuing her. Now, Leora is the leader of a growing faction in Idrevan's underworld, seeking to offer the oppressed a chance of freedom away from the Crimson Queen's hold on their land. She's very much a brash, "strike first, ask questions later" type of character, and is also highly intelligent - while she yearns for her revenge on the General who ruined her childhood - a General who also nearly killed her adoptive brother - Leora also knows that openly standing up to Queen Meira without a plan would be a disaster waiting to happen, and so she waits and grows her power for the perfect opportunity to take a stand.

Arammys Lochlain (also this book's certified cinnamon roll!): Arammys is a young man whose memories of his past were stolen from him, for a reason he does not know. He is also the Starlit Guardian - (someone who has the most ancient and powerful magic their world can possess, a power said to be remnants of the power that created the realms, a magic which his family line have been the carriers of for millennia now). I love writing Arammys because, he's just the sweetest, kindest, most pure-of-heart character in this whole series - and despite his normally pacifist manner, he is also someone people really, really shouldn't mess with. I guess I just really love the "cinnamon roll that could kill you" type of characters lmao! He is the love interest of Corah, one of the main characters, and their story is one of my all-time favorite subplots this book has to offer!

Eidan Delythen - A formerly bright-eyed inventor, ward of a noble family, Eidan's world was destroyed and torn upside down by his treasonous uncle. Blaming himself for the fate of those he once called family, who died at the hands of his uncle, Eidan resigned himself to a life of solitude, whilst he sought a way to put an end to the evils and beasts that the corrupted magic of the Crimson Queen's magic brought to the land, as a way to redeem himself. He's very much a morally grey, scheming character when he is first introduced to the story, which I think is part of the reason why I love writing him so much - at first, he finds himself joining the MCs in their quest because he believes it will advance his goals, but as the story progresses and their bond starts to grow he genuinely starts caring about his newfound friends and participating on the quest for the right reasons while remaining quite the schemer when it comes to plotting the villains' downfalls. I guess it is just so cool to write the character whom he becomes later on in the book - still a morally grey, scheming character who manipulates situations for his gain, but who now does it with a noble goal in mind, to help his friends.

Tomasa Flammyr - She lives in the kingdom's coastal city, and is hopelessly in love with her girlfriend, Nadya. Tomasa also has high hopes of one day joining the royal Navy - her whole reason for helping the main cast, other than stopping the Crimson Queen will save thousands of innocents, is that she believes this is her chance to become the hero she dreamed of, just like the ones in the tales she was told growing up, and that it'll also be her chance to impress her future in-laws. She also happens to be a very (literally, physically and mentally, she's unbelievably strong) strong female character - she could carry most of the main characters with one arm and be unfazed - which, for me, is one of the reasons I love writing her so much. Other than that, she is just a really sweet person who also is a brave and honorable fighter, who loves puppies and all things cute in the world, but who also could defeat a giant in a five-minute brawl. Her secret shapeshifting ability is also a part of one of the greatest plot twists of the book! (:

Enchanted Illusions

Augustus Grimmure - One of the book's protagonists, Augustus is an all-powerful necromancer who made a deal with the deamon Deathbringer (an ancient entity of their world) for more power after being betrayed by his peers. He dreams of creating a world where innocent people are safe from harm, and where progress can really flourish - and being an "anti-hero" type of character, he believes that this can only achieved by purging all those who are pointlessly cruel and abusive from the city, eliminating the worst criminals, the kind of people who would create more injustices like the ones he faced. I just love how, while he is a morally grey character who often does questionable things for a noble/good goal (and is not above killing his enemies), he is also a kind and caring young scholar who wants to keep his friends and loved ones safe and happy. The dichotomy of someone who can go "I'll devour your soul" to criminals/his sworn enemies, and then do a 180° and go back home to his friends and family like nothing happened, straight up "Do you want hot chocolate, my dear?", is very fun and compelling for me to write!

Marcus Kallihan - The most dangerous assassin Ansburke has ever seen, Marcus Kallihan rose from street urchin to king of one of the most powerful mobs in the city. He runs the city's criminal underworld with an iron fist, ensuring that while his business is booming, innocent and honest folk can have a better and brighter future than the one he had. He runs The Fair - a giant underworld city-like landscape underneath the city of Ansburke, where he welcomes the outcasts and misfits from all around the region, and where he conducts most of his underworld business as well. He is a mobster with a strict moral compass, much different than his fellow mob bosses in other gangs, and due to him being a very much "Robin Hood" like figure, is adored by the people. He is also known as the Phoenix. I just love how his character is a badass with a heart of gold who took "the cards he was dealt with" and used them as a chance to give people like him a different fate than his, so that no other street kid had to resort to crimes to get by, like he had to.

(Most characters in Enchanted Illusions are antiheroes, which is really due to the world they live in, and that's very interesting dynamic as a whole for me)

Evangeline Daemitya - Daughter of the richest and most powerful man in the city (Damien Daemitya, heir of the most influential family in Ansburke, and also a member of the city's High Council of Sorcerers), Evie is a very sweet, studious, and opinionated lady, despite her sheltered existence. She has the means to make this city a better place, and when she discovers a conspiracy involving the nobility of the city, Evie takes it upon herself to change the way things are about to go. She's determined, madcap, and stubborn, a daredevil at heart who is not afraid of taking risks and leaps of faith if it means getting things done, while also being one of the most polite and pure characters in the book. She's very feminine and very strong at the same time! She wants to be a good person - unlike her callous, abusive ex-step-mother, who made a great part of her past a living hell - and use her extensive monetary means, as well as her knowledge, to give the city a chance at progress.

#wip: enchanted illusions #wip: of starlight and beasts #asked and answered!#thanks for the ask!#ask games! (:#writing #writeblr #writers #writerblr #my writing #asked and answered #my characters #character writing #my wips #writers on tumblr

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phantasmiafxndom · 1 year

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I’m pretty sure you said basic asks for TokyoRev are open (sorry if i misinterpreted, I feel like my English gets worse by the day T_T) so what would the dynamics for the TokyoRev boys be in the A/B/O AU?

I included all of the characters from what I've done for the Hybrid Au in this, so... I hope it's everyone you wanted to see? >3> For those unfamiliar with my particular style of A/b/o Au stuff, here's a general info post I'd done for another fandom.

. . .

Takemichi — Beta: Despite his Alpha-like tendency to make everyone else's issues his problem, he's not as pushy or aggressive about it as a typical Alpha would be. Unobtrusive, easy to trust, and easy to be around because he doesn't feel like too much of a threat to anyone.

Mikey — Beta: His instincts are an erratic disaster of wanting to protect everyone around him (often from himself) and desperately needing someone to look after him. The dual-ended extremes are draining; he often wishes he could shut them all off...

Emma — Omega: Perfectly content with it, too! She doesn't mind being spoiled at all (in fact, she quite likes it), even if that means playing up her "helplessness" sometimes. It makes people happy to take care of her, so isn't it fine to enjoy it a little?

Draken — Alpha: Pretty classic Alpha behavior all around, especially the part where Mikey probably couldn't survive without him. Highly protective of the people he cares about, especially when his softer side comes out around someone who truly needs him.

Baji — Alpha: More of the violent kind. He's not fully aware of what his instincts want, beyond that beating the shit out of anyone remotely threatening is a source of great pride. While he can be much too impulsive and thrill-seeking, his intentions are (usually) good.

Chifuyu — Beta: And mostly normal about it. He's fairly stable and level-headed overall, though he still does have his aggressive moments (like everything involved in keeping up with Baji), and more of a desire to be cared for than he likes to admit.

Mitsuya — Beta: The adaptable kind. He does what the people around him need, whether that's a more Alpha-like protector or something a little softer. He doesn't care much how people perceive him— and others often find it difficult to tell what dynamic he is.

Nahoya — Alpha: It's not immediately obvious, but once you realize it, it makes perfect sense. Most of his instincts are directed at his brother, who he's constantly doting on. More caring than he seems, especially when someone seems to truly need it.

Souya — Omega: A total baby of one, at that. Despite his grouchy face (and a desire to be a little more independent), he's heavily reliant on his Alpha brother to make him feel safe and doesn't do well on his own. Highly clingy toward those he's gotten attached to.

Sanzu — Omega: Overcompensating so hard. He feels small and weak and useless, so he does everything possible not to show it. He's terribly needy at his core, however, and does an awful job of taking care of himself without someone around to keep an eye on him.

Senju — Beta: While she has a protective streak and solid moral compass, she's also prone to ending up pushed into unfortunate situations. Pretty neutral overall, and perpetually confused by how other people's instincts make them act so weird.

Kazutora — Beta: Not handling it well. He's desperate to be loved and cared for, and has developed a terrible complex about not being Omega-like enough to deserve it. Another one whose instincts often make him erratic, especially when he gets jealous of someone.

Kisaki — Omega: The manipulative kind, at that. While he's nowhere near as tough as he likes to think he is, he's still very skilled at getting other dynamics (especially Alphas) on his side by presenting himself as harmless and good to keep around. Yes, Hinata is an Alpha here.

Hanma — Omega: And relentlessly weird about it. Delights in his dynamic just because of how much it freaks people out when they realize it. No one has any idea what's going on in his head, but he seems almost immune to normal Omega instincts. Almost.

Taijuu — Alpha: Highly protective, which manifests in all of the worst ways. He's the possessive, pushy kind of Alpha who acts like that because he has absolutely no idea what else to do with himself... and partially because he's convinced he has to behave a certain way.

Yuzuha — Omega: With her household's situation, she has to make herself tough enough to look after her brother. Deep down, though, she really just wants someone to take care of her instead, for once. A lot softer than she seems, though she hides that softness well.

Hakkai — Omega: Also a total baby about it. While he's also had to step up in his own ways (and the constant abuse has done very bad things to his mental state), he's still all kinds of needy... which his sister has encouraged a little more than she probably should have.

Inui — Beta: His sister was an Alpha, so he's got all kinds of identity issues about his dynamic by now. While he's naturally kind of neutral, he's never quite sure how he's "supposed" to act, and tends to present himself more aggressively to fit with certain expectations.

Kokonoi — Omega: And the constant stress he puts himself under is not doing his mental state any favors! He's made himself capable and self-sufficient enough to stand on his own, but underneath it all, he's surprisingly needy, and truly sick of having to do everything himself.

Izana — Omega: Another of the manipulative ones. He's prone to vicious jealousy and possessiveness when he feels close to someone, and the behavior those feelings bring out isn't pleasant. Craves attention desperately, but can't trust it when it's given to him.

Kakuchou — Alpha: He's the kind of Alpha whose instincts come before reason, more often than not. Loyal, protective, and determined to be a strong and capable caretaker, he's well-intentioned, yet a little too reliant on others for his own happiness.

Ran — Beta: While he usually seems relaxed and unbothered by instincts at all, the reality is that he's simply adaptable— whether it's being a protector to his brother or more lazy and demanding, he's usually just doing whatever he feels like in the moment.

Rindou — Beta: Aggressive and stubborn enough to be mistaken for an Alpha sometimes... though certain bratty tendencies seem more the opposite. The reality is that he's every bit as "in the moment" as his brother, regardless of how his behavior appears to others.

South — Alpha: Not that he at all knows what to do with it. Being constantly surrounded by violence has twisted his idea of what an Alpha's instincts want, though, so he ends up using aggression in a misguided attempt to find some sense of security.

#Info #TokRev ABO Au

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accidentalmistress · 9 months

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Accidental Mistress - This Feeling

Apologies for being a day late, but the fic is finally here. This one follows directly after the events of Broken, so it might be a good idea to read that first if you haven't.

(For more Accidental Mistress content, check out the Master Post.)

Title: This Feeling

Word Count: 8,531

Content and Warnings: snz (F, N-B, mention of male snz), illness, caretaking

In which Oraion must learn to adapt to a situation he's never experienced in his long life - being responsible for a sick human.

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

Even without looking, he could feel those golden eyes boring into him. He always hated that unnerving, probing gaze that seemed to strip him bare despite the layers of his robes, so he kept his gaze ahead as they walked and he tried to process the words being spoken to him.

"I am sorry. It brings me no pleasure to bear this news. I know how much you care for her."

He took a breath and attempted, with great effort, to keep his voice calm.

"There has to be another way."

"Oraion." The man placed a firm hand on his arm, stopping him, but his tone softened a moment later. "There is not. Believe me, I have done everything within my power to find another path, but… there is none. The process has already begun; her fate cannot be changed. Not even by me. One way or another, she will die—"

He shut his own eyes. "No—!"

"Nothing can change that now. The only thing we can do is to ensure that it happens while she is still herself." He sighed and his touch vanished from Oraion’s arm. “I… would like to offer you the opportunity. I understand if you cannot do it, but it seemed wrong not to ask you first.”

At last Oraion turned to the man beside him, the absurdity of those words drawing him to seek some hint of alternate meaning in the other’s face. He shuddered when those eyes met his, unable to suppress the motion. One look told him everything he needed to know.

"You want me to…? Are you seriously asking me to kill her?!"

"I am not going to force you. We will find another to—"

"No! I do not wish for her to die!"

The other man lifted his chin, those horrible eyes growing narrow and cold.

"I believe I made it clear that you do not have a say in the matter. The only reason you and I are even having this conversation is out of respect for your aeons of faithful service. Her sacrifice will forestall disaster and spare countless lives. Surely you understand that. I do not make this decision lightly, but the needs of the many must outweigh the needs of the few. Or do you intend to oppose the will of the gods?"

Oraion awoke.

Morning. He reached a hand up to his face and traced a lingering trail of wetness with his fingers.

"... a memory?"

It had been quite some time since he had dreamed of that day, and longer still back to the time it had occurred. Ages ago, literally.

As he sat up in bed and cast about with bleary eyes, the demon realized he was not in his own room, but Noelle’s. A moment later the events of the previous evening came rushing back to him in a fresh torrent of emotion and flashes of memory. Noelle coming home bloody and bruised, her breakdown in the front hall, the bath he had given her, tucking her into bed, brewing her the tea that lulled her to sleep, and then…

He couldn’t tell her what he’d done. She didn’t want him to seek retribution for her. Yet old habits died hard, it seemed. Besides, he hadn’t killed the young men who had beaten her—he only visited upon them the same level of pain they had inflicted upon his Mistress. An eye for an eye, as they say.

His gaze fell upon her next to him in the bed, still fast asleep. She moaned a little and turned over, her expression tense. Oraion knew well that her sleep was often plagued by nightmares, but this morning her face was unusually flush. A lock of hair was plastered to her forehead with sweat, and as Oraion went to gently brush the hair out of her face he was surprised at how warm her skin felt. Her eyelids fluttered open and she blinked up at him.

“Mmh… Oraion?”

“Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. Are you all right? You feel oddly warm.”

“Do I?” As she sat up, her chest spasmed with several harsh coughs. “Ugh, I hope I don't have a cold.”

“What? Are you… cold?”

Her brown eyes flicked to the side, hesitant. “Oh… Um, i-it’s nothing. I’ll be fine.”

She tried to get up out of the bed, wincing, and Oraion was on his feet and by her side in an instant. She gave him a sheepish smile.

“I guess I am a bit sore in a few places.”

“Your ankle—are you certain you should be walking on it?”

“It actually feels much better today, thanks to that bath. As long as I’m careful it’ll be all right.”

“Mistress, perhaps you should stay in bed and rest…”

Noelle grimaced and shook her head. “I can’t just lie around all day; I’ll only feel like a bother, and I’ve had quite enough of that. Really, I’m fine, Oraion…”

A sort of distracted look came over her face before she suddenly put her hands over her nose and mouth as her eyes squeezed shut.

“Ishoo! Ishoo! Oh gosh…”

Despite his concern, Oraion couldn’t help but think how cute she was when she sneezed. Gods, she really was rubbing off on him, wasn’t she? Well, his only real experience with sneezing had thus far been in an almost entirely sexual context, so could anyone really blame him for the association?

“Bless you, dear. You were sneezing last night, too.”

She sniffled as her cheeks turned a bit pink. “I-I know. I, uh… It- It was so chilly out last night, y-you know? I, um, guess it got me a bit sniffly.”

Oraion pursed his lips. He had the distinct feeling that Noelle was hiding something, but what it could possibly be, he had no idea. After her ordeal last night, however, he was reluctant to press the issue. Surely she would open up to him when she was ready.

“Is there anything I can do for you, then?”

“Um… Would you make me some more tea? If you don’t mind. I think I’ll just go wash up a bit—I’m so sweaty.”

Oraion nodded, glad to have a clear task to focus on. He made his way down to the kitchen and set about preparing the tea. He was embarrassed to admit it, but it occurred that he should probably learn to make proper food. He’d never needed to, not before he was a Demon Lord, and certainly not since. It always felt beneath him, but whenever he watched Noelle do it there seemed to be a sort of simple joy in it that he’d never bothered to take notice of before. More memories of the previous night came back to him.

“You could always, um, stay here with me. We can just… live like this.”

Could he actually stay here with her? Live like a mortal with her until…

Until she died.

Death. It was what made mortals mortal. It would happen to her one day, hopefully many years from now, but it would happen all the same. So many years had already passed Oraion by; the span of a mortal life was but a fraction of his own. Was he really going to put himself through the pain of staying with her, only to lose her when her time ran out? What was he thinking? He wasn’t thinking, he was letting his emotions rule him, just as he had back then.

Oraion closed his eyes and sighed. How had he gotten in so deep in a single year? Was it this contract that bound him to her? Was it influencing his mind? Making him care for her? Or were these feelings real? Did he… love her? Gods, it had certainly felt like it the night before.

He could still feel the heat of rage that seethed just below the surface, even after giving those thugs the thrashing they deserved. He knew, though, that much of the rage that remained was self-directed. He had failed to protect her, ostensibly his most important duty as her Servant, a role he had come to accept, even enjoy. At first he only felt distaste towards the very idea of being anyone’s “servant”, but Noelle never treated him like an inferior, never enforced a typical Master/Servant relationship. She had always treated him as an equal, a partner…

How did she feel about him? Did she harbor similar feelings as he did?

The demon took both hands and rubbed them up and down his face with a groan.

“Ugh… fuck. I really need to get a grip on myself and make this damned tea instead of having an existential crisis in the kitchen.”

Once the drink was ready, he carried it carefully upstairs. Noelle wasn’t back in her room yet, so he set the tea down next to the bed. Should he check on her? Or was he being overprotective? Caring for her had felt so natural last night, but now he couldn’t help but second-guess his every move. He’d certainly done an excellent job of confusing himself, that was the only thing he was certain about at this point.

He approached the bathroom door and stood outside it for a moment, hesitating, before he steeled himself and rapped on the door.

“Mistress? Are you all right?”

No answer, only the sound of running water. He knocked again.

“… Mistress?”

When silence remained the only answer he grabbed the handle and opened the door, anxiety snaking through his stomach before it dropped as though it fell through the entire tower.

Noelle was lying on the floor, unmoving.

Oraion didn’t even remember crossing the distance before he was at her side, cradling her in his arms.

“Noelle?!”

He lifted her off the floor and carried her to the bedroom, placing her gently on the bed before checking her over. She was breathing and he could sense her heartbeat, but she remained senseless no matter how many times he called her name. Her body felt even hotter than it had before, like she was burning up.

Wait, was this what humans called a “fever”? Her odd behavior, the sneezing and coughing, it all clicked into place.

Noelle was sick.

Oraion racked his brain, trying to remember anything he knew about human illnesses. It had been so long since he’d needed to concern himself with such things, though—at least a thousand years, if not more. Sickness had not even occurred to him as a possibility. What was a simple fact of life for humans was a foreign concept to demons, who were no more familiar with getting sick than they were with growing old: it simply did not happen.

He vaguely recalled something about humans becoming ill if you left them cold and wet for too long. Noelle had been awfully cold when she’d arrived home, and her clothes were soaked through. Was that what she meant when she said she might “have a cold”? Another reason those hooligans deserved what they’d gotten. It was their fault his Mistress was now ill.

Let’s see, what do I know about fevers…? There was that one village back in Shinchuro Province, about three thousand years ago, I think. A fever swept through and they begged for a cure because so many were dying.

He looked back to Noelle with renewed alarm. Were fevers really so deadly to humans? He began to pace, his tail lashing. Had he his full power, he could cure her in an instant with but a touch, but now… His hands balled into fists, enraged at his own impotence. He was only just beginning to untangle his own feelings for her—would the gods really take her from him now? Hadn’t he suffered enough for them?

No, there had to be something he could do. She’d only just fallen ill, so perhaps there was a way to stop the disease from progressing before it was too late. How was he supposed to figure out what that was, though? Most of Oraion’s knowledge of healing herbs was related to their properties on wounds and other physical injuries, not illnesses. Was there anyone he could turn to for help?

His pacing came to an abrupt stop. There was one person he could think of…

* * *

“Hyah!”

Metal bit into wood with a thunk as sword struck training dummy, shaving a chunk off of what would have been an actual person’s shoulder. Quinns wiped a sleeve across their brow: even in the crisp air of an autumn morning they were working up quite a sweat. A number of other members of the Knights honed their skills on other wooden or straw opponents and sparred against each other. Quinns stepped back and shook their shoulders loose, lining up for another go. A shoulder shot wouldn’t take down a truly dangerous opponent. They needed to do better.

They tightened their grip on their sword, assumed a fighting stance, pushed off with their back foot, and—

“Quinns!”

“Hhhgk?!”

Their strike went wide, missing the training dummy altogether. They stumbled as their sword met nothing but empty air, their shoulder protesting as they bounced off the training dummy and fell backwards, landing on their backside.

“Whoa! You okay there, Shaw?”

They heard several snickers and felt everyone’s eyes on them as they climbed back to their feet. The guy who’d called out to them wore a grin they dearly wished they could wipe off his smug face. Instead they took a deep breath and kept their voice even as they wiped the dirt off their uniform.

“I’m fine. Just lost my footing. I’m taking a break.”

Without another word Quinns sheathed their sword and went off to the side of the training grounds before sitting on a low wall.

“What the hell was that? It almost sounded like—”

“Like Oraion? Yes, hello, it is me.”

Quinns blinked as their mouth dropped open, barely stopping themself from swearing aloud.

“What. The. Fuck. Are you seriously inside my fucking head?!”

“Mm, yes and no. I’m not in your head to the point where I can read your thoughts or anything, but I am speaking directly into your mind.”

“What?! Why? HOW?”

“With great effort, and it’s only working because you’re relatively close by. Now, I don’t have time for a lesson in psionics: I need your help.”

“... What did you do now?”

“Nothing! Why do you always—? Ugh, never mind. Listen: Noelle is sick, and… I don’t know what to do.”

“Sick? Sick how?”

“I, uh, I think she has a fever? Her body is very warm. She said it wasn’t anything serious, but then she fainted. That’s- That’s not normal, right? I mean, is she going to wake up? What if she doesn’t? I-I don’t know anything about caring for sick humans. What if I do something wrong and make things worse? Gods, I can't even cook! I—”

“Whoa, slow down. Does she have any other symptoms?”

“Er, she was sneezing and coughing a bit last night and this morning.”

“Okay. Yes, it is a little concerning that she fainted, but it might just be a cold.”

“Yes, yes, she said that as well, but I don’t know what that is!”

“Oh… Uh, a cold is a pretty minor disease that humans get. It usually affects the nose and throat—coughing, sneezing, runny nose, sore throat, that kind of thing. It’s kind of like if you had an allergy attack for a week straight, and you were also tired and achy. It’s not fun, but it usually resolves itself on its own, and it’s rarely serious.”

“Then… she’s not dying?”

Quinns did not exactly trust Noelle’s pet demon, but there was no mistaking the note of hope and relief that colored his pseudo-voice in Quinns’s head. Maybe he wasn’t all bad…

“I doubt it. If she’s got a fever and she’s sweating a lot, then she might be dehydrated on top of feeling sick, so that may be why she passed out. Make sure she gets some water when she wakes up. If she doesn’t wake up after a few minutes, though…” They chewed on their bottom lip as several trains of thought fought for dominance in their mind. “Give me some time to get ready, and then I’ll come over to help. I’ll bring some medicine and food.”

They heard Oraion sigh in their mind, which was thoroughly weird.

“Thank you, Quinns. I don’t—”

“I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing it for Noelle.”

“I know, but still… Thank you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just get out of my head already, would you? I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Very well.”

Quinns waited for a few seconds but didn’t hear anything else in their head. Had the demon actually gone?

“... You still there?”

When no response came, there was a moment where Quinns wondered if they had just hallucinated the entire conversation. Noelle’s tower was several miles away—was Oraion actually able to find where Quinns was and speak to them over that distance?

They shook their head in an effort to clear it. If they dismissed Oraion’s message as a trick or hallucination, and Noelle really was in trouble, then they’d be abandoning their friend when she needed them most. If they showed up at her tower and nothing was amiss, then they could figure out what was actually going on after they knew Noelle was safe. They had to assume it was real, and that Noelle needed their help.

They made a stop at their personal quarters for the medicine—a trip to the infirmary could raise too many questions about what they needed the medicine for. Unlike the Order, the Knights of the Midnight Falcon recruited on a volunteer basis, which meant that the number of healers in their ranks was never consistent. Add to that the fact that most Knights were, like Quinns, knights errant, and the chances of a healer who could prepare medicines being at headquarters were middling at best. As such, medical supplies were carefully rationed and kept track of.

Food they could procure more easily and with fewer questions, so they went to the kitchen and started loading a basket with supplies for making soup. They may not be the best cook, but they could make some simple dishes. That was leagues better than Oraion, who even went so far as to admit he couldn't cook. Besides, how hard could soup be? You just threw a bunch of stuff into boiling water and let it sit for a while, right? Quinns grabbed some fresh meat and a bunch of different vegetables. Spices they could get from Noelle’s pantry—she always kept that well-stocked since she used the herbs for both cooking and magic.

“Oh, hey Quinns! What’re you up to?”

Quinns swore internally. There could not be a worse time for this. They blew out a breath and spoke without turning around as they tucked the last of the ingredients into the basket and covered it.

“Hey Ollie. Just grabbing a few things. I’ll be out of your way in a minute.”

“Oh, don’t worry, you’re not in my way. I was just gonna get something to eat.” He let out a warm chuckle. “I kinda overslept and, uh, missed breakfast with everyone.”

“I see. Well, I’ll leave you to it then. I have some things to take care of—”

Quinns picked up the basket and turned around to find Oliver standing right behind them. For being such a big klutz he sure moved as quietly as a cat sometimes. Quinns took a step back with a start.

“Oh, right, sorry.” Oliver rubbed the back of his neck with an apologetic smile and took a step back of his own. Oliver Dietrich had a fluffy, orange cat tail that swayed behind him, while the orange-furred ears that poked out of his light blonde hair flicked. “I forget you’re allergic to me sometimes.”

“N-no, it’s, uh, it’s fine… Well, I gotta go, so, uh…”

Even having taken a step back, Oliver was still blocking Quinns from leaving the kitchen. The younger Knight showed no indication of moving out of the way, either, and instead tilted his head to one side.

“What’s the basket for? Are you having a picnic?”

“What? No, I’m just… getting some ingredients for something.”

“For what?”

“Look, it’s nothing, okay? Can I please leave?”

Oliver crossed his arms and didn’t budge. “Well, is it something or nothing?”

“Nothing! It’s nothing. I don’t have time for this, Ollie!”

“If it’s nothing, then it shouldn’t be a problem for me to see, right? So show me what’s in the basket.”

“No.”

“Show me or I’ll hug you.”

Quinns physically recoiled. They were already starting to feel itchy just being this close to him.

“What?!”

“Kidding! I’m kidding! Sorry, it’s just- agh, I’m so curious! Can’t I see what you have? Or at least tell me what you’re making! Pleeease?”

With his pleading eyes and the way his tail lashed, Oliver gave Quinns the impression of an excitable golden retriever rather than a cat.

“Oh my gods, will you go away if I do?”

“Yes! On my honor as a Knight!”

Quinns sighed and opened the basket, showing Oliver the contents. “Fine. I’m making soup, okay?”

The time Oliver spent staring silently into the basket with his brow furrowed started to border on uncomfortable.

“Uh… Can I go now?”

“You said you’re making soup?”

“Yeah. You got a problem with that?”

“No, no, it’s just that…” He looked like he was struggling with some sort of internal dilemma. Or maybe he had indigestion. “Well, um, you’re not gonna be able to make a very good soup with this stuff.”

Quinns blinked. “Huh?”

“You’ve only got chicken breast meat: you should really have a whole carcass if you want to get a flavorful broth. You need the bones and stuff. And these beans should really be soaked overnight before you cook them. You’d do better with rice or pasta as a starch if you’re planning to make and serve the soup right away. You’ve got some good veggies, but if you put them all in at the same time you’re either gonna end up with half of them undercooked or half of them cooked into oblivion.”

For a few moments Quinns just stood there, stunned, but then they froze up for a different reason.

“Uh… Quinns?”

Damn it, this always happened. They couldn’t move or speak, they just had to wait until—

“Etchoo!”

“Oh no! I’m sorry! I got too close!” Oliver finally backed off to the other side of the kitchen with a guilty look. His tanned skin gained an embarrassed flush.

“Whatever. -snf- It’s fine… I, uh, I didn’t know you knew how to cook.”

“Oh, yeah. I have a bunch of younger brothers and sisters, and both my parents work a lot, so I often cooked for everybody. Soup is a great way to feed a crowd: it’s warm and comforting, and you can really stretch it with the right ingredients. And whenever somebody got sick, I always made ‘em chicken soup.”

Quinns frowned. Oliver was a little naive, impulsive, clumsy, dense, and irresponsible… but he wasn’t a bad guy. In fact, Oliver was quite possibly the kindest person Quinns knew in the Knights. For all of his faults, he was also loyal and surprisingly discreet, a fact that Quinns had recently discovered after Oliver had walked in on them in the shower.

“Hey, Ollie… Can I tell you something?”

* * *

It wasn’t long after Oraion finished speaking with Quinns that Noelle stirred. In all she'd been unconscious for perhaps a couple of minutes, but to the demon it felt like centuries may well have passed.

“Oh no… I fainted didn’t I?”

Oraion sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand in his as he softly brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

“Yes. I came upstairs and found you lying on the floor of the bath.”

She grimaced. “I’m sorry. I must have worried you.”

“It did give me a bit of a fright, yes.”

“I-I’m not sure what happened. I was just running some hot water to wash up, but then I, um, started to feel dizzy. Maybe- Maybe it was the steam?”

Trying to hide it, even now? Oraion shook his head with a little sigh before looking Noelle in the eye. “Why didn’t you tell me you were ill?”

She gave a guilty start and looked away, her voice going quiet.

“I… I didn’t want you to worry even more than you already have… but I suppose it’s too late for that. I’m sorry.”

“Mistress…” Oraion leaned forward to kiss her forehead. “Taking care of you is never a bother for me, all right?”

“A-all right…”

When he leaned back, it was difficult to tell if the red in her face was from blushing or fever. A slight smirk graced his lips, then he lifted a hand and snapped his fingers. A cup with water appeared on the bedside table.

“Here. Quinns said you might be dehydrated, so you should drink some water now that you’re awake.”

She took the cup from his hand and propped herself up enough to take a few sips. “Oh, thank you… Wait, Quinns is here?”

“Ah, no, not yet. But they’ll be on their way soon.”

“Then… how did you talk to them already?”

“Oh, I spoke to them telepathically. When you collapsed, I…” He looked away and swallowed something harsh in his throat. “I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t understand what was happening. I don’t know how to care for a sick human. I-I didn’t even realize you were sick until that point. I’m sorry, I should have asked you to explain what was wrong, but after last night… I thought it best not to press you.” He took another shaky breath and cleared his throat. “Anyway, I knew that I needed help, and Quinns was the only person I could think of, so I reached out to them through their mind. Fortunately they were close enough for me to reach.”

“Telepathy… You can do that?”

He looked back at his Mistress—even in her sickbed, her eyes were sparkling with interest at the prospect of learning something new. Another smile tugged his lips, one that held more warmth than he’d felt all day.

“Not easily and not for long. Not as I am now, anyway. It takes a lot of energy to maintain, especially in the Mortal Realm.”

“Why is that?”

“Mm, because there’s less ambient mana around, I think. In the Demon Realm, damn near everything is magic to one degree or another. So if you need power, you simply snatch it out of the air or the ground or what have you and shape it to your will. Here, there is far less of that energy around, so I need to rely mostly on my own reserves and whatever I can find to supplement that. Of course, my power is not insignificant, so it is sufficient for most workings, but truthfully the lack of mana within the Mortal Realm puts me at a fraction of my power, even without this damned collar.”

“Can you teach me how to use telepathy?”

“Heh. Maybe.” He took the cup of water from her and picked up the tea he had brought up earlier. “How about this: if you’re a good girl and drink your tea, I’ll start teaching you about it.”

“Ooh, I like this bargain.” She sat up further, wincing, and put a hand to her forehead. “Ugh…”

He leaned in, as though a magnet drew him to her. “What is it? Does it hurt anywhere?”

“No, no. I’m only a bit dizzy. Just, um, give me a moment.”

Oraion reached out with his free hand and touched her arm to steady her.

“Take as much time as you need. I’m right here.”

“Thanks, Oraion. I—”

She was cut off by a series of hacking coughs, crackly and phlegmy things that made him wince to hear.

“Oh, I-I’m sorry- I- uh-oh… eh-hishoo! ehshoo! Ugh, oh gosh, I’m so sorry Oraion. -sniff- I-I don’t want to get you sick. Maybe- maybe you, um, shouldn’t stay in here.”

“Oh, nonsense. Demons don’t get sick.”

She looked doubtful. “Are you sure?”

He smiled and handed her the tea. “Mistress, I am very, very old, and I have never once in my life come down with an illness. I don’t think I’m going to start now.”

Noelle looked down into the teacup, concern still writ on her face. “But… you’d never had allergies before either. How do we know for certain that you can’t, um, can’t get s-sick now too? eh-hishiih!”

Her sneezes made her hair fall forward again, so Oraion reached out and tucked it behind her ear once more. “I think you’re worrying too much, my dear Mistress, though I appreciate your concern. I will be fine, I promise.”

“Okay…” Noelle sighed and took a sip of the tea, then made a face. “Oh, it’s so bitter!”

“Right, sorry,” Oraion chuckled, “I ought to have warned you first. This blend is a little more medicinal, I’m afraid. I may not know much about human illnesses, but I do know some herbs that fight inflammation and have astringent properties, so I thought that might help. The only thing is that they are rather bitter.”

“Blech, what is in it?”

“Well, the base is black tea, then I added witch hazel, turmeric, yarrow, and, uh, lavender.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I must have sneezed a dozen times while making it, I’ll have you know.”

Noelle’s cheeks reddened considerably as she lifted the cup to her lips like she was hiding behind it. “Oh, I, um… thank you.”

Gods, she was adorable when she blushed. Oraion leaned in towards her with a smirk.

“Bet you’re sad you missed that, eh?”

Her cheeks grew even redder. “Um, m-maybe.”

“Heh. Well, next time you’ll just have to come watch me.” He gave her another quick kiss on the forehead before sitting back up. “The black tea already has a bit of bitterness, and the witch hazel and yarrow are both bitter herbs as well. Don’t force yourself to finish it if you don’t want to.”

“But I have to! I want you to teach me about telepathy!”

Oraion barked a laugh. “I only said you had to drink it, I never said you had to finish it.”

“Oh… um, I still want to, though. You made it for me, so…” Suddenly she waved a hand in front of her face. “Uh, s-sorry, I need to- nx’kishiu! Ugh, ow…”

Concern drew his brows together. “That sounded like it hurt.”

Noelle nodded with a hand on her throat. “My throat is getting sore. Ugh, that’s always the thing I hate most about being sick.”

“Hmm. I’ll see if I can figure out a remedy that might help.”

“Thank you.” Noelle pulled the blankets closer around herself with a shiver. “My, it’s chilly, isn’t it?”

“Er, I honestly find it quite pleasant. Is this why you call it a ‘cold’? Because it makes you feel cold?”

Noelle laughed. “Ah, no, you don’t always feel cold when you have a cold. Sometimes it’s unbearably hot. Right now, though, I’m freezing…” She looked down shyly as her cheeks got red again. “Um… do you think… you could hold me?”

With a gentle smile Oraion took the teacup from her shaking hands and placed it on the bedside table, then he climbed into the bed behind her and pulled her in close. Her body still felt so warm, poor thing. She snuggled into him, her back spasming against his chest with more wet coughs followed by another painful-sounding sneeze. He rubbed her shoulder as she whimpered from the abuse to her raw throat.

Even so, before long she had fallen asleep. Being ill must be awfully tiring, Oraion surmised. Her slumber seemed more restful now, at least. The demon carefully slipped out of the bed and headed back down to the ground level to wait for Quinns.

He was not surprised that they did not knock when they arrived. Quinns was never in the habit of doing so when they visited. What did surprise Oraion, however, was that the Knight had brought a new face with them. Behind Noelle’s slim, androgynous friend came a taller, broader fellow with tanned skin and an innocent bearing, as well as the orange-furred ears and tail of a cat. Quinns knew that Noelle wanted to keep the location of her tower a secret, so why was this unknown person, who also wore the uniform of a Knight, here in the first place?

Wary indignation smoldered in Oraion’s chest as he crossed his arms and straightened to his full height. “Who is this?”

The cat boy looked at him with wide eyes, which Oraion noted were of different colors: one gold, one greenish-blue.

“Whoa. Is that the guy?”

“Yeah. Oraion, this is a friend of mine, Oliver. Oliver, this is Oraion, the demon I told you about.”

“Wow, he is really hot…”

Oraion raised an eyebrow as Quinns’s cheeks colored.

“I didn’t say—! Ugh, whatever. Look, he’s trustworthy, okay?”

“Are you saying that to me or to him?” Oraion asked, making no attempt to hide his sarcasm.

“Both. We’re all going to have to get along right now. I know it was risky to bring someone else here, but Oliver is a good guy and he knows how to keep a secret. Most importantly, he can cook.”

Oliver’s face lit up in an excited grin. “Quinns said their witch friend is sick, so I’m gonna make soup!” He strolled up to Oraion as though they were already fast friends and held out his hand. The cat boy was only shorter than he was by a few inches. “They already told me you’re not bad guys, so it’s nice to meet you! I’m Oliver Dietrich, First-Rank Knight of the Midnight Falcon.”

Oraion looked down at the young man’s hand for several seconds before slowly reaching out to take it in his own. “You do know it’s usually your job to hunt creatures like myself, right?”

“Well, yeah, but it’s not always so black and white, y’know? It’s one thing when a Devourer is terrorizing a trade route, but you’re just here trying to live your life, right? You’re not hurting anybody. Far as I’m concerned, no one back at headquarters needs to know about you guys.”

“How do you know we haven’t hurt anyone? You’ve only just met me, and you haven’t even met my Mistress.”

He beamed. “Because you’re Quinns’s friends, of course! I trust them, so I know I can trust you.”

“I see. How… refreshingly forthright.”

Despite his mistrust of the newcomer, Oraion felt a twinge of guilt. Would the young Knight still think the same if he knew what Oraion had done to those men from the village only the previous night? Even if they deserved it…

“Oh hey, you have a tail too! All right, welcome to the Tail Club! Man, yours is way bigger than mine.”

Quinns pinched the bridge of their nose, and Oraion heard them mutter. “Oh my gods…” They then raised their voice to full volume. “Okay, I think that’s enough with the pleasantries. Where’s Noelle? Did she wake up?”

“She did, fortunately. Now she's resting in her room.”

They nodded and lifted a basket they carried. “I brought some medicine, so I’ll go ahead and take that up to her.”

Oraion stepped in front of them and held out a hand. “Allow me. You can show our new friend here to the kitchen.”

“Uh, why don’t you show him the kitchen? You live here, you know where everything is.”

Oraion’s eyebrow twitched. “Oh, it’s not very difficult to figure out. Besides, I hardly touch the cooking equipment, so I can’t say I really know my way around.”

A scowl crossed Quinns’s face. “Yeah, well, I know more about administering medicine than you, since you outright admitted that you don’t know how to care for sick people, so I should be the one to take it to her.”

Oraion took a step closer to them. “You know, it occurs to me that Noelle had only just fallen asleep when I left the room. We should probably let her rest. So, why don’t you just tell me how to use the medicine and leave it with me, and I’ll make sure she gets it when she wakes up.”

Quinns stepped closer in turn. “Now listen: Oliver and I came all this way to—” They cut off suddenly mid-sentence and looked around the room with an expression of mild but increasing alarm. “Uh… Where’s Oliver?”

* * *

Elegant music swept through a pillared hall lit by glimmering crystal chandeliers. Dancers in splendid finery spun and twirled in time with the tune. Usually Noelle would feel out of place at such a lavish event, but now she was dressed in an exquisite gown of blush pink, the full skirt trailing behind her in a train embroidered with hundreds of flowers. The trailing sleeves hung off her bare shoulders, and, with the plunging neckline, created the perfect canvas for showing off her beautiful necklace of sparkling diamonds. Her hair was done up in perfect ringlets instead of her usual messy curls, set with a glittering hairpiece. She felt just like a princess, and lo: there, on the balcony that overlooked the dance floor, stood the Prince.

He gazed out over the hall of dancers with crimson eyes, his blood red hair pulled back in a high ponytail that trailed past his shoulders. He was just as she imagined him, dressed in a fine coat of burgundy and gold over a lovely silk shirt and vest in ivory. As though drawn by some unknown force, his alluring eyes turned to her, locking with her own, and widened in amazement at her beauty. His full lips turned up in a radiant smile, and he extended his hand, beckoning her to come to him.

Elation filled her breast as she lifted her skirt and crossed the hall of dancers, still spinning and twirling like so many clockwork dolls. She began to ascend the stairs to the balcony where the Prince awaited her, when her path was abruptly blocked by a large, orange cat. It regarded her with strange eyes of different colors, one a sort of teal and the other yellow, as it lashed its fluffy tail at her. The motion snared her attention. That tail looked awfully soft and fluffy…

She reached out and touched the cat’s tail, running her fingers through its fur, which to her delight was just as soft as she’d hoped. There was something she was supposed to be doing, wasn’t there? The cat was so soft and warm, though.

“Um, it’s nice to meet you and all, but could you let go of my tail?”

“Huh?”

Did the cat just talk to her?

“I-it’s just that it’s kind of, uh, sensitive…?”

Noelle blinked her sleep-gummed eyes as the vision of the ballroom faded away, to be replaced by the far more ordinary sight of her bedroom, bathed in the sunlight of early afternoon. What was not ordinary, however, was the strange young man in Knight attire standing next to her bed with a bright red blush on his cheeks. Indeed, he did have cat ears and a fluffy, orange tail attached to him as well, the latter of which was currently clutched in her hand.

She shrieked and dropped the man’s tail before crawling as far back as she could in the bed without falling on the floor.

“Wh-who are you?! Wh-what– What are you doing in my bedroom?!”

“Oliver!”

Quinns came bursting into the room with Oraion fast at their heels. The demon grabbed the cat-eared man by the shoulder and wrenched him away from the side of Noelle’s bed with a snarl before placing himself between them. He even went so far as to spread his wings.

“What the Hell do you think you’re doing, coming in here?”

“I-I’m sorry! I just- I wanted to- to check on her! That’s all, I swear!”

“Damn it, Ollie! Why did you go off on your own?” Quinns stepped in front of him, Oliver apparently, and guided him back another step a bit more gently than Oraion had. Their voice, though quieter, was no less irate, however. “I took a big risk bringing you here, and I vouched for you. Do you know how this makes me look?”

“I said I’m sorry! I-I promise I wasn’t gonna do anything bad! I was just…” He sighed. “I was really, really curious. I’ve never met a witch before, and… Well, then you two started arguing about who was gonna come up with the medicine, and I figured, y’know, somebody should go check on her. Besides, I… I didn’t wanna lose my chance.”

Quinns made an exasperated sound. “Lose your chance? What are you– Wait, do you mean to meet Noelle? Why would that even happen?”

“I-I don’t know… If you didn’t get to bring the medicine up, I guess I thought… maybe I wouldn’t get to come up either.” He looked down at the floor and scuffed it with the toe of his boot, cat ears drooping. “I’m so, so sorry. I know it was a stupid thing to do.”

“You certainly have the right of it there, Cat Boy,” Oraion snapped as his wings folded and vanished once more, “Now get out, before I throw you out.”

Quinns held up a hand. “All right, calm down. He didn’t mean anything by it.”

“Oh, really? And how do you know he isn’t simply playing dumb? How do you know he hasn’t been planning all along to sneak up here for the chance to take out a witch?”

Oliver looked like he wanted to sink into the floor. Noelle recalled his appearance when she had first woken up, with his blushing face and the way he had politely asked her to let go of his tail.

“It’s all right, Oraion. I don’t think he was going to hurt me.”

Her Servant turned to her with an incredulous look.

“You can’t be serious. You’re all right with a man barging into your bedroom like that?”

“Well, n-no, but he apologized, and, um, I believe he’s sincere. I would appreciate it, though, if someone could explain to me what he’s doing here.”

“I brought him, Noelle.” Quinns took a step towards her with an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry—I know you don’t want people to know where you live, but I swear, all of this nonsense aside, Oliver really is a good guy. He’s just… a little naive and impulsive sometimes. I brought him along because, um, I really wanted to bring you some soup, but… I-I don’t know how to make it, and… he does.”

With all of them crowded in her bedroom, and between Quinns looking chagrined, Oraion’s incensed protectiveness, and Oliver’s crestfallen, drooping cat ears and tail, Noelle couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. Of course that just led her to start coughing again.

“Oh, right, the medicine.” Quinns shoved the basket they were holding into Oliver’s arms. “Take this down to the ground floor and into the kitchen, okay? And wait for me there—don’t wander off again, please.”

The other Knight nodded. “Yeah, okay. I’ll see you down there. And, um, I’m sorry again, Miss Noelle. It was nice to meet you.”

“Er, likewise?” She gave him a little wave as Oliver left the room.

Quinns reached into their belt pouch and produced a little bundle wrapped in cloth, which they then handed to Oraion. The demon looked at the bundle in his hands as though he was not expecting to receive it.

“Here: these are the medicines. They were prepared by our own healers in the Knights, so they should be pretty effective. Go ahead and open it, and I’ll explain what each one is.”

“Ah. Right…”

As Oraion unwound the tie that held the wrappings in place, Quinns turned to Noelle.

“Noelle, you’ll probably want to listen to this too…” They squinted. “What happened to your lip?”

“Huh? Oh…” Her hand went to the split on her lip, which had scabbed over but was still rather swollen. “Um, I must have hurt it when I fell earlier.”

“Huh. I see…” They did not seem convinced, but they didn’t press the issue, to Noelle’s relief. They didn't need to know about the men who attacked her.

They instructed Oraion and Noelle on when and how each medicine was to be administered. There was a pill for fever that should be taken twice a day, morning and night; a tincture that would speed the healing process that could only be taken once per day or else it could cause unpleasant side effects as the body tried to heal itself too rapidly (the worst of which, Quinns explained with their usual grim decorum, was coughing up blood because your body produced too much). Lastly, there was an oil that could be applied to the neck and chest, which contained a number of pungent-smelling botanicals that worked to clear a stuffy head. One whiff immediately set Oraion sneezing, of course.

Once they had finished going over the medicines and ensured Noelle got her first doses, Quinns and Oraion both left her room and headed back down towards the first floor to meet up with Oliver.

“So…” Quinns spoke up from behind Oraion as they passed the library. “Do you want to tell me what happened to Noelle’s lip?”

Oraion’s hands briefly formed fists at his sides, the knuckles popping.

“Some loathsome bullies in town happened to her.”

Quinns voice rose in alarm. “What?”

Oraion sighed. “She went to town on her own. I know I should have accompanied her, but… I had something I needed to take care of here. When she returned, it was clear she’d been beaten, and she confirmed as much.”

“Did she say who it was? What they looked like?”

“No, but I…”

A moment of tense silence passed before Quinns spoke, their voice already turning accusatory. “You what?”

“I found them later.”

Quinns grabbed Oraion by the arm, stopping him.

“What do you mean you ‘found them’? What did you do?”

Oraion lifted his chin. “I didn’t kill them, if that’s what you’re asking. But I did ensure they would regret their actions.”

Quinns pressed their lips together and took a deep breath. “Look: I understand, and I don’t necessarily disagree with what you did, but please tell me that you did it in your human form and not looking like, well, a demon.”

Oraion wrenched his arm away. “I felt the message would be more effective if I used my true form. “

“Shit… Oraion, you…” They sighed. “I really, really hope that doesn’t come back to bite you in the ass, man. I truly do, because if the Inquisition gets wind of a demon around here, then there won’t be anything I, or anyone else, can do to stop them from coming looking for you.”

Oraion scoffed. “I think I can handle a few humans coming after us. Besides, you know how well-hidden this place is. They’ll be lucky to even find us here.”

“Yeah… Well. Let’s hope that’s true.”

They shook their head once and pushed past him on the stairs. With great effort, Oraion managed not to roll his eyes as he followed them down. Quinns worried overmuch at the best of times, and this was no exception. No mortal could stand against a Demon Lord. Let anyone try to harm his mistress again; they would be shown the error of their ways with swift and terrible judgment.

Once the soup had been prepared, Quinns had the good sense to escort themself and Oliver out, to the latter’s obvious disappointment. He was calling back to Oraion even as Quinns was pushing him out the door.

“Um, it was really nice to meet you! Thanks for having me over! A-and I really hope Miss Noelle feels better soon!”

The door closed behind them both with a heavy thud, and Oraion shook his head. Something was not right with that boy.

When he arrived back upstairs with a steaming bowl of soup, he found Noelle nodding off while sitting up in bed. Her head popped up with a start when she heard him enter, and Oraion couldn’t help but chuckle. She was too cute, with her flushed cheeks and slow, sleepy blinking.

“Oh, um, is that the soup?”

“It is.” Oraion placed the bowl down on the bedside table and flashed Noelle a smirk. “Shall I feed it to you?”

The deepening of her blush drew his smirk into a grin as she frantically waved her hands in front of her.

“Ah, n-no! No, no, no! That’s- that’s quite all right. I can, um, feed myself. Thank you.”

“Heh. As you wish.”

She must have been hungry, for though she started eating the soup slowly, she soon made short work of the rest. Oraion sat on the edge of the bed and watched her silently, resting his elbow on his knee and his chin on his hand. He must make time to study mortal diseases. Humans were such fragile creatures. This time it was a minor ailment, but what if one day she contracted a more serious affliction?

She finally noticed him looking and gave an awkward laugh.

“What, do I have something on my face?”

“No. I’m simply admiring how lovely you are.”

“Oh, stop it. I’m certain I look awful.”

“Never. You’re always lovely to me.”

She hid her face behind her hands with a sound that was part groan, part giggle.

“Stop! You’re making me blush!”

“I know. It’s delightful.”

“Ugh, you!”

Noelle gave him a little shove with another peal of laughter, which quickly turned into a fit of coughing. Oraion’s smug grin faltered, and he reached out to rub her back with an anxious touch.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Do you need anything? Is there anything I can do for you?”

“No- no, I- hh’kchiuh! htshhiuh! Ooh… I-I think I just need to rest.”

“Then… allow me to keep you company, at least.”

He climbed into bed next to her, enfolding her in his embrace and holding her tight against his chest. He buried his face in her hair and basked in her scent, in her closeness. Noelle Violette. His Mistress. He cared about her. He could admit that much. To himself, anyway. But whether that feeling was a result of their contract or genuine affection… He wasn’t certain, and he didn’t care. It didn’t matter. What mattered was that the woman in his arms made him happy, and he wanted to do everything in his power to do the same for her.

If that was love, well… perhaps that wouldn’t be so terrible, after all.

#accidental mistress #oraion the allergic incubus #noelle the awkward witch #knight errant quinns #cat boy ollie #snzblr #snz #snz kink #snz ocs #sneeze kink #snzfic #sickfic #snzfucker #snezblr

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encrucijada · 1 year

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PÍA RAMBLES #7

if you've been around then you know about my walking disaster character adam rubio and his (ex)girlfriend piedad narváez. they're from a pjo rp i share with @chaoticdecember. it just so happens i love the characters so much i decided i needed to create an original ip for them to exist in, something that was mine (and fluffy's) because i cannot let these characters stay just as pjo ocs.

not that i hate them for being pjo ocs. in fact they're some of my favourite. they are well-rounded characters inside the pjo universe, they play with the formula. they show a side we barely get to see in the books (the titan army, the demigods luke's age). their powers that abide by the rules of pjo are cool, the conflicts that abide by the rules of pjo are cool... i just wanted something that was mine. and that wouldn't require people read all of pjo to understand.

enter: KEEP STARING AND I'LL NEVER FALL ASLEEP.

you will also find this referred to as greek tragedy! yes, with the exclamation mark.

i have done no writing prior to posting this! unless you count the thousand of words worth of fanfic of my own ocs in the pjo version of them (if you're reading this you probably know about pointed north, aka all those snippets of adam being a wet cat of a man because his ex won't give him the time of day... this is like 10k words alone).

so i'm gonna tell you about the worldbuilding and the character setup because i'm so excited about it!!!

genre & category: urban fantasy, adult

here's the short summary: people wear animal masks to ward off the monsters prowling the city, there are eyes painted on the faces of buildings, and the dreamers are on tv... not malcolm and adam though. after failing to stop their old team members from killing one of the oneiroi, the dreams walking among the regular people, they take less glamorous jobs and stew in anger (or at least adam does, malcolm says he's moving on). when adam's patron gives him instructions on where to find their old team members they find with them a bomb waiting to go off: a dreamer kid with the ability to kill people in their sleep.

and here's the long summary:

welcome to a world just like our own! if nightmares prowled through the cities and everyone had to wear an animal mask for the chance of warding them off. in this world dreams walk among the people and dreamers are what you call the people whose lives belong one half to wakefulness and one half to sleep. they are the only ones who can enter the domains of other dreams and take special artefacts, and for this reason dreams — or oneiroi — seek them out and make the agency known of their existence. with nowhere else to go that would teach them how to navigate this double life safely, the dreamers stay and they respond to the call of the oneiroi. in return, they get a good helping of recognition and a chance for their oddity to be seen as the perks of a celebrity.

luke's* team was the best in the business. teamed up less as a necessity and just as a matter of friendship. despite of what it seems like, being a dreamer isn't all that glamorous, you get tired of hearing you're fated for greatness without seeing the results. mutiny stirs within the agency, with luke and three others going rouge. culminating in the biggest sin of all: luke traps an oneiros within himself. their remaining still loyal team members, malcolm and adam, are set on their trail with clear instructions of not letting the oneiros come to harm. the only witnesses of what happened that day are their three remaining disgraced team members, luke is dead and so is the oneiros within him.

now, adam and malcolm are demoted. no longer the darlings of the agency they take less glamorous jobs. until adam's patron oneiros contacts him in dreams and directs him to the hiding place of their old friends. there they find they're hiding more than just themselves. they have with them a boy with a unique and deadly ability, that of killing people in their dreams.

woah, okay, so that's the setup! it was a lot, i know, but... worldbuilding.

what are the nightmares? the nightmares are me reusing the same monster concept for all of my wips because i find eldritch animals to be very cool. they're lovecraftian horror type animals that populate the world and are basically my excuse to why the characters are good with weapons because everyone is armed and knows how to defend themselves in case they're attacked. i also just adore the animal masks aesthetic so i wanted to use that here, and yes this also recycled from like 4 other wips don't even @ me. the masks' purpose is to sorta repel the monsters, as it gives you an uncanny appearance — sort of like theirs! so they won't attack on sight. the "eyes painted on the faces of buildings" are meant to help out with warding the nightmares, keeping them from overpopulating. sort of like the eyes on moth wings.

what are the dreams (oneiroi)? the well-adjusted cousins of the nightmares. they are my stand-in for the gods in pjo. they abide by their own laws and as part of these laws it dictates they can never cross paths with one another or grab each other's stuff. they don't affect the world around them, at least not the waking world, and a slight change in one of them would affect all of them. for example, if there was a gravity oneiros and they were killed, all the oneiroi would start floating. their appearance is very optic illusion-based. are they human? animal? something else? yes. the main thing people notice is they don't have to wear masks when walking around outside.

what are the dreamers and how do they work? with the oneiroi being unable of meddling with each other, that's where they dreamers come in. dreamers touch oneiroi artefacts, enter their domains, etc. just like demigods they are affected by both worlds, responding to human logic and dream logic. the core aspect of a dreamer is their ability of bringing things from their dreams (oneiric creation), though not everyone does it the same or is even capable of it... okay let me explain. most dreamers can bring things from their dreams, when they do they create dreamwaste, which'll usually correspond to their patron oneiroi (which is the oneiroi who found them and took them to the agency). it could be raw light, could be plants, could be cotton, feathers, paint, whatever. other dreamers have more niche abilities, such as dreamwalking, or they can only bring back one type of object but they create no dreamwaste.

and finally, what is the agency? i'm not exactly sure yet. i knew i didn't want an "academy of superpowered kids" type thing, but i still needed a central hub where the main cast met because it is essential that they know each other since they were kids. the agency, at least rn in the early stages of writing, is little more than an office where dreamers are taken to after being picked by a patron and it's a place where they can hone their abilities and eventually get picked for errands and jobs by the oneiroi. being a dreamer is kind of a big deal in this world. there is no veil between the fantastical world and the known world in this story, like pjo with the mist, no the fantasy world is everyday life. normal people know of the oneiroi, they live with the nightmares in their backyards, and dreamers for them are like small celebrities. the agency also takes care of the image.

let's talk characters! bullet point style

luke*. getting him out of the way rn. yes, this is luke castellan from pjo except he's my oc now. i'm probably gonna keep using luke as his name all through drafting and then find something new later to claim originality. if i wanted to explain him i would have to sit down and talk how he relates or doesn't relate with his pjo self... so i won't. instead i'll tell you his mask is shaped like a serpent (hermes). and he's a very special type of dreamer because he can bring anything from his dreams without creating any dreamwaste, making him the golden boy of the agency.

hudson moretti. fluffy's oc and originally a son of hypnos, so he fits pretty cosy here. his mask is the bear which just felt right as fluffy and i call him a big teddy bear all the time. his dreaming niche is dreamwalking! he can't bring anything from his dreams but he can visit anyone's dreams. he can also "discard" dreams, which essentially means taking dreams from others and getting rid of them. he does this a lot with his friends when they're having nightmares. as he doesn't bring anything out, he creates no dreamwaste.

piedad narváez. my girl! originally a daughter of urania which is why i have given her the rabbit mask, moon symbolism. another one with a particular niche. i'm sure you all know piedad's thing(tm) is she has premonition abilities which is essential to her character. when translating that into this story the obvious change was that she now receives those premonitions from her dreams, but this limits what she can bring back which always relates to those premonitions. her dreamwaste is glitter.

ericka mulligan. she belongs to royalbookblog and was originally a daughter of demeter. her mask is that of an antlered deer. she is a typical dreamer, capable of bringing anything she wants. her dreamwaste is plant life. probably the one most loyal to luke and would put her hands in the fire for him. makes up for her lack of niche by being the one making sure everything is running smoothly around here.

adam rubio. the previously mentioned wet cat of a man. originally a son of apollo, he wears the hawk mask. another typical dreamer, his dreamwaste is light. has a strained relationship with his mother, walking bisexual disaster, stands out in that he spent most of his time in the agency as a child as his mum tended to leave him there like it was a babysitting service.

malcolm*. oops we stole another canon character. malcolm pace is a son of athena we aged up and who became hudson's love interest. now thanks to pointed north he's also adam's best friend. he wears the owl mask and he's a typical dreamer, his dreamwaste is ink. unlike luke his name will stay as malcolm, i will only be changing his lastname.

nico*. OOPS ANOTHER ONE. i'm sure you all know who nico is, he's the son of hades. he wears the goat max and he's the kid with the ability to kill people in their dreams. he's a hudson type where he can dreamwalk but instead of being able to discard dreams, he can... well, kill people in their sleep. his name is definitely going to be changed don't worry. nothing will remain the same about him, no backstory or anything, aside from him being an orphan.

the story itself takes place after luke's mess has mostly fizzled out. it's been little over a year. piedad, hudson and ericka are missing in action. adam and malcolm are getting booed by tweens on the street because they're no longer the cool dreamers on the block. killing that oneiros had lasting consequences, remember what i said about them abiding by their own laws? and the hypothetical case of a gravity oneiros? there is no gravity oneiros but you catch my drift.

we have some carried over conflict from everything fluffy and i have developed about these characters in the pjo version. luke being a classical tragic hero who is taken down by his own fatal flaw. his friends believing in him to their own detriment in the end. piedad receiving a premonition of his fate but keeping it to herself. the rift between hudson-luke-piedad-ericka and malcolm-adam. piedad almost killing adam on purpose. ericka being in love with luke but luke never fully returning that affection. adam's patron (stand-in for apollo from the pjo version) telling him where to find the deserters. also apollo having a sorta thing with piedad (she has two hands).

i don't know what else to say! so i'll leave you with the opening line (this is from the prologue which will be a rewritten one-shot from the pjo version)

Piedad watched the dream and waited to wake up.

cheers,

pía

#pia rambles #pia.docx #( wip ) greek tragedy!

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stormblessed95 · 1 year

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Tress of the Emerald Sea

Description: The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death?

This was released on the 1st of the month to kick off the "Year of Sanderson" and I spent the entire day yesterday binge reading it and loving everything about it. He also worked with Howard Lyon, an artist, who detailed illustrations to be added throughout the novel that were all AMAZING and increased the reading experience! I want some of these as giant art prints because they are gorgeous! (I'll be including them below!)

I read the book in a day and loved it. It had good deaf rep for a side character, a fun and interesting magic system and incredible new world and planet to explore in the cosmere. A world that seemed as beautiful as it is deadly. The 12 different moons, with 12 different seas made of different spores that do a variety of dangerous things that could kill you, but be so useful if used properly when they get wet. It was really cool to read about and to read about how well Tress handled herself as she learned! Sandersons magic systems are such a strong point for his novels. I loved the playful silliness of the prose. I was surprised in the best way that the story is actually told and narrated by Hoid, a beloved cosmere character, as if it's a lengthier verison of the stories he tells in the Stormlight Archive. He breaks the fourth wall, engages playfully and the humor hits for me. The romance was sweet, not overtly intense or even the best relationship he has written, but it was cute. I enjoyed Tress as an MC and following her adventures and accidental Voyage into piracy as she heads out to rescue her love was amazing. The crew was great and I love a good pirate novel! And Piracy on an Ocean that had no water and was magical was super cool! The cosmere Easter eggs were amazing to find. Like Ulaam the Kandra, Riina from the Ire, and Hoid, of course, played a much bigger role as the stories narrator. I saw references to Mistborn, to Warbreaker and to Stormlight here. But while there were references, it is possible to read this book without reading anything else and holds itself up as a really great cozy lighthearted fantasy standalone read without spoiling any other books. Which is great!

Honestly, a great book to start off my 2023 reading time with and while I don't normally post my reviews here, I wanted to share this one and I wanted to share all the stunning art too! Because WOW! I ultimately ended up giving this book 4 stars out of 5. I can't wait for the merch box that comes with it to get here this month and see what's included as well as get to have this in hardcover!

Stunning art. Truly. Will be spending some time on 17th shard exploring all the possible intricacies I missed my first time reading and hearing what everyone else was thinking of it and any other possible cosmere connections!

#my thoughts over tress of the emerald sea #Storm book reviews #Storm recommendations

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princeescaluswords · 1 year

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I’ve found that the most telling evidence that Something Else is amiss in the broad dislike of Scott is the lack of enthusiasm for Sciles. Compare it to Supernatural, which was also big at that time: 2 young attractive male leads (DOB being 3rd billed aside), good chemistry (both on-screen and IRL as friends), comedic dynamic, unbreakable bond, occasional flirting, etc. Sciles should have been THE pairing by almost any metric. Sterek had the antagonistic dynamic to set it apart, but given how much people water it down to fun banter or erase it altogether in fic, that canonical difference clearly wasn’t all that essential to shippers’ enjoyment. Allison comes up ALL the time as a complaint but other fandoms seem to be able to demonize and/or erase canon girlfriends without much of an issue. It leaves very, very few explanations when you look at it from that POV.

When I first entered fandom, I wasn't very interested in relationships; I focused more on character development in relation to plot. When I wrote, it was primarily gen fiction. As time passed, positive interactions with the fandom (there can be some!) led me to consider relationships as an important part of the greater whole. But one thing I never quite understood is the hostility to both Scott and Stiles's friendship and Scott and Allison's relationship. Unlike some people, I don't think that a non-canon relationship like romantic Stiles and Derek or Stiles and Peter simply can't work. I've written Sterek myself. It's always confused me how fandom seemed to seek validation for those ships by tearing down both of Scott's primary canonical relationships, which are completely unrelated.

Now, you know, I eventually came to several conclusions about why this happens, which I have talked about a great deal and will continue to talk about. But it's always key to me when actually grappling with an issue is an attempt to understand the other side. So I asked myself, for instance, why was Scott and Allison's canon romantic relationship so unpopular? It seems to me that those opposed to it have four major complaints which I have seen expressed in print.

It was heterosexual, and that is somehow bad.

It was stupid and dangerous: a newly bitten teenage werewolf falling in love with the teenage daughter of werewolf hunters was a recipe for disaster.

It distracted the lead protagonist (Scott) from the issues he should be addressing and the people to which he should be listening.

As the primary canon relationship of the first two seasons, parts of the audience felt it was being forced on them.

With the exception of the first one, which still mystifies me to this day, these others could have some value. I mean, the Romeo-and-Juliet trope is an old one, and people may be tired, in this modern age, of seeing it being re-enacted again. So, why don't you take an amble with me over to AO3? If these are legitimate fandom concerns, then it should hold up when we examine Teen Wolf's peer group of supernatural adventure shows.

Let's look at the famous Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003); it seems that the top two ships represented on AO3 are ...

#1 Spike and Buffy Summers

#2 Angel and Buffy Summers

Strange that the heterosexual canon ships of a vampire slayer and a vampire remain two most popular subjects. But that's an old show. We've changed. Let's look at something with more direct relevance. Tyler Posey was up for the role of Jacob in the Twilight film series (2008-2012). What ships are most popular there?

#1 Edward Cullen and Bella Swan

#2 Alice Cullen and Jasper Hale

Okay, interesting but there are still differences. There is less emphasis on inherent conflict, I guess. And those are movies, let's move back to television. (I will now switch from 'heterosexual' to 'man/woman' because some of these characters are definitely bisexual.)

True Blood (2008-2014) was a far more adult television show, so it would expand beyond the mainstream that the fandom finds so cloying:

#1 Eric Northman and Sookie Stackhouse

#2 Bill Compton and Sookie Stackhouse

Or maybe not. But that's premium cable targeted at a different audience. Let's look at the competitors, such as The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017) which ran coterminous with our show.

#1 Caroline Forbes and Klaus Mikaelson

#2 Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore

Or its spin off, The Originals (2013-2018)

#1 Caroline Forbes and Klaus Mikaelson

#2 Hayley Marshall and Elijah Mikaelson

It's kind of weird that these all have a certain pattern that the most popular ships to write about are all man/woman ships with built-in oppositional obstacles. Now, there are shows whose fandom are focused on non-heterosexual relationships, such as Supernatural, and while I haven't watched it and never will, I'm told that one of the reasons is that any canon man/woman ship was doomed by the narrative impulse to whack female characters. There's Legacies, which I don't know much about but it seems to be focused on a woman/woman ship and isn't that refreshing?

But I think, to paraphrase my favorite show, if three times is a pattern, five times might be a trend. It seems that fandom doesn't really have any problem exploring canonical problematic supernatural man/woman relationships as long as there is a particular trait among all the people participating in those relationships. Can you spot the pattern for yourself? Can someone explain to me why these are the most popular ships in their respective fandoms but those same characteristics make Scott and Allison's relationship distasteful. Of course, and always, we have to remember one thing

BUT IT'S NOT RACISM.

#scott mccall #allison argent #scallison #teen wolf fandom problems #fandom racism

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sinnohborn-trainer-evan · 1 year

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Successors of the Swords (Swords of Justice Headcanon)

[C](This was something me and my friend summoner-robin had worked together to come up with back when I was playing Blaze Black 2 just because it sounded fun, and it gave us inspiration to make Pokémon OCs.)

~~The Prologue~~

After Keldeo had finally learned to properly wield, and master, the latent power of their Secret Sword, it seemed like their training had mostly been finished, now that they have been recognized as a Sword of Justice by their mentors, Cobalion, Virizion, and Terrakion. Keldeo would go on to use this new power to assist the three swords in keeping the peace in Unova, protecting innocent Pokémon from aggressive and invasive species, and leading them to safety from natural disasters.

However as time passed, each of the formers would somewhat begin to miss the days when they were just helping Keldeo grow from weak and reckless to strong and with great resolve.

The Swords would then convene at their usual gathering place, where Cobalion would bring forth the idea that each Sword would raise their own apprentice. It sounded like an interesting prospect to all the rest, as their heroic efforts garnered them a proud reputation among the local Pokémon, who admired their bravery and steadfast approach to all manner of dangerous situations. Some of those Pokémon have even expressed desires to learn from these heroes so they too can better protect themselves, their families, friends, and their territories.

It was decided then that each Sword would go to visit the locals in their downtime to seek out any willing potential successors, under the key condition that they should be of one type the same as the master. Training a Pokémon of the same type as oneself would ensure they would be able to learn from the best parts of the master's natural abilities. Eventually, each would regroup, bringing along a young Pokémon that suited their range of expertise, ones that they could be certain would grow into the finest protectors of their kind.

~~The New Apprentices~~

Spencer the Riolu

Training under Cobalion is a Riolu named Spencer. He and his family have known of the Swords since generations ago, when they saved his great grandfather from a rock slide that nearly fatally wounded him. Out of all the Swords, Spencer had the most respect for Cobalion, who carried his ancestor to safety, and admired their sacred sense of duty. Wishing to protect his kin from future disasters, he accepted Cobalion's invitation with child-like glee. The two would make a perfect combination, as Riolu's evolution is the exact same dual-type as Cobalion, Fighting/Steel. Cobalion would teach Spencer about focus and knowing when and when not to act in a desperate situation.

Marigold the Deerling

In Virizion's care, a Deerling who was crowned the name Marigold, she got her name when she was born during the fall season, and so her first fur coat was the autumn variant. Virizion once rescued Marigold when she strayed too far from home, and found herself surrounded by a vicious pack of Houndour led by a Houndoom. Despite being partially Grass type, Virizion showed no fear in dealing with the fire-fanged aggressors. Personally indebted to Virizion for saving the fawn's life, Marigold wanted to learn all she could from Virizion, not in the way of fighting, but to provide comfort and a safe way out of crisis for the scared and helpless among her. As such, Virizion would teach Marigold how to better understand her surroundings and find vantage points to either escape from danger, or slow down attackers. Marigold would also learn from Virizion's example to remain calm and show bravery against all odds.

Conrad the Dwebble

Conrad is an interesting little guy. For how small and meek he may appear to be, he doesn't fear anything no matter how big or mean-faced it is, and that's exactly what sold Terrakion on welcoming him aboard. Conrad doesn't have any history with the Swords, but he is known by his peer group of other Dwebble to be pretty stubborn and reckless, often throwing himself at anything he can just to try and prove he's the big man in a child's body, and so never fails to amuse Terrakion, always getting a hearty chuckle out of the brute. Terrakion's favorite nickname for Conrad is 'Connor' because they know it makes him mad, because he thinks 'Connor' makes Conrad sound weak. At times, it seems like Terrakion and Conrad are playing more than training, but Terrakion truly believes that Conrad can grow up to be big and strong like the big bull that can destroy a castle wall. Seen together, one would think they look like a father and son match made in heaven.

Marin the Azurill

Though the former three Swords have easily managed to find themselves an apprentice that fits them perfectly, Keldeo would be the last to find themselves a partner to take under their wing. They've struggled to struck a chord with any water-types along the riverbanks and lakes given that Keldeo hasn't had much time as a Sword to build themselves notoriety within the region. Though eventually Keldeo would find themselves a successor through the help of the other Swords, who scoped out a secret admirer in an Azurill named Marin. He never appeared to them first because he felt he wasn't worthy of their time, but was more than eager to join their cause when the Swords finally met Marin and gave him the opportunity. At first, Keldeo was a bit put off by the Azurill as a candidate, as he didn't seem at all like the type who enjoyed fighting as much as he just enjoyed being in the company of some legendary Pokémon. However Keldeo would not have much room to argue, so they reluctantly accepted their new compadre. Despite the awkward initial phase, Keldeo would end up growing to love the little water ball of energy, Marin reminded Keldeo of themselves from before they became a Sword, wishing to become brave and powerful and mature like Cobalion, Virizion and Terrakion. An unbreakable friendship blossomed between the two, and Keldeo hoped to teach Marin everything that the Swords of Justice ever taught them.

#pokemon #pkmn #headcanon #swords of justice #keldeo #terrakion #cobalion #virizion #deerling #dwebble #riolu #azurill #mythical pokemon #legendary pokemon #mythical #legendary #my headcanon #pokemon headcanons

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hopeshoodie · 2 years

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Head cannon relationship for Jake and Hope? I honestly would ship this

YEEEEEEESSSS I feel like I made this post before but if Jake was on Season 2* he and Hope would've fallen in love and gotten married and genuinely been the best Love Island couple ever.

(*I think if Hope was on Season 1 it would've been bad news. S1 was very openly contentious and I think it would've brought out her aggressiveness/she wouldn't have learned that she needed to seek anger management help and therapy. I don't think Jake would fall for her in the same way if at all if Hope was on S1 duking it out with Jen, Erikah, and Allegra)

But if Jake was in S2... Ugh they would be so cute. He has everything she likes about Noah- the strong masculine appearance, the quiet introspectiveness, the sweetness/domesticity- along with more of what she expects out a life partner- career ambition, good financial prospects, less of a family-oriented expectation for his future.

I still think Hope would've immediately gone for Noah, and honestly, that would be better because Jake clearly only feels secure in a relationship if he's had time to get to know the person and fall in love over time (i.e. MC or Rohan)

So here's my HC for their relationship in S2:

Hope still immediately goes for Noah/steals him. Maybe Jake steps forward for her, maybe he doesn't.

S2 proceeds mostly the same, I can see Priya vibing with Jake and stealing him, only to realize they don't have the 'spark' like she did with Rahim. I think Priya would still go after Noah even when coupled with Jake, because he's not overly touchy feely or romantic in the way she'd want. In Matchmaker's S1 remake, MC can couple with Jake early in the season but he's super distant/weird about it. Like he's overly platonic and awkward around MC. He'd be like that with Priya, and Priya would get frustrated because she's with this gorgeous man who doesn't seem to be interested in her. Plus she loves the chase, so she's still going to covet Noah.

The bad news is with Jake added to the villa, I kinda see Rahim going home early in the season. They have similar 'quiet, nerdy' personalities, and I think Jake would be a higher priority for the girls to save than Rahim. Poor Rahim, I love you anyways.

Jake loves having deep, intimate chats with people about important things in their lives. If he was up on that terrace with Hope after the hoodie fight instead of MC, it wouldn't have just been a 20 line conversation. They'd be up there for over an hour, with him asking insightful questions to get Hope to really open up about her commitment issues and insecurities with Noah.

I think that conversation is the first time they both secretly look at each other like 'oh'. Jake inwardly chastizes himself, saying he's trying to help her be happy in her couple, he shouldn't be coveting her while doing it. Hope feels a little flushed but tells herself 'he's just being a good friend'.

Unlike Noah, Jake doesn't have a problem with confrontation, especially when he gets to be righteous. In the wake of Operation Nope, I think he has stern words for both Priya and Noah. He chastizes Noah for stringing them both along, but then relents when Noah shoots back that he can't communicate how he feels if he doesn't know yet.

Jake is the only one to point out that the issue isn't Priya trying to kiss Noah (like everyone else is mad about), it's that she tried to hide it behind playing a game instead of just openly testing the waters. This exchange is what makes Priya go "I don't want to recouple with you, you can sleep on the day beds. Stay out of my face." This would be a great fic, because Priya is super childish when she feels attacked, and Jake wouldn't be able to reconcile what he thought was a friendship with how she's treating him now that she 'attacked' him.

So Jake sleeps on the daybeds until casa amor. Hope definitely comes out and they have a little ~chat~ prior to the disaster recoupling. Neither of them are openly like 'I think I might like you', but they talk about missing their lives outside of the villa and their childhood. Maybe Hope rests her head on his shoulder for a bit before going back inside.

I think Jake gets stuck with Lottie in the disaster recoupling, which he tries to hide his distaste for. He's been avoiding her to avoid being openly annoyed. Highkey I can totally see Jake and Shane talking shit about Lottie during Casa Amor, and maybe pissing off Gary in the process.

Hope comes back from CA and still has her Cinderella moment with Noah. Everyone sees it, including Jake, and he's gutted. CA is what made him realize he has feelings for Hope. That same day, he corners Hope when they're alone and confesses his feelings. She's flattered, and does have feelings for him, but is insistent that her and Noah are working on it.

"Maybe if you'd said something a couple days ago... But... I have to go with my gut."

"My gut is telling me that I care about you."

"Well mine is... Jake. I care about you too. But I care about my relationship with Noah too."

He accepts that, and says "It's not going to stop how I feel about you. But I get it. And I want you to be happy." Agreeing to respect their relationship, he withdraws a bit, feelings hurt.

He's gotta stay in the villa somehow for the narrative, not because he wants to, so maybe he has a flirtationship with Elisa where they briefly couple up. She's fun and uncomplicated.

But around this time Jake starts noticing Noah's very obvious looks in MC's direction. How Noah's openly pining for MC while beginning to neglect/ignore Hope. I don't think he gets a good admonishment in, but he definitely scoffs and walks away when Noah makes the baby dinosaur comment (ignore that that's too late in the season for where we are).

At some point, Jake has another conversation with Hope. He feels self-righteous, going to her and saying "I know you don't see it but this is how he's treating you-" and Hope pushes back like "I know how he's treating me. It's none of your business, you said you'd respect our relationship.

They get a little frustrated with each other, Hope because she's lowkey thinking about her and Noah's shot at winning, and Jake because he feels like she's letting Noah get away with too much.

This argument culminates in a kiss, like a real movie kiss with them grabbing each other and pressing close and deepening it. When they finally pull away, Hope kind of says "damn it." Jake asks if it was okay, and she says that it was, but now she can't pretend she doesn't want to do that again. They kiss more. Squee.

I'm thinking this is around day like day 23 or 24, a couple days before the final recoupling. Hope goes to Noah and says she doesn't want to recouple. He's blindsided, maybe they get into a little bit of an argument but already Hope's feeling more secure, so there's no yelling. Jake lets Elisa know and it's less of a surprise.

We get two days or so of Hope and Jake being genuinely couple-y and delighted with each other, sleeping on the day beds together, etc. I can't remember if there's a challenge during those days, but even when they're with their partners they're very playfully competitive with each other.

Their relationship is really refreshing to watch because Nope was a bit one-sided- with Hope always leading and Noah always acquiescing. Jake's interested and willing to start conversations, plan moments for them, and stick up for Hope in a way Noah didn't.

Jake and Hope at prom??!!! Jake and Hope at prom 🥺🥺🥺🥺 He asks production for a pocket square the same color as her dress, and his speech to her is just... So adoring. Hope is speechless and gets through hers but is just. So shocked how loving and tender this man is towards her.

For his part, Noah clearly has had his world turned upside down. He still really likes MC, but if she isn't interested in him then he's... Lost. He's frustrated with the situation, he's a bit spurned. If MC doesn't agree to sleep with him on day 29, I think he leaves the show early like Nicky did in S3

I think when they first got together Hope would be preoccupied about not winning, but after prom she doesn't even care anymore. Noah and her relationship always had competing with others as an element in the mix, but now that Jake and her have basically thrown that to the wind she doesn't even care anymore. She loves him.

Thinking of them after the show building a life together fucking SO SWEET AAAAA. Her facing the twitter storm with him by her side. Rewatching the show and realizing she hates the anger and aggression she showed and wanting to get help and Jake supporting her through it. Hope trying to cook meals for Jake because he cooks all day at work and she wants him to relax when he gets home but she just absolutely ruins the food.

Like after Hope gets her huge promotion, the first thing she's thinking of is 'omg now we have the extra cash to invest in Jake's restaurant'. Them location shopping and planning every detail, and Hope's just so excited for him.

Jake proposes to Hope first, but it's this really intimate, sincere moment, maybe in their bedroom or right away in the morning. Hope laughs and says "yes but no", and then clarifies that their engagement should be way more elegant than what he just did. She says she's going to propose to him better than that, he's shocked. What follows is like five months of them each planning elaborate proposals and romantic dates where they keep one-upping each other. Finally Jake says yes on a hot air balloon, but "ONLY because the sunset is just, otherworldly and it seems like a sign".

Them going to the reunion together and they're both just so at ease, no regrets. No hurt feelings, just this sense that everything worked out perfectly and needed to happen the way it did. They're glowing.

#litg #final queue

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officialyourdailyinspiration · 1 year

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Devotional Hours Within the Bible

by J.R. Miller

David Brings Up the Ark (2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 13)

The continuance of Ish-Bosheth’s reign was brief. It had no moral strength from the beginning, and was kept in existence only by the ambition of Abner. The story of the short years is one of battles, quarrels and assassinations. At length Ish-Bosheth was murdered, and then the tribes over which he had reigned came to David and desired him to be their king. So the kingdom was again consolidated. David had reigned over Judah only seven and a half years; now he became king of all Israel. Jerusalem then was made David’s capital. Until now this stronghold had remained in the hands of the Jebusites, although it had been attacked and partly captured before. At length David gained full possession of the noted citadel and made his home in it.

David prospered greatly. Hiram, King of Tyre, was friendly with him, and the two kings exchanged courtesies and favors. David won a great victory over the ancient enemies of his people, the Philistines. Thus he was established in his kingdom. His fame went out into all the lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations.

When David came to the throne, he found the religious life of the kingdom in a discouraging condition. For a long time the sacred ark, the symbol of the Divine Presence, had been lying in obscurity in a private house. Those were dark and calamitous days for the nation. Disaster followed disaster. The neglect of true religion always brings trouble. We may see it in a smaller way in a home where there was once a family altar but where the altar is broken down, where the family gathers no more to worship God, where the voice of prayer is no longer heard. The members of the household scatter away in the morning without kneeling to commit themselves to God’s keeping for the day, and in the evening they gather home to rest again, seeking not the Divine blessing for the night. There is many a home of which this is a picture. The world has come in and Christ has been driven out!

After David had become king of the whole nation and had fixed his capital in Jerusalem, he called the chief men of the tribes and went to bring up the ark. He had already done many things to elevate the character and the standing of the nation. He had built a capital city and a palace of cedar for himself, and had instituted many reforms. Prosperity was coming, and all was hopeful. But something was yet lacking. Something is always lacking when God is left out.

An artist had invited a few friends to his studio for the first look at a new painting. The picture was beautiful but all who saw it felt that something was lacking. There seemed to be a vagueness, an indefiniteness, a mistiness, something lacking. The artist himself saw the defect, and taking his brush, he put a touch of red upon the canvas. This changed everything.

So it is when God is left out of anything in life. With the largest prosperity and the best material comforts, there is still a lack. What is needed is a line of red in the picture, the bringing of Christ with His Cross into the life of the individual, of the home, of the church, of the nation. The best blessing anyone can give to a land or to a community, is to set up God’s altar in its midst. Nothing else that David wrought for Israel in those days did so much for his people as his re-establishing of God’s worship among them.

There is nothing else we can do for a place which is suffering from the waste and ruin of sin, which will mean so much for it as to set up there the worship of the true God. Here is a community sunk in degradation. The people are idle and thriftless, without lofty ideals, without interest in each other, steeped in sensuality. One way of trying to lift them up would be to build them better houses and to put into their lives the refinements of civilization. Something may thus be done for their improvement in temporal things. But the best way to help them, would be to bring the gospel of Christ into their midst, to start a Sunday-school, a preaching service, to send the Christian missionary into their homes.

The ark had been at Kiriath-jearim for a long time, ever since its return from the land of the Philistines. David desired now to establish true religion in his kingdom, and planned to bring the ark to his capital. He prepared for this event with great enthusiasm. All the chosen men of Israel were gathered together. He consulted with his leading men. “Let us send abroad everywhere unto our brethren,. .. and let us bring again the ark of our God to us for we sought not unto it in the days of Saul.”

The king had prepared for a very joyful time in bringing up the ark. He meant it to be a great occasion. He led the procession in person. Thirty thousand men of rank were present to take part in the ceremony. There were great choirs of singers, with musical instruments accompanying them. It was a grand day. It opened in splendor but it closed in sorrow and bitter disappointment. The reason was, that God can be honored only by obedience, and this was lacking in the moving of the ark. The Lord cared nothing for David’s brilliant pageant so long as the Divine commandments were not regarded.

The whole business that day seems to have been done in a negligent way. The law required that the ark should be carried by Levites but instead of this it was put upon a cart that was drawn by animals. The religious ceremonials prescribed had so fallen into disuse, that the Divine instructions seem to have been entirely overlooked. The carrying of the ark on a cart may have been regarded as a very small deviation from the prescribed way but it was a deviation, nevertheless, and in God’s sight marred all the great ceremony. We must worship and serve God only in the way He has marked out for us, otherwise our costliest services and our most imposing ceremonies will be only an idle show in His eyes. We may do our right things in such a wrong way as to mar all the beauty of our acts by not doing them as God commands us to do them.

Uzzah was probably a Levite, and ought to have known the instructions concerning the care of the sacred ark and the manner of carrying it. The Levites were to bear it on their shoulders but they might not come near it until it had been covered by the priests, nor touch it except with the staves provided for carrying it. The ark had been under Uzzah’s care perhaps he had come to treat it familiarly. “But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah put out his hand to steady the Ark of God. Then the LORD’s anger blazed out against Uzzah for doing this, and God struck him dead beside the Ark of God!”

It was a natural thing for Uzzah to do. The road was rough, and it seemed as if the ark would fall off the cart. Uzzah instinctively and impulsively put out his hand to steady it. If the Levites had been carrying the ark the only proper way Uzzah could not have committed this sin. One irreverence prepares the way for another almost makes another necessary. The breaking of one commandment, leads to the breaking of others. The first sin is like the little leak in the dam, which grows until it becomes a flood. If we would be safe from the final ruin, we must guard, against the smallest beginning of evil .

David was greatly affected by the occurrence. At first he was angry because of the interruption of the ceremonies. The record says that “David was angry because the LORD’s anger had blazed out against Uzzah.” His second thought seems to have been one of awe and fear that if the ark was such a holy thing, it was too terrible to have it near him. He does not appear to have thought of the sin which had been committed. Instead of penitence and sorrow, he showed wounded pride. He abandoned at once the taking of the ark to Jerusalem. He left it where it was and hurried away home.

We never should blame God when we have been punished for our sins. We should not question His justice or love in any of His dealings with us. We should accept punishment at His hand with humility and contrition, seeking to learn wherein we have sinned that we may no more displease Him. Then, we need never be afraid of God’s holiness, nor reject any ordinance He has appointed, because of the evil it may bring upon us to use it irreverently. Sometimes good people stay away from the communion, dreading that it may bring condemnation and not blessing upon them. But no ordinance of God will ever bring hurt to those who receive it in humility and reverence. Instead of declining to take the Holy Supper lest we may not receive it worthily, we should come to it with penitence, repentance, faith and love for then we will find in it only blessing and joy.

“The Ark of the LORD remained there with the family of Obed-edom for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.” David would not take the ark to Jerusalem, as he had set out to do, and it was left in the house of Obed-edom. For the three months it remained there, special Divine favor came upon the man who sheltered it. It was the same ark which had wrought such disaster when irreverently touched that now brought blessing to a home in which it was received in meekness and love. Obed-edom was not afraid to have the ark taken inside his door, and the result was good and not evil upon his household.

This incident suggests to us, the blessings of true religion in a home. Some people think religion is a hindrance to happiness. It stops some pleasures. It drives out some amusements. It interferes with some ambitions. But those who open their doors to Christ, the rejected and despised One, will always be rewarded. True religion in a home, blesses it. It sweetens the home life, enriches the home affections, deepens the home joys, lightens and comforts the home sorrows. It brings true prosperity, for the blessing of the Lord makes rich. It brings protection, for the angel of the Lord encamps round about those who fear Him. It brings comfort when sorrow has entered the home.

Heathen religions have no hope, no solace, no consolation, in time of bereavement but Christianity lights the lamps of heaven in the gloom. When the home is broken up, true religion gives assurance of a meeting beyond the grave, and reunion where there will be no separation forever. We should have the ark of God in our homes, whatever else we may not have in them.

Word came to David in due time, that no calamity had come to the home in which the ark had been left but that, instead, the Divine favor had been visited upon it. The king was surprised to hear this. He probably expected to hear of trouble brought to the family, like that which had stricken down Uzzah on the way. But, on the other hand, it soon became evident that Obed-edom was being greatly blessed.

Then David began to see that the trouble that day had not been with the ark but with himself and the people. So his heart turned again to his former purpose. He would bring the ark to the capital. Then the procession which began one day and ended in calamity was finished another day, not many months later, in the midst of great rejoicing. So blessing came to the whole people as the ark of God was brought into the Holy City.

#James Russell Miller #Devotional Hours Within the Bible #David Brings Up the Ark #2 Samuel 6 #1 Chronicles 13 #February 28 #2023

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