#drift eos

[clownenergyy]

drift eos is so interesting cus there's like so much potential there. But it's so short it doesn't expand on it. It's definitely not bad tho? It's interesting to me

#i reread it yesterday #its not as boring as i remember? #but again so much underutilized stuff #transformers #drift eos #idw transformers

[onebarofsoap]

something about this guy’s design... love to see a guy who is also a bunny 😊

#maccadam #transformers #drift #tf drift #mtmte #soap tries art #LISTEN everyone who's been saying hes a bunny hop hop etc etc im giving you five dollars because you're correct #drift post eos design... dear lird #these past few months screaming crying over how to draw robots have all been worth it for drift my friend drift

[acehoons]

dating the zerobaseone boys . . ?!

☆! ot8 x gn!reader. fluff. not requested.

a/n: i didn’t include yujin bc i’m not comfortable in writing about him in a romantic way, since we have quite an age gap. hope u guys understand.

% . . kim jiwoong

this guy’s the most protective boyfriend to exist ever

is big on physical touch as a love language

always have to have his hands on you

on your waist, holding your hand, even gripping your thigh sometimes??? this man istg

more under the cut.

loves taking you out in dates

is a big restaurant man

i feel like jiwoong likes “traditional” dating

like taking you out for dinner, paying for your meal, walking you back home

i mean you deserve the best treatment so

he’s also big on surprises

if he gave matthew a bouquet on his birthday, imagine what he would give YOU, his s/o

likes to listen to you talk

let’s you ramble about your day for hours

he doesn’t really mind it, even if you think you’re annoying him with your rants

his favorite past time is to listen to you so

can read you like a book as well

takes him 0.1 seconds to know if and when you’re upset

would always try to calm you down by holding you in his arms

hates seeing you cry too

he sees one tear fall from those pretty eyes and he’s already on his way to soothe you

“what’s wrong, are you okay? please don’t cry.”

overall he’s a big softie for ya

% . . zhang hao

zhanghao’s definitely the type of bf that just loves to annoy you

teases you to no end

he just loves to elicit reactions from u, i feel like

but really, he’s incredibly caring

won’t hesitate to pamper you at any given time

he even calls you his prince(ss)

especially when you get sick

boy!! this man is never gonna leave your side when you’re ill

always tries to make time for you as well

even if he’s super busy, he’ll clear his schedule somewhat

even if it’s just for 20 minutes

is big on updating you throughout the day

you’d receive texts from time to time, just zhanghao telling you about his day

“we’re on our way to the company” “gyuvin fell on the stairs and landed on his butt lol” “dw he’s fine”

calls you at the randomest hours of the day to check up on you

likes to make sure you both are aware of eo every day

because he’s afraid of you drifting apart

his favorite dates are the spontaneous ones

like eating in a diner at one random night or going out for a convenience store run at 2 am

will always be there for you

doesn’t matter what you need

a hug? a new bag? 15 million won? someone to help you hide the body?

he’s there to provide

% . . sung hanbin

hanbin is a bf and a mother combined into one

is never not coddling you

always makes sure you’re taking care of yourself

and if you aren’t, he will >:(((

big on words of affirmation!!

but i feel like he’s the type to try and hit all of the love languages as much as he can

but yours (and by proxy, his) favorite is words of affirmation

bc he never fails to praise you and tell you how proud he is of you

the first time he said reassured you, you cried like a baby

and he cradled you like one, too

is there to comfort you at the speed of lightning

whenever you tell him that you aren’t feeling well, his priority is to ensure that you feel better asap

makes sure that you’re prioritizing your health over everything

sends photos at random times of the day

“babe we’re in busan! wish u were with us rn :(“

the two of you aren’t big on going out

so date nights would be spent with just the two of you cuddling on the couch and watching a movie

although you end up falling asleep halfway through

he secretly loves it

takes photos of you when you’re asleep and sets it as his lockscreen

tries his best to make homecooked meals for you

but if not he’ll just end up ordering takeout for you

he just wants to make sure that you are always happy, healthy and fed

% . . seok matthew

now this man is the definition of a golden retriever bf

is the happiest when you guys are together

loves to take you out on dates!!

library and park dates are his favorites

just anything involving the two of you walking around together

is also a clingy baby

is immediately sad when you guys separate

spends most of his days thinking about what the two of you could do together

likes to listen to music with you

makes you lots of playlists to listen to

is also the type to facetime you for a period of time

when you’d be studying and he’d be practicing his vocals

likes to ask you for advice as well

he thinks you’re one of the smartest people he knows so, it makes sense

is fond of sending you photos of things he sees that reminds him of you

“babe look! this goat looks just like u ㅋㅋ“

teases you sometimes, but not as much

is also big on cuddling

boy if you guys sleep together.. good luck

expect this man to cling on to you so much

he’d almost be laying on top of you

likes to bury his face in your neck

this might sound weird, but he loves your scent so much

not your perfume, but your natural scent

it reminds him of home, almost

because at the end of the day, he always comes home to you

% . . kim taerae

another sunshine boyfriend

he’s just always so smiley when you’re around

likes to take buy you flowers and chocolates

you’d put one of the flowers behind your ear and he’d take a photo

later you’d see it as his lockscreen on literally every gadget that he has

likes singing to you

but also likes to hear you sing

even if you think that you aren’t good, he just likes your voice

sends you snippets of him singing whenever he can

is big on quality time and acts of service i think

whenever you go out on dates, expect this man to do everything for you

even if it’s just to tie your shoe or to ask for a napkin in a restaurant

you are a prince(ss) to him. period

likes playing with your fingers whenever you hold hands

he does it a lot, especially whenever he’s nervous

like before a performance

having your hand in his calms him down a lot

can also be a little protective of you

he’s okay with you wearing anything you want when you go out,

but expect him to wrap his arms around your waist whenever he notices someone staring at you outside

incredibly whiny when you won’t give him what he wants

“babyyyy, i need one more kiss, c’mon!”

i mean, who can resist this man???

% . . shen quanrui

make way for our young and rich tall and handsome charisma boss baby

this man is going to SPOIL you rotten

obvi buying you material things isn’t an issue

he’ll get you the most expensive things even when you complain

you need a new bag? he’ll get a louis vuitton. you need some clothes? there’s a chanel store near his place. you want some food? expect some gourmet takeout

he just wants to provide you the things you deserve, even if they are expensive

but ricky doesn’t just spoil you with material objects

he’s big on assurance as well

always making sure that the two of you don’t end up in any disagreements and misunderstandings

the thought of you worrying about him worries him

always asks your opinion on things, too

about his clothes, his singing, dancing, etc.

sometimes he uses that as a way to get you things

he’s send you a photo of a necklace one day and ask,

“baby, what do you think of this necklace?”

you’d say it’s pretty and boom, next day he’s bought it for you

if he’s big on giving you expensive gifts, he’s big on receiving handmade ones from you

he loves everything you make for him

handwritten letters, crotched stuff animals, everything

he keeps all of them in a box in his closet

and if you ever buy him any piece of clothing or jewelry

expect him to always be wearing it

because in a way, it makes him feel like he’s carrying you with him wherever he goes

% . . kim gyuvin

boy.. good luck

you just got yourself a bf and a baby all in one

i’m jk, but we all know gyuvin’s a (literal) giant baby

likes to be coddled by you most especially

acts just like a little kid when he’s with you

but that’s only because he feels comfortable being with you

loves to watch movies with you!

at home or at the cinema, doesn’t matter

buys you lots of snacks. like. tons

it’s his love language; to feed you

likes to go to fun little events with you, like music festivals or fiestas

this boy has a social battery as big as a truck, so prepare yourself

introduces you to his friends a lot

and invites you to their hang outs

you end up being a part of their friend group, almost

and everyone loves you because you take really good care of gyuvin

although you make sure not to mother him too much, sometimes you just can't help it

you end up buying him things he needs or calling him at noon to make sure he's eaten his lunch

in compensation, gyuvin likes to make sure that you are always happy

would be the type to say a random joke or to even embarrass himself in public just to see you smile

"babe, babe, what do you call a fake noodle? an im-pasta!!"

it gives you a headache sometimes but you genuinely love it about gyuvin

how he always prioritizes your happiness,

sometimes even above his own

% . . park gunwook

another giant baby, oh boy

but unlike gyuvin, gunwook doesn't require much care actually

you just give him few hugs and cuddles and he's good to go

requires a lot of attention from you. like. all the time

if you guys are separated expect to receive dozens of messages and facetime requests from this man

always wants to talk to you during his breaks or whenever he isn't busy

and he always has a story to tell you

he's a little clueless when it comes to dating, given how young he is

so most of your dates just end with either the two of you hanging out at home

or just a simple late night walk around town together

however, he does like shopping with you

he's not as "giving" as ricky, but he's definitely one to buy you a few expensive pieces here and there

especially if he sees a pretty bracelet or a nice pair of earrings

loves to surprise you with them

he's big on physical touch as a reward

it's his motivation

"ok so if i finish my chores i can cuddle with you? alright, got it"

boom he's washed the dishes and mopped the floor and cleaned his desk table all in under 20 minutes

physically relaxes whenever he's with you

like he'd be tense whenever he's out in public, always wary of everything he says and does

but when he's with you, it's like all of his worries wash away

he loves you so much

to him, you are his comfort

acehoons © 2023

#?! sinag.works — 📋 #?! sinag.works :: zb1 — 📋 #zb1 imagines #zb1 headcanons #zb1 scenarios #zb1 drabbles #zb1 reactions #zb1 fluff #zb1 x reader #jiwoong x reader #hanbin x reader #zhanghao x reader #matthew x reader #taerae x reader #ricky x reader #gyuvin x reader #gunwook x reader

[jaylaxies]

Jay and Y/n as gamers and become online friends, slowly they start opening up to each other and become bffs but they’ve never seen each other or heard eo since they play without headsets, they decided to talk and hearing his voice does something to you, you guys Start talking everyday since you guys exchanged numbers and then decide to FaceTime and you both are shock with one another, things start getting spicy and u guys start sexting for fun and then even doing FaceTime while touching yourself but it wasn’t enough!!!

You guys decide to finally meet 😌

By 💙

jay’s voice is attractive as it is, but it’s his face which drives you insane to the point that you start having wet dreams about him, especially when he stays on facetime over the night just to talk to you, only to see you drift into dreamland but he doesn’t disconnect the call, rather, he stays back and talks to you in his deep, accented voice while you dream of him doing sinister things to you.

that’s when he hears you moan for the first time, and it only gets better from there once he accidentally not so accidentally sends you one of his nudes. which only results in you returning the favour. he swears he’s never been this turned on before and it goes on for a good amount of time but then you guys plan to meet up for real, not being able to control your hormones anymore.

you thought it’ll be slow, a simple date-like meet, which wasn’t the case as jay kissed you the second he saw you in front of him. his lips, his voice, his touch, him in general made you feel insane to the point you couldn’t hold back anymore and ended up fucking in the back of his car, his lips ruining your lipstick, his eyes never leaving yours as he traces your nipples with his slender fingers while his cock hits the deepest spots in your pussy.

#💙 anon #enhypen hard hours #enhypen smut

[gumnut-logic]

Reassurance

Had a crappy day, have no brain, so wrote soppy goop.

Many thanks to @onereyofstarlight for reading through said soppy goop. I may have to offer her a long term dental plan for her sacrifice.

I hope you don't drown in the goop.

-o-o-o-

He startled awake with a gasp.

Oh, god. Oh, god, no.

The nightmare drifted away leaving terror in its wake.

Please, god, no.

Virgil rolled over and untangled himself from the bed covers. The clock on his nightstand cheerfully claimed it was 4am.

He had only slept an hour.

Oh, hell.

He pushed his protesting body to sit up on the side of the bed, his bare feet catching in the carpet. His head fell into his hands as phantom images from his brain bounced back and forth and sweat dripped down his spine.

They were all okay.

It was just a stupid dream.

They weren’t…

He shoved off the bed and stumbled into his bathroom, hitting the light and almost blinding himself. Cold water on his face brought back reality.

His family was safe in bed.

Not dead.

Not dying.

Not screaming his name.

He groaned, closed his eyes and ran wet fingers through his hair.

Goddamnit.

He shoved a towel into his face and through his hair. Killing the bathroom light, he strode back into his bedroom, letting his eyes adjust enough to find an old t-shirt and shove it on. He pushed open the door to his rooms and stepped out into the silent hallway.

The transparent roof let in the waning moon and starlight just enough to see and Virgil made his way quietly down the hall to Alan’s bedroom.

He’d done this so many times before. Snuck into bedrooms to check on family simply because he needed a little reassurance that they were still there, still safe. To abate the terror that gnawed on his mind.

Alan was there. His littlest brother was curled up on his rug on the floor, soft breaths teasing the fibre strands in front of his face.

Virgil couldn’t see much.

But he could see enough.

He approached cautiously, not wanting to disturb and crouched down beside the kid genius with a big heart.

Allie’s face was slack in sleep, a mere shaping of shadows in the pale light from the hallway. The bandaid on his head wasn’t an injury, just a scratched pimple to prove he was still a teenager with teenager problems.

Beyond the rocket and the death-defying feats.

Virgil rested a hand ever so softly on his little brother’s arm and whispered, “Love you, Allie.”

Alan shifted and Virgil lifted his hand away. He pushed himself to his feet, ever so embarrassed should he be caught, and slipped from the room on silent feet.

He closed Alan’s door quietly and leant against the corridor wall.

Was it wrong to need the reassurance? Was he being stupid?

He swallowed, took a couple of steps and stood in front of Gordon’s door.

His military brothers were lighter sleepers and he had to be extra careful.

Gordon was tangled in his bed sheets as usual and Virgil had to fight the urge to untangle him. Messy golden hair lit up in the pale light and Virgil crouched down beside his fish brother, eyes skipping over the scars set in relief by that same light across Gordy’s back.

His brother was breathing, breath drawn in and out with the occasional snore.

Virgil dared not touch Gordon, no matter how much he wanted to. But he did watch him for a moment, etching proof of life into his brain.

“Love you, Gordy.”

Gordon grunted, grabbed a chunk of bed sheet and hugged it to his chest.

Virgil bit his lip and stepped back, slipping out the door.

He let a breath go once the door was closed.

He had to leave the residential rooms to track down his space brother. He had a pact with Eos, bribed with processors so she wouldn’t tell John.

Entering the empty comms room revealed just a hint of the coming day as the faintest of lines on the horizon to the east. Traditionally, his military brothers would be up within the hour, but considering how late they all made it to bed, John had probably cancelled all the alarms and put IR into passive mode.

Virgil couldn’t remember if Scott had given the order. He had been too strung out, too exhausted, too terrified of what almost happened and how lucky he had been.

“Eos, report on John please.”

“Good morning, Virgil.” Her voice was soft, under strict instruction due to mistakes past. “John is currently sleeping quietly. All vitals stable. He drank water before bed and has been undisturbed.”

“Thank you, Eos. Visual, please.”

“Are you sure? John has been teaching me about privacy and-“

“Eos, please. I need this.”

There was silence a moment before the holoprojector lit up, bathing the room, and Virgil, in blue.

John slept curled on his side, hands bunched up under his chin, hair in his eyes.

Virgil smiled despite himself. John had been fighting that cowlick since he was little. During the day he had it under control with all the product deployed, but at night it ruled and John surrendered.

It made him look so young.

And so atypical of his usual neat appearance.

“Love you, Johnny.”

This time he could reach out and run his fingers through photons. It wasn’t enough but it was something.

Staring a moment longer, he reached down and turned the projector off.

Night returned to the room and his eyes dazed with after images.

He took the opportunity and jogged down the stairs to the kitchen. Grabbing a glass, he filled it with tap water and sculled it down.

The cool liquid sucked the heat from his belly.

He left the cup on the sink and made his way up all the stairs and back into the residential hallways. Part of him always wanted to visit his grandmother and Kayo, but there were limits to the breaches in privacy he was willing to commit.

Standing in the hallway outside their doors, he whispered words into the woodwork and left them undisturbed.

At the end of the hallway, lay Scott’s rooms. He knew he was always welcome there. In his big brother’s own words late at night over one too many drinks, desperate to wash away memories that hurt, Scott had said in no uncertain words - anytime, anywhere, always.

Virgil had no doubt it was the same for all his brothers, for all of them. Each of them were there for each other. They were family.

But as Virgil stood outside that door, he was still of two minds. He needed to erase that image from his dream. That last gasp of breath, that terror, and his failure to be what he needed to be.

Because the biggest fear was that one day Virgil wasn’t going to be there for his big brother and that would be it. The end. Scott would be gone and Virgil’s world would crumble.

But at the same time. All this? Was stupid. Why risk Scott’s sleep, something he sorely needed, just because Virgil couldn’t keep it together?

His back fell against the corridor wall, and Virgil let himself slide down until his butt hit the floor.

His head dropped into his hands.

His eyes clenched shut.

And he wished the world away.

-o-o-o-

He didn’t realise the door had opened until a pair of long, pyjama-clad legs folded down beside him and an arm wrapped around his shoulders.

Scott’s other arm drew him in him until his brother’s face was buried in Virgil’s hair.

Virgil groaned. “Sorry.”

Scott’s breath teased his hair. “Dreams?”

“Yeah.”

His brother squeezed just a little tighter. “Same.”

“Damn…”

“Yeah.”

Virgil didn’t ask if his brother was okay, because the answer was obvious. Instead, he rested against Scott drawing in the strength for what he needed to be for his brother.

“Love you, Virg. You know that, don’t you?”

His heart missed a beat. “Yeah.” He swallowed. “Love you, too.”

“Anytime, anywhere, always.” Scott’s hand moved to the back of Virgil’s neck, warm and so there.

Virgil’s eyes closed against the cotton of his big brother’s pyjamas. “Always.”

-o-o-o-

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds #thunderbirds fanfiction #virgil tracy #scott tracy #gordon tracy #john tracy #alan tracy #nuttyfic #so much goop

[wingedblooms]

Sister-Glass Caverns

Warning: This is a Maasverse post, and as such, there are spoilers for all Maas series, including information connected to the HOFAS teaser.

The caves in the hofas teaser made me think about something I noticed in Elain’s witch series. In acosf, the priestesses worship in a cavern that is smooth as glass.

“…And the cave we have the service in is beautiful, too. It was carved by the underground river that flows beneath the mountain, so the walls are smooth as glass. And it’s acoustically perfect—the shape and size of the space amplifies and clarifies each voice within.” (acosf)

In the sense chanted, I talked about how this might be Prythian’s version of witch glass, which as we learned from Manon and Maeve in the tog series, has various uses:

“You can see the future, past, present. You can speak between mirrors, if someone possesses the sister-glass. And then there are the rare silvers—whose forging demands something vital from the maker.” Manon’s voice dropped low. Dorian wondered if even among the Blackbeaks, these tales had only been whispered at their campfires. “Other mirrors amplify and hold blasts of raw power, to be unleashed if the mirror is aimed at something.” (Manon, eos)

-

“It’s possible—to show a different world?” Dorian asked Maeve when they were again in their tower room.

Maeve slid into a chair, her face distant. “Using mirrors, yes.”

Dorian lifted a brow. “You have seen yourself the power of witch mirrors. What it did to Aelin Galathynius and Manon Blackbeak. Who do you think taught the witches such power? Not the Fae.” A small laugh. “And how do you think I have been able to see so far, hear the voices of my eyes, all the way from Doranelle? There are mirrors to spy, to travel, to kill. Even now, Erawan wields them to his advantage with the Ironteeth.” With the witch towers. (Maeve, koa)

Witch mirrors can be used to store knowledge (like the memory Aelin and Manon entered), amplify power, travel, and spy (listen and watch). It is interesting that the cave under the mountain where the library rests is described in terms of glass. Gwyn even indicates that it amplifies their voices, so if those ancient songs Clotho found were spells, it’s possible the glass amplified their power. And that spell helped Nesta enter a trance-like state and connect with the Harp.

So Nesta drifted down and down, the harp and the voices pulsing and guiding, until she stopped before a rock. She laid a hand on it to find it was only an illusion, and she passed through it, down another long hall, beneath the mountain itself, and then she stood in a cavern, almost the twin to the one the priestesses sang in, as if they were linked in song and dreaming. (acosf)

The spell led Nesta beneath the sister mountain called the Prison, to a near-twin cavern where the Harp is located. These sister caverns—or sister-glass, if you will—are linked in song and dreaming.

We learned from Amren that there is an extensive underground cave system in Prythian, meaning that there might be other sister-glass caves.

“Oorid was once a sacred place,” Amren said. […] They say the water there flows to Under the Mountain, and the creatures who live in the bog have long used its underground waterways to travel through the Middle, even into the mountains of the surrounding courts.” (Amren, acosf)

@offtorivendell, @silverlinedeyes and I theorized that the sister mountains (the Middle, Ramiel, and Prison) could all have portals to other worlds buried beneath. What if each sister mountain has a cavern with sister-glass, and these caves are not only linked to each other, but—as Maeve suggests is possible—to other worlds as well? Did ancient beings like the Daglan or death-gods (who are similar to those who taught the witches how wield the glass) create these sister caverns? Is that what Bryce, Azriel, and Nesta came across—or are searching for—in the teaser? And if ancient creatures like kelpie still use the waterways in Oorid, which is connected to the underground waterways and cave system that spans the Middle and leads to other courts, then what other ancient nightmares are waiting for them beneath?

Annnnnd if they are exploring the cave system, and it leads to Ramiel rather than the Prison, I wonder if they’ll see Balthazar mysteriously appear again. 🤭 (C’mon, you knew that was coming!)

Annnnnnnnnnnnnd if these sister glass caverns operate like witch mirrors, would that mean someone could use it to communicate with or spy on others from other worlds? Even travel from Prythian to Midgard? Erilea? I swear, if someone (please, I’m begging for it to be Elain in the next acotar book) steps out of a sister cavern and into a Blueblood ritual, my mind will explode.

#hofas teaser #crescent city 3 #maasverse theories #maas crossover theories #bryce + nesta + azriel #sister caverns #sister mountains #sister glass #that mysterious Balthazar #but you know who I really mean #I can’t help myself

[thelov3lybookworm]

Grumpy

Summary: Amelia is grumpy

•○●⛦●○•

A/n: just a silly lil drabble heh

anyways, enjoyy!

Going out with anyone that was not his wife and daughter was not something Eris really looked forward to, because he just despised every creature that was not his mate or the being they created.

But obviously, his wife being the complete opposite of him, was a social butterfly, and probably had more friends than she could count. And because of that, Eris had to suffer too.

He stood off to the side as Y/n greeted Vivianne, bright smiles on both the females faces as they embraced. Kallias too smiled, his son nestled in the crook of his neck as he slept away. The babe looked peaceful, unaware of his surroundings, only knowing hat he was safe in the arms of his father, his protector.

Eris and Amelia, though, they were both in a bad mood. Eris, because he was forced to come along and pretend to be nice in front of his fellow high lord and his lady, and Amelia, because she did not have her favourite puppy, mister fluff, panting around her.

She had a permanent pout on her face as she fumbled with the lapels of Eris's jacket, a furrow in her brow. If Eris was being honest, she looked adorable when she was mad. She could be in one of her worst moods and Eris would be in love with his daughter.

As the two mothers continued to converse, Eris leaned forward to place a kiss on Amelia's forehead, right over her brows, but the moment he pulled back, she frowned up at him.

"Is my little princess mad?"

She turned her head away, her eyes going to Kallias, who waved at her, making her grumble. Eris grinned, kissing her temple as he waited for Y/n to give him some idea on when the group was going to step into the warmth of the palace. Winter court was too freezing for Eris's liking.

Vivianne, seemingly only realising that Eris was present too, turned to him, smiling. "Hello, high lord. Hope you didn't have too many troubles crossing the border?"

Eris smiled back politely. "No, lady. There were no issues."

She nodded, giddily stepping forward as she cooed at Amelia.

"Hello to you too little one."

She reached out to grab Amelia, who recoiled, just a little, her hand curling into Eris's clothes. Vivianne didn't stop, trying to pick up Amelia, who then let out an ear piercing cry, fat tears rolling down her cheeks. The winter court female stepped back, her eyes wide and apologetic as she tried to console the crying babe.

Eris started bouncing his daughter, letting her lay her head on his chest as she cried. "It's okay my love, nothing happened."

She whimpered in response, her hands on his shoulders, trying to hold on. Y/n reassured her friend that she did nothing wrong, that Amelia had just been fussy since morning, and Eris had to reign in a disbelieving scoff.

As if it was Amelia's fault for crying.

He turned away a little, still rocking her back and forth as he continued whispering in her ear. "Its alright, no one will take you from daddy. Shh. Its okay."

Everyone else decided to proceed into the majestic palace, and as Amelia quieted down after a few moments of relentless sobbing, Eris sighed, relieved as he started following the others into the home of the High lord.

Amelia raised her head to look at Eris, her lip jutting out, silver lining her wide, adorable eyes. Eris smiled at her, placing his lips at her forehead and eyes before se nestled against him again, starting to drift off.

"Sleep, my love." Eris hummed, rubbing her back. "I'll try to get us back home as soon as I can."

Acotar Taglist: @bubybubsters @eos-princess @nightless @harrystylesfan2686

@cassie6392 @kennedy-brooke @tele86 @miluiel1

@hnyclover @minnieoo @sidrapotter @piceous21

@mybestfriendmademe @saltedcoffeescotch @eve175 @starsinyourseyes

@starswholistenanddreamsanswered @cumuluscranium @byyalady @lilah-asteria

@girlswithimagination @gardenofrunar @girlswithimagination @sunnyspycat

@artists-ally @milswrites @riddlesb1tch @berryzxx

@buttermilktea11

Eris Vanserra Taglist: @fell-in-luvs @azrielsmate3 @tele86 @caraaaaugh

@ysmtttty

#eris x reader #eris vanserra x reader #eris vanserra #eris acotar #a court of thorns and roses #acotar fandom #acotar fanfic #acotar fluff #acotar series #acotar writing #a court of mist and fury #mating bond #sarah j maas #acotar headcanon #pro eris vanserra #acotar #high lord eris #eris vandaddy #heir of autumn court

[mrs-monaghan]

https://twitter.com/90symn/status/1720793183037088132

I'm NOT a yoonminer but if this was Jikook moment, you all would've turned into Jimin updating JK with his everh schedule and what he's upto... making this a domestic couple moment isn't it ?

Now does this mean yoonmin is couple ? DEFINITELY NOT. All I'm saying is almost every other members share the same close bond... some hangout more than other pairs, especially according to their free schedules. None of this means 2 are dating. Just that rn they are free to hangout.. so they have fun together. No need to give it other meanings.

Another thing is show happened because Jimin wanted to film a travel show with JK like they planned before and not because it was a romantic trip before MS like shippers liked to belive.

Sometimes I delete y'alls posts and sometimes I curse you out. But other times it genuinely seems like you want something to be spelt out for you. Which i will do since you're not being rude or whatever.

Anon, i am going to explain this to you like you're in kindergarten just so we're on the same page. First of all, Yoonmin are close. Closer than other duos in BTS. No one is denying that especially not on this blog. Yoonmin are close, they hang out alot, that's super on brand for them. Suga has a Jimin bias and has never bothered to hide it. So no, I will not sit here and claim that Yoonmin aren't close. Secondly, OF COURSE if JK had told us Jimin called to update him we would have called that a couple moment! You know why?

Idk if you have a lover or not, but if people checked your call logs, yes, you call other people, yes you text other people but you call and text your lover the most.

JK records other members but he records Jimin, the most

Jimin loves all his members but he is the softest when it comes to JK. Praising him all the damn time, bringing him up and an example all the time, bragging about him all the time. He cares about all 7 but has a JK bias.

JK has carried all members at some point. But he carries Jimin, the most

Jimin has taken photos will all members and posted. But his photos with JK are the most in existence.

JK will drop honorifics with all of them. But he does it the most with Jimin and with him, JK isn't usually joking like with the rest.

Jimin will back hug all members. But he does it to JK, the most.

JK has reacted to all members content in chapter 2, but he's done it for Jimin, the most.

Are you getting my drift? So yes, if it was JK who had said Jimin called him to tell him about something, yes, we'd have added that to our list of Jikook moments. Since anon, at the end of the day, BECAUSE of the exclusivity and consistency that Jikook have with eo, even the little stuff that they've done with others, count as couple stuff to us. Because we have already found reasons to believe they are indeed a couple.

I hope I have made that as clear as possible. Good day.

#ask shaz #bts ask #jikook is real #if jikook isn't real then neither I'm i #jikook #kookmin #minkook #jimin and jungkook #jikook antis

[niki-phoria]

idk if yhis is where you put requests 😭😭 BUT i always wanted to have male reader x enha fics ever since i made this and now theres an abundance ooh im taking advantage of my gay ass loving to read

ANYWAYS so i notice everytime in the jungwon and ni-ki fics where theyre the 8th member sunghoon always says something and/or tease the members when theyre being sweet to eo so the request is for sunghoon x boyfriend (could be an 8th member of enha could be not) fic where sunghoon is publicly being sweet to his boyfriend and enha starts teasing him so sunghoon gets shu and blushed hard that he cany do anything but hide at his boyfriend

i love him sm he's so pretty

pairing: sunghoon x male!8th member!reader (he/him pronouns) genre: fluff word count: 708

includes: blushy hoon like really blushy, teasing but supportive enha, i don't actually watch lives lmao but this is kinda based on the one where niki accidentally blew out the candles (the hate he's getting for that is so fucking stupid)

a/n: thank you so much for requesting !! this idea is adorable, i love it sm <33 i hope you like it :)) also yes i take requests through asks /gen

requests open !! read my rules first

the comments on the side of your phone scroll by quicker than you can read them. you shift in your seat a little, readjusting your position so jake can see the screen over your shoulder easier. you can hear the others talking amongst themselves as they slice the cake before moving the pieces onto plates. 

“y/n,” sunghoon nudges your shoulder, holding a fork out with a small piece on it. you smile, leaning in and allowing him to feed you. sunghoon smiles as you eat the piece. the chocolate flavor is sweet in your mouth. he reaches forwards to brush some frosting off of your lip, licking it from his thumb. “it’s good.” 

“i think so too,” you hum. sunoo passes you a fork as you cut off a small piece of cake, holding it out for sunghoon. you pretend not to notice the light flush that crawls up his neck and burns his ears as he leans forwards and eats the bite from your fork.

you turn your attention back to the comments, biting back a laugh at the chaos you’ve caused. “aw, cute,” heeseung smiles. “the couple are feeding each other.” 

“ah,” sunghoon shakes his head. “y/n is distracted with engene’s comments. i’m just helping him out.” 

“helping him by feeding him a piece of cake?” niki raises an eyebrow at him. you turn to look at him as his blush deepens, now spreading to his cheeks. you stifle a laugh as he moves closer to hide his face behind your shoulder; away from the view of the camera. 

you wrap your arms around him to hide him further behind your body. sunghoon snakes his arms around your waist to pull you closer. you reach over to pat his thigh - a silent reassurance that you’re all just joking around. 

you refocus on the comments once again, reading through the random questions or strings of emojis. one of them catches your eye in the mess of words - y/n and hoon are so cute together. it makes you smile. even though your relationship isn’t public, and likely never will be, the supportive comments from engene never fail to make you smile. 

sunghoon pulls away from behind you after about a minute of hiding. he shifts his body a little so he’s facing you, getting lost in his own thoughts as he stares at you. zoning out is nothing new for him but since you started dating he finds himself thinking about you while he does. 

sunghoon’s mind drifts to what you’ll do together once you finish the live and head back to the dorms. he can tell that you’re tired from a long day of practice and preparing for the next dates on tour. your shoulders sag slightly and your eyes feel a little heavier than usual. 

he’s interrupted from his thoughts when jake pats his shoulder. you chuckle a little as you reach over to grab his hand, gently squeezing it in yours. he mentally braces himself for the teasing comments and playful jokes from the others. 

“is y/n really that interesting to look at?” jay asks. 

“he’s very handsome,” jungwon replies. “i can see why sunghoon-hyung likes him so much.” 

“they’re cute together,” heeseung defends. “let him stare.” 

sunghoon can feel his face burning. his blush only deepens at the realization that he was recorded staring at you when you reach forwards to readjust the phone you’ve been livestreaming on. “i think it’s cute,” you say, intertwining your fingers together.

“you think everything hyung does is cute,” niki chuckles. 

“because it is.” sunghoon fails to hide his smile as he moves a little closer to you. you reach over to brush a stray strand of hair out of his eyes and back into place. you stifle a laugh at his flushed face but don’t say anything about it. 

sunghoon leans in closer so he’s hiding behind you again. his lips brush against your neck when he speaks. “i love you,” he whispers. the words are so quiet you can barely hear them over the laughs of the others. instead of verbally responding you bring your intertwined hands up to your lips, pressing a quick peck against his knuckles. i love you too.

#sunghoon x reader #enha x reader #enhypen x reader #enha soft hours #sunghoon x male reader #enha x male reader #enhypen x male reader #sunghoon x you #sunghoon x y/n #sunghoon fluff #sunghoon drabble #sunghoon imagine #sunghoon one shot #sunghoon scenario #enha fluff #enha x you #enha x y/n #enha drabble #enha scenario #enha imagine #enha one shot #enhypen one shot #enhypen x you #enhypen x y/n #enhypen imagine #enhypen scenario #enhypen drabble #enhypen fluff

[spiritlion]

I have a lot and I mean a lot of feelings of the time between EoS and mtmte when Ratchet and Drift spent so much time alone in that tiny shuttle. Anyway here is one of those little hcs.

The first time Drift ever says he loves Ratchet it isn’t out loud he says it in chirolinguistics while they are in a situation on a planet they stopped off on. Ratchet gives him a questioning look but Drift just smiles in a way Ratchet had never seen before and it does something to his spark.

#transformers #dratchet #dratchet aus #maccadam

[thedryswan]

There had been considerable resistance to Scott's proposal that Hannah stay on the island to recuperate. She had no other family and none of her friends had the leisure to watch over her.

It was decided that Hannah would stay at Gran Roca and Sally would stay with her, backed up by local health care teams. Not ideal but a compromise everyone was happy with.

Scott had helped her into bed and made sure she actually swallowed the painkillers this time, despite her protests. He sat and watched as she drifted off into her semi-drugged sleep, reminding himself he would have to tell her about their loss but he would need to choose his moment. Planting a soft kiss on her brow, he left the room and joined his family downstairs.

They were all there and Gordon was pacing impatiently.

"So" he began, abruptly as soon as Scott arrived, "How many of us were aware this was going on?"

Scott had been prepared to meet with angry siblings.

"Virgil worked out something was going on and confronted me. He wasn't happy when he found out."

Virgil agreed with his older brother.

"But that's it." Scott said, noticing a slight awkwardness, "Right? Oh god, who did you tell?"

"John."

"What?" Scott cried.

"Oh come on, he's on Five most of the time, who's he gonna tell?" Virgil asked.

"Uhhmmm..." said John in holographic form, "EOS might've overheard."

"Basically, I'm the last to know then, right?" growled Gordon "Now, I'm not gonna ask what you were thinking because I don't wanna know. But when push comes to shove, if you have to make a choice between us and her, which way are you gonna go?"

#thunderbirds are go #thunderfam #thunderbirds fanfiction #scott tracy

[struggle-but-its-all-ocean-floor]

https://www.tumblr.com/struggle-but-its-all-ocean-floor/737425943253090304/httpswwwtumblrcomstruggle-but-its-all-ocean-f

One of the things i have personally never understood is why people rank other people’s level of closeness by how much they are seen hanging out. I don’t think how much the members hang out with each other necessarily defines how close they are to each other. (By hangout, i mean them going out and doing different fun activities with each other (that we know of) ) Take Jihope for example. We know that Jihope are really close but how many times have we really seen Jimin and Hobi hang out?

I feel like “closeness” really depends on how people choose to define it. All the members have very different dynamics with each other. We know that V and Jk are like the partners in crime besties. Jinkook are your typical chaotic sibling dynamic. Namkook are like big brother who little bro adores and looks up to dynamic. Jimin and Jungkook in my opinion could fit into any of these dynamics. They sometimes give me lovers, siblings, besties dynamics etc, just depends on the day. Now with all these different dynamics, it is only normal that they wouldn’t do the same things with each other. Tae and Jk have always had fun goofing around together doing different things and getting into trouble together since their debut day. But when Jk was asked who comforted him best, he without a second thought picked Jimin. Jk would chose to share rooms with Tae so they could play games all night but every time he was asked deeper questions and made to choose one member, it was always Jimin. What is my point? Jk hanging out with A from 1st to 31st doesn’t necessarily mean he is closer to A than he is to be whom he didn’t hang out with as much. Going out and doing fun activities with a friend doesn’t mean that is the friend who knows you best or whom u are closest to.

Also, we forget that “hangouts” don’t mean the same for everyone and there are different ways people enjoying hanging out. Maybe taekook enjoy hanging out more when they are with other people and when they are doing fun activities but maybe Jikook enjoy “hanging out” by just eating chicken at home, watching movies, drinking (and carrying eo bridal style and biting erogenous parts of eo bodies). If this is how they choose to hang out the most, how exactly would we know? The fact that you don’t see jikook or Jinkook or namkook doing the same kind of hang out activities that taekook do doesn’t mean they don’t spend time together in their own way. My best friend doesn’t like going out at all but i do. I have a group of friends who love going out like me and we hang out together all the time but u rarely see me out with my best friend because she just doesn’t like to go out. It just isn’t her thing. Now, many people will swear that i am not that close to my best friend just cuz they never see me hang out with her but that is not true at all. I am not half as close to the people I hang out constantly with as i am with my best friend. When we go out, we party, have fun and run around but the person i have a deep emotional connection with is that person i call first when i need someone to talk to. That person who knows me better than anyone else. That person i sit down with and have deep conversations with. You see what i am saying?

I feel bad about the fact that people judge how close these guys are by who they see hanging out with eo the most. Not saying this method is always wrong, but it isn’t always accurate either cuz there is alot we don’t see and don’t know. Do you remember how many people thought Jimin and Jungkook had drifted apart in 2021? Many people felt like jikook drifted apart and taekook got closer cuz Jk was everywhere with Tae and rarely with Jimin but what did we later find out? We found out that Jk visited Jimin’s hotel room multiple times a day, they worked out together, ate together, went back home from concerts together etc. We didn’t see them do any of these but they happened. Just because we didn’t see it and we didn’t know it, we all assumed taekook were closer and Jikook had drifted apart not knowing that the person Jk was going to spend all of his downtime with was Jimin. The same thing happened this year, with everyone swearing that jikook had drifted apart and were not close to each other anymore because we never saw them hangout, only for us to find out that while we were thinking they were barely in each other’s lives, those two were making plans to enlist together and not be apart from each other for 18 months. How do u think they would have even thought of or considered this if they were not that close anymore?

I just think that we always need to realize that there is alot we don’t see and don’t know. Also, the members level of social activity with each other could depend on so many things. Sometimes people hang out alot not necessarily because they can’t do without each other but because it is convenient and time allows it. Others don’t, not because they are not close or don’t feel the need to, but because they can’t. Tae and Jk hung out alot this year. Most we have seen them hang out in all their years of being together as a group but i think most of those hangouts happened because it was convenient. Jk and Tae were the only two not working on anything or not really busy at some point, and their schedules aligned so it made sense that they hung out as they are good friends. But we could all see that the frequent hangouts stopped the moment it wasn’t convenient anymore. They got busy and even though we constantly saw Jk hanging out with his 97 friends, we never saw him and Tae hangout again like we saw them before. So think about it, would all those hangouts have happened if the circumstances were different? Probably not. I think Jk and Tae definitely worked on their friendship and became way closer after their ITS talk and this solo era helped them bond more as thankfully their schedules aligned and they could do things with eo and have fun with eo, but that doesn’t mean Jk is closer to Tae than he is to Jimin or Hobi just because he hung out with Tae more (that we know of)

Also, Jimin didn’t really hangout like that with anybody. Before Hobi left, we know that they met and had a drink, before suga left, we know that they went to restaurants and had Sushi, and we know that Jimin and Suga saw eo a few times and Suga mentioned that he had a drink with Jimin after his concerts but we didn’t see them and we probably wouldn’t have known if Suga didn’t say it. So how would we know if Jimin and Jk spend time with each other in private but just don’t say anything about it? We didn’t see them drinking and biting eo necks did we? They told us the next day lol. We would have never known that Vmin were going to hang out with Jk if Tae didn’t start that Live. So how many times do u think the members must have hung out or spent time with each other that we just didn’t know of?

Gosh, i’ve written so much but i just measuring how close the members are to eo by how much they are seen hanging out is kinda lame. There is just alot we don’t know and don’t see and that they don’t tell us. We may come to get better perspective of so many things that happened in chapter two, in the future and we might all be surprised to find out that things weren’t as we thought.

I agree with you though! I think I explicitly said that "closeness" in my ranking was hanging out, but that's not because closeness to me is spending the most time with each other. I said it precisely because it's so hard to measure or compare the members' relationships based exclusively on what we know, so I could only objectively compare how much time they seem to spend together. But that in itself is not a sufficient indicator of anything.

I agree with everything you said about Jikook vs Taekook, although I don't remember Taekook hanging out that much in 2021? I also don't see Jikook as siblings at all. That is never the vibe they give me haha.

But, yeah, every relationship is different and we only know what BTS tell us (or what gets leaked), so who apparently hangs out the most with whom doesn't say much in itself - there are other factors to consider. For example, Suga mentioned RM in almost every Suchwita episode and even chose RM to interview him, and we know they saw each other at the company, but they rarely talk about spending time together. However, it's obvious their friendship means a lot to both of them as they've known each other the longest and both love music so much.

Thanks for the ask!

#ask #bts #jungkook #jimin #jikook #v #suga #rm #text #thanks for the ask!

[gumnut-logic]

Happy Halloween!

Trick or Treat!

A little late because work got in the way, but I hope you had a happy Halloween :D Have a little Johnny moment :D

-o-o-o-

The morning sun was the most beautiful from orbit. It woke him every day – except for those mornings that he hadn’t slept which happened far too often for Eos’ liking.

This morning, though, followed an uneventful night and he was able to roll over in bed to watch the sunrise light up his floorspace as the gravitational ring cradled him past the Earth below.

He never tired of the sight. It was something special, something magical, that captured both the scientist and philosopher inside him.

Pulling off a glove, he let his hand drift toward the glass floor, with all its radiation filter technology, and let the first rays of dawn dance through his fingers.

-o-o-o-

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds #thunderbirds fanfiction #john tracy #nuttyfic #thunderbirds snapshots

[wingedblooms]

Wraithlike

This is a Maasverse post, and as such, there are spoilers for all Maas series. Proceed with caution.

In the Throne of Glass series, Sarah makes quite a few references to wraiths. Forms that are wraithlike are nearly transparent; they are bodies that aren’t bodies. These forms move like the wind and appear suddenly. The most striking references include the void, like when Aelin and Manon enter a witch mirror and watch a memory in the space between. Or the references to hell, especially the grieving queen who walks like she is traveling through a dreamscape, or an empty, barren hell. Take a look for yourself:  

He dragged a hand across the floor before the darkness, and greenish lights sprung up from where his fingers passed before being sucked into the void like wraiths on the wind. One of his hands was bleeding. (tog) Dorian Havilliard stood at the ballroom window, watching Celaena and Chaol dance in the garden beyond, their dark cloaks flowing around them like they were no more than two wraiths spinning through the wind. After hours of dancing, he’d finally managed to get free of the ladies demanding his attention, and had come to the window to get some much-needed fresh air. (com) Slowly, like lovely wraiths from a hell-realm, the witches appeared. (qos) Aelin had a body that was not a body. She knew only because in this void, this foggy twilight, Manon had a body. A nearly transparent, wraithlike body, but … a form nonetheless. (eos) Clad in white silk, her long curtain of dark hair unbound, the Grand Empress strolled, silent and grave as a wraith, down a walkway wending through the rock formations of the garden. Only moonlight filled the space—moonlight and shadow, as the empress strode alone and unnoticed, her simple gown flowing behind her as if on a phantom wind. White for grief—for death. […] Nesryn lingered in the shadows of the pillar, watching the woman drift farther away, as if she were wandering the paths of some dreamscape. Or perhaps some empty, barren hell. (tod) Silent as wraiths, they appeared across the glen. As if they’d simply sparked into existence in the shade of the foliage. Little bodies, some pale, some black as night, some scaled. Mostly concealed, save for spindly fingers and wide, unblinking eyes. Elide gasped. “The Little Folk.” (koa) It was over before it really started. The mercenary got in two hits, both met with those wicked-looking daggers. And then she knocked him out cold with a swift blow to the head. So fast—unspeakably fast and graceful. A wraith moving through the mist. (ab) The moon illuminated the mist swirling along the leaf-strewn ground, and made the trees cast long shadows like lurking wraiths. And there—standing in a copse of thorns—was a white stag. Celaena’s breath hitched. (ab)

Naturally, I was curious how these links held up when we actually meet wraiths in A Court of Thorns and Roses (acotar) and Crescent City (cc). In acotar, we meet half-wraith twins who appear and disappear suddenly, even into a puff of smoke. Amren says they are nothing but shadow and mist, and can travel through walls. 

They appeared through the cracks from slivers of darkness, just as Rhysand had. But while he’d solidified into a tangible form, these faeries remained mostly made of shadow, their features barely discernable, save for their loose, flowing cobweb gowns. They remained silent when they reached for me. I didn’t fight them—there was nothing to fight them with, and nowhere to run. The hands they clasped around my forearms were cool but solid—as if the shadows were a coating, a second skin. (acotar) The shadow maids, as usual, walked through the walls and vanished. (acotar) Nails clicked on stone, and my escorts swapped glances before they swung me into an alcove, a tapestry that hadn’t been there a moment before falling over us, the shadows deepening, solidifying. I had a feeling that if someone pulled back that tapestry, they would see only darkness and stone. One of them covered my mouth with a hand, holding me tightly to her, shadows slithering down her arm and onto mine. She smelled of jasmine—I’d never noticed that before. After all these nights, I didn’t even know their names. (acotar) Amren, at least, knocked this time before entering. Nuala and Cerridwen, who had finished setting combs of mother-of-pearl into my hair, took one look at the delicate female and vanished into puffs of smoke. “Skittish things,” Amren said, her red lips cutting a cruel line. “Wraiths always are.” “Wraiths?” I twisted in the seat before the vanity. “I thought they were High Fae.” “Half,” Amren said, surveying my turquoise, cobalt, and white clothes. “Wraiths are nothing but shadow and mist, able to walk through walls, stone—you name it. I don’t even want to know how those two were conceived. High Fae will stick their cocks anywhere.” I choked on what could have been a laugh or a cough. “They make good spies.” (acomaf)

In Crescent City, Vanir wraiths change bodies often to maintain a youthful appearance (thanks for this reminder, @offtorivendell!). We learn this when Bryce meets Vik, a wraith who is trapped in the beautiful body she possesses, and then ripped from that same body and contained in a box at the bottom of the Melinoë Trench as punishment. (This is a terrible punishment, but the name is fitting—Melinoë was associated with ghosts, and wraiths are ghostly in appearance.) Micah is truly the worst. 

The wraith folded her alabaster hands in her lap, the unnatural elegance the only sign of the ancient power that rippled beneath the calm surface. Vik had no body of her own. Though she’d fought in the 18th, Isaiah had learned her history only when he’d arrived here ten years ago. How Viktoria had acquired this particular body, who it had once belonged to, he didn’t ask. She hadn’t told him. Wraiths wore bodies the way some people owned cars. Vanir wraiths switched them often, usually at the first sign of aging, but Viktoria had held on to this one for longer than usual, liking its build and movement, she’d said. Now she held on to it because she had no choice. It had been Micah’s punishment for her rebellion: to trap her within this body. Forever. No more changing, no more trading up for something newer and sleeker. For two hundred years, Vik had been contained, forced to weather the slow erosion of the body, now plainly visible: the thin lines starting to carve themselves around her eyes, the crease now etched in her forehead above the tattoo’s twining band of thorns. (hoeab) At least Bryce could now appreciate the beauty before her: the dark hair and pale skin and stunning green eyes were all Pangeran heritage, speaking of vineyards and carved marble palaces. But the grace with which Viktoria moved … Viktoria must have been old as Hel to have that sort of fluid beauty. To be able to steer her body so smoothly. (hoeab) “Through the glare of the firstlight beams atop the remote submersible, more fleshy white bits floated by. This was what the wraith Viktoria had been damned by Micah to endure. The former Archangel had shoved her essence into a magically sealed box while the wraith remained fully conscious despite having no corporeal form, and dropped her to the floor of the Melinoë Trench. […] The wraith’s shoebox-sized Helhole had been bespelled against the pressure. And Viktoria, not needing food or water, would live forever. Trapped. Alone. No light, nothing but silence, not even the comfort of her own voice. (hosab)

What does this mean for Elain’s story, and why am I even mentioning her in a wraith meta? In the acotar series, Nuala and Cerridwen, half-wraith twins, draw Elain out of her grief and help her learn how to bake. Sarah mentions that Elain considers them her friends twice in acosf alone: 

Tending to the gardens of Feyre’s veritable palace on the river, helping other residents of Velaris restore their own destroyed gardens–she had purpose, and joy, and friends: those two half-wraiths who worked in Rhysand’s household. (acosf) “You came,” Elain said behind her, and Nesta started, not having heard her sister approach. She scanned Elain from head to toe, wondering if she’d been taking lessons in stealth either from Azriel or the two half-wraiths she called friends. (acosf) 

She also plants the idea that Elain might be engaging in stealth training with them (and/or Azriel, who trained them). That would make sense since she has learned from them before and she started to move like them after developing a friendship. She tends to move silently and appears suddenly, even stepping out of shadow. Before she was Made, Elain moved with the grace of a doe, so that newfound skill may have come fairly naturally.

In acosf, Nesta also recalls how Elain was after being Made and refers to her as a ghost. She comments that she (Nesta) was the ghost now, worse than a ghost: she was a wrathful wraith. This description of a wraith doesn’t quite match what we know about the few wraiths in the maasverse we’ve met; it seems more like a frightening bedtime story of a legendary monster, which is perhaps meant to reflect Nesta’s own inner turmoil. But the description of Elain when she is first Made is eerily similar to the wraithlike queen in tod:

Where Nesta had been in contented silence before we found her, Elain’s silence was…hollow. Empty. Her hair was down—not even braided. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen it unbound. She wore a moon-white silk dressing robe. She did not look, or speak, or even flinch as we entered. Her too-thin arms rested on her chair. That iron engagement ring still encircled her finger. Her skin was so pale it looked like fresh snow in the harsh light. I realized then that the color of death, of sorrow, was white. The lack of color. Of vibrancy. […] Nesta’s rage was better than this…shell. This void. My breath caught as I edged around her chair. Beheld the city view she stared so blankly at. Then beheld the hollowed-out cheeks, the bloodless lips, the brown eyes that had once been rich and warm, and now seemed utterly dull. Like grave dirt. (acowar)

The interesting part about this connection is that Elain likely was wandering through some dreamscape like a wraith with her Sight. This pale, hollow image of Elain also aligns with the definition of a wraith. 

Elain appears wraithlike again (probably on purpose) when she wears a black gown in the Hewn City, a place of rotting darkness. Cassian notes: 

“Yes, she was beautiful, but the color of her long-sleeved modest gown leeched the brightness from her face.” […] He’d never once in the two years he’d known her found Elain to be plain, but wearing black, no matter how much she claimed to be part of this court…It sucked the life from her.” (acosf)

Elain’s black dress makes her look plain and invisible compared to her sister. She lacks color and vibrancy just as she did in the House of Wind, though in black instead of white. It’s possible she did this on purpose since she’s altered her appearance before and the half-wraith twins helped her dress for that occasion, too. Could they have dressed her strategically to escape notice on solstice, and could this be another hint of wraithlike powers?

In Song of the wind, I wondered if Elain could be a pale wraith, a force of light and color and wind, who moves like Hope through the Void. She’s described in terms that do not have a definite form (pale, golden mass in his arms; sunlight on gold; purple and gold flashed), and even asked Amren about changing bodies in acofas. We know that Vanir wraiths can wear different bodies, like shapeshifters walk in different skins (ie., skinwalkers). Wraiths, however, have no definite form beneath the body they wear. Is that the true reason why Elain boldly asked Amren if she could take a different form, change bodies?

“Could you have done it? Decided to take a male form? […] Then why did you pick this body? […] And once you were in this body, you couldn’t change?” (acofas)

Elain as a wraith (or wraith adjacent, lol) would be a fun way to come full circle with the parallel @kimsnnn discusses here. After pointed inquiry about Amren’s otherworldly eyes, Nesta’s otherworldly power glowed silver in her eyes. It’s possible the dinner conversation about changing form might then be a hint that Elain and Amren will share otherworldly forms. Amren’s otherworldly form was a bird of prey, a messenger. She watched over humans, and when ordered, acted as a soldier-assassin. 

Amren smiled slightly—at me, at Varian. “I watched them for so many eons. Humans—in my world, there were humans, too. And I watched them love, and hate—wage senseless war and find precious peace. Watched them build lives, build worlds. I was … I was never allowed such things. I had not been designed that way, had not been ordered to do so. So I watched. And that day I came here … it was the first selfish thing I had done. For a long, long while I thought it was punishment for disobeying my Father’s orders, for wanting. I thought this world was some hell he’d locked me into for disobedience.” (acowar)

You know who else watches others through physical eyes and Cauldron-blessed Sight? Elain. I’ve wondered before if she is an otherworldly messenger and/or guardian like Silba’s owl or the Suriel (who is your stereotypical wraith). Alert and aware. Silent travelers, full of wisdom. There are some who even believe the word wraith is connected to the Norse word for watcher, but several sources indicate the origin is unclear. Regardless, Elain acts like a wraithlike guardian, appearing suddenly out of shadow to protect her family. It's possible she used this skill to wear the body of Balthazar and help Nesta and Emerie find safety during the Blood Rite.

Even if Elain isn’t an actual wraith, I think we can reasonably predict that she will learn more from Nuala and Cerridwen, and their gifts may complement her own as she practices using her Cauldron-blessed powers. When she cannot see something, Elain says it is all mist and shadow, and Nuala and Cerridwen are nothing but shadow and mist, able to walk through walls, stone. Could they teach Elain how to break through the walls of her Sight? 

With all the connections wraiths seem to have with void and hell, Nuala and Cerridwen may help her use the Void to peer into and/or travel to Hel (as both @offtorivendell and I have theorized). It would make sense for them to use the space between together, especially if Elain has mystic abilities and can move fluidly across space like a wraith’s essence. They’ve been helping her all along and will probably continue to do so. In her own words, Elain already told us that “Nuala and Cerridwen will help her [me]” (acowar). And there are so many things Elain seems eager to learn from them. 

Elain stood between Nuala and Cerridwen at the long worktable. All three of them covered in flour. Some sort of doughy mess on the surface before them. The two handmaiden-spies instantly bowed to Rhys, and Elain— There was a slight sparkle in her brown eyes. As if she’d been enjoying herself with them. Nuala swallowed hard. “The lady said she was hungry, so we went to make her something. But—she said she wanted to learn how, so…” Hands wreathed in shadows lifted in a helpless gesture, flour drifting off them like veils of snow. “We’re making bread.” (acowar)

P.S., Is it any coincidence that they likely look like three lovely ghosts, covered in flour, when they work together?

#elain archeron #nuala and cerridwen #wraithlike elain #lovely wraiths #wraiths on the wind #watchers #guardians #ever shifting form #like the goddess of fate #major Urd vibes #flame and shadow #maasverse theories

[ajpendragon]

Doubts

John blinked vigorously to clear his vision, forcing the two projections floating in front of him to merge back into one. A flick of his finger and the ship schematics spun in front of him, faster than he had intended it to. The movement threw him off balance, a rare occurrence in zero gravity, only possible because of his exhausted state. He drifted back into the wall, colliding with it roughly.

“John, it has been roughly 72 hours since you last slept. It would be wise to take a break. You are too tired to be any use at the moment.”

“I’m fine, EOS. I have to check everything. All of us are going to be on that ship, and I won’t risk a repeat of last time. I can’t risk my brother’s lives like that. I have to make sure it’s safe.” He continued stubbornly glaring at the schematics, even as his vision swam in front of him. His arms felt too heavy to move, and if he weren’t free-floating in space, he would have been collapsed on the floor.

The hologram flickered out, and he knew EOS had put her foot down. She would not allow him to work any more, even when he desperately wanted to. “You need to rest. You will be of no use to your brothers if you continue on like this. You look awful, and you are so tired you can barely function.” Her voice softened slightly. “Working yourself to exhaustion to avoid thinking about your problems is not healthy, John.”

He pulled himself slowly down the hallways towards his bed, conceding the fight. He was too tired to argue, and that in itself was clear proof that EOS was right. He never gave up on an argument if he could help it.

John knew exactly what the chances of finding their father still alive were. The likelihood that they were going on a rescue mission was slim to none. People didn’t survive on their own in deep space for as long as Jeff had been gone. All they were likely to find was a body. They had to go, he knew that. To finally have an answer after all these years would be worth everything. But if anything he could do would make it safer, he had to try. Dad wouldn’t have wanted them to recklessly risk their lives on the very unlikely chance that he was still alive.

John had not been good enough to save his father.

His brothers were all he had left.

And he refused to lose them too.

*******************************************

Alan clutched the photograph tightly in his hand. There weren’t many paper pictures left, most saved on computers and phones now, but this one was special. Each of his brothers had one as well, but his was the most well-worn. Everyone else didn’t need the picture as much, having enough clear memories of Dad that it wasn’t as necessary for them, but he did. He had been too young to remember much when Dad disappeared, and with the years, the few memories he had faded. He knew that Scott looked like Dad, everyone said so, but what they never mentioned was the little scar on the corner of Dad’s chin, just barely visible in the photo.

They didn’t mention how his eyes looked so much like Gordon’s, or how his smile reminded them of John. They never mentioned the smile lines around his mouth just like Virgil’s. In fact, as Alan stared at the picture, he could see each of his brothers there. Everyone except himself. Each of his brothers remembered when Dad was around, too. They had dozens of stories, which Alan had heard many times over the years. They knew where they fit in the family with Dad there. They remembered a life with him.

But Alan hadn’t. He didn’t remember his Dad more than bits and pieces, and he was pretty sure most of those memories were from his brothers’ stories. He couldn’t remember a time before. He knew he was a capable astronaut, pilot of Thunderbird 3, valued member of International Rescue, but with his Dad home, where did he belong? His piloting skills couldn’t measure up to someone like the great Jeff Tracy. He was still young. What if Dad pulled him off rescues? Alan had proved himself to Scott, but his dad wouldn’t know that. All he would remember was the child he had left behind.

He curled up on his bed, still grasping the photograph tightly. His father’s face stared back at him, his smile now feeling mocking instead of the comfort it usually was. What would Dad say when they found him? Would he even remember him? Would he be proud of him, or disappointed in what he had become?

He wanted Dad home, there was no question about that.

He just hoped that he wouldn’t be a disappointment next to the child Dad remembered.

*******************************************

Gordon flipped the light on, banishing the shadows to the corners of the room. He wasn’t sleeping anyways, so might as well do something. A book was picked up and just as quickly tossed aside, unable to hold his attention. He tried jumping jacks, continuing until his breathing came heavy, but he was no more ready for sleep now than he was before. He briefly considered pranking one of his brothers, but quickly discarded that idea. They needed their sleep, and he wasn’t thoughtless enough to deprive them of it. He ended up settled cross-legged on the floor, staring at his fish tank, watching the animals drift slowly through the water.

The motion, though calming, wasn’t enough to occupy his entire mind, and the shadows began to creep back in. Ever since he had found the beacon, he had been fighting them off, but they continued to return, only growing stronger in the dark of night. No matter what he told them, they refused to leave, doubts long-hidden that had not been forgotten with time, only buried.

What if Dad was didn’t want him? He was the odd one out, the only aquanaut in a family of pilots. While the rest of his family had spent their entire lives attempting to leave the ground behind, with varying degrees of success, he had embraced the restraint of earth. Water was his element, not air. He hated flying. He hated space.

Dad had never said anything to dissuade him from his passion, but he had never encouraged him either. Maybe he had been hoping time would cure Gordon of the foolish notion of remaining earth-bound. It probably should have. The rest of the family was so connected, so similar in their desires, their wants, their loves. But no matter how much they tried to convince him otherwise, Gordon knew the truth. His father’s shadow stretched over everything he did. He had made a place, a name for himself while Dad was gone, but with him back?

He didn’t belong.

*******************************************

Virgil settled his headphones more securely over his ears, adjusting his position on the bench. It wasn’t often that he played his electric piano, much preferring the grand in the family room. The sound was better, and there was always a brother or two around to share it with, but tonight felt like a night to be alone. They were each processing in their own ways, him as much as anyone. He and his father had never gotten along as well as some of his brothers, Virgil reminding Jeff too much of what he had lost.

But they had shared some loves. Jeff had loved music, not as much as Lucy and Virgil, but he had some favorite songs. Lucy had recorded him one night, hiding the camera in the corner to catch his singing, something he never would have done if he had known he was being watched. It was an odd choice for an astronaut’s favorite song, but Jeff had always been a realist. He knew the dangers to be found in space, but he felt compelled to go anyways. It was worth the risk to him.

Of course, the risk hadn’t just taken a toll on him, but on his children as well. Especially now that they knew there was a chance he could still be out there, the song held a whole new meaning. Virgil pressed the start button on the recording, settling his hands on the keys as he played accompaniment to his father’s voice.

Can you hear, can you hear, can you hear my voice?

Coming through, coming through, coming through the noise

The recording continued, Virgil fighting back tears to be able to see the keys. He could imagine his dad singing the same song out in the vastness of space, hoping desperately that someone would hear him. That someone would save him.

It's so dark, it's so dark out here in space

And it's been so long, been so long since I've seen a face

My eyes are shut but I can see

The void between you and me, mm

And I feel, and I feel like I'm going insane

Virgil could only imagine what it would do to someone to live for so long on their own. When they first found out there was a chance Dad was still alive, he had done a deep dive into all the medical research he could find with any bearing on their situation. He knew the effects of low or no gravity on a human’s body, and how to help. He knew what to do if Dad hadn’t been eating enough, how to rebuild a body after prolonged nutrient deficiency. But there wasn’t enough research on what solitary confinement did to a person’s mind. He knew it was bad, that it had been banned as a punishment for years for a reason, but no one knew how to fix the damage it caused.

He didn’t know how to fix it, and he didn’t know how to deal with that. He was supposed to be the one who fixed everything, and he couldn’t let everyone down. His brothers were believed in him. His dad was counting on him.

He didn’t know if he believed in himself.

*******************************************

Scott pushed himself harder, forcing his limbs to cooperate and propel him even faster down the path. His brothers would have tried to stop him from running at night, but they had all gone to bed hours ago, and he had needed the release. His thoughts were too loud to allow him to sleep, and so he forced himself to go even faster, hoping to leave them behind.

What if Dad didn’t approve of what he had done with International Rescue?

His brothers risked their lives almost daily. What would Dad say when he found out about that?

Tracy Industries now was quite different than it was when Dad left. Scott had done his best, but some of the decisions he had made weren’t very popular. What if his dad didn’t agree with them either?

He ran harder.

What if he had made a mistake in allowing Alan to join on rescues? True, they had needed another astronaut after Jeff’s disappearance, but he was still so young.

What about the scars that each of his brothers bore, both on their skin and on their hearts? He should have been the one to bear those. They never should have had to. What would Dad say when he saw them?

It didn’t seem to matter how fast he went. He couldn’t outrun the voices. They grabbed onto him, closing his throat and tightening in his chest, cutting off his breathing. They took the face of his father, fuzzy and distorted by time, all glaring at him, shouting the same thing. “I’m disappointed in you, Scott. You failed me.”

Scott collapsed to his knees, clasping his hands over his ears to drown out their shouts. All the fears he had fought for years were coming back to haunt him. All the decisions he had made questioned. All the thoughts that kept him awake at night crowded forward at once, demanding to be addressed.

No. Scott pushed himself to his feet, refusing to buckle under the pressure. It didn’t matter what Dad said when they got him back. They were going to get him anyway. It didn’t matter if it was hard or dangerous. They were International Rescue, and that’s what they did. It didn’t matter if the person they were searching for didn’t approve of them. They saved people. And they were going to save their dad.

If he hated Scott when they found him, then so be it. Scott knew he had done what was right, and he could live with a clear conscience, and the knowledge that his brothers were alive because of him. He had done his best, but if his father couldn’t see that, he didn’t know what he would do.

If his father hated him, he didn’t know if he could live with it.

*******************************************

The next night, wrapped in the warm arms of their father, doubts were laid to rest, and they all knew they would be okay.

Dad didn’t hate him.

He wasn’t a failure.

He was worth believing in.

He belonged in this family.

He wasn’t a disappointment.

He was good enough.

*******************************************

He was finally home.

#whumptober 2023 #no. 9 #no. 11 #no. 17 #no. 23 #no. 26 #Polaroid #song #lyric #shadows #working to exhaustion #thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds fanfiction #scott tracy #virgil tracy #gordon tracy #john tracy #alan tracy #jeff tracy #the long reach

[savage-rhi]

Mending Shadows // Chapter 33

Summary:

Y/N was a simple Scavenger of Lucis, until meeting a deadly blow at the hands of an infected creature. At the crossroads of death, they are found by Niflheim’s cryptic Chancellor with his own agenda. Now bonded to Ardyn Izunia, and tossed into the world of Niflheim, Y/N struggles to cope with their new life as an Imperial Icon all the while battling their feelings toward their fate and that of Ardyn’s.

Click here to read on AO3

Y/N’s mind was suspended in darkness. 

The passage of time was an elusive concept that slipped through their soul like grains of sand in an hourglass. There was no such thing as the external world. There was no Eos, no Niflheim, no Lucis, no Ardyn--only a void that unfolded with a surreal fluidity. Memories couldn’t plant their roots in this place. Nothing flourished here, except two things: presence, and song. 

Although not aware of themself, Y/N latched onto the melancholic tune that somehow wormed its way into the dark to meet them. The idea of colors slowly began to return in splotches of vibrant blues and purples and vibrated against the sound, creating hues beyond the spectrum of the waking world. Little by little, like a rock being polished by the waves of the ocean, imagination and existence blurred into an ethereal dance. 

A glimmer of light broke through Y/N’s eyelids. It tugged at the fringes of their awareness. Everything was blurry, but they could detect movement. Shapes wandered around their peripheral, and so did voices. They couldn’t make out what was being said, but felt… something. 

It was hard to put words to tone much less decipher the delicate touch that would occasionally glide across their face, squeezing their right hand when all ministrations were complete. The simple ritual was conducted by only what Y/N could perceive as an entity. Shortly thereafter, would the song emerge and play it’s gloomy notes. Though Y/N couldn’t comprehend the movement of time, they had a feeling the entity had done this on numerous occasions, and they felt warm at the thought that something beyond recognition regarded them. 

The process repeated itself many times over. Just as Y/N would be on the precipice of awakening, they’d fall back into dark shores. Only peering through when they once again could hear the dreary song, and watch as colors tried to choreograph it's energy. 

A chord struck and reverberated all through the void, and Y/N’s consciousness suddenly remembered the name of the music. 

Shiva’s Lament… 

Y/N felt themself once more peering out from the dark and taking a step back into the waking world. The corner of their eyes still heavy with fog, Y/N’s ears followed the poignant timbre of sound that felt both like a warm hug and a haunting cry. That’s when Y/N’s exhausted gaze fell upon Ardyn, watching as his body sway while he adjusted the bow against the strings of a violin. His fingertips delicately moved against the neck of the instrument to seamlessly connect notes that longed for each other’s company like lost lovers. 

Shiva’s Lament…Y/N repeated in mind, as the memory of their debut night in the Vixen carded its fingertips against their brain. Their eyes traveled over Ardyn with awe, for his hair looked like whisps of flames against a glow of light that emitted from his body. Y/N was surprised to see him without his jacket and scarves. He was dressed so casually that it went against his nature, but it never once took away how graceful Ardyn looked from Y/N’s point of view. 

Gods, he was so beautiful in the glow that words couldn’t describe it. If it were possible to move their limbs, Y/N would’ve reached out to him.

Like heartstrings being carefully tended to, Ardyn made the violin weep with such a soulful quality that Y/N could feel themself drifting back to sleep. They didn’t want to be lured back into the dark. No, they wanted to latch onto the flowing melody and let Ardyn guide them through the storm; like he had done at the wedding when they danced. Like how he carried them through Outpost 98. He was always there at that midpoint between life and death for Y/N. A personal reaper who offered some shreds of comfort before the finale. And like the grim itself coming to collect his toll, Y/N succumbed to Ardyn’s song and went back to the void. 

There was nothing but dreamless sleep for what felt like ages, and Y/N awoke once more but with a sharp gasp like a newborn babe taking in air for the first time. As Y/N adjusted to the world, their labored breaths became calm until there was a steady flow. They could no longer hear their pulse rattling inside their skull, and took this moment to gather everything around them. 

Niflheim…The familiar colors all throughout the room assured Y/N they were no longer in Altissa, but this wasn’t their usual sleeping quarters. The distinct smell of rich spices and musk was strong. They could feel it leeching out of the blankets that covered them. It wasn’t unpleasant by any stretch, but it added a layer of confusion to Y/N as they carefully rose up from the bed. 

As the blankets bundled around Y/N's waist, they noticed the black and red coloring of the sheets. This was Ardyn's bed. This was his scent.

Y/N dryly swallowed, and noticed they weren't alone. Slouched upon a chair a few feet away, Ardyn lay motionless. His arms and legs both crossed with his head leaning against the top rail. Soft strands of breath left his mouth, and Y/N adjusted and crawled on the mattress toward him. As Y/N got a better look, they noticed how wearied he was. More of the wrinkles around Ardyn's eyes were prominent as were dark circles. He looked as if he had stayed up for several nights in a row, and hadn't a moment of reprieve. Y/N wondered if he was sick, and the idea made their skin crawl as they worriedly searched him. It was so peculiar to see signs of stress in Ardyn's features, given he was permanently stuck in his thirties.

Sighing in relief at not seeing anything else, Y/N decided not to entertain the thought any further. They tried to remember how they ended up here, but alas nothing came forth. There was not a speck of a hint, minus how delicious the red velvet cinnamon rolls tasted in the morning after leaving the beach. Y/N felt that their mind was permanently on a dead television channel, akin to the annoying tingle of compressed nerves they felt down their arms and legs. 

“Gods be damned…” Y/N whispered.

Maybe after eating breakfast, everyone went back home. Maybe they had jetlag from riding the airship and needed to sleep it off. Maybe nothing nefarious happened. Maybe they had one too many drinks at the wedding and passed out. Maybe in their drunken state, they dreamt of swimming in the ocean with Ardyn. Maybe...

“We both know that’s a lie,” Y/N murmured to themself while they looked upon Ardyn’s sleeping form.

Whatever happened in Altissa, Y/N knew they had been out cold for a long time. Something had to have gone down, or Ardyn wouldn't have been here. Not like this. 

Growling out of frustration, Y/N could only recollect small fragments of seeing Ardyn playing the violin. With how blank their head felt, they wondered if perhaps that too was only a dream. A fleeting thought that sounded beautiful and offered them comfort during a near death experience. With how weak they were in body, it made sense to Y/N that their brain would latch onto something like that.

Y/N suddenly noticed an object that was sitting in Ardyn’s lap. Shifting their legs so that they were dangling off the bed, Y/N curiously observed the open leather bound book. Marks from what appeared to be pencil was scattered around on the pages, creating an image Y/N couldn't decipher from this angle. Wanting to get a better look, Y/N slowly stood up and stumbled while walking toward Ardyn. Their body quaked as gravity made itself known again. Gritting their teeth, Y/N shuffled toward the chair and thanked whatever was listening that they need only take a few steps forward. With each lift of their feet, Y/N's calves felt as if they had been crushed under rocks. As they drew close, Y/N evened out their breath and gently reached for the book, being mindful not to bump Ardyn all the while. 

With shaking fingertips, Y/N brought the book to their face and quietly observed. The first few pages were littered with intricate drawings of figures and faces. People Ardyn had no doubt seen around Niflheim, or maybe even somewhere from his past. The warm glow that drifted through the curtains nearby illuminated the drawings further. Free flowing gestures accentuated the little imperfections people naturally had. There was character to every face, and every limb as if Ardyn's mind was a camera that had taken several shots of people in motion. They were surprised that a hand pulled this feat, let alone that Ardyn had any artistic endeavor. 

“Wow,” Y/N smiled as they whispered to themself. 

Page after page was filled to the brim, and Y/N wondered if anyone knew about the Chancellor’s creative pursuits. Mid-thought, they flipped to the next page and froze. The subject jumped out at them immediately like a reflection out of time. Y/N was staring at themself. He had drawn a portrait of them. 

Mouth falling open, Y/N realized there was more than just one. Their eyes drifted from sketch to sketch, and as more was revealed, Y/N felt astonishment tightly grasp their heart. Disbelief danced on the edge of reason as Y/N flipped a few more pages, revealing more of themself. 

Ardyn had acquired every nuance of Y/N's persona with the stroke of a pencil. There were smiles and frowns, comedic poses, and moody postures. Moments of vulnerability that only the artist himself could've witnessed firsthand. Even among half finished doodles he had clearly given up on, their essence remained intact. All the while, the subject had been completely oblivious to how immersed the artist was as he captured quiet intensities and delicate manner. 

This somehow felt more intimate than coming across the contents of one's diary, and Y/N blushed as they forced themself back to the first page. 

The room suddenly felt warmer than usual as Y/N had a deeper understanding of Ardyn's observations of humans. Each sketch was a silent testimony to how he truly paid attention to all the little nuances most took for granted. It was scary how he could get into someone's head, let alone commit a wink or a grimace to memory via graphite and parchment. It also enamored Y/N, especially when they realized some of their portraits went as far back as their debut night. Disbelief and other emotions swirled inside of them, realizing these drawings captured unspoken feelings Ardyn kept hidden from the world. 

Biting the inside of their lip, Y/N winced out a weak grunt. Their stomach twisted in a painful knot. Dehydration finally clawed to the surface, and Y/N carefully put the sketchbook back in Ardyn’s lap before limping away to seek something to quench their thirst. 

Ardyn was lost in his own world between worlds. He didn’t register Y/N had awoken, nor was he disturbed by them tinkering with his sketchbook. Everything outside of his head wasn’t a matter of consequence. Not when he felt so weak to the point of entering a period of temporary hibernation. If Ardyn were aware, this would’ve been day three of this mini holiday he had unintentionally succumbed to. That being said, he had been granted anything but rest.

After the fiasco in Atlissa--and dealing with the political consequences of the event--Ardyn had long sought shelter amongst the whispering commentary of daemons and the poor unfortunate souls he had consumed ages ago. Their voices forged several paths before him as he combed through the past week and a half. He cut through memories of conversations, and meetings--putting them into boxes and categories he could summon at a later time.

In this dark space, Ardyn was also seeking answers to questions. Trying in vain to find a point in time where he perhaps mistook an event as insignificant. The first attack on the House of the Courts made perfect sense. The arrival of several Imperial fleets had pushed people past an already unstable edge with the betrothal to boot. Ardyn couldn’t fault the citizens of Accordo for that, for even he sympathized to a degree with their hatred toward the empire. It was easy for him to understand how the embers of men could grow into a forest fire, yet unlike a voracious flame, they didn’t get far without a clear sense of direction. However, he couldn’t let bygones be bygones with the secondary attack. Not when it was so personal that it dare felt insulting. 

A fleeting glimpse of a meeting Ardyn had with investigators tip toed around his conscious. It had been evaluated that the coup had been sprung by a Lucian faction soliciting aid from Accordo’s anti-imperialist groups to achieve an ulterior goal. Of course this faction was MedZin, and Ardyn ensured that little tidbit was expunged off official documentation via bribery of monetary gain.  Of course he spun a believable lie to Aldercapt and the Imperial Counsel, that this ensemble's primary objective was to cause upheaval and undermine the empires national relations. Of course Y/N and other Higher Imperials were targeted to deliver the message--and of course, Aldercapt was pissed off to no end. He spent a great deal verbally lashing out against the surviving ambassadors for not having the foresight to take better charge of security. 

Ardyn managed to sate Aldercapt's tempter tantrum, and settled down the unease amongst his colleagues with diplomatic solutions. He extinguished many fires that day, yet he couldn't put one to rest and that was the truth of the situation. That day of reckoning and bloodshed had been wasted on one simple task: to ensure Y/N's capture. 

A daemonic voice lulled Ardyn to another memory. While Verstael's associates checked to see if Y/N had imbued Tuti with the scourge, Ardyn had studiously interviewed her. The poor thing would live another day if she could get through her recent trauma. He thought the endeavor of a formal checkup was a pointless effort on Verstael's end, for Ardyn knew Y/N didn't have the capability of infecting humans. Not when he himself personally suppressed such an ability via influencing the hivemind--just like he had been doing to Y/N's memories. Making sure the locks had been well fortified. 

Through Tuti’s ramblings, Ardyn confirmed some long held suspicions about why Y/N was specifically targeted. MedZin, as far as they knew, believed Y/N to be Adagium and thus responsible for their main research facility being compromised. It was clear as day. After all, it was Ardyn himself who left a trail of bread crumbs to Y/N's feet, ensuring the fault for the damage would befall their reputation. He had put a target on their back to wash his hands clean of the sins he committed in Lucis during that time. By all accounts, Ardyn should've been ecstatic that his former nemeses weren't seeking him out, however, he felt anything but contentment. 

Y/N was supposed to be the lamb. A sacrifice to sate the sanguine tongue of Gods and bless him a boon to further his true path, and yet when it came time to reap the lamb for slaughter, Ardyn didn’t have the stomach for it. Like an impetuous child who couldn’t fathom barbaric acts, he had taken the innocent creature into his arms and ran away from responsibility, knowing full well he didn’t have the means to keep such a beast happy and healthy. His so called mercy was an act of selfishness that strayed him off the path of divine retribution. All because of one simple act of defiance. All because his heart led him astray, just as it did when he had taken the scourge into himself on behalf of the deep love he had for his people. 

Ardyn saw himself back on the beach in Altissa.  

Love… 

Aera flashed in his head. Her smile, and her blood. 

Look what that got you in the end… 

I warned you long ago Lucis Caelum, thou brings plenty of pain upon amongst himself. 

“The great Ifrit…what an honor to be graced by your riddles and mystery,” Ardyn’s mind bitterly spoke out into the void. While he couldn’t see him, Ardyn could sense the Inferniums spirit and how warm the atmosphere became. “I assume you’ve come to impart more vague threats?”

I take no honor in such intimidation despite thy hatred for thee. 

“How considerate,” Ardyn scoffed. “Our last encounter would suggest otherwise of your intentions.” 

Make no mistake, my wrath will be as swift as my flames when divine timing commences. You know of the purge within your veins unlocking me from this cage. How the scourge has grown weak to protect thee. It is not the king of light who will bring you peace, but I in the end due to mankind's tampering with nature. 

The serum… Ardyn held a belief in his gut the issue with Ifrit was connected to him getting jabbed long ago, and this confirmed all suspicion. He mused to himself at the irony, and didn’t know whether or not to despair or laugh. 

“Then why torture me with your very presence at this moment, shouldn’t you be saving that for your grand entrance when you take over my body?” Ardyn muttered. His eyes glanced around the endless dark, feeling out the vibrations of the hivemind and that of the god that dwelled inside of him. 

Your fear has called to me. 

“My fear?” 

The fear of profound loss. Thou dreads this depravation above mortality. 

“What are you, a shrink?” Ardyn sneered. His sarcastic quip did little to deter Ifrit’s expository as the god continued to speak through thought.

Through thee, I will seek thy own retributions toward mankind and the gods. At such time, I proclaim a hand will never lay upon the soul you miss. 

Ardyn glared and averted his gaze, feeling every fiber of his being--of his soul--wanting to lash out in blind fury. The god of eternal flame certainly knew where to hit a man when he was down, that much Ardyn gave Ifrit credit for. 

“Aera… my Aera is dead,” He muttered with sorrow. “No one can harm what’s gone. Not even the accursed gods can break a spirit beyond the astral realms. I took you as an entity of intelligence, not a mindless beast yet it seems I stand corrected.”

It is not the ancient oracle I speak of. 

Ardyn became dead silent. 

I shall grant thee this one kindness in memory of who thou once was. 

“You know nothing of my feelings!” 

Thy knows enough through your meddling in darkness. 

“Get out of my head!” Ardyn yelled. He suddenly felt the air become humid and felt his soul crawl as if it had been doused in flammable liquid. Through sudden surprise, Ardyn could sense that Ifrit was prepared to light the match. 

Enjoy domain over this god and darkness, Adagium. The end draws near, and I shall bask in the fires of my hatred for thee! 

The voices of daemons began to screech, rattled by Ifrit’s intrusion. The presence of the Infernium disappeared, but the temperature of his spirit remained, and Ardyn felt overheated. Like a runaway vehicle, the sensation slammed into him and shattered like glass. It was as if he had been stranded in a desert, and there was no oasis that would grant him reprieve. He couldn’t sate the pain in his body, nor how parched his mouth had become. However, absolution lay before Ardyn in the form of a blue void that would openly swallow him whole if he chose to dip his feet into the surf. 

The waves of the beach beckoned Ardyn to seek refuge. He could feel it drawing him in like how the very moon controlled the currents. Ardyn rushed into the tides just as he had done before in Altissa until he had fully submerged. Through darkness, he saw a warm glow illuminate the water around him. There were no facial features to be seen coming from this light, but he recognized this presence. He was safe here, so long as he swam forward. 

Y/N…

He woke up. 

Ardyn’s eyes nearly bulged as he shot upward from the chair. Panting in fright, he blinked several times. Every so often he glanced around to ensure he was fixed in reality, and not dwelling within the hivemind or elsewhere. When his body and mind no longer determined an incongruity, Ardyn rubbed his forehead and deeply sighed in relief. He felt his shoulders relax while he slouched further into the seat. 

For a moment Ardyn contemplated how long he had been in the dark. The thought was short lived as he did a double take of the bed, and saw Y/N was missing. His eyes widened as the link between himself and Y/N suddenly became reestablished. Memories and sensations that weren't his suddenly hit him all at once, and Ardyn nearly shouted as he gripped the arms of the chair to stabilize himself.

For several minutes, a rush like adrenaline filled Ardyn’s body from head to toe. He was overwhelmed, beyond stimulated for what felt like eternity until it came to a screeching halt. Through Y/N’s perspective, Ardyn witnessed them falling to the floor in the kitchen. He winced as if he had experienced this for himself.

As soon as he regained control of his own point of view, Ardyn jump into action. He tossed his sketchbook to the mattress nearby and sprinted, not caring if he bumped into anyone or anything. What mattered was meeting Y/N in the middle. What mattered most was seeing them awake and most importantly, alive. 

Once Ardyn ventured through the kitchen door, he came to a grinding stop. Y/N still remained on the ground several feet away, but they held up a hand for him to remain where he was. Confusion placated him as Ardyn raised a brow while catching his breath.

“You’re---”

“Awake, I know,” Y/N interrupted quietly. Their gaze fell to the ground as their body quivered. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I got hungry and came here. The scourge flared a moment ago and I slipped. I guess you felt that, or you wouldn’t have come in running. ” 

Ardyn took a few steps toward them. “Allow me help you back onto your feet.”

“No, no,” Y/N shook their head, their eyes finally peering up toward him as he stopped midway. There was a mutual look of solace, signifying both had missed one another to some capacity despite Y/N's reluctance. 

“Let me handle this, please.”

“Y/N--”

“Ardyn, please just let me have this.”

At first Ardyn was stumped. He couldn’t understand for the life of himself why Y/N was being stubborn. Defeatedly, Ardyn studied Y/N’s features. He noted how bloodshot their eyes were. How tears stained either side of their face. The way their skin both looked rejuvenated and stricken by disease as if trapped between limbo. He felt fear creep up in the form of assumption; worried that Y/N wasn’t out of the woods yet with their coma. However, he couldn’t allow himself to dwell. Not when there was another pressing issue he was contending with: a morbid curiosity if Y/N remembered anything. 

With careful eyes he quietly observed Y/N hobble to their feet, trying to resist the urge to catch them should they fall again. As soon as they stabled themself, did Ardyn speak up.

“It would seem the luster of your pride remains untarnished by your little two week respite.” 

“Was that Ancient Lucian or you talking fancy?” Y/N countered with a tired yet playful scoff. They faintly smiled seeing Ardyn trying to resist grinning at the witty remark. 

“I could put it into laymen’s terms for you?” Ardyn gestured. 

“And ruin your fun nitpicking my head? Nah, that’s not very sportsmanlike.” 

“Ah, a little cranial commentary never harmed anyone, right?” Ardyn chuckled. He let out a breath he had been holding in as repose briefly tangled him up. 

"I saw your sketchbook." Y/N murmured. 

"Beg your pardon?" 

"I didn't know you were an artist." Y/N reiterated, offering a small smile as compensation. 

"Oh," He was taken aback. The redirection having caught him off guard. "I wouldn't assign myself such a title..." 

"Don't be so humble." 

"Far from it," Ardyn mused. He felt his hands shake as his cheeks lightly flushed. He never expected to have been caught by anyone regarding his little hobby. His heart stammered as the recent sketches he had done of Y/N sleeping flashed in his head. Ardyn cleared his throat. "I take it you saw everything?" 

"I know I shouldn't have looked, but...curiosity got the better of me." Y/N shyly shrugged. 

"And?" 

Y/N noted his body tensed, as if bracing himself for a scolding hit. 

"You made me look prettier," Y/N began, reminiscing the few portraits that stood out to them and smiled. "Far more diplomatic than I deserve." 

"And here I spent many a night wondering if I tarnished your image." Ardyn quipped sarcastically. The small smirk he wore hid most of his fright like a shield. 

Y/N shook their head at him. "You can't tarnish what's already tainted."

Ardyn sighed. "Don't you find this sort of duress fatiguing?"

"When I'm around you most of the time, yeah." Y/N nodded, letting out a tired laugh as did he. 

Both became quiet as they felt the scourge sync them up further. The familiarity was a breath of fresh air, and either felt a dull ache had finally been satisfied. There were no words that needed to be spoken, for both felt the same relief as the other. 

“I’ve so dearly missed our little banters as of late.” Ardyn confessed quietly. 

“Me too, I think.” Y/N admitted, letting Ardyn's earlier proclamations sink in as they gulped. "Two weeks, huh?"

“Well, nearly two weeks I should say you’ve been out cold.” Ardyn corrected. 

“Are you going to tell me what’s been going on?” 

Ardyn cautiously gazed over Y/N’s form. “I harbor no desire to inundate you. Not in this condition.” 

He could see the frustration instantly come to Y/N’s face, and could sense a bottled tension Y/N had been holding onto for quite some time wanting to spill over. Reluctant to witness such a travesty unfold, Ardyn's mouth opened to speak and found himself surprised when Y/N softly interrupted him. 

“At least,” Y/N paused as their bottom lip trembled. The corners of their eyes brimmed with fresh tears. “At least tell me if Tuti is alright. I know…I know I tried to hurt her.”

"She's fine," Ardyn reassured with a nod. It became clear to him that while he had been in the throes of darkness, Ardyn had failed to keep a tight leash on Y/N's fragile state of mind. A plethora of curses came and went through his body as made an attempt to soften the blow. "Everyone is just fine."

“But I’m not…” Y/N sniffled, wiping their eyes. “I'm sorry. I know the last thing you need right now is to see me crying like this.”

His right hand reached out. “Y/N--”

“It all came back to me when I started eating,” Y/N interrupted. Their voice shook as they began to regale the intrusive memories that flooded them. “I popped a grape into my mouth, and the sudden squishy noise made it come back. All the bodies. The awful stench. How their skin felt sliding down my throat...I know what I did Ardyn. I know what I've done." 

"Let me stop you if only for a moment," Ardyn strongly implored. Keeping his eyes on theirs, Ardyn gently shook his head to emphasize his point. "No one knows what you've done. I've made it so. As far as the public is aware, you lost conscious from having hit your head on the way to the airships. The only souls who know the truth are the dear companions we've kept close, and for the record, Betrys and the Serpent Society--hell, Senator Rodrick and his bride, they've been nuisances wanting to know how you've been fairing. See for yourself in your chambers, it's filled with tributes wishing you well. There's no need to catastrophize."  

"You really think hearing that I received material goods is going to make me feel better?"

"You misconstrued my intention--"

"It doesn't matter," Y/N interrupted again. "There's no coming back from this. You know what the worst part it was? There was some part of me that was still aware, that enjoyed what I was doing to those people! I liked chasing Tuti. I liked it when I scared and then killed those people who tried to harm us. It wasn't my daemon, it wasn't the hivemind, it was all me! It was all me!" 

“Y/N, it’s not as simple as you’re making it out to be! I assure you---”

“Spare me! I should be rotting somewhere, not them! You can’t just---wave a hand and make this...this feeling go away, as you do when you’re dealing with matters as Chancellor! Ardyn, you can’t fix this! No matter how desperately I wish you could, and no matter how earnestly you yearn for it!"

Ardyn’s heart pounded as Y/N’s voice grew hoarse from screaming. The final yell broke them, for they devolved into pained sobs as he watched Y/N turn their back to him. No longer having the courage to look him in the eye, nor face what they had done any further. He flinched upon seeing Y/N weakly hit their head with their own hands until grief held back their self hatred. 

“I shouldn’t have waken up. I shouldn’t--” Y/N shoulders trembled. 

The air hung heavy with the weight of Y/N’s emotions, and Ardyn felt a palpable tension not only in the room but within his body. He was relieved that Y/N couldn’t recall their actions at Outpost 98, but he was quite disappointed in himself that he couldn’t lock away what had happened in Altissa. If only he hadn’t been distracted by Ifrit, of trying to seek answers in darkness, if only he had kept up his concentration, if only he had been more dutiful keeping watch over them in bed, if only…

There was no use. The damage had been done, but now came the tricky part: how to proceed.

Ardyn felt a compulsion to rush to Y/N’s side, but uncertainty held him back. He was caught between a desire to be a supportive presence, fear of encroaching on Y/N’s vulnerability, and wanting to leave Y/N on their own while they settled with their fright. This wasn’t his battle after all. He didn’t have a stake in Y/N’s guilt, but he knew there was no chance in six hells he was going to let that go. No. Not when he could feel the very essence of their humanity, reaching out through the scourge to be forgiven. 

Ardyn hesitated further. He swallowed hard as he began to feel his own emotions mirror the turmoil in the kitchen. Hands twitching nervously at his sides, he took a cautious step forward. The noise was enough to quiet Y/N down, if only for a second. Once the silence cemented for a time, did Ardyn let go. The words left him without a second thought.

“May I hold you?” He asked barely above a whisper. He had never felt this nervous or so resolutely inclined to act on such a powerful impulse. 

Y/N sniffled as their head turned to the side, giving a faint nod. The silent permission granted Ardyn the courage to close the distance between them.

As he approached Y/N, Ardyn placed a hand on their quaking shoulder. Initially startled, he felt emboldened to proceed. Slowly, his hands traveled down Y/N’s sides, securing a hold at their waist before enveloping them in a gentle embrace from behind. His touch was a delicate balance between assurance and tenderness, and he could feel Y/N melt little by little. The fragility he sensed in Y/N stirred a desire to shield them from further harm, to be a source of solace in the midst of uncertainty. He squeezed a little tighter, holding onto Y/N as if they were a fragile bird whose wings had been clipped. His nose softly pressed the back of Y/N's head as he breathed, acknowledging how much he had missed their scent. 

“You’re right,” Ardyn murmured. “You’re a menace. I can’t undo the past nor your actions, and yet I remain at your side.”

“Ardyn--”

“You speak so low of yourself it's utterly exhausting,” He bitterly whispered against their scalp. “I don't move men nor stars for anyone. Do you have any idea of how much I’ve sacrificed on your behalf, the lengths I've gone? Damn you. Damn you for mattering to me." 

"I can't--"

"We will get through this. That's one promise I can keep."

Y/N slowly turned around to face him. His arms still remained securely attached. 

Y/N sniffed while noting the contours of Ardyn's face. There was an unmistakable sadness that echoed in the depths of his golden hues. No amount of glaring nor putting on a strong front could hide it away. His vulnerability only grew when Y/N nonverbally acknowledged the unshed tears glistening in Ardyn's eyes. They had never seen him in such pain before, and it nearly snapped them out of their own melancholic trance. 

"Are you crying?" Y/N's voice trailed they watched Ardyn bite in the inside of his bottom lip. He visibly shook.

“I thought I lost...” He couldn’t finish the words. Not when the gods could so easily come to claim another soul he couldn't be without. His arms adjusted, giving Y/N the opportunity to part ways while a silent understanding was shared. As soon as Y/N reached a hand to touch his face, it was over. 

Y/N found themself reciprocating a tight hug as Ardyn brought their body to his chest and squeezed. His soft lips peppered the side of their forehead while he held them close, not having the courage to let go. 

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