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gryffindors-weasley · 3 years

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Sleepless Night

Draco Malfoy x Reader

Summary: When Draco can do nothing but toss and turn, he finds himself thinking of you.

Word Count: 2.3k

Warnings: slight angst, mentions of the war, mentions of the dark mark, self doubt, fluff, kissing

(gif found on pinterest, credit to the maker!)

The night drew on slowly, the moonlight illuminating the room and bathing it in its soft glow before disappearing momentarily as it weaved through the clouds. It was quiet, save for the ticking of the clocks and the softness of your breathing. Despite all of the obvious comfort, Draco’s mind had been too active to fall asleep, yet he was too tired to get out of bed and make himself some tea. It was a common routine, one that he hadn’t particularly liked. Though the more he thinks about it, the more he comes to realize that he’s always been a bit of a night owl whether he wants to be or not.

On such occasions, his mind is always quick to wander to you. Sometimes, he swears he’d be perfectly content to never sleep again if it meant he could think about you that much longer, but that simply wouldn’t be feasible. The job of a young healer demands he at least try and get some form of rest, for it’s far too taxing of a profession not to make an effort. So, he will settle for the time he’s got now.

You found yourself most comfortable as you lay on his chest, your legs tangled with his own as the warmth of his skin has long since lulled you to sleep. No matter how many countless nights you assume your rightful position atop his chest, his heart will race each and every time as if it’s the first time you’d ever done it. You notice, of course you do, and sometimes you tease him lightly and sometimes you don’t. Regardless, it will always bring a smile to your face and a burning blush to his cheeks.

He relishes in the feeling of you tucked safely in his arms, that’s all he’s ever wanted you to be with him; safe. Your hold on him has since loosened in your slumber but you somehow always reach for his hand no matter how deeply you’d been sleeping. The thought alone never failed to make him smile when he felt you blindly envelope your hand over his own. It baffled him, really, how someone could love him so deeply that they do so even in their sleep.

He never imagined you’d stay with him, not after the chaos that tarnished every bit of his life while attending Hogwarts and even now. For he has made a myriad of regrettable choices that still come to haunt him with each and every day that passes, choices that haunt him whenever they so please. Perhaps the most obvious sits on his arm, harsh against the paleness of his skin, just screaming to be looked at and noticed. It has since faded from disuse and the long awaited defeat of the Dark Lord just six years ago, but it’s painfully humiliating and swirling imprint still remains.

Loving Draco Malfoy had multitudinous repercussions at that point in your relationship, for you could not love him in the light of day. You could not do more than share a fond glance and even that alone was tempting fate should anyone be privy to your relationship at the time. The love you had was one that could only be shared in the darkness of the night, in the shadows of vacant corridors and the depths of his mothers grand garden behind old oak trees and stone statues.

It had gotten you in trouble once before, and out of everything he had to be fearful for in his life, he felt there was no scarier moment than that of the time his father had been made aware of your presence in his son’s life. His very suspicions were only further brought to light when you stared at him across the rubble in the courtyard. His only son’s hand had been grasped tightly in your own, unwavering as your testament to keep him where he truly belonged.

Draco does not hold a single ounce of regret for keeping his feet planted on the right side of that battlefield, with you. His parents may have been greatly displeased with him, but he felt as though he’d made the right decision for the first time in his life, and that is what mattered. He made a decision for the good. Though he will admit he finds he would have been far too weak to stand his ground had you not done so for him.

He shook his head to rid himself of the memories beginning to cloud his mind in favor of trying to keep himself in the current moment.

The very tips of his fingers trace up and down the column of your spine, ghosting over the shirt of his that you wore and he tried to stifle his sneeze as your hair tickles just under his nose. He wasn’t quite sure when you had claimed it as your own but he couldn’t bring himself to care about the technicalities; you looked far better in it than he had and you loved the tattered thing, that’s what mattered.

A breeze seeps into the room through the open window and he takes a deep breath of the fresh air in an effort to clear his mind. He was to be up for work in a matter of two or so hours and he has yet to have even a minute of a quality sleep. He loved his job at St. Mungo’s wholeheartedly, but the thought of leaving you paired with the exhaustion weighing heavily into his bones has him considering taking the day off altogether. Though he knew he couldn’t, there were far too many people relying on him.

You stretched a bit and squeezed his hand, breathing in a yawn before humming out a sigh as you relax against him once more. A soft smile pulls at his lips at the absentminded action, and he can’t bring himself to mind the fact that he so desperately needed to change positions otherwise he’d be stiff from laying on his back the whole night. Not to mention his nightly tea was finally beginning to catch up to him. But that could wait for now he supposes.

He was tempted to read for the remaining hours of the night, his half-read book just waiting to be finished as it sat atop the nightstand collecting dust. With more thought he readily decided that he’d save it for the following night so he could read it with you, the thought of your grumbling had he done the opposite making him chuckle softly to himself.

Instead, he thought of the plans he’d had with you on his next day off just three days ahead as the breeze continues to sweep over his skin in whispers of touches. You were eager to drag him to the bookshop on the far end of your little town. Even though you were just there barely a week ago, you still found yourself excited as if you hadn’t been there in ages. You would never grow tired of picking out books to read to the other before bed and he knew that fact very well. It had become customary to your nightly routine should your schedules allow, though Draco made a point to try and read to you every day, whether it’s a single page or half the book. The comfort and warmth that came from your tucking yourself against him as he read was something he looked forward to.

He’d thought about his plans of making you dinner that evening, something he’d been thinking about it with every extra hour of overtime he’d been persuaded into taking. You deserved to be spoiled, even if it was just a home cooked meal shared within the warmth of your home. Surely you’d be eating it sitting criss-cross at the coffee table in the comfort of your pajamas, there was no need for expensive restaurants and lavish attire. The simplest of things were good enough as long as he was with you, you were all he needed.

He’d thought of how you’d made him coffee before work just the day before, even though you’d put a tad too much sugar in while in your sleepy state. He drank it anyway even though it was obscenely sweet. Or the way you’d waited up for him to get home from that very shift, just barely awake on the small couch but he remembers the way your face lit up upon seeing him walk through the door. He hadn’t known what he’d done to deserve the affections of someone he deemed to be the most wonderful person he’d ever met, and that was no exaggeration. You radiate sunshine, you only knew love and kindness, and you chose to love him with all you’ve got. The thought crossed his mind each and every day of just how lucky he’d gotten, and he feels as though he will never understand it.

Your stirring had pulled him from his thoughts after a while, the time having gotten away from him in his lovestruck daze, and he nearly took an elbow to the face when you stretched once more.

“Easy, love,” he chuckles, grabbing your wrist and lowering your arm.

A shiver ran through you and you shuddered at the cool air washing over your skin, a soft whine of complaint leaving your lips. In an instant Draco finds himself raising his hand, and with a simple motion of his fingers the windows swiftly and quietly close. The curtains moved once more with the sudden final gust of air, fluttering back to the window before stilling completely.

You lift your head to look at him groggily, brows knit together as your eyes adjust to the dimly moonlit room.

“Go back to sleep, darling,” he hushes, a soft kindness in his tone. You sigh, moving to see him a bit better before settling back against his side as you woke up fully.

“What if I don’t want to?” You mumble softly, tracing your fingertips over his chest and giggling at the goosebumps that rose in their wake.

His nose brushes against your own as he looks down at you, tucking your hair behind your ear as his laugh puffs against your lips. “I’m afraid your constant yawning begs to differ, my love.”

You frown at the words spoken sweetly against your lips, and you were barely given the opportunity to counter his reasoning before his lips press to your own. A soft sigh of contentment is huffed through your nose at the feeling, your hand leaving his chest in favor of settling on his cheek. Strands of platinum brush against your forehead and tickle your skin, and he takes advantage of the opportunity to roll on his side for the first time that night.

“I believe you’re the one who should be getting some sleep, Healer Malfoy, you look dreadful,” you tease, and he quiets your completely logical statement as his lips find yours once more, his arms tightening their hold around you as he hums.

“That’s no fair,” he murmurs, his nose nudging yours lightly. You laugh softly and shake your head.

“How ever should I sleep now that you’ve kissed me?” You ask with the most playful of smiles, smoothing your hand down his cheek and pushing the hair out of his eyes.

He smiles adoringly at you, a soft crimson coating his cheeks that had fortunately gone unseen in the darkness of the room. You were quite possibly the only person in the world to make him blush like an absolute fool, the only person to make him feel a flutter in his heart each time you did so much as look at him. The effect you had on him was completely unable to be helped, for you had him utterly spellbound and that fact would always remain to be true.

“I suppose I should keep kissing you then.”

Your laughter rings out as his lips meet your skin in a flurry of chaste kisses, your joyful giggling filling the otherwise quiet room as his lips press warmly to the juncture of your neck. His own laughing soon mingles with yours as he props himself up on his elbow, dipping down to continue his peppering of kisses on your lips once more and effectively staving away the next bout of giggles that were ready to fall from them. He could kiss you all day if given the opportunity, could spend lifetimes in your arms because he would never tire of pressing his lips along your skin just to hear you laugh. Just to see you smile.

You fall onto your back with a bounce, still giddy at the butterflies left behind to flutter relentlessly in your stomach. He settles down to lay on your chest this time, tucking his face in the crook of your neck as his lips ghost over your skin ever so softly.

“I love you,” he murmurs quietly, discontented upon seeing the navy sky beginning to brighten as dawn rolls around without pause. He wanted to stay with you in bed, enveloped in your arms for the rest of his life if he were to be dramatically honest.

His fingers intertwined with yours as your joined hands sat propped in the air momentarily before falling to the mattress, his smile fading as he grew more tired in your arms.

“I love you more.”

“Darling, you know that isn’t possible,” he whispers, a yawn leaving his lips.

You only laugh softly and kiss his forehead, the smallest of smiles returning to his kiss swollen lips if only for a moment. Your fingers run through his hair and you allow him to win that one, soft snores vibrating against your skin for the first time that night. He only had just over an hour to sleep, but he knew you’d be there when he woke up.

Every sleepless night was worth it when he’s got you.

—

Tags: @theweasleysredhair @lunalovecroft @hahee154hq @awritingtree @dracosathenaeum @amourtentiaa

#draco malfoy #draco malfoy one shot #draco malfoy angst #draco malfoy fluff #draco malfoy imagine #draco malfoy x reader #draco malfoy x you #draco malfoy fic #draco x you #draco fanfiction

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ambivalentmarvel · 3 years

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you know who i love? ali aka @sreppub! you know what ali loves? domesticity, rom-coms, and ironhusbands, and i am perfectly willing to capitalize on that. enjoy and congrats!!!

have pie and eat it too

Tony, as usual, has been the perfect house husband.

(He’s actually a mechanic who owns his own business, but the details here aren’t important.)

After coming home early from the shop, he, among other things, vacuumed the entire apartment twice over (it’s less than 1000 square feet, but still), did the laundry they’ve been putting off for the better part of three weeks (annoying, but it had to be done), and baked a golden brown, perfectly flaky rhubarb pie (disgusting, but it’s Rhodey’s favorite). The apartment is fucking sparkling and smells like a hometown bakery, and Rhodey is a neat freak with a sweet tooth. Tony has this in the bag.

And by this, he means the rom-com marathon he wants to have instead of going out with their friends on a Friday night.

It’s a battle Tony has to put in extra effort to win for a variety of reasons.

For one, Rhodey hates canceling on people. It’s a trait Tony usually admires, true, but not today, not after the week he’s had. Customers have been irritating, and while Tony has enough demand to turn assholes away at his leisure, there are only so many times he can tell people to piss off before Pepper calls and scolds him about tanking the reviews on the website she designed for him. To boot, Howard’s been trying to get in contact with him for some reason, and it’s getting increasingly more difficult to ignore him, so yes, Tony would very much enjoy a casual night in, even though they have drinking plans with Steve, Natasha, Sam, and Clint.

Second of all, Rhodey . . . strongly dislikes rom-coms, so Tony figures a little bribery can’t hurt.

The bottom line is that by the time Rhodey walks in the door, Tony has a master plan for persuading him to see things his way that starts with a flour-dusted apron and his hair tousled just the way he likes.

“Hi, honeybear,” he beams, greeting him with a sweet—but not sensual—kiss. If he lays it on too thick too fast, after all, Rhodey will catch on.

“Hey,” Rhodey grins back, setting his briefcase on the ground. “How was work today?”

Tony shrugs. “Slow—“ A white lie. “—so I closed up early for the weekend. How about you?”

“If Jason—“

“Fuck Jason,” Tony, who has heard more than one complaint about him, chimes supportively.

“—doesn’t e-mail me the blueprints I need by Monday, I’m filing a complaint with upper management.”

Tony crosses his arms as Rhodey undoes his tie. “I already told you I could mess with his computer if you wanted.”

Rhodey laughs, rich and genuine in a way that warms Tony down to his toes. “And I told you that would be a little obvious, and I’d like to keep my job.”

So picky.

“They can’t fire you!” Tony protests. “Aerospace engineers aren’t exactly easy to come by, especially ones as good as you.”

“I’m not losing my job over Jason,” Rhodey amends. “How’s that?”

Tony harrumphs, but he supposes Rhodey has a point. He usually does, hence why Tony put a ring on it the second he got a chance.

(Technically, they both tried to put a ring on it the second they got the chance, which was very messy despite the wonderful story it makes now, but that’s not relevant.)

“Fuck Jason,” Tony reiterates.

“Jason sucks,” Rhodey agrees, but his eyes are sliding past Tony to the kitchen. “But more importantly, what’d you bake?”

Part one of Tony’s plan: check.

“A rhubarb pie,” he explains brightly, “for after we get home later tonight.”

Rhodey’s expression falters. “For later?”

“I thought it’d be nice to come back to!” Tony interrupts and walks away, headed for the (freshly cleaned!) bathroom, but if all goes well, he won’t make it. “I should probably go comb my hair. We said we’d meet up around 5:30, right?”

He can feel Rhodey’s disgruntlement. “You don’t need to fix it.”

Part two: check.

Tony pauses and turns around, the picture of innocence with his wide eyes and ever-so-slightly cocked head. “I don’t? Sourpatch, I know you like it, but it’s a little messy for going out and about. This,“ he protests, pointing to his curls that toe the line between unruly and bedhead, “is not for public consumption, so unless you want to stay in—” he trails off.

Rhodey pauses. His eyes slide to the couch, and Tony can visibly see him considering the idea. “We have plans,” he tries.

Tony raises a brow, leaning against a wall and dusting something off the apron, expertly drawing Rhodey’s attention to how quaint and lovable he seems right now—when he’s not dressed to leave the house. “Not if we don’t want to.”

Tony pretends to shiver and pads to the couch, which, on top of everything else, he’s primped with throw pillows and blankets to look as appealing as possible. He draws their favorite throw around his shoulders, and he sees Rhodey’s shoulders slump. Tony leans his chin into his palm to keep from smirking.

Part three: check.

“The apartment does look great,” Rhodey admits, putting his suit jacket over his arm as he looks around.

“I cleaned it when I got off,” Tony offers helpfully.

A little too helpfully, apparently, because Rhodey’s eyes narrow in dawning suspicion. “You hate cleaning.”

“I was in the mood?”

Rhodey laughs, and Christ, Tony loves him. “You planned this, didn’t you?”

Oops. He drags a hand through his hair, milking the rumpled effect while he can, even if he’s been caught. “You can’t prove anything.”

“Tony—”

He pouts, which should be a crime to have to do in an apron as cute as his. “Please? I’m tired, and they’re loud.”

“They wouldn’t be as loud if you didn’t—”

“Please?”

Tony knows he’s almost there, and as he’s starting to consider what other incentive he’s going to come up with—

Rhodey sighs. “Fine.” His lips slide into a smile that’s equal parts fond and just shy of exasperated. “But after I change, I’m having a slice of that pie.”

And that’s a wrap.

“Anything you want,” Tony swears, and he waits until Rhodey is in pajamas and has a mouthful of the foulest flavor of pie in existence before starting on the other half of his fight. “So, you know how you just love rom-coms?”

And when Rhodey—the most perfect husband ever—sighs again, Tony knows he’s going to have a great rest of his night.

#james rhodes #rhodey #war machine #tony stark #iron man #ironhusbands #rhodeytony #ILY ALI #u know what this is in celebration of he he

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dancingthesambaa · 3 years

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The Smell of Plum Blossom Tea Ch 2

Summary: Just like a butterfly wing, a single act of kindness can change the course of the future, it certainly did for MK as a black-furred monkey put out a hand towards him.

Rating: Teen and up

Chapter 2: What’s in a Name?

It was a week since Macaque had taken MK in and to the child it has been the best week of his life. When he woke up in the mornings he didn’t have to worry about there being no food as he smelt it as soon as he opened his eyes, he could play in the forest with all the monkeys as long as Mac was there and he even had clothes that fit him instead of the same stinky shirt on days end. Everything was just wonderful.

“MK, what should we do about school?”

Or at least it was, but as soon as the monkey demon asked that question, MK's whole body deflated. “Do I have to go to school?”

“Education is important shooting star,” he said as he diced up some plants. “It helps things we don’t know and things we want to know.”

“Okay, but it is really boring, I always lose all my stuff all the time, and the teacher always explains it so weirdly,” the child pouted.

“Everyone has a different method of teaching, so you may have a method of learning as well.”

“Oohh….what does method mean?”

“It’s just another word for way.”

“Oh okay,” MK then tilts his head, “so what are you doing anyways?”

“Well right now I’m cutting up some herbs so I can use to make medicine,” he explained in simple terms as he then picked up the diced up blue plant and placed it into a cauldron and began to stir it.

“I didn’t know you could make your own medicine from home!” He leaped up and tried to poke his head over the counter to watch, “I always thought that you get it at the doctor's office.”

“Well doctors actually get it from a lab where people make the medicine there, this space here is my own lab.” He gestured to the room that was filled with all types of different ingredients all placed in a package inside of one storage cabinet and in another was a cabinet filled with modern lab equipment.

“So you don’t have to be a doctor to make medicine?”

“Well for most yeah, but for me,” he grinned as he picks up MK with one hand and placed him on his hip as he continues to stir with his other “let’s just say that I have been doing this for a little over 500 years, so I have a tad bit more experience and knowledge than regular humans.”

“Can I try?!” He excitedly asked.

“Well I don’t know, sometimes it will be a bit too dangerous for you to even be In here, which by the way, do not enter this lab unless I am here,” he sternly told him.

“Okay, okay got it, but pleaseee.”

“I don’t know, think you can handle it,” he teased.

“I’m a big boy! I can handle anything!”

“Hmmmm,” he pretended to think before conceding, “Alright you persuaded me, so I’ll allow it this once,” he said as he put the spoon down, “so first we make sure we have our safety gear on.”

“Check! Check!” MK adjusted the goggles on his eyes and showed off his long sleeve jacket and gloves.

“Next, what you have to do is go slow and make large circles.”

“Slow and large circles, got it,” he then proceeded to pick up the spoon and do what he said as he stirred.

“Good job kiddo, but how bout we make that circle a little bit bigger,” he gently grabbed MK’s hand and made it a bit wider. Soon enough the medicine's previous light yellow had transformed into a dark green.

“Look, it changed colors!” MK pointed out.

“That’s the beauty of medicine kid,” Mac grinned as he set him down, “now all I have left to do is to let this simmer for a few hours and it will be ready to be bottled up.”

“That’s a lot of medicine, is that all for you?”

The demon shook his head, “no it’s actually for one of my regular clients. His students routinely injure themselves, sometimes in the dumbest of ways, so I usually make batches of this every month.” His ears then slightly twitch as he grinned, “speaking of students, MK come here. I have someone here for you to meet.”

“Who?” He tilted his head as the monkey put a lid on a pot, proceeded to put away both of their safety gear as they left the room.

“Hey old-timer, I know your hearing isn’t that bad!” A voice yelled from down below that MK could barely hear, “come grab me, I’m carrying too much shit to climb up!”

“Someone to help,” was all Macaque said before he leaped out of the open window and less than a few seconds later, returned with a short bluenette woman in his arms. “MK this is Yanyu,” he said. “Yanyu, this is MK.”

“Uhhh, he shuffled his feet awkwardly as he gave a slight wave, “hi.”

“Awww,” she cooed at him, “it’s nice to meet you MK. You're rocking a pretty cool shirt there.” She pointed to his solar system shirt, “it’s really far out man.”

There was a pause as MK stuttered out a thank you and Macaque put his face in his hands.

“That was terrible, I hope you know that,” he groaned.

“That’s what you say, I know my puns are rockin my world,” she smirked at the louder groans.

“Please stop, I beg you.”

“Then beg.”

“Are you human?” MK bluntly asked, which made the two pause.

“Strangely enough that isn’t the first time I was asked that, but yes I am fully human. Though a small percentage of me is most likely full of crazy,” she grinned widely.

“I think you have those backward,” he muttered and didn’t even flinch when she elbowed his stomach. “So your probably wondering why she’s here right?”

“Uhhh yeah,” he nodded.

“Well, I have come to the realization that despite my many years with humans, I have never actually taken care of a human child outside of giving them medication.”

“Which he means that he knows not a single thing about taking care of you tiny ones,” Yanyu butted in as she crossed her arms, “and this is where I come in.”

“Oh well that’s good...I think?” MK didn’t exactly know what she meant, but since they said it’s a good thing, he feels like he doesn’t have any complaints.

“Oh trust me, it will be,” she said as she put down the bag and it was filled with books when she opened it up. “I may be a big sister of five, but even I can admit that I don’t know everything, so I brought some parenting books, nutrition, school, and a lot more.”

He couldn’t help but deflate slightly at the last word, which the bluenette noticed.

“Don’t like school?”

“Not really, it's just that I can’t stay focused sometimes,” he admitted as he lowered his head.

“Hey now,” Mac kneeled and ruffled his head, “you don’t have to feel shame for being distracted sometimes.”

“Hmm, well if you have troubles with traditional school classrooms, then how about you try online schooling?” Yanyu said.

“Online school?” MK tilted his head.

“I didn’t know it was also available for the younger grades, I thought it was only for the college classes like you had,” he admitted as he used his feet to pick up one of the parenting books.

“Nah, it was incorporated for all years a few years back. It certainly helped a lot of students out and one of them being me,” she proudly pointed a finger to herself, “let me tell you, kid, it was the second-best decision to do online school. Made my life so much easier.”

“What was the first?” He curiously asked.

Yanyu walked over to Macaque and patted him on the shoulder, “begging this ol doc here to take me on as a student. It was the cheapest and most informative learning I ever had since high school.”

“Student? You were a teacher!” MK's eyes widened as he looked at the monkey demon.

“Kinda, though I did question my sanity during those times,” he said as he flipped through the pages.

“Oh shut up, if it wasn’t for me you would still know squat about technology.”

“I wasn’t that bad.”

“You were still using the Jiaguwen system when I first met you.”

He winced, “okay yeah you got me there.”

“Anywho, it’s gonna be a right pleasure working with you MK,” she held out a fist bump to him, “we’re gonna see a lot of each other.”

MK looked at the outstretched fist and gave a little grin as he fist-bumped her hand.

“Boom,” Yanyu made an exploding sound as she opened her fist when the two parted.

He looked at her strangely.

“Don’t worry Starbright, she’s just weird like that,” Mac patted his head.

“Hey!”

A few months have passed and MK has taken to online schooling like a fish to water. He found it much better to concentrate and while there were still a few issues over understanding the problem itself, he had the help of both Macaque and Yanyu. The last one herself was helping him with his writing.

“The girl is walking to the market by the river to get milk for her mother,” MK repeated to himself as he finished writing.

“Congratulations kid, you have finally graduated from Yoda writing to a regular language,” she gave him a little applause.

“Thank you, thank you you're too kind,” he also jumped out of his seat to give a mock bow.

“But for real kid, you have really approved with your writing,” she gave him a high five, “nice job.”

“I couldn’t have done it without you both,” he scratched the back of his neck.

“I know that you would have been just fine even without our help and I know your dad would agree.”

“Really!” Then MK realized what she said and backtracked as he flailed his arms about, “Wait dad?! I mean dad is kinda a big word and he just adopted me, so he probably doesn’t even see me as a son, more like a responsibility he has to take care-,” he was stopped by a hand gently covering his mouth.

“Whoa there little monkey easy, I can’t keep up that fast,” she lightly teased as she put her hand down, “now you want to tell me what that was all about?”

“Well,” he sat down and kicked his feet, “I-its just-I don’t really-.”

“Take your time,” the bluenette said.

“Well,” he twisted his hands “is it okay if someone-and I don’t mean me just someone I know-don’t call mom and dad, well, mom and dad.”

“Yeah,” she said easily.

“Wait really?” He was a little more than shocked at how easy she said that.

“Really. You, or my bad that person you know, don’t feel comfortable or don’t want to call their parents so that they don’t have to.”

“But they gave birth to me-I mean that person and they raised them, so shouldn’t they have that name?” He tried to insist but was shut down by her shaking her head.

“They don’t keep that name if they harm the child, no parent ever deserves that kind of title if they purposely try to bring harm to their child. It is wrong,” she stated.

“Oh...and what about those that do?” He shyly said, both knowing what he was implying but not saying it out loud.

“Then you say it when your ready,” Yanyu simply said.

“I don’t think it’s that easy?”

“No, but what is?”

MK just shrugged his shoulders.

“Now how about we put away this stuff for ten more minutes before we get into history,” she pushed away from the materials and made sure the laptop was charged up.

“Yes!” He fist-bumped the air as he then spotted the pencil on the ground and tried to pick it up with his feet.

Yanyu had to press her lips together to fight against the bubbling laugh in her throat as she watched MK struggle to pick the pencil with the socks on his feet.

“Oi bastard I need a little help ova here!” A rough voice yelled out as it was followed by a loud bang, which led to the eight year old flailing off his bed.

“How many times have I told you to stop that?” He heard Macaque's familiar voice being annoyed.

“Too many times to count,” another softer voice replied.

“But you think that gunna sticka?” The third voice laughed out loud. “That’s a laugh!”

MK slowly opened his door and crept quietly to the living room as the voices got louder.

“I guess it is too much to ask you to be quiet for once?” The monkey deadpanned.

“Now why would I do that?” The first voice said.

It was at this point that MK managed to poke his head into the living room and saw three different demons, he knows they are demons this time, and his da-Macaque.

There was one whose skin was dark brown, but lighter above the shoulders. The more he looked, the more he could see that they were actually feathers all along the body, and instead of hands, they had clawed bird-like feet and two large black wings protruding from the back.

Another one was softly glowing a light blue hue that matched the pale blue skin as the creature was gently floating just a smidge above the ground. They had almost a mushroom-shaped hat covering their eyes and dozens of dark blue and purple strings attached all around the bottom of the hat as they hung just above the demon feet.

The final one is something that MK could clearly tell what it was as he had seen a bunny before, though this one was way larger than the other bunnies he had ever seen. The demon had pure gray fur and large white fluffy paws, if he wasn’t so nervous right now he would ask to pet them.

“Well I was hoping that you would have kept it down for the kid that is currently living with me right now,” he cracked a smirk at their frozen faces.

“Huh?” They all said in unison.

“Speaking of kids, you can come out MK. Don’t worry bout them too much, they ain’t harmful, just insane.”

At the prompting MK slowly shuffled into the living room and he saw three heads swivel towards him.

“Uhhh hi,” he gave a little wave.

“You have a kid?!?” They all shouted either loudly or softly.

“It’s not that big of a shock,” he grumbled as he walked over to the child and threaded his fingers through his hair. “Sorry, these knuckleheads woke you up.”

“I know I have not been gone that long for you to have a chick without me knowin!” The female bird demon squawked as her feathers puffed up in indignation.

“Nah, adopted him a few months back.”

“And you didn’t tell us?!” The bunny huffed as they thumped his foot in agitation.

“Nope,” he grinned as he watched their growing frustration.

“There are times where you are the best of us and times you are the worst of us, I don’t know which one this falls under,” the mushroom head demon groaned as one of the strings was massaging the top of his head.

“Are they your friends?” MK loudly whispered to the monkey demon.

“I don’t claim these lunatics,” he bluntly said.

“I think you mean to say that we are your amazing, wonderful, fantastic friends that you hold dear,” the bunny demon pointed out as they put an arm around his shoulder.

“I was forced into this,” Macaque said as a wing wrapped around the two of them.

“Ah just admit that you have a soft fuzzy heart for us,” the bird demon grinned.

“Not even when my bones decay away.”

MK just blinked at the unprompted scene as he saw the glowing blue demon approach him.

“Sorry about my companions, they can be a little much sometimes,” he smiled softly to him.

“It’s fine, you're not the only ones who make a loud entrance,” he thought back to the times Yanyu would kick the door open when she walked in.

“I suppose not,” the demon then held out one of his arms to the child, making sure his tentacles were out of the way, “my name is Bohai little one.”

“I’m MK,” he smiled back and shook his hand.

“Oh, we’re doing introductions?! Well, I’m Daiyu chicky,” the female demon grinned or at least that's what he thought she was doing with her scarred beak.

“I’m Minsheng,” the bunny demon twitched their nose and gave a toothy grin, “you're so small that you remind me of my siblings when they were born.”

“How many siblings do you have?” He curiously asked.

“Pfft older or younger? I stopped counting after we reached the 200s,” they laughed.

His eyes widened, “over 200! That’s a lot of brothers and sisters.”

“Well, you know how bunnies are.”

Before MK could question that he felt two furry hands cover his ears.

“How about we don’t talk about that to a kid who has probably never had a crush before,” Macaque hissed to the bunny who had their hands held up.

“He’ll learn eventually.”

“But I would rather have that explained to him by literally anyone but you.”

“Fair enough.”

“Anyways,” the monkey took his hands off MK’s ears, “what were you screeching about earlier?”

“Oh well I got a bit nicked with some of dem cretins after a territory dispute you know how it is and,” Daiyu turned around and showed her back...which had a few knives sticking out of it. “I got a bit scratched up in the tussle.”

“At least you had the sense not to take it out,” he couldn’t help but sigh. “You at least win?”

“Who do ya think your talkin to?” She proudly puffed up her feathers.

“And people say I have too much pride, you damn vultures take the cake,” Macaque rolled his eyes as the two of them walked towards the infirmary room.

“You say that as if you never met Flicker before,” she chortled.

“Well there’s a stark difference between you two.”

“Wha that?”

“He actually has a brain.”

“Hey!” She attempted to pull his dangling fur, but he ducked away in time.

“Can I stay up a little longer!” The seven year old asked before the door could shut.

“Only for a little bit, but when I get back it’s straight to bed.” He answered back and then the door closed.

“Thank you!” He called out regardless as he fully knew that he could hear him.

“And that’s the whole lot of us kid, we're only half as insane as curly made us out to be '' Minsheng joked.

“Almost all of us,” the jellyfish demon said.

“Who you? Ha! Hate to break it to you, but the last time you lost your patience was when they didn’t make your starfish the way you wanted and you paralyzed the entire cooking staff.”

“You didn’t have to bring that up, but no not me,” he waved one of his tendrils. “I meant Ahmed.”

“I didn’t include him in the first place because that man does not even classify as insane,” he bluntly said. “He has the patience of a monk to deal with our brand of insanity which, in hindsight, is insane itself.”

“Whose Ahmed?” MK asked, “is he another friend of d-Mac?”

The two looked at each other before Baiyu spoke, “yeah, he’s a friend of Macaque.”

“Ouch, that’s a low blow for poor Med,” they grinned then winced as a tendril shocked their arm. “What? You know I’m right.”

“You know as well as I do that he can still hear you.”

“I’ve been craving death anyways,” they then turned back to the kid, “so you want to hear some crazy stories about your old man.”

Needless to say that Mac had tackled the bunny demon to the ground, with two violet glowing escrima sticks in hand, in the middle of their story on how the fierce monkey demon had to dance his way across a road of hot coal as he tried to outrun an angry herd of demon pheasant while wearing a rather beautiful kimono.

Macaque was reading out on the patio when his ears twitched as he heard a soft whimpering coming from MK’s room. He put the book on the table when he walked in and safely crept his way over his room and like many times before MK was crying in his sleep from a nightmare once more.

“It’s okay shooting star,” he gently began to thread his fingers through MK’s hair, “it's just a bad dream. You will be fine.”

At first, it didn't have any effect, but the longer he talked the softer the whimpers began to die down and the kid's eyes softly began to blink open.

“W-what's goin on?” He hoarsely said as he rubbed his eyes as he realized that he wasn’t dreaming anymore.

“You just had a bad dream kid,” he hummed as he continued stroking his hair.

“Oh.”

“Want to talk about it?” He received a firm shake of his head, “that’s okay, do you want to lie back down, sing, water, or want me to give you a little shadow puppet show?”

“Shadow show please,” he muffled out as he gripped tighter onto the blanket.

“One show coming right up,” he used a shadow clone to bring back a lantern as the room began to softly glow. When all was set Macaque began his tale in a low voice, “There once was an old man who lived in a shack.” He used some of his shadows to show a picture of an elderly man and wooden shack, “he was nothing special, did nothing extraordinary, and his life was simply normal. Until one day he happens upon the most peculiar thing.”

He continued to tell the tale of the old man even when he, unknowingly, had wrapped his tail around his child’s hand and MK, who was slowly drifting off into a deep slumber, held a tight grip upon it.

MK was currently sitting on the edge of a large lake as he kicked his feet in the water. He was alone at the moment as the monkey demon was tending to the plants that he needs for various medicines. The lake itself was a beautiful view filled with lily pads, reeds standing tall in the crystal lake, fishes and herons swimming in the water. Though he was trying to guess what that large dark shape was, it was nothing he has ever seen before.

“Hmmm I don’t think it’s a fish...maybe a duck?” He leaned in to get a better look and noticed. “Or maybe a turtle!”

The shape shifted as it appeared to be getting bigger and bigger as MK now noticed that he had never seen a turtle with long arms and claws before. He then saw there was long string hair upon what he thinks is its head until suddenly it disappeared and was replaced with two beady eyes. His heart dropped when the creature opened its mouth to reveal countless rows of sharp, pointed teeth. Then it began to rapidly swim towards him.

MK, frightened, fell on his back as he tried to crawl away, but it failed as the creature burst out of the water and onto the ground merely a foot away from him.

He let out a piercing scream, “DDAAADDDDD!”

At the same time the creature, with his mouth wide, said “hi there human child!”

“What?” He abruptly stopped his screaming right as an ominous force suddenly filled up the area as MK then felt two familiar hands scoop him up and hold him close as the voice spoke almost lowly.

“What happe-oh it’s just you,” Macaque let the pressure go back to normal once he realized that there wasn’t a true threat that was trying to attack his kid.

“Bwahahaha,” the creature let out a bellowing laugh, “sorry sorry. I must have scared your youngin.”

“No!” MK instantly said, but then he wilted and nodded, “just a bit.”

“Sorry about that little child, I just get a bit excited when a new face comes around my lake and all,” the webbed creature gave a toothy grin. “I know I startled the pant off Minzhe when I first met him.”

“Your lake? You live here?” MK, after being let down, carefully tried to examine the waters closer.

“Right on the mark, since being a Shui Gui and all.”

“Shui Gui,” he drawled out as he thought about that familiar name.

“Or Kappa, our damn naming changes so often that at this point I just go with the flow.”

“Oh! I know what a Shui Gui is!” MK brightened as he began to tell what his...mom used to tell him. “Aren’t they vengeful demons that have drowned and are bent on dragging helpless victims underwater, drowning them and finally eating their...flesh to…to...” his face took on a look of horror as he realized what he just blurted out. “I am so sorry!”

Luckily though the two demons chuckled, or at least Macaque did as the Kappa was holding his stomach. Though this did make MK’s face flush in embarrassment, he should be glad that the demon wasn’t angry, but he didn’t find any humor in what he said.

“Well I’ll give you credit,” Kappa said as his laughter died down, “what you said was mostly true, except I’m not a demon, just a ghost.”

“And let’s be clear he hasn't eaten people since two-maybe three millenniums ago,” the monkey demon intruded as he knew what MK was gonna ask next.

“You humans have become much too stringy for my taste,” he joked, but it served the opposite purpose as the small child paled even further.

“And this is why your only friend is an adrenaline junkie who has a taste for his own death,” Mac deadpanned as he soothed MK down.

After his heart stopped thrumming in his ears the human managed to look up at his guardian and his eyes widened as he noticed that Macaque suddenly had three pairs of different colored ears: red, blue, and purple. “When did you get three ears?!”

“You just now noticed?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Did you have them all this time?!?!!”

“Not all the time, but I do when it’s quiet usually.”

“Cooolll!” He attempted to climb the monkey to get a better look, “Is this how you're able to hear things from so far away?”

“Yeah,” he lets him examine his ears as only his eye minuscule twitch when MK accidentally pulls it too hard. “Be careful now, only have three pairs of them you know.”

“Right, sorry.” He apologized as he became gentler with his touches. He couldn’t help but gently drag his fingers through the oddly pointed ears and he smiled, now he understood why some of Mac's clients called him the Six-Eared Macaque. He eventually got down and faced the spirit once more, who was just looking at the two of them with amusement. “I’m real sorry for screaming at you.”

“Water under the bridge young child,” he waved him off, “least you apologize for it. I know that half the ones in these woods won’t even say sorry for ramming into you.”

“There’s more of you?” He tried to look in the lake, but he was once again met with only fish and water.

“Me specifically no, but spirits, demons, and other whatnot. Oh yeah there's hundreds of them dwelling in this here forest.”

“Wowww,” his eyes sparkled, “so does that mean that we are all neighbors.”

It was stunned silence before the Shun Gui began laughing once more as he bends down, “PFFTHAHAHA!”

“Did I say something funny?” MK looked towards Mac who was pinching his nose once more.

“No, he’s just obnoxious, that’s all.”

“You know what I like you kid, yeah we’re all neighbors, man even Ping would get a laugh out of this,” the water spirit said after his laughter died down. “Welcome to the neighborhood MK!”

“Thanks...umm what’s your name again?” He embarrassedly asked as he realized that he never got a name throughout this whole interaction.

“Oh here we go,” Mac sighed as he got comfortable and plucked up a Ravenna grass and began to chew on it. He grimaced as he realized that he had plucked up a weed again.

“Eh, you can call me Kappa if you want, don’t care for the whole naming thing,” he shrugged as he got back in the lake and laid there.

“Why not?” He curiously followed him.

“Why should I?” He shot back with a grin.

“Huh?”

“Why should I care for my name? It’s my name and I can do whatever I want with it, so I just choose not to care.”

“But don’t you like your name,” he was very confused about how this conversation came about.

“Oh I do, but truth be told, most of the time I forget others' names, so one day I just thought ‘you know what, what if I just don't use my name all the time’ and I didn't,” he finger gunned at the blank face child.

“You're kinda weird,” he bluntly told Kappa.

“I’m sorry,” Mac spoke up in disbelief, “You met a trio of lunatic demons that are a hot mess in general, an insane human who likes to add too much ghost jalapeño to her food, one of my clients who have their organs outside of their body and this is where you draw the line of weird?”

“I just wanted to know his name!” He threw his hands up.

“Just whatever is fine,” he laughed.

“Well fine! Your name is Whatever now!” He said in a fit of frustration before he realized what he said, “wait! I didn’t mean-,”

“Pfthahaha!” The spirit once more threw his head back in laughter.

“...what is even happening,” MK deadpanned.

“Welcome to my life Starchild,” Mac said as he ruffled his hair.

“That’s an interesting one, alright Whatever it is then,” he gave him a toothy grin.

“Wha-no please no,” MK almost begged him. “I didn’t-,”

“Nope too late, I won’t respond to anything else but Whatever from you. Hope to see you around short stack, you really know how to bring a laugh to a vengeful spirit face,” he let out a bark of a laugh before diving down deep into the lake.

MK blinked for a few moments before turning to Macaque, “is he really gonna-,”

“Oh yeah he is only gonna respond by that name,” he cut him off, “called him a Kappa once to his face and that slimy frog hasn’t let go since.”

“...I think I want to go back home dad,” said MK as he leaned into his fur. “I think I’m done for the day.”

Macaque’s breath hitched as he then gave him a gentle smile and scooped him up in his arms. “Yeah, I think I am as well.” And with that, the two mentally exhausted people made their way back to their warm home.

MK, who proudly turned nine as of a few months ago, was playing in an arcade as his dad was grocery shopping. He stuck out his tongue as he attempted to repeatedly punch the monster in Monkey Mech, but he keeps getting beaten right before he can land the final punch. He mused up his short ponytail out of frustration that was held by a red ribbon, “Oh man! I swear this guy cheats, alright seventeen times the charm.”

“I thought it was the third time the charm?” He turns around at the voice and sees a pigtail girl around his age looking at him.

“It is, but I lost sixteen other times, so this time I will win,” he confidently said as he put another token in, and just like before he lost. “I almost had it!”

“Move over,” the girl pushed him aside and took over the controls, “let me show you how to really play.”

MK's jaw dropped when the Winner title popped up after she managed to land the final triple axel uppercut to the enemy. “How’d you do that?!”

“Oh just a lot of practice, and searching online, to find the right moves to slain the beast,” she bragged.

He went down on his knees and bowed to her, “oh teach me your ways oh wise one.”

“You may refer to me as Master Mei,” she deepened her voice to sound elderly, “and who shall I call my young student.”

“Call me MK,” he followed along with glee, he hasn’t played with a kid his age in so long.

“Well then let me show you the ways of Monkey Mech,” and with that the two proceeded to play the game, playfully pushing each other as they double battled in a co-op mode. It wasn’t until a few hours had passed, and they had long passed Monkey Mech and went into all the different kinds of games in the arcade when MK noticed the digital clock behind the counter.

“Aww man, it’s getting late,” he pouted as he didn’t want to end, “I have to meet up with dad.”

“Awww,” Mei's shoulder slumped as they walked to the prize area, “that sucks.”

“Yeah,” he slumped his shoulder, as well as the two, looked through the prizes available, which did brighten the mood a bit as Mei left with a strange mutated stuffed dog that had three eyes, a few pieces of candy, and three bouncy balls, while MK was sucking on a swirly lollipop, pieces of chocolate in his pocket, and a sticky hand sling that he is slinging everywhere.

“So you like racing?” MK asked as they left the arcade, besides the Monkey Mech he noticed that Mei tended to go to the racing games more often.

“Yes! One day I will have my own motorcycle and I will be faster than anyone, even the Monkey King!” Mei declared.

“Even the Monkey King? Wow that is fast,” he said in awe, he read the story of the Journey to the West from the library. He was quickly enamored with the story the more he read and he soon began to idolize the great Monkey King. To think that such a being could ever exist in the first place was amazing! He did find it funny that the great Monkey King rival was named Macaque, it was hilarious to think that his dad could ever have powers to fight on equal standing with a god-like immortal. Grumpy? Sure! Easy annoyed? Oh yeah definitely, but scary? Ha! The scariest thing Dad has ever done was glare at his patients when they were being too noisy, but for some reason it always works as they shrink back in fear. He mentioned it to Yanyu and the demon gang one time and well-

“HAHAHAH/PFFTTTTT/SQUAK SQUAWK SQUAAAKK/SHEHEHEH,” Yanyu was rolling all over the floor as Minsheng was banging his feet, Daiyu was slamming the table with her wings, and Bohai was using all his tentacles to wrap himself.

-they burst out laughing when he mentioned this to them. He still hasn’t gotten a full answer for that one, all they told him was to wait.

“I wonder how far that can go?” Mei curiously asked as she watched the green sling attach itself on the top of the door that they were exiting.

“Not far, how high can your bouncy ball bounce?” He asked as he then watched her bounce the ball and saw it soar a bit high above their heads.

“Not that high either...how about we combine them,” she gave a mischievous grin as MK followed suit as he used his sticky sling and attached it to the ball.

“One,” Mei started.

“Two,” MK raised his hand in mid-air.

“Thr-”

“Ready to go kid.”

“AH!” They screamed and watched the sling and ball slip from his hand and instead of bouncing, it was thrown in Mac's face, who easily caught it.

“Not the first time I had something thrown at me,” he didn’t even blink at the outburst, though he did take a second glance at the other child next to his son, “though your new, made a friend Stardust.”

“Her name is Mei!” MK excitedly said though it didn’t look like Mei was paying attention to him at all as her focus was all on Macaque, or more specifically, his head.

“What?” The monkey demon raised an eyebrow.

“You have the longest hair I have ever seen,” her eyes sparkled as she instantly zoomed behind him and started to pull on his fur. “Can I braid it?!”

“It’s actually fur,” he corrected her.

“Can I still put it in a braid?”

“Sure.”

“Then I don’t care!” She happily proclaimed and pointed to one of the benches. “Sit.”

“...” he looked towards his kid who just shrugged his shoulders, “well I guess this is happening,” he sighed as he got a clone to take the rest of their groceries back home.

Needless to say that Mei very much enjoyed putting the demon fur in a messy, but still manageable, braid.

“You know if I had some Morning glories, they would look amazing in your hair,” she mused.

“You know their weeds right?” He pointed out.

“So? They look awesome.”

“You got me there.”

“There!” She proudly finished her creation with her green ribbon tied up at the end, “you have very fluffy hair.”

“Fur,” he once more corrected her.

“Eh fur, hair there the same thing,” she turned back from the monkey and to MK with a nervous smile, “you will definitely come back right? I haven’t finished playing all the arcade games with you.”

MK looks towards his dad with puppy dog eyes and Mei easily follows suit.

“You know those don’t work on me right,” he deadpanned and smirked at their hanging heads, “but yeah, I’ll drop him off from time to time.”

“Yes!” They both jump up in cheer, only for some of their candy to fall out and onto the floor.

“My babies!” MK rushed to pick up his pieces of semi-melted chocolate.

“Noooo!” Mei quickly began to grab as many of her jawbreakers as it rolled away.

Macaque watched them in amusement at their mad scramble to save their sugar fix.

#monkie kid #mk #six eared macaque #macaque #mei #lego monkie kid #PlumTeaAU

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redstaratmorning · 3 years

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Headcanons and Musings of Pirate-y And Plunderous Proportions: Astarion Says What

Synopsis: Random musings and ramblings regarding and spawning from the differences between how Astarion says just one word, depending on your choices—“What?” This got very long and touches not only on Astarion’s difference in presentation in aforementioned moment, but also some discussion-thoughts to chuck onto the dashboard regarding some other elements of Astarion’s content thus far in Early Access, and some thoughts to add onto others’ speculations and wonderings (I did not save sources so pardon the lack of proper citation, oops. We’re going informal here anyway.) Spoilers for Chapter 1 BG3 scenes, plot, etc, under the cut in case someone hasn’t filtered out the tags. Trigger warning/content warning: some discussion of heavy topics is mentioned and explored, including starvation, abuse/torture, and trauma. Other topics of note for summarization include speculation on Astarion’s largely unknown as-of-early-access background and a touch of his possible pre-vampire morality leanings, possible mental state/trauma reaction in a couple of scenes, and vague speculation on Larian’s gameplan for Astarion’s arc ending. Gather thy party and venture forward, for here be dragons and lots o’ text, matey! [/stereotypical pirate accent]

“What?” Just that one word, between the goblin party and the tiefling party. If Larian keeps the body language and tone presentation more or less where it’s at now in Early Access, they are worlds apart and delightfully up for interpretation of just what’s going on in our favorite vampire spawn’s head. This won’t be an in-depth post about all the tonal and body language differences, just picking out a few due to personal constraints (ie too broke to buy this game currently.) Edit: And also a lot of other thoughts and ramblings tacked on, lol. On the one hand we have him at the goblin party, where he seems much more superficially comfortable there, knows what’s going on and knows what to expect—it feels like he’s done this kind of scene a hundred times before. The comfort of familiarity. Did Cazador throw “parties”, much like how he “invited” Astarion to dine with him? I wouldn’t be surprised if he mingled at regular dinner parties either before his turning, or perhaps after when he’s ordered to hunt for Cazador’s evening repast. I doubt the goblin party has anything as potentially horrific as what Cazador would have lined up on the nightly basis, which is why Astarion isn’t aggro’d: he’s in a position of power at this party after all, not a powerless one. A conquering hero, as he describes the MC. A Precarious position, as it turns out.

Circling back to that one word though, the way he says “what” in that scene after he propositions the MC and the MC picks the “Maybe. If you say please” line feels like Astarion’s response could be interpreted as pretty abrupt. On guard, perhaps, squaring up, offended, even perhaps lowkey challenging/hostile. Expressing social displeasure and possibly staring down the MC mayhaps? Could be, especially if Astarion’s body language remains as it is rigged now in-scene with that step forward, his shoulders shifting, the lack of a smile, that assessing glare, all combined with that flat tone of voice. The animation could just be temporary and subject to change, but if it does end up as more or less the final version of that moment’s depiction, it’s pretty interesting as a shift. I’d read it as potentially “not actually truly comfortable in this situation, just familiar and numb to it all”, especially when combined with some of his other earlier potential lines at the goblin party, such as the following: Astarion: So, what are we drinking to? Other than a pile of corpses. MC: That’s not funny. Astarion: Oh don’t be so sour - It’s a party. You did what you had to. Don’t be ashamed that you did it well. MC: I wish things had turned out differently. Astarion: And I wish I was drinking out of the skulls of everyone who’s ever wronged me. Life is tough. Although that’s not to say we can’t have a little fun. This supports the whole “has been through his personal hell and has adapted to survive it albeit not unscathed” story Larian seems to be going for with him quite nicely in the little tells and details. A sort of “take what joy you can even amidst the dark situation surrounding us” trauma-induced adaptation, coupled together with actual enjoyment on his part for killing. It’d be easy to say Astarion is moreso in his element at the goblin party, and to a degree he is—it’s one he is well practiced with in his current mindset. Compare now how he acts at the tiefling party—we can all agree he’s not having a good time, our friendly neighborhood vampire sulking in particular over the fact that “there’s a worm in [his] brain, [he’s] surrounded by idiots, and all [he] has to drink is wine that tastes like vinegar.” But the delightful thing is he’s complaining so vividly about it. The wine likely is worse at the tiefling party, seeing as they’re refugees, and the goblins had previously captured a duke whom they likely stole loot from and under orders from Minthara et al stored said goods elsewhere for a later date (likely some of said goods were consumed at the party if it happened. Edit: Shadowheart’s drunk dialogue at the goblin party mentions the goblin’s wine there being good, poor dear. Fascinating hints at her story and character in that scene though.) This is assuming Astarion is drinking wine at the goblin party, of course. He may very well be drinking something red and full-bodied there, just not made from grapes. But even in his complaints and presentation, he seems arguably more relaxed and less on guard compared to his demeanor at the goblin party. Let’s be honest, he doesn’t view goblins as equals or stimulating company judging by his various voice lines expressing his disdain, distrust and overall low opinion of them as vermin among other things. The fact that he’s willing to call the tiefling refugees idiots while in earshot of them? Definitely doesn’t respect them as a group—though he has a less negatively opined line regarding them earlier on if the caged goblin (Sazza) is killed,—which is not surprising given that MC and company at the time of the party just saved them from certain death. Astarion’s reaction however also reads as potentially at ease enough to say what he’s thinking. He’s not going to get murdered for saying so, and there aren’t any punishing power games at play with the refugees and do-gooders he’s found himself surrounded by. There aren’t any hedonistic shenanigans going on and the drinks are terrible, so it’s not an entertaining party for him, but one could make an argument that Astarion might actually be feeling more secure or at least less threatened-as-is/was-his-accepted-ongoing-norm there. Which might mean he’s feeling quite out of place, or even just not...entirely engaged with what’s going on around him and even within him as far as emotional states go. Would he casually pull the same stunt at the goblin party? If you’re a bastard to him, yes, but that’s not in the same emotional vein as his dialogue during the tiefling party at all. Loyalty from the goblins is fickle, the goblins worship the Absolute and those that are chosen by the Absolute—so long as said Chosen remain powerful enough to subjugate them and is in favor. Astarion knows this kind of power structure well: ruling by fear and power. With the tieflings? It’s not superiors-and-subordinates, it’s just...people. People celebrating surviving an event that could’ve very well and most likely would’ve ended in their deaths. Will he get to celebrate like that one day? That could very well be a painful and bleak thing to consider, and not something he wants to contemplate as of yet, based on his dialogue lines that demonstrate his fear of Cazador. How’s he supposed to get lost in the fun and revelry if the wine doesn’t even taste good to him? I don’t know wines, but I’m guessing from what little I do know and what I’ve read of flavor descriptors for wines hyped as good, it might actually be bad wine based on the adjective “sharp” when mixed with the rest of the description if the MC takes a sip. Sharp seems to suggest too many tannins, or maybe improper storage so the wine actually did turn to taste a bit more like vinegar, or maybe not enough sugar in the grapes used, perhaps? To be fair, I do believe there’s a non-conversation line somewhere of Astarion’s regarding solid food tasting terrible to him, but I can’t verify that so a pinch of salt there. Still, if his taste buds are aligned with regular living mortal ones for wine at least, RIP Astarion, he’s stuck with a terrible drink for the foreseeable night. Unless, of course, you know. ;D Compared to the tieflings, the goblins as a whole? As a group they’re a scraped together army of pillagers hungry for destruction and spoils. They don’t have ANY loyalty to you—in addition to being willing to betray you via murder immediately despite working with them when Sazza first brings you back to meet Minthara, there’s also when Minthara potentially opts to try to kill you post-goblin-party. If you persuade her not to, Minthara does mention “do not return to the goblin camp, as far as they were concerned you were destined to die tonight.” This is not a group to get chummy with, obviously. Doesn’t say good things about the Absolute’s followers in general, either, or the Absolute depending on if Minthara’s being honest about the Absolute intending that the MC dies after razing the grove. Minthara could just be lying to serve her own ends and is out to destroy any rivals for the Absolute’s favor, after all, I can’t verify that from dialogue exploration at present. So it’s not surprising that this is not a group Astarion is going to let his guard down around I’m sure, or around an MC that sided with the goblins, because fortunes can shift like the wind in a scene like that, and I think his utter lack of surprise at Minthara trying to kill you all (whether or not the MC had a romp with her) is potentially spawned because he recognizes this fact. He’s been here before, in another time, another place, with different faces, but he’s seen this play before. And the MC is just another face for the same old role of a player in this rat race for power when they side with the goblins, aren’t they? The difference this time though is: will they succeed and make it to the top? Is Astarion betting on the winning horse, or not? Far less reason and far more motivation to not be emotionally invested in anyone or anything around him because it’s survival of the fittest, and the most ruthless will be the ones who win—the MC just reinforced that perspective for Astarion, in slaughtering the tieflings. But Astarion isn’t fully corrupted yet, despite however much Cazador has twisted and tormented him so. Isn’t it fascinating, that the MC, one of the first people Astarion can actually interact with relatively freely without Cazador’s puppeteering influence hanging over him quite so acutely, is someone who might very well and very likely will have a huge impact on how Astarion develops and sees the world? For better or for worse, the MC will shape all the companions’ futures and perspectives it seems, depending on their choices. On a meta note, isn’t that thrillingly fascinating and engaging work by Larian Studios? Bravo, honestly. Continuing, for Astarion this could very well just feel like a better but complimentary and thematically continuous segment of the nightmare that is his existence under Cazador as it goes on: he’s a vampire now, and the world is only ever a power struggle between the strong and the weak, and he knows better than to ever be weak again. Kindness and virtue belonged to Before. Before he died, before he turned, before he was taken. Those are things in stories and fairy tales now, that belong to other people, other places and times, other lives—things that belong to the living, not the undead. Sentimentality, more universally-accepted morality, all of those Good™-aligned or softer feelings can feel like they have no place in his world now, on this darker path. But he knows what they are, not just in theory I think, but also perhaps knowing from memory and experience, however distant and faint. The way he speaks on many occasions has subtext that could very well suggest he wasn’t without a better side through implication and emotion. Which is not to say I think he was a shining paragon of virtue before he died—guessing based off of the dev team’s writing of him so far, I’m expecting nuanced and complex but ultimately very human (or elf if you’re being fantasy-based technical) morality with both merits and flaws, for polarizing opinions in the fandom. That being said, I’m holding off judgment on what kind of person he was before he was turned for now despite reading about pre-early-access, preliminary ideas the dev team had for his background. The reason I’m waiting to see what the dev team puts into the game for his backstory of Before, is because some of his datamined lines could be taken in a couple of different ways, and some of his emotional responses as is currently don’t track as truly Machiavellian or I’d say malevolent in nature for manipulation or otherwise. Granted, not all Evil™ acts stem from intentions to be malevolent. Sometimes people do evil both in-game and in life without really intending to, or recognizing that they do, nor seeing the harm they have caused or will cause (I’m looking at you, Mayrina.) Manipulative yes, but so far it’s looked like it’s for defensive purposes in a world that is out to hurt or kill him if given any opportunity whatsoever. Personally I actually wouldn’t even say he’s been really manipulative at all, but your mileage may vary. He lies because he’s afraid you’re going to murder him for being a vampire, and because he doesn’t want to reveal the cause of two centuries’ worth of trauma to someone he just met and likely can’t predict if they’re emotionally safe for him to interact with. Note: “emotionally safe” does not necessarily denote being sympathetic here, so much as “will their response cause me pain in some fashion?” from Astarion’s point of view, which does not necessarily require the MC to be mean to him though obviously that wouldn’t help. We touch upon why sympathy can hurt later on in this essay. And why would he expect sympathy in the other instance, regarding revealing that he’s a vampire? How often would we not murder strange vampires we just met in DND-worlds? Is that not a common response and practice in Faerun for the most part? They’re on the list of acceptable prey for a monster hunter to be kidnapped and taken to who knows what fate (probably nothing good we’re sure), and who would come rescue them? In all actuality: No one. If he wasn’t a companion he’d easily just be one more random encounter to kill—as he and all the companions are in the right circumstances, *cough cough* like when sacrificing anyone to Boooal *cough.* Astarion’s had little cracked moments where he seems to be showing genuine vulnerability, and I’d say he likely displays real genuine emotion plenty of times, just not all the time. While the vulnerable moments could be a ploy, were he the type to actually be fully acting, I’m disinclined to bet that he’d act in the way he does during those moments if he planned them out or even improvised. It could be a mix of both, where it’s both true but also an act of manipulation. Were it the last option, that would require more exploration of his character in various situations to determine imo. I still doubt that though. I think he’s a little too raw and real in his pain, anger, and aggression to say he’s being malevolently manipulative at the end of the day, at least thus far in chapter one. The MC’s choices may change and influence that, on the Evil™ route. I’ve been following some of the fantastic dash discussions on Astarion’s reaction to when the MC tries to comfort him (because of course I have, I’m here for BG3 content and Astarion content especially, aren’t we all here for the same party in his tag? Also hello fellow Astarion stans! :D I hope everyone’s having a good day), and if some of these datamined lines from Pjenn’s blog post are actually implemented and kept as canonical [link], specifically the ones Astarion says regarding heroes, I do think it ties in very strongly with some of what other folks have said regarding his recoiling reaction. Copy-pasted the potential dialogue lines of interest below: Astarion: Heroes. |said with disgust| Astarion: Heroes had two centuries to save me from my torture, but not one came knocking. Astarion: The strong had two centuries to pluck me from torture, but no one came. No, it was the mind flayers that rescued me. Astarion: I spent centuries as the victim of a corrupt man. It was the mind flayers that plucked me away from that. I very much enjoyed all the takes on Astarion’s potential motivations in his response, and I do want to chuck another idea into the fray that supports the vein of ideas that have him being truly afraid and then angry at the MC in that scene, with the speculation including those possible hero lines above as influence. Specifically, I’d like to bring in an outside comparison to part of Molly Grue’s reaction to seeing the Unicorn from The Last Unicorn animated movie for the first time, transcribed below: The Unicorn: I’m here now. Molly: [Bitter laugh] Oh? And where were you twenty years ago? Ten years ago? Where were you when I was new? When I was one of those innocent, young maidens you always come to? How dare you. How DARE you come to me now, when I am this. [begins to cry, heartbroken] Consider Astarion being shown kindness when he is now away from Cazador, not fully free or safe yet but not currently actively fully suffering Cazador’s torment all up close and personal. Consider that only on that very night before he was snatched up by the mindflayers, which might’ve been anywhere from only a day to a handful of days before this conversation about his nightmare, he was going out to falsely smile and lure some innocent—(“No innocents. You have my word.”)—or perhaps not so innocent, beautiful soul back to Cazador’s mansion to very likely die or be turned. How often must he do so? Is it every night he is ordered to go out and condemn someone else to that unfortunate fate? Do you think Cazador killed them cleanly? Quickly? Why would he, instead of agonizingly grinding out any last traces of sympathy his spawn might have through the guilt that they are the ones who “choose” who suffers and likely dies at Cazador’s hands that night? To give the illusion of choice is one abuse/torture tactic that can be used to break a soul that we see often in games: choose who suffers or dies. Cazador is unquestionably a personality who enjoys the psychological aspect of tormenting his victims, as evidenced by giving Astarion the “choice” to be either flayed or to “dine” on a rotting, dead rat, as well as other mentions of how he puts thought into torturing those around him. Astarion is still so fresh from his torment,—torment that is still technically on-going with the very real threats of resuming once more—he is emotionally bleeding enough arterial blood at the seams to fill a sea. His actions, words, and emotions so often metaphorically smell of blood, and not because he’s a vampire and the traditional role of a vampire being a predator among humanoids ironically enough, but because being a vampire spawn means Cazador. And Cazador means horror. Astarion has survived, yes, and it’s been hell. He’s still in hell, because he isn’t free yet. Not truly. It’s a desperate gasp of air, this taste of freedom, to dream that he could be free of Cazador. Imagine his feelings when he’s now in something like freedom, a reminder of what could be, what his life might’ve and likely was like once upon a time, an uncertain here-and-now where he has the possibility—just a possibility, and an unlikely one at that for most ordinary or less-than-ordinary people, not a certainty—of being free, and he’s just admitted to the horror that is Cazador. Admitted in this moment how much Cazador frightens him, how much just the thought of Cazador frightens him, how much the possibility he might be sent back to his master and having his previous tormented existence resumed truly frightens him. And the MC reaches out in sympathy. In acknowledgement that what Astarion has been through is horrifying. To look at this horror and say it is pain, and terror, and awful, that it isn’t normal. It isn’t something to ignore. It isn’t something to pretend is just everyday same old, same old, to numb and take off the edge as much as one can. That Astarion’s pain and fear aren’t to be sought out for entertainment or at best to be willfully neglected in an act of malice. That stark moment of contrast, like night and day, could bring the pain of two hundred years crashing down inside his head, all compressed into one moment. Feelings he tried so hard to survive through, ignore perhaps, suppress: fear, helplessness, loneliness, misery, anger, sorrow, hatred, pain, anxiety, distress, need. Memories, of so many instances that hurt in that moment and then continued to hurt for so long afterwards. How much must it hurt him, wound him, to lift his head for air and have a perspective outside of his suffering that is sympathetic...but knowing that nobody came to save him. That perhaps, no one ever will, if he loses this so-called freedom and is dragged back under. That those that care, cannot help you. And that those that can help, do not care. Why would anyone help him at this point after all? He’s a vampire spawn. A classically defined monster in the eyes of society, and he knows it. (”I’m not some monster!” / ”At best, I was sure you’d say no. More likely you’d ram a stake through my ribs.”) He must have been truly desperate in his starvation to chance anyone finding out he’s a vampire in the party. Not surprising, he can’t rest at the end of the day like the other companions can. He has to expend extra energy at that point to find food discreetly after fighting all day, and subpar food at that. (”Animal blood tastes like muck.” verification needed, it’s a conversational line in some branch of the morning-after he asks to bite the MC the first time) He’s not eating breakfast, snacks or lunch during the day, and he isn’t guaranteed to find food while hunting in the woods. Game might be scarce, he can be wounded or exhausted after a long day of fighting, and he wasn’t starting out in the peak of health to begin with either. He is a vampire spawn yes and apparently can take down large game such as boars to drain them, but that is a rough existence to condemn anyone to mechanically speaking. He knows what he’s risking, regardless of his int stat. But he takes that risk anyway. The character who is so survival driven, risking a very high likelihood of expulsion at best or death as the much-more-likely worst outcome of this attempt? His bite isn’t painless, and pain can wake a person up readily enough if they aren’t a deep sleeper, and how deep a sleeper are most people when in an uncertain and unfamiliar wilderness, potentially while hungry and cold, with the fretting fear of a agonizing death looming over their head? Even accounting for a lack of mental clarity from hunger and exhaustion and other factors, I find it deeply unlikely that Astarion is unaware of how big a risk he’s taking with the odds are stacked against him, rogue class or not. And even if he’s just thrown out of the group? He’s alone. Vulnerable. A target to be hunted by a much bigger, meaner predator. One that won’t kill him quickly, we can guess. His odds are much lower, on his own. Specifically his odds of not being dragged back to Cazador...assuming the MC doesn’t just turn him over to Gandrel. How terrifying is it to imagine that your suffering will never end, to be told it will never end, and then you are reminded of what it is like to not suffer for a time. To have felt the painful hope that maybe there is a possibility that you could escape an existence of torment...but knowing you very well might not? It is desperately bleak. It is no great leap of the imagination to hear Astarion saying—(or more likely thinking because this would be terribly vulnerable...but he might say something when pushed because he’s so full of sharp edges and bleeding insides still)—something similar to Molly Grue’s line in his own fashion, is it? Astarion: “[Bitterly laughing, mockingly so. As he speaks his tone breaks, an edge of raw, desperate hysteria slipping through, attached to centuries of pain turned to anger] And where were you two hundred years ago? A hundred years ago? Where were you when I still desperately thought in the deepest parts of my heart that someone might come? When I still had hope? Astarion: [his voice turns low and venomous, raising in volume and accusation before finishing with a break on the final word “this”, a tonal admittance of how distraught and self-aware he is of what he’s had to do, of what he’s had to become to survive] How dare you. How DARE you say this to me now, when I am this.” (the above lines are entirely fictional and are not from any in-game, data-mined, or otherwise official source or content) He’s been made to do so many terrible things, even just based off of the few lines we have heard in early access he’s been through so much horror. An hour of torture, a day, a month is so incredibly long. It can have such lasting impact on a person—PTSD, as we know it in this day and age. A year? Five years, ten, twenty, fifty, a hundred? An elf he may be, but from a human perspective...he’s been tortured for lifetimes. Even as an elf, two hundred years is a long time. More than long enough to seriously alter how someone’s brain works—people are both amazingly resilient, but also so incredibly fragile. Cazador has had all this time to play with Astarion’s brain, honestly I find it impressive Astarion has any sense of self left after all this time. That he’s still driven to survive, that he still feels anything at all. (”It doesn’t look broken. But then again, none of us do.”) It doesn’t surprise me that he’s intensely bitter when encountering the “paladins” of Tyr—(ie Anders and company if you know who I mean—and was that a Dragon Age 2 reference? If not that is an amazing coincidence with the whole Anders-Justice-Vengeance-Demon thing there)—if the MC asks something to the tune of “Don’t you wish someone had helped you when you needed it?” Oh. Oh that had to be a painful question for him. Astarion had his basic needs denied and abused, to ask if he wished that someone had helped him when he needed that and more, and no one came? Why was he denied but the paladins get help? Why does he have to be the hero when no one came for him, when no one very well might come for him when he might still very well be in dire straits in the near future? I can see the possible desire to inspire sympathy intended in the question from the MC, but it can be so utterly without sympathy to ask that in some contexts, and in Astarion’s case it is. He was being abused and controlled without any way out—Anders and his cohorts opted into the deal with Zariel for personal reasons, not as far as I know under threat of imminent death, and they are relatively capable of fulfilling their end of the bargain barring their current injuries at the time. They certainly have more freedom of choice than Astarion and other vampire spawn ever did, and they were not being tortured right then and there. Warlocks, referring to Anders and co., might even have the option to get out of deals, a la Wyll’s personal questline hook thus far. Astarion can’t get out of his servitude from Cazador. Cazador holds all the cards, makes all the decisions, has all of the power. To compare Astarion’s situation to his face with that of the “paladins”? I’m surprised he wasn’t spitting fury, honestly. They still have normal elements to their day to day life, despite their devil’s deal. They are not being tormented on the daily—yet. They are not in hell—yet. They can get out. They have the possibility. A possibility Astarion didn’t—until now. And isn’t that the most fucked up thing, that it wasn’t a force of Good™ that saved him, but an even bigger monster than Cazador himself? He was saved—by mindflayers, intending some fate that was likely worse for him than before. Even when the Absolute’s hand begins to be revealed in all this, he is still a pawn among monstrous masters. What heroes there are in the world, won’t come for him. They never did before, and they didn’t now. Heroes are for other people, for realities aside from his own. They are for other people, living Other lives. Not his life. Forces of Good™ swooping in to save the day, to correct the wrongs of the world and to make things Right™ just isn’t his normal. Not anymore, if ever it was. His normal was warped by Cazador a long time ago. Is it a stretch of the imagination that if Cazador twisted “dinner” to be a choice between consuming a rotting, putrid rat corpse or being flayed on a nightly basis, turning “poetry” into the memory of a “sonnet” carved into Astarion’s back with a razor over the course of an entire night full of Astarion’s own pained screams? Is it hard to imagine that Cazador also took pleasure in turning other ordinary situations one might encounter in normal life into nightmare versions as well for Astarion and his other spawn? One illithid mind-power option shows Cazador controlling Astarion by holding his chin, though without any further context. Cazador wouldn’t have had to do more than that to invoke terror, after a certain point in time. It seems highly unlikely the gesture wasn’t followed up with more pain, though. Perhaps in that moment when he speaks of his nightmare in the first conversation and the MC reaches out to him in sympathy...Astarion was reminded of something. Multiple somethings, multiple moments, when Cazador reached out to him oh so casually, and it ended in pain and terror. The way the camera is framed as of the current time in early access, the way he flinches away crying “No!” so quiet and low, his eyes wide and staring just so, how he goes so far as to pull back almost entirely out of frame and the camera slowly pans to follow him? Perhaps that is just a stand-in scene, but as it is, even now, it emphasizes that he is I would argue genuinely afraid, and reflexively responding in what is likely his first opportunity to freely respond to his traumatically induced fear. The first opportunity where he wasn’t supernaturally compelled to do exactly as Cazador ordered him to, the first opportunity where he was likely not going to be tormented further for expressing his fear, for having his main tormentor laugh and delight in his distress. The first instance where he for a split second let his guard down, and didn’t expect to be hurt—until the MC reached for him, echoing possible memories of what happened last time someone (Cazador) did that. It’s not Cazador reaching for him. But...it is not Cazador. He doesn’t have to worry about Cazador hurting him right that second, but...will the MC hurt him, like Cazador did? Will they make it look like they’re going to help him, that he can trust them, and then betray him? (”How can you be so cruel?” / “It [Raphael playing games] reminds me of Cazador, taunting his slaves with hope when he knew the game was rigged.”) But they scared him. They scared him, and perhaps for a moment he was back there, in another time and place, where he knows, where he remembers, vividly, perhaps even recently, what normally would have happened to him. And how dare they make him feel that. (“I can do without reliving that particular night, thank you.” [Nightmare about Cazador dialogue, a separate scene if you miss the insight check from the first post-nightmare camp discussion I believe.]) He’s so raw and upset, both aggressive and defensive when he speaks about his nightmares in quite a few of his lines, asking and waiting to explain just why his nightmares are truly so terrifying, especially in the second-nightmare conversation. The way he speaks there, and in other scenes, makes me very disinclined to interpret him as actively intending evil in general so much as having been shaped to be ruthless through a centuries-long trial by fire that he isn’t free and clear of yet. Based off of how he reacts on more than one occasion, I’m personally inclined to take a leaf from Wyll’s book and say I do think he has more than just potential to be good. “Good™” being relative of course to his situation and undead-life—Astarion has GREAT potential as a character to explore not only what it means to be Evil™ aligned, but also what people on the meta perceive as evil, as well as what prejudices we may carry from that labeling. He is I think very much an excellent walking morality test and ironically a mirror for the player’s character. What kind of person is the MC, in how they treat and interact with him. He is a complicated and morally-entangled character, and it is so very easy to only read him in the here and now within the stark, daylight context of societal’s average norms without looking at the very real, very recent nightmarish Twilight Zone reality he’s lived in that echoes through his words and story thus far. It’s a marvelous bit of echoing reality and real life here by Larian, truth be told: how do you tell people about your life, when it’s been a ceaseless, unending nightmare? With smiles, witticisms, and the occasional polished lie that bleeds out pain, for some folks anyway, including Astarion. He says he’s having more fun at the goblin party, but at the tiefling party? That’s probably the first time he’s been at a normal party where he hasn’t had to obey and fear Cazador’s orders and inevitable torment during or afterwards. That’s the first time in his entire undead existence when he’s been in a social situation like this without being afraid, hurt, or manipulated. It’s not a fun party on its own by his standards, but it is a safe party for him. In a way though, safety can be boring. A luxury, yes, but in this case? For him, boring. And boring...might very well be irritating, in an anxiety-turned-irritation fashion, because he’s not being tormented right this very moment. He should be finding something to enjoy, because in his normal everyday routine? In the day to day that he would expect, that his subconscious expects out of habit? Opportunity for any form of enjoyment must be rare indeed, twisted and tainted by Cazador’s ever looming shadow over every minute of Astarion’s vampiric existence so far. It could be anxiety-inducing, to not seek pleasure or some form of happiness or comfort while there is opportunity for it, in what one perceives as a respite from constant, on-going suffering. (”Why do you insist on exhuming the past?” - when you ask about his past in camp, after you know he’s a vampire. An unpleasant reminder of an unpleasant past, why would he want to dwell on it? He has enough pain to last him multiple lifetimes. Literally.) From the deep, deep depths of prolonged suffering, it can potentially take a great deal more intensity of sensation to feel anything at all, let alone something approaching happiness. (”For the first time in two hundred years, I felt happy.” [presumed Astarion-origin line after drinking from a sleeping companion] / “I feel strong. I feel...happy!” [after MC succeeds in persuading Astarion to stop drinking from their neck after giving him permission to do so.]) This isn’t even taking into consideration how vampirism might have impacted Astarion’s psychology on a metabolic/biochemical level, so to speak. Where Larian goes with that is still to be determined, though my money’s on they give him more a murderous edge and natural inclination—not unlike a Beast-lite version of bloodlust from Vampire: The Masquerade— but still keep his core traits very much human rather than supernaturally-alien/2D-cut-out-monstrous. (Or elvhen, if we’re being fantasy-world-linguistically technical here again.) Touching on the matter of monstrous behavior though...It is a powerfully understated moment of casual cruelty that Larian allows the MC to decide once and once only, if Astarion may also drink from people or only animals. It’s so fitting I don’t believe it to be coincidence that he was a magistrate in his backstory—isn’t the MC passing a judgement too on him, a sentence to change his life for the foreseeable future, possibly forever without realizing or perhaps not caring about the full extent of their actions? And one cannot forget Wyll’s comment about the rat diet. Oh, can you not hear the resonating parallel real life pain from how those ignorant of another’s hurts might unintentionally mock the person and hurt them so? How some might apply their own morality from their own life experiences, without looking at the full extent of the consequences of their actions? A life and perspective that more likely has never been tested under the lash and upon the rack of some of life’s worst possible realities? Even if Wyll and the MC don’t mean to be, it is so very, very cruel. It is beautifully painful, Abdirak and the goddess Loviatar would be proud. (”My mind is finally clear. I feel strong. I feel...happy!”) To be denied not just better food, but the ability to think clearly, to feel well, the actuality of being happy as a norm? It is so very hollow an existence to feel so constantly weak of both body and mind, and oh isn’t it just the richest thing, that an MC might echo Cazador’s choice and power over Astarion thusly? It’s enough to make one laugh an Evil Laugh™ of appreciation at just how unthinkingly, horribly cruel a person can potentially be while playing a Good™ character. This is actually a level of genius on Larian’s part that I wonder how many in the audience will actually look at and appreciate the subtle horror of. The horror that we do this too, in real life, sometimes without ever knowing the seemingly small, far-reaching ripples of harm an unthinking phrase or comment can do when we don’t take another’s reality into consideration—that we don’t know what it is we don’t know. It is a fine piece of storytelling, to offer up a story with so many facets to reflect upon. It’s so beautifully crafted that Astarion speaks and dresses like a noble, that he can so easily be perceived as a person of privilege at first glance should one merely look at some of his surface behaviors and inclinations—remnant trappings of his distant past most likely, from once upon a time. It’s a delightful reveal and subversion that he, I think we can safely say, isn’t that. Perhaps he was, once, but he isn’t at this point in his life, not anymore. Appearances are deceiving, and doesn’t that just tie so nicely right into some of Astarion’s potential themes and behaviors? The lies that crack open as truth and pain come bleeding out from underneath? I do wonder how many of Larian’s audience have known hunger—and not known when the next meal will happen, what it might be, if it will have strings attached? The kind of hunger that follows you everywhere, that roots down into your bones and hollows out a home there forever more? It changes how a person sees things, how they act, how they think, even when they’re removed from being hungry all the time. One doesn’t need to be skin and bones to feel like one is starving constantly,—(I very much enjoy that headcanon just to clarify, I’m not intending to throw shade in any of this or future rambling)—to be kept on a hollow diet of empty calories that are enough to keep your heart pumping, but your body struggles because it doesn’t have the nutrients it needs in the amounts it needs? To feel your mind fog over with exhaustion and blanketed despair, a primal and low level desperation whittled down into a tired and numb, anxious background static from adrenal fatigue? Miscellaneous aches, pains and problems that seem unrelated but in reality, if only you knew, were because your body can’t function the way it should ideally, because you don’t have what you truly need? A very real problem in real life, for far too many people. And oh, the beautiful, casual, so very human monstrousness Larian lets us exercise here, knowing or unknowing. It is such a powerful, understated cluster of ideas. And I think Larian knew—someone on the dev team did their homework on both traditional starvation but also what one might call masked-starvation as no doubt other tumblr folks have also speculated, just based off of what we’ve seen and because of that Happy buff Astarion gets when he uses his Vampiric Bite ability in combat. It fits right into his whole theme of “what makes a monster and what makes a man?” (Sing the bells of Notre Dame~♪) But not necessarily asking that question only of him. Rather, asking it also of the MC. This fits into the game’s whole theme with the tadpoles, the choice of using the power and turning into “Something More Beautiful” as Minthara put it, of taking the darker path, it all fits so very well. I just want to applaud this because it’s not a major story-beat moment. It’s a companion-side-quest moment. It’s going to be for the most part seen as a combat-game-mechanic and head-canon defining moment, deciding if Astarion may feed on people or not. I doubt we’d see Larian actually changing Astarion’s demeanor much in how he delivers lines with a “allowed to drink people blood” code flag, as cool as that might be. It very well could factor into later outcomes but for voice acting I doubt they’ll make an entire second/third/etc set of each line spawning from that one seemingly small choice. It makes me very hopeful that Larian can handle such weighty themes so deftly thus far—we’ll have to wait and see if they can stick the landing once the game is finished, but boy oh boy their nuance and delivery so far is strong as steel and sharp as a double-edged sword right out of the gate. The studio is in a fantastic position to explore and to challenge people’s thoughts and ideas regarding character builds like Astarion’s imo, depending on how the dev team chooses to play it out. Seeing some of Gale and Shadowheart’s dialogue trees from the goblin party, I have high hopes that the dev team will allow a great deal of exploration and flexibility all across the moral spectrums, not only allowing us the option to drag the more seen-as-good-aligned characters down paths of moral corruption,—(note: I’m including Shadowheart in more neutral-ish territory for now but the fact that she seems to feel emotionally ill—guilty, one could say—at the goblin party and is busy trying to get drunk to drown that feeling out suggests to me she Definitely does have a more good-aligned moral compass to a nuanced degree)—but also the chance to drag more seen-as-evil-aligned characters along the path to more traditionally good endings and persuade them to see the benefits of playing nice with others per more classic Good™ societal rules (subjectively speaking ofc.) But Larian is also in a very precarious place too—speaking strictly of just the one character as the focus of this essay, Astarion resonates very easily through that very real fear, pain, anger, bitterness and so many other emotions as a result of what he has survived, is still surviving through, and struggling against: trauma. How bitter indeed would it be should a character—that people with very deep, real pain can relate to—not get at least the option for a well-crafted, hopeful and merciful epilogue? Oh the sympathetic pain that Larian could reap could be pain of the very worst kind, if they condemn him to only death and darkness with bleak endings that lack nuance and care. I’ve seen some posts where people worry about Astarion not potentially having a good ending, with possible unspoken implications that he might be railroaded into betraying the MC. I’d like to say that I think a lot of his subtext, even looking at the instances where he lies and the datamined details of the voice-acting-directions, would run counter to railroading him to only ever betraying the MC. I think straight betrayal is going to run as mostly antithetical to his core themes in a way. He might betray your MC—but it will likely be because the MC betrayed him first in a myriad of small ways, or in a big way. Approval-rating-system based choices are a very real possibility too, separately or as a part of the equation naturally, in addition to your major in-game choices. That would also include the scenario of betrayal through using the tadpole powers enough to be mind-controlled into having no will of his own, much like the other characters, including the MC. I do think we have plenty of good, solid reason to be very hopeful that he will have a possible good continuation—not ending. A continuation where he manages to free himself from Cazador with the help of his companions or perhaps dare he even say friends, manages to begin the process of healing the immediate pains of his trauma and learning how to truly live with all that he’s been through and all that he’s done, to have the possibility of not only living but living both happily and well for the most part? Who knows what else Larian Studios might have in the works for him and the other companions, as well as the MC and the story of Baldur’s Gate 3. But good outcomes for all seems like it very likely could happen, for all of the companions. His wiki page’s summary tagline hook in particular offers up that implied promise from the developers to the audience, I would say, “Astarion prowled the night as a vampire spawn for centuries, serving a sadistic master until he was snatched away. Now he can walk in the light, but can he leave his wicked past behind?” What that promise is, varies from creator to creator. In this case, based on the wording, I would say that potentially implies a satisfyingly well-crafted and engaging story wherein we find out and determine if the answer to that question is yes or no, and in a DND-based RPG full of choices that have an impact on the people and world around you? In a game genre that has a history of multiple, varied endings for your companions based on how you play? That checks out. Larian so far has been handling things admirably well in my opinion, and I’m willing to invest emotionally in this story they’re telling with the trust that they will deliver a good continuation and conclusion. But on the off-chance that somehow Astarion’s endings all turn out painful and tragic on the meta for the fanbase, that the associated intentional or unintentional messages wound and grieve those who recognize and resonate most strongly with the pains he has felt? On that off-chance, in that instance where we are left bereft and disappointed because of what happened to him or any of the companions or the story itself should somehow things go awry, then it would be your right to ask Larian the very same question Astarion asked you once: How can you be so cruel?

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #spoilers #bg3 spoilers #Astarion #character study #long post #very long post #eXtreme rambling ahoy #speculation #congrats if you can read this all #totally understandable if it's too much text tho #it's long enough and rambly enough that it wandered away from the limits I intended #because I have FEELINGS about this gremlin vampire man #cackles madly #maybe the vampire will stop haunting my brain for a bit now #I have other things to do #aside from writing long contemplation pieces #prepare the angst-grapple-hooks crewmates #why yes I'm going to make silly jokes about pirates and sailing and the like #no I do not have any depth to my knowledge base about such things #I just like their hats man #arr #also not looking to make anyone feel bad or invalidate their hcs or opinions #just want good vibes for all #and more cakes for all #metaphorically speaking #the cake is not a lie tho #well #metaphorically it's not a lie

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abyssal-memories-and-dreams · 4 years

Note

AAAhh I'm the anon that requested twst boys meeting their girlfriends family - it was so good and awesome 💕💕💕💕💕 I'm glad you enjoyed writing it. If you don't mind may I request the same for Azul, Rook and Jack please?

Hi, Luv! Likewise, I’m glad you enjoyed the first part, and I’m ecstatic to hear that you want more! Here you go, Anon! Sorry that this took so long!

Part 1 can be found here! https://twisted-wonderland-insanity.tumblr.com/post/620318557803282432/yay-new-tw-blog-can-i-ask-hqs-for-mallets-leona

Meeting their Fem! (S/O)’s Family Pt. 2 (ft. Azul Ashengrotto, Rook Hunt, and Jack Howl)

~Azul Ashengrotto~

Your father is immediately giving Azul the stink eye as soon as he walks through the door and into your home. Given his suit, his cheerful smirk, and the overall devious aura about him, it’s no wonder if any adults in your family think he’s a Mafioso.

However, Azul has a plan ready to act upon just for this occasion - he’s willing to prove to them that he’s the one for you, after all!

Like Vil, his biggest strength is his sharp tongue. Being what some consider a ‘conman,’ Azul knows how to sweeten his words to win anyone over. How do you think he got his contracts, after all?

However, he will show more compassion to your family than any of his clients. He’ll give you mother an endless amount of compliments, and even bring a gift for both of your parents as thanks for inviting him over.

Even if he finds children a bit annoying, he’s willing to play with any younger siblings that you have. Most notably, he could offer his coat and hat to them to dress up in, calling them a ‘young man’ or a ‘little lady’ if they accept.

If you have any older siblings, he’s adept to strike a civil conversation with them. It doesn’t matter what the topic is about, or his knowledge on it, Azul will listen to whatever they’re interested in if it means that they’ll like him more.

If your father tries to bombard him with questions, he’s not worried - at least, not visibly at least. On the inside, he is DEFINITELY nervous about whether or not he succeeds at winning him over, but he tries to hide it in his facade. Nonetheless, he is still very courteous during his conversation with your parents.

“Thank you Mr. and Mrs. (L/N) for inviting me to this amazing dinner tonight. It was a pleasure getting to know you all, and I hope that I can see you again in the near future. Your daughter is an amazing woman, and I hope that you’ll accept my love and consideration for her just as I do with yours.”

When the night is over, Azul has won over most of your family members. Most of them will set aside his appearance (all accept your father, go figures) and see him as a charming and sweet gentleman. This all comes at a cost of Azul’s stress and adrenaline increasing due to how much he had to do to get their favor. However, no need to worry! Jade and Floyd MAY have been looking over you two from the outside in case something went wrong.

~Rook Hunt~

Ironically enough, Rook is actually pretty excited to meet your family, wanting to know how amazing they are if they were able to bring you into the world. Just make sure that you tell your boyfriend to maybe tone it down a bit.

Spoiler alert, he forgets about this precaution, and your family is put off by his overtly cheerful behavior at first. Your father in particular feels like he’s putting a facade to hide the fact that he might not be worthy of you.

Don’t worry, though. Rook might not have a strong tongue like Vil, but he does indeed do his best to follow by example. For your sake, he will try his best to tone it down for the remainder of the night.

Yes, Rook might be a bit perturbed if any siblings you have decide to poke fun at his haircut or his personality, but will nonetheless feign ignorance to that kind of behavior. He’s a gentleman, after all, so no ruckus will be made during the dinner table.

Did I forget to mention that Rook took his daily dose of respect women juice before heading to your place? Because if I didn’t, then now you know! Like Vil, he treats all the women in your family with utter respect and compassion, and might even befriend your mother with his wellness tips and compliments.

Your father, unsurprisingly, is the most difficult person for him to please. However, unlike some people who find it annoying, Rook understands where his overprotectiveness comes from. Like himself, your father can’t help but dote on you constantly and make sure you’re alright.

Luckily for Rook, he uses his greatest strength of all to try and persuade your father - his use of pathos.

“Monsieur (L/N), it was an absolute honor meeting you tonight. Before I leave, I would like to leave an appraisal. (S/O) is mon seul vrai amour - my muse and inspiration! Her smile brightens up whatever room she is in, and I am eternally grateful that she has chosen me as her beloved partner. S'il vous plaît, Monsieur (L/N), my only hope is that I’m willing to protect her forevermore just as you have done so your entire life.”

When he leaves, your family is somewhat mixed about him. Some people find his personality as oddly charming and funny. Others, however, find Rook to be sketchy and too outlandish for you hello father dearest. But overall, he is pretty confident about tonight’s encounter and hopes to meet them again.

~Jack Howl~

Ok, let me be frank and say that your family might be intimidated and/or startled by Jack the first time they see him. With his resting scowl and enormous height, don’t be surprised when the first thing they think of him is “delinquent.”

Which is precisely why your father is immediately set on placing you guys on separate sides of the dinner table. This angers Jack to no end, seeing as though he never gave him a chance to prove himself as worthy.

Jack may not be the best for his words, but tonight he will try his best to appease your family through his actions. He has his mind set to one goal, and one goal only - making sure that your family approves of your relationship with him.

Does your mother need help setting up the table to washing the dishes after? He’ll quietly offer to do it, and if she consents, he will do so without any complaints.

With siblings, the best way to win them over is to play games with them. Despite his brute strength, he will try his best to make it easy for them just so that they can have fun. The best part about this? Any young siblings that he can carry on his shoulders will ABSOLUTELY love him if they do that! Albeit, he will have a blushing face afterward...

And then there was... your father. Oh dear King of Beasts, have mercy on his soul. As stated before, Jack’s not exactly the best at conveying his emotions through words as much as through actions, so if your dad starts to bombard him with question after question, chances are he might not even answer them all.

However, annoyed after seemingly being asked a hundred questions, he will stand up for the two of you with annoyance at your father. He can tell that his overprotectiveness is almost suffocating on you, and you deserve better than that! Most of all, he will not hesitate to say that directly at your father’s face.

“Listen, Mr. (L/N), all night long I have tried to prove myself to you because your daughter and I agreed it would be the right thing to do for our relationship. If I didn’t love (S/O), I wouldn’t have gone through this night hoping that it would be a success. Clearly, however, you don’t see that in me. And clearly, you don’t see that I’m good for (S/O)! I understand that you want what’s best for your daughter, but I also want you to see that she doesn’t want you breathing down her neck every five seconds! So please, give us a chance, if not for me, then for her!”

After that speech, all of your family is left in shock. After Jack leaves, he doesn’t know how your father reacts after. Would he be angry at your boyfriend, or unresentful? Would he question his parenting skills, or forbid you from seeing him for the next month? Whatever the case, Jack is content with what he said. Could he have been gentler with his words? Maybe. But he still said what he thought needed to be said, and he hopes that your dad takes his words into considerations.

Besides, chances are he did happen to win someone over that night. If not your mother, then perhaps your siblings.

#twisted wonderland #azul ashengrotto #twisted wonderland request #request #rook hunt #jack howl #twisted wonderland headcanons

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needs-to-stop-looking-at-yigas · 3 years

Note

Wait, Kohga's got a thing for Daruk? Can I request/lovingly demand to see that? Or you know what, Kohga and any other Goron? Because I would PAY to see Kohga trying to take Goron dick and being like "... I may be in over my head here" 😂

One, Kohga ABSOLUTELY has a thing for Daruk. Big body, LOTS of pretty hair, and does more or less whatever he’s told. Granted I have no clue how much they’d have in common, but it’s smut, so here we go. Two, don’t you underestimate how much dick this man can take. Old Yiga techniques in this bitch.

“You know what, I can KINDA see where you’re coming from with this!”

“RIGHT?!”

Kohga and Daruk had decided to spend time together, upon Mipha’s instance (she was all about that sort of ‘unity’ and shit), and the ONE thing they could bond over? Food. It was why they were by a nearby stable, throwing stuff into a cooking pot. Turns out Daruk was a DAMN good cook, and with their combined ingredients, they were eating their fat asses off. Right now they were eating poultry pilaf, topped with goron spice, AND sliced bananas. Daruk wasn’t for it at the start, but he was now all about it, tucking into his bowl happily. Daruk damn near licked the bowl, nodding in content.

“I didn’t think bananas worked. I’ve had them with apples, but bananas? Somehow works.”

“Bananas go well with EVERYTHING. Add that with the goron spice, AND the way you cook that chicken? Beautiful. Nice skin by the way, crunchy.”

“Prime rock roasts are crunchier, but I don’t exactly think you can eat that.”

“I’ve THOUGHT about it, Link makes it look good.”

They both had a chuckle at that. They liked Link, and his insatiable hunger was one of those factors. Daruk looked through his ingredients, rubbing his chin for a second.

“How about...ooh, mushroom saute?”

“Only if you have Hylian mushrooms.”

“I got sunshrooms, but those are better.”

“Not for mushroom saute!”

Daruk shot him a look as if he was crazy.

“Okay, explain it to me, because sunshrooms are the best mushrooms.”

“Hylian mushrooms absorb the spices better. Sunshrooms are full of heat as is, it’s overkill.”

“Alright, let’s test it, powder puff.”

Kohga handed him the mushrooms, but not before raising a brow.

“I’m sorry, 'powder puff'?”

“Yeah, the hair. It’s like those little makeup puff things.”

“I’m OFFENDED! This is a traditional yiga hairstyle!”

“Is that why EVERYONE has their hair up like that?”

“Look,not everyone can have fucking lynel maned hair like you, don’t rub it in.”

Daruk laughed at that, rubbing the back of his head.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I was just pokin’ fun. Didn’t know people actually liked my hair that much.”

“Course everyone does! Look at this shit!”

Kohga dug his hand in his hair, helping it get only messier. God how pretty, all that hair was. What Kohga would give to pull it. Daruk laughed, cheeks getting rosey as he was getting flustered. Honestly, it was easy to charm Daruk.

“Aw, Kohga, thanks! Really, nice of ya. I’m glad Mipha made us spend time together. I’m not gonna lie, I wasn’t sure how to feel about you when you first joined.”

Kohga shrugged, helping Daruk mix the food, mainly to check if it was done.

“I mean I can’t totally blame you, I DID try to kill you guys. Multiple times.”

“AND get Sooga to kill us a few times. Speaking of, where is the guy? Thought he was always glued to you?”

“Eh, I made him spend some time with Teba. Figured YOU were strong enough to protect little ol’ me.”

“Course I can! Ain’t nothin’ happening to you, even if there WAS something to be scared of!”

Daruk patted his head, and Kohga could swoon. Kohga, ever since he was a young man, had a thing for the big, strong Gorons. Hell, one of his first crushes was a Goron traveller (god did he LAY the flirts on that poor guy). Daruk served them their own bowls of the different sautees, and Daruk nodded thoughtfully.

“You know what, you’re right, actually. Huh, I always thought nothing could taste better than sunshrooms.”

Kohga nodded, swapping bowls with him for a minute.

“I mean the sunshrooms aren’t bad, not dissing your tastes. You like flavors as big as you, can’t say I blame you. Better than Sooga’s cooking anyway.”

Daruk laughed again, smacking his knee.

“Oh he can’t be THAT bad!”

“He doesn’t even LIKE Goron spice! I like the guy, a lot, but he needs to learn how to actually cook. Speaking of, how did YOU learn how to cook?”

“All Goron’s like to teach one another how to cook. I learned from a bunch of Gorons. You?”

“My mother. She was a great cook, taught me everything I know. She loved Goron spice too, always put it on meat. Especially during the holidays. Loved that woman.”

Kohga finished his bowl, about to decide just what they should eat next, when he felt something drop onto his head. He held his hand out, and felt it again. Rain. It then started to sprinkle, and in a manner of seconds, started to pour. They both scurried on inside (with Daruk being a gentleman and using his arm to protect Kohga), and Kohga went to the stablehand at the counter.

“Can we get a room for the night?”

Daruk, lost in his mess of wet hair, shook his head.

“I don’t mind sitting out with everyone, really-”

“I’m not asking. We need a room for this big guy, the biggest one you got.”

Daruk clearly had complaints about Kohga paying, but he wouldn’t let him get a word in edgewise. Kohga helped him to his room, and right after getting him to bed, Kohga grabbed a towel, and smacked it on his face, trying to try his hair. Daruk chuckled, clearly not used to someone fussing over him like this.

“Hey, what’s your deal? It’s just some rain!”

“Sooga’s not here, ergo I’m your problem big guy. Now hold still, you’re almost dry.”

Daruk chuckled, sitting still as Kohga got the water out of his hair. Most of it anyway, he was mainly concerned of Daruk being able to see.

“I think I know why Mipha talks so much about you. You’re nice.”

“Hey. Hey. Don’t make me sound all sugar and sweet, rock man. Mipha likes everyone.”

Kohga was being a bit aggressive with the towel, mainly in hopes of getting him to shut the hell up.

“Not like you. She talks about you and Link a LOT. It’s kinda why I agreed to hang out with you, because you mean a lot to her.”

“Bah, it’s just because I set her up with Link.”

“You just don’t wanna admit you’re good.”

Kohga lifted his towel from Daruk’s face, seeing that big, stupid, grinning face of his. He was way different from Sooga, plenty expressive, ALWAYS smiling and chuckling. Not to mention he had the GALL to be so snarky with him.

“God bless your future wife, she needs the patience of a saint to deal with you. Lucky the face saves it.”

Kohga threw the towel at him, choosing to sit next to him and pout. He damn near fell off the bed as Daruk ‘patted’ him on his back.

“I know you meant that as an insult, but that’s super sweet.”

“How?”

Kohga groaned, rubbing his shoulder as the ache reached the rest of his body. Daruk shrugged, cleaning the rest of the rain water off of him.

“You said ‘bless your future wife’. Dunno if I’ll ever have one, but that’s super sweet. You try to be a big, scary guy, but you’re super sweet.”

“You’re lucky you’re not Sooga, HE gets slapped for calling me sweet. But yeah, you’ll have one. You’re tolerable. Something about the way you said that though...thinking about someone?”

Kohga was suddenly in his lap, on his back, looking right up at Daruk. Daruk grinned, giving a shake of his head.

“I mean...can you keep a secret?”

“Course, course! Unless you include my diary. I tell my diary everything.”

“Fair enough. Uh, yeah. Urbosa. I REALLY like Urbosa.”

“URBOSA? Really?”

Daruk nodded, digging into his ear in hopes of getting water out of it.

“Yeah. She’s super strong, she’s smart, she’s fearless, we’ve known each other for a LONG time.”

“So what’s stopping you? You two fight well together, I’d say that’s just as good of a date.”

Daruk shrugged, lifting his arm up to even dry his armpits. Not that Kohga was looking.

“I dunno. Feel like she’d be interested in some other guy. Feels like she’d like someone like Kass. You know, romantic like. I dunno the first thing about girls, much less a woman like her.”

“What is there to know? Women just like a guy who tries.”

“...really?”

“I actually don’t know, I’m gay as shit.”

Daruk sighed a bit, actually feeling a twinge of hope for a second. He seemed to have finished with the towel, wiping his hands, mainly as a means to do something with his sudden bout of nervous energy.

“I dunno. I guess it’s not something that’s gonna happen. Which is fine, I appreciate just knowing her. She deserved better anyway, what’s she want from someone who can’t woo her?”

Kohga shouldn’t be thinking what he was thinking. But Daruk was so vulnerable. So easily persuaded. Big, cute, eager to know how to love. Not to mention being locked in a room with him, all alone. A nice prey for a predator like himself. He sat up, trying not to grin too much.

“I can teach you.”

“What?”

Daruk clearly was confused. But that’s exactly what Kohga was hoping for.

“I’m not like Urbosa, but I know her VERY well. We’ve been fighting for a long, long time, you get to know someone pretty damn well. So, why don’t you try some stuff on me?”

“Uh…”

“What? Don’t do dudes?”

“No, it’s not that, I’ve been with guys before. It’s just...didn’t expect this, I guess?”

“That’s what love is! Spontaneous stuff! Full of surprises! I’m gay, but I know that’s ONE thing girls love. Plus, when has Urbosa ever shied away from any inconvenience, including in the battlefield?”

Daruk thought about it, and as Kohga suspected, it worked. He rubbed his head for a second, before nodding.

“I mean...kinda makes sense, actually.”

Kohga held onto his face, giving it a light squish.

“Of course I make sense! I’m THE Master Kohga! I’ll even be a nice guy and help you get started.”

Daruk seemed surprised by the way Kohga pushed him flat on his back (the power of cock made Kohga a VERY strong man), and crawled down to...whatever the hell it is that Gorons wore. Kohga always called it a thong, but he was pretty sure that wasn’t the official name for the garment. Either way, he pulled it away, and nearly choked on air. Holy. Fucking. Shit. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but it sure as shit wasn’t this goddamn lynel crusher of a dick. It was huge, scaley (Gorons were more or less rock creatures with some parts of lizards), and as Kohga cupped it in his palm, he realized it wasn’t even hard. It was this big, as it was SOFT. The rather coarse texture was because of big, thick scales it was covered in. Daruk sat there for a moment, clearly confused as to why Kohga was just sitting there, gawking at him like that.

“I uh...you okay-”

“I’m JUST now figuring out you’re hung like a Lynel, I’m VERY okay.”

Don’t get Kohga wrong, this guy was a goddamn BEAST, but Kohga liked a big, thick challenge. Daruk was about to speak, clearly about to tell him he could call this off, but then he felt Kohga’s hand slide down his girth. Now that he actually touched it like this, he realized it wasn’t exactly rough as he thought, as it seemed to bend with a firm hold. Good, so it wouldn’t be like fucking a giant pinecone, but rather a cock with thick ridges. Yeah, he could work with this. Daruk chuckled, combing his hands through his messy hair.

“You uh...done this before, I take it?”

“Not with a Goron, but definitely done it before. Sneaking guys into stable rooms and getting my fill is...a hobby of mine, guess you could say. You’re not used to this though, you’re really liking how I’m holding you.”

“You have REALLY soft hands.”

“Funny, been told that a lot.”

Kohga chuckled. It was nice, getting to feel something bigger than his entire arm in his hand. The way it seemed to radiate heat, the way the flesh started to get harder as his hand roamed up nice and down. Kohga’s hand roamed, trying to find just what he liked, when he noticed just the spot close to the head. It made Daruk grunt a bit, and from a Goron, that was just as good as a moan.

“You’re REALLY good at finding that spot, Kohga.”

“Thank you. It helps that you aren’t fighting me on this.”

“Why would I? We both agreed to this, and this is...for Urbosa, right?”

“For who?”

“Urbosa.”

“Ah, right right right. Yes, totally for her.”

Daruk opened his mouth to ask of his true intentions, when he realized that wasn't very important, given the fact that Kohga's mouth wrapped itself around the head. Kohga’s soft lips never failed to make any cock feel good, and Daruk's was no exception. Kohga knew he couldn't swallow the whole thing (least not without some practice), but that didn't mean anything when you sucked as good as he did. He took a decent amount of him, and he felt Daruk get into it, so far as to put his hand on his head, gently prompting to take him further. If Kohga couldn’t breathe, he could stay down here all damn day. Unfortunately, air was a thing, so he had to pull away, softly gasping as drool still connected his mouth to his cock. Daruk lightly poked him in the shoulder.

"Sorry, I push too hard?"

Kohga shook his head, grinning as he used his hand to spread his spit along his cock.

"No, not at all. You're a big guy Daruk, but don't treat me so delicately. I can handle you, in the battlefield, and in the bedroom."

"Please don't tell me that means you're gonna take me without lube."

"Oh dear god no. I'm brave, but that'd be a suicide mission."

Kohga sat up, and dug into his inventory, pulling out a bottle of lube. Daruk gestured to it as he tried to catch his breath. Poor Daruk was holding himself pretty well up until now. Big, strong man he was. He removed his clothes (nothing more than needed of course), and was about to do some self prep, really put on a show, when suddenly Daruk pinned him down on his back, big, heavy palm on his chest.

"Hey, let me handle that. You shouldn't be doing all that work."

"I'd say 'fuck you, I do things how I want', but I do like doing no work. Almost gentlemanly, big and brawn. "

"Women like that stuff, right?"

"Course! Granted Urbosa is clearly not someone to flop over, but she's gotta appreciate you offering to do most of the...handiwork. I mean I know I do."

Kohga chuckled. He wasn’t Sooga by any means, but he was a big, handsome meathead. Most Gorons were. Full of gusto and big, stupid muscle. Was it any wonder Kohga had SUCH a crush on their species? It helped that Daruk wasn’t a total newbie about this, and didn't seem to be shy at all. Caring, but not shy. He lubed up his big, strong hands, and lathered up Kohga’s ass and legs, really getting him comfortable to his touch. Goron’s hands were...hot. Kohga was damn near swooning.

"You're gonna tell me if it hurts, right?"

"Pfft. If I didn't like it, trust me, you'd be on the floor."

"You wanna bet, boss man?"

Oh. Oh the way Daruk grabbed his ass as he said that. The way he leaned into him, looking at him with big, challenging eyes. The way he SAID that nickname. It took so much of Kohga not to just melt like butter, and giggle like a bunch of giddy school girls. Kohga may be a top, but if a man was big enough, strong enough, COCKY enough, that could change in an absolute flash. He gulped, forcing his inner whore to keep his composure. Even as Daruk dug a big, oiled finger inside of him, Kohga forced himself to keep his composure.

"Yeah, I do mean it. Bigger doesn't mean stronger. You wanna see it, I'm down."

"Ha! You got attitude, just like she does. Maybe this IS good practice."

"Practice my ass. No seriously, push it further, I can take it."

Daruk didn't seem convinced, but he was at LEAST smart enough to do as he said, and shoved his finger well knuckle deep. It made Kohga tremble a bit from it's size. It was so nice, so big, so slow and steady, Kohga knew he could cum with this, if given enough time. But he wanted more. He wanted to get fucking DESTROYED by that giant weapon on his. Daruk seemed to take the hint, and taunted Kohga's hole with another finger.

"Let's make a deal. If you can handle two fingers, right to the knuckle, we’ll do the real deal.”

“I could handle your whole fist if I wanted to!”

“You wanna bet?”

Daruk made the motion to move further when Kohga panicked, holding his hands out to stop him, and yelling at him to NOT. Don’t get Kohga wrong, he loved a good fisting, he just didn’t like it with a side of death. Daruk threw his head back in laughter, clearly he was kidding.

“I was just calling on your bluff, boss man! You’re fun to mess with. Sooga treats you like this, don’t he?”

Kohga was about to bark at him for talking to him like that, when Daruk introduced a second finger, and god dammit did it kill Kohga. A damn, good stretch, no hesitation on his end. He swore a bit under his breath, before shaking his head.

“I treat HIM like this. I’m much better with my hands. And he usually respects me enough to NOT talk back to me.”

“But you kinda like it. I can tell, because you aren’t stopping me.”

Kohga wanted to have a good comeback for that, but YOU try having something to say when fingers that big were pumping into your oiled up ass. Kohga stammered for a response, before he resorted to punching his shoulder.

“God just shut up and fuck me, rock man.”

Daruk wanted to keep using his fingers, but something told him that if he kept delaying it, Kohga was going to just kill him. So he slowly pulled his fingers out, before grabbing a hold of his thighs, and yanked him closer, till his own dick was brushed up against him. Suffice to say, Kohga was a BIT intimidated. His grip on Kohga was tight as he leaned down to his face.

“I can usually tell by someone’s face if they don’t want this. But uh...with the mask and all, I gotta ask, you sure you wanna do this? We can stop, or do something else. I don’t mind doing something...safer, I guess. No shame if you wanna back out.”

Kohga was distracted for a second. The thing was huge, and it was right up against his stomach. He could feel it, hot and thick against him. He wanted it, and he wanted it BAD. Kohga grabbed him by his stupid blue sash thing, and pulled, wanting to show just how serious he was.

“Fuck. Me. Daruk.”

That was as much of a sign as any. Daruk was so easy on those he found who needed a delicate touch, but if they wanted to go all out against him, he was NOT one to hold back. So he pushed his tip against him, before finally going inside of him. Kohga’s extra hand dug into the sheets. Now don’t get him wrong, he’s had some pretty damn good cock, but this? JUST having the tip in? Kohga already wanted to cum. It stretched his ass, and holy shit did Kohga love it. So much so, he was JUST now noticing Daruk was snapping his fingers in front of his face.

“You okay? You weren’t saying anything, thought I broke you.”

“I’m good. SO good, honestly. You could do more, a LOT more, half at least.”

Daruk learned quickly it seemed, choosing not to question him, and slowly, ever so slowly, started to push more into him. Daruk had one hand onto the wall, the other was used to hold Kohga down, as if he was worried Kohga would run from him. Kohga stayed right there, drooling right behind his mask. Daruk was being careful, but wasn’t sweet. His cock was filling him up, stretching him. As if that wasn’t enough, Daruk was letting him run his hand through that absolute mane of hair. So soft, so warm, it somehow made his cock twitch even harder. But that was nothing compared to how well it felt, having HALF of him inside. Daruk moved his hand right to ass, helping himself to a nice, big handful of Kohga’s absolute dump truck of an ass. No permission, no shyness. Just a big, hot hand. Holy shit.

“Gotta give you credit, you’re handling yourself pretty damn well. I’d ask if you were liking it, but uh, something tells me you are.”

Daruk’s stomach pressed up against his dick, and it was SO close to being enough to make him cum. Kohga prided himself in stamina, but dammit he wanted to bust one here and now. Kohga swallowed, somehow finding his voice as he panted something fierce.

“Y-yeah. I am. Don’t get cocky though, I can outlast you.”

“You wanna bet, bossman?”

Daruk was putting his full weight on him, really pushing himself against him, and holy fuck Kohga was so close that time. But that big, stupid face on Daruk forced him to not cum.

“Yeah. You wanna act smug, let’s bet. If YOU cum first, you gotta ask Urbosa out on a date.”

Daruk’s smirk shrunk a bit, definitely not liking that idea. His brows furrowed in determination.

“Alright. If I win, YOU gotta give Sooga a romantic date. No work on his end.”

Neither wanted to do either of these things, but both knew one of them HAD to be done. So, they both nodded in silent agreement. And that’s when things got crazy. The idea of a contest ignited that Goron fire in him, and Daruk started to finally move. Not just move, but actual rough, rhythmic thrusts, right into Kohga’s ass, He never went anymore than halfway into him, but that was more than enough for Kohga’s greedy ass. Daruk’s cock was not only big, not only thick, but those scales seemed to just brush against every sensitive little part of him. Kohga, in the midst of getting his ass PLOWED into, made the mental note to get a dildo that was JUST like the cock he was getting right now. Kohga thought he was doomed. But then he saw Daruk’s face.

Daruk was panting, he was groaning, he looked like he hadn’t gotten a piece of ass in a long, long time. Then Kohga recalled; HE was the top. He was going to MAKE Daruk lose this bet, even if it killed him. Despite the fact that his ass was being stretched to the size of a goddamn manhole, he dug his hand in that big mess of chest hair, and pulled. Just like Sooga’s long hair, Daruk liked his being pulled, forcing him to rest his forehead against his fist as he tried to pick up his pace. Daruk wasn’t faring too well, and it gave Kohga a fuck ton of confidence.

“You’re gonna fucking lose. You’re gonna lose because you LIKE fucking up my ass. You got a smart mouth, and nice, big hands, with lots of pretty hair. But you just can’t hold yourself when it comes to fucking a body like mine. You JUST started to plow me, and you’re already twitching.”

Kohga gave his chest hair another sharp pull, making him groan loudly at the firm grip from the otherwise soft, delicate hands.

“AND you even like your hair being pulled. You act like you’re rough and rowdy, but you really just like a nice, plump ass to stick that monster cock into. And it’s gonna feel even better when you FUCKING cum in it. Go on, give me that fucking Goron cum.”

Kohga had a way with words. Had a way with his greedy hands and plump ass. Such a way, that Daruk came. He came, with a loud, shameless growl in his voice. Immediately Kohga felt his ass stuffed in cum. However, given the fact that it was occupied with damn near a whole foot of Goron cock, it spilled down his ass, and into the bed below. Kohga was grateful for it, and used the chance to pump his own cock. It helped that Goron cum felt...different from normal cum. It felt much thicker, much HOTTER than usual cum. It didn’t burn, but holy hell did it feel good to have it shoved in his insides. Not to mention him cumming right after, being full of so much big, sexy Goron, felt SO much better than any personal wank session. He didn’t even care that he came, all over his chest, and even his own mask. It was a good, hard, fast fuck that Kohga wanted, and deserved.

They sat there for a moment, bathed in sweat and cum. Kohga couldn’t remember when he last felt so full, and Daruk couldn’t remember when he last felt so empty. Kohga chuckled, leaning up a bit to poke Daruk on the forehead.

“I win. YOU gotta ask Urbosa out now!”

Daruk groaned, rubbing his forehead as if he had a headache.

“I...guess you’re right. A bet is a bet, boss man. Can’t believe you beat me to the punch.”

Kohga folded his arms over his chest, smug as could be.

“Course I did! I’m THE Master Kohga! Now, help me get out of bed. I feel absolutely NOTHING below the waist.”

#asks #kohga #daruk #lemon #lesson of the day; kohga is not shy of any dick #and he REALLY liked gorons #especially ones with a lot of hair and attitude #kohga and sooga went to goron city ONCE #kohga would not leave anyone alone #literally ever since Kohga was a young man he found gorons SO cute

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catmetchu · 4 years

Text

Bots/Cons discover their charge is a Puella Magi (Part 1/4)

You are partners with Miko and got introduced to the bots together. Both of you sometimes use your magic to fight cons but only when you won’t blow your covers.

Listen to this while reading

Optimus:

He noticed the mysterious beams/lasers/bullets/swords etc. that aided them during battle early on, and figured out your secret before you knew it.

So, one day, he asked you two in secret about your special powers and you had to spill the beans. He advised you to not use your power to fight Decepticons, but instead to save it up for witches. He also managed to persuade you into telling the rest of the team about it, as he was afraid of your safety.

Everyone was slightly concerned about your lives as Puella Magi, but Ratchet wouldn’t stop loudly voicing his complaints about illegal contracts with children who can’t consent…

Optimus never stopped you and Miko from fighting witches but he asked you to always inform the base beforehand. He also asked anyone to help you two, when they’re off duty.

When the witchs' origins were revealed, Optimus was visibly upset, but he was more sad, than angry at the Incubators. He began comforting you and spending the little time her had with you, after learning that Magical Girls don’t live past their teenage years. He also took it upon himself to hunt witches sometimes and always had grief seeds in his subspace. (He asked everyone to store some as well)

You felt bad for putting this burden on Optimus, with all the other responsibilities he had to carry you couldn’t accept his concerns and grief seeds without feeling guilty. You have always seen him as a father figure and a hero, which was who you wished to become, but you soon realized how delusional you were, thinking that being a hero was so easy.

Optimus soon noticed you avoiding him and fighting witches all on your own, and giving all the grief seeds to Miko.

You tried sacrificing yourself to make up for your mistakes.

Your grief seed hatched when you asked Optimus to drive you to a forest to relax a little. You knew your end was near and you can’t bare to let him see your downfall, so you escaped into the forest and your witch was born.

You left him a note, saying: “I’m sorry for making myself a nuisance to you and that I couldn’t make you proud. I would have already turned into a witch as you’re reading this. I’m sorry.”

Ratchet:

Ratchet found out about your identies when Miko was so badly wounded during battle with a witch, that you had to call him for help.

When you told him about your secret he was PISSED! How could you subject yourself to such danger! And Kyubey is getting a wrench to the skull when he sees them!

He immediately called the base and informed everyone despite you pleading him not to.

He is absolutely against you fighting witches. The first few times he even went after your cellphone signals, but he always ended up losing you after you crossed the witch’s barrier. It took Optimus himself to convince Ratchet to let you go.

He would force you and Miko to spar with team members, commissioning training dummies from Wheeljack for you to sharpen your skills. However he would not let you on the battlefield, despite Miko’s complaints.

When everyone learned of the truth of witches. He completely flipped out, cursing out the incubators. He even broke one of his own tools out of rage. You attempted to calm him down, saying that being a magical girl isn’t all that bad, given that you have saved plenty of people.

“You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villian”, he had said to you, almost like he had someone in mind.

When Bulkhead's processor was overridden by data logs, you saw first hand how Miko’s soul gem darkened rapidly. Her resentment towards the Decepticons made her use up all her magic in a battle that followed. She turned into a witch before she could see Bulkhead recover.

After learning about what happened to Miko, you developed intense hate towards the enemy. You swore you would avenge your friend and partner.

Your intentions were no longer to fight witches, but to kill every Decepticon you crossed paths with. Ratchet noticed the shift in attitude in you and confronted you, which lead to you lashing out at him. You called him weak and a bad friend for not doing everything in his power to fix Bumblebee's voicebox, while you are fighting to avenge your friend.

Your grief seed hatched, when the realization dawned upon you, that you have just hurt your best friend. Your thirst for revenge ended up corrupting your moral believes. You pushed away those who cared until it was too late…

Your witch was born inside your very own bedroom, as you whisper your last words: “I lived long enough to see myself become a villian…”

Bulkhead:

He discovered the identity of both you and Miko, when she didn’t answer his calls past the time of her detention. You two always use detention as a cover up to fight witches.

This time you were both heavily wounded and barely made it out the labyrinth alive, when he found you two exiting the witch's portal in your magical girl attires.

After some explanation he was a little upset that you didn’t tell him, but also mad at himself for brushing off the weird things you two would do sometimes. Like, finding excuses last minute to not go to the base, or the weird beams/lasers/bullets/swords etc. he would see being shot at cons, on the battlefield. If he had noticed and helped fighting these monsters, maybe you two wouldn’t have nearly died.

He agreed to keep your secret from the rest of the team, but made you promise to always inform him when you need to hunt witches so that he can have your back.

When time allowed it, he would fight witches alongside you.

When the secret of witches was revealed he had sworn to punch Kyubey with his wrecking ball if they ever crossed paths. He understands that entropy must be stopped but he only wishes there were better solutions then to sacrifice innocent lives.

Knowing both you and Miko’s lives were significantly shortened as a result, he spends any time he has with you and Miko, watching TV, playing games, playing music.

He also made sure to hunt extra witches to supply you with grief seeds.

Throughout this time he hasn’t told anyone of your identity. But the truth got revealed when Miko died in a battle with a witch and the team was informed of your secret identies.

Everyone was upset that you didn’t tell them, especially Ratchet and Arcee, having lost two partners, she was especially upset. But Bulkhead defended you saying that Kyubey tricked you two into contracts and you kept the team in the dark to protect them.

Your grief seed hatched during a mission when Breakdown teased Bulkhead about the absence of Miko, and you attacked him out of rage. With all the blame you took for Miko’s death, your soul gem darkened rapidly. Bulkhead noticed this and called in back up.

The bots tried to pry you away from Breakdown but you fought them off. After realizing that you have hurt your friends, and murdered someone who wasn’t a witch, guilt pushed your soul gem over the edge.

Your last words before the Bots escaped were: “I’m sorry I killed someone again.”

Smokescreen:

When Smokescreen came to earth, your secret was already known to the Autobots. However, unlike everyone else from the team, he was ecstatic! He immediately overwhelmed you with questions: Why did you become Magical Girls? Can you really wish for anything? Can I become a Puella Magi?

The mission of Magical Girls, for Smokescreen, was the equivalent of a dream come true. Maybe not quite the life of a hero he had dreamt of, but saving innocent people from evil witches was close enough.

He would beg you to let him join you in battling witches. You two weren’t so sure at first, but you did accept his help in the end, since you don’t have to share grief seeds with him. And his superior firepower aided you both greatly in fighting witches.

Killing witches together became valuable bonding time between you and him. Miko would tease you about being more than just friends with him. You find yourself finding much enjoyment in hunting witches when he was around, and would put effort into impressing Smokescreen with your fighting skills, performing stunts etc.

When the truth behind witches was revealed, immense guilt filled your soul and you felt resentment towards witch hunting, and avoided the witches instead.

Smokescreen noticed your shift in attitude, so he tried to convince you to keep fighting by reminding you that you’re doing this for the greater good, that you are a hero.

“Maybe there is a way we can help those witches, and solve the problem in a peaceful way instead! Maybe then they’ll drop a soulgem instead of a griefseed or something.”, he had said. Those words filled your heart with warmth and you were willing to try. And you and him will succeed!

You told Miko of your plan. She was skeptical but complied with you anyway. If it didn’t work you can always just kill the witch.

The next time you found a witch you tried talking to her, dodging her attacks than trying to fight her. But it didn’t seem to take effect on her, but you had faith in saving her poor soul. You kept trying and trying, and your soulgems kept darkening and darkening. But you kept pushing.

Until you saw Miko’s death before your eyes. Smokescreen was quick to kill the witch before it could get to you.

Only for another witch to be born in the exact spot. Your griefseed hatching right after your last words: “I just wanted to make things right.”

#transformers #transformers prime #tfp #transformers scenarios #transformers crossover #pmmm spoilers #pmmm au #puella magi madoka magica #madoka magika #tfp optimus prime #tfp ratchet #tfp bulkhead #tfp smokescreen

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ancientechos · 4 years

Text

My one and only contribution to sinday *tosses into queue before I can regret this*

Yes this is nsfvv I’m very sorry I may come back and delete this,

Emet-Selch/Arianna ♡ 2443 words ♡ sometime post 5.3 probably because that’s what gave me the brainworms to write this. no spoilers tho there is literally no plot don’t worry

“If you don’t hurry up, I might not be able to behave myself.”

“What would that look like?”

“-- Are you asking me to misbehave?”

Regrettably, the incredulity in his voice is enough to get her to back down, skin rivaling the colour of a tomato, as she looks away, her dark hair obstructing view of most of her face. It isn’t often that she is so...upfront, but it is certainly entertaining each and every time.

Of course, she wouldn’t dare be so forward if they were anywhere else but the safety of her room, or their room, or perhaps his -- the venue matters little so long as the outcome is more or less the same. Unfortunately, she seems all the ready to disappear from his sight, subtly eyeing the doorway as she makes to slide past him and vanish up to the main floor of her house.

But after saying something so adorable to him, she certainly isn’t getting away.

He encloses her in an embrace before she can leave him,

“I want you,” he purrs, dragging a hand down her back and groping at her rear through her robes. He tugs her against him, and she gives a startled gasp, her hands flying up to clutch at his shoulders. She doesn’t move away, and he knows better than to assume she wants to but simply isn’t expressing it. The hyuran woman’s eyes darken as she stares up at him, her teeth lightly worrying at her lower lip.

“Y-you have me,” she stammers, pressing up against him with a quiet exhale. The man gives a small hum, lifting his hand up to the small of her back to hold her close. His other hand brushes dark hair from her face as he dips his head to press a small kiss to her cheek.

“You’re mine,” he murmurs, giving another kiss to her cheekbone, then lower. He backs her against the wall, and she moves easily, clasping her hands behind his neck.

“I-I’m yours,” Arianna repeats, feeling him smirk against her chin. The hand at her back leaves her momentarily to allow himself to snap his fingers, leaving him in his smallclothes and her in nothing but her pin and a sheer, white dress not especially suitable for going out.

The abrupt change in clothing leaves her only mildly flustered, having been used to this by now. Though she wonders if she really should be.

He bends to kiss at her neck, and she gasps slightly, running fingers through his hair.

“Are you mine...?” she asks breathlessly, arching slightly into him.

“Always,” Hades rasps against her pulse, pressing another kiss to her as he moves to lift her. With a startled sound, she hooks her legs about him and shivers.

“A-are we...n-not going to the bed...?” she manages after a moment, squirming slightly against him. He seems amused by the question, chuckling lowly as he kisses her other cheek.

“Too far,” is his only response, before he presses closer to her needily. The sensation of his hardened length nudging against her has Arianna flushing darkly, eyes squeezing shut. “You couldn’t be so cruel as to make me walk that far, could you?”

Even without her seeing his grin directly, the irony in his tone is evident -- such he can tell by the mild curve of her lips as she tries not to smile. Though she does, at least, answer him with a mild shake of her head.

“I knew you couldn’t, you’re far too sweet for me,” he continues with a smirk, groping one of her breasts through the thin lingerie. One of his favourites on her, though even that has to go once he tires of being unable to properly feel her. It vanishes with another snap of his fingers, and finally he can stroke her skin and kiss her properly, just as she can him.

It’s easy to coax her into readiness for him; truly he should not call it coaxing at all, she hardly needs persuading. Instead, she is just as eager as he is, then and now, truly more compatible than he could have ever thought those ages ago. And he finds himself feeling blessed to know this hasn’t changed.

She’s hot and wet and lovely; he finds himself sighing as he enters her, Arianna letting out her own muffled moan. It’s easy to find a good pace, her hands in his hair and down his spine encouraging him to move within her, pulling him for a kiss. He nips her lower lip gently before lavishing her chest and neck with kisses, craning to kiss her where he wants.

“You’re beautiful,” he informs her with a smile, thrusting into her harder as he continues. “And sexy...” Despite her muffled moan, she still manages to shake her head.

“I-I -- am not -- “

“Really?” he scoffs, one eyebrow lifting to his hairline despite their current predicament. “Well, I’m afraid you have me terribly fooled.” As if to prove his point, he snaps his hips within her, this time finding the spot that makes her tense up with a gasp. She instinctively runs her fingernails down his back, and he purrs at the sensation.

“Ah -- s-sorry -- ”

“No,” he groans, rolling his hips harder against that spot that makes her whimper and clutch at him unthinkingly, dragging nails down his shoulder blades. “You’re such a good girl.” The rumble against her ear as he thrusts into her again has her keening and tightening around him delectably.

How he adores feeling needed, pulling those sighs and moans from her lips like a fine-tuned instrument. A hungry kiss muffles her cries as he swallows them greedily, their tongues sliding against one another while her hands stroke him affectionately.

Her legs lock tighter; with a gasp, she breaks the kiss, turning her head to the side, and he immediately lavishes the column of her neck with nibbles and soft kisses. How nice that her preferred manner of dress should include tall necklines.

“Oh, Hades...” One of her hands finally leaves his hair to instead touch softly to his forehead; easily, she finds the third eye there, stroking across it ardently with soft fingertips. The touch has him gasping this time, movements stilling. His knees buckle and he has to bite his lip to stifle his own sound of delight.

“You minx,” he mutters, groping at her thoughtlessly. The tiny shiver and giggle she gives him is enough to have his mouth splitting in a leery grin. Holding her tight to him, he allows himself to fall back into the void, with her in his clutches. It deposits them onto her bed behind them, him underneath her as she sits astride his hips.

Arianna appears mildly shocked for the sudden change, but doesn’t seem to have any sort of complaint. Instead, she shifts slightly to get more comfortable, then leans to continue petting at his forehead.

“You know,” he hums, thrusting into her gently, hands massaging at her hips, “the first time we did this — the very first time — it was like — this...” His mouth curves in a fond smirk. “If I recall right — and I do — you said...we were like puzzle pieces.” The smirk morphs into a wry grin. “Hythlodaeus did find us quite fond of puzzles after that...”

A breathless sigh leaves her as she lifts herself to bring herself down upon him. Eagerly, he supports her, a new lazy rhythm overtaking them both. “Hades, I — I like...this...”

She has never been as wordy as he was, even during this, even before, but that matters little to him. He doesn’t even need to hear her speaking at all like this...

Though come to think of it, the quirk of her brows tells him, even without the link between them, that there is definitely something else she desires to say. The shyness that has her second-guessing herself isn’t because of the sex at all.

Reluctantly, he stops, and delights in the way she gives a tiny squirm of annoyance that sends the flush to her cheeks even further scarlet. He has to bite his cheek to keep the smirk from curving his mouth. Instead, he lifts both his hands to her face, delicately tracing fingers along her forehead and eyebrows, drawing his thumb along her lips. Pressing his palms to her cheeks warmly, he simply gazes into her eyes for a moment.

“What is it? What do you want to say?” he coaxes gently. Her green gaze, burning as beautifully as the kaleidoscope of her soul, holds his for a moment, before it flicks away in a nervous flutter.

“I-I — you...” Her mouth twists indecisively, teeth sinking into her lips. Again, his thumb runs across her mouth.

“I’ve asked you not to do that,” he murmurs quietly, brows furrowing until she finally relaxes. “You’ll hurt yourself. But take your time telling me — I can wait all night.” The smile he flashes her is lazy and sharp all at once.

— He’s actually not that patient. But neither is she.

As he’d hoped, the gentle prodding is enough. With a shaky exhale, she finally begins to speak, her gaze shyly catching his. Her voice is quiet enough that he nearly has to strain to hear it, the words becoming more and more silent each syllable.

“Y-you — make me feel like...t-the only person in the world...”

The softness of the proclamation is in stark contrast to the tenseness of her limbs, though unfortunately not a result of any sort of pleasure. Nerves — and not the good kind.

The Ascian’s teeth click together even as feels himself melting. A strange lump in his throat makes him unable to form words for a few, precious moments.

“Oh, sweetheart...” A huffing laugh leaves him. “You are the only person in my world, Arianna.” The transformation in her expression is further endearing; her eyes widening slightly in something akin to shock, before shifting to that expression he misses and cherishes so very much. Looking at him as if he is something she wants or needs or yearns for, as if somehow he above all other things is precious.

He often wondered, and still wonders, what on earth she sees in him that she would so reverently wish for. But he would never rather her look at anyone else like this.

He flips them deftly, hovering over her above the sheets as her dark, curled hair fans out about her. Though for the moment, he doesn’t move, his gaze instead caught upon the glint of the pin still fastened within her hair.

Carefully, he removes it, depositing it onto her night table. Then he swoops to seal her lips with his in a searing kiss, moaning softly as she arches into him welcomingly.

When he pulls away to gaze down at her again, Hades has to catch his breath at the pure adoration in her expression. Her hands gently trace up and down his back, her legs locking about him again to hold him close. And how he can’t get enough of the sensation of her skin against his, her warmth around him. This is home, no matter anything else — so long as he can be with her alone together like this, his soul coiling around hers feverishly in a manner that makes her shiver and gasp even without having to move an ilm. He is home, no matter the surroundings around him. He doesn’t want to lose this ever again.

“I love you,” Hades whispers, the kiss this time soft as down. She kisses him back, eyes closed, her fingers gently running through his hair even as she shifts her hips somewhat needily. He has to suppress a low chuckle.

“I love you, too,” she whispers, breathless but eager, melting against him as she leans to press a few kisses of her own to his cheeks. She truly is too sweet for him.

With a fond smirk, he finally gives her what she wants, rolling his hips against hers. It takes him another moment to find that delightful spot inside her, before he has her whimpering and clutching at his shoulders again.

“Please — please, please, Ha...des...”

Teeth find her collarbone, the side of her neck, sink into her lower lip gently as he kisses her.

“You beg me so sweetly,” he purrs against her skin, snapping his hips with more force. He grasps at her hip, gropes one of her sweet breasts as he thumbs over one of her soft nubs. “No one can hear you here...but me, my dear...so...scream as loud as you like...”

That certainly gets a reaction he likes, those silly inhibitions of hers slowly fizzing out. The hyuran woman pants beneath him, skin sweat-slicked, as she earnestly moves against his own motions. Her pleasure only brings his spiralling further, and with each thrust her pretty voice sounds out all the clearer for him.

“Ah — hah, Hades — “ He adores how she says his name, how he’s waited to hear her say it just like this again. He doesn’t want to hear anyone else say that name...

“My dearest...Arianna,” he rasps out, clenching his jaw as his motions increase in tempo. He rains soft kisses upon her, soft sucks to the flesh at her neck and shoulder, until he can no longer think to concentrate, beyond the primal urge to move himself within her.

Her high-pitched keening gasps only serve to spur him forward further, and as her inner walls tighten around him with a final dreamy sigh of his name, he finally lets himself go, spilling within her as she arches and clings to him. Arianna shivers, panting, as he huffs against her.

He weighs upon her, though he is careful, and knows she enjoys it besides. Before long, however, he’s moved them both to rearrange himself on his back, Arianna lying upon his chest with her ear above his heart. Idly, he strokes her hair and back while she curls close with a pleased sigh, their legs tangled together.

Lazily, he throws a blanket over the both of them, his eyes closing momentarily as a pleasant buzz settles over him. Until he recalls something.

“So, did I misbehave enough?”

#theres literally no beginning to this because #just because theres no proper reason #dkafjlsjdg #god im not even gonna tag this properly #sinday #emet selch x arianna #arianna rowen #arianna #fanfic #my writing #w: the dreamer and the architect #nsfvv #mine #throws myself into the void #scheduled

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clan-sayeed-fic · 4 years

Text

Let me earn your trust (Kamilah Sayeed & MC)

Previous chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Book: Bloodbound (property of Pixelberry Studios) Pairing: Kamilah Sayeed & MC: Amy (I do not own those characters, they're the property of Pixelberry Studios as well) Warnings: strong language, very little fluff/smut? (it turns out I don’t know what I’m writing about at this point hahaha) Rating: Mature Author's note: I'm not a native English speaker, I'm sorry for any mistakes (feel free to correct me).

I must say, I wasn't expecting to upload this story at all. And here we are, in the middle of what I have already written. And I haven't even got to the ending... let's say I'm gonna torture you with this story till you'll have enough of it. 😋

Today's chapter is the longest so far, hope you'll enjoy it. The first time I'm not giving hints about what will happen in the next chapter. I hope you like mysteries!😘

~ 2600 words

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Chapter 11

The smell of sweat filled the room.

Another scream echoed between the walls when Lily went flying through the whole length of the gym, finally hitting the floor.

"Again," Kamilah's cold voice was repeating the same word over and over.

Amy buried her face in her hands. She was sitting on the floor against the mirror on the wall. They were in the private training hall which apparently, Kamilah had in her company building.

"Come on," Lily panted, barely standing on her feet. "How can you not even stumble a little?!"

Indeed, for this whole time, Kamilah was barely touchable. The only moments when Kamilah was within Lily's reach happened because the woman by herself let her to. There was no sweat on Kamilah's body, no heavy breathing coming out of her lungs. She kept her upright posture the whole time. The only thing that had been changing was the color of her eyes, which turned red every time Lily planned to attack.

"Because I'm focusing, unlike you," Kamilah growled, annoyed.

Lily steadied her body. It was easy to recognize that she was losing her temper. Pain and exhaustion were reaching their limits within her. After each strike, her wounds healed impossibly fast, which was the advantage of being a newly turned. But it has its cons too. Her body was regularly devastated and healed.

And even the healing process could hurt sometimes depending on the injury.

Lily looked at Kamilah one more time, searching for weak points in her defensive position. Finally, she attacked, using her vampire speed, which made everything go blurry before Amy's eyes.

And then one more time: sounds of loud breaths, punching, scream, and Lily was on the floor writhing in pain.

Amy stood up momentarily, wanting to help her friend. She had an impulse to do it whenever Lily fell on the floor. And like every time before, now too, Kamilah's red eyes stopped her from doing this. The woman wanted the newly turned vampire to handle herself without help.

"Again," Kamilah was always ready.

"No," Lily stood up, her cracked bones healed loudly, making her bend in pain. "We did it like a hundred times, no more," sweat all over her face.

Amy knew already how this would turn out. Kamilah's eyes were still red. Not because of the fight this time, but the rage that burned inside of her. There was not much that Amy could do in this situation, so she stayed silent and watched the women.

"Do you realize that you are in no position to argue?" Kamilah's voice sharp like it could cut through anything. "The meeting will begin in a few hours. That doesn't give us much time to improve your skills."

"Yeah, exactly!" Lily shouted. "What's the point of all of this?" she made a gesture showing the training hall.

"Degree of your training might be our only chance to convince the Council from giving you a death sentence," Kamilah frowned at how reckless Lily acted.

Since they had no time anymore on convincing members of the Council before the meeting, they had to come up with a new idea. Adrian reminded Kamilah that back in the days the Council used to make its decisions based on how well trained the newly turned vampire was.

Kamilah did great by training Lily. And the girl by herself made enormous progress. But still, Kamilah was afraid that it might not have been enough. And she needed to be sure that it would be, thinking of Adrian's fate.

"I know," Lily became upset. At this point, Amy had a remarkably hard time standing in one place. "Just give me a break, ok?"

"Fifteen minutes," Kamilah ordered.

Lily inhaled deeply and turned to the exit. Finally, Amy moved into her direction, wanting to comfort her. But, to her great astonishment, that was not what her friend needed at the time.

"Don't, seriously," Lily didn't even bother to look at her. "I wanna be alone right now."

Amy stopped heartbroken. They had known each other for very long. Amy had time to learn that the best she could do in such moments was to let her be. No matter how hard it was for her to resist the urge of hugging Lily and telling her that she did great, it would do more harm than good.

Finally, Amy composed herself and turned around to Kamilah, feeling angry at her.

The woman walked to the corner of the hall, where she left her things. She drank water from the bottle and took off her training gloves, throwing them to the opened bag.

"You didn't have to be so harsh," Amy's voice was full of complaint.

"Live won't be easy for her either," Kamilah turned to face the girl. "Besides, I wasn't harsh. I'm sure even you could have dealt with it."

Amy's eyes raised. She was surprised by Kamilah's statement, and looking at her made Amy believe in the woman's words even less.

Kamilah stood in front of her wearing a black, simple sports bra and leggings. Her hair back into a loose ponytail, letting some of the hair fell from behind her ears. Her darker complexion was shining from the effort she put in training Lily. Muscles in her body highlighted by the faint light that was reaching the corner. Amy looked into her eyes and swallowed nervously.

"Yeah," she chuckled. "I truly doubt that,"

Amy wanted to turn from Kamilah when she felt her hand grabbing Amy by the wrist swirling her around till she stood with her back against Kamilah's chest. The grip on Amy's wrist was still solid when Kamilah lowered her head to her neck, making Amy shiver.

"Why don't you let me prove you wrong?" a sweet whisper from Kamilah's mouth straight into the soft skin.

Amy barely stopped the moan from escaping her mouth when the other hand moved from her hip, up to her waist. Slowly getting under her shirt, like she was waiting for a reaction.

You're angry at her, remember? Amy told herself in thoughts and with difficulty broke free from Kamilah's grip, causing her smirk with satisfaction.

"All right, I'll try," Amy's breath quickened already. "I can't see how this is supposed to prove anything since your way much stronger and faster."

"I won't use my advantages," Kamilah ensured, taking the position. "Try to hit me."

Amy inhaled deeply, showing a lack of confidence. But despite doubts, she made a fist out of her right palm. And when she wanted to attack, hesitation hit her with doubled strength.

"This is ridiculous," Amy laughed nervously.

"Of course, it is when you're preparing yourself to..." Kamilah said ironically.

Then, Amy hit her, acting impulsively. She certainly caught the woman off guard, but still, Kamilah blocked her effortlessly. She made Amy stumble a little, but there was no pain after Kamilah's defending move.

"Not bad," Kamilah said honestly, "try again."

"Oh no, I know how it goes with your 'again'..." Amy made an impression of Kamilah quite adequately.

Amy wanted to say something more, but she sensed the attack coming before Kamilah even planned to do this. Thanks to that, Amy dodged to the side at the right time, making Kamilah lose full strength on the missed attack.

The woman turned around with an impressed expression on her face.

"How did you do that?" Kamilah couldn't hide how dazzled she was.

"Um..." Amy looked at her own hands.

Then, Kamilah attacked again, trying to prove her theory.

Amy blocked every attack in a similar way that Kamilah did previously. The girl wasn't impossibly strong or agile. She just knew where Kamilah would hit and with what force.

After a series of attacks, Kamilahs stopped, her breath increased.

"This is quite a discovery," this time, the woman took Amy's hand gently, trying to figure out how was it even possible for someone without training to achieve something like that.

She didn't use her vampire abilities, but still. Amy was not muscular, her arms were weak, and she could not even beat properly.

"I guess," Amy smiled, but it was weird for her too. "I'm just better at defending myself."

"That's for sure," Kamilah stopped examining Amy, but her hand was still resting on her arm.

They stood close for long seconds, looking into each other's eyes.

Then, they heard a throat clearing, which ruined the moment.

"I don't wanna interrupt or something," Lily stood in the entrance, smiling widely. Her mood went back to its normal state.

Amy blushed, stepping away from Kamilah. The woman looked at the clock hanging on the wall to see that twenty minutes had passed.

"You're late," Kamilah stated a fact.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Lily couldn't help but tease.

"Why don't you find out and try to fight me?" Kamilah crossed her arms, with a daring look in her eyes.

Lily's smile faded when she understood that she just made her own existence a lot harder.

***

It was the hour of the Council meeting. Amy was told to stay in Kamilah's office while the rest of them went to the conference room to meet with the others from the Council. Amy knew that one of them would be Priya, and she doubted if the woman would vote on Lily's side.

There was the Baron who was at least likable from the men of the Council. Kamilah was sure that they would have to make a deal with him to persuade him on voting- aye. But nothing was certain with this vampire.

She heard about Lester. That Adrian had an argument with him recently, so they didn't even count on his vote.

There was their new Clan leader, Jax. He would undoubtedly vote on Lily's side since he knew how it felt to be Clanless. He remembered constant fear of becoming feral too well.

The last one was Adam Vega, the least predictable. He appeared fine but always needed more power. His vote depended on how beneficial the whole situation would turn out for him.

***

Amy kept walking from desk to doors, with her arms crossed.

It has been nearly an hour since the meeting started. How long could it take? She was curious about how Lily performed her skills before the Council members. If they even wanted to test how well trained she was.

Finally, Adrian walked in, making Amy jump.

"And?" she couldn't wait anymore.

Adrian looked at her with his eyes full of tiredness.

"It's not looking good," he said honestly, "We need to convince Adam to vote on our side," he was deadly serious. "He wants to talk with you."

"What?" Amy was shocked. "Why me?"

"He is considering you a threat," Adrian didn't have to put this gently. "He wants to know how did you manage to convince me to turn Lily. Of course, you don't have to agree on this if you don't want to."

Amy straightened up, feeling ready.

"I do," she forced a confident smile, "we win this today."

Amy followed Adrian to the conference room. When they walked in, the first person that she saw was Kamilah sitting in the most important seat. She was looking through the window, frowning.

Lily was standing by the wall, she wasn't smiling like before. Amy wondered what had happened there in her absence because the tension in the air seemed almost touchable.

Kamilah could smell Amy's perfume, and that's what made her took her eyes off the city. She was surprised to see the girl standing in the room next to Adrian.

"Adrian," her voice cold, "I thought we made a decision."

Adrian gulped unsurely under Kamilah's gaze. He hated to disagree with her.

"I..." he started, but Amy interrupted.

"You wanted to talk with me," her eyes moved to Adam, who was sitting between Priya and Lester.

"I did," he smiled, "I wanted to meet this infamous human being."

He looked over Amy's body like he was worried that someone of her average height could be a threat to him. Amy fought the urge to correct her pose as she managed to hold his gaze.

Priya obviously recognized Amy even if nearly 4 months had passed since they met. The fashion designer laughed loudly and spoke with irony.

"So first you're making me fire my employee... and then, Adrian to change your friend into the vampire," she licked her lips hungrily. "You've got some nerve."

Amy stepped nervously. She knew that Priya's words were not working in the interest of this case. And as she predicted, Adam became even more suspicious toward her.

"How could someone owning such a weak body, convince the most powerful creature walking on Earth to do something against its will," Adam said, wondering.

Amy could sense that Kamilah was trying her best, not interrupting.

"I would say that I can be pretty convincing," Amy smiled sweetly, trying to buy herself some time to collect her thoughts.

"I can see this happening," he said, scratching his beard. "But still, what Adrian could have from saving your friend? What could you possibly give him?"

I'm a fucking Bloodkeeper, Amy's thoughts screamed. She wasn't sure if she should have ever trusted Adrian or Kamilah. But, one thing was clear, Adam was far away from gaining her appreciation.

"Listen to me, Vega," Amy spoke with a strength in her voice, making everyone in the room freeze. "I know that I'm in the way. The human who knows about vampires... it can not be convenient." Adam wanted to deny, but she kept going, "You would like to kill me to keep me quiet, but it's against the rules," she was looking directly into his eyes. "On the other hand, a human who knows about vampires is... also against the rules.'' Noone interrupted her. ''There is only one solution."

Amy made a pause, giving everyone a chance to rethink her words. She knew she was walking a fine line, but there was no way back.

Vega seemed to be shocked by Amy's confidence. Actually, everyone in the room was, even herself. Words just left her mouth like she was a completely different person.

"Then, Amy," Adam said, "what solution would you suggest?"

Exactly, what do you suggest, Amy thought. It's not like she wasn't prepared or anything. She felt more afraid now that it would not be enough.

"We make a deal," Amy gulped, partially losing her confidence. "You, vote aye, and I..." that wasn't smart, she knew that right now, "will owe you a favor."

Everyone in the room moved significantly after those words. Adam let out a whistle as he was considering Amy's offer.

"That's not an option," Kamilah stood up, losing control.

Lily wanted to say something, but Adrian stopped her, keeping her by the arm. He didn't want things to go any more complicated than they already had become.

"Why would I want your favor?" Adam asked, ignoring Kamilah's words.

"You said it yourself," Amy kept his gaze. "How could I control two different vampires, "she kept on repeating his words, changing her tone to more sarcastic. "The most powerful creatures walking on Earth, right?" her left eyebrow lifted for a moment.

Adam leaned back in his chair. He kept on scratching his beard.

In the room fell silence of anticipation.

"Aye, then," Adam's voice, loudly cutting through the silence.

Kamilah let out a breath after hearing this. She should feel happy and relieved because they won. Lily was saved from becoming feral. Adrian, free from punishment. But at what cost?

Right then, Amy realized that she started playing a remarkably dangerous game.

And she was just the beginner since they all had been playing in it for centuries.

Next chapter: 12

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tag list: @onyxgaytrash, @lightning-fury, @scarlet-letter-a0114, @caliseds

#kamilah sayeed #kamilah x mc #bloodbound kamilah #bb kamilah #bloodbound mc #bb mc #bloodkeeper #vampires #lily spencer #the council #adrian raines #priya lacroix #adam vega #bloodbound #choices bloodbound #choices bb #choices stories you play #choices fanfiction #choices fic

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taleslations · 4 years

Video

dailymotion

Drama CD Tales Ring Xillia C86

Track #4: The Chimeriad and the Hot Springs Inn (4)

The plot is unraveling. Or is it?

Script under read more.

Agria: What's up, Wingul? Why did you suddenly call us? Jiao: Was there a complaint? Presa: Is it about that mysterious peeping tom? Agria: You found him? Wingul: No. I have called you but for one reason: The secret meeting will take place tomorrow, at long last. Presa: I see. The end is near. Agria: Finally! I thought I was gonna die of boredom. Jiao: Wingul, do you know what time it will take place? Wingul: I checked in the guest registry. It will take place at noon. I want you to act as planned. However, a problem has arisen... All: A problem?

Man: You sharp eye is impressive, Mr Rowen. You could tell that plate's value with just a glance. Rowen: You flatter me. I just noticed that it was of different quality than the others. Man: Don't be modest! Mr Alvin, your grandfather is quite humble. Alvin: Yeah. He's always babbling about old stuff though, so he's hard to handle. Man: Little miss, don't hide in the corner and come eat some sweets. Elize: I-I... Alvin: Sorry, my sister is a bit shy. Elize, come sit next to me. The seat is free. Elize: Okay, just for a little bit... Teepo: I'll bite you if you do anything funny! Man: Oh, how does this doll talk? Milla: Bad things will happen to you if you learn the truth. Are you sure you want to know? Jude: Milla, don't eat so much at once!

Presa: What's going on here? And why are they putting on an act? Agria: Don't ask me. Man: Waitress, could you get me some tea, please? Presa: Of course, sir! Leia: Here is your tea. Please drink it while it is warm. Presa: Hey, what are you doing? Leia: Well, I just kinda... ended up helping. Presa: Helping?! Milla: Leia, tea, please. Leia: Right! Here you are! Jude: I'm sorry, Presa. We met those guys in the hot springs. We just started talking, and here we are. Presa: I heard about it, but I didn't expect such a big party. Agria: Well I guess lazy bums stick together. Leia: Why do you have to put it like that? Agria: I wasn't talking to you, pimple. Leia: You're a meanie!

Presa: Agria! It's become more troublesome than expected. Agria: The heck are Wingul and Jiao doing? Presa: They said they had something to check. We don't have time to theorize about their absense. Let's execute our strategy. Agria: What strategy? Presa: Let's casually join their conversation. That's our only way to approach our target and gain information. Agria: Join them? There? No way! Man: Hey, waitress! Presa: Coming! Here's our chance, Agria! Agria: Woah.

Milla: I was surprised when I experienced it for myself. I'd heard that naked bonding experiences had a positive effect on human relationships but I didn't expect it to be so intense. Leia: I wish we met someone in the women's bath too. Rowen: You're always welcome to join us in the men's bath. Man: Ha ha ha. Indeed. That would be true heaven. Agria: Want me to take you to heaven? Leia: Huh? Agria! Man: That's... Well, you know, men have dreams. How about it? Would you wash my back next time? Agria: Huh? Man: Wait, that could be construed as sexual harassment. What are you saying? Man: This girl is so plain I'm the one who feels harassed. Agria: Who are you calling plain? Alvin: Hey, isn't this bad? Teepo: I can see a dark aura. Agria: You! Try saying that again. Man: Did I offend you? Sorry, sorry. Even if you're plain, you are a wonderful lady. Agria: Huh huh, I see, you really want to go to heaven. As you wish, I will—ouch! Presa: Tee hee. My apologies. I will scold her properly later. Agria: You! Man: No need. It's unusual to find so many beauties in the same place. We got overexcited. Leia: Did you hear that? He called us beauties! Teepo: You're gonna make me blush. Agria: He obviously wasn't talking about you. Man: You're all so lively and fun. Presa: Is that so? By the way... I have been wondering for a while, but may I ask what all those sweets are for? Man: These are our new samples. We made them ourselves. Presa: Samples? That you made yourselves? Man: Right! How about telling them about it? Man: Good idea. In truth, there is a favor we would like to ask you. Agria: What now? It better not be stupid, or I'll kill you. Man: We cannot really say it out loud, but we are part of a secret plot. Presa: A secret plot? Man: Yes. So please keep it between us. Man: We... need young women!! Agria: Die! Man: Wait, let me explain! Rowen: Calm down, Agria. Agria: Out of the way, gramps! Are you trying to defend the pervs? Rowen: That's not it. They just want to talk to women. Agria: Huh? Man: Yes! Mr Rowen is right! We need young ladies opinions more than anything! Presa: Young ladies? Then, do you mean... Agria: Not you, obviously. Presa: Why you... Al, why are you laughing? Alvin: Nooo, I just thought you look cute when you get flustered. Jude: It's not new, but... Milla: Indeed. Alvin's idle joking is impressive as ever. Elize: It's the worst. Teepo: Go get stabbed! Man: No, no, age has nothing to do with it. We just want various women's opinions. So you see... Yes... Man: Women's buying power is not to be underestimated.

Presa: So, what is this about? Man: Well, to make it short, we come from Auj Oule's remote tribes. We are currently developing a new special product and are sharing opinions with other tribes. Agria: Sharing opinions? Man: Exactly. Man: You know how Gaius Dumplings are famous in Kanbalar? We heard they brought many tourists to the city. So we got off our butts and started thinking. We want our products to become as popular in Auj Oule. Presa: Oh, so that's what it was about. Milla: What did you think it was? Presa: Nothing. Agria: This is so misleading. You could have been clear from the start! Man: No way. What if someone stole our idea? That's why we're pretending to have a boring business meeting. You never know who might be a spy. Man: Now you understand, please try a sample. Come here. Agria: Huh? Stop it! Let me go! Man: We have Gaius Wafers, Gaius Crackers, Gaius Bean Paste, Gaius Cakes and Gaius Jelly. Agria: They're all imitations! And don't just go using His Highness' name! Since we are competing against Gaius Dumplings, we need to give it an official flair. We are sure it tastes good. Please have a bite.

Wingul: As I thought, they were planning on developing a new product. Jiao: Yes, just like you said. Presa: You two, how long have you been watching? Jiao: A while. - Presa: Then you could have... Actually, if you knew, you should have told us. Wingul: I apologize. It took us some time to get confirmation. Jiao: The information Agria gathered raised many questions. Presa: I don't believe you. Wingul, I know you had another objective. Wingul: Remote tribes are not easy to supervise from the capital. Observing their relationship during this meeting will prove very insightful for our country's future. Presa: I knew it. Wingul: Besides, I was able to persuade a chief. He will be our eyes and ears from now on. Are you now satisfied? Presa: Yes, very. You're a really shrewd man. Jiao: Presa, are you angry? Presa: I'm just going to fix my make-up. Jiao: Sorry, Wingul. Thanks for agreeing to my selfish request. Wingul: I don't know what you're talking about. Jiao: No need to pretend. It's because I said we should rest that you arranged for our stay to last. Wingul: You think too highly of me. As I said, it just took me some time to investigate. That is all. Jiao: All right, if you say so. Wingul: We can come back anytime. Though next time we should come as guests. Jiao: Next time, huh... Right... That would be fun.

Agria: Dang it, when did "compete against Gaius Dumplings" become "compete against Gaius"? Damn it, go to hell! Jiao: Calm down, Agria. Why don't you try this sample and see if it improves your mood? Agria: Don't try to distract me with sweets. Jiao: Don't say that. This dango looks delicious. Agria: What? The color's weird. Man: Aah, that's... Agria: Yuck! What the heck? Man: Heart leaf-flavored Gaius Dango. We thought it'd be popular with healthy people. It's good for your health, but the taste... Agria: Who came up with that? Jiao: Sorry, Agria. What about this wafer? Man: I'm proud of that one. Agria: Wha... Seriously, this is weirder than the other one. Man: Really? To appeal to youngsters, we came up with this cream croquette-flavored Gaius Wafer. Agria: Who the heck would eat that? Are even you taking this seriously? Man: Then, how about this fruits yakisoba-flavored Gaius Bean Paste? Agria: Enough! If you don't stop fooling around, I'm gonna beat you to a pulp.

Presa: How carefree. Looks like the remote tribes will not be a problem after all. Wingul: I shall write a report to His Highness. Along with a proposition for new products.

#tales of xillia #wingul #presa #agria #jiao #xillia drama #credit: yumexhanabi

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anochuu · 5 years

Text

I Told You So

⤷Genre: Fluff

⤷Jung Hoseok x Reader

⤷Summary: Hoseok’s naivity is just too cute to handle

"You're going to catch love-flu and infect it to us all,Hoseok.Grow some balls and ask her out already."

The mentioned member snaps from his little world and look up to see Yoongi leans against the railing just beside him.

"You're kidding right? I'm not ready to get rejected this fast yet." He snorted.

"How do you even know she's going to reject you? You never asked how she feels!" This time the oldest member piped in from the side. Impatient enough to see him again staring across the studio where her form is moving there and about doing whatever the crews told her to.

"I don’t," Answered he, "But i just know that she either likes Taehyung or Namjoon."

"I'm sorry, i didn't know you changed your name to Cupid now?" Yoongi scoffed earning a glare from him.

"Look at the way she talks and look at them. All starry eyes and ....shit." He uttered with frustration buried deep within him.

"Language." Scold Jin, "Why don't you ask her and find out?"

"Thought it's easy,huh." Hoseok mumbles,resting a palm underneath his cheek and stare at the certain (h/c) haired girl once again,her faint laughter that he could hear sounded so melodious.

"Don't even regret and come crying to us when Namjoon did ask her out first."

He shot up,eyes widening at Jin, "What?"

He shrugs his shoulders,"He can be so obvious i mean come on,who knows her longer than any of us? Him."

"And who introduced her to us?"

"..Him" Hoseok trailed off; "Ugh,damn it. I can't argue with you guys." His eyes diverted at her once more as if it always has been his habit for him to always search for her whenever they are in the same places.

Being an idol does not stop the almighty maknae to develop a crush on one of their song writer who is involved in most of their track lists every time they made a new comeback. She was there to help them get up to their feet whenever each of the members are feeling down,or ready to give up at the starter of their debut which could be called not that successful yet.

When he was still lost and absolutely new to the harsh reality of becoming a trainee to be an idol, he saw her as a supportive sister but now that they have stepped into the adultery world, there is a chance for him to like her.

"Don't squint your eyes like that,or else i won't be able to draw eyeshadows on you." (Y/n) laughs, the music bank encore show was about to start in a couple of minutes but for the young man he needed more time as long as he can spend with her being close to him like this.

"I can't help it! My eyes are getting dry because of these lenses." He complaint,couldn't help but to feel on cloud nine currently.

However his appearance, his heart beats very loud in his ears and ferociously against his ribcage. The other day he was persuaded by the older members that he MUST ask her out soon and that day is today. But how should he do it? What questions should he ask her first thing to not look dumb and nervous in front of her?

Hoseok ran his tongue over the top of his lip,watching her back who is tidying up the make-up desk.

"(Y/n)," He called,catching her attention back at him.

"Hm?" She responded,blinking her eyes with a smile which made him gulp down another lump inside his throat.

"Uhh, listen i uhm- wanted to you know...well,that is of course but—i mean,i know you are busy and all yet i'm still wondering if..well-if you have time—i mean..!"

She rose an eyebrow, "Hoseok,you're rambling again." She chuckles, "What is it though?" This time she stand straighter, "It's okay,what is it you wanted to tell?" Her voice gentle and that envelopes his heart in a warmth he has come to known since he knew her kindness.

It took him literally a couple of seconds of another fidgeting, eyes roaming around as if searching for the right words to utter yet she is willing to wait for him patiently.

"I was thinking...if you want your—Our!..day off,to have coff-"

"(Y/n)!"

Their heads in a sync looks to the side to see the leader approaching with a relieved expression as soon as his eyes laid on them.

"Namjoon? What's up?"

"I've been looking everywhere for you," He said with a sigh,grabbing her wrist where Hoseok’s eyes were burn on to.

"What-"

"The production crews needs your help with the camera by the stage—" He then starts to drag her behind him without sparring another glance on the poor boy who was left alone in the dressing room,dumbfounded.

He works extra hard for today's stage show to conceal his dejected mood from earlier and deep within he curses himself for not being able to muster enough courage to spill those words out fast enough while he had the chance to.

He gulps down a bottle of water one of the crews gave him after their stage show was done, panting heavily with sweats roll down from either side of his temples to the tip of his chin.

His eyes narrowed to the corner where he found her standing close to Namjoon once again. He frowns hard when she was wiping his sweats when all he got was another different women from the production team.

"(Y/n)." He called her out,louder this time. He needs to get her,now or never.

"Ah!" Like a bulb just lightens on top of her head,her eyes widens. Excusing herself from Namjoon and grab a hold of Hoseok’s wrist this time after making sure no one is noticing them.

She pulls the male behind her back to the dressing room where they are now alone

"I forgot you wanted to say something to me earlier,what was it again?"

He turns flustered. He didn't expect her to remember that and with bold moves to drag him here just to speak about it; probably noticing how nerves-wrecking he was earlier embedded to the back of her head means he have something important to tell her in private.

He inhales a deep breath,biting his lower lip. Here goes nothing.

“Look,(Y/n) i— no matter how i reassure myself how you felt for Namjoon or the other way around...i just couldn't seem to let go of you." He began,studying her expression who is slowly widening her eyes after digestion.

"All i am asking now from you is that—is it possible, if i wanted to take you out for a coffee..? A dinner..?" His eyes pleading,biting the inner walls of his both cheeks when all he receives right now is just a silence from her.

"..Or maybe just a take-out back to our dorm might do for a date..?"

"Jung Hoseok.." She trails off, "Are you-asking me out on a date?"

"Is that not what i just said..?"

"H-hold on,you said—you said Namjoon and i—"

"I know,i know," He sighs, "I know how you two feels for each other but please,consider one for m-"

"Hold on i said," She raise a hand up, "You," She pointed at his chest with her index finger,

"Thought that,me and Namjoon likes each other!?"

Now it is his turn to grow confuse,the wrinkles between his eyebrows are now visible, "Are you not...?"

"Oh god.." She bursted out laughing.Hoseok watching her as if she had just grew another two heads on her neck.

"Jung Hoseok, Jung Hoseok..tsk tsk.." She sang nonchalantly, "Namjoon is my cousin! Didn't the others tell you that?"

Oh to hell with it...

His cheeks easily dominated by heat,trying to hide his redness, "N-no..but Suga and Jin hyung said—"

Of course you idiot,they lied to you!

He mentally slaps a palm over his face but then again why not do it physically,and so he did.

"..Please ignore the things i said today."

Her laughter grew louder, "Of course i can't do that,Hoseok-ah." She take a step closer,

"Are you shy now,hmm?"

"Stop looking at me." He mumbles behind his hands covering his face when she tries to peer into it.

"Aww you are! So my answer to that.."

She stand tips on her toes, placing a quick chaste peck of kiss on one of his cheek,catching him off guard. Almost in an instant his hands flails open; now she can clearly sees him blushing rather madly down at her.

"Wh-what was—“

"Yes,i would love to go on a date with you."

He unconsciously place a hand over his cheek where he just felt her soft lips smacked just for a second on his skin and (Y/n) couldn't help but to giggle while watching at his very dumbstruck movements.

"..C-could you...perhaps do that again?" He murmurs.

She lets out a small giggles,feeling butterflies inside her belly.

"As much as you want,honey pie."

-Bonus-

"Look at him,all fidgety and stuffs. Have you actually seen a baby on a date?"

"Jin hyung,he's 25."

"I don't care,he is still the maknae!"

The six members stuck their heads out on one corner of a walls,spying on the day where the two couple is on their first date.

"See,i told you so he would believe in the lies we made." Yoongi uttered.

"Where is she? It's been half an hour!" Jimin hissed,looking around.

"Silly,it's Hoseok who arrives way too early!" Yoongi groans, still don't get it why he is here.

"He bought two coffees,i bet one's for her."

"Though she likes mocha better." Namjoon muttered.

"Shut up cousin-complex."

"I do not!"

"Oh oh! She's here,she's here!"

"Woah-she actually wears a dress!" Jungkook beams when they watch the (h/c) haired girl enters the café,surprising the nervous male inside who keeps on biting his lips,smiling idiotically with or yet with her in sight.

"Are they leaving? Where are they going next?" Taehyung blinks.

"Jin hyung,move! I can't see with your shoulders!"

"Holy shit!" Jimin curses loud enough than their whisperings causing the others to shush him immediately.

"Look! He is holding her hand!"

"Shit,he really is!"

Just then they saw the male stops in a halt,running back inside to the café before they can get too far from it,seeming to forget something or left behind an item leaving the (h/c) haired girl alone. They watch her took out her phone,sending a quick message as seen she is typing on the screen.

PING

Their face fell and some paled when almost simultaneously their phone rung a short notification ringtone inside their bags and pockets. Shakily,they take out each of their devices and on the screen flashes a sentence.

When their eyes looks up in fear they already saw her staring at them with a smug smirk.Scrambling to get away fast and (Y/n) only shrugs her shoulders,looping an arm around Hoseok’s as soon as he came back again.

"Go home or i'll release all your predebut selcas."

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