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#im going into the corner
jaylillustrates · 8 months
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my love letter to gaster speculation and fandesigns :)
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localapparently · 6 months
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happy pocky day
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medicalunprofessional · 8 months
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the sickness is winning sorry .. more doodles. oohhh i can feel my artstyle shifting ever so slightly
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i like rendering mundane doodles its fun and good practice for me 🫣
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kaladinkholins · 3 months
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they literally got rid of her eye bags and under-eye dark circles and made her cheeks fuller and more flushed along with her letting her hair down... to show how happy she was on the farm...
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ashenberry · 3 months
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[ID in ALT]
AJ:AA doodles... 3! this features the end of turnabout corner and the beginning of turnabout serenade
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“If you're not ready to stop being with someone, I don't really know how to cope with it.” - Hannah | Jason Sudeikis and Hannah Waddingham on Richmond Till We Die, Ted Lasso Season 3
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sillyfairygarden · 5 months
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so uh. yeah. that skin.
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folie-a-deux · 21 days
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A compilation of my favorite hannigram quotes, related lines or conversations throughout the series.
— Uhm... Just because?
S01E01: Apéritif
Hannibal: "God forbid we become friendly."
Will: "I don't find you that interesting."
Hannibal: "You will."
S01E04: Oeuf
Hannibal: "Feeling paternal, Will?"
Will: "Aren't you?"
Hannibal: "Yes."
S01E09: Trou Normand
Hannibal (to Will): "Who knows Abigail better than you and I? All the burden she bears. We are her fathers now. We have to serve her better than Garrett Jacob Hobbs."
S02E01: Kaiseki
Hannibal: "I miss him."
Bedelia: "You are obsessed with Will Graham."
Hannibal: "I am intrigued."
Bedelia: "Obsessively."
S02E09: Shiizakana
Hannibal (to Will): "No one can be fully aware of another human being unless we love them. By that love we see potential in our beloved. Through that love, we allow our beloved to see their potential. Expressing that love, our beloved’s potential comes true. I love you, Will."
S02E10: Naka-Choko
Hannibal: "Stay with me."
Will: "Where else would I go?"
–/–
Alana: "It's just hard to know where you are with each other."
Will: "We know where we are with each other. Shouldn't that be enough?"
S02E12: Tome-wan
Will (to Hannibal): "You're right. We are just alike. You're as alone as I am. And we're both alone without each other."
–/–
Will (to Hannibal): "I bond with Abigail, you take her away. I bond with barely more than the idea of a child, you take it away. You saw to it that I alienated Alana, alienated Jack. You don't want me to have anything in my life that isn't you."
-/-
Hannibal: "Achilles lamenting the death of Patroclus. Whenever he's mentioned in the Iliad, Patroclus seems to be defined by his empathy."
Will: "He became Achilles on the field of war. He died for him there, wearing his armor."
Hannibal: "He did. Hiding and revealing identity is a constant theme throughout the Greek epics."
Will: "As are battle-tested friendships."
Hannibal: "Achilles wished all Greeks would die, so that he and Patroclus could conquer Troy alone. Took divine intervention to bring them down."
S02E13: Mizumono
Hannibal: "We could disappear now. Tonight. Feed your dogs, leave a note for Alana, and never see her or Jack again. Almost polite."
Will: "Then this would be our last supper."
Hannibal: "Of this life. I served lamb."
Will: "Sacrificial."
Hannibal: "I don't need a sacrifice, do you?"
–/–
Will: "You were supposed to leave."
Hannibal: "We couldn't leave without you."
...
Hannibal: "Time did reverse. The teacup that I shattered did come together. A place was made for Abigail in your world... You understand? A place was made for all of us, together. I wanted to surprise you. And you... you wanted to surprise me. I let you know me. See me. I gave you a rare gift. But you didn't want it."
Will: "Didn't I?"
...
Hannibal: "Do you believe you could change me, the way I've changed you?"
Will: "I already did."
Hannibal: "Fate and circumstance has returned us to this moment— when the teacup shatters. I forgive you, Will. Will you forgive me?"
S03E02: Primavera
Will: "A valentine written on a broken man."
–/–
Will: "I do feel closer to Hannibal here. God only knows where I'd be without him."
Abigail: "What did you see?"
Will: "He left us his broken heart."
Abigail: "How did he know we were here?"
Will: "He didn't. But he knew we'd come."
Abigail: "He misses us."
S03E03: Secondo
Hannibal: "He said he forgave me."
...
Bedelia: "Betrayal and forgiveness are best seen as something akin to falling in love."
Hannibal: "You cannot control with respect to whom you fall in love."
–/–
Chiyoh: "How do you know Hannibal?"
Will: "One could argue intimately."
Chiyoh: "'Nakama'? It's a Japanese word for very close friends."
Will: "Yes, we were 'nakama'."
–/–
Chiyoh: "Why are you looking for him after he left you with a smile?"
Will: "I've never known myself as well as I know myself when I'm with him."
–/–
Jack: “Will Graham understands Hannibal. He accepts him. Now, who among us doesn’t want understanding and acceptance?”
–/-
Bedelia: “What your sister made you feel was beyond your conscious ability to control or predict."
Hannibal: "Or negotiate."
Bedelia: "I would suggest what Will Graham makes you feel is not dissimilar. A force of mind and circumstance.”
Hannibal: “Love. He pays you a visit or he doesn't.”
S03E04: Aperitivo
Jack: "You remember when you decided to call Hannibal?"
Will: "I wasn't decided when I called him. I just called him. I deliberated while the phone rang. I decided when I heard his voice."
Jack: "You told him we knew."
Will: "I told him to leave. 'Cause I wanted him to run."
Jack: "Why?"
Will: "Because... because he was my friend. And because I wanted to run away with him."
–/–
Dr. Chilton: "Will Graham is alive because Hannibal Lecter likes him that way."
Jack: "Maybe it's one of those friendships that ends after the disemboweling."
Dr. Chilton: "I would argue, with these two, that's tantamount to flirtation."
S03E06: Dolce
Jack: "Hannibal will slip away. Will you slip away with him?"
Will: "Part of me will always want to."
–/–
Hannibal: "If I saw you everyday, forever, Will, I would remember this time."
Will: "Strange seeing you here in front of me. Been staring at afterimages of you in places you haven't been in years."
...
Will: "I wanted to understand you... before I laid eyes on you again. I needed it to be... clear. What I was seeing."
Hannibal: "Where does the difference between the past and the future come from?"
Will: "Mine?"... "Before you and after you."
...
Will: "You and I... have begun to blur."
Hannibal: "Isn't that how you found me?"
Will: "Every crime of yours, feels like one I'm guilty of. Not just Abigail's murder, every murder. Stretching backward and forward in time."
Hannibal: "Freeing yourself from me and me freeing myself from you. They're the same."
Will: "We're conjoined. I'm curious whether either of us can survive separation."
S03E07: Digestivo
Hannibal: "Do we talk about teacups and time, and the rules of the disorder?"
Will: "The teacup's broken. It's never gonna gather itself back together again."
Hannibal: "Not even in your mind?"... "Your memory palace is building, it's full of new things. It shares some rooms with my own. I've discovered you there, victorious."
Will: "When it comes to you and me, there can be no decisive victory."
Hannibal: "We are a zero-sum game?"
Will: "I miss my dogs. I'm not going to miss you. I'm not going to find you. I'm not going to look for you. I don't want to know where you are or what you do. I don't want to think about you anymore."
Hannibal: "You delight in wickedness and then berate yourself for the delight."
Will: "You delight. I tolerate... I don't have your appetite."
Will: "Goodbye, Hannibal."
–/–
Hannibal (to Will): "I want you to know exactly where I am, or where you can always find me."
S03E09: ...and the Woman Clothed with the Sun
Hannibal: "Is there a child in your life, Will? I gave you a child, if you recall."
–/–
Will: "You called us "murder husbands.""
Freddie Lounds: "You did run off to Europe together."
S03E10: ...and the Woman Clothed in Sun
Bedelia: "Have you been to see him?"
Will: "Yes."
Bedelia: "You haven't learned your lesson have you? Or did you just miss him that much?"
–/–
Bedelia (to Will): "My relationship with Hannibal isn't as passionate as yours. You are here visiting an old flame. Is your wife aware how intimately you and Hannibal know each other?"
S03E11: ...and the Beast from the Sea
Will (to Hannibal): "I'm not fortune's fool. I'm yours."
S03E12: The Number of the Beast is 666
Will: "Is Hannibal... in love with me?"
Bedelia: "Could he daily feel a stab of hunger for you and find nourishment at the very sight of you?... Yes. But do you ache for him?"
S03E13: The Wrath of the Lamb
Hannibal: "When life becomes maddeningly polite, think about me. Think about me, Will. Don't worry about me."
–/–
Will: "I knew you wanted me to know exactly where I could find you when I needed to."
Hannibal: "And you did."
Will: "I need you Hannibal." ... "Please."
–/–
Will: "It really does look black in the moonlight."
Hannibal: "See? This is all I ever wanted for you, Will. For both of us."
Will: "It's beautiful."
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between-two-fandoms · 13 days
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I am absolutely not staring at my ceiling thinking about how damn happy and soft buck looked on that coffee date. And how Tommy almost always waits for Buck to initiate contact first before getting closer. And how Buck looks like the weight of the world is lifted off his shoulders. And how Tommy looks at Buck like he wants to cherish him how he deserves. And how Buck melts whenever Tommy says Evan, and that they're probably maybe going to use his first name as a way for Buck to reclaim his own identity and settle into this new, post-lightning strike, person he's becoming. Even if it's scary at first. I love character-driven arcs so much. I can't wait.
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malk-with-tea · 17 days
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Some magma doodles I did last night :)
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thebigbiwolf · 7 months
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Spittle (Coming Soon) - Astarion/F!reader
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Summary: The chocolate seems innocent enough - if you look past the Infernal writing on the wrapper, and with so few pleasures in the wilderness, you all but jump at the chance to sneak yourself a small treat.
Unbeknownst to you, the bar is infused with succubus spittle. Just one square is rumored to contain enough potency to send a mortal into the throws of ecstasy.
This is what happens when you eat half the bar.
Fic Tags: Sex Pollen (kinda), aphrodisiacs, a bit of dom!Astarion, unprotected piv, overstimulation, he talks you through it (iykyk), more tags will be added once the fic is posted.
Fic Warnings: Explicit Smut (18+ MDNI), Dubcon (if you squint), Language, No use of Y/N, magical influence
A/N: Remember the dead spider? I remember the dead spider. Anyways, the reception I've been getting on Starvin', Darlin' has me wanting to thank everyone with a one-shot. I'm looking to have it written and edited by Saturday (9/30/23), and I really like how its turning out so far. Lets just say: if you like heat fics and sex pollen, this ones for you.
His image fully takes form, as if it had been waiting for you to make the connection before pulling you towards himself. His grip is firm, almost painful as you crash into his body. His hands waste no time, exploring you - tight, possessive, squeezing at every inch of exposed skin before settling on the curve of your ass, digging into your flesh with the blunt edge of his nails.
He presses hot, wet kisses to your throat, mouthing just below the ear, before dragging his tongue along your nape and sucking, hard.
You whine at the pressure, eliciting a grin from the elf, so pleased with the pathetic little noise he’s managed to pull from you.
“You thought sleeping would allow you to escape this - to escape me, unscathed?” He growls against your skin, his voice almost unrecognizable - as if it's layered beneath a lighter, somehow more arrogant, feminine one.
“No, no, no. Wake up, darling. You’re in for a very long night.”
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amelia-yap · 4 months
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AUEGH
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malamira · 2 months
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no shut up roy's most hated parts of riza's body are the burn scars he left her
he hates them because he hurt her, failed her, brought her into a world where she's in constant danger; his choices led to the events that wounded her and he singed her by his own hand in a measly effort to stop the bleeding, stop the pain, stop the avalanche of consequence that he'd inadvertently barrelled into her direction since he took up the study of flame alchemy; he regrets every wrong thing he's ever done in his life when he's faced with her raised, discolored skin
riza was a victim.
but riza, riza doesn't think so—she's never had full autonomy of her own body since when the secrets of flame alchemy were marked into her skin, she's always been a study, a book, a material, as if inanimate with no right to decide how she lived her life; she only found her power of choice when he'd burned her back at her request, freely choosing to follow roy into the amestrian army, into harm's way, up to the doors of death, but this time they were choices she decided to make
roy gave her that power.
her scars remind them of his mistakes while they remind her of his love.
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samarecharm · 17 days
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I wish the thieves had SOME kind of reaction to the Satanael awakening. Kinda wish we at least had RYUJI react to it….
I think its sooooo compelling to have Ryuji be the only person to witness BOTH awakenings; to see how much Akira and his will has grown since they first met. There was a raw, burning fury in Akiras core that recoiled at the injustice before him, and when given the tools to punish said injustice, eagerly accepted it with a wild, almost manic kind of intensity. I think it would be difficult for the others to truly grasp just how scary that was; that for a short moment, Ryuji couldnt pinpoint the cause of that rage, and the target of it. Akiras mellowed out alot since then, but its always in the back of Ryujis head; theres a side of their leader literally none of the thieves have or will ever see, and he doesnt really know how hes supposed to feel about that.
And now the airs charged in the same way he felt back in Kamoshidas palace; right as Akiras eyes widened at seeing him slammed against the wall. The blazing, untamed ferocity in his eyes from back then is replaced with a cool, calm, steely conviction. He knows his purpose; understands completely what his will screamed at him to understand back when it first started. This is the Akira the team knows, and its definitely the one Ryuji is used to now, but its insane to see the shift; insane to see the kind of power that simmered in Akiras core, literally too big and too overwhelming for past Akira to grapple with and set free.
Satanael comes down, and theres a moment, through all the excited screaming and hollering, where Ryuji can see it look right at him, and Ryuji is taken back to the floor of Kamoshidas Palace; not to the fear he felt when Arsene came forth incinerating everything, but immediately after, when Akira comes to with wide eyes and an outstretched hand- that bizarre feeling of safety, of knowing that this kid would have his back, and that hed never have to worry about where his place would be (its right beside him, obviously.)
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fantasy laughingstock mawwiage but make it potc3 Flavor-
#theyre supposed to be holding hands but i couldnt draw it for the life of me so#half assed it is!!!!#or.... no assed it is!!!#in my mind this is a job gone Phenomenally wrong. like horribly wrong#the group is outnumbered and cornered and-#its fine in the end tho#and howdy & barnaby are left standing there like 'so we didnt die. looks like we're husbands now! lets go find some neat rings'#in the meantime wally and julie braid them rings out of grass & flowers#actually wait omg#imagining there's a spell that can freeze the flower rings so that they wont break/decompose#all of barnaby's normal metal rings and then there's one made of plants... of Life... OUUUGHHHHHHHH#< thats the sound of me dying so dramatically. im talking nimona-as-ambrosius level of dramatic death#scribble salad#laughingstock#wh fantasy au#wait omggggg#im imagining once theyre all safe and it sinks in that the Are Indeed Safe#everyone is like 'omg!!! we made it!!! hugging each other! wait wheres barnaby and howdy - ohhhhh theyre making out off to the side cool'#theyre just. laying in the grass smoochin the hell outta each other#yeah theyre both bleeding and bruised but who isnt!#and then they stay right there and take a nap <3#and wake up w/ the rest of the neighborhood piled on/around them <3#GODDDDDDDD FUCK FUCK FUCK IM SO NORMAL ABOUT THEM IM SO NORMAL IM-#SO NOT NORMAL ABOUT THEM AGH RAGH ASDHASJFCBALFNLD#sorry sorry. the insanity is kicking in#alsoooooo imagining them having that epic potc3 mid-battle kiss after barbosa - sorry - Sally pronounces them married
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lovesickeros · 5 months
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☆ even the gods bleed [ pt 4 ]
{☆} characters arlecchino, furina, lyney {☆} notes cult au, imposter au, multi-chapter, gender neutral reader {☆} warnings blood {☆} word count 3.7k {☆} previous [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ]
Fontaine was bathed in darkness, not even the moon daring to illuminate where the common man fears to walk. The streets were bleak and empty save for the constant, rhythmic ticking and clanking of machines marching on endlessly, dauntlessly wading where even the bravest dared not to venture. Not even the sharp click of the Gardes boots followed the occasional hisses of steam as they walked the barren streets.
It was haunting, and it'd been like that for days now. It showed little signs of stalling in the slightest, too. Every inch of Fontaine was practically crawling with Gardemeks– like a swarm of rats skittering about.
Arlecchino had secluded herself in the Hotel Bouffes d'ete for days at this point, waiting– biding her time. Her nails clicked against the wood as she tapped at the table in a stilted rhythm, the subtle click of the clock mixing into the clanking outside, weaving in and out of earshot as the patrols slipped by. She reached forward after a moment of thought, reaching for the white king.
She leaned back against the chaise, tilting her head just enough to catch a glimpse of a patrol of Gardemeks as they vanished behind the rows and rows of buildings. It wasn't enough to keep her attention for long, however, her features twisting in disinterest as she glanced back to the chessboard– and the letter neatly resting beside it. The seal was unmistakable and a sobering sight, demanding her attention– the soft hues of blue etched into the shape of a dragon stared back at her in a way that almost unsettled her.
She had already parsed through it's contents hundreds of times, but she was met with only vague, flowing script that only served to irritate her more then anything– it filled the page top to bottom yet managed to say nothing at all. Her hand reached out again, but instead of reaching for the letter she plucked the black rook from the board, setting it down with a soft click.
Arlecchino had all the time in the world to sit back and observe her prey, but all that time would be useless if she lacked the information to act.
And he was quite tight fisted about it, evidentially. None of her inquiries or attempts to decipher any potential codes in the letter left her empty handed. She could not act without even knowing the reason for his summons– it was almost worded like a personal affair rather then one would expect for a foreign diplomat. In truth, she'd expected a scalding report on her operatives, but it lacked any mention of anything of the sort.
She was no stranger to people masking hostility behind pretty words and compliments, not that it was ever unwarranted per se– the Fatui did not create connections through honesty and genuine kindness. They have strong armed more then their fair share of people into cooperation to the point distrust is all the Fatui are met with outside of Snezhnaya. Every word was meant to conceal the deceit, every action meant to conceal the price later paid.
So she had been..skeptical of the letter, to put it lightly. She doubted the Iudex of all people would offer a hand to the Fatui without a price attached– a trap, perhaps, meant to lure in the most powerful piece left on the board. Her eyes narrowed, reaching for a white rook and moving it to the right.
Or he was hiding something. Something that he simply couldn't risk getting out to anyone, not even the Divine themself. A tempting prize, whatever it was.
..A dangerous prize, too.
She'd considered burning the letter and forgetting it all together– the risk was great, and she couldn't risk getting caught up by whoever else the Iudex may have on his side of the board. But she could hardly pass up the challenge and the prize that he fought so hard to keep from prying eyes and ears. Even her agents came back empty handed each time. She lazily picked up a black rook, sliding the white pawn aside.
"Lyney," Arlecchino drawled, crossing one leg over the other and turning her gaze to the door as it slowly creaked open. The pale visage of Lyney stepped through, though his siblings were noticeably absent. The weariness that weighed down on his shoulders was apparent in the slightest furrow of his brows and the subtle creak of leather as he clenched his fists behind his back. "Father." He choked out, the title dragged out by the sharp inhale and shaky exhale.
He looked out of breath, she noted.
The silence that lingered after the small exchange was punctuated only by the click of another chess piece being moved. She sets aside the black rook, letting it sit among the dozen other pieces that had been wiped off the board. She can see the conviction glinting beneath the fog of exhaustion, but if he would utilize it was another matter all together.
He had seemed to make his choice quickly, at the very least.
"Our contacts and operatives within the Fortress of Meropide have gone silent– all we have is their final confirmed missive.." His voice is confident, but it is rigid as the words spill from his lips. He takes a sharp step forward, unfolding his arms from behind his back and opening his hands– the small, water stained and messily folded note catches her eye, plucking it from his palms with a half hearted interest. "They believe the Duke left the Fortress of Meropide..and that he may be coming to the Court of Fontaine."
Her eyes narrow dangerously, nearly crumpling the thin paper in her hands– yet just as quickly, she collects herself.
But she cannot get rid of the bitter taste on her tongue, lingering as she sets down the note and slides it to the side, her lips pursed into a thin line.
So the Iudex had shown one of his pieces..she tightly grasps a black rook, tipping over the white rook, letting it roll against the board.
If the Duke was involved, things were much more complicated then she expected– he would be a problem, she was certain. She couldn't blame the lamb for fearing the wolf, either. Whether her agents had been killed or captured by the man mattered little. He had his ways, and he was a force that could instill fear in even them.
Which meant the possibility that her operation was already compromised was far too real.
What had the Iudex so concerned he had gone through the trouble of bringing in the Duke and herself? The Fatui was one thing, but to specifically request one of it's Harbingers..
The Prophecy? The thought had her clenching her fist, but..no. If it were to rear it's head now, the Iudex could simply not afford to waste time on his contacts deciphering his nonsensical script– If the prophecy were to be the issue, there time would be limited to mere minutes in the worst of cases. Which meant it was worth biding his time in order to ensure absolute secrecy.
So if not the prophecy, then what?
Her next moves were..limited. She was already walking on eggshells considering her position and the reputations of the Fatui– especially with a Harbinger in the midst. If they caught wind of her operations, they'd weed out her operatives and be on guards for any snakes that lingered in their garden.
She reached for the chessboard again, picking up one of the white rooks from the board with a scowl. The sharp click as she sets down the white rook and sets aside the black pawn draws a shaky inhale from Lyney as she moves another black pawn, the dull click of the pieces drowning out the distant clinking of machines.
..A draw, perhaps.
The pieces were all falling into place– the players of this game were slowly being revealed. Whether she could secure her victory..she was unsure.
She wasn't even sure who her opponent was. Only that the Iudex himself was but another piece in their game.
Arlecchino reached for the board again, yet this time she hesitated. Perhaps she could still swipe the win from beneath them, if she played her cards right.
She would simply have to capture the king– or, if need be, let it end on a draw. Either way, she would not concede. She could not afford to concede. Down to the last piece, she would drag out this match until she was in a position to force their hand into the outcome she desired.
She stood slowly, picking up the king piece and observing it for only the briefest of moments before she set it down on the table, taking measured steps around the table and across the room. She was hunting a much more dangerous quarry today– it would be no simple runaway traitor this time.
"Do you remember the directive?" She inquired coldly, her hand lingering on the door for that long, tense moment. "..Yes, Father." Lyney faltered, taking a hesitant step back and bowing at the waist. "Then do not stray."
All that was left was the silence and click of the door shutting behind her as she disappeared down the hall, her boots clicking harshly against the floorboards. The rest of the agents knew better then to linger in her path as she stepped down into the lobby, adjusting the cuffs of her sleeves. She barely even acknowledged the Fatui agent standing at the ready by the heavyset doors, their gloves hands held out with her cloak held loosely in their palms. She quickly snagged it from them, tugging it over her board shoulders and clasping it around her throat.
With a quick tug, she brought the hood up over her head to conceal her sharp features, lifting her hand and placing a neatly folded note within their waiting hands. She had only one chance to make the right moves and secure her victory– no matter the cost.
Each piece had it's purpose.
Oft, that purpose was a bloody and horrible end– but for the grand goal of the Fatui built on the backs of the dead, it was an honor.
She didn't bother speaking a word as she dismissed them with a wave of her hand, pushing open the heavyset doors and stepping out into the barren, damp streets. The rhythmic clink and whir of Gardemeks was still distant– she needed to move. Her boots clicked and splashed in the rain soaked stone of the streets as she slithered between the buildings, ducking through the openings in the patrols.
It was almost too easy.
She tilted her head back, taking in the towering Palais Mermonia with a scowl, her hands clenched into fists. The final moves were being played– the king was within her reach, yet she felt no more confident then when she began.
The air carried a sense of unease, thick and heavy, filling her lungs until she felt her breath still in her chest– listening to the empty, bleak night that seemed so..quiet.
She'd done her fair share of research, had more then her fair share of her agents try to peer into the Iudex's office or the Archon's supposedly hidden chambers, but every attempt was a failure. She had to give them credit, they were quite elusive when they wished to be. Though now she only thought about it bitterly– this was all a risky gamble, in the end, and only time would tell if it paid off.
With minimal effort, she'd managed to pull herself to the flat, tiled roof, eyeing the massive tower peaking out of the center cautiously. At least here the wandering patrols down below weren't likely to notice her..she could hear them passing by the spot she'd been in only a few minutes ago, just beneath her. She pulled the hood further over her face, peering through the sheer darkness of the night for any oddities, but it was almost impossible to see in the dark.
Her boots clicked softly against the tiles as she approached the tower jutting out from the Palais, her hand gliding along the smooth stone, pressing against odd indents or crevices. If it was for the Archon's chambers, she doubted they made it very difficult– she'd only met the woman once, but she doubted the Iudex make it all that complex just from a brief glance. And it surprised her little when one of the stones sunk into the wall, gears whirring as the walls split open to reveal a stairwell straight into an inky black hall. Only the barest hint of light peaked under the door at the bottom, but it's occupants must have heard her, considering it went out not a moment later.
She cautiously stepped down into the small crevice, her breath visible in the bitter cold air– her shoulders tensed at the subtle sound of muffled footsteps behind the door, her vision flaring with a molten heat between her shoulder blades as she reached for the worn handle of the door. The heat of her vision was enough to just barely heat the metal, her vision flaring like a quickly building inferno.
Arlecchino was prepared for a fight, if it came down to it.
The door creaked as she pressed against it, shoving it open with a grunt of effort and surveying the room with narrowed eyes and a biting remark on the tip of her tongue– the lavish opulence was expected, she supposed, but the lack of the towering figure of the Iudex was not.
Yet before she could get a word in or even take in her surroundings properly, the light flickered back on and she had to squeeze her eyes shut with a hiss at the sudden brightness. She could hear the door being shoved closed behind her, the hurried footsteps retreating just as quickly as her eyes adjusted to the light.
..This was a joke, wasn't it? It had to be.
She'd expected the Iudex, perhaps even the Duke if she'd been unlucky, not the Hydro Archon. She had half the mind to test her worth as an Archon then and there, her temper flaring like an uncontrollable blaze, barely kept at bay. It took all her self control to force herself to smile politely at the woman rather then snarl.
"Miss Furina," She sneered beneath her hood, x shaped pupils locked onto the startled, trembling Archon with thinly veiled contempt. "What a..pleasant surprise. You'll have to forgive my manners, I assumed I was meeting with the Iudex." She observed her body language carefully– the way her eyes darted about like a frightened rabbit seeking escape, the slightest tremble of her lips..
Arlecchino opened her mouth to offer another scathing remark, but her jaw audibly clicked shut as her entire body seemed to lock up. Even her vision went cold against her back, a chilling feeling creeping up her spine as someone, or something, crept up behind her. Their footsteps were almost silent, the slight rustling of their clothes the only thing she could hear over her heart pounding against her ribcage.
Arlecchino had always prided herself on being on the other end of that sensation– she was the monster, and her target was the prey frozen like a deer between the hunters crosshair.
It was a chilling feeling to have the dynamic shifted on it's head.
She couldn't even swallow, her jaw clenched so hard she could hear it creak as she tried to reason with her quickly splintering mind– a futile effort, her joints locking up almost painfully. Black spots were quickly swallowing her vision from the lack of air in her lungs, the sound of shuffling behind her barely audible over the ringing in her ears.
For a moment – a moment too long to have only lasted the seconds that it did, yet so quick it gave her whiplash – she thought she would hit the floor dead before she could even glimpse her assailant.
And then it was gone. She came crashing back into reality with a startled inhale, her lungs burning and her knees nearly buckling under her. The instinct to lash out and kill whoever had done it was intense, yet she couldn't bring herself to move even a finger– it would be so easy to twist around and ignite them with searing flames, but her feet were rooted in place.
She almost didn't notice the surprisingly gentle hands unclasping her cloak, tugging it off her shoulders, if not for the sheer intensity of the presence still lingering behind her. Her mind was still fractured, struggling to right itself after the ordeal, and it had her seething.
"..Are you certain you held back enough?" Furina croaked, the normally soft lilt raspy and almost hoarse. "Not– not that I doubt your capability, most Divine!"
Arlecchino felt her nails dig harshly into her palms, heat swelling beneath her skin– Divine? Had she lost her mind? The Divine was..
The Divine was upon their throne where they belonged. She'd seen them!
"Hm. Well, maybe? Sorry, I didn't think it'd affect you too." Their voice was sickeningly soft as they stepped around her like she wasn't even there, focusing their attention on the Archon who seemed more then delighted about it. "What gave you that impression, most Divine? Aha, I..was completely unaffected, as you can see! Perfectly fine."
Furina let out a small squeak when they pinched her cheek, but the almost affectionate smile that tugged at their lips revealed the lack of malice behind the action.
"You're a bad liar, Furina. You might want to sit down..please?" They didn't take her protests for an answer, gently pushing her to sit on the bed before abruptly turning to face Arlecchino once more, a forced smile on their lips. "Oh, good, you're..uh, not dead. That's good. I thought I fried your brain. Sorry?"
..Had she hit her head on the way here? The Divine should still be on their throne, yet she couldn't shake the weight of their stare– it felt tangible. She felt like she was standing face to face with the stars– galaxies and constellations bearing down upon her.
She grit her teeth and clenched her hands until she felt the sting of her nails against her palms, grounding herself in the pain through the sheer overwhelming nature of their existence.
"You.." She croaks, reaching out with a shaky hand and grabbing them by the collar of their shirt, lifting them up until their feet left the floor– she pays no mind to the startled protests of the Archon. Arlecchino would crush her like a bug before she even got the chance to intervene and they both knew it. "You shouldn't exist– you aren't them, and yet you..you're the imposter, aren't you?" Her grip tightens yet they face her without an ounce of fear, meeting her unyielding glare with a pondering look.
Arlecchino wanted to make them bleed just to see if she could, the urge to sink her teeth into skin welling up in her chest to the point she visibly snarled, her mask of politeness long . "You're the imposter." Her expression falls for a moment before she schools it into one of apathy, setting them back down and holding them there for a moment, finally releasing them after a tense moment. "Or you were supposed to be."
Hers brows furrow– she wants to demand answers, to throttle them for damning them to being nothing more then dolls for the supposed Divine to break at their whim, but none of the words come to her.
"..Why now? The current Divine has been in power for years, yet you descend now?" Her shoulders tensed, lips pursed into a thin line– it's impossible to ignore the truth that lay before her. The Divine is a fraud and this..imposter is the true Divine. How many years had they been in power, now? How many years were they waiting? Why did they wait? Was the suffering of Teyvat not enough? Was the blood that painted the steps of their stolen throne not enough?
She'd personally been on the wrong end of the Divine's wrath– she wonders..had they watched? Had they seen the cruel hand of their imposter and turned their back on Teyvat?
"I.." They hesitated. It made her seethe, her hands clenching into fists at her sides– her vision flickered, flames swelling within it's casing just to be smothered by the presence of the Divine. But once that spark had been lit, she refused to let it go out. "I didn't know."
The answer does not satisfy her. There is an itch beneath her skin that she cannot scratch, a fire that burns in her chest so hot it scorches even herself.
"And what about now? Are you content to cower like prey in the safety of the Palais Mermonia?" She snapped, taking a step forward, her brows furrowed and her glare intense– she can see the slightest bit of worry in their eyes. She revels in it. "Will you let them use your acolytes like pawns? How many more need to be broken on the steps to your throne before you act?"
Again, her vision flares and dims– it refuses to be used against the Divine that created it.
"Have you no answer?"
The room is silent. They do not speak and neither does she.
Even the world itself seems to quiet in the face of her accusations, fury boiling to the surface so hot it incinerated all it touched.
"I will kill them myself."
Their words are quiet, but they are not soft– there is a vindictive, searing anger that explodes out like dying stars within their eyes. The sight of constellations replaced by a void that would not be . The smell of ichor grows stronger– to the point she feels almost lightheaded.
"..I am aware that I have failed in preventing this, but I had no choice in the matter. Still," They muse, their voice like the tolling of bells. A solemn melody that stills the swelling fury burning in her chest, if only for a moment. "I will rectify it– I will tear down their throne of lies and let not even the earth tarnish itself by burying their corpse among it's soil."
They pause for a moment, holding out their hand– scarred and bandaged by the weapons of the devout, yet still they take upon the burden of dirtying their hands to save those who did not save them.
"Do you trust me, Arlecchino?"
Did she?
"Will you help me?"
She exhales heavily, meeting the starry iris' of the Divine with a scowl still tugging at her lips. Arlecchino trusted no one but herself.
"..Yes."
#sagau#genshin sagau#self aware genshin#genshin impact sagau#self aware genshin impact#fic tag#imposter au#genshin cult au#genshin impact cult au#arlecchino#lyney#furina#you do NOT wanna know what i got put thru writing this fic#trying 2 find out where arle was in the few times we DO see her and going down a rabbit hole of fuck fontaine and its layout actually!#I spent like 3 hours looking it up and checking in game it gives me a migraine thinking abt it. ew#anyway trying to write a really smart character is surprisingly difficult when ur as dumb as rocks#also used an actual chess match for this and gave myself an even worse migraine trying 2 make sure i didnt repeat moves or smth#furina doesnt get a spotlight yet just imagine her sitting in the corner trembling like a wet kitten you found on the side of the road#arlecchino goes thru a crisis more at 11#shes a tired single dad shes isnt getting paid enough for this okay#hands u a fic over half the length of the other THREE PARTS#ehe :]#is arle actually on ur side??? is she gonna double cross u???? who knows!!!!!#shes unpredictable she might stab u for funsies#anyway im gonna go nap in a ditch now this took SO LONGGGGG OH MY G-D#also just think acolytes who arent buddy buddy w reader and even resent them is so tasty#bc how r they supposed 2 know reader was a human vibing 5 minutes before their got eebied 2 teyvat..#reader gotta roll up their sleeves and get 2 WORK sometimes murder IS okay#they gotta fix some shit around here and that means committing several crimes all at once. sometimes more#a group can be g-d (just got here) their dragon (neuvi) their cat (archon) their dog (wrio) and their wolf (arle)
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