#it seems to cast a bit of a yellow hue

[evelyn-art-05]

i am so in love with how you draw fabric! all the colors! it’s stunning. would you be willing to share some of your process?

Of course!! :]

First off, start with a flat color (we're going with yellow), and then using a slightly more saturated and darker color, make a gradient on your clothing going from the bottom up. I prefer to use the Tamar painting brush in procreate for this!

Next, take a pencil brush (or whatever brush you prefer, I used the 6B pencil in procreate) and using that same darker color, block in your darkest areas. Don't worry about being perfect! Take another more saturated color, this time only Slightly darker than your base, and block in the rest of your shaded areas. This will give you clothing item more depth! Be sure that you know what direction your lighting is coming from!

Now, we neaten things up! Use a blending brush (I use the Stucco paint brush) to soften the edges of areas where the lighting is softer, and take your pencil brush and neaten up any areas you would like. This can also involve adding lighter spots like I did, using the base color in the gradient area.

Now into reflective lighting! This is assuming that the clothing is reflecting light from objects around it. If it isn't, you can really just add a bit of warm blue, and be done with this step. If it is, take some warm blue and, using a textured brush (Tamar brush for me), lightly brush it over your main shaded areas! I am going to demonstrate reflective lighting with a more intense lighting, so if you're looking for that, take a brighter, highly saturated color and place it on the Edges of your darkest shading spots. With clothing, if it is thin enough, light will pass through to shaded areas, casting a more warm and satured hue.

For the actual brighter light, make another layer above your color layer and turn it to an Add/Addition layer. Using your base clothing color and a textured brush (Tamar) just lightly go over the spots that get the most light! It will seem very bright, so turn the opacity for that layer down to 35%, or adjust it however you like!

#gonna add more!! #sorry its so long lmao #i like to be detailed when explaing things fidhdk #eve answers

[sparkly-scales]

That's Mr. Dekarios to you Gale x Tav BG3

That's Mr. Dekarios to You

ObsidianRose96

Summary:

You twirl a strand of hair around your finger as you go to sit in the chair across from him. “Well, Gale- “Ah ah, that’s Mr. Dekarios to you.” He corrects. “Right. Mr. Dekarios. I apologize. It seems I find myself rather distracted when it comes to your class. “Oh? Distracted you say? And what seems to have you so distracted that you’re failing my class?” He gets up out of his chair and moves to stand beside you.   Tav decides to surprise Gale in his study but Gale has other ideas.

Notes:

The bad school girl/professor role play smut. Please enjoy this dumpster fire.

Work Text:

Night has fallen over Water Deep. You lean against the doorway of Gale's study, watching the newly titled professor as he works. He’s focused, meticulously looking down at each individual piece of parchment searching for wrong answers. He’s been grading papers for a couple of hours now, a tedious task that’s even more so when you have as many students as he does. You wonder if he’s ever going to take a break.

“I know you're there.” He says, not even bothering to look up from his current task. “Come in.” You slowly saunter over to his desk. His face is illuminated by light from a nearby brazier, casting hues of yellows and oranges on his fair colored skin. He looks rather handsome like this. You clear your throat in an attempt to get his attention. He lifts up his head from his grading. “Yes my- Oh. Oh my.” His lips tug into a wide grin as his eyes scan your body. You're completely nude as you stand before him, watching as he takes a moment to admire your nudity. Oh the thoughts that are going through his mind right now. He gathers up the stack of papers he’s been sorting through and tucks them away into a vacant drawer. He could get back to grading papers later. Now, he wanted nothing more than to indulge in his lovely, completely naked, wife. But how was he going to go about doing this? He’s quiet for a moment while he thinks and his silence starts to become a little worrying.

“Gale, is everything alright? We don’t have to if-

“Are you here to discuss your current grade, Mrs. Dekarios?” He says, suddenly.

You look at him, a bit confused. “I’m sorry, what?”

He folds his hands together as he keeps his eyes locked on you. Something mischievous flits behind those deep brown orbs of his as he continues.

“Your grade my dear. It seems you’ve been slacking when it comes to my class. You excel in every other subject except the one I happen to teach and your current grade is reflecting that. Why do you think that is?”

Oh? Oh! You see what he’s doing now. You never would have expected your husband to be the type that was into role playing. Everything was always so…vanilla, between the two of you. It’s not that you didn’t enjoy it when the two of you were intimate, this is just so unexpected. But not unwelcome. You twirl a strand of hair around your finger as you go to sit in the chair across from him.

“Well, Gale-

“Ah ah, that’s Mr. Dekarios to you.” He corrects.

“Right. Mr. Dekarios. I apologize. It seems I find myself rather distracted when it comes to your class.

“Oh? Distracted you say? And what seems to have you so distracted that you’re failing my class?” He gets up out of his chair and moves to stand beside you. You can’t help but notice that he’s now wielding a wooden ruler. When did he get that? And what was he planning on doing with it?

“I’m waiting, Mrs. Dekarios. And you’d better have a good explanation.” He says, snapping you back to reality. He lifts your chin with the ruler, forcing you to meet his eyes. They’re blazing with an unspoken desire, eagerly awaiting your answer.

“Well you see, there’s this very handsome classmate of mine who happens to sit in front of me. And I can't help but stare at him during your lectures.” You say. “It’s so hard to focus on what’s being said when he’s right there.”

“Is that so?” He leans down towards your ear, his beard tickling the shell of it as he asks, “Are my lessons that boring to you? “

Your lips tug into a devious grin. You were going to play your role beautifully.

“Oh yes. They’re incredibly boring. So much so that I can’t help but sit there and imagine being fucked by my fellow class mate.”

“Really now? What an interesting revelation.” He grabs your arm and guides you to stand, bending you over his desk. “Mulling over boys while I’m trying to teach you some of the most valuable information you could ever hope to learn? Unbelievable. And here I thought better of you Mrs. Dekarios. I think you need to be taught an entirely different lesson. One on the subject of discipline.”

“Oh, Mr. Dekarios, what could you possibly mean by that?” The ruler comes down onto your bare ass. Hard. You yelp in surprise, turning your head to face Gale. He has a smug look on his face, knowing you weren’t expecting it.

“Gale, did you just spank me?” The ruler comes down on you again, this time much harder.

“That’s Mr. Dekarios to you, young lady.” He says. He brings the ruler down on you again, and again, and again, relishing in the loud , pained cries that graced your lips. He’s relentless, not stopping until your skin is left red hot and stinging. He takes a moment to admire his work, impressed that you were able to withstand the pain for as long as you did. But now it was time to move on to something else. His cock was straining painfully against his trousers, begging to be released. Between the unexpected sight of you sauntering completely naked into his study and your willingness to play into his little fantasy, he found himself desperately needing more.

“You’re such a bad girl.” Say’s Gale, turning you to face him. His voice is different when he says this, dark and sultry, a tone you’ve yet to hear him use with you. It’s delectable and you can feel the insides of your thighs begin to dampen with your own desire. “Do you remember my lesson on how to cast mirror image or were you too busy longing for your classmate's cock to pay attention?”

You shake your head. “I’m going to have to go with the latter.”

“Then allow me to demonstrate.” He says the incantation for mirror image and a perfect copy of himself appears beside him.

“Hello again Mr. Dekarios. How may I be of assistance?”

“I have a very bad student of mine who needs to be disciplined. And I figured you could lend a hand.” He says, gesturing to you.

“Mr. Dekarios, I think you’ve indulged in a bit too much wine this evening. This is our wife, not one of your students.”

Gale leans over to the copy of himself and whispers in its ear. “I know that. I’m trying something new. Something sexual, just play along.”

“Oh. I see. That would explain why she’s naked. What would you like me to do?”

“Undress yourself.” Says Gale as he begins to take his ownclothes off. When he’s finished he sits down in the chair you were previously sitting in and pulls you into his lap. The copy of him gets down on his knees and settles between your legs, spreading them wide.

“My my Mrs. Dekarios. What do we have here?”

“I bet she’s sopping wet, isn’t she?” Asks Gale, moving his hands to grope both of your breasts.

“She is. Her arousal is quite evident. May I?”

“Do whatever you deem necessary.” Gale rolls one of your nipples between his fingers and you gasp, the sensation sending a jolt down your spine all the way down to your throbbing clit. “We need to remind her that she needs to focus on her teacher rather than some boy.”

Gale's copy moves his face towards your cunt and trails his tongue along your seam. This Gale wasn’t real but gods it sure felt like he was. You moan in satisfaction as his tongue slips between your folds, hitting all of your sweet spots as he laps up your decadent juices. He hums happily against you as the real Gale softly kisses your neck, continuing to grope your plush breasts and tease your nipples between his fingers.

“Do you think that boy could do something like this?” He asks. “I doubt he could elicit such beautiful sounds from you.”

You shake your head. “N-no Mr. Dekarios.”

“See? You don’t need some amateur wizard when you can have the master. You’ll pay attention to my lectures from now on, yes?” You nod but that isn’t good enough. He gives your nipple a harsh pinch. “I asked you a question, Mrs. Dekarios. Are you going to pay attention in my class from now on?”

“Yes! Yes, I’ll pay attention!”

“Good girl.” You hiss as Gale's counterpart swirls his tongue around your clit. Your body instinctively tires to wriggle away from the overstimulation but the real Gale holds you firmly in place.

“Make her cum for us.” He commands. “I want to hear her howl.”

“As you wish, Mr. Dekarios.” Gale's copy continues to lap at your clit while simultaneously slipping a couple of his fingers inside of you.

“Oh gods! Oh gods yes! Please finger fuck me!” You gasp at the sensation of being filled and devoured at the same time. He fulfils your request and thrusts his fingers in and out of you. The state of your arousal is made evident by the sounds that come from beneath you. Gale groans at the wet, squelching, noise your cunt is making, the lewd sound making his own need become more and more painful as he waits for you to reach your climax. He’s never been left wanting for this long before. Who knew arousal could physically hurt?

“Ah, Ah, I’m gonna cum! I’m gonna c-cum!” Your declaration is like the sweetest music to your husbands ears. Your thighs clench around his mirror images head as you reach your climax, crying out as the feeling of pure unbridled pleasure overtakes you, releasing yourself in your husbands counterparts mouth. The Gale between your legs makes an effort to clean you up, lapping away the wetness that was now dripping down your thighs.

“I’ve longed for the chance to have a taste of our lovely wife. I must say It’s better than I could have ever imagined.”

“Sweet like honey, is she not?”

“More like a rich brandy. But quite delicious all the same.” “

You’ve got good taste sir. Then again, you are me.” Says Gale. “Let’s switch shall we?” He moves you off of his lap and motions for you to get down onto the floor.

“I’m not quite finished with you yet Mrs. Dekarios. I believe I deserve some compensation for your disobedient behavior in my classroom. On your hands and knees.” You obediently do as you’re told. Gale's copy goes to sit in the chair and the real Gale positions himself behind you. You feel his rock hard erection pressing against your entrance. “Open your mouth.” He commands. You see where this is going.

Gale Dekarios, you kinky bastard!

You open, allowing Gale’s mirror image to shove himself into your mouth while your husband grabs you by the hips and slides into you from behind. What a sight to behold! You’re stuck in the middle of a Gale sandwich as you suck on ones cock and the other one fucks you from behind. It feels incredible! The Gale that sits in the chair entangles his fingers in your hair, gripping it as you take his cock in your hand, sliding your mouth up and down the shaft before engulfing him. You feel him shiver as you suck him off. You're such a good girl, making him moan as you pleasure him with your mouth. Could the real Gale feel this too since this was technically him? That’s something you’d have to ask him later on. The Gale behind you, the real Gale, was thrusting into you from behind and he was unusually rough, unyielding as he shoved himself in and out of your tight little cunt. He had never been this rough with you before and by gods it was a welcome change. It hurt a little, yes but the pleasure far outweighed the pain. Fuck, this was amazing and you let him know by the moans that escaped from you. This was going to have to become a more frequent occurrence in your bedroom affairs.

“You’re getting extra credit for this.” His voice is breathy as he says this. “That should bring your grade up to parr.”

“Hells, she deserves to have a passing grade for the rest of the semester.” Says Gale’s copy. "Such a good girl taking us both like this." 

You look up at the mirror image of Gale as you take him deeper in your mouth, worshipping his cock with your tongue. "Yes, that's it. So good. So, so good."  He shudders and grips your hair tighter and you brace yourself for what’s about to come. He spills his seed into your mouth and you swallow every last drop of it, relishing the sweet, salty taste of him. He lets out a satisfied sigh as he moves you off of his cock, taking a moment to catch his breath as he lies back in the chair. The real Gale isn’t quite finished with you yet, rocking himself into your hips as hard and as fast as he can. Gods, he’s so deep inside of you, you can feel his balls slapping the back of your cunt as he keeps up the pace. Your head falls back and your mid section begins to tighten as your walls clench around him. You let out another loud cry as you ride out yet another orgasm, the waves of pleasure overtake you as he thrusts into you a few more times before he himself reaches his climax. The warmth of his seed spreads inside of you as he finally comes to a stop. By the time it’s all done, he’s a sweaty mess resting on top of you. With a wave of his hand Gale dismisses his mirror image, leaving the two of you alone of the floor of the study.

“What was this all about?” You pant.

“What? Did you not enjoy it?” Gale asks.

“No, no, I did. I really really did. This is just…new.” You say.

“I just wanted to try something different. Astarion was telling me about some different ways we could try to spice things up a little bit. And when I saw you standing over my desk completely nude I decided to try one of them.”

“Astarion?”

“Yes. He’s here visiting from Baldur's Gate.”

“I’m sorry, could you repeat that. Astarion is here? In Water Deep?”

“In our guest bedroom.” Says Gale. “I was going to tell you he was here earlier but you were taking a nap and I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“Gale Dekarios! I walked right past the guest bedroom butt ass naked coming to your study! Not to mention the door is WIDE OPEN. You could have said something!”

“Don’t worry Darling, I didn’t see anything. But gods you are loud!” Astarion calls out from the guest room.

Your face turns the brightest shade red and Gale just boops you on the nose.

#bg3 #astarion #bg3 astarion #gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #gale x tav #gale x reader #fanfiction #smut #bg3 fanfiction #ao3 fanfic

[slytherins-heir]

​🇸​​🇵​​🇪​​🇱​​🇱​​🇧​​🇴​​🇺​​🇳​​🇩​

word count;; 14k+ pairing;; sebastian sallow x f!reader warnings;; depictions of injury, violence, and death. use of crucio. slight jealousy, angst, and a lil fluff and mutual pining to go along<3 slight lore changes regarding fiendfyre, and use of y/n. slightly dark wizard!sebastian but also saviour!sebastian 💖

*minor hogwarts legacy spoilers but nothing outright*

a/n;; this took longer than expected- i haven't written in so long so i hope you guys enjoy 💖 (i didn't expect it to be this long, and i feel like the end is a bit shit but i appreciate all of you guys sm for entertaining my fics)

Nestled in the Scottish Highlands, away from prying and mundane eyes, stood a behemoth of magic, history, legend and mystery. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The castle’s many stained glass windows glistened, the Black Lake sparkled under the stars, and the Forbidden Forest looked just as foreboding, yet at the same time, peaceful, under the last of that night’s moonlight.

The serenity of the landscape was suddenly disturbed, but not by destruction, instead by one of the most regal and proud creatures. A large, majestic Hippogriff broke through the light clouds that hung over the castle, and on the creature's back was a girl, nothing more than a Hogwarts student. “Let’s go Highwing, before anyone notices we’ve been gone all night,” said the girl on the creature's back as she took in the sights from the height they flew at one more time before returning to her usual student life. As Highwing soared in the sky, her huge wings beat against the wind causing an undeniable rhythm in the air. The large, majestic creature flew, a loud and proud call was let out from her chest as she took one last long soar before beginning her descent back to the ground.

                                            ︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Back in the quiet of the castle, where students slept soundly, the only thoughts in their minds were the dreams that played out behind their closed eyes, there was one student who hadn’t slipped into the comfort and safety of his dream realm, a fifth-year Slytherin by the name of Sebastian Sallow. Instead of being nestled up cosy in his bed just like his fellow students, Sebastian sat perched on a long sofa in the Slytherin common room, eyes drifting between the doorways that were across from him, his books and the mix of half-used, blank pieces of parchment that sat on the table in front of him. “Where is she…?” he muttered to himself, slinking back into the cushions behind him. Usually, Sebastian wouldn’t keep himself so concerned with what someone else was doing, against the rules or not. But Sebastian found himself in this predicament more often than he would care to admit.

The new student, y/n, had a penchant for sneaking off unnoticed, with only the occasional comment from Imelda or Poppy drawing any attention. However, Sebastian on the other hand was more than aware of her disappearances. In fact, her absence never failed to register with him. Initially, he didn't dwell on it too much, respecting her need for privacy, just as he would want. Yet, an underlying sense of worry persisted within Sebastian, despite his rational understanding.

His eyes drifted around the large open room, taking in every inch of the usually bustling common room. Even the large windows at the end of the room that stood proud, looking out under the murky, Black Lake provided no signs of life, not a single thing except for the usual green hue coming from the windows, casting a haunting, yet beautiful atmosphere. It seemed for all the world, that everyone but Sebastian was asleep, everyone but Sebastian was without a worry. His eyes settled on the fire, the flames were a deep, vibrant orange, hinted with hues of yellow and red as they twisted and danced together. Sebastian found himself, once again, getting lost in their hypnotic sway. There had always been something so inciting to him about fire — the beauty of it, yet the destruction it was capable of always just twinkling beyond the captivating twists.

The sudden sound of a light step began to echo throughout the stagnant silence Sebastian found himself in, pulling his focus away from the dancing flames, choosing instead to watch the entrance to the common from the staircase, a drop of hope bubbled in his stomach as he sat up a little straighter and picked up his book, as if to seem like he was unable to sleep; instead of sitting, waiting for y/n to return. The footsteps were soft, almost imperceptible, like the gentle patter of raindrops on a windowpane. They echoed through the dimly lit room, creating a rhythm that seemed to reverberate through the very air. It was as if the very walls of the castle were whispering secrets, hinting at the arrival of someone who could provide answers to the questions that had been swirling in his mind.

"Sebastian?" a voice asked, barely a whisper, barely rising above the gentle lull of the crackling hearth. The soft patter of approaching footsteps punctured the quiet, drawing nearer to where Sebastian sat, engulfed in his thoughts.

"What are you doing up so late? I didn’t expect anyone to be up." y/n inquired, her voice laced with a hint of worry as she settled onto the sofa opposite him. The faint glow of the embers cast a warm light upon her face, revealing the fatigue etched into her features.

Sebastian lightly shook his head, placing his book atop the disarray of parchment. "Sleep eluded me, so I thought to come down here, see if I can make a dent in Sharp’s assignment" he replied, his tone carefully measured to hide the deceit. He hoped the flickering shadows would hide the concern that he felt was all too apparent in his eyes. "Let's not dwell on just my sleeping habits," he deftly redirected, his gaze intently studying her, "You're the one cutting it close, aren't you? Classes in a few hours, and here you are. I'd wager you not making it to our morning classes tomorrow." A strained chuckle escaped him as he leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, bridging the distance between them.

Her response was uncharacteristically delayed, and when it came, it didn’t come with its usual excitement. She drew in a breath, her gaze fixed on the dancing flames that seemed to ensnare her reflection in their fiery ballet. Her hands moved in a subtle, self-comforting gesture, leaving a hint of an inner turmoil that she hadn’t confided in him.

A flicker of movement drew his attention to a slender cut marring her face—a wound that was unveiled as she turned towards the fire, how he didn’t notice it the second she had joined him escaped him, it bothered him that he hadn’t seen it straight away, he almost felt guilty. His instinct urged him to reach out, to bridge the gap and address the injury that seemed to scream for attention. Yet he restrained himself, settling back into the shadows with a quiet resolve. "When she's ready, she'll confide in me," he told himself, the thought more a plea to convince himself rather than a conviction.

"I… I was out with Highwing," y/n finally murmured, her voice a soft echo in the room. "There was… something I had to tend to, a matter related to the trials. We encountered some poachers, a couple of goblins—nothing more." But her words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken truths, and Sebastian's intuition screamed in silent alarm deep within him.

The crackling fire no longer commanded her attention as she turned to gauge Sebastian's reaction, searching his face for signs of doubt. She hoped he'd let the matter slide, and as if sensing her silent plea, he simply nodded, acceptance flickering in his eyes. "You know, if there's anyone capable of giving poachers a run for their money, it's you, y/n," Sebastian remarked, the softness in his smile reaching his eyes.

Her response was a half-hearted echo of his grin, her eyes locking with his for a fleeting moment. "Thanks, Sebastian. It means a lot, you know? Having someone believe in me when everything here is still so relatively new," she murmured, the vulnerability in her voice brushing against the silent space between them.

Sebastian's chuckle broke through the heaviness, his smile widening, a shared moment of lightness taking the edge off his earlier worry. "Not believe in you? Come on, you had me outmatched from day one. Anyone who can do that is destined for greatness." His words teetered on the edge of sentimentality, and he quickly steered the conversation back with a playful challenge. "But, since I've been demoted to second-best, courtesy of you, you owe me an adventure. It's only fair, right?"

There was a teasing tone to his voice, but behind it lay his sincere desire to join her, not just for the thrill, but to ensure her safety—something he couldn't admit just yet.

The suggestion drew a soft, airy laugh from her as she rose to her feet, sidestepping the deeper implication of his words. "Next time, maybe, Sallow," she deflected with a lightness she didn't feel, sensing the undercurrents of concern that both of them were dancing around. "But for now, I'm off to bed. We've got Hecat first thing, and you better not be up all night either. Promise me you'll get some rest too?" "Promise," Sebastian nodded, the care in her voice buoying him a touch, though it couldn't fully brush off the thought of her concealed injuries. "Go on, then. Get some sleep, y/n. I'll meet you here in the morning before class."

                                            ︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

The next day had come all too soon, the cool morning breeze wisped around the castle grounds as the rising sun’s glow cascaded over every inch it could touch. A fragment of the golden glow broke through the dark water that sloshed against the large windows within the common room — causing the room to have more of a glow than usual.

Y/n sat on the edge of her bed, the freshly made bedding underneath trapped between her fingers as she pulled and twisted at the thick fabric subconsciously, deep in her thoughts; she felt almost glued to the bed, her eyes stuck focused on one point on the floor in front of her as her thoughts ran rampant within her.

The sleep that she had promised Sebastian hadn’t come as she had hoped, instead, she had spent the last of the night tossing and turning, arguing with her inner thoughts, overthinking every detail and thought that crossed her mind.

She would love nothing more than to have Sebastian come with her, to have Sebastian by her side every time she left the castle, but she knew that no matter what; great danger would always be waiting right around the corner for her — not a single situation so far had proven anything different. She wondered if she would be able to live with herself if anything happened to Sebastian, but what didn’t cross her mind — Would Sebastian be able to live with himself if something happened to her and he wasn’t there to help her? Or save her?

Her racing thoughts were interrupted by the heavy dormitory door being pushed open and spoke a voice, causing her to jump from her sitting position and almost out of her skin. “Aren’t you coming y/n?” said the voice as a head peaked through the door, the head of Imelda Reyes. “You know Sallow is waiting for you down there, he seems to be under the impression you aren’t coming to class.” she continued, entering the room. “You know how Sebastian is… Not a man with a lot of patience, now is he.” y/n replied swiftly, hoping to avoid discussion as to why Sebastian thought as much, the last thing she needed was someone else asking questions.

Imelda waited for y/n as she grabbed her robes and wand she had left on her beside the locker before following Imelda out of the dormitory and down the winding hallway that led to the common room. The two girls walked in silence, the only sound being their steps across the metal flooring mixed with the light morning chatter of sleepy students coming from the common room some distance away. “What are you doing tonight?” Imelda asked suddenly, catching y/n off guard. “Tonight? Why?” y/n responded without turning to look at Imelda, her brain suddenly coming up with all types of scenarios, her anxiety slightly spiked as she waited for Imelda to spit out her reasoning.

“Well, you’re the only one who feels like a competition out on the pitch y/n, you’re getting better. You can almost keep up with me, so even though Quidditch is cancelled this year, maybe you wouldn’t mind helping me practice? I need someone who pushes me… Anyone else and it would be too easy… You’ll get some experience out of it too, and you might be ready for Quidditch tryouts next year.” Imelda quickly blurted out, completely unaware of how laced with ego her words were, but y/n knew it wasn’t intentional. Imelda wasn’t afraid to let people know she knew what her strengths were, and she never downplayed them for anyone, and that was something y/n admired in her.

“I really wish I could Imelda” y/n said softly as they cascaded down the steps and towards where Sebastian and Ominis sat talking between themselves. “I haven’t gotten around to Sharp’s assignment yet, and I haven’t gotten a chance for Hecat’s assignment yet either, I wish I could help you out, Imelda but I just don’t have the time tonight.” y/n finished, throwing Sebastian a pleading look once she realised he was watching them approach. “Well, what about this weekend? Any assignments we get today won't take the whole weekend to do” Imelda continued, stopping in her tracks once they reached the couches where the boys sat. Imelda perched herself on the arm of the couch, her eyes bore into y/n’s, almost as if she was trying to get into y/n’s mind to make her agree, but before she could even give Imelda an answer, Sebastian had realised the conversation y/n was trying to wiggle out of, knowing she couldn’t tell Imelda the truth.

“I mean, she would love to help you Imelda, but we’ve got plans this weekend, so unfortunately you might have to pick one of the other students, even if they don’t hold a candle to y/n’s skill” Sebastian said as he walked over to stand beside y/n,  a smile on his face which y/n returned with a soft smile, grateful for his swift thinking. Imelda opened her mouth quickly to argue with Sebastian, probably to say how practising for Quidditch next year is more important, but Ominis was the next person to protest against Imelda’s arguments; but not for the same reason as Sebastian—Ominis simply didn’t want to listen to their conversation.

“You know Imelda, maybe more people would want to practice with you if you didn’t speak down to them and act as if you were a gift from Merlin himself. You’ve no chance of changing their minds, you’ll learn, as well as I, that there’s no changing their minds once they’ve decided something, together.” The way Ominis spoke left a feeling of bubbling guilt between Sebastian and y/n as they exchanged looks. Was that really what Ominis thought? Y/n began to worry that her and Sebastian’s adventures so far were driving a wedge between Ominis and Sebastian, the last thing she would want would be to cause a rift between the two lifelong best friends, but a nudge to her arm pulled her from her thoughts and she looked up to meet Sebastian’s gaze. He just shook his head lightly, indicating for her to not start overthinking Ominis’ words.

Imelda rolled her eyes at what Ominis had to say, but she didn’t have a retort for him; instead, she turned her attention back to y/n and Sebastian. “Well. Enjoy your adventures. Don’t come crying to me when you need someone to fly with y/n” The snark from Imelda was natural, something anyone who knew her was used to; even y/n already understood despite her short time at the school. “Oh, Imelda you know that’s not-” y/n began to speak, but Imelda was quick to shut her down, her willingness to talk back to y/n but not Ominis didn’t go unnoticed. “Save it, I don’t have time. Some of us have actual responsibilities. I’ll see you in class.” Imelda snapped as she turned to leave, her nose turning even more upwards than it had been in its natural position, leaving the three friends in silence.

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“She’s going to kill me the next time I turn down practising with her.” y/n said as she walked with the two boys towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, she knew she’d definitely get an earful from Hecat over not having the assignments, so being late wasn’t an option. “Surely the girl who beat me at Crossed Wands can put up a fight against Imelda unless she had something to hide about our duel..? Maybe, Felix Felicis?” Sebastian said, turning his head and giving her a look, a sly smile on his face. Anyone who didn’t know him would think this was a real accusation, that he was genuinely accusing her of cheating in their match—but his two closest friends knew it was just lighthearted banter.

“Oh please Sebastian, you know I didn’t know how to brew Felix Felicis back then, tell him Ominis, I won fair and square.” y/n said, looking between the two boys. “She’s not wrong Sebastian, she had only just gotten to Hogwarts, she probably didn't even know that potion existed. She won out of skill, like she said, fair and square” Ominis said tauntingly, getting a scoff from Sebastian. “Well, she’s had actual help and time with professors to learn! Oh, leave it..” Sebastian finally said defeatedly. He would have been annoyed at what Ominis was saying if it hadn’t been about y/n, hearing that he just wasn’t good enough to win did sting him a bit.

They left the warmth of the castle, the cool autumn breeze ran over the friends as they made their way through the grounds of Hogwarts. As they crossed the Viaduct courtyard, y/n noticed the decorations that seemingly appeared overnight. Cobwebs seemed to be hanging on arches, doorways and corners, pumpkins lay strewn about in a range of sizes. Even the smaller decorations and candles had seemingly been placed in such a fashion that it almost transformed the feeling of Hogwarts, even in the morning time.

“Well, those little house elves were hard at work last night,” Sebastian said looking around at their passing surroundings as they crossed over the Viaduct Bridge. “They’re always hard at work… They never get a break.” Ominis muttered, his voice low. The two other friends exchanged glances, knowing where Ominis’ sudden attitude change came from. For a Gaunt, Ominis’ views were unheard of.

The Gaunt’s were cruel.

They were descendants of Salazar Slytherin himself, their heritage and lineage were of utmost importance to them. They had no time for Half-Bloods, and most definitely no respect for Muggle-Born witches and wizards. When it came to house elves, they were no different. They viewed the elves as nothing more than what their purpose served, and at that, there was no respect. Violence was common, physically and verbally, and that didn’t stop at house elves… Their obsession with blood purity, obsession with the Dark Arts,  their sadistic ‘hobbies’ Ominis hated everything about their beliefs and what they did, choosing to have his own set of beliefs instead. Any time Ominis spoke about his family, it was never positive. Y/n knew there was more to his story, but she didn’t want to press him about his family and the Dark Arts; knowing the subject would be sensitive.

Y/n hated hearing her friends sound anyway upset, she racked her brain for something to say, to maybe comfort him somehow. “I agree Ominis” she said, placing her hand lightly on his arm as they continued into the Astronomy Wing of Hogwarts. “..but Hogwarts is the best place for them. If they were left to their old masters, who knows what could happen to them.” her voice matched the soft, sensitive nature of the conversation. However, as soon as her hand reached his arm, Sebastian had become all too aware of it. A strange feeling started brewing inside of him as he watched and listened to them. Was he jealous? Was her hand on his arm more than a friendly touch? Sebastian’s mind filled with questions, questions fueled by his sudden jealousy. “I know, I know, but there’s not much comfort in knowing they are still being worked to death,” Ominis spoke glumly, y/n looked sympathetic towards his feelings, and Sebastian wanted to know why it bothered him so. “That’s all they know Ominis, at least they’re safe here..” y/n  said, her hand dropping from his arm, not knowing what else to say to ease Ominis’ pointed feelings on the topic. Sebastian felt calmed when her hands dropped to her sides, but now he had to face the fact he was jealous, and over such a small thing. They walked in silence up to the Defense Against the Dark Arts tower, unsure of where to take the conversation after it hit such a sensitive tone.

“Hecat’s going to have my head you know.” y/n said trying to divert the conversation, and their moods. Sebastian and Ominis both let out a small laugh at her sudden statement. “You didn’t finish your assignment?” Ominis asked, almost as if he was disappointed in her. Y/n shook her head as they crossed the marble flooring and up the right staircases and corridors to reach Hecat’s classroom. “Well, someone was out all night causing trouble,” Sebastian said giving y/n a knowing look, a slight smirk played on his face. “Maybe she will let me hand it in late? If I tell her some of what I was doing? Surely she’d understand right” y/n asked, unsure of how Hecat would handle the situation.

Ominis just shrugged before he spoke, “I wouldn’t know. I like to get my assignments in on time.” y/n just smiled before rolling her eyes, “Gee, thanks Ominis. That is a great help” she said jokingly. Sebastian took the situation a little more seriously, since he knew more than Ominis about what she had been doing.*

“What are you going to tell her?” Sebastian asked, looking down at her. “What if you just tell her you were out gathering supplies or something, and you got into some trouble? She can’t disprove it, and it’s not really a lie, you’re just… withholding the full story. Plus, you still have that cut on your face still too so surely she’ll believe you..” Sebastian said in a hushed voice, genuinely trying to help her situation. A sigh left her as they approached the classroom, “I guess we’ll find out won’t we..” She said, opening the classroom door and entering, Sebastian and Ominis behind her.

As usual, they were the last few students to walk in besides a couple of stragglers that waltzed in after them. The class was lively, chatter coming from every direction as students spoke among themselves. Ominis walked and took his usual seat in the middle of the class, not bothering to speak to anyone, instead just preparing his belongings for class, the thought of his family heavy on his mind again. Sebastian perched himself on top of his desk at the back of the class, preparing for the incoming babble and nonsense as he watched Garreth Weasley approach him. y/n on the other hand made a direct beeline for the steps up to Professor Hecat’s study, repeating the excuse in her brain. She knocked on the door lightly and it was just a few seconds before the door opened and a voice spoke gently. “Come in, come in” said the older voice, y/n followed her instructions and walked into the little room above the classroom. “Professor Hecat, would you have a few moments?” y/n asked, her voice unwavering but she was still nervous nonetheless.

Hecat turned from the array of books she was sorting, directing her attention fully to y/n. “Of course, what is it Ms. y/l/n?” Hecat asked, raising an eyebrow slightly at the girl's words, stepping closer to her student. “I, I don’t have the assignment Professor” y/n said while looking at the ground, she looked up at her professor before continuing; “I intended to finish it last night but-” Hecat cut swiftly across her sentence; “but you thought you could come with excuses instead of the assigned work?” Hecat asked, her hands crossing over themselves in front of her. Hecat examined her student’s reaction to her words, suddenly noticing the mark on y/n’s cheek. “Merlin, what happened to you child? You’re hurt” Hecat said almost in a distressed voice, y/n simply just continued on her ramble in hopes Hecat would let her finish. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you, Professor. While I was out, we came across a poacher camp. I couldn’t leave without doing something, and I understand my studies are important..” y/n spoke fast, but Hecat listened to every word, just as y/n hoped; she prayed Hecat would understand the excuse she had, considering Hecat’s past of fighting poachers.

“But with all due respect Professor, I won’t let poachers or any other horrible person get away with their actions just so I can do an assignment” The words came from her before she even could think about them, it was kind of what she wanted to say; but it came across a lot more disrespectful than she expected, or so she thought.

Hecat’s face remained stoic as she took in her student's last few words, giving the impression that she was not happy. Suddenly a small smile cracked across her face as she looked at y/n. Hecat had not expected such a valid excuse in her mind, never mind expect such with passion, conviction and sincerity. Hecat merely nodded, her smile never once fading now. “I’ll give you until our next lesson, I see no reason to punish you for something I would have done as a student, someone’s got to do something about that lot,” Hecat said, her voice was light now, almost as if what y/n had said to her reminded her of herself.

“Thank you Professor” y/n said as she turned around to leave the study, unsure of what else to say; this wasn’t the outcome she had expected. She reached just outside the door, on the balcony looking down at the class, her eyes instantly looked at Sebastian. Her heart began to race slightly as she realised he was looking directly back at her, ignoring whatever nonsense Garreth was spewing at him. Hecat’s voice calling her pulled her attention back from Sebastian, turning around once more to face the Professor. “Oh and Miss y/l/n? Next time you decide to take on poachers, be prepared. Never go wrong with carrying some essence of dittany with you as well as your usual potions” She took Hecat’s words seriously, nodding once again at the older woman. “Of course Professor, I’ll make sure to keep that in mind.” 

Y/n made her way back down the short flight of steps and across the classroom as she ran through the thoughts of how lucky she had gotten with Hecat, how lucky she had gotten that Hecat saw some of the young student in herself. She took a seat beside Sebastian, letting out a sigh of relief as she sank back into her chair. “I see you’ve still got your head.” Sebastian laughed, turning to look at her. “She was… Okay with it. I told her about the poachers and that seemed to work in my favour.” y/n  said, the worry that was present in her voice before class was now gone, finally able to think of more important things than an assignment. The class passed by relatively slowly, but no student was surprised. Even in such an interesting class, theoretical studies were always dragging time along, seemingly never-ending. So once Hecat dismissed the class, students almost threw themselves out of the door to get to their next class in hopes that whatever was next was more lively.

Ominis left the class without a word to anyone, leaving Sebastian and y/n to throw each other worried glances. They knew better than to follow Ominis and hunt him for answers as to what was wrong, instead, they gathered their belongings and made their way from Hecat’s classroom, making their way back down to the Potions classroom.

“So, about our adventure,” Sebastian said, the two walking side by side across the hallways, they moved slightly every now and then when another student, or group, pushed their way past. “I was thinking we could go tonight, I don’t have much to get done and I’m sick of being in this castle.” Sebastian’s words were filled with hope, and something else that she couldn’t put her finger on.

“I don’t know Sebastian I-”

“Oh come on y/n, I’m not some fragile little thing that’ll get hurt the second we leave, I can defend myself you know.” Sebastian’s voice didn’t have its usual joking tone to it, causing y/n to look up at him while they walked.

“I never said you were Sebastian, I know you can but-” He cut her off again. “So it’s decided then. Tonight, we’re going on an adventure.” Sebastian’s voice was light again as he spoke, basically telling her rather than asking now. “Fine Sebastian. But we’re doing it my way. There’s something I have to do, so promise me you won’t do something reckless?” her words were serious, and a tone of defeat was lingering in her voice. “I promise y/n, we’ll do it your way.”

She didn’t know if he was being honest or just telling her what she wanted to hear, but she had accepted it, knowing Sebastian would not let it go, not until he got to come along with her. ‘This is the last thing I need..’' she thought to herself, as she mulled over the fact that any task would only be made more difficult with Sebastian there, his tendency to charge in guns blazing all of the time left little space for plans to be executed with stealth and precision was something y/n knew could be an issue and could possibly jeopardize the task at hand.

They walked the rest of the way to Potions without talking anymore about the topic, instead just talking together like normal friends, no talk of dark magic, no talk of danger or poachers, no dark wizards' name even graced their lips… It was something she wished was more common, but between her life and her friends that she held close; having a ‘normal’ friendship was off the cards. Between her two best friends, one a Gaunt who defied his family’s expectations, and the other with a longing for dark magic and power, she knew that the current flow of normal conversation wouldn’t last long; the trio were anything but regular students of Hogwarts.

Sebastian, Ominis and y/n all chose the same workstation, each friend on each side of the large table between them, a collection of cauldrons, ingredients and vials laid strewn about on every table; chatter was lively in the class as the students worked on their potions. Professor Sharp walked around the room, his injured leg causing his steps to falter occasionally as he made his rounds, not affected in the slighest. He inspected everyone’s potions, some gaining compliments; others causing him to say nothing more than a grunt before moving to the next. Ominis avoided joining much of the conversation as y/n and Sebastian discussed their plan for that night, y/n on the other hand didn’t delve too into detail about what she had to do, not wanting to speak about it in such a busy environment.

The potions class seemed to fly by relatively fast, some students received praise for their attempts at the potions; other students would have been lucky to be ignored by Sharp. One of those unlucky few students being Garreth Weasley. The trio looked up as they heard Sharp clear his voice as he approached Garreth, who was standing by his cauldron. The potion Garreth had brewed seemed to stench up the class the longer it brewed, the mixture seemed to expand in the cauldron before it swelled up; a large bubble formed on the top; shaping into a hand that seemed to reach for saving from the dreadful potion — the desperate potion’s stretched hand deflated with an amusing “poof”, the sound it made seemed like the last painful exhale from something that had been holding onto the last few seconds of it’s life before letting out that last, pathetic sound.

Garreth’s failure earned him a deep frown from Sharp. “Mr. Weasley, I cannot keep repeating myself. Please follow the instructions that are provided to you and refrain from your own… concoctions. You may yet still have time to pass this class and prove you’re not a failure. Please keep your own ‘potions’ for when you have mastered the simplest, yes?” Sharp said as he looked down at the ginger boy who was fighting off a frown of his own from falling upon his freckled cheeks.

Sebastian, Ominis and y/n couldn’t help but chuckle amongst themselves once they heard Professor Sharp’s words and watched Garreth’s attempt at the potion dissolve the shape it had taken and recoiled back into the large cauldron. 

Professor Sharp had taken notice of the three best friends joking amongst themselves as he made his way towards their shared table, not failing to compliment Amit’s potion to a high extent as he passed by the table Amit shared with Garreth and Poppy— Amit always had a way of succeeding, even if it wasn’t a strength of his. He held himself to a high standard within his classes, so it was no surprise that this class was no exception.

The three friends subdued their light laughs and mutterings towards each other the closer that Sharp got, turning their attention back to the potions that had sat in front of them. Sharp didn’t speak a word as he made his way around the table, glancing at each of their brewings intently. They stood and almost held their breath — hoping that their potions, at minimum, were passable. A thoughtful ‘hmm’ left Professor Sharp as he stood up a little straighter after studying their potions. “For three who seemed most interested in watching others, you haven’t disappointed me completely” Sharp said in his usual indifferent tone, his eyes flittering between Ominis, Sebastian and y/n. “Next time, please pay attention to your own cauldrons and not other students,” Sharp said bluntly, causing y/n and Sebastian to look at each other. Professor Sharp turned his attention to Ominis fully now; “Well done Mr. Gaunt, I assume you’ve been practising? This potion is well brewed — Ten points to Slytherin.” Sharp said before he turned and made his way back to his desk. Sebastian and y/n turned to Ominis, a smile on each of their faces. Ominis hadn’t been the best at potions — but he was determined to overcome the struggle that came along with the class due to the pressure he applied to himself. A satisfied smile came across Ominis’ face upon hearing Sharp's words. A sense of contentment washed over Ominis as one of two friends spoke; “Nice work Ominis, I guess we should probably practice too” y/n said with a chuckle, genuinely happy that her friend managed to overcome a hurdle that he too often struggled with.

Luck had been on their side as the three had received compliments on their potions, clearly showing they had some skill when it came to the careful craft, but Professor Sharp didn’t hesitate to let them know they still were not up to his high-held standards, that they still had some growing to do within the area.

Once the class had tidied away their potions and cauldrons, returning ingredients and books to their rightful place, the rest of the day passed with surprising ease. Most of the classes seemed to pass swiftly, and the friends were not about to complain about that — all complaints had been reserved for their History of Magic class. The class dragged on as Professor Binns’ dull, monotone voice filled the room. The odd student took notes, and paid attention to the dry words that left the ghost professor's mouth, the rest of the students feigned interest. Some students watched Binns float as he lectured on, staring through the transparent man, and some passed notes (taking full advantage of the professor’s obliviousness). Sebastian sat with his head resting on his hand; his eyes fighting to stay open. Ominis sat in silence, his gaze turned towards the window as he let Binns’ lecture float by his ears — his mind elsewhere. Y/n’s energy to the class was not much different, her body language showed she was listening intently to Binns’ words, but rather her mind was somewhere else — somewhere far away.

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As nightfall came, the usual hustle and bustle of the castle quietened down, most students now working on assignments, while others wandered about the castle or loitered around talking to friends. The only chaotic noises to break the relaxed environment and subdued chatter came when some of the ghosts of Hogwarts flew past, Peeves was tormenting a couple of first years,  and the usual screams and shouts of Eddie Cleaver rang through the halls as he wisped past.

Outside of the castle, the Halloween decorations came even more to life, the candles cast their golden, warm hue upon parts of dark passageways, corners of the courtyards, casting an a beautiful but ominous glow over the decorated areas — the aura hanging on each of the old stones of the castle radiated halloween charm.

Where festive scenes were lacking, there was one student, beyond the walls of the castle, beyond the care of Halloween decorations. Flying above the Forbidden Forest was a large creature with a small figure on its back. The autumn breeze blew past y/n as she perched on Highwing, she took in every sight below her, taking advantage of her high vantage point. She knew this task wasn’t going to be easy, she knew this was where danger truly lay. Highwing and the girl made their way lower to the ground before Highwing began to gracefully saunter through the forest, the creature knew of every twist and turn within the treacherous forest. Y/n’s senses were on high alert as all sorts of noises happened around her, but she and the Hippogriff continued on, not willing to be shaken or have her focus thrown off.

Back in the safety of Hogwarts, Sebastian stood outside of the Slytherin common room, frustration bubbling in him. Y/n had been an hour late meeting him and it bothered him deeply. He marched briskly up the steps leading to the main part of the castle, praying in his mind that she would be around the corner — though his silent pleas had not been answered. Instead when he rounded the corner, to his surprise, he saw Ominis sitting on one of the seats near the entrance to the library, his wand in hand and a rather thick book in the other.

“Sebastian? What are you doing here?” his voice was confused as his attention to the book he held dropped. “I thought you were going on your adventure?” Ominis’ voice was heavy, his tone dropping at the last word. “I was but, Y/n. She was meant to meet me outside the common room an hour ago. I’ve been looking all over for her.” Sebastian sighed, approaching his friend. “What?” Ominis asked bluntly, suddenly a tone shifted in his voice to slight concern. “Sebastian, she left already. I passed her before she as she was on her way, she said you were meeting near the forest.” Ominis finished his sentence, the genuine concern now present in his voice. “She said what?! She intentionally left without me? And lied? Why-” Sebastian was now full of emotions, a mix of worry, concern and a tinge of anger that she would lie to him, that she would leave him behind; Sebastian’s thoughts and emotions were then flickering all over the place.

“You don’t think, do you, Sebastian? She doesn’t want to drag you into trouble, or danger.” Ominis said knowingly, and he was right, she didn’t want to but Sebastian in any dangerous, or stupid, situation — but this logic didn’t sit with Sebastian in the slightest. “So it’s okay for her to run towards danger alone but not with me?” Sebastian’s voice showed all of his emotions at once, causing Ominis’ eyebrows to rise and a sigh to leave him before he spoke.

“She just doesn’t want you getting hurt Sebastian.”

“And I don’t want her getting hurt, but she doesn’t care about what I want, so why should I care about her wanting to go it alone?” Sebastian had a good point that even Ominis couldn’t argue against, and Ominis didn’t argue his friends point; instead what he spoke next was the quite opposite.

“Then go after her Sebastian, she was heading to the forest. She seemed flustered when we met, she was quite anxious…” Those were all the words Sebastian needed for his mind to decide his next course of action. “I’ll talk to you later Ominis,” Sebastian said as he turned on his heel and began to jog briskly from his friend before he began to run towards the large doors that were at the end of the large hall, every fibre of his being told him something was wrong.

                                        ︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Y/n was quiet and careful with every step she took. Her wand was held tightly in her hand, ready for anything. She took note of the surroundings, seeing what she could use to her advantage. Just on the edge of where the poachers set up camp, was a clearing, giving a view of the night’s starry sky over the hill’s ledge. She thought about being able to cast the poachers off the steep edge that looked over the forest, she took note of where the forestry ended, the last thing she would want is to end up burning down an entire magical forest. To her advantage, the trees stopped just before the encampment, allowing for the use of fire spells; a favourite of y/n’s.

She watched from behind the bushes as poachers spoke to each other about plans, not knowing of the student who lurked not far from their camp. She stepped quietly across an opening in the trees, Highwing not far from her. Highwing’s safety was a major concern to her, even in such a tense moment. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if anything happened to the creature.

“What will we do with the egg?” said a poacher, y/n’s head snapped around the tree to get a better view. “Cage it, don’t know if it’ll hatch. Keep it safe. That’s a lot of money.” said another poacher with a laugh, y/n’s stomach twisted at the sound of capturing and selling any creature or egg. “How d’ya reckon they managed to capture that beast ‘nyway? Nowt’ easy ‘bout a Horntail, ‘n’ bet a few of ‘em ended up crispy” said a poacher who sat by the fire that burned in the middle of the camp. There were a few tents set up around the area, all around the fire. Cages were all over the ground, some empty, and a couple contained little Nifflers that looked terrified, Y/N’s heart cracked as she saw the full scene, but her mind was now in overdrive.

A Horntail? Captured? How? This added a whole new layer to everything going on, added something else that she felt that she needed to take care of. The thoughts of her initial reasoning for being out that night swarmed her mind, now with the added stress of releasing the Nifflers and a dragon egg. Her mind spun with solutions to the situation that seemingly got more dire the longer it dragged on.

She couldn’t stand there anymore, looking at the creatures and listening to the horrible conversations between the poachers.

As poachers continued to talk about the dragon amongst themselves, y/n  made her way closer to the camp, taking a mental note of where every poacher was located. She glanced back at Highwing who stood proudly in the shadows, the Hippogriff took another step forward. Y/n’s breath caught in her throat, afraid Highwing would catch the attention of the poachers. ‘I should have never brought her’ y/n thought to herself, swearing at her own stupidity and recklessness, thinking now she may have put Highwing in danger too — that Highwing would draw attention. Thankfully, as if Highwing would read her mind, the creature didn’t make a sound, and y/n pressed on, relieved.

She noticed a lone poacher close to her, his back turned to the student. She closed the gap between them while raising her wand, a whisper then left her lips, only loud enough for the incantation to work; “petrificus totalus”

The lone poacher seized up as if frozen before his body dropped to the ground. Y/N breathed a sigh of relief once he was down, ready to approach the rest of the camp. She took note of the three poachers that were left, thinking to herself; “only three, okay..” She had dealt with more than three poachers in the past, so this didn’t cause her any concern. Instead of taking a tactful approach, she took advantage of how little poachers were at the camp.

She leapt from the shadows pointing her wand directly at the poacher that sat by the fire. “Depulso!” she shouted, a blast of light came from her wand, directly hitting the poacher and sending him flying into the high burning fire that once provided a source of warmth for the poachers — and now it was being used for their demise. His screams filled the air, even as his body was engulfed in the flames, his screams were still audible but now mixing with the sound of the fire crackling in an attempt to break down the foreign mass of skin and bone that had been forced into its core.

The remaining two poachers were suddenly caught off guard as turned to see her standing there, her Hogwarts robes billowing in the breeze that drifted by — but the robes were  a dead giveaway as to who she was, a situation she had not predicted happening. “You!!” shouted a poacher, his wand quickly got drawn as he got prepared to fight. “Confringo!” came from the poacher, a burst of fire headed straight for y/n, she quickly rolled out of the way, barely missing the intense attack that had been directed at her.

Her heart began to beat faster, and she realised she made a mistake wearing her robes; now giving everyone a sign that she was the student causing trouble for them, the student that Rookwood was pursuing rather intently. She ran across the camp, firing at both poachers but neither seemed to b giving up or dropping anytime soon. Neither she nor the poachers gave up their relentless casts, and the situation only seemed more dire when a couple of more figures started approaching. Y/n noticed this and she panicked, causing her to almost get hit with a powerful cast of Reducto that someone just fired at her.

“Highwing!” she yelled, not seising her casts or wand movements once, “Get out of here! GO!” she screamed at the Hippogriff to leave her behind, knowing if more poachers came that they wouldn’t hesitate to try take the creature — or worse. Highwing hesitated, watching the student who cared for her so much fight off the oncoming attack from multiple directions. “NOW HIGHWING!” y/n screamed, her voice breaking as she deflected a jinx hurling towards her. Highwing didn’t take another second before sprinting out of the forest, understanding the urgency of the situation. The Hippogriff’s heart was now beating fast as she ran back through the forest and towards the school — hoping to catch someone’s attention, anyones attention that could help.

Y/n kept fighting and dodging curses, not stopping for a second. She knew if she didn’t put her everything into this, she wouldn’t be coming out of this fight, not alive anyway.

“Reducto!” she got a hit on a poacher that was moving closer to her, the man suddenly burst into nothing but ash that lingered in the air before settling on the ground, every atom of the poacher was simply reduced to nothing but specks of grey that settled on the ground where he once stood.

Despite her success so far, it had seemed to her as if every time one poacher went down, another appeared in the last’s stead. Frustration began building in her as she did everything she could to try to keep her mind focused on the fight, but as soon as she found it, the focus was snatched away with blunt force. Y/n’s full attention was pulled from the fight by a swirling stream of purple smoke that twisted its way to the ground, as the smoke dissapated, y/n got a clear view of who had just joined the fight, and the stakes were raised tenfold when she realised who had just joined the fight. “You’re the little bitch Rookwood wants!” shouted a scratchy female voice, the insult cutting through the air like a knife.

Ashwinders…

Y/n cast a quick protego shield as the poachers kept their attack going, she knew she had to get out of this and fast. Her mind ran through spells, jinxes, curses anything that would give her a leg up on the competition now but it seemed almost impossible, her knowledge finally halted her, leaving her with little choice. She kept letting off fire spells one after another, the bombardment somewhat helped the odds of the fight be in her favour for a moment — just a moment. A familiar swirling sound was light upon y/n’s ears. She forced herself to pay no heed to the sound, until a second purple tornado-like smoke appeared before spreading. Once the violet smoke disappeared, in it’s wake stood another Ashwinder, this one seemingly larger than the first.

“Petrificus totalus!” shouted the new Ashwinder, this time a male voice came from the Duelist. He landed a perfect hit on her without much effort, causing her entire body to freeze up. She had lost complete control of her body as her wand fell from her hand and landed by her feet. She was completely defenceless. She screamed obscenities in her mind, unable to open her mouth even the slightest bit. She was done for. Her body didn’t even have a chance to fall and hit the ground before another spell was cast at her now statue-like body. “Wingardium Leviosa!”

She was at the complete mercy of the Ashwinders and the last remaining poachers, the poachers were clearly exhausted from the fight, retreating away from the duelist who now walked closer to the camp. The Ashwinder that cast the Levitation charm pulled y/n closer to them as they closed the distance, leaving her suspended in the air, frozen, unable to defend herself. “Do you realise how much of a nuisance you’ve been? How many problems you’ve caused for us?!” screamed the male of the duellists, his voice was full of venom and hatred, and at that moment y/n truly feared for her life.

“Well no more! No more stupid little brats thinking they can stop us!” the Ashwinder controlling her lowered Y/n so he could stare directly into her eyes as he spoke with his cruel voice. Y/n had no option but to listen, to hang onto every word spat at her.

The looming female Ashwinder began walking towards her accomplice and the frozen student. Once again the scratchy, female voice spoke while stepping up to the suspended girl; “…and when your little friends hear about how we tortured you, how you begged for your life before we ripped you to shreds, they’ll learn not to interfere. They’ll learn their place. Like Rookwood says, ‘Children should be seen and not heard’” the female Ashwinder continued in her vicious, venom-laced voice. The Ashwinders were wholly and completely unaware of the tiny bit of information she had just given y/n, and she knew exactly what she was going to do with it if she got out alive… Even in that moment, she forgot about the threat to her life; only thinking about what the female Ashwinder had just said, information that could help Sebastian and his sister. 'Children should be seen and not heard'

A poacher suddenly appeared, pulling an empty cage with him. The cage wasn’t much bigger than what a couple of Niffleres were in, but that wasn’t something that either the Ashwinders or poachers cared for. “Someone get a word to Rookwood! Tell him we got the little bitch.” said the female Ashwinder as she glanced at the cage, ideas running rampant through her head. “..until then, we’ll have some fun, wont we girl?.” Y/n was suddenly dropped to the ground, but her still frozen body was then shoved into the cage, the girl left completely defenceless, completely overrun with terror.

The remaining poachers and the Ashwinders watched as y/n lay motionless in the cage, finding no amusement in the idea of caging her anymore, not when she couldn’t express her fear, not when she was quiet. Y/n saw the female duellist raise her wand once more, suddenly casting at y/n with something she couldn’t defend herself against; even if she had her wand.

“Crucio!”

There was a split second before the curse hit her that allowed her mind to register the curse and the bright green sparks that emanated from the tip of the Ashwinder’s wand.

The pain was unbearable, y/n’s body was no longer frozen; the Unforgivable Curse that was cast on her overpowered the weak-by-comparison charm. A searing pain washed over her entire body, feeling as if every inch of her skin was set on fire; it felt like a million cuts all over her body that were being cleaned with pure alcohol. The pain caused her to writhe in the cage, her body tensing and dropping, and tensing again. The only sound that came from her was sounds of pain, screams that pierced the night air rang out through the forest, the pain didn’t feel like it was ever going to stop and when it did, the relief didn’t last long before the curse was cast on her again, this time even more painful. Her screams reached a pitch she didn’t think possible, the screams were so bloodcurdling that they set her own hair on edge, anyone nearby surely would think there was a banshee wandering about.

She wanted to beg, to plead for them to stop, but the more she tried to make words come out, the more intense the pain soaring over her body got and the more she in turn screamed.

Some distance away, Sebastian walked towards the Forbidden Forest, his ears caught a scream, a scream that sent a shiver down his spine, and his blood ran cold when it broke through the air. “Y/N!” he said to himself, panic rushed over him as his feet began moving faster, Sebastian was now sprinting towards the sounds. He was so focused on following the directions of the screams and watching the ground for obstacles he had to divert around, that he didn’t notice the white creature heading toward him until it was too late.

His body fully collided with Highwings strong body, knocking him backwards. Highwing took notice of Sebastian and reared on her back legs, trying her best to signal him distress. He didn’t even think about standing back up, panic flooded his voice; “Highwing?!” he knew if Highwing was alone, those screams definitely came from y/n. Highwing was stressed, cries came from the creature, almost begging him to understand her as he stood back up to his feet, ensuring his wand was with him. “I know, I know Highwing! It’s okay, I’ll find her okay? I promise I’ll find her” he didn’t know if he was trying to convince himself or the Hippogriff that was in front of him. He stroked Highwing’s chest signalling for her to calm down, the intensity of the situation and his determination to save her made Highwing and Sebastian forget they hadn’t ever met properly, the Hippogriff uncharacteristically trusted him straight away.

“I need to go, I have to find her” Sebastian said hurriedly as he stepped away from her, continuing on his path to find y/n. Highwing let out a neigh before following him, she then overtook him as if to lead him to the poacher’s camp. He knew Highwing shouldn’t be near the poachers, but he wasn’t about to try to tell a Hippogriff what to do, especially not at such a critical time. Instead, he followed her heavy footsteps through the forest, winding around corners and trails after the Hippogriff.

Screams rang close by to where the boy and the creature, stopping them dead in their tracks, y/n was close by — quite close. “Please Highwing, stay here. Stay safe. I’ve got this.” Sebastian said in a nervous but confident voice. Highwing’s head bowed, acknowledging his wishes which took him by surprise.

The distinctive sound of screams disappeared, but only for a moment. The harsh Ashwinder’s voice was audible from where they stood. “CRUCIO!!” this time it was screamed with pure hatred. Sebastian instantly snapped his head in the direction of the camp, now knowing where exactly to go — his hastened steps taking him to the location of the screams.

Y/n wanted to beg, to plead for them to stop, but nothing but harrowing screams could leave her mouth, tears streamed down her face and she finally felt defeated; finally met her match. In that moment she wished for it to be over, wished for the pain to end at any cost, but it never did. The excruciating pain only ever stopped for a single moment until another round of the torture curse was thrust upon her. Y/n felt her mind drift from her, she was unable to think of anything anymore, unable to focus on anything but the pain; not even thoughts of Sebastian could break their way through the brutalising pain that the Ashwinders cast on her.

From out of the blue, an explosion erupted from the camp, debris from a tent flew in every direction. The remaining poachers and the male Ashwinder were the first ones to act in retaliation, turning their full attention to the cause of the explosion. The female Ashwinder on the other hand, kept her focus on y/n, clearly enjoying inflicting pain on the student — revelling in her screams and cries rather than the idea of joining in on the combat just yet.

Sebastian walked into the camp as debris fell around them, the fire that had caught on the tent fabric now burned intensely around them, but it didn’t bother Sebastian in the slightest. He didn’t so much as flinch as he stepped through stray flames on the ground, the fiery atmosphere seemed as if it motivated him even more. He was enraged. He set his sights on one of the poachers who was preparing an attack, but Sebastian was quicker. “Diffindo!” Sebastian’s cast caught the raggedy-looking poacher, the spell’s power sliced through the man as if it were a knife and he was just a sheet of paper, the poacher fell to a lifeless pile on the ground; his fatal injuries directly across his stomach that split him into two caused blood to run and stain the ground around him.

The female Ashwinder that had been intently torturing y/n looked up from the writhing and contorting girl in the cage, the anger radiating from the duelist was imminent, but Sebastian’s anger was more. “Oh look. One of your little friends has come to see the show,” spoke the raspy-voiced woman. Y/n’s eyes drifted towards the camp’s entrance, catching sight of Sebastian firing off at the surrounding poachers, making quick work of them. The Ashwinder considered her next course of action for a split second, toying with her options of joining in the fight or torturing the girl.

Just as the poachers dropped, two more swirls of purple smoke slammed into the ground, and Sebastian’s eyes snapped around the camp. He was determined to not let them get the better of them.  Once the female poacher realised there were more Ashwinders for reinforcement, she knew what she would do next, try and fluster the student who had just so brazenly walked into the camp, thinking he was a match for them. The ego of the student was something that the Ashwinders hated, that a student thought he would be a threat to them.

But that was the Ashwinder’s undoing.

Underestimating Sebastian Sallow and hurting the ones he cared for was one way to write your death, one way to bring your death upon you in whatever way he saw fit. He could be unforgiving, he could be just as cruel as them, if not more.

“Crucio!”

Another wave was sent over y/n, just as painful as the last. Her screams didn’t care for her wanting to hold them back, so she didn’t distract Sebastian, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t even fight the pain, even when he was right in front of her. “Sebastian!” she screamed his name,she was surprised for just a moment that his name rang out through the air, yet she was unable to get anything else out as she continued to convulse in the cage, causing her to hit off of the small prison she had been put in. Sebastian’s attention was instantly drawn to where the scream came from. What he saw sent him into a rage, his mind no longer considering a rational approach. His focus was tied to the female Ashwinder, and y/n could almost swear she saw someone other than Sebastian through her tears. Someone to fear. Someone who didn’t care about the repercussions of the actions he would take. Sebastian raised his wand, his intentions so clearly stated in his mind that he didn’t even have to speak a word as he cast at the Ashwinder.

In a turn of events, karma came in the form of Sebastian, the Ashwinder that had been getting so much satisfaction from torturing y/n had folded to the ground, now letting out her screams of pain as she twisted and writhed around on the stone ground beneath her. Even in her own pain, even without him saying the incantation; y/n could tell that Sebastian cast crucio on the duelist. The power required to do such a thing, she knew right now Sebastian had one intent on his mind — but it didn’t bother her, for all of that moment when the crippling pain dissipated she had felt something she had not in some time — relief. Relief from no longer being tortured, and the relief that came with Sebastian’s arrival to the horrific situation she had gotten herself into.

He turned his attention to the now-gathering Ashwinders that cast all types at him from the edge of the cliff. Sebastian dodged and deflected the mixed hues of green and red that flew at him, a sudden power in him unlocking in the heat of the battle. Sebastian held his wand aloft, his eyes glinted with the power that was building within him. Y/n watched as Sebastian moved his wand so elegantly through the air, she was unable to make out what incantation he said, but within a moment she all but knew, and worry came over her in the form of a tsunami.

From the very tip of his wand came fire, but not bursts as he had been casting previously. Instead, it streamed from his wand, his eyes followed the growing stream as it formed shape above and around him.

From her confined space, y/n could feel the intensity that cracked through the air, as harsh as a leather whip that came from hell itself. As Sebastian’s concentration deepened, the once fiery twists that streamed from his wand began to writhe and twist with the movements of his wand, it’s chaos seemed to find order under his control, but how? The flames had a life of their own, as if with each breath Sebastian took, so did the flames; each breath bringing it more to life than the last.

“Sebastian, no!” y/n yelled, hoping that she could stop him from casting such a devastating spell, but it was too late.

The Fiendfyre’s colour was a deep, malignant crimson that seemed to bleed its ominous glow on everything around, casting everything in a hellish glow. The Ashwinders, who once underestimated him were momentarily halted by the spectacle, caused by a student no less. They watched in horror, and fascination, as the flames above Sebastian’s head began to form shape. The fire had begun to grow and take form as the shape of a head formed, followed by a long sinuous body and a flickering tongue. The Fiendfyre serpent, a terrifying sight to see, hung in the air as its body looped and coiled, as if ready to attack at any moment.

Despite the fear that built up within y/n, she couldn’t help but marvel at the sight. Fiendfyre was known for its destructive properties, synonymous with ruin and its desire to consume everything in its path; including the caster, but as she watched, rather than their surroundings burning to the ground around them, the two students included, it seemed to be controlled by Sebastian with eerie precision. Despite the fear that built up within y/n, she couldn’t help but marvel at the sight that came to life in front of her. Y/n, (and Ominis), knew that Sebastian felt a certain way about the dark arts and dark magic, she knew it was something he desired to learn about, to know how it worked, even how to weild it; but she didn’t know his interest would go to this extent. Oh no, this was far beyond her comprehension.

What would Ominis think if he witnessed something so unbelievable? Something so… Incredible. Something told her that Ominis wouldn’t find it the same awe–inspiring spectacle that she did, that he wouldn’t ever be open to the beauty in anything dangerous or related to the Dark Arts.

It was a clear demonstration of Sebastian’s hidden depths, the years of study and practice, and an undeniable connection to the Dark Arts he had that y/n had never fully appreciated, but was also a show of his determination, and dedication to the craft, but also of the lengths he would go to for those he cared about, the lengths he would go to for power… Sebastian had achieved something so unheard of, something that was considered even impossible; not just casting Fiendfyre, but bending it to his will, controlling the flaming serpent that paid homage to Salazar Slytherin; someone Sebastian revered for his affinity with the Dark Arts.

Her astonishment was complete as she watched Sebastian take control of the flaming serpent. In all the tales she had heard, Fiendfyre was a wild, uncontainable force of destruction, yet here it was, a testament to Sebastian's formidable power and dark affinity.

The spectacle before her was both stunning and terrifying.

As the Fiendfyre serpent hovered, a guardian beast conjured from flame and wrath, it was clear that the battle had shifted. With the serpent of fire at his command, Sebastian was not just a defender; he was a storm that couldn’t be controlled, reshaping the terror of the night into something he could be proud of. The serpent of fire seemed to pulse with a life of its own, its eyes glowing embers that locked onto the Ashwinders with a predator's gaze. The heat that emanated from it was oppressive, the air shimmering in waves that made the scene before her look like a mirage. Yet, this was no illusion; it was a vivid, terrifying reality.

Sebastian moved his wand with a fluidity that belied the danger of the spell he commanded. The serpent of Fiendfyre responded, its movements synchronised with his intentions. With a flick of his wrist, Sebastian directed the serpent, its body slithering through the air, weaving around the spells cast by the Ashwinders, creating a protective barrier of fire and fury around him. Not a single spell or jinx cast by the Ashwinders penetrated the serpent, the flames seemingly protected Sebastian, and and its focus was directly locked onto the Ashwinders.

As the Fiendfyre serpent surged forward, its fiery form twisted and contorted with sinister grace. With a menacing hiss, it lowered its head, the flames writhing and flickering like a serpent preparing to strike as the air around shimmered with its heat. Sebastian's control over the dark magic was palpable as he guided the serpent with precise movements of his wand. 

With each command, the serpent responded, its burning eyes fixed on its targets with predatory intent; Sebastian’s eyes matched the serpents. What once seemed like just a reflection of the flames in his eyes was now something more; his eyes glowed with the same bright, fiery, scarlet flames as if his irises were consumed by the flames he produced.

Whisps of fire cracked from the serpent, as if threatening to drop its destructive touch on everything that surrounded them, to ultimately consume everything — but it did not give into it’s dangerous threats. It continued to follow the commands made by the male student, almost as if the Fiendfyre and Sebastian had a deeper connection — as if the troubled student and the chaos he controlled had an understanding of each other.

The fire serpent grew larger, as if standing tall and proud — a predator staring down its helpless prey. The foes that remained infront of Sebastian only had a moment to examine the power being shown right in front of them — they had lost their chance to flee once and for all. Y/n could only make out small moments from the now one-sided battle, her focus was intently tied to Sebastian and the Fiendfyre as her fear slowly melted away, as if the terrifying sight was the answer to all of the issues — no longer viewing the Fiendfyre as their demise.

In the blink of an eye, the serpents mouth opened; it’s jaws parted as it’s blazing fangs were on full display as it suddenly lunged forward with the command of Sebastian’s wand movements — with a simple flick of his wrist, the monstrosity darted through the air with the speed of light. How Sebastian controlled the fiery demon with such grace, such elegance, was something that those witnessing the events unfold could believe — especially not since he did it while anger raged inside of him, if not stronger than what he wielded. The scorching snake dashed across the camp that separated the Ashwinders from their imminent death. All y/n could make out was the blur of crimson and amber, along with its radiating and blazing heat that emminated from the fire beast as it darted past towards it’s prey, its mouth still agape, still baring its fierce fangs. The Fiendfyre was unrelenting once it reached its casters target, its widened mouth slamming shut around one of the Ashwinders with such force, that y/n could have sworn shockwaves were sent through the ground.

Sebastian continued to focus on the frenzy of fire that he commanded, each movement he made was graceful and intentful — like a dancer whoms body married the notes their body intertwined with — the attacks from him and the creature he controlled were just like master and puppet. Deliberate. Intentful. It didn’t take long for Sebastian and the Fiendfyre to make short work of the enemies who had underestimated him — their bodies no longer stood before him, the Fiendfyre had ultimately consumed their bodies — every atom of their beings had been ripped from existence. The serpent that had one stood strong, proud and dangerous retreated back from where it attacked the helpless duelists, and y/n couldn’t help but feel as if Sebastian’s control of the Fiendfyre might just fail as the battle ended. She expected the blazing form to disobey it’s caster, she expected it to lose it’s controlled form and spill its hot, lava-like fire until it consumed everything. To her shock, the Fiendfyre continued to obey Sebastian even though it wanted to break free, wanted to burn everything it possibly could.

The snake slithered back for one more proud stance in the air before its swelled size began to deflate — the fiery snake wove its way around Sebastian once more, as it twisted it soaked in the last few moments of fresh air it would get until he cast it again. It lost its solid shape, as it returned into the tip of Sebastian’s wand it melted back into it’s original form before disappearing completely. Once the conjured beast was completely gone, a spark came from the end of Sebastians wand. He barely acknowledged the spark that sigalled him that the cast was complete before he ran over to the cage that y/n had been stuffed into.

Sebastian noticed the lock on the cage hadn’t been locked — it reminded him of hearing the cruciatus curse, hearing her scream. Even though he had handed out karma, it didn’t make him feel any better. The unlocked cage just showed what the Ashwinders had intended; they didn’t lock it simply because they didn’t have to, because she would be able to leave even if she wanted to. He pushed the thoughts aside quickly before ripping the cage door open with such intensity y/n was surprised that it didn’t break away. Sebastian threw his wand aside as he turned his attention to getting her out of her confinments. His hands grabbed her legs which were closest to him and began to pull her from the cage as gently as he possibly could. Y/n couldn’t move a muscle besides the involuntary twitches her body made — a lingering affect of the repeated use of the Cruciatus curse on her, one that Sebastian hoped was only temporary.

“It’s okay, it’s okay” Sebastian said softly as his arm looped behind her knees, making it easier for him to fully pull her out of the cage. Sebastian sat down on the ground from the kneeling position he had been in as he pulled her body as close to him as possible between his outstretched legs. He put an arm around her shoulders to support her upper body as he held her close, his other arm wrapping around her too. “It’s okay, it’s over now… you’re safe, I’m here,” he said softly before resting his chin against the top of her head. He was just happy to have found her— while she was still breathing. Y/n body still ached from the curse being cast over and over, as if every drop of strength she once had was gone — now barely even able to sit herself up on her own, her upper body being supported by Sebastian, her head resting just at his shoulder as she sat between his legs, Sebastian had let the second arm that wrapped around her fall and moved her legs so they lay over one of his own spread legs so she was in a position that helped him hold her even closer — almost scared that if she wasn’t curled into him that he might lose her again.

Her voice was soft, and slightly weak when she spoke; “I’m sorry Sebastian-” her attempt at apologising for leaving Sebastian behind was cut short by a chorus of “shhh”s that came from him. His hand that had moved her legs then ran through the side of her hair as he placed a kiss atop her head in an attempt to sooth her, as well as himself. “Don’t apologise, please. You’re safe now,” Sebastian said with a light shaky voice, his chin resting on the top of her head, unwilling to let her out of the attempted embrace.

A sudden crack of a tree branch breaking, along with footsteps made Sebastian’s head snap in the direction it came from as his heart began pounding again while y/n felt a surge of fear when the sound rang through the air, instantly thinking of the situation she had barely just escaped not long ago, and she began to tremble slightly with fear.

Sebastian’s own mind went to the worst scenarios possible; more poachers, more ashwinders, some of Ranrok’s loyal goblins — but as quick as his mind presumed danger, the cause of the sounds stepped from the dark shadows into the camp. Sebastian had taken note of y/n’s slight shaking, her head turned into his chest and he began to try soothe her again. “Hey, it’s okay- it’s only Highwing,” Sebastian said softly as he stroked her hair again, his thumb brushed against her cheek occasionally — something that gave y/n a sense of warmth and comfort.

Highwing stepped into the camp and instantly saw Sebastian on the ground with y/n, and even the Hippogriff seemed worried at the sight of the two students as she stepped slowly and carefully across the camp towards the friends. As she grew closer, Sebastian noticed something in her mouth and he raised his eyebrow slightly to himself. Despite the light front the still burning campfire, it did little to help Sebastian pin-point what she was carrying. Y/n’s head rested against Sebastian’s chest as she turned her head ever-so-slightly to see the Hippogriff approaching slowly. As Highwing stood infront of the two friends, she bowed her head to them as she dropped what she was carrying from her mouth just by where y/n layed on Sebastian. “Looks like someone’s brought you something you may have lost,” Sebastian said with a smile as Highwing nudged the object closer with her beak.

On noticing it was a wand that Highwing carried over so diligently, Sebastian reached out the hand that once administered comforting touches to y/n, the other remained around her shoulders and picked up the wand, tucking it into the inside pocket of y/n’s robes for safety. A small smile danced across y/n face as Sebastian placed her wand away safe and turned her head slightly more to look at the loyal Hippogriff. “Thank you, Highwing,” she said, resulting in Highwing raising her head and letting out a satisfied sound before she lay back fully on the ground. Sebastian and y/n watched Highwing settle for a moment before y/n turned her attention back to Sebastian, looking up at him slightly as she took a moment to think about her words.

“And.. thank you, Sebastian… If you hadn’t had come I-” before she had a chance to get the next word out, Sebastian had cut her off. “Stop,” he said, the word was demanding but his voice was gentle as his hand ran through the side of her hair once more before resting on her cheek, his thumb wiping away a tear that had fallen from her eyes. “You don’t have to thank me. The most important thing is that you’re safe” Sebastian said as he looked at her with his brown eyes that seemed to make his gentle words seem even softer.  As he spoke, his words caused her heart to swell. Sebastian’s voice was more gentle than usual, an inflection of a deeper care for her rang through his words leaving the two to share in a quiet moment before y/n broke the silence - not being completely sure how to approach the conversation.

“When you told me what you heard the day Anne was cursed… ‘children should be seen and not heard’..” she said in a soft voice, hoping to cushion whatever blow her words were about to have on him. She could feel Sebastian’s body tense up underneath her and noticed how the arm around her tensed as his jaw clenched. Sebastian’s heartbeat increased as a mix of anxiety, anger and anticipation bubbled within him - not speaking a word, rathering to let her say what she had to say. “..when the ashwinders had me, one of them said the exact same thing..” she paused for a moment, her own anxiety brewing at the thought of how Sebastian would react. “..they were quoting Rookwood, Sebastian.. Rookwood was there that day, he was the one to curse Anne..” she finally said as she looked up at him, gauging his reaction to her revealing the truth behind his sisters condition.

She had expected Sebastian to take the news badly, terribly even - and he would have been right to. Instead, Sebastian gave a small nod as his jaw remained clenched. He wanted nothing more than to go find Rookwood in that moment and make him pay.. To make him experience even a percentage of the pain and suffering his sister had no escape from. Despite his desire to go find Rookwood and do such unforgivable things, he knew in that moment y/n needed him, even if she wouldn’t admit it to him - or herself. He continued to hold her, his grip around her tightened ever-so slightly; a signal to her that despite his quiet demeanour, his mind was anything but.

Her soft hand being placed on his one of his anger-flushed cheeks pulled him from his thoughts long enough to notice her looking up at him, concern etched across her features. “…we will find him Sebastian, we’ll make him pay. I promise.” her words were flooded with sincerity and determination as she spoke, her eyes locked on his. Regardless of what she had just been through, it was clear that Sebastian and his sisters situation was a priority to her rather than her own wellbeing; her selflessness, her care and determination made Sebastian’s true feelings for her flourish more than they had already. A small smile tugged at the corner of Sebastian’s lips as he gave a gentle nod, not trusting his voice to not waver at her promise. Her words and touch soothed the anger that was twisting within him; it slowly being subdued by the emotions that came as a result of her tender actions.

The two sat there for a moment without speaking a word, instead they just looked into each other’s eyes as the campfire’s slowly dwindling flames cast a warm glow on them. It seemed like the rest of the world melted away around them, as if the Fiendfyre came back to life and swirled them in their own bubble. Every thing in that moment, from the breathing of Highwing who lay not far away to the sounds of nature around them, felt right. Y/n was so wrapped up in the moment, so lost in the brown eyes that bore into her own that she didn’t notice Sebastian’s free hand making it way up until it was placed on her cheek, his thumb grazed over her soft skin in such a gentle way that it made goosebumps wash over her skin. Not a single word was shared between the two, instead it felt like the two were the opposite end of magnets that drew closer to each other in slow motion. Her eyes flicked between his and his lips as his face drew closer to hers, both heartbeats sharing an increased speed as their breaths were slightly elevated against one another's. Everything seemed to move slowly as the distance between them decreased, the tension increased; anticipation bubbling under both of their skins until their lips finally met.

It felt like every firework in the world had been set off simultaneously the second his lips touched hers, for both of them. Sebastian's hand moved from cupping her cheek and ran through the side of her hair before stopping at the back of her head, their lips never parting once as they finally indulged in their once-hidden feelings towards each other.

Everything seemed at peace — even if just for a moment. No thoughts of dark wizards, or goblins intent on destroying the world, or the trip to St. Mungo's that y/n would undoubtedly require For just a moment, the two didn’t feel the pressures of the crumbling world around them, didn’t feel the pressure of all the odds being stacked against them. Instead, they let themselves melt into each others touch, revelling in the kiss that spoke volumes for them — the anxieties relating to their feelings for one another that they had both bottled and shoved aside all melted away.

It wasn’t a moment they would rush from, for the first time that year they felt a sense genuine relief and happiness wash over them, as if the pair had The Draught of Peace coursing through them.

It was a moment of genuine emotion, genuine connection between them - two kindred spirits coming together like dancing flames that grew as one as they intertwined with one another; and nothing could ever snuff out the spark.

(a/n; thank you guys for reading, hopefully it wasn't as bad as it is in my mind~ I'm gonna start posting more regular fics/one shots/scenarios I've been building in my head so keep an eye out💖)

💖Sebastian Sallow Taglist💖 @angel-anna @cyan1decandy (let me know if you want to be added for upcoming fics)

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[sterngiirl]

Anywhere but home.

Rohan Kishibe x reader.

NSFW, foreplay at the end, a bit semi-public! Also a bit horrific? Enemies to lover dynamics. (;

Rohan is 25 years old in this fic, you are 21, minor age gap. 

Summary: You move into a new house in Morioh, hoping for a fresh start. But soon after you settle in, you begin to notice strange things happening. Objects move on their own, and you hear whispers in the middle of the night. You also start having vivid nightmares that seem to have a connection to the house.

Desperate for answers, you turn to Rohan Kishibe, who is known for his supernatural investigations.

A/N: I re-watched ‘Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan’ recently, and this show is so good. So here I am, trying to write a kind of ‘horrific’ inspired story. It’s my first time writing in this genre, but I enjoyed it very much! So, please enjoy. (;

Word count: 13k (turn out longer than I thought).

Morioh, Café Deux Magots, 9 am.

You sighed heavily, the fatigue and stress evident in your voice as you spoke. "They keep whispering: 'You belong in this house, you can't escape'. It wakes me up at night, I haven't slept for two weeks." You said, your voice shaking with exhaustion.

You glanced wearily at your coffee cup, the dark liquid providing the only source of energy to keep you going. "I wasn't a fan of coffee, but it's the only thing keeping me awake at this point," you added, feeling defeated and lost. 

You knew you weren't crazy, and that your house was haunted. After two months of unexplainable occurrences and eerie whispers, you had to face the truth.

You had sought out the most arrogant resident of Morioh, Rohan Kishibe, hoping for some kind of solution to your problem. However, his response was far from sympathetic. "Humpf. Considering the state of your face, it's not surprising, really," he retorted, his voice dripping with mock concern.

Your eyes were bloodshot and your hair was unkempt, evidence of the sleepless nights you had endured, there was nothing funny about your situation.

Despite his lack of empathy, you knew Rohan was your only hope, unfortunately. You leaned in, desperation creeping into your voice. "Please, Rohan. I don't know what to do anymore. I can't live like this."

Rohan leaned back in his chair, his piercing gaze focused on you as if trying to read your thoughts. You could feel his eyes on you, evaluating your situation and coming up with a solution. Finally, he broke the silence with a matter-of-fact statement.

"Moves out, changes house."

You felt a surge of frustration at the suggestion. If only it was that simple. 

You had invested everything you had into buying this house and moving to Morioh, and now you were trapped in it. The thought of leaving the town that had captured your heart was unbearable. You had your friends there, your job and study.

"Not everyone has your fortune," you retorted, trying to keep the irritation out of your voice. "I put everything into this house to be in Morioh. I have no solutions."

The sky above the city was a canvas of bright colors, with hues of orange, yellow, and pink blending seamlessly together. The sun was shining high, casting a warm glow over the town, even though it was still early in the morning. The café terrace was a pleasant spot to enjoy the beautiful day, with a gentle spring breeze blowing through the area, carrying with it the sweet scent of blooming flowers.

As you sat at the table, sipping your coffee, you couldn't help but feel grateful for the moment of peace amidst the chaos of your house. The warm sun on your skin and the soft breeze in your hair were soothing, and for a moment, you almost forgot about the whispers and shadows that haunted your every waking moment.

Looking around, you noticed the other patrons of the café, chatting and laughing with each other, completely unaware of the darkness that lurked in your home. It was a strange feeling, knowing that you were the only one experiencing this horror.

"Koichi told me I could ask for your help," you said, trying to keep your tone respectful.

"Koichi thinks I'm friends with everyone, I'm not," Rohan replied in a disinterested manner, not bothering to look up from his coffee cup. 

You couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment at Rohan's response. Feeling frustrated and a bit defeated, you took a deep breath and tried to assert yourself. "But you know me," you said, trying to reason with him. "You have a unique set of skills that might be useful in my situation."

Rohan's smirk widened as he leaned back in his chair. "And here I thought you were just another superstitious fool," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "But it seems like you're actually serious about this." As he makes his comment he looks up at you.

“Complimenting me? You really got there?” he continued, sarcastically, “You are really desperate.”

You felt a surge of anger rising within you, but you swallowed it back down. Rohan was your last hope. "Yes, I'm serious," you replied, trying to keep your voice calm. "I've been living in that house for two months now, and I know that it's haunted. I can't explain the things that have been happening."

Rohan raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. "Like what?" he asked.

"Like the voices," you say, frustrated to repeat yourself, shuddering at the memory. "They whisper to me in the middle of the night. And then there are the shadows - they move like they have a life of their own. Also… It seems like the objects are moving and floating."

Rohan leaned forward, his eyes gleaming this time with small interest. "This sounds like something out of a horror movie," he said, still amused.

You gritted your teeth, trying to keep your cool. "And also, Rohan, just because I believe in ghosts doesn't mean I'm crazy. And just because I'm asking for your help doesn't mean I'm a fool." you retorted, almost matching his sassy energy.

Rohan raised an eyebrow, his smirk still in place. "I never said you were crazy or a fool," he said with a fake offended tone. "But you have to admit, a fortnight ago you were perfectly normal. That’s why I’m suspicious.”

You let out a sigh, feeling some of your tension dissipate a little. "I know it's a long shot," you said, "but I'm desperate. I'll do whatever it takes to get rid of these ghosts and reclaim my home."

Rohan reached for a sheet of paper and a pencil, ready to capture your expression. "I don't take this kind of story lightly," he said, "But you seem really, really, really hopeless.” The way he emphasized the word 'really' irked you. “Let me capture that."

You frowned, feeling irritated by his dismissive attitude. "I'm not a character for your manga," you protested weakly.

Rohan simply shrugged and began sketching, his pencil moving quickly over the paper. You watched him in silence, feeling a mix of frustration and exhaustion. Finally, he finished and held up the sketch for you to see.

You stared at the drawing, it was perfectly done, nothing surprising. But strangely, you were disappointed that the only time he drew you was because of your depressed and tired face. Plus, Rohan hadn't made a single effort to make you more charming. 

"I hate you, I really do," you said through gritted teeth.

As you sat across from Rohan, you couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at his demeanor. It seemed like he was always looking for a way to put you down, always trying to one-up you with his snarky comments and sly remarks. 

Rohan merely chuckled and put the sketch away. "Don't be so dramatic," he said, "It's just a sketch."

As Rohan's hand closed around his coffee cup, his gaze remained locked on you. It was a piercing stare that made your skin tingle and your heart rate quicken. His green eyes seemed to scrutinize every detail of your face, as if searching for something deeper within you. You couldn't help but feel a sense of discomfort under his intense gaze, almost as if he was trying to read your mind.

You noticed a small smirk playing on his lips, as if he knew exactly what effect he was having on you. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes burned with a fierce intensity that made you feel like you were under a microscope. It was almost as if he was challenging you to make a move, to push back against his words.

Despite your annoyance at his nonchalant demeanor, you couldn't deny the magnetic pull he had on you. It was a strange mix of attraction and frustration that left you feeling both exhilarated and irritated. You found yourself wondering what it would be like to get closer to him, to understand the depths of his mind that seemed to be hidden beneath his sassy and arrogant personality.

You had known each other for two years, but it always felt like an uphill battle to get along with him. Your relationship had been strained from the beginning, with your shared constant bickering and snarky remarks. He hated the way you handled him with such a lack of interest.

When you first met, you were still a student and had to travel from S city to Morioh for your studies. But now, after settling down permanently a few months ago, you had to face him on a regular basis. It wasn't easy to deal with his (sometimes) cruel personality, but you tried your best to maintain a cordial relationship with him for the sake of Koichi.

And yet, there was always an underlying tension between the two of you.

You both shared a passion for art and culture as you were a journalist and photographer, which should have brought you closer together. But instead, it felt like another point of contention between you. However, deep down, you couldn't deny the fact that there was something intriguing about Rohan that drew you in. Maybe, just maybe, there was more to your relationship than meets the eye.

Breaking the tense silence that had built up dangerously, you spoke up, “So? Now that you believe me, and you're sure I'm not playing a sick joke on you, will you agree to help me?"

"Of course, I'll help you," he said. You couldn't help but notice his serious tone as he responded to your request. He seemed to be considering something, his words cryptic and mysterious. "But only if you're willing to help me in return." 

Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion, wondering what Rohan could possibly need help with from you.

But before you could ask, he continued, "I have a new idea for my manga, and I think you could help me with it." The great Rohan Kishibe, asking for your help? This was unexpected.

Was this a genuine gesture, or just another one of his games? You couldn't help but feel a twinge of hope concerning your situation.

Still, you were curious. "How can I help?" you asked.

"You'll find out soon enough," he replied enigmatically, "but for now, let's focus on your haunted house. Who knows, maybe this story will inspire me just as well." He shrugged, and brought his coffee cup to his lips.

The Rohan you knew so well, would have relished in your frustration, but this new side of him was different. It was almost... endearing.

Over time, you began to see that there was more to Rohan than just his prickly exterior. You saw tiny glimpses of vulnerability and passion, of someone who was deeply committed to his craft and unafraid to push boundaries. And despite all of his flaws, you found yourself drawn to him, unable to resist.

As you looked into his eyes, you saw a glimmer of something that you couldn't quite put your finger on. Was it attraction? Admiration? Or something else entirely?

But more important is that finally, someone was taking you seriously. "What do we do?" you asked.

Rohan grinned, his eyes glinting with excitement. "We investigate," he said. "We'll spend a night in your haunted house, and see what we can find."

You felt a wave of anxiety wash over you, the thought of facing whatever lurked inside filled you with dread, and it must have been evident on your face because Rohan chuckled at your reaction.

"Don't be afraid, Y/n," he said, his voice soothing and calm. "I'll be there with you. You don't have to face this alone, I’m familiar with the paranormal."

The reassurance in his words did little to quell the fear that had taken root in your heart, but the fact that he was willing to stand by your side gave you a glimmer of hope. As you looked into his eyes, you could see the determination and confidence there.

"One more night shouldn't scare you," he continued, a small smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "And who knows, we might even uncover something interesting."

Despite the unease that still lingered within you, you couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement at the prospect of uncovering the mystery of the haunted house with Rohan by your side. 

With a deep breath, you finally nodded in agreement.

.

.

.

Morioh, your house, 9pm.

As the sound of the doorbell echoed through the house, you felt your heart skip a beat. Anxiety and fear had consumed you so completely that you were now paralyzed, unable to even move from your spot. The thought of being alone in the house made you feel vulnerable and exposed.

Hours had passed since you had arrived, and you had spent most of the afternoon anxiously waiting for Rohan's arrival. Every creak and rustle had made you jump, your nerves frayed with the constant anticipation of danger.

You knew Rohan had a busy schedule with a manuscript to complete in the afternoon and an important dinner with his editor that evening. Despite all of this, he promised to come over and help you tonight. You couldn't help but feel grateful for his commitment and dedication, especially considering his busy schedule. And to your surprise, he kept his promise and arrived promptly, showing his reliability and respect for his word.

When you opened the door to welcome Rohan, you couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over you. However, he let out a laugh that echoed through the hallway. His silhouette was barely visible in the dim light, but you could tell he was smirking smugly. 

"You look even worse than this morning, Y/n. I almost feel sorry for you," he teased. "Nice pajamas by the way," he added, mockingly commenting on your current outfit.

“Thank you for your kind words Rohan, as always.” You scowled at him, and motioned for him to come in. 

He stepped inside, taking in the interior of your house with a critical eye. It was the first time he had ever been to your place, and it was clear that he was unimpressed.

Your house was simple and small, with a modern design and minimalist decor. There was nothing spooky or foreboding about it, which made you feel a bit embarrassed for calling him over. But the fear of spending another night alone in the house had been too much to bear.

Rohan dropped his bag by the door and walked around the entrance and the living room connected to it, studying the decorations and furniture. "It's not exactly what I was expecting," he remarked, his tone laced with disappointment.

You bristled at his comment. "What were you expecting? A haunted mansion?" you retorted, feeling defensive.

He turned to face you, his expression unreadable. "No, not a mansion. But I was hoping for something a bit more... interesting. I mean, where's the history? The character?" he asked, gesturing around the room.

You rolled your eyes, already regretting asking for his help. It was clear that Rohan wasn't easily impressed, and you had a feeling that this was going to be a long night.

You sighed and closed the door behind you, feeling a mixture of nervousness and reluctance as you prepared to spend another night in your haunted house. As you turned to face Rohan, you tried to change the subject for a moment, not particularly excited about investigating the spirits that haunted the place.

"How did your dinner go?" you asked, hoping to distract him and perhaps buy some time before confronting the eerie atmosphere that awaited you.

Rohan was already leaning over the bookcase in your living room, scanning the titles of your books. "That went well," he said, his voice a little weary. "Izumi drains all my energy every time..."

You raised an eyebrow, curious. "Izumi?"

"My editor, remember, you know her," Rohan explained, turning to face you. "But I think I managed to give her the impression that I wasn't uninterested or bored..."

Rohan picked up a book from the shelf and opened it without asking for permission, as if he owned everything. It was a book of documentary photography about Italy, and specifically, the Venice Carnival.

"Since when do you care about people's opinions?" you asked, a bit surprised trying not to show your annoyance. Rohan had always struck you as someone who didn't care much for others.

Rohan chuckled. "Izumi is different," he said, his tone serious. "She works for me, brings me the books I need, and if I disappoint her, they’ll give me another editor. And I don't have the patience for that."

You nodded, understanding his point. Rohan was a successful manga artist, and he relied on his editor to promote and distribute his work. Displeasing her would have dire consequences for his career.

“You aren’t jealous?” Rohan asked curiously, closing the book he had been perusing and tucking it under his arm, shamelessly.

As he asked the question, a frown creased your forehead, and you found yourself surprised by the suddenness of it. You had never thought of yourself as the type to feel jealous, especially not when it came to Rohan. He was your ‘dear’ enemy. But the more you thought about it, the more you realized that there was a small part of you that was bothered by his relationship with Izumi.

You couldn't help but feel a twinge of irritation at the thought of him putting up with her volatile temper, going to parties and dinners with her, and even talking about his passion. When he couldn't even hold a cordial conversation with you. 

It all seemed so intimate, so exclusive, and you couldn't help but wonder what it was that made her so special. Was it her looks? Her intelligence? Her influence in the publishing industry? You couldn't quite put your finger on it, but the fact remained that Rohan seemed to prioritize her over you, at least in some ways.

Despite these feelings, you knew that you couldn't show them to Rohan. He was too perceptive, too insightful, and would be able to pick up on any subtle cues or hints. So you forced a neutral expression and replied as casually as you could manage, "No, I don't care."

You hoped that your words would be convincing enough to put any doubts or suspicions out of Rohan's mind, but deep down you knew that the issue wasn't really resolved, especially facing his smirk.

"So, are we ready to investigate my house?" Your heart was pounding in your chest as you nervously asked Rohan. You never thought you would actually be saying those words out loud, but here you were, about to face whatever paranormal activity lurked within the walls of your home. 

The thought of facing Rohan's vicious questions was almost as terrifying as the idea of encountering a ghost, so it was time to change his mind once again.

To your surprise, Rohan chuckled at your question and responded with enthusiasm. "Let's do this," he said with a grin. It was clear that he was excited to explore and his eagerness helped to ease some of your anxiety.

Several hours had passed since Rohan's arrival, and the night was well underway, nearing midnight. Despite your expectations, nothing unusual had occurred. No floating objects, no strange whispers, not even a creaking sound. It was almost embarrassing for you, as you knew the paranormal activities that are normally occurring. But in the mangaka's presence, nothing. 

You felt the weight of exhaustion in your eyes, and the temptation to fall asleep was strong. The presence of Rohan, usually unsettling and intimidating, strangely gave you a sense of calm. However you knew that you couldn't let your guard down. So instead, you watched him work, silently impressed by his dedication and attention to detail.

Meanwhile, and to your luck Rohan remained serious and focused on his investigation. He was looking at the papers of the house alongside you in the living room, trying to understand its history, location, and plans. He was determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Just when you were about to give up hope and go to bed, Rohan suddenly exclaimed, "Ah!" He raised a piece of paper before his eyes and exclaimed, "I was thinking too narrowly. The house was built on an old cemetery. That should explain some of it."

You were surprised and a bit creeped out by the revelation. “The agent took care to hide it from me…”, you said in a plaintive voice. “I wonder why.”

“Maybe they were having trouble selling it, and since you're not exactly from Morioh, they saw an opportunity,” Rohan suggested. He sighed, “It's a shame it happened to you, Y/n. But, it's just a cemetery, nothing that should justify what you described to me.”

As Rohan lifted his eyes from the papers to observe you, his gaze was intense and piercing, as if trying to read your thoughts and emotions. These past days, it was a habit of his, admiring you like a sort of unique masterpiece. 

You couldn't help but feel a bit vulnerable under his scrutiny, but at the same time, there was a sense of understanding and sympathy in his eyes. Which was surprising.

It was almost as if he could see through your tough exterior and was genuinely concerned about your well-being. His gaze was unwavering, yet comforting, and it made you feel like you could trust him in that instant.

“I doubt you've been sleep deprived for weeks to play a trick on me... So you might as well take advantage of the fact that it's quiet so you can get some rest.” He finally said. 

Despite the fact that Rohan's words were unexpectedly kind, you shook your head frantically, feeling the weight of fear pressing down on you. "No, I can't sleep," you replied, your voice trembling. "Sleeping in this house terrifies me, Rohan."

You weren't usually this vulnerable, especially in front of someone like him who could easily take advantage of your weaknesses to make fun of it. But the long hours of being awake, the weariness that crept up on you, and the realization that the house you thought was just an ordinary one had a dark and sinister past, all combined broke down your defenses.

Rohan kept his gaze on you, his hand on his chin as if he was contemplating deeply. You could see the understanding in his eyes, the empathy he felt for you despite his usually aloof and distant demeanor. It was a strangely comforting feeling.

"I didn't say I was leaving," he said after a moment, breaking the silence that had descended upon the room. "I took my clothes to change, if you wish, I will stay with you."

His words surprised you, and you looked up at him in confusion. "Why would you do that for me?"

Rohan shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "I need your help for my manga," he replied. "And besides, I wouldn't want you to be alone in here. Who knows what could happen."

You didn't know what to say, feeling a strange mix of gratitude and apprehension. You knew that Rohan was not the easiest person to be around, and that his presence could be just as unsettling as the house itself. But at the same time, you couldn't deny the fact that having him there made you feel safer somehow.

"Okay," you said finally, giving in to the exhaustion that had been weighing down on you. "Stay with me, please."

On this agreement, you stood up as best you could, feeling a mix of relief and apprehension. Ready to go to bed, you turned to Rohan and said, "I don't have a guest room though, I hope you don't mind sleeping in my room."

"I wasn't planning on sleeping in the guest room anyway," Rohan replied, his voice collected. "If something happens, I want both of us to witness it." He carefully put away the papers he had been consulting and neatly picked up his bag.

You watched him in silence, still feeling a bit uneasy about the situation but grateful for his company. You were usually a strong and independent person, but the events of the past few days had taken a toll on you, both physically and mentally.

At this point, you were far too tired to protest or make any of your famous remarks to provoke him. You accepted the situation easily, even though the thought of sharing your bed with Rohan made you feel a bit uneasy.

"Well, follow me," you said, motioning for him to follow you to your room, which was upstairs.

You led Rohan up the stairs towards your bedroom. As you walked, you couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that you wouldn't have to spend the night alone in this house. You had never been so grateful for someone's company.

Once you reached your bedroom, you hesitated for a moment before opening the door. You knew it was silly, but you couldn't help feeling embarrassed by the state of your room. It was cluttered with books, clothes, and various items, a reflection of your chaotic lifestyle.

"Sorry for the mess," you muttered as you stepped inside, feeling self-conscious.

Rohan didn't seem to mind, though. He simply placed his bag down and looked around the room, taking everything in. "Interesting," he murmured to himself, almost as if he was talking to the room itself.

You couldn't help but feel curious. "What's interesting?" you asked, your fatigue momentarily forgotten.

He turned to face you, his eyes gleaming with a strange intensity. "Your room. It's like a reflection of your mind. Chaotic, but with a clear sense of purpose. And yet, there's something more, something hidden beneath the surface."

You couldn't help but feel a shiver run down your spine at his words. It was as if he could see right through you. But before you could ask any more questions, he gestured to the bed.

"Come on, let's get some rest," he said, his tone gentle but firm.

You nodded, feeling grateful for his presence once again. As you crawled into bed, you couldn't help but wonder what he meant by his words. Was there really something hidden beneath the surface of your mind? Or was it just your imagination, fueled by the fear and fatigue of the past few weeks?

Rohan bend down to set his bag on the floor, his eyes scanning the room briefly once again. You watched as he took a few steps towards the door before turning to face you once again. "I'm going to change my clothes," he announced.

You nodded in response, and explained to him where the bathroom was. As he left the room, you took a deep breath, trying to steady your nerves. The silence that enveloped the room was heavy and suffocating. And not to help, the empty seat next to you seemed to mock you, a constant reminder that in a few moments it would be occupied by Rohan.

You sighed in frustration, feeling the weight of the situation bearing down on you. On one hand, you couldn't stand Rohan and the way he always seemed to have an answer for everything. He had a way of getting under your skin like no one else could, and you resented him for it.

But on the other hand, you couldn't deny the fact that you were more than glad that out of everyone you knew in Morioh, it was him that was here with you in this moment. There was something about his presence that was comforting, despite the circumstances. It was a strange feeling, and you couldn't quite make sense of it.

As you sat there lost in thought, Rohan returned to the room dressed in a simple t-shirt and sweatpants. He looked relaxed but still very stylish. I was as if everything was normal and he had just finished a long day at work, ready to unwind.

"Very well," he said. "Let's get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

Despite his prickly personality, you had always felt a strange connection to Rohan. Maybe it was because you both shared a passion for art, or maybe it was because he had always been there for you when you needed him.

He looked at you and asked, "Feeling any better?" His voice was soft, as he took a seat next to you in the bed. You could feel the weight and the warmth of his presence just next to your body.

You shrugged in response, not quite sure how to answer. "I don't know, to be honest. This whole thing has me feeling pretty shaken up." As you settled in, pushing the cover up to your shoulder, ready to sleep, you felt Rohan's eyes on you. "Is everything alright?" you asked, feeling self-conscious.

Rohan hesitated for a moment before replying, “Nothing.” His answer seemed dismissive, but you could tell that he was holding something back.

You raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "Are you sure about that?" you asked, hoping that he would open up to you.

He sighed, clearly not happy to talk about it, but he opened up anyway. "I just wanted to make sure you're comfortable," he said. "You've been through a lot these past few days, and I want to make sure you're okay."

You smiled, feeling touched by his concern. "Thank you," you said. "I'm just glad to have someone here with me."

For a moment you thought your comment made him tense, but he just nodded and turned off the lamp on the bedside table. As the room fell into darkness, you felt a sense of calm wash over you. You were grateful for Rohan's presence, and you knew that you wouldn't have been able to get through this without him.

"You know, I don't usually like having anyone stay with me," you admitted. "But it's nice to have someone to talk to."

Rohan chuckled softly. "I know what you mean," he said. "Sometimes it's nice to have someone around, even if you don't want to admit it."

You laughed quietly, feeling a sense of ease between the two of you. "In fact, I'm just glad you are the one here," you admitted, feeling your eyes start to droop with fatigue.

Rohan leaned over, "I'm not going anywhere," he whispered in your ear. "I'll be here as long as you need me."

As you drifted off to sleep, you felt a sense of safety in Rohan's presence.

. . . 'You belong in this house, you can't escape'

The whisper left you with the sensation of a warm breath on the back of your neck, causing your skin to crawl with fear. You woke up with a start, your heart pounding in your chest. When you opened your eyes, you were greeted by the darkness that filled your room. It was impossible to know what time it was, if you had even slept for long. 

But in that darkness, you felt a presence, malevolent and dangerous, looming over you like a shadow.

The hairs on the back of your neck stood up, and a cold sweat broke out across your forehead as you lay there, paralyzed with fear. Your mind raced, trying to rationalize the situation, but nothing made sense. You couldn't shake the feeling that someone or something was watching you, waiting to strike.

You tried to reach out from under the blanket to turn on the light of your bedside lamp, but your arm refused to move. It felt as if something was holding you down, trapping you in place. 

The silence was deafening, and you could hear nothing but the sound of your own breathing and the pounding of your heart. The malevolent presence in the room had become more palpable, more tangible.

You squeezed your eyes shut, hoping that it was all just a bad dream. But when you opened them again, the darkness remained, and the presence was still there. You knew that you had to do something, but fear had rendered you immobile.

The seconds ticked by like hours, and you could feel your sanity slipping away. You were trapped in a nightmare, with no way out.

At that moment, a sinister voice whispered in your ear, causing every hair on your body to stand on end. ‘Let me feed myself,' you could feel the warm breath gushing over your face, and you knew that you were in grave danger.

You tried to scream, but fear had paralyzed you. You felt like your brain was boiling as you struggled to understand how you could have fallen asleep in the presence of such danger. You tried to think, to collect your thoughts, to remember what had happened, but your mind was in a haze.

You were frozen in fear, unable to move or even breathe. Every nerve in your body was screaming for you to get up, to run, to do something, but you were unable to move a muscle.

Then suddenly a spark of hope came to your mind, yes, Rohan. Desperately, you reached out for him, hoping to find some comfort in his presence. But your hand met nothing but cold, empty space. 

Terror flooded your body as the realization hit you that you were completely alone.

Unable to contain your fear any longer, you began to cry uncontrollably. Your sobs echoed through the empty room  in a plaintive, painful moan, a haunting sound that only added to the terror of the situation. The darkness seemed to press in on you, suffocating you with its weight.

You were convinced that this was the end. The last night of your life. The thought filled you with a sense of crushing despair, and you sobbed even harder, your body wracked with pain.

“Y/n!” someone yelled out your name. 

The door to your room creaked open, and you were momentarily blinded by the sudden flood of light. You blinked several times, trying to adjust your vision to the brightness. When your eyes finally focused, you saw Rohan standing in the doorway, his expression etched with concern.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

You could feel your heart pounding in your chest as you struggled to find the words to respond. You managed to stammer out, "Did you see it? It was just here a moment ago."

Rohan's eyes widened with alarm as he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. "Who was here? What are you talking about?"

You could feel the fear rising up in your throat as you tried to explain what had just happened. Rohan listened to you, trying to understand your rambling words. He didn't seem very convinced. "T-The shadow," you said, your voice trembling. "It was here with me. I felt a breath on the back of my neck."

Rohan's expression softened as he realized how scared you were. He crossed the room to stand next to you, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder. "It's okay," he said, his voice calm and reassuring. "I'm here now. You're safe."

You let out a shuddering breath, feeling the tension slowly begin to drain from your body. You looked around the room, but there was no sign of anyone else. It was just you and Rohan.

"I don't understand," you said, your voice still shaking. "I was so sure that there was someone else in here with me."

Rohan nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Sometimes our minds can play tricks on us," he said. "Especially when we're scared or anxious. It's possible that you just imagined it."

You knew that Rohan was trying to help, but his words didn't bring you any comfort. You were certain that there had been someone else in the room with you. But who? And why? The questions swirled around in your mind, leaving you feeling more confused and frightened than ever.

However, you barely had time to dry your tears when Rohan took you by the shoulders, shaking you a little in the process, you could feel your heart racing and your body tensing up. You knew exactly what he was about to do, and you were not ready for it. You had begged him before not to use his Stand, Heaven's Door, on you again, and you thought he had agreed not to. But here he was, with his hand raised and his Stand activated, ready to invade your mind once again.

Tears were still streaming down your face as you pleaded with him to stop. "No, Rohan, please! You promised me you wouldn't do this again!" Your voice was choked with emotion, but it didn't seem to deter him. He was determined to get the information he wanted, no matter the cost to your well-being.

You were acutely aware of the strange happenings in Morioh, with the bizarre powers possessed by many of its inhabitants. You hadn’t one, but Koichi and Okuyasu talked about their Stands and their abilities, and you knew that Rohan's Stand was even more dangerous than most. He could manipulate your memories and thoughts, altering them in any way he saw fit. The thought of him rooting around in your mind, exposing your most private thoughts and memories, filled you with a sense of dread.

You recalled the last time he had used his Stand on you, demonstrating its powers by using some of your deepest secrets to mock you. It had been a traumatic experience that left you feeling violated and helpless. After that, you had made him promise not to use it on you again, but now it seemed he had gone back on his word.

Rohan's arms wrapped around you tightly, pulling you into a close embrace. You could feel his strong chest pressing against yours, his body heat enveloping you in a warm embrace. Despite your anger towards him, you couldn't help but notice how muscular and toned he felt despite his slender figure, and a small part of you found the closeness exhilarating.

You struggled against his grip, pushing against his chest with all your might, but he held you even tighter, refusing to let you go. His hands slid down your back, holding you firmly against him, and you could feel his breath on your neck as he leaned in closer.

"Please calm down," he tried to soothe you. "I'm doing this for your own good."

You gritted your teeth, angry at him for violating your trust and breaking his promise. But even as you pushed against him, you couldn't help but feel a strange sense of longing deep within you, a desire for something more than just anger and frustration.

Despite your protests, Rohan didn't stop. "I'm sorry Y/n, but I have to get this straight. Heaven's Door!" he said, as his hand made contact with your forehead you felt a strange sensation, almost like he was peeling back the layers of your mind.

A bright light flashed before your eyes and you felt your body go limp. Your consciousness seemed to fade away as the pages of a book appeared all around you. You were suddenly aware that Rohan's stand had turned you into a book, and he was reading through the pages to learn everything about you. You wanted to scream, to protest against this invasion of your privacy, but you were unable to move or speak. 

You were completely at his mercy.

The next thing you knew, your world went black, and you lost consciousness.

As you regained consciousness, you realized that you were not alone in the room. You found yourself lying on Rohan's shoulder, and he was reading a book. "I hate you," you groaned and ran your hand over your face to make sure everything was back to normal.

You lifted your head from his shoulder slightly, trying to collect your thoughts. Rohan on the other hand chuckled softly, the sound of his voice almost taunting. "So I was right, you really are jealous of Izumi."

You felt a twinge of embarrassment as Rohan revealed his knowledge of your jealous feelings towards Izumi. You had been trying to hide those feelings from everyone, even yourself, because you knew they were unfounded and irrational. There was no concrete reason for your jealousy, only the fact that Rohan seemed to pay more attention to her than to you.

It was frustrating to feel this way, but you couldn't help it. You knew that Izumi was a talented editor, and it was natural for Rohan to want to work with her. But still, the way he praised her and seemed to be constantly in her presence made you feel somehow insecure.

You wince, feeling a pang of annoyance. "Why do you always have to do that?"

"I'm sorry, Y/n. I couldn't help it. You know how I am." Rohan closed the book he was holding and placed it on the coffee table, his tone light. Rohan tilted his head and smiled. "Jealousy can be a powerful emotion, but it doesn't have to control you. I don’t admit it often, but you're important to me too, you know that."

“Thank you.” You looked up at him, feeling a sense of relief wash over you. Maybe there was nothing to be jealous of after all. However, his teasing demeanor didn't amuse you. "Is that really the only information you found interesting? Nothing to do with my house?" you asked.

You sat up and looked around, trying to get your thoughts straight. As you took in your surroundings, you couldn't help but notice the strikingly luxurious decor of Rohan's living room. The room was well-lit with recessed lighting fixtures that cast a warm, welcoming glow. You noticed that there were several pieces of artwork adorning the walls, all of which seemed to be original pieces.

You recognized some of the furniture pieces from Rohan's manga, Pink Dark Boy. The couch you were sitting on was plush and comfortable, covered in soft velvet fabric. It was positioned facing a large flat-screen television mounted on the opposite wall, which was currently displaying a paused documentary.

To your left was a sleek black coffee table adorned with a stack of magazines and books, including some of Rohan's own publications. The bookshelves lining the walls were filled to the brim with novels, manga, and art books. You could see that Rohan had an extensive collection of literature and graphic novels, many of which you had also heard of before.

As you took in the details of the room, you couldn't help but feel a little out of place. The decor was far too extravagant and not to your taste. It was clear that Rohan had a penchant for luxury, and you couldn't help but wonder how much he had spent on the furnishings and artwork.

"Why are we at your house?" you asked, confused.

Rohan looked at you with a sly smirk, "Well, you passed out, so I brought you here to rest. And, of course, to get some more information about you."

You groaned, "I can't believe you did it again. I thought we had an agreement."

Rohan's smile faded slightly, "I'm sorry, Y/n. But I had to know. There's something strange going on, and I need to protect myself and those close to me." he paused, “Simply put, you.”

You let out a deep sigh of frustration. Rohan's behavior was so unpredictable, one moment he was teasing and mocking you, the next he claimed to be there to protect you. It was difficult for you to decipher what his true intentions were, especially in your current emotional state. You felt confused and conflicted, not knowing what or who to believe. It was as if Rohan was playing a constant game of tug-of-war with your emotions while you desperately wanted to trust him.

"I understand that, but you can't just go around invading people's privacy like that. It's not right." you finally say.

Rohan nodded, "I know, and I promise not to do it again. But, let's focus on the actual useful information I found. You were asking about the house, right?"

You nodded, "Yes, please tell me what you found."

Rohan's expression was grave, indicating that what he had to say was of great importance. "I cannot determine if the house is a stand or if it is genuinely haunted by the spirits of the cemetery. However, when I used Heaven's Door on you, I only found information from the evening, none of your past. These pages were blank," he explained.

He propped his hand on his chin, looking contemplative. "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to explore the house thoroughly to see if I could find any clues. But I came up empty-handed. However, I believe the house is feeding off of you. To test my theory, I brought you here, and indeed, your past came back on the pages," he continued, his eyes studying you closely.

You listened to him intently, a mixture of fear and curiosity gnawing at your insides. "What do you mean, the house is feeding off of me?" you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

Rohan let out a deep sigh. "I don't know. It's just a theory for now. But I believe that the house is somehow drawing on your memories, possibly to sustain itself or grow stronger. Maybe even digest you with time," he explained, his gaze never leaving you.

You couldn't believe what you were hearing. "What are we going to do?" you asked, feeling a shiver run down your spine.

Rohan's expression softened slightly as he reached out and placed a reassuring hand on your shoulder. "We'll figure it out together. I won't let anything happen to you," he promised, his eyes holding yours.

You couldn't help but feel a sense of confusion and surprise at the way Rohan was acting. The Rohan you had known for years was confident, charismatic, and always seemed to be in control. He could be sharp-tongued and cutting, and never hesitated to use his wit to put others in their place. But this Rohan, the one who was being gentle and supportive, was a side of him you had never seen before.

As you thought about it, you realized that you had never really seen him in private before. You had only ever seen him in public, where he was always performing for others. But now, in this private moment, he was showing you a side of himself that was vulnerable and caring.

You couldn't help but wonder what had brought about this change in him. Was it your current situation that had softened him? Or was he simply revealing a side of himself that he had kept hidden from others?

Either way, you found yourself grateful for his kindness and support. It made you feel less alone in this strange, unsettling situation.

"Tomorrow, Koichi and I will go and get your affairs. And while we sort it out, you'll live here. Unlike you, because I'm objectively wealthier, I have a guest room you can stay in," he explained, looking at you with a serious expression.

You couldn't believe it. Rohan, who had always treated you with disdain and ridicule, was now offering you a place to stay and helping you with your problems. You felt tears forming in your eyes, but this time they were tears of relief and gratitude.

"Thank you Rohan, thank you very much," you said, your voice cracking with emotion.

And under the emotion, you took him in your arms. As you hugged him, you felt the tension in your body slowly begin to dissipate. It was as if the weight of the situation was lifting off your shoulders, and you were grateful for Rohan's support. You held him tightly, trying to convey the depth of your gratitude.

At first, he didn't react much to your embrace, and you could feel his body tensing up under your touch. It was clear that Rohan was not used to physical affection, and you wondered how often he allowed himself to be vulnerable like this. However, after a few moments, he wrapped his arms around your waist, his hold initially awkward and unsure. But then, gradually, his embrace became firmer, and you could feel him drawing you closer.

He rested his chin on the top of your head, and you could feel his breath on your hair. For a few moments, you simply held each other, neither of you speaking. You felt a sense of comfort in his embrace, and it was almost as if the two of you were connected in a way that went beyond words.

Eventually, Rohan let out a small sigh, and you could feel him relaxing his hold on you slightly. It was as if he was still uncertain about showing this level of affection, but he didn't want to push you away rudely. So you did it for him, pulling yourself back slightly, looking up at him, and you could see a faint blush on his cheeks.

"I'm doing all this for my manga, don't get any ideas," he said, his tone teasing but also a little guarded.

You couldn't help but laugh, even though your voice was muffled by your sobs. "Of course," you said, smiling up at him. Despite his attempt to downplay the moment, you knew that Rohan was genuinely there for you, and you were grateful for his support.

.

.

.

Morioh, Rohan’s house, 5 pm.

As the days passed, you settled into Rohan's home, gradually becoming more comfortable with your living situation. You discovered that he was not the arrogant, unfeeling man he had initially portrayed himself as, but rather someone who was fiercely passionate about his work and those he cared about.

You both spent long hours talking about everything under the sun, sharing your hopes, fears, and dreams. You found yourself admiring him, his sharp wit and intelligence, his strong will and determination.

Despite knowing that your feelings for him were forbidden, you couldn't help but fall for him. You tried to push these feelings aside, but the more time you spent with him, the more difficult it became to ignore the pull you felt towards him. You found yourself anticipating his presence, longing to hear his voice and see his face.

Your heart would flutter whenever he touched you, even if it was just a brief brush of his hand, and you found yourself daydreaming about him more and more often. You knew that the consequences of acting on your feelings could be disastrous, but it was hard to resist the allure of this man who had become your friend, your enemy, and your protector all at once.

Despite your internal struggles, your time at Rohan's house was the happiest you had been in a while. You felt safe and protected, surrounded by his lavish lifestyle and the comforts of his home. He had even shown you around his private studio, where he spent countless hours creating his manga masterpieces. The walls were lined with sketches and drawings, each one a testament to his talent and creativity. 

As you spent more time at Rohan's house, you began to notice more of his quirks and idiosyncrasies. He was a man who held himself to a high standard, sometimes to the point of being overly critical of his own work. You admired his dedication and attention to detail, but it also meant that he could be a perfectionist at times.

Despite this, Rohan was also surprisingly sensitive and empathetic. You had caught him watching sad movies by himself late at night, and he would sometimes open up to you about his own personal struggles. Seeing this vulnerable side of him made your heart ache with compassion and understanding.

As your feelings for him grew, you couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same way. You caught him looking at you sometimes, his piercing gaze making your heart race. But then he would quickly look away, as if embarrassed.

The tension between you two was more palpable than ever, but neither of you dared to cross the line. You knew it was forbidden to feel this way, but you couldn't help it. Rohan had become such an important part of your life, and you couldn't imagine living without him.

However, your happiness was short-lived.

"Y/n?" Rohan called out from the doorway to find out where you were.

As you basked in the warmth of the sun, enjoying your soda and engrossed in your manga, Rohan's voice calling your name jolted you back to reality. You quickly set your manga down and turned your gaze towards the inside of the house, "I'm outside!" you replied, calling back from one of the outdoor patio chairs where you sat. 

As he walked towards you. His usually calm and collected demeanor was replaced with an air of agitation that made you uneasy. 

As he sat down beside you, you couldn't help but notice that he was empty-handed, a rare occurrence for him after a shopping trip. You knew Rohan was an avid collector of books and that he rarely returned from a trip without a few new additions to his already extensive library.

"Is something wrong?" you asked him, concern etched on your face.

"I have managed to crack the secret of your house. I lied to you, I didn't want to worry you. But it's all cleared up," Rohan said, his voice low.

The news hit you like a ton of bricks. You were stunned, unable to process the implications of what Rohan had just revealed. Your mind was racing with questions, wondering how he could have possibly uncovered the secret of your house.

"Wait, what do you mean?" you asked, your voice trembling slightly with fear and anxiety.

Rohan took a deep breath, his expression serious and grave. "There was a box hidden within the walls," he explained. "It was trapped, and it contained the souls of everyone who ever lived in the house. It was probably put there as revenge for desecrating a cemetery."

Your heart sank at the thought of the trapped souls, and you felt a chill run down your spine. It was a terrifying concept, and you couldn't believe that something like that could have been hidden in your house, how many people had disappeared because of it.

"I destroyed it after studying it," Rohan announced, pulling out a sheet of paper from his bag. He handed it to you, and as you looked closer, you saw that it was a series of intricate sketches of the box from various angles. The level of detail was impressive, and even as a drawing, the box looked ominous and unsettling.

You couldn't help but feel a shiver run down your spine as you gazed at the sketches, trying to imagine what it must have been like to come face to face with such a terrifying artifact. "This is what was trying to ingest your soul,” Rohan teased with a smirk, his eyes sparkling mischievously. The comment sent a chill through you, but you couldn't help but appreciate the humor in his tone.

Relief washed over you, and you couldn't help but let out a small sigh.  "Thank you, Rohan," you said, feeling a surge of gratitude towards him. "I don't know what I would have done without you."

Rohan let out a small huff, and a hint of a smile played at the corner of his lips. "You don't have to thank me," he replied in a casual tone, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

You couldn't help but laugh as you listened to Rohan's response. His usual detached and arrogant attitude had been stripped away, and you could sense a newfound sincerity in his words. Knowing the lengths he had gone to solve the mystery of your house, you found his remarks more endearing than annoying.

"Well, I still want to thank you. You saved me from a lot of trouble," you said, smiling at him.

Rohan's smirk grew a little wider at your words. "It was a minor inconvenience, really," he said, leaning back in his chair and stretching his arms above his head. "Besides, I'm always up for a good mystery to solve."

You chuckled, glad that he was taking it so well. "Well, I'm just glad it's over. I can finally go home." You tried to hide the reluctance in your voice.

Rohan's smirk turned mischievous as he leaned towards you. "But do you really want to leave? You could stay here with me, you know." He winked at you, causing you to roll your eyes and laugh.

"Nice try, Rohan. But I think it's time for me to go home and stop bothering you with my insufferable presence." You stood up from the chair. "Thank you again for taking care of everything."

Rohan stood up as well, "I think, Y/n, you have forgotten our deal." He put his hand on your shoulder to stop you.

It's been a while now, and with everything that's been going on lately, you've forgotten the original agreement. "I have to help you with your manga, right?"

“Yes,” Rohan spoke calmly as he leaned in towards you, his arms wrapping around your waist to hold you close to him. You felt the warmth of his body against yours, the heat of the summer sun adding to the sensation. You could smell his expensive cologne, a pleasant scent that mixed with the fresh air and the nearby flowers. 

As you stood there in Rohan's embrace, you couldn't help but notice the way his body felt against yours. The warmth of his bare skin, the firmness of his muscles, and the gentle rise and fall of his chest with each breath he took.

His hold was firm but not overpowering, allowing you to move slightly if you wanted to, but you knew he wouldn't let go unless he had to. You closed your eyes and took a deep breath, allowing yourself to be enveloped in his warmth.

Since the night he brought you to his house, you hadn't been this close to him again. Sometimes you would sit on the sofa together, watching a film or a documentary, or chatting about random things. 

Sometimes you would cook together in the kitchen, trying out new recipes and enjoying each other's company. But nothing like this.

It was strange, you thought to yourself, how this moment could feel so intimate. If he too was aware of the way his body was pressed against yours, of the way your heartbeats seemed to sync up. But you didn't dare ask, afraid of what his answer might be.

"Since I solved the case of your house, technically, you can't refuse me anything." Rohan's voice interrupted your thoughts. His breath hitched in your neck, reminding you of the proximity. The warmth of his body pressed against you, making it difficult to focus on anything else. His grip tightened, holding you in place.

There was nothing romantic or sympathetic about his words. It was a reminder that there was an arrangement, almost professional in its nature. It was all calculated. Just when you were beginning to think he had a kind heart...

"You did all this... In order to use the agreement to get your way?" You asked, disappointed.

Rohan just chuckled, still holding you close. "You've already helped me a lot, you know. I needed to add a strong female character to my manga, and having you by my side lately has given me everything I needed."

As he spoke, his left hand roamed your back dangerously, exploring every single inch. Being in a tank top because of the heat, it didn't take him long to find your bare skin underneath. The sensation of his fingers tracing patterns on your skin sent shivers down your spine, and you couldn't help but lean into his touch.

"I could see your character, your habits, but I didn't get a chance to feel your body." He smiled, his thumb running over your lips with his free hand, “Or your lips, I wonder how they taste…”. You could feel your heart racing in your chest as he leaned in closer, his breath hot against your skin.

As much as you tried to resist, there was something undeniably attractive about him. The way he held you, the way he spoke, the way his touch sent electric currents through your body - it was all too much to ignore.

But you couldn't let him have his way. "That doesn't mean you can just do whatever you want," you said, trying to sound strong and assertive despite the butterflies in your stomach.

Rohan chuckled, the sound vibrating through his chest and into yours. "Of course not, my dear. But it does mean that you owe me a favor or two." He leaned in even closer, his lips almost touching yours. "And who knows what else I might need from you in the future."

You were acutely aware of the tension building between you and Rohan. His confident and arrogant demeanor had always been a turn-on for you, but you also knew that giving in to him would mean crossing a line you might not be able to come back from. It was a dangerous game you were playing, but one that you couldn't seem to resist.

"Rohan, this isn't what we agreed on," you said firmly, trying to ignore the way your body was begging for more. "I agreed to be a model of observation to satisfy your curiosity and help feed your manga. But this...this isn't part of the deal." It was not how you imagined things would develop.

Rohan just smirked, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Who said anything about agreements?" he said, his hand still hovering close to your skin. His teasing was torture, and he knew it. "I'm just a man who knows what he wants, and right now, what I want is you."

You took a deep breath, trying to steady your nerves. "You can't just change the rules like that. It's not fair to me," you said, your voice firm. "Besides, I'm not just some character in your manga. I'm a real person with feelings and desires, and I won't be treated like an object."

Rohan's smile faded slightly, and for a moment, you thought he might back down. But then he leaned in closer, his breath hot on your lips. "I know you're more than just a character," he whispered. "And I promise to treat you with the respect you deserve. But right now, I can't resist you."

"Why do you always have to be so smug?" you retorted, trying to mask the wavering in your voice. "I don't want to complicate things between us."

Rohan held you closer, his hand reaching up to caress your cheek. "Complication is what makes life interesting," he said softly, looking directly at you.

You could feel his body pressing against yours, his hand now firmly on your waist. Despite your better judgment, a part of you couldn't deny the attraction you felt for him. "I can't do this, Rohan," you said, your voice barely above a whisper. "I can't let things go any further between us. It's not right." You tried to resist, in vain. 

You could feel his breath on your skin, warm and inviting. His eyes were fixed on yours, dark and intense, as if they were trying to read your deepest desires. You knew he could see right through your lies, and it was infuriating.

"Stop trying to fight it," he said, his voice low and husky. "You know you want this as much as I do."

You shook your head, trying to push him away. "This is wrong, we are enemies," you protested weakly, but your body betrayed you as it leaned into him.

He chuckled, his lips curving into a devilish grin. "Wrong? Who says what's wrong or right? I can feel the heat between us. Don't pretend like you can't."

His hands traced lazy circles on your back, sending shivers down your spine. You closed your eyes, trying to push away the dirty thoughts that were flooding your mind. This was a mistake. You had agreed to help him with his manga if he would with your house, but you never intended for things to go this far. Yet here you were, in his arms, giving in to his every touch and caress.

"Rohan, please," you whispered, but he didn't stop. Instead, he leaned in closer, his lips brushing this time against your ear.

"Please what?" he murmured, his voice sending chills down your spine. "Please stop? Please keep going?"

Under his touch, your resolve began to crumble as the heat from his body wrapped around you like a cocoon. The attraction between you two was palpable, almost suffocating, and you could feel your heart racing in your chest. You knew it was only a matter of time before you surrendered completely to him.

"Please, keep going..." You whispered, your voice barely above a breathy sigh.

You felt your heart racing as his lips met yours in a searing kiss, his hands traveling down your body, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. Your body was responding to his touch in ways you never thought possible, and the chemistry between you was undeniable.

As you melted into his embrace, you could feel all thoughts and worries of the past few days slipping away. The only thing that mattered was the passion and desire that coursed through your veins. You were completely consumed by the intensity of your feelings for him, and you knew that there was no turning back.

His kisses were extremely demanding, but you responded eagerly, your own desire building with each passing moment. The intensity of the connection that had been brewing for so long, was finally released.

As his hands explored your body, you couldn't help but arch into him, wanting more of his touch. You knew that this was dangerous territory, but you couldn't bring yourself to stop. The pull towards him was too strong, and you knew that you would do whatever it took to be with him.

You were lost in the moment, consumed by the intensity of your feelings for him. The world around you faded away as you gave in completely to the heat, reveling in the passion that you shared.

Rohan's toned arms wrapped around your thighs, lifting you up effortlessly and carrying you to the table. You gasped at the sudden movement, feeling a jolt of excitement shoot through you. You were taken aback by his sudden boldness, but couldn't deny the thrill it sent through your body.

Sitting on the table, you felt a rush of cool air hit your back as Rohan's warm body pressed up against yours once again. His lips captured yours again, his tongue slipping past your lips this time, teasing and caressing, exploring your mouth with a hunger that took your breath away.

Despite the rush of passion, a part of you couldn't help but feel self-conscious. You were still outside on the patio of his house, with the possibility of being seen by anyone who happened to walk by. But Rohan didn't seem to care, his hands wandering freely over your body, caressing every curve and dip.

His touch sends shivers down your spine, and you couldn't help but moan into his mouth. The sound only seemed to spur him on, his hands moving to the hem of your shirt, pulling it up and exposing your bare stomach and chest to the cool night air. Your hands found their way to his hair, tangling in the soft strands as you pulled him even closer.

Finally, when the need for air became too much, you both pulled back, gasping for breath. You looked into each other's eyes, the intensity of the moment still lingering between you. It was clear that neither of you wanted to stop there, but for now, you both settled for the electric touch of your bodies as you sat on the table, lost in each other's embrace.

"Perfect and delightful," he said, his eyes lighting up with satisfaction. Rohan's satisfied expression only added to the intensity of the moment, and you couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at having pleased him. As he wiped the drool from his mouth with his thumb, he added, "See, you can help me when you put your mind to it."

His gaze was different from his usual arrogant demeanor, and you could feel the affection and happiness radiating from him. It made your heart skip a beat, and you couldn't help but blush under his gaze. Despite his good looks and charm, you always tried to keep your distance, but in this moment, you couldn't help but admire him.

"If it really helps..." you trailed off, unsure of how to continue.

He chuckled at your shyness. "Of course it does. You have a really beautiful face, your voice is perfect, and your skin is soft." He paused for a moment, studying your face. "You know, you're not just helping me with my manga. You're also helping me become a better artist."

"I'm glad I can help," you said softly, a smile playing at the corners of your lips.

And then, his hands landed softly on your chest, their feather-light touch sending shivers down your spine. Despite the gentle caress, there was a hint of cruelty in his expertise, as if he was toying with your nipples just to see how far he could push you. The way he moved his hands with such precision and care made you feel like you were a rare and precious work of art, and your heart raced with the intensity of the moment.

You couldn't help but notice the way he studied you, his eyes taking in every inch of your body as if committing it to memory. It was as if he was learning every curve, every line, every inch of you. The attention he gave you was exhilarating.

As his fingers traced delicate patterns across your chest, you felt your breath catch in your throat. The sensation was overwhelming, and you couldn't help but let out a soft moan. He seemed to revel in your reaction, a small smirk playing at the corner of his lips as he continued his exploration.

It was as if he was in a trance, lost in the sensation of touching you, and you couldn't help but feel like you were under his spell. His touch was delicate yet powerful, pinching your nipples and caressing your skin, a perfect balance of tenderness and domination that left you craving.

Rohan's hand continued its relentless exploration, moving down your stomach, to the edge of your inner thigh. His fingers were soft and delicate against your skin. You tried to resist, but your body betrayed you, responding eagerly to his touch.

"Y/n, darling," he said huskily, leaning in to brush his lips against your ear. "And I love how much power I have over you."

His words sent a jolt of electricity through your body, and you couldn't help the moan that escaped your lips. You were helpless under his touch, completely at his mercy.

"Rohan, please," you gasped, but your protests were half-hearted at best, you were almost begging him at this point. Deep down, you didn't really want him to stop. You desperately wanted him to keep going, to take you to heights of pleasure that you had never experienced before.

And as his fingers slipped under the waistband of your shorts, you knew that there was no turning back. Rohan's fingers traced the edge of your panty, teasingly brushing against the wetness of it. The anticipation was almost too much to bear, and you found yourself arching towards him, silently begging for more.

"God, you're so beautiful," he murmured, his breath hot against your neck. "I could spend hours exploring every inch of you."

You moaned in response, your mind foggy with desire. His touch was sending shivers down your spine, and you felt like you were on the brink of something incredible.

"Please, Rohan," you whispered, unable to form a coherent sentence. "I need you."

You couldn't control the sounds that escaped your lips as Rohan's fingers slipped ast your panty, delving deeply inside you. The sensations were overwhelming, and you felt like you were on the brink of losing yourself completely to him. His expert touch was electric, and you couldn't help but writhe and moan beneath him.

He leaned in closer, pressing his lips to your ear, "You feel so good, baby. So tight and wet for me," he whispered, his breath hot against your skin. His words only served to heighten the intensity of the moment, sending you spiraling further into ecstasy.

You were soaking wet at this point, drenched for him. His finger stroked your insides, his thumb brushed against your sensitive bundle of nerves while his lips lingered on your breasts, placing numerous small kisses with a certain amount of hunger. 

As he added a second finger, your body responded eagerly, your legs tightening around him, trapping him against the table and your body. Your insides softened further, the stretching of his fingers was astounding. You were completely consumed by the pleasure he was giving you, and you wanted nothing more than to surrender yourself to him completely.

"You're doing so well, my good girl," Rohan hummed, his breath hot against your skin as he continued his relentless assault on your body. "Perfect for me."

And as he added a third finger, the stretching of your insides was almost overwhelming. His fingers shattered everything, all the common sense you had in you. You wanted him to ruin you with his love. In a manner as violent as the emotions you had for each other. 

With each additional finger, your insides were stretched beyond your wildest imagination. Rohan's dexterity was almost unbelievable as his fingers moved in and out of you teasing your most sensitive spots, his thumb brushing expertly against your sensitive bundle of nerves. He kissed his way up your neck, placing numerous small kisses, while you writhed beneath him, completely under his spell.

With each movement of his fingers, you felt yourself edging closer and closer to the brink of ecstasy. You were so close that it was almost painful, and you couldn't help but moan his name, begging him to take you over the edge.

As if sensing your imminent release, Rohan increased the pressure of his fingers and his thumb, sending you over the edge with a loud cry. You came hard, your body shaking with the force of your orgasm.

And as he finally pushed you over the edge, your body convulsed with pleasure. You were lost in the sensation, completely consumed by the intensity of your feelings for him. 

But even as your body was wracked with pleasure, you knew that you wanted more. You wanted Rohan to continue his ministries, to take you to even greater heights of pleasure. You were completely under his spell, lost in the ecstasy of his touch. Your eyes fluttered open, and you looked up at him, feeling completely vulnerable and exposed, yet strangely safe in his arms.

"You're amazing," you whispered, your voice barely audible. "I want more."

As your body slowly came down from the heights of pleasure, you couldn't help but feel a sense of submission to him. You knew that you would do anything for Rohan, no matter how frightening or dangerous it might be. You were completely his, consumed by the intensity of your feelings for him.

Rohan's eyes bore into yours as he slowly withdrew his fingers from inside you, leaving you feeling empty and wanting. This left you with a void that bothered you. But his smug smile told you that he was pleased to see you in such a messy and desperate state, begging for more of his touch.

But Rohan wasted no time in bringing his fingers to his mouth,, you couldn't help but feel a shiver run down your spine. The way he savored the taste of your essence, his tongue running between his fingers to clean them, was extremely erotic and perverse. His tongue ran between his fingers, cleaning them of your essence as he tasted you. It was an incredibly intimate act. You couldn't help but watch in fascination as he licked his fingers clean, his eyes never leaving yours.

The way he looked at you made you feel like the only person in the world, like he couldn't get enough of you. And as he slowly removed his fingers from his mouth, you knew that he was far from finished with you.

He leaned in so close that you could feel his breath on your lips, sending shivers down your spine. As his words flowed over you like warm honey, you felt a wave of desire wash over you. "You taste so delicious," he whispered, his lips brushing against yours. "I could do this all day."

Before you could respond, he closed the distance between you, his lips claiming yours in a deep, passionate kiss. You melted against him, your body responding to his touch like it always did.

But as quickly as the moment began, it was over. Rohan pulled away, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "However," he said, his voice low and husky. "I have to go and draw all this to make sure I'm not missing any details."

You looked at him in disbelief. "Are you going to leave me like this?" you protested.

He chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound that sent shivers through you. "We might be seen," he replied, his eyes scanning the area around you. "You're moaning quite loudly, darling."

You blushed, embarrassed by your own lack of self-control. He put your shirt and shorts back on, his touch gentle and comforting. "But I didn't say you were finished helping me," he said, his eyes locking onto yours. "Even if you don't live with me anymore, I hope you'll come often," he added, his tone turning playful. “You are always welcome,”

You wanted to protest, to tell him that you couldn't keep doing this, that it was too much for your heart to handle. But before you could say anything, Rohan kissed you again, his lips silencing your words. And then he was gone, disappearing inside the building to continue his work.

You were left standing there, feeling a mix of frustration, desire, and confusion. You pouted, the words "I hate you" escaping your lips in a soft whisper. But even as you said them, you knew that they weren't true. You didn't hate Rohan - quite the opposite.

#rohan kishibe x reader #rohan kishibe #rohan kishibe smut #jjba x reader #jojo's bizarre adventure #jjba smut #jojo

[intheorangebedroom]

Can we just pretend that this is Frankie whispering I love you to you?

I hope you are feeling better. I miss harrassing you with asks 🧡

@deadmantis my LOVE, I always feel good when you’re in my notifs. This one has kept me awake and drove me crazy, but anything for you. They’re so stubborn, and when they don't want to cooperate... Anyway. I'm not entirely satisfied, but I don't want to keep you waiting any longer. I did my very best for you, I always do, I love you so, so much 🧡 Happy Frankie Friday to you 🧡

Summary: Three words. It's not that complicated.

Pairing: Frankie Morales x Gabrielle Tourneur (OFC)/French fem!Reader.

Rating: explicit but no filth, just my gothic heart 🔞

Word count: 1.5k

[series masterlist]

Drabble: To Bring You My Love

He enjoys driving home to you nearly as much as he loves staying home with you. 

Tonight’s no different, and when Mick Fleetwood’s voice comes up on the truck’s stereo, Francisco Morales smiles to himself in the bright city night. 

He kept his promise. He fixed it. Fixed everything. Or close enough, anyway. 

Friday evenings are spent at the bar again, the same dim yellow lights, the same moist, yeasty cheap beer smell. The same table.

And Tom’s chair, loudly empty. 

Most likely thanks to Will, if he had to guess, and probably on your account more than his. But even Ironhead’s unwavering loyalty can only abide that many faults before his hard, cold rationalism takes over and prompts him to take action. 

If Tom’s absence is a consequence Frankie hadn’t anticipated, it’s one he doesn’t regret. He’s heard the man has moved down to Florida, but he doesn’t really care. The further away from you, the better. 

Pope doesn’t seem entirely dissatisfied with this new order of things, either. 

As for Benny, well Benny just follows suit, like he always does. 

The air is still a bit chill between him and Frankie, but they’re getting there, step by step. Frankie’s resentment receding along with his friend’s heartbreak, one drink at a time. 

It’s been only two years, and overall, there’s a refreshing, easy balance to their group. 

And yet, however meaningful, Tom’s departure is not the most important change.

On Friday nights, like tonight, he’s driving back to you. Whether he’ll find you already sleeping or parking your small Ford after an evening out, you’re here. For real. For good. 

He’s nearly home when his phone lights up on the empty passenger seat. His gaze rapidly flickers between the road and the screen, that glares in celadon green in the cabin’s relative darkness. It’s weather alert, forecasting heavy rainfall tomorrow, he’ll have to fight the urge to drive you to the bookstore himself. Maybe he can get away with picking you up at the end of your day? Maybe you’ll let him. You can be stubborn.

He should change that impersonal default lock screen. Put a picture of you, like Santi suggested. Santi, who proudly exhibits Yovanna’s gorgeous smile and luminous beauty to just about anyone who might look at his phone’s screen. 

Well, Frankie tried. Turns out he can’t. Not that he doesn’t have any pictures of you in his camera roll. At this point, he has hundreds. And you’re dressed in most of them. 

But putting you on display simply feels inappropriate. For years, you’d been his secret. A ghost, a memory. A feeling akin to a curse. He had kept your name silent, protecting the possibility of your existence and the reality of what had happened in the orange bedroom. 

Distracted, he re-emerges from his recurring thoughts to find himself at the front door. He considers retracing his steps to check if he locked the tuck before getting into the house, but he can’t bring himself to care. He needs to see you. The living-room’s dark but the bedroom lights are on; he takes off his jacket and gets rid of his boots before walking briskly down the carpeted corridor. 

He finds you sitting in bed, the warm glow from the bedside table casting soft orange hues on your soft face. You’re leaning over a thick book, wearing your favourite t-shirt of his, a shapeless grey cotton tee with red letters that spell “Buenos Aires” across the chest. A gift from Izzy, when he was still in the military. 

He pauses briefly on the threshold; a broad smile dimples his cheeks. 

Your eyes are still lowered on the page when you greet him in a light, happy tone. 

“Hey, gorgeous!”

“Hey, querida.”

Your head shoots up at the unusual term of endearment. He steps quickly into the room and turns his back to you to hide his embarrassment, wincing as he undoes his watch and places it on the dresser across from the bed. 

“How was the evening? How’re the guys?” you ask, and he can feel your eyes boring into his back. 

“Good. All good. Will asked me to tell you Sunday works for him. Apparently you’re supposed to know what that means,” he adds, pulling his plaid shirt above his head. 

“Oh, neat!” you exclaim, lying your book face down on the table, wiggling your feet excitedly under the sheet. “The Guggenheim has an exhibition about early 19th century Parisian painters,” you explain. 

He smiles to himself again, and proceeds to take off his belt. The heavy buckle produces a metallic thud when it hits the wooden top of the dresser.

Behind his back, your voice comes in suddenly very thin. 

“You don’t mind, do you? I never asked.”

He turns, frowning, “Mind what?”

“Me. Being friends with Will. You’re not… jealous or anything, right?”

He’s about to laugh it off, a quip on the tip of his tongue, but something stops him. Something striking, unsettling in its past familiarity and its recent scarcity. It’s in the earnestness of your tone, the sudden solemnity of your gaze.

“What if I am?” he asks instead, pivoting to face you. “What would you do? Would you stop hanging with him?”

“If you asked me, yes, I would.”

“Jesus, Gabrielle, no,” he sighs, and the sting in his chest is equal part anger and regret. The consistent stab that tears at him whenever you unwillingly reveal what you put yourself through.

He crosses the bedroom in two strides to come sit by your side on the edge of the bed.

“I’d never even consider asking you something like that, baby. Why would I–”

He trails off at your hardening face. 

You’ve straightened up in his t-shirt, and his eyes dart to your legs; with two fingers, he pinches the white sheet covering them to pull it down, revealing your underwear, and a purple mark in the shape of a pear that his mouth drew on your inner thigh this morning. 

He looks at it when he says, “You’re a free woman. And I know you’re mine.”

The contradiction settles like placid water in the amber light between your two bodies, inexplicably logical, perfectly natural. 

And the words come up in his chest, from his gut, an ancient rising tide. 

“I love you, Gabrielle.”

They ring out around you in the quiet bedroom, incongruous, not unpleasant. Warm, intimate, orange.

He loves you. Of course, he does. You know he does, you’ve always known. You’ve always loved him too. 

You’ve loved him young and carefree when it was easy and it was just the two of you. You’ve loved him to safety through countless godless nights. You’ve loved him back to you, you’ve loved him sinful and hurt, you’ve loved him without shame.

Yet, your breathing stops, your eyes widen. You remain silent. 

He lets out a disheartened chuckle, before the crease in his brow deepens and his whiskered jaw gives that telling tick that you dread. You follow his dark gaze, it’s strained on the mark on your thigh, and he swallows thickly, licking his lips and you can’t feel your legs.

“Please,” he murmurs, so low, nearly silent, and it’s right there, bright and burning against your ribcage, but it won’t come out, your mouth is too dry and your lips won’t open. 

He doesn’t lift up his eyes, instead his hand goes to your hip. He gives it a little squeeze, and you register the sensation, it travels up your body in slow ripples.

He pulls you in, sits you in his lap in a straddle, his hands roaming over your sides under his t-shirt. You let him seek the contact of your skin, how many times have the two of you sat like that? On the bed, on the floor, on the couch. In the truck or under a tent...

His denim feels too rough under your soft flesh. You recoil from the heat of his palms when he cups your face, but he catches you, firm and strong and he will never let go. 

His eyes are alight with unshed tears, or perhaps it is yours, because your vision blurs when they finally meet.  

“I need to hear you say it back. Please.”

In that tiled bathroom with the yellow light, all those years ago, you had nearly said it. To tame the wild look in his dark eyes when he had realised and briefly got scared. So early but not too soon, and the words had felt far too small in comparison to the feeling itself. You had chosen to soothe him with your touch. 

You’d been the hopeful one, then, trustful and fearless.  

Today, he is guiding you. With a light pressure of his thumb on your lower lip, the sharp edge of his nose brushing along your temple, his hand at the base of your neck grounding you, so you won’t go missing again. 

“It’s ok, baby,” he says, and you feel his words more than you hear them with the white noise filling your brain, “I know you do. Just say it. I got you.”

You close your eyes, inhale his scent. You take his hand.

“Je t’aime.”

****

#ily deadmantis 🧡 #happy frankie friday #i promise y’all I’m working on something new 🫣 #pleased to meet you #Francisco Catfish Morales #frankie morales #the pilot™️ #frankie morales x fem!reader #frankie morales x you #frankie morales x ofc #frankie morales / fem!reader #frankie morales / you #frankie morales / ofc #triple frontier fic #triple frontier #pedro pascal #pedro pascal character fic #frankie friday #will miller #benny miller #santiago pope garcia #william ironhead miller #and my beloved Yovanna

[darling-caelestis]

*ೃ༄ 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇𝐄 𝐱 𝐠𝐧!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 [platonic]

warnings; scaramouche and reader are siblings, scaramouche kinda a PLATONIC yandere, lil bit of blood not descriptive, spoilers for inazuma archon quest and raiden ei and yae mikos voice lines, canon-typical violence.

sypnosis; doing your daily chores as a shrine maiden, you never expected to run into a stranger along the desolate path.

You never truly liked your mother.

She had her favourites, and you and your brother were most definitely not it. No, it was your glorious younger sister who was.

Your mother was busy, too busy to say hello and goodnight. Too busy to care. Too busy to simply let you be a child. To let you cry and smile and laugh, to let you run in muddy puddles and draw on the walls - no, no such intolerance would be allowed. The second you showed anything, you would so lucky not to end up like your brother: cast out, left abandoned and treated like dirt on the bottom of your mother's shoe. So, you shut down, only doing what told off you and otherwise acting invisible, it became a habit after while.

Your brother is gone, one day he and mother went out for a walk and only she returned. She refused to talk apon the subject. She seemed sour at the mere mention of his name, turning to conceal what she truly thought. You never saw your brother again, but he saw you.

Your younger sister held a similiar fate to your brother, she too disappeared on the night the sky itself got confined in it's stormy shackles. You missed her dearly, despite how she reminded you of your mother, at least your sister was there for you.

Your mother was gone now, and all that was left was thing you were meant to call your mother. Your sister.

The moment your aunt took you see her one day, you had been excited but when you laid eyes up in that husk of your sibling, you cried. And the husk watched without an ounce of sympathy - too much like your mother, too far from your sister - and your aunt had to hush you.

You had to live with this husk for 500 years. It was odd, originally you refused to be in the same room as it, but when the thing that took over the body of your sister disappeared, you would be granted with her smiles all over again. She became tolerable, until your aunt whisked you away by command of the Shogun.

Now you lived with your aunt.

It wasn't so bad here. The shrine was sacred grounds to people of Inazuma, yet you could not feel the same about it. Your aunt often caught you staring at the Sakura Tree, and you could see from your peripheral vision as her eyes would soften and then she would avoid you for a few hours. You never did much - that was what you were raised to do - and that's why you guessed your aunt often looked so miserable when she gazed at you.

You never visited the city again, not that you couldn't, you merely refused to. Your brother was taken from you, your sister - could you even be call her that anymore? - was gone and your mother had abandoned you. All you had was your aunt and these damn redwood yumemiru walls.

"Oh [name], dearest. Can you please inform the shrine maidens at the base of mountain that their shift is almost over? Thank you. "

End of discussion, without a word you left with a polite bow and gracious steps. It was like almost every day. Now, your aunt was too busy. You feared it would be the same repetitive cycle all over again as you walked down the crooked steps of the mountain. The sun had nearly set, the fortune slips that had been hung glistening in the suns glow as you walked past them. You loved the orange and yellow hues of sky, it so deeply opposed your mother's hair you couldn't help but let a smile come across your features as you looked at it.

As you reached the base of the mountain nearby to Chinju Forest, the suns warmth seemed to vanish as if it had been repelled by some invisible force. The Forest was silent as you wandered near the old shrine location, desolate of all life. Not even a Tanuki made itself known, but you supposed, maybe they had tired-out from hiding all day.

The shrine maidens weren't at their posts.

You thought for a moment, maybe they knew that the sun setting meant they could go home, but alas, they always waited for you. Maybe, they were called to the village to help with offerings. Or maybe you had pasted them on your way down the path and didn't notice.

You frowned gently before you felt a presence behind you. You were about you turn around and greet the shrine maiden, only for goosebumps to rake your arms, and this clawing darkness to hang over your head, consuming you with bone-racking fear. You could feel the eyes of the forest, or was it this mystery thing behind you, watching every twitch of your finger.

Put on a smile, said your training as you turned around. Just politely excuse yourself then vow to never set foot out of the main shrines land. Something inside of you yearned for it to be nothing, but you were never so lucky.

The other person made eye contact with you before you did and before you knew it, you were locked in this tense staring match between each other.

Purple eyes peered into your soul, despite this mans small stature, he towered over you as you averted your eyes first.

"Are you lost, sir?" You asked, if auntie heard you left someone alone without offering assistance you would never hear the end of it.

Waiting for his response you observed him, he was still staring at you. He looked so... Blank, like a fresh canvas ready to be painted only something told you that the canvas' freedom of possibilities had been smeared with a corroding soul-taking black. But, this is your paranoia over talking to a new person, for all you know he is the sweetest, most kindest man-

"No, I know this place like the back of my hand."

He did not sound happy. His face showed nothing but his clothes showed off his riches in royal purple and red robes dragged across his body which ended in shorts near his knees. Maybe.. He was a merchant wanting good luck from the shrine?

You nodded to him, you talked to him and tried to help therefore auntie wouldnt be too mad right? (Like asking one simple question is enough) You set off toward the crooked steps once again with your head low in respect as you walked past the old shrine.

"Can I help you?"

You knew he walking beside you. You could feel him without having the look at him. You couldn't even hear his foot-falls, it was as if he was dead as he took striding steps next to you. His presence was overbearing, familiar and yet so unfamiliar at the same time.

"Suppose you could help me, would you?"

Could he not get the point? It was night-time and he was asking such crytic questions, but you continued on towards the path as you answered with a fake smile, "Of course I would. It's my duty as a Shrine Maiden." - you would have continued onwards with the mantra of 'and as a follower of the Electro Archon' but you couldn't bring yourself to even acknowledge her.

"I hate liars." Rang his cocky voice throughout the slumbering trees with such low rumbling anger that you froze on the spot. But he continued on walking up the incline, almost as if oblivious to your condition as he lumbered forwards before turning around and facing you again. "Come on, [name], haven't I always told you that. "

"I.. I wasn't lying. And how did you know my name!-" you demanded, this boy was starting to annoy you, now only was he now in the way of your way home but also continued on with charade of an innocent man. Did he know you from the shrine? Maybe you had talked to him before on a busy day and forgotten-

"Whatever do you mean, you told me when you first introduced yourself."

A boy in a white robe gazed curiosily up at you, your hand clasped with your mother's as she spoke, "meet your younger sibling kunikuzushi."

You both stared at each other for a moment in awkward silence before mother squeezed your hand, too tight for your comfort. Oh, wait that's right, your supposed to- "Hello, my name is [name]. Please look after me." -introduce yourself.

Your mother let go of your hand, seemingly pleased with herself as she left the room with a small schlik sliding of the wooden door panel. You made no move to acknowledge the throbbing of your now red hand, but the boy had different ideas as he grasped it in his own to take a closer look at it.

His long purple hair rippled down his back as he turn your hand over to see the other side it. He looked so pretty but the gentle furrow of his brows upset you, it didn't suit him at all.

"It doesn't hurt, I am fine." You spoke with disdain as you snatched your hand out his gentle grasp, or tried to, as he held firmly to your wrist. He finally meet your gaze, and his gleaming eyes spoke volumes as if he was trying to decipher everything at once.

"Don't lie to me." He said with a smile as he let go your hand. A smile looked better on his face than a frown, yet you found it weird to see one. Was everyone meant to smile?

He didn't say another word to you until your mother came back.

Only now that the mysterious man that followed you could you make out any detail about his appearance. How the red of his robes seemed more and more like blood rather than paint or robes as he got closer and closer, the scent of copper hitting your nose like a truck. How his eyes glowed and his sharp features stared at you again, only different, with something you couldnt quite place within his eyes.

You stumbled back as if hit by a force, your hand launching to cradle your sore head, the another seeking something to try and stabilize your self on, when you couldn't, you tripped on the skirt of your long shrine maiden robes, landing on your bum with a thud. You hazingly blinked around, no longer seeing the young boy in a dark room but a moon-luminanted forest, what was that right now?..

You had no time to ponder as the light seemed to be taken away, so you looked see what had caused it.

That was why he was so familiar, as it clicked in your head you mumbled out his name, "Kunikuzushi... "

He clicked his tongue as he crouched before you, the moons glow still swallowed by his frame, "Took you long enough, huh. That's no good... And here I thought you were the smart one. Seems although I will just have to look after you, won't I?"

Maybe you should had listened to your gut before and not been deceived by looks of an innocent boy and be laboured by your training from your aunt. Maybe you should have plead ignorance to his arrival, or maybe you should have payed more attention to your surrondings. For if you had, surely you would have noticed the torn bloody piece of white cloth blowing in the wind attached to the fortune slip stand, left to guard the nightmare of the Balladeer.

#scaramouche #x reader #yandere scara #platonic #genshin impact #scaraboobs #fandago #aunt yae #not prood read we go down like kings

[sspiderliliess]

skyline .

➝ jovier — newly established relationship

first little post of them two those two mildly based on a fanfic i’m working on. still feeling their vibes out, personalities are hard ❤️‍🩹

➝ rating — fluff, mild angst with comfort ig (?)

The flaring petals of forget-me-nots quivered. Their hues mirrored the sky back north, under which they were hastily plucked. In a rough bouquet, fuzzy dandelions sprouted up between the clusters. It was a stark shift—the soft blues to vivid yellows—though much like the sun glowing over empty horizon from its clear sky, it was a pleasant combination that seemed only right.

John’s fingers clutched the bundle enough to strangle the tender stems. Every so often, he’d mutter under his breath and loosen his grip, only for the process to repeat as he trudged down the shaded and winding pathway to camp. Each step closer to his destination made his muscles tense that much more as the thoughts raced his mind.

It hadn’t been too long ago since he’d shared such an intimate moment with Javier. A good one even if it tugged at the nerves, seeing him in his forlorn and troubled state brought John to long for another, just to see him happy again. He didn’t know why Javier had gotten so upset—he wasn’t always one to talk about such things—but he wanted to help. If a smile was truly contagious, between them, such a notion was proven.

But like too much whiskey still on the breath, the nauseas remnants of a place so vulnerable still kept its hold on the man, begging him to leave Javier to his own problems. They talked and they drank even before Abigail’s sudden death, and Javier had always been a good listener when it came to John’s relationship issues and especially during his mourning, but he couldn’t bring himself to always offer the same kinds of support despite a romance between the two having risen past its blooming dusk.

Nonetheless, like a thoroughbred to the finish line, John persisted in a need to win them both shared peace. Times were rough.

Times were rough.

When the curtain of tree limbs parted way to golden sun and camp tents perched about Clemens Point, the hum of familiar voices blending in with the twill of forest birds managed to both soothe and frazzle John. Karen’s sudden shout was followed by a couple guffaws, which made him jump; deep beneath the commotion, he could pick out the soft and distant melody of guitar strings.

They pulled him closer, if not by their cooing, then by the very threat of the regrets such hesitation might would bring. Standing there just at the edge of the clearing, bundle of florals in roughened hand, the man scurried off towards where the music resonated from. He hardly noticed his fingers tap against the paper in a heartfelt rhythm.

As he stopped next to the thin tree, he found Javier seated at the dock just above the murky waters. The sunset cast a tangerine veil upon the man and his guitar, lining raven hair with gold, illuminating honeyed skin. He was dusted with the lightest layer of dirt and marked with shiny scars which John’s eyes traced again for the millionth time.

He didn’t notice the steps he took nearer, a few feet from where the water climbed to shore. His fingers cooperatively loosened from the bouquet as if given instructions by the gentle plucks of the strings, but the tightness in the chest lingered. Absentmindedly, or perhaps a bit too present, he sighed.

Javier stopped playing and turned to look up at him, eyes wide before his expression softened unassuredly. “I didn’t notice you here. Where have you been?”

There it was—that haunting shiver in the chest. It visited John time and time again when he was to venture into more romantically motivated conversation with his longtime friend. Adjusting was hard, they both knew, but that mutual awareness didn’t always stop John from feeling the habitual reclusion he was so known for.

“I just…” he began, exhaling the air he’d held in. “I was up north. Found some nice flowers—that nice blue you like. Made me think of you, s’ here.”

He shoved the bundle of picked flowers at him, ears and face warmed with blood, though the pink tinge hardly showed through the evening’s ambience.

Javier looked down with furrowed brows at the bouquet, an examination drawn out and only adding to John’s discomfort. A minute passed and he released another held breath as Javier’s examination ended with a smile.

“Th… thank you,” he said. “You picked these all for me?”

John cleared his throat and shuffled to sit down next to him, eyes shifting between him and the crooked planks. “Well, I didn’t go up there for ‘em. Just wanted to see the mountains and hunt, y’know, where I ain’t freezin’ to death.”

The two sat in a brief silence, Javier’s eyes cast to the other side with a growing grin he tried to hide in vain. John caught a glimpse of it and scowled, nudging him with his elbow and prompting a laugh.

“So you stopped your hunting trip just to pick flowers for me?”

John’s scowl deepened. “No! I didn’t find nothin’ good and thought— Well, whatever.”

A flurry of giggles erupted from Javier, light and gentle, much like the flowers in his hand. He leaned into John’s shoulder and exhaled, still fiddling with the individual stems of the dandelions, which seemed to be a bit more sturdy.

“I like them a lot,” Javier whispered.

He looked up and pressed a soft, tentative kiss to John’s jaw, crinkling his nose at the prickly but familiar texture of his stubble.

The gesture made John tense again if only for a second, and he shuffled to lean back onto one of the dock posts. Every now and then, his gaze would drift to the twinkle of sunlight on the rippling waters, the swaying leaves of trees on the bank, and then return to Javier’s peaceful features. Such a painting urged him to not recoil. “Breathe,” it could have said, and he did so.

“I wanted to give you somethin’ to smile about,” John cooed in his ear.

By now, his chest rose and fell with a pace more at ease, but a part of him wondered if Javier would notice the slight shake in his words. Being laughed at by the others could often rub him the wrong way; Javier’s sweetened laughter was always of good nature. Just the sound still playing in John’s ears was enough to wash away his distress, bit by bit, like the lapping waves on Clemens Point.

He ran a timid finger through the loose bangs framing Javier’s face. “You don’t have to talk… but you can.”

John watched him put the flowers down with a fading smile. It felt as though he’d lit a radiant candle only for a gust of wind he’d conjured to blow it out, and all he could do was either try to light it again or stumble in the dark.

“I talked with Dutch,” Javier stated. “I think a lot.”

John tilted his head and brushed the bangs closest to him behind Javier’s ear.

He gave a shy smile as he pressed his lips together. “I am okay. I don’t want to be wrong—“

“Who does?”

Javier laughed under his breath. “I don’t want to give in, give up… Be weak.”

He cocked his head to the side and fiddled with the flowers again. Before John could respond, however, he shook his head as if to dismiss the topic.

Although John accepted the closing with wavering suspicion, it never left. He continued to brush the pads of his fingers over Javier’s hair, letting it glide between them like velvet. It might’ve been a self-soothing pattern, as it was one he fell into often, but it seemed to comfort them both. He watched him, brow tensed, and finally said, “Play somethin’ for me.”

They stared at each other for a moment, the chatter of camp keeping the silence at bay. Javier fixed his posture and pulled his guitar into his lap, running a calloused digit against a string as he glanced up at John, who waited in patience.

A string was barely grazed, the sound near a whisper and unsteady. An introduction, perhaps. Slow and with a rhythm John knew almost as soon as it began, Javier played a bittersweet tune. They breathed in at reverberation, exhaled at the shift of notes.

This was their talk. This was their peace, their contagious smile. To not know the details of Javier’s complications would bug him later, but here, he was content.

Again, John gazed at the sunlit guitar and its owner. The glow, a gentle art, like shots shared between the two.

Like blue and yellow. Like sky and sun.

It felt only right.

#jovier #john x javier #rdr2 #rdr2 oneshot #idk how to tag bro #Spotify

[fuumoksun]

MHA x Reader - The tiger and the hawk

❥ Read on Ao3

content warning : language, post canon events, mangas spoilers, insert fem reader (try to make it as gn as possible)

[...]

The street was busy, illuminated by neon lights casting hues of pink, purple, and yellow. Grandma poured everyone a glass of her personal sake stash, "Kanpai!"

"Ahh... Today was a good day for business," She smiled, surveying the lively street.

"Yeah, it was busier than usual... Damn, I still can't believe we met Red Riot and Dynamight," Geto chuckled, handing you a cigarette, despite your recent decision to quit. You comtemplated the idea for a moment before refusing.

Grandma chimed in, her brows furrowing with worry. "Is there something on your mind, kiddo?"

"Nah, It's nothing..." you admitted, your voice tinged with frustration. There was more than a few things on your mind but you couldn't share any of it with them.

"When you say 'nothing'..." Geto air-quoted, "Are you referring to Dynamights fine ass?"

"W-What?!" You choked on your drink, "No! What the hel-"

"Come on Y/n~ Your eyes were glued on him the whole time-"

"BE-CAUSE! He was being a jerk to Gran' and you!" You shot back, "tch, can't believe you even let him treat you like that..."

"I mean, did you see the guy? I'll let him treat me however he wants." He wiggled his eyebrows.

You feigned a gag, "ugh... I thought Red Riot was your type?"

"He is." He shrugged, "But I'm not that picky you know."

"Oh, I know-" You rolled your eyes at him.

The topic changed course abruptly, giving your mind a short rest while your heart already felt a bit lighter. Time seemed to slip away as you enjoyed the company and the calming atmosphere. As people passed, you couldn't help but overhear snippets of conversation, most of them centered around a certain vigilante who seemed to be gaining popularity in the neighborhood

[...]

©Fuumoksun 2024 do not plagarizze, translate, post on other plateforms.

#fanfiction #x reader #x y/n #mha #bnha #bnha x reader #mha x reader #hawks x reader #hawks #keigo takami #bakugou x reader #love triangle #ennemies to lovers #slow burn #canon compliant #post canon #spoilers #reader insert #ao3 #ao3 fanfic #ao3 fic #Vigilante reader #vigilante #mystery #my hero acedamia #boku no hero academia #writers on tumblr #writeblr #ao3 writer #ao3 works

[monsterfloofs]

Could you please write something with a cute, charming researcher or museum curator cervitaur guy? Thank you for reading!

Cervitaur (Curio) x Reader

(Hullo! Long time no see, it's been a while! Hope all of you are doing alright, and have a lovely weekend to look forward to! Hope you enjoy the short, it was nice to sit down and write again, I hope you enjoy the jovial Curio Flemming and the library of curiousities. ^-^ )

Opening the great oaken doors, you get a glimpse of a landing that looks out into a vast sea of books. Tall shelves that seem to reach up into the very hemisphere of the large domed library. The bright glass that formed the translucent bauble was made out of dazzling oranges and yellows, which cast golden shimmering panels of light across the library. Making the whole entryway seem to cheerfully and resolutely celebrate golden hour from dawn to dusk.

But you weren't here to peruse the books and while away the hours cozied into a corner. No, for today, you had a problem, and you hoped you could find someone to help you. You took the little business card out of your pocket. It was a plain card with simple gold lettering that shimmered in a warm manner when you turned it in your hand.

Curio S. Flemming

Scholar of Magical Quirks and Eccentricites

Housed in the Left Library Wing

Room B-28

Please watch your step!

"Please watch your step," you repeated aloud as you turned the card over to look at the back. Besides that little warning on the card. It did not further explain what to watch out for or why. Ah well, suppose you shall find that out when the time comes.

The library stood as a place where scholars in magic came to study and hobknob with one another. It was the biggest meeting place for the most intruiging magical minds by the far side of the moon.

So naturally, they all tended to conglomerate in the place with the most books and the most space to spread out in to study their unquie fields. So the library kept growing until, well, it had become as large as it was now.

As you move deeper into the library, your gaze turns upwards, watching the strange little small magical durigables carry letters to and fro the maze of hallways. Though some of the scholars prefered the quainter miniature hot air balloons, those also plodded along at a much slower pace. The mail would still get there on time, if not a day or so later than everyone else's.

The further you walked, the less library and more fantastical it became. There still were books, because of course there were always books in a library. Though, the floor turned to cobblestone for a short jaunt, then there was potions pluming multicolored smoke out of every crevice in doors. The mineral hall, which as the name suggests, everything was carved out of precious stone. Except the books of course, because they would be (sadly) just too heavy to read. You even passed a worrisome looking botanical area that seemed to be overrun with vines. Plants creeped out of the various botany doors and slowly curled their way up the walls to gather books from high shelves.

One friendly vine even held open a door for you. And you thanked it politely as you hurry past.

You check your card several times, before opening a small but cozy looking door. Looking up to watch a little diridgable marked with B-28 on it's underside, putter inside in the little opening above the door.

"Watch your step!"

Called a voice, just as your foot fell down, down, down. You stumbled forward into a field of clouds? Dream clouds, the kind made of cotton fluff and marshmallow. And they softly changed hue from pink to purple to orange and back again.

"The room heard you were coming! Though I feel like this might be just a bit over the top--"

The voice called to you before pausing and repeating a little louder and enunciating a few specific words. "It MIGHT be just a BIT OVER THE TOP?"

You feel your hands tighten nervously as the clouds slowly but surely disapate out of the room.

"There!" A pair of hands dust themselves together as one Curio Flemming trots out of the dispersing cotton candy clouds. Four legs of a graceful deer with a neat shawl drapped over his back. With a smart button up shirt and his curly hair a soft cloud of sable coils that frame a friendly smiling face.

"Sorry again about that!" Their dark eyes crinkling with a laugh just below the surface. "I have one of the more active rooms in this department, and it had wanted to make sure you were comfortable." Their fingers grasping yours to briefly shake your hand. faun ears tilting upwards before they trot back to their desk sitting down to gather up a pencil and paper.

"So," They look at their notes as they address your name, "Telll me a little about this anxious magic? How long has this been going on?"

You take a deep breathe, with the clouds gone you now find yourself standing in a cozy room with a desk that housed many arranged papers and files. A squat comfortable looking arm chair facing Curio's desk. You settle into the chair across the desk, though your eyes adverting downwards as you fidgit with your hands.

"As long as I can remember,"

There is a brief pause in the air before you start again.

"It's. . . usually just silly things that happen when I am in a crowd or when I get too nervous. My magic will teleport me home, or turn me invisible, create sudden gusts of winds, or even freeze time for a short period. Things like that. . ."

You can hear writing from the other side of the desk and you shuffle in your chair.

"I think the worst thing I think it's e-ever done really, was the one time it made a sound void around m-me-- in the middle of a busy coffee shop. P-people started panicking be-because they thought they went deaf or lost their voice--" You look up with round eyes as Curio laughs.

"I-it was aweful!" You stammer, feeling a familiar prickle on the back of your neck, "I h-hate having a-anxious magic, the teleportation, the w-wind vortexes-"

"Calm-- calm down, I wasn't laughing at you, honest!" They smile softly, "Trust me, I understand what it's like living with anxiety," he gestures to himself. "I am after all, half deer, and they are always on high alert, quick to run on a moment's notice. I don't think you should hate this magical quirk of yours. It's not trying to hurt you or upset you, far from it, essentially, I think all it's doing is trying to protect you."

You stop and stare at him blankly, trying to process the words. "It's. . . what?"

Curio smiles sadly and nods, "That's what it's doing. When you have that anxiety, that fear, in this case, all those people and the noise in the coffee shop for example. Your magic is quick to react and try to stop the root of what is making you uncomfortable. It's not a bad thing, is it frusterating? Of course! But it's trying to protect you from feeling too overloaded."

You stare at Curio, warmth rising to your cheeks as you bob your head. "I see. . . do you. . . think that's why it summoned a demon?"

The pencil in Curio's hand stops moving and he looks up at you. "A. . . demon?"

You chew your lip and stare at his paper, nodding your head. "Th-that's why I wanted to ask for your help. I. . . I don't know how I did it, and I ah. . . d-don't know how to send them back."

"And where. . . is this demon?"

"A-at my house. It won't leave."

"Oh. . ."

Your arms shrug up feeling guilty,

"That's absolutely fascinating!" Curio enthused, "I have never heard of anxious magic doing that! I'll go grab my coat!"

You stand in shock as you watch an excited cervitaur rustle into a light jacket.

"And no summoning circle? No runes?"

"N-not that I? Know. . . of?" You shake your head in bewilderment before you catch a glimpse of hind legs bouncing out the door.

"H-Hey w-wait for me?? Y-you don't know where I live!!" And with that, you hurry after.

#monster x reader #monster x human #exophilia #sfw #cervitaur x reader #cervitaur x human

[fortune-fool02]

Late-Night Coffee

Silco x female reader

Summary: A routine had fallen into place with one customer, always coming by before they closed up the café, and it grew to become [Name]’s favourite part of the day. 

Coffee Shop/Café AU

Warnings: None. 

Please enjoy! 

A warm hue was cast throughout the shop, brushing against the dark wooden designs and the red velvet seats scattered around in neat rows. Two seats and a table, then a booth. Then the same again. Two seats and a table, then a booth. Each dark wooden table held a little flower for a display piece as well as some folded napkins. Behind the counter, a variety of different coffee brands and types sat in organised fashion, surrounded by the warm glow of yellow lights, and other little bits of décor.

The ticking of the clock was hushed by the music humming from the speakers, a bit of background sound to give the place a sense of welcome and life. [Name] had been quite proud of it when it all came together as she had hoped. A place for people to come, relax and enjoy a warm beverage, and the success it rewarded was more than she anticipated. Most nights now, she finished later to make sure everyone was tended to and everything was back in place before she closed up. As a result, she didn’t leave until after dusk, depending on the time of the year, not that she minded though. 

Soft hums left her as she cleaned the counter, ridding it of any spills or droplets made from today’s earlier sales. She had a few jobs to finish before she could leave, but a few could wait until tomorrow, which was good. Her eyes bounced between the clock on the wall and towards the front door, a wisp of anticipation nipping at the back of her mind. For some weeks now, the same customer would come by at this time, every couple of days. He would order the same drink, a simple black coffee with no sugar, and a pastry. He would then sit in the corner table, his back to the wall, allowing him to have a full view of the café and the front door. It was only recently that he actually started talking to her and the two would exchange small talk; and now he engages in further conversations rather than just simple small talk. 

[Name] found herself to enjoy his company, even if he seemed a cold as a stone. 

The soft chime of the door opening pulled her from her thoughts, smiling warmly as she looked over. “Good evening, welcome to-” Her words were cut off when she saw the man she had been expecting. Silco sauntered over, his expression calm and collected, as he always was as he took his seat. 

“The usual, darling.” He spoke, his voice soothing with the music from the speakers, and [Name] smiled more, not wasting a moment to get the order ready. Though, his voice held a faint lingering annoyance to it, irritation even. 

“Been a long day?” she questioned, settling into the comfortable routine of making his drink. Thank God she just restocked everything not long before he came in. Silco didn’t speak of his work nor much of his personal life, and whatever he did answer was vague, but she didn’t press on it, knowing that some people were more private than others. 

“You could say that.” [Name] hummed softly at that before setting his order down in front of him. 

“Here you go, Silco, your usual. One black coffee, no sugar, and one pastry.” He nodded his head in thanks before she turned to head back to finish some jobs. “If you need anything else, you need only ask.” 

“Why don’t you join me?” That caught her off guard a little. They usually had their little conversations but this was a first that he offered her to sit with him like that. “After all, you’ve been working all day, no? You must be exhausted. Come and sit.” He wasn’t wrong there, being one of the few employees here was exhausting at times, and so she decided to take him up on his offer, but not before quickly making herself a drink then joining him at his table. 

The two broke the silence by chatting about their day, though Silco was quite hushed about it, mostly listening to her than anything else. [Name] mentioned a customer that had a bit of a mouth on them and complained about silly things.

"- I told them to calm down and tried to reason to them, and the next thing I knew," She sighed lightly, recalling the events earlier in the day with ease. "They threw their cup at me, and I was thankful the drink had cooled or else it would have left a more severe mark."

Silco perked at that, leaning a little closer to her. "Mark?" She rolled up her sleeve and revealed the red mark against her skin, evidence of the hot liquid. It didn't hurt anymore but it did when it first happened. Silco simply looked at the mark, slender fingers gently brushing over it with a careful touch.

"Brutes. Have they no respect?" Something flashed across his face, something that brought a comforting sense to her, but it was gone before she could confirm it.

"It's nothing. Thank you though, Silco." The fact he seemed to care gave her a warmth, a gentle cover over her heart. His hand lingered still, his fingers moving ever so slowly in a circular motion, as if his touch would wipe the burn away.

Neither of them spoke, the music filling the room with a softness, as they just say there, sharing a tender moment. A faint smile lifted his lips when she smiled at him. "Perhaps I should start sending my friends around here, to make sure things like this don't happen again."

[Name] gave a soft chuckle, finding it almost sweet of his reaction. To show concern like this.

"It's okay, Silco. But I wouldn't mind. I'll even arrange a discount for my favourite customer."

The two shared a chuckle at that.

#silco #arcane #silco league of legends #arcane silco #silco arcane #silco x reader #arcane x reader #coffee shop au

[moonpersonalter]

Lipstick

Fandom: Fate/Grand Order Rating: T [in case] Warnings: N/A A/N: very self indulgent fic I wrote because I've been thinking about a certain Berserker hehe. Please note that the Master here has a name but is not mentioned.

Today, the Master wore purple lipstick.

The dark shade was reminiscent of amethysts untouched by light. It clashed with her eyes more than complimenting it, the bright yellow hue of her eyes being overshadowed by her own makeup.

Cu Alter didn't knew when she decided to wear such a terrible shade. Then again, he didn't knew exactly what idea floated in that head of hers that drove her to wearing lipstick. It just... happened. On one boring day, she showed up, with lips full of the color of pink roses.

It didn't match her skin at all, too light to even be called make up. Others seem to think otherwise, sending compliments her way. She looked happy though, thanking each one for the kind words, but her eyes kept fluttering his way, as if expecting something from him. The quiver of her lips, pulled back slightly into a tense bite. The kind master, however, was too kind to ask the Berserker and kept her mouth closed instead.

The day after that, it was a bright yellow hue similar to her eyes. Cute but once again, the way the shade awkwardly sits on her lips didn't compliment her that well. She looked his way again, expectation flashing in her eyes before turning her head the other way, her shoulders sagging in disappointment at the lack of reaction.

And the day after that? A new color, the shade of red that reminded him of strawberries. It... fits her. The way her lips move as she speaks, it draws his eyes in, focuses more on the subtle movements. The way they purse or pout, making it look plumper than usual was... sort of adorable. If his Master knew what he'd think, she might feel more inclined to wear it often.

Sadly, with how she read his straight face when her eyes glanced his way, it disappointed her once again, leaving her to change it to the color it is today. It was a downgrade for sure. Or it was a downgrade to him. Most Servants continued to compliment her color choices, some more over the other, but complimented her still. And as usual, her eyes kept fluttering back his way, disappointed at his lack of reaction.

This... was where his last bit of wondering broke.

Approaching his Master once every person had gone off someplace else, the poor girl yelps as she noticed his shadow casting over her. Turning around to greet him, she was instead met with his face already close to hers, glaring at her with an unreadable expression.

She gulps, a blush beginning to color her cheeks. "Yes... Cu—"

"What do you want?" He immediately cut her off. She responded with a weak 'Pardon?', rolling his eyes as he rephrased his question. "Why were you looking my way so much?"

Her blushing cheeks grew brighter, head turning the other way again. "I... it's because...," she fidgets, trying to find the proper words.

It took her a moment.

Two moments.

A glance and then another.

She took all the time in the world to come up with something, anything decent, coherent, or even believable enough to convince him that— "I wanted to know... which color you liked?"

A moment of silence. The Master, too afraid to look his way, remained glued to staring at someplace else while the Berserker before her continued to glare at her. Not out of impatience nor frustration. Far from it.

If she had simply asked him the question before, he'd have answered in kind. Instead of going through this cat and mouse chase of catching which color he'd react to most, he'd have made his choice already so long ago. But knowing her, she didn't want to overstep her boundaries with someone as stern as him, didn't want to inconvenience him with something as trivial as makeup.

"You overthink too much," he said, breaking the silence that lingered longer than she wanted. Opening her mouth as if to apologize, was quickly shut by his lips locking with hers, his tongue already slipping past her open mouth.

She let out a small yelp, throwing her arms around his shoulders as she held onto him tightly, her legs giving way as his arms wrap around her petite form, pulling her closer to his. His hand, the same one that held tightly around his spear, carefully tangled into her hair, making sure she didn't turn and escape from their kiss.

Once he was satisfied, he leans his head back, the string of saliva still connecting their lips. He stared down at her face, that half-lidded look in her eyes and flushed face, paired with her lipstick smudged. He forgot for a moment that she wore that horrendous shade of purple. "You look better with red lipstick."

Her face deepens red, "O-oh... okay."

He didn't bother letting her speak after that, leaning in again for another kiss.

The next day, she wore red lipstick again.

#alter.writing #fate grand order #fgo #cu chulainn alter #cu alter #cu chulainn alter x oc #cu alter x oc #oc centric

[hitchqueen]

Making an impression (story)

[ kudos to @clownsocks69 for giving me permission to write this quick little story based off their artwork! Check it out here! https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/clownsocks69/693621978530299904?source=share ]

[also, sorry if my writing is absolute TRASH haha, still kinda coming out of my shy snzkink shell]

and also !!!!DO NOT REBLOG TO NON KINK BLOGS!!!!!

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

The Trench Tavern was filled with music, laughter, and the clinging of silverware, complete with the fireplace giving off the perfect amount of heat to keep the customers warm, especially those coming in from the rainstorm pattering against the glass windows. However, none of that seemed to drag Gustav Elhorn’s hazel hues away from his dreamy gaze; not even his mead, which he had been babysitting for almost an hour. Not that he ever drank more than half, anyway.

The reason for this? Emberly Greattail, the one serving drinks and meals to everyone…and the owner’s daughter. Tonight, her ember hued hair was up in a messy bun, a few strands brushing beside her emerald eyes, which would light up as she smiled.

A soft, dreamy sigh left Gustav’s lips. “Emberly Greattail…how do you get more radiant everyday?” he mumbled to himself, a small smile forming on his lips. The male Sorcerer – well, Sorcerer-in-Training – had just finished his studies at the prestigious Hornwell Academy, and as tradition, all graduating Sorcerers and Sorceresses were located to a small village to live there for a year to not only hone their skills, but make themselves, and their skills, known to others around the town.

Only being in Dewstar for three months now, Gustav had…well, a small start; a few potions here, a spell to cast away rats there, but nothing to truly make his mark with the village, but nothing really to make him stand out. Even with his unique green top hat, he still seemed to just…blend in. “Emberly doesn’t even know I exist, really,” the male sighed to himself. “Probably thinks I’m just another tab or somethin’...” He looked down at his mead, a few wisps of his own long black hair hiding his face.  A few of the shorter strands brushing against the tip of his round nose, causing it to wriggle slightly. Gustav sniffled, racking his knuckles against the soft appendage. He failed to hear the chiming of a bell as the door opened, for he was too lost in his own thoughts. It wasn’t until a soft yellow glow presented itself, inches from his face, did the Sorcerer-in-training jump slightly in his seat.

“Hey! You’re that new magic guy, right?!” the small being asked. Gustav’s eyes widened in fear, locked onto the small glittering particles surrounding the fairy, already making his nose twitch in response.

No. Oh, No….!!

If Gustav’s heart could have crashed through the floor, it would have at that very moment. The fairy’s dust had already made its presence known, which unfortunately for Gustav, was a very challenging allergen, and it seemed out of all the students in the Academy, he was the only one to have such a strange reaction to the magic dust.

Immediately covering his nose and mouth with one hand, the male immediately began attempting to swat the fairy away. “G-go away, please! Shoo! Shoo!” he urged, leaning as far back from the fairy as possible.

The fairy’s brow furrowed, and she gave a loud hmph. “Well, that’s a bit rude! You don’t even know me! I’m just trying to ask for your help in–”

“I–Ihh!! I said ‘Shoo!’ Go on, get out of here, pesky thing! I’m—EhhHeh–!” His eyes soon darted to Emberly, praying she hadn’t noticed anything. Thankfully, she was serving another table, her back facing him. “I c-caahhnnn’t talk to you right n-now,” Gustav explained, his voice wavering as he tried to fight the tickle; it already felt like the dust was making itself home along the sensitive nasal walls, settling in like dust would to a feather.

Offended by all this, the fairy soon glowed a vibrant red. “Oh, what? Just cause I’m a fairy, I don’t get any help from you? That’s– you know what?! You–!” Growling, she used her strength to try and pry Gustav’s hand away from his already twitching nose, something the creature failed to notice as her wings fluttered rapidly, spreading more of her pixiedust in the air. “You–need–to–listen—to—EEP!” A panicked squeak left the fairy as Gustav successfully swatted the fairy away from his face.

Unfortunately for him, the fairy landed on the brim of his top hat, the collision releasing more of her glittering dust in the air.

“I’m–HEH!! TeHehhhEHribly s-s-sorry,” Gustav tried to explain, rubbing at his now pink nose, using his knuckle to massage it in a circular motion. “I’m...I’m allehh—”

“How’s your mead, sir?” A soft voice asked. Gazing up through teary eyes, his cheeks soon matched the redness of his nose as Emberly stood beside him. “S-sir? Are you–?”

Oh, no…not here. Not now!!

In a panic, Gustav held a finger under his nose, knowing this wouldn’t help for long. “Feh-HIH-HEH! I’mFine!” he hitched out, giving a sheepish grin, finger still under his nose, rubbing furiously against his twitching nostrils. “Just…J-Jiihhh!!” Gustav had hoped – PRAYED – that Emberly would have left by now, but she was just as frozen as the pixie ontop of his hat was.

“I’m…AhhahhHH! hhh-HHAEHH!! Hhh–hh!”

There was no escaping the oncoming fit, even as he tried waving his hand infront of his face. His eyes were closed shut, allergic tears streaming down his face as his chest puffed, shoulders shuddering with each desperate intake of air.

“I–I’m– Haatzeeehh—g-gonna–Guhh–Guhhnaahhh–!!”

There air was still for a moment, as a few more eyes in the tavern seemed to focus on the back booth.

“HAHH–HEHH–hhHEHHH! HiT’SHHHEEWWW!!!”

Gustav bent forward with a strong sneeze, and the fireplace behind him suddenly extinguished. “HaaT’SHHHEEWWW!” With another sneeze erupting, the fireplace burst back to life with another fire. “Allehh–HehhEHH–allergic–!! HiiaaT-SHEEWWWW!!”

Oh, gods…what would Emberly think of him in such a state?! A Sorcerer-in-training with such a…such a…

“Haaaat’SHHEEWWW!”

Such a ridiculous allergy? Surely no one would want to be seen with – or even ask for help from–!!

Embarrassed, Gustav fished into his coat pocket, placed an unknown amount of money on the table, and hurried out of his seat. The male opened the door and dashed outside into the rain, yet the customers could hear a distant, “HiiiT’SHHHEEWWW!!!”, and the door slammed shut on its own.

Seeking shelter from the rain in a nearby stable, Gustav groaned to himself while fishing out his handkerchief from his breast pocket. “Perfect,” he muttered, shielding his nose. “Well, Gustav, you certainly made an impression with the vihh-HiiT’SHHHEEWW!”

“Bless you!” a voice chimed, causing the Sorcerer to freeze, arching an eyebrow in confusion. It…sounded like it came from…above him?

Taking off his hat slowly and examining it, Gustav blinked in surprise as the fairy smiled sheepishly, giving him a small wave.

#snzkink #snzstory #snzblr #sneezefic

[rfaromance]

mysme cast as neopets

once again, I am highly qualified, as my neopets account is old enough to vote in the USA.

Yoosung: Starry Poogle! He is "Shooting Star Yoosung" after all, and Poogles are described as a pet that looks like a cute and cuddly dog-esque creature... but with extremely sharp teeth! Yoosung is a puppy boy, but he can get snippy and protective!

Zen: White Lupe. He's clearly a wolf boy. Lupes are brave, loyal, and perhaps a bit too confident. Zen seems that way at first glance, but his confidence is largely a ruse! Hug your local white-haired beast today!

Jaehee: Striped Nimmo! Nimmos are intelligent, spiritual creatures who value peace and harmony. However, they have quite an affinity for martial arts! Perfect for our witty, religious judo queen. I imagine that Jumin required her to paint herself yellow (a basic, default color) before starting at C&R, but in her good ending, she paints herself a sweet, soft striped color!

Jumin: Silver Shoyru! (Yes, because Zen disdainfully refers to him as "born with a silver spoon in his mouth.") Shoyrus are adept flyers, so maybe Jumin missed that gene with his driving skills. More importantly, they are fiery creatures who are fiercely loyal. If you treat a Shoyru right, you have a friend for life... but if you mistreat him, he will never, ever forget it.

707: Camouflage Kougra. He's clearly cat-coded, so the playful, wild Kougra who LOVES to pounce with his big paws is perfect! However, he's camouflage colored not just because the reddish and orange hues match his hair, but because Seven is cursed to a life in the shadows, always needing to blend in and never to exist freely....

V: Maractite Ogrin! Ogrins are shy at first, but once they're comfortable around someone, they're friendly and chatty! They're also highly curious and bright, and they love to ask questions as well as go for long nature walks to observe their surroundings. How perfect for our artistic photographer? Also, V was sassy and rude as a teen, and I think I can see him asking prying questions to be a brat back then! Maractite is interesting because when it's used for a weapon, it cuts through water with ease and is extremely sharp and durable... but it erodes quickly on land. Sounds a lot like V, powerful and bright in certain settings but fragile when out of his element.... (plus the colors are minty).

Ray: Plushie Cybunny! Ray is clearly bunny-coded. Plus, Cybunnies come from Terror Mountain, and "Ray" did not exist until Mint Eye, which is... onba mountain! A plushie looks sweet and non-threatening, right? You can trust him. :)

Suit Saeran: Skunk Wocky! While Ray is bunny-coded, Suit is certainly cat-coded. He'd be perfect as a Wocky, which is a bold, adventurous Neopet... perhaps too daring for his own good! He'd take the black and white palette to look powerful, akin to his suit.

GE Saeran: Faerie Usul! Usuls are friendly and brave, and they are extremely loyal. Saeran devotes himself fully to the people he loves and the causes he believes in. But he's also selfless to a fault, so he'd be an Usul, which is a Neopet known to be the first to share food with their friends once winter hits! He'd be Faerie because he's pretty, and because he's finally free to touch the clouds.

Unknown: Wraith Jetsam. Mean, unfriendly, vicious. If you can earn his favor, you have a powerful ally. Otherwise? Prepare to be eaten by the Void.

SE Saeran: Cloud Kacheek. Kacheeks are peaceful and shy, avoiding violence whenever possible. They also live in meadows! SE does not want to mingle and definitely wants to avoid conflict. His brother won't always let him outside to look at the clouds, but at least he can paint clouds on himself.

Vanderwood: Electric Zafara! Zafaras are adventurous and can be found anywhere in Neopia; nobody quite knows from where they originate! Similarly, we don't actually know where Vanderwood is from, although many of us have theories! Zafaras are also said to bring good luck if you're kind to them. While Vandy may not be a lucky fellow, the people around them somehow fare better when he gets involved? Electric color is self-explanatory.

Rika: Faerie Korbat! Rika is a person who is simultaneously intimidating and alluring, and I think a Korbat with faerie wings captures that essence! Korbats are friendly and welcoming, even though their appearance may frighten others. They're also inquisitive and have sharp senses, allowing them to learn a lot in a short time. It also makes sense that Rika, a nocturnal creature, would crave love from the sun so desperately...

#mystic messenger #Mysmes #Mysme #Mm #Neopets #RFA #Mint Eye #Minor trio #LIES DOWN #I think I'll do my CMCs as petpets in a separate post lol

[oathofpromises]

𝕬𝖖𝖚𝖆 𝖍𝖆𝖉 𝖆 𝖋𝖊𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕿𝖊𝖗𝖗𝖆𝖓𝖔𝖗𝖙 𝖜𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖗𝖊𝖕𝖑𝖞 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖜𝖆𝖞, 𝖎𝖙 𝖜𝖆𝖘 𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖜𝖆𝖞 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖗𝖞𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖕𝖚𝖘𝖍 𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖞𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖆𝖜𝖆𝖞. Then again, the man had always been very cold..calculating. It was hard to tell exactly what he was thinking sometimes. Surrounded in so much mystery and yet Aqua couldn’t help but try and see the good, even in a man like him. It was always the same though, any hint of what he considered weakness wasn’t allowed, at least the ones that could bring Terra back.  Slowly, the woman placed the charm back into her pocket. Cerulean hues focused on his movements, with her Rainfall by her side. Every fiber in her body was screaming at her. If the key blade master could descend into darkness for Terra, she wasn't afraid to do so again if necessary.

 “I made a promise to bring Terra home. I fell to the deepest darkness.. For years, I was isolated from everyone I cared about. If I need to suffer through that again..so be it. I am going to bring Terra back, even if I need to knock sense into that thick skull of his.”

Anger had indeed been coursing through the blue haired woman's veins for years, but she always had control over it. Cracks slowly were forming, as that pain and rage radiated throughout her entire body. Could it be her time in the dark realm had gotten to her more than she had let anyone else know. What felt like years for Aqua was only a short amount of time for everyone else. 

Truthfully, she had felt abandoned at one point, figuring that as long as everyone else was safe in the realm of light that things would be fine. However, over time that slowly started to eat at her. Judgement becoming clouded, and heart slowly becoming pure ice. Most people probably figured the key blade master had always been distant, and for a time she had been. Slowly, time seemed to stall as she charged forward. Water droplets surrounding them, as key blades clashed against one another. 

“I will cast you out for good...” There was a slight edge to her voice, eyes piercing. Aqua knew how strong Terranrot was, he was one of the thirteen chosen. It was hard knowing she would have to fight Terra yet again, but she convinced herself this wasn’t the man she had trained with or cared about. It was someone else using his body. Not only that, but it made it a tad easier to handle facing off against the other. There was no hesitation now, she was ready to continue the fight that should’ve been ended years ago. 

There it was again, that ache inside her chest. This all could’ve been prevented if only she had been stronger. There were so many mistakes made during that time, and all she did was fuel the darkness inside Terra’s heart. He felt lost...angry, perhaps even a bit of hurt that she was chosen to be master. It was like she had once said, one key blade was enough to ruin any friendship. All Aqua wanted was to be the light that Terra and Ventus needed. To be their way finder in the darkness, but fate seemed to always tear them apart. 

“You have no right to talk about Ven.” The woman’s tone sounded agitated, as she pushed away from Terranort. Fighting the other head on was risky, which meant she might need to tap into the side of her. The darker part she was holding back since returning from the realm of darkness. Reaching up, Aqua’s hand rested against her chest. 

Breathe. 

The woman jumped up and swung her key blade at Terranort, casting a series of spells. They landed around him, almost like a warning shot, which was dangerous because she knew what the man was capable of. Piercing yellow eyes returned her stare. Terra was still in there. The other would eventually overcome Xehanort's control over his body if she kept lighting his way home. 

"I am fully aware of the type of man that you are, but I also know that Terra isn't going to give up either. You can try and say that darkness has consumed all of his heart, but as long as those who care for him keep lighting his way home. You will never know peace.” 

Aqua had already acknowledged that this battle would not be simple, but Terra was worth it. Even if she had to use her darker side, it would be fine. She kept telling herself that, but there was a tiny part of her that feared even using that kind of power once more might cause the light inside of her to dim. 

She sends a hail of blizzard in the other's direction by twisting her keyblade. Furthermore, she carried the burden of Terra's destiny on her shoulders. It was one of the many things that had been weighing on her heart for years. Jumping up, she charged at the other yet again, sparks flying around their key blades. Despite how adamant she sounded in her words, there was a hint of hesitation in the woman's eyes. 

“I will be his wayfinder in the darkness!!” shouted Aqua, as she cast thunder down around them. It missed, but her resolve was set, this would end one way or another. 

Terra, give me strength.

Reply continued from here

#Your grace abounds in the deepest waters and I will call upon your name(destiny-bound) #I'd bleed for you even if the darkness consumes me(Aqua) #one sky one destiny(Main Verse)

[i-can-even-burn-salad]

🍃 Leaf: What is a plant you find beautiful? 

🐝 Bee: What is a video game that you find comforting? 

Thank you for the ask <3 From this ask game.

🍃 Leaf: What is a plant you find beautiful?

“A”? One? That’s impossible. I love you trees, I love you ivy, I love you spider plant, I love you snake plant, I love you daisies, I love you hibiscus, I love you little strawberry plants, I love you blooming chives, I love you lilies, I love you weird flower I’ll never learn the name of, I love you dandelion, I love you mirabelle, I love all of you.

Except those that have thorns. Fuck you <3

🐝 Bee: What is a video game that you find comforting?

Comforting. That’s not the word I’d use for most of my games I love.

(Why did this piece of shit crash this time, oh no a mesh is missing, I can’t possibly continue playing without looking up at which level this Pokemon learns this move, I’m gonna spend the next 5 hours in char gen, because I need to be absolutely sure what I’ll pick, I need to play with wiki open, so I know which quest way to go, oh god another patch, all my mods will stop working, oh god another patch, all my builds are ruined, oh fuck I missed an achievement.)

I think one of the cutest games (though moderately stressful at some bosses, because I suck lol) is Fantasy Life. I wanted this game for years and when I bought my 3ds it was more or less for Pokemon, but also for this game.

[ID: Promo artwork for the 3ds game Fantasy Life. A knight on an armored horse, raising their sword, is standing on a cliff, overlooking a landscape of grassy hills and forests, full of people and creatures. They’re all drawn in a very cute comic style. Ships sail in the background on an ocean and a dragon is napping on top of a hill. In the middle is the logo of the game, with the title in big, bold letters in a light blue to light green gradient in front of a thin yellow crescent moon. An airship is fling over the title, and the dragon is under it, with it’s mouth open. A long stream of various characters seems to walk out of its mouth, towards the viewer. End ID.]

The world is super cute, I can harvest things, and stab things with my dagger and I have a lil kitty and... yeah it’s adorable ok. Running around with my lil witch hat and my black kitty and picking up flowers and mining ore and when you hit the vein just ~right~ with your pickaxe you get a bonus and then you return and play a silly little mini game to wave your dandelion fluff into fabric and sew some clothes with it.

I guess the progression can be a bit dull and/or stressful, depending on playstyle, and also a bit of a grind, but I occasionally boot it up just to run around a map and fill my pockets with bugs, flowers, apples, ore and wood.

[ID: Promo artwork for the PC game Pillars of Eternity. It’s in orange and purple hues, showing a group of adventurers standing on the edge of something, fighting a horde of zombie-like monsters, trying to climb up to them. Two of the adventurers are wielding swords, one uses his bare fists, one her bow and one is casting magic with his raised hand. The title of the game, Pillars of Eternity, is in the upper right corner of the artwork. It’s written in golden letters on a plate depicting several slightly green rock pillars. Underneath is the text complete edition. End ID.]

This probably fails the assignment spectacularly - everything about this game is heartbreaking AND I haven’t actually played it in YEARS. And I never finished it because I got lost in side quest completing before the last dungeon dhakhsdgaks. But I just like... love it so much? The artstyle is 110% my thing, I love how grim it is, and I really like the world. I sometimes just listen to the soundtrack, and I love the companions (not you Durance). It surely has its flaws, but I sometimes look at its little icon in my library and think “I could install this” and it’s making me happy. I have issues I know.

Welp. This was a bit longer than I had planned. Not sorry.

#salad-ask #I am normal about video games #And I didn't even mention my favorite one yet #salad-games #Anonymous

[redbelles]

Hi, Meg! Thank you so much for the giffing tutorial ❤️ it’s the most complete I’ve ever seen! You mentioned in it you don’t really use color balance, is it because it affects the quality of the gif or something like that or you just don’t feel like you need it?

hi anon!

i'm so glad the giffing tutorial has been helpful for you 💖

color balance doesn't affect the quality of the gif any more than any other color adjustment tool; i just tend to avoid it because i feel that the other options—selective color, curves, levels, hue/saturation, channel mixer—do a better, more precise job. this isn't to say that you can't get great results with color balance, but overall i think it's more trouble than it's worth

detailed explanation + examples under the cut!

before we get started, one huge caveat: this is all based on how i, me, meg redbelles, personally use adjustments. there are a million different ways to color, and i am 1000% confident there's someone out there who could kick my ass when it comes to using color balance. that said, let's explore my beef with it!

color balance: basic gifs

my preferred method is on the left, but i got a very close match with using color balance. however, the key difference between the two versions is the skin tone. i couldn't quite get the reds + yellows to pop as much as i wanted using color balance without making other parts of the scene kind of muddy and/or oversaturated. additionally, because the reds + yellows aren't as vibrant, his hair leans a little bit cyan. for me, that's the biggest issue with color balance: you can make big changes very easily, but precise detail work is way harder to manage

on gifs that don't need massive color correction, it really does just come down to personal preference. however, for scenes that do need whackass color correction, color balance just creates more work

color balance: extreme color correction

let's say i want that blue gone. here's what i achieved with my preferred method:

blue cast? gone. sky and trees? still soft and natural looking. uniforms? the correct color. stupid sheepskin jacket? appropriately dingy but, crucially, not cyan

now, here's what i got using the same lightening layers but with color balance as my primary method of correction:

the blue is gone, but now there's a noticeable cyan cast.

the reds and yellows came out pretty well, though the gif does lean a little bit red— that's most visible in the face on the right. the sheepskin jacket is a muddy gray-cyan instead of dirty white. similarly, the sky is fine, but the trees are just straight cyan. this is a big improvement from "entire gif is completely blue," but i much prefer the previous result

now, obviously i could use color balance and then tweak the gif with other tools; that's totally doable! it gets me a very similar result to my preferred method:

this leans a tiny bit more blue/magenta, but otherwise it's pretty much an exact match to the results i got with my usual coloring technique

so that begs the question: if i can get almost identical results using color balance and then going in with other adjustment tools, why don't i use it more often?

well, because it seems silly to color correct my color correction. if i'm going to have to use selective color, channel mixer, hue/saturation, etc. to get a gif where i want it after using color balance, why not just save myself some work and use those from the start?

color balance pulls all the shadows/midtones/highlights, not just the ones that need fixing. while that doesn't matter too much on a regular old gif, it becomes glaringly apparent on scenes that need aggressive color correction

tl;dr color balance excels at big changes, but it really just doesn't cut for me when it comes to details

anyway! i hope that answered your question, anon! good luck with your giffing ✨

#anonymous #asked and answered #giffing help