#location: human camp

[moveslikeanape]

#disney's tarzan #character: tarzan #adult tarzan #character: clayton #Location: Human Camp #screencap

[normspellsman]

Tidal Wave

part one | part two

pairing: lo’ak x fem!human!reader

genre: angst, more angst, comfort (from tsireya to lo’ak + from spider to reader + from kiri to reader), & fluff (at the very end)

word count: 14.4k+ (holy fuck)

warning(s): suggestive content, crying, yelling, familial arguments, secrets are spilled (😬), neytiri + lo’ak arguing, mentions of violence + self inflicted injury (reader rubs skin raw), mention of incident at ta’unui clan, slightest lo’ak x tsireya, reader having self-deprecating thoughts, lo’ak being lovesick for reader, mention of lo’ak being sad, major character death, sprinkle of miscommunication / misinterpretation of actions, blood, slightest spider x reader, kiri + reader are bffs!, heartbreak?, cursing, & mentions of having little appetite

taglist: @bewbz2110 @httpjiikook @aonungsmate @cheyehc @ihave500hubbiez @heart-an0n @omnifanfic @toomuchtime02 @bigdikzaddy @anxietydrogz @myh3artttt @ancientbeing10 @yourusername1 @dearstell @goodiesinthecloset21 @iwannahaveaprettyaesthetic @thatonegirlwiththebeanie367 @arminsgfloll @optimisticblazetrash @liyahsocorro @universal-s1ut @amortencjja @sweetirilly @blushhpeachh @alohastitch0626 @btsiguess-kpop @ithinkimaslutforharry @zootymcnooty @zeeader @reallysparklychaos @zeida @coffeehurricanes @manumanulau @pumpararapam @ipang @willowcxmilee @audigay @sagaonpandora

word bank: sa’nok — mother, sempul — father, eywa / great mother — goddess deity that the na’vi believe in, tawtute — human; sky person, ikran — four winged creature used for hunting + flying, kehe — no, palulukan — thanator, sìlpeytsyìp — little hope (idk if it’s an accurate translation since i just put the words hope + little together), tulkun — whale like creatures, ilu — sea creature used for hunting + riding, yawne — beloved, & nga yawne lu oer — i love you

songs that i drew inspo from: a match into water by pierce the veil, gilded lily (sped up version) by cults, mr. forgettable by david kushner, & reflections by the neighbourhood

note: huge shoutout to @neteyamslovrr for helping me proofread this! ilysm baby 😭🫶🏼🤍 mentions of readers birthday takes place around 3-4 months after her & spider were kidnapped (so reader, kiri, spider, & lo’ak are aged up to 17-18). i imagined the events of atwow happening over a couple of months due to the fact that ronal is more visibly pregnant towards the end than when we first see her. so, just for clarification :)

Lo’ak had begged his parents the morning after to save you.

He pleaded and begged, getting on his knees as he sobbed into his Sa’nok’s thigh, covering it in his warm tears and snot. But, Jake’s answer stayed persistent: “They are strong kids, son. They will be alright,”. Of course, Jake wasn’t aware that Lo’ak and his other siblings heard what he had to say about you and Spider the night before during he and Neytiri’s heated discussion.

( “The kids know everything! They know where we live! Spider knows our whole operation. We are not safe as long as they have those two. They both can lead him right here! We are no longer safe staying here.” )

Lo’ak knew that neither you or Spider would ever give up the location of High Camp or of the Sully family. The both of you were loyal to a fault. Perhaps too loyal for your own good. It hurt to hear that his own Sempul would ever think that you would betray the family you grew to think of as your own. Lo’ak knew you better than anyone else.

Having to leave the Omatikaya and not even attempt to save you made Lo’ak resent his parents, his heart completely breaking into two as he got farther and farther from his home and essentially you. It was days before he had spoken to his parents after arriving at Awa’atlu, but it wasn’t like his parents sought out to speak to him either.

The more time he spent on the island, the more time he found himself yearning to have you by his side. To experience all of this with you. There was a constant hole in his chest that never left, deepening every time he thought of you. He had no way of knowing if you were being tortured at the current moment or even alive. He didn’t trust the RDA to keep you alive, especially once they saw how loyal you were to Jake and his family, disposing of you like you were nothing. You are everything to Lo’ak and it pained him to not know how you were doing or what was happening to you during your time in the enemy’s hands.

He could only pray to Eywa every night to keep you safe and spare you, fully aware that if she answered his call, she’d need something in return. And he was fully prepared to pay the price with his own life.

———

The torture they put you through was something you’d never would wish upon your greatest enemy.

They had ceased the torture on Spider, the orders being given to them by Quaritch. So, Ardmore turned to you and inflicted all kinds of pain and continuous torture onto you. The human boy begged Quaritch to put a stop to this, demanding him to let you go. But no matter how much Spider pleaded with the man or how many times he went over it with Ardmore, the woman didn’t budge. She was insistent on getting something out of you. But all she really got was memories and flashes of a tall Na’vi teen boy and nothing else. Things that were useless to her, so she punished you every time.

The first time you arrived at their base, their doctors had pulled you aside and assessed you. They deemed that you had multiple fractured ribs and a mild concussion, ordering Ardmore to let you heal before she decided to do anything. She agreed to it at first since she had Spider to get information out of, but once Quaritch told her that he was off limits and was going to comply with him and his team, she began to drag you out to the interrogation room and leave you in there for hours until you passed out.

It was the same routine for weeks. Wake up, get dragged to the interrogation room, receive endless amounts of torture for hours, pass out, repeat. Days began to blur together, not knowing where one began and the next stopped. It was all the same.

The first time you realized you had been in the RDA’s grasp for too long was the night Spider had snuck into your room and gently sang happy birthday to you. It must’ve been months then. Your seventeenth birthday was celebrated nearly a year before being taken hostage by Quaritch. Ardmore had deemed it best to separate Spider and you from each other, breaking down both of your support systems. That night, as you and the boy silently cried into the dark of your room, you lost all hope that Lo’ak was coming back for you.

It hurt too much to think about. But you knew, you knew that eventually, it was never going to work out. You were too different. Something was bound to happen sooner or later, ripping the two of you from each other and essentially ending the relationship you had with one another. You loved Lo’ak dearly but you knew that your love was never in the cards. It was something taboo, forbidden. You only hoped that Lo’ak was able to find comfort within someone else during this time. For you doubted that you’d ever see each other again. He needed someone like him. Not you.

———

Lo’ak had done everything he could to keep his mind off of you.

He needed to keep his mind off of you if he didn’t want to break down in the middle of the beach twenty-four-seven. So, he often spent more time training with Tsireya and got into meaningless fights whenever he could, angering his parents to no end. It worked at times, but often not, his mind always wandered back to you. Always.

“Lo’ak, what are you doing?” A soft voice asked, pulling the boy away from his never ending thoughts of the one person he desired to see.

“Moping,” he mumbled, crossed legged on the shoreline as he picked at the soft sand beneath him.

“I can tell,” she replied, taking a seat next to him. The boy next to her looked like a wounded puppy, ears drawn back as his tail laid limp beside him. Plus, he had a frown painted onto his face as he blankly stared at the sand below. “What is bothering you?” She asked, calmness etched into her voice.

Lo’ak hadn’t told her, or any other Metkayina for that matter, about you and the kind of relationship you shared. Sure he mentioned you and Spider and what happened before he and his family left to seek uturu from the reef people. But he never gave anyone the idea that he was in love with you. He didn’t know how any of them would react.

“Is it about the humans you mentioned earlier?” She added, filling in the silence that was growing between them as Lo’ak didn’t answer her previous question.

The boy only hummed, poking his fingers into the damp sand. He really didn’t want to talk to Tsireya about this. It risked the chance of his Sa’nok hearing or a stranger eavesdropping and telling everyone else in the village about how much he cared for a tawtute. It also hurt to talk about you. Because he knew once he started, he was never going to stop.

“I am sorry that they were taken. I know they meant a lot to you and your siblings,” Tsireya commented, truly feeling sorry for the young boy. She could tell that Lo’ak deeply cared for the humans and she couldn’t imagine losing someone that close to her like that.

A shrug from Lo’ak was his only response to the girl’s comfort, tears beginning to prick his eyes as he began to crave your touch and soothing lips against his. He began to forget what it was like to have your hands and lips on his own skin, making the hole in his chest increase in size.

“What were their names again?” She delicately asked, genuinely curious. Foreign things always interested the girl and she had never seen a tawtute before. So, befriending people that have, made her want to ask all of the questions she’s been dying to ask. The girl knew that her chance of meeting a human was extremely low before the Sully’s arrival, but that still didn’t stop her from wondering.

A small smile etched itself onto the corners of Lo’ak’s lips as he thought about you. Your name was probably his favorite thing to utter. It becoming a prayer during the darkest hours of the night, with you being the only one to answer his mumbled words. You were Lo’ak’s salvation and he never hesitated to remind you.

“(Y/N) and Spider,” he replied, fingers now fiddling with the anklet around his foot. You had made it for him for his fifteenth birthday. The poor boy had been so flustered while trying to tie it around his ankle that the woven material kept slipping through his fingers. You offered your help with a giggle, your soft fingertips causing fire to erupt against his skin as they trailed from his ankle bone to his calf in a teasing manner. If Lo’ak closed his eyes and tried hard enough, he could still feel the tingly sensation your fingers left behind in their wake.

“Those are…interesting names,” Tsireya giggled, testing out their names on her tongue, attempting to enunciate every letter and vowel to the best of her ability. “Humans have such weird names,” she comments, reflecting back on the time she briefly met Norm and Max when they came to visit after Kiri’s seizure.

Lo’ak only hummed in response, smile still on his face as he recalled all the memories he has of you. He missed you so much. He felt empty without you. He felt as if he had half a soul with you gone. His whole being ached to be with you, touch you, love you.

The Metkayina girl noticed Lo’ak’s almost blissful smile on his face, copying his actions. She could only assume that one of you meant more to him than the other. That the other held a special place in his heart. “Which one is it?” She asked, not trying to sound like she was prying. That was the last thing she wanted to do. She was just curious.

Lo’ak’s eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, “What do you mean?”.

“Which one has you wrapped around their finger?”.

The question itself made Lo’ak blush, bottom lip going in between his teeth in an attempt to stop an even wider smile from making its way onto his face. Damn, he thought, she can read me like a book. You got to be more subtle man.

The boy gave her his answer, tail perking up and swaying to and from at the mention of your name, his body betraying him at trying to hide his affection for you.

“Can you tell me about her?” Tsireya asked, enthralled at how just the mere mention of your name influenced such actions from the Omatikaya boy.

Lo’ak didn’t need to be asked twice before he began to talk about you, barely taking any breaths in between each word he uttered. If only his Mother and Father could see how much love Lo’ak held for you. If only.

———

“Ready kid?”.

You’d rather throw yourself off the highest floating mountain than go with Quaritch and his team on their mission to hunt down Jake and his family. But, alas, you had to go. You had to go unless you wanted to continue to be tortured by the old blonde Captain. You hated that woman with everything you had in you.

Quaritch had promptly requested Ardmore to cease her torturous treatment on you, stating that he finally got a lead on where the Sully’s might be and that you were crucial to the plan he and his team were putting together. He needed you to go with them and he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. He saw how Jake’s son had reacted when he was teasing the boy about you. The boy cared for you and Quaritch was going to use it as leverage somehow.

“Don’t have much of a choice, do I?” You replied, eyes narrowing at the man in front of you. You absolutely did not want to go wherever they were going, but you didn’t want to stay behind and be tortured to death. So, you took the lesser of two evils (if you could even call it that).

Quaritch chuckled at your response, shaking his head, motioning you to follow after him. The man had taken a liking to you, much like he did with Spider. You weren’t afraid to express how much you disliked the man nor did you hesitate to express your distaste for the whole situation he put you in. He liked your bluntness and admired your loyalty to the Na’vi, even if it was a major inconvenience for him and his team.

You had only ridden on an ikran a handful of times before, Lo’ak only being able to convince you with his little pout and big pleading eyes. You never were a fan of heights and having to spend Eywa knows how long on an ikran to the next base Quaritch was heading to made you want to cry. At least with Lo’ak, you knew that he’d always catch you if you began to slip. But with Quaritch, you were confident he wouldn’t give two shits if you slipped off the flying creature.

“I am not getting on an ikran with you,” you commented, hands on hips as you approached the RDA Avatar soldiers and their ikrans. You were very surprised that the whole group managed to, successfully, claim an ikran within only months of being on Pandora whereas native Na’vi trained their whole lives for this. It all left a bitter taste in your mouth when you thought about it.

“You’re not, sweetheart,” Quaritch answers, turning back towards you once he reached his bonded companion.

The ikran was probably the most beautiful you’ve seen, even with your limited experience with the creatures. The whole body of the animal was a deep navy blue, streaks of gold and orange decorating its wings. The animal itself was gorgeous. It was ironic how someone so evil and ugly had managed to tame something so beautiful.

“Spider’s riding with me. You’ll ride with Z-Dog,” he continued, clicking his tongue towards the tall Avatar woman, gently petting his ikran as he did so.

Your eyes were torn from the navy creature in front of you to the woman. Your blood went cold as you made eye contact, her hard stare boring into your eyes as she robotically chewed at the gum in her mouth. Great, you thought, I’m definitely going to die.

“We don’t have all day, kid,” Quaritch commented, already mounted on his ikran as Spider sat in front of him, eyes worriedly scanning your figure as you stood there frozen in place.

Your eyes then drifted from the woman to her bonded companion behind her, its face gently nuzzling into her side affectionately. Your heart clenched at the sight of the animal. It looked almost identical to that of your boyfriend's ikran. Lo’ak’s was an almost dark blue, gold swirling around its neck and wings. His companion shared many similarities to the one of his Father, the only difference being the black patch on his protruding lower jaw. Memories of when Lo’ak took you out for rides on his ikran flooded your mind, making the hole in your chest double in size.

“Let’s go,” the woman said, snatching your forearm in her grip as she placed you onto the creature, placing herself behind you as she made tshaleyu with the animal. The winged creature chirped in delight at the sensation and shrieked once it readied itself to take flight, wings twitching.

You braced yourself for the ride, both hands tightening around one of the ikrans queues, thighs tensing in anticipation. The rides you had with Lo’ak were much more smoother and gentler. Lo’ak made sure to put emphasis on how he dismounted from the ground, trying to make it as smooth as possible for you. His bonded animal always complied, never rushing when he pushed off the ground and into the skies above. You found yourself missing that process as you desperately tried not to slip off the poor animal as it ascended into the blue sky. It was rough, to say the least.

Once you reached an appropriate enough altitude, Z-Dog steadied and leveled out her ikran, halting the rough turbulence you experienced moments prior. The creature chirped once again, smoothly gliding through the wind.

You always loved the feeling you got whenever you were up in the sky with Lo’ak despite your anxiety regarding heights. He always made sure that you were okay throughout the ride as well as before and after the fact. But with the stranger you were assigned to, you found yourself wanting to hurl in anxiousness. You only hoped that this was going to be a quick and fast flight to wherever the hell you were heading to.

———

The minute you stepped into the small room the tulkun hunters had allowed you to occupy during your stay, you fell to your knees. Sobs racked your body as your mind replayed the scenes that you witnessed only minutes prior. Arriving at the Ta’unui village. The gathering of their people like they were sheep to slaughter. Quaritch threatening the Tsahik and Olo’eyktan of the clan. Lyle shooting and killing a sea creature on his Colonel’s order. The burning of the peoples homes. The killing of a Mother tulkun. It all kept replaying in your head, even when you moved to the even smaller shower.

You tried so hard to rid of the memories in your head, of the smell on your skin, of the guilt you felt. You rubbed at your skin until it was raw and hot and bleeding. The permanent reminder of just what your race is capable of slamming to the forefront of your mind. It all felt wrong. It feels wrong being here. Feels wrong to live on Pandora where its native species had to experience the pain and constant attempts of colonization from a different species. It all felt like you were contributing to whatever Quaritch had in mind. Even if he didn’t tell you any details, you still chose to come along. Maybe staying behind with Captain Ardmore would’ve been a better option. After all, it wouldn’t have mattered if you were alive or not at the end of it for you already felt dead inside. Nothing and no one would be able to bring you comfort from what you just saw and gone through.

“(Y/N)?” A familiar voice asked, it cracking from the amount of emotion the owner felt.

“Spider,” you whispered, curling in on yourself as you saw his figure standing in your doorway, tears streaming down his face.

The boy made his way to your bed, laying on it, facing you on his side. Not a word was uttered between you two, not needing any to communicate the type of comfort you both seeked from each other. And you stayed like that, facing each other and grasping onto each other's hands for comfort as you unknowingly fell asleep, slumber welcoming you into its embrace. But even your dreams weren’t a safe place. You dreamt of fire, of blood, and of death the whole night.

Maybe Neytiri was right. You should’ve never befriended the Sully children. You should’ve stuck to your own kind.

———

The second Lo’ak heard that a boy and a girl had been with Quaritch and his team during their attack on a nearby village, he began to ready his ilu for the trip. For getting you back.

The boy had paced back and forth from the edge of the mauri to his swimming companion, bending down to slip on the various of saddles the animal needed for riding. The creature chirped up at him every time Lo’ak bent down, seemingly encouraging him as he did so.

“What are you doing?” A voice asked, confusion laced in their tone. Lo’ak knew who it was before they even spoke. His Sa’nok had a bad habit of sneaking up on everyone, being too quiet for her own good. The hairs on the back of his head always stood up on end whenever he felt his Mothers presence behind him, alerting him of the potential rage he was going to face from the woman.

“To save them,” Lo’ak mumbled, too focused on saddling the right equipment on his companion, fiddling with the straps as he tightened them. The boy knew that his parents never really cared for either of your well-beings, it being evident in their body language and actions whenever he or Kiri talked about the things they did with the pair of you that particular day. If they weren’t willing to save you, then Lo’ak would take it upon himself to. He finally knew where you were after months of not knowing and he wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to have you in his arms again.

A growl emitted itself from his Mothers lips, her hand coming out to grip her son's bicep into her grasp, “Kehe!”.

Neytiri didn’t know why her son was so infatuated with you, a tawtute. She was always against her children from befriending you and Spider, glaring at your figures everytime you walked by at High Camp. Her son seemed to be closer with you than Spider. The fact always bothered her, making her skin crawl with anger. Angry that you were occupying her son's time when he could be doing other things, meeting other people, and talking to other appropriate women of the clan.

“You will not,” she continued, scowl painted onto her face as she glared down at her son. She knew that if Lo’ak were to continue with his plan and make it to wherever you were, that Quaritch wouldn’t hesitate to shoot or take him prisoner. She couldn’t have that. Neytiri needed all of her children within eyesight so she could look over them and make sure that they were safe. She wouldn’t be able to do that if her son went to you.

Lo’ak growled back at his Mother, ripping his arm out from her tight grip. The boy had his mind made up and nobody was going to stop him. He needed to get to you. He needed you.

“I will. Why do you even care? You haven’t bothered to talk to me the whole time here. The only time you talk to me is to yell or scold me for doing yet another thing wrong,” Lo’ak hissed out, teeth tightly clenched. “(Y/N) and Spider care about me more than you ever have!” He added, whole body shaking in anger.

Neytiri gasped at her sons exclaimation, lightly hissing at him, “How dare you think that? I love you, Lo’ak. But they, they do not! They are demons! They aren’t capable of such things as love.”

Lo’ak’s ears drew back to press up against his skull and his lips drew up to show off his pointed fangs, a very loud hiss escaping from between his teeth. The hiss sounded almost roar-like, drawing attention from inside the Sully mauri, ears and tails perking up in interest.

Another gasp escaped from Neytiri’s throat. Her son had never hissed at her like that. Sure he had hissed at her playfully when he was younger or out of annoyance whenever she tried to get him to open up to her. But he had never hissed at her so…possessively. The only time she had heard a roar like this was when her husband was fighting off Quaritch during the Great Battle and he threatened everything he worked so hard to build during his time in the Avatar program.

“They do! She loves me. She’s capable of it and so much more. But you are too stubborn and stuck in your ways to see her the way I do. She cares for me, loves me. That I know,” Lo’ak grumbled out, fangs seeming to get even longer as he brewed in his anger. “I see her and she sees me. Something you and Dad never do,” he finished, turning away from his Mother as he reached out to grab the final thing he needed for his ride to you.

“What do you mean, Lo’ak?” Neytiri asked, anger laced in her voice. She knew what he was insinuating, but she needed to hear it come from his mouth. To confirm her suspicions. To confirm or deny what she had been thinking for years.

“I mean that she is mine. She is the only thing that I was ever able to have. I see her. She has taken me heart, body, and soul,” he slightly hisses out, not daring to look at his Mother as he spoke. He knew that once the confession of his sins slipped from his lips, there was no telling what his Mother would do. He didn’t want to be in the crossfire once she decided to act upon whatever she was feeling, her not being a top priority in his life at the moment. You were the priority and he’d be damned if anyone stopped him from getting to you.

“No,” Neytiri whispers, “You did not. Tell me you didn’t!”.

There were many things that his Mother could be referring to, but he was pretty sure he knew what she was hinting at. It was something that he had planned on doing with you once he properly courted you and way further into the future. But, nothing ever goes according to plan in Lo’ak’s life. The first time you guys had engaged in such an act was months before you were taken hostage. You had never been to the Tree of Souls, it being nearly impossible for you to get to without proper assistance. Lo’ak had decided to take you to it as a surprise on your weekly date night. The two of you had been dating for a while but never went as far as kissing or wondering hands against skin. It all happened so fast. One minute Lo’ak was describing the connection to you, how it all worked and the next, you were under him squirming and calling out his name in pleasure. He knew that once such an act was done, he’d be tied to you forever. That in the eyes of the Great Mother you two were mates and forever bound to one another’s souls. After that, the two of you often found yourselves engaging to be together. Lo’ak felt as if it was another way he could feel connected to you without being able to perform tshaleyu. He never took the act for granted and always put your pleasure before his, worshiping every inch of your body before you could do the same to him.

Her sons silence was Neytiri’s answer resulting in her loudly hissing at her youngest son, almost matching Lo’ak’s moments prior. That was the final straw to have Jake interfere between his arguing son and wife.

“You gave yourself to her? To a demon? Agh! Shame! You have brought shame upon this family and yourself. You tainted yourself with a human. Someone who can’t give you a future!” She yelled out, angry tears running down the expanse of her cheeks. Intercourse before mating wasn’t something that was taboo in the Omatikaya culture, but it was expected of the Olo’eyktan and his family to save themselves before then, demonstrating their loyalty to the people and their future spouse. So to hear her son, the second born of the Olo’eyktan, engage in such an intimate act with a human nonetheless, made her want to pluck his eyes out from the sockets that held them.

“Woah! Woah! Hey!” Jake said, jumping in between his son and wife before either of them could jump at each other's throat. His front faced Neytiri while his back faced his son. “Hey! What’s going on?” He gently asked, bringing his wife’s face into his hands as he tried to get her to focus his attention on him and not Lo’ak.

“Your son has mated with a demon!” She spat out, disgust interlaced in her tone. The way she felt towards the situation was evident enough on her face. Her lips were drawn back to flash her fangs and her nose was scrunched as if she just smelt a pile of Palulukan dung.

Jake froze at the words his wife spat, eyes darting to his son behind him. Although he froze at the words, he wasn’t surprised. He had a feeling that you and Lo’ak were more than just friends. He often caught his son gently rubbing at the marks you left on his skin during dinner, a smirk dancing across his youngests lips. Jake’s not stupid. He was Lo’ak’s age once and understood the urges he faced. But, he was human then and the Na’vi have a completely different way of thinking and going about things like this.

Jake didn’t question Lo’ak about whether or not what Neytiri said was true, already knowing the answer. He only sighed in response and tried to coax his wife to calm down.

“Go back in the house, son. Now,” Jake demanded, shooting him a look that told him he wasn’t taking a no for an answer.

Lo’ak wanted to argue and continue with his plan on rescuing you, but he knew that his pleading would be worthless, especially after his confession. So, he begrudgingly desaddled his ilu and made his way into the pod, ignoring the looks of his siblings as he made his way to his side of the house, throwing something against the woven wall before settling down in the corner. Tears left his eyes as he sat there. He was frustrated. All he wanted to do was see and hold you, but it seemed as if Eywa wasn’t on his side once again.

Why Great Mother? Why do you do this to me?

His heart further broke at the fact that you, yet again, slipped through his fingers. It seemed as if the whole universe was against the two of you. But, the universe be damned. Lo’ak was going to get you back no matter what it took. He’d burn down villages for you, destroy planets for you. He’d do anything for you.

———

“They found out?” A soft voice asks, pulling Lo’ak out from his zoning out episode.

He only hummed in response, eyes puffy from all the crying he did that night. His Mother screamed and cried at him after she talked to Jake, calling him what everyone else does, a disappointment. He desperately tried to get her to understand how he felt about you and how much he cared for you. He wouldn’t fall in love with just anyone, so you had to be very special to be the one to hold his heart.

Neteyam had been the one to comfort him that night as Jake and Kiri consoled Neytiri, trying to get her to calm down so she didn’t disturb any other Metkayina trying to sleep or seek shelter from the storm. It had been the first time in years that Neteyam had held Lo’ak in his arms, turning him away from the sight of their Sa’nok as the elder practically held the younger in his lap. Neteyam felt bad that their Mother was acting like this. Like she too hadn’t fallen in love with a tawtute. No matter how long Jake stayed on the planet and mingled with the natives, he would always be a human at heart. It’s hard to break out of old habits and it seemed as if their Father began to fall back into his sky people ways as of recent.

( “It’s okay, tsmukan,” Neteyam had whispered, Lo’ak barely hearing over the dramatic wails of his Mother. The boy had long been done with his crying, just blankly staring at the anklet wrapped around his foot. The last remaining thing he had of you.

“She doesn’t understand,” the older brother continued, stroking Lo’ak’s braids with such a gentleness, he thought for a second that it was you who was holding him. He only ever experienced such a gentle touch with you. It felt wrong that it wasn’t. That it was coming from his brother and not you.

“She does not,” Lo’ak confirmed, burying himself further into his brothers body, actively seeking his warmth to combat the shaking of his own body. “She never will,” he continued, eyes hardened to a glare as he stared at the intricately woven floor. She will never understand, he thought to himself, anger and sadness erupting in his chest. )

“A lot of the people heard your Mother last night,” Tsireya spoke up, sitting next to the dark blue boy. She felt bad for the teen. To be in love with someone you could never have must be heart wrenching. “I am sorry she acted the way she did. I hope she soon comes to the realization that you do truly love her,” she continued, trying to offer up the best comfort she could.

“I don’t think my Dad cared. Probably already knew before I told them. But,” he croaked out, voice coming out coarse as a result from his crying the night prior, “He didn’t do anything to stop Mom from saying those things about her, about me.”.

Having his Father allow his wife to continually insult his lover and him had made Lo’ak bitter. How come he wasn’t able to defend the one he loved but it was alright for Neytiri to throw such hurtful words to her own son? It all seemed hypocritical, backwards.

Tsireya frowned at Lo’ak’s words. She truly felt bad for him. She didn’t think that it was fair for his own Mother to react that harshly to the news. Didn’t she too fall in love with a human? It didn’t make sense to her.

“Oh, Lo’ak, I’m so sorry,” she whispered out, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder in hopes to comfort him.

Nothing about this situation was ideal. Lo’ak wasn’t able to go and rescue you from the clutches of the RDA. Neytiri had scolded and reprimanded her youngest son for being in love, calling him all sorts of colorful names in the process. Jake hadn’t done anything to prevent his wife from her onslaught of scowls and hisses towards their son. The whole clan now probably knew about how Lo’ak was a sky demon lover. And Tsireya is the one comforting the boy when it should be his own family that we’re bringing him solace. It all became a mess so fast, everything crumbling down towards the ground within seconds.

Lo’ak only hummed in response to Tsireya’s sympathetic tone, too tired to give her an actual response. His eyes were bloodshot from all the tears he’s expelled over night. Lo’ak’s face was practically swollen from how hard he cried last night. He looked like a complete mess.

Eywa had to be punishing him for something for the deity that he grew up hearing about wouldn’t have allowed any of this to happen. Was it really that bad that Lo’ak loved you? That he loved a human? Surely the Great Mother held all of her children dear to her heart. So, why was she letting this happen? What was the bigger picture? What was the reason? Lo’ak wanted to know the answers to these questions so he could figure out why it was so wrong to love you when it felt so right to.

———

Pain spread throughout your lower back and hip, becoming warm as the nerve endings communicated with each other and the crushed blood cells came to the surface of your delicate skin. The minute Spider hijacked the ship and the vehicle surged forward, your body made harsh contact with the metal table in the middle of the room and the floor once it crashed amongst the jagged rocks.

“(Y/N)! You okay?” The human boy yelled out, scrambling up to his feet to get to your position against the floor.

A groan was your only answer, pulling yourself up the best you could before the soldiers and ship crew could grab you. You could feel the bruises already forming on your soft skin, heat spreading throughout the areas.

“Get them off the ship!” A voice demanded, catching your attention. Your heart dropped to your stomach upon hearing the words. They were going to take you somewhere farther from Lo’ak once more. Although you hadn’t gone down with Spider to see him and the others being held hostage at the front of the ship, you still didn’t want to be taken somewhere else where you most likely wouldn’t be able to see him again.

Hands wrapped themselves around your biceps, roughly pulling you up from where you kneeled, guiding you to the exit.

“Let go of me!” You hissed, ripping your arms from out of the strangers grip just in time to catch the mask being thrown at you by another.

“Put it on,” they demanded, putting on their own mask before looking at you as you put yours on, a scowl on your face as you did so.

The same person pushed you forward in front of them, urging you to walk forwards and down the metal stairs. You desperately wanted to push whoever was in front of you down the stairs and run towards wherever they were keeping Lo’ak and the rest. You only wanted to see him and make sure that he was okay. That he was still breathing.

“Make sure it’s tight,” a man commented, tugging on the side of your mask.

“She’s fine, dumbass,” Spider spat, pushing the man’s hand away from your masked face, putting himself between the man and you.

The man before you both scoffed and continued forward, leading the two of you somewhere on the ship where they kept their smaller boats.

Spider could sense your apprehension, grabbing your hand as the group of you continued to walk along the metal surface of the ship, shaking his head down at you as he dragged you besides him. He knew what you wanted to do, he wanted to do the same, but he knew that if you gave into that urge, they wouldn’t hesitate to shoot either of you on the spot. He needed to keep you safe not just for Lo’ak’s sake but for himself too. You were his lifeline throughout this whole awful experience. Your presence itself helped him in more ways than one whenever he felt himself start to slip through the cracks while with Quaritch and Ardmore. If the two of you were going to make it out this afternoon, he needed you safe and alive.

Another man had exclaimed for the group to hurry up before the last of the boats left without them, getting cut off at the end of his sentence with a sharp exhale and groan as his body was thrown up against the wall of the ship.

Two large blue bodies had dropped down from above, pushing and punching the human men surrounding you and Spider, effectively killing them as they jumped from body to body.

“Lo’ak,” you whispered out, Spider pulling your back into his chest, away from Neteyam and Lo’ak, being wary of their size and strength.

A smile painted itself across your lips once the familiar amber eyes you dearly missed made contact with your colorful ones, time seemingly coming to a halt as the both of you took in each other's presence.

Lo’ak seemed to have filled out a bit, his biceps and thighs much larger than they were the last time you saw them. His hair was pulled back, showing off his sharpened jawline and defined shoulders and collarbones. Back in the forest, he rarely ever had his hair up, preferring it down so your fingers could have easy access to them whenever you wanted to run your smaller hands through the braids. His midsection seemed slimmer and tighter, displaying his developing abs along his stomach. Lo’ak seemed more confident in his physique as he stood there in front of you. You could practically feel it oozing off of him. The reef clan must’ve prioritized his training during his stay, you concluded.

As you gawked at the significant changes to your boyfriend's physical body, he too had his eyes glued to your figure.

Although much hadn’t changed, you still looked beautiful as ever. You had your hair down, different from your typical braid or usual hairstyle. You deemed having your hair out of your face more practical during your time in the forest. It just made everything easier as you explored and ran about. Due to Ardmore’s negligence to your physical needs, you figured it was easier to have your hair down most of the time, having no energy to do it yourself when she gave you a break from her torturous pursuits. Your hair had gotten longer during your time away from each other, inches longer than it previously was. It framed your face beautifully Lo’ak thought, smiling at you.

But before either of you could run to each other and embrace, a soldier had begun to stir and get up, a gun clutched in his grasp.

Lo’ak whipped his head towards the noise, bringing up the gun in his right hand up without thinking, finger squeezing the trigger as multiple rounds of bullets penetrated the human in front of him. The man slumped back, falling dead to the floor.

The air then became tense, the moment processing in everyone’s head for a second. Then, Neteyam had gently grabbed Lo’ak’s forearm and urged him forward, walking backwards as Spider pushed you in front of him, following the Na’vi boy.

The two boys in front of you had effortlessly jumped down from the top of the stairs to the ground below, swiftly standing up from their crouch afterwards. Sensing your hesitation, Lo’ak wrapped his free arm around your waist and followed after his brother and Spider, holding you close to his side as he jumped down from the height. He only let go of your waist once you regained your bearings.

“Hello, ma sìlpeytsyìp,” Lo’ak whispers, free hand going up to your bare neck, softly grazing his thumb against the delicate skin.

“Hello, Lo’ak,” you whisper back, a smile on your face as you gazed at your lover. Oh how you wished you didn’t need this stupid mask so you could capture his lips with yours.

You missed the boy in front of you so much. It was hard to endure all those months away from each other. He consumed every single thought you had. So to have him in front of you, alive and breathing and not a figment of your imagination, made you want to crawl into his large arms and stay there forever.

Your small moment was interrupted by Spider, him exclaiming a thank you so much man as he turned towards the Na’vi teens.

Lo’ak had tore his eyes away from yours, staring at Spider as he thanked him and Neteyam for saving both of your asses back there. The blue boy smiled at his friend, going to express his welcome but his smile dropped as he saw the same Avatar soldiers from that night come into view, aiming their guns towards the group of teens.

As Lo’ak perked up to shoot at the familiar fake Avatars, Neteyam pulled him back just as quickly, ushering him and the lot of you to run and dodge the bullets as they fired and ricocheted off the railings and other obstacles between you and them.

“Go! Go!” Neteyam exclaimed, pushing the three of you towards a corner by the moonpool, snatching Lo’ak’s gun with a give me that!.

The older Na’vi began to shoot back at the soldiers shooting at you four, shouting at all of you to hurry and jump into the water beneath the opening in front of you. Before you could process Neteyam’s words, Lo’ak took you into his arms and rushed towards the moonpool, jumping over the railing and into the water. Cool water splashed against your body and sealed mask, making you involuntarily hold your breath as a reflex.

Upon breaching the surface, you exhaled the air you held, realizing that there was no need for you to hold it.

“That was insane cuz!” Lo’ak exclaimed, high-fiving Spider as he hollered back an excited hell yeah!. His arm around you had slipped from its grasp in order to hand out the high-five he gave Spider.

The three of you just narrowly escaped death and Lo’ak was hollering in delight from the adrenaline rush. Well, you thought, at least the sea didn’t change that about him.

The hairs on your skin stood on end once you heard the gurgle of Neteyam’s first gasp of breath after following you and the boys, diving into the water. Your body instinctively knew that something bad was bound to happen and you could only pray to Eywa that this wasn’t happening.

Everyone’s world stopped on its axis once Neteyam announced that he’d been shot, struggling to keep himself upright in the water. It was as if his own acknowledgment of being shot stripped him of his refined swimming skills, limbs not being able to keep up with the blood loss and shock of the event.

You were the first one by the boys side after the words fell from his lips, trying to help keep him afloat in the water. “It’s okay, Teyam,” you whispered, head barely above the water's surface as you kept the boy upright, “You’ll be okay.”.

You knew that your words were only empty promises. That realistically, Neteyam wasn’t going to make it. No amount of comforting whispers were going to cover up that fact or bring the boy some kind of solace from death's icy grip.

“Here! Get him up on here,” an unfamiliar voice exclaimed, drawing your attention from Neteyam to the owner.

A beautiful Na’vi girl had broke the surface of the water with a strange creature by her side. She gestured for you and the rest to get Neteyam up onto the animal so you could transport him somewhere where he could be helped.

The strange girls eyes fell on you, making your stomach drop and breath hitch in your throat. She must be of the clan that harbored the Sully family, you thought to yourself as you studied her much lighter blue skin and enchanting ocean blue eyes. Really pretty too.

“C’mon bro,” Lo’ak stuttered out, taking Neteyam out from your grip and into his, swimming towards the girl and her creature.

Spider had pulled you out from your stupor, tugging on your hand as he swam the both of you towards the group, grabbing the side of the creatures saddle as it readied itself to surge forward in the water. The boys hand had let go of your hand and went to grab your waist, pulling you flush to his side in preparation for the resistance of the water once the creature got the okay to take off. Your own hands wrapped themselves around Spider’s neck, muscles in your arms tightening in preparation as well.

Once Lo’ak situated Neteyam onto the creature behind him, he urged the animal to go forward through the bond, it hurriedly gliding through the water as it pushed against the current and new added weight on all sides.

You knew that once the five of you left the scene and headed towards somewhere else, everything was going to change. That it was all downhill from here.

———

Your hands were caked in blood. In Neteyam’s blood.

The red substance ran up your wrists and stopped at your mid forearm. The skin that was covered in it felt like it was on fire. It burned.

Your small hands that were desperately trying to slow down the blood pouring out of the boys chest were replaced by Lo’ak’s, his bigger body pushing you out of the way once Jake noticed your useless efforts and demanded his second son to replace your hands with his.

Tears spewed out from your waterline, falling down your cheeks and gathering at the bottom of your mask. Your throat burned from your suppression of sobs, desperately trying to escape from your sealed lips. You didn’t feel worthy crying and sobbing over the fatally injured boy in front of you. It was your fault he was shot. Indirectly or not, if Neteyam and Lo’ak didn’t come back for you and Spider, then he’d be fine and not bleeding out in front of his family. He wouldn't be laid dying in front of you.

You felt familiar, calloused hands wrapped themselves around your frame, bringing your body into their own.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Spider lowly whispered, bringing your face into his neck as you let out a quiet sob, leaning into his embrace. He knew that you were on the brink of breaking down and knew that you were keeping it in so as to not disturb the Sully family in their growing mourning. He saw the way Lo’ak pushed his way between you and Neteyam’s dying body, replacing your hands with his own against his brothers open chest. He knew that no one else around you would comfort you in the way that you needed, so he scurried to your side and brought you into his arms for the comfort that you craved.

You’ve never seen someone die. You’ve never seen someone die right in front of you. Your brain was scrambling to gather itself and process what was happening. But it was as if your brain couldn’t gather all the working pieces it needed and abandoned you in your own body, leaving you to pick up the pieces yourself and try to process what was happening.

Your body began to shiver as shock and adrenaline coursed through your veins, making your quiet sobs even harder to contain and actually keep silent.

The minute your ears picked up on Neytiri’s high pitched wails and screams, you knew that Neteyam had taken his last breath and finally joined Eywa in his afterlife. From that moment on, everything went by in a flash.

Neytiri, Jake, and Spider had left back towards the ship for a reason your ears didn’t pick up on, still ringing in the aftershocks of Neytiri’s screams. The Na’vi woman left on her ikran, it screeching as she made tshaleyu. The both of them took off in a blur from the speed of the animals ascent. Spider left you with a gentle kiss on the forehead and a promise that he’ll come back, smoothing down your damp hair before following after Jake. And Lo’ak. He only spared you a small glance before telling the reef Na’vi girl to stay with Neteyam’s body, gently patting her cheek before he hurried off to follow his Father and Spider.

Even though your mind struggled to process and piece together what just happened, it was still able to process the soft touch Lo’ak bestowed upon the girl in front of you and the sympathetic look he gave her before he left. How she reached out for him as he walked away and the look on her face as she watched. Oh.

Your heart broke at the realization. Lo’ak finally found someone that was suitable for him. Someone that was able to give him the future he deserved. Someone that was able to give him everything you couldn’t. And more tears fell from your eyes, heart crying out at the heartbreak.

Neytiri was right. You should’ve stayed with your own kind.

———

You didn’t stay long for Neteyam’s funeral. As soon as it ended, you treaded your way out of the water and walked somewhere secluded.

It was too much being there. It was hard watching Jake and Neytiri place their eldest son down onto the orange glowing tendrils. It was hard watching him be absorbed by them, disappearing into the glowing mass. Guilt riddled your consciousness, yelling at you that you shouldn’t be there. That it was your fault that he was with Eywa now. That you took away Jake and Neytiri’s firstborn son from their grasp too soon. You felt that your presence itself was a reminder as to why Neteyam was no longer breathing.

So, you sat yourself in a secluded area on the small island, situating yourself between the large rocks that perfectly hid your smaller frame. You didn’t want anyone disturbing you, especially Lo’ak. You didn’t think you’d be able to face him again after tonight.

“You suck at sneaking away, you know that right?” A soft voice spoke out, making you jump in response from its abrupt reveal. You had been sitting in silence for a couple of minutes before you were interrupted.

Turning your head, you saw Kiri standing there, face still painted in the white substance her Mother lathered onto her face before attending her elder brother's funeral. She held a small smile in your presence, leaning down to properly sit by your side.

You only hum and nod your head in response, turning your gaze back towards the lapping waves against the soft sand of the shoreline. You felt unworthy of the girl's presence. Like you shouldn’t stare at her for too long or else Eywa would strike you down with lightning for it. Unworthy of still being her friend even after what had occurred hours prior.

“I do not blame you, (Y/N),” she spoke up, large amber eyes glued to the side of your face. “None of us do. It was not your doing for what happened that night. You were not the one with the gun,” she continued, her blue five-fingered hand coming to rest up against your shoulder in comfort.

Growing up, Kiri always knew what you were feeling by just seeing the expression on your face. It was a bit weird growing up. She knew what you felt even before you could process it yourself. But, oftentimes, you were grateful for someone like Kiri. For someone who knew you so deeply that they didn’t need words to confirm how you felt. She just knew.

Kiri did truly mean the words she spoke. She did not think that Neteyam’s death was yours nor Spiders' doing. You two were just kids who were taken hostage and desperately needed saving. You are just kids. Your whole lives were a cause of an unfortunate event but that doesn’t mean that everything bad that happens to her family and to the other natives of Pandora were solely you and Spider's fault. The two of you shouldn’t carry that heavy burden.

“But, if Lo’ak and Neteyam didn’t come after us – ” you sputtered, tears already welling in your waterline as your throat began to tighten with emotion.

The Na’vi girl knew where you were coming from. What your thought process was and how you felt. A perk of being one of your good friends she supposed.

“But nothing, (Y/N),” she cut you off, voice firm and absolute. There was no way you were going to change her mind about the situation at hand. It wasn’t your fault. Period.

“Neteyam and Lo’ak chose to come after you and Spider. They both knew of the consequences that came with following after you. No one except Quaritch and his men are to blame,” she said with finality, not needing you to further intrude on what she said. No matter how hard you’d try to convince her that it was your fault, she wouldn’t believe you. Her mind had already been made up and you weren’t the one to blame.

Only more tears began to gather and spill from your eyes at your friend's words. It was nice to hear that she, and most likely everyone else, didn’t blame you for what happened. But it didn’t help ease the guilt you felt. Nothing could aid in the guilt you felt deep within. Perhaps with time it would go away, but even then, you highly doubted that.

“Lo’ak still loves you if that is what’s causing this worry,” Kiri whispered out, only loud enough for you to hear just in case anyone else was wandering around.

During their stay at Awa’atlu, Kiri could tell that your absence had deeply disturbed her younger brother. It was evident in everything he did. Lo’ak always had a frown on his face and found excuses to pick fights with Ao’nung and his gang of friends. It was like he didn’t have a reason to behave accordingly or live anymore. Like his sense of self was lost when you were taken by Quaritch and his soldiers. He desperately missed you and she could tell that the only thing he wanted to do was get you back and have you in his arms once again.

Your stomach turned in knots and your heart stopped at Kiri’s comment. Did he really? What about the girl that helped you that night?

“I – I’m not too sure about that. What about the girl?” You asked, face damp with tears. You saw how Lo’ak treated her that night. How he gently put his hand on her cheek and how she reached out for him with a call of his name before leaving the both of you on that rock with Neteyam’s body. How he barely spared you a glance before leaving.

You were confident that he had finally found the one the Great Mother had destined him to be with. You knew that your time together was limited, the clock starting the minute you confessed your feelings to the teen boy. It broke your heart seeing him act that way with her but you knew that he’d eventually come to his senses about you and want to pursue a Na’vi who could actually give him the future he deserved. If anything, you were pleased that he found someone like him. He would no longer be held back by you.

“What? What girl? What are you talking about?” Kiri asked, shock and concern laced within her voice. She knew that Lo’ak was too in love with you to look at anyone else the way he looked at you. So your words confused her immensely. Why did you think he no longer saw you?

The blue girl ransacked her brain for the girl you were insinuating Lo’ak was into. She kept drawing blanks, until her mind settled onto the one person that was a great comfort to Lo’ak during their stay.

“You mean Tsireya?” She asked, a barely audible giggle coming out of her mouth.

To be frank, Kiri found the situation a little funny. Lo’ak was such a lovesick puppy for you that he often refused to talk to anyone who wasn’t you. He continuously asked about you before the two of you got together, always bothering Kiri as she made her way back from the lab. He also handmade many jewelry pieces for you, even if he sucked at it and needed Tuk’s help. Why would you think his affections would change that fast?

“She’s pretty,” you hum, eyes still glued on the moving waves in the distance. Really pretty. “She’s good for him, Ri. She’d be able to give him the future he deserves. Plus, Neytiri would actually like her. It was never in the cards for us,” you finished, voice now eerily calm and void of the sadness you expressed earlier.

Kiri’s mouth fell agape at your words, eyes widening to the size of yovo fruit. What the fuck?

“(Y/N), you cannot mean that. Tsireya and Lo’ak are only friends. That’s all,” she began, trying her best to save you from your overwhelming thoughts before they consumed you whole. “He still loves you. Please believe that,” she pleaded.

You finally tore your gaze from the water and up towards the glowing amber orbs of your friend. “He left me there, Kiri. All alone with no goodbye. Barely even glanced my way before he followed after Spider and Jake,” you confessed, heart breaking all over again at the memory. It was hours before they all returned to the rock. Spider was the only one to comfort you as Lo’ak was too busy with Tsireya. The rest of the family barely even spared you a glance as they pulled each other into an embrace.

Oh, Kiri thought, ears pinning to the sides of her head. Did she interpret Lo’ak and Tsireya’s body language wrong? Were they more than friends?

Neither of you uttered another word, sitting peacefully side by side as the two of you listened to the soothing sound of the lapping waves against the shore. A war was occurring within your head and walls were built to protect you from the oncoming grenades you were sure would be thrown at you by your lover once he confessed that he was no longer in love with you. If you could even call him yours anymore.

From afar, the subject of your conversation was watching the two of you converse. He so desperately wanted to run to you and gather you into his arms and keep you there forever. But, he knew that you were no longer his. He saw how Spider treated you so gently. How he placed a kiss on the crown of your head before scurrying away to lead Jake to the ship. How he was the first one to comfort you when they arrived, beating him in embracing you and soothing you as you sobbed against his bleeding chest. And even though his heart was breaking at the possibility of you no longer loving him, he only wanted you to be happy and if that was with Spider, then he’d let you go.

———

Days had passed since your conversation with Kiri. She had never left your side since, wanting to be there for you as you navigated your grief and heartbreak. Your words still stunned the poor girl. She was sure that you were wrong but she would admit that it was awfully suspicious the amount of times she saw Lo’ak and Tsireya together. And always seeing them together, especially after you pointed it out, didn’t help. Kiri was so sure of her brothers love for you that she nearly laughed in your face once those words left your mouth. But, she too began to doubt the affections her younger brother held for you.

Kiri often spent most of her time around you, but during the times she wasn’t able to, Tuktirey had no problem keeping you company.

“No! You’re doing it wrong,” Tuk exclaimed, groaning over your lack of weaving skills.

The young girl had been attempting to teach you the new way of weaving she had learned during her time on the island. She was so excited to show you what she had learned over the months that she nearly crushed your smaller, human body in a tight hug upon hearing your agreement. The young girl profusely apologized when she heard your panicked wheeze against her collarbone, quickly getting to work after.

“I’m sorry, TukTuk. Weaving’s never really been my thing,” you apologize, gently smiling at the child next to you. She was so excited to show you how to weave the Metkayina way, her eyes practically glowed in excitement once you agreed.

“It’s not your fault, (Y/N). I struggled with it too for some time. It just takes practice,” she responded, a large gummy smile directed your way. “Plus, that just means I can make you more!” She added, trying to lift up your dampened mood.

It seemed as if everything bothered you these days. Like everything was a reminder as to why you’d never be good enough for the secondborn Omatikaya prince. A reminder of the things you couldn’t give Lo’ak. Of the things you couldn’t do to please your mate. Weaving was a huge part of the Omatikaya culture, allowing one to express their gratitude and affection towards their intended. Something that you lacked severe skill in. Sure you could make a few bracelets here and there but it was nothing compared to those of the native Omatikaya who put so much effort into their weaving, going as far as making their own unique weave pattern for their beloved. Even though you wanted to refuse Tuktirey’s plea, for it was another painful reminder that you could never have Lo’ak, you still accepted it and endured the emotional turmoil you experienced. You wouldn’t allow your own feelings to stump Tuk’s happiness and eagerness to share with you something new she learned.

“You can make me as many as you want, Tuk,” you replied, a small smile gracing your lips as you gently patted her head, ruffling her hair in the process. The young girl shrieked at your action, pushing your hand away from her freshly braided hair, giggling afterwards.

You desperately missed moments like these during your captivity. You missed playing around with the Sully children and hearing Tuk’s high pitched giggle as she ran away from your hands as you reached out to tickle her. You missed Kiri’s wise words as she spoke about whatever came to mind. You missed Lo’ak’s comforting embrace as he enveloped you into his arms whenever you needed it. You missed Neteyam’s kind nature, helping you out whenever you found yourself falling behind. You’d always miss Neteyam, his absence another reminder as to why you would never be enough for the one you loved.

A loud cough from the doorway of the marui pod broke you and Tuk out of your giggling fit, both of you whipping your heads to the figure standing in front of the opening. Your heart dropped at who was in front of you.

“Mom!” Tuktirey squealed, jumping up to her feet and towards her sa’nok.

You could tell that Neytiri wasn’t excited about your presence, her hardened glare never leaving your face even as she bent down to embrace her youngest child. Over the course of the days following Neteyam’s funeral, Neytiri was colder towards you and Spider. She rarely ever let her children see you and often fought with Jake on this matter. She always argued about the same thing. How you and Spider weren’t good for her children. How the both of you deserved to be with your people. How you bring nothing but pain to this family. That if Jake never took the both of you in, they wouldn’t be in the position. You heard most of what she was yelling about almost every night, your shared guilt with Spider growing evermore.

“I…uh…I think I should get going Tuk. I just remembered that Kiri wanted to show me around somewhere,” you awkwardly said, smiling at the young girl before quickly heading out, barely giving her enough time to say her goodbyes to you.

You sped walk out from the Sully’s pod and onto the soft sand of Awa’atlu. You knew that you were no longer welcomed in Neytiri’s presence and you respected her wishes by excusing yourself and making your way out. It was the least you could do considering all that she went through.

Hours passed by with you sitting in the same place Kiri found you days prior, just thinking. Something that you found yourself doing way too often. It was hard to get out of your head and even harder for others to help you out of it. Most days, Spider wasn’t even able to help you with your problem and he almost always was able to save you from your own mind. Today was no exception regarding getting yourself stuck in your head and going around in circles.

“(Y/N)?” A soft voice asked, effectively pulling you out from your stupor.

Your eyes shifted from where they were glued to onto the person standing next to you, making your whole body tense and stomach churn in anxiety. Tsireya.

The light blue Na’vi girl stood in front of you with a look of concern etched on her face. Her skin was covered in a thin line of droplets, a clear sign she had just came back from a swim. You wondered if she felt bad for you and approached you out of pity. If Lo’ak had told her about your past together and if she was approaching you to inform you about their new union. If she was here to tell you about what her and the other Metkayina thought of you, preparing yourself for harsh insults and words.

“Are you okay?” She asks, sitting on her knees as she leaned forward a bit, big blue eyes practically staring into your soul.

Your eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. You were usually very careful in how your body reacted whenever you got stuck in thought. Always giving yourself time to release the tension in your body and relax before returning back to the thought you put on pause. So you were very confused as to why Tsireya was concerned with if you were okay or not.

“You just…seemed lost in thought.” She says, hands gently folding together in her lap. “I’ve noticed that your hair,” she points to your eyebrows, “come together when you’re thinking. Lo’ak does the same thing.”.

Your heart sped up at the mention of Lo’ak’s name, only for it to drop again once you realize who’s talking to you. Keep yourself in check (Y/N), you thought to yourself, you’re in the prescence of Lo’ak’s mate. Of course she knows things like that about him. You shouldn’t act like this.

“Oh, yeah. I’m fine!” You reply, a half assed smile creeping up on your lips, not quite reaching your eyes like it usually does. There was no way in hell that you’d tell Tsireya what was going on inside your head. That wasn’t a burden she needed on her shoulders.

The girl didn’t look too convinced at your response but didn’t push it further. She only nodded and continued to look at you, big eyes studying your human features. Tsireya had rarely seen you around and when she did, it was very brief before you disappeared out of sight again. So she couldn’t help but look at you as you sat there. You were very pretty, she noted. No wonder Lo’ak fell so helplessly in love with her, she thought. Your beauty was something Tsireya had never seen before.

“Tsireya!” A gruff and deep voice shouted, catching the girls attention as she turned her back towards the voice. It was her Father.

“Oh. I’m sorry (Y/N), but I have to go. I do hope you feel better soon,” she quickly said before walking away, her tail swinging gently from side to side as she strides away.

The whole encounter you had with the girl made you even more confused and sad. She was so nice to you. She gave you no reason to hate her. But you couldn’t help but feel it as she left you there, longing for the life you could never have.

———

“You’re being so sulky,” Spider murmured, arms crossed as he watched you stare at your food in front of you.

Norm and Max had cooked dinner nearly two hours ago and you were the only one who hadn’t finished your plate. You didn’t have much of an appetite these days either. You were too occupied with thinking or trying to avoid Lo’ak at all costs to properly eat. You knew it wasn’t something you should be doing but you found yourself doing it anyway.

“You haven’t even talked to him! You don’t know if it’s true or not,” he continued, sick of seeing both you and Lo’ak moping around and avoiding each other at every turn. He’s told the both of you multiple times to just talk about it but the both of you were too stubborn for your own good.

You ignored Spider’s comment, rolling your eyes at the boy besides you. You really didn’t need him meddling in your business.

Your silence was Spider’s last straw as he slammed his hands against the metal table, surprising you and making you jump back at the action. Your plate shifted and jumped in its place, the fork clattering onto the floor.

“Fine. If neither of you want to talk this out on your own, then I’ll do it for you,” he exclaimed, jumping up from his seat and hauling you up from yours by your arm.

“Are you fucking crazy?” You screamed, trying to pry Spider’s fingers off of your bicep.

He only scoffed at your response and shook his head, leading you to the entrance of the lab that sat in the secluded parts of the island, tossing you a mask before shoving you out of the metal lab and out into the Pandora air.

Shortly after the events with Quaritch and the tulkun hunters, Norm and Max had decided that it would be best if they put one of their smaller labs on Awa’atlu for the two of you. It was definitely smaller than the lab you lived in at High Camp, but you didn’t complain. At least you had somewhere to go and hide whenever you didn’t want to see Lo’ak that particular day.

“You fucker!” You shouted, banging the flat of your palm up against the glass of the door. Spider only ignored your calls from the inside, eating your untouched food. You groaned in frustration as you watched the boy simply devour your cold food.

Rustling of leaves were heard from your right, making your heart stop in its confines in anxiety. Your breath hitched in your throat as you slowly turned your head to see who or what caused the noise, especially this late at night. Your stomach dropped to the floor once you saw those familiar amber eyes peek out from behind a shrub.

“Lo’ak?” You whispered, not trusting your voice at the moment.

Upon hearing your voice, the culprit perked up, completely revealing themselves to you.

“Yawne?” He asked, unsure if he should move closer to you or stay where he was. Lo’ak had been craving to be in your presence ever since his brothers funeral. He only wanted you in his arms again and even though he had you back, he didn’t completely have you.

The two of you stood there, in front of each other for a while, neither of you daring to move closer or speak up first.

It was strange to see you after not having seen you for months. You looked the same but didn’t at the same time. Lo’ak didn’t know how he didn’t notice the first time he saw you on that ship. You looked more mature. Like you had seen or experienced something you shouldn’t have.

“How are you?” Lo’ak asks, finally breaking the awkward silence between the two of you.

You internally scoffed at that question, shaking your head as you did so. Yeah, I’m totally fine. Leaving me with your dead brother for hours didn’t do anything to me at all.

“Fine,” you answer, beginning to try to open the lab door with all your might, shaking the lock. Spider must’ve locked it from the inside or something, you thought, promising yourself that you would choke the boy out once you got back into the lab.

Lo’ak flinched at your rough voice and repetitive shaking of the door, ears drawing downwards as he watched. He’s never seen you act so violent before. Never seen you so desperate to get back into the lab. Usually, back in the forest, you’d do anything and everything to stay out of the lab for as long as you could. So to see you act the opposite made Lo’ak frown, especially since it was because he was out with you.

“Yawne,” Lo’ak tried again, taking a step closer to you before quickly drawing back as you scowled at him to stay where he was. “What is wrong? Talk to me, please,” the boy pleaded, tail falling limp between his legs.

“I told you. Nothing. Nothing is wrong,” you replied, eyes never leaving the stupid handle of the door you were trying to pry open.

Lo’ak knew you were lying. Something was most definitely wrong. He could see it in your eyes. How badly you wanted to share whatever was bothering you but something withheld you from uttering the words. It made him ever the more desperate to get you to talk to him.

The boy knew that showing up at the lab unannounced wasn’t going to get you to talk to him, especially since he too was also ignoring your existence. That he’d have to try harder in order to get you to speak with him.

“Yawne –”.

“Stop! Stop calling me that! I am not your yawne!” You shouted, ceasing your prying of the locked metal door. Hearing that term come out of his mouth made you want to cry. It made you want to scream, kick, and hit him for calling you that when you knew that he called another it. He had Tsireya to be his yawne. That was no longer a title you held.

Confusion and hurt spread itself across Lo’ak’s face, brows furrowing together in confusion. What did you mean? Why were you no longer his beloved?

“Why? Why not?” He shouted back, anger quickly arising within the teen boy. “What have I done to make you angry with me?” He asked, ears drawing further downward and pressing harder against the side of his skull.

You wanted to pull at your hair in frustration and anger. You just wanted to go inside and pass out before having to face the Sully family again. You wanted Lo’ak to leave you alone in your heartbreak. To stop haunting your dreams. To stop reminding you of the life you longed to have with him.

“Nothing and everything, Lo’ak!” You screamed, finally fed up, “You have done nothing and yet have done everything to upset me. First, you leave me with Neteyam for hours. You left me alone with the body of someone who I loved. You left me alone in my grieving. I had to wash away the blood and grime from his body as you did what? Fight Quaritch? Get Spider nearly killed? Then…then you touched her so lovingly. So gently. When you barely even spared me a glance. You comforted her and hugged her so tight to yourself that I couldn’t tell where you started and she ended.”.

“I only wanted you to comfort me. To hold me as I cried. But you were too busy with her. And I understand, Lo’ak. I do. As much as it pains me to realize and say it. I know that you and Tsireya are together, a thing. It’s as obvious as the mask that I need. And it’s okay. Really. I knew that whatever this was, it wasn’t going to last. I am human and you deserve so much more than what I can give you. I cannot give you children, make the bond with you, or even be properly considered one of the People. You deserve someone who could give you that. Give you everything and more. I mean, Tsireya is Tsakarem for crying out loud! She is much more suited to be your mate than I am, Lo’ak.”.

By the time you were finished with your speech, your chest was rising up and down dramatically, trying to gulp down air as quickly as the mask would let you. You knew that once you expressed your feelings and how you felt, it would change everything. So in order to ignore Lo’ak’s intense gaze and to prevent yourself from succumbing to the need to cry, you began your attempts at trying to open up the locked door or at least trying to get someone’s attention so they’d save you.

Your hands began to hit the door again, switching to messing with the door handle after a couple of beats pass with no one coming to your rescue.

“I confessed.” Lo’ak blurted out, desperation covered his face. His ears were fully up in alert, twitching at the sound of your hands stopping against the hard metal of the lab.

You stopped your movements, standing on the stairs of the lab in shock, trying to process the words that just came out of the boy's mouth. Confessed? What did he mean by confessed?

He needed you to know that what you were saying wasn’t true. That he wasn’t seeing Tsireya and that he’ll never see her in that light as he sees you. That his heart only held love for you and no one else. That your entire being consumed him heart, body, and soul.

“I told my Mother about us. About our relationship. About how much I love you. About how much I adore and see you. About that night at the Tree of Souls. I told her everything,” he rambled, tears clinging to his waterline as he tried to hurriedly blink them away. “She wasn’t happy about it, obviously. But, I didn’t care. I still don’t. Tsireya and I have never and will never be a thing. My heart only beats for you. My lungs only breathe for you. My body and soul only long for you. Everything is only ever for you, ma yawne. I hold so much love for you that it hurts. Did you know that the afternoon I heard of a young boy and girl being held captive at the Ta’unui clan, I almost immediately took off on my ilu to get you back? That I fought with my Sa’nok over you? That’s when I told her. Everyone heard and I don’t care that they did. I would scream out my love for you on the highest floating mountain if you asked me to. I’d do anything for you, (Y/N). Please, please believe that.”.

Lo’ak took in deep breaths once he finished his speech, desperately trying to fill his lungs with air after depriving them of it. He hoped that what he said was enough to get you to see how he felt about you, how he still felt about you. And if you didn’t, then he’d try again and again and again until he ran out of air to breathe. He needed you in his life. He didn’t care that you couldn’t bare him children or make tshaleyu with him. All he needed was you and that would be enough for all of his lifetimes.

“Lo’ak,” you croaked out, hot tears running down your cheeks and gathering at the bottom of your mask. You had no idea that he felt that strongly for you. Sure he mentioned some things from time to time but he never seemed this serious about it. You could feel the emotions of his words as they hit you square in the face.

“I don’t care if you can’t carry my children or that you can’t make the bond with me. I don’t. I only care that you’re in my life and that you love me just as much. You have been such a big part of my life for so long that I can’t imagine you not in it. Nga yawne lu oer,” Lo’ak finally finishes, kneeling on his two knees to get to your height, gently taking your softer hands in his rougher one’s.

All of the doubts you had about yourself and the relationship you had with the boy in front of you vanished the moment he touched you. Like everything else disappeared and it was only you two in the world.

“I am so sorry if it seemed like I had any interest in Tsireya, my love,” Lo’ak whispered, bringing your hands up to his lips as he pecked them with a kiss, “To be honest, I thought Spider and you were a thing as well.”.

At his confession, you bursted out laughing, not being able to hold in your reaction to the ridiculous thought.

“I know, I know,” Lo’ak tsked, shaking his head, “I had asked Spider about it and he had the same exact reaction. He wouldn’t shut up about it either, telling me how ridiculous I was for thinking such a thing. As well as how much of an idiot I was too.”.

“Well,” you hummed, taking your hands out of your boyfriends and placed them onto his blue cheeks, “I guess we’re both idiots then.”.

Lo’ak chuckled at your response, shaking his head as he finally brought you into his arms, immediately burying his head into the crook of your neck as he got a sniff of your dearly missed scent. Your arms wrapped themselves around his neck as he held you close, almost completely enveloping you in his body.

“I’m sorry for assuming,” you speak up, fingers running through Lo’ak’s braids. You felt bad for immediately assuming Lo’ak would move on that fast and get with Tsireya. You knew it wasn’t something he’d do but your overwhelming insecurities took over.

The Na’vi boy only hums, burying his head farther into your neck. “It’s okay,” he said, “I did the same. Nothing to stress about now. I got you back and that’s all that matters”.

The two of you sat there for what felt like only minutes but was hours in reality. The sun had begun to poke through the horizon, sunrise vastly approaching.

“Wanna go inside? We could spend the morning sleeping and cuddling if you want,” you suggest, eyelids getting droopy as your lack of last nights sleep began to catch up with you. You shifted your head so it laid on Lo’ak’s shoulder, yawning as you did so.

Your lover only nodded in agreement, delicately moving into the small lab and removing your mask from your face, placing a kiss on your forehead as you began to snore in Lo’ak’s arms. He smiled down at you before making his way to your established room, content with how the night turned out.

As he gently laid you in the soft bed and tucked the both of you in, he knew that he’d gladly spend the rest of his life with you so as long as you pleased. That there was no one else but you that he truly saw himself with. The teen would do anything for you, no matter what it entailed.

#avatar imagine #avatar #avatar x reader #atwow imagines #avatar: the way of water #atwow #atwow x reader #atwow x you #angst #lo’ak x reader #lo’ak x you #lo’ak sully #lo’ak imagine #lo’ak x y/n #lo’ak sully x reader #lo’ak x human!reader #lo’ak x fem!reader #lo’ak sully x y/n #lo’ak sully x you #lo’ak fanfiction #lo’ak #lo’ak x human reader

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

twst food culture compilation

Please note: this post does NOT include all food-related lore in TWST (for example, you won’t find a lot of information about individual characters’ food preferences or personal experiences with food here). This post ONLY talks about the food culture, notable locations, cultural dishes, and unique foods of the Twisted Wonderland world at large (ie countries, specific towns and cities, etc).

I did my best to scour for info, but I’ll update if I find anything new or details I missed the first time around.

General and/or Unspecified Location

There is a seasoning called “pure azure salt”, which is said to be rare, even in the Coral Sea.

Twisted Wonderland has a fruit called ruby berries (which taste “like freshly picked strawberries”).

There is frozen mint with a “refreshing profile” that grows in icy mountainous areas.

There exists Walrus-brand oyster sauce. Trey uses this to cook hamburger steak for his younger siblings. He says the oyster sauce provides a "nice savory flavor" with considerable depth. Trey also jokes about adding it to chestnut tarts in book 1.

There are mentions of irl Japanese foods such as konjac and takoyaki, but so far no place of origin in Twisted Wonderland has been sited.

Like in the real world, celebrities like Vil and Neige are used to promote products (including food and drink) in commercials, on social media platforms, etc. For example, in book 5, we see Neige advertising Red Apple Soda and Vil using his Magicam account to promote the apple juice made by Epel's family.

There's a popular dish called "pumpkin carriage stew". The insides of a pumpkin are scooped out and the shell is filled with a creamy stew, which made it difficult to carry over to tables. It would sell out every day at the cafe Ruggie used to work at.

Some restaurants call their spaghetti with meatballs "starry night spaghetti", named after the tale of two dogs who shared a spaghetti kiss under a starry sky. It is said that sharing spaghetti with meatballs with someone outside would lead to true love.

Hunting is sport as well as something done for food.

Briar Valley

General

Cotton candy is a classic snack food sold at Briar Valley food stalls. The way it is prepared resembles spinning threads, which is considered a blessed occupation (as there was a period in Briar Valley's history when no one was able to spin thread, so some clever individual tinkered around and made cotton candy instead).

In the battlefield (~400 years ago, during the human-fae war), soldiers would roast rats and lizards to eat if they didn't have rations or other ingredients.

There is little in the way of modern technology and electricity; typically, one would prepare dishes and/or collect ingredients by hand (such as via fishing) or by using magic.

Magic is used to light fires for cooking. There is little risk for fire accidents since magical fires automatically go out when you go to sleep.

Because Briar Valley is located to the north, it can get very chilly. When the snow melts, it turns into very cold freshwater.

According to Lilia, “berries are a must-have, especially at birthdays parties” in Briar Valley. They are famous for its berry juice.

Coral Sea

General

According to Jade, there are no fires in the Coral Sea. Therefore, most of the food consumed is raw.

A month-long land boot camp first established by a mermaid princess that married a human prince teaches merpeople fire safety and how to eat food as part of its curriculum.

It's rare for merfolk to eat anything sweet, as those kinds of foods aren't readily avaliable in the sea.

The Atlantica Memorial Museum has the mermaid princess's "silver hair comb" on display. This, of course, refers to the "dinglehopper"--a common fork. This implies that merpeople (such as the mermaid princess referenced in many stories) fused to be unaware of the eating utensils on land.

Azul's mother owns the "hottest restaurant" in the Coral Sea. It started off as a small place, but has since expanded to have a large staff.

Couples from the Coral Sea frequently request rainbow dessert soup with trident cookies for their weddings. To eat it, you use the trident cookie to stir the sweet sky-blue soup, which then turns the soup into seven colors of the rainbow. This is a dish that is only served for special occasions in the Coral Sea, and it is typically served warm.

Jade says that he was surprised to see that many land dwellers eat their fruit without the peel; this would imply that those from the Coral Sea typically eat their foods with the skin/peel left on, or as-is.

Playful Land Amusement Park

All food and drink are handed out for free.

They serve food in large quantities, such as tuna, entire tart cherry pies (with cinnamon, clove, and crushed nuts in the filling) and a whole peppery roasted chicken. The park encourages consuming in excess.

Other food items being offered include fried tuna fish and sparkling apple juice. The juice comes with an umbrella stuck in the opening to prevent bugs from getting in. You remove it before drinking.

They have ice-cream in many flavors! We see strawberry milk in the related event.

The park had candy and popcorn in “apple core” flavor. Supposedly, this is a taste inspired by the story of the Generous Fox giving a Puppet Boy an apple core instead of a whole apple because “the puppet wished to have a core”.

There is a “Candy Road”, a street lined with shops that have caramel lollipops, chewy candy, marshmallows, cookies, chocolate crunch, and lots of other sugary treats!

Their chocolate crunch has 12 different charms thrown in.

The third most popular souvenir are pasta snacks in the shape of the Friendly Fox and Gentle Cat. The second most popular is a tin of plain cookies in the shape of the Friendly Fox and cocoa cookies in the shape of the Gentle Cat. Finally, the most popular are apple core flavored candies!

Sage's Island

Night Raven College

Pomefiore holds a welcome party for the freshmen, which includes a fancy dinner.

Scarabia regularly holds banquets, typically at Kalim's request.

Heartslabyul holds so-called "unbirthday parties" whenever it is a day that does NOT fall on a Heartslabyul student's birthday.

The dorm members of Scarabia and Heartslabyul pitch in to prepare for banquets and unbirthday parties.

Mr. S's Mystery Shop stocks food items, such as candies (which Floyd often buys), tuna cans, and ingredients for baking (this is where Deuce and Yuu pick up things for the chestnut tart in book 1). Sam also sells food items that he seems to have made himself, like the Mystery Drink (which Octavinelle eventually buys the rights to).

The school cafeteria is said to have delicious breads.

Once a month, a famous bakery from out of town serves their goods at NRC. Their stock includes items such as chocolate croissants, egg sandwiches, yakisoba bread and cream bread ("cronuts and bear claws"), roast beef sandwiches, red bean buns ("hot dog buns"), and deluxe minced cutlet sandwiches ("deluxe ham and cheese"/"grilled cheese" in the localization). They sell out fast!

The cafeteria at NRC serves food buffet style; the cafeteria is kept warm with magic from fire fairies which are supplied with dry firewood every day.

Master Chef ("Culinary Crucible") is an elective course at NRC that teaches students how to cook. It is meant to curb the expenses related to eating out and to help the boys maintain balanced diets and learn how to take care of themselves. Judges for this course are randomly selected from the students and staff (prior to this methodology, people would bribe the judges for extra credit).

While taking Master Chef, students help with preparing meals in the cafeteria in exchange for part-time pay.

The instructors for Master Chef are ghosts who were professional chefs at five-star restaurants when they were alive.

There are various locations on campus where the students go to fetch ingredients for Master Chef. This includes an on-campus farm, ranch, windmill... and even the dormitories themselves!

Octainvelle has the Mostro Lounge, described by Jade as "a meeting place for gentlemen" where fighting between dorms is prohibited. While dining there, students are expected to abide by Octavinelle's rules. It is run by the manager and founder, Azul, who made a deal with the headmaster to get the rights to open the establishment. NRC gets 10% of the revenue the Mostro Lounge makes.

The Mostro Lounge has a one-drink purchase minimum.

The Mostro Lounge also operates food stalls and/or sells food at many school events, such as the cultural festival in book 5 and the interdorm magical shift/spelldrive tournament in book 2.

It is mostly Octavinelle students who staff the Mostro Lounge, but there are occasions when outside students are brought in as extra help. Ruggie has worked there part-time, as well as Jack, Ace, Deuce, and tons of other students.

NRC opens its school gates to the local townspeople for a period leading up to Halloween; during this time, they distribute candy and other sweets (such as Sam's waffles, served with jam made from NRC's apples) to guests. There's also a party on Halloween night where lots of food is served.

The woods behind the campus have chestnuts, which the main crew collect for an apology tart to Riddle.

The Botanical Garden has some edible plants growing there. These include strawberries, which the Science Club cultivates.

Unbirthday Party Rules (related to food)

Rule 25: There must be a tea party on the 5th of every month.

Rule 29: You must not eat the Queen's tarts without her permission.

Rule 153: The only tea you may drink in the evenings is herbal tea.

Rule 186: Do not eat hamburger steak on Tuesdays.

Rule 256: You must not drink lemonade with honey past 8 pm.

Rule 271: You must get up from the table within 15 minutes after eating lunch.

Rule 339: Your post-meal tea must be lemon tea with 2 sugar cubes.

Rule 529: If you eat steak on the night of a full moon, a cat must play the violin afterwards.

Rule 562: Do not bring chestnut tarts to an unbirthday party.

Rule 648: You must brush your teeth 2 times on nights when you eat turkey.

Rule 703: Whoever comes in 2nd place in a croquet match must serve tea to the Queen (dorm leader) the next day.

If the dormouse wakes up at an unbirthday party, you are to paint its nose with jam.

Coffee is forbidden; tea must be served at all occasions except for birthdays.

According to Cater, sweets are mandatory at unbirthday parties.

Dwarves' Mine & Silent Woods

There is an abundance of wildlife in these areas; Jade often goes hiking and foraging, making note of what he finds. He uses the plants to make his own tea blends (which are sometimes added to the Mostro Lounge's menu) and the herbs, plants, and mushrooms to experiment with in cooking.

There are fish to be found at the lake, including massive catfish.

The Foothill Town

There is a port for mainly cargo ships located at the southwest part of town. It's called Crane Port! The east side has a port as well, but that one is moreso for passengers. Crane Port has been getting fewer and fewer people passing through lately (until Port Breeze Fest, in which the NRC boys run food stalls and help to revive business in the area). Group A makes churros, Group B makes waffles, Group C makes salads, Group D makes cotton candy, and Group E makes clam chowder.

A popular restaurant in the Crane Port area serves foods like french fries and burgers. Their signature menu item is a donut made from potatoes. Actually, this restaurant specializes in potato dishes!

There is a chain restaurant on the island that also has locations elsewhere, including in Ace's hometown. He mentions that there are slightly different flavors to the sauces depending on which location you go to.

The town also has other eateries that are more geared towards students, seeing as it exists on an island with two notable magic schools to the north and the south. Cater often mentions going into town to take pictures at cafes.

There is a famous patisserie there. You have to line up early in the morning before opening time to get your hands on one of their strawberry tarts (or anything, really!).

Scalding Sands

General

The Scalding Sands seems to borrow heavily from Middle Eastern cultures. For example, some of the Scalding Sands’ traditional dishes include, but are not limited to: roasted lamb, moussaka, döner kebabs, shawarma, flatbreads, potato and bean spreads, and seafood sautés.

Tea is a popular beverage; it is had at every meal and break. People can drink up to 10 cups of tea a day!

The Scalding Sands specializes in black tea. For entertaining guests, special tea leaves are used.

In the Scalding Sands, they brew their tea leaves loose and without an infuser. This makes the tea very strong and bitter. To counteract the powerful flavor, people add lots of sugar to their tea and drink it with sweets.

“Luxurious” tea is very sweet, since sugar was once very expensive (due to a shortage of it, according to the localization) and considered a luxury.

Due to the hot weather, people often toss herbs into their tea to make it more refreshing to drink.

Coffee is also popular; there are many cafes that serve coffee and tea. The Scalding Sands is known in particular for their spiced coffee, which has a very distinctive flavor. This coffee is brewed without a filter, and some cafes do “coffee divinations” (reading the shapes and patterns of the grounds and the water droplets that remain after drinking to tell the fortunes of customers).

There are a lot of unique spices in their dishes. This is especially true of banquet dishes. However, a variety of dishes are still served at these occasions.

Kalim describes the Scalding Sands as being “big on stewed stuff” like curries.

In Kalim’s hometown, people love to gather around the table and talk over a meal.

Halloween in the Scalding Sands is celebrated by feasting on a variety of dishes. The idea is that the food must be abundant so that the ghosts that return to the world of the living for the night may also have their fill.

It used to be difficult for the people of the Scalding Sands to obtain water due to the lack of rainfall, hot climate, and expansive desserts. However, Kalim’s ancestors utilized the country’s rivers to reach other countries and to trade their textiles, spices, tea leaves, and other local goods with foreign lands. It was particularly impressive at the time, as they were the first traders from the Scalding Sands to sail (back then, accurate nautical maps were not a thing). This maritime pioneering is what would make the Asim family their massive fortune.

The Asims and other merchants heavily invested in technologies and innovations to make the area more sustainable and potable water more accessible.

The waterways of the country eventually developed into canals and communities formed around them as trade hubs. The canals are also used to host ferryboats for locals and tourists to sightsee, boosting the tourism industry. This also made access to water much easier for the residents, and the water helps to cool the temperature.

Silk City

The bazaars in Silk City are where locals do their shopping for various goods and staple foods like vegetables and fish. There are also stalls with gourmet food that cater to tourists.

Camel Bazaar is named after camels, which were used to transport people, goods, and luggage before Silk City’s canals and roads came to be. There also used to be an oasis where the camels would rest and drink after long treks; this oasis became a center for commerce and eventually evolved into a marketplace. To this day, the name “Camel” has stuck, even if people use trucks, ships, and cars more than camels.

There is also Zahab (”Gold”) Market, which is popular with tourists for shopping (especially for souvenirs!) but also has swindlers and pickpockets mixed in with regular customers.

Many snacks are sold! There’s camel milk chocolate, cookies drizzled in syrup, sunflower seeds, pistachios, chickpeas, all kinds of nuts, dried fruits (including dates), jams, jellies, syrups, starfruit, dragonfruit, etc. 

(Lamb) shawarma is described as meat roasted on a spit and served on baguettes or pita bread. Because grease drips off while it cooks, it is “surprisingly healthier” than one expects it to be. Shawarma is also customarily served with vegetables (tomatoes, onions, olives, jalapenos, etc.) and sauces (yogurt, garlic, chili, hummus (a paste of garlic and chickpeas), mayo basil, etc).

There is a vendor that can supply large quantities of sweet and refreshing coconut water; this is because they’re used to providing for Kalim’s extravagant and excessive tastes. They create a hole in the top and provide straws to poke in and use to drink the water. The coconut flesh inside is also edible.

There are a lot of bread stalls; bread is also another staple food, and it comes in many sizes, shapes, and textures. Small roadside bakeries have wood-fired ovens which allow them to serve bread fresh to customers.

One stand sells baguettes that are taller than many children; these “tower baguettes” are a famous Fireworks Festival treat. People say that if you eat a big one, you’ll never go hungry again! The saying comes from a story of a young man that shared bread with hungry children. It’s because of that story that baguettes are considered a good luck food that many vendors sell on holidays.

The Camel Bazaar sells an elastic ice-cream (based on a similar irl frozen Turkish confection). It is kneaded on a pole and stretched out; customers are meant to “catch” it in their cups and cones. It’s food performance art! All the stretching makes the texture very unique.

There’s a fruit stand that is only open on festival days which sells a Silk Melon sundae; the fruit is hollowed out to host ice-cream (of the same melon flavor!) and toppings which make it very photogenic.

Starfruit is usually put in salads, according to Trey.

The dragonfruit sold is recommended to be eaten with honey. You drizzle it on top of a slice and eat!

Silk City’s signature fruit is the Silk Melon. It is called that because of its silky texture and sophisticated sweetness. It can’t be found in many other countries. The man of legend that shared his bread with a starving child is said to split a melon with his friend, even though he did not have much money to spare. It’s because of this tale that people started saying if you share Silk Melon with someone, it would make your friendship or romance last forever. Now the fruit is a festival staple and considered a symbol of good fortune.

In the past, water was only used for irrigation due to its scarcity. Some gave up on farming after years of trying to produce crops and failing—but others refused to give up and cultivated the land to made it fertile, something which future generations would reap the benefits of.

The fruits and veggies sold Camel Bazaar are freshly picked and grown locally. Jamil says this is possible because the arid climate actually helps with growing crops of high quality. Produce raised with less water concentrates flavor since the final fruit will have a higher sugar content. Because of this, Silk City’s produce is prized by chefs all over Twisted Wonderland. Of course, you can get them at an affordable prize in Camel Bazaar!

Shaftlands

General

The Shaftlands are famous for its jeweled pineapples.

The Shaftlands spans a large area of land and has drastically different climates depending on the part of it you're looking at. Therefore, we can deduce that foods and customs surrounding food are very different as well.

City of Flowers/Fleur City

The city’s food culture seems to be inspired by real world Paris, or at the very least, France.

Bread is a local specialty, particularly very buttery kinds. As you walk down the streets, you can smell bread baking. The City of Flowers has 10x (or more) the variety of bread that Sage's Island offers, and has an abundance of bakeries too.

Bread-making is popular in the City of Flowers. The windmills at the edges of the city grind grains to produce fresh flour. There are also watermills powered by the Soleil River to assist with making flour.

Because wheat is plentiful in this area, some of it is also used for desserts. One such confection is financier, which is made from a combination of wheat flour, almond flour, and butter. It resembles a gold bar, so eating one is said to bring financial prosperity.

Lately, gluten-free desserts have been trendy.

A dessert that does not use wheat flour is macarons. In the City of Flowers, they are yellow and shaped like bells to honor the Bell of Salvation which oversees the community and provides magic that helps rare plants grow in the area. The filling is a ganache with dried bits of grapes and apples.

Grape juice is popular in the City of Flowers, as the fruit is another specialty. You can buy the grapes raw and eat them as is, or ask a vendor to crush it (skin still on!) into juice for you. Some buy the grapes to give as gifts!

The grapes are grown in vineyards right outside of the city, and the farmers are constantly experimenting to improve their breeds. They taste very rich, tangy, and sweet.

The City of Flowers is also known for its many specialty cheese shops. Together, bread and cheese are called the staple foods of the city, and are sometimes eaten together. One specialty cheese shop the boys visit sells baguettes topped with ham and rich melted cheese.

The city considers goats a symbol of good luck, so they are treated with care. There are many community goats (which are just as common as domesticated cats or dogs) allowed to roam freely in the city. It is said that if you treat the community goats with kindness, they will come rescue you in your time of need.

Goat milk is used in some of the specialty cheeses produced by the city. The grapes mentioned earlier are also made into fruit compotes to go with the cheeses.

Harveston

This village has many dishes that borrow from a mixture of irl Nordic cultures. There’s also an emphasis on having hometown pride and the community itself being very close.

As expected, many of Harveston's dishes feature apples: apple pie, grilled and roasted apples, apple salad, apple pound cakes, etc.

Epel's family has an apple orchard that has been in the family for generations. They grow different kinds of apples throughout the year. Many of his neighbors are older people who also raise produce, and they help each other out when they're short on hands. The community is very tightly knit because of this, and treat each other like extended family.

Harvest season (autumn) is the busiest time of year; once that's over, everyone comes together to have a party. It's a potluck style celebration where everyone brings a homemade dish or homegrown food to share.

Harveston preserves its produce (such as apples and wild greens) by pickling them and serving them in salads. The bright colors are maintained by boiling the produce in a copper pot, which stabilizes the pigments. It's wisdom passed down from generation to generation.

There is also pickled herring, traditionally eaten on bread. Brining preserves the fish while it is still raw and doesn't dry it up. It's ready to eat right out of a jar, no cooking required.

The local stew is not very thick. It tastes sweet because of the added vegetables and savory because of the tender meat in it. There is also a salmon broth sprinkled with herbs which is described as "melty".

Fruits and vegetables can be packed in snow to keep them preserved. This method is called “snow aging” and prevents evaporation. In the old days, the villagers would build whole farms out of snow. In modern day, they just shovel the snow into a barn. This creates a natural fridge that will naturally thaw in the summers. Snow aging in this manner makes the produce sweeter and more nutritious.

The next town over is a three-hour bike ride. The roadside has many apple trees you can enjoy during the trip.

You can easily pick apples off the branch and eat them fresh! Farmers can snack on apples while picking.

Harveston is surrounded by tall mountains that are snow-capped all year, the most famous one being Mt. Moln. The greenery around Harveston is due to the spring water irrigation which runs down from Mt. Moln.

Most of Harveston’s land is used for orchards, and apples are their main produce. They also make many products using those apples like chips, rice crackers, and cookies.

Fall apples are sweeter, while winter ones are more sour. Winter apples are unique to Harveston.

Harveston also grows a lot of garlic.

Harveston farming is done the old fashioned way, as the predominantly older population distrusts chemical fertilizers and biotechnology.

Some villagers like the mayor and Marja (Epel’s grandma) adjust their accent to communicate with people from outside the village. Marja says she switches up when she’s selling goods in another town, since it can be tricky for non-Harveston locals to understand.

Hand washing before eating is a must! They take the act very seriously in Harveston. Stories say the miners of the past used to get very sick due to poor hygiene, but their health improved drastically once they started washing regularly with soap and water. It was difficult for them to get treatment because the town is so remote and far from hospitals or doctors, so the best thing is stressing prevention. This why the townspeople are sticklers about hand washing now.

To wash the Harveston way, you plunge your hands into ice cold water and make it all foamy with soap. You also scoop the water up and splash your face as well (as the miners from the past would also do this).

Apple Square is the main festival venue; it has many vendor stalls in an area called Kokko (which means “Bonfire”) Market. The Sledathon is the most lucrative time of year for the townsfolk.

Many of their products are made locally by the older folks in town. The goods aren’t trendy or very fancy, but they’re high-quality and made with Harveston pride.

The stalls give apple juice, apple tea (which has fruit pieces floating in it), and apple ginger tea for free. The apple juice is one of Harveston’s most popular products.

Giant five-meter apple pies are made for the Sledathon. They’re considered one of the main attractions, and you can get a slice from them free of charge.

There are other stalls that sell regular apple pie too. Every vendor has their own style, from the apples used to the crust and baking technique.

There are other kinds of fruit pies for sale, but apples are the most popular and “special” ones. The Beautiful Queen had a preference for apple pies, so the townspeople do too.

Harveston apple pies have such an entrancing flavor that the nearest city has stores that stock them. Critics say that Harveston apple pies make anyone drool and that the best way to convince someone to do you a favor is to gift one.

Harveston holds an apple competition to find the reddest apple. This is because the Beautiful Queen prized beautifully red apples. In the past, the townspeople would offer the reddest apple from the season’s harvest to the Beautiful Queen. Over time, it evolved into the apple competition.

Kokko Market makes pancake balls from a flour batter and top it with jam. It’s prepared in a pan and with methods similar to takoyaki, coming out crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Pancakes also come in a square form. In Harveston, pancakes are baked in the oven instead of on the stove. Some people cook pancakes in the fireplace too; this makes them tender, thick, and pudding-like.

There are many grains used for bread: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, oats, flax seeds, sesame seeds, rye, wheat...

Barbeque is served for large gatherings and celebrations.

Cooking tends to be done in the fireplace instead of on a stove, especially in the case for stews. It keeps the room warm in winter while the food cooks.

Harveston has a bean and fruit soup. Most other places serve it cold, but those in Harveston sometimes enjoy it warm. It’s a thick consistency and the fruit in it has been dried.

When setting the dining table, people in Harveston leave one extra plate out. This tradition comes from a story about a traveler visiting a family’s house and being surprised by the messy state of it. The traveler cleaned the house and cooked a nice meal for the family. From this story came the belief that as long as you leave a plate at your table, you’ll never want for food or go hungry.

Sandwich cakes are common party centerpieces. They are made with bread and vegetables, topped with shrimp, deviled eggs, olives, apples, and salmon slides arranged in a rose shape. The frosting on it is made from mayonnaise and sour cream, making sandwich cakes more salad than dessert.

They sell cherries and other berries by volume. Also sold are vegetables and juice, freshly squeezed.

Because Harveston is located in a mountainous region, there are rare varieties of mushrooms to be found. These can be served in a traditional mushroom soup, which can be finicky to prepare (so usually only experts make it). Mushrooms are also cooked in butter and served in sandwiches.

Mushrooms, herbs, and flowers are foraged from the nature (both public mountains and private woods). Locals usually don’t buy plants that are wild when they can pick it themselves. Instead, they’re sold to tourists.

Good foraging spots on Moln Mountain are kept secret so people don’t overharvest. The mountains are dangerous in winter, so foraging has to be done in spring or summer.

Harveston brines raw fish like salmon in a mixture of salt, sugar, pepper, and fill. In the old days, brined salmon was buried in sand to let it ferment.

Fish is dried to preserve it and to enhance the flavor. Before there were proper roads, it was hard to bring in food for the winter, so Harveston relied on foods preserved in the spring. They last for a long time and have many uses (such as in soup stock or to eat straight up). To this day, preserved meats and vegetables are a local specialty and new methods such as roasting have been developed for preservation.

Sunset Savanna

General

The food here appears to be inspired by African cultures of the real world.

There is floral cacao in the Sunset Savanna. It bears fruit only once every 10 years.

Gummy bugs are popular and a Halloween staple.

The people of the Sunset Savanna value living in harmony with nature and will go out of their way to adapt to the land (due to the high population of beastmen, who have animal ancestors). Because of this, they oppose change that could damage the environment. There are some parts of this arid country that still rely on wells for their drinking water needs. They also hold the Tamashina-Mina festival every year to pray for rain.

Sautéed mutton is a common meal in this country. Leona brags that the Sunset Savanna is top notch when it comes to cooking meats.

The bananas of the Sunset Savanna are starchy and resemble potatoes (similar to plantains). They are steamed and served as a staple food. They’re faintly sweet and are actually very light and easy to digest.

It’s easier to grow fruit instead of wheat and rice in their climate.

Rice crepes, another staple, are served with a stew that you pour over it. The stew comes in variants such as a white fish stew simmered in tomato sauce, spinach and potato stew, beef stew, etc. There are also many side dishes you can enjoy with the crepes. The crepes aren’t meant to be eaten alone, as they taste too sour solo.

The phrase “that’s the Circle of Life” is a proverb that has been around for ages. The strong eat the weak, then when the strong die, their bodies become nutrients for the grass which feeds the next generation of prey animals. Life comes “full circle”, and the proverb indicates this delicate balance.

The Sunset Savanna is famous for its coffee. It tastes spicy, not bitter, because the custom is to add spices to the drink.

Food prep performances seem to be common for the wealthy; Leona mentions seeing big fish filleted before being served.

Yogurt is considered a “healthy dairy” and is typically served for breakfast.

Elephant Graveyard

The Elephant Graveyard, once considered a scary and lawless place (the “shadow lands” which were not a part of the original kingdom), has become a tourist destination.

They are known for selling vanilla cookies shaped like bones.

The hot springs at the Elephant Graveyard have kettles hidden by the steam. The hot water vapor cooks onsen tamago (a traditionally Japanese irl dish) and puddings. It imparts a slightly salty and sulfurous flavor and smell to the foods.

Sunrise City

The Raintree Market is a bazaar that features many foods and drinks.

Many snacks sold in the marketplaces are local specialties, so they’re popular as souvenirs.

Wild and cultivated hibiscus flowers are boiled with sugar to produce a red juice. There is also a white juice, which is made using wild baobab (which is full of nutrients; people call it a beauty elixir you can drink). A legends says that, long ago, members of the royal family would have their foreheads painted with baobab juice when they were born. That’s how the fruit became a local specialty.

In the original tale, the juice for marking foreheads was red. It seems that, over time, the color was changed to white by word of mouth, with the latter description fitting more with the white fruit of the baobab. Because of this change, more and more stalls have been selling a mixture of hibiscus juice and baobab juice.

The baobab fruit is also used to make a particular sour candy. The candy is dyed with res food coloring and is then dusted with sugar and chili powder. It’s described as having a “mature” flavor.

Mangoes are a local specialty! Vendors will happily cut open the fruit for you to enjoy on the spot.

Other notable fruits for sale are tart passionfruit and creamy but smelly jackfruit. The latter is considered the largest fruit in Twisted Wonderland and grows on its tree’s trunks.

The Sunset Villa is a luxurious hotel that hosts VIPs and important guests of the state. They offer a large selection of drinks (fruit juice, black tea, coffee…) and serve whole slabs of steak in front of you before serving at luxurious barbecues. After dinners, they have dance performances.

There is an enormous sausage that’s wrapped up in a coil. If unwound, it’s a meter long. It’s meant to be cut with scissors before eating. The sausage’s herbs make it taste refreshing, and its meat is finely grounded to allow its flavors to come through.

Seafood is fresh and cheap, provided you live by the sea or in a coastal region like Dawn City. In more inland areas, seafood is considered a luxury.

Their seafood tends to be cooked with strong spices.

Ruggie’s yet-to-be-named hometown

Because the residents are poor, their food is usually made from collected scraps (such as pumpkin pie made predominantly from the pulpy parts) or prepared with substitutions and without extra flourishes. For example, Ruggie’s grandma prepares homemade donuts for his birthday but they couldn't afford fancy toppings (until Ruggie started working to bring in extra income).

It’s implied that there were instances when Ruggie (and presumably others from his hometown) had to eat rotten food or out of trash cans to get by.

Queendom of Roses

General

There is reference to some irl UK foods in this region, such as the jacket potato.

The Queendom of Roses is famous for its rose jelly rolls. Roses are the flower the country is best known for, of course, but they also have lavender, rosemary, sweet violet, foxglove, bluebells, and many berries.

People from this country eat flowers (which are specifically grown for eating). Flowers are also used for dried flower bookmarks? potpourri, etc.

The Queendom has a good selection of breads.

Apparently, the Queendom also has a strong “tea culture”.

People in the Queendom of Roses eat a lot of different pastries (pies, tarts, quiches, croissants, etc). Croissant donuts (cronuts) in particular have been pretty trendy lately. They’re donuts made with croissant batter, so they come out super flaky. They are sometimes sold with iced tea as a combo.

Potatoes are a staple food.

Jacket potatoes are common at festivals; they are potatoes baked with the skin (ie “jacket”) still on. The standard topping for them is baked beans, but you can also have tuna mayo corn, bean chili, sour cream, avocado, and other things.

Anyone that grew up in the Queendom of Roses has probably done the “cookie smash” at least once as a kid. (More info on this under the “Clock Town” section!)

The Queendom is known for lavender, berries, and rosemary.

Riddle and Trey's yet-to-be-named hometown

Trey's family owns a bakery (called "Patisserie Clover" according to the TWST manga). It seems to be a small "mom and pops" shop with no particular notoriety. However, the manga implies that it was the Clover bakery where Riddle saw the strawberry tarts and became entranced by them. This is also where Riddle would later try his first strawberry tart.

In Riddle and Trey's hometown, people enjoy apple bobbing during the Halloween season.

Before interview: Riddle was worried whether they can start on time and was relieved when Vil showed up and Vil was pretty smug about it lmao

There is a farm not too far from where Riddle lives; it is famous for its ice-cream buns. There is also a cafe located on the farm! It opened shortly after Riddle entered NRC and is so popular that it’s spoken about in magazines and tourists go there just to sample their sweets.

Clock Town

The people of Clock Town value time and punctuality due to the town's connection to the White Rabbit, who was always in a hurry. Many of the foods sold at stalls are things that are easy to hold and eat while walking, such as sliced sandwiches.

The Clock Town Folk Museum mentions a girl that appears in the story of the White Rabbit. She ate cookies that made her grow large; the museum recreates this experiment by projecting a large image of guests that eat cookies they have set out.

The Clock Town Folk Museum also runs a bugle-playing contest. The participation prize is a carrot cookie.

Clock Town sells a brand of potato chips with the White Rabbit logo on them.

The town also sells cookies iced to look like a pocket watch. The icing is made from a mixture of sugar and egg whites (“royal icing”) which hardens considerably. You’re meant to crush the cookie with a hammer to make it into smaller pieces, making it easier to eat. It’s based on the story of the White Rabbit breaking his pocket watch. Others tried to help him fix it by hitting it with a hammer, but it didn’t help at all, only damaged it more!

A lot of people enjoy growing plants, gardening, and horticulture, including stuff that can be eaten like herbs.

Sausage rolls are served in pairs to resemble bunny ears; the container they come in resembles the White Rabbit. They’re sausages wrapped in a pie crust/puff pastry dough, and come in cheese (with a shortcrust pastry similar to what is used for tarts to help hold its shape) and a spicy sausage (with a puff pastry that makes it flaky) variant for the White Rabbit Festival.

There are large mushrooms that grow in Clock Town; eating one side will turn you large, eating the other side will turn you small. The girl in the story of the White Rabbit has eaten these strange mushrooms before. These mushrooms are said to be enchanted and only work in a particular area; its effects last for ~1 minute after eating.

#twst #twisted wonderland #twst resource #twisted wonderland resource #disney twisted wonderland #notes from the writing raven #Neige Leblanche #Pomefiore #Yuu #Sam #Mr. S #Dire Crowley #Heartslabyul #Octavinelle #Rollo Flamme #Savanaclaw #Scarabia #Ignihyde #Diasomnia #Rollo Flamm #Grim #Mister S

[ladychlo]

The international community condemnation of ISIS's terrorism and killing of civilians and the international community condemnation of USA's crimes against humanity in the Abu Ghraib Prison, the same international community is turning a blind eye on fascism and the genocide of indigenous Palestinians.

Israeli occupation forces are detaining and stripping civilians taken from the UN shelter school located in Beit Lahia, near the Jabalia camp, in Gaza today. These are civilians who will be executed. The limits of what the human brain can ignore are reached, if it didn't reach yours. I'm truly sorry for the waste of humanity on you.

#palestine #gaza

[everswift]

it's funny how swifties never realize like she's also talking about us when she discusses fame/the public eye. when she says she feels like she's always being observed she could mean the paparazzi but her fans are also camping outside her nyc apartment whenever she's in the city. when she says people try to run paternity tests on her songs she might be talking about tabloids but the fandom is also constantly discussing dates and outfits and locations to figure who each song could be about. when she says she doesn't feel like a person she could mean the public at large seeing her as a character or a brand but her fans never really treat her like a human being either. anyways

#taylor swift #taylor text posts #yumi lives in delusion

[strawberrymothteeth]

Lost in the woods AU Once a upon a time when you was younger. They got lost in the woods at girl scout camp. Being the loner of the girl scout group no one quite noticed that you have disappeared. Crying on one of the many dirt paths you meet young cryptid sun and moon. With their help you return safely back to your girl scout group but curious about the cryptids you would continously seek them out. Over that month you and the cryptid boys forge a friendship. But as all good things it must come to an end. But you promised you would come back soon but soon they fade into just a long forgotten memory.

Fast forward you are celebrating that Vanessa has graduated Park Ranger training and is now a Park Ranger at Fazbear's nature park; that used to be the girl scout camp you went to as a young child. (can't say national because they are a for profit.) But Vanessa has been acting strangely ever since she started the training but Vanessa would never do anything shady....right? Unfortunately your naivety your good friend Vanessa is planning to sacrifice you to her good lord and savior Springtrap. close ups and tidbits

Cryptid Sun: 🎇The more "nicer" of the two. 🎇He hides toys in his chest cavity to help try to calm down children. He tried it with Y/N but it just made Y/N more confused and panicked. 🎇Can summon fire sprites from his chest cavity. Often times this would be how he guides lost hikers/children back to their camps versus showing himself. 🎇When angry his face will be engulfed in flames. but do not fret he will be fine once he cools down his temper. This rarely happens but moon is very good at pushing his buttons. 🎇is the less upset one out of the two of them of Y/N not remembering them. 🎇 Him and moon learned how to speak and write through reading the horse books left at the girl scout camp. So they have an unusual amount of knowledge about horses. 🎇Can sense what is happening through the forest through the roots and can travel through the roots to whatever location he pleases at the National Park.

Cryptid Moon: 🌙The more "aggressive" one of the two. (he just thinks he is just blunt and to the point.) 🌙He is currently trying to fly under the radar ever since a hiker stumbled upon him feasting on his meal. (whether it was human or not is up for debate. Ask him and he will just chuckle.) 🌙His wings got singed back when Sun couldn't control his fire sprites. He got back on him by putting a bunch of termites in his bed. 🌙Is the more upset one out of the two that Y/N forgot them. Especially when they grabbed Y/N to play with them in the sky for Y/N to panic and get dropped in the lake by accident. 🌙Moon was the first cryptid for Y/N to stumble upon when they were young as well as adults. 🌙Moon is a huge sucker for anything sweet whether they would like to admit it or not is up for debate. 🌙If Moon is the one guiding hikers back he would usually scare them in the direction they need to go. but with children he tries his best to make himself not as threatening(doesn't work half the time) and guide them while holding hands. (big softie)

Y/N: 🐈‍⬛ remember sun and moon a bit but more of just chalking it up to imaginary friends. They do have a birthmark on their neck which he showed to sun and moon as kids. but in general very secretive about it. 🐈‍⬛is in transitioning and uses he/they pronouns. 🐈‍⬛very prideful of their pitiful t-stache. but a stache is a stache. 🐈‍⬛has a HUGE fear of heights which is why they panicked when Moon picked them up like they were besties. 🐈‍⬛gets easily lost so it constantly keeps getting lost in the woods. and Vanessa's cryptic directions aren't helping him at all. 🐈‍⬛is training as well to be a park ranger like Vanessa. He has known Vanessa for a few years before she started acting very secretive and a bit unstable. 🐈‍⬛is a lot more chill with Sun but that might change after he stumbles upon Sun enjoying a meal. they are slightly terrified of both but Sun and moon just want to hang out with their bestie(?).

#fnaf daycare attendant #fnaf moondrop #fnaf sundrop #fnaf security breach #daycare attendant x y/n #fnaf lost in the woods au #lost in the woods #teetharts #forgive me about the typos i am not very good at writing. #lost in the woods au

[kisakis-boyfriend]

monster reader with bennett? he's on an adventure, but he gets a bit more "excitement" than he initially anticipated. i hope this works with the horror/halloween requests!

Beware the Big Bad Wolf

Pairings: Bennett x reader

Warnings: Male!reader, dom/top!reader, wolfboy!reader, sub/bottom!Bennett, dubcon, scratching, biting, breeding, reader is called 'sir', more virgin Bennett

Genre/Format: Smut; Oneshot

Author's Note: As usual, Bennett is 20+ here! I went with a wolfboy reader because I had a lovely idea for this, I hope that's ok, anon!!

Please check my blog title to verify whether requests are closed or not! Thank you!

Bennett was on his way to Wolvendom for a commission, and a dangerous one at that. The Adventure's Guild posted a commission to investigate the outskirts of Wolvendom as there have been multiple disappearances lately. Several members of the guild had gone missing after attempting to trek through the forest as a shortcut. Remnants of shredded camping gear and clothing, shattered swords, broken weapons, food scraps, and traces of blood had cropped up in and around the famed area, causing quite a bit of panic to circulate within Monstadt

Ever the brave one, Bennett accepted the commission and pulled together a few other adventures to help him. But, as his luck usually plays out, all of them had something important come up at the last minute and they couldn't make it, leaving Bennett to take this on alone

So off he went, marching swiftly into the dark forest, home to many wolves and other woodland creatures. A single bead of sweat rolled down his cheek as the young man's trembling hands held the map that the guild had given to him, littered with markings and notes locating the pieces of evidence and routes that the adventurers had most likely taken

Staying past sunset was definitely not Bennett's plan, but he had been so focused on following trails that he lost track of the time. It was far too dark to navigate these woods alone and he did manage to pack camping gear...so making a fire and taking shelter was probably the smartest idea right now, despite the supposed danger lurking about. Bennett did the best he could do with the food packed for this journey, feeling content with dinner and quickly growing tired from the day's endeavors

A distant howling startled the poor boy, already a bit on edge due to the nature of his investigation. He wrapped his coat around his arms a little tighter, shivering from the cold night air. Another howl off to his right, still relatively far away, or at least that's what he assumed based on the low volume. Wolvendom was a beautiful forest, but it could become rather spooky at night. Especially to lonely adventurers

Lonely adventurers who had let their guard down, sitting with their back turned towards you...no weapons in sight, seemingly nodding off under the moonlight.... They were the perfect prey

“Aah- Mmph!” Bennett started to scream when a strong arm wrapped around his torso, pinning his arms against his body so that he couldn't fight back. A clawed hand swiftly muffled any sounds threatening to escape, preventing the struggling man from calling for help, not that anyone would come to the rescue though

“You humans are awfully persistent, aren't you?” you began, “How many of your kind have been killed and yet you still send more weaklings out here to their grave?” you scoffed, shaking your head at their sheer stupidity

“I mean, really...every few days I'm forced to tear another one apart because none of you will stay the fuck away from my territory.” A snarl punctuated your last words, your teeth nipping at the human's ear in the process. Bennett whimpered into your palm, on the verge of tears as you growled at him while he weakly struggled to break free. His efforts proved to be futile as your muscular arms kept him in place, pressed back against your chest while you tipped his head back further, exposing his throat and grazing your fangs against the skin

“Are you gonna be a good victim for me and keep your fucking mouth shut while I gut you?” You said, tossing the human onto the ground and hovering over his smaller frame, raising a clawed hand up as you were about to slash at him when he stammered out in fear, “Wait!! Waitwaitwaitplease– Please don't kill me!”

His shaky hands pressed against your chest in an attempt to hold you back, though you both knew it wouldn't work. “Please... C-can't we talk about th-is?” Bennett hiccuped, his body beginning to tremble more and more with every passing second. You contemplated his proposal for a minute, checking out his body in the meantime. He was an exceptionally beautiful human. While he was smaller than you his arms were rather toned, he also had the prettiest green eyes and fluffy white hair that was just begging you to pet it. Plus his scent was nice...like pine trees and campfire smoke with a little sweetness mixed in

A toothy grin made its way onto your face as you said, “Alright, then talk. Give me a good reason not to kill you.” The little purr in your voice sent a shiver crawling up the human's spine, gulping as he stuttered out nonsense in an attempt to come up with something that would convince you to spare him

Slowly, your hand creeped upwards until it encompassed the little human's throat, his weak grip finding its way to your wrist as his stammering grew quieter. “Ya know, it would be a shame to waste a pretty face like yours. Since you're having trouble convincing me of your worth, allow me to offer you a choice instead.”

Your breath fell on Bennett's cheek as you leaned in close and continued, “You will either become my mate and give your body over to me, or you become my dinner. What's it going to be, human?” Bennett's mind raced as your proposal swirled around in his head. M-mate?! What kind of mate?! I don't exactly trust this guy but...I d-don't have much of a choice here...

“O-ok...I'll be your...um, your mate...” The human said with uncertainty, gulping at the fanged smile growing on your face as you licked your lips. Immediately getting flipped onto his stomach and roughly held down by your hand on his spine. A strange pressure was now present on his bottom, it didn't hurt it just felt... weird. New, like nothing he has ever experienced before

“Gooood. Good boy. Mm, I'm going to enjoy breaking you in.” You growled above the man, grinding your hard-on in between his plump cheeks. Precum had already begun to spill inside of your pants from the excitement of finding a new mate after so long, and the way the bare member brushed against the fabric of your pants only caused more to leak out. Your cock ached to fill and knot someone's wet holes again, breeding them full of your pups night after night until they couldn't even walk. Scenting them so that no other would dare to touch them, unless the idiot wanted a painful death, that is

“Hah! Ow ow ow...too much...” Bennett whined. Your wandering thoughts caused you to claw into the poor thing's back tightly, cutting his skin in the process and spilling a bit of blood. Whoops. Attempting to apologize to your new mate, you leaned down and lapped at the new scratches, cleaning the blood off before kissing his back. This seemed to ease him a tiny bit as his fists unclenched slightly, exhaling a shaky breath when your lips touched his skin

“Sorry, I was jus' thinking about how good it's gonna feel when I sink into that tight hole of yours~” You groaned, fumbling with the human's belt until you were able to slip your hand down the front of his pants. Bennett let out a high-pitched gasp as his dick was touched for the first time, his legs involuntarily spreading to allow more room for you to stroke him

As your rough stroking pulled more whines and whimpers from the inexperienced man, your cock grew harder and began throbbing in the tight constraints of your clothing, begging to be let out to ravage the hole that you'd been dry humping this whole time. Not wanting to wait any longer, you released Bennett's smaller dick and undid your own belt, freeing your aching member with a hiss as the breeze hit your sensitive skin

“Keep that ass in the air for me, yeah?” You prompted, pulling his pants down so that his entrance was on full display. Biting your lip hard enough to nearly draw blood, your hands groped at his soft flesh as you spread his cheeks apart, spitting on the human's hole and rubbing it around until your thumb slipped in. A choked moan escaped from him as you breached the orifice, working in two fingers soon enough as he rocked his hips into your touch. You wrapped your hand around your own dick and jerked yourself off, imagining that the tightness of your fist was his ass

While Bennett was whining against the ground and thrusting back against your hand, you lined your cock up and swiftly replaced your fingers with it, pushing halfway inside with a loud, drawn-out groan, “Ooooohhh shiiiit...mhm, FUCK you're tight. ” As your nails dig into his soft hips, Bennett releases another high-pitched whine while his insides adjust to the intrusion, stretching in ways they never have before

You began thrusting shallowly into his hole, letting him get used to your girth at least a little bit before you bottomed out. The human's warm walls clenched around you and it felt like heaven; your cock dragging against his insides while you drooled above him. His hips would definitely be very bruised after tonight, but that thought had no place in your mind when you were fucking into your new precious mate

“Mm you feel so damn good. Taking my cock like this, fuck...” Your thrusts sped up as your climax approached hastily, fucking into Bennett's virgin ass like your life depended on it. Finally spilling your first load deep inside while his voice cracked from his place on the ground, delicious pleasure overtaking both of you as you remained buried within him

It wasn't long before you began to hump into his hole, humming while you carded your clawed fingers through the human's fluffy hair. The softness only lasted so long before your humping turned back into pounding his ass again. Bennett's hole was so wet from your previous round of cum that every thrust into him made squishy sounds, which enticed you to thrust harder just to hear those hot noises, soon emptying another fat load into his womb

“Ffffuuuck—!! You'll be a good breeding bitch, won't you? Hnnngh f-fuck– Gonna take more of my cum, yeah? Just. Like. That. ” You grunted directly into his ear, pressing against his back while you held his hips up so that you were still hitting him at the perfect angle to prevent your cum from spilling out

Bennett panted like a bitch in heat while more warm cum flooded his insides, gradually breaking his mind with each new load pumped into him. “Yeeess, sir... Y-yes...aaahh—!! ” His pretty moans filled the area while you relentlessly drilled into him, staining his guts with your seed so that no one else would even dream of breeding the little bitch. Meanwhile, your sharp teeth pierced his delicate shoulder in a fit of possessiveness, growling as you marked your mate on the outside too

The next couple hours carried on much the same, more cumshots fucked into the human's ass as you rutted into him. More bite marks littered all over his exposed skin. Letting your instincts take over as you relieved yourself after almost a year without a mate. Suffice to say that the unlucky adventurer wouldn't leave that forest for quite some time

Reblogs are extremely appreciated <3

#my writing #genshin impact smut #genshin smut #genshin x reader #genshin impact #genshin x male reader #bennett #genshin bennett #bennett x reader #bennett smut #sub bennett #male reader #dom reader #top reader #halloween specials 🎃 #requested #oneshot #wolfboy au #monster au

[iloveyouinred]

Albedo x Veterant Mountain Climber!Reader

𓇬♡ | Warning: NSFW, obsessive behavior, kidnaping, stalking, noncon, creampie, breeding, mention of pregnancy

𓇬♡ | Word Count: 1.5K

𓇬♡ | Notes:

*Track Point refers to the location along the mountain trail that being mark by reader on the map. This include camp and unique landscape that can be use as sign when climbing. (The only mountain i ever climb is the one in Genshin so..).

You should have come down the Dragonspine running the first time you notice his presence. Yet you were weighing your luck and started a bet with yourself. You were so close to the peak, and it takes you days to climb up the Dragonspine safely. Going down the mountain just because of your paranoia will take you days, and even more days to go back up again. So you were thinking, What if you finish the climbing and go down once you take a look at the peak of Dragonspine's greatview that you missed so dearly? The last time you saw it was years ago. What the worst that could happen really?

It was on one fine evening when you started to notice some other footstep on a trail you have passed. You never go back on your trail so if you didn't get lost and circled on the same spot that one time, you would never notice. You are nearing the peak of Dragonspine and you only notice now. It's impossible for someone to live in this secluded area of the mountain, and the trail was not familiar for other adventurers so whoever leaves a fresh footprint behind you must be either a lost adventurer or someone whose intent is to follow you. You are not sure why or how long this person has followed you, because you never once saw a fireplace being lit up in the area you ventured. Which is pretty strange remembering the fact that the Dragonspine chilly air only got more deadly in the night. And if you are not a pyro vision holder you would have died long time ago. So you are contemplating on how to confront this not so human figure that has been following you. Days you tried to set up some traps to lure the stalker out. Yet none of it seems to work. At some point you start to question yourself, was it really someone or was it your brain playing tricks on you? You get that once in a while, when venturing into areas with far too low temperature. So after a week of not sleeping properly, you finally give up for one night. After all, the pace of your movement has been slowed down just to set up some traps here and there, and lack of sleep is really taking a toll on you. So with one hit on your pillow you drifted off to the dreamland. Unaware of the man that is eyeing your sleeping figure. Admiring it as he always did for the past 5 years.

In the morning you wake up fully recharge. Your body feels warm, which is unusual, but it makes you move easier. You have a good feeling about today, so you set off early and start to climb to finish up the leftover trail, using your energy to its fullest. Soon before the sun fully set, you had reached the very peak of dragonspine. Taking in the beautiful view that you will not see again for several months or maybe years. By the time it's fully dark out, you have already climbed down some map track point. After all, the mountain peak might be pretty, but it was not the best place to set out a camp. You were planning to camp on the 3rd track point but uneasy feelings started to arise in your heart. So you continued climbing down the mountain. It was when you reached the 5th track point that you ran out of energy. With your breath running heavy and your feet start to grow numb. By that time the fear had fully worn off, being replaced with your tiredness. You can feel all parts of your body ache. It was understandable really. It would be weird if your body did not crash down already. Dwelling on your-not so much left-choices, you decided to build a simple tent to rest your body for the night. You were lying in your sleeping bag ready to black out when out of nowhere a hand wrapped around your neck. It was when you knew all of that sign and the bad feeling truly warned you of real things. But it was too late. As you struggled and choked on his hand, you caught a glimpse of what might be the most pretty face you had ever seen. Pale skin covered in deep red blush, a pair of sharp shappire bite down on you, and what seems to be fluffy blonde hair. A few strands of blonde hair fell on his face. Your tears flowed down your cheek before you lost consciousness.

Countless nights pass as you feel the sun rise once again by the cave entrance. Now he is bottoming you out. Shoving his length inside your gummy walls to meet your womb entrance, ignoring the bruises that start to appear by how many times your pussy being fucked. It's been what? Days? Weeks? You are unable to think clearly. And he won't let you. By how he always puts your head in the clouds. Sending your overly sensitive body to reach a chain of orgasm after orgasm. You were so full and he just seemed to never ran out of energy to fuck you just to fill you to the brim. Warmth that was never before given by the chilly mountain. And you are like a child eating sugar for the first time, the sin of feeling heaven on earth. That your mind cut short by yet another orgasm. You don't think you will get out of this cave alone or at least you must be pregnant with his kids, if only you ever get the chance to get out. He might not thinking the same thing, for he prefers to keep you by the warmth of his camp. Rather than seeing you running around the dangerous landscape, actively trying to kill yourself by overpushing your body pass its limit. Just like how you were that last night on the dragonspine peak. Climbing up in high fever and pushing yourself to go down another 7 track poin while your body has already trembled and stumbled along the snowy path. You did manage to build a simple camp, but with your condition that day. If he lets you sleep there you might as well join the Dragonspine frozen body collection.

You should be grateful. Now he won't let you experience that terrible cold anymore. If stuffing himself inside you as long as he can is the only way he will. Or he might just fuck you dumb so once he get you out of there, belly swollen with his kids, you will be the obedient mate of his. His little housewife that he keeps in a quiet village not far from Mondstadt. That will raise your kids and watch them grow while he stuffs you with another one. He will always make sure to fuck you days on end, and stuff you full so you will never forget and might as well start to crave the feeling of warmth he gives. Oh how he adores your face. Tears running down your cheeks as your mouth gasp open letting out some muffled moans through his finger that stuffed in there. Your eyes almost roll back to the back of your head by how good his length kissing your womb. Hand simultaneously rubbing your hard nipples. And how his soft kisses are raining on your face and neck. You would fool yourself into thinking he love you if not by the fact that you are being fuck into submission by him. Your body starts to gradually accept him, your legs hugging his waist and hand scratching his back. Taking another mind blowing orgasm as his cum filled your already stuffed womb. For the first time since he fuck you, he stop moving. Letting his length stay inside you as you swallow all his cum. You could feel your belly bloating by how overly filled your womb is. And you dont think your consciousness will hold on a bit longer, because once he slowly pulls all his length out leaving only its tip kissing your entrance, giving you a false hope on how he is stopping and letting your trembling body catch a rest for a bit. Only to slam it back in and start fucking you harder. You scream as the sudden high hits you before your body collapses. Trembling continuously as your consciousness drifts away.

#genshin impact #genshin smut #albedo smut #albedo kreideprinz #albedo x reader #genshin albedo #genshin x reader smut #genshin x reader #genshin x female reader #ruby'sfic #genshin x you #albedo genshin impact #albedo genshin #genshin x y/n #albedo headcanons #genshin impact smut #yandere albedo x reader #genshin noncon #genshin impact x female reader

[lynxmov]

Somehow Megatronus wanted to hold their meeting outside the dusty buildings, so they went camping. Orion was not happy with the chosen location

The humanization design of Megatronus belongs to @comet2i

#transformers optimus #transformers #transformers prime #tfp #tfp orion pax #orion pax #tfp megatron #megatron #megatronus #tfp megatronus #megop #tfp megop #artists on tumblr #art #sketch #humanization

[moveslikeanape]

#disney's tarzan #character: jane #Jane: Red Skirt #character: professor porter #character: clayton #Location: Human Camp #screencap

[therealslimshady]

PJO TEASER TRAILER BREAKDOWN

Percy on the empire State building elevator! One fun thing I noticed here is that he's wearing annabeth's beaded necklace (with her father's ring) along with his own 🥺

Ares fight ares fight!

Percy walking into cabin 3 for the first time! At first I thought might have been him going to see the Oracle given the bones.... and how spooky it looks.... but the windows and pillars match what we see of cabin 3 in the previous trailer. Man Percy wasn't kidding about how empty his cabin is

Based on the helmets, I'm assuming this takes place sometime during capture the flag

This has gotta be medusa

We all know what scene this is ;)

Originally I thought this was after the bus exploded and they were just wandering, but given it's a pine tree and the weird, almost human, shape of the trunk.... that's Thalia guys ;-; So this shot is from the very beginning of the quest right as they're leaving camp

Not sure exactly when this is, but I'd bet it's at camp halfblood after Percy wakes up

This shot has given me quite the headache. The next shot has to take place in the arch, but this one looks so similar to it I can't decide whether or not they're intended to be in the same location. But honestly, given the fact that the windows don't look anything like the inside of the arch (though of course they could just not care about realism there lol), the fact we've got Annabeth's stabbing something (though again, maybe it's not 100% faithful), and the way that it seems unlikely they'd put two shots from the same scene back to back in a trailer, I'm thinking this could be on the bus with Mrs. Dodds.

This shot definitely takes place in St. Louis arch due to the curving of the floor and the big ol' monster.

Minotaur attacking the car scene :( There's Percy's mom :(

Based on the location, I'm pretty sure this takes place around the same time as the Ares fight

#I edited this post bc I changed my mind about one scene so if you've see another version of this post that's slightly different that's why #Pjo #percy jackson #annabeth chase #grover underwood #percy jackson and the olympians #Pjo tv #pjo tv show #No imagine description #My post

[mariacallous]

Six months into the Russian occupation of the Ukrainian city of Kherson, in September 2022, the director of Liza Batsura’s college arrived at the dormitory where Batsura lived and told the students to pack up their things: They were going to Crimea. If the students refused, they would be put in the basement, Batsura said, speaking through a translator. The director gave no further explanation.

The next evening, they were taken to a camp called “Friendship” in Crimea, which was occupied by Russia in 2014. Although she couldn’t have known it at the time, Batsura—now 16 years old—was one of almost 20,000 children the Ukrainian government estimates have been deported or forcibly displaced to Russia. Only 388 have been returned.

Initially, the prospect of a couple of weeks by the sea didn’t sound so bad. But Batsura quickly began to realize that that wouldn’t be the case. The food was terrible, the days were long, and the children were pressured to sing Russian songs, including the national anthem, which made her very uncomfortable.

Foreign Policy is unable to independently verify Batsura’s account, but her experience closely tracks with the findings of investigations by the United Nations as well as researchers at Yale School of Public Health and other human rights groups who have documented a “systematic” effort to relocate and reeducate thousands of Ukrainian children over the course of the war. She also recounted her story to Reuters as part of an extensive investigation into the deportations.

Batsura was one of five Ukrainian teenagers who visited Washington last month with representatives of Save Ukraine, a Ukraine-based nonprofit that helps to rescue Ukrainian children from Russia and the territories it occupies. They stoically recounted the stories of their abductions again and again for journalists, members of Congress, and attendees at public events.

It was the group’s first visit to Washington. Batsura felt like she was in a movie, she said.

With long limbs and round cheeks, the teenagers filed into the conference room of a Washington-based nonprofit with their minders from Save Ukraine for an interview with Foreign Policy. Once the Wi-Fi password had been secured and the bathroom located, they began to tell their stories.

They were teenagers like any other you’d see hanging out with friends at a cafe or shopping mall. Yet they were also victims of Moscow’s large-scale deportation of Ukrainian children—a potential war crime and the reason that the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and the country’s children’s rights commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, in March 2023.

Like Batsura, they all hail from regions of eastern Ukraine that were quickly occupied by Russian forces in the early days of the war. They recount being coerced or forced, sometimes at gunpoint, to go with Russian forces, and they were taken to schools and summer camps where they were held for several months and faced pressure to accept Russian citizenship.

In many instances, Ukraine’s most vulnerable children have borne the brunt of Russian deportation. Before the war, Ukraine had one of the highest rates of child institutionalization in Europe, with more than 100,000 children living in residential institutions. The vast majority have living parents but were placed in institutions because of poverty, difficult family circumstances, or because the child had a disability, according to Human Rights Watch.

The deportations have been carried out in plain sight. Early in the war, Putin signed a decree making it easier for Ukrainian children to be adopted and to be given Russian citizenship. Lvova-Belova herself claims to have adopted a teenager from the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol, and she has spoken publicly about her efforts to Russify him. In November, a BBC investigation found that a 2-year old girl who went missing from a children’s home in Kherson when she was just 10 months old had been adopted by 70-year-old member of the Russian parliament, Sergey Mironov.

Lvova-Belova has made a number of visits to institutions holding Ukrainian children, including to a college in the occupied Ukrainian city of Henichesk, where Batsura had been transferred from Crimea and placed in a culinary arts program.

The dormitory where Batsura was placed was freezing cold at night, she said, and the teenagers were forbidden to close the doors to their rooms. Russian troops patrolled the halls.

Lvova-Belova offered the children 100,000 rubles, roughly $1,000, and the opportunity to study at a college in Russia on the condition that they remain there. Batsura refused. Officials tried to find her a foster family, and she feared she would be sent to a remote region of Russia and would never be able to return to Ukraine.

For eight months while she was in Russian custody, Batsura had been unable to contact her mother, but she learned through a friend that her mother was working with Save Ukraine and applying for a passport so that she could travel to Russia and collect her.

With the border to Russia closed since the invasion, families face a daunting overland journey through wartime Ukraine, traveling into Poland, Belarus, and then Russia and—in Batsura’s case—down into occupied Ukrainian territory.

In some instances, children are turned over to their relatives without too much difficulty once the family members arrive to collect them, but the Russian authorities have also been known to present obstacles, said Olha Yerokhina, a spokesperson for Save Ukraine. The organization has helped families retrieve 240 children to date.

Officials at the school told Batsura that the journey was too arduous and that her friend was giving her false hope that her mother would ever arrive. “I didn’t believe them, and I kept telling myself that ‘No, my mom can do it, my mom will come,’” she said.

In May 2023, Batsura was rescued by her mother and now lives with her in Kyiv, where she is working with psychologists to process her experience. She is back in school and describes her hobbies as writing poems and making TikTok videos.

I asked her, given the atrocities that Putin has been accused of committing in Ukraine and during his presidency, how she felt about the fact that it was experiences like hers that had led the ICC to issue an arrest warrant for the Russian leader.

Yerokhina, who acted as our translator, interrupted to say that because she was rescued after the court order was issued, Batsura had likely missed the news about the ICC arrest warrant.

After Yerokhina explained the court’s decision, Batsura said, “It’s just.”

[cegantheayugipi]

Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better (Xiao x Reader Smut)

An Enemies to Lovers smut oneshot

WARNING: 18+ CONTENT BELOW THE CUT, MINORS DNI!!

Tags include: hate sex, no foreplay, angst, breeding, loss of virginity, competitive sex, post nut depression, soft ending, Xiao being Xiao

Xiao was furious. Again.

At the report of monsters in Dihua Marsh, Xiao rushed to the scene to eliminate them. This was merely part of his Adeptal duties – he protected all mortals in Bishui Plain and beyond. As ordered by Rex Lapis, he would not allow any human to come to harm while under his watch… However, for the past several nights, Xiao would reach a location reported to have monsters only to find their scattered corpses.

And not only would the monsters be completely eliminated, but they would be struck down with no traces of elemental power whatsoever. The poor Yaksha consulted all remaining Adepti, and none of them knew what could be responsible for such a feat other than some fluke or natural disaster. Still, night after night, Xiao would be frustrated upon reaching the scene. He would be mere minutes too late to catch whoever seemed to be disrespecting him, taunting him, telling him over and over just how slow and incompetent he was at his own job.

At the report of monsters in Dihua Marsh, Xiao rushed to the scene to eliminate them. This was merely part of his Adeptal duties – he protected all mortals in Bishui Plain and beyond. As ordered by Rex Lapis, he would not allow any human to come to harm while under his watch… However, for the past several nights, Xiao would reach a location reported to have monsters only to find their scattered corpses.

And not only would the monsters be completely eliminated, but they would be struck down with no traces of elemental power whatsoever. The poor Yaksha consulted all remaining Adepti, and none of them knew what could be responsible for such a feat other than some fluke or natural disaster. Still, night after night, Xiao would be frustrated upon reaching the scene. He would be mere minutes too late to catch whoever seemed to be disrespecting him, taunting him, telling him over and over just how slow and incompetent he was at his own job.

Still baffled by yet another impossible feat, Xiao wandered through the remnants of the hilichurl camp. He seethed at his incompetence; this would be the last time he’d miss anything like this. 

“Help! There’s Geovishaps!”

A voice tickled Xiao’s ears, and his head immediately shot up.

“I won’t miss it this time,” Xiao muttered. His superhuman senses told him exactly how far away this call came from. He disappeared from the field, leaving behind only black wisps of smoke. 

In an instant, the Yaksha had traversed hundreds of meters to the source of the voice, only to watch the earthen monsters be beaten into dust by a blindingly fast flash of metal.

“What?!” Xiao blurted out, his mouth falling open as he watched a small figure – a human – destroy the monsters with efficient strikes of a claymore.

And what was worse, the human had no traces of elemental abilities whatsoever. Their claymore fractured the earthen ground as they struck the monsters over and over, a testament to their power.

Meanwhile, Xiao simply stared, too shocked to take over in the fight.

“Hyaa!” You screamed, flexing your shoulders as you wound up for your final attack. The metal of your greatsword sung into the night as it struck down the monsters and embedded itself into the damp earth.

The stony Geovishap bones scattered across the ground, mere remnants of the monsters that terrorized the mountainside only minutes prior.

Now that the monsters were defeated, a silence fell over the area. You listened to your own rapid breathing as you recovered from such strenuous work. Wrapping one hand around the hilt of your claymore, you pulled it out of the ground and inspected it for damage. As you did so, you failed to notice the enraged Yaksha, who seethed at you.

“YOU!” Xiao roared, making you jump from surprise. You spun on your heels to face him. “You’re the one who is killing MY monsters!”

“Who said they were yours to kill?” You scoffed, sticking your giant blade back into the ground and crossing your arms over your chest. “From the way you look, it seems like you’re an Adeptus. I guess they really are stuck up old fogeys.”

“Stop trying to do my job,” Xiao spoke through gritted teeth. “You’re a weak mortal. Killing monsters is a job for the Adepti, not humans.”

“You’re the one who’s taking too long to even get to the monsters,” You stated with a shrug. “Maybe it’s time to retire, you’re getting slow.” 

Xiao let out a growl at your insinuation. Rather than snap back at you, however, he turned his head to the side, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

You rolled your eyes as you watched him disappear. A couple of villagers who witnessed the fight stood there in shock as you turned around and began to walk down the path away from them.

“Onto the next field, then,” You muttered to yourself.

~~~

Aether and Lumine frequented Wangshu Inn during their travels, and knowing their elusive Adeptus friend lived there, they often tried to talk to him – whether it be luring him out with almond tofu, or calling for him until he would get too annoyed to ignore them any longer.

Although they thought Xiao acted this way towards everyone, the twins had no clue that they were the only mortals in all of Teyvat that Xiao would ever willingly interact with. They were the closest thing to a ‘friend’ the Yaksha had in a while.

Aether was speaking to Verr Goldet about any requests she might have for the day. The sun had just breached the horizon, and the two travelers were already at the front desk of the inn, eager to go out and explore the area for the day.

While waiting for her brother to finish speaking, Lumine looked up through the main foyer of the inn to see Xiao ascending the staircase towards the top.

“Hey, Xiao! There you are!” She called, but received no acknowledgement from the Adeptus.

Aether turned when he heard his sister speak. “Xiao?” Aether called, but the twins merely watched as he continued to ignore them both. The reclusive Adeptus walked through a door at the top of the stairs, slamming it behind him.

The twins exchanged glances, wondering why he would act that way, and Aether gave his sister a nonchalant shrug.

“Maybe he’s busy. We can talk to him later.”

~~~

The next night, Xiao was determined to defeat the monsters that lurked throughout Bishui Plain and Qiongli Estuary before you could even get there. He stayed on high alert, traveling north through Dihua Marsh and clearing out Hilichurl camps before they would become a problem for the nearby villages.

As an Adeptus, he didn’t need rest… he could slay monsters for days on end without needing a break. He was determined to prove he was infinitely more capable at slaying monsters than you were.

“Weak!” He exclaimed, pitching his spear through a Mitachurl’s chest. He watched as the beast crumpled to the ground, defeated. The seething Adeptus wrenched the polearm out of the dead Mitachurl’s rib cage, bringing with it a spray of blood.

Xiao didn’t need to look around to know that all of the monsters had been killed – he simply walked onwards down the path to the next camp he would come across.

However, in the distance, he spotted blackened earth and trails of smoke that rose into the night air. Confused, he teleported towards the location, arriving only to see yet another destroyed monster camp.

You had already been there.

Xiao’s hands balled into fists as he turned slowly in a circle, examining the elemental traces…

A Pyro Abyss Mage, an Electro Samachurl… and half a dozen Hilichurls. 

Next to the smoldering remnants of the monsters’ campfire, a Samachurlian staff had been stuck into the ground. Attached at the top of the staff, a daintily handwritten paper note fluttered in the late evening breeze.

‘You’re rusty ;)’

Xiao let out a growl so frustrated and enraged that if anyone nearby had heard it, they would confuse him with the monsters he killed.

~~~

“Why do you seem more cheerless than usual, Alatus?” The serene voice of Cloud Retainer echoed across the peaks of Mt. Aocang. The mystical Crane perched elegantly on a rocky precipice of Qingyun peak, her gold and white feathers glowing in the late-afternoon light.

Xiao had visited his fellow Adeptus to retrieve powerful medicinal herbs which only grew in Jueyun Karst. Cloud Retainer had stored them in a latched wooden box, waiting for the time he would come by to take them. 

“I do not wish to talk about it,” Xiao responded curtly, causing Cloud Retainer to lean closer towards his face.

“You also appear to be fatigued. Have you not been resting properly?” Cloud Retainer questioned.

“Adepti have no need for rest,” Xiao responded, looking away from the prying Adeptus.

“Is it because of that mortal who has been purging the land of monsters?” Cloud Retainer mused, fluttering her wings as she adjusted her feathers.

Xiao scoffed, “Nonsense.”

“They are quite the aid to Liyue. The mortal has even rid Jueyun Karst of treasure hoarders.”

“WHAT?!” Xiao exclaimed, turning back around to face the Adeptus’s aviary form. “When?!”

“About a week ago.”

Xiao’s mind reeled. Every single night he had watched with near-helplessness as you cleared out monster camps in Western Liyue faster than he could find them. He had no idea how you could possibly do this in Eastern Liyue at the same time.

“One despises mortals who tread on the sacred land of the Adepti. However, this mortal is more than just an exception. One would like to invite such an honorable person for tea. Perhaps One should invite Morax as well, and One can teach such a child about the ways of the Adepti.”

Cloud Retainer’s rambling only made Xiao seethe with anger. How could Cloud Retainer consider you honorable when you were stealing the job of an Adeptus so blatantly?

“I must go. Farewell.”

Xiao’s blunt statement was as courteous as he could possibly make it. Too furious to wait for a response from Cloud Retainer, he teleported back to Wangshu Inn with the package of herbs in his hands.

Verr Goldet looked up from her desk as she felt the wind shift in the air. Xiao had appeared before her. 

“Oh, Xiao, you’re already back.” The Inn Owner smiled. “Thank you for fetching the herbs for me. I’ll prepare your medicine promptly.” Xiao didn’t respond as he stalked towards the desk, dropping the package onto the oak surface and teleporting away once again.

Verr looked down in shock, wondering why Xiao would seem even more irritated than usual. She knew he hated visiting the front desk in the Inn’s main foyer due to the number of humans that usually filled the room.

However, it didn’t seem to be as busy as usual, so it left her even more baffled. To top it off, Verr looked down to realize the wooden box had been splintered from the intensity of Xiao’s grip.

~~~

This time, Xiao was more determined than ever to prove to you that patrolling the countryside was a job meant for Adepti only. Humans were frail, and Xiao was certain you would slip up at some point.

The night was incredibly clear. Xiao could see all the way across Liyue from his perch atop the roof of Wangshu Inn. He looked out towards Guyun Stone Forest, admiring the vast remnants of the Archon war and lasting proof of Morax's power.

Something glimmered along the coast of Yaoyang Shoal. At this distance, Xiao couldn’t tell if it was a glimmer of moonlight reflecting off of the sea or if it was something more.

Not willing to take any chances, he teleported to the sandy beach.

As he arrived, he realized he was right – amongst the scattered remnants of Khaen’rian Ruin Guards were some that were still active. How they could survive centuries of deterioration and the elements was a question for someone else. 

Xiao was simply here to destroy them.

The ruin guards began to wake up, clambering to their feet with the screeching metal and whirring engines.

Spinning his spear in one hand, Xiao prepared to strike one ruin guard down when a flash of silver caught his eye. He barely had time to register the claymore that shot straight into the Ruin Guard’s core, impaling the machinery and causing the monster to collapse to the ground. Sparks flew from the core as it sputtered and the ruin guard began to die. 

You leapt down from one of the rock faces that dotted the shoal, landing on the ruin guard to wrench your blade from its core.

Xiao let out a low growl, shocked and enraged by your sudden appearance.

“Wow, you actually found the monsters before me this time,” You laughed darkly, moving onto the next ruin guard.

“Worthless!” Xiao shouted, turning to fight a third one that had awoken.

“Easy now, old man.” You shouted between clangs of metal against metal. Sparks flew into the air as your claymore screeched against the reinforced armor of the ruin guard. You jumped from place to place, the muscles in your back flexing beneath your skin as you wound up to strike at a weak point.

Xiao growled as he fought the other ruin guard. He gripped his polearm so tightly he was worried he might break it… But that was the least of his problems. With a gust of wind, he launched himself into the shoulder of the ruin guard, breaking its arm off in one clean strike. Arcs of electricity sparked across the joint, stunning the machine and preventing it from fighting back. With several more quick jabs of his spear, Xiao was able to cut down the automaton.

As soon as the Ruin Guard was no longer a threat, Xiao spun around to attack the next one – only to see a beach of scattered metal parts. He gawked at the destruction, shocked that you were able to defeat two ruin guards so quickly.

“Man, whatever metal these Automatons are made of sure wear out blades fast.” You sighed, running your fingers down the side of your claymore.

“You don’t have a vision. How do you find monsters so fast without elemental sight?” Xiao demanded, stalking towards you.

“If you actually looked at the Adventurer’s Guild bulletin in Liyue Harbor, you’d be able to see where all the monster and enemy sightings are.” You rolled your eyes. “But you’re too busy being a recluse, trying to do everything without any outside help. And definitely not making any money either!”

You lifted your blade above your head, shoulders and biceps flexing as you lowered it into the holder on your back. Of course, since you weren’t gifted with elemental power, you couldn’t create a subspace pocket for your belongings. That meant carrying around your ridiculously large and heavy greatsword wherever you traveled.

“This isn’t a job for mortals. It is the duty of the Adepti,” Xiao seethed as he stared at you intensely.

“Duty of the Adepti, my ass!” You scoffed, dusting some sand off of your shoulder. “Liyue is rife with monsters that would go unchecked if it weren’t for adventurers like me.” 

“Mortals cannot be tasked with killing monsters. It’s too dangerous.” Xiao pressed, stepping closer to you.

“Then why am I so much better at it than you are?” You smirked.

Xiao’s eyes widened suddenly, and you thought you had finally gotten through to the stubborn Yaksha. However, instead of snapping back or continuing to argue, Xiao roughly pushed past you as an orange glow filled your vision.

“Watch out!” He exclaimed. You turned around just in time to see Xiao use his polearm to swipe away a magical fireball that had been hurtling towards you. A sinister high-pitched cackle filled your ears, telling you exactly what it was.

“Abyss mages!” You exclaimed, instinctively reaching over your shoulders for the handle of your greatsword. Pyro and Electro Abyss Mages had shown up out of nowhere, laughing and taunting the two of you from behind their spheres of elemental shields.

Xiao immediately attacked both of them with his polearm that he infused with Anemo. You grew frustrated as you watched him effortlessly use the Abyss Mages’ own elements against themselves thanks to the wind’s power.

As someone never gifted with a vision, you could do little against Abyss Mages with just a claymore. Instead, you turned around and ran towards the ocean. Swinging your claymore backwards like a bat, you used its flat edge to splash into the water, sending a wave towards the Abyss Mages and drenching them.

“What are you doing?!” Xiao exclaimed, confused.

“Work smarter, not harder!” You responded, used to using your surroundings to your own advantage. “Now swirl them!”

Xiao growled, begrudgingly doing as you requested. The Pyro shield broke first – you immediately took advantage of the Mage’s sudden weakness, sending it into the next life with a single strike.

The Yaksha wasn’t far behind with killing the Electro mage… In mere seconds, the beach was silent once more. All you could hear was the gentle rush of the tide that rose and ebbed along the sandy shore.

Xiao turned to face you, appearing as though he was about to shout at you again. You crossed your arms over your chest, staring at him, refusing to show any sort of weakness towards the Adeptus.

However, before he could open his mouth, he turned away from you and disappeared in a cloud of dark smoke and wind.

“Asshole.” You grumbled, frowning.

~~~

The teal-haired Yaksha appeared in his small room at the top of Wangshu Inn. It was sparsely furnished, with only a bed, a table and chairs. The wooden floorboards and walls were thin and creaked with each footstep. Despite Verr Goldet offering a suite for the Yaksha to live in, Xiao preferred the attic. Here, he could see all of Dihua Marsh from his window… and he preferred a room far away from guests or any other humans. At the top of the building, it felt less like an inn and more like a treehouse. The ancient tree’s branches grew through one side of the room, its bark poking out of the wooden planks and running from floor to ceiling.

Despite usually enjoying his little piece of serenity at the center of Liyue’s marshes, Xiao had arrived irate.

“INCOMPETENT!” Xiao roared, throwing his spear down in a fit of anger. Its shaft clattered against the floorboards as the weapon slid across the room, its blade embedding itself into the bark of the exposed tree trunk at the far wall.

Xiao was too furious to acknowledge that Verr Goldet would most certainly be heartbroken if she ever saw the damage he caused to the tree. He was too furious to eat, sleep, or do most things these days. All he wanted was for you to stop doing his job.

~~~

Your treks through the mountainside had been boring for the past couple of nights. Smirking to yourself, you thought that perhaps you were simply too good at killing monsters. You passed your time traveling from monster sighting to monster sighting, finding little to entertain you in-between.

Thus, when you heard the sound of fighting in the distance, the smirk on your face grew into a  grin.

You rushed down the path towards the fighting, finding yourself in front of a very large hilichurl camp. At the center, a furious Xiao tore through the crowds of monsters, shrouded by a cloud of black smoke.

“It’s about time something interesting happened!” You exclaimed, drawing your greatsword and jumping into the fray.

Xiao noticed you approaching in an instant. “No- stay away!” he exclaimed, launching backwards as he attempted to continue fighting. He jumped into the air before diving back down, raining ethereal spears down from the sky. They impaled all of the Hilichurls around him, killing them almost immediately. Xiao’s face was obscured by a black mask as black wisps of smoke continued to swirl around him. You had never seen elemental power like this before, so you couldn't help but stare for a moment before going back to fight on your own.

“When will you realize humans can be just as good at fighting?” You exclaimed, swinging at a Mitachurl that blocked you with its shield.

You didn’t receive a response – you finished off the Mitachurl and turned around to see Xiao struggling with the Hilichurls.

“Off your game today?” You taunted, jumping into the fight to help.

With your powerful swings, you made quick work of the remaining monsters. When all of them had finally been killed, you turned to face Xiao only to see him with one knee on the ground, relying on his polearm for support. The black wisps of smoke had increased in intensity, swirling around the Yaksha’s body like a miniature maelstrom.

“Are you alright?” You asked, reaching out to offer him a hand.

“Don’t touch me!” Xiao exclaimed sharply, making you take a step back.

His curt statement was enough to finally make you snap.

“Okay, I’ve had it up to here with you!” You raised your fist and shook it at the stubborn Adeptus, anger boiling over within you. “What is wrong with you? All the gods, the Adepti, the Yakshas embody immortality and superiority over humans. And for what? None of you really protect the land. None of you really care about the humans who live here!”

“That’s not true.” Xiao muttered, groaning as he used his polearm to pull himself to his feet. “We do care-”

“If Morax really cared, my family would still be alive! If he gave half a damn then maybe he would have punished the people who killed them!” You were irate, and now nothing could stop the dam that had broken loose as you raged.

“You…” Xiao was bewildered as you continued to rant. While the torment of his Karmic Debt was severe that evening, he suddenly couldn’t feel the pain at all as he processed what you were saying.

“I’ve trained day after day to become stronger and avenge my family because nobody else would. If any of the gods cared at all, I’d at least have a vision after everything I’ve been through and everything I do for Liyue!”

“What…” Xiao’s voice wavered as his grip on his polearm faltered.

“So fuck the Archons, fuck the Adepti, and fuck you!” Your face was bright red as you shouted. You were completely unaware of the way Xiao swayed where he stood, too consumed by anger to notice something was wrong with him.

“I-” Xiao groaned as his knees finally buckled. You weren’t exactly sure what you were seeing as you watched the mask disappear from Xiao’s face, revealing his amber eyes that rolled back in his head as he lost consciousness.

You caught him instinctively, not sure what to do with a fainting Yaksha. After a moment, however, you shouted as burning hot pain flashed across your skin.

“Ah! What the hell?!” you looked down at yourself to see the black wisps of smoke lapping at your irritated skin. Whatever this ability was, it seemed to hurt humans.

“You fucking idiot Yaksha!” You exclaimed, suppressing every urge to throw him and gently setting his body on the ground.

“Miss Goldet… the herbs…” You heard Xiao half-consciously mutter.

“Goldet? Verr Goldet of Wangshu Inn?” You asked Xiao, leaning down to stare at the expression of agony on his face.

“The medicine… at the inn,” Xiao whimpered.

You had never heard a sound like that come from an Adeptus. Your heart began to race as you realized the situation was dire. You were hours away from the inn by foot, and weren’t sure how long the poor Yaksha had before whatever was affecting him would kill him.

Your skin still seared with pain from what little contact you had with him, so you looked around you for the best thing you could do.

You scrambled across the ground, tying together bloodied hilichurl furs and fabrics to fashion a makeshift rope. You looped it under Xiao’s arms and around his chest, deciding that dragging him back to the inn would be your best chance.

You could feel the stabbing pain of the black wisps that licked at your fingers as you gripped the furs. You persevered, attempting to drag him back to the inn. While he may be a small Adeptus, he was certainly not light… After dragging him for several feet, you let out  a sigh of disdain as you unsheathed your claymore and stuck it into the dusty ground. You could only hope nobody would come to steal it as you continued your way along the rolling hills and plains of Liyue.

Without your bulky and heavy greatsword, you found that you could pick up your pace to a slow jog. Despite being battle-trained and strong, your hands and arms began to ache as Wangshu Inn grew in the distance. You cursed yourself for not having the capabilities of the Adepti, being forced to travel by foot.

“Menogias… you need to tell them…” You heard Xiao mumble, half-conscious, squirming against the rope that you carried him by.

“Come on, short stuff. You can make it.” You grunted, picking up the pace. You weren’t sure if you were trying to encourage him or yourself.

It wasn’t long after that when you found yourself at the foot of the huge tree that held the inn. There were a couple of people around you who spotted such an uncanny situation, a young human dragging an unconscious Adeptus that had a whirlwind of black smoke enshrouding himself.

“Is that the Yaksha?”

“Who is that adventurer?”

“What’s going on?”

The murmurs of people who surrounded you began to grow as you ran across the wooden porch and up the stairs to the main foyer of the Inn. Your legs and arms ached as you dragged Xiao up the stairs, but you were more concerned about whether Xiao would be alright.

As you reached the spacious lobby, you spotted the blonde innkeeper behind the front desk.

“Verr Goldet!” You exclaimed, “Can you help?”

“Xiao!” The innkeeper exclaimed, her eyes going wide as she rushed over to the two of you. “His Karmic Debt- I need to get his medicine!” 

Verr Goldet scrambled across the room towards the kitchen, for what you were assuming was the medicine to help with whatever this burning smoke was.

“Xiao…” You murmured. “So that’s your name.”

You began to slowly unwind the ropes from around his torso, the sting of the malicious smoke no longer a deterrent to you.

Feet scuffled across the room as Verr returned, a glass vial of medicine in one hand. She knelt beside Xiao and reached towards his face, but quickly recoiled when the black wisps licked at her fingers.

“Ahh, that hurts!” She exclaimed. “How can I make him drink this?” 

“Here, give me the medicine.” You held out one hand, and Verr hesitantly placed the vial into your palm.

You worked quickly, gritting your teeth as you harshly grabbed Xiao’s jaw and forced it open, pouring the medicine in then shutting his mouth afterwards. When it was all done, you recoiled and shook your hands vigorously to rid yourself of the searing pain – only a couple of seconds of contact were enough to leave angry red marks traveling from your fingertips up your forearms.

“Did you just-” Verr stuttered, staring at your inflamed skin. She turned around and shouted back into the kitchen. “Smiley, get the first aid kit!”

“I’m fine.” you scoffed. “What even is this black smoke anyway? I’ve never seen an elemental ability like this.”

“That’s because it’s not an elemental ability.” Verr responded, her tone ever-so-slightly melancholic. “It’s Karmic Debt that Xiao had accumulated over millennia of slaughter. He’s the only Yaksha left… the rest have all died because of it.”

The breath in your lungs fell still as you heard this.

“He regularly takes medicine to abate the symptoms, but recently he’s been acting strange… he hasn’t been eating, has barely come back to the inn at all, and hasn’t taken any medicine in weeks…”

Your breath came back to you as you murmured, “weeks…?”

Mind reeling, you sat back on your heels. Was Xiao acting this way because you taunted him and told him he wasn’t as good at killing monsters as you were?

“Hey, show me your hand.” A concerned Smiley knelt beside you, opening up a wooden box filled with first aid supplies. You complied absentmindedly, too busy thinking as you stared down at the unconscious Yaksha before you.

~~~

Not long after you had given Xiao the medicine, the toxic wisps of Karmic Debt subsided enough for him to be moved out of the foyer and into one of the bedrooms. Verr offered you a place to stay while you recovered, and despite your protests, she demanded that you at least stay one night to rest after everything that happened.

So here you sat, on the soft mattress of a luxurious bed, staring out a window at the beautiful Dihua Marsh. Moonlight reflected off the peaceful waters and cast a glow across the landscape.

Verr Goldet was kind to have offered up one of her guest rooms for you to stay in. But while you were given such a nice room to stay in, you felt like you couldn’t truly rest – your mind still reeled from what you had learned earlier that evening.

Shaking your head, you decided that this was enough. You stood up and began to put your holster back on, deciding that you should go back to retrieve your Claymore and then continue hacking and slashing your way through the monsters of Liyue. Only then, in the throes of combat, you felt you might be able to shake off this feeling of uneasiness.

You began to walk towards the door when the air shifted in the room, a familiar figure appearing in front of you without warning.

“Are you trying to leave?” Xiao spoke, his amber gaze boring into you, his brows pinching together.

“Why do you care?” You scoffed. “You should still be resting. You were in a lot of trouble today.”

“That’s none of your business.” Xiao retorted.

“None of my business?” Your voice rose into a shout as you waved your hands at him. “You nearly died! Hell, you would have died if I didn’t bring you back here!”

Xiao’s eyes caught onto the bandages that wrapped both of your hands and forearms. His eyes trailed up, realizing there were red marks that peeked out from where the bandages stopped. He instinctively reached out to them, knowing exactly what it was.

“Did you come close to me while-”

“Get your hands off of me!” You screamed, slapping away his hand. Xiao froze, his eyes wide.

You let out a frustrated and animalistic growl as you stepped towards Xiao, making him take a step backwards to get away from you.

“You’re…”

You took another step, making Xiao move further backwards.

“Such a…”

Another step forwards for you, and another step backwards for Xiao.

“Fucking IDIOT!” 

Xiao tried to step backward again, but found his back against the door to the room. The look in his eyes made it seem like a million emotions were passing through his mind at once. But you didn’t care – you were mad at him, at the archons, at the evil that plagued the land of Liyue. You were furious that Xiao had pushed himself so far that he was overwhelmed by his Karmic Debt. You were even more furious that his sworn duty to Morax was to put himself into such a situation. Your heart twisted and wrenched at the thought of the Yakshas falling one after the other because of such devotion to their Archon.

In your fit of anger, your hand flew up to Xiao’s neck and pinned him against the wall. His mouth dropped open, body completely freezing up as he felt your bandaged fingers against his skin.

You paused for a moment, staring into his amber eyes. There was so much that had gone unsaid between the two of you, so much tension, hatred, fear…

You let out a low growl, your head tipping forwards until your lips crashed into his.

Xiao’s heart stopped as he felt your soft lips collide with his. You were so close to him, he could feel the heat that radiated from your skin. This sudden intimacy bewildered him, and his mind began to reel as your free hand snaked up to cup his cheek. This sort of action was something he had only seen between people who loved each other dearly. It sent his mind back to the times he would catch his fellow Yakshas Menogias and Bonanus stealing a moment of embrace or sharing a tender and intimate kiss. It was something he didn’t understand… although he wanted to. 

Xiao’s mind flashed to a gruesome scene: driven to insanity by the Karmic Debt they had accumulated, Menogias and Bonanus fought each other to the death.

“Stop.” Xiao twisted his head, breaking away from the kiss.

Your eyes snapped open as Xiao wrenched himself away from you. Your eyes scanned across his face, searching for a reason why he’d withdraw like this.

“Why…” Xiao muttered. “Why are you doing this?”

You made the most baffling expression at Xiao’s question. Your hands balled into fists at your sides, the frustration only continuing to build inside of you.

“Because I like you, dumbass!” You responded angrily, slamming one fist into the door beside his head. 

“You…” Xiao spoke, his voice trailing off, his eyes fixating on your lips once again. 

This time, he began to lean closer to you, his lips delicately brushing against yours as if he were afraid to hurt you.

You smirked, hands moving to cup his cheeks as you pulled him into the kiss.

Things quickly became heated as your lips moved against his, your hands eagerly roaming over his body. Xiao could feel the hunger in your embrace, the desire you radiated… He felt the same, overwhelmed by the nostalgic sense of comfort you gave him despite being a visionless mortal… You were someone Xiao never thought he would feel such a way about. Previously, he looked down on all humans because of their fragility and their brief lifespans, but you changed all of that with the way you seemed to run laps around him as you killed the monsters he was meant to be killing.

You grabbed onto Xiao’s wrist, forcing it against the wall above his head. The Yaksha let out the slightest gasp at your forceful action, his other hand sliding down your waist and gripping tight enough to turn your body when he slid one knee between your legs.

Your eyes went wide for a moment as he overpowered you, turning your body so now it was your back against the wall. You let go of his wrist in surprise, and he took that moment to pin your arms against the wooden wall.

However, you wouldn’t let yourself be overpowered so easily. With a grunt, you used one leg to kick at Xiao’s knee, destabilizing him and knocking him backward. As he fell, he let go of your arms which allowed you to snake one around the back of his head, cushioning his fall as you knocked him down to the floor.

You landed on top of Xiao, your arms and knees placed in a way where none of your weight was on him. You sat up on your knees and stared down at the blushing Yaksha as you began to undo your clothes.

“What are you d-”

“Take off your clothes, asshole.” You grumbled, throwing your shirt down on the floor.

When Xiao didn’t comply, and only looked up at you with a bewildered expression, you rolled your eyes and dipped your head back down to lock lips with him. Your hands roamed over his torso, sliding down to his waist, fingering at his belt.

Xiao froze as he felt your hand slip beneath the belt. You deftly undid the tie that held it together, allowing your hand to slide further down and palm his crotch.

“Ah-” Xiao’s eyes widened, a deep blush spreading across his cheeks.

You felt him twitch inside his pants, his member stiffening as your fingers ran across it.

Nobody had ever done this kind of thing to Xiao before. He didn't know how to act – his only knowledge of actions like this were from centuries ago, when he caught Menogias and Bonanus in a similar sort of position, clothes strewn aside… he didn’t understand the significance of such an act, only that it was an extremely private affair – and he didn’t stick around to find out.

So here, with your fingers wrapped around his stiffening cock, Xiao had no idea what to do. He felt a new sort of hunger take over his body as jolts of pleasure surged through his body, his kisses turning ravenous as you leaned down to devour his lips.

Xiao’s hands began to move on their own, undoing his clothes in the midst of your passionate embrace. You began to do the same, until all Xiao felt was the cold wooden floorboards and the heat of your bare skin against his.

You began to slide your hand up and down his member as you bit at his lips, making Xiao’s eyes squeeze shut as he shuddered with pleasure. His hips began to move in sync, shifting up and down against your strokes, trying to get even more motion from your movements.

You broke from the kiss, sitting back upright, sliding your hips forwards until they came to a rest with his throbbing member pressed against your entrance. Xiao looked up, taking his first glimpse at your naked form; he realized how much more beautiful you were without any clothes.

His eyes lingered on the curve of your neck, the tone in your shoulders, the faded battle scars that cut into your soft skin. He watched the way your arms and torso flexed as you moved, the ripple of muscle that was once hidden beneath clothes, the way your chest rose and fell with each breath you took. His eyes trailed up, trying to decipher the look in your eyes – desire, longing, sadness.

Xiao was wrenched away from his thoughts at a completely foreign sensation. You began to sink yourself down onto his cock, easing him into your hot entrance.

He gasped, his eyes rolling back in his head. He wanted to watch what you were doing, to see just how you could make him feel this good, but he couldn’t manage to focus. His mouth hung open, half-caught in a gasp. His hands fell limp to his sides as you seemed to take over his body with whatever magic you were doing.

You let out a groan as you sank further down his shaft, your walls quivering from the new stretch. You pushed down, gripping onto Xiao’s shoulders, your fingers digging into his bare skin.

“Ah-” Xiao murmured, the scratching of your nails making him snap back to reality. “What’s this-”

Again, Xiao was cut off as you rolled your hips, stirring your own insides with his twitching cock. He groaned, trying to keep his focus despite this ungodly sensation you were giving him.

Slowly, you began to rock back and forth, sliding yourself up and down his length. You leaned closer towards his face, lips brushing against his. Suddenly Xiao’s hands flew up to the back of your head to pull you into a fiercely passionate kiss. His teeth nipped at your lips, and you bit back, hard enough to draw blood. 

Meanwhile, you continued to move, creating a steady pace of up and down. Heat began to build between the two of you, droplets of sweat beading on your bare skin as you fucked yourself on Xiao’s dick.

The Yaksha began to move in time, shifting his hips up and down to get more movement against his throbbing member. He shifted his hands up to your waist, beginning to move you as well, beginning to pant from the pleasure you were giving him.

Xiao began to rut his hips harder and harder against yours, your body beginning to bounce on top of him. Your walls tightened around him, and he let out a breathy whine from the sensation. 

As pleasure began to overwhelm him, Xiao’s movements became choppy. You could tell he was on the precipice of orgasm – when Xiao’s hands moved down to your hips and his fingers dug into your skin, you stopped moving and simply stared down at his face. His hips tried to move again, but you had him pinned in place with your thighs pressed against his torso.

Xiao growled at the lack of movement.

This brought a smirk to your face, but it didn’t last long as Xiao quickly overpowered you.

He twisted his body to flip you around, and you suddenly found yourself on your back with Xiao hovering above you.

Xiao lined himself back up at your entrance, pressing into you without warning.

“Ah! Sh-shit, - Xiao!”

He didn’t respond, his fingers digging into the underside of your thighs as he pressed them against your chest. He began to thrust hungrily into you, controlled by the overwhelming desire that filled his body. You stared into his half-lidded eyes, watching the way his movements were almost animalistic above you. 

“A- aah!” Your eyes began to lose focus as Xiao picked up his speed, his hips snapping against yours, lewd slapping filling the room.

Xiao’s movements were hungry, growing faster and faster, chasing a release that devoured any sense of restraint. You began to grow overwhelmed by the repeated hammering of his cock against your most sensitive parts.

He was becoming more aggressive, his hands pressing into your thighs until it bordered on pain, pinning you in place so he could thrust into you more easily. Your eyes began to roll into the back of your head as your mouth hung open, lewd moans and whimpers escaping your throat.

Xiao let out a growl as his movements became hungrier, more possessive, more aggressive.

The sounds of his cock bullying into you over and over made squelching and slapping noises that filled the room, mixing in with your gasps of pleasure.

“Ahh, Xiao…” You whined, squeezing your eyes shut and falling fully into the utter bliss he was giving you.

His fingers gripped into your legs even harder as his movements fell still, his hips settling against the plush of your ass. 

You could feel his member twitch, followed by a rush of warmth, and you whimpered as you realized that he had just finished inside you… and that it felt good.

Xiao’s grip on your thighs relaxed as he blinked, realizing what the two of you had just done. He was a Yaksha plagued with Karmic Debt, harmful to any humans he came too close to… Including you. An immense wave of guilt washed over his body, making his heart wrench with grief.

“I… I’m sorry.” Xiao began to move backwards, pulling his member out of you.

“Wait.” You spoke, quickly moving your legs to wrap around his waist and stop him from backing away. Xiao froze, staring down at your flushed face. “Can we keep going?” 

“You… You want me to stay?” Xiao questioned, baffled.

“Yes.” You responded.

Xiao didn’t need any further response from you. Once he realized you didn’t resent him for what he had just done, he lunged back towards you to hungrily devour your lips again.

With a new burst of strength, you sat upwards, grabbing onto his shoulders and flipping him over to pin him back down on the ground. You caught his lips with yours, teeth gnashing together as if you were trying to devour him. 

At the same time, you shifted your hips to press Xiao’s quickly hardening dick back into your leaking entrance. You began to bounce fast, your legs straining as you forced yourself up and down him. You were hungry – desperate, even – for this.

Again, Xiao shifted his hips in sync with your movements, exaggerating the drag of his cock against your swollen and sensitive walls. You closed your eyes and dropped your head, trying your best to keep going as the pleasure in your core grew and grew.

The slapping of your hips against his grew wetter and wetter as you continued, the noises driving you further towards your climax. You could barely keep going, the coil in your abdomen tightening and tightening.

Xiao sensed this – his hands flew down to your waist, the snap of his hips becoming more and more aggressive as you fell fully into your impending orgasm.

As the coil finally snapped you threw your head back, crying out in pleasure as your walls convulsed around Xiao’s length.

Xiao groaned from the new sensation… it felt like you were trying to milk his next climax out of him.

The Yaksha stared up at the expression on your face, your head clouded by lust. The bandages on your arms began to slip down from the ferocity of your sexual act, revealing more of the angry red scars that marred your skin. The breath caught in his throat as he neared his climax, the lust overpowering all the guilt he felt for what his Karmic Debt had done to you.

Xiao pounded into you faster, harder, until he reached the precipice of his orgasm as well.

With something halfway between a cry and a whimper, he fell still, and you felt the familiar sensation of his climax spilling into you.

“Hah…a-ah..,” You murmured, your body relaxing, laying down on top of Xiao.

For a moment, everything in the room was quiet. All you could hear was the elevated breathing that came from the two of you and the rapid beating of your own heart. 

You rested your head on Xiao’s shoulder, looking up at his face to see him staring blankly at the ceiling.

There was a perplexing expression on his face… You furrowed your brows as you stared closer, and realized it looked like tears were welling up in his eyes.

Xiao, for some reason, felt overwhelmed by everything that had happened. The way you had entered his life and turned it upside down, becoming his rival, then saving his life, and now he had just experienced something so profound and intimate for the first time with you.

“Are you… crying?” You questioned, picking your head up to stare down at the Yaksha.

“No. Adepti never show weakness in the form of tears.” Xiao responded bluntly. However, at the same time, you could clearly see a single tear spill over and trail down his face. 

You reached a hand up and brushed it away with a bandaged finger, holding it up for Xiao to see.

“What’s this, then?” You asked. 

Xiao looked at the wet spot on the bandage, then back to your face.

“The roof leaks.”

You chortled. Sparing a glance at the window, you could see the sunshine streaming through the curtains.

“Idiot.” A grin spread across your face as you stared down at him. Xiao merely blinked and looked to the side, more tears spilling from the corners of his eyes.

You laid a tender kiss on the wet trails his tears left down his cheeks then settled back down, resting your head on his shoulder once again.

For a couple of minutes, everything was silent. The two of you merely enjoyed each others’ presence, despite the fact that you were laying naked on the floor surrounded by long-forgotten clothes when there was a perfectly made bed only a couple of feet away.

After a while, Xiao cleared his throat and began to speak.

“I should, uhm.” Xiao paused for a moment, unsure of how to say what he was trying to say. “...remove myself from you, right?”

You realized his dick was still inside of you, and the two of you were just laying on the floor this way.

“N-no, let’s just stay like this a little longer.” You responded, hugging him slightly tighter.

~~~

A huge thanks to my beta readers for the help writing and the wonderful motivational xiao photo

#xiao smut #xiao x reader #xiao/reader #xiao #xiao genshin #genshin impact #genshin smut #genshin #impact #fanfic #fanfiction #xiao fanfic #xiao angst #angst #hurt/comfort #hate sex #xiao x y/n #xiao x female reader #adeptus xiao #xiao and the reader are rivals #enemies to lovers #rivals to lovers #happy ending #cloud retainer

[multific]

When Another Slasher Kidnaps You - Slashers Preferences

Warnings: Mention of murder, cannibalism, kidnapping

Asa Emory 

Asa would arrive home to an absolutely trashed house, his carefully collected and preserved insects were all on the floor, shattered, that alone could have made the man rage but then he saw the blood. 

This is when he noticed his lovely little butterfly was gone. And just where were you?

He looked around the house, trying to see if you were hiding but no, then arrived the police and told him their suspicion. 

He was told Michael Myers broke into his house and kidnapped you. The police promised to do everything in their power to get you back, but Asa had other ideas.

He started to look for you himself, because how dare anyone break into his home and take his most precious butterfly? And once he found you, he knew what he needed to do.

While Michael was strong and. very durable, he was not smart, Asa wanted to play on that and set as many traps for the man as possible.

Michael would fall into all of them, but never stop or die. But that wasn't the plan, the plan was to get you out of there while Michael is distracted.

Asa got to you, and he could tell you were in shock, he saw it in many of his victims and it broke his heart to see you like this.

He heard the sirens so he quickly got you out and home. Leaving Michael to the police, but making a promise that he would personally make sure Myers is dead for what he did to his favourite pet.

Jesse Cromeans

Jesse was just finishing up with a Piggy when he got the call that his man cannot locate his wife. 

Aparently, you went to the store and on your way back you decided to have a look at Crystal Lake and now no one could find you. Only the GPS in your car told them the location.

According to the people, there was a killer at Crystal Lake, so Jesse knew, he needed to act fast.

He drove to the location and without any hesitation started looking for you. He found your car first, thankfully, no blood.

Then, he moved more into the camp, he was still mindful of the traps and wires around the place. 

It was clear to him, someone was either hiding something or hiding in this camp.

When he saw the old wooden houses, he headed inside his trusty blade in his hands at all times.

The house was empty, except for the head he found in the bathroom wall.

But where could you be?

Didn't take long for Jesse to find the underground portion. He stopped in his tracks as he saw you with chains around your wrists, bound and crying.

"He will be back soon." you said and Jesse nodded. "He is not smart, but I don't want you to kill him, just get me and let's leave." you said as you tried to control your voice so Jason wouldn't hear you. Then both of you heard the door open and Jesse moved to hide. Jesse watched as a huge man appeared with a hockey mask on his face.

You knew that if Jesse tried to fight, he would lose, you saw what Jason is capable of. You needed to reason with your husband.

"J-Jason," you said and the huge man turned to look at you, "Hungry." you simply said and he nodded once before leaving upstairs again. 

"H-He would kill you, I saw it, he... he is not human. Just get me and let's run please." it was easy to sense the desperation in your voice, so Jesse didn't argue, instead he just got you out of the chains and took you with him.

Jason noticed you were gone a couple of minutes after, he ran after you but by the time he got to you, you were already leaving in Jesse's car. Jason's heart broke but at least you were back with your husband now.

"I'll send people in and kill him." said the voice from his phone but you took his hand into yours as he drove.

"Please, don't. He never hurt me. Let's just leave him okay? I promise I will not wander around anymore. No need to kill him."

"Did he touch you?"

"No," your answer was strong and immediate. It was the truth. "Jason is... a lost boy. He was protecting his land, he never hurt me."

Jesse believed you and decided to move on, having you back was all he needed now. He needed to calm you, give you a shower and spend time with you.

But Jesse was still curious how did you know so much about this Jason.

Jason Voorhees

Many years after the lady he liked so much escaped, Jason couldn't imagine finding someone much like her.

But he found you, his lovely, innocent, caring and beautiful wife.

He knew you would never run away. You proved that time and time again.

"If I ever disappear, I didn't run, I was taken." you would say jokingly but one day, that became reality.

The house he spent so much time building for you was broken into and things were thrown around. You were gone and he could tell it wasn't by your choice. 

Jason knew what he needed to do.

He headed into the big city to find his wife.

Meanwhile, you looked at the man in front of you. Patrick Bateman as he introduced himself and gave you his business card, was a very strange man.

He told you he saw you in the forest and knew he needed to have you.

The man was clearly not okay, he made you watch him work out, he would flex his muscles, and you just begged that somehow Jason would find you before it will be your head in his fridge.

Then you heard a loud bang coming from the entrance, the door was broken off.

"Run," you told Patrick just as Jason came into the room.

Seeing a man with a clear jacket and an axe in his hand while you were tied to a chair, Jason was quick to act.

You didn't watch but judging by the sounds, you heard a neck being broken and an axe being swung. 

You didn't watch when Jason released you and guided you out of the penthouse.

You had an idea that if this won't end with you being dead, it would end with Patrick's death.

But you tried not to think about it too much as you headed back home with Jason.

It was weird to be on the subway with him, but as his hand never let go of you, you knew he was very happy to have you back by his side.

Michael Myers

You promised to be back soon, so something had to have happened.

You were only supposed to go on errands. So, with his signature knife in hand, Michael headed out to find you.

Going through the neighbourhood, he left victims behind.

Just as he was about to enter a house, you came running into him. You hugged him, clearly out of breath as you were running for so long.

“Kill, him.” you said pointing at the man running after you, a man in a nice suit.

Michael didn’t need to be told twice, he immediately went in for it.

“You can’t kill me, I’m Patrick Bate-“ but the man couldn’t finish the sentence as Michael’s knife found its way into his skull.

After a couple minutes you calmed down. 

“I’m fine, he didn’t hurt me. He had an axe and wanted to kill me but I got away.”

You and Michael headed back home, after that day, he never let you out of his sight.

Yautja

Let's be honest only a Yautja would be silly enough to kidnap you from a Yautja.

Your mate is built for hunting so, to him, this is an easy mission.

That doesn't mean he would be reckless or underestimate his opponent.

It clearly had to be either a very brave or a very cocky Yautja that dared to take you from him.

Your Yautja was considered an Elder, someone with a high rank who should be respected. So, to have his little human taken from him was a clear attack on his status. 

But he was more worried about you than his status.

You were taken by another tribe, you recognized them from their last visit, you thought their leader had an eye on you, and you were right. 

But you still didn’t expect them to kidnap you.

Perhaps he did so he wouldn’t have to face your mate in combat, knowing he would lose against an Elder.

You knew your mate will come and get you.

You knew he won’t leave you behind.

And you were right. And again, you didn’t expect this new Yautja to use you as a shield in order to run away. His plan to get an Elder’s mate failed and now he needed to flee.

But he wasn’t so lucky.

Hunting him down was easy, you could tell from the movements of your mate and even his stance.

He stood like a proud Yautja as he reclaimed what is rightfully his.

Patrick Bateman

Patrick would fully not notice you were kidnapped. Then, one evening when he arrived home, it hit him like a train.

You were gone and he didn’t know where you were. He was very very angry, how dare anyone touch what is his?

Patrick was on a mission to find you and avenge you.

Meanwhile, you were kidnapped by a man who had some sort of silver skull mask and a video camera on his shoulder. 

It was clear the man wanted to kill you but. what a sadistic fucker, he even wanted to film it.

You could only hope Patrick would come to your rescue before this man can do anything at any second.

And surely enough, Patrick did show up.

Knocking the man out with an axe while laughing.

“Don’t touch what’s mine!” he yelled one last time before he freed you and off you went. After this incident, Patrick would put on the front door some extra locks.

Thomas Hewitt

Sweet Thomas was down in the basement when he heard a commotion. By the time he arrived upstairs, he saw a man in a mask and a suitcase. Tommy saw the suitcase move and judging by the noises, he knew you were in it.

Didn’t take long for the man to try his luck with a knife but Tommy was quicker.

You heard the two fight outside and all you could do is hope that your Tommy wouldn’t be too hurt or worse.

But soon, someone opened the suitcase and you saw Tommy standing in front of you, you quickly hugged him as he groaned in pain. The man did manage to get a couple hits and cuts in but Thomas was way too much for him. You watched the man’s body as Thomas made sure you were okay.

Besides some headache, you were alright.

“He wanted to take me, talked about his collection or something.” you told Tommy. But you knew you didn’t need to worry about the man anymore. He soon became small pieces and later, you made the perfect stew. As morbid as it might sound.

You were still grateful for your husband who saved you. So after patching him up, you made sure to stay by his side the entire day.

“I think, he thought I lived alone so that’s why he targeted me.” you said during dinner as Thomas ate. “He thought it would be an easy job, but he didn’t expect my brave and very sexy husband to turn up.”

Thomas blushed as he just continued to eat his food. Just how glad he was he heard the commotion and saved you from being taken.

Vincent Sinclair

Since Vincent lived so secluded from society, he never truly feared that you would get taken by anyone, that is until the Hewitt family came into the picture.

They were all cannibals as he learned from his brothers. He feared you were taken to be cooked, so he got his brothers and off they went to find you.

Bo being the loudest of the three would go up to the porch and ask questions about a lady and if they have seen anyone while Vincent and Lester looked around the house.

They found you in the basement with a man who was wearing a mask. 

“And I thought we were fucked up.” said Lester as he saw the body parts. But all Vincent saw was you.

He was relieved to find you were still alive and well. 

The plan was simple and easy, Bo distracts the family while Lester and Vincent rescue you.

It was easier said than done. 

When Bo made enough noise upstairs the man left you alone and it was their chance. They needed to be fast.

“Lester, gosh, they…Vincent, oh boys we have to be quick.” Lester quickly removed the ropes from around your legs and wrists while Vincent watched the door.

Soon you three were out as you could still hear Bo yelling with the Hewitt’s. You just hoped he wouldn’t do anything reckless. 

This is when you noticed Vincent staring at you as Lester drove his car back home. Vincent was running a finger along the bruises the rope left on your wrist.

“I’m fine, Honey. They didn’t do anything to me, really.” you smiled at him and this was the moment he realized, he will never ever let you out alone.

#asa emory x reader #asa emory imagine #asa emory imagines #the collector x reader #the collection x reader #slasher #slasher x reader #slasher imagine #slasher imagines #jesse cromeans x reader #jesse cromeans imagine #jesse cromeans imagines #michael myers x reader #michael myers imagine #michael myers imagines #jason voorhees imagine #jason voorhees x reader #jason voorhees imagines #vincent sinclair x reader #vincent sinclair imagine #vincent sinclair imagines #house of wax fanfiction #thomas hewitt x reader #thomas hewitt imagine #thomas hewitt imagines #yautja x reader #predator x reader #patrick bateman x reader #patrick bateman imagine #American Psycho

[justabrunettewhowrites-stuff]

Hiii!!LOVED your Luke and Clarisse works!I need more Luke fics!Could you do a fic with Luke x fem reader where reader is like a mermaid or something and Luke almosy drowns but she saves him and he falls in love but she leaves right after saving him so he keeps coming there in hopes to see her again? TY IF YOU DOO POOKIE

'Tides & Kisses'

Luke Castellan x Fem!Mermaid!Reader

A/N:Omg I love this request!!Sure,I can try to make it,tysm for requesting - I was out of ideas but I rlly love this!I think I've seen something with the same prompt so if you got the idea from that person - creds to them for the prompt! 💗

You save Luke from drowning and for some reason - he keeps coming back for you.

Luke stood at the entrance of a mysterious cave located near the camp - well,relatively near, its dark entry beckoning him with an eerie feeling.The rumors of its depths had intrigued him,stirring a sense of adventure within him.Despite the given warnings - his curiosity - and stubbornness - led him to the edge of the water, where the echoes of waves and the scent of saltwater filled the air.

As he cautiously ventured deeper,the sound of rushing water grew louder,and the dim light from the entrance gradually faded.Soon, he found himself standing on a rocky ledge, overlooking a vast underground lake. The water seemed bottomless, its surface disturbed by strong winds creating swirling currents that hinted at the hidden dangers below.

Luke hesitated, glancing around the cave with a mixture of awe and uncertainty. The distant sound of the wind merged with the rhythmic beating of his heart.

As Luke gingerly stepped closer to the water's edge, a sudden gust of wind caught him off guard. Losing his balance, he teetered on the edge before gravity claimed him, sending him plunging into the depths.Panic gripped him as the cold water enveloped him, and the currents threatened to pull him deeper into the unknown.

Just as the waters threatened to claim him, a silvery figure emerged from the depths - a mermaid. With a graceful flick of your tail,you propelled yourself towards Luke, wrapping him in your embrace.Luke's vision blurred as he struggled against the currents, but then he felt a gentle touch, guiding him to the surface.Breaking through, he gasped for air, his eyes meeting yours.

"You're safe,pretty boy," you whispered, your voice echoing through the cavern.Then,you disappeared into the depths, leaving Luke alone on the rocky ledge, his heart pounding with a newfound longing.

Luke lay on the shore, coughing up water and catching his breath. When he looked around,you were gone, leaving only ripples in the lake as evidence of your presence.

Weeks passed, and Luke returned to the cave time and again, hoping to catch another glimpse of you. Each visit only deepened his growing fascination - and desire if he was being honest - to see you once more. The cave where he almost lost his life - ironically - became a sanctuary for his thoughts,a place where dreams of underwater encounters filled his mind.Until one day - it seems he finally got his wish.

"Why do you keep coming back?" a voice echoed from the water as Luke sat by the water's edge one evening. Startled, he turned to see you,your luminous eyes meeting his.

"I don't know..I mean I do!I just - look,you saved me, and I... I felt a connection," Luke stammered,unable to fully express what he felt.

You regarded him with a mix of curiosity and amusement. "You humans sure are strange creatures,pretty boy.I saved you because I felt like it, not to forge some 'connection' as you call it.I could have just as easily let you drown."

Despite your dismissive words, Luke continued to visit the cave, unable to shake the feelings for the mysterious aquatic creature.

One day,Luke spotted you again.You surfaced,your hair cascading over your shoulders like liquid silk.

"Still chasing after me, pretty boy?" You teased,a playful glint in your eyes.

Luke chuckled,realizing he didn't even know your name. "I can't help it. You're a mystery and what can I say?Mysteries intrigue me."

You then spoke, a hint of a smile playing on your lips. "Fine, if you must know, I'm Y/N. Now, satisfy your curiosity and leave me be."

But Luke couldn't just walk away. "Then tell me,Y/N, will I ever see you again?"

You hesitated,then offered a cryptic smile. "Perhaps, pretty boy, but remember,mermaids aren't meant for the world above for long,so unless you magically learn how to breathe underwater - It's unlikely."

But before Luke could respond, you leaned in, pressing your lips against his. Time seemed to stand still as the kiss deepened, a mix of saltwater and sweetness lingering in the air.Luke's heart raced and his eyes went wide and he found himself lost in the moment, savoring the taste of the ocean on your lips.

Suddenly pulling away,you vanished beneath the surface,leaving Luke alone on the rocky ledge. He touched his lips, still tingling from the unexpected kiss, a mixture of astonishment and longing in his eyes.

After you disappeared beneath the water,Luke was left to ponder the enigmatic encounter.Though he yearned for more, he understood and yet,the memory of the you lingered...

#pjo tv show #fem y/n #percy jackon and the olympians #percy series #pjo #luke castellan x reader #luke castellan pjo #luke pjo #pjo luke #luke castellan #luke castellan x you #x y/n #x you #x reader #pjo fandom #pjo series #mermaid #pjo stuff #pjo show #pjo season 1 #percy jackson #fanfic #fem reader #female y/n #x yn

[jangmi-latte]

I don't usually simp for Lilia because the game has made me look at him as our friendly neighborhood grandpa, but like.... imagine meeting General!Lilia while he's on duty- and maybe he helps us with something or we help him out- and from there on a romance slowly blossoms? Just... active duty Lilia who's yet to become Lili-pa and the whole 'waiting for my friend who I want to be my lover to visit me during his break from duty'

FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD GRANDPA

good riddance mid-war/military romance?!?!? sign me up!!?!?? my brain has been going from camp-healer reader or to villager reader or subordinate reader or even agent reader (captain america and peggy carter type of romance)??? the possibilities are endless but since you emphasized helping we're going with villager who's also a healer reader.

/this can be descriptive and damn has it gotten long.

you can think of this being either fae or human reader but when you mentioned help, seeing an injured lilia who had to limp away from the camp after checking if his men are okay. so, he's in the middle of the woods hissing and sitting against a tree while lifting his clothing to see that big unhealing slash across his abdomen. the blood has already clotted but it's still dangerously huge and dirty and he's trying his best to heal it with his magic but it's concerning how he still feels the pain. plus, he needs to rest both his mana and body.

he will definitely try heating up one of his daggers to press on his wound but before he could even press the searing metal on his skin, that's when a hand stops him and pull the dagger away. it was a surprise, most especially for someone like him to be conscious of every single element around him.

you definitely look like a land of briar resident with your clothing. however, you look absolutely distressed and you're sweating so much it looked like you haven't bathed in days. he'd ask what are you doing but you keep your mouth shut and kneel down beside him. only then did he notice the belt strapped around your hips filled to the brim with antidotes and potions.

he's astonished, to say the least. he was in a daze while you're speaking and he was brought to his senses when he felt the burning sensation of liquid hitting his skin. it's literally smoking that he had to bite down on his gloved wrist to keep himself from screaming. his back arching off the tree while he's gripping your wrist. it hurt but hey, his wound his tingling and healing.

that's when he felt oddly...captivated by you. and as the old fae tradition goes, to he who was serviced must return the favor. he's just staring at you while taking deep breaths and you're looking around as if you're being watched. he assured you that you're safe with him and asked what do you want as gratitude for healing him but you just shook your head. stating that YOU are thanking him for defending the land.

all goes to say, he'd go to the said forest every now and then after you both departed, half-expecting to run into you. there were occasions he would see you crouched by a bush and plucking berries and herbs. he'd strike conversation, often surprising you with his silence and stealth. but eventually, you're warming up to him. he'd give you herbs you've mentioned needing that's only located across the other side of the land.

your presence was calming; during a war, peace was a far-fetched dream for a soldier, a general. when he's stressed, lacks sleep, and just exhausted he'd seek refuge in that very forest. he'd snap at you when you greet him but somehow, you're not affected. scary, yes. but you've known lilia from the constant meetings that you've brought some bottled mist that you claim can calm him down and give him a leveled-head again.

when he suddenly snaps his eyes open, that's when he realised he has fallen asleep without even noticing that he's definitely nonplussed. only then does he notice that he's laying on your lap while you're reading a book. he's bombarding you with questions but needless to say, he's really thankful.

baul would even notice lilia departing from the camp during breaks instead of eating with them that he's tempted to follow the general.

what can he do though? the general can find refuge somewhere else. more like...someone else.

to say he's catching feelings was questionable. other than malleficia, levan, baul, or mallenoa, he has never felt entirely close to someone outside of the royal guards or royalty. instinct driven need to protect you is there — that's what he feels towards the townsfolk anyways, that's what he tells himself.

just what have you done to the general...

might become a fic though 🫶🏻

#twst x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #lilia vanrouge x reader #diasomnia x reader #customer service #OOONNNNNGGGGG ENDLESS ENDLESS SCENARIOS