#mostly a shot post put partially curiosity

[rivenchu]

A Curious Fish

AN: Credit for this AU goes to @mintyfrosty​ ~ 

Read the Copperight Merfolk AU post and this whole fic popped into my head as is. I may have changed a couple things to make fic-flow sense, but I hope you like it Minty! Thanks for letting me write it~  Lemme know if something is too far from your AU and not okay. :3  I’ll wider tag this / AO3 if source approved!

Summary: They say curiosity is bad for a cat and it’s true for Merfolk too.  Reginald was just curious about flotsam he saw during a storm. It was only natural to get a closer look. He didn’t mean to get stuck and he certainly didn’t mean to end up on dry land where none of his kind were allowed to go. 

A curious fish.

That's what everyone always called him. The elders always warned him to not be too curious, to not wander close to dry land, and more importantly never get near the the floating crafts that skimmed over the ocean. Remaining unseen from 'dry landers' was the safest choice for their colony.

He'd listened and never done any of those things, but.

But.

They never said anything about parts of the sailing ships.

Reginald watched the long stick and strange white flaps with it's many tentacles. The storm had ripped it off the adrift vessel and he followed it. It was alone, none of the beings on it (he never could see them well, they were a mystery) were nearby... long as he watched out for the tentacles he'd be fine.

Making up his mind he swam up to the far side and broke the surface. The rain didn't bother him, though he always wondered why it tasted different than regular water.

Reaching out he marveled at the texture. Slippery with strange bumps, but not slimy at all. Drifting closer he blinked at a hole and poked at it, had it been carved in? There were more leading up. Wandering further Reginald craned his neck to see how far they went. He couldn't see the end of the giant stick, but he almost could.

Just a little further.

Something curled around his tail.

Fear coiled like an eel as he ducked back underwater. He'd strayed too far up.

Just one tentacle, he could handle that. Everything would be fine.

Diving  deeper so the stick wouldn't hit him (storms made the ocean surface move so much), he unwound the coarse limb and sighed. That had been close. He should go.

Turning to look up at the strange object one last time, he could barely see it against the surface. He had wanted to look at it more, maybe if he had climbed on it he could have spent longer.

Something brushed his shoulder. Jerking back Reginald's eyes widened.  It was the connected multi-tentacle net. He hadn't gone that far had he? Was it the storm pushing it faster than he thought?

Twisting around he began to swim fast as possible back to the safety of the depths.

For a moment Reginald thought he made it.

He screamed as agony shot up his tail, swimming stalled. He floated dazed for a few seconds before the adrenaline kicked back in.

Wincing he glanced up at his tail, tangled again. Reaching over to yank at it he wished he didn't leave his cutter tool at home. This one was tighter, it wanted to hold. Sticking out his tongue to loosen the cord and ignore the pain he tried to work fast.

It wasn't fast enough.

He froze when he felt his back brush up against something. Looking up he realized he was drifting towards more tentacles. His tail seized up and refused to move with anything less than blinding agony.

Reginald was many things, witty and clever, curious and mischievous, but he was not known for his bravery.

Terror dulled the pain as he thrashed against the cursed coils drawing him in. He knew they weren't alive, but he could still die to them.

No one came when he called for help as the storm blew him further away from home.

Dread settled in as he grew tired. There was no way he could escape now. He was entanged and his tail hurt worse than before. He was drifting to the dry lands. Memories of the horror stories the elders told drifted across his mind.

They'll take you from the ocean to never return. They'll keep you in a water bubble to stare at you. They will never listen to you, we're just fish to them. They ate all kinds of fish up on the dry lands.

Reginald shivered and closed his eyes. He shouldn't have wandered.

~*~*~*~ That was a storm to remember. Lots of trees were down, roads were a mess, and he'd have a few days of solitude. There was much more in damages, but he didn't care enough to look into it unless he was getting paid.

Right didn't mind he liked being alone. It's why he lived out of the city and did whatever odds and ends he could to keep food on the table.

Like combing the beach for anything interesting washing up after a storm. He'd find some nice lost cargo to sell a few times and made a habit of checking.

He walked around a boulder and raised his eyebrows at a partially beached broken mast. Bad news for whatever ship it was formerly attached too. There were no boxes nearby, but he could get some use out of it surely.

Walking over he rested one foot on the mast so he could rest his elbow on his knee as he surveyed the debris. Sails seemed intact, he could sell those. Wood and rope he could keep for himself, the rope ladder could be repurposed into a net.

Not a bad find.

Nodding to himself he set to work wading into the surf at cutting a sail free. Yanking it it up to dry land he folded it up and put it in his sack. Halfway done he walked the the next and cut the top connection off.

...was that hair?

Oh, he sometimes found dead bodies too. Or bits of them. He buried any... partials and brought intact ones to the city. If it helped someone find peace, it was worth it even if he didn't get paid.

Grimacing he knelt down and lifted the sail higher.

A wave washed up to his shins and Right sighed. No reaction to the wave, no cough or sputter to show they were alive. As the water pulled back he reached down and rested a hand against the corpse's forehead. Wasn't warm, definitely dead.

New plan, use sail as temporary corpse barrier.

Cutting the last sail connection and some additional rigging he hefted the body in front of him and walked back to the beach. He was going to stop by his house first for a bite to eat. Hopefully the mast would still be around when he got back, but the less bodies were left around the better for everyone's sense of smell.

Strange he wasn't getting a whiff of decay, must have been recent.

Trekking through the woods he was familiar with he tilted his head. There was strange sound following him. If he didn't know better he would say it was someone struggling to breathe. Wildlife wouldn't get close enough to him to make that noise, there were no injured animals nearby and he was keeping company with a dead person.

It moved.

Right paused. He'd been sure the poor soul was dead but dead things don't usually move.

Swearing he broke into a jog glad he lived nearby. There was a first aid kit he could use if there was  a chance of saving a survivor.

Throwing open the door he lowered the person to the floor and threw the sail off.

...

...what?

...

It had brown hair, frills on it's arms, moving gashes on it's neck, and a full blown fish tail from the waist down. The bright purple caught his attention as he stared down the length ending in the wash of warm colors fins.

It'd gotten caught in the ropes, some digging in painfully from the missing scales and red skin. No wonder it had been fine in the surf, any higher and it would have been dead already.

Movement caught his eye as it reached up to it's throat fluttered it's brown eyes.

Fish, water. Fish die out of water. Oh he made a mistake. Oh he didn't want to kill it. Oh no he wasn't near any ponds or rivers.

Scooping up the not-corpse he kicked open his bathroom and dumped it into his bathtub. In preparation of the storm he had filled it just as a precaution.

Stepping back to lean against the doorway he ran a hand up the side of his face and knocked his hat off. He'd heard stories of merpeople, never believed them of course. It seemed silly that fish people would exist but there was one right in his bathtub.

~*~*~*~

Gulping down water Reginald wanted nothing more than the curl up. His tail hurt so much, why did it feel like it was out of water? And the... water tasted funny, like rain does? He surrounded by white?

Pushing himself up with his one free elbow he looked up. The water wasn't deep, he didn't have much room to either side of him. He still had the coils trapping him. Slowly he turned over and pulled his tail into the different tasting water.

This wasn't the ocean, but maybe it was close by?

Reaching up the smooth wall he felt air and curled his hand around the edge and pulled himself up to look around.

It was mostly brown, bit of red on a normal looking face, but it was just there on dry land. It was on dry land. It was a dry lander. Pushing back as far he could in the tub Reginald screamed.

Dry lander made a noise and fell out of the room.

Reginald screamed again.

He was tired, hungry, in pain, and trapped. No matter what angle you looked at it from, this was bad. He was never going to get away now. Looking around the room he swallowed, was this where they kept fish for awhile?

Actually... he didn't want to look right now.

Sinking back into the water he curled in the corner and trembled. He... wasn't going to get out of this was he?

~*~*~*~

Clutching his chest, Right wheezed. That was far louder than he expected, not that he had an idea of what to expect from a mythical creature in his bathroom. He jerked away from the bathroom door at the second screech.

Well, he wasn't going to town now. Not sure what to do.

Guess he could fold up the sail, that was something he could do while his brain was reeling from his new discovery.

Merpeople existed. Science types would love to study it, nobles would want to showcase it, and who knows what criminals would do to it.

Right sat down on the floor staring at the folded sail.

It didn't seem right. There had been fear on it's face, and if he thought about it that was fair. Waking up in a strange place with someone staring at you would spook anyone. Plus it was still tangled up.

That he could help with.

Grabbing a knife he stared at it, on the other hand he'll look pretty scary. Nothing new there, people found him intimidating even if he was minding his own business.

Intentions would get across when it realized it wasn't getting stabbed. Better be quick.

Stalking into the room he winced at expected scream but didn't stop. "Not gonna hurt ya."

It didn't believe him, eyes widening more as it turned to flee out the tub. What it hoped to accomplish beyond that was questionable considering the lack of water.

"No you don't." Reaching over he caught a rope and pulled it back over the tub. He took a deep breath as he heard distressed whimpers. It couldn't reach him with it's free arm.

He felt guilty for trying to help now. Maybe he should have waited, but he was committed now.

" 'm just gonna cut the ropes." he sighed and started to saw carefully. He didn't want to injure it if it made any sudden movements. Instead it hung there defeated, which he decided was worse. When the rope snapped it fell back into the tub and he stepped back just in case it attacked. Cornered beings tended to be unpredictable and fierce.

Instead the brown eyes broke surface and stared at him. Scanning.

Yeah, bit smarter than an animal, they would have gone back to panic. This was questioning and uncertain.

" 'm gonna cut some in front. Yah should be able t' get most of it off unless it's on there good." Right stood there and watched for a reaction. Maybe it didn't speak, that would make sense. Different culture and.. talking mediums? How would someone talk underwater?

Walking back up to the tub Right paused to see if it would try to flop out in fear again.

It was just warily watching.

Reaching down slowly Right watched for any sudden movement - he didn't want to get bit or hit with that tail.

Grabbing a knot he lifted it out of the water so he could better look at the mess. It was actually impressive how it managed to tie itself.  A cool grip on his hand caused him to look up as it lightly held his wrist and it bit it's lip. Understandably nervous, but he had ropes to cut.

This time when he cut through and it dropped back into the water he walked to the far side of the room to put the knife down. Space while it worked itself free.

Water sloshed over the edge in the next five minutes as it worked to freedom. Finally a mass of ropes was thrown over the edge, with a single line running back to the tub.

Before he could say anything  the vibrant tail shakily waved out of the water, the last rope tangled near the base of fins. Grimacing Right walked forward to look at it. That would leave a scar, maybe the back fin would heal.

Fetching his knife he reached out almost touching the tail before looking down. It was watching him again. Taking this as an affirmative he lightly grasped the tail and started making small cuts. The rope was wound tight and the wound already painful, he didn’t want to make it worse.

After a few minutes the rope fell away and he let go of the tail. It sunk out of sight and the merperson stayed submerged. Fair, poor thing had a rough time of it lately.

Gathering the rope he walked out and left the knife in his sink. Sitting down he ate an apple as he pondered his new situation. He had an injured merperson in his house. He had helped it after almost killing it by dragging it away from water.

Merpeople were real and he had one in his bathtub still.

~*~*~*~

Laying at the bottom of the white shell Reginald rubbed his right arm. He was glad to be free of the deadly coils, but his tail was still painful. He was still stuck, but the dry lander hadn't hurt him. It could have done so easily.

He was still alive. Plus he felt pain down to his fins, so it wasn't as bad as one of the elders who couldn't move their tail anymore nor feel it. It would heal in time.

Wrapping fingers around the edge of container he pulled himself up and looked around. There were so many things he knew nothing about. What were they used for? Did all dry landers live in places like this?

Crossing his arms on the edge Reginald rested his head as he let his mind wander with questions.

The dry lander stopped at the door and was staring at him. There was something he was dragging behind him.

Pulling his arms back into the water he blinked up at the other. The brown layers were strange and moved funny, like a covering? Why would they need a covering?

"Not sure if you'll like smoked fish, but thought yo might be 'ungry." Walking in the dry lander held out a fish within easy grabbing distance.

He was starving. Taking the fish he sighed, he... was being rude. The other had done nothing but help him and deserved a proper response.

"Thank you." He missed the stunned expression on the dry lander's face as he tore into the funny smelling fish. The flavour was concentrated, with something he had never tasted before!

"Y-you're welcome." Taking a seat the dry lander still looked dazed at the new discovery. Merpeople could talk.

"Uh... want another?" A second fish was offered.

"Please." Accepting the fish it disappeared as quickly as the first.

"My name is Right." He held out a hand to his formerly-mythic-but-totally-real guest

Glancing down at the extended hand then back up Reginald held out his hand with a tentative smile, "Reginald, it's nice to meet you Right."

Of course a merperson wouldn't know about shaking hands. A smile crept up on Right's face, "It's good to meet you too Reginald."

#mintyfrosty

[ayellowcurtain]

Would you mind giving a description of the type of character sander is pls? I can't get a handle on him. At times he was inconsistent in s3(this is partially bc of the writing and partially) bc he was trying to conceal parts of himself from Robbe and exaggerating his personality to impress Robbe. The source material was a huge crutch in parts of this storytelling, then sobbe lost some spark in parts of wtfockdown, fanon help fill the empty spaces and now the transmedia is evolving him too. Help?

I’m gonna try to help you, anon but I guess what I’m gonna say is basically my opinion and so it might differ from what’s canon or what other people think of him and also gonna link you to some prior posts I already made talking a little bit of him: 

- Sander’s similarities with Eliott about how sometimes they struggle to deal with emotions 

- Sander and his parents, his home life and his relationship with them 

- Why was Sander going back and forth with Britt 

Now onto your real answer: 

I think Sander, as a character, is a solid one. He as a human being in some universe is imperfect, has his flaws and maybe his bad judgment at times, of situations and of people. 

Is not because he’s a fictional character that he needs to be perfect, to always say and do the right thing. 

If WTFock did him (and Robbe) dirty was mainly because of their complete lack of understanding of what pacing is. I don’t think season 3 was that badly written. It does has some horrible pacing at times, yes (OHN being on a Monday can only be a joke!!!!). 

I don’t think he was purposefully exaggerating his personality. I’m sure the Sander we now know isn’t exactly as loud and out there as we saw during the supermarket clip, for example. But he was freaking out, and being obnoxious without meaning to.

To me, it felt like was mostly freaking out, not sure what to do with himself because the boy he saw once during a random night was there, all alone with him, accepting to go out to go grocery shopping. 

That’s just an example but it’s the same behavior I see when he says they won after he shot Britt during the paintball scene, when he sings Bowie to Robbe while they see the girls walking away after the Noor x Robbe fight, or when he goes to Robbe’s place the next day and tries to kiss him. All this moments, to me, feel like a boy that doesn’t know what to do with himself, how to behave when he’s around someone he’s falling so deeply and hard for. 

We often see the Evens as these cool creatures, confident, sweet, chill. But we have to remember that’s just the first impression (and from their Isaks’ POV), and after they get to know each other, the Evens are often shy, insecure, kind of lone wolves to some degree. 

So what I thought could be seen as “inconsistent” of Sander was just him probably freaking out he was spending time with Robbe, the boy that the moon was shining on him and that Sander knew was the one. 

That’s why I assume putting “original” characters after two seasons feels a little bit like crutches (with their background stories) because if you think about it, we always know most of the characters in Skam since season 1, so even when they’re not main characters, we got to know them in the background at least, to get some information throughout the other seasons. 

We feel more connected to Robbe (and every Isak), and his background story because we’ve been hearing about it for two seasons. 

We know he has a messy house situation, we know his relationship with Jens is kinda platonic but also very brother like (with slaps, saying rude things to each other, etc), we know some people think he’s gay, we know he’s a caring friend because of the way he was with Jana during her season. All this information we got before his season. So when he was main, there was no need to build background around him because we already had most of these informations before. 

Sander is a complete stranger to us. And WTFock even gave us two episodes of just Robbe, to get to know him even more but also leaving less time for us to connect with Sander. So what we got of him was mostly WITH Robbe and ABOUT his feelings for Robbe. We know where he studies because Noor told this in ONE line.

The fandom often falls deeply in love with Even because of what we see through their lovers eyes and for how soft, caring, and representative he is (with being bipolar and pan) but I feel like we get more of who he is and his background in Sana’s season. We learn more about his past, his friends, his MI, his beliefs or curiosity about faith, etc. 

Even if we barely see him with the balloon squad, watching them we see the type of people Even (or Sander) would like to be surrounded with. 

I know people are not the biggest fans of Sobbe during WTFockdown, but I said this before, and I’ll say it again: I think I love them even more after. Even the cybersex part because I thought it was cute, the way Sander was saying he shouldn’t have pushed Robbe into doing it the past week, or how they look at each other and the things they say and how clearly they’re still trying to find the middle ground both of them are willing to experiment with. 

Anyway, I thought it was cute, and I thought it was necessary, with the conversations about the attack (WTFock made a horrible writing decision not letting this happen during the season, but at least they gave us something), about Robbe’s traumas that are still very much alive, about his mom and how well she’s doing most of the time, how Robbe is still trying to help her in any way he can. And also about boundaries, about Robbe, that same boy that was calling Sander the F word is now so out and proud, asking Milan about cybersex, talking to his friends about it (because he did tell the boys what they did or Aaron wouldn’t be trying to have cybersex with Amber and the boys wouldn’t be taking their clothes off for Sander’s bday). 

I think WTFock would use Sobbe for as much content as they can because they know that’s their golden couple. The Willems have a unique chemistry that’s out of this world, they’re both amazing actors and WTFock knows they’re solid, that the fandom will watch, engage in whatever these characters are involved in and that they boys will deliver every time, no matter how odd the circumstances are. The WTFock team knows they can give these boys a few lines and let they create a scene out of it and it’ll still be good content.  

After this long ass post I’ll have to tell you that Sander is:

Mostly private, reserved, some would say shy but I think he just saves himself the energy and the trouble so he only really engages with who he really wants. In this case, Robbe, and the people that are important to Robbe because, again, Robbe is the most important person. I really think (and hope) that when Sander keeps saying “it’s you and me, always”, he really means it. Like they’re one, a solid team that works so well together to tackle any and everything. 

A natural flirt. I mean, look at him, you know? And he doesn’t even have to try. And when he tries, it’s over for anyone else because he’ll be eating a marshmallow in that way he did with Britt, he’ll be kissing his girl like he wishes he could be kissing Robbe, he’ll be licking your ear, and dragging you out of a bar, purring please say at yours like no fucking other. 

He’s a full on artist. He loves any type of art, he loves talking about art, he loves doing art, painting, drawing, taking pictures, listening to music, thinking about all the intense colors. I’m sure he’s a very visual person in his brain too. If you ask him about how he’s feeling, it’ll be probably easier to draw what he fells than write. 

Again, nobody likes talking about this but Sander is a horny one. And he knows how to tease with the stepping back before Robbe can kiss him, he knows what to say, how to look at you with those shiny lips, wetting his lips with his tongue all the time, asking to have cybersex. And I’m also sure he’s really good at sex and enjoys it so very much. 

When you’re not Robbe, and when you’re not involved with Robbe, when Robbe doesn’t care about you, Sander can be hard like a brick. He’ll scream at you with no shame if you get under his skin because he really doesn’t care. He’s finally fully happy, with the guy he thinks is the one and he doesn’t want to spend a second of his energy with you so he won’t even try. 

I think he has a really small filter from what he thinks and what he says. Like when he says Robbe can bribe the teacher, or when firts with Robbe while Britt is taking a shower, or when he says they need to put some better music instead of making out with his boyfriend during the last episode. 

His “all the way or no way” line is basically words he lives by and he’s also a taurus, like myself, so he really means those words with any aspect of his life. 

He forgave Robbe so easily after the F word scene because 1) he’s a teenagers, he won’t be thinking as hard as the fandom did about it 2) again, it’s Robbe and he can get away with anything because Sander is completely gone for this boy that he won’t be able to stay mad even when he knows he should because he wants to be with Robbe, that’s it.

He and Robbe are very close, not only as boyfriends, I feel like right now, after everything that happened between Robbe and the boys and Sander with Britt (and probably the ballon squad) they’re very picky with trying to start new relationships, and they know they’re solid with each other, they have similar taste and opinions. Robbe softens Sander’s edges a little bit and Sander makes Robbe a little more confident in being himself, picking himself first. 

I hope this very long, ridiculous answer helps you a little bit, anon, don’t mind me getting carried away talking about characters I love :’D

#wtfock #sander driesen

[drwcn]

RE: [Post]

I’M SORRY TO HAVE CAUSED YOU PAIN (not really, not even a little bit sorry).

Once upon a time I had hopes of writing a sequel to “Begotten”, but I don’t know which decade that’s going to happen - maybe not at all - since I’ve got “Discordance” and “Before the Sun Falls” to tackle now before my schedule eats me up in September.

So, I’m here to bite the bullet and face the music. Here is the condensed one shot of what would’ve been the Begotten Sequel:

“Alone Stands the Quiet ” 

[AO3] 

Word Count: 4005

Summary: The story of the Yin Iron starts with a celestial war and ends with Lan Sizhui. 

The story of Lan Sizhui did not start at the fall of Jin Guangyao. It did not start when Hanguang-jun brought him to Cloud Recesses. It did not even start when Yiling Laozu led the remaining Wens to the Burial Mount.

The story of Lan Sizhui started eons ago, before the sects were sects, before man could vie for divinity through cultivation.

Lan Yi once told Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji that the Yin Iron was an item of the ancient, a 上古之物. It existed with the sky and the earth. She was not wrong.

Long ago, a terrible war had broken out between the six realms: shen (gods), xian (immortals), ren (man), yao, mo (demons), and ming (ghosts). It was said that the God of War led the front for gods and immortals, protecting humans who could not protect themselves. The God of War was fierce, was brave, was righteous, but the God of War was flawed. They met their match in a Demon General, their nemesis on the celestial battlefield, yet a kindred spirit in every other way.

The war dredged on. The earth cracked open; the sky splintered into pieces. Creatures died. Fire raged. Victory was not promised, but Death surely would come for them all. Both the God of War and the Demon General knew the war could not go on, though hesitant they were to put an end to the other as they’d been ordered to do so by their heavenly/demonic masters.

In the final battle, the two unfortunate beings perished. How exactly, no one knew. As their existence faded into the expanse, like stardust scattered by cosmic wind, a single drop of their blood, mixed together, fell to Earth into the iron quarries beneath the mountains of Yiling, forming what will one day be known as the Yin Iron.

The Yin Iron as Lan Yi knew it, had never been anything but an instrument for the wicked, though try as she did to purify it to its original state. She had believed that the Iron itself, however powerful it had been, was not inherently evil or good. She believed that it was only Xue Chonghai’s malice and greed that had corrupted such an ancient item through dark cultivation. 

Lan Yi, though unsuccessful, was right.

What Lan Yi didn’t know and what no one knew, not even Wei Wuxian, was that something of that magnitude, of that divinity, could not be destroyed by mortal means, cultivator or not.

Before his death, Wei Wuxian was beyond magnificent mostly due to the Stygian Amulet in his possession. It grew so powerful that he eventually lost control of it. Part of the blame could possibly be laid on Jin Guangyao, but his loss of control demonstrated an important truth that no one realized: The Yin Iron and its spiritual force - its essence - were beyond the capacity of man. Every time a piece was supposedly destroyed, the energy was transferred to the closest remaining pieces. By destroying Wen Ruohan’s three Yin Iron shards, Wei Wuxian had unknowingly absorbed additional dark energy in his own Stygian Amulet.

When Wei Wuxian obliterated the seal at the final confrontation before his first death, its spiritual energy had no solid matter to bind to. Most cultivators’ golden cores repelled or were incompatible with demonic energy. Xue Yang’s piece was hidden far away in Lanling. The only place that could sustain such a large quantity of yin energy was the Burial Mount, and there it found a receptive host, in the form of an unwitting coreless child. The Energy itself was partially sentient, and for self-preservation, it laid dormant in the child’s body, hidden and waiting for the day to come.

A dangerous near-death experience during a failed night hunt triggered the awakening of Sizhui’s powers when he was thirteen years old. For years, he nurtured it, kept it a secret with the help of his friends Lan Jingyi, Jin Ling and later on Ouyang Zizhen.

Some day, the Gods of the Nine Heavens will say that it was always meant to be Wen Yuan… that Fate had chosen him to bear the powers of the God and Demon who had fought and died for the middle ground.

 ~~~

 Following the incident at the Guanyin Temple, Lan Sizhui lived up to his promise to Jin Ling. He came back for Jin Guangyao’s soul sealed within the temple along with Nie Mingjue. His uncle, the kind and gentle Lan Xichen had gone into seclusion, unable to face the fact that his blindness had allowed Jin Guangyao to go unchecked or that he had been the one to kill him. Nie Huaisang’s vague answer had confirmed everything he needed to know.

Confident and naïve as youths often were, Lan Sizhui believed he could find a way to bring Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao back from the dead without using life sacrifice as Mo Xuanyu had done. Mo Xuangyu had barely been a cultivator, and Lan Sizhui had grown in leaps and bounds and was on the verge of surpassing even the great Yiling Laozu himself.

Sizhui stole Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao's souls and brought them to a place that he knew no one visited anymore: The Wen Sect’s ancestral seat of power, Wen Yuan’s birthright, Nevernight. There, over the chasm where Wen Ruohan had once cultivated three pieces of the Yin Iron, Lan Sizhui kept the souls of his uncle’s sworn brothers in protected suspension.

If he were to do this, he knew he could not just save Jin Guangyao alone, but Nie Mingjue as well. He did not understand the grievance and hatred between the men of the previous generation, but his family deserved happiness and closure, and if he could give it to them, he would without hesitation.

This, he kept as a closely guarded secret. Only Jingyi and Jin Ling were his confidants.

As a child, he did not tell Lan Wangji about his power out of fear, but now, Sizhui kept his silence for another reason entirely. Let him be selfish just this once. He did not want to answer to anyone, to explain himself, his motivations or his powers. A part of Sizhui instinctively knew that Xue Chonghai, Wen Ruohan, Wei Wuxian, Xue Yang - they were all just vessels, a long line of cultivators that the Iron used to get to him. With him was where the Iron’s power always belonged; it may have taken centuries in the making, but finally, the wrong had been righted.

Sizhui hid his secret it from his fathers, from his sect, from everyone. Meanwhile, his powers grew, both spiritual and demonic, to the point where Wei Wuxian's willful ignorance could no longer deny the fact that something was very different about this boy he saved. He hoped it was not true, hoped that Sizhui hadn't been doing exactly what he thought he was.

"A-Yuan," he said to Lan Sizhui one evening when they were taking a stroll through the back mountains of Cloud Recesses. Lan Wangji was busy with Chief Cultivator business and could not join them.

"Yes, a-die?" Responded Sizhui. He heard the change in Wei Wuxian's tone, but he pretended to be none the wiser.

Wei Wuxian paused in his step, turned, and placed a hand on the shoulder of his child. Sizhui had grown taller over the last couple of seasons. He was no longer a boy.

"Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

By then, Lan Sizhui was already in too deep. Since the early days of his resurrection endeavours, he had realized there was no way that he, as a mortal cultivator, could bring back a life from nothing. A sacrifice was always needed, and even if he were to give up his own, it would only revive one of the two souls. 

Both Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao’s souls had been damaged, though in different ways. The seals placed upon them would hinder their reincarnation for a hundred years, and after that, there was no telling where they would end up. Without resolving the hatred they both carried into their deaths, their next several lives would be fraught with perils and misfortune.

Jin Ling had by this point come to terms with the passing of his uncle, but Lan Xichen…

If he could not bring back Chifeng-zun and Lianfang-zun to be reunited with Zewu-jun, then at the very least, Sizhui would alleviate his Uncle’s guilt by offering peace to his sworn-brothers. With this in mind, Sizhui did not give up, and eventually he had found a way.

So when Wei Wuxian confronted him, there were so many things he wanted to tell him, but he knew he couldn't. Sizhui was so close to the end, so close to achieving what he needed to do, and he could not afford anyone standing in his way. He had learned from the past. He'd heard of Wei Wuxian's audacious suggestions spoken right here within the walls of Cloud Recesses. Even then, as a guest disciple, he had planted the idea in the minds of his peers and mentors that he, Wei Wuxian, was a divergent from The Path, that he was to be wary of, to be monitored and to be taken down before he could uproot their lives.

Lan Sizhui had no intentions of allowing the small-mindedness of his elders to hinder him. He also did not want his fathers blamed for his own doings, though being his fathers, perhaps they would be blamed no matter what he did. He knew it was unfilial of him to disregard that, but he had gone too far to turn back now.

Lan Sizhui had started out wishing to help Jin Ling, to help Lan Xichen, but now… now he wanted to do this for himself. He didn’t want to stop; he wanted to know if he could do it, if he could make this one thing come true. They say power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. They also say curiosity killed the cat, and Sizhui was willing to find out if satisfaction was really able to bring it back.

Thus, the secret of his power must be kept hidden until the spell was complete. Both Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji must have reasonable deniability. When all is said and done, Sizhui had made plans to disappear and save the cultivation world the trouble of removing him.

"A-Yuan, is there something you'd like to tell me?" Wei Wuxian repeated. The hand on Sizhui's shoulder tightened.

Lan Sizhui stared the man in the eye and lied, "No, a-die. There isn't."

 ~~~

 When Sizhui revealed the plans of his departure, that was when Jingyi finally broke.

"No, Sizhui, no! You were supposed to be Sect Master, it was supposed to be you!"

"I can't go back, Jingyi, if I do this, I can never go back."

"Sizhui, please, please don't - "

"You'll still have our friends when I’m gone. Zizhen is a good man, a trusted friend. He would stand by your side. And Jin Ling too, he would never leave you.” 

"J-Jin Ling?! Th- that brat, I - I don't know what you're -"

"It's okay. He likes you too." Sizhui smiled brightly at his friend's flushed cheeks.

"H-he does?"

"Yes, yes he does."

They didn’t know it then, but Sect Master Jin Rulan and Sect Master Lan Jingyi would one day become cultivation partners. Openly and without shame, they formed the Lan-Jin alliance their predecessors wished but could never achieve.

 ~~~

 The plan was this:

Sizhui had discovered that he could put souls into human bodies if he manipulated with their reincarnation cycle and transported them distantly enough in time. Jin Guangyao and Nie Mingjue were not destined to meet again in another life, but Sizhui had his ways.

Against Fate or not, he was going to do it.  

Somehow, Lan Xichen found out. After years in seclusion, he emerged one day and sought out his nephew at Nevernight where he couldn't deny what he'd been planning.

Sizhui had panicked, thinking his uncle would for sure admonish him for tampering with reincarnation and matters entirely too divine and out of his control.

But Lan Xichen simply stood there, gazing up at the two suspended souls above the pit of Sizhui's swirling demonic and spiritual energy. His sworn brothers. They had knelt before Heaven and Earth and promised that though they had not been born on the same day, in same month and in the same year, they would seek to die on the same day, in same month and in the same year.

And what became of them? Mingjue was beheaded, A-Yao stabbed. Both murdered. Yet, here he was, still alive.

Left behind.  

"I want to go with them." Lan Xichen said.

For the first time since his journey began, Lan Sizhui was truly horrified. 

"I - I can only transport souls, and yours -"

"Then transport mine."

Sizhui shook, sputtering, "But – but - you would have to die! I would have to kill you!"

"I know. Sizhui," Lan Xichen turned to the boy he helped raise into the fine young man he was now and bowed his head. "A-Yuan, please."

Sizhui floundered. What would Father say, if he knew his A-Yuan had been the one to take the life of his beloved brother?

"You can't ask this of me, you can't Zewu-jun, no - da'bofu… da'bofu don’t…"

But Sizhui knew, he knew, deep down, that he would do this for Lan Xichen. In the hallow abbey of Nevernight, his uncle held him as he cried, as if he was still that scared lonely little boy. 

"I am a selfish man. I'm sorry, child, forgive me."  

 ~~~

 Sizhui spun the spell for nine days and nine nights.

A barrier was formed from his mixture of demonic and spiritual energy, barring anyone passage into the palace. Lan Xichen’s disappearance from Cloud Recesses quickly alerted cultivators all round, and the strange energy coalescing around Qishan commanded the attention of Chief Cultivator Hanguang-jun and the other sect masters. Together, Sizhui’s fathers and the leaders of all major and minor sects marched on Nevernight for a third time, completely surrounding the place on day two of the nine-day spell. 

Lan Sizhui’s absence from Gusu Lan’s entourage drew speculations right away, as he was the unofficial Sect Heir.

Under immense pressure and terrified by the development of both political and spiritual tension, Jin Ling and Lan Jingyi caved and told their qianbeis the truth: that Sizhui was a practiced demonic cultivator from an early age, that he planned to release Chifeng'zun and Jin Guangyao's trapped spirits into reincarnation for a second chance, that Zewu-jun had begged him to send him as well, that Sizhui had agreed to it all.

The reveal shocked all, even the usually nonplussed Nie Huaisang.  “Is he really able to do it? To give my brother peace and absolution?”  Jingyi nodded. “If anyone can, Sizhui can.” 

For nine days the cultivators meditated, their collective cultivation keeping yet another barrier between the surrounding land and Nevernight’s epicenter.

As the only non-spiritual cultivator present Wei Wuxian knelt before the long stone steps, stained and darkened by the blood of countless lives that were ended upon it. 

Whose blood they were yet to spill he did not know and was too afraid to think on it further. Two live-times’ of memories flooded his thoughts, threatening to overtake him. Wen Ning knelt with him, silently by his side as always. 

When the spell ended, the spiritual and demonic powers in Lan Sizhui came to a culmination. The earth quaked, the sky darkened. For a minute, all was quiet.

Then, suddenly, four flashes of lightning cut across the sky, lighting up night as though it were day. Its thunderous echoes shook the cultivators down to their knees. Even the mighty Hanguang-jun, the Chief Cultivator himself, bowed to its strength. Men and women quivered and trembled, for they knew those were not your ordinary lightning.

Four, consecutive strikes, each hitting where Lan Sizhui would be within the main palace. Those were Omens, Heaven's Trial. It was clear to all of them what had happened.

Lan Yuan, Lan Sizhui, had ascended.

"That was...that was an ascension." Jiang Wanyin’s voice spoke out first.

Beside him, his nephew the young Sect Master Jin Ling bit back his sobs. He had hoped this wouldn't happen, though the signs were all there in the preceding days. Ascension was what all cultivators sought, though in this case, it was most definitely not a blessing.

He feared for his friend, and he blamed himself for ever posing that ridiculous request that day at the Guanyin Temple.

“Sizhui!!” Lan Jingyi was the first to break rank, dashing forward in a mad panic. He was stopped in his track by Jin Ling’s arms circling his waist from behind.  

“Jingyi, stop!! It’s too late, we can’t stop this!”

“Sizhui! Sizhui!”

“Jingyi! Jin Ling!”  Ouyang Zizhen rushed to their side and helped Jin Ling haul back their friend.  

“He’s ascended! He’s ascended, he’s ascended, it’s just an ascension, just an ascension,” chanted Jin Ling over and over to his friend as they crumbled to their knees.

"No, not 'an' ascension," corrected Lan Wangji, his voice rising over the deafening silence. He stood and helped Wei Wuxian to stand. His husband was white as sheet, for he too understood what four lightnings meant.

Historical records have always noted that one lightning was the sign of ascension from cultivator to di’xian (lesser immortal). Unlike popular belief, the lightning was not a sign of Heaven’s favour, but a Fated Trial. To be an immortal, a cultivator must survive the trial, and of the few who were ever graced with the lightning, even fewer survived. Aside from Baoshan, no cultivator had even reached anywhere close to this stage in over a hundred years.

Three lightnings, however, were the price to pay for the ascension from lesser to higher immortal (shang’xian). 

Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian clung to each other. To leap through two tiers and ascend twice consecutively...it was completely unheard of. Was their son still alive?

“We have to find him,” said Wei Wuxian when the lightning faded. Sizhui’s barrier had slowly melted away from Nevernight. Above them, the thick clouds parted, giving way for the soft morning light. 

“Mn.”

“Jiang Cheng –”

Jiang Wanyin stood up right, drawing Sandu from its sheath and nodded. “I’ll keep watch. Go.”

When Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian finally reached Sizhui, he was waiting for them. Well...a form of him was. 

Soaring around along the vaulted ceiling was a large fire bird, Qishan Wen’s symbol immortalized. Its feathers were as black and shiny as obsidian, and its belly as pale as pearls. Crimson flames trimmed the edge of its large wings and trailed behind in its wake. With a sharp piercing cry, the creature dived mid-flight and came sweeping down until it disappeared into fractals of bright lights and materialized the next instant into a young man. 

Half of Lan Sizhui’s hair had gone completely white. Mixed with black, it fluttered loose and wild in the waves of divine magic that now enshrouded his person.

His Gusu Lan robes once pristine were in tatters, and from where he stood several feet in front of them, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian could see the streaks of lightning scars running where his veins ought to be.

Then, he looked up, revealing a blood-red iris.

"A-die, fuqin.” Sizhui took a couple steps towards them and crumbled in their arms. Somewhere behind his shoulder, Lan Wangi saw his brother's body lying prone on a slab of rock. There was no doubt Lan Xichen was dead.

"I don't have long. They're coming for me." Sizhui hugged them close.  

Wei Wuxian was distraught, "Who's coming for you?! A-Yuan -"

"I've tampered with timelines, changed fates, the Gods are angry. The demons tell me so."

Lan Wangji cradled his child’s face in his hands and found it hard to imagine this was the little boy he saved from the Burial Mount early twenty years ago. "Sizhui, son, please let us help you -"

"You can't help me. This is my burden to carry."

But Lan Wangji refused to accept it. "We won't let you die -"

"I won't die, fuqin, a-die, but I will be going now."

"G-go? Where will you go? You’re not going anywhere! I won’t allow it!" Wei Wuxian held him tighter.

"A shangxian's place is with the Heavenly Court. That is where I must answer for my crimes."

“No…no, you won’t – A-Yuan, our little A-Yuan…”

Sizhui clasped all three of their hands together and whispered, "Qing-gugu once said that when there is too much to say, all one really need to say is thank you and I’m sorry. Fuqin, a-die, Sizhui has been unfilial. I hope you can forgive me.”

As he spoke those words, the entire hall was suddenly lit aglow. A figure appeared, too bright and blinding to discern its feature.

The voice that called out to him was calm but commanding, heavy with gravitas. "Lan Sizhui, your presence is requested." 

"I know."

"Do you admit your guilt?"

"I do."

"Then come."

A-Yuan stood, pulling his hands from his fathers' grasps. With one last gentle smile, half in pain half in love, he turned to face his future. He could no longer bear to see the devastation on his fathers’ faces, awash with tears.  

As he walked calmly into the light, his last words, spoken over his shoulder, were: “Tell, xiaomei that I would’ve loved to meet her." (xiaomei = little sister.)

“SIZHUI!!” 

“A-YUAN!!” 

 ~~~

 On their way back to Cloud Recesses from this eternal parting, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian happened upon an orphaned baby girl on the side of the road.

They brought her home and adopted her. Their daughter was named Wei Xiao, courtesy Lan Mengyuan.

To dream of a reunion...

Wei Xiao grew, happy and loved. Then, nearly a century later, at the end of a very long life, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian passed, peacefully and together.

 ~~~

 In front of a Starbucks in a modern metropolitan city, a young man holding a latte and talking quickly on the phone is attempting to cross the road without looking both ways.

"I'm honestly trying my best here! I have my thesis to finish and my PI is -"

He is struck by a car, which immediately took off. This is witnessed by a jogger coming from the opposite direction and a man in professional attires waiting by the bus station. The jogger and the bus taker both rush to the injured man at the same time, as many others crowd around to the scene.

The jogger introduces himself as "Nie Mingjue, a fireman", and the bus taker pulls out a stethoscope from his bag and replies with a polite smile and a quick handshake, "Lan Xichen, doctor – pediatrician specifically."

A student in the crowd exclaims, "Oh my god, that's Meng Yao, my finance TA. Please help him!"

“Do you have contact for his next of kin?” Nie Mingjue asks.

“N-no, but I-I can call his department. My prof should know, or HR, hold on.”

“Call the ambulance,” instructs Lan Xichen to another bystander, “Tell them we have a man, in his twenties, who’s been struck by a hit and run…”

…

Across the street, under the umbrella of Starbucks’ patio, a young man raises his head. His hair is cut short, though strangely dyed white on one side. The sunglasses on his nose slips a little, revealing a startling red iris. On the table beside his elbow, his phone pings, showing an email alert from [email protected], bcc-ed to the entire class and cc-ed to [email protected].   

Midterm Tutorial Session: Updated Slides.

“Finally, I was starting to think it would never happen.” A young woman slides into the seat across from him, sipping on a freshly made frappuccino.

The young man picks up his own cup and smiles. “Good morning to you too, Mengyuan.”

“Satisfied now, my meddling rebellious brother?”

“Yes.” The god in mortal clothes sighs, content. “Yes in fact, I am.”

 FIN

 Note:  *Wei Xiao’s name Lan MengYuan isn’t the same Meng* as MengYao’s last name, and isn’t the same Yuan* as Wen Yuan. Completely different words and meaning. :) 

#lan sizhui #wangxian #cql #the untamed #lan jingyi #jin ling #does this count as 3zun? #begotten sequel #foundling series #corie fics

[harpavian]

Devil’s Wings Chapter 1

@erstwhilesky @you-like-that-cool-i-do-too I’m sorry this took so hecking long, I had it saved for months but just never posted it, hope you like it! (check out erstwhilesky’s art!)

Summary:  Virgil is a bad-ass with wings and Logan is gay. Might sprinkle in some angst at some point. Who knows. It's not gonna be super heavy tho, mostly fluff.

Tags: Logan/Virgil, Winged!Virgil, mostly fluff, minor violence but nothing too bad

As Logan walked down the street, he steadily became more aware of how dark it was getting. It was only about five o’clock, but the days had recently been getting shorter, the cool weather seeming to scare the sun away. Normally, this wouldn’t bother Logan, he stayed up late a lot anyways. But he was far from home, and this area of the city was unfamiliar to him. He was coming from a party that his roommate, Roman, had dragged him to. Logan had left early in favor of taking the bus back home. Speaking of, his phone says the bus stop is only two minutes away now, it should be around the next corner.

There’s a loud crash, and pained shout, and Logan sees a trash bin spill over and out onto the sidewalk from an alleyway in front of him. Logan’s curiosity catches him off guard, and without thinking, Logan rushes forward, walking into the front of the alley. 

He immediately tenses as he sees the scene before him. There’s a tall man, holding a gun and pointing it directly at someone who’s fallen into a couple trash bags against the wall. His attention is quickly brought back to the tall man, who is now pointing the gun at him.

“Hey! Don’t move!” the man shouts

Logan slowly starts to raise his hands up, but the man’s aim shifts, and he fires a shot past Logan’s head, and Logan jolts to the side, then freezes completely.

“I said don’t. Fucking. Move.”

Suddenly, the other person is wrapped around the man’s shoulders and is trying to grab his gun. It fires once, twice, then is thrown against the ground and slides off to the side. The man manages to throw his opponent off of him, and they roll across the ground. 

Logan stakes up a defensive stance as the man turns towards him. The man stalks towards him, and Logan throws a punch, which he easily dodges. The man grabs his collar and pushes him against the wall. He pulls out a knife and holds it to Logan’s throat. Logan looks over to the other person, desperate for help. 

His mind stutters, and utter bewilderment takes over as he studies the other person. He had black, baggy clothes and a patched up purple hoodie. His face was chiseled and his eyebrows were creased in a look of determination. Most notably, he had giant pitch black wings, curved around himself in defense. 

Logan’s jaw goes slack, until it hits the flat of the blade at his throat, and it’s chill throws him back to reality.

“Let him go, he has nothing to do with this” the winged man growls.

The other man merely smirks, his hold tightening on Logan. “Make me.”

The winged man’s mouth turns to a determined grimace, and he pushes off the ground, and suddenly Logan is thrown to the back off the alley, his back slamming against the fence there. He looks up at the two men, who now both have blades clenched in their fists. 

Logan shakes himself, and makes a move to get up and… help the man with the wings? He seems good. Or at least neutral. He had been trying to protect him. But as he begins to stand, the other man grabs his gun from the ground, and aims it at the man with the wings.

His wings cocoon him then, creating a sort of shield. Logan deftly wonders what feathers will do against a bullet, but the man with the gun seems annoyed by it, and Logan once again finds the gun pointed at him.

In a rush, the winged man is by his side, and his wings close around Logan’s body. Logan gasps, looking up at his protector with astonishment and confusion.

While Logan was now protected by the wings, the man was partially exposed, his upper chest and head sticking out. He held his knife defensively, and stared the other man down.

It was silent for what felt like an eternity. Then, a noise fills the alleyway. Not a gunshot, but a jingle. The man with the gun pulls out a phone. He listens for a moment, then puts the phone back away.

“Until next time, Virgil. I’ve got an errand to run” and with that, the man puts his gun away and stalks off.

******

It’s several moments until the two move. The winged man is the first to shift, putting his knife in his boot, and looking down to Logan.

The man’s face softens from it’s intimidating glare for a moment, then becomes worried, “Are you hurt?”

“Uhm… no” Logan croaks out. He shifts, straightening his tie and trying to regain his composure.

The man nods, but the worried look does not leave his face. “I’m uh… I’m sorry ‘bout that. He’s a…” he looks away, “An acquaintance. Of mine.”

“Oh.” Logan lamely responds.

There's a slight pause before the man speaks again. “Vigil.” he says, “My name, I mean.”

“Logan. Salutations”

Virgil snorts. “Uh, hello to you too, I guess. Quite the introduction, huh...” he gestures around, referencing the fight.

Logan looks up, following Virgil’s hand, when his eyes land on Virgil’s wings. He stares, his brows knitting as he gets lost in thought.

“Oh, yeah, these” he says awkwardly. He moves his wings up and down, and the dim light shines off of the feathers. “They come in handy sometimes, but they’re uh…” his voice trails off, and he looks over to Logan. “They’re not working too great at the moment”

Virgil gestures to his right wing. It is then that Logan notices that it’s slightly crooked, bent at an awkward angle. Logan’s mouth opens in a small ‘o’ and he reaches out with his hand, then pulls back, thinking better of it.

“I just got unlucky, I guess. He jumped me, and I couldn’t get away.”

Logan nods, “Is there anything I could do to help?”

“Not really, no. It’ll heal in time.”

“... Alright”

It becomes silent for a moment, before Virgil mutters, “do you… do you have a car?”

“No, but my roommate does. Why?”

Virgil winces, then says, “Well, I can’t exactly use public transportation.” He gestures to his wings. “And I have no way to get home from here.”

“Well, where’s home?”

Virgil grimaces, “you know that old building on 10th street?”

Logan’s confusion turns to concern as he responds “that abandoned, ramshackle, run down theater?”

Virgil looks away, nodding his head.

Logan stares incredulously for a moment, gathering his thoughts, before he spits out, “what if you…” he pauses “stayed at my place for a bit?”

Virgil looks up at him, confused, and maybe even a bit hopeful.

“It’s the least I could do. I mean, my roommate spends half the time at his boyfriend’s place anyways, I don’t think he’d mind.” Logan’s face is dusted in a light blush, but to be fair, so is Virgil’s.

“Oh,” Virgil starts, his voice shaky. He clears his throat and takes a breath. “That would be…”

“Sufficient?” Logan offers.

“Yeah.”

#sfw #sanders sides #logan sanders #logan #vigil sanders #virgil #roman sanders #roman #sanders sides fic #thomas sanders #winged!virgil #tw minor violence

[shellheadtmarc]

actually, because i really need to finish my new theme and need new verse blurbs, here’s a more in depth look at my current/in-use verses, with links to full writeups as available.

mcu:  this is boilerplate.  i’m a canon tony, this is a canon verse.  follows the events from iron man through infinity war for the moment, including the tie-in comics iron man 2: public identity, iron man 2: agents of shield, iron man: the coming of the melter, iron man 3 prelude, marvel’s avengers: age of ultron prelude - the scepter’d isle, marvel’s captain america: civil war prelude infinite, marvel’s avengers: infinity war prelude, and marvel’s avengers: endgame prelude.  also includes the post-iron man 3 short about the mandarin.  everything not covered/discussed in mcu canon is plugged with 616 continuity canon.

616:  what it says on the tin.  covers most of the runs from about 2008-present, including the new tony stark: iron man, against my greater judgment, though that may change in the future if it keeps tanking in story. in reality, this actually covers everything post-heroes reborn, but to make it simple we’ll say it’s wibbly wobbly because comics.  also includes heavy snippets still in play from classic invincible iron man.

classic:  from his first appearances in tales of suspense up to the inception of heroes reborn.  or, if you prefer, original flavor tony stark, the cool suave businessman with the aloof nature, party boy ways, and injured heart, reliant on his rechargeable chest piece, as he also has a double identity as the golden avenger known as iron man.  poses as his own bodyguard.  jetsetter.  people love or hate him, but most want to be him.  if only they knew how much his bum ticker isolated him.  a ton of fridged girlfriends.  later physical ailments include:  paralysis from the waist down.  degenerative nervous system.  a cranky ticker more than you can shake a stick at.  literally dying and being cryogenically frozen.

616 meets mcu:  this covers any time comicverse tony is thrown at mcu versions of the people he knows.  things to note include being taller.  he has blue eyes.  his tech is more advanced.  his speech patterns differ heavily.  recovering alcoholic, coffee is fine no matter how shitty it is.  he has more years as a superhero under his belt at this point.  his fears and points of stress differ from mcu tony’s quite a bit, and his reactions are different.  he and pepper are barely on speaking terms (generously speaking). he’s different, and it’s obvious he’s different.

broke:  mcu-based verse that includes corporate espionage and tony stark having to keep his head down and learning to live under the table paycheck to under the table paycheck until he can muster what he needs to make a frontal assault on regaining what’s rightly his.  a verse where tony’s at his absolute lowest, still determined to retain the phoenix metaphor and rise from the ashes of the misfortune thrust upon him.

superior iron man:  hiding the fact that he’s still under the scarlet witch’s inversion spell, tony goes full tilt diva, his main concerns being money, power, and fame.  he starts drinking again.  he makes san francisco his own personal big brother state, where he watches the city like a hawk by day while shilling extremis as a beauty enhancer, and parties like it’s 1999 at his new home on alcatraz island by night.  is still iron man, as long as there’s something in it for him.  will partially be at fault for the destruction of the 616 universe (it gets better).

hypervelocity:  tony’s attacked in his own lab by the mind-emulationware mechs known as “beautiful garbage”, and his newest iteration of the iron man suit forced an upload or a copy of his brain patterns to get him out of there.  the wetware is damaged, and the suit dumps it before it bleeds out in the suit cavity, and thus that suit, with the ability to walk, talk, and think exactly like tony stark (albeit full of bugs) is born, to unravel the mystery of the attack and attempt to stop the emulation program that caused it.

ai:  after being punched into a literal coma during a battle with captain marvel/carol danvers over the fate of miles morales and concerning an inhuman by the name of odysseus’s increasingly violent visions of the future, and with even hank mccoy being afraid to even draw blood on tony after seeing what tony’s been doing to himself over the years, tony’s ai comes online, as a mentor to riri williams/ironheart and to help against the clone captain america with those of the mount.  he’s twice as sassy with quadruple the processing speed, and he’s got some weird feelings about being the recreated consciousness of a living person suddenly finding itself with no physical body.

noir:  a businessman who likes to play adventurer for a men’s magazine, along with his best friend james rhodes and their new reporter pepper potts, writing under a male pseudonym, tony stark on the surface has it all in the late 1930s.  beautiful women, exciting adventures, and loads of money.  but all it does is hide his desperate search for a cure for his dying heart, as he’s forced to wear a metal chest piece that has to be charged frequently to even keep himself alive.  

director of shield:  mcu-based version of tony’s time as the director of shield.  after everything that occurs after captain america: the winter soldier, and the fall of shield, an attempt is made to resurrect it with tony stark at the helm as fury’s replacement (hand-picked).  he stresses transparency, he stresses equality, and most of all, he just wants to find a way to balance being iron man with having to deal with the day-to-day bullshit of international bureaucracy.

sorcerer supreme:  based on the 90s “what if?” one shot comic.  tony was the cause of the accident that injured stephen strange’s hands, and, feeling supremely guilty about the entire thing, searches for ways to give stephen his dexterity and life back.  it leads him to becoming the sorcerer supreme, despite that inherent dislike of magic he has, and he combines the iron man technology with the mystical forces he gains a hold over in that quest for a cure.

guardians of the galaxy:  mcu flavor for tony’s time as an active gotg.  after civil war, on a break with pepper, and feeling about as great about things as someone laying facedown in a gutter possibly can, tony puts his mobile armory into space, tinkers together a suit for deep space exploration, and takes off, losing himself for a while among the stars.  threat is going to come from there, sure, but there’s going to be opportunity, as well.  it’s a useful thing to find out who’s friend, and who’s foe, and see what there is to see in the black expanses of space.

supernatural:  the other family business.  being a founder of shield and everything he took to his grave wasn’t the only secret he was keeping, and this was one maria was in on as well.  too bad tony doesn’t stumble across it until after he’s already become iron man, where saving the world is so tied into his moral code he can’t look away.  if he goes missing for a few days, it’s fine, it’s chill.  he’s just taking a breather, not poking around at things he only still half-believes in even when he’s seen them with his own two eyes.  the biggest skeptic hunter you’ll ever meet.

fallout prewar:  mcu continuity up to the beginning of iron man 3, against fallout’s prewar as a backdrop.  tony stark is who he is, he does what he does, but he also is someone certain government agencies would love to tear down, because he’s a rabble rouser against the war, and has no problem hogging the iron man technology for himself instead of sharing with the military.  he also has no problem sharing the dirty secrets he finds out with the press.  full write up can be found here.

fallout new vegas:  tony as the infamous courier six.  left in stasis in a vault in california, tony comes to years and years after the devastation of the bombs to a world vastly changed from the one he remembers, and in a vault full of ghouls.  once topside, and once reoriented into the world, he ends up something of a jack of all trades until he takes that fateful job with the mojave express, and gets two to the head for his trouble.  independent path with the yes-man aligned ending, details of choices and all dlcs available as needed until i get off my ass and do a full replaythrough and write up.  keeps the spine from big mt, but his heart and brain are back where they belong.  locked elijah in the vault.  nuke launch stopped (ed-e repaired after).  evacuated the sorrows.  

fallout 4 sole survivor:  still needs a full write up, but tony as the sole survivor.  does not take the shock at the change in the world well at first.  eventually pulls his shit together enough to get shit done, but can’t touch a suit, can’t think about the suit, will take some time to even toy with the idea of possibly touching a suit again before he actually can.  minutemen and railroad aligned, destroys the bos and institute.  peaceful ending with all far harbor factions.  spares the mechanist.  destroys the raiders at nuka world and turns the parks over to the minutemen.  question information as needed until i get a full write up done.

fallout 4 companion:  tony’s been in new york since the bombs dropped.  there are huge chunks of it that are still uninhabitable, much like boston’s glowing sea, but the parts that are?  he’s started on a grand rebuilding project, because he’s got nothing but time:  the arc reactor’s kept his heart pumping well past its expiration date.  when the bos slow rolls past new york, he follows them into boston, mostly because he’s paranoid and cagey (with good reason in the wasteland) and partially out of curiosity.  available as a companion for sole survivors, some restrictions apply, please see this write up for more details.

fallout 76 dweller:  locked up with a bunch of other big brains after the bombs, tony’s that guy.  you know.  the one you read about in the terminal.  the one that kept hacking things.  once topside again, he sheds that vault tec blue and yellow as quickly as he can and sees about setting things right.  a member of the responders.  a mole in [redacted].  fire breather.  rebuilding the world has to start somewhere, so it might as well be west virginia.

dwemer:  the last surviving dwemer, finally peeking his head out of his lab in its pocket plane of oblivion to find the nords are at it again, dragons are still doing their thing, his people have just flat out vanished, and that skyrim is still cold as balls.  often gets mistaken as a very tall bosmer.  still calls the dunmer the chimer out of sheer smartassedness.  swung on rolf in windhelm and ends up in jail more times than you can shake a stick at.

single parent au:  handed off a baby under some shady as hell circumstances, unable to find out anything and secretly glad he can’t find out anything about her in the end, tony pulls some strings and sophie stark ends up hitting the jackpot as far as adoptive parents go.  tony had thought just being iron man was hard, but now he’s balancing ballet practice and pta meetings with saving the world.

#⚛ (array: verse info) #long post

[ruin19-approfonde]

The Warrior

I pulled up a chair next to the fellow, the rickety, heavy thing sending a shriek across the otherwise quiet tavern. The barkeep kept his steady gaze out the open window, my seat only catching the attention of the man I decided to speak with. His short stature easily gave away that he was of northern decent. I’d go as far as saying he came from the capital up there, the Grand Palace Neich, what with his aura of a warrior-like pride. Despite him sharpening away at his hefty blade, I could tell he appreciated some attention. “‘Scuse my curiosity,” I spoke, “But those don’t look like any typical northern garb. I don’t quite know how to ask this without sounding blunt, but what is it you do?”

His baggy, shoddy clothes rustled roughly as he turned, a subtle chain clinking beneath. Now with a better view, I could see a small emblem on his open tunic, one of a striking cloud partially captured within a metal square. He shot me a grin, a set of rather mangled teeth revealing themselves. The young man responded, “Why, I’m a student of combat. More specifically, The Strike itself.”

I knew it, he was the warrior type all along. My friends and I quite like meeting those types of strangers. They had a certain cloying passion that was both inspiring and great joke material for nights of drinking. I do stay careful to not let them know of course. Naturally, I had to pry a little deeper to get to the true gold. I raised my eyebrows as if I were interested, saying, “The Strike? Go on then, tell me more. I’m afraid I’m unfamiliar with it.”

The barkeep’s eyes cut towards me as he noticed my intentions. Instead of interrupting, he quietly exhaled an annoyed breath through his nose, looking back towards the night sky. The stranger hadn’t a clue, however. It’s not like it would change his words if he did though. He continued on, saying, “It’s just that, the single most important hit, the magnum opus of our careers. We train day in and day out, yet never throw a single blow. Never a mere slash. Never a crumbling of bones beneath our hammers.”

He began to trail on for quite some time about his little training exercises and philosophies, mentioning vague terms and places I wouldn’t even know of if I were partially listening. I know it was rude, reaping the petty benefits of this conversation without sewing the fundamental seeds, but I had grown quite numb to the guilt. I’m sure the warrior felt nice to have got that off his chest, even to an unresponsive partner, right? Weaseling my way into the conversation once more, I had to be careful of what I chose to speak of. The more sentimental potential, the more amusing it’ll be in hindsight, I told myself. “But why’d you start doing this? It seems like an awful lot of work just for a single thing.”

“It is, trust me,” he says, “But I’d say it was worth it in the long run. I was a boy when I learned of The Strike. I had been juggled between the lines of typical, clientless craftsman and bandit far too many times. I knew that I would one day I’d pay for my devilish acts, but I had no clue it would come so soon. With the click of seven bizarre, royal blades, guards had me within arm’s length. They stared me down with their shadowed eyes, speaking their script of law as they prepared my arrest. I was trembling, the jewels I had stolen shimmering to the ground one by one. Then, in a moment of serendipity, an odd-looking woman stepped into view. She saw me, her blade by her side, and she claimed she recognized me. Two of the guards turned, one asking if I was of The Strike. She lied through her teeth, stating that I was and that The Strike would manage my punishment for them.”

I spewed out a mixture of a scoff and a chuckle, interrupting on instinct rather than strategy, “How is a punishment from an obscure faction ‘better in the long run,’ as you put it?”

He responded well to this. He might have noted that it seemed like a more genuine question, not just one to keep things moving, and he responded, “Because I haven’t got into a single fight since. My mind and soul are bonded to my future like a strange marriage. I know that no matter what, I could likely strike with more importance tomorrow. Even if the opportunity seems unforgettable, I know I’d regret it. I’d like to live on without the guilt of self-disappointment, as I’m sure most would.”

Like a beast in the bushes, his words could have be some sort of ravenous beast or a just plucky little bird. It didn’t help that in my little mental campsite that the barkeep’s smug smile wove a bit more tension in the scene. A bit flustered, I continue, instinctively throwing sticks and pebbles at the spoken creature, “So you’re a warrior that never strikes, is that right? Sounds a little confused if you ask me.”

I had immediately recoiled at my own words, wishing I had chosen something a bit more polite to say. Even if my intentions were not so, I would like to keep a positive face. I knew the damned boy would throw my words back at my face with a howling laughter, and I reddened by the moment with anger and dread. However, he paused.

The room went mostly silent. My nervous tapping of my foot lightly echoed across those paneled walls, and the wiping of glass brought me back to the quiet start of this whole conversation. Beetles clicked and flittered in the air, tapping against branches clumsily. Moths too flew about, but gathered near the flickering flames. Despite their tiny frame, their graceful, dusty movements cast far more shadow than the other insects, stumbling around in the dark. One such beetle flew into the room, slamming into the table with a light click. After a brief lapse in concentration and tension, I brought my eyes back to the slowly-rising brow of the warrior. He appeared more and more amused, a quiet smile creeping across his face. He opened his mouth, and I braced myself to control my anger. He tilted his head ever-so-slightly, saying with a subtle shrug, “You know, maybe I am confused.”

Damn him and his devilish grin, the barkeep’s too while I’m at it. Of course the witness made sure to bring up my failings that night to my colleagues. They managed to milk the moment of as much teasing as they could. Good riddance to the warrior, wherever he trailed off to.

I’ve got another post in the back, but I’m still back and forth on it. I’m satisfied with how it turned out, but it doesn’t lend itself to the more light-hearted parts I’m still trying to develop. It’s a tad too dramatic, as over-dramatizing and romanticizing is fun sometimes. I’m still considering posting it, so it’s still a possibility. Thanks for reading.

#writing #lore #creative writing #fantasy #ruin19

[pcyheartgirlx]

In The Bleak Midwinter [CH18]

Genre ;; Angst/Smut/Fluff/Romance

Pairing ;; Chanyeol x Reader x Seokjin

Word Count ;; 8.9k

Summary ;; We’re all whores, we just sell different parts of ourselves.

You own a multi-billion dollar company, servicing the biggest names in kpop, in more ways than one. Under the name “Starlight Catering”, you, your best friends, Damon and Maya, and your hundreds of workers provide stress relief for idols.

You have partially retired, not because you didn’t want to, but because Chanyeol was your muse. He was all that you had time for and all you needed. Until Jin came along.

So what happens when you mix fire and ice?

You get smoke and all the lines are blurred.

A/N ;; EDIT! I’m sorry if you’re seeing this twice on your feed. There was something wrong with the last post so I had to repost this. but nothing has changed so no need to reread just relike or reblog<3 :) Welcome back babies! I hope you liked the last chapter cuz this one is going to be totally different! Haha. I feel like I have to let you guys know if a specific character isn’t going to be in the story to just know this is a Jin chapter mostly and Chanyeol is absent BUT he will be in the next one :DDD anyways, hope you like it  byeee *ksoo voice* also there's a warning of a scene that might be a little gross to some. I won't reveal it here obviously so you'll have to keep readingggg

[PLAYLIST] [BACKSTORY] [PROLOGUE] [CH1] [CH2] [CH3] [CH4] [CH5] [CH6] [CH7] [CH8] [CH9] [CH10] [CH11] [CH12] [CH13] [CH14] [CH15] [CH16] [CH17] [CH18]

“Bangtan Christmas?”

Namjoon shot you a look of confusion as you echoed his words.

“What? It’s cute. It’s like a little Christmas party we do every year before Christmas. We drink and we do secret santa,” Namjoon’s eyes started to twinkle as he described it to you. It was cute just as he said but only because you never envisioned BTS doing something this adorable so privately. They really are like brothers. You smirked and looked down at the fit of your new sweater. You didn’t understand why Jin got you such a huge size. Bringing your hands up to your face, you sighed at the sweater paws you now had. And the way it hung on your shoulders gave it a length that made it look like a dress. It was longer than the dress you were wearing you thought. Those broad shoulders of his. You smiled to yourself as you kept examining the sweater on you. Namjoon noticed and was about to say something before you two heard voices coming from outside of the front door.

“Will you two shut up already?” Yoongi barked as the men all walked in. A small pout followed his statement as the footsteps and sounds of chuckling started becoming closer.

“It’s not my fault your legs are shorter than mine,” Tae giggled. “Maybe next time you can keep up and win the race.”

“I can’t believe this is how you’re choosing who’s going to be in your video, hyung!” Jimin whined, causing a that cackle that could make anyone smile. That was definitely Hobi.

“Why? I think this is fair!”

“(Y/N)!” Jungkook cried out delightfully as they walked into the kitchen. You smiled at all of them as Jimin ran to you and took you in an embrace.

“I’m so happy you came! We’re going to have so much fun!” He gushed as he pulled away, Tae was trailing behind him and mirrored Jimin’s action.

“I hope you have a good tolerance for vodka because that’s what your lovely prince got for the both of you,” As Tae pulled away, you looked at him perplexed as you looked over the 5 men who had just walked in.

“Where is Jin, anyway?” you asked as Jungkook came over to the you 3, putting a small plastic bag on the table.

“You’ll hear him in a second,” Yoongi sniggered as he started taking his coat off.

“What did you guys do to him?” Namjoon threw his hands up and sighed. Hobi just clutched onto Yoongi’s arm, joining him as they sniggered away.

“3…” Jungkook started.

“2…” Hobi followed. Jimin pointed in the direction of the hall and that’s when you heard him.

“Yah! This is how you treat me?! Am I just a bag boy while you hoodlums run off? Your antics are getting on my last nerve! Having me walk all the way over here carrying all the bags! You know how many bottles of wine and vodka I just bought. And another thing! I know you all didn’t leave your wallets home accidentally! You’re all a bunch of little--(Y/N)!” You couldn’t help but snigger with the rest of the men, minus Namjoon who was shaking his head at Jin’s rant, clearly embarrassed for him.

“Hey tesoro,” you said slyly as you watched his redden face deepen to a crimson color.

“Jagi, you wouldn’t believe what these punks did to me!”

“I’m pretty sure she heard you,” Yoongi teased as he walked over and took the many bags from Jin’s hand.

“Well it’s about time someone helped me! Ungrateful shits you all are!” Jin continued, the vein in his neck throbbing as every syllable fell from his lips. Jungkook walked up to him and put an arm around him.

“I’m sorry, hyung. I know age it starting to get to you and your muscles and bones aren’t the same--”

“Woah! I’ll have you know--” Jin was cut off by Jimin coming up next to him, squeezing his arm lightly.

“Wow, Jungkook’s right, hyung. You’re feeling a little flabby over here.”

“FLABBY?!”

“Aw guys leave my prince alone. It’s not his fault. Age is something that we can’t just stop,” you said as you walked over to Jin, placing a hand on his cheek lightly and pinching it. The affection you gave him caused the other man to giggle and as much as you were trying to embarrass Jin a bit, he just took your hand and pulled you into him.

“I’m like wine! I just get better with age,” Jin retorted as he wrapped his arms around you. “Isn’t that right, jagi?”

“That’s right, tesoro.”

“You guys are incredibly corny,” Yoongi chuckled as he took the liquors out of the bag, placing the 2 bottles of vodka and 4 bottles of wine on the table. Your eyes widened as Tae pulled Soju out of the bag Jungkook had placed on the table. These boys know how to drink.

“I think it’s cute!” Tae whined stomping his foot lightly at Yoongi. Jungkook came up behind Tae and put his hand on his back.

“He just doesn’t know the first thing about romance, huh?” Jungkook added silently and you were almost sure you were the only one that caught the off sided glance that Tae shot Jungkook as he touched him, almost shuddering but keeping his composure. They’re so incredibly cute I can’t deal with it.

“Let’s show (Y/N) the Big room!” Jimin chimed as he took a glass of Soju in his hand. You looked up at Jin whose face was softening every second you spent in his arm.

“Didn’t I see the Big room already?” you asked him innocently.

“Yes but you haven’t seen it decorated.”

“Decorated?”

“Aw I just noticed you’re wearing the sweater Jin got!” Hobi said as he peeled off his jacket, revealing his own twist on an ugly Christmas sweater that included Mang.

“That’s why we took so long,” Yoongi grumbled as he adjusted his Shooky Christmas sweater.

“We had to get hyung a new sweater since he wanted to see...how did he put it?” Jungkook mused as he pulled on the hem of his Kooky sweater.

“You’ll keep your mouth shut if you know what’s good for you,” Jin threatened as he held you closer.

“He wanted to see his beautiful sugar plum princess wearing the cutest sweater on earth,” Jimin teased, bringing his voice an octave higher as he pretended to cutely mimic Jin. While the 6 men laugh, you looked back up at Jin, squeezing him tightly as you kissed his jaw.

“Did you really say that?” you tried holding a small giggle back because the way his lip pursed, you could tell he was feeling slightly shy. But when he saw how your eyes twinkled in curiosity, his face softened.

“I said...something like that, yes.” You rested your head against his chest, not paying attention to the other men who were talking among themselves at this point.

“You’re the cutest, you know that Jin?” You felt him brush his lips against your forehead, causing you to fall deeper into his arms.

“I-I try.”

“Come, (Y/N)!” Hobi beamed as they all started making their way to the back of the dorm with a drink and bottle in hand. You pulled away from Jin but you felt his hands cup yours and slightly pull you toward the the door.

When you all made your way into the Big room, your jaw dropped at the scene in front of you. There was a massive tree where the floor dipped by the sectional and it was littered with BT21 decorations. There were Christmas lights strung all over the room. Everything either had a Christmas hat or tinsel hanging from it. It was a legitimate Bangtan Christmas. You smiled as you watched them all flock toward the sectionals with their drinks in their hands placing the bottles on a familiar table. You bit your lip and smiled a bit, thinking about the day Jin had you sprawled on that table. Jin stood by you, and you felt his eyes examining you, admiring the look of amazement that was plastered on your face.

“I wanted to do something for you for Christmas since I’m not going to be around. I know it’s not Christmas in New York, jagi but--”

“No you’re right,” you said as you turned to him. Jin was taken aback by your response, almost as if he was upset at your reaction. But it didn’t last long as you ran your thumb along the back of his hand. “It’s better. Because I get to be with this family. Because I get to be with you.”

His cheeks puffed out slightly as he grinned at you. All you wanted to do was just pinch those cheeks of his and kiss him everywhere. But you settled for a kiss on one of those cheeks before getting lost in those dark eyes.

“I love you, (Y/N).”

You didn’t care anymore. Those words were about to slip from your tongue and fall out of your lips with no regrets. Jin needed to hear it. He needed to hear it because if he could pick up the sincerity behind it and how much you meant it with everything in your body, he’d believe it before you let him go.

Before you let him go…

“Come on guys! We’re about to play a game!” Namjoon called to the both of you. Jin nodded and then looked at you.

“Let’s have some fun, jagi.” You smiled and nodded as he guided you toward the sectional were the other members sat.

The night went on with lots of laughter and yelling echoing through the room. You all played a drinking game, bringing you all to an extremely nice state of intoxication. Then the secret Santa exchanging of presents. You loved watching them joke about how mediocre the present was but then showering their secret Santa with words of gratitude. It wasn’t long before they got drunker as you sat there babysitting your 3rd glass of vodka in which Jin occasionally took a swig of. It surprised you how well Jin held his liquor. You expected much from Yoongi, who laughed at a very drunk Jimin who was demonstrating his splits. Another fit of laughter overtook you as Namjoon tried to imitate Jimin’s talent.

“My balls! My balls!” Namjoon cried as he fell back, cupping his crotch as he rolled over on the floor. Jimin roared in laughter, falling on top of Hobi who was cackling just as loudly as ever.

“Hyung! Why even try?” Jungkook said breathlessly in between bouts of laughter.

“Have you even ever done a split before?” Tae teased as Namjoon continued to roll around on the floor in exaggerated agony. Tears started to roll down your face and your stomach strained, trying as hard as you could to stop yourself from laughing anymore.

“Hey,” you felt a whisper in your ear. You turned to source next to you only to reveal Jin narrowing his gaze seductively at you. “What do I have to do to get a moment alone with you, sweetheart?” A playful smile danced across your face, your cheeks still burning from keeping that previous wide smile displayed for so long. You placed your hand on his knee and squeezed it lightly, never breaking eye contact.

“All you have to do is ask.” With that, Jin placed his hand over the hand that you rested against his knee, motioning for you to get up. You happily obliged by springing up from your seat, causing the other 6 men to look at the two of you.

“Oooh, I know what you two are about to do,” Jimin slurred as he squirmed cutely in Hobi’s lap.

“We’re just going to go talk,” you said innocently, receiving a doubtful look from Jin. Tae just laughed heartily as he linked arms with Jungkook, leaning his head against his shoulder.

“Give it 5 minutes and we’ll hear it guys!” Jungkook commented, causing the other men to cackle excluding Seokjin and yourself.

“Hear what?!” Jin barked, letting a small chuckle escape his lips although his tone was stern.

“Oh jagi! Ahhh you’re so good at that. Oh, just like that, jagi!” Namjoon moaned on the floor still as he thrust his hips in the air. Yoongi smacked him playfully as he started laughing even harder, causing the other men to roar in unison afterwards. You tried to hide your own laughter but Jin was a gentleman. Even though you could tell he wanted to laugh with him to hide his embarrasment, he put up a little front for you. Squeezing your hand lightly, he dragged you away from them and started for the door.

“You’re all are shameful! Disgraceful!” Jin cried as the two of you started to walk out. Instead of receiving another response from either one of the men that teased you, all 6 of them whistled and hollered as you two disappeared behind the door.

“I’m so sorry about them, (Y/N). They especially don’t know how to act when they’re drunk,” Jin said apologetically as he walked in front of you. You shook your head reassuringly as you walked a familiar path to his room.

“It’s fine, honey. Really. I find it quite amusing,” you pointed out cheerfully. As the two of you made it to his bedroom door, he stopped and looked at you  with embarrassment glinting in his pupils. You wanted to pout and kiss him everywhere just as you did that morning at the cabin, brushing your lips on every territory of his ethereal face. But instead you ran the back of your hand down his cheek as he spoke.

“More like humiliating. I get so embarrassed and shy,” he admitted to you, causing you to grin even more.

“I know that’s why I find it amusing.”

“Well I’m glad my humiliation is entertainment for you,” Jin sneered jokingly as you smacked his arm with minimal force.

“Oh stop baby. Come, lets get inside.”

“Wait a second,” he cried as you placed your hand on his doorknob. You snapped your neck toward him and gave him an eager look. Jin just placed his hands on your shoulders, positioning you so you were facing him. “Look up.” And when you did, there it was. You couldn’t help but bring your hand up to your mouth as this took you by shock.

“A mistletoe!”

“You know what happens under mistletoes, don’t you jagiya?”

You licked your lips as you stared at his, admiring the sumptuous pink skin that glistened in the dim light. Even though you had kissed them often, you always wanted to know what Jin tastes like. And as his lips brushed against yours in that minute, you let the taste of peppermint and vodka pour into you, onto your taste buds as his tongue brushed up against yours. His hands rested at your waist, even when he pulled away from the kiss.

“I have a few presents for you,” he breathed, not allowing you to gather yourself even after that kiss. You looked him confused and he just laughed as his hand went for the doorknob. What you saw in his room almost brought you to tears. You wanted to fall to the floor and beg him to take it all down and that you just plain didn’t deserve it. Because you didn’t.

You didn’t deserve the trail of rose petals that started at your feet and ended at the bed. You didn’t deserve all the hard work he had put in to lighting and positioning all the candles that flickered softly his room. You didn’t deserve the plate of chocolate covered strawberries and the two glasses of champagne that rested on his bed, with red and pink rose petals that surrounded the silver platter it was placed on. You didn’t deserve the bags of gifts that rested on the foot of his bed with tags that clearly had your name on it. And as you turned to look at him, studying to look of anticipation and hopefulness that was plastered on his face, you realized you didn’t deserve him.

“Jin...I--”

“Please tell me you love it!” He begged as he wrapped his arms around your from behind. You felt his lips kiss at your neck gingerly. “I know you love strawberries and so do I. I was really nervous about this so I tried and prepared really well, jagi. Even Jungkook helped me set this up. But you’re quiet. You hate it. Baby--”

“Jin!” you spun around, cutting off his nervous rambling as his arms never left your waist. “I love it,” you gushed, hoping the worry and anticipation would cease and they did.

“You do? It’s not too...cheesy?”

“No, tesoro. It’s...it’s beautiful,” you choked back a sob and for the first time, it wasn’t a sob derived from sadness. You were so happy in this moment, so content and touched. When Jin took your hand in his and guided you to his bed, your heart started to pound loudly in your ears and it was almost impossible to keep you from smiling. He patted a spot on the bed and you sat while he went to other side and sat next to you. Jin picked up a strawberry and brought it to your lips, watching lovingly as you took a small bite.

“These are so good!” you gushed immediately, tasting the richest chocolate and the freshest strawberry you had ever tasted before. Jin’s face lit up as you grabbed one from the tray. “Here tesoro, try it.” Unlike you, Jin took the whole thing in his mouth causing his cheeks to puff out like a chipmunk. You giggled as you watched his eyes widened just as yours did.

“Nyam! These are so fresh! You know these are from Goyangi, right? I decided to try them out after I saw all the delicious food they made at your party,” He said excitedly as he brought another strawberry to your lips. When you took it in your mouth, you felt his knuckles brush up against your chin lightly. He exhaled suddenly as if his touch shocked him but his face stated warm and gentle. As you chewed, you blinked at him multiple times realizing that the sudden change in his breath and the expression of nervousness on his face was him falling deeper in love with you. Knowing that, you couldn’t help but take his hand in yours while you fell deeper with him.

“You didn’t have to do all of this, Jin,” you said reassuringly as your gripped his hand a little bit more tightly. He just looked down at your two hands, running his thumb over yours.

“I did though. The way I acted before was...it was terrible. I’m not usually like that. Jealous and impulsive. I know that’s how Chanyeol acts. But that’s not how I want to act,” he confessed to you as he brought a free hand to your lips, wiping away some strawberry juice that was dripping down the corner of your mouth. You understood why he exhaled suddenly before. You weren’t sure if it was the romantic setting or the vodka and champagne you started to take a sip of but something about him tonight was voltaic, charging every atom in your body and creating a jolt that streamed directly to your chest, hitting your heart dead on.

“You know I’m not angry with you about that, right? I mean, I was in the moment because I lost control of everything but...I don’t blame you for being as angry as you were. Granted, picking up Chanyeol’s phone call was a little much but considering the situation I had us wind up in…”

“Stop right there, (Y/N),” you looked at him puzzled as he brought a finger to your lips in attempt to hush you before he started to speak. “Don’t ever feel for a second that any of this is your fault. Believe it or not, there’s no one at fault.” Now he was talking crazy. When he removed his finger from your lips, he picked up the tray in between you, carefully placing it on his desk. You watched him intently as he got up, praying he didn’t drop the glasses of champagne or the remaining strawberries.

“That can’t be true, Jin I’m sorry. I’m a whor--I mean...It’s clear that I’m the one factor in this whole equation that is complicating both you and Chanyeol’s life,” As much as it hurt you to admit this, it was true. You put a hand on your chest, trying to contain the electric current that caused your heart to race. The way Jin tended to you was starting to become too much for you, but you didn’t hate it.

“That’s where you are wrong, sweetheart,” Jin walked to the foot of the bed, getting on his knees on the mattress as he made his way to you. A small squeak escaped your lips as you felt him grab your legs and pull you underneath him. Jin placed his hands on your hips to push you lower between his legs so that when he leaned foward, you were lying on your back and your faces were leveled.

“Yes, you are a whore,” he stated simply, raising your eyebrows at how he just outright said it. “But no one can ever help who they fall in love with. It’s just...destined. I was destined to love you,” he said as he lowered his face into your neck, planting soft kisses on your skin. “Chanyeol was destined to love you. And we were destined to love you at the same time. I told you...everything has meaning. It happens for a reason.”

“But Jin,” you moaned as his lips brushed against your jaw. His hands made their way under your sweater but over your dress underneath, running his hands along your chest.

“Shhh,” he whispered into your ear. “Don’t fight it, (Y/N). How many times are you going to make me beg you to let me adore you?” As his breath tickled your ear, you felt him push the sweater over you, stripping you free of the RJ designed knit. You worked at his pace, helping him push his sweater up as well but instead, he took initiative and looped his fingers under his shirt as well so when he stripped, he was completely shirtless. You bit your lip as you examined his torso, running your hands up the slightly defined muscle on his abdomen. Jin let out a breathy laugh as his arms came down, toying with the hem of your dress. You raised your hips so he could succeed in lifting your dress over you body, only to reveal that you weren’t wearing a bra...or panties.

“I figured I’d make it easy for you to access your favorite parts of me,” you purred as he looked you up and down, his eyes telling a story on how he was going to devour you whole. His hand started at your neck, slowly traveling to your breast. He took one in his hand as he started to speak.

“My favorite parts of you aren’t these parts, jagi,” he said with disappointment as he took your other breast in the same hand. Then his fingers trailed down your stomach, turning slightly as the reached your pelvis. “But I’ll tell you what my real favorite parts of you are.” He hummed as he cupped your heat in his hand, pushing his fingers against your clit. You whined silently when he moved his hand away only to regain excitement as you watched him undo his pants.

“Is it my excellent breakfast making skills?” you teased as you helped him push his pants and boxer briefs off.

“One of them but not my only favorite thing,” he grunted as threw the last piece of his clothes on the other side of the bed. You were expecting to feel his lips roaming your breast because of the way he licked his lips as he stared at them. But instead, he positioned himself in between your legs. Surprised at the fact that his cock was rock hard just by touching you, you sank lower into his body, giving him more leverage. But this went unnoticed because Jin hooked his arm behind your knees and aligned himself with your entrance.

“My favorite things about you are this face you’re about to make. I know I tell you almost everytime but I love this face,” Jin grunted as he entered his length inside you. A soft moan fell from your lips as you felt his pelvis collide with yours. And you inhaled deeply at the way he fit inside you, stretching your walls out slightly as your muscles pulse against him. He pumped once into you, watching the way your breasts bounced as he crashed into you.

“Jin…”

“Your laugh, your smile, the way you cover your mouth when you’re speechless,” as he spoke, he started to roll into you with rhythm. He played into you like a ballad, slow with every thrust and melodic with the words he spoke. “The way you think about everyone else before yourself, the kindness you show to every living creature, the bite you give me when I bark, I like them feisty too, jagi.” You giggled a bit at that last one, there was a moan laced in that giggle though because he was close to your spot and he knew it. He let your legs drop next to him as he unhooked them from his arms. Jin started leaning in, letting his elbows rest next to either sides of your head as his pace picked up.

“You have a lot of favorite things about me,” you panted before you felt the collision your body was craving. You felt the tip of his head strike your spot with vehemence causing your head to roll back into the mattress as he pounded into you. He used that as an opening as he dove in and started to bite and suck on your neck. Jin nibbled on your earlobe lightly and you felt his breath rush into you when he whispered.

“You should know everything about you is my favorite thing.”

Your heart melted instantly and so did your womanhood. Your arms wrapped around his shoulders as his thrusts became swifter with consistency. Before you knew it, euphoria was traveling through your whole body and your climax caused you to squirt all over him. You whimpered into the side of his face as you finished but he kept thrusting.

“I love when you squirt all over me like that, (Y/N).”

“Jin…” this was it. It was coming up your throat like one of the sobs you always seemed to bite back. But this was worse. This was something you kept not only lodged in the back of your throat but in the back of your mind as well. You knew damn well he didn’t want to hear it but how long could you deny these feelings to his face? This was it, for sure.

“Jin...I love you.”

You expected him to stop and look at you, eyebrows furrowed and ready to scold you. You expected him to pull himself off you and walk away. He had made it very clear that those words were to be saved for a special day. The day you were going to pick him. But that day was never going to come and you knew it. Today was the most romantic day you had with Jin and looking back at the time you spent with him, he had a good track record for romance. So you had to tell him, before this day...this holiday season ended.

But Jin didn’t stop. Instead you heard him inhale and his breathing stopped while he pumped into you. His thrusts started to become messy and his body was trembling.

“Ahhh...why did you say that, jagi? Fuck why did you say that?” He grunted as his forehead touched yours, moving against you in sync with the way he crashed into you. You felt the fire in your heat rise and your second climax was approaching. You tighten your embrace around his shoulders, clinging onto him for a second time and left a lingering kiss on his lips.

“I love you, Jin.”

“Stop, jagi…” his voice quaked just as his body did and his cock started to throb inside you violently.

“I love you so much, Jin.”

“Don’t say that.”

“I love you…” was all you were able to utter as you felt your walls suction around him, causing your whole body to tense.

“I love you more, (Y/N). I love you so much more,” he whimpered before you felt his last thrust inside you, sending your senses ablaze as you came all over him again. The feeling of your juices flowing out of you caused Jin to bury his face in your neck, groaning loudly as his cum shot into you.

The two of your stayed that way for a while, panting heavily in this embrace. At first, you thought you were the one making his bed shake, not realizing how bad you were shaking. But as Jin collapsed next to you and interlaced his fingers with yours, you realized it was him that was shaking violently and it confused you. You and Jin had crazier sex than this, why was he shaking so badly?

“Tesoro, are you okay?”

“I love you,” was all he said as he turned his head to you. You were almost scared to say it back, instead you looked into his eyes and shifted your body on to your side.

“I...I love you too,” you managed to whisper, looking away from him for a second.

“Hey, look at me,” and you did, examining his face to determine what could possibly be on his mind. Jin didn’t look as angry as you thought he would, but he didn’t look happy either. There was a little disappointment reflecting of the radiant glow he always had. Jin turned to his side too, so that he was facing you. With your fingers still intertwined with each other, brought them up to his lips and kissed each finger tenderly.

“You said it...when I asked you not to,” he said in between kisses.

“I know, Jin. I’m so sorry--”

“You know what this means don’t you?” you stared at him blankly. Truly you didn’t have a clue in the world, so you shrugged shyly at him. “It means I’m never going to get over you. Because I knew once I heard you say that, there’s no way I would be able to let you go.”

What did you do?!...You selfish bitch.

But you said it already. And there was no taking it back. Suddenly, the scene played in your head. You telling Jin you couldn’t be with him and the damage you were going to do to him. The pang in your core was almost enough to double you over but you remained still and your body tensed, running your hand along his jawline.

“Are you sure about that?” you asked hesitantly, watching him as he brought his lips down to your wrist. God, you loved when he did that.

“You never opened your gifts, jagi.” He didn’t even want to acknowledge your question. Instead, Jin pushed himself up, untangling his fingers from yours which almost caused you to whine. You watched him hook the bags into his hand walking back over to you to place the bags on the bed. He picked up your sweater and his, handing the RJ knit to you. “Put it on before you open them. It looks so much better on you than me, babe.” You beamed at his words which caused him to smile widely.

“Well, what are you waiting for?”

He was right. What were you waiting for? You quickly pulled the sweater over your head and dove into the many bags of gifts that he placed in front of you. Jin sat on his computer chair not too far away as he watched you rip away all the tissue paper in the bags. In the end, you couldn’t believe all the things he had bought you. The gifts included, Balenciaga boots, Chanel perfumes, a variety of Tory Burch and Michael Koors bags, dozens of Loubiton red bottoms and a brand new iPhone. You noticed that this one had no tag and you looked up at him slyly.

“I might have bought that one after I left your apartment,” Jin scratched the back of his head as he admitted this to shyly. You just giggled and ran over to him, sitting on his lap and kissing him ferociously. “Ah...okay...jagi...ahehehehe...I’m guessing...ahhh...I’m guessing you liked the presents,” he managed to say as you assaulted him with your affection. You felt him jerk underneath you as he laughed.

“Yes, tesoro. I loved it. I loved it all and I love you,” you said it again. Fuck, (Y/N). Stop saying it. But you couldn’t help and the look of pure sentiment he gave you after you said it made you want to say it again. Over and over again.

“I love you too, jagiya...remember when I told you earlier that I had one more favorite face?” You looked at him curiously and nodded. “Well, the face you made when I saw you opening the presents. The happiness and joy that I was able to give you. That’s my favorite face.”

The two of you stayed in that position for a while. You caressed the back of his neck, occasionally twirling with his hair every so often. Jin drew circles on your thigh as his arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you close to him.

“I wish you could stay,” he sighed, you just kissed the top of his head.

“Me too, baby. But it’s getting late and I have to bring Damon’s car back,” Suddenly, Jin snapped his head away from your grasp and looked up at you, his mouth hung slightly and his brows raised in a gloomy shock.

“You mean I can’t drive you home?” Taking Damon’s car was now a decision you began to regret.

“Baby boy, I’m so sorry. He offered and I…” your voice trailed off as he brought his lips to your cheek and nuzzled you after he kissed you.

“Ah it’s fine, jagi. Why don’t you get dressed while I put all your presents back in their bags?” Jin whispered sweetly into you ear. You nodded as you jumped off his lap, grabbing your clothes while you admired him out of the corner of your eye.

X-x-x

“Please call me when you get home,” Jin pleaded as he handed you the bags.

“I will, honey.”

“And drive safely. I know you had a little to drink so maybe you should eat some bread or stay a little while longer or--”

“Jin!” you giggled as you picked the bags up and kissed his nose. “I’ll be fine. It’s not the first time I’ve left your house by myself.”

“I know but still,” he huffed as he rubbed his arm. “I love you.”

“I love you too, tesoro.” He opened the door for you and placed a hand on the small of your back as you started to walk out.

“Don’t forget to call me,” he said as he placed a peck on your lips.

“I won’t baby. I promise.”

And you didn’t. The minute you pulled into your garage, you called him. Relief washed over his voice and you told him you made it safely. The two of you talked for a bit but when you noticed that he was yawning after every sentence, you giggled and instructed him that he should probably go to bed.

“Just a little while longer. Your voice is so beautiful.”

“Jin, please get some rest,” you begged cutely, tracing random figures into the steering wheel.

“Only because you asked like that,” he gushed.

“Goodnight, my prince. Sleep well. I love you.”

“Goodnight, princess. I love you too.”

As he hung up, you couldn’t help but feel the gnawing guilt eat away at you.

Princess.

Chanyeol was the only one that called you that. You sat there with your new phone in hand, glancing at the cuts on your fingers as you thought about him. Maybe he wasn’t as angry anymore and the two of you could talk a little bit more civilly. Even though Jin gave you a magical early Christmas you were never going to forget, you knew you wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight unless you knew Chanyeol wasn’t angry with you. But when you dialed his number, it rang twice and went to voicemail. He...he rejected my call? To prove your theory, you called him again. Only hearing the phone ring once and then back to voicemail. Please pick up, you thought as you dialed his number a third time, only to hear it not ring at all. It went directly to voicemail.

Maybe if I give him a day...he’ll come around.

But he didn’t. The days passed and you never heard a word from Chanyeol. Jin on the other hand, called you every day at least twice. Once in the morning, to greet you before he started his busy day and then again at night before he went to sleep. He always told you he wanted to hear your voice before he went to sleep. And you were happy to hear his every night. Jin was helping you take the pressure off not hearing from Chanyeol for so long. But still, it didn’t settle well in your stomach. It got worse the day he was scheduled to come back. You even memorized the time he was supposed to land. That morning was terrible. Even Jin heard it in your voice as you served Damon breakfast.

“Jagi, are you sure everything is okay?”

“Yes, tesoro. I promise everything is okay.” Damon rolled his eyes as you spoke to Jin through the headphone. He knew you weren’t fine. But what were you supposed to tell him?

“Don’t lie to me, sweetheart. You know I don’t like that.”

“Well, I really don’t want to talk about it.”

“Is it me?” Jin asked frantically. You poured pancake mix onto the pan before answering him.

“No, baby. It’s not you.”

“Is it Maya? Have you called her yet?”

“No. I haven’t heard from her either.”

“You should probably talk to her, though. You guys are friends! It’s time to get over this silly fight. And your pride…”

“I tried, Jin. The ball is literally in her court and she’s still mad at me..”

“Right right. Well if it’s not Maya and it’s not me then wha-...oh.” His voice twinged with disappointment as he came to the realization. You stood there frozen as you watched your pancake cook.

“Oh what?”

“Nothing just...I want you to be happy. That’s all.”

“I am happy. I don’t know why you think I’m not.”

“Because I know you jagi,” he said seriously before he sighed. “I just don’t want anyone hurting you.”

“Tesoro, no one is hurting me. I just woke up in a funk. It’s--”

“Hold on, babe.” While he had you on hold you looked over at Damon, who was stuffing his face and chewing loudly at his food. You gave him a look of disgust noting to yourself no matter how many years passed, you hated the way he ate. How does Sehun deal with it--

“(Y/N). I have to go. I’ll call you later tonight.”

“Okay! Have a good day and don’t overwork youself.”

“I love you, jagi.” You heard him smiling into the phone, causing a smile of your own to stretch across your face.

“I love you too, Seokjinnie.”

“Y'all make me sick,” Damon commented as you hung up. You just rolled your eyes and pointed at him.

“They way you eat makes me sick.” He scoffed at you as he pushed his empty plate away from him.

“The fuck got your thong in a knot? Chanyeol still hasn’t hit you up?” You picked up his plate and started serving yourself on his dirty plate. “Ew that’s gross!” Damon shuddered as he watched you.

“No he hasn’t and I don’t wanna leave a mountain of dishes for the maids later. That’s mad rude.”

“Oh but bitch, when it was me doing the dishes!--anyway, it’s not important.  You know he comes back today,” Damon said matter of factly as he watched you load your plate.

“Yes, I know this.”

“So what are you going to do? I know you got something up your sleeve.”

He wasn’t lying. You did have something planned. But it was risky, crazy and you were almost positive it wasn’t going to work. Still, you sighed as you turned around and put your plate on the island, plopping yourself on a stool opposite side of Damon.

“It’s kind of out there, Damon,” you admit while you picked your fork up. “But I was thinking about asking Sooman to let me pick them up at the airport.”

“Bitch,” Damon laughed as you took a piece of pancake in your mouth. “You right. That’s fucking insane. Not impossible. But insane.”

“I know like, what if Chanyeol gets mad that I showed up? Isn’t that a little psychotic?” Damon looked at you with confusion as you said this.

“You think that’s the insane part?” he scoffed and rolled his eyes. “First of all, Chanyeol has done enough crazy shit like showing up here at ungodly hours unannounced and blowing up your phone 197 times.”

“It was 97!” you snapped defensively.

“And that makes it any better?” You looked down and shrugged.

“I suppose you’re right…”

“What’s insane is you having the balls to ask Sooman. Why don’t you ask Yongmin?”

“I tried but he’s in Japan with them obviously. To be honest, I’m not worried about it because I’m not scared of that old shithead,” you said confidently, popping another piece of pancake in your mouth.

“Or…” Damon started. “You could just let this go. You’re going to stop talking to him after the holidays anyway so...I mean this saves you a lot of trouble.” Maybe he was right. But is this how you really wanted to end things with Chanyeol?

“No...Chanyeol deserves better than that.” Damon shook his head and grinned at you softly.

“You really love that boy,” He sighed. You shot him a half smile, looking down as you toyed with the food on your plate.

“I love them both…”

Knowing you were nervous, Damon turned the rest of your conversation unrelated to what you were preparing to do. You were dressed and ready to run out of the house. When you were about to leave, you looked down at yourself and started thinking of the possibility that you might not have enough time to change. You were hoping that wearing this dress wouldn’t give Chanyeol the wrong idea that you had gone to see Jin before. He noticed last time. But you needed to look at killer as possible. Knowing how Sooman is and was when he was your client, you knew he was a sucker for a killer body. You put your coat on, said your goodbye to Damon and walked out of the house.

When you finally stepped out of the cab and walked toward the SM building, your hands started to sweat. See, part of the plan was not taking no for an answer. Not from the security, not from the secretary and especially not from Sooman. Luckily, the security guards in the front were too enthralled by your figure to stop you from going passed them and you felt their eyes on your ass as you swayed your way to the elevator.

Barging into Sooman’s office was a huge gamble with not only your career but your relationship with SM. Granted, you knew that Starlight had him by the balls. Idols performed better when they were able to relieve their sexual tension. He knew that better than anyone. But he could still hit you where it hurt and start composing his own contracts with you. His own prices. Imagining this, you shook it off. Part of you wanted to just close the elevator door as it opened in front of you, just turn back and take Damon’s advice but when you took that first step into lobby of his office, it was too late.

“Hello, is Mr. Sooman in right now?” You said pleasantly to his secretary. She returned your smile with one of her own as she peeled her eyes away from the computer screen in front of her.

“Yes he is! Do you have an appointme-”

“Thank you, I’ll just see myself in then.”

This was ballsy. The adrenaline levels started to rise as you walked past her desk and into the small hallway behind her.

“You can’t go in there! Miss! MISS!” She cried out after you and you heard her start to scurry behind you. When you felt her hand tug at your wrist, you turned your head to her.

“Get the fuck off me,” you snarled to her in English. Her eyes widened as if she was hit was a sudden realization. She froze in place as she watched you open the door to his office.

“Ms. (Y/N) is here to see you!” She called out behind you as you walked in. Lee Sooman was sitting in his desk, looking over some papers before he shot up from his seat and threw his pen on the papers scattered in front of him, scrunching up his face in anger.

“What’s the meaning of this?! Sophia?!” he bellowed at you as you crossed your arms in front him. She ran up behind you and bowed at him.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Sooman! She just barged in and…”

“And you didn’t stop her?!” his voice became louder and you just smirked, walking closer to the other side of his desk.

“Oh please, like there’s any stopping me. We need to talk,” you turned to his secretary. “Sophia, you can leave us now.” Almost shocked at how you took charge, she looked over at Sooman who was fuming at this point. Nodding at her slightly, she finally left the office, clicking the door shut silently as you heard her heels click down the hall.

“How dare you?!” He snarled, balling his hands in a fist at you. You scoffed and leaned against his desk.

“Come on, Lee. Considering our history, you don’t have time for one of your favorite girls,” you cooed, sitting on the edge of his desk letting your dress hike up a little revealing more of your thigh than was visible before. Sooman looked at your body but the anger never trailed off. When he started to walk toward you, you thought, this can’t be that easy. Until his hands wrapped around your throat and his arm snaked around your waist.

“You’re a whore,” he growled, grabbing at your neck firmly enough where you couldn’t move but still had access to a generous amount of air. You felt his arm press you up against him and his face inched closer to yours. “The only time nightwalkers show their faces to you during the day is if they want something...so what is it?” Ah, so that’s how he wants to play it. Knowing the role you had to take on, you softened your face and started exuding helplessness.

“Please...let me go,” you begged breathlessly even though you had more than enough energy to say it normally. Still, his grip around your neck and waist loosened but his arms shot up to your biceps as he pushed you away from him. Taking initiative, you let yourself fall on the floor convincingly.

“Speak,” he husked as he stood over you. Sooman loved being in a position where he thought he had control. See, you knew men like him. Power hunger driving their souls into coldness. He saw nothing in you. You were just a whore to him. But what he didn’t know, is that every move you made was to combat his. Granted you were winging it, but that’s what you were the best at.

“I…I need you to let me pick EXO up from the airport. I need to see Chanyeol. It’s important and...he’s terribly mad at me. I need to fix it,” you stuttered in between begs. Sooman smirked at you as you looked up at him.

“Why on Earth should I let you do that? After that mess I had to clean up on Dispatch? You’re out of your mind,” he said in disgust. All you wanted to do was get up and show him that you were not a bitch to fuck with. But he was thriving off your damsel in distress act. This might work.

“Please, Mr. Sooman. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important. I need this so badly. I beg you,” He examined you for a bit, the look of repulsion was being masked by one of deviance. He put his hands at his belt and smirked.

“If you want it that bad,” you saw him grab at his belt buckle and your stomach dropped. “Get on your knees.”

I mean, did you really think you could pull it off without it coming down to this? Yes, you did actually. You had so much confidence walking in that when things started to turn into this direction, you froze. Your body was tensing up. It wasn’t because you couldn’t do it or because you were shy to, no that wasn’t even a thought that crossed your mind. It was just...were you willing to do this for Chanyeol? To get a chance to fix things and enjoy these next few days with him before you had to cut off all ties with him.

If this was the only way to be able to be in his arms one last time, it was going to have to do. It was fucking appalling and happened in a blur. You almost don’t remember how he got into your mouth, and your mind became hazier and hazier every time he moaned. The sounds of your own slurping mixed with his groans filled the room and it made you sick. You wanted to pop him out of your mouth and give him a good jab where your mouth had been. But instead, you worked up and down him for what seemed like ages.

“I’m surprised sir,” you said playing into his deepest kinks. “You’re lasting so long for me.” Even though you said this with the utmost confidence, you were borderline physically ill.

“Stop,” he grunted and so you did. Wow, I’m off the hook. Now I can get the keys to the damn van. Hopefully there’s enough ti-- “That was for barging into my office.” You felt his arms at your shoulders, bring you up with force. He used that same force to turn you around and throw you onto his desk. You yelped as your front came crashing down onto the papers that were sprawled beneath you. “This…” he husked as you felt him align himself with your entrance. “The way that pussy feels around me is going to determine if I fulfill your little favor.”

“I think you just missed being inside me, Sooman. You let Chanyeol have all the fun and now I’m whipped,” you continued to egg him on, feeling disgusted with yourself after each lie fell from your lips.

“Inside you? Don’t flatter yourself, bitch. Any pussy will do. Chanyeol’s favorite pussy is just convenient for me,” his sudden entrance didn’t phase you as much as you let on. I wonder how he would take it if you told him how massive Chanyeol’s cock was. But instead, you winced in false pain as he rolled into you. He didn’t last long at all, just as you expected. It was only a few humiliating minutes you had to endure this before he came. Sooman wasn’t the type to cum inside you like Chanyeol and Jin were. No. He made sure to raise your dress high enough where he could dump himself on your ass cheeks, grunting as he finished riding out his climax. You reached out in front of you, grabbing some tissues from the box that was arms length away. Wiping his cum off you, you watched him plop in his seat eyeing you intently as you got up to fix yourself.

“So?” You asked innocently as you fixed your dress back over your bum. He smirked at you as he picked his phone up.

“Sophia, cancel the travel van scheduled to pick EXO up. Ms (Y/N) will be stepping out shortly, give her the keys that are in the bottom drawer.”

It fucking worked. It wasn’t just relief that you felt drip down your back but it was also doubt. Was sleeping with him really worth it? Worth your pride? At least it was over. You bowed at him when he hung up the phone and he just smirked.

“Thank you so much, Lee Sooman. I greatly appreciate it,” you said with you head hanging low. As you stood up straight, he tsked at you and laughed heartily. Another catch? You knew this was too good to be true. Still there was a role to play and you stayed devoted.

“A 90 degree bow? I deserve more respect then that. Especially from you,” he spat and he crossed his arms, eyeing you up and down. “On your hands and knees.”

Is he serious? You just sucked his dick and he fucked you all for free basically. I mean yea, you got what you wanted but still. He was out of his mind. And you had almost every to tell him off at this point but you made it so far. The damage had been done already. Thinking back to the times you were forced to show respect to your father, to his clients, it wasn’t that it was hard faking it. It’s just that your dignity, what ever was left of it, was shattering before your very eyes. But still, you did as you told, thinking about how Chanyeol’s scent would linger in your olfactory as you hugged him one last time.

“Thank you, Lee Sooman,” you said as your head touched the floor. “I am in debt to you.” You stayed there for a minute, not wanting the see the smug look on the old man’s face. But as he cleared his throat, you shot up from the floor with anticipation. Thankfully, he didn’t catch that.

“Get the fuck out of my office.”

He didn’t have to tell you twice. You stormed out of there with the taste of regret and disgust lingering in your mouth.

A/N ;; as always, DM what you guys think! I love y’all so muchhhh and thank you for reading. <3

#bts #bts fanfic #bts fanfiction #bts smut #bts angst #bts fluff #kim seokjin #park jimin #min yoongi #jung hoseok #jeon jeongguk #kim namjoon #kim taehyung #exo and bts #exo #exo smut #exo angst #exo fluff #park chanyeol #byun baekhyun #kim minseok #kim jongdae #kim jongin #kim junmyeon #oh sehun #doh kyungsoo #zhang yixing #chanyeol x reader x jin #chanyeol x you x jin

[shinneth]

Gem Ascension Tropes (Steven-specific: I - P)

Primary General Post ★ Full Article ★  Primary Peri Post ★ Primary Steven Post  

I Miss Mom: Per canon, but only alluded to in GA during Chapter 8 of Act III.

Innocence Lost: Already a major component of Steven’s canon character development; the GA continuity naturally ramps this up to extreme levels as the horrors of reality Steven experiences first-hand get worse and worse. Within Act I alone, he’s witnessing the death of other gems (and Diamonds) while being unable to do anything about it. Then, he’s being forced to abandon Peridot on Homeworld (at first under the impression that she’s being left to die); this nearly renders Steven jaded shell of his former self, but the remaining Crystal Gems manage to snap him out of it by the end of Act II. This experience triggered Steven’s inherited Diamond powers to start going rogue and evolve in a manner beyond his control as well. While the events of Act III bring Peridot back to him, Steven laments being unable to save White Diamond from herself, though it certainly wasn’t from his lack of trying. However, Steven is now forced to grow up in light of the state of his world after the main series: with Homeworld and the Diamond Authority gone forever, Era 3 truly starts now on a clean slate – all Homeworld gems are now refugees living on Earth, and they need guidance in order to be able to move forward and live for themselves. Steven and Peridot are the only Diamonds left in existence now, so while Steven tries his best to cling to his childlike charm, positive outlook, and pacifistic ideals in spite of everything that happened, he’s definitely become much more hardened to the aspects of life that threaten his beliefs.

Insulted Awake: How Steven is brought out of his 20-hour Angst Coma in Chapter 7 of Act II; Pearl plays a recording of Peridot insulting Steven repeatedly to startle him badly enough to wake up.

Intimate Healing: How Steven and Peridot end up having their First Kiss. In the interest of healing Peridot’s widespread injuries that Steven simply doesn’t have enough Super Spit for treating her in one session, Peridot proposes donating her own saliva to mix in with Steven’s. Should her own saliva adopt the healing factor through Steven’s, they’ll have enough to completely heal her injuries… but in order to do this, they’ll need to kiss. Thankfully, it works out.

Involuntary Shapeshifting: Ends up partially like this while he’s Blinded by Rage in Chapter 4 of Act III. In Chapter 6, White Diamond forcibly completes the transformation, forcing Steven to shift into Pink Diamond 2.0. While he can easily return to his original form, he ends up shifting into Pink 2.0 a few times before GA ends, and at least one of those times was involuntary.

It Sucks to Be the Chosen One: Per canon, though now Steven has a buddy in Peridot who’s going through the exact same issues as of GA Act III; she has it just as bad as Steven. While the story tends to focus more on Peridot’s struggles in this (mostly due to Steven’s already being portrayed heavily in canon), she isn’t suffering alone; Steven often isn’t far away or far behind if Peridot’s having a rough time with her ascended role in life. While Steven has shown to be at peace with his destiny as much as one can be in his situation, it’s apparent how overwhelming his responsibilities become in the Post-GA era as time goes by.

Journey to the Center of the Mind: Steven embarks on this during Chapter 4 of Act III into Peridot’s mind in hopes of undoing the damage done by White Diamond. He succeeds in fixing Peridot’s problem, but comes out of the journey with major mental problems of his own.

Kind Restraints: In Chapter 4 of Act III, Peridot (as Chartreuse Diamond) forces him to the floor and ties down his limbs to keep him there until she can figure out how to calm Steven down. At this point, Steven is very much Not Himself and acting more like a rabid wild animal than a person, so it’s all very justified.

Last of His Kind: Subverted, as Peridot’s ascension has since made her a Diamond, meaning she and Steven are the final two known living Diamonds in the universe. However, as far as natural, pure Diamonds go, Steven himself is most definitely the last one standing after Act III.

Living Lie Detector: While Steven can’t read minds with his enhanced powers (which he gains late in Act II), he can passively read anyone’s feelings whether they’re said or unsaid. Since most liars aren’t adept enough to purge the truth they’re trying to hide from their emotions while openly lying about it, Steven can very easily tell not only when someone’s not being honest, but also whether or not they’re bluffing.

Love Revelation Epiphany: It’s vague as to when this specifically happens, as Steven says in Chapter 5 of Act I that he’s at least thought about feeling this way for Peridot in the past. While he willingly kisses her in this moment, Steven seems to be taking it in stride more like a Puppy Love scenario. However, he doesn’t hesitate to kiss Peridot of his own volition a few chapters later (even giving her an “I Love You” that’s an intentional callback to their platonic moment in Gem Drill with a clear implication they’ve had a Relationship Upgrade). It’s arguable that Steven doesn’t officially reach this point until Chapter 8 of Act II, after he realizes beyond a shadow of a doubt the level of Peridot’s devotion for him after watching her Video Will. This causes him to act more like someone who’s just realized how deeply they love someone in return, as he tries to go to Homeworld alone because he can’t bear the thought of Peridot being put through torture, despite even him acknowledging that trying to go back for her immediately by himself is a terrible idea.

The Medic: Whenever he isn’t kidnapped or incapacitated, Steven will be there to heal any wound. He’s responsible for restoring a very battered Peridot back to full health (as well as repairing her fractured mind in Act III) and quickly healing Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst after they sustained heavy damage as Alexandrite before getting captured again. He even heals White Diamond’s wounds and rejuvenates her as a parting gift when she’s finally defeated.

Mind Rape: An unfortunate victim of this, getting it second-hand from reading Peridot’s memories. Specifically, the scene of Peridot being Tricked to Death and ending up with a Slashed Throat (even though it’s fake and he was told as much before seeing it) constantly replays in his head the moment he first sees it. Steven can’t make it stop and he can’t block it out, which quickly induces Sanity Slippage, until he’s eventually Blinded by Rage. 

Mindlink Mates: Getting there with Peridot as of My Time is Now. A simple make-out session becomes something deeper as Steven’s able to pick up on what Peridot is picturing in her mind. Most of it is stuff he’s already seen before when he last journeyed to the center of her mind. However, once Steven is deeply rooted into Peridot’s memories, a new curiosity of his is imagined… and Peridot picks up on it, knowing it didn’t come from her. Given Peridot’s very limited empath capabilities, it’s not expected the couple will be consistently adept like this, but this moment proved it was at least possible. In just a little over a year’s time, Our Tomorrow shows Steven and Peridot able to combine their individual takes on the same dream they’ve often had to create a fully-developed, clearly-defined complete version of said dream. They’re even in tune with each other well enough to create something strongly resembling a photograph from their combined dream; with this, they not only have physical proof of their great leap in progress in this trope, but have a much stronger long-term goal they can always look to for strength when times get tough.

Morality Pet: He’s everybody’s morality pet, per canon. Still, most notably Peridot’s in GA… the runner-up is probably himself, surprisingly.

Mr. Exposition: Acts as this during Chapter 8 of Act II, even Lampshaded by Amethyst.

Nice Guy: Of course he is, per canon.

Official Couple: With Peridot, as of Chapter 5 of Act III.

On Three: How Steven and Peridot prepare for their first kiss.

O.O.C. is Serious Business: After Peridot gives Lapis an Armor-Piercing Slap (and being way out of line in doing so), Steven kicks her head from behind to make a very stubborn, desperate, and delusional Peridot face reality after it becomes apparent that no words or gentle gestures can get through to her. Before this, he speaks very coldly to Peridot to shut down her protests and stop wasting what little time Pumpkin has left to live on nonsense and instead use that time to say goodbye. Despite his good intentions, Steven hates doing every bit of this and apologizes for his actions and behavior almost right away when he next speaks to Peridot.

Pacifism Backfire: A major ongoing problem that Steven is called out on more than once in the series. The main issue being that Steven’s insistence on granting mercy to an enemy actively trying to kill them is putting the lives of all the Crystal Gems at risk in doing so.

Partial Transformation: After being triggered by being forced to see Peridot’s Gory Discretion Shot on loop for a long period of time, Steven starts to physically morph; following his Plot-Relevant Age-Up, pink accents start to appear on his body, but don’t completely overtake him. This form has no name, but is basically an incomplete transitional state. Steven ends up in this form only twice before White Diamond gets her hands on him and forces him to fully awaken into his Super-Powered Alter Ego, Pink Diamond 2.0. 

Percussive Prevention: Steven forces himself to resort to this for a raging, hysterical Peridot who is needlessly taking out her anger on Lapis when she should be using that time to say goodbye to Pumpkin, who’s minutes way from dying from her injuries. He already tried to settle her down with gentle words, but Peridot proved to be inconsolable. Now that she’s hurting his friends while Pumpkin has a very short time left, Steven resorts to superkicking Peridot’s head from behind, sending her falling to the ground. He forcefully drags her over to Pumpkin, admonishing Peridot for her actions and demanding her to say her goodbyes to Pumpkin while she still has the chance, even resorting to guilt-tripping by referencing how he never got to say goodbye to his mother to make sure Peridot would finally understand what she needs to do. While this finally gets Peridot to sober up, she doesn’t get more than a few words out before Pumpkin passes away… meaning Steven did this for nothing (or simply took too long to suck it up and do this to Peridot earlier). He’s very quick to apologize for his actions the next time he speaks to Peridot.

Plot-Relevant Age-Up: When he experiences Sanity Slippage (more details on that below), Steven’s body matures to match his chronological age. Since this was brought on by his primal human urges, this ends up being a permanent change.

The Pollyanna: Per canon, though after Act I, Steven stumbles a lot in maintaining this trope. He’s prone to periods of depression, but often will spontaneously come out of them without needing help and is quick to move on to other matters. His persisting sleep-inducing depression in Act II is the only time he requires outside help in the form of a combined effort from his friends. Seriously compromised after Chapter 4 of Act III, but by the end of GA, Steven still pushes through his obstacles with all the optimism and enthusiasm he can muster.

Positive Friend Influence: Per canon; this trait shines the brightest by far when Steven is with Peridot in the GA continuity. To a lesser degree, Steven continues to be one for the rest of his friends, but there are occasions where his influence is outright resisted (most notably, White Diamond). However, his persistence can be credited to how the Crystal Gems managed to survive past the main series; had Steven not given Peridot some intensive Epiphany Therapy during the climax of Act III, everyone would have died off with Homeworld.

Power Incontinence: Comes up in the advent of his Partial Transformation that was triggered from the mental anguish he suffered while repairing Peridot’s fractured mind in Chapter 4 of Act III. Steven himself was unresponsive and consumed with an unstoppable rage while a war was waged in his own mind over a certain moral dilemma. He was eventually calmed, but it briefly came back a couple of chapters later (though he was much more in control of himself this time). Thankfully, the second spell was short-lived, but Steven’s behavior for that time was very much deplorable and unlike him, that he still has a hard time living it down even in the present day.

Promoted to Love Interest: After Peridot confesses her feelings in Chapter 5 of Act I.

#gem acension #gem ascension tropes #gem re:ascension #steven universe #steven quartz universe #stevidot #ga references #tv tropes #peridot #su peridot #lapis lazuli #su lapis #bismuth #su bismuth #garnet #su garnet #amethyst #su amethyst #pearl #su pearl #greg universe #connie maheswaran #su lion #su pumpkin #white diamond #pink diamond #blue diamond #yellow diamond #pink diamond 2.0 #iridescent diamond

[mamashitty]

introducing nora fox

Character: Nora Fox Playby: Maya Hawke Thread: Characters & Characters & Characters Ship: N/A Post/One-Shot: One-Shot Blurb: I RP at TGS. This was a one-shot I wrote to introduce a new character of mine, who is related to another character of mine that you will find out at very end. Nora was intended to mostly be an NPC but I kind really fucking love her so I’ll probably actually make her and toss her into more situations after this. TW: Death of a MAJOR and beloved Harry Potter character is seen in this post. You can also check out the actual RP of that event here, but I’m simply not tossing her into it.

Nora Fox was born kicking and screaming with the reddest face her mother had ever seen. The first words Maude Fox said to her daughter were, “I love you, you little shit.” Maude Fox was not one to swear very often, and the nurses definitely gave her a look for what she had said, but she did not care. She held her tiny daughter close, Nora still screaming at the top of her lungs, until a boob was placed in front of her mouth, and then she latched, a perfect latch. It made her Mum her think that maybe, just maybe, this breastfeeding thing would work out alright. Spoiler alert: Nora never latched that good again, and after a few painful weeks of bloodied nipples, frustration, and so many goddamned tears, her Mum shoved a bottle of formula into her mouth, and things got easier.

Nora was four-almost-five-years-old when they moved into Aunt June’s house. It was the first time in Nora’s young life that she had her own bedroom, no longer sharing the space with her Mum. She did not understand why they had moved in with her Auntie and why her Uncle Jameson no longer lived there. She did not get why she and her Mum were not returning to their apartment that first night or why she had her own bedroom for once. She vaguely recalled her Mum and Auntie June explaining that this room was hers, that her Mum would be right across the hall, and Auntie June down the hall past the bathroom. She stared at the pictures on the walls, pictures of women in weird clothing (later she would learn that they were wearing armor and that they were knights).  The pictures both intrigued her and scared her. Because this room was so different from the one she was used to, the one she had shared with her Mum. She laid in her bed all night, eyes wide open, and blankets were drawn snug to her chin. She stared at the ceiling, and it looked different than the ceiling she was used to. The house was old, and it creaked something fierce. Whenever her Auntie her or Mum walked around the hallway, she could hear it. Floorboards creaking. She wondered and panicked about the house collapsing or falling apart. But she stayed rooted in her bed, frozen by fear and maybe stubbornness. She could and would be brave and stay all night in this room. Nora lasted until about three in the morning before she crept across the hallway. Her Mum’s door was partially opened, and she pushed it open the rest of the way. She padded, silently as possible into the room. Her Mum stirred as she climbed into bed with her, and soon, she was being hugged tightly. Nora nestled close to her Mum. “Scared, sweetheart?” her Mum asked, her voice sounded different than usual, maybe sleepy in a way that Nora had never heard it before. She felt somewhat guilty for maybe waking her up. “A little. How long are we staying here? I want to go home,” Nora said. She had always liked Auntie June’s house but it felt different without Uncle Jameson. And she had never stayed the night before and she did not understand why she and her Mum were doing that now. Her Mum sighed before answering, her fingers tangling gently in Nora’s hair. “Sweetie, this is our home now.”

--

Something strange happened when she was seven, but if Nora were being honest with herself, strange things always seemed to happen around her.  Her Mum was always telling her that she had an overactive imagination, that she probably just imagined some of the strange occurrences that happened around her. That she did not really turn a flower from red to pink—that it had probably always been pink but maybe Nora had seen it in a different light. But sometimes Nora would talk about strange happenings and Auntie June would watch her closely, stare at her like she wanted to say something. But something stranger than her normal brand of strange happened when she was seven. She and her best friend, Mackenzie were playing at the edge of the backyard. Almost out of sight of Mum, Auntie Junie, Aunt Rebecca, and Mackenzie’s Mum. They were hunting for toads, she and Mack. Mack always found the best toads, and sometimes, Nora would get mad about it. Jealous even though she would deny that if anyone had the audacity to point it out. Nora was crouched down by an old tree stump that she and Mack liked to pretend faeries lived in. She was only half-listening to what her friend was saying, which Nora knew was rude, but she could not help it. Sometimes, Mack just liked to talk too much. And usually, when she got to talking too much, she was bragging. Bragging about her Dad, and knowing her Dad was, bragging about living in a house with just her parents and her annoying little brother. She had this tone that Nora’s Mum would describe as snooty. It made Nora feel ashamed, sometimes. Nora had no idea who her Dad was. She also knew it was unconventional, not normal, to be living with her Aunt and Mum, especially since her Aunt was not really her Auntie—just her Mum’s best friend. Lots of Aunt and Uncle figures, people her Mum called her real family even though there was no blood relation, lived with them throughout the years. They would watch over Nora while her Mum worked or went to school to finish her degree. Nora thought her life was wonderful and she hated it when Mackenzie made it sound like her life was less wonderful because she did not have a Mum, Dad, and annoying brother. And would Mackenzie just SHUT UP sometimes?   It was directly after Nora had that rather unkind thought that her friend stopped talking. Nora glanced up from poking the tree stump with a twig she had found. Mackenzie looked scared and she kept opening her mouth and closing it. Like she was trying to talk and could not.  It scared Nora. It scared her so much that she started to shout for her Mum and the rest of the adults. She shouted that something was wrong with Mackenzie. The adults had rushed over, fear on their faces and in their voices.  They thought Mackenzie was playing around at first and Nora kept insisting she was not. The silence from her best friend lasted a couple of hours. Auntie June helped take her home with her parents. She was the one who told Nora that Mackenzie was okay and that she had found her voice again. She had a look on her face that Nora could not read.

--

Nora was eleven years old when she first stepped foot into Hogwarts, not really anything unusual for the wizarding world, but it felt unusual and amazing to her. She was a Muggleborn or maybe a half-blood. Her Mum never told her who her father was and Nora for the most part never really inquired. She had asked, once, after she found out she was a witch (and that so was Auntie June) but her Mum said that she had met her father at her job, a Muggle bar, and he was probably a Muggle too. Nora was too excited about learning that all those strange happenings around her probably happened because of magic, that she did not press the issue. Talking about her father was just not something she and her Mum did. He had never been part of her life and Nora never really felt like she was missing out on anything with him being absent. She had enough love in her life with her Mum and all of her Mum’s friends who helped to take care of her.   Once she found out she was a witch like Auntie June, she had asked her all about magic and Hogwarts, the school she would be going to. She knew there were four houses, and a sorting ceremony that she would partake in. She knew she would be living in a castle! Just like all those lady knights whose pictures still occupied her bedroom wall probably did. She had always wanted to be a knight after she got over that initial fear of the pictures. There was one knight in particular that she would stare at all the time. She had long red hair, skin dotted with freckles, and a pretty horse. Nora really liked her smile, because it was crooked. She had always wanted to be like her.   A knight. Well, now she was a witch, and that was just as cool was a fabled lady knight. The castle was huge and Nora was scared, though she tried to hide it. She focused on her curiosity instead and used that to push down her fear. There was a boy, his name was Joe, and he kept standing near her, he kept talking to her, and Nora half listened. He was a funny-looking kid, but he seemed to know things. His parents were wizards. She decided maybe having him as a friend might be helpful. So she let him prattle on even while she looked around and tried to remember all the details of the castle. The sorting ceremony was odd. Not scary because all it was was an old hat sitting on her head, talking into her brain. It was weird and maybe a little unnerving that everyone was watching her with a giant, old, tattered hat on her head. She felt like the hat prattled on and on to her, almost as much as Joe, and she listened to what it said because she figured the information would be useful. Figured that it was important. It was about her, after all, and her destiny in this school. Mackenzie would have made fun of her for thinking that and Nora was glad, even if she felt bad about it, that her best friend was just a Muggle. The hat put her in Slytherin. Joe stared at her as she walked towards the cheering table. He had said that bad kids go to that house, that that house did not like muggleborns. But the hat had made it seem like the house would not be that bad. And Mum always said not to believe stereotypes. 

---

Nora was twelve when she went home that first summer. Twelve when she went to play with Mackenzie. Twelve when she learned that not all friendships last forever like her Mum’s did. Mackenzie wanted nothing to do with Nora anymore. Nora was sad but she got over it when Joe sent her a letter with his family’s owl and invited her to hang out with him and his family one day over the summer. Auntie June promised to take her.

--

She and Joe are fifteen when the two of them steal away into an old classroom they had discovered a week earlier. It was risky sneaking out of their common rooms, but they met up by the kitchens. Joe still in his Hufflepuff robes while Nora had switched into her Muggle clothing, because classes weren’t in session, and dammit she wanted to be comfortable. And maybe annoy some of her house-mates. They follow the same path they took earlier in the week. Up many flights of stairs, down corridors, being quiet and not daring to light their wands too brightly. It is not exactly past curfew, not yet, but it is getting close. Finally, they reach the trapdoor in the ceiling and Joe, impossibly tall these days, is the one who reaches up to tug it open. They climb up the ladder, Nora first. On the landing is a small patch of the uncovered wooden floor. Covered in dust from lack of use. The ceiling is bewitched to reflect the nighttime sky and there are soft cushions, pillows, and blankets scattered around most of the floor. Telescopes are pointed up to the ceiling for better looks at the magicked ceiling. Nora was fairly certain that the room must have been, at one point, used for Astronomy classes. Maybe when the weather was too bad. She flopped back onto a large pillow and stared up at the twinkling stars. Joe flopped down next to her, resting his head on his hands, and laying close enough that their elbows pumped into each other. The silence feels comfortable between the two of them. Until Joe decided to break it by confessing that he might have a crush on her, that he might like to kiss her tonight, in their secret room. Nora closed her eyes. She could feel her long lashes on her cheeks, and she focused on that feeling like something in her stomach swirled and churned. She felt ill. Scared, too. She was grateful that Joe did not rush her but she could feel his body tensing. “Joe… I…” All Nora could think about was how easily she had lost Mackenzie as a friend. She does not want to lose Joe, but she also won’t pretend to be something she was not.  She did not deserve that and neither than Joe. “You are my best friend,” she decided to start over. She could see that those words did nothing to loosen the tension in her friend. Her tongue darted out, quick, to wet her lips. Then she continued. “But you aren’t my type. Um... I’m a lesbian.” The word felt impossibly heavy as it floated between the two friends. Nora waited and lost track of how long she waited for Joe to say something. Finally, her friend (ex-friend?) spoke up. “Oh. Shit… That explains a lot.” “It does?” Nora found herself asking and Joe began to laugh. Nora was fifteen when she learned that maybe she had not been so subtle in her checking out of her female classmates. She was also fifteen when she learned that maybe some friendships can last.

---

It was her final Leaving Feast of Hogwarts. Nora had turned eighteen a few weeks before. She and Joe have planned a backpacking trip across magical Europe. They figure their real adult life could start in the fall. Nora was excited to for the next chapter of her life. She loved Hogwarts and learned to love her house too. Slytherin was not as bad as the rumors had made it out to be. She had made friends among her house-mates. None as close or sure as Joe, but she doubted any ever would be. Not that Nora would ever admit that she thinks Joe might be her June. That ride or die friend who won’t ever leave. Nora felt a little sheepish with her thoughts, sappy that they were. She blamed the Leaving Feast. Emotions seemed to be running high for all of her fellow 7th years. She could feel the tickle and threat of tears in her eyes. Nora quickly focused her attention on Headmistress McGongall—and that was when it all went to hell. Little Mina Weaver had stood up in the middle of McGonagall’s speech. Mina Weaver, a fellow Slytherin and probably the only reason Nora saw it all, saw who it was, that cast the killing curse and struck McGonagall down. Then the words…

We Will Rise Again.

Nora stared at those words because it was easier than staring at the Headmistress. Chaos erupted all around her. Students screamed and shouted and Nora stared and stared at those words. Something itched in the back of her mind. Something about those words was familiar. Nora thought she remembered reading them in the Daily Prophet.  That those same words had hung over Grand Central in America after it had been blown up. Nora felt shaky. Then a blur of black and yellow was at her side, she felt Joe wrap his arms around her, and the cacophony of the Great Hall reached her ears again. Nora sank into Joe’s arms, dimly aware she was acting like a damsel in distress and not caring. 

---

Nora was in her childhood bedroom. Her Hogwarts career over, ending not with a celebration like she had always imagined it, but with sadness and death. Auntie June had tried talking to her but all Nora wanted was her Mum. Maude Fox kept close to her, hugging Nora when she needed it, and forcing Nora to eat.  She had never been particularly close to Headmistress McGonagall, but she had always liked the stern witch. She had read all about her in the history books, all about whats she had done for Hogwarts when Lord Voldemort had tried to come back into power. She had been a hero like those lady knights who still occupied the walls of Nora’s room. Nora stared at the pictures. She felt ashamed with how she had not acted at all during the Leaving Feast, during all that chaos. She had stayed rooted on the spot and it had taken Joe to bring some focus back to her. Nora was not quite sure what she could have done, really, but she felt like she should have tried to do something. Nora stared at the pictures and let the tears flow. It was a couple of weeks after she had been home that she approached her Mum. Her Mum was in the kitchen, sipping tea and reading a book at the table. She looked up as soon as Nora entered the room, concern etched in her beautiful face. Her face freckled a bit like Nora’s. “Sweetie,” Her Mum said, and Nora stood there, poised on the threshold. Half of her wondering if she ought to ask or not. “Mum, what is my father’s name? Who is he?” She had never really been curious before. She had never really felt the need to know who her sperm-donor was. Even after learning she was a witch, even after assuming her father was probably a wizard. There might have been some curiosity about him within her but it had always been easily pushed down. But something about seeing a dead body, of witnessing how that living body became a dead one… suddenly Nora had the desire, the need to find out who her father was. Her Mum was watching her, and finally, she spoke up. “We weren’t really together, Nora. We slept together a handful of times in a matter of three months. He worked as the janitor at the bar I was a waitress at. His name is Charlie, Charlie Franklin. He got fired after I found out I was pregnant, and I decided to just not look for him.” Charlie Franklin. Nora had a name and a previous place of employment. She nodded her head and had tea with her Mum before she retired to her room to write a letter to Joe, to ask him for his help.  

#hp rp #harry potter rp #the geeking shack #mama shitty writes #mama shitty rps #mama shitty one shots #rp character #rp character: charlie franklin #rp character: nora fox

[setaripendragon]

Learning To Share - Roy - Part 5

Winry :: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 Roy :: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 Wow, okay, so, I actually managed to finish this part. The second bit of this scene was a moment I’ve had in my head since I started this fic, so I’m so glad I finally managed to write it. I think there’s going to be another two parts to Roy’s section, and then I’m going to torture Maes -insert evil cackle here-

The apartment above the Central branch of Rockbell Automail was surprisingly cosy. The shop took up the entirety of the first floor, but the two above it in the tall, square townhouse were fitted out for living in, with a kitchen, a living room, and a library on the bottom floor, and three bedrooms and a study on the second. The main bedroom, which appeared to primarily be Al’s, was, of course, out of bounds to Roy, but Edward had no compunctions with dragging him into the second bedroom, which held scattered evidence of everyone’s presence, after their fifth date, and just about tearing Roy’s clothes off.

It soon became more the norm than not, which Roy was not complaining about in the least. Sometimes they wound up in Roy’s bed, but Ed often complained that Roy’s house felt cold, even with the fire in the living room lit, and Roy found he couldn’t exactly argue, after having spent several long afternoons and evenings and nights in Edward’s apartment. It wasn’t the temperature Ed was complaining about. And Roy was perfectly happy to spend his nights with Edward tangled up together in the second bedroom of the apartment, surrounded by reminders of family, even if sometimes they did have to pause half way through to put Xiao Mei or one of Al’s growing collection of cats outside.

Afterwards, when Roy was lazily trying to pull the shattered pieces of his brain back together, Edward sprawled atop him, he found his lover eyeing him with that intense curiosity that was unique to him. Like he was trying to dissect Roy with his gaze alone. “You haven’t told anyone about us.” He stated, but despite the lack of inflection, it was very clearly a question.

Roy shrugged lazily, sluggishly wondering if it bothered Edward. “The people I’m socially obligated to inform will know whether I tell them or not, so I don’t particularly feel the need to advertise.”

Edward snorted in amusement. “Okay, I hadn’t actually noticed that I wasn’t getting concerned or critical looks from Hughes.” He announced, then shook his head. Roy frowned a little, brushed Edward’s bangs out of his face so that Roy had a better view of his expression. It was less telling than Roy had hoped for. “Havoc’s tried to warn me about your girlfriend stealing ways, or rather, partner stealing ways. With multiple judgemental looks like he actually thinks I’d cheat on Winry. Asshole. While Hawkeye’s been… hovering over you like a mother eagle defending her chick.”

Roy winced. “Please don’t compare Riza to my mother.”

Edward’s eyes sparked and flared with intrigue. “Ah-hah! So you do have a thing for her! Winry owes me a hundred cenz.” He declared, all cat-like smugness. Roy wouldn’t have been surprised if he started purring any second.

Clearing his throat, Roy opened his mouth to deflect, because that’s what he always did. His relationship with Riza was so complicated, so mired in history and mistakes and promises that it often seemed no one really had a hope of understanding, so why bother letting them see anything more than a loyal commander and subordinate.

Then he caught sight of Edward’s raised eyebrows, and the words halted in his throat. Tension he hadn’t realised was there drained out of him, and he sighed through a smile, and reached up to card his fingers through Edward’s mussed bangs, putting them back into order. “I don’t do anything by halves, Edward. An affliction I think you might have some passing familiarity with.”

“Anything worth doing, etcetera.” Edward interjected as a lazy acknowledgement.

Roy hummed an agreement. “Quite. When I love someone, when they’re important to me on a personal level, and I want them in my life always… I don’t know how to stop at ‘best friends’. Attraction, both sexual and sensual, comes on its heels.” He paused, then shrugged. “Not to say I’m pining for her, or anything quite that ridiculous. That attraction is such a small part of what she means to me that I hardly long for it, but… it’s there.”

“Hughes too, huh?” Edward mused knowingly. Roy didn’t feel the need to answer, and it didn’t seem as if Edward needed the confirmation. He stretched up to nuzzle his face into Roy’s neck, squirming his arms more securely around Roy’s middle. Roy was not ashamed to admit that he was a tactile lover – Edward called him a cuddleslut, but Roy thought that term was undignified – and he took great pleasure in the physical comfort. “Anyone else you’re secretly pining over?”

“I’m not pining.” Roy protested, well aware he sounded childish, but unable to quite help himself. Edward grinned up at him, all sharp teeth and wicked eyes. Roy’s offence melted away like it had never been there. “Just you, Edward.”

Edward went pink, dropping his gaze, and kicked Roy lightly with the flesh and blood leg. “It’s not pining when you’ve already got me, idiot.” He protested.

“Exactly.” Roy agreed.

Edward kicked him again. Quiet stretched between them, comfortable and peaceful. Edward took to doodling alchemical formulas and arrays on Roy’s shoulder, because he could never sit still, not even for post-coital cuddles, while Roy just watched him and let his thoughts drift. “So how come you and Hawkeye aren’t a thing?”

“Hm?” Roy blinked, realising he’d been almost asleep when Edward spoke again.

“You and Hawkeye, how come you aren’t a thing? Is it just the whole military fraternisation thing, or is it complicated emotional bullshit?”

“Ah, well, the one and only time I tried to seduce her, she quite literally shot me down and told me in no uncertain terms that she would rather have sexual relations with a slug.” Roy admitted, mostly just to see Edward snort with mirth. Then he paused. “Admittedly, I was seventeen and my technique was crass and unrefined, but then she followed me to Ishval, and, as you said, things got complicated.”

“Huh.” Edward mused. “And does Hughes know?”

“Mm… He certainly knows I find him attractive, but no, I don’t think he knows I’m in love with him.” Roy considered for a long moment, then shrugged. “I suppose he could have figured it out and decided to ignore it for everyone’s sake, but given that my mother hadn’t figured it out, and she knows everything-”

“Wait, your mother?” Edward asked, abruptly lifting himself up onto his elbows to stare down at Roy with intent.

Roy blinked at him, startled by the vehement reaction. “Ah, yes?” He said slowly, and then remembered he had a message to pass on, and grimaced.

“You have a mother?!” Edward yelped.

Roy couldn’t help but laugh. “Everyone has a mother, Edward.” He pointed out, and Edward scowled at him, lifting one hand – the flesh and blood one, thankfully – threateningly. Roy raised his hands in a sign of surrender, even though he was still laughing. “But in this case, that’s perhaps a misleading thing to say. Biologically, she’s my aunt, but she raised me after my parents died.” Roy sighed, still smiling faintly, and shifted his hands to Edward’s lower back. Ed dropped his own to Roy’s chest again.

“Right.” Edward huffed. “I just didn’t realise you had anyone… still around.” He explained, pulling a face that was a bizarre mixture of childish frustration and world-weary age. “Kinda tragic, huh? That ‘orphan’ seems more likely than anything else.” Roy ran through what he knew of Edward’s social circle, and realised that, yes, most of them were, actually, orphans. He winced. After all, he was partially responsible for that state of affairs.

Roy shook the thought off, because wallowing in his guilt didn’t help anything. He searched about for another topic, and wasn’t exactly thrilled with the one he came up with, but it was better than moping. Moping would probably earn him an automail fist to the ribs. “Speaking of my mother…” He began, and Ed hummed to show he was listening. “She’s informed me that she’d like to meet you.”

Edward blinked at him. “Your mum. Wants to meet me.” He repeated.

Roy nodded. “Of course, there’s no rush.” He was quick to add, because he still wasn’t sure he liked the idea of exposing this new relationship to his mother’s scrutiny. “This is still new. But she’s realised I’m quite serious, and, well, Chris Mustang is not one to put off ‘til tomorrow what she can do right this second.” He explained, a little rueful.

“Okay.” Edward said, still a bit wide-eyed. Roy frowned at him. “I’ve just… never done the meet-the-parents thing before?” He offered, and suddenly his pole-axed look of sheer nerves made a bit more sense. “In Xing, it’s a big deal, introducing a partner to your family and your clan. It’s… the first step in their really complicated marriage rituals, actually. And me and Al both knew we weren’t staying, so it never… became an issue?” He explained.

“I won’t lie to you and tell you my mother isn’t scary, because she really, really is, but would it make you feel any better if I said I’m fairly certain she’ll like you?” Roy offered. It was a scary thought, because if she and Edward did get on, which he suspected they would, Roy was doomed.

“No.” Edward retorted. “…maybe.” He amended a moment later.

Roy smiled and tugged Edward in for a light kiss. “It can wait for a while.” He reminded him.

Edward rolled off him to flop face-first onto the mattress beside him with a muffled groan. Roy turned onto his side to watch with faintly baffled amusement. Finally, Edward turned his head to look at Roy with a sigh. “No, better get it over with.” He huffed. “Just lemme know when.”

“Alright.” Roy agreed.

“Okay, I’m going to sleep now before you can drop anything else on me.” Edward announced, squirming around until he was comfortably tucked against Roy’s chest, clutching one of Roy’s arms around himself, both feet tucked between Roy’s shins.

Roy blinked at the top of a golden head, and bit his lip, hard. He shouldn’t say it, he knew he shouldn’t, they’d been having such a lovely conversation, after all, but… he just couldn’t resist. “I had no idea you liked being the little sp-oof!” An automail elbow to the ribs was never fun, but in this instance, it was absolutely worth it. Roy fell asleep with a smile on his face.

He woke up with a scream trapped in his throat.

For several, long, disorienting seconds, he had no idea where he was. Then Edward mumbled something about chemical recombinations in his sleep and Roy was dragged back to the present. Not a tent in the middle of the desert, but Edward’s bed above the automail shop in Central. Or one of Edward’s beds. With the release of tension came the shakes, the belated panic, the irrepressible upswell of guilt so cloying and thick he could barely breathe.

Carefully, he disentangled himself from Edward. At one point, the younger man slitted open golden eyes, and peered up at Roy with a questioning sound. Roy didn’t dare speak, but he ran a soothing hand over Edward’s hair, and he made a contented noise and closed his eyes again, so Roy counted it as a win. It wasn’t like Edward could do anything to help, and Roy would feel better knowing that at least someone was managing a decent night’s sleep.

He tiptoed his way downstairs and into the kitchen for a glass of water, but realised his hands were shaking too badly to hold the glass steady. So he slumped down at the kitchen table and tried to get himself back under control.

He wasn’t sure how long he sat there, before footsteps on the stairs made him lift his head. He watched the doorway as a figure appeared in it, and for a moment he was convinced he was still asleep and trapped in a nightmare. Then the phantoms resolved themselves into Winry Rockbell as she padded across the room and pawed at the kettle in the dark.

Roy stayed silent and frozen, uncertain what to do, or say, or if he should at all. Then Winry turned, and spotted him. She froze, staring. “What are you doing down here?” She asked abruptly. Even though she was talking quietly, her voice seemed loud in the gloom of the kitchen.

“Couldn’t sleep.” Roy confessed, shrugging.

Winry hummed an acknowledging sound, and fumbled about for a moment, before the lights over the stove came on. For how bright they were, they only offered dim illumination to the rest of the kitchen, and Roy found himself appreciating the consideration for eyes that were currently so used to the dark. And for his psyche, which wasn’t ready to handle sudden flares of bright light in conjunction with Winry Rockbell’s face.

She stared at him for a long moment, then seemed to come to a decision. “Tea?” She offered, waving a vague hand at the kettle.

Roy had to clear his throat before he could speak. “Thank you.”

Winry nodded, and fetched down two very large mugs. Roy felt helpless, hopeless, useles, as she bustled around getting the tea ready. He chose to look down at his hands and study them, rather than watch her, but that was just a different kind of punishment.

A mug of steaming tea appeared in front of him, thumping down onto the table, and he startled in time with the sound. He glanced up, found Winry frowning at him, and looked away before he did something awful, like burst into tears. “Thank you.” He said again, and wrapped his hands around the mug, even though it was almost too hot to touch.

Winry didn’t react, just claimed the chair at the end of the table, and idly swirled a spoon through her own tea. Then she lifted it out, shook off the excess tea, and put it down resolutely. “What did you dream about?” She asked, voice caught somewhere between practical and sympathetic.

Roy stared at her, breath caught in his lungs, and eyes suddenly stinging. For a long moment, he wondered if she had already figured it out, and was trying to punish him. He’d deserve it, of course, but he honestly hadn’t pegged her as quite that viciously cruel. Then her eyes widened, and a small “Oh” of understanding escaped her, and she stared right back, just as caught as he was.

The moment hung there between them, stifling and all-consuming. Roy could feel something building in his chest in response to the tension, but he wasn’t sure what it was until he opened his mouth and what came out was “I’m sorry.” Then it was like a dam had broken, and he felt the tears spill over against his will. “I’m so sorry,” tumbled out of his mouth without his consent, and he abandoned his mug of tea to cover his face with his hands, trying to hide or trying to keep himself from spilling his guilt all over the kitchen, he wasn’t sure.

A small eternity passed while he tried and failed to get a hold of himself. It wasn’t right, it wasn’t fair, to put this on Winry. His guilt was his to bear, and it wasn’t her job to absolve him, or forgive him, or care about his regret. It was pathetic to act like this, as though her parents’ death had hurt him more than it hurt her. But he couldn’t stop himself, too tired and too overwrought, and the self-loathing just extenuated the problem.

A hand landed on his shoulder, and he flinched before he could stop himself. It retreated for a heartbeat, then returned, sliding over his back until Winry’s arm was wrapped around his shoulders. She tugged gently, and Roy couldn’t muster up the presence of mind to resist as he tipped over to lean against her side. “I know.” She told him quietly.

Roy shuddered, whispered yet another apology, and promptly froze when he felt Winry’s head knock lightly against his. He could feel the way her breath shook, like she was crying too, and found he had no idea what to do with himself, or the situation, or anything. It was a deeply alien feeling, and left him vaguely frightened.

“It was so much easier to hate you when you were a monster.” Winry muttered on a wry laugh. “I don’t know how to hate you when you’re like this. Like… like you get how much it hurt me. And you’re down here alone because you didn’t want to wake Ed. When you still have nightmares about it when I haven’t in… fuck, years.”

“I don’t mean to-” Roy began.

Winry snorted. “If you meant to, I’d have brained you with a wrench and dumped your body in the river already, Mustang.” She interrupted, and it was almost enough to make Roy smile. He managed to pull himself together some, and straightened a little. Winry only half let go of him. When he caught her eye, he saw that, despite her words, she looked… very lost and uncertain. “I just… Stop, alright?” She asked, and it sounded strangely vulnerable. “I don’t- You don’t need to keep doing this, you know? It’s not okay, and I’m never going to be over it, and I’ll always hate you a little bit, but you’re here, and you’re trying, and you love Ed, and you make him happy, and you’re good, so… so can’t it be… okay? Can’t we be okay?”

Roy swallowed hard, and found a smile with surprisingly little effort. “I can try.” He offered.

Winry hiccuped on a laugh that was half a sob, and nodded. “Good. Okay.”

“Okay.” Roy echoed, feeling more blessed than he had any right to, and aching with it. This time, he was the one who pulled Winry in against his side, and she was the one who cried into his shoulder. If he maybe shed a few tears into her hair, well, he was pretty sure she’d done the same to him earlier, so it was okay. It might actually, really, be okay.

#FMA #Roy Mustang #Edward Elric #Winry Rockbell #RoyEd #onesided Royai #(he thinks) #onesided RoyMaes #(for now) #this starts off all lighthearted and fun #and then tips right over into emotional trauma #hurt/comfort #and all that good stuff #nightmares #everything feels worse in the middle of the night #closure #of a sort

[gascon-en-exil]

injygo said

I would very much like to hear that post on Majora’s Mask!

Ridiculously in-depth discussion of a 100% completion run of Majora’s Mask in the minimum possible number of three-day cycles below the cut.

It’s not often brought up as one of this game’s good points, but I personally loved the idea of structuring a game around repeating a limited span of time over and over. When paired with MM’s impressive volume of sidequests it makes the challenge of 100% completion all about efficient scheduling and gives a playthrough a quasi-speedrun feel. I generally don’t care for speedrun tactics, but because the ticking clock in this case is an in-game one running MM in this way felt surprisingly natural (though still hectic, of course). 

I’m aware that any% speedruns can just barely be completed in two cycles - in the N64 version at least, as the reduced effectiveness of the Inverted Song of Time in the 3DS remake would likely render a two-cycle run impossible. Note that when I number cycles I’m including the first one in which Link is trapped as a Deku Scrub. Many players seem to consider this cycle only an introduction/tutorial before the world properly opens up and so don’t count it, but there are a number of optional things one can do in the first cycle (and plenty of time to do them, since even with the accelerated clock it won’t even take half the cycle to complete the mandatory objectives) and as such it’s still worth mentioning. The rest of this post however will concern the remaining “regular” cycles, after Link has gone back in time once.

Interestingly, while the only hard limit to the minimum number of cycles in an any% run is the clock, getting 100% completion - all items, masks, equipment (and upgrades), heart pieces, and the completed Bombers’ Notebook, the last of which involves slightly more in the 3DS version - entails a minimum of three regular cycles, to account for three mutually exclusive event outcomes:

Saving the bomb shop woman from being robbed on the first night earns you the Blast Mask and allows you to buy the All-Night Mask on the final night (requires the Giant’s Wallet to afford it), but doing so will stall the Anju and Kafei sidequest after the second day since Sakon will never show up at the Curiosity Shop.

If you allow the old woman to be robbed, Kafei will see Sakon at the Curiosity Shop, and the rest of the sidequest can play out from there. This gets you the Keaton Mask and its associated heart piece as well as eventually (requires Garo’s Mask and the hookshot) the Couple’s Mask, though you also get the Express Mail which can lead to one of two rewards depending on what you do with it. If you give it directly to Madame Aroma you’ll get a bottle.

On the other hand, if you give the Express Mail to the postman to deliver you’ll be able to get the Postman’s Hat and its associated heart piece.

To complicate this further, two of the above rewards - the All-Night Mask and the Couple’s Mask - are required to obtain heart pieces on a cycle after the one in which you earn them. This means that in a four-cycle run one must be obtained in the second cycle and another in the third so that they can be put to use. The issue with this is that the items needed to obtain these masks are all gated behind obtaining Epona and/or reaching Great Bay: the Giant’s Wallet is received after clearing the Ocean Spider House (on the first day only in the N64 version, and this point alone makes a four-cycle run possible only in the remake as far as I can work out), the hookshot comes from the Pirates’ Fortress, and the Garo’s Mask is won in a horse race at Gorman Ranch. There’s a very restrictive window to reunite with Epona; you have until nightfall on the first day, and to even get to Romani Ranch before the final day you need to be able to use powder kegs which aren’t available until after the second dungeon. Furthermore, the path to Great Bay is blocked by a fence that you’re meant to jump with Epona, which ultimately leaves an unsolvable conundrum as there’s simply no way (especially in the 3DS version with its less effective Inverted Song of Time) to get Epona in the second cycle.

The solution is an unconventional one, an environmental exploit that uses a well-timed Goron pound and a ChuChu to get over the fence blocking the entrance to Great Bay - see this video for a demonstration. I’m kind of iffy about using glitches, but I suppose this isn’t technically a glitch since all the parts involved work as they would in any other situation. *shrugs* Anyway, the results are fairly self-explanatory: go to Great Bay without Epona about halfway through the the second cycle, complete the Pirates’ Fortress (might as well do Pinnacle Rock and grab the New Wave Bossa Nova while you’re at it) and the Ocean Spider House, and save actually getting your horse and completing the ranch area for the third cycle.

That’s not to suggest that this point is the only one that requires timely coordination, however. There is of course the question of when to complete the dungeons, both because they take up substantial chunks of time (the last two even more so in the 3DS version, because of their redesigned and more time-consuming bosses) and because all of them open up one or more additional rewards in the associated region that must be obtained in that same cycle. Snowhead is by far the busiest of the four in this regard, mostly because of what’s required to upgrade your sword to the Gilded Sword. There’s also the matter of Don Gero’s frog choir, the only sidequest that necessitates the (partial) completion of more than one dungeon in the same cycle. On paper it would seem best to complete the Woodfall, Snowhead, and Great Bay Temples all in one cycle to minimize backtracking for the frogs, but I’ve found that this makes the second cycle nearly impossible to finish. There’s just not enough time to finish three dungeons, three mini-dungeons (Pirates’ Fortress and Pinnacle Rock to enter Great Bay Temple, the Ocean Spider House for the Giant’s Wallet as discussed above), and all the short challenges and minigames in the post-dungeon swamp, mountain,and ocean. The Fisherman minigame in Great Bay in particular is only available within a limited time frame, one you’ll be really strapped to meet since you’ll probably only be finishing Great Bay Temple with a few hours left in the cycle.

Instead, I’ve found it better to only do the first two dungeons in the second cycle, as well as all the lead-up to Great Bay Temple. This means that the third cycle will include detours to defeat and then talk to the frog mini-boss of Woodfall Temple as well as defeat Goht in Snowhead Temple, but those small inconveniences give you a lot of breathing room in the second cycle without noticeably impacting the third (which is taken up with Great Bay Temple, Romani Ranch, Ikana Graveyard, the bulk of Anju and Kafei, and assorted minigames). This leaves most of Ikana and the Stone Tower Temple for the fourth cycle, along with reaping the rewards from the Couple’s Mask and All-Night Mask - note that the latter will eat up an entire night and then some as you listen to the stories of Anju’s grandmother - as well as redoing a portion of the Anju and Kafei sidequest in order to get the other reward(s) from the Express Mail. Whichever you do first doesn’t matter; the extra bottle would matter more if you could get it before you have to collect the Zora eggs, but in this run there’s no way for that to happen without seriously delaying everything in the third cycle. It’s also worth noting that the one entirely new sidequest in the 3DS version turns the Troupe Leader Mask into another case of getting a reward on a cycle following the one in which it’s earned, though by pairing the Milk Bar sound test with the other Romani Ranch events you’ll get this mask in the third cycle and so can use it in the fourth.

What I found most fascinating about actually playing a four-cycle run for the first time after years of being accustomed to a less strenuous five-cycle run is that it’s not all rushing through at a breakneck pace. There are moments of downtime when there’s not much specifically available to do, especially in the second half of the playthrough. It’s a good thing too, because for all that this game is notorious for its sidequests dependent on NPC schedules there’s even more to do that doesn’t depend on anything so strict: heart pieces in field grottos and isolated chests, numerous minigames with generous windows to complete (provided, naturally, that you’ve mastered the games themselves), and a bank to fill for a heart piece. For that last one I recommend farming the Takkuri buzzard near the entrance to Romani Ranch (two hundred rupees a kill, which can be done with six fire arrows...just don’t get hit), unless you save it for late in the fourth cycle when the light arrows can one-shot the continually respawning Blue Bubbles of the eastern canyon for fifty rupees apiece. It all adds up to a very fun and what I would consider a very rewarding Zelda experience, doubly so because this is also the game that rewards the completionist approach with a mask that can obliterate the final boss in under a minute. Regardless of how cool the Fierce Deity and his sword look, the fact remains that turning into the “bad guy” (and oh, the much-analyzed philosophical implications!) and crushing Majora is intensely satisfying.

The only thing more satisfying than that may be going to the moon and finding that you’re no longer on the clock....

#The Legend of Zelda #Majora's Mask #100% run #A lot of meta analysis #This may also double as an explanation as to why this remains my favorite game in the series

[cwdcshows]

Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part One

Here we go folks.... "Champions from across the multiverse" sure seems to encompass only two earths.... Did they just cancel Titans in a 1-second cutaway?

(Obviously, I know they didn't just cancel Titans in a cutaway.  But that would be epic way for them to do it...)

Man, Wesley Crusher's pissed about not being invited to be on Picard.... Wait, this universe destroying wave is making it's way towards the edge of the universe, where it will bounce back and destroy everything; and the only thing in it's current path before reaching the edge of the universe is Argos City?? ....(sigh)....Yeah, alright.... This is what Argos City gets for using AT&T as it's primary carrier.... Oh no, not Earth-38's Superman!  How could they kill him forever and ever?? We'll never see him or Lois again.....😐 You know, when you have three consecutive shots all set on the same Earth, you don't have to do that thing where the number next to Earth scrolls through different permutations and lands on 1 each time.  You can just put the number 1 after the first time; most of the people watching this already know that in spite of the name "Crisis on Infinite Earth" that it's mostly just two that that are predominantly going to be involved here; with the odd appearance of a few others.... (Sigh)....fucking "legends".....  but also....mmmm... Caity Lotz.....😍 Oh, thank God they told me we were back in the DEO on Earth-38.  For a second I thought Alex was standing in my living room.  And if you're wondering if my living room looks anything like the DEO, the answer is, no, but without the title card, how could I be sure? So, not surprisingly, Lyla arrived on Argo City at the last minute and saved Clark and Lois (along with the other residents of Argos City, I'm sure.....😒) - but then both Lois and Clark took time go change clothes too? Don't worry Kara, I'm sure you'll see your mother later; or some version of her - her double is married to your cousin's doppelganger on another Earth; which isn't...weird at all..... Also, holy shit, it actually has been nearly 8 years since Smallville went off the air.  And I haven't even been tempted to re-watch that show, and I've re-watched a bunch of shows numerous times in that same period; Buffy, Angel, Stargate SG1, and am presently on re-watching Burn Notice.  But definitely not Smallville.  I mean, I'm sure it's fine, it's not like it hasn't aged poorly or any of the cast have gone to jail anything.... So Kate does know Kara and presumably Oliver and Barry... so when the fuck did she meet them?  They met her last year, but she wasn't active until this year and didn't even have the red hair until like, a month ago.  Did the reality wave also bump all of them to like, last week or something; and then they got sent back...?   🤷‍♂️      

Wait, where's Barry?  And why hasn't anyone else asked "Where's Barry?"  With all non-powered people involved, the absence of one of the few meta-heroes you know should pique some curiosity. Not to mention, the acknowledgement of Earth-2 being destroyed would have reasonably elicited a bigger response from someone, like Barry, who actually knew people on Earth-2.

Finally, Oliver asks about Barry, but that still seems like a question that should have been asked before the meeting began.  I care less about him asking where the "legends" are, because honestly.....do you want to fuck this up.....?

Yeah, I guess "quantum tower" sounds better than "dimensional tuning fork"....

Oh fuck you writers.  Fuck, fuck you.  So now you're going to tell us that the Star City in 2046 was never Star City's future; and that the Waverider just casually took you to a parallel universe and back again and nobody noticed?? Fuck you.

Has it really taken a season and a half for Mia to properly suit up and become a "Green Arrow"?  I must be losing it, because I....swear she worn a costume/uniform out in the field.

What part of "I temporarily had my memory partial wipe in order to protect Supergirl's identity" a long story?  I mean, sure, there's a lot more to that to dig into, but that's a pretty concise recap and salient point in the whole brouhaha over Kara keeping her identity from Lena.... But I guess when the skies turn red and the world starts quaking....

Augh.....You know Lena, fuck you and your pity party.  This woe is me crap is getting old fast; and the writers better fucking wise up and either have her snap out of it or completely crossover into the territory of irredeemable villain pretty fucking soon.  And if it's going to be the latter, don't dither by trying to dither by making her one of those "misguided" villains who just thinks they're the right and everyone else is wrong.  Go full tilt, fuck all bad guy wracking up the body count and pulling people's strings.

So apparently Oliver on Earth-16 had some work done, because for 2046, he doesn't look that much older than he does in the present day; and a lot younger than the last time the "legends" came here.

Well, retrieving Jonathan from Earth-16 seems to have been pointless....

Boy, Oliver and Kate sure love doing a lot of unnecessary gymnastics moves.  It's like they're to one up each other.   "Oh, you can do a spin followed by a somersault?  Well, I'm going to spin twice and roll forward into a handspring."

Brainy's had this huge fucking Legion ship this whole fucking time and it's never come up before now??

What is the point of Sara having this conversation with a version of Oliver who isn't the main, conventional version of Oliver?  Seems like this would be a more poignant moment between the "real" Oliver and Sara. And did if this is the Earth the "legends" came to in season 1, didn't Oliver meet her?  Did they go to an earlier point in 2046 than the "legends"? (and no, I will not stop putting "legends" in sarcastic quotation marks, or keeping the L in small caps.)

They've established that when Superman and Supergirl go "super flare" they're powerless for a full 24 hours.  And the one time Kara did it, it took a little longer than that - and that's when the skies were blue and the sun was shinning.  Since they fell out of the sky, are they powerless now?  

Oh, for fuck sake, are they going to make Kelly the new Guardian?  I guess it wouldn't be an Avengers rip-off without a so-called hero with a shield....

Well, I guess Superman and Supergirl aren't de-powered....

Seriously, the Monitor poofs all the other heroes away, whether they were ready to leave or not, but Oliver of all people gets to say 'no' and keep fighting?  Because of course he has a weapon to stun the Monitor. And he finally runs out of arrows.  About damn time. But why would he drop his bow?  He's used it before as a defensive weapon in it's own right.

Were they doing a legitimate evacuation of the entirety of Earth-38?  Because that's a tall fucking order....

Come on, how the fuck can Barry tell that this Wells is "Nash" and not one of the million other fucking Wells he's met over the last five and a half years? Augh.... between Wells/Pariah and Lyla/Harbinger, I really hope we don't have any more characters taking on the other comic identities.  I know Lyla is Harbinger from the Comics and the Lyla is even the comic book character's proper name, but the way they're introducing them in their new roles is just so fucking forced.  Especially when they've had weeks to get both of them there more naturally and squandered it. Especially Wells, I think.  They could have used someone like Harry from Earth-2, which would have had the benefit of more established character history, while also giving us a glimpse into the possible fates of some of the other Earth-2 characters we've met, who we can only otherwise assume died and aren't even being acknowledged.

You gotta love everyone's timing here; big climactic, literally world ending battle, a quest to retrieve a baby and whatever the fuck "Nash" has been up to and they're all popping in to the same place at the same time. And did Brainy or Sara coordinate with anyone about returning to Earth-1 instead of Earth-38?  You know, the Earth they originally left from?

Oh, no, Oliver has died.  And I'm sure he's never coming back.....  😐🙄

Not for nothing, I think it's worth noting, part way through this, I may have been scrolling through Facebook and commented on an article on a theatre page, where I criticized the content of the article and words were exchanged with the OP, who didn't like my criticism and tried to take a shot at my length of my post, rather than it's substance, by saying it was too long and they didn't read it - or, you know, "tld, dr;" because for some people, full sentences make them cry.  But it also made me laugh, because that post was legitimately not that long; and certainly had nothing on the crap I post on here....

At any rate, interesting episode.  I kind of feel like I need to watch it again, without constantly pausing it to type my comments, and let it sink in more.