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tieronecrush · 10 months

Text

the lakes

joel miller x reader

rating: M

word count: 1.9k

summary:

take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die / i don't belong, and my beloved, neither do you / those windermere peaks look like a perfect place to cry / i'm setting off, but not without my muse

warnings: nudity, skinny dipping, talk about grief, death, family tension, self-doubt, self-deprecation, idk man it’s just sad

a/n: my first song for the folklore anthology!! can’t wait to share others & read all the other great works from my pals <3

The sounds of birds chirping surround you in echoes across the valley, mountainous hills convexing in front of you and dotted with evergreens. Underneath you is sun-warmed sand, interspersed with smoothed rocks from rushing water shaping them over hundreds or thousands of years. The fresh, gentle waves of the lake lick against your bare feet, knees bent up as you sit at the shore, eyes trained ahead on the glassy surface reflecting the late summer sky above. Joel is sitting next to you in the same position, his hands joined together in a circle and forearms resting on his kneecaps.

It’d been a quiet hike to the spot you discovered while on patrol. Lately, Joel has been his own worst enemy — closed off to you, stewing in his thoughts about his strained relationship with Ellie and continuing to adjust to life in Jackson, a world so slow and still that he can’t seem to find a place he fits in after moving for so long. His inertia hasn’t caught up to his lifestyle change; he is constantly picking up patrol shifts, and volunteering to oversee new construction and renovations across the town, but even through his go go go, he can’t find a place to land.

This place was the perfect spot to take him; to abate the anxious energy that vibrates throughout him every day with the halcyon elements of nature. Animals that live their lives with no concept of time, a lesson in living in the present, trees that have been around for hundreds of years, solid and strong like the man himself, and the lake. The lake that provides for everything growing around it, that reflects beauty in sunrises and sunsets, that finds itself full no matter any barriers built in its feeding river, replenished by other means from rain to groundwater.

The silence between the two of you breaks for the first time in hours.

“You know what I first thought of you when I met you?” you question him, eyes trained forward on the view. Joel offers a soft grunt in response, hinting for you to continue.

“I thought: Wow, this guy is an asshole,” he scoffs with the hint of a smirk, shaking his head while your own grin plays at your lips, “But then, I got to know you. Forced proximity really tells you a lot about a person. And I very quickly learned how much you care. This world should have jaded you, should have broken you to the bone with what you have been through, but yet, you still find means to nurture. You protect, and you provide. You love so deeply, so incredibly much. Every day I wake up next to you, I thank the lucky stars that I have Joel Miller in my corner. By my side. Watching my back.”

“I know you are feeling something, thinking about something in that head of yours all the time. And I want you to know that I love you as deeply, that I care as much for you as you do for everyone in your life. You can share with me, whatever you feel like sharing.”

Joel is quiet, squinting in the sun as he tosses a round pebble from the sand between his legs into the shallow waters. The ripple appears and dissipates before he speaks.

“That sounded like a eulogy, darlin’.”

You scoff now, that same type of soft smirk that he held minutes before pulling the corners of your mouth up.

“Is that all you took from all of what I said?”

“No, ‘course not. Just, I don’t know, felt like I was listening to what you would say about me after I’m gone.” At that you turn towards him, hand wrapping around his nearest forearm and squeezing with even, steady pressure that says ‘We are not talking about that, I can’t talk about that.’

“I do wanna share with you, I just—I don’t know how. I’ve kept all this inside, locked down in my chest. Anger, temper, violence, even, as armor to keep me alive. Don’t ever think I’ve been very nurturing since, well, since…” His throat chokes up, head drops to stare at the ground. Another squeeze to his arm, this time to say ‘It’s okay. I know. You don’t have to say if you don’t want to.’

Something that he said sticks out in your head, a means to attempt to combat his walls going up again now that they have crumbled slightly. You stand, glancing around out of habit before you pull your shirt over your head, your jeans following with your undergarments in their wake. Joel looks up, expression puzzled as he watches your naked form wade into the water. You hiss as the still-icy water engulfs you from the shoulders down, treading and turning back to your man on the shore. A gentle smile covers your face, beckoning him in with one nod of your head.

He follows suit with stripping down, clothes mixing in a pile with yours as they do on the floor of your bedroom. His own pained expression from the cold lake makes you giggle quietly, a scolding stare aimed your way. He paddles over to you smoothly, the water hitting his chest where he can continue to touch with his feet at the bottom. Your arms slither around his neck, wet fingers carding through the hair at the back of his head. The leverage against him is used to tug you closer, his large palms settling at your waist under the surface while the two of you bathe in the fresh Adam’s ale of these cliffside pools. Two pairs of eyes communicate without words, the soundtrack of the birds and rustling trees occupying the dead air until you speak again, hushed despite the fact that you are the only humans for miles.

“You can take your armor off around me.”

Joel’s eyes flutter closed, a long sigh exhaled as his hands grip your curves tighter. When his burnt chestnut and amber irises are revealed again, he speaks in the same reserved volume that you had.

“I don’t belong there. In Jackson.”

Silence gently urges him to carry on.

“What I’ve done, to strangers, to myself, to Tess, to you, to Tommy, to Ellie…I don’t deserve any chance at life. With what I have taken from others, I don’t deserve to be given anything. Kindness, respect, care, love. From anyone.”

“I’ve been selfish this whole twenty years. I almost left Tommy alone. I dragged us up north to Boston. I got Tess into smuggling. I kept Ellie at a distance for so long because I couldn’t bear to feel that kind of responsibility, that familial tie. And then I chose for her, in that hospital. I couldn’t lose another kid.”

“It—it feels like I should be over the past, over what I have done now that I have a chance at a fresh start, or as close to a fresh start as I could possibly have here in Jackson. I have a shot to build a life with you, to work for Ellie’s forgiveness, to be an uncle to Maria and Tommy’s baby. But what has been chasing me — what has been over — it feels like it’s burrowed under my skin. And all I can feel when I start to forget is these—these heartstopping waves of hurt.”

“And I don’t know how to move on. I don’t know how to forget when my body, my mind, my soul won’t let me.”

Across his cheeks, salty tears have carved rivers, the dampness still in his eyes shining in the midday sunlight. The water sounds as if it’s rushing in your ear, your pulse racing as you attempt to process his confession. His head has bowed in a prayer position, awaiting your means to reconciliation or absolution.

Hands settled on his broad shoulders, another communicative squeeze, this one to say ‘I don’t know either. But I know how to try.’

“You let your people heal you,” Joel’s eyes meet yours, drops cascading from the damp bits of hair hanging over his forehead, attention completely and utterly on you, “Time can’t fix everything. The past can hold us in its grip even with all the time in the world. But people can help you forget. They can help to lessen the pain in your body until it’s merely a pinch. Their love can pull you up when you fall. Their care can nurture your soul to grow resilient again. Their reassurance can teach your mind to hear those sordid thoughts you have but pay them no attention.”

“I want to do this for you, Joel. I want to help you. To care for you. To love you, completely. Your people want to do it for you. And if you can learn from experience, you can do it for Ellie…” Your hands move from his shoulder, skating across his glistening skin and wrapping around the sides of his neck, thumbs resting against his jaw.

“You made choices you had to. Including for Ellie. She was — she is a child. Your kid, if not by blood. She may not understand now, but I know she will find a means to forgive you, or at least understand you.”

“Maybe when she’s older, if she has a kid of her own, she’ll understand.”

Joel’s mouth quips to one side with a faint smile, tears drying on his cheeks as he thinks of the image.

“Reckon we’d be pretty fun, well, sorta grandparents.”

“I think so, too,” you speak with a grin stretched and thumbs brushing back and forth at his jaw, “I can’t wait to grow old with you. To sit on the porch and watch you still yell across the street to your brother for full conversations instead of the two getting off of your asses —”

“Watch it, darlin’,” he warns playfully.

“Hey, it’s true. I listen to it nearly every day. Now, back to what I was imagining, cowboy.”

He nods for you to continue, a full-blown smile on his face.

“We’ll have Ellie over weekly dinners, and whoever else makes up her family. You’ll play me guitar and sing whenever I ask ‘cause you love me so much. I’ll help to heal you, and we will be happy together. We will take our second chance. And you will enjoy your time with your family. And me, hopefully.”

“Definitely with you. My beautiful girl,” his own hand leaves the water, wetting your hair as he brushes it out of your face with tender eyes, “You’re like—like a red rose that’s grown out of my ice-frozen ground. I am so lucky to have you. That you chose me, and continue to choose me every damn day. My grief sometimes feels insurmountable; like I am going to be stuck here forever with no way out of that feeling. But if I get stuck here, with you in my arms and all my people around me, I’d be fine if I simply grow old and wither away back into the earth.”

“I love you, darlin’. So much it might just end in tragedy, that my heart might just explode from lookin’ at you one day. But I do love you.”

A gentle kiss is shared between the two of you, the bitter water combined with your torrid love stirring up a tornado of tingling nerves.

You pull away, only enough to get the words out that you have told him, Joel, your man, every day and will continue to tell him every day you have him, “I love you.”

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#joel #writing #folklore anthology #joel miller fanfic #joel miller fic #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #joel miller x f!reader #joel miller x female reader

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lunar-writes-things · 1 year

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20) The Moon

"Hey Grian, Mumbo?" Y/n asked, catching their attention "Does the moon seem... Bigger to you?"

"huh- No?" Grian said and squinted at the moon

"Maybe?" Mumbo muttered, "Has it always looked this close?"

"I don't think so," Y/n said "Does no one pay attention to the moon?"

"I don't," Grian shrugged "I'm spending a lot of time in the alley trying to finish it off."

"Same with me," Mumbo said before he paused and went "Except, not the alley. I'm working on my mountain."

"Oh you mean the chair?" Y/n asked and tilted their head while Grian laughed

"I thought it looked like an among us character when he laid down the red line to mark out his build." He said wings flapping with joy

"Oh yeah laugh at my build," Mumbo rolled his eyes "At least I didn't go for a Percy Jackson or harry potter type of build."

"HEY!" Grian and Y/n exclaimed at the same time and looked at each other for a glace before simultaneously agreeing

"GET HIM!" Grian exclaimed playfully and mumbo turned around so fast before flying away

Grian and Mumbo's laughs echoed through the air and Y/n felt their heart swell.

Had they really been so lucky as to gain the affections of not one but all of the people closest to them?

Did they deserve it?

Even if they didn't, Y/n would do everything in their power to show them the love they wished they were shown.

For now, however, they had to catch a pesky Mumbo who made fun of their builds. A large grin spread on their face as they joined Grian in the chase as Mumbo screeched out. At first, their chase just circled around Boatem but soon Mumbo moved on to Ren and Doc's base and then around the entire island. It was fun. Laughing and teasing and chasing each other when the blame got switched. It drew Y/n away from their thoughts of not being enough. of not really thinking that they deserved them. It reminded them that they fell in love wth not just a single person that didn't value them, but multiple people who adored every breath they took and worshipped the ground they walked on.

and oh...

it felt so glorious to be loved endlessly by their friends... by their significant others.

When they caught Mumbo, it was nearing daybreak soon so the trio decided to head home and away from big eye inc. They ended up heading home and went to work on their bases while Y/n went to her home to sleep the night away.

When Y/n strode up they had no idea what to expect when Pearl asked her to come over the next night but they certainly didn't expect to see Pearl with blankets in her arms and a picnic basket hooked onto their elbow.

"I thought you said you needed help?" Y/n asked softly and took the blankets from her arms

"Well, no." Pearl said "That was a lie. I just wanted you to myself for a bit."

"All you had to do was ask Dewdrop," Y/n bumped their shoulder into Pearl's "What's all this for then?"

Y/n lifted their arms a bit to show off the covers and pillows and Pearl grinned

"That, My Love, is so we can go star gazing." Pearl said and jutted their hand towards Y/n, palm up, an offering "Stuff them in your inventory and Let me lead you to a place of wonder."

My Love

goodness the fact that those words made Y/n want to melt was probably really bad but they couldn't help the goofy smile that spread across their face as their hand gently touched Pearl's

"Sweep me off of my feet," Y/n murmured and that she did

Pearl wrapped an arm around Y/n's waist and pulled them close. Y/n laughed as Pearl fumbled with their rockets before taking off with the both of them, their giggles and laughs echoing through the air as Pearl flew them to the place she found.

It was beautiful. It was on a cliff a few thousand feet from Boatem but it was covered in grassy fields and flowers and bits of freshly fallen snow with the stars shining brightly above and The moon looking a bit bigger than usual

"It's beautiful," Y/n trailed off, their voice barely above a whisper as their hands went to pull out the blankets

"I know it's not much for a first date, if your even okay calling it that but-" Pearl started

"Wait first date?!" Y/n exclaimed, "had I known I would have dressed up better!"

Pearl's laugh snapped Y/n out of their would-be rambling and she gripped their hands gently, grounding Y/n before they could even float off.

"I know," Pearl said and with a soft smile, they continued, "That's Why I didn't tell you. I want you to be you around me. I fell for everything you are and who you stand for. I want you to be wholly and exceptionally you. I don't want a dressed-up fancy version of you so you can paint a picture in my eyes. You already have, and I'm in love with it. I'm in love with you."

Y/n couldn't remember the last time someone was truly in love with her. It felt nice, it felt like she was truly wanted, it felt... terrifying.

"What if I'm not enough?" They asked softly only for Pearl to cup their face and mutter

"You will always be enough for us and nothing could ever change that." Soft kisses were pressed to Y/n's face from their forehead to their chin all avoiding one spot

their lips

Y/n knew there could be no way to thank pearl for attempting to take it slow so Y/n was comfortable. Not a lot of people were willing to do that for someone they were interested in. The fact that they were so patient and accepting and they haven't acted like anything had changed made Y/n feel at ease. Nothing and everything was the same.

Chills went through Y/n's body as pearl pressed her forehead to Y/n's

"Nothing will change on how we look and feel about you." Her calloused hands held Y/n's and brought them up to her lips and pressed a gentle kiss "I can promise you that. We are all so very deeply in love with you, more than you can even begin to imagine. Even if you don't believe this now, even if you don't ever believe this, we will continue to love you. We will never stop loving you, My darling Sunshine."

Y/n wanted to cry. Pearl's words washed every single bit of doubt that was left in their mind. One of Pearl's hands went to cup Y/n's face and They couldn't help but nuzzle their face into her hand.

"Thank you, Dewdrop," Y/n whispered and pulled both her hands from Pearl and caressed their face "You have no idea how much that calms me. I might clam up if I think I mess up but just knowing you and the guys don't hate me for anything I've done- It... It helps a lot. More than you can even know."

"Now, Cheer up baby," Pearl said and pressed a kiss to Y/n's nose "I planned a date for us to be happy and because I love your gorgeous face soooo much!"

"You flatter me," Y/n covered their face with their hands as Pearl grabbed their shoulder and dragged them to the blanket so they could sit down and quietly talk

The moon shone brightly over the two, illuminating their smiles and reflecting the stars in their eyes as they looked like they painted the Galaxy by hand. And to Pearl, maybe Y/n did.

But to Y/n, Pearl was a moth with a silver tongue. Someone who was able to calm fried nerves with a simple word. Y/n would have been terrified of it honestly

but with Pearl, they couldn't help but allow her to do anything she wanted because they trusted her with their life

and that terrified Y/n even more because the last time they did that they ended up in a war and cheated on

but she wasn't him

Y/n knew that

So maybe it was time to let go of the past and allow themselves to heal

It wasn't their fault that their boyfriend was an asshole who didn't love them.

Y/n knew it was time for change and for the first time in years, they glowed at the idea of letting go of all the guilt, hurt and overall hatred of their past.

It was time for a new phase of their life.

one where they could trust their friends and partners around them.

Masterlist

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merlinbingo · 6 months

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Lovely people! Hello, lovely people! We're back with a double round up and a double set of stats, because peach had no other tasks to procrastinate on last month and so she forgot the round up. Now she's got nothing but other tasks, so full procrastination mode has commenced and here she is!

In September, we got a wonder 54 fills created by 30 beautiful people! 47 were fics, five were artworks, and two were lovely lovely gifs.

Wanna know about ships? Merlin/Arthur was once again top of the list with 26, followed by gen at 14. After that, we've got Merlin/Gwaine and Arthur/Gwen with two, followed by 10 different ship with one fill each (in alphabetical order, Arthur/Lancelot/Leon, Elena/Freya, Gwen/Gwen, Gwen/Lancelot, Leon/Mithian, Merlin/Elyan, Merlin/Freya, Merlin/Gwen, Merlin/Gwen/Morgana and Mithian/Morgana)!

Not enough stats for you? No worries, here's October, where we got 46 gorgeous fills created by 14 fantabulous participants! Despite the reduced quantity, there was much greater variety - 31 fics, seven artworks, three gifs, a fanvid, a moodboard, and then three combo fills (gif+playlist, fic+moodboard, fic+art)!

Ships? Merlin/Arthur with 20, gen only just behind at 19, Gwaine/Percival with two, and then Arthur/Gwen, Gwen/Lancelot, Merlin/Gwaine, Merlin/Gwen and Merlin/Lancelot all with one!

Now, the things you actually care about - the fills! They're all below the cut, sorted by ship and then by rating. Please remember to check the warnings, and practice self-care before clicking on those links!

Gen/no ship

Hoping for a better future by HadrianPeverellBlack Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Post-Season/Series 03, Female Merlin (Merlin), Original Character Summary: "Mom always said you can see someone's kind heart in their eyes." The boy murmured, and Merlin nodded. “I think that's true. It's hard to miss the goodness in the eyes. They are the mirror of our heart, you know that?” “Do my eyes say I'm broken?” The boy asked, and Merlin's heart tightened.

Knight of Cups by magicinavalon Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: lancelot, tarot card, knight of cups, knights of the round table, merlin Summary: Lancelot as the Knight of Cups tarot card in black, white, and gold.

The Winding Road That Led Us Here by Skydragon05 Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Modern era, reincarnated, motion sickness, friendship, fluff Summary: Merlin takes newly reincarnated Arthur in his car, but Arthur's stomach doesn't take too well to the winding mountain roads.

There’s no place for Coffee in Camelot by Skydragon05 Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Coffee, Chilli Peppers, Uther hates magic, prisoner escape, magical telepathy Summary: When Uther suspects a man selling coffee beans of magic, Merlin sets out to find proof it’s not sorcery. This is harder than expected.

the echoes of a thousand voices calling your name by Excaliburnrowan Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Post canon fix it, Gwen & Morgana, Hurt/Comfort Summary: After Camlann, Gwen rides out to bring Morgana back home.

Morgana ~ Aletheia by willowsmarika Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: greek mythology, morgana, goddess of truth Summary: My square was 'In Vino Veritas', so I thought that I try to make Morgana the goddess of truth; Veritas (or Aletheia in greek myth) and illustrate her with wine symbols (wine jug, wine red).

monochrome by Mischel Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: merlin, flowers, lake, blue, avalon Summary:

All because of a butterfly... by Laevateinn Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Art format: Silhouette, Hurt/Comfort Summary: The first time Merlin felt like an outcast, he was six. Or maybe seven. He can't remember his age with precision, but he can remember how he felt then.

Cause I Ain't Gonna Live Forever by Glon Morski Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Past Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Past Father-Son-Relationship, Merlin is Emrys (Merlin) Summary: “Because he loved you,” Merlin answered simply. “He loved you and he wanted to make sure you’d be well taken care of no matter what happened.” One year after Emrys's death, Arthur finally finds the courage to clear out his study. But he's still not prepared to find a stack of unused "contingency plans" Emrys had written up just in case. Set some time between the last chapter and the epilogue of Last Night (You'll Have To Be Alone).

The new kid by HadrianPeverellBlack Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Alternate Universe - High School, Modern Era, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Female-Male Friendship Summary: He had already been the new guy, he knew the procedure that would await him. The other students would study him to figure out what category he fell into, and then the athletes would bully him to get homework done. The nerds would gather around him, creating a new sect, leaving him no time to create his own. And then, it would all culminate in Merlin offending the most popular boy in some way, ruining his chances at that high school forever.

We Are Most Powerful Together by sleepygecko Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Immortal Merlin, Arthur Returns, Drabble, Wordcount: 100 Summary: Immortal Merlin Drabble.

Morgana ~ Lethe by willowsmarika Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: greek mythology, morgana, the underworld, nightmare Summary: My prompt was 'Fever Dream'. I decided to try to create a fever dream for Morgana, in which she sees glimpses of her tragic future while running through the Underworld, chased by shadows and Cerberus. The title comes from the fact, that she's oblivious to what will happen to her despite the warning signs.

Camelot ~ Dig Up The Bones But Leave The Soul Alone by willowsmarika Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: halloween, music, playlist Summary: A Camelot Playlist for Halloween

Mithian ~ Learn To Dance With Your Shadow by willowsmarika Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: philosophy, shadow self, shadow work, tarot cards, tarot reading Summary: A tarot reading for Mithian and her shadow self (based on Mary Sibley from Salem).

the archer by kairennart Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: digital art, angst Summary:

The whole package by HadrianPeverellBlack Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Delete scene, Jealous Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin is a Little Shit (Merlin) Summary: Arthur is not a jealous man. Except when it comes to Merlin

The Halloween Festival by Pearl09 Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: babysitting, kidfic, halloween Summary: Morgana decides to take her younger brother and their neighbor's son to the local Halloween Festival. She also discovers that Arthur needs a leash.

Chibi Arthur and Merlin by Pearl09 Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Summary:

Morgana ~ Seven Devils by willowsmarika Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: bamf morgana, florence and the machine lyrics, black and white with a bit of golden Summary: N/A

The perfect nap by Laevateinn Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: moodboard, Aithusa is a dog here, Modern AU, Power Cut, Hurt/Comfort Summary: A rainy day is the best set-up for a nice nap

You needed a break! by HadrianPeverellBlack Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Awesome Morgana (Merlin), POV Merlin (Merlin), Kidnapped Merlin (Merlin), Humor Summary: Merlin ignores Morgana, the druids are still in her chambers and Arthur irritates the witch. Solution? Kidnap Merlin, obviously.

mordred by kairennart Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: digital art, portrait Summary:

Morgana ~ How To Be Me by willowsmarika Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: sad morgana, fanvid Summary: N/A

the dorocha by kairennart Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: digital art, episode: the darkest hour Summary:

If You Give a Writer a Bingo Card, Chapter 2: Always Read the Fine Print by VikingSong Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Humor, bad poetry, incompetent assassins, weird magical artifacts Summary: Evil sorcerers with anger-management issues are tired of Emrys foiling their plots to assassinate King Arthur. To facilitate their latest round of assassination attempts, they decide to perform an experimental spell that will splinter Arthur’s consciousness, scattering the pieces across parallel universes—because surely Emrys can’t protect all the pieces at once, right? (Wrong.)

The Coup by s0mmerspr0ssen Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Canon Era, Gwaine being Gwaine, King Arthur Pendragon, Merlin is a Little Shit, Ousider POV Summary: Arthur Pendragon is a weak king. Of this, Cyril is convinced. Overthrowing the King is the only logical conclusion. Cyril certainly possesses the brilliance for a coup, though finds himself lacking in brawn. Fortunately, he succeeds in recruiting a man who also has little respect for their liege: Sir Gwaine.

The Last Bear by littlegreyfish Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Animal transformation, bear!Arthur, wilderness survival, friendship, Celtic mythology Summary: On a hunt, Arthur kills the last bear in the British Isles, and there are consequences.

"Stop, Please" by HadrianPeverellBlack Rating: Teen Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Phobia, Cursed Merlin, Scared Merlin, Hurt Merlin, Angst Summary: Merlin and the knights reach a cave that allows you to discover your greatest fears.

Until The Day I Die by Glon Morski Rating: Teen Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Canon Divergence - Episode: s05e13 The Diamond of the Day (Merlin), Angst, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Inspired by Fanart Summary: "I'm happy to be your servant. Until the day I die." Merlin had always thought he would be the one to go first. It was how things were meant to be. He would not stand for Arthur dying before him.

Wærcsár Tācnunge - Chapter 30 by Glon Morski Rating: Teen Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence Major tags: Enchanted Arthur Pendragon, Morgana Needs a Hug, Hurt/Comfort, Uther Pendragon's A+ Parenting Summary: The butterfly effects accumulate as we reach the point in time of S2E4 The Nightmare Begins...

Aftermath by HadrianPeverellBlack Rating: Teen Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Hurt Merlin, Protective Gwaine, Gwaine Knows About Merlin's Magic, Post-Episode s04e08 Lamia Summary: Lamia is dead, but her shadows remain

Merlin x Orphan Black Crossover by willowsmarika Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: orphan black crossover, morgana as the clones, comic book style Summary: Morgana illustrated as the clones in Comic Book style.

Destiny holds a coin in their hand. They ask: Heads, or Tails? by PottersPink Rating: Not rated Warnings: Major character death Major tags: Prophecy, Destiny, MCD, Angst Summary: Destiny holds a coin in their hand. They ask: Heads, or Tails?

Gwen/Gwen

One And The Same by lavender_spice Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Self-cest, Mild Body Worship, Self-discovery Summary: When Gwen steps into her home only to see her own face staring back at her, she nearly drops the basket in her hands.

Elena/Freya

En Feu by Polomonkey Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Summary: In which Freya paints Elena, in the time that they have left.

Mithian/Morgana

Crest and Fall by Polomonkey Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Summary: Mithian meets a beautiful woman on a ship. Then she gets to know her secret.

Leon/Mithian

Camelot Immortals Club by sleepygecko Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Crack, Immortality, Mithian-centered Summary: Mithian attends her first meeting of the Camelot Immortals Club. Unfortunately it seems there are no brain cells allowed in the club and Mithian quickly realizes she will have to surrender hers.

Merlin/Freya

Merlin/Freya ~ Because I could not stop for Death by willowsmarika Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Merlin/Freya, Sad, inpso by Emily Dickinson Summary: N/A

Merlin/Gwen

Love, Differently by lavender_spice Rating: Teen Warnings: Major character death Major tags: Grief/Mourning, Post-Canon, Angst Summary: Fragments of Gwen and Merlin's life after they lost the love of their lives at Camlann.

hands folded, a blessing by queerofthedagger Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Post-Diamond of the Day, Fluff and Angst, Hinted at Merlin/Arthur/Gwen Summary: On the third day, the Queen and her Sorcerer emerge.

Gwen/Lancelot

Useless Fool by sleepygecko Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Merlin & Gwen Friendship, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Embarrassment, BAMF Gwen Summary: Merlin doesn’t appreciate Arthur embarrassing him all the time, and neither does Gwen.

Lavender & Ink by sleepygecko Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Fluff, Romance , Huddling For Warmth, First Kiss, Gwen & Merlin Friendship Summary: Gwen is stuck in her bookshop during a snowstorm, when Lancelot arrives, asking for shelter.

Arthur/Gwen

first kiss by kairennart Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: digital art, screenshot redraw Summary:

Wærcsár Tācnunge - chapter 29 by Glon Morski Rating: Teen Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence Major tags: Enchanted Arthur Pendragon, Arthur Whump, Arthur Pendragon Needs A Hug, Smart Arthur Pendragon, Canon-Typical Violence Summary: When Arthur is 4 years old, Nimueh curses him as revenge on Uther for the Purge. This has various butterfly effects. This is the resultant, canon-divergent take on S2E2 "The Once And Future Queen".

"Make it stop" by kirani Rating: Mature Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: post-canon, suicide attempt, grief Summary: Arthur is gone and Camelot is not the same. Merlin cannot do this.

In sickness and in health by King ani Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Summary:

Persuasion by Polomonkey Rating: Explicit Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Summary: Queens Morgana and Gwen capture a spy in Camelot. They decide to bring him over to the dark side.

Merlin/Elyan

Strange Bedfellows by Polomonkey Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Summary: Elyan gets locked in a dungeon with a stranger named Merlin. A stranger who's very insistent on huddling together for warmth...

Merlin/Lancelot

and if tomorrow isn't promised by queerofthedagger Rating: Mature Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: The Darkest Hour, Established Relationship, Mild Sexual Content, Angst Summary: It’s not gentle, any of it, isn’t the way this usually goes between them, but he bites his pleas for absolution into the hiding place of Lancelot’s neck, and it’s almost, almost, almost enough to forget.

Gwaine/Percival

Party Hard by Laevateinn Rating: Mature Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: BDSM, Modern AU, Dungeon Summary: "A group of friends reunited for a play party ~ A mix of prompts from flufftober and kinktober."

Plug in baby by Laevateinn Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Modern setting, College AU, pwp, dirty talk Summary: When Gwaine had first mentioned it, Percival had been very surprised. They had been playing a lot lately, exploring new things in bed together, but this was another level. It wasn’t just a little spice during sex, that they could end quickly if needed, in the safety of whoever’s place they were staying the night at.

Merlin/Gwaine

Old Times by Stelle Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: fanart, merwaine Summary: Merlin and Gwaine getting their photograph taken.

Home Comforts by Polomonkey Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Summary: Merlin gets home tired from a long day of masking at work. Gwaine's there to make things better.

Feeling The Other Side by MerthurAllure Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Gender Swap, Genderbending, Female Merlin, Female Gwaine Summary: Merlin accidentally opens a portal to another world. It’s similar to his own world but very very different. He thoroughly enjoys his time there.

Merlin/Arthur

Every Time We Touch, I Get This Feeling by Pearl09 Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: touch-starved, emotional hurt/comfort, pre-relationship, panic attacks Summary: Arthur doesn't need help. He was raised to be on his own, and therefore, doesn't like having everything done for him when he is more than capable. He especially doesn't need Merlin's help, even if Uther did make him Arthur's manservant.

If That’s Your Proposal… by sleepygecko Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Marriage Proposal, Established Relationship, Fluff, Humor, Action Figures Summary: A kid approaches Merlin and Arthur to show them his figurines of Emrys and the King. Arthur decides never to let Gwaine near children again.

How I met your father by HadrianPeverellBlack Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Modern Era, First Meetins, Bad Flirting Summary: Arthur and Merlin first meet

ten years of loneliness by kairennart Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: angst, canon compliant, post canon Summary: Arthur grew up lonely.

paperwork by kairennart Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: digital art, court sorcerer merlin Summary:

"You said you'd never leave" by kirani Rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: arthur returns, angst with a happy ending, Summary: Arthur woke on a shore that was somehow both familiar and completely foreign.

They don't know you ~ not like I do by HadrianPeverellBlack Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: POV Merlin, POV Arthur Pendragon, Jealous Merlin, Pining Merlin, Wedding, Fluff Summary: Merlin is jealous of Mithian? Yes, he is. Merlin thinks that no one except him knows Arthur that good? Yes, he does. Merlin will definitely plan the perfect wedding for Arthur and Mithian. PS: There is no wedding.

I thought I had lost you by HadrianPeverellBlack Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Summary: Merlin has an infected wound. Arthur is worried to lose his best friend (and something more)

two sides of the same oblivious coin by kirani Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: modern au, mutual pining, first kiss, jealous merlin Summary: It wasn't that Merlin was jealous of Arthur's new crush, it was... no it was exactly that. Merlin was so jealous.

Pink Is the Colour by Malu_3 Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting (University); Banter; Pining; Misunderstandings; Queer Themes Summary: Pink has never been Merlin's favourite colour but, thanks to his new flatmate, this term it is driving him mad.

If I could save you by HadrianPeverellBlack Rating: Teen Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Terminal Illness, Angst, Open Ending, Female Merlin Summary: She had studied medicine, and she wanted to help others. Deeply. It was on one of these long and impossible work's hours that she met Arthur Du Bois.

Magic Comes From Within by Pearl09 Rating: Teen Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings, permanent injury, blood and violence Major tags: Merlin's Magic Revealed, Arthur Pendragon has magic, Mutual Pining, Angst with a Happy Ending Summary: During a tough battle that injures Arthur, Merlin's magic is revealed. Now Arthur is left to deal with the consequences, angry, paranoid, and slowly discovering something he never knew before.

MagicalMerlin by kirani Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: youtuber AU, modern AU, social media, flirting, getting together Summary: In which Merlin is a YouTuber who performs magic tricks and Arthur is a skeptic who is always trying to figure out his tricks.

Outnumbered by kirani Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: magic reveal, emotional hurt/comfort, canon era Summary: It happens in a bandit attack and Arthur's world is turned upside down.

Who knew you could pack a punch, Merlin? by Laevateinn Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Moodboard, Corn Maze, Halloween activities, Fake Monster hunt Summary: Arthur heard a low growl on the right, behind him, and froze. The sound continued, slowly closing on him, and his body moved of its own accord. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him but not so fast as to crash through the corn.

Blindfold by kirani Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: kidnapping, head injury, BAMF Arthur, cuddling Summary: The first time Merlin awoke, it was dark.

"Who's There?" by kirani Rating: Teen Warnings: Major character death Major tags: doppelganger, impersonation, arthur knows about merlin's magic Summary: Someone is following Merlin and Arthur in the woods... it's not who they expect.

Save Me From the Spiral by huniths-muse Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply, Blood, PTSD Major tags: Whumptober 2023, mpreg, post mpreg Summary: Arthur deals with PTSD when Merlin has serious complications after the birth of the twins.

protectiveness by Mischel Rating: Mature Warnings: Major character death Major tags: Summary:

Bully by Salamandair Rating: Mature Warnings: Homophobia, bullying, Religious Hate Major tags: Parent/Child Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Married Merthur Summary: When Merlin and Arthur were making a list of firsts for Ainsley’s scrapbook, her first time being bullied wasn’t on

How Fickle My Heart by Seravia Rating: Mature Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Modern AU, Mutual Pining, Getting Together, Friends to Lovers Summary: When Merlin moves back to London, he’s delighted to be living just a few floors down from his childhood best friend, Gwen, and her boyfriend, Arthur. Merlin intends to befriend Arthur, but instead finds himself falling for him. Worse, the feeling might be mutual.

Crooked Trajectory by queerofthedagger Rating: Mature Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Season 4 AU, Destiny Reveal, Tintagel, Grief/Mourning, Angst with a Happy Ending Summary: Arthur could take Morgana's betrayal and Uther's death, could take the loss of Lancelot and the fact that Merlin had magic. Barely and his days singed with grief, but his kingdom always came first. The revelation, though, that Merlin had been by his side through all these years and hardships solely due to some prophecy? That—well, that is the one truth too bitter to swallow. When he leaves for an ill-advised break to his mother's childhood home to get away from it all, more things come to light than the simply and irrevocable fact that no authority—no king, no prince, no destiny—could ever make Merlin do anything.

I knew you'd come for me ~ But you did? by HadrianPeverellBlack Rating: Mature Warnings: Major character death Major tags: Major character death, Heavy Angst, Temporary Character Death, Protective Knights (Merlin), Worried Arthur Pendragon (Merlin) Summary: Merlin is kidnapped. They make a bet: do the knights care about him as a friend or is he just a servant?

In This Twilight Our Choices by Mischel Rating: Mature Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: established relationship, golden age, fluff, kissing, hugs Summary: Before the sun marks the start of the day, Merlin and Arthur spend a quiet moment together in bed. They hold each other, they laugh, and they have an important talk about destiny and what it means to them.

Party Hard - Chapter 4 by Laevateinn Rating: Mature Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Moodboard, Stocks, Crop, Punishment Summary:

Meddling Mirrors by elirwen Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Canon AU, Porn, Druid Leader Merlin, Frottage, Bottom Arthur Summary: Arthur is gifted a magical mirror which gives him some rather questionable, but also enticing, advice regarding diplomatic relations with the druids.

Drip, Drip, Drip by Sage_Owl Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Incubi, Modern with Magic, wax play, semi-established relationship Summary: Arthur gets inspired.

Mask Off by elirwen Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Porn, Established relationship, Blow job Summary: Merlin and Arthur enjoy a spa evening.

The Art of Agonising Bliss by elirwen Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Porn, Established relationship, Dom/sub, Impact play, Pain play Summary: Arthur provides Merlin with what he needs. He gives him the blissful agony he craves. He gives him the love and care he deserves.

Warmth by Sage_Owl Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Canon era, established relationship, cuddling for warmth, clothed sex Summary: Merlin didn't want to open his eyes.

What Lies Beneath Pristine Suits by chaosgenes Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Alternate Universe - Corporate, Boss/Employee Relationship, Sex Toys, Frottage Summary: Merlin fears his new found relationship with his boss, Arthur, won't last for long. Until he learns about his secret.

Dynamite by Polomonkey Rating: Explicit Warnings: Rape roleplay, Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Summary: Famous outlaw Pendragon breaks into Merlin's house and orders him to put on a show.

The Kitten That Got the Cream by Polomonkey Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Summary: Merlin's having an important meeting. Arthur's a good boy under the desk for him.

Taking Stock by Polomonkey Rating: Explicit Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Summary: Merlin pushes Arthur too far and gets a very public punishment.

do you remember feeling invincible -- chapter I by paceprompting Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Fantasy AU, Exes to Lovers, Getting Together, Mutual Pining, Hurt/Comfort Summary: Arthur knows who he's supposed to be. His father's son, following in the footsteps of a corporate giant whose expectations include the weight of his long-wanted acceptance in exchange for Arthur's full and complete obedience. His life will be global travel, cigars and whiskey, and time more spent in an office than any home he could ever make. It does not involve Merlin, the man who broke his heart and has now stumbled with him into another world that will more likely consume them than let them go. In the grasp of fae trickery and rules, their path through this new place--this Otherworld--will push them to bloody and raw limits. For better or worse, they'll have to lean on each other in a way they'd forgotten to have a chance of returning home. But the farther they go, the more is revealed. Their breakup was not what it seemed. Life apart had not given them the relief they'd hoped. And, at the root of it all, they don't want to be apart.

stunt double by radioactivesunflower Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: romantic fluff, strangers to lovers, closeted arthur pendragon, coming out, marriage proposal Summary: famous actor arthur pendragon has a secret, he is a closeted gay man and that is about to be thrown out the window when he mets a mystery man at the latest table read for kilgharrah newest flim after very awkward moments and heated sexual interactions, they become flatmates a story of an actor and stuntman told through getting together being a secret and coming out with a bunch of sexy times throughout

Breaking Free by elirwen Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Porn, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Overstimulation, Multiple Orgasms, Bottom Arthur, Summary: With Merlin's help Arthur gets rid of the last remaining piece of his father's suffocating legacy.

Fate has made you so by SlantedKnitting Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: 1950s AU Summary: It’s 1953, and Arthur is a young, up-and-coming architect working on rebuilding London. All he wants is to be successful and live his life in peace and quiet. All his boss wants is to find a good match for his daughter Elena, and he thinks he’s found that match in Arthur. Arthur agrees to go out with her to get ahead at the firm, but the person he’s really interested in is her friend Merlin, and it turns out Elena has her own purposes for being with Arthur.

do you remember feeling invincible - Chapter 3 by paceprompting Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Fantasy AU, Exes to Lovers, Getting Together, Mutual Pining, Hurt/Comfort Summary: Arthur knows who he's supposed to be. His father's son, following in the footsteps of a corporate giant whose expectations include the weight of his long-wanted acceptance in exchange for Arthur's full and complete obedience. His life will be global travel, cigars and whiskey, and time more spent in an office than any home he could ever make. It does not involve Merlin, the man who broke his heart and has now stumbled with him into another world that will more likely consume them than let them go. In the grasp of fae trickery and rules, their path through this new place--this Otherworld--will push them to bloody and raw limits. For better or worse, they'll have to lean on each other in a way they'd forgotten to have a chance of returning home. But the farther they go, the more is revealed. Their breakup was not what it seemed. Life apart had not given them the relief they'd hoped. And, at the root of it all, they don't want to be apart.

The Caravan Club by SauraUnderscore Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Historical AU; 1920s; Between Wars Period; Typical Era Way of Thinking; Secret hand-shake; Soldier Merlin; Virgin Merlin; Fake Marriage (Arthur/Gwen); Fluff & Smut; First Times; Sex in the Office; Hand Jobs; Summary: Gwaine takes his friends from the London Signal Regiment clubbing in Soho. The people, the music, and especially the exclusive Caravan Club, are eye-opening for young Merlin.

You're the Only Thing I Wanna Touch by Seravia Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Canon Era, Court Sorcerer Merlin, Magic Made Them Do It, Fluff, Smut Summary: Wine is never just wine. Merlin and Arthur accidentally drink what they believe to be a lust potion. Thinking the feelings aren’t real, they fight its effects until they realize they don’t need to.

Born to Serve (chapter 1) by SauraUnderscore Rating: Explicit Warnings: Rape/non-con Major tags: Historical AU; Natural Disasters; Crossovers & Fandom Fusion; A lot of Secondary Characters' Deaths; Rape/Non-Con; Explicit Sex; Virgin Merlin; First Time; Soulmates Summary: Merlin needs to convince his master, Senator Arthur, that the curse over Pompeii is real, is imminent, and that they need to leave now. But what he doesn't expect is to find him at the baths being abused by Senator Cenred.

Through the Scope by SauraUnderscore Rating: Explicit Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Hunger Games - AU; Violence; Off-screen Murder; Off-screen Murder of Children; Blood; Guns; Explicit Sexual Content;Bottom Arthur Pendragon; Bottom Merlin; My Boys are Versatile; Sassy Merlin; Attempt of Humour; Happy ending; Summary: The Pendragons are one of the most important families supporting the Hunger Games. Arthur’s father had taken care of his Career training in their huge mansion, and not only with AI. But this year, several Career Tributes are invited to train in a new arena with live bait. It will be like the Hunger Games, only they won’t have to kill each other as of yet. Still, Uther wants Arthur to rise to the top of the table. Despite Arthur’s extreme training, he finds that the arena has a distraction he never expected: another Career from District Four. Merlin.

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #round three #round up #two for one #september round up #october round up #check out all this fabulousness

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vampkaashis-wife · 2 years

Text

General Alatus. The name echoes in your head, a gift you’re not sure Xiao meant to give you. Even now, outside Wanmin Restaurant in Liyue Harbor, all you can think of is the haunted look in his eyes. You had meant to stay there with him until he returned to a semblance of the Xiao you know, but a day - was it a day, or more? - underground, you and Paimon were hungry.

Anyway, he would probably still be there when you got back, judging from the lack of response when you tried to talk to him after he told you… Several secrets of his heart. If not, well. You would see him again, you were sure.

“Do you think he’s okay?” Paimon voices the thoughts you hadn’t. She doesn’t use his name, but there’s only person she could be talking about right now. After all, the rest of the party that fell into the Chasm bed with you had been spotted around the harbor already. Indeed, Kuki and Itto had boisterously run past you to find the famed Captain Beidou, who was rumored to be by the docks this fine night (Itto went boisterously. Kuki ran after him in resigned amusement).

“I hope so.”

Xiao is not unlike you. A new name, a new life. A reckless quest to find someone he’d loved and lost. The only difference is he remembers his several thousand years of existence and you remember nearly nothing. Is it a blessing to remember, or a burden? Do the memories of the other four general yakshas bring him any ease, or only suffering?

You sigh, glancing at the untouched plate of almond tofu you had ordered without much thought. Perhaps Xiao had been so on your mind that you had ordered as if he was here with you. Humorous, really. Even if he was here, it was unlikely that he would partake in a meal with you. He seldom does, after all. Even so, eating is a vital part of any post-quest ritual. Xiao. You think it in your head, loudly, longingly, hoping that wherever he is in the world, he hears your concern echoed and amplified through the mountains of Liyue.

If you hope for him to appear, he does not.

It is later in your rooms that you call his name again. Out loud this time, and only because you still have that portion of almond tofu for him. Sitting on your bed, staring at the door, you murmur, “Xiao,” and await the knock that’s sure to come.

It comes in seconds, in fact, followed by the familiar: “You called?”

“It’s open.”

He opens the door. He’s always looked smaller than most men when you take the time to look at him, but exhaustion and grief make him even smaller in your doorframe tonight. “Did something happen?”

“I ordered too much almond tofu.”

For a few moments, he stares at what little of your face is illuminated by the lanterns you’d lit. Then he huffs a laugh. “This is not what I had in mind when I told you to call for me when you needed me.”

“I called because you needed me. But you’re not going to like that answer, so I just ordered too much almond tofu.”

Xiao falters, closing your door and leaning against it. “That’s not how this works. I’m a weapon, not a hero like you.”

“Really? You’re saying that after what you did in the Chasm?”

“Just doing my job.”

“Do you think,” you stand and walk toward him. Almost instinctively, his arm comes up to catch around your waist. “That we all think that of you? That the Arataki gang will let you go without considering themselves to owe you a huge debt? That Yanfei and Yelan would so soon forget what you did tonight? That I would say nothing after what you did?”

You’re not sure he knows he’s doing it, but he pulls you closer, hooking his chin over your shoulder.

Gently, you push him away. With clumsy movements, you remove the bulkier pieces of his outfit - the shoulder guard, the necklace, the mask at his waist. With every physical item you remove, you hope to relieve some of the emotional burden in his heart, although you strongly doubt you’re having any success on that front.

Xiao helps you where he can, but he spends most of the time watching in silence. He’s deep in thought still. Always is. Besides, Xiao staring and watching is not unlike him. He does it often, though usually from rooftops and not right before you.

And then, when the last bit of armor is removed and all he has left on him is cloth, he holds your face in both of his hands. They tremble, ever slightly. He searches your eyes for the answer to a question he hasn’t yet asked, the bright amber of his eyes burning into your soul. “If I do something undesirable,” he whispers, “stop me.”

With that, his lips are on yours, a gentle and uncertain movement. Your hand grips his sleeve as he continues his unfamiliar movements. He’s not accustomed to this, you can tell, but neither are you. Indeed, the kiss is hesitant in a way Xiao usually is not.

When you pull away for air, he touches his lips as if they had been burned. A fire lights in his eyes, but not the kind that you usually see on the battlefield. No, this is - unexpectedly - fear. Shame. The mortalest of feelings from someone who makes daily mockery of mortal habits.

“You didn’t stop me,” he whispers.

“It wasn’t undesirable.” You hold a hand out to him again, a lifeline should he choose to take it. “It was fine. You can do it again if you want to.”

Maybe you should ask him what it means.

Maybe you should ask about the deep-rooted vulnerability bubbling to the surface of his existence.

Maybe you should extract some adepal promises from him before anything else.

But you don’t.

Slowly, Xiao approaches again. Interesting, seeing him like this. To be honest, perhaps this is the reason you ask for nothing at all. That he fears the interaction means he understands the gravity of it. That he hesitates means he’s considering it carefully.

He lands the next kiss on your forehead, just a little peck of a motion.Then your cheek. The trail continues down your neck, his still-gloved hands gripping the cloth of the bed under you. “When I was falling,” he murmurs into your skin, “I thought of you.”

When he pulls away this time, he drifts over to the table where the box of almond tofu sits. He’s still talking, but he’s not quite looking at you anymore. You understand. Vulnerability is exponentially harder when you make eye contact, and Xiao has never been one for vulnerability in the first place.

“Come sit with me?” He pleads.

Pleads. Xiao, Conqueror of Demons, pleading to someone like you.

“When you were falling,” you tell him, “I hated you.”

Xiao flinches. A moment later, a stony expression falls on his face again. “I was waiting for that.”

“I hated you because you gave yourself up so quickly.”

“I tried my best!” he retorts. “I used up everything-”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. You used up everything and acted like I wouldn’t forever blame myself for losing you.”

“It wouldn’t have been your fault.”

“It would’ve felt like it.”

Slowly, Xiao chews his food. You’re almost certain he’s not tasting it at all, simply going through the motions because it’s there in front of him.

Deciding to speak in his language, you fill the silence with, “You’re the only thing standing between Liyue and destruction. What would they have done with you gone?”

“They have you.”

“They wouldn’t have me if you weren’t here,” you say honestly. Liyue… Is a beautiful place, but the reason you keep coming back to it is not because of the nation itself. You care nothing for Liyue, to be honest, in the face of the care you have for Xiao. “Besides, I have other places to go. Aether… I still have to find him.”

This, of everything you’ve said thus far, ought to be what Xiao understands the most. In the first place, he was in the Chasm to find someone who was like a brother to him.

You lapse into silence again, giving Xiao a chance to speak. Perhaps you can’t drag things out of him this way. Perhaps only the heavy silence can drive him to break it by voicing his own thoughts.

He watches you, like he always does, and says nothing. Not yet.

Just as you doze off - and probably because you’re dozing off - he speaks again. “I don’t know when the last time I did something for myself was. But I think I will now… I didn’t plan to fall in love with you.”

Blinking back to wakefulness, you tilt your head. “So that’s what it meant,” you muse out loud. “The kiss.”

Xiao seems to try to shrink away from you. Then he recovers himself and continues, “Last night was the first time in a long time that I was afraid of death. I have always had many things to die for. I had nothing to live for, not until you.”

“Will you, then?”

“You already have my allegiance, traveler.”

“But what if I want more than allegiance?”

“What more is there to want?”

“You. All of you, not just your spear. … You are not the only one who fell in love without a plan.”

#xiao fanfic #genshin x reader #xiao x reader #what genre is this #xiao comfort #this has been on ao3 but now tossing it out here too

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matrose · 2 years

Note

What sort of mark do you think Gimli left in Aman (besides the one on Legolas ofc)?

what a cute ask...thank you!! 🏔💙

ive been thinking on this for a bit and its so hard to say, theres so much information we lack! let me collect my thoughts on the information that we do have real quick ❤️💐‼️❣️

1) the matter of age and natural death, of the time he had left: gimli sailed when he was 262 years old, nine years older already than his father gloin who died of persumably natural causes at age 253. gimlis cousin dwalin on the other hand lived until he was 340, much older. this, combined with the healing properties the undying lands are said to have, makes me personally, generously think that gimli had perhaps another 100 years left in aman ❤️

2) the matter of gimlis abilities and his craft, of what he was most profficient in: gimli of course knows the basics of stonework and smithcraft, knows how to listen to his surroundings and knows very well how to swing his axe (aragorn says, during the battle of helms deep, that he has never seen „an axe so wielded“ as gimli does). im very sure that there are many dwarven-made jewelry pieces in aman, though they mostly belong to just one elf. but one of gimlis greatests gifts is his speech! this is pointed out once by galadriel and twice by legolas:

It is said that the skill of the Dwarves is in their hands rather than in their tongues,’ she said; ‘yet that is not true of Gimli. For none have ever made to me a request so bold and yet so courteous.’

‘You move me, Gimli,’ said Legolas. ‘I have never heard you speak like this before. Almost you make me regret that I have not seen these caves.’

Then Legolas repaid his promise to Gimli and went with him to the Glittering Caves; and when they returned he was silent, and would say only that Gimli alone could find fit words to speak of them. ‘And never before has a Dwarf claimed a victory over an Elf in a contest of words,’ said he.

furthermore his voice is refered to as strong multiple times and he is most definitely not a bad singer! so weve got the power of speech and voice, he's a wordsmith - my first thought when i read your question, before i started typing anything, was him leaving behind a book… one of poetry, maybe. or one that recounts the history of dwarves. though i think this would not be commonly read in aman as he would simply not want it to, so really this would just be for legolas and another mark left behind for him. afterall, most of what elves know of dwarven history does not come from a book but rather from the mouth of legolas! furthermore, the written word never was all that important to dwarves (they only started using it to communicate with men and elves) and it is rather oral tradition that is important for them.

the thought im writing this in mind with is that, perhaps a thousand years after gimli has physically left aman, many halls still echo songs that sound rather dwarvish in nature. they were never intended to be songs, of course, like the hobbit songs the youngest elves love most (i like to imagine bilbos bath time songs especially are big hits!). rather, they were poems. but the elf who loves them most just could not stop giving them melodies. many of them were about the beauty of far away middle-earth, many told of the beauty of aman, of the mountains and valleys and caves, and even forests, sometimes. a few, though, are about love. there is one ballad that singers often perform at the request of young, lovesick elves: it tells the story of an elf of the woods (he remains unnamed), famed for his skill in archery and his dark eyes, who catches the singers heart in his hands one day and mischieviously refuses to give it back...galadriel smiles when she hears it performed, because she is one of the few who knows and remembers who the ballad is about 💞

note: the elf within the song is unnamed and few know that gimli is the original author because to me, gimli and legolas have always exuded an air of privacy; theyre doing their own thing and frankly just want their peace! so in my opinion it would not be that important to either of them to be remembered for a love song. a poem-turned-song about the glittering caves is attributed to gimli, though =)

there are many small marks in aman, most in vicinity to legolas, that were left by gimli, but his poems (with legolas' melodies) remained in all of aman for endless years, and some have said that aulë himself listens in to the songs being performed at times ❤️

#THANK YOU I HAD LOTS OF FUN BEING A LITTLE CHEESY ❤️#gigolas #also maybe gimli and legolas built a house together with combined architectural styles? hmmm what do you think...

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shivunin · 10 months

Note

HELLO!!! Can I please happily and humbly request Salshira and #5?

Zen, I'm sorry this took so long. Salshira refused to cooperate (it's because she hates asking for help). I think I've got the right angle for it at last, so here's this!

For the prompt: 5. one muse shows up to comfort the other who called them (thank you again for asking!)

(Tropes Prompts)

A Hand Outstretched

(Salshira Lavellan/Cullen | 1,510 Words | Hurt/comfort | No warnings)

A series of notes passed by messenger raven:

Inquisitor,

Josephine has rescheduled your tea with the Duchess d'Arsis. Given the news from Wycome, I thought you might appreciate some time to yourself. According to Josephine, you’ve no other appointments for the evening. If you wish, I can ask the kitchens to send a meal up instead of expecting you to come down for dinner.

If you

I can

Whatever you need, let me know and I will see it done.

—Cullen

Cullen,

You’re being very sweet, but none of that was necessary. I am fine and I will be at dinner as usual. I don’t see any reason to skip it. We don’t even know enough to worry over, do we?

Thank you for sending your bird. It’s very cute.

—Salshira

Salshira,

Are you certain? Nobody would fault you for taking an evening off. None of this is pressing; it is only window dressing. I checked with the ambassador and she has informed me that none of our visitors this evening are of pressing importance. If you need time, you should take it.

I am concerned about After the briefing you looked

Nevermind all that. If you say you are well, you are well, of course. I will see you at dinner.

I love you.

—Cullen

Cullen,

I’m I’ll be I don’t think When you aren’t busy

I need you

—S

The balcony was quiet.

It had that much going for it. Too quiet, perhaps. Maybe it was less of a benefit that up here, it was just her and the mountains and the wind. Well, and the bird. The bird was not a normal addition.

“I’m glad you can’t talk,” Salshira told the raven while she rolled up her letter and carefully closed it in the tiny message tube. “You’d tell him I’ve been hiding on the balcony for the better part of an hour and I’d rather he didn’t know.”

The raven cocked its head at her, a motion that Salshira echoed despite the trembling in her jaw.

“What?” she asked. All at once, it seemed a silly note to send.

Cullen was busy; she could handle this herself. She would have to explain this pressure in her chest to him, would have to explain it to herself first, and—

“Wait,” she said, sitting up abruptly and reaching for the message tube again. She would take it out and write something else—something—

But it was too late. The raven took off as she reached for it, too fast for her to catch unless she was going to start tossing fire after Cullen’s poor bird. Salshira sat back against the balustrade with a groan, pressing her face into the heels of her hands for a long, long time. She was acting like a child. She knew she was acting like a child. It was a big room, and the ceiling was high, and Wycome was thousands of miles away, and Cullen’s presence surely wouldn’t change any of what she already knew, but—

“I can do this. This is ridiculous,” she said out loud to nobody. “I can do this.”

Lavellan rolled onto her knees, sending the inkwell flying off into the snow below. She watched it until it was nothing and then she tried again.

Stand up. She could stand up.

Her legs refused to cooperate.

Boots on the stairs; she wouldn’t be able to hear them unless he was already inside the room. How had the time gone so fast? She’d intended to be at the desk when he got here; she’d intended to look normal, like someone who had themselves together.

“Salshira?” Cullen said from inside. “I’m here. Where are you?”

Was it too late to pretend she’d left?

Yes. That was a ridiculous idea. The tower only had one staircase.

“Here,” she told him miserably, sitting back on her heels. Cullen was there in moments, the red of his mantle stark against the pale stone. Lavellan looked up at him, searching for any words—searching for anything—and coming up short.

Cullen didn’t ask her what she needed. He knelt before her instead, reaching for her hand. He was frowning—though that was nothing new—and the space between his brows was creased. Creators, but she was relieved he didn’t look…didn’t look pitying.

“Hello,” she said, for lack of anything better to say, and burst into tears.

“Oh, love,” he said, and reached for her.

The fur of his mantle was soft and smelled faintly of the oil he used in his hair. Salshira pressed her face into it and wept, the pressure in her chest far too much to tuck away or disguise. Cullen held her through it, both arms wrapped around her back, murmuring comforting nonsense into her ear. She had needed the balcony, with its wide vista, with its lack of a ceiling, but she’d needed this so much more. Cullen’s arms did not close the world in around her. He did not trap her in place. He made of himself a harbor instead, a place where she could hold herself still and safe through the worst of this storm.

By the time she began to calm herself at last, she couldn’t even remember why she’d tried to convince him she was fine. Of course she was not fine; she was terrified. If anyone could understand that, it was him.

“Is it too late to comment on the weather?” she asked, long after the sun had reached its peak and begun to descend.

Cullen snorted in her ear and loosened his grip, leaning back only enough to look at her. He still looked worried, the skin around his eyes tight and deeply lined. Salshira kissed him there once, then twice, and sat back again.

Her knees ached from sitting in the same position too long, her throat felt clogged and dry at the same time, and her head ached from the tears. Even so, she would not trade it for the unspeakable dread she’d been clamped into before he’d found her here.

“Thank you,” she said, squeezing his hand between hers. The leather of his gloves was soft and warm, gentle on her skin when he squeezed back.

“I can’t say I did anything of note to help.”

“I know,” Salshira said, “but you did and I’m glad. Thank you for coming.”

“Of course,” he said, rocking back onto his heels and standing with a grunt of discomfort. “If I can suggest a change of venue…”

She still held his hand. It was easy to let him pull her to her feet, and when she looked through the doors again the room did not seem to loom over her as it had before. Cullen watched her, his stance steady and eyes patient. He would wait as long as she needed; she knew this without asking.

“I love you, too,” she told him, and his brows rose. “You said so earlier in the letter. I wanted you to know.”

“I love you, too,” he said, then grimaced. “Wait. I mean—”

Salshira was already laughing, using the hand she held to pull him close enough to kiss. When she sank back onto the flats of her feet a moment later, she could turn and cross the threshold into the room without any trouble at all.

By then, she had plenty of reasons to decide she wouldn’t be going to dinner after all. Sitting by herself in her bedroom with nothing to do but think had sounded like torture before, but now?

“Will you stay?” she asked just inside the glass doors, looking up at her lover. His eyes went far away, as they did sometimes, likely running through some intangible checklist or schedule.

“I will,” he said after a moment. “The rest can wait.”

Salshira sighed and towed him to the chaise. It was softer than the stone had been, and it was far more comfortable to lean against him here.

She still couldn’t bear the thought of the agents they’d sent to Wycome, the lives of her clan in the balance when there was nothing she could do. His presence had not solved all of her problems, nor reached across continents and snatched her people from harm. Even so, she was so much the better for his care, so much less alone for his company. He did not take the burdens away, but he did make them more manageable. What else could she possibly want?

“Thank you,” she told him when they were settled and he’d slung an arm around her shoulders, “for coming here.”

Cullen kissed her carefully, just the light pressure of his lips against her temple, but she closed her eyes and leaned into it as if it were the very first time he’d ever touched her.

“You needed me,” he said simply, as if his presence were a foregone conclusion. “Where else would I be?” Perhaps it was that simple for him. Salshira let the question lie without comment and rested against him instead, content for the moment to think about nothing at all.

#salshira lavellan #cullavellan #shivunin scrivening #ask response #prompt response #i was also torn bw cullen and josie for this because i think she might have an easier time asking josie for help #but also. i did want to put her through it

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dontbotherwiththepronunciation · 10 months

Note

Fuck forgot Bran! You still like him right?

Not a favourite anymore, but he is still very close to my heart. Sometimes I feel ashamed of not caring for him as much as I did when I first read the books.

Black Crow by Angus & Julia Stone

Saw murder in her eyes The dark of a thousand crows Cold thriller in disguise Blue shadows stitched to her toes Do you know, mister, of this phase? Do you know, mister? No time to waste

Rule #4 - Fish in a Birdcage by Fish in a Birdcage

I'm a fish inside a birdcage My brother always sings me songs With his beak he tries to soothe me He makes me feel that I belong He has a wild imagination And tells me things that must be true Like there's a world where I can take flight Where i can freely move

Into the Unknown (feat. Jack Jones) by The Blasting Company

(I don't know if this is cheating or not, but I still always associate it to him and I think he would love this show)

Led through the mist By the milk-light of moon All that was lost is revealed Our long bygone burdens Mere echoes of the spring But where have where we come and where shall we end? If dreams can't come true then why not pretend...

Upward Over the Mountain by Iron & Wine

Mother don't worry, I've got a coat and some friends on the corner Mother don't worry, she's got a garden we're planting together Mother remember the night that the dog got her pups in the pantry? Blood on the floor, fleas on their paws, And you cried 'til the morning So may the sunrise bring hope where it once was forgotten Sons are like birds, flying always over the mountain

Singing Saw by Kevin Morby

Up the hill Past the houses I sang a song then I came Back down the mountain All the while, big moon above me Old coyote, laughing at me He went Thought I saw a singing saw Cutting down a willow

#theostrichsdaughter #it's sweet of you to remember. First POV I grew attached to.#speaking #bran stark

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paulsonsratched · 2 years

Text

Purple meets black

(W.V. x Reader)

Pt 2: the dress

When I finally made my way back into my room I collapsed on my bed. I felt completely exhausted even though I know I haven't even done something. My mind was racing and all I could think about was the intense stare of the leader of our outpost. I felt like her stare is still on me and the most confusing thing about it is that I did not mind it at all. She did not scare me at all but gave me a shower of relaxation washing all over me. Her facial expression was stern, for sure, but her eyes held a secret that I was desperate to discover.

She has that kind of eyes that were so deep you thought you would get lost in them if you just watched them a second too long.

I looked opposite the bed where another big clock decorated the wall. How many fucking clocks do they have here? I thought to myself when I realized the time it was showing. Shit! Just 15 minutes left till dinner. I got up quick and opened my wardrobe. Ms. Mead said we should wear our best dresses but to be honest I never liked the big tulle and all this fabric dragging on my body like it tried to rip me apart.

I let my hand travel through the endless mountain of the probably most glamorous and big dresses I ever saw.

They did not have enough money for real food but could afford thousands of wooden clocks plus thousands of pompous suits and dresses. I would never understand this outpost.

As I continued going through the dresses my gaze suddenly stopped as I spotted a dress I never have seen before.

It was different than the other ones.

I took it out and put it on looking at myself in the mirror.

The fabric was light almost like a small wind that brushed over my exposed skin. Compared to all the other dresses which always touched the floor this one barely goes over my knees and also the shade was different. It still was a shade of lilac but not at all the strong purple we always used to wear. Some of my cleavage was exposed due to the off shoulder.

I continued to look at myself and the first time in forever I felt comfortable in my clothes, almost pretty.

Ms. Mead said we should wear our best dresses and that definitely was the one. As I glanced at the clock again a small gasp left my mouth. Three minutes left.

I barged out my door practically running to the big door down the hallway before opening it much more rapidly than I intended to.

Of course I caused a scene so all eyes were laid on me. Everyone was sat at the table and Ms Venables stern impression found mine. One second later she began to travel over my body. Her mouth opened slightly as she looked me up and down till her gaze fixed on my eyes again. Everyone looked in shock and soon they would bring their attention onto the empty wooden table not daring to look at what would happen next. Ms. Venable got up from her chair making her way slowly towards me, her gaze never left mine.

The sound of her cane echoed through the big hall and now I understood what the other feared about her so much. Her face turned from stern into a disgusted impression as she eyed me up and down again still walking towards me.

"I'm sorry for barging in like this Ms. Venable but I didn't wanted to be to late and-"

she raised her hand now standing dangerously close infront of me, gesturing me to shut my mouth.

"Where did you got that dress from?" She said, voice cold as her eyes fixed on mine.

"It...I found it in...I'm sorry is something wrong with it."

She tapped her cane aggressively on the floor, getting even nearer to me. "Where did you got that fucking dress from?" This time she raised her voice what made me flinch slightly. "It was in my closet Ms. Venable." I truthfully answered while my eyes dropped onto the floor, unable to hold the eye contact.

I thought I would get my first punishment now even though I didn't quite understand what I did wrong but I was expecting nothing good out of my current situation. I felt Ms. Venables hot breathe leaving my skin which made me look up again since it signaled she slightly stepped away from me.

I looked into her eyes again and this time I saw some kind of emotion in her eyes. I couldn't tell what it was but it looked like if she was...hurt.

Without any further explanation of her sudden outburst she dropped her gaze from me and walked past me out of the room not once turning back.

I made my way to the table, sitting down till I felt the others staring at me. I looked at Coco questioning but as soon as my eyes met hers she looked down on the table again. The entire room stayed silent through the entire dinner and the chair on the opposite side of me stayed empty.

#american horror story #fanfic #sarah paulson #wilhemina venable x reader #ahs fandom #ahs fanfiction #wilhemina venable

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1poda · 7 months

Text

She Hates Pirates!

Pt.2

Pt.3

Pt.4

Pt.5

Pt.6

Pt.7

Pt.8

The Thousand Sunny washed over clam waves with ease and utilized soft wind to pull its belly to the nearest island, Nami stood with a concentrated stare on her wrist where the log post pointed ahead to an oncoming mountain "We're almost there guys!" the ginger mentioned loudly as she descended from the upper deck with a hum "We should probably prepare to board soon"

"Namiiiii my loove! I've Prepared You A Refreshing Drink To Cool You Down Before We Make It To The Islaaaaand!" the blond chef appeared with hearts in his eyes and a tray balanced on his fingers, just as promised a cold drink awaited for her with a delicious appearing liquid along with bobbing ice cubes and slices of lemon. A similar cup mirrored it on the other side of the dish, an extra beverage for Robin she guessed.

With a mindless sip, The Navigator watched the cliffside grow closer in the distance, in the past few days newspapers had been plastered with the recent going's on of their next destination, apparently, the Marines had been abusing their power over the islanders until a revolutionary group came and seriously began mixing things up.

'According to some eyewitnesses, their leader hates Pirates and keeps a close eye on the crew members when they port...' her brown eyes blinked before drifting around the Sunny and noting every member, all but one, but she already knew where he was.

Sitting atop Sunny's snout sat a young male with a wide grin and straw hat, his eager stare inhaled any detail he could spot the closer their trusty ship dipped.

Standing with a palm on the crown of his hat Luffy stretched from his sitting position and chuckled at the endless adventures the next port could lead to.

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

"I'm sorry but we can't let you guys in just yet" A tough guard stood in front of the Straw hat Crew, wrapped in dull clothing and a rifle strapped to his back Nami did her best to keep the situation under control while also attempting to get what she wanted, which was passage to the town.

"I don't see the problem, we're only here to restock it's not like we're gonna be here for long" Ussop mentioned while peeking over the railing, Chopper doing the same and agreeing with a nod. Zoro stood next to the crouching pair with crossed limbs and an unamused stare "We should just leave and head straight to Sabaody I say"

"Idiot, we can't do that!" Sanji cursed with furrowed brow in tow "We'll never make it with the food we have now, we'll starve in the middle of dangerous waters besides-" the chef lit a cigarette "Luffy got into the meat locker a few days ago so our rations are way to low. We can't pass up this island even if we wanted to"

"Hmm, this place doesn't seem very groovy" Franky lifted his sunglasses with an almost dirty look. The buildings were small and grey with cobble ground and barren markets, Robin made her way to the cyborg's side with little change in her demeanor "I hear this island has been recently liberated from corrupt Marines, perhaps the people who helped them haven't had time to tend to this town just yet"

"Why can't you just let us in? I promise we won't be too much trouble" Nami whined with a cute smile and a dip in her back allowing her shirt to fall slightly, unimpressed the guard glanced to the side with a raised brow "We're under strict orders until our leader gets back, s-so.. if you guys just hang tight for a while I'm sure she'll be back soon"

The Navigator gave a sigh at her fruitless attempts and made her way back onto the Sunny and explained everything "So I guess we'll have to wait for a while"

It wasn't long till childish groans filled the grassy deck.

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

"Lenny- Report" a strict tone came as a rush of hard heels echoed through a bright hall, a hidden being with white hair and a thick black jacket that hung from the stranger's shoulder marched down an echoing hallway- much like a short cloak- surrounded by men who looked ready to fight at any given moment, the male to her right blinked at the sudden attention "O-Oh! You mean me!" Lenny quickly raised to salute before listing various things the people were still in need of, what areas were still infested with crime, where her second in command resided, and certain orphanages that needed more supplies "And then there's the pirates down at the North port-"

"Good, that's close by. I'll deal with them first and after that we can finally hand out supplies to the people who live there" her work tone cut of the last off the messengers news as the group made their way to the nearest exit.

#monkey d. luffy #one piece #one piece nami #straw hat pirates #hes gonna be the king of the pirates!#Luffy x OC #roronoa zoro #sanji #robin #franky #tony tony chopper #ussop #brook one piece #one piece fanfiction #one piece fandom #Adventure #one pace

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fourseasonsfigs · 1 year

Text

A-Han and Xiao-Zhe Drinking Wine

Ah, to lounge around, mellow and relaxed, drinking wine on a warm summer's day - that's the good life!

I'm going to skip my usual introduction to the JZEUniverse since I just posted about it yesterday, so catch up if you want first and come back, it'll be worth it!

Yesterday I posted about A-Han and Dashixiong, and I promised you an A-Han video in this post. Without further ado, here it is, patient and lovely figthusiasts, credit on video:

Very inspirational indeed. See what I mean when I talked about the anklet yesterday? Cities would crumble.

I regret that Tumblr only allows me one video per post, which means I can't also post a Xiao-Zhe video, because you absolutely deserve it. You can always go further refresh your eyes on my previous Xiao-Zhe post, but in the meantime, here's more fig inspiration:

Nice white pants, Xiao-Zhe. You won't be seeing those in this fig set!

These beautiful figs arrived safely in a plain white box, lounging around in their little carved-out polystyrene foam.

Here's the full set. The table and drinks are one piece, as is A-Han and his cushion. A-Han's insouciant lounging pose is so delightfully long and languid that it can't be supported by itself, even though he's sitting on a cushion. He just topples right over just by himself.

But he doesn't need to! The fig maker included this mini-lounging stand, so he can drape himself over the furniture as beautifully as he likes. You can see where the little tab on his sleeve fits into the matching indentation on the carved stand.

And ta-da! Here we are! Beautiful. All the better to show off that long expanse of leg and the golden anklet that could launch a thousand ships.

As you can see, this is a strictly pants-free summery magical world we're now in. The heat, understand. It's TOO hot to wear too many layers!

A better view of that casual lounge, and their beautiful hairstyles. Getting quite the breeze there, Xiao-Zhe!

Look at the 3-D effect on Xiao-Zhe's bangs! Very cool. Speaking of cool, looking very leggy there, boys. The details on the little table here are also very nice, and echo the drinking table at A-Han's Koi Mountain Manor.

Hard to see much in the way of detail from the shot from above, but that's some beautiful glossy hair there, Xiao-Zhe.

Speaking of detail, it's time for an extreme closeup so you can see all the gorgeous gold jewelry and the draping of A-Han's robes. Such a beautiful, elegant fig.

Our lotus spirit is looking big (heart) eyed and beautiful in his extreme closeup. Here's a nice view of the jade drinkware as well as well as the detail on Xiao-Zhe's robes. They don't drape quite as nicely as A-Han's, but are clearly providing superior ventilation.

Xiao-Zhe is quite the little nudist under his robes - he's got a full moon going on under there as well as the world's smallest unit. Lotus spirits just have to be wild and free, you know?

These two didn't come with box cards and there was no box art, which is too bad because I would have loved some art of these two beauties. It's far too pretty of a set to leave you without at least one more full angle, so here you go.

Speaking of full angles, I may be the only purchaser of this fig set that didn't realize I had also purchased the full show - I turned the figs over to take pics from the underside (as I do, very innocently, I might add!) and got quite the 1mm surprise. When I was done laughing my head off, I was faced with the question of whether to likewise share with my fellow figthusiasts.

So in the interest of full disclosure (ha!) for anyone that might wish to purchase these figs in the future, I will simply continue to place any vaguely spicy material or any portrayal of basic lotus spirit anatomy under our patented figthusiast Spice Stars ***** after the fig count. Anyone who is not in a place or time where they can explain why they are giggling at the screen can simply skip on by.

Material: PVC

Fig Count: 184

Scene Count: 14

Rating: Fresh as a cool breeze

[link back to Master Fig Index for more posts]

*******************************************

Per usual, I'll talk a bit so even those with the largest phones or computer screens are spared the sight of any incriminating paparazzi pics. I mean, Xiao-Zhe is hanging out (ha!) in the privacy of his best friend's manor, and if a lotus spirit can't be ready to skinny dip at the whim of a moment there, where can he? I mean, a koi pond is literally right there.

A good philosophical question, thoughtful figthusiasts. One that similar minded people might be inclined to ponder on a lazy summer day, relaxing around with a pitcher of wine and a good friend. However, it occurs to me (a little too late!) that rather than reading me rambling on, a large picture might be literally worth a thousand words here, so let me find a new one I haven't posted yet to take up some space:

I was trying to find one where he was (rightfully) giving me the side eye, but this will have to do.

Alright!

Dare I even mention to add this is a nice view of A-Han's anklet from the underside as well?

Well now you know, if you choose to purchase this set! And I would recommend it if you can access Xianyu (or there may be remainders on the docket, I don't think I've seen any announcements come through for it), it's really very beautiful.

#jzeu #junzhe #zhang zhehan #gong jun #woh cast #word of honor cast #shl cast #figthusiast

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enoratwilight · 1 year

Text

The Sleeping Giant is a Cute Vampire: Chapter 1

Have you ever heard the phrase "Don't wake the sleeping giant"? The phrase refers to poking something larger than yourself. Most people hear phrases like this all the time, but they don't really think about them much. Me, I was different. Ever since I heard that phrase as a kid I had thought about it.

It's not like it was the only thing on my mind, but it definitely took up space in my internal filing cabinet. It was constantly at the back of my mind. I finally turned 25, and I still thought about it. I got a job after university. Still that one phrase stuck with me. "What was the sleeping giant?"

You might call me crazy. You might call me insane, but one day my coworkers told me about the legend of the sleeping giant in the mountains. I just had to go and see it for myself, so that's why I went.

It was a cold December night. The wind was howling and threatening to push me over. The snow had yet to descend on the mountain top, but the chill was biting at my exposed neck. "I should have brought a scarf. I thought this thick jacket would be plenty…"

I looked down at my thick brown fur coat. My breath came out as a visible mist. "Damn it's freezing, but the legend says the giant only hibernates here in the winter months."

The wind blew harder as I climbed higher. I was wheezing from the cold and the lower pressure. My lungs were on fire, but I had to keep going. My younger self would never forgive me if I stopped now.

I tracked on even as the incline grew steeper. It had become so dark that I couldn't make out the trail in front of me anymore. I pulled out my phone to light the way, but as I pressed the power button the only thing to pop up was the dead battery symbol. In small letters beneath that it simply said "charge your phone".

"Damn, I am an idiot!" I kept trying to turn it on, but soon even the symbol wouldn't show up anymore. My phone was done for, but just as my hope for even a faint light was beginning to vanish, I saw an orange hue further up the mountain. "There is light up there!"

Despite my burning lungs and the wheezing, I ran. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. The cold bit further into my neck like a creature of the night. I ran as the hue grew and grew. After turning around a bend. It was before me. "The cave of the sleeping giant…"

I whispered the words into the large cave. It was tall enough for two semis to fit stacked on top of each other. The width was bigger than a California highway, or at least half of one. What startled me the most though, was the fact that the orange light was coming from within.

On the walls going further down there were torches. They looked rather old. The sconces were black, and the light coming from them was dim. They seemed to go down forever. What's more was that the cave had steps. The steps weren't giant sized; rather, they were human sized. Even those seemed to go down forever. "There is no way a giant would live down there. What kind of person would even…"

The better part of me told me that my quest would be over here. By all rights I should have known it was a mission failure, but I was curious. My curiosity had completely won me over.

I steeled myself. With my heart pounding loudly in my chest I took the first steps down. I instantly wanted to retreat. The first steps had echoed further in. "Why am I so loud?"

Even my whisper was pulled into the place, and as it reverberated I covered my mouth. There would be no more speaking from me. I still had a chance to flee, but I braved my fear, taking more unsteady steps.

Before I knew it I had descended into an abyss. I placed a foot down one after the other. I never turned back around. I had no phone. I had no watch. I couldn't tell you how long my descent lasted, but eventually the steps were no more.

Only when I reached the bottom did I finally turn around, but when I looked up, I couldn't even see the exit. There had to be at least a thousand steps, but it was hard to know for sure. This all was beyond real. If a human made this, surely everyone would have known about it. In that case, there would be no "legend of the sleeping giant".

After ruminating on that thought for a bit, I turned back to the large hallway in front of me. It was long, and at the end I could faintly make out a large black door. Everything was screaming at me to run from here.

My legs were shivering. I couldn't tell if it was the cold or the fear that was causing it. My teeth chattered away causing an annoying echo which only fed into my building dread. I clenched the coat tighter around myself as I walked forward.

The door grew larger and larger. The hallway was suffocating me from all sides. When I finally reached the large black door, I wanted to collapse to my knees and cry. The door didn't have any patterns, but above it on either side there were mounted bats. They matched the door, but they seemed to be polished. I couldn't tell what they were made of from this distance. Was it obsidian? Was it marble? They were upside down, just like a real bat would sleep.

I gulped as I looked back at the large entrance. Entrance to what exactly? I didn't know, but the doors lacked any handles. It also looked like it weighed more than a ton. I placed my hand on one of them and pushed. If it didn't open, I would've finally turned back. To my surprise, however, it opened with ease. I gulped, as I gazed out into the large room. It was larger than any room I had ever seen, and there were towering stone pillars holding it all up. On each of the pillars there were large basins of fire facing the center of the room. At the very end of the room were steps. At the top of those steps was a platform, and on that platform a throne. And in that throne there was someone…something…All I saw were red eyes as the door slammed behind me and the lights went out.

"Who…who's there!" I whipped out my phone, but in my panic it flew from my hands. I knew it had cracked from the fall. I knew because that sound bounced off the walls for a while. Or maybe I just wanted to hear that sound?

"My, my, my." A sweet sounding voice surrounded me. I should have been even more terrified, but strangely, it managed to calm down my rapidly beating heart. I turned every which way, but I couldn't find the source of the voice.

"You know it is rude to trespass on someone else's property? Isn't that so?" Her voice was sweet, but it was laced with venom. I didn't know if she was toying with me or not, but I knew I shouldn't make this… person angry.

"I am sorry, miss. I will leave if you open the door." I could occasionally make out the sound of her feet touching the stone, but no matter where I looked I couldn't find her. It was too dark.

"Nope, not gonna happen. Maybe you will get to leave, if you tell me why you are here. Or maybe not." My heart picked back up. My body was full of adrenaline, but there was nothing I could do. Somehow I knew I couldn't run from her. Then there was only one option. I had to confront this. I had to make it out alive at any cost. "Well… I'm waiting…"

She whispered so close to my ear I could feel her cold breath. Her breath landed on my neck causing me to shiver yet again. My heart wouldn't stop its pounding, but my stomach was becoming warm. What did it mean? I didn't know, so I decided I would answer instead.

"I-I wanted to find th-the sleeping giant." Her breath against my neck vanquished, and I could no longer feel her presence. I knew she was still there, and that thought proved to be right. After a few seconds she answered.

"Well, you will no longer find those here. They are gone. None of them have a home here anymore. Soon not even me." Despite myself and despite the situation I was in, I sighed. I was disappointed. I felt like this person would know. Could my dreams really end this way? Was this the end of my sleeping giant delusions?

"You don't have to look so down. I told you they have gone, but I know where they are." I reacted instantly. As my head shot up, I met her eyes. The red was more beautiful than any velvet cake. I could hardly see the rest of her face, but I saw her devilish smile and the fangs that came with it. A lump formed in my throat, but I managed to speak.

"You really know where they've gone?" She stared into my eyes, never blinking. I could feel our breaths overlapping, but hers was so cold. I couldn't feel any warmth coming from her body; nonetheless, we were so close I could almost kiss her. My stomach started to feel warm again. She ran a hand over my neck. I felt her nails on my skin. Her hand was colder than I could imagine. Causing me to shiver even more, but I couldn't turn away from those eyes. Finally she responded to my question.

"I know where all of them have gone. All of the giants. All of the dragons. All of the… Well that last one isn't important." I went blank.

"Did she say dragons? Do dragons count as sleeping giants… I certainly wouldn't want to wake up a sleeping dragon…"

"You are speaking out loud, you know?" I lost focus. The thoughts that were supposed to be internal leaked, and now…I couldn't believe my eyes. It almost looked like she was pouting. Her cheeks were inflated. "Cute��"

To my disbelief I watched her cheeks go red. My heartbeat increased. I thought she would be angry. That's why my heart was skipping a beat. My stomach became all warm again.

"Anyway, you ruined the mood…but…" I ruined the mood? I had no idea what she meant, but I was actually comforted by the fact that her voice had become so casual.

"But… I can take you there." I was so distracted by my internal torment, I had forgotten what we were talking about. "Take me where?"

"Haah…" to my further disbelief she held her head in exasperation. "I can take you to the place with the giants. I can take you to a different place. My place."

"You really mean it!?" I got loud as I grabbed her hands on my own, jumping up and down as I held them. "I want to go! Please! I will do anything!"

The girl's cheeks became red again. Once my excitement finally calmed down, she stared into my eyes once more. In a serious tone she asked. "Do you actually mean it?"

"Of course! It has been my life's dream to wake the sleeping giant!" She smiled at me, but this smile was different from the others she had shown me. There was no hidden meaning. It was a bright smile that sent my mind into even more of a frenzy. Before she finally said, "Will you become mine?"

#sleepinggiant #vampire #fiction #isekai #webnovel #original novel #fantasy novel #novelist #indie author #book writing #lesbian #wlw #gay girls #gl

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mae-dwrites · 1 year

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Taking Flight - Chapter 4 - Echos

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| Ao3 | Wattpad |

Knock.

Kno-

The blond chucked a shoe at the door, “I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!”

She hid under her mountain of blankets, tissues littered all around her. How she hadn’t been Akumatized yet was beyond Chloé, she’d been crying and raging in her daddy’s hotel for three days now. She wasn’t proud but it didn’t matter she could just reject the Akuma. At least that’s what she believed, she’d done it once she could do it again.

Only those who had tried to say no knew just how much force Hawkmoth used when forcing Akumatization. Keyword, tried. Chloé had done it but the next moment it truly counted she failed, because she was weak. She had let her emotions get the best of her, and that in turn resulted in her accepting the butterfly’s power. She was, once again, unreliable and that had almost costed Ladybug the war. Ladybug, her hero. The city’s most important hero.

Chloé kicked her coffee table before taking some breaths. She couldn’t get Akumatized again, Hawkmoth may have almost had the perfect plan but it took the wrong, or in the villain's case one right, Akuma and they would win. She refused to be that especially since she almost was due to her selfishness.

That’s all she’s ever been was selfish, that’s all she knew how to be. She threw fits at an early age, instead of being reprimanded or told why she couldn’t behave so or not have what she wanted, what did her father do? He gave her it. Every. Single. Thing. That was after learning about her mother’s affair, before he attempted to but in the end even before she found out he let her have her way.

And from there it festered into something far worse than she would have liked. She certainly didn’t like it anymore, she did it all to feel good. Now? She couldn’t be more ashamed, she felt sick. Again, and again, again.

Chloé ran from her blankets just making it to the bathroom to let up what little food she had eaten since Wednesday. She’d been sick since then, unable to eat, sleep and when she did it wasn't for very long, she couldn't stop shaking at times, she had become sluggish at times not to mention how easily she got dizzy. There was more that she couldn't remember at the moment. Not that it mattered right now, she just got done gagging over the toilet.

Chloé took shaky breaths as she struggled to hold herself up. She finally let herself fall on her butt leaning against the white cabinet in her, usually, spotless bathroom. The lights seemed to attack her eyes, starting another round of her eyes throbbing and a migraine to follow its lead.

She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths, trying to make them shallow. After what seemed like hours Chloé slowly brought herself up and faced the sink.

Everything was too bright, the appliances were all too loud, the people were too loud. Her breathing was too loud, the heavy uneven intake of air made her head feel like thousands of needles were poking the frontal and middle lobes of her brain. The taste of bail had her on the verge of heaving, heaving what Chloé had no idea as it felt like there was nothing left but her organs left. Her limbs felt so weak, as she tried to hold herself up it felt so hard like she had nothing to hold herself up. It was like she was a piece of paper.

Chloé turned the faucet on and started cleaning her mouth off and brushing her teeth. It seemed to help get the taste out of her mouth; the minty flavor sat weirdly in her mouth mixed with her vomit. She could feel the individual parts over her mouth, it felt as though the mint was spreading throughout her mouth when in reality it wasn’t.

Chloé caught a glimpse of her reflection, she would never admit it but it caused her to flinch. Her cheeks were still covered with her emergency mascara she had put on earlier this week. She had run out of her waterproof container so she ordered more of the one she loved. Her eyes were so red from irritation, her hair was knotted so much on the sides(how much had she messed with her hair? It looked so ridiculous now).

She looked so disgusting, if she had the energy or felt like her usual self she probably would have shrieked. She did not have that luxury as she was so unrealistically exhausted. She instead hunched into herself, as if that would make it not look nearly as horrible as she appeared to be. She almost looked as shitty as her entire being felt.

Tears threatened to fall as she looked at her reflection longer.

Where did I go wrong?

☾•☽

An eight-year-old Chloé scrolled through her phone while laying on her bed, she was so happy her daddy let her have her own. Now she could message mommy whenever she wanted to! And of course call either of them when she liked. She didn’t have mommy’s number yet but daddykins said he would deal with that later, and daddy never broke his promises!

Chloé smiled to herself as she searched up her mommy, Style Queen.

At first, it started out fine for the girl, she was simply looking for an image to use for a contact photo. As she couldn’t just take a photo of her mommy, she was away. Also her mommy would have only wanted the best, unlike daddy who didn’t mind weird pictures. It was all fine until she found a picture of her mommy posing with a little girl, a little girl that was obviously not her. Her hair was blond like mommy’s.

Chloé touched her hair, her light brown curls suddenly felt heavy on her shoulders. The other girls face wasn’t as round as her’s, her light blond hair was only a little wavy, her eyes weren’t the bright sky blue like hers. No, they looked more misty, an ocean blue.

Tears welled up in the little girl’s eyes, who was this girl? Who was she to be with her mommy when even she wasn’t! Why was her mommy with this random girl? Who was this girl!

Chloé ran out of her room to find her daddy but couldn’t find him. Chloé fell down in her daddy’s office crying.

Chloé eyes shot open, she wiped her damp face, “Ridculous, utterly…ridculous.”

Those stupid eyes, her mother’s eyes. She didn’t want to think about the girl, she always made her so angry. Chloé couldn’t hold it against her but it was hard not to after so many years letting it grow.

Chloé opened the Ladyblog again, while it had in resent months been a mix of reliable and Lila tales it didn’t really hurt to check it. Also Alya had made a new blog for her other journalism adventures in Paris that were non-miraculous powers related, but then that was mostly taken up by Lila’s face.

Surprisingly enough Hawkmoth still hadn’t Akumatized anyone since last week. It made even Chloé anxious, because he could be trying more drastic measures to get the Ladybug and Cat Miraculi behind the scenes. Chloé would have had her heart set on that if she wasn’t so confident in Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Chloé sighed and laid on her back staring at the ceiling.

What the hell am I doing?

☾•☽

This was certainly not Chloé’s proudest moment, this being the longest she’s gone without a shower, but she was finally able to keep a few meals down. So she decided to take a shower, she felt terrible in her skin after so long.

She let the hot water flow down her, letting it open her face’s pores so she scrub whatever make up hadn’t come off when she had washed it off a few days ago. The heat didn’t make her stomach twist so that was a plus.

“You must be exceptional above all else.”

Chloé’s back straightened at the memory, it was hard for her not to let her mind slip. She tried to focus on the task but it was no use. At least when she sat around in her room she had limitless distractions, and when none of them worked she could listen to the city as it went on.

“The only exceptional thing about you my dear, is your mother.”

Chloé almost slid to her shower’s floor, if she hadn’t caught the rail she probably would have fell. Chloé quickly as she could finished her shower and stepped out and started to dry off and get dressed. Chloé left the bathroom and laid on her bed.

She doesn’t know anything about me…

I can be exceptional with out her as my shadow.

#taking flight #chloe bourgeois #chloe redemption #maribat chloe #maribat #maribat fic

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ink-flavored · 3 months

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hiiii for that ask game…. Perhaps betrayal and hide and mistake for pride? (Or prustice. Is it chill to call them prustice? Like Brangelina? LOL) 💌 - @liv-is

thank you @liv-is !

i did betrayal for Justice already, so that one will just be Pride. the others are unanswered so i can totally do prustice on them. justide. nah i like prustice

betrayal: Has your OC ever been betrayed by someone they thought they could trust? Has your OC ever betrayed someone who trusted them?

Pride is one of the first demons ever created, which means he is one of the first angels that ever betrayed God! He joined Lucifer's rebellion back when that happened, and even after losing, going to Hell, and suffering for thousands of years, he doesn't regret it a single bit.

In a way, though, he feels like God betrayed him first. Angels were created to be important, divine, extensions of God Himself. But as soon as humans were created, they got relegated to not much more than errand-runners. Their entire eternal lives were soon shaped to the mold of this new obsession, expected to babysit them while God sat back and watched. When Lucifer echoed the same hurt he felt, offered a change, it felt like a solution. Obviously, it didn't pan out.

But the fact that God had Hell waiting for them, had it prepared for the inevitable moment He knew His first creations would betray Him, was the biggest betrayal of all.

hide: What does your OC hide? Why do they hide it?

Justice hides how much of a fucking break he needs. He doesn't even recognize he's doing it, because he was taught to be a sleepless, fearless warrior for Heaven, but he is tired. Feeling everyone's pain, the never-ending urge to help, the belief that he's just not doing enough, it's all constant. If asked, he would say he's not allowed to rest when there's injustice in the world, but the guy needs a nap. Please take a nap.

Pride hides pretty much everything. He has a perfectly crafted persona that he allows about 15% of his personality to shine through, and everything else is under careful lock and key. Every piece of him is curated to be attention-grabbing, memorable, and provoking, for better or worse. Anything that (he thinks) makes him look weak, unsure, anything less than his pride will tolerate, gets buried under a mountain of self-hatred and denial.

mistake: What's the worst mistake your OC ever made? What led to them making it? Have they been able to fix it? How have they moved on?

Justice's mistake was believing he could fix the system from the inside. Long before he met Pride, he thought the way that Heaven and God treated souls in Purgatory was unfair, basically dooming all but a small fraction of them from the start. He thought that by being loud about his criticisms and urging the other angels to think about what they were doing to these human souls, they would realize the wrongdoing and urge the rules to be changed. All he got for his efforts was shunned and silenced. He "fixed it" by standing up for his beliefs and fleeing Heaven with Pride at the start of the story, but he doesn't think he'll ever be able to move on from knowing that no one else was willing to help him or the humans they were created to protect.

Pride would tell you he's never made a single mistake in his entire life, but he is lying. The day he met Lust will go down in his memory as the worst day of his life, because the mistake he made was entering an abusive relationship. Lust offered him the barest amount of attention and affection, and he was so desperate for both of those things that he got sucked into vicious cycle. They would fuck, fight almost immediately after, Lust would bruise his ego, he would leave in a rage, and then come back for another round. On some level, he started to believe what it was telling him. He ended up in Purgatory in part to get away from Lust, and intended to stay gone. Of course, Lust comes looking for him, because it needs the power-trip from abusing him, so "moving on" is a work in progress.

[send me a not-so-nice OC ask]

#annika talks #answered #ask game #P&J #Pride & Justice #Pride #Justice

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quinnlarrabee · 7 months

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What is your Fall Identity? Choose one of these 5

There is a two-week period in Fall when it is neither appropriate to ask someone where they summered nor ask where they will winter. This creates an identity crisis for nomadic Millennials and Gen Zers as well as stunted Gen Xers, whose personalities are based entirely on their airline status, ephemeral residency, and bewilderingly itinerant Instagram stories. You are where you were or where you will be, so when someone asks where you summered, you are the fascinating, intrepid traveler who found that perfect Spritz and cacio e pepe in that nameless restaurant owned by an older couple, who now consider you their child, in that tiny seaside town in Calabria known to only you and the thousand or so Italians who live there. Come Oct 1st, everyone will begin asking where you will winter (when it is unfashionable to be in any city with an airport that does not have a fireplace, an outdoor bar, or unusually friendly TSA agents), and then you will become either the Rugged-chic Mountain Person, who will definitely break your personal record of 60 ski days, or The American in CDMX / Lisbon / Bali, who encourages everyone to come visit because your place there is sooooo much bigger than anything we have in the city. But who are you between September 15th and October 1st, when talk of Summer is cringe and discussing Winter plans is also cringe? You will know exactly who you are after reading about these five Fall identities.

Fall Identity #1: Conference Person

These two weeks in Fall are a time when people briefly tire of leisure and return to work for a bit to pepper their personality with a dash of purpose. Being an Industrious Business Person is a very attractive identity during these two weeks, and to help become this Industrious Business Person, other Industrious Business Persons create conferences for you to attend. There are many different kinds of conferences that you can pay a great deal to stand in the lobby looking hopeful and embarrassed with a lanyard around your neck, and you can pay an even greater deal to have a speaking role, which gets you a special lanyard that provides access to the echo chamber that is the VIP room. Speaking roles at conferences are priced high because there is no dating app profile photo more coveted than the one captioned with, “thank you for coming to my TED talk.” The conferences that confer the highest amount of status are always to do with money, which can be real money or fantasy money such as crypto or NFTs. A conversation you might have about conferences will go something like this:

Person: “What can you tell me that will help me assess you during these frightening two weeks when discussing seasonal travel is cringe?”

You: “I attended a venture capital conference.”

Person: “Ah, so you went to a very expensive private school that had a gentle academic curriculum, got into a very expensive mid-tier university as a legacy, worked for two years at the bank that your great uncle founded, got into an excellent business school thanks to a questionable relationship with a very old white person, and live in an apartment that your parents purchased for you. May I see the photos of you at this conference, which I have already seen and dutifully liked on social media?”

You: “Here is a photo of me and a very old white person, who is a legend in venture capital. He is my mentor and was instrumental in securing my admission to Stanford Business School, because his name is on several buildings as well as a small tattoo on my lower back.”

Person: “He looks very old and very wealthy indeed.”

You: “And here is a photo of me speaking at the conference.”

Person: “You look like you will one day be very old and very wealthy, too.”

You: “And here is a photo of me and the founder of one of my portfolio companies.”

Person: “I see that you invest in people who do not look like you. This is an admirable trait, and my esteem for you has risen.”

You: “I am not the typical VC bro who perpetuates the patriarchy by investing only in companies founded by two former finance bros who wish to become tech bros and have a large exit which will enable them to purchase sparkle ponies at Burning Man.”

And so it goes, this conversation about you and your venture capital conference. You can have similar conversations about cannabis conferences, health and wellness conferences, and any conference to do with sex, relationships and intentional or ceremonial anything.

Fall Identity #2: Art Person

At any given moment in September, there are 4,239 art fairs happening in Los Angeles or New York City. Attending even one of them is sufficient to establish your personality as an Art Person. Because people attend art fairs to be photographed, the lighting at these events is always excellent. A great example of an art fair that will provide a very credible Art Person identity is the Armory Show at the Javits Center, which has a very large VIP room. A conversation you might have about art fairs will go something like this:

Person: “What can you tell me that will help me assess you during these frightening two weeks when discussing seasonal travel is cringe?”

You: “I attended the Armory Show.”

Person: “Ah, so you are the only child of very wealthy parents in Los Angeles who were both big names in the movie world, but their talents skipped a generation and left you hunting for a way to be considered a Creative Person that did not require actual creative output, so as a younger person you dressed goth and acted perpetually bored. You went to a New England liberal arts school that was even smaller than your high school and discovered talking about art, which, coupled with your almost famous last name, led to a position at an art gallery in Chelsea that set you up to be an art columnist for a publication with a circulation even smaller than the population of your alma mater. You are dating a Finance Person, who underwrites your Summer travels in Europe and Winter travels in Aspen and the Caribbean despite the fact that all of these travels are supposedly to see your clients.”

You: “Would you like to be my client? I can tell you what art to buy so that you can talk about art at dinner parties.”

Person: “Yes, I would like to be your client. Please now show me photos of art that you could have sold me last week that you claim is now worth five-times what it sold for at the Armory Show.”

And so it goes, this conversation about you and your art fair. You can have similar conversations about going to Dia Beacon or Storm King, but these day trips do not confer an actual Fall Identity as an Art Person.

Fall Identity #3: Fashion Person

Fashion Week was invented for people who do not wish to work at any time other than September and October and want their work to be sort of like going shopping, only for things that can be purchased exclusively in large quantities and with someone else’s money. Like a really judgmental traveling rave, Fashion Week begins September 3 in NYC, moves to Milan in late September and peaks in Paris in early October. People who live in Los Angeles believe that there is a Fashion Week in Los Angeles, but no one else in the world agrees because of how people dress in Los Angeles. Fashion Week provides a credible identity for anyone who doesn’t like talking about money stuff but comes from so, so much of it. A conversation you might have about Fashion Week will go something like this:

Person: “What can you tell me that will help me assess you during these frightening two weeks when discussing seasonal travel is cringe?”

You: “I attended Fashion Week.”

Person: “Ah, so you drew pictures of orchids during math class in 2nd grade, your grandfather started a very large company in a very small state, and your bangs have weathered the long stretches of time when bangs were not fashionable, because Anna Wintour is your spirit animal.”

You: “I don’t think that shade of green is quite right for you. I saw a piece last week that you would love, and I could probably pre-order it for you when I place my own personal order directly with the designer.”

Person: “Ah, so you sit next to your NBA boyfriend in the front row at fashion shows wearing The Row and a facial expression more befitting a neurosurgeon in the OR than someone watching animated mannequins walk in shiny, asymmetrical tablecloths, and you applaud soundlessly whether you love or hate the line. May I see photos of you and your extremely tall boyfriend that you have saved directly from BFA so that they still have the BFA watermark?”

And so it goes, this conversation about you and your Fashion Week highlights. This conversation is structurally similar to the conversation that Big Football Fans have in November when everyone else is packing for Aspen.

Fall Identity #4: Dinner Party Person

People host dinner parties to repay the social debt they incurred when they were hosted at dinner parties hosted by the people they invited, who hosted the dinner party to repay the social debt incurred when they were hosted by the people they invited, and so on. Dinner Party people have the most agreeable Fall personality, because they only talk with people who are on their Dinner Party circuit, and conversations are exclusively about inviting and being invited to Dinner Parties. A conversation you might have about Dinner Parties will go something like this:

Person: “What can you tell me that will help me assess you during these frightening two weeks when discussing seasonal travel is cringe?”

You: “Your Dinner Party was delightful. Thank you so much for having me.”

Person: “You were such a delightful guest at my Dinner Party. Thank you so much for your hand-written thank-you note that, if we had a refrigerator that was not paneled in a very rare blond-colored Danish teak, would be on our refrigerator next to other hand-written thank-you notes that we received from our other guests with whom we attended Yale, Williams College or Amherst. Where did you get that wonderful textured ecru stationery with your initials printed in navy blue on the cover?”

You: “Ah, I love that stationery. I had it printed by a very old person in Calabria, who also owns a restaurant where I had the most amazing cacio e pepe this past summ–”

WARNING! Dinner Party conversations can easily derail into conversations about where you summered, because it is extremely likely that some component of your Dinner Party - the wine, the cured meat, the olives, the custom stationery you use for hand-written thank-you notes - will have come from your Summer in Italy. The best way to avoid falling into the unfashionable trap of talking of your Summer is to talk of the next Dinner Party.

You: “ANYwho, I would love to invite you to my Dinner Party on Thursday, since hosting Dinner Parties on weekend nights is for people who live in Westchester, Connecticut or New Jersey.”

Person: “I am so looking forward to attending your Dinner Party on Thursday, since I leave on Friday for Aspe–”

WARNING! Dinner Party conversations can easily derail into conversations about where you will Winter, because it is extremely likely that everyone on your Dinner Party circuit will have a very short window during which to host or attend Dinner Parties due to their imminent departure for Aspen. The best way to avoid falling into the unfashionable trap of talking of your Winter plans is to keep conversation outside of Dinner Parties limited to Dinner Party gratitude and logistics and to keep conversation within Dinner Parties limited to conferences, art fairs, and Fashion Week.

Fall Identity #5: Apple Picking Person

People who live in New York City or the half of California that creates tax revenue for the state and hostile political debate for the rest of the country can base their Fall identity on Apple Picking. Apple Picking is when you rent an entry-level BMW SUV for $200 an hour and drive anywhere from 90 minutes to 2 and a half hours north to take photos in an apple orchard that was founded by city people who wanted to take advantage of people who go Apple Picking. A by-product of this particular Fall identity is a very impractical volume of apples, which will sit on your dining room table as a centerpiece for your next Dinner Party and then be composted when unsightly concave brown blemishes appear. A conversation you might have about Apple Picking will go something like this:

Person: “What can you tell me that will help me assess you during these frightening two weeks when discussing seasonal travel is cringe?”

You: “I am going Apple Picking this weekend!”

Person: “Ah, so you have a strong aversion to camping but you have an entire wardrobe from Patagonia and highly technical hiking boots for this one day when you performatively pick perfectly good food, destined for compost heaps, from trees that exist solely for urban young people who need to populate their wedding website with couple content or want new dating app photos.”

You: “Yes indeed, and in fact I met the person I’m not exclusively sleeping with on a dating app filled with my photos from Apple Picking last Fall.”

Person: “Nothing says I’m DTF like a good Apple Picking photo.”

[laughter]

Person: “Which apple orchard have you selected for your pre-engagement website photoshoot or, if your relationship is deteriorating, for that one photo on your Raya profile that’s meant to make you seem relatable and wholesome despite the volume of photos of you mostly naked on large boats holding one or more cocktails?”

You: “We selected the one that also sells apple cider donuts, which we will buy and not eat, and extremely expensive apple cider, which we will buy and never drink, because people who drink apple cider are entirely unfuckable. This orchard also had the highest number of reviews from people who appear to be wearing Patagonia vests with hedge fund logos in their Google maps profile photo.”

Person: “Ah yes, I have picked apples at this same orchard, they will make an excellent centerpiece at your next Dinner Party before you compost them at the farmers market.”

And so it goes, this conversation about you and your Apple Picking persona. If you do not plan on wintering someplace, you can extend this Fall identity well into late October, at which point you can base your identity on holiday parties and either how much you love or dislike your family.

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In this day and age of social media based identities, you can change who are in approximately 8 consecutive stories and a single grid post. So if you try on one of these Fall identities and it doesn’t quite fit, simply archive the grid post and go get some new content that complies with the guidelines in this post. Take care not to be more than 3 of these Fall identities in the same two weeks, because your followers will become confused and mute you, at which point you will cease to exist until you make new friends at a conference, an art fair, Fashion Week, a dinner party, or apple picking.

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