#please don't be afraid to come to Battle Tower!

[cuffmeinblack]

If you’re taking requests - could you do a jealous Ominis x f!Slytherin reader 🥹🤲🏻

I’m imagining one of our ginger Gryffindors Leander or Garreth attempting to get a bit more than friendly with mc and he’s not a fan

The boggart in the tower

Ominis Gaunt x f!reader

Tags: fluff | pranks

1.1k words

A/n: OK I'm so sorry this went SO off-piste I have no idea what happened but I'm going to post it anyway. It basically just ended up as an Ominis and Sebastian being stupid boys fic.

It had escaped absolutely nobody's notice that the new fifth year was the subject of interest of two of her Gryffindor classmates. Leander and Garreth, normally very friendly with each other, had become contenders in the battle for her affections and resorted to snide remarks and outright sabotage in an effort to dash the other's chances to impress her. Ominis would find this amusing if it weren't so frustrating.

One such occurrence of this rivalry came in an otherwise tedious potions lesson. Not one of Ominis' favourite subjects, he found it harder than most to accurately measure ingredients and could only tell if his potion was successful by means other than sight—smell, texture, or Sebastian's remarks.

"Looks like snot," he said next to him.

"That wasn't quite what I was going for."

"Too much bubotuber pus, I think."

Ominis sighed and vanished the contents of his cauldron, groping around for the ingredients to begin again. Professor Sharp was busy muttering to Amit across the room, perhaps he'd be able to catch up if he hurried. As Ominis cleaned off his silver knife, he overheard another conversation, much louder and much more embarrassing.

"You know I'm working on my own potion, maybe you'd like to join me one day? We can work on it together. You're a very gifted witch."

"Erm, thank you, Garreth. I'm afraid I'm far too busy…"

"She doesn't want to spend her time mixing potions with you, Garreth. How about a spin around Hogsmeade instead? I've heard Honeydukes have a new flavour of fudge…"

"Again, I'm afraid I'm too busy. Thank you for the invitation, Leander, truly."

Sebastian snorted next to him as Ominis shook his head, trying to tune out the exchange. He flinched when a cold hand touched his cheek.

"Your cheeks are burning, Ominis," Sebastian laughed.

Ominis swatted the hand away and returned to his potion, grimacing at the smell from the bubotuber on his chopping board.

"Sebastian?"

"Mmm?"

"How would you feel about creating a little inter-house sabotage?" Ominis whispered.

"You've got my attention, proceed," Sebastian muttered in reply.

"I think Prewett and Weasley need to be taken down a peg or two."

"Hah. It does bother you."

"What bothers me?" Ominis asked, feigning ignorance.

"Come on, Ominis. I'm your oldest friend, don't think I can't tell that you're head over heels for our new fifth year."

"Will you help me or not?" Ominis asked testily.

"Of course. What's the plan?"

"What if…what if we send them both a letter from her."

"I like it. Let's make them climb all the way up the bell tower," Sebastian sniggered quietly.

"And all they find is each other. Fools."

"And a boggart," Sebastian added.

"A boggart?"

"Think they might need a little scare as well. There's one in a cupboard in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, I'm sure I can manage to relocate it… temporarily."

Ominis smirked as he idly stirred the contents of his cauldron, wondering how best to entice the two Gryffindor boys in the letters.

"Your potion appears to be burnt, Gaunt. Pay more attention next time, please," Professor Sharp barked from behind him.

-

Ominis and Sebastian spent the afternoon writing the two letters for Garreth and Leander in a quiet corner of the Slytherin common room. Both asked them to come to the bell tower that evening after dinner, feigning interest in their respective hobbies. Sebastian had convinced Ominis to wait for them, hiding out of sight under the stairs of the tower as to not miss the chaos that was sure to ensue. They delivered the letters to the perplexed owls being asked to deliver letters to the great hall at dinnertime and slipped away from the meal early.

Sebastian nudged Ominis and whispered, "They've just got their letters. They both look so proud."

They reached the tower, casting disillusionment charms and crouching uncomfortably beneath the wooden staircase that led to the top of the tower, below the bells. Ominis leaned against an old crate, waiting impatiently.

Garreth came first, humming to himself as he climbed the stairs. The second set of footsteps came a minute afterwards as Ominis and Sebastian waited and listened intently.

"Weasley, what are you doing here?"

"Prewett?"

Sebastian had his hand over his mouth to muffle the sound of his laughing. It wouldn't be long until they noticed the third note stuck to the trunk and Ominis' heart pounded in anticipation. A faint muttering came from above them as the two boys conversed, probably baffled by the turn of events, then a loud creak and two echoing screams rang through the tower.

"It's a bloody werewolf!" Garreth Weasley was shouting hysterically as the sets of footsteps clattered down the stairs.

"Out of the way, Weasley!"

"Oof!"

Sebastian was clutching Ominis' arm as the two descended into hysterics, the Gryffindors shoving each other and running absolutely terrified from the room.

-

The plan only had one downside—the idiot Gryffindors thought that she had been the one to lure them to the tower and humiliate them. Ominis heard the ugly encounter outside of charms the next morning.

"What did you think you were doing, setting a boggart on us?" Leander hissed.

The students in the queue for the classroom ceased their conversations to listen in on the exchange, creating an uneasy silence in the corridor.

"What are you talking about?"

"We both got your letters, it wasn't funny," Garreth said in a slightly hurt tone.

Ominis begged to differ. It was funny, though this part was much more uncomfortable to witness. Though he didn’t much fancy owning up to the prank, he had little choice—he wouldn’t let her take the blame on his behalf.

“It wasn’t her,” Ominis said into the silence.

“You?” Garreth asked.

Ominis nodded, adjusting his stance and keeping a hand hovering over his wand in his robe pocket.

“Just a little lesson in courtesy. She’d made it clear she wasn’t interested,” Ominis replied.

The exchange was thankfully interrupted by the arrival of Professor Ronen who ushered the students into his classroom.

“This isn’t the end of this,” Leander whispered into Ominis’ ear.

Ominis turned from the fuming Gryffindors, seating himself as far away from their muttering as he could. The seat next to him was filled, but the sound and scent wasn’t Sebastian—it was her. Ominis felt his chest tighten as he prepared for the ambush, but it never came.

“Did you really set a boggart on them?” she whispered.

“They just happened to find it,” he said evasively, fondly remembering the screams echoing in the tower.

She tittered quietly next to him and Ominis relaxed, a smile creeping onto his face.

“Thanks, Ominis,” she said, laying a warm hand on his arm.

#ominis gaunt #ominis gaunt drabble #ominis gaunt fanfiction #ominis gaunt imagine #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow fanfiction #sebastian sallow imagine #sebastian sallow drabble #anon ask

[darthgloris]

Anakin and male y/n have been best friends for a few years, they met on a mission and you know how it’s like you’ve known someone forever at first meet? They both admit they’re in love with each other and smut please

Under The Stars

Pairing: Anakin Skywalker x fem!Jedi!reader

A/N: I'm really, really sorry for not being able to give you the fic you want sweetie 😭😭 I really don't know how to write male x male relationships and I'm very afraid of misrepresenting the smut, still soo soo sorry 😫 @dashingaudacity I hope you can forgive me and I really hope this one will do 🥺

Summary: Y/N's Padawan, Rose, risks her life during a battle and is saved at the last possible minute by another Jedi. When Y/N goes to thank him after the battle, she sees just how attractive and respectful he is. Out one night, away from the eyes of the Order, their stargazing becomes a moment to share they way the have felt about each other all this time.

Warnings: suggestive themes, fluffy asf, making out, Anakin having better pickup lines than "I don't like sand", Anakin being the romance king (cause in a world where he doesn't turn dark he is)

☆☆☆

"Rosesava Stawil, you get back here this instant!" Y/N yelled at her Padawan, who had already raced off into battle with a death grip on her lightsaber.

She sighed in exasperation, following her Padawan into the chaos. That girl is way too reckless, she thought with a huff.

A scream rang out through the battle, a voice she could recognize anywhere. Y/N perked up as her eyes widened in panic and she ran through the clouds of dust, frantically looking around for the girl. "Rose?"

"Master!"

"Rose!" She leapfrogged from stone to stone, panting as she reached out to the Force to find her Padawan.

Y/N gasped as a droid towered over Rose's figure, stranded on the ground with a fearful look in her eyes before she screwed them closed, waiting for the pain to come, but it never did. Her eyes flew open as the swash of a lightsaber filled her ears, skillfully deflecting all the blaster shots.

"Rose!" Y/N called and rushed to pull the girl up from the ground, while looking for the person that had saved Rose's life. A few feet away from them was another Jedi, a curly haired young man with a scar running down his left eye, and a young Togruta around Rose's age trailing behind him.

She let out a breath of relief, shooting him a thankful glance, to which he replied with a nod and a gentle smile before disappearing into the chaos, his blue lightsaber illuminating his path through the dense sand clouds.

As the relief flooded her, she glared down at Rose. "Sorry, Master."

"One unnerving and life-threatening issue at a time, Rose. Now, come on, this isn't over yet."

...

Y/N wiped a few beads of sweat from her forehead and ran a hand through her tousled hair as she looked at the campsite. Countless wounded soldiers were being carried to the medbay as she walked around, looking for anyone that she could help.

After a few minutes she spotted the guy from before, the very same that had saved Rose's life oh, so selflessly. She looked at him for a few seconds to admire him: she noticed the small curls that framed his face, his big, soulful blue eyes, his jawline that seemed sculpted in marble, his broad shoulders that shaped the rest of his flawless physique.

"Hi, um, it's me," she said as she approached him and he smiled softly as he caught sight of her. "I just wanted to thank you for saving Rose, she's a bit difficult to deal with sometimes."

"Don't thank me, my Padawan is a bit quirky as well," he chuckled, looking at the Togruta, who was talking with Rex. "What's your name?"

"Y/N. Y/N Vantri." She smiled, extending her hand for him to shake.

"Anakin Skywalker. Nice to meet, you, Y/N." He replied, taking her hand and pressing a feartherlight kiss to her knuckles. She smiled, blushing a pale shade of pink at his gesture.

The feeling of his delicate lips brushing the soft skin made her feel like she had known him forever, like she was meant to feel his touch, to be embraced by him. And she most certainly couldn't deny her attraction towards him, it was a bit fuzzy at first but it became crystal clear when her throat ran dry at the sight of the bulging veins on his wrist.

She didn't know it, but he was thinking the exact same thing. He felt a tinge of pride spark inside him, and to his surprise, her blush made his insides do backflips in a way he'd never thought possible, especially when they were triggered by someone he'd know for approximately two minutes. Holding her hand, slipping his fingers under hers to kiss her baby-smooth skin had a certain familiarity and comfort to it, as if he was meant to kiss her until she forgot her own name.

"Did your Padawan get hurt?" He asked, breaking the silence.

"Just a small wound on her arm. She should be out soon." Y/N replied, looking over at the medbay on the other side of the campsite.

"May I walk you there?" He offered with a smile.

"Oh, that's very kind of you, but you really don't have-"

"Please?" He pouted, his puppy eyes twinkling with hope. It was too strong of a weapon for her to refuse.

"Sure." She chuckled at how powerful his pleading expression was.

"After you." He said, stepping back to let her take the lead.

"Such a gentleman, thank you." She smiled, a teenage-like giddiness overtaking her. The feeling only triplicated when he held her hand as she stepped over a rocky area, making sure she didn't trip and get hurt.

...

Years later

The two Jedi laid side by side as they looked up at the night sky, admiring the constellations.

"Look, that one looks like a little kitten!" Anakin giggled, pointing at an outline of starts.

"You're right, it's so cute!" Y/N squealed.

Anakin smiled so hard at her. Her undying love for animals and her kindness towards them only made his heart melt further.

"Hey, do you see those two bright stars over there?" He asked, pointing at a small cluster of twinkling stars.

"Uh-huh." She nodded, looking at him curiously.

"Their names are Altair and Vega," he said, propping himself up on one elbow to look down at her. "And it is said that they were deeply in love, but separated by an entire galaxy."

"Oh..." she said, vocalizing her sympathy.

"But once a year, on the seventh day of the seven month..." he took her hand and held it between his own, the flesh hand drawing small circles on her palm with his thumb. "...Vega cries so hard that all the magpies in the world fly up and make a bridge with their wings, so that the two lovers could be reunited for a single night of passion."

She breathed out, speechless. She fell just a little harder for him, looking into his eyes as his fingertips brushed the hair away from her forehead. "Anakin..."

"Hmm?"

"If you keep doing that, I might just fall in love with you." She said quietly, her doe eyes boring into his.

"Does that scare you?" He asked, running his thumb over the back over her hand again.

"It does," she admitted. "But not enough to avoid it."

"Good. Whatever you're afraid of, we can face together." He smiled gently.

She interlocked their fingers, tilting her head slightly. "Thank you."

"You having nothing to thank me for." He said, giving into the temptation of running his thumb over her bottom lip. "May I kiss you, stardust?"

The nickname sent chills down her spine.

As soon as she let out a "yes", his lips softly met hers.

The feeling was divine. The way his lips would mold with hers, a little unsure, but still so passionate and loving... it was simply Anakin. Everything from his scent, to the taste of his lips, to his Force signature intertwining with hers, it engulfed her like a giant embrace from the universe. It was a comfort she never thought she'd be granted the privilege to feel.

"Maker, you're so beautiful." He breathed out, his hand now caressing her cheek.

This time Y/N was the one to initiate the kiss, now with less hesitation and more firmness, sparks lighting up their skin. Anakin experimented by running his tongue over her bottom lip, at which she let out a silent gasp, then began to open her mouth for him. The kiss deepening only made her insides tremble, and she audibly moaned and buried her fingers in his short hair when he gently suckled on the tip of her tongue.

She laid back down on the ground, pulling him down with her without breaking the kiss. He tentatively rested two hands at her sides, and she only responded by pulling him on top of her, which made him squeal adorably in surprise.

His hands began to roam her upper body, and when his warm flesh hand trailed up from her stomach to her face, grazing her breast and her neck in the process, a wave of anxiety made her stomach churn.

She hurriedly pulled away from the kiss, putting her hands to his chest to create a bit of space between them.

"Hey," Anakin cooed, soft pants escaping his mouth. "You okay, angel?"

"Yeah... no." She sat up as he lifted himself off her, terrified of having made her uncomfortable.

"Sorry, Ani, I... I though I could handle it, but I can't, I'm just not ready yet..." she tried to explain, stuttering over her words. "I want this, I really do, but- but then I felt you touching me and as good as it felt, it freaked me out-"

"Hey, sweetie, it's okay. You don't need to justify yourself." He soothed, smiling to try to comfort her.

"I- I'm sorry, Anakin." She sighed, burying her face in her hands.

"Hey, hey, listen to me, I don't want to hear you apologise, understand?" He said, gently prying her hands away from her face. "I want this, too, but it doesn't have to be now. I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart."

"Do you promise?" She asked.

"I promise." He smiled, squeezing her hand. "Take your time, angel. Whenever you're ready, I'll be right here, yeah?"

She smiled brightly at him, nestling her face in the crook of his neck. "You're amazing."

"You're much more amazing than I am, my angel."

#star wars #star wars x reader #anakin skywalker #anakin skywalker x reader #star wars anakin #tcw anakin #star wars the clone wars #hayden christensen x reader

[thesensteawitch]

WHAT SECRETS ARE KEPT IN YOUR HEART?🫶🏼🌷🫶🏼🌷🫶🏼🌷🫶🏼🌷

Pick A Pile Reading

(Left to Right- Pile 1, Pile 2, Pile 3)

Hey, Senstea Souls! 💘

This is a collective reading. Please take what resonates and leave what doesn't.

Feel free to message me in case you wish to book a tarot reading with me.

Booking Form|Rate Card

Tips are not mandatory but are always appreciated.

Pile 1

Tarot Cards- 5 of Swords, 6 of Swords, 5 of Wands, 8 of Pentacles, Strength, Page of Cups

This is about a dream. Either this pile is a writer or a singer. Maybe both. You are afraid of the competition. You are supposed to release the fear of being seen. Not that you don't want your art to get recognized, but there's something within you that you don't want the world to see. You're afraid to be judged by others. You are afraid that the world won't accept you. But the cards are asking you to show the world the real you. You have great ideas. Your imagination runs wild. The creativity that is burning in your heart can lead you to great success and recognition. Somewhere, you are afraid of the change. You need to speak up. It's time to show the world what you have. Don't create in isolation. Let others be a part of your creative journey too.

Pile 2

Tarot Cards- King of Swords, 7 of Wands, Page of Swords, 7 of Swords, 9 of Swords, Wheel of Fortune, 7 of Cups, The Hierophant

You come off as a logical and intellectual person, but others do not know how indecisive you are. There's so much overthinking going on behind any move you make. You constantly battle to find the right words or make the right choice so that you can free yourself from any bondage. You sometimes wish to find a shortcut to peace, but you know there isn't. You have to make choices and live a life that is an outcome of your will. You truly want to free yourself from the never-ending battle. Your heart seeks peace among this chitter chatter of the world. You are trying to find a way out of a tricky situation. It's advised that you go by the books. Do the right thing. But don't be too rigid, either. I think you really need to talk with someone about your conflicting situation and thoughts.

Pile 3

Tarot Cards- Queen of Pentacles, Page of Pentacles, 7 of Pentacles, Knight of Wands, 6 of Cups, The Tower

You have been working on something for quite a while now. You are patiently waiting to see the results of your work. The good news is that the results are manifesting in your reality. You do wonder, though, why it's slow. I also feel that you are waiting for the connection to revive again, which abruptly went down. You're holding on to hope. I just heard, “Living for the hope of it all." The universe is testing your commitment towards your goals and as a person. There's some sort of nostalgic feeling in your heart. Lately, you have been living in the past a lot. I also see some of you revisiting the past and making sure you don't make the same mistake again in the future. You faced a terrible ending to a connection. The dream you had shattered. And now you clearly see why! Now you seek stability in your life, and you're not impatient anymore. You're okay with taking things slow. The universe is also testing your patience, and you know it. I also see you taking care of your body and spending time in nature. You're really taking care of your heart, pile 3.

#pick a pile tarot #tarot reader #tarot cards #tarot reading #tarot readings #tarotcommunity #pick a pile #pick a pile reading #message for the collective #tarotblr #pac reading #tarot witch #divine messages #angel guardian

[shadowynn]

| in love and lore | six |

pairing: ateez x fem reader

genre: fantasy/daemon/soulmate au

warnings: violence, death, yandere behavior, prejudice against mc. (things are a bit darker towards the end of this chapter)

summary: the daemon king and his seven black generals. names and faces of these eight had changed over the years as each new king was crowned, but their reputation as the most powerful daemons always remained the same. upon hearing the rumors one of the seven led the charge of the nearby battle, you should have stayed close to the encampment. you should have never wandered out on your own. but you did, and your life would never be the same again. good or bad, you would just have to wait to find out.

“There’s no need to be afraid, angel.” His words were a breath against the side of your neck. “You’ve done so much for us, let your king now return the favor.”

wordcount: 14.6k

| five | six | seven |

a/n: so, I knew this chapter was going to be long when i first wrote it, but it still ended up much longer than anticipated. oops. but this really is one of my favorites so far (though i have come to learn editing long chapters can be a pain) and hope you all enjoy this too! as always, all feedback is appreciated and loved. even if i don't reply, i read each and every comment and they always make me smile. :) the support for the series so far has been so sweet and i appreciate you all so, so much.

~

You had expected someone to wake you up the following morning, but found it was nearly midday when you rolled out of bed. The sun had long since reached its peak in the sky when you stepped outside, stretching out the kinks in your muscles. Just like Mingi had said, another Black General sat at the table near the entrance. He was scanning over a stack of papers, taking notes every so often in the margins, but looked up when he heard the tent rustling upon your exit.

You shuffled under his gaze, hovering near the entrance. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sleep so late.”

“Don’t worry about.” He waved your concern away, offering a smile in an attempt to ease your discomfort. “You’ve had a rough past few days and I’m sure the extra sleep was needed. If we had need of you, we would have woken you earlier.” Not only was he as attractive like the ones before, with streaks of red in his hair, but he was tall too. His figure towered over yours when he stood up to pull out the chair next to him and motioned for you to come over when he noticed you holding back. “But, please, come eat. We can head over to the infirmary when you’re ready.”

You were hesitant to take the seat, finding the act of someone pulling your seat out for you strange and foreign. Sure, Hyunwoo had done it for you a time or two, but only on special occasions such as your birthday, and even then it had been done in a half-teasing manner. But there was no hint of mockery in his stance, and he simply smiled at you once more.

He was gentle as you took the seat, pushing you forward and moving the full plate of food left on the table in front of you before returning to his seat. “I’m Yunho, by the way. It’s nice to meet you, angel.”

He stayed with you for the next few hours, leading you throughout the grounds just as Mingi had done the day before. He was less talkative than Mingi had been, and even more so whenever you tried to press him for answers, giving the same stupid excuses as all the others. You would just have to wait until you met with Hongjoong. When this meeting would actually take place, however, no one would say for sure. The only answer they gave was soon. You just had to be patient.

When the sun began to set, Yunho guided you back to the tent to eat and retire for the night, but it wasn’t just food that awaited you upon your return. Several daemons hung around the table when you approached behind Yunho, and you were quick to notice the black horns on each of them. Wooyoung and Seonghwa had made a return, as well as two others you had yet to meet, but were quickly introduced as San and Jongho.

Their presence was overwhelming. The aura of just one of them was intimidating as it was; the raw power each them held was nothing like anyone you had met before, and it all combined was nearly suffocating. But as oppressive as it felt, there was an inkling of contentment hidden beneath. The hollowness that had plagued you since Seonghwa had placed the mark on you had almost been filled, as though the part of you that had burned away had come back. For the first time in a while, you almost felt whole.

You grew accustomed to them quicker than you liked, no longer quite so tense every second you were forced to spend with them. You didn’t like them, and you hardly trusted them, but the nerves that had plagued you in the beginning began to dissipate with each day. You didn’t know what was to become of you, but the kindness they treated you with and the warmth that bloomed in your chest each time you saw one of them made you all the more confused and gave you all the more reason to keep your guard up.

Your time with them was vastly different than back in the city. You were under constant supervision by at least one of the Seven at all times, but they were much more lax with your work. No one ever woke you in the morning, allowing you to sleep as late as you wish and start work on your own time. And when you did work, no one dared to raise their voice or insult you. Your identity of being the Black Angel had become well known, and though discovering you were a half-daemon was a shock to them, it didn’t bother them as much as you had expected. Whether this was because they were actually grateful for what you had done, your constant guard, or both, it was hard to tell.

Hongjoong was oddly missing during the time you spent with them. While his generals were always more than happy to accompany you anywhere and everywhere - as long as it was inside their camp, that is - you had yet to even sneak a peek at their golden king. Despite the orders he gave towards you through them, he had remained out of sight for the time being. And though a part of you was itching to ask them when you would finally get to meet him and get the answers you desperately wanted, it was a different matter altogether to actually ask. Not when you weren’t even certain that he even was their king.

Yeosang was also gone more often than not, spending the majority of the time with Hongjoong in the city while you were left at camp. You had seen him once or twice, and the sight of his gleaming black horns had made your stomach twist. A painful reminder of the lies he had told you and the act he had committed in your name. He approached you once on your second morning, but was quick to pick up on your frustration in his attempt to strike up a conversation and kept his distance after that. The look he had given you as he went, so similar to that as a wounded puppy, had made your stomach twist once more. As though the fact he had hurt you had wounded him just as badly.

They had claimed you would stay with them until they had no further use of you. You had assumed this usefulness was in your healing abilities, but Mingi’s statements upon your arrival the first day had worried you. Leaving you with the fear your use to them was more than your ability, a thought that clung closer to you each day you remained here. Despite having attended to the remainder of their soldiers in the evening of your third day there, there was no inclination of sending you back from from Yunho when you arose the following morning.

And with no work at the moment, you were left with little else to do besides amuse yourself with your current guard. You had just finished lunch and was doodling on the back of one of the papers Yunho had been reading over when you had asked him for one. Though the two of you had settled into a relatively comfortable silence, you saw the way his eyes darted in your direction every so often to look at the random sketches you had done, especially the rough sketch you had done of him from your boredom in the top corner.

Your eyes glanced up when you felt the presence of another general, but it was the person who was with him that caught your eyes and had your breath hitching.

The pencil dropped from your hands and before Yunho could ask what was wrong, you were up from your seat and sprinting in their direction.

“Hyunwoo!” You called out your brother’s name and his head was quick to turn in your direction with just enough time to recognize you before you barreled straight into him. He caught you easily, arms wrapping around your body with the same force you had captured him with. “I was so worried about you. They said you were okay, but I still couldn’t help but wonder, you know? They didn’t lie, right? You’re not hurt?” The words came out in a single breath, rushing to voice the worry you had felt towards his and Soomin’s wellbeing in your absence. “And what about Minnie? Is she safe too?”

“We’re fine.” He pushed back the hands that had been running across his figure to check for wounds, brining your eyes back up to his face when you were satisfied he spoke the truth. “But what about you? Are you okay? Soomin and I were so worried when Suho informed us you had been taken.”

“I’m fine. I’ve just been sent here to heal their wounded for them.” You waved back his concern, knowing it was well placed with where you had been the past few days, but more worried about what had happened to him and your sister since you had last seen them. “What about you two? What happened to you?”

“We were ordered back to the house after the ceasefire was called. We’ve been there ever since, though I was called out for a task in the forge this morning before being brought here.”

His eyes flickered to Jongho, who you had yet to process was standing there next to you until that moment, his expression unreadable as he observed the exchange between the two of you.

You didn’t know how you felt about Jongho. While you had waved away Wooyoung’s and Seonghwa’s teasing comments about him the first night, you had quickly realized there had been some truth in them. He was quieter than the others. Almost bashful when it came to you, but a welcome relief to the way some of the others acted. You knew it very well could have just been an act to get you to drop your guard even more than you already had, but you still preferred his company more than the others, appreciating the silence that surrounded the two of you when you were alone.

“But you are okay, right, y/n? They haven’t done anything to you, have they?”

You shook your head, suddenly self-conscious under Jongho’s inquisitive gaze, wondering what thoughts might have been running through his mind at the moment. “No, I’ve been treated quite kindly since my arrival.”

“Don’t worry, your sister is safe here with us.” Jongho broke the silence, a hint of a smile breaking through as he added to your words.

“Woo, this is Jongho.” You pulled away from your brother, conscious of the way his and Jongho’s eyes kept glancing between each other. “Jongho, this is my brother Hyunwoo.” You knew there was a good chance the two had already become acquainted, but you felt the need to break the silence that had settled between you and it was the first thing you could come up with. “Is there a reason he’s here?”

Now that you were over your excitement of seeing your brother, the anxiety of what he was doing here began to settle inside you and whether or not you were the cause behind it. Jongho had been your guard the day before and had been curious about the dagger you had been using in the infirmary. He had asked to see it that night at dinner, testing out the design for himself. He had praised the workmanship of it, asking if it had also been your brother who had designed the arrowhead that had wounded Seonghwa when you had explained your brother had created it. You had been hesitant to answer his question, but you hadn’t sensed any hostility in his tone. Now, you wondered if you had made a mistake in telling him the truth and that your foolishness had gotten your brother in trouble.

“Hongjoong sent for him. He had a task for your brother earlier this morning and though you might enjoy having your brother accompany you back to your house to get ready for the ball this-“

“Wait, wait, wait,” you interrupted. Any relief you might have felt towards knowing Hyunwoo was was safe for the time being and you would finally get to go home immediately masked by the statement he had made towards your attendance of the masquerade. “I’m attending?”

You had first heard about the event at dinner when you had returned with Yunho that second night with them. It had been San who had first mentioned it, having given up his seat at the table for you to sit, and the first to inform Yunho of what he had missed in the peace talks that day. He had explained it was an event meant to try and lessen the tension built up from the war, but the knowing looks he had exchanged with the others, and the smirk Wooyoung had been unable to hide, had you doubting their words.

The only other mentions of it had been in passing; one general asking another if the proper preparations had been completed or not. While you held some curiosity towards the event, you never bothered questioning them on it. Your attendance was something you never considered, so you never had a reason to question them. The guest list had been reserved to a higher class, much higher than your own, and even if it hadn’t been, no one had extended an invitation your way. And you hadn’t cared. You had absolutely no desire to spend an entire evening surrounded by a crowd of people who would just serve to make your life as miserable as possible.

“Why wouldn’t you?” Yunho must have not trusted you when you had run off without a word and followed you over, his sudden response to your question making you jump. You hadn’t heard him approach. “It wouldn’t be a party without you, angel.”

“Oh, well, um, thank you for the offer, but I don’t really think me going is a good idea.”

Your head tilted, shuffling as a new form of panic bloomed inside you. They expected you to attend? It wasn’t because you hated social events, but rather just events filled with people who hated you. The thought of it sounded more like hell than a party in your mind, and you could only imagine what sort of hell would actually be raised when the humans realized you were there. Did they not realize that you would get kicked out faster than you could explain you had actually been invited. And that was only if you actually got in.

“Ah, but you see-“ Yunho’s reply was cut off short, and while you had found it strange the first few times it had happened to him and the others, you had quickly come to realize it was Hongjoong who was doing it. Apparently you weren’t the only one who he had taken control of before and was now acutely aware he was observing the scene between the four of you and Yunho had been about to say something he wasn’t supposed to. “We’re aware of how some humans might respond to your presence, but you don’t have to worry about them. We’ll make sure nothing happens to you while you’re there. You’re safe with us, remember?”

You just barely caught the tail end of his eyes fading back to black as you turned your head, another sign you had quickly come to discover meant it wasn't actually Yunho who you had just been speaking to. And like always, you had a hard time fighting the urge to glare up at him, hoping Hongjoong would see your frustration. He was more than perfectly content communicating with you through the others, but remained steadfast in staying away from you at the moment. If it wasn't for the fact he was the only one allowed to give you answers, you wouldn't have cared. And though meeting with him still terrified you, you were antsy for that time to come. The unsurety of you fate was starting to drive you crazy.

"Yes, you've all stated that several times now." Your arms crossed, unable to hide the frustration that came with the phrase they had been repeating over and over again the past few days. "But I still don't think it's a good idea. And even if it was, It's not like I have anything to wear." You really couldn't have cared less about what you did wear, but knew the few items in your wardrobe would pale in comparison to anything else the other attendees would be wearing, causing you to stick out even more than your normal presence would have already.

"Don't worry. We've already thought of that and you'll find clothes for you and your siblings were delivered to your house this morning."

"Why?" Once again the question that had plagued your life the past few weeks popped out, more than thoroughly confused as to why your attendance seemed so important to them.

"To thank you for everything you've done, angel."

"And we've been over this a million times. I didn't save Seonghwa and the others because I wanted some sort of payment. I didn't ask for you to repay me. I don't need you to repay me."

You sighed, running a hand through your hair at the lies they continued to tell you. After all, if they truly wanted to thank you for what you had done, they would let you sit this one out. But they weren't. And if Yunho's earlier statement hadn't been proof enough for there being some hidden agenda - what had he been going to say? - then their insistence of you attending was. What that agenda might have been, you hadn't a clue, but there had to be one. This wasn't them showing you gratitude for saving Seonghwa's life, you knew that, but until Hongjoong decided he would talk with you, you had no choice but to play their game. Your very life might depend on it.

"And I'm not saying this because I'm not thankful for what you've done for me. I am, truly. But you've already thanked me enough. You don't have to keep doing this. You've done more than enough to return the favor and then some. Just let it go, let me go, and we can all move along with out lives."

"I know this has all been confusing for you, y/n, but will you let us do this one last thing?" Yunho's gaze had softened, unfazed by your ranting as he raised a hand to the side of your face. "I promise things will start to make a lot more sense after tonight. Just hold on for us a bit longer, will you, angel?"

You wanted to disagree, but one look was all it took for you to know nothing you did or said would change either his or Jongho's mind on the matter. You could try all you wanted in convincing them to let you be, but nothing you said or did would change the end result. It would just be wasted time and breath.

"Sure, whatever." It's not like I have a choice.

You had to bite your tongue to keep the last statement from coming out. While you had some leniency when it came to them - you sure as hell didn't see anyone else talk to them in the same manner you just had - you didn't want to take the chance at possibly putting yourself in a worse position than you already were because you couldn't hold your tongue.

"What the hell is going on, n/n?" Hyunwoo asked when the two generals finally let you leave with your brother. "Angel? Really?"

"Welcome to my life for the past few weeks," you grumbled, arms crossing as you did your best to hide the blush his callout of one of the nicknames they had all given you had created. You hadn't put too much thought into it though. It was nothing more than a playful reference they made to your previous hidden identity. "I keep trying to figure out what's going on and what they're planning to do with me, but they won't answer any of my damn questions. It's all just 'Hongjoong will explain everything to you later,' but Hongjoong seems to have a keep interest in avoiding me at the moment."

You briefly wondered if you should be more careful with what you said about him, just in case he was still spying on you, but you brushed the concern off as soon as it came. Perhaps if you made him angry enough, he would finally come talk to you.

"He has no problem spying on me and telling the others, 'Oh, y/n is exhausted so let her sleep,' or 'y/n's not supposed to hear that yet, so talk about something else.' It's all been Hongjoong this and Hongjoong that, but oh, no. You just need to have some patience. He doesn't want to talk to you right now. And why's that, huh? Because it would be a crime for the daemon king to be seen with a fucking mutt?"

"Are you sure you should be talking about him in that manner?" Hyunwoo's voice had lowered, eyes sweeping the general area to check and see if you had been overheard.

"Oh, trust me. He would have heard me if he wanted to. Did I forget to mention that he's in my fucking head?" You groaned, half regretting what you had just said, but also half hoping he had actually heard it. All of it. "They won't go into any specifics with it, but I'm pretty sure he already knows exactly how frustrated I am with all of this. He has access to my brain whenever he wants, after all."

"He can read your thoughts?"

"According to them, it's a little more complicated than that, but who's to say they're just not telling me the truth to keep me from freaking out more than I am already." You shrugged, letting out another exhausted sigh. It felt nice to finally be able to get your emotions out. To finally release all your frustrations after keeping them in for so long. "To be honest, I'm starting to think this is just some sort of game they're playing. That this nice exterior they've shown me is just a front for something more sinister. Now that they've gotten use of my ability, they'll embarrass me in front of everyone tonight for being stupid enough to believe someone like me could actually be something more in life. Why else would they be doing all of this?"

"I don't know." Hyunwoo's words were still soft as he wrapped an arm around your shoulder, doing his best to calm you down for the time being. "As crazy as it seems, I don't think their motive is anything sinister. I spent quite a bit of time with Jongho this morning, and I didn't get any ulterior motives from him. He just seemed genuinely curious about how my ability worked and even asked if he could see some of my previous work. And when he mentioned you, there was genuine warmth there. If you ask me, I think they really are grateful for what you've done for them, they just have a bad way of showing it."

"Maybe, but does it even matter?" You weren't sure how Hyunwoo's words made you feel. Unsure if them actually being grateful for you like they said was a better outcome than your own demise. "I don't know what they plan on doing with me, but the only good outcome that can come out of this is them finally letting me go. And based on what I've heard, I have a hard time believing that will happen." You sighed once more, wishing you had listened to your sister all those years ago and put your own wellbeing before people you didn't even know. "And now I've got you and Soomin wrapped into this as well. Minnie told me countless times to be careful and of how dangerous it was for me to be going out, but I just always thought the worst thing that would happen would be me dying. I never imagined something like this would happen. I just wanted to help people, but I only ended up managing to hurt the people I care about instead."

"It'll be okay, n/n. We'll get through this together." Hyunwoo's grip tightened, pulling you closer to him. "They offered you answers tonight, right? So we just have to make it through this silly party and then maybe you'll finally figure out what they plan on doing with you."

"I swear, Woo, if we somehow all make it out of this one alive, the next time you or Soomin warn me against doing something incredibly stupid, I'll listen. No ifs or buts."

Despite the situation, Hyunwoo laughed, the sound of it slowly easing the tension and fear that had been eating you up the past few days. "Well, if that's the case, you'll have to tell her that yourself. I'm sure Minnie would love to hear it."

"So she can hold it against me forever? Yeah, no thanks." You couldn't stop the giggle that came at his reply, playfully shoving him to the side, a sense of normalcy settling on you once more. For just a short moment, you were able to forget about the war and the daemons. For just a minute you could fool yourself into thinking it had all been one long dream.

But it all came crashing back down the moment you saw the dress the daemons had given you for the night's event.

If you didn’t think you were going to die beforehand, you sure as hell did now. Whether it would be at the hands of the humans, the daemons, or simply sheer embarrassment, you didn’t know. But you did know you wouldn’t be making it through the night unscathed. That was a given.

When Yunho had mentioned the clothes they had gotten you and your siblings for the ball that night, you had expected something similar to the dress presented to your sister. Something of high quality and beautiful, but simple enough to fit in with the rest of the crowd and not drive any unwarranted attention your way. You hadn’t expected something that would cause you to stand out more than if you had just been forced to wear one of the few dresses in your closet.

While Soomin’s was a deep maroon, yours was a bright, dazzling gold. The top was fitted, with a high neckline that crossed just below your collarbone in the front and let a small second of skin between your breasts bare alongside the entirety of your back. The skirt billowed out beneath your waist, and though loose and light with a slit that reached your upper thigh, still gave you enough cause for concern on what to do if you needed to run.

If the attention the style and color of the dress would bring didn’t make you uncomfortable already, the slit at your chest did. It wasn’t just because it showed more skin than you were used to showing - hell, you hardly even wore dresses, let alone something form fitting - but that it left the top half of the king’s sigil on your chest bared and exposed for anyone to see.

Soomin had attempted to alleviate some of your discomfort by reminding you it was a masquerade, but any relief the mask might have brought left as quickly as it came when you unwrapped the mask that had come with the dress. It was pure gold, melded and worked into an intricate design though extremely beautiful, did little to hide any of your discerning features. When Hyunwoo stopped behind you, you were quick to realize this was the task he had been requested for earlier that morning. You could see your brother’s gentle touch in the shape, and realized now why Jongho had been so curious about his ability.

But as beautiful as the piece was and as proud as it made you that even the daemons saw and appreciated your brother’s skill, you still regretted having to wear a mask that did nothing to hide your identity. If you weren’t certain of the daemon’s hidden agenda before, you were now. With a dress that screamed for attention all on its own and a mask that did little to hide your identity, they had to have something planned for you tonight. They wouldn’t have just dressed you up in something like this to simply thank you.

If it wasn’t for the fact Soomin and Hyunwoo would be at your side, you didn’t think you would have the courage to go. You had already tried to talk them out of making you go, begging for them to excuse your absence with being sick - the nerves bundled in your stomach definitely made you feel sick. But you knew it was pointless. Even if you did convince everyone to stay home, you knew it would be next to impossible. If they didn’t simply send someone to fetch you, Hongjoong could force you there on his own. And if it came to that, you weren’t sure how they might retaliate, afraid you would only risk your own life as well as your siblings.

Soomin did your hair, pulling and twisting it in a way that left the majority up and out of your face while leaving enough down to cover the tips of your ears. While this might have been enough for her to appear human in public, your luck of inheriting your father’s daemon eyes prevented you from easily blending in the way she could. And though she commented how pretty you looked, you couldn’t wish more than ever your eyes would suddenly appear human when she handed you the mirror. It didn’t matter how pretty you might have looked, all anyone had ever seen, or would ever see, were your slit pupils.

The trouble began before you even got inside the palace. Your cloak, once again mended and whole thanks to Soomin, was wrapped tightly against your body. Partially to keep out the brisk, autumn air and partially to keep the dress and mark hidden from view as long as possible. It did nothing to hide your identity, as an invitation with your names had come alongside the clothes given to you. The moment you walked up to the entrance and handed over the card, the guard eyed each of you with disdain.

It didn’t matter that he knew you were the people listed on the card and the guest list in his hands, the fact you were half-daemons had him convinced you were attempting to sneak inside and cause mayhem. For why would the council or the daemon king ever see fit to invite a bunch of mutts to an event that was meant to reign peace between them.

Though his actions struck a nerve with you, you were relieved all the same, hoping the commotion would be enough to send you all back to your house and avoid any further incidents. But just as you opened your mouth to convince the others to drop it and return home, a daemon guard approached your small group.

The human’s face blanched as the guard addressed you and your siblings in a cordial manner before quickly reprimanding him for offending the king’s personal guests. You didn’t know what part of the interaction made your stomach knot tighter. What might happen to the guard due to his mistake or the way the daemon spoke to you as he motioned you inside. The casualness of how he mentioned the king and his generals ‘eagerly awaited your appearance inside’ had you clutching the cloak all the more tightly around your body.

Unfortunately, you only had the safety of your cloak for a few moments longer. The moment you made it inside, a servant was asking to take it for you. And if you weren’t so terrified of revealing what laid beneath, you might have taken the time to note how strange it was to be treated like someone of a higher class for once in your life. You attempted to keep the cloak, shying away from their hands. The thought of taking it off and revealing the dress underneath made you terribly self-conscious, but when Soomin pointed out it might only attract more trouble, you hesitantly shrugged it off, shivering as the breeze from outside hit your skin.

You could already feel the eyes of the surrounding servants and guests milling around the antechamber as the golden dress was exposed. Your arms immediately wrapped around your chest and you hovered behind Hyunwoo is in shadow as the doors to the main hall were opened and you were ushered all the way inside.

You had been inside the castle of Maehwa before, often being asked to make personal calls to attend to any aches and pains of the council members and their families, but you were still left in awe at the scene before you. They had held balls and parties numerous times in the main hall of the castle, but they had never been anything but a fantasy for someone like you. Never before had you dared to so much as peek into one of these events, let alone actually be invited to one. And despite the events that had led up to this occasion, you couldn’t help but let a small smile sneak it’s way out as you took in the scene before you.

The main chandelier had been kept unlit, leaving the ones along the side as the only source of light besides the lanterns scattered amongst the room. It gave the scene a slightly eerie appearance from the way the shadows of the attendees danced along the way, but held a sense of enchantment all the same. Music filled the air from a small orchestra playing in a corner of the lower floor, while tables for food and drinks had been set up on the opposite end. And though the center of the main floor had been cleared for dancing, not many people occupied the space.

You strayed at the top of the staircase next to your siblings, taking in the sight of something that felt right out of a fantasy for you. And yet, here you were, dressed for the occasion in an outfit that was worth more than your own life. The gold glittered in the firelight, sending scattered beads of light dancing across the floors and walls it reflected off of. You might have been able to blend in well enough if you had been dressed in something more conservative. But the dramatic cut of the dress stuck out just as much as the color, influenced by the daemon’s style of clothing. There was no hiding in it, and already you could feel the gaze of the crowd around you, certain they were talking about you in hushed whispers amongst themselves.

You did your best to ignore them, fingers grasping for Hyunwoo’s forearm as you peeled past his shoulder to the scene below. A group was gathered at the base of the opposite staircase, set apart from the rest of the crowd that killed around. It didn’t take long to realize this was where the daemons had set up, recognizing the faces of the Seven behind their black masks. While you had always seen them handsome in their own way - something you would have never admitted out loud - it was even more evident tonight in the way they had cleaned up. Loose fitting shirts and leathers had been replaced with black formal attire, and the hair you always fought the urge to straighten out was slick and combed back.

An odd weight settled inside your chest as you observed them from across the room, tugging at you to go and free them. While the emptiness you had felt since the mark had been placed had nearly disappeared in your time with them the past few days, it had come back worse than ever when you had left with Hyunwoo. You had taken the tightness as nerves for the night’s events, but if that was the case, it should have worsened upon finally seeing them, not filled you with a bubbling sense of warmth and relief.

Whatever you thought of it though, disappeared when you took notice of the new face amongst the group. Even if it wasn’t for the way the lights glittered off the golden horns and crown that adorned his hair, you would have known who he was. Despite never seeing him before, you knew without a doubt this was Hongjoong. This was the daemon king.

He was breathtaking. Not that you had imagined him to be anything else. Not with the way each of his generals looked, but the sight of him still made your heart skip alongside a sharp intake of breath. Even with the distance and the golden mask - it’s twisted, metal shape that oddly seemed to mimic your own making you distinctly aware that this had been the other mask Hyunwoo had created - that hid his face, you knew he was just as attractive as the others. The way he was laughing at something Seonghwa had whispered to him making your stomach flip. Whether this was in awe, fear, or a mixture of both, you weren’t sure.

As though he knew you were looking at him - which very well could have been the case for all you knew - his head tilted up to the top of the staircase where you stood, eyes immediately locking onto your figure hiding behind your brother.

Hello, angel.

There was a hint of playfulness in his tone and you swore you could see a smirk cross his lips as the words echoed inside your head. If it weren’t for the fact he was actually there across the room, you might have felt some frustration over the fact this was the moment he finally decided to break his silence with you. Instead, it merely made your nerves spike and your heart skip another beat, each causing you to swiftly hide your face behind Hyunwoo’s back as a wave of heat flooded your body.

“I think I might go out to the balcony and get some air.”

Your words came out breathless, face hot and chest heavy as the situation you were in came rushing back. The awe of the scene that had killed you began to fade as those golden eyes seemed to pierce into your very being in that split second you had caught onto them. The words which had followed only confirmed it had been you he had looked at.

Now that you were finally seeing him, you wondered why you had ever dared to utter your frustrations towards him earlier. You might have wanted to meet him over the past few days, eager for just a hint of what was truly going on, but one look was all it took to make you weak. One look and you were ready to turn and run. The thought of having to get any closer than you already were nearly shook you to your core.

“But, y/n, you’ll freeze out there,” Hyunwoo replied, both he and Soomin oblivious to what had just happened. “Why don’t I just fetch us some drinks and we can find some dark corner to hide in for the rest of the night.”

“That sounds great, Woo. We’ll be over there,” Soomin voiced her agreement before you could voice any complaint you might have had, and dragged you over to an empty spot against the railing obscured by shadows.

“I don’t think I can do this, Min.” You leaned against the nearby pillar, trying your best to calm your anxiety as you purposefully positioned yourself so you weren’t facing him or the others anymore. “Everyone’s looking and I just know they’re talking. I can feel their judgement on the back of my neck.

“I know, but it’s just a few hours.” Soomin’s hand grabbed yours, squeezing it softly. “They did promise you answers if you came tonight, didn’t they?”

“That’s what Yunho said, but how do I know he wasn’t just lying to get me here tonight? What if it’s all just some scheme to pull me in and slit my throat?”

You gulped, unable to stop every worst case scenario from flooding your mind. Now that you were here, none of the options for how you saw this night going seemed very favorable. And even if you did succeed in getting the answers you yearned for, who’s to say they would even be anything you wanted to hear? And then, you would have to get close to Hongjoong to get them, a feat you didn’t know was possible or not.

“Did you see him, Min? He was so…” you paused, struggling to find the right word to describe how exactly he felt, “intense.”

“He’s something, that’s for sure.” Soomin nodded, observing him from across the room. “I can feel all of their auras from across the room. It’s…” she shivered, turning her gaze away, “uncomfortable.”

“Like you’re caught in a trap with no way out.” You struggled to suppress your own shiver, fully aware of what she was talking about. You may have grown used to their presence after the past few days, but the intensity had grown with the king in attendance.

Soomin nodded. “Though, it seems to do little to suppress Hayoon and the twins from fawning over him and the others.” Her lip twitched as she propped her elbows against the railing, a hint of a smile appearing as she watched them. “I wonder if they’re doing it on their own accord or if their parents put them up to it.”

Her statement caught you off guard and you turned back around to peek past the pillar to look for yourself. Sure enough, Hayoon and the twins, Sunhee and Yunhee, had crept as close to the daemons as possible. None of them so much as trying to hide their intentions as they did their best to catch the attention of one of the daemons beside them and wriggle their way inside.

You had very few interactions with the three girls over the years, but the few you had, had never been pleasant, making the scene with the woman at the infirmary a week ago nearly pale in comparison. The fact each girl had seemed to have suddenly put aside their dislike towards anything daemon because of a few pretty faces had you more frustrated than you had been when Wooyoung had first mentioned their attempt.

“I heard the council is trying to convince the daemons into a marriage union,” you replied, fighting the frustration that rose back up at the scene. “Funny how they don’t seem to mind daemon’s so much when they’re not the ones with the power. Do you think they realize what sort of children they’ll bear or do they magically think they’ll come out human?”

“And what are we talking about over here?” Hyunwoo had returned with the drinks, handing a glass to the both of you as his eyes attempted to follow your line of sight.

“Hayoon and the twins,” Soomin replied, pointing over towards them. “Apparently the humans are trying to secure a marriage alliance with the daemons, so there they are. Making an utter fool of themselves. I only wish I could hear what they’re actually saying.”

“Probably something about how hard it is to be the daughter of someone so high and respectable,” you huff, lips tilting upwards a smidge at the thought. They could try all they wanted to get the daemons’ attention, but you had heard enough over the past few days to know the marriage alliance was never happening.

“Or how difficult it is to find a respectable man in these times and day. All these men only seem to want to marry them for their money and stays. No one truly cares about who they are or how they feel. I mean, really? Who would ever do such a thing?”

You couldn’t hold back the giggle that popped out as Soomin followed your lead, quickly masking it with a hand to your mouth. The fact each girl was failing miserably at catching their attention only added to your amusement. And while the past few days had been strange and unnerving, you couldn’t help but wonder what sort of reaction you could pull out of them if they had known you had spent the past four days accompanied by them and each of them knew you by name.

“Oh, did they finally get a catch?” Hyunwoo asked, leaning over the railing to get a better look as one of the Seven, who you thought might have been San, whispered something into the king’s ear before breaking free from their group.

This immediately caught the attention of the three girls nearby, but any joy they might have felt fell when he passed them by without so much as a glance in their direction. You had little time to relish the disappointment that crossed their faces as San climbed the stairs behind them and began making his way in what appeared to be your direction.

You had no time to hide other than to attempt to obscure yourself in Hyunwoo’s shadows once more, turning your back towards him and hoping he would simply pass you by as he had done with them. Your attempts were in vain, however, as mere seconds later he drew close to your group and called you out by that ridiculous nickname they had given you.

You couldn’t stop the curse that slipped out from under your breath, nearly spitting out the sip of wine you had just taken and doing your best to compose yourself before he got too close.

“What are you doing up here hiding in a corner, pretty?” He peered around Hyunwoo’s shoulder, his smile playful as he caught your eyes. They didn’t stay long, straying for only a second or two before trailing downwards to fully take in your figure.

“Exactly what it looks like. I’m trying to stay inconspicuous.” You fidgeted under his gaze, arms crossing against your chest as you noticed the sets of eyes that had followed San’s movements to this point. Even Hayoon and the others had given up their antics for the time being to see what he was up to and who he might have been conversing with. “Which you’re not helping with by the way.”

“These must be your siblings.” San ignored your attempt at sending him away, turning to your siblings standing beside you. “Soomin and Hyunwoo, was it? It’s lovely to meet you both.”

“Likewise,” Soomin murmured, eyes glancing towards you as he smiled at her.

“Do you need something?” Your words pulled his attention back towards you, nearly shivering at the way his gaze shifted. You didn’t like that he was here meeting them. It felt strange, as though two different sides of your life was converging. As though he was wriggling his way into your private life.

“I happen to love dancing, angel, and am in search of the perfect partner.”

The inflection in his tone made you nervous and you swiftly shook your head, eyes widening. “No.”

“C’mon, pretty. You can’t just hide up here the whole time. Who will dance with me if you do?” He pouted, but his eyes were still teasing. “Please?”

“San, I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“You do realize that us just being here is akin to a taboo, don’t you? I can’t imagine what sort of hell you’ll raise if someone like you dances with me.” Your words were hushed, trying not to draw any more attention your way than there already was. The only reason you had yet to have anyone approach you was most likely due to the fact you had yet to be properly identified. Because the last person anyone would expect to be the girl dressed in gold was you. “If you want to make friends with the humans, you have to leave me alone. Go dance with Hayoon. I’m sure she would be dying to based on the way she’s been flaunting herself over there.”

“But I don’t want to dance with her, I want to dance with you.” He pouted, tilting his head, but his eyes were still playful. “And if that’s the best excuse you have, then, well, I’d say this place could use a little hell.” He grabbed the drink from your hand and took a sip of his own before placing it on a nearby table and grabbing hold of your wrist. “If you don’t mind, I’ll be borrowing your lovely sister here for a few moments.” He bowed his head in their direction and dragged you away before either of them could object.

“San!” you whined, trying to pull him back as the panic began to build inside the pit of your stomach once more. “I don’t even know how to dance. I’ll only embarrass you.”

“Don’t worry, angel, I’m a great teacher.” He looked back, a smug smile set on his face and completely unfazed by your second attempt to get him to stop. “Just follow my lead and you’ll be fine. I promise.”

You were left with no choice but to follow after him, bunching up your skirt in your free hand as he led you down the stairs towards the dance floor. If you didn’t have the entire room’s attention on you beforehand, you sure as hell did now. Everyone was bound to be wondering just who had drawn one of the Seven out onto the dance floor.

But as much as the humans’ curiosity unnerved you, it was nothing compared to the gaze of the other daemons. You made the mistake of glancing in their direction just once as San guided you to the center of the floor and immediately regretted it. Now that you were closer to them than before, you were acutely aware of the way their eyes had latched onto your figure next to San. Another wave of heat ran through your body as your eyes ran past each of them and you wondered just how exactly you were going to get out of this night alive, let alone in one piece.

“San, I really don’t think this is a good idea.” Your hands were shaking as he guided the left onto his shoulder. It was bad enough this was your first time dancing, let alone with someone else, but the eyes that watched you made it all the worse. You didn’t care what San had said, this was only going to lead to embarrassment on your part.

“Nonsense, just relax, will you, sweetheart?” His other hand wrapped around your waist, and you couldn’t suppress the gasp he elicited from you when he used his grip on you to pull you in close. “I’ll be doing all the hard work here. Just take a deep breath, relax, and let me lead you, angel.”

That was much easier said than done, but his grip on you was secure. Though you stumbled a few times in the beginning, he always pulled you into the next movement without skipping a beat. And while the ease of his movements did lessen your panic, the attention the action pulled was enough to keep you on edge. You didn’t know where to look. San’s face was completely out of the question with the smug smirk that was plastered there, but the onlookers, especially the daemons, weren’t any better. Eventually, you settled on his jawline, trying hard to not accidentally step on his toes, a feat you had somehow managed to avoid for the time being.

“See, it’s not so bad is it?” His voice was a breath against your ear.

“Everyone’s staring,” you mumbled back, risking a glance behind him and regretting it immediately. If you weren’t so terrified of San or the reaction it would pull from him, you would have just biting your head into the crook of his neck to avoid seeing all of them.

“That’s because of you, angel. Everyone’s wondering just who the pretty girl in the golden dress is.” He chuckled at the way his statement made your cheeks tint, but he didn’t stop there, continuing before you had the chance to rebuke him. “Which you look absolutely ravishing in, by the way. I knew you would when I saw the dress, but damn.” He sighed, fingers tightening against your waist and pulling you flush against him.

If it wasn’t for the music filling the hall, you were afraid he would have heard how fast your heart was now beating. And given the position you were in, you did bury your face into his neck this time, not wanting him to see the effect his words had on you. At the chuckle that reverberated through his chest, however, you knew your actions had hidden absolutely nothing.

“You’re doing great, angel. I think it’s time for you to try a spin.”

“No.” You pulled your head back out, shaking it quickly as a new wave of desperation filled you. You were barely hanging on as it was. Complicating things more than they already were was only a guarantee you would mess up. “Don’t do it, San, I swear-“ But your words were cut off when he ignored your pleas once more and did it anyways.

His grip on your hand was secure, keeping you from stumbling as he spun you around, the motion of your movement causing the fabric of your skirt to swirl around you, casting the nearby area in a sparkle of lights.

“Please, don’t do that again.” You tightened your hold on him when he pulled you back in, breathless by the act. It wasn’t quite as terrifying as you had expected, especially because you had managed it successfully, but you felt much more secure with both of his hands on you.

He laughed, pulling you back into him, a move you could only hope meant he would oblige to your request this time around.

It felt like an eternity, but the song eventually fell to a close and San seemed content with one dance for the time being. You were quick to excuse yourself before he could think to take you over to the others, claiming you needed the bathroom when in actuality you headed outside to one of the upper balconies in front a desperate need for some air.

Grabbing another glass of wine on the way, you were relieved to find an empty spot near the opposite end of the room overlooking the courtyard down below. With winter fast approaching, the majority of the attendees remained inside, but the cool air felt refreshing against the heat the dance had built up inside you, and you leaned against the nearby ledge with a sigh.

What were you doing here? You didn’t belong here.

You had been promised answers tonight, but the dance with San had only served to create even more, unsure of what insanity had driven him to do it. He had said the party could use a little hell tonight, but what had that meant? Was it because their intentions were true, and they truly didn’t care if your were a half-daemon like Wooyoung had insisted upon that first night, or were they simply using you as a pawn? Did they simply want to thank you with a night you had only ever dreamed of before, or was their invitation merely a way to rile up the humans?

And then there was the way San had complimented you. It was different than before. The others, including Hongjoong, had all complimented you before, but those were nothing more than teasing nicknames and playful remarks. Angel was only a reference to your time as the Black Angel, and pretty, was well… just something they said to amuse themselves with the reaction it could pull from you. Tonight, however, San’s words had been different. It had been in the shift of his tone. And in the way his fingers had tightened their grip, as though he was afraid you would slip right through.

You shook the thoughts away, fighting the blush that crept back on your face as your mind ran through the scene once more, hating how easily you had melted at the words. He wasn’t being serious. He couldn’t have been serious. He hadn’t been thinking clearly when he had said it, clouded by the image before him to remember exactly who you were. To remember exactly what you were.

The answers to everything were back in the ballroom, but how were you going to get them? We’re you just supposed to wait until one of them approached you or were you expected to come to them, yourself? Without knowing exactly where you stood with any of them, it was impossible to tell. They had seemed lenient enough with you back in the camp, but it was a different world here. A world where you were reminded just who they were and not the man who stood guard over you. They were the eight most important daemons and you were, well, you. Would they simply react the way they always did if you were to approach or would they punish you for daring to approach without permission?

Your thoughts were interrupted when you heard rustling behind you. Turning around, you expected to find one or both of your siblings, or perhaps even San when he realized you had lied to him. What you hadn’t expected to see was Hayoon and the twins in tow.

“You’re fucking kidding me. It was you?” Hayoon’s eyes hardened as she recognized you, lips puckering as she took in your appearance with a newfound disgust. “He picked the fucking mutt over me? What the hell are you even doing here?”

“I-”

“So that’s what she’s been doing since she got sent over to them,” one of the twins - you had never took the time to get to know them well enough to tell them apart - was quick to add as they approached you. “Fucking them in order to get some kind of favor, huh? Tell me, which one did you do it with to get this dress?”

“I can’t believe this. What the hell got in your head to think it would be okay for you to show up tonight, let alone in that thing.” Hayoon’s eyes raked over the dress, jealousy evident in her gaze. “My father said marriage was in the talks and that I should be sure to get his attention to secure it, but I can’t get him, let alone any of his stupid generals to even look in my direction thanks to you.”

“Well, well, well, would you look at this.” The other twin broke Hayoon’s ranting, finger pointing towards the golden mark gleaming in the moonlight. “She was the traitor after all. She was the one who killed that lady. She had to be. Daddy said they requested her by name, after all, so she must have been in league with them for some time now.”

“What did you even hope to gain from it, you stupid whore?” Her sister asked, head cocking. “I mean, you do know what they do to mutts like you, right?” She tan a nail against her neck, mimicking the act of them slitting it. “Did you think helping them would get you into their good graces? Did you think fucking them would keep them from killing you?”

“You do realize you’re nothing more than a pawn to them?” Hayoon was close enough for you to smell the alcohol on her breath, but her eyes were sharp. “That the only reason they’ve been entertaining you this whole time is to you use you against us? My father said marriage was in the works, but I’m not an idiot. I know the daemons would never dare to mix their blood with the likes of us. They’re too prideful for that. They’re just using you as a toy to mock us. Dangling you in front of us as a way to degrade us.” Her finger trailed against the fabric wrapped around your upper arm. “So, just what are we to do with this pretty, little plaything of theirs, girls?”

She grabbed hold of the fabric, tugging hard. The sound of it ripping left you gasping, making you wonder what was going to happen to you when they realized the dress had been ruined. You didn’t have the means or money to fix it.

“Hayoon, are you sure we should be doing this?” The twin on the left asked, more hesitant now that Hayoon seemed willing to act on her frustrations. Her eyes glanced back at the entrance to the balcony, as though worried of getting caught.

“Relax, Sunnie, they’re going to kill her once they’re done with her. We’ll just be doing them a favor when we beat them to it. After all, she is a traitor, so we’re only doing the right thing by turning her in once we have our fun with her.” She took the wine glass from your hand and tilted the rest of the contents onto the front of it, staining it beyond repair. “Oops, my hand slipped.”

You knew you should do something to defend yourself, either by words or actions, but you found yourself shutting down at the haughty expression Hayoon wore. After all, what if she was right? What if this really was nothing but a game for the daemons? And you were just a pawn to get back at the humans? That they would kill you once they were done with you.

Was this why they had brought you here tonight despite your insistence it was a bad idea? Did they dress you up and pull you out into the dance floor to attract trouble your way? To ensure something like this would happen to you? To ensure the humans would punish you, so they could use your death as an excuse to exterminate them all? And that they had only marked you as a means to see the war through to the end?

“What’s going on here, angel?”

Between the voice that spoke directly in your left ear to the arm that was suddenly snaking it’s way across your waist, you couldn’t keep from jumping. You weren’t they only one surprised by their sudden presence, and Hayoon stumbled backwards, eyes wide and blinking as she took in the figure who had just materialized behind you.

You didn’t have to look behind you to know who it was. Even if you hadn’t recognized the voice, you knew it was Seonghwa. While you had been confused by how quickly he had moved the night you had saved him, you had since come to learn his daemon ability had something to do with teleportation.

“Are they bothering you, pretty?”

You had a hard time deciphering the emotions running through you. You were relieved at his presence, grateful that he had come to your aid, but the venom that laced his voice kept you on edge. You didn’t have to look at him to know he was enraged. You could feel how tense his muscles were behind you, and you knew Hongjoong must have been observing you in your absence and had sent Seonghwa before things got out of hand. Whether this was because they were truly upset by the way the girls had spoken to you or because they were simply telling the truth behind the daemon’s behavior, you weren’t sure. Neither option ended with a positive outcome and the image of Hak Seongmin dead in the streets ran through your mind once more.

“No, I’m fine.” You tried to wriggle your way out of his grasp, growing more panicked as the situation began to escalate. If you didn’t do something quick, someone was going to end up in major trouble. “We were just talking.”

“Oh, are these friends of yours?” Despite your attempts at escaping, his grip on you was tight, fingers digging into your hip.

“Uh-huh, we’ve been friends forever.” Hayoon’s expression shifted at his response, eyes glittering dangerously as she took full advantage of his ‘mistake’. The innocent smile batted his way all but proving she was not aware of the danger in his stance. “I came out to compliment this beautiful dress of hers; it’s just a shame she spilled her wine. She’s always been a little clumsy.”

“Is that so?” Seonghwa twirled you around to face him, free hand roaming to the front of your dress that was no soaked. You couldn’t suppress the shiver his touch against your bare skin brought, the dark glint in his eyes lightening momentarily as his finger traced against the blade of the sword etched there. “It must have just slipped.” Oh, he knew. He definitely knew. “Why don’t we get you inside to warm back up, huh, pretty? The others have been eager to see you.”

“I… Mu dress, though. I should probably-“

“Invite your friends? What a wonderful idea, angel.” His hand raised to your face, cupping your cheek with a look that shook you to your core. “I’m sure the others would love to meet them.”

“Really?” Hayoon had a hard time holding back her surprise, but she recovered quickly, shooting a smug smirk in your direction when she thought Seonghwa wasn’t looking. The twins, however, seemed a lot less interested in Seonghwa’s offer, eyeing the two of you carefully as they whispered to each other behind Hayoon. “It would be an honor, sir.”

The last thing you wanted was to go with them. You knew something was up with Seonghwa. His grip was tight enough around your waist that you were afraid it would bruise, and the smile he sent your way was strained, not even remotely reaching his eyes. He was terrifying enough as it was when you had been with him before, but it was nothing compared to the scene now, and you couldn’t suppress a shiver from coursing through you when he dragged you along after him.

Hayoon, oblivious to the tension between you and Seonghwa, attempted to strike up a conversation with him as you went. She batted her eyes and hit him with the sweetest smiles she could manage, but Seonghwa didn’t even look in her direction. And once she realized her efforts were in vain, her smiles vanished altogether, exchanged for scowls directed towards the object of his fascination, you.

It would have unnerved you if your mind hadn’t already been elsewhere. Any fear you had felt towards Hayoon and her threats, and even Seonghwa, dissipated when the person he was taking you to finally hit you. Unless he decided to be mysteriously missing once more, you were finally going to meet Hongjoong. You were finally going to meet the daemon king.

“Seonghwa, I can’t do this.” Upon hearing you speak, he leaned his head towards you to better hear you, fingers drawing you all the closer towards him. A motion Hayoon was quick to pick on beside you. “My dress, it’s ruined. I can’t go in front of him or the others like this. Just let me go home, please? I want to go home.”

“It’ll be okay, angel. It’s our fault this happened. We told you we would keep you safe, that nothing would happen to you tonight, but we failed.” As you made it to the steps, his grip tightened once more to keep you steady. “The last thing any of us cares about right now is some stupid dress.”

“But-“

“Let’s just go see the others for a bit and then we can all go home, okay?” Seonghwa’s expression did soften this time when he looked down at you. “I promise.”

You wanted to tell him that defeated the whole point of your argument. As much as you did take relief in hearing you wouldn’t have to stay here for much longer, it did nothing to relieve the fears you had confessed earlier. It did nothing to get you away from having to see him. But any argument you might have been about to voice fell away as you took sight of the group you were approaching.

Despite the fear clawing it’s way through you, your eyes were quick to lock onto Hongjoong. He sat in the middle of the group, leg propped up as he lounged and looking every bit the king he was. His hair was multicolored, black on one side and white on the other, strange, but oddly fitting of his other features.

Mingi was bent over on his right, listening to something he was saying, but popped up as Seonghwa approached with you in tow. His dark eyes ran over your figure once before stepping away, allowing Hongjoong’s full attention to be on you as he disappeared to do whatever it was he had just been tasked with.

“Your majesty, I present to you Miss l/n y/n, the Black Angel.” Seonghwa’s grip released you as he bowed before stepping away to join the others and leaving you alone before him.

Unsure of what to do or how to act, you decided the best course of action was to follow Seonghwa’s lead and lifted your skirt to fall into a deep curtsy. You didn’t trust your voice enough to speak, so you remained silent. What would you have even said if you did find the courage? The proper etiquette for a situation such as this one was unknown and foreign to you. After all, never in your life did you think a moment like this one would ever come to you. Never in your life did you think you would be face to face with the daemon king.

He was silent at first, face unreadable as he took in your shaking figure. You didn’t dare look him in his eyes and stared at the floor instead, hoping he wouldn’t be upset by the fact the dress he had given you was now beyond repair.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person, angel.” He rose from his seat to approach you, and after only ever hearing his voice inside your head before, it felt strange to hear him speak to you out loud. “As well as to finally thank you for everything you’ve done for us.” It took everything in you to not flinch when he reached for your hand, but it was impossible to control the shiver that overtook you when his lips brushed against your knuckles. “You’ve done a great service to your king and your kindness will not be left unrewarded for much longer.”

“Please, you’ve already done so much. Any service I might have done to aid you had been paid in full already. No further reward is needed.” If he really wished to reward you like he said, he could do so by answering the questions that had been haunting you for the past weeks, but you didn’t dare voice this in front of him.

“Perhaps, but that doesn’t change the fact I feel my gratitude has remained unmatched by your kindness and grace.”

His head tilted and you were acutely aware of the way your hand was still grasped firmly in his. As much as you wanted to pull it away and disappear from his intense gaze, you found yourself leaning into it all the same. His mere presence was awe-inspiring. You could feel the power rolling off of him, the intensity of it far surpassing any of his generals, and yet, as terrifying as it was, it was also… inviting. You felt bare and exposed beneath him, and yet there was still a warmth to it hidden beneath the surface, as though inviting you to let his aura fill your entire being and make you whole once more.

The trance was broken when someone cleared their throat behind you, grounding you back to reality. You were swiftly reminded of the three other girls standing behind you awaiting the introductions Seonghwa had promised them. Hongjoong also took note of it, golden eyes glancing behind your shoulder and smile faltering as he took them in.

“These are your friends, are they not?” He spit the word out, as though the mere thought of them being anything resembling it was sickening. “Go see Jongho for me, will you, angel? I’d very much like to talk to them.”

“C’mere, angel.” Jongho called out to you, extending a hand towards you. Hongjoong used the grip he still had on you to extend it in his direction without allowing you to decide for yourself if it was something you wanted. Jongho’s hand was gentle, but firm as he brought you over towards him. His eyes were darker than normal and body tense as he pulled you close to him, masking his usual bashful behavior around you.

“Your highness, it is a pleasure to meet you.” Hayoon approached first, the only one who still seemed interested in this meeting, and drew herself into a deep curtsy. “I am Ahn Hayoon. My father is the lead councilman of Maehwa.”

“My interest doesn’t lie in introductions tonight as I’m already well aware of who you are.” There was a shift in his tone, dark and commanding. Even Hayoon seemed to be taken back, not quite as smug as you expected her to be when he stated he already knew who she was. “I’m far more interested as to what happened out on the balcony earlier.”

“I apologize, but I don’t quite understand what you mean.” Her face fell, eyes flickering towards you, almost as if she was asking for your help. Asking you to back her claims up. “If you’re referring to the dress, her hand slipped.”

“Ah, yes. And please remind me, was this before or after you threatened her life?”

“What? No, I-“

“‘They’re going to kill her once they’re done with her. We’ll just be doing them a favor when we beat them to it.’ Isn’t that what you had said? That you’ll turn her over to the authorities once you’ve had your fun with her?” A smile had crossed his features, but it wasn’t the same smile he had shown you moments earlier. There was nothing kind about this one. "Tell me, just what sort of fun were you referring to?"

“What does it even matter? She’s just a mutt. You already plan on killing her once you’re done with her anyways.” Hayoon’s face was pale, but she didn’t back down, frustrated by the fact you had seemingly still been picked over her and fueled by the alcohol she had consumed. “Whatever it is that she’s done for you, she just did it to save her own skin. She’s-“

But whatever other insults she was going to throw your way was replaced by a low gurgling and her hands flew up to her neck. In a movement faster than you could properly comprehend, Hongjoong had slit her throat; the only sign he had done it was the blood now dripping off his extended claws.

“Oops, my hand slipped.” He laughed, running his tongue over one of the nails to taste the blood that now stained them. “How disappointing,” his face fell, “it’s terribly bitter.”

Your entire body froze, heart nearly stopping as you watched her body slink to the floor.

He had killed her. Just like that. No questions asked. And all for what? Because she had threatened your life? Because she had offended you?

“You fucking monster!” A few scattered screams rose up, alerting the rest of the crowd of the murder that had just taken place, but it was Hayoon's father who drew your attention. "That was my daughter!" The high councilman of Maehwa made his way across the room, collapsing to his knees next to her body with a strangled cry. He was too late though. Hayoon was nearly beyond saving now. "You!" His finger pointed straight to you, eyes glistening with tears and yet glaring at you like this was all your fault.

Was it? Was this your fault?

“Get over here and save her. That’s an order.”

You knew you needed to move. You knew you needed to listen to him and pull yourself back together and try something to save her. She was gone, you knew that, but you couldn't just stand there and do nothing either. But no matter how much you screamed at your legs to move, you were frozen in your spot, paralyzed by fear. Your eyes were glued to the blood dripping off Hongjoong's hand, wondering why you had ever let your guard down around him. Why had you ever let your guard down around any of them? They were killers. You knew that. You had seen it.

Oh, god. Was Hayoon right? Were you next?

"Oh, that's an order?" Hongjoong bent down to match the man's eye level, head tilting to the side as though them ordering you to do anything for them was ridiculous. He grabbed the councilman's chin with his hand, bloody claws still extended and digging into his skin. "And what will you do after she saves your daughter's life, hm? What gratitude will you show her? A noose, perhaps? For taking the precious attention you and your daughter so desperately craved? You pigs make me fucking sick."

While the majority of the crowd watched the scene unfold in horor, glued to their spots in a similar fashion as yourself, a few attendees had made an attempt to escape through one of the two doorways leading out. But despite them remaining open, something was blocking them from leaving. Something invisible. Something that left their pounding fists bouncing back off uselessly.

"This woman has saved thousands of your soldiers and citizens and what have you done to show your appreciation, huh? What have you done to thank her?" Hongjoong dropped the councilman's head in disgust, standing to address the crowd. "She risked her life countless times to ensure the soldiers you left for dead had a second chance at life. Stayed up countless nights to brew the potions you took to save your own and not a single ounce of gratitude was ever shown her way. You punished her for the smallest of crimes. Claimed she was poisoning you. called her every derogatory name you could think of, treated her like she was less than you. You would let her die without a second thought, and yet, despite it all, she still worked tirelessly to help you. But that all changes tonight. Tonight, you'll pay for your crimes."

"C'mon, angel. Let's get you out of here." Jongho began to pull you away, guiding you to the stairs behind you.

"Why? What's going to happen?" You struggled up the stairs after him, nearly tripping on your skirts at his quick strides. You legs still struggled to move, the scene of Hayoon grasping at her throat repeating over and over again. If it wasn't for his tight grip on your waist, you though you would very well collapse. "What are you going to do?"

Your eyes glanced behind you as you traversed the upper level to the main door, unable to hear anything else Hongjoong was saying over the panicked crowd around you.

You didn't like Hayoon. Hell, if you were truly being honest, you would even say you hated Hayoon. Hated her for the way she had treated you. Maybe you had even wished she would known what it felt like to be the one on the other side, to get a small taste of her medicine, if just a little, but that hadn't meant you had wanted her to die.

"Nothing that you need to worry about. All you need to know is that you're safe with us now. None of these pigs will ever harm you again."

Jongho weaved his way through the crowd effortlessly, and the invisible barrier that had kept them from leaving had no effect on you as he guided you through the doorway with ease.

Jongho closed the doors to the hall once you were through, shutting out the noise of the room behind you. He seemed to breathe easier now that you were both out and motioned for a nearby daemon guard to grab your cloak before the two of you stepped outside. His shoulders were still tense, but his grip on you had lightened, fingers no longer digging into your skin.

"What the hell is happening, Jongho?" You pulled away from him as you found your strength once more, eyes narrowing. You didn't know what madness they had planned, but you knew nothing good was about to go down on the other side of those doors. Whatever it was, it was something they didn't want you to see. Something they didn't want you to know about. "Where are you taking me?"

"Has it... has it really always been like that for you?" Despite your obvious frustration, his gaze softened as he took you in, no longer in a hurry now that he had gotten you out of the main hall.

"What are you talking about?" You tilted your head, slightly caught off guard by his sudden change in topic.

"That girl. She treated you so horribly, even in front of Hongjoong, And the others..." His words were soft as he tried to reach for you once more, but you stepped back from him before his hand could touch, causing it to just fall short. "I could hear what they were saying about you. What everyone was saying about you. You've saved so many of their lives, and yet, the only gratitude they seem to show you is to allow you to keep breathing."

"So? It's nothing new." Your arms crossed, attempting indifference. "I've been treated like that since I was born. That's the price you pay when you're someone like me. You should know that. It's not like the daemons have ever treated us any better. Or has the fact you just kill us when we're born blinded you to the way we're treated when we're allowed to live?

"This," you motioned to your figure as you continued, to the dress that still adorned your body and the castle you were still standing in. "This isn't me, Jongho. This dress, this party, the people. None of this is me. They never have been and they never will be. Not for someone of my status. It's just the way that it's always been. It's the way it will always be. Hayoon knew that and you killed her for it."

Oh, god, why had they killed her?

"She was going to have you killed, angel."

"That didn't mean you had to kill her!" Your arms wrapped tighter around your body, unable to suppress the shiver that racked your body as your mind replayed the scene once more. "I didn't want you to kill her."

"I'm sorry, angel, truly, but she resigned herself to her own fate. You're under our protection and anyone who threatens the lives of those under the golden crown are punished with death. Hongjoong had no choice but to-"

"Choice? There's always choice." You spit back. "The law said I should have just let Seonghwa die, and yet I chose not to. So don't tell me you didn't have a choice. The only one who doesn't have a choice here, is me." You were done playing the nice and safe act. You were done playing their game. "So, what the hell is going on? And don't give me the fucking Hongjoong excuse. I want answers. Now."

"And you'll get them, angel, I promise. Let's just get you home and out of that dress. You can take a bath to calm down and change into something more comfortable, okay? And then we can talk. How does that sound?"

You shook your head. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

"I know you're upset, y/n, and I can understand your frustrations, but will you please just come with me? I really don't want to have to force you back to camp."

You would have laughed at the irony of his words if it wasn't for the fact they had swiftly reminded you of the fact your siblings were still inside. In the midst of your panic, you had all but forgotten about Soomin and Hyunwoo, and your breath caught at the thought of them still being in there. Of something happening to them.

You scrambled back to the door, fingers prying at the handle to open it back up, but Jongho stopped your movements before just as it started moving.

"Let me go!" You struggled against his grasp, fighting to get back to the door. "My siblings are still in there!"

"y/n, please. You don't need to go back in there. Your siblings are fine. Mingi escorted them out a few minutes before we left. They'll be waiting for you back at camp when we return."

This made you stop. "They're at the camp?"

"Of course. We know how much they mean to you." Jongho smiled, taking advantage of your shocked state to let his fingers brush along your cheek, fully taking in your wide-eyed expression. "So, what do you say? Shall we head back and join them? The others will follow once they've finished taking care of a few things."

"If I agree, you'll answer my questions, right? You'll tell me what's going on?"

"You'll have to wait until Hongjoong returns, but yes. He promises to answer any and every question you might have for us." Jongho nodded, taking the cloak the guard had brought back and wrapping it around your body for you. "Is that okay, angel?"

You hated the sincerity he was showing you. How could he treat you with such softness after what had just happened? After everything they had done? Acting like he hadn't just willingly let his king murder someone and then following through with his orders without batting an eye. Acting like he was innocent in all this. Hongjoong may have killed Hayoon, but he was just as guilty for the role he had played.

Damn hypocrite.

Jongho flinched, making you half-wonder if he had just heard what you had called him in your head. Based on the frown that tugged at his lips, you assumed he had, but felt no ounce of guilt for it. After all, if he didn't want to hear how frustrated you were at him and the others right now, he shouldn't have gone digging through your mind.

"You already know the answer to that," you began your reply to his earlier statement, ignoring the pained expression that had crossed his face as you pushed past him to start the long walk back. "After all, we both know I don't have a choice."

~

@layzfeelit @calirix @seonghwarizon @yunho0o0o0o @blglmgk01 @marievllr-abg @ddeonghwva @rosie-hao @malyxsoulpersonal @kirooz @violetpenguinkris @woosmaid @eggyomelet @wooya1224 @mulanateez @kimi-kiwi @eastleighsblog @baguette-atiny @yourleftsock @dear-dreamie @uriruwi @purplelady85 @camzpetite @peachesandcream-9 @beautysirenss @peachy-yabbay @seonghwaholic @honeyedtalisman @nichobins @fl0r4f4wn @avantalem @seojonneh @is4b3ll3s @ahhhhhhhhhghh @slutforheeseung @hyunjiminssi @knucklesdeepmingi @mrcarrots @wxnderingthoughts @moni-cah @hazel42 @blaaiissee @anushka-k @peppermint-tea-life @all-black-darling @not-everything-is-so-primitive @naiify @sophxom @kuleo26 @doublebunv @halotopicecream @shakalakaboomboo

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#ateez x reader #ateez #hongjoong x reader #seonghwa x reader #yunho x reader #mingi x reader #jongho x reader #yeosang x reader #san x reader #wooyoung x reader #ateez fanfic #ateez fantasy au #yandere #yandere ateez

[starryficsfinishwen]

✧。◟[NSFW] ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪᴅᴇ ʜᴏᴍᴇ — lee x reader [PGR]

so I'm coming home to you

synopsis ; there are answers far beyond words in between turbulences. you are looking for those in lee's battles, in the way he sat beside you, yet what can you say, when the ride home is silent?

alternatively: starry was unsatisfied because we never knew what happened after the epilogue and got a time skip instead, so she is writing it down on her terms LOL

a.n. - this idea came to me while I was cooking breakfast. I nearly dropped the bowl. I nearly dropped my eggs 😭 also I wanna suggest listening to fallingforyou by The 1975 for this too if yall wanna. I wanted this to be an angst to fluff but I decided to make it in a separate post LOL ALSO I ACCIDENTALLY POSTED THIS EARLIER AHAHAHA I'm sorri oh well

pairing - lee hyperreal x f!commandant

words - 7,691

warnings - WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR CHAPTER 21: SPIRAL OF CHRONOS. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT, NSFW THEMES: soft sex hehe, body worship, cunnilingus, creampie-, vaginal penetration, squirting, virginity loss but it's the both of them LOL, lee being so soft and gentle. semi-established relationship, mutual pining.

edit - dividers by @/saradika-graphics!

The ride home is silent.

A gentle lull of a torrential downpour, multiple raindrops pattering on the aircraft's window. Apart from the tired snores and occasional groaning of both constructs and commandants, you are certain: everyone on the aircraft was alive. Miraculously, even if the chances of being so were as small as a pea.

A sharp pain in your mind knocks on your head. Ah, right. Although the realization finally hits you, the piercing pain in your head has yet to dull, after all of the events that unfolded. You wondered, how lucky you were to be alive, despite connecting with so many constructs, all the while maintaining a deep M.I.N.D. connection with Lee. Perhaps, the gods listened to your selfish plea.

After all, Lee came back alive. And he is sitting, silently beside you.

Arms crossed as he leaned on the chair you both sat in, his frame never leaving a hint of space between you. His mesmerizing cerulean eyes were hidden, eyes closed as he breathed so softly.

It's the first time you've seen Lee's frame up close. The first time as a hologram, the second after he emerged from the tower. And now, one glance away.

His hair was a lighter shade of blonde, long bangs covering up until his eyes. Face more defined, looking more mature, yet still so youthful. There weren't any scars on Lee's face anymore, unlike his Entropy frame. Despite his cold and neutral face, as he slept, you can't help but notice that he looked more gentle, softer. Your hand reached out carefully trying not to disturb his sleep, fingers lightly tracing from the top of his head, to the side of his face, to his lips— a thought passed your mind, but you shook your head instead.

As you pulled away, Lee's hand grabbed yours.

“You are shaking,” a whisper that tickled your ear brought you back to reality, “are you alright, my Commandant?”

My Commandant. He only called you that in a fierce, stoic tone. But now, his voice is so tranquil, you might have mistaken it as a phantom. A ripple rumbles through your chest. Lee's voice, although you've heard it so many times, never failed to make you shake, never failed to make you sigh of relief. Unlike his Entropy and Palefire frames, what changed? His new frame is gentler, softer, too. Grasping the warm blanket wrapped around you, you felt Lee lean closer to you. You looked back at him, finding a worried expression across his face.

A face you've seen for the first time, should have made you afraid. Yet, the new face is looking at you, the same way he used to. A sense of familiarity, a sense of comfort.

“I'm okay,” you admitted, “Please don't worry.”

The windows were tinted dark, a few shimmering stars outside. In the dim light of the evening haze, cerulean eyes looked down on you, calculating and quiet. “Is there something wrong? You seem distressed.”

Apart from all the events that conspired earlier, it's probably safe to say that you were far from okay. But you still held onto your words, “Nothing. I just...wanted to see you up close.”

Sturdy, mechanical arms wrapped themselves around your frail, tired body. The gesture made you sink into Lee's chest, a new wave of comfort entangling itself on both of your bodies. Yes, this was— and still is— the man you liked for a long time. And this was the same space you've always loved to drown in, away from the cold, war-struck world.

“Wasn't it you who told me not to shoulder everything,” Lee chuckled, “You can tell me the truth, my Commandant. I am here to bear it all with you.”

His words made you snort. “Oh, now you take my words?”

“I remember everything you say, orders and everything.”

The turbulence seemed to hit a little harder, as Lee held you tighter in his embrace. You found yourself nestled in his lap eventually, cradled like a child in your teammate's arms. You still looked at Lee, searching for something. Two awake individuals now converse in hushed tones.

“You're making me quite nervous, Commandant.” Lee spoke as you continued to stare at him.

“I still can't believe that you are here.” You childishly poked his puffed cheeks, “Are you sure you're real?”

Ah, there he is. His usual stoic expression as he looked at you nonchalantly. But they were quickly replaced with a warm smile, eyes softening at your antics. “My Commandant, I believe that we are still connected right now. Do you wish to check it?”

As far as you were concerned, what Lee said is true; the connection with him is still a brightly burning flame, signaling its closeness with you right now. Yet, as you continue to gaze at your teammate, who was looking elsewhere, another realization dawned on you. Reaching out to touch his neck, his shoulders, his metallic chest— all hardened, like a cyborg. But you can still feel it, in your fingertips, his heartbeat reflecting yours, a cadenza of fluttering butterflies.

“Commandant,” Lee took your shivering hand, looking at you as he brought the back of it to his lips, “I'm here, okay? I'm back. I'm holding you like this.”

He is. As you gazed at his face, the whims of today that brought cold demons do not sway so easily, your heart crumbling once more— the fear that gnawed you left and right back when you were at the foot of the impenetrable tower, helpless in front of bloodlusted monsters. The thought of earlier when blood spilled your hands came back to haunt you: an unprecedented future where Lee did not emerge from the tower, a grim call for humanity...what did it look like?

“Hearing you say that,” your voice cracked, a fresh wave of tears now threatening to spill from your tired eyes, “brings me so much comfort, Lee.”

How ironic. A few hours ago, you bravely put on your facade, welcoming Lee back when he emerged from the then-heteronomer tower. Your smile was bigger than all the countless turbulences you've faced, a plethora of hope that baptised the witnesses there. But with the silent ride home to Babylonia, Liv and the other healers now resting, all the other conscious and unconscious commandants and constructs, you couldn't help but break down now, an endless stream of worry, fear, and relief as a storm in your body. Silent sobs wreck through your body, but Lee— your Lee, yours— held you so tight.

“I'm sorry,” even in the gentlest tone, his apology only made you sob more, “I know I should have thought about it thoroughly, I should have planned it with you. But it was the only solution.”

He kissed your temple, his cold fingers interlacing with your shaky ones, “...to keep you alive.”

You should be happy; Lee is right. He's alive, everyone else is alive. The tower was now a purification one. Yet why, out of all the things you should be crying about, an unfathomable thought that crossed your mind— something about death, something about a dogtag drenched in the bluest vital fluid— made you cry more?

“Commandant [Y/N],” Lee calls your name, that it catches your attention, a skip in your heart, “You're so brave. I'm sorry that you went through so much. But right now, everything will be alright.”

As your sobs slow down, Lee leans closer to your face, a finger wiping away the stream of tears, his lips kissing them away. Wait. Have you ever been so intimate with Lee this way? It suddenly baffled you; sure, you were both aware of each other's affections, sneaking away to be with one another. The furthest thing you've both even gone to, was a simple kiss on the cheek in your bedroom, before Lee went away, claiming his cooling systems malfunctioned. The gravity of the situation made you snap out of your sadness.

“W-wait, Lee,” you weakly shimmied out of his embrace, “I-I thought you didn't want this-”

You vividly remember Lee hates public display of affection.

But right now, his expression was puzzled, as if confused with your reaction. “And?”

A timid blush creeps in your cheeks. Somehow, you were the one getting embarrassed.

“I thought you didn't want people to see this kind of,” you coughed, “...display.”

He raised his eyebrows. “I am just taking care of my Commandant. There's no other explanation.”

Ah, what a fickle mind you have. Embarrassed, you sunk deep into his arms, pouting as you hid your face in his chest. “Ah...sorry.”

Lee coughs, “But there is something I do want to talk to you about.”

Peering up at him, you cocked your head to the side, “The mission? Or...what happened earlier?”

He looked at you with a small smile, before a faint pink tint in his cheeks appeared. He tucked the blanket to your chest, before returning his fingers to the gaps in yours. “We will arrive in Babylonia soon. It may be a hellhole right now, but...your rest will be the priority.”

“Hey, what-”

“-Get some sleep for now, Commandant...”

Gentle cerulean eyes looked at you with an unfamiliar emotion. Was it really unfamiliar, or were you slowly succumbing to the lull of a well-needed sleep.

It felt like a dream. His touch, his voice, his gestures. Your mouth opens, trying to call out Lee's name. But the way his thumb caressed your intertwined hands, the safety of a cradle as he held you close, the faint smell of his scent—

You fall asleep by the time the aircraft docks at Babylonia's hangar.

You remember the day you realized you liked Lee.

It was a little crush that bothered you like a bunny, hopping around the corners when it saw food nearby. You tried to ignore it, favoring the quiet, tranquil field, your battlefield for the fight against the virus. Yet, the longer you lingered in the field, the more of that man in blue with a cold facade and steeled eyes seem to capture your attention, far longer than any lesson you took in the F.O.S.

“Do you have any wish?” You remember Lee's sudden, peculiar question one day, at the Gray Raven lounge.

You were both chilling there, across one another; you were by the table, doing your paperwork, and him on the sofa, polishing his weapon. The question was so out of the blue. A few weeks after your initial meeting, and he was still in his Palefire frame. In honesty, what was your greatest wish? You were merely a fresh graduate, finally with a team assigned to you. You've been through the simulations, memorized every nook and crook of the books, and can even recite the constitution and the laws. All of this for the sake of humanity.

“Retaking Earth, having a future of peace.” was a simple way to put it.

But Lee only had a cold expression on his face, despondent eyes looking at you with judgement. You recognized this look, one that he'd been wearing every time you were around. You admitted him, earlier, his frigidity nearly makes you wet your pants. But when the last word escaped your lips, the expression changed for a split second— relief?— before it returned to its hardened state.

“I'm not asking you to do a pep talk.”

You pondered once more. Sure, humanity is needed. But guess not for Lee. What did you want, really? Ah, you remember the parcel you ordered, and the many more that were to come. Your wallet had been growing slimmer, too. Smiling, a stupid, yet practical idea sauntered to your young mind.

“Retiring as early as possible to get my pension?”

A life of pure ecstasy and glory. It wasn't so bad. But that look on Lee's face seemed to insinuate that he'd probably kill you and stage it as something else.

“Can you just give me one that is actually achievable?”

Is retiring early too much? When you looked up to Lee for another witty remark, you found yourself frozen. What once were steeled eyes were a noticeable shade of indigo, complimenting the blue patterns on his outfit. A clenched jaw, soft skin, a remarkable face that seemed to know so many things at once. You've always known you had a little bit of admiration for your team, with the tasks assigned to you little by little. But did you ever have your heart skip a beat whenever Lucia or Liv was around? You remember fierce and timid eyes looking at you, but never this cold. No, only Lee.

Only Lee could do that.

What little crush became a massive infatuation.

“Then,” sheepishly smiling, you felt your cheeks tint in the lightest shade, yet you still looked at Lee, “your smile?”

The question caught him off guard. Taking advantage of the situation, you decided to tease him further, “I want to see you smile more, Lee.”

You've always wanted to see him smile. One that was genuine, not commanded, nor forced. For the first time since your first meeting, there was a crack in his expression, a thin shade of pink dusting his own cheeks; a seemingly thin facade that only motivated you to open the lock that was presented to you.

“W-what-”

“You will scare everyone off with that intimidating look on your face,” you smiled, “So, please?”

Before the next moment could happen, the memory goes dark, and you open your eyes.

Your senses are out of place, lost as you tried to regain everything. First, your sense of smell returns as the scent of vanilla fills the room. Next is your hearing, the white noise of the air conditioner overwhelms the empty space. The feel of your bones and muscles, albeit sore and tired, felt weightless as you tried to lift your arms and legs up. The soft grasp of cotton and the mattress. When your vision returns, the white ceiling is adorned with the many trinkets you could remember sticking onto the top, the feeling of home asking to be welcomed. The comforts of the bed seemed to beg you to stay more, but you forced your body to sit up, the familiar scene of your room at the Gray Raven base now into view.

Did you...fall asleep? What time is it? You didn't want another lifetime of scolding waiting for you outside of your door. Lucia and Liv could be in the training room. And Lee...

An ominous feeling rattled your body. When you look down at your hands, a silent scream on your lips as you jump from the bed— your hands are tainted with a mixture of blue vital fluids and the brightest red.

Nearly falling onto the floor, lucky enough that you landed on your mattress. You suddenly remember everything—

“Lee!”

You forget your dignity. You forget your bare feet, you forget everything else. You had to find Lee. You had to. Running out of the door, you bolted to find the blonde man, the fear that you were too late to save him.

But before you could reach the last door that held all the answers you were looking for, a tall, study cushion prevented you from doing so.

“...dant! Commandant!”

A familiar voice. Snapping out of your fear-stricken trance, you felt yourself being pushed off slightly. A pair of worried cerulean eyes looking down at you.

“Commandant, I'm here!” A baritone voice, ones that made your eyes blur from the tears, “I'm here. I'm back.”

A comforting hold over you. A towering figure. The presence that could only make you crumble. Your teammate. The one that filled your quiet days.

“You're,” you choked, the dam of tears that spilled senselessly, “Lee, you're alive.”

He sighed in relief. Looking at you with a small smile, he said, “...You must be confused. Let's eat before we talk.”

Sunnyside up egg and bacon, the other kind of egg being scrambled. Two plates, two pieces of toast. A coffee and a glass of milk. And you finished it all, your share with the sunnyside up. The other was close to finishing, with Lee still tinkering on the small robot that was on his side.

A part of you thinks rationally, as you shouldn't eat like a pig when in front of someone else. But you can't help but strive to satiate the hunger that was distracting you from doing anything else. Apart from that, the raging headache was now gone.

You noticed something different, though.

“Did you enjoy it, Commandant?”

You glanced at Lee, before looking back at your clean plate. You wanted to retort, but, you awkwardly laughed instead. “Thank you, I really enjoyed it, Lee.”

“You looked like you tasted something else though,” you raised your brow, before he added, “Your expression changed.”

“Ah,” you absentmindedly toyed with your fork, “...it tasted different. Did Liv cook this?”

A faint blush adorned his cheek. “I was the one who cooked the food. Liv did not participate at all.”

You blinked in surprise. Lee? Cooking?

“Really?” Bewildered, you reeled back, “It tasted so good. I want a second serving...”

You had nothing against Lee's skills. He followed all of the nitty gritty details of the cookbook he used, making the dish taste too bland or too dry. But the one you tasted seemed different.

“I can cook more for you then, Commandant,” Lee prepared to stand up, but you grabbed his arm.

“Later, later!” You beamed at him, “I'm quite surprised as it tasted...”

What were the right words? As his hand loosened on your grip, you blurted out, “Warm.”

“Did it now?” A teasing tone. You huffed out, which made him grin.

“I'm glad you think so. After all, you were asleep for two days.”

The events of before came rushing back, nearly overwhelming you. But Lee's hand in yours strengthened your resolve. There were still a few questions on your mind, like—

“I checked you up on the Star of Life.” Lee continued, “I couldn't leave you there, as they were still packed with all the other victims. They granted you to rest here, where we watched over you.”

“What about the other people with us at the surface?”

“They were treated as well, Commandant. Right now, they gave us a two-week rest, with everything trying to settle down and rebuilding whatever we can.”

You touched his hand, “What about...you?”

And he touched yours back. “I did, as soon as we had you here.”

“I see, thank you,” you looked down on the oversized shirt, before glancing at Lee's now reddening face.

“I- um, we helped you clean and dress up. Mostly Liv and Lucia.”

“Where are they now...?”

“They might be helping with the rebuilding. It's my turn to watch over you.”

You hummed, retreating your hand, a small sense of disappointment. A comforting, yet anxious silence enveloped the environment; you fiddled with your hands, trying to find the right words to say. But the longer you dwell, the more your anxiety grew.

“...I didn't think that my shirt would look good on you.”

Your feelings dissipated. You looked up, Lee looking away to hide his blush, “I wanted to give it to Murray, but I'm glad that I still had some left.”

“Th...thank you, Lee. It feels very comfortable.” It was normal, right? Wearing boyfriend shirts has been a trend lately. So why are you blushing like a tomato? Well, at least the two of you look like tomatoes.

“...I still have a few more,” Lee said, gathering the courage to look at you, “If you're not closed to the idea of having shirts like the one you are wearing now, then, let me know.”

The cloth did feel quite comfy, never mind how it rested above your knees. It also smelled like Lee— apple blossoms and summertime. You were hoping you could keep the shirt hidden, but you were glad you had his confirmation.

Another silence. At this point, you'd rather be swallowed by the ground whole than be stuck with the awkward air. As you thought about it, deeper in thought, you felt Lee's fingers reach for yours, index finger wrapped around your pinky. Looking up, Lee already had his eyes on you, cerulean eyes looking with the same unfamiliar emotion.

“Commandant,” Quietly, as if the glass in front of you would break, “...Are you scared?”

“No,” you shook your head, sighing, “I was only worried. I thought...”

“So, you are.” Tenderly, he brought your hand closer to his face, “I feel that I can't apologize enough.”

“No, no, Lee,” What were you doing? Your vision nearly blurs, guilt clawing at the back of your throat, that your voice feels so small, “It's okay, it really is...”

“You told me yourself that you'd allow me to share all my burdens,” Gently, he kisses your fingers one by one, his eyes closed, “That we're doing this together until the end. You and I— you are no exception.”

Lee doesn't leave any finger unkissed, warm lips on your fingertips, before he trailed his kisses to the side of your hand, to the pulse on your wrist. Ah, he knows. He knew about the flash of blood on your hands, the haunting memory between the both of you. The first drop of your tears escaped. Then another. Until it became an endless stream, running down your face.

“I'm sorry, Commandant, for scaring you.” He opened his eyes, revealing glossy ones, mirroring your sad expression, “But I assure you; I am here, I'm sitting with you, I'm next to you now.”

Two of his hands are now on your wrist, hovering over his jaw, words brewing at the tip of his tongue. Does he know about your hammering heartbeat? How this very gesture, so intimate, so real— there are words far beyond comprehension, beyond verbal communication, that wishes to be said. But all it took was the way he looked at you, your hands on his. He pulls you closer, eased comfortably in his awaiting lap.

“In the tower,” he admitted, “The frame knows something, and I can't tell Asimov unless I tell you first.”

“What do you mean?”

His fingers are now on your cheek, wiping away all of your tears, looking at you with such sincerity, it nearly breaks your heart, “I saw the future.”

It made you freeze. The future? It didn't seem true. But you trusted Lee, and you would safeguard everything he said to protect him.

“Like...you saw it happen?”

He nods, “I do. I can even go back into the past. I used to remember it all so clearly, but...”

A twinge of dread sinks in your stomach, whispering, “you can't anymore?”

“...In the end, I can still remember the worst that happened.”

Lee's free hand cups your cheek, and you only noticed it now, the vibrant color of his cerulean eyes, reflected so bright. “I lost you in all of them.”

It hits you faster— you weren't the only one who suffered. Lee, your Lee, battled his own demons inside of the tower. It made your stomach sink, your heartbeat wild in your chest. Your Lee, who had always been so calculating and ahead of everything, had the fear that you also had.

The vivid thought of your hand wrapped around a bloodied dogtag washes over you. But you tried to push it away from your mind, opting to cup Lee's cheeks.

“Lee,” words die on your throat, “I'm...”

“That's why I need to tell you this, Commandant,” he inhaled deeply, that a shiver ran down your spine—

Was he going to ask to step down? To leave Gray Raven, to leave...you?

His face was dangerously close to yours now, your breathing tangled with yours, your warmth clinging to his skin, “I never want to be away from you again, Commandant.”

You held your breath. In the heat of the afternoon haze, Lee's arms are on your waist, the other on your cheek; you, on his lap, holding his face. All of the thousand words, unsaid during the ride home, poured in like a fountain. His thumb wipes away the last tear from your eyes, mouth curling into a smile.

“I may not hold what lies in the future, or how long until our end will arrive, but right now, I will not hesitate to spend all of our precious time together. I want to protect you. I will do everything I can to keep on saving you, even if I have to give my life.”

He drives the final nail onto his words, “I like you. I like you far too much, that if I don't see you anymore, then I will never know what to do.”

A confession. Lee was never this honest or upfront. It rattled you to the core, that a simple event made him change like this. Honest, upfront, intimate. But you only shook your head, the hold over him tightened.

“No,” you breathed out, “I can't lose you like that, Lee. I never want to lose you.”

“Save me all you want, but you know that I'll do the same,” you muttered, leaning to press your lips onto his cheeks, “But I won't only die for you. I will live for you.”

“I-”

“I like you, too, Lee. I like you that I would rather watch the world burn than to see you gone from me.”

In this very small space, you could hear his heartbeat echo alongside yours. His grip on your waist tightens, and you are leaving kisses on his face. There is a feeling that bubbles inside of you. You wanted to call him that word— something you've been craving to say that it aches too much in your mouth, asking to be confessed. But you already know that neither of you are ready to say it, nor accept it.

“Commandant-”

“Say my name, Lee,” your voice breaks, as your hands itch to wrap them around Lee, too touch-starved to care if this kind of intimacy breaks both of your boundaries, “I want to hear you say it.”

“[Y/N],” Lee's voice said your name so softly, that your heart flutters, “[Y/N],”

You've only heard Lee call your name with your title. But now, in the heat of this moment, as he calls your name, you never wanted anything more than to kiss him. Already leaning to close the missing gap, but you hesitate. You were really going to break all of the other boundaries you've both set for one another. So you lean away, slightly disappointed.

“[Y/N]?”

“I'm sorry, Lee.” A small pout on your lips, “I really...want to kiss you.”

“...I do, too.” You notice the pink in his cheeks grew darker, “...I want to kiss you. I want to do many things with you, [Y/N].”

Ah, a clear sign. One that makes your heart erupt with joy, one that made the grin on your face uncontrollable.

“Then, kiss me, Lee,” you said, cupping his cheeks, “I want you to kiss me.”

And he does. Your arms are wrapped on his shoulders, his lips on your waist. Closing the aching gap, that your bodies are pressed onto each other, it reminds you of the collision of stars— merging into one. Kissing Lee for the first time is soft, gentle, with a hint of neediness and satisfaction. One where the longer you've kissed, breaking away only to find a string of saliva on your lips, an unbearable need to kiss each other once more, that it deepens.

It distracts you, however— his hands tease along your bare thighs, fingers lightly tapping on your skin. You only move closer, his hands finding themselves wrapped on the back of your thighs.

“Lee,” you whispered, pulling away to find a string of saliva as you catch your breath, “can you touch me more, please? I want to know if this is real.”

“This is real,” he affirms, guiding your legs to wrap themselves on his hips, “...And I am touching you right now.”

He wastes no time kissing you again, one hand on your cheek, the other caressing your hips. Your hands, however putty, start to pull on his own clothes, finding where his buttons could be. Lee must have noticed it, when you breathe for air, he chuckles.

“Hyperreal isn't like my Entropy or Palefire, [Y/N]. Seems like I'll be the one taking them off, as you don't know where.”

“Such a tease,” you pout, “You should have asked Asimov to put some buttons or zipper somewhere to easily take off your clothes.”

“Well,” Lee coughs, “I honestly did not think that I would be making out with my Commandant in the future.”

It made you laugh loudly, fingers grazing his chin, “Cute. Well, I guess your prophecy skills are a bit too rusty, hm?”

“Mm,” Lee leans to brush his nose on the side of your face, “I did not forsee that an attractive girl like you would be on my lap right now, being so receptive and kind to me.”

The statement made you blush. “Cut it, and I thought you were the one who gets flustered easily.”

“Th-” Lee pulls away, revealing his adorable pout, paired with the raging blush on his cheeks, made you want to remember this sight forever, “That's because there is something wrong with my cooling system.”

“Even now on your new frame?”

He sighs. “I'm starting to think that it's not because of the cooling system...”

“Oh, you admit it now?”

“...Yeah,” he takes a strand of your hair in between his fingers, twiddling, “I think it's because of you, [Y/N].”

“Why is it my fault now?”

“You...” Lee pauses, before looking at you, “...you make me think of things to the point of overthinking. You keep overriding my logic, always skewing my predicted data.”

“I'm sorry?” Awkwardly applogizing, but Lee only laughs.

“Do you know what you're doing to me, [Y/N]?”

“Mm, no,” your hands play with Lee's hair, behind his ear, “Pray tell?”

“You skewer with the data because...you create scenarios in my M.I.N.D. You drive me insane to the point that I have to investigate the data, correct it again, so that it won't interfere with mine.”

“What kind of data tampering do I do, Lee?” You were teasing at this point, Lee's ears turning red, “Explain it more.”

“You...” He wanted to throw a retort, but your teasing is relentless, that he only looks deep in your eyes, “You make me think of things that I want to do with you, that only lovers do.”

There you go. Your stomach flutters at the thought that you both shared the same sentiments.

“What kind, Lee?” You dropped your voice into a whisper, leaning to his ear, “Can you show me?”

“No, I-”

“-Don't hold back on me. That's an order.”

Under the light of the dining room, Lee's cerulean eyes turn into a darker shade, a low growl on his throat. Not a moment later, he hoists you by your ass and carries you onto the table, large hands touching your bare thighs. His face was still dangerously close to yours, lips touching, but not enough to leave a kiss.

“I'm not sure if I can please you enough,” he whispered, “But God, I want to touch you, [Y/N].”

The desperation in his voice. The slight shaking in his hands. Eager lips waiting to kiss you over and over— what a perfect concoction to appease the growing greed that was brewing down there. You decided to close the gap, hoping it was enough to answer the question Lee asked.

“Touch me more, Lee,” you whined when you pulled away slightly, hands all over his chest, “I want you. I need you so much.”

Lee doesn't waste any time. He kisses you once more, before carrying you once more in his arms. You leave it up to him, as he carries you back to your room, albeit clumsily as you feel yourself gently be squished in between the walls as he fumbles with the direction. But you don't mind, not when the kiss becomes fervent enough, tongue dipping to taste Lee's, to taste where you could reach. Your whines grow louder when you feel yourself lowered onto the soft surface— the bed— and the click of the door shut.

When you opened your eyes, Lee was already in the middle of taking off his upper clothes, revealing bionic skin in his shade, a glowing mark in the middle of his chest. Nevermind the way his arms looked, but the sight as he slowly undressed himself was enough to make your mouth (and probably your private area) water.

“Do you like the view?” Lee teases. Mindlessly, you nodded.

“Pretty...” you dawdled, admiring the glowing mark on his chest, “you're so pretty, Lee...”

“You should see yourself, [Y/N].”

Grasping to touch yourself, you realized that the shirt you were wearing was already raised to your tummy, revealing your panties. You didn't know what you looked like, really. But you trust Lee.

“I can't,” you smugly smiled, “Mind telling me what I look like now, Lee?”

As soon as he was finished in taking off his upper clothing, he leaned down, caging you in between his buff body. “Beautiful,” he said, thumb caressing your lips, “You look so delectable.”

Kissing you once more. Heat settles in between your pressed bodies, incessant hands reaching where they could. Gently, Lee's lips kissed your jaw, trailing to your ear. Softly, slow hands fiddling with the hem of his— now yours— shirt, teasing by the dip of your stomach. Butterfly kisses along your neck, nibbling so little, in a place where only Lee can see. A primal need gnawed at your heart; perhaps Lee's mark could be enough to satiate the need, right?

You craned your neck to him, muttering, “More, please.”

Hesitation sits where his lips were, short breaths fanning it. “Are you...are you sure?”

“Please,” your pleas somehow sound like a breathless moan, “We have two weeks to be here, right?”

You didn't see what his expression looked like, but he seemed convinced, teeth grazing on one particular spot that made you moan. And Lee devilishly nibbles on it.

“As you wish then, Commandant.”

Ah, the title again. You wanted to answer back, but Lee seemed to know where your weak spots were, with you writhing from pleasure. After the assault on your neck, his trail of kisses paused as he lifted off your shirt, revealing your breasts in their naked glory. Shimmying out of the shirt, you felt embarrassed already, covering yourself, in nothing but your underwear.

But Lee only held your hips, “Let me see you, [Y/N].”

“I-I don't think I have the best body, y'know,” you admitted, looking away, “It might not be perfect.”

Lee doesn't say a word. Taking your hands, he looks at you, before bringing it to his lips.

“[Y/N], look at me,” you do, mouth shut, “Tell me what you think of these hands?”

“Um,” you ponder for a moment, “For patting you?”

He smiles a bit, before kissing the back of your hands. “They can be used like that. But these are gentle hands, ones that use weapons to protect her comrades.”

He begins to trail kisses again, on your arms, to your shoulders, to your neck. You softly moaned as he kissed the side of your head, hearing him say, “Your arms are strong enough to carry your teammates, shouldering your strength that helps those you've always wanted to reach.”

“You're incredible, [Y/N],” he purred, kissing your clavicle, kissing you all the way, in between the valley of your breasts, “You are so beautiful, so powerful.”

Kissing and kissing your breasts, fondling them with care. You cry out his name from the sensitivity, the fluttering feelings all around you. He doesn't break eye contact as he takes a nipple into his mouth, sucking it, and playing with the other.

Your mouth is a chorus, now— babbles of "Lee, Lee", "more, please", that the way he caged you perfectly in between his legs, you couldn't help but drown in the way he's holding you.

A while later, his lips travel to your stomach, your waist, a teasing little kiss on your hips— hoisting your legs up to his broad shoulders. He looks at you, as if asking you to not look away.

“[Y/N],” his voice sounds so sultry, mesmerizing you, “You may think that you're not perfect, but to me, you've always been so...holy, divine.”

Lee pressed a kiss to your ankles, to your legs, your knees, “I could worship you forever like this,” a few more kisses on the back of your legs- “I'll do this just so you know how much I adore you.”

How intimate, how devoted your Lee was— with your legs so close to his chest, you could feel his heartbeat thrumming. It was beating so loud like yours, a perfect mirror that rumbled in every part of your body, pulsating with so much want and need, that it made you want to pull him closer.

“Lee,” you moaned, feeling his lips slowly kiss your knees, trailing to the inside of your thighs, “Lee,”

“I'm right here,” He pressed a kiss to your weeping, clothed cunt, sending a jolt throughout your body, “Let me hear you more, my [Y/N]. Don't cover your mouth.”

You don't. Not when he sucks your clothed cunt with such vigor, your back arching for him. Your hands find themselves seeking respite in his hair, as he pulls down your soaked underwear, agonizingly slow. Wiggling out of it, you peered down to look at Lee, nearly drooling at the way your pussy was displayed all for him. You felt yourself dripping with want.

“God,” Lee groaned, a mix of a breathless moan and sigh, his fingers experimentally rubbing your labia, “You're even so beautiful down here, my [Y/N].”

You moaned at his words, hole clenching around nothing. You've touched yourself down there on fairly lonely nights, wishing it was Lee's hands instead of your own. But right now, as he rubs your slit with your slick, how lewdly your own mouth betrayed you, you may as well wish those lonely nights won't return, as the real thing was far better than your imagination.

“Lee, stop teasing,” you whined, “Touch me more.”

“I am already doing that,” he said, “Do you not feel it?”

“Well, honestly, with the way you're- nngh-”

He licked a long stripe on your slit, causing you to moan out loud. Hearing your reaction, Lee licks the same spot once more, making you twitch. But his hands are faster, holding your hips.

“Delectable,” He said, licking his lips, “I want to taste more.”

His lips latch onto your peeking clit, lapping at you like a starved man. It's messy, yet so hot— fingers prodding your hole, Lee's mouth on your needy pussy. You've lost all common sense at this point, fingers grasping tightly on his hair, babbling senselessly for Lee, tears crying as he works you out of your climax. You badly wish it wasn't a dream; your fingers could no longer do justice to the way Lee was taking you right now. It doesn't take any longer, though— you tried to warn Lee, but you came so unexpectedly, squirting uncontrollably with a loud cry of Lee's name.

You tread the wonders of your high, shaking with ultimate pleasure, as Lee dutifully coaxed out your juices, licking you clean. When you've come down, you've noticed Lee hovering above you, cerulean eyes still clouded with lust, yet with appreciation.

“That's it,” he cooed, fingers brushing away the hair that covered your face, “you're so amazing, my [Y/N].”

You moaned as he leaned down to kiss you, hands wrapped to cradle you, and you could taste yourself, cum and slick, on his lips. But you never minded that— let alone how hot it felt.

“Do you still want to do this?” Lee asked, looking at you with concern, “We can call it a day when you're overwhelmed.”

“No,” you said, pulling him closer, “We're past the point of no return. Besides...”

Placing a hand on his cheek, to which he leaned, you spoke, “I want you to be my first, Lee.”

He freezes. Looking up, he muttered, “A-are you sure? I don't want you to regret it.”

“I will never mind if it's you.” You smiled, “If anything, I want to give it all to you. I...adore you far too much. You'll only make my wishes come true.”

Lee thought for a moment, before looking back at you. “We're the same, then.”

Swiftly taking off his boxers, Lee's cock stands tall and proud, bouncing off to his stomach. You marveled at the sight, mouth-watering once more. You reached out to wrap your hands around the shaft, causing Lee to moan.

“Pretty,” you massaged the shaft, smearing the tip that had his pre-cum, “you're so big, too.”

Tall and long, and you feared he'd be too big to fit inside of you. It was veiny, with the fat mushroom tip with a lot of pre-cum. You wanted to put him in your mouth to return the favor, but with your cunt crying out loud of his cock, you wanted nothing more but to ask him to bury himself inside of you.

Lee looked like he could cum from your touch alone. But he doesn't want to— no, he had to be inside of you. He swallows his moans down, but the longer you jerk him, whiny groans and whimpering began to overwhelm him.

“Let me- hah,” Lee steals one last kiss on your cheek, before preparing to align himself to take your maidenhead, “I want you, [Y/N].”

“And I need you, Lee.” You cupped his cheek, whining as you felt his tip catch your clit, cock rubbing your drenched pussy, “I need you inside of me.”

Lee helps himself, guiding his cock in. You moaned out loud as you felt the tip prod your quivering hole, hands tightly grabbing onto his shoulders. Lee immediately holds your hips, a few shallow thrusts to help you accommodate his size. Your mouth slips out moans, eyes rolling back as half of his cock is already inside of you. But God, did you already feel so full, brushing a soft spot inside of you.

“[Y/N],” Lee stutters, heavily sigh that became a moan, “You feel so t-tight, hah,”

“Lee,” you cried out as he thrusted shallowly, weakly pulling his arm, “you're so big...”

“Shh, I'm sorry, I'm almost there,” he cooed, kissing the corner of your lips, “A little bit more.”

You scream his name as Lee finally bottoms out, triggering your second orgasm. Lee could only moan as he grasped your hips, groaning at the way you tightened, squeezing him without mercy. But he still rubs your hips, easing you back to reality.

“Fuck,” Blurring out, but hearing him curse, made you involuntarily clench around him, “You're not only tight, but you're nearly killing me here.”

“S-sorry,”

Lee only thrusts into you as an answer. Squeaking from the sensitivity, you tried to reason out, but failed as Lee chuckled.

“It's not your fault, [Y/N]. I guess it means I'm good, hm?”

Bastard. Still so cocky. You pouted, “You are mean.”

“And you're so pretty.”

Lee resumed thrusting in and out of you, the recoil making your breasts bounce. One hand holds your hips, the other on your hand, taking them to his lips. As pleasure starts to build despite your sensitivity, you somehow recognize the gravity of the situation: Lee's smell, your nearly-fucked out senses, the creak of your bed, and the way he was still making love to you, your virginities now given to each other. Lee fucks into you just right, the cock hitting all of the spots that made you babble. Everything was overwhelmingly good, that you arched off of the bed, his cock hitting inside of you deeper.

“Lee,” you cried out, “Lee, God,”

“I'm here,” he leaned to you, “I'm here.”

You never wanted this moment to end. You forget your responsibilities, you forget the war— even just for a moment, everything was perfect for the both of you. As Lee settles your legs in his shoulders, the intense feeling is knotting at the bottom of your stomach, waiting to snap.

“[Y/N],” Lee cooed, “Are you going to come?”

“Y-yes,” you moaned, “I wanna come with you-”

“I'm almost there,” as if adhering to your needs, Lee slips his fingers to your clit, rubbing it, “You can do it.”

Your climax really is coming, alongside Lee's. But before the knot snaps, you realize that Lee is still speaking.

“[Y/N],” in between moans and your whining, Lee gripped your hands, cerulean eyes glimmering. “My [Y/N]-”

“-I love you.”

You teetered so close to the edge that you couldn't process his words. But it was enough to reach your climax. Writhing, you felt yourself be filled with something down there, you and Lee moaning each other's names. He rests his head in between your shoulders. And you were perfectly content with the weight on top of you.

It takes you a few moments to process it. In between catching breaths, his hair in your fingers, your other hand fiddling with his own, the message seems clear.

“Are you okay?” Lee asked as soon as he was back on top of you, still sheathed inside of you, “Did I hurt you?”

“No...” Your eyes must be glimmering like his, as your tears began to blur your vision, “What a charming man you are, Lee.”

Lee understood, but he still feigned ignorance. “Hm? How so.”

Pressing your hands flat on his chest, you felt his heartbeat, slowing down to a normal one, and it made you wish that you could stay like that forever.

“I love you, too, Lee.” These were words you've longed to say after all. “I will always love you.”

Lee only smiled, cheeks tinted in the bright shade of pink, “...I'm glad you heard that, then, my [Y/N].”

How funny that the ride home seemed silent. But the words were far better spoken out loud in the end.

BONUS:

“Lee! Commandant! We're back!”

The sound of the door opening at the Gray Raven lounge reverberates. Two figures emerge inside, carrying a bag full of ingredients.

“Lee?” Liv asked, looking around, “Where is he?”

“It's unlike him to leave so abruptly.” Lucia shrugged, “Let's check on the Commandant.”

Leaving the bag on the table, Liv and Lucia trotted to the Commadant's room, finding two figures sleeping next to each other.

“Oh,” Lucia whispered, beckoning Liv to be silent, “They're here. Lee's sleeping next to the Commandant.”

“I see...” Liv looks around to find clothes all over the floor. “Did someone break in? Why is the floor messy?”

“I don't know. Lee was probably trying to dress the Commandant.”

“I noticed the plates were also unwashed. Did the Commandant already wake up?”

“We'll just ask later when Lee's awake.”

When the door of the Commandant's room finally closed, a loud slap could be heard.

“Ow, [Y/N]-”

“I am never going to go out of this room.” You sighed in embarrassment, remembering that the hickies on your neck are very visible, and you're probably aware that you couldn't walk. “I'm screwed.”

“We just did.”

“Lee!”

— starry

#pgr #punishing gray raven #punishing gray raven imagines #pgr commandant #pgr global #pgr lee #pgr hyperreal #lee brainrot because I HAVE HIMMMM

[samantha-rae-velcher]

Little one Pt. 3

Paz Vizsla x Fem reader

Requested by: @canadian-snow-queen @kchavez666 💗💗💗

Warnings: FLUFF!! Protective!Paz, Possessive!Paz, swearing, violence, use of a firearm.

A/n:If you don't like the Warnings please don't read! PLS KEEP MY COMMENT SECTION AGGRESSION FREE!

PART 4 WILL CONTAIN SMUT 👀

___

Din had asked the rest of the Mandalorians if they would join him in his fight against the pirates on Navarro. They had all agreed to help, after Paz Vizsla's glorious speech. Y/n was sitting in the ship next to Paz and the other Mando's, they were to be dropped out of the ship and onto the planet surface. Y/n was leaned over, her elbows rested on her legs, lightsaber in hand. She rolled it around in her hands, memories of the past flooding her brain. When she was training, Yoda teaching her the force, he was a wonderful master. He was fair and patient, always taught in intricate detail, showing her everything.

"Do or do not, there is no try." She whispered.

"What did you say?" Paz asked.

"Word's from a wise man. A great man....and Master."

She felt a hand rest on her back, gently rubbing circles.

"If you're afraid-"

"I'm not. I want to fight along side the man I love."

Y/n's gaze met his visor, she gave him a soft smile as she gripped his arm. The large door underneath their feet opened and she looked down to the rocks.

"You don't have a jet pack." Paz said.

"I don't need one."

The chairs dropped from under them and they plummeted it the ground, Y/n landed on her feet with no trouble. The Mandalorian's flew above and headed towards the city, she looked up and a pirates smaller ship caught her eye. Y/n jumped, using the force to go higher, she landed on the top of the vessel, startling the piolet.

With the blue flash of her lightsaber, the ship was going down. She split it in two and jumped off, landing on another one, in which she did the same thing to.

Just before it could hit the ground she leaped off and landed next to Paz in the city, swinging her saber to deflect blaster fire. Vizsla watched as she swiftly moved, knowing when and where the shots was coming from. It amazed him, she suddenly jumped and landed with a boom, knocking over a group of pirates.

Y/n came back to him and took his blaster cannon, aiming at the pirates in the tower. She fired at them until all that was left was a hole in the side of the building and a cloud if smoke.

"This baby is awesome. Imma have to get me one of these." She laughed, handing it back to Paz.

The battle went on, most of the enemy ships were destroyed when one of them locked onto Y/n and started chasing her through the city, shooting at her everytime she accidentally came out into the open.

Soon the relentless pursuit ripped all the energy from her, and she was shot in the side. Paz heard her cry and bolted towards her position, when he saw her laying in the dirt he faced his cannon towards the ship and fired, taking the entire front of it off.

He ran to Y/n's side, picking her up and bringing her into the school. Paz laid her down on a bench, taking a look at her wound. Y/n's eyes slowly opened when he whispered her name, she flinched, feeling the pain.

"Fuck." She cursed.

"It's alright, I'm here. I need you to stay awake, you're loosing a lot of blood."

He stayed with her until Din came plowing in with a good portion of the Mandalorians and Greef Karga. They brought her into the infirmary, Paz held her hand the entire time. Her eyes never left him, her gaze occasionally drifted down his large form, but never did it falter or look to anyone else.

A shock of pain made her cry out when the doc pressed something to her wound.

"Paz!" She shreaked.

He got close and gripped her hand tighter.

"I'm here, Little one. I'm right here."

Y/n buried her head in his shoulder and kissed the fabric that covered his neck, the gesture making his heart beat faster.

___

Y/n sat in the covert, staring at the fire. A Mandalorian male watching her from across the cave, making her feel uneasy.

"Got an issue there, Bub?" She asked, not looking up from the flames.

He stood slowly stalking over to her his helmet tilting, he crouched down beside her and gently turned her face towards him.

"I see why Vizsla is so drawn to you." The Mando whispered. "Your beauty is beyond any other."

The look in Y/n's eyes made him chuckle. She looked like she wanted to kill him, but he knew she was far too weak. He ran his thumb over her bottom lip, he was leaning closer when he felt a blade being pressed to the back of his neck.

"Take your hands off of her." Paz's voice growled from behind the man.

"Vizsla." The Mando turned to him, still crouched. "Have you claimed her yet? I haven't heard you voice it."

"She's mine." Paz's tone got deeper the longer the other Mando stayed next to Y/n.

Suddenly the man swung his spear at Vizsla, Knocking him back. Going at him again, he was pushed backwards into the fire. His cloak went up in flames forcing him to shrug it off his shoulders.

The man charged again, stabbing at Paz but missing every time. He was thrown against the wall and was about to swing again when he felt weight against his throat, he coughed attempting to breath but it was impossible.

He fell to his knees, causing Paz to step back in shock and confusion. The other Mando looked to Y/n, Paz fallowed and saw Y/n with her hand raised to him.

The look in her eye was pure anger, the color slowly faded in and out from e/c to yellow then back to e/c. Y/n's arm dropped and she fell on her side. The other Mando gasped for air and sat back against the cave wall.

Paz came over to her, taking her in his arms and carried Y/n to their shared room. He set her down on the cot and brushed her hair out of her face.

"You never cease to amaze me." He whispered.

A weak smiled spread over Y/n's face and her eyes fluttered open. She reached her hand out, running it down his side, feeling his muscle. Paz's breath hitched when he felt her hand stop at his clothed cock. She slowly palmed him through his flight suit, making him lean forward.

"Amaze me, Vizsla." She moaned, biting her lip.

He came closer, his voice so close to her ear.

"You're playing with fire, Little one."

THE END ❤️

I hope you enjoyed

Reblogs are welcome 🤗

#fyp #foryou #fanfic #foryoupage #x reader #requested #paz vizla x reader #paz vizsla x you #paz vizsla #paz vizsla x reader #paz Vizsla x Y/n #the mandalorian x female reader #the mandalorian x y/n #the mandolorian x reader #the mandalorian season 3 #the mandolorian x you

[lookbluesoup]

(Spoilers for EVERY expansion to follow)

I have been thinking about Alisaie again and I just. Have an ache over how terrified she is of losing people she loves.

I also really do love how insanely protective of the WoL she is, as much as hurts how desperate she is for you not to leave her.

That antagonism toward loss is such a recurring element throughout her story. Her fear of losing the WoL comes up frequently, and she's shown to be much more overtly afraid of harm coming to them than most of the other Scions (not that the others don't also worry, Alisaie's just so loud about it.) Which, personally, I really like about her. She may idolize the WoL, but she never forgets that they're human, too.

Anyway, this is a theme for her from the very beginning, and Alisaie is faced with a major loss in every. single. expansion. Her grandfather, Emery, the Call taking the Scions, Tesleen, and Ultima Thule. And throughout those she learns to keep her heart open nonetheless, to keep trying, to keep caring. That's what she tells the Endsinger. "We take each other's hand. Share in each other's courage. Follow in each other's footsteps. And turn sorrow into strength!"

I'm gonna shove some rambles and a BUNCH of quotes under the cut, here, because they make me emotional and I like having them in one place. This isn't all of them, but it's some of the one's that stuck out to me most in my 95987324876423 screenshots (since Tumblr only lets me put in 30 per post >_> )

The Coils of Bahamut, where she begins to hope her Grandad is still alive, only to find his body has been possessed and turned into a tool for his enemy, and the man she loved is beyond saving, and that his body is now a puppet being used to try to kill her...

The loss of Emery in "A Malm in Her Shoes" official short story, when Alisaie shuts down and stops looking for companionship:

In Stormblood, trying to dissuade the Qalyana from following Lakshmi after the death of the leader's daughter:

As the other Scions get Called to the First, their souls kidnapped and their bodies left behind:

When it's just the WoL and her, about to face Garlemald on the battlefield:

That her instinct is to reach for the WoL when you're both Called again...

In Shadowbringers, when Tesleen is corrupted by the Sin Eaters and transformed into an aether-hungry zombie:

Later, when you have to kill "Tesleen", if you run the dungeon with Alisaie in your party, at the end of it she will be facing back down the road, where her friend's body was, and wishing her a peaceful rest. (And if Alphinaud is also there, he will notice, too)

Then, when the Fuath kidnap and attempt to drown you, she searches for you frantically:

When the Light in you starts to break free and the WoL collapses, she's the first to speak, "Are you alright? Say something!" and is also the first of those gathered to take even a step toward you. She doesn't walk, she runs, and only stops when the Exarch interferes - but she's immediately ready to throw hands with him too when she starts to think he means harm:

She lashes out in frustration when trying to find a way to save the WoL from the Light doesn't turn up anything

By Endwalker, you can see how much she's opened up to the WoL and the rest of the Scions. How she invites you to join her around Sharlayan, surprises you with food, and is just generally so much more open and happy.

After you go missing in Garlemald, her and G'raha are the only two who run to meet the WoL on the road when they're spotted returning to camp.

And when you don't answer immediately, she asks if you're alright, with a much softer concern.

If you speak to her before chasing after Fandaniel and Zenos in the Tower, a battle you will have to undertake alone, she will give you some bonus dialogue and pray in front of the WoL:

If she's the one that visits you the night after returning from the Moon, she has a really touching bit of dialogue to offer the WoL (if you have not watched this cutscene please go to the Unending Journey book to replay it and pick the Alisaie route, there's so much inflection the text just can't capture):

And once she's out of the WoL's immediate view she SPRINTS away, she's the only potential visitor who will do that, as if opening up to you so much was still frightening and her courage only lasted so long.

Finally at Ultima Thule, as your friends are taken one by one, she gets progressively more distressed... (I am running out of image space so I'll type a couple of the shorter ones)

"No... Not Estinien too..."

"Y'shtola, no! You mustn't!"

I wish I could post the whole cutscene here but - in Endsinger, when you send your friends away, the amount of screen time dedicated to showing Alisaie realize what you are about to do, and begging you not to do it. The shock and desperation as she recognizes that you're taking away any chance she has at fighting by your side - at protecting you. That same outstretched hand:

And when she thinks you're going to die...

“[Sobbing] You can’t leave us... Not like this... If you do, I’ll never forgive you… So come on! Open your eyes and get up!”

Of all the companions fighting desperately to revive them and call the WoL back, her's is first the voice the WoL hears clearly through the fog, too. It's the first uninterrupted line and actually gets a text box, where the half-finished fuzzy sentences you hear companions shout before do not. If Dynamis played a part in bringing you back, her desperation may well have been a tipping point.

And then she sounds angry enough through the tears that she might just murder you again anyway

I could probably fit another 30 in here but those are some big ones.

I think it's a big part of what makes Alisaie such a favorite of mine, the struggle she goes through and the courage she has to keep caring anyway - something you can go back and see her learn throughout the series.

#ffxiv #alisaie leveilleur #alisaie #shadowbringers spoilers #endwalker spoilers #meta #long post #text #stormblood spoilers #heavensward spoilers #arr spoilers #wyn gabs #lore #dialogue #shower thoughts

[runawaymun]

I posted 1,740 times in 2022

That's 999 more posts than 2021!

466 posts created (27%)

1,274 posts reblogged (73%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@blueberryrock

@arofili

@jaz-the-bard

@makalaure-kanafinwe

I tagged 1,581 of my posts in 2022

Only 9% of my posts had no tags

#elrond - 297 posts

#out of uniform - 229 posts

#(humor tag) - 149 posts

#celebrían - 114 posts

#boil em mash em stick em in a queue - 113 posts

#lotr - 92 posts

#my art - 87 posts

#maedhros - 71 posts

#the silmarillion - 67 posts

#celrond - 67 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#i don't necessary *sexually* ship them because i do read frodo as being very ace or demi but i can totally understand romantically shipping

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

idk you guys when it gets late my brain starts making the saddest possible inferences but like 

I’m just thinking about Arwen saying “I’d rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone” and how she’s watched her father carry six thousand years of grief for all the people he’s seen come and go. Esp. Elros & Celebrían.

idk i’m tired & not wording things well and this is a sign i need to go to bed but I’m currently Very Emo about this. 

409 notes - Posted May 19, 2022

#4

Sometimes I think about how not all the trauma the Sons of Fëanor have is immediately obvious or visible as trauma they wear on their bodies.

After Angband Maedhros’ brothers keep finding caches of food hidden away in odd places. They promise that there’s plenty. That there will always be plenty. He says “I know, I know” but can’t make himself stop, because when you’re held captive by a minor god food is nothing more than a cute bargaining chip. Maedhros can’t stand on top of towers or climb hills or even trees anymore. It’s not that he’s scared because he’s Maedhros Fëanorion and isn’t afraid of anything— but the second he’s too high up, he feels sick to his stomach.

Maglor still sings. Everyone always compliments his voice. It’s so powerful, ricocheting off mountainsides, loud as thunder. It can stop a blade it it’s tracks. Make a legion of orcs clutch their bleeding ears and scream. But he can’t sing ballads anymore, or lullabies the way he used to. He hates it. He hates it. Each note that’s fashioned to hurt someone else feels like it will rip him in two. Sometimes he wishes he could rip out his own vocal chords just to be free of the responsibility of such Music, from the expectations of how he’ll use it in battle. He just wants to sing like he used to.

Celegorm never replaces Huan. He knows— he knows it’s his fault that he lost him. He lies awake at night and cries into his pillow, wishing it was Huan. Wishing he could bury his hand in his thick fur and feel his steady heartbeat again— because no matter how it ended a childhood pet is a childhood pet, and they will always take a piece of you when they go.

Caranthir talks less and less as the years go on. His brothers used to ask him for advice in Valinor, but a levelheaded temperament isn’t much use in times like these. He withdraws and he withdraws and he withdraws, until he’s so lonely it wears a hole in his chest.

Curufin covers his mirrors. He hates the sound of his name. Loves and hates the forge until he’s sick at heart and wants to throw himself into his own fire. The boundary lines, for him, had always been laid in the shape of his father, and without him he no longer knows who he is. He is only a shadow of him. A reminder of what they’ve lost. And he will never, ever, ever live up to his memory.

Amrod won’t light a fire in his bedroom no matter how cold or dark it gets. He can’t sleep in a room alone. Can’t be left alone for more than a few moments before his mind twists into panic— of “please, please, I’m right here, don’t forget me, don’t leave me—“

Likewise, Amras never lets Amrod out of his sight. The panicked “where’s Amrod?” happens on a biweekly basis. His brothers assure him that Amrod is fine. But their eyes betray their own worry. None of them have forgotten the ships.

551 notes - Posted March 23, 2022

#3

Also a concept: Maedhros riding a moose because if you’re that tall and armored you’re heavy as shit.

660 notes - Posted July 25, 2022

#2

Things that are really fucking me up today

Just how close in age Elrond and Elwing are, by the Elf standards. It must be so strange when they finally meet, to look at each other and realize the difference between them is only a little over thirty years.

Like, in comparison Finwe was a thousand years older than Finfarin, and Elrond was already roughly 4000 years old when he had Arwen.

So idk it just must have been so strange for them. A mere thirty years is such a wildly negligible amount of time. They’re basically peers when they first meet.

721 notes - Posted January 20, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Elrond and Celebrían invented true love, actually. 

832 notes - Posted September 3, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #yeah 100% this all looks correct #i'm not even surprised

[indianaclems]

Fang's Pride: Pride of the Heart

This is a first version I remodifierai if I should post it on ao3. I partly inspired by my military experience that says this can greatly change depending on the regiment, countries, and cultures. I hope that you plaiera

In the morning in the royal chamber of the high tower of Fang the sun was rising.

Raya was lying in the read

Raya: Đẹp lạ, come back to bed or you'll have to empty your make-up supply to hide your dark circles

Namaari: I have a lot of preparation to do, and you should also start preparing Sinta

Raya: other years you didn't ask me that... Could it be that the big powerful and invisible Chief Fang who isn’t afraid of anything is stressing for the ceremony?

Namaari: Absolutely not, I'm just meticulous, it's always been an important day, now get out of tiel bed and get ready-

Raya: -and my breakfast?

Namaari: On the desk

Raya: Not even in bed?

Namaari: already you would have overturned everything... You were fighting I don't know what enemies in your dreams

Raya: Definitely kicking your ass

Namaari, the ignorant: And I had hoped that you could get up... But I was obviously wrong

Raya standing up: How grumpy you are today... Stop, you're going to scare young people!

Namaari was getting ready, thinking that her daughter should do the same, she made sure that her outfit was well adjusted, that her hair was well done, without an ironing hair, that her parts shaved the day before were perfectly regular and symmetrical.

Then she got up and looked out the window

Raya, who was coming out of the bathroom after the shower, naked as a maggot, approached her wife to hug her.

Namaari: Raya please don't ruin my clothes.

Raya: Ho I see your sense of priorities: your outfit is more important than the hugs of your dear and tender to comfort you. She said pouting

Namaari: Raya will rather prepare you instead of catching cold

Raya: If you hold me near you, I won't be cold.

Namaari: 5 minutes no more but first you put on a towel.

Raya was in woman's arms and trying to relax her.

Raya: You think about it, don't you?

Namaari: hm? She said raising an eyebrow?

Raya: That day, when you were in her place.

Namaari: Whoa?

Raya: Ho please, you're tense, you can't stop looking at her barracks, and that's without counting the hundreds of drafts on the floor... How many times have you reworked your speech... There's even that of your mother at the same time that served as a model for you, and I looked at the year it was the one when you joined the army too, so don't feign ignorance to this subject with me!

Namaari: It's true... I wonder how my mother felt at that time... I was stressed, proud too... But I couldn't show it, not me Namaari Princess of Fang girl from Chef Virana ... but I hadn't been able to sleep all night ... I kept repeating in my head what I had to do at the slightest blink of an eye, that everything was perfect ... I prayed to the dragons that the others don't blunder... My mother, was my mother, intimidating... I had already seen her in her army chief outfit, but I was at her side at the era. It was special, everything happened as it was supposed to. My mother presided over the fundamentals, then there were the battles and finally the consecration. The speech was solemn she did not tremble... Just when she handed me the unworthy she smiled at me and whispered "bravo Namaari" with pride, it only lasted a few seconds but it was amazing...I don't know how many times she worked her speech, mine looks pitiful next to it

Raya cupped her wife's face between her two hands: Look at me Namaari.

Then the warrior looked into the intense gaze of the smaller woman.

Raya took a deep breath and exhaled: I read your mother's speech, and what it has is that she wrote lived her heart ... She was certainly in the same situation as you, I bet that she wasn't satisfied but she had to stop there if she didn't want to be late, who knows, in my memories I would say that she improvised but I'm not sure I don't remember the precise words.

Namaari: Were you there?

Raya: Didn't I tell you? Ho I was passing by stealing food and jade from you, and scouting to take the scroll, and then everyone made noise and rushed when you scroll... So I attended at the ceremony, part of me hated you and part of me was happy and proud for you. You realized your destiny, you felt what I had experienced with my Bá even if it’s very different, I just wish I hadn't failed in my task afterwards, I was troubled in my feelings but too fascinated by your beauty to go Namaari who was slack-jawed from then on.

Raya: I can say that she was proud of you, and you too, you were terribly exciting to such an extent that I only wanted to jump off my roof, cross this damn course and come and break your neck. nose

Namaari *laughs*: well happy to have had an effect on you

Raya: well not only me you would have seen the number of groupies who wanted to jump on you

Namaari: Do I take it that I'm going to have to drop my serlots on our daughter's suitors and suitors today

Raya: It won't be necessary you know very well that you will be requisitioning her all day and you are far too scary for anyone to try anything

Namaari: Perfect!

Namaari: How did it go with Long?

Raya: It's very different from Fang, but they's really talented.

Namaari: How's it going?

Raya: It's a test, the future keeper must not manage to enter their room and reach the circle while avoiding the traps and not arousing attention, moreover he cannot take by surprise because the date is planned but it must take place during the day and be done before the following dawn. It is the guardian who decides when their apprentice is ready to spend the rest. Obviously the apprentice has to fight the guardian, we can obviously take them by surprise... No mortal blow is given but the apprentice has kali sticks stamina strategy cunning are tested as well as determination. If the Guardian fails to defeat the Apprentice then the test is failed. If, on the contrary, the test is successful, the guardian initiates the apprentice with a specific sacred ritual that only we know. After which the day resumes its normal course, the guardian will inform Heart's council of the result and that's it. Generally the whole palace ends up knowing it and therefore very quickly Heart whole, because we feasted between us to celebrate the success. But the inhabitants of Heart know the importance of discretion on this subject so if everyone knows it, nobody says it.

Namaari: And you? How did you experience it, I mean compared to Long?

Raya: I prepared myself mentally, also physically, I prayed a whole day near the stone, and I asked my Bá for advice on what I should and shouldn't do, but I was fine, I was excited, I loved fighting Long. To tell the truth, I was only afraid of two things.

Namaari: What, Sinta?

Raya: Knowing the importance of the event, I was afraid that they would prepare for hours and that they would realize that dawn was already here... Or that I would break a nail while fighting. ..

Namaari: Speaking of them, we should hurry up and get ready to shake Long off, knowing he's bound to be late if we don't rush them.

Raya: You are right.

 *In the meantime*

 For her part, Nur had risen early like all recruits... She had prepared for the fighter's outfit and had prepared her ceremonial outfit in advance.

She listened to the remarks of the instructors

Ratiya would probably be there too. At lunch she sat next to Heng. The two ate slowly

Nur: How are you feeling ?

Heng: Incredibly stressed, there will be your mother who will assess us, and I will have my family, and my father.

Nur: That's right, that will be cool, I haven't seen them for a long time.

Heng: Your mother specially invited them for the occasion... Imagine if...

Nur: It's just a ceremony, we've already been promoted.

Heng: Aren't you stressed?

Nur: You say, I'm afraid I'll drop the spear or fall, or my outfit won't fit properly.

Heng: That's nothing!

Nur: Unfortunately with my title everything has to be impeccable. Do you know which contingent you will be heading to next?

Heng: I'm still hesitating, to tell the truth I like the royal army a lot, I could evolve and maybe one day become like General Atitāya, be close to the royal family, have important and varied missions, travel whatever to help our villages during disasters or for diplomatic missions, to protect the population, to act to improve and lead the army, to apply reforms and to advise the chief. My mother was proud, but I will be far from her far from my village and I don't want to abandon them, it would be less prestigious but I could return to their side, the soldiers of rural garrisons, especially in outposts, help the population, and ensures their defense they are an important relay between the central power and the remote areas, they are also the first defenses and whistleblowers... I don't know yet what my choice will be. And you?

Nur: I will join the elite commando

The instructor landed in the refectory asking them to go and get in formation in front of the building within 5 minutes. Then all the recruits got up, clearing their meal, formed into a battalion, surrounded by the instructors. An officer gave some instructions before giving the order to march to the main square where the day would begin.

Nur who was in the front row, behind the base man, carrying hdf promotion pennant. Which was a huge pride for her. She who was the last, she who was stigmatized was the major of her promotion. Heng was 2 rows behind her.

The promotion arrived in tight order on the place already crowded with the crowd, many soldiers were there to ensure security.

Then the crowd parted like two waves to draw a wide aisle leading to the palace steps and began to elated with anticipation. It was then that the royal guard appeared in front of the General and two elite soldiers from parte and others ahead of the Chief in official army chief's uniform, at her side her wife dressed in a ceremonial sabai in the colors of Fang but adorned with jewels of Heart. And followed by læ princet Long. Finally who guard suite

Nur tried to concentrate as much as possible so as not to smile or look like an emotional mess. her family was heading to the official stand.

Then the chief instructor of the regiment presented the promotion in hat of form, to the chief at the same time as to the whole of the crowd who stood there. Heng would look around for his mother or another family member.

Silence reigned as the officer spoke while Nur heard a gurgling sound from a visibly stressed teammate. Nur will concentrate not to laugh.

Then Namaari rose, and walked forward, saluted the officer, and surveyed the troops, eyes flexible, intimidating, and martial.

Nur straightening up and puffing out her chest. Namaari inspected every detail with a glance, then she faced the recruits. Then she spoke.

Namaari took a seat facing the formation, looking them straight in the eyes with a martial and unwavering expression.

She then spoke

Namaari: 16th Hope promotion, today finished and begins a new cycle. After years of training by your instructors and instructors, after years of hardships to harden you under the aegis of your trainers who are themselves experienced, you have learned resilience, a sense of duty and loyalty, a sense of sacrifice, bravery and courage. Your peers have trained you and passed on their knowledge. Today you join their rank to serve your people here present and whom I represent. And that is why to begin this consultation you are going to present your values, your loyalty, your rigor and your bravery to your people whom you serve until the ultimate sacrifice if necessary. 16th promotion Hope, On guard!

And then Namaari gave a series of orders, varying positions moves parries and attacks and complex sequences.

After 15mins the recruits suffered from their assiduous concentration but no one gave up. Nur was happy that her pennants had been taken away from her. At the end of this last. Namaari ended

 Namaari: On guard! Gather, Present! And salute! On guard! Rest. Thanks.

 So Namaari returned to the podium to sit next to her wife who discreetly whispered to her.

 Raya: Was it really necessary to give them this type of training? I thought some were going to tear their adductors... You know, the goal isn't to kill our daughter.

Namaari: Fang's soldiers are concerned about demanding and surpassing themselves, pain is satisfaction, it is important to know if they are ready to endure what prepares them and if their training is up to what the families and their people invested. But I must admit that this promotion is not bad

Long: How do you like it Chị? And Heng?

Namaari: We'll see at the end and then I could express an opinion.

 The continuation is chained by a set of fights a set of hens

Everyone was cheering

Raya and Long weren't left out, Namaari just smiled she had to look at all the recruits but she clearly only had eyes for her daughter, who was winning the fights one after the other.

Nur swept the feet of her opponent who fell heavily to the ground. Nur stopped not deeming it useful to finish the job, her dominance being clearly displayed!

Namaari winced slightly at the rookie impact as Raya and Long chuckled.

 Namaari: Why do I have the funny feeling that you two are behind this?

Raya: Well I must say that despite all these years it seems that Fang is still so distracted by the excellence of Heart.

Namaari: With all due respect my dear wife, don't throw flowers at yourself, there's the pot that will follow.

 Nur was starting her last fight, the recruits had to resist the heat under the zenital sun, none had been able to hydrate themselves or even take a little jackfruit to regain their strength, all remaining at attention, testing their resistance.

Nur looked breathless but determined to win this fight. Heng had been eliminated in the quarter-finals and Nur was now fighting her opponent.

A right made her bleed under the eyelid, making Namaari frown. But then Nur showed another face she was no longer amused but determined and ruthless.. so she rushed against her opponent chaining the attacks until she kneed him in the jaw and then immediately the referee instructor separated the fighters and made them move aside while he observed the bloody mouth of the loser. So she designated Nur as the winner of the duel and the tournament. The two adversaries greeted each other, greeted the instructor then the royal stand and finally the people before a medical team takes care of the injured.

Namaari formalized the end of the end of this first part.

Then the general officer addresses the rest of the program to the crowd as the recruits leave to eat before the rest of their ordeals.

 Raya: Don't want to cheer on our champion? She said nudging Namaari

Long: Please?

Namaari: No! It's important to let her concentrate and for the others it wouldn't be fair

Long: Ooooo…. moaned

Namaari: Raya? Raya... But where did she go?

 *Further away*

 Raya: Hmmm skewers! She exclaimed with stars in her eyes

Vendor : Take the ones that make you happy Princess

 *At the Palace*

 Namaari: I hope she didn't go to Nur! She said crossing her arms.

Raya: Đẹp lạ look what I found!!!!

Nur was at the barracks and getting ready, while eating her ration she adjusted her royal jewels and hastened to find her friend at the cattery.

Long: Ma, what do you think Chị is doing now? They asked threading yet another skewer making Namaari sigh.

Namaari: She must definitely be with Bubu at this time. And please eat right!

Long: I can't wait to be anytime it's going to be great

Raya: We're just gonna watch big cats jump

 Namaari immediately turned the offense back to her loves.

 Namaari: Our serlots aren't big! They are given a special diet, and it's not just watching them jump but seeing the mastery ability that the warrior has with their mount, it's a team that must be one, and the course is far from be obvious!

Raya: That's why you had trouble đẹp lạ...

Namaari: Binturi!

Raya: If you want to evaluate their complicity with regard to whether they sleep together, you would have had a better mark, I guarantee it.

 Later, Namaari returned to her stand facing the pitch filled with obstacles as the crowd gathered in the stands, while the young people arrived in columns. After the officer, Nur was at the head of the procession holding the flag, proudly mounted on her serlot, looking royal.

 Long: She's awesome!!!

Namaari: Long less strong! Calm down !

Long: Pffff if we can't even stand their sister anymore. they replied, crossing their arms.

 Namaari: Please behave properly, you're not anywhere! She said, giving them a little pat on the biceps to straighten them up.

Nur appeared in front of the rostrum and greeted the members

 Long shook their hand with a stupid smile, Raya smirked while Namaari also lowered her child's hand before glaring at them.

 Raya: She's wearing the hair jewelry you gave her for her birthday.

Namaari: I noticed it

Raya smiled knowing that Namaari hid the tenderness that won. Then it was the turn of all the procession

 Long: Hooooo, it's Heng!!! As they hopped in place.

Namaari: Misery ! but what was in those skewers???

 Raya shrugged trying to hold Long down by putting a hand on their shoulder to calm their down. The tests consisted of a speed race, and an obstacle course and finally knocking down the most targets in a time to eliminate while maneuvering their serlot.

A jar containing coins was brought. Namaari put her hand to draw one before reading the name of the future person to rush and chanted the name inviting her to come forward for the first test.

 Long: Yes! he exclaimed, pumping their fist

Raya: What is it?

Long: I don't like her, she bothered chị... By going first, she's bound to miss out! Said the princet as they put on a demonic face, slightly worrying Raya.

 The candidates passed one after the other

 Long: But is there at least the name of Nur in there? While they seemed to be annoyed.

Namaari: Patience Long, patience, and then don't we say "the best for last"? She winked while smirking.

 And as Namaari had predicted, on the last remaining token she read her daughter's name, the first name she had chosen herself 15 years ago.

Nur advanced and at the signal rushed, she almost lay down on her serlot to gain speed

She was third in the standings

But she still had two stages left... The show jumping was only a formality like a health course for the princess who had trained hard, crossing the obstacles one by one as if they didn’t exist. And finally her moment of glory arrived, she looked carefully at the targets... This was the moment she had been waiting for... She had some surprises she had in store.

 She quickly moved forward and knocked down the first target on the ground with her spear, then threw it at the second in the distance.

 Namaari: But what is she doing? she exclaimed

Raya: Why did she take that target? She moved away from the others, it doesn't make sense!

Namaari: I'm afraid she won't finish in time!

 Namaari dug her fingers into the armrests praying that her daughter wouldn't be eliminated on such a senseless mistake.

 As the head of Fang's heart raced in her chest.

 So Nur sent Buwan as fast as he could and how did he kneel on the seal

 Raya: But what is she doing?

 Namaari squeezed her wife's hand firmly causing her to wince.

 Namaari: She's going to do it again!!! Said she saw low, taking her eyes off the scene for a few seconds so that Raya gave her a puzzled look

Raya: What are you talking about?

Namaari: Look! as her watchful eyes were trained on her daughter.

Namaari: Come on Nur you can do it I believe in you! She thought like a prayer.

 And as Buwan leapt and Nur took advantage of it as a springboard to launch himself high, knocking down the remaining targets while spinning in the air like a top,

And before hitting the ground she launched into a behind pirouette sending her spear into the last remaining target piercing her when the time was up. The crowd cheered and Namaari sighed in relief before standing proudly applauding the achievement.

After the tests the recruits lined up, and Namaari took the floor pronouncing the oath to which the received were going to swear fidelity.

 Namaari: Recruits, it is with pride that I integrate you into our army, motivated by the love of serving our people without fail, always seeking the right cause. Your devotion and your solidarity united by a sense of duty and a taste for responsibility will make you into strong beings, the formidable fangs of our nation it is by carrying out the task of soldiers that you will strive to set an example to cultivate esprit de corps and multiply the successes. By choosing this voice you are choosing the requirement and the renunciation for a cause to which you are ready to make the ultimate sacrifice. Brave soldiers, it is with pride that I join this new family after seeing your qualities that have made you come this far after 4 years of training and having learned the department of being to overcome the obstacles that stood before you. This is why I have confidence in your ability to triumph over all difficulties whatever the situation. Thanks you.

Your pairs here present will bring you your insignia and your weapons which will make your officially soldiers of the royal army of Fang.

Officers, line up, quarter turn right! Come on and take a seat!

 Then the officers moved between the rows in a coordinated way to take place beside the recruit who had been designated to them.

Then Nur glanced to the side to have appeared behind her, Ratiya, carrying her weapon insignia on a cushion.

 Namaari came down from her platform to introduce herself to the recruits and so gave the insignia and weapons while congratulating the new soldiers.

Arriving in Nur she proceeded in the same way, before putting her hand on her shoulder and looking at her straight in the eyes with emotion and display a sincere smile then say softly: Nur, I am proud of you my daughter.

 Then she went to continue.

 Namaari resumed her place: Soldiers! Kudos to you! Now break up and go back to your families and celebrate this great event!

Nur went to join Raya and Long who jumped into her arms

Raya congratulated her and hugged her back.

 Atitāya: My congratulations, Princess Nur you have been great you will be a great warrior, which contingent do you want to join?

Nur: The Elite Commando

Atitāya: Very ambitious !!!

 *Raya pouted*

 Namaari: I'll have to make up my mind, congratulation Nur

 ...: Well done Princess Nur.

 *Everyone turned around*

 Namaari: Chantou what a pleasure to see you again !

 *The woman greeted her accompanied by her children*

 Namaari: My congratulations, Heng you have been very good. Hello Prak you have grown well say so !

 *Heng and Prak greeted the Chief*

 Raya: It's good to see you again, well done Heng

 *The family greeted Raya*

 ...: Ho you were great, Namaari you're speeches were moved although a little too martial.

 *Everyone turned to greet the divine blue creature*

 Raya: Sisu!!!

 Sisu: Ho, bestie!!!

 Namaari: Sisudatu how long have you been there? You had to tell us I would have planned something to make you comfortable!!!!

 Sisu: Namaari none of that with me, just Sisu let's see and... Ho stop Long you're tickling me !

*As the prince rubbed her face against the dragon's fluffy fur while hugging her*

 Namaari: Long! A little dress and respect please!

Sisu: hooo Namaari don't worry, so I was saying I was lounging when I heard there was a commotion so I came and it's nice to do like Raya, observe from a distance without being noticed!

 Raya: Sisu! And then in addition you are not too discreet, without wanting to offend you!

 Sisu put her hand on chest shocked: How so? Are you saying I'm fat?

 Raya: Hooo no... but you're tall …. and... blue... Did she try, grimacing

 Namaari: Đẹp lạ you are blue, I'll let you know. Answered her wife, pointing to her turquoise clothes

 Atitāya: yes but she is small---

 Raya: Hey! And I'm not small! I'm just the normal height for a Heart person, And unlike you, I have nothing to compensate finally I will point out to you that you are not tall Atitāya, either, if it isn’t your ego-!

Namaari: -Come on, come on, let's stop bickering….

 Raya and Atitāya eyed each other

 Namaari: No fighting, please!

Prak: Well then, big brother, aren't you going to see your girlfriend?

 *Everyone turned around*

 Heng *blushing*: What? Prak, Princess Nur is my friend! Nothing more, he said nervously.

 Prak: Well I thought you were in love and said you loved him§

Heng: Hey what? no, no, no, finally yes, but no, but not like that, finally!

 *Chantou laughed and Long gave her sister a teasing look*

 Nur: Don't even try where I swear you'll be the first to test my blades!

Long: So Chị she has a boyfriend! How does the child sing mischievously.

 Nur: Long!!!!! she said pulling out her blades.

 Namaari: Children no -

 Nur ran after her sibling as he turned from poor Sisu holding her tail in fear of the flapping blades as the two terrors chased each other around her.

Namaari glared briefly at Heng, before arresting Nur and Long, with the help of her wife.

 Then the group headed to the palace to celebrate their graduation. At one point Nur went away pulling Heng by the wrist which did not escape Namaari who quite naturally, like the protective mother-serlot she also went to get some fresh air while staying in the shadow .

 Nur: Heng!

Heng: Nur, he smiled awkwardly. Sorry for my brother...

Nur: That's not it... Is it true?

 *Namaari squints and winces*

 Heng was as dumb as a carp

 Nur: Look if it's true, you know it's okay I'm not going to get upset. She leaned nonchalantly against the balcony railing while looking at her friend.

 Heng: Really?

 Nur: There's no reason for me to be angry, it's not like it can be controlled and then love is beautiful, love is a noble feeling, isn't it?

 *Namaari growled internally*

 Heng: So you love me too? Hope appearing on his face.

Nur: Hmmm- well not really like you... At least not in the same way.

Heng: Ho… He said disappointed…

Nur: I would like however that we can remain friends if you want I will not force you if it is too difficult for you, But I will regret losing our friendship, you are really important to me

Heng: Friends, alright ?

Nur *smiles*: do you mind?

Heng: Isn't friendship a form of love? It will take me a while to accept that it will never really be the same… But as long as I don't lose you I'm happy.

Nur: And then you know you weren't really lucky... You're not really my style of girl you know!

Heng: Oh okay!!!!

 Nur laughed at his friend's embarrassment

 Nur: Please don't tell anyone!

 *Namaari frowned hissing like a caged serlot*

 Heng: Hmmmm, yes of course but I finally don't understand your mothers are open and there's also general Atitāya and -

Nur: -That's not it!!!! She said shaking her head... It's because if my Ma finds out she's going to watch all my female encounters, and I want to be able to bring girls back to my room without my mother interrupting us. Imagine the embarrassment...

Heng: Wait have you already???

 Namaari's eyes widened...

 Namaari: No no no ,it's not possible my baby!!!! She’s still so young!!!! ... No no no no !!!! She thought panicking that her daughter already had an intimate life.

 Nur: Not yet but I can see how the girls were staring at me in the locker room or in the dormitories you know and it's not like it doesn't bother me.

 Namaari made a mental note to launch an investigation and request private apartments for her daughter.

Raya watching her wife spy on their daughter thinking that her wife shouldn't say that Nur has a girlfriend. Raya approached Namaari before surprising her to discreetly lead her away from her hiding place and bring her back to the party, hoping to restore some privacy to their daughter.

#raya and the last dragon #ratld #ratld fic #rayaari fics #raya and the last dragon fic #sisu and the last dragon #namaari and the last dragon #raya #namaari #sisu #atitaya #general atitaya #nur oc ratld #nur ratld #long oc ratld #princess nur #princet long #Princess raya #chief Namaari #raya princesse consort of fang #raya of heart #namaari of fang #rayaari #rayaari child #rayaari mothers #rayamaari #rayamaari mothers #rayamaari child #raya x namaari #Namaari x Raya

[saidelia-draconis]

☤ - a memory of death/loss

The dim light of torches flanked Saidelia's slow shuffle through the grand hallway. Her footfalls echoed with each clank of her steel boots on the stone floor. Every so often she'd shiver as a hollow suit of armor glowered down at her through the slats in its visor. Her progress was slow and full of dread. She had been called into the office of a field commander for reasons unknown to her and the worst immediately sprung to mind. What had she done wrong? What was she to be chided for this time?

She approached the door. Dark, and foreboding. The door seemed to stretch out before her, towering to the edge of her vision. The handle seemed almost out of reach when she reached out for it. She drew her shaky, seemingly infinitesimally small hand into a clenched fist, knocking on the door without rhythm. Panic surged through her as the knob of the door slowly turned, a stern-looking older woman glowering down at her. Her gaze softened as she peered down at Saidelia. She slowly stepped back, widening the crack in the door and beckoning gently.

"Oh, Saidelia... right? It's nice to meet you. Field commander Halveth. Please, call me Catherine. Come in."

Saidelia stood nervously in the doorframe for a few moments before Catherine's hand firmly guided her across the threshold and into a chair. She sat motionless yet poised, like a bristling cat waiting for an aggressor to move. Her wide, fearful eyes. She didn't dare speak. The woman spoke assertively but tried to keep her demeanor as gentle as possible.

"It's nice to meet you, Saidelia. You seem a little apprehensive, is there anything I can perhaps get you? I'm afraid I don't entertain squires - or really anyone your age - often. I have tea... or do you drink coffee? I'd like you to know you're not here for discipline."

The young paladin continued to gawp at the older woman, only just starting to let her guard down at the woman's assurance. She slouched slightly, trying to look unimposing; it certainly worked. She nervously traced the stitching of her doublet, the girl trying to muster up the words to address the knight so superior to her.

"No ma'am-- uh, sir. Nothing, thanks."

"Catherine is fine, Saidelia. I'll put on a pot just in case. If you want some, you're more than welcome. I've been following your progress. Sir Dominicus' squire. I've always thought him to be quite capable. I see he taught you well."

"Yes Catherine, sir."

The woman pinched the bridge of her nose, refraining from correcting the girl. She busied herself with tea. When the pot was finally ready, she poured Saidelia a cup, setting it out on her desk in front of the girl. She prepared none for herself.

"It's my understanding that you were supposed to be with him during the attack on the Wrathgate until you fell ill. I hope you're feeling alright today."

"Yes Sir Catherine. Dame Catherine, sorry."

Catherine clasped her hands together, leaning forward with an uncomfortable smile, maintaining her stiff, friendly facade.

"Nothing to be sorry for, Saidelia. I was in your position many, many years ago. I'd like you to know that I'm a friend. Someone you can trust. That's why it pains me to be the one to tell you."

The commander cleared her throat, stealing some of the tea she had poured for the young paladin, quaffing it as though it were some kind of alcohol. It did little to steel her nerves.

"Saidelia, I'm sorry to tell you this. We suffered losses in the battle. Heavy losses. To the point where we're scaling back our operation in the Dragonblight region. There will be an official report to come tomorrow. Given your... unique situation, I wanted to sit down with you personally and offer my support. For what it's worth. I'm... sorry."

Saidelia stared in stunned silence, The girl felt the floor shift and fall out from under her. She felt gutted; as if everything but her emotions were suddenly spilling out in front of her. She instinctively reached toward her belly, trying to reconnect with her corporeal self. It felt like someone else's hand. Someone else's tunic. She stared past Catherine and out the window. The sunlight made her feel dizzy.

She couldn't tell how long she had been dazedly ignoring the reality in front of her. When she managed to focus on the present once again, she was met with Commander Halveth's sad, concerned, smile. She awkwardly reached out towards Saidelia's hand left on the desk. The touch felt foreign.

"I'm truly sorry, Saidelia. For what it's worth, I wish I was more comfort. What can I do to help?"

"I don't know." Her voice seemed not her own. A puppet's trying to take her place, urging her forward. "And sir Dominicus?"

"Missing. Presumed deceased. I wish I could tell you otherwise." The woman sounded somber, almost as pained as the young squire was. "I'm afraid there are some affairs to tend to. It's certainly not tradition - but these are far from ideal times. And in times like these, we take our circumstances into consideration. The war we thought would end today is far from over. We're in a bit of a bind, given how few knights we have left. Sir Dominicus seemed to think you weren't going to be ready for another few years, defer to his leadership. As of today, that is me."

Catherine's discomfort was evident, given her roundabout way of speaking. She uttered a deep, nasal sigh, rubbing her palms together as she regarded Saidelia. The girl stared back uncertainly, breaking eye contact every so often as her eyes darted suspiciously around the room.

"What I'm trying to say, Saidelia is that given everything that has happened, you and a few other squires are receiving your titles early. We're holding small ceremonies over the next few days before we give you your next assignment. I would say congratulations are in order, though I somehow doubt you feel much like celebrating."

Catherine stood up from her desk, crossing the divide between the two and placing a hand on Saidelia's shoulder. Her movements were awkward and stilted. Saidelia paid no mind to her, staring at the panes of the window behind the commander's now empty chair. The frost-rimed glass glittered in the dying afternoon light. Everything seemed more muted. The anxiety that had filled the girl twisted into an all-encompassing despair, a numbness that seemed to expand with each passing second. The woman spoke, attempting her best to soothe the young paladin.

"I know this is the first time you've lost someone you've served with. I wish I could tell you things were alright. All I can say is I know how it feels. Especially when they're close to you. You never really get over it, but I promise in time you'll learn how to keep the grief at bay."

Catherine resumed her seat, staring piteously at the silent girl. Saidelia could hardly meet the woman's gaze now, looking forward without seeing. Her thoughts were beyond the room that the two shared. The commander seemed to understand, half speaking to herself.

"I'm sorry you have to hear this from me. I wish I was more comforting. I know it isn't much, but given your situation, I've arranged the team you'll be working with. My cousin Daniel will be under your command. I've advised him of your situation. He's an ass, but I've confidence he'll help you develop as a knight. Long as you don't let him push you around. If there's anything I can do for you in the next few days, please don't hesitate. My door is always open."

(Thanks for the ask, @wandering-mesa! Sorry it took me 670 days to finish; not that anyone's counting. Wherever you are, I hope things are going well.)

#Asks #Backstory #Prompts #Writing

[heartofspells]

From that Sirius X Snape fic, this is exactly the kind of dynamic I love concerning Sirius and others:

He comes out of the shadows, wand in hand, eyes glinting, completely unconcerned there are five of them, and one of him.

And he has no reasons to be concerned. A tale as old as time.

Avery is the first to flee when Black cuts them off.

“Come to take revenge for your little girlfriend?” Evan says, stiffly, taking out his wand, too.

Oh, that’s right. Black used to ‘date’ Macdonald, at some point.

“Get lost, Rosier.”

They won’t stand up to Black; not even on behalf of a pureblood like Mulciber. It’s not just Severus the Slytherins would abandon at Black’s mercy.

Flint mumbles something about forgetting his book in the tower, and he quickly climbs the stairs, two at a time.

“You think I’m afraid of you?” Mulciber asks, wand already pointed.

“Yes,” Black answers. “And if you weren’t, you will be soon enough.”

Evan looks between them, and, as always, goes with self preservation, or with family loyalty. Black is his somewhat cousin, in that complicated way purebloods count relations.

He starts walking, and Severus walks with him.

“Blood traitor,” Evan hisses, as they go past Black, because he knows Black will take their familial connection into account, too, that he won’t jump on him.

Sirius is retaliating because Mulcuber attacked Mary Macdonald, so it’s showing that fierce loyalty of Sirius’s. I also love that Rosier knows he won’t get hurt because of their familial relationship (earlier it mentioned that Regulus was never pranked), but that last line of Sirius’s is utter perfection. The Slytherins all leaving Mulciber because not one of them is willing to fight Sirius even though he’s outnumbered, and Sirius knowing he’s dangerous and powerful, and knowing that the Slytherins are all well aware of this. Sirius being inherently dangerous and the Slytherins all knowing this, him being terrifying when he needs to be, my beloved. Sorry for rambling in your inbox, though

No no no no. Please continue to ramble, I love this. That little snippet ended and I was screaming, "But where's the rest???"

But yes, this is good. This is gold. I also love seeing Sirius like this. It's not depicted enough, but Sirius is said and shown to possess immense skill and likely power. He is the Black heir. He would have been feared, and rightfully so. I don't doubt he made use of that whenever the opportunity arose, especially after joining the Order. Imagine him on a mission of some sort or joining in with a small battle, and him just walking up to a few Death Eaters, providing them a look, rolling his wand between his fingers almost casually but with that knowing, threatening air about him. It just makes me salivate. I love seeing soft Sirius, I love seeing over-dramatic Sirius at play at times, I love seeing him in all different lights, but this is the Sirius I love the most. That Black heir who's not the heir anymore and never wanted to be, but who has held that same air throughout his entire life like a second skin, melding into it, making use of it for his own gain. Gah! Gimme

#sirius black #my true beloved #i love him so much #every part of him #anon asks #ask #answer #lovely anons

[warsamongstthestar-keen]

Chapter Fifty-One

The Dathomirian leads the group of rebels toward the pyramid, everyone but Ezra still wary of working with Maul. Reaching the base of the obelisk, Keen glares at the top of it, then back to the ex-Sith. "Now what?" Maul places his hand on the stoney side of the pyramid. A mechanical whirring fills the air, as a large block lowers, revealing a lift leading to the next plateau.

"Wow!" Ezra enthuses, following Maul onto the lift.

Kanan steps forward, intending to climb onto the platform, but the Dathomirian pushes the Jedi Knight back. "Only two. No more, no less."

"Yeah, well these two come as a set." Kanan shoves the ex-Sith off the platform. "You okay riding with Grandpa, Ahsoka?"

"I'll be fine."

The lift powers up once again, Kanan and Ezra disappearing from view. Keen turns to look at the other three still standing around the tower. "Ahsoka, why don't you take Leia with you. I'll ride with Maul."

"If you're certain."

"Go ahead."

The ex-Jedi Padawan, and the Padawan take off around to the other side of the obelisk to the second lift. "Is there a third one, or are we waiting?"

The Dathomirian grumbles under his breath, truding off around the pyramid. Ari'abel follows directly behind him, her hands wrapped around her lightsaber hilts, just in case Maul decides to try something. The ex-Sith stops at the next corner, placing his hand on the wall, a third lift descending from the platform above.

Maul steps onto the lift, Keen following his lead. As it begins it's ascension, the Jedi Master asks, "What's your real goal, Maul. If you wanted to fight Vader there are many simpler ways."

"You shall see soon enough, Lady Quinara. Until then you must have some patience, like you Jedi are known so well for."

Leaning over, she growls, "If you do anything to hurt either of those kids, I will hurt you."

"Threats hold no meaning when I know you won't follow through."

"Yeah, and who says I won't?"

The Dathomirian chuckles, as the lift reaches the platform, both Jedi and ex-Sith igniting their blades as the Inquisitor comes into view. Her eyes land on Ezra holding onto the side of the pyramid, the Inquisitor's lightsaber, which has spikes sprouting from it, lowers toward the boys hands.

Ahsoka and Leia are fighting Seventh Sister, and Kanan is fighting Fifth Brother, both too far from the dangling Padawan. Maul launches himself at Eighth Brother, causing the Inquisitor to block his blade.

Keen lets the two Dark Side users battle, rushing over to pull Ezra back up onto the plateau. Maul flings his Inquisitor off the platform, Seventh Sister and Fifth Brother following suit. "And there go the Inquisicoptors once again," Ari'abel murmurs. Spinning quickly on her toes, she faces her friends. "Everyone okay?"

"Yeah," Kanan grunts, before turning to Maul, "Looks like they figured out your plan."

"Then we shall alter it. I recommend that we split up, and scale the pyramid from two sides. They will also have to divide their forces."

"And let me guess, Ezra goes with you? No thanks," Kanan grouses.

"It is the logical choice."

"Screw you, and screw your logic," Keen argues.

"Hmmm, maybe later, Lady Quinara, although I am all metal down there."

Ari'abel hears Ahsoka snort, but chooses to ignore the Togruta. "I find that you and I made a fine team, Maul, so why don't I come with?"

"I'm afraid Ezra has the holocron, and I don't trust you enough to give it to you."

"Feelings mutual." Keen turns, placing her hands on Ezra's shoulders, looking into his eyes. "Be careful, please. He can be very persuasive. I trust that you'll be mindful."

Ezra nods, "I promise I'll do my best."

Kanan stares at his Padawan. "That's all we ask."

"Excellent, excellent. You will find another lift on the far side, we will meet again on the next terrace."

The lift powers up, and Maul and Ezra vanish into the air. "He'll be fine," Ahsoka tells Kanan.

"Yeah? How do you know that?"

"Because you taught him."

"And you're a great teacher!" Leia enthuses.

Kanan pats the Princess on the clone helmet, "Thanks for that, kid. It doesn't always feel that way."

"It never will," Keen pats his shoulder, before wrapping her arm around Leia's shoulder.

They round a corner, finding another lift, resting near the level, waiting for it's passengers. About halfway up to the next terrace, Ezra yelling fills the air.

"Kriff! Doesn't this thing go any faster?"

"Ari, you seem stressed. You said to watch out for the others, make sure they don't fall victim to the Dark Side calling. I think you're too focussed on taking care of everyone else, and not worrying about yourself."

Ari'abel doesn't answer the statement, because their lift comes level to the platform, and they're immediately greeted by Eight Brother. Master Quinara immediately blocks the attack, jumping over the Inquisitor, who just follows the Jedi, leaving the Padawan at the lift. Keen starts and onslaught of quick attacks on either blade, giving him no warning. She parries a few of his attacks, but leaves him mostly on the offensive. "I'd always heard you preferred negotiation, and yet you fight better than most Jedi I've killed."

"I'm old, I've had plenty of training. And I find that negotiation doesn't work nearly as well on known killers."

She crosses her blades, as Eighth Brother pushes his blade down quickly on to her sabers. When he adds more force to the lightsabers, Kenn counter acts, pusing her blades up, diving into the Force for some extra strength, she tosses the Inquisitor over the edge of the obelisk, his lightsaber flying from his hand. The Jedi Master chooses not to watch as the Inquisitor falls, instead meeting her Padawan's eyes. "Wow! When do I learn that?"

Keen wipes an arm over her brow, shoving her hilts into her bag, "I thought you wanted to learn how to heal, now it's lightsaber training. Sounds like you don't want any downtime."

"Lots to learn," she shrugs.

The duo round the corner, spying Kanan and Ahsoka fighting Fifth Brother together. Maul drops from the sky, his lightsaber held aloft. He attacks the Inquisitor with a fervour, while Ari'abel fishes her sabers from her bag, passing the spare to Leia. "Just in case, Princess. Be mindful."

Maul makes quick work of taking care of the Inquisitor. After only moments of fighting, the Dathomirian stabs Fifth Brother through his stomach, the Inquisitor gasping, as he breathes his last.

#wars amongst the stars #ari'abel quinara #wats #star wars rebels #au fix it fic

[chaemphler]

Starborn pt1 - a first pass at writing a destiny love story

He wondered where they were going.

He had no clue. He simply sat in the back-seat, baby in his lap as she manoeuvred their way through the atmosphere. Through mountain ranges and over low underpasses; tresses of snow-capped valleys and swathes of static nimbi. Not that he had a perfect view; the ship was a two-seater, sure, but it was a linear two seater. Not a side-by-side pilot system, as that would be pointless for a guardian. Ghosts don't take up any space, and an wide ship doesn't have any advantages.

As clouds touched and shared their arc energy he felt the hair rise on the nape of his neck. He wasn't afraid; working in the tower had long since taught him that guardian ships where as sturdy as they were agile; capable of moves that would kill civilians and just as tough to boot. Guardian-rated fighters are made to handle the worst of the worst; the xeno and the dark, but in here she made it seem so safe.

Smoother than honey, fluid as silk. Her piloting had an almost laminar flow to it; conducting the orchestra of the ship's many systems through a calm and gentle stream of rising crests and banks as she brought us closer to our destination.

He still didn't know where they were going.

He supposed he would find out soon enough.

Lightning coursed through her eyes and sparks lanced between her hair and her chestplate, eyes turning to check on the bubba cooing in her husband's arms. The light in the arc energy must hav been resonating with her light, making it manifest outwardly he realised. She was completely unbothered, but it reminded him of just how powerful his wife was. Of course, the actual light caught the mother's instincts in plain sight on her face.

He supposed when you were a guardian, it was hard to come back and parent a baby. To swap from battle-born habits of twitchy, aggressive reactions to then try to be the exact opposite towards the one person they can't afford to treat wrong. Her saw her struggle, and he was going to let her figure it out.

She was going to have to if this was going to work.

Still, Mark appreciated the concern born from love in his wife's eyes as she took a moment to just make eyes to their baby. Guardian or not, this woman was so in love with this baby. Couldn't stop fawning over her.

Couldn't stop giving her all to this new one in her life.

He loved her for that.

He loved her as she brought the ship around the last of the path, if the map was to be believed. Over sets of mountain ranges and out to the desert. Due to the scouring of Earth during the fall, what were evince deserts far too hot or cold to ever be a pleasant stay, but not so much nowadays.

The drastic change in climate meant that the deserts where much warmer at night, as the traveller's work and subsequent destruction of Earth had messed with the equilibrium of the place.

"Landing now." Her ghost piped up, the little light bouncing into view as it prepared for transmat lock.

"When we transmat, close your eyes." She lowered the landing gear and flicked a few switches, preparing the final stages of a set down for her ghost to take over.

"Honey I don't like this, where are we?"

He knew he sounded tired, he knew he sounded distrusting, and to be fair, he was all these things. It had been a long few months.

She didn't respond immediately, but the tightening of her hand on the controls clued him in to her formulation for words.

"I wanted to spend some time away from the tower. I wanted to show you something" The ship came to a stop as the Hive-bane spoke without turning around.

"Please."

As the transmat began and all he saw was blue, he once again made his choice.

pt 2 soon ik it makes no sense i am working on it

#destiny 1 #fanfic #oc #momma guardian #guardian has family and now has to deal with it #my attempt at writing my hc

[ask-a-former-champ]

This may seem like a weird question, but what happens when the Battle Tower does not allow trainers to battle because they weren’t born in Galar?? I've been thinking about it and I just wanted to ask. Sorry if it's confusing lol

I don’t understand what you mean. There have been plenty of trainers who have battled at the Tower who were not born in Galar. Some don’t even live in Galar and were just on holiday.

I’m assuming this came from my talking about having an ID. In which case, we don’t need Galar IDs for you to battle. If you got a trainer ID from Kanto, we’ll accept it. If you have a driver’s liscense from Unova, we’ll accept it. If you happen to go to a school in Kalos that issues ID cards, we’ll accept those too!

I promise you, we want trainers from all over to battle at the Tower! The IDs are only for us to keep records and in case something happens. So we’re not altogether picky about what form those IDs come in.

#please don't be afraid to come to Battle Tower! #we want to see you participate! #we really do! #champion leon #pokemon leon

[marvelsbanner]

Part of a Team

Summary: Wanda is the newest Avengers recruit and she’s having a hard time finding her place in this new life- maybe she can find it in you?

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x y/n, you

Warnings: Brief mention of death and blood, minor language (if you squint theres kind of compromising situations? nothing outright sexual)

Word Count: ~2700

A/N: Reblogs, likes, and comments are VERY much appreciated, all mistakes are my own! xx 

**I don't own marvel and if I did Natasha would be alive**

Something was wrong. You were just in Strucker’s lab- just on the trail of one of the enhanced twins. The alarms were going off around you and your boots clanged on the metal floor- before you froze in your place, a red haze overtaking you and suddenly you were thrown into the daylight.

-

You felt tingles run through your veins and down your spine; your head throbbed. You felt vulnerable, seen. What the hell is going on-

You’re in the forest, you think. No- there are rocks. Big rocks-

Focus.

No, not rocks. Graves. Gravestones. Where the hell are you?

You drag your heavy feet over to the nearest, it takes a moment for your vision to focus.

Who’s grave? Who’s grave? Oh god.  No no no- this, this can’t be-

Natasha Romanoff.

You felt like throwing up. This couldn’t be real. You dragged yourself to another stone situated nearby: Clint Barton. Beloved husband, father, and friend.

It felt like you couldn't breathe, you were just there with them. You were just there.

Your body jerks as cold hands grab your shoulders and spin your body to face them-

Steve.

You throw your arms around his neck, “STEVE! Oh god Steve! You’re okay- you’re.. cold” you feel something wet and sticky on your hand, pulling it back and seeing red. So much red.

“Steve..” you quickly stumble back, tripping in the process. It’s then you see- it’s too late. His body was grey and lifeless. He falls onto his knees and then collapses totally. You scream and scramble backwards, head hitting another gravestone in the process.

You turn to face it, to read another name of one of the team members you’ve come to call family- but it's not one of theirs. It’s yours.

It’s your name. A graveyard for the Avengers, Earth’s mightiest heroes.

Suddenly your body jolts and you take a sharp intake of breath- your ears are pounding. Everything hurts. But you see her- the enhanced. She’s looking at you with a look you can’t describe. It’s not fear, it’s not anger.. Pity? Empathy? You can’t look away from her, the glowing red eyes capturing you as their prey.

And then there was black.

-

A few weeks later and you’re back at the tower. Things have changed- the entire world has changed, really. The battle opened up new doors- literal new doors to new realms- that the world had previously thought impossible.

The team had expanded, with Steve’s friend Sam joining the team, as well as Vision, the synthezoid that helped the team to defeat Ultron.

There was also her.

Wanda Maximoff was one of the enhanced twins from Strucker’s experiments, you eventually learned. It was voluntary, but after learning about her backstory you think you would have done the same in her place. 

She lost her brother- Pietro- in the battle and she took it hard. She didn’t come out of her room when she could help it. Clint was rather protective over her, maybe it was the fatherly figure coming out of him- maybe he was feeling guilt over being the one Pietro sacrificed himself to save. Either way, he was able to get her out of the room a few times and get her to eat. Vision also struck up a strange friendship with the girl- but then again, Vision was easy company, and rather empathetic for a synthezoid.

Everybody took a hit from when Wanda messed with their heads, some more than others.

You didn’t talk for a week.

Didn’t even talk with Clint’s kids when they wanted to play with you.

You didn’t hold it against her. She proved what a valuable asset she was to the team as she fought alongside the group. She did what she thought was right at the time, and that’s not something you could hold against anybody.

Ever since the Battle, Wanda has been staying in the Avengers facilities with the rest of the group, an official Avenger, but you could tell she was still uneasy around the team. She only talked when she was directly talked to and didn't come out of her room but for a few times a day for food and training, sometimes not even then.

And then there was you.

She seemed to avoid you like the plague. You weren’t even sure you two made eye contact for the entire first few weeks she was there.

At first you thought she just didn’t like you, that something about you rubbed her the wrong way, or something you had done had offended her.

But it was her eyes that gave it away- the same soft look that she gave you right after exploring the deepest and darkest parts of your mind that day at Strucker’s lab. She knew from the second it happened that she had hit a deep nerve, and she would continue to give you that damn look every time she thought you didn't notice her.

But you always did.

You couldn’t help it, the way you were drawn to her. She reminded you so much of yourself before joining the team, broken, and alone in your head. You wanted to know her. You wanted to be there for her, be someone to her, you didn’t want her to keep walking on eggshells around you.

And so, you told her.

You found her in the kitchen late one night. She was wearing flannel pajama bottoms and a garnet tank top with a plain gray robe overtop. Her hair was a mess, roughly shoved into a ponytail and her hands were cupped around a mug. She was blowing on what looked to be dandelion tea, and as you got closer the fragrant earthy smell confirmed your suspicions.

She looked adorable.

And slightly startled to find you alone with her.

“Evening” you said as a greeting as you made your way to the counter top.

She gave a tight-lipped half smile with a timid “Hi” before going back to blowing on her tea. She made a slight movement that looked like she was going to try to slip away before you continued,

“You did really well in training the other day. Cap can’t give you enough praise” you say, taking a seat on one of the counter barstools.

She looks puzzled for a moment over your attempt at small talk before getting out a “Thank you.”

You both stood there in silence for a moment, just looking at each other, feeling the air grow thicker with each second ticking by.

“I like the pajamas” you say with a small smirk. You yourself were still dressed for the day in your leather jacket and black jeans. You could have sworn you saw flush creep up her neck before she swallowed it down with a sip of her tea.

There was another silent moment as she gave you a quizzical look, “I don’t quite understand what’s happening here.” She says with a vague hand gesture to the space between them.

You gave a slight chuckle, it was very on-brand for Wanda to be straight to the point.

“Look, Wanda,” You rotated your body on the stool to face her more comfortably,

“I see the way you look at me when you think i’m not looking. You avoid me at any given opportunity, I actually think this has been the most words we’ve exchanged in your whole time living here.”

She raised her ducked head to look you in the eyes and gave a small shake to her head, “I don’t understand.”

You don’t break eye contact, but simply offer a small smile as you reply “I’m not afraid of you, Wanda. And I don’t hold anything from that day against you. All is forgiven, and I would like to move past that. I understand you believed everything you were doing was for the right reasons, and the only thing that it shows me is your dedication and loyalty to a greater cause. Even if it was the wrong one at the time.”

She looked shocked, to say the least. Her mouth slightly opening and closing as she pondered what to say in response.

“You all should be afraid of me. You see the chaos I’ve created and you think you know what I can do,” her voice caught before she continued, “But the truth is I don't even know what i'm capable of. I don’t belong here.” she says softly.

You give a sad smile before slipping off of the stool and moving closer to her.

“We all thought that, at one point or another. We’ve got a whole freak circus here, we’ve got more baggage than Delta flies in a year- that's, that's uh, an airline. My bad.” You elaborate after she gives you a puzzled look, holding back a smile at your stuttered explanation.

“Aaand I ruined the moment.” You give a small chuckle, before continuing “But my point still stands. Nobody belongs here more or less than anyone else. We’re all just here, that's the truth of the matter. We’re just a bunch of unlucky misfits trying to figure out how to work as a team. Just give it a try, and maybe you’ll find you fit in better than you imagined you would.”

At some point during your speech you had moved close enough to take her hand, and you look down at it now, blushing before going to move it away.

Before you could, she gives your hand a squeeze before moving in to place a gentle kiss against your cheek.

“Thank you, y/n.”

And with that she slips away to her room, leaving you alone with your racing heart and her lukewarm mug of tea.

-

The next morning you found yourself awake bright and early for another morning training session with Nat and Steve- but you had a guest this time.

“Wanda” you greeted, which she returned with a timid “Good morning.”

“I’m glad you could make it” you say, sincerely.

“I decided to take your advice.” She replies with the smallest smile pulling at her lips.

The two of you stood there for a moment, just taking each other in before Steve cleared his throat, “Alright, we should get started then. Wanda, I'll spar with you to start. Nat, you take y/n. Try not to kill each other, please.” He said with a humored smile.

You make your way towards the corner with Nat on your heels. She gives you a quizzical look with a raised brow, glancing between you and Wanda. You roll your eyes and shake your head, only responding with a pointed “Later,” before your legs sweep under hers and an arm wraps around her torso, flipping you both to the ground and landing with you on top of her.

“Using my own move against me, that’s a low blow y/n.” You both laugh, and you barely respond with a “I learned from the best” before she wraps a leg around your waist and grabs your wrists with one hand, flipping you over and pinning you to the ground. She winks and replies “Damn right you did.”

It went like that for another half an hour, the two of you going back and forth battling for the upper hand. Natasha was the one who had trained you since the beginning, and you could almost say you were near her equal now. Well, you could at least give her a run for her money in a spar.

The two of you were panting and glistening with sweat, cheeks flushed from the exercise when she gave you a mischievous wink and called out to the other two, “Hey grandpa, I think I’m done getting my ass kicked by y/n for the day. I want someone easy, come spar with me”

If looks could kill, the look you were giving her would have the assassin dead on the floor.

Steve only looked amused, grabbing a towel to wipe his own sweat as he responded “Bring it on, Romanoff. Try not to break anything, though. I’ve been told they want my bones for the Smithsonian” Nat rolled her eyes and gave a pointedly fake laugh before they made their way to the other side of the gym, leaving you and Wanda alone.

“Hi” you greeted. She responded with a small smile and a “Hi” in return.

She looked as though she were still catching her breath, the rise and fall of her chest was noticeably fast and her face was still adorned with a glisten of sweat and pretty pink flush.

The same flush you saw from her last night, standing in the kitchen with the dim light around her.

Oh God you were in deep now.

“Nat and I were just wrestling around, hand to hand combat kind of stuff, but I see you and Steve were boxing so it's up to you what you’d like to do.” you say quickly.

“Well.. I do have this,” She waves her hand to show her flicker of red powers “for missions, so I don’t think I really need that kind of training.” She says with a smirk, “But I admit, you seem like a good teacher. Maybe.. some basics?”

She was pushing it. Pushing at this, the same way you were pushing last night. Alright, maybe you could run with this.

You give her a teasing smile, “Alright then. We’ll start slowly. May I?” You ask, reaching out for her, but not quite touching.

“By all means” she says, and you can feel the familiar flush creeping up your neck again. You release a puff of breath and shake yourself out of your thoughts before stepping closer to Wanda, and in one fluid motion you had one leg behind hers, your left arm resting against her upper chest and your other at the small of her back, pushing her flush against yourself.

You could hear the small gasp she let out, smirking to yourself.

“This is a simple take down, easy to get out of, but good for beginning. Now i'm just gonna pull you down as slowly as I can-”

You bring her left leg out from under her and carefully let the two of you sink to the floor, leaving you straddled on top of her and pinning her arms to the ground. The air suddenly felt a lot warmer.

You meet her eyes, breath hitching as you feel her pulse quicken beneath your touch.

You clear your throat and begin again, “Like I said before, it’s easy to get out of, but you want to keep the element of surprise. Use your opponent's body weight against them, if you can twist your wrist to slip it out of their grip and use your hips to to flip-”

Before you could even finish she had you pinned beneath her, wind knocked out of you from the impact.

“Like that?” she said, looking down at you through hooded eyes, thick accent teasing- flirting?

You were suddenly very aware of your close proximity and compromising position- flush against each other with her hips straddling your waist; close enough to feel her rapid heartbeat. 

“Yeah- that was- that was good” you sputtered out, barely able to hear yourself over the rapid beating of your own heart. Or maybe it was hers- you aren't sure you could tell the difference between up and down right now.

She gave a proud smirk and opened her mouth to say something before a certain synthezoid floated through the gym walls, clueless to the moment he was interrupting.

“Mr. Stark requests a team meeting and would like you to meet him in the conference room.” He said simply before turning and leaving through the wall again.

Wanda gave you a look that seemed to say we’ll finish this later and moved off of you. You missed the heat of her body immediately.

She offered you a hand up and you gladly took it, the two of you walking side by side in silence to the meeting, shoulders bumping and small smiles shared between you two as you think to yourself that maybe you could get used to this. 

#marvel #wandavision #wanda maximoff #wanda maximoff x female reader #wanda maximoff fanfiction #wanda maximoff x reader #scarlet witch #scarlet witch x reader #elizabeth olsen #lizzie olsen #mcu #mcu avengers x reader #avengers x fem!reader #wanda maximoff x fem!reader #avengers fanfic #avengers fanfiction #sapphic fanfic #wanda maximoff imagine #wanda maximoff headcanons #wanda maximoff x you #avengers x you

[istumpysk]

Operation Stumpy Re-Read

ASOS: Jaime V (Chapter 37)

When they led Jaime in, they found Brienne seated in one of them, scrubbing her arm almost angrily.

"Not so hard, wench," he called. "You'll scrub the skin off." She dropped her brush and covered her teats with hands as big as Gregor Clegane's. The pointy little buds she was so intent on hiding would have looked more natural on some ten-year-old than they did on her thick muscular chest.

[...]

"Help me out of these stinking rags." One-handed, he could not so much as unlace his breeches. The man obeyed grudgingly, but he obeyed. "Now leave us," Jaime said when his clothes lay in a pile on the wet stone floor. "My lady of Tarth doesn't want the likes of you scum gaping at her teats." 

[...]

Brienne shrunk away from him. "There are other tubs."

"This one suits me well enough." Gingerly, he immersed himself up to the chin in the steaming water. "Have no fear, wench. Your thighs are purple and green, and I'm not interested in what you've got between them."

[...]

She turned her back to him. "Still the shy maiden? What is it that you think I haven't seen?"  [...]

The wench kept her back to him, the muscles in her great shoulders hunched and hard. "Does the sight of my stump distress you so?" Jaime asked. "You ought to be pleased. I've lost the hand I killed the king with. The hand that flung the Stark boy from that tower. The hand I'd slide between my sister's thighs to make her wet." He thrust his stump at her face. "No wonder Renly died, with you guarding him."

She jerked to her feet as if he'd struck her, sending a wash of hot water across the tub. Jaime caught a glimpse of the thick blonde bush at the juncture of her thighs as she climbed out. She was much hairier than his sister. Absurdly, he felt his cock stir beneath the bathwater. Now I know I have been too long away from Cersei. He averted his eyes, troubled by his body's response. 

My unpopular ASoIaF opinion is that this whole scene bothers me, and I don't find it romantically coded at all.

+.+.+

"It's not Aerys I rue, it's Robert. 'I hear they've named you Kingslayer,' he said to me at his coronation feast. 'Just don't think to make it a habit.' And he laughed. Why is it that no one names Robert oathbreaker? He tore the realm apart, yet I am the one with shit for honor."

Damn, did he push a child out of a tower too?

+.+.+

"Did you know that my brother set the Blackwater Rush afire? Wildfire will burn on water. Aerys would have bathed in it if he'd dared. The Targaryens were all mad for fire."

All of them.

+.+.+

"Soiled my white cloak . . . I wore my gold armor that day, but . . ."

A nice reminder that before everything went down, Jaime had already picked a side.

+.+.+

He floated in heat, in memory. "After dancing griffins lost the Battle of the Bells, Aerys exiled him." Why am I telling this absurd ugly child? "He had finally realized that Robert was no mere outlaw lord to be crushed at whim, but the greatest threat House Targaryen had faced since Daemon Blackfyre. The king reminded Lewyn Martell gracelessly that he held Elia and sent him to take command of the ten thousand Dornishmen coming up the kingsroad. Jon Darry and Barristan Selmy rode to Stoney Sept to rally what they could of griffins' men, and Prince Rhaegar returned from the south and persuaded his father to swallow his pride and summon my father. But no raven returned from Casterly Rock, and that made the king even more afraid. He saw traitors everywhere, and Varys was always there to point out any he might have missed.

Lots of criticism aimed at Varys the past two chapters.

The implication seems to be that Varys purposely drove Aerys mad?

With Varys whispering in his ear, King Aerys became convinced that his son was conspiring to depose him, that Whent's tourney was but a ploy to give Rhaegar a pretext for meeting with as many great lords as could be brought together. - The Kingbreaker, ADWD

When Aegon dies, can he do that with Daenerys? Please?

+.+.+

So His Grace commanded his alchemists to place caches of wildfire all over King's Landing. Beneath Baelor's Sept and the hovels of Flea Bottom, under stables and storehouses, at all seven gates, even in the cellars of the Red Keep itself.

Guys, there was wildfire beneath the Great Sept of Baelor. The author thinks it's necessary to keep reminding us. No need to worry, it's been removed. I read that in a Tyrion chapter. The wildfire is gone now. We never have to concern ourselves with wildfire underneath the Great Sept of Baelor again, no matter how many times the author keeps mentioning it.

+.+.+

The queen's eyes had been closed for years, and Rhaegar was busy marshaling an army. But Aerys's new mace-and-dagger Hand was not utterly stupid, and with Rossart, Belis, and Garigus coming and going night and day, he became suspicious. Chelsted, that was his name, Lord Chelsted." It had come back to him suddenly, with the telling. "I'd thought the man craven, but the day he confronted Aerys he found some courage somewhere. He did all he could to dissuade him. He reasoned, he jested, he threatened, and finally he begged. When that failed he took off his chain of office and flung it down on the floor. Aerys burnt him alive for that, and hung his chain about the neck of Rossart, his favorite pyromancer. The man who had cooked Lord Rickard Stark in his own armor. And all the time, I stood by the foot of the Iron Throne in my white plate, still as a corpse, guarding my liege and all his sweet secrets.

You want to know what a POV trap looks like? It looks like Jaime Lannister describing Hand of the Kind Lord Chelsted as craven, because he didn't believe the man was courageous enough to challenge Aerys, then finishing that thought describing his own cowardly obedience.

(Took off his chain and flung it down on the floor? Why, I remember a scene just like that on the show!)

+.+.+

"My Sworn Brothers were all away, you see, but Aerys liked to keep me close. I was my father's son, so he did not trust me. He wanted me where Varys could watch me, day and night. So I heard it all."

Jaime and Cersei both realize Varys is no ally.

And then there's Tywin (dumb) and Tyrion (dumber).

+.+.+

"Ned Stark was racing south with Robert's van, but my father's forces reached the city first. Pycelle convinced the king that his Warden of the West had come to defend him, so he opened the gates. The one time he should have heeded Varys, and he ignored him.

Now Varys is giving Aerys sound advice? Maybe he assumed he was a dead man if Aerys was overthrown.

+.+.+

My father had held back from the war, brooding on all the wrongs Aerys had done him and determined that House Lannister should be on the winning side. The Trident decided him.

Late Lord Lannister.

+.+.+

"When I came on Rossart, he was dressed as a common man-at-arms, hurrying to a postern gate. I slew him first. Then I slew Aerys, before he could find someone else to carry his message to the pyromancers. Days later, I hunted down the others and slew them as well. Belis offered me gold, and Garigus wept for mercy. Well, a sword's more merciful than fire, but I don't think Garigus much appreciated the kindness I showed him."

Okay, I guess I can accept you were trying to stop Aerys from finding another pyromancer.

+.+.+

"Do you think the noble Lord of Winterfell wanted to hear my feeble explanations? Such an honorable man. He only had to look at me to judge me guilty." Jaime lurched to his feet, the water running cold down his chest. "By what right does the wolf judge the lion? By what right?" 

This much projection only comes from someone who knows their hands aren't clean.

+.+.+

"Guards!" he heard the wench shout. "The Kingslayer!"

Jaime, he thought, my name is Jaime.

The next he knew, he was lying on the damp floor with the guards and the wench and Qyburn all standing over him looking concerned.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, prat.

"You will call me Brienne. Not wench."

"My name is Brienne, not wench."

+.+.+

"Ten thousand dragons is a formidable sum. Of course, there is Lord Karstark's offer to consider as well. He promises the hand of his daughter to the man who brings him your head."

"Leave it to your goat to get it backward," said Jaime.

Bolton gave a soft chuckle. "Harrion Karstark was captive here when we took the castle, did you know? I gave him all the Karhold men still with me and sent him off with Glover. I do hope nothing ill befell him at Duskendale . . . else Alys Karstark would be all that remains of Lord Rickard's progeny." 

Much like Lady Hornwood, Alys Karstark sometimes likes to cosplay as Sansa Stark.

What could that mean for the future??

+.+.+

"Fortunately for you, I have no need of a wife. I wed the Lady Walda Frey whilst I was at the Twins."

Did you know she's 16? Because I didn't.

+.+.+

Jaime felt almost sorry for Robb Stark. He won the war on the battlefield and lost it in a bedchamber, poor fool. "How does Lord Walder relish dining on trout in place of wolf?" he asked.

"Oh, trout makes for a tasty supper." Bolton lifted a pale finger toward his cupbearer. 

+.+.+

Roose Bolton shrugged. "Arya Stark was lost for a time, it was true, but now she has been found. I mean to see her returned safely to the north."

Cunt.

+.+.+

"Her and her sister both," said Brienne. "Tyrion Lannister has promised us both girls for his brother."

That seemed to amuse the Lord of the Dreadfort. "My lady, has no one told you? Lannisters lie."

"Is that a slight on the honor of my House?" Jaime picked up the cheese knife with his good hand. "A rounded point, and dull," he said, sliding his thumb along the edge of the blade, "but it will go through your eye all the same."

Jamie losing his mind over the softest insult I've ever seen thrown at House Lannister. As if that's not a totally fair assessment.

+.+.+

"'Tis scarcely chivalrous to threaten your host over his own cheese and olives," the Lord of the Dreadfort scolded. "In the north, we hold the laws of hospitality sacred still."

+.+.+

I am worth less than a girl now, he thought. The goat's evened the trade, though I doubt Lady Catelyn will thank him when Cersei returns her whelps in like condition. The thought made him grimace. I will get the blame for that as well, I'll wager.

Would you ever consider stopping that from happening?

+.+.+

"King Robb has won every battle," Brienne said stoutly, as stubbornly loyal of speech as she was of deed.

"Won every battle, while losing the Freys, the Karstarks, Winterfell, and the north. A pity the wolf is so young. Boys of sixteen always believe they are immortal and invincible. An older man would bend the knee, I'd think. After a war there is always a peace, and with peace there are pardons . . . for the Robb Starks, at least. Not for the likes of Vargo Hoat."

Poor @minitafan sent this to me ages ago, but my mailbox is a war zone. Thank her for the goodies!

This is the second (I thought third, but I can't find the text) time Robb's age has been brought up when a discussion on bending the knee occurs.

"There is no shame in it. Balon Greyjoy bent the knee to Robert when his rebellion failed. Torrhen Stark bent the knee to Aegon the Conqueror rather than see his army face the fires."

"Did Aegon kill King Torrhen's father?" He pulled his hand from hers. "Never, I said."

He is playing the boy now, not the king. - Catelyn IV, ASOS

You have to think the author is writing this with an aged up Jon in mind.

As for the pardons, I guess we'll wait and see.

+.+.+

"But to sell you he must keep you, and the riverlands are full of those who would gladly steal you away. Glover and Tallhart were broken at Duskendale, but remnants of their host are still abroad, with the Mountain slaughtering the stragglers. 

Oops?

I gave him all the Karhold men still with me and sent him off with Glover. I do hope nothing ill befell him at Duskendale . . . 

+.+.+

"You want me to absolve you of blame. To tell my father that this stump is no work of yours." Jaime laughed. "My lord, send me to Cersei, and I'll sing as sweet a song as you could want, of how gently you treated me." Any other answer, he knew, and Bolton would give him back to the goat. "Had I a hand, I'd write it out. How I was maimed by the sellsword my own father brought to Westeros, and saved by the noble Lord Bolton."

[...]

"You will leave when Qyburn says you are strong enough, with a strong escort of picked men under the command of my captain, Walton. Steelshanks, he is called. A soldier of iron loyalty. Walton will see you safe and whole to King's Landing."

"Provided Lady Catelyn's daughters are delivered safe and whole as well," said the wench. 

There's a few clues in the text that Jaime knows what's going on, but I still find it a bit far-fetched he never internally reflects on it.

I get it. Storytelling. Blah, blah, blah.

+.+.+

"The girls need not concern you any further, my lady. The Lady Sansa is the dwarf's wife, only the gods can part them now."

"His wife?" Brienne said, appalled. "The Imp? But . . . he swore, before the whole court, in sight of gods and men . . ."

She is such an innocent. Jaime was almost as surprised, if truth be told, but he hid it better. Sansa Stark, that ought to put a smile on Tyrion's face. He remembered how happy his brother had been with his little crofter's daughter . . . for a fortnight.

Nobody knows Tyrion Lannister better than his brother.

+.+.+

"Ser Jaime will continue on to King's Landing. I said nothing about you, I fear. It would be unconscionable of me to deprive Lord Vargo of both his prizes." The Lord of the Dreadfort reached out to pick another prune. "Were I you, my lady, I should worry less about Starks and rather more about sapphires."

Cock.

Final thoughts:

What was the point of inviting Brienne to dinner?

-> return to menu <-

#operation stumpy re-read #asos #jaime v