#Intrigue

[bluedahlia912]

Chapter 8/10 “Can I Dream of Heaven?”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64594735/chapters/172572673

[illustratus]

The Delivery of the Letter by Lucius Rossi

[365filmsbyauroranocte]

Conclave (Edward Berger, 2024)

[escapismsworld]

[licaonia]

♠️_Ciò che la mente di un uomo può creare,il carattere di un uomo può controllare.🖤🌹

©️Licaonia Lupe

[aventurineswife]

platonic aventurine meeting teen/younger reader whos also an avgin who somehow survived

The Last of Us

Summary: Aventurine, the last surviving member of the Avgins, encounters you, a person with strikingly familiar eyes, in a crowded city. The encounter stirs up memories of his past, leading him to wonder how someone else from his people could be alive. Despite his carefully controlled demeanor, he is intrigued by your survival and offers a gift as a gesture of connection. The encounter leaves both of you contemplating the nature of your shared history and future.

Tags: Aventurine x Reader, Avgin!Teen!Reader, Slow burn, Survival, Intrigue, Psychological tension.

Warnings: Potential for darker themes (survival, manipulation, past trauma), Subtle emotional manipulation, Complex relationship dynamics(?).

Aventurine leaned against the cool marble of the courtyard, the noise of the city behind him almost lost to his thoughts. His fingers, ringed with gold, drummed lightly on the surface of his watch, and his eyes scanned the crowd with practiced ease.

It wasn't supposed to happen.

He had survived it all—betrayal, the fall of his people, and the cruel hand of fate. He was the last of the Avgins, a survivor by sheer luck, and yet, there you were.

A teenager, no older than sixteen, with the same striking eyes that haunted his past. A gaze that mirrored his own.

Aventurine's heart, normally calm in the face of danger, stuttered for a moment. His eyes narrowed, scrutinizing you from across the street. You didn't notice him yet, and he made no move to call attention to himself. No, he needed to understand.

Why do you have those eyes?

His lips parted in a thoughtful smile, though it never reached his eyes. How could this be? He, who had thought himself the sole survivor of the Avgins, had now stumbled upon another. But if you were alive… how?

He pushed himself away from the marble wall and moved a few steps forward. His presence was commanding, yet deliberate. The closer he drew, the faster his pulse ran; a feeling of anticipation ran through his veins. He didn't know whether he was more intrigued or unsettled, but he had to know. Had to hear the story that could change everything for him.

"Hello, my friend," he said smoothly, his voice a mix of warmth and curiosity as he stepped into your line of sight. "It seems fate has brought us together."

You looked up, surprised at first, but something in his eyes made you pause. There was no fear behind that gaze; there was only calculation, the kind of look that belonged to someone who had seen the world's cruelty and yet still found a way to push it into being manipulated to their advantage.

His gaze softened slightly as he took another step closer, hands casually slipping into his pockets, but his eyes—those unnervingly captivating eyes—never left you.

“I must admit,” he continued, his voice steady but carrying an undertone of something deeper, “I didn’t expect to see another Avgin. Not after all these years.”

His words hung in the air, an invitation to speak, or remain silent.

You paused, and it was clear that a thousand thoughts had rushed through your mind. You shifted uncomfortably, but there was something about his presence, something almost magnetic, that kept you rooted in place.

"Aventurine," he added, as if that would somehow make you at ease. "You can call me that. It's not often that someone else comes along with a similar history."

There was no urgency in his tone, no need to pry. It was simply curiosity. But underneath that, there was something else—something you couldn’t quite place.

“I... I don’t know what to say.” You looked away for a moment, your fingers curling around the hem of your sleeve, nervously avoiding his gaze.

"Nothing," he said promptly, his mouth twisting upwards at the corners. "You don't have to say anything, not yet. I'm simply intrigued by your survival. You remind me of someone."

He softened his eyes with the barest trace of nostalgia, before he covered it with a practiced smile. "I won't lie—I'm fascinated. But it's not just about the past. It's about what happens next."

He caught your eyes for a short period; between you, there was some weird sense of understanding, that somehow, he was speaking to himself and not to you. The same loneliness that had driven you both to survive. No pity, though—but in a way, unspoken: You won't be lonely again.

And maybe that was the most shocking of all. A connection, however brief, formed out of sheer chance. And in that moment, the world seemed a little smaller, a little less cold.

Aventurine stepped back, raising his hand in a dramatic, almost theatrical gesture, before pulling out a small, velvet pouch from his coat. He held it out to you, his smile never wavering, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of something more serious.

"Take it," he said, his voice laced with sincerity. "Something small to remind you that you're not alone in this. Not anymore."

You stared at the pouch, weighing his gesture, before you took it, reluctantly. He beamed with pleasure at your hesitation—he knew you would.

"Consider it a gift," he continued, his voice softening. "And maybe... consider it the beginning of a partnership. You see, I believe we could help each other. The world is full of chaos, but perhaps there's a way to navigate it. Together."

He turned his back to you, his form looming against the backdrop of the city, and you couldn’t shake the feeling that he had already planned your next move.

“I’ll be around,” he called over his shoulder, that knowing smile still evident in his voice. “I’ll be waiting, my friend.”

But perhaps, just this once, you would gamble with him.

As you watched him walk away, a strange sense of camaraderie lingered in the air. You didn’t know what to make of him yet, but one thing was certain—Aventurine was right. Fate had brought you together, and now it seemed it would keep you entwined in his complex game, whether you liked it or not.

[docileeffects]

[deception-united]

What is intrigue? How can you use it in story telling?

Thanks for asking! Intrigue in storytelling is the art of captivating readers by introducing elements of mystery, suspense, or unanswered questions that pique their curiosity and compel them to keep reading. It creates curiosity and engages the reader, compelling them to delve deeper into the narrative and keeping them guessing. Here are some tips to incorporate this into your own writing.

Foreshadowing: Dropping subtle hints or clues about future events can a sense of anticipation and mystery, as well as making it fun for the reader upon looking back.

Unexpected plot twists: Surprise your audience by subverting their expectations. Introduce twists and turns that challenge their assumptions and keep them guessing about what will happen next.

Withholding information: Strategically withhold key pieces of information to create suspense and intrigue. By keeping readers in the dark about certain aspects of the story, you heighten their curiosity and desire to uncover the truth.

Sense of urgency: Establish a sense of urgency or impending danger to raise the stakes and intensify the intrigue, whether it's a ticking clock, a looming threat, or another pushing factor.

Gradual revelation: Pace the unraveling of the mystery or unanswered questions, gradually revealing clues and information to keep readers engaged. Each revelation should deepen the intrigue and prompt new questions, driving the narrative forward and maintaining momentum.

Character motivations & secrets: Explore the hidden motives, secrets, and conflicts within your characters to add layers of intrigue to the story. As readers uncover the complexities of the characters' personalities and relationships, they become more invested in their journey and the outcome of the story.

I do have separate posts that go more in depth about some of these points, so feel free to check those out for more tips. Happy writing ❤

Previous | Next

[digitalfossils]

[daz-zey]

Before there was Lee Jung Jae and Lee Byung Hun, there was Lee Jung Jae and Jung Woo Sung 😭 They were sort of like the blueprint, they were in a movie called city of the rising sun back in 1999. Since then, Lee Jung Jae and Jung Woo Sung became best of friends while also being shipped together all this time.

Been kind of in Lee Jung Jae's fandom since squid game came out in 2021. As everyone does, I checked out some of his earlier stuff and whatnot. It's just so interesting how this all played out.

[illustratus]

The Secret Marriage by Nicola Sanesi

[leiatalon]

The Eternal Library Progress Report:

Hello, dear friends of Minare! Life has been super busy, but I’ve managed to get a bit over 20k words written so far in the parallel chapter fives.

I’ve just uploaded an early access demo update for Patreon subscribers that includes this new material, which I’m thrilled to be able to share!

The story is really coming along now, and these two paths offer a chance to get to know Dorian better as well as Marienna and Sevitas (and Collin, of course). More time with Gemma and Angelina will be coming later in the chapter.

If you’re ready to dive in now and see what’s new with chapter five, head on over to Patreon and get in on the action! As usual, this update will be public in a month, so you can look forward to that if you’re not a Patreon member.

The next sections I’ll be working on will include opportunities for romance, intrigue, and contributing to the changes of the kingdom on one path and forming alliances (or making enemies) on the other.

Thanks for your interest in The Eternal Library! I hope you have a fabulous weekend! 💞🌿

[licaonia]

♠️_La mia anima è così intrecciata con la tua

che non so dire dove finisco io e dove inizi tu.

Ho sete di te come solo i peccatori hanno sete.🖤🌹

©️Licaonia Lupe

[aventurineswife]

𝟎𝟑 - 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐔𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧

The corridor ahead shimmered faintly with artificial light, the kind that never quite felt like daylight. The metallic hum beneath your feet hadn't stopped, but it had settled into a quieter rhythm, as if the Astral Express itself was holding its breath. You walked with the others—Welt slightly ahead, Dan Heng at your side, and March trailing behind, unusually silent.

Your head still throbbed, memories flickering like dying stars: the falling sky, the searing heat, that final scream before the darkness took you. And now—this train. These people. This strange, lingering ache in your chest that didn’t quite feel physical.

A soft chime sounded. The lights above brightened briefly before returning to their normal glow.

Then she appeared.

At the end of the corridor, silhouetted by the light of an open doorway, stood a woman with flowing red hair and a poised confidence that instantly drew silence from the group. She leaned casually against the frame, arms crossed, watching.

You didn’t recognize her—but the others clearly did.

March gasped. “Himeko?”

Welt stopped walking and allowed a rare smile to surface. “You’re back.”

Dan Heng gave a small nod. “Just in time.”

The woman straightened and stepped forward. Up close, her presence was undeniable. Not just in the way she carried herself, but in the quiet fire behind her eyes—like she had seen things most couldn’t survive and kept going anyway.

“I heard the engines shift,” she said, voice smooth and warm. “Figured our guest must’ve woken up.”

Her eyes landed on you, studying. Not harshly, not coldly—but with an intensity that made it hard to look away.

“So,” she continued, tilting her head slightly. “You’re the one we pulled out of the wreckage.”

You opened your mouth to respond, but Welt spoke first.

“They're still recovering,” he said gently. “Whatever happened back there… it wasn’t normal. The Stellaron’s presence was unusually strong.”

“And spreading,” Dan Heng added. “Faster than expected.”

Himeko folded her arms again. “Then we don’t have much time.”

Her gaze drifted between the others. “What about them?” she asked.

Dan Heng nodded toward another corridor. “Still resting. But there was movement. They're waking up too.”

You caught the shift in tone, subtle but unmistakable. Not fear, exactly. Anticipation. Caution.

March glanced at you, then back at Himeko. “Do you think they’ll remember each other?”

Himeko didn’t answer right away. She studied you again, a flicker of uncertainty—maybe even hope—crossing her face.

“Let’s find out,” she said.

She turned and gestured for you to follow. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet. They’re… a little like you.”

As you stepped into the next car, the train seemed to exhale around you. Lights flickered. A low pulse echoed in your ears—not from the train, but from something else. Something within.

The door opened.

And there they were.

A young person sat near a terminal, their back to you. As the door slid shut behind you, they turned slowly. Their eyes met yours—clear, steady, but tinged with something unspoken. Recognition? No. Not quite.

But connection.

“I’m the Trailblazer,” they said simply. “At least, that's what they call me.”

You didn’t answer right away. You weren’t sure what to say.

But something in you stirred.

Like a spark waiting for fuel.

[Navigation]

[chasingrainbowsforever]

~ Brown and Gray ~