#Red String au

[zelpharofficial]

Red String of Fate

[poppet-seed]

I have been working on this au/ idea pitch for a small while now. It's honestly made me really excited and such to create so I feel it's finally time to share it.

Introducing:

The Red string au ❤

An au focusing on Mareach and Lueasley. It's still a work in progress so none of the lueasley content is ready yet. But all of the mareach stuff is! So I thought it would be cool to share that!

Below has all my blurb/ fanfic writings about the au and story. Please enjoy my 7K words of Red string au 💚

Warnings: Mentions of Blood, Injury, Death and Violence. Cussing, lots of swears and also British English. (Sorry)

Word count: 7.6K I think

All of the writing is split into sections for easy following. Please also be aware that there might be spelling errors or grammar inconsistencies. I apologise in advance!

Idea/ World building:

In this world, there is such a thing as fate and soulmates. People destined to be together.

It's a decision made the moment someone is born.

Stories say that soulmates are made from the same stardust. That only together will they be complete again. Whole again..

To aid people in finding their partner. On the day of their 18th birthday, a red string is said to appear. Only visible to thoes who it belongs to and untouchable to anyone else.

Its said to wrap around ones hand, wrist or finger and to lead off to your other half.

In some cases the string is attached to an individual you know well. In other cases, it will be of someone you've never met..

Creatures have spent years in search for their soul mate. Following the endless string to all corners of the world.

For everyone has a soul mate..

There have been unfortunate cases in which the red string will snap off and fade to a gray colour before disappearing.

This sadly is a common occurance once ones soul mate dies.

There is no need for a string when your soulmate no longer exists..

You only get one soul mate..

The idea of a string never appearing is a rarity.

Unheard of.

Yet cases of such a phenomenon have occurred in the past.

People have speculated that it may be due to one's soul mate not being born yet or worse, already dead before their 18th birthday...

Because, why else would a person lack a red string??

Everyone has a soul mate..

Peach's story:

Princess peach had dreamed of the day she too would get her red string.

If one knew her as well as toadsworth did, then they'd be aware of the princess' love for romantic novels. How she busys her free time going through many fantasy books of romance.

She's read a large selection!

Strangers next door, super natural partners, school crushes, forbidden love, a princess and her Knight...

Peach adored the idea of love, she dreamed of such a life. To be loved so entirely, and to love someone.

It was what she desired the most.

Yes. Peach was one for romance.

So as one does when seeking love. She waited, eagerly, for the day of her 18th birthday.

They day she would get her string.

They day she could find out about her soulmate...

She counted down the days.

Peach had been the object of many young suitors attraction. Many promising the world and more to her.

But she was polite, yet firm in her declining of such affections. Rejecting them under the premises of wanting to wait for her string to appear.

For she only wanted to be with her soulmate..

So when the day came, she could barely sleep. Pacing her room with butterflies and 'school girl' giggles.

Oh maybe it will attach to her wrist? Maybe her pinkie finger? What to expect. Who to expect.

Sleep clawed at her in the early morning hours, promising the princess pleasant dreams of her soulmate. How could she refuse such an offer?

Come morning, the Princess awoke slowly. Taking a moment to blink away the sleep in her eyes and stretch with a yawn.

The lingering of said dream leaving as the dawning realisation hit.

It's today.

Excitement bubbled up as she checked both her hands with a smile.

But yet... nothing..

Confusion took over. Where was it?

The thing she had been waiting for. Searching for?

Where was her string??

Panic followed shortly after.

Oh no- nonononono- where is it? Where is it!

It's got to be here! It has to be!!

Peach began to look through her bed sheets in a hurry.

Maybe it feel off? Can it do that? Maybe she was supposed to tie it herself?

Where-

Where

Toadsworth's gentle knock apon her bedroom door startled the Princess.

The old toad greeting her with a chirpy good morning and a happy birthday before requesting entry from the otherside.

A request peach quickly accepted with a soft cry for his aid.

He hurried inside, a bit startled seeing the princess so shaken.

By god's what was the matter?

Peach immediately began to explain with little prompting.

The string! It's not here! Why is it not here?!

Her panic rising fast when scavenging through her sheets provided nothing.

Toadsworth approached her bed, pulling himself up to her side with a huff.

He offered her his hand to take, gently washing her worrys with calm words.

Now now, it's okay, he's here. Breathe..

Peach followed his advice, gripping his hand to ground herself.

Once calm, he gently took her other hand offering his own comforting squeeze.

Maybe it's just late?

Sometimes, though admittedly on rare occasions, the string will appear later throughout the day.

It's nothing to be concerned over just simply late to appear.

It will be okay. There is no need to panic.

It will arrive before midnight.

This helped calm her down.

Yes, that has to be it. He's right.

Gosh, where would she be without toadsworth...

After a quick hug and a soft thankyou. He let her go.

Being sure she was alright before giving the okay signal for servents to flood the room.

Each holding gifts, flowers and of course her gown for the day.

It is still her birthday after all!

Now is no time for tears.

Her kingdom is waiting.

So the festivities continued on.

Hours passing by with cake, games, and people.

Toadsworth made sure to stick to her side the entire day.

Catching when the princess stared at her blank hands for too long.

Offering her moments of grounding and encouragement.

It will come, surely. Its just late.

No studies where done on when one should expect their string to appear. Most of the cases being during the night. Some in the early morning.

But the fact never changed that it always happens on the day of your 18th birthday..

Always.

So she was patient.

She waited.

It will happen.

It has to happen.

But after the day was done and the guests had all left. It was now just her and Toadsworth left in the ballroom.

The sun had long since set. Fluorescent lighting keeping the large room lit.

A few cleaner toads littered around, sweeping up the confetti from the dance floor.

It was quiet. Eerily so.

Peach sat quietly, staring at the large clock that decorated her walls.

Its ticks filled the room..

11:58

Looking to her hands there was still nothing.

Toadsworth was by her side, his face one of sympathy.

Neither said anything.

The air was heavy.

Peach's hands began to shake, where was it..?

Everyone gets a soul mate...

...

So where was hers..?

It has to.

It has to-

The stroke of midnight broke through the silence. It echoed through the room. Sounds of bells and chimes coming from the clock...

12:00. Midnight.

Something broke within her.

Peachs face morphed into that of a deep sorrow. Huntching over and beginning to weep into the old toads awaiting arms..

All he could do was hold her, rub her back and apologise deeply for her loss.

He's so sorry...

The Princess found herself skipping the rest of her birthday festivities.

The plans for the remainder of the week too were cancled.

She opted out of any royal meetings.

Dissappeared into her room for days.

All that was heard of the princess was the sound of her cries that echoed through the hall outside of her room.

She grieved for days, grieved a person she never had the opportunity to met..

For you only get one soul mate, and hers was seemingly already gone...

Bowser's relevance:

Koopas as a race live a lot longer than that of most races. Their life spans reaching into a few hundred years.

With this in mind-

It is normal for koopas to not get their soulmate strings until hundreds of years into their lives.

Bowser was no exception to this.

The king of koopas was without a string and even more so without a partner.

He was content with this. He's a young koopa afterall. So he probably won't get his soulmate string till hundreds of years into the future.

Nothing wrong with that.

But when word travelled that the beautiful princess peach of the neighboring mushroom kingdom was also without a string. He had an idea.

A genius idea really.

Why not be with each other?

Both without a string? This could be a great opportunity to find love and comfort in each other.

Just think of their kingdoms too, they could be united together with this proposal.

He's rather generous with this idea.

Yet the Princess didn't agree.

She was aware of his unpopular ruling methods. So to say. Citing him as cruel and a unnecessarily barbaric in his ways.

That she could never subject her people to such ways of tyranny.

It hurt.

More than bowser cared to admit.

But he's nothing if not persistent.

He'll win her affections.

She'll see things his way.

He's sure of it.

Story/ The plot:

A few years had past in which the mushroom kingdom and the koopa kingdom were suck in a back and forth debacle.

Bowser, proposing marriage to the Princess, and the princess having him kicked out of her kingdom with a stern refusal.

This had happened on more than one occasion.. and tensions began to grow with each rejection.

The koopa king had all the time in the world to win the beautiful princess over. But peach, being human, did not.

Humans only lived for so long.

So bowser was persistent. But she was as stubborn as she was beautiful.

So he changed tactics.

It started with a few stray attacks. Just some proof of his strength.

What he could offer her and her kingdom.

They would all be so much better under his protection and leadership.

Else people would get hurt.

So thoes small attacks grew..

Till one day. Bowser refused to take the princess' no as an answer.

She was being unreasonable! Stubborn as ever.

Bowser was sure she just needed the right push to accept.

Just needed to see what life would be like as his queen.

So he took her.

She struggled, fought, pleaded.

But no.

This was for her own good.

For the good of her kingdom.

He kidnapped her then and there.

Wisked her off to the darklands as her castle and town was left in shambles by his army.

All hope seemed lost..

That was until two strangers fell through the warp pipe,,

Toad had come to the outskirts of the kingdom to ponder. Everyone within the centre was frantic over the princess' kidnap.

He just needed a moment..

But yells and screams nearby brought him out of his thoughts.

Toad rushed over, ready to help whoever, and caught the end of what seemed to be two people falling out through a warp pipe.

Said pipe disappearing into the ground afterwards.

Toad approached with caution but concern. Two brothers lay on the floor. Two Human brothers. Both seeming dazed and a tad confused.

It was weird, suspicious even. That two new men randomly appeared after the princess was just kidnapped.

He had his eye on them.

Both men shook themselves off. Slowly getting to their feet with confused expressions.

They looked around everywhere like it was some other planet. They seemed so out of place.

So entrapped in everything they barely noticed him.

Key word, barely.

The man in green yelled after seeing toad. The man in red jumping forward to put himself infront of toad and the other.

How strange!

The man in green seemed to panic even more appon realising that the pipe they came from was gone. The one in red attempted to comefort him all while staring toad down.

It's okay. It's okay.. they'll be okay..

Toad could tell they seemed lost and mostly unthreatening. Just two strangers that had a bad case of wrong place, wrong time.

Quite frankly, toad didn't think they could do anymore harm than what was already done.

So might as well help them!

He introduced himself.

Both humans seemed startled he could talk.

But toad continued. They should come to the castle.

Toadsworth will know what to do with them.

He might be able to get them home!

The men shared a look, no words were exchanged but it seems a thousand things were said with that one gaze.

So with a single nod and some attempts at small talk, all on toads end, the three head towards the broken kingdom.

Other toads stared at them as they walked through the rubble.

Most gazing in fear. Some in surprise. No-one wanted to get close to the strangers. Understandably so.

But this was fine as the brothers also held their distance from everyone else.

Hands tightly joined together.

Only sticking close to toad.

The trio weaved through the damage and approached towards the castle.

Guards were posted at the entrance but they seemed preoccupied with trying to fix the door.

No one stopped them as they headed straight inside.

More guards were rushing around. Parts of the toad army were grouping up. Seeming to prepare for war.

No one batted an eye, too busy with preparations. No one had the time for strangers.

So the walk to meet toadsworth was easy.

He sat in the ballroom, around a large table with toad army captains, trying to build a plan of action.

When toad announced their presence loudly to all.

Hello! He's here and he's brought friends!

All eyes were on them.

The man in green shrunk behind the one in red at this.

Toadsworth immediately became defensive apon seeing strangers, here, in the planning room.

Who are these men?! What are they doing here!

A few weponds from guards started to point in their direction.

So it was then that the man in red stood forward, introducing himself.

Mario. His name was mario.

He and his brother Luigi are lost and need help getting home.

The old toad grumbled that they had enough issues to worry about. Their princess had just been kidnapped!

They don't have the time nor the resources to do anything about this.

If anyone could've helped the human brothers it would've been the princess.

So until she's back home safely they're out of luck.

Mario stepped forward more. His hands up in defence as the weponds pointed closer to him.

He pleaded, they're lost. Can't you help at all?

Toadsworth insisted again. No, they can't. Not without the princess. She knows this place better than anyone.

Okay. Fine. New plan.

Mario pitched an idea, let them help.

Let them aid in rescuing the Princess.

If that's the only way he'll get home then he'll do it.

He'd do anything to make sure he and his brother get home safe.

Toadsworth grumbled and brushed him off.

He wouldn't be of any use. They can't even trust him!

Toad then steps in.

Well- in times of crisis like this, they can't really be too picky.

They need all the help they can get, and these humans seem strong! Just look how big they are!

The older toad glares up at the human. Studying him. Mario only looks back with a stern gaze.

Please.. they just want to go home..

With a moment to ponder the pros and cons, and then a loooong sigh following. Toadsworth offers his hand to Mario.

Fine. They can help.

Both brothers let out a breath they had been holding.

Thank god.

Mario takes the small man's hand with a gentle shake.

He swears to do all he can for this princess.

However after a moment mario notices a small red string attached to his hand.

Well more specifically his pinkie finger.

Huh.. that's new..

Meanwhile, at Bowsers Castle:

After peach' initial capture she does nothing but fight.

The shock wore off pretty fast and her fight or flight hit like a freight train.

She yelled, struggled, screamed, did everything she could to try and get away.

But nothing worked.

Once at his castle, bowser threw her into a cage that sat neatly tucked away in a large pink room.

Her room, as he called it.

She cursed him. How dare he!

He only chuckled at her firey nature and said he'd be back later once she had cooled off a bit.

She continued to curse after him as he left.

The door slamming behind him.

She was alone.

Peach looked around trying to see if anything could help her escape. But nothing looked helpful.

She tried shaking the bars, bashing into them, kicking, squeezing through.

Nothings worked.. she was truly stuck.

Peach paced the small space thinking, rethinking, anything! She can't be tricked like this!

But after a few hours, of trail, error and just sitting on the cage floor. Peach found herself giving up..

Gosh what was the point..?

What was she doing..?

Her kingdom, her people, they were all suffering..

Maybe.. she should just marry him.. just suck it up for the peace of her kingdom.

Her soul mate was dead anyway, nothing is going to-

Something red caught her eye as peach glanced to her left hand out of habit.

No.

It couldn't be-

Yet there it was.

A delicately wrapped red string.. tied to her pinkie finger, just like she had always dreamed..

Her soul mate.. they were still out there..?

But why..

Why did it take so long? Why now when she can't get out to go find them?

She stared at the string for the long while, gently rubbing her gloved fingers over the fabric.

A few tears fell from her cheeks..

It dosent matter why.

It dosent matter how.

All that matters is that they're alive, they're real, and they're coming for her.

She can feel it.

When bowser returned to talk with her, she told him the truth. Yelling the fact.

Her string was here! Let her go! His deal is void now. Her soulmate has arrived!

But he didn't believe her.

Growling lowly that it's unbecoming of a princess to lie about something as important as a soulmate.

She tried to argue but he insisted that he was done talking.

No amount of yelling or bargening would convince him otherwise.

She was to be his wife. End of story.

Peach could only pray that her soulmate would hurry..

Traveling to save her:

At some point during their long adventure towards the darklands, parts of the toad army had needed rest.

So it was decided that they would all set up camp nearby the fire flower fields.

Mario and luigi opted to stay a bit away from the others. For privacy and peace of mind.

The last few days had been crazy, not a dull moment in this place.

So the brothers just took a moment to surround themselves with the beauty this world holds.

The sky was clear, stars sparking and a few galaxies visible. The fire flowers provided a warm blanket amongst the chill of the night.

It was beautiful..

Yet Mario found himself gazing to the string on his left hand. It looked so delicate.

He had initally tried to remove it, but no matter how he pulled it wouldn't come off.

It wasn't hurting or annoying anything.

It just didn't do much except dangle there.

It was weird.

Some part of him found comfort in its presence.

A feeling he often linked to Luigi's presence.

Speaking of-

His brother approached from the spot he had been setting up their sleeping bag in, taking a moment to comment on how clear the sky is. You don't see that in brooklyn...

Luigi then shifted to get down and sit next to his brother. Softly huffing something about how sore his knees were while rubbing at them.

Yeah.

They had done a lot of walking recently.

Mario face softened as he looked to luigi. Gently teasing the younger brother for his bad knees, only to be swatted away when he reached out to poke him. A grumble following that not everyone is built for running and sports Mario.

He only chuckled. Sure Lu, sure.

Both quickly fell into a comfortable silence after their giggles died down.

Taking the moment to just breathe.

Soon though Luigi caught Mario looking to his string again. Luigi also looking to mario's string. He gently took his brothers hand, observing and gently touching the string attached to it.

It was weird that no one but luigi could see his string. Apparently, it was only supposed to be seen by the person attached to it.

Yet they had checked and luigi was infact not attached to marios string in anyway.

Toadsworth had seemed very shocked at this information. He said something about how only he and his 'soulmate' were supposed to see it. Whatever that means.

Luigi was is other half, his twin brother.

It just made sense he could see it.

But not only could luigi see it. He could feel it too. Which again wasn't supposed to happen according to toadsworth.

It was weird. These strings were weird.

Luigi studied marios hand for few long moments before his eyes moved to his own hand.

There was a red string attached to his brother too.

Though it definitely wasn't the same one mario had. Again, they had already checked.

Mario took luigis hand in his, gently studying the youngers string. Luigi's string seemed to sparkle a bit. Unlike his own which was the softer of the two.

It lead off in the opposite direction that marios did. Far off into the distance. To who knows where.

Not their problem right now.

Both bothers just held each others hands. Taking this moment to themselves.

It was peaceful.

They'll get home eventually. Just so long as they stay together.

They were stronger together after all.

The Rescue Part 1:

The brothers and toad had been all that made it to bowsers Castle.

The army having been used as a distraction to attempt to storm the castle. It allowed for the trio to try and find another way in undetected.

The brothers had been able to get past the war zone by entering the castle through a back pathway.

Toad having lead them.

They approached fast, jumping the lava moat and climbing in through a hole in the security.

The plan was to get in, grab the princess. Get out.

Simple right?

Well inside was a diffrent story.

Guards were limited as most were now outside fighting off the toad army. So sneaking around wasn't too difficult, but still a very dangerous job.

It would only take one person spotting them for the plan to go sideways.

So they had to be quiet and sneaky.

All while trying to work their way through twisting halls, around the guard routes, to eventually find the Princess hidden inside.

Yeah, simple.

Mario had noticed that his string was seeming to lead into the castle,,

Luigi noticed it too. Giving his brother a sharp look but neither saying anything.

Okay weird- very weird. That's- probably nothing.

Yeah, best not to worry about it.

They have other issues.

Yet through every turn that lead deeper into the castle, the string lead the way. As if guiding him. It was starting to make mario nervous.

So he tried to push it aside. Focus mario. You're here for the Princess, to get home!

Focus!

At some point while deep in thought, Mario had rushed ahead. Not hearing luigi whisper shout his name in warning.

It had fucked everything up as he marched straight into the face of a guard.

Both seemingly alarmed at each others presence.

The boney creature recovered first though. Its eyes going wide before immediately yelling for back up.

Thoes humans!! They're here! They breached the walls! Sound the alarm!

Fuck.

They needed to go! NOW.

Toad and luigi followed marios lead as they now all took off sprinting through the halls.

Going this way and that, the red string guiding them the right way.

Toad made sure to bash through guards that made a grab at them with that frying pan of his. Leaving the boney remains to collapse.

But it was very quickly becoming obvious that they'd need more than a frying pan, that there was a lot more guards than them.

There was no way they could rescue a princess while being tailed like this!

Something had to change.

Surprisingly, it was luigi to shouted to spit up.

If they separated, one group could distract while the other gets the princess.

Mario had the string. He could follow it.

Luigi and toad would draw the hoard away.

Mario absolutely DID NOT AGREE TO THIS IDEA.

He wanted to scream no! LUIGI DONT YOU DARE-

But his brother did anyway. Flashing a determined smile. He and toad broke off to the left. Making sure to slow down a bit and lure the hoard with them.

Leaving mario to keep running unbothered.

The last thing mario heard luigi shout was

'Get the Princess!! We'll meet you outside!!'

Then he was alone in the hall.

This was an opportunity that wouldn't come again.

Follow the string, or go after luigi..

He had every mind to go to his brothers aid. But the princess, the reason they were here.

There was a subtle tug to his hand. He barely felt it.

But the string, it called to him.

Someone was calling to him..

So, he listened, and he followed it.

The Rescue Part 2:

She waited,, she had been waiting for years. So a few more days were nothing..

So why did she feel so sick with worry..?

These last few days stuck in her cage had been testing, yet the red string attached to her finger brought such a wave of comfort.

It's all going to be okay soon.

They'll come soon.

Bowser had tried to talk, he tried being sweet, he tried being threatening, tried everything in between.

But peach continued to look away and cross her arms in defiance.

When her soul mate gets here. Bowser will be ruined.

She'll never marry him.

Word of two strangers began to circle around bowsers army.

A tale of two humans, leading an army of toads towards the darklands. In hopes to rescue her.

At first bowser paid no mind. Sending out a wave troops to 'take care of them'.

Yet they prevailed and that pissed him off.

Who do these humans think they are? Coming into his kingdom? Beating up his troops?

He'll deal with them in time.

So more waves were sent. Each bigger than the last.

But the more troops he sent the more the humans continued forward.

Peach knew it was getting under his shell.

The king started to became violent and loud. Demanding anyone to just kill them already!

Yet another reason peach would never marry him.

As of now, Bowser was currently out dealing with an 'issue' as he put it.

Something about a fight at the main entrance?

It doesn't matter. She'll continue to wait.

The room doors started to shift and Peach straightened up, ready to face the king again.

But her breath was stolen apon seeing a man dressed in red walk through the doors.

Time seemed to stop as he looked around and then in her direction. His face lighting up apon seeing her.

Oh god.

It was them.

The red string attached to his hand confirmed it.

It was him.. her hero.. her soulmate..

Peach clasped at the bars to her cage.

She needed to get to him. Nothing else in her life would ever be more important than to be next to this man.

The man in red shut the door behind himself and rushed over to her.

Stopping short of the cage and removing his hat from his head with a bow.

He had never been infront of a princess before..

He greeted her with a soft 'hello princessa' before claiming he was here to rescue her!

She quickly reached out through the bars, hands immediately on his face,, brushing against his mustache.

It was so soft..

He jumped a bit at the sudden movement and touch. But seemed frozen, just staring at her.

A soft red rising to his face

He was perfect..

Peach could cry.

She softly pleaded for him to free her. Please let her out...

With a nod the man placed the cap back on his head and looked up to the cage.

Studying it.

He only took a few seconds before honing in on the top of the cage.

It seemed to be holding all the bars together and in place. It had to be the weakest point.

So with a huff and some clumsy climbing.

He got to the top and began to kick hard at the structure. Trying to push it enough to dislodge some of the bars.

Peach could only stare as he did.

It took a few kicks but it worked.

There was a loud clang and some of the bars fell away, leaving a gap in the cage. Peach winced as she squeezed a bit but managed to wriggle free.

The man hopped down to help her out.

Offering his hand for her to use for balance. Then pulling back once she made it to the floor.

Peach now noticed how short he was. Originally with the cage being so high she hadn't noticed at first.

But now- gosh that was oddly charming right now.

He began to explain that they needed to go! He's not too sure of the way back out but if she can stay close-

Peach softly took his hands, cutting him off and causing the man to gasp slightly.

He fell quiet immediately. Staring up a her as his face grew warm. Cheeks turning red.

It was adorable.

Before they go, she had to know

What was his name?

Who has she got to thank for her rescue..?

Mario.. his name was mario.

Fight:

Mario held the Princess' hand in his. She gripped at him rather tightly. 

He understood, she must be nervous.

So he lead the way. Being a lot more careful this time as he and the princess snuck through the castle.

It was a lot easier getting lost inside than remembering the way back.

All the halls looked the same and last time he had toad and luigi to help guide him.

His brother...god he hopes he's okay..

But right now he had to focus on the Princess. The reason they were even here.

He had to get her out.

With a soft squeeze to her hand for comfort. They rushed through the halls. Ducking in shadowy areas to hide from guards and sneaking around corners when the coast was clear.

All was going well.

Too well.

A loud roar soon tore through the castle and it's halls. The foundation shook with its power.

Mario felt every hair stand on edge.

"WHERE IS THE PRINCESS!!!!"

That's definitely not good-

Mario went to move on but his hand held him back. Turning to look why, he saw the Princess frozen. A look of pure fear visible through her expression.

Fuck. She's terrified.

He softly whispered that they needed to go!

They can't stick around or else they'll be caught.

She barely responded. Eyes looking to and through him, but she let him numbly drag her through the halls.

As they went, Mario started to notice a few guards collapsed on the ground either knocked out or fallen apart.

Someone had been this way.

He hoped it was luigi and toad..

But he took the opportunity to arm himself, picking up one of the spears.

Now he can hopefully protect them both.

There were shouts in the far distance. The war from outside! They must be close to the entrance!

It's so close!

Not that far-

"YOU."

That same roaring voice from before-

The Princess yelped and suddenly pushed him to one side.

A fire ball grazing his back as he fell.

Mario recovered fast. Turning to face this- oh god

A monster stood before him, gaze one of rage and anger. Eyes of fire and a snarl covering his face.

The king of koopas.

Mario could barely dodge as another fire blast was sent his way.

Dashing to the right. He was further separated from the Princess, who rushed to hide while the Kings attention was distracted.

Bowser, or so he had heard him be called. Rushed him.

Mario wasn't prepared, having to use the spear to block. It was snapped clean in two.

Uh oh.

The next swipe he could dodge but god- he couldn't get a breath in.

Jumping left, right. Rolling out the way. Flinging himself back. Mario danced around the claws that slashed at him and feet that threatening to crush his body.

This was ridiculous, he couldn't fight him!

He was just dodgeing till he couldn't dodge no more.

He needed a plan! Think- THINK.

Eventually he was going to slip up. In his defence, Mario was so busy focusing on the CLAWS and FIRE that he didn't even think to look down when bowser spun suddenly and hit his tail right into the plumbers chest.

He was thrown rather far back. Hitting the wall on the other side with a pained cry. His ribs ached and breathing was suddenly difficult.

Fuck- were they broken-?

There was a cry of his name as loud thumps approached.

GET UP MARIO!!

He tried.

Rolling to get on his hands and knees he tried to move, to get out the way! Only to be hit again, this time with a large fire ball.

Mario yelled out loudly as his right arm bloomed into a scorched mess.

The pain was unimaginable..

He tried to get away. To back up. Do something!

A dark shadow now drowned his figure as the king grabbed him by his overall straps and lifted him up with a growl.

Mario gasped and struggled. Kicking his feet helplessly as he dangled from the monsters hand.

He tried to pry at the claws, try to free himself but he was in so much pain, he didn't have the strength..

Bowser stared him down. That same firey rage burning straight into marios soul.

He might die here-

There was a moment where all Mario could do was stare as the koopa inhaled deeply. Fire visibly building up in the back of his throat.

Mario was staring death in face-

He would've been done for, had it not been for something hitting bowser's head suddenly and distracting him.

The koopa grunted before turning to look where it came from with a growl.

Mario struggled to see over bowser body but when he did he saw it was the Princess.

She had thrown a brick or something at him. The stress on her face was heavy as she glared down the king.

She demanded the monster 'Let him go!'

Mario at this, struggled more in the beasts grip. He had to get away! She needed help!

Only for sharp claws to now dig into his sides harshly.

He could only wheeze out a sound of pain and a strained whine.

Not his ribs again!

At this the Princess cried out. 

Stop it!! Please!! Don't hurt him!!

She looked terrified for him.

He didn't like seeing her like this..

Bowser glanced between the two before seeming to have an idea. His scowl morphing into an evil grin.

The next words were chilling.

Marry him. Or he'll kill the human.

Mario immediately protested.

No she couldn't!! Dont do it!!-

The claws dug deeper into his flesh at his objection. A gargled cry of pain followed.

Blood was starting to dampen his clothes now.

He was in really rough shape and she could see that. 

There was a moment of unspoken sorrow when peach made eye contact with him. 

He knew what that meant.

No- don't..

The Princess nodded, agreeing.

Yes.

She'll do it.

Just.. please.

Don't kill him...

Bowser seemed satisfied with this answer and with one final squeeze to dig his claws just that bit deeper- Threw Mario to the ground.

He felt dazed. Like he was floating. Everything was spinning and things felt muffled.

The princess..

He shook harshly and tried to move, tried to get up. Do something!

But all Mario could do was lul his head to one side and watch as bowser approached the Princess.

No.

Please.

Someone stop this!

His cries were answered when a frying pan flew from across the room and smacked bowser clean in the face.

His gaze followed where it came from and saw Toad rushing forward. Luigi close behind.

His heart soared.

His brother! Oh thank god he's okay!!

Luigi and Toad seemed battered and bruised but were still standing.

Better than that actually. They seemed ready to take on Bowser.

Luigi now equipped with what Mario can only assume is one of thoes power up things toad had mentioned a few days back.

I mean, how else would his brother be throwing ice?

Bowser roared in anger and launched for them both. Giving the Princess the chance to rush over to him.

Once at marios side she began to softly apologise, over and over, mumbling curses at his condition.

He must look pretty bad. He felt pretty bad.

He noticed her shuffling through what appeared to be toads satchel.

When did she get that?

No matter.

She offered something that looked like a mushroom- well- offered is a nice way of saying she practically stuffed it down his throat.

He obviously panicked a bit at first before swallowing.

The affects were immediate.

The pain was gone. He could breathe again! His injuries closed and suddenly his energy returned. Though the aches were still there, he could ignore it for now.

Mario quickly shifted to get up. Noticing that he had also grew in size and power.

Whoa- why hadn't they been using these things??

She stared at him intensely, tears in her eyes and rolling down her face.

How he wished to stop her tears..

A loud, pained yelp from luigi immediately caught marios attention again, as he snapped back to bowser.

That bastard had his brother pinned down.

Luigi struggled frantically under bowsers hand. Thoes claws were way too close to his brothers neck.

Toad was a bit away, holding his arm, it looked burnt.

He needed to take the king down NOW.

Without hesitation, mario rushed back into danger. There wasn't a plan really.

He just had to do something. Everything inside him screamed to GET THAT MONSTER OFF HIS BROTHER!!

Mario saw bowsers tail. The same one that he's pretty sure broke some ribs and reached for it.

Grabbing it and yanking it back hard.

Bowser was taken off guard and gasped. Loosing balance and was knocked onto his stoumch.

Luigi quickly shuffling out and a bit away. He too looked injured. Bits of red bleeding into his green shirt.

Anger fueled him.

Mario took all his strength, everything he had and used it to swing back. Lifting the koopa with the momentum.

He span a few times, building up speed. Ignoring when the king yelled in confusion, Mario suddenly and very forcefully smashed him into the closet wall.

It cracked immediately from impact, bowser yelling out in pain as the rubble collapsed on top of him.

Large beams of concrete and metal further crushing the monster.

It had to have hurt a lot.

But to bowsers credit, he was still awake.

Dazed sure. But still conscious.

He weakly but furiously began scraping to get out of the rock. Growling half threats.

He'll kill him. He'll kill him and his brother.

He'll find them!

Mario glared him down before reeling his fist back and punching bowser. Hard.

The koopa fell again, but this time, didn't get back up.

Laying knocked out amongst the rubble.

He was out. They had done it.

Now was their chance to leave.

Mario looked to his brother, then toad and finally the princess. All were in various stages of pain and panic.

So, mario gathered them all up in his arms and made a break for it.

He was careful of his brothers injuries. Cradling him and the princess in his arms.

Both of which shook but said nothing.

Toad however, sat on marios shoulders with little to no complaints. Helping tell Mario which way to go to get out the castle.

All were shaken up. The Princess especially so.

Mario will deal with that later.

His only priority right now to get them all to safety.

Back at the Mushroom Kingdom:

The reunion between the Princess and Toadsworth had been emotional.

Luigi having to take a few moments outside to shed some tears at the sight. His brother was always an emotional cry-er

The old shroom cradled the weeping princess in his arms, soothing her that all will be okay.. he's here now..

It was rather tender to watch. Almost too tender. He felt a bit awkward just watching such a private moment.

But after a while the Princess stood again. She was rather tall in comparison to everyone around. Including mario himself-

Curse his stupid genes. Why couldn't he have gotten the tall gene. Luigi hogged it all.

He can almost hear his brothers teasing laugh from the depths of his subconscious.

Grumbling at his stupid brothers luck of the draw, mario missed when the Princess addressed him.

Blinking a few times, he approached with a soft hum to say he was listening.

Yes yes. He's listening now.

She thanked him, truly thanked him. Her gaze that of a loving mother. She stared at him like he held the world.

It made him a bit bashful honestly-

Looking away with a red face and a hand reaching to rub at his neck.

Aw shucks-

But throughout the 'excitement' that was being brutally beaten by an oversized turtle. Mario had forgotten all about the string attached to his hand.

The same one that the Princess also wore..

Her hands were tucked to her chest, seemingly holding each other, but that red string still poked out from behind her fingers.

Trailing the short distance to tie the other end to his own.

There was a long pause as mario slowly reached out and touched the string that connected them.

The Princess gasped at the contact. Watching in awe as the red man slowly took her hand so see it closer.

No words were said, though the old toad did bristle up with wide eyes.

They were, attached..?

What was it toad said?

Soulmat-

A few things clicked all at once.

1. This is a Princess, and he is just holding her hand so casually-

2. This world had such a thing as soulmates,, a connection said to be deeper than anything. To be someones other half.

3. The Princess was his soulmate.

Mario all but threw himself back in a panic. Face hotter than the sun.

The Princess reached out to him with a surprised look. Like he was some startled animal.

He started to ramble. Apologise. Hands and arms waving animatedly as he talked.

He's so sorry! Excuse him! He doesn't know what came over him!!

Though partly through his long rant, he noticed that the Princess and toadsworth looked at him with puzzled expressions.

Oh my fucking god, he's been ranting in Italian-

If there's a higher power. Strike him down.

Soft giggles reached his ears through the rushing of blood to his cheeks.

The Princess- gosh, her voice was so enchanting.

She giggled at him. Laughing at just how much of a fool he is. There was no malice to her actions. Only joy and humour.

A compete change than what he saw in Bowser's castle.

It made a fluttery feeling rise in his chest.

He could get used to her giggle.

She again approached him. Mario taking a step back out of habit. But she gently cupped his face to still him.

Thank god luigi wasn't around to hear the squeak he made when her soft lips pressed to his forehead.

He swore his heart skipped a beat.

She pulled back slightly, hands still holding his face, her gaze was so tender and loving towards him.

She whispered a soft thankyou.

He nearly died at her last words.

'My Hero..'

Going home Part 1:

The kingdom celebrated the return of their princess. It was a short happy moment before the rebuilding of the towns and castle had to be done.

Mario and luigi both mutually agreed that they would stay to help with the repairs. After all, they are plumbers and it's the least they could do after everything the kingdom has done for them.

Since returning the brothers had been hailed as heroes. The Toads had been kind enough to offer them a temporary house to stay in.

Rebuilding was going to take a few days, maybe even weeks with all the damage Bowsers army caused.

Something the brothers had no issue with fixing.

The mushroom kingdom was welcoming to both men, people greeted them in the streets.

They looked at them like they were actually something.

This place was nice.

The thought of going home was becoming more and more distant to mario as the days ticked on..

Why go back to brooklyn? No one there ever believed in them.

Here. They had a chance to be somthing, an opportunity like this comes once in a lifetime.

But yet, his brother.

Luigi would often talk about how he missed their home back in brookyln, how he cant wait to try some genuine pizza.

How he's so ready to sleep for a week in their old beds.

Mario would never stay if luigi didn't want to.

Luigi was his everything...

As the town grew closer and closer to being rebuilt. Mario felt a pit forming in his stoumch.

They'll be going home soon, leaving this all behind.

There was an ache at the idea.

Mario found himself looking out his window for hours into the night.

Sleep wasn't possible with this feeling, so he wanted to cherish every moment in this place.

This world was beautiful, so strange but captivating.

It's people were kind, it held so many adventures and stories.

And its princess-

Gosh, the princess...

He'd never forget her.

Mario will never admit just how many times he caught himself staring at the string attached to his finger. It was oddly comforting, like a safety net or warm blanket.

In a way, it reminded him of the way luigi brings him comfort. And thats one hell of a compliment.

He and the princess had many talks in these last days.

They spoke about anything really.

How their day was, how's construction going, how is luigi-

Actually

Now that he thinks about it-

She's been doing most of the question asking. He's just happy to answer and she seems happy to listen.

The only questions he thinks he's asked her is about the warp pipe he came from and of course her name-

Princess peach.

It's a wonder he went so long without knowing it.

Peach seemed confused by such a pipe, but assured him she would look into it!

He has yet to tell her his plans of leaving to go home.

The idea of going home, brought that same cold feeling from before.

Gosh what is he going to do...

Going home Part 2:

The lack of sleep was becoming more obvious. 

To most, mario could fool. Not a lot of people know him that well yet. So white lies and half truths worked fine

However, he could never hope to fool his ever observant brother.

Luigi came downstairs one morning and saw him sitting with his morning drink in the kitchen.

Mario had done this same trick for a few days now. Greeting luigi in the kitchen with a warm drink.

Under the premises of him having wanted a drink earlier and not able to fall back to sleep.

It worked for a few days. But eventually luigi would know.

Mario was never an early riser and luigi knew that.

So when his brother opted to sit opposite him instead of going to make his usual morning coffee, Mario knew the gig was up.

To luigis credit, he approached the topic gently. Asking how Mario slept and how his morning was.

Mario knew he knew. But he still wasn't ready to come clean yet. So he played along.

Yeah, he slept fine. The morning is okay. Weather looks nice.

Luigi began to fiddle with his hands at that answer. Eyes shifted to glance at marios string then his own. Before making eye contact.

'Wanna try that again? Without lies this time?'

Fuck.

Mario could only fool luigi so many times. His brother knew him better than he knew himself.

Mario couldn't meet luigis eyes, turning to stare deeply into his half cold drink.

What's there to talk about? How can he talk about it? It's so selfish. He's so selfish.

Luigi had somehow moved closer without mario realising. Gently taking his brothers hand and holding it tightly.

Gosh what would he do without lu..?

That's why he can't stay, he can't loose his brother..

Luigi looked at with with concern. Softly prompting Mario to talk.

Please, he's here to listen. He can't help if he doesn't know..

Mario sighed. That pit in his stoumch growing as he started to speak.

Where to begin?

Well first he's not been sleeping much,if at all. But lu knew that much already.

Luigi asked if it was because of nightmares and mario paused, partly? He does occasionally wake up to images of claws and fire. But no, that's not the real reason.

So Mario continued.

Next was the fact that he found himself overthinking everything in brooklyn, they've been missing for probably a month or two, their job- their rent- what are going to do when they get back?

Luigi only nodded. Yeah, that was an issue.

Then there's the problem of getting back- the warp pipe has such little information on it. It's as if it vanishes after spitting people out.

The princess has been trying to look into it, but there's no way to tell when or IF it will come back.

Speaking of the princess, gosh, he still hasn't had the guts to tell her he's leaving..

It would break her heart.

Luigi was aware of their soulmate predicament. Being all to happy to relentlessly tease and annoy. 'Younger brother privileges' as he had described it.

The conversation continued. At some point Mario had become rather emotional as the talk progressed.

He occasionally seemed exasperated at something. Only to calm a bit when luigi squeezed his hand and offered his advice.

Mario found himself struggling with unshed frustrated tears that threatened to fall whenever he looked at the red string attached to him.

It mocked him. Giving him a reminder of the life he must leave.

He'd do anything for luigi- anything! but fuck, this was so hard!

Mario eventually ended up saying something he didn't want to.

He didn't want luigi to know how much he despised the thought of going home.

Because his sweet loving brother would bend over backwards to make Mario happy. Even if that means he himself wasn't.

Yet he blabbed too much and it just slipped out.

Mario mentioned how much better it was here. How unhappy he was in brooklyn.

But then he saw it. The way luigis gaze softened and his brows furrowed.

He knows that face.

Mario quickly tried to backtrack.

Brooklyn is fine! It's okay! It's their home afterall! Its where they were born!

Luigi gently placed his hands to mario's shoulders. Grasping them to stabilise his brother. Who had begun breathing heavier than before.

One of his siblings thumbs brushed away his tears- wait, when did he start crying..?

Luigi stared at him as Mario just fell silent.

Luigi.. sweet loving luigi.. his baby brother.. his twin. Embraced him slowly.

Hugging Mario close. Mario could only wrap his arms around Lu and grip tightly.

Trying to control his breathing and shakey voice. Else he'd cry more.

Luigis soft apology took Mario a bit by surprise. He was sorry that Mario had felt this way, that he hadn't felt comfortable enough to talk with him.

Mario tried to argue. No! It's not that! He trusts luigi entirely.

But his brother continues and what he says next shuts Mario up quickly.

He'd thought about it too.

Staying here.

Things are easier, there's no stress of where to get money.

No worries of angry old bosses and disappointed glares.

There was no struggles. At least, not the type of struggles they had in brooklyn.

Back there, they were no body. Two brothers with big dreams and heads up in the clouds.

But here, they could be somebody.

There were somebody.

The toads loved them. The Princess loved them.

Luigi made a point of pulling back to look at Mario sterny.

'The Princess loves you Mario.'

He couldn't speak.

So luigi continued.

Sure, he had his fears. But thats just who he is. Always the worrywart of the two.

He's like ma in that sense.

He can't help but think of the 'what if's'

What if there's more danger?

What if bowser comes back?

What if they get seperated-

Mario stepped in at this. Tightly holding luigis face in his hands.

He and his brother faces were now inches apart.

No. That will never happen.

He won't let it.

This seemed to hit something with luigi. The younger brother now looking rather emotional. Scared slightly. Tears in his eyes threating to fall.

Croaking a soft 'how can you be so sure-?'

How could Mario promise that,,?

This world is so much bigger than them both.

It's beautiful, it's magical, it's unknown,,

How..? How will they do this?

'Together..'

Luigi whimpered at marios voice.

They'll do this together.

Always together.

Everything will be okay. So long as theyre together..

Both brothers leaned to press their foreheads together.

Tears were shed.

Promises in Italian.

Just staying in each others embrace. 

If they're doing this, then they will do it together..

Always.

They can make this new world their home.

After all. With luigi, Mario is already home...

[gildedphoenix]

During the great depression, somebody made a wish. Fueled by desperation, powered by the pure dumb luck of being in the right place at the right time to be heard by an ancient Djinn (it was totally Desire) with a sense of humor. 

After the wish, everyone had a red string hanging off their left pinky. It dangled down a few inches and then just faded into non-existence. Nobody knew what it was for a few years but then stories started coming out. People finding their perfect match after feeling a tug at their string and following it. The string would twist and twine and lengthen as you got closer to your fated mate, your strings eventually connecting together. 

Most people’s strings just hung limp. Maybe listing in one direction or another. But 8 Billion people in the world and only one is your soul mate? Most people didn’t meet theirs. It was true that your soulmate was always within 10 years of age as you. But 10 years older to 10 years younger still gave you a 20 year range to work with. Everyone’s string appeared by the time they were 10. Some babies were born with their string already spun, a small red thread fading off into a wisp after a scant inch. 

Nowadays, it was common to go on a “string chase” vacation after graduating high school. Some people were close enough to their soulmates that they could just follow the leadings of their string, which would become longer and more opaque the closer you got to your mate. If your string gave you no leads, there were all kinds of "methods" to help pick which direction you should go.

Tucker and Sam were determined to go on string chase journeys post graduation. Tucker because he loved the excitement of an adventure, Sam to find someone who would truly understand her.

Danny was not so hopeful. At one point they'd all agreed to go together, but Sam felt like she was being led to the west coast while Tucker was just going to start in Metropolis, the nearest big city and go from there, hopping the next train out of town after a few days if he still had a slack string.

After a lengthy discussion of pros and cons, they decided that Tucker was more likely to get himself into trouble than Sam, so Danny found himself packing light and on a Greyhound to Metropolis. It was a shitty trip. Objectively the worst way to travel. Walking, or even hitch hiking would have been more pleasant. The bus was late. They had no way of making their connection in Chicago, and the vent fan in the bathroom was broken, making the bus reek of sewage.

Danny has shit luck and just doesn't believe he'll ever find his soulmate. The universe just doesn't like him that much.

Jason has, somehow, always had a leading direction on his string. When he was younger, there was nothing he could do about it. And now he had baggage and didn't want to pursue romance or relationship. (Even though he's a total sap for soulmate meet stories)

While in Gotham, both their strings keep tugging and lengthening and then falling slack again.

----

I know this isn't much but I promised myself I would post whatever I had and it's almost 1 am. So there. There's that fucking thing. I'll try to flesh it out more tomorrow, Enjoy red ♥️🧵♥️

[m1dn1ght-r0t]

Tethered by Fate [pt. 1]

Yandere! superhero! childhood friend x civilian! fem reader

Synopsis: A seemingly innocent act of kindness from you sets off a chain of events that will irrevocably alter the course of your life. TW: bullying (not towards reader), obsessive & delusional behavior, murder (of a side char), descriptions of gore, stalking, mans is an unreliable narrator, eventual smut in pt.2 (18+, when both are adults ofc) A/N: pt.1 is mainly setting up the scene and tracing the root of his obsession through the years, so apologies if it's a little slow and long-winded. the juicier parts and climax will be featured in pt 2 (which i'm currently working on)!! Also in this universe, the red string that connects soulmates is a visible thread that everyone can see, so you'll know who is/isn't your soulmate.

You wonder if things could've gone differently.

If only you hadn't befriended him. If only you had spoken up and defended him when it mattered. If only you hadn't distanced yourself. If only you'd noticed the glaring signs, bold and bright as red ink. If only you'd been more vigilant. If only you'd skipped the shortcut route home. If only you hadn't been so trusting as to invite him inside. If only you'd been firmer with your no's and pushed back harder...

... a million iterations of what ifs circulate your mind. But none of them would've mattered.

Try as you might to conjure up fantasies to hide yourself away and find solace in, the wretched outcome remains: your invisible shackles will forever bind you to the man who tore apart and rewrote fate itself. The one who single-handedly destroyed your life.

Once he decided you were his—that you belonged together across every universe: past, present, future, alternate—no sacred verses etched in scripture, no divine prophecies, no eternal threads could ever stand in his way.

~

"Honey, don't cry. The kids will love you for you. You're bright, amazing, and such a good boy. Trust me, they'll open up to you, and you'll all be best buddies in no time!"

... was what your childhood friend's mom had softly cooed into his ear when he came home from school one afternoon, bawling, thick snot running down his nose.

For a middle schooler, things like reputation, fitting in, and having friends mattered a great deal. So for him to fail so miserably in all departments meant he was truly at the bottom of the food chain.

A head shorter than most of his peers, who were eagerly speculating about whose powers would manifest first, he became an easy target. His tiny, stick-thin stature made him the subject of ridicule, with some kids sneering that standing too close to him might infect them with some “powerless disease”. Ignoring him wasn’t enough—they made sure he knew exactly where he stood: nowhere.

He'd begged his mom to let him change schools (again), but she simply shooed him away, insisting that he just needed time to adjust to his new environment.

What he failed to mention were the key details—his lunch money being stolen every day, his gym uniform constantly soiled in dirty mop water, his desk decorated in insults scribbled in Sharpie, and the ugly yellow-and-purple bruises marring his skin. How could he possibly tell her? He knew his poor mother wouldn't be able to handle such distressing news or fathom that her precious baby boy was being bullied.

And so, he bided his time and suffered in silence, growing more isolated with each passing day—worn down bit by bit until he started to believe he truly was nothing more than a scrawny, useless, four-eyed freak.

That was until... you came along.

From the moment you enrolled at his school, you were loved by everyone. It was hard not to be, with your easygoing and friendly demeanor.

Imagine his surprise when you sat next to him in Math class. Never mind the fact that it was the only available seat, but does that really matter? To make it even sweeter, you said hi to him first. Him. Of all people!

Sure, maybe it was just a segue to ask to borrow a pen. But you didn't have to say hi to him, and there were plenty other classmates you could've asked. Didn't you know you were committing social suicide by talking to him?

Maybe you hadn't gotten the memo that he was the grade's biggest loser, the one everyone oscillated between taunting or ignoring. Maybe it was all part of some cruel joke he wasn't privy to.

Or maybe... you genuinely wanted to talk to him.

That latter possibility was confirmed when, for the rest of the year, you kept sitting next to him in class. Every. Single. Time. Willingly. A conscious choice you made. You began greeting him by name—wait, you actually knew his name?—and sharing whatever snack you brought that day.

He found himself looking forward to seeing you, to sharing brief moments of laughter, to basking in your comforting company. Piece by piece, his defenses chipped away. While he shrouded every room in a blanket of gloom, your presence was as radiant as the rising sun, your pretty smile blinding him with the warm, golden rays that eventually filtered through the broken walls he had built up.

Suddenly, the suffering he endured all those years didn't matter. None of it mattered, because it all led to this treasured moment of meeting you.

For once in his otherwise shitty childhood, he had someone to call a friend. A friend who made his heart race so fast it felt like it might leap out, his skin tingle with goosebumps, and his cheeks warm with a deep blush. As incoherent and messy as it was to make sense of his own feelings, one thing was certain to him—you were his destined soulmate.

But with that realization came the bitter truth: life didn't always have your best interests at heart. For this perfect happily-ever-after he dreamed of was shattered by the harsh reality he couldn't bear to face—

His red thread didn't connect to yours, and neither did yours to his.

He could see it, the string that should have bound you together. But it remained stubbornly absent, yours and his leading elsewhere—to other people—like a mocking, cruel reminder of what could never be.

~

By high school, he barely saw you anymore. Granted, you didn’t have any classes together, and with senior year meant more work and less spare time. But he’d hoped you’d at least make some effort to continue your after school hangouts or talk during the in-between moments. Wasn’t that what friends did?

Except, whenever he bumped into you—whether in the hallways, at the front gate, in the cafeteria, or by the convenient store both of you frequented—you didn’t even offer him a "hi" back when he called out your name. Nor did you flash that beaming smile you used to send his way.

In fact, save for the fleeting glance you’d graciously deign him every now and then—only to quickly retreat your eyes to safer territory—you acted as if he didn’t even exist.

Oh.

Somehow, that hurt more than—get out of the fucking way, freak—being haphazardly shoved into the lockers and kneed in the ribs ever could. From his crumpled position on the ground, he searched pitifully for your gaze in the sea of mindless students traversing the hall, hoping you’d cast him a lifeline. Any lifeline he can latch onto to prove he was still worth acknowledging.

It was so brief that anyone else would've glossed over it. But he knew that look; he wasn’t new to this. The message was so pathetically obvious you might as well have shouted it from the rooftops.

You looked at him like he was someone you didn’t want to be associated with, someone you were embarrassed by, someone you wanted to avoid—like he was some shit stain stuck to the bottom of your shoe, waiting to be scraped off.

It was a visceral image, seared into every ridge and groove of his mind, playing on an endless loop—each repetition feeling like you had wrenched a fist into his chest, squeezing his heart tighter and tighter until all blood flow ceased.

Slowly but surely, you were beginning to morph into the faceless monsters who’d made his life a living hell.

Nononono. Sweet, lovely you couldn’t possibly. Surely not.

Clutching his snapped-in-half glasses, fat tears brimming in his eyes, he couldn’t seem to wrap his head around your sudden change in behavior. What went wrong? Did he do something wrong? Was it because he’d finally confessed to having a crush on you?

If you were just going to reject him and toss him aside, why talk to him in the first place? Why string him along and give him false hope? Unless... unless you were playing hard to get.

Yes, that must be it. That seemed like the most plausible explanation.

After all, you secretly liked him too, didn’t you? You felt the same soulmate bond he felt so deeply in his bones too, right? Suffice it to say, once this thought took root—an all-consuming unease that sat heavy in the pit of his stomach, born from his desperation to prove his belief true—it quickly spiraled into a cancerous obsession.

He shadowed you everywhere. Memorized your schedule and lingered in spots you were most likely to pass. It was no coincidence, then, that every time you rounded the corner, he was somehow there. Or when you lined up for food during lunch, he was always standing right behind you. At the library? You can bet he was at the same row, pretending to check out books he didn’t care about.

It was during one of these moments, in the midst of trying to catch another fleeting glimpse of you, that he overheard something that would cement his spiral further. You were laughing with your friends near the lockers, unaware that he was standing just far enough to hear every word.

"Sooooo, any thoughts on who your red thread connects to?" the whiniest of your girlfriends giggled.

Me. Who else would it be?

He’d expected you to say something casual, or even tease them, but instead, you spoke without hesitation. "Well, I'm hoping it's someone like Zenith."

His heart dropped into his stomach. That... up-and-coming superhero?

A chorus of "booooring", "you're literally like every other bitch," "can you get any more basic?" erupted from your posse. For once, he actually agreed with them.

You let out a carefree laugh—god, even your laugh sounded ethereal. "Nah, hear me out. He's strong, brave, and has a literal heart of gold. That's the holy trinity right there. Heard he stopped some major armed robbery last week. And he's only 24!"

"Yeah, and? So is Blaze."

"Why are you looking at me all crazy, like I just pitched your dad or something?" you playfully scoffed. "C'mon. I mean, have you seen those muscles on Zenith? And he's tall..."

It was stab after stab. Perhaps because Zenith was close in age to all of you that the jealousy in him amplified tenfold. The hero's popularity was unmatched, and it seemed like everyone couldn’t stop talking about how perfect he was.

The idea that you—you—might be thinking about him like that, the way others fawned over him, made him want to throw up.

He wasn’t like that. Not strong, not charming, not good enough.

Of course, that was it.

He was just... not what you wanted. He couldn’t measure up to someone like that. That was why you avoided him, why you wouldn’t acknowledge him anymore. It wasn’t that you weren’t interested. It wasn’t that you didn’t like him. Or that you didn’t believe he was your soulmate. No, it was that he didn’t fit the ideal you had in your head. He wasn’t the hero you were dreaming of.

The curiosity that had initially taken hold mutated exponentially, growing into a festering itch he couldn’t ignore. You were the itch, burrowing under his skin, making bile churn in his gut, his insides writhing like a breeding ground for parasites.

He staggered to the bathroom, barely able to keep himself upright as nausea clawed at his throat. Slamming the stall door behind him, he doubled over the sink, dry heaving into the basin. The bile didn’t come, but the suffocating pressure in his chest wouldn’t let up.

His breaths came in shallow, panicked bursts as his trembling hands tore at his neck, nails raking deeper and deeper into his skin until blood welled beneath his fingertips. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't—

When he finally forced himself to look up, his reflection in the mirror seemed almost unrecognizable.

The sink shook beneath his grip, a low, shuddering rattle that reverberated through the tiled walls.

And then, with a sharp, earsplitting crack, the mirror shattered into a thousand jagged fragments. Overhead, the light bulbs exploded in rapid succession, sending tiny shards of glass cascading down like rain.

Everything around him fell eerily still. The ringing noises in his head drained into silence, leaving only the sound of his own labored breaths.

In and out. In and out.

As he stared at his broken reflection, bloodied fingers trembling against the sink edge, his eyes flickered a deep, vivid red.

It was like a fog had lifted from his mind.

He knew exactly what he had to do.

~ Good evening. We bring you shocking and tragic news tonight. Beloved superhero Zenith, a symbol of hope and strength to many, was found dead late last night in an alleyway on Broad Street. At just 34 years old and at the peak of his career, his passing has sent shockwaves through the nation.

A passerby discovered his body, which authorities report was severely mutilated, with deep lacerations rendering him almost unrecognizable. Forensics have confirmed he was decapitated, though the full autopsy results are still pending. As investigators work to piece together the circumstances of his death, the burning question on everyone's mind remains: was this a case of suicide, or a brutal, targeted murder?

If it was murder, the world is left wondering—who could commit such a heinous act against one of our greatest heroes? We’ll continue to provide updates as more information comes to light. For now, our thoughts and prayers are with— "Jesus, that's fucking gruesome," your fiancé interrupts the TV broadcast, the sound of the news anchor’s voice muffling as he slides beside you on the couch. He balances a plate of heated lasagna in one hand and hands it to you.

"Thanks," you murmur, the warmth of the plate grounding you momentarily as you take it. Your gaze remains fixed on the TV, the harrowing details of Zenith's death replaying in your head.

"It's honestly so crazy, really," A pause, your voice quieter. "I mean, I can't believe it. He was so young."

"I'm more surprised he didn't survive the fight, for someone his caliber," he replies, taking a bite of his own lasagna. His nonchalance contrasts sharply with the knot of unease forming in your stomach.

"You think it’s a murder?" You glance at him sideways.

"And you don’t?"

"Well..." You hesitate, shifting the plate in your lap. "I do, I guess. With injuries that bad, it couldn’t have possibly been a suicide. It’s just... so sad. And I won’t lie, if someone like Zenith can die like that, meaning there’s someone out there more powerful, more dangerous, roaming our streets..." You trail off, absently twirling your fork in the pasta. "I don’t know how safe I feel."

Your fiancé hums thoughtfully, then leans back against the couch. "Well, there’s always that other hero our age. He’s quite popular now, isn’t he? I’ve seen him all over my feed. Twitter, TikTok, billboards, Youtube ads—fucking hell, it’s getting to be too much, honestly."

The mention of your old classmate's superhero alias pulls at something uncomfortable, buried deep. You tense slightly, fingers curling around the plate. "Can you blame them?" you manage, forcing a casual shrug. "The world loves to fixate on the next hot thing."

"Wait, didn’t you two go to school together? How was he like back then?"

Your stomach twists. "Oh yeah... we did," gaze suddenly focused on your lasagna as if it holds all the answers in the world. Your silence afterward feels louder than it should.

Thankfully, your fiancé doesn’t seem to notice your lack of response to his question. He mistakes your discomfort for grief over Zenith, not the weight of old memories—flashes of your classmate's persistent confession, of clinging to you everywhere—crawling their way to the surface.

He places a comforting hand on your knee. "Don’t worry, I’ll be here to protect you," he says with a wink.

At that, you snort, the tension breaking just slightly. "Pfft, you? And what can you do, huh?"

"Hey! I’m very strong, thank you very much," he protests, flexing his biceps dramatically. Before you can respond, he lunges forward, his fingers digging into your sides with an attack of tickles.

"H-hey! Ahaahaha! S-stop it!" you gasp, squirming beneath his playful attack.

You both tumble into a heap on the couch, breathless and laughing. You collapse onto his chest, feeling the steady rise and fall as his arms wrap loosely around your waist.

For a moment, the world feels lighter. Closing your eyes, you intertwine your fingers with his, the soft red string looped around your pinky tangling neatly with his. The faint connection hums warmly, a quiet reassurance against the discomfort tucked in the corners of your mind.

"I love you," you whisper, though something inside you feels unmoored.

He squeezes your hand gently. "I love you too."

As you lie there and the buzz of the TV fades into the background, the heaviness in your chest remains. Zenith's death. Your former classmate. The memories you try so hard to suppress. They linger, like shadows that no amount of warmth can fully dispel.

~ You're not sure why you decide to take a different route home from work this time, but you do.

Perhaps it's the paranoia creeping in. First, there's the unsettling fact that the killer responsible for Zenith's death is still at large, which is hardly reassuring for a normal civilian like you. Then there's the chilling sensation you've been experiencing for the past two weeks, a feeling you just can't shake, like someone's watching you.

Your fiancé was quick to rationalize it, insisting that the latter might simply be your fear projected from the former playing tricks on you. But that doesn’t change how real and invasive it feels. It's as if unseen eyes are salaciously snaking up and down your body, peeking under the gaps of your clothes, tracking your every move—from your apartment to work, the grocery store, and even the gym. It's unnerving.

Tonight, you're hoping the shorter route, dim as it is, will be your saving grace.

As you trek down the poorly lit street, you clutch your bag a little tighter. You glance back, just once, to make sure no one's there.

Your fiancé has your live location—a precaution you ensured before leaving the office. Just a few more meters, and you'll be home-sweet-home, ready to jump into a hot shower and unwind for the day.

But luck has never been your strong suit.

At first, you almost don’t hear it: the faintest scuff of a footstep behind you.

A chill pierces through your body. You freeze mid-step. Your heartbeat thunders, hammering against your chest so loud you swear the entire neighborhood can hear it.

You're just being paranoid. It's late and you're imagining things.

But then it happens again. A step. And another. You walk faster, and the sound mirrors your pace. When your pace turns to a sprint, so does theirs.

And fuck! Why the hell did you decide to wear these stupid heels today of all days? You're running as fast as you can, praying and praying you'll make it out alive, but that person is suddenly catching up to you because you can hear their breaths and it's scaring you and your legs are starting to feel like lead, anchoring you to the ground, but you can't stop now if you stop they'll catch up and god knows what they'll do to you oh god oh god oh god—

A sickening crunch.

"Woah," a deep, smooth voice cuts through the night. "That was close. Any second later, and things could've gotten... real messy."

You don't have to turn around to know who the voice belongs to.

He steps into view, and you meet eye-to-eye—or rather, after craning your neck to look up—with your former classmate.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" His smile is bright, almost boyish. For a split second, his laidback, easygoing demeanor disarms you, almost making you forget about being chased. But then your eyes drop to his hand. Crimson coats his open palm, shards of skull and smears of brain matter wedged between his fingers, the carnage dripping sluggishly down the back of his hand and pooling at his wrist.

Reality crashes down on you.

Your body moves to let out a bloodcurdling scream, but sensing that, he quickly interjects—

"Hey, hey, none of that, okay?" His hand—cleaned off in one swipe across his dark hoodie—comes up in a mock-placating gesture, palms open. "You don’t want to wake the whole neighborhood, do you?"

Your scream dies in your throat, lips trembling as you clamp your mouth shut.

“See, that’s better. No need for theatrics. You’re safe now. Though, with a reaction like that, you’d think I was the one chasing you. You wound me, you know?” He presses a hand to his chest in mock pain, as if your terror has genuinely hurt his feelings. “Here I am, your knight in shining armor, and all I get is fear.” It’s difficult to process exactly who you're talking to, owed simply to the fact that the man before you is so vastly different from the timid, nerdy boy he once was.

For one, he’s no longer the small, scrawny kid with limp arms. His once frail frame has been replaced with broad shoulders, lean muscle, and a big-boned sturdiness that makes it impossible to look away. And two, he exudes a confidence that feels almost foreign, his tone carrying a gravitas and assuredness that commands attention.

He’s grown into someone almost unrecognizable, eerily reminiscent of Zenith in both presence and charm. "Thank you," you eventually remember your manners, shaken from your reverie. "I—god, that was...that was fucking scary." A shudder of relief escapes you as your fingers brush through your hair, soothing yourself, trying to steady your racing heart.

But beneath the relief, a thread of confusion winds its way into your thoughts. You're surprised, but grateful. Grateful for his intervention, yes, but something about this situation doesn't sit right.

He's an elite, A-list superhero. Why the hell would he be dealing with petty street crime? Shouldn't that be left to the junior heroes, the ones still earning their medals? And how the hell did he end up in your neighborhood at exactly the right time and place? The timing alone feels too perfect, almost too convenient.

Your mind screams at you to drop it. To not pry. To avoid opening Pandora's box. But you can't help it. So against your better judgement, you ask, "Why... why are you here? This... doesn't seem like your usual type of scene. You know, with your—" you gesture vaguely toward him, the potent aura he's practically radiating, "—everything."

He chuckles, the sound light, carefree, as if he hasn't noticed the way you're trying to process it all. "Why not? You think I only deal with the big stuff?" He steps closer, teasing grin widening. "No, no. It's my job to save everyone. Doesn't matter if it's a suspicious guy lurking around the corner or a city-wide crisis. Every life counts."

"People have been reporting strange sightings around here," he continues. “Someone’s been poking around the area lately. Guess I was just in the right place at the right time. And I'm glad I was."

On any other given day—when you would be thinking straight, less frazzled, more like your logical self, and not on the verge of hyperventilating from a near-death experience, you might've exercised more caution, more discernment.

You might’ve pressed further, questioning whether it was truly necessary to kill the man in such a grotesque way. You can see the headless corpse left to rot in your periphery, blood pooling on the asphalt, and—shit—you’re gonna be sick. Isn’t it protocol to hand him over to authorities first for custody anyway? By now, alarm bells should’ve been blaring in your head.

But tonight? Tonight, your sense of self preservation is dimmed by the weight of what just happened, your nerves still rattled by the close call.

So, while your mind lingers on the oddity of it all, the warmth of his smile, the ease with which he carries himself, are enough to disarm your defenses, reassuring you more than you'd care to admit. Somehow, in a haze of confusion and adrenaline, you find yourself standing at the front of your apartment. How you got there, you're not sure. The walk from the street to the lobby, through the elevator, and up to your floor feels like a blur. You can barely recall the steps, yet here you are, staring at your door—unlocked and ajar. It almost doesn't make sense, yet your hand is already on the handle, pushing it open with a slight jerking motion as if on autopilot.

You don’t say goodbye, though. Instead, you look at him with a half cocked head, as if still questioning your own actions. A strange combination of guilt, relief, and the faintest sense of obligation rush through you.

Maybe it's the guilt for how you distanced yourself from him in high school, never standing up for him when he needed it most. Or perhaps it’s your gratitude for not dying tonight—you're still floating on that cathartic relief. Maybe it’s the lingering impulse to repay him, or simply a strange desire to reconnect with someone you once knew a decade ago. Besides, your mind rationalizes, your fiancé will be home soon, so it’s not like you can’t kick him out if things get uncomfortable. And he's an old classmate, right? Nothing to lose here.

"Do you want to come in?" The invitation tumbles out before you can even think to stop it.

Little do you know just how terrible of a mistake that is.

[ilovelovewithallmyheart]

The red string of fate.

It tied around your finger and led you to where your soulmate was. Regardless of who you were, everyone had one.

The strings were indicative of what the relationship would be like if the soulmates ever met.

For some, it was frayed and coming apart. For a minority, it was tangled with knots. For the majority, it was thin and barely even there.

But for God’s chosen select spirits, it was smooth and thick, gleaming with a glassy sheen and basically indestructible.

And, Gojo added with distaste as he stared at his ring finger, tied in a little neat bow.

It was no secret that Gojo was God’s favourite. His looks, his inherited curse technique…but having a perfect soulmate story? Really?

Due to his six eyes, he could see the string all the time. He wasn’t like other people, who could make it appear and disappear as they pleased. It was always there. Eating? It was there. Sleeping? It was there.

It could filter through walls and lead you to the direction your soulmate was, the other end of the string being tied to your soulmate’s hands. It could stretch and-

“ow!” Y/n gasped.

-if you tried to cut it, it would send a searing pain to both parties’ hearts.

“He tried to cut it again?” Y/n’s best friend Ichigo sighed. Her head rested on her left hand while her right hand held a giant mug of coffee. “Mhm,” Y/n responded. She was browsing the web for job opportunities at the local cafe. “Ooh! There’s this job offer at a nearby bank.” Y/n turned her laptop so Ichigo could see. Y/n was used to the pain now. At least once a month her soulmate tried to cut their string, to no avail. Y/n learned to be indifferent to this. She could still find love - not everyone ends up with their soulmate.

“Hey, What’s that?” Ichigo pointed a carefully manicured finger at a job proposal on the side of the screen. “Holy crap! It says Jujutsu tech!” 

“NO!” Y/n gasped, disbelief written across her face. She snatched the laptop out of Ichigo’s hands and her eyes traced back and forth the words of the job advertisement.

*Manager Job applications open* Right next to the advertisement was a funny little badge.

And Y/n knew exactly what that badge meant.

This was a job application for Jujutsu Sorcerors.

Unfortunately for Y/n, not everyone with cursed energy was cut out to be a Jujutsu sorceror. But Y/n had experience in corporate workplaces. She would definitely snag this job. 

She would 100% be a manager.

“Hopefully I’m not the manager of some bratty kids.” Y/n sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “Wouldn’t it be worse if you were the manager for some snotty Special Grade?”

Y/n’s eyes widened. “God, that would be so terrible. Imagine being at the beck and call of a stuck up prick!”

Little did Y/n know, she wouldn’t have to imagine it for long.

(part 2 here)

[i-think-in-metaphors]

My valentines exchange work for @library-of-cronos :3. Doing a perspective piece like this was…interesting but kinda fun

[sky-dragon-03]

Bumbleby week

Day 3: Soulmates / Reincarnation

Hope y’all like it 💜🐝

[biohazard-inevitable]

Red string of fate au with Ambrosious and Ballister where the arm that ambrosious cuts off is the one their string is attatched to and now ambrosious has to go through the emotions of the fact he cut off his way of knowing where ballister is and if he’s alright and annanzhxhabhdxhgzgs

[padawansuggest]

Since I am obsessed with the red string of fate theory-

AU where Obi-Wan and Jango are dating. One day, since Obi-Wan was recently knighted, the council suggests he visits his birth family since he’s only had small contact with them since he was little, and it’s a practice they try to encourage.

Obviously Obi-Wan is all ‘oh great. A family reunion with all 7 of my siblings and 23 cousins and like seven aunts and uncles, this is gonna be great. At least they have sheep for me to cuddle’ and decides to go for it.

But since it’s gonna be chaos incarnate anyways. Let’s ask Jango if he wants to come with. It’s okay, because Stewjon is on the edge of Mando space so they’ll probably like his bf anyways.

Jango and Obi-Wan show up, they have a chaotic time with all the families, and Jango even thinks he should invite them all to Keldabe or maybe bring Jaster to meet them next time. Might as well become in laws. Obi-Wan, on the other hand, brought Shmi (who is flirting with one of his brothers lmaooo) and Anakin (who is being DOTED on by the fam) and so it’s all a big family now.

Anyways. One of those days Obi-Wan is pulled down to look through photo albums because that’s what families do.

And Obi-Wan stops on a photo that was taken a few months before he was sent to the Jedi temple. It’s a photo of a village fair they had that year, and he’s playing with some siblings while Mama and Daddy cook on the BBQ…

And in the background. Is a Mandalorian in full armor with an ad wearing their leathers. They look about nine or so.

Obi-Wan sees the pic and just fucking breaks down crying, because he hadn’t realized Jango was so cute as a kiddo, and that’s def Jaster Mereel, who hasn’t painted his armor a new colour in over twenty years, giving Jango an ice cream cone and looking so doting and loving on that ad it’s breaking all their hearts.

Anyways. They have copies made and hang it up everywhere they live and Jaster adores the picture. It’s sweet, and his boys look so happy.

[luv-indigo]

OLNF Week Day 1: Soulmates !!

The red string of fate has a special place in my heart because it’s one of the first tropes I came across when I started reading fanfics years ago. I was brainstorming possible ideas for soulmates and then it hit me soooo yeah :3

ugh, they’re so cute it makes me ill </3

@olnfweek2024

[cravingforsweetsbooksandpurpose]

zosan modern soulmate au where everyone has a soulmate that connects them through a red string of fate.

Zoro and Sanji had been best friends since childhood. Sanji as a hopeless romantic had been dreaming of meeting his soulmate but somehow can't and still hasn't. Zoro doesn't care much (he likes Sanji for a long time, soulmate be damned) Sanji kept looking for his soulmate but their strings are so tangled, it's all over the place, into loops and knots that didn't make sense. He almost gave up thinking his soulmate did that on purpose since he didn't want Sanji. Zoro had enough of it and confessed that he'll be better than Sanji's soulmate will ever was. Sanji was moved and they kissed. Their string came untangled into one straight red with golden shine lime. Both are shocked but still happy about the revelation.

Sanji was pissed tho. His soulmate was by his side all along. It turns out, Zoro's lost all the time that made their string stretch and tangled.

————————————

ps; wouldn't it be funny that one of their soulmate-hunting adventures. Sanji was following the string with Zoro by his side and they kept circling the city like into some random goose chase. Sanji gets frustrated. While Zoro thinks the soulmate was stupid for seemingly getting lost but also thinks the path feels so familiar.

[kamisatomay018]

May I request a Wriothesley version of the legend of the red string of fate please??

Yes of course!! Thank you so much for putting in your request and giving me the idea🫶

Soulmates huh? I like the sound of that..

Wriothesley x fem!reader

Fluff, based on the Legend of the Red String of Fate, Will contain spoilers from the chenyu vale world quest!

I hope you all enjoy reading!

“Tea bags, check..gift, check, tea leaves- check! Okay I’m ready to head off.” You muttered to yourself, cross checking your luggage before you depart from Chenyu Vale to Fontaine for a very important meeting. With whom you might be wondering? Well, it was none other than the Duke of the Fortress of Meropide himself.

Chenyu vale is known widely for its famous and aromatic Adeptea, and has always exported copious amounts of tea to Fontaine. However for the past 2 years, the tea’s quality started to decline, and so did the exports. It had come to your attention that out of all the Fontainians, the Duke of Meropide was particularly displeased about this situation, going so far as to penning a kind yet stern letter to the head of the village, asking about what has been happening to their tea. It was safe to say that this letter had raised quite the panic, for the fortress was the major buyer of the Adeptea and losing such a buyer was something your small yet humble village could not afford. What’s worse was that none of the people were able to understand what was going wrong with the tea, except of course for you and Grandpa Lu.

You were a prominent figure in Chenyu vale, known for your artistic pottery and fine brewing skills. You would handpick the slots of tea that was being sent to Fontaine yourself, knowing that they needed the best quality tea. Not only that, but you were also skilled in the Adepti art of Adeptus Fujin herself, which made you understand that the harmony of nature had been disrupted, leading to the tea quality’s decline.

Thankfully for all of you; the renowned traveler had arrived with their companion and with your aid and Fujin’s power, the problem had been resolved. The only problem that now remained, was the displeased Duke of Meropide. So you took it upon yourself to travel to Fontaine and offer an explanation and apology, for no one else understood the true depth of the situation. As compensation, you made him the most beautiful tea set, infusing in it a little bit of your power which would allow the tea to remain fragrant and hot for extended hours. You truly did hope that this would placate the man.

After bidding farewell to your mother, you got onto the boat that would take you to the renowned and magnificent nation of justice. Fontaine truly seemed magnificent, with its technological advances and strict judicial system. You had always desired to visit the city, although not in such a diplomatic way. No matter, you would make sure to get a tour of the city later. Upon hearing of your visit, the duke had been kind enough to write to you personally, informing you of basic but important laws that you must not break if you didn’t wish to extend your stay in the fortress from a few hours to a few days. The letter was…extremely lengthy, given the amount of ridiculous and extensive laws the land held. Archons, how did the people even remember them all? Well no matter, it’s not like you were going to stay there for long….right?

As you arrived at the Lumidouce harbour, you noticed two officials waiting for you, probably to guide you to the fortress. You bowed at them politely, following their lead while admiring the beautiful scenery of Fontaine.

“Welcome to the Nation of Justice, Ms. Y/N. We have been tasked by Monsieur Neuvillette to guide you to the fortress of Meropide through the Opera Epiclese. Please, follow us.”

Thanking them you boarded yet another boat, and then an aquabus where you met a cute little creature. Ah, that must be the melusines that the duke had mentioned in his letter. The melusine was so sweet, giving you a detailed explanation about the city, even answering your curious question. In the end, you quickly rummaged through your bag, giving her a little Qingxin flower as a thank you for her service. The smile that adorned her little face truly made your day better.

Eventually you headed to the back of the grand Opera Epiclese, where you saw a dignified tall man with a black fur coat hanging on his shoulder standing with his back faced to you. His aura seemed intimidating to you, however you kept your composure. “Duke, we have brought your guest.”

“Ah, you have my profound gratitude. You both may leave, I shall escort my guest from here.”

“Yes sir.”

At that moment, he turned around to face you, and you felt your entire world stopping. Your jade green eyes met with his ashy blue ones, and you swore you felt a spark through your entire body. A beautiful and delicate Res String tied to your little finger made its way to tie itself around his thumb, making you freeze in place. You had found your fated Soulmate. He was a godly man, perfect from head to toe. You had never seen a man as handsome as him, his every feature truly was perfect. You didn’t fail to notice the scars on his face and neck, making you realise he truly had been through a lot in his lifetime.

Meanwhile, Wriothesley was utterly stunned, yet confused. In front of him stood perhaps the most beautiful maiden he had ever seen, her delicate figure adorned with a pastel green outfit and jade jewellery, matching the colour of her eyes. A dendro vision was tied to your outfit while your long hair flowed freely down your shoulders. He was in awe of your beauty, it was as if some kind of force was pulling him in to you. However he was baffled to see a delicate red string connect the two out of you, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. Your equally shocked look did not escape his watchful eyes. What in Teyvat was going on? He cleared his throat, talking rather softly. “Uhm, Miss Y/N, how about we..head back to my office to talk?”

You snapped out of your thoughts, nodding immediately as you felt your cheeks blushing like anything. “Yes, yes of course Duke..”

He let out a raspy chuckle, shaking his head. “No need to be so formal, you can just call me Wriothesley.” Oh archons, why was everything about him so attractive?! You looked down with a shy smile, nodding. “Understood. Please, lead the way..”

He smiles slightly, enjoying your flustered state for some reason. As much as he desired to ask you about this mysterious red string, he chose to wait. Such important and private discussions were better suited for his office, where he could guarantee no one would eavesdrop. He led you down the elevator and through the boat to the Fortress, noticing how observant you were about every little detail. Hm..that would explain the Dendro vision. “Welcome to the Fortress of Meropide. I’m sure you must have heard a thing or two about this place, but I can assure you it’s not as awful as it sounds. Here in the fortress every exile and every prisoner is given a chance to start life anew, to work hard and earn their freedom and dignity back. If I dare say so myself, the fortress is essentially a place of rediscovery and rebirth. The law treats everyone fairly, and the fortress is no different.”

You listened to him in awe, admiring the way he spoke like a dignified gentleman. Although he looked intimidating and cold, his demeanour was quite relaxed and welcoming. “That is quite admirable, to give a chance to the offenders to start life anew.” He nodded at your words as he led you to his office. “Of course, that is not to say that criminals do not get their punishment. No one leads a cushiony life in here, and those who have broken the law and hurt others get treated the same way. The rest who actually wish to turn over to a new leaf are given the chance to do so. Many prisoners choose to stay here even after their sentence has concluded.”

That surely came as a shock to you. As…magnificent as the fortress was, it was devoid of sunlight and nature, it felt suffocating to you. Why would people live here willingly? Noticing your silence and the unasked question in the air, Wriothesley laughed a little. “I’m sure you must be wondering why they would choose to do that. Well Fontaine is a nation much different than the rest. Here, status, reputation and wealth matter a lot. Life up at the surface is full of pretensions and dramatic situations. Here in the fortress; everyone is equal, everyone is straightforward. They start with nothing, and through sheer hard work, earn their daily necessities. Perhaps that equality is what attracts people to stay here rather than going up to the surface and continue to play the part in the endless opera that Fontaine is.”

Only you knew how much you were admiring him at this point. Not only was he fair and just, he was also respectable and empathetic, treating humans as they were supposed to be treated rather than declaring them as unruly criminals. “I really admire the way you manage this place Wriothesley..to be able to view offenders as something more than their offence is an admirable quality. No wonder you are the Duke.” As much as he wished he could deny it, Wriothesley felt his heart skip a beat at your words. “You flatter me Y/N. here, this is my office. Let us go upstairs. Please, make yourself comfortable.”

“Thank you. Ah before I forget, I brought you a small present to compensate for all the inconveniences you have had to face due to the small crisis in Chenyu vale.” Taking out a box, you opened it to reveal the most beautifully embroidered tea set that Wriothesley had ever seen. “This is a tea set I crafted myself, and I have infused it with a little bit of adeptal power. That will allow the tea to stay fragrant and warm for hours on end. I imagine that your work must be arduous and time consuming. So, you need not brew a hot cup of tea every now and then. I hope it is to your liking..”

Looking up, you felt your heart flutter at the way Wriothesley was smiling, his eyes shimmering as he admired the tea set. “This is simply divine, I cannot thank you enough for your hard work. There was no need for a present Y/N..but thank you so much, I will gratefully accept it.” Smiling happily, you stood up, getting the tea leaves out. “Well if you’ll allow me; I can brew us some tea right now. I do believe we have a lot of things to discuss Wriothesley..” He smiled and nodded, accompanying you as he watched you brew the tea. The aroma of fresh tea filled his office, instantly relaxing him. A while later you both sat down, drinking tea. “This is exquisite tea, you are exceptional at brewing.” You blushed at the praise, shaking your head. “Thank you..well then, I believe it is time I addressed something very important..” You raised your left hand, bringing to his notice the red string that connected the two of you. “Yes please go ahead, I am quite curious about this string.”

You took a deep breath to prepare yourself for the worst possible outcome after you explained everything to him. “This is the red string of fate..Inazuma and Liyue have a..tradition where the gods have destined two people together as…Soulmates. The red string appears when two soulmates lock eyes with one another, and it signifies the union of two fated lovers…The red string may stretch endlessly, but it can never be snapped or broken. Of course…some people can…reject this bond, but that won’t erase the existence of this string..”

Wriothesley listened to your words carefully, also noticing the way you held your teacup close, caressing the edges anxiously. You weren’t looking into his eyes, and he knew that you were afraid that he would reject this bond. Truth to be told, as strange as this entire situation was, he felt so comfortable in your presence, so soothed and happy that it felt like home. He knew he was attracted to you, and wanted to be with you. Whether it was the string acting or his heart, he did not know and nor did he care. He gently held your hand in his, making your jade green eyes look at him with an expression so hopeful that it melted his ice cold heart.

“I do not wish to reject this bond. Even though I’ve only met you today; your presence has..comforted me. The fortress has always been cold and stuffy but your presence here feels like a breath of fresh air…I know that I feel connected to you. And if the gods themselves have fated us to be together then who am I to overrule their judgement?”

You smiled ever so happily, not being able to hold back as you hugged him, resting your head against his chest. Meanwhile wriothesley, though tense at first, melted into your embrace, wrapping his arms around you gently. His bigger frame completely engulfed you, as if hiding and protecting you from all evil. He was your home, you knew it. “If you are not rejecting this bold, then I pledge you my devotion and loyalty until my last breath. From now on, I am your soulmate..” you spoke, looking up into his beautiful eyes. He chuckled at your words. Gently cradling your face, smiling at the way you leaned into his touch. He knew you both would have to work a few things out, but everything would turn out to be just fine. He then held your left hand, tenderly kissing the place where the red string was tied.

“Soulmates huh? I like the sound of that. Then from this day forth, I am yours, just like you are mine.”

[larkscern]

red string (chain) of fate aus make me lose my mind

[ilovelovewithallmyheart]

Hiii i lovee your ficsss and i especially love the red string of fate workkk you should definatelyyy make that a seriesss

Thank you anon!!!

I shall deliver🫡

First part of the red string series here

(this is a gojo satoru fanfic btw)

Tag: @sapphireandange

-Quick overview-

In this world where the mythical red string that connects you to your soulmate exists, the type of string indicates what your relationship will be like.

Y/n's string is perfect and smooth, indicating that her relationship with her soulmate will be perfect.

Unfortunately for Y/n that luck doesn't extend very far because her soulmate keeps trying to sever the bond (which causes pain to both parties) and Y/n is currently unemployed. But have no fear! In this chapter, she gets recruited for the job as a manager at Jujutsu Tech.

Fingers crossed her new boss isn't an egotistical prick whose red string is connected to hers!!!😍😍😍

**

“Jesus Gojo. This would be your…twenty sixth manager this year?” Shoko picked up the records from the table, eyes widened with incredulity. Gojo shrugged, clearly taking it as a compliment. “I’ve scared off all of them.” Pride was laced in his words. “It says here that your seventeenth manager didn’t even last a day - what do you do to your managers?” Nanami looked over Shoko’s shoulders, then back at Gojo disapprovingly.

“Nothing. My presence is too great for their puny little weakling brains.” He crossed his arms, and Nanami understood why those managers all left. Gojo was, for lack of a better word, an absolute prick to anyone who was weaker than him so…he was a prick to everyone.

“I’m supposed to be meeting my new manager today actually.” Gojo grinned like a hunter meeting prey. “What was your bet again?” Gojo said as an afterthought. Nanami thought bets were pointless, but nontheless he still raised a bet. “I bet $50 that your new manager won’t last a week.” 

Shoko chuckled. “You’re too kind Nanami. I bet $100 that they won’t last a day.”

**

Okay Y/n. This is it, you thought.

The only thing seperating you and your future boss were the tatami doors in front of you. You thought you were having a conniption.

He’s NOT going to be as bad as you think he’s going to be, you reasoned. Brains just have a tendancy for expecting the worst.

Right?

With that optimistic though in your head, you slid the doors to the side and stepped in.

Your boss was sitting face first on the table, completely motionless. HIs hair was white - you’ve never seen anyone with that kind of hair before.

God, his stillness was offputting. It was almost like he was-

DEAD? Terror seized your gut and sirens immediately began to shriek in your head.

You were panicing, freaking out, and you had absolutely no idea what to do. If you were the main character of a shounen anime, perhaps you would’ve checked the body, or done something heroic. But you, Y/n, were a failed jujutsu sorceror. 

So naturally you reached for the tatami doors to get out-

Someone grabbed your wrist.

You turned around, surprised there was someone else in the room.

“AHHHHHHHHH!!!” 

You supposedly ‘dead’ boss was standing, completely alive and well, somehow crossing the room in literal milliseconds. “Where do you think you’re going?” His voice was deep and rough. He rubbed his eyes and yawned, turning his back to you to look out the windows overlooking Jujutsu Tech. He stretched, his yawn obnoxiously loud.

“To the…bathroom!” You wanted to melt into a puddle in the ground and evaporate. “You’re my new manager. But I call the shots around here.” He said, broad back still facing you. You nodded, then realised he couldn’t see you nodding. “Yes. Okay.” 

“First rule as your boss: you’re not allowed to go to the bathroom when you’re on duty.” 

…what.

You blanched. 

How the hell were you supposed to do your business?

You bit your tongue. Remember Y/n...you’ll get paid. Your first paycheck. Come on….you urged yourself not to run out of the room.

“Okay.”

“Second rule. You’re not allowed to raise your voice above 60 decibels. Your scream nearly made me go deaf.”

You seriously didn’t know how you could tell how loud your voice was at all times, but you forced yourself to picture the feeling of the smooth, paper envelope. How the envelope slightly bulged in the middle, due to the money inside. You imagined yourself peeling it open and taking out the money- 

“Third rule. I expect you to answer me whenever I tell you something.” His voice was already disapproving, and he turned around to coldly asses you, his blue eyes sharper than knives-

He stopped dead.

For some reasons, without even initiating the red string vision, it flickered to life. 

Huh? You thought. You glanced down at your ring finger. 

Why is the vision on…? You wondered as you followed the thick red string further, and further…

Until it tied in a neat bow on your boss’ ring finger.

[kbirbpods]

[Podfic Link] | Length: 12 minutes, 9 seconds

Original Work: Green String of Fate by @flowerparrish

DPxDC: Danny Fenton/Jason Todd | Rating: Teen & Up Audiences

Summary: 

When Jason dies and then comes back wrong, his soul thread is always there, always visible, always distinct. It is also changed, as if it came back wrong alongside Jason himself: it glows a sickly but vivid Lazarus green.

Notes: Pod-O-Ween 2024 | Prompt: Uncanny + a treat for Flowerparrish!

[fluffypotatey]

Another hypothetical, what if macaque didn't have a string to wukong (still has strings to mk and others, but not wukong). Probably some string bs or something bc i just can't imagine any scenario where macaque isn't attached enough, but this is about macaque emotions/reaction, not logistics

s1-3 Macky would have a field day with his confirmation bias bc this means he doesn’t care and Wukong never cared

(no he is NOT hurting inside nobody check there! him seething in rage and wanting to hurt Wukong for the fact that everything he ever meant to Macky ended up meaning nothing is NOT because he is affected by the strings of course)

he would be very confused about MK though because that’s just a Wukong 2.0 in his eyes but then it’s like “oh no! this guy is actually checking off all my attachment boxes fuck. the strings still mean nothing, I can still inflict trauma on you this doesn’t mean ANYTHING—“