#and each of them have such drastic paths of whatever they are doing when they dont want to be involved in a war

[xpurplepiex]

look at these losers dawg they arent even co-workers anymore😭

[flowerandblood]

The Lost Haven (16/16)

[ modern mafia • Aemond x niece •female ]

[ warnings: incest obviously, sex content, dirty talk, smut, the angst, murder, character death, miscarriage and the trauma associated with it, panic attack, mafia stuff, brutal violence, uncomfortable conversations, bad, bad things ]

[ description: The vacation from eight years ago still haunts his memories and doesn’t let him forget what happened between him and his niece, the daughter of his sister and Harwin Strong. Their paths separate and he immerses himself in his father’s mafia world until the day she calls him for the first time since those events. Sexual tension, dark, dangerous, withdrawn, thirsty Aemond. ]

Author’s note: As promised, this is another, this time official modern version of The Fall from the Heavens. In this version, Daemon is not related to the family, but is simply Rhaenyra’s husband and the leader of the second gang, Alys and Larys are also not related to each other, but Larys is Harwin’s brother. I will partly refer to the original series, hiding some easter eggs, and some will be a completely new, fresh plot. As in every universe, only Aemond calls her Rhaenys and this is not her real name (she is unnamed character and the others also do not know that he calls her that). There will be a lot more brutality and angst in this version, so watch out. You can read this as a standalone story.

Series & Characters Moodboard Aemond & Rhaenys Moodboard

* English is not my first language. Please, do not repost. Enjoy! *

Next chapters: Masterlist

_____

She was pregnant.

Although, according to all moral and social norms, she should have been crying in despair, she was happy: touching her belly with her hand, she felt nothing but love for this little being that was slowly growing inside her.

The fruit of their warm, deep, sincere affection.

The knowledge that she was not alone helped her when it was time for her to meet the staff for whom she was to be responsible from now on. Aemond insisted on being with her, fearing for some reason for her and the baby, she, however, knew that this was something she had to do alone.

Their stares when she walked into the VIP room in which she had ordered the meeting told her everything – grown men and women who looked as if they had seen far too much in their lives watched her in disbelief.

She knew they thought with disapproval that she was just a little girl, a whore who had been given this place as a gift by their boss that she wouldn't know what to do with, pestering them with her stupid bullshit.

She sat down in one of the empty armchairs, a few people lit cigarettes and grunted, other than that, complete silence all around her.

"I know what you're thinking and you're right. The fact that I have taken over these premises is a form of security for me. In true, not only for me, but also for you. Aemond will stop the flow of drugs through these and two other places that used to belong to my father. I have no intention of changing managers or leadership, quite the contrary – I want to talk to you about what you need. I want this to be a clean, legitimate business that is profitable. No drastic changes." She said, looking at them expectantly, feeling her heart pounding like crazy.

A few people twisted in their seats, others looked at each other.

Silence.

Obviously they didn't trust her.

"Think whatever you want about me. It doesn't matter. Know, however, that my stepfather no longer threatens you, and Aemond will still protect this place. All I ask for is loyalty. If there is a problem with something, come to me with it, not to my uncle, or he will be furious. Now get back to work, I want to stay with the manager." She said calmly.

All but one man who could easily be her father got up from their seats and walked out, leaving them alone.

"This is not a toy you can just pick up and have." He said finally, firing up the lighter, leaning over the flame with his cigarette.

"I don't see it as a toy. We can all gain something if we accept each other. Would you rather keep wallowing in this shit and selling ecstasy to young kids? Don't you have children of your own?" She asked coolly, and the man snorted under his breath, the corner of his mouth twitching in a smirk.

"I do. Three. Two sons and a daughter. Each of them works here. The sons as security guards and the daughter behind the bar." He said dryly and she swallowed hard, feeling the cold sweat on her back.

Fuck.

Had she just insulted him?

"You let your own kids do drugs? Do you want them to be arrested with you if the police come by here, as part of family integration?" She asked, and he sighed heavily, taking a loud drag on his cigarette.

"I didn't say that." He replied, letting the smoke out through his mouth.

"And I don't want that either. Help me protect you." She insisted, and he looked at her finally, as if he had made up his mind.

"You're just like your father."

She exhaled loudly, in an involuntary reflex she'd been holding back for the last few hours touching her lower abdomen as soon as the car door closed behind her.

"And how was it? Everything okay?" Her uncle asked, immediately grasping her hand in his, looking at her expectantly, tense.

"They are difficult people. Difficult, but tired. They don't want problems. They get used to it." She said quietly, exhausted and sleepy.

She looked at him, a worry in his eyes but also a tenderness from which she felt warm in her heart.

"Take me home."

The road to the sea was getting terribly long, perhaps because once in a while she felt an unpleasant twinge in her stomach, indicative of what was about to happen.

"– no – no, stop the car, stop the car –" She muttered, and he immediately pulled over to the side of the road – she only managed to open the door before she vomited on the grass, panting heavily.

"– oh, baby – why don't you lie down in the back seat? – you'll be more comfortable –" She heard his voice, his broad hand stroking her back.

Ever since they'd found out they were going to be parents he'd been so tender, so good, so sweet.

Exactly like he had been back then.

"– okay –" She mumbled and swallowed hard, wiping her mouth with her handkerchief. She unbuckled her seatbelt, climbed out and opened the door in the back, laying down on both passenger seats, closing her eyes.

"– sleep, little one – I'll drive slowly – we're not in any hurry –" He said, looking at her in the rear view mirror, and she nodded.

She flinched when she felt the car finally stop – she heard someone open the door, the fresh air and his familiar hands enveloped her, lifting her up, and she clung to him like a small child. He carried her into the house, to a room that belonged to him, where they had set up their makeshift bedroom for the time of renovation.

She felt him lay her gently on the bed, taking his place beside her a moment later, embracing her from behind.

"– you're tiring your mummy terribly –" He whispered, stroking her belly with lazy, calm motions of his hand. "– you need to let her rest –"

She smiled, allowing herself to fall asleep again, this time in his embrace. Her uncle often addressed their child as if the baby could already understand him – he was making a connection this way, realising that he was really going to become a father.

He was involved in everything about preparing for the arrival of their child into the world – they decided to dedicate the room she slept in that summer holiday to their future offspring and repainted it together, sticking cute glow-in-the-dark stickers on the walls in the shape of various planets and stars.

With some things, they had to wait because they didn't know if the baby was going to be a boy or a girl.

"It cost me a lot of money, but I made it. I have written permission from the Archbishop. Rhaenys, we can marry." He said to her one morning, holding a piece of paper in front of him that was to change their lives.

A dispensation for a church wedding.

"We need witnesses." She muttered, gripping his hand in hers. Her uncle nodded, as if he knew she'd said it.

"I know, Helaena agreed. I didn't want to decide about another person for you." He said, and she smiled, feeling grateful.

He became more open, more affectionate, always thinking of her and her needs too.

She knew who she wanted by her side.

"I know I'm asking a lot and that I'm not entitled to it. I know your father will be furious if you say yes, but… you have always been close to my heart. You didn't judge me. I wish I had you with me on this day." She mouthed in a breaking voice, standing alone in the bathroom with her phone pressed to her ear, wiping her face wet with tears.

She heard Baela swallow hard, shocked by her words.

For a long moment, they were both silent.

"– I – God – I've always felt you were in pain – only now I know why and I'm sorry you've been alone with this for so long – I don't want you to not have your bridesmaid on your wedding day – just tell me when and where –" She muttered and she burst out into a quiet sob, feeling relieved.

"– forgive me – forgive me for being such a disgusting person –" She choked out, whooping, feeling that she had finally described herself truly.

She had fucked her own uncle and was going to have a baby with him.

She was sick.

Baela drew in a loud breath.

"– stop – if he was your own birth brother, it would be much, much worse – on the positive side, he's actually only half your uncle –" She said, and for some reason she burst out laughing.

God.

"– right – it's a good thing I didn't choose Jace –" She mumbled, and Baela snorted.

"– exactly – let's stick to that –" She said.

"– it would be funny if the police burst into the church and arrested us –" She sneered, fiddling with the soft towel hanging on the rack, imagining commandos with guns ordering them to fall to the ground.

"– for what? – for drug dealing or for incest? –" Baela scoffed, and she giggled under her breath.

"– for everything – the list of crimes is long –" She said with a smile, for some reason feeling lighter.

It was the first time she had ever talked to someone about it completely honestly.

She shuddered when she heard a loud knock on the door.

"Rhaenys? Are you all right?" She heard his concerned voice.

Ever since he had found her in the bath then, he had been afraid if she stayed in the bathroom too long.

"Yes. I'm talking to Baela. She agreed." She called out to him.

"That's great." He said with sincere relief, as if he was afraid she would suffer another disappointment and rejection from her family.

They hadn't planned to invite any guests to the event, have a dinner together or anything of the sort – they knew that most of their family felt there was nothing to celebrate, and for them, as it wasn't a state wedding, it only had symbolic significance.

Helaena helped her choose the right dress – she wanted to look special that day, because even though their nuptials were going to be bittersweet, she was, in the eyes of God, going to be his wife.

"– oh – look – this one is lovely –" Helaena hummed, taking from the rack a long, white gown with a cut-out back and lace at the neckline and the ends of the delicate, long sleeves.

"– you're right – it would match the flowers in my hair –" She said, in her perfect image of herself that day wishing she had daisies woven into her curls.

Helaena dropped her off in the car at a shop near their house and they said their goodbyes – she needed nothing so much as a walk and some fresh air, however, she wanted to cook them dinner too, knowing that her fiancé would be back late.

Since he had started telling her about his affairs, what he needed to do and where he needed to go, she felt calmer and his absence no longer frightened her so much.

Besides, he wasn't leaving her alone anymore, she thought, touching her stomach happily, looking curiously at the shelves full of different kinds of pasta, searching for the perfect one for spaghetti.

She shuddered, having the feeling that someone had rubbed against her by accident, but then she felt that person holding something against her back.

"Be quiet and leave the shop slowly." She heard a cold, unfamiliar voice behind her and froze, feeling her heart leap up into her throat, a cold sweat on her back.

She looked to the side, wondering if she should scream, if anyone would help her, not knowing if this man held a gun or a knife against her body.

"Don't try anything or I'll butcher you like a pig." He said, as if he was reading her mind, and she swallowed hard, feeling burning tears of terror under her eyelids, her body involuntarily began to tremble.

She simply moved towards the exit, and the man she was afraid to look at put his arm around her like he was her boyfriend, clamping his hand firmly on her waist to make sure she didn't try to escape.

As soon as they left she sprang up to throw herself into a run, but the man grabbed her waist and clamped his hand over her mouth – she bit him with a loud squeal, but he only hissed, not letting her go, hiding behind the wall of the shop, two other men got out of the car.

One of them, a blond man with a beard and blue eyes had a scars on his left cheek.

"– come on, what the fuck are you waiting for – faster –" Tyland Lannister growled, and the man who was clearly his bodyguard forced her to bow her head and forcibly shoved her into the back seat, closing the door behind her.

She burst out crying, curling up as Tyland sat down next to her and the two men took their seats in front, driving away with a squeal of tyres.

"– shut the fuck up – be a good girl and no harm will come to you – I need to clear up a few things with your uncle –" He said lightly – only when she looked at him did she notice that he held in his hand a gun pointed towards her.

She pressed her body against the car door, looking at him with big eyes and shook her head.

"– please – please let me out, I'm pregnant – I –" She mumbled out and squealed, leaning forward, feeling a sudden, penetrating pain in her lower abdomen, and then another and another.

She began to pant loudly in terror, and wailed as Tyland slapped the back of her head with an open palm.

"– stop pretending – I told you to fucking calm down, I won't do anything to you – I won't –" He muttered and fell silent, looking with her at the drop of blood that ran down her thigh from under her dress.

She covered her mouth with her hands and screamed loudly, falling into sheer hysteria, the man in front cursed, telling her to shut up, and Tyland just stared at her, his mouth wide open.

"– stop –" He muttered. "– fuck, God, stop, stop, stop –"

"– here? – boss, we're in the middle of a country road –"

"– STOP, I SAID –"

The car stopped at the side of the road with a screech of tyres in a way that made her hit her head on the seat in front of her – Tyland opened the door, grabbed her ankle and dragged her out of the car like an animal, leaving her on the grass, then got back inside.

The car drove off.

She just breathed, whooping with tears, looking at the grass around her and the tree trunks, feeling a horrible warm stickiness between her thighs, twitching all over, not having the strength or the will to get up.

After a while some other car stopped beside her, the people inside screamed in terror and got out, a woman who could have been her mother ran up to her and covered her mouth with her hand.

"Good God, I think they raped her."

No, she thought.

They took something much more precious from me.

She heard his loud, frightened breath as she lay in the hospital bed, the policemen standing beside her grunted at the sight of him.

"Are you her family?" Asked one of them.

"Y-yes, I'm her uncle. Good God, what happened?" He mumbled in a breaking voice.

"Your niece was found by a woman on a country road, thrown out of some car. She immediately informed us, suspecting that a rape had taken place, however, the cause of the bleeding was a sudden stress-induced miscarriage. The victim does not speak and does not want to say who did this to her. Could you please…"

The man did not finish as she heard him burst into a loud, mournful sob, felt the touch of his hands on her body, his face pressed into her hair, his broken, heavy breath.

Her eyebrows arched in pain, a single, lonely tear ran down her face.

Daemon had warned her.

The hours, the voices, the smells merged into one for her – she heard her uncle's voice, her mother's voice, she smelled their scent and touch, she heard their weeping and despair, but she herself felt like she was dreaming awake, feeling and experiencing nothing.

She felt herself awake when she heard another familiar voice.

"Did she say something?"

"No. She's silent. There's no contact with her. She's in shock." Her mother muttered, and Daemon embraced her, looking her straight in the eyes.

She felt something – she felt her heart hit harder in her chest, her eyebrows arched in misery, her breath caught in her throat.

"– baby – baby, please, say something to me –" She heard her uncle's whisper and only after a moment did she realise that he had been lying next to her on the bed all this time, that he had been stroking her head, that he had been looking at her, that he had been crying like a little baby.

"– get out for a while – leave us alone –" Daemon said – her uncle opened his mouth, furious, but she spoke up before he could say anything.

"– I want to talk to my dad –"

Everyone around her fell silent – Rhaenyra walked over to her brother and took his hand, explaining to him in a whisper that they would be back soon, that she was no longer in danger, that everything would be all right.

She felt herself quivering all over when Daemon took the chair and sat down beside her bed exactly as he had done then, after she had tried to take her own life.

She looked at him, into his bright, piercing eyes, and thought that this was what he was trying to protect her from.

"I wanted this child, dad. Very, very much." She muttered and closed her eyes, feeling the blissful emptiness she had surrounded herself with begin to crack, the pain that pierced her body, her heart so strong that she sobbed.

"I know." He replied.

"Is the baby…is the baby still inside me?" She choked out with difficulty, whooping with her own tears, feeling like she couldn't catch her breath.

"No. I'm very sorry, but no. It was too early, the baby was not yet formed. Nothing could be done." He said and she clamped her hands on her lower abdomen, thinking she felt like ripping out her uterus and other entrails because they were useless.

She was full and suddenly empty again.

She felt her father's hand on her arm, his fingers strong, his embrace giving her a sense of security.

"I have abandoned you. I chose my own pride. I knew he would want to take revenge on him. If I had given you my protection, it would never have happened. Forgive me." He said, and she closed her eyes, thinking that she wanted to become nothingness and disappear.

Despite Daemon continuing to speak to her, she fell into a state of half-sleep again, unable to think about it – her mind was repressing everything that had happened and waiting, although she didn't know what for.

What was she actually waiting for?

For her baby, she thought.

Little girl or little boy will be born in a few months.

No, she realised.

Not any more.

Tears ran down her face, but no sound came out of her mouth.

She saw him – her uncle stood in the doorway of her hospital room drenched in tears, trembling like a small child, just like she had been when she came into his room then, terrified of the darkness.

Darkness surrounded him, and he was frightened.

She didn't want him to be afraid.

He cried out loudly when she reached out her hand to him – she realised it was already dark around him when his body snuggled against hers, when he embraced her and kissed her cheek, when his face snuggled into her skin.

They lay, just breathing, holding hands – there was something comforting about that – in his silence. The fact that he knew there were no words of comfort, of justification, of absolution for them.

What did exist, however, were their bodies, warm and familiar, clinging to each other to find shelter.

She fell asleep, wrapped in his scent.

"I know you think this is my fault. That you will never forgive me." She heard his voice as if from a distance – she blinked, surprised to see that it was already daylight all around her, that her uncle was sitting beside her in a chair, looking at his hands.

Days flew by between her fingers.

How long had it been since that incident?

Since when had she been empty?

She pressed her lips together, feeling nothing but rage.

"I want Tyland Lannister." She hissed in a cold, shaking voice, and he looked at her in shock.

They stared at each other for a moment – his lower lip twitched when he suddenly realised what had happened, something in his gaze that had always frightened her, but now pleased her.

Aemond

Emptiness.

It seemed to him that he had simply gone through all the phases of grief – from despair, through denial, to a state of complete indifference.

His child, whom he had so desperately wanted, was no longer there.

He thought it would help to give the baby a funeral, even though they had nothing to bury – that's why they put the glowing stickers they had stuck on the walls of the room that was to belong to their child in a small box and buried it under a tree in the garden of their house.

She wanted the thing that would remind her of their loss to be close by, so that she could look at it every morning from her window.

It was an ordeal they lived through together, and although they suffered, they found relief in each other's arms.

She let him take her for the first time two weeks after it happened.

Lying in front of him in his embrace, she took his hand in hers and slowly guided it down under the material of her panties – she surprised him with this, because he was convinced that the vision of him touching her like this would be something disgusting to her – she, however, was wet.

He couldn't hide how much he missed her, and after a moment they were both naked from the waist down, fucking each other like animals with loud smacks of their hips, wanting nothing more than to feel fulfilled and relieved – the release he felt when he finally came inside her was like a revelation, her body hot and sweaty in his embrace, her little cunt pulsing on his erection, sucking his seed.

I'll give you another baby, he thought tenderly, kissing her long neck, not saying it out loud though, not wanting her to think he had already reconciled himself to their loss.

I will give you another baby, and then another and another.

We will be a big, happy family.

If he could say that anything good had come out of this awfully sad situation, it was that their families had begun to talk to each other again – Otto and Daemon couldn't forgive the murder of their grandchild, and Alicent, Rhaenyra, Jace and Baela had watched over his niece in his absence, looking after her.

Even Aegon asked him for a meeting, which was strange and downright comical. His brother put a hand on his shoulder and looked at him in a way from which he felt a squeeze in his throat.

"We're going to catch that son of a bitch."

The only person who was afraid to meet them was Helaena, blaming herself for what had happened despite the fact that neither he nor his Rhaenys resented her.

"She said she wanted to go shopping. Your house and the beach was across the street. I-I had the security guards go and take her dress to your house. She wanted to take a walk, she insisted. I…"

"Stop. You are not the one who did this to her. No one is blaming you." He said calmly, staring dully ahead, sitting in his car, feeling that his heart, his skin, his body, his breath were cold.

I want Tyland Lannister.

He licked his lower lip when he spotted his silhouette in the distance, coming out of one of the clubs surrounded by a few of his thugs, surely for protection.

Jason helped his brother move to another city, hoping they would never find him.

But he was wrong.

"I have to go." He said and hung up, starting the engine, dialing another number.

He never thought that he'd talk to him of his own free will.

And yet.

"He just left."

He followed him for a few streets, driving a few cars behind him, feeling strangely calm and patient – he had the impression that there were no more tears he could cry or screams he could shout.

His persona had come full circle, becoming again exactly who he had been before she had called him that evening for the first time in eight years.

He smiled, seeing that they had realised that someone was following them, trying to change direction suddenly – as he had predicted, they had fallen straight into their trap, and hundreds of loud gunshots rang out around the corner.

He pulled over to the side of the road and stepped out of the car, watching as Daemon's men slaughtered Tyland's men one by one, surprised by the manhunt from both sides, unprepared for such a sudden, merciless attack.

"– please –" Tyland mumbled, crawling on the ground at Daemon's feet – his sister's husband held a baseball bat in his hand, all dirty from his blood.

He thought with amusement that Lannister's face looked like a squashed tomato.

Together with Daemon, he dragged him, moaning and crying, to the boot of his car, locking him in there, and together they set off without exchanging a word.

By the time they reached the house by the sea there was only an hour left until dawn – Tyland had passed out in the boot from a lack of oxygen, and a strong kick to the liver revived him, making him draw in air loudly and cough, spitting up blood.

"– no – no, no, no, no, please, no –" He whined as they began dragging him along the ground towards the door, leaving a trail of his blood on the ground behind them.

When they walked into the house they threw him to his knees in front of her – his Rhaenys looked at his hunched, pathetic figure sitting in front of him on the couch in a white dress he was seeing for the first time, a knife in her hand.

Was this supposed to be her wedding gown?

I have taken away your purity and innocence, he thought with pain, looking at her with adoration.

Kora was no longer there.

Only Persephone was left.

His Queen of the Hades.

He longed to lie down at her feet and simply abide.

"– I lost someting because of you –" She said and raised herself up, touching her lower abdomen. "– my baby didn't even manage to take their first breath –"

He closed his eyes, feeling the squeeze in his throat, the pain he felt in his heart unbearable.

"– I didn't know – I didn't know, I'm sorry, I didn't know –" Tyland mumbled, because of how swollen his face was his words were indistinct and difficult to understand.

Standing over him, in her white dress, with a knife in her hand and with her beautiful hair loose, she looked like a ghost.

Like Death.

"– you threw me out of the car like an animal – you left me to die and drove away –" She whispered, tears one after another rolling down her beautiful, tired, pale face.

She had waited so long for this.

For relief.

For justice.

But no more.

"– please – please –" He begged, and she took a step towards him and knelt before him, looking straight into his eyes.

"– let me, Rhaenys –" He muttered, not wanting her to burden herself with this, to dream nightmares like him, to suffer like him because of what she had done.

"– no – I want to feel the life drain out of him – as it did out of me, then –" She said, and the knife she held in her hand stabbed into his side like butter.

Tyland wailed, grabbing the hilt, but Daemon held him down, preventing him from moving – he saw her slide the blade out, a huge bloodstain spilling down his shirt, dripping down his leg straight onto the foil-lined floor.

"That's enough. I'll take care of the rest. Take a bath and burn everything." Daemon instructed, laying Tyland's barely alive body on the ground, his breathing shallow until his eyes went blank.

His soul had left his body.

"Come." He said to her, taking the knife from her palm, placing it on the floor. He nodded at Daemon and grabbed her hand, leading her upstairs to the bathroom where the bathtub was.

Her entire dress and hands were in blood.

"Come here, little one. Come, let's wash it all off. It's okay, honey." He whispered, hugging her close, sinking his hands into her soft, smooth curls, and she reciprocated the embrace, sighing, closing her eyes as if relieved.

"Thank you."

Again she lay in the bath red with blood, again she was pale, however this time he felt that the life was not escaping from her, but returning to her – with each passing minute her cheeks flushed, her eyes wide as if her mind had returned to reality.

"Is he dead?" She muttered, and he swallowed hard, washing away with his hands any trace of what they had done from her beautiful, innocent body.

"He's no longer here. He's disappeared. He was just a monster from the wardrobe, nothing more, my love." He said quietly and she sighed, her hand touching his face.

"Do you still love me?" She asked in a trembling voice, and he looked at her, shocked.

"You are the love of my life. You need to rest. You are very tired. You haven't slept well in a long time. You're daydreaming." He replied, taking an unruly strand of hair from her face, her gaze warm and tender, meant only for him.

"Are you not disgusted with me? I've done something monstrous. I think I killed someone." She whispered, her eyes full of tears.

"– shhh –" He hushed her, pressing his forehead against hers, stroking her hair as if she were a small child. "– I forbid you to say such things – it will be our secret – mine, yours and your dad's – only we will know about it –"

"– about the monster from the wardrobe? –" She mumbled, and he nodded.

"– yes –"

Rhaenys

"– I'm scared, mummy – can I have my little lamp lit today too? –" Aemma muttered, but before she could answer her anything, she heard a voice from the bed above them, belonging to Visenya.

"– no, I can't sleep then –" Her older sister hissed, looking down at them, the bright curls she had inherited from her father in disarray.

"– I'm afraid of the monster from the television – the one from the horror movie that Aegon was watching –" Her daugther said in a breaking voice, and she furrowed her brow, shaking her head.

"– I told you this is not a film for small children –" She said sternly, and Aemma lowered her gaze on the verge of crying.

Vinseya groaned in frustration and climbed down the ladder, lying down under the duvet next to her little sister.

"– move along, coward – I'll kill any monster that disturbs my sleep –" Her daughter muttered, and she smiled and stood up, turning off the lamp.

"– good night –" She hummed and left, closing the door behind her.

She sighed, seeing the light on in his office, and moved lazily in that direction, finding him bent over documents. He glanced at her, then at the silhouette of her naked body hidden only beneath a soft silk bathrobe, and licked his lower lip with his tongue.

"– I'll come soon – give me a moment longer –"

"– talk to Aegon tomorrow – he mustn't let Aemma watch horror movies with himself because she is afraid afterwards – she's too little –" She said.

He shook his head, signing a few things.

"– I'll try, but you know him – he'll find a thousand excuses and explanations –" He grunted, and she laughed under her breath.

"– he resembles your brother –" She said amused, leaning her hip against the doorframe, and he snorted under his breath, the corner of his mouth lifted upwards.

"– indeed –" He said and looked up at her, his gaze again escaping down to her breasts and then even lower.

"Come here. Sit on the desk." He said, leaning back in his chair, and she obeyed his command with a smile, walking closer with a lazy step.

He stood up as soon as her buttocks touched the tabletop, spreading her thighs apart, making her have to reach back with her hand to catch her balance.

"– ah –" She gasped as his fingertips sank into her fleshy, warm womanhood, collecting her sticky wetness.

"– since when are you in this state? – hm? –" He hummed, pushing her closer to him with an impatient tug of his hand on her ass, the other digging warningly into her delicate skin, trailing it around her swollen clit.

"– since this morning – since I saw you come out wet and naked from the bathroom in our bedroom – I've needed you, and you haven't touched me –" She mewled regretfully, feeling her walls clench greedily around nothing, craving him inside her.

What he heard was enough for all his foreplay, and with her help he quickly undid the belt of his trousers, his breath heavy and hitched.

"– after all, I fucked you last night – I had to drive Aegon and Visenya to training – you could have joined me in the shower –" He exhaled, impatiently releasing his long, hard erection from his boxers.

She sighed and tilted her head back as, without even waiting for her response, he directed the head of his cock against her slit, opening her wide on his fat length, filling her with himself with one, lazy thrust.

"– uncle – o-oh, fuck, uncle, yes, yes, yes –" She cried out, resting her hands behind her back, letting the material of her bathrobe slide off her shoulders, revealing her breasts full of milk, bouncing each time his hips pounded against her buttocks.

"– God, be quiet – shhh, be good or I won't let you come – is that what you want? –" He breathed out and she bit her bottom lip with her teeth, looking up at him pleadingly, something in her gaze from which he began to slam into her like mad, himself struggling to restrain himself not to moan.

"– that's what I thought – you come to me – ah – begging with those big eyes for my cock – and then you can't even fucking behave –" He growled and sighed, feeling her struggling to stifle a sob of pleasure when another thrust against that same sweet spot made her fall apart in front of him, panting heavily along with him, the next few loud, sticky slaps of their bodies were enough for him to cum with a sigh of relief.

They knew each other's bodies all too well by now and, with amusement, found more and more that they had trouble holding back from coming too early.

It was just too pleasant.

"– I'm pregnant –" She whispered, and he blinked and looked at her, as if he needed a moment to start thinking soberly after such intense fulfilment.

"– what? – but –" He exhaled.

"– I'm sure – I went to the doctor today –"

"– you lied to me –" He said with irritation in his voice.

"– Criston drove me there – I told you I would go shopping with him and we did after the appointment – no lies –" She said with a smile, touching her belly affectionately.

Her husband sighed, placing his hand on hers, the expression on his face calm and gentle again.

"– it's the sixth – what a big family indeed –" He hummed, and she laughed, nodding her head.

"– yes, my love – another child to drive to training –" She said amused, and he kissed her forehead with tenderness, from which a pleasant warmth spread over her heart.

"– don't sit here too long –" She sighed, jumping off his desk as soon as he slid out of her.

"– I won't –"

On her way to their bedroom, she walked into their youngest child's room and smiled, covering her little son more tightly with the duvet. Aemon's leg immediately pushed the bedclothes off him with his mutter of displeasure, so she gave up and left him alone.

She froze, spotting a silhouette in the corner of the room, thinking it was a man, with bright eyes, blonde hair and a beard, but was relieved when, after a moment, she noticed that it was the only shadow cast by the wardrobe standing nearby.

When she walked into their bedroom, she immediately turned on the lamp by their bed and waited patiently for him to return.

She knew she wouldn't fall asleep anyway.

When she was alone in bed, she saw his face and her hands sticky with blood.

When she heard her uncle's footsteps, when his warm body finally lay down beside her and his lips placed a soft, sticky kiss on her neck, she turned off the light, his whisper next to her ear like the calm hum of the wind.

"– now I will let you moan as much as you wish –"

"– Aegon – don't let her swim out into the deep water – Daeron, Visenya keep an eye on her, after all you can see she can't swim well yet –" He shouted to their children the next day, lying in front of her on a towel on the beach, little Aemon, sitting next to them, was building a sandcastle, the hot sun burning their skin.

"– okay, Dad! –" She heard Daeron voice behind her, lying on her stomach in her black one-piece bathing suit with her back cut out, reading a book, her husband's doctoral thesis on an excavation he had run with her in one of the cities the year before.

"– what do you think? – it's the last time for corrections – I've read it hundreds of times and it already makes me want to vomit when I look at it –" He said disapprovingly, turning his gaze towards the sea again.

"– it's the best doctoral thesis I've ever read – really –" She said softly, turning the page, amazed at how effortlessly her husband wrote.

"– look, mummy – it's a fortress, and here's the moat – and there's a dragon on top –" Mumbled Aemon, forcing the Mighty Vhagar figurine that had once belonged to his father onto the top of the tower.

"– beautiful, darling – it looks like the real thing –" She said with warm approval, and Aemon smiled broadly, satisfied, busying himself with creating a bridge over the moat from sticks.

"– Aemma, don't swim so far away – how many times do I have to tell you? –" Her uncle called out, raising himself angrily on his elbow, and she sighed heavily, throwing him a look full of pity.

"– she has swimming sleeves that are full of air that will float her even if she stops moving her arms and legs – she won't drown –" She said, and her husband sighed heavily, looking anxiously towards their children playing in the water.

"– I prefer to be sure –" He muttered.

She looked at him tenderly for a moment, feeling nothing but warmth in her heart.

He was such a good father.

Such a good husband.

She knew that one day they would have to explain to their children why they only had a church wedding and were not married before the state.

But not yet.

"So let's make sure. We should swim with them." She said, extending her hand to him, and he looked at her, apparently recalling their conversation in his car then, many years ago, when he had described his fantasy to her.

He licked his lips with his tongue and grinned in a way she loved.

"Come."

______

Author's note: The child that Rhaenys lost was Viserys: I decided that this story, because it is so dark, could not end differently, and the decisions of the characters had to lead to tragedy sooner or later. Something dies in Rhaenys, but thanks to this she can finally fully join her husband in their Hades, crossing the border of innocence and naivety, maturing in a kind of cruel way. However, the rest of their children, who appeared in the original series, are born. After losing Viserys (in this version they did not know that it would be a boy), they decided that they wanted to have as many children as God would give them, since he took one away from them (in their eyes one too many). Visenya and Aegon will definitely become mafia bosses in the future, just like their father, lol. Their children have the same characters and looks like in the original series, which you can see here.

[moonchildridden]

I knew there was a reason I rushed to post this before the episode aired, because I felt episode eight would give me some answers to my burning questions, and I WAS RIGHT! I knew I could trust MAME in her storytelling because, no matter how "problematic" she can get with her characters, or how toxic her couples can get, one thing she's very consistent enough is in making sure her stories have plausibility and credibility. Yes, her penmanship can get nasty at times but at least it gets nasty while making sense.

And her take on soulmates was fucking brilliant.

Because, by taking the soulmate approach and combining it with a bit of a "fairy godmother act" and with universe parallels, she created a very creative and different vision of many subjects at once, promptly making it a testimony of her creativity. We don't have CirPhu in every universe/timeline just because they are destined to be together and "fate will take care of the rest" but because one of them is actively making sure every Cir finds their Phu and get the happy ending they deserve. We have one Cir after another rawdogging their way into happiness by guaranteeing that whatever is supposed to happen to make them and Phukan cross paths will happen, no matter how much time passes by.

"Cool story, bro, but I understood nothing from it, even with one Cir "kindly" explaining it for everyone". Well, a more complicated but also simple way to explain this would be by categorizing all the CirPhu universes by two events: a canon event and a nexus event. A canon event is an event that cannot be changed, no matter how many times or many things you do to try have a different outcome, is a line that cannot be erased, basically a finished point. A nexus event (in this case) is anything that happens that leads to the canon event, the possibilities presented to someone that leads them to the finish line.

For CirPhu, their canon event is their relationship. No matter what, when, how, Cir and Phu will meet, will fall in love and will be together (dark!Cir confirmed this by saying that no matter the timeline, Phu will always be alright because they need to end up together. Their relationship is a fixed point in time, there's no way of changing that). Even if it takes literal years for them to physically cross paths (CEO!Cir and intern!Phu, for example), they will be put in a situation that will "force" them to coexist and get to know each other, where Phu will tear down all the wall Cir built around him and make Cir fall in love with him. Them dating and getting together is the finish life in their lives, their "fate".

Different from their canon event, their nexus event is not the same, in the sense that what happens to make them coexist in the same environment is not the same in the timelines. For main!Cir (the one we've been following), his nexus event was the car accident; dark!Cir's nexus event was the dream he had with an older version of himself (because dark!Cirrus didn't mentioned anything "drastic" happening to him, so it's safe to assume only the dream spurred him on the mission to get Phu, specially considering that he did what the version he saw didn't: got with Phu right away in high school); man bun!Cir's nexus event was him getting a high fever; CEO!Cir's nexus event was the stabbing; so on, and so forth. Some could argue that the paper telephone could act as a canon event (because it happened more than once) and a nexus event (because not every Cir "picks up" the phone when it falls) and they could be right, everything is possible here.

Basically, for a Cir to meet the Phukan in their universe, another Cir that already has an established relationship with their Phukan needs to step in and show the "Cir in need" what the life with Phu will be in the form of a "dream", that is the in need!Cir "living" in the place of the dream!Cir for time enough for him to realize that Phukan is important to him. After that realization, the in need!Cir "goes back" to his universe and the dream!Cir goes back to his, until the in need!Cir becomes the "dream!Cir" for another "in need!Cir", for all eternity and all timelines. If my theories are correct, the nexus event doesn't need to be some grand tragedy (like the stabbing or the car accident) but something that debilitates Cir strongly enough for him to "black out" and make the "swapping" possible.

Another thing that I noticed is that the nexus event gives Cir all the information he needs to get close to their Phukan and onto their canon event. This explains why main!Cir knows what he does, because it was necessary for him to know that to get close to Phukan (albeit I think he could've left out the part that he was from a parallel world but Cir has issues socializing and getting close to people because of his mother, his personal canon event), even when practically speaking, him knowing that while not being from a parallel world would constitute in him being a creepy stalker. The nexus event is the starting point, the push that Cir needs to start going after Phu.

While this can seem to complicate things a bit (because it deals with direct intervention from one of the main characters in an unusual way), it's really an interesting take on the soulmates thing because, at the end of the day, Cir and Phu are still soulmates, they still meet in other universes (or more correctly, other timelines) but the mechanics created to make that happen are very different. Again, MAME's take on the whole soulmates thing was fucking brilliant, don't let other people gaslight you into thinking it wasn't.

***************************...*****************************

Now, story mechanics aside, let me talk about the acting in this episode because BossNoeul, specially Boss, FUCKING NAILED in it. The way you could differentiate the Cir being showed just by Boss' expressions alone is a testament into how his acting evolved since his LITA days, how he learned to use his face to show his emotions (or lack thereof, considering the episode), to show his thoughts and how he kept piercing things together during the episode. Even with the man bun, that could turn that Cir into a "copy" of Payu by default, he could see the difference in how he carried himself, how his body aligned with his expressions. And the final scene, where we get main!Cir back? You can pinpoint the moment the swapping happened, how he got that blank expression, that "shutting down" moment and then, boom, getting back online as main!Cir; it reminded me a specif scene on Good Omen's season one, where David Tennant used his eyes to express how Crowley was happy to see Aziraphale, while wearing sunglasses! That's master acting and Boss proved himself to be a force to be reckoned in.

And Noeul? Nailing as main!Phu, being sassy while maintaining the innocence he's known for, nailing as intern!Phu, more reserved but still bubbly, nailing as nerd!Phu, with the hunched shoulders, the lisped speech, the shyness, hitting the point on the emotional scenes, the critical scenes, everything Noeul touched in this episode became gold and will continue to do so.

Their acting really showcased the complexity of the plot (again, don't let people online gaslight you guys into thinking it wasn't like that), they carried all the important points and tune fined them into excellency, making people see why they are good either solo or together. They have a connection that works when they act and it will take them into great heights in the future. And one thing that I noticed, BossNoeul getting cast together is their canon event and Noeul not getting into that plane is their nexus event.

Incredible how life works sometimes, no?

[geotjwrs]

Hi mate. Can you please do a Jenna Ortega x Male Reader

Both of them have always had a enemies relationship since they were little kids, they always competed against each other. But couple of years later when they both are 21, they get casted together in the Wednesday show and Emma and Georgie see that they won’t get along so they trap them into a room for the whole day making both of them resolve and admit that they love each other. And you can finish the story with a couple years in the future where they get married. You can pick 🫡

behind our shadows

Pairings ; Jenna Ortega x Male!Reader

Warning/s ; none

From the moment Y/N and Jenna met in elementary school, they were rivals. Whether it was competing for the top spot in spelling bees, racing each other during recess, or even vying for the best grades, the two seemed destined to clash. Their competitive streaks continued through middle school and high school, where they joined opposing teams in every club or activity they were a part of.

Now, at 21, Y/N and Jenna were both rising stars in the acting world. Their paths crossed once again when they were cast together in the highly anticipated "Wednesday" show, with Jenna reprising her role as Wednesday Addams and Y/N playing a new character introduced to shake things up.

The first few days on set were rough. Jenna and Y/N's old rivalry resurfaced quickly, creating an awkward atmosphere for everyone around them. Emma and Georgie, who played Enid and Ajax respectively, could sense the tension and knew something had to be done.

"Those two are impossible," Emma whispered to Georgie during a break. "They're going to ruin the show with their constant bickering."

Georgie nodded. "We need to do something to make them see eye to eye. But what?"

Emma's eyes sparkled with mischief. "I have an idea. But it's a little drastic."

The next day, during lunch, Emma and Georgie lured Jenna and Y/N into one of the unused rooms on set under the pretense of a meeting. As soon as they were inside, Emma and Georgie shut the door and locked it from the outside.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Jenna banged on the door.

"Yeah, let us out!" Y/N added, equally frustrated.

Emma's voice came through the door. "Not until you two sort out whatever is going on between you. We're not letting you out until you can at least be civil."

Georgie chimed in, "We have plenty of snacks and drinks out here, so take your time!"

At first, Jenna and Y/N sat in silence, glaring at each other. Minutes felt like hours as the tension grew.

"This is ridiculous," Jenna finally said, crossing her arms. "Why do we always end up like this?"

Y/N sighed. "Because you're always trying to one-up me. Ever since we were kids."

"Me? You're the one who always has to be the best at everything," Jenna retorted.

"You're just mad because I actually am the best," Y/N shot back, smirking.

"Oh, please," Jenna rolled her eyes. "You wouldn't know best if it hit you in the face."

"Is that so? At least I don't have to resort to dirty tricks to get ahead," Y/N snapped.

Jenna glared at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean," Y/N replied, leaning forward. "Remember the science fair in eighth grade?"

"You mean the one I won fair and square?" Jenna crossed her arms defensively.

"Fair and square? You sabotaged my project!" Y/N exclaimed.

Jenna gasped. "I did not! You're just mad because you couldn't handle a little competition."

Y/N shook his head. "You've always been impossible."

"And you've always been infuriating," Jenna retorted.

As they continued to argue, rehashing old grievances and misunderstandings from their childhood, they started to realize how much they had in common.

"Remember the time we both got detention for fighting over who got to lead the science project?" Y/N chuckled, breaking the ice a bit.

Jenna smiled for the first time. "Yeah, we were so stubborn. I think the teacher just gave up on us."

Slowly, the conversation shifted from arguments to shared memories and laughter. They talked about their dreams, their struggles, and how much they had changed over the years.

"I never hated you, you know," Jenna admitted quietly. "I just... always felt like I had to prove myself to you."

Y/N looked at her, surprised. "I felt the same way. I guess we were more alike than we thought."

As the hours passed, something changed between them. The rivalry melted away, replaced by a deep understanding and connection. Jenna looked at Y/N, her heart pounding.

"I think... I think I might actually like you," she confessed.

Y/N's eyes widened. "You know, I've been feeling the same way. I guess we were too busy competing to see what was right in front of us."

They sat in silence for a moment, letting the weight of their words sink in. Then, slowly, Y/N reached out and took Jenna's hand.

Emma and Georgie finally opened the door, peeking inside to see the two sitting close together, holding hands and talking softly.

"Looks like our plan worked," Emma whispered to Georgie.

Over the next few months, Jenna and Y/N's relationship blossomed. They worked together seamlessly on set, their chemistry undeniable. The cast and crew noticed the change, and the show's production ran smoother than ever.

Two years later, Jenna and Y/N stood in front of their family and friends, exchanging vows. The rivalry that had defined their childhood was now a distant memory, replaced by a deep, abiding love.

"I can't believe we started as enemies," Y/N said, smiling at Jenna as he slipped a ring onto her finger.

Jenna grinned back. "It's funny how life works out. I wouldn't change a thing."

As they shared their first kiss as a married couple, the crowd erupted into cheers. Emma and Georgie, standing off to the side, high-fived each other.

"We did good," Emma said, beaming.

"Yeah, we did," Georgie agreed.

Years passed, and Jenna and Y/N's love only grew stronger. They continued to work in the entertainment industry, often collaborating on projects and supporting each other's careers. They built a life filled with love, laughter, and the occasional playful competition, just to keep things interesting.

Their journey from rivals to lovers was an unexpected one, but it proved that sometimes, the person you least expect can turn out to be the love of your life.

As they sat together on their porch, looking out at the sunset, Jenna leaned her head on Y/N's shoulder.

"Do you ever miss those days when we were constantly trying to outdo each other?" she asked with a smile.

Y/N chuckled. "Not really. I like this version of us much better."

Jenna nodded in agreement. "Me too."

And with that, they watched the sun dip below the horizon, content in the knowledge that they had found their way to each other, despite all the odds.

[thequeenofneverland1]

The Hope Of The Mikaelsons Family Part Eleven

Summary: Y/n falls into a deep coma, leaving her family devastated and desperate for a way to wake her. As they grapple with their grief, tensions rise, and they must navigate through their individual fears and struggles while coming together to find a solution. With the help of powerful witches and unwavering determination, they embark on a journey of hope and resilience, refusing to give up on Y/n and the light she brings to their lives. Amidst emotional turmoil and sacrifices, the family's bond is tested like never before as they fight to bring Y/n back from the brink of darkness.

Warnings: Angst and emotional distress, Themes of family dynamics and relationships,Mention of character in a comatose state,potential character death, Use of magic and supernatural elements, Mention of violence and conflict,Character suffering from trauma and emotional turmoil, Overall heavy and emotional themes.

Vincent stormed into the Mikaelson compound, his eyes blazing with anger. The family, still shaken from the previous night's events, turned to face him as he entered.

"I told you all to stay away from each other and from Y/n," Vincent said, his voice cold and accusing. "This is your consequence. Now look at what's happening."

Klaus, holding the unconscious you in his arms, stepped forward, his own anger barely contained. "We couldn't stay away, Vincent. She’s my daughter."

Vincent shook his head. "The Hollow's influence is still strong. Being together like this puts her at risk."

Kol, his voice trembling with emotion, said, "We just wanted to be a family again."

Vincent's expression softened slightly, but his resolve remained firm. "I understand that. But you need to realize the danger you're putting her in.”

Elijah, always the voice of reason, asked, "What can we do, Vincent? We miss her, when is the day going to be for us to be able to be near her?"

Vincent sighed. "You need to find a way to keep the Hollow at bay. Being together like this is too dangerous."

Rebekah's eyes filled with tears. "But we barely got her to talk to us."

Kol clenched his fists. "There has to be another way."

Vincent looked at each of them, his expression a mix of sympathy and determination. "There isn't. Not if you want to keep her safe."

Klaus, his voice breaking, said, "We won't leave her, Vincent. We can't."

Vincent stepped forward, his tone gentler. "Klaus, you need to understand. The Hollow is a powerful force. If it senses that you're all together, it could find a way to reunite within her."

Freya, standing behind her siblings, nodded in agreement. "We'll find a way for them to be her. Even if it means doing something drastic."

Vincent sighed, knowing the family's resolve. "Then we'll need to work together. Carefully. We need to find a way to keep the Hollow at bay without tearing this family apart."

Klaus, holding you close, looked at Vincent with determination. "We'll do whatever it takes."

As Vincent left, the family gathered closer around you. They knew the path ahead would be difficult, but they were united in their resolve to protect you from the Hollow's grasp. They would find a way, together, no matter the cost.

Elijah broke the silence, "We need to stay vigilant. We must find a way to shield her."

Kol nodded, "Whatever it takes."

Rebekah wiped her tears, "We have to be strong. For her."

Freya added, "We'll find a solution. Together."

Klaus, still holding you, felt a mixture of fear and determination. "We'll keep her safe. Always and forever."

The family stayed together, their bond unbreakable, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead to protect you

Vincent's expression darkened further as he realized the gravity of the situation. "The Hollow sensed your connection with her, didn't it? That's why she passed out."

Klaus nodded solemnly, laying you on your bed. "Yes, Vincent. We couldn't stay away. She needed us."

Elijah stepped forward, his voice tinged with regret. "We didn't think..."

Vincent interrupted, his tone firm. "You can't afford to make mistakes like this. The Hollow's presence is a constant danger."

Kol, ever the diplomat, spoke up. "What should we do now, Vincent? How can we protect her?"

Vincent sighed heavily, considering his next words carefully. "For now, you need to keep your interactions with her to a minimum. The Hollow is drawn to your familial bond."

Rebekah's concern was evident as she asked, "Is there any hope of shielding her from the Hollow?"

Vincent nodded, though uncertainty clouded his features. "We'll have to find a way. But for now, we must be cautious. Y/n's safety is paramount."

Kol, frustrated by the situation, muttered under his breath, "This is ridiculous."

Freya, always pragmatic, added, "We'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe."

Vincent looked around at the family, his expression grave. "Good. Stay vigilant. We can't afford any more slip-ups."

The Mikaelsons nodded in agreement, their determination renewed. They knew they had to find a way to protect you from the Hollow's grasp, even if it meant sacrificing their close bond with you for a second time again.

Days stretched into a tense silence as you remained unconscious, your family's worry growing with each passing moment. They took shifts by your bedside, hoping for any sign of improvement.

Klaus, normally stoic, found himself pacing the room, his usual confidence replaced by deep concern. "She has to wake up," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

Hayley sat beside you, holding your hand tightly as tears welled in her eyes. "She's strong," she whispered, her voice shaky. "She'll wake up."

Elijah, ever the pillar of strength, tried to reassure them. "We have to remain patient. She's resilient."

Rebekah, typically composed, struggled to maintain her composure. "We can't lose her again," she said softly, her voice trembling with emotion.

Kol, normally quick-witted and irreverent, was uncharacteristically silent, his concern etched on his face.

Freya, the pragmatist of the family, tried to find a solution. "Maybe we should seek magical help," she suggested, looking around at the others for support.

As days turned into a week, your family remained steadfast in their vigil, hoping and praying for you to awaken, their unity stronger than ever in the face of uncertainty.

The Mikaelsons' worry deepened as two weeks passed with no change in your condition. They continued to keep vigil by your bedside, their anxiety palpable in the quiet moments between whispered conversations and shared glances. Each day without you awakening weighed heavily on them, testing their resolve and unity like never before.

Klaus, normally the one to offer reassurance, struggled to find words of comfort. "She's strong, Hayley. She'll pull through," he murmured, his voice tinged with concern.

Hayley, her eyes filled with tears, held onto your hand tightly. "I can't lose her," she choked out, her voice wavering.

Elijah, his expression grave, spoke softly, trying to maintain hope. "We must believe that she will awaken soon. Her strength has carried her through worse."

Rebekah, wiping away tears, spoke with determination. "We have to keep believing in her," she said, her voice trembling. "She's fought so hard."

Kol, his usual bravado replaced by worry, paced the room restlessly. "We can't just sit here. There has to be something we can do."

Freya, her brow furrowed in concentration, continued to search for solutions. "I'm exploring every magical avenue," she said quietly. "We'll find a way to bring her back."

In the quiet moments between their conversations with you, they shared memories, whispered words of encouragement, and silently prayed for her recovery. Their collective love and determination to see you wake up grew stronger with each passing day, a testament to their unbreakable bond as a family.

Weeks later, Freya and Vincent discovered a complex spell that they believed could potentially awaken you from your unconscious state. The entire family gathered anxiously as Freya prepared the ritual, her hands steady but her heart racing with hope.

"This should do it," Vincent said, his voice tinged with cautious optimism as he watched Freya meticulously set up the spell components.

Freya nodded, her focus unwavering as she channeled her magic into the intricate patterns and incantations. The room filled with a soft, ethereal glow as the spell took effect, and for a moment, everyone held their breath, anticipation hanging heavy in the air.

But as the spell reached its climax, you remained motionless, your breathing steady but unchanged. The glow faded, leaving the room dim and silent once more.

Silence fell over the family as disappointment washed over them. Freya slumped back, exhaustion and frustration etched on her face. "I thought for sure..." she trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

Vincent placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You did everything you could," he said quietly, his own disappointment evident.

Klaus stepped forward, his voice hoarse with emotion. "We won't give up," he declared, his gaze unwavering as he looked at you. "There has to be another way."

The Mikaelsons gathered around your bedside once more, their determination to find a way to awaken you stronger than ever, even in the face of this setback.

Desperate for a solution, the Mikaelsons sought out another powerful witch renowned for her skills in healing and restoration. Despite their hopes, even the combined efforts of Freya and the new witch yielded no change in your condition.

The family gathered once more, their faces etched with exhaustion and despair. The new witch, with a heavy heart, shook her head solemnly. "I've done all I can," she said softly, her voice tinged with regret.

Klaus clenched his fists in frustration, pacing the room as he fought to contain his emotions. "There has to be something we're missing," he muttered, his mind racing with possibilities.

Hayley, her eyes red from tears, reached out to hold your hand. "We can't give up," she whispered, her voice trembling. "She's fought so hard."

Elijah, usually the voice of reason, struggled to find words of comfort. "We'll find another way," he said firmly, his determination unwavering.

Rebekah, usually composed, was visibly shaken. "We've tried everything," she said quietly, her voice cracking. "What if..."

Kol, normally quick-witted, remained silent, his worry etched on his face as he watched over his niece.

Freya, exhausted but resilient, refused to accept defeat. "There must be some ancient ritual, some lost knowledge," she said, her voice tinged with determination. "We'll keep searching."

As they faced the harsh reality of their efforts yet again yielding no results, the Mikaelsons remained united in their resolve to find a way to bring you back, refusing to let despair overcome them.

In your dream, you found yourself standing beneath a majestic waterfall, its cascading waters shimmering in the sunlight. The scene was serene and peaceful, a stark contrast to the turmoil your family endured outside her unconscious state.

As you stood there, a gentle breeze kissed your cheeks, and you felt a profound sense of tranquility wash over her. In this dreamlike state, you could hear faint voices, as if they were calling out to you from a distance. Each voice carried a unique tone of love and concern, mingled with tears of hope and despair.

Klaus's voice echoed with a mixture of regret and determination, his words filled with unspoken apologies and promises of renewal. "Come back to us, little wolf," he pleaded softly, his eyes glistening with tears he would never let fall.

Hayley's voice was a soothing melody of reassurance and unwavering faith. "We need you, sweetheart," she whispered, her voice quivering with emotion. "You're stronger than this. Please, come back to us."

Elijah's voice resonated with wisdom and quiet resolve, his words a beacon of stability amidst the storm. "We won't give up on you," he affirmed, his tone unwavering. "You are our light, Y/n."

Rebekah's voice, usually composed, trembled with raw emotion and vulnerability. "You're our family," she choked out, her words laced with a plea for forgiveness. "We need you here with us."

Kol's voice, usually lighthearted and teasing, held a rare seriousness and concern. "Don't make me regret not messing with you," he joked weakly, his attempt at humor masking his fear.

Freya's voice, filled with both determination and desperation, resonated with ancient knowledge and powerful magic. "You are stronger than any spell," she whispered, her words carrying a promise of hope and renewal.

In your dream by the waterfall, you listened to these voices with a sense of peace and warmth, their love enveloping you like the gentle embrace of the waterfall's mist. Deep down, you knew you had to find your way back to them, to the family who needed you strength and light more than ever.

Marcel rushed to the Mikaelson compound, his heart racing with concern as he arrived to find the family gathered solemnly around your bedside. His attempt at levity fell flat as he nervously quipped, "Guess you don't believe in happy endings, huh?"

Instead of laughter, Marcel was met with steely glares and simmering anger from the Mikaelsons. Klaus, usually quick-witted and resilient, shot back with a sharp tone, "This is hardly a time for your jests, Marcel."

Elijah's usually composed demeanor was replaced with a rare display of restrained fury. "Show some respect," he admonished, his voice cutting through the tension in the room.

Hayley, her eyes red-rimmed from tears, spoke up with a trembling voice. "We're doing everything we can," she said, her words a mixture of exhaustion and determination.

Rebekah's usual calm facade cracked, her expression a mask of grief and frustration. "You think this is funny?" she challenged, her voice cracking with emotion.

Marcel, sensing the gravity of the situation, immediately regretted his ill-timed joke. "I... I'm sorry," he stammered, his usual confidence faltering in the face of their collective grief. "I didn't mean..."

Freya, always the voice of reason in times of crisis, stepped forward with a measured gaze. "We're all on edge," she said quietly, her tone a mix of understanding and reproach. "Y/n needs our strength, not our discord."

The tension in the room lingered, the air heavy with unspoken worries and the weight of uncertainty. Marcel, humbled by the Mikaelsons' raw emotions, remained by your bedside, silently offering his support amidst the palpable sense of anguish and hope.

Marcel, sensing the tension in the room after his ill-received joke, quickly added, "I'm sorry. Y/n and I, we used to joke around like that all the time."

His words hung in the air, the silence stretching as the Mikaelsons exchanged glances, grappling with their own grief and frustration. Klaus, his expression softening slightly, nodded in reluctant understanding. "We know you mean well," he acknowledged, his voice tempered with weariness.

Elijah, ever the diplomat, spoke next, his tone measured yet firm. "It's a trying time for all of us," he said, his gaze flickering towards your still form on the bed. "We appreciate your concern."

Hayley, her eyes filled with unshed tears, sighed softly. "We're just worried sick," she admitted, her voice trembling. "Y/n means everything to us."

Rebekah, her composure regained but her eyes still clouded with worry, nodded in agreement. "We'll do whatever it takes," she affirmed, her voice steady with determination.

Marcel, visibly relieved that his apology was received with some understanding, nodded solemnly. "I understand," he said, his voice tinged with regret. "I'll do whatever I can to help.”

Freya, ever perceptive, stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on Marcel's shoulder. "Thank you for being here," she said sincerely, her voice a gentle reminder of unity amidst their collective concern.

As they stood together in the quiet of the room, the weight of their worry and hope for your recovery hung heavy in the air, a shared burden that bound them together despite their differences.

As the night wore on and exhaustion weighed heavily on the Mikaelson family, Klaus sat on your bed, his gaze unwavering despite the weariness etched on his face. Sensing the need for rest among his siblings and Hayley, he spoke with quiet authority.

"Everyone, go get some sleep," Klaus insisted, his voice gentle yet firm. "You all need your rest.”

Elijah, ever the responsible brother, exchanged a concerned look with Rebekah and Freya. "And so do you, Niklaus," he countered, his voice laced with worry. "You've been here for hours."

Rebekah, her expression a mix of concern and exhaustion, stepped forward. "We'll take over, Nik," she offered, her tone gentle but resolute. "You need a break."

Klaus hesitated, his eyes flickering between his beloved family and the still figure of you lying on the bed. "I'm fine," he insisted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I want to stay with my little wolf."

Freya, understanding the depth of Klaus's resolve and worry, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We'll rest easier knowing you're here with her," she said softly, her voice tinged with gratitude.

Reluctantly, Elijah nodded, his own exhaustion evident. "We'll take shifts," he suggested, his tone practical yet compassionate. "We'll all get some rest, so Y/n won't be alone."

With a nod of agreement, the siblings exchanged weary smiles, their bond strengthened by shared concern and the unspoken hope for your recovery. Together, they settled into an uneasy rest, finding solace in Klaus's steadfast presence beside his "little wolf" throughout the long night.

Klaus still sitting on your bed, his eyes fixed on your peaceful face. The room was dimly lit, casting a soft glow around them. He reached out to gently grasp your hand, his touch tender yet filled with the weight of worry and longing.

"Little wolf," He began softly, his voice wavering slightly as emotions threatened to overwhelm him. "You have always been our light, our hope. You must come back to us."

Tears welled up in Klaus's eyes as memories flooded his mind of your laughter, your determination, and the bond you both shared. "We've faced countless challenges together," he continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "But this, my love, this is the greatest trial of all."

Outside the window, a gentle rain began to fall, the sound soothing yet melancholy. He glanced at your peaceful expression, willing you to wake up and return to them. "Do you hear me, Y/n?" he murmured, his voice breaking with emotion. "Please, come back to us. We need you."

In your dream, you found yourself standing by a serene waterfall, the water cascading gracefully into a shimmering pool below. The scene was tranquil, but a sense of unease tugged at your heart. you turned, searching for something you couldn't quite grasp.

As his voice reached you in the depths of your dream, his words echoed softly in your mind. The sadness in his voice resonated with you, pulling you towards wakefulness. Yet, you remained suspended in the dreamlike tranquility of the waterfall, torn between two worlds.

He wiped away a tear that had escaped, his gaze never leaving your face. "You're strong, my wolf," he whispered, his voice a plea and a prayer. "Come back to us. We'll face whatever comes together, as we always have."

The room fell into a hushed silence, broken only by the steady rhythm of your breathing and the soft patter of rain against the window. Klaus leaned closer, his forehead resting gently against your, a silent promise of unwavering love and steadfast hope.

"I'll be here," Klaus vowed softly, his words a whispered mantra against the uncertainty. "I'll always be here."

In both the waking world and your dream, the bond between your father and you echoed with a poignant intensity, a testament to the strength of their familial love.

Hayley tried to smile through her tears as she sat beside your bed, her hand gently brushing a lock of hair from your face. "I needed your uncles' help to drag Klaus out of here," she admitted softly, her voice catching with emotion.

Elijah and Rebekah stood nearby, their expressions a mix of concern and weariness. Elijah nodded solemnly, his hand resting reassuringly on Hayley's shoulder. "He's beside himself with worry," he said quietly, his voice reflecting his own concern.

Rebekah placed a comforting hand on Hayley's arm, her eyes filled with sympathy. "He won't leave her side," she murmured, her voice tinged with sadness. "None of us will."

Hayley wiped away a tear that slipped down her cheek, her gaze never leaving your peaceful face. "She's our little fighter," she whispered, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and hope. "She'll come back to us. She has to."

Outside, the soft patter of rain continued, a backdrop to their shared vigil by your bedside. Together, they remained, united in their love and determination, willing you to wake from your slumber and return to the embrace of your family.

Rebekah stood beside your bed, her hand gently brushing against your forehead. She sighed softly, her eyes fixed on your peaceful face. "I need my Klaus Jr. back," she murmured, her voice tinged with both affection and concern. "You're just like your father. When you grow up, everyone will be scared of you."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Rebekah's lips as memories of Klaus flooded her mind his fierce loyalty, his unyielding determination, and the unmistakable charisma that both drew people in and kept them at a distance. "But you have a kind heart, little one," she continued, her voice filled with a mixture of pride and sadness. "Don't let the darkness consume you like it did him."

Outside the window, a gentle breeze rustled the curtains, casting dappled shadows across the room. Rebekah leaned closer, her hand tightening slightly around you as if willing you to wake up. "We need you, Y/n," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. "Come back to us."

Rebekah's gaze lingered on your face, her thoughts a whirlwind of emotions, hope, fear, and an unspoken plea for you to awaken from your slumber. She straightened, her resolve firm. "We won't give up on you," she vowed quietly, her words a silent promise to you.

In this moment, Rebekah expresses her love for you and reflects on the similarities she sees between you and Klaus, while also acknowledging the importance of your own path and choices.

Elijah sat on your bed, his expression a mix of tenderness and concern as he held your hand. "You're like Klaus's twin in so many ways," he mused softly, a faint smile touching his lips. "Let's hope you'll be much nicer, though," he added with a chuckle, his voice carrying a hint of playful optimism.

He glanced at your peaceful face, his thoughts drifting to memories of Klaus, the turbulent past, the battles fought, and the transformation brought about by your presence in their lives. "I hope you don't bring us trouble like your father used to," Elijah continued, his tone gentle yet earnest. "But you've changed Klaus and the rest of the family for the best. You brought us hope, Y/n. You're our hope."

Elijah's gaze softened as he spoke, his belief in your resilience and strength evident in his words. "Stay with us, little one," he whispered, his voice carrying a silent plea. "We need you here."

In this moment, Elijah reflects on the impact you have had on the family, acknowledging both your similarities to Klaus and your unique qualities that bring hope and positivity to their lives.

Kol sat beside your bed, staring down at your face with a heavy heart. It had been weeks but you still hadn't woken up. Kol knew that he should be patient, but he was growing increasingly worried.

"Y/n," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "We need you. I need you. I miss your smile and your laugh, and all the trouble we used to get into together."

Kol reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair away from your face. "Please wake up," he pleaded. "I can't do this without you. You're my prankster buddy, and I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

Kol could feel tears streaming down his face as he sat in silence, waiting and hoping that you would open your eyes and return to them.

Freya sat down beside your bed, her eyes wet with tears. She could feel the weight of the family's grief and worry pressing down on her, and she knew that they were all struggling without you.

"Y/n," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "We haven't lost hope, because you are our hope. Without you, everything feels so dark and empty. None of us have smiled or laughed since you've been gone, and even eating feels like a chore."

She took your hand in her own, squeezing it gently. "We need you to wake up, Y/n. We need your light and your joy to bring us back to life. Please, come back to us."

She could feel her tears falling onto your hand, but she didn't bother to wipe them away. She just sat there, holding onto you and praying that you would open your eyes.

As weeks turned into weeks, Vincent and a witch named lovely worked tirelessly in the Mikaelson house to create a spell that would wake you from your deep slumber.

"I think this might finally work," Vincent said, his eyes bright with hope.

Lovely shook her head, her expression grim. "Do you really think it's worth all this effort?" she asked. "Maybe it's time for the Mikaelsons to give up. Y/n isn't waking up, and maybe it's best for them to let her go."

Vincent's eyes darkened, and he fixed lovely with a hard stare. "Shut up, Lovely. You have no right to say that. The Mikaelsons never give up hope, especially when it comes to Y/n. She is their hope, and we will not stop until she is back with them."

Your family escorted lovely out of the house, Klaus spoke up. "Lovely, your lack of faith in our family is deeply disappointing. Y/n means everything to us, and we will not give up on her, no matter how long it takes. It would be best if you left and never returned."

Lovely’s face was a mask of indignation. "You're making a mistake," she said, her voice dripping with contempt. "You're all just wasting your time on a lost cause."

Klaus's eyes flashed with anger. "You don't get to decide that," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Get out of our house before I change my mind and do something I might regret."

Lovely opened her mouth to say something else, but Rebekah stepped forward and slammed the door in her face.

The siblings and Hayley turned to look at each other, their expressions grim but determined. They would find a way to save you, no matter the cost.

Klaus stood by your bedside, his heart heavy with sorrow. He gazed at your face, willing for you to return to them. “I can no longer do this without you,” he pleaded softly, his voice cracking with emotion. “I need you. Please, my little wolf, come back to us. You’re the light of our family. Please, I beg you.”

A tear rolled down Klaus’s cheek as he leaned forward, his forehead touching you gently. His breath hitched as he waited, praying for a miracle.

Then, your eyes fluttered open. You blinked in confusion for a moment, registering Klaus’s presence beside you. Recognition dawned in your eyes, and a small smile tugged at your lips despite the weakness.

“Dad,” you whispered hoarsely, your voice barely audible but filled with love and relief.

[crystal-moon-101]

Species: Semiesis Homeplanet: Gathmadiemperuidhiopazai Life-Span: 300 - 450 Habitat: Mountains, Caves, Valleys, Oceans, Lakes Diet: Mana/Photosynthesis Breeding: Magical Reproduction

Sexual Dimorphism: Due to their shapeshifting abilities, a semiesis’s body can look however they want. Some stick to a base design for the rest of their lives, while others are constantly changing up their looks. However, their eye shards can’t be morphed, with females having four and males having three.

Males are white/greyish in colour, while females come in soft colours of any kind. Children are born living in a geode like rock until they are big enough to leave.

Behaviour/Bio: The Semiesis come from a rather complicated background regarding their homeworld, Gathmadiemperuidhiopazai, in that it is both socially and literally fractured. Many years ago there were three siblings, Iomddan the oldest, Pedtroi the middle, and Aztpo the youngest. The three had apparently united their world and created quite the progression in the realm of magic to help build up their land, even historical records on other planets mention the kind of power that backed up this species once.

However, things changed when the siblings apparently had a falling out of some kind, one that led to a drastic and destruction war, splitting the world into three factions. The modern day Semiesis do not know why such an event transpired, calling it the War Of Zuiveren, and many records of what transpired have been lost to time. Any person you ask has a different tale to tell on what they think happened between the three siblings, and how it all ended, for no one was there to witness what became of the three rulers, or at least survived to tell the tale. The last known whereabouts of the three was them confronting each other in a last ditch effort to finally figure out who was coming out on top with their goals and ideals.

Next thing anyone knew, a massive mana snap in reality was caused, magic twisting the planet before breaking it into pieces, only able to stay closely floating to each other thanks to the inhabitants using magic to mend what they could. Now Gathmadiemperuidhiopazai is broken chunks floating around what they call the Nova Geode, the centre of the planet that has been corrupted by whatever the siblings did during their fight. It’s a location no one can go too, due to how unstable reality is within it. Theories suggest you wouldn’t die, but you would be subjected to a life of chaos as the world around you always shifted and never stopped being so loud.

The legacy of the siblings has lived on though, mostly due to people still fighting over what each one believed in, concluding to their own stories on what happened. Followers of Iomddan present a path of order, as he had been a very scholarly man who seeked to rule his land under one title, listing out many strict rules to abide by to keep everyone safe. Followers of Pedtroi present a path of hunting, as she intended to take her people across the galaxy to branch out and create new colonies, forming many groups under one banner. Followers of Aztpo present a path of recreation, as he believed their people should explore a world of culture and arts, and a more carefree life that embraced the unknown and chaos. There are many other groups as well that follow their own path away from the siblings, but these three groups dominate Gathmadiemperuidhiopazai.

Because of how the planet looks and how the locals behave, not many like to visit them, but talking to them outside of Gathmadiemperuidhiopazai can be nice. There have been plenty who left their homeworld due to the state of it, so it is not a strange sight to see one wandering about on space stations, often taking a spiritual journey to make sense of who they are, and who their people are.

Abilities:

Crystal Shapeshifting - The Semiesis can freely manipulate and shapeshift their body to have any proportion they desire, whether that is to have five legs, a crown like pattern of crystals, or spiky beyond belief. It’s not common for two Semiesis to look exactly the same. They do have limitations with sizing, but it is incredible the kind of designs they can come up with.

Magic User - They have natural magic within their body, and thus are able to be spellcasters and sense mana around them. How strong they are as a spellcaster though is highly dependent on the individual, and not everyone is a golden protege of magic.

Crystal Body - They are made of a high durable crystal substance that is very hard to break. It can also be very sharp, many able to use their bodies like blades.

Multi-Directional Vision - They are able to float their eyes around in a manner that lets them see in different directions at the same time. It’s natural for them to shift around an eye or two when having a conversation with someone.

Magic Bounce - With the right training, they have the ability to reflect magic back at people with the use of their crystals and own mana to act like a mirror. Though they are not immune to magic, and it is a skill that can be fumbled.

Oxygen Independence - They do not require air, and thus can live or wander environments that most others would require oxygen to breathe in, such as underwater or space.

Regeneration - While not instant, they can heal on their own over time. Though there have been cases where very severe breaks and cracks may not grow back cleanly.

Weaknesses: They have a limit to how far parts of them can float away from them, and aren’t able to fire off crystals like a projectile. People have been able to steal their eyes to blind them during fights. Depending how complex a shape is they wish to take, it may take time or some thinking to get right. Anti-magic can harm them or work against their spells. If their mana is being taken away, their bodies will start to malfunction.

[kingwuko]

Have you played the avatar ttrpg?! I'm interested in it (dnd player) but haven't actually talked to anyone who's played it yet. Seems like a lot of the atla/tlok fandom is just latching onto the lore and worldbuilding haha

Hi!!! I actually run a game for my real life game group! We are also a DnD group so coming from the same background! I have no experience playing it as a PC because I am the GM, but I have a pretty complete understanding of how the game is played and would be happy to talk about it with you!

I love the TTRPG-not just for the lore and worldbuilding (though I LOVE throwing all the details from the rpg books into my fics to flesh out the stories more!!) but the game itself is very interesting and fun!!!

I'm not sure what all you would like to know, feel free to send me asks with more specific questions, but I'd be happy to kind of illustrate what the game is like and how it's different from DnD!

First of all, the TTRPG uses a different system than DnD. If you aren't familiar with different types of RPGs, you might take a moment to read about the "Powered by the Apocalypse" system. The main differences between DnD's d20 system and the PbtA system, is that PbtA uses 'moves' to influence roleplay and focuses more on the storytelling than the crunchy math and mechanics.

In Avatar Legends, like most PbtA games, you only use 2d6 for your rolls. You have modifiers, but they are smaller numbers than you might be used to for dnd. This makes the math a lot easier! if you get a 6 or lower, it's a 'miss'. If you get a 7-9, it's a 'weak hit' and a 10+ is a strong hit. But it diverges massively from DnD in that a 'miss' doesn't always mean you don't do the thing you're trying to do! depending on what move you are rolling, you might just cause the story to veer off on an unexpected path!

In DnD, usually your rolls influence only what your character succeeds at doing or fails at doing-you can basically roleplay your character to do whatever you want (within reason) and the dm will have you roll and tell you whether you do it successfully or not.

in Avatar Legends TTRPG, however, there are many things that actually influence how you roleplay your character-for example, you have 'conditions' such as 'Angry', which imposes a penalty to some of your rolls, and in order to get rid of that condition, your character must 'break something important or lash out at a friend'.

There are many other fun mechanics in the game, such as 'balance', in which each pc has two principles they must maintain balance between or else risk going 'off balance' and taking a drastic action. There's also a more crunchy combat mechanic call 'combat exchanges' in which you can use combat techniques, but it's more fast paced than the DnD combat system and doesn't involve lots of turn-taking and lengthy rounds of combat.

These types of mechanics really lend themselves to the collaborative storytelling element of the game. it prioritizes roleplay above the numbers.

I LOVE this illustration of how it works by using Wu's kidnapping:

When you make a character, you'll choose one of the 'playbooks' available (basically this is your class). Each playbook has two principles that sort of oppose one another. Your character must maintain balance in their actions, and if they start shifting too far toward one principle or the other, it will throw them off balance, causing them to take a drastic action in like with that principle. The playbooks also have certain moves that you take that are unique to the playbook, like "the elder" has move called "cut the garbage" that lets you ask extra questions when talking with a character who might be lying or obscuring the truth.

Basically, the game is different from DnD, so if you decide to jump into it with your game group, be sure to approach it without preconceived ideas about how to play it like DND.

I had never really run a TTRPG before I started GMing avatar. I was really nervous when I started. But my game group is great and we were all patient with each other as we learned the game.

There's videos of people playing if you want to kind of see the mechanics in action, especially this one that features Dante Bosco and Jennie Kwan.

Well I don't know if that is what you were looking for but please feel free to ask more specific questions about the game if you like! I'm going to a gaming convention this year and I'll hopefully be signing up to play the game as a PC there.

[eternitas]

OC Friendship questions! For Sergey and Leo! All of Silver: Strength. If that’s not too much to ask for :3

Friendship and Companionship questions

This is so incredib ly late but still thank you so so much for sending these in i hope it was worth the wait!

Sergey and Leo

Silver: Strength.

SPOILERS AHEAD!

What quality has forged the strongest bonds of friendship for your OC? Shared values or beliefs? Time spent together working towards a common aim? Complimentary skills or personalities? Or perhaps just absolutely hating the same things?

For those who know, it's obvious that what keeps them so close is a lot of shared misery and trauma, but it all started simple. They were kids, they liked to play and fool around. Sergey always stopped to make sure Leo was able to keep up, always took his troubles and fears seriously and protected him from whatever made him cry. In turn Leo was always kind and supportive of Sergey and his plans, only ever stopping to make sure everyone was safe and having fun. As they grew older they found their passion in sports, cheering each other on on their way to become pros.

After the Schwalbe family incident hey had been friends for many years. Leo not once thought about his own pain during that time, only worried about the drastic change Sergey went through. Ser was all he had left and so he had only one wish:

Please... Let me save him from the darkness.

After the Schwalbe family incident, losing his mother and Asuna as well they had been friends for many years. Sergey thought of his own pain as well, but especially the pain put onto the people he loved. His mother, Asuna, Leo- What if he lost more? Nobody should have followed his dark path. Yet Leo did. ... And for that he would do anything to protect him. No matter what it took he had only one wish:

Please... Don't take him from me as well.

Is your OC someone that their friends or companions can rely upon in times of difficulty? Are they a pillar of strength for others? Or do they depend upon others to meet their emotional needs, but find themselves unable to reciprocate in turn?

When it comes to being relyable then Sergey is definitely someone you can count on. He has the big brother persona deeply ingrained in his body and he does whatever he can for his friends and family. Even in terms of his work you can count on him. He is very supportive of people and due to his extended network and family he knows a few things about emotional support. Not that he himself ever seeks any, lol.

But it stops when it comes to Leo. Anything that could endanger or inconvenience Leo is something he avoids with all he has.

Leo in turn is a total pushover. There is not much for which he can put his foot down and sometimes people exploit that. Never for long because Ser is right around the corner to smack them with a heavy and hard object. Still when you need a strong shoulder to cry on, a hug or someone to listen, Leo is definitely there to help. He may not be a good fighter but he is definitely great at supporting others through tough times.

When it comes to each other they know they can rely on the other. They are one heart and one soul.

What has been the greatest test of their friendship with a close companion or ally? Did the relationship survive this? If so, then what helped in repairing that connection? If not, then did they let the friendship go without regret?

Honestly, all the shit they have been through was already a test of their friendship. Trauma, misery and tragedy can fuck someone up and the healing process is long and hard. Still they've stayed by each others side and have never given up on one another. It's the patiene and love they have for each other, the determination to see their loved one happy and thriving that keeps them going.

Sergey had his fights. With his siblings and even with Leo. During the time after the Schwalbe family incident he had given up on this world and become an inversion of himself full of negativity and cynism. Even though he didn't even notice it he was pushing everyone away and he was keeping Leo longer in his trauma and pain than necesary. But Leo prevailed. He stayed, he shook sense into his best friend and saved him and would do it over and over again. Sergey can say whatever he wants to Leo, he can yell and scream and try to deliberately hurt him, but Leo knows Sers heart. As long as that stays true, Sergey can go to hell kicking and screaming and cursing, but Leo will still keep holding onto him and follow him into the depths.

How strong are the bonds of friendship for your OC? Do their platonic relationships always rank lower in importance than their romantic partnerships or their family loyalties? Or do they have a friend with whom they have forged a bond deeper than blood or romance could ever equal?

Sergey would NEVER under any circumstances put a romantic partner above his family and friends. They are all equally important to him and same goes for Leo. In fact he will put whoever he sees as family above everyone else. If his siblings need help? He is right there.

What Ser and Leo have is definitely far deeper though. They are soulmates in every sense of the word. Though they do not date each other they are each others most important person. Leo would do anything to save Ser and Ser would burn the whole world to the ground if anything happened to Leo.

You may put it in Sergey being asexual and very demiromantic but Sergey does experience lust, he does enjoy sex, hell he even longs for that feeling he had blossoming in his chest when he fell for Asuna, but through it all his family and especially Leo will always be a bigger priority. He doesn't understand people who put romantic relationships above others, just because he knows how deep a platonic relationship CAN be.

Leo.... also doesn't put a hierarchy on his relationships but he definitely does always favor a few individuals more than others. But amongst them-- there is only Sergey that he values more than anything or anyone else.

Does your OC draw strength from the thought of their friends? Do they sometimes push themselves onwards for the sake of their companions - or in memory of the sacrifices of others - when they would otherwise give up and accept failure? Or do they see themselves as uniquely capable or responsible, regardless of what others may or may not have done?

The power of friendship... the power of love... the power of hope. Sergey- albeit not openly admitting to it anymore- has lost that a long time ago. Asuna took what she had instilled in him with her when she took her last breath. Sure. He will fight for his siblings, his family, his teammates. But he is never really driven by anything so chivalrous as believing in happy endings. He is a killer. He ends lives like others work at a cash register. With an aching back, a groan in his throat and not a second thought. He will protect what is important to him but don't mistake it for a virtue. It's simply a selfish desire to keep what little light he still has in his orbit.

Leo on the other hand is ready to go to war for those he loves and for what he believes in. It's why despite his occupation he refuses to ever kill anyone and keeps any form of harm minimal despite his earth shattering strength. He is literally powerd by the power of friendship and love and hope and all of that, because he carries these things for two. For three. For four. For everyone. He woin't ever let a sacrifice be in vain, he will never let his friends and colleagues face hardships that he can fight off. He can not change his work, he can not change the world he now resides in, but he will not give up his bright optimism and his love for the world.

[aca-4]

UnderEntrückung AU - Chapter 3: Papyrus' Welcoming Comittee

The snow crunches under your shoes. You don’t know how the climate can change so drastically within merely a few meters of distance, so you just chalk it up to magic.

The forest around you is suspiciously free of monsters. There is only the sound of your feet. But then you hear footsteps out of sync with your own.

You turn around, but there’s nothing there. This is the second time you’ve felt like you’re being watched. You hope this won’t become a pattern.

You keep walking again but you step on something hard and flinch back. There’s something lying in the snow. It almost blended in with the surroundings if it wasn’t for the blue and black clothes.

You stumble back in shock. It’s a corpse.

Nothing but bleached white bone remains of what you can only assume once was an adult human. Does that mean there were others before you that fell down the hole when climbing this mountain? Is that why there were so many signs, clearly warning you not to go up?

You shudder to think what might have happened to this person. You only hope they died of natural causes.

You give the skeleton a respectfully wide berth and continue on the straight path.

There’s a small building up ahead. The closer you get, the clearer you see the two figures by it.

It’s a skeleton again, tall and wearing torn clothes. He’s sitting next to a tiny cabin and reading a piece of paper while talking. He’s loud, though that doesn’t make you understand him any better.

There’s another one leaning over the counter from inside the cabin. You don’t know how it’s possible with only a skull, but when the lights inside his eye sockets turn to you, he appears to be grinning.

Upon closer inspection, you notice his lower jaw is missing. He’s also wearing the same clothes you had seen not even five minutes ago. It suddenly hits you that this is not at all a dead human, as you had feared. He’s a monster that just looks that way.

He says something to the other one, who finally notices you and jumps up. His bones rattle from the sudden movement. He ducks behind the cabin and squeezes into the way too small space.

Then he addresses you and points to the colorful sign to your left. You can’t read it. You’re starting to wish you had taken those notes with you. You clearly had enough room for it in your bag.

All you can do is lift your hand and hope he can tell by your facial expression how sorry you are that you can’t talk to him. The two skeletons turn to each other and you decide there is nothing you can do here and leave.

You don’t make it far until you see them again. They somehow managed to run past you.

The tall one has a bunch more papers in his hands now. He practically shoves one of them in your face the second you’re within his reach.

There is more text on it. Again, you can’t read any of it. You pull your lips into a tight line and furrow your brow. He gets the message and hands you another paper. This one does finally have letters you can read. But you don’t speak whatever language they're written in, either.

You hand the paper back and shake your head apologetically. He tries showing you a bunch more papers, some with drawings on them, but you still don’t know what he’s trying to tell you.

He slouches his shoulders and you feel bad for disappointing him. The short one says something to him and his mood lifts again.

He tears off a thin brach from a tree and uses it to draw lines in the snow. It’s a grid with nine squares. He makes an X in the middle left one, then holds out the stick to you.

This time, you catch on immediately. He wants to play tic-tac-toe.

You play a few rounds with him and even win most of them. He doesn’t seem sad, even when he loses after always using the exact same tactic.

While he’s evening out the snow to draw a new grid, you hear barking in the distance. You don’t know if there are dogs in the Monster Realm, but you’d like to find out. You are starting to warm up to monsters, after all.

Before you can excitedly run off to follow the possibility of dogs or dog-like monsters, the tall skeleton hands you back the stick to play. You hold one hand behind your ear and point with the other to tell him you want to check out the sound, but that only makes him pull you back further.

He says something to the short skeleton again, who gives a thumbs up and leaves the two of you behind. Then he bends down and motions for you to climb on his back.

You pout because you didn’t get to see any dogs, but get on anyway. You hold on tight as his long legs carry you through the snowy forest.

–

[Previous Chapter]

[Next]

[Start from the beginning]

[Introduction / Summary]

[Character Profiles] LINK PENDING

–

UNDERTALE and its characters belong to Toby Fox

I only own my art / writing and the concepts and designs for the UnderEntrückung AU

more layers for proof 'cause you know how things are these days

[aphroditestummyrolls]

WIP Wednesday!

Finally, I am actually doing this on the day of Wednesday! Yay! I was tagged by @dreamtigress — thanks for thinking of me ❤️❤️❤️

Perhaps he could have stopped it. He ought to have been paying more attention, been more tuned in to the goings on of their little band of companions. If he hadn’t been so distracted by the shadow curse and all the memories of returning to the ravaged landscape around Moonrise… he might have seen this coming.

Whatever it was that this was. Therein laid the rub of it— Halsin didn’t know. But, according to some of their party, he really should. Wyll had said as much that night as they buzzed around camp like a kicked beehive— Halsin had a particular closeness with Astarion. As a result, they seemed to be under the impression that, whatever led their rogue down this path, he would have at least confided in Halsin. Right?

It was a flattering thought.

It would be an honour to share Astarion’s burdens. To be let in. As mercurial as the pale elf could be, it hardly took a great amount of wisdom to see that he suffered. It was at the tip of his tongue. It was gleaming in his ruby eyes when he thought no one cared to look his way.

But, Halsin didn’t know the exact cause. No matter how close Astarion allowed him to get, the vampire’s thoughts stayed locked away in whatever prison he’d built himself. The healer’s twitching hands stayed resolutely at his sides. Enough people had pressed Astarion for what he didn’t wish to give.

Halsin wouldn’t be one of them.

If that was the type of knowledge Wyll meant, then yes, he supposed he did know that much. Had that not been clear to all of them? They must’ve seen a glimmer or two if they were looking close enough to see Halsin and Astarion’s closeness.

There is but one uniting factor, he thought, chewing idly at his inner cheek, none of us considered what drastic measures he might take.

Raphael could not be trusted.

Astarion was effectively putting his head in the lion’s mouth. Astarion— their most distrustful character, still holding back from his own party even after weeks of travelling and protecting each other— was trusting a devil to make a deal. And none of them even knew why.

It tied Halsin’s gut in a miserable knot.

Tagging @nicolos, @silveredbark, and @jazzythursday no pressure! ❤️

[violetsystems]

I haven't been doing much on the weekends except resting at home. Tweaked some GPU settings and finished Dark Matter. I could see it ending with the season and being ok with that kind of like Devs. Some very iconic scenery around Chicago makes it fun to watch. Even got some deep shots of Pilsen. The infinite possibilities thing is getting old but it's acted well enough to bring out the uncanny valley in it all. It is seeped in a regret that is kind of alien to me. What if you went a different path? What if I went back to drinking? The episode stops there. I'm not going back to drinking. I make decisions for the long term and waiting for them to play out is part of the pain. I could've wasted my own time going back to dj'ing or something beyond the capacity of stuff I've made already out there. Who wants to see that? Nobody. If people want to be in your life they will make time to in whatever capacity they have to. Just because you delete a Facebook doesn't mean you've bricked the door to the infinite possibilities of your life. And honestly, the only thing I still have is Tumblr. I don't interact with anybody on Linkedin other than IT marketers and socially engineered scam artists. I don't really regret being able to pay my rent and save money when I can. It does get to me that nobody calls or wants to hang out at times. But hang out and do what? Gossip. Complain about things we can't change. Plot to steal somebody's life away from them. As shitty and remorseful as I get, I don't feel misunderstood by people that matter. It's the way life really is. Authentic. Not crafted by a publicist and some clique of trust funds that are tied together in a Jenga like superstructure feeding off each other like a festering boil. Lengthy explanation for the obvious. Must be the coffee. Or the serum. I've wasted a lot of my own time and made my own mistakes. If I'm still here writing about it then it's because I feel appreciated where I'm at. That's the easiest way to get me to stay without altering the timeline too drastically.

[animezinglife]

I love that you are so sweet about Azriel. Yes he's not perfect but he really didn't do anything wrong and Elain wanted him. Yes the comment about being mated to the third was kinda ick but he's not a bad person and I just really appreciate your take on it!

Aw, thanks, hon!

No, he's not a bad person and really didn't do anything wrong. I do understand how that comment was unsavory and I don't disagree with that, though I still think there's a big difference in expressing a form of hurt and envy in confidence to your brother and actually acting out of line.

I think too a lot of fans--myself included--are protective of Lucien. Lucien can admit Azriel is a good guy, whereas Azriel expresses that Lucien will never be good enough for Elain. I actually think he would like Lucien quite a bit and could even have a friendly, sharp-tongued rivalry with him if there weren't a matter mates.

I don't believe for a moment he actually thinks that. I think he's jealous, and I think he's still hurting from wounds that have never healed. I know what a number seeing everyone else around you find love and move on with their lives does to your psyche and self-worth, especially if it feels like you never get the chance at it yourself or a break. I also know it's not so different for men--it typically hits them a few years later, I think, but it still makes its impact.

That's actually one of the reasons I don't love the idea of him with Elain despite loving them both as characters and seeing where people get that from. Fate or whatever powers that be tied her to Lucien, and that's not going to go away (unless some pretty drastic, magical measures are taken) if she were to pursue Azriel no matter what she chooses.

That's not fair to either of them.

I also somewhat disagree with one common point I see come up in the fandom: "Azriel wants a mate." On the surface, sure, but what I think is at the core of that is Azriel wants love. He wants that love and acceptance that he's seen everyone else have. If he just wanted some female company for something casual, he would be able to find that easily.

He wants more than that. He wants what he sees is the key to unlocking this new chapter in life and the happiness/companionship he sees in his friends.

Frankly? I can't wait for him to find it. He needs to heal too and deserves to find his own happiness.

My suspicion is that the happily-ever-after won't be with Elain, though. I do think they will love each other in the way that Feyre loves him and loves Cassian, but when it comes to a full-fledged romance, I suspect his story will have a different path.

I also think he's stubborn as a mule with a bad case of tunnel vision and may be a bit slow to realize a female's actually hitting on him.

At the end of the day, too, here's the thing: if we can forgive Rhys for his sins, Nesta for hers, Feyre for hers, etc., how in the world can we seriously look at Azriel and not do the same?

Admittedly, this plotline with Az hits a little bit of a nerve for me simply in that I understand him, or at least feel like I do. It doesn't mean that I agree with how everything's been handled, but for lack of a better term, he's "human."

[frozcnhearts]

He'd heard from Amadeus the stories about just how obsessed his sister was when it came to these little sea creatures, and as the little guy finally arrived from Fontaine, Eiji had to admit that he somewhat saw the appeal. He'd never been in Fontaine for all too long before, making a note of perhaps doing so in the near future, as he tied a golden ribbon around the little guys neck, wondering if this would perhaps be seen as a little childish. But, the sad truth was, he didn't know much about his sister. They were still learning more about each other, learning just how to be around one another, but honestly he was simply just glad to have her there, to be able to celebrate the holidays with her by his side. He'd been searching for her for his entire life...and yet there she was, just joking around with the young man who'd somehow helped save her in the end. "Merry Christmas", Eiji smiled as he handed over the gift bag to Taru, inside, burried under some tissue was her gift, her personal little otter to care for - well a plush of one at least, "...hopefully it's not too childish...", he added slightly nervously.

@diverse-hearts-ocs - random christmas ask making Taru scream interally

For how long had she dreaded the very same man, that now stood in front of her? She didn't know. They shared the same blood, yet their upbringing differed. There had been times in the distant past, when Taru had yearned to find out from where she came, from whom she came - and who her family was. But the time had also driven her to become bitter. The tears that once had been shed dried as years passed whilst becoming an adult. Promising herself to put an end to such cursed bloodline as theirs and perhaps it wasn't just hatred, but also knowledge that once drove her into such drastic direction. Knowledge, that their blood could never be cleansed from whatever they were.

The thrones would one day destroy them.

A thought, that drove her almost mad in the past. Not knowing what to do, if she one day had to fight gods, just in order to survive and be allowed to continue to exist. Even now, that thought wasn't gone. The fear was still clear, but hidden behind the deepest corner of her heart. For if the time would come, it'd be her fight, not anyone else's. Even if it was surely also Eiji's concern - as he would share the very same problem. But was he aware of that?

Did he know, that beings like them weren't probably even allowed to wander amongst others? Did he know that they probably weren't really human? Did their father know? In the past she couldn't have cared less. But nowadays, with trying to slowly get closer with her family and (ironically) getting to know them, it made her heart squeeze painfully.

Taru stared at the plush otter in her hands, knowing fully well from where he must know how much she came to admire those little creatures. Cute and pure - just as she wished she could be. But it was too late, for she had long ago chosen the path that screamed havoc and chaos. Probably it was also thanks to the times she had spent in the abyss. She might survived it, but who knew it didn't have side effects on her too? Taru squeezed the plush slightly with her hands, stopped however in fear of eventually destroying it. It was from her twin brother after all. There were many things she yearned to destroy, but his gift was none of such things.

The first time, the woman finally looked up. Showing the tears that had formed in her eyes, as she shook her head. "It's not too childish.", she finally spoke with shaking voice, a weak smile forming on her lips. Ah, she didn't want to cry. It was the first time since a long time, the last time probably during the exchange of Barbatos' and her memories - when she saw Amadeus' death. She always had that emotion under control, so why not now? Why now, does she have to realize how unfair this world actually was to them?

"Brother.", she hugged Eiji tightly. Speaking the word for the first time in her life, she felt like a toddler despite her twenty-one years. Who knew, how much longer they would spend alive? Who knew, if the curse of their mother didn't also lay on them? Their family was a mad mess - and the two of them were those, who had to suffer on an unknown future because of all that.

[citychronicles]

City Chronicles : Year 1

The first canonical year of City Chronicles (Fun fact : This year canonically takes place in 2022 but it's not that important) Stories : 18/18

Snippets : 12/12 Total Words : 222,479

Enchanted Retribution 'For six long years, Robin has been on a non stop search. He's exhausted, hungry and running out of patience, but he will not yield until he can get his revenge.'

Words : 13,352

Chapters : 11

A Tale of Sorrow and Stone

'All Sam's life, all he's wanted to do was live peacefully with his brother. But fate has always had other plans; plans that always end with blood on his claws.'

Words : 12,209

Chapters : 14

Feeline Alive

Aster would say she has quite good life; Excelling at school, hanging out with her best friend and enjoying her life to the fullest. But after a chance encounter with something out of the ordinary, Aster's life takes an unexpected turn into the unknown.'

Words : 20,370

Chapters : 27

Kin Through the Chaos

'Living on the streets is always rough but Alex and Andy have always had each other to help make it through. When objects from the past drastically change their lives, the two siblings must navigate this new normal and figure out how everything connects to a life they no longer have.'

Words : 18,281

Chapters : 22

Light of a New Beginning

'With justice served, Robin is now free to do whatever he pleases but he has no idea where to go. After being unexpectedly taken in by a kind old lady, Robin expected his life to be slow and uninteresting; but everything changed when a crack echoed through the night...'

Words : 16,122

Chapters : 18

Ancient Adolescence (Snippet)

'It's time to celebrate Sam's birthday but he's having some doubts'

Words : 868

Calculated Mayhem

'Aster, Alex and Andy's friendship is a new one but a blossoming one. When secrets threaten to rear their heads, that friendship and their trust will determine if they make or break in a trial that will determine their future.'

Words : 10,670

Chapters : 14

United as One

'Two stories, two worlds. Robin and Sam explore the depths of the city for an elusive plant while Aster, Alex and Andy search for a lost kitten. But unexpected things happen when the two cross paths and their lives are never the same.'

Words : 8,560

Chapters : 8

Fierce Fireworks (Snippet)

'Fourth of July Time (I know nothing I'm not american)'

Words : 812

Birthday Bash (Snippet)

'Birthday time : Aster edition'

Words : 866

Gone too Soon (Snippet)

'Alex reflects on a time long gone'

Words : 835

Videns stellas tecum (Snippet)

'Stargazing is better with a friend'

Words : 960

Back to the Big Apple

'It was a normal day when it all began. The sky turned gold and the earth rumbled. Robin, Sam, Aster, Alex and Andy (or the CC crew) learn of a prophecy they are given to complete. Their first stop? The grand City of New York.

Robin isn't the most thrilled about having to go on this quest, especially to this place. But maybe there will be more to this quest than meets the eye?'

Words : 12,526

Chapters : 11

Rainforest Retreat

'The first shard has been obtained. The search for the shards takes the crew to the wild lands of the jungle. Aster is fascinated by the environment but will it be as welcoming?'

Words : 9,305

Chapters : 10

Through the Sands of Time

'The blazing sands of the Sahara is the next destination in the CC crew's quest. The heat isn't something Alex is a fan of but she pushes through. The barren land holds many secrets, secrets that the young hero will soon unearth...'

Words : 9,769

Chapters : 10

Hiking the Heights

'Andy wasn't expecting to land in the snowy mountains of the Himalayas but the search for the shards had taken them all over the world. What did the wintery land have in store for Andy and his friends?'

Words : 9,211

Chapters : 9

Heart of the Wild

'After a bit of a rough landing, the CC crew arrive in the land of the Philippines. Sam has been a bit nervous about this quest but he's managed to swallow his fear for this long. But maybe this time, he can take a stand to go the final stretch'

Words : 7,994

Chapters : 9

In the Heart of the Deep

'The shards have been found but the quest is not over. The final destination is the triangle of mysteries and disappearances. The crew land but are unsure how to proceed. Maybe an unexpected ally can come to the rescue?'

Words : 8,657

Chapters : 11

Timeless Teachings (Snippet)

'Sam finally gets an education... somewhat'

Words : 902

Garden of Possibilities (Snippet)

'Sam and Alex have a chat about love'

Festivities for Two (Snippet)

'Alex and Andy celebrate their birthday for the first time in years'

Magic Madness (Snippet)

'Training time with Robin and Willa'

A Different Flavour of Fang

'Halloween has arrived. Aster and Andy are ecstatic for their Halloween party with their friends when they meet a mysterious but intriguing stranger. Andy is immediately smitten but Aster isn't so taken, feeling that a danger is lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike.'

Words : 6,250

Chapters : 7

Curse of the Blood Moon

'Halloween has arrived. Robin, Sam and Alex prepare for a simple party to celebrate the night, but things change for the worst with a spell gone wrong and a ticking time limit to reverse the damage or loose a friend forever.'

Words : 8,883

Chapters : 9

Daze of the Dead

'Día de los Muertos is a day of celebration to honour the souls of the dead. In the whispers of the land of magic, it is said that souls with a special power can move beyond and visit the land of the deceased. But what if a group of mortals passed through when they were not supposed to? What will they find there and how will they return to the land of the living?'

Words : 11,592

Chapters : 10

Night Comforts (Snippet)

'Sam and Robin discuss the events of Halloween night and come to terms with a few things.'

Words : 1,623

Lending a Hand (Snippet)

'Robin is having a hard time dealing with his new hair. Luckily he gets some help from a professional.'

Words : 946

Faults and Friendships

'Keeping secrets is never easy especially from the people you trust the most. Aster wants to tell Javari everything but it's not easy, especially with criminals running around the city causing mischief, keeping her away from her best friend. Her secrets hold her back from being fully honest but maybe, just maybe; fate will allow some to spill through…'

Words : 11,133

Chapters : 15

Drenched (Snippet)

'Andy takes care of a stubborn Alex'

Words : 719 Christmas Chronicles Christmas time is here at last. The crew of Avant City are preparing for the holiday season in very different ways.

Sam is excited to be shown the ways of celebrating the season with the help of Aster and Alex; Meanwhile, Robin and Andy are dragged to a faraway land that holds the power to make their wishes come true.

Words : 14,949

Story Posters :

[butternutrisotto]

18/30

There is one movie that drastically changed my life: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Since I was a child, I loved watching this movie during school holidays. I was captivated by the storyline, but what made me happiest was watching Kevin McCallister explore New York City in the winter. From that moment, I asked myself, "New York is so beautiful. How can I go there?" Everyone told me that New York was far from Surabaya or anywhere in Indonesia. But deep down, I really wanted to go there.

After that, I became diligent in learning English, practicing English grammars or vocabs, and seeking out any opportunities that could help me get to New York, like competitions, student exchanges, and excelling in my studies. However, all I faced were failures that made me sad. But I realized that I was still not ready enough and that my capacity was not yet at the level needed. But that's okay—I kept striving and learning.

From that movie, despite the many setbacks I faced, it became clear that the universe truly hears your prayers and sees all your efforts. I got the chance to study in the United States in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. I was very grateful, even though the journey was not easy. I was still able to fulfill my childhood dream. With all the effort I put in, I finally celebrated my 21st birthday in New York City during winter, and I was able to explore the city like Kevin McCallister—except I wasn’t with The Bandits, haha. :))

From this experience, I learned to never doubt your dreams. Even if they haven’t come true yet, God and the universe know what you need, how much capacity you have to reach your dreams, and the best time to grant them to you. The bigger your dream, keep walking with God even when the challenges are tough. But behind it all, it will be worth it.

The journey to New York wasn't just about reaching a destination; it was a lesson in perseverance, resilience, and self-discovery. Every failure and every setback taught me something new about myself and what I was capable of. The rejections I faced only strengthened my resolve, teaching me that dreams require more than just desire—they demand commitment, patience, and sometimes, a lot of waiting. I realized that each “no” was not a door closing, but a sign pointing me toward another direction, another opportunity, and another chance to grow.

Walking through the streets of New York on my 21st birthday, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. I wasn't just celebrating a milestone of age, but a milestone of persistence and belief. Seeing the lights of Times Square, the majestic skyscrapers, and the snowy parks was like stepping into a scene from my favorite movie. But this time, it was real, and it was my story. It was a moment that affirmed all the hard work, tears, and hopes I had carried with me over the years.

This journey has taught me that dreams do come true, but not always in the way or the time we expect. It’s easy to become discouraged when things don’t go according to our plans, but sometimes, the detours are where we find the most growth. So, to anyone out there chasing a dream, remember: don’t give up. Even if the path is winding and filled with obstacles, keep going. Trust the timing of your life and keep faith in the journey. Your New York moment—whatever that may be—might be closer than you think.

[talenlee]

Decima Vex Story Spotlight 1 — Gwynn and the Ghostlands

When we last left the heroes of the story of Vox Maxima, the core of heroic travellers had broken apart; Primrose, Niamh and Kraivh IV had dived into the Dreams of the Tambow to escape the Emperor’s armies as they tried to purge the Verge and in the process destroy what they knew. They came to in a horrifying new land – a post-apocalyptic fantasy landscape where nine billion ghosts roam the lands and shred and struggle at the reality around them.

Where do they go from here, and who do they meet?

Decima Vex is a custom magic set created by Talen Lee. It’s composed of 187 cards, with 71 commons, 60 uncommons, 41 rares, and 15 mythic rares. Decima Vex is a custom Magic: The Gathering set, with at least one card spoiled a day, on Cohost, Kind.Social, and the r/custommagic subreddit.

WOTC Employees: This post in full presents unsolicited custom Magic: The Gathering card designs, which I understand current employee practices forbid you from looking at unsolicited. You shouldn’t be here!

goals

Alright this is our new normal, this is the new setting of the second story arc. At this point, everything is different. We’re not longer picking around the edges of a vast empire that can produce abundance, we’re now smack down in the middle of a little circle of light surrounded on all sides by a horrifying landscape of the endless, howling, hungry dead. The vibes are bad, people are afraid and paranoid.

Show the Ghostlands. Show what it means when you live in the world where the necrocalypse happened and nine billion people died. This world is an alternate timeline that has the energy of a post-apocalyptic event. Whatever made the Ghostlands created a scarred world. Everywhere is haunted and sometimes those ghosts form storms and weather events.

The moon and sun are messed up. Magic that ties to them works wrong.

The story arc now needs to show Niamh and Kraivh IV trying to take care of each other and reconcile the knowledge they have of what was going on with Kraivh’s father, and know that there’s more to the mystery. They are accompanied on this path by Pip, a goopy faerie, who seems to understand them deeply and intuitively, in a way that Kraivh finds reassuring and Niamh finds a little spooky.

Show that the Ghostlands is made up of population centers strung through the Ghostlands, and travel between them is dangerous. When the heroes are on their way through the Ghostlands to try and travel towards the heart of the world, they are rescued from an attack by a Gwynn Combine traveller, who then pulls them through a portal to introduce them to the Gwynn Combine and their behaviour.

Also this story segment needs to show that Niamh’s vision of interconnectedness and alliances can connect to the Gwynn. She’s able to convince them to help her on her quest, because she’s that inclusive and that caring.

characters

Pip, who serves as a wide-eyed, inquisitive person who is invested in and likes hanging out with the Niamh and Kraivh IV. She cares about their wellbeing, and she has an amazingly strong memory. She is fascinated by understanding things, and when presented with the pair, she is interested in seeing if she can ‘become’ one of them – shapeshifting into something that looks like them. Pip is Primrose, the same Planeswalker, who was split when she entered the plane of the Vox Maxima, which sets the precedent for other characters in the Decima Vex. The characters will meet people like their previous versions. Remember, Pip’s revelation should be a surprise – the first one people are going to notice is…

Annelise, a Gwynn defender. With some examination, Kraivh is going to realise that she has the same voice and face as Elise, the thief they befriended from the Jatku ruins and who travelled with them through Aszyt territory. Annelise now has several of the same personality traits – she’s just as stubborn and just as willing to commit to drastic action. But the notable difference here is that Annelise sees her actions as justified by protecting herself and the Gywnn people; her ability to create portals of her own, rather than relying on Fair Folk portals is a way to indicate she’s a planeswalker. Annelise is a good red herring, to show the characters that there is a way that the planeswalkers are different on this plane.

Eian is a Prince of the Gwynn Combine. She has taken the role to protect – and the term prince is because the Fair Folk like the idea of Princes as important parts of stories. Eian has a time to gather the others together to tell them the story of the Gwynn Combine finding themselves in the Ghostlands, reconnecting with the land and finding themselvse with an opportunity to rebuild with the portal technology of their originator, Gwynn, who made the first contract.

The Maven are a sort of collective symbiote creature. They each represent different attitudes of the Fair Folk towards the Gwynn, who they have negotiated a fair and even contract with; but they are primal and thoughtless (green identity), strict and contractual (white identity), and fickle and transformative (blue identity).

Thistle is a Gwynn sorcerer whose magic simplifies things. She’s improtant to the Gwynn as someone who can turn complicated salvaged objects into simpler versions of them – steel bars out of stolen weapons.

I-Vi are six bodies, each one with the exact same person spread across the bodies. They have a shared memory and response system – it isn’t six versions of one person it’s one person in multiple bodies over any distance. There’s no delay in reaction time, and they go and do patrols together. They are the source to hint to the reader that there’s a hiccup in the timeline, because they can remember when there were only four of them.

Manz is the first example of a Gwynn that the heroes encounter; she’s a salesperson in the bazaars in one of the towns they enter – happily offering exchange of things like names and stories for supplies. Of course, when they offer stories to Manz, she responds by making the story into a new fae that then hangs out and helps out at the stall she runs.

scene

Niamh and Kraivh IV awake in the Ghostlands. They meet with Pip, who immediately establishes a want to travel with them and encourages them to move on from their spot in the dried-up Tambow river.

If Cazas is with the group, she needs to be separated out from them so she can go on her own journey of discovery; decide if you want to use her in the later story with Klava and Kolvy, or to be the instigator that remembers Axa/Sovi.

The pair deal with undead spirits and ghosts; use this to represent that Kraivh’s holy magic and Niamh’s own ability to fight are up to the task of protecting themselves, but the threats of the Ghostlands are persistent and near-constant.

Show the group reaching a settlement and spend time expositing the way that people in the Ghostlands get by. This is not like the empire, where whole terrains are ruled over by one group. The factions are mixed in, and conflict with one another over methodologies, but always are opposed by the predominant outsiders: The ghosts of the Ghostlands.

The Gywnn Combine are an organisation spread through the Ghostlands. They want to investigate the group, because there is something about Kraivh that they are concerned about – they don’t know her name, but when they find it, they explain the dangers of that name. How Kraivh is carrying a cursed name – a name that none of the Gwynn’s fae would trade for, but which other, more dangerous fae might… and that her presence here suggests it is part of Ynvei’s machinations.

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