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auspex · 1 year ago

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VtM Fangfest 2024 Prompt 1: The Fool

Hello! Here is my first fic for Fangfest 2024 :)

All my fics will be about characters that are previously established, so you might not have context for everything mentioned or hinted at within :( Feel free to reach out to ask I love explaining!

I've never really posted my writing before so be kind!

My first fic is about a Tremere from Mark's game named JP. JP and Mark had the same Domitor, Julius, who was killed at the climax of their chronicle. This fic is set after.

The Educated Fool

Hunched over the box of records, JP flipped through, looking for artists he recognized. Some of the unfamiliar covers looked interesting, but he didn’t want to listen to new stuff yet. He wasn’t even sure if he liked the same stuff that he used to, and so figured it’d be best to start with that.

There - The Who, an artist he used to listen to, though an album he had not - “It’s Hard”. He fished it out and read over the song titles on the back. Into his small stack of records it went, which already included Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath. Iron Maiden had been the only new artist he had found since his death (he was not allowed much free time, and even early in his unlife), while Black Sabbath was an old favorite. Satisfied with the 3 albums, JP went to checkout. One awkward interaction with the cashier later, and JP was free for the evening. It was a long walk home, and JP instinctually kept to the darker paths, avoiding streetlights and people. Since it was earlier in the night, kine were still awake. JP listened to the cars that went by, kept an ear out for people, and shuffled along, monitoring his speed - he didn’t want to walk too fast, too slow, or too awkwardly. He knew he no longer had visible gruesome injuries, but he still naturally avoided drawing attention to himself.

It had only been a few weeks since his sire Julius had met his final death, after all.

It was quiet times like this walk home where it was the hardest to not think about his bad memories and his regrets - lately, his largest one: he wasn’t the one to kill Julius. His nails dug into his hands whenever he thought of it - he was kneeling there, helpless, simply staring at the fight where Julius had met final death, instead of taking part in it. JP, now lost in thought, stared blankly ahead, not really taking in the walk home anymore, oblivious to those passing by.

Mark had told him that he still contributed, that they couldn’t have done it without him, but he knew better. Hell, Mark himself barely even mattered - his contributions were just a small boon to Julius’s long-term rival, Gaius. It was Gaius who orchestrated everything, who did that weird-ass ritual to revive that wizard, the one who had landed the killing blow.

JP shuddered thinking of the flames that individual had summoned. What had Mark called him, Lucius? Weird-ass name too.

It didn’t matter now. Whatever his name was, he had left the city with Gaius. Julius’s body had rotted, leaving only bones, along with almost all of Gaius’s other allies who had died in the fight.

Mark was lucky to get out with his unlife. JP wasn’t sure if he’d call himself lucky. Part of him had fully expected to meet final death before being free of Julius, and none of him had considered what he would do after. He was so jealous of Gaius - not only did he get his revenge, he seemed to have actually had a plan of what to do after.

Kicking a can on the side of the road absentmindedly, he had to admit he was glad Mark had insisted he go out and get things, do something. It didn’t give him a purpose, but it did succeed in distracting him at least for a time.

There was one thing that never failed to distract JP.

Hunger. He had started to welcome the gnaw of it, the way it clouded his thoughts and made it hard to think about anything else - it was not freedom, but it was a different prison. Thus, it had now been nights since JP had last fed - intentional procrastination, that he would keep to himself. He knew Mark wouldn’t like it.

However, eventually, Mark noticed his wild eyes - “are you alright?” - and insisted he feed before he went feral.

JP would have ignored anyone else, but Mark was different. He would have been rotting in some box, starving in torpor, without him - he didn’t want to make his unlife any harder, and he had to admit that he couldn’t hold off the beast forever. “I’ll go out” he had said, “but only because I still owe you.”

Truly though, the beast wanted to feed.

Mark scowled. “You don’t owe me anything. Uh, do you want me to come with you?” He looked very concerned, and started reaching for his keys before JP even replied.

“No! Yeah, nah.” JP was already going for his shoes. “It’s a private affair, yanno, I know you get it. I know what I’m doing.”

“Um. I guess, but are you sure that’s a good idea? How exactly uh, hungry are you?”

JP’s face turned cold and he fixed Mark with a stone-faced stare. “I can handle it. Can I have the keys?”

Mark opened his mouth, and then closed it into a thin line and held the key out to JP. “Be careful.”

“Yeah.”

JP grabbed it, turned, and was out the door.

JP was used to feeding on Mark’s territory, and thus found himself driving across the bridge to Belle Isle. It still felt strange driving - he had only driven himself a few times since gaining his freedom, and hadn’t for years before it. Mark had to remind him how, essentially reteach him, and he was still awkward.

Mark was probably just as worried about the car as he was about JP.

No. JP internally corrected himself. It’s about me. He doesn’t care about this car, he misses his old one.

JP still wasn’t sure if he was glad that Mark cared about him, or if he wished he didn’t. Regardless, he was almost across the bridge, and had to decide where to go, but instead drove a bit aimlessly. He only caught himself after he had started driving towards the old lighthouse, where he had been staying before Julius’s death - when he had been under orders to assist Mark.

No, he did not need to go back there again.

Instead, he turned towards the beach.

JP found a spot to park and turned off the car. He unbuckled, but instead of getting out, he sat back and closed his eyes. Focusing closely with his supernatural hearing, he listened to the waves lapping on the shore.

For a while, that’s all he heard - it was late, and the swimming area was closed. His beast clawed at him - but he could push it aside for a moment, like how he used to push away the constant pain he was forced to endure every night. It was not quite peaceful, but the sound reminded him of when he was alive - he used to surf.

JP couldn’t remember the last time he had thought of that.

Then the waves were interrupted by the sound of a rattling chain link fence, and the thump of someone landing - and then another, and another, along with some hushed voices. JP couldn’t quite make out the whispers, because his beast was focused on trying to listen for a heartbeat instead - there it was, fast ones, was it adrenaline?

JP exited the car and made his way towards the sound of prey before even consciously deciding to do so. To his ears, his feet loudly crunched on gravel, but he knew he was far enough away that the sound of the wind and waves should cover his approach.

Approaching the fence, he saw imprints on the other side, where the gravel turned to sand, and further down, some figures closer to the shore. It was a new moon, but the figures had turned on a flashlight, and JP was used to peering into darkness. One of them - no, two - were carrying beer cans. The third was taking off a jacket. Guess they’re fans of night swimming.

One alone would be easy to prey upon. A pair would be harder. But three? That was trickier.

JP waited until they had started wading into the water - and oh, they littered those cans too, leaving them on the sand. He walked further down following the fence, listening for anyone approaching. Hearing no one, and feeling safely that he was out of sight, he then he hefted himself over the fence just like they had

Kicking off his shoes as he ran for the water, a part of him almost expected to smell salt - but this wasn’t the Atlantic ocean in California, it was the Detroit River.

How long had it been since he had last swam?

He paused at the shoreline and glanced at the group. Taking no notice of him, they had gotten deeper in the water, and were spreading out.

JP smiled. He took off his shirt, and without further delay, ran into the water, going chest deep.

The temperature was noticeably cooler, but it was still warmer than his dead skin. Not needing to breathe, he only kept his eyes above the water, approaching the swimmers like an alligator. He could be faster, but creeping forward this way, he was almost impossible to see in the dark. The trio had kept their flashlight on the shore - a miniature lighthouse for them.

It would be so easy to make one of their deaths look like an accident. Headline: Drunkard drowns swimming at night.

Mark wouldn’t like that though.

Not committing to keeping them alive nor killing them yet, JP let himself and his beast focus on how he was going to sneak a bite in the first place. As he got close enough to hear their half-yelled conversation (“don’t you dare splash me!” “shut up” “don’t go any deeper!”), he fully sank under the waves.

It was impossible to see in the pitch black water, and near impossible to hear - but JP managed. Keep yelling. He got close enough to the one who had been warned to not go any deeper (who had ignored it) where he could feel the water shift around his movements.

Keep it quick, JP. He had resolved to at least attempt to keep this one alive - and if he was to do so, he couldn’t feed for long without his companions noticing something odd.

JP swam behind his prey and went for his neck, barely exiting the water. He tilted the man’s head back so that his nose and mouth were facing the sky as JP tread water. Even with this, he gasped and coughed seawater, initially spasming in panic, but as JP’s fangs sunk into him he relaxed.

Water mixed with blood in JP’s mouth, but he was hungry, dammit, and forced down the initial watered down sip. The blood had an odd tang to it, not in a bad way, and JP could also quickly tell that this man was very, very drunk. Idiot; no respect for the water.

He’ll get himself killed anyway. Drink him all. Also, being drunk would be nice, wouldn’t it?

JP lost himself for a moment in the taste of him. Fire and water. Risk and carelessness, youthful exuberance, life, found in the taste of blood.

Yelling brought him back to reality. “Elias, where’d you go?” “I told you to not fucking go deeper!” Some splashing sounded, heading towards him.

Ugh.

With great reluctance and force of will, JP licked the wound closed - tasting more water - and sunk under the waves.

Feed from the others. It’s not too late to kill him.

JP kicked off the bottom of the river, going deeper instead.

He listened to the sound of water, letting the relieved laughter and yells of the group of friends fade into the background. With his beast at least somewhat sated, it almost felt good to push against the water, heading to nowhere. The water swished between his hands, fingers, toes. He thought about what creatures may live in this river, how the ecology differed from the sea, how the freshwater even sounded and felt different from saltwater.

Perhaps he had missed swimming after all.

#vtmfangfest24 #vtm #jp vtm #mark vtm oc #CRIES IM NERVOUS #Spotify

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currentfandomkick · 4 months ago

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Damian can safely say he hates how his family treats the dead. His mother said his brother was weak to die. His grandfather called it a disgrace to his lineage. Then his father disparaged his soft older brother as a violent teen when Damian saw each record of Jason skipping patrol to study and being gentle with victims and far more invested emotionally than Dick or Tim or even Father. Tim followed Father’s lead in disparaging Todd, calling him weak like Mother did Danyal, or ‘not enough’ when he knew Todd was more than enough.

Father was the failure between the two. Father chose being Batman over Todd’s justice.

Just as Mother chose Grandfather over Danyal’s memory.

Babs spoke of Todd as impulsive, immature and unready for the very mantel Grayson fathered out of his own desire to kill his parents’ murder.

If anyone was the violent, angry Robin, it was Grayson. Grayson may claim otherwise, but Damian is fully aware of his stint with Deathstroke and the times Dick killed someone only to revive them or leave them to fates worse than death. Of the times he fooled Gordon and poor Kori into both dating him. Of the times he interrogated his civilian girlfriends instead of comforting them.

If anyone was the soft, gentle Robin? The emotionally intelligent one, not the manipulative one? The one whose laughter inspired a feeling of safety rather than menace? That was all Todd.

And Todd is achingly similar to Danyal.

Too emotional, too kind, too caring. Someone soft and petty in the mundane ways rather than murderous. Someone who loves the varied fictions of the world. Danyal fell in love with languages and the stars. Todd adored the written word and theatre.

Damian wondered if things were different, if it was Danyal who survived, would Todd have taken him with him on his journey to become Red Hood and removed him from Mother’s care sooner?

He had a feeling Danyal would have met Todd and ignored Mother’s orders to leave her pet project be.

Damian didn’t think much when Brown, who he thought was safe, called Jason wreckless.

He loudly left the room with a glare at everyone but Todd. And when Grayson tried to talk to him Damian aimed where Tim often did.

Grayson crumpled.

“Damian!”

“Shut up Angry Robin!” Damian snapped. “You were the one seeking vengeance, not Todd. You sought to sow fear into heart! Not Todd—And you were the one who let them trample his death into this farce of superstitious tale!”

He missed the others creeping up.

“You lie about Todd the same way Mother does Danyal! Don’t say you care when you manipulate and lie just like her! Stop saying you and father are different when you act the same about your dead children!”

Damian stormed off, out of the Manor and kept going.

Todd found him at his own grave. A luxury Grandfather refused to allow Danyal after the Pitts took him.

Todd didn’t speak, but lifted his arm. Damian refused to acknowledge that he glued himself to Todd’s side or that he was close to tears.

“I am not apologizing.”

“Don’t have to.”

“Good.”

The silence should have been awkward.

“ ‘m not going back,” Damian grumbled into Todd side as time stretched on.

“Cool. You’re staying with me for now then.”

Damian nodded into Todd side, rage still threatening to boil over again.

“And thanks for sticking up for me and Danyal short stack.”

Damian huffed. “You are too cowardly to do so yourself, and Father and Grayson refuse to see beyond their own reasons to become vigilantes.”

“Yeah, yeah, our big strong hero,” Todd dismissed as he lead Damian to his motorcycle. “Want to make an altar or something at my place? Not the most familiar with League funerary rites and stuff.”

Damian nodded against Todd.

“Cool. And if the Bats try anything, we got Bat Repellant measures. And Harley and Ivy.”

Damian rubbed at his eyes as his vision blurred. “We may have to employ their aide.”

“Already got their okay to screw with the Bats if they get a mile within my territory for three months. Now, how about we go to that Ethiopian place we both like and work out what to do for Danyal?”

Damian nodded weakly against Todd. “Thank you.”

Todd shrugged. “It’s what big brothers are for.”

Damian distinctly noted Grayson failure to do the same for Todd and his memory. Perhaps Grayson only knew how to be a ‘brother’ in the same way Mother only knew how to shut her affections out of her heart on Grandfather’s command.

At least he could leave Danyal’s memory something truer to him now.

A smile crept into his mind’s eye.

“He liked stars and language. Learning about other cultures and subcultures even moreso. It made him the best at gathering information and stealth.”

In the Danny is Damian’s brother trope what if instead of Damian not telling the family about Danny wasn’t because of grief or shame or any of the more commonly used reasons for his silence. What if it was because he heard about how his father talked about Jason after his death, focusing and exaggerating the negative. That he was violent, angry, never listened to orders but in some iterations and popular fanon is that Jason was a cheerful and studious Robin.

What if while compiling info and researching the former robins during his tumultuous introduction he saw what kind of robin Jason was, good with kids and victims. Talking about his favorite books while on patrol and similar. Reminding Damian of his most Beloved brother.

Then he finds out about how Bruce talked about Jason after he died. Using him as an example as what not to do, erasing his good traits and just using him as a cautionary tale of what happens when you don’t follow orders. Just like what Ra’s said about Danny.

So he didn’t tell the family, not out of guilt or grief. But because his father stripped away Jason’s positive traits after death, the son he chose, adopted and loved. Who when he failed because he was a child led astray by his mother. What would he do to his brother, who loved the stars and excelled in stealth, who was quite in his kills but had no lust for killing.

Whether or not Bruce would do this to Danny’s memory doesn’t matter. B’s actions are gonna affect how Damian views his father even years after the initial actions. Because Damian will protect his brothers memory from being twisted even by their father.

#twins au #damian wayne #jason todd #robin jason todd #danny fenton #(mentioned)#dpxdc #danny and damian are twins #dp x dc crossover

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thebibliomancer · 2 months ago

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A Paradise X Prelude: Heralds #1!

Yes, I’m back on the Earth X train, continuing my liveblog into the last part of the trilogy.

Paradise X starts off a little differently from Earth and Universe X. Those started with issue 0. Paradise X still has an issue 0 but it starts with a prelude.

Remember how Universe X ended with Aaron Stack, Machine Watchman, vowing to do Something about the multiverse?

Well, this is the something.

Things kick off with Days of Future Past playing out as it did.

Wolverine, Storm, and Colossus attack the Sentinel-controlled Baxter Building and get killed to death. And then Aaron shows up to retrieve Wolverine’s corpse.

Which he revives using the technology Merlin once used to revive Captain Britian.

If I can say anything for Noun X, it’s neat how it uses little bits of continuity like that.

Anyway, Aaron introduces Logan to some new friends who he has also recruited.

A Hyperion who is the only survivor of an Earth where humanity’s paranoia over their superheroes led to them nuking the planet.

Arno Stark, the Iron Man of far off future year 2020. Arno is Aaron’s fixer upper. A real jerk who he’s hoping to make into a real hero.

Bloodstorm, Storm but a vampire.

Killraven, from the War of the Worlds universe.

A Deathlok, specifically Luthor Manning.

And Spider-Girl from Spider-Girl. Good ol’ Mayday Parker. Who Aaron brought into the group to play the teenage girl for Logan to mentor. It’s like catnip to Wolverine.

Aaron explains the secret history of the world and multiverse - the Celestials and Mephisto et al - to the group. Their mission is to go to alternate worlds and warn Reeds Richards about the Celestial embryo within Earth.

If they accomplish this, Aaron will use the Watcher’s equipment to give them each their heart’s desire.

What are those desires? That answer is dangled like a tantalizing mystery. Aaron doesn’t have time to have everyone sit around chatting! I mean, more so than they already have with the exposition dump to get them up to speed. But that’s taken up nearly half the issue.

So he summons the 2001 Monolith portals to take four duos to four different Marvel AUs.

Aaron himself and Hyperion head to Earth-8591, a universe where Kulan Gath’s transformation of Manhattan to resemble the Hyborian Age was never undone. That was… Uncanny X-Men 190 and 191. This is basically a What If of that story.

Kulan Gath won, transformed the entire world, and killed all the heroes.

Unfortunately, this includes Reed Richards, who Aaron and Hyperion discover has been hanged shortly before their arrival.

Leaving Aaron to wonder if this world can even be saved from the Celestials without Reed and with science in general treated as blasphemy.

But, also!

Earth-1124! The world of Sat-Yr-Nin!

There doesn’t seem to be an existing story for this universe but it’s one where Sat-Yr-Nin rules and has made into an aggressive, warlike society.

Hence why Deathlok and Killraven were chosen for this job.

Oh, Sat-Yr-Nin is the evil alternate universe counterpart of Saturnyne, who oversees the Captain Britain Corps and is also an alternate version of Captain Britain’s former love interest Courtney Ross?

Without the big two page spread exposition dumps, Heralds assumes the readership has a broad understanding of Multiverse Stuff.

Iron Man 2020 and Bloodstorm are sent to Earth-2010. Which is not a preexisting AU but being introduced here for the first time.

While the two wander around a seemingly abandoned New York, they chat. And Arno is a dick.

And Bloodstorm is too, maybe?

Without sass he asks what her motive is for joining Aaron’s Heralds project. She says it’s because Aaron promised her a cure for her vampiric hunger.

Then he asks if she wants to know why he joined and she says no.

That’s when Arno gets really dickish.

He speculates that the reason why they were grouped up is that she’d eat anyone else she was paired up with and he’s the only one with armor thick enough to safely work with her.

Bloodstorm shrugs this off and wonders then why she was chosen for this mission.

They get an answer soon as her vampiric nose senses something Arno’s sensors can’t.

Lots and lots of vampires.

So that’s the gimmick of Earth-2010. Oops, All Vampires!

Oh, hi, Vampire Reed. You’re who they’re here to talk to, actually.

Finally, DoFP Logan and Spider-Girl are sent to Earth-1123. We don’t get a lot of information about this particular reality yet but Reed Richards is President of the US.

Convenient, huh? A Reed that’s 1) easy to find, 2) in a position of power and authority to do something about the Celestial embryo!

Well… Logan doesn’t do appointments so he just beats up Secret Service guys until he can get to the Oval Office.

That’s a bad first impression to go into a meeting with the President.

There’s another problem.

This isn’t wise and stretchy Reed Richards but angry purple Brute Reed Richards.

This pending comic book fight could have been an appointment, Logan!

To be continued in the next issue.

Heralds is an interesting beast for an Earth X related book. It has a breezy, adventurous quality to it. Most Earth X stuff is big on long lore explanations and trying to fit canon together like puzzle pieces.

This prelude instead goes here’s a largely new cast and here are four mini adventures for them. It’s all connected back to the whole Earth X Celestial thing but that’s just the excuse to go on these adventures.

Given how Universe X seemed to be written on the fly, I wish we’d gotten more stuff like this. Lay off the arc welding and grand unified theories for a bit and just play around in the universe for a while. Explore the new characters and new status quo.

But I’m jumping the gun a little. This is just one part of three. But Heralds has a fun concept so far!

#paradise x #earth x #liveblog #paradise x heralds #Aaron Stack #machine man #Wolverine #spider girl #Hyperion #Deathlok #killraven #iron man 2020 #Bloodstorm #Storm #kulan gath #Mr Fantastic

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wri0thesley · 3 months ago

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i just want maybe happy ending to win big at the tony’s 🙏 that show had me bawling like a baby i love it so much

i was really surprised that helen j shen didn't get a best actress nom, honestly! i figured we might get a tie and a six nomination field! i'm a huge audra fan and think what that gypsy revival is doing is incredibly interesting (even if i'm not all that sold on some other elements), but i'm also a huge megan hilty fan and i think death becomes her is SO fun. obviously i'm in the uk so i havent seen any of the broadway shows and am going entirely from boots and promo stuff (the few uk-us transfers of this season either aren't my thing and have horrible access policies like operation mincemeat, are by directors i don't like like sunset or are old friends which i saw the gala concert of with judi dench and such so didn't think i needed to see the revue show!), but it feels so so exciting! also super excited for jasmine amy rogers who i think is SO SO cute

anyway! i've basically only heard good things about maybe happy ending and it's definitely got that reputation atm of being 'the little show that could' so i would be expecting wins for it! i wouldn't be surprised if it won best musical, although best actor is ALSO really stacked so i don't think darren criss is a shoo-in or anything (i'd love jonathan groff to win two in a row but i've also heard incredible things about jeremy jordan in floyd collins, and obviously tom francis has so much buzz around him and the whole sunset boulevard filmed and beamed into the theatre thing!). six nominations though, so the committee were tied!! it's exciting!!!

#nat.txt

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seraphilious · 8 months ago

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Philious's Hellscape

Planning to use this account to lore infodump and post art! Might reblog some funny stuff too but here we are yknow.

This is a breakdown of my lore worlds! (In order of development)

Of Gods and Monsters/Vantrial

-Vantrial is a world split between 5 realms, stacked upon one another. The highest two are the night sky, which is basically the body of a dormat god, and an endless ocean full of souls inhabited by the god of life & death. The third is the home of the rest of the deities. The other two are the most relevant, the Aether and the mortal plane. They were originally one plane, divided to seperate out Reapers and Humans. They violently smash back together after a human army called the Infusae destroy the soul of the god holding it apart! go them! Its wild, complex, and 3 years old so its got a lot going on.

-Gods and Monsters' focus is mostly on a species called Reapers (Giant? lizard dragons that can look like people?? In the right conditions?), originally created to purge the human race for their hubris!! After being separated out they've developed their own societies and cultures, Gods And Monsters focuses on one of these societies, the Dominion of the Crimson Moon, and it's horribly underqualified failure leader Itharin.

-I actually just lied to you because the actual main character of Gods and Monsters is Skalatin, a horrible pathetic little demi-god who originally hangs out with reapers and then gets blown up, loses her memory, and decides joining the Infusae army actually is a good idea!

Evernight Veil

The Veil keeps all magic hidden deep within the Evernight woods. Although the Veil itself only seems to circle a small area, when entered it is a vast kingdom, the landscape mostly being wild and untamed forests. It has long been guarded by The Veil Warden, but the inhabitants of the Veil have begun to turn against it, wondering if the Veil is a protection or a prison. Even the Sentinels, a group of bird-like creatures tasked with enforcing the Warden's law, has turned. All but one, atleast: Ars Seraphilious (haha name drop) remains. Its a horrible toxic relationship isnt that fun

All that Glitters (Isn't gold)

A bunch of weird fae compete for control of their realm! Good for them! Mostly focuses on Astera, a noble blooded and unusually goodhearted fae-And Verona, some moron who crawled out a prison pit and is not safe for anybody to be around! Verona has agreed to help get Astera on the throne, but it might be at the cost of the morals she sought to uphold within the court.

Sera is also there. They're some guy who wants to revive their dead girlfriend. She is failing. And dying. Good for them.

Anyways. My tags are mostly for my own organization yeah have fun bye

#Vantrial #Vantrial:OGNM #EvernightVeil #AllThatGlitters(Isn'tGold)#LuxorsLore

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nickgerlich · 2 years ago

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At The Movies

If you live long enough, you get to witness many tech revolutions. It’s also how your house becomes littered with obsolete junk. I guess that’s the price of Progress.

All of my students today have been witness to the arrival of streaming music and video. These advances are truly revolutionary, in that we no longer need tangible products to listen or watch, other than some kind of device to capture wifi. Ownership is out, rentership is in.

And we are now witnessing the slow, painful death of legacy media like CDs and DVDs. Who among us still has stacks of these laying around though? I bet you also have a CD and DVD player somewhere, although it may not be attached to speakers, amplifier, or a TV.

Best Buy is the latest to tap nails in the coffin of the DVD. They plan to phase out all discs by early 2024, but promise to continue stocking them through the holidays if you just have to have a few more.I remember when the DVD debuted in the US in March 1997. They were available in Japan in November 1996, and I had seen them in Taiwan at Christmas 1995. They were a revolution, and quickly replaced VHS, which had been the mainstay for roughly two decades.

The DVD was the logical extension of the CD, which arrived in 1982. While CDs quickly replaced vinyl records and cassette tapes, they are well on their way to an unceremonious death. To put things into perspective for both tangible music and video, only 33.4 million CDs were sold in 2022, while at the same time, 41 million vinyl records were sold. Score one point for nostalgia! CDs peaked in 2000, and sales have dropped 95% since then. DVDs are in a nosedive these days as well, peaking at 6.1 billion in 2011. Wired Magazine predicted sales of only 300 million units in 2022.

I confess to having stacks of both, but I couldn’t tell you the last time I listened to a CD or watched a DVD movie. My legacy DVD player sits forlornly on the TV stand, in dire need of an HDMI cable. I don’t see myself connecting it any time soon.

Best Buy is wise to clear out remaining stock, because it will allow for better use of its selling space. In fact, one of the KPIs that retailers use is sales per square foot. If you’re using space to display products that are barely selling, you’re not doing your best. Sure, one might argue that someone needs to take care of the dwindling niche market that still wants DVD quality in their home theatre, but I suspect that business will be left to an online firm like Amazon who can service those customers from one central inventory.

And that’s for as long as it is viable for them to do so, depending on both customer demand as well as movie studios continuing to produce discs.

Revolutions like this take no prisoners; they take victims. Sometimes it takes a while for the revolution to take hold, but it does so eventually. Sure, there will always be a few who choose not to adopt the new way, but they do so at their own peril. Unless there is a revival—think vinyl records—the old way will be buried. How long it will be remembered is debatable.

Lastly, consider this. Inventory is a two-edged sword. You can’t make money without inventory, but too much of it can become the bane of your existence. And when you remember that the task of the retailer is to have the right stuff at the right price, in the right place and at the right time, you see what a balancing act inventory management is.

Kudos to Best Buy for a wise decision, even if it will pain some customers in the process. We barely had DVDs for a quarter century, and already they are on death’s door. That’s the nature of tech revolutions.I just have to wonder what will replace streaming, because right now, it seems unfathomable. I bet there are some futurists already scheming its replacement, though. And I hope I’m around long enough for one more revolution.

Dr “Keep The Wheels Turning” Gerlich

Audio Blog

#marketing #DVD #Best Buy #movies

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angelatmidnight1 · 3 years ago

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Heya! So as an apex player that is also a part of the tk community I’ve had a blast seeing and reading your stuff! It’s so fluffy and perfect ;-; 💞 just wanted to drop a request if that’s possible, feel free to ignore it!

But out of all your stuff, Lee Bloodhound was just what never knew I needed… and with some voice lines between them and fuse I just.. imagine how fluffy.. ;-; ok bye✨

A/N: There was no way I could hear these new voicelines from Season 14 and not write something for it. I kinda also used inspiration from this Apex Legends comic. It's been a while since I've written for Bloodhound, but I really hope you like it!!

Tongue Tied

Bloodhound’s been trying to show more affection towards Fuse, and Fuse is only too happy to return the favor. He gets a kick out of flustering the hunter and tends to leave them speechless. Things heat up after their match, and Fuse tickling them silly doesn’t help cool things down.

Bloodhound loomed over the last downed member of the enemy squad; they knew, since the death boxes did not immediately appear, that someone had a golden knockdown shield. And, seeing how Pathfinder was moving behind a large storage box, they had a good inkling that he had it. They stopped him and brandished their ax, aiming and throwing it to hit right between the optic. Path went down with a crash; and, finally, both his and Mirage’s death boxes appeared at their feet. But, before they could claim the spoils, they had to pick their own teammate up.

Mirage had gotten the jump on Fuse, ambushing him using his ultimate, and Pathfinder had the perfect perch to rain down shots. He would’ve been a goner if not for Hound coming in at just the right time and mowing them down. The hunter knelt down to revive him.

“Back on your feet, my mate.” Hound said. They grabbed his arm and gave it a strong pull to help him up. Fuse, cracking his bones, exhaled a sigh of relief. Then, while he healed, he eyed the hunter with a grin.

“Oho, mate, eh?”

Hound looked up from a box, their eyes widening with realization. “Oh, nei!” They responded, their cheeks flushing with embarrassment. They looked back down and continued rooting through the box. “Forgive me, I am veikr with your tongue--er, language!”

Walter chuckled and moseyed his way over to them. He knelt down at the same box and playfully bumped their shoulder with his own. “Ain’t nothin’ to forgive, Houndy. I wasn’t complainin’.” He hummed. Hound wouldn’t look at him, so he gently bumped shoulders again. The hunter jumped and finally glanced up to meet his eye. Walter’s grin widened. “It sounds nice, comin’ from you. Even if that’s not exactly how we say it…mate.”

Bloodhound sighed. “I will learn how you speak with time, Walter.” They murmured, pocketing a few more stacks of ammo before standing. “This, I promise you.”

Fuse followed suit. “Don’t worry about it. We’ve got all the time in the world, ay?” He responded, winking. Hound nodded, a small smile tugging at their lips. But just when they thought they were in the clear, Walter continued. “Now, if it’s my tongue you’re lookin’ to learn, well…I’m down for that whenever you’d like.”

Hound blinked, their blush returning in full force. They whirled around to address them, their mouth open…but they couldn’t come up with anything to say. Finally, they stammered, “T-This is not the time for jokes. Let us return to the hunt.”

Fuse smirked and followed after them. They made their way onto a high hill that overlooked the arena. Bloodhound knelt down and brought the scope of their Sentinel up to their eye. Then, while they surveyed the area, Walter leaned down and got close enough to whisper, “I wasn’t jokin’.”

The hunter yelped and accidentally fired their gun. The sound rang out over the arena and, most likely, alerted any nearby squads to their position. Slowly, Hound lowered their weapon and leered at him. The Salvonian defensively raised his hands.

“Just thought you’d wanna know.” He teased. Just then, a smoke bomb came launching at them from afar, exploding at their feet. Hound flinched and pulled the man down to their level before they used their tactical. Bangalore was pushing up on their location with Newcastle bringing up the rear. The hunter looked at their teammate and huffed.

“The andskoti are aware of our position. I’d like to focus our attention on the hunt now, Walter.” They insisted, swapping their sniper out for their assault rifle. Walter got back up and readied their Mother Lode.

“Alright, I’ll behave. Let’s win this bloody game, ay?”

Walter made good on his promise up until it was his turn to pick them up. Despite their best efforts, Hound’s mind kept wandering, and they weren’t as focused as they claimed to be. And Walter didn’t make it any easier when he said, “You ain’t dyin’ until you take me out, Houndy. Hunting, I mean.”

Bloodhound exhaled as they were pulled back onto their feet. They shook their head, a smile tugging at the corner of their lips. “Have you forgotten your promise?”

Fuse snickered, saying, “I guess I can’t help myself.”

Later, when the match was over, Bloodhound decided to bring Walter two cases of his favorite beer. They figured it would be as good a gift as any, especially since they owed him at least two rounds from previous matches. They descended the drop ship and followed the scent of cooked meat to find him. When they did, they called, “Walter Fitzroy.”

Fuse looked up from what he was doing. He smiled. “Hey, Houndy.” he greeted. “Whatcha up to?”

For a moment, Bloodhound faltered, and the beer suddenly felt heavy. What if they brought the wrong kind? What if Walter didn’t like it? They took a breath and pressed forward, putting both cases on an adjacent table. “I brought a gipt for you.” They answered, turning both cases around so he could see them. “As a token of my gratitude for preventing my defeat in battle.”

Fuse beamed and, turning off the heat on the grill, strode over to them. “Well, cheers very much! You didn’t have to do that for me.” He answered, hooking his flesh arm around their shoulders. He squeezed. “Seriously, thank you.”

Bloodhound chuckled warmly and said, “It is no trouble.”

Fuse moved his arm and reached around them for a bottle, pushing it into their hands. “Come on,” he started, fishing in his pocket for an opener. “Let’s crack ‘er open, ay?”

There was only one person that Hound felt comfortable removing their mask around, and that person was Walter. They sat around the campfire Walter made and removed their respirator. Walter plopped down across from them, popping the cap off of his beer.

“So,” he drawled, his grin illuminated by the glow of the fire. “Whaddya wanna toast to this time? Our win? Maybe health and good fortune? Or…”

Bloodhound tsked, smirking. They knew where this was going, and they weren’t going to follow him. “As I have already told you…” They answered, watching the man’s grin widen. “I did not give a toast to butt smacks.”

Walter threw his head back with a laugh. “That’s exactly what you did!” he insisted, slapping his knee. “I know what I heard. Those words literally came outta your mouth.”

“You misheard me!” Hound protested, snickering. Fuse smirked and, leaning forward, he clinked his bottle against theirs. Then, both Legends took a sip of their drink.

“Look, all I’m sayin’ is that if ya ever wanted to smack my arse, you could go right ahead. I wouldn’t mind.” Fuse said. “Hell, I reckon I’d like it.”

Hound choked on their drink. “Walter--” They coughed, putting their bottle down. Fuse chuckled.

“I’m not sayin’ you have to, just that the offer’s on the table.” He responded, winking. Bloodhound cleared their throat and slowly nodded.

“...I understand.” They replied. They picked their bottle back up and took another sip. Walter did the same. His eyes flicked over to the hunter every now and then, noticing that their face was getting red. He grinned.

“You’re thinkin’ about it, aren’t you?”

Hound’s blush darkened and they frantically shook their head. “Nei! I am thinking of no such thing.” They blurted out, slightly turning away from the Salvonian. “I simply underestimated the strength of the flames..”

“Then why’d you turn away from me?” Fuse pressed on, getting up to sit beside them. Hound dismissively waved their hand, mumbling something, and still refused to turn back around. Walter gently poked their back. “Houndy~”

Hound fidgeted, but otherwise didn’t respond. Walter poked them again, this time aiming for the back of their ribs, and he heard them gasp. He kept on doing it, keeping up with their squirming, until the hunter finally reached an arm around. They batted at his hand.

“Enohough..” They tittered. Fuse grinned and slowly moved closer to them.

“Hard to hear ya when you’re givin’ me the shoulder. What’d you say?”

Hound felt Walter’s presence getting closer. They turned around right as he jabbed at their hip, making them yelp loudly. They threw their hand over their mouth, praying to the Gods that no one heard them.

Then, still snickering, Hound whispered, “Plehease dohohon’t do that…”

“What? I still can’t hear you. Move your bloody hand outta the way!” Fuse laughed. He kept on advancing towards them, boxing them in between himself and the corner. He reached for the hunter’s wrist, but they pulled it back. Now, just within an arm’s length of them, Fuse warned, “I ain’t gonna ask again, Houndy.”

Bloodhound raised their free arm, preparing to defend themselves. The playful glint in the Salvonian’s eye was undeniable. And, they realized that they didn’t have any escape routes where they didn’t have to go through him. The hunter slowly extended their arm out, gently pushing him. “Walter, please. Give mehehehe a mohohohment—”

Instead of going for their hips again, Walter returned to their ribs, attacking them with light pokes. Hound flinched and moved their hand from their face, squirming more vigorously.

“Noohohohoho!” Hound whined, belting out a laugh whenever Fuse got a sensitive rib. They grabbed onto his hands to keep them at bay, but Walter kept getting one hand free and resuming his attack. So, Hound pivoted their body to the side, using their free arm to block some more. “Stohohohp it, Wahahahlter!”

Instead of complying, Walter wrenched both hands out of their grip, pushing them under their arms. He prodded at their armpits, earning a yelp of laughter. His hands ended up trapped under their arms, but it didn’t stop him from tickling. Hound yelled and laughed harder, making the Salvonian grin.

“Ah, there ya are! Thought I lost ya for a second.” Walter chuckled. It wasn’t easy to bring the hunter down; they were strong, and he had to really worm his fingers along their armpits before they finally fell. Then, he kneeled over them, working to get ‘em pinned down. He scooped their wrists up into his metal hand and pulled them above their head. Now that there wasn’t anything hiding their face, he could easily see their flushed cheeks and wide grin. “What’cha blushin’ for, mate? Was it somethin’ I said?”

Hound’s eyes widened and they struggled harder to free up their hands. They turned their head away from Walter’s teasing grin. “I already tohohold yohuhu…” They panted, tugging against his grip. “I became overheated…”

“Heh, that’s a hell of an understatement.” Walter, keeping their wrists in his metal hand, resumed his tickle attack on their armpits. This time, he took his thumb and dug it into their hollows, earning more laughter. “And you’re sure it has nothin’ to do with what I said? Nothin’ at all?”

“I ahahahm cehehehertain!” They repeated. They arched their back and laughed louder when Walter scratched his thumb around in circular motions. “AHaha! PLehehehehease dohohohohn’t!”

Walter snickered; getting Hound to laugh was a treat on its own, but being able to see their smile was the icing on the cake. “Fair enough,” he shrugged, dropping his hand onto their rib cage. This time, he scratched between the bones giving extra attention to the spots that made them yell. “I still ain’t lettin’ you go, though.”

“Whyhyhy?!” Bloodhound yelled. They drummed their legs against the ground when Walter switched from scratching to kneading in between their ribs.

“Because! I didn’t know you smiled like this when I make you laugh,” Fuse responded, suddenly gripping their hip bone and squeezing. Hound, bucking their hips, screamed and cackled. Walter did it again, having to sit down on their legs to keep from falling off. “Haha! I wouldn’t miss this for the world, mate.”

“NOHOHOHOHO! STAHAHAHAP!” Hound yelled, writhing under his weight. They bucked again when he drilled his thumb into their hip. “REHEHELEASE MEHEHEHEHE!”

“Fine, but only cause I like you, ay?” Walter grinned. He let go of their wrists, as promised, but went right back to attacking their hips. This time, he grabbed onto each hip and dug all ten of his fingers into the bones. Hound thrashed against the ground, trying to get him off of the awfully ticklish spot. Their hands shot forward and gripped onto his wrists, pulling frantically, but he wouldn’t budge.

“THIHIHS IS NOHOHT WHAHAHAT I MEHEHEANT!” They laughed, squeezing his wrists. Fuse laughed along with them and pinched just above the hip bones. Hound yelped and threw their head back, laughing harder. “WAHAHAHALTER!”

“What? I let you go, didn’t I?” Walter playfully tutted, continuing to tickle the spot just a hair above the hip bones. Hound bucked again, dipping into hysterics, and made it that much harder for Fuse to keep tickling. “Now what’re you whinging about?”

Hound was laughing too hard to answer him. So, after re-pinning their arms above their head, Fuse poked at random spots along their armpits. The hunter panted, their hysterical laughter dying down to heavy giggles.

“Plehehehease stohohop tickling meehehehe…” They gasped, flinching when he flicked his nail at the center of the armpit. Fuse scoffed.

“Nope, what’d I say? I’m lovin’ this smile you’ve got.” He said, poking their cheek to make a point. When he smiled again, it was a kinder, gentler smile, unlike the previous teasing ones. “It suits ya.”

Once their breathing regulated, Hound nodded politely, slightly bowing their head. Although they were comfortable in removing the mask around him, the compliments were new, and it gave them butterflies. “Thank you, I appreciate you saying so.” They replied, smiling. They moved to pull their hands down, believing he was done tormenting them…but Walter hadn’t loosened his grip. Fuse smirked at them and squeezed their wrists. That was all the motivation Hound needed to renew their squirming. “B-But surely there are other methods…!”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it.” Fuse agreed, poking a finger back into their ribs. Hound recoiled to the side and yelped. “But they wouldn’t be as fun as this.”

“No! Wahahahahahait!” Hound pleaded, jumping again when he poked the opposite side of their ribs. They tried to reel in their giggles and focus on escaping…but Walter wasn’t making it easy for them. They shook their head, twisting from one side to the other, while his hand danced across their rib cage. “Yohuhuhu dohohohn’t hahahave tohohoho dohoho this!”

“Like I said, it’s too damn fun.” The Salvonian repeated, raking his nails along a particularly sensitive rib in the middle. He wasn’t tickling very hard but, from the way Hound was giggling, it was hard to tell. He chuckled. “I’m barely touchin’ ya! You’re just a cute lil’ bundle of nerves, aren't cha?”

And just like that, Hound blushed again. They opened their mouth to answer, but ended up arching their back again when Fuse poked a finger into their hip.

“NOHOHOhohoho I am nahahahat!” They argued, yelping out a laugh when Fuse poked into their other hip.

“Liar,” Walter shot back, smirking. Although it was easier to tickle them when pinned, it kept him from getting to both of their hips at the same time. So, he let their hands go again and went for the spots, latching on despite Hound grabbing his wrists. He squeezed again, again, and one more time for fun, leaving the hunter in stitches.

“WAHAHAHALTER PLEHEHEHEHEASE!” Hound yelled. They bucked their hips repeatedly and pulled at his wrists with all their strength, but it didn’t deter him. Their laughter echoed into the night as they kicked and bucked. Just before their laughter could go totally silent, Hound noticed that the flames of the campfire were dimming, and it was their only usable life line. “STAHAHAHA! THEHE--THEHEHE FLAHAHAMES!”

Fuse halted their tickle attack, arching a brow at them. “What?”

Bloodhound breathed heavily, blinking the tears out of their eyes. “Yohuhuhu need…tohoho relight thehehe fire…”

Fuse glanced over at the campfire. “Oh, right. Don’t go anywhere, ay?” He responded, giving their hips one more squeeze before he let them go. The fire had gone down a lot, and it’d take some work before he could get it bright again. Bloodhound rolled onto their side, still trying to catch their breath. By the time they did, Walter was still working on the fire, and they’d gotten up to finish their drink. Fuse heard the shuffling behind him and glanced over his shoulder.

“Houndy, where’re you off to?” He called, having to squint in the darkness. Bloodhound, however, was accustomed to the dark, and could see the Salvonian just fine. They opened their mouth, but then closed it, toying with the idea of revenge. They remained silent and began approaching him from behind. They were quick to grab their respirator and attach it back to their mask. Their steps were slow and deliberate, as if they were stalking prey, and they made little to no noise. Walter whirled around to where he thought he heard them, but he still didn’t see anything. “Alright, very funny, mate. I can’t see a damn thing! Can’t ya just tell me where you are?”

Hound smiled and refused to say anything…until they were close enough to attack. “I am right here, Walter.” They whispered, suddenly seizing his side and squeezing. Fuse yelled in surprise, turning sharply, and falling flat on his butt. He didn’t land anywhere near the fire, but his scream kind of made him wish he did. Bloodhound snorted.

“I apologize. I thought you heard me approach.” They said, snickering. Fuse narrowed his eye.

“Oh no, you’re not laughin’ at my expense! Come here,” He shouted, grabbing their leg to pull them down. Bloodhound went down, again, but not without a fight. For a while, both of the Legends’ laughter filled the night sky. But ultimately, because Hound didn’t get Walter’s metal arm off in time, the Salvonian won the tickle fight and re-pinned them down. He squeezed and tickled all along their waist and hips, making them howl with laughter.

“STOPSTOPSTOP!” Hound cackled, but Fuse refused to let up. If they wanted to laugh, he’d make them laugh.

#bloodhound apex legends #bloodhound #bloth hundr #bloth hoondr #apex legends #fuse apex legends #fuse #walter fitzroy #ticklish!bloodhound #lee!bloodhound #ler!fuse #ler!walterfitzroy #fusehound #bloodhound x fuse #fuse x bloodhound

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calmthefuckdownalright · 2 years ago

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dont know if you take asks but im on the run from the IRS and I need to crank this one out real quick /jjj

Revivedbur ask.

Reader is a baker, owns a small, usually empty dusty bakery that they run by themselves.

Reader is a short little gremlin that says the most out-of-context things.

Reader is a shut-in and knows nothing about the happenings of the SMP (only hears rumors)

Revivebur/Wilbur enters her bakery one day out of boredom or something, shenanigans ensue. He orders some stuff and while he does so he mentions he was revived. The reader decides to give him a celebratory cake as a welcome-back gift. Obviously they don't have revival cakes so they take a tart with the words "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" written on them in red icing and just smears away the "BIRTHDAY"

So now they give Wilbur a cake with the word "H A P P Y" and a giant red smear under it in red icing. a dessert that looks like a crime scene, but A+ for effort

Wilbur's reaction please <#

I'd write better but the IRS don't f*ck around /j so neither can I

Since this is so severe-

<><><><><><><>

"What is this supposed to be?" Wilbur snickers and despite the rather rude remarks he seemed amused by your improvisation.

"It's a congrats for surviving death I guess." You rubbed the back of your head and avoided the red eyes.

"Pardon?" Wilbur laughed and your face heated in embarrassment.

"Did you know it takes up to three weeks to several years for a human body to decompose?" You spat out the fact out of instinct. It was natural for you to cover up embrassment with such useless knowledge.

"Why the fuck do you know that?" Wilbur cackled and you looked blankly at him.

"You didn't? Very well considered you died I'm surprised you're not more decomposed." You stated and crossed your arms.

"You're a dark little baker aren't you?" Wilbur smirked.

"There's a type of spider called the Peruvian Triangle Weaver that turns its web into a slingshot." You twisted a towel in your hands. You kind of wanted the man to leave. He was eerie.

"Well that settles it." Wilbur stood straight and took a bite out of the cherry tart you had given him as a congratulations.

"Settles what?" You tilted your head.

"I'll be back tomorrow, I want a stack of bread." He winked at you around the bite of pastry and walked out with a satisfied hum.

"And another dozen of these!" He called out and left the bakery.

"Wait!" You yelled out but he was already gone. You looked at the finished cake sitting on your counter and sighed. "You forgot your cake.."

Shaking your head, you store it in a refrigerated barrel you kept handy and talked to yourself the remainder of the evening with no customers as usual popping in.

><><><><><><><>

Godspeed from the IRS my friend, and may the odds be forever in your favor 😅

Btw, everyone else who has requested I am writing just slow and this was something short and sweet I could do quickly.

#Revivebur #dream smp #wilbur soot #revived wilbur #dsmp

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cdroloisms · 4 years ago

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Do you think c! Quackity are skilled on the mastering of "necessary convincing" on a person? And man the stream yesterday was so intense dark theme.

hello !

this is testament of how behind i am in asks, haha, considering this was sent basically at the beginning of q’s visits and it’s been ,, uh ,, several months since then ASJKFLJAS - but im going to try to answer it now while pretending that we dont have months proving that c!quackity is very willing to do whatever the hell it takes to get the revive book from someone.

i think that the ,, technicalities? of the torture were never an issue - everyone in the dream smp universe has to know how to use a weapon in its most basic form, after all, just to defend themselves from mobs and stuff, tho some people are clearly more adept at using them than others. torture is ultimately just hurting someone until they do what you want them to do (way oversimplified, but this definition works here) - physically, if you’re able to kill a zombie, there’s functionally little different with inflicting harm on a defenseless unarmed human with no means of defending themselves.

the real challenge, as with most things in the minecraft roleplay, comes from the mental side - how far is c!quackity really willing to go? obviously he *can* hurt someone, but doing so also tends to go against a lot of our most basic instincts as humans. defying that becomes the real question to consider - and c!quackity, in his increased willingness to hurt not only c!dream, but everyone as he’s manipulated people more and used people more for his own gain in the last few months, seems to providing as much of an answer as we’re going to get.

this obviously isnt to say that he isn’t conflicted, or that he’s pure evil !! but c!quackity, by his own admission, seems to hold little trust for other people and ideals anymore. his main goal is Las Nevadas and whatever he needs to make it great - anything and everything else is either a means to his end or an obstacle in his way. i dont doubt that there are chinks to this mindset to exploit, things that he cares about enough to take his single-minded focus off of Las Nevadas. as of now, though, i don’t think that torturing c!dream and the violence it’ll require of him will be that breaking point.

anyway, have a really dark snippet exploring c!quackity some more !! he’s really fun to write, though i don’t think i’ve really mastered his voice yet - practice makes perfect, i guess. heed the warnings and hope you enjoy!

tw: torture, abuse, blood, injuries, branding, violence, death mention, abuse apologism, mental deterioration, dark content, dark imagery, very dark portrayal of c!quackity, pandora’s vault/prison arc

There’s a certain learning curve that comes with torturing someone.

It sounds obvious, thinking back, as much as it sounds morbid as all hell, but it’s not like he’s in any position to judge. Quackity swipes another stack of iron from a chest, momentarily grumbling about the cost, before melting down three ingots for the blade of his next axe. He could just do it in a crafting table, but there’s a degree of calm in the monotony of doing it all by hand, slowly watching as the iron begins to glow red hot in the heat of the furnace and then hammering it into shape on his anvil. He hadn’t been good at it before, had let Sapnap do the majority of the smithing for the three of them in the past, but. Well.

When you’re eating through several sets of iron tools a week, either from bending them out of shape against unforgiving obsidian or melting the blades past saving in lava or burning them all entirely, when he’s too tired to be bothered cleaning off the blood and simply chucks the used tools after a session into the molten rock outside the cell, you kind of have to figure out how to make your own shit so others don’t get suspicious.

He beats the metal into a block, humming softly over the clangs of his hammer. There’s definitely a learning curve to crafting weapons, too - he’s pretty proud of the ones that he can make, now, even though he’s still no good at any of the fancier furnishings and finishes (nor does he particularly care about them). Figuring out how to torture someone effectively was a similarly slow process - finding their limits and how far to push before something, inevitably, gives. He hadn’t exactly handled it the best in the first few visits, usually retching into the nearest wastebasket at the smell, at the feeling of blood coating his fingertips, at the screams ringing incessantly in his head. It wasn’t all that long before he forwent sleep altogether, devoting all of his time on paperwork and calls and anything that would deafen the cries that would’ve haunted him otherwise. He was no good with his tools, either - more than a few times, in those early visits, did he end up slicing too deep or going too far and needing to cut the session short for Sam to come in and administer health pots before Dream died and rendered all of their efforts useless.

(Sapnap had been the one to first teach him how to wield an axe, correcting his stance and his grip with gentle, calloused hands. He remembers them training on the newly laid dirt surface of Mexican L’manburg, sweat dripping down his neck from the sun beating against their heavy armor, Sap laughing at his unbalanced, heavy-armed swings and demonstrating with his own weapon, movements fluid and graceful as if it was an extension of his own arm. In the cell, he thinks of Sapnap’s voice, firm in his focus - feet at least shoulder width apart, hands braced on the axe handle, left sitting just above the end and the right just a few inches below the head - and swings.)

It had been...a process. A bloody, often painful process - his hands are calloused, now, in ways they never were before, from the constant handling of his many tools. His back aches constantly from bending over, and his shirt - more often splattered with blood than not - now bears some permanent pink stains that he can’t get out no matter how hard he tries. (The laundry, he thinks wryly, had been a hell of a learning process as well.) He picks up the metal with a pair of tongs, easing it back under the fire’s heat until it glows a soft pink, and then places it back onto the anvil to work - slowly beating the metal into shape.

He’s had to learn a lot. The lessons are fascinating, in a gruesome, morbid sort of way. He’d brought a brand the other day, painstakingly carved into a fancy, curlicued Q all on his own, used in his work at Las Nevadas originally to finish furnishing a few pieces of leather furniture he had scattered around the city. As Dream struggled under him, skin blackening under the white-hot metal, he’d immersed himself in the sight, far more similar to his past leatherwork than he might’ve originally expected. He almost wanted to do it again, just to compare, but the stress of it all had been enough to knock the prisoner into shock, which had put a significant damper on the rest of his visit. He watches the iron glow contemplatively from his anvil, not nearly as hot as he works at it.

Another dip in the furnace later, it’s heated just enough to work out the finishings, and he carefully knocks the ends into a blade. Picking it up with a pair of tongs, he holds it up to a nearby piece of glowstone, grinning at the finished axe head. There’s still quite a bit to do, technically - he still needs to sharpen it along with the other ones he’s finished, as well as fasten them to their handles, but even so - it looks good. He examines it, back and front, against the light. It’s probably his best one yet.

Quackity smiles to himself as he puts it down with the rest, pulling out his calendar from behind him and carefully marking another red X over the date. Learning to torture someone takes a hell of a lot of time, but. Well.

He has all the time in the world.

#tw torture #tw abuse #tw blood #tw death #tw injury #tw violence #tw branding #tw abuse apologism #tw mental deterioration #tw dark content #tw dark imagery #c!quackity critical #not really but i digress #prison arc #pandora's vault #-> my writing #my writing :D #my asks !!#-> my asks

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yoongi-sugaglider · 4 years ago

Text

Jungkook x reader

fairy/soulmate au

Warnings: fluff, mentions of war, mentions of bodily injury, ummm...fluff? lol

Word count: Exactly 10k on the dot!!!

A/n note: So this was supposed to be my secret santa/ winter project for December 2020 but some life stuff came up aka my dad had some very severe health issues that kinda broke my brain for a while. He’s doing better now though and I finally was able to just sit and give this story the love it deserved. To @birbdae I am so sorry this is late but thank you so much for being patient with me~ Happy belated birthday and I love you bunches~

“Mother, tell me the story again?” The young girl whispered as she clung to the Queen’s multitude of skirts.

“Hush now my love.” The elegant lady gathered her child into her arms, eyes struggling to see her tiny face in the dusky twilight that surrounded them.

“Please Mother, I’m scared…”

The woman sighed, allowing her silvery hair to fall into her eyes as she pressed her forehead to her child’s and allowed the icy chill that surrounded them to comfort her into speaking.

“Once upon a time, there lived a young maiden so fair that kingdoms bowed down at the very mention of her name.”

“Queen Merialiies, the most powerful of the frost fae.” The little princess sighed, settling into her mother’s arms and allowing the familiar words to comfort her.

“Aye, that she was. And the kindest. A great war ravaged her country. So devastating was it that half the world lost their lives and the balance of life and death were in chaos.”

The Queen clutched her child closer, shivering as her eyes trained intensely on the entrance of the isolated cavern. “When the war was over the maiden emerged from hiding, seeking out her people and gathering them from their hiding places. She knew that if they were to revive the world they would have to come together, for their strength lay in their bond with each other.”

“Because our joined power is always greater than if we are alone.”

The Queen chuckled, nuzzling into her daughter’s hair and placing the most gentle of kisses to her forehead. “Am I telling this story or you my love?”

The child smiled up at her, giggling as she patted her mother’s cheek. “I’m sorry Mother, please, would you keep going?”

“Alright, where was I?”

“You were about to come to the best part!”

Smiling the Queen nodded, though her grip on her child tightened. “The maiden persevered, gaining strength from her people as they guided the world towards rebirth. But something was wrong. The poor dear, though surrounded by those that loved and adored her felt alone. Something was missing in her life. A love that she could have all to herself. She began searching, hoping to find one who could see through her strength to the innocent and lonely woman within.”

“And she did Mother! She found her own truest love.”

“Shh, quietly my lovely.” Her panicked gaze wandered the dark, listening intently to the wayward sounds that filtered in through the stone and ice.

“You’re right. She found her love. A twin flame to melt away the loneliness in her heart. The one who carried not only a burning love for her, but also the twin pair to her wings.”

The youngling sighed, burying her face in her mother’s chest as her tiny fingers wrapped in the delicate silk of her bodice. “Twin souls. They were happy right? Finding each other?”

“Of course my love. Finding your twin soul is a cause for celebration. And they did. They celebrated for weeks after. Two kingdoms joined together to celebrate the greatest love story in the history of the fae. There was no war, only peace and prosperity.”

The sounds from outside gained in volume. Explosions and cries for help echoed through the cavern as the two held each other close.

“Mother…”

“I know baby. I’m here. It will be okay…”

***

“My Lady where are you?”

The young woman flinched, tucking herself farther into the frost covered tree as she watched her jailer...lady in waiting, search for her in the gardens down below.

She’d been avoiding the poor harried woman for hours, hoping to not be dragged back to the small cabin they called home and be forced to sit down and study her histories again. The tutor they’d found liked to drone on and on, more busy with facts and numbers than the great stories of heroes and villains that the young woman preferred to daydream about. He’d taken on the job willingly, a poor clumsy scholar that tended more towards the clumsy side despite the brilliance of his mind.

“My lady! Sir Namjoon awaits you! Please stop hiding and come so that he can teach you like we hired him to!”

The woman snorted, knowing she’d be able to hide as long as she needed if it meant she didn’t have to hover protectively over her inkwell while the man droned on. Luck was not on her side this day though. Where normally her fingers would have done their work, gripping tightly to the course bark that wrapped her beloved tree in silvery protection, today they faltered in the cold.

She barely had a moment to react, a silent oh! of surprise slipping from her lips as she took her tumble. The ground rushed up to meet her, its snow covered embrace announcing her hiding spot with a resounding crash.

A gasp echoed through the clearing, swallowed by the sound of rushed footsteps crunching their way through the freshly lain snow. The fallen woman groaned, eyes filled with the sight of the uncaring forest staring down at her as she lay resigned to her fate.

“My Lady you mustn't lay on your back like…” The maid stuttered to a halt, delicate fingers coming up to cover her lips as her eyes filled with misty tears. “Oh...oh your ladyship I...I’m so s…”

“Hush now Solaris. It’s been 14 years.” The woman sat up abruptly, dusting the snow from her dress and rising to brush it off of her back. “I’ve had enough of these woods. Come now, Sir Clumsy britches is waiting for me.”

Solaris couldn’t help the tittering giggle that slipped from her lips. She bowed her head, giving the young woman a small curtsy as they began making their way back towards the village.

“Might I ask why you’re always climbing that tree my lady?” She couldn’t help her curiosity. It seemed her charge was always running off, attempting to find some adventure or another in any attempt to escape her duties.

“Honestly? I’m not sure. I just…” The young woman sighed, fingers brushing at her skirts as she ducked beneath a wayward tree branch and stepped out into the clearing that housed their small cottage. “I’ve always felt like I was searching for something. Even as a child. I suppose I thought if I could see more of the land, see more of the world from up high I’d be able to figure out what that something is.”

“And have you found it my lady?”

The melancholic woman shook her head, pausing at the door to the cottage and glancing once around the clearing. It was a modest little place they called home, situated just inside the wall of trees that surrounded the capital city of their kingdom. They managed to live quietly here, benefiting from the security of the centuries old trees and forest while still being close enough to the large city to fulfill all of their living needs. It was home, though not the one she’d grown up in. That was a fairytale now only to think about in the quiet nights when she tossed and turned with nightmares of the past.

“No...I haven’t found my twin flame. Not...not yet anyway.”

***

“Your Highness! There’s news from the capital!” A hurried Solaris burst through the front door, eyes wide and panicked as she struggled to catch her breath from the obvious nonstop run from the market to their home.

“Goodness Solaris. Take a moment, calm yourself.” The young woman rose from her chair, absolutely grateful for the interruption from Sir Namjoon’s usual rantings as she guided her breathless maid to the chair she’d been occupying.

“Sir Namjoon, would you kindly draw Lady Solaris a cup of water? I’m sure she’d be grateful.”

The usually calm man grew flustered at the request, rushing towards the tiny kitchen area and rifling through the items for the requested object. Surprisingly nothing fell or broke though as the man returned with a tall cup of cold water and handed it to the maid with trembling hands and the tiniest of a dimple filled smile.

“Y...your...your water my Lady.” He muttered, scurrying back to his large stack of books as if terrified to have Solaris’s attention on him for too long.

After allowing the woman to take a few sips to calm herself her mistress took the cup, placing it off to the side and handing over a handkerchief to allow the woman to wipe at her sweat covered brow.

“Now, what’s got you so flustered that you had to burst in here in the most unladylike of manners?” She smiled in amusement as the woman inhaled sharply, almost as if preparing for the most magnanimous of speeches.

“Your highness! The king! He’s come to the capital and he’s calling all the maidens of the kingdom to attend him! It’s required that all, no matter their status, must see him at once!”

“That conquering tyrant.” Where normally she would be calm the woman suddenly burned bright red with a strange fury. “First he takes our country and now he wants all of the maidens to attend to him?” She turned from her hand maid, fury twisting her features as she stomped over to the window to glare out at the surrounding forest.

“No my Lady, you’re mistaken.” Solaris stuttered, sitting up in her chair as she finally allowed her thoughts to settle. “It’s for the First Prince. They’re wanting a marriage of good faith to allow the two kingdoms to integrate peacefully.”

“P..peacefully??” She sputtered as she turned from the window. Throwing her hands in the air she couldn’t help but to rant. “Those hot heads should have thought of that BEFORE they burned our crops and raided our villages! We’d have easily come to a compromise of some sort had they come bearing that same mentality before taking up arms against us!”

“Madame, they…”

“Yes yes I know.” She waved off Namjoon’s words dismissively. “My father didn’t want to send me there. Didn’t want his precious daughter to ‘descend into that den of thieves’” She tossed up air quotes, sarcasm dripping from every word she spoke. “Really, you men and your misplaced pride. It’s ridiculous how foolish you can be when you think with your sword instead of your minds.”

“With our...m..Madam!” The look of shock on the poor scholar’s face would have been priceless any other day. But for some reason the stately lady of the house just wasn’t feeling the need to tease the scholar.

“So how are they doing this?” She made her way to her favorite chair as she spoke, dropping into it with a huff and staring out of the small cottage’s window. The drifting snowflakes outside caught her attention and she watched them dance their way to the ground as she listened to Solaris explain the situation.

“They’ll be sending soldiers to each house bearing invitations for each eligible female.”

“They’ll be tallying each one up too. Make sure they can count each household while they’re at it.” She grumped as she folded her arms on the window ledge and plopped her chin on her forearms.

“More than likely, yes. And adding to that they’ll send the same soldiers out the day of the ball to come and collect the women.” Namjoon chimed in. “They’ll claim it’s a safety precaution but more so it’s to ensure none of them run off.”

“Why would they do that?” Solaris blinked innocently, her dazed expression and glazed eyes giving away how little she understood of the situation. “A ball! Just imagine all of the beautiful dresses we would see. And all of the handsome young men!” Her giggle echoed through the silent cabin. It quickly died off when she realized neither of her companions were sharing in her excitement.

“Honestly, I forget sometimes you weren’t old enough to remember the war and how horrible things were for our kind.” Standing from her window seat she brushed at the gossamer fabric of her dress as if attempting to rid herself of some imagined dust. “When is this ball they have planned?”

“In three days. They’ll begin sending out soldiers in the morning.” Solaris replied, hanging her head sadly.

“I see. Sir Namjoon, we’ll resume my studies once I’ve returned.” She turned away from the teo, making her way to her room and beginning to pack a small selection of her belongings.

“Wh...Miss...what are you doing?” Solaris demanded as she sidestepped the whirlwind of a woman who was now packing small packages of dried meats and medicines from the storage area of the kitchen.

“I can’t be there. If they find me, find out who I am? I just...I have to go.”

She finished packing, mind a cold void as her determination was already set. After informing the two where she was going she set off, hoping to escape whatever fate was trying to force her way.

***

The woods were lovely, dark, and deep.

She found herself sighing at the sounds that greeted her as she stepped from the tree line to survey her surroundings.

Before her and stretching far off into the horizon was a massive frozen lake, it's surface dappled by the hoof and paw prints of the many animals that dwelled in the safety of the forest beyond and refused to sleep the winter months away. A rare smile graced her lips, one almost as secretive as the hidden cave she turned and began to make her way towards.

Her steps became lighter as she crunched through the snow, the weight of the sudden announcement lifting from her shoulders as she stepped beneath the glistening blue stalactites. The interior was dimly lit from the light that gently filtered through from the ice that protected the entrance from prying eyes.

The only sound that echoed in the place were her unhurried footsteps and a gentle dripping that whispered to her from somewhere further back in the darkness. She'd visited here many times before, a quiet reprieve she'd found several summers ago when she'd come to the lake to escape the insufferable heat of the season.

The locals didn't visit it,claiming it to be haunted by a human's soul that'd taken up residency in the place a millennia ago, back before the wingless race had died off. It suited her perfectly well as it gave her the solitude she needed to allow her poor broken wings a chance to be free.

And she did just that as she dumped her pack beside the cold ashes of the firepit she'd made during her last visit. Unsnapping the corset that since her waist she allowed it to drop beside her pack and stretched out what remained of her wings.

The nerves had died off long ago, the burnt ends though still stung with the phantom pain, a dark reminder of the night her entire childhood was ripped away from her. She sighed, glancing over her shoulders and imagining the wings as they used to be, a swirl of silver color patterned with flames and snowflakes that gave her the glorious joy of flying through the freezing winter air.

Fluttering them once and then twice she stretched them, letting the cold cave air cool them after being compressed within her body heat for so long. It was a shame really, but she didn’t allow herself to dwell on it for too long, she had a camp to make and some relaxing to do.

***

Jungkook had had just about enough of his aides. They hovered at all hours of the day, incessant in their rambling about court protocol and how important it was to not start any fights with the locals. He was well aware.

He’d never even wanted the war that had ravaged the Winter Kingdom. Had begged his father and the generals to try peace over everything else. But in the end the words of a child had gone unheard by the war blinded adults.

So here he sat, shivering violently from the cold as those blasted tittering fools for his aides dashed around his chamber. He could have called on his flaming core to warm him, but after the first day of doing so only to find himself collapsed in the hall from using far too much energy, he’d just decided it was better to suffer the cold than to appear weak in front of his unfortunate enemies.

“Sire! We must leave now. You mustn’t be late for Lord Hoseok’s dance lessons!” The tiny mouse of a man squeaked, trying so very hard to appear contained and in charge despite the dark circles of worry beneath his eyes.

“Jimin, you know that even if I’m early Lord Hoseok will still grind me into the dust for not learning that infernal winter waltz faster.” The Prince frowned, taking in Jimin’s fear-streaked face.

“That may be Your Highness. But should you dally any longer you’ll be late for sword training with Sir Yoongi as well as etiquette lessons with Lord Seokjin. We have to stick to your schedule or they’ll all be displeased and tell your Father!” Jimin squeaked again, petite hands fluttering up to cover the trembling of his lips.

“My father is too busy planning out his next conquest to even pay half a mind to what’s going on with me or my ’schedule’. Never mind…” He sighed, getting up from the window seat he’d been staring out of and making his way out of his room.

“Have Taehyung meet me at dinner. I’ve got something to discuss with him.”

***

The day continued on, lesson after grueling lesson eating away at what little patience the prince had left.

He collapsed into his chair at dinner, too exhausted mentally and physically to pay any mind to the meal scattered out before him.

“Sire, Lord Taehyung has arrived.”

Jungkook glanced up, a tired smile being all he could come up with for his friend.

“You look like a dog dug you up in the yard and used you as a chew toy then reburied you and shit on the pile of dirt.” The young man commented as he took his place beside the monarch in training.

“You know I could have your head for that.” Jungkook grumped as he tossed a pea from his plate in the young Lord’s direction.

“Ah, you could. But they’d have to catch me first.” His statement was emphasized by the pea he’d caught between two fingers.

He was nothing if not quick. He’d worked long ago as an assassin but now sat as Jungkook’s right hand man as well as his best friend.

Jungkook smiled, probably the first pleasant expression he’d worn in quite some time.

“So my great and glorious super Prince, future king of all that is boiling and frozen, to what do I owe this most prestigious of honors of being called upon and humble myself in your magnanimous presence?”

Jungkook just about choked on his water, laughing and coughing at the ridiculousness that was Taehyung’s words.

“By the flame you’ve been hanging out with Lord Seokjin again haven’t you?” He snorted, dabbing a napkin at his nose to clear out the water that’d streamed out while he was laughing.

“I mean, the man has great taste in puns. As a Master of many things it behooves me to learn the delicate art of insulting royalty at every turn without actually offending them.” Taehyung shrugged, spearing a chunk of glazed carrot and waving it through the air as he spoke.

“Well, I called you here for a favor actually.” The prince leaned forward, eyes taking in the unaffected assassin who’d busied himself munching on the food that Jungkook was decidedly ignoring.

“Is that so? Whelped a brat that needs hiding?”

Jungkook sputtered, cheeks a bright crimson as his eyes darted around the empty dining room.

“Taehyung!!”

“That’s a no. Only virgin cheeks brush that brightly at a subject like that.”

“I’ll have you know!!!”

“Hush now, poppa’s thinking.” Taehyung smirked at the flustered royal. “If it’s not that..hmm…” He tapped his chin, pretending to think long and hard while Jungkook tried to gather his bearings.

“You’ve insulted a young maiden and her father’s come a calling wanting reparations and you need the family off’d?”

“For the love of...Taehyung please!?” Jungkook collapsed forward, head buried in his arms as he screamed silently into the table cloth. “You’re never allowed near Seokjin again I swear.”

Taehyung snorted, eyes dancing with glee at having gotten under his friend’s skin.

“So, you’re tired of the court and want to escape is it? Get away from the ball daddy King face arranged so you don’t have to marry some country bumpkin ice queen?”

“I!! Wait. No you’re right. That’s exactly it.” Jungkook’s head jerked up, his face a picture of surprise and awe at how astute the man before him was. “How did you know?”

“We’ve been friends for going on 12 years now my little dongsaeng. How could I not know that you’ve been pushed to your limit and need to escape?” Taehyung smiled, reaching across the table and patting Jungkook’s elbow.

“Don’t worry. Hyung will get you out of this castle. I’ll meet you on your balcony at midnight. Pack light and wear that disguise you’re hiding in that secret compartment at the back of your closet.” Taehyung rose, grabbing one last chicken leg as he began to make his way out of the room.

“How did you…” Before he could finish his sentence though the assassin was already gone, having disappeared into the shadowy hall with one last flirtatious wink thrown over his shoulder.

***

The escape from the castle was simple thanks to Taehyung. A cloak and some heavy clothing were enough to disguise the wings that marked the young Prince as the royal that he was.

The two friends departed with reassurances from Taehyung that he’d lead the guards on a few wild goose chases just long enough for the ball to have come and gone. Jungkook counted his lucky stars in thanks for the effectiveness he’d come to rely on in his friend for so many years.

He took flight, the snowflake and flame veins that marked his wings becoming a blur as he darted through the snow covered canopy of the woods that marked the southern boundary of the Winter kingdom’s capital city.

It didn’t matter where he ended up, he just flew, darting here and there through the trees with a freedom and joy he hadn’t enjoyed in flame only knows how long. He allowed his mind to wander, thoughts a chaotic jumble of hopes and dreams he only allowed himself to think of when he was alone in his rooms at night.

Something gave him pause as he flew. He’d been going for quite some time, but a strange light had flashed at him out of the corner of his eye. A blue glittering affair that’d appeared between the trees despite the woods being pitch dark and most of his vision having been obscured by the blur of fluttering snowflakes.

He pulled up quick, wings only barely straining to keep him from slamming into the trunk of a massive tree that’d been in his way. He twisted in the air, eyes seeking the glow and spotting it as the reflection of a strange light glittering off of the surface of a massive frozen lake.

He moved towards it, allowing his curiosity to guide him on. Stopping short at the edge of the lake he hovered, shielding him from view of the woman dancing on the glowing ice.

It was the strangest thing he’d seen, the way the light shone on her twirling frame as she danced through the snow. It was almost as if the entirety of existence had paused for this one moment. Icicles on the tree branches around him chimed their tune, a melody gifted to his ears from the whispering wind to lend a soft winter’s melody to the racing of his aching heart. He couldn’t take his eyes off her, the whirling ice Princess giggling in the snow.

His wings fluttered, prisms of warm light glancing off her form and highlighting the broken and burned stubs of her wings. He knew the look of those wounds and it hurt to think that at some point the war that had torn their nations apart could have taken the joy of flight from such a beautiful fairy. Without thinking he allowed himself to be lifted through the air, his body reacting first to the pull of the sight of her and second to the musicality of her voice as she sang to the winter’s breeze.

The effort of drifting against the freezing weather proved to be too much for the flame that flickered in his core though. His wings faltered, frost having formed along their tips and weighing them down. The ice of the frozen lake rushed towards him and he couldn’t help the cry of fear that broke free of his chest as he crashed through the thick ice. The last he saw of the enchanting maiden was her panicked gaze, eyes wide at the intrusion and lips parted in a frantic yell as his head sunk beneath the surface.

***

A warmth brushed against his skin and he shivered, subconsciously shimmying his body closer to it. His eyelids felt weighed down by the cold, unable to open as he groaned in protest of the aching cold that stiffened his joints and limbs.

“Hush now, the fire will warm you. Just rest and let the heat do its job.”

The soft melody of the femanine voice eased his mind and he buried himself deeper beneath the heavy furs that surrounded his body.

The woman meanwhile continued to stoke the fire, having long since dried herself after diving in to save the hulking form of the foolish fire fairy that’d allowed himself to be pulled into the lake.

She turned her head, shyly eyeing his form as he breathed softly beneath the furs. She couldn’t help but allow herself to admire his soft sleeping face. Watched as his long eyelashes brushed his cheeks and admired the chiseled shape of his jaw.

She was sure that if he were awake his smile would be soft but wide, imagining teeth nibbling at his lower lip as he chuckled at some joke while doe like eyes glittered with his mirth.

Shaking her head she slapped her cheeks. What was wrong with her!? No matter how handsome he might seem this man was an enemy to her people! She scoffed at her own foolishness, though the sound was caught short as she began to question herself.

If he was an enemy why had she risked her life to save him? She’d known instantly from the way the frost had clung to his wings from the brief glimpse she’d caught of him before he’d been pulled beneath the surface of the waves exactly what he was. And yet when she’d seen those soft...brown...panicked eyes sink within the icy grip of the lake something had screamed from within her to save him. It had been pure instinct at the time.

And now as she sat by the fire, admiring the flames as they danced across their wooden fuel she allowed herself to turn her attention back to the strange ache that twisted at her shoulder blades. It’d crept up her spine as she’d been dancing earlier. As the moon’s rays had shone upon her and just before she’d spotted the crashing flame fairy.

She stretched her arms above her head, willing the dull pain to go away. And though her muscles relaxed and her mind stilled the ache remained, just at the base of her wings and tingling up nerves that she’d assumed long dead and gone. It had to have been the heat of the fire.

And so, after tossing a few more logs upon the flame and checking that her rescue was well and truly asleep and tucked in she walked back out into the cold. Her hopes were that the freezing snow would numb the nerves that seemed to want to awaken. As much as she missed flying through blizzards and dancing through the air with the winter cardinals she didn’t much mind having lost them. It was preferred honestly, as those things she missed always reminded her of the one who’d taught her those joys and she just couldn’t bear the thought of being reminded of her beloved and dearly departed mother.

After an hour or so of allowing herself to wander the secluded forest she made her way back to her cave, wings sufficiently numbed and mind at ease. Though the peaceful mindset was instantly chased away when she came back to see the young man she’d rescued moaning and tossing beneath the furs.

Dashing over she dropped to her knees, fingers frantic as she chased his forehead and placed her icy palm against his burning cheeks. Hissing she jerked her hand back. It was known the flame lords ran much hotter than those of her kind, but this amount of heat was worrying. Rising quickly she raced to her pack, pulling out herbs and medicines, sorting through them and selecting a few she knew to be safe for him.

Back to the fire she went, grabbing her tea kettle and filling it with snow from the entrance to melt above the flames. As the kettle began to boil she tossed in the herbs, eyes anxiously darting back and forth to the trembling form that groaned feverishly for his father .

“Hush now dear, I’ll help I promise.” She mumbled, more to comfort herself as she waited for the medicine to brew.

Once it was ready she ladled it into a cup, blowing desperately on it to cool it as she knelt once more by his side. Pushing away a portion of the skins she lifted his head into her lap, brushing at the black hairs that clung to his forehead from the sweat as she cooed softly to him.

“Here now dear one, open your eyes, I need you to take this.”

He was much too weak to reply to her, muttering in his feverish sleep about poisons and dungeons.

“It’s not poison. It’s holy basil and chamomile. Now drink. It’ll take the fever away.” Her whispered words seemed to calm him. Bringing the cup to his lips she smiled softly as he drank eagerly from the medicine. Eventually he turned his head away, breathing heavily and moaning to himself. The deep husk of his voice twisted her insides, causing a blush to rush to her cheeks as the silken strands of his hair brushed down over his eyes.

She hadn’t noticed that the sides of his head were shaved, something those in the military and the aristocrats of the fire nation tended to do when important events came up.

He must have been intending on going to that fool prince’s ball. She hummed to herself, finding it hard to allow the bitterness that would normally form at the sight of him to rise up within her. He just seemed far too innocent while he slept in her lap.

Shaking away the butterflies that tried to rise in her stomach she laid him back down on the makeshift pillow she’d made of a rolled up deerskin and tucked the pile of heavier skins back around him. It would take a dose or two more of the medicine to break the fever but she was determined now. He just had to live or the emotions that rose within her would never let her live her own life in peace again.

*** It was unfathomable how two days of caring for someone in such a state could raise such an attachment in her. She’d wiped his brow so many times she’d become familiar with every scar and divot on his face, making up stories for each as to how he could have gotten them.

On the third day he finally awoke, still groggy from the medicated tea but coherent enough to begin eating the gruel she’d made for him.

“Eat slowly now. There’s no point in rushing if you’re just going to throw it all up later.” She whispered to him, knowing that if she spoke any louder the echoes of the cave would only give him a headache.

“Why are you caring for me like this?” he asked, glancing up at her through his eyelashes as he spooned another bite into his mouth.

“I...well.” She paused for a moment, fingers picking at the frayed wood of the stick she’d been using to stoke the fire.

“My mother always taught me that kindness is more important than any grudge we could hold.” Looking up she gave him a soft smile, though a bit of her pain showed through at the mention of the dearly departed Queen.

“She must have been a great lady.” Placing the bowl and spoon at his side he leaned back against the roughened cave walls, finally allowing his gaze to take in the woman that had saved his life.

She was just as beautiful as his glimpsed image of her had led him to believe, though his heart sank one more when he spotted the burnt nubs that were her wings. He thought for a moment to question her on it, but common sense stopped him halfway to opening his mouth. There was no way that wasn’t a touchy subject, so he left well enough alone.

Instead he allowed his gaze to wander the cave, taking in the rough hewn walls and the way she’d seemed to have made the place her own. Herbs hung from the walls on pegs, bundles of various types each used to treat various injuries and ailments. Though by the way they were hung he suspected they’d been put there more as decoration than anything else. The fire lit the area up nicely, allowing him to see much further into the cave than he’d expected.

Looking closely he noticed that a lot of the formations he thought to be ice drippings were actually some type of crystal. Though he didn’t recognize them he realized pretty quickly that they were absorbing the light from the fire and projecting that light almost like a torch.

“So...is this your home or…”

“Oh goodness no. I reside in town, I’m just here to get away.” She shook her head, giving off a soft giggle that had his heart soaring.

“I can understand that sentiment. Things were rapidly becoming stifling out there. One could hardly blame a lovely young fae such as yourself for wanting to get away.” He chuckled, his grin widening as she blushed at his compliment.

“Is...is that why you were out in the storm? To get away?”

He nodded as he tucked his hands beneath the fur skins. “Duty to your people can only push you so far before it starts to take over who you are. I wasn’t about to let my father dictate who I was going to become any longer. He’s made enough rash decisions to ruin an entire kingdom, I won’t have myself become a part of that any longer.”

The young man’s words rolled over in her mind, bouncing off the image before her along with the events that had brought her to this very cave.

It wasn’t too hard to put together that he was the young prince and a moment of anger had her clutching the stick in her hand and very seriously considering killing him right then and there.

His father was the reason her parents were dead and her kingdom had burned after all. There was no one here to witness it if she did. And yet a small voice in the recesses of her mind held her back and stayed her hand.

She thought over his words once more, realizing he’d wanted the war no more than she had. What his father had chosen and done should not have been laid on his shoulder.

Placing the stick beside her she began speaking to him. Asking him questions about his childhood and giving her own answers when he asked in turn. They spent the night like this, conversing on any subject that came to mind while avoiding their own identities as much as possible.

The sun outside began to rise and still they spoke, bonding over shared misfortunes and shared goals and dreams when it came to their respective kingdoms.

Unbeknownst to them their mutual feelings for each other began to grow. When she led him out into the light on unsteady feet and he slipped but a little, only for her to catch him, an exchange of touches, barely brief though it may have been, ignited a flame within them both.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and breathing in the frozen scent of her, a crisp smell like the first cold snap of winter.

“You are...ethereal...did you know that?” He whispered, his lips a hair’s breadth away from her own.

She hummed, mind a haze as her eyelashes fluttered close.”You smell of ash and coal...like roasting over an open fire on a warm summer’s day.”

“Oh?” He chuckled, the sound sending a thrill of excitement through her. “And is that so bad little snowflake?”

“No...I don’t think it is…”

***

The day finally came when the young Prince found himself strong enough to walk on his own. His fever had long since gone and the color was finally beginning to come back to his cheeks.

“You know...we could always just stay here.”

She glanced up at his words, pausing in stirring the stew she’d been cooking over the fire. “What do you mean?”

��Neither of us wants to go back. And well...I rather prefer things out here compared to the hustle and bustle of my normal life.” He picked at a loose bit of string on his clothes, refusing to meet her gaze as he let her mull over his proposal.

“I...hmm.” Sitting back on her heels she stared into the fire. It was tempting, the idea of leaving the stress of her life behind. Having to pretend she wasn’t who her people needed her to be.

“They’ve been too long without a leader.” She whispered.

“I’m sorry?”

Their gazes met, each burning with their own inner fire.

“My people. I may be broken, but they need me. Just as yours need you. One day we’ll have to lead and running away isn’t going to make any of what happened okay.”

Simple words though they may have been they struck a cord in him. More so than anything the multitude of scholars and aids and so called guides could have done. He nodded, determination filling him.

“I may not be able to change much, but one day I will lead, and things will have to change. My father is getting old, as are his war mongering generals…” His words stuttered to a stop, a blush coloring his features as he realized his misstep. “I uh...I mean…”

She couldn’t help but to chuckle. “Don’t worry little Prince. I am well aware of who you are.”

“But..how..”

“Your words may seem subtle or simple but your demeanor can’t be hidden.” She rose, abandoning the spoon she’d been using in the pot.

“And now, I am Y/n the last of the winter fairy monarchs, Princess of Winter and future Queen of my people. It’s an honor to meet you Sire.” With that she bowed, a hint of a smirk tugging at her lips.

“Wait you’re what?? Who?? But how, we were told you and your family…”

“Burned?” Straightening she turned slightly, her wings on display. “My father died fighting yours. And my mother died protecting me. No I did not come out of that battle unscarred.”

“But...why…”

“Why am I telling you?” She tilted her head at him as she returned to stirring the meal.

“I saved your life and nursed you back to health, your people call this a life debt, no?”

He nodded, suddenly realizing just how much he owed her.

“Well, consider this calling in that life debt. A pact between friends you could say. Keep my identity a secret, and on the day you ascend the crown you will find yourself an ally in me.” She smiled, passing him a bowl of the stew.

“That…that’s putting a lot in a man you’ve barely known a fortnight.” He accepted the bowl graciously, barely suppressing a moan at the flavors that danced across his tongue.

“That may be. But life debts are held over everything in your culture. I can trust that above anything else you could give me.”

He huffed, running his fingers through his hair and scratching the back of his head. She’d noticed it was something he did when he was thinking hard on something and had come to find it endearing.

“I mean, I’d have kept your secret even without the pact but...if you insist on calling that as your favor I supposed I truly have no choice.”

The giggle that spilled forth from her made his heart clench and he couldn’t help but grin at her in return, his cheek dimpling and his nose crinkling like a snow bunny.

“It’s settled then.” She announced, standing and taking his now empty food bowl to be washed out.

“Oh? What’s settled?” He stood as well, pulling the empty stew pot from the fire to cool.

“I’ll be taking you back to town come morning and...oh…” She stumbled, her legs suddenly buckling beneath her.

If it hadn’t been for the flame fairy’s quick reflexes she’d have surely injured herself. But his strong arms wrapped around her,pulling her close and checking her over to make sure she was okay.

“By the flame, you’re going to get yourself hurt doing all that!” He frowned, fingertips running along the ridges of her shoulder blades as he watched her blink blurrily up at him.

“What’s wrong?” He asked his frown deepening as she leaned into his touch, lashes brushing her cheeks as her eyes fluttered shut.

“Y/n?” Panic surged through him as he lifted her limp form into his arms.

Where normally her skin was as cold as a winter’s stream it now burned almost as hot as he was and that set him on edge more so than anything ever had in his life. His heart raced as he trudged through the cave and out into the cold morning snow of the forest.

He thanked his flame for the sense of direction Taehyung had instilled in him so many times over the years as his body instinctively turned in the direction of the winter city they’d come from. His wings gave an experimental flutter, barely lifting him off the ground and for the first time since his fall he actually cursed at himself for his midwinter plunge into the icy lake. Walking was his only option.

He continued on through the forest, moving here and there through the trees in as direct a path as he could manage, all the while whispering soft sweet words of comfort to her when she would toss about in her feverish state.

The only time she paused and relaxed was when the sun would shine through the tree, though Jungkook paid no mind to this, only grateful that she allowed him the reprieve to march on with little struggle.

“N...Namjoon.” She whispered, and for a moment his heart sank. Who was this Namjoon she spoke of? Some lover she never mentioned in all the time they’d spent together.

“Scholar...physician…”

A spark of understanding coursed through him and his steps quickened with a renewed vigor as he came to the edge of the city. A few curt words and ignored glances and he’d arrived at the physician’s clinic, panting from the exertion and praying to every deity he could name that the one she’d spoken of was home.

“Sir! Good Physician! I have need of your aid!” Jungkook announced, using his elbow to force the large wooden door open.

The sound of crashing and halfhearted curses came from some dark corner of the clinic and a tall winter fairy emerged, glasses barely hanging off the tip of his nose as he squinted across the room at the Prince.

“What can I do for you today?” He asked, voice gruff from sleep as he moved closer to Jungkook.

“W...y/n?? Wait, how did she?”

“You know her then? We were out by the lake when she suddenly took ill. I don’t know..what or how but she’d burning up!”

“Bring her to the table!” The physician rushed off, motioning to a large wooden table towards the center of the room.

Jungkook complied, ever so delicately placing her down and stepping back to allow the man to work.

As he began examining her he threw a slew of endless questions at the shaken prince who himself was near to collapsing from exhaustion.

“I...I don’t know. She was eating just fine, talking and laughing and it seemed like she was okay. But suddenly...she just collapsed. I just…” His fingers nervously tapped a rhythm on his thighs as his eyes darted around the clinic, searching or hoping for something to look at to ground his mind in the moment.

“Mmm..I’m sure it’s just a cold, or some sort of illness. Though...she’s never been sick a day in her life..” The bespectacled man mumbled to himself as he pressed his fingers against her wrist, checking her pulse and sighing to himself as he stepped away.

“There are a few things I can try just to ease the fever and whatever pain she may be feeling but this is going to take some time…”

“I...I’ll stay with her! I can’t just leave her like this!”

“Your highness...You really should be getting back to the palace.”

“How…” Jungkook’s jaw dropped, eyes bugging out as he stared in fear at the man before him.

“You carry yourself too well to just be some fire nation soldier off the street. And besides, I was there during your coronation. You held yourself well considering the obvious hangover you were sporting.”

A brilliant blush rose on the Prince’s cheeks as he attempted to sputter out a response. The physician chuckled, patting him amiably on the shoulder.

“Worry not, I’ll do everything I can to ease her pain. I’ll send word to the palace once I know anything. Be off M’lord, you’ve duties to attend to.”

Jungkook couldn’t help the lingering longing look he gave her, a sigh escaping his lips as he resigned himself to the waiting game.

Namjoon frowned as the prince finally left. It’d taken a considerable amount of bribing and fussing to get him to finally walk away but the fact that the young man lingered so long worried him.

“What did you get yourself into this time…”

***

Panic filled the small room of the physician’s clinic.

He’d spent the last few hours trying every remedy and potion he could find and still her condition deteriorated.

A scream of frustration built in his chest, only barely suppressed by the need to care for her. He sat at his desk, pouring over tomes of old and tossing each aggressively across the room when they proved to be of no use to him.

“Fate’s sake!” He growled, standing from his desk and shoving the chair out behind them.

She’d begun whimpering in her feverish state, every now and again whispering desperate pleas for help and wrenching the knife deeper in his chest. He felt useless, dropping to his knees on the floor beside her and clutching at her hand.

“Tell me, please? How can I help you? What is it that you need?” He whimpered, tears filling his eyes. “How do I save you?”

“M...mommy….tell me a story…”

The words didn’t register at first. Another sentence to him in a long line of whispered desperation.

But a brief flash of recognition hit. “Merialiies…”

He bolted upright, eyes wide and wild with inspiration.

“There’s no way!”

Racing back to his desk he shoved the books and papers out of his way, searching for the small book of tales he’d picked up at the shops a few weeks back.

A shout of triumph burst forth as he held it aloft, eyes glistening with hope as he flipped the pages to one particular story.

“The Heart’s Twin Flames.” He turned to y/n, watching her shift on the table as if trying desperately to escape some pain in her back. “There’s just no way…”

Making his way back he ever so gently turned her to her side, eyes widening at the inflamed skin spreading out across her back from the base of her wings.

“Could it be?” Dropping everything he lifted her into his arms, cringing at the sounds of pain coming from his precious cargo.

“Just hold on, I’ll take you to him. If I’m right...you may just get your wings back.”

He hurried from the clinic, not even paying mind that he’d left the front door open to swing in the wind.

“Move! Please get out of my way. This is an emergency!” He shouted, shoving his way through the crowd of villagers lining the walkways as he raced towards the castle.

The front gates loomed before him, almost imposing if it weren’t for the sheer amount of panic flowing through him.

“Halt! State your business.” A soldier stepped before him, massive sword held at his throat .

Namjoon showed no fear, spine straight and shoulders squared as he stood his ground against the intimidating soldier.

“I’ve come at the request of his Highness Prince Jungkook of the Fire Fae kingdom. It is of the utmost importance that I speak with him immediately.”

The soldier continued to glare as a second stepped forward and the show of force began to deflate him.

“You don’t understand! I need to see him! It’s his twin flame! He found her and now without him she will die!”

“A likely story! Today is the day of his ball and you expect me to believe that suddenly a woman is his twin flame and without him she will die?” The guards chuckled together, heads thrown back with laughter as they continued to mock him.

“Sir, please! I couldn’t make this up if I wanted to! She’s dying. There must be something we can do?!”

The guard shook his head, a steely gaze pinning the poor man in place. It was obvious he wasn’t moved by their story.

“No matter the reason these gates were ordered to remain closed. Should you have proper documents the case would be different but there is nothing I can do for you. Find her a doctor, or some sort of specialist. But find them somewhere else.”

“Have you no heart man!? We’ve seen the doctor, hell I AM the doctor! There’s nothing more to do for her but get the Prince’s help! Please you must understand?? Surely you’ve heard the legends, are they not told to your children? They are fated to be! The proof is right here!” Namjoon was practically purple in the face by this point, spittle flying as he screamed in the face of the guard who’s grip was forever tightening on his spear.

Unbeknownst to the arguing pair and barely conscious woman the fae in question had heard everything.

“Sir?” One of the many aids that had been walking with the future ruler gave him a questioning stare, wondering what their next action would be.

“There’s no harm in finding out Jimin. I’m more than suited to handle things should there be any threat.” Prince Jungkook smiled, a rare sight on the man as he handed over the documents they’d been going over as they walked from the main castle to the stables.

“Alright. I’ll take these back to the stable master in your stead. Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”

The prince grinned, bumping his aid in the shoulder with his elbow. “Now when have I ever done anything stupid?”

“Need I remind you of the state you were in last night?”

“Can’t hear you! Walking away now!” Prince Jungkook tossed over his shoulder as he made his way to the woven metal grating that served as the castle’s front gate.

For a moment he hung back in the shadows, eyeing the tall bespectacled man who seemed to have an almost vice like death grip on the tiny quivering bundle of rags in his arms.

The snow that had been falling began to ease up, revealing a small crowd that had gathered behind them all. As the guard and nameless man argued the townsfolk began to chime in, screaming curses at him and bickering with every word he spoke.

The Prince’s temper only flared when the first stone was thrown, something seemingly so small that it would have been noticeable if it weren’t for the fact that it’d hit the bundle’s back, causing a small squeak of pain to echo through the gateway. He knew that squeak.

“What’s going on here?” He puffed his chest out, spine straight and eyes fierce as he allowed the flames of rage to flow through him. Striding forward with all of the ego and confidence that his position afforded he stepped between the man and the crowd. The mere sight of him had those gathered scurrying away, hollered apologies tossed over snow covered shoulders as they dashed off to whatever tasks they’d been attending to before allowing their chicken like rubbernecking to get the better of their attention.

“Y..your Highness. I just...” The man stuttered, shifting the tiny bundle of cloth in his arms as he struggled to push through his own confusion and panic at seeing the regal object of his desperation appearing before him.

“Guard, can you explain to me why it is that you’ve allowed a mob of people to gather at the entrance to my future home?”

“He was...he just wanted…”

“Sire please! It’s y/n, she needs your help!”

“Y/n?” This peaked his interest. “Is she alright? Is...what happened? I only just saw her a few hours ago!”

“Sire, she fell terribly ill and what was left of her wings has begun flaking off. If we don’t act quickly there’s...there’s just no hope of saving her.”

Prince Jungkook glanced around, indecision causing him to hesitate for a moment as he watched his guards scanning the surrounding area.

“Alright, bring her inside, we’ll take her to my physi…”

“Sire please, she doesn’t have time for that!” Namjoon couldn’t help the tone of his voice as he shouted at the intimidating man. “You have to help her now, she’s dying the longer we talk about this!”

He dropped to his knees, unwrapping the blanket from the woman’s trembling form and carefully laying her body on the glistening snow.

Jungkook’s feet crunched through the snow, eyes squinted as he shielded them from the glare of the sun reflecting sharply off the glow surrounding the dying woman’s form. A strange itch began in the center of his shoulder blades, that spot he could never reach where his wings joined with the muscles of his back.

Shrugging off his cloak he knelt beside her, heart racing as the strange feeling in his wings slowly spread to the rest of him. The sun burst through the clouds, shining brightly and warming his exposed skin as his fingers brushed her cheek.

“My liege, all you have to do is allow the sun to shine through your wings and onto her. That alone is enough.” Namjoon whispered as he stepped back from them and allowed them their space.

Jungkook couldn’t help but to hesitate. There were so many things that could go wrong should he allow himself to listen to this strange man. If it were a track of some sort his kingdom would suffer if anything happened to him. But as he watched her pained face scrunch once more and as the sound of her pitiful whimper reached his ears his resolve steeled.

Leaning forward he spread his wings, allowing the light of the sun to cast a prism of reflected light over her body. The air filled with a magic the kingdom hadn’t seen in a very long time. Golden dust motes filled the air, sparkling like fireflies out in the mid-day glow. It attracted those that’d hurried away, gathering them in the square and on the streets.

The soldiers shouted, weapons raised in alarm as they watched their fearless leader begin to rise into the air alongside the small wingless form that he cradled so closely to his chest. But just as suddenly as their alarm and rage and fear rose it began to vanish, replaced instead with a calm joy that thrilled through their veins quicker than an adrenaline fueled march into the battlefield.

The people began to cheer as the two bodies were engulfed in light that shone so bright it began to rival the sun. And all along the young man couldn’t take his eyes off her form.

The woman that’d given him shelter in that freezing midnight cave. Her once frail body began to fill with life, color returning to her cheeks and her weak fingers gaining strength as they clung to his royal clothes. Her eyes fluttered open, a gasp escaping her lips as where once there was only burned stumps, now beautiful crystalline wings sprouted forth from her body, fluttering on the breeze before quickly gaining the strength to allow her to hover on her own.

And his own wings lost their brilliant red glow, cooling and shimmering as he beat them gently to keep him aloft.

The glow surrounding them faded and a hush fell over the crowd at the sight. A tiny waif of a girl engulfed in the strong arms of the royal flame.

“My love.”

“My twin flame.”

“I never got to thank you for saving my life.” His words caused her to blush as she looked at him through her eyelashes.

“I think you just did…”

Their hushed voices whispered words of comfort as their bodies slowly returned to earth. They’d only had eyes for each other, but as their feet returned to the earth that’d born them they turned to the people, each smiling with a joy that the once warring people felt throughout the lands. Warriors dropped their weapons, embracing the people they’d fought with for so very long.

Jungkook turned to the winter maiden, long,calloused fingers engulfing her own as he leaned forward to touch his forehead to hers.

“My love, how could I not have recognized you for what you were?”

“My sweet future king. Fate has a strange way of finding lovers and putting them together when the world needs their love the most.” She smiled, warm tears filling her eyes as her heart filled with a warmth only he could provide.

As one they turned to their people, joined hands raising into the air as Jungkook announced.

“I have found my Twin Flame. May peace rain on our kingdoms with the union of our joined blood! May you all find the joy my heart has been seeking. For from this moment on there will be no war, there will be no fighting. WE ARE ONE!!”

The people cheered, warriors embraced farmers, aristocrats feasted among peasants. Fire embraced ice. And as their lips met in a dewy kiss filled with all of the passion of new love, peace did reign. For they were now one.

#castle bangtan #bts fanfic #jungkook fanfic #bts fluff #jungkook fluff #soulmate au #bts soulmate au #jungkook soulmate au #bts fairy au #bts far au #jungkook fairy au #jungkook fae au #bts angst #bts imagine #bts reactions #bts fic #my writing

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rubixfox-fanblog · 4 years ago

Text

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Category: General audience

Fandom: Apex Legends

Characters: Seer, Octane and Mirage. (and other legends.)

Additional tags: Seer Out of character

Words: 2864

Summary: Octane accidentally revives Seer with stim, instead of the regular syringes they normally use, and Mirage has to deal with both of them.

Notes: finally managed to finished my fanfic and gathered the courage to post it.... Enjoy!

Tumblr note: I got my inspiration from @sweetsoftandscared. You should definitely check them out!

"This is one of the worst ideas you had since the start of this match, Silva."

"Come on Amigo, that entire sneaky stuff got me bored. Even perfect boy here almost fell asleep. We all need some action."

"Speak for yourself, I was having the time of my life!"

~~~

Seer, Octane and Mirage ended up together as a squad in the dropship. Heaven knows why. It's a squad based on the amount of disaster, instead of skill, these three would bring. Especially octane and Seer, those two definitely had a history together. But no one knows (yet) why, Well Rampart definitely knew but she wouldn't tell anyone about them.

Their battle location this time was in Olympus and their dropship flew in at the Bonsai Plasa. Seer was the one who took the lead as jumpmaster and made sure he landed at the Oasis. Everyone else already jumped earlier or later so they got all of the world to loot or observe the area.

That's where it all went wrong.

After a few minutes of gathering guns and supplies, Octane got bored (like always.) and decided to take his own lead, running off to the place where small houses gathered, the place called estates.

Seer tried to stop him, because he noticed the heartbeats of at least 3 other legends. But Octane being octane, he didn't listen at all. Throwing his jump pad in front of the other two legends, who were chasing him, launching them both,unexpectedly, in the middle of a heated battle.

Two squads

Two whole squads.... Well basically one and a half, since there was only one of the three left. So that makes one and a third. I wait, one squad. (they downed the last one while they landed)

The three legends of the remaining squad seemed to be Revenant, Wraith and Loba. Who Already noticed them as they landed on top of the middle building.

~~~

"How about you two just quit whining and just go for it already, if we keep standing still we'll be dead in no time!" Octane responded as he bounces up and down.

A deep, disappointed, sigh escaped Seer's mouth as he pulled out his gun.

"I stay here. Mirage, create distraction but watch out for Revenant. Octane, do what you want." Seer didn't seem to try to give Octane instructions, he just let him wreck havoc so he could focus on his enemy's in front of him.

As they both took off and followed orders, Seer released his tactical called: focus of attention. The micro stones formed a tunnel straight into the building in front of him, revealing two of the three enemies they're about to fight.

Wait, two?

His slight distraction caused his downfall as he didn't notice that Loba used her jump drive. Her bracelet flew straight above his head and ended up behind him.

"I'm sorry, my love. But I really need to win this match. That tin Demon out there promised me that I could kick off his head if we win." Loba said and the moment Seer tried to turn around she already shot him a few times in the chest.

But Loba's action didn't go unnoticed because as soon as she downed Seer, she received a few bullets as well from Mirage, standing on top of the roof from the other building Seer focused his attention on.

"You're welcome." Mirage yelled.

"I downed Wraith, she was too slow for me to escape." Octane cackled as he returned from god knows where.

Revenant was the only one left.

Seer made his way down towards the ground, hoping Mirage would pick him up but at that very moment, Revenant's Tactical landed exactly where Seer ended up, underneath the stacked buildings.

Also Mirage apparently got hit as they heard the cracking sound.

"You gotta help him, Octane. I'll cause a distraction.". irage announced. He didn't get hit by the tactical bomb yet so his abilities still worked. Making sure Revenant would focus on him and his 7 other decoys.

Octane didn't hesitate and quickly grabbed one of his revive needles and stabbed directly into Seer's chest.

Wait a second.

Why did that needle say Simulacrum? Did he accidentally swapped the needles this morning? Was that the reason why Lifeline said he looked Healthier than before? So many questions, such a little time.

"I could use a little help here!" Mirage cried out, who's struggling not to get hit by Revenant's Longbow. Who's hiding in one of the houses behind them.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm com....."

Boom

A clean shot between the eyes ending Revenant's life in an instant.

"What in the name of..."

Did another squad that joined the fight? No, nobody was there except the three of them.

"What's wrong?" Seer said, holding a 301 assault rifle in his right hand, without a scope nonetheless while his left hand still got a hold of one of Octane's hands, pulling the downed man back on his feet.

"Did you just shoot him?" Mirage said.

"Why, yes. You needed some help right? So I provided that help."

Octane tried to pry Seer's hand open, but the taller man was holding it fiercely for somehow no reason.

"Amigo, please, let go of my hand. I don't think Che would be happy if I lost my hand as well. " He said, not paying attention to the kill at all.

Seer spaced out for a few seconds, staring directly at Mirage. Poor Eliot started to back up in response as he felt really uncomfortable right now.

Until he suddenly snapped back to reality and pulled away from Octane's hand. Then he decided to turn around and just started to run?

"The next ring is not far." Seer started. "Come, let's go."

Octane caressed his hand like it's been stuck in a bear trap and raised an eyebrow, underneath his goggles of course, as he watched his teammate run forward. Did the stim give him super sight? Or did it give him super focus? Whatever it was, Octane became jealous.

"What did you do?" Mirage suddenly asked , like he could see Octane's expression under his mask. "There's no way a normal human being could hit someone at that distance."

"I guess it's just luck, Amigo. Something you could use as well." Octavio clearly avoided the question. "Like he said, The ring's coming, try to keep up as well, 'kay?" He said and the another jump pad to catch up with Seer

"Wait, what?" Mirage said confused as he turned around and noticed the red wall of death coming up to him very quickly.

"Don't go without me!"

They finally managed to catch up with Seer, who stopped moving for a second, close at the Hammond labs. He rubbed his temple as he looked at Octane.

"You used the wrong syringe, did you now?" He suddenly said.

"Are you alright, Amigo?"

Seer didn't hesitate for a second and pointed his R301 directly at Mirage, who ducked away in an instant, just to shoot a legend who sneaked up behind him.

"I'm fine, totally. Nothing wrong with me at all." he quickly added and refused to continue at what he just asked. He didn't have the concentration at all to be mad at Octane right now.

"Dude! Watch out where you point that thing!" Mirage said, almost screaming as he panicked. "don't ever do that..."

Seer pushed his index fingers to his lips as an indication for Mirage to shut up.

"The two remaining legends are still on the other side of the wall. I'm going in." The taller Brown man didn't even wait for one then to make the first move, he just took off.... Again.

"phew." Octane let out a relieved sigh. Ignoring Mirage, who clearly looked at him like he saw water burning. "Let's go, we can't let him die alone."

By the time they catch up again, Seer was kneeling down by one the deathboxes, looting some ammo. Two innocent legends, slaughtered brutally by the new guy on drugs. Sounds like headline for the Outlands newspaper

"How even.... We weren't even gone for at least 5 minutes." Mirage said. "Octane, what did you do?"

"It was an accident, Amigo. Are you happy now? Lifeline and I had a drink together yesterday, probably one too much. I accidentally swapped the syringes this morning cause I couldn't think right." He finally confessed because he couldn't handle Mirage's annoying attitude anymore.

"Are there any side effects?"

"depends, want to hear the bad or the worst once?"

"The good once please"

"Side effects aren't really good at all, Compadre. It'll wear off after a while. Probably gonna take a few days but the most common side effect is not being able to sleep or concentrate, cause you know,.. It makes you feel energetic." Octane looked at Seer who's been looking at them both for a while now, moving his fingers rapidly up and down.

-The poor guy won't be able to sleep for the upcoming days.- Octane wanted to say, but he didn't because he knew Mirage probably wouldn't be able to stop talking if he had an antidote for the poison Octane pumped in the always so calm and concentrated Seer.

"Are you both good? There are 10 squad left. Let's go." Seer couldn't even think right at this very moment as the

stim probably reached its peak at this point.

"c'mon, we need to go. Before it wears off, better take the advance now we still can." Octane said.

"Does that mean I can get a kill too?"

"If you're fast enough, Amigo!" Octane said and took the lead this time. Mirage sighed, if only he was as fast as them. His legs were making him tired, trying to keep up with those two junkies.

-This feels wrong.- That's all Mirage could think of right now.

The ring chased them all the way back to the rift. The third round had been announced and the timer went down rapidly, close to round 4. On their way to the ring they took another squad down, but none of them seemed to be the kill leader. Somehow....

Seer got the most kills, logical right? He took down thirteen people. Octane got second place with 8 and mirage.... Yeah, he didn't even bother trying to keep up with those two anymore. He didn't even take the Stim, but he was already worn out mainly because of the constant sprinting. He even burned his butt on the ring because Seer and Octane pushed a squad on the edge of the closing ring.

"Only 2 enemy squads left.... Victory is nearly ours." Seer said as Octane used his Jump Pad to take both Mirage and Seer to the upper parts of the Rift. Being this high gave them the advantage to examine their upcoming enemies.

Besides Mirage acquired a fully upgraded Longbow, so he could see their enemies from at least 300 meters away. But the main reason he was using the Longbow, is because he could still keep an eye on both of his Teammates without moving a lot.

The drugs enhanced Seer's abilities greatly. His ears picked up the sounds of heartbeats even faster and his micro drones reached a distance even further than before. It almost felt like cheating. (Well it definitely was though, none of the legends were allowed to take any drugs, except for Octane, because you know, it's Octane.)

"6 enemies, North, not too far away, currently fighting each other." Mirage said as he loaded the Longbow, ready to Shoot one of them, while standing on top of the building.

Seer peaked through the scope of his R-301, Following the movement of what it seemed to be, Fuse. Who launched his knuckle cluster at one of the other legends he's been fighting.

"Let's go! It's not like they're going to commit suicide!" Octane exclaimed, injecting himself with the 40st syringe of Stim today. He threw his jump pad down in front of himself and used it to launch himself into battle.

4 legends closer to victory. Mirage wanted this to be over, this entire match pushed him to his limits. He doesn't care that he only had 2 kills, well of course he did, but he pushed that away for now.

Seer released his micro drones mid air, after he also used Octane's jump pad of course, to reveal the remaining enemies. Just before he landed, Octane already downed the last one of the other squad Fuse and his team were fighting.

"Knuckle cluster f'ring."

It struck Octane from behind and it stuck long enough to break Octane's shield.

"Shit." Octane growled. Seer heard his teammate being in trouble and quickly focused his attention on Fuse, who seemed to be amused and proud by his actions.

While Octane was trying to recharge his shield behind a MRVN, currently at top on one of the buildings from the Rift, Mirage noticed one of Fuse's teammates, down at the ground, tried to flank Octane.

Bloodhound, Mirage noticed, they only have to scan their area and they would be faster at Octane than mirage ever would be. So the man sighed and decided to take a gamble. First he shot Bloodhound, clearly cracking their shield, and after that he jumped in as well.

Bloodhound quickly turned around, trying to find the one responsible for their cracked shield. But before they took action, Mirage landed behind them. Not exactly behind but 50 meter away.

He tried to regain his balance, but....

"Alfather, give me sight! " Bloodhound suddenly said and turned around to notice Mirage's clumsy landing. Their eyes glowing red and quickly started shooting at the poor soul.

Mirage whimpered, trying to remain his cool, but he couldn't, every bullet he fired ended up in the gutter. But Bloodhound's bullets hit him one for one, almost knocking him. Luckily Octane finally finished up charging his shield and attacked Bloodhound upstairs. Delivering the final blow.

"Be careful where you walk, Amigo!" Octane yelled and threw a Phoenix kit towards the older man.

Seer seemed to have a hard time against Fuse. His quick reflexes suddenly turned slow and he barely found the energy to keep himself on his feet. Fuse took advantage of that, he swiftly moved out of the cover and readied an Arc star on his robot arm. Ready to shoot, but Seer just got enough power to release, his fast loading tactical and the micro drives escaped out of his chest device once again, canceling fuse abilities for a few seconds. Confusing the older men for a second as his arm wouldn't work

Seer's bullet struck Fuse right at his chest , to end the longest battle he had today. Then he collapsed.

"Is he dead?" Mirage boldly asked.

"Of course not, are you crazy, Compadre. " Octane muttered. "He probably fell asleep or something...."

"We have our Champion's!"

It seemed that Fuse and Bloodhound lost a teammate before the last ring closed, so they were unable to revive him or her.

"This was the weirdest match ever. I'm glad it's over..." Mirage sounded worried, and he has enough reasons to be worried. This was Obi's second match in the Apex game and recovering would surely be a drag.

"Come on Compadre, we won! Be happy!" Octane howled and quickly started to jump around.

--------

"So, Silva caused all of this, Huh. It was mu'h fault, i should've keep an better eye on him." Che rubbed her temple as she plays with a pen in her other hand.

After the games ended, Lifeline got called in to pick up Obi's lifeless body and brought him to the hospice on the drop ship.

"It isn't your fault, Aya. I was with him at the match, I should have stopped him earlier. Obi's going to be alright, right?* Mirage replied, standing next to Lifeline, who's scribbling some notes on her note pad about Seer's condition.

"He's going to f'ne. The only problem is that it would take weeks for him to r'cover. I mean, he can easily compete to the games again in just a f'w days. Stim is one h'll of a drug, if you ain't used to it, the side effects of it are terrible. He would still feel energetic but his stamina won't be able to deal with it, think of headaches, being tired all of the time, that surt stuff. He won't be happy when he wakes up."

"I see..." Elliot mumbled.

"Silva is at the Paradise lounge. Yuh should go there as well. Celebrating yuh win and all." Lifeline added. "I can't come, I need to keep an eye on the artist, yuh know."

Mirage wanted to ask if Che was coming too but she already answered his thoughts.

"Are you sure?" He asked to make sure he understood it right.

"Definitely! Now go, Witt. Obi will be alright as long he's in muh hands."

And so Mirage did. Without a doubt lifeline's care was the best of the outlands and Seer will recover as fast as possible. Ready to Lecture Octane about his wrongdoings. (or to kick his ass, just to show how disappointed he was.)

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