#burning alive cw

[itsyamanjack]

Director 2 is worth the world to me unfortunately I'm 99% sure the next update (As I'm typing this) will. eradicate them. Damn.

The gameshow outfit is incredibly off model I think I was just looking at the sprites and then right as I was finishing this someone sent the actual art in the overkill server............................ @askoverkill 2

edit: I just realized this still has the content warning "unreality" but I cut out the second part where they would have said "I have cameras under my skin" so now it doesn't apply as much ??????????????????????????????????????????? oh well ? Better for my time and for people who hate that stuff regardless

source audio vv

(It's timestampedit didnot fucking save the timestamp cuz its age restricted- but I recommend watching the full thing it's funny as hell)

[lynxgriffin]

Eldritchrune - Hot Deals

Story Setup Eldritchrune Masterpost

While travelling through Queen's domain, the Fun Gang encounter a forest of Addisons! Fortunately, Ralsei is willing to step in before Kris gets lured into some dangerous offers.

I'm working away on a much longer scene currently too, but wanted to get out something nice and short before then!

[capricoopla]

Some more RW graffiti I drew ☆

Lizards from the same artist in different places

Maze

Sonic-

Slug guts

A slogan, sensitive to a time period of a conflict

One day, I'll walk alongside you

Featuring the nameless iterator

Collaborative artwork, featuring Two Sandstones

[luck-of-the-drawings]

OOH YEAH BABY ITS THE SURGERY EPISODE BABY!!! ME AND THE HOMIES NEED SOME NEW FACES FOR OUR NEW PLAN, AND WHO BETTER TO GET THE JOB DONE THAN THE TWO MOST EVIL PEOPLE WE'VE EVER HAD THE MISFORTUNE OF HAVING OUR LIVES VIOLATED BY? I MEAN IT WOULD BE FUNNY. IT WOULD BE FUNNY.

[saintsylestine]

Ash and Bone

Chapter 1.

Just gonna preface - this is my first time writing (anything, really). Also this shit is gonna be gruesome - please read cw. I'm a med student, I'm studying the body, it's gonna get visceral to say the least.

Behold! My first attempt at a first person POV reader insert kinda thing. Warhammer 40k themed ofc. Working title/character/plot but TLDR: A non astartes in a brutal world built for astartes (or at least power armor). Plot with astartes smut? Hopefully. Later tho.

CW: I'm just gonna be straight with yall the mc is burnt alive in this chapter - they live tho. Descriptions of being burnt alive (executions), body horror and bodily harm, mentions of death/dying/wanting to die (ok we get it), psychological distress, cussing/profanity, first person POV

Lmk if I missed anything and please let me know your thoughts :3

The oil is thick.

I can feel it pooling in the hollows of my collarbones. It rolls down my arms in lazy, clinging streams, sinking into the open wounds on my wrists where the chains have rubbed me raw. It fills every line of my skin, seeps under my nails, drips off my eyelashes, slips down the back of my neck.

It smells...

No. It fucking reeks.

I breathe through my nose, slow... Even. Trying not to choke on the fumes.

Failing.

Dry, itchy rasps turn into sputtering half-profanities as the grease gets into my eye.

This isn’t the good, purified promethium they use for noble burnings. This is industrial sludge. Leftover fuel. Something not even meant for engines, let alone executions.

A small, practiced smile crawls across my face. No overt thoughts, just adrenals on overdrive. Autonomics causing anticipatory muscle twitches. Stress hormones were firing in habituated pulses. Sweat starting to bead on my forehead.

I shouldn’t be surprised. They weren’t about to waste holy fire on someone like me.

I shift slightly, and the chains groan in response. How many hours have I been in this position?... Has it been days? No. The human body can't survive more than 3 days without water. The fact pops up almost instantaneously in my mind. Real helpful...I think to myself as I let myself chuckle and recall the other old warnings my field instructors gave me, at this point, many lives ago. Ahhhhh shit. I shouldn't have done that... memories flood in uncontrolled. Faces and voices fill my head until they are all I can think of. Singing? No - screaming.

Fuck. My head lols forward and I preemptively squeeze my eyelids shut with vice-like force. No crying. Absolutely no crying. A grimace in the form of a smile stretches across my face. Thank god my hair covers my face right now.... warmth radiates from my eyes as tears well up. Fuck. Why did I think reminiscing was the right idea? Think about anything, anything else. Anything. I force myself to compartmentalize, cursing at my weakness in the face of imminent death. What do I feel physically? Oh yeah, pain.

My shoulders are locked behind me, arms aching from how tight they’re bound. Rust scrapes against my raw skin. Not a problem. I’ve had worse.

But the oil feels wrong.

Warm. Wet. Soaking through my clothes, turning my body into something heavy, slick, unclean... The back of my mind itches at the sensation. A doctor’s instinct, maybe—something about the viscosity, the absorption, the way it clings...

This will burn slow.

I exhale.

Right. So that’s how today’s going.

I glance up. The crowd watches me without watching me. Hollow-eyed. Silent.

Nobody meets my gaze.

That tracks.

Executions in the Imperium aren’t about justice or remorse. They’re about removal. Scraping away the unwanted parts. Cutting the rot out of the meat.

In this case, to these folks, I am the rot.

Somewhere in the crowd, I bet there’s a few people who knew me. Not personally—nobody knows anyone personally, not really—but enough to recognize me. Maybe they saw me stitching up wounded conscripts in the back of some trench. Maybe they heard whispers about a rogue medic who could patch things up without asking questions.

And now, they’ll watch me burn.

Or they won’t. Maybe they’ll look away. Maybe they’ll wait for the smell to hit before they let it feel real.

Or maybe—they’ll do what I would do.

Watch.

Not because they care. Just because it’s happening.

The oil drips from my fingertips, splattering onto the saturated wooden platform below. The smell is putrid, thick enough to choke on. I resist the urge to lick my lips, knowing I’ll just taste metal, chemicals, rot.

Finally, someone steps forward.

The preacher.

Haughty, black robe-wrapped, candle-smoked, with a face like damp stone. The kind of man who could watch a billion people die and still wake up the next morning with a clear conscience and an empty head.

"..S...e...z..on." he drawls out... a phonetically unknown phrase. I barely register that he's started his unceremonious sermon, let alone make out what hes saying. The crowds eyes land on me in unison.

Huh. Was that my name?

They could've at least mentioned my title of "Doctor" but... That’s fair. I don’t think they strip you of your titles officially when they execute you. Just socially. Like it doesn’t matter anymore. Like I don’t matter anymore.

"You stand condemned by His most holy Inquisition, guilty of crimes against the Imperium and the Emperor Himself."

The Inquisition.

Now there’s a fun story.

I take in the sight of the guards behind him, plated armor, black-visored helmets, the red 'I' of the Inquisition gleaming at their chests. They’re standing still. Too still. The kind of stillness that comes from training—that perfect, controlled, don’t-let-the-heretic-see-you-shake posture.

Hey that’s almost a compliment.

Not every day you get executed by people with real authority. They usually leave that to the local lawkeepers, the ragged, underpaid Arbites who’ll burn a woman for stealing rations if it means avoiding paperwork.

But no. Not me.

My death was scheduled. A proper, orderly erasure.

Which means someone in power hated me.

Or feared me.

Or both.

"For blasphemy, for the use of forbidden knowledge, for the corruption of your own flesh, and for the heresies known and unknown, you are sentenced to burn."

Oh, so we’re going with all of the above.

I don’t flinch. I don’t speak.

There’s nothing left to say.

I already tried explaining.

I already tried to make them understand.

Turns out, people don’t like it when you dissect the Emperor’s miracles.

Turns out, they really don’t like it when you prove they’re just flesh and bad luck.

I shift again, letting my head tilt back slightly, just enough to loosen the stiffness in my neck. My muscles ache from the beatings earlier. That part wasn’t necessary, but I think the guards had fun with it anyway.

My ribs throb where the boots landed hardest.

Doesn’t matter. I’ve stitched worse.

The preacher raises a torch.

The flame is small. A flicker in the dark. It dances against the blackened sky, against the spires of the cathedral, against the smoke curling up from the hundreds of candles burning behind him.

"May your soul burn before your flesh."

He doesn’t wait for a response.

Because this isn’t a conversation.

It’s a statement.

The torch drops from his hand.

I watch it fall.

It turns end over end in the air, the orange glow blurring as it moves, sinking down, down, down—

A soft whump.

A hiss.

The first lick of heat, spreading.

And then—

fire.

The torch hits the oil.

For a moment, nothing happens.

Then—heat.

It’s fast. Too fast.

It ignites in a breath, a flash, a roar of wet heat. It moves up my body like a living thing, like a beast, like a thousand teeth sinking into my skin all at once. The oil makes it spread in shuddering waves, each new section of my body catching half a breath behind the last.

I expect the pain.

I know pain.

I’ve felt scalpels in my own flesh, blades pulled out of my ribs. I’ve stitched my own wounds with shaking hands, with rusted needles, with things that should never have been inside me.

But this—

This is not pain.

This is obliteration.

I open my mouth to curse, to spit, to defy-

And the flames crawl inside.

The flames dig their way into my skin, and something in me breaks.

I arch against the chains, inhuman, twisting, writhing. My back snaps inward, muscles clenching, spasming. My jaw locks—too tight, too tight—but it doesn’t matter, because the scream is already tearing its way out of my throat.

Raw.

Wet.

Shredded.

It hurts wrong.

It doesn’t feel like knives, or fists, or anything with an edge. It feels like I’m being peeled apart from the inside out, my flesh turning to boiling glue, my nerves screaming in crackling waves.

The heat pushes into my chest, deeper, into my stomach, my ribs. It moves like liquid, too fast, too much, and I can feel the oil inside my clothes catching now, sticking, feeding the flames that crawl under my skin, between my bones.

My eyes are open, but I can’t see.

My lashes have burned away.

My vision blurs and bubbles, and then—

I hear it.

Something inside me pops.

There’s wetness on my cheek, and for a second I think tears—

No.

No, no, no, no—

My eye.

The heat burst my eye.

I feel it running down my face. A thick, scalding mess of fluid and liquefied viscera.

I scream again.

The sound hurts. My throat is gone, my lungs are cooking, shriveling, turning to blackened sacks of meat.

My ribs—cracking, splitting open. The marrow inside boiling, bubbling, bursting.

The flames lick up my throat now. I smell burning hair, burning leather, burning me.

I am still alive.

Still feeling it.

Still screaming.

The crowd is silent.

The chains bite into my wrists as I thrash, heave, fight, my body desperate to get away, to survive, even though there is nowhere to go.

But the fire doesn’t care.

It eats.

And I keep screaming.

I am not dying fast enough.

My hands—my fingers are curling inward.

The tendons have contracted from the heat. My body is shutting down, pulling in on itself, locked in a twisted, grotesque shape.

I am burning alive in my own body.

I feel my liver rupture, the fluids inside me hissing to steam.

I smell my own skin cooking, the scent thick, greasy, sickening.

I am still here.

I shouldn’t be.

The fire is in my ears now, my scalp, the corners of my mouth. My lips have burned away. My face is splitting apart. I am screaming but I have no mouth.

The agony rises higher, higher, higher—

I need it to end.

I need it to end.

I try to inhale, try to fill my lungs with enough fire to kill me, to finish it, to end me faster, but my throat collapses in on itself. The tissue is sloughing away, my body’s last desperate attempt to keep me alive.

I don’t want to be alive.

I want it over.

The flames creep into my skull.

Something inside my head begins to boil.

The pressure builds—

Rising—

And then—

Pop.

Something bursts.

A flood of black.

Silence.

Nothing.

Not peace.

Not darkness.

Not even thought.

Just—

Gone.

But then.

A breath.

A gasp.

Air slams into my lungs, too sudden, too much, and I lurch upward, gagging, heaving, choking.

Something presses against my face. Soft. Wet. Cold.

I inhale again—rotten.

Something in my stomach rebels.

I know that smell.

I know where I am.

Not fire.

Not the pyre.

Somewhere else.

Somewhere worse.

I blink, trying to clear the black haze from my vision, trying to see, and then—

I see it.

The face beside mine.

Slack-jawed. Tongue protruding, swollen from the stasis of the venous blood.

The flesh peeling, curling, exposed teeth gleaming under half-burned skin.

I know where I am.

I am in a pit of corpses.

I choke down a sob, roll onto my side, and—softness. My hands sink into something that gives beneath me, something once-alive, something ruined.

I lurch upward, shoving, clawing my way out of the mass of the dead, pushing against limp arms, shattered ribs, empty skulls.

I feel wrong.

My skin is still raw, shredded.

But I am alive.

Why am I alive?

My body remembers the fire.

I remember the fire.

But I am here.

Alive.

I should not be.

And then—

A voice.

Not my own.

Not human.

Cold. Crawling. Inside my skull.

"Find it."

I freeze.

"Save it."

My breath shudders.

"Burn for it."

I scream.

It’s not loud. It’s hoarse, ruined, a sound that barely escapes my wrecked throat.

I thrash, shove a limp body aside, claw my way upward, upward, away, out, out, out.

The pit is deep.

Too deep.

Too full.

My fingers slip, nails scraping against wet bones, against muscle, against things that should not be touched.

I climb anyway.

It takes forever.

When my hand finally finds the edge, I drag myself free—

And collapse onto wet dirt, shaking, retching, covered in the stink of death and the memory of burning.

Above me, the sky is black and endless.

Somewhere, the Inquisitor sleeps, sure that I am dead.

Somewhere, the preacher whispers prayers, believing I am in the Emperor’s hands.

Somewhere, the hunters have not yet started chasing me.

But soon, they will.

Because I did not stay dead.

And no one knows why.

[calic0o]

HAIIIII HELLOOO im thinking about. Ghoap grieving over Roach. After. Yk. the events. but. got me a little twist to it. :3

Cw// Grieving (?), Mentions of burning alive, Lots of pain. Mcd (or is it.)

Whenever he thinks about Roach, which is a lot. Ghost feels himself burning in that pit once again, crawling out, rolling on the ground in pain to put the flames out. Pain fueled tears downing his eyes.

He remembers looking at Roach’s burning body, yelling at him to get up, get out, roll. He remembers the sounds of Roach’s equipment cracking.

Whenever he thinks about Roach, which is a lot. Soap remembers screaming into his transmitter. Yelling them not to trust Shepherd, his heart squeezing, head pounding from the stress. The doom feeling.

All confirming when Price says ‘They are dead.’

How it felt like a ton of ice water just got dumped over him.

Then, he remembers how it felt when he got the information about Ghost being alive and rescued. He was happy, oh so happy. But, what about Roach ? What happened to him ?

Then, another question comes in. If he is not there, where was his body ?

Ghost remembers passing out, looking at Roach’s burning body. He remembers waking up in a hospital, not able to talk about what happened.

But nonetheless, he was shocked to learn Roach’s body was missing.

They didn’t dwell on it, they couldn’t. They wanted to grieve, they needed time. They couldn’t stress over it yet.

They got a tombstone made for him, left flowers there. Both added Roach’s dogtag next to their own. And shut up about it. Grieving in silence.

Roach, remembers waking up. In pain, oh so much pain. Tears rolling down his eyes, dripping on the bed he’s laying on. Looking around in pain filled panic, trying to figure out where he is, where is Ghost.

Then he hears the door cracking open, getting eye to eye with Makarov.

[hacked-by-jake]

CW: Burn injuries (that's pretty dark I guess)

You know, it's somehow... It would have been interesting if Richy is still be alive. I mean, we all know about the story of the man without a face and his real face and why he wore the mask, because of his appearance. So, and after the fire... You know, Richy would 'fit' it even more. Having burned skin etc. It would be, for the drama, another crazy thing. He acted as the mwaf and in the end he really became him.

[deadreality404]

Light Yagami Suffering

Woke up with the taste of blood in my mouth. Now I wanna read about Light Yagami getting tortured.

T.W:

Descriptions of TORTURE under the cut. Not necessarily explicit but NOT something I'd consider SFW so proceed with caution.

Just imagine it. Light tied up in a chair. Frantic. Struggling. Light panicking and feeling humiliated. Imagine him twisting and tying himself into knots inside his head so that his current helplessness doesn’t conflict with his god complex. Light threatening, demanding. ‘Don’t you know who I am? I’m the son of the chief of police. You won’t get away with this!’ Light getting water boarded. Light thrashing. Light getting his nails ripped out. Light biting back screams. Light gasping and panting and when his control finally slips – whimpering like a beaten dog. Light trying to negotiate. ‘If you let me go I won’t tell anyone. I promise damn it! I swear it! I won’t say a god damn word! What do you want from me?!’ Light’s composer finally breaking. Tears pooling in his eyes seconds before he first starts to sob. Light’s pride shattering, him begging. ‘Stop! Stop! Please…’

Then finally, when Light reaches his lowest, L appearing before him. Gently carding his fingers through Light’s damp hair. ‘It’s okay Light-kun. It’s okay.’ Light feeling relived. Thinking that it’s finally over. Then his brilliant mind puts the pieces together.

L is alone. Light is still tied up. The one doing this to him never revealed themselves. The glee on L’s face….

‘You…’ Light doesn’t want to believe it.

‘Does Light-kun have any idea how pretty he looks when he cries?’

[greenteaandtattoos]

damn, it really just hit me that if aaravos meant that he literally swallowed aditi due to his size, he committed fucking cannibalism. idk why that's fucking with me so hard but damn if he really was being literal i genuinely hope that she was dead before he did it

[mumblesplash]

the fact that doctors can just Recommend Weight Loss with no instructions beyond ‘eat healthier/less’ is actually insane to me, i lost weight on purpose ONCE and it took me like 6 years to recover a semi-normal relationship with food and hunger

[itsyamanjack]

I KNOWWWWWW It's more Overkill but my computer is pissed as hell that it's been open for like over 2 days and I really wanted to draw and also I'm STRESSED so I will continue to draw genius horrifying scenes. And then retiring my laptop for a day so I don't get deltarune spoilers.

Speaking of horrifying scenes: Below here is stuff relating to mostly Dawn's attempted noncon kiss and then one art of dawn's loop 6 death (burning alive, not graphic it's right Before that but still.)

THEY MAKE ME SICK. THEY MAKE ME ILL. I KEEP FUCKING FORGETTING TO TAG OVERKILL HOLD ON @askoverkill give me a dusk charm I need to shake them badly

[scvcnofswords]

while i know the game tries to point-blank say the south fell entirely to the blight in an effort to likely set up a soft world-reboot for future matters, as far as my own canon, i diverge pretty heavily from that in veilguard and post-veilguard verses.

as long as it's happening in a world where Regin is inquisitor, there's a couple of very important things that apply to my thedosian canon (whether or not Litriu is this world's hero of ferelden, but i do default to li being the HOF when Regin is Inquisitor. it just helps me streamline how i want the world to be working.)

for starters, Litriu and a handful of 'her' wardens defied the First Warden's orders, and did not recall to weisshaupt. they remained in vigil's keep and amaranthine to help combat the Blight, because Litriu has been using vigil's keep as the place she returns to ever since the events of Awakening. She's been traversing all of Thedas looking for a cute for the Blight and the Calling (and reminder that in her own canon/my canon, she IS successful through the use of great dragon blood that she obtains in the wilds of Antiva, and secretly begins distributing, first to her own wardens and companions, and then to the Order after the events of Veilguard (or has distributed, depending on how things end for her with Veilguard). So, during the events of Veilguard, Amaranthine functions almost as a forward-camp, a bastion for those helping to combat the evanuris and the Blight, and is run by Litriu or by a chosen Second.

furthermore, through the events of Inquisition, Regin placed Briala in power- and also gained a lot of blackmail material and information that she'll be able to leverage. she placed leliana (hardened) into the position as divine, and all of this was essentially her setting up with one goal in mind-

pressuring briala and gaspard into returning the Dales to elvhen sovereignty. (by which I mean; the Exalted Plains, the emprise du lion, and the Emerald Graves.) by using her own almost 'deified' identity as inquisitor and chantry-figure, the weight of the divine, this IS successful- though it takes time and does result in multiple assassination attempts against herself and against Briala and Gaspard. she may have only learned to play chess during Inquisition, but she learned well- and set up a hell of a long endgame, to ensure that even if she died in the process, the Dales returned to the elves. it's why at TIMES in conversations with chantry-officials during Inquisition, Regin would neither confirm nor deny anything to do with Andraste or the Maker after being made Inquisitor.

anyways.

during the events of Veilguard, Denerim falls as do most eastern Ferelden cities- i imagine that the forces of the Evanuris didn't just sweep down from the North and blanket the continent; i feel like they would have made almost more of a pincer-movement, the horrors of the Blight creeping out of the Brecilian forest alongside agents like the Antaam or Venatori, taking the easternmost border of ferelden entirely and sweeping west- whilst forces from the evanuris did the same thing on the northwesternmost side of Orlais - surging down as an incursion from the Anderfels and swept east, with the intent of meeting in the middle.

the city of Amaranthine also falls again and is burned to rout the Blight and to try and belay the surge of the Blight, but only Vigil's Keep ends up spared that awful fate. redcliffe doesn't entirely fall but is badly damaged by the Blight and is left only about half-habitable. Regin and Morrigan use their connections through the Crossroads and Eluvians to strategize with Litriu and with Orzammar, and they end up making an almost 'perimeter' with manpower, magic, wards and stone- about half of the Hinterlands (the westernmost half), parts of the Korcari wilds, and the entirety of the Frostback mountains and basin serve as the perimeter- that is the line that they keep the Blight off of at all costs, keeping Skyhold as the main place to protect refugees. this is mostly successful, beyond small scars of the land where the Blight and its' agents of corruption did manage to encroach before being burned out. anora does not fall with denerim and she escapes to either redcliffe (which she then uses as her own base of operations, coordinating with Li and with Regin) or she uses it as a waypoint before falling back to Skyhold entirely. much of ferelden's army does manage to recover themselves within redcliffe- i would say about 35-40% of ferelden's army is lost when Denerim falls. Crestwood is somehow spared from entire corruption and ruin, but the storm coast is very nearly consumed. Lothering is lost, as is the majority of the Bannorn- however while Amaranthine is ruined and Vigil's Keep is protected, Highever manages to remain standing, though only barely. West Hill and most of the Storm Coast are consumed by the Blight- and the Fallow Mire is almost entirely covered in it, the land buried beneath the rot and tendrils.

as far as Orlais' side of the map goes- the Dales themselves are the perimeter, because the Evanuris moved so fast that Regin and her forces were not able to organize quickly enough to stop that encroachment- the world after all in the events of the last Exalted Council of Halamshiral had done its' absolute best to strip the Inquisitor of all of the power they'd begged her to take, and thus she didn't have enough forces or legitimacy until after Val Royeaux had already fallen- and Gaspard with it, though Briala was able to escape and breach the eluvians with a small force to warn Regin and set things into motion. The Dales themselves (the plains, the emprise du lion, and the emerald graves) alongside part of the Armor Wilds serve as the perimeter- are where the borders are set into place to keep back the Blight. There are scattered pockets and cities/villages in Orlais that do not fall- the map isn't entirely wiped clean with corruption and ruin- but the majority of Orlais is laid to waste- the evanuris focused more heavily upon Orlais than Ferelden in my opinion, due to the events of the world that they've watched- and i don't think they did this in any way to 'avenge' the elvhen, but out of rage that Orlais, like Tevinter, try to model itself in THEIR image but claim all of it to come from its' own mind and inspiration rather than admitting how much of their culture and structure were scavenged from the carcass of the empire that they built.

regin works with morrigan, litriu, briala, leliana, (gods i love women LMAO) and with rook to maintain these borders, using Skyhold as a base of operation, but keeping herself moving almost constantly, so that no one can ever be sure of where she is long enough for an organized attempt at 'cutting off the head' of the Southern resistance. as such she will also, at times, join Rook in the Lighthouse for strategy and for debriefing of information so that they can keep as up-to-date as possible and keep the flow of information moving between them. she ALSO, at times, will join Rook in the field so that she can keep apprised of movements of the factions that are most heavily operating in the north and in the monsters and tactics the evanuris are using.

after the end of Veilguard, much of the Blight recedes- it calcifies and dies in many places, though not all. i think it does in a way become easier to cure using litriu's discovery of the great dragonsblood- perhaps to the point that high dragon blood could also be used, if not as a total-cure than as a 'management' substance until that which can cure it can be introduced. orlais and ferelden are respectively about 70% and 55% ravaged by the Blight and the scars are deep- but they will recover.

Skyhold itself is untouched, mercifully, and remains strong and proud- but Orlais is left with the entire ruling bloodline wiped out, and Ferelden having to rebuild almost its' entire infrastructure and seats of power.

orzammar fares the best, i think. they neither lost their seat of power nor their ruling family and bloodline, and their efforts alongside regin and the inquisition establish them firmly with the entire south owing them a rather massive debt.

[capricoopla]

Old anti-Two Sandtsones graffiti

Painted during the conflict between Selective Memories' and Two Sandstones' citizens

[crownsandbishops]

hey narinder,

What happened to x-.. elon after lamb overthrown you?

[spidersins]

i think it's verrry important to note how angel refers to valentino at the hotel

it consists of 'my boss' ( canonically with charlie ), and whenever valentino comes up he shrugs him off with casual dismissiveness, referring to him only as "the boss", "big v" or "overlord." it’s easier that way—easier and less complicated. the closest he gets to admitting it is with husk, referring to himself as val's 'favourite toy'. and still, it's vague, still maintaining the pretence that it's a professional interest.

after all, why dig deeper into something so messy and personal when angel himself doesn’t fully know how to deal with it?

deep down though, angel knows valentino isn’t just his boss. it's more than that—it's always been more than that. he hates how much space val takes up in his mind, how the smallest gesture—an offhanded compliment, a rare moment of affection—can set his heart racing despite the poison in their relationship.

admitting to himself, let alone anyone else, that he once cared about valentino—that he still sometimes misses those moments when love felt real—feels like a betrayal of who he’s trying to be now. the toxic truth of it all makes him sick, and yet there are nights when he lies awake, staring at the ceiling, and remembers the fleeting warmth of thinking he mattered to someone.

he won’t admit to himself, much less to anyone else, how much he cares about valentino—or how much he wants val to care about him in a way that isn’t just transactional. that vulnerability feels like a weakness angel can’t afford to expose, especially not to people like charlie, vaggie, or even husk, who might see through the cracks and judge him for it. so, angel keeps the facade up, biting back the truth and laughing it off with his usual snark and deflection.

[theoneeyedgoldenwolf]

Memory of the flames

Birthday fic for @freezingwhitefire!! <3

Summary: Time finally has managed to set a day for Dotour family to come over. Yet, even though things don’t go exactly as he planned, it does help to heal one of his boys a bit.

Notion: - I can’t do a normal first time meeting people fic so I needed an ice breaker… Or rather putting out the fire. ;) Aaand I just ended up making a whump story out of this. =/ - I will do better explanation of Wild’s past eventually. This is only part of the situation as Wild doesn’t fully recall everything due to being sick back then.

CW: Past attempt at burning one alive, protective anger, cursing, sickness (shivering, nausea, throwing up)

In AO3: Memory of the flames

Wild: Link Banda Dragomir - From Sumerian banda "young, wild, fierce". - Dragomir, of Slavic descent, means ‘precious and peaceful’, often carried by individuals of noble heritage.

Mr. Kiefer Dotour (Kafei’s father) - Kiefer: From a German surname meaning either "pine tree" or "barrel maker".

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Time couldn’t help but feel bit anxious. He had been postponing this meeting for quite a few times by now. He honestly had meant for his boys to meet with his friend long ago but things just hadn’t given him that chance.

Things had been hectic for few months as the seven youngsters, one by one, had been up for meeting with their blood relatives. Sadly, most of those meetings hadn’t gone well. Not to mention that he had, eventually, lost one of the boys as he fully returned to home. He had just felt bit grateful that Wind had been last one to reunite with his blood parents as he doubted to have been able to deal with things as well as he had.

Before all of the youngsters had had the chance to meet with their families, the ranch had been attacked. The ranch’s owner shuddered at the memory before turnings his gaze into the window and searched out Wars. He smiled a bit while remembering how that situation had fixed things between the two of them.

After the rest of the meetings, the one eyed male had ended up into a mission that had been supposed to be long one. They hadn’t been longer than couple of days in the area before things had gone to hell. Time unconsciously touched the markings of the Fierce Deity. Well, there were only half of them but even that felt bit too much. Still, he forced himself to accept things for Wild’s sake. If he felt ashamed or tried to hide the unwanted and cruelly given tattoos of sorts, it would definitely affect into how the younger males saw things.

Time’s smile widened a bit when he caught the notion of Wind. If anything good had happened out of that wrong gone mission, it was the very fact that he got the boys back. All of them. Though, he couldn’t deny the fact he would’ve rather had the seven boys of his concentrate into their own lives. Yet, it had been only couple of weeks since that mission and he still was getting used to the different outlook of his. At least the markings didn’t hurt anymore when he touched them accidentally, unconsciously or by own choice.

Since things had finally calmed down and he had healed well enough, he felt like it was finally the time he could call Kafei and his family over. The boys were excited to meet one of his friends which only made things that one bit better for him. Though, Hyrule had already met with Kafei but back then that had been police matter so the meeting wasn’t exactly as he had hoped it to be done. Nonetheless, Time was fully up for making everything right this time around.

The Lon-Lon Ranch’s owner jerked a bit when he heard the car coming to the yard. He took once a deep breath to calm down and left the house to meet with his friend and his family. “Hey there!” He called happily while approaching the car once it was parked and the four were coming out of the vehicle. “Welcome to Lon-Lon Ranch. Been way too long since you guys have visited here.”

“Hey, Spri— OH SHIT! The hell’s happened?” Kafei nearly shouted as he saw the markings.

Time chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head. “Yeah, new look.” He bit grinned and shrugged. “Quite recent too. Not from my own choice, though.”

The lilac haired male came closer with wide eyes. “Sprite…” He started without really knowing what to say or do.

The one eyed male shrugged again. “It’s fine. I’m okay. The boys are okay. My bro’s okay. Just…” He shrugged once again. “…gotta get used to it. That’s all.”

“You gonna tell me?” Kafei asked while raising an eyebrow.

Time sighed and gave apologetic look. “Sorry, don’t really have the rights.”

Kafei nodded in understanding. “Anyway, where are your boys?” He half queried while glancing behind his friend.

The second oldest resident of the ranch chuckled and bit grinned. “Around.” He replied and glanced behind him. “I keep on telling them that they’re not obliged to do the ranch work and…” He shrugged. “…they do it anyways.”

“You should be grateful of that.” Anju, Kafei’s wife, simply said while coming to them.

“I am. It’s just—“ He started before shutting up as he saw the woman. “Oh wow… Congrats!” He half shouted as he took in the fact of her being pregnant. “You two are going to be absolutely amazing parents!” His smile was wide and genuine even though there was slight bang of grief in the back of his feelings. Yet, he squished it swiftly while concentrating into the happy news and into having the rights to introduce these people to his own family.

Anju and Kafei glanced at each other with a loving gaze before the woman already gave bit of an apologetic smile. “Sorry. We probably should’ve informed before coming to here.”

Time shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. “Nah, no worries! Just happy for you two.” He replied before glancing towards the main area of the ranch. “Just… You having rights to eat outdoor food? Wild was adamant about getting to handle the meal today and even more so to cook on open fire.” He queried bit worriedly. “Though, I’m sure he’d be happy to do different meal for you if needed.”

“Outdoor food sounds perfect.” Anju answered happily. “What is he creating?”

The one eyed male chuckled a bit and shrugged. “I’ve no idea. He wanted to keep it a secret.”

The older couple, Kafei’s parents, joined the trio at then. “Been a while since we were here last.” The husband commented while looking around.

“Bit too long, to be honest.” Time answered tad sorrowfully. “Sorry about having not been able to get this settled earlier.”

The man waved his hand dismissively. “Not your fault. Life’s rough sometimes.”

Time just nodded while trying not to think about what he lost eleven years ago. “Anyway, how about meeting my boys and my brother, hmm?” He suggested while being fully willing to change the topic. The four with him nodded and followed him towards the horse pen. Once close enough and seeing Wild’s back at the cooking area, the one eyed male stopped and gave out a whistle. After that he just grinned and waited.

“I’ll be there in a moment!” Wild called while needing to get his work into such place that it wouldn’t get ruined while he was meeting with his caretaker’s friends.

“Take your time, Wild. No hurries.” Time called back fondly.

Soon enough the seven others were already coming out of the areas they were working at. In no time they were pretty much standing in a spread out line in front of the one eyed male. Time chuckled and shook his head a bit while facepalming. “Seriously, guys. Can’t ya shuffle now and then?” He mused fondly with a grin while noticing the boys having once again picked their places by the order they had been brought to the ranch while leaving a spot open for Wild. The ex-Captain was standing as last one on the line’s left and bit grinning about the upcoming banter of sorts.

Twilight shrugged a bit while slightly grinning. “I don’t know. It’s just easy this way.”

Time playfully groaned and rolled his eye. “Why not go by age or height or something?” He mock-whined.

“If we go by age it would just put Wind to last and Four second last without changing the order otherwise.” Sky replied matter-of-factly.

The one eyed male blinked once before facepalming. “Good point.” Yet, he soon grinned and slightly shrugged. “At least it would be slight difference in there.”

“Don’t ya like the order you brought us into here?” Wind inquired while putting on his best puppy-dog-eyes. The rest of the boys followed with that look.

Time blinked and whined while turning towards Kafei. “See what I’m dealing with here? I can’t win!” Yet, he was grinning and enjoying of the laughter he got out of the four guests of theirs. “Okay, okay, anyway…” He continued while smiling fondly as he looked at his boys and big brother. “So, since everyone got to here, we can—“ He began as Wild came to take his place from between Legend and Wind. Yet, he already frowned at the gasp and shock of recognition on his third boy’s face.

“You!” Kafei’s father suddenly shouted as he saw the scarred boy. While everyone’s notion went right into him, Time moved swiftly straight in front of Wild while turning around. He kept the youngster behind him while narrowing his gaze at the man. He felt bit grateful as the seven others moved closer to Wild too to give support, comfort and being ready to protect him if needed.

“How do you know my boy?” The ranch’s owner did his best to keep his growl out of his voice but he wasn’t fully successful with it. He carefully moved backwards to get in touch with the cook. He slowly moved his arm back to give a slight hug of sorts in attempt of comforting. “I want the full and absolute truth.” He quite well commanded while being entirely ready to defend Wild in any way possible.

The man was startled of the situation and he stared bit wide-eyed at Time. Kafei moved to stand between his father and his friend while facing his father. “Father, how do you know Sprite’s boy?” He quite well demanded for an answer.

The oldest male on the ranch at the moment opened and closed his mouth while feeling unable to speak. Time had a moment to think about the situation before already making his choice. “I want the answer but before that… Give me a moment.” He stated out firmly before already turning around and crouching down to Wild’s level.

The one eyed male very gently hugged his boy while whispering reassuring words and promises of keeping him safe and sound. Wild was trembling and close of tears. He shut his eyes tightly while wishing to be fully hidden and out of sight at then and there.

��Wild.” Wind suddenly called with bit of a whine while tugging on the older boy’s sleeve. “I want a hot choco. Please, Wild? Pretty please?” He begged while giving his best puppy-dog-eyes.

“That’s a brilliant idea.” Time half exclaimed while kissing the top of Wild’s head. “Hot chocos sound like a good idea, don’t ya think?” He coaxed gently while drying his boy’s tears.

“I… Y-yeah… O-okay… If you’re sure…” The cook of the day whispered while turning his gaze into Time.

“Absolutely.” The ranch’s keeper stated out firmly with a wide smile. He kissed Wild’s forehead before gently ushering him and Wind to head towards the house.

“I’ll go with them.” Twilight told while being ready to follow his younger brothers. He gave a slight grin and shrug. “Besides, they might need bit of help in getting them all here.”

“Cub.” Time called with a requesting look.

“I will, Time.” The first brought boy simply answered with a nod and his caretaker sighed in relief and relaxed.

Once the trio was out of hearing range, the male with Fierce Deity’s markings returned his gaze into his friend’s father. Yet, before he could start his interrogation of sorts, he noticed the bit confused looks on the faces of his boys and big brother whom had stayed by him. He chuckled a bit and shook his head with a slight smile. “I just made sure Wild’s getting a hot choco to calm down. He’ll get another too once those will be brought to here.” He told calmly before returning his hardened gaze into the oldest male of the group at the yard. “Now… Talk.”

The man gasped slightly and bit jerked at the given look. Kafei grinned and chuckled slightly. “Yeah, he got that aura of a leader.” He partly mused before getting serious of the situation. “Yet, if I were you, I’d talk. Sprite doesn’t take lightly anything that concerns his boys. And, father, right now you’re on thin ice here.”

Time felt relieved for Kafei standing by him. He had slightly worried about him taking his family’s side. Yet, clearly, the police side of him wanted the answer as much as he did.

The current head of the Dotour family raised his hands in soothing manner while having returned his gaze into Sprite. Part of him wanted to count into being a family friend but he could easily see that it would be the worst possible path to take. “First of all, I have never harmed any of your boys, Sprite.” He started as firmly as he could.

Time tried to stay calm and not give his boys and big brother any reason to take actions on his behalf. “Maybe not while they’ve been my boys but the question is… What about before they came here?” He bit hated of his voice being closer to snarl than he had meant it to fall into.

The man sighed and let himself slump a bit before crossing his arms over his chest. It wasn’t for defiance or such but simply for the fact that he didn’t really know where else he could keep his hands while explaining. “As you know, I’ve worked as a firefighter for a few years between the police years.” He started as calmly as he could.

“It was for the experience in learning to know arson cases better.” The old man Dotour explained before sighing sorrowfully. “On one case then…” He hesitated and shook his head while turning his gaze away from the group. “An abandoned house was on fire. Nothing out of ordinary. Either an accident by people playing at there or keeping it as a place away from the weather or, at worst, just bad guys burning it down. Obviously, we didn’t know what would be the reason for the start of the fire. We went there and…” He trailed off in sorrow.

The man slowly shook his head before trying to dry his tears. “It wasn’t empty. There was someone inside.” He continued quietly while feeling the lump at his throat. “A kid. No older than eight or so. The boy just ran out of there in terror. Screaming and fully on fire.” He shook his head as he recalled the situation and barely being able to breathe. “I-it freaked the crap out of us. We caught him and somehow, with the kid struggling and screaming, managed to put the flames out.”

Time stared wide-eyed at the man and gasped a bit as he fell to his knees. Wild had never fully talked about his burn marks and he hadn’t forced him. He barely noticed the youngsters and his brother coming down in attempt of comforting him. He fought not to cry but soon enough he just hid his face into his hand while imagining the hell his boy had gone through.

“He fell unconscious before the ambulance came.” The oldest of Dotour family continued without having noticed the situation outside his sight. “I wanted to talk with the kid. To find out what had happened. Some claimed he had done it to himself. Few thought it had just been accident.” He shook his head. “I think it was attempted murder. He hadn’t been there alone. A kid of his age…” He shook his head again. “Too young to be on his own. Dear Goddesses, how cruel this world can be…” He half mumbled before sighing heavily.

“The kid…” The man snorted and sported disbelieving grin. “Damn it… I don’t know how he was capable of it but he refused to stay in the hospital. He kept escaping from there. And the docs told he was quite sick too and been such for a while. I just…” He sighed and slumped again. “I just wanted answers. I wanted the bastards at the fault of his situation into jail. I wanted him somewhere safe.” He growled a little while shaking his head and fisting his hands. “Three times he ran out of the hospital. On that third time I lost track of him. I searched the streets and abandoned placed but I didn’t find him. Thought he probably left the town to somewhere else.” He sighed and shook his head. “Never forgot him, though. One of the few I failed to help.” He whispered quietly in sorrow before finally turning to look at Time with a small smile. “I’m just glad he’s still alive and somewhere very safe in these days.”

Time dried his tears and bit shakily took a deep breath. “You…” He gulped once while standing up slowly. He showed to the others to stand back a bit before taking another, bit steadier, deep breath. “You do understand I need to check on Wild about his version of the situation, right?” He queried while feeling tad grateful of his voice being steadier than what he felt at the moment.

“Of course.” The man nodded with a sorrowful smile. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The one eyed male simply nodded before glancing bit uncertainly at his boys and big brother. Yet, they simply gave a reassuring smile and a firm nod. “Alright.” He half whispered before taking a deep breath to calm himself down. “You guys can start to get the introductions done while I go to talk with Wild.” He gave a slight fond smile to his family and one last nod before heading off to the house.

The story was going vividly around his head while feeling tad contradicted. Part of him wished Wild would tell different story and he could just kick the guy out of their home. And yet, bigger part of him hoped for similarity as he wanted to help the scarred boy of his to deal with this bit of his past. And, obviously, for the reason that the one whom had told the story was his friend’s father.

Time entered the house and took one more deep breath in hopes of staying intact a while longer. He moved as calmly as he could to the doorway of the kitchen and smiled fondly at the situation at there. Twilight was by the table. Wild was sitting on the counter while sipping his hot chocolate. Wind was actually doing the hot chocolates with Wild’s instructions. He watched the trio for a while before knocking on the doorframe to catch their notion. He couldn’t help but bit grin as he unintentionally slightly startled the three boys of his. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare ya.” He apologized before putting his notion into his third boy. “Rascal, can we talk for a moment?” He requested with bit hopeful voice while nodding towards the living room.

Wild very clearly felt uncertain but he nodded and jumped down from the counter. “You can take the hot choco along.” Time told calmly when his boy was up for putting the mug away. “Unless, of course, the mug’s empty at which you’d need a refill.” He continued with a slight grin. The youngster blushed a bit which ended up widening when Wind eagerly filled his older brother’s mug. Time just watched happily the situation happen before moving off the way as his nineteen year old boy left the kitchen.

The caretaker of the scarred boy gently petted his boy’s hair as he moved past him before already following him to the living room. Once they had sat down, the one eyed male sighed heavily and looked bit sorrowfully at Wild. “Rascal…” He started hesitantly. “I never wanted for you or the others to ever have to talk about your pasts like this. This isn’t the right way.” He told nearly desperately while making his choice. “It’s up to you, young one. Do I kick him out?” He knew he should’ve found out about the other side of the story but he just couldn’t force his boys into talking about stuff that left traumas without their consent while making that choice by themselves instead of it having been made on their behalf.

The cook of the ranch had at first just nodded but at that simple question he jerked slightly and snapped his gaze into the one eyed male. Part of him wanted to say yes but that didn’t feel right. The four guests were part of his caretaker’s past. A part that was actually a good one. And yet, he hadn’t really wanted to remember that one day from his past. Still, he really had been meaning to talk about it with Time but he hadn’t found the courage or a chance to do so. Now he was face to face with it and he couldn’t block it out of his mind or sight.

Eventually Wild slowly shook his head. He dropped his gaze into the mug while pulling his legs up to the sofa and close to his chest. He noticed the ranch’s keeper wanting to come close and hold him but he stayed to his place while being uncertain of what was allowed at the moment. He took bit shakily a deep breath before patting the place next to him. “Please?” He partly requested with quiet voice.

Time straight off got up and moved next to his boy. The youngster leaned against him and the one eyed male swiftly wrapped his arms around him to hold him lovingly and securely. “You’re safe here, young one. You’re always safe with me.” He promised quietly and Wild just simply nodded.

The scarred youth took a deep breath, leaned fully against his caretaker and closed his eyes. He held the mug securely by both hands while taking comfort from the embrace, the scent of the hot chocolate and the warmth of the mug. It all grounded him into the present as he slowly and quietly began to talk even though Time’s words of not needing to say anything he wasn’t ready to tell yet was clear in his mind. Still, he wanted this out for once and for all.

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Link Banda Dragomir, eight years old boy, was shivering in the abandoned house. It was summer but he was sick. He had been nauseous for couple of days already and this had been the first safe enough place he could find. Luckily the forest and small pond had provided him with bit of food to survive.

The place, even though abandoned, wasn’t unused. Few teenagers had claimed the place as theirs. At first they had ignored him but that soon changed. It had been just bad luck that he had ended up throwing up onto group’s girl’s cape. The two guys with her had gotten furious and attacked him.

The line of “Burn him.” just barely registered in the child’s mind before one guy held him down while the other one fetched a burning log from the small fireplace of theirs. The girl was laughing while actually spreading the fireplace around and setting the dry wood of the house into fire. With a smirk, the second youngster swiftly yanked Link’s shirt up and pushed the burning log into there. The one whom had held him down took hold of him without caring of the terror and agony filled screaming and just threw him past the swiftly spreading fire. The three of them escaped the place with maniacal laughter.

Link fought the log off of him but the fire had already spread. He was screaming and desperately trying to find a way out. The terror was only thing keeping him alive and moving. Eventually he somehow stumbled out of the place.

Before he understood a thing, he was already surrounded by adults. He was restricted and forcefully held down. The pain, terror, exhaustion and sickness eventually knocked him out.

When the boy finally woke up, he found himself from white room and fully bandaged. He freaked out without even one bit of knowledge of where he was. All he could think about was to get away. The place didn’t feel right but he wasn’t certain if it was because he was sick or if there really was something off in the place. Either way, he didn’t want to stay any of longer than needed.

Link escaped the place without really knowing how he managed with it. Yet, before the day was over, an adult caught him and dragged him right back into the place he had tried to get away from. He was terrified, sick and in pain. Yet, pain was something he could deal with. Terror was what had been accompanying him for as long as he could remember. And sickness… That was something he really didn’t want.

Third attempt at escape finally was successful. He ran out of there during night when others slept. He used pickup trucks to get away faster and further than what he could’ve done by walking or running. He didn’t like it but he stole few simple items from some of those cars for his survival. It was mainly food but few old clothes and a knife left with him too.

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Time listened silently with aching heart. He carefully pulled his boy right into his lap and tried to curl up protectively around the youngster while doing his best to hold back his tears. Once Wild fell silent, he kissed the boy to the top of his head. “What you told goes along with what Kafei’s father said.” He started quietly while already trying to figure out how to make things right. “The adults were firefighters, Kafei’s father being one of them. They simply tried to save you. And the place you escaped from was a hospital.” He explained sorrowfully.

The scarred boy nodded while bit smiling as he felt fully at safe in the hold. “Makes sense. I was feeling bit better after each time I had been at the place. I just…” He trailed off with a sorrowful sigh.

“You were sick, Rascal.” The one eyed male reminded quietly. “And pretty roughly too, if I understood right, so it’s not your fault that your mind wasn’t fully working correctly.” He kissed the top of his boys head again. “I’m just glad you survived, young one.” He whispered quietly while just trying to soothe himself with the fact that Wild was in his arms very much alive and well.

After a moment of silence Time gently pressed his forehead against the top of his boy’s head. “Link.” He called quietly while trying to keep his voice normal but being unable to prevent some of his anguish seep into it. Wild frowned in slight worry while humming to show he was listening. “If you ever see those three again, lead me to them.” The ranch’s keeper fully commanded with dead-serious voice.

The youngster was quite startled of that hard request. “Time…?”

The one eyed male sighed heavily while keeping his eye closed. “We’ll see what I’ll do at then but they need to pay for what they did to you.” He commented firmly while once again seriously wishing he could just hunt down each of those bastards that had hurt his boys and make them pay the hard way.

The silence fell between them again for a while. “People are gonna get hungry if I won’t start with the actual cooking soon.” Wild mused surprisingly calmly. He had his own restaurant to run but right here, in Time’s arms, he felt like a child again and he really loved the feeling the ranch’s owner gave him. He felt so happy, protected and loved.

“We’ll head there only when you’re feeling like you’re able to handle things. Not a second earlier.” The male with Fierce Deity’s markings stated out firmly but still calmly. He grinned a bit when the youngster in his arms chuckled.

The scarred young man gently pulled away from the embrace and turned to look at Time with a smile on his face. “I’m ready.” He told firmly with a nod.

The one eyed male returned the smile and nodded back. “So… About Kafei’s father…” He started bit uncertainly with a slight frown.

“He’s no harm.” Wild replied with a gentle shake of his head. “He tried to help. I just didn’t understand it back then. My life…” He trailed off with a sigh. “It wasn’t easy or safe. I…” He shrugged and gave bit of a sorrowful smile. “I guess I bit feared for the three to come after me if I talked.” He confessed quietly.

“Well, if they ever do, let me know.” Time replied calmly while gently running his fingers through his boy’s hair. “You’re safe and sound with us. I, your brothers, my big brother, we’ll defend you with anything and everything we got. I swear this to you.”

“I know, thank you.” The youngster smiled widely while leaning forward to hug his caretaker tightly. Time returned the hold equally tightly before allowing his boy to pull away. “So… Food time!” Wild exclaimed eagerly before standing up and pulling the ranch’s owner up too.

Time chuckled a bit while accepting the aid. He followed his boy back to the kitchen where everything was ready with the hot chocolates. “Let’s get going before the others start to wonder if I’m gonna feed them or not!” He grinned widely but he didn’t need to pick the trays up as Twilight and Wind handled that part.

The four of them left the house with Time in front while holding his arm around Wild’s shoulders and smiling fondly at him. The first brought boy and the Pirate followed them calmly while feeling grateful of things having been cleared for their brother. Yet, when the ranch’s owner saw the standoff between his family and Kafei’s family, he quite well groaned and facepalmed. “I thought at least you would’ve known how to act correctly in the situation, Wars.” He called out with a shake of his head. “Has anyone done introductions in here?” He queried before nearly slumping at the unvoiced answer he gained from his boys and big brother.

The five males of the ranch had quite well jerked when they had heard Time’s voice. The oldest of the group, the ranch’s owner’s big brother, slumped and gave a sheepish look to his little brother. Yet, he was ready to state out his defenses when the five years younger male continued to talk. He, like his brother’s boys, gulped and that sheepish look returned right onto their faces.

“Seriously…” Time muttered while shaking his head. “I thought I taught you boys better than this.”

The four with Wars avoided to look at their caretaker while looking bit ashamed of the situation. The ex-Captain finally found his own courage to actually face his younger brother. “This was about your third adopted son, Sprite. You know I will defend your family with everything I got and your adopted sons will definitely defend their brothers.” He reminded firmly but he ended up bit frowning.

The ranch’s owner blushed a bit at the word his big brother used to describe the seven boys he had adopted. He had avoided that one simple word as part of him still believed he had no rights to use such important word as “son” when referring to his boys. Yet, soon enough he took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. After that he raised his hands in bit of half soothing, half defensive way. “Okay, okay, let’s just calm down.” He partly requested while wanting to get the introductions done so he could let Wild off into his work of cooking.

As the situation was calming down, the scarred youngster gave a nod to his two brothers with him. With the given rights, Twilight and Wind began to share the hot chocolates to ease out the situation even more. Time smiled fondly at the trio and nodded his thanks as he was second one to give the hot chocos with Wild being the first.

“So…” The one eyed male began while making sure the cook stayed close to him for the time being. “These eight here actually, crazily enough, share the first name of Link.” He started with a slight grin before shrugging a bit. “Don’t ask me if I share that too. I doubt it but I don’t think I’ll ever know for real.” He straight off confessed while bit petting Wild’s hair. “Anyway, the eight got nicknames of their own choice which are quite well in use at here.”

“Not entirely, Sprite.” The ex-Captain commented with a grin.

Time groaned and rolled his eye. “Fine. I nicknamed him.” He confessed while giving a swift point of his thumb at his big brother. After that he turned his gaze into the older male. “Are you going to introduce yourself or do I do that for you?”

Wars chuckled and grinned at his little brother’s expression before turning his notion back into the police family. He got far more serious while still being ready to defend his brother’s boys if needed. “You can call me either Captain Link or Wars.” He stated out firmly while making sure he preferred his title but also giving out the nickname used more by the family he had by him which the Dotours weren’t yet entirely part of.

“I’m Twilight.” The first brought boy of Time’s introduced himself with a firm nod. He still felt bit uncertain of how to feel about these four guests of theirs. He glanced once at Wild and bit calmed down while seeing the couple of years younger male actually relaxed while staying by Time.

“Wind!” The youngest person on the ranch at the moment almost shouted gleefully. He really wanted to change the atmosphere a bit and knew his enthusiasm could be the key for such.

“Call me Sky.” The pilot-to-be said softly with a kind smile. He didn’t show it but he still felt horrified about what he had heard Wild to have gone through in his past. Sure, he knew it couldn’t have been good considering the burn marks but he hadn’t waited it to be something like that. He gave a swift sorrowful look towards his brother before actually moving next to Time and leaning against his free side.

The one eyed male really wished he could’ve hugged his boy better but he had the mug in his hands. With a slight grin, he gently rested his elbow on the youngster’s head. Sky blinked once in surprise and glanced upwards before tad blushing and just pressing even more firmly against his caretaker.

“I’m Hyrule.” The boy interested in exploring introduced himself with a nod. “It’s nice to meet you all.”

“Legend.” The second boy of Time’s stated out firmly while keeping close check on Wild even though he’s gaze wasn’t in him. “The caretaker of the ranch’s apple trees.” He added bit proudly without really knowing why he told that.

“Four.” The shortest boy of the ranch said firmly before tad blushing. “Like the number.” He explained before feeling even more embarrassed until shrugging and turning to face elsewhere. “It’s hard to explain…”

Time put the mug to his other hand and gently tapped Sky on his shoulder to catch his notion. When the younger male looked at him, he just nodded towards Four. The youngster smiled and nodded before he already went over to his brother and just simply hugged him. Their caretaker just smiled fondly at the scene for a moment before turning his notion into his scarred boy by him.

The cook of the day took a deep breath to stay calm. “I’m called as Wild.” He finally told with a slight smile.

“It’s absolutely amazing to finally meet with you all.” The younger male of the Dotour family started eagerly. “My name is Kafei and this is my wife, Anju.” He continued before kissing the side of her head. “And these are my parents, Mr. Kiefer Dotour and Madame Aroma Dotour.” He introduced as calmly as he could while hoping the earlier situation to have been cleared off well enough for now.

“You left your upcoming little one’s name off.” Time commented with a slight grin.

“It’s a secret.” Kafei replied with a mischievous grin. While the eight around Time smiled and nodded understandingly, the one eyed male opened and shut his mouth few times. He turned his gaze off while looking tad uncertain. Yet, before anyone could comment on his behavior, he already returned his gaze almost bit challengingly into his friend.

“I doubt that’s the little one’s name.” The ranch’s owner finally told while hating how he had for a moment considered that word as one’s name. He grinned slightly at the chuckles around him but it didn’t really take away his feeling of shame.

“No, it’s not.” Kafei answered calmly before grinning again. “And we’re not telling the little one’s gender either. You just gotta wait until we invite you guys over to the naming day.” He told nearly smugly.

“We’ll be looking forward to that then.” Time answered happily and his boys and his big brother nodded firmly too. “So…” He started while turning his gaze and slight grin into Wild. “Master chef, food?” He partly inquired while raising an eyebrow.

The scarred youngster nodded eagerly. “Absolutely!” He half exclaimed before pulling out of the loose one armed hug of sorts. He happily moved over to the fireplace to continue with the last preparations for the dinner. The one eyed male stayed close to him while doing his best to be out of his boy’s way. Everyone else followed them and began to take placed around the cooking area.

There still was bit of awkwardness around them as no-one was coming up with good topics to talk. Yet, eventually, it was Wild whom broke the silence. “Um… Mr. Kiefer Dotour, I… Um…” He stammered while glancing at the man every so often.

“Just call me Kiefer.” The head of Dotour family offered as kindly as he could.

“R-right, um…” The cook still stammered before taking a deep breath and forcing himself to take eye contact into Kiefer. “I just want to say… Thank you.”

Mr. Dotour was bit taken off guard by that line. “Uh… You’re welcome but… For what?” He half queried with a slight frown while feeling like he hadn’t really done anything for this young lad. And even now he had quite well gotten everyone to be on guard and waiting for him to say the wrong words or something.

Wild smiled a bit while calming down. “You saved my life back then.” He started bit quietly. “You and the others saved my life. I just…” He sighed slightly and shook his head. “I was sick. I didn’t…” He trailed off for a moment as he searched for the right words. “I was eight. Alone in the world. Sick. I shared a rundown abandoned place with three youngsters. Since we’re gonna be eating soon I’ll just say that accident happened and the group wasn’t happy of that.” He pointed to the burn marks. “And this was the result of it. I was…” He dropped his gaze into his work for a moment as he searched for right words again. “I think I was bit delirious due to sickness, terror and pain. Didn’t really comprehend what was happening around me. Didn’t realize that I woke up in a hospital instead of…” He gulped once and shrugged while giving a sorrowful look. “Somewhere else.”

“Those three…” Kiefer started but leaving the question hanging into the air instead of fully voicing it.

The scarred youth shook his head. “I don’t know who they were and I doubt I’ll be able to give actual descriptions. I was delirious and not seeing things as they were.” He told bit apologetically. “But, should I ever cross paths with them…” He continued and glanced at his caretaker whom simply nodded in acceptance. “I’ll let Time, you and Kafei know.”

“Thank you.” The old man Dotour nodded firmly with a slight smile. “I wish you never meet with them again but I can’t help but wish to throw those three to jail and leave them to rot to there.” He stated out firmly and Wild just nodded his thanks.

Soon afterwards the day’s cook finally began to deliver the meals while starting from their guests. On the plate was couple of small meat rice balls, one meat filled crepe and salad. Milk and the hot chocolates were on the line of drinks.

Wild blushed at the given compliments while feeling tad shy of the notion he gained. His blush only brightened and he whined when Time told that the Blue Moon Cuisines restaurant was the youngster’s. That only increased the awe as it was nearly whole time booked full and getting a reservation would be a year from the call if not further. From there, obviously, the one eyed male went his boys down one after the other while fully showing how proud he was of them all.

Twilight had animal shelter called Sheltered Strays. Legend worked from the ranch underneath the name of Orchard of Sweets while selling both apples and goods made out of them such as pies. Sky had a year ago gained his pilot license and had been searching for a best airplane and a place to set his own business up. Four was working as an apprentice to his uncle but doing his own little business in the side by selling self forged decorations, weapons and items. Hyrule was still going through different courses considering history, exploration, park guard’s work, archeology and such. Wind, even though only fourteen, had already gone through couple of courses on sailing and dreaming of his own ship.

“Couldn’t be more proud of these kiddos since if I tried I’d probably explode at then.” Time grinned while looking fondly at his boys and gently running his fingers through Wild’s long hair. He chuckled a bit at the whines and blushing the seven did.

“What about me then?” Wars inquired with a grin and raised eyebrow. The one eyed male chuckled and tilted his head while faking confusion. Yet, that look was only met with pleading look from the ex-Captain.

The ranch’s keeper grinned. “Of course I’m proud of you too, big brother. “ He shrugged with a mischievous look. “Though, you’re not exactly doing anything unlike the others.”

“And you are?” Wars countered calmly.

Time chuckled again and shrugged. “I’m just the guardian.” Yet, he was grinning widely and mischievously at that line as he knew what his words would bring out.

The moment the words sank into the knowledge of the seven adopted boys of the one eyed male’s, they already moved closer to him with clear denials of his claim. “You’re more than that!” Was the main line the youngsters shouted out.

Time couldn’t hold back his half laughter, half chuckling. “Aaand I’m entirely overruled in here.” He told while still grinning widely. Yet, he laughed again as Wars facepalmed and muttered one simple word underneath his breath: gremlin.

As the moment calmed down, the male with Fierce Deity’s markings looked fondly at his big brother. “Honestly speaking, Wars is a Captain in Hyrule’s army. They’re calling him legendary already.”

“I’m ex-Captain. Retired. And I’m not that special.” The oldest resident of the Lon-Lon Ranch corrected firmly.

Time waved his hand dismissively. “Eh, they keep calling you every now and then so they clearly want you back.”

Wars just rolled his eyes at that comment. “I work as freelancer for them now and then.” He calmly admitted.

The Dotour family watched the nine before them in mix of feelings. Kafei and Anju were feeling happy and like part of the group while bit grinning as they listened Sprite talk about his family and banter with his big brother. Kiefer and Aroma were smiling fondly at the younger males while seeing how much they loved one another. As they had been more of Talon’s friends, they felt more like bit distant grandparents for the group before them.

“Well, if we’re talking about work then I can tell to be a chief of one police squad.” Kiefer started while catching the notion and interest into him. “Madame here…” He continued and turned his loving gaze into his wife. “…was even higher ranked than me when she worked at the police forces. She retired when she waited for Kafei.” He started proudly before his voice turned almost tender with love.

“I’m just a police officer.” Kafei told while trying to pull off of the notion that would surely be put into him. His father chuckled and shook his head.

“He’s more than that. You could be much higher already.” The head of the Dotour family told with a slight grin.

“I’m happy with the work I have. My place is in the streets as I get far more done at there.” The younger Dotour told calmly while bit blushing at the pride his father was feeling of him. “Anyway, Anju’s on maternity leave at the moment but she works as clerk for the police academy.” He pointed out while wanting to get the notion off of him.

Kafei’s wife blushed at the info. “You make it sound much grander than what it is.” She scolded softly which only got his husband to chuckle and bit grin.

“It is more than what you give it credit for, my dear.” Madame Aroma told firmly but still gently. “You are part of the process making the best police persons into the forces. Your sharp eyes have taken off the bad seeds from the lot.” Anju just blushed at the compliment but she was happy of having her own way of making the streets safer.

After that the work topics just took flight. Time simply watched and listened as his boys quite well infodumped the Dotour family about their interests and daily works. He glanced at Wars whom was the only one besides him who didn’t blurt all out. Their gazes met and both just grinned at the situation. Yet, the four guests of theirs honestly were interested in listening and learning more about the seven boys of their family friend. The one eyed male just felt grateful that the youngsters didn’t talk over each other and gave one another the chance to say a thing or few before someone else took over to explain stuff and so on.

Once the situation started to calm down and go more into actual conversations, Kafei caught his friend’s gaze. “Sprite, can I talk with you for a moment?” He queried calmly while nodding towards the horse pen.

Time glanced at his boys and big brother to make sure they were okay with him leaving them with the rest of the Dotour family. Though, sure, he wouldn’t be than ten meters or so away but he still wasn’t happy of leaving Wild out of his sight for the time being. Yet, the eight nodded to show it was all right for him to leave them out of his supervising for the time being. “Uh… Sure, why not.” He finally replied while getting up and following Kafei away from the group.

The ranch’s keeper glanced at his boys bit worriedly before returning the same look into his friend. “You found some new info about my boys? Or about my big brother?” He inquired bit concerned.

Kafei shook his head. “No, nothing of such. I’d inform you differently if I found something about them.” He answered calmly before turning around to face his friend.

“Right…” Time partly mumbled with a slight firm nod. Yet, that only got him more confused of the situation. “Then… What’s the matter?” He inquired while trying to figure out all that had so far happened in search of finding the right topic. He had asked for Kafei’s aid in getting some information and warned him of some harder bad guys but none of those seemed like being the reason for this.

“About when I said we’d keep our little one’s name as a secret…” Kafei started calmly but trailing off while raising an eyebrow. His friend grimaced and bit slumped as he realized his little mishap hadn’t gone unnoticed. “You okay, Sprite? I’m a cop. I’m supposed to notice that kind of things. I’m not sure if your boys or big brother noticed but… I’m hoping you won’t end up into bad situation with them about this.”

Time sighed heavily and leaned against the fence of the horse pen. “They know of my problem, Kaf.” He replied bit sorrowfully. “There are some words that I struggle with.” He explained while dropping his gaze into his hands. He carefully rubbed at the scar of a stab wound while trying to keep himself intact. “For a stupid moment there I thought the word secret was going to be your little one’s name.” He confessed before snorting a bit and shaking his head. “Like the orphanage’s keepers called me Stolen.” His voice came out bit angry but his expression was sorrowful.

“You haven’t really talked much about this part of your past.” Kafei commented with a slightly worried frown.

Time raised his gaze up and into his family. “There’s not much to talk about. I don’t know a thing about where I come from. I was a baby Wars raised.” He whispered before sighing and eventually shrugging and turning his gaze into his friend. “I’m happy as things are. I’m not interested in searching my past. I wouldn’t even know where to start. At least my boys had names and bit of info to work from. For all I care, I could honestly be fully orphaned without even one blood relative. It’s a safer idea than what most of my boys have had in their past. In all reality, the keepers of the orphanage could’ve just called us by such names to confuse us and lead us astray with our possible search for blood family.”

Kafei sighed and nodded in understanding. “I guess that makes sense.” He half whispered before taking a deep breath. “Do you want me to see if I can find something anyways?” He offered while in fact having sometimes done slight searches in the police database in hopes of finding some clues for his friend about his past.

Time smiled and shook his head. “Thanks but I’m happy with how things are.” He answered far more confidently than before. “Still, thanks for checking in on me and for the offer.”

Kafei nodded firmly with a smile. “Of course.” He simply replied before starting to grin. “We probably should get back to the others or they start to fear we’re planning on something.”

The one eyed male chuckled and grinned. “Now that would be a good idea.” He mused mischievously before chuckling again and shaking his head. “Yet, maybe for some other day.” He half whispered while watching his seven adopted boys and his big brother getting to know the Dotour family. Yet, his gaze soon drifted into Wild and taking in how calm and relaxed he was. He fully wished that small piece of his boy’s past’s trauma had been addressed and dealt with now that he got bit more of clarity of what actually had happened back then.

“Yeah, things seem way too calm to be worth of breaking with bit of mischief.” The lilac haired male mused with a slight happy grin. “Come on, let’s go and see what’s the current topic going at there.” He pushed himself off of the fence he had bit leaned at some point. Time just nodded and followed him back to the group of their families.

The time flew by without the people really noticing it. Yet, couple of hours before the Dotour family needed to head back home, Legend and Wild took over the indoor kitchen. Their caretaker had a good hunch of what they were up for but he kept their secret. And, eventually, the duo brought out apple pie, hot chocolates, whipped cream and few different jams.

It was late in the evening when the nine residents of the Lon-Lon Ranch finally bid goodbye to the Dotour family while promising to keep better touch with them. Once the car was out of sight, they handled the evening work around the ranch. Soon enough they were already getting ready for bed.

It was no surprise to Time when Wild just simply followed him to the king sized bed and snuggled close to him for the night. He held his boy lovingly and securely while counting the minutes. Eventually he heard what he had waited for: His room’s door opening and the rest of his family sneaking in to claim a place from the bed while getting close to him and their brother.

The one eyed male just smiled happily while feeling like the day had been a success even with the memory of the roughness of the scarred youngster’s past. Still, he could see that the situation of dealing with that piece had slightly eased out the boy’s posture and given bit of healing. The day certainly had been worth it. Time grinned a bit as he thought about the fact of having gotten the chance to bit brag about his boys and his big brother. With that in mind he finally drifted off into dreamland while smiling happily.