#v; Burn it to the Ground {Season 1}

[legends-and-savages]

Tag Dump

[jobean12-blog]

Insatiable

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader (Vampire AU)

Word Count: 893

Summary: Bucky will never tolerate any harm coming to you and he will do anything to protect you.

Author's Note: Another little piece for Kinktober! I can never leave out my favorite AU and Vampire!Bucky is one of my fave kinks! 🫠🔥 The inspiration for this came from Castlevania season 1- if you haven't seen the show it doesn't matter, I just love the idea of Dracula losing his mind bc anyone tries to hurt his love. Thank you all so much for reading! Much love always! ❤️❤️❤️Divider by the sweet @firefly-graphics thank you Daisy!🥰

Warnings: soft sweetness, mentions of b-l-oo-d, fi-g-e-r-in-g, p-in-v, Vampire!Bucky bc he's just so hot lol

Vampire AU Masterlist

Kinktober 2023 Masterlist

His blue eyes pierce the darkness of night as he gazes down on the slumbering village, unmoving on the large balcony even as you approach.

“I was wondering where you had gone,” you whisper as you curl yourself against him. “I hate being in bed without you.”

He removes his gaze from the village and settles it on you, the radiant skin of his brow furrowing when he sees your bare skin.

With a tsk of disapproval he removes his shirt and drapes it over your shoulders, cocooning you with its warmth as he presses you against his body. He drags his eyes away from you and stares back out over the village.

You lay a palm on his bare chest, feeling nothing but his cool skin. “Talk to me.”

He rests his hand over yours. “I’m going to burn that city to the ground.”

The words come out in a rumble of a warning, his eyes glowing and his fangs elongating.

“No,” you state, sliding in front of him so you can draw his attention. “You’re not.”

With a sly smile his focus returns to you. “Is that so doll?”

He cages you against the iron railing of the balcony and ghosts his fingers along your collarbone, moving higher until he pushes his shirt from your shoulder.

“Mm hm,” you hum, pressing yourself closer to him.

His dark eyelashes kiss his cheeks as he feels every inch of your naked body and his hands glide along your curves.

But when he speaks the next words his grip tightens and his eyes flash. “But they tried to take you from me. Tried to take the only thing that makes this eternity worth enduring.”

“James,” you whisper, brushing your fingertips along his jaw. “They didn’t succeed. You saved me. I’ll always be safe with you.”

His fingers ghost over your hip to grab your elbow before they continue sliding along your arm until he catches your wrist in his hand and leans his cheek into your palm.

“They need to pay for what they’ve done,” he murmurs as he lifts your hand and presses his lips to each fingertip. “I will make them bleed.”

“You can’t punish all of them for the wrong doings of only a few.”

“I can,” he says, his voice deep and powerful. “Besides doll,” he croons, his smirk growing, “how do you plan to stop me?”

Your own grin graces your features as you remove your hand from his and take his wrist, sliding his fingers down between your breasts and along your stomach.

His breath hitches ever so slightly as his eyes track the movement.

“A distraction,” he simpers.

You catch your bottom lip between your teeth and nod.

“For the rest of eternity?” he teases.

“Are you complaining?” you ask when his fingers meet the apex of your thighs.

You release his hand and he doesn’t move, his touch teasing.

“If I could stay buried inside you forever,” he murmurs, nipping lightly along your throat with his fangs, “I would.”

You shiver and spread your legs wider when his fingers dip lower. His free hand slides firmly around your neck and his fangs still hover above your delicate skin as he runs his nose the length of your throat, inhaling your scent into his lungs.

“You smell good enough to eat,” he hums when he slips two fingers inside you.

Your head rolls to the side, exposing more of your neck as you thrust your hips onto his fingers, whispered pleas for more falling from your parted lips.

“You tempt the beast inside me doll,” he growls.

“I want you…every way I can have you James.”

The drag of his fingers is slow, torturous and purposeful.

His cool lips graze along your jaw before they find yours and he draws out every breath from your lungs, pushing harder and deeper with his fingers.

“James,” you gasp as your legs start to tremble.

Without warning he pulls his fingers from inside you and lifts them between your bodies, the moonlight illuminating his glistening skin. He brings them to his lips, licking and sucking them clean of every last drop with a satisfied growl.

“They tried to take you from me,” he repeats, his eyes growing darker even as a soft glow surrounds his irises. “Tried to take this from me.”

As he speaks the words he grabs your thigh and spreads you open, lifting your leg and wrapping it around his waist. He fills you in one hard thrust, your back arching and bending back over the railing.

He holds you in his embrace, his hips still as he nips and sucks along the swell of your breasts.

“James…please,” you beg.

When his lips reach your pulse point he bites down hard enough to draw blood, his fangs caressing the spot before he soothes it with his tongue.

“You would have me do nothing when they try to take everything from me?” he whispers into your skin, his voice raspy with need. “I can’t lose you.”

He starts to move; each roll of his hips deliberate as he chokes out the next words and wraps his hand more tightly around your neck, drawing you impossibly closer.

“I can’t lose you and I’ll do anything to protect my Angel. Even if it means I have to be the Devil.”

@book-dragon-13 @hiddles-rose @randomfandompenguin @goldylions @buckysdollforlife @blackwidownat2814 @lizette50

[liquid-bonhomme]

Lily can't keep her own "Sympathetic" Villains rule straight: Crimson Ender edition

As a reminder, Lily's rules are the villain has to:

1. Have a point

2. Successfully navigate still being a villain

3. Are written well

*She made up these rules AFTER Ant and Crim responded.

Here's Lily's response to Crim's list:

*I'll be indicating I haven't seen/read/etc a thing with N/A. This isn't going to be a totally valid review of course, since I haven't seen everything Crim has. Lily will be docked points for not having seen something if they still fit her rules. To balance it out I will give her points for being accidentally right, or Crim having named a villain who wouldn't fit Lily's criteria, even if Lily wouldn't know that. This is to take the piss, not really serious criticism.

1. N/A

2. As was pointed out on Ant's stream, V is way more morally questionable in the comic. Since Crim indicated he hasn't read the comic (we shall forgive Crim for his sins, for now), we'll go with movie V. A story can have more than one villian, Lily. -1 bullet-proof idea

3. "The Japanese justice system is broken," is a point. Even if Light's solution is bad. -1 potato chip

4. Carry on my wayward son still slaps. And Crowley was introduced in the good seasons. -1 Misha

5. Never played FF7. -1 wing

6. JESUS CHRIST LILY. -1 sick motorcycle slide.

7. OH MY GOD THAT'S HOT TOPIC HEISENBERG'S NAME!? That's like a noise you'd make while sneezing and wonder if you've never seen a doctor. I still can't remember what his deal is, so I'll give it to her. +1 Heart

UPDATE: Xehanort follows Lily's rules. -1 Heart

8. How is Zuko being abused a reason for him but not for Azula? Her father's approval. She's been conditioned her whole life to get it at all costs. -1 Pheonix king

9. Not the protagonist. -1 both ways.

10. He fucking burns the magic flowers and gets his girlfriend killed. -1 auntie

11. N/A

12. N/A

13. N/A

14. Nope. Read a comic. -1 fucking death kiss Lily

15. Gollum doesn't fit Lily's criteria, though he is a sympathetic villain. Fuck you very much for that cute little jab. Can't help yourself, can you Lily? +1 Lily being vile.

16. He's not letting her die in peace Lily and his grief is hurting everyone around him. -1 Nora

17. You heard him. Read a book Lily. -1 paradise

18. N/a

19. THE GREEK GOD LILY. -1 Pomegranate seed

20. I don't remember which Eric this is supposed to be. Crim if you see this comment and I'll update. For now N/A

Update: Phantom. Follows Lily's rules. -1 Poorly aged stereotype.

21. Queer and doesn't watch AHS. -1 pride

22. Don't know which Johnny this is. Again, Crim, comment if you see this. N/A

Update: Johnny the homicidal maniac. Doesn't follow Lily's rules. +1 animal nailed to the wall

23. YOU HAVEN'T SEEN DWP EITHER? -1 Lily hates the gays

24. Lily's arguing with a fictional character's anger management problems. -1 Joanna

25. Misogyny. Cheating. Sister who betrays her own kin. This should be familiar ground for you Lily. -1 ice

26. N/a

27. N/a

28. No surprise there honestly. -1 Eclipse

29. Manger la merde. -1 Day Moooooore

30. Again, doesn't really fit Lily's criteria, but Starscream is sympathetic. -1 Megatron WHICH MAKES ME THE LEADER OF THE DECEPTICONS!!

31. --->"BROTHERHOOD OF EVIL MUNTANTS"<--- Also She's infamously comics most hot mess mom. READ A COMIC. -1 "She's Nightcrawler's mother, AND MY MOTHER TOO!!"

32. Doesn't fit Lily's criteria, isn't really sympathetic . . . But is a loveable idiot. I wouldn't blame someone for considering him sympathetic. +1 bacon in the soap

33. Depends on the version. I'd agree with Lily the doctor is the villain in the original novel. That doesn't justify Lily unjustifiably Crim meant the original novel just to make that snide remark. I bet my ass she can't tell you what the actual title of Mary Shelley's book is. Most people would assume the 1931 film, where The Monster both is a sympathetic antagonist, and fit's Lily's criteria. I'll give Lily a half point. +0.5 dead women

34. I don't feel confident enough in my homestuck lore knowledge to comment. Haven't read it, but have learned an unreasonable amount through cultural osmosis. N/a

35. N/A

36. The book is better. -1 Gravity

37. Codependency issues are your bread and butter, I wouldn't be making that argument if I were you. -1 Cat

38. N/a

39. N/a

40. I don't remember if these characters have a reason for fucking about as they do, but they are sympathetic(ish). There's no way Lily has seen anything other than the dic dub though so she's more lucky than right.+1 Magical Girl transformation

41. Again, sympathetic, doesn't fit Lily's criteria. +1 cockadoodie car

42. N/a (I've been meaning to watch this though.)

43. Once more, sympathetic, doesn't follow Lily's bullshit rules. +1 jar of dirt

44. Yes. -1 Elf Callum

45. Not sure which Kagura this is, but if it's either of the two I'm thinking of, N/A

Update: Kagura from Inuyasha. Follows Lily's rules. -1 Sit

46. I'm guessing Crim didn't mean the Omega Man one. N/a

Update: Gargoyles. Follows Lily's rules. -1 Goliath

47. OH MY GOD LILY FOR FUCKS SAKE YOU CAN'T WATCH THE FUCKING NOLAN FILMS AND ASSUME THAT'S SUFFICIENT TO MAKE YOU AN EXPERT ON ALL OF BATMAN. -1 READ👏 A👏 FUCKING👏 COMIC👏

48. Sympathetic, doesn't fit Lily's criteria. +1 fat panda

49. Lily gets another point on a technicality. +1 dream of electric sheep.

50. Again, not a surprise. -1 Pizza Hut

LILY'S SCORE: 29.5/50

59% - C-

Got 29 wrong.

Got 8.5 right.

Taking away the ones I didn't know: 7.5/33

22% - F

Removing the points Lily lost/gained for things she hasn't seen:

19.5/33

59% - C-

Removing the ones we both haven't seen:

8.5/38

22% - F

[airistechofficial]

How to use dry herb vaporizer?

Dry herb vaporizers have become increasingly popular in recent years as an alternative to traditional smoking methods. Learning how to use a dry herb vaporizer can be a convenient and enjoyable way to consume herbs.

Whether you’re a seasoned vaper or new to the world of vaporizers, this guide will provide you with all the information you need to know about using a dry herb vaporizer. From advanced techniques to in-depth info on dry herb vaping for beginners.

How Dry Herb Vaporizers Work?

Vaporizing marijuana involves heating dried cannabis buds to a temperature that converts the active constituents — cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids — into an inhalable vapor.

Vaping flower is typically thought to offer a cleaner method of using cannabis than smoking. Vaporization occurs at lower temperatures than combustion, which allows the user to inhale more cannabinoids than would be burned off using a flame. Since no smoke is produced during the process, users also avoid the carcinogens and toxins associated with smoking.

To use a dry herb vape, one places dried cannabis in the chamber, turns on the device, and selects a temperature. The flower gets vaporized, and the vapor passes through the airpath into a mouthpiece, through which it is inhaled. After a few hits, the flower’s desirable components are completely used, and the remaining plant matter is ready to be removed from the chamber.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using a Dry Herb Vaporizer

Step 1: Grind Your Herb

Grinding your herb is a crucial first step. A fine, even grind ensures that the herb heats evenly and produces a smooth vapor.

Use a Quality Grinder: Invest in a good grinder to achieve a consistent grind.

Avoid Over-Grinding: Overly fine particles can clog the vaporizer and reduce airflow.

Step 2: Load the Chamber

Once your herb is ground, it’s time to load it into the vaporizer’s chamber.

Remove the Mouthpiece: This usually reveals the chamber.

Fill the Chamber: Gently fill the chamber with the ground herb, but don’t pack it too tightly. Proper airflow is essential for even heating.

Reattach the Mouthpiece: Once the chamber is loaded, put the mouthpiece back in place.

Step 3: Turn On the Vaporizer

Power up your vaporizer according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Press the Power Button: Most vaporizers have a power button that you need to press multiple times (e.g., five times) to turn on.

Select the Temperature: Choose your desired temperature setting. Beginners might want to start at a lower temperature and gradually increase it.

Step 4: Allow the Vaporizer to Heat Up

Modern vaporizers heat up quickly, but it’s important to wait until it reaches the set temperature.

Wait for the Indicator: Most vaporizers have a light or vibration to indicate when they are ready.

Preheat Time: This can vary from a few seconds to a couple of minutes, depending on the model.

Step 5: Inhale the Vapor

Once the vaporizer is heated and ready, it’s time to inhale the vapor.

Take Slow, Steady Draws: Inhale gently and steadily to draw the vapor into your mouth.

Hold and Exhale: Hold the vapor in your lungs for a few seconds before exhaling.

Step 6: Adjust as Needed

Experiment with different temperatures and draw techniques to find what works best for you.

Temperature Adjustments: Higher temperatures produce thicker vapor but can be harsher, while lower temperatures offer a smoother experience.

Draw Speed: Adjust your draw speed for optimal vapor production.

Step 7: Clean the Vaporizer

Regular cleaning ensures your vaporizer functions properly and lasts longer.

Empty the Chamber: After each session, empty the chamber and remove any residual herb.

Use Cleaning Tools: Many vaporizers come with cleaning brushes and tools. Use these to clean the chamber and mouthpiece.

Deep Clean: Periodically, deep clean your vaporizer according to the manufacturer’s instructions to maintain performance.

Tips for an Enhanced Experience

Stay Hydrated: Drink water to stay hydrated, as vaping can sometimes cause dryness.

Experiment with Different Herbs: Try different strains and blends to find your favorite.

Store Your Herb Properly: Keep your herb fresh by storing it in an airtight container.

[lady-of-glass-and-bone]

Duck's Halloween Movie Picks!

I love Halloween and spooky season in general. So here's my list of many, many (but not all) horror movies to watch this October!

🧠 Zombies 🧠

Sometimes dead is better.

Night of the Living Dead (1968) & (1990)

Return of the Living Dead (1985)

Diary of the Dead (2007)

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Overlord (2018)

Pet Semetary (1989)

Dead Snow (2009)

Dead Alive (1992)

#alive (2020)

Train to Busan (2016)

Little Monsters (2019)

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015)

Zombie (1979)

Wonderfully Witchy

It isn't Halloween without a witch.

The Witch (2015)

The Craft (1996)

Practical Magic (not a horror movie but I don't care, I love it) (1998)

Hocus Pocus (a true classic) (1993)

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Don't Knock Twice (2016)

Drag Me To Hell (2009)

Ghastly Ghouls

Ghosts, Demons, and Poltergeists oh my!

Includes but is not limited to: haunted houses and/or people, demons, cursed objects, beings from other dimensions, etc.

The Exorcist (1973)

Insidious (2010)

The Conjuring (2013)

The Nun (2018)

Poltergeist (1982)

Verónica (2017)

Hellraiser (1987) & (2022)

Candyman (1992) & (2021)

Thir13en Ghosts (2001)

The Shining (1980)

Evil Dead (1981)

The Fog (1980)

Paranormal Activity (2007)

House on Haunted Hill (1959) & (1999)

The Frighteners (1996)

House (1985)

Hell House LLC (2015)

Pumpkinhead (1988)

Gonjian: Haunted Asylum (2018)

Possession (1981)

Carnival of Souls (1962)

Ringu (1998)

The Entity (1982)

Vicious Vampires

Because they're bloody sexy.

Nosferatu (1922)

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1999) plus all the other million dracula movies

Interview with a Vampire (1994)

30 Days of Night (2007)

Boys From County Hell (2020)

Underworld (2003)

Bloodsucking Bastards (2015)

Near Dark (1988)

Salems Lot (1979)

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

Fright Night (1985) & (2011)

Stakeland (2010)

The Black Water Vampire (2014)

Werewolves

Fluffy and vicious, the perfect combo.

Dog Soldiers (2002)

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Night of the Wolf: Late Phases (2014)

Ginger Snaps (2001)

The Wolf Man (1941) & (2010)

The Company of Wolves (1984)

Cursed (2005)

The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020)

Howl (2015)

The Howling (1981)

Silver Bullet (1985)

Wer (2014)

Bad Moon (1996)

The Beast Must Die (1974)

Miscellaneous Monsters

All monsters need love, not just the classics.

The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

The Mummy (1999)

Frankenstein

Wishmaster (1997)

Eight Legged Freaks (2002)

Feast (2007)

IT (1990) & (2017)

The Descent (2005)

Jaws (1975)

Jeepers Creepers 1 + 2 (2001) & (2003)

Horror Express (1972)

Cold Ground (2017)

Devil's Pass (2013)

The Ruins (2008)

Cabin in the Woods (2011)

The Monster Squad (1987)

Under Wraps (1997)

The Babadook (2014)

Slashers

Because people are scary too.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Friday the 13th (1980)

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Halloween (1978)

The Collector (2009)

House of Wax (2005)

The Strangers (2008)

The Crazies (1973) & (2010)

SAW (2004)

Scream (1996)

The Hills Have Eyes (1977) & (2006)

The Burning (1981)

The People Under The Stairs (1991)

Sleepaway Camp (1983)

Slumber Party Massacre (1982)

Terror Train (1980)

Stage Fright (2014)

You Might Be The Killer (2018)

The Toolbox Murders (1978)

Hell Fest (2018)

Revenge (2018)

The Invitation (2016)

Audition (1999)

It Came From Space!

As if space isn't scary enough on it's own.

Includes: anything sci-fi related, not just space stuff.

The Thing (1982)

Alien (1979)

Predator (1987)

AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)

Event Horizon (1997)

DOOM (2005)

Monsters (2010)

Re-Animator (1985)

Bride of Re-Animator (1990)

Pandorum (2009)

Chopping Mall (1986)

The McPherson Tape (1989)

Extraterrestrial (2014)

Always Anthology

The more the scarier!

Creepshow (1982)

Creepshow 2 (1987)

Tales from the Hood (1995)

V/H/S (2012)

V/H/S: 2 (2013)

V/H/S: 94 (2021)

V/H/S: 99 (2022)

Body Bags (1993)

Asylum (1972)

Trick 'r Treat (2015)

All Hallows' Eve (2019)

Holiday Specials

We can't leave out these holidays during spooky season!

My Bloody Valentine (1981) & (2009)

Prom Night (1980)

April Fool's Day (1986)

Black Christmas (1974)

[anviltaxinc]

Unlocking Success Mindset Sales & Scaling Secrets from Tax & Legal 360 with Molly Claire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xYQRCkmee8 Unlocking Success Mindset Sales & Scaling Secrets from Tax & Legal 360 with Molly Claire. Get ready for a game-changing conversation! In this exclusive preview of the Tax & Legal 360 Conference, Daveed Tuck sits down with master coach Molly Claire to unpack what it really takes to grow a business—without burning out. They explore how to build authentic client relationships, improve sales without sleaze, scale your practice sustainably, and regulate stress during busy seasons. Whether you're an accountant, coach, or entrepreneur, you'll walk away with actionable insights and a renewed mindset. 📌 Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome & Guest Intro 00:30 – What Makes Tax & Legal 360 Unique 00:55 – Molly’s Talk: Mindset, Sales & Scaling 02:21 – Why Working Harder Isn’t the Answer 04:20 – Sales & Relationship Building for Service Providers 08:18 – Trust, Client Retention & Referral Strategy 11:01 – Managing Stress, Staying Grounded, and Thriving 🎟️ Learn more & get tickets to the event: 👉 https://ift.tt/uDMpE2c Coupon code Daveedtuck2025 🧠 Featuring: Molly Claire – Master Coach Instructor & Founder of The Masterful Coach Collective Website: mollyclaire.com Instagram: @mollyclairecoaching 🎤 Hosted by: Daveed Tuck – Ex-IRS Auditor, Portland Financial Consultant, and Founder of Anvil Tax & MyTaxSecrets.com 🧠 Learn how to set up your business now—even if you’re not ready to sell yet. The earlier you prepare, the more options and money you’ll have later. 📞 Let’s clean up your books and prep for a profitable future: https://ift.tt/UqF9CDe 📚 Free tax & exit planning guide: https://ift.tt/e07ZGiV 🔔 Avoid overpaying on taxes and maximize your wealth! Subscribe now for expert Portland tax advice, retirement planning, and strategies to grow your wealth! https://www.youtube.com/@TaxAnvil/?sub_confirmation=1 🔗 Stay Connected With Me. 👉 Facebook: https://ift.tt/b4eOg1f 👉 Twitter (X): https://x.com/AnvilTax 👉 Linkedin: https://ift.tt/HEATqKj 👉 Website: https://ift.tt/zXmAKVj 📩 For Business Inquiries: team@anvil.tax 🎬 Recommended Playlists 👉 Tax Planning Insights with Daveed Tuck https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPNQ5Z_646DO8_79h1DovpYC8HYUJnOLX 👉 Avoiding The Biggest Tax Mistakes Playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPNQ5Z_646DObYKvEGg-Rdz-zo18I3vvn 🎬 WATCH MY OTHER VIDEOS: 👉Secrets The Wealthy Use To Save Millions: Real Estate Tax Consultant Portland https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWEh4gpAmII 👉Why Switching Payroll In Q4 Saves You Time And Money? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LhISn-tVGE ⚠️ Disclaimer: I do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of watching any of my publications. You acknowledge that you use the information I provide at your own risk. Do your research. ⚠️ Disclaimer: I do not accept liability for any loss or damage incurred from acting or not acting based on my publications. Use this information at your own risk and do your research. ✖️ Copyright Notice: This video and my YouTube channel contain content owned by Anvil Tax, Inc. You are authorized to share or embed this video with proper credit and a link back to my channel. © Anvil Tax, Inc. Oregon Licensed Tax Consultant 31902-c via Reclaim Control, Cut Tax & Grow Cash https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUoFv7UTag1d1H9RoZ5wqmw May 16, 2025 at 05:23AM

[yaaalki]

MEET A CHARACTER #1: Suun-Suun («God's verdict»)! 😼

ЗНАКОМСТВО С ПЕРСОНАЖЕМ #1: Сун-Сун («Божье слово»)! 😼

❗TW❗: bl00d, d#ath, spiders, v#mit, dr#gs, add1ction, bananas.

❗Триггеры❗: кр0вь, см#рть, пауки, рв0та, нарк0тики, з@висимость, бананы.

Eng:

Suun-Suun ([Soon-Soon]) is the only character I imagine when I'm asked something about my ocs. You know, when I come across a video like "Does your oc have a mole on their butt?" on tiktok, I'm always thinking of Suun-Suun.

Suun-Suun from my 16th project, she is the most honorable person in her country.

Her childhood passed very slowly and even, it seems, dragged on. In Jerlemii there is no concept of family, there the indigenous people do not have surnames; everyone brings up everyone, any child born is considered a relative child for every resident of the country, as well as for every child any adult is a parent, peer is a brother or sister, but this does not apply to strangers from other countries.

Jerlemii is the only place on their planet where bananas grow. The country takes great care of them and is proud of them, but at the same time, bananas have long become the main subject of religion: from the dried peel of a banana, ground for a long time along with bioluminescent plankton from the ocean, which is directly available, people get a powder with narc0tic properties. Every newborn baby is required to take a small amount of the powder—if they are is not "chosen by God," they will d1e from side effects, if they will overlive it — they're "favorited by a God", and have a right to live.

Suun-Suun not just survived this ritual, but has also been deeply addicted since childhood, because her side effects wasn't so bad, so she was fed this powder, sometimes even instead of her mother's milk, or any other food. Growing, Suun-Suun developed an absolute tolerance for the powder, and because of this, she was elevated to the highest priestess, and her entire diet was replaced with banana powder.

Now Suun-Suun is an average-height girl (she is only 17 years old at the time of the plot), with very long blonde hair, never cut during her entire life. She is always dressed in the most luxurious, flowing fabrics in white and yellow shades. Her skin is quite pale, but the banana powder makes her look slightly yellow. She lives in the central temple, in a separate round room (without corners).

Suun-Suun lived quite happily, occasionally performing at national holidays in front of residents, because there is kinda no president in the country, and the rest of the time she just enjoy laziness in her chambers.

But one day her whole life went downhill: by chance, a spider that lived in a banana before was ground into a new portion of her powder (by the way, it's true, spiders can hide in bananas in real life), Suun-Suun ate (!) the powder and soon noticed a pain in her stomach. She v0mited bl00d and was in a dy1ng state.

From that moment on, people were completely disappointed in her, they thought that it was their God, who no longer loved Suun-Suun, that he had dumped her, "returned" the side effects of the powder to her.

The most of her long hair was cut off by temple's servants, they kicked Suun-Suun out of the temple. It was spring, warm, so nothing would happen to Suun-Suun there, but the very understanding that you are now despised by absolutely every person of your own nation is terrible and hard.

Suun-Suun was trying to trade her beautiful blonde hair for powder when her addiction hits, but she was given very little.

Then she remembered that on that day there was a holiday where offerings to God were thrown on the big fire: fruits (especially bananas. Because of this the whole country stopping exporting bananas abroad for the whole season - they burn almost all bananas), clothes, handicrafts, religious figurines.

According to beliefs, everything that burned in this fire goes directly to God. So Suun-Suun ran there, pushed the crowd aside, and jumped into the fire. She believed that since people did not gave her a second chance, then God themselves would definitely forgive her.

Suun-Suun b#rned down. Her further fate remains on the thoughts of believers, because I myself am an atheist; for me, as for the author of this character, Suun-Suun is d#ad in the canon.

Well-well!! I love angst, but I also love soft stuff (what is not very noticeable at all🤓), so not all of my ocs have such a fate.

Thanks for patience and attention!!😼

💥💥💥

Rus:

Сун-Сун — это единственный персонаж из всех, которого я представляю, когда у меня спрашивают что-то про осов. Знаете, когда в тиктоке попадается видео типа "Есть ли у твоего оса родинка на жопе?", я всегда отвечаю за Сун-Сун.

Сун-Сун из моего 16ого проекта, она — самое достопочтенное лицо в своей стране.

Её детство прошло очень медленно и даже, кажется, затянулось. В Жерлемие нет понятия семьи, там у коренных жителей нет фамилий; все воспитывают всех, любой родившийся ребёнок считается родным ребёнком для каждого жителя страны, как и для каждого ребёнка любой взрослый — родитель, сверстник — брат или сестра, но это не распространяется на чужестранцев.

Жерлемий — это единственное место на их планете, где растут бананы. Страна очень ухаживает за ними и гордится, но вместе с тем, бананы издавна стали главным предметом религии: из высохшей кожуры банана, долго перемолотой вместе с биолюминесцентным планктоном из океана, который находится в прямом доступе, люди получают порошок с нарк0тическими свойствами. Каждый новорождённый ребёнок обязан принять небольшое количество порошка — если он "не выбран Богом", то умр#т от побочных эффектов, а если переживёт, то "избран", и может иметь право на жизнь.

Сун-Сун же не просто пережила этот обряд, но и с самого детства заимела глубокую зависимость, ведь она переносила побочные эффекты намного легче, её кормили этим порошком, иногда даже вместо молока матери, или любой другой еды. Взрослея, Сун-Сун выработала абсолютную толерантность к порошку, из-за этого её воздвигли до самой высшей жрицы, и весь её рацион питания заменили на банановый порошок.

Сейчас Сун-Сун — среднего роста девушка (ей на момент сюжета всего 17 лет), с очень длинными жёлтыми волосами, ни разу на всю её жизнь не стриженными. Она всегда одета в самые роскошные, струящиеся ткани в белых и жёлтых оттенках. Её кожа довольно бледная, но из-за бананового порошка она вся слегка жёлтая. Она живёт в центральном храме, в отдельной круглой комнате.

Сун-Сун жила вполне счастливо, изредка выступая на национальных праздниках перед жителями, ведь президента в стране как такового нет, а в остальное время просто валялась у себя в покоях.

Но в один день вся её жизнь пошла под откос: по случайности, в новую порцию её порошка перемололи паука, который жил в банане до этого (это кстати правда, в бананах могут прятаться пауки и в реальной жизни), Сун-Сун съела (!) порошок и быстро заметила боль в животе. Её рв#ло кр0вью, она была в предсмертном состоянии.

С того момента люди совсем в ней разочаровалась, они подумали, что это их Бог больше не любит Сун-Сун, что он кинул её, "вернув" ей побочные эффекты от порошка.

Ей срезали огромную часть волос и выперли из храма на улицу. Была весна, тепло, с Сун-Сун там ничего не случится, но само понимание, что тебя теперь презирает абсолютно каждый человек твоей же нации - это страшно и угнетающе.

Сун-Сун пыталась обменять свои прекрасные светлые волосы на порошок, когда началась ломка, но ей дали совсем немного.

Тогда она вспомнила, что в тот день проводился праздник, где на кострище бросают подношения их Богу: фрукты (в особенности бананы. Из-за этого вся страна прекращает вывоз бананов заграницу на целый сезон — они сжигают почти все бананы), одежду, ручные изделия, религиозные фигурки.

По поверьям, всё, что сгорело в этом костре, отправляется прямо к Богу. Потому Сун-Сун побежала туда, растолкала толпу, и прыгнула в огонь. Она считала, что раз люди не дали ей второго шанса, то сам Бог точно простит её.

Сун-Сун сг0рела. Её дальнейшая судьба остаётся на мысли верующих, потому что я сам атеист; для меня, как для автора этого персонажа, Сун-Сун в каноне м#ртва.

Такие дела!! Я люблю ангст, но так же сильно люблю и софтик (что вообще не очень заметно🤓), так что не все мои осы имеют такую судьбу.

Спасибо за терпение и прочтение! 😼

[oneseason]

The Simpsons ran for one perfect season in 199X.

Not actually, but what if a friend approached you and said they'd never seen the Simpsons, and they were committed to watching one season. I think Id point them to Season 4 or 5, but I'd even rather point them to my own custom season. But I don't know, because I've never had such a friend.

What would that season look like? First of all, it's 22-25 episodes. We have some wiggle room. It needs to introduce our characters and Springfield, and then expand on them. It needs to have some kind of narrative arc, possibly involving Mr Burns, but hopefully not too heavy.

Some episode archetypes:

Treehouse of Horror - required

Holidays - maybe

travel - probably

Homer and Marge relationship episode, probably

Bart struggling episode, probably

Lisa episode definitely

Marge focuses episode probably

Homer gets a job

Grandpa Episode

history episode

If I start slotting in episodes....

Act 1 (1-8)

[Premiere]

A Streetcar Named Marge

Bart sells his soul / New Kid on the block

And Maggie Makes Three

Secrets of a Successful Marriage

Last Exit to Springfield

Act 2 (9-16)

Treehouse of Horror V (The Shinning / Time and Punishment / Nightmare Cafeteria)

22 Short Films About Springfield

Bart vs Australia

Raging Abe Simpson and his Grumbling Grandson in the Curse of the Flying Hellfish

Act 3 (17-24)

Lemon of Troy

You Only Move Twice

Who Shot Mr Burns part 1

Who Shot Mr Burns part 2

Summer of 4 ft. 2

[Finale]Behind the Laughter

Thoughts

What about a future episode in Act 3? No, because none of them are good. Das Bus would also be a funny pre-BtL finale, but I think Summer of 4'2" is too good. It gives Lisa the opportunity to grow and end the series on that high point.

Last Exit, Hellfish, and Who Shot give a satisfying Mr Burns trilogy, going from most to least grounded, which is generally but not exclusively the arc I want to follow

Lemon of Troy can fit in anywhere.

[chryblossomjjk]

hmmmm after watching season 1 of lost i am revisiting this question. nobody cares about my unhinged character analysis BUT LET ME COMBINE MY HYPERFIXATIONS PLSS SHHHH

so joonie is forsure jack. jack is a doctor and the unofficial leader. he feels responsible for everyone on the island and spirals with guilt whenever he can’t save someone. will give anyone the benefit of the doubt and that’s an amazing but also dangerous characteristic to have in this setting. v joonie coded.

jin… this is tough bc i don’t think he fits any of the archetypes on the show but i think he would be the most like sun!! quiet at first, sizing everyone up until he deems your trustworthy enough. v quick witted and sly if needed but overall social butterfly. is leaving the island w friends fr.

yoongi would probably be like sayid. like has a tough exterior and prefers to be on his own, but it’s really only bc he’s afraid of losing ppl. is very resourceful and good at niche things the others aren’t. vital part of the groups survival. at the end of the day, will do anything to help others in the group. yes yes.

NAUR HOBI IS SUCH HURLEY VIBES ARE YOU KIDDING!!! ok hurley won the lottery and ever since then mf has had the worst luck: it’s giving v hobi. hes paranoid bc he knows hes cursed but also tags along on dangerous missions bc he’s bored like bruv… yk somebody is going to get hurt STAY ON THE BEACH LMAO. but hurley is like the public relations manager of the island and collects info on ppl and keeps rations organized, v hobi centric tasks. also generally a v nice n endearing person lol.

jimin is walt let’s not play. jimin is not cut out for the island life and his pettiness knows no bounds. he’s running away at any inconvenience and looking over the shoulder longingly to see if anyone is coming after him LMAOO testing our love for him at the most inconvenient times. he will also burn down the raft they’ve been building for weeks just bc yoongi made him mad. BUT HE JUST WANTS TO BE LOVED DONT YELL AT HIM!!! also if the group runs into adversaries they’re absolutely taking jimin as hostage bc they know we love him too much to not fight to get him back

taehyung is vincent. vincent is walt’s golden lab susgsygebshs. TAEHYUNG WOULD JUST TAGALONG WITH JIMIN LIKE HOW IN THE COOKING RUN EPISODE HE PRETENDED TO CONTRIBUTE BUT REALLY WAS GIVING NOTHING OTHER THAN VIBES!!! tae on the island. but he’s also giving companionship without judgement!! would swim after the raft for jimin like vincent did for walt.

jungkook… he’s going to be very dark sided in an island survival situation wushhejshe!!! very much ethan and locke energy. im talking hunting down members of the party bc he’s bored. can’t even protect ourselves bc hes coming from the water, dropping down from trees, coming up from the ground with an uppercut, setting traps, the whole thing. and for literally no reason too like we did nothing to him??? he will also try to manipulate ppl in the group to do his dirty work so he can find out island lore. this one is untrustworthy im telling u pls watch ur back shshhshsh

so i have the strangest question of all time and i'm going to blame it on the fact that i can't stop bingewatching survivor (and who knows maybe this could become a fic 👀)

feel free to reblog with additional commentary/reasoning for why you made your choice, or if you want to rank all 7 from "absolutely nothing to worry about" to "oh we're entirely fucked" sdkgnffdjglkj

[reviewinghiccup]

DEFENDERS OF BERK | HTTYD SERIES | BREAKING DOWN HICCUP

Blog Post Series: Breaking Down Hiccup

Title: The Night and the Fury

Ep/Season: Episode 3, Season 2 (Defenders of Berk)

Premise:

Hiccup and gang set out on a training exercise on Dragon Island in hopes to train their stealth / combat skills without help from their dragons. Unfortunately, they run into a very, very unlikely "friend"...

IN ASTRID WE TRUST

It's no secret that the team needs some polishing. And we're hoping, Astrid's obstacles could do the trick. I love how they groaned, knowing that her tests is going to be difficult. It's very like them to do that and very like her to make things tough.

This exercise is fertile ground for individual members of the team to grow. For example:

(1) TUFFNUT TAKES ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF WATCHING THE DRAGONS

(2) RUFFNUT GOES OUT ON HER OWN

(3) FISHLEGS, WELL, IT'S JUST ANOTHER DAY FOR HIM REALLY. I.E., DOING SOMETHING HE'S SCARED TO DO

(4) HICCUP, DEALING W DAGUR

(Can we also take a moment to appreciate the little confidence boost Hiccup gives to Fishlegs? We can? Ok. Here you go.)

If you started watching RTTE without first seeing ROB/DOB, you might wonder why Dagur calls him brother. Well, to be fair, I still don't know why he does, but at least from this episode, you'll know when the supposed familial relationship began.

P/S: Look at how small & cute baby is.

It's also really cute that Hiccup tries, for the most part, to keep the peace with Dagur, though for the most part, I hate to watch them pandering to him.

THE DAGUR FIASCO

This episode is where I feel DOB kicks off. Hiccup's in a very precarious position. The last time Dagur showed up, Stoick lied that Berk was still at war w dragons and that they still killed them. For the sake of peace, Hiccup didn't have much of a choice but to play along and reassert the lie.

This episode is definitely one of my favourites, especially in terms of the Hiccup-Dagur dialogue.

It's hard to not enjoy the "bro-mance" sequences. Just look at this one:

In fact, if you only watched RTTE, you might've missed where the Dagur v Snotlout situation also began. And it might surprise you to realise, that Snotlout was very much, a fan of Monsieur Deranged here.

HICCUP'S STAND

But nothing beats, that moment when Hiccup takes his stand.

It was such a DEFINING MOMENT, because Dagur has been looking down on Hiccup for years and NOW, NOW?! He realises what a genuine threat Hiccup could be. And more importantly, how easily his pride is wounded.

I'm all here for HEROIC HICCUP. And what an artistic way to show how much Dagur underestimated him. He even underestimate his shield! Much to his lost...

Also, don't you think that it is very Captain America of Hiccup sometimes, when he's wielding the shield?

And let's not forget, Hiccup is one sassy protagonist. I mean, you know you're an enemy when he burns you.

This episode is way more significant than I realised it at first. This whole time, Alvin was Berk's only viable threat. But his beef was with Stoick, initially at least.

But now, Dagur is another. And the person he's going after is Hiccup. Dagur is Hiccup's first archenemy.

And it doesn't help that he's insane.

So, what I loved about this episode was, it heightened the stakes of the entire show AND also, showcased how Hiccup can out-wit, out-smart and challenge Dagur, who I think, must've been a pretty tough contender to command the massive armada he ends up leading.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAY BARUCHEL (9.4.2023)

I know this may come off super random, but it is Jay Baruchel's birthday today. I think we can all agree that Jay is the life and soul of Hiccup. If you follow me on twitter @reviewinghiccup, you should know that I am down the rabbit hole of Jay Baruchel movies, interviews and podcasts.

And what I love so much about this guy is the respect and reverence he has for the show. I mean, he constantly praises it and not just because of his role, which he believes pales in comparison to the artists designing and working the animation, but its obvious that he's a HTTYD superfan.

I love it when an actor pays their respects to the franchise and I do enjoy his take on the work and how much the line between who Hiccup is and who he is, as a person, is blurred.

He's an eloquent speaker and tries to produce, write and direct movies now, instead of act in them. He's based in Canada.

Anyways, something interesting I learned about him was, in an interview w Tom Power, he talks about the book he wrote and what being a fan means to him. Him being a fan of hockey and how precious it can be to live within a franchise or something as massive as indulging interests. It sorta validates me a little, specially since I've dived deep into HTTYD fandom since changing careers.

And just like Hiccup, there is way more to this guy than it seems. He's funny, humble, kind and generous with his time. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and he's pretty jittery in real life too. But what kind of broke me, was finding out that even with his own father, he felt like he wasn't the kind of son his dad wanted.

Apparently, he had a complicated relationship with his dad which I believe may have bled into his work.

If you've watched enough of his interviews you'll know that he's had to support his mom and sister at 14-years-old with acting gigs because his father left and passed away when Jay was 21 following a drug overdose. Yet, he still remains so kind. I mean, his upbringing was tough, poor and difficult, yet you can still see him trudging through humbly, not wanting to draw attention to himself as much as he can help it.

In an interview article I read this morning, he explained that he wanted to continue being a good husband, son, brother, friend and I thought that was such a genuine Hiccup thing to say. He shoulders all these responsibilities and have been since he was a kid. Look, I don't know the guy personally, but from the expansive notes and recordings I've looked into, he seems pretty decent and I am such a huge fan.

As I grow older, I understand people on a different level. I accord respect so differently from how I would've years ago. And right now, I think what makes Jay Baruchel interesting is his sheer promise to do better for his family. And I think, in the absence of chiefing, running a village and saving the world, Hiccup is very much the same in that aspect too. A chief protects his own, which seems to be the mantra ringing in my head as I listen to Jay talk about his life.

You guys have no idea how much I know about this dude. I have possibly stalked him silly right now. And am a little embarrass as I admit this. Anyways, all I want is for him to succeed, in his work, life and family.

[magnoliabutters]

• AS THE WORLD BURNS •

pairing: kas!vamp eddie munson x (she/her) reader

summary: the consequences of love are not always easy...

warnings: 18+ content, mdni, adult language; canon divergence, season 4 spoilers, violence (vecna level), gore (blood), choking, angst/hate, near death scenarios, toxic/anti-hero relationship, y/n count: 1, etc.

word count: ~9.2k

reblogs, comments, & thoughts are so so shmo appreciated

• stories of eddie munson series • season two • previous part •

note: herro! it feels so good to post again! lots to unpack in this part and its quite long! i apologize if its a bit confusing with referring to some memories. as always, feel free to share your thoughts or ask any questions you may have! i did want to share that my characterization of vecna is probably on another level and die hard v-daddy fans may not enjoy this version - fair warning. nonetheless, i hope you enjoy!

Screams.

Screams gargle out of your throat before you even notice. Your heart beats heavily inside your chest. The pain shoots up your thigh and into your stomach, as well as down your entire right leg.

Your hands push against his head fiercely. You are desperate to rip his teeth off your thigh. You feel his mouth latch harder onto your skin, causing a screech to escape your lips. The blood slowly trickles down your leg, an uncomfortable and nerve-wracking feeling. You scream, “Kas,” as you struggle against him. 

Your head shoots up, looking for something to help you - anything. You reach up to grab a baluster off the staircase. You pull as hard as you can in hopes of ripping it off the handrail.

With eyes desperately searching for a weapon, your gaze falls upon Vecna. A sickening smile before you. His eyes completely fixated on Kas and his heavy bite against your thigh. Your stomach drops as you stare into the burned pile of flesh before you. He is enjoying this. It disgusts you. Anger slowly fills your body as you struggle against holding the wood above you. 

With a yell, you release all your undeniable anger. Your body tensing. Your muscles firm. You rip the baluster out from the stairs with a strength you do not recognize and drop it heavily against the base of Kas’ skull.

He shuffles back onto his knees. A hand quickly pressing against the mark you made on his cranium. The blunt weapon falls from your hands as he releases his grasp on your thighs.

Kas’ eyes slowly raise to you. Those brown chocolate eyes now indiscernible. Red replaces his honey - his sweetness, his innocence. Another stab in the chest, reminding you that Eddie is no longer.

You hope he found peace, and that you will see him soon. 

“You bitch,” Kas hisses out.

“Fuck you,” you mutter with heavy annunciation on the f. Fueled with anger and pointing towards Vecna, you add, “Funny you’re calling me the bitch when you’re so clearly his. You’re a fucking puppet and a fucking disgrace to Eddie.”

He stands up, a finger to your face, as his nostrils flare. His quick movements scare you as you wince in his presence. He steps forward in your space. You try to hold your ground, but you step back defensively.

“Watch your mouth,” Kas demands.

“Why? Aren’t you about to kill me? I’m going to do whatever the hell I want to do with my last moments,” you scream back. The anger now rings true throughout your body as you take a step forward.

Kas steps back, sucking his tongue to his teeth as a slow smirk appears on his right side. “You have no control here,” he says calmly. Your eyes squint with rage. “You don’t get to decide whether or not you speak before you die. I could just as easily bite off your tongue or rip away a chunk of your cheek,” he lists off as he runs a finger down your cheek bone.

You pull away sharply, only making him smile more. A trail of blood slowly makes its way down your leg.

“I’d like to see you try to speak then.”

You breathe out heavily through your nostrils as you struggle to keep your body from shaking. You refuse to let him see the fear he causes within you. 

“Oh, and one more thing, darlin’,” Kas states. His index finger and thumb squeezing your chin as he pulls your attention back on him. You struggle to pull away, pain radiating across your jaw, but he holds you right where he wants you. “Eddie was the fucking disgrace. Everything he did and everyone he loved led to him being left to die on that road,” he continues with a laugh.

He takes another step forward, only a mere inch or two away from your face. “What disgrace? You couldn’t even save him. Where were you, huh?” he taunts. “Where were you when he was dying on that slab of concrete? Where were you when he was calling out for you, desperate to have you sit by his side as he left this world? Where were you when he was screaming your name-”

You slap him, hard and before you even knew it. The burning on your palm fuels the hate you feel so deeply within your heart.

Kas is stunned before you. His hand retreating as it applies pressure against his face. Shock courses through your mind that he was seemingly bothered. You can barely see out of the tears piling within your eyes, but a part of you worries if you went too far. That very same part replays the unforgivable words spoken, and you are reminded of your hate.

“You disgusting bastard,” you mutter. “Why does it bother you SO much when I talk about him? Is it the constant reminder that, even though he’s gone, he is and always will be a better man than you ever could? Is it because you know the love we had and how you’ll never have it?” A smirk suddenly falls upon your face. Your own eyes turning red, if they could. “Or is it because you know how much better he is at fucking me? That I faked it-“ 

Kas’ hand immediately rushes to your throat. You gasp, letting out your final breath. The pain is excruciating, but completely worth it. You give him a deep smile as you watch the anger flow into his eyes.

“Do you ever stop talking?” he spits out through gritted teeth.

“Fuck you, Munson,” you grumble out, twisting the knife in his side. He squeezes harder in retaliation and you immediately feel faint. You choke, heavily. Fear in your eyes as you feel the blood halting at your neck, disconnecting from your brain. 

You are going to die, but you already knew that. You haven’t said everything you needed to say. One last love note to beautiful Eddie before you see him again. 

And almost like a switch, Kas’ eyes widen at your reddened and horrified face. He pulls back his hand violently. You immediately collapse to your knees, choking out heaving breaths as your finger nails dig into the hardwood floor. 

Kas steps back, a traumatized look to his face. Never once has he felt regret. Never once has he experienced the fear that spreads like wildfire in his victims’ eyes.

And he did this to YOU.

The one person in this world that he doesn’t hate with every fiber of his being. Your words stung, hurt like a mother fucker, but he knew they were just words. He loves you, but you make him so angry. And he feels everything so deeply now - now that he knows. He regrets it. He regrets hurting you like that, despite having every intention to kill you at that very moment. 

“Kas, what did I say about playing with your food?” Vecna asks amusingly. His voice careless, as though he has better things to do. It pulls Kas out of his thoughts, which was his intention.

You shoot your head towards him, giving him the deadliest stare you could muster. “I am not food, you fucked up burnt pile of shit,” you scream. You are tired of him, tired of him enjoying your death. There is no way in hell you would be letting anyone minimize your existence, certainly not this skinless fuck. 

Vecna’s eyes fall on you sharply. The muscles of his brow pulling together as his haunting stare consumes you. You gasp in response as your heart races. His hand slowly raises.

With that, Kas’ face turns pale. He immediately turns to you, trying to push you out of the way, but it was too late. An invisible force floats you in the air. Your breath halts as you attempt to tremble, but you can’t even do that. Your arms are spread from your torso as your heels click together. Your eyes peer down at that horrible face, seeing nothing but absolute ruthlessness.

Kas watches a tear fall down your cheek as you struggle to grasp an understanding of what was occurring. His heart sinks as he watches you raise. He knows what happens after this. He usually enjoys the brutality, mentally taking notes, but as he watches you there, bright flashes wrack his head. 

He pins his chin to his shoulder as he receives painful glints of a blonde girl. He is brought back to the living room that will never be the same again. She floats above, just as you are now. He feels the fear, the terror that envelope his body. An involuntary hand hits his chest.

Screams, he is screaming. 

The girl he has known since the fourth grade is dying right above him, and he cannot do anything about it. She was the nicest girl, always has been. Anger, resentment, the need to have justice fills his soul. She did not deserve this. She was innocent, absolutely innocent. 

Like you… you didn’t deserve this. 

It did not matter how much you hurt him. How much you broke his heart. How much he despises your existence. How much regret he holds from saving your life that first night. You were innocent. He should have never brought you here. He should have left you alone. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Kas stands beside Vecna with eyes of horror. His widening gaze peering up at your body as he attempts to process the sight before him. You are conscious. Why is Vecna leaving you conscious?

His eyelashes flutter as tears well in them. What the fuck can he do? You pissed Vecna off, the god of this shithole. He is scared, horrified even. In the face of death, he suddenly realizes he can’t lose you. He won't lose you. 

But he is frozen, frozen with absolute fear. Upon seeing that memory, on top of the anger, resentment, and justice, he feels fear. Vecna destroyed such a precious life so viciously. What could he do with Kas’ meaningless life? He brought him back into the world. He could surely take him out of it. 

Vecna slowly walks up to you. His clawed hand almost encompassing your chest. His head tilts to the side as he watches your terrified eyes. “You are mine, little girl,” he whispers.

You tremble as you struggle to bring your eyes to the deadened form below you. Your chin held up by the invisible force. Do you regret what you said? Hell no. This pile of uncured meat is the reason your entire life went upside down. 

“Fuck you,” you muster. 

Suddenly, you feel like your bones were lit on fire. An unbearable wound against your shin and knee. The pain is overwhelming. Enough that your body is so overloaded that you didn’t even notice you were screaming again. Screaming at the top of your lungs as you still struggle against a force holding you against nothing. 

Nerve endings wrack your skull. Your body falls in and out of consciousness. You try hard to let yourself fall out of it, but HE keeps you in.

You can feel him deep in your mind. His fingers wriggling within. Any control you had was surely gone. A sickening feeling you wouldn’t wish upon anyone. You truly were his, whether you wanted to be or not. You seek repulsion against the feeling of him in your veins. 

Kas watches you in absolute terror. A memory come to life once again. He can see your snapped leg out of his peripherals but he desperately keeps his widening eyes on your face. He shakes. He shakes as he sees your face pale. His lips tremble. He reminds himself that he did this to you. It may not be his hands, but he put you in this situation and now he is forced to watch your execution.

“Which one next?” Vecna asks lightheartedly. He slightly turns his head towards Kas. His eyes still glued to you, but he manages to pull away.

Kas notes the increased excitement in Vecna’s eyes. He despises it, but can’t look away. If he does, then he would have to look at you.

However, he can’t escape your crying, your pleading, your begging ringing in his ears. The sound somehow converts into daggers at his side. It causes a worse wound than his death AND rebirth. 

“Please!” you scream with a voice ripped right from your chest.

Kas bites his lip as he stares at the floor. The damage to his system abundant in his face. “Just,” the word falls out of his mouth before he could stop it.

Vecna turns faster than the word is spoken. “Just what?” he says slowly. He faces him now, full on. Kas could see you starting to fall unconscious from your pain in his sidelines. He is beyond thankful. 

Kas takes a deep breath before drawing his glance back towards Vecna. “You need to stop,” he says. He decides that honesty, something that does not come naturally for him, is his best path ahead. “Something inside me cares for her and I-I can’t have her die like this.”

His eyes fall to the ground as he inadvertently becomes vulnerable. He relinquishes his power as he slightly bows before his alpha, his “savior.”

Vecna’s human eyes fall into the depths of hell as disappointment claws across his face. “She left you for dead,” he spits out with a waver to his voice.

With a quick shake to their head, they reach his arm out, undoubtedly to break another one of your limbs.

Kas catches their wrist, stopping him in his tracks. He quickly looks at your resting body, ensuring he did not do anything within that fraction of a second.

“She is the only thing that’s made me feel alive since you brought me back,” he musters. “You will not take her from me.” 

A deep, grumbled scoff falls from Vecna’s scorched lips. They pull harshly from Kas’ grasp, as though his touch was poisonous. Kas awkwardly places his hand back at his side, still ready for the offensive, but suddenly extremely careful with where his hands were.

“You are telling me you haven’t had any fun since I brought you back?” they clarify with a laugh. “I saw you smiling while a man’s blood fell from your lip. Your laughter now haunts the New World, as does mine.”

A wince squeezes his face as Kas shakes his head. “Killing is different from living,” he whispers.

“You don’t get to decide that,” the deep and overpowering voice emerges. Vecna hasn’t used this voice since they first met. He hasn’t heard him like this since Kas last asked a question or attempted to have any semblance of autonomy.

“The only way you can live is if you kill her,” they continue. “Kill her for me.” 

Vecna closes the space between them, leaving Kas to shudder at his increasing voice volume. “Kill her, for me,” he says as he steps away from your unconscious body, still floating above the ground and destined for death.

A haze of a memory as you slowly open your eyelids to watch the two below. Just a few moments and you will cease to be.

“I’m crazy about you, Eddie,” you whisper.

And then everything went dark. 

Your cheek rests against a warm and soft surface. You lean into it instinctually. The curve of your back perfect against the front of his waist. You held onto him and you never intend to let go. Your fingers dig into his soft skin, a skin your body knew well. Squelches are heard from, what you assume to be, mudded ground beneath you.

Normally, you would be overly curious as to where you were, where your body was headed, who you were with - but not today. You are beyond exhausted, beyond lethargic, beyond nonsense. Your mind is shattered into a million pieces and accompanied by a wretched headache.

Your gentle face bounces off the warmth as he takes a few more steps. The taste of metal fills your mouth, and you tiredly scrunch your nose in response. You smack your lips, attempting to get the taste off your tongue.

Immediately, a giggle fills the small area between where your head and hand rest against his firm muscle. This peaks your interest as you slowly open your eyes, peering your chin up naturally. 

You see and feel his beloved curled locks, the ones' you’ll eternally long for, gracefully brushing against your forehead. A strong jaw line that clenches, painfully holding back any more laughter. A quick movement of the Adam's apple as he swallows softly.

You curl deeper into his warmness, something you never wish to leave. Nuzzling against his hot skin and you swear you're home. An hoarse grumble leaves your lips as you pull him into your arms. You could sleep here, rest here, die here - call it a fucking day here.

Why would you ever pull away? 

“God, you’re so cute,” you hear Kas’ voice echo within the space. Your mind scrambles, processing the danger you were cuddling against. He killed you, he - he should have? You scrunch your face, pushing against his waist. You wriggle your limbs about until he drops you flat onto the ground. The pain reverberates through your right hip, but you quickly push the feeling away and prepare yourself for his attack.

You spin upon your knees, taking in sharp breaths as pebbles, dirt, and your entire body weight dig into your knee caps. You grab of a nearby small rock, throwing it at him.

Naturally, he laughs as he dodges your attempt easily. He makes his way towards you, unbothered and annoyed at the same time. “I liked you better when you’re asleep,” he mutters with a thick upper lip. 

Eyes rapidly scan the area around you. You find yourself in the woods, but see beauty? Vecna's demonic presence must not have gotten this far. It hasn't destroyed the nature - the sunny skies, the chirping birds, the chilly wind.

Were you out of Hawkins?

Your heart pounds, not at all sure where to run or how to get away from him. You turn around and note a large plain of tall winded grass and a grand scene of bright light blue across the sky. The beauty was enough to take your breath away, enough to make you forget.

“We’re almost out,” Kas announces with a deep and confusing sigh. We? you question in your mind. Last you knew, he was about to kill you and now there’s a “we?” 

“How did we get here?” you ask, returning your determined eyes upon him. Your body remains defensive, ready to strike if deemed necessary. Nostrils flare as you bear holes into his ambiguous smile.

Kas looks to his feet, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth. The top of his shoe hits against the sole of his other. His hands resting at his back, exposing his bare chest. He stands awkwardly, uncomfortably, vulnerably in front of you.

Your breathing intensifies as your eyes meet his. “Last I remember, you were about to kill me,” you say quietly. Your hand slowly crawling towards the next nearby rock. Your crouched body blocking your reach.

His eyes widen before you as he takes a determined step forward. Your body involuntarily shudders at his approach. Your grip tightens against the rock, almost painfully so.

“I was never going to kill you,” Kas replies with an exasperated tone. His body language retreating, as he leans heavily against the trunk of the tree behind him. He does it so naturally, as though he knew that tree was ready to catch him.

A calculated retreat created in hopes that you'll been drawn in. Although it was part of his plan, he hates the thought of placing distance between you both. He wants nothing more than to be glued to your hip. He regrets even laughing before. He must have woken you up and you brought him in on your nightmare.

Kas wasn't going to kill you, but he certainly thought about it at least 100 times.

“Bullshit,” you throw out as your teeth grind into powder. Anger reverberates throughout your body as you struggle to keep yourself calm. The fire hot in your cheeks as you feel a new sense of power ripple out from your chest. You and the rock are one and the same. Blood trickles around its smooth edges.

Kas pushes off the tree with closed, tightened fists. He’s frustrated by your lack of understanding. By your lack of compliance. “I was never going to kill you,” he enunciates. His eyes roll before he leans back into his heel and cross his arms against his chest.

“As much as I wanted to,” he whispers under his breath.

Your breathing heavies as you watch him begin to pace. His hands almost explode before him in frustration before walking his 4 steps, turn, and walk. His tattoos curl around his body, like a story dying to be read. You feel the pit in your stomach, and are suddenly reminded that the only reason anything's dying is because he pulled you into his mess.

Your nostrils flare and your lips tighten into a firm line. “Am I supposed to thank you?” you spit out, terrified to stand from your kneel. The grip on your weapon now digging sharply into the palm of your hand.

“I wouldn’t mind a ‘thank you,’” Kas says sarcastically. He lets out a breathy chuckle before crossing his arms across his chest. “But I also wouldn’t mind you believing me.”

You immediately laugh, following his words closely. “Believe you?! You must be joking,” you huff with a lowly snicker. “You left me to die." Your eyes locked onto him as you feel a darkened heat rise in your chest. The rage begins to spread across your body, one that boils into an unfamiliar courage. You stand before him with clenched fists, one rock still in hand.

You were no one's victim.

Not anymore.

“Left you to die? God, how dramatic are you?” Kas chuckles in disbelief, throwing his hand up in the air in playful defense. He begins to pace one again, something he classically does when feeling anxious. His brows furrow together as he digs his curled index finger against his chin. His curls cover him in a beautiful shadow. You knew the anger in his voice would come after the pacing.

You step forward with clenching fists. You forget about the rock piercing your palm, despite the blood pooling at its folds. “You left me, crying - " you quickly adjust. "You left me devastated, a-and then you -"

"Devastated?" he scoffs. His vision strictly on you now, no longer afraid of intense eye contact. "You were devastated. That's fucking rich," he scoffs under his breath. He takes another pace to his right before taking a strong step towards you. A finger suddenly waving about in your face.

"What the fuck do you have to be devastated about?" Kas spits out. His arms crossing and uncrossing, as though his body had no idea what to do with itself. "You didn't have-" he stops himself as he looks to his shoes. "Just to find out that she thought you were someone else the whole time!" He ends his sentence with a yell, smashing his bare knuckles into the bark beside him.

You wince at his punch, feeling the pain in your own hand. Silence fills the space, as you struggle to pull your eyes up to his. The vulnerability, the lack of control, the deep look into his true feelings was almost blinding. You didn't want to get caught staring, not with him. You take a slow gulp as you carefully pick your next words.

"I didn't know it wasn't-"

Kas laughs off your garbage excuse, pushing off the tree's trunk and starting his angry and anxious pace once again. "No, no," his voice cracks ever so slightly. A finger in your face once again. "You said you didn't know him." The words fall from a dark growl in his throat. His rage boils over, equal to your own.

You pull at the hems of your shirt, trying to bring it over your bare thighs. Every bit of you felt unsafe - physical, emotional, mental. One of the three screams at you to say nothing, remain absolutely silent and wait until the storm is over. The other two had their own plans.

"I said, I didn't know who you were," you yell back, stepping into Kas' space. His head shoots up, not at all anticipating your ferociousness. "And I have absolutely no idea who the hell you are," the frustration clear as a bell in each of your words. You push against his ribs, giving yourself a bit more breathing room.

"Oh, is that right?" Kas utters with annoyance. He enters your space intentionally with a growling hum behind his teeth. "I don't remind you of your dearly departed." He takes a dramatic bow with a snark on his face as he awaits your horrid reply. Your words hurt him, more than you'll ever know, but he can't help but make you regret it. And you being dead - or frankly, not right at his side was not an option. It's better than not having you at all.

"You're nothing like Eddie," you whisper with a slow and stern tone. You dig into the words, wanting him to feel a scorching pain from each one. You knew from the jump that Kas had some weird jealousy with who Eddie was, one you found curious.

His lashes flutter for just a second, before a dark smile spreads across his face. "I'll take that as a compliment." A heavy chest beneath his smirk reveals his anger. He was livid, barely holding it together. Your body can't choose between fight, flight, or freeze.

"You really shouldn't," you utter with rabid disgust toward him. You can hear your blood drip onto the dried leaves below you. The silence told you everything you needed to know. Your eyes flash to his and you note the deep, slow inhale he takes through his nostrils.

"God," you whisper. "He'd be disgusted with what he's become."

Whispers were meaningless and foolish attempts for Kas' sharp ears. Yet, your disrespect was a sharp as a knife slashed across his chest. He takes another step towards you, this time only a two or three inches from your own torso.

He backed you against the very same tree trunk. He wanted you to feel trapped, claustrophobic. To know that he could kill you from any direction, in any way by being this close to you. He hangs over you, his breath heavy and hot on your skin. His cock twitching against the denim of his jeans.

"And what about you?" Kas coos with a tilt of his head. "Do you find me disgusting?" His eyes actively search for yours.

You are caught off by the question, caught off guard by the idea. Disgusting? Yes, easily and in so many ways. Yet your entire body is screaming at you to keep that initial thought in. You weren't sure if it was for your benefit, or for his.

You understood him, more than you'd like to. As much as you are trying to convince yourself that you don't care about him, that you see nothing in him - you still see Eddie. You see the man you love peaking through the dark, bloodied corridors of this broken shell of a person. Only one thing is clear...

"The things you've been doing, you've done to me are disgusting," you say carefully.

"I haven't even begun to do the disgusting things I want to do to you," Kas whispers into your ear. His arms hook under your thighs, hoisting you up just enough for him to get his hips beneath you. The bark digs into your sensitive skin. He pins you against the tree, breathing violently against your neck.

You can feel his heat against your own. A part of you hates yourself. Hates that wet and sparkling feeling between your legs as you scream into his face. A shame you've never experienced before. Your legs close around his waist and you let out a soft gasp as his strong hands dig into your cheeks.

The rock in your hand was enough to ground you. You let out a shaky breath as he adjusts his hold of you. You peer down at him, as your fingers wrap around his chin. You guide him up to you, as he follows devoutly.

That's when you see it.

Redemption.

Kas' pupils expand as he falls into the palm of your hand. His heart thumps loudly against his chest and all he cares about is whether or not you see any light in him. A light-hearted goodness that he doesn't care enough to have for himself, but anything to draw you in to his darkness.

You could see him here. Here in those innocent and submissive eyes. In the way Eddie's lip scrunches to the right when he's trying to learn something new and watching with eager eyes and listening ears as you whimper beneath him. Can they both exist? The thought excites you.

Little did you know, your hand drops the rock from its grasp. Your palm rests flat against the warmth of his heart. What the fuck were you doing?! The thought is quickly overshadowed by the abundance of love flooding your lungs. The electricity between your palm and his chest is exhilarating, unnerving, and intoxicating. You realize in this moment that you would give anything to touch him again, even after everything he's done.

Kas disarms beneath your touch. His heart makes a desperate attempt to escape, wracking against his sternum. It, too, was drawn to your touch. A familiar dryness hits the back of his throat and thirst calls his name. A twitching heat is packed against his left pant-leg and desire calls your name. His eyes find yours in a hypnotic gaze, happily glued to you and your beauty.

You lick your lips, and the words fall softly. "What Vecna said, this - this future he's planned for you," you coo as your thumb rubs against his cheek. "That you're a murderer, a - a killer." You softly pat against his sternum, pulling his attention to your hand. You lean into his ear and your words have him in a chokehold.

"You don't have to be."

Kas pulls from you, dropping your feet to the dirt below. He opens his mouth, prepared with his retort. A simple reminder that he does enjoy the murdering and the killing. He just didn't want to do it for Vecna anymore. You, however, thought he was going to say something else.

"Just because he brought you back doesn't mean you owe him anything," you spit out. An anger lives behind your eyes. Kas noted the hate, the heat boiling within you, the disgust. You hated Vecna, which was to be expected. However, you hated Vecna more than expected.

"I'm going to remind you that skinless fuck is the bad guy," you take no back-talk. "Vecna decided to bring you back, a strong - powerful warrior. You definitely put up a hell of a fight, I - I know Eddie would."

You point towards the wrong area of the forest and Kas about loses it. The only thing keeping him strong are sharp breaths through the nostrils, a deep bite to his lip, and the desire to not interrupt your kind words. The words he's been waiting to hear all his life.

"He must have wanted you on his side, on his team," your eyes grow in size as excitement raises the pitch of your voice. You lunge towards him, arms wrapping around his neck. "Kas, you don't need to be a monster."

Your whispers were like songs. His entire body relaxes under your weight. An intense longing for your touch. His tattooed arms wrap around your waist, pulling you into a tight embrace. He wanted to hold you until all this horrible shit just went away. To take back everything he's done - just to be good enough for you.

Regret fills Kas' mind, but not for anyone but you. He's never cared before you stumbled into his demonic little town. His acts, what he's done, they bring him joy and happiness in their memories. He enjoyed snapping necks, diving his teeth into the flesh of strangers, and smiling at the those who recognized him but had no idea what he was now capable of.

Those were his favorites.

He listens to your words, and he awaits some huge revelation that Vecna was the "bad guy." As if his entire world was expected to be rocked by this news, which is confusing seeing as the bad guy aspect is why he liked him so much. There's freedom in being evil. Something Kas has wanted for as long as he could remember, and probably before that too.

He enjoys taking what he wants, doing what he wants, using who he wants, killing who he wants. He cares for no one but himself, and occasionally would keep Vecna's demands in mind. That is, until you came along.

Kas can't lie, he fucking hated it.

You were an immediate break in his lifestyle with rather harsh consequences. Anything Kas did was suddenly witnessed by you and your goodness. He's even begun to second guess his thoughts. No longer trusting his initial thoughts.

He hated it - hated it, but what he hated most was the fact that you were worth it to him. A change in his entire lifestyle, everything he's known to be normal within the past month. He could do it for you again in a heart beat, give up the freedom and the sociopathic tendencies to...

To do what?

Feel? To be trapped? To be stuck in a cage of morality?

Kas swings his head side to side, trying to physically shake the contradicting thoughts out from his mind. His lips begin to snarl and his brows furrow together. A rage fills his body, one so strong that his clenched fists begin to shake. He can feel the white hot sensation searing across his chest.

"What if I want to be?" Kas seethes through his teeth. He takes a step forward and you hail a rock against the right side of his face with a solid swing. He turns over, barely standing when off balance.

You look back at your bloodied hand and rock in shock. You let the solid mass fall from your fingers with blinking tearful and bewildered eyes. You knew the second his eyes went dark and he was silent that it wasn't going to end well. That rock returned to its rightful spot.

You take a quick breath, before spinning on your heel and running as fast as you could through the trees. Your quad muscles constrict, whipping you through the trunks at a speed that can only be fueled by adrenaline.

The crunch of leaves under your feet was all you could hear. Your hair stands on its end, and you feel a coolness at the back of your neck. You wanted nothing more than to scream at the top of your lungs, but all that would do is keep you from running as fast as you could.

Running to put as much distance as possible from the man who broke you physically and mentally.

Your heart thumps in your ears, pulsating as you rush through the trees. Your form now loose as you accidentally slam your shoulder onto the splintering bark. You grunt, holding in your breath as you feel the cold air rip against your fresh cuts.

How could you be so damn stupid? To think that someone could come back from the dead, and be... fine? Be themselves again? You chose to lie to yourself. Desperate to find some sign of Eddie in the darkness, begging for his touch and giving him everything.

Your skin feels uncomfortable. You begin to scratch at it. The disgust with yourself flutters in with the slightest breeze and you wish your world could end now and in this instant. You gave him all you had to give as soon as you possibly could.

"How the hell did Eddie put up with you?"

You dig your heels into the dirt, falling at a screeching halt. You turn to see Kas' shoulder leaning into the tree's trunk, comfortable as if he'd been waiting some time. Your weight betrays you and the shock lands you on your ass in front of him.

Kas' arms cross as he rolls his eyes in response. "Like I said, dramatic," he utters with an exhausted hand slapping down against his thigh.

You scan over his body, perfect as could be and not a single hair out of place. He was completely unbothered. Your confused eyes seek for some sort of answer, something to explain the miracle before your eyes.

How can you explain the unexplained?

"H-how did you catch up?" you ask as you slowly stand. Your finger pointed towards him and shakes running through your body. You turn back to see where you had ran from. There was no way he could have been behind you. There was no way he could have beat you here.

"You tell me a secret, and I'll tell you a secret," Kas whispers excitedly. His hands cupping his cheeks as he leans into your ear. You shudder back, giving him quite the laugh. You watch him through the strands of your hair, leaning forward and covering your face.

"I don't have any secrets," you whisper under your breath. He was certainly close enough to hear you. You turn your head to him, pulling away to give yourself some space. His hand gently lands at the small of your back. A shiver rips up your spine. You grind your back teeth into dust.

"Oh, so we're lying now?" Kas chuckles out. He drags his hand across your lower back until the tips of his fingers float off. He curls around your left shoulder as he spins in front of you. He whispers, "You told him that your dad beat your mother so badly that he broke her occipital bone and you had to hold that very same bone up so her eye wouldn't fall out of its socket?"

"You were so scared it was going to pop out with every shake of your neighbor's car," he blows a raspberry between his lips before letting out a cackle.

Your feel a white hot sensation at the very top of your forehead. Your eyes begin to burn with salted tears. Your mouth drops an inch and you slowly lean back in horror and lightheadedness. Your body had the innate desire to pull from its closest threat, while your mind was short-circuiting.

Ka slows his words, calm as can be as he murmurs, "All at the age of six, right?" He leans into his heels and smiles with dimples so deep. You suddenly forget that that very same smile was the thing you looked forward to each day.

He allows you to float away from his proximity. He watches as tears fall from your eyes, and he feels that unnatural pang at the back of his throat. He tries his best to ignore it, but it's proving to be more difficult that he anticipated. He smiles, but his nails brutally dig into the flesh of his fists behind his back.

Kas watches you, watches as your eyes go dark and vacant. Eyes that are glued to the ground, with lids that barely blink. He feels a hint of concern. He clears his throat in hopes of pulling you out of this trance.

This game of his certainly took a turn that he hadn't expected. Hurting the person in front of you in some sort of mixture between physical, mental, or emotional is supposed to be fun. Why is it not fun when you care about them?

At least, not anymore.

Kas observes you closely. His hands signal to move forward, to place his palm against your cheek. It was odd - having a body part tell him what to do. It was almost as though it had done it ritualistically before. Nonetheless, he only cared about one thing. How could he pull you back?

Luckily, your eyes begin to flutter and your chin raises. Your eyes land upon his and he finds comfort in the fire deep within them. Your nostrils flare and his chest tightens. It's first warning of threat. Your hands softly trace his forearms and he's disarmed once again. Eyes glued to yours.

It wasn't until your nails dug into his skin that he realized something was wrong. Blood begins to trickle down his arms and fingers. You pull him close to you. "So when are you gonna quit pretendin' like you don't remember anything?"

Kas is taken aback. "I don't."

"You clearly do," you yell out as you push a firm hand against his shoulder. Fury filled your body. You couldn't care less about the "threat" before you. The truth was you were the even bigger threat.

"Kas? Eddie?" You lash out another push, one that makes him stumble back. "Make up your damn mind." You scoff at his impressively genuine surprised face, as if he didn't know exactly what was going on.

"You want to give me shit for thinking you're Eddie, then stop fucking acting like him," you yell out furiously and slap your palm flat across his face. You gasp, eyes bubbled with tears and shocked by what you've done. The tears fall over your lashes and straight down your cheeks. With a distant stare, you say calmly, "Stop using memories and flirting with me. I'm done, Kas."

"I'm done."

You sneak around him, not daring to touch him again. Kas lands hard against the tree, making it easier for you to pass. He couldn't feel that though, even if he tried. His body had already gone numb as he realizes what he has done.

Why did he do it? Why does he enjoy hurting you?

Kas' heart grew more and more panicked as the distance between you two increased with each passing moment. A sharp pain rips across his chest as he struggles to make a decision. A decision to forgive.

You take slow breaths, trying to calm yourself while your entire body screamed for you to run. You couldn't run, even if you actually wanted to. He made that abundantly clear. He waited until you were at least five trees down the path before he called out. Another thing Eddie used to do during fights. The similarities are impossible to ignore.

"You're right," Kas utters out. He rolls his eyes and digs his teeth into his bottom lip. He hears you chuckle out, hysterically and unnecessarily. He keeps his eyes to the sky as he awaits your mockery.

The words sounded absolutely foreign coming from his obnoxious mouth. You couldn't help but laugh as you turned around. He stares at you, blankly - with no indication of what he is thinking, what he is feeling. Your smile slowly flattens into a line. He wasn't joking, not any more. You appreciated the change, but are getting tired of the back and forth.

“I didn’t know who you were,” you say softly as you walk towards him. His eyes rake over your body with solemn eyes. Eyes that fall upon your lips and glow a soft light. He avoids your eye contact like the plague, waiting for your words to continue.

"I knew you were-" you start to fumble on your words. Only in this moment did you realize you said 'Eddie' earlier. How close to death were you? You feel the pull to be truthful - to clarify his twisted idea of what occurred.

"I knew Ed-," you take a sharp breath. His name hurts, a new sensation that you quickly despise. "Eddie," you let out in a sigh. The only way the name would fall out as you exhale from the pain it causes.

“But I knew you weren’t him, even in that first moment," you suck your tongue against your canine. You look down to both your feet, before looking back up to him and tucking a lock of hair behind your ear, just for it to fall right out. "I lied to myself, I can see that now.” Anxious fingers tap at your sides.

“I wasn’t ready to accept the truth, but I didn’t lie to you,” your voice growing more clear and confident as you end your statement. 

A wave of emotions floods Kas’ brain. He can’t ignore the pain you caused. A pain he hadn't imagined possible before meeting you. A crack in his heart so deep that it caused him to leave you in a puddle of your own tears.

But can he really blame you for what you did? For thinking he might have been the man you loved? For being confused? Exactly how he is not to blame for the intense fire burning inside his body anytime he catches a glimpse of you. 

Eddie may be dead, but there is a part of him that is fresh and beating within Kas’ chest. He loved her - loves her? Kas squeezes his eyes shut as he runs fingers through his hair. He slowly lowers into a crouch as he ponders over your words. He tries desperately to keep Vecna’s out.

… She did this. She left you to die…

“Now, it’s time for you to tell me the truth, Kas,” you demand with a wobbling voice. You sit in front of him with hands cupped at his knees. “What the hell happened back there?”

Kas bounces his head off the tops of his thighs. You wait for him, seconds to minutes and he appreciates every single one you provide. He peers up from his hands to look at you. Eyes that are lost in confusion. You take a breath that unintentionally encourages him to take his own.

"You loved him," he whispers with a solemn voice. He digs his fangs into his bottom lip, gushing blood down the sides of his lips. Any reference to Eddie pains Kas, like acid in his mouth. He watches with tearful eyes as you look at him in fear and concern.

His intended outcome.

With a quick movement, Kas stands before you, straight and tall. You jump back, completely startled by his sudden movements. “When you would sleep together,” he starts with an excited and reminscient smile. Your eyes harden as your brows pull together, beyond confused.

Upon the sight of you, Kas chuckles and extends his bloodied hand your way. “When you were actually sleeping, darlin’,” he corrects with a smirk. Your face softens as you nod in encouragement for him to continue. You nervously take his hand and stand at his side, as an equal.

Lost in story telling, Kas looks off behind you, almost as though he can see the picture of a scene unfolding before him. A trait Eddie certainly has - or had? You shake your head, ridding it of those thoughts of finality.

“You would always wake him up with your snoring,” he chuckles, biting his lip. You weren't sure what you were expecting, but it certainly wasn't that. He drops your hand, leaving you with a longing pain in your stomach.

“But he was grateful. It always gave him a chance to watch you. You - you looked so peaceful, you know?” His smirk transforms into a smile of remembrance as his eyes quickly pan over to you. “He loved pushing this silly strand behind your ear,” he says as he slowly reaches for your face. You instinctually pull away, but slowly allow him to touch a piece of hair dangling before your face. He places it behind your ear with a gentle finger. 

“He was crazy about you,” Kas adds softly, as though the words mean nothing - but you knew better. Those words mean everything to you - to you and to Eddie. Words so gut-wrenching to hear, but you do your best not to show it.

“In the cafeteria, he would watch you. Always making sure that his girl was alright,” he continues with a laugh. “Even before you were really his.” Your face twitches in confusion as the feelings coursing through your veins continue to contradict each other. 

“He always watched you,” Kas says as he closed his eyes. “Catching glimpses of your smile in between the chaos of that hell room. He didn’t even know your name yet.” His face twists, curious yet uncomfortable with the lack of understanding.

“How did he know he loved you without even knowing you?” he asks as he finally opens his eyes. Genuine curiosity fills those deadly chocolate eyes. Brown, they’re brown - not red. Not anymore. 

The silence brings attention to your trembling bottom lip. Your brows push together. You are sure there is a wrinkle forming between them. “He told me he was always curious about me,” you start self-consciously. You wanted to know more - to hear more, but you didn’t want to give Kas any more than you needed to. You needed to know exactly what he remembered.

“I remember the first time he saw you,” Kas starts with a lighthearted breath. Part of him hated this, hated talking about the man he could never be. Another part felt happiness, an overwhelming feeling that ripples throughout his body. It grows as he recognizes the same happiness in your eyes. Even though he is pain-stakingly split in two, he perseveres for you. 

“You were this nervous girl, tightening the straps of your backpack when you walked down the hallway,” he continues without skipping a beat. He gestures a line between them as though he was mapping out the school’s halls. You watch his hands intently.

“He was a junior. He knew he shouldn’t even be looking at you," Kas glances back at you, grabbing your eye line by surprise. "Fresh meat and all," he taunts with a bounce of his brow. He immediately acknowledges the confusion on your face and clarifies with a nod, “Dibs go right to first year Hellfires, but you…” He chuckles with a shrug and tightened smile.

“For you, he’d break all the rules.” 

Kas analyzes your reaction. Concern washes over him as he watches a tear stream down your cheek. To his surprise, a smile immediately follows. A smile that he is sure you are not even aware of, which makes it that much better. He could see why he loved you. Why he fell for you the second his eyes landed on yours. You are beautiful, despite your annoying, strong headed attitude. 

“Then that night, you called him up on your birthday,” Kas adds with amusement. “He was shocked that you even managed to get his number. He had been devising a plan to get yours for the past year and a half.” His eyes widen at the encouraging sound of a small giggle falling from your lips. You are still enthralled with the memory, not yet ready to fall into reality.

Falling back in with Kas, but you wanted him.

You wanted Eddie.

“When he finally got to talk to you, he knew,” Kas shares with his smile closed and pulled to the side. “I don’t know how, but he did.” The warmth in his heart was undeniable. The butterflies in his stomach, the lightness in his chest and all of it because of you.

Silence fills the air. He watches as you slowly float back into real life. He notes the point where your happiness dissipates. It just so happened to be when your eyes fall upon his, leaving that visual memory world depicted by his words.

Reluctantly, you are reminded of where you are now and how much you wish you could go back. Going back to that opening in the woods, to that bench. You are hesitant of the memories he has shared, of the hidden purpose beneath them. But above all, you are grateful. “Thank you,” you whisper as you nod, looking everywhere but his eyes.

“You’re welcome,” Kas responds with a hint of confusion and uncertainty. 

After a brief interlude of awkward silence, you say softly, “Kas, can you please tell me how we got here?” You take a step to approach him and his tree. He straightens up, hopeful of you closing the distance between you two.

Finally, your eyes scan his chest and note the many pink scratches across his skin. Your body yearns for him, worried if you were the cause. Your short-term memory is clouded, recollection impossible. An odd and unfamiliar feeling.

Taking another step, your foot slides against the wet wood of an exposed root. Your weight shifts quickly and you feel a soul-crushing pain ripping up your right leg. The shock brings along the memory of you floating in front of your two killers. 

In a panic, you rush to look down at your broken leg. Only to see that it was fine? That you, too, have a pink scratch against the side of your shin. The very spot where your bone was once protruding. Your first broken bone, and you almost vomited at the sight of your white cartilage.

“What did you do to me?” you scream as fight or flight takes over your mind. You squeeze your eyes closed, begging for your memories to share some insight into what happened to you - desperate not to depend on just Kas’ side of the story. 

Kas stands with eyes to the ground once more. You begin to notice this guilty tell of his. “You don’t need to remember that." His words cold, yet caring as though he was sacrificing something for your benefit. He places his arms at your shoulders, guiding you forward.

“No!” you exclaim as you pry his hands off of you. His guarded face drops as he realizes there is no getting out of this. “Tell me what the hell happened, Kas! Now,” you demand as you point to the ground with a stomp. Your entire body fuming as you struggle to find peace with what you have just learned.

“Okay,” Kas says calmly. “But promise me, after I do, you’ll leave this place.” His lips firm and lined. He wanted you gone. He needed you gone.

You take a deep breath, biting your lip as you watch him with fury. After he tells you what happened, you would have no reason to stay here. To stay in this fucked up version of Hawkins. You would finally be free from this never-ending shit show. Finally, you would be free to grieve. To mourn.

“I promise.”

“Kill her, for me,” Vecna booms with excitement in his eyes. Kas could not help but notice the odd interest he had in him. Almost as though every interaction was an experiment meant to be further analyzed and studied.

Usually, the words ring true in his mind anytime Vecna speaks. But this time, the words were rotten. They were impossible to follow. An impenetrable idea in his heart and in his mind that the girl before him could die. And most definitely not by his own hands. 

Kas has never disobeyed an order. He killed as easily and as quickly as the words fell from Vecna’s mouth. He did it without regret, without remorse. He killed with laughter, enjoyment. Just as Vecna taught him.

He particularly enjoyed the fellow students who recognized his former self. Each one assumed that he would help them, save them. Yet, they all called him a freak, a satanist, a murderer. They were right about two of those things anyway, and he made sure to prove it to them with their slow deaths.

But now, he is stuck - desperate for a way out. Unsure of the safest path forward. The path that will bring you to the sanctuary you deserve. He caused your pain, the least he could do was get you out of it.

His eyes travel from the horrific sight before him to Vecna’s melted flesh. A twinge of pain in his brow as he attempts to gather the words. Naively hoping that maybe, just maybe, Vecna will understand and let you go. 

Before he can do anything, Kas hears a simple whisper fall from your mouth. A whisper so sweet, so soft that it sounded like it came straight from the heavens above. And with those words, the words you thought would be your last - “I’m crazy about you, Eddie,” his heart filled with undeniable love. 

A flash of your smile strikes across mind. Laughter that he would be so lucky to listen to for the rest of his life. A moan so sexy and daunting that he had to hear more. Another flash and he stumbles back, almost in pain. Hands rushing to his head as he presses the base of his palms against his brow bone. He is transported back in time.

Back to you...

“Hey, don’t forget the popcorn, babe,” he says while munching on the last kernel. What appears to be an action movie blasts loudly across the screen. Kas recognizes the space - it’s HIS trailer. He looks to his right and lands on your beautiful smile. He almost doesn’t notice that you were wearing his t-shirt, strawberry printed panties, and fuzzy long socks bundled at your ankles. You jump over to him in excitement. The popcorn nearly falling out of the bowl. 

“Wait, wait, wait,” you say with increasing volume. Your hand rests lightly upon his chest as your other hand gestures towards the tv. Your eyes are on the movie, but his are glued to you. “This is my favorite part,” you gleam as you softly pat his chest. “I’ll be back,” you imitate in a low-toned and thick accent. 

This was the moment. The moment he knew, without a doubt, that he loved you. From that moment forward, he had every intention of making you his life partner - his wife. He had met his soulmate and he was beyond thankful, knowing that not everyone is as lucky as he. 

“I’m crazy about you, girl,” he whispers as he pushes back that familiar strand of hair that always falls in front of your face. Your smile grows as crimson rises to your cheeks. Your chin pins to your chest as you express a sweet mix of appreciation and embarrassment. 

“Oh, my love,” you whisper as you cup your hand to his cheek. He could feel your warmth. He leans into it. In this simple embrace, you have given him everything he has ever wanted. “I’m crazy about you, Eddie.” He rushes into the kiss, almost as though you may disappear before his very eyes. His hands grip tight around your waist and lower back, determined to never let you go as long as you wanted him. He loved you from the day he saw you, but this was the day he knew you loved him back. 

Kas winces, pulling out of the memory as he stumbles a few steps back. An ambiguous streak of concern riddles Vecna’s face. Save her, a familiar voice rings clear through Kas’ mind.

Vecna immediately replies, “No, you must kill her. Kill her for me.”

Kas could not even begin to comprehend that Vecna was answering his thoughts. His heart is ripping to shreds, splitting in two as he struggles to find solid ground. Save her, the voice enunciates once more. 

His eyes flick up towards Vecna. Eyes glowing red as they stare into the soulless being. A subtle shock is depicted upon Vecna’s face in response to Kas’ physical defiance.

With a quick outward throw of his hand, Kas’ energy propels Vecna out of the home and straight into the ground a few meters down. Broken wood falls everywhere. Insulation slowly seeping from the cracks.

Kas stares at this hand curiously. He did not know he was capable of such power - power comparable to his master’s. He never needed to use it. Most definitely not when met with Vecna.

With a quick glance to his incapacitation, Kas jumps towards your still floating body and wraps his arms around you. His forearm supports your neck, while his other holds your knees. He tries his best to avoid the sight of your damaged leg. It evokes a confusing and distinct feeling within that pangs his sternum.

He holds you tight against his chest, primarily for his own benefit. The warmth you exude transcending deep with his own skin, providing the comfort he desperately sought for.

Before he could step out the door, Vecna gracefully lifts from the ground with ease. He lands gently before the two of you, despite the fury building within his expression. 

All Kas could do was watch in horror. He has never once felt vulnerable before, and yet, here he is - with the most important being in the world within his arms and in harm’s way. With a simple firm hand, Vecna flings Kas against the living room. His back bounces off the wall as a ragged and pain-filled grunt drops from his mouth. 

A vengeful force pinning his head against the peeling and painted walls. Your body left rigid and exposed across the floor. He tries so desperately to pull his crown from the wall’s surface, but the power was too strong. All he wanted was to ensure your safety. 

Vecna comes into view. Those blackened eyes piercing right into Kas’ soul. “What have you done?” the low, booming voice echoes within the space. It leaves shivers down Kas’ spine.

“Let us go,” Kas spits out through grinding teeth.

Suddenly, Vecna raises his clawed hand, causing pain to electrify each and every one of Kas’ pain receptors. Open wounds spread across his chest. The oxidized air stinging the bloodied rips. A scream stills the room, a scream that only the two of them could hear. 

“Us?” Vecna says with an amused tone. He pulls his hand from the traitor’s face. A displeasing taste in his mouth. A sudden shift to his voice and Vecna’s anger appears ten-fold. “You don’t even know who she is,” he whispers as he leans into Kas’ face. His eyes admiring the pained response of his clenched jaw.

“I don’t,” Kas struggles to say. He squeezes his eyes shut, hoping that it may distract from the pain. “I don’t know you either,” he manages to let out with a fearful breath. 

Vecna’s eyes harden as he stares within Kas’. A slight head tilt and the pain disappears. Kas takes in a heavy breath, still pinned forcefully against the wall. “You know me,” Vecna mutters as he turns back to your lifeless body. He wishes he could kill you right here. Snap all your bones until you were an unidentifiable pretzel. But in order to do that, he would need to make you conscious, just for the sake of enjoyment in your death. But the thought of your aggravating voice was enough to put the pleasure of torture out of his mind. “No, I know what you want from me,” Kas whispers back. 

With heavied breaths and a tightened neck, Kas manages to lift his head from the wall to stare down onto Vecna’s burnt skull. A slight uptick of Vecna’s brow revealed the impressiveness he saw within Kas’ strength. Impressive, yet worrisome. A slow burning smirk and he returns his hollowed eyes back to the man before him. “And what do I want from you?” he says amusingly as he slowly returns his hand to Kas’ face. 

Kas immediately makes eye contact with the daggered fingers. His heart racing as he takes a loaded breath in through his nostrils. He returns his eyes towards Vecna’s, courage pouring from his irises.

“You want a lieutenant. Someone to lead your armies,” Kas spits out with disgust. “You want someone to stand beside you as the world burns.” A bellowing laugh erupts from Vecna’s chest as the hand carelessly falls from Kas’ cheek. “I don’t need someone to lead,” he laughs effortlessly. The words falling without care. “I can lead.” 

Twisting his head, Vecna pushes in closer to Kas’ face. Kas still manages to hold his head a mere inch away from the wall, but nothing more and nothing less. Only what Vecna allows. “Then why did you bring me back?” Kas hisses. His nostrils flare as he stares down his lifted chin. He desperately holds on to any autonomy he can get. 

“I need a partner,” Vecna answers softly. The bit of disdain within his voice can almost be mistaken as vulnerability. He pulls his eyes from Kas’ before he could recognize the twinge of pain within them. He walks back towards your unconscious body. He rakes over you, questioning what Kas saw in you. “You were right about one thing,” he continues as he speaks over his shoulder. “I do want someone to stand beside me as the world burns.” 

Vecna swiftly turns back to Kas. The quick movement almost berating his body with an impenetrable force that flew his head back against the wall. A soft hiss falls from Kas’ lips as he sears from the blunt pain. “What did she do?” Vecna asks as he takes another step towards him. “What did she do that made you give up on everything that we had?” 

Kas begins to feel a tightening against his neck. He coughs as he struggles to gather his breath. He tries his best to calm his body, not wanting to show any response to Vecna’s abuse. “Nothing,” he whispers with a strained voice. “She did absolutely nothing to pull me from you.” 

After a laugh of disbelief, Vecna sucks his tongue against his bottom teeth with a clenched jaw. “She had to do something, Kas,” he says with pseudo-encouragement in his tone. His boisterous attitude disappears just as quickly as it emerged. A wash of despair falls upon Vecna as he slowly realizes what you gave Kas. A thing that he could never give. Kas scoffs, enjoying the pain that resonates on the face before him. 

“You kill innocent people,” Kas asserts with a hindered voice. Now it was Vecna’s turn to laugh.

“Innocent? There’s no such thing as innocent people,” he grumbles with another painful chuckle.

Kas’ lips form into a solid line as hatred fills his lungs. “Chrissy Cunningham was innocent,” he spits out loudly.

Vecna grumbles as a slow smile forms on his face. “Who?” he asks sarcastically.

Kas hisses immediately, almost as though he was ready for Vecna’s dismissal. “The girl you killed in front of me,” he retorts. 

Vecna’s back immediately straightens as he stares at Kas in incredulity. “You remember?” he asks quietly. “No, no. You were perfect,” he attempts to understand by speaking aloud to himself.

Kas lets out another bustling laugh despite the pain it caused in his wounded body. “How many times did you kill me before I was perfect?” Kas asks nonchalantly. 

The words penetrating Vecna’s thick armor as he stumbles a step back. “How long did it take you to realize that I remembered before you sicked your bats on me? Before you brought me back again and again?” Kas lets out a simple chuckle, feeling the strength holding him against the wall weaken. He stretches his neck, hearing a clear crack in its side. “You killed me and then expected me to call you my savior,” he mutters in disgust. 

As anger boils the blood that courses through his veins, Kas pulls harshly away from the wall. The feeling no different than peeling his skin off of a burning stove. He struggles to muffle the scream forming in his throat, but his eyes are set upon Vecna. He lands harshly onto the floor, evaporating the force that held him up. 

Vecna’s expression rests in a fixed state of complete bewilderment and determination. “You may despise me, but you do love her,” he whispers in a clear monotone. His quick disconnection from reality settles in as his hand slowly raises - and you along with it. Kas’ eyes widen as he watches your lifeless body raise behind Vecna’s shoulder. 

“Would you like to feel the pain you just caused me?” Vecna says carelessly as a sadistic smile pulls to the side of his face. Kas’ eyes quickly scatter between yours and his. His entire body fuels with adrenaline as he watches your body destined for death within the hands of his “savior.”

“Wait,” he pleads. His mouth immediately fills with regret as he slowly returns his eyes to the soulless pair before him. “Don’t.” 

Vecna continues to stare into Kas. He internalizes the twitches of his face, all the pained lines drawn upon his skin. A small part of him wonders if Kas will ever care for him as much as he does for you - if he ever has. The words drop as quickly as the thought fades from his mind. “Don’t what?” he mocks.

Kas winces as he begrudgingly returns his sorrowed eyes to Vecna. “Don’t hurt her,” he whispers with a lack of intonation to his voice. “I will stay with you, but only if you let her go.” 

A heart flutters faster than intended. Faster than he ever remembered it could. Vecna swallows his pride as he slowly lowers the desolate girl behind him. “Take her to the border,” he instructs as he steps out of Kas’ direct path towards you.

Kas nods as he rushes to your side. His fingers gently brush the hair from your face as he desperately searches your skin for abrasions. “You’re okay. You’re okay,” he says softly and repeatedly. He tucks his arm underneath your neck. Another arm hooks beneath your knees as he slowly lifts both your bodies up from his crouch.

As he heads towards the door without any intention of looking back, Vecna adds, “If she returns, I will kill her.” Kas slowly turns around, following the ear closest to Vecna as he ingrains the threat into his memory. “If you don’t return, I will kill her.” Fear pangs his heart. It is almost audible as his eyes fall to the ground. He slowly turns, careful not to make sudden movements, as he and you both escape death. Vecna watches him as he carries your undeserving being through the threshold. 

As soon as he made enough headway from the now demolished house, Kas bolts into a sprint to create as much distance between you and his maker. He takes you to another piece of the fallen Hawkin’s border. Your body often smacks against his chest within his haste. The sounds are almost reminiscent of the previous night, but he pushes the thought far from his mind. 

Finally, Kas finds an abandoned church along the way. “Saint Jude’s,” he reads aloud as he walks down the stoned pathway. He finds irony in the idea but pushes through the big double doors with you in his arms. He lightly lays you down upon a pew. Another finger brushes the soft strand out of your face - a now involuntary and automatic act of care. His eyes rake your body, assessing the damages. The majority of your skin was racked with bruises. However, the biggest concern was, of course, your broken leg. 

With a heavy breath in preparation, Kas finally takes in the sight of your distorted leg. The image hurt him more than he could have ever imagined. Seething in hot breaths, he raises his wrist and bites harshly against it. Softly, he raises your head to his inner wrist. Your pretty mouth resting nicely against his wound. 

In your woozy state, you push him away. Some part of your consciousness awakens as adrenaline bursts through and your fists begin swinging. He holds you down, despite the blood falling from his forearm. “God, you’re unbearable even when you sleep,” he grumbles. Your defenses slowly soften as you slip back into unconsciousness. He raises his wrist to your mouth once more. His other hand slowly caresses the back of your head as his fingers trace through strands of your hair.

As soon as a drop of blood falls upon your lips, your body craves it. Suddenly, your hands were holding the back of his wrist and pressing his forearm against your face. He tries his best not to find the interaction incredibly arousing, but your embrace, light sucks, and little nibbles make his head swoon. You took as much of him as you needed, falling back in exhaustion once finished. 

Kas hovers over you for what seemed like hours, but is truly only minutes. A smile forms on his face as he watches the bruises slowly disappear from your beautiful skin. “You’re okay, darlin’,” he whispers. The words finally feel true. He places a gentle kiss on your forehead. A kiss you will never know of. 

With that, he carries you up to his chest once more to finish the trek to the border. He cannot help the smirk that plagues his cheeks as he feels you nuzzle against him. A clear, but subtle smile forming on your own lips. 

“And then he let us go and I healed you with my blood,” Kas states matter-of-factly with a shrug. His back still leaning heavily against the tree trunk. Arms and ankles crossed as he slowly raises his eyes onto yours. 

You stumble back, placing a hand against your stomach. Nausea washes over your head as you attempt to process the information provided. You quickly drop to your knees. The movement is sudden enough that Kas jumps from the tree, desperate to catch you. “I’m okay,” you say as you swat his hands away. “I-I just,” you start, breathlessly. “I just need a second. That-that was a lot.” He steps back slowly and hesitantly. He gradually falls into a squat in front of you as he mindlessly picks up random leaves to play with - giving you the space you asked for. 

Your mind feels fixed, almost as though you cannot trust your own memories. What Kas says happened sounds familiar, yet unfamiliar all at the same time. You also cannot forget that the truth does not come so easily from those particular supple lips. You push your fingers through your hair, trying not to burst into sobs over the lack of control. It is not easy to accept being a toy in someone else’s game, to accept no longer being the main character. 

From what Kas shared, you should be safe. You should be free, yet - you feel anything but. Something was not right. “Kas,” you whisper, breaking the silence. His head pops up almost immediately. “So, Vecna tried to kill me. He-he broke my leg,” you attempt to recollect. The words all feeling familiar. “You both fought and then he just agreed to let us go?” you ask in disbelief. Kas nodded, gesturing a compressed shrug with his hands. 

“I don’t believe you,” you say lightly with a shake of your head. 

Kas scoffs as he pushes his curly hair back. The smile almost juvenile as he looks back at you with distrust. “Believe what you want, darlin’,” he shrugs once again. He stands up, making his way back to his trusty tree. “No,” you say abruptly, standing yourself. “There’s no way he would let us go without anything in return,” you murmur to yourself, thinking aloud. “What did you do?” you ask with horrified eyes. 

He deadpans as soon as your question hits his ears. With a deep breath, he whispers, “I got us out.” You walk towards him with a stubborn, determined pace as your palms press against his chest. “What did you do, Kas?” you ask again as you watch him stumble back from your push. With a look of annoyance, he rushes you with a finger pointed in your face. “I saved your life and this is the thanks I get,” he yells with hands out to his sides. “God,” he scoffs, pulling away from you and throwing a hand up. “I did what I had to,” he mumbles as he adds more distance between you two. 

You follow him, a gentle hand to his wrist as you turn him around. Those gentle brown eyes that you know so well staring back at you. This time you recognize Kas within them. “Kas, what did you do?” you ask calmly. His gaze falls to your hand. He slowly lowers your fingers and intertwines them with his before flicking his eyes back to you. “I have to go back,” he whispers, like an innocent boy admitting his wrongs.

You take a sharp breath as you try your best to keep calm, but your head is already involuntarily shaking no. “It’s okay,” Kas murmurs as he tightens his palm against yours. “I’ve made my peace.” Your eyes swiftly fall upon his, tears welling. “No,” you muster. “You don’t have to.” The unbearable weight pressing against your chest has only just lifted, and yet, another hundred or so pounds are added on. A man who pained you so harshly, who then saved you, is going back to hell for you. The words are beyond confusing to think about, but it does not change the feeling of hope you have towards your new ally. 

“You don’t have to go back,” you whimper as your other arm rests against his back and pulls him into a hug. The warmth of his embrace confirms that bit of his story within your own memory. “If I don’t go, I am setting up some other miserable fuck for hell on Earth,” he whispers in your ear as his chin finds a spot upon your shoulder. His hand pressing against the base of your skull, supporting you. “I won’t do that to someone else.” 

You pull away, shaking your head again. His forehead falls against the crook of your neck, almost naturally. “Aren’t you supposed to be the bad guy?” you ask incredulously. His head lifts as confusion presses his brows together. “Why do you care what happens to the next guy?” A smile pulls to the side of his face as he presses his hips against yours. The largest space between you two rests between your chests as you hold each other tightly at the waist. “You must be rubbing off on me,” he mutters softly. 

“Come with me, Kas,” you say as you break away from the embrace. Your fingertips brushing against his as you attempt to walk into the field. The sun is starting the set and the light blue sky fills with orange. As you continue to step into the field, you swear the air tastes different. “I can’t,” he whispers as you pull away and he chooses not to chase you.

The act stops you in your tracks as you look back at him. You take the second to think, to devise a plan. “If I promise you that we can kill him, maybe not today or tomorrow, but some day we will come back and kill him - then, would you come with me?” you ask hopelessly. You have absolutely no idea of how that might happen. How you two might accomplish such a feat. You have never known the need for revenge until meeting Kas. Nothing will stop you from finding out how to put Vecna in the ground, and suffer as you do it. 

Without thinking, the words fall from your lips all with good intent, “I promise you. Will you come with me?” You walk back to the border, only a step away from the impending doom that is Hawkins. Your hand extended for someone who is just as capable of that same doom, and yet, you pray he will take it. You hope he will join you in this world and that he will help you defeat your lover’s killer. All you can do is hope. A hand falls into yours, breaking your string of thoughts. 

“I will,” Kas says softly as he steps into the orange glow of the sunset.

note: how we feeling? what are we thinking? we have 3 more parts to go and best believe the gang will be making an appearance! thank you for taking the time to read 🤍 i hope you will share your thoughts!

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oh you like taylor swift? name every TS song

okay.

10 Dollars and a 6 Pack, 22, Afterglow, August, Angelina, American boy, Am I Ready For Love?, All You Had to Do Was Stay, All Too Well, All Night Diner, Acting Like A Boy, A Place in This World, A Perfectly Good Heart, Babe, Back To December, Bad Blood, Both Of Us, Beautiful Eyes, Beautiful Ghosts, Begin Again, Being with My Baby, Better Man, Better Off, Better Than Revenge, Betty, Birch, Blank Space, Bother Me, Brand New World, Breathe, Brought Up That Way, By The Way, Bye Bye Baby, Call It What You Want, Can I Go With You?, cardigan, Castles Crumbling, champagne problems, Change, Check Out This View, Christmas Tree Farm, Christmases When You Were Mine, Clean, Closest to a Cowboy, closure, Cold as You, Come Back... Be Here, Come in with the Rain, coney island, Cornelia Street, cowboy like me, Crazier, Cross My Heart, Cruel Summer, Dancing With Our Hands Tied, Dark Blue Tennessee, Daylight, Dear Digdan, Dear John, Death by a Thousand Cuts, Delicate, Didn't They, Don't Blame Me, Don't Hate Me For Loving You, Don't You, Dorothea, Down Came The Rain, Drama Queen, Dress, Enchanted, Endgame, Epiphany, Everything Has Changed, Exile, Evermore, Eyes Open, False God, Fall Into Me, Forever and Always, Fearless, Fifteen, Firefly, For You, Foolish One, Forever Winter, Gasoline, Getaway Car, Gorgeous, Gold Rush, Girl at Home, Gracie, happiness, Haunted, Her, Hey Stephen, His Lies, hoax, Holy Ground, Honey Baby, How You Get The Girl, I Almost Do, I Bet You Think About Me, I Can See You, I Forgot That You Existed, I Heart ?, I Knew You Were Trouble, I Know What I Want (It Ain’t You), I Know Places, illicit affairs, I Think He Knows, I Used to Fly, I Wish You Would, I Wished on a Plane, If This Was a Movie, I'd Lie, I'm Looking Out For You, I'm Only Me When I'm With You, Innocent, Invisible, invisible string, It's Nice to Have a Friend, it's time to go, ivy, Jump Then Fall, Just a Dream, King Of My Heart, Last Kiss, Let's Go, Live for the Little Things, London Boy, Long Live, long story short, Long Time Going, Look At You Like That, Look What You Made Me Do, Lover, Love Story, Love They Haven't Thought of Yet, Love to Lose, Lucky You, mad woman, Made Up You, Making Up for Lost Love, marjorie, Mary's Song (Oh My My My), ME!, Me and Britney, Message In A Bottle, Mine, mirrorball, Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince, Mr. Perfectly Fine, My Cure, Monologue Song (la la la), My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark, my tears ricochet, My Turn to Be Me, Need You Now, Never Fade, Never Grow Up, Nevermind, New Romantics, New Year's Day, no body, no crime, Nothing New, Not One Day, Only The Young, Ours, Our Song, Out Of The Woods, Paper Rings, peace, Perfect Have I Loved, Permanent Marker, Picture to Burn, Picture to Burn, Point of View, Rain Song, Red, right where you left me, R-E-V-E-N-G-E, Ronan, Run, Renegade, Sad Beautiful Tragic, Safe & Sound, Same Girl, seven, Shake It Off, Should've Said No, Smokey Black Nights, Someone Just Told Me, Someone Loves You , Soon You'll Get Better, Sparks Fly, Speak Now, Spinning Around, Starlight, State Of Grace, Stay Beautiful, Stay Stay Stay, Stupid Boy, Style, Sugar, Superman, Superstar, Sweet Tea And God's Graces, Sweeter Than Fiction, Teardrops on My Guitar, Tell Me Why, Tennessee, That's When, the 1, The Archer, The Best Day, the lakes, the last great american dynasty, The Last Time, The Lucky One, The Man, The Moment I Knew, The Other Side of the Door, The Outside, The Story of Us, The Way I Loved You, Thinking 'Bout You, Thirteen Blocks (Can't Call It Love), This Here Guitar, this is me trying, This Is What You Came For, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, This Love, This One's Different, Tied Together With a Smile, 'Til Brad Pitt Comes Along, Tim McGraw, 'tis the damn season, Today Was a Fairytale, Tolerate It, Too Beautiful, Treacherous, Under My Head, Untouchable, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, Welcome To New York, We Were Happy, What to Wear, White Horse, Willow, Wildest Dreams, Wonderland, Writing Songs About You, You All Over Me, You Are In Love, You Belong with Me, You Do, You

Need to Calm Down, You're Anything, You're Not Sorry, Lavender Haze, Maroon, Anti-hero, Snow on The Beach, You're on Your Own Kid, Midnight Rain, Question...?, Vigilante Shit, Bejeweled, Karma, Labyrinth, Sweet Nothing, Mastermind, Bigger Than The Whole Sky, The Great War, Paris, Glitch, Would've Could've Should've, Dear Reader, High Infidelity, Hits Different

[aroaceacacia]

the actual difference between hermitcraft and dream smp: a 4am essay

Hermitcraft and Dream SMP are two popular and successful Minecraft Youtube SMPs, on which Youtubers and Twitch streamers alike create content. Since Dream SMP, the younger of the two, has gotten popular, it’s been a running theme in many circles to compare the two servers, as both servers have elements of roleplay, around 25-30 active members, and had player conflicts that resulted in civil wars.

We like to joke that the difference between them is that Hermitcraft’s End dimension hasn’t been turned off (giving players access to elytra, cheap diamond gear, and shulker boxes), or that Hermitcraft is on hard mode (meaning raid farms can make Totems of Undying nearly dirt cheap), or even that simply Dream SMP players don’t fill in the holes left behind when a creeper explodes, and the Hermits would because they care more about their environments looking pretty. While all of these are true differences, I don’t think any of them are the key difference, exactly.

To find the difference, we consider their similarity: storytelling. Both servers tell sprawling stories across hours of content, but the difference between Hermitcraft and Dream SMP is what they emphasize in order to tell that story.

First let’s discuss briefly a middle ground: Shadow of Israphel. (N.B. take much of this with a grain of salt, it has been since whenever they last uploaded Shadow of Israphel that I have actually watched this series.) Shadow of Israphel was the Yogscast’s flagship series, the “season 3” of their Minecraft Let’s Play. Season 1 started out seemingly normal, except for some of the inexplicable appearances of a player our heroes didn’t know and buildings they didn’t construct; Season 2 leads to our heroes stranded on an island. Both Season 1 and Season 2 have elements of storytelling in them, but for the most part, they are just normal Let’s Play’s with lore involved. Season 3 shatters that illusion by throwing the heroes into an adventure not unlike an adventure map (which were popular at the time), complete with NPCs acted by real humans and sprawling builds. Notably, the environments also changed with the story - for example, frantically building a wall to contain an incursion of cursed sand, or a city made of wood burning to the ground, the heroes fleeing from the ashes behind them.

Despite all of this, the main allure of Shadow of Israphel was never the lore - it was the chemistry between the characters. You came to watch Honeydew and Xephos banter and be dumb while trying to save the world, hear them give the NPCs silly voices and see how the NPCs react to the stupid things Honeydew and Xephos say.

TL;DR Shadow of Israphel was a series that emphasized character chemistry while incorporating elements of environmental storytelling.

Now let’s touch upon Dream SMP. Dream SMP, by and far, emphasizes character acting and chemistry. Some of its most impactful scenes (for example: Wilbur’s slow conclusion that he could and wants to be the bad guy and his plea to Dream; Tommy atop a pillar above the clouds and slowly slowly realizing that he was abused; the entirety of the L’manberg War of Independence; Fundy’s search for a new parental figure after his father’s death) are performed almost entirely just by players talking to each other. They’re just ACTING. They could be having the same conversations in Roblox, or Raft, or GTA V, and except for the occasional detail that would need to be adapted for the new medium, nothing would change about it. The environment is secondary to the plot, and generally, builds are constructed in order to suit that plot which comes up out of players interacting with each other. For example, the SMP had a castle built because Eret was crowned king, and Wilbur built a drug van in the woods because he wanted to sell drugs. They build stage sets for their performances.

It’s also important to note that on Dream SMP, nothing is permanent. The iconic walls of L’manberg, so integral to L’manberg’s original identity that they were represented on the flag, were torn down and later built back up out of obsidian, now not as an assertion of autonomy but as a prison and an oppressive force. But less seriously than that, shit gets blown up all the time, houses are pranked and ruined, random blocks scattered because they place blocks while running and sprinting like they’re competitive players, redstone broken, old creations simply removed for the crime of being too ugly and irrelevant. Much like in a stage show, it’s all a set. It doesn’t matter if Eret’s walls of L’manberg come down, because the yellow concrete will be recycled into the set piece that traps Tubbo before he’s executed. It doesn’t matter if the skywriting is vandalized, because it was ugly anyway, and we want to see what it’ll change into next. There almost isn’t a purpose for some players in getting good armor and tools because they know it’ll get lost eventually, somehow.

Now we come to Hermitcraft. While the Hermits often interact with each other (some more than others), the ultimate format of their SMP on Youtube is as a collection of individual solo Let’s Plays that often intersect with each other. They’re known for going above and beyond, dedicating themselves to the grind, to building bigger and better and more outrageously with every season that comes. If you listen to the hermit Grian talking about season 7 in his end of 2020 Hermitcraft tour, he discusses how the Hermits’ creations are their art. The act of creation alone is what they are there to do. Getting to spend time with each other is secondary, building a cool cartoon city or a winery or a post-apocalyptic civilization is their main focus.

Hermitcraft love their environmental storytelling. When half of a house disappears at the end of an arc (don’t ask), a foundation is left behind, the pool drained and overgrown with leaves and moss. A literal war is fought over the type of turf in their main shopping district - mycelium or grass? - and this is represented by patches of mycelium re-invading the grass it was replaced with and armor stand containment units sent out to contain the invasive species that appeared to be returning. A mayoral election leads to campaign headquarters popping up all around the main island and handmade pixel art campaign posters on maps being scattered around the shops.

However, what is important to note about Hermitcraft’s environmental storytelling is that generally, what little roleplay they do is used as a drive in order to make the environmental changes occur. (This is especially prevalent in late season 6, during the Area 77 arc and Demise arc.) For evidence I bring you none other than Hermit Grian himself. During his 2020 season 7 tour, Grian mentioned how Rendog, who had previously been living in the very small “Loser Island” base far away from his friends, had felt lonely, and that Grian had encouraged him to move his base closer to his friends, the jungle hermits. This is vitally important because it sneakily revealed how and why a plot point occurred. See, earlier in the season, three hermits called themselves the Boomers, and took on the job of blowing shit up for people. Ren hired the Boomers to do some detonation on Loser Island, but due to a mishap, Ren’s entire base was destroyed. In his distress, Ren ends up having strange dreams, and starts to communicate with a mysterious alien being known as the Renperor, who tells Ren what to build. Ren ends up moving closer to the jungle hermits and establishing a new base, the Valley of Tattooren, complete with a custom biome and giant build.

Essentially, Ren hired the Boomers for a scripted TNT malfunction to give himself a reason to move out, and then created, acted, directed, shot, and edited an entire Star Wars-inspired Minecraft roleplay all by himself just so that he could build a Star Wars-inspired base in Hermitcraft season 7. All of the story he has told has been set dressing to the build, the art that he is going to construct and leave behind, to be preserved on the server’s file for as long as Minecraft runs.

And indeed, Hermitcraft prides itself on preservation. The flames of season 6’s Civil War never truly went out, eternally burning on an empty desolate field; the hole in the side of a cliff that Biffa set himself up in was not destroyed nor tampered with despite the massive futuristic tier cake that Grian built right by it; Area 77 was invaded and over with but instead of destroying or tampering with the incredible effort that Scar put into all of the builds there, Area 77 was “opened up” as a theme park - as had apparently been intended the entire time.

tl;dr Hermitcraft roleplays as a tool in order to move the environment (and by extension the plot) forward. Dream SMP’s plot and roleplay move forward regardless of the environment and often drag it along behind them. Of course there are exceptions - notably, Philza dabbles in environmental storytelling on Dream SMP, with his ideas for a basement of armor stands and a crater that slowly transformed into a lake complete with coral and seagrass - but for the most part, they have their differing ways of wanting to play Minecraft, and that comes across in the way they tell their stories.

It is very late. I have spent over half an hour on this.

[misselko]

BEAUTIFUL MIND

Chapter I: Impression

Warnings: None

It's highly unusual to find someone that can outmatch Hubert's bright mind & prowess in magic expertise and lethality. An unnerving, mysterious, intriguing snarky woman with sassy attitude that is not easily get intimidated by his demeanor. Love is the last thing he'd expect from cruel twist of dark fate between them.

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Daffodil symbolizes rebirth and new beginnings.

“Objection!! You think that would be sufficient to capture Derdriu, the Alliance’s base of operations? What a joke.” Waving your hand, you raise your head to glare into Hubert’s eyes across the meeting table. His brows twitch at your remark as he folds his arms. Everyone is bewildered by your sudden shout. What kind of crazy girl that has the nerve to snarl at the Empire’s loyal retainer. “Charging head on into a blockaded city is not the wisest thing to do. With its naval port, Claude will lockdown the Aquatic Capital to maximize its defense. There will be lots of casualties if we go straight into the city.”

“We are in WAR, (Y/N). What do you expect?” Hubert looks at you incredulously as if you have grown a second head. All eyes are on you now.

“We should hit the port and open the city from inside instead.”

“Pardon?”

“From the sky with pegasi. Strong cold wind blows on the Guardian Moon and wyverns won’t do well in this cold weather. Unlike Almyran wyverns, ours won’t do well against harsh winter wind from Sreng mountains and Fraldarius. Burn the ships and catch them off guard with explosives.”

“That’s rich. Coming from someone who wishes to minimize casualties and rarely participate in battle.” He scoffs at your words. Yeah… Nothing gets past him. Unlike the rest of Black Eagles, you are not physically fit to participate in a battle. Being sickly and frail often misleads people to underestimate you. In your Academy days, you rarely participated in any kind of training or battles. Most of your days were spent resting in your quarters or infirmary. Classes were boring and achieving perfect scores is a mere child’s play for you. Fortunately, various books always keep you free from boredom and the monastery has lots of them. You have read most of the books in Garreg Mach, both in the library and Abyss. All of them, now. 

Miss Edelgard raises her hand and urges Hubert to let you speak. Every suggestion counts in this decisive battle, after all. “What would you suggest, (Y/N)? Please elaborate.” You smile politely and ask everyone to follow you to the training grounds.

There are some Imperial guards patrolling the place when you arrive. Miss Edelgard dismisses them politely and asks you to explain your tactics after they file out of the training grounds, orderly, as she prefers. “This is what I want to use. It’s 1/50 scale, though,” waving your hand to make everyone stay back, you produce some small vials. “Keep your distance,” you said as you threw them to the air then blast them with a fireball. Bernadetta and Dorothea scream when the molotovs explode with a deafening boom.

“Magic and explosive.” Stone debris flies off everywhere and the tiles are charred black. You stride over the remnants of the explosion and nod confidently. “This will burn the ships in the port and produce thick smoke that will make the Almyran wyverns panic. Strong wind currents on this season will blows from the ocean toward the city, pushing the smoke into the city, causing distractions, giving us advantage on performing ambu—”

“How dare you expose Lady Edelgard to such a dangerous explosion! What would you do if it hit anyone of us?” Hubert instinctively tries to cover Miss Edelgard. After the smoke clears, he checks on her for any damage or injuries. 

“Hubert, she asked us to stay away already. We are safe here.” Professor says with a deadpan expression. The Black Eagles are like 500 meters away or more behind you. It should be safe, really. Or... maybe everyone, except you. Hubert is glaring daggers at you, ominous purple flames rising from his hands. 

The rest of the Black Eagles Strike Force watch intently, Hubert slowly circling around you like a beast on a hunt. A part of you wants to just stand still until he makes his move, but you stay in your crouch, watching, calculating his every move. He strides towards you and is ready to strike with his dark magic. He warps in front of you shooting orbs of dark flames. You are barely able to dodge them and leap to kick his hamstring forcefully. “Hands off, von Vestra.” Hubert growls at you angrily as he falls down to one of his knees, thanks to your strike. A joyful chuckle escapes your throat as you smack Hubert’s sleeve and seize the hidden dagger that falls from it. “Piece of cake.”

You could probably beat him in his sleep, with how good you are. 

Loud gasps from the Black Eagles Strike Force can be heard even from this distance. It’s not everyday you can see someone able to subdue Hubert von Vestra. The tension is so thick that you can cut it with a knife. Maybe aggravating the Minister of the Imperial Household is not the best idea.

“Curse you, (Y/N)!”

Suddenly a searing hot pain burns at your shoulder. Did Hubert just… attack you with a Fireball? For real!? What a snake. Hubert snarls and evades your Bolganone. Thrice. Damn. What a pain.

“Hubert. Cease the hostility. I’m okay. Cast off your spell.” Miss Edelgard follows behind him and inspecting the charred remnants of the molotov and your wound. Lindhardt sighs but he heals you right away. A splitting headache pounding your head aggressively all of sudden. Coughing and wheezing, you try to catch your breath and pinch the bridge of your nose, hoping to subdue the pain. “Fire arrows won’t be effective because the strong wind currents from the sea will put them out for sure. But we can blow the harbor and strike the city with a pincer attack simultaneously.” Petra and Ferdinand hum at your idea, while the Professor nods solemnly.

“Give me three days and I’ll make it bigger for the upcoming battle. The loud sound that it produces will cause the civilians panic and run away. We can avoid unnecessary bloodshed that way. See you later.” Everyone is concerned about you but you wave it off nonchalantly. Taking your leave, you tell them that the headache will subside if you take an early rest. Those Bolganone sure take a toll on your health. Ugh… Damn you Hubert.

---

The candlelight flickers as you sit at your desk. The day has been long, but the night will be even longer. Nobody is awake at this hour. It’s well past midnight, and the light outside is white, courtesy of the moon. Your quill dances furiously on the paper as you make notes here and there, pouring your concentration over the map of Derdriu fine tuning your strategy for the upcoming battle.

Sharp knocks came from the door on the other side of your quarters door making you shriek in of surprise. 

“(Y/N)?”

You sigh, quill stopping as your focus begins to fade. Awful scratches and ink smears run across the paper haphazardly now. Great. “I’m not deaf, you know.” Placing your now broken quill into its holder, you open the door with a pout on your lips.

“Industrious as ever, (Y/N). Still at it?”

“Not anymore, thanks to you, Ratman.” A small night candle on your desk illuminates Hubert’s tall form towering over you. He laughs at your retort. “That’s me, I take it?” Like a brewing storm, you can sense his anger beneath that foreboding smirk. He sighs, looking skyward before he studies you warily, chartreuse eyes narrowing with unnerving focus.

Your raised brow and blank stare are the only response he receives. “If you say so.” To have the infamous Vestra in front of your door in the dead of the night... Hubert is a true embodiment of a grim reaper. 

He’s been doing this every night since that meeting, even after you slammed your door right in his face for these multiple times. Honestly, it’s tiring. Maybe you should let him enter tonight and cease those endless stalking... but looking at him, your mouth curves into a slanted smile. “Remove the blades in your shirt, inner thighs, and the poisonous darts in your cravat. Take off the three knives you had beneath your belt. Place them on my desk and we can talk.”

Impressed by your acumen, his eyes widen at your words. But Hubert chooses to do so as you demand, then tucks his hands behind his back, following you into the room. But he yelps hard when you stomp hard on his foot heavily before he can enter. “What did I say about placing ALL of your weapons on my desk? Remove the dagger inside your left glove, Hubert. Don’t test my patience or you’ll end up as a patient. Lindhardt’s patient.” Your tone become dangerously quiet, eyes glinting with feral threat. “He’ll be upset if you DO at this hour.”

“Vigilant as ever,” Hubert laughs. Not a menacing laugh, but a hearty one. It causes a smile that reaches his beautiful chartreuse eyes. A laugh that really catches you off guard. Almost out of his character but somehow fits him perfectly. Soft creak can be heard as Hubert slithers quietly to close your door behind his back. He reaches for various weapons concealed beneath his clothing fluidly then tosses it to your desk without removing his intense glare from you. Not even for a second.

Hubert is... handsome and charming in his own way. Despite his creepy stalker tendencies and pricky attitude, you found him rather attractive. His mature demeanor, composure, and bright mind has done great service to Miss Edelgard and Black Eagles Force. Mesmerizing chartreuse eyes, tall stature, long fingers, defined cheekbones, and raven black hair suit him perfectly. Ahem. Put all those crazy thoughts aside, you clear your throat and walk to his side. “What do you want from me, Hubert?” You stammer, your thoughts getting the best of you. Internally, you cursed yourself for showing any weakness to this man.

“Elaborate your plan and true intentions. Why are you so adamant to avoid casualties?” Gone is the smile from his face, replaced with stoic indifference, falling into that cold facade as cold as Faerghus’ winter. Slender hands trails down your jawline to your chin, then urges you to meet his eyes. His breath fans your forehead, inches from yours. Chill runs down your spine as his menacing glare swallows you whole.

“You seem so intent to turn my ideas down. What is your ulterior motive? Do you have any personal grudge towards me? Hatred? Are you a spy from the Alliance or Faerghus?” In a swift motion, Hubert dips his fingers beneath your nightgown, caressing your inner thigh as he pulls out a dagger that was strapped there. His feathery touch is smooth against your skin, provocative and tantalizing in a way that make you gasp. Heat begin pounding in your core, between your legs.

Hubert laughs, though not entirely with amusement. “We are even, now.” He said it devilishly, enough to burn your cheeks furiously. You take an uneven breath and shoot him an angry, flustered look. The two of you stand practically head to head (no, head to stomach due to your height), glaring at each other. The temperature in the room rises several degrees.

“So you are the one who’s been sneaking around, watching me from the shadows these days,” you said sharply. Surprise flashes for a millisecond in those chartreuse eyes, but with your own training, you recognize the emotion immediately. Dark chuckles escape from your lips as you come close enough to lay your hand on his chest, your mouth curving into a wicked smile. “You’re not the only one with secrets, von Vestra.”

There’s no greater joy than watching how his pale face whitens slightly and he backs into a stance prepared to attack and kill if need be.

“Now,” you finally managed to avert your eyes and wave your hand dismissively. “By all means, let’s discuss. Winning isn’t always about bloodshed and fatality. Let’s not glorify that bloody scarlet path that you love so much, Mr. Black Rat.” Throwing a pointed look in his direction, you turning on your heel and begin to lead Hubert to your desk. “We only need to subdue the city, not demolish it.” 

Slowly he follows behind you, his tall frame effortlessly intimidating. “How will you achieve such lofty, pipe dreams? Amusing.” A sly smile dances on his lips as Hubert looks down at you intently. That burning look sure reminds you of a predator that is eager to kill its prey.

“Crush their willpower and create massive chaos. Send their soldiers into disarray. It will be easier to capture Derdriu that way.” Rummaging through some blueprints and papers, you pick a small iron ore ball with a fuse on its top from the corner of the table and hand it to him. “Handle with caution. Procuring the materials isn’t easy but I managed to do it with Lindhardt’s help. Stretching from the sea to the Oghma Mountains, the County of Hevring is well known for its abundant mining resources. I made a lot of these from charcoal, limestone, and sulphur. This black gunpowder and the molotovs will be helpful in our upcoming battle. Be careful, they are highly combustible. Twenty of them are enough to blow down this whole monastery.” Hubert chuckles as he examines the round thing in his palm. 

“We are born with two innate fears which are universal and common to all humans regardless of the society or culture into which they were born and raised. They are the fear of loud noises and the fear of falling. Considering these matters of facts, I want to crush Claude’s troops’ morale to ensure us a smooth sail.”

He looks intrigued by your revelation. Palpable curiosity glimmers in his eyes intensely as he looks back and forth between you and the black gunpowder ball. “So you want to blow Derdriu and avoid casualties. You pique my interest now, (Y/N). How is it possible with a small ball like this? I need to see whether you are really telling the truth or lies. Now, prove it to me.”

“What do you me—Aaaah!!!” He grabs your hand and warps both of you together. Biting cold breeze of winter forces you to open your eyes and fold your arms over your body for a semblance of warmth. The moon is rising round and large out of the mist, shining light onto the water beneath the... cliff?! Damn. Hubert warped the two of you to the edge of a ravine near monastery. Hanging around on a cold place like this on Guardian Moon in your flimsy nightgown will make you sick for sure. You could see the curls of your breaths in this cold weather. No sane person would lounging around a cliff on a cold winter night like this. But Hubert is not one to begin with. 

“It is far too cold to be out here so late, you dark rat," you mumble angrily. His brows furrow at your words. Tense atmosphere is hanging between you like walking on thin ice. One wrong move and his composure will shatters. “You sure indulge me with your incessant squeaking and chattering, (Y/N). It’s highly unusual to find someone who isn’t frightened or intimidated by me.” He takes another step closer to corner you to the edge of the cliff. You react to his closer proximity by taking a step backward but stop abruptly as the ground crumbles, causing you to let out a small squeak. 

“That’s a cute sound you have there, Pipsqueak.” Hubert chuckles in his deep, alluring voice that reverberates through the sounds of howling wind beneath the cliff. Fuck this creepy weirdo. Is he really determined to kill you? Jagged rocks are protruding proudly, tucked away dangerously among the crevices below. Plummeting thousands of feet to the depth of the ravine will put an end to your life for sure. 

“Call me mouse one more time and I will crawl up your leg and bite the first thing I find.” Taking several steps backwards, you don’t even realize you’re edging extremely close to the edge of the ravine until there’s a harsh grip on your wrist tugging you back from it. You follow the arm to find Hubert glowers at you angrily. Panic, adrenaline rush, and blood pumps against your temples when you blast Cutting Gale to get away from his grasp. Run, run, run. You chant in your mind as you sprint behind him for safety.

A small cut formed on Hubert’s cheek, his eyes widen, staggered by your courage. He reaches up to touch his cheek. His pristine white glove is stained with red. “What was that for?” He looks down at you, muscles tense as his eyes become narrow.

“Self-defense. Sorry I missed. Was aiming at your head.” You say coldly, looking straight into his eyes. Hubert’s smirk disappears and his mouth sets in a grim line. But then, he starts laughing. The type of laughter which makes you flinch. You definitely cannot stick around any longer. Suddenly his expression turns cautious as he leaps at you like an animal chasing its prey and grabs your hand in a vice-like grip. As if on a cue, the ground beneath you gives away. If Hubert had not grasped and pulled your hands firmly, you would be as good as dead now.

“What on earth do you think you were doing? This ravine is dangerous. Any ludicrous act like that will grant you an immediate death, Pipsqueak.” Either it was a bad joke or a truth, it seems so convincing when Hubert is the one who spoke it. Your heartbeat shoots up to marathon level when he presses you to his chest reflexively. “You wouldn’t want that, would you?”

“H-H-Hubert!!!” Pushing him away, you give Hubert an upset look despite your cheeks are burning red and knees feeling all weak. Either from his strong embrace or the adrenaline rush. You can’t tell which, but you insist that it was the latter. It must be. You barely manage to get to your feet before the shaking resume. Ugh... All of those occurrences and magic exertion makes you nauseous and dizzy now. The cold wind is not helping either. Cursing to yourself, you have no choice but to grip Hubert’s extended hand as he pulls you to your feet. Your knees buckle, but you stay upright.

“Stay still. I will REALLY dispose of you into the ravine below if you’re trying anything funny again. This is no joke. Therefore, if an untimely demise is not to your liking, you would do well to demonstrate your utility with all haste. I should warn you that I am far less compromising than Lady Edelgard.” Noticing your pale complexion and quivering form, Hubert unclasps his cape and swathes it around your body. His face consists of annoyance, pain, and probably outright exasperation. Yet despite his cruel threats, he bundles you in such a delicate manner, gloved fingers handle you gingerly with such gentleness. Almost like he is terrified to touch you. Is this really that scary Hubert? The cape is warm and cozy but its excessive length makes you look funny now, like an infant. That grave demeanor and ominous eloquence sure belies his kindness.

“Now... Show me how to use this thing properly, Pipsqueak.” Exhaling sharply, Hubert places the small iron ball in your palm softly. You can’t help but to feel a bit sorry for Hubert. Being so quick to jump into your own fear and conclusions have brought him harm. It is certainly not a good night to be Hubert.

Was it just a misunderstanding? Maybe he isn’t that evil despite his intense presence and sinister demeanor...??

“Let’s get it over with, then. The sooner the better. Stay back.” Focusing yourself, you launch the iron ball as far as you can to the ravine below, then hurl a Bolganone at it. Forceful explosion happens in an instant when the fire lights its fuse, a violent boom crashes the stillness of the night. Casting another Reason spell makes you languid and quiver. You are on the verge of fainting. Cold sweat beads on your forehead despite the cold wind that chills to the bone. Good grief Hubert doesn’t seem to notice this. He is.... dumbstruck. Jaw dropping with apprehension and surprise. It was priceless. You laugh at his silly face, making the older man frown as he warps both of you back to your room.

---

Coffee’s distinct robust aroma envelops your whole quarters. Made from pure coffee beans that you bought last week, freshly ground, then brewed to perfection. Hubert may not the nicest person to talk with but he sure is really good with his hands. He sure knows the perfect way to prepare a coffee. It’s almost fascinating to see his gloved long fingers prancing around elegantly to brew some coffee for both of you.

“How would you like your coffee?”

“Hot, dark, and bitter. Just like how I prefer my man.” Spoon clatters as his fluid movement halts abruptly from your playful words. Who would’ve thought that a mindless joke like that would catch him off guard? How interesting. Hubert is bewildered by your words. The faintest blush dusts his cheeks as he curses himself for becoming distracted by you. It fades in a mere second, though. Was it your imagination? “Do you mean me?” He smirks. Rolling your eyes, you scoff at him.

A nice smell wafts from a cup of coffee that he presents you. But your smile dissipates as soon as you see the black liquid. It is everything you can do to keep your expression neutral in front of him. 

“It would be a great morale boost for Black Eagles Strike Force if you would join us in capturing Derdriu and use that magnificent explosion against that scheming tactician.” Hubert pulls another chair to the table and sit across you with a cup of coffee in his hand.

“I refuse.”

“Scared?”

“No. I can’t, Hubert. And I won’t.”

“Cowardice suits you well.” You sigh at his brazen words. How vexing. You can feel something snapped. Your patience, it is.

“It would be not wise to coerce me. That’s not within the scope of my expertise.”

Countless prayers run in your mind as you ask Goddess Sothis whether she could grant you an insurmountable amount of patience to not stomp on his feet again. You need it gravely for this conversation.

“Can’t you see? I’m not well suited for a battle, you dark old rat!” Placing the coffee on your desk unceremoniously, mouth drooping and arms tighten around your chest as you meet his gaze unflinchingly. 

��Old rat?” His expression betrays nothing—he merely glances at you over the rim of his cup and sips his coffee. Hubert rises to his feet and strides over to you. It’s hard to read his expression but your words surely get under his skin a little bit. Or so it seems. His tall, imposing figure is looming over you now.

“Some say I’m a rat - always conniving in the shadows. Perhaps so. Truth to be told, I’m not that old. Besides,” Hubert eyes narrow slightly, but he put on what you supposed was his attempt at a pleasant smile. Poor attempt. “I’m not the only rat around here, little mouse.”

“Hubert.” You warned, “You might be ten years older than me but I’ll fight you tooth and nail if I need to!”

“That would make you fifteen years old, then.” His eyes scan over you from head to toe with mirth. The light blush on your face is priceless. If only Hubert could draw it, keep it so he could hang it over your head. You stop in your tracks, eyebrows furrowed and lips thinned. “You have never mentioned your age to me, so don’t ask me. But I assume that you are much younger than me. I will turn 26 this Great Tree Moon.” He thought out loud with a gleeful smirk dancing on his lips, gloved hand rubbing on his chin. “Look at you... So tiny that you could almost fit in my pocket.”

Could this man say anything nice? 

“I suppose I haven’t. I didn’t deem it important. Either way we are only five years apart. I might be small but I can gnaw your hands if you keep on mocking me!” Hubert sure looks way much older than his age considering his demeanor and sharp features. He may be striking as cold, threatening, and sinister but you can feel his caring and kindness somehow. Perhaps if you could see the other sides of his facade, it would be better. The idea of his being much closer to your age makes your heart beat faster. Not that you wish to date him or anything.

Hubert straightens and rolls his shoulders, as if shaking off his annoyance. “Put that aside, you should join us in the next battle to prove your fealty to the Empire.” For someone so intelligent, Hubert can be very dense. How annoying. Can this man take a “No” for an answer? It would be humiliating to tell him about your sickly and frail condition.

“My allegiance only belongs to the Empire and Miss Edelgard. I don’t need to prove my loyalty here and there just because you asked me to do so, Hubert.”

“What are you squeaking about now? All bark and no bite? But yes. I can picture it as clear as a day.” Gloved fingers tap solemnly on your wooden desk as Hubert is contemplating his next words. “A puny mouse like you won’t be able to hit any enemies on the battlefield.” This won’t be going anywhere. It’s as if he is waiting for something to explode.

Composure, composure.... A heavy sigh escape from your nose. The last effort to stay sane. Ah... Just when the pain from using those Reason magic subsides. How annoying. You think you see his eyes flick to your clenched fist, but he composes himself almost immediately.

“Alright. I’ll comply and participate in every battle from now on forth. I understand as much about war like the back of my palms,” you finally relent, shattering the silence that had surrounded both of you as you took another sip of your coffee. “Military tactics, strategies, poisons, medicine, weather, terrain, wind currents, explosives, mounts, weapons, magic. You can count in me. Let me fight for Black Eagles Strike Force with my gifts.” He leaned a little closer, possibly so he could hear you better, or to make sure of your decision. Because of his height, you have to jut your chin up to be able to look into his eyes. A blush creeps over your cheeks when you notice your mistake, though. His intense presence has already started taking effect. You are aware of his chartreuse green eyes on you but choose to ignore it, somewhat grateful for the awkward silence.

“Sudden change of mind? What’s your real intention, (Y/N)?” 

“I don’t have to tell you. And I have my... own reasons.” At this point, you couldn't tell if his facial expression is amusement or irritation. “And,” you said as you look him dead in the eye, “It's not going to work on me, von Vestra,” you say, taking another casual sip of the coffee.

Eventually you sigh and look at him dispassionately, stirring the drink in your cup. He remains silent and you take that as your cue to continue. “Don’t play coy with me, Hubert. I know what you put inside my cup. A sip is potent enough to paralyze me. Half a cup of this would be able to kill me in an instant. But it won’t. I’m used to it already.” You said, then gulping down the rest of your coffee and slamming the cup forcefully on your desk.

Shock is a lightning strike across his face and Hubert studies you for a moment, jaw muscle twitching as he thinks. He is surprised that you found it out. How?! 

When his gaze returns to where you sit, your eyes are already on his, not an ounce of trust in them. “Just like how the House of Vestra has served Hresvelg for centuries, my family were the one who taught them the necessary skills to do so since the dawn of the Empire. You may not know it, but my Mother was the one who taught Marquis Vestra in his younger days. As for my Father... he was a renowned strategist that is well known for his great tactical wit and military prowess that helped House of Bergliez to seize their countless victories.” 

 “Wait, then that means.....” A long pause, like the words are choked out from him. “Your family is... (F/N)....” 

Prodding the table with your forefinger, you dig your short nails into the wood. Blood boil as your long lost abandoned family name slips from his lips. “No poison, venom, nor toxin will work against me.” Studying your empty cup and Hubert’s collection of weapons at your side, you stuff his daggers, blades, darts, and knives into a small satchel of yours and hand them to him with simmering rage. “My parents taught me A LOT... But I’m the LAST of (F/N) NOW. Father had asked me to abandon that name for my own safety, but.....” You try to keep from grimacing as you rise from your seat and look at him with anger.

“Yes. They were killed due to having supported Emperor Ionius IX until their dying breath during the Insurrection of the Seven under the leadership of Duke Aegir and Marquis Vestra.” Tighten your hands into fists, blood trickles from between your fingers. After a stilted pause, you add, “Your Father slaughtered them and our House fourteen years ago by his own hand, Hubert.”

Hubert blanches at your words. His tea cup slips from his grip and shatters into a million pieces on the floor. It is impossible to tell what is going through his mind as he stands there silently, striking green gaze filled to the brim with thousands of emotions. You don’t want or need his condolences or guilt—not for your parents, not when you have missed them with every beat of your heart. He stares at your glistening eyes silently for a long moment that feels like hours. His footsteps are the last thing that you hear as he slips out the door.

[airistechofficial]

How to use dry herb vaporizer?

Dry herb vaporizers have become increasingly popular in recent years as an alternative to traditional smoking methods. Learning how to use a dry herb vaporizer can be a convenient and enjoyable way to consume herbs.

Whether you’re a seasoned vaper or new to the world of vaporizers, this guide will provide you with all the information you need to know about using a dry herb vaporizer. From advanced techniques to in-depth info on dry herb vaping for beginners.

How Dry Herb Vaporizers Work?

Vaporizing marijuana involves heating dried cannabis buds to a temperature that converts the active constituents — cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids — into an inhalable vapor.

Vaping flower is typically thought to offer a cleaner method of using cannabis than smoking. Vaporization occurs at lower temperatures than combustion, which allows the user to inhale more cannabinoids than would be burned off using a flame. Since no smoke is produced during the process, users also avoid the carcinogens and toxins associated with smoking.

To use a dry herb vape, one places dried cannabis in the chamber, turns on the device, and selects a temperature. The flower gets vaporized, and the vapor passes through the airpath into a mouthpiece, through which it is inhaled. After a few hits, the flower’s desirable components are completely used, and the remaining plant matter is ready to be removed from the chamber.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using a Dry Herb Vaporizer

Step 1: Grind Your Herb

Grinding your herb is a crucial first step. A fine, even grind ensures that the herb heats evenly and produces a smooth vapor.

Use a Quality Grinder: Invest in a good grinder to achieve a consistent grind.

Avoid Over-Grinding: Overly fine particles can clog the vaporizer and reduce airflow.

Step 2: Load the Chamber

Once your herb is ground, it’s time to load it into the vaporizer’s chamber.

Remove the Mouthpiece: This usually reveals the chamber.

Fill the Chamber: Gently fill the chamber with the ground herb, but don’t pack it too tightly. Proper airflow is essential for even heating.

Reattach the Mouthpiece: Once the chamber is loaded, put the mouthpiece back in place.

Step 3: Turn On the Vaporizer

Power up your vaporizer according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Press the Power Button: Most vaporizers have a power button that you need to press multiple times (e.g., five times) to turn on.

Select the Temperature: Choose your desired temperature setting. Beginners might want to start at a lower temperature and gradually increase it.

Step 4: Allow the Vaporizer to Heat Up

Modern vaporizers heat up quickly, but it’s important to wait until it reaches the set temperature.

Wait for the Indicator: Most vaporizers have a light or vibration to indicate when they are ready.

Preheat Time: This can vary from a few seconds to a couple of minutes, depending on the model.

Step 5: Inhale the Vapor

Once the vaporizer is heated and ready, it’s time to inhale the vapor.

Take Slow, Steady Draws: Inhale gently and steadily to draw the vapor into your mouth.

Hold and Exhale: Hold the vapor in your lungs for a few seconds before exhaling.

Step 6: Adjust as Needed

Experiment with different temperatures and draw techniques to find what works best for you.

Temperature Adjustments: Higher temperatures produce thicker vapor but can be harsher, while lower temperatures offer a smoother experience.

Draw Speed: Adjust your draw speed for optimal vapor production.

Step 7: Clean the Vaporizer

Regular cleaning ensures your vaporizer functions properly and lasts longer.

Empty the Chamber: After each session, empty the chamber and remove any residual herb.

Use Cleaning Tools: Many vaporizers come with cleaning brushes and tools. Use these to clean the chamber and mouthpiece.

Deep Clean: Periodically, deep clean your vaporizer according to the manufacturer’s instructions to maintain performance.

Tips for an Enhanced Experience

Stay Hydrated: Drink water to stay hydrated, as vaping can sometimes cause dryness.

Experiment with Different Herbs: Try different strains and blends to find your favorite.

Store Your Herb Properly: Keep your herb fresh by storing it in an airtight container.

[sparrowonn]

The Theatre of Tragedy - Arcane FanFic - Vi & Caitlyn

Fandom: Arcane (League of Legends)

Characters in Part 1: Vi, Caitlyn, Ekko, Powder/Jinx and a Cat. Warnings: Violence, Swearing, Angst, Drama, Conflict, PARKOUR! SPOILERS TO ARCANE S1 Word Count: 1760 Note: Takes place directly after Season Finale of Arcane. The Short Story will follow Vi and Caitlyn. Follow me to see the updates. 

Breaking it up in to parts. I’m not a magician who can slap down chapters.

I also don’t have an Official Title for the overall story yet. I’m open to Suggestions.

Enjoy!

------

PART 1 – The Theatre of Tragedy

[Music Choice: Within Temptation – The Purge] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoBIQkL4r0s

Chapter 1: Let It All Burn – The Purge

EXT – Night Zaun – Silco’s old Warehouse – Abandoned Factory

A large gust of wind fills the atmosphere, dust picking up in the warm air while the blood moon shines down upon the Undercity. A bright blue light surrounds the area of Silco’s old Warehouse where Vander was killed many years prior. Then everything starts shaking. Powder….no Jinx had hit the trigger on her weapon. It was an enormous shark headed missile launcher that had released a rocket that was designed with explosive material enhanced with technology of Hextech capable of bringing death and destruction. It was glowing like a blue flare streaking across the sky heading directly to Piltovers Capital. 

Caitlyn screamed as Vi held her, her voice could be heard echoing in the wind. It could cut through you like a knife and that’s exactly how Vi felt in the moment, unable to speak as she was in shock and feeling defeated after realizing what Powder had just done. “I failed” she thought to herself. “I failed Powder and I failed Caitlyn” her thought continued. She could feel Caitlyn’s hands gripping deeper onto her body for support but before she had a chance to look to her – another bright light engulfed them with a BOOM. It was blinding – the missile had made contact and the concussion explosion was coming; based on the impact Vi remembered the last time this was going to be felt for miles away.

The wind picked up stronger and was pushing against both Caitlyn and Vi as the flooring beneath them started vibrating. Vi’s lips parted as she yelled “shit” covering her eyes and trying to get a glimpse of Caitlyn to see if she was alright but the light was too blinding. “Vi!” Caitlyn yelled as she started to realize the bridge was shaking uncontrollably. It was old and rickety to begin from the first explosion years prior and was now about to collapse. “Get back Cupcake, the bridge is about to bre-ak!” As Vi is covering her eyes from the wind and dust – she pulls Caitlyn’s body into her and can feel her warmth for a brief moment before shoving her onto a secure ledge just as the bridge gives away. “Fuck.”

The bridges supporting legs start collapsing one row by one, metal beams folding in, wood, rock and additional debris start becoming airborne. Caitlyn was watching in fear from the ledge Vi had thrown her on for safety. She couldn’t believe what she had just gone through, what she was going through….would this nightmare of a day ever end? Vi starts to slide sideways down the flooring as it tilts over. She starts losing her footing and is about to be being thrown off- until she jumps up grabbing onto another ledge of the collapsing bridge, she is able to pull herself up and continue to vault across to another section as it continues to fall. Caitlyn knew how talented Vi was on the streets but this is a collapsing structure 100 feet off the ground. She watched as the tower started to hit the floor below crumbling while expelling a dust cloud- she needed to get down there, she needed to find Vi. The last moment she saw Vi before the dust cloud engulfed her was when she just jumped off a metal ledge that separated from the bridge about 20 feet off the ground and then she was gone.

Within the dust cloud Vi in her last moment had made the decision to ride a part of the bridge until it hit the ground and to jump off it in it’s last seconds in hope that she wouldn’t get caught beneath the rubble. She drove her feet into a metal panel of the bridge as it was falling while pushing off it with explosive force making herself airborne. She knew this next part was not going to feel good. The speed combined with the height of her jump and the soon to be impact of the ground was about be a memory she would never forget. THUMP she had made contact to the ground with her feet and quickly rolled off her shoulder to expel the energy of the impact, if she tried to stop the roll, she knew she would end up either getting caught under the bridge collapse or in worse off shape. She was hoping she would be able to walk away from this incident until she felt something slam into her head as she was rolling – it was hard with no give- a solid rock perhaps? Vi groaned in pain then she starting hearing a sharp ringing in her ears and then lost all consciousness.

Chapter 2: There Is No Place Like Home

EXT – Night Zaun – Outside The Abandoned Factory - Alleyway

Everything is hazy. Vi feels her back against a wall, its cold and damp and she can feel her fingers dig through the dirt beneath her. She was on the ground, alive but everything looked hazy like a dream. Had everything that just happened been a dream? Did Powder actually just launch a dangerous bomb towards the Uppercity? Vi’s head was pounding and as her eyes started to refocus slowly down the alley way, she could see a bunch of kids playing and one of them looked like Powder. Vi reaches her hand out “Powder….” Then realising that something isn’t right “POWDER!” Vi’s eye’s dart open and she leans forward to try to grasp hold of something from the past – something she doesn’t want to lose – someone she was meant to protect - her sister.  

Two hands push her back against the wall and as she looks up it’s Ekko. “Get off me.” She slaps his arms off of her and then pushes him out of the way noticing that there were never any kids in the alley just a sad looking cat looking for food.

 Ekko steps aside and leans against a wall sliding down next to Vi. “you’re lucky I found you. You caught another lucky break Vi.” Vi stares at the ground realizing everything was real….everything was starting to sink in. “Where’s Cait- “ Ekko points down the alley about 10 feet away Caitlyn is sitting on wooden box in her enforcers uniform which is how Powder had kidnapped her earlier. Her head within her hands crying. She is devastated. This has been her worst nightmare become a reality, she didn’t even notice that Vi started to become conscious again. Ekko leans back and looks to the sky – a shade of red from the blood moon. “Vi, Powder is dead. Your sister doesn’t exist anymore. It’s only Jinx now-I told you this before.” 

Vi could hear the words Ekko was saying but she was transfixed on Caitlyn. The moon light illuminated off her soft features while tears rolled down her cheeks. Why did she stay? Vi exhaled while pushing her weight against the wall to get up ignoring Ekko. She knew in these moments she wanted to be with Caitlyn but didn’t know what to say. She silently staggers up from behind wrapping her arms around Caitlyn’s back and utters out “I’m so sorry.” Caitlyn feels the warmth and strength of another embrace her, acknowledging that she isn’t alone in this moment and feeling safe she cries harder as she feels the hug tighten. She then turns around to face Vi and notices how sincere her expression is. This wasn’t something Caitlyn wanted anyone to see as she was an Enforcer of Piltover – one of the finest and her duty was to be there for other people and protect them but here she was in her moment of weakness not knowing how many people died today and if her mother was one of them. More tears rolled down her face and her arms got weaker, Vi couldn’t stand to watch her cry and so she hugged her again and whispered into her ear in a serious voice. 

“You need to go---- Caitlyn.” It was the first time Vi had said her name correctly and had not called her Cupcake. “Go to your family.” Vi knew she had to let her go again and had made the decision as soon as she saw how dire the situation was. Caitlyn on hearing her name pulled away from Vi’s embrace staring directly into her blue eyes-but just as they both make eye contact Vi looked away not wanting to face the reality of letting another person down especially when that person was Caitlyn. Caitlyn realizes in the moment that Vi is staying to find her sister in the Undercity again, her body language had said it all– and it wasn’t what she wanted. “You can’t…You can’t be serious! She just murdered more people VI!” Vi takes half a step back biting her bottom lip not wanting to admit it but knew the truth. “I know….which is why I need to find her. You wouldn’t understand-I might be the only person who can get through to her and stop her...” Vi turns away from Caitlyn tightening her right fist digging her nails into her palm wrapping her thumb around the bottom of them. She was acting tough on the outside but felt defeated on the inside. In her heart she didn’t want this…but knew it was the only way to protect Caitlyn and her sister. She didn’t stay in a cell thinking about anything else other then finding her sister…but now she wasn’t even sure she existed. How could she live up to the promise she had made to Vander in his dying moments to take care of Powder. Her internal struggle of failing everyone and now needing to push everyone away was all she knew. Ekko watched on knowing that the outcome would be another separation of the two as he believed they both come from two different worlds although Caitlyn did change his prospective a little on some Enforcers and she was correct about Jinx-she murdered a lot of people. Wanting to give them some privacy he briefly walks away. 

Caitlyn stood up wiping the tears off her face, forcefully changing her expression to face Vi. “Your sister can not come back from what she has done. She will pay for her crimes.” Vi looked down to the ground not wanting to face Caitlyn “I know…..” the words out of her mouth were softer than her normal tone. “don’t get yourself killed….Vi” Caitlyn turned away ready to walk just as Ekko steps out from a dark corner and glances towards Vi. “I’ll get her to the Uppercity, I know the fastest route. But-” he points to Caitlyn “you need to change. No one around here likes Enforcers.”

[End Music Choice: Within Temptation – Mercy Mirror] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVhmdLVVS-U

End of PT 1

Bonus [Aftermath]: As Vi and Caitlyn turned away from each other they both take a deep breath realizing how difficult that next step would be again but something deep down inside tells them-they would meet again and their fates would be intertwined.

--------

Well, I hope you enjoyed PT 1. PT 2 – I’ll need time to write out the chapters. It will continue to follow Caitlyn and Vi. There might be only 3 Parts to this Short Story. 6 Chapters Total.

A couple post notes: While writing this I thought a good team up would be Ekko and Caitlyn as their character motivations seem to be aligning more. Vi – is probably one of my favourite characters but is definitely one of the most damaged characters of Arcane. Just like Jinx they both have internal conflicts that arise from past events but that’s what makes these characters interesting. Everyone has a different motivation to survive and achieve goals. Vi’s life purpose was to find her sister and protect her and to try to keep her promise with Vander (her father figure) as it was also his dying wish. Talk about rough. Things might get dark before they get easier for Vi.

I am a supporter of the relationship of Vi and Caitlyn but it has layers and honestly, I would be surprised if Riot Games doesn’t go deeper into it when they do the next season. I have an idea based off the final episode where they might go for additional conflict/drama. I will not cover any of that in this short. However, I did want them to have a fight about Jinx. That isn’t the only problem though. In the worlds they live in neither of them is accepted for their class status in each others world and that is a challenge that they both will face in the future.

I was glad to involve Ekko – he wasn’t in the first draft of this. He was in part 2 but when I thought about the dynamics and who would know the Undercity and pull Vi’s ass out of trouble (or out of rubble) -it was Ekko because he would probably hear the commotion of things going on (like an enforcer getting kidnapped-as I don’t suspect Jinx to be so good at it that she would go unnoticed. She likes to be noticed-which is also a scary thing as it makes you a threat to others.). I believe Ekko would want to check that out and now that Silco is gone- the Undercity will be on at war as gangs start to fight for territory. Maybe that’s a spoiler for my PT 2. 😉 

Or maybe PT 2 is the adventures of Ekko and Caitlyn? LOL -jk If you want a little laugh I purposely left Ekko in the scene till the end because I thought that awkwardness of him being there not sure if he should go or not and then he walks away only to come back moments later. Lol. We’ve all been there and I think it would be a funny character flaw-if he isn't great at reading a room. Have a great new year!