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mysticcollectionvoid · 4 months ago

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30 Days of Sylus: Birthday Advent Calendar - Luke and Kieran Style

Crack Post Masterlist here

Presented by Luke and Kieran

LUKE: Welcome to what may or may not be the most intense emotional hostage situation of the year—also known as Sylus’ Birthday Month.

KIERAN: That’s right. We don’t know when the man was born. Could be today. Could be tomorrow. Could’ve crawled out of an ancient crater. Who’s to say?

LUKE: So instead of not celebrating, like normal people, we decided to take the completely rational route and throw him a birthday... every single goddamn day.

KIERAN: You’re welcome.

LUKE: Some say it’s overkill. Some say it’s harassment.

KIERAN: He deserves to be celebrated. Loudly. Repeatedly. Until he admits which day it is. Or files a restraining order. Whichever comes first.

LUKE: From surprise parties to emotionally destabilising photo albums, we went all in—because subtlety is for people who don’t cry when Sylus says “thank you” under his breath.

KIERAN: Scroll down. Witness the madness. Pick your favourite day of mayhem. And remember:

LUKE: Every day could be Sylus’ birthday. KIERAN: But every day should be a reason to love him harder.

Day 1 - Cake in the Face

Kieran shouts “SURPRISE!” and absolutely obliterates Sylus with a strawberry sponge.

Sylus: “...You’re cleaning that.”

Luke: “It’s symbolic. Like rebirth. Through cake.”

Day 2 - “Pin the Knife on the Target” Party Game

Actual knives. Actual target. It’s Luke.

Kieran is crying with joy. Sylus is annoyingly accurate.

Luke: “I saw God, and she said ‘do it again.’”

Day 3 - Custom “Best Boss” Mug

It’s hideous. Glittery. Spells “Slay Boss” on the back.

Sylus drinks from it every morning now.

Kieran faints from pride.

Day 4 - Choreographed Dance Battle

Kieran in sequins. Luke is wearing cargo pants and shame.

Music: "Toxic" by Britney Spears.

Sylus walks away. They follow him. Still dancing.

Day 5 - Themed Breakfast: “You’re My Favourite Mistake”

Black coffee. Toast burned into the shape of a gun.

Eggs scrambled like their emotional state.

Kieran made pancakes shaped like Sylus’ face. They’re terrifying.

Day 6 - A Dramatic Reading of His Texts

Luke performs it in Shakespearean dialect.

Kieran plays a violin out of tune.

Sylus: “If I murder you, is that still birthday behaviour?”

Day 7 - Surprise Parade

Three bystanders. One stolen marching drum.

Banner reads: “Happy Maybe-Born Day, Our Brooding Boss”

Sylus vanishes mid-parade. Leaves behind confetti and contempt.

Day 8 - Hot Springs Trip

Kieran books the whole place. Luke forgets towels.

Sylus sulks in the water but secretly enjoys the quiet.

Kieran wears a crown made of loofahs. No one asks why.

Day 9 - 10-Minute Therapy Session with a Goat

Kieran swears animals are healing.

Goat headbutts Luke. Kieran cheers.

Sylus feeds it quietly for 20 minutes.

Day 10 - Airhorn Wake-Up Call

At 10pm.

Luke records Sylus' scream. Makes it his ringtone.

Kieran bakes an apology pie shaped like a crow.

Day 11 - DIY Spa Night

Sylus gets cucumber eye masks and absolutely nothing else.

Luke nearly burns down the bathroom with scented candles.

Kieran offers a massage. Sylus threatens dismissal.

Day 12 - “Dress Like Sylus” Day

Luke wears all black. Kieran wears less and claims it’s accurate.

They follow him whispering, “Brooding is power.”

Sylus vanishes. Again.

Day 13 - Personalised Gun Range Session

Targets: Luke’s face.

Kieran writes “Emotions” on a target.

Sylus shoots it clean through.

Emotional breakthrough? Maybe. Everyone cries anyway.

Day 14 - Emotional Support Plushie Gifted

It’s a tiny plush dragon holding a dagger.

Luke: “It’s you, but huggable.”

Sylus: sleeps with it tucked under his arm. Never mentions it again.

Day 15 - Birthday Lullaby, Screamed

Kieran sings. Luke plays backup on a kazoo.

Neighbours file a noise complaint. Sylus bribes them to let it continue.

Day 16 - Mystery Box Day

Every hour, a new box. Could be a trinket. Could be a live crab.

Sylus opens 16 before he gives up. Luke opens the rest.

The 18th contains coffee. Sylus smiles.

Day 17 - Midnight Confessions

Luke: “You intimidate me but also I’d die for you.”

Kieran: “You’re not hard to love, Sylus. You’re just scared.”

Sylus: doesn’t speak for five minutes. Then says, “Thanks.”

Day 18 - Dragon-Themed Birthday Ball

Kieran wears wings. Luke is shirtless with red glitter.

Sylus is dragged in wearing a red, velvet suit and quiet rage.

He dances with them anyway. No one brings it up again.

Day 19 - “Things You Never Say But We Know Anyway” List

53 entries.

“You check on us even when you say you won’t.”

“You love deeply. That’s why you stay distant.”

Sylus reads the whole thing in silence. Folds it. Keeps it.

Day 20 - Mock Trial: Is Sylus Capable of Love?

Luke plays prosecution. Kieran defends.

Jury is plushies and Mephisto.

Verdict: Absolutely, tragically yes.

Day 21 - "Unsolicited Compliments Hour"

Every 5 minutes.

Kieran with a megaphone: “Your eyes look like murder. I’d die in them.”

Sylus: “I will break that megaphone.”

Kieran: “So strong. So alpha.”

Day 22 - Custom Fragrance: “Gunpowder & Longing”

Actually smells so good.

Sylus wears it. Kieran notices. Writes fanfic about it.

Luke sells bootleg versions.

Day 23 - Build-a-Weapon Workshop

Kieran bedazzles his. Luke chooses an axe.

Sylus forges a blade in silence.

It glows. Everyone agrees not to ask why.

Day 24 - Silent Movie Night: “The Tragedy of a Man Who Feels Too Much”

They reenact it live.

Sylus is portrayed by a potted plant with a stern expression.

He claps once. That’s the highest praise they’ve EVER received.

Day 25 - Spontaneous Hug Ambushes

Kieran tackles. Luke distracts.

Sylus fights them off to start.

After the 35th one, he reluctantly accepts every single one but growls during.

At the end of the day, he initiates one.

Day 26 - “Interview With the Birthday Boy”

Questions include: “Do you think you're loveable?”

Sylus: “No.”

Kieran: “Wrong. You lose. Try again.”

Day 27 - Late Night Drive to Nowhere

No plan. Just music, stars, and long silences that mean everything.

Kieran falls asleep on Sylus’ shoulder.

Luke drives. Sylus doesn't move an inch.

Day 28 - Surprise Photo Album

Polaroids. Stolen moments. Smiles he never knew he made.

One of him asleep with the new plushie.

Caption: "Proof: He does rest."

Day 29 - Night Under the Stars

They lay on a rooftop.

Luke points out fake constellations. Kieran holds Sylus’ hand.

“We don’t need to know the date,” he says. “You were born. That’s enough.”

It's awkward.

Day 30 - No surprises. Just peace.

No glitter. No screams. Just coffee.

Sylus wakes up to a quiet room.

A note: “You are loved. Even when we’re quiet about it.”

He doesn’t throw it away. Sticks it to the fridge in the armoury.

Crack Post Masterlist here

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mysticcollectionvoid · 5 months ago

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Sorceress of the N109 Zone

Warning: Mature content, MDNI. Violence, trauma, abuse, future smut.

Synopsis- You are reborn into the world of LADS with all the memories of past lives, even ones you didn’t think you had lived. NonMC

Part 1 of ????????

You were so tired, tired of constant medicine, the constant flow of doctors, and the constant of being sick. You had been this way all your life, the only true comfort was LADS, playing it and interacting with the LIs truly made you feel something except exhaustion. You had finally reached the marriage level of commitment with all 5 of them when your body just couldn’t take it anymore. Smiling at Sylus on the screen you quietly said “goodbye my dragon” and faded into oblivion.

Loud ringing and bright lights were all you could hear and see when you opened your eyes. Confusion and memories swept over you all at once. Closing your eyes you tried to double over from the overwhelming feeling, but you felt your body being restrained. Feeling the pain and overwhelming memories fade you kept your eyes closed and went through everything that just happened. You died, you died in your world and just woke up in another, but swirling around your brain were memories that weren’t yours; Sorting through them your recognize them, they were the past lives of the MC from LADS. But it wasn’t as if you just remembered memories from the game, even details that weren’t in the game you remembered them as if they were yesterday.

Realizing that you wouldn’t get anywhere if you didn’t figure out where you were you opened your eyes again. Looking around you realized you were in a laboratory of some kind. No people were anywhere to be seen, looking down there was a large scar on your chest right above your heart. Frowning at it you continued to look around when a tall man in a white lab coat walked in. Stopping to stare at you in shock the man dropped the clipboard he was holding and rushed back out the door.

A few moments later several people in white lab coats returned to the room in a rush. All staring at you in shock. Blinking you looked at them and quietly asked “where am I?” They ignored your question and you could hear them talking amongst themselves catching snippets of the conversation you made out what was going on. You were an ongoing experiment at a research lab owned by a group called Ever, you were a child known as subject 001, and they had just removed your heart. Hearing that last bit of information you then understood their shock; you shouldn’t be alive, but you knew from your memories exactly what had happened. No matter if they removed your heart or tried any other method to kill you, there were only two people in the entire universe who could end your existence.

After that incident the scientists started to expand their experiments on you, you were killed various ways almost everyday, but they never removed your heart again. As time passed you started to feel power from your past lives becoming stronger and you attempted to manipulate it only for the slightest wisps of color to come from your fingers. Trying again and again you finally realize that you won’t be able to use any evol until the Chronoshift Catastrophe happens. Knowing they couldn’t kill you; you tried time after time to escape, but every single attempt ended in failure.

One such escape attempt you come across set of locked doors labeled 003 and 002. Peeking through the slots on them you see two children about your age. 003 was a small girl who didn’t even look your way when you peeked through the slot. 002 turned toward you and violet eyes met yours, exhaling sharply you couldn’t stop your self from saying “Caleb”. The violet eyes just blinked at you in surprise and he quietly crept closer to the door. “Who’s Caleb? I’m 002” you hear him reply to you. Before you could answer that question shouts rang out from behind you and you felt a sharp sting in your neck then nothing. After that escape attempt you never attempted to leave the research lab again, anytime you disappeared the scientists could always find you by 002’s room talking to him and 003.

Time passed and the Chronoshift Catastrophe grew closer. On your last visit to 002 and 003 before it you warned him. “Hey 002,” you started. He hummed in acknowledgement and you could feel his violet eyes on you, “when you get the chance to leave this place don’t waste it looking for me just get yourself and 003 out.” As soon as the words left your lips scientists rounded the corner looking for you. As you follow them to whatever experiment they had for you, you don’t hear him whisper “I refuse to leave you behind.”

The next day alarms rang through the building, the time had come. The building started collapsing and you felt the power you had been waiting for come to you. Letting out a wide grin you hold your hands out and see flames and snowflakes swirling around each other over one palm and twinkling lights and a dark mist dancing over the other. Calmly walking through the chaos of the collapsing building you head toward 003 and 002. Arriving there you see the doors wide open and no one there. Conflicting emotions cross your heart all at one time; happiness that they are free, but at the same time sad they actually left without you. Then all of a sudden the sadness vanished as you hear a familiar voice respond down the hallway “NO! I’m not leaving without 001!” Rushing in that direction as fast as you can go you round a corner and see them. 003 is unconscious in the arms of an older lady, and 002 is pulling against her grip trying to go back towards the direction of his cell.

You start to call out to them when you see a chunk of ceiling falling toward them. Reaching out with your hands red and black mist swirls forward and grabs the falling debris before it can crush them, tossing it aside you allow the mist to disappear. Three pairs of eyes flick in your direction and you see relief flash in a certain pair of violet eyes. “001” he exclaims rushing to grab your hand, pulling you toward him he encompasses you in a tight hug. Smiling but pushing away, you remind him that we need to get out of here.

You are almost at the exit when a loud crash is heard above you. Using all your strength you shove the three of them out the exit just as the entrance to the building falls on you and darkness takes your vision. The last thing you hear is 002 screaming for you.

#lads #love and deepspace fanfiction #love and deepspace caleb #love and deepspace sylus #lads rafayel #lads caleb

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mysticcollectionvoid · 5 months ago

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hi! Could i request for a headcanon of LADS boys hurting MC's feelings? For example, being annoyed at her or something, thx

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♥︎ 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐌𝐄 : 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

. .┊ ◟﹫ 𝐓𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐎 𝐅𝐀𝐑 : 2,914 + 2,214 + 2,945 + 3,319 = 11 392

. .┊﹒𐐪 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 : Zayne / Sylus / Xavier / Rafayel / Caleb x Fem!Reader

. .┊ ᛝ . 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘 : They hurt your feelings; not intentionally, of course, but that doesn't excuse their actions.

. .┊ꜝꜝ . 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 : fem!reader, she/her pronouns are used for reader, use of 'y/n', angst + hurt/comfort + hurt/no comfort + fluff, swearing, petnames, crying, hurting your feelings

. .┊ ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 : hello, lovely! 🥰🩷 i'm not currently open to writing headcanons (i'm simply not good with coming up with any 😭) but i still liked your request and i appreciate it a lot, so i thought that a couple of oneshots would suffice ! 🥰🩷

Note : I will NOT tag blank blogs or people will the default Tumblr profile picture.

. .┊ ◟⌗ 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐄𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄? : Masterlist

. .┊⨳゛𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 : open ! send me an ask OR comment on this post and state which character/s taglists you'd like to be a part of (๑•ᴗ•๑)

➳ 𝐇𝐘𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇 - Rafayel x Fem!Reader : All of us have rough days, but that does not give him the right to take it out on the one he loves.

➳ 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐒 - x Fem!Reader : You though you'd surprise Zayne with a nice, homemade meal after a long day at work, but judging by his reaction, it would've probably been better if you hadn't.

➳ 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐑 𝐆𝐋𝐎𝐖 - Xavier x Fem!Reader : He takes his anger from a mission gone wrong out on you when all you tried to do was talk to him.

➳ 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐌𝐄 - Caleb x Fem!Reader : It was only a tiny argument, but some of the things that he said in the heat of moment can never be taken back.

➳ 𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 - Sylus x Fem!Reader : All you wanted to do was show him the new dress you bought, so why did he hurt your feelings like that?

© aeyuriameow. All rights reserved. 𝐃𝐎 𝐍𝐎𝐓 copy, modify, translate, plagiarize or repost 𝐀𝐍𝐘 of my work on 𝐀𝐍𝐘 social media platform. 𝐃𝐎 𝐍𝐎𝐓 claim my work as your own. 𝐃𝐎 𝐍𝐎𝐓 mention, promote or recommend my work on 𝐀𝐍𝐘 social media platform outside of Tumblr. Violators will be prosecuted in accordance with the law. I currently 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 post my work on Tumblr under the username @aeyuriameow.

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mysticcollectionvoid · 5 months ago

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mysticcollectionvoid · 5 months ago

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mysticcollectionvoid · 5 months ago

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Illou's Masterlist *⁠.⁠✧

Love and deepspace

Zayne

Cuddly wife, happy life. (fluff)

Rub it in their face, put a rock on her hand! (fluff)

Wrapped around her finger. (fluff)

LADS Men as cigarettes after sex songs. (angst)

Take it slow, take it down on me. (smut)

SLUT ME OUT! (smut)

What happens to disobedient wives? (smut)

Can you take a piece and fuck me? (suggestive)

Alcohol drunk? Pussy drunk! (smut)

Dr. Zayne's treatment (smut)

Observe silence. (smut)

Need. (suggestive)

Caleb

Love you in the morning. (fluff)

But, we friends thou? (smut)

LADS Men as cigarettes after sex songs. (angst)

Jealous? Nah. (smut)

Got your head in a headlock! (smut)

Pussy can be so facetious. (smut)

Mark your territory. (smut)

Heart-shaped. (smut)

Lasting Mark. (smut)

(Wo)men in uniform. (smut)

Play your gun right! (smut)

Fuck me like you mad at me, baby! (smut)

Pink, Pink, Pink! (suggestive)

Colonel's appointment. (suggestive)

Mooooooreee. (suggestive)

Rafayel

Husband!rafayel (fluff)

LADS Men as cigarettes after sex songs. (angst)

Had to tell her that dick off limits. I hop on it at night, I'm a menace. (smut)

Happy birthday...to you! (smut)

Xavier

LADS Men as cigarettes after sex songs. (angst)

Sweet 'n tasty. (smut)

Sylus

Goodluck charm (fluff)

Luke and Kieran (fluff)

Warm. (fluff)

LADS Men as cigarettes after sex songs. (angst)

Smudge proof? (smut)

Wine Pon You. (smut)

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mysticcollectionvoid · 5 months ago

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Pt 1 above

The Phone Call

Sylus pt. 2

I created her is the first thing that came out of your mouth. His eyebrow raised at that and the most coiled tighter around your throat.

Out of everyone this should surprise you the least Sylus, you’re the fiend from another timeline who was in a space time prison, so you shouldn’t be too surprised about someone from an alternate reality. She was my character in a video game.

Finally the words stopped falling from your lips and the adrenaline from everything that had happened left your body. You slumped the mist the only thing holding you up. Looking up at Sylus you couldn’t read his expression, but you couldn’t sense any disbelief coming from him. Finally after what seemed like an eternity the mist pulled away from you and a pair of hands wrapped around your waist.

You know who I am

Was all that came from his mouth. You looked at him seeing the shock and a hint of something else subtly etched on his face.

Of course I do you’re my dragon

As soon as the words left your mouth you felt your face flush and tried to back track.

Im sorry you’re not my dragon, that was stupid you don’t even know who I am and besides you’re supposed to belong with the MC that I created her being the other half of your soul……

He put a hand over your mouth before you could continue. As you looked up at him you saw the loving look that normally you only saw through a small screen and you felt your heart melting.

Just as he was about to speak the sound of an engine approached you and a caw was heard above. Looking up you see Mephisto circling above your heads, smiling you watch and the mechanical crow lands near by and starts to caw at Sylus. You take a step towards him and greet the crow. Mephisto stops cawing and tilts his head at you, then spreading his wings he flies cover to land on your shoulder. Reaching up you start to stroke the feathers,

Hey Mephie, don’t you looks dashing today are you keeping everyone safe being their eyes in the sky

You hear a low chuckle from beside you and you turn away from Mephisto to look at the man beside you. Raising an eyebrow you stare at him wondering why he started to laugh at you.

You definitely aren’t her that’s for sure, she and Mephisto got along as well as cats and dogs.

You couldn’t help but feel slightly hurt at his words. Looking down an apology fell from your lips. You felt Mephisto nudge your cheek smiling slightly you looked at him and could feel his sentiments.

You’re right Mephie I don’t need to be her I am me and while I don’t know how I got here I must be here for a reason.

A pair of arms wrapped around you as a car pulled up. Glancing up you see Sylus nodding in the direction of the car as a pair of masked figures got out of it. Recognizing them your smile got wider.

Boss, what is Miss Hunter doing here?

Their eyes fell on you and the arm that Sylus has around you. Unable to keep your mouth shut you said

You would think twins would be better at telling people apart.

It seemed like the world stopped as a deep laugh rang out from behind you. All heads turned in Sylus’s direction and he continued to laugh. All you could do was stand there absorbed in how amazing he was.

Boss hasn’t even smiled since Miss Hunter ratted him out to the Association, why is he so happy to see her?

You heard one of the twins whisper to the other, realization dawning on you why Sylus seemed surprised you called him.

Turning in his grasp you put your arms around his neck. Quickly before you lost your nerve you brought his head down and kissed him. You felt him freeze under you, and just as you started to pull away because you thought he didn’t want you his arms tightened around you. One hand coming up to the back of your head to keep you from pulling away. He nipped at your bottom lip causing you to gasp and he took that advantage to slip his tongue into your mouth, the smell of whiskey and leather clogging your senses as he left you breathless. Finally you managed to get away from his grasp so you could get the air required to continue living.

Crimson eyes locked with yours as he tightened his grasp around you again pulling you to his chest. Feeling him lift you off the ground to walk to the car you heard him say

Welcome home my treasure.

#love and deepspace fanfiction #sylus x reader #love and deepspace sylus #sylus #lads

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mysticcollectionvoid · 5 months ago

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Love and Deepspace Masterlist

I wanted to make a fan fic after letting my imagination run wild ╰(*°▽°*)╯ And I'm not good at writing story so I apologize in advance o(TヘTo)

I will post on both AO3 and tumbler so I make a masterlist for those who want to read on their preference site. My update may be slow or fast based on my free time. I will always post on A03 first and I will post on tumbler the next day.

Here is the AO3 link

Love Beyond Deepspace AO3 Link

Below are the first meeting between the player and each love interest

Meeting with Xavier

Meeting with Zayne

Meeting with Rafayel

Meeting with Sylus

Meeting with Caleb

From here, the chapter starts

Chapter 1: Crossing the line

Chapter 2: Lost in the Unknown

Chapter 3: The Third Time's the Charm

Chapter 4: A Dance in the Dark

Chapter 5: Falling From the Sky

Taglist below.

If you would like to be added or removed from the tag list please leave a comment or send me a message.

@beaconsxd @young-adult-summer @froleineeeee @dissociativewriter @mansonofmadness @michiluvddr @m0ss-gremlin @mephisto-with-a-knife @white-wolves-and-golden-sunrises @yoongi-tunes @ladyof-themoon @jadeloverxd @shewrites247 @sinnamon-bunn @imhere2dosomething @mysticcollectionvoid

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mysticcollectionvoid · 5 months ago

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Poly!LADS Group Chat

(Fluff unless stated otherwise)

Cookie Thief The Struggle of Cat Boys Cheater Dancing on Tables ft Simone + Tara Dog? Dog? Part 2 You good, Pipsqueak? (Pre Game) It's Cold!!! What are you hiding? (Pre Game) Robot Watch Destiny Cafe Group Chat - Part 1 Destiny Cafe Group Chat - Part 2 What are you playing? Azure Echo Day Breakup What animal would you be?

<- Other LADs Masterlists

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mysticcollectionvoid · 5 months ago

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Error 404: (Self-Aware!AU, Sylus Edition)

Summary: A LADS self-aware!AU featuring Sylus (+ maybe the other MLs!) and an oblivious player. That’s it, that’s the plot. Tags: player!reader x sylus, fem!reader x sylus, reader x lads, maybe some suggestive language?? will add more tags as the story progresses A/N: This is gonna be a multi-chapter fic! I’m still not sure whether to do the boys in rotation, or just focus on one ML per series. Don’t take my word for it atp tho – I’m not even sure if I can actually finish a series lol. Also, I’ve had the creative liberty of changing stuff from the actual gameplay here and there. (Except for the self-awareness. That’s most definitely real.) Hope you enjoy~!

Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4 - Pt. 5 - Pt. 6 - Pt. 7 - Pt. 8 - Pt. 9 - Pt. 10

It’s a quarter past eight and you’re still on your desk working overtime on a Friday night.

You let out a big sigh, leaning back on your office chair after an unhealthy duration of bad posture from hours of slouching down in front of your computer. There’s nothing ergonomic about the way this job is killing you, and the ache in your lower back can attest to that.

An irate orange tabby plops himself in front of you, blocking your view of the glaring screen and you figure that it’s time for a break.

“Me-oow.”

“I know, I know,” You answer tiredly, standing up to dodge a stray paw clawing your way and you hear cracks in three different places that are honestly unbecoming of a woman your age. You haven’t even reached thirty yet, for god’s sake. “I’m a bad mother. But mom also had to skip dinner to make it to the seven PM meeting, so cut me some slack, okay?”

A high-pitched “meooowr!” is the only response you get; it seems like there’s no excusing late dinner time this time around.

As much as you’d like to hem and haw and complain, the main reason why you’re still keeping this job is because you can work remotely. If it weren’t for the fact that you’re stuck most days at home working hours past your regular nine to five, having to be on-call around the clock at all times, and that you’ve consumed more sodium than a nitrite victim with the way you live off cup ramen, then, really, it beats working in an office where you’d physically have to clock in and out from exactly nine to five.

Your right eye twitches. No, I have not fallen in love with the system that exploits me, thank you very much.

“Here is your Fancy Feast, your highness,” you tell the hungry feline who’s already ignoring the hand that feeds for the bowl full of white fish paté. He eats healthier than you, sure, but you work like this for him to eat like this. The life of a single mom is an uphill battle, but extremely rewarding.

You raise your hand to pat your son’s head lovingly, aborting the gesture halfway when you hear a warning growl. Alright, tough crowd.

After nuking a half-eaten takeout box in the microwave and grabbing a cold Bundaberg from the fridge, you hunker down on the “chaise lounge” (see: an old wingback and a rattan ottoman you’ve refurbished as a makeshift seat a few weeks back when you had guests over) for a late meal.

You barely register the taste of lukewarm rice on your tongue, mouth moving mechanically while your mind runs on autopilot about everything and nothing at the same time.

Maybe it’s time to check Jobstreet again

Is there like a laundromat near the area that’s open twenty four seven

Eugh, I hate cold peas

What do we feel about Chromakopia?

I will… die alone

I really need to stock on some fresh produce this weekend—

Ping!

A notification from your phone pulls you out of your thoughts—and like a well-trained dog pavlov’d into responding, you visibly perk up at the sight of your lock screen lighting up and the familiar banner you’ve already memorized by heart.

Your Galaxy Explorer rewards are here. Did you put my hotel’s address as the shipping address?

Ah, just like clockwork.

You press on it with a quiet, bubbling anticipation, chewing on the plastic spork as you wait impatiently for the silly mobile game that’s been your short respite at intervals—for more than you’d care to admit—to boot up.

Offhandedly, you wish that the devs would add more variations to the game’s push notifications; more random, personalized stuff like maybe a reminder to drink water, or a fun update about their day. What you’d give–pay–for a: "Less on the overtime, kitten. I miss you,” dialogue from a certain character, but you digress.

Oh, well. Probably better this way, lest you dig yourself deeper into delusion.

The game greets you with the usual picturesque view of a silver-haired man sitting cross-legged on a chair, looking all the bit at ease in his signature crimson and white button up. The warm ambience of the Destiny Café at night draws you in, already pulling your attention away from the never-ending stream of thoughts in your brain.

“Before seeing you, I thought today would be another dull day,“ Sylus comments airily. The way he drawls out the words in that deep timbre of his voice never fails to make your heart flutter – just a teeeensy bit.

“Ever the charmer,” you sigh happily in return, situating yourself more comfortably on the sofa, almost horizontal from how far you’re leaning back on the cushion. “You’re looking awfully normal tonight. What, no pineapple glasses for your favorite girl?”

Having bypassed the initial cringe of talking to yourself after literal months of gameplay, it almost comes off natural, the banter. You’ve already accepted the fact that you’re crazy about a fictional, pixelated man—what’s pretending to have actual conversations with him gonna do? It’s not as if he actually hears you yap your nonsense; there are worse things in the world than a parasocial attachment to an otome game character.

Your little jab at the sometimes random addition to his choice of attire earns you a laugh from the man itself—or at least it looks as though it does, making you blink momentarily in surprise. Happy coincidence, I guess.

You shake your head, cracking a smile, then proceed to do the routine of completing the daily agenda and then some.

It’s tedious business, sure. You’ve dedicated hours upon hours on this game and you’re honestly starting to feel pretty bored with some of the gameplay elements, but you *do* like the ritualistic nature of ticking off the tasks one by one. It’s almost ironic— the way you dutifully do one thing after the other in this game, just to avoid the pile of work that’s waiting for you in real life.

It’s not as if anything, or anyone’s relying on you to do your daily log-ins, so you suppose it’s due to that lack of pressure as well.

Pulling yourself away from the five-star Xavier memory card you’ve grinded to level seventy, you stare despondently at the sad little 2 on your remaining energy. The embarrassing amount of materials you lack to ascend the card seem to mock you, even as you exit the Memories window. Another goal for another day, perhaps.

All tasks on the daily agenda are complete, except for one that you’ve always saved for last.

You’re met with a standing Sylus on the game’s home screen, arms crossed and wearing an expression you’d almost describe as impatient, if you didn’t know any better. The sight makes you grin.

Cheekily, you poke his crotch.

You’re looking forward to getting a playful remark, or if you’re lucky, a blush along with an embarrassed retort about your shamelessness.

What you get, however, is a resounding scoff. Your eyes snap back to his face – from, ahem, your prolonged staring at the area below his waist – and you do see the familiar tinge of pink on his cheeks, but what he says in response catches you off-guard.

“You spend that much resource for a card that isn’t mine?” Sylus tsks, both his voice and expression coming across as… affronted? “Kitten, I’m actually hurt.”

Huh?

You haven’t heard that line from him before. Was there a recent update you weren’t aware of? The man in question then appears to look amused, from the way you’ve been rendered speechless by the unexpected dialogue.

All at once, you gasp when you realize what the new response means.

“That’s so smart,” you say giddily. You see Sylus cock his head to the side, synchronously quirking an eyebrow—expectant. “They actually added a feature that lets them know which memory I’ve upgraded last, and make you react to it. Oh, that’s so cool!”

If you weren’t too busy being excited over what you think is a new update from the game, you’d see the chagrined look on Sylus’ face. But when you glance back at him, all trace of the emotion is gone before you could notice anything different.

“Don’t worry, Crow Man. You’re still my favorite,” you assure him, making his mouth tick upwards in a semblance of a smile. He looks pleased all of the sudden, his demeanor shifting into something more relaxed.

Then a pout forms on your face. You crinkle your nose in frustration as you complain, “It’s just really hard to level your cards up at this point. It takes ages and a shit ton of energy just to level you up past seventy five.” Sighing, you add, kind of bitterly, “And I’m too broke to be spending money on growth packs.”

Checking the time on your phone, you see that you’ve already spent more than an hour on your self-imposed break time and you know that you ought to get back to work soon. With a groan, you pull yourself to sit upright, savoring the last few minutes of free time before you slave off for the rest of the night.

You’re about to clean up what’s left of dinner when you notice the oddly thoughtful look on Sylus’ face.

There’s a deep furrow in his brows as he brings a hand up to cover his mouth. He closes his eyes shut for a few seconds. He's never done that gesture before... Ugh, he looks really hot–

Suddenly, you see a flicker—then a weird, sort of graphic distortion happening in the background. Uh, what??

A beat; then a glitch on the screen. “Ah, shit.”

The game crashes.

You exhale loudly as the game’s interface goes back to the loading screen, tapping your thumb impatiently as the bar slowly loads to 15%... 50%..... 81%.......

“Maybe make sure to patch up first before releasing an update next time, jeez—huh?”

For a quick second, nothing seems to be amiss. But then the first thing you see on the home screen is Sylus’ figure standing before you, wearing an expression one could only describe as a cat that ate the proverbial canary.

He speaks— and it’s another intro you haven’t heard him say, ever.

“You should’ve told me sooner, sweetie,” he almost coos the words out, making your eyes bug out in shock.

“Now, why don’t you go check your–” he pauses, and his mouth moves as if he’s rolling the word out, testing it. “Inventory?”

Sylus slides his gaze towards the upper left corner of the screen, a coy smirk still ever-present on his face.

There, you see something you haven’t noticed earlier: two notification badges. One on your mailbox, and another on the Hunter’s Info tab. Bewildered, you press on the mail icon first, despite the insistence for you to start with the latter.

You see a new message: [For You]

A small gift, to bridge our worlds closer. – S

Nothing is attached to it. You read it twice, perplexed.

“You’re quite the contradictorian, aren’t you?” Sylus tuts as soon as you return back to the home screen, his gaze boring into you even when he tilts his head sideways in mock exasperation. “Mmm, I suppose it doesn’t matter. Take all the time you need, sweetheart.”

Helplessly, you open your inventory next.

Your jaw drops.

“What. The fuck,” You whisper to yourself, voice wavering in disbelief at what you’re seeing, and the sheer amount of what you’re seeing. “This—this can’t be real.”

You see that all the materials you own, from the bottle of wishes to the ascension crystal boxes, have been multiplied a hundred times over.

And on top of that–

Ninety nine thousand red dias????

You cannot believe how this—this recent… update (or is it a bug? Infold sure isn’t this generous) didn't make the news. Even as someone as uninvolved as you are with the community and the game’s latest releases, something like this for sure would’ve made headlines on Twitter (X), at least. But you haven’t heard anything. Nada.

Holy shit.

You feel a little light-headed, both from incredulity and excitement. Needing a moment to calm yourself down, you exit the Inventory tab in a daze.

You stare at Sylus. He stares back at you with what looks to be mirth in his eyes.

Skeptically, you mutter, “did–did I get hacked or something?”

Anticipating another unexpected dialogue to prompt up, you wait for a full minute without saying anything else. And for a moment, the man in front of you looks indecisive, contemplative.

There’s something very odd, very… human in the way he’s looking at you. He looks as if– as if he’s—

His face falls back into a neutral expression. Not unlike how his idle animation usually looks.

…

….. It doesn’t seem like he’s going to initiate a conversation any time soon, so you hesitantly poke him on the nose.

“Even in the worst-case scenario, there’s no need to panic.”

You’ve heard that one before.

So he’s back to normal now. You temper the small disappointment that blooms in your gut.

Shaking your head slowly, you try to make sense of all the stuff that just happened, but a sharp bite on your ankle pulls you out of your reverie.

“Ow–!” The sight of your cat flopping near your feet reminds you of the time. More importantly, the backlogs waiting for you at your desk.

“Wait, shit– I gotta get back to work.” This… unbelievable stroke of good luck (?) is gonna have to take a backseat for now.

You grab the carton box and the half-empty bottle of sparkling peach as you stand up. Making quick work of throwing the container in the trash and gulping down the rest of your drink, you rush into your room and back in front of your PC.

Cracking your knuckles, you gingerly set your phone against the monitor. Setting the timer to one hour in Quality Time, knowing fully-well that you’re going to have to keep extending it until the wee hours of the morning—or until your battery dies, whichever comes first—you give Sylus one last look, letting out a long exhale before locking in.

“Just keep me company for the night, alright? I’ll figure out what’s going on once my shift’s over.”

It could just be your overactive imagination, but you swear you hear a quiet chuckle from the man polishing his gun in your peripheral.

4K notes · View notes

mysticcollectionvoid · 5 months ago

Text

Hearbreak Anniversary with Sylus

Summary: It was your anniversary with Sylus. One year of togetherness. But what if he does not show up when you expect him to? What if he was spending it with MC?

Pairing: Non MC! Reader x Sylus

Note: MC in this fic goes by the name Lina (my name... so if you are angry, you can be angry at me :3). This oneshot was based on this request. I will write this for the other LADS men too. Also I don't think any of these men would ever be the type to actually willlingly forget it. So I had to adapt the request a bit.

Rafayel version | Zayne version

Content Warning: injuries, panic, insecurities, self worth issues, blood, death, Sylus POV

It had been a year since you and Sylus had been together.

How this man, leader of Onychinus, with all his power, wealth, and the infamous reputation that made the N109 Zone bow at his feet—had fallen for you, of all people, remained a mystery. Perhaps it had been one of those dangerous, untraceable things, like the slow bloom of a wildfire, unpredictable and impossible to stop once ignited.

And yet, it had happened.

Sylus had told you he’d be back today. You remembered the way he’d said it, smug as ever, like he was indulging you in some little fantasy. “I’ll be back before you have time to miss me, sweetheart.”

That had been a week ago, before he left for a deal abroad. He had taken Luke and Kieran with him—his most trusted men, twins who seemed to share a single mind between them. And, of course, Lina, the Deepspace hunter who should have been arresting him, but somehow always ended up tangled in his orbit instead.

You hadn’t mentioned your plans to Sylus. If there was one thing you craved, it was the rare chance to catch him off guard for once.

The base was quiet today. You had given the chefs the day off and spent the better half of the afternoon in the kitchen yourself, cooking a meal that was hearty, rich—something that would remind Sylus that despite his empire of steel and blood, he had something warm waiting for him here.

And the gifts—what could you give a man who had everything? Who could have anything in the world with the mere curl of his fingers?

So, you made something with your own hands.

A hand-stitched crimson silk tie, embroidered subtly with black thread in the shape of a feather—your own nod to his empire. A custom-made pocket watch with an inscription hidden on the inside, words only he would ever see: Come home to me. And a small leather-bound notebook, filled with notes, half-written thoughts, and memories of the past year. A private piece of your heart, wrapped up in ink and paper. Next to the plates, a black velvet box rested, holding custom cufflinks shaped like crimson feathers, mirroring the streaks on his shirt.

The air in Sylus’ study was thick with the scent of the meal you’d spent hours preparing, rich spices and slow-cooked flavors meant to fill the room with warmth, with care. The table was set for two, lit by the soft glow of candles, the dim golden light reflecting off the dark mahogany of his desk. It was a quiet contrast to the usual sharp edges of the space, the atmosphere softened just for tonight. Just for him.

You had even opened a bottle of wine, anticipation humming in your chest like a live wire.

But the hours stretched, the evening creeping into the depths of night.

Sylus never came.

You tried calling him. But the line never connected.

How could that be? You had spoken to him just yesterday.

A cold unease coiled in your gut.

You tried calling Luke. Then Kieran.

No response.

The silence pressed in, thick and suffocating. The air smelled of rich spices, of the meal you had made, but the warmth had long since bled from the room.

Your fingers curled into the fabric of your dress as you paced.

Had something happened? Had the deal gone wrong? He never left you waiting without reason. And Luke and Kieran? They never ignored your calls.

A dozen worst-case scenarios flashed through your mind, none of them pleasant.Your heart pounded, and just when the thoughts threatened to spiral into something unbearable—

Your phone rang.

The screen lit up with Luke & Kieran. Relief surged, and you answered in an instant.

“Where the hell have you been? Are you all okay? Where’s Sylus?” The words rushed out, tangled with worry.

A beat of silence. Then, as expected, Luke spoke first, his voice carrying its usual playful lilt.

“Whoa, slow down, boss lady. We’re fine. Everything’s fine.”

Kieran’s voice followed, grounded and even. “Change of schedule. We’re flying back tomorrow instead.”

Tomorrow?

Your fingers tightened around the phone. “What? Why? Where’s Sylus?”

Another pause. You could hear Luke hesitate, which was never a good sign. “Ahh… yeah, about that—”

“Kieran,” you pressed, “where is he?”

There was a sigh on the other end before Kieran answered, blunt as always.

“Miss Hunter came down with a fever.”

You blinked. “Lina?”

“She was being fussy about seeing a doctor,” Luke added. “So, naturally, Sylus decided to stay and look after her.”

You heard Luke let out a nervous chuckle, the kind he only did when he knew he had just stepped into a landmine. “Y’know, the usual—boss being boss. Can’t have our little Deepspace hunter collapsing, right? He’s making sure she’s alright.”

Something in you twisted.

“He—” Your voice caught. “He’s staying behind for her?”

“Yeah,” Kieran confirmed. “We figured it’d be easier than dragging her onto the plane half-conscious. You know how she is.”

Luke chuckled. “Yeah, stubborn as hell. Kind of endearing though—”

The rest of his sentence faded into white noise.

Sylus wasn’t coming home.

Not tonight. Not for you.

Not for your anniversary.

Your fingers went numb around the phone as something heavy lodged itself in your throat. The carefully prepared meal, the handmade gifts, the effort you’d poured into making this night special—it all felt meaningless now.

Your free hand curled into a fist, nails digging into your palm. You swallowed, forcing your voice to stay steady.

“I see,” you said, quiet.

“Oh—wait, did you need something?” Luke asked, oblivious.

You almost laughed. Did you need something?

No. Apparently, you didn’t.

“Nothing,” you said. “Just… fly back safe, all of you. I’ll see you when you are back.”

You ended the call before they could say anything else.

Silence filled the room once more.

The meal on the table had gone cold. The wine in the glasses sat untouched.

And in the quiet, you stared at the chair where Sylus should have been—where you had thought he would be.

But he wasn’t.

It wasn’t fair to be angry.

You knew that.

Lina’s sickness wasn’t something Sylus could have accounted for. If you had been in his place, you would have done the same—of course you would have. You would never leave someone behind in that condition, never abandon a friend in need.

But you weren’t Sylus. You weren’t a man who could summon entire fleets at a whim, who could command the world to bend at his feet.

Sylus had resources. If he wanted, he could have had her taken care of in the best medical facility in the world and still made it home to you. But he stayed. And you?

You didn’t even know where they were.

The thought stung, sharp and unrelenting, digging into the marrow of your bones.

You pressed your palm against your eyes, swallowing back the rush of emotions that threatened to consume you. Anger. Hurt. A rational voice in the back of your mind whispered that none of this was Sylus’ fault. That you were being unreasonable.

But emotions weren’t reasonable.

You had spent hours preparing this night. Thought of every detail. A meal made with your own hands. Gifts carefully chosen, stitched, inscribed. Every little thing was meant to remind Sylus that despite the world he ruled, despite the empire of steel and blood he had built, he had something warm waiting for him. Someone waiting for him.

And yet.

A soul-bound connection...

You weren’t stupid. You had known about it, ever since Sylus told you—told you about a past life that Lina had no recollection of, about a sorceress and a dragon bound together by the threads of fate itself.

Not this life. Not this Sylus. Not this Lina.

But it didn’t matter, did it?

Your eyes burned, and you pressed your fingers against them, as if you could push back the rising sting of tears. No, this wasn’t Sylus’ fault. It wasn’t Lina’s either.

But that didn’t stop the pain.

Because it wasn’t just tonight, was it?

It was the lingering shadow of a story you had no part in.

But it didn’t matter, did it?

No matter how much you tried, no matter how much love you poured into this relationship, how could you ever stand against something forged by the universe itself?

It wasn’t just about tonight. It wasn’t just about the cold meal or the untouched gifts.

It was about that feeling—that sick, awful feeling twisting inside your chest.

You were inadequate.

You were nothing compared to a bond that had been written into the very fabric of fate. And what were you against that?

Mortal. Fleeting. A blip in the vast, endless history of what they had once been.

It made you feel so small.

No matter how much you tried, no matter how much you gave, the universe had already decided. Sylus belonged to someone else. Even if he chose you, even if he kissed you and whispered your name in the dark, you would never have what they had. You would never be the one his soul cried out for in the quiet.

The thought carved something deep inside you, raw and aching, a wound without a name.

You turned away from the dining table, from the abandoned dinner and the untouched wine, and picked up the plates with numb fingers. The weight of them felt heavier than it should have, or maybe it was just the weight of everything else pressing down on you.

The kitchen was silent save for the quiet clatter of porcelain as you methodically began packing the food into containers. Your movements were mechanical, automatic—store the food, seal the lids, stack them away. You barely registered what you were doing, lost in the storm raging inside you.

You loved him.

God, you loved him so much.

But was love enough? How was that supposed to stand against bonds forged by souls?

Your chest ached, your vision blurred, but you kept going. Container after container, hands moving with purpose even as your mind spiraled. You didn’t let yourself cry. Not now. Not yet.

It wasn’t until a cold gust of air brushed against the nape of your neck that you realized something was wrong.

Your hands stilled.

The air was different.

Off.

The base was secure—always. Layers of defenses, reinforced doors, security measures that made it near-impossible for anyone to slip in unnoticed. And yet, something in the stillness of the space sent a prickle of unease down your spine.

Slowly, you turned your head.

The lights above flickered once. Twice.

Your heart slammed against your ribs.

You weren’t alone.

SYLUS' POV

The hum of the engine thrummed beneath Sylus’ fingers as the aircraft carved a path through the night sky. Outside the reinforced glass, the neon-soaked cityscape of the N109 Zone flickered like dying embers. His grip on the armrest was tight, his jaw set in a firm line as unease coiled in his gut.

Something was wrong.

He had tried calling you earlier, more than once, but each attempt had ended the same—no connection.

That wasn’t normal.

You always answered, always picked up on the first or second ring, even if it was just to snap at him for being an overbearing bastard. But tonight? Silence.

Kieran’s voice cut through the cockpit. “Dropping Lina off now. Shouldn’t take long.”

Sylus barely spared the exchange a glance as Luke helped the girl out, her feverish form was leaning against Kieran. He should have been relieved—getting her to the edge of N109 Zone meant she was going back to Linkon and being cared for.

Minutes later, when Kieran and Luke rejoined him, Sylus barely waited for them to strap in before he barked, “Move. Now…” as they drove towards the base.

Luke shot him a sidelong glance but, wisely, didn’t ask questions.

The base wasn’t far. They reached the outskirts in record time, but the second Sylus stepped off the vehicle, his pulse sharpened to a blade’s edge.

The air was wrong.

Too still.

And right now, his own base felt foreign.

A flicker of movement caught his eye. His security grid had been tampered with. Not shut down—no, that would have triggered failsafes—but rerouted, bypassed just enough to avoid raising alarms.

Luke and Kieran noticed it at the same time.

Sylus turned to them, his red eyes gleaming under the low lights. One look was all it took.

They spread out, moving like shadows.

Kieran’s voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. “Boss lady was here yesterday.”

A muscle in Sylus' jaw ticked.

His gaze snapped to Kieran, but the man was already continuing. “Yesterday. Security logs picked her up before the system went dark.”

That cold feeling coiled into something heavier, denser. His gut twisted in a way he didn’t like.

Was she safe? Was she hurt?

You had been here.

And now you weren’t answering your goddamn phone.

He moved faster, his long strides carrying him through the halls with terrifying purpose. The first guard he saw was sprawled on the floor, unconscious, a dark bruise spreading along his jaw. Another lay slumped against the wall, barely breathing. Sylus crouched briefly, checking their pulse. Alive. But taken out efficiently.

Someone had gotten in.

And you—

A sharp exhale through his nose. He didn’t let the fear settle in his chest. Didn’t let it slow him down.

His mind burned through every logical step as he stalked through the base, checking rooms, searching for any trace of you. When he reached your shared room, his heart kicked up—only for it to plummet at the sight.

The door was ajar. The air inside was stale.

And everything was a mess.

The bed was unmade. The belongings scattered. Drawers left half-open. It looked like a fight had broken out—or someone had torn through the space in a rush.

Sylus never rushed. Never panicked. He was in control—always.

And yet, something dark and frigid curled in his chest as he pivoted, moving toward his study.

The moment he stepped inside, the scent of melted wax and aged wine hit him first. His gaze dropped, cataloging the scene in an instant.

Candles, burned low.

A bottle of wine, uncorked.

Two glasses. One untouched.

The weight of realization hit him like a fist.

You had been waiting for him.

Something curdled in his stomach.

The back of his mind supplied a thought he refused to acknowledge. Had you left because of it? Had something snapped in you before someone else got here first?

Before he could spiral further, a voice crackled through his earpiece—sharp, panicked.

“Boss!” Luke’s voice. “Kitchen—now.”

Sylus was already moving before the transmission cut.

The moment he stepped in, his breath stilled.

The smell of food, faint and lingering, mixed with something coppery.

The table was overturned, food scattered, porcelain shards glinting in the dim light. A glass had shattered, its crimson contents smeared across the floor like blood—except there was blood.

Not just wine. A dark stain, drying.

Your phone lay cracked on the floor, its screen splintered beyond recognition.

And next to it—two men.

Not his.

Two unfamiliar men lay motionless nearby, their bodies in a puddle of blood where they had fallen. Not his men. Intruders.

You fought.

Sylus’ blood turned ice-cold.

You had fought.

His fingers curled into fists, his Evol humming beneath his skin, barely restrained.

He should have been here yesterday.

That thought seared through Sylus’ mind like a molten brand, burning deeper with every heartbeat.

He should have flown back yesterday. Should have shoved Lina into a damn transport and sent her straight to Linkon without a second thought. Should have been here with you. Should have spent the night with you. Should have protected you.

Instead, he’d played nurse, wasted hours hovering over a feverish girl, while you—

His gut twisted as he moved through the wreckage. The kitchen was a battlefield, overturned chairs and smeared blood marking the violence that had taken place. His boots crunched over broken porcelain, and his breath came shallow, ragged.

He should have been here.

His study flickered in his mind—the candles, the untouched glass of wine, the boxes of presents you had set up. Always a step ahead of him. Always anticipating what he needed before he even realized it. You had been waiting for him. And he hadn’t come.

He failed you.

A sharp exhale hissed past his teeth, and he forced his focus back on the blood trail. It smeared across the floor, fading and reappearing in uneven patches—dragged footsteps. It wasn’t enough blood to be fatal, but it was too much for him to ignore. His pulse was a war drum in his ears as he followed it, every step carving another layer of dread into his spine.

Then—

A door. Slightly ajar.

The closet.

Sylus barely registered his own movement as he wrenched it open.

And there you were.

Curled in on yourself, hidden between crates and spare supplies. Your limbs were tangled awkwardly, one hand clutching your side, the other barely shielding your face. Your breathing was shallow, uneven. A dark stain spread across your shirt—blood.

His stomach plummeted.

Fuck.

His knees hit the floor before he even processed it, his hands reaching, trembling. He never trembled. But now—

His fingers brushed your cheek.

His jaw clenched as he took in the bruises, the way your body remained so still, so eerily still—

Then you moved.

It was slight, barely a twitch at first, but then—your breath hitched sharply, and before he could say a word, you jerked awake.

Wild, terrified eyes locked onto him.

And in the space of a heartbeat, you struck.

A flash of motion, a blade in your trembling grip—his grip shot out, catching your wrist before you could drive it into his throat. Your strength faltered, but your panic didn’t. Your chest heaved, your breath ragged and erratic. Fear clouded your gaze—real, visceral. You didn’t see him.

You saw an enemy.

“Hey!” His voice was lower, rougher than he meant it to be. He forced himself to ease his grip on your wrist, slow and deliberate. “It’s me.”

You were still rigid, still shaking. He watched as your pupils dilated, as reality reassembled itself behind your exhausted eyes.

His heart clenched.

“It’s me, sweetheart...” he repeated, softer this time. His thumb brushed against your pulse point—too fast, too frantic.

A shudder passed through you, and then, slowly—finally—your body sagged. The tension bled out of your frame as your vision cleared, as recognition settled in.

Sylus caught you before you could slump forward.

His arms wrapped around you, pulling you against him, his body coiled with a thousand emotions he couldn’t untangle. You were hurt. You were bleeding. And he hadn’t been here.

His voice came quieter, steadier, even as everything inside him screamed. “I’ve got you, sweetheart.”

Sylus could feel the erratic hammering of your heart beneath his fingertips, the warmth of your blood seeping through his gloves. His mind was screaming, a cacophony of rage, grief, and self-recrimination, but none of it mattered—not when you were here, small and shaking in his arms.

And then, in a voice so quiet, so broken it shattered something inside him, you whispered:

"Where were you?"

Sylus stilled.

"Why weren’t you here?"

The words weren’t an accusation. That would’ve been easier. No, they were worse. They were raw. A desperate, wounded thing, frayed at the edges. And gods, he would’ve taken a blade to the heart over this—over the way your voice cracked, over the way you curled into yourself, as if trying to make sense of the void he had left behind.

"I—" The word caught in his throat. It wasn’t enough. Nothing would be enough. He exhaled sharply, his grip tightening as though he could somehow hold you together when you’d already been torn apart.

"I’m sorry." The words rasped from him, raw and guttural. He pressed his forehead against yours, his breath uneven. "I’m so fucking sorry."

You swallowed thickly, the barest shudder rocking your frame. "I was waiting," you whispered. "I waited. But you never came."

Sylus squeezed his eyes shut. He had known—known—the moment he saw the candles in his study, the untouched wine, the careful arrangement of gifts, that you had been waiting. That you had planned this night, had prepared for him. And he had never told you he wouldn't be there.

And now you were bleeding in his arms.

"I should’ve told you," he murmured, his voice cracking. "I should’ve—fuck—I was too far up my own head. I was wrong. I was so goddamn wrong."

Your fingers curled weakly into the fabric of his coat. He could feel the way you were holding yourself together, could hear the pain in your ragged breathing, and yet—

"Is Lina okay?"

A sharp exhale hissed past Sylus’ teeth, his jaw tightening. Even now, even after everything, you were asking about someone else. Worrying about someone else. His fingers trembled as he brushed your hair back from your face.

"You should be worried about yourself," he murmured, his voice softer now, almost chiding. "Lina’s fine. She’ll be fine. But you—" His throat tightened. "You’re the one who needs help right now, sweetheart."

Your breath hitched, and he felt you sag against him, whether from exhaustion or relief, he couldn’t tell.

"I saw the study, with the candles and the presents" he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper now. "I saw the kitchen with the food."

His fingers brushed against your cheek, reverent, as if touching something fragile, something he didn’t deserve.

“You were waiting for me.”

A small, broken nod.

“I should have been here…” he whispered.

A sharp inhale from you, barely audible. “The food is ruined…”

"I know. But you did what you had to, sweetheart. You were brave," he murmured, pressing his lips to your temple. "So damn brave." His hands curled against your back, his grip steady, anchoring. "But you never should’ve had to be."

His voice shook then, something fractured bleeding through. "I should’ve been here. I should’ve been protecting you. I should’ve been celebrating with you, not—" He swallowed hard, his breath shuddering.

Not finding you like this. Not watching you bleed.

He tilted his head forward, burying his face against your hair, his breath unsteady.

“I failed you.” The words tasted like rust on his tongue. “I should have been here. I should have been protecting you instead of being away. I should have been celebrating our time, our love with you, not—” His jaw clenched, his grip tightening. “Not finding you like this.”

Another shudder passed through your frame. Then, slowly—hesitantly—you curled against him, your body giving out, trusting him to hold you up.

Sylus did.

He held you like you were something sacred, something irreplaceable.

And for the first time in longer than he could remember, he felt his own confidence falter.

He had always been the one in control. The one who planned ahead, who anticipated every threat, every move. But now, kneeling here with you trembling in his arms, beaten and bleeding because he hadn’t been there—

He wasn’t in control of a damn thing.

And he hated it.

But more than that—he hated that you had ever felt alone.

Never again.

Sylus gritted his teeth as he slid his arms beneath you, carefully lifting you against his chest. The moment your body shifted, a sharp, barely-there whimper escaped you, and his stomach twisted violently. His hold tightened instinctively, as if he could somehow absorb the pain for you.

“I know, sweetheart,” he rasped. “I know it hurts. I’m sorry.”

Your breath was shallow against his neck, but you didn’t resist when he pulled you closer, cradling you against him as he rose to his feet. You were too weak to fight it. Too hurt. And that realization cut through him worse than any blade ever could.

He had let this happen.

Not again.

Never again.

“You need medical attention,” he said, his voice low and firm, more for himself than for you. “And I need to get you somewhere safe.”

His mind was already burning through possibilities. Where to take you. Who to trust. The fastest route, the safest location, the cleanest supplies. But beneath the cold, calculated thoughts was something else—something raw and unbearable, curling tight around his chest like barbed wire.

“You’re too damn patient with me,” he murmured, his voice thick. “I’m a fool. A goddamn fool, and I don’t deserve it.”

Your fingers curled again weakly against the fabric of his coat. He nearly stopped breathing. Even now, after everything, you still reached for him.

His throat ached.

“I’ll make it up to you,” he promised. “Until my last fucking breath.” His heart slammed against his ribs, his mind spiraling with everything he hadn’t said, everything he hadn’t done. Every moment he should have been here, instead of lost in his own head, buried in responsibilities that suddenly felt insignificant compared to the weight of you in his arms.

“I love you,” he admitted, the words slipping free before he could stop them. “Too much to lose you. Do you understand?” His grip on you firmed, as if anchoring himself to the reality of having you here. “You are the only light in the perpetual darkness of N109. The only light in my life.”

He exhaled sharply, steadying himself, steadying you.

“And I will never lose that.”

His grip on you was secure as he carried you forward, out of the wreckage, away from the blood and broken glass

“You found me…” you whispered, barely more than a breath.

His arms tightened around you. “I’ll always find you.”

You shifted slightly in his arms, your voice weak but steady as you met his gaze, eyes glistening with the faintest hint of something like trust.

“I know you’ll make it right,” you whispered, your fingers brushing his cheek, a soft touch amidst the chaos. "You always do."

Sylus paused, his breath catching at the warmth of your words, a flicker of relief sparking through the storm of guilt that had clouded his chest. “Sweetheart, I never want it to get to this point, ever again and I never will let it come to that.”

"I don't need you to be perfect," you murmured, your eyes meeting his for a moment, steady despite the pain. "I just need you to stay."

Sylus' heart twisted, and he swallowed thickly, the weight of those words pressing down on him. He had never been the kind of man to believe in redemption—not for someone like him. But in that moment, he could almost taste it. The possibility.

He leaned his forehead against yours once more, his breath shaky but filled with something that burned a little less than guilt.

"I’ll stay, sweetheart," he vowed softly. "I’ll stay. And I’ll fight for us... for as long as you’ll have me."

The future between the two of you, uncertain as it was, seemed a little less dark. There were wounds to heal, scars to mend—but there was also time. Time that, for the first time in a long while, didn’t feel like it was running out.

Maybe, just maybe, there was something worth fighting for after all.

AN: reblogs, feedback and opinions are appreciated!

Rafayel version | Zayne version

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