#(and how can she possibly think of kayn as one of them when he too suffered bc of the war?)

[deathdxnces]

am curious. how would irelia feel about knowing kayn is born noxian?

or in other words, what's her opinion about nature vs nurture.

— @axewhirl

GOOD QUESTION, IT LIVES IN MY HEAD RENT FREE THANKS FOR GIVING ME AN EXCUSE TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS ILY REY

so. irelia's feelings about noxus and noxians are very simple, of course — they deserve to die. i've spoken before about the dehumanization of the enemy and how it was also a coping mechanism to her, but when it comes to long-term effects, it definitely impacted her ability (and willingness, perhaps more importantly) to show them any sympathy. they're not people. she's content to look at them as barely human, in a way. of course it's not that easy, but she had no reason to challenge that notion so far (except, perhaps, during the sentinels event with riven but... bleh i don't like how anything about irelia and being a sentinel was handled).

which is an overly rambly prologue to get to the real question. how would she feel about learning kayn is noxian? i think there's no ultimate answer for that, because to a point it depends on her relationship with kayn. were she to see him as an enemy, wouldn't it be simple to blame how awful he is on his noxian birth? but i personally don't think an enemy is ever what she sees in him; she doesn't look down on the yanlei as much as many other ionians, because she is well aware their origin as an order and her own path aren't that unlike. they chose to fight. they did things considered extreme. so did she — even if not to the same extent, and even if there are things she disagrees with them greatly, such as the matter of wild magic.

in game, her interaction with kayn is the same as for other 'ionian villains' (zed, syndra and jhin iirc). she wants to believe there's good in him, as she wants to believe there's good in any of the others. would she still be as hopeful if she knew he was noxian? honestly, without a personal connection, maybe not. but i'm inclined to say regardless of having any sort of relationship with him, knowing he's noxian by birth wouldn't ultimately result on her regarding him as a lost cause. because despite everything, kayn is ionian in every way that matters. he was raised as ionian for a good portion of his life, he fights for ionia too. he hates noxians as much as she does. how can she possibly just throw him along the rest of them?

so, yes, i think despite her views on noxus as a whole, she wouldn't think he's fated to be just like the other noxians because he's noxian by birth. of course, that might force her to question some of her other stances towards noxians, who she'd have dismissed as all being the same (because if he is not, others may be different too — and he wasn't even raised as ionian from early infancy, so when does one draw the line? when do they become irredeemable?). it's something else to consider whether or not she'd want to make that distinction for other cases. personally i think she'd be content to just make him an exception (because that's easy, and comfortable, and she would have seen him as ionian well before she saw him as noxian; it's easier to ignore the other implications), rather than truly let that change her outlook on things more broadly.

i think the moment she learned about it, it'd be a shock (because, like i said, her view of noxians is really black and white; they're evil, they're monstrous, they deserve to die). immediately, there's no way it wouldn't have an impact because i don't think irelia would know how to feel about it (but the extent of that impact depends on how much she cares about him, too; like with cyn's kayn, where there is a relationship, then she obviously cares more, and in turn it is more of a shock to learn that he was born noxian than in a situation like canon, where they haven't really interacted). still, i don't think the confusion would manifest as aggression or rejection, and that it'd be pretty short-lived (both in the sense of an immediate reaction and in any lingering, posterior doubt). kayn may have been born noxian, and he may have spent the first years of his life a noxian, but he has long since left that behind. zed took him in and kayn embraced his new life, a life he leads as an ionian. if she accepted him as that before, knowing he was born noxian wouldn't change she accepts him as that still. knowing he was born in noxus doesn't change what he is or what he does now.

[writerblue275]

How the Heartsteel members would take care of a sick/injured S/O.

Inspiration: Extremely self-serving, but I don’t care. I’m currently in the midst of a chronic illness episode. For me that involves an ungodly headache that can last for straight days, if not weeks, and other bs. All because my body can’t handle sodium 😭. If I don’t do something to distract myself, I’m going to cry, and I’d rather not do that, so here we gooooo.

Genre: Headcanon

Type: Fluff (very very slight angst in the concept [if you squint] just because you don’t feel good).

Gender: Gender Neutral Reader

Tw: None! This is pure fluff. 🥰

Aphelios

Aphelios would actually be a great caretaker.

I think a lot of this comes from an excellent example. We know Alune took care of Aphelios when he was injured/after his surgeries. Since he was the recipient of her wonderful care, he knows what to do.

Extremely prepared. He’ll work from your place as much as possible so he can be close by (he has that little mobile keyboard set up shown in his “what’s in my bag” pic). Excellent at running out to grab supplies/medication (I feel like he has an excellent memory so you just need to tell/show him something once). Also phenomenal at making sure you take your meds on schedule and changing any dressings/wraps.

If for some reason an extra set of hands is needed or Phel needs further advice on how to best care for you, you know who he’s texting? Alune! She is happy to help however she can because you’re her friend too and she hates knowing you’re sick/in pain.

I feel like Phel’s immune system is pretty strong so even if you were contagious, he’d cuddle you. If he was really worried, there’s always his mask. (Makes my public health heart sing.) He has many extras so you can snag one too in order to be doubly safe. You get those healing cuddles!

Ezreal

This is where Ezreal’s typical golden retriever energy is extra useful!!

Like genuinely I think Ez is a really really sweet “nurse” and will do an excellent job of taking care of you. Or at the very least, he’s great at distracting you and making you smile so you don’t feel as shitty/in pain.

I can’t see Ez cooking tbh (mood), but he is more than happy to order delivery/run to grab whatever carry out whenever you want it. If he can’t do it because he needs to stay with you for some reason, he’s texting Alune and the boys and practically begging them to help him out. (One of them always does. They love you and want you to heal.)

Also happy to run out to grab whatever supplies you need. This sweet green bean is so eager to help you heal that not only will he grab what you ask for, he’ll also grab other things that you might not need. He’s of the mindset it’s better to be overprepared rather than underprepared.

I can’t see Ezreal wanting to cuddle if you’re contagious, tbh, which is fair, but he’ll definitely make sure you have all the blankets and pillows you need. He will sit near-ish to you though and hold your hand. And if you’re not contagious? Oh he’s clinging to you as much as you want him to.

Kayn

Ok…so…this isn’t Kayn’s specialty as a partner, let’s be honest here.

Kayn is an amazing partner in so many other ways, but he’s not exactly...naturally nurturing? BUT that doesn’t mean he’s not going to try. He knows you need him, so he’s really going to put in a lot of effort to try and take care of you as best he can. (This secretly sweet rockstar!)

Kayn might fake grumble about it, but he will definitely go out and get whatever supplies you need. You may need to take a picture of a label/find one on the internet but he’s got you! (“Baby, there are so many CHOICES. How do I know which is the right one? I don’t want to get something you don’t need!”)

The first time you were sick/injured and he was with you, he texted the HS group chat for advice on how to take care of you and shocked everyone. (That was the moment the rest of HS knew Kayn was really head over heels for you. 🥹 <- Their faces as they read the texts.)

One thing I cannot see him doing is cuddling you when you’re sick (unless you’re not contagious). He doesn’t want to get sick himself. He will tuck you in and give you surprisingly soft forehead kisses though. He says they’re to check your temp but you know they’re to show he cares.

K’Sante

K’Sante is another member who just gives off such excellent and caring vibes. He has to come from a big, close-knit family, because he gives eldest brother vibes through and through.

Because of this, he’s perfect at taking care of you when you’re sick or injured. He’s done the same thing for his siblings/cousins many times.

Even though Sett is officially the best cook, I still fully believe K’Sante can throw down in the kitchen. Whenever possible, he’s making everything from scratch for you. You deserve it, after all. His meals alone will have you starting to feel way better.

He is fully stocked on OTC meds, ice packs, bandages, whatever you need. As a gym bro, K’Sante can get pretty sore, so he’s already got that stuff around for himself. Also, anything you need picked up, he’s got that taken care of.

As the eldest who took care of his younger family members, K’Sante’s immune system is PREPARED. Unless it is before a really big event, he would be fine cuddling you, even if you’re contagious. If it is close to a big event then he’s understandably a little more hesitant (he does have obligations to HS) but he’ll still be nearish to you and hold your hand so you know he’s there.

Sett

Ooooooh baby this is Sett’s time to fucking SHINE.

He was raised by his incredible Ma! Like of course Sett’s going to be really fucking good at taking care of you. (He already does an excellent job of doing that when you’re not sick/injured.)

We know he’s the best cook in the group so homemade soup/whatever comfort food you want/need you will have and it will be delicious. Really good about reminding you to take any meds you need to (he sets a reminder in his phone). Also fully stocked on OTC meds, medical wraps, ice packs, etc. Like he is PREPARED. (Perks of loving a gym bro.)

Happy to give you cuddles if that will help. I feel like Sett is another member that has an immune system of steel, so even if you’re sick, he’s still cuddling you if you want him to. (You definitely do like 95% of the time because how could you not?? Sett cuddles sound fucking elite!)

Worst-case scenario and you get sick while he’s traveling? He makes sure you are in the very best hands possible and sends in the big guns. That’s right, he has Ma come over to check on you/stay with you if need be (which she is happy to do because she adores you and loves how happy you make her son).

Yone

I think Yone would be a phenomenal “nurse!”

He might come across as cold/intimidating to those who don’t know him, but you always bring the soft side of him out. That’s totally applicable when you’re sick. Sweet Yone incoming!!

He cared for his younger brother Yasuo when he was sick or injured, so he is well versed in what supplies are useful for a multitude of ailments. Is well stocked on all of it too. If for some reason you need something and he doesn’t have it, he’s remedying that ASAP.

I’ve been thinking about whether or not Yone cooks. My gut says not really besides breakfast food. While he’s not going to make you homemade soup/your comfort food, you bet he’s asking Sett or K’Sante to make some for you. (They’re happy to do so. You keep your their producer sane. Helping you is self-preservation 😂.)

While he’s likely been injured many times, I feel like this beautiful motherfucker (affectionate!!) has never been ill a day in his life. His immune system is just that strong. Whatever the issue, he is down to give you whatever cuddles you desire. (I’m bringing back my headcanon of cuddly Yone and NO ONE CAN STOP ME 😋.) Enjoy the forehead kisses and sweet little verbal check-ins.

[collidescopeeyes]

Hey so I'm kind of in a tm-not-so-good place right now, so if possible can I get a Heartsteel Aphelios x reader who's dealing with a narcissistic/emotionally abusive parent? Or if possible it's Aphelios and their S/O but they also have the rest of the Heartsteel members and Alune to help them through it. As you can see by the request, I'm dealing with this right now and i kinda need the comfort, thank you!

As someone whose dealt with far too much of that myself recently, my heart goes out to you anon ❤️ hope things get easier soon.

---

You have ‘hey, are you awake?’ typed into the chatbox, thumb hovering indecisively over the send button, for a good fifteen minutes before Aphelios messages you. You aren't expecting it–it’s almost midnight, and Phel might be a night owl, but he also has a job. Part of the reason you'd been reluctant to text him–he’s busy, and you'd hate to wake him.

‘You okay?’ the text reads. You spend a moment wondering why he'd ask that, and then realize if he was texting you this late at night he also would have seen your typing notification hovering there for god knows how long. Which also means pretending you're fine is probably out of the picture as well–even if he didn't know you were visiting your parents this weekend, he's always been had a knack for seeing straight through you. May as well be honest, then.

‘not really tbh’ you type back. ‘like I'm fine I'm just…….blehhh. y'know.’

‘Want company?’ comes the immediate reply, because Phel puts sugar to shame. Too sweet for his own good, probably, because he really shouldn't be driving around at fuck o’clock at night to keep you company– ‘I missed you :(‘ comes the follow up text, neatly defeating the argument you were just building up in your head.

‘...can I come over?’ you ask anyway. ‘i don't really want to be at home right now’

‘ofc. I'm already putting my shoes on, I'll see you soon ❤️’

You send a heart back, click your phone off, and stare blankly up at the fading afterimage of the bright screen against your dark ceiling. You have no idea what time you'd gotten home, but you'd had about enough energy to crawl into bed and not much else. As such, you're pretty much still dressed, plus you're pretty sure you have clean clothes at Phel’s place. Even if you didn't, you'd steal one of his shirts to sleep in and Alune would have something to lend you in the morning. You're pretty sure she likes dressing you up, or at least, she has a habit of leveraging her industry connections to get amazing deals on clothes she just happens to think you'd look cute in. Kayn likes to joke she's trying to steal you away from Aphelios.

A knock on your front door startles you to attention, followed by jingling keys as Phel lets himself in. How long had you been zoning out for? He lived like fifteen minutes away, and it felt like it'd barely been five. You drag yourself out of bed as he pushes open your bedroom door, and even in the dim light from the street lamp outside your window you see him smile when he sees you. Immediately, you're wrapped up in a hug, and you feel him press a kiss to your hairline. The anxious knot that's been in your chest ever since you left this weekend eases a little, and you clutch at his hoodie trying to absorb that feeling. He smells like fresh laundry and comfort and home.

“...hi,” you offer after a moment, your voice slightly muffled from where you're pressing your face into his chest. You lean back, reaching over to fumble with your lamp so you can actually see him. “You got here faster than I thought, sorry.”

He shrugs. “I was at Yone’s, the bands having a movie night,” he signs. “We can join them, if you're feeling up for it, or we can just go back to mine and chill. It's up to you.”

You blink up at him. “What movie?”

“The mummy series,” he signs. “Ez is getting super offended, it's really funny.”

You huff a laugh. “That sounds…perfect, actually. You're sure nobody will mind?”

He waves a hand at you. “Of course not, the guys love you.” A smile curves your lips, and he pauses, a fond look in his eye before he ducks his head to press a kiss to your lips. “Not that I wouldn't be happy to monopolize you, but, y'know.”

You laugh. “I think Alune would have words about that.”

He shrugs. “Gotta flex my older brother privileges sometime. You good to go?”

You glance at your still unpacked bag, then nod–that was a tomorrow problem. Maybe the day after. His car is parked outside, still warm from the drive over–he must've cranked the heater for you, because left to his own devices Aphelios wouldn't feel the need for a jacket in a walk in freezer.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He signs as you pull out onto the quiet streets, one hand on the wheel.

You sigh deeply. “It's…nothing new, and I probably should've expected this because this is what always happens, but…I dunno, I was hoping we could have a mature conversation this time? But no, same old song and dance. Nothing is ever their fault, and if I get them to stop deflecting long enough to actually admit they did something wrong, I must only be bringing it up because I'm an terrible daughter who's just trying to hurt them, and then the whole thing turns into a big confrontation when all I wanted was…I dunno, some acknowledgement that ‘hey, that was a fucked up thing I did,’” you gesture vaguely at the dashboard, frustrated, and then deflate with a defeated sigh. He reaches over and squeezes your hand in wordless comfort. You offer him a weak smile. “It's fine. I'll be fine. It's just…exhausting, you know?"

He nods, and with a final squeeze you let his hand go so he can sign “I'm sorry. It's not fair, and you deserve better.” He glances at you, brow pulled together in worry. “If you ever need anything, comfort or company or help, I'm here for you. We all are. Doesn't matter how late it is or how far away you are, I'll come running.”

You probably shouldn't try to kiss him while he's driving. “Thanks,” you say instead, voice soft. “I…can't tell you how much that means to me.”

He smiles, but if he has a reply his hands are occupied pulling into Yone’s driveway. Still, he's not driving anymore, so that makes it fair game to lean across the console to kiss the life out of him.

--Right up until you hear Yone's door open. You break apart, only to see Alune standing on the doorstep, hands on her hips. She signs something too fast for you to catch in the dim streetlight, and then flounces back inside. Phel laughs, and you look at him curiously. “She called me an attention hog,” he signs, chuckling.

You laugh. “Well, we better not keep her waiting.”

The sound of the movie filters in as you enter the house and make your way to the living room, coupled with familiar voices and laughter. “--and codex style books weren't even invented until the Roman Empire!” Ezreal is arguing as you walk in, gesturing at the screen animatedly. “It would’ve been a papyrus scroll!” A chorus of greetings sounds over the tail end of his sentence, apparently dismissing what's no doubt the tail end of a long rant. They're scattered around the room–Alune and Ezreal on the long couch, K'Sante and Yone in the twin armchairs on either side, Sett lounging on the beanbag in the corner and Kayn laying directly on the carpeted floor, ankles crossed on the edge of the couch and watching the movie upside-down.

“He's been going on like this the whole time,” Sett informs you by way of greeting, grinning.

“Someone has to hold Hollywood accountable for their blatant disregard for historical accuracy!” Ezreal insists hotly, before fixing you with a pleading look. “Back me up here, you think papyrus scrolls are cool, right?”

“Pretty cool, yeah,” you agree. Alune animatedly gestures you over to two free spaces on the couch with a beaming grin, which you have no doubt she pulled rank to acquire. Kayn offers you a wave as you step over him.

“I saved some snacks,” she whispers as you settle by her side, Phel on your other. True to her word, she has a bowl of chips in one hand and a punnet of chocolate dipped strawberries in the other. Ezreal tries to sneak one of the latter while she's distracted, only for her to whip her head around and give him a narrow eyed look, to which he immediately begins to feign stretching instead.

“How was your trip?” Yone asks. You must make a face, because he frowns. “Ah. My condolences. Family matters are often... uniquely troubling."

You wince. “It was…not great, yeah. I don't...really want to get into it.”

“I'm just putting this out there, but if you want someone vanished you can just say the word, I know a guy,” Kayn offers from the floor.

You stifle a laugh. “Are you the guy?”

“Me or one of my siblings,” he qualifies. “Depends, how many people you want killed?”

“You cannot keep threatening to sic your family members on people you don't like simply because your father teaches all his foster children martial arts,” K'Sante points out dryly.

“It's not just because of that,” Kayn argues. “It's part of the pact–everyone gets one favor, no questions asked, everybody has to chip in if they can."

“And you…haven't used yours yet?” Yone asks skeptically.

“Nope,” Kayn says cheerfully. “I covered up my fuckups and achieved my numerous impressive exploits by my own merits, thank you.”

“I do not need anyone killed,” you confirm.

“Yet,” Ezreal corrects sagely, only to interrupt himself with an aghast gasp. “He's reading hieroglyphs in the wrong direction!” he cries, pointing accusingly at the screen. Phel puts an arm around your shoulder and pulls you into his side, and like this–snuggled up with him, surrounded by your friends and terrible movie–it was suddenly a lot easier to believe everything was going to be okay.

[blackrosesmatron]

Name one (or a few) people in your life whose death would ruin you.

Who do you think would miss you most if you were gone?

Name one person you’d protect even if it meant sacrificing yourself.

From this meme: accepting

10. Name one (or a few) people in your life whose death would ruin you.

Swain (@dolls-runeterran-dollhouse): My dearest Grand General. I am aware of her mortality, and as age begins to take its toll, our time together grows ever shorter. I do try to prepare my heart for the inevitable moment when she departs this world, but I know, with certainty, that it will shatter irreparably upon her passing.

Morgana (@veiled-lady, Coven verse): My dearest Queen. I doubt that the Gods would subject her to the same fate as mine; she is destined to outlive me by many years. However, if tragedy were to befall her, and I were powerless to prevent her demise, it would utterly devastate my heart and soul. My affection for her rivals even that which I hold for the deities we serve, despite the potential blasphemy inherent in such devotion.

Kayn (@wayfaringstrangxr, both default and modern verse): My most lethal assassin, who may be cocky but is undeniably effective. Losing him would mean losing a vital asset to my plans—or at least, that's what I used to believe. Nowadays, things changed and so did my feelings towards him, and it pains me deeply whenever he returns from a mission wounded, even if the injury is not life-threatening. Despite his mortality and the inevitability of his demise—whether in battle or old age—I fear the day I will ultimately lose him.

My rock star; Gods, I can't believe one would bring me close to my father's band again, but his presence in the Pentakill alone made me forget Mordekaiser is also a member of the band. I value more being around him than avoiding my father, so that alone should speak volume about how much Kayn means to me - which also means how much his death would utimately devastate me. I hope he won't have a crazy fan like John Lennon had!

11. Who do you think would miss you most if you were gone?

I can think of a few names of people with whom I have built real bonds, so I suppose they would be more likely to miss me. They are Veigar, Evelynn, Briar, and Jinx.

Evelynn (drinkthepain) is my long-time friend. In the same way I trust her entirely, I also know she trusts me with all her dark heart. Plus, not too long ago, Fiddlesticks decided to attack us both, and I learned that he used her fear of losing me to cause her pain.

Then there is Veigar, my little duckling. We have been through hell and back together, with me being partially responsible for freeing us both from Mordekaiser. I know he gets nervous when I go too long without sending news, despite his attempts to conceal it.

Briar (restrainedhungr) and Jinx (jynxd) both chose me to be their mother, so I believe this speaks volumes on how much they would miss me if I were to die.

There is one last name, a certain hemomancer, who is a huge maybe in this list. Considering how complicated our relationship is, I cannot tell for sure if he would miss me or celebrate my departure from this world.

I can think of other names as well, but all of them are not certain to miss me much. Perhaps on the first moment, but soon to not be affected anymore.

12. Name one person you’d protect even if it meant sacrificing yourself.

The same names as before. I do not love often, but when I do, it is in the most intense way possible. I would kill and die for Evelynn, Veigar, Briar, Jinx, and that awfully annoying blood diva.

[umbane]

she looks upon kayn's face plastered to posters and billboards across the city and presses her lips together in a thin frown as a chilling ache creeps into her chest. for years, morgana has dreamed of ways to rebuild a bridge long since burned under a deluge of gasoline and undying flames that, perhaps for a moment, waned but never ceased. so many unhealed wounds that haven't yet had a chance to scab over into fading scars... just when does it end?

morgana realizes she never trade numbers with kayn again, and a part of her withers and wilts until she remembers the one saving grace: instagram. it took a moment, but she finally found his profile. she battled with herself for the entire ride back to her home, tapping away message after message only to delete everything all over again. she stumbled into her home and collapsed on the sofa, sighing dejectedly before giving in to the final draft.

Kayn. I mean it. I really hate the way we left things. I tried reaching out, over and over, but you must've blocked my number, or something. Whatever. That's neither here nor there anymore. Come over so we can talk. Just us. No crazy party, none of the guys. Just you and me.

she wants all of them to bury the hatchet, but she doesn't want to risk arguments and screaming matches if the entirety of eclipse showed up. she isn't risking it. not now.

HEARTSTEEL is big. More than big, it's everywhere. All their names in one place made a bigger splash (in his opinion) than True Damage ever could, even with Akali in their ranks. It's as exhilarating as it is terrifying, because Kayn knows what it feels like to fall from great heights, and he's never been to a height like this before.

And on his heels, always, always, always, is the fear of failure. The monsters of his past. The memory of them.

He remembers this excitement from ECLIPSE. He remembers when they started getting big, when they sold out for the first time, when it felt like it was all finally coming together.

And he remembers how it felt to lose all that, too. That's the part that makes him scared to grab his success, lest it burn him again.

Kayn's notifications have always been full, ever since he swore not to look at them any more after waking up on Zed's couch with the worst hangover in his life, too many hours after spiralling down through the messages and comments on his account — he's toxic, he's washed up, his music was never that good anyway, ECLIPSE is better off without him — it was all too damn much.

But he's started again recently, and it's not all bad. The haters get lost between the diehards — I KNEW Kayn would make a comeback soon — and new fans — tell me how i just learned about him TODAY? — so they don't sting so much.

Until they do.

Her name appears on his screen and Kayn stops his scrolling, black-painted thumb hovering midair as his chest squeezes, tight with anxiety he thought he killed off years ago. He sees the preview — Kayn, I mean it. I really hate ... — and all he can think of is all the things she must hate — his behaviour, his success, him. But he touches the message anyways, opens it up, reads it once, then again.

It does nothing to help his fucking anxiety.

Why does Morgana want to talk, after all this time? What could they possibly have to say to each other that hasn't been screamed across the room already? That hasn't been spat out in the times they've encountered each other since then? That hasn't been posted online before Kayn deleted every sign he ever lived?

He types out something angry — it starts out with WHY? and spirals out of control before he deletes it all. He takes a walk and leaves his phone behind, spinning his tires on all the things he wants to say, all the ways their conversation could go. He comes home. He has a shot of vodka — just one — and a smoke, then settles on the shortest message he can, giving himself no runway to lose control again.

WHEN?

[jojikawa]

Fatal Attraction | Kayn x Fem!Reader | League of Legends

˗ˏ✎ [Honey-Maron] *ೃ

✧『Fandom』: League of Legends

✧『Character』: Shieda Kayn

✧『Word Count』: 2,960 words 15,587 characters

✧『Summary』: As a child soldier, Kayn had only made one friend who he wanted to protect during the battles against the Ionians but during his final battle, he was too busy defending himself to see what happened to her. Her body was never found so he knew she wasn't dead and now it was his goal to find her.

(This hasn’t been proof read enough times so bare with my typos)

There was a time in the Noxus military where the battle was getting hard and the Commanders needed a new tactic that would surprise the Ionians. The idea that ended up going through was for the military to pick up poor children off of the streets and train them to fight well enough to distract some Ionians for more capable adult soldiers to come and pick them off.

Kayn was amongst these many children along the way he had met a small and dainty girl that he wanted to protect. When he was injured, she always knew how to patch him up, even if it were with a dirty cloth and a minimal amount of medicine. He assumed that her previous family was doctors and them being tragically killed is what lead you to be on the streets at such a young age.

She was the only person that showed him compassion and the two of you formed a natural bond. Whatever happened, he wanted to make it out with her alive.

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

During the training the children were issued to have, you were having a hard time getting used to the sudden change. You were always so small and fragile, Kayn was always doing things for you. He knew that once the battles started that he wouldn't always be there to protect you, so whatever he learned from Noxian commanders, he taught you in secret so that as time went on you wouldn't fall behind the next day.

Eventually, the day of the battle came and on such short notice too. It was assumed to be the last day of this group of children before they would need to go out and fetch a new batch.

“(y/n),” Kayn called to you. “Remember the promise you made to me.” His voice was young but stern. You nodded, too nervous about the fighting for you to reply any other way.

The two of you and others like you were so young and were forced to engage in such violence at the hands of your own commanders as bait and when everything started, all you could do was watch as kids you knew were cut down in front of your eyes.

You had lost Kayn and with a sword and dagger among the fighting, you were left to fend for yourself. You didn’t want to attack these people, instead, you wanted an adult to come to save you but you knew that would never happen, and out of fear you ended up killing more men than you can count on your own two hands.

You weren’t even thinking about the promise you made to Kayn, you were just so scared and couldn’t bear the thought of dying such a horrible death. You wanted to run but at every turn was a man trying to corner you to kill you.

Most children who didn’t die took the chance to run away before they were noticed so, as time went on you had gotten more and more outnumbered.

A group of three men had surrounded you. You could take one, maybe two but three wasn’t something you were made for. Not to mention your own physical strength was still lacking.

“Sheida!”

Kayn had heard his own name faintly in the crowd of people fighting. The Noxus regulars had come to take care of the real threats but there were too many people in the way for him to get to the voice he was so familiar with.

The fighting lasted around a day or two before it was over and word got around that Noxus had attacked an Ionian village.

All the kids who part took were all dead or gone.

Kayn had been left behind. He had been scooped up by the Order of The Shadow not long after.

Master Zed offered to take in Kayn since he had the fighting spirit and tenacity of no other but he didn’t listen to his plea of look for you once more even when he begged to.

It was very hard on him since members of the Shadow kept pushing him to believe that you were dead and your body simply couldn’t be found or maybe your body was there but was ravaged beyond recognition. You were in a better place now.

Kayn refused to believe that and he bided his time in the Shadow until he felt like he was strong enough to make the move of looking for you so that he can have closure once and for all. He felt that if he were the new leader of the Order of The Shadow, he would have the proper resources to locate you somewhere in Ionia.

When Zed had given Kayn the task of retrieving a Darkin weapon in Noxus territory, he saw this as his opportunity.

Kayn had underestimated the journey of obtaining Rhaast but he had done it. His own will kept Rhaast from stealing his body. Now he felt like he could be the most powerful man in the world.

Kayn went back to the Epool River, where everything had taken place and where everything had gone wrong. What remained of it was still damaged from long ago and unwanted memories had flooded his head. He pushed all of that to the back of his mind because knowing if you were really dead or not was his top priority.

Apart from damaged structures and now a small grave honoring those who fell that day, some locals were unable to move and still reside in what’s left of the village. The only thing he could think of was asking locals about you before he decided to take more extreme measures.

“Excuse me” He called out to one person.

“I’m looking for a girl-, uh, a woman I mean.” He said to another. “She has (color) hair and (color) eyes.”

No one was able to help.

He had been asking around all day and at this point, Rhaast had been urging him to start killing people, which would be what made them talk. Kayn refused.

It was the evening when Kayn was about to give up for the day when he was approached by an older woman who seemed extremely nice.

“I’ve never seen you around here.” She commented. “You’re really unique looking as well. You’re not from around here.”

Kayn frowned. “No, I’m not from here. I just came to look for someone, is all. This is where I lost her. It was years ago and I don’t think she’s here anymore.”

“You’re looking for someone? What makes you think you would find her here anyway? This place hasn’t been the same since that terrible invasion that happened years ago. So many children died. Most locals left to a safer place after that.” The old woman remarked as she looked at all the destroyed homes that had never been repaired.

Kayn was hesitant at first but it ended up coming out anyway. “She was here when that happened! We got separated and then when everything stopped she was gone. Have you seen her?”

“Really? I’m so sorry the two of you had to endure that. Those Noxians are as cruel as they come. There were a few children we found that survived. They ended up leaving but a girl stayed behind. Maybe you can ask her where this person you’re looking for went.” The old woman explained.

Kayn’s eyes widened. He suddenly got a second wind. Is it possible? Could finding you really be this easy. “Yes, please! Where can I find her?” He asked frantically looking around.

“She doesn’t live in the village anymore. She lives a bit far out in the forest. She lives alone as well, so try not to startle her.” She warned.

Kayn smiled but it wasn’t his usual devious smile that he would wear while killing Noxians. It was so hard for him to contain the excitement he had boiling inside of him when he got this news. Just when he was about to give up as well.

Kayn carefully followed the directions he was given. This woman was deeper in the forest than he thought. How could anyone "normal" live this far out and be okay with it?

He made his way through and eventually he began to realize that he was at his destination. It was a small neat cottage next to a small pond some yards away.

At first, he saw no one, so he had tread along the cobblestone path quietly. The pit in his stomach was very present and it made him nervous. Rhaast could sense this and only laugh at how silly he looked.

Then Kayn had heard faint water sounds.

Someone was at the pond nearby!

When he got there, he saw a small, young woman. She was covered in scars and wore a simple white dress and a sun hat as she gathered water from the pond below.

She must have not heard Kayn’s footsteps because she has not acknowledged his presence at all.

“Excuse me.”

Kayn’s voice visible startled the woman, causing her to knock over the bucket she had been putting clean water into. She quickly turned around and was immediately frightened.

“I’m looking for a woman...” His sentence was unable to be finished once your eyes met. It’s like he had already known.

The skin, the hair, the eyes. It was you. You were alive!

“(y/n)? You were here all this time?” His knees became weak and he collapsed to the ground at the realization.

“Who are you? I don’t know you!” You furrowed your eyebrows at him, upset at this man for disturbing you at your cottage.

“It’s me, Kayn! Don’t you remember?” A satisfied look dressed his face gracefully as he dropped Rhaast and slowly began crawling toward you.

“No! You’re not Kayn. He’s dead. If you’ve come to kill me just do it already!” You closed your eyes and kicked, sending you back and further away from him. You could feel the water of the pond touching the edge of your palms.

“No, I never died, I’ve always been here. I thought I was the only survivor. Trust me! I taught you how to fight- at the camp, remember?” You could hear the speak of desperation in his voice.

Did you really believe he left you behind like that?

You opened your eyes and really looked at him. He did have black hair and the same color eyes but his body was different. It was...demonic.

“What happened to you...?” Your voice was soft. “I thought you died and that’s why you couldn’t-” you cut yourself off with a choked sob.

Ever since that day you’ve been so alone. The only person that really understood you, you believed to be dead and gone. You had even been trying to move on but then he suddenly appears, unharmed.

“This weapon. It’s special but we can talk about it later. I’m not what’s important right now. I’ve been looking for you ever since we’ve been separated.” He started. “If only I knew this village was still standing. I would’ve come sooner.”

To Kayn, you looked so different but he was able to tell that it was still you. You were so...beautiful. Just as small and fragile but with a strong will to live.

“You were looking for me? I’m sorry. I thought you were dead. I-If I knew, I would’ve tried...” you then mumbled something Kayn couldn’t hear. You were so shy.

Your eyes were glossy like you wanted to cry. So soft and delicate but you were covered in scars that only a warrior could have. You were truly so unique. Too kind for this world.

This was all too much for you. Maybe he should think of something else to talk about that would help since this was a lot for both of you.

“This is your house? So this is where you’ve been hiding out all this time. We should go inside.” He remarked.

“O-Oh, well, okay.” You stood up and grabbed the bucket. Despite knowing Kayn was alive, a sad, sunken look graced your features.

It had been a very long time since you two have been together but it seemed like something more recent was troubling you.

“When we go inside, please remove your shoes. I try really hard to keep dirt and dust outside.” You told him and he did as he was told.

It was so warm inside and the lingering smell of baked goods and cinnamon filled his nostrils. Were you really living here all by yourself?

“S-So, I’ve been wondering.” You touched your index fingers and looked slightly off to the side as he stood in front of you.

A blank look covered his face, confused at your sudden urge to speak to him, but it was welcomed with a curious silence.

“Where did you go? You were...nowhere to be found...when I needed you.”

“There were too many!” He blurted out. “I heard you but I couldn’t get to you. Please don’t think I abandoned you. I’m here now.”

You gasped at his sudden outburst but then sighed when you had processed what he had said. “You can sit if you want.”

The two of you sat on the couch together, drinking a homemade drink you had made. You held your cup but didn’t drink.

“And you?” Kayn broke the silence.

“Huh?”

“You asked what happened to me and I wanted to know what happened to you.”

You frowned. “No, I meant what happened with you being gone for so long. I figured that you died but you’re here. What were you doing all this time?”

“Oh, I...” should he tell you? Was it against Master Zed’s rules to disclose something like that? He couldn’t t...

No. You were more important than some old man’s rules. He was going to be the new leader anyway and in his new vision for the Order of the Shadow, you’re there with him.

“I have been training with a group called the Order of the Shadow. I’ve been with them ever since.” He said with confidence.

“Are they responsible for what happened to your body?” You pointed out that the left side of his body was different.

“In a way, yes. But it’s not by force. I have a great plan and me looking like this won’t last for long.” He explained. This didn’t make you feel better at all.

“I see.” That was all you said in response.

“When I lost you,” you had begun, clenching the drink you had made. “I was surrounded by a lot of men. I had already killed so many of them but I was tired, I couldn’t fight anymore.”

“I-I feel so bad.” You saw the glass on the table and grabbed your head. The memories of gore and bloodshed etched into your brain, haunting you every moment of your life. “They were just trying to help me and I hurt them.”

Kayn didn’t know why but he felt like he should comfort you somehow and he did. He rested a hand in your shoulder. “It’s not your fault. A lot happened that day. They probably would have killed you. You were just defending yourself.”

“NO!” You yelled. “I stabbed one of them because I was scared. Then I was knocked out by the other. When I woke up I was in someone’s home. They took care of me and the person I stabbed died. I’m such a horrible human.”

“Don’t say that! You’re amazing. It was war and you were scared. I’m here for you.”

Your breathing began getting out of control. You were a monster. You destroyed so many people's lives and took lives that can never be brought back.

“Why did I have to live?” Hot tears began spilling out of your eyes. “They were innocent people.”

Kayn was at a loss for words. You were right, they were innocent people but you were too. It was just an unfortunate situation in the wake of war. He had no idea how to comfort a person in such a complex situation.

He hugged you, squeezing you and letting you sob into his chest. He felt so bad. You were hurting all this time...alone.

“Those who’ve died will forgive you. You were forced into this life. You had no bad intentions. Please understand that you live for a reason. Think about it. The two of us were in a horrible situation where we both could have died.”

Your sobbing had ceased, but only just a little. “But here we are, alive and together. Sole survivors.”

“Growing from this won’t be easy but you aren’t alone anymore.” He added.

You clenched onto him. “Ever since that day, it’s been so hard for me to form a real connection with someone. I’m so glad you lived.” You shyly reached your hand up to his face.

His skin was soft and although he didn’t expect this, he didn’t pull away from you. “You’ve grown so much and you’re so capable. I’m very proud of you.” You’re leaned forward and pressed your forehead against his.

Kayn didn’t know what this feeling was. It was almost like nervousness with a bit of excitement. All this time he’s missed your voice and caring nature. He was naturally drawn to you and you were to him. He was your only family.

“I love you, Shieda.”

Kayn immediately kissed you. You weren’t surprised at all. You kissed him back and he held you close.

Tears, of sadness of your pain and the joy of being with Kayn again, streamed down your soft cheeks. A hole inside of you was filled and now you could begin healing mentally and emotionally.

[liquid-luck-00]

Seven Deadly Sins x Maribat

Medieval Au

@maribat-bdbwm

Based on this idea

~~~~~~~~~~

Ten years ago.

On the outskirts of the city of Liones, of the capital of the country Liones, in the land of Britannia, homes destroyed, and countless holy knights laid butchered in the streets.

That day will go down in history for its infamy, the day the Seven Deadly Sins betrayed the country of Liones.

---

This is a tale of ancient times, an era before the human and non-human worlds were forever divided. When the Holy Knights, defended the realm, wielding their magical powers they were feared and highly respected. But among them a group emerged, that betrayed the kingdom, and became mortal enemies to all Holy Knights. They were known throughout the land as the Seven Deadly Sins.

---

Present day.

Near the Kaynes Village, there was a new tavern that was a buzz with customers.

“Here you go, drink up.” A young girl placed five steins of ale on the table. She had dark black hair that shown blue, pulled into twin pigtails by two pink ribbons, and bangs that framed her face and blue eyes. She wore a collared off-white shirt under a black vest with green panels. A pink skirt over leggings that reached halfway down her calf. And wore black and green boots. As more people come in, she directs them all with a smile.

“For a little lady, she is one hard working waitress.” A customer acknowledges.

“Oh no, I’m not the waiter, Buddy” She turns around. “I’m the owner of this place.” She turns to walk away.

“She’s the owner?!? A young kid like that.” But she doesn’t hear them.

“Alright, fresh from the oven. The meat pie that made the Boar Hat famous. Enjoy.” Three patrons dug into the pie, and promptly got sick. “You should have known. Our reputation is for having really good booze, but the food not so much.” She said with a completely straight face.

“Are trying to mess with us you little punk.” One shouted ready to fight.

“Wait guys, she’s packing a sword.” Another of the three pointed out. The handle was an emerald green and looked like a dragon with ruby eyes.

“Well, you guys, looks like we have a problem.” Her smile fell and she snapped her fingers. “Now let’s fix it.”

“Come on you call that a mess.” Out trotted a shiny black pig, wearing an earring tag. “Really what do you need me for?”

“Wait!!! That pig. He’s talking.”

“Yes, I’m a talking pig, what a bunch of dum-dums.”

“Plagg, we need to get this floor cleaned.” She spoke.

“Ugh, what a hassle.” Plagg complained. “Scrap disposal is a tough business.” He ate leaving, but before he did, he retorted. “Next time there better be some decent sized scraps.”

“You know I have an old family recipe for whole roasted hog.” She spoke to no one in particular, but with a deadpanned expression. Which changed Plagg’s tune quickly.

Then someone barged in. “I saw it. I really saw it.” He sat down. “I swear to all that is holy. I saw the wandering Rust Knight.”

“That’s just a made-up story, like how parents get their kids to stop misbehaving. The Seven Deadly Sins will come in blood rusted armor, oooh ahhh.”

“The Seven Deadly Sins?” She asks from behind the bar.

“You’ve never heard of them? They’re wanted posters are hanging everywhere, like those over there.”

She looks at the board and there were seven faces and seven names. Marinette, Chloe, Adrien, Luka, Felix, Lila, and Kagami.

“How long has it been? Ten years. When all those holy knights were slaughtered so fast, they couldn’t defend themselves. It was the Seven Deadly Sins that did it. From what I've been told the way the holy Knights’ grandmaster was killed was too gruesome for anyone to look at.” They began to talk amongst themselves.

“They say their captain, Marinette, is the scariest of them all. It's even said that she's brought down whole countries on her own.” Everything went quiet.

Until another patron spoke up. “Well none of them have been caught yet have not a single one.”

“They’re dead, they have to be the new Holy Knights would never let them live after what they've done.”

“Yeah you've got a point even now with the kings sick. The Holy Knights are making sure that the Kingdom stays safe for all its people. But those notices up on the board get updated every single year. Doesn’t that mean those seven criminals are still out there?”

“Yeah well some spooky knight walking around in rusty armor sounds pretty ridiculous to me.”

“You’re right.”

A crash, scraping, and banging was heard just outside the Tavern door.

“That smells an awful lot like rust to me.” Plagg sniffed the air and then cowered behind the counter.

The door opened and there stood the rusted knight. “The Seven Deadly Sins…” Hhe moaned as he entered the Tavern.

Screaming, panic, and everyone rushing out of the Tavern ensued. Fleeing from the rusted knight.

The girl jumped over the counter and stood her ground defiantly looking at the Rust knight. “Now who are you?”

The Rust knight swayed and then fell to the ground collapsed. His helmet rolled off of him. And then they saw his face, his eyes shut tight in the pain and exhaustion, his black hair short and messy stuck to his face from the sweat. And he wore a singular earring, a true blue engraved with something in red and gold.

“This kid is one of the Seven Deadly Sins?” Plagg asked the girl, and they took him up to the room taking the armor off of him. “He's just a boy.”

“Let’s just make sure.” The girl went up to the boy and started poking him first on his thigh, then his stomached, his bicep, she was leaning over him and was about to poke his cheek when his eyes flew open. “Yep, he's a boy.”

“Um, pardon me but what am I doing here?” He was quiet and soft spoken.

“Oh yeah you came into my bar then you passed out cold.”

“Your bar?”

“Yeah, the Boar Hat, my Tavern.”

“You’re the owner?”

“Is that so weird?”

“I just saw that sword, so I naturally assumed.”

“Oh, this old thing.” She motioned and pulled the sword from its scabbard. “Ha ha ha. Yeah, I guess if you only see the handle, it can fool ya huh.” All that rose up and out with her hand was the handle and a small stub was left of the blade, which was practically worthless in a fight. “It makes guests think twice about skipping out on their tabs.” She put the sword handle back into its scabbard on her back.

Which was when they moved downstairs to the raven again. Marinette cooked up something for the boy, and set the plate in front of him.

“First you nurse me back to health, now you're feeding me, how can I possibly thank you enough.” He barely choked out.

“First before saying thanks you should probably try the food first.” Plagg’s nasally voice cut into his words.

“What do you think? Awful isn't it.” She leaned down on the bar now watching him eat with a grin on her face.

“Yes.” He responded.

Which caused both her and Plagg to respond in unison. “Knew it was.”

But then something shocked them, he started to cry.

“Still its delicious.” Tears fell down his face.

“So what exactly were you doing walking around in that old armor, anyways?” She asked the boy.

“I'm on a personal quest to find the Seven Deadly Sins.” He answered.

“Why would you do that? You don’t even know if those guys are even still alive or not, and they’re serious villains.” Plagg reasoned.

That was when banging was heard on the tavern door, knights banged on the door, and ordered them to open up for them.

That was when she noticed the boy got slightly afraid at the mention of Knights.

After a moment of the Knights bickering to themselves, that gave her just enough time to think. She went and opened the door.

“Who are you?” One of the Knights asked her as she opened the door.

“I'm the owner of this place. What do you want?” She was relaxed.

“The Rust Knight is in there, send him out!” The same knight answered.

“Alright.” She turned around and looked back. “You might want to come out now.”

They all looked past her and saw Plagg dressed in the armor that the boy was wearing walk out.

“You have some nerve mocking the Knights of this land like this.” He grabbed her by the shirt and lifted her up off the ground. She was small, sure but he still held her up a meter off the ground.

That’s when the boy had snuck out of the back and made a run for it into the forest. Unfortunately, he was seen. “Look a boy just ran out, after him.”

The knight threw her back to the ground and she and Plagg shared a worried look.

The two of them ran after the boy and the Knights, Plagg mowed down, tackling each and every one, while she went after the boy. The last knight got pushed down off of the cliff at the edge of the forest by Plagg. While she and the boy were safely out of the way in one of the trees at the edge.

“So why are you looking for the Seven Deadly Sins anyways?” She asked him once they were back on the ground.

“To stop the Holy Knights.” He answered.

“Are you serious!! Why in the world would you wanna do that?” Plagg exclaimed. “The Holy Knights are the king’s men, the knights are here to protect us they are heroes.”

“But what if they were behind a plot to start a war in our country. Except for the king himself, the entire royal family was arrested and is being held by the Holy Knights.”

“Does that mean the king isn't really sick in bed?” Plagg asked the boy.

“That’s just a cover story the Holy Knights are using. I don't know what they think they can accomplish by driving the nation to war, but now they're drafting people. Taking men wherever they can get them they're preparing for war everywhere you look. So their reach will even extend all the way out here.” He shook his head.

“Yeah tough break, huh?” She finally responded.

“Wow you don't have any empathy at all. How does this tie back to the Seven Deadly Sins again?” Plagg shook his head.

“If there's even the slightest hope of preventing the Holy Knights from doing this. I know they're the only ones who can.” He was resolute.

“Just checking here.” She Butt in again. “You’re trying to find those guys even though you know what kind of people they are?”

“The Seven Deadly Sins are the most vile Order of Knights the Kingdom ever produced, made up of seven vicious bloodthirsty criminals each one branded with the mark of the beast. Ten years ago when they were suspected of trying to overthrow the Kingdom the Knights of the realm launched a full force attack scattering them to the four winds.”

“Well if you believe the rumors they each died a long time ago.” She spoke distractedly.

“Such amazing people wouldn't possibly let themselves get killed!”

“But they are criminals aren't they causing the suffering of the people right now?” She asked confused.

“When I was small, only five or six years old, my father would tell me stories about them and that's when I learned they are the most powerful Knights!”

A rumbling was heard and then the edge of the cliff they were on started to crumble and fall beneath them, dropping them down.

“I did not confirm whether or not they were people named in the report. Conclusion two individuals of unknown origin dead. What do you think men that sounds about right?” A man wearing red armor, silver grey hair and mustache.

“But Sir Twiggle, one of our knights was still under the cliff.”

“Simply put three fatalities in the report then.” Twiggle answered haughtily.

“But Sir, you can't! That’s too far even for you”

“How about seven fatalities instead?” The knight in red armor moved towards the rest of his men, but that was also when she jumped back up on to the cliff with not only the boy and Plagg in her arms but also the knight who fell.

“When I give a signal to you run into the forest got it.” She spoke quietly to the boy.

“Which one of them would you believe to be a member of the Seven Deadly Sins. Neither bears any resemblance to the wanted posters?” He then noticed something. “God is smiling upon me today, the crystal earring you're wearing is from the royal family. Conclusion you are Prince Jonathan!”

“Wait hold on Prince Jonathan?” The knights shouted.

“You're a Prince?” She added softly.

“Orders from the Capital are to determine your whereabouts. the order was to capture you alive and in healthy condition, but if you lost your life in an unfortunate accident…” Twiggle spoke aloud.

“I can't allow myself to get captured not yet!”

“Conclusion accidental death.” Sir Twiggle let off a shockwave of air magic chopping the entire forest down to the ground.

“Hi there, you alright?” She had pulled him down and covered him from the blast. “Plagg?”

“Seriously I'm a shaved pork on a skewer.” He cried. A single small little twig had splintered in his back. And he went off crying and screaming Tikki.

Johnathan stood and started to walk towards Twiggle. “Johnathan. Hey! What are you doing?” She called after him.

“There’s no escape.”

“Wait hang on you just said you couldn't afford to be caught or to give up.”

“Maybe if I surrender myself peacefully, he'll agree to take me back with him and your life can be spared.”

Sir Twiggle sent off another blast cutting into everything again, but she was able to tackle him out of the way just in time.

“Please get out of here while you still can.” He begged her.

“I think he wants to make sure neither one of us gets out of here alive.” She noticed as She was above him once more. After the attack ensuring he was fine yet again, the only real damage done to her, and that was her left sleeve was completely torn revealing her entire arm from shoulder to fingers. A mark barely visible on her shoulder.

“I was so happy when I met you. Searching for the Seven Deadly Sins, I so scared alone in that rusty armor. There wasn't any help I could ask for. Then you show up and show me such kindness, someone that you've never met before. I don't wanna see you hurt my problems anymore when I don’t even know your name.”

Memories flashed behind her eyes and a smile spread on her lips.

“Marinette. If you really wanna know.” She grinned from ear to ear.

“I… I don't believe it you can't be you're just.” Tears threatened to fall from his eyes.

That was when the knight who fell with them regained consciousness jumping up. “Where's the girl the one with the sword. I saw it when she saved me from the cliff the symbol it was right there. The symbol on her shoulder it… it… it’s her.”

Sir Twiggle struck again now closer, right on top of them. The magic was unleashed but Marinette stood up and was now facing the Knight.

“How is this possible? My technique was flawless I am certain my blade struck her!” Twiggle began to look even more and more frazzled. “But I was the one who felt the force of the blow. How could it have hit me?! And what is that in your hand?! A broken blade! Broken blade… now your face is beginning to look familiar. Truly it can’t! How can you look exactly the same as you did then?!? No matter your time's up! How dare you still exist!”

Their blades clashed their magic erupted, which sent Twiggle and his men flying high, high into the sky almost like a meteorite.

“Extraordinary power.” Johnathan breathed.

“Captain of the Seven Deadly Sins, the Dragon sin of Wrath, Marinette.” She announced.

~~~~~~~~~~

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[riftimagines]

Thanksgiving Headcanons

I live! At least for the Holidays XD. Anyway I’ve done some Thanksgiving Headcanons. I did some Sylas and Morgana because a lot of you have asked for them and I haven’t gotten to them so uh here’s some content for them XD I hope you enjoy!

Kayn

-Food? A lot of food? He’ll be there immediately for that. This one is basically a bottomless pit you’d think he has a void for a stomach. Where it all goes? You have no idea but you will notice as your cooking that some of your ingredients might be a little short or when one dish is done some of it is missing by the time dinner comes around. Damn ninja skills keep you from catching him but you know it’s him. The cheeky look on his face tells you enough.

-He does kinda like cutting the vegetables. It gives him an opportunity to show off his knife skills. By knife skills I mean flipping and twirling a knife in a way that looks like he’ll cut his fingers off and gives you anxiety to watch. The little shit that he his will laugh as you panic when he speed chops or seems like he’ll hurt himself or you. He does know what he’s doing though so no worries. He’s just a bit of an ass sometimes.

-With Thanksgiving comes not only food but family as well. Kayn’s family mostly being Zed and he is...well Zed. He’s stoic and intimidating for the most part. It’s actually kind of unnerving when he just sits there and watches you both. He very much so is just like a shadow lingering in the room watching but not really acting. Truth is he probably isn’t entirely sure what to do and doesn’t want to interrupt your hard work cooking there. He might finally move when he’s caught Kayn sneaking too much food and stop him in the act, slightly embarrassing Kayn in the process.

-He likes the holiday overall. It’s nice to spend time with those that actually mean something to him and it’s kind of nice to do something normal. At least for a day. Though perhaps he shouldn’t have eaten so much. He could really use a nap and a sweet love to snuggle with.

Akali

-She is so here for the cooking. Eating it is great but spending time with you and messing around making great dishes is the best. It’s fun to learn what you make and teaching you what she makes. In the end some dishes can even be mixed together to make a fusion that is uniquely your own and that definitely puts a light in her eyes.

-Her family of course is coming over, no debates. She won’t take no for an answer from anyone and will drag Shen and Kennen to dinner if she has to. It’s a family holiday! The balance can wait till tomorrow! She and her heartlight went through all the trouble to make a nice meal and they will eat it damn it! It’s both hilarious and terrifying to watch her pull the literal wall of muscle that is Shen towards the house all while telling him to screw the rules and take a break.

-Shen and Kennen are fairly calm company. It’s Akali that likes to stir the excitement. Usually by telling you old embarrassing stories or rumors she’s heard about Shen. To which he promptly denies or corrects which annoys Akali just a little because she’s trying to stoke some feeling out of him. It’ll get to the point she’ll start flicking food at him. At first she’ll just be chastised for doing so until something just breaks and Akali gets a very accurate shot of mashed potato launched at her forehead. It’s probably the first time you’ll see a small smile on the stoic eye of twilight and it really is hard not to laugh at Akali’s gripping.

-The holiday is actually pretty nice, even if she has to force her family to chill out for a day. She’s happy to wind down the day with you, some pie and maybe some tea while enjoying the cool nights breeze. This is really nice. Can you both do this all the time?

Sylas

-Is admittedly a bit overwhelmed by the sheer amount of food on this holiday. As someone who starved or ate moldy bread and rats it’s just so much. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t want to try everything and is absolutely sure everything is as heavenly as it smells. Anything is better then wet rats honestly.

-Feels a bit bad about having all this food for just you two. He’d probably want to invite people who are less fortunate to join you both. Especially poor mage families with children. No children should starve on a day for feasting. He could not bare to watch them suffer as he did.

-Even though he has no family of his own anymore he’s very happy to share this day with you and all these people. To see everyone eat and be merry. No prejudice. No status. No war. Just peace and happiness. It’s exactly what he wants to strive for. A world where everyone is equal no matter where they came from or who they are.

-He is very grateful to you for introducing him to this holiday. War is all well and good but it is so nice to remember what he’s fighting for and that it is possible to achieve his goal. For now though he’d just like to enjoy the day with you and show you how much you mean to him.

Morgana

-Ah a holiday celebrating family and togetherness. Such a lovely mortal holiday and truly one to be celebrated. She isn’t the best at normal cooking but she’s pretty good at baking! She’s happy to make a pie or some cookies for dessert. Otherwise she does need your help with everything else.

-She’s happy to let you try what she’s making and she’ll try what your making too. To be fair of course. It really warms her heart whenever your face lights up from something she’s made. Not only are you absolutely adorable but it makes her feel like all the lights from the heavens are shining on her once more when you been at her in joy. She did not think she was capable of giving light anymore and she is glad she’s wrong.

-Family is...a sore subject for her. A part of her wishes she could celebrate this day with Kayle. To be a family. To love again as sisters should, but that’s just a dream that will never come to fruition. She would be more down but she’s not alone. She has you! With all your mortal joy and love. Making her feel more joy now then the centuries she’s spent alone.

-She has enjoyed this day tremendously with you. You are wonderful to her in all your quirks and imperfections. You are all she could ask for. A person to love and to revive love back and for that on this day she can truly be grateful.

[heckinhacker]

Vi/Kayn for the S/O headcanons? If you are still taking them

Vi and Kayn x S/O - dating headcanons

Vi:

She loooooooves spending time with you!

Everytime she’s out on patrol and you just start walking beside her without warning her you’ll come…

or She just hangs around in police station and you come in with some donuts, hot coffee and your warm smile,

She enjoys it wholeheartedly, no matter how others would look at it.

She never cared or will care about others opinion, so she’s fine with making some co-workers think she’s slacking off - she never does that. She just makes sure to split her time for you and work so it’s fair.

She’s really loving and romantic girlfriend, passionate too. 

When you’re near her when Jinx goes apeshit, she makes sure you’re safe before doing anything else, she just can’t let this psycho hurt you. 

Being on that topic, she’s tots overprotective. 

Someone made you uncomfortable? Smash that idiot. Someone said something what made you sad? They won’t survive this one hell of a punch. 

She can be impulsive and fights will appear in your relationship, but don’t worry! Even if she was right morally, she had no right to shout and that’s true - she will always apologize. 

She gets you stuff from time to time - from some normal chocolates/flowers/jewellery to bizzare stuff like ‘I found this in Zaun you might like it’ ‘I heard that if you give that to someone you love then they will never leave you so here…’ etc. She just thinks about you a lot. 

She tries to keep you entertained and makes sure that you’re always left feeling loved no matter where she is. 

She takes you on a date - sometimes more often, like between dates she gives you 3 days of break, and sometimes she’s forced to stop with taking you out so often so date is once a week.

Honestly she spoils you, depends on you if you see it as something good or not. 

Kayn: 

Maybe he did agree on dating with you, but he’s as distanced as he can. Maybe he’s closer to you, but still  you see his hesitance. 

You see difference, since he jokes around you much more than around others, he is more honest with you about how he’s feeling or doing, but…

When it comes to affection, he just seems to avoid it, you have no clue if it’s on purpose or not. 

When you tell him you think he’s avoiding you that way, he feels bad. He noticed that too, but didn’t knew it bothered you that much.

He promises to change that and tries, but you have to take slow steps for him, so it’s easier. 

You perfectly knew Rhaast tries to convince him that you only feel pity for him and try to force him to break up with you, but you regularly check on Kayn if he’s still on right place of mind or not. 

You try to make him win with Rhaast in every way possible, even small things keeping his spirits high are enough.

Rhaast hates you for that. 

Kayn gives you rarely gifts, but when he does, he just hands it to you, saying quiet ‘for you’, embarrassed and worried you wouldn’t like it. 

Dates are mostly made by you, but he tries his best to arrange some meeting too. 

Not every date was successful but you both love each other and you can make it through difficulties.

[tvdversefanfiction]

Origins of Magic

Warnings: I do not own the rights to the television series “The Originals”, “Vampire Diaries”, or “Legacies” and do not own any of the characters within the TVD universe, I am making no profit from this and have no intention for this fanfiction series except for readers to enjoy. 15+ Mild to Strong Violence, Strong Language, Witchcraft, sexual scenes, and sexual references. F/F, F/M, M/M, Other.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN HERE

Chapter 15 - Black Christmas

The Day Before Christmas

Kayne Black and his older brother Magnus had spent a long time travelling the world together in the hopes of finding a lead of where Magnus’ missing part was as Kayne hoped to restore his brother to his former glory, despite Magnus’ distrust of his younger brother. Both brothers grew more and more frustrated with the lack of results which continued to strain their already fragile relationship leading to many fallouts between them as they continued their search. “So, in other words you are of no use to me!” Kayne complained as he lifted his right hand and magically snapped the neck of a male witch, the witch falling to the dirt within the woods completely lifeless, as Magnus stood behind his brother, far from amused by his antics. “Did you really have to kill him?” Magnus asked his younger brother. “Look at you, building up a conscious, tell me brother where was these morals when you burned me alive?” Kayne asked rhetorically, before going on to say. “He knew nothing which meant he was completely useless to me and if he lived, he’d let word slip about our family’s plan to restore ourselves at the top of the food chain…I mean it is bad enough the originals know our secrets let alone the witches we created.” “I just think if we ever want to be considered royalty among the witches again then we probably should not go around killing them all.” Magnus argued. “It also does not help you’ve spent centuries massacring them to prolong your life all these years.” “Oh Magnus, I am fond of the witches and their creations but do not get me wrong for one moment I’d rather die than play kings and queens with you and our sisters again…yes I want you all restored like me, but I’m done playing witch games.” Kayne explained to his older brother. “Once we are all restored, we can finally be us…that is the only gift we need, not illusions of some kingdom.” “So, your big master plan is to give the four most power hungry beings in the world even more power and then expect none of us all to do something with this power?” Magnus asked him, unable to find any logic in his brother’s plans. “I honestly never thought about it like that…” Kayne admitted, beginning to rethink his plans for a moment. “No, once all your memories are returned you will see the truth.” “Maybe but tell me how much the truth has changed who you are?” Magnus questioned his brother, believing his brother was no different than before having his full memories restored.

Annabella Black had once again found herself alone, having been months since she had seen her siblings or anyone else, she knew, as she had now found herself spending all her time desperately searching for a lead towards finding a key to restoring herself despite constant dead ends and little to nothing to go on and she was beginning to think it was time to quit her search like her younger sister Primrose had done already. “You’re spending Christmas with Kol and his human family?” Bella said in shock, while sitting on a bench within a busy street in the French Quarter of New Orleans and on the phone to her sister Rose. “Wait…their leaving you alone with children…if you need me to cast a spell, I could be there…you sure you have it…yeah okay…” Before Bella could begin to utter any more words on the phone call, her sister had hung up, making it clear to Bella that she was far from forgiven for all her manipulations and lies over the centuries, to which she could not blame her sister for but still it sucked not being needed by her and since Kayne was currently more powerful than them all it is not like he needed her. Which is why Bella found herself back in New Orleans hoping to get a glance of Rebekah, the only person outside of her siblings that meant anything to her, hoping to see her or even to share a conversation with the original female vampire, anything to make her feel any less alone during Christmas time but sadly alone is what she would be, having not known no Mikaelson was currently in the city, as all were attending Hope’s wedding in Mystic Falls. “So, I’ve been trying to work out who you were since you first came to my city a few days ago and then the rumour mill quickly got spilling the secrets of your rather complicated family tree.” Marcel stated after speeding his way to now stand in front of the powerful witch. “Are you the one whose as crazy as Kol or the one who had something with Rebekah? I know you’re not the one who had something going on with Klaus…” “I’m Annabella Black and judging by the amount of power I can feel coming from you and how it is somehow stronger than that of an original tells me you are Marcel Gerard.” Bella replied as she stood up to face the upgraded original. “I was believed to think you had abandoned New Orleans after your brief marriage to Rebekah Mikaelson.” “I took a break from the family yeah, but I never took a break from this city.” Marcel admitted to her. “Although even I know there’s no Mikaelsons in town as my sort of sister Hope is getting married right about now.” “I got that message, a little late but still the message has been received.” Bella told him, trying to hide her sadness over missing Rebekah. “This is going to sound out of the blue but…how would you like to spend Christmas with me?” Marcel asked the bewitching beauty, shocking her by the invitation. “I can tell a lonely face and it just so happens I am also lonely this Christmas…nothing sinister I promise, just consider it a thank you from me for bringing black Klaus heck I’m even a little grateful you brought back Elijah.” “Connections with the Mikaelsons are never straight forward.” Bella laughed, before going on to say with great sarcasm. “Two exes of the same woman spending Christmas together…what could possibly go wrong?”

The Night Before Christmas

Kayne walked into the twin hotel room of which he was sharing with his brother Magnus in Jefferson City, shocked to see no sign of Magnus whatsoever, catching on quickly as he noticed a note left on one of the beds, as he walked over picked it up and began reading what his older brother had to say to himself, which simply read one word, that word saying bye, much to Kayne’s dismay and frustration. “Sometimes when someone burns you alive you should just call it quits trying to make that family bond work.” Klaus announced after vamp speeding into the room. “I am truly sorry you have a brother foolish enough to ever want to leave your side.” “It’s what people do…centuries go by, sights change, empires change, people change, but one thing that never changes is they always leave.” Kayne admitted, as he threw the note back on to the bed. “Is your daughter not getting married today? For some mad reason Rose is on babysitting duties…I know this because the crazy bitch tried to get me to help her like I would be any better with children.” “The wedding has come and gone, and I should be in Mystic Falls still but after the reception I decided to get my eldest sister Freya to do a location spell on you, I’ve tried for her to find you a million times but only now it seemed to work.” Klaus revealed to him. “And with you being so close to Mystic Falls I could not help but pay you a visit.” “Well as out of the blue this is, my family is no longer paired with yours since I took down the supreme bitch, so, I am just going to and if I were you, I would not try stopping me.” Kayne warned him as he began to walk past him only for Klaus to grab him by the arm. “After everything we have been through you did not care to tell me goodbye when you left New Orleans and still you cannot say goodbye to me now.” Klaus said, as he pulled Kayne’s body closer into his. “All I came here for was a simple…goodbye.” “Goodbye.” Kayne breathed, as he struggled to restrain himself from kissing Klaus then and there, as the feeling of the original hybrid’s body pressed up against his felt as good as it did centuries ago, struggling to contain his longing for him as Klaus began looking deep into his eyes, realizing Klaus wanted the same as his. “I have changed my mind,” Klaus replied with a sly smirk before gently kissing Kayne on the lips. “I do not want to ever say goodbye to you again!” Suddenly the power witch and the original hybrid’s bodies began crashing against each other’s, the two kissing passionately while tearing at each other’s clothes, and beginning to make their way over to the nearest twin bed, longing to make love to each other, longing to rekindle a love they had started many, many, years ago.

Christmas Day

Bella never knew exactly why she accept Marcel’s invite to join him for Christmas, maybe the idea of being a lone for yet another year was too much for her to take, maybe she wanted Rebekah to learn she was spending Christmas with her ex-husband or maybe she was simply happy to put a face to the name of the self-made upgraded original vampire whose charm was only matched by his deadliness. “If you have brought me here to try and take me out than you’re a very brave but very stupid man!” Bella warned Marcel as she walked into the living room of her New Orleans apartment wearing a tight fitted black dress, only to find Marcel stood there holding two glasses of champagne. “I meant what I said when I invited you here…there is no need for us to both be lonely.” Marcel replied as he handed one of the glasses of champagne to Bella. “Yes, I heard that line just yesterday but considering your ties are still pretty tight with the Mikaelsons I fail to see why you did not go to Mystic Falls with the rest of them.” Bella questioned him as she took a drink from her glass. “No poisons other than alcohol…I am surprised.” “I’m not in Mystic Falls for the very same reason that you are in New Orleans Annabella Black.” Marcel admitted to her. “When you love a woman like Rebekah Mikaelson you cannot stop…even when you realize you can never be with her…I choose to handle that knowledge by avoiding her, you did too for a long time, but I guess curiosity brought you back once again, to which I too have found myself falling to.” “The girl whose heart always gets broken does not realize how many hearts of her own she has broken.” Bella responded with a sly smirk as she finished her glass. “I did not agree to this invitation to speak of Rebekah or even to celebrate Christmas…” “Then why did you come here? As if we both do not already know.” Marcel questioned her, while knowing damn fine what the witch was doing in his apartment. Bella Black was done feeling lonely at the loneliest time of the year and Marcel looked like a real hunk of the man, she could see what Rebekah had seen in this fine specimen and in that moment, she decided to explore more of him but before she could make the first move, Marcel had stolen a kiss from her lips. The two shared a knowing smile before continuing to kiss each other passionately, crashing their way to the couch before Bella threw him down on it and climbed onto the upgraded original, ready to unwrap her unexpected Christmas gift.

Rose Black was known for many things, none of them particularly pleasant and instead of showing any signs of shame the witch was delighted and proud of the name she had made for herself and the fear she struck in others, a fear that she believed she had worked hard to earn. So, when her only friend in the entire world Kol Mikaelson requested her presence she was quick to accept, having given up on her plans for restoration, the woman was ready to do some wicked deeds with the original vampire but upon her arrival to San Francisco she quickly learned her duties were needed for babysitting. “I cannot thank you enough for keeping my three unruly girls alive during our little trip to Mystic Falls on Christmas Eve.” Kol thanked Rose as he walked into the kitchen of his and Davina’s San Francisco home, as Rose stood in the kitchen drinking a glass of rose wine. “To be honest I have never been more terrified in my life and I was literally just almost burned at the stake…but they were actually rather amusing minus the dreaded Disney reruns I actually found myself enjoying their company.” Rose reluctantly admitted before taking a drink from her glass. “I think I actually want to be a mother!” “Well, I will give you something Primrose,” Kol said, while in a state of shock by Rose’s revelation. “You never know what to expect from you.” “I just need to find a single human whose seed I can tolerate enough to impregnate me…problem is I’ve not liked a single human in centuries!” Rose said before downing her glass of wine. “I mean if you can parent a child, I am sure I will raise the perfect little psychopath that will make mama real proud.” Rose Black never expected to become a babysitter but then she did and after spending Christmas with Kol, Davina and their three children she found herself lifted by the spirit of Christmas, suddenly ready to begin a path towards motherhood.

As Klaus woke up from his slumber, naked but for a sheet, he was shocked to see no sign of Kayne but after a few moments he heard the shower running which prompted the original hybrid to stand up from the twin bed, wrapping the sheet around himself before walking into the hotel bathroom ready for another round with his long-lost lover, only to be left shocked to find no-one there much to his disappointment. Within mere moments Klaus heard the vibrating from his mobile phone ringing and vamp sped his way back into the hotel room, picking up the phone and instantly answering it. “I truly am sorry for leaving in such haste Niklaus, but you see I fell for you once before and I cannot make another mistake like that again.” Kayne said across the phone to a stunned and hurt Klaus. “I know your not the same man you were back then, but neither am I and I’m afraid sooner or later your going to realize the person I am to you now is not some lost love but a foe and when that day comes, when we are reunited remember the hurt you feel now, the hurt you made me once feel…then prepare for war!”

[runenc03]

Everything has changed

Writing date: December 2018

Genre: fluff (at least I think it's still qualified as fluff)

Warnings: Kissing ;)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scene 13, corridor, near the lockers

Synopsis: Billy walks through the corridor to his next class. He sees that Ivy is getting bullied and stands up for her.

  Billy: Looks shocked when he sees the boys surrounding Ivy. Walks faster towards them.

"Hey! Don't you dare bothering her!"

  Ivy: looks at Billy with a vulnerable expression. In slightly stuttering voice:

"No, Billy, I- I'm okay"

  Billy: looks angry at the bullies. "Dont you  dare coming near her ever again. Do I make myself clear?"  Takes Ivy by her arm and pulls her into him. Then kisses her (actors are free to improvise in this scene. The most important thing is that it looks real, so the actors are free to decide how they kiss, how long, etc...)

                                ******

  Sean's pov, 1st person

  I sighed deeply, worries clouding my mind, my brain coming up with scenarios I didn't want to imagine. I had just finished reading one of the many scenes Kaycee and I had to act in for our very first movie.

  Many months ago, I had read about an audition for a new movie. It immediately interested me, and I had convinced her to go with me. The movie was about 2 best friends, Billy and Ivy, who were in high school, and their adventures together throughout their teenage years. Not really that special, but still a good chance to start our acting career with.

  When the director had seen the way we acted around eachother while waiting for each of our turns to go into the audition room, he'd immediately asked us to go in at the same time. Apparently, he saw the chemistry we had, because we got the 2 main roles. And that's why I was sitting on the couch in our living room right now, Oreo curled up in my lap, reading one of the scenes from the movie.

  I hadn't read the script before.

  And I didn't know Kaycee and I had to kiss.

  Most people probably think that I'd have jumped at the chance to kiss her. And in all honesty, if I had had the  feelings I have for her for someone else, I probably would have.

  But I fell in love with Kaycee Rice.

  And that made everything a lot more complicated.

  You see, Kaycee's never been a big fan of physical contact, with no-one. It has taken years for us to hug without her tensing up, or me feeling guilty that I made her uncomfortable. We had worked so hard on the bond we have now, and I was afraid that being forced closer than she was comfortable with would do the exact opposite: scaring her away.

  This would ruin my entire plan.

  Yes, you heard that correctly, I had an entire plan in my head. A plan that would make her realise just how much I love her and, with a bit of luck, would make her fall in love with me. I knew not to push her, or her feelings, she was too precious to me.

  I cursed myself for taking her to that audition months ago. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have to worry about this right now. I didn't want to kiss her.

  Well, no, scratch that, of course I wanted to, I have fantasised about it for years now. I might have been the first teen ever who wasn't confused about their sexuality, or their 'type', for that matter. From the moment puberty had kicked in, I had known that I only wanted Kaycee Rice.

  You're probably wondering why I'm complaining so much about kissing her if I've had feeling for her for such a long time. Well, I've got a really logical explanation for that.

  I wanted our first kiss to be real.

  I didn't care when it happened, or where, but I wanted her to know how much emotions I would pour into that kiss, and I wanted her to do the same. I didn't want to feel what it was like to kiss her, only for us to never do it again. I wanted to feel her lips on mine with the knowledge that she wanted to because of her feelings for me, not because of some stupid script.

  I wouldn't have the chance to give her a real first kiss.

  Unless...

  My eyes immediately went back to the script laying in front of me, looking for the words I had paid no mind to a few minutes ago.

  Actors are free to improvise in this scene. The most important thing is that it looks real, so the actors are free to decide how they kiss, how long, etc...

  I sighed in relieve, my plan wouldn't go to waste after all.

  I could just give her a loving kiss on her forehead, a kiss is a kiss after all. It was the perfect solution: the directors had their kiss, Kaycee wouldn't be uncomfortable because I gave her foreheadkisses almost daily, and I could continue with my plan.

  I laid the open script next to me, and began petting Oreo behind his ear, relieved that I found a solution.

  I'd show those directors what real love is.

                          *********

  Kaycee's pov, 1st person

  Contrary to what most people would probably think about me, I wasn't all that shocked about Sean and I's kiss scene.

  Well, no, that was a lie. I was shocked, the directors had told us the general story, but they hadn't specifically mentioned a kiss scene. I hadn't seen that one coming, so it took me by surprise, but it wasn't necessarily a bad surprise.

  In all honesty, I felt kind of giddy.

  When I was scrolling through comments on video's of Sean and I -yes, I checked the hashtag seaycee regularly- most of the comments were about how cute we were, and about half of those comments got a reaction on their comment from people who thought that I was too young to be in a relationship.

  Let me tell you, those comments annoyed me way more than all the seaycee-related comments.

  Apparently, when you encouraged people to be themselves and didn't walk around half naked all the time, people forgot you were a 16 year old girl.

  A 16 your old girl with hormones.

  People always seemed to think that I was the most innocent person in the whole world, but in all honestly, I was just like every other teenage girl. Yes, I was aware of the other sex, and yes, I did check out boys.

  Well, one boy, to be precise.

  The thought of that certain boy brought me back to the script in front of me. The more I thought about it, the more I began liking the idea of acting in a kiss scene.

  It was kind of the perfect opportunity.

  I could experience kissing him, without all the drama afterwards. Believe me, I've wanted to kiss Sean for a while now, and I was exstatic that I would finally get the change to do just that. Now I can already hear you thinking: "why hasn't she confronted him with her feelings yet?" The answer's simple, really:

I'm grown enough to fantasise about kissing Sean, but not quite brave enough to really make a move.

  Endless comment about how Sean looked at me like I was his light, or people who were able to point out every lingering touch in our behind-the-scenes video's just couldn't convince me that he really liked me. I was scared, no, terrified, that me talking about my feelings for him would scare him, would break the precious bond we had created over the years.

  Still too shy to make a move after at least a year of keeping my feelings for him hidden, I stayed silent. I began to believe that people would always see me as an innocent child, who only shied away from Sean as soon as our duet's were over.

  If only they knew about those thoughts swirling inside my head.

  Kissing Sean on set would permit me to go all the way and pour all my feelings out -I wanted to be a good actress, after all- without the chance of having a broken heart, because the whole thing was an act.

  At least, for them.

  I closed the script in front of me with a sigh, ready to go to bed. I knew my dreams would consist of a certain asian boy and a lot of kisses.

  I was seriously looking forward to that scene.

                           **********

  Sean's pov, 1st person

  I sighed, my worries from a few days prior coming back to me at full force. I'd been happy with the solution I had found, but right now, on set, our scene being shot in a few minutes, I began doubting my decision again.

  True, I gave Kaycee kisses on her forehead all the time, but that was when we weren't being watched, surrounded by the comfort of one of our homes. Part of my plan was carefully getting closer to her, testing the waters at home, and only beginning to act like that in public after I was one hundred percent sure she was comfortable with it.

  I knew she was comfortable with the forehead kisses, I even thought she liked them, but I had never kissed her in public, let alone in front of an hd-camera.

  Would it still be too much for her?

  Maybe I should just go talk with the director, ask him for permission to just give her a side hug or something. I looked at the typical highschool  clock that hung on the wall. We  already should have been filming, but Kaycee was still stuck in the make up room because her eyes had to look like she had been crying, and that girl couldn't keep the sparkle out of her eyes to save her life.

  I had just started to walk to our director to talk about this whole situation when...

  "I'm here, I'm so sorry it took so long!"

  Kaycee still looked out of breath, but it was actually a good addition to her already red eyes. She really did look like she had been crying.

  Even though I knew that she was completely okay,  I wanted to wrap her in a million layers of bubble plastic and take her home with me.

  "Okay, let's begin then. Sean, can you go to the other side of the room please? You're still on camera right now. Kaycee, take your place near the the lockers, Bullies, where are you? Matthew, Mitchell, Kayne, encircle Kaycee please. It has to look intimidating. Is everyone ready?"

  By now, everyone stood in place, and was ready to act. While the director received several nods, I felt too nervous to answer him. Because Kaycee had been in the make up room for so long, I hadn't had the chance to talk to her about it, and I was scared that I'd do something wrong.

  I decided to minimise the amount of risks I took as much as possible. After all, a scene could be shot several times, but once something cracked inside of Kaycee, it'd take me a long time to fix it.

  "Aaand...Action!"

  Don't take risks. Don't take risks. Don't take risks.

  I took a deep breath and began walking in Kaycee's direction, trying to get into my role of angry best friend/boyfriend.

  "Hey! Don't you dare bothering her!"

  Kaycee looked away from the boys, her 'bullies', and locked eyes with me, a vulnerable expression on her face, even more dramatic with the red eyes.

  She was one breathtaking actress.

  "No, Billy, I-I'm okay", she said, her voice lacking the normal happiness.

  Once again ignoring the instinct to take care of her right then and there, I turned towards the other actors and gave them all a glare. I hoped I was at least a little bit convincing.

  "Don't you dare coming near her ever again. Do I make myself clear?"

  And with that, I wrapped an arm around her, instantly feeling my eyes soften as they landed on the gorgeous girl next to me. I leaned closer, I couldn't help myself.

  I softly kissed her forehead.

  If Kaycee was surprised by my move, she didn't show it. Her eyes showed mere curiosity, but before I could talk to her, the director spoke.

  "Cut!"

  Everyone dropped the act, and turned towards the director, silently asking him why he had stopped the scene.

  "Sean, what are you supposed to feel right now?"

  I was a bit startled that he directly spoke to me, instead of addressing us as a group, like he did most of the time.

  "Uhm, I need to feel protectiveness towards Kaycee?"

  I hated how it came out so hesitantly, like a question, not an answer. To my defence, I really didn't know what I had done wrong. I didn't forget my lines, I glared at the bullies, I even kissed her for God's sake!

  "Correct, you need to feel protectiveness towards her, but that's only a little part of this scene. How many movies are there about the best guy friend protecting his best girl friend and eventually falling in love? I need originality! And where did that kiss in the script go to? You're too soft, you need to feel the anger Sean! From now on, I want you to focus on that anger you feel towards her bullies, and kiss her with the same intensity. On the lips. Alright?"

  I really didn't know what to do now, seemingly having lost my voice. What did I do now? The director wanted me to kiss her, like, for real, but I was convinced that she'd be traumatised by that. She was strong, yes, but there was also a really vulnerable part of her, the part I didn't want to bring out. Cold sweat began forming on my back and my upper lip, and I was convinced Kaycee could hear my heart beat from where she was standing.

  "Sean, look at me."

  There it was again, her sweet voice talking to me.

  I'd always do whatever she asked for.

  So I forced my head away from my shoes and focused on Kaycee instead. I had expected her to look at me with an uncomfortable expression, or a hurt one even, but her brown-green eyes only held an incredible fierceness in them that took me completely by surprise.

  "Sean, just do it. I don't mind, really."

                        *************

  Kaycee's pov, first person

  "Sean, just do it. I don't mind, really."

  I couldn't believe I just dared saying that. I, Kaycee Rice, had just made a move on my long time crush, Sean Lew.

  Can you believe it?

  Well, he clearly couldn't, because his eyes seemed to almost pop out of his head in surprise.

He didn't look disgusted though, which was a huge relieve to me.

  "You sure? I mean, they don't want me to stay gentle with you, but I don't want to hurt you..."

  He trailed off towards the end, unsure and trying to get his worries across.

  I felt my heart melt a bit at the sight off him, but not for long.

  My weird brain seemed to think it was funny to come up with all kind of fantasies about Sean kissing me on the day we were filming that particular scene.

  And not all of those fantasies were so gentle.

  I guess it's always been a hidden desire of me to see a 'rougher' side of Sean since he's always been so gentle with me. Not that I'm complaining or anything, it's just something that really intrigues me.

  'I'm positive. Let's do this, Shamu."

  He seemed to relax at my words, now realising that I wasn't as fragile as he always seemed to think. I watched as his expression changed from worried to more confident, a smirk even appearing on his face.

  It made something inside of me flutter.

  "Alright, let's do this again. Everyone, go to your place please!"

  The booming voice of the director brought us out of our bubble, and Sean quickly shook the smirk off of his face, walking away from me, but not before turning around once again and giving me a cheeky wink.

  The flutter inside of me was back.

  "Aaand....action!"

  I forced myself to put a scared expression on my face, discovering it was much more difficult then the previous time, with Sean's wink still in my mind's eye.

I didn't have much time to get into my role however, 'cause Sean's deep voice boomed through the room, much more angry than a few minutes ago.

  "Hey! Don't you dare bothering her!"

  I looked at Sean, not being able to keep my eyes off of him. Let me tell you, from the moment I had the right age to understand that he was a boy, as in, a potential future boyfriend, I had realised that Sean was attractive. You could say that I was used to it by now, and through the years, I had indeed learned how to hide the fact that I was incredibly attracted to him (hence all the comments that I friendzoned him). But right now, with Sean standing only a few steps away from me, breathing heavily from 'anger', rigid posture, clenched jaw, balled fists, it took me every ounce of willpower I had in me to not kiss him senseless right then and there.

  Silence fell upon the room, and I saw the actor who played Matthew, one of Ivy's bullies, glance at me from the corner of his eye, clearly expecting me to do something. It was only then that I realised that it was my turn to say something.

  "No, Billy, I-I'm okay"

  The stutter was real this time, I was still trying to recover from the unusual sight in front of me.

  Sean's scowl never left his face, his pupils contracted - I have no idea how he managed to do that, it looked scarily convincing- and he took a step towards the bullies, one of his fists unclenching to point an accusing finger at the boys.

  "Dont you dare coming near her ever again. Do I make myself clear?"

  I don't think the bullies' intimidated faces were acted, if Sean would look at me like that, I would be scared as well.

  His gaze shifted towards me, and his anger was replaced by some kind of intensity I hadn't seen before.

  But I knew what it meant.

  In a few swift movements, he was near me, invading my personal space, but I absolutely didn't mind.

  I unconciously licked my lips, knowing what would come next, but he once again took me by surprise.

  Instead of taking my arm like in the script, he had grabbed my hips, swiftly pulling me closer to him.

  My eyes flew open in surprise, a gasp trying to escape my lips, which didn't work, because Sean had already lowered his face and captured my lips with his own.

As soon as I felt his lips, the connection between my body and my mind seemed to dissapear, my body acting on instinct. I couldn't help but close my eyes again, letting the feeling of being closer to him than ever wash over me. My arms found their way around his neck, pulling him even closer, if that was even possible. In return, he squeezed my waist lightly, but surely, and I felt like I was on fire.

We kept kissing, I don't even know for how long we were standing there. All I knew was that I was kissing Sean, and it was everything I had ever dreamed of.

  Suddenly, one of his hands left my hip to climb higher on my back, and I was about to complain about the loss of contact when his hand found the back of my head, gently but surely angling my head in such a way that he could deepen our kiss.

  You wouldn't hear me complaining anytime soon.

  I was playing with the little strands of hair on the back of his head, and he seemed to be enjoying this as much as I was. Was this what heaven was like?

  His lips left mine for a second, only for him to angle his head differently and capture my lips once again. This time however, it felt a bit more gentle, a bit more loving, than the previous time. It felt like we both had had the chance to let go of our pent up frustration and could pour more meaning into the kiss now, instead of just focusing on the lust. With my endless fantasising, I'd thought that once I had discovered what a rougher Sean was like, I wouldn't be satisfied with his soft, loving side anymore.

  God, I was wrong. This kiss made my heart flutter and my skin tingle just as much as the previous one, and I absolutely loved it.

  "Cut! Well done guys!"

  Still in a daze, I forced myself to pull away from Sean's lips. He however, seemed to have other plans. I felt his hands go from my hip and head to my waist, completely wrapping his arms around me.

  "Whoa, Kaycee, that was..."

  Our eyes locked, and even though the scene was done and the camera's weren't rolling anymore, Sean's eyes still held that same intense love, finally convincing me after all those years that my family, friends, and fans were right. He did have feelings for me.

  Before all this, I had told myself that this wouldn't change anything between us, that what we have would stay the exact same and this would just be a nice opportunity.

  I couldn't have been more wrong.

  Things had definitely changed.

  But they had changed for the better.

[soullessfeline-blog]

Flirting with death // AU

Pairing: Zoe/Kayn (Zoyn)

Rated: PG

Source of Characters: League of Legends

A childish yet so old of a goddess planned to go on a disguise. Pretending to be an 18 year old lady, with quite of a short height. Which she doesn't mind at all! It's just like how her real height is as a god anyway. She did all of that just to set foot on worlds. Toying with creatures' lives and homes, ironic isn't it? A goddess supposedly to be doing her business, and not playing tricks with mortals. She is an unguided goddess after all, or should I say hard to be guided? She has a companion- rather a senior, someone older than her that teaches her lessons about being a god and whatnot. Yet she just won't listen, childish as she is. She'd prefer mind games anytime—or just games. Well, she just sees her senior as a mere pet dog. As he takes a form of an ancient dragon.

In this planet called Runeterra, she took a stroll aimlessly. As she stumbles upon... a mortal if she would describe him. Before making any approach, she followed him until he sensed that someone's stalking him.

"You can show your self, lady." The man growled at the hiding goddess.

"You're quite keen, aren't ya?" She giggled and jumped up and down around him.

"Are you perhaps lost little girl? You're on the wrong side of the forest." He asked, looking up and down at the girl, observing her and judged her look.

"Little girl?!" She screeched, kinda pissed by the first impression. "God dangit, I should've improved my height after all." She whispered to herself, not allowing the man in front of her to hear it.

"Excuse me?" He asked for her undivided attention.

She cleared her throat, "that was quite insulting but... ugh, forget it.—I'm not a little girl, just for your information."

The man looked at her intensely, trying to observe more. "I don't know you, I haven't heard of you... that's weird, I'm pretty sure I should-" he stopped himself from mumbling nonsense. "Pardon me, then how old are you? You look like a kid to me."

"I'm a... uhm," she forgot about her desired age, trying to take grasp of her memory. For not much a couple of seconds, the thought hit her. "Eighteen."

"Why were you following me?" He finally pulled out his scythe that was just resting on his back, putting his guard back up.

"Woah, getting aggressive? I just wanted to chat, you're quite interesting looking for a mortal. Bringing a scythe anywhere too huh?" The disguised goddess swung her hair to her back, just a meaningless gesture.

"Mortal?" He asked. "Why are you... emphasizing that? And how can you be sure that I am?"

"Because you are?" Realizing about what she said, she tried to compensate for it. "I mean... haha... a-aren't we all mortals here? I guess I really am weird to call humans- us, a mortal."

He frowned at her, swinging his scythe in front of her, suggesting for her to back off. "I don't have time for such mortals."

"Playing the hard-to-get type? I like it!" The clueless goddess reached out for both of his hands, making him take no hold of his scythe, releasing it unwillingly to the ground. As soon as she got firm grip on his hands, she pulled him into a few steps of dance. The adventurer sure is shocked, it happened so quick that he didn't have any time to react at all. The mischievous lady let go of him as soon as she got to the part of the dance where she isn't much sure of the next step. She was just free styling yet she felt like ending the sudden dance at that moment.

"Are you pulling tricks?" The man accused as he got enraged by her silly actions. She just giggled as a reply. "You're just like flirting with death!"

She stopped from giggling because of that statement, tilting her head a little to the side she gave him a skeptical look.

"Don't you know what I'm capable of? I can easily swing my scythe," and so he grabbed his scythe from the ground. "And cut your head off in an instant! And... and let it fall on the ground just like how you made my scythe fall! I can easily kill anyone who dares to annoy me, and-"

"Hold up mister, are you death? I haven't heard of him or know of what he looks like but... are you?" Suspicions arise from the goddess.

The enraged man's eyes widened, his furious look turned into a nervous one. As if he was caught on an act. "N-no! I'm a mortal! Just like what you said."

"Go ahead and chop my head off then." She dared.

The nervous man wasn't so sure if he'll do just that, trembling as he held his scythe tightly. He let go of the tension soon enough, finally making a decision as to what he should do with her.

"Whatever, I'll let this one slide, just don't ever cross paths with me ever again." He then turned his back and gives her a death glare to scare her off, eventhough he felt threatened; because he was almost caught off his appearance. Still not sure of what this girl really is, but he decided to just go. Although the girl was able to say one more thing before he completely does:

"Sure, can't promise though. Because, just like what you said, I'm just like flirting with death. Name is Zoe by the way. See ya." She fled before him. Sprinting away from the man she just danced with, giggling all to herself as she jumped from tree to trees.

The name Zoe didn't have any ring for the man. He tried to recall if he has known any mortal with that look, an age of 18 years, and Zoe as a name. None, nothing came to hit him. He doesn't know every immortal being either, so it really was of no use to just stand there and think. Instead, he went to his realm to do some research, and look for the name Zoe. By first, looking at the list of names of mortals, and every mortal with the name Zoe.

His scythe finally woken up, not like he was really asleep, he was just pretending to be. Thus, he still knew what happened even if he wasn't really showing any sign of being conscious. "Interested with this girl, Zoe was it?"

"No, Rhaast. I'm just curious... and confused, too. It's weird that I can't recognize such a mortal like her." He said as he flipped through books. “It should be part of my knowledge to be aware or at least be familiar about every living human.”

"Stupid Kayn, then of course she is an immortal, try researching and read about immortals and stop convincing yourself that she is a mere mortal." He insulted his holder.

"It's just kind of impossible, what business could she have here to set foot on Runeterra? This is the first time I have come across another immortal being except for the ones that I had business with, or the ones that actually has business on Runeterra!" Kayn just got over one list, flipping through books and pages. As he continued blabbering. "And I've met all of them. If there are going to be new comers, I should've been given knowledge about it."

"Ugh, therefore, it's still possible. It's not like you know every immortal." Rhaast, the scythe, pointed out, rolling his eyes. "What? Why were you scared and dared to flee just exactly? Is it because she's an immortal or what? You should know she isn't a threat if she really is an immortal like you."

"No... no, no! Just shut up Rhaast, I can't focus!"

"What? Are you panicking now? Just answer the damn question you fool."

"Fine!" Kayn said slamming the book he was just holding onto the table. "It's because she might really be a mortal! I'll be doomed if I'm found out that I am death, by a mere fucking mortal!—Of course unless, she's dead and met me when her time comes."

He wasn't thinking much, he could've just killed her if she really was just a mortal. Yet again if she is an immortal and he caused death upon such person, then he'll be doomed too. It would be too hard to risk either way. But killing an immortal of such high positions can give him worse punishment compared to letting a mortal know his identity. Therefore, he let the girl go.

"Well, it wasn't like I admitted that I really was the god of death but she already suspects it. So I better retreat before the worst is yet to come." He added, Rhaast was fully aware of Kayn's denial not too long ago about being death, but he just have to add that to make sense.

"What was her name again?" Rhaast asked, who just forgot about the said girl's name.

"Zoe." Kayn simply answered.

"Hmm, her age is 18, isn't it? It's probably fake if she's an immortal so, how about... I'm not sure but try looking at the section of the aspect of twilight?" The scythe suggested, not entirely sure of it.

"What? There's a plenty of them? Not that I know any of them though."

By looking into it furthermore, he finally found the one.

"A goddess?!" Kayn, the god of death, exclaimed after finding out her identity. He gave more attention to it, looking for more photos of her. "She looked more human a while ago compared to her pictures here, it really was a disguise! Less flashy hair, not so long and not so... sparkly. Eyes were just both blue, her outfit was more of human's."

"So? Does she look better as a goddess?" His scythe asked, teasing Kayn who is getting flustered by this revelation.

"Oh shut up, Rhaast!"

While in Zoe's realm, she was able to search his name. It was easy as she got a clue on what he is, god of death. Although he did deny about it, she can still see for herself which is the truth. It was just the name that was missing anyway. She just have to find out who the current god of death is. To see if the one she encountered and the current profile of the death will match.

And there you go, the name is there, face and appearance matched. How careless of him not to put any disguise in the human world. She chuckled sweetly on her thoughts.

"He sure doesn't play any games huh? But still, he was able to made that an exquisite experience, unknowingly though." She sighed, releasing all the tension. "He was probably afraid that I may be a mortal and get him in trouble."

Zoe crossed her legs from her seat, looking around her realm, bored again from the usual stuffs. So she distracted herself by thinking back about what happened.

"He does have an admirable job, just like he is! Job: admirable, personality: admirable. I'm digging his braids, too. Quite catchy." She let out a dreamy sigh. "Then I've decided! I'm going to meet him again one of these days! I didn't promise to Kayn after all—that I won't cross paths with him anymore, that is."

"Zoe! Stop slacking off, if you're bored then you still have stuffs to do! Go do your responsibilities-"

"Stop being so whiny, you space doggo!" She yelled back to her senior, standing up from her seat as she stretches. Deciding to obey him, maybe just this once again. Since she has been on a good mood lately.

[rosywrites]

An Easy Decision

Fandom: League of Legends Summary:  After receiving a tip that Jhin was spotted in Navori, Shen and Zed didn't stop searching for his whereabouts without rest. Until one day, the Virtuoso himself sets the stage for Zed to make a choice.

Note: A collaboration story with @spinyoctopus based on a tweet she made!

[AO3]

Word count: 3,012

Several days passed since Zed and Shen received a tip that Jhin appeared in Navori, and they hadn’t stopped to hunt him down since. Both the Shadow and Kinkou Orders were on high alert for the Golden Demon. The two masters kept in contact with their students, making sure they would be prepared if Jhin tried to go for them. Even Akali, who had distanced herself away from the Kinkou Order, accepted the message and kept Shen updated on her whereabouts.

A white cloud formed from Zed’s breath as he turned from the mountain he was climbing. He could see the entire region of Navori from here. He crouched, wondering where Jhin would be hiding… or waiting. His helmet sat in his hands, staring up at him with its empty eyes. He shut his eyes and allowed himself a moment of rest, rubbing the bridge of his nose in exhaustion.

He was tired, very tired.

It had been so long since Jhin’s imprisonment, his breaking from the Kinkou Order, and his murder of Kusho. Then everything came to a stop when word got out that Jhin escaped. It all took a toll on him, but he could never show that. He didn’t deserve to.

The golden light overtaking the dark night from behind the mountains signified the break of dawn. He squinted from the sliver of light that shone into his eyes and shielded them with his hand.

Ever the one to lean towards the shadows.

Another white cloud seeped out of his helmet with another long sigh. The mountain air was cold, but it felt refreshing to his tired soul. Zed allowed himself the liberty to think of nothing and enjoy the sunrise, though he only let it last for a moment. That’s all he could give himself. He put the helmet back on his head and sent one last look at the horizon before sinking into his own shadow.

Shen was waiting for him. If finished with the patrol, Kayn as well.

Zed arrived at the top of the stone steps of the Kinkou Monastery, or rather what once was the Kinkou Monastery. Ever since he overthrew Kusho, the monastery turned into the base for the Shadow Order. Shen had been coming to the Monastery to help deal with Jhin. He could imagine how angry Shen must have been when he first stepped foot into his former home.

They had decided to meet at the monastery every three days to report their findings. So far, their searches had all failed. There was no sign of Khada Jhin anywhere. Nothing on Zed’s end this time either.

He made his way towards the entrance of the monastery, expecting Shen to stand by one of the pillars with his usual stoic expression. And just like Zed, there was an underlying exhaustion in his eyes. Shen was just as tired as Zed was, if not more.

Zed slowly looked up in realization Shen wasn’t waiting for him by the entrance. Odd. He was never one to be late for their rendezvous in the morning. There was a chance he had business in the spirit realm, but he would leave a sign that he would come back.

While he would have shrugged it off, a glint from a bush had caught his eyes. Furrowing his brows, Zed approached the bush and brushed it aside.

Dread immediately pooled in his stomach as he jerked his arm back with his blades pulled out on instinct. His breaths became shorter as he continued to stare at the lotus trap hidden within the bush. It was almost perfectly nestled into the leaves, just barely showing enough to be noticed by a careful eye.

But the Golden Demon would not make such a grave mistake.

This was on purpose.

A warning.

“Shen…!” Zed whispered in panic. He snuck down the hall through the shadows, searching through every room in the monastery. Each room contained a butchered corpse, torn apart and rearranged into different displays. Very few were left untouched, but those few were gravely injured and barely left alive.

“M-Master Zed…” a student croaked, catching his attention.

Zed materialized from the shadows and rushed over. The student’s wounds were severe, half his body covered in deep cuts and gashes. Pieces of metal were embedded into his skin, possibly even puncturing his body. A victim of Jhin’s traps. He laid a hand on the student’s shoulder, trying to shake him awake. “What happened?” he growled.

The student gripped Zed’s wrist with a desperate strength. “You can’t, you can’t,” he kept muttering. “He… he got them too…”

Zed almost felt his heart lurch up to his throat. “Where are they?” he hissed. “Tell me. Now.”

“The meditation hall… they’re…” The student choked and struggled to breathe from the blood that filled his lungs from the penetrating metal. He wasn’t going to live through this. Even if he did, he would be crippled for the rest of his life.

The least Zed could do was end the student’s misery.

Zed silently opened the door to the meditation hall. His eyes scanned the area for any dangers or even the Golden Demon himself. The hall was empty and quiet, the floor and bottom of its intricate carvings and pillars dimly lit by the rising sun. As he walked closer to the center of the hall, he looked up at the swinging chandelier above.

But it was no chandelier.

Zed gasped in horror as he noticed the familiar blue hair. Kayn was hanging limply in the air with two metal hooks dug into his back, his face covered in knife cuts, and metal wires wrapped tightly around his neck. The wires extended to the ceiling, silver bells tied every four feet and around his neck like a harness. His scythe was on the platform ahead, propped up against a statue of the Spirit of Ionia. The red eye of the scythe, usually open and actively looking around, was closed.

Following the wires above Kayn, there was some sort of mechanic constructions extending throughout the ceiling. But it had been placed so neatly that one would have thought it was part of the ceiling structure. Zed brought his attention back to the boy hanging above him.

Kayn was still alive. His eyes were barely open, and the bells made quiet chimes with each shallow breath he made. Zed wasn’t even sure if Kayn could recognize his surroundings anymore.

“Kayn, are you awake? Answer me.”

A quiet wheeze sounded from Kayn’s throat, his eyelids fluttering in response. Zed’s shoulders lowered as he sighed in relief. Kayn was awake, but barely. He saw Kayn’s eyes roll to the left and followed his line of sight, to where Shen was.

Shen was kneeling in the far corner of the meditation hall, where the sunlight began to crawl towards, hunched over with his head hanging low. Golden rope immobilized his torso and legs, preventing him from breaking free. Above him was an arrangement of metal scraps and pieces, disturbingly resembling the shape of eye.

“Shen! Are you awake?”

Groaning, Shen awoke to Zed’s voice. He shook his head, trying to clear his head. But even when he was completely conscious, he didn’t make a move. “Sorry, Zed,” Shen uttered, his voice coarse. “I couldn’t stop him.”

Zed tried to rush over to Shen’s side to untie him, but a propelling glint of silver stopped him in his tracks, and he caught it before it pierced his head. An Ionian dagger, elegantly carved with designs of smoke along the blade with a green gem inlaid in the handle.

The sounds of metal clinking on stone then caught Zed’s attention. From the shadows, an all-too-familiar figure stepped out into the light, the trademark ivory mask almost glowing under the sunlight. “Welcome to the finale!” the figure announced, his cape flying with his grand gesture.

Khada Jhin.

It took everything Zed had to stay where he was and not recklessly attack the murderer before him. His vision was flooding with memories of the gore and horror he had witnessed all these years since his youth. If he hadn’t been used to the smell of blood and corpses, he would’ve vomited by now.

Besides, Jhin was always a step ahead: he stood just out of Zed’s reach.

Jhin chuckled at Zed’s trembling shoulders. Was he trembling out of rage? Panic? Fear? Perhaps all three. “You’ve learned to stop charging headfirst into danger, haven’t you? Indeed, quite the character development.”

“Why are you here?” he growled angrily.

“Why? I thought this is what you wanted. To catch me. And what’s better than being caught in the Shadow Order’s temple?” The amusement was clear in his voice. He paced around in a rhythm, humming to himself. “But what good is a capture if there is no reward, yes? After all, you’ve come so far from back then. I suppose it’s only fair to let you decide your reward.”

“Bastard. You’re only toying with us.” Zed’s hand balled into a fist around the handle of the dagger, a desperate urge to drive the blade into Jhin’s neck overtaking his body. But he couldn’t. Jhin had him wrapped around his finger, and one wrong move would be the end of it all.

Jhin raised his arms, gesturing to both Shen and Kayn, whose bodies were now lit by the rising sun. “Let’s start with the setting for this finale. I walk away, and these two bloom in a matter of seconds.” He lazily paced to the side, keeping an eye on Zed. “But you, the protagonist, can still save them from their fate.

“One, you can save your beloved student from bursting with wings to fly to the sky. Two, you can save Shen, the man you once called your brother, from becoming the final piece to complete the Eye of Twilight above.” He paused to chuckle. “You did come to a peaceful compromise in your little detective adventure, after all, right?”

A shuriken shot past Jhin, narrowly missing his mask.

He merely clicked his tongue and shook a finger at Zed. “Ah, ah, ah. You need to listen thoroughly.” He held up a third finger. “Three, you settle the score with the Golden Demon once and for all, abandoning the angel and the all-seeing eye.” Jhin paused before he turned around and began to walk away from Zed.

“And the fourth?”

Jhin turned his head back to Zed, his visible eye squinting in amusement, before walking away again. The sunrise slowly filled the room with light, creeping up the mechanism until it reached a green gem embedded into the center. The meditation hall became lit with green fractals from the reflecting gem.

With a snap of his fingers, numerous cogs in the mechanism above went into motion like the gears of a clock. Kayn started to ascend to the ceiling with each tick. He had no reaction to his body lightly swinging from the hooks, but Zed couldn’t imagine how much pain he was in.

Looking at Shen, Zed saw wire that was being pulled above between the metal scraps. The wire led down to Shen’s neck. There was plenty of wire before Shen would be beheaded and pulled into the air, but there was not enough time to save both. Zed knew that.

“Choose wisely.”

Zed glanced at the dagger in his hands, then to Kayn, then to Shen, and then back to the dagger. His eyes moved up to Shen, who stared back with those glowing blue eyes. The two shared a look that seemed to last for an eternity.

“You need to save Kayn,” Shen insisted. “It doesn’t matter what happens to me.” He was now sitting upright, the rope just barely tightening his neck now.

Kayn suddenly coughed blood when the metal hooks began to pull him in opposite directions. His breathing was getting shallower, the bells chiming in quick succession.

Jhin was still walking away with a lazy bounce to his steps. He was slowly disappearing into the shadows.

The cogs continued to tick away faster.

Tick.

Tock.

There was no time.

But then it dawned on Zed. He realized it was an easy choice all this time. He made the decision a long time ago after all. He raised the dagger, its blade flashing at Shen.

Shen closed his eyes and lulled his head back, leaving his neck and chest open. But the dagger never came. The sound of metal meeting flesh snapped his eyes open to look at Zed.

Zed had pierced the dagger into his own stomach, twisting it with a pained grunt and pulling it out. In that moment, his shadow materialized behind Shen and cut the wire free.

“Zed!” Shen called in desperate panic, jumping to his feet.

Jhin stopped in his tracks to turn his head, seeing Zed bleeding out on the stone floor. His eye met Shen’s, whose eyes were glowing brighter in rage. He could only smile. “What will you do, Eye of Twilight? It’s all up to you now.” He once again turned to walk away without a care in the world. Not even two steps, and Shen had already gone to Zed’s side.

And the Golden Demon disappeared into the shadows.

The cogs in the mechanism came to a stop and lowered Kayn onto the ground. Shen first cut the wire tied around Kayn’s neck and laid him on his stomach. He carefully pulled the hooks out of Kayn’s back, which were hooked onto his scapulas. Had Zed been any later, the hooks would have tore Kayn’s scapulas apart and spread his chest and arms into the air.

Kayn wheezed before he coughed a few more times from becoming able to breathe better. “M-Master… Zed…” he called before falling unconscious.

Shen wasted no time tending to Zed’s wound, removing Zed’s helmet in the process. He kicked away the dagger in Zed’s hand while applying pressure onto his abdomen. “Zed? Zed, stay with me here.” He watched Zed’s face contort in pain from the stab wound. “God, what is wrong with you? Killing me was the easiest option, and yet you—”

“No, he knew what he was doing,” Zed answered. “This was the only way.”

“What happened to the Master of Shadows I knew?” Shen retorted. “We need you to capture him. Stabbing yourself was not the answer.” When Zed didn’t respond, Shen tried to slap him awake but was stopped by Zed’s hand raising up.

“He never stated out loud what the last option was.”

“But you shouldn’t have gone with that choice. You should’ve just killed me to save Kayn.”

Zed didn’t respond. Instead, he exhaled slowly to help with the pain. “Do you remember when we were young, we made that oath of brotherhood? I never really forgot about that.”

“Zed,” Shen said, a warning evident in his tone.

“I deserve this, don’t you think?” He tasted the blood rising to the back of his throat. Spitting blood out, he croaked out a laughter.

“Stop.”

“Ironic that I, the one who started that oath, destroyed everything with my own hands. The Kinkou Order, the monastery, our bond… your father…”

“Stop talking about things that are long gone, Zed!” Shen shouted, slamming the side of his fist onto the stone floor. “I thought the past is dead. What is the point of bringing this up now?”

Zed couldn’t help but smirk. “When was the last time I heard you lose yourself like that? It feels like an eternity ago.” He closed his eyes. His senses were beginning to numb, and the lull of sleep was tempting. He let out a long sigh before fluttering his eyes open again. He scoffed, “You were foolish for thinking you were the choice.”

“I,” Shen started, a slightly crack in his voice, “Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“I thought you always wanted to see me dead? Your wish is getting granted now.”

“Don’t, Zed. You are not going to die.” Shen’s shoulders started to shake. “I’m not going to let you.”

Zed blinked in slight surprise at the warm droplets that fell onto his hand. “The Eye of Twilight? Showing emotion? The world must be coming to an end.” He laughed despite the fluctuating pain. He gripped Shen’s wrist tightly. “Shen, promise me you’ll get that masked demon. He doesn’t deserve to see the light of day.”

“I will, but you have to stay alive for that. You’re foolish to think I can do it on my own.”

“Better than what I can do. Besides, you still have your Order. You’re not alone.” Zed pursed his lips and took a deep breath. He couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer from the blinding morning sun. “I think I’m going to sleep for a while. I don’t think I can keep awake. I’m just… so tired.”

“No. No! Zed! Stay with me!”

But Shen’s cries were for naught. Zed’s vision was beginning to blur to black, and Shen’s voice was getting quieter and quieter by the second. For a moment, he didn’t want to die. For a moment, he felt fear for his candlelight being snuffed out by the darkness. For a moment, he feared the shadows he embraced.

That moment of fear was soon replaced by a wave of catharsis. His own words echoed in his mind: I deserve this, don’t you think?

He blinked, and he was taken back to his childhood in an instant, back when he and Shen happily spent their days in the monastery together. Shen’s tearful face turned to his younger, happier grin, dragging Zed over to the temple. It almost felt like another world where nothing bad happened, where Zed didn’t crush everything he had.

A world where Shen and Zed grew up together without a single drop of animosity towards the other. A world where there could have been more. A world where Kayn became closer to a son figure to him. A world where both Shen and Zed were happy and had nothing to lose.

“Shen… I…”

[the-faequeen]

Why do you ship Zoe and Kayn?

I’m THAT person who ships like … Edgy, grumpy/SIlly, nerdy or Loud sweet couples and the Tall/short type couples? It’s like a thing that really attracts me and junk?? I mean, LOOK AT THESE SHIPS!

Bakugo/Ochako , KIrishima & Bakugo, Kaminari & Jiro (BNHA) (If y’all don’t think that Kirishima’s a ball of sunshine, y’all lying to yourselves) 

Peridot & Lapis (Steven U)

Gajeel and Levy (Fairy Tail)

Xayah & Rakan, Veigar & Lulu, Trist & Rumble (LoL)

Pidge & Lance, Keith & Shiro, Allura & Lotor (Voltron)

Soul & Maka (Soul Eater)

Star & Tom (STar vs. Tfoe)

Luka & Marinette (Miraculous Lady B) (i mean… i still ship CHat and LB ofc bt damn Luka)

Terra/Beast Boy, Jinx/Kid Flash, Artemis/Kid F (Teen Titans/Young Justice)

Toph & Sokka/ Zuko/Katara (ATLA)

Marcie & Bubs (Adventure Time)

Taiga and Ryuji (ToraDora)

and llike don’t even get my started on the other few shoujo anime I’ve watched :’v It’s a very specific type I don’t know. For the most part, I like seeing edgy characters act a different way – or seeing how they can change or learn how to be around people. It’s always an endearing story arc for anyone who has that Edgy loner type trope – (in my opinion – Personally, I enjoyed Zuko’s and Keith’s arcs the most, learing to accept team avatar or team voltron as his new found family and all that shit blah blah)

Same goes for Zoe & Kayn. I ship them cos of that? Also cos I feel like Zoe is one of the few champions that can QUITE POSSIBLY MAYBE (just maybe) reverse what rhaast did (which is what i’m trying to do in my comic. I really love that). We can say hey yeah well the other aspects can do that too and aurelion and the other cosmic skinned champs. Well sure! Yeah ofcourse they can – i just chose zoe cos she’s naturally curious and she likes making friends. Among all of them, I feel like she’ll be the most probably one who’ll want to ask or even talk to kayn. I don’t really see leona, diana or Panth rushing to talk to some random shadow boy with a demon arm. COmpared to zoe’s who’s just off looking going on adventures, wanting to make friends. On kayn’s side. I don’t see him like bowing down to authority apart from Zed’s. He sees himself as the best and the only reason why he has this great respect for Zed was because Zed took care of him and in a way fathered him. IThey have a bond. A relationship that in itself, is respectable. Apart from that, i don’t see him bowing down to any form of authority. It’s another reason why I think he’d actually bother with Zoe? She doesn’t really blow off that “authoritative” aura figure that most champs might give or even demand. She’s just the “Hi, Hello, WHo are you? Wanna be my friend?” Casual champ. 

I see their first meeting as kayn going who the fuck are? doesnt matter, gonna kill you now. Zoe evading his attacks and Kayn getting annoyed enough to run away from her,realizing she’s this crazy weird ass psycho that he should probably avoid. And zoe realizing oh he’s actually kinda cool … kinda cute too… he’s not scared of me? Is he trying to kill me or play with me? Oh i think he wants to play! Okay lets play 1234 ready of not here i come —– And here and there. Eventually gets used to her being around cos she just wont leave him alone and she’s not really doing anything wrong. And then one day rhaast took over cos he got too complacent, she tries to save him, not for the sake of saving him but for the sake of showing rhaast that she won’t lose to him and … and then so she goes on this crazy journey, meets up with lux, talks to yordles, hears what varus has to say and then (SPOILERS LALALA WAIT FOR THE COMIC TO FIND OUT THE REST)  For the most part, it sounds like puppy love and the way I see them is somehow like that anyways.

So yeah. Long story short, The two has a potential story to be told. Okay sure, not as romantic as say Ezreal and lux, Lux and jinx or xayah and rakan – but like, even as friends, they have some sort of story to be told and I guess that’s why i like it. They’re two vastly different and complex characters that are somehow similar in some sort of way and the stories you can create about them be it romantic or friendly or sibling-y — its nice. They have that going on for them. Pls honestly, they’re a funny pair. so comedy’s always nice to tell when it comes to ships. I don’t really care if the end game of this ship isnt marriage or a family. Frankly, I just enjoy creating content and stories about them as is. Every ship doesn’t even HAVE TO end with marriage :v FRANKLY LOTOR AND ALLURA ENDED IN DEATH :’V (yes I’m still salty about voltron season 8)

that’s it i guess? Haha i dont know if i make sense but this is the best way i could explain it, this is my opinion though, I’d respect yours if it aint your cup of tea, totally cool and thanks for asking my opinion about it! Im quite happy you asked tbh.

as for the age thing i’ve explained my side once. Short and sweet. I don’t see zoe as a kid. that’s it. If i was so into the idea of pedo shit, I’d draw zoe to be as small and childlike as annie or Kayn to be as bulky and stocky of a man as graves or braum (older in general). Frankly i draw zoe with curves and Kayn looks like a teenager when i draw him. End of story.

[darkdevasofdestruction]

Hi I’m back at it again requesting bc Oof! That Kayn one shot was good! Can I get preferences or your choice of kayn, yasuo, sona and jinx waking up to their fem! S/o in the morning for the first time? Just lots of fluff please?

Aww I’m so happy that you liked it!! Thank you!!

Yasuo

Yasuo is an innocent fugitive haunted by his past and literally hunted by his own city of Ionia for a crime he never committed -

The crime of killing his own master.

Therefore, he only had training, getting stronger and finding the villain who framed him, to get revenge, clearly never even thinking of having a proper relationship.

That is, until he met his angelic girlfriend who came into his life like an innocent sunshine, brightening up his heart completely and filling it with love and affection.And for that, he is eternally grateful and he respects and protects her with his own life.

To be fair, he seems like the classic, traditional kind of man who goes by the rules so he’d take things VERY slow, not wanting to drive her away, but when she suggests having a sleepover, a movie marathon, he blushes slightly, eyes wide but nods nonetheless, the idea of a cuddle session being very much awaited.

That night was the best night he’s ever had, and his S/O was extremely giddy that she managed to make him laugh, which for him, is an extremely rare feat.They mostly just cuddled and watched whatever movies they decided, eating snacks and laughing at the jokes and side comments she kept saying, making him sometimes join in, much to her excitement and proceed to roast annoying characters here and there.

Thing is, he is used to staying up for a long time due to his old-warrior times and even now, with training and missions, but it was obvious that his girlfriend wasn’t used to staying up too much past her bed-time, especially after having had a stressful week, so she fell asleep in his arms with a smile on her face.

This lovely display made the man smile gently at the love of his life, brushing the hair from her face and planting a soft kiss of the top of her head, holding her close to his heart, thanking whatever Gods exist for this gift.

The next day he woke up to a soft kiss on his nose and an unusual tickle on his cheeks, which he found out was her hair brushing on his face.Seeing the bright grin and the sweet “Good morning, love” she greeted him with, he only closed his eyes and hugged her again, wanting to indulge in a lazy, warm morning with her, much to her amusement.

Sure, maybe it wasn’t so conventionally traditional for a young couple to spend their nights like that, but the love and happiness he felt during those house spent together with her, and even now, in the morning, made him realise that he truly wants to spend the rest of his life waking up to her, needing her like the world needs the sun rays.

Kayn

It wasn’t that this guy was too busy for a relationship, but like, “Who cares about relationships anyways when I have an annoying darkin weapon trying to take over my mind and I have so much work to do for Master Zed?”

Well, clearly, that changed when he met her, the only one who could ever change his mind and life views about love and people in general.Maybe they were all trash and he wanted to kill them all, but for that, she was definitely an exception.

However, it was difficult for him to actually learn how to be affectionate and overall the amazing boyfriend that he has the potential to be.Please bear with him, he’s learning and trying his best, poor soul.

With time, he learnt how to be comfortable with holding hands with her and even appreciate the warmth and emotion behind long hugs which, despite not wanting to admit, he absolutely adores.

One day, she called him over for a dinner date at her home (consisting of pizza, soda and lots of sweets), playing video games and binge-watching horror TV series, which are apparently his favourite.

Of course, after such a long time, on the floor carpet, leaning back on the couch with a warm blanket around them, she fell asleep with her head leaning on his shoulder, which he only realised a bit later, when he saw something really cool on TV and tried to tell her about it, really excited, only to find her sleeping peacefully.

With an amused breathe and a side-smile, he picked up up bridal style and put her on her bed, letting her rest for the night. The problem was…Before he could leave, she gripped his shirt, not letting him go, despite being asleep as it was.This only amused him further but accepted nonetheless, getting in bed next to her and holding her, being the big spoon. He loved hugging his girlfriend so much…So soft and warm.

The next day, as soon as he tried to fluttered his eyes open, he felt something on his face, which made him wrinkle his nose in annoyance, earning a soft, sweet giggle from the one who could only be his S/O, which brought him back to reality.

She was caressing his face and smiling up at him, her eyes twinkling with glee like stars in the sky.With the ghost of a sleepy smile on his face, he held her hand, kissing her knuckles then pulling her close in yet another cuddle, finally happy and content with the wise decision he made, to allow himself the arrogance to feel once again.

Jinx

Mhhhhhhhboyyyyyy she’s a hard one to deal with, mostly because out causing mayhem so much that she forgets about literally everything - Including the need to eat, for example.

But girl, let me tell you this, if you’re her type and you’re okay, accepting all her quirks, then she’s NEVER gonna leave you alone (even if you want her to).Nope.She’s like one of those affection leeches who jumps on you and latches on you with her arms and legs, not letting go and showering you with kisses and compliments.

Actually…I can’t see any downside, to be fair.

If you indulge in her mischief and help her out here and there, painting stuff, pulling pranks and whatever, your bond would sky rocket even more, since she’ll feel like you’re more than 10000% trustworthy and she’ll honestly tell you anything, especially all the juicy gossips from around - Yes, she knows them all.

So that’s how she and her girlfriend bonded, more or less, both of them having similar interests and accepting the other, no matter what weird things they’d do.

Getting Jinx to stay still isn’t an easy task, but if her girlfriend challenges her to some video games and she’ll go full-competitive on girlfriend, not letting her win. (Unless her girlfriend is like a Video Game boss, then she’ll get frustrated with her losing and will try even harder, until she beats her)

Which is exactly what happened one night when Jinx’s girlfriend asked her if she wanted to have a Mortal Kombat tournament and of course, she was up for the challenge!

The only this is…Jinx couldn’t win a single game for HOURS.Her girlfriend was just that amazing at Mortal Kombat!As she couldn’t even praise her skills because she was much too focused on beating her to even think about anything else.

Seeing how worked up Jinx got over not winning, her girlfriend grinned and let her win, trying not to make it obvious.Fortunately, Jinx was already jumping in the air of happiness to even consider the possibility of having been let to win - Nah, she was too excited to think.

Thing is…It only took her 5 minutes of partying to make her fall on the ground, dead asleep, which in turn, made her girlfriend blink in confusion and poke her face, only for her to lightly snore.

Trying not to die of laughter, she dragged Jinx on the carpet, got many pillows and blankets and set up a nice place for the both of them to sleep, all warm and comfy.

The next day, S/O woke up to the sound of a mischievous giggle and some boops on the nose and cheeks. S/O only opened one eye and grinned at Jinx, then pulled the blanket over both their heads and kissed her passionately on her lips.

Of course, this too turned into a kissing contest, getting Jinx to giggle like a maniac and pepper her girlfriend’s face with tons of kisses and playful lip bites.For some reason, Jinx was much happier than ever, and then she realised that it’s because she woke up next to her girlfriend, which had a huge positive impact on her.

10000% Would definitely do that again.

Maybe with less game defeats though.

Sona

Sweet, soft, mute girl deserves the best, please treat her well and she will play you any song you want with her etwahl.She’s generally rather she but very loving and affectionate towards girlfriend, going on board with most of her hobbies and passions that she has.

She likes gardening? Sona will be right next to her in the cutest gardening get-up, trying to take care of a little blue flower.She likes music? They can play together anything she wants, Sona learns songs really well and absolutely L O V E S hearing her girlfriend sing or play an instrument, no matter which it is.She likes video games?Sona will do her best to play with her if she needs a Player 2, and if she doesn’t and it’s a single-player one, she’d be happy to cuddle her and watch her play and beat the game.She likes reading? She will always gift her girlfriend books she says she wishes for or thinks she’d like, telepathically suggesting that they go out in a nice and quiet park or a little vintage cafe where they can enjoy reading together.

The first time Sona’s girlfriend spent the night at hers was for her birthday and damn, was it adorable.They spent the whole day together, nobody else disturbing them and her girlfriend even did her best to bake her a cute blueberry cake with some musical notes drawn on it and “Happy Birthday, Sona Sona was touched to tears and hugged her girlfriend tightly, not wanting to let her go, but hey, they had to eat cake!During the day, they talked about how her life with the League is, if she’s okay, about books and movies and everything they had in common, ending with them cuddled in bed, scented candles lit, low ambiental music in the background, hot beverages and a nice book that they both loved very much.

It didn’t take much for Sona to fall asleep in her girlfriend’s warm embrace with a sweet smile on her face, happy that she can actually feel so much love in her life after so many things happened to make her upset in the past.

The next day, Sona woke up to some light hair tugging which confused her, but turning around, she noticed her girlfriend greeting her good morning and trying to braid her hair.With a close-eyed smile, the bluenette went into a sitting position, telling her girlfriend to do what she wants with her hair.Hearing that, she only grinned and went behind her, making her lean back on her chest, hugging her and kissing her cheek, getting her slightly flush, but in glee nonetheless.

Sona’s hair is the best to braid and after S/O is done with it, Sona will look like one of those gorgeous fantasy elves or nymphs from their favourite books, and in turn, the bluenette loves doing the same with her girlfriend’s hair, pretending to be the Ultimate Ethereal Elf Couple.

Sona’s heart was close to bursting from happiness when she woke up and the first thing she saw was her girlfriend’s smile and honestly, she totally lives for it.She’d sooner or later suggest to move in together, just to get the opportunity to also see their peaceful sleeping face.

[theboondogglepub]

He Trained and Thought of Past Friends.

On a pale day in a snow draped white field a shirtless sweaty man with feline ears swung a large and heavy tree log. The wooden heft over twice the miqo’te in size, easily double his body weight. His body strained as maneuver after maneuver was done with the branch held tight to his chest. The strain on his face displayed the effort needed to brandish it in any form, and yet he still did. Each motion was like a dance done with a profoundly heavy partner, and he swung it near like a weapon. Only where he had walked was the snow distorted, and at the edge of the field a log cabin of tiny design stood, and on the cabin’s deck the thickly robed figure of a lalafell sat on a small chair.

“Tell me about them, Corsa’ir.” She said between soft and relaxed exhales, cooling the tea in her tiny fingers.

“Aren’t I…” He huffed, thick white exhales of frozen breath catching with each audible physical exertion, “- supposed to be concentrating, Faol?” The air hummed with a strange energy around and where the man moved.

She sipped a cup of orange hue tea, pale purples eyes looking out on the hard at work man. “You can do two things at once.” She spoke plainly, curt and without much emotion, her high voice just a bit too saccharine to be tolerated. “To wit, you must do two things at once. Ergo why I’m going to distract you. If you want to do this, you’ll need to manage at least doing two things at the same time. So keep up your exercises, and tell me about them.”

The miqo’te swung the log. “What exactly do you wanna know?”

“Well let’s start with the ones you miss and work our way down, shall we Mr. Boon?” The lalafell seemed to chuckle at a passing thought as she tapped her chin. “Unless you’d prefer to begin with your paramours, or are they one in the same?” She quipped.

“No… well some. I guess all’a them.” He spun with the log in his hands, a breath caught in his throat as the effort and strain shook his legs. “I guess… I miss em’ all, yeh? I also can’t stand em’ all too sumtimes. It drives me crazy sumtimes too, loike really stabs at me. They can’t get along, they fight each ovver back n’ forth loike bickerin’ children. An’ I feel it near acutely. An’ then they get all sullen an’ don’t talk tah each ovver cause they’re as balanced as a avalanche of rocks. It… its too much sometimes.”

“They sound like everyday people then, so what makes them any different? Is it because of the echo?” Faol dropped a cube of sugar into her tea and idly stirred.

“Llymlaen save me… not you too.” Boon stopped and rested the log, lungs burning. “Jus’ how did you find out I have th’ echo ennyroad? I don’t go about spoutin’ it off fer a damn reason.” The brief pause was a poor choice, quickly the chill in the air causing Corsa’ir to shiver. “An fer another thing, why is it so cold here? It should be the warm season.”

“You’re changing the subject again.” Faol took a sip of her tea, eyes seemingly both unfocused and trained on her speaking companion. “Is deflection your default setting Mr. Boon?” An exhausted toss of her hair had the lalafell look about the snowy island setting before turning back. “If you must know, the island suffers an unstable combination of nearby elemental crystal deposits. Sailors call it one of the 56 deaths, so named for being one of several reasons ship travel has difficulty reaching the New World. Now, let us get back to you. Is it because of the echo that you can’t stand them? Or are you emotionally stunted and can’t commit to relationships?”

“Wow, pretty harsh don’che think? I ain’t never heard a Lalafell talk as ‘at.” Corsa’ir picked up the log again and began to swing it anew. “I uh… I can’t blame th’ fact that I see emotions on them. People always have ‘em, emotions that is. I jus’ see them an’ feel them a bit more than an empathetic person would.”

“Well, my name is Faol, Mr. Boon.” The lalafell took a sip of her tea. “Which is ironic as you’re really less an empathetic person than me.” Another sip of tea.

“Hey there now. How th’ hell do you know I ain’t a empathetic person?” Another swing of the log.

“Because I’ve observed you for a sennight. You’re entirely selfish, self-absorbed, prone to rash emotion, and averse to common logic when it comes to your own life and situation. You are, in as few words as possible, a narcissist.” Another sip of tea. “So, tell me about them.”

Corsa’ir audibly sighed… loudly. “They’re m’ mates. Chuckaboos as is told, meanin’ good friends. They’re good people, all of them. Maf an’ Cath, smart as can be. Little emotionally neutral, play that whole exhausted learned sort...but good. Eme is… well she’s both great an’ exhausting. Always feel loike she has somethin’ she wants t’ say an’ never does an it drives me crazy.. Mos’ of em’ are jus’ good people tho, plain an’ simple. Ashe, Kayne, Jun, Rei,  an that Naih lass. E’en that big elf they added... Z has a habit of sayin th’ wrong thing but is o’erall good.” Boon began to swing the log with earnest, picking up speed and effort to contort and heave the wooden beam more deftly.

“And?”

“And what?” He tripped in the snow, slipping and landing in a pile of upheaved frosty white powder. From his two fulm deep hole a cough came. “Can I be done yet? Been trainin’ loike this fer days now an’ not really seein’ th’ point to it.”

“And what about the rest?” Another stir of her tea. “You can be done after that, I think you’re finally ready for the next stage of the training.”

“Fine.” Boon sat up in the snow and rubbed his reddened back. “They… we had somethin’ and then we didn’t. All there is to it. Th’ second I committed m’self to their whole ‘harem’ thing they started droppin’ loike flies. Not literally droppin’, jus… I guess had more important fings t’ do. Started to feel th’ moment I began lettin’ people into that part of my life, they started leavin’ it. In th’ end it wus jus’ me an Katalin and e’en then I knew I was going to leave for her good. I’m not a one woman sorta guy but that’s what she wants e’en if she’s not willing to admit it. An’ that’s what she should get if I’m honest. Katalin won’t be happy til she gets that, an she deserves it.” Corsa’ir sighed and stood up, dusting off the snow caking his reddened exposed skin and trousers.

“See, isn’t it good to talk Mr. Boon?” Faol hopped down from her chair and began walking across the surface of the snow field, her body so light it failed to depress the snow. “Now you can be done. Feel free to drop the log Mr. Boon, it’s time we moved on to far more difficult training.” Faol raised her hand. “Now I want you to focus on the catalyst I gave you. It’s time to summon a weapon.”