tsprisclla-wants-you

[thecodeveronica]

As an update on my attempts at writing fanfics again, it's... slow progress? ...okay, it's SUPER slow, but progress nonetheless?

My previous idea to combine two separate fic ideas has definitely helped, as did consequently swapping one of the two lead protagonists of the original idea out for the lead of the other and then turning the other one into a "goal" of sorts who would become a kind of tritagonist later on.

I also actually have 15-20 pages of notes on scenes and dialogue in my Notes app on my tablet! Now, don't be fooled; those are in my slightly large handwriting and they are choppy, bulletpoint-style notes, but regardless, they exist.

Sort of have a setting? Kind of? I'm one of those people who kind of visualizes things while reading as just taking place in a void lmao, but I've got a little set here.

My new problem, though, is... an antagonist. Since this isn't a fluff or smut or romance fic, there needs to be an antagonist. Someone who is setting up the stuff happening. But while I have a goal in mind and a general idea of events, I... have no clue what to do with an actual antagonist. Like... the events are still only loosely linked so far in my mind and notes, and I think if I nailed down an antagonist and motive for them, that would really solidify things.

But should that be an existing antagonist? An OC? I've never really done an OC with canon characters before, I feel kind of weird about that? I'm not really a fan of OCs for anything that isn't just my own little self-contained worlds and ideas, you know what I mean? But canon leaves me few options here for the timeframe that this fic would be set, without some major asspulls (more than the ones I'm already doing to have two characters be present there at all lmfao). SOOOOO I dunno, might have to be an OC :x

annnnnywaaaaaay that's what's going on, so I'm actually not totally bullshitting when I act like I'm writing, because I SORT OF am (notes), but the actual non-planning stage hasn't really taken form yet

[n7punk]

Adventures in unlicensed buffoonary! Recently this SPOP "Trivia book" got listed on Ebay, which was baffling to me both because I had never seen it before and because it was listed for two hundred fucking dollars

My gut instinct was "this isn't real" because again, I'm a freak who knows all these things, and yeah I can confirm this is bullshit.

Clayton Gallagher makes himself scarce online (probably to hide out from the lawyers), so I couldn't find any social media or a website for him - not to mention it's the name of a character from one of the Shameless shows to fuzz the radar - but he seems to exclusively create "trivia" and activity books based on random popular... things. Mostly shows (Trollhunters, the Amazing World of Gumball, etc) but also some... other things (Dolly Parton for some reason??).

He has created not one, but FOUR trvia books for She-ra, all using stolen/promotional art but that carefully never include any official endorsement or mention of Dreamworks, Netflix, Mattel, or Filmation. I'm highly convinced these things were written with AI, mostly due to things like the below excerpt from the first book's summary:

Like. Jesus christ. Maybe it's just a second language thing but the lack of spaces screams machine bullshit and we'll look at the insides later.

Okay so the first book came out on August 19th 2021 (another reason I lean towards AI) and features the debut season art. All the others came out on August 20th 2021 (literally a day later) and feature the season two art, stolen licensed book cover art (from Island of the Magical Creatures), and the season four teaser art (Rebellion variant).

I can only find these things available as e-books but apparently, supposedly, this one eBay seller has a rare physical paperback, which surely must make it worth 270$. I fully don't believe this is a real paperback unless it was self-printed. I think you either get a shitty slapped-together print out or a puff of smoke if you order this.

Now lets get into the stunning content. They all start with the cover art and then the same incredibly generic header

After about two seconds of investigation I see this is a pattern with all his trivia books across franchises. They all start like this and have identical copyright pages as well. Instead of taking four screenshots to show content is identical, just trust me from here on out everything is exactly the same across the She-ra books, including chapter headings, formatting, and trivia questions. These are just cover swaps.

The final chapters cut off here are "Chapter 6" and "See you later", neither of which has a page number. Again, this awkward phrasing is either written by AI or the author is ESL and I'm pretty 50/50 split on which. Let's get into the "trivia" and see if it solves it, shall we?

So. A couple things.

Yes, it DOES have a fill-in the blank for you to write your name even though this was clearly intended to be primarily, if not exclusively, an e-book. That's bold innovation!

They start off strong with a misspelling of quiz in the fucking header.

The formatting is godawful (point to AI for inconsistency, any human would see the obvious problems here as they work - or if they cared enough to glance at the output, which they clearly don't. Why is there a random A. out of nowhere?).

The trivia questions are awful (is She-ra an America streaming show? You think this counts as trivia that a kid - the obvious target demographic - wants to know? Second, I KNOW you're saying streaming because you're so scared of the word Netflix but somehow you're not worried about using the show logo and literally stealing the promotional art for the cover?).

The trivia answers are awful. Mama? Really? Maria is the only kind of good option because it's close to Mara to trip kids up or whatever, but also none of these are "other names" for She-ra! Adora and Mara are people who bear the title of She-ra, but you can't say "Genocide Joe" is another name for president, that's not how titles work! If you wanted to use this question, the answer would be "Princess of Power".

(Also lol at the answer key for question 2 now being wrong. Shit that might have been wrong at the time, when did Nate choose a new name? 2021? 2022? All those years blur together).

Okay I know you've all been on the edge of your seat about that last question cut off at the bottom of the page and yes, it is as factually wrong as you're expecting, and only gets worse as we settle firmly into the "AI" territory.

More lists because jesus christ.

Everyone knows Adora is She-ra. This is not a secret. The answer is every member of the Rebellion and most random citizens. 5 is equally stupid given yes, they never existin the same space at the same time, but people always watch Adora transform before their eyes. The grammar is also bad, but whatever, this does segue into the next questions.

Question six is when it becomes obvious what happened: the writer fed prompts into an AI without fact-checking anything and the AI gave back answers related both to the reboot and to the original. He-man canonically does not exist - he isn't just not mentioned for legal reasons, Mattel said he straight up could not exist or ever be hinted at (due to not existing) - in SPOP. 7 is once again completely untrue in the reboot. Adora came through a portal - not necessarily kidnapped, not from Eternia, and again, no Adam

Why is only Sunna's name in black for question 9. Mostly shocked they spelled her name right.

Things somehow manage to fall apart even more in the final remaining questions available in the Kindle preview sample!

Genuinely have no idea what the answer to 15 is supposed to be. "What is the original country of SPOP have?" isn't a sentence. All I can figure is you're supposed to pick America as it's the country of origin, but I don't trust this book to even have an answer key at the end, so who knows. All that said, Earth was canon in the original, so this might be (intended to be) related to the 80s series.

The Cure took me out.

Okay but Adora isn't leading the "Great" Rebellion!! She's definitely a major leader on the field, but the answer is Angella! There is no correct option here! If they said "the Princess Alliance" I would let that go because you could argue she is the leader of the Princesses, but the rebellion? No, that's the whole military and Angella/Glimmer lead that.

17. THE ANSWER IS ANGELLA. I fully do not believe you're supposed to pick false here, this is not a trick question, they're just wrong (see question above for evidence they're stupid)

They don't even call it the Great Rebellion in the reboot....

The sample ran out and I'm not paying money to feed this AI bullshit but I don't expect it to improve from here.

Anyway this was an interesting display of Bullshit and fuck AI generated books fr

[los-ninos-tortugas]

Let's talk about the Familial Bonds AU

So I'm currently at home and looking over all the pages of writing and AU's I've made so far, literally don't know how not to be nervous posting about my own AU's but I think part of it was that I wrote this down a while ago. But! Let's do this anyway.

I started writing this post a full year ago. My grasp on long stretches of time is... slippery at best but goddamn. Evidently I wasn't as close to shaking off my anxiety back then as I thought. Which to be fair is still true now. But I've been sick and miserable this past week as well as incredibly bored and I've been thinking about this AU a lot again lately and I've been trying to find a way to ease myself out of my post college graduation burnout and finally posting this seems like a good way to get the ball rolling. So enough about me, let's finally talk about this AU.

So, going from my notes that I wrote a while ago; You're Family Because I Found You, I Found You Because You're Family (I really had a penchant for long and dramatic titles when I first started writing for Rise). Short name: Familial Bonds AU

AU Summary: Stories in this series fall under the head canon that Casey Jones is Cassandra and Leonardo's biological son. So far there are two(?) stories planned for this series.

Something Unspoken: Despite their close relationship and some obvious signs that Casey was in fact Master Leonardo's son, it was never something they acknowledged. Casey spent his first seven years with his mom, moving around constantly to various resistance bases. In those years Casey only ever saw Leo in passing and hadn't yet made the connection himself-- in spite of having some turtle-y features of his own. Casey came under Leonardo's wing at eight years old after his mom died fighting the krang. Living and learning from Leo allows Casey to figure out their connection pretty quickly, but the fact that Leo himself never seems to bring it up* stops Casey from wanting to bring it up himself. Casey is a bit too young to understand or figure out why Leo never seems to want to talk about it so as the years go on they seem to develop this unspoken understanding that it's just something they don't talk about (even though Leo acts as Casey's father in all but name).

Now that Casey is living in the past with a sixteen-year-old version of his dad he has some very complicated feelings about this whole mess and decides he's just gonna ignore the problem and hope it goes away. (Hint hint, it does not.) But of course, it's not exactly super easy to hide all of his more mutant turtle features so he treads very very carefully to make sure none of them realize he's more closely related to the Hamato's than they initially thought. However this becomes harder and harder as a new branch of the Foot clan** starts creeping into New York's criminal underground, and it becomes clear that they also have a vested interest in the key, which the Hamato's are still struggling to figure out a way to destroy.

From here on my notes actually get pretty spoilery so I'll just keep all that to myself for now and go over some other little details.

*A big thing that I actually ended up getting stuck on (and probably one of the reasons I delayed this for so long) was Leonardo's motivation for not talking to Casey about how they're related. For a while I wondered if it was out of character or unnecessarily cruel for Leo to treat him only as a student and eventually I came upon the conclusion that if nothing else, Leo is his father's son and being emotionally stunted is practically genetic in this family. So his reasons I think are more misguided than anything and still come from a place of caring, if still ultimately rooted in fear. I think being in that place of war and loss and seeing the pain that Casey went through at losing his mother I think Leo might have thought to himself "I can't put this kid through that again." In the bad timeline who lived and who died was never guaranteed, and Leo knew he wasn't excluded from that, so I can see his logic as something along the lines of not wanting to give Casey false hope only to then break his heart again. I don't think he necessarily anticipated living to see the end of the war, or that he and Casey would grow closer anyway. And ultimately Leo is wrong anyway, and he can't spare Casey from the pain, and losing Master Leonardo hurts just as much.

**I like to imagine that the Foot Clan has had a few splinter groups form over the years. I mean, they're a few centuries old it's hard to imagine that some people didn't split off. I like to imagine that the group that eventually made it's way to New York that we see in the show is probably the oldest existing sect, hence why they're still deeply into the world of the mystic as well as savvy enough to build a shell company to finance their endeavors. This new group that's coming in is one that I think dropped out of the mystic world a while ago, and didn't really believe in it. They're more strictly focused on just committing actual crime. But with the New York Foot Clan basically wiped out, and with the invasion changing people's worldview a bit, they seize upon the opportunity they see presented to them. Their interest in the key and in post-invasion New York comes from an interest in the krang technology and weaponry. They're not particularly interested in the krang themselves and they're honestly a little smarter than their predecessors so they don't exactly want to open the floodgates again, but they do still want to study the properties of the key and krang tech for nefarious purposes so it unfortunately falls on the weary Hamato's to stop them (poor kids can't catch a break).

There are a couple of other subplots that unfold in this fic (I've thought about this a lot) but again, in the interest of not getting too too spoilery for now, I think I'll hold those details back for a bit. Let's get into the second story I have planned for this.

The More Things Change: Buckle up gang this is the "Leo loses his arm" fic. After getting ambushed by the new Foot Clan Leo is critically injured and the gang has no choice but to bundle him off to an actual hospital in the Hidden City. As they're all sat in the waiting room Casey starts to wonder if certain things are just inevitable as he thinks back to when Master Leonardo lost his arm. Present Leo is understandably pretty distressed about this new development considering he just got out of recovery for his injuries from the invasion and is of course now wondering how he'll move forward from this and if they'll still be able to execute their plan for getting rid of the Key. Perhaps a little unsurprisingly I don't have a lot of notes for this fic yet because it is a sequel to a fic that hasn't been written yet, but the details will get fleshed out as time goes on and I do have a lot of thoughts about it.

My notes for this AU overall are a bit incomplete, which I'm kinda fine with since I wrote them a long long time ago now and revisiting them now actually gives me a chance to really think about filling in a lot of blanks that didn't come up in my initial ideation process. Like you might notice that for an AU about Casey Jones being both Leo and Cassandra's son that for some reason Cassandra seems to be oddly missing from a lot of the plot?? I'm not sure why I initially forgot to include her for about 90% of this but now I can think of a way to actually put her in and do justice to her character rather than just being Dead Mom(tm) because she's so much cooler than that. And I've also been working on fleshing out everyone else's roles in this story because since I've initially thought of it I've come up with a lot more layers and subplots that fit into this universe that I really want to explore.

That's it for now, thanks for reading <3

[nobodysdaydreams]

The Mysterious Benedict Society Liveblog Season 2 Episode 3: A Gold Bar in Fort Knox

Alright folks. I'm tired, I'm procrastinating, and ready to hyper fixate. Will SQ Garrison and Martina finally come back in this episode? Or was Disney+ unable to get the actor's contracts renewed and are hoping we don't notice? I hope not, but either way I'm still watching. Just the episode summary is getting me excited "Benedict takes a gamble with Curtain"- after a season where they didn't interact until the last episode (and in flashback land), I really want to see that dynamic between the brothers.

1:30- Alright her comes the polo team. Oh this is when they are hiding on the rope thing from the trailer aren't they? Yep I knew it. Time for the theme song!

3:00- Good point Reynie. There's really only two reasons someone as crazy as Curtain would kidnap you. 1) to cover his tracks and 2) get his son some friends. And he's clearly shown where his priorities are at considering how much of his son we've seen this season.

3:30- in hindsight it was very considerate of Curtain to kidnap them around the same point the scavenger hunt ends so that the kids can find them. He could have just kidnapped them at a random point, sent his spies after the kids, and made this impossible on their end, but at least he plays fair.

4:00- "People are becoming dependent on an artificial state of mind", do I smell social commentary coming? Because I'm just here to see Curtain get hit with the golf cart. YES TACTICAL FUNGAL INFECTION. PFFT- "to infect my brother with love" "he craves my approval", oh my gosh, poor Nicholas. Out to destroy his brother with the power of love and friendship. "well that was on his turf" "So is this" lol, what would Benedict's turf even look like, didn't Curtain's spies kick him out of his house multiple times?

6:30- Oh my gosh they are searching for phones, I told y'all last episode: you have the tech for brainsweeping. Just invent an iphone, it's much less complicated and will save you the trouble of looking for a landline.

6:30- "at least they are away from danger" and... cut to danger. Yes. I love this flight announcer. Yes Rhonda, helping everyone out, she's honestly the most stable person in this show.

7:17- YES NOLAND AND CANNONBALL. I've heard their characters in the show are nothing like the books and I don't remember and I don't care they are funny, so they get a pass. I love how into this conspiracy they are and I love when B plot characters act like they are not only the A plot, but the be all end all of everything. "Not just stowaways...they undermined our culinary excellence" "why haven't you found them" "some are quite small" I mean, he's not wrong. TWO HOURS LATE? THREE? oh dear. Faltering Marriage? Losing his house? Man Noland is going through it.

8:50- are the kids finally gonna get to hustle people like in the trailer? Of course the girls want to gamble. I'm with you Reynie, but I also saw the trailer and know you're gonna make bank. I love how the guy looks at Constance like "ok kid, you're in" IS CONSTANCE PLAYING WITH LOADED DICE? I know 7 is the most common combo, but that was a lot of 5/2 dice combos. Yeah Reynie, you probably should have sat this one out.

12:00- Oh my gosh his stupid little television show. False. Your name is Nathaniel Benedict and you are known for being a pathetic fool who has no idea where his son is. Oh great is he hypnotizing him.

13:30- not the cough drop ad, poor Milligan. Very true about the worrying. Not sure how I feel about the potential relationship here. Never really shipped anyone in the show. No strong positive or negative feelings yet. I do love that they can talk about their parenting struggles together.

16:00- Reynie, it's just card counting, I don't know if I'd consider it cheating. HAHA-- KATE. It was very obvious cheating too, I'm surprised no one caught them. Sticky's version was the smartest option here. Reynie, calm down, Sticky's money is fine, it was strategy. Awe Sticky <3. CONSTANCE. "when Benedict is in the ground"? She is hurting bad. Oh this is such an awkward confession.

18:40- Awe, he's so nice to them. Honesty really does pay. Too bad those water polo players are gonna steal all their money. Maybe they'll apologize and give it back later.

20:00- YES TELL HER KATE RESPECT THE SPORT. Yes Cannonball! Oh dear he's pretty winded. Take a breath man, you've worked hard. Lol, "reformed gamblers". I love how he says stowaways as if he's saying the world "murderers" and asking zero questions about the potential kidnappers or gamblers.

21:00- I love these extras. "and you always show up at the same time every day?" "WHY AS A MATTER A FACT I DO SHOW UP HERE AT THE SAME TIME EVERY DAY INDEED NEVER LATE JUST THOUGHT I'D LOUDLY REMIND YOU OF THIS FACT"

21:30- "I care about everyone" ok Curtain. meanwhile SQ is still stuck in that well

21:50- oh poor Nicholas that applause is insufferable. How much attention can one man need? Hold up is the applause like, a trigger for his hypnotism?

22:00- that's right cannonball tell him! Oh my gosh Constance's backstory gets darker every time. Poor Cannonball, he was really tested there, clearly he knows something about her fake "parents".

23:00- whoever does the announcements on the flight deserves a raise "hopefully you can experience the raw, terrifying beauty of nature's power" haha... "very slight deflation issue", we will need to throw your bags overboard. Such a professional delivery on that.

24:00- He's so proud to have caught them <3. And yes maritime court, finally what the season has been building up to. Yes Kate. Offer your engineering skills. Oh dear poor Cannonball, all his work traded away.

25:50- "abandonment and betrayal can come from anywhere even family", oh shut up Curtain I see exactly what you are doing, trying to make him feel guilty and make him susceptible. "I didn't let it affect me" ok Curtain, do we need to flashback to your season 1 episode 8 breakdown. "I'm not sad, I'm completely fine" *falls over*? Heck, you're clearly letting it affect you, you started a cult.

27:00- I really hope this works out for number 2. Oh no. Sebastian. Poor Sebastian. I love how Jillson and Jackson are treating him like he's their pet. "he never misses dinner, we should go out and look for him" like he's a stray dog. OH NO. Curtain you better not do this to your son. Or your brother. Or the world. "Seize the power together" is he trying to hypnotize Nicholas into this world domination plan?

29:00- Yes Sticky, getting your name out there. Um.. what does took care of them mean... no not tangerines, the only thing worse than stowing away. That's right drag them to prison. Kidnapping is forgivable, but tangerines? "citrus allergy', please, something tells me that story is not gonna hold up in maritime court.

30:30- "they have to be ok". "Mr. Benedict is not strong" Oh no. Poor Constance. She knows her dad too well. But there’s nothing wrong with have vulnerable emotions. And yeah, I guess Sticky's friend is coming in and out of the story now. Awe, see Reynie, you do matter to him, you're his best friend.

31:40- Ah, hello Jeffers. You're not the SQ, Garrison, or Martina we wanted, but you're funny so I'm glad to see you. I love how Curtain makes a point to get the name "society" right. He even seems to have some respect for them, oh yes he just said it... oh dear. Without mercy, dude calm down, that's pretty much what you've been doing the whole time. Lol, Reynie's broken polite Portuguese while Kate just yells go at the poor driver.

And that's all! Still wondering exactly what Curtain's end game is here. Does he want Nicholas to join him and love him or does he want him to suffer? Maybe both. Still wondering where SQ, Garrison, and Martina are. Don't hate love or care about the maybe maybe not adult romance. Need more Constance backstory ASAP. Nolland and Cannonball will be missed, and I hope they come back.

edit: also, I think we’ve covered most of the trailer shots in the first 3 episodes, so hopefully the plot is gonna start picking up here (@ SQ, Garrison, Martina, Constance Backstory, flashback land, etc.)

[simpingwriter]

Cal Kestis x Kyra Yarmot

'Revenge and Redemption

In the Name of Love'

Pt.3

___________________

I got a bit sidetracked, might drop some Cameron Oneshots in the next weeks- (oops its here already)

Someone gave me the idea, because hey, I'm already writing for one of his characters...so let's just do the Ginger King himself. And one of his other characters.

Let's hope this book doesn't suffer from me trying to write two things at once (it will) but it's him twice technically, so eh, maybe I will get lucky lol

Also, TOTK is on my doorstep tomorrow morning, so double suffering for this series 😭😭

Enjoy! :)

Word Count: approx. 3.100 Words

___________________

Unfortunately your request had been denied, the Grand Inquisitor actually acknowledged it though. He saw what Cal was to you and what you were to him, an odd, planning smile on his rugged face. He probably didn't use such facial expressions often, Cal not seeing anything good coming from it…

He said that they couldn't just let you share one room, as it could cause others to start complaining if you got a request fulfilled on not even your first official day. But he made sure that your room was located right across of his, sending a droid ahead of you three so your new clothes were placed in the right room.

And you immediately realize why he did such things, they encouraged relationships for one good reason: Love always eventually lead to the fear of losing one another, to jealousy, to other types of anger that someone without a significant other would never feel to such extent…

But you didn't even think to start complaining about the obvious plan he saw behind you two clearly clinging onto each other. He wanted to witness you get even stronger, more uncontrollable and reckless? So he would, you would show him and everyone else what kind of all-scorching fire burns inside of you if you kept adding the right kind of fuel.

Now, you're long out of the huge Hall, the anger still tingling at your senses, the control back in your head, not your heart. It reminded you of a darker version of a Citadel. But not entirely, as it was missing the overbearing emblems and religious undertones. It was minimalist and sleek, like the rest of this underwater base, passing huge rooms with bridges that made the fact even more real...deep underwater. If even one window would break, the unfortunate souls in that room would get crushed instantly by the water masses...

"You're stronger than you let it seem, Twel-" "Just keep calling me Kyra, Trilla…I hate such forced formality. Makes me more uncomfortable than I already am." She doesn't stop walking as she gives you a short, unsure glance before nodding hesitantly. Just like you, she would take a while to adapt to the fact that you're no longer on opposite sides of the field. You're now allies, years after hiding from them…you're one of them now.

"I mean what I said though…" what did she say again? You don't remember it already, the words of the two trying to chat you up – to keep your attention on them, in the fear of you still being unstable mentally – passing through both your ears unobstructed at this current point of time. You were too busy thinking about the cryptic garbage your new boss threw at your seething head a few minutes ago. Him also speaking of the Kaluk, it just had to mean there is more to the Sith's past research than these damned medical papers.

"She didn't hear you." Cal kindly told her for you, also choosing the much more kind variant of words than what your head had thought up, sending you a knowing glare. Yeah yeah, behave, you know.

You just don't care that much. Really...what were they going to do if you didn't?

The Empire was no longer going to hunt you down the moment they had a massive spike of Force on their radars.

You're now on their side, if anything, they would do anything to have you use your Connection to your fullest.

You never even went to your limits…

All your life they taught you how to restrain your capabilities, not how to work with everything you had to show, how to mute your Force for other Force Sensitives because of how few people were supposed to actively know about your actual strength.

You had always been warned about the horrific things that would happen to anybody getting too close during such one meltdown if you did end up losing control, that's why you tried to keep everyone at a distance of yourself. Especially your loved ones.

A ticking time bomb. That's what the members of the council – those that knew – called you.

But how could they have possibly known your true danger if you had never been allowed to be brought to your limits, not even to document the truth?

"Did you hear me this time?" Wha- Did you miss their whole conversation just now?! The redhead held back what would've become a loud laugh at your silent confusion, only visible to outsiders with your furrowed eyebrows and seeking but mostly lost eyes looking at the two. "Forget it, you're showing me what your truly capable of when you're physically well enough to train. I want the very karking first match against you!"

Was she still salty about the two times she lost against you before you switched sides? If yes, she can have that third match and even a tenth match, you would fight her as long as it would take for her to realize that she wouldn't beat you anytime soon. Not while you're still more heavily armored and carry your personal bodily weapons around with you, no matter where you went. Furthermore, you're much more flexible and agile than her…

"Ohhhh...I bet you are…" Cal mutters as his own thoughts drifted off to a whole different subject, thoughts of…oh boy. Not in the hallway!

"Nothing could stop me, really-" "Cal!"

Having to listen to you two argue about something only you could hear as well, Trilla deeply regretted her unusual decision to come alongside to escort the two of you. Maybe she should be glad she couldn't hear the boy's thoughts, if they made even you blush and be at a lose for words. The elevator you stepped into just a minute ago let the three of you out on the Inquisitors' Floor, a long and wide circular Hallway that went around once before ending back at the two elevators, it being your last path to your new sleeping quarters.

"Do they know that I will simply just not sleep in my room?" You ask them casually, a snort coming from Trilla as she stopped in front of a door, her room. "Well I sure do now, so stay on my good side." She jokes, typing in her door code to make the door slide open a moment later, revealing slightly messy living room, "Don't you think I should say that to you instead?" You cockily return just as quickly, watching her face go from a surprised glare to a challenging grin as she turned to the two of you a last time. "I won't think anything like that until you prove yourself, Kyra."

With that, she let the door close in front of her face, the hallway quiet once more as she left you alone with Cal. Nobody but you two.

"Now there is definitely nobody left to sto-" "Not on my first day!" That wasn't a no to it entirely and he knew it as he grew a big shit eating grin before continuing just a few meters further, handing you a card from one of his pockets, you saw one of the Troopers hand it to him in an envelope earlier.

Your rooms were right next to Trilla's, yours on the inside of the circle, his on the outside...of course he got the nice view.

"What's this?" "It's your physical door access key, you can use it in your room on the room terminal to change your initial door code and make orders from the Base's delivery droids. Like Food, when you don't want to leave your room for whatever reason." The card was sleek, matted black and also kept mostly minimalistic like everything else. It did present itself with the Empire's Symbol in the upper corner though. You pocket it in your bare-minimum of clothing you wore while in the Infirmary – you didn't want to know how and who undressed and eventually redressed you in the end – after using it to open the door for the first time.

You didn't immediately look inside when you turned to Cal, seeing him stand there a little...lost as he waited for you to enter and explore your new sleeping quarters, a space all for your yourself, something entirely different than the small cod on the Mantis or the varioud wet ass caves you had to sleep in sometimes. "Aren't you going to come join me?"

Why did it seem so out of this world for him that you wanted him to come look at the room with him? He looked so shocked at your question! "Because I thought you might want a few minutes alone…still a lot to take in, remember?"

No you definitely didn't want a few minutes alone, you had been alone for long enough, these four years, these last three months and apparently four weeks in a coma, stuck reliving your worst memories just like your nightmares, just as an unending loop.

You wanted to be anything but alone again…

He understood your request without you needing to tell him another word, without having to explain yourself, leaving the hallway just as quiet as before when he stepped next to you, one hand taking its now usual place around your waist as he lead you into the four walls that you know had the pleasure to call your own.

It was…plain. Just like everything else on Nur until now, the only things interesting being the people you met until now. You just didn't know yet if it is the good kind of interesting. Unlike the Base itself though, you were sure you could decorate the few rooms you were given, if you even used them to actually sleep in.

"Welllll, who said I was just going to let you come into my room and begin sleeping in my bed, hmmm?" He asks with a cocky tone, idly pushing dust off the corners he found. "Your dick and your huge loving heart?" "Very good point actually."

The quarters had an open plan living room with the kitchen separated by nothing but a sleek Kitchen isle, which also held the sink and apparently a small fridge under the counter, only called out by Cal targeting it on reflex to look at what he could grab from it for you two.

"Water or Soft Drink?" Sugar, you needed some desperately, the breakfast you had gotten before Dr. Puloria was able to release you from the Infirmary being the only sustenance yet all day. You had never eaten something quicker than those two Buns with unfamiliar but delicious Jam, barely chewing it thoroughly before swallowing it, Cal having the audacity to call you a Cleaner Droid. Well you had, but you had been close to literal starvation back then…

"I don't think I will ever get used to your near nonchalant thoughts about all the shit you went through…" He states worried, handing you the can of carbonated mixed berry juice before waiting on you to continue through the room and into the next.

"Only way I found to effectively deal with the past…" you share in barely a mumble, cracking the small lid into the upper part of the can, hearing the reactive fizzle from the outside air that hit the isolated liquid. It smelled like actual berries, but you double doubted that it was the real deal. It would be mostly sugar and flavorings...so just like you requested. You craved the unhealthy energy kick in this moment, you nearly chugged the can whole.

He didn't respond to your explanation, not verbally at least…but his thoughts always ended up so much louder. He was worried you would eventually have to break from the pressure of it all someday, that that day might be sooner than you yourself wanted to desperately think it was. And he might just be right…sometimes it felt like for every good thing happening to you, a hundred bad things added themselves to your ever growing pile.

What straw was the last straw to break your back? And what would happen to you when that day finally came?

"I promise I will do anything I can to make your days worth a smile, to ease your dark thougths, my dragonfly…" He whispered, slightly holding his own fizzy drink a bit away from the both of you as he gently kissed your forehead, smiling into it as he felt you relax under him, the warmth of his lips spreading to the sides of your face at the probably most innocent gesture coming from his side yet, besides holding hands of course…

"I can always turn naughty for you, if that's what you're really asking for right now." He instantly replies to your thoughts, stroking your now rather tinted cheeks sensually, only worsening the heat collecting.

He would be the end of your sanity first, before the past caught up to you, you were certain at his increasingly teasing yet loving touches. He knew exactly how they made you feel…but you couldn't do this just on your first day, what…what would they all think?

"I thought you don't care what others think?" "Only if I already know that I don't or won't like them." But as of now, your opinion on nearly everyone but Cal has been Neutral up to this point of your arrival.

Dr. Puloria might be a positive…

"I bet I'm a negative…" He pouts with a horribly played sigh, shaking his head in disappointment. Knowing that even now as an Inquisitor he didn't lose his absolutely dastardly humor and charm…you're so glad he is still who he was before, just much much more open.

You both could now live as yourselves more openly.

"Yeah, an absolutely horrible opinion. You- you...stink, Man…" Surprisingly, you're bad at this whole intentionally being rude thing if it was directed at Cal. Even jokingly, avoiding eye contact as you somehow squeezed your "mean" words out, tail calling you out as it went back and forth with avid concentration, your head trying to find a good, sassy rebuttal.

Thankfully that wasn't you on the battlefield, you'd be dead in minutes…

A deep echoing moan from beyond the fortress' walls took you both back to reality as you shudder at the mere idea of a huge sea monster just beyond these walls of yours. "It's not able to hurt us, it's a filter mouth, it's not even interested in the Base in the first place anyways…" Well, at least he only speaks in the singular of it, whatever it was.

Now trying to ignore the moans and groans, you're moving into the next room your eyes spy. The Refresher.

Small but definitely enough for your needs. Thankfully this shower probably wouldn't have to see and hear your utterly pathetic wailing anymore. Unless another nightmare would shake you from your sleep. Then maybe.

"You can sleep over with me, just like you said earlier. Even if you just want to use the couch for now, we don't have…we don't have to share the bed yet!"

Why would you want to sleep on the couch?

"...But I always wanted to know what it feels like…" you claim with a frown, the Refresher left behind for now, nothing grabbing your attention in it all that much, uncaring as you returned to the living room, your quick, naked steps leaving Cal behind for a moment before he even realized that you were already on the move again. Seconds later he is back at your side, closer than before it felt like, head trying to follow your vague, open ended sentence. "What do you mean, 'what it feels like'?"

"What it feels like to sleep in the same bed as your mate, or lover, for humans. I have heard of it being the peak of feeling truly…safe…but we never had an actual chance to test it back on the Mantis, even if we wouldn't have had to hide our relationship."

Was it really such an amazing, almost life changing experience like those girls once told you, back on that Planet the Clones, Din, Grogu and you ended up nearly stranded because of a Bounty gone wrong? They said one of their goals in life was to be in a happy relationship, each with a man that loved them. That sharing a bed was included in that dream of theirs, in their men's strong and warm arms, protecting them even then…

Of course their dreams also included settling down, owning a small piece of land for a house and starting a...a family…but this was all far from your grasp at this moment. So…sharing a bed, waking up in each other's loving arms…it was the best you could do for the time being.

"I like your idea of a good life…I hope we can have this dream come true at some point in the future, Dragonfly." He gently whispered into your ear from behind, resting his chin on your head due to the size difference between you two, enveloping you in his arms, knowing exactly that's what your were craving after your thoughts just now, "I never want to see you suffer because of my stupid decisions again…leaving you tore at my heart, it felt like the worst mistake of my life...yet." And he wanted you to keep him from potential making a worse one...you hear it from the way he said it. Did he forget that you were making bad decisions basically every day?

Well but he did end up finding a safer place for you two, just like he had promised. Even if it hurt, these wounds could heal much better than any of your other, much older ones. Because you knew that he did all this only for the two of you, he went all the way…just for you.

"I don't want you to suffer again either, Cal. But I don't know if I can promise that with- with what I am."

What if, unlike what the Grand Inquisitor said, your anger…your hunger for revenge, what if it did end up consuming you? Would you still be able to recognize Cal through the haze, through the destruction and rage?

...Or would you eventually end up hurting him – no matter what you tried – emotionally and physically, just like Kenobi told you 'he' did with his lover? You would never be able to for-

"You won't. I know that you won't, because I believe in you for both of us until you got the strength to believe in yourself for yourself. Believe it for BD, he would've- no, he has done the same. Until his very last moment, he believed in you."

BD…

Cal is right. You're stronger than this, stronger than your fear or your worries and you have to finally stop running in circles, stop yourself from going back to the thoughts of your worst fears coming true someday. You won't let them come true. You can't.

"Let's go then." You don't even look much at the boring and blank bedroom you were given, ignoring the neatly made double bed as you find the In-wall Closet in just a few seconds with fresh determination in your steps. You would take whatever you want by whatever and whichever means, you would no longer let others or even yourself ruin your chances at a better life, a life even a creature like you deserved. "Wait, what do you mean?" He calls from the other room, starting to get annoyed with you constantly running off again, following you confused as you keep refusing to answer his questions, seeing you pull out the still bagged, crisp uniforms they specially tailored for you.

You deserved to have your dreams come true.

Even if it had to begin with "just" a shared bed, something you dreamed of having with Cal for the longest time, especially while you were all alone, left to boil in your own paranoia eating away at your sanity. It felt like withdrawal of a potent and highly addictive drug, feeling his scent get more faint with every day...

"Wait, just hold on for a moment, my love, you're going to end up tripping, slow down at least!" He almost tripped himself at that moment, stumbling over his feet and over to you to take some of the huge pile from your hands before giving you a sheepish smile at his own near tumble, reminding of the very first time he kissed you, "S-someone is eager, huh?" Of course you were! No more restrictions, no more hiding, no more panicked explanations for why one sat or lied on the other's bed in the morning or evening.

Just some karking peace…minus the ocean's highly ominous noises.

And with that knowledge in the back of your head, you were more than ready to begin your new life and work as an Inquisitor, especially to plan your eventual meeting with Cere, something you as sure of as the knowledge of eventual death everyone – no matter how poor or rich, human or not human, ugly or pretty – is granted. She won't be able to hide from your keen senses for very long, she would realize that sooner or later when everywhere they go, the Ship of an Inquisitor will force them to leave the planet early or even keep them from landing…

"Safe your revenge plans for another day, I want to show you my quarters before our arms grow too tired and your clothes litter the hallway!" He laughs, feeling extremely relieved when you shove the dark and gloomy thoughts away again almost instantly, returning to your old self as you agreed with a huff and followed him out of your new four walls.

His rooms didn't look much different, missing some personality for the most part, but something against the wall, on an end table between two windows that went out to the endless open ocean, caught your eyes immediately.

Two meticulously framed pictures of you two, capturing one of the rare moments you had to yourselves between your past missions.

Your wide, near carefree smile paired with your eyes shut and his lips planted on the left side of your face as he also tried to awkwardly look at the camera in time to keep the camera focused. It wasn't perfect for the photographic sense.

But it was perfect for you. You both were perfect in your eyes…

___________________

[just-an-enby-lemon]

rewrite anon here, you do not need to apologize for taking time to answer i am happy if you enjoy this back and forth with asks and have no problem with waiting for replies after all i need time to answer too

thank you for replying with your concept for that scene it was fun to read and actually different from my idea for it so it was cool to see how someone else would do it. and you are right the teacher would probably not know anything that happened even after all that time and just assume that instead of a falling out because of abuse maybe the father just died - it is unfotunately a very realistic reaction, most people would rather look away from signs of (child) abuse and come up with more benign explanations because imagining the reality of it is just too awful for them, which unfortunately also makes life harder for victims who often end up getting blamed instead. i also like that in your version the teacher did not know anything helpful either, that was part of my idea too, that actually no one really knew anything helpful. it is always an interesting plot point imo when writers make Edward be unsure of himself, when his mystery shtick is in a way based in him not knowing who he is or wants to be so he hides behind his alias because acting as his 'mastermind criminal' persona is easier than attempting some introspective; it makes him a more complex character. (this is part of the reason why imo the idea that his pun name is an alias he chose rather than the actual name he was born with is the more interesting choice because then it tells the reader something about his character, for example that he made up an eccentric character role to play and hide behind, while if he is born with the name that is just a case of nominative determinism which imo is not as fun)

either way i will try to send you the last rewrite parts soon i hope!

Okay. Shit. I was absolutly sure I had already answered that. I'm soo soo sorry.

I'm happy that our ideas were different as it makes me even more curious for yours (if you still want to send me after my stupid delay that is).

I completly agree with your assesement of Edward and his identity crises being a circunstance of him trying to become an enigma and therefor his name being an allias (and it's such a clever one - not from him, is pretty obvious, but from the part of the author to use what was first just a pun to actually be something that tells you about the characther).

That is a shorter reply but I'm really really sorry for not answering before and I hope you still send me the final part.

[violetsystems]

#personal

Of all the things I'm known for here including writing three paragraphs long form and researching the taxonomy and order of fruit? Not a lot of people knew it was my birthday this week. I don't have an active Facebook anymore so I don't think anyone would know. People find ways to show it even when they can't be high key about it. I can't really be too high key anymore about things I'm known for. Mostly because I'm sure it's pretty much understood at this point. That and active sabotage and retaliation by jealous people including the police and the people that work with them. When people forget you then you tend to focus on the people who don't. And Tumblr has been a refuge for me in terms of friendship over the years. Not a lot of people would be held captive this long to me ranting and understand the character arc of it. But a lot of what's happening around me in real life is rooted in populism and some form of social justice cucking. Like you haven't done enough for the community. So much so that people want to make sure they grief the birthday you had that they pretend to not know the day of. So much so that people out here in all walks of life make me out to be a villain they'd never even address by name. I'm some legend. Some terrorist. Some spy. Some mentally ill writer on the internet. Some lone wolf. Someone who doesn't follow subliminal and forced peer directions from a bunch of people hiding from the consequences of their actions over time. Most of what I experience on a daily basis is isolation, intimidation and retaliation because I haven't fallen in line with the herd. But it's gotten so bad that I've resigned myself to rely on what I already know. That even if people like to show in public that they can bully me behind the scenes online it's a different story. I'm sure people try and I've blocked a lot of people trying to make me think they're side blogs. But as a genuine person who knows nothing else other than being hardcore, you begin to innately know when someone is full of shit and when someone is being nice to you. I think it comes down to the fact that I think before I click. Just like I think and talk a lot in my kitchen to myself about how I feel about the world. I want to be sure when I interact with people. Just like I want to be sure people aren't using my birthday for some organized crime organization's initiation. Nobody baked me a cake and made me an offer I can't refuse. At least not in real life. But about a year ago around this time, I started taking my interactions with certain people a little more seriously. A vibe I'm sure that's grown over time in an unspoken friendship. Enough for people to quietly whisper just what this old, weird guy on the internet is all about. I don't feel old. Not as old as the people flailing around me. And they're younger than me.

People go along with populism in difficult times because things are rough. Around two and a half years ago I was let go from my job and forcibly retired. I didn't really understand what retirement was because I worked solid for twenty years. My friends at my old job distanced themselves out of fear. And I started to learn that a lot of my life was just forgotten about. I still had a roof over my head and resume. I created a company to try to work for myself. I got shunned more than I could possibly explain. The motives are clear. People in this neighborhood that I've lived in for over twelve years now compare themselves to me. Claim I don't belong here for probably more obvious reasons than we'd like to get into. I definitely don't own property. My situation is an experiment in population density which explains why I feel like a lab rat for politicians and protestors alike out here. The secret with everyone is that they think everything is a protest and every protest is a provocation. And people with tax payer funded jobs think it's their right to follow suit especially when they have a whipping boy. I am that scapegoat. I've lived it for years on this blog even before the accusations switched from being white and affluent to being attracted to women and posting fashion related pictures about them. People are always looking for something to neg you about. They probably learned it from men who control and dominate women in relationships with that same fucking stupid technique. You feel awkward and self conscious around someone you think has it all. So you constantly and subliminally break their balls if they have them. I'm no different. I was always trying to learn from the critique I thought was valid from the community I was part of for over two decades. The arts community or as I like to call it... a tax write off charity case for rich people to fuck with. You'd think leaving that community would be less pretentious. But I'm out here defending my right to breathe because I don't own property that has lost it's value over the last two years that also is being taxed unfairly. That is if you don't understand that people like me were the Petri dish for politicians to claim they created communities focused on walkable streets, public transportation, and diversity of culture. All for a tax break that people didn't get the memo for because the alderman was too busy calling me on my birthday in New York to ask me to vote for him in a run off. That's no lie. Nothing I've ever written about has ever been all that untrue. I'm never going to vote again if that's what rich politicians get away with doing at the expense of their community. And yet I'm the one who gets punished and isolated year after year for being right. I'm right about spending my time on my birthday alone. Because nobody outside of Tumblr has ever even tried to interact with me. I have to live with knowing people in this community actively tell other people to ignore me. That's beyond cucking. It's something worse than domestic terrorism.

I'm not going to be the one to sit here and tell you I can fix it. Everyone else would be crying no one baked them a cake. There's enough I've caked on my own since last Valentine's Day. People seem to persecute me in public for that too. In fact, so many people seem to know everything about me including my masturbation habits. That's beyond fucked up. It's like they've camped out on my doorstep to usher in their Ron DeSantis fueled civil war. And for all the things we think about Chicago being progressive? It's the front line for all the domestic terrorism from January 6th on. We have a Florida governor speaking to a police union in the midst of a chaotic election. We're part of some horribly fucked up rich people's transgressive art that jet sets in it's private plane to here and Miami Basel. And I've been at the center of its unintelligent and belligerent tantrum for years. So much so that I have no life. No joy. No pursuit of happiness. No real reason to be anything other than invisible and that has been helped by people working together in this neighborhood across international borders and law to actively destroy my life. I'm still alive. I turned forty nine. That's pretty fucking old if you made the wrong decisions for yourself like everyone else. I'm not married. Never have been. Don't have kids. It's not like I don't want to start a family and live cozily ever after. Maybe I just want to be cozy for a month long cuddlefest and see how it works out. Maybe I've been happily connected for years and just didn't realize it because nobody was ready or at the stage of their life to admit it. Maybe I've been actively sabotaged every waking moment of my life desperately trying to fight it off and finally stood up to it. Now it's an irresponsible and illegal mess of incompetence and excuses. Just like people tried to actively excuse the last three years of my life as being insignificant so they could wait for me to die and resell my entire narrative back like Van Gogh. This is how these rich people work. You will never break through to them. You will never be their equal unless you have millions of dollars in stock they control the markets with their goddamn fat faced twitter feed and poses next to Ghislaine Maxwell. The simple fact of the matter is that I'm here not by choice. But I'm still alive. And I don't have to fucking explain to any trust fund charity case hipster fuck what it is I'm into and why other than the people I love. If those people want to give me a birthday present they can go fuck themselves. I have a shovel to bury your shit if it ever snows again. Just like I'll have another birthday again where you could bake me a real cake. For now. I don't have a fucking life to celebrate other than with you. And that's not something that bothers me really. <3 Tim

[thewrongmoon]

Actual Concrete S5 predictions from me

I feel like I've been fucking around with trying to figure out possible groupings for the next season, so I'm actually gonna go into what EVENTS I think are going to take place next season. Well, more like ONE event I know is gonna happen.

Will Getting Vecna'd (in some capacity):

I first felt like this would be too obvious, because Will has already been possessed before, but the evidence points directly to it. I don't think it will be the same as other Vecna possessions, namely because Will has a different bond with Vecna than Max and his other victims did. But, again, I'm like 90% sure its gonna happen. Why?

This image right here ! This image was posted by Noah before vol 2 dropped (I believe), and everyone assumed that vol 2 would have Will getting Vecna'd but that never actually happened.

And I will acknowledge the possibility that this could just be a joke made by Noah and he tried it on just to take a picture, but that also seems unlikely imo. Like I feel like these harnesses would probably be expensive and hard to get into yourself, so they wouldn't just let him run off with one? But I'm not involved in the production of ST so idk.

Actually, just realizing this as I go back to edit this point, Noah isn't wearing Will's clothes at all. He's wearing a white t-shirt and grey sweatpants. In the show he wears a blue long-sleeve undershirt and tan colored jeans (which you may be able to see in the bottom right corner of the mirror) alongside his yellow flannel.

Sadie doesn't wear Max's clothes here when she's harnessed up. This was in a rehearsal, not the actual thing. But I would imagine that they would A. maybe put their clothes back on in post-production (though this seems kind of unlikely) or B. have them dress in layers as to hide the harness and knee/elbow pads the best they can.

Will's actual outfit clearly being in frame in Noah's photo could mean he was going to put it on over the clothes he is wearing.

The second piece of evidence is this footage which shows the actor for Lonnie Byers at the table read.

Now, we don't see Lonnie at all during season 4. It's possible that there's maybe a cut scene with him in it, like a flashback? But I have no idea where they would put it. They don't show anyone in the Byers family having flashbacks in S4, and they're probably the only ones who would have any involving him.

Lonnie being present means we'll probably see him again. And because I don't think he would put in any effort into reconnecting with his kids he abandoned 5+ years ago, it's gotta have to happen in a memory, or flashback, or nightmare, or hallucination.

And who do we know that uses people's past trauma to get into their brains?

This queen right here!!

Now I know what you're wondering. If we're gonna see Lonnie in a Vecna-vision in S5, why was he at a table read for S4?

This leads me into my next theory:

Parts of S5 have already been scripted and filmed.

NOW HEAR ME OUT. This theory makes a lot of sense if you really think about it.

First of all, the production of S4 was delayed significantly by COVID. This left the writers with more time to potentially work on the S5 script.

Another huge hurdle for the crew of ST was the kids getting older. Nearly 3 years passed in between the end of filming S3 and the end of filming S4. Their characters were only supposed to age like 6 months.

Because of this, they tried multiple ways to make them appear younger, through wardrobe and even asking them make their voices higher.

They knew it was gonna take them at least another year or two before they could get to filming S5, and the actors would age more in that time. I mean, look at Finn Wolfhard. He already looks nothing like he did in S4.

The Duffers have stated that there was no way for it to not pick up where they left off.

Because of their insistence to shoot back to back, it's safe to say assume something happens right after S4 ends.

But I think they must have come to a compromise, where they inserted a time jump some time after that.

Lonnie's actor being present in the S4 table read and Noah in a harness (with the flannel he wears in the final episode) are kind of hard to explain if this isn't true.

Originally people thought a time jump would occur after episode 4 of S5, but I do think it's unrealistic for them to have already filmed half of S5. I do think it's feasible that they've maybe filmed episode 1 of S5, or they filmed parts of S5 that they want to play in flashbacks or just play in a non-linear fashion.

They finished this grid awfully quickly, and have said many times before that they already had most of S5 blocked out. I don't think it's super unrealistic for them to have scenes in mind that needed to be filmed asap to fit in with the story. This grid was probably more of a way to determine what part of the story fits in where.

Suffice to say, there's something fishy going on here.

Predictions:

I think Will will have some type of contact with Vecna right where S4 ends. Not necessarily being Vecna-d, but something to lift him in the air which would require a harness. I think Vecna would want to use his memories of Lonnie to turn him against his friends and family.

I think that Will may join him with the intention of double crossing him. This would bring the "super-spy" scenario back full circle.

But no matter how we look at it, Will being Vecna'd seems inevitable.

[youbloodymadgenius]

Ivarello (Modern!Ivar x reader) Chapter 3

Moodboard by @quantumlocked310

Ivarello's masterpost here

A/N: This is my entry for @deans-ch-ch-cherrypie 500 Followers Fairy Tale Challenge. It's a retelling of Cinderella. Congrats again, darling 💖

A huge thank you to @mrsalwayswrite , who's a great beta reader and an even greater cheerleader 😂

A massive thank you to @quantumlocked310 , @vikingstrash and @serasvictoria . Thank you for agreeing to collaborate and for sharing your talent with me. Your moodboards are beyond amazing 🤩

In this story, Sigurd is alive. Ragnar and Aslaug are dead, but Lagertha didn't kill her. I took a lot of liberties with the show, I hope you won't mind.

Unlike the tale, there will be no magic involved. Not everything will be realistic, however. It's a fayritale, after all!

Let me know if you want to be tagged 😊

Summary: Orphaned five years ago, Ivar and his brothers have been living with Lagertha ever since. Now 16 years old, he wants to attend Harald's traditional Midsummer party, but obstacles stand in his way.

Warnings: description of car crash; orphaned kids; Sigurd being Sigurd; OOC characters.

Words: 3497 (oops 🙈)

Additional note: what you’re going to read is not realistic.

Enjoy 🙂

🛡⚔️🛡

With his stomach in knots and a frown on his face, Ivar watches closely his godfather, who enters the living-room, wheeling a large trolley case behind him.

"Hello, Ivar." Floki looks around, an eyebrow raised questioningly, "Lagertha isn't here?", before flopping down on the corner sofa.

"No," Ivar shakes his head, wheeling up next to him, "She's out on a date with this English guy... Hammond, Halmund or whatever his name is."

Scratching his ear, Floki tilts his head, "but she knows you're going, right?" He pulls the trolley case closer and then snorts, mumbling under his breath, "don't think I can't see you rolling your eyes!"

"What do you think? Of course, she knows. She said, and I quote," Ivar raises his hands to make air quotes, his voice tinged with obvious annoyance, "'Of course you can go, sweetie, you know I don't want to be the one holding you back. Call me if anything goes wrong. And don't forget to take your meds.'"

"She cares, Ivar." Floki's tone is soft as he places a hand on his godson's shoulder.

Ivar lowers his gaze. "You should have taken me in." His words are barely audible and suddenly he feels like he's eleven again and he has to swallow against the sudden dryness in his throat.

"You do know that back then I wasn't in a good place." Floki's sad sigh almost gets Ivar in tears as memories of his parents and Helga flood his mind. The pain in his heart becomes nearly unbearable but he fights it off with all his might. He never wants to feel broken and lost again.

Ivar lifts his head up and Floki can see the stubbornness in his eyes. "I could live with you now."

"No, you could not, and you know it!" Floki smiles and taps Ivar on the cheek. "Ivar, I live between two flights, today in Norway, yesterday in Iceland and after-tomorrow in Canada. What kind of life would this be for you, huh? And besides, living with Lagertha is not that bad."

But living with Sigurd is! Ivar wants to shout. He keeps quiet, though, shrugging before eventually mumbling. "Guess not..."

"So," Floki starts, eager to change the subject, "where are your brothers, by the way?"

"Where do you think they are, huh, you knock-kneed fool? They're already there." Ivar glances at his watch, furrowing his brow. "Harald's party started twenty minutes ago."

"We better hurry up, then!" Crouching down, Floki slowly opens the suitcase under Ivar's scrutinizing gaze.

"Quick!" Ivar commands, barely able to contain his impatience, his nervous fingers tapping his push rims. "What do you have for me, old man, huh?" He even contemplates climbing out of his chair to open it himself, but the fear of breaking a bone at the worst possible time is stronger than his eagerness.

"You're going to calm down, young Padawan." Floki quips, slowly moving his hand in front of Ivar with eyes full of mischief. Ivar immediately slaps his godfather's hand away, mumbling under his breath, "I'd rather be a Sith Lord." That earns him a loud, hysterical laugh from his godfather.

Ivar grunts, ready to protest, but all thoughts leave his mind as soon as he's able to see what is in the trolley case. The scowl on his face obvious, he doesn't even try to hide his disappointment as he utters, "you made me braces?"

He hates braces with a passion. Along with underarm crutches, he had some, as a child. They were bulky, stiff, painful and walking with them was tedious, agonizingly slow, and exhausting. Ragnar had been adamant that he wanted his youngest to walk, no matter the struggles, no matter the nearly unbearable pain. Ivar had settled his ass in a wheelchair the day of his father's funeral, getting rid of his braces shortly after, a decision he had never regretted. So no, such torture devices were not at all what he was hoping for.

"Have a little faith in me," Floki rolls his eyes. "These," he looks lovingly at the strange contraptions in his hands, "are not braces, Ivar. Have you and your crippled ass ever heard of exoskeleton?"

Ivar's eyes widen. "It's that thing used in rehab that allows paraplegics to walk, right?" As Floki nods, Ivar gives him a puzzled glance. "But, erm, you do know I don't have a spinal cord injury, don't you? Or are you suffering from memory loss? Maybe it's your age?"

Dismissing the remark with an exasperated wave of his hand, Floki hisses, "I'm well aware that you don't, godson dearest," before narrowing his eyes, his voice now serious, "you may have full sensation in both legs, yet they can't exactly support your weight and your lack of motor function can't be denied. Not really different from some paraplegic dudes, what do you think?"

Feeling a heavy lump in his throat, Ivar frowns, not pleased with the idea of him being like a paraplegic. Almost without thinking, he contracts his quads as best he can, as if he wants to make sure he's still able to do it.

Floki doesn't miss the barely-there movements in his thighs, though, and his voice softens. "Look Ivar, you're not a paraplegic, okay? But I used the exoskeleton technology. And since you're not paralyzed, I was able to make a smaller device that you can wear underneath your clothes, and you're going to walk. I mean, really walk, not just like those guys in rehab, between parallels bars and with a PT right behind them."

Ivar, his eyes bright, stares at his godfather, slack-jawed with amazement. "I'm..." He begins to sputter, voice filled with emotion, "I'm really going to walk?" Feeling like his heart is pounding out of his chest, he fails to contain his excitement, drumming the fingers of his right hand on his lap. He'd tap his feet if only he could.

"You are." Floki nods before taking out of the trolley case a pair of dress shoes. "I put dozens of sensors in the insole of these shoes, which will enable the exoskeleton to correct your stance practically every second. Therefore, you won't need crutches, although I would say it's safer for you to use this." Reaching down, he grabs a black derby-style cane, simple and sleek in design. "You know," he shrugs, "just for extra support. Better safe than sorry, hmh?"

Ivar, who doesn't even flinch when he sees the walking stick, just reaches out, his hand grazing the carbon fiber exoskeleton. "Is it really for me?" His eyes filled with wonder, his voice trembling, his lips stretch across his face as his godfather nods. "And you made this in what?... four, five days?"

Letting out his signature giggle, Floki waggles his fingers in front of his face. "Even I couldn't make this in such a short time. No, the truth is, I've been working on it for a while. Let's say your phone call just sped things up. Though I must say, this marvel of technology is not flawless... It has a really low battery life, like four hours of autonomy at best. If I had more time, I certainly could have done better, but for now, it is what it is and you'll have to make do with what you've got." Pursing his lips, he glances at his watch, "So, just so you know, if you put this on now, you'll have to come back around midnight if you don't want to have to crawl around. And if you hear a beep, you'd better hurry, okay?"

As Ivar just nods, his beaming smile never fading, Floki adds, tilting his head, "and now, go get ready, young Padawan, you have a party to attend!"

***

Sitting on a bench at the seaside, Ivar watches the party from afar, a feeling of uneasiness tightening his chest. It was a mistake. Attending to this party was a mistake. Despite the exoskeleton, despite the fact that he walks almost normally, it was a mistake. He shouldn't have come. He shouldn't be here. Anxiety surges like the swell of a wave, and he struggles to breathe. Sigurd was right: he doesn't belong here, doesn't belong to this life.

A part of him wants to leave. It would be better to run away, to go hide in his room. But he won't. He can't. Because just a moment ago he saw you. Because he's not ready to give up on you now that he is here, eventually close to you.

He recognized you the moment his eyes fell on you. Looking radiant in a polka dot dress, you're as pretty as he remembers. Pretty? Who's he kidding? The girl you were six years ago was pretty. You're a woman now, and one of the most beautiful he's ever seen.

Glowing, smiling at everyone, you didn't even see him. In his head, of course, he makes plans to approach you, even if deep down, he knows all too well he'll never muster enough courage to talk to you. You probably wouldn't want him to anyway. After all, he may be standing tall today, yet he's still a freak, a fucking cripple. He's still cursed with his bony, twisted, useless legs. He's still a burden.

Yet, there's this little voice inside of him, barely audible, whispering that you're not like this, that you never were in the first place; and that's partly why the ten-year-old boy he was when he first met you felt drawn to you almost instantly.

Closing his eyes, he focuses on his breathing and decides to take a little trip down memory lane, bringing him back to that sunny, summer day of his first – and only – encounter with you. His memory so vivid it's like it happened only yesterday.

He can't hear the chirping of birds as his brothers are loudly playing and bickering in the pool. His beloved mother is nowhere to be seen and he's willing to bet she's taking a nap, but not without first making sure he has everything he could possibly need. Lying on a sunbed in the shade of an oak, a glass of lemonade within reach and a thick book on his lap, he hardly notices his father coming into the backyard, Harald Hårfager following close behind.

Since Ivar knows Harald is here to talk business with his father, he pays no attention to the two men, who take their seats at the patio dining table.

He nearly falls off the sunbed when a tiny voice startles him. "Hello!"

Stunned, he turns his head towards the voice and comes face to face with a smiling girl he doesn't know. You. He'd say you're about his age.

"I'm Y/N," you tell him, waving your hand shyly. "I'm at my uncle's for the weekend," you keep going, pointing your finger at Harald, "and I was wondering... May I join you?" You finally ask, dragging a second sunbed closer to his.

His first instinct is to look around, because you can't possibly be talking to him. Why would you? Surely you can't have failed to spot his leg braces, nor his hideous orthopedic shoes. You can't have missed that he's a cripple.

Frowning as he sees that no one is around, he snorts, his nostrils flaring. He can tell you're wearing a swimsuit under your pink dress. What do you want, then? Are you here to mock and ridicule him or what?

"You better get in the pool with my brothers." He knows he sounds rude, not answering nor greeting you, but he doesn't care. He doesn't want to be made fun of and doesn't intend to give you the chance to do it.

Seemingly undeterred, you speak with a soft voice. "No, I'd rather not." Your smile is so genuine he can't help but think you mean no harm. "Actually," you shrug, sitting next to him, "I'd rather stay here with you, if you don't mind. What are you reading?"

Gobsmacked, he just looks at you – and gods, how pretty you are! – for a long time, unable to utter a single word. Are you truly interested in what he's reading? Interested in him? He swallows hard, his heart racing. A small smile dancing on your lips, your kind eyes never leave his as you wait, full of hope, for him to finally talk to you.

And that's what he ends up doing, almost in spite of himself. For the next two hours, he shows you his astronomy book, a gift from his godfather for his tenth birthday, and tells you about the stars, the constellations and the nights he spends watching the sky, when his mother allows him to. And for two hours you listen to him, asking a question here or there and always smiling. He's pretty sure you're not faking being interested in what he's saying.

All too soon, your uncle tells you it's time to go and you stand up with a scowl, letting out a sigh of regret. The next moment, you flash Ivar a grin. "I had a really great time with you, thanks! I'm going back to my mom's tomorrow but I hope we can spend time together again sometime, maybe next summer. I'd love to stargaze with you, you know?" With that, you lean forward and as your lips touch his cheek, Ivar's breath catches in his throat, his heart pounding like a drum in his chest.

Ivar inhales deeply. That kiss... That's when he fell madly and hopelessly in love with you. If he concentrates enough, he can still feel the softness of your lips against his skin, still smell your sweet, flowery scent.

That day, he had watched you leave with a smile on your face, already dreaming of the day he would see you again. You had said "next summer" and even though it was a long time away, he was willing to wait. In the meantime, he would have plenty of memories to recall - your joyful voice, your sparkling eyes, your lovely smile... Sure, he could wait.

And he had waited, hopeful and happier than he had been in a long time.

Not long after, however, his life had been turned upside down, his father being murdered and his mother dying in a car crash. Lost, angry, broken, and infinitely sad, he had gone through the following months as if anesthetized - barely living, hardly functioning, sometimes feeling as if the memory of you was the only thing keeping him from drowning.

Yet, and he doesn't know why – or perhaps simply because Ragnar being dead, Harald had no reason to visit anymore – he had never seen you again.

"Hello!"

His whole body freezes and he stops breathing. This voice... Your voice... He'd know it anywhere. Yet, it can't be, right? Did he fall asleep? Is he dreaming? Is one of his brothers tricking him? Why would you talk to the cripple?

"My name is Y/N." He can hear the smile in your voice. "I was wondering... May I join you?"

Summoning the courage he's not sure he has, Ivar looks tentatively toward you.

Gods! You're even more beautiful up close. Fuck. Now that you're here, right next to him, he doesn't know what to say, what to do. Panic seizes his hammering heart as a lump rises in his throat. He attempts to swallow around it to speak, to say something, anything, but the words won't come out and he finally just nods, his hand gesturing to the bench for you to sit on.

"Thanks," you give him a broad smile before taking your seat.

Ivar cannot believe his eyes. What are you doing? Did you recognize him? Why are you here, with him?

"Woul–", he sputters, struggling to find his voice, "Wouldn't you rather be there?" Pointing his index finger at the crowd gathered in front of the makeshift stage just a few meters away. He frowns, tilting his head, "the party is in full swing."

"No, I'd rather not." You shrug and as you turn your head toward him, he breathes in your sweet scent, suddenly feeling dizzy. "The guys are already drunk and really have one thing on their minds. And those who are not are boring." You lower your gaze, as if embarrassed, and it's so adorable Ivar feels like his heart is melting. "I'd rather stay here with you, if you don't mind."

Oh, he doesn't. He doesn't mind at all. The truth is, there's a fucking firework inside of him, and he barely contains the screams of happiness that threaten to escape his lips. "That's okay, you can stay," he says instead, his fidgeting fingers dancing on his lap.

Over the next hour or so, the conversation flows easily as you speak about Karasjok, the small town where you live, telling him about your mother's people, the Sami, their culture and customs.

Ivar shares with you bits and pieces of his life too, speaking about his passion for the Viking culture and about his belief in the ancient gods. The night, his night, is full of your laughs, full of your smiles, full of you. He wants it to never end.

He's still trying to figure out if you know who he is, if you remember meeting him once when you rise to your feet, almost bouncing with enthusiasm. "Walk with me, will you?"

He's about to break the truth about his inability to walk when he remembers that actually, thanks to Floki, he can. His eyes never leave yours as he grabs his cane with a little bit of self-consciousness, wincing as he stands up, but he can't see disgust, contempt, or disappointment on your face and your smile doesn't falter as you delicately slip your hand under his free arm, curling your fingers back over it. Shaken by your sudden proximity, Ivar feels goosebumps rising on his skin.

"It's such a lovely night and I'm so happy spending it with you."

Your words leave him speechless as you lead him close to the water. A bunch of guys can be seen in the distance and Ivar is pretty sure his brothers are among them. He can feel their heavy stares on him and doesn't need to hear them to know what they're saying. "Who's this dude? Do we know him?" Standing tall, with his braided hair and a blue suit, he knows he doesn't look like himself. Yet, as he locks eyes with Hvitserk for a second, he'd sworn he sees a hint of recognition crossing his brother's face. And as the latter gives him a thumbs up, he knows his mind is not playing tricks with him.

"Oh, I love this song!" You clap your hands twice before shrugging shyly. "Let's dance, please!"

Ivar's heart breaks. Scared out of his wits, he swallows hard, his breathing uneven. "I... I can't." It's a painful admission, and he wishes the ground would just swallow him up.

He realizes you pay no mind to his defeated tone, though, as you grab his cane, leaning it against a nearby tree. "We'll go slow, I promise."

Almost in spite of himself, he places his hands on your hips as you wrap your arms around his neck. Gently – cautiously – swaying to the music, Ivar leans in close and, inhaling deeply your delightful scent, he feels like he's going to spontaneously combust. Your head resting on his chest, he's sure you can hear his frantic, pounding heartbeat. But he can't bring himself to care, not when you're finally exactly where he wants you to be. In his arms.

That's why he doesn't hear the first beep, or if he does, he doesn't pay any attention, entranced by your beauty, your kindness and the mesmerizing color of your eyes.

But when you stop dancing, your eyebrows raised, "What's that beeping noise? It doesn't stop," he hears it too, cold sweats washing over him as panic courses through his body.

"I... I must... I must go," he stammers, and honestly he's about to throw up. He can't think, can't speak. All he knows is that he doesn't want you seeing him crawling around. He won't allow it. He can't.

Fuck.

That's why he leaves. He just strolls off. He doesn't see the appalled look you're giving him, doesn’t' realize he's leaving his black cane behind, doesn't hear the despair in your tone as you shout, "wait, please! I don't even know your name!"

He has only taken a few steps when crocodile tears run down his cheeks, blurring his sight. It hurts so much he could scream, and he can barely breathe as the realization starts to sink in. Who was he trying to fool? Sigurd had been right all along. No matter the exoskeleton, no matter the genius of his godfather, he's still a freak. A monster. An abnormality.

He doesn't belong. He's not worthy.

Fuck.

His heart shatters in a thousand pieces.

Fuck.

Y/N.

Fuck.

🛡⚔️🛡

Ivar's taglist: @waiting4inspiration @honestsycrets @lisinfleur @saldelys @gearhead66 @inforapound @readsalot73 @milkkygirls @xbellaxcarolinax @shannygoatgruff @zuxiezendler @hecohansen31 @lonewolf471 @fuckindiva @tgrrose @didiintheblog @peachyboneless @pieces-by-me @funmadnessandbadassvikings @ethereallysimple @destynelseclipsa @cocovikings23 @xceafh @mrsalwayswrite @deans-ch-ch-cherrypie @pomegranates-and-blood @jadelynlace @grimeundglow @quantumlocked310 @alexhandersen-marcoilsoe-fandom @adrille88

Ivarello's taglist: @not-another-viking-fanfic-blog @hashimily @prepare4trouble @supernaturalvikingwhore @funmadnessandbadassvikings @heavenly1927 @dini73

[solarsavoy]

Fandom Saturday, Assassination Classroom part 2

Something just occurred to me. Something that we all knew, but didn't really focus on about Assassination Classroom. The main character.

Like many, I believe that Assassination Classroom is perfect as is. Sure, it'd be nice to flesh out some of the minor characters a bit more, but as for the timing, the length, the plot, the climaxes, it was perfect. Four semesters, spring, summer, fall, and winter, and an opening for each one. It begins the day Korosensei became a teacher, a yellow octopus, and ends when he dies. It is complete, well rounded, and everything times out perfectly, but here's the kicker.

We always assumed Nagisa or Karma or maybe even Isogai were the main characters. We wished we saw more of Gakushuu and the Big 5. Here's why I think we don't have it, and maybe even why the 365 movie was simply a recap. (Haven't seen it so I'm trusting @bismuthwisdom's thoughts on it because it matches what many others have said about it as well.)

It had nothing to do with the main character.

It's obvious this story is about Korosensei, but we're thrown off by the fact that Nagisa is the narrator in the beginning, and in many places throughout, but he's also not the main character.

Some wish for a more thorough time skip, but just about everyone ended up doing what they said they would to Korosensei. Karma is a bureaucrat. Nagisa is a teacher. Nakamura is probably a diplomat or interpreter. All the things they told Korosensei they would be.

The main character was Korosensei. And if it wasn't something in his scope, it's something we wouldn't have known. It's even in the names of the episodes, his focus.

Let's take one of my favorite episodes as an example, Karma Time. It's called Karma Time. Who was Korosensei's main focus during that entire thing? Karma's past was noted in the student file, something Korosensei had access to. It ended when he finally had a good grasp on who Karma was and his attention went back to the classroom as a whole.

Last time, I talked about how fleshed out the characters were, but how closely was Korosensei paying attention to them? That's why they're fleshed out and none of them focused on their home life even though it was mentioned. It wasn't mentioned in all cases because not everyone decided to talk about it at school.

And Gakushuu. Gakushuu was never Korosensei's student, hence, he was never focused on unless his students were somehow interacting with him, like during midterms or festivals.

We also learned about Gakuhou because at one point, Korosensei had to face him. Their teaching methods were at war, so we learned a little about that, but nothing about Gakuhou's personal life because, again, it wasn't any of Korosensei's business. It wasn't something Korosensei needed to know to get the job done.

Everything we see in the anime is through Korosensei's scope and yet, he's rarely the actual narrator. Nagisa usually is. But my theory stands true. In episode 1, something Nagisa wouldn't know that Korosensei did was that flashback of why he became a teacher, something only Korosensei would know. Even though he wasn't the narrator at the time, nothing was actually done that wasn't out of his scope, but it certainly wasn't Nagisa, so why was Nagisa the narrator? Probably because Kaede put him there so she could hide from Korosensei's scope. Think about it.

If it surprised us, it surprised Korosensei. Akari's betrayal. Itona's existence as a "brother". Reaper 2.0 becoming a monster. Sorry, I have to say it again because, Akari's betrayal.

A lot of the hints about her betrayal lied in between the lines of gossip between students, something brushed off as unimportant by the teacher and as an after effect, the audience as well. I'm telling you, this shit is genius.

So the focus on the characters is not as simple as choosing who's in the spotlight at any given time. It is entirely dependent on who the main character is focusing on. And the reason the characters are so fully fleshed out, even so far as mistaking them for the main characters in the anime, is because the true main character focused that much on them.

He was a wonderful teacher and we, the audience, were also being guided by Korosensei throughout the entire anime.

And then he died and all that was left was this open potential for all the characters and, more importantly, for us as fanfiction writers and fanart artists to really go all out with what he left us. Think of it. I wouldn't dream of getting another season from Matsui, but man do I have ideas for fanfics. I mean, I've currently got 28 and counting and I only started a year and a half ago.

Anyway, that's it for this week's Fandom Saturday talk. What are your thoughts? I'd love to hear them. ^^ And if you have a suggestion as to what I should talk about next week, send an ask or a message and I'll do it. Have a good day!

[jimlingss]

It's B from @bang-tan-bitches and I would like to request a yandere fic. It can be BTS OT7 x reader or BTS member of your choice x reader. Similar to your amazing isekai story i would like something similar(a long one shot or a multi-chapter, your choice). Whether YN transmigrates to a game or a novel (not as a villain but maybe as a cannon fodder side character that has little importance to the story and just wants to lay low) but YN captures the attention of the love interest(s) and shit starts getting weird, intense, uncomfortable. Maybe it causes the supposed female lead to turn into the villain, maybe it causes the love interest(s) to turn into the villain(s). Maybe YN realizes that something is wrong with the story/game but can't figure it out. Idk. Time period doesn't matter. Modern. Ancient. Fairytale. Fantasy. Whatever.

If you can do this great! If you can't or don't want to, that's okay too. You're an amazing writer with so much talent and I'm really appreciative of all your work. Thank you for taking requests from your fans, I'm sure you've received a lot.

Take care! 😘💜💜💜

at the start of the pandemic, I was getting back into manga and manhwa and then after a few months, I dawdled off but recently, I’ve been getting back into it again haha so this request came at a pretty good time. Hopefully you won’t mind that I’ve taken some creative liberties with this request lol I think it’s more fun if I keep readers on their toes, including the requester.

On another note, I really shouldn’t be writing all my isekai’s with Taehyung as the main lead but he’s just so fitting asdfghjkl

↳ The Fox Bride

2.6k || 99% Light Fluff, 1% Angst || Kim Taehyung || Isekai!AU, Slight Yandere!AU, Nine-Tailed Fox!Taehyung

You are a tutorial character.

But you weren’t always. You still remember being a career woman in the twenty-first century, struggling with overtime and paying bills while trying to keep yourself fed. The success of that ranged from month to month. But more importantly, you still remember that night too.

It was rainy. Your car blew a flat tire. You pulled to the side of the highway and got out.

The last thing that registered was the deafening honk of the semi-truck. 

Then you felt yourself flying upwards.

But when you landed, instead of colliding with the concrete and dying upon impact, you fell back onto your ass in the middle of a market on a dirt road. Transported back a thousand years ago.

Your purpose was fulfilled in the next two minutes. 

“Are you alright?”

The male protagonist had stretched out his hand and helped you up. The hero. The main character. It was obvious with his bright red hair, shining eyes and bronze armour. He was so starkly different from the rest who were gray and drab, including you who was suddenly in a brown shapeless dress. He was practically a neon billboard in the middle of a graveyard.

“Are you Y/N?”

You looked at him, befuddled that he knew your name. But before you could even respond or provide a line of dialogue, he said, “This is a delivery from Baker Jeon. He gives you his thanks.”

The protagonists handed you a loaf of bread. Undoubtedly his first ever quest. 

You looked down, not sure what to do with it.

“Do you know where the blacksmith is?”

You had absolutely no clue. But there was the deafening noise of hammering steel literally ten steps away. You would have to be blind not to see the gruff man shaping a sword at an anvil right on the road and deaf not to hear it. As if that wasn’t enough, the literal sign of the shop read: ‘the blacksmith’.

So you pointed.

“Thanks.” And he trudged off.

You were utterly confused until a background character who said they knew you waved you over. You shared your bread with her, brushed aside when she asked you what was wrong, and you followed her as she walked up to your supposed cottage.

All the while, you saw yourself in the background of the hero’s main quest as he ran through the town.

And that was that.

It wasn’t so hard to figure out where you were or what the hell this was when you put your mind to it. Without much of a job or a family, and no technology but the candle that you had to conserve when night fell, there was ample time.

So you spent it thinking and you eventually solved the mystery.

You were in Beast Boys Harem: A Forbidden Embrace. AKA. a dumb yaoi otome game app that you downloaded on your phone when you were sixteen and bored. You remember because you were too cheap to buy the routes, so you played the tutorial, prologue and read the summaries of the routes online. Now you regret that you didn’t just fork over the goddamn five dollars. 

Even more than that, you regret that you even downloaded the game in the first place.

But at least you’re just a tutorial character. You’re free from the storyline and the plot—

That’s what you thought.

Turns out living a thousand years in the past in a fantasy realm as a woman didn’t bode well. It was probably no different from how it would’ve been like in the medieval ages. You had no trade skills. No one was willing to accept you as an apprentice when you were a woman. You found that you were essentially illiterate with a reading level of a preschooler, no one was willing to teach you, and you had no power or wealth when you were without a father or a husband.

And you’re certain what the landlord and tax-collectors are doing is illegal.

But in this world, in this unjust realm, there is no such thing as the law.

“We know you’re in there!”

You jolt from the heavy pounding on the frail wooden door.

“It’s time to pay up!”

Your hands tremble as you set the candle down that’s still billowing of smoke, the flame smothered out mere seconds ago. As much as you want to hide and pull the blanket over your head, you know that door won’t last. They’ll find you if you’re trapped in here.

“If you can’t, spread those legs of yours!” a low voice spits and there’s chortling from the men.

Someone adds, “Sell your body already!” 

“Open up! Damn whore!”

Without a single possession but the white nightgown clad on your body, you open the latch of the back window. You cringe at the squeak, trying to keep your movements quiet before the door gives way.

You hoist yourself up onto the window ledge. The door bends with the strength of multiple clenched fists against it. Your feet touch the soft grass outside your cottage. The men shout.

And the door finally slams against the wall, hinges broken. 

But by then, you’ve slipped into the shadows.

“Where is she?!”

The blanket is ripped off the bed, curtains are whipped back, every drawer dumped onto the ground and cupboards yanked open. The floor shakes with the weight of their boots and you press your palm to your mouth to silence your panting breaths, slowly stepping away.

“That damn whore slipped through us—!”

But as your shitty luck would have it, a sudden crack has the whole world coming to a standstill.

Shit. You look down at your feet, realizing that the snapping noise came from you stepping on a twig. And it’s exposed your hiding place.

“There she is!” — “Out the back window!”

You grab fistfuls of your dress and bolt. 

“Get her!”

With your cottage on the edge of town, there’s nowhere to run but through the dense woods. It’s shrouded in the darkness, no doubt filled with wild beasts creeping through the thicket. The rustling canopy of the trees doesn’t allow the dim, waning moonlight to illuminate your path.

So you’re left blind. Struggling up the high incline of the forest, feet slipping on dirt and mud. But you keep sprinting with all your might, even when the pointed, coiling branches scrape at your calves until blood sheds and the hem of your dress tears in the underbrush.

“Run, little rabbit!” one of them mocks, “Run!”

The four men continue to give chase, gripping onto their roaring torches, shrieking and howling after you. One of them is manically laughing as if your efforts to flee only adds to the thrill. Their greased hands reach out to snatch you, but the tips of their fingers graze the ends of your hair.

Your teeth are sunk into the bottom of your lip, sobs breaking through your aching chest. Your lungs burn, dying for a break or moment of relief. But you don’t relent and luckily, you manage to build distance between you and the men. Only, that luck comes crashing down by a fucking hole.

A hole in the forest floor that you don’t see. That has your footing all wrong. That makes you scream and fall.

You twist your ankle in a direction it’s definitely not supposed to be in and cry from pain. 

A second later, you force yourself to get up and keep running with tears flooding your eyes and dripping down your cheeks. But it’s more like limping than running, akin to hobbling on one leg and every movement has pain shooting from your swelling ankle.

The effort becomes futile. They surround you within minutes.

“All finished?” The tax-collector’s head cocks with a spreading grin. “You’re not going to keep running?”

Why couldn’t you just fucking die the first time?! Even if it was an awful death where you didn’t have time to prepare yourself or say goodbye to anyone, at least it would’ve been the end. At least you wouldn’t have to suffer.

But there’s no time to grieve. Or hate the new life you’ve been given. This is it. You have to keep going. You have to survive. By any means. You’re about to pick up a branch and uselessly wave it around at them, shout at them to stand back. Anything that you could do to save yourself—

“Who dares come onto my mountain?!”

There’s a deep timbre behind you. A husky voice that quivers the very core of the forest.

As if the wind has swept through, the trees and thicket rustle and it goes silent.

The men fall back onto their asses, some torches clattering to the ground. Their eyes have grown double in size, nearly falling from their sockets and their jaws have dropped to the dirt.

“I-It’s the nine-tailed fox!”

The man scrambles back.

“Demon!” 

Another barely manages to get onto his feet. He turns around and lurches away while shrieking.

They all run. Scattering away as frantically as cockroaches when the light is flickered on.

From your spot on the ground, you turn around with wide eyes. 

Amber irises meet your gawking and they practically glow in the darkness of the forest. He is dressed in a loose, white robe that’s draped over his frame, open to the middle of his chest. And over his honey hair, on the top of his head, his pointed golden ears twitch. By the torch fire still yet to die out, he is illuminated and his shadow is casted on the ground. The blazing flame warms his cold, sharp features. 

He is the most beautiful person you’ve ever seen. In both worlds you’ve lived in.

And you know who he is.

Taehyung. One of the love interests of the hero. A seductive, sly creature that eventually coaxes the hero into selling him his soul to grant one of his wishes. But Taehyung grows to become an obsessed character that wants to do nothing but monopolize and possess the hero for himself.

That same Taehyung approaches you with his lip curled as you teeter to your feet.

“Run away, girl.” He leans close. “Before I eat you.”

“Stop!” 

On sheer instinct and adrenaline, you push him back. Your palm shoves against his firm chest.

Taehyung stumbles back with his eyes becoming rounded. He looks down to where you had made contact against his body. “Did...you just touch me?”

“What?”

Taehyung’s head darts upwards and he captures your wrist in his hand, squeezing tightly. He tugs you in and on your swollen ankle, you stumble into him. Bodies flush against one another. Your face pressed to his warm chest. His arm coming around your waist to break your fall.

He is aghast. 

“You’re not from this world.” Taehyung’s yellow eyes swirl as they gaze into you. “Where did you come from?”

��

It’s been three days.

“Wed me,” he begs for the seventy sixth time. 

You don’t know why you’re keeping a count.

“No.”

You’re hugging your knees for warmth. The rice paper-paneled doors are slid open and letting in the chilly air. He doesn’t seem to be affected by the cold, but you don’t look at him for long. 

You turn into the corner of his home while sitting on the tatami floors as if you’re putting yourself into time out. But you’d like to say it’s your privacy corner. It’s as private as this abode, which was basically one room, could get. 

Taehyung sighs in frustration, placing his hand on his forehead. His teeth grit. “You’re only making this harder for yourself.” Your silence angers him more. “You can never leave.”

You turn over your shoulder to glare. “Even if I married you, you’d never let me leave anyway.”

Taehyung narrows his eyes on you and then smirks. “You’re right. Wed or unwed, I won’t let you out of my sight. You should feel grateful, girl. You’re the best human I’ve ever treated.”

You quietly scoff.

Maybe you should feel scared. Maybe you should tread more lightly. After all, he’s not a character to be trifled with.

But you know he needs you. That alone gives you power. 

As a beast, Taehyung’s been trapped on this mountain by priests for centuries. The only way he can be free is by feeding off of sexual energy and breaking the barrier. But of course, they also cursed him to be unable to touch any woman in this universe. 

You aren’t from this universe.

You jolt when you realize that while you were lost in thought, Taehyung’s crawled closer. He has a foxy smile, amber eyes searching your expression. “Maybe….maybe I’ll grant you a bit of freedom if you would just give into the temptation and let me have a taste of you.”

As cold as he looks, he is beautiful. He is mischievous when he smirks and sly when he speaks. You are utterly spellbound as you look into his irises. And the temptation he speaks of flickers in the warmth of your belly.

But you turn away.

“I already said we only do that kind of thing after marriage. And I will only marry someone I love.”

Taehyung draws back with an unamused scoff. “What a prudish world you’re from.”

He wanted you the moment you were brought to this house. With the intensity of his stare and your captivated state, you had let him pin you to his floor and you liked it. But then clarity came and you blurted that such an act only happens after marriage. A lie just to buy time.

You didn’t expect for the hero to arrive at Taehyung’s house the next day. With his red hair and bronze armour, he had gotten lost in the forest and knocked on the door. Before you could limp over and answer it, Taehyung jumped off the roof and confronted him.

The guy was thrown off the mountain within five minutes.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. They were supposed to have a steamy rendezvous. Taehyung was supposed to get the sexual energy from him! 

The story was going off the rails. And you’re not sure what you’re even buying time for anymore.

The both of you know it’s only a matter of time before you break and succumb to his mesmerizing seduction.

Taehyung is cruel, ruthless, obsessive.

But what’s the most bewitching thing about him is the jarring contrast of when he’s clumsy and nurturing. It’s what he regards as his own weakness. What he hides from others. But you felt your heart waver two nights ago when you were shaken awake in the middle of twilight. When you peeked open your eye to see him gingerly wrapping your swollen ankle with bandages.

He looked beautiful in the pale moonlight, ears, tails, sharp features softened—

“Ow!” You wince as he squeezes your ankle, right on your injury.

“You think too much in your head,” he says and looks at you. “What’s wrong?”

“It hurts.”

A sadistic smile tugs on Taehyung’s lips. He lets go, but only to lift your chin with his fingers. His plush lips are inches away, his breath warm on your skin and he gazes deep into you. “I won’t let you return to your world. I won’t let you run away. I won’t let anyone harm you.”

“You’re mine now.” Taehyung swears, “You’ll fall in love with me eventually.”

You gulp and he smirks.

The two of you know it’s only a matter of time.

[miss-smutty]

Forbidden - Chapter 2

Summary- Jess couldn't stop thinking about the guy she'd met in the coffee shop, he was drop dead gorgeous, mature and everything she's always wanted but how would she find him again when she didn't even know his name?

Word count- 3.1K

Pairing- Prof!Chris Hemsworth x OC

Warnings- Swearing, slight smut talk

18+ only!

Disclaimer: This is an entire work of fiction/AU and has no affiliation to real life what so ever! This is a fictional story about fictional characters who happen to share names and faces with some real people.

Posted: 13th August 2021

Taglist:- @innerpaperexpertcloud @pandaxnienke @chickensarentcheap @jjpogueprincess @longlostinanotherworld @mostly-marvel-musings @darklydeliciousdesires @monet-belle

Chapter 1

The only thing was, he didn't know I was only twenty and I had no way of finding him again.

If fate did bring us back together, would he mind that I was still a student? That I couldn't even drink when we went on dates? 

Who am I kidding? Of course he would mind, he could get any woman he wanted, why would he want me?

"Morning, you feeling any better?" Ellie was awake before me as usual, she spent hours getting ready in the morning and was now sat at her desk finishing her make up.

"I suppose, can't beat myself up forever can I?" I was more the get up and go kind of girl, I could never understand why she'd take hours getting ready just to go to class but I suppose you never know who you're going to bump into.

"No you can not. Not when there's literally thousands of guys here to take your pick of." 

"Psh!" I finally pull myself out of bed after thinking about the thought of possibly bumping into my hunk again I changed my mind about making myself a little more presentable.

"What d'ya mean psh?" Ellie turns to look at you, her mascara wand in her hand and only one eye made up, she looked ridiculous. How could you take her seriously looking like that? 

"I mean I'm not interested in these childish boys anymore El, I want a man." 

"Fuck me, you spoke to the guy for two minutes and already you're acting like you've lost the love of your life." Wow, that hurt a little.

"I didn't say I was talking about him although it would be nice. I just meant I'm sick of playing all these childish games and never knowing where I stand. Don't you get sick of being the one who always falls deeper? Getting messed about and then being the one who's left hurt?" I joined her at the desk, putting on a little mascara and eyeliner. "I want a man who knows what he wants and treats me better. Don't you?"

"Well shit, when you put it like that I can't argue with you. It would be nice, hey I wonder if Mr Aussie has a brother?" She waggles her eyebrows at me, making me laugh. "I gotta go babe, what class you got?" 

"My first Comms class this morning." I did not sound excited at the prospect because I really wasn't. I'd put it off in freshman and sophomore years but thought I better get it over and done with before my senior year.

"Oh really? I didn't know you'd taken that class. I heard a load of seniors talking the other day and apparently the Professor is drop dead gorgeous. I was thinking about taking it up too just to see what all the fuss was about." 

"Well that should make the class a lot more interesting, maybe it isn't going to be as bad as I thought."

"See, every cloud and all that. See you tonight, fancy the bar?" She shouts over her shoulder as she walks towards the door.

"Sounds good, see you later."

I looked over my outfit I'd already chosen for the day, just some jeans and a plain t-shirt and realised it wouldn't do. Not when there's the prospect of a hot Professor to impress. My wardrobe desperately needed an update, especially now I was focused on finding myself a man and not one of these easily pleased college boys, that were happy with anything as long as I showed a bit of leg and tits. I settled with some tight black jeans with a black, lace-rimmed, cami body suit and a cute little cream, cropped blazer to finish it off. It made me feel confident when I checked myself out in the mirror and if I do say so myself I looked smoking hot. I checked the time on my phone, realising I was going to be late I quickly ran the curling tongs through the ends of my long blonde hair before grabbing my bag and rushing out of the door.

In the hopes of catching the eye of this new professor I'd completely forgotten about the hottie from the coffee shop, which was probably a good thing, it's not like I'm ever going to see him again. I kind of wished I would though, especially when I was looking and feeling this great but hey, on to bigger and better prospects.

I thought that being late would mean I'd be stuck with a lame choice of desk in class but luckily the back row was practically empty and I could hide in the corner of the lecture theatre. I laughed to myself when I realised that practically all the girls were occupying the front desks, obviously they'd heard the rumours too.

I pushed my hair behind my ears and fumbled in my bag for my pen and notepad, when I glanced to the door and caught the eyes of a student I hadn't seen before. I couldn't deny how attractive he was, with his bright blue eyes and floppy hair, oh and that smile. Wow! He smiled brightly at me as he made his way to the back of the class, his eyes glinting, shining like diamonds as he ignored the whispers from the girls at the front. The whole row of desks were free so when he chose the desk right next to me, my stomach fluttered.

I kept my eyes on my notepad, doodling on the front cover so as to avoid that eye contact with him again. I could see a cheeky glint in his eyes and I'd learnt from experience what that meant, trouble. I wasn't ready to get myself back into a situation like that again.

My eyes shot to the front as I heard the room erupt into wolf whistles, the girls at the front giggling and whispering to each other, I rolled my eyes at them, how embarrassing. 

Then I realised what all the fuss was about and my heart almost stopped beating, thudding against my chest at an alarming rate. How is this even possible? How the fuck could he be a professor? Surely he's not old enough. Oh fuck.

I sank lower in my chair, willing the ground to just swallow me up or maybe if I got low enough I would escape his notice. No such luck, his eyes scanned the class and when they fell on mine, his face lit up with anger? No not anger. A hunger. His eyes scanned my body, falling over my hair and down to my cleavage. I felt hot under his gaze, was I blushing? Sweating? Oh god, I've never wished for class to be over so much in my life.

My professor was the guy I'd been shamelessly flirting with in the coffee shop. I don't understand how this could be real, I know I wanted to bump into him again but this is such a cruel twist of fate. I'd never even suspected him to be a professor, he was so damn thick and muscly. The clothes he wore were so stylish and he looked way too young to be a professor. He must be so embarrassed that he'd been flirting with a student, I definitely was embarrassed that I'd been flirting with a professor.

I was so panicked, I didn't have a clue what to do in this situation. Squirming in my seat, trying to look anywhere but at the Professor but I could feel his eyes on me as he prepared for the class to start. People were still whispering amongst themselves and I risked a glance in his direction, that made me bite on to my lip to stop myself from screeching. His eyes were still on me, subtly glancing up from the pile of paper he'd just taken out of his bag, his eyebrows furrowed as he studied me. He certainly didn't look embarrassed infact he looked downright feral and the thought of it made my pussy clench, so much so I had to cross my legs under the table.

"I guess you're obsessed with this new Professor too, huh?" The guy next to me leant across his desk to whisper and fuck me if I wasn't imagining it but he was Australian too. Like have we just suddenly had a huge delivery of hot Australian guys arrive at the University? This was just downright unfair, how was I meant to cope?

"No, what makes you say that?" Why did I ask that question? Like it wasn't obvious how much I was sweating and squirming in my seat. Luckily he didn't have time to answer when my eyes were drawn back to the professor as he stood at the front of the class with his hands casually in his pockets and cleared his throat to get our attention.

If I wasn't mistaken, now he looked angry, the muscles in his neck more prominent as he glared between me and the guy next to me.

Was he angry that my attention had been taken away from him and was on another guy? Or because we were talking when we should've been paying attention?

"Now I've got your attention, we're going to use our first session to get to know each other a little better. You'll be doing quite a lot of speeches so it's best if you feel comfortable with one another. I'll start by introducing myself." That sexy accent makes me sweat even more, nevermind the fact that his eyes keep finding their way back to me. "So, I'm Professor Hemsworth and I'm originally from Melbourne in Australia." His eyes meet mine again, a knowing look in them.

"G'day mate." Some idiot from the back shouted, making everyone laugh and I couldn't help but join in a little. Professor Hemsworth smiled at the joke, his eyes creasing in the corners and his smile growing wider when he looked to me and saw me giggling.

"Yeah, very original. Alright, alight, settle down now." His voice is so commanding and authoritive, it's such a turn on. "So, I haven't been here for very long and I'm still getting used to how different things are here. The weather for one." He earned a couple of laughs from people. I couldn't keep my eyes off of him, he was so mesmerizing. The way his face animated as he spoke, his eyebrows raising and lips curling.

"I was going to ask you all to go easy on me but that's not going to happen is it?" He got a couple of head shakes and sympathetic looks from the girls. "No, I thought not. Well now it's my turn to torture you. I'll start alphabetically, stand up and tell everyone something about yourself." I swallowed back my fear, this is the reason I'd put off this class until now and as if it wasn't hard enough talking in front of a whole class I now had to do it in front of Professor Hemsworth too.

"Claire Abbott." Fuck. He'd started, at least my name would be one of the last ones.

"Hi I'm Claire." The tall blonde at the front stood up, twirling her hair around her finger and giggling like a child. I rolled my eyes at her and caught the Professor smirk in my direction. "I erm… I don't know what to say?" She looks up at the Professor questioningly.

"Just anything about yourself that we might find interesting, the first thing that comes to mind." He replied.

"Well I own four horses and I'm the cheer captain." I rolled my eyes again, scoffing quietly and Professor Hemsworth had to hold in a laugh as he looked in my direction.

"Talk about predictable." The guy next to me leaned over to whisper to me again.

"Totally." I laughed back at him and when I looked back at the Professor he was glaring straight at us again, his face set sternly.

"You two at the back, we'll wait for you shall we?" Professor Hemsworth said sternly, everyone turned around to look at us but I barely noticed, I was too focused on the way his stern voice made my cunt flutter when he called me out.

I didn't speak for the rest of the class, although I had the urge to, just to hear the way his voice sounded when he was angry. I couldn't concentrate on what the other students were saying, too focused on watching the way the Professor's face changed everytime he looked my way, which was pretty often, to my suprise.

"Jake Hudson." In my peripheral, I saw the guy next to me stand and when he did, Professor Hemsworth's eyes narrowed.

"Hi I'm Jake." He pushed his hands in to his pockets cooly, glancing at me as he did. "I'm also from Australia." He looked at the professor slyly, a smirk forming on his lips, laughing at the other students shouting G'day mate. "I was forced to move here but I'm glad I did because I've just met the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." The class burst into rounds of whistles and cheers as Jake sat down, smiling at me cockily. I could feel my cheeks blushing, I was flattered, he was absolutely gorgeous but hadn't I sworn of boys my own age?

Professor Hemsworth looked even more angry now as he loosened his tie a little, that black tie that draws my view down, like a arrow pointing straight to his cock. I tried to keep my eyes down on my desk, doodling in my notebook so I could avoid that hungry gaze, anxiously waiting for my turn. What the hell was I going to say?

"Jessica Watson." Shit. I stood slowly, trying to give myself more time to think, I couldn't stand everyone's eyes being on me especially the Professors and Jakes.

"Hey, I'm Jessica." I smiled nervously, tucking my hair behind my ear. "These last couple of days have been pretty eventful for me." I looked away from the chalk board so I could search Professor Hemsworth's face. "I'm living the life of a romance novels heroine and I'm excited to see what the next couple of days bring." I sat down keeping the gaze of the professor, I'd forgotten I was in a room full of people until I heard the ooh's and ahh's and my cheeks turned scarlet. The Professor's eyes glowed with heat as he watched me sit down before shaking his head and turning back to the class. Jake also caught my eye as I sat back at my desk, my cheeks still burning, he smiled at me, the kind of smile that crinkles your eyes. I felt kind of bad that he probably thought I was talking about him when in fact I was talking about our professor.

"I hope we all feel a bit more comfortable with each other now, some of you shared some pretty revealing things." He looked at me again. "Some of you, not so much." He raised his eyebrows at a group of guys. "I'll have a schedule for you all next time I see you, anybody that has any questions can see me after class, everyone else is free to leave." His eyes scanned me as he turned around to sit at his desk, I watched a couple of girls approach him predictably.

"Are you going to the party at our frat this weekend?" I had to reluctantly pull my eyes away from the Professor while Jake spoke, so he was a Alpha Kappa, not surprising really.

"Yeah, I think so. My roommate mentioned it."

"Oh good, I'll see you there then. Jessica." He smiled, standing from his seat.

"Jess." I corrected him. I hated being called Jessica, it was so formal.

"Well Jess, I'll see you around." He winked at me as he pulled his backpack on to his shoulder.

There were still a couple of girls taking up the Professor's attention and I wasn't sure yet whether I wanted to sneak past or wait to speak to him. I thought about it for a minute my fingertips drumming against my desk when the girls left and he was alone. As soon as the door closed, his gaze was on me and I could hear the silence in the room like a ringing in my ears. We stayed like that for a couple of seconds, staring at each other, no one saying a word until her cleared his throat. I blinked a couple of times, realising how stupid I must look before getting up from my seat and packing my things away.

"Did you need to talk Miss Watson?" I could hear amusement in his voice as he sat back on his desk casually, his arms folded across his chest.

"I erm…" I walked towards him, my legs feeling like jelly all of sudden and trying not to fall down the stairs. "I wanted to apologise, I had no idea you were a Professor." I said as I reached the bottom of the stairs, I didn't know what to do with myself but I was nervous about getting closer to him. He made the atmosphere feel tense, like if I was to reach out and touch him I would burn my fingers so I stood awkwardly at the bottom of the steps.

"There's no need to apologise Miss Watson, I also had no idea you were a student but I was hoping to bump into you again. Funny how things work out isn't it?" He cocked his eyebrow at me, still looking amused as he watched me squirm. When he said he'd been hoping to bump into me again it made me feel more confident, like I wasn't imagining the way he'd been looking at me for the last hour.

"I think fate can be rather cruel Professor Hemsworth." I smiled at him as I finally closed the distance between us, watching his eyes flare with hunger when I called him Professor.

"Oh really? Why is that Miss Watson?" His eyes narrowed, his Adams apple bobbing in his throat as I got close enough to touch him, I didn't though. I didn't dare break that boundary, not yet.

I smiled at him through my lashes, biting on to my lip. "I was hoping to bump into you again too, only now the thought of what could've happened will have to remain a fantasy." Wow! I was not expecting that, did I sound like a slut? Shit. I looked back up at him and caught him gulp, that hunger in his eyes shining, his pupils blown with lust, he loosened his tie even more and I caught a glimpse of his smooth chest and chickened out. The tension was way too much and I was about to do something I was going to regret, I could live with being a huge tease instead.

"I better get to my next class, we can't have anyone thinking I'm your favourite now can we?" I smiled to myself when I noticed the muscles in his jaw tense as he ground his teeth together. Turning to leave I looked back over my shoulder and his eyes were glued to my hips, watching them sway as I walked and I realised I had him exactly where I wanted him but was it worth the risk?

[mindninjax]

Iron and Wine (4)

Chapter 4- Two Blue Eyes

Previous Chapter | Masterlist | Next Chapter

Erwin Smith x fem!reader (Royalty AU)

Warnings: They/them pronouns used for Hange, Miche literally almost charming the panties off of you, some minor character death, I'm not gonna ruin the surprise just know some of you will be disgusted with me and others will be thrilled lololol

WC: 5.1K

a/n: I'm sorry this took so long to get out. I changed so much shit around in this chapter because this is where it gets REAL. I think I've finally got what I want to happen from this point on locked and loaded though. Writing it may be a different story because this month is gonna get a lil busy for me. s/o to @lazyezstudy and @charlotteplsdosth for being sweet little darlings. 💖I'll dedicate this chapter to you.😘

Erwin’s eyes scan the horizon once more as the fluttering wings of the raven in the rookery rustles his hair. It’s been two weeks and there’s been no word from Abel or Keiji. They’ve never gone this long without sending word back which can only mean trouble. Erwin chews his lip nervously, creasing his brow as he racks his brain. What should he do? Send more men to find the two he lost? That would be a wise decision, if he had men to send. A raven flutters down next to him and he pets the head with one finger, gently.

What could have hindered Abel and Keiji from checking in? A tingle in his gut hints at the answer, but he doesn’t dare give voice to it. It’s a bad omen and he’d rather spend energy preparing than worrying. He continues scribbling the messages onto the slip of parchment and ties it to the raven sitting next to him before releasing it toward the North. He lifts a finger to beckon two more birds down to him, attaches the other messages, and lets one free toward the South and the other toward the West.

There’s still the issue of the agreement or lack thereof with you. Perhaps he shouldn’t have pushed you last night. Though he will admit it was entertaining.

The sound of shuffling feet breaks him from his concentrated stupor and he turns to see Miche and Hange approaching. Miche’s large broad shoulders block the doorway to the stairwell as he fills the entryway and blocks Hange from sight. He bows respectfully before reporting.

“Sire, the war council has gathered in the war room. They are awaiting your presence.” Erwin watches the flapping wings of the raven he just released silently. He doesn’t turn around when he speaks.

“Miche, you’ve been in the presence of my special guest. How do you like her?” he asks as if asking about the clouds donning the skies. Miche gulps and blinks quickly in confusion.

“You’re asking me if I like her?” he repeats, trying to be sure.

“Yes. It’s no secret she is a beauty. Even Levi seems to have noticed. So tell me, what has your nose told you about her?” Erwin says simply. He turns to look into his comrade’s large honest eyes.

“Erm, well she smells of fresh grass and wood, moss and clear spring water with a hint of some sweet flower I’ve been having trouble identifying. I’ve only smelled it once or twice in my life, but it was so lovely I never forgot it. But…” Miche trails off as he watches Erwin raise an eyebrow at him.

“What is it?”

“It’s fading… that scent is fading from her the longer she’s here,” Miche finishes quickly. He sets his face in a confident smooth expression and looks into the king’s eyes.

Erwin matches his serious and confident expression, “Are you suggesting I let her go?” he asks slowly, enunciating each word.

“No, your majesty,” he drops his eyes, regretful. Erwin sighs and places a hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t. Forgive me, I am just at a loss of what to do. It’s obvious the lioness doesn’t trust me and no matter what I give her she won’t change her mind. There is still no word from Abel and Keiji. I've sent ravens to Pixis in the North and Shadis in the South. War will be on our shores in months and I don’t have the support of my people, and decreasing numbers of soldiers thanks to famine and this petty war with the forest savages my father started,” he cards his fingers through his hair and runs a hand over his face. Miche can tell the stress of the situation is getting to him. A

“Erwin, perhaps you’re going about this agreement with the woman in the wrong way,” Hange speaks up then, pushing past Miche and clapping Erwin on the shoulder.

“Well you’re part of my damn counsel, so counsel me,” Erwin replies, giving a tired chuckle.

“You plucked a wild woman who’s people you just referred to as ‘forest savages’—it’s probably wise not to say that in front of her— from her home in the forest and put her in a castle expecting her to be enthralled with all the riches,” Hange explains holding out their hands in an animated expression as if the rest of the point is clear before them. When Erwin stares blankly at them and they sigh as if he’s hopeless and continues.

“It’s clear she’s not impressed by it, so why not show her something she will be impressed with? Something she’ll actually enjoy but can’t find in her forest village. If you can show her that you’re actually paying attention, she may be more inclined to join us. Moblit mentioned she was quite pleasant to him and she seems to have taken to Historia quickly.”

Erwin ponders their words for a moment and Hange knocks a fist against their own head as they try to think of something here in the castle that might impress you. Miche’s green eyes look between the two of them before he sighs deeply and grunts in a deep voice, “The private gardens.”

“Great idea big guy!” Hange says, clapping their hands together.

Erwin smiles at both of them, then takes a deep breath. He turns to look out at the horizon again, hoping to catch a glance of a raven. When he doesn't, he turns back to Miche and says, “OK then, I’m entrusting the lioness to you, Miche. Show her the gardens, make sure she actually enjoys it. Hange, you’ll join me in the war room. It seems we’ll have some things to discuss.”

“I’ve been sent to escort you to the king’s private gardens, my lady.”

A large blonde man whom Historia whispers and informs you is named Miche Zachariaus, bows before you as you swing open the door. You recognize him instantly. He’s the strong one who carried you away after your first talk with Erwin. You take a moment to scrutinize him before responding. Everything about him is large. His chest is broad, his shoulders wide and strong, he could probably fit 10 bundles of wood on his back and carry them with ease. He is handsome as well, no doubt part of Erwin’s plan. As if you’d be swayed by a man’s looks, though you do quietly and begrudgingly thank him for the nice view. He’s not wearing his armor which you find alarming. He either doesn’t see you as a threat or his skills are far beyond any you’ve known or witnessed and that also puts you on edge. You decide to be polite.

“I humbly decline,” you say in a small voice. As you’re about to close the door, his large hand stops it and pushes it back open. He looks almost desperate and you furrow your brows in confusion as you look back up to him.

“Please, my lady. I implore you to reconsider. I’m aware most of the luxuries have not been to your liking but this I'm sure you will enjoy,” Miche says, holding out a hand for you to grab. Your eyes shift back and forth from his outstretched hand and up to his gentle green eyes. He looks hopeful, like he really hopes you’ll take his hand. You hear Historia’s soft footsteps behind you.

“I’ve never seen the king’s personal garden. You should go, it’ll be beautiful. Ser Miche won’t hurt you. He’s very gentle and kind,” she whispers to you.

You give her a teasing smirk as you whisper over your shoulder back to her, “You’ve said that about everyone here.”

“Well I haven’t been wrong, have I?” she huffs and pokes out her lip in a cute pout.

“Only once,” you say, remembering the night Erwin came to your room. Miche clears his throat to remind you of his presence and you smile back up at him. “Would she be permitted to come with me?” you ask, nodding your head in Historia’s direction.

“You can invite anyone you’d like, my lady,” Miche responds and Historia’s eyes light up in excitement. You try to hide the smile tickling the edges of your lips and swallow the excitement at the thought of seeing the gardens.

“Very well then,” you say, grasping his hand.

The garden is breathtakingly beautiful. It’s as if it’s located in another world. It smells wonderful, not at all like the moldy castle corridors or the stench of burning fire and metal that drifts in your window from the castle town below. The sun rays kiss the green leaves of each plant and the array of colors each flower offers is more beautiful than any you've ever witnessed in your village.

When Miche opens the heavy iron gates, you’re at a loss for words. There’s a cobblestone path that leads to a grand white marble fountain in the middle of the garden. Multiple paths break off in different directions showcasing different plants. Vines climb up the walls and cover the stone, butterflies and bees frequent the flowers, and it surprises you how much this one little place reminds you of home.

There’s no stopping the bright smile that bursts onto your face and stays there while you gaze around in fascination. Historia is next to you, matching your bewildered expression and when the two of you meet each other's eyes you both laugh in amusement and happiness. Your laughter echoes through the garden and mixes with the babbling water of the fountain, a glorious little melody. Miche is watching you with a warm-hearted smile and you catch him ogling you from the entrance. You try to pull yourself together as you watch HIstoria wander off and Miche closes the gate behind him and comes to stand next to you.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it. Would you like a tour?” he suggests and you look at him in shock.

“There’s more?” you breathe and he chuckles a deep rumbling noise before holding out his arm. You hesitate again looking at his outstretched hand with suspicion. He doesn’t take it personally, a man as large and strong as him doesn’t have much to worry about, but he does give you a reassuring smile.

“Yes, my lady there is more. I thought you’d like to see all the gardens have to offer,” he replies, gesturing to the entirety of the courtyard. You blink in astonishment.

“This was your idea? How did you know I’d-”

“Your scent is strong. You smell like the trees and a sweet flower. I've been trying to figure out the name since you’ve arrived,” he says matter of factly. He turns to you then and reaches out slowly to grab the braid sitting on your shoulder. You surprise yourself when you don’t move away from him, but the fact that this was his idea, that he mentioned your scent, makes you feel more at ease around him.

“May I?” he says, green eyes drifting to yours. His long lashes brush against his cheeks and his deep voice rumbles through his body when he speaks.

“You wish to...smell my hair?”

“Yes, if you would permit me to do so,” he says politely. Again you look at him with suspicion, but nod to let him know it is ok to move closer to you.

Your eyes stay glued to him as he crouches and brings the long braid up to his nose and inhales deeply. He drags it up and down your hair, inhaling and exhaling with a deep pleasurable sigh after each breath. His eyes are closed as he focuses on the scent, mumbling words to himself.

“Pine...a hint of lemongrass...cedar wood...ugh the perfume overpowers the natural scent… and there that flower again...what is it?” He switches back and forth from sniffing your hair and sniffing the sweet air of the gardens. He’s quite amusing to watch and you smile to yourself as his shaggy hair falls over his eyes when he bends down to sniff you again.

Suddenly his eyes shoot open and he turns to face a path leading away from the fountain. He grabs your hand slowly, his large fingers wrapping around yours and swallowing it completely and strolls down the path looking back and forth between the colorful petals. He momentarily stops to sniff the air again before taking turns in the maze of plants until he comes across a hedge of thick green bushes and vines.

“Is this what you’re looking for?” You ask him, gesturing to the huge hedge in front of you sarcastically. He doesn’t respond, only bends down on one knee and reaches into the hedge. You try to pull him back, the hedge houses many thorns definitely as a means to keep people out of that area.

“No, don't! You’ll hurt your–“

He pulls his hand from the wall of thorns, bloody and pin pricked but holding the loveliest flower you’ve ever seen in your life. It’s pure white and unphased by the thorns or by Miche pulling it from its hiding place. You’re stunned by its beauty and it’s perfect white petals. He hands it to you and smiles a big joyous grin.

“How did you–“

“I’ve always had a good nose. I knew I’d smelled this plant before. Once near the edges of the forest. And then again when you were brought before Erwin. There were hints of it here, but it doesn’t seem to belong here. I figure it’s only natural to give it to you considering…” He doesn’t finish this sentence, not wanting to rub dirt in the wound of you being forced from your home. The flower make tears well in your eyes and you quickly swipe them away before he can see them.

You take the flower from him and bring it to your nose, the scent immediately reminding you of home and the huge field that has many of these swaying in the breeze. “It’s a moon blossom. They bloom at night or in dark places under the moon. It’s a symbol of growth in dark times,” you explain to him.

He nods in understanding. “I’d like to think…” he starts grabbing the flower from you again and moving to place it gently into your hair, “that it represents you, thriving and standing beautifully despite being so far from home.” His finger skims across your cheek as he fixes your hair. He’s definitely a charmer and he flashes you a cute boyish grin that you can’t help but return. His charm is genuine and you snicker as he steps back to look you over.

“Are you attempting to woo me?” you ask playfully.

“No. If I were, my lady, I’d tell you that there’s not a flower in this garden that compares to the beauty you possess. And that the dullest of days would shine brighter, for the sun would be envious of your presence and beauty.”

He finishes his sentence with a bow and a soft but pointed kiss on the palm of your hand. You can feel the prickle of his moustache in your hand and paired with his soft lips and warm breath, it sends a shiver up your spine.

The moment his lips leave your palm, your heart is thumping. You can still feel the warmth of the kiss on your skin and it radiates all over your body, culminating at the apples of your cheeks. You watch as his smile turns smug much to your chagrin, you turn away to hide the smile creeping at the edges of your lips.

“Alright then, I see now why the king sent you to escort me,” you say, clearing your throat. He chuckles in a deep baritone and holds his arm out to continue escorting you through the gardens.

“He’s very interested in you,” Miche replies, looking down at you as the two of you stroll.

You roll your eyes, “I bet he is,” you say remembering the way Erwin pinned you to the wall, his lips on your neck and jaw.

“Truly my lady, In all the years of knowing him, I’ve never seen him so entranced before,” he replies, watching as you let go of his arm to sniff a large drooping pink flower. Entranced, a pretty way of saying “kidnapping”, but something else he says catches your attention.

“How long have you known him?” you ask, curiosity painting your features.

“Since we were boys. I was a stablehand in the town right outside the castle walls. Erwin wasn’t king then but he snuck out of the castle to spend time with me. He taught me to read, taught me how to use a sword, and helped me become a knight under his father’s rule. He took care of my family when the food supply started running out, gave them jobs in the castle when he became King.”

He looks ahead as if he’s picturing all the events unfolding in front of him. You shrug your shoulders. Of course his best man would speak great things about him. Erwin is the King, it’s treason to speak ill about him. Though you will admit, this isn’t the first time you’ve heard of him helping out one of the people in the castle. You remember Historia telling you he found her in her village.

“What about Historia? She mentioned he found her in her village. Did he steal her too? She is a beauty,” you challenge, raising your eyebrow.

“Ahh the little lady, very sad story. The King happened upon her village after it had been raided by barbarians. There didn’t seem to be any survivors, the houses were burnt down, blood and carnage all over. He was returning from battle and stopped the entire army to search for survivors. She was the only one. Erwin brought her back to the castle, dressed her wounds and let her stay,” he explains.

You’re shocked but try to keep it hidden. You don’t think Miche is lying to you, it would be foolish. You could just ask Historia and if the story matched you’d know it was true. But there’s something about the way Miche speaks with admiration, loyalty, and genuine respect for Erwin when he tells the story that cements the truth.

It confuses you, the wolf king’s actions. The battles between your people and his to keep him out of the forest and away from the precious metals you know he’s after, the way he neglected his people despite them dying in the streets from famine while he sits in his castle and gorges himself on delicacies, it makes no sense. If he were as compassionate as Miche is suggesting he would never do these things. But there must be some truth to it, the Mother protects him. What does she see?

You're left to the many questions in your head as another guard approaches you and Miche and whispers something quickly in his ear. He nods once then turns to you and bows.

“My apologies my lady, but I’m needed elsewhere. Gelgar will escort you and Historia back to your chambers,” he says, grasping your hand and giving it a final kiss before departing.

You thank him and watch him turn a corner out of the garden maze as Gelgar gestures to have you walk in front of him and inform you that Historia is waiting back at the fountain. You nod and walk past him.

You suppose it’s time to stop being stubborn and finally read the documents Erwin left for you. If it means you’ll get out of here sooner, you’ll oblige. Perhaps more answers about the type of man Erwin truly is will be shown to you after you’ve read them.

The ravens reach Shadis and Pyxis in a matter of days and when they return it is not with good news. The number of men is less than what he expected to hear and more continue to drop from starvation as they speak. It has become increasingly more difficult to keep control over the North and South as the people grow weary and delirious with starvation. Pyxis and Shadis both report the same instances, talk of the lioness coming to bring them food and prosperity and good fortune as she did in Castle Town.

Lord Pyxis, ever the wise and kind old man and one of Erwin’s father's old friends, writes of the hope it instills in the people. He hopes that someone will come soon to help with this famine and the people are greatly appreciative of his faith. Shadis on the other hand is cold and views the whispers in the streets as a betrayal, a rise of another rebellion. He forbids any talk of you or the “nonsense” you would inflict upon his people.

Erwin scans the words on the notes from the two lords as Hange sits next to him, hands intertwined underneath their chin.

“Well it’s nice to know the people are of one mind. But Erwin, if we can’t get the lioness to agree we have no hope in helping anyone,” they say in a slurry of words. Erwin can tell their mind is working, filtering through the different possibilities.

“I have faith in Miche. She wants to help the people in this kingdom and she wants to keep her home safe and from invaders,” Erwin says, shuffling through many pieces of parchment on the table. He picks up a stained crumpled piece and glares at it. “And this will surely be a driving factor in her decis--”

The door to the war room bursts open as you stomp into the room, parchment gripped tightly in your hand. The lavender dress flows dramatically behind you as you drift into the room, drawing the attention of everyone present. Miche is behind you, desperately trying to keep up with your quickened pace as he flashes an apologetic frown and slight bow of the head to Erwin. You’re shaking with rage, head held high as you walk into the room with purpose. Your eyes are fixed on Erwin at the head of the table and you can hear the commanders whisper to themselves about your disrespect.

Erwin does not look bothered, rather amused as you come to stand before him and slam the parchment down on the big table in front of him. The goblets and war figurines tremble and topple over.

“What is the meaning of this?” You scream.

“Ahh my lady, I see you’ve read the document sent to the Beast across the sea.”

“This spews lies and deceit, we are not one kingdom, we do not fight as one. And I am not going to negotiate to share any of the fruits of my labor with you or this beast from the west!”

Erwin stands wordlessly and the others in the room immediately stand with him. He walks slowly around the table to grab pieces of parchment that sit in front of Hange. His face is no longer pleasant, but serious with a dark glint behind his glare. The pieces of parchment are wrinkled and stained with what you assume is blood. He holds them in his fist and hands them to you, nodding his head to encourage you to take them from him.

You do so, snatching them in a huff and uncrinkling them to read the neat scrawled handwriting. Your eyes scan through the first few words before Erwin’s voice rings out into the war room and demands “Read it aloud.”

You glare again at him before clearing your throat and reading the message aloud:

Greetings King Erwin, Wolf of the East. I am sure you and your war counsel have heard of me as they are tasked with keeping tabs on your enemies. I am not sure how much information your comrades Abel and Keiji gave you before I captured them but I can only assume they’ve completed their tasks remarkably. I can only imagine how thorough and intelligent you are King Erwin, as I've done my research on you as well.

I’ve received your letter, your partner sounds lovely but I have no interest in arrangements or agreements. I will simply take what I want: your lands, your resources, your people as that is what a conqueror would do. As I’m sure you already know, it is well within my power to do so. We will meet you in battle and crush you. I hope you will not take offense as you must be familiar with the rules of war. How many kingdoms have you crushed under your golden boot?

You drop the parchment, thinking it silly to continue with the self assured words of this foreign enemy. “You’re afraid of a cocky self assured bastard from across the sea? And I thought you to be a King.”

“Keep reading.”

“Why? It’s just nonse-”

“I said, keep reading.” Erwin’s voice is dangerous now, anger swelling inside him and you'd never admit aloud but it kind of frightens you.

You are probably wondering what has become of your loyal men, why they haven’t reported back in weeks? You're probably wondering what to tell their families, their wives and children if they have them. Well you’ll be happy to know I am a gracious war chief. I’d want to know what happened to my men as well. So I will tell you every detail of how your men suffered, until they took their last breath so you may explain to their wives and children as they wail in sorrow. And you may have what’s left of them, to bury or burn or whatever it is you do with your unfortunate dead. Their heads will stay here with me though, as my trophies. The details of their deaths are included in the lovely gifts I’ve sent you.

Best regards your majesty, and I look forward to seeing you when I land upon your shores.”

The note is signed with one name, “Zeke” in neat penmanship. Below that is what looks like a recipe, numbered steps and as you scan through them quietly you realize it is a step-by-step process of how the two men were killed. It is gruesome, horrific, unnecessarily cruel and you don’t have the stomach to finish reading it to yourself let alone aloud. You slam the parchment down on the table and look away. The other pages scatter and Erwin glowers at them.

“Did you see the diagrams, my lady? The diagrams of how he butchered my men? Or was the step by step process too much for you?”

“I don’t underst-”

“This letter came back attached to a bloody sack that held the maniac slaughtered remains of my men. This was a message my lady, a show of power. This… was Zeke’s way of telling me he will slaughter all who are in his path and he will not lose sleep over it,” his voice grows in volume and anger and soon it’s booming and echoing through the entire room.

“So you see, my lady I am no longer interested in the petty qualms of the past between our people. I no longer care about the hate your parents held for my father or the hate you have for me. What I care about is making sure this beast pays for what he’s done. And that he will never get his hands on any of the precious resources this land has to offer. So correct me if I'm wrong in assuming that we have the same goal.”

There is silence as Erwin stands before you now, scowling at you. He’s so close that your heaving breasts hit his chiseled abs as you stand there challenging him with your shoulders squared and your chin held high.

The silence stretches out into an awkward staring competition that you refuse to lose. The tension in the room could be sliced with a knife but your eyes never leave his crystal glare. For the first time, you can see past his brave mask. He’s confused, hurt, frustrated, and vulnerable and your hard icy stare warms the longer you look at him. You almost forget who he is and reach out to caress and comfort him but you lock your jaw and keep your hands clasped in a fist at your side.

“It’s different when it’s your men being slaughtered by a foreign enemy, isn't it?”

That catches him off guard and the anger slowly releases from him as you look around the room, looking at each of the advisors standing slack jawed at the exchange between the two of you. You look back to Erwin, determination on your face now.

“Seems we have a lot to discuss. When will the beast be here?”

Erwin sighs in relief, loud enough for everyone to hear and Levi scoffs under his breath and rolls his eyes at the show of weakness. “Nanaba estimates three months.”

“Perfect, that will be plenty of time.”

“Plenty of time for what? I need your decision, we need to start preparing,” Erwin says watching you look at the little figurines on the war table. You scan the map past the forest to the west where the blue coloring indicates the sea.

“This isn’t a decision for me to make alone.”

“What are you talking about? You’re their leader, are you not?” Erwin looks confused and slightly annoyed but no one in the room dares to speak up while the two of you converse.

You turn to look at him now, head held high. Your voice is strong and serious, like you’re stating the law of the land for all to hear. “Everyone has a voice and it should be heard. If you wish to have a decision, we will take this before my people and they will decide. Before you do, you will partake in living with us, learn our ways, drink with us, eat with us, celebrate and worship with us. And should they decide to accept your request, we shall solidify the deal underneath the full moon. It is in three days.”

You chuckle to yourself and though Erwin is still frustrated he can feel it slowly leaving him with every soft sound escaping you.

“What is it?” he asks, moving closer and looking into your eyes again.

“I suppose now you’ll be my house guest and I promise to be a better host than you.”

--

Tagging: @forlancasterrr @starstruckkittensweets @lazyezstudy @neptvnia @laceylaceyy @unadulteratedtreecrusade @gixxie @jeanbeaux @throughthethorns @casspea @charlotteplsdosth @melyannathemaia @saturnalya @ixwrites @mythical-goth

[simpingwriter]

Cal Kestis x Kyra Yarmot

'Revenge and Redemption

In the Name of Love'

Pt.1

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Ayo, we are BACK! Also...it was probably obvious by how I painted everything, but yeah...Kyra isn't dead. Yet. 👀

Thanks to everyone who voted for the second book in the last week, I will try my best to not disappoint.

But, to balance out my other hobbies and the few hours of freetime I have, I probably won't post new chapters as quick as for the first book, depending on how easy the chapters write themselves. After all there is a new Star Wars game to play- (and I finally need to finish Fallen Order...)

Enough talk, here is the as always boring introduction chapter featuring a new side character!

Enjoy! :)

Word Count: approx. 3.650 Words

(Also, in case you haven't read the first book yet, here you can read from the beginning of it.)

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You still felt the cracking and twisting of your neck, your spine being bent in ways that shouldn't be possible, even for you…and you remember the last words you heard before…before…

You died.

Or…at least you were pretty sure you were dead, as you slowly felt some light fall into the void you had been stuck motionless in for almost an eternity now, only your vast amounts of past mistakes and the same memories as always left for you to ponder over and over again as you were sure this was the end. The light had to be the afterlife, right?

You didn't want to leave Cal and BD like this…no, not yet…

This is too early…

But the light grew stronger, despite your protests and groveling.

Ever stronger. 

And now you were able to blink- wait, pause. You weren't able to blink in the void before, neither had you been able to move-

"Kyra?! She...she moved her hands! Quick!"

That voice…that's…that's-

"C-cal…" you groan, the name rolling from your tongue instinctively, the bright lights continuing to blind you as you regain full control over your eyelids – feeling the sleep crust stuck at your eyelashes – trying to adjust to the light…of this room. This wasn't death.

This is an infirmary.

"I'm here, Kyra, i'm here... I won't leave your side, never again!" Cal sat at your bed side, visibly exhausted with dark, sunked rings under his eyes and his hair not having seen a comb or brush for a good while now, holding onto your free right hand as his golden eyes filled with more than just worry, relief and joy. You never expected to see such emotions in these types of eyes…

These weren't just anyone's eyes though, those are Cal's eyes, no matter if they were still green or now golden and the slightest bit of red, they had never lost the warmth familiar to them. Of anything, they looked more emotional than before. He no longer had to hide his feelings from himself...

And the connection you two had…had it been tethered the whole time, had he been able to see and hear what you did? If yes, why couldn't you see his thoughts while…in a coma, you guessed?

Cal had just opened his mouth to respond when a woman dressed like a doctor nearly ran into the room, partially sliding to an abrupt stop as she looked into your eyes. Dressed like a doctor, probably is a doctor. Instead of continuing his own explanation, he can't help but chuckle lightly at your unfiltered thoughts about the woman that just came in, shaking his head in disbelief, "You don't know how glad I am that the fall didn't change you…"

Change you? Because you struck your head? Well, it's probably a very viable risk you had, you had read about amnesia and whole personalities changing after heavy head trauma-

"I came as soon as I heard your shout from the hall down, Eleventh Brother!" The older, quite energetic doctor rambled, staring at you in awe and odd wonder. Like a child seeing a Wookie for the first time.

Never seen a drago-…no…no, probably not.

"You can't believe how long I have waited for such a moment, ever after I read the old research pa-" "Dr. Puloria…" Cal, unfamiliarly cold, snaps her back to reality as her eyes widen from…fear? Or just Respect?

And did she just call him Eleventh Brother?

So, it's official…he really became an Inquisitor. But you knew that for longer now, finding out about his new "nickname" clearly just caught you off guard. You came with him knowing what would happen…and after all these things you saw on the Mantis, some too gruesome that even BD begged you to not watch any further? 

You're ready to join his side, fully and determined.

"Right, right, I am so sorry. We can continue about this when you're well rested and on the next routine check-up …okay. How do you feel, darling?" The doctor calmed herself down significantly after Cal called out her behavior, evidently needing to take a deep breath twice before she could return to a normal tone with you. What made you that interesting to her? In the end, you're just another girl in this wide-spread Galaxy. She did almost mention research papers when Cal…the Eleventh Brother…stopped her from rambling on any further. To be honest, it grabbed your attention more than it probably should right after waking up from a coma of unknown lenght.

You next realized how dried out your throat was at that moment, watching 'Dr. Puloria' look for a folder on the messy desk at the wall. Well, as good as you could look in your apparent condition, every rash and quick movement with your neck stung like a thousand microscopic vibro-blades and soon you just gave up trying to force the pain away, sticking to turning your head as slow as possible, but even that ended up being too exhausting.

Slumping back against the pillow, you feel Cal caress your unusually pale hand gently, like he could accidentally hurt you even more with the wrong touch. "Your neck took quite a hit…the Doctor said you're lucky to be naturally armored at so many parts of your body, as it saved you from getting paralyzed neck down." He laments, bringing attention to the offending and immensely obstructing object around your neck. You remember one of your assigned Clones once had to wear one of these, it stabilizes the wearer's neck until it can carry its own weight again without causing more damage or pain and the injury has healed.

Accepting your current fate, for now, you ask Cal if he could please find a glass of water for you, that your throat felt like you had swallowed a bucket of burning, coarse sand. Something he didn't even have to answer with a nod or words as he jumped to his feet and began looking for a glass and leaving the room, returning in under a minute.

"Here. Drink as many as you think you'll need, the Doctor prepared me for the moment you would hopefully wake up, so I know by now where most necessities should be..." 

So caring…and loving. You missed your Cal, missed his kind and understanding nature. Your perfect mate.

You were so…afraid, of losing this light forever. Your light, that became everything you needed and wanted in such a short and unexpected time. All because you met in the right circumstances and you were both in desperate for affection, something nobody cared for in either of you for way too long at that point. And now, for you, it's eternal. You just hoped you would never end up boring him…because you aren't his mate. Humans don't have just one mate by nature, they didn't get bound to one another like you did...

"You're overthinking again…you would never bore me, dragonfly…" And you missed your nickname, only ever used by him, rolling off his tongue.

From the corner of your vision, you saw Dr. Puloria listening along very clearly, at some points even forgetting to look more for the folder instead, which in turn called her out to you. She really was interested in…you, or it seemed like that to you at least.

"Cal, can I get another one, pretty please?" You ask sweetly, holding out your glass, the puppy eyes very much unnecessary as he had already gone to fetch you a fresh glass of water. He would do anything just to know you're not in any more unneeded pain.

This was the fourth now. But you were sure that one would then be enough for now, feeling your throat being hydrated once more, not the grizzly dryness from before. Now you were just extremely thirsty.

Just as quickly as the other three times, the completely dressed in black – and some red accents – Boy returned, his eyes kept trained on you the whole time, afraid you could fall back out of consciousness if he didn't for some reason. But you wouldn't go anywhere, you're staying right here with him, at his side and his warmth.

"I was so scared…I never felt so out of control in the air..." you didn't even plan to say that, it just…slipped out, Cal grimacing at your wounded words, "Me too, I thought- I mean…there, there was so much blood, Trilla said that you were a lost cause, but I just couldn't leave you to die…all, all alone, nobody at your side…not after the things you told me, about the things you witnessed yourself."

The image he had to have seen flooded your thoughts, something you weren't sure if he even knew he let you see through your connection. He was right, there was a lot of blood. So much purple on the sharp rocks that stopped your fall…and…oh- oh no…

Your seemingly lifeless body was forgotten by you as you saw something else lie close to you, broken limps scattered and sparks coming from the ripped cables and broken optics, was BD. He…he didn't make the fall. And you began to remember that he slipped from your weakened grasp at that moment. 

He trusted you, to keep him safe. He jumped for you…

And you couldn't keep even BD safe…

"BD…" you mumble, a stray tear on your scales wiped away by Cal as he realized with panic what you saw, first apologizing for forgetting how open the thoughts of yours were to each other if you didn't restrict them or similar. "He…I took him with me. I couldn't leave him either way, he had been my companion for this whole journey, he risked his memories for my stupid waste of a journey …"

You know exactly how it feels, to lose even the smallest size of a friend…it hurts no less than the other full sized ones. Maybe even more since they clearly were depending on you keeping them safe. It was your own failure that took your own former companion from you…just like with BD.

But BD…you saw a sliver of hope for him. Unlike with the little green blob you were grateful to have called your friend once upon a time, BD is fixable. His bones aren't unfixable, there was no blood to lose and no skin to tear.

Would you ever be able to scrub that image from your mind, or at least...learn to deal with the fact that it happened?

Just as Cal is about to ask you about the friend you meant, he is once again interrupted by the Doctor, a bitter pout wandering onto his expression as he sighs. 

Later, Cal, later…

"So, well, first of all, I should inform you of your current whereabouts. You're on Nur, the Moon of Mustafar. I hope to the dear makers you're not claustrophobic, because we are 90% underwater in this base." Nur…you remember the name, you once passed through the Mustafar System with a different Jedi Master you found trying to "hide" out. Quite insulting to your actual attempt trying to hide from the Empire when he was just two planets off of Coruscant, trying to drink himself into his own Coma.

You knew that man well from your former time at the Temple, sometimes having been the substitute for when your actual Master was needed by the Council for a meeting. You also knew he once had a Padawan of his own, one you never had the pleasure to meet…but to hear the various stories and adventures of the two. The good and the bad, all while his said former Master got wasted beyond the stars...

Master Tegra never let you meet the other Padawan as he was afraid of you getting rejected once more, like usual. He never told you out right, but it was so obvious it sometimes hurt more than the possible rejections from your peers. He didn't want you to get rejected left and right because it would lead to frustration. And frustration was an entrance path to getting on the wrong side of the force.

Worked out very well for you, old man…

You were long gone…how long? Maybe already before Cal lost his way, maybe on that or that planet a few years ago…but you never fully realized when you began to lose the balance Master Tegra taught you feverishly. Your course changed so subtly, not even you noticed until it was too late to really ever return...

The doctor continued reading the folder for you, pointing out some of the minor injuries that healed while you had been bound to the bed…for how long were you even unconscious? Days? Weeks?...Months?

"Okay, that list being done, let's continue to the two that still have to take their time to heal, the ones you have to be careful with to not worsen them once I release you from the Infirmary tomorrow." You would be getting released already tomorrow? That sounds too good to be true, you absolutely hated Doctors. Well, not the people. But having to go to their office…back in the Temple you remember clinging to door frames with all your four claws, sometimes even utilizing your fangs, your Clones trying in groups of five to tear you off the said frames because you were up for the monthly blood tests.

You were nearly fearless, but needles…oh nononono. Not needles. You didn't even know why you had that particular fear in the first place, as the needles they used didn't even hurt on your skin. Some weren't even strong enough to penetrate deep enough at your normal skin, it also being tougher than your average human's skin.

"First off, your neck injury. It was heavy blunt trauma, it shook your spine up a bit, to say it in layman's terms. But nothing some position correction couldn't fix. You're getting the neck brace taken off in two days by the way, as you're healing very well. I account that to your heightened immune system of your species." Right, a neck brace, that's what they were called…you already felt bad for the Clone back then, but wearing one yourself felt like a tiny prison, even drinking your karking water just now had been a struggle. 

"And secondly, the only thing you will need to be careful of for a while…your wing. I bonded the torn membrane with advanced bacta patches, to draw them together and let them heal and scar naturally."

Right…

She cut your wing…she took what made you who you are. She is the reason you're here today, stuck in an infirmary bed.

The reason you woul-

"Relax, Kyra, you'll be having all the time in the Galaxy to think about your revenge…but you need to get better first." You hated it when Cal was your only voice of reason – now not even BD was here anymore to encourage your chaotic thoughts, just for fun and to see what would happen – of all possibilities, it had to be the boy that chose the Empire of all places as your safest choice. 

"I heard that." "Good." You already back in the next breath, giving him the first snarky smile since a while now again before your attention went to the odd feeling behind you, something you noticed just now only.

It's gauze wrapped around your entire wing…how did they manage that and just how much gauze did they waste on that?

Did they really think some weirdly advanced bacta patch of all things the medical field had to karking offer, could fix your wing? Such injuries have crippled your ancestors for life, why would you be any different! 

You…you would never fly again, you would never be able to feel the breeze on your face and scales once more…

No more were you a proud drago-

"The gauze I will take off tomorrow morning, don't worry about that restricting feeling as of now, it is only there in case you thrash in your sleep or subconsciously tried stretching your wing in your unconscious state." That- That wasn't the problem…the problem was that something so important couldn't be just fixed by slapping a karking bacta patch on it, hoping it would magically heal like they did with every other wound…

Never could you take Cal…or BD, for flights again, all your worth your body had, cut apart like cheap paper, by your own Lightsaber…insult to injury.

"We can do nothing else but try, Kyra. And I trust Dr. Puloria. She is maybe a bit too energetic and a bit hectic sometimes, but she does great work!" At the 'energetic and hectic' part, the white haired woman pulls her eyebrows up in question before chuckling, "Yeah, I might need to drink a bit less Caf before my shifts. But you need to understand, it's really hard to stay awake without it in a job like mine. Doctors and Nurses need to be up almost 24/7, especially when your understaffed." That had also been a common problem at the Temple, but they let their patients feel their exhaustion…they were rude and rough with you, hoping to be done with you as soon as possible. 

And then people really had the audacity to wonder why you tried avoiding their offices as much as possible. Not only to not be forced to get treated like that as well, but also with a small thought in the back of your head: If they had at least one less patient…would it lift some of their work off their shoulders?

Your stomach suddenly intervened your thoughts, gurgling loudly in protest. It had to have been empty all this time, the…ugh…needle in the back of your hand – however they managed to penetrate through the scales of all possible places – probably part of some bag with a mineral and vitamin liquid to keep you from becoming too malnourished while you couldn't eat. Cal reacted the quickest at the foreign, strange noise, his unoccupied hand going to look and search through the pockets at the back of his uniform's pants. It proudly returned with a bar somewhat the length of his palm, wrapped in matt black plastic, which he immediately went to unwrap for you.

'Energy Bar - Imperial Ration #28907ENB' it simply read…minimal design, you liked that. 

At the sight of the small Energy Bar, the Doctor sighs in some distinct type of disappointment, "Eleventh Brother, an Energy Bar like that, basically nothing but sugar for said Energy, is not going to make her any less hungry…this is for training, so keep it for that. Eat that yourself, I will get her something different, more nutritious in the meantime…"

Makers, you hated Doctors and their sense of needing to be correct all the time sometimes.

Pouting, both of you, you wait for her to leave the darkly colored yet incredibly bright room. Then, Cal went to break the bar in half anyways. "Here, at least take a bit of it while she's out…" For an Energy Bar made for and probably by the Empire, it did look karking delicious. But that could also be just your stomach thinking and making decisions for you.

"Then you'll also get a culinary taste of what awaits you, I guess?" What awaits you in the first place? You didn't care in the end, you would be ready for anything if it is at his side again…you would've even continued suffering on the Mantis, if he had decided to stay.

"You know I eat absolutely everything." You return with the same tired and a bit loopy smile as before. The needle was feeding you more than just vitamins and minerals, definitely.

"Which speaks even more against Greez's cooking, not even you brought every meal down…"

While Greez wasn't exactly bad at cooking…he was definitely a niche chef, as you would call it. He had certain ingredients he was able to cook well with and others, oh well, they were a lost cause in his four hands…

Fortunately you no longer had to witness that daily disaster. "You want to eat your half yourself or can I…" "Yes, you can…you forgot that I can hear your thoughts too?"

He looked just a bit stunned before he shook his head sheepishly, coming closer to your already slightly open mouth with the Energy Bar. "Please don't bite my finger, I know you're hungry- Ow." 

Now you just had to do it, for the simple fact that he really thought you would eat his hand. But you bit him only very gently, his 'ow.' ending up to be more playful than anything else as he pulls the baked and glazed bar away again, "What did I just say? You're a bad girl."

A- a w-what...

The second attempt, you kept your sharp fangs to yourself and finally also ended up getting the food he promised you, chewing satisfied on the still slightly crunchy cereals and fruits it contained. It really tasted as good as it looked, maybe favorite snack worthy…

No, that was Cal-

"I heard that one too." "Ah good, I was worried for a moment it didn't reach you-" another snarky moment of yours was cut short when you felt his soft and as always needy lips on yours, a low moan growing in his throat as you melted back together. As surprising as this came right now, you waited for him to finally claim you once more.

You remember the final, burning feelings of regret as you fell back down to the planet, how you regretted not kissing Cal when you had found him again in the mountains after all these months, that you wished you had just gone with your guts and kissed him then and there.

That you would've just believed him and Trilla instead of having to investigate yourself, but anyone would've done the same thing after having been fed these lies by the Republic all their life…

Just as he deepened the kiss, becoming rougher with his lips, feeling his tongue ask for entrance and his hands starting to carefully as possible cradle your injured head, you both heard someone clear their throat. Dr. Puloria…

"She is supposed to eat food, not your face, Eleventh Brother. Same accounts for you." 

He jumps off of you instantly, face burning as bright red as your fire as his hands had been quite obviously been caught in the cookie jar. Was…was it still forbidden for you two? Did you still have to hide your relationships and feelings for each other?

Cal heard your thoughts perfectly, you knew that and still he kept his mouth shut this time as the Doctor placed a tablet with two plates onto a bed-table for you. "Usually I would have a Droid helping me with these tablets, but that stupid thing broke down two days a-" she stops rambling to mostly herself at this point when she realizes that neither of you two had really listened to her, eyes going from you to him and back to you.

"Right…The Eleventh Brother has been "vaguely" hinting at you two being…more than friends. And apparently no one has bothered to tell him in his three, nearly four, months here that relationships aren't forbidden. But it is kind of awkward running into two people just kissing…"

That does explain her odd reaction...

That also means though you're wrong with your earlier fearful assumption, you no longer have to hide your relationship…you can finally live your life, even if it meant being on the apparently bad side of this intergalactic war…

This was the moment Cal always talked about, wasn't it? About having to be selfish at some point for one's own happiness instead of constantly watching out for others. A teaching only oneself can learn, as no Jedi was taught that piece of advice. If anything, showing selfishness was also forbidden, like many other freedoms that made up living life as a whole.

Did the Jedi ever truly live life to their fullest?

Surprisingly, it had been a dark question plaguing your mind even as a youngling and Padawan already – just that it was more innocent in nature back then – watching the idle lives of the other Jedi Knights, Master and fellow Padawans pass by without any memorable moments seemingly sticking to them. At least, they never openly showed them to their kin. Everyone would think they're getting attached…and then…well, you didn't know what they did to punish them. Even though your own Master was part of that same Council, he was very tight lipped about what happened beyond these ominous, big doors.

While they followed their boring daily routines, you had a huge amount of natural curiosity that often led to you ending up in trouble, usually saved by your Clone Troops. They had covered for you so many times…if you had been just a bit better behaved- No…it's in the past now, there…there was nothing that could bring Zeta and the rest back to you…nothing.

The scars of that day at last began their healing when Cal abruptly fell into your life, something you still like to describe as a punch to the face from just how sudden it was, the frequent small little conversation you shared ever since the night on that Bardottan Market and at that small lake helping not just with your emotional healing.

"But that's part of a matter that isn't my expertise. I just make sure none of you bleeds out, dies of poisoning or gets an infection…well, and annual check ups."

Kark no, not check ups.

"Here, you should eat now. Afterwards, you should rest up – and no more funny business – you're supposed to speak to the Grand Inquisitor tomorrow noon after I officially released you and we just can't have you looking even more mentally out of it than you're already." She hands you a pair of metal cutlery before turning around to leave, "And Eleventh Brother, you should be rested for tomorrow's hearing as well. Do both of you a favor and sleep at your room tonight."

With that, she left the room once again, which – taken from her overall tone – probably the last time you saw her for today as Cal silently agreed with a nod. But you could hear the growing wish to protest against her, that he wanted to stay at your side even now that you're awake. Especially now…he had waited so long for you to wake up again.

Actually, thinking about that, you hadn't even had the thought to ask about how long you had been unconscious for-

"Four weeks…you were in a coma for four whole weeks, that's why most of your wounds have healed by now." 

Four weeks…of wasted time.

Time you could've used to plan your revenge.

Meaning you had to push even harder than probably expected of you, you needed to get back on your feet as soon as possible.

They would all regret treating you in such ways…they would get to see what happens if you keep pushing...and pushing a person, until they had to figuratively and literally jump over the edge...

Today, we write about the day the Galaxy gained another Sith...

___________________

[meetmebehindthemall13]

FOLKLORE IS NOT AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL, IT’S NOT ABOUT HER! IT’S FROM MADE UP CHARACTERS POVs!1!1!1!

Ok. Sure Jan!

In this essay I will explain why I think it’s quite the opposite. For the record I don’t think there has ever been a more personal, emotionally transparent and intimate album.

The 1

- Lyrical reference to ME! “I never leave well enough alone”

- TIWWCHNT aesthetics (Roaring twenties, jumping in pool from the trampoline, feeling so Gatsby for that whole year).

- Curiously associated to “the 1”, Big Sur highway or the Subway Line in NYC

Cardigan

- Reference to High Line in the West Village. Because when it’s like 10 minutes from Franklin Street or Charles Street, MUST be about other people right?

- Once in 20 lifetimes, 20 is almost the new 13 lately.

- “Loves me like I’m brand new” CIWYW vibes/main concept

The last great American dynasty

- Explicit parallels between Rebekah’s life and Taylor’s and the way the neighbors judged both of them. The parties, loud women, pack bitch friends.

- Interesting St. Louis reference

- Interesting “wedding was charming if a little gauche” (gauche defintion by dictionary.com: lacking social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkward; crude; tactless) ...........ring any bell?

Exile

- I’m just going to leave these here and not even gonna waist my time explaining

My tears recochet

- Obvious reference to BMR, SBX2

- Very suspicious at the diamond ring but I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt

Mirrorball

- On the pressure that the desire to always be liked, appreciated, validated, approved by others please watch Miss Americana.

- On the pressure of double standards in the music industry for women, her words: “Be new to us, be young to us—but only in a new way and only the way we want. Reinvent yourself but only in a way that we find to be equally comforting and a challenge for you. Live out a narrative that we find interesting enough to entertain us, but not so crazy that it makes us uncomfortable. This is probably one of my last opportunities as an artist to grasp on to that kind of success, so I don't know. As I'm reaching 30, I want to work really hard, um, while society is still tolerating me being successful."

Seven

- Chilhood memories in Pennsylvania under her, are there still beautiful things?

- Won’t comment on braids like a pattern or the hide in the closet lines.

August

- Guest starring the recurring theme of hiding and keeping things secret, let’s make it a regular character because it’s here to stay.

- Will you call when you’re back at school. CAN name of someone who was attending school while having a relationship with Taylor. But won’t.

This is me trying

- Pulling car off the road to the lookout. Now there’s some suggestive photo reference for this line. Google it: Taylor Swift Big Sur

- “It's hard to be anywhere these days when all I want is you. You're a flashback in a film reel on the one screen in my town.” I’m sure everybody has to live with the face of their ex lover on screens all over your town, especially when the city screams their name. Very common.

Illicit affairs

- “You showed me colors you know I can’t see with anyone else” AND “you taught me a secret language I can’t speak with anyone else” sound very autobiographical but I will give this the benefit of the doubt as well.

- “And you know damn well for you I would ruin myself” is the big sister of “And baby, for you, I would fall from grace just to touch your face”, fight me on that.

Invisible string

- Centennial park in Nashville.

- Bad blood, Yogurt shop.

- Thread of gold.

- Blues and then purple-pink skies.

- Dive bar reference. Dive bar where you at.

Mad woman

- SBX2

- Cannons firing at a yatch. Sure it’s a fictional Betty here talking.

- Witch hunt makes yet another appearance.

Epiphany

- This actually is too personal for the whole world.

Betty

- Wondering if Betty’s garden has a gate you could sneak through.

- Inez and James, Blake and Ryan’s daughters. BOTH female. But sure take only what you need from Taylor’s personal life inspiration.

Peace

- So the person who’s writing is convinced that danger and troubles are always going to come to them and their lover because of their very identity, because of who they are and who they represent. Archer anyone? “Who could ever leave me baby but who could stay”.

- Robbers to the east. Clowns to the West (capitalized).

- Your brother as my brother.

- Love for show and dying for the same love in secret.

Hoax

- My best laid plan....“I am an architect I’m drawing up the plans”

- “You knew the hero died so what's the movie for?” Is “And all of my hero died all alone”‘s cousin. Study that family tree.

- “You know I left a part of me back in New York”

- Your faithless love is the only hoax I believe in. Either you feel this or you don’t. I don’t make the rules.

[cocastyle]

Robin — ONE

Pairing - Joel Dawson x reader

Word Count - 5,047

A/N - this chapter was so much fun getting to write! I wanted to introduce you guys to the dynamic of our two characters before they take off into the world. they are just a super close pair which is definitely going to cause some interesting scenes throughout this movie, especially with Joel being in love Aimee at the moment and Y/N being in love with Joel. but no matter what, it’s their friendship that makes them Y/N and Joel and it’s just the cutest thing.

also, I just want to say, take note of the little letters Joel writes to Aimee. they are definitely going to show growth in Joel’s character as the story goes on :))

if you would like to be added to the tag list, let me know!

R O B I N

Robin Series Masterlist

⭒❃.✮:▹ ONE ◃:✮.❃⭒

Dear Aimee,

I am wide awake. I've just gotten good at not really moving or breathing.

Being stuck in a survival bunker with a bunch of people who have all found their soul mate is less than ideal.

Karen and Ray got together a few months ago, so they're still kinda in their honeymoon phase. It is super physical. Good for them, you know. They're both very attractive and apparently quite flexible.

Hey, life's short. Especially down here.

After Tim's parents were eaten by a warm of termites, he and Ava became inseparable. In every way.

So pretty much everyone's coupled up down here besides me and Y/N. We're the singles of the bunker and I don't know how I would survive by myself without her. Having your best friend stuck down here with you helps a lot.

Our first baby was born last winter. It was super emotional. Welcome to the apocalypse, kid. The food sucks. At least you'll never know what you're missing.

Kala and Connor got together after Carol died. Carol was a cow who ate a box of laundry detergent and now we only have one cow. Her name's Gertie. Gertie is great. Y/N named her actually and every time someone uses the name she gets this goofy grin on her face that's hard for anyone to not smile back at.

Gertie's not our only food source. We actually have a hunting party that brings back whatever they can from the surface. It was easier in the beginning, you know, before we ran out of bullets. Facing down one of those things with a hanky handmade weapon is no walk in the park. Or that's what Robin tells me. I-I don't go on the hunting parties. They need me in the kitchen. I'm kinda the, uh. . .the chef of the bunker. Everyone likes my minestrone.

Me and Y/N being the only single people in the bunker has its perks too. We get to hang out with Mav1s. Of course, she's not much for conversation anymore. Her core battery's shot, just like every other Mav1s, I'd imagine. Actually never seen a working one.

Other than that, it's become our favorite pass time to mess with the other couples. Or at least that's what Robin does. I kind of just cheer her on.

Sure wish you were here, Aimee. I'd love for you to meet everyone and become closer with Y/N. Maybe we could do a little target practice together.

It's kinda my thing.

- - -

Y/N had been in the middle of dreaming about killing a monster when something began poking her face and pulled her from her slumber. Letting out a groan, the girl turned her head towards her pillow in an attempt to hide her face, but the person was persistent and instead began poking the back of her head instead.

"Joel," Y/N whined in annoyance earning a soft chuckle from the boy as he continued to poke her head. "Joel, I swear if you don't stop poking me right now I'm going to drag you out of this bunker and feed you to the nearest cold-blooded creature."

The poking stopped instantly and she slowly turned her face and let her eyes flutter open for a second to see Joel smiling at her in amusement. "Seven years underground and you still aren't a morning person," he mused.

Y/N groaned and fell further into her pillow as she closed her eyes once again. "I don't think I'll ever be," she muttered, her voice trailing off a bit at the end as sleep tried to take over once again.

"Hey, I just woke you up. Don't go back to sleep," Joel insisted as he reached out to poke her again. However, Y/N was quick to grab ahold of his finger and stop him without even having to open an eye.

"Don't poke me," she told him before letting go of the boy. "I'm tired, Joel. I don't have to see the sun to know it's still shining on the other side of the world. It's too early."

"Actually, it's not too far away from dawn," Joel said earning a groan from the girl because it was in fact too early. The boy frowned and gently nudged her as he rested his head on the edge of her bed. "Come on, Robin. I can't sleep and as my best friend it is your job to keep me from doing anything stupid while I'm awake. You can't exactly do that while sleeping, can you?"

"Joel," Y/N complained.

"Y/N," Joel mimicked. Y/N frowned slightly and Joel sighed before looking away as he got lost in thought. Finally he let out a small gasp and nudged the girl again, a smile appearing on his face, "I'll make you breakfast."

Y/N peeled open an eye at that, flickering her gaze over the boy's eager face before hesitantly saying, "Throw in a piggyback ride all the way to the kitchen and you've got yourself a deal.”

"Deal!" Joel exclaimed as he reached out to grab her hand and shake it. Y/N let out a soft sigh, knowing she was going to regret waking up, but pulled herself up out of bed and let out a yawn. Joel was practically bouncing from foot to foot due to his impatience and Y/N just ignored it as she sat up for a moment longer before looking to Joel.

"Okay, I'm ready," she said and the boy quickly turned around. Y/N lazily got out of bed before slowly getting onto Joel's back. He made sure she was on securely and waited until she had her arms wrapped around his neck and her head tucked into the crook of his neck before he was practically running out of the room.

"Woah! Slow down!" Y/N exclaimed as she almost went toppling off of his back from how bumpy the ride was. Joel slowed to a walk and looked back to her with an apologetic smile while she just rolled her eyes. "You're lucky you're my best friend," she muttered, propping her elbow against the boy's shoulder in order to keep herself up right.

"You know you love me," Joel retorted and Y/N let out a soft sigh for she knew the boy was right. He just didn't understand the kind of love she had for him.

The two were about halfway down the hallway when they suddenly passed a door that was wide open. "Hey, Joel! Hey, Y/N!" a fellow colony member of theirs named Ava greeted.

The best friends turned their heads and instantly looked away, their faces red while Y/N hid her face against Joel's neck once again. "Oh. Hey, Ava," Joel said, coughing awkwardly as he held onto Y/N a bit tighter and tried to ignore the fact that he just saw Ava and her boyfriend Tim being intimate.

"Ava," Y/N greeted.

"Joel. Y/N. How's it going?" Tim asked.

"It's going good, Tim," Joel responded, attempting to hide his small smile as Y/N just shook her head, obviously embarrassed. "How are you. . .How are you doing?"

"Yeah, good," Tim replied.

"Good," Y/N muttered as she sat up a little more and just leaned against Joel's shoulder. "Uh, we were just. . .um. . .heading to the kitchen. Joel here couldn't sleep, so now here we are." She let out an awkward laugh and Ava and Tim returned it.

"Yeah, we know the feeling," Ava told her and both Joel and Y/N made a face.

"Yeah. Probably not for the same reasons," Joel muttered. "Y-You guys's, uh, door's open. Is that. . .did you know that?"

"Yeah," Ava admitted at the same time Tim said, "Yeah, we know."

Both Y/N and Joel didn't move before Joel muttered awkwardly, "Okay." A silence fell among the group after that and Y/N could just feel herself growing more uncomfortable by the second and it was obvious Joel was too.

"Batman, away!" Y/N exclaimed, pointing towards the direction of the kitchens in hopes that they could get away from this situation as quick as possible. Joel chuckled softly and shook his head before bolting off down the hallway making the girl yell at him.

Joel didn't slow down until they were in the kitchen, setting the girl down in a chair before moving across the room. "This better be the best breakfast you have ever created after putting me in that sort of position," Y/N told him. "This is why you sleep at night, so you don't have to see or hear what the others are doing when the lights are out."

Joel just waved her off with his hand and Y/N craned her neck in an attempt to see just what he was doing, but the boy merely moved his body each time so that she couldn't see. "Joel!" Y/N complained, but the boy was already turning around, his hands behind his back as he grinned at her.

She fell silent almost instantly, the grin making her heart skip a beat while she watched him stop on the other side of the counter. "You ready?" he asked and Y/N nodded her head eagerly, her stomach growling at the thought of food. Joel's smile widened and he quickly took his hand out from around his back and slammed an apple onto the table in front of her.

Y/N stared at the apple with a blank look on her face before scowling up at her friend. Joel just smiled and leaned his arms on the counter before he shrugged, "I never said what I was making you for breakfast."

"You didn't make anything," she pointed out, grumbling softly to herself as she grabbed the apple and took a bite out of it. "You tricked me."

"Hey, but look on the bright side," Joel told her and the girl raised an eyebrow. "Now that you're up, we can spend more time together and I don't have to be alone!"

Y/N made a face before looking to her apple and chuckling as she took another bite. "Well, joke's on you because today's planning day," she said, her words making Joel frown because he knew that planning day meant she would be with the hunting crew all day and not him.

"But planning day was last week," Joel complained.

"It was actually last month, but nice try," she replied with a smug smile on her face.

"Can't you skip it? I was wanting you to help me with my aim. I'm using the tips that you said, but it would be different if you were actually there to help," Joel said.

"I'm sorry, Joel, but I have to go. I have to pull my weight somehow," Y/N reminded him.

"Then at least let me help out. I don't do anything around here except make shitty minestrone," Joel sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration and not noticing the way Y/N’s eyes seemed to follow the action.

Y/N set the apple down, rolling her eyes slightly when Joel picked it up and angrily took a bite out of the other side. "First of all, your minestrone is heaven, so never refer to it as shitty ever again," she told him. Joel just looked away and Y/N sighed before reaching out and setting a hand on top of the boy's arm. He hesitantly looked her way and she offered him a small smile. "I know you may think you don't do anything to help out around here, but you do, Joel. You help out in more ways than you may think."

Joel looked away and bit into the apple again. "You're just trying to make me feel better and I appreciate it, but we both know I don't do anything," he muttered. "Not anything important anyways."

"Joel," Y/N began but the sound of someone yelling her name made her fall short. She glanced in the direction of the voice, putting together who was calling for her and why. It was planning day after all and those days always started at dawn so that they could get some training out of the way before mapping out their next hunting trip.

Sighing, Y/N looked back at Joel and gave his arm one more squeeze. "That's my cue to leave," she said, pulling herself up out of her chair. The girl began to make her way towards the door before pausing and looking back at Joel who was just staring at the table with the half eaten apple in hand.

Before Joel knew what was happening, Y/N was jumping on him from behind, her arms wrapping around his frame for a quick hug as she kissed his cheek and said, "Have a great day, Joel. I'll see you later for lunch, okay? Love you." She then slyly stole the apple from him and winked in his direction before running out of the room as her name was yelled out once again.

Joel couldn't help but smile as he watched the girl leave, ignoring the way his heart seemed to skip a beat which was unusual for him.

"Love you too," he whispered.

- - -

Y/N stared at the map in front of them with a contemplating look upon her face. She was resting her head on her hand and gently tapped her finger against her cheek while her eyes flickered over the marks they had already made.

"Why don't we try over here?" Y/N suggested, pointing towards the section that they had already marked off as 'Do Not Enter.'

All eyes turned to her almost immediately and Connor shook his head. "Y/N, you know why we don't go over there," he told her, referencing the incident where half of their hunting squad got killed, but the girl was persistent.

"That was back when we were just beginning our second year down here. We're more prepared now," Y/N told them. "Every time we go hunting, we stay close enough that we can run back to the bunker if needed. We can't keep living like this. I mean, aren't you guys a little bit curious as to what it's like out there?"

There was a unanimous, "No."

Y/N frowned and looked back down at the map, her fingers now brushing across the small area she had been pointing at while the others all watched her. “Y/N," Anna Lucia sighed, walking over to the girl's side and placing a hand on her shoulder. "There are so many unknowns out there and you know that. What if we go out there and our whole hunting party gets eaten by those monsters? What would the others do?"

"Live off Joel's minestrone," Y/N suggested before sighing and looking towards her friend. "But what if we don't die? What if this opens up a whole new world for us?"

Anna Lucia squeezed the girl's shoulder before whispering, "We can't risk it."

Y/N frowned and looked away while Anna Lucia let her hand fall back down to her side. "Anna Lucia's right except for the being able to live off Joel's minestrone thing. I'm pretty sure he'd be out there trying to avenge you before even thinking about making minestrone," Tim spoke up.

"He wouldn't be stupid enough to do that," Y/N assured them.

"He'd be reckless enough," Connor retorted. Y/N gave him a look and the man sighed, "Seriously, Y/N? When are you two just going to grow a pair and tell each other how you feel?"

Y/N blinked in surprise, a light blush taking over her features as she looked around at her friends who were all smirking. "W-What?" she whispered.

"Gosh, you're insufferable sometimes," Anna Lucia muttered jokingly. "It's obvious that you like him and he is your best friend who is also the only one that's still single down here."

"Joel and I—" Y/N hesitated, the thought of actually being with Joel like that making her heart flutter. "We're just friends," she insisted before giving them all a sad smile. "We won't be getting together."

"It's only a matter of time," Anderson smirked making the girl glare in his direction. However, she didn't get a chance to say or do anything because they all were frozen in place as the lights to the bunker flickered on and off before turning on once again.

"What was—" Anna Lucia began, but Y/N could already feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end and had a sneaking suspicion of what was happening.

"Breach," she muttered at the same time someone yelled out from another room, "There's been a breach!"

They all ran out of the room, a few of them scanning the perimeter before they made their way to the main room where everyone was waiting to help them get ready. They hurriedly put what armor they did have on their bodies and Y/N was pulling her hair back into a ponytail when she noticed Joel stumbling into the room with all the weapons in hand.

"Guys! Guys! I got the weapons," Joel announced before proceeding to hand them out to the hunters that walked by.

"Stay," Anderson told him as he took a crossbow.

Joel blinked in surprise, "What? What's happening? What's going on?"

"We've been breached," Y/N explained while she waited for Anna Lucia to grab her weapon so that she could finally reach Joel.

"Breached?" Joel asked. "What do you mean? Like, inside the bunker breached?"

"That's what 'breached' means, kiddo. Y/N, come on," Connor demanded causing the girl to sigh in frustration as him and all the hunters left the room. She turned to Joel who was still trying to process what was happening.

"Joel," she said and he quickly turned to her.

"Right. Right. Here," he muttered as he held out a back holster with two katanas strapped in. She had taken them off of a guy back when the apocalypse had first begun. He had been dead and it wasn't like he planned on using them anyways, so she had taken them in order to keep herself alive. They were her weapon of choice, but she was also one of the best shooters they had so she tended to use a crossbow when necessary. "And here's this," he told her before handing her a crossbow as well.

"Thanks," Y/N told him before nodding her head at him and running out of the room.

"Wait!" Joel yelled, but the girl was already gone. "Breached," he muttered to himself in shock before running after his best friend. By the time he made it to where everyone was, Y/N was already inspecting the gate to the sewers with a frown on her face and her crossbow at the ready while some others worked on getting it open.

"Anna Lucia, Y/N and I will engage," Connor directed. "Anderson and Tim, flank us."

"Flank 'em, yeah, okay. Where do you guys need me? The rear, or. . ." Joel trailed off causing them all to look his way, including Y/N.

"I thought we were past this, Joel," Tim told him as they all looked back to gate.

"Past what? You need help. I can help," Joel insisted. "In case you've forgotten, Robin and I are a duo and I know she goes on the hunting trips and I don't, but this I can help with. Let me help."

"You gonna make me say it?" Connor asked.

"Say what?" Joel questioned.

"You can't handle it, Joel," Connor told him.

"You're shook," Tim added.

"Okay, yeah. So, you guys don't get scared ever?" Joel asked them.

"We get scared."

"We all get scared, Joel, but you get really scared."

"We're not trying to make you feel bad."

"We love you, Joel."

"But you're unsafe."

"You're a liability."

"Even on supply runs."

"Guys!" Y/N exclaimed glaring at the men while Joel looked between them a bit confused.

"Okay, why did that speech feel so rehearsed?" Joel questioned.

"He's got a point," Y/N muttered, turning back around while she nervously fidgeted her hands against the crossbow. "If you're going to tell him something like that at least be sincere instead of rehearsing in your mirror beforehand."

"We did not—" Tim began, but the sound of a growl and something banging against metal made them all tense while Joel jumped back a good foot from where he originally was.

"Connor, Y/N," Karen said as she handed a device to the man. Y/N quickly stood up and hurried over, her eyes flickering over the screen where she could see a blue dot making its way through the sewers towards them.

"Shit," she muttered before standing up more and cracking her neck. She got an arrow ready in the crossbow and jumped in place for a moment to get her nerves out. "Let's do this."

"Okay, 30 meters out. Let's move," Connor directed.

The sewer door was pulled down before the hunters began making their way inside. Y/N was about to follow when someone grabbed ahold of her wrist. She looked back, her eyes locking with Joel's as he held on tightly and whispered, "I can help, Robin."

Y/N let her eyes flicker over his face while her mouth opened up to say something. However, she found herself unable to. All she could imagine was Joel getting attacked by whatever creature was in the sewers at that very moment. She couldn't let him go in there, no matter how badly he wanted to. This was the first time a breach like this had ever happened. Who knew what awaited them down there?

The girl rushed forward, hugging the boy tightly and making him stumble back a bit in surprise. She didn't give him time to react before she was pulling away. "I'm sorry," she whispered, quickly turning around and climbing into the sewers. However, she didn't disappear before she yelled out, "No one let Joel follow!"

Joel's eyes widened. "What?" he exclaimed before attempting to rush forward, but Tim was already there to stand in his way. "Tim, you got to let me go with her. I can't let her go alone. I-I can help."

"She'll be fine, Joel. Y/N’s a survivor. She won't let whatever creature this is take her down," Tim assured him before reaching out to grab the curtain. "You heard what she said. Now go with them." He then pulled the curtain between the two, effectively blocking Joel's view of the tunnel and leaving the boy standing there with a numb feeling coursing through his body.

"Robin," he muttered in frustration before turning on his heels and running to the room everyone was in. The door was locked behind him and Joel quickly shoved his way to the front so that he could watch the monitor with Karen and Kala.

They could all see five yellow dots moving through the tunnels near a bigger blue dot in the center of the screen. "They're getting close," Karen muttered, a silence falling upon them all as they noticed the five dots stop not too far away from the creature. Before anyone knew what was happening, the blue dot lunged out and grabbed ahold of one of the yellow dots.

"Shit."

"Oh, my God."

"It's got one of 'em."

"What about the others?"

The lights began to flicker while Joel felt his heart drop to his stomach. "Y/N," he whispered, his voice making everyone look his way. He was pale, his hands shakily holding onto the crossbow in his hands.

"We don't know if that's her, Joel," Karen tried to tell him. "She could be fine. She—"

"I'm going after her," he said before turning and running for the door. Everyone's eyes widened as people began to make a move towards him, by the boy was quick and already had the door open.

"Joel!" Kala yelled.

"They need help. My best friend needs help. I'm going," Joel insisted before running out the door and slamming in shut behind him.

Joel spun around quickly, crossbow in the air while he nervously looked around the bunker. It was like he was walking into a foreign place, the usual warm feeling of the bunker being replaced with nothing but an eerie feeling and a coldness that shook him to his very core.

His breathing was shaky as he began to walk forward, his eyes flickering around his surroundings while Joel tried to keep himself calm. The only thing keeping him from collapsing in fear was the knowledge that Y/N was out there possibly hurt. He had to get to her. He had to.

The lights flickered as he slowly made his way back towards the tunnels where he knew he had his best access to the others. It was a deafening silent as he walked into the room, so quiet in fact that his ears were ringing.

He nervously looked around and adjusted his hands on the crossbow. As he grew closer to the curtain Tim had pulled out earlier, a new sound filled his ears while his feet slowly stepped in the new puddles of water and blood that were on the ground. The sight made him feel sick to his stomach, so Joel did his best to keep his eyes staring straight ahead.

A lightbulb exploding behind him made the boy jump and spin around, his eyes wide in fear before he realized what had happened and turned back around. He could hear Tim and Connor's words replaying over and over in his head.

We all get scared, Joel, but you get really scared.

You're unsafe.

You're a liability.

Joel walked forward and took in a shaky breath as he attempted to push the voices from his head. His eyes continued to survey the area and he hesitated at the sight of a figure on the other side of the curtain. It almost looked like—

"Connor?" Joel questioned, his voice barely above a whisper. When there was no response, Joel furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and lowered his crossbow just a bit. "Connor?"

It was at that moment that a loud hissing sound came from the other side of the curtain and Connor's body limply flew across the room before being shoved into the mouth of whatever creature was over there with him. Lights from the other side shinned their shadows against the curtain and Joel's eyes widened in fear as he slowly took a step back.

Joel's whole body was shaking, his eyes tearing up a little as he feared for not only his life, but Y/N’s as well. If the creature had done what it did to Connor with Y/N. . .well, Joel didn't even want to think about what he would do.

It seemed he wouldn't have to because at that moment the monster finished up eating Connor and turned its attention towards the curtain. It made a noise that Joel swore was able to rattle his bones. The crossbow was back up in position once again, but his hands were shaking so badly that he knew if he didn't get his fear together he was going to be the monster's dessert to the meal it just ate.

The monster began to stand up on the other side of the curtain, its shadow growing bigger and making Joel gulp. He shakily got the crossbow ready to fire before freezing at the sight of the monster appearing over the top of the curtain.

There were tears in his eyes at this point and Joel couldn't even move as he watched the monster tear the curtain down before moving towards him. A few tears slid down his face and Joel felt the fear and panic coursing through his veins.

He closed his eyes as the monster grew nearer, his face confronting in pain and fear as he felt the monster's breath fanning his face and heard the growls rattling in his head.

Then before he knew what had happened, he heard the sound of something flying through the air and then the monster cried out in agony. He felt someone rush by him and opened his eyes to find Y/N standing above the monster's dead body, one katana dripping with blood in one hand while the other protruded from the center of the monster's face.

"D-Did I kill it, or did you?" Joel whispered, her eyes flickering between Y/N who still had yet to turn around and look at him, Tim, and Anna Lucia.

"What do you think?" Anna Lucia asked.

"Robin," he muttered for he knew she had been the one to save him, his eyes flickering back over to his best friend. It was then that she turned to look at him, her whole body shaking as she breathed heavily and attempted to calm herself down. Joel inhaled sharply at the sight of her, her face covered in dirt and blood while a scratch ran down the length of her arm from where the monster had no doubt tried to grab ahold of her.

Joel began to break at that, tears rolling down his face even more while Y/N pulled the other katana out of the monster's head before shoving them both into their sheaths. She moved forward in an instant, her hands grabbing ahold of Joel's arms while she looked to him with a worried gaze.

"Joel, are you okay? Are you hurt?" she asked earning a slow shake of his head in response. "What were you doing? What were you thinking? You could've gotten killed!"

Joel slowly lifted his gaze to her, his whole body still shaking as he whispered, "You-You were in trouble, Robin. I—"

Joel was unable to finish what he was saying, his words being cut off as he closed his eyes and more tears fell. It was obvious he was holding back a sob due to the fact they were in front of other people and Y/N felt herself soften almost immediately.

She was wrapping her arms around his neck without a second thought, pulling him in for a hug which Joel quickly accepted. His arms were around her waist and he held onto her tightly while he shook, his tear filled eyes flickering to the ground where the monster that had been seconds away from killing him laid dead on the ground.

- - -

Oh, and I have a pretty severe freezing problem.

But I am working on it.

- - -

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