#I have never once gone out of my way to do art studies of atla | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ygocollablove · 4 years

Photo

@augustwritingchallenge‘s 2020 monthly prompts have come to a conclusion, and YGO Collab Love would like to present all its members who participated this year!

Before that, I would like to give thanks/applause to @cieryuu for creating the banner above (and another round to @darkmagiattack/@crshrs for making the template). Look how adorable it is! <3

There are many pieces still in progress even after the challenge’s end day, and we are excited for the day that the fics will all come to completion. Otherwise, please give love and comments and feedback to the pieces listed below!

For Art submissions...

scemo vampire yami Bakura by @crshrs Vampire AU Rating: Teens and Up Blood warning

For General Audiences...

Step One College, Step Two Take Over the World by Souless_Robot ( @soulessrobot ) Status: COMPLETE College AU Characters: Chazz Princeton & Ojama Brothers Summary: “Step one: get into Neo Domino University,” Chazz lifted one finger and waved it in his spirit partners’ faces. “Step two: get a Ph.D. in dueling. Step three: get hired to teach at Duel Academy. Step four: take over the school.”

Dueling Royalty by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Modern AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba will block you on Twitter.

Diagnostic Don’ts by Souless_Robot Status: COMPLETE Hospital AU Characters: Jack Atlas, Seto Kaiba, Alexis Rhodes, Duke Devlin, Atem Summary: Dr. Seto Kaiba very much does not want any fellows in his diagnostic department. Unfortunately the hospital administrator Atem has different ideas. That's how Kaiba ends up with three fellows in his office. It's a good thing Kaiba doesn't plan to keep them for very long. He'll bet Wheeler he can get them to quit by the end of the week.

Mr. Jounouchi Will See You Now by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Role Reversal AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: The CEO of Jounouchi Corp. is known for being charming and lucky—not just a shrewd businessman who bravely took over the company for his alcoholic dad. Seto Kaiba is a bright kid who really needs to pay for his brother’s eye surgery.

Succ's to be You. by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Flower Shop AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba is the worst at office plants.

For Teens and Up...

Cafe Nervosa by Elexica ( @elexica ) Status: COMPLETE Coffee Shop AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Good morning, Domino! Dr. Seto Kaiba runs a call-in psychiatry radio show, and whether he wants to or not, he's listening. His sound engineer, Joey Wheeler, unfortunately has to listen too.

All the King's Men by Souless_Robot Status: COMPLETE Soulmate AU Pairing: Rivalshipping (Chazz Princeton x Jaden Yuki), Spiritshipping (Jesse Anderson x Jaden Yuki), Supreme King x Chazz Princeton Summary: Or Chazz is the Supreme King's soulmate but not Jaden's.

Wasted by Elexica Status: COMPLETE College AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba gets drunk at Mokuba's fraternity initiation party and does the cute orientation leader's calculus homework. He's bad at flirting, but he's good at math.

Blank Slate by KitsunePhantom09 ( @kitsunephantom09 ) Status: COMPLETE Soulmates AU Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: Everyone has a mark signifying their soulmate. Yusei doesn't.

The Voice in My Head by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Soulmates AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: The month leading up to when you meet your soulmate is the only period in your life where you will hear another voice in your head, their thoughts streaming through your mind. For Jounouchi, it's hell.

Demon Days by Souless_Robot Status: COMPLETE Angels & Demons AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Joey never meant to be permanently assigned to earth after the events that take place in the Garden of Eden. Still, now that he is he really wishes he would stop running into his least favorite demon. Unfortunately, it seems the creator has other plans.

Cancelling the Apocalypse by Elexica Status: ONGOING Chapters 1/3 Post-Apocalyptic AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Are Joey and Kaiba drift compatible?

Straight to the Top by Souless_Robot Status: COMPLETE Band AU Characters: Joey Wheeler, Seto Kaiba, Yuugi Mutou, Chazz Princeton, Jaden Yuki Summary: Joey is a folk singer trying to break into the mainstream with her childhood friend Yugi. Too bad she gets nothing but problems most from the Kaiba corp record label run by the young CEO and music prodigy Seto Kaiba.

A Good Match by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Superheroes/Superpowers AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Or, Kaiba and Jounouchi can't wait for the whistle to start fighting.

Good Eggs by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Farm/Ranch AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba is forced to work as a farmhand the summer before college. Joey doesn't mind the company.

Mercy by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Crime AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba's a bit tied up at the moment.

Who You Gonna Call by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Treasure Hunters AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Ghost hunter Joey and skeptic Kaiba enlist Yugi's help in answering the question: Are ghosts real?

For Mature audiences...

And Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.” by KitsunePhantom09 Status: COMPLETE Vampire AU Characters: Yusei Fudo Summary: Rule #1: Never answer when you hear them knocking.

Dark Web by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Pirates AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: You wouldn't download a car. Kaiba would.

The line that stands between us is 100 lives worth living by SwordsAndSwongs ( @blue-eyed-priest ) Status: ONGOING Chapters 8/32 Pairing: Prideshipping (Seto Kaiba x Atem), Rivalshipping (Kaiba x Yuugi Mutou), Stoicshipping (Kaiba x Priest Set), and Puppyshipping (Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: In a world full of multiverses, who will Kaiba meet? Is it his Pharaoh, his enemies, his few friends? Or is it himself, waiting at the end of every step taken?

Demon in a Bottle by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Angels & Demons AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba overdoses.

Addicted (You’re My Favorite High) by KitsunePhantom09 Status: COMPLETE Crime AU Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: Yusei has never felt like this before, and he desperately doesn't want it to end.

Netflix and Chill by auroraXborealis ( @xauroraxborealisx ) Status: ONGOING Chapters 11/? Pairing: Puzzleshipping (Yuugi Mutou x Atem) Summary: When the department of Human Resources from Kaiba Corp decides it is in the company’s best interest to send some of its employees on a team-building seminar for a whole weekend, Atem does not think his bonding experience with his colleagues will turn out to be this intense. Especially when he is thrown into a downward spiral of strange events with the one coworker he dislikes the most: Yugi. Now, they must work together to survive and figure out all the clues to make it back home.

Enemy Fire by KitsunePhantom09 Status: ONGOING Chapter 5/? Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: Jack has just escaped a horrible alpha, but is in dire straits – heavily pregnant and out on the streets in the middle of winter does not bode well. But as his darkest hour arrives, so too does his savior.

Catalysts for Kindling by bewdofchaos ( @atems-leather-pants ) Status: ONGOING Chapters 11/? Pairing: Puzzleshipping (Yuugi Mutou x Atem), Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: In the eight months that Yugi and Atem have been roommates, they have formed a fast friendship over their fondness for coffee, late-night study sessions and video games. But recently, something has not been quite right. When Yugi receives a mysterious parcel, he is sent on an unexpected journey where each new step makes him reconsider everything he ever knew to be true… but mostly his relationship with his roommate.

The Dark Woods Circus’ Monster by KitsunePhantom09 Status: COMPLETE Circus AU Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: Once, the circus was meant to wow and inspire its audience with feats of grandeur. Now it horrifies and terrifies them with unholy creatures of man's own design.

Time to fight fears, for once and for AUll by Seiyofira ( @seiyofira-doesntknowshiet ) Status: COMPLETE Chapters 11/11 Summary: These will be some scattered works for AU-gust 2020, which will either revolve around Yu-Gi-Oh! DM or JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, I will put the used AU prompt as well as either YGO or JJBA at the beginning of each chapter. They do not build a consistent story!

For Explicit audiences...

Forgiveness by KitsunePhantom09 Status: COMPLETE Angels & Demons AU Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: An angel is offered as a sacrifice by a cult to appease their lord.

Scrubs by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Hospital AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: The door to the supply closet doesn't lock, but that doesn't stop Drs. Kaiba and Jounochi from having an intimate moment.

Embrace me, Love. It's been a long day. by Cleopatra ( @writelovetomeempress ) Status: ONGOING Chapters 20/33 Pairing: Flareshipping (Seto Kaiba x Atem x Yuugi Mutou) Summary: Atem is gone, back to the Afterlife when the Ceremonial Duel was complete. A piece of Yuugi's heart went with him. Kaiba, with all his genius and all his tech, has found a way to use the Quantum Cube to claim the victory he was denied. Per a reluctant deal, Kaiba brings Yuugi along. All the bravado in the world couldn't prepare Yuugi for that final goodbye, and with shaky hands, he broke their world completely.

Porcelain Wings and Shattered Dreams by Life_0r_Death ( @life-0r-death ) Status: ONGOING Chapters 11/17 Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: Paradox has come to take his revenge against Yusei Fudo, but a former king will sacrifice himself for the love of the greater good. Too bad sacrificing doesn't mean death, but a perpetual prison of different worlds, different dimensions where Jack gets to witness what could have been.

For fics Not Rated...

Doin’ Time by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Childhood Friends AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Joey is trying to get a contraband cell phone in Juvie Hall. Kaiba is a little more ambitious.

A huge round of applause for everyone who participated and who are still fighting the good fight of completing their fics! We hope to join again next year and provide a plethora of amazing YGO-related fics for you all to read! Congratulations everyone!!

65 notes · View notes

sorceress-coffee · 4 years

Text

Recipe for Disaster

AO3 Link

River’s P.O.V.

During Strickler’s class, I was trying to focus. Every time I glanced at Stickler; all I could see was Bular’s sneer after calling Jim ‘Young Atlas’ the night before. Strickler was a Changeling, and we couldn’t assume how much he knew of us. During the lecture, I could feel Eemeli’s gaze burning the side of my face. Sighing I finally turned to him.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, trying to relax. Finding it hard whenever Strickler walked near my desk.

Eemeli shrugged, glancing at Strickler’s back when he passed us. “You’re tense, I can hear your spine creaking.” He joked, trying to diffuse the tension.

Frowning, my eyes trailed after Strickler, keeping my voice down as Eemeli and I spoke. “We found out something yesterday, it’s… well, I don’t know how to feel about it. Everyone else seems to have made up their minds on the situation.” I explained trying to keep it vague, wanting to keep Eemeli out of our Trollhunting activities. He may know about Trolls now, but that didn’t mean he had to put himself in danger for our fight.

“It has something to do with Strickler?” He asked, going back to his notes whenever Strickler faced the students to talk. “You look torn.”

I frowned at my notes when Eemeli pointed it out. “I’ve known Strickler for four years, he’s been a history teacher here for… well forever. After yesterday though, it sounds as if he’s working for someone interested in hurting Trolls and humans alike. I just can’t imagine Strickler would do that?” I explained, skipping over the Changeling part.

Eemeli studied me until the bell rang. Quickly packing his notes away, turning to face me. “Have you tried asking him about whatever it is you’re worried about?” He asked, stiffening as Strickler stopped behind me.

I turned quickly to face Strickler, smiling timidly. “Mr. Stickler sir, is everything alright?” I asked, hoping my nerves didn’t show through.

Strickler paused, frowning in thought, “No, actually, I wanted to speak with you for a moment Young Mordred.” He glanced back at Eemeli. “Alone if you prefer.” He suggested.

I glanced over my shoulder, realizing Eemeli and I were the only students left in class. Turning back to Strickler, I shrugged smiling at him, “That’s alright, Eemeli’s a friend, I don’t mind him staying.”

Strickler hummed, giving a quick nod, he leaned back against a desk, playing with his pen. “I was hoping things wouldn’t become awkward between us in light of recent events.” He stated, watching me for a reaction.

My eyes widened, wondering if ‘recent events’ meant knowing he was a Changeling. “I’m sorry sir, I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about,” I told him, needing clarification.

Stickler smiled, setting his pen down. “Your mother has invited me to dinner, and I graciously accepted. It seems I will be seeing you tonight. Would that make things awkward?” He asked, gesturing to the classroom.

“Oh,” I said, tilting my head in thought, “I don’t see why that would be an issue, sir. Does Jim know you’re coming over tonight? Trust me, you’ll want him to be the one cooking. Mom’s is fatal to humans.” I joked, trying to act like everything was normal, not realizing I had gone stiff again.

Strickler chuckled at the joke, nodding. “I have informed Young Atlas as well. He seemed a little on edge, though after what you’ve told me, he is probably just worried that your mother will try to cook for tonight.” He smiled.

Eemeli cleared his throat, “Uh, River?” He spoke up, glancing to Strickler, “We have the art project to work on tonight, didn’t Ms. Harper say something about mid-process checks coming up?” He asked, giving me an out from the dinner tonight.

My eyes widen, looking back at Eemeli, relaxing slightly, “I forgot we were doing that tonight! Mr. Stickler, it looks like I won’t be able to stay during dinner, I hope you have a good time with mom and Jim thought.” I apologized quickly, Eemeli leading me to the door.

Strickler just smiled, waving it off. “Of course, schoolwork comes first. Have fun working on your project.”

Eemeli and I headed out quickly. The rest of the day blurred by as we all finally got back to the house, hanging out in the basement as Jim goes over the plan with Draal, Eemeli, and myself.

Draal sneered, “I don’t like this plan. It lacks a certain, killing the Changeling, aspect.” He growled out.

“We aren’t killing him,” I snapped, having heard enough about ripping Strickler apart to get answers. “We don’t even know if he’s here for malicious reasons. Mom invited him over, remember?” I asked crossing my arms over my chest defensively.

Draal eyed me confused, unsure why I would be against harming Strickler to get answers. “He’s working for Bular, therefore he’s working for Gunmar, which means he’s a threat to Trolls, Humans, the Trollhunter, and you,” he explained, believing that was reason enough to sway my opinion on the matter.

I leveled a glare at Draal, “Does he have a choice?” I simply asked.

Draal was taken aback by my question, jaw hanging as he processed what I asked. Jim looked to be in shock as well.

Eemeli’s head snapped up to look at me, eyes wide. “Okay, I get Changelings are bad, from how Jim and Draal have been talking about them, so why would you ask that?” He asked, just as stunned as Jim and Draal.

Walking over to one of the shelves holding books in Trollish, I grabbed one that explained Gumm-gumms and Changelings, flipping to a page on Changelings specifically reading from it. “’ Gumm-gumm soldiers raided Troll villages, kidnapping the young. These young trolls were changed by a process created by,’ The name has been blacked out. ‘to spy on the surface world. They were turned into what is now know as a Changeling, and are controlled by Gunmar.’” I finished setting the book back on the shelf. “So, does he have a choice?” I asked again, looking up at Draal.

Draal snarled, finally recovering from the shock. “Either way, he’s an impure working for Gunmar, he’s a threat.” He tried to reason.

Teeth bared I snarled back at him, “Why do Trolls treat Changelings like they are monsters? They’re still Trolls! It’s not their fault Gunmar kidnapped them!” I snapped out.

Draal reeled back in shock, never having seen me angry before, let alone having the anger directed at him.

Eemeli nudged me when it was clear Draal wasn’t going to speak further on the topic. “We should go before Strickler gets here. We have to meet up with the others.” He spoke, heading to the stairs.

Sighing, I grabbed Midnight and walked past Draal, heading after Eemeli quickly. Once out of the house we took off running to the school, meeting up with Arrrgh and Blinky at the doors. “What are we waiting for?” I asked Blinky, unsure of why they hadn’t gone in yet.

Blinky sighed, tapping his foot impatiently, “We are waiting on NotEnrique and Toby to open the doors. Master Jim has forbidden us from breaking anymore after the incident at Claire’s house.” He winced at the memory, having waited for Jim after the Nunez’s returned.

The doors swung open quickly, NotEnrique hanging on one, grinning as he spots me, “Well if it isn’t the Witch. I didn’t know you were coming out here too.” He snickered, jumping to my shoulder. As we walked in, he turned to Eemeli, “Who’s the new fleshbag?” He asked, sneering at him.

I laughed, patting his head, “NotEnrique, this is Eemeli, he’s a friend from school. Eemeli this is NotEnrique, he’s a Changeling. The incident Blinky mentioned earlier was us finding out that Enrique had been switched with NotEnrique.” I explained as we followed behind Blinky, Arrrgh, and Toby.

Eemeli smiled, poking NotEnrique’s nose, “After what Jim and Draal had said I expected something… scarier?” He chuckled, NotEnrique swatting his hand away.

“Watch it fleshy,” NotEnrique hissed out, switching to my other shoulder. “Us Changelin’s are scary enough. Trust me.” He huffed out.

I shook my head with a small smile. How could people think this guy is a little monster? We quickly made it to Stickler’s office. “So, what exactly are we looking for, other than information on the bridge?” I asked Blinky as we began tearing through Strickler’s shelves.

Blinky huffed, landing on the piano, “Anything suspicious and dangerous.” He said as if that explained exactly what to look for. He lifted the lid of the piano and grinned, “Oh! I haven’t seen one of these in ages!” He cracked his knuckles and began to play the piano with all four of his arms, it sounded like a classical duet.

Toby was looking around Strickler’s desk when he picked up the pen Strickler always had on him. “If I were a Changeling, where would I hide a super-secret key?” He asked himself, opening and similarly closing the pen as Strickler during class.

I rolled my eyes, looking around near a larger purple gemstone Strickler had on a shelf. NotEnrique pulled on my ear as I got close to the stone, “I wouldn’t go touching that if I were you,” he warned quickly, eyes locked on the stone, a flash of fear crossing his face.

I glanced at the stone again before pulling away with a nod. If it scared NotEnrique, it was probably best left alone. Eemeli groaned next to me, having cleared another shelf. “Why would he hide anything here? Aren’t there too many humans around?” He asked.

Toby jumped out of his seat, holding up the pen, throwing the cap. “I found a key! How spy is this?” He asked, turning to Blinky and Arrrgh.

Blinky grinned, examining the key. “A Changeling key for a Changeling lock!” He cheered, “Quick, we must find the lock!”

Sighing, I went over to the shelves behind Strickler’s desk with NotEnrique. Pulling a few books back I paused, seeing an oddly shaped hole in the shelf. “Hey Blinky, is this it?” I asked moving away from the shelf.

Blinky and Toby both crowded the shelf. Toby reached up with the key, trying to get it to turn. “Why isn’t it working?” He asked, pulling away from the shelf.

Blinky looked back at me, specifically at NotEnrique perched on my shoulder. “A Changeling lock for a Changeling key.” He simply stated.

I looked over to NotEnrique, smiling softly. “Would you mind helping?” I asked, not wanting to force him into opening the lock.

NotEnrique looked at me stunned as if asking for help was a foreign concept to him. He slowly eyed the others before waving his hand at the key Toby still held. “Give it here fleshbag.” He growled out.

I smiled walking to Toby so he could hand the key off to NotEnrique before returning to the lock. NotEnrique sigh before sticking the key in and turning it. As soon as he turned the key, a mechanism behind the wall released pulling it back, revealing a hidden room.

Toby rushed in, going directly to a book sitting on a pedestal, “Whoa, this is so cool!” He grinned stopping on a page depicted two different trolls and what appeared to be humans for lunch.

“The Book of Ga-Huel,” Blinky grinned, recognizing it instantly, “Record of Gumm-gumm history.” He explained.

I stood next to Toby, wincing as I read over the names of the Trolls on the page. Toby grinned pointing to the picture of the Troll on the right. “Hey Arrrgh, this one kind of looks like you.” He said, grinning up at Arrrgh.

Arrrgh sighed, turning away from the book. NotEnrique snickered from my shoulder, looking over the picture. “That’s because it is Arrrgh.” He grinned as Toby’s face fell, looking from the book to Arrrgh’s back.

“You… you used to eat people?” He asked softly, not wanting to believe NotEnrique.

Blinky and Arrrgh explained that Arrrgh had been a Gumm-gumm general in Gunmar’s horde. That he turned on Gunmar and helped seal him away, taking a pacifist oath after the war.

Toby smiled, looking up at Arrrgh. “You may have been one of them, but you’re one of us now Wingman.” He stated, giving Arrrgh a fist bump.

I smiled at the exchange. Eemeli and NotEnrique both seemed shocked that Toby could accept Arrrgh so easily after learning he had been a Gumm-gumm who ate humans in the past. We continued to look for items that could help us find Killahead Bridge. I found a large ring made of stone and crystal, turning it over. “What’s this?” I asked Blinky.

NotEnrique winced, seeing the ring. “It’s uh… nothing…” He tried to argue before letting out a sigh, “It’s how I got here.” He grumbled out after a moment.

Blinky nodded, taking the ring to examine it. “This is a very rare artifact indeed. It houses crack between our world and the Darklands, it’s called a Fetch” he explains. Blinky handed it off to Toby who was poking at it, trying to classify the crystals.

Eemeli and Toby examined it, bouncing back ideas of what it could be when Toby activated in on accident. “Why not take a look on the other side? You’re still looking for Enrique, right?” Eemeli suggested. Toby nodded and stuck his head through the portal.

NotEnrique pulled my ear harshly, trying to get my attention.

I yelped at the tug, “What is it?” I asked, trying to rub the ear he still ha a hold on. NotEnrique simply pointed to the crystal he had warned me about earlier. Smoke began to pour out of it quickly. “Uh, Blinky, there’s a problem!” I yelped as the smoke began to lash out towards us.

Arrrgh growled at is, ripping Strickler’s door off its hinges, blocking the smoke for now. “Run!” He yelled and we all took off quickly, running down the halls.

As the smoke began to close in, Blinky and Arrrgh shoved Toby, Eemeli, NotEnrique, and I to the right. “Run, we’ll lead it away!” He instructed, turning to taunt the smoke creature chasing us.

NotEnrique jumped from my shoulder, running down the hall towards the gym. “This way!” He yelled over his shoulder.

I shoved Eemeli and Toby forward, running after NotEnrique. A glance back to Blinky and Arrrgh revealed that the smoke monster had decided to chase us instead of the Trolls. Once I made it into the gym I pulled out Midnight, activating it and sliding it through the door handles. “That’ll only hold it back for a moment,” I told them quickly.

Toby was yelling at NotEnrique, “Why’d you run away?” He asked, not having heard NotEnrique directing them as his head had still been in the Fetch.

“Why’d you trust a Changeling?!” NotEnrique snapped back, pissed off that Toby was yelling at him.

I got between them quickly, leveling Toby with a glare to shut him up before turning to NotEnrique, “I trust you. You warned us about the smoke monster and helped get us here. Do you think you can find a way out?” I asked him, glancing back at the door as the smoke back to seep through the cracks. Midnight barley holding it closed.

NotEnrique nodded, running to the rope and climbing it quickly, he knocked the grate off of the air vent and waved for us to follow him.

Eemeli nodded to me before heading up the rope. Toby was panicking looking from the rope to the door before running for the rope, quickly climbing up. “I’m doing it!” He cheered as I followed after him. He paused to ring the bell before slipping into the vent.

I turned back as the door broke, reaching out, I summoned Midnight back to me before slipping in the vent and following after the boys. I could hear each one scream up ahead as I turned, falling right after them. I was launched out a vent, landing on a piled of limbs, consisting of NotEnrique, Toby, and Eemeli.

The smoke monster quickly followed after me. Before I could react, Blinky and Arrrgh blocked it, using the Fetch to send it to the Darklands. As the force began to push them back, the boys and I quickly jumped up, helping them hold the Fetch until the last of the monster was gone.

I groaned, sliding back against the wall. NotEnrique sitting next to me. “I’m starting to think Strickler wants to kill us,” I frowned, wincing as I tried to move. Getting launched out of the air vent left some bruises.

NotEnrique frowned looking up at me, then back to the air vent. “No kidding,” he sighed, curling up next to me.

Eemeli stood carefully, sore from Toby and I landing on him. “Maybe we should get him home. What if the family goes to check on him?” He asked, checking his phone for the time.

I nodded picking NotEnrique up as Blinky, Arrrgh, and Toby were celebrating their victory over the smoke monster. “Hey guys, we’re going to head out, I’ll see you later,” I nodded to them, walking out with Eemeli.

NotEnrique climbed back up to my shoulder, drifting off as he hung on. “Didn’t think he’d have one of those hiding around,” he yawned out.

“What was that thing?” I asked, making sure he wouldn’t fall if he fell asleep.

“Antramonstrum,” he said, dozing off.

Eemeli chuckled at the sleeping Changeling, “I think someone likes you.” He teased, nudging my shoulder with his.

I laughed softly as we walked to the Nunez house. “It’s weird, I can’t help but think he… and other Changelings, aren’t all bad. If it wasn’t for NotEnrique warning us, I don’t know if we would have gotten out of there.” I sighed, patting the top of NotEnrique’s head.

Eemeli nodded, watching the exchange, “He could’ve run off without warning us, could’ve taken off into the vents right away too if he wanted. I think he wanted to help.” He stated easily, poking at NotEnrique’s feet. Letting out a soft chuckle when the small Changeling kicks out a bit in his sleep.

I smiled softly, pausing outside of the house, “I’m glad he did.” I nudged NotEnrique’s time, waking him. “This is your stop… thank you NotEnrique, for helping tonight.” I smiled at him setting him down.

NotEnrique yawned, whacking softly at my hand, “Don’t go thanking my Witch. You were my way outta there.” He said, trying, and failing, to play it off.

I giggled ruffling the hair on his head. “Whatever you say squishy.” I grinned, waving as he climbs up to the second floor, sliding into the nursery window easily.

Eemeli chuckled, leading me back to my house. “Squishy?” He asked, “Isn’t he made of stone?”

I laughed, nodding, “He is, it’s kind of a joke from right before finding out he’s a Changeling. In his human form, I called him a squish when I found him.” I explained.

Eemeli snorted a laugh, “I’m starting to think you’re the reason he stayed to help.” He pointed out.

I shrugged, smiling softly as we stopped on the porch, Mr. Strickler walking out with what looked like leftover pie. “Ah, Mr. Strickler, have a good night.” I smiled up at him.

He paused, looking between Eemeli and me for a moment before smiling, “You as well Young Mordred. Eemeli.” He nodded to us before heading to his car, taking off.

Eemeli’s gaze following the car for a moment, “I should probably head back, my uncle might get worried if I’m out too late.” He smiled, hugging me quickly before taking off down the road.

I shook my head, entering the house to see mom and Jim arguing, Draal had snuck up the stairs behind mom, holding out an unconscious Claire by the ankle. Jim nodded for him to go back down as he and mom finished their argument.

I quickly ran down to the basement as soon as mom left. Draal was still holding Claire up by the ankle. “What is doing here?” I hissed out, Jim quickly joining us.

Draal shrugged, “She came in through the window, I tried to stay hidden, then she sneezed. I said “gesundheit,” she screamed, and then walked into the pipe,” he explained quickly.

I groaned, realizing we couldn’t wait for her to wake up. The last thing we needed was another person getting attacked.

Jim sighed, showing Draal how to hold Claire so the blood wouldn’t rush to her head. “Can you two get her home? I’m not allowed anywhere near her house.” He asked, looking from Draal to me.

I nodded, heading through the steel door into the sewers, heading for the Nunez house again. Draal followed behind me, eyes trained on the back of my head.

Feeling his gaze burn into my head, I quickly turned to face him, “What?” I asked, trying not to snap, our fight earlier still fresh in my mind.

Draal sighed, slowing his pace, but continued to walk. “You… asked if the imp” he cut himself off, taking a deep breath, “if this Strickler, had a choice in helping Gunmar. I do not know.” He finally answered, holding his hand up as I went to reply. “All I know is that attacked Jim in your home while your mom was present, he tried to convince Jim to hand over the Amulet. If that had happened, he could open the bridge…” He trailed off, collecting his thoughts, “he mentioned wanting to protect you both.” He stated, finally dropping his hand.

I frowned, eyes locked on the ground, “Draal, all I know of Troll culture is what I can read about in the tombs Vendel send home with me. I know Changelings have done terrible things but… they’ve done some good too.” I nod to an exit, “I’ll explain when we drop her off,” I said, climbing up to the surface. As we approached the house, I could see NotEnrique heading out of his window again. I frowned, watching him leave before pointing to Claire’s window.

Draal was able to climb up and deposit Claire on her bed. Once he was back on the street, I let out a sigh, glancing at where NotEnrique had gone. “I’m not so sure about Strickler anymore…” I frowned looking up as Draal as we headed into the trees, staying out of sight, “He had something NotEnrique called an Antramonstrum in his office.”

Draal’s head snapped to me. He quickly rushed over, checking for injuries. Worry etched over his face. “How are you not dead?” He asked softly, holding onto my arms after checking them for injuries.

“NotEnrique’s to thank for that. He warned us about it. When it began to chase us, he was able to lead us away from it long enough for Blinky and Arrrgh to use a Fetch to seal it in the Darklands.” I explained, smiling at how worried he was, even though we had just fought.

Sighing in relief, Draal pulled me into a tight hug. “I must… thank the… NotEnrique, then.” He finally got out.

I hugged him tight, “I’m sorry… for snapping earlier, it’s just… after reading about them and seeing how scared NotEnrique was at being found out, I feel like some of them don’t want to fight. Some might even want to help.” I explained.

Draal nodded, picking me as he headed to the house again. “You said your thoughts on Strickler changed.”

Curling up in his hold I nodded against his chest. “He knew we were going to be there. No matter what he told Jim, he tried to kill us with that thing.” I sighed, frustrated, and angry.

Draal hummed, changing direction to go further into the forest. Draal allowing me to vent over my confusion with the Changelings we knew. After NotEnrique had helped keep me safe, he was open to the idea that not all Changelings were Gunmar’s tools. We kept going into the early hours of the morning before I tired out. Falling asleep as Draal turned back towards home.

Eemeli’s P.O.V.

I smirked walking into Strickler’s office, eyeing the sling holding his arm. “Looks like the Trollhunter did a number on you.” I stood next to NotEnrique, leaning back on the desk.

Strickler hummed, looking over the mess they left his office in. “I see the Antramonstrum didn’t work. Though it’s for the best. We wouldn’t want to lose valuable assets.” He smirked, seeing the page the book of Ga-Huel was turned to.

“Speaking of, you should have heard River’s fight with Draal, never thought I’d see her angry.” I snickered, gaining Strickler and NotEnrique’s interest. “River’s been reading up on us. Looks like she found the part where we’re all kidnapped Trolls being forced to do Gunmar’s dirty work. She snapped at Draal for threatening to kill you or tear you apart for information tonight.” I explained, a smirk growing at the stunned expression of NotEnrique and Strickler. “Even had the guts to ask if any of this was your choice.”

NotEnrique frowned a bit, eyes locked on the desk as I told them about the fight. “She’s a stupid fleshbag witch, all that caring is going to get her killed.” He growled out. Standing, he stretched before heading to the window. “I have to get back, past my bedtime.” He grumbled heading out.

Strickler smirked. “First the amulet, now this?” He pulled out the Amulet, grinning. “Today went very well.” He waved his hand dismissively and I took that as my cue to head out.

On my way out I ran into NotEnrique, “Squishy is it?” I asked, teasing him about River’s pet name for him.

He growled, turning to face me. “So what?” He asked defensively.

I shrugged, walking past him. “It’s a routine job. Don’t get distracted.”

NotEnrique snarled behind me, “Ain’t nothing routine about that one,” he said. Heading back to the Nunez house.

I paused, thinking over the events of the night. River had defended not just Strickler, but all Changelings, when she snapped at Draal. She was patient and considerate towards NotEnrique during their mission tonight. She even thanked NotEnrique for helping them after everything. I sighed watching the sky for a few moments. River was not a routine job. That was becoming painfully obvious.

#Trollhunters #trollhuntersoc #trollhunters oc #trollhunters draal #trollhunters fanfiction #Draal #draal the deadly #DraalxOC #DraalxRiver #River Marie Lake #River Marie Wyllt #river of arcadia #episode 11 #recipe for disaster

7 notes · View notes

comicteaparty · 4 years

Text

July 25th-July 31st, 2020 Creator Babble Archive

The archive for the Creator Babble chat that occurred from July 25th, 2020 to July 31st, 2020. The chat focused on the following question:

Where can your comic be read, what is it about, and why should people read it?

carcarchu

last one

mariah (rainy day dreams)

You can read Rainy Day Dreams on it's homesite: http://rainydaydreams.mariahcurrey.com/ Book 1 of RDD is also currently in pre-orders for both physical and digital books. This volume collects the newly redrawn and remastered first five charters. Currently not all of those pages are online so book buyers will get to see them first https://gumroad.com/mariahcurrey Rainy Day Dreams is a manga influenced, character driven supernatural story with dreamlike pacing. It follows the lives Tristin, an excitable and friendly human who becomes trapped in the Nameless World after a treasure hunt gone wrong, Mara, a reclusive retired knight belonging to an ancient lineage of psychics, and Michael, a sad vampire torn between his vampire instincts and being the soft boy he is deep down. Come for the compelling characters, interpersonal drama, and found family, stay for the underlying slow build of the cosmic machinations of the Nameless World's gods and a villain from the past bent on undoing the very fabric of reality. Reasons you should read it beyond the above pitch: - I've been told by frequently people find it's relaxing to read. We all need a little relaxation - Has a female driven narrative - I take every chance I get to put my characters in ball gowns or party dresses - Monsters! Cute monsters, scary monsters! Monsters that want to eat you, monsters that want to smooch you! - I make this comic traditionally with ink wash so enjoy all the beautiful ink blooms! - Chapter 18 starts this week

CoppertheCarutor

Oh wow, I missed out on A LOT! Dang! Well, here it goes I guess. To start off, please read with discretion, this project is rated R/17+ and for now contains: Abuse, discussion of suicide, blood, violence, queerphobia, trauma, mental illness, self-harm, mild body horror, substance abuse, profanity and full-frontal nudity. You can read my comic, The Guide to a Healthy Relationship, on it's main site: http://tgtahr.spiderforest.com/ I also have it posted on Tapas, Webtoons (nudity censored), Comicfury, FlowFo and Itch.io. The Guide to a Healthy Relationship is a slowburn character driven psychological drama about an emotionally immature alcoholic trying to make amends, and fix his friendship with his ex-childhood friend upon discovering they're not dead. Unfortunately the situation is much more complicated and serious than he can comprehend. Why you should check it out: - Possibly interesting if you enjoy non-fantastical character studies and/or Psychology. - May be cathartic if you like consuming heavy content in a controlled environment. - Has some light horror elements. - Contains an extremely flawed LGBT+ cast. - No romance. - This comic is drawn traditionally with pens and color pencils. - The story is a little over halfway finished. - Contains/will contain beaches if you like the beach. - Lots of sky shots.(edited)

Krispy §[Ghost Junk Sickness]§

(Ahhh this was hard to write out, i'll really miss this server) Ghost Junk Sickness is a free to read LGBTQ+ sci-fi that tackles themes of found family, accountability, and acceptance. It rated T for it's course language and violence, and can be read on it's official website, < https://www.ghostjunksickness.com/ > . Books 1-3 are available on the store (link on site) and we're currently on our way to wrap up and print vol 4! Ghost Junk Sickness is about two bounty hunters with an unstable dynamic who are pushed to pursue the elusive and deadly bounty dubbed The Ghost. It updates mondays and fridays, features an extensive cast with queer rep, topics about dealing with trauma, responsibility, and taking control. GJS has: -Space ships! -Lived in worlds/ extensive world building through illustrative backgrounds and characters - Slow burn character growth, expanding relationships, and new love -Drawn traditionally and worked on by a team of two! -Long run story that reached the halfway point, GJS has a huge buffer of over 800 pages now, so it's a time sinker! - hot lizard lady (best part)

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

holy shit 800 page buffr

OH wait by buffer you mean archive omg

Krispy §[Ghost Junk Sickness]§

(oh YE we only have 70 page buffer now woohopps lol)

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

holy shit 70 page buffer

that's like 10 months

eliushi [Keyspace]

KEYSPACE: A Winged Tale is a story about kids with wings for hair, and can be found at https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/keyspace-a-winged-tale/list?title_no=322364 https://tapas.io/series/KEYSPACE-A-Winged-Tale/ TW: Body Horror (comes with having wings sprouting from the head and more) Keyspace is my passion project about a world between portals that is dying. A Winged Tale is the first story of this series and touches upon the deeper magic that unites the work. It’s about a wingless girl trying to find her missing scientist mother in a laboratory beneath a forest, winged children discovering their origins and Machines that once ravaged the world, now lost. It’s a story for those who grew up with Studio Ghibli stories but want a little more complications and lore but still retain hope for the future. TL;DR: Come for winged hair, sad robots, possibly dragons, lots of science. The comic returns August 1

CoppertheCarutor

AH! Thank you for reminding about a couple content warnings I forgot to add.

LadyLazuli (Phantomarine)

Phantomarine is a story about a haunted ocean, a ghostly princess, and her journey to save her soul from a death god known as the Red Tide King. http://www.phantomarine.com/ TW: death, body horror, limb loss Princess Phaedra's untimely and mysterious death casts her out into the dark waters of the Candlelight Sea, forcing her to wander the world as an ethereal seaghost. Her journey toward resurrection quickly evolves into a grand maritime adventure on her ship, the Mantaluna, along with a crew of similarly-cursed friends and familiars. But Phaedra's mission has a dark undercurrent to it - a divine mystery that, when solved, will force her to question everything about her life, her death, and her world's long-dead past. If you like:

-THE COLOR BLUE (or just the ocean) -general spookiness that never gets too dark or gory -flamboyant villains of various kinds -swashbuckling pirate-y stories -fancy boats and pretty islands -big elemental animal gods fighting -friends and family fighting for each other -lots of hero-vs-villain salt and sass -DOGS

then heck yeah, this is your comic (edited)

Miranda (Into the Swell)

Into the Swell is about a Pirate with nothing left to lose but his life and a Wizard who wants more than a life of entertaining royals with party tricks being thrown together on the treasure hunt of their lives. The official blurb is: Ocean swells are remnants of storms hundreds of miles away. So do past actions cause swells of destiny on the shores of the present. Fate will always find a way. Given the choice between a one way trip to the gallows or a return to high sea adventure, imprisoned pirate Fletcher makes the obvious choice. With Court appointed wizard Kelwyn watching his every move, the two set off to reclaim a stolen treasure for King and Country. The ocean journey leads the duo through uncharted waters that hide dangers and secrets that could unravel the very fabric of their lives. Could this treasure hunt prove more adventure than they bargained for? TW: deaths? You can find it on https://tapas.io/series/into-the-swell or Webtoons It’s just starting out so there’s not much yet but you gotta start somewhere!

Cronaj ~{Whispers of the Past}~

Heyo! For all you who don't yet know me, I work on Whispers of the Past, a fantasy comic about a farm girl and an amnesiac elf man going on a journey to learn who they really are. https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/whispers-of-the-past/list?title_no=191366 Age Rating: PG-13 or T+ TW: death and corpses, blood and violence, bladed weapons, profanity, depictions of racial discrimination, alcohol, miscarriage, suicide, suggestive content Magical powers can only come from the other side... When Aniya discovers a foreigner with amnesia, she sets out to help him find the answers to his nightmares. Along with their growing feelings for one another, they will uncover an identity riddled with magic, bloodlines, and betrayal. What WotP has to offer: - a unique painterly art style - in-depth world-building (including a conlang) - hurt/comfort themes - hella family drama - MAGIC - ace, bi, and POC representation - cute romance - If you like high fantasy like ATLA, this might be right up your alley

Nutty (Court of Roses)

I wanna say first of all that thank you for this server. Even if I couldn't participate often, it was a lovely place, love you all!! Court of Roses is in several places, but its main site on Spiderforest is a page ahead! Best place to read it is here: http://courtofroses.spiderforest.com/ As summer comes to an end in the kingdom of Prismal, the Bardic Festival is in full swing, bringing together musicians and minstrels from all over. But amidst the celebration, a sinister plot of murder unfolds... Follow a ragtag group of bards as they band together and travel the realm of Prismal; Merlow the Rose, half-elf, charismatic leader, bagpiper, and perpetual drunk; Diana the Fleetfoot Fletcher, human tidinit player with a heart of gold; Nocturne, brooding but classy Infernal and violinist; Sven Rockscreamer, goliath drummer and seeker of justice; and Feliks Halfdance, curious gnome who plays accordion and magically conjures their entire backup. And who knows! Mayhaps they'll solve a murder mystery together! The comic is greatly LGBTQ-friendly, and takes inspiration from both classic fantasy themes (Dungeons and Dragons, Lord of the Rings, The Elder Scrolls, etc.) as well as music across all genres. Specific pages and scenes might even include their own suggested theme songs in the author notes. Contains Fantasy Violence and Alcohol Use(edited)

AntiBunny

You can as always read my comic at http://AntiBunny.net/ and is a film noir inspired story about anthropomorphic rabbits and the difficulty with coexisting with humanity. Crime and conspiracies move the plot along, but in film noir there's rarely a clear black and white. Why should you read it? Do you like stories about crime and conspiracies? Do you like bunnies? Do you want to see a contrast of cute and grim, and see relatable characters who deal with mental health issues, and fight a struggle for acceptance? Do you ask yourself the question what is identity? Well then this is for you.

You can find my other comic at http://nailbat.AntiBunny.net/. Nailbat is part of the AntiBunny universe, and deals with many of the same issues, but using a more straightforward and action packed superhero story. If you love superheroes and action you'll enjoy it, and maybe along the way get into the deeper lore of the AntiBunny world.

Holmeaa - working on WAYFINDERS

Thanks everyone who I have chattet with in here, it has been a delight <3 Wayfinders: Off Course Can be read on Tapas or Webtoons (I prefer tapas ) https://linktr.ee/snackbagstudios Whats it about? You may ask. In a world where magic is as natural as breathing, and the gods are known to actually answer some prayers, a ship is sent to keep the fragile peace between 2 countries that has been at war for 60 years. But guess what? The ship crashes almost immediately. Now the 3 only survivors, a runaway monk, with unexplained powers, the noble son and peace advocate, and a chaos child with an affinity for magic washes ashore on an unknown island and is forced together by a magical compass. With navigation, and magic being broken, it is not an easy task to cross the ocean. If only they knew of the chaos which is unravelling outside their comfortable lives. If they thought this adventure was going to be uneventful, they are in for a surprise. Why should you read it? It is a mix between the Road to Eldorado, and Avatar the Last Airbender, and if that short pitch is not enough, I don't know how else to sell it. It has fun colors, anime reference, and a lot of ocean and sinister magics Thanks to all the admins for putting in so much work in this server

Feather J. Fern

Okay, I have like three comics, and the fourth one coming soon so.....Lets get the easy ones out of the way. On Webtoons, you can read Teasday or Don't you hate it when...(DYHIW) https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/dont-you-hate-it-when/list?title_no=486501 https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/teasday/list?title_no=169870&page=1 DYHIW is a gag comic, so if you want a little laugh to brighten your week, feel free to check it out. Teasday is a tea informative comic, but it's on a bit of a hiatus and ending soon. My current project is Gravitational Pull, a story about a depressed magical girl trying to save the world while also trying to get the energy to leave her bed that day. Read it if you like magical girls, space and representation of anxiety, depression, inferiority complex and learning to take each day slowly. http://gravitationalpull.featheryterrarium.com/ And when it comes out, Go Figure is my comedy action webtoon about someone who wants to use a powerful wish to cure their asthma and allergies over anything else.

sssfrs (JOE IS DEAD)

JOE IS DEAD A band of pirates are visiting an island and they discover the dead body of their astronomer JOSEPH CINNABAR. He leaves behind a will with mysterious instructions that none of the pirates really feel like following. The crew decide to send the least-liked and least responsible pirate of them all on a solo mission to carry out Joe's final wishes. If you like: - Alternate historical timelines where the United States doesn't exist - Gay, lesbian, and transgender pirates - Morbid humor, death, dying - Biblical allusion - Warm colors - Alliteration - My handwriting - Birds or anything else, you will love to read JOE IS DEAD, a webcomic worked on entirely by me that will be at 150 pages within a week or so. My background is in marine biology and satirical writing, so I promise you this comic is funny and scientifically accurate. Rated PG 13, mild violence and swearing Where can I read it Read it on http://joeisdead.com/ (the main hosting website with some functional html) or on Tapas: https://tapas.io/series/JoeIsDead It's also on Webtoons but it's a couple chapters behind on there You can follow me on Twitter for information about updates https://twitter.com/sssfrs_

boogeymadam

Sink Your Hookteeth An LGBT+ Cosmic Horror/Love story about eldritch merfolk that fall for a pair of humans who are studying mermaids to cure a supernatural illness. CW: bodyhorror, gore, upperbody nudity, sickness, drowning, tryophobia, eye trauma, If you like:

-sea monsters

-big teeth

-painted comics

-nonbinary and binary transgender, lesbian, bisexual, and pansexual protagonists

-neurodivergent protagonists

-goofy friendship dynamics

-nasty and imperfect wlw couples

-enemies to lovers trope

-childhood friends to lovers trope

then this is a comic you might enjoy :D! It finished chapter 1 a few months ago with 195 pages, takes maybe an hour or two to read, and is currently on hiatus while I am building chapter 2's buffer. You can read it on Its own site https://hookteethcomic.com/ Webtoons https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/hookteeth/list?title_no=300709 Tapas https://tapas.io/series/Hookteeth/info

also i need to read more of these but joe is dead, wayfinders, keyspace: a winged tale, phantomarine, ghost junk sickness, the guide to a healthy relationship, and court of roses are all absolutely amazing and -chefs kiss- please give them all read if you aren't yet!

varethane

Comics!! Chirault A young half-demon named Teeko has been forced from her home, and to make matters worse, is now the size of a squirrel thanks to a wayward magic spell. Her only protection is the demon-hunter Kiran, who is a demon himself and lacks patience for children. Together, they must seek the help of a mage to reverse the spell on Teeko, but the journey is far from straightforward.. My first webcomic-- it's complete, it's a high fantasy adventure comic about finding family, fighting monsters, and also making friends with monsters (both outside and... inside). Check it out if you enjoy any of those things! http://chirault.sevensmith.net/ Wychwood Tiara is a delinquent who has been using a mysterious power to goof around for years without realizing the kind of attention it could attract. When a powerful organization finally tracks her down and attempts to recruit her, she has to decide what she really stands for. This is my new/current webcomic! It's a sci-fantasy genre-blender, with bits of post-apocalypse and urban fantasy thrown in as a treat just for fun. If you enjoy stories involving evil organizations, fire-flinging delinquents, and angsty supersoldiers, give it a look :U (Chapter 4 has just gotten started!) http://wychwood.sevensmith.net/

TaliePlume

Feather Cleanse (French: Nettoyage des plumes, Haitian Creole: Plim Geri) is a supernatural, sci-fi and military Shonen manga. Set in the year 2034 in the Haitian kingdom, Vérité Kindgom, the story follows 14 year old Soleil Andirans, her two older brothers and their cousin who joins their kingdom's military program to help Soleil find a wanted criminal and stopping a mad scientist from taking over the kingdom. This is a personal project that is very dear to me and I can't wait to share with you all hopefully around June of 2023. Why should you read it: -A positive Haitian representation -Strong female protagonist -Learning about a new culture - Family Bonds -Mad Scientists and experimentations - Criminal MasterMinds - Servant and Master relationships -Kings and Queens/Royalties -Dynamic and Impactful Fights Then, this is the comic for you.

shadowhood {SunnyxRain}

Alrighty cracks knuckles SunnyxRain, a webcomic about monsters surviving college.....BY THE POWER OF FANFICTION. Follow Sunny Dupont, a gluttony demon as she navigates college life and fanfic writing with the help of her housemates Liam (a qilin she roped in as her beta/editor) and Aron (an ocean naga as a fan). A story of trauma recovery and learning lessons about life and love. If you like: -housemate shenanigans -fanfic/fandom culture exploration -kickass but seriously flawed protagonists recovering from trauma - VOID CAT -LGBTQ+ cast because I can -coffee gremlin cryptid dudes -sweet slow burn romance -lesser known mythological creature representation Then this webcomic is for you to read, and y'all can come read it here! https://tapas.io/series/SunnyxRain/info and HERE https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/sunnyxrain/list?title_no=409335(edited)

Deo101 [Millennium]

Well, Here we go ^^ I have 2 comics right now, so: Millennium: A sci fi adventure featuring two best friends as they seek to help anyone and everyone they can, where we put together a bit of a misfit crew who are all intent on bettering themselves and the world around them. It's a lighthearted, LGBT+ Slowburn The sci fi is soft and so are the characters It's got found family, hurt/comfort, and gentle handling of heavier themes. It's easy to read and shouldn't make you think too much, it's just an hour or two of simple adventure between friends! It can be read a lot of places! My personal site: https://millennium.spiderforest.com/ Webtoons: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/millennium/list?title_no=110866&page=1 Tapas: https://tapas.io/series/Millennium Comic Fury: http://millennium.thecomicseries.com/ and Tumblr!: https://millennium-comic.tumblr.com/ Time and Time Again: A noir mystery about time traveling vampires! We follow Adam, a vampire, and his subject of study, Steve, the first werewolf/vampire. The two of them are trapped in the 20's, looking to solve the mystery of a missing relic. It's a limited palette, scroll style comic if you're looking for a bit more action and higher stakes, and a more serious tone, then this one might be a better fit for you than Millennium ^^ I'm planning on finishing it up relatively soon, so get in on it now! (It's currently on a short hiatus while school is doing me in) It can only be read on tapas! https://tapas.io/series/Time-and-Time-again

kayotics

Ingress Adventuring Company You can read Ingress Adventuring Company at https://www.ingress-comic.com/ TW: some gore, blood, violence Saving the world is a pretty big deal, but what do you do once you’re done with that and no one needs you anymore? Do you become a magic professor? Do you study a convoluted thesis that no one understands? Maybe you relive the glory days by starting up a one-man adventuring party to gather mystical artifacts for people who may or may not pay you. Or, if you’re Toivo Kissa, you do all of those things. Reasons to check it out! - You like D&D or other stories inspired by it - It’s got bittersweet comedy - Very fun villains - Expressive art - Elves. Just a lot of elves. - Sad Dads and old men - LGBTQ+ cast

maxwestart

Poison Ivy Gulch is hosted on its own WordPress site: http://www.poisonivygulch.com/ Poison Ivy Gulch is a funny Western set in a frontier town in the 1870s. The protagonists are Lotta Doler, a gambler, and her kid sidekick Ace. Other characters include a marshal, an undertaker, a prospector and many extras. Poison Ivy Gulch is a spiritual successor to Tumbleweeds. If you like Blazing Saddles, you'll love this!

sagaholmgaard

Ahh dang, thanks for the heads up!! Here it is: https://tapas.io/series/_Reclaim_ My comic, Reclaim, is about a prince that has to deal with the aftermath of a successful coup. His father is imprisoned and sentenced to death, and he's in hiding with his dear bodyguard. Now he has to save his dad and reclaim the throne from the power-hungry witch warrior Irene, but how can the two of them hope to stand a chance against the entire force of the empire? And what was the real reason for the coup in the first place? This is for people who want a heartfelt fantasy story, with inspiration from Steven Universe and themes around being a better person than you were yesterday, and sticking together through hardships!

PiraPiranha

DEPARTURE is a story about dead brothers, hot guys and competent women! Lights! Camera! Action! The flaws of our predecessors are the burdens that we carry today! As galactic governance has been passed down from generation to generation of divine beings, the wars and insecurities of the previous pantheons are weighing down on our world. Whether it’s vanquishing your greatest enemies, or buying tomorrow’s cereal, keeping this flaming shipwreck of a universe together is going to require a little elbow grease, and a lot of flashy super powers! Follow Kovit, a space fighter turned part-time cook and his friends Casey (Cool, has a nice jacket) and Vermillion (Dumb, has stupid hair) as he tries to help the most powerful beings in the universe keep it together (Ostensibly by beating them up). Check it out here! http://departurecomic.cfw.me/(edited)

seetherabbit

Vulperra is an anthology comic featuring superheros, cowboys and regular common folk in the fantasy world of Vulperra. Most of the stories are about the hero Flash Gauntlet, who travels from place to place to solve problems with his magical gauntlets which were bestowed to him by the goddess of the land. https://vulperra.com/

NAAN

Legendary Beings Ara & Celi is about a young girl, Miyara, who is chosen to be the successor to a specific line of Angels – headed by none other than Ara–and with it, duties that extend beyond the physical world. Only one problem: Miyara has no desire to do the job! What will happen then, especially with Celi, Ara’s counterpart, is intent on causing chaos in her life?! You can read Ara & Celi at its main site: http://ac.jadinerhinestudios.com/ Here is the Webtoons mirror: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/legendary-beings-ara-celi/list?title_no=59422 Doesn't have any trigger warnings (maybe that (1) page in chapter 2 is too creepy-crawly for anyone?), and it's currently on hiatus because I'm working on chapter 4, will update again when I have completed it! So enjoy the 3 chapters so far! If you like: • MAGICAL GOILS • an old school b&w shoujo manga style (according to some people, and I don't even do it on purpose ) • on that note, since the 3rd chapter, the comic is drawn traditionally! (all covers are in color and traditional) • expressive comedy • language jokes and notes • angels and demons, yes, it's one of those but is anybody really the bad guy here • a lion and a jinn walk into a bar-- • slow worldbuilding and character development • heck if I know what else, you should just check it out and tell me what you think later like in the good ol' days

L Hornsby

Heyo, I haven't been very active. I'm not used to Discord. If anybody would like some silly comics about puppies that live in the clouds and enjoy parties (and also happen to be princesses) my comic Princess Pups has you covered. It's all ages friendly so if you have younger kids you want to get into comics, it's a swell read according to my 3 years old :) https://tapas.io/series/Princess-Pups/info

carcarchu

@L Hornsby oh i didn't know you were in this server! i actually read your comic because our comics have really similar names ahaha

L Hornsby

Oh wow hey there! :)

I usually lurk on Instagram and Twitter these days and have been crocheting more than comics lately

mathtans

What the heck, been on hiatus more than a year but there's an archive and it's not like there's any dangling plot points. I personify mathematics! Because equations are people too. The hairstyles are the graphs, and there are puns.

Main site: http://mathtans.ca/

Tapas mirror: https://tapas.io/series/Any-Q

It's called "Any ~Qs" because notQ is the symbol for irrational numbers. So anything irrational, in a sense. Very G rated - maybe PG, some discussion of biological sex and tangential politics. Enjoy, possibly.(edited)

Spring-heeled Jack

Hey all! My comic is a horror comic that features some LGBTQA+ characters in the main cast. Today is also my monthly update on public sites. I do four pages at the end of the month on Tapas, Webtoons, and my website. (Patreon gets weekly updates.) It is a story of a picturesque town with a dark secret and what will be done to keep that secret. I follow a few characters through the the twisting plot and show how the darker side of this town affects them. I think this would be PG13 mostly because there will be some blood, but there are no sexual situations. Currently Tapas has the most recent free pages as I will have to do Webtoon and the website manually later today. Happy reading and please do let me know what you think! <3 Website: https://www.iamfilledwithstatic.com/crocus Tapas: https://tapas.io/series/crocusheights Webtoon: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/the-secret-of-crocus-heights/list?title_no=405820 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/iamfilledwithstatic

DanielHookerArt

I have a series of self published graphic novels. When all copies of the first volume sold out I posted it on Webtoon. It's sort of a Isekai Mystery Adventure, inspired by the 1980's movie Labyrinth.

https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/line-of-ruin/list?title_no=232705

StickFreeks

Hi I'm Christy! I make the webcomic / graphic novel series EXTRA! It's about Extras in the backgrounds of a movie world escaping their fates of getting killed off... by going to go ask the Producer to stop killing them off. (Sort of like The Truman Show, but everyone is in on it.) You can read it at https://extra-comic.com/ I'm always looking to make new comic buddies! (edited)

Annausagi2

Hello! I joined right at the announcement of the channel shutting down, so bad timing. :,O I've been working on my webcomic Helix since 2012: Read from the start here: http://helixcomic.com/ Description/warnings: A street rat is given a second chance when he is dragged from the gutter and into a new life. Will he accept his position at the side of royalty, or fight every step of the way? -Rated M for sex (M/M, consensual), violence, nudity, language, and dark themes.- Warnings: -References to child abuse and sexual abuse.- If you can handle these subjects, I hope you'll enjoy the comic. :) Thanks for reading! UPDATES EVERY WEDNESDAY! ~ Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Annausagi2 ~ Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Annausagi2

Kalli

I joined right when things were shutting down too :( Just my luck Anyway! I'm Kalli and I have a fully traditionally drawn webcomic, called World of Ruan! https://www.worldofruan.com/ It's a post apocalyptic, sci fi adventure type story, following Cait, a mutant mouse/human hybrid and Roxy, her robot companion! I update every Saturday~ And I'm always down for meeting new comic friends!

Cap’n Lee (Flowerlark Studios)

I make Children of Shadow: Ashes and Dark Wings: Eryl. Ashes is an urban fantasy / horror about teens with supernatural powers who have to team up with woodland critters to save the world from twisted monsters. It’s rated PG-13 and has mild language, graphic violence, and intense scenes. Eryl is a dark high fantasy about a fallen angel, a woman on a journey to find a dragon, and a wyvern who has been kidnapped. It’s rated 16+ and contains strong language, nonsexual nudity, and graphic violence. https://twitter.com/kickyourwrasse/status/1277315129793826816?s=21

Tuyetnhi (Only In Your Dreams!)

Only In Your Dreams! is a rom-com Drama comic featuring shoujo and future LGBT+ elements. Also a mainly BIPOC cast! Rated: PG16+ There are some suggestive language & content, and partial nudity. “Cara Luong is tired of her failed dating attempts and settles for Richie, her imaginary lover every night in her sleep. When given a chance to meet him in person for the first time, she suddenly forgets their long-term romance! Now it’s up to Cara to decide if Richie can live as a real boyfriend. That is, if she wants him to exist in the first place!” What it contains: - Dumbassery moments between a dreamer and a dream boi - Expressions that you can feel it in your soul - Main romantic interest participating in healthy masculinity and embracing femmine traits - horror elements in a romance comic? huh-- - Himbo appreciation - A mixed-Black Vietnamese protag for this romantic rollercoaster lol If you're looking something self indulgent, read it why don't you? I release pages early on patreon! https://www.patreon.com/tuyetnhip Otherwise you can check out the site! It updates once bi-weekly on Wednesdays usually! http://oiydcomic.com/ Tapas: https://tapas.io/series/Only-In-Your-Dreams Webtoon: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/only-in-your-dreams/list?title_no=115046 Other links: https://linktr.ee/oiydcomic

alizarin

I joined near the end of the server but I can't wait to participate in the reboot! So many interesting comics in here * _ * I make a comic called Patent the Sun, it basically reads like a big puzzle. It's about two characters who wake up without any memory, but slowly we learn about their whole universe and what happened to them. Oh and there's also magic, aliens, murder, and crossdressing https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/patent-the-sun/list?title_no=123560 https://tapas.io/series/Patent-the-Sun(edited)

Las Pinter

It is a pity that I was not so active here. I create the Tales From Somewhere comics, currently there are two of them: The Legend and The Secret. Both of them are high fantasy stories taking place in a fantasy world. The Legend is about three adventurers trying to survive in their realm. They are aware of being DnD like characters in a cruel world, where the DM wants to kill them as fast as he can... without luck so far. It has some comedy, action, horror and weird elements. This comic is ongoing since a long time, so expect to have big changes in the style and writing. The Secret is about an elf, who begins his journey from the world's end after an apocalyptic event. Accidentally meets a human thief girl, and now they are travelling together and figuring out what is happening to their world. This comic is currently being revamped and the story is continued parallelly. I would rate them R/17+ since they have some blood, violence, profanity and nudity. Website: https://www.talesfromsomewhere.com/ Tapas: - The Legend: https://tapas.io/series/Tales-From-Somewhere-The-Legend - The Secret: https://tapas.io/series/Tales-From-Somewhere-The-Secret Webtoons: - The Legend: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/tales-from-somewhere-the-legend/list?title_no=77159 - The Secret: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/tales-from-somewhere-the-secret/list?title_no=78355 And I'm on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelaspinter

quietsnooze

Radio Silence is an award winning queer coming of age webcomic about a British rock band’s rise to fame. Hitting the road on a journey of self discovery and acceptance, this coming-of-age tale gives a backstage look at friendships and the plights of fame as experienced by a modern British rock band. On the fast track toward fame, the five members of the fictional British rock band, Radio Silence, enter into an exciting new life on the road with their best friends. As they tour across the United Kingdom, they excitedly embrace this new lifestyle and all the resulting challenges, including living in close quarters with each other with little privacy, and the overwhelming reaction of the public to their new-found success. Main site: http://radiosilencecomic.com/ Webtoons: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/radio-silence/list?title_no=35242 Twitter: http://twitter.com/quietsnooze

Tired Programmer

This is mine. There will be update tomorrow (in 10 hours). https://tapas.io/series/The-story-of-how-humanity-has-thrown-itself-into-the-scrapyard Civilization, technologically advanced in the past, is now in decline. Killer and hacker are trying to survive and find the answers to their questions among the ruins. What will they meet in this crazy and cruel world of misused technologies? WARNING: strong language, violence and nudity. Only for adults.

JUNK

If any creators or readers are looking for another webcomic server to hang out in, you can check out this one: https://discord.gg/qjWJt7

I'll post it in the general channel too. :3

sierrabravo (Hans Vogel is Dead)

I wish we could have had a bit more time, but thanks everyone for creating such a great space for webcomic creators!! I make HANS VOGEL IS DEAD: an antifascist fairy tale with elements of historical fantasy. A German fighter pilot is shot down and killed during the Battle of Britain. When he wakes up in a fairytale afterlife, he learns what the evil he served has destroyed, and must undo the damage of fascism to become a better person. The end of Volume 1 is coming in the next two weeks, and September will be the fifth anniversary! You can read it on Webtoons: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/hans-vogel-is-dead/list?title_no=62633 and find me on twitter! https://twitter.com/chjorniy_voron

Haruh2 (Colony Life)

This was such a great discord, hopefully we can keep in touch and still chat about comics and such my twitter is : https://twitter.com/Haruh2 Here is my comic Colony Life, ive been working on this for abit and will always love making this comic no matter what https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/colony-life/list?title_no=193784

boniae

I regret that I wasn't more active in here besides occasional lurking, but I always think back fondly to the CTP chat that my comic was discussed in, it was the first time I ever got to see so much in depth feedback and analysis on my comic and I will forever appreciate this server Four Corners is set in 1995, Yokohama, as the story follows Kazuhiro Tsuchiya who now leads his deceased brother's legendary gang, the Four Corners. Kazuhiro is approached by Hideki Yuhara, a schoolmate who claims to have vital information that Kazuhiro should be wary of. The two unlikely delinquents pair up to figure out the reason as to why gangs in the city are being brutally eliminated...though the unraveling of the mystery is darker than it appears. How far will Kazuhiro and Hideki go to rest their case? If you're looking for a slow burn lgbt romance, 90s manga nostalgia, drama, mystery, and a story with a general theme of: misfits who come together against dangerous odds to protect others, especially the ones they love—come check it out! https://tapas.io/series/four-corners/ http://fourcornerscomic.com/ https://twitter.com/boniaeart

snuffysam (Super Galaxy Knights)

I'll really miss having a new comic to read every week! My comic is called Super Galaxy Knights Deluxe R. It's a story of a small woman from a small town who goes on adventures across a strange kingdom. Action, comedy, and very, very slow burn romance... http://sgkdr.thecomicseries.com/ https://tapas.io/series/sgkdr https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/super-galaxy-knights-deluxe-r/list?title_no=41795

LeahVillart

I haven't done much work or anything in general these past months because they've been utter shit for me. This year had stuff breaking in my home, my grandma died from covid, family issues, found out my 9yo dog has lymphoma (blood cancer) and I got to a break point and I'm trying to recover from all the shit. Now it's late and I'm tired so I'm gonna make a super sleepy pitching~ I make Teach Me To Kill a horror-comedy webcomic about a school of villains and killers where a new seemingly innocent teacher arrives to help the worst class become the horror legends they are "destined" to become. [IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH] If you like contradicting/opposite genres or themes you'll find it here, violence, blood, kills, but all done with a cute colorful style where nothing is as it seems. With a cast made of crazy humans, detectives, monstergirls and guys like -our sexy looking hybrid vampire Daki who didn't ask for any of the cards she's been dealt and only wants to find true love and not something attracted by her vampiric aura. - Our lil raven kid Nayla who is a sugar bomb ready to explode, but can break a mountain in two. - Kyllian, a boy who's managed to make a personality out of each of his expressions, which sometimes is helpful and others a horrible mistake. - Q.Bee, an innocent looking girl who radiates sensuality in some weird way luring her victims into her trap. You never know what she's thinking or could do at any moment. the cast and world is really huge and don't want to spoil more, but it's filled with slice of life, mystery, action, dark humor, romance, fantasy, paranormal stuff. A total mix. If you give it a read, thanks for doing so and hope you like it! <3 http://teachmetokill.com/(edited)

Comic Tea Party

This concludes our final #creator_babble chat. Thank you so much to all the wonderful creators who have participated in this chat over its existence. It has been great to see your enthusiasm for the craft of webcomics, as well as learn your unique stories of how you pursue it. We are positive these conversations have helped many other creators out, so we appreciate you having them. For this conversation, and all past #creator_babble chats, you’ll be able to find them archived here: https://comicteaparty.com/creatorbabble

#ctparchive #comics #webcomics #indie comics #comic chat #comic discussion #comic tea party #ctp #creator interview #comic creator interview #creator babble

2 notes · View notes

wematch · 5 years

Text

Avatar: The Legend of Neil

For many years, the four nations lived together in harmony.

Then, everything changed when a conspiracy to start a war began.

Only the avatar, master of all four elements, could stop it, but when the identity of the new avatar was found, he vanished.

Many years passed without anyone knowing where he was. Then he appeared in a farm in the Earth Kingdom, disguised as a firebender named Neil. And although his bending skills were weak when he got there, with practice he grew stronger every day that passed.

Now with a war looming by, Neil must find his own path into becoming the new avatar and bring balance to the world.

***

A/N: I remember watching atla in nickelodeon way back in the day and I still love watching it. So one day, when I saw art about Neil being the avatar my mind went crazy thinking about that world and how these characters would fit there... I originally planned on writing a one shot about it, but when I started to write I just kept going.

For those of you who still remember watching atla, I tried to make the same structure of the series. Each “book“ here will represent a part of Neil’s journey to master a new element. As far as the other elements go I took some creative liberties here and there, hope it’s okay! Enjoy!

A huge thank you to @jsteneil for being an amazing beta! Your feedback made all the difference <3

This fic was inspired by this amazing piece of art by @aymmidumps, go check it out! [here]

You can also read it on [AO3]

***

Book 1: Air

Chapter 1: The Beginning

When the new cycle of the avatar begins, Nathaniel is born into the Wesninski family. His mother belongs to an ancient fire nation family, and his father is a powerful and ruthless firebender that has built his reputation working for the Moriyamas, helping taking care of unwanted resistance against their plans.

The Moriyama family is an old and very wealthy family that has gained their power through war many generations ago. They control most of the transactions with the other nations and any business in the city outside the law is also connected to them. Ichirou, head of the Moriyama family, is always looking for ways to expand their territory to have more power, so Nathaniel grows up hearing whispers of conversations in his house of their plans to make it happen. The problem is that the current council and the Firelord were wary of the idea of expanding their territories into the other nations. They didn’t wish to start a war when the fire nation is prospering like never before.

However, it doesn't take Ichirou long to realize that that isn’t reason enough to stop his plan. Nathaniel is shocked when he listens through the wall about what plan they want to put into motion: if the council and the Firelord don’t want to take part in this change in history then they would have to be taken down.

To make something like this work required careful planning and discretion so Nathaniel keeps seeing more people come and go to their house. He can feel everyone on edge, too afraid of the repercussions if their plan fails. And if the plan was to succeed, they couldn't be linked to it.That could cause the fire nation to be divided between not wanting to go to war for those who had just killed their Firelord and the ones who supported the idea. And a civil war was not the purpose of it. Ichirou needed the full support of the fire nation to bring his plan to life. And he needed someone they could manipulate as Firelord so that they could then use the full army to conquer the other nations.

Time continues to pass and even though there’s no big developments on how to achieve this plan, regular meetings keep happening. One winter night a reunion is held at the Wesninskis’ house that has the presence of most of the advisors of Ichirou, and that caughts Nathaniel’s attention. So once the reunion starts he goes to the stairs to listen in. The advisors don’t waste time and are quick to explain their newest idea to form the Ravens, an elite team of skilled firebenders trained to serve them as private, disposable soldiers that could execute the plan when the time came. Tetsuji, Ichirou’s uncle, will run the academy. Training young firebenders owned by them under the disguise of being a private restricted school.

Before the reunion is over his father walks out of the room and Nathaniel is caught listening in. He has never seen him more furious. Nathan has a murderous expression on his face as he drags Nathaniel down the stairs spitting insults and threats for him to never embarrass him ever again. Nathan throws him against the wall and attacks him. It all happens so fast that Nathaniel only has the time to put his arm up to shield his face when the fire hits him.

***

Months pass, and Nathaniel knows that the Moriyama family is growing impatient because of the lack of results. And he knows that that didn’t bode well for either him or his mother: his father frustrations were often released on them. At least it meant that they hadn’t come up with a way to dethrone the current Firelord without causing complete chaos over their nation.

However, everything changes when Nathaniel arrives home from school one day and the fire sages are waiting for him. They declare him to be the next avatar and shock runs through him. Nathaniel doesn’t know how to process what he has just heard so he looks around the living room. He can see that his mother is trying to disguise it but he knows what that look means: she’s terrified of what this could mean. His father, though—his father is smiling coldly at him, showing all his teeth, and that’s what really scares Nathaniel too.

When the Fire sages leave, Nathan takes him into the Moriyamas’ academy and goes to talk to Tetsuji while Nathaniel waits outside the door. Nathaniel looks around and notices a boy with dark hair train firebending on the field to his side. The boy must be his around his age and seems to be practicing advanced movements. Nathaniel moves to the side to be able to watch him more closely and as he moves he begins to hear his father’s voice in the background. He scans the building and notices a window on the far corner and continues to walk towards it. He doesn’t take more than two steps when his father’s voice begins to rise and Nathaniel starts to understand what he’s hearing and realizes that it’s not anger that’s making his father raise his voice, quite the contrary.

“If it’s the avatar conquering in his name, what do you think the firelord will do? Refuse the new territories?” Nathan throws in the air. And Nathaniel feels like an ice bucket of water has been thrown at him. They want him to start a war?

“No, he will not,” Tetsuji agrees. Nathaniel cannot believe what he’s hearing. He looks around feeling panic rise in him and that’s when he notices another boy getting closer to him with a cold expression on his face.

“A new era will soon start, Admiral.” Tetsuji continues. Nathaniel steps away from the window in direction to the boy. “Ichirou will be very pleased to hear this. You must go now. I will call and emergency meeting to tell him about it.”

The boy steps closer, and looks down at him.“ Are you coming to study here too? I’m the best student they have here.”

Nathaniel looks up and instantly dislikes the look of arrogance the boy has. “I’m not sure,” he answers.

“I’m Riko, and you are?”

A door opens and they both look to the side. His father exists and keeps walking. “Lets go, Nathaniel.” Nathaniel is quick to jog to catch him. And when he’s about the exit the property gates he glances at the building once again and sees Riko still watching him. And Nathaniel hopes he never sees him again.

On the same day that Nathaniel finds out that he’s the new avatar, Mary takes him away and they vanish.

***

Nathan is quick to send his most trusted soldiers to find them and bring them back. Through the years Mary and Nathaniel have had a few close calls but always manage to escape them. But Lola and her team are persistent and eventually one morning comes when they’re finally caught.

That morning, Nathaniel is walking back from the lake when he hears an explosion. His mother had still been asleep when he left not too long ago. Fear and panic settle in and he starts to run toward the house they have been staying in.

He starts to see the flames and the smoke rising to the sky. As he gets closer, he sees Lola’s team circling the house, and freezes. From where he is he can see Lola’s cold grin. “He must be close, search the woods,” she shouts to the others.

Nathaniel starts to feel his control slip away as rage overpowers him. They’ve found them, and he quickly realizes that her gloating means only one thing: his mother is inside the burning house.

In a moment his control is gone. Nathaniel feels power run through him like never before. All of a sudden he’s getting higher into the air, moving fast towards Lola and the others. The earth shatters to his will and boulders begin to rise, then he throws them to where they are staying. Lola and the others start to run to find cover and try to block his attacks and that's when they see him flying towards them. Nathaniel can see the hesitation in their eyes when they realize what is happening, but they don’t run. They start to fight, shooting blasts of fire at him but Nathaniel can easily predict their movements and easily block their attacks as well, using all the elements. And one by one Nathaniel knocks them out unconscious. Lola is the last one still standing but even she can't fight him like this and soon he sends her towards the wall of the burning house, knocking her out too.

Nathaniel regains control over his body and drops to his knees, feeling weak. He looks at all the destruction around him in shock. Uprooted trees are thrown around and the house is still burning, creating a big dark cloud above his head. The smoke in the air is making it difficult to breathe, and three unconscious bodies are scattered around the area.

And his mother is gone.

Nathaniel tries to calm down. He clenches his fists and bites his lip until he can taste the blood. For a moment he just stares at Lola’s unconscious body in front of him, wishing that he had killed her. Wishing he was strong enough to get up now and do it. He knows he’s just entered the avatar state, but it wasn’t on purpose, and he had no control of what he was doing at that moment.

He hates that he was the new avatar now more than ever before. He didn’t ask for it. He can’t even control it. That power inside of him just got his mother killed. And now he is all alone.

Nathaniel begins to cough and slowly gets up. He spares a moment to look at the unforgiving fire burning down the house and turns around. His mother is gone. There's nothing he can do for her now. He runs back towards the lake. Tears start rolling down his face but he pays them no attention. He needs to get as far away from this place as he can. Lola and her team will wake up soon enough and he needs to put as much distance between them before that.

Nathaniel begins to run, on his mind the constant reminder of what his mother kept telling him when they managed to dodge his father’s men: never stop running.

So he runs, and runs, until he finally approaches the nearest village. There he looks for an ostrich horse to steal. Once he finds one tied near a fence with no one around, he jumps on his back and pushes it to run as fast as it can through the night. Tears keep falling down but he keeps going. Because stopping means he is going to get captured and delivered to his father. It means he is going to be punished for running away, and be sent to train as a Raven. It means he would be forced to start a war. And he would rather die too than let that happen.

#myfic #aftg #neil josten #andrew minyard #andreil #atla!au #atla au #nathaniel wesninski #avatar #tfc

25 notes · View notes

sanerontheinside · 5 years

Text

Written for @caffeinewitchcraft‘s caffeine challenge!

[Prompt: A story told from the POV of someone who’s not part of the hero’s journey. No, their role is much worse. They’re the hero’s tragic backstory and they realize it a week before their death.]

He came to study with me in the winter, when the snows had crawled down from the caps and frozen and dried my garden. I wasn’t sure what he expected to learn from me, in this dormant time of year, before he knew his herbs and beetles. I told him so, and sent him down to the cellar to learn from the dried plants and the old books.

Not a single university-educated bone in the boy’s body. Which was partly just as well—those children think they know so much. But they only teach certain things at universities these days, and I’m not all that keen on teaching complex geometries myself. Then come the lunar orbits and the rotations of other celestial bodies nearby, and the interactions of plants, and drying and heating and—

And that’s if you’re lucky enough to find a student who knows the world does not revolve around them, but around a burning celestial flame. Alchemy is a complex art, built on everything at once. It’s the making of magic from science and maths, exploring the chaos within the order, and not the reverse. It isn’t for the faint of heart.

But he came with the recommendation of his village’s witch, a practical woman and an old friend. I suppose that’s the best I could expect, if I’d ever wanted a student.

(I didn’t).

She talked me into it anyway. In a letter. Awful wench, not even the decency to do it in person.

Addie has always had what I had not—a way with people, of inspiring trust and warmth. Or rather: one day I stopped trying, and discovered an immense freedom in speaking my mind. I lost my place as the court physician, and no longer had to curry to the whims of my betters. I lost my friends, and realised they’d never been friends to me at all.

I found Addie barely a month after that. I discovered the person I had once wanted to be, alive and well and thriving out in the great wide world, whereas I had felt throttled and sidelined since the day I came into the city.

He reminded me of you, she wrote. He sees that the world is broken and wants so very badly to fix it.

“And he thinks alchemy is the way to do that?” I muttered aloud in my kitchen.

Yes, he wants the power of this gift; he still thinks that power is the way to fix things. Yes, I know it should frighten me, you may keep your grumbly lecture.

I know you will not let him abuse your art.

Addie would never steer me wrong.

And she knew how to throw down a challenge, which certainly never hurt.

Her protégé was worthy of her praise. He learned fast, and he had a knack for it, much to my surprise. Instead of learning his herbs and beetles he sat that and charted and muttered and cross-referenced my many old books. Corrected half the Celestial Atlas in tiny marginalia. Found my old journals where I’d done my own calculations, and started studying those instead.

It is rare to have a student so willing and stubborn. Patient enough that he will wait for you to warm up to him, certain of his charm. He cared for my goats and chickens, kept my hearth clean, fixed my rickety gate and dusted the shelves. If nothing else, it was good to have the company.

And on late nights, the sky was high and clear, and he argued about the paths of the celestial flames with me, and argued about what it was that the gods were burning. Clever boy—I could see why Addie liked him. He told such fine stories, when he was finally sure I would listen.

He was hopeful. He was hopeful and certain and brilliantly clear in a way that I no longer was. He had a purpose and a belief, a fire lit from within. Sitting beside him on the long solstice nights, I felt like the cold of these mountain winters had seeped into my very bones. Or perhaps it was the cold and damp of the city and the king’s court, and I’d never really warmed through, even after all these years tending to my own, comfortable, clean fire.

Maybe he would burn strong enough for it to last. Maybe he could go out into the world, even down into the city, and light the way for better days. He was already so serious and so solemn, sometimes. He had the makings of that patient, constant force that whittles away stone and marks the passage of time with no more than an absent gesture.

And he made me miss one plucky village witch. Made me feel the way I had when I first met her, and realised that someone like her truly could exist. That unforgettable feeling, like filling your lungs full with air so cold and sharp and rarified that it feels like your heart might burst. They’ll be the death of me, I sometimes think, with their kind and solemn eyes, their unearthly patience.

Spring came, cold and grey and eerily still. I’d begun to send the boy out to the mountainsides, to investigate what enterprising young things had sprouted, what had braved the first thaw and would likely die the next frost, for Winter hadn’t quite finished with our corner of the world just yet. He wasn’t much for herbal lore, though I could tell Addie had tried to teach him.

We get few travelers in these parts; the ones who are lost rarely make it this far, and the locals try to avoid me. They’re not too overfond of mages, never mind that alchemists aren’t any such thing (well, only peripherally). A village witch succeeds in part because she can convince the villagers that she is harmless, and I have never been able to do any such thing.

They know. They only come to me when there is no one else to help them. A child sick with fever whom even the mages could not save, a plague among the cattle—these are the things that overcome the bounds of any fear.

I did not take the boy with me for this.

It was sheer misery: bitter cold and stillborn foals, cattle poisoned by polluted water. I was asked to do what even a mage couldn’t fix. There was one in the town’s inn, still, unwilling to give up or admit defeat. He looked haggard. It takes much from a being, tending to the fevered and the ailing.

But where a mage goes to the cattle, I go first to the water.

This is not what we called you for, the elders tell me.

“But you called me, so allow me to do my work.” To purify, to separate out what they cannot see is killing them.

This is what I would not have that young boy see: the way they shy from me. Maybe they will never hide from him, because he is not like me. He draws people to himself without so much as thinking of it. But I do not wish for him to ever see this gift we share as a thing of which to be ashamed.

“I remember you,” the mage said to me one day. “I saw you once, in the city. You were a member of the king’s court.”

The chill wind rippled across my back.

“You were well known for your work. We studied it, in my school.”

“That’s very flattering,” I said, still wary.

He chuckled. “Hardly. You were renowned, and a Master at the University, read around the kingdom.”

“I was renowned, and a Master at the University, and they burned my books when I left the city,” I told him.

It had taken me days to realise that he was actually quite young. Perhaps he did not know the story—how I left, and why.

Some days I still regard it as a terrible mistake. Days like this, when I am up to my elbows in poisoned water and pushed to the limit of my tolerance for cold stares. Days when I remember Addie’s patience, and the patience of that boy looking after my hearth and my goats, waiting for me to teach him.

I felt—these days, very often—that it was my greatest failure. How could I have dared to turn around and throw away everything I’d ever worked for? How could I, when I’d already done so much?

The mage frowned at me. “My school did not burn your books. Our Masters told us about you. You were... remarkable. I’ve always wanted to meet you.”

“Ah.” I shrugged, and squinted at my work. “Well, you know what they say about meeting one’s heroes.”

I bent down to fix the water filter into place. It was still too difficult to do, I couldn’t possibly expect the women of this town to have the time to fiddle with this thing as much as I had...

“I do,” he said. I heard him rise from my workbench, and move toward the door. “They’re far better in person.”

By the time I looked up again, he was gone.

The villagers paid me what I asked, with dark looks and hand-signs to avert evil. How kind of them, I think to myself with the slightest of smiles, to wish me on my way well-protected from meddling spirits.

The mage walked with me to the village boundary, still asking me about the filters, how to use them, where to put them. It was a strange thing, to enjoy teaching once again. Despite the misery of that place, I left it feeling a little lighter.

Just not for very long.

As I mounted the last hill between me and home I discovered that my hands were shaking. My heart raced too fast. Surely, I grumbled, I cannot be that old.

The cold sweat and the sudden gripping fear was what propelled me forward. The blinding terror made me run, dropping my satchels and precious tools haphazard on still-frozen ground.

There are rules that any mountain-dweller knows. You do not cross the path of certain things, you do not speak to masters of the mountain. If something speaks to you, you are polite, but you do not leave your answer open to another question.

You don’t invite a stranger in.

Rarely is there anything that wanders in these parts looking to make mischief. But young magicians are forever a target for such beings. Especially those of great potential.

The shadows are a hungry thing, here among the ice and rock, but no shadow can abide a fire. I sent embers spewing from my hearth, threw a rain of sparks through the unnaturally dark room. They fell upon the shadow-creature and it did not burn, but it pulled its tendrils tight, as if in pain. By the faint light I could just make out the child’s pale and frightened face—

—and the fine-scaled golden features of the thing that hovered over him.

Another rule: you do not show your fear. Oh, it smells fear on the wind—but you do not show it.

“There is a sign on my gate, and a rune on my door, and even the goats in my yard would have told you that you are not welcome. It is time for you to depart.”

It bared its teeth at me in something like a smile, wrapped the dark about itself and vanished without a word.

Too easy.

“Achim.”

The boy was curled in on himself in the corner, so small.

With a sigh, I crossed to the table and picked up my kettle. I set it to heat, and banished the soot from my floors. There was something to be said for heat and sweetness and spice, after such things. I approached him slowly and crouched down to tuck a blanket about his curved shoulders. “Achim, look at me.”

I nudged his chin up until I could see his eyes. “It isn’t coming back.”

“It—told me I could never—run far enough,” he stammered out through chattering teeth.

“And I’m telling you that I keep my word. Any being that does not keep to the contract is one you can bring low. This is your first lesson, child.”

First, and perhaps the last.

He watched me, wide-eyed, as I set the table. Watched me as evening fell. Watched me clean and hum and read until he fell asleep.

And when I was sure he did not dream, I pulled my shawl about my shoulders, and walked out the door to the edge of my grounds, to the garden gate that he had fixed for me.

The creature was still lurking there.

Actually, it loitered, rather as if it owned the place. It had a vaguely human shape, though of course appearance was the last thing you could trust. It leaned against the fence as if propped up at hip and elbow, lounging like an uninvited lover at the gate. The cloak of shadows hung from its shoulders, hood fallen free of the being’s head.

Mischief-maker, quicksilver trickster. People used to come up all this way into the mountains, searching for gold. There were stories of the yellow demon they saw glimmers of in the mountain streams.

“You are owed nothing. You came onto my lands at the invitation of one who did not even own them. Why do you linger?”

“He is young and powerful,” the golden creature said, “and the future that awaits him must not be.”

Another, less acknowledged rule: such beings are old and powerful, and if they speak of troubled times, perhaps it is worth a listen. Perhaps, or perhaps not. It is certainly a folly to ignore such warnings. The being that delivers it is never one that cares for your wellbeing. But if it worries for its own, then you may be sure: a mortal will not survive what follows.

“What future do you see?"

“Death to the mages and witches,” it said, without hesitation. “He will do what is right, he will bring light into the darkness, as you believe him capable of doing. But with that light, great unintended evils will spread through the world. The extinction of those who use magic, those who are magic, is not a change that this world can sustain.”

“And I suppose you are here out of enlightened self-interest,” I blurted, and cursed myself for my thoughtless mouth.

The being only smiled.

“That boy has a better chance than most,” I rallied. “He has a gift, and it isn’t just his magic or his knowledge. He has a chance at gaining enough wisdom to keep it in balance.”

“Maybe so. But you have always known that your faith is not enough to save anyone. Sometimes, there is simply nothing that you can do.”

I leaned heavily against the gatepost. “And if you know so much of me, you know I cannot let you take him. Because you have to try.”

That Achim should have come to me—that Addie should have sent him here—was a chance as slim as starfall landing in one’s yard. I had discovered not long afterward that the King had set his hounds to thinning out the ranks of learned folk outside the city. Achim’s parents had died for “spreading lies”—insisting that the factories had tainted the village water—and the only thing that saved their son was that he’d been practicing a little bit of simple trick-magic at Addie’s fire.

I must have been among the first to fall in the King’s war on the educated, five years ago. One of the learned folk whose names had been used to justify the slaughter of traitors, snobs, and liars—the evil that would bring the kingdom down.

Those who did not leave the city, as I had, had simply been murdered.

“Name a different price,” I told the shadow-creature from the mountains, and it laughed.

“A price for what? I did not come here for a deal.”

“Yet you will make one, because I have asked it of you,” I said. “I will abandon my charges no longer. So you will tell me what the price is for me to keep them safe.”

“Them,” the creature echoed, and raised a golden eye-ridge. “Who are they?”

The people I left behind in the city. The boy I refused to teach for so long, and now might never really get a chance to teach at all. Addie and that tired, curious mage who still thought me a hero.

The being stared at me.

“Come out, fair lady, dance with me,” the golden creature said at last with a wide, inhuman grin, and stretched out a long-clawed hand. “I find yours is a better mind to dance with than a child’s.”

I laughed, terrified, because I did not know what else to do. “That is your offer?”

Dancing, what was that supposed to mean?

It twitched its shoulders, like a shrug, and pointed up at the moon. “Until it turns, you have time to think on it.” It made a show of straightening out, dusting off its sleeves, and turned to go. “Seven nights, I believe, and remember that they grow ever shorter.”

“Wait! How am I not abandoning anyone if I am off—dancing?”

There were tales of diaphanous things dancing on the mountain winds, through the shadows in the canyons. The souls of dead climbers, some still think. There were stories of souls that danced with death. I had always thought the truth must be somewhere in between.

This wasn’t quite what I’d had in mind, however.

The being looked over its shoulder, and blinked at me, slowly, like a mountain cat. “The only truth you know of what lies beyond this place is that you can’t return to where you’ve been. You do not step into the same water twice in a mountain stream, Tali, yet you have never made the mistake of thinking that there is nothing beyond the stream.”

Between one breath and the next, the creature vanished.

I stayed and watched the moon for a long time, too numb to feel the cold. I thought, I’d never given you my name.

No—I don’t remember giving you my name.

I wasn’t sure which thought was the more terrifying.

Back in the house behind me, a young boy slept a dreamless sleep. In response to a nameless, shapeless threat against him, I’d thrown all caution to the winds, somehow bargained with my life. All in the name of a potential none could grasp.

And with a being that had the advantage of me, no less.

I won’t be able to teach him, I thought, and dropped that regret like a stone at the gate; one of those smooth, small stones that weighs far more than it looks like it ought to. Another rounded, heavy stone: I won’t be the one to watch him grow.

I’d waited too long, again. Old fool, still making the same mistakes as always.

I had a week to get my old journals in order. At least, as a university master, I’d been an obsessive scribe for my own affairs.

There was a tale I once heard, about a woman who learned the name of the fae that she’d entered into a bargain with, and that was what freed her from their deal. I did not recall making a deal with anything.

But then, I did once somewhat carelessly offer my heart and soul in exchange for being permitted to learn the secrets of the universe...

#something's always listening #caffeine prompts #caffeinewitchcraft #strange alchemicals #loose interpretation of 'not part of the hero's journey' and also 'death'#loose interpretation of the whole prompt #*quickly tosses fic out into the open before i can grow more doubts about it*

14 notes · View notes

unpack-my-heart · 5 years

Text

IT Fandom Prompt Week - Day 4 - Medieval AU

This is the first chapter of my alchemy AU that i’ve written for IT Fandom Prompt week day 4 - Medieval AU.

Read it under the cut or on AO3 HERE

@constantreaderfool @tinyarmedtrex @xandertheundead @violetreddie

IGNIS AURUM PROBAT

The earth yawned open, and out lurched Chaos.

Chaos looked around, flexed its muscles, before immediately giving birth.

Out of the womb of darkness came Gaia, Tartatus, Eros, Erebus and Nyx. Five wriggling, squishy things. The five wriggling, squishy things collectively blinked, and Chaos retreated.

From Gaia came the Titans, and from Cronus and his sister-wife Rhea came Zeus. Zeus, King of Gods, who reigned with an iron fist and wandering eyes, relished the power he held over humanity. Enraged with Prometheus for giving them the gift of fire, Zeus’ fondness for humanity waxed and waned, before ultimately decreasing to such a pitiful degree that the God’s who sat on Mount Olympus looked upon Earth with kindness in their eyes no more.

When Christianity swept over Greece in the fourth-century, and the God who were sat upon Mount Olympus were eschewed by humanity for good, Zeus’ temper grew foul. Sparks of lightning scarred the Earth in the tenth-century, Atlas adjusted his grip on the Earth, and profane things rose from the wounds.

The God’s who sat on Mount Olympus, bored and ignored, were resigned to myth and legend.

But they remained, and they watched.

Edward Kaspbrak had been plucked from the bosom of his mother at the age of two, and whisked away to the dingy alchemical workshop of one Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim (or, to Edward and his closest friends, Paracelsus) to serve as his ward and apprentice. Edward quickly forgot about his mother, who presumably also forgot about him.

The reliable constants in Edward’s early life were glass bottles, bitter smelling herbs and the lingering metallic scent in the air. His childhood was fundamentally unlike other children his age, who worked on their parents farms by day and slept, exhausted and filthy, at night. Instead, Edward practiced the transmutatory art by day, and meticulously copied out complicated spagyric formulas by candle light at night. Paracelsus’ workshop was somewhat small, and it was endlessly untidy with stacks of leather-bound books balanced precariously upon every surface. There was one small window that provided daylight and helped the poisonous vapours emitted by the various burning metals to escape the room. Other than this, however, the workshop was claustrophobic. Russet coloured clay vases littered the floor, and more than once Edward found himself tripping over them, sending the herbs he’d spent all morning carefully collecting up into the air, only to rain down like green snowflakes.

First and foremost, Paracelsus’ workshop served as the first port of call for those infected with various diseases. Whether they believed they were being punished by a vengeful God, or had a constitution that made them prone to ill-health, they would come, pay whatever Paracelsus deemed appropriate, and then spend between four and eight hours screaming in agony whilst the alchemist rubbed a slightly silvery ointment into the infected flesh, followed by a hot press of guaiacum over the infected area. Edward had grown accustomed to the howls of the infected, as they lay on the straw mattress in the corner of the workshop. Sometimes they pleaded with him to rub the ointment off with a wet cloth, or to put them out of their misery in increasingly creative, but gruesome ways. Edward never said anything to them, ignoring them in favour of mixing a new batch of quicksilver to be spread onto the skin of the next unfortunate who stumbled through the door.

The first time Edward watched Paracelsus cure the pox with the ointment made from liquid mercury he’d been amazed – half convinced his eyes had deceived him, and half convinced Paracelsus was, in fact, some sort of demonic druid belched from the underbelly of Hell.

“Edward, the body works not according to the four humours, but according to the tria prima. The three principles of life. The spagyric art should not just be applied to the transmutation of metals, but also to the great microcosm – the human body, made in His image. We can use the same principles we use to purify metals to purify the human body – to separate the pure from the impure,” is what Paracelsus had told Edward one night, whilst they were both elbow deep in a watery stew that tasted more like turnip than it did beef. Edward was not a fan of turnip.

Paracelsus must have sensed Edward’s confusion wafting over the table, because he continued.

“See, you saw how the quicksilver burnt the pox straight off Mary Croft’s arms?”

“Is that why she screamed loud enough to startle the chickens in the croft?” Edward asked.

“Yes, child,” Paracelsus laughed, “It is a rather… painful … procedure. Disease is the infection of the body by bad seeds, and we use the spagyric art to refine the spiritual essence of these seeds, so that we might expel the poison from the body and from the soul. Of course, it is all the more painful when drank as an elixir but the risk of death is too great. An ointment, though painful, is a much safer way of administering the cure”

“Does it cure them?” Edward queried, a little too quickly.

Paracelsus visibly bristled.

“Did Mary Croft walk out of here alive?”

“Yes”

“Were her blisters gone?”

“I suppose so, Sir”

“Then, as far as I’m concerned, she’s cured. Not another word”

– X –

As time passed, and he became older, one thing became startlingly clear.

Edward Kaspbrak was, by all accounts, a terrible alchemist.

On his eighth birthday – a day that did not mark the day he actually turned eight years of age, but rather, a date that marked six years since Edward had become Paracelsus’ ward – Paracelsus decided that it was time to begin teaching Edward the most basic alchemical concepts. Fortunately, his decision coincided with catching Edward with his nose in a copy of Galen’s De Facultatibus Naturalibus.

“There is more learning in my shoe buckles than in all Galen!” Paracelsus roared, smacking the book from Edward’s hand. The book fell to the floor, spine cracked down the centre.

“What have I told you about the humours, child! They are the misguided theories of irreligious heathens ignorant of true knowledge. Today we will begin your education in the spagyric art, and I will chase the Aristotelian knowledge from your head with a spear”

True to his word, Paracelsus began teaching Edward the art of alchemy.

– X –

“Try again, child. You must learn by doing, experience by the fire is the only way that you may become a true healer”

“The fire bites me, Sir” Edward lamented, rubbing the small red welt that was rapidly appearing on the webbing between his thumb and forefinger.

“That is because you don’t treat it with respect, Edward. The fire is the master of all things, and you must treat it as such. Now, try again,” Paracelsus instructed, wiping muddy brown sediment from the bottom of a swan-necked glass bottle.

The guaiacum in the metal pan simmered, and when Edward added the liquid quicksilver after bringing the pan off the heat, it spat at Edward’s hand, before solidifying into an unusable mass.

Paracelsus sighed.

“I have never seen somebody coagulate mercury before. Either you are a genius, or a fool. Again!”

Several days later, Edward found himself with nothing to do. Paracelsus was consumed by a large leather-bound book, not paying any attention to what Edward was doing, who took it upon himself to undertake some independent study.

Earnest as ever, Edward stood over the burning fire, wincing slightly from the heat, trying to turn a block of wood he had found in the workshop into … something. He was trying to simultaneously anoint the wood with the right amount of solution and heat it to the right temperature when, slowly but surely, the wood began to blacken, and pieces started to fall away in large flakes.

“Sir! Sir! I think, I think I may have done it!” Edward cried out, hopping from foot to foot in excitement, trying desperately not to let the rapidly blackening wood fall into the flames.

“Done what?” Paracelsus called out from his place at the table.

“Done… something! I have made coal!”

“From what?!” Paracelsus called out again, sounding vaguely more interested. Edward heard the scrape of the chair, and the characteristic thump of his mentors feet.

“Look!”

Paracelsus was silent.

“Sir?”

“Edward, what you have done is burnt some wood. That is not transmutation, that is not any form of alchemy, you have turned yourself into a conduit for the stove.”

“…Oh” Edward faltered, dropping the wood and watching the fire consume it hungrily.

Paracelsus must immediately sense his student’s disappointment, because he immediately steps forward to console him.

“The spagyric art is a fickle one. She will not be mastered by anyone who, on a whim, decides to try and tame her. You must practice. You must feel the force of all the great men who have stood before you, and channel that energy into your studies. I have faith in you, Eddie.”

– X –

Ten summers later, and Edward was eighteen years old and no better at the spagyric art than he was when Paracelsus had begun his education. Edward had been resigned to the position of aid, a status normally reserved for women. He prepared the ingredients, scrubbed the vomit and blood from the floors, and mostly, just stayed out of the way. When his education had stagnated, he had expected Paracelsus to turn him out of the workshop, and condemn him to a life of poverty. But that hadn’t happened. Over the past fourteen summers, Paracelsus had grown rather fond of the rather useless, but sincere boy. He’d watched Edward mature into a kind-hearted earnest young man, and despite his failure to turn base metals into gold, his heart appeared to made of the stuff. Besides, turning Edward away would require training up a new aid which was, quite frankly, too taxing. So Edward remained under the tutelage of Paracelsus, despite never actually applying his theoretical knowledge beyond mixing up the ointments.

Until Richard Tozier walked into the workshop.

– X –

Richard Tozier had the pox.

He assumed he’d caught the pox from one of the women he’d met at the tavern. This is what he told his parents. In reality, Richard knew he’d caught it from the young man he’d been secretly lying with for half a year. Announcing to your mother and father that he’d caught the pox from the local sodomite wouldn’t endear him to his parents any more than his alternative story, so he stuck to that. They wailed and lamented about divine retribution and how his mortal sins were manifesting on his skin. They, of course, send him off to the nearest healers as quick as his pock-marked feet would carry him.

That’s how he found himself standing outside the alchemists workshop, hesitating briefly before landing three swift, sharp knocks on the rickety door.

It opened almost instantly.

“Hello? Can I help you?”

The owner of the voice was small, male and inextricably beautiful. Richard knew that he wasn’t supposed to find men beautiful, and that God must have made a catastrophic error when creating him, but he didn’t much care for convention.

“Uh – Yes. Yes, I’m looking for the healer? The – the alchemist? My body is entirely covered with–”

Richard gestured to his skin, the angry red welts on his skin practically pulsing on his otherwise unblemished skin.

The young man’s eyes widened, before he schooled his face into something Richard assumed was supposed to be apathy, but still looked more like panic than anything else.

“The alchemist is not here presently. You will have to come back another day, when he’s here, which he is not right now, I mean – he isn’t here to help you, you will have to come back”

The young man tried to wedge the door shut in Richard’s face, but Richard managed to stick his leather-clad foot out in time, so that the door could not completely shut.

“Excuse me, but I really must insist that you help me. I cannot go home before I am cured, for I fear that my father would beat me with a rather large stick if I did. Can you not help me? Who are you? Are you the apprentice?” Richard practically begged, nudging the door open slightly by wiggling his foot.

“I suppose I am, technically, but I really cannot – I have never – I have never successfully cured anyone, not on my own. I don’t think I can do this on my own, you really must wait for Paracelsus to return”

“I fear that I might drop down dead on your doorstep. Is that what you want? To have to step over my melancholy, rotting corpse to leave your house? To drag it to a shallow grave, to have to cover my body with–“

“Enough!”

Richard smiled wolfishly, watching the young man’s face contort into a picture of disgust.

“So you’ll help me?”

“I suppose I must”

“There really is no risk, I’m practically dead already.”

– X –

The concoction of herbs and water in the small metal pan bubbled furiously, and Edward’s forehead glistened with a panicked sheen of sweat. He had scrabbled around the workshop hunting for the vial of liquid quicksilver, before finding one lodged in the centre of an old book that Edward had watched Paracelsus pour over night by night, etching complicated alchemical symbols that Edward didn’t recognise into it with a quill. Wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, he looked up at the stranger who was currently sat on the straw mattress. The room was full of thick grey smoke, and the bitter-sweet aroma of burning plant matter. Pouring the solution into a glass bottle, Edward closed his eyes prayed that the cure would work. He had seen Paracelsus anoint hundreds of people with the solution, and he was confident that he could brew the solution with his eyes closed. However, his hands still shook as he carefully brought the small glass bottle over to where the stranger sat.

“My name is Edward, what is your name, Sir?” Edward asked, trying to maintain a strong steadiness in his voice, and only just succeeding.

“Richard Tozier, but my friends call me Rich. You can call me that, if you like”

“So, Richard, have you ever had a quicksilver ointment applied to your body before?” Edward pressed, collecting pieces of somewhat dirty rag that he would use to press the ointment into Richard’s bleeding skin.

“I have not. Why? Am I in for a pleasant surprise?” Richard asked, tone too light-hearted to suggest that he knew what he was about to experience. Edward wordlessly tugged at Richard’s tunic, and Richard tugged it over his head, exposing his torso that was also littered with red welts.

“Not entirely” Edward hummed, pouring some of the foul smelling ointment onto the rag, hesitating for a second, before bringing it to Richard’s skin with an audible gulp.

As predicted, Richard howled like a struck cat.

“Keep still! Sorry – You must keep still, the application process is precarious and it’ll hurt even more if I wipe this on your uninfected skin” Edward snapped, but smoothed the hand that wasn’t holding the quicksilver over Richie’s trembling arm.

“Sorry, sorry. This hurts like nothing I have ever experienced before, and my father dropped me on my head when I was a child” Richard replied, wincing, causing Edward to laugh, loud and bright.

“Ah, that explains why you are … the way you are”

Edward continued to dab the quicksilver ointment onto Richie’s welts, concentrating hard enough that he feared his eyes might pop in their sockets. Richard was almost entirely silent, save for the occasional hiss and whimper. At one point, when Eddie rubbed the ointment on a particularly painful looking welt on Richard’s inner thigh, Richard grabbed Edward’s arm.

“Is this … okay?” Richard asked tentatively, flexing his grip on Edward’s bicep. Edward considered removing the man’s hand, wary of the fact that Paracelsus could walk back in and see his apprentice sat on the floor, between the legs of a pock-marked man, and throw him onto the street in a heap.

Edward didn’t move his hand.

Slowly, and with painstaking precision, Edward continued to apply the ointment to every scab on Richard’s body.

“You’re very quiet, little mouse”

“Mouse?! I am no mouse” Edward cried, sitting back on his heels.

“Well, you have tawny hair and a small nose and I’m sure if I poked you here,” Richard reached over to Edward’s side, giving it an almighty poke and causing Edward to shriek, “Ah yes. You squeak, Sir, exactly like a mouse”.

“I am not a mouse” Edward replied indignantly, but try as he might, his lips twitched at the sides, threatening to bloom.

“Well, what are you then?”

“I am,” Edward paused, before replying, “I am a fox”

“A fox?! Are you cunning, then? Wily and tricksy?”

“I suppose so. I have a vicious bite, so you better be careful or I’ll –“ Edward announced, and gnashed his teeth together, simultaneously a threat and something … different. Something entirely more.

“A vicious bite? Is that a promise?” Richie queried, but the wink he tried to aim at Edward mutated into a scowl as the quicksilver was applied to a scab on his shoulder.

A blanket of quiet settled over them. Edward continued to apply the ointment, and Richard watched him work. After a while, Richard grew tense.

“Edward, can I tell you something?”

“Um, I suppose. What is it?”

“It’s something that you might find repulsive”

“By God’s name, if you ask me to apply this ointment to your …,” Edward gestured vaguely at Richard’s crotch, “I shall force it down your throat”

“…Oh”

“So you were going to ask me to do that?”

“No, well, no I wasn’t but it was … somewhat related”

“Somewhat related to your…,” Edward gestured at Richard’s crotch again, feeling his cheek grow hot with embarrassment.

“No it’s related to me asking you to. It’s – oh, to hell with it, I do not only lie with women”

“Pardon?”

Richard sighed, shifting slightly on the mattress.

“I do not only lie with women”

Edward didn’t say anything, just let Richard’s words hang in the air like low flying birds.

“I lie with men. I like lying with men. It’s … different. In some ways, much better, it’s –“

“Why are you telling me this?” Edward interrupted.

“Because I am probably going to die, and this secret has been consuming me for weeks and … if I didn’t share it with someone I fear I might go mad”

“But why me?”

“Let’s just call it intuition, little mouse”

– X –

“How long have you been an alchemist?”

“I’m not … I’m not technically an alchemist, for I – It’s complicated, Sir”

“Sir?” Richard quoted, eyebrow raised comically high on his forehead.

“Sorry, force of habit. Paracelsus instructs me to call the patients ‘Sir’”

“Hmmm” Richard hummed, his eyes glinting mischievously, looking ever the trickster.

“What now?”

“I rather like it when you call me Sir”

Edward spluttered then, almost dropping the bottle of ointment. Richard reached out to steady his arm, causing Edward to flinch even more.

“Are you feeling okay, Edward?”

“You are a nightmare, Richard” Edward cursed, but the smile that had fully bloomed on his face suggested otherwise.

– X –

The first time Edward had realised he was different he’d been sitting outside the workshop. The summer sun tingled on his skin, when Robert Greatrakes, the mason’s apprentice, had walked past without a shirt on. He was tugging a small wheeled cart loaded with stones, and Edward’s eyes remained glued to the young man’s body the entire length of the street. The way the muscles of his arms were taut under the strain of the cart. The glossy sheen of sweat covering his back. The way his hair, cropped close to his skull, glistened like molasses.

Something bubbled in Edward’s lower stomach.

He knew what this was. What he was.

– X –

With the ointment applied to every inch of Richie’s inflamed, oozing skin, all they could do was wait. Eddie busied himself cleaning the tools he had used to brew the ointment, as well as carefully replacing the vial of quicksilver into the book where he found it. He hoped that Paracelsus would not notice that it was missing several inches of glittering liquid. Richard is snoring loudly in the corner of the room, body entirely covered in a thin white sheet, with the intention of insulating his body to stimulate the ointment. Still staring at the snoring stranger, Edward absently picked up the glass bottle that had previously contained the quicksilver ointment.

He dropped it.

The bottle splintered into hundreds of tiny glass shards, and Edward flinched, expecting the ointment to have oozed all over the wooden floor.

It hadn’t.

What lay on the floor was a smooth, smallish round lump of what appeared to be solid gold.

Breath clogging his throat like wool, Edward bent down and picked up the small round object. It was entirely solid, and when he tried to crush it in his fist, it didn’t change shape.

Gold.

Edward had created gold.

He hadn’t meant to, of course. It had been a fortunate accident, and should Paracelsus, or indeed anyone, have asked him to re-create this feat he’d be unable. Nevertheless, he had done it. Gold from quicksilver. The ultimate aim of the spagyric art. He had done it.

Richard coughed, and Edward dropped the ball of gold. It rolls under the table.

Suddenly remembering how the gold had come into existence, Edward scrabbled over the vases and pots on the floor until he was standing directly over Richard, who, thankfully, looked normal. He was breathing, the steady, rhythmic puffs of air providing the only sound in the room. His face was somewhat dirty, but otherwise exactly the same as it had been when he’d first come into the workshop.

With shaking fingers, and shaking breath, Edward picked up the corner of the white sheet between his thumb and forefinger, and pulled it back gingerly.

The shriek that clawed its way out of Edward’s mouth practically shook the walls of the workshop.

Richard’s body was entirely covered in small crescent shaped gold marks. Where there had been angry red welts, there were now perfectly even, perfectly repeated gold crescents and Richard’s body was absolutely littered with them. Richard sat up with a start, pressing both hands onto the straw mattress, and suddenly, without warning, Richard was sitting on a solid block of … Gold. It was as if the mattress had always been gold. There was no evidence to suggest that this obscenely large golden cube had ever been made of cloth and straw.

“What – What on Earth … Edward? Edward, what is going on?” Richie demanded, voice quivering as he stood up gingerly.

Edward couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t claw his eyes away from the solid gold mass on the floor and the young man stood in front of it, body shining like an angel.

Richard didn’t appear to notice that he was covered in small golden marks, and Edward couldn’t open his mouth to tell him.

“How … How did you do this? Turn the bed into … gold? The bed is … solid gold? Mercy God, Edward, who are you?”

“Your – your arm, Richard, look at your arm”

“My arm? Never mind my damn arm, look at the – by God’s blood, what has happened to me? What have you done to me?”

Richard was now staring at the gold marks on his arm, face stricken with horror. Edward immediately decided that he’d have to delay Richard, just long enough that so he’d still be here when Paracelsus returned. Paracelsus would know what to do, he’d be able to fix this … whatever this was.

“Richard, you must – you must wait until the alchemist gets back. He will not be long, he is just in the next town. He’ll know what to do, what has happened to – to you. Please sit, please, Richard, I do not want you to panic, I –“

“Hell’s breath! You don’t want me to panic? Pray tell, how am I not to panic when I am covered in these … marks? What have you done? Cursed me? Is this a curse, for – for being a sodomite? You did not have to curse me, vile witch, just refuse to treat me and let me die in a heap like I should have done”

“No!” Edward cried, a hoarse, harsh sound that echoed around the room angrily, “That could not be further from the truth, Richard – Rich, please. Wait, sit. The alchemist will be back soon and he can help you”

Richard grabbed the broom that was lying against the wall of the workshop, and attempted to wield it like a weapon – to protect himself from whatever he assumed Edward was going to do to him. What actually happened, though, was as soon as Richard picked up the broom, it immediately turned to solid gold. Wooden handle, horse hair bristles and all. Completely, and perfectly, rendered in solid gold.

Richard screamed, and dropped the golden broom on the floor, where it landed with a loud clatter.

“By God’s bones, what have you done! You have turned me into some sort of … demon! Stay back, stay back or I’ll send you crawling back to hell, I’ll – I’ll … !”

Before he could finish his sentence, Richard Tozier, cradling his hands against his chest, ran out of the workshop.

– X –

Midas.

The name shot into Eddie’s head like a cannon ball, fast and painful and … Oh.

Midas.

Edward was scrabbling for the copy of pagan mythology on the top shelf of Paracelsus’ bookshelf when he alchemist walked back in.

“Edward? What in God’s name are you doing?”

“HELL!” Edward cried, toppling to the ground from where he was perched on the edge of a bench, the book of pagan mythology clasped tight in his hands.

Paracelsus rolled his eyes fondly, before striding over to where his apprentice was sprawled on the floor. Edward gratefully accepted his extended hand, and Paracelsus hauled him to his feet.

“Care to tell me what required this book so urgently, Eddie?”

Edward had no idea where to start.

Luckily, before he had a chance to speak, Paracelsus noticed the rather inconspicuous golden bed in the corner of the room. The mattress that had once been straw and thread-bear cloth.

“Edward,” Paracelsus said reverently, “Did you … Did you do this?”

“Yes” Edward replied, miserably.

“How?”

“Someone came in while you were out and they – they had the pox and they were so desperate for me to cure them and – and I … I did”

“That doesn’t tell me how the mattress became golden, Edward”

“I couldn’t find any quicksilver at first, but then I remembered the vial you were keeping in the manuscript you’ve been working on, so I … I took that and I … “

“You used … the quicksilver I’ve been keeping in this book?” Paracelsus exclaimed, holding up the leather-bound manuscript. The little vial of quicksilver that Eddie had used rolled out, landing on the table below. It stared up at him.

“Yes”

“Oh, Child… do you know what this is?”

“Quicksilver?”

“This,” Paracelsus held up the vial and shook it slightly in Edward’s face, “This is not just quicksilver. This is the most potent, most volatile form of mercury possible. It will turn almost any base metal to gold. And now, it appears, even materials that are not metal to gold. What happened to the patient, I assume they died? What did you do with the body?”

“Well –”

“And you really must be more careful, Edward. You must have spilt a very large amount of the ointment for the mattress to entirely turn to gold like this”

“Sir!”

“Yes?”

“They didn’t die”

“They didn’t?”

“No and I … I didn’t spill any of the ointment”

“You must have, for how else would …. Oh. Oh, Edward. What have you done?”

Paracelsus ripped the pagan mythology book out of Edward’s trembling hands, and thumped it down on the table. The alchemist flicked to the relevant page, and began scanning the Latin.

Midas, King of Phygia, was unsatisfied. He had riches untold, a great castle, and a beautiful daughter. Despite all this, he still wanted more. More wealth, more gold, more jewels. Midas would spend his days counting his gold, ensuring it was all still there. His greatest love, his greatest passion, his reason for living, all gold.

One day, Dionysus, God of revelry, was travelling through Midas’ kingdom. One of his fellows, Silenus, took a nap in Midas’ rose gardens, unaware that the King took early morning walks in the garden. Sure enough, the King found Silenus, and invited him in to feast at the castle. After the feast, Midas took Silenus back to Dionysus, who was so grateful for the safe return of his friend, he promised to fulfil Midas’ greatest wish. Immediately, Midas decided that he desired everything he touched to become gold. Dionysus pleased with the King to think about the consequences of his wish, but the King demanded that his wish be fulfilled. Dionysus resigned, and promised that from the next day, everything that Midas touched would turn to gold.

“So?” Edward fretted, “What does it say?”

“I think, my dear boy, you gave this patient the Midas touch”

“I swear on my own life that it was an accident”

“I know, I know. Without being needlessly cruel, Edward, you are not skilled enough to have done this on purpose”

“What happened then?”

“I fear that … I fear that someone, or something … intervened”

Edward started to panic.

“What do you mean, something?”

Paracelsus clicked his tongue, a well-practiced indication that Edward was not to push his mentor.

“Do not let that concern you, child. You let that concern me. Now, who was this patient?”

“His name was Richard”

“Richard? It wasn’t the Tozier’s boy, was it?”

“I’m not sure sir. He had wild curly hair and squinted a lot, if that sounds familiar? He also had a rather … peculiar sense of humour”

“Ah. Has to have been the Tozier lad. Now, Edward, what I need you to do is go and pay a visit to the Tozier’s and ask Richard to come back to visit me. I’ll have to – I’ll have to try and cure him, I suppose”

“Only try?”

“Well, as much as I am the greatest alchemist this side of Europe, I cannot perform miracles. Now, go and get the boy and I’ll try and correct your mistake.”

“But –”

“Go! Before I chase you out with –“ Paracelsus reached for the broom that was stood behind the door, “This rather magnificent golden broom. Shoo!”

Edward ran.

#eddie kaspbrak #richie tozier #Richie Tozier x Eddie Kaspbrak #long reads #alchemy AU #medieval AU #itfandomprompts #it fandom prompt week 2019 #TW: Slur = this fic uses the word 'sodomite' twice #so pls be careful if that word triggers you

33 notes · View notes

littlemisssquiggles · 5 years

Note

Hai! I saw your post about the three Schnee siblings formerly being together to do arts- pianist, singer, dancer. But I read the RWBY Manga Anthology 'Mirror Mirror' and turns out that when she was a child, it was Weiss who was a pianist! I think that when Weiss decided to be a huntress, she gave up playing the piano, but because he admired his sister greatly, Whitley took it up right after. I don't think that inside, Whitley is truly, really an asshole, maybe he's just pressured or something.

I really likethat idea of yours anon-chan. I like the idea of Whitley taking up playingthe piano out of inspiration from Weiss. Perhaps playingthe piano could be Whitley’s coping mechanism with his loneliness. With hissisters gone, perhaps playing the piano was Whitley’s way of connecting to Weiss or at least the fond memories he cherished ofher.

Even ifWeiss was the one to learn the piano first, I do love the idea of Whitleylistening to his sister from afar. Perhaps Whitleyused to watch Weiss whenever she had her piano sessions and he always wanted tolearn how to play the piano---not out of his own interest but purely so that hecould have something for him and his sister to do together.

What if…growing up, Whitley wasalways kept apart from his sisters. Imagine if…Jacques wasn’t the type of father toencourage his children to be close with one another so he always found ways tokeep the siblings apart. But while Winter and Weiss bypassed that, Whitley waskept in the shadows. I can seriously picture Whitley desiring to be closer toWeiss since she was the sister he saw the most (perhaps Winter was away atschool all the time and lived on campus). Picture Whitleylistening to his sister from afar, longing to reach out and join her---playmusic together with Weiss and share in the warmth and happiness of the twobonding.

Now I’m imagining achildhood memory where a toddler Whitley tried to join Weiss playing the pianobut his efforts ended up getting Weiss in trouble with Jacques. And rather thanpunishing them both, Weiss is the only one scolded by Jacques and after that,Weiss refused to talk to Whitley demanding he stay far away from her and lether be alone. Tragic but surprisingly fitting especially with what we know sofar of Weiss as a character.

You and Iare definitely sailing in the same boat anon-chan. I, too, don’t believe Whitley is trulyevil. Just misunderstood.Tremendously misunderstood to the point that it’s kind of ridiculous when Ithink about it. Whitley literally did nothing to deserve the hatred he’sreceived from characters like Weiss in the show and even the FNDM. I rewatchedall of V4 and there was nothing to highlight Whitley as being the manipulativebastard that Weiss painted him to be. If anything, Whitley was one of thecharacters who suffered from the admittedly not-so-good writing during V4’s runtime.If Whitley is truly meant to be the kind of whipped person who is a carbon copyof Jacques Schnee and is completely subservient to him then I wished they hadplayed up that side to his character and actually showed more evidence of himmanipulating his sister in a similar fashion to how Jacques manipulated MamaSchnee long ago.

I’m hopingV7 makes up for the qualms of V4. That being, speaking for myself here, I don’t dislikeWhitley. On the contrary, of all the Schnee Siblings, he’s prettymuch my favourite and the one I’m most interested in learning more about.Whitley is a blank canvas. V4 gave me stuff on him and yet none of it reallypaints a clear picture of Whit to me, y’know what I mean? Rather than jumpingimmediately on the bandwagon of hating Whitley and deeming him a lil shitheador Shitley as he’s been dubbed, I’m left feeling more intrigued by Whit and wishing to learn more about him.

As of now,I don’t have a clear final opinion of Whitley but for the most part, myfeelings toward him as a character are mostly positive. I’m especially intriguedto see how his initial interactions with Weiss’ comrades will be when they allfinally meet face to face. Particularly his encounters with Ruby and Oscar. Ya’llknow how much I’m looking forward to that introduction.

Referringto Whitley and Weiss’ relationship, I’m on the side that firmly believes thatWeiss and Whitley were once very close at some point during their youngeryears. It’s disappointing to learn that the RWBY Anthology specific to Weissdidn’t touch base on Weiss’s relationship with her brother. Then again, as faras I understand, the Anthologies comprised of side stories written and drawn byfans with the approval from the CRWBY. So it’s pretty much the stories and popularrelationships specific to Weiss that the fans wanted to touch base on that theCRWBY greenlit.

It’s ashame there was no story in the Mirror, Mirror Anthologythat focused on Weiss growing up with Whitley. If I were to envisionWeiss’ ties to her brother, in my imagination, Weiss and Whitley are nodifferent than Nebulaand Gamora from Guardians of the Galaxy.

Not to spoil muchfrom GOTG but in the end, Gamora misunderstood her sister’s anger toward herfor competition and jealousy when all Nebula truly wanted was a sister inGamora.

I feellike that is the same for Whit. What if…part of the reason why Weiss thinks solittle of Whitley is because growing up Jacques showed more favouritism toward Whitley being that he was his only son. WhileWeiss and Winter had to work harder to live up to their father’s expectations, what if Whitley was treated with more appreciation and dueto this, Weiss harboured a silent sense of jealousy toward her brother.

At the moment,I think Weiss views Whitley as being a younger version of their father when inreality, Whit is far from that. Some RWBY theorists have brought up the idea ofWhitley beingsecretly abused by Jacques and…notto sound sadistic but I’m fully on-board with that theory.

I like itbecause it ties into my hunches of Whitley being misunderstood. Imagine if…allthose times growing up when Weiss figured Whitley was being spoiled by Jacques and never had to work as hard as hissisters, the reality is that Whitley was giving a much stricter treatment thanhis sisters as a means of keeping him in line.

I find itvery sad that Whitley has basically been abandoned by all the women in hislife. Neglected by both his mother and his sisters. It is sad that Weiss andWinter leaned on each other but left Whitley in the dark. It’s sad that Winterfocused on supporting Weiss but never extended that same olive branch of compassionto her baby brother. Seriously, what is up with that? Why is Whitley beingtreated like such a lost cause by his own sisters?

And what’sworse is that both of Whitley’s sisters left him in the end. Winter went off tojoin the Atlesian Military and Weiss moved away from Atlas to study abroad atBeacon in Vale. The only people that Whit seems to have had to depend on isJacques and possibly Klein.

Speakingof Klein, I seriously hope that Klein became a surrogate father to Whitley duringthose days when Whitley was left alone. I understand that Klein favours Weissfor the sake of plot but…notice that Klein never spoke ill of Whitley. Atleast…not to my recollection. Correct me if I’m wrong.

WhileKlein, in one of his seven personalities, voiced his disdain for Jacques, henever showed that malice toward Whitley. If there is one person who I can seebeing in Whitley’s court, it’s Klein. If the theories are true and Whitley isindeed being silently abused by Jacques then Klein is the one I’m expecting tospill those beans especially to Weiss.

Oh! Imagine if…Kleinhas been hiding Whitley’s abuse? Not out of loyalty to Jacques but to Whitley.Imagine Whitley locked in his room after another vicious beating---the firsttime it happened and Klein voicing his desire to inform someone but Whitley forbadeKlein from doing so.

Imagine Whitley even threatening to have Klein fired if he told anyone of his abuse soKlein decides to keep his mouth zip because he’d rather stay and hold histongue if it would mean being there to at least look out for Whitley.

Imagine Klein being placed in adifficult position where he’d rather chose ignorance over the risk of leavingWhitley completely alone with Jacques on his own. That could be veryinteresting thing to delve into for both Klein and Whitley’s characters. Buuuuut…atthis point, as usual, it all boils down to what the CRWBY Writers have plannedfor Whitley and his story with Weiss.

For whatit’s worth, I hope it’s satisfying andwould leave Whit fans, like myself, content.

By theway, what are the Whitley fans called? I knowPinehead became popular as the name for Oscar fans (which I’m pleased caughton) but what would Whitley fans be called? Whitties?

If Oscarfans are Pinehead then would Whitley fans be…Whittie? As in ‘witty’.

Or maybejust Whits. I’ve developed a habit of calling Whitley, Whit for short so maybe that can work to define myself asa Whitley fan. I’m a Rosegardening Pinehead anda Whit.I could work with that.

Anywhozzits,I do think the possibility of Whit being the Nebula to Weiss’ Gamora is verystrong but…again, only my hunches for now.

~LittleMissSquiggles (2019)

#squiggles answers: rwby #whitley schnee #weiss schnee #rwby theories #rwby volume 7 #rwby volume 7 theories #rwby v7 #Anonymous

28 notes · View notes

whitleyschn33 · 6 years

Text

Why: A Studies of a Schnee Drabble

"I said, leave."

"Fine, fine."

He turned to walk out the door, sensing he had needled his sister as much as she would allow before bodily tossing him out of the room, but a thought caught him. It was something he had been wondering since last night, since she had accused him of somehow planning this entire incident. Offering up this question might actually get him a physical reaction, but if she was allowed to question his motives, then the same should be true for him.

"Why do you care?"

For the first time since he had walked in the room, he saw the grip on her rapier slacken. "What?" She tried to hide it, but he could hear the confusion in her voice.

"Why do you care about being the heiress?" He elaborated. "You never have in the past; why should you start now?"

"That's not true! I have always devoted myself to the Schnee name." Her eyes narrowed. Ah, back to anger.

"Really?" He feigned interest. "That's why you have never spent an iota more of time studying business than Father required? Why you never choose to listen in on company meetings regardless of their importance? Why, instead of staying here in Atlas so you can begin learning how to run the company, you ran off to Vale to be as far away from here as possible?"

"I did not run away. I went to complete my training."

"Something you could very easily have done at Atlas, while still keeping up your duties as heiress."

"Beacon is -"

"Yes, yes, far more superior in producing capable Huntsmen than Atlas, I know." He had overheard the argument more than enough times. "But it is not incapable; surely Winter is proof enough."

He could see the irritation building in her stance. His sister had truly grown rusty in the art of hiding emotions. "Where I chose to study has no effect on my ability to act as the next head of the Schnee Dust Company."

He rocked back on his heels, quirking his lips in a sly smile. "Actually, dear sister, it does. Can you honestly tell me anything about how the company operates? Who's on the board of directors? Do you know what any of our policies about Dust standards? About labor management? About marketing differences across the kingdoms?" His grin grew sharp. "Do you know anything at all about running a company as large and complex as the SDC?"

He could practically see the steam venting from her ears; he choked back a laugh. When had Weiss become so easy to provoke?

"What is your point?" She ground out.

"My point is that you don't care about the SDC -" he raised a hand to cut off her opening mouth " - ah, ah, let me finish. You don't care about running the SDC; you care about becoming a huntress, because you somehow believe that doing so will fix all of Remnant's problems with our family and our power. Therefore, I'm curious as to why you care so much about Father passing the responsibility onto me."

"You stole it from me!"

He blinked, then narrowed his own eyes. Oh, was that the reason?

"Really." It wasn't a question. "You'll have to tell me when that was, because I certainly don't remember that happening. What I remember happening is you attempting to murder someone at a public gala."

"I wasn't going to -"

"If the general hadn't stepped in, could you honestly say that that Grimm wouldn't have impaled that woman?"

"I -" But for the first time, Weiss looked uncertain. Finally, he was getting through. Finally, she was paying him some attention.

He pressed the advantage. "Say what you will about me and my abilities, but I have never attempted public murder. That is the reason that Father made me the heir. Right now, you are a PR liability. Did you know that the woman is threatening to press charges? Father is scheduled for meetings with lawyers for weeks now, making sure that you aren't arrested."

"It was an accident. She provoked me." It was a half-hearted attempt at best. Her free hand was rubbing her sword arm, as if trying to warm herself.

"She wasn't even talking to you." He said coldly. "Yes, what she said was very insensitive, especially considering you were actually at Beacon, but that doesn't excuse such extreme action."

He wouldn't lie; it was very much satisfying to watch his sister finally seem to realize that her actions had consequences.

"You brought this on yourself. If you had kept your head, just let the drunk woman run her mouth and ignored her, you would most likely still be the heiress, and then, you wouldn't be stuck here." A twist of a smirk that he couldn't quite keep down. "But don't worry. I've been stuck here all my life. It's not so bad, once you get used to the fact that there's no pleasant company to be had."

That got her attention. "Whitley -"

He waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, wait. You're already planning your escape, aren't you? Well, then ignore me. You'll be gone before the week's end. Just do try to warn me before you leave, so I can lock my doors when Father flies into his inevitable rage."

"He - He's not that bad." She said feebly, looking at him with something he couldn't quite identify in her eyes. The knife had met its mark.

"Well, no, he wasn't, not when you left." And, twist. "But you've been gone, dear sister, and things don't just stop when you leave."

Unconsciously, a hand made its way to his stomach, brushing tender ribs, imagining the sickly yellow and green that stained his skin beneath his clothes. The hand behind his back clenched into a fist, and he didn't bother to try to hide the anger he felt churning in his chest as he glared at the marble floor.

"Did you really think that he would just brush off all your snubs? That he would be content to just wait by the phone for a call that would never come? That with every call you ignored he would just let it go?"

He was practically snarling the words under his breath. He hadn't expected to say any of this when he had come to gloat over the fact that she was getting a taste of what he had gone through, but it was far too late to stop himself now.

"Our father is a proud man, a controlling one. He does not forgive injuries to his ego, no matter how small or who from. You were gone. Who do you think took your place?"

He lifted his gaze to meet his sister's. "You asked why I hate you. I don't; I've never hated you. What I hate is that you think you can do whatever you'd like, and that there aren't consequences. That nothing comes of ignoring your responsibilities, of angering Father and then running away from the fallout. There are always consequences, and now that you are finally feeling the repercussions of your actions, you dare blame me?"

He didn't give her the opportunity to speak. "But I should be thanking you. You forced Father to pass the reins over to me. Now, maybe I'll be able to leave the house every once in a while. Maybe Father will actually notice that I like business, that I'm good at it. Maybe I'll be allowed to go to a school myself. I've always been interested in the business courses at Atlas."

And if I'm allowed in public, then maybe Father will not be able to visibly injure me.

"But what am I doing? Father is waiting, and you were training." He turned swiftly on his heel. "Goodbye, sister."

"Whitley, wait!"

But this time, it was his turn to leave her behind. He took a petty satisfaction in slamming the door in her face.

#Whitley schnee #weiss schnee #jacques schnee #studies of a schnee #fanfiction #rwby fanfiction #why #rwby4 #rwby #abuse mention

58 notes · View notes

twopoppies · 7 years

Text

Historical AU Fic Recs

I was asked by @zsolounamanzana to recommend some historical fics (sorry love, I accidentally deleted your ask!). I don’t actually read historical AUs that often, so I will probably end up recommending ones you already know, but here’s a bunch I really liked. I hope there’s some here for you:

Threadbare by kiwikero / @icanhazzalou

Harry Styles was eight years old when Louis Tomlinson kept him from falling into a machine in a Manchester textile mill.

He was 18 years old when nothing, not even the threat of death, could keep Harry from falling in love with Louis.

Howls Like A Beast (You Flower, You Feast) by @indiaalphawhiskey

France, 1754. Château de Versailles.

“You don’t love me,” Louis had said, utterly blasé as he callously fractured the heart of a Harry that was just barely eighteen.

“I do,” Harry had insisted pleadingly, green eyes already watering.

Louis had rolled his eyes, exasperated and flippant in the way only beautiful, young boys could be when faced with the affections of a baby prince. He had run his finger down Harry’s cheek then, had forced him to look into his eyes as he delivered the final blow.

“You’ll change your mind once you’ve seen more of the world,” Louis had teased, pressing a brutally delicate kiss onto Harry’s lovely, pure cheek. “Once you’ve been properly defiled.” He had whispered filthily, delighted by the gasp he heard, the frantic pink blush that had rested high on Harry’s cheeks, the power he had felt at knowing he could make the Crown Prince squirm.

To Honor by Awriterwrites / @a-writerwrites

#46. It's Getting a Little Hard

Ech day me comëth tydinges thre, For wel swithë sore ben he: The on is that Ich shal hennë, That other that Ich not whennë, The thriddë is my mestë carë, That Ich not whider Ich shal farë.

**** Each Very grievous are they One must go hence Do not know when Greatest grief Do not know whither I must go

-Unknown, Medieval English lyrics

Commander Styles leads his men to victory, but at what cost?

And down the long and silent street by whimsicule

The year is 1881 and if you’re alone in this world you might as well be dead, because starving dogs have no mercy.

Or: Wherein Louis and Harry are on the opposite ends of the social ladder, but their paths still cross on the filthy streets Louis calls his home. The odds are staked against them from the beginning, and even more when Louis' past finally catches up with him.

Atlas At Last by @louisandthealien

He doesn’t know what he had been expecting out of the road trip itself besides burping contests and too much shitty gas station food with Oli and Stan, but in the brief moment before Harry ambles up his driveway, Louis idly wonders if this is about to become some sort of Gay Coming of Age story.

Maine to California in ten days. In which Zayn’s an open-shirt hippie they meet somewhere in Ohio, Liam’s the pastor’s son running away from home, and Niall’s the number they call on the bathroom wall.

It’s 1978. Harry and Louis are just trying to get to San Fran in time for the Queen concert.

No One Like You by myownspark / @myownsparknow

Dear Niall,

I was glad to have the chance to talk with you again at the AHA conference. Your idea that the Musee D’Orsay Tomlinson painting is in fact not a self-portrait is an intriguing one, and I may have discovered something that will have a bearing on that theory.

Some background: as you may remember, I’ve been researching for a book I’m writing about Harry Styles. I’ve been in communication with Styles’ last living descendant, who is in possession of a trunk that her family believed to have belonged to Styles himself. It held some personal items she presumes to be his, including two unmounted paintings and a small collection of letters.

Upon spending the last few days in Provins studying these items, I believe there to be a connection between Tomlinson and Styles, and I would very much like your opinion.

Are you up for a trip to France?

Sincerely, Liam Payne

Where Liam and Niall are art historians discovering the truth about two nineteenth century painters on opposite sides of an artistic divide.

The Man Who Saw The Devil by @metal-eye

"The Devil was staring at him.

"Louis shifted slightly in his seat and scratched the back of his neck, picking up his program and reading the title of the play again: L’homme qui a vu le Diable.

"He was wearing a satin red suit, one that certainly stood out amongst the usual greys and blacks of other Paris theatres, and instead of merely appearing the two times that the main character summoned him, this Devil followed the other men around on stage as they spoke and played cards. He kept looking over their shoulders and mocking their awkward movements, jerks and twitches compared to his own lithe prowl. The theatre audience, most readily impressed by gruesome effects and sensationalism, couldn’t take their eyes off him.

"Neither could Louis."

Paris, 1912. Louis is a frequent patron of the Theatre du Grand Guignol. Harry is a performer. Tonight he's playing the Devil.

The Case Of The (Definitely Not Haunted) Styles Mansion by Anonymous

“So there’s a sense of humor buried beneath all that condescension, huh?” Louis said when he’d stopped laughing.

“It’s not condescension, it’s intelligence. I understand you might not be able to recognize it yourself,” Marcel said, then slapped a hand over his mouth. “Oh god, I’m sorry.”

Louis stepped closer, his eyes on Marcel’s face. “For being an asshat?”

“For being rude,” Marcel said, from beneath his palm.

Louis shifted a half-step closer until he was at the very edge of Marcel’s personal space. It felt like he was nudging at it, asking to be let in. Marcel flushed hot for no reason.

“Lucky for you it takes quite a lot to actually insult me,” Louis said taking one step closer. Too close. Too close.

Marcel met Louis’ eyes. Those blue eyes that reminded Marcel of poetry instead of science, lyrics instead of formulas. They were so pretty he wanted to drown in them.

---

Or the Nancy Drew AU where Marcel is a man of logic, Louis is a private detective who believes in ghosts, and the Styles Mansion is definitely, absolutely, positively *not* haunted.

Through Eerie Chaos by MediaWhore / @mediawhorefics

For as long as anyone can remember, Old Hillsbridge Manor has always been believed to be haunted. Everyone in the village agrees and keeps a respectful, fearful, distance. New in town after a bad breakup and an internship that led to disappointment rather than a permanent job, Harry Styles figures taking pictures of the decrepit building could be a great new creative project. Or at least a much-needed distraction while he searches for a job and crashes at his parents’ new house. No one warned him about the apparitions though; about the music, the laughter, the people who flicker and vanish when you call after them, the echoes of a past that should be long gone… Harry has never believed in spirits but even he can admit that there’s something weird going on. What starts as mere curiosity evolves into a full-blown investigation and soon enough, Harry finds himself making friends with an aristocrat from the 1920s and struggling with finding the best way to tell him that he’s dead.

The Ghost Hunter AU where Niall lives to prove ghosts are real, Zayn is a skeptical librarian and Harry gets caught up in a century-old mystery and catches feeling in the process.

We’re What’s Right In This World by BriaMaria / @briannamarguerite

“Why did you talk like that in Brighton? If you weren’t planning on ever telling me?” Louis asked. “Is it because you think you’re going to die?”

“It’s war, Lou,” Harry said finally.

The words were a knife slipped between his ribs. Everything hurt and he was bleeding. He shifted up, his palms cradling Harry’s jaw, his lips against his boy’s. Not kissing, just resting there, so Louis could feel him. “Promise you’ll come back to me.”

Harry’s hands smoothed down the sides of Louis’ body. “You know I can’t do that. I’ll never lie to you.”

“Promise me. We’re going to have our cottage. And our dogs. And our breakfast in the garden where nothing grows because of the wind from the sea. Promise me.”

“I won’t.” Stubborn as always, his boy. “I’ll promise you, I’ll love you all my life. I’ll promise you, you’ll never leave my thoughts. I’ll promise you, you’re my forever and my always. But promising you something I can’t cheapens the things I can.” ---- Or the World War II AU where Harry goes off to fight and all Louis wants to do is be the boy who brings him home.

Paint The Sky With Stars by kiwikero / @icanhazzalou

On 10 April 1912, Harry Styles boards the finest ship the world has ever seen. Still grieving the death of their mother, he and his sister are being sent to America to live with a callous uncle who cares more about his business connections than family. Harry prepares himself for a long, disappointing voyage alone in his stateroom.

Louis Tomlinson has borrowed and saved, and finally has enough to purchase a Third Class ticket to America. With all of his belongings in a single ruck sack, he boards the Titanic filled with hope for a brighter future. Never one to sit still, he can’t resist exploring the massive ship, and soon goes sneaking into First Class in a stolen steward’s uniform.

By a twist of fate, Louis finds himself in Harry’s stateroom, entranced by the most attractive man he’s ever laid eyes on. He keeps returning day after day, even if he doesn’t understand what it is about Harry that continues pulling him in. That’s all right; Louis has a week to figure it out, and Harry is plenty willing to help.

Except they don’t have a week. They have four days. Because on 15 April, their entire world will be turned upside down.

Or, the historically accurate Titanic AU with a happy ending.

Say Hallelujah, Say Goodnight by @alivingfire

Louis is an angel who is just a little too bad to be good, Harry is a demon who is just a little too good to be bad, and they're both a little too in love to be impartial when angels and demons go to war.

Louis has been alive since life was a mere concept; he watched the summoning of Man into existence, he was there when Eve took the apple. He’s seen seas break the world into separate pieces, he’s watched empires crumble into dust. He’s seen wildfire consume cities, he’s seen the world painted white with snow. He has known the most beautiful humans to walk the planet, he has watched the most powerful mortals gather their riches and influence around them and then die just like the poorest, weakest humans do. He’s met humans whose motives defy explanation, people who use their lives as battering rams, as tools, as weapons, as chess pieces.

None of that stopped Louis in his tracks.

But Harry did.

If you haven’t read Butterfly Gun and you can find someone who has it downloaded (it’s been deleted), read that...it’s set in the 1940′s if I recall correctly and it’s beautifully written.

I haven’t read this one yet, but it was highly recommended to me. It’s a WIP, but the writing is apparently is finished:

Victorian Boy by DonnaHaywardsHead

Victorian AU. Harry the virgin Duke of Somerset knows little of love, while Louis the sly Duke of Warwick knows too much. When the two dukes come together for the Bilsdale fox hunt in York, Harry finds himself drawn into Louis' bed. But when secrets from Louis' dark past come to light, Harry fears that the fox isn't the only one being hunted.

This is another I haven’t had a chance to read but friends told me is wonderful:

Back To You And Tennesee by rippedgloves

Louis Tomlinson rises to rock and roll fame at age twenty three and is thrown into a life of luxury and excess, but being on stage isn’t easy for a boy who has always stuck to the side-lines, and Louis struggles to deal with his new fame as he joins the Grand Ole Opry and is sent out on tour with names like Liam Payne and Elvis Presley. His life takes a turn, however, when his childhood role model, Harry Styles, joins them on tour, and the two become closer than two men in the spotlight are allowed to be.

OR, the one where Louis is Johnny Cash and Harry is June Carter

#my fic rec #mine #larry fic rec #historical au

222 notes · View notes

bittersweetmelodie · 7 years

Text

interlude

Fandom: RWBY Pairing: Mainly friendship (Team RWBY friendship + Team SSSN friendship), but also Weiss Schnee/Yang Xiao Long + implied Blake Belladonna/Sun Wukong Summary: The space of time between the battle at Haven, and their departure for Atlas involves a lot of tears, a lot of anger, and lot of happiness.

Ao3

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and places belong to Rooster Teeth.

A/N: I don’t really like this one that much, but it’s been sitting in my WIP folder FOREVER now and I want to get it out of my face, so take the word vomit.

First part based on this lovely piece of art by sunbellas.

Yang studies Weiss as she talks to Team JNR, making sure that the three of them are okay – of course Weiss would be worried about everybody else when she was the one who nearly died. It still feels like a dream to her – watching Weiss come back from the brink of death the way that she did was nothing short of a miracle, and she still isn’t sure that she won’t disappear from her sight at any given moment.

“Here,” Weiss says, interrupting her thoughts. “I think you need a hand.”

Yang looks up to find Weiss extending a hand – her hand – towards her, with a small smile on her face. She blinks twice and rubs her eyes to make sure she isn’t dreaming. Because Weiss almost died, and now she’s making puns. And Yang isn’t quite sure that she didn’t die and become an angel, because she certainly shines brightly enough, and her smile makes her beautiful enough to be one.

“Yang?” she asks, her smile fading, when Yang continues to stare at her in disbelief. “Hey, it wasn’t that bad, was it?”

Yang’s eyes fill with tears and she lets out a watery laugh. “No… no, it was perfect.” She almost adds, like you, but she bites her tongue, because now is not the time nor place to talk about her growing not-so-platonic feelings for the other girl. She reaches up and grabs onto the mechanical arm, giving it a sharp tug.

“Wha –” Weiss, who didn’t have time to let go, loses her balance and tumbles forward.

Yang easily catches her before she hits the ground and pulls her into a tight hug. She buries her face into the other girl’s shoulder. “I’m just really, really glad you’re alive,” she mumbles, her voice muffled.

Weiss’s gaze softens and she relaxes into the embrace, slipping an arm around Yang to return the hug. “We’re okay. We’re all okay,” she murmurs as she tries to keep her voice from breaking – she forces down the residual fear, because somebody has to be strong, and Yang looks like she is on the brink of breaking down.

Yang sniffles quietly and swallows the lump that had formed in her throat. She doesn’t think she’s ever been that scared in her life – not when she saw Adam run a blade through Blake’s stomach, not when she woke up in bed in Patch with her right arm missing, not even when she found out her mother was capable of killing a defenseless girl – because she can probably live with all of that, but she thinks she might die if Weiss doesn’t make it.

“Please don’t do that to me again, Weiss,” she mumbles into her shoulder. “I can’t – I can’t lose you. Not like that.”

Though the memory of it is disjointed and faded, like it had happened a long time ago, she can clearly remember the fear, the feeling of cold dread that washed through her as she watched the weapon slowly fading. She trembles a little and tightens her hold around Yang’s waist to steady herself, and to reassure herself that this is very much real. She opens her mouth to say something – anything – to reassure Yang that she is here to stay, that she would never leave her like that – but her throat closes up and nothing comes out.

Yang pulls away from the hug when she feels Weiss shaking in her arms, but she keeps a tight hold on Weiss’s arm, because she still isn’t sure that Weiss isn’t an illusion that will shatter to dust if she lets go.

“Weiss? Are you okay, though?” she asks, her voice shaky.

“I – I’m fine,” Weiss says, a little breathily. “Jaune healed me, I’m fine.”

Yang shakes her head and she reaches down to run her hand gently along Weiss’s stomach, where there would have been a scar, had it not been for Jaune’s semblance. Yang thinks it’s a little unfair, because it looks too normal, like nothing had happened, but Weiss must have been terrified. She was probably still terrified. “No, I mean – I know your wound is fine, but that’s not what I meant. You almost died, Weiss.”

“But I didn’t – they’re gone, and I’m still standing here. Isn’t that all that matters?” She tilts her chin up in defiance, despite the crack in her voice.

“It’s okay if you’re not okay,” Yang says quietly, and Weiss flinches at the familiarity of the words.

“I’m really fine,” Weiss says as she gets to her feet unsteadily, pulling Yang up with her. “We’re all safe, and we’re finally all together again. How could I possibly not be okay? As long as I have you guys, I’ll be fine.” She takes Yang’s hand and gives her a reassuring smile that does nothing to assuage her fears.

Yang frowns, but doesn’t press the matter, because she knows that it’s a difficult thing to talk about, and that Weiss is going to need time to herself to process what’s really happened, and to accept the fact that she almost died, before she is really ready to talk to somebody else about it. So instead, she squeezes Weiss’s hand gently. “I can promise you that you’ll always have us, Weiss. And I’ll be here for you when you’re ready to talk.”

Weiss gives her a soft smile – the softest she’s ever seen on the other girl’s face – and she doesn’t think she’s ever seen anything so beautiful in her life. It makes her want to lean over and kiss her, but she refrains, because time and place.

“Thank you, Yang.”

Blake raises an eyebrow at Sun and gestures towards the door. “Well? What are you waiting for?”

He reaches up, his hand curled into a fist, but then lets it fall back down. He shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans, and rocks back and forth on the balls of his feet. “Do you think they’ll be mad at me for leaving them?”

She blinks in surprise – this is not a side of Sun that she’s seen before. He had always been so laidback and sure of himself. “Of course they won’t, Sun. They’re your friends, and they’ll love you no matter how many stupid decisions you make. If my teammates could accept me for running away the way that I did, I think your teammates can accept you for going off to protect a friend.”

He exhales nervously and hesitantly raps his knuckles against the door.

The door swings open to reveal Sage’s hulking form. His eyes widen and he freezes for a fraction of a second as he takes in the sight of Sun on his doorstep, a nervous smile on his face. And then he reaches over and punches Sun square in the jaw.

Sun clamps his hand over his jaw, where he’s sure there will be a bruise later, and his eyes widen in shock. “Hey!” he exclaims. “What the hell, Sage!”

“No note, no phone calls, nothing! For the past five months, we haven’t heard from you once. The last time we spoke to you, you told us you were helping Blake go after the White Fang! We had no idea if you were still alive! Would it have killed you to at least write a letter or something so we knew you were okay?” Sage thunders.

Blake winces at his angry tone and takes a step back. “Hey, Sage,” she says in an attempt to redirect his anger – after all, it’s her fault that Sun never made it back to his teammates in Mistral.

“Blake,” Sage says, the anger disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. He blinks like he doesn’t believe she is standing there.

“I – ” She starts.

Sage reaches over and pulls her into a tight hug, cutting off whatever she was going to say. “I didn’t think we would ever see you again.”

Blake feels the guilt pooling in her stomach – the guilt that has been festering in her mind since she left Beacon, the guilt that has grown exponentially since Sun had talked some sense into her – and she feels herself shrinking in on herself. “I’m sorry,” she mumbles into his chest. She buries her face into his shoulder – she had forgotten how comforting Sage’s calm presence could be.

“I’m not mad at you,” he rumbles. “I’m sure you had your reasons for leaving.”

“Hey!” Sun complains. “How come she gets a free pass while I get a punch in the face?”

Sage releases Blake, and turns to glare at Sun. “She’s not our teammate, Sun, and she can take care of herself.”

“Why are you yelling, Sage?” Neptune ducks under Sage’s arm, with Scarlet in tow, to see what the commotion is about, and stares disbelievingly at Blake and Sun. And then he reaches over and punches Sun in the shoulder.

“What the hell, Nep!” he yelps, trying futilely to block the onslaught of punches raining down on him. “I hate you guys so much!”

“I have half a mind to stab you for leaving us hanging like that!” The punches die off and the relief in the air is palpable. “You said you were going to catch up! It shouldn’t take five months to catch up! You could have been dying in an abandoned alleyway for all we knew!”

Blake freezes at Neptune’s words, because even though she knows he’s only kidding, she can’t get the image of Sun’s unconscious body out of her mind, and she shivers at the memory.

Sun takes her hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. “Hey, I’m fine,” he says.

This doesn’t go unnoticed by Neptune, and he exchanges a worried look with Sage. “Blake? What’s wrong?” he asks.

Sun reaches up with his other hand and rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. “It’s kind of a long story,” he mumbles. One that he had been hoping he wouldn’t have to recount to his friends, because he’s sure they’re worried enough about him without knowing that he almost died.

“Well, you can tell us all about it over dinner,” Scarlet says stoutly. “And I swear to dust, Sun, if you ran off for five months to court Blake and didn’t tell us anything, I will murder you.” He gestures towards their linked hands before turning back around and re-entering the house.

“You almost died?” Neptune bursts out. He turns to Blake and jabs his chopsticks in Sun’s general direction. “See? This is why we can never let him go off on his own – he doesn’t know what danger is! He needs a babysitter at all times.”

“Hey! That’s not true!” Sun interjects.

“It is,” Sage rumbles. “Remember that time when you thought it would be a good idea to take on a hoard boarbatusks by yourself instead of waking us up? And on our first mission, no less. You’re lucky we found you before you got mauled.”

“I had it under control!” Sun whines.

“Yea, because aura depletion and being pinned down by a boarbatusk constitutes having things ‘under control’,” Scarlet retorts sarcastically. “He’s a walking deathtrap.”

Sun grumbles incoherently, but says nothing to deny the fact.

“Did Sun ever tell you about the time that he ran across campus in his underwear – hey!” he snaps when a dumpling hits him square in the face. He wipes his face with his napkin and turns to level a glare in Sun’s direction. “Not cool, man.”

“Neither is telling Blake embarrassing stories about me,” he grumbles. He sulkily stuffs a dumpling into his mouth.

“He’s only mad because he likes you, and I’m making him look bad,” Scarlet whispers to her as he nudges her with his elbow.

If Sun hears his teammate’s remark, he chooses to ignore it, and Blake is grateful, because while she’s aware that his feelings for her extend far beyond friendship, she doesn’t think it’s an appropriate time or place to be discussing it.

“Why was he running around in his underwear?” she asks, redirecting their attention away from Scarlet’s statement.

“Blake!” Sun whines half-heartedly. “Stop encouraging him.”

“Because he was dumb enough to think that dumping Neptune in the local swimming pool would somehow help him get over his aquaphobia,” Sage says, completely ignoring Sun, as he helps himself to more rice.

“I’m not afraid of water!” Neptune scowls.

“Sure, you’re not,” Scarlet says as he waves his hands dismissively. “Anyways, Neptune was pissed and took his clothes while he was still in the pool –”

“One of these days, I’ll get you back,” Sun grumbles.

“At least I left your underwear – I could have just as easily taken everything and let you run around naked.”

“Here, we have pictures,” Scarlet says, effectively cutting them off before they can start a full-blown argument. He pulls his scroll out of his pocket.

“Scarlet!” Sun howls, his face reddening. He picks up another dumpling and flings it across the table at his teammate. “Shut up.”

This time, Scarlet is ready and he easily dodges. “I mean, it’s not much different from what he usually wears,” he continues as if having dumplings thrown at him was a regular occurrence. He gestures towards Sun’s unbuttoned shirt, and then winks at Blake. “I doubt you mind though, am I right?”

Blake flushes, because she would be lying through her teeth if she said she hadn’t caught herself staring at Sun’s abs on a few different occasions. She opens her mouth to give a response, but another dumpling hits Scarlet in the face before she has the chance.

“Stop that!” Scarlet growls, turning to glare in Sun’s direction. He gets out of his seat, picks up his bowl of rice and throws it at Sun.

“I present to you, Team SSSN, the future protectors of Remnant,” Sage sighs. He takes Scarlet’s seat and continues to calmly eat his dinner.

“Um…shouldn’t we stop them?” Blake asks apprehensively as she watches Neptune pour a cup of tea down the back of Sun’s shirt.

“You know there’s no stopping those idiots once they get started.” He gives her a sidelong glance, observing quietly as Blake watches his team’s antics with a fond, nostalgic smile on her face. “Well, they may be idiots, but they’re still our idiots.”

His words seem to break her out of her reverie, and she turns back to him, her smile still in place. “Yes,” she agrees, “they are.”

“We really are glad that the two of you are okay.” He holds up a hand to stop her when she opens her mouth to apologize. “Don’t apologize, Blake. We get why you left, and we were okay with Sun following you. And at the end of the day, all that matters is that you two are here, and you’re safe.”

Blake breathes a sigh of relief. She hadn’t realized how worried she was about Team SSSN’s reaction to her leaving or her coming back – after all, she was more worried about her own team – but hearing Sage say that, seeing how open and friendly the team still is with her, feels like a heavy weight being lifted off her chest. “I’m glad to see that nothing has changed. I think it’ll be good for him to be back with his team for a while. Maybe get away from all the fighting.”

“What do you mean?” he asks. He retains his calm demeanour, but his voice is surprised.

“I – I haven’t told Sun yet, but… we’re going to Atlas. As soon as we’re recovered.”

“And you don’t want to bring him with you?” he guesses.

“It’s not that I don’t want him to come along, but…” she bites her lip and glances back at the laughing trio. “I – I don’t want to take him away from his friends again, and I can’t risk him getting hurt because of me.”

“You know he’ll never let you go off on your own, right? And you’re probably going to need all the help you can get.”

She frowns, because while she knows that he is right, she desperately wants to keep Sun away from Adam and Salem, and whatever other harm might befall him if he goes with her.

“Where are we going?” Sun asks, bounding back to his seat, followed by the rest of Team SSSN.

Sage gives her a very pointed look and she heaves a defeated sigh. “Atlas,” she mutters through gritted teeth. “We’re going to Atlas.”

“Well we’re coming with you guys this time, because there’s no way we’re letting you guys run off by yourselves again. Not after this guy –” Scarlet jerks his thumb in Sun’s general direction, “—almost died. He clearly needs some form of adult supervision at all times.”

“Yes,” Sage murmurs, a note of finality in his tone. “We have to make sure the idiot doesn’t get himself killed.”

And despite Sun’s grumbling and complaints, she doesn’t miss the bright smile that appears on his face. He might not show it, but he’s definitely missed his team.

Blake looks up in surprise when Yang takes a seat across the table from her. She isn’t sure how Yang managed to find her in the first place, since she’s at a small hole-in-the-wall kind of café that would be difficult to find if somebody wasn’t specifically looking for it. And she knows it’s not the kind of place that Yang would be looking for.

“Don’t look so surprised,” she says, her voice casual as she signals the waiter over and orders a coffee. “Sun told me you’d be here.”

“Of course he did,” she mutters. She closes the book she’d been reading and shifts in her seat so she’s fully facing Yang. It’s the first time that she’s been alone with Yang since the fall of Beacon – since she ran away – and she’s not sure what to expect. But Yang doesn’t look angry, or even upset; there’s a calmness that Blake rarely ever sees in her.

She’s thought about it – what to say when she sees Yang again, that is. She has a whole script written in her head of what she wants to say, how she wants to apologize, but she can’t bring herself to say any of it, because if there is one thing that Yang wouldn’t want, it’s a scripted apology. Instead, the words “I’m sorry” tumble out of her mouth before she can stop them.

“Why did you do it?” she asks. Her hand trembles, and she tightens her grip on her coffee mug. “Why did you leave? Ruby, Weiss – we were all here for you. Nobody blamed you for what happened – you didn’t have to run away from us.”

She had confessed her fears to Sun – that her friends would hate her for leaving, that they wouldn’t take her back when she returned, or worse, that they hadn’t cared at all that she left. And he had assured her that that could never be true, because her friends loved her, and he had said it in that reassuring, genuine way of his that somehow always makes her think that he might actually be right. But now, as she stares at the forlorn look on Yang’s face, she isn’t so sure.

Blake looks down in shame and stares at her own reflection as it ripples on the surface of her tea. She thinks of how fragile a relationship can be – one wrong move and the whole thing can shatter. But then she thinks of how resilient her faith and trust in Adam had been, how many wrong moves he had made, and how many times she had forgiven him before she had finally had enough. And while she hopes that Yang isn’t as blind or naïve as she was back then, she hopes she will at least give her a second chance.

She finally looks up and Yang falters at the sheer desperation in her expression. “It didn’t matter that you guys didn’t blame me,” she says haltingly. “I blamed myself – it was my fault. He promised – he said he would take away everything I cared about. And I’ve known him long enough to know that he isn’t one for idle threats. You’ve seen what he’s capable of – he won’t stop at anything to kill you all.”

“And you think you could take him on all by yourself? He sliced through my arm like it was nothing – he would destroy you.”

“You think I didn’t know that when I ran? Of course I knew I didn’t stand a chance. I spent most of my life by his side – I know how powerful he is. I wasn’t planning to go after Adam, and if he came after me, then at the very least, I knew you guys would be safe. You, Ruby and Weiss are important to me. I wasn’t expecting to make friends when I came to Beacon, but somehow, the three of you became some of the most important people in my life, and I… I couldn’t stand the thought of any of you getting hurt. Especially because of me.”

“We can take care of ourselves, Blake! We aren’t children, and we’re well aware of the risks that we’re taking. Did you really think we would love you any less because of something that somebody else did?”

“I know,” Blake whispers, tears filling her eyes, “I know that. But you got hurt! If it wasn’t for my relationship with Adam, you would have been fine. I – I felt so scared and guilty, and I didn’t know what to do, so I did what I do best – I ran!”

“But you came back. I mean, I’m glad you did, but Adam is still out there, and like you said, he won’t stop. So why did you come back?”

“It was Sun. He made me realize that I wasn’t doing you guys any favours by running away; he made me realize that you guys are with me because you want to be, regardless of how dangerous or risky that might be.”

“That boy is a lot less stupid than people give him credit for,” Yang says, giving her a small smile – a peace offering of sorts.

She breathes a soft sigh of relief. She had been expecting a lot of yelling and screaming, or at least the cold shoulder, but Yang seems to have pretty much forgiven her completely. “You are taking this far better than I was expecting,” she admits.

“It’s been a long time,” she says. “I won’t lie to you and say that I was never mad – I was really angry for a really long time. You left, Blake. You left when I was at my most vulnerable; you left, knowing that I’ve always had issues with being left behind.” She curls her hand into a fist and takes a steadying breath – it wouldn’t do to get riled up now. “You left without any explanation, without a goodbye, and it was just… all too familiar to me.

“I didn’t understand it then; maybe I was too upset to bother trying to understand why you left – it was easier just to blame you. But it’s been five months, and that’s a long time for me to think about it. And Weiss – Weiss helped. She helped me really understand why you did what you did. And even though I don’t completely agree with your way of thinking, I get it.”

“I am sorry,” she offers quietly. “I honestly didn’t care what you guys would think of me for running away. Well, I did care, but it didn’t matter – all that mattered was that you guys were safe.”

“Well, like Ruby said, what matters now is that we’re all together. Just don’t do it again.” She sends a glare in Blake’s direction, but softens it with a smile, so that she knows she’s not really angry.

Blake relaxes a little in her seat and returns the smile with one of her own. “I won’t. Thank you…for understanding.”

“You have Weiss to thank for that,” Yang says. “Otherwise you would have had to do a lot more grovelling to get me to forgive you.”

Blake takes a sip of her tea. “You and Weiss?” she asks after a small pause.

Yang feigns ignorance and gives her a questioning look. “What about me and Weiss?” she asks.

She rolls her eyes and gives her a small smile. “You two certainly seem to be a lot closer than I remember – I mean, we all saw the hug that you gave her.”

“I guess. I mean, I think after being apart for so long, we all just need some time together.”

“You didn’t hug anybody else like that,” Blake points out, her eyes twinkling.

“And you definitely joke more than you did before. Which I guess isn’t saying very much, because you didn’t joke much before – or at all.” Yang smirks at her. “Was that Sun’s influence?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she retorts. She looks away, hoping that Yang doesn’t see the redness creeping up her cheeks.

Yang grins. “What? Don’t tease me about Weiss if you can’t take the heat yourself.”

Blake mumbles something incoherent under her breath. She misses this – she hadn’t realized it while she was in Menagerie, but she misses Yang’s familiar banter, and she’s glad that amidst all the chaos and destruction, she hasn’t lost the carefree part of her personality. She reaches over and takes Yang’s hand, giving it a quick squeeze. “I’ve missed you guys a lot,” she admits. “I’ve missed my best friend too.”

She could have easily laughed or made a joke, and played off how much she actually missed Blake in the five months that they were apart, but she doesn’t. Instead, she smiles and says, “I’ve missed you too,” and it’s like the tension, and the five months apart disappear, and they’re just two best friends catching up at a café without a care in the world.

If Yang had to describe Weiss in one word, it would be graceful. Even when she fights, she looks like she’s dancing, and her sword is and just an extension of herself. The way she jumps and twirls, hopping from one Glyph to another is mesmerizing, and Yang can’t tear her eyes away.

“She’s certainly learned a few new tricks,” Ruby muses as she watches Blake and Weiss spar. “I’ve never seen her summon anything before.”

Yang turns to her sister and grins. “You haven’t seen anything yet. And your hand-to-hand combat has gotten a lot better. You handled yourself pretty well without Crescent Rose.”

“I learned that from Oscar,” she says proudly. “Well, I guess it was Professor Ozpin, but same difference.”

“You –” she cuts herself off and snaps her head back towards the battlefield when she hears a frightened scream. Her eyes widen in surprise at the sight of the boarbatusk, the rapier wasp, and the knight that Weiss had summoned. She didn’t think it was possible for her to summon that many at once. She tears her eyes away from the Grimm to Weiss, and watches her draw up an ice wall, closing herself in, and sending Blake flying backwards.

“Weiss?” she manages to get out, her voice tinged with panic. This time, she is the first one to break out of the shock that overcame the three of them, and she finds herself running towards Weiss without even thinking about it. “Weiss!” she yells as she bangs her fist against the unrelenting ice. “Weiss!”

“Get out of the way!” Ruby orders in such a commanding voice that Yang doesn’t even think of disobeying.

Yang turns around to find her sister wielding Crescent Rose, ready to fire towards the ice, and jumps out of the line of fire. “What happened?” she demands of Blake, even though she thinks she might already know the answer.

“I – I don’t know,” she says, sounding slightly disoriented. She pushes herself into a sitting position and rubs the back of her head. “We were just sparring, but then she started screaming. I think she said something about Cinder. She looked terrified, Yang.”

The sound of the ice cracking pulls Yang’s attention away from their conversation, and she runs towards Weiss’s unconscious body. She releases the breath she’d been holding when she sees the steady rise and fall of Weiss’s chest. She gently lifts her from the debris and pulls her into a protective hug.

“Maybe we should bring her to Uncle Qrow,” Ruby suggests worriedly as she jogs over. “Or Professor Ozpin.”

“R-right,” Yang stutters as she clumsily tries to pick Weiss up, because her heart is still racing in her chest and her fingers are frozen with fear.

“I’ve got her,” Blake says gently. She reaches over to take the unconscious girl, but Yang, despite her trembling hands, keeps a tight grip on her. “Yang, you’re going to drop her.”

Reluctantly, she lets Blake take Weiss, but she keeps a hold of her hand the whole way into the hotel, where Ozpin and her uncle are talking.

“What the hell happened?” Uncle Qrow demands, jumping up from his seat on the couch when he sees Weiss, unconscious in Blake’s arms.

“Help her,” Yang pleads desperately, as if she didn’t hear the question. “Please, Uncle Qrow.”

Qrow curses under his breath as he takes Weiss from Blake. “You three, stay here. Oz and I will make sure she’s okay.” He doesn’t wait for any of them to say anything before he disappears into Weiss and Blake’s hotel room.

She moves to follow, but Blake stops her with a hand on her shoulder. “Let them figure it out,” she says quietly. “There’s nothing you can do for her.” She sits down on the sofa and pulls Yang down with her. “Do you know what happened?”

Yang leans over and buries her face in her hands as she tries to swallow the fear that is building up in her throat. “I have a pretty good idea. I think she saw Cinder,” she says after a short pause.

“Cinder?”

She looks up and rubs her eyes tiredly. “Yea. Weiss – she almost died. During the battle. Cinder almost killed her. She – she wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been for Jaune.”

“Oh.” Blake frowns at her hands, wondering if something she did during their spar triggered Weiss. “I – I had no idea.”

Yang feels the old anger flaring up again, because Blake should have been there to help Weiss, and if she had been, maybe Weiss would have been okay. There’s a small, rational part of her that’s telling her she’s being unfair, but unable to stop herself, her eyes flash red and she lashes out, “You would have known if you hadn’t left us. You could have been there for her.”

Blake falters, because this is the first time that Yang has shown any anger towards her for running, and she flinches at the harsh tone, guilt gnawing at her conscience. She has to remind herself that Yang’s anger stems mostly from her panic at seeing Weiss’s unconscious form, and not (she hopes) resentment towards her, even if she would be justified in her anger.

She sighs, her eyes slowly fading back to lavender. “I’m sorry,” she says, sounding regretful. “I – I don’t mean that. I’m just worried. She just recovered from having almost died, and seeing her unconscious again is just a little much right now.”

Blake shakes her head. “It’s fine. I get it, you’re scared. She’s strong, Yang. She’s going to be okay.”

“I hope so, Blake. I really hope so.”

Weiss feels like she’s falling. She reaches a hand out, but there is nothing but the expanse of blackness that surrounds her. She opens her mouth to scream, but nothing comes out, and it feels like the blackness is closing in around her, drowning her in nothingness, and she’s suffocating.

She bolts upright in bed, gasping for breath. She hunches forward and draws in a few deep breaths, trying to steady her beating heart. Squeezing her eyes shut to keep the tears from falling, she lets a quiet sob escape, and her shoulders tremble. Dreams were supposed to fade, but the feeling of darkness pulling her down, suffocating her, and the lack of air in her lungs still feels so real.

“—eiss. Weiss. Weiss!”

Somebody tries to wrap an arm around her shoulder, and panic sets in. She weakly shoves them away, and instinctively reaches for Myrtenaster. But it isn’t there. So instead, she blindly throws a punch. But she was never one for hand-to-hand combat, and they easily catch her fist, gently uncurling her fingers and slipping their hand in hers to give her a reassuring squeeze. Only then does her vision start to clear, and she finds Yang sitting in a chair next to her bed, a concerned expression on her face.

“Hey, hey. It’s okay. You’re okay, I got you.” She takes a seat on the bed next to Weiss and pulls her into a hug and cradles her head with her other hand, gently smoothing her hair down.

Weiss rests her chin on Yang’s shoulder and stares unseeingly at the wall in front of her, as Yang whispers comforting words into her ear. The tears slide silently down her cheeks and land on Yang’s shoulder, forming a wet splotch on her shirt.

“Are you going to tell me what happened?” Yang asks quietly. She wants to give her space to recover. She wants to give her room to breathe and think. But there just isn’t time for that.

“I don’t know,” Weiss whispers, her voice hoarse. “I think I just need to rest.”

“Bullshit!” Yang says, a steely edge to her voice. She pulls away from the hug so that she can look the other girl in the eyes. “That’s bullshit, and you know it. You didn’t completely lose control of your Semblance because you weren’t sleeping enough. Stop pretending like everything is okay! You’re not okay, and if you keep suppressing everything the way that you’re doing right now, you’re never going to be okay! Damn it, Weiss, you are one of the most important people in my life, and I can’t bear to see you get hurt! So please. Talk to me! It’s killing me to see you hurting like this!”

“I’m okay, I’m okay, I’m okay,” she repeats over and over. But there’s an undertone of desperation, and she’s not sure if she’s trying to convince Yang or herself.

“No, you’re not! And it’s okay that you’re not, but don’t push us out! We want to help you, and you’re not letting us.”

“I don’t need your help – I just need some time to myself! Why can’t you leave me alone?!”

“Because I love you, okay? I love you and I don’t want to – I can’t – watch you die again.”

“But I – what?” Weiss stutters, her sentence coming to a halt as Yang’s words finally sink in.

“I love you, Weiss” she says, her voice softening, and the anger melting off her face. She tenderly cups Weiss’s face with both her hands. “I love you. So please, stop shutting us out. If not for yourself, then for the people who care for you. For the people who don’t want to see you get hurt. For me.”

Weiss leans into her hands and closes her eyes, and she sags against Yang. And it’s like the barrier – the walls that she surrounded herself with – is finally breaking, because while she’s a Schnee, with a heart of ice, and blood that runs blue, she’s also Weiss, fragile and broken, with so much love that she doesn’t know what to do with it. And she can’t, won’t, keep hiding behind the mask of a cold, unfeeling Schnee, because she is Weiss first, and a Schnee second.

“It’s just – it’s all just too much to handle,” she murmurs, her bottom lip quavering. “I – I really thought I was okay. Everything was fine – until today.”

Yang waits quietly, patiently, for her to continue, because this moment seems so fragile, like glass, and it might shatter if she opens her mouth.

“I thought… I thought it was her. When Blake threw Gambol Shroud at me, I saw her, and I – I panicked. I don’t remember much else after that,” she admits in a soft whisper. “What happened?”

“You collapsed, Weiss,” Yang says quietly. “Uncle Qrow said that your Aura was depleted. Not surprising, considering how you summoned three things at once and erected an ice barrier. We thought you were going to be out for much longer. We pushed the departure back a few days to let you recuperate.”

Weiss exhales slowly. “How – how can I fight with you guys when I’m like this? I – I don’t want to be a burden.”

“You’re not a burden, Weiss – you’re never going to be a burden. You will be fine – I promise it gets better, but it won’t happen overnight. What you need right now is rest. You’re exhausted, Weiss, mentally and physically exhausted.”

“I can’t – there’s no time for that!” She goes to stand up, but Yang grabs her wrist, keeping her in place.

She leans over and presses her lips against Weiss’s, and there’s the sweet taste of vanilla mixed with the saltiness of the tears sliding down Weiss’s face, and there’s something sweet and sad and melancholic about the kiss.

Weiss leans into the kiss, returning it with a touch of desperation, because it still feels like a dream to her, and she wants so badly for it to be real. She pulls away slowly and stares at Yang’s tired face.

“Rest, Weiss. Please,” she pleads. She gently pushes her back into bed.

Weiss hesitates, wondering to herself if she’ll be overstepping her boundaries, and really unsure of what to say. “Uh…” she shifts over to give Yang space. “Stay with me,” she blurts out, and it comes out sounding more like a question than a demand, which was what she intended (because she was never taught to ask for something). She flushes at how awkward she must have sounded. “Only if you want to,” she adds in a rushed voice when Yang just stares at her with wide eyes.

She starts panicking, although she tries not to let it show, because maybe she is overstepping. She doesn’t know what affection looks like, because her parents have never been affectionate with each other, and her sister – she cares, of course she cares, but she’s far from affectionate. But Weiss wants the affection – she wants to feel Yang’s warmth against her skin, she wants to feel Yang’s arms around her making her feel safe, she wants to be so close to Yang that she can feel her heart beating and hear her breathing. Weak, she can hear her father telling her. ‘Affection will only make you weak.’ But that can’t be right, because Yang is the warmest, most loving person that she knows, and she’s also one of the strongest.

She opens her mouth to take back her request, to apologize for making assumptions, but Yang smiles, and she feels like she forgot how to talk.

Yang crawls under the blanket next to her and envelopes her into a hug. “Anything for you.” She kisses the top of Weiss’s head. “Now, please go to sleep.”

Weiss gives a watery laugh and curls into Yang and finally lets her eyelids shut. This time, no nightmares plague her dreams.

A/N: Awkward ending is awkward as usual. I don’t even know what this is anymore, but take it before I hate it even more.

#rwby #freezerburn #yang xiao long #weiss schnee #blake belladonna #sun wukong #neptune vasilias #scarlet david #sage ayana #otp: i'm here for you #word vomit

85 notes · View notes

aqua-harry · 7 years

Text

She’s Just Not That Into You » Part II (A Harry Styles Miniseries)

Miss the first part? Find it here.

Even if Nick did piss him off, Harry couldn’t help but be proud of his best friend whenever he was awarded opportunities. He worked hard, and it was nice to see that hard work pay off in the end. So, when Nick mentioned that you were having a viewing party for his appearance on The Big Fat Quiz of the Year, Harry feared that he wouldn’t be able to celebrate the milestone with him.

“Ask her,” he demanded one afternoon.

Nick laughed, his eyes widening at Harry’s insistence. After little pleading from his friend, Nick sent a text asking you if Harry could be his plus one for the dinner party. Once he’d sent it, Harry forced Nick to show him the text for proof, figuring that it was just like him to say he’d asked you when he didn’t, instead showing up to the party with Harry anyway, thinking it was funny to throw both of you for a loop. Nick’s phone dinged minutes later, your name lighting up the screen. Your response of “Sure.” had caused Harry to go into an existential crisis, the wrinkle in his brow deep as he pulled at his lips.

“She doesn’t want me there,” he grunted. “‘m not goin’.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Harold,” Nick tried to console him, patting his head. “Go with me. I want you there, and ‘m sure she does, too.”

“Would’ve invited me in the first place if she did.”

“She’s not close with ye’,” Nick explained. “She would’ve invited you if she knew y’better, right? But she doesn’t. So I’m invitin’ ya, and I know she wants it to be everythin’ I want it to be. Even makin’ my favorite meal, so quit worryin’. You’re going.”

And, really, it wasn’t the blasé, one-word response that threw Harry off. It was the period at the end of it. So final, so complete. Sure. An exclamation point would’ve been appreciated, considering it was a party. Parties were supposed to be happy; they were supposed to be exciting, and the punctuation should match, if you asked Harry.

And yet, on the night of the party, he still picks up Nick, driving across town to your place, letting him talk his ear off while Harry focuses on the road. Hopefully, through his chatter, Nick doesn’t notice how nervous he is as he pulls at his lower lip. His oatmeal-colored sweater was appropriate, right? It was winter, after all. But Nick was wearing a typical button-up from Topman, paired with a leather jacket, and that made Harry feel bulky in his cable knit jumper. He should’ve known better - he should’ve worn that black shirt he had eyed after getting out of the shower. Stupidly, he thinks, he went for the sweater, worried that he might get cold throughout the evening and wish he’d gone for layers, rather than fashion.

“This is her building,” Nick says, breaking Harry from his self-deprecation. “Right here on the left.”

As the elevator rises higher and higher, Harry’s heart sinks further into his chest with every ding indicating that your floor was nearing. Pulling the cuffs of his sweater over his hands, he chuckles at Nick’s comment that he didn’t fully catch, his stomach dropping when the lift stops and the doors open.

“...think it’s probably more of a dog thing than a cat thing, but who knows?” Nick says over his shoulder while Harry follows him down the hallway, stopping in front of a door with a Christmas wreath hanging upon it. “How nice! She left the holiday wreath up for the cheeky viewing party!”

Harry clears his throat when Nick knocks on the door as he’s opening it, sing-songing his arrival through the laughter of the couple guests who had already arrived. It smells incredible, your apartment. A mixture of home and something else that he’d come to learn as your own unique scent wraps around Harry, and he instantly feels at ease. Following his friend’s suit, he kicks off his boots and lines them up neatly by the door, causing Nick to chuckle at his politeness.

“Always the gentleman,” he chortles, wrapping his arm around his best friend’s shoulders.

Harry chooses not to respond and instead lets himself be lead into the kitchen by Nick, where you’re carefully pulling a standing rib roast out of the oven like some sort of domestic goddess straight out of a housewares magazine.

“See?” Nick elbows Harry. “Told ye’ she can cook.”

Harry takes a second to eye your kitchen. He can appreciate how you’ve mixed the industrial feel of the appliances with the dark marble countertops, the white cabinetry bringing the room together in a way that he’d come to know as your personal style. You had a bowl of assorted fruit on the island, along with a bouquet of what looked like real flowers placed in the middle of the table that occupied the breakfast nook in the corner. He remembers reading about how you swapped counter clutter out for a simple bowl or vase when it came to your own kitchen, preferring to have your workspace clear for all of the cooking you did. It was in one of those articles that you had up on your website - one of the spreads that tried to get more personal than you were willing be - and he takes a second to remind himself not to mention how closely he’d been studying you over the holiday.

“Hi!” you grin, quickly pulling off your oven mitts and tossing them on the counter. “The man of the hour!”

“Didn’t ‘ave to go through all of this for lil ol’ me!”

“Oh, yes I did,” you laugh. “It’s not everyday one of your best friends is on the biggest show of the year!”

You kiss Nick on both cheeks, holding his face in between your palms. Harry looks on as you pull him in for a tight embrace, rubbing your fingers across the back of his neck and tucking your face into his shoulder. And, yeah, Harry will admit that it stings a little when all you do is grace your cheek against his and give a half-hug to greet him, instead of the obviously warm greeting you’d provided Nick.

“How was home?” you ask Harry. “End up getting Mum something special, then?”

He’s surprised, to say the least, that you remember whatever he was rambling about at Nick’s impromptu dinner party he’d met you at. He looks at you, your bare feet charming against the dark hardwood floors of your kitchen, your toenails painted a holiday red to match the mood. Your cheeks are a bit flushed, probably from the pressures of hosting, but you look refreshed and happy. Harry can’t help but want to kiss you, not only for remembering your previous conversation, but for looking so damn good in a simple pair of black jeans and a cream-colored blouse.

“Yeah,” he nods. “She loved it.”

“I’m glad,” you smirk, patting his shoulder before reverting your attention back to Nick.

Harry grumbles to himself in his head as he follows you and Nick, linked arms and all, into your living room. A pat on the shoulder? You might as well be wearing a chastity belt with a sign that read, “Anyone but Harry Styles!” in bold black letters pinned to your front. He hadn’t a chance with you - not a single one - so he might as well just give it up now. Throw in the towel and never look back.

When he enters the living room, three people he doesn’t know look up, including a clean-cut man who introduces himself as Cam. As he’s shaking everyone’s hand, he can’t help but notice the familiar scent of cinnamon enveloping the room. He scans the area until he spots it - a Diptyque candle lit in the center of your coffee table.

“You know about Diptyque?” he asks, not paying any mind to whatever conversations may have been going on around him. “They’re my favorite!”

“They’re the best,” you nod. “Can I get you something to drink? Stocked the bar…”

While you fix Nick and Harry their requested drinks - vodka soda for the older one and straight whiskey for the boy - Harry inspects your living room, noticing your vintage tour posters from the likes of Pink Floyd and the Eagles, tastefully framed and hanging on the largest wall of the room. He wondered if you just liked the look of the art or if you actually listened to the bands. Figuring you weren’t the type to choose something like a tour poster just for the aesthetic of it, he ponders your possible music tastes. The large bookcases that fit into the wall like they were made for it - were they? - house more books than Harry had ever seen in a home. A full set of encyclopedias, dictionaries, and every other periodical imaginable rests upon the shelves, and Harry enjoys picturing you delicately opening each atlas and planning on where to travel next. Humming, he sits down next to Nick on the plush velvet sofa that’s decorated with a bounty of throw pillows.

“Love the new rug,” Nick comments, running his sock-clad feet over the high-pile material. “Where’s the old one! Said I wanted it when you were bored of it.”

“I’ve got it,” Cam, the well-dressed man speaks up from his spot on one of two armchairs. “She gave it to me, mate.”

“Figures she’d give you her rug before I got a chance at it.”

Harry is immediately envious when the three of you - Cam, Nick, and yourself - erupt in laughter. He smiles, accepting his whiskey from you with a nod and a small thanks, keeping a keen eye on Cam.

He settles into the couch, observing and listening, smiling and nodding whenever the conversation called for it. Normally, he was the center of attention. Normally, people looked to him to keep the conversation going. Normally, he didn’t have to feel awkward about not exactly knowing anyone. But, tonight was different. It was about Nick, and even though Harry had met you and a handful of the other guests who hadn’t shown up yet, he didn’t want to outshine his best friend in his moment of glory.

And, maybe...maybe he didn’t want to say anything that would embarrass himself in front of you.

You seem to be the perfect host, putting out a charcuterie board with beautiful meats, cheeses, and chutneys to occupy the guests who continue to arrive - the final number totalling twelve, by Harry’s count. You have a propensity to please, sitting on the arms of the couches and armchairs instead of fully settling in, offering to refill everyone’s drinks without coming across as pushy. You stock the platter with more options whenever it was looking sparse, encouraging everyone to eat more, as eating a fancy meat and cheese plate by yourself would be too depressing to bear.

When you announce that dinner is ready, everyone begins to move to the dining room as you apologize for having to split up the party - you don’t have a table big enough to sit thirteen, so some guests will have to sit at the smaller breakfast nook in your kitchen while the majority of guests will be sat at the large dining table.

“Loo?” Harry whispers to Nick, and he points down the hallway in response. “Thanks. Be right back.”

He knocks on the door, frowning when he finds it occupied. He leans against the opposite wall, picking at his nails while he waits. You appear at the other side of the corridor, stopping abruptly in front of another doorway, gripping the wooden frame to pause and look at Harry in question.

“Occupied,” he smiles, pointing to the closed bathroom door.

“You can use the one in my bedroom,” you point in front of you.

“Oh,” Harry stutters, walking forward and then stopping himself. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, of course,” you nod, beckoning him over. “Just in here to the right,” you indicate with your hand, stepping aside so he can enter the room.

He thanks you quietly, noticing as he closes the door that you leave the room to give him privacy. He takes his time scanning the small powder room, noticing how organized it is, with your toiletries lined up neatly and the hand towels folded perfectly. He smiles at the small Diptyque candle next to your hand cream, this one rose-scented instead of the cinnamon fragrance that was burning in your living room. When he washes his hands, he takes note of how soft the towels are and how lovely the soap smelled. He flicks off the light, stepping back into your bedroom, smelling the lingering aroma on his hands.

Before he heads back to the party, he walks into your room, inspecting the details of your life. Yet again, a candle is lit on your dresser - pomegranate, now - next to a small vase of fresh flowers. He’d seen fresh flowers in your living room and kitchen, as well. He wondered if you always had real bouquets around, or if you’d wanted them for the party. He hopes it’s the former as he pictures you walking into a small flower shop every Monday, excited as you pick out a new arrangement for the week, thanking the florist you were on a first-name basis with.

A small stack of books occupies your nightstand, causing Harry to smile at the thought of you not being able to decide which one to read first. A pair of glasses sits on top of them, and he questions what you look like with them on. Do you need them only to read, or do you wear contacts during the day, switching them out for your glasses at night? Your bed looks comfortable - too comfortable - and for a moment, Harry allows himself to imagine what it would be like waking up next to you under the delicate white linens, your warm body stretching out against his own while you convince him to stay under the covers for a bit longer...

Whiskey serving as his bravery, he steps further into your room and stands in front of the vast bookcases that were clearly custom-built. Matching the shelves in your living room - save for the white-washed wood instead of the deep cherry that was in the hub of your apartment - he smirks as he inspects the items you’d placed upon display with intent. Not only were the shelves filled with books of every size, color, and genre, you’d also integrated frames sporting pictures of you and your friends or family, along with other mementos from your life.

He looks over those frames, trying to get a feel of who was most important to you. It seems as though you had siblings - maybe a sister and a brother. There’s a picture of you and what looks to be a younger version of yourself on either side of a tall man who shares your smile, all in front of a Christmas tree. Had the picture been taken back in Devon? He hopes he’d eventually become close enough to you to find out who everyone in each picture was. Maybe even be featured in a couple, if he’s lucky enough.

“Like what you see?” your voice coming from behind startles him. Lightly grasping his chest, he turns around and hopes his skin doesn’t look too flushed. He’d been caught.

“Don’t think ‘ve ever seen so many books outside of a library before,” Harry saves himself, pointing towards the bookshelf as if he needed evidence.

You speak briefly about your collection, knowing that it probably isn’t healthy to have so many books, especially when it was time to move. But, you’d said, they were a comfort. And you had read most of them. Some were there just because they were a good deal or they were gifted to you. You’d tried to get rid of some, you explained to Harry, but they had become an extension of your home - almost like they were a permanent fixture - so you’d kept them, regardless of how much space they took up.

“And you always have fresh flowers?” Harry inquires. “Or is it just for the party?”

“Always,” you smile. “Don’t think a room is complete without them, really. The florist down the way from my shop - his name’s Raul - he always gives me a good deal.”

Of course he does, Harry thinks to himself. Must have everyone under your spell.

“C’mon,” you motion your head towards the door. “Let’s get some meat on those bones.”

Dinner begins and Harry is unsurprised to find that everything is delicious. He’s sat at the larger table with Nick while you sit in the kitchen next to Cam. He’s almost thankful that he can’t see the two of you from his position, but every now and then, he’ll hear your distinct bubbly laughter which causes a pang in his chest. He’s not the one getting such a reaction out of you.

But did he even have the right to?

After dinner, once everyone is settled back into the living room to watch Nick on the television, you busy yourself with making tea and coffee for everyone. You pop up from your position on the couch during a commercial break, nearly running into the kitchen so you can quickly return to the party without missing any of the show.

“Need any help?” Harry peeks his head into the kitchen, endeared with how quickly you’re plating small pastries onto a ceramic tray.

“Yes!” you sigh, thankful for his offering. “Could you grab a spoon out of that drawer?” you point vaguely with your elbow, your hands preoccupied with petit fours.

He nods, opening the wrong drawer, hearing you audibly wince from behind him. You quickly wipe your hands on the tea towel next to you, placing soft hand on Harry’s shoulder while you reach to open the proper drawer.

“Now you know one of my dirty little secrets,” you smirk, winking at him as you pull a spoon from the cutlery drawer. “Everyone’s got one, yeah?”

He doesn’t know whether you’re talking about a dirty secret or the junk drawer, but he agrees anyway, as the only thing he’s able to properly focus on is how good you smell. You’d only been pressed up against him for a millisecond, but he’d give nearly anything to feel you that close once more.

It might be the drinks he’s consumed over the last couple of hours, or it may be your perfume completely mystifying him, or even all of the blood rushing to his crotch that he hopes to god you don’t notice, but Harry somehow gains enough courage to ask you - right then and there - to work with him on decorating his new house. Neglecting the fact that the house wasn’t even technically his yet, he blurts out the request, hoping that his broker is cinching the deal on the new property as he speaks.

“Sure, sure,” you nod, licking a bit of cream off of your thumb. “Call the store and Megan will take care of you. Set up an appointment and all that,” you slide past him and rifle through your junk drawer, which is less of a junk drawer and more of an organized catch-all. “Here’s my card.”

And while Harry is somewhat disappointed you didn’t give him your personal cell phone number, you’re professional, and he respects that. You’d had no indication that he was looking for something more than an interior designer, and if he’d learned anything during his time off, it was that he should take what he can get, in terms of most things.

Nick runs the rest of the evening, giving the party guests the play-by-play of what happened during commercial breaks. Harry’s proud of his friend - he can tell that he’s comfortable in this setting of people Harry has never met, which opens up another side of Nick he’d never seen before. A tasteful, more refined side, and Harry decides that it’s all because of you, whether that’s true or not.

Cam stands up almost immediately after the show is finished, announcing that he was in for a long day tomorrow. He shakes Nick’s hand and gives him a pat on the back before bidding goodbye to Harry. Harry sticks out his hand, noticing that Cam hadn’t offered his own first, and tells him that it was nice to meet him. The conventional man smiles and nods his head but doesn’t say anything in response - no, “You too, Harry.” or, “Likewise, mate.”

It ruffles Harry’s feathers a bit, although he’s not certain why.

He watches as you say goodbye to Cam on the outskirts of the party, but thanks to Nick’s boisterous cackling, he can’t hear the entire conversation. He does, however, catch Cam’s question of, “Still on for coffee tomorrow?” with a confirmation from you, followed by a kiss on the cheek and a tight squeeze, your head tucking into his shoulder.

With fully-ruffled plumes, Harry turns away from the intimate exchange and pretends to follow whatever topic the conversation had turned to. It’s a strange feeling for him - jealousy, was it? - and he’s not quite sure how to handle it. He certainly had no right to feel this way. No claim was made upon you by him, and you had definitely not staked one on him.

But, there was an undeniable pit in his stomach, indicating that he wanted that right. Harry wanted to be allowed to feel jealous. He wanted to be wary of every straight man within the tri-city area because he knew what a great catch you are and you were all his. He wanted to put his arm around your waist when he found others staring at you, wondering if they had a shot. He wanted to be the one to kiss you goodnight and confirm plans for coffee the next morning. He wanted to know whether your coffee order was contingent on the weather, or if you got the same drink year-round.

He wanted to be in Cam’s place, even if the man didn’t have the ability to be polite to someone he’d just met.

“Ready to go?” Nick asks him an hour later, after you’d begged them not to help you clean up, instead offering to make them another drink along with some light conversation.

“Yeah,” Harry nods. His desire to stay in your apartment any second longer had left as soon as he saw the way you laughed at whatever Cam had whispered in your ear.

And even though Harry had no right to be jealous - even though he barely even knew you, save for the glimpse into your world he received from looking at your bookshelves - he wanted to know you. He’d not felt anything resembling what he’d felt that night for, quite frankly, years.

As Nick thanks you for the party, giggly and clearly intoxicated, a book on the shelf next to Harry catches his eye. He thumbs the binding, tilting his head to read the title. A Little Life. He carefully removes the large novel, running his palm over the agonized face of the man on the cover.

“Have you read that?” you ask once Nick has successfully put his shoes on.

“No,” Harry shakes his head, looking up. “Been meaning to, though. My sister read it last year and wanted me to, but I never got around to it.”

“It’s one of my favorites,” you raise your eyebrows.

“One of hers, too,” he smiles, flipping through some of the pages. “Can I…”

He stops himself, not knowing if he knew you well enough to be borrowing your favorite books. But, then again, he was going to be seeing you a lot after he makes the appointment, so he looks up and gains momentum from your inquisitive smile.

“Would you mind if I borrowed it?”

“Of course,” you nod. “Just be sure to tell me what you think of it.”

His heart jumps in his chest with the certainty that yes, he will be seeing you again and yes, you will have something to talk about other than paint samples and cabinet finishes. He can hardly wait to get home and begin reading, picturing how excited you’ll look as you talk about your favorite parts in one of your most-loved books, maybe even over a cappuccino in a small cafe.

Tucking the book underneath his arm, he leads his best friend out of your apartment, waving goodbye to you with a knowing smile as Nick babbles on about one thing or another in slurred words, the alcohol he’d consumed making his accent thicker than usual.

“How well d’you know Cam?” Harry asks Nick as he drives away from your building.

“New friend,” he shrugs, tapping his fingers against the door.

“Mmm,” Harry gives a short nod.

“Why?” Nick hiccups.

“Wasn’t all that nice,” he shrugs.

“Nice t’me.”

“Well, she deserves someone who’s nice t’everyone,” Harry tries to mask his contention with a cough, running his index finger under his nose as he furrows his brow.

“‘arry,” Nick groans, running his hands down his face. “Ye’ really want ‘er that bad?”

“Why’re you yelling?” Harry avoids his best friend’s concentrated gaze as he turns a corner, speeding up as he drives down the less-crowded side street.

“Scale o’ one-to-ten.”

“‘m not gonna scale it.”

“Do it!”

“‘m not going to scale it,” Harry repeats, more forcefully this time. Sure, he introduced the two of you, but he had no right to demand such information out of him. Harry didn’t owe anything to Nick, regardless of how close the two of them were.

“Thought ye’ didn’t like ‘er.”

“I don’t,” the green-eyed driver frowns.

“Then why does it matter if Cam is nice to e’ryone or not?” Nick slurs.

“I don’t ‘av to like her to think she deserves t’be with someone nice.”

Nick’s quiet then, mulling over the thought of Harry concerning himself with the man you wind up with. Harry will be the first to admit that it looks suspicious - his want for you to be with someone respectful and kind - but even if he didn’t have a certain keenness for you, he would still want you to end up with a man who was pleasant on all accounts.

That’s just the kind of person Harry was.

“Issat why ye’ asked for th’ book?” Nick chortles, slapping his hand down on the center console. “‘Cause y’wanted t’ see ‘er again?”

“‘m gonna see her again without the book,” Harry clears his throat. “Made plans to meet with her for m’new house. Thinking she’s going to be th’ right fit.”

“Mmm, yeah,” Nick shakes his head. “Sure is gonna be th’ right fit.”

Harry makes a point of not saying much else for the rest of the drive, answering Nick with sounds and one-word answers rather than anything incriminating that he could use against him in the future. He shakes his head as he watches his friend fumble with the keys to his front door, waving wildly at him from the threshold while Harry drives away.

On the way back to his place, he replays the evening in his mind, wondering if he should’ve done anything differently. It had ended well, save for the exchange between you and Cam. What had he said that made you laugh so beautifully? Would Harry ever be able to elicit such a sound from you? He wonders, with a wrinkle in between his eyebrows, if he should’ve been more charming - he should’ve made more jokes, he should’ve been more insistent on helping you clean up the mess from dinner...he shouldn’t have snooped.

His house is dark when he arrives, the lack of light only magnifying how empty it was; how very much alone he was. He fantasized about how easy it would be to come home to you, lounging on his couch and telling him that you’d saved some dinner for him. He’d kiss the top of your head before walking into the kitchen, shouting to you over his shoulder, questioning about how your day had gone.

As he gets ready for bed, Harry recalls the hug you gave him goodbye, reminding him to call your office to set up an appointment. He memorized the way your cheek felt against his and how you squeezed his bicep before stepping away.

He could tell, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he’d already become addicted to that feeling. That want. That need. And he was looking forward to getting to know it very, very well.

#harry styles #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles fanfic #harry styles imagine #harry styles blurbs #harry styles concepts #harry styles x reader #harry styles x you

1K notes · View notes

polyx · 7 years

Text

Get to know me tag:^)

I was tagged by @criminalmastermine

Name:

Polyxeni

Gender:

Female

Star sign:

Virgo/Sheep

Height:

170 cm

Put your music on shuffle, what are the first six songs to pop up?:

Ok because I listen on Soundcloud, Spotify and my folders on my phone, I’ll do 3 separate :^) Spotify 1) VIXX LR – Chocolatier 2) BTS – Lost 3) MOBB – Hit me (feat. KUSH) 4) Taemin – Thirsty 5) VIXX – Dynamite 6) BTS – Moving on (Ok it’s pretty obvious that I use Spotify mostly for k-pop lol)

Soundcloud 1) Sunday – Only 2) Sofi Tukker – Hey Lion 3) マクロスMACROSS 82 - 99 - 葛城ミサトYEBISU (YUNG BAE EDIT) 4) Vantage // - Patrick Converter (ft. Chrollo)

5) M.RUX - Rembetiko Mon Amour // ρεμπέτικο αγάπη μου 6) Seiun – otogibanashi My folders on my phone 1) Lorde – Liability 2) Clueso - Achterbahn (Handgepäck Version) 3) Incubus – Pistola 4) Lana Del Rey – Once Upon A Dream (Maleficent OST) 5) Little Boots – Working Girl 6) Banks - Haunt

Grab the nearest book, turn to page 23 and write line 17:

“(…) because “a realisation that comes from society itself” could “already contain a reform (…)“. (roughly translated from German)

Last time you played air guitar?:

Uhm… I don’t know ^^° I rarely do it tbh… I usually dance

Celebrity crush?: The first person that comes into my mind is Lucy Lawless :^)

What’s a sound that you hate/love?:

I love it when it’s 4 in the morning and my window next to my bed is open, and the rain softly hits the glass and no car drives by, or when you sit by the beach at about 7pm in Greece in the summer, when most people had their share of sun and leave the beach, and the water softly hits the shore and a seagull are audible somewhere in the distance, or when you float in the water and your ears are under the water and you hear the water and your heartbeat… also the soft flat breathing of the person laying next to you, or the rustling of the fabric of your bedding when you lay down to sleep… Idk I like a lot of subtle sounds. I hate hearing my joints cracking because I feel like I am breaking apart or something (?)

Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens?:

Ghosts not so much, aliens? Definitely.

Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed?:

I’ve had my licence for 5 years now and I never crashed :3 I don’t drive much though.

What was the last book you read?:

Simon Beckett – Totanfang / The Restless Dead (original title)

Do you like the smell of gasoline?:

Hm… kinda.

Last movie you saw?:

Fack Ju Göhte 3

Worst injury you’ve ever had?:

Broke my left arm.

Any obsessions right now?: A lot, although I should focus on studying: k-pop (like the biggest obsession atm), writing/reading fanfiction, drawing (my go to instant stress reliever), gaming (I still need to finish Hellblade!!), music overall, manga, my succulents (my babies)

Do you tend to hold grudges against people who’ve wronged you?: Yes. I try to forgive or forget (or both) for my sake, but often it doesn’t work.

In a relationship?:

Yes.

_______________

SECOND VERSION

Appearance:

I have long brown and blue hair, brown eyes and a long thin nose. My face is quite rectangular, and I have olive skin tone (but pretty light compared to others). I am chubby and well-proportioned I’d say. My nails are always short (except for holiday season because my nails won’t constantly break like during work) and usually some kind of varnish is on it. 50% of the time I wear clothes with some kind of pattern on it or colourful stuff, 25% of the time black and 25% pink shit, and always my casio on my wrist. I have 2 tattoos and 4 piercings, one stretched earlobe. Usually I wear make-up, and everyone knows me for wearing colourful eyeshadow.

Personality:

I am quite outgoing and like spending time with my friends and family and partner, but as much as I love having people around me, I need time to be alone. I just need to. I try to have an open ear for other people’s problems, but be prepared I might cry along with you because I am a very emotional person (like on Friday I was in a concert and started crying because the song was so touching lol). I’d say I am quite confident, but I need time adjusting in a new environment before returning to my confident self. At work I am the most patient person, but with my family I tend to be impatient a lot and I hate myself for it, but it’s getting better. I am very creative and love dwelling on details on random stuff (like I could tell you for an hour why I like a particular song for example). That’s also a reason why I can’t get shit done sometimes because I daydream a lot. Like… a lot… one person told me I remind them of Luna Lovegood because I seem trapped in my own bubble. I love arts. I used to be super tidy as a child, but now I am quite messy. I am often late (sorry to anyone affected by this v.v°). I love travelling. My bag is always ready for my nomad life, as I am always on the go.

Abilities:

I speak 3 languages! Also I draw and make jewellery. Also I have the ability to make a mess out of my room in the shortest amount of time, just watch me :^) professionally I am a druggist (but not the one working at a pharmacy, mind you) and I have a bachelors degree of trade and commerce. Also I’m a certified trainee instructor.

Experiences:

Well? I don’t know what this refers too… Maybe some random shit: -I used to do traditional greek dance as a kid. -I’ve never left Europe (sadly), but I’ve travelled to London, Vienna, Paris, Berlin and other cities. -When I was a smoll bean, I went to the central plaza of my dad’s village in Greece and returned with a puppy in my arms. My grandmother kept the pupper. -I love freaking LOVE technology, when I used my huge ass multitalented wireless printer for the first time and printed something via my phone I almost cried in excitement. -I can stop reading a book if it’s boring. -Once on my way home I sat in the tram, and there was a group of friends, drunk, pretty loud and happy, they were wearing traditional Bavarian clothing (Tracht), and they were …deaf! And one of the girls sat opposite to me, and complimented my hair, like we talked without using words, only by using our facial expressions and our hands, and she grabbed on piece of her hair and pointed at mine and we laughed, and then she offered me some of her vodka and I was so yolo at the moment I accepted, although I don’t accept drinks from strangers usually. I had such a blast these 10 minutes we spent together on the tram, I often think about her, and hope she is doing fine :’) - I remember as a young girl, I was sitting on an old faucet which was built in the short wall framing my grandparents’ house, and I was starring at the sky in disbelief. There I was, a young city girl, born and raised in Munich, sitting on an old faucet somewhere in an small village in Greece starring at the beautiful nightsky, seeing something I’ve never seen before. There were so many stars, just…so… so many stars… thousands and thousands of shiny dots across a black canvas. And they seemed to be alive. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Till this day, I remember this night, and I hear my mom asking what I was doing out there alone, surrounded by the wild noises of thousands of bugs around me. It has been more that 10 years, and this night is so vibrant in my memory. I will never forget this moment till my dying day. Still, I often spent time in Greece watching the stars, always in the back of my mind what my grandma told me once: don’t count the stars, it brings misfortune. - I pierced my ears on my own (…stupid). - I pretty much had my hair dyed any colour of the rainbow (except yellow, but I guess blonde counts?). - I’ve been to A LOT of concerts.

(I have some negative experiences too of course, but I don’t want to dwell on them) My life:

I still live with my parents, because I cannot afford anything on my own atm, but also due to other circumstances. Till the end of September I worked full time, now I started studying sociology (BA). I have been employed in the company I work for for 10 years now, and I love my work although it’s tough :’). I have a little sister who I love dearly, and she is making me a proud big sis:). My parents are the best parents, seriously you could not wish for better parents. I am super grateful to them for all I’ve been able to do in my life and all the love and support they have given, and are still giving me. Also, I’m so proud of them. The thought of what my parents have gone through makes me cry. I used to think I don’t have a lot of friends, but I do! And they all are beautiful unique personalities, I love them! I live the nomad live, as I feel I’m rarely home, always on the go. My co-workers are the sweetest people, I love seeing their faces light up when they see me :’) (ILY!!!) And my partner… there are no words to describe what sweet of a person he is. A puppy is nothing against him. I want to cuddle him forever. I am online a lot, but I don’t get involved with a lot of people online, safe for… 2 :’D Rach and Mine! I usually admire from afar, and fangirl in the tags for example. Overall I wake up everyday being thankful, my life is good! I appreciate every moment. I am blessed.

Relationships: I’ve only had 2 lmao, and I’m still friends with my first partner. Random stuff:

Ups I think I answered this earlier already…

THIRD VERSION

Relationship status:

In a relationship. We have an imaginary daughter lol.

Fave colour:

All hues of blue! Basically every colour but blue is the most dear to me.

Lipstick or ChapStick:

Lipstick for sure. I always have one in my pocket.

Last song:

Shahmaran by Sevdaliza

Last movie:

Fack Ju Göhte 3

Top 3 shows:

I don’t watch TV, neither do I have the time for series (I have GOT on halt, as well as “Halt and Catch Fire”) … But “The Vision of Escaflowne” is my favourite series of EVER. The story, the characters, the music, the art, the world building, I could cry it’s so beautiful. Also the whole ATLA and TLOK Series, it is so good!!! *cries*

Top 3 ships:

Oh man… ok. I’ll go for Amorra (Amon and Korra, TLOK), Truhan ( Gohan and Trunks, Dragonball Z) and basically every possible VIXX ship, because I love them all (but Wontaek though…)

I’d like to tag @valkerymillenia, @abnaxus, @coolera but you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to :’)

#polyx #polyx personal

2 notes · View notes

lodessa · 7 years

Text

It’s been a while since I did this

Tagged by@carlynroth

List all the things you’re currently working on in as much or as little detail as you like then tag some friends to see what they’re working on: writing, art, gif sets, whatever.

Okay so I set some rules for myself in making this list in an attempt to maybe clear it out a bit to what I’m more likely to write any time soon: I did not allow myself to look at any of my previous lists OR my WIP documents/folders until after I’d made the list (only to add details/links after I’d finalized it).

Star Trek: Voyager - Janeway/Chakotay

Stumbling: Post Endgame Janeway and Chakotay struggle to get back what they once had (trust) even though they both want it. Basically I really wanted to explore how messy emotions are and a realistic struggle to recover from what happened. I think it’s going to be like 8 chapters, but for all I know it will end up being 14 like Parameters and Voyager High; because, that’s apparently my natural length for drawn out chaptered fics. Three chapters are currently posted. Chapter four is partly written. Excerpt:

“Here’s the thing: She still wants him. It’s ironic, after all the years he was diligently waiting and she was able to stuff it down and put it aside some ninety something percent of the time Now, now she is so angry with him, so distrustful, but it’s like that pain has wrecked her self control. She can’t come back from the blunt honestly of her despair. When she’d been so secure in him it has been easy to set aside her desire.

Now. Now she feels raw, not just with the sting of his betrayal but also with her own longing.

Now he meets her for long afternoon walks between her meetings and his office hours and she can’t take comfort in his arm linked with her but she can’t ignore it either. His warmth beside her is a provocation, unsettling her.

He brings her a series of peace roses and part of her wants to feel comforted by the gesture but there’s something inside her that balks at any memory of how it used to be.”

Just Once: Five times Janeway and Chakotay were only going to kiss once (and the time they finally gave that pretense up). This is really a more drawn out version of “Why Janeway and Chakotay Can't Share the Couch: 5 Times They Slipped Up” but it’s not like there can ever be enough of that type of fic. Currently I have posted 1 of 6 total chapters, but I do have all of it outlined.

The Greek Mythology AU Epic. I only have a couple actual paragraphs of this written, but I have a very clear idea of the plot and style. Basically it’s a homeric style epic, wherein Janeway is the hero and involves a plotline with her going down to the underworld to get Chakotay back. Very different from my usual style, obviously. Excerpt:

“You have heard, of course, about the great ship Voyager, and it’s captain: the wise but willful woman king known as Janeway, favored by Athena. The tale of how her ship was blown off course by a powerful storm and ended up in distant waters far from home, how she subdued the outlaw ship she’d been chasing on the other side of the world, won over it’s captain: the noble Chakotay, how together they kept raiders from causing Atlas to drop the world, and thereafter Chakotay and his followers served under her and he became her most trusted subject and against all odds they returned to Greece in seven years and seven days is widely known.

Less famous, however, is the tale of Janeway’s descent into the Underworld and how she came to prevail upon Hades to undo what his wrathful brother, Poseidon, had done in spite and wounded pride. Many heroes have gone down to plead with the king of the dead for lost loves, but few are those to emerge again to the sunlight.”

That One Where Chakotay Gets Pegged. So I have a number of fic ideas involving this (Including a follow up to Happy Accident) but the longest standing one and one I really mean to write in the near future is one where Janeway happens to mention one of the ways she has gotten the upper hand in diplomacy situations with men who want to fuck her involving a strap on and well... Chakotay can’t get the idea out of his head.

Daxverse: After three years of intending to do this AU with Jadzia on Voyager and not actually writing it and @talsi74656 having been in the same situation for a couple, we are seriously exploring joining forces and merging our two different versions into one in hopes of getting it written. Because, the idea is too good to sit forever unpublished.

Year of Hell PWP: Chakotay offers Kathryn a different kind of birthday present. Excerpt:

Kathryn felt herself blush deeply at his probably innocently intended question. She was wound so tightly right now she might explode on impact at the slightest jostling.

Chakotay flushed as well as he realized from her expression what she wasn’t saying.

“Oh…” he pressed his lips together, “I see. No wonder you are having trouble sleeping.”

“Chakotay!” she replied with a scandalized gasp.

“Let me help?” his voice and his expression both were beseeching, “You know you’ll sleep better and that will make you way more productive. You wouldn’t accept my birthday gift… at least let me do something for you.”

Cracktastic Anthropomorphic Voyager/Janeway/Chakotay Situation: Sentient Voyager takes human form and interacts with its Captain(s) in a variety of ways. Set over the course of the series and post series when Chakotay takes command. Most likely ends with a threesome.

Post Endgame Angst Where Janeway is Hallucinating: Janeway cracks once the immediacy of all those years of pressure lets up and loses touch with reality. Feeling abandoned and lost, she hallucinates a Chakotay who is cruel and kind in turns, and by the time the real Chakotay shows up she doesn’t believe he’s actually there.

Timeless Timeline Chakotay/Endgame Timeline Admiral Janeway Fixit AU: Somehow the Admiral goes sideways instead of back and ends up in the averted Timeless timeline. Both of them are so damaged by loss and time in these timelines and I’d love to see them interact. Ultimately, they join forces and go back to save their past/alternative selves from becoming the selves they are then and there. This started out as a coauthored fic that got abandoned midway through, but I still really love the idea. Excerpt:

"Well that depends, what year is it and how long have I been dead for." She said it teasingly but the question still felt heavy, "How do you think I died?"

"Are you sure you want me to tell you? I'm not even sure I can." He shook his head, running his hand over his face, suddenly overwhelmed with the memory of seeing Kathryn dead on Voyager's bridge.

"It's important, I think." she sighed, running her fingers through his hair, "Unless you'd rather I tell you."

He wasn't sure what was worse, watching the pain that crossed Kathryn's face when she mentioned his death, or thinking about how hard it would be to relive her death. He couldn't bring himself to cause her more pain than he had to, even if that meant bearing the brunt of it himself.

"It was the slipstream drive..." he said quietly, trying not to go back to that day, "Harry and I went ahead in the Delta Flyer, but we'd miscalculated..."

He could barely get the words out, as the lump formed at the back of his throat. She reached for him, her hand cupping his face.

"All these years, and you still..." He could see her calculating how long it must have been.

"Always." He kissed her softly.

Her hands lingered on his face, thumb stroking his cheek.

"It's an alternate timeline," she said at last, "we never attempted that slipstream flight... Seven," he couldn't help but notice something off in Kathryn's voice as she said the former drone's name, "Seven got a message warning us."

RPF

KM/RB Fic No One Wants That Involves RealTalk(TM) Racism. Because I feel like this needs to be addressed in terms of KM’s exoticism when it comes to him and also that she only publicly dates white dudes. She looks like a jerk in this one.

Another One No One Asked For: Why Both KM and Braga Got Pissed At RB Really. As JR is added to the cast, RB is upset that KM chose Hagan and decides to get back at her by exploiting somewhere he knows she’s already feeling vulnerable. He looks like a jerk in this one.

KM Has Zero Sympathy for the Problems RB Created For Himself. Because KM sass is life and seriously CHOICES dude.

KM/RB As a Taurus/Scorpio Dynamic Case Study. Because they are.

Veronica Mars

Balacing Act: Two parts are written. Part 3 of the series is still in progress. Continued post movie threesome action with Logan, Weevil, and Veronica. Excerpt:

“I have acquired bagels… and coffee.”

It takes a moment for Eli to remember where he is or how he got there, gradually regaining enough consciousness to register Veronica’s way too chipper voice and remember that it must be Logan’s fucking arm he can feel slung across his hip. Reluctantly, he opens his eyes and there she is, looming over them with a take out tray of coffee cups in one hand and a paper bag in the other, looking cheerful and relaxed, like this is something that happens every day instead of being unprecedented, like she is used to him fucking Echolls up the ass until they both come.

“Enjoying the view from above from once, V?” he teases, refusing to act like this is weird if she isn’t going to.

“Wait… you went all the way to-“ Logan sits up, looking perfectly mussed as he notes the logo on the coffee cups.

This is weird. This is definitely weird, even for them.

That Season 3 AU I Started Around the Time The Movie Came Out: So season 3 was a mess as a whole, but it also always bugged me that Veronica’s “I was wrong not to trust” moment is about Logan (who didn’t deserve her trust and yeah actually his explanation in the end was shitty) and not about her dad (who deserved better than her judgement and criticism) and Weevil (seriously did she really think he’d rip Lilly’s necklace off her). It’s a lot bigger than that, but basically this AU starts from there and has Weevil be the one to find her in the parking garage instead of Logan and goes from there. I need to finish it because it’s important, even if it’s a dead fandom. Excerpt:

“Would now be an appropriate time for me to list the reasons why you shouldn’t even be wasting your time with that spoiled gringo asshole?”

Weevil knew that was never going to be a productive addition to any conversation with her. She had some mad feelings about Logan Echolls, every bit as much as Lilly had. He didn’t think about Lilly so much these days, but sitting in Veronica’s car talking about whether Logan was a bad boyfriend was bringing the memories back.

She must have noticed the parallel too; because she said, “Is that what you told Lilly?”

They had never talked about Lilly. Whenever possible she stuck to cases, favors, and harmless flirtatious banter that he knew didn’t mean anything at all. They avoided talking about Logan, but this - this was taboo. And Weevil doesn’t know what to feel about that.

And what the hell is Veronica thinking, anyway? Maybe it was the lingering effects of the drugs. What the docs call trauma? He hasn’t got a freaking clue . All he knows is that Veronica Mars had bought up the girl whose ghost seemed to have more life than most of the people walking around Neptune. And he doesn’t like to say no to Veronica Mars.

“Sometimes I think it was what she wanted me to do.” He answered, deciding to pursue this line of potential honesty, “It was probably just a way to stroke her ego. It’s not like I don’t get that, but she sure did like to paint a picture to me about how unhappy she was with him…”

“You and me both.” Veronica replied, gaze fixed away from him. “What were you supposed to tell her? That she could do so much better?”

Sometimes these days he almost forgot that Veronica had been Lilly’s best friend, that she told her everything that really mattered. Of course, that meant that he didn’t really matter. He had always known that, even when he maybe wanted to believe otherwise, but there is maybe a small part of him that wanted to hold on to the idea that maybe he did.

“Is that what you would tell me? If I said yes… If I asked you to tell me why I shouldn’t be with Logan?” Veronica turned around sharply to look him in the eyes.

“Pretty sure it would be a better option than giving you the spiel I gave her, the one that goes something like ‘I’d never let you feel alone’ and ‘Just let me show you how much better it can be.’ You know, that kind of crap.”

It was his turn to stare out the windshield, away from her. Normally he would make a joke out of it, wink and suggest that maybe she wanted that all along, for him to profess his undying love, but not now. They were both too raw.

“Tell you what. If I ever do decide I want you to talk me out of dating Logan, I’ll let you know which version of the speech I’m looking for.”

“Deal.” He agreed. He knew they would never have that conversation, or at least not that version of it. That was what Lilly wanted to hear - she got off on hearing how much he wanted her. But Veronica wasn’t Lilly. She liked having leverage of a different kind. Getting the better of someone. Oneupsmanship . Veronica wasn’t interested in the straight power of someone finding her desirable, even if she used it to her advantage if she felt it was needed.

A Song of Ice and Fire (really not Game of Thrones)

Jaime/Brienne Adventure Romance: Because this ship deserves a long plotty romance novel and I wasn’t ready to write that kind of thing in 2008 when I stopped writing them but I am now. Definitely book and not show universe. Jaime and Brienne go looking for Arya across Essos. Excerpt:

“Indeed father. He does know me. Do you not recognize Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer?”

Brienne waited for Jaime to respond to the barb, but he did not. Her father looked surprised, doubtless he had expected Brienne’s visitor to be of less consequence. She could see him going over Jaime’s features and attire, as if putting the pieces together.

“It is an honor Ser. We so rarely get such important visitors here on our humble island.”

“Doubtless, Ser Jaime is here for his reward.”

“Reward?” Lord Selwyn looked, if possible, more perplexed.

“For saving my life, father. Surely you will satisfy him.”

“He… he saved your life?”

“Yes, when I was in the bear pit at Harrenhal. Really father, you’d think you didn’t listen to a word I said about my travels.”

Her father was indeed no longer listening to her. Doubtless he was busy concocting some heroic version of her rescue that would culminate in his at long last marrying off his daughter. Brienne was sure that’s what he thought the outcome of this visit would be, though he must have known Jaime was part of the Kingsguard.

At last Jaime spoke, “You mistake me, my lady. I came seeking no reward.”

“Surely Ser, you came for something.”

“I came to see you, Brienne, for there are things I wish to discuss with you. That is all.”

“You might have sent a letter.”

“Perhaps, but it I did not. Will you walk with me? While I am here I was hoping to witness the splendor of the Sapphire Isle.”

Jon/Sansa Fake!Married Trope: Also definitely book!verse. Following Danaerys’ reconquest, both remaining Starks attempt to leave Westeros without attention. They run into each other. Excerpt:

She was undeniably lovely, with creamy skin and blue eyes he hadn't seen the like of since he left Winterfell. She stared at Ghost in surprise, but not in fear. Indeed she seemed transfixed by the direwolf as she reached her hands out to him and Ghost nuzzled his head against her. Jon was amazed; he did not think she had noticed his own approach, she seemed so distracted.

“It can't be.” She murmured to the direwolf, “But there is no mistaking you. How did you get so far?”

Jon was unsure of how to alert her to his presence without startling her, yet it seemed rude just to stand here.

“They are all gone now, aren't they? Lady, and Nymeria, and Summer, and Greywind, and even Shaggydog. Is he gone too Ghost, is that why you've found me?”

The woman sounded close to tears, and stranger yet she'd known. She had known not only Ghost but all the rest of the direwolf pups. Realization dawned on Jon and he recognized Sansa, although his half sister had grown from a pretty child to a beautiful woman since he'd last seen her. He wanted to say something, but the words caught in his mouth as he watched her fling her arms around the direwolf with a sob.

Crossovers

Restoration: Dresden Files/Revolution NBC, coauthored with @jaqofspades. Miles Matheson doesn’t remember he’s a wizard, not that it matters with all the magic gone after the blackout. Dark twisty multishipping with every kind of delicious wrong. We need to get back on writing this eventually.

Tagging: @talsi74656, @jaqofspades, @joyful-voyager, @sophia-helix, and @starfleet-vs-maquis if you guys want.

ETA: Oh I forgot one my favorite current projects!

That Massive 24th Century Trek Series Crossover AU: Which is a follow up to The Smallest Twine, in which certain details of the Cardassian Treaty get leaked before it is signed and the Federation is very nearly plunged into civil war. It continues to explore the J/C relationship from the first story in the AU but also features a lot of our favorites from TNG and DS9 as well as more of the VOY characters.

#writing #long post

29 notes · View notes

oodlyenough · 7 years

Text

oodlyenough’s completely inexhaustive list of tftbl fic recs

So I mentioned the other day that because I have read Everything in the Borderlands AO3 tag, I was happy to compile a rec list.

@auraofdawn had specifically asked for Rhys/Sasha and/or gen, but I added some others. I didn’t include any of my own fics, but fwiw I’ve written a number, usually either Rhys/Sasha as the focus or gen with Rhys/Sasha in the background. You can find mine on AO3 under the pen name thirty2flavors.

I wanted to be relatively detailed in the recs, so this is by no means exhaustive even of my personal faves, but it’s a starting point. Here’s a bunch of recs for:

Rhys/Sasha

Gen

Rhys/Fiona

Rhys/Vaughn

WIPs

Rhys/Sasha fics

For Luck by pagerunner 1.4k, teen Author’s summary: Rhys and Sasha share a little private moment before heading off to face the Traveler. Or in other words: Page indulges a few more of her romantic impulses, 'cause these two deserve it. Episode 5 interlude. Notes: I love this author’s stuff and this fic is so damn cute. Great characterization, great prose, adorable missing scene.

Different Worlds by kaletra7 5k, explicit Author summary: She slides the door a little further, and Rhys sees a naked shoulder and then an expanse of fluffy, cream towel. He, very nobly, stops himself from looking too closely, because she’s not holding the towel very tightly and there’s a slit (deliberate or not) that exposes a lot of thigh. There’s something in Sasha’s face that reads like a challenge. Like she’s daring him to approach, the way a predator might wait patiently for its prey to wander curiously into its trap. “Can you come in here for a minute?” Notes: I honestly usually don’t really care for smut because it all kind of bleeds together and sounds the same, but I really liked this piece precisely because it avoids that by giving them both such vivid characterization and by using this as a way to explore their different backgrounds. Sweet and funny and sexy.

i really really really really really really like you by WoodenDuck 1.6k, teen Author’s summary: and I want you. do you want me? do you want me too? - carly rae jepsen, 2015 Notes: Adorable post-Vault first kiss fic. I think this was the first Rhys/Sasha fic I read? Endearingly awkward and believable dialogue from both of them. Plus: bonus art!

(Sasha Hates) Pet Names by melenafrey 4k, teen Author’s summary: Rhys is intent on finding a pet name for Sasha that the both of them can agree on. Sasha is skeptical that one such pet name even exists. Notes: Funny, fluffy and adorable. I like their teasing relationship in this and it’s always nice to see Rhys/Sasha from Sasha’s perspective. I think this is set in some kind of undefined non-Pandora AU.

Bad Egg by WoodenDuck 5k, teen Author’s summary: Rhys thinks about what he wants to do and who he wants to do it for while rolling around in the garbage and eating fried eggs. Set during the Episode 3 road trip. Notes: I love episode 3 road trip fic. A sweet and funny excerpt from the getting-to-know-you stage.

Gen fics

The Pieces We Hide by pagerunner 7k, teen Author’s summary: No matter how many tales they may have told during their time in captivity, Rhys and Fiona didn't tell the Stranger--or each other--everything. Now, on the eve of their mission to rescue Gortys, Rhys decides there's a few more things about going back to Atlas that he wants Fiona to know. Notes: This is probably my favourite Borderlands fic full-stop. Love this piece. Fills in canon I wanted filled in, packs an emotional punch, great characterization, and juuust a couple hints of Rhys/Sasha to make me especially psyched. Love it. Choices and Consequences by pagerunner 5.5k, teen Author’s summary: Rhys might be having second thoughts about getting those ECHO upgrades. And Vaughn might be getting nervous for a whole lot of reasons. It's time for these two to talk it through. Set pre-game, no particular spoilers. Notes: I adore this author’s writing and this is such a good take on Rhys making the questionable decision to get a bunch of cybernetics. Rhys and Vaughn are very well characterized and the prose flows so well.

Interim by MovingPen 2k, general Author’s summary: Raising the Children of Helios was no easy task. Notes: I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about Rhys, Sasha and Fiona after Helios, and not much time thinking about Vaughn, and this fic did it for me. Great character study for Vaughn.

in my skin indigo blue by lucyrne 1.5k, general Author’s summary: Rhys shows off his tattoos to the group to prove that he’s cool. Takes place during the Episode 3 road trip montage. Vaughn isn’t paralyzed because I said so. Implied Rhysha, but mainly a fluffy, comedic gen fic. Notes: Hilarious group shenanigans.

The Pre-Teen’s Guide to Crime by clefairytea 6k, teen Author’s summary: “Fi?” “Mm?” “Are you happy like this?” Fiona turns to look at her, a strange look on her face. As though she’s looking at Sasha for the first time ever, and is surprised by what she sees. “I guess. I mean, I never thought about it. This is just what I am. A smart-alec who steals whatever’s not bolted down." -- Growing up on Pandora is complicated. Growing up on any planet is complicated, but Sasha thinks that most kids don’t grow up forging bank notes and running from the authorities. Notes: I literally haven’t even read this because I took one look and thought “this is going to be good, I am saving it for a rainy day” and uh haven’t gone back yet. (I like to hoard things, alright? My “marked for later” is a mess.) Plus I want to finish my own WIP fic about Sasha and Fiona before reading this But Sasha and Fiona gen!!! My girls!

Of Choices and Their Repercussions by Banji 7k, mature Author’s summary: Hyperion always gets their property back, no matter what or who it is. Alternate events where the team gets apprehended by Hyperion at the Atlas Facility after assembling Gortys (with allusions to the 'Trust Fiona' outcome). Notes: Oh my god please read the author’s tags, this piece so dark, so much body horror and medical trauma/torture. There’s a lot of body horror in the game that kind of skims by unremarked on and this dives right in there and then some and, uh, nothing gets better. Well-written and super effectively skin-crawlingly horrible, if you’re up for it.

Rhys/Fiona

things you said when you thought i was asleep by gortysproject <1k, general Author’s summary: fiona internalises everything until rhys is asleep. Notes: A good look into Fiona’s head and all the stuff she isn’t saying while she and Rhys are with the Stranger.

Winging It by Claranonn 24k, mature Author’s summary: The Company Man and Con Artist open the Vault of the Traveler thinking their journey together has come to an end. Little do they know just how tied together they're about to become... A series of dialogue-only vignettes exploring Rhys and Fiona's relationship post-game. Notes: I haven’t finished reading this yet, just read a couple chapters before putting it aside to get back to, but the dialogue is funny and I literally can’t think of a ship better suited to “fake married” than Rhys/Fiona. It’s hilarious even to think about. Ready to Suffer, Ready to Hope by meltokio 5k, mature Author’s summary: A collection of complete Rhyiona garbage. Notes: It’s hard to describe but there’s an atmospheric feel to a lot of these that I like a lot. I also like the take on Fiona.

Rhys/Vaughn

Safe as anywhere by queerly_it_is 20k, explicit Author’s summary: Vaughn went through his entire first year and a half of college without going to places like this, except for maybe two or three incredibly awkward attempts to socialise in the first few weeks. He’s been just fine without trying it again since, thanks, but now here he is, for the second night this week, after the two times last week. After whole semesters of literally never leaving the campus. And why? A bright cry of, “You’re here!” flies out from behind the bar once he finally, minus a few compound fractures, reaches the front of the tidal wave of people. The words hit him a split-second before Rhys’ neon grin, and Rhys’ floppy hair, and Rhys’ shirt with the sleeve cut off around his cybernetic arm and the collar stretched down enough to show the beginnings of the tattoos on his chest, the whole handkerchief’s worth of fabric generally clinging obscenely to his body. Right. Notes: The fact that I super enjoyed reading a 20k College AU about a ship that isn’t even my favourite is a good indication of the author’s talent for writing. Really good prose, good characterization, good world-building within the AU, and for once it being a Rhys/Vaughn AU wasn’t an excuse to have no mention of Sasha and Fiona. Hooray!

Taking Back Hope by fleurdeliser, ohnoktcsk, tuesdaysgone 16k, explicit Authors’ summary: The first message comes while he’s in the middle of calibrating the laser on one of his latest guns. He ignores it until he’s done, then straightens, holding out his palm and reading the message that comes up on the holoscreen. ‘Helios remembers and so will you.’ Notes: Rhys/Vaughn is the core relationship here but the whole ensemble shows up and they’re all well written which I really appreciate. Plus kidnapping/rescuing drama, everyone’s fave!

WIPs Down the Skag Hole by ShepardCommander 6.5k, 3 chapters and counting, teen Author’s summary: Rhys and Fiona are gone. Sasha and Vaughn are not. Now the kid sister and the best friend must work together if they ever want to see their sister/friend and best friend/boyfriend(?) ever again and become that which they never thought they would or could-Vault Hunters. Notes: Love this characterization of Sasha in particular, especially immediately after Rhys and Fiona disappear. Action and emotional drama and this fic seems to have gone woefully unnoticed. Should Have Said by spectre_anon 16k, 8 chapters and counting, teen Author’s summary: He should have told her. Could have, anytime... all those opportunities he's shied away from now far beyond his reach... and here he was, hands tight around Fiona's throat while Sasha shrieked in the background. And he couldn't say anything. Couldn't let them know it wasn't him, couldn't tell them he was sorry, that he screwed up... all he could do was scream in his own head while Jack laughed. (Rhys never told Fiona and Sasha about Jack. Now he's paying the price for that mistake.) Notes: All the melodramatic Jack-takes-over-Rhys drama you could want. This is the kind of scenario that I’m more or less happy we didn’t have in the game but also totally eager to explore in fic, and this iteration was a good one. Obviously, angst and tension and melodrama ahoy. Strong characterization for everyone and I think the author does a good job of making the main cast sympathetic even if they are making some poor decisions. Oh pineapples, what have you done?

Not a Maniac by Mindful Wrath -- this one is officially discontinued 25k, 11 chapters and discontinued, rated as teen but imo probably mature Author’s summary: Rhys had expected consequences for turning down Handsome Jack's offer to rule the universe side-by-side. Just . . . not these consequences. Fiona had expected Rhys to double-cross them. Just . . . not like this. Notes: So this one is officially discontinued and I haven’t even actually finished reading all of it yet because knowing it’s discontinued means I’ve been slowly parcelling it out, but I’ve liked what I’ve read, which is maybe 3/4. This is the, uh, extra dark iteration of the “Jack controlling Rhys” ep 4 scenario, so, angst angst angst, but well-characterized gutwrenching angst. The real stand-out in this fic for me was probably the ways Sasha and Fiona were written; they don’t respond identically to things and I loved them both. Various trigger warnings, check the author’s tags on AO3.

#auraofdawn #fic recs #tales from the borderlands #valoscope #i think you were also interested in this lol

26 notes · View notes