#Major character death (but it's temporary)

[deancaspinefest]

If Only You Return to Me

Author: arlingtonchamberofgay | Artist: sidewinder

Posting on Tuesday April 9

The world has been saved, yet again, but this time, Dean is forced to carry on without his best friend. His best friend, who loved him. In true Winchester fashion, Dean decides to shove down and bury his feelings about the last words that Cas said to him and the implications thereof, instead burying himself in alcohol, hunting, and stupid ass decisions. After a failed rescue attempt in the Empty, he’s forced to reassess what his life looks like without the angel. Until, one day, a run of the mill hunt goes wrong because of a small bit of rebar. Castiel somehow awakens in the Empty, much to the Shadow’s ever growing annoyance. After making a deal to return to Earth to find Dean in exchange for his grace, Cas finds himself in the same room he last saw the man. He’s devastated to discover that he’s too late, Dean is dead and in Heaven. Dean and Cas are desperate to find their way back to each other, but the universe seems to be working hard to keep them apart.

Keep reading for a sneak preview!

“Hey, I found a case close by, down in Corinth; it’s only a 35 minute drive. What do you say we go check it out?” Sam jumps at Dean’s question, considering they’ve been quietly sitting at the War Room table at their laptops for well over three hours now. Sam sips on a beer while Dean downs his 4th glass of whiskey. When Dean asks Sam about heading out on the case, his words aren’t necessarily slurred but they’re not fully coherent either.

Sam looks at his brother hesitantly. “Don’t you think you should sober up a bit?”

“‘M fine, besides not my first time drinkin a little on a hunt.”

“Have you eaten anything today? Or yesterday? Or the day before, for that matter?”

“Psh, yeah, I had a slice of pizza last night.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“And what else?” Sam looks at him expectantly.

“That’s it. That’s all I need.” To emphasize his point, Dean begins pouring himself another glass.

“Dude, besides the fact that it’s noon and you’re about to be on your fifth glass of whiskey, you haven’t eaten an actual meal in days! You look like a goddamn ghost dude.

“Look, I know that something happened before Cas was taken-”

“Don’t you /dare/ say his name.” Dean bites out, his glare piercing into Sam. /Yeah, this is bad./ Sam thinks to himself.

Sam stares at him inquisitively, trying to carefully decide his next words. “Look, whatever happened … you can’t keep beating yourself up over it, okay? Mourning him is perfectly normal, but-” He motions to the bottle and glass in Dean’s hands, “drinking ‘til you’re blind isn’t the way to deal with it. And going on a hunt drunk is just a death wish.”

“Yeah, well maybe I’ve got one,” Dean mutters to himself, but Sam hears it nonetheless. The younger Winchester sighs, gets up from the table, and heads to his room to get his bag ready for the case.

(continue reading on Ao3 on Tuesday April 9)

[occasionallyprosie]

"A Halo of Black and Red"

Legend wasn't actively hiding his pedigree from the other heroes... but he was avoiding telling them that he was a prince as long as he could. Of course, he knew it wouldn't stay secret forever, but he would put it off to avoid the eventual betrayal from the knights in the group. Finally, that not-quite-hidden secret came to light when Legend took the other heroes to Hyrule Castle. At least the reveal itself had been amusing, it's aftermath? Not so much.

Febuwhump 2024 | Prompt 14: Blood-stained Tiles

Event Masterlist

Read On AO3 Warnings: Graphic Violence, Major Character Death

As surprising as it was, Legend wasn't actively hiding anything from the other heroes.

He just wasn't up front with them. It wasn't that he was keeping secrets, if they asked he'd honestly answer, but... They didn't ask and he was not going to say it outright until he had to.

"I thought you said we were going to go see your sister," Warriors said as Legend led the way through Castle Town and up to Hyrule Castle. "Does she work at the castle?"

"I did and yes she does," Legend confirmed. Honestly it was amusing, sure he wore a dozen rings but one was his mother's signet ring, he literally had a Triforce hair clip... that was usually hidden by his hat but he's lost it in battle and taken it enough times for them to have seen it, and he's signed his name "Link Hyrule" in front of them at least a dozen times.

At this point it was a bit of a game to see how obvious he could be without outright saying who his sister was and what he was. Though, admittedly, he kept quiet for safety reasons as well.

"What does she do?" Hyrule asked curiously. "Is she... a handmaiden?"

"No, she's not a handmaiden." Legend barely held back a snort. He kept a hand rested on the magic rod on his hip as they passed the guards who shifted but didn't attack him.

"Is she someone of importance?" Wild piped up, appearing on Hyrule's other side.

"You know," he feigned thoughtfulness, "she is rather important."

"Is she older than you?" Warriors joined in on the theorizing. "Because I could see a... twenty-something year old being a general or high captain depending on their experience."

"Well..." he thought about it. "I guess she's kind of like a commander? That's not her official title, but by definition she could be a kind of commander."

Commander in chief, he supposed.

"So she's in the military?" Warriors concluded.

"In? No, she's not, but she is a great leader and she could've taken Ganon on alone if he hadn't prioritized getting her out of the way first."

"Ganon prioritized her?" Hyrule gasped. "Who--Why?!"

They reached the last door to the throne room. Legend grinned.

"Take a guess," he said as the guards pulled the door open.

Zelda was talking to Impa by her throne, but as the door was opened, she looked over and a bright smile appeared on her face.

"Link! You’re back!"

He sped up the slightest bit to meet her part way as she tackled him in a hug.

"Oh--You better not have a new scar, I've told you to be more careful!"

"I'm fine, no new scars, I've barely been injured so far. There's three idiots here who like to take hits not meant for them and I'm not one of them."

Zelda scanned his face before she nodded. "Good." She then moved to face the heroes. "Apologies--It's been several months since Link last came by the castle and I like to make sure he's alright before anything else when he does. Welcome to Hyrule Castle, I am Queen Zelda. How can I aid in your quest?"

Legend held back a laugh at the completely confused looks that were shot toward him.

"Well--Currently, we are only seeking to find a place to rest," Warriors said formally. "But we would welcome whatever information on monster sightings and movements you have."

"Of course," she did a subtle gesture and one of her handmaidens approached, "Estelle here will take you gentlemen to one of our guest wings, you may settle as you wish. Link and I will ensure tonight's dinner will accommodate all of your different dietary needs while we catch up and discuss."

"I thought we were visiting the Vet's sister?" Wild muttered to Sky.

Legend couldn't hold back the laugh while Zelda just tilted her head.

Twilight elbowed Wild but the damage was done and Zelda looked at Legend with a frown.

"You didn't tell your companions prior to bringing them here?"

"I swear it wasn't a secret--I am wearing both my ring and the hair clip."

Her frown deepened. "Your hat hides it."

"And I take my hat off all the time, it falls sometimes when I fight too. If they haven't seen it that's not my fault."

Zelda gave him a sharp look. "I told you that you need to introduce yourself."

"It's time travel and heroes of past and future," Legend defended. "I introduced myself appropriately for the situation! You said that if it doesn't call for it then I don’t need to say that whole title."

She stared him down.

"Besides," he added quickly, using his last card of defense, "half of them are knights."

Her eyes narrowed briefly, flicking toward the group, then she nodded. "Fine," she turned to the partly confused and partly very shocked group of heroes. "My apologies, it seems my little brother's lessons still haven't stuck."

"You said hero came first!" He protested, happy she wasn't going to outright mention anything.

"That doesn't mean you can neglect your position as prince!"

"Din give me strength, you’re impossible."

"You're impertinent."

"This is being impertinent? Oh I can show you impertinence."

Someone cleared their throat. "Umm--"

Zelda shot Legend a threatening look as he huffed and turned away. She turned to the other heroes with a graceful smile.

"My apologies again, as you can tell, Prince Link and I often have points of conflict in regards to his responsibilities. Please, follow Estelle. She will also be the one to fetch you for dinner."

"Of course," Warriors said as he grabbed Sky's arm. "Thank you for your hospitality, your majesty."

Legend rolled his eyes, that was also part of the reason he didn't introduce himself fully when they met. The unnecessary formality was a small part, but a part nonetheless.

Estelle led them away, Legend avoided Sky's eyes very stubbornly and the moment they were gone, Zelda turned on him.

"Are you safe with them?" She demanded. "Knights? Link, you--"

"I am well aware, Zel." Not introducing himself as a prince had been a choice, and it was one made in self defense, even if he defended otherwise in front of the heroes.

He supposed he would find out how they treated Hyrulean Princes soon enough, if one of them tried to kill him anytime soon, at least he would know why.

"Are you safe?" She repeated.

He nodded. "I am." He didn't confess how unsure he was of that fact, it was a point of uncertainty, whether the knights of the heroes would kill him because of his heritage and gender, but he wasn't telling his rather protective older sister that.

She sighed softly and nodded. "Good." She gestured for him to walk with her. "Then tell me about this quest, these... heroes?"

He sighed softly. "Well..."

He reluctantly had put his cap away--look, it was representative of his sanity, he was emotionally attached to that thing--and fixed his hair into something nice and not as practical, triforce clip a bit more on display as a result.

Dinner came and there was more meat than Legend was used to seeing on these platters, but he had been the one to alert the chefs that most of their guests enjoyed meat, majority of which on the rare side, and another few liked fish.

Sky had stubbornly taken the seat beside Legend and when dinner began and Zelda ate, he finally prodded the subject.

"You never said anything," he said quietly, other conversations flowing around them.

Legend shrugged.

"You’re the one who figured it out and said it, why didn't you tell me?" It being the fact that Sky was the patriarch of the royal bloodline.

"I didn't think it was important," he lied.

"You didn't think it was important that you’re my descendant?" Sky hissed, if Legend didn't know better he was hurt.

Except Legend did know better and he was avoided those bright blue eyes because if he met them he knew he'd see how hurt Sky felt at his omission.

"Is it?" He managed instead.

"Yes."

He somehow didn't show the wince he felt. "Oh."

"You--" Sky seemed to be struggling and he kept glancing at the wider table. Legend had a feeling this was a conversation meant to be had in private.

So he sighed and stood. "S'cuse us, Zel."

Zelda waved him off as she continued her conversation with Four about... some book?

Sky was quick to follow him, Impa moved to as well but Legend subtly gestured for her to stay. She did, turning her attention back to Zelda.

They stepped out into the hall where the guards didn't linger.

"Why don’t you think it's important?" Sky asked, and he sounded hurt. He sounded so genuinely hurt.

"Because..." because princes were believed to be the scourges of the goddess' bloodline, because since as far as he could remember he had been told that the goddess had no sons, and he'd believed it because he was unaware he was her son. Because he didn't fully trust the knights in their group to not kill him now that they know.

Sky visibly faltered. "You clearly don't mind your sister--Am I the reason you..."

"No! No--It's not-- I'm... I'm not against my heritage or anything," Legend insisted. "I'm not ashamed of being--Zelda's brother, I'm really not. It's just..."

"Just what? Is it Hylia?"

"No. Sky, I didn't even know her name before meeting you. She was just the... the goddess born mortal, the first queen of Hyrule, its divine protector who chose mortality to be with her lover. It's just--Princes are not considered a good thing, they--we are considered the scourges of--"

CRASH

Glass shattering echoed through the hall, followed by a scream, his left hand burned and he ran back to the banquet hall.

The doors slammed open and, though he noticed the shattered window and Four and Wild both leaping out of it as Warriors had a guard pinned, his eyes set on Impa kneeling on the ground beside Zelda's fallen chair.

He ran across the room, Pegasus Boots spurring him into near teleporting across it to see a sight he had never, in his life, wanted to see.

No, no, no.

Zelda laid on the cold tile floor and blood pooled around her head like some demented halo.

Amethyst eyes that were mirrors of his own was staring blankly at the far wall, unblemished features marred by the blood that soaked the right side of her face.

A black blade made of shadows melted back into the darkness from the hole in Zelda's head.

Some part of Legend brokenly laughed at the irony, she had a halo now, as if her crown hadn't been enough. A halo of blood and darkness behind her head, a representation of the darkness, death, and destruction she held back with that bright light of hers.

"I'm sorry, Link," Impa croaked, the heroes in a chaotic circle with potions and fairies but none of them moved. It was obvious nothing could be done, Twilight helped Warriors with the guard but Legend could already feel the dark magic on him. "I didn't..."

Her voice became a background noise, a background ringing as his thoughts grew frantic.

Why didn't he notice?

He was gone for ten seconds.

How could this have happened?

No, no, no--

"Zelda?" His voice escaped him and he sounded like none of the last seven years ever happened, like he was still that ten year old child who had found Zelda asleep like the dead in that bed in Kakariko.

"Vet, I'm so sorry," Hyrule whispered.

She can't be dead. She can't be.

She wasn't supposed to die before him. She was supposed to live here in the castle, safe and leading their people, she wasn't the one constantly running head-first into the dangers that plagued Hyrule. She wasn't the one returning to the castle soaked in blood, a new scar marring her body every time. She wasn't the one who--

She wasn't supposed to die first.

"No," he whispered, kneeling down beside his older sister. There was a tiny splash as his knees hit the blood puddle and a brief flash of pain from them hitting the hard tile. "No--Zelda don't you do this."

"She's dead, Link. I'm so sorry," Hyrule said as he stepped away.

Legend shook his head. "No! No she--" his voice broke.

"You can't revive the dead, Link," Impa said weakly. "She's gone..."

He could though. He could revive the dead, or rather...

He held his left hand over her forehead. "Watch me."

He heard Hyrule say something and felt a hand land on his shoulder.

Come on, ladies, you owe me one. Farore, Nayru, Din--Don’t take her too.

Light coursed through him and he felt his Triforce absorb it, he felt the familiar caress of time, the whispers of secrets, and the moving of seasons.

The single triangle on his hand blossomed into three, all of them glowing bright.

Zelda gasped. Amethyst eyes glittered again with life and she shot up. Legend dropped his hand and pulled her into a hug as she gasped and coughed blood onto his tunic.

"Link?" She breathed. "How--"

"You’re not allowed to leave me yet," he whispered, pulling back and pressing his forehead against hers, not caring for the blood that covered her and now him. "You're not dying first."

"Oh, Link." She let out a shaky breath, clinging to him. She was shaking something awful, and Legend couldn't fault her for it. She had died. "Impa is here--Go."

He nodded before standing. Impa was quick to swoop in and pull Zelda into her protective arms, tears streaming down her cheeks. His Impa was not the warrior of the Captain's era, or anyone else's Impa, she was a matron, a nursemaid, a protector as much as any mother but not a warrior.

Legend went to the window and looked out. Four and Wild were long gone, Wind apparently giving chase as well. He didn't know what happened, but he knew there was one set of clues far closer.

He turned from the window to the guard that Twilight still had restrained.

He didn't even draw his sword, just took steps toward them both and the guard made a strangled, terrified noise and instead of trying to get away from Twilight, he scrambled back toward the Rancher.

Legend grabbed the strap of his helmet and Twilight quickly backed off as he slammed the guard to the ground, anger fueling him more than his power bracelets ever could.

"So," he growled as Impa, Sky, Hyrule, and Warriors rushed Zelda from the room, which left Legend with just Twilight and Time... And the traitor. "Who decided it was a good idea to try and assassinate my sister?"

The guard sobbed out his terror. "I don’t know! I just had to break the magic off the windows! That's all!"

"Why?"

"They paid me! They paid me!" He screamed, as if Legend had been torturing the answers out of him, but he hadn't even touched him beyond throwing him to the ground. "Please--Your highness--"

"Don’t beg," he snarled. "Congratulations, you can tell your employer his plan succeeded. He killed the Queen--He just didn't account for me and just how much power I hold in the palm of my hand."

He trembled and stared up at Legend, Legend could see the dark magic in his eyes and the broken glass in his hand... The Shadow, the Shadow had given him that power to destroy a Triforce-formed shield of protection.

"Y-You’re letting me go?"

"If your target had been me, then I might've. But since you decided to go for her--You can go to hell. I'll send that employer of yours along soon enough so you can relay that message."

Black blood soaked the tile floor when Legend drove his blade into his throat.

"We could've gotten more information out of him," Time admonished.

Legend turned his attention to the elder hero. He raised his sword up and drove it down again, causing more blood to splatter and the body to twitch, not looking away from his eyes.

"If you couldn't tell since you’re half blind," Legend started lowly, "he is black blooded. I personally am not sparing a person so juiced up on pure darkness to the point they could take down Hyrule Castle's magic defenses on the off chance of gaining information."

He stabbed the body again, blood gushing and splattering across the tile floor, staining it and his blade, his hands, and his boots.

"You think The Shadow would've let this guy near us if he had actual information? No."

He raised his blade to stab again when Twilight caught his hand.

"He's already dead," the Rancher croaked, and Legend noticed how pale he looked. "Zelda's alright, the threat's gone f'r now. It's fine... Breathe, Vet. It's alright. Just--Breathe, calm down."

Legend blinked, he stared at Twilight, confusion hitting him and the haze of red, of protect and avenge faded away.

Suddenly the black blood staining polished stone tile wasn't vindicating, it didn't feel good to see, it felt awful. The body in front of him was a gruesome scene, bloodied and its face a permanent expression of fear.

It was horrific, disgusting, and he felt dirty and wrong just knowing he caused it. Zelda's blood still soaked the floor too.

Twilight gingerly took his sword from his hand and Legend realized distantly that he was shaking.

"Vet--Hey, Link, look at me," Twilight said gently. "It's okay. Everyone is safe, they're alright. The Captain, the Traveler and the Skyloftian has Zelda, nobody's gonna be able to hurt her with them right there protectin' her. You need to breathe."

He was covered in blood, soaked in it, some of it was Zelda's, some of it the traitorous guard's, but nonetheless his clothes were saturated in blood, Fi's golden blade was hidden beneath the black ichor, even his skin was covered... his hands and his legs and he knew his face was too.

"Sorry," he managed to say with a somewhat even voice. "I... I lost myself there."

"We noticed," Time stated. "It happens. Your anger will get the best of you..."

Legend wiped his face off a bit, it didn't help, only smeared the blood and made him feel even worse.

"I... I should clean this up," he said weakly. "The servants don’t deserve to deal with this mess."

"You should go clean yourself up, and then go to your sister," Twilight corrected. He moved forward and directed Legend out of the room, and he let the older hero do it.

He couldn't tear his eyes away from the blood soaking into the tile, the body, the puddle of Zelda's blood.

Zelda died.

His sister died, she did. It was only because the goddesses owed him one that she was alive right now, but that didn't change the fact that she died.

He didn't protect her. He had been too busy trying to fix his own mistakes to be there and protect her.

He hadn't been there.

And now there was a puddle of her blood soaking into the floor, and the only reason she wasn't laying there and adding more blood to it was because the goddesses owed him a favor.

Yet he couldn't shake the thought that he was the reason she had ever been in danger in the first place.

[loveinhawkins]

connected to this

Sometime during the bat-proofing of his Upside Down trailer, Eddie’s hit with a wave of vertigo so bad his ears ring.

He has to stop in his tracks, clinging onto the chain-link fence with one hand. He lets his head hang low until the dizziness passes. Breathes slowly.

At first he thinks the faint thudding noise is just an after-effect, but then he glances up to see Dustin scrambling onto the trailer roof.

“What’re you doing?” Eddie asks blankly. “We’re not going up there until—”

He breaks off at the look Dustin gives him over his shoulder—eyes bright with a frenzied determination.

“We’ve gotta block the vents,” Dustin says.

There’s something… off with his voice, Eddie thinks. He can’t put his finger on it.

“Okay,” he says hesitantly. “Good thinking, man.”

He joins Dustin on the roof, just watches him for a couple seconds, perplexed: he’s working so fast.

Too fast.

Eddie’s heart jumps into his throat when Dustin loses his footing; he yanks him back from the edge in a flash, forces out a chuckle, “Woah, hey, take it easy. We’ve got plenty of time.”

Dustin doesn’t look at him, doesn’t even acknowledge that he’s heard.

But he’s holding onto Eddie’s wrist so tightly Eddie swears his bones creak.

The ‘concert’ goes fine—Dustin delivers his countdown with precision, but his eyes always slide to a point that’s just slightly to the left of where Eddie actually is.

What the hell did I do? Eddie thinks.

He can’t come up with an answer.

“One!” Dustin bellows, and they’re off; Eddie makes sure Dustin’s always in front of him, feels like their feet barely touch the ground…

And then they’re inside.

We’ve made it.

Eddie sinks against a wall, breathless. “H-holy shit—”

“Shh!”

Dustin’s standing, one hand up. Listening intently.

The sheer noise of the bats on the roof is awful—scratching, clawing, chattering. Like mice in the walls, but a million times worse.

Eddie suffers through thirty seconds of not talking before it bursts out of him, and maybe it’s tempting fate, but he can’t help it, the panicked urge to voice it is too great, “I think—think everything’s holding. They’re…” He swallows. “They’re not gonna get in.”

Dustin nods faintly.

But there’s a rigidness to him that sets the hairs on the back of Eddie’s neck on end. He looks like a hound on the scent. Ready to bolt.

“Hey, um…” Eddie stands and nods up to the Gate meaningfully. “Think we’ve done all we can, Henderson. We were good decoys, and… uh, no deviations, remember?”

Dustin laughs. It’s a terrible noise; Eddie’s never heard him sound bitter before.

“Oh, now you want to go,” he says with uncharacteristic venom—but Eddie knows all too well how that can mask a deep, unimaginable terror.

Eddie opens his mouth—intending to reassure, to say something, anything—before he realises that above them, it’s all gone quiet.

Dustin comes to the same discovery a millisecond after he does. “What’s…” He trails off and finally looks Eddie right in the eyes.

He sprints to the front door, pulls it open.

Eddie curses. “Are you insane? Get back, shut the—”

But the only thing that comes through the doorway is the chill of The Upside Down.

A rumble of thunder. The bats screech, but it sounds like…

“They’re leaving,” Dustin says numbly. “Why are they leaving?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Eddie says, even though he feels sick to his stomach. “That’s not for us to—hey! Dustin, don’t!”

He lunges forward, but he’s not quick enough; Dustin slips right through his fingers, and Eddie watches in horror as he tears across the trailer park, and Eddie follows, of course he does, but he’s always a step behind, always too late to help—

The bats grow louder and louder. Lightning illuminates them, a monstrous cloud in the sky: they’re circling up ahead, and it makes Eddie think of vultures and carrion.

And he sees…

Dustin lets out this wail, a painful keen; Eddie feels it reverberate inside his chest, almost as if it comes from him too.

He catches up (too late, too late), and suddenly he is Wayne, pulling a child into his arms, urging brokenly, “Don’t look, don’t look,” even though when told that any kid’s first instinct is to—

“Let me go!” The scream sounds like it’s tearing Dustin’s throat, splitting him in two. A grief too much to hold. “Let me go, you asshole—Steve! Steve, please.”

“D-Dustin. You can’t help, he’s—” Eddie’s eyes burn. “He’s beyond…”

One solitary chime.

Eddie shudders, almost laughs—because if there was to be a vision designed to torment him, surely it would be this one; God, he’ll take it, he’ll take anything so long as it meant—

But Dustin freezes in his arms, and Eddie knows that he can see the clock, too.

With a gut-wrenching cry, Dustin fights to break away again.

“Don’t,” Eddie repeats, but it’s no use; Dustin hits him right in the jaw.

He falls to the ground, but the pain is nothing to the tug he suddenly feels in the back of his mind; he thinks of when Steve whispered, “He's here. Henderson. That little shit, he's here. He's like… He's in the walls or something. Just listen,” and Eddie could only stare in bewilderment, because some things are just impossible, aren’t they?

Aren’t they?

Eddie pushes himself up with his hands.

Dustin’s not running towards Steve.

He’s running towards the clock.

Until… he isn’t. He just stops, halfway to it. He looks over his shoulder, looks back at Eddie with heartbreaking uncertainty.

“I can—I can do it, right?”

It shouldn’t make sense—it doesn’t make sense, but Eddie inexplicably finds his mouth opening.

As if from somewhere deep within, he says, “Sure you can.” He doesn’t understand where the words are coming from, is just abruptly certain that he believes them with all his heart. “I know you can.”

Dustin takes a deep breath. He nods.

Runs.

Eddie watches him go—he doesn’t look away, not until the world is lit up, a burning white, and he simply can’t do it anymore.

[im-totally-not-an-alien-2]

Danny and Damian twins au where Danny died and became a halfa on a mission to kill Vlad Masters. He succeeded but the portal blew up with him inside it due to some of the machines in the lab being damaged in the fight that happened not too long ago.

Danyal gets stuck in the Infinite Realms with amnesia and wanders around helping people and learning things about this new world like a video game protagonist.

Damian thinks he'll never get to see his baby brother again and blames himself since it was his job as the older brother to protect him. Damian life continues as normal and he eventually meets Jon otherwise known as superboy.

Jon reminded him so much of his late brother. It hurt. Damian found himself testing the boy just to make sure this wasn't a cruel trick or some sort by throwing things at him that Danyal definitely would have dodged or asking "innocent" questions. Even after he was satisfied that Jon wasn't a clone or anything he found himself more or less trying to turn Jon into Danyal. He offered him Daniel's favorite snacks and to play his favorite things and even got confused for a second when Jon didn't immediately know what he was talking about when Damian mentioned the constellations above Damians childhood home.

It wasn't even like Jon physically resembled Danyal either. Sure they both had black hair and blue eyes-as compared to Damians green- but it was thier personalities that confused him and threatened to drag him into the deep sea of grief he had kept bottled up in his heart all these years.

He needed to get away from Jon.

His heart wouldn't let him.

It was in Damians 14th year of life that his brothers and sister died. Unable to cope with this he brings them to the Lazarus pit where Jason attempted to stop him from reviving the rest of thier siblings in fear they would turn out like him.

Somehow the both of them got thrown/ fell into the pit with the bodies and something unexpected happened. Sure, thier siblings were revived and screaming but they were now on a floating island in a wierd green dimention that looked suspiciously like Lazarus water.

[ladykailitha]

My goodness, I am on the angst train lately with Steddie, Jesus Christ.

Reading “The Sun and the Star” by Rick Riordan like you do and I’m reminded of Frank Zhang (not that he’s in it or at least not that I’ve seen I’m not that far in) and his stick of life.

And it got me thinking of Steve. The protector. And how he made a deal with something. Something stronger than him. A god, a demon, whatever, Steve isn’t interested in the details. He just wants a way to protect the people he loves. So this being grants it to him. On one condition. That every time he steps in front of the people he loves to protect them, a bit of his life will burn up. Shortening his life.

Steve agrees. What his life to theirs?

Wicked this being is though and ties his life force to the nail bat. He burned up so much throwing himself in front of the Russians for Robin. It’s now nearly the size of a Coke bottle.

Standing in front of Vecna between the evil and his home town, Steve was sure that was it. That it would finally end his life. But it wasn’t quite.

There is still a bit left. A chewed up pencil’s worth of wood. It’s not much.

Eddie survives. The town survives. Everyone survives. But changing hearts is hard and people still blame Eddie even though he was proven innocent.

A group of teens corner Eddie and start threatening him. Steve gets between them and talks them down. Gets them to back off. Then he turns to Eddie, face ashen and says, “I’m glad that worked, otherwise I don’t think I would have been able to fight them off...” and faints.

Eddie runs to his side, confused and upset. He screams for help and Robin comes running. She explains the curse, frantically searching for the stick.

Next to his heart is a piece of blackened wood the size of matchstick and she lets out a wail. It burns in her hands as she picks it up. Steve is dying.

Eddie wraps his hands around hers. “He can’t go,” he cries. “I love him.”

Just then Dustin and the other kids show up on their bikes and rush to Steve’s side.

“Is it--?” Dustin asks, not sure he get the words out. But Robin knows and she nods.

Dustin and the others each place a hand over Eddie’s, each muttering their goodbyes and telling Steve how much they love him.

Not every who loves Steve is there. But enough.

Steve lets out his last breath and it glows gold. Warm and caring just like the boy it left behind. The breath clings to their combined hands.

Eddie gasps when he sees it and forces their hands to Steve’s chest. That’s where it belongs. Not with them, with Steve. The true heart of the party.

The being watches from a distance, smug and satisfied as Steve comes gasping and coughing to life.

[jamietarttsnorthernattitude]

⭐️⭐️ for anything you would like to talk about!

Okay, okay so I am getting some more inspiration for writing all you can take with you is that which you have given away.

I struggled with giving Roy a reason to wish he’d never been born. So, my only thought meant I had to (spoilers under the cut):

(cw death)

KILL JAMIE.

Temporarily.

Roy and Jamie get in a fight. Jamie’s in a car accident and dies. Roy blames himself and wishes he’d never been born.

Georgie and Simon came straight from the airport, after waiting for Jamie to pick them up not realising he’d never come. Georgie wore a ridiculous Christmas jumper, one she knew always made Jamie laugh. Seeing her in a bright red top, gaudy bedazzled reindeer on the front, in the cold atmosphere of the morgue was almost enough to make Roy believe he’d fallen into some perverse hell.

This was hell for Roy Kent. A living hell where Jamie would never smirk at him or stick out that stupid tongue of his or show up wearing the most ridiculous outfit Roy had ever seen. The next thing Jamie wore he’d be buried in, in a closed casket at that. The weight of that suddenly hung heavy on Roy’s head. How could they begin to pick out clothes that would honor Jamie’s spirit?

Maybe they should bury him in his England kit. Jamie played his first World Cup only a few weeks earlier. He scored a goal and the Greyhounds a continent away exploded in cheers like they won the FA Cup. Now those same teammates would be pallbearers. The smiles would be replaced with tears, and someone, for surely no one would want it to be Roy, would attempt to eulogize the most vibrant, talented and loyal man Roy had ever met.

[whumperstorm]

"What does death feel like?" Fey asked.

The human gaped. "What?"

Fey pointed a long finger at it's chest. "Mortals can die. You are a mortal. What does it feel like?"

Aa usual, the human leaned away from xer touch. Xey allowed it as it was not the focus right now. "W-well I've not, I haven't died before, so- I wouldn't know."

"Allow me to kill you then, so you can experience it."

"W-what?!" The human exclaimed, hazel eyes wide. "N-no! You can't!"

Xey chuckled. Humans were always so strange. Claiming things that can or cannot be done, even against all logic. The little things were so simple and charming. "Yes, I can. It would be very simple." Just as easy as all the other things xey had done to the human already.

The human backed away further, up against the wall of it's cage. "No I mean... death is- it's not like... eating or sleeping," other mortal things Xey had inquired about in the past, "It's permanent!"

"Nothing is permanent here, little one, I'd have thought you'd understand that by now." Fey wondered if it would ever understand. "Allow me to give you death."

The human cowered against the wall. It's face was pale with terror. "N-no thank you." It sqeaked, almost too quiet to hear.

"Why are you afraid?" Xey ask. "Does death inflict the "pain" you've told me about?"

The human shut it's eyes tight, it's breathing picking up speed. "Y-yes it does. Or, well, the lead up to it. I don't know what death is like once it happens! P-people say it's supposed to be peaceful. But no one can say for sure bec-because after you die you're gone." It looked back up at Xem with wet, pleading eyes. "Please. I don't want to do this. Please!"

"Do not fear. I will remove your pain for this. I'm not interested in that concept at the moment. Only the death itself."

"Please.... don't...".

"Pay attention, I want to know all the details when you return."

In an instant, they human's fragile little body collapsed to the floor like a doll. It's eyes, a moment ago filled with so much emotion and life, now dull and blank and staring lifelessly past xem. Xey loved the human for it's expressiveness and how easy and amusing it was to get a reaction from it. This was jarring, even for xem. But very, very exciting. A cold, terrifying concept xey couldn't wait to play with more.

Just as quickly, color returned to the human's face as it took a deep, gasping breath. It scrambled up from the ground, eyes darting around the room wildly before focusing on Fey. It was silent for a moment. Motionless.

Then it screamed.

In the end, Fey removed the memory of death from the human's mind. It's angonized wailing was unending and no matter when Fey said or did, the little creature would not calm. Xey were so curious to know what it saw that caused it such raw terror. But, xe needed to be patient. Xey would try again later, when the human's mind was more broken. Easier to mold. When xer pet could better handle the mental state that is brought about by death.

[sil-and-seals-blog-something]

OKAY OKAY OKAY

Brain made a DPxDC prompt, so I’m dropping it here before maybe sleeping-

——

Danny didn’t think to hard on what having reality open on him would mean. At most, it could be rationalized that it was simply the reason for him being so quick to grow in power. But, the something happened. He can’t truly remember yet, not with the weird fabric feeling everything has right now. That was off track, need to keep on track. Yes yes, something happened, can’t remember what, but Danny knows that… he was both ended and killed.

Or, at least he thought so at first, and he was technically correct, but there was more. He felt like he was pulled back to something. His body and core were gone, but he was still around.

Now, if only he could figure out how to reform and get away from all this nasty ectopla- oh! A bay ghost? Liminal? Can’t tell, maybe they can help hi- oh no. Danny did not mean to get himself trapped in the liminal? Or baby ghost? Truly! Oh this isn’t going to be easy. Not at all… at least there’s more progress than before? Maybe? Sorta? He can’t really tell and… huh, things are getting a little fuzzy…

——

Or-

Due to Danny having reality open upon him and fusing with him, the Infinite Realms considers Danny apart of it and basically pulls autosaves on him. Some “data” is a little corrupted with the abrupt transfer from his fading body to the ectoplasmic lining. Doesn’t help that he ended up near one of the areas that drain into the Lazarus Pits. Or that Danny tried latching onto the catatonic Jason when he was dunked in. Or that Danny is without a proper core and unable to filter the nastiness of the Lazarus Pits that he may have dragged with him by accident.

Aka, Danny gets funky autosaves and is why Jason’s Pit Rage has stuck around for so long.

——

Do as you please with this.

[profoundbondfanfic]

The Law of Equivalent Exchange

The Law of Equivalent Exchange by awed_frog @awed-frog Rating: Mature Word Count: 60k

“And what’s the point of it?” “Of love? There isn’t one. Loving is its own purpose.”

This fic is poetic and deeply touching in a way that truly just has to be experienced. It's just a breathtakingly beautiful love story.

Cas, Angel of Tears, is assigned to watch over two brothers, tied together and experiencing hundreds of lifetimes of sorrow and joy in preparation for some mysterious Heavenly plan. His mission is to watch over a green-eyed boy, to guide him into each next life. The human doesn't know, doesn't remember (mostly), but it's impossible to ignore the growing bond between them. Cas finds himself inexorably changed by watching the many lives he experiences. 

The fic ties into canon (so you should be familiar with canon to truly enjoy it) to make some of the iconic scenes even more emotional. 

It all comes together to tell an unforgettable story of love and devotion that had me crying by chapter 2, and it has a soft, beautiful ending that will stick with me for awhile.

[occasionallyprosie]

"Choosing Your Path"

Chapter 1: "Lives Taken"

Event Masterlist

Next>>

"Why can't you ever just use a map! Follow the path!" Legend complained, Hyrule grinning in front of him. "Why would I even bother? It's so much more fun to not! I make my paths," Hyrule declared as he laughed. Legend covered his eyes with a hand. "You’re exhausting. "I'm the Traveler and I choose my own paths! No map can tell me what to do!"" He mocked. Hyrule just laughed at him. ...Legend wasn't laughing anymore.

Febuwhump 2024 | Alt Prompt 10: Last Man Standing

Read On AO3

Warnings: Graphic Violence, Major Character Death

They were set up for failure, Legend realized.

For starters, they were in Hyrule's era, which already was bad for them. Secondly, they were ambushed in a ravine area, high, steep slopes on two sides and monsters closing in on all four.

"Get a vantage point!" Warriors yelled. Legend whipped out his switch hook, hissed at Hyrule to swing at him, then shot at one of the archers overhead.

He switched places, only disoriented for a moment before he was drawing the first blood with Hyrule carving his switched monster apart.

Wild scaled the other side of the ravine, Legend trusted him to handle it.

He whipped out his fire rod and sent a strong blast along the ridge and at least knocking over a dozen monsters. With his general area cleared, he drew his bow and shot down a monster running down the bottom of the ridge.

They had a strong start.

He heard Four scream, he saw the smithy get thrown into the wall of the ridge. Rocks crumbled toward him and it was a pure shot of instinct that had him throwing a hand out and shooting as much magic as he could.

With the intention to protect, a magic shield formed above Four, and the rocks bounced off it.

He'd never done that before, but quickly jerked the shield larger, over the whole group, and angled it before the rocks fell again.

A few boulders crushed the incoming swarm of monsters.

"Thanks Vet!" Four called.

"Don’t make me do it again!" He called back, drawing back his bow and shooting one of the lizalfos on Wild's ridge.

A wizzro appeared across from Legend and set a magic sphere at him. It wasn't the basic elements, but it crackled with dark magic.

Alright new shield magic don’t fail now-- he pulled it up and the sphere slammed into it. Instead of bouncing off, however, it pressed further and Legend had to pour more magic to maintain the shield.

Then it exploded and the magic, though it didn't touch him, the force sent him flying back into the ravine.

"VET!" Someone screamed, Hyrule, he was pretty sure.

Thankfully, he wasn't dazed. He twisted and landed... still very badly, but not awful. He managed to roll, which sucked on rocky ground, and as a result only his shoulder was screaming in pain. He got back up as quick as he could, forcing his shoulder back into position then drawing his sword.

He heard something slam--metal crunched and Twilight screaming.

Time was injured. He looked over and sure enough, a daira had gotten to the old man. An axe had sunk into his side. Legend saw him slice off the daira's head with that giant sword of his, but he lost vision of them.

Hyrule pressed against his back. "I can't get to them!"

Legend dug out his switch hook again, his best and favorite option at getting through thick hordes of enemies, and shoved it into Hyrule's chest.

"Switches places with the target! Do what you have to."

Hyrule startled, then he nodded and launched the switch hook.

Next thing Legend knew, beside him was a lizalfos and he was cutting it down.

"CUB LOOK OUT!"

A sinking pit formed in Legend's chest, he chanced a glance up and saw Wild dodging an arrow only to get caught in the ribs by a flying javelin.

"NO!" Twilight cried.

Legend cursed. Sky was already hookshotting up and defending Wild.

We're not winning this, Legend realized. Even if we do kill them all.

He had to put distance between himself and the group. He had to pull out his stronger items and abilities, this could go much more quickly if he could.

The Bombos Medallion and Quake were just out of the question, Ether would do just fine.

The temperature dropped several degrees as ice exploded ahead of Legend.

An arrow whizzed past his ear, slicing it open. He hissed, covering the bleeding with a hand and slashing his frigid blade ahead of him.

He heard a yell. "CHOSEN'S DOWN!"

How?! He was--That's Time, Wild, and Sky. Oh goddesses, he really had to pick up the slack, and he had to do it now.

A whole minute passed before Legend forgone any option of holding back. Right before he made that decision, he heard Hyrule call out for the Captain, and then the Smithy cried out in pain.

Five down. That left the Sailor, Traveler, and the Rancher.

That's when he dropped any bars, newly discovered shield forming behind him, he released a pure explosion of flame and force in front of him.

The ravine shuddered, he staggered from using two medallions but still turned around and tried to take out the monsters he'd protected in efforts of saving his brothers from the explosion.

"SAILOR GET--" Twilight's voice cut out and was covered by a scream.

Legend actually could see the blood now. Four was unmoving with a huge, moblin-wielded mace on his chest. Warriors was trying to get up with four arrows in his back and a fifth in his chest, Legend couldn't even react fast enough before a sword impaled his stomach and he watched the light dim from the captain's eyes. Time was unmoving not far from Hyrule, who was yet untouched, thank the goddesses. Legend wasn't sure if Time had been healed or he was dead. Wild was crumbled on the ground, the spear still in his chest and Legend could see his blank eyes.

Sky was getting back to his feet, tearing a blade from his chest. He raised his blade upward and Legend watched him let out a battle cry as lightning split from the heavens and in a similar display of his own, blasted the monsters that had come from the other side of the ravine.

He collapsed right after. Legend finally spotted Wind, who had a huge gash almost bisecting him from his shoulder to his hip.

Twilight didn't last a minute later than the sailor. Legend was caught off guard by a pair of bright gold lizalfos, taking a spear to the side and barely dodging the sharp tongue. At that moment, from the corner of his eye he spotted Twilight get caught by a ball and chain, sent into the rocky wall, and he didn't get back up.

Legend blinked and Hyrule replaced the lizalfos beside him, spinning and slashing through a nearing moblin.

Their backs met.

"Just us still standin'?" Hyrule asked and Legend noticed the blood seeping down his head and how quickly his tunic was becoming soaked, a deep gash in it. He must've just been hit.

Legend nodded. "If any of the others are, I haven't seen or heard them."

"Well--I got your back."

"I got yours."

He wanted to get to Twilight, cover him until he got back up, but that was just not an option. Even with his and Sky's powerful attacks, monsters still flooded in. It was an army in the ten thousands, and Legend didn't know how many he had killed, but it was in the single thousands now, and he was matching his total kill counts from each adventure.

Hyrule must be used to unending battles like this too, and considering they were in his era, most of the monsters were ones both of them were well familiar with.

Legend didn't know how they were the last ones left, luck or what, skill? Maybe, but he knew the other heroes should've been right beside them still too.

Maybe the other heroes were more used to different battle styles, now that he thought about it. If any of them ever had to fight such a large horde, they probably had companions and therefore trusted someone to have their back and to cover their missteps. The only exception was Sky, but Legend didn't even know what took the Chosen down the first time, and he'd seen him collapse after his display of power, which had been a last ditch effort to help. Warriors was used to companions, Wild probably wasn't but he had admitted to depending on stealth to handle large masses, the Sailor and Rancher definitely weren't used to this, nor was the Smithy, and Time? Legend never knew anything about Time, but he knew the old man had been hit early, so considering how well he'd noticed his defense was, Time was probably targeted off the bat.

The difference between Legend and Hyrule, and the rest of the heroes, was first, they'd all agreed their monsters were just generally stronger, faster, and more dangerous. It came from the saturation of darkness because of Ganon's victory and reign. Wild was the same. The second difference was that, for Hyrule, he didn't have any companions so fighting to this extent alone was his usual, and for Legend, he had the experience. He hadn't fought a battle to this level, not this many opponents, but similar enough that it was like he was doing the smaller group over and over again. That, he was familiar with.

Legend lost count, he lost track of how many monsters he cut down. Just that he and Hyrule had to move before they were stuck atop a pile of dead bodies.

He grew exhausted soon enough, then he lost track of his brother.

He took an arrow to the arm at some point.

The battle went on for so long his magic had replenished enough for him to use a fire rod.

Eventually, he sliced through a monster and staggered. He expected another one to follow and yet...

Yet it was done.

Hyrule was still standing too, Legend wondered how they'd survived.

He pulled the arrow from his bicep as he staggered toward Hyrule, who was swaying.

"Rulie?" He called.

Hyrule turned, and with blood soaking his features, he smiled. "Hey... hey Vet."

"Hey--RULIE!" He dove forward and caught him as he collapsed. "No, no--come on, hold on. You’re not supposed to die before me, that's not how being my successor works."

"I'm sorry," Hyrule breathed softly. "I couldn't save the old man... Had to stop to keep fighting... I'd be surprised if any of them survived at this point."

Legend would be to. He'd also be surprised if either of the two of them survived their wounds, especially since the group had ran out of potions two days ago.

"But..."

He raised his hand to Legend's face and Legend froze as he felt his magic.

"Don’t you--No!" His wounds healed, faster than Hyrule usually could heal which meant-- No. his hand was glowing gold.

Hyrule caught his hand. "I... I choose my path, right? No maps make me do anything."

How dare he use Legend's teases against him?! Now?!

"J-Just make sure my body's burned, kid."

"You're barely a year older than me you jerk! Don't do this!" Legend begged, as if that would change anything.

His body flashed gold and Legend could feel the divinity that always encased his successor fade, the Triforce released from its protector to wherever the goddesses wanted it.

Hyrule was gone.

Legend was unhurt, he realized that as he got up, standing over the whole massacre.

He looked around, monster bodies were finally just about gone... and he could see the bodies of his brothers, all dead... all gone.

How--goddesses how--was he the last man standing?

"I can fix it for you," a voice spoke up from behind him and he spun. He drew his sword out and held it at their throat. "For a price."

Next>>

[imhereformysciencefriends]

@mcyt-yuri-week Day 7, Free day!

Niki/Lady Death for this one, read on AO3 here

MCD but that's like, the premise

Niki was drugged and drunk for it, at least. Hazed into a stupor where she really couldn’t feel anything but floaty, tangentially aware of the hooded and robed figures around her, the torchlight, her own vulnerability, but untouched by it. Like watching it happen to someone else, in third person. The chanting people sent prayers down to Death, and Niki was urged to lay out on a stone plinth. Her flesh prickled at its coldness, but that, too, she barely felt.

The knife they used was sharp. She barely even felt it.

A butterfly landed on the plinth next to her, beautiful blues and blacks and dark purples, and Niki swore she heard it laughing.

Acute awareness hit her like a minecart, but not any pain. In fact, as she glanced down at where the hole in her chest should be, she found herself dressed in her favorite sweater and overalls, no worse for wear. There was an almost… iridescence to her, though, fiery pinks and oranges and reds.

She was somewhere entirely unfamiliar, the clover and flowers beneath her feet all a uniform, night-sky blue. The sky itself was only just a shade darker, barely keeping off black. It stretched out for miles in each direction, the landscape unbroken save for the occasional tree which was also that midnight blue, leaves rustling in nonexistent wind.

The air was unnaturally still here.

Niki realized she wasn’t breathing.

Well, she had just died. It only made sense.

The horizon changed, a massive, black shape taking form so far away Niki at first didn’t see it. But then the form grew closer, and Niki recognized Her Ladyship.

Lady Death wore the wide brimmed hat and veil she was always depicted with, the high-necked dress and long sleeves, the lacey gloves. Much of what she wore was sheer or see-through fabric, providing a beautiful view to her ample bust, the soft curves of her thighs and calves, the warm roundness of her hands and arms.

The nonexistent wind blew her veil just barely open, and Niki caught a glimpse of the picked-clean bone of her skull. Lady Death was soft bodied and long haired and rounded only where her clothing covered her. To glimpse her true form was to see the skeleton only.

Her painted lips were round and soft and black. She smiled at Niki.

Niki hadn’t even realized she’d dropped to her knees.

“I don’t know why you silly humans keep sending me sacrifices,” Her Ladyship said, voice lilting and giggling faintly. “You all will come to me eventually. My power does not depend on your worship like lesser gods.”

Niki realized that this was a conversational beat where she was supposed to respond, but her empty mouth hung open and silent when she tried. Her thoughts themselves were void of words, much less her speech.

Death giggled.

“I do tend to have that effect on people.”

Niki blinked, and tried desperately to get herself to say something. Even something stupid that would embarrass her! Anything to make it seem like she wasn’t ignoring The Literal Goddess Of Death.

But Lady Death was patient (as a goddess of her nature would have to be, most certainly) and let Niki struggle through the mental block of bearing witness to divinity.

“Hi,” she managed, quite stupidly indeed, and Lady Death gave a full belly laugh, her cheeks scrunching up against her eyes and her hair shaking with the bellows.

“Hello, little Niki! It’s nice to finally meet you!”

“Nice to meet you,” she said, her voice very very small, very quiet. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the goddess who’d seated herself next to her, but she didn’t need to blink, so.

“How are you feeling?” Lady Death asked warmly. Niki felt the words in her… body(?) like a physical warmth.

“Shocked, I think.”

“That’s fair. Most people feel that way, even when they knew that this was coming.”

Niki felt a little better at that.

“It’s… an honor to meet you,” Niki tried, angling for polite.

Lady Death giggled again, cheeks warm with a subtle flush and lips curved mischievously. Niki felt a shiver strike through her, clean down her spine.

“The pleasure is all mine, little Niki,” the goddess said, and if Niki had a heart she was certain it would be suddenly pounding. Lady Death reached forward and cupped Niki’s face in two warm, soft hands, the lace of her gloves faintly ticklish against Niki’s now-sensitive skin. Her lips parted, but like before, she was too stunned to speak. Particularly as her Ladyship bent in, face close to Niki’s, the fluttering of her veil so close Niki felt phantoms of its touch against her nose.

“You are so lovely. You know, I’m really not supposed to do this, it isn’t fair to everyone else. But I have been known for being quite the rulebreaker, when it comes to my favorites.”

“Your—” Niki stuttered, now flushed full red. Favorite? But Niki had only just now died, and they’d only just met?

As though reading her thoughts, Lady Death continued, “It’s alright, sweet little thing. You’ll have plenty of time to get to know me later, once you’re all done.”

All done? And what was this about breaking rules, too!?

“Um, Lady Goddess…” Niki started, but the proximity of their faces once again had her at something of a loss for words. “What do you, what do you mean?” she asked, hoping the question wasn’t so vague that she couldn’t answer it.

Lady Death giggled again, then reached one hand up to touch her veil. She parted it—just barely—and Niki would’ve gasped if she’d had any breath, when she leaned all the way in and kissed her. It was the touch of gleaming white teeth to breathless lips, and for only a fleeting moment also, but to Niki it was a kiss more intimate than any she’d ever received in life.

Then Lady Death was pulling back and giggling at her again, catlike and smug, her veil replaced so Niki saw soft flesh and round, plush lips.

“I mean you’re not to be mine—just yet. Not in full, little Niki. Though I do hope you’ll remember this, won’t you sweetheart?”

Niki wasn’t sure she could ever forget, but before she could answer, or ask any more of her thousand questions she sat so blankly on, the goddess was fading from her view, and so was the dark blue place. And so was her consciousness. And her existence altogether.

She gasped awake, hands folded neatly over her belly, in the middle of a flower field, dappled sunlight barely making it through the leaves of the tree she “slept” under.

Niki sat up slowly, examining herself. She was breathing. Her heart pulsed in her chest. She was no longer in that in-between place. The fiery pinks and oranges that hazed around her were gone.

Had it all been—no, it couldn’t have. She yanked down the neckline of her dress and found a massive scar where they’d cut out her heart, and fingers pressed to the tissue reassured her once again that her heart was beating there.

What had happened? Why was she alive? She had passed into the domain of the Goddess of Death, the eternal garden from which no soul was ever meant to return. How was she back here, in the domain of the living?

She raised her fingertips from her heart to her lips. She could not feel the cool press of bone against them, but in her memory, she was able to summon the phantom of it. The sensation of kissing Lady Death.

Niki’s freshly forged heart skipped a beat.

[i-likefrogs]

Hello good omens fandom and tumbler friends!! I have a question for you! I'm writting a fanfic based on a theory I've had for years now. But my question is, should I make it a shorter fic (1k-3k) or should I expand the story and make it a multi chapter? I've never written anything longer than 3k, so I'm a tad bit nervous about starting a longer project

So the plot will follow Aziraphale and Crowley officially adopting warlock. Itd be about their life as a new family, pretty sweet, all cute for a while. It would also follow zira/C during the time of/after warlocks death. PLEASE DONT FREAK OUT YET. They'd go on a rescue mission to get them back from whichever head office they end up at (I haven't decided) IT WILL HAVE A HAPPY ENDING!!!! THIS IDEA HAS PING PONGED AROUND IN MY HEAD FOR YEARS NOW IM NOT GOING TO KILL OFF WARLOCK (well.... I will.... but not permanently)

[adrift-in-thyme]

Day 19: Time Loop (Time)

Ao3 link

Cw for temporary major character death, and blood and injury

——————

Twilight dies as the sun rises.

Time knows he’s gone even before Hyrule turns to him, tears in his eyes, shoulders slumped in defeat. He can feel the change in the room, the emptiness that the absence of Twilight’s presence leaves. Strange that after witnessing so much death, so much destruction throughout his life that it still hits him with such breathtaking force.

“I-I’m sorry. I tried—” The traveler croaks, swaying dangerously on his feet.

Time brings him into his arms before he can collapse.

“Don’t blame yourself,” he says, with a steadiness so different from the raging tumult within. “You did everything you could.”

And yes, Hyrule did everything he could do. But Time has hardly been able to do anything more than stand by and watch.

His gaze drifts to the bedside table where his ocarina lies.

No, he could do nothing while his descendant faded away. This isn’t over, however. Not in the least.

Gently, he guides Hyrule over to his chair. The traveler slumps down into it, tears streaming down his cheeks.

“We have to tell the others,” he says, looking up at Time almost pleadingly. “We have to tell them.”

Time doesn’t reply. He crosses the room, movements almost mechanical, and reaches out, grasping the ocarina. The cold, smooth surface feels comfortably familiar in his hand.

This instrument has saved countless lives. Now, it will save one more.

Taking a deep breath, he lifts it to his lips.

“Time?” Hyrule’s frowning at him now, a question in his eyes. “What’re you…”

He trails off as Time begins to play.

The notes of the song are carved into his heart and soul, and they flow effortlessly, weaving their magic through the air. One second, two, and the air begins to shift, his surroundings blurring as time itself rockets backwards.

The inn falls away, walls turning to trees, wood floors becoming soft dirt. Hyrule rises, tears cleared from his face, sword and shield in hand. The bed disappears and Twilight with it; the other heroes emerge from their rooms, to stand beside him, weapons in their grasps, faces set in varying expressions of strained determination.

He’s there once more, standing on the battlefield with his boys, facing hordes of monsters. He’s there in the seconds before the disaster, watching Hyrule give a wave of gratitude to the champion, hearing Warriors grit out a thoroughly annoyed, “Doing just fine!”

And then Wind cries, “He’s back!” and his body kickstarts back into motion.

Ignoring the monsters lunging at him from all sides, he whirls around. It’s not hard to catch sight of them, streaking across the field, Twilight inches from the Shadow’s tail. He leaps at the beast’s throat, and they go tumbling, head over heels, splattering blood and saliva and hair on the ground.

Time drives his sword into his nearest opponent and breaks into a run. Twilight is all the way across the field and countless enemies stand in his path. He has mere moments in which to reach him, mere moments to act. And still the monsters close in, on him, on Twilight, on all the heroes who fight to stay out of their clawing, skeletal hands.

Twilight lunges once more, and Time reaches out for him, even as the Shadow morphs and swings its ax in a wide arc. Blood flies, his pup falls.

Time lifts the ocarina to his lips once more. The world careens backward, stops, reorients. Time itself slows to a crawl. He runs.

A stalfos raises its sword behind Warriors’ back, and he cuts it down in one, swift stroke, never stopping in his headlong sprint towards the rancher. But he’s still not fast enough.

The Shadow’s blade comes down and Twilight crumples.

The ocarina comes out again, indigo gleaming in the setting sun. He plays the song. He restarts.

Once more, time warps. Once more, Twilight hits the ground.

His heart is pounding out of his chest now, throat constricted so he can hardly breathe. His movements are panicked, hurried, everything done almost faster than his body can take.

“Old man, what’s going on?” It’s Warriors’ voice, drifting to him as the cycle starts anew.

Time shakes his head and starts off once more across the field separating him from his descendant.

“Just handle these monsters.”

The captain’s gaze bores into his back as he goes.

Again, he’s not fast enough. Again, his pup falls, and he is not there to catch him.

Running does little good. There are too many obstacles in his way, obstacles that tear at his face and lunge at his neck and bring their swords down on him.

He’s bleeding, he realizes, dully, staring down at fingers stained red. He wonders when that started.

It doesn’t matter. Stopping isn’t an option.

He promised Malon he would keep Twilight safe. He promised himself he wouldn’t let even one of their little group die.

No, he cannot give up now.

Time resets the clock, slows it down, and instantly grabs his bow. Nocking an arrow in the string, he aims at the Shadow and fires. It hits home, piercing the monster in the back of the head, and it turns to him, fury blazing in its crimson orbs. Time shoots it again as he races forward, two times, three, the arrows sticking grotesquely out of its face.

The Shadow lunges for him, fury at Twilight forgotten for the moment. But the monster’s ability to hold grudges rivals Ganondorf’s, and Time doesn’t expect it to last long. Especially now that Twilight has decided to take advantage of the Shadow’s brief distraction and has leaped at it from behind.

Everything seems to slow, as the world holds its breath. In the seconds before they collide, Time drops into a roll. He’s back up again almost instantly, tackling the rancher before he can make contact with the Shadow. The monster whirls to face them both, and clutching the wolf to his chest, he throws himself sideways.

There’s a beat of silence, in which Twilight’s eyes meet his, anger and questioning in them. Then, the wind whooshes in Time’s ears and he hunches down, curling protectively around the rancher just as a giant blade carves through the air. It hits him with such force he goes flying.

He hits the ground, blood filling his mouth, pain turning his vision spotty. Twilight slips from his grasp, and immediately transforms, heedless of his brothers’ eyes upon him.

“Why?” He chokes, dropping to his knees beside Time. Time raises his eye to his, trying to focus, trying to breathe through the agony. “I had him–why?”

It feels like his body is on fire. He’s almost certain he’s drowning in his own blood. Only a few seconds have gone by, and yet breathing is already an impossible feat. But Time smiles.

“Our opponent is strong, pup, and unpredictable. Don-don’t let him surprise you again.”

The sound of running footsteps echoes through his head, shouted orders and blurted questions accompanying it. A tear trickles down Twilight’s cheek, and he brushes it roughly away.

“We’re gonna get you out of here. You’re gonna be okay.”

He turns to Warriors as the captain arrives at his side. “We can deal with the Shadow later. Help me carry him.”

And as they lift him off of the ground, and the pain increases a hundred-fold, Time lets his eye slip closed.

He will survive this, more likely than not. After all, he’s dealt with far worse wounds than these. But even if he loses the battle, at least he’ll drift off knowing he won the fight.

Twilight is safe and alive, and that’s all that matters.

[sapphireginger]

Title: Phoenix Phenomenon

Pairing: Steter [Stiles + Peter]

Rating: Mature

Warning/Tags:

Temporary Character Death Car Accident Major Injury

Summary:

“You’ll never be my equal in anything,” Peter sneered.

“What?” Stiles asked but his tone had shifted.

“You heard me, Stiles. If this is all about equality to you, then you might as well give up. It’ll never happen.”

@steter-stackson-bingo

Card Number: 107

Square: Soulmates AU

Stiles and Peter had been dating for three years and had been engaged for two years when they had their biggest fight. The more time they spent together the deeper their bond went, and the fight put all of their hard work at risk.

“Why can’t you just trust me?!”

Peter growled. “I do trust you. Why can’t you understand that a thousand miles between us puts my wolf on edge?!”

“Then come with me!” Stiles pleaded, his fingers fidgeting restlessly with his engagement ring.

“I can’t leave! I’m the alpha! This is all you right now. Why do you have to go that far away just to turn around and come back in a year?!”

Stiles started pacing. “I want to be able to provide for a family without constantly relying on you. I don’t have the means to provide like you do, and I know it’s not the same and I’ll never make enough to make us equals but I can try and come close.”

Peter snorted derisively. “So, money is the issue? Do I have too much? I’m sorry that I have ten years on you and I’m sorry that my family was murdered. Guess that’s too much for you huh?!”

The amber eyed man stilled and glared at the older man. “How could you say that?! I’ve never cared about the age gap between us. Ten years is nothing. Who cares that you’re thirty-three and I’m twenty-three?! I don’t give a fuck! I don’t give a flying fig about age! Don’t confuse me with your nieces!! I’ve never brought up how when it comes to money. I hate that you lost your family and I’m glad I gutted Kate and Gerard myself, but this isn’t about how we got the money. I just want to be an equal in our financial situation. I want to be an equal in everything.”

“You’ll never be my equal in anything,” Peter sneered.

“What?” Stiles asked but his tone had shifted.

“You heard me, Stiles. If this is all about equality to you, then you might as well give up. It’ll never happen.”

Before Stiles could say anything else, Peter continued. “So, go on! Get out of my sight! Go to your fucking far away school and get the fuck out of my life!!”

Hot tears slipped down Stiles’s cheeks. “You don’t mean that,” he said softly.

“Wanna bet?!” Peter flashed crimson eyes at his mate—well the one that he thought was his mate—and roared. “LEAVE!!!!!!!”

Stiles fought hard not to voice the words he wanted to say, the words he wanted to lash out at the man he loved but he still let out a few. “Fine! Have it your way! We’ll be taking that break now, I guess!"

Peter said nothing, his arms crossed over his chest. He wouldn't budge from what he said and ignored the protest of his wolf. Besides, it was only a matter of time before this happened. Really, Peter was shocked they lasted five years. He dug his claws into his palms to try and convince himself of that very blatant mental lie.

When his fiancé didn't say anything, Stiles nodded to himself, sniffled and cleared his throat. "Fine. Whatever! S-Se-See if I care what happens to you now.” He grabbed his bag, slipped on his shoes and after gathering his wallet, keys and phone, he left. The door to the house—their house—slammed shut behind him with a finality that sent pain through both men.

The moment that the door closed, Peter wanted to take it all back. He hated how Stiles never saw his worth and then Peter went and confirmed all the younger man’s worst fears, played on his insecurities and now, Stiles was gone. Peter never cared about the fact that he had more money, that he was older or anything else. He loved taking care of his mate and loved providing for Stiles.

The wolf didn’t understand how Stiles couldn’t see that. If anyone was unworthy of the other, it was Peter who was unworthy of Stiles. The younger man had killed the ones responsible for the murders of the Hale family. Peter would never be able to repay him for it, but he tried to give Stiles everything. The alpha never realized how much Stiles felt he was lacking.

✶ ⟡ 🔥 🤍 🔥 ⟡ ✶

Stiles drove off in tears. No matter how badly he wanted to turn around and go back, he couldn't. This felt so much bigger than their small squabbles. Make up sex was fun in theory, but his heart hurt too much right now. So, no. He had to keep going no matter how badly he wanted to turn around. He would wait until they both calmed down though his gut churned at the thought of being apart for more than a day.

Stiles couldn't focus, his mind awash with questions of how he was going to fix it, would they fix it, was he too much trouble and more. The rain began pouring and he skidded slightly on the road. It was only when he reached the highway that he paused. “Damn asshole of an alpha,” he cursed and started to turn around. “Can’t believe I love you but as angry as you make me, I can’t help it.”

Unfortunately, the tires couldn’t gain the proper traction and the jeep lurched forward. A shiny sports car going way too fast with its music making the road nearly vibrate, careened around the curve and hit Stiles’s Jeep head on. The last thing Stiles heard was the screech of tires and then everything went dark.

✶ ⟡ 🔥 🤍 🔥 ⟡ ✶

The call came not even an hour after Stiles had left. Peter was a wreck as he raced to the hospital. What a sight he must’ve made. He stood at the front desk, gripping the edge with as little supernatural force as possible. It was hard to maintain control when his mate, who was also his anchor, was in critical condition.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Hale. Unfortunately, I regret I must inform you that Mr. Stilinski is in a coma.”

“Why?”

“There was significant bleeding in his brain. It’s surprising he survived the impact itself, sir. Head on collisions very rarely leave anyone alive.”

“His other injuries?”

The doctor checked his notes. “Mr. Stilinski sustained a broken tibia in his right leg, a fractured collarbone, a burst eardrum, a broken nose, a shattered femur in his left leg, a mangled right foot, and a punctured lung. He has bruised and cracked ribs, as well as bleeding in his brain, stomach and throat. He also sustained severe bruising around his throat from the way the seatbelt had been choking him.”

Peter’s eyes filled with tears. “P-Prognosis?”

With a somber expression the doctor spoke the hard and painful truth. “We can make him comfortable at most right now. After setting the breaks, setting the bones and stopping the bleeding, I'm afraid there isn’t much left to do but wait. I’m sorry, Mr. Hale, but you should prepare yourself for what’s to come.”

After talking with the doctor and schooling his expression the best he could, Peter was led to the room Stiles was in. When he saw his mate, Peter felt as though he couldn’t breathe. “Oh, sweetheart,” he husked out, his voice a wreck.

Peter sat in the chair by the bed and took Stiles’s hand in his own. The younger man looked so small and pale in the hospital bed. It was driving the wolf crazy to see so many wires, tubes and monitors. “Come back to me, sweetheart. Don’t leave me. I-I’m sorry. Please don’t leave me.” The wolf kissed his mate’s hand over and over, drawing pain as subtly as he could. He hadn't meant to break down, but this man was the light and love of his life, was his mate and he couldn't lose Stiles. So, the wolf didn't fight the tears back, didn't muffle the soft sobs. He broke down and cried. “I love you.”

✶ ⟡ 🔥 🤍 🔥 ⟡ ✶

For three weeks, there was no change in Stiles's condition. He didn't seem to be healing at all and Peter felt helpless, nearly giving in to the urge to bite and turn the younger man several times but always managed to resist. Then at the start of week four something about his mate's condition did change, just not in the way Peter had hoped. Peter had fallen asleep with his hand in Stiles’s hand just like he had the last three weeks, when suddenly he awoke to alarms blaring. His eyes flared in the dark and settled upon the main monitor, his own heart nearly stopping when he saw the flatline.

Peter choked back a sob and vigorously shook his head. It wasn't true, couldn't be true. “No,” he said, repeating the word over and over again. "No. No! Nononononononono!!" he sobbed. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real. He didn’t even get to say goodbye.

The doctor’s managed to restart his heart but the familiar hummingbird pace was no longer. Instead, all Peter could rely on to verify his mate was alive was a sluggish thump thump thump. The following morning, Peter stood outside the hospital room, watching as the nurses made some adjustments and tried to shut off his emotions when the doctors informed him it was time for him to make a decision. Stiles had only gotten worse and they firmly but not unkindly suggested that Peter let him go. They left him alone to say his goodbyes.

Peter began pouring his heart out as soon as the door closed. He said everything he wished he had told Stiles when he had the chance but hadn't because he was afraid. Now, he didn't hold anything back and as he finished, a tear fell on Stiles’s wrist. “I love you,” the wolf whispered, pressing a kiss to Stiles's forehead, and another gentle kiss to his lips. As he settled back in the chair, Peter pressed a firm but soft kiss to the pale skin of Stiles's inner wrist right over his pulsepoint. His tears continued to fall as he rested his head on the younger man's hip.

For a moment, it was silent, the only sound being Stiles’s sluggish heartbeat and the machines. It was almost peaceful. Peter could almost believe they were home in bed together and not in a hospital.

Suddenly a golden glow burst forth and covered Stiles’s body from head to toe. The wolf startled, shuffling back slightly but didn’t let go of Stiles’s hand. In fact, he gripped it tighter, just short of supernatural strength. His eyes widened as a small golden triskele formed on Stiles’s wrist, the very place Peter’s tear had landed.

As soon as the three spirals had formed, the gold glow coating Stiles's body brightened until Peter was forced to look away or risk his eyesight, supernatural healing be damned. It was just too bright.

Time seemed to stand still, the air thick with something other, but Peter was not afraid. He was confused, nervous, uncertain and somehow hopeful but not an ounce of fear resided in him.

As quickly as the glow came, it faded, almost like Stiles was absorbing it, leaving his pale skin with a slight shimmer to it. The glow had seemed to rob the entire town of its light. Peter flashed his eyes and sucked in a harsh breath at the sight of his mate. Gone were the wires and gone was the breathing tube from his pale throat. All that remained of the monitoring was a pulse checker on Stiles's finger and an IV in his arm.

Another three days passed with Peter’s belief never wavering. Peter wasn't Stiles but when his mate was learning more about his spark, he had always said that the power of belief was not to be underestimated. So, Peter believed with everything he had, his eyes never leaving his mate. Something had happened that night and no one else acted as though anything was amiss. This told Peter not to give up. Something was happening and he would hold tight to his hope. He would believe.

✶ ⟡ 🔥 🤍 🔥 ⟡ ✶

In the early hours of the first day of spring, Peter felt fingers carding through his hair, nails lightly scratching at his scalp accompanied by a soft humming. It was a beautiful dream and made the wolf smile. If only—The wolf bolted upright when the scent hit him as well as the familiar thumpthumpthumpthump of Stiles's heart and let out a high pitch whine at what he saw.

Stiles’s eyes met Peter’s and he gave the wolf a small smile. “Am I sprouting feathers?”

Peter was confused and definitely hadn’t expected to be greeted so…warmly.

Stiles tilted his head, “I died, Peter. Yet here I am.”

“No!” Peter denied. “You didn’t die. I was here the whole time. I would’ve…” he trailed off. “The accident?”

With a sad expression, Stiles nodded. “On impact.”

“Then h-how?” Peter asked, gently taking his mate’s hand, treating him as fragile, with great care, like Stiles might vanish or break at any moment.

“It’s called the Phoenix Phenomenon.”

Peter’s brows knit together in confusion. “The what?”

Stiles huffed a laugh. Then his expression grew serious. “If a bond cemented between two people is strong enough, it calls to them regardless of where they reside. Their souls are united in life and death. When souls are bonded, not even death itself can separate them.” Stiles chewed his lip and averted his gaze. “Not to mention, I’m…” he mumbled the rest of his sentence, making Peter lean closer.

“You’re…?”

The golden glow returned to Stiles’s body though softer this time and seemed to extend to Peter as well, almost as if greeting him. When the wolf met the gaze of his mate, he inhaled sharply at the orbs of pure gold staring back at him. “Stiles?” he whispered.

“It’s me.”

“What are you?”

Without hesitation, Stiles answered truthfully, revealing to the alpha what not a living soul knew, what no one had ever known before this moment. “I am the First Phoenix.”

[lover-of-mine]

It's funny that every comment on the trapped fic saying they were worried for a second there has me giggling because my automatic reaction is "oh but I would never actually kill one of them" and then I remember the breakdown fic and have to add a permanently to the thought.