#My family is the only one from our branch who visits and doesn't make a nuisance of ourselves

[deepspaceclawstation]

I have to visit the great uncle (grand uncle technically but english kinship terms are weird that way) who doesn't like me (and once tried to convince me (a 25 year old) that a high-pitched sound has a low frequency) today so wish me luck I guess

[pearlywritings]

Sometimes the name doesn't matter

synopsis: sometimes it matters that you are his wife. PART 3

pairings: Childe, Neuvillette, Pantalone, Wriothesley x fem!reader (separately)

tw: fluff, established relationship (married/engaged/mated), secret relationship, immortal reader in Neuvi's part

word count: 6.1k+ words

a/n: part 1 and part 2 can be read here!

Childe

Spurred by the whistles and a whip of a coachman three fine white horses are trotting along the snow-covered road, dragging a big sleigh. Made of the sturdiest wood and painted in red and gold, the construction is effortlessly sliding on ice crust, almost lulling you under all those warm blankets and furs Ajax has thrown over your half-sitting half-lying bodies. You are glad to have this instead of jolting in a carriage (not like it’ll even be able to ride through all this snow), sure to have an aching arse even under the thick sheepskin coat, and instead of whatever machinery your lover could’ve gotten his hands onto due to his position - otherwise it wouldn’t have been so romantic.

Resting your head onto his shoulder you sigh blissfully, puffing out a small cloud of warm air. The fluffy-looking firs, tall pines and naked larches are flashing past in a magical gleam of snow-covered branches; you think you see two grayish squirrels chasing one another on a tree on your left.

“Oh, little minxes. A couple of seconds later and that snow could’ve ended up on our heads.”

You giggle at the young man’s comment, taking your gloved hand out of the sable muff and reaching to adjust the hat with earflaps (which he once again refused to tie under his chin) on his head. Before you can retrieve, a bigger hand clad in mitten wraps around yours and brings it to the chapped pale lips. As if spellbound you watch him press a tender kiss just where your ring finger joins the palm - right where the engagement ring is hidden under the thick material.

Now it’s hard to tell if your cheeks are rosy from cold or the swirling emotions.

“A little bit more and we will be in Morepesok,” he says softly, deep pools of his blue eyes staring back at you adoringly. “I can’t wait to share the news with ma, pa, sisters and brothers…”

You know he’s written them a letter right after you said ‘yes” to him, too excited to wait. So excited in fact, that he couldn’t sit still in expectation for the response, so he solicited an impromptu week-long vacation with the help of Pulcinella, and here you are, on your merry way to his home village.

“I can’t wait for that too,” you smile, leaning up to peck his nose, eliciting the same smile from him. “But I worry a little - will they be happy for us? I mean, that it’s me who you are going to marry?”

“Absolutely!” He nods enthusiastically and you have to readjust his hat again. “They all love you very much, I promise you. And if I am being completely honest, mom and Tonia did keep asking me when I intended to make you my wife during the last couple of times we visited.”

“Wait, really? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I was already planning a proposal at the time - didn’t want to spoil it by accidentally letting my tongue loose.”

It’s hard to believe that this man is one of the Tsaritsa’s Harbingers. Childe is surprisingly good at separating his work and off work behavior, turning into a completely normal, maybe just a tiny bit unhinged, young man as soon as his family is involved. You know he’s built this facade to keep them and you away from harm, but you also know it comes from the heart as well.

“Then I can only hope we can bring the female members of your family to the capital soon - I want them to participate in the wedding dress shopping.”

You are immediately gathered into a tight embrace and your laughter is smothered by the fur on his collar. Yes, he is the Eleventh Harbinger, Tartaglia, Tsaritas’s soldier, Childe… But in moments like this he is just Ajax. Your Ajax.

His parents’ house meets you both with the quiet creak of the gates, the barking of two big fluffy malamutes outside, the clink of the horseshoe against the wood on top of the front door, the warmth of a well-heated inside and a bit taller than the last time you saw him Teucer, who runs full speed at his big brother, practically tackling him.

“Big brother is home, big brother is home!”

Ajax joyously laughs, somehow managing to take off his coat and dropping it to the colorful carpet at the front door before hoisting the exclaiming boy into his arms. Kicking off your felt boots to step from the anteroom, you watch with a smile as he squeals when your lover presses his cold cheek to the warm smaller one, squirming in the strong arms. 

Not a minute later more of his siblings appear, closely followed by their mom - freckled, with her ginger with gray hair tied in a thick braid and an apron thrown over her green dress, the woman smiles brightly and, letting her children surround their brother, walks to you with arms spread, ready to embrace you.

“Mother, my clothes might be cold,” you try to warn her, but she doesn’t listen, hugging you anyway.

“As if it can affect me! Oh, I’m so happy to see you, my dear. How was your trip? Are you tired, hungry? I’m almost done with lunch, and in the meantime I can ask my husband to throw in the firewood and heat the bathhouse for you two.

“It’s very kind of you,” you smile, wrapping your arms to give her a hug in return. “But I think we’ll wash up in the evening - I really doubt Ajax’s sibling will let him go in the following couple of hours.”

Before she can say anything, a tall, wide man appears from the other room. His beard and hair are gingerly brown with gray too, thick brows naturally furrowed. By the rosy cheeks, the remnants of snowflakes melting on his hair and the choice of clothing you guess he’s just returned to the house through the back door - probably after chopping wood.

Upon lowering his gaze to you, his facial features smooth out.

“If it isn’t my son and a dear soon-to-be daughter-in-law!” His gruff voice booms across the house, immediately redirecting everyone’s attention to you and making you blush. “I knew Ajax was too impatient and would rather come to visit and bring his fiance along than wait for a response letter.”

As he moves to greet you properly and help with discarding the outer clothes, you notice your gingerhead whispering something to his siblings, to which they giggle and throw glances at you. Catching the gaze of your lover, you lift an eyebrow, as if asking ‘should I be concerned?’. But he only shakes his head with a smile and ushers everyone to the dining room.

However, the curiosity is getting better of you, as throughout the evening you keep catching the glances, watch Tonia whispering something to her mom, and the woman giving Ajax a ‘really?’ kind of look, but with a fond smile, and then his dad slapping his back with a boisterous laugh, saying something along the lines ‘I was the same way with your mom too’.

So you confront him once you are left alone in the room.

“Hey, foxy, what’s going on?”

“Hm?” He lowers the blanket that he’s just tucked inside the duvet cover and reaches for the sheets. “What do you mean, bunny?”

“Whatever you’ve been doing,” you put one of the pillows down and reach out for the other as well as the pillowcase. 

“And what’s that ‘whatever’ I’ve been doing?” You don’t miss the sly smile finding its way onto his face. You huff.

“I don’t know. You tell me.”

The man hums, tucking the edges of the sheet between the mattress and the bed.

“Nothing you should worry about. I just asked them all to practice a little.”

“Practice?” Cocking your head, you throw both pillows onto the bed. “Wait, did you start planning something for the wedding?”

“Not quite. Rather for after it.”

Confused, but intrigued, you step closer when your lover sits down and beckons you, being dragged into his lap a second later. Blue eyes look at you in an unspoken fascination, as he leans forward to place a kiss to the corner of your mouth, prompting you to loosely wrap your arms around his shoulders.

“Since we are getting married, I deduced that it would be only right for my family to call you my wife. Thus I asked them to get acquaintanced with the term, so they could start doing it as soon as we are pronounced husband and wife.”

You blink at him once, twice. After the third time you exhale, shaking your head, but the lift of your lips doesn’t go unnoticed by your fiance.

“I should’ve known you’d pull something like this, I am not even surprised, let alone mad. But they could just keep addressing me by my name. Plus your siblings already call me ‘big sister’ and your parents made me an honor of acknowledging me as the ‘daughter’. It won’t change much.”

“But it will!” He pouts and you can’t resist the urge to pinch his cheek. “You will be my wife and I want everyone to help me show it! Does it bother you though?”

Looking into those uncharacteristically begging eyes, you really can’t deny him his little antics. Not like you were going to in the first place.

“No, no, I don’t mind, love. Honestly, it's very sweet how excited you are. Makes me look forward to it.”

“Yeah?” Look at him, smiling like a satisfied cat, who's had too much sour cream for its own good. His embrace tightens on you a little.

“Yeah.”

A beat of silence passes as Ajax enjoys the many kisses you pepper to his face, squeezing his eyes shut, grinning, boyishly eager for more.

“Do you think I should ask the whole village to do the same?”

“Ajax, no.”

Nuevillette

“Mother, do you mind helping me a little? I can’t reach over there…

“I’d be delighted, my dear.”

Neuvillette watches with a fond look as you put the tea cup down and stand up to walk closer to Verenata and assist her with whatever the potion maker needs. Your figure is ethereal, clad in the finest fabrics, flowing with every step and gently dropping as you crouch gracefully to hoist the melusine in your arms. From above the rim of his silver goblet the Hydro Dragon can't tear his eyes from the way one of your many “daughters” wraps an arm around your neck and reaches up, while the corner of your lips, which he can see from his position at the table, is turned upwards.

“Mother is so kind and patient,” Laume says just a step away from Neuvillette’s chair. When the man turns his head to look at her, there is Flo standing too.

“Yes, and she is so beautiful,” the other melusine sighs, clasping her hands together. “And she always brings us such nice and comfortable clothes…”

“Monsieur Neuvillette married a wonderful woman,” a couple more melusines nearby agree and there is a warm and fuzzy feeling takes place in the Judex’s chest.

Marriage… Such a beautiful concept humans came up with to validate the union of two. It begins with the wedding - a day full of happy tears and blissful smiles, shared vows to be together in sickness and in health, sweet claims of love and promises of joyful life ahead. Then this very life begins and for beings like you and your husband it’s a long, but welcome trip.

You’ve been claimed by each other for quite some time before the more ‘mortal appropriate’ ritual, and the melusines - the wonderful creatures Neuvillette once took under his wing - were aware and happy for your relationship. And it was actually their idea to hold a wedding too, once Sigewinne naturally asked how the two of you planned to introduce your bond in civil words to humans.

And it was their initiative to start calling you “mother”. With your actions you quickly became one for them anyway, and the girls actively sought your company when it was possible. Thus, such tea parties at the Merusea Village as today are a common occurrence (besides, you always welcome them because it's a great opportunity to dig your husband out of the pile of responsibilities he tends to bury himself under).

However, lately Neuvillette started noticing that when he heard the word leave the girls’ mouths, a strange feeling began rising in his chest. Even though not quite familiar with the concept of jealousy, the Judex was sure it was not the case - he loved when the melusines called you that. So, he could not really put his finger on why the action caused such an indescribable reaction.

He decided to observe. On his walks throughout the city, the man seeked the sights of parents with children to attentively listen and watch while leisurely passing by or stopping at the shopping booths to linger on the scene. He was quick to note that the interactions were hardly different from the ones between you and the girls - kids would call for their mothers in all the same tones: when happy, when asking for help, when seeking comfort and many other typical occurrences he’d seen a handful of times before.

What really caught Neuvillette’s eye was the way the parents behaved. And soon his focus shifted to the married couples instead. As reserved as the nobles seemed to appear, the ones in love still managed to slip a murmured ‘my dear’, or ‘beloved’ or ‘my sweet [Name]’ in their speech. All the things the Hydro Dragon was all too used to call you too, relishing in the image of your loving smile and joyfully crinkling eyes as you responded in kind.

But it is like a waterfall pours on him when a week later, after that tea party where he once again sunk deep in thought, a keen pointy ear makes out a simple word in the crowd.

"Wife"

Male’s heart flutters. The understanding quickly dawns on him, even more so when his eyes find the couple on the other side of the road, - it was no simple term to introduce the partner to the third party. No, the tenderly spoken word was used by that man to address his lover, to softly draw her attention to him, to remind her he is happy she is holding such a position in his life…

At least that’s what kind of puzzle pieces together in Neuvillette’s head. The couple is long gone, yet he is still standing there, hand resting on the handle of his cane and eyes staring into space.

He starts to remember all the sweet names he called you, each and every one stored in his memory with the heart-warming images of your reactions. There are all kinds of those: my love, my pearl, lizzy (affectionate from ‘lizard’; you used to tell him that dragons are just big lizards and it kinda stuck), kisses-stealer, fairy-tail nymph… The man is surprisingly creative with his words when it comes to you.

Sure, he calls you his mate, quite often too, but to his chagrin it has never occurred to him that he could call you ‘his wife’ too! It’s so simple, so absurdly logical, yet it took him weeks to figure out.

Humans are truly fascinating.

When Neuvillette returns to his office in the Palais Mermonia you are already there, lazing on a sofa with a bunch of papers, in which your husband guesses the script of probably another upcoming play of Furina. And judging by the more than a half pages turned you’ve been waiting for him for a while.

When the door closes and the cane disappears in the myriad of sparkling bubbles, you lift your gaze, and a smile immediately lights up your lovely features.

”Neuvi,” You speak softly, getting on your feet and leaving the script behind, “I hoped we’d depart on the afternoon stroll together. So imagine my disappointment when Sedene told me you had left just ten minutes ago! Oh, I knew I’d be late if Lady Furina had kept me for another minute, yet I still hoped I’d be on time…”

As you are approaching him, the Judex remembers the melusine’s words upon arrival: “Mother waits inside”. This makes all his previous thoughts resurface, and when he meets you half-way and reaches for both your hands to place a kiss to the back of each, Neuvillette has half a mind to try out his new discovery.

“Our Archon enjoys your company a lot, and, knowing you, you are not really mad,” you roll your eyes playfully, tiptoeing to peck the tip of his nose, murmuring a quiet ‘hush, let me be a tiny bit indignant’. “And I’d be honored to keep you company for the evening stroll,” and then, after a little pause of hesitation, he adds, “wife.”

He watches as the previously present smile on your face grows even bigger, but after a couple of seconds starts to fade slowly, eyes squinting a little bit to stare at him in hardly-concealed curiosity.

“What was that?”

“What was what, dear wife?”

“This!” As if to emphasize your words you point your finger to his mouth, and it’s Neuvillette’s lips’ turn to curl in a small smile.

“It’s something I hoped to discuss with you,” his gloved fingertips soothingly brush over your knuckles and soon your hand is clasped into his, as the man leads you both back to the sofa. “You see,” he starts when you sit down, “I am fascinated with the notion hidden behind the word ‘mother’ the melusines like to call you. That’s who you are for them both in reality and in terms. I’ve made some observations, and figured that sometimes humans in marriage also use the…familial terms to address one another. It seemed lovely to me and I wanted to try it out with you. What do you think?”

You hum in thought, replaying in your head the way Neuvillette spoke to you twice. It is hard to explain, but you somehow immediately see the appeal and understand why your lover got hooked on it. Seems lovely indeed. You wonder, what if you…

“Will you tell me more about those observations on our evening stroll, husband? Ooh, it does sound wonderful!”

Mark him stunned, but for a moment Judex grows speechless. The violet depths of his eyes swirl with adoration as you clap your hands gleefully, and he knows, that from now on your everyday routine will never be the same

“With pleasure, wife.”

Pantalone

Dancing snowflakes are slowly descending in their tender waltz and are gleaming like the tiniest of gems in the streetlights’, enveloping the already magical winter capital of the Cryo region in a solemn atmosphere. The white cover of the ground is crunching with every step of a passerby and every wheel rotation of the fancy-looking carriages, while the street is a jumble of fur coats and heavy military overcoats, finally breathing life into the afternoon-quiet city.

It’s a wonderful evening, too marvelous to spend it at home, too enchanting to miss the new ballet at the Bolshoy Theater, the true accumulation of the Tsaritsa’ nation’s nobility and intelligentsia. The wonder of Snezhnayan architecture is both the place to rest and enjoy the purest form of art and home to many gossip circulating in society. Some fresh and just hours old, some ancient and undying, like the topic of the Ninth Harbinger’s lovers.

Lord Pantalone is well-known and often-praised for his contribution to the Snezhnaya’s economy, along with extending the Fatui influence all across the Teyvat. But also he is quite famous for the women he appears in public with. It’s always someone new, it’s never the same one as before. Different shapes, different hair, different style - it is impossible to guess the raven-haired man’s tastes. However everybody knew - the Harbinger never entertained the company of the ladies who made attempts to catch his attention. Those ladies themselves say as much.

The Regrator’s companions never open their mouths, never utter a word - at least not when there are people around. There has never been a single name, never a remembered face - all women wear the mask covering the upper half of it, concealing the identity of yet another lucky choice of the rich man. 

Never the same woman - always the same mask.

This evening does not disappoint the gathered crowd - lifting their gazes, directing attention to the Harbinger’s personal box, they once again see the notorious mask. The long fringe of wine-red hair is coquettishly framing the ever-lasting piece of leather, similarly flaming lips are tugged in a haughty smile - as if the young lady doesn’t realize that once the night is over, she’s going to be discarded like many others before her. The dress according to the latest fashion trends and the beautiful garnet necklace do not surprise the audience anymore - even known for his love for replacements, Lord Pantalone dresses his partners royally.

The man himself has chosen yet another black costume, with a dark burgundy shirt hidden underneath and bird-shaped garnet brooch on the left side of his chest. Multiple beautiful rings catch the light when he lifts his gloved hand to adjust diamond-shaped glasses, before turning his head and addressing something to his tonight’s escort. She boisterously laughs, saying something in response, but even if attendants tried to strain their ears, they wouldn’t hear anything so far away. Even harder it gets when the third ring of the bell echoes across the theater chamber and both the Harbinger and the woman are forgotten, until the performance is over.

So no one sees when the ring-decorated hand reaches for a smaller female one, fingers sliding under the chintz-covered palm, thumb immediately reaching to tug on the hem of the glove, so the thin cool lips could press against the small patch of bared skin. A glimpse of a smile is what Pantalone gets when you glance at him with amusement playing on your lips.

Always the same mask, never the same woman, huh? 

Pride has long slithered into your heart, yet it still lifts its snake-like head every time your act of decisiveness succeeds, happily hissing. Every time it’s a test of your skills, a gamble with the eyes of ones around you, and every time you hit the jackpot, leaving the people guessing, staying the only one in possession of the banker despite the speculations.

As long as Her Majesty Tsaritsa is aware of your existence and the place you occupy next to Pantalone, you are free to do anything you want with his reputation relationship-wise. And he allows it, because should you desire the whole world - he’ll throw it to your feet like the cheapest trinket. One would say it’s because he is prideful too - he knows it’s because he loves his wife.

Loves to the point of entertaining the masquerades she stages whenever the two of you need to appear in public. It plays wonderfully into his possessive nature and desire to keep his precious beautiful wife to himself and helps with the enemies - “changing the ladies” minimizes the chances of putting at risk his one and only. Not like many know of you in the first place.

It’s a win-win arrangement for you as well - there is still an opportunity to cling to his arm, to use his expensive cologne, to play with the rings on his fingers and sneakily make out in a dark corner where no one can see. To be tugged into his lap in the carriage on the way back to his mansion, to have his long fingers undo the strings of the mask, and once the piece of leather falls onto the floor, have the palms slide down the sides of your neck, swiftly fiddling with the heavy necklace, only to let it be, the caress the shoulders, pushing the sleeves down… 

…to leave them at the elbows and grab your arms to push your back into his chest as the warm lips press to the juncture between the neck and the shoulder.

And what if you’ve lost your name in the process of this disguising? Having been an actress a long time ago made you used to it. But isn’t it fun to come up with the new ideas for your next performance? Your husband gifts you way too many dresses and jewelry sets - you must find use to all of them! He now has to simply spend a bit more on the wigs and makeup to fit each combination of fabric and gems.

“Did my wife have a pleasant evening?” The velvet voice of the man behind you caresses the ear and you meet his gaze in the full-size mirror in front of you. Amethyst eyes sparkle in the bedroom light and you smile coquettishly, red lips stretching seductively.

“Did she? How could I know?” You tease, reaching to your back to undo the corset, just to be stopped by his hands, fingers digging into the dozens of strings. “And don’t you know, Mr Harbinger, that it’s very offending for the woman, when the man speaks about another lady in her presence?”

“Oh, I wasn’t aware,” he muses, tugging a bit harsher on the ties and making you gasp, “that my dear wife can be jealous of herself.”

“When you know her poorly. Tsk-tsk, what a bad husband you are.”

Pantalone laughs behind you, shaking his head at your untrue words, and you reach to your head to remove the fiery wig. By the time Pantalone is done with your corset, you are done letting your naturally beautiful locks down, sighing in relief from both the released ribcage and hair roots.

The dress, having lost its vital support on your body, falls to the ground next to the wig and quickly becomes forgotten as you two step away from the mirror.

Your husband is still mostly clothed, having only eased out of his coat and unbuttoned the jacket, so you busy your hands with tugging the black article off and then reaching for the gleaming tiny buttons on the shirt. Your figures bask in the warm light of the room as you continue undressing the man - your eyes concentrated on the expensive fabrics, his - on the lovely expression of your face.

“But if you must know,” Pantalone raises his brow, when you look up at him, a much sincere and tender smile lighting up your visage, “your wife loved the evening very much.”

And that’s everything he’s ever wanted to hear. Fingers tangle in your hair, you harshly inhale, and his lips are on yours. Lipstick is smudging, your fingers accidentally catch the silver chain, and his glasses get slightly askew, but it doesn’t matter. His wife loved another thing he’s done for her. The banker’s day has ended in a great profit.

Wriothesley

Fortress of Meropide is a huge metal labyrinth of floors and corridors, where noise is never-ending even in the late hours of the night. The metal box which is the Duke’s office however, is constructed to mute the annoying sounds or else the one inside would have a very hard time concentrating.

Usually, even the ruckus happening outside and the clanking of the heavy machines underneath can’t sway Wriothesley’s attention if he has his mind set on doing the paperwork, even something as boring as bills. Today, however, the man has caught himself multiple times glancing at the clock he’s hung up a couple of years ago - there is no way to tell the time all the way down underwater, true, but it serves him a greater purpose. It helps him count hours and minutes before you arrive.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are the days when you take a half of the day off to come down to the Fortress to meet up with your husband. You both quickly realized that traveling back and forth together in either of the directions (fortress or home in the city) would be way too inconvenient. So, you improvise by visiting him throughout the week a couple of times and then he comes home to properly spend the weekend, having learnt to delegate his responsibilities to the most trustworthy guards. So far you’ve been extremely pleased with the arrangement, and the Fortress’s crew have learnt your face by heart to not cause you any obstacles in reaching your beloved’s office.

Today, nevertheless, something must’ve gone wrong. Pale blue eyes are practically drilling the minute hand of the previously mentioned clock, watching it moving further and further from the tiny 10-minute bar, which should’ve marked your appearance at the top of his stairs. And he gets it, everything could’ve happened, something as trivial as the queue at the pastry shop that might’ve gotten longer today, but when the delay surpasses the half-hour mark, the warden puts his fountain pen down and follows it by the creak of the chair legs on the metal floor.

As he descends down the stairs - each clunking under the heavy soles of his boots - a fleeting thought of you stopping by at the medical bay first is immediately brushed aside - his office is right on the path of entering the Fortress’s main body, and you love your husband too much to let him sulk in his longing. 

When he pushes the colossal doors open, eyes instantly start searching the area ahead of him. However, nothing unusual is spotted - two guards are standing at the front of his abode, not even flinching at the unpleasant scraping noise the metal makes; a couple of inmates are walking past them, bowing their heads right as they see the appearing the figure of their warden - Wriothesley simply nods and sends them off with a flicker of his hand; then there is Monglane’s desk with its irreplaceable owner. And no trace of his beloved wife.

Closing the doors behind him, Wriothesley comes up to the guards, inquiring if they’ve happened to see you. Getting a negative response, he hums and starts walking forward, to the corridor leading to the elevator, not bothering with asking the very same questions to Monglane.

With every passing minute, especially while waiting for the elevator, the man starts realizing how impatient he is growing, if the tapping of his foot and crossed arms are not an indicator enough. Even with just one day apart, he’s missed you so awfully much, your adoring smile, your soft voice and cute little giggles, that he feels rightfully robbed since you are not yet in his embrace, showering his face with kisses and then whining pretentiously because he’s forgotten to shave once again. Sometimes you swear he is not a big bad wolf, but a mean huge hedgehog.

He almost stomps inside the cabin the second its doors slide open and pushes the button to the reddening of his fingertip. It is a long trip up to the next level, and he admits he’s tugged on his leather straps wrapped around his arms a couple of times, but Archons, how little it all matters, when, exiting the elevator, he finally hears such a familiar voice. Your voice.

Your husband’s legs carry him like they obtained a mind of their own, following the full of amusement lilt he knows can belong only to you, just to come to a halt next to the wooden boxes piled up on the side of the path. 

He can see you, quite clearly, adorned in a cute pair of pants and a shirt, shoulders covered in a crocheted shawl - always ready for the cool air of the Fortress, yet looking so comfy, that Wriothesley can't help but desire to tackle you to the sofa in his office and cuddle this instant. And he would've done just that, if the conversation you've been having didn't catch his attention.

“No, it's wrong again. It's not Britney, it's Brytnneigh.

“But you are saying the same thing!"

"No, it is not B-r-i-t-n-e-y. It's B-r-y-t-n-n-e-i-g-h."

"Slower, please."

In the second voice the warden easily guesses a new guard that has just been employed a couple of days ago. He remembers signing the papers his weekend substitute brought him on Monday. Wriothesley also remembers how the man swore that he’d passed on to the newbie all the information and training he needed to know. But, it appears, he forgot to mention the most important thing…

“Did you make sure to write my name with two N’s?” Your voice is laced with hardly concealed mirth, and, though he can’t see the face of the guard talking to you, your husband is sure the poor young man looks quite miserable.

“Yes, mademoiselle, I did.”

“Wonderful, but it’s ‘madame’, I am a married woman after all. But no worries, I am flattered you think I look so young,” Wriothesley shakes his head with a silent chuckle. He adores you so much, but maybe it really is time to stop your little play of a new inmate, or else he’ll surely have to call for Sigewinne to check on the poor guard.

“And your last name, madame?”

“I am Brytnneigh Deirdrophnea de Troistêtesloup. Do you want me to spell it for you, dear?”

Yes, he really should stop you.

Before you can open your mouth again, you see in your peripheral vision a figure moving. Upon turning your head slightly, you are graced with the sight of your beloved husband, walking towards you with a quirked thick brow, and crossed arms. All you can do is sheepishly smile, waving at him.

“O-oh! Duke Wriothesley, Sir!” The guard behind the registration desk immediately jumps to his feet, squaring his shoulders and saluting at the arrival of his superior.

“At ease, young man,” Wriothesley nods, stepping even closer, practically invading your personal space, icy blue eyes looking at you unblinkingly. “What is going on here?”

“Nothing much, Mr Warden,” your eyes crinkle in the corners, a sight so infectious, that the man’s lips turn into a small smile. “Just a cute old me, ending up in the Fortress for Archon knows what time.”

“M-madame!” The guard exclaims rather loudly, that even your husband turns to look at him. “Even if it's not your first stay here, you shouldn’t be taking liberties with the Duke!”

“No, no, it’s alright,” Wriothesley raises his hand. “She is no longer your headache-”

“Hey!” You elbow his side to the bewilderment of the guard. In his shock he doesn’t even reach for his weapon.

“-I will personally escort this troublemaker inside. And cross out that abominable name out, would you? It’s not her name.”

“It’s not..?” Now Wriothesley really sympathizes with the guy, he looks utterly lost.

“It’s not. But,” a big scarred hand gently cups you under the chin and turns your head more properly towards the guard, “be sure to remember this adorable face very well for the next time. You’ll need that to let her in and out.”

“...out?”

“Yes, indeed. This woman is my wife.”

As the elevator doors slide close and the cabin starts moving down, you turn to Wriothesley and throw your arms around his wide frame, face burying into his chest.

“Are you proud of me for coming up with such a long and difficult name in a single thought?”

“Oh, for sure,” strong arms circle your waist and chapped lips press to the top of your head, “I bet you would be hard-to-catch if you were a criminal. But why did you decide to play such a prank on a poor man?”

“Well… I just wanted to see his face when he found out that I am the wife of the Duke of the Fortress of Meropide himself. Another reason is that there was no guard who knew my face and I doubt he would’ve believed my word. I just got creative with the way of making him summon someone else. You simply got here before anything could happen. Plus, it’s good to keep them on their toes with a job like that. Besides, I did apologize and praise him for his patience.”

At that Wriothesley just sighs and then chuckles, raising one of his hands and threading his fingers through your hair, pressing your head even closer to his chest. He is not even feeling iffy about the lost half an hour of your time together anymore. Because you gave him an opportunity to introduce you as his wife once again.

[argisthebulwark]

Did I Find You, Or You Find Me?

summary: Due to forces outside of your control, you've found yourself stuck in an arranged marriage. f!reader, no y/n used. feat: Brynjolf, Miraak, Vilkas, Farkas, Arnbjorn warnings: they're long lol. alcohol consumption, not super healthy relationship dynamics, a bit suggestive a/n: i meant to put some more fellas in here but tumblr was struggling to load this draft so i'll have to do a part two masterlist

Brynjolf

Born as the middle daughter of the Black Briar family you are fully aware of their interactions with the Thieves Guild. You've watched your mother meet with Brynjolf, catching glimpses when you're instructed to carry in stacks of paperwork or clearing away empty wine bottles after a long negotiation. His flirtatious remarks remarks leave you breathless, never going further than a shared smile or brushing shoulders in the hall.

As a middle child, you've often found yourself in an odd position - you're an adult and are expected to handle many responsibilities, yet still infantilized by your siblings. Often forgotten between Sibbi and Ingun's rebellions and Hemming's single minded dedication to the family, you're expected to pick up the pieces without making a fuss.

"We need to solidify our ties with the Thieves Guild." Mother's sharp voice interrupts your dinner. You nod along, picking at your potatoes and planning out the rest of your week. "How old are you now?"

"Twenty four."

"Oh, good!" The excited tone of her voice rouses suspicion. You peek up at your mother, heart ramming against your ribs - she's never taken an interest in your life before. This can lead nowhere good.

You can only hope that silence will make her forget you. Her schedule is usually so full that you're allowed to exist out of her eyeline - taking a few extra moments in the market to flip through some books or visiting Ingun in the alchemy shop to chat. There is joy to be found in those small moments when you escape from her calculated gaze.

Of course this doesn't happen. Before the week is out you find yourself standing in the Temple of Mara, heart in your throat and siblings snickering from the pews. The handsome thief is gentle when he holds your hands, voice a bit shaky as he reiterates every vow back to the priest.

Returning to the Ratways feels odd. You part from your family, ink drying on the many contracts as Brynjolf - your husband - leads you through the Cistern. You feel a bit like you're floating as the events of the day settle on your mind. Panic chokes out all rational thought - who will ensure that the animals are fed and organize the contracts in your absence?

"I'm sorry - this all happened so fast, you may need to show me around once more when my mind stops spinning." You can't recall half of what he's pointed out and your feet are aching. You gulp, staring up at Brynjolf's kind eyes.

"Don't worry, lass." That soft grin makes your heart race when he shows you the private quarters, a small room branching off from the tavern. "We're in the same boat, you've got me."

With each day that passes, that knot in your chest lessens. The anxiety shrinks as you settle into your new life, finding the lack of routine comfortable - no list of chores awaits you, no one calls for you to sit in on meetings. After twenty four years of responsibility it is terrifying to realize that no one expects anyone from you.

Despite all the initial fears you find yourself flourishing. Far from your mother's prying eyes you discover that you enjoy hearing stories from the other thieves, Vex and Delvin teaching you a few tricks and Tonilia offering to scrounge up a set of armor. No longer are you Maven's daughter or Hemming's sister - you are yourself.

Brynjolf maintains a respectable distance, never straying too far but making no moves toward romance. He acknowledges that your partnership is just that - an agreement set forth by others, it is not a true marriage. He joins you for dinner each night, finding himself eager to hear about what you've done that day.

"What did you mean back then?" You finally ask, surprised at how steady your voice has become. Brynjolf's gaze still makes your heart flutter but you no longer feel the need to shrink away from it.

"By what, lass?"

"When you said we're in the same boat."

"Ah." He leans closer, voice conspiratorially low. Your cheeks flush when his fingers dance over yours, barely a touch. "Well, I'm guessin' you weren't exactly excited by the prospect of marrying a stranger, yeah?"

"It wasn't my first choice."

"Wasn't part of my plan, either." You hate how your stomach drops at the admission. Of course you're aware that he hadn't truly wanted you, but that knowledge does little to soothe the sting.

"Delvin's too old and Vex hates dealin' with your mother." His eyes drop to where your fingers have twisted together, the toes of his boots brushing yours. "I didn't plan on it bein' me but I couldn't stomach the thought of anyone else marryin' you."

The weeks blend into months, changes in your life slow but steady. Brynjolf sets aside time each week to teach you how to wield a dagger. Your beds scoot closer and you stay up later talking, candles burning down to nubs while you share every little shred of yourselves. He tells you of this the people he's lost and you share the desperation you've always felt for more, blushing when he jokes about the fulfilling life of a thief.

Your confidence continues to blossom the longer you're away from your family, brave enough to disregard a direct summons from your mother. Somewhere she is steaming, Hemming probably cursing your name at her side. It's freeing to realize how little you care.

"Proud of you, lass." Brynjolf grins when you bounce up to him, excitedly recounting how cool it felt throwing her letter in the fire. His hand is warm when it cups your cheek. "How should we celebrate?"

A bit drunk on your newly found courage, you kiss him. You've thought about it for months, stomach fluttering when you first noticed the way his eyes linger on you. It's quick and your lips tingle a bit when your husband chuckles, already leaning in for another.

Miraak

"All of our efforts to reign in Miraak have failed." Arngeir's eyes pin you in place. Your ass is going numb from those stone seats but there's no escaping this conversation. "Dragonborn, the Jarls continue to call for action."

"I have tried everything to defeat Miraak."

"Yet we remain unsuccessful." Biting your tongue barely contains the multitude of protests. Your body bears scars from the many times you've faced Miraak and his cultists, brain addled by the ages you'd spent combing through Apocrypha's twisting hallways.

"Miraak has a clear interest in you." Borri chimes in, voice hoarse from lack of use.

"He speaks the truth, Dragonborn." Arngeir concurs. "We have formulated a new plan. The Jarls have approved, as have many leaders from Solstheim."

"Wonderful." You grumble, hauling yourself to your feet. Might as well start preparing. "What is this new plan of attack?"

"You will offer yourself to Miraak."

"Your plan is to sacrifice me?" The shrill tone of your voice echoes off the stone walls. "How will my death resolve anything?"

"Not as a sacrifice. As a bride."

Despite your many protests, it seems that Miraak could not pass up an opportunity to get under your skin. He agrees to the proposition - you become his partner and he scales back the attacks on civilians. The rage becomes almost mind numbing. You cannot believe that this plan is being enacted, that your elders are offering you up for the mere promise of peace.

When Arngeir bustles you out the door he instructs you to slay the First Dragonborn. His voice is stern when he informs you that you will not be welcomed back to Skyrim's shores until Miraak is dead. The old men don't listen to a single protest that passes your lips, somberly shaking their heads and claiming that this is the last resort. Their trust is placed in you.

There is no ceremony, no hint of romance - just your stack of books and a bout of seasickness as you're ferried to Solstheim. Cultists meet you at the dock, Raven Rock entirely silent as too many pairs of eyes watch them escort you to Miraak's palace. You walk with your chin held high and pray that no one notices the fear simmering just under your skin.

Miraak's glare tracks each move you make as you prowl through his manor. You keep your distance, intent on finding some hidden weakness that will break him without rousing too much suspicion. You circle one another, neither willing to break the peace and strike first. Even when you are alone he maintains some sort of mask - always obscuring at least half of his face, never giving you a full view.

Meals are silent except for thinly veiled threats. Doors to both bed chambers are locked and barred each night. You find comfort in his library, sprawling shelves holding volumes thought long lost and safe from the mind bending power of Apocrypha. On days when you grow too exhausted to search you tuck yourself away into a secluded corner of the library and read until your eyes can't focus.

"You do not have to hide." Miraak's deep voice shocks you out of your reading. He eyes the stack of books at your side and you feel terribly vulnerable. "This is now your home as much as it is mine."

Clearly displeased with your lack of response, he huffs and walks away. Your brain struggles to catch up - the usual nasty tone of his voice was gone, something almost kind about the way he'd spoken to you. It's disconcerting.

Thankfully, you are too preoccupied with your assignment to notice how deeply he burns for you. You do not see the heat behind his glare or the tension in his body when you drift too near, barely keeping a leash on the gut wrenching desire.

Miraak finds it quite easy to convince himself that he detests you - the flipping of his gut is mere disgust and your permanent place in his dreams is blamed on that damned prophecy. You are too distracted sniffing around for clues to notice how deeply and shamefully he wants you.

"What is it you seek?" His voice nearly stops your heart. Blade aimed for his chest you whirl around, scolding yourself for lowering your guard enough for him to get so close. You pause, gaping at the face he's hidden behind masks for months and fight back the horrible wave of attraction.

The crooked nose, stubble trailing up his jaw, dark eyes glaring down at you. Grey streaks are visible where his hair's pushed away from his forehead. A scar drags through his lower lip, drawing far too much of your attention. Grinding your teeth against the way your cheeks blush, you summon every ounce of vitriol you can.

"None of your business."

"Incorrect. You are in my study."

"What I am searching for does not regard you."

"Doubtful, little dragon." You curse your heart for flipping at that pet name. Miraak's grin is nearly a snarl when he leans closer, unable to keep himself away from you any longer.

For one night, he will release his self control. He will make himself vulnerable if it means he can get a bit closer to you.

Vilkas

As the eldest daughter of a Jarl, your duties never cease. Keeping an eye on your siblings, watching the advisors in preparation for your role, learning from wizards and teachers and warriors alike - it is endless. From a young age you'd intended on caring for your beloved city of Whiterun whether you acted as Jarl or advisor, content with putting in the work for your future.

"We need a foot in the door with the Companions." Proventus' words had roused no suspicion at the time - he'd said similar things about the guild before. "They are unregulated, acting entirely separate from us."

"This is true." Your father had turned to you, heart in your throat at the prospect of proving yourself. You'd fine tuned your political knowledge over the past few years and finally, an opportunity to prove yourself to his court. "Can you be trusted with this task?"

You had no clue what you were agreeing to. You'd anticipated a cordial relationship, that you would be acting as a emissary. You expected to form a diplomatic relationship with the Companions. You'd met a few warriors for training but the prospect of working with them was intriguing, their reputation was equally vicious and respectable.

You try to keep it together for the first meeting. Kodlak Whitemane is intimidating but you stand tall beside your father, chin held high and sword strapped to your side. It has never tasted blood but the advisors had insisted upon you looking your best, presenting yourself as a capable fighter.

Kodlak's warriors appear cleaned up, though you notice the scars - tattoos swirl between the gaps in their armor and wary eyes watching every shadow. The one at his side looks ready to implode; hand wrapped menacingly around the hilt of his sword and dark eyes sweeping over you with barely contained disdain. He sneers, clearly seeing through your carefully placed facade. Your stomach drops when he stands only a few paces from you, arms crossed over his broad chest.

The meeting moves too fast to follow. Kodlak and your father speak in hushed tones, all the other advisors cloistered around them. Notably, you are left out - they must be bartering on your behalf, right? Why else would you be left out of the conversation? Three Companions stand at your side, each appearing equally annoyed.

"May I ask why your folks seem displeased?" You whisper to the man at your side, the one who appears less standoffish than the others. Soft brown eyes blink back at you, a short laugh badly disguised as a cough.

"Surprised you're takin' this so well. We had bets on you running out."

"What?"

"Aela thought you'd last through the discussions. I thought you'd bolt as soon as you saw him. And Vilkas, well he refused to make a bet." The man laughs again, a hand extended toward you. Your head is spinning when the dark haired man walks off in a huff, his anger radiating through the hall.

"Vilkas?"

"Yeah." You follow where he points out the man now shouldering his way into the circle of advisors. "Your new husband."

Despite his initial vitriol, Vilkas is annoyingly formal. He speaks to you as a member of the court - stiff and respectful. He spends little time in your company, taking every assignment offered by his elders to get him out of the city.

You can't say it isn't hurtful. Your union was one of mutual convenience for your families but to see your husband so clearly uninterested wounds you. Your conversations are brief, each focused entirely on whatever business Kodlak has with your father.

You hold your chin high, remaining in your father's home and listening to the advisors fret. Your visits to Jorrvaskr are not unpleasant but there is a notable lack of progress - Aela and Farkas are friendly, Athis slowly warms to you, but it is abundantly clear that they all view you as an outsider. Vilkas can barely remain in the hall, his brother kindly making excuses on his behalf.

Sleeping in your childhood bedroom as a married adult feels strange, though you console yourself with the knowledge that it is not a real marriage. No rings or tender words had been exchanged. It was merely a contract signed by Kodlak and your father on your behalf. You drift off to sleep with the image of Vilkas in your head, wracking your brain for what can be done to smooth things out.

"Hey."

Scrambling for the knife under your pillow, you barely manage to swallow the scream building in your throat. With the blade quivering in your hand you aim it toward your attacker's chest. Vilkas' dark eyes glare down at you, hair mussed and usual armor missing. You blink a few times when turns toward the door.

"Can't sleep. You coming?"

"Coming where?"

"Anywhere but here."

He hardly says a word when you stride out of Dragonsreach. He scoffs at the way you sneak past the guards, dagger still gripped in your hand. You follow him down the chilly steps until you're seated on a bench, backs to the Gildergreen.

"Sorry." He grumbles, dropping his cloak around your shoulders. "Bet you're freezing."

You're too stunned to question it. The cloak smells of him and you find yourself burrowing deeper into it, the first kind move he's made. Vilkas sits at your side, glaring out at the starry sky for what feels like hours.

"What is happening?" You finally ask, glancing over at him. You catch his striking profile, outlined by the silvery moonlight of late night; the sharp bridge of his nose and harsh brows, the lips that look surprisingly soft when they aren't grimacing. Your stomach flips when his eyes slide to you, though they appear uncharacteristically kind.

"Needed to get out for a bit." He shrugs, heaving a sigh. "Figured you could use a break from that place."

It's hard to predict when he will seek you out. Vilkas only appears in the dead of night, often the night before he departs for an assignment. You wander through Whiterun, enjoying the emptiness of the town while he tells you of his recent missions. You are giddy each time he refuses your attempts to return his cloak, wrapping it around your shoulders to walk aimlessly at his side.

Not wanting the conversations to be one sided, you soon find yourself sharing more. Stories of court and your siblings feel boring in comparison but Vilkas seems interested. He remembers names remarkably well, asking after your brother's injured arm weeks after you'd brought it up.

It takes months for you to broach the topic of your future. You've grown comfortable in his company, no longer unsettled by the intensity of his gaze. He is still far from a husband but there is something like friendship blooming between you, an attraction that squeezes at your heart each time he smiles at you.

"I just want to be free." You admit, gazing out over the horizon. As you've spoken the sunrise has begun, rays of pink and orange reaching out to steal the night. You have to return to Dragonsreach soon before everyone else wakes. Despite that reasoning you find yourself leaning into Vilkas' shoulder, heart fluttering when he accepts your touch.

"Free?" He snorts, chin resting on the top of your head. "You're the Jarl's kid, you can do whatever you want."

"I've never made a choice for myself - I didn't even get to choose my husband." Clearly the lack of sleep has loosened your tongue. Vilkas chuckles, a sound that never fails to warm your heart.

"That's fair." He sighs, staring over your shoulder at Jorrvaskr. He's sure that the others have already awoken, chest tight with the unending duties threatening to drown him. "Someday, when we're done solving everyone else's problems, we'll get out of here."

Farkas

Since an early age, you've been warned to stay away from the Companions - their shimmering armor and heroic deeds are inviting but they do not live like you do. Their beast blood is a secret held only by those in the highest ranks, hidden away from the rest of their guild. You've never understood the secrecy but abide by your parents' warnings, heeding the wisdom of your pack.

Numbers have dwindled over the years. Tales told around the long table recount times when your pack commanded Whiterun's rolling plains, hunting and celebrating to their hearts' content. Each generation shrunk - the beast blood not passing on to younger generations and civilization encroaching upon the wilds. Handfuls of families have splintered off, some moving to new Holds while others joined larger packs.

You're fairly certain your hearing must be failing - after ages of warning every wolf off from dealing with the local guilds, your grandmother grimaces around those unbelievable words.

"What?"

"We can no longer survive on our own." She reiterates, your ears ringing. "These lands have been overhunted and new farms claim acres of land every day. Now with the Silver Hand moving into Whiterun," she sighs, gathering herself. Tears prick at your eyes when she rests a wrinkled hand on your shoulder. "Our family has entered an agreement with the Companions."

"Okay." You're struggling to wrap your head around this change but you'll manage - the pit in your stomach for months could finally cease. You know that food sources are growing scarce and numbers are falling but you're still a bit lightheaded at the finality of her statement.

"We've assured their continued support. They cannot back out of this deal."

"How? What do we have to give them?"

"You and some of the others will be married to the younger members of their inner circle."

It's like a punch to the gut. Your marriage is still a handful of years off but you will never forget about it - wondering each day if this is your last before being shackled to the Companions for the rest of your life. Your first meeting happens during a celebratory dinner, your heart in your throat as Kodlak presents the members of his pack.

One boy glowers across the hall and sneers at anyone who dares to speak to him. His brother stands nearby, a friendly smile on his face when Kodlak's hand lands on his shoulder. You can only pray that you aren't partnered with the unpleasant one.

"I'm Farkas." The kind boy introduces himself, calloused hand warm against yours. It takes a moment to remember your name - thankfully, your grandmother pats your shoulder and speaks for you.

"Nice to meet you." You choke out, terrified to be staring into the face of your future husband. His smile comes easily, dimples in his cheeks eyes radiating kindness. Light brown hair is braided out of his face and a broadsword is strapped across his well muscled back.

You spend the night awaiting the horrible stories your elders passed down to come true - that the Companions will shame your way of life or scoff at the state of your hall, but they are amiable. A bit reserved but they do nothing to earn your distrust. They share food and drink hauled down from their hall, listening intently to the stories told by your parents.

Farkas fits in too well. Even after Kodlak and the others stop visiting, contracts signed and goods exchanging hands, Farkas keeps coming. He shows up on your mother's doorstep with an armful of food and brings your siblings presents on their birthdays. Each time he appears you're shocked - this was sold to you as a marriage of convenience, one to fully unite your families. The grin on his face when he teaches your brother how to properly swing a sword or his willingness to help clear the dishes after dinner make you wonder if he was told something different.

Even as the season of your intended wedding approaches you cannot scrape up any distaste for him. You find your heart fluttering when Farkas rolls up his sleeves to help your father chop firewood or falls onto your bed at your side, curiously eyeing whatever book you're reading. You've both grown into a comfortable friendship, choosing to not speak of what awaits you only a few months away.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Farkas offers, eyes sliding your way. Even after all these years he still makes speech difficult, the friendly smile causing your brain to stop functioning. He's asked the question dozens of times but there's something loaded behind his words that makes this feel different. He's so careful when he holds your hand, clearly giving you space to shake him off.

Farkas follows the same path as always around local farms, a pleasant expression on his face but you feel the nerves radiating from him. Perhaps you've just got enough anxiety for you both.

"What's wrong?" You blurt, unable to contain the nerves any longer. Eyes sparkling in the moonlight Farkas turns to you and you're certain the whole valley can hear your heart ramming against your ribs.

"I want to marry you." His voice is uncharacteristically serious.

"That's been arranged since we were kids."

"No, I mean for real." Farkas insists, chilly fingers tracing the shape of your cheek. You've been close to others but nothing has felt like this, no one else has set your skin ablaze with a simple touch.

"I need you to know that I'm not just doing this because Kodlak said to. I want to be here with you, with your family - I want you."

It takes a few minutes to digest that - he wants you. Farkas is patient when you work through that, fingers tightening around yours as he awaits an answer. Butterflies erupt in your stomach when you finally voice the feelings you've ignored for years.

"I want you, too."

Kissing him is so easy, it feels natural. He smells like home; the hands cupping your face are stained from helping your parents cook and the scent of your fireplace clings to hair you'd tied back. Farkas kisses you like it's the first time he's taken a breath, needy and desperate. His nose brushes yours before he's pulling back, that comforting smile rousing butterflies in your gut.

The wedding you'd spent years dreading surpasses all your expectations. Farkas cries the moment he sees you, tears streaming down his cheeks when he pledges each day of his life to yours. You pointedly ignore all the vows regarding duty and tradition - you love this man. You've fallen in love with him slowly and without realizing it, loving him a bit more each day you've spent with him. He speaks of his love for you and respect for your family, summoning fat tears in your eyes when he kisses you.

"Thanks for lovin' me." He murmurs into your hair, crushing you to his chest.

Arnbjorn

"You should do it."

"Absolutely not."

"It's the best way to ensure the survival of both our Guilds!" Delvin insists, that smug look on his face. He thinks he's already won. "If we don't come to an agreement, our groups are bound to cannibalize each other. Our customer base and services are too similar."

"All good points."

"Every Jarl is out for our blood and both of our Guilds have recently lost leaders." It's annoying how correct he is. Delvin nudges the ale toward you, clearly urging you to consider. "A partnership would solve nearly all our problems."

"And why can it not be a business partnership?" You ask, accepting the drink. "Your relationship with the Brotherhood has stood since before I even joined the Guild, has something caused you to doubt it?"

"Unfortunately." Delvin's expression sours at that. "Their new leader."

You agree to a meeting with their new leader, expecting the Listener - they've visited a few times when the Brotherhood needed Delvin's aid, most recently during their move to Dawnstar. Your friendship is easy but holds no attraction, certainly nothing that would tempt you into a marriage.

"The Listener isn't their official leader." Delvin corrects you at the last minute, the group of shadows entering the Flagon. "It's the old leader's widower."

He stands before you, intimidatingly tall and muscled. Unimpressed eyes shamelessly comb through the crowd of thieves, white hair braided away from a handsome face. Delvin's elbow nudges yours and your face burns when you stumble over your introduction, clearing your throat before the conversation begins.

It's rough. Their leader, Arnbjorn, clearly lacks his former partner's knack for negotiation. You'd only encountered Astrid a couple times before her death but remembered her way of speaking, calculated with a constant threat in each word. Arnbjorn is much more straightforward, the Listener and Nazir looking a bit uneasy at his side.

"I have no need of a wife." He speaks plainly, earning a glare from his companions. "My hands are full running the Brotherhood and looking after the recruits."

"My thoughts exactly." you concur, though the conversation spirals away from that point once again.

Gods, you feel like this is never going to end. Hours pass and Delvin's sheet of notes has become illegible. The Listener is predictably quiet, taking in everyone's words while Delvin and Nazir hash out the details - where barriers for contracts should be, how to notify the other, who can recruit in what regions. After far too many drinks their words devolve into an obnoxious drone.

You aren't entirely sure anyone notices when you excuse yourself. Maybe a breath of fresh air will clear your head. You're certain that the sun has risen and quite possibly fallen once more since the negotiations had begun, shuffling your way through the Cistern in search of the outdoors.

"Hey."

Two strong fingers grab your elbow just as you're about to climb to freedom. You turn, sucking in a deep breath when you realize that you're cramped into the secret passageway with Arnbjorn. His cheeks are flushed - he's had even more drinks than you, leaning on the wall for support.

"What?" You try to sound sure of yourself despite the distracting closeness of his body. It's troubling how handsome he is. Arnbjorn blinks at you, sucking in a deep breath before speaking.

"I didn't want you to think my protests have anything to do with you." He clears his throat, obviously struggling to speak so plainly. "It's just - my wife passed away. You're very pretty but I have to think about the Brotherhood."

"I understand." You breathe, unable to ignore the way his eyes seem glued to your mouth. He leans a bit closer and you can smell him, smoke and pine and you fight back the wave of attraction.

Kissing him is foolish. You know this. It is a dumb mistake that you cannot stop yourself from making, closing the tiny distance between you. His lips are warm and god, the large hand curling around your waist and drawing you closer feels divine. His body presses to yours, crowding you against the stone wall until you can feel every delicious inch of him.

"Oh gods -" Delvin's voice shatters the moment. You're shrinking back, Arnbjorn stumbling a few steps away but it's too late. Your face burns when Delvin and the Listener's stares pin you in place. "Well, looks like our problem solved itself."

Marrying him is strange. Arnbjorn is stiff and standoffish, barely grumbling when the arrangements are drawn up. It's hard to forget that kiss, heat creeping into your cheeks every time the memory emerges. He's not unkind, just unwaveringly professional.

"If you're not interested in your wife," the client's words are slurred when he nudges Arnbjorn. "Mind if I take a swing?" A few too many celebratory drinks have been shared after your first successful joint contract. He stares intently at you, arousal pounding through his veins at the sight of you wearing Brotherhood armor.

"What?" The wave of sheer rage catches him off guard. Arnbjorn glares down at the drunken lord, anger building when the man leers toward your group of thieves. He's restrained himself for so long, ignored the way your eyes linger and seek him out because of his damned principles - but he will not allow this.

"You clearly don't want her. No harm in someone else gettin' a chance, right?" The man grumbles into his goblet. "After all the coin I handed out for this job -"

All conversation ceases when Arnbjorn bolts out of his seat. Before you can ask what's wrong he's stalking toward you, fingers gentle but insistent when they grip your chin and tilt your lips toward his. His kiss is full of heat, brain flooding with unabashed arousal as your husband's hips press firmly into yours.

"What's this all about?" You pant, cheeks burning bright red when his nose brushes yours.

"Don't worry about it." Arnbjorn grumbles against your lips. He'll let his reservations slip for this evening of celebration. He tells himself that he will rebuild all those walls in the morning, allowing himself this one night as your husband.

[broz0neglitters]

You let me drown

Branch POV Fanfic

~Hey, hey, if you haven't read parts 1 and 2, I suggest you go read that now cause this is branch POV, so we're going straight to the story. Enjoy ~

Warning: Alcohol/drinking , cuss words Mention

Branch POV:

-Later that night-

I Keep tossing and turning to myself. I can't sleep. It has been days since the whole fight between me and floyd. I keep thinking to myself, why would my favorite brother lie straight to my face? He sure indeed did try to avoid family problems cause he usually was the one who would stop John, Bruce, and Clay from ripping each other apart.

As I got up from my bed as I looked at the time it was 3AM "screw it." I said to myself I didn't want to bother my girlfriend or anyone, so I should talk to floyd again. I'm still not over this mess. It's hard to expect the fact that the one brother who helped me with everything would lie straight to my face....

~Fast forwards~

-Vacay Island-

All of us came to visit Bruce and his family, but mainly for a brother get-together by the beach, in which Bruce makes the best cocktails like it really gets us started. Anyway I arrived with John Dory, Clay, and floyd as Bruce served us cocktails which were named after celebrities

Bruce made me this cocktail. The name was Justin Timberlake, and it was blue and had fresh blueberries. I wish I could taste the alcohol, which had glitter in it. "Wow, Bruce, this tastes amazing. You didn't have to do all this for us." I said, "Aww, it was nothing, bitty B I love doing this for my brothers, and hey, it's even on the menu." Bruce reply I hate being called bitty B. I only allowed Poppy to call me that cause she deserves it I wish she was here

As I saw floyd with his hot pink sunglasses as he took a sip of his cocktail which was called the Troye Sivan. It was hot pink. "This cocktail definitely got me feeling the rush this is good," floyd said I refused to believe a word. That Floyd is saying as I rolled my eyes at floyd I still refuse to sit next to someone who said he would return but never did As Clay took a sip of his it was more like a beer rather than a cocktail which was called Kid Cudi "Man this drink will defiantly keep me up day n night." clay said

"I sure do feel the rush." floyd said. "Stop lying." I said while crossing my arms "Branch, are you still upset about me? I thought we moved past this, and we're here to have a good time." Floyd said, looking at me, "Yo, this eric andre beer is fucking amazing I gotta have another one, Bruce." John said as he was caught in the middle of me and floyd arguing "Are they still at it again." john said "Well, branch is really hurt so I think we should let these two talk it out. We'll chip in if they beat each other up beside they won't unlike you and clay." bruce said sipping on his Daveed Diggs cocktail which was hella fancy as fuck...

"I'm still not. I'm the youngest, for crying out loud, and you literally lied to a fucking baby that you would come back, but you didn't. You wanna know what fucking happened to grandma! SHE FUCKING GOT EATTEN!" I snap angrily "I WAS SINGING HOPING THAT YOU AND THE OTHERS WOULD COME BACK FOR ME BUT GRANDMA SAVE ME I WISH IT WAS ME INSTEAD OF GRANDMA I'M A FUCKING MISTAKE!" I said, crying as floyd put his arms around me "I-i'm sorry I didn't know that happen to grandma." he said, "Don't fucking touch me, you liar" I said, slapping his hands off me

"Should've known your love was nothin' but the surface I'm in the deep end." I said, looking at floyd as floyd put his drinks down as I looked at the waves of the beach. "And I've been begging you to stay, but I really can't. I know you wanted to start a solo career, so I let you go." I reply not looking at him "In fact I have also been begging all the others to stay but they won't listen to me." floyd said "But it still doesn't give you the right to lie to a literal baby." I said

As the sun set me and floyd watched our older brother play in the water, splashing at each other. We both should be out there joining them, but instead, we're both here talking about our feelings, mostly me letting out my emotions as I looked over at floyd who was in tears crying "You showed me exactly who you are and I should've believed it You left me alone out in the dark with all of your demons." I said then floyd replied choking on his every word

"I Got caught up in the tide of all the tears you've cried I know you were blinded by my heart, sinking from the start." Floyd said "But you know what, floyd." I told him, "What?" he said softly. "Should've never followed you this far; now I'm in the deep end, And you let me drown. You didn't even try to save me." I replied as I stood up as floyd held onto my hands "Please branch I didn't mean for this to happen please I'm really sorry and I mean it." floyd said sobbing

As I let go of his hands. "And if real love never dies, Why am I barely breathin'?" I asked him, "Also to mention that I was Here on my own, Out in the deep end, Way down below, with all of your lies and how you told me you would come back but never." I said as floyd couldn't stop crying

He was so pathetic at this point. There was no way I was gonna forgive him floyd knew every word I was saying was true floyd was indeed the bad guy after he told me that he wasn't, even if he fucked up his words...

But floyd thought to himself that although at the reunion, John and Bruce never apologized to Branch, only Clay did although john didn't, floyd knew that John Dory did keep his promise and did come back for Branch and the others, unlike floyd, who felt guilty and ran away from his problem and lying to a literal baby floyd wonders how branch felt about bruce also leaving him but the focus right now is to get branch to forgive him and set this drama aside was floyd main focus floyd also felt bad that he made branch think that john dory was the bad guy

Although John Dory bossed all of them around, he still cared about them. Even after he left, no big brother would ever return for his younger siblings, but John Dory was different. He actually came back and traveled the Seven Seas looking for them, and yet they pin John Dory as the bad guy for caring about his brother.

I Didn't want to sit here any longer, so I wanted to end things with floyd and join the others. "Sometimes I sit and fantasize. Maybe sometime in another life, you would never leave me and we would still be a family." I said, "I understand you, and I wish that too." floyd said, "But I really don't want to continue talking about this mess so to close this chapter, floyd it would take me a while to forgive you and believe everything you say." I said "You have the right and I deserve it I will wait no matter how long it would take you to forgive me I'll be there waiting for your brotherly love again." Floyd said

All I could do was hug him and join the brothers at this point I didn't want to talk about it anymore. The chapters as been closed for me and floyd and as much as I want to forgive floyd I didn't want to hear his lies it will take me a long time to forgive him and floyd knew that

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

Anyway, This is the end of the chapter man, this chapter was so good, haha I really enjoyed writing it and I genuinely believe it would take branch years to forgive floyd anyways I will surely start a new Fanfic soon

but in the meantime be sure to read parts 1 and 2 for context <3

Also, the request will be reopened on May 31st and closed back down on Aug 9th, so don't be disappointed if I don't get to your request. As I mentioned, it takes a while to write them, and although it will still be around summer, I have a summer job and need to get ready for the school year, so please be patient. Thank you <3.

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

Like + Follow are very much appreciated! <3

Part 1:

Part 2:

[valentine-cafe]

Hii

I'm in a very struggling situation so is it okay if you give me fun facts about Zhao Yizé 9948e? Doesn't matter what it is. Just no angst and nsfw fun facts.

He is my comfort character and I need to read something about him to ease my stress. You can take your time on it tho!

— 🎨

⊹ ۪ ࣪ ᥫ᭡ oh darling we really are sorry and we hope things ease up for you :(( sending you lots of love! we composed this real quick for you

𖹭. he plays the guqin! he's very good at it too

𖹭. can recreate animal sounds very very accurately

𖹭. he treats mister squiggles like a genuine pet snake when in fact squiggles is his familiar —

𖹭. he can speak fluent japanese!

𖹭. his english given name is mathew ( he hates it XHVKBK )

𖹭. on the topic of languages, he speaks more english than he does chinese as he's not around the zhào estate too often and rather lives in the society of shades

𖹭. he is associated with dull shades of blue

𖹭. one of our voice references for him is from this audio

𖹭. as a child, he loved hiding around the ponds of the estate garden, swimming among the lotus flowers and sometimes laying on the big lotus leaves. he also had a small water fan he’d use to splash his older brothers with. they never knew it was him that did it.

𖹭. when yizé first got mr. squiggles, the first thing the both of them did was have a race in the training grounds. he won, and made squiggles get him ice cream as a reward.

𖹭. in yizé’s late teens, he had developed an odd habit of sleeping in the tree branches because he’d sit in the garden at ungodly hours to do homework for school. it became a comfort to him, and he liked when the birds nestled up to him.

𖹭. yizé helps a lot of the community around the estate and makes sure everyone goes around and are safe. safely getting elderly and the young across the road, making sure cats and dogs don’t run out and get lost and is also one of the people who makes a bunch of food for his neighbours and hands it out to them when he can.

𖹭. at work, yizé really likes the missions where he gets to go to the last sector of the society. because it’s a place surrounded by nature and it just comforts him. he loves the areas of the inner society too! the last one just reminds him of home. and also there’s deer!

𖹭. though he doesn’t read books, he has a special thing for comics. he doesn’t read — but he loves looking at all the art. he’s never been too good at art, but he admires it so heavily. he’s always trying to draw something! even if it comes out a little messy, he still feels proud of what he makes

𖹭. yizé is the only one in his family that manages to get brain freezes whenever he drinks cold drinks or eats something cold too fast, nobody knows why.

𖹭. he really likes dancing on roller-skates and is quite good at it too! he often goes to some of the clubs around the society to dance around with them on. one of the reasons for this is because it reminds him of his best friend lorenzo.

𖹭. he has a special soft spot for reptilians, and adores salamanders specifically. he can’t explain why, he’s just always loved how silly they look.

𖹭. has a bit of a tendency to get lost whenever he’s out, but he always find his way back home ! ( he calls his fire dad or his ceo dad or his mama )

𖹭. his younger sibling and him get along really well, and often enjoy running around the parks close to their home, catching bugs and critters for them. yǔ xī has always been able to relate to his love for all wildlife, and it’s refreshing. they like to sit and study them while eating ramen

𖹭. he likes to visit his older brother xīyang whenever he has time. he knows he is sick often and because of this, he really likes bringing him soup and food. and although they’ve had a rocky past together they also share lots of laughs when they get the time. last time they laughed over squiggles accidentally dipping his tail in yizé’s soul when he went to hug xīyang

𖹭. really likes to bully his boss/dad rasui, calling him an old man and sometimes not listening to his orders at work because he likes to prove there are different ways to do things. and he can see even when rasui scolds him, there is pride for his adaptability. ꒱

[irismfrost]

August 6 - Boat Ride, Tree House, Confucian Temple, Hayashi Department Store

We had some free time in the morning so after breakfast I went to a coffee shop and started working on my independent excursion project (see previous post). I had a caramel macchiato and it looked good and tasted good. However, there were no outlets near my seat, and there weren't many at the place in general. It was a cute shop though.

We had some awesome karaoke on the bus and it felt like we got to our first destination in no time. We did a fun boat ride through the mangroves. There were some mosquitoes out and there were some very low branches. We had to duck at certain spots and this one girl in our group who was getting seasick wasn't looking and got hit right in the head by a branch. It looked pretty painful. There were some graves and it was near a war zone back in the day. There was a Buddhist temple built on top after the fact. The lady doing to boat tour was speaking in Chinese but our amazing tour guide Peter translated some parts. We saw some mangrove crabs, an egret, and another bird that I didn't know. They gave us cool hats too but I was already wearing one so I did not participate in that part.

Next, we went to the Anping Tree House that used to be a warehouse for Tait and Co (a British company), but then it was abandoned and overgrown with fig trees. It was pretty and I got a cute post card. I also got a cinnamon roll because I was hungry and unfortunately, it took a long time to come out and was also burnt on the top. Another girl got the sundae which was soooo awesome and she donated some ice cream to make my cinnamon roll less dry and burnt. It helped tremendously.

Next, we went to a Confucius temple established in 1665 by the Qing Dynasty. It served as the first school of Taiwan. There is a "Dismount Monument" at the front of the temple that states you have to dismount your horse before you enter. This also applies to cars and scooters. It is meant to show respect. There were posts to honor all the 72 disciples of Confucian on the sides, a main hall in the middle, and more relic type things in the back.

Next we visited the Hayashi Department Store. It opened in 1932 in the business district and was an icon for modernization (Japanese origins, hence the name) - it had 5 floors and one of the first elevators in the city. To this day, the same elevator exists. It was very small and slow and could only hold up to 5 people at a time, but it was cool that it still worked. We walked through all the floors and on the roof (technically 6th floor), there was a shrine and apparently you could see damage from the US when we attacked Taiwan, but I could not figure out what the said damage was. Everything there was a little too expensive for me, but they had a lot of interesting things from hand made bags to pottery to jewelry to snacks.

Reflection

The climate and wildlife here is very similar to Florida, especially south Florida. Riding through the mangroves reminded me of all the times I've ridden through mangroves back home, especially at different summer camps or kayaking with my family. Even the weather here is similar, except it's a little more humid here (which is why Supau is so awesome). We've also gotten a bit lucky that it hasn't rained as much as I expected. In Florida, we have the daily afternoon showers and we haven't really gotten that here but maybe the Typhoon threw a wrench in that after we got to the south part of Taiwan. The plants are also eerily similar. I know that most of the palm trees in Florida are non natives, but they are native here and it looks the same. The ferns look the same. The only difference is that the trees are a little bit bigger and there are mountains. I've realized that there are also a lot of banyan trees/ fig trees here. Everything is very green. Florida has pine trees and oak trees which Taiwan doesn't have but most of the other stuff is the same. I even saw some Melaleuca trees, aka paper trees, at the Chen Chiang Shen house. When we first moved into our house in South Florida, there were so many and we had to take all of them out because they were non native and causing issues. According to Google, they disturb native wildlife, disrupt water flow, and alter soil conditions because they don't belong in Florida, and they technically don't belong in Taiwan either. They were brought into the island during the Japanese colonial era.

Another interesting finding is the power of the Confucian family. Throughout the rise and fall of different dynasties in China, the Confucian family has always remained in power and been protected because of the importance of Confucianism as a state religion. There are probably so many decendents at this point but I'm sure that those who really go into the faith have a lot of respect. Confucianism really was the backbone of the power structure of China for a long time because it taught the importance of respecting your leaders and built a very stable and rule following society. The fact that it was a state ordinated faith is no coincidence- they work together.

[enchanted-lightning-aes]

The Fractured Clue

A/N: just a short of the woods containing secrets and fairytale-ish vibes with horror elements.^ Word Count: 984 T.W/C.W: basic horror stuff, i guess

***

Across the vast woods, wolves howl around the ground and owls hoot above a cluster of trees. A current whipped on its surroundings, shaking leaves and branches. Some frogs croak and jumps on lily-pads floating on a river.

On a road, two people move in different strides. One swaggers forward, daggers equipped in a satchel slinging around her shoulder. The other staggers, clutching onto a bag while darting a glance everywhere but ahead.

Upon making it to a building—wood and small—occupying a grassy expanse. The windows shutter from winds passing by, swinging back and forth.

"This cabin's been abandoned." Kerezen scans its nondescript structure and porch. "But who knows what secrets it might contain?"

"Oyyy! We oughta leave!" Enele's steps falter as he pants. "We can't… we can't go there! You know what those stories said! If anyone goes, they won't escape!"

"It's some silly tale folks conjured to scare off those daring to venture," Kerezen says with a huff.

Enele frowns. "Or it's a tale of caution? Warning others to stay away from danger? Or they might face the wrath of a monster!"

"Pffft, what monster? Wolves? Bears? As long as we have our weapons, they won't be a match to us!"

"It isn't just some regular monster! What if it has magic? And cast a spell on us? Didn't you hear about those children who went to a witch's house to seek shelter?"

"Oh, that's rubbish! You don't believe some old lady turned some children into candy, do you?"

"Anything is a possibility. I'm just… this doesn't seem to be the best idea."

"Take it easy, my friend. We'll take a quick look and we'll be back before supper."

At that, Enele grimaces while cracking his knuckles.

Kerezen leans her ear against the door, latching onto its handle then pushes it open.

Enele's pulse quivers at the sight of a room shrouded in shadows and light.

Brittles of dust clutter over the wooden floor. It shimmers from the daylight outside as if a magical creature performed a grand spell. Only for it to go awry.

Before he can flee, Kerezen crouches down and picks some of it.

"There must have been a hunter who wandered in these parts." Kerezen narrows her eyes while rubbing the bits. "These might be ashes from a herb."

A flock of birds crows and startles Enele, prompting him to turn around. He exhales and his shoulders loosen. Kerezen gets up and dusts her hands. Whatever is at play here, Enele refuses to ruminate further. He had lived in the villager since he'd been a child when his family moved here. He often refused exploring the woods, scared of what terrors could be hidden.

And while his stomach sinks at the thought of doing this… he can't shirk his duties as a guardian. Regardless of any fears clawing at him.

The floorboards creak and Enele jumps as Kerezen stiffens. She reaches for the hilt of her sword,

"There's been something plaguing this village for centuries," Enele says, his voice trembling. He gulps while curling his shaking fingers. "

The old lady scoffs. "Where's the fun in that? If I wanted to hurt you people, I'd have smacked a shovel at you. Now… now what are you looking for?"

"For answers of the legends," Kerezen explains, tilting her head to the side. "Just recently, a nobleman visited our village

"Do you think those girls are innocent?" The old lady hums noncommittally then raises a brow. "Or… or they wanted to merely run away?"

"W-what do you mean?" Enele perks up, his jaw slacking.

"People often go to these woods to run from something." The old lady smirks. "Didn't you hear those legends? Of those so weary of life in society? That they'd abandon it for a cabin or a cottage. In fact… there's stories of a former heiress in here. But I wouldn't know for sure."

"Wait, there's no monster?"

"Well, is it a monster if it lurks while protecting its home? Perhaps, it's a creature that dislikes visitors, who treat their home with shabby manners."

Kerezen and Enele exchanges a quick look, their expressions shifting from its initial wariness. Enele's brows are lifted before he sucks in a breath. Kerezen

"Did you two see that?" The old lady asks, her voice crackling mimicking a fireplace's flames.

Kerezen tightens her grip on her dagger. "See what?"

With a cackle, the old lady aims a finger at the floor. "Look closer."

Enele gasps at a piece of fabric strewn beside the pile of dust. He drops down and inspects it closer. Kerezen rubs her chin, her face twisted in suspicion.

The remnants of a torn veil, transformed into tatters by a vicious creature no doubt.

"There must have been a bride who've made a deal," Enele says, examining it further.

"And the sorcerer or witch summoned a creature to deal with her," Kerezen added, sounding alarmed. She blinks. "Perhaps, you had every reason to worry, my friend. Whatever this is, it's much more than the villagers think it is. It's much more than they want us to know, Enele."

He gets up, lifting his head. "We must find who's been doing this. Only then, we can have the answers we seek."

The old lady leans against a side of the doorframe. "If you need guidance, I can be of assistance. I've been a scholar of… magic."

The mere word sends a jitter in his pulse as he shivers.

"With magic involved in it, we need all help we can get," Kerezen says. She extends a hand. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Kerezen."

"If we must work together, allow me to introduce myself." The old lady lifts her cloak back, bestowing a strange grin. She shakes her head. "I'm Quiana."

"I suppose we shall get started?" Enele asks.

Despite the knots in his stomach, he smiles in an attempt of courage.

***

[stravagatefaster]

Under the Walls

The following short story written by Mary Hoffman is from the official Stravaganza-website, which doesn't exist anymore. It is accessible through the Wayback Machine, but I am uploading the short stories here to a) act as a secondary archive and b) to make them accessible to fans. If this story is ever re-published somewhere or I am asked to delete it, I will do so. This post will be unrebloggable, but feel free to link to it if you wish to add comments/discuss the story. I do not own the story, and it is directly copy-pasted from the old website. (Sorry for the weird question marks in place of quotes, that's how the text looked like on the website)

---

Carlo di Chimici* was not a happy man. His older brother, Fabrizio,* had made himself Duke of Giglia, married and produced four sons in quick succession. It was quite clear that he saw himself as the head of the family in waiting, as soon as their father was dead. Their two surviving sisters hardly counted; women were not important in the powerful di Chimici family. Their role was to look beautiful and produce children, preferably sons.

Carlo had a beautiful wife himself — Eleanora — who had presented him with a son as their first child, and then a daughter. But there were also some lost babies and no other son had graced their marriage. It was looking now as if there would be no more.

So little Jacopo — now aged four — was very precious. But what was he to inherit? Some son of Fabrizio would have Giglia and it was clear that the family was expected to take over more Talian cities, to create more mini-dynasties for generations of di Chimici Dukes and Princes to rule.

?It was easy for Fabrizio,? Carlo grumbled to his wife one hot night in the summer of 1459. ?We live here in Giglia. Strictly speaking our father should have been Duke before my brother was but he just sat back and let my brother have all the power and the title too.?

?Your father is old, dearest,? said Eleanora. ?And tired. He was happy to hand the business over to you and your brother.?

?Huh, there is not much for me to do,? said Carlo. ?Father and Fabrizio have it all wrapped up between them.?

It was true that he did work in the family perfume business but he never felt truly at home there. His father and brother were branching out and becoming bankers to the great houses of Europa, the family wealth growing day by day. But Carlo saw himself more as a man of action and he was restless.

Then one day he was sent with an order of perfume to a city he had never visited before. It was north and west of Giglia and was called Fortezza. It was the best place in Talia to buy a new sword and he came with a commission from his brother to buy him a new weapon, once the perfume business had been completed.

I wonder, thought Carlo. Could I make this city mine?

But he had no idea how to do it, except that it would take a lot of money; and, although he had a fine palazzo in Giglia and plenty of money to buy himself a new sword, he didn?t have the sort of wealth that would enable a young man to buy himself a city.

He was in a swordsmith?s workshop when a sweating messenger tracked him down.

?Back to Giglia, Signor,? the man gasped out. ?Your father . . .?

Carlo didn?t wait for the rest of the message. It could mean only one thing. He ran back to his lodgings, gathered up his things and was back in the saddle before the messenger had properly recovered his breath.

The miles fell away under his horse?s hooves but by the time they clattered into the courtyard of the Giglian palazzo, it was already too late. Alfonso di Chimici was dead.

Fabrizio, the newly minted Duke of Giglia, was pacing the salone.

?Ah, brother! You are back.?

The men embraced awkwardly, feeling it was expected of them, while their sad-eyed mother looked on.

Within days in that hot summer, old Alfonso had been buried and mourned.

And then Carlo found himself suddenly rich. He had not had any idea until then how much wealth his father had amassed. Even with dowries for his sisters, Francesca and Lucia, and the substance of the perfume and banking businesses being left in Fabrizio?s hands, there remained an impressive sum for the younger son.

He went straight to his brother?s palazzo and had himself admitted to Fabrizio?s study.

?I need your advice,? he said abruptly. ?I want to leave Giglia and try my luck in a new city.?

?Where will you go?? asked Fabrizio.

Carlo noticed he was not going to try to persuade him to stay.

?I want to return to Fortezza,? he said. ?Now that I have inherited some money, there are things I could do there.?

He didn?t specify what but Carlo had decided: if Fabrizio was going to be a duke with a banking business, he would become a military man with an army, a soldier-prince perhaps.

Carlo set off for Fortezza soon afterwards, leaving Eleanora and the children in the care of his mother.

In a very few months, the Signoria of Fortezza became sympathetic to this vigorous man and his schemes to protect the city, particularly since he was offering to pay for them all.

Carlo di Chimici drew up plans for a massive castle, to be known as the Rocca di Chimici, and, while the foundations were being laid, he set about recruiting soldiers for a permanent standing army.

It took two years for the mighty Rocca to be built and it was a proud day when Carlo moved Eleanora and their son and daughter into it. Little Jacopo was six now and was given a wooden sword. His sister Beatrice was only four and easily menaced by her brother.

Jacopo ran up and down the battlements of the curtain wall, waving his sword and uttering bloodcurdling battle cries.

Privately, Eleanora thought the castle was far from elegant, but she said nothing to dampen her husband?s pride in it and it certainly did feel very safe and well defended. Although she didn?t know exactly what it needed defending against.

As for Carlo, he felt he had found his mission in life, defending his family and what he increasingly thought of as ?his? city.

It wasn?t long before he was elected the Signore of the Signoria and effectively Fortezza?s leader.

They had never had a noble family to lead them before and the di Chimici were building up a power centre in Giglia such as Talia had never known before. And lots of that di Chimici fortune was coming Fortezza?s way, what with the building of the castle, the creation of an army and lots of work for the city?s famous weapon-makers.

The members of the Stonemasons? Guild came to the Signoria with a proposal: now that the di Chimici castle was finished and was clearly such a strong fortress, would the governing body approve the building of walls all around the city itself?

The Signore, Carlo di Chimici, was all in favour and willing to pay half the cost himself so the proposal was soon passed and before long, an artist was approached to design the city?s fortifications.

Mariano Matrielli was a sculptor and painter who had lately come to be known by the newly defined skill of engineer. He was a testy and difficult individual but superb at what he did.

Carlo summoned Matrielli to the Rocca.

?Well, what do you have in mind?? asked the artist, not at all overawed by his surroundings in the great red salone of the Rocca.

?Walls to surround the city,? said Carlo, happy to meet another man who didn?t beat about the bush.

?All the way round? Continuous walls?? said Matrielli, rubbing his hands. He was beginning to get interested in this commission.

?Well, yes. But we?ll need some gates, and a moat, and I suppose some guardhouses — maybe some prison cells too.?

?You are expecting trouble? Some invasion or siege??

That was the trouble. There was no threat that Carlo knew of to Fortezza. He just liked the idea of an impregnable city — one that he could rule.

?It is always good to be prepared,? he said.<

BR>?I agree,? said Matrielli. It made no difference to him, as long as he was being paid and had a free hand in the design.

He was back a week later with drawings that took Carlo?s breath away.

Massive walls with twelve heavy bulwarks set evenly into them and so wide across the top that a platoon of soldiers could march twelve abreast!

With defences like these Fortezza would surely live up to its name and never be conquered. And there were tunnels inside the walls leading to banks of prison cells. And guardhouses in each bulwark and in the space above the main gate, which was not near the castle.

?Magnificent!? said Carlo di Chimici. ?I shall take them to the Signoria for approval but can?t imagine they will be anything except delighted.?

?Of course, if my plans are approved, I shall need a large sum of money to order materials and start hiring men.?

?Of course,? said Carlo. ?There will be no problem about that.?

He had recently heard that the King of Anglia had repaid a massive loan from the di Chimici bank in Giglia, together with considerable interest on the original sum.

The massive bastions were to be built first but before work could begin on their foundations, the old walls, now seeming very inadequate, had to be pulled down and the land outside the city cleared and levelled. Vast teams of labourers were employed in the city and the whole of Fortezza was abuzz about the walls and Matrielli?s grand designs.

At last it was nearly time for the foundation stone to be laid.

The week before, a visitor came to see Carlo one night He was a strange figure in a cowled robe and would not give his name. The only reason he was admitted was that he said he had an urgent message for the Signore about the coming ceremony.

?Who are you?? asked Carlo.

?My name is not important,? said the man.

?Reveal your face then.?

?My face is not important either. Do you want to hear my message or not??

?Say what you have to and get out,? said Carlo. ?You have already tried my patience.?

?These walls of yours,? said the man. ?Do you want them to keep out enemies??

?What a ridiculous question! Of course.?

?Then there is one more thing you need to do.?

Carlo felt uneasy; there was something sinister about this man and yet he had a compelling presence that was hard to ignore.

?This is a Tuschian city, built on the remains of one built by our ancestors, the Rassenans,? the figure continued.

?I know its history,? snapped Carlo.

?History comes with responsibility,? said the stranger. ?If you do not complete the rituals, the project will not thrive. However strong they seem, the walls will not keep out the enemy.?

Carlo felt his throat dry; he was not going to like these rituals, he was sure.

?What are you saying we should do?? he asked, more calmly than he felt.

?Blood,? said the man. ?The foundations need blood. You must find a sacrifice.?

For all that he was a man of action, Carlo did not like the unnecessary shedding of blood.

?An animal, you mean?? he said. ?A cockerel or a goat??

?Something bigger,? said the visitor. ?A man. Remember — without it the walls will fail.?

Then he turned abruptly and left the salone. It was almost as if he had disappeared.

?Stop him!? cried Carlo to his guards. But it was too late. Of the hooded man there was no sign.

Carlo spent a restless night. Of course what the man had suggested was out of the question. The official foundation ceremony had already been arranged and would not include even an animal sacrifice, let alone a human one. The very idea was preposterous.

And yet Carlo, like many Talians, was deeply superstitious and also eager to impress the citizens and Signoria with these walls. He was hoping they would agree to make him the city?s prince.

He was seriously thinking of postponing the ceremony.

And then a solution seemed to open up. A murder suddenly seemed to give Carlo a way out.

A man had killed his wife in a jealous rage; this was unusual for Fortezza, whose citizens were fairly peaceful. And, as it turned out, the woman had been blameless. Her husband had been condemned to death and was deeply penitent of the crime.

Was there a chance that the execution could be carried out at the site of the first tower and the body buried under the foundations? The man was going to die anyway; why not use him to appease the gods of the Rassenans? Carlo thought this could be the answer but still he didn?t know how to suggest it to the authorities.

His wife was beginning to worry about him. Carlo slept badly, was hardly eating, had taken to gnawing at the side of his thumbnail and was always distracted. He took hardly any notice of the children. Eleanora just couldn?t think what could be the matter. His building plans were going well, there was the beginning of a fine army and the family had settled well into their new home in the Rocca — even though for her part she would have preferred an elegant house in Giglia.

And then the Manoush entered the city.

In their colourful and glittering clothes, with long hair streaming and music playing, the group of wanderers passed easily across the ditch that had been dug around Fortezza in preparation for a moat. Citizens hesitated on the rickety plank bridges that had been thrown over the gap but this exotic group just flowed across, not missing a step of their dance.

Their leader was a tall woman, her long dark hair streaked with silver and threaded with ribbons. She was leading her people into the cathedral square when Carlo di Chimici, not looking where he was going, bumped into her.

?I?m sorry, Signora,? he said. ?I had my mind on something else. Please forgive me.?

?I can see that,? said the Manoush, scrutinising his face with her dark, intelligent eyes. ?You are troubled about something.?

She signalled to her people, who dispersed about the square.

?Would you like to tell me what it is??

And Carlo had the strangest feeling that he would like to tell this person, that she might even be able to help him.

They went into a tavern and he ordered wine for them both. Within minutes he had told her who he was, his plans for the city, and about the mysterious stranger who had told him of the bloodthirsty ceremony he should carry out.

?I have heard of him before,? said the woman, who had introduced herself as Daria Vivoide. ?And whenever I have heard of him, the word has not been good.?

?But is he right? Will all my plans come to nothing without this gruesome ritual? I have been going mad thinking of it. How can I tell the Signoria that we must mix human blood with the mortar or Fortezza?s enemies will be able to breach the walls??

?It is good to respect the old gods,? said the woman slowly. ?My people do not build cities — we are nomads. But I have heard of a ritual that might replace this cruel custom and still appease the local deities.?

Carlo felt hope for the first time.

?But it would not be without danger for the person who carried it out. It would be best done by one who does not expect to live long.?

Carlo told her about the murderer.

The day for laying the foundation stone dawned pearly-clear and cloudless. Long before the official party assembled at the site of the first bastion, Carlo di Chimici met a small group of masons, the engineer Matrielli and a few brightly-clothed people, including Daria Vivoide.

Soon afterwards a party of guards came from the jail, leading the wife-murderer in chains.

The wretched man shuffled along, his head down, as if expecting the worst.

Matrielli stepped forward with two workmen and moved the prisoner to a deep trench. The morning sun shone on him, throwing his shadow across the hole. The two workmen, directed by Matrielli and the Manoush, took the measure of it with a length of rope and then Carlo stepped forward.

?Throw the rope into the trench,? he ordered. ?And release the prisoner.?

The man rubbed his wrists and looked into the eyes of his rescuer. Carlo had explained the risks to him.

?I am free to go?? he asked.

?Absolutely free,? said Carlo. ?As long as you do not return to Fortezza.?

He put a cloak around the man?s shoulders, gave him a small bag of silver, and sent him on his way.

The little party watched as the murderer walked away, staggering at first and then straightening up, until he was a just a small figure in the distance — like a child?s sketch of a man.

?Do you really think it will work?? Carlo whispered to the Manoush.

?It is the civilised way,? said Daria. ?Once he would have been thrust into the foundations and buried alive. But the old cruel rites are being replaced over Europa. The burying of a man?s shadow will satisfy the gods but it is still likely he will be dead within forty days.?

?He told me he wouldn?t care,? said Carlo. ?He killed his wife. His children hate him. And it will be forty more days of life than he would have had. He was due to be executed today,?

Carlo heaved a big sigh.

?Thank you for your help,? he told the Manoush.

?Now, can we get on with the real ceremony?? asked Matrielli.

?As soon as I?ve had some breakfast,? said Carlo. He suddenly felt ravenously hungry. ?Come and have breakfast with me,? he said with an expansive gesture, including the engineer and the Manoush. ?We can?t start such an important enterprise on an empty stomach.?

Carlo cast one look back in the direction of the condemned man. Was it his imagination or were there now two figures on the horizon? It seemed to him that the first man had been joined by another, wearing a hooded robe, but it was too far away to see clearly.

He turned towards the Rocca, his heart lighter than it had been for many days.

* The Fabrizio and Carlo di Chimici of this story are not the ones we know from City of Stars onwards. They are the sons of the first founder of the di Chimici dynasty, as you can see from the di Chimici family tree.

[fundielicious-simblr]

(Lana's POV)

We're engaged! Parker proposed on a wonderful night in Myshuno Meadows park. It was such a surprise to me because I genuinely thought I'd be able to tell when it happened, so for me to be surprised is just another cherry on top of the happiness sundae!

We had plans to head to San Myshuno for this conference on relationships that Reece & Stacie's church was hosting in the city, at the time time my parents got an invite from some family friends to visit, so I flew in with them and my sister . Parker's parents were invited to speak at the conference, so them being in the city wasn't a surprise to me either. The conference was definitely a blessing, who would've thought that I'd be able to apply the notes I was making in the not so distant future!

Maggie, Shane, Reece, and Stacie also all attended the conference with us, so it was a great bonding session for us all. I feel so blessed that Parker's sisters and sisters-in-law have taken me in and treated me like family since we met, and now we're going to actually be family soon! After the conference was over we went for a large family dinner the next day since we had a long weekend, after dinner Parker and I branched off with the siblings and we headed out and got some hot chocolate and nice winter desserts as it started to slowly start snowing. Maggie suggested we go into the park and appreciate the nice view with the snow and maybe get some pictures, and as we were walking the boys headed off towards the park whilst us girls got caught up taking pictures.

As the girls and I walked into the park and got into the area by the gazebo, Maggie and Stacie both told me I had to wear a blindfold for what would happen next. I went along with it and started walking and reach what I know to be the gazebo that's in the park. When at the gazebo the blindfold is taken off of me and replaced with Parker's hand and we walk further down - at this point I knew that the proposal was happening but didn't want to believe it. As we were walking, Parker was reminding me of our conversations about the future and what my 'dream' proposal would be like, and as I was agreeing is when he lifted his hand off my face and I saw the ring and all the decor!

In that moment, time stood still as Parker began quoting "I have found the one whom my soul loveth" and got on one knee and asked me if I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. It was all so surreal, I don't think I said yes for a good 2 or 3 minutes until Parker asked me again. It was only after he put the ring on that I zoned back in and realised that Maggie was photographing the whole thing and our parents and siblings (well, my sister and then some of Parker's) were just outside the gazebo waiting to celebrate with us! Parker made my dream proposal come true, outside with the snow falling and our families surrounding us.

Our mamas were the first people onto the gazebo to celebrate with us, and they took this cute picture with us. They started planning the wedding as we stood in the gazebo! It's such a blessing that we have such wonderful parents, Parker is the 11th of his parent's children to get married and his mother is still overjoyed with each engagement and wedding that comes in to the family. My mama has been praying for this moment her entire life, and is rejoicing now that it's coming true for her.

My parents love Parker to bits from the moment they got to meet him, he fits right in with us. Before we started dating, my parents decided to upgrade our 4 person dining table to a 6 person one, what incredibly forward thinking. Parker fits right in at family dinners, and is like the son my parents never had, when he comes to visit sometimes my dad will take him out with other guys from church and they'll do different activities from time to time. Out in Oasis Springs the desert doesn't provide you with much recreational activity, but they still found a way to bond.

Parker's parents, siblings and their spouses have made me feel so welcomed into their family. From inviting me to whole family events, to his sisters and sisters-in-law inviting me out with them, as well as inviting me, my mama, and my sister out to different outings and events. I can't wait to officially join the family and be Mrs.Collins! Let the wedding planning begin!

[am-i-obsessed---maybe]

Hello! I've been following your wayne bro series since the start and it's so interesting i love it!! If you're not busy i want to request a fic where wayne!bro and tim bond together? Bc i noticed they weren't exactly close with eo at the start but in the super sons fic they seem more friendly, i was curious on how that developed ^^ idk if this makes sense lol, hope ur having a good day!!!

I knew generally how this would go (which is why this took so long, sorry about that) but I can't for the life of me get the energy to write a full fic so I'm gonna write it as headcannons instead, hope you enjoy! (yeah, it got out of hand but it worked, this was the turn in Tim and Wayne!Bro's relationship and proof that the only way this family can communicate is when everything is falling apart😅)

- it's not that you didn't like Tim, he was a sweet kid, incredibly smart (some may say too smart for his young age) but it hadn't even been a year since Jason's death and the fact that Bruce was training another Robin just infuriated you.

- Unfortunately one thing is apparently genetic among the Waynes and that's their lack of healthy communication skills so your anger at Bruce unfortunately hurt Tim along the way

- He was 13 when he tracked Dick down and told him that not only did he know the identities of the batfamily but he knew that Batman needed a Robin because he saw how much angrier and more aggressive Batman was without him

- Eventually Tim wormed his way into the boy wonder costume and you fumed when you heard, you actually came to gotham to yell at Bruce

- None of this changed anything, you had no influence on your family's nightlife and Tim was adamant that he was staying... That being said it doesn't mean you had to like Tim or approve of any of this situation

- You ran into Tim on a few occasions, when Conner was first discovered, when you and your family visited the manor and inevitably when the boy's father died and Bruce officially took him in

- He often tried to talk to you, to bond but you couldn't, you were still grieving Jason and while you weren't angry at Tim it was difficult for you

- Eventually Bruce and Alfred had enough, even Dick (who was equally as mad at Bruce for training Tim) came around and even Clark liked him

- After two years of minimal contact Bruce told you that a young man had won an internship at Wayne Ent. and that he would be sending the boy to shadow you for a day as part of the program. He's done similar things before so you didn't think anything of it until you came to say hello to your assistant Anna who was happily chatting with a young man

- You assumed this would be the boy shadowing you so you happily came to introduce yourself

- "Good morning Anna, who might our guest be?" You asked and had to stop your expression from shifting when the boy turned around and Tim's happy face greeted you

- "Hi Mr. Wayne, it's nice to see you again" Tim said

- Suddenly things made complete sense and you only wondered if Clark and Alfred were in on this too or if it was only your brother's scheming

- The day was easy but full with meetings with department heads and a tour of a new lab for a metropolis branch of Wayne Biotech

- Tim asked a lot of questions and you were decently surprised that he seemed actually interested in the goings on of the company, his intelligence was indeed remarkable and you had no doubt that if he wanted to he could work in any scientific field he chose to study

- It was during lunch though the dreaded conversation happened

- You and Tim were eating lunch in your office while you reviewed some paperwork

"So you're not actually a perpetually serious business man like people say are you?" Tim asked and you looked up from your work.

"Is that what they say about me now?" You asked dryly before giving your actual answer to Tim's question like you'd been doing all day.

"No. That's as much a persona as Brucie is. It lets me keep my life private if I look boring"

Tim nodded taking a few more bites of the pasta he took from the cafeteria the tower had for it's employees.

"So that's why you look so work focused? so people leave you alone?" He asked and you nodded.

"I've never liked the spotlight" You said.

"Neither does Bruce" Tim said and you finally put your pen down.

"Bruce has always cared very little about what others think of him, from a young age he knew he didn't want a normal life, he had a mission, the price for which is that he must maintain a public persona" You explained.

"You don't like Batman." Tim simply stated.

"It's more complicated than that"

"Does that mean you were like this with Dick and Jason?" Tim asked and you could hear the desperation, hidden in his voice.

"I helped raise Dick, it was different and for reference I gave Bruce hell for making him Robin" You told Tim and your eyes wandered to a family photo on your desk, Bruce, Dick and Jason. From a family photo day you and Alfred practically had to force them into.

"Jason was a troubled boy he-"

"Met Bruce by stealing the batmobile's tires, I know" He cut off and you sighed.

"Stop cutting me off and listen. Jason had his issues and he needed more help than Dick or Bruce but he had so much potential. Jason- he was smart and compassionate with the biggest heart I've ever seen for someone who was hurt so much" Your voice wavered and you squeezed your eyes shut.

"When he died..." you began but trailed off.

"Bruce changed"

"We all changed. And I hoped I would never see someone wear that costume again. So I apologize if I've made you feel out of place in this family. You are welcomed here Tim but I refuse to support someone else wearing that suit after my nephew died because of it!" It was moments like these that made you thankful your office was sound proof.

"So, I'll always be the Robin whose not supposed to be?" Tim asked solemnly and you held your head as you took a deep breath.

"You sound like Bruce when he talks about his parents" Tim said.

"Neither of you know how to deal with grief." He stood up and grabbed his bag.

"Without Dick, without Jason, he's reckless and angry and irresponsible. Batman needs a Robin and Gotham needs Batman so..." His voice lost all his power as he stood with his backpack by the door he was just a scared little kid. The poor boy wasn't even 15 yet and was small and thin.

"I'm sorry for wasting your time Mr. Wayne" Tim said and you stood up to stop him.

"Tim wait" You placed your hands on his shoulders.

"This family, it's complicated. It always was. You don't- I don't want you to feel that I don't support you. I'm sorry Tim, you deserved better" Before you could do anything Tim was sobbing and you simply held him as he cried, just like you did with Jason, and Dick and Bruce once upon a time.

"It's okay Tim" You said as you helped him sit down on one of the comfy chairs in your office.

- You cancelled the rest of your work day and took Tim back to your apartment and for the first time since you met him you sat down and talked

- he told you about life in the manor and school, about his life before. The time his parents took him to the circus and he saw the flying graysons, the nights he'd spent looking out at the bat signal or out on the streets trying to see Batman and Robin. And you told him about yourself, your family. How you met Clark and funny stories you have of Bruce and Dick. It was pleasant.

- You two went to pick Jon up and you drove Tim back to Gotham and dropped him off at the manor

- "Master Y/N, we were not expecting you and master Jon back along with master Timothy" Alfred said when you got out of the car.

- "I took the today off after lunch so I thought I'd drop him off myself, besides Jon loves car rides" You joked and ruffled Tim's hair. "Feel free to drop by Metropolis or call if you need anything Timmy" You said and got back in making sure Jon was still asleep (he was) before driving back.

- "I assume it went well" Alfred said as he escorted Tim inside the manor and the preteen smiled.

- "yeah, it was great" He said.

[enha-woodzies]

➸ CHAPTER 1 | " A TRUCE FOR STICKS "

starring: enhypen ft. i-land daniel

pairing: jungwon x fem!reader x sunghoon

genres: royal au, romance, angst, slowburn, 18th century setting

word count: 1.4k

taglist: @serendipitysung (thank you for the beta babe) @affectionaterainoflove @renkiv @softforjungwoo @jislix

[ TEASER ] | [ MASTERLIST ] | [ NEXT CHAPTER ]

"Hear me! Hear me! Oh dearest citizens of Northumberland! Today, I excitingly send words of the town's whatabouts as we engage ourselves in the most awaited event of the season一 the debutantes' ball!

To finally meet and acquire their very own match, a roster of this year's finest young ladies and lords will twirl and swoon their way in the Queen's Court in about forty-eight hours from today.

Amongst the several noblemen in present, who will be the lucky and eligible lords to win the hearts and hands of the city's virtuous and stunning young women? From Northumberland's notable and wealthy families, who will be the successful couples to make it through the exceptional game of matchmaking?

I, for one, doubt the family of Lady Yang will be two steps behind this social occasion, as it appears to my sources the second-born is finally joining the eligible bachelors of the season! Oh yes! Juicy, isn't it? But wait! Another juicy tattle just sprung up the instincts of the town's desperate mothers!

The ravishing only son of the Duke of Northumberland is finally back in town and up for grabs as the Duke himself announced his son "eligible and in need of a potential wife"! This season will no other be than an exciting and exceptional turn for the highly-acclaimed families of the North.

Curious of what's going to happen? Well, see you in forty-eight hours!"

The folded paper is now shoved at the back pocket of the tensed boy who begrudgingly positioned himself back in the shooting marker of the field. With a steady stance and a firm grip on the blunderbuss, he pulls the trigger aiming for the target hanging on a tree branch. The boy hisses for what somehow appears to be his fifteenth missed shot now.

"I see you've read the Daily Tattle. Does that explain your angered shot just now?" A tall, plump-faced boy walks toward the brooding lad who's now awaiting his next bullet being prepared by his personal servants.

He heaves a deep sigh. "Been pissing off my shot the moment I took my first pull this morning."

The tall, plump-faced boy in question is Daniel, the youngest of the three brothers of the Yang family and a very dear friend of our pissed off lad, Niki, the youngest of the Park family. Daniel slings an arm around his pal's shoulder, only to be shrugged away in an instant. "Loosen up, my lord." He scoffs in sarcasm. "Is it your sister?"

Niki closes an eye as he carefully steadies his arm to his line of sight. After he blows another impulsive shot, he lets go of the blunderbuss and turns to his friend. "Who do you think?"

"Well, for starters, you're using the blunderbuss for target practice. Anyone would think you're just out to play but as your trusted old pal, you only come out here with that weapon when it's about your sister." Niki rolls his eyes while pulling Daniel to the nearby bench. "You sure, bud? Only when it's about Y/n? You've surely seen the stupid parchment this morning. Can't believe you're dumb enough to be my friend."

Daniel perks up his brows when he recalls the contents of the Daily Tattle. "Ah! Sunghoon's returned!" Niki clicks his tongue while adjusting the utterly tight boots his maid had put on for him. “And here I am thinking you’re annoyed because your sister is about to be offered for marriage.” The other boy mumbles.

“It was originally that. But then one thing led to another now that I’ve seen the Daily Tattle. Mother will look for ways to get Y/n closer to Sunghoon.”

“Well, I’d do the same if I was your mother. It’s the Duke’s son we're talking about here! His father plans to hand over the title to him as soon as he gets married. Isn’t it regal?” Niki quickly slaps Daniel’s chest before walking away to head inside their manor. The boy was quick enough to catch up to his heated friend, after all, he has pretty long legs for a mere young lad.

“C’mon! Y/n would never answer to a guy like him. You should trust your sister more often, Nik.”

“And you should keep your mouth shut more often, Dan.” Daniel struggled to stifle another remark the moment Niki turned his back on him. He knows where Niki’s frustration and anger are coming from so one more silliness from him would make Niki’s fist land him on the ground.

“Sunghoon sent me an invitation this morning. I reckon you haven’t opened yours? Chap’s inviting us for quick rounds of fencing in their garden today.”

Niki abruptly stopped from his rushed paces when Daniel’s tone changed from being playful to utter seriousness, but he never turned to face him. He was trying to process what his pal just said and stood stiff on his spot. “It’s about time you take your sticks out… for a few rounds of fencing, don't you think?” Daniel walked past Niki but didn't fail to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. He huffs an almost tired sigh. “See you at the Duke’s garden, bud.”

The afternoon daze lands upon Niki’s hooded figure coming down from their carriage. The boy deeply exhales before finally setting foot on his former friend's grounds. It’s been years, he thought. But the memory still stings his fragile heart, although his mother taught him better than to let his emotions get the better of him. He just couldn't figure out what to do in the remaining hours of being stuck with Sunghoon in this dreaded place.

“Lord Niki,” The Duke’s butler bows before the lad while choking in a whisper. “Belle missed you tons, my lord.” He finally let out.

“She does, doesn't she? I’m sure she's been well?” Niki suddenly felt a rushing warmth up in his cheeks at the mere knowledge he just gained. “Always been, my lord.” Niki places a hand on the butler's shoulder before smiling away. “Much thanks, Edmond. I’ll visit the castle’s stable in a bit to see what Belle's been up to. And don’t worry, I can see myself to the horses.”

“Niki! You came!” Daniel rushed to his friend for a tight hug to which Niki only forced a smile. It wasn't because of Daniel’s almost constricting embrace though, but because of the sight of the Duke’s son walking his way towards the two lads. “Your Grace.” With a tone of sarcasm and his most incomparable humor, Niki bows before the tall and well-built, almost pale marquess the instance Daniel pulled away.

“There will be no need for formalities, Niki. It’s not like-”

“I insist, Your Grace.” Sunghoon clicks his tongue as he places his hands on his waist. He will, after all, be addressed that way very soon. “Very well. You’ve never been one to take heedings anyway. Come, the garden’s been waiting for us.”

The pavement leading to the grand garden was made of the purest white pebbles and enormous shrubs towering over them on each side of the vertical pathway. Niki couldn't help himself from sniffing the fresh air time to time as the place, despite being dreadful, is filled with fresh air adequately provided by the healthy bunch of trees that's surrounding the royal grounds.

He forces down every bit of flashback that's trying to reign over him by little subtleties such as swallowing his saliva consistently, or clicking his fingers in agitation. Daniel would place an arm over his shoulder every ten seconds to keep the anxious boy from insanity.

So long as Niki was too occupied with his drowning thoughts, he hasn't realized the servant handing him the fencing sword after he’s changed into full gear in the middle of the yard.

“May I remind you that this is nothing but a formal play without personal intentions in the way. I trust you well enough to at least take that very simple heed, Niki. There won’t be a need to get effusive.” Sunghoon smirks to the boy whose eyes are now hooded with fuming anger.

“Oh, he’s tamed, my lord. You need not to worry about him. Right, Niki?” Daniel awkwardly chuckles to keep the tension from brewing any further. With stares that could kill, Niki may as well have “His Grace’s” head off by now.

“After the third count, gentlemen. En-garde!”

“Foils at the ready!”

“One…”

“Two…”

“Allez!”

And before the count even reached its end, Niki threw his first offense.

*send me an ask or a message if you wish to be added on this series' taglist!

ㅡ © ENHA-WOODZIES, 2021

[lovee-infected]

Macaroon anon I love you and how can I resist writing for such a great idea? I really wanted this piece to take place as Ciel was stuck in twst in my previous au but since I mentioned dorm leaders there it couldn't be really done...Rip

A twisted path ✨

~ Black butler x twisted wonderland ~

Feat : Mey-Rin , Bard & Finnian

Poor trio stay away in shock of not only his unexpectedly loud shout but also...eh...his appearance .  Are they wrong or does this guy really look similar to master Ciel...?

Coming conscious still with his eyes closed , he hears some sounds around him:" He dead ?-""No I don't think he is, his chest is still moving" "Anyway what's this body doing hear at Phantomhive's mansion? If he's been stabbed or something it's going to be troublesome," "Na I guess this dude's just been really drunk y'all. Also...what's with the clothes ? Could it be that he's somewhat of an actor from nearby theaters ?" "Aye? Since when are the designs this messed up...- I guess we'd better get rid of it before mister Sebastian returns, maybe burry hi-"

Riddle freaks out as he hears this idiots wanting to burry him alive and immediately wakes up screaming at them to stay away.

Riddle on the other hand gazes upon what he just faced: a red haired haired maiden wearing a pair of glasses, a yellow haired boy with green pupils and a rather buff man with a toothpick in his mouth staring at him. " Ah- He a'live ! Man ya gotcha be more careful with drinking," the buff man chuckles. Riddle suddenly feels highly unsafe: Who are these people? And where am I? He's read NRC's maps enough to know that such a building is surely not a part of it , come along it's weird people. Was he kidnapped while asleep...?He pulls up his staff and starts threatening them with it , wanting them to immediately introduce themselves and explain what he was doing here- wherever it was-

Finnian tries to calm him down with a soft smile and a friendly attitude, but Riddle is strong at his point: He wants answers.

When he sees them all trying to calm him down with no explanations he gets mad : "OFF WITH YOUR HEADS!"

...What ? Wait-maybe try again:"Off with your-Heads!" ...Why isn't it working? Riddle stays still, the magic collars have to be around their neck but- they are not...?? There must've been a mistake: " Off with your heads - Off with your HEADS - OFF WITH YOUR HEADS DAMN IT-"

Mey-Rin, Finnian and Bard stare at their angry guest shouting nonsense and getting as red as a tomato, what is wrong with this guy..?

Riddle is furious and confused , what's the matter ? Is his magic blocked the same as that time Beans day?  He doesn't know , and he doesn't like it

Riddle starts shouting at them asking what they've done to his magic and the poor guys just go...Huh ? Riddle keeps on getting redder and redder as if he's about to explode . He starts threatening them from reporting them to the head master to giving them to the official policies for kidnapping and neglecting his picture 

Finnian then decides that maybe it's better to leave him to mister Sebastian and so : Picking up a huge branch and a striking it to his head , savage

Riddle passes out immediately whoops- maybe Finnian should have been softer-

They stay there gazing upon their... masterpiece . Finnian might have even broken his skull - Good god , what should they do now ? They must wait until mister Sebastian arrives ; But where is he now ?

Feat : Suma & Agni

"Pssssssst- Agniii...I guess he finally woke u-" " M- my prince , y-you sure that it was a good idea too bring a total stranger out of nowhere to our home ? I'd greatly appreciate it if you be more ca-"

Argh...what is with all noises around him ? He's told Ruggie a million times not to let anyone in his room whole he's taking a nap even if it's gonna be the grim reaper ; what are these brats doing here?

Leona rambles under lips and with a push he's awake : " Oi , you'd better know that I don't like having my naps ruined,"

Suma gasps at the sight of him being finally awake and tries to offer his unwanted guest a welcome hug which Leona rejects- Poor Suma

Leona isn't yet realizing what actually is going on , from not knowing that this isn't his room to the fact that he's now at more than 100 years ago in a whole different world ; ironic

Leona orders them to take this annoying conversation out of his room just to face Agni's locked expression : "Your room...?"

Taking a better look , Leona finally gets that this probably isn't his room and these people surely aren't from NRC

Sounds get echoed through his brain and he feels a small ache inside it . He rubs his head ...why does everything feel so strange ? Something is different ... could it be that he's still sleepy or..? Wait a second - Why can't he shake his tail ?

He immediately looks back to see if he's sit on his own tail but faces a terrifying scene : There is no tail . Is it cut off ????

and a newer fact flashes his brain : There are no ears either . But then how can he still here the sounds ? "P-please don't be", he begs . His hands shake as he brings them up to touch both sides of his head ; wishing not to find what he is looking for . And they are ! Human ears !A mild shiver is sent down his neck and he rushes to the mirror on the other side of the room just to face this nightmare with his own two eyes

He stares at the mirror with his eyes wide open and mouth as if he is going to shout . No...

Oh...nevermind . He has to calm down ; it's nothing but another fancy dream . He'll soon wake up and these will be all gone . Leona tries closing his eyes and cursing , wanting to wake up to sanity when he opens them again

Surprise : Nothing's changes . Two crappy brats still staring at him . Agni is now a bit suspicious but Suma on the other hand is really motivated : " Ahh~! Sorry if it's strange to sleep in the streets and wake up in bed- I just saw you laying there in a death like slumber and couldn't help but to bring you along ! Also , haven't we met before ? I'm pretty sure that I've seen your face somewhere before... Don't you happen to be from India ? "

Agni is really stressed out and keeps warning the young boy : " My prince ! He's now all conscious and fine , then I'd lead him out of he-"

"Prince , huh ?" Leona wasn't ever really interested in visiting ally kingdoms back at his home town so he barely got to meet any other princes , hm but to think that this cherishing child is actually a prince...man , the world has really changed

But he has no time for such games now , he has to find Ruggie or anyone else who may lead him out this insanity and return him his ears and tail

He asks for where he is - else than Suma's mansion - and the answer doesn't really do any help either . Where on the bloody hell is London ? And if these people found him laying in the streets when the heck did he even get here ? Well , doesn't really matter now , but where is NRC ?

Suma and Agni probably don't know where NRC is and Dire Crowley ? Suma wonders if this guy was the one who fooled him to buy a sick elephant which died a week after in india , but Agni is sure that neither him nor his prince have ever met a single soul named this

Leona is getting more and more pissed off wasting time chatting with these idiots so he takes his way out , ignoring Suma's begs for him to stay for lunch at least

He freezes just at the second he opens the exit doors and gazes upon the streets : Horses? carriages ? 19th century's clothing ? How long have these people been stuck in this lack of technology?

He feels like he now really needs to make a phone call but searching his pockets he finds both of them empty...those brats stole my-

He was close to getting hit by a carriage when someone shouts at him with a : " OUT OF WAY YOU SON OF A-"

He is now ready to get in a fight but a sound cuts him off : " LEONAAAA HELLP-!!!!!!" , this extremely annoying sound...what the heck is he doing here and : WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL HAS HE DONE NOW !!!????

Feat : Lau & Ran-Mao

Business tip nu 1 : Always keep calm , even if you end up losing all your magic powers in the surface without the possibility of returning to your original form or knowing where in the damn world you are : K-e-e-p-c-a-l-m

Thankfully , Azul's dope nature avoids him from going crazy during his stay in this...non-Twisted wonderland world

He had heard of theories explaining the possibility of other world's existence ; countless ones indeed . But to end up in one of them without any preparations ? He wasn't planning on that

Well nevermind , that cannot be helped now . let's look for a better way

Lack of facility , cultural deprivation and severe corruption ; is this how humans are ? No wonder the sea witch called them Poor unfortunate souls...

Enough with these people , he must now ignore all other disadvantages and take a look into beneficial sides of it...If he has ended up here , in this world and into this spot of the city there must be something linked to magic nearby ; even if he's surrounded by all these foolish people who haven't ever even seen real magic by their own eyes

Just as he's looking around , something catches his attention : a strange smell . Thanks to his family he's pretty good at following smells to their source and knowing what exactly they are : it's the pungent smell of Opium

He follows the smoke to its source and arrives to a bunch of stares going underground . A board is place next to the stares with something written on it :  Opium Den

Azul isn't one to believe in superstitions but he is sometimes interested to take ambitious  steps ; life sometimes brings you worthy surprises

Entering the shop , someone slightly grabs his arm . He turns his head to face a young, beautiful lady pulling his sleeve softly , eyes empty of any emotions . Without saying a word , Ran-Mao grabs his hat and coat and Azul thanks her , seems like he took the right path

His vision got a bit blurred as must of the air is filled with smoke , not that he isn't used to such atmospheres

" Why welcome to my place , sir . How may we service you today~ ? " a sound says from other side of the room . Azul turns back to face the source of all these smoke holding that young lady from before close , could she be her right arm woman or something ? She seems pretty obedient for one , which is nice

Azul introduces himself and takes a seat . He isn't going to get to his main point at the very first seconds ; he needs to make sure that he's come to the right person . He introduces himself as a businessman from a far away city , came to explore more of business tactics here in London . He offers Lau a small chat toward that , wanting him to give him more information on business if possible and return , he'd be given similar information about Azul's home town

While being considerably great at it , Lau isn't really interested in wasting time talking about business , all he ever cares in some sort of entertainment in whatever he does . Still , he agrees of playing this fake role for a short time . Although he knows that Azul isn't here for this either...

A few minutes pass and they both know that Azul doesn't really care to know how much a pork costs and either is Lau , so takes a serious step himself : " I see you're a man of business , Mr . Azul . I wonder what I you may be able to offer me in return ," Azul clarifies that he would get interesting information if he gives Azul good ones ; everything is clear and equal . "Then , I'm afraid that I've got not much to offer ," Lau sighs , but a small smirks appears of his lips : "But what would you say about some tea ? And maybe a small talk ? "

Lau isn't like others out there and that's pretty recognizable to Azul , but it doesn't make him the right person to trust either . He is continuing this conversation in hope of Lau leading him to the right person he is looking for , someone worthy of a greater contract . Lau lets out a sad sigh feeling sorry that he can't do much help , but he knows that who may do : A well-known friend , serving years working as a right arm man . Talented , well cultured , big on all issues including business : "I'm sure that you'll like him ,"

Well perhaps this thing's starting to work out for him : " Then by all means , lead me to this mister you speak of , Mr. Lau~" "With all pleasure . Bring him his coat and hat , sister " , Lau orders . Pleasure is always his first priority , but nothing would ever break rules of a contract ; He gives , he receives . Even taking him to Sebastian is counted but , he's already thought of that . This young man seems quite entertaining and when he first stepped into his shop Lau was expecting him , a spacial guest

Lau doesn't really care about superstitions , but still enjoys his ambitious steps  . This guy had came to him just as expected and now , something about him tells Lau that getting him to Sebastian will bring him as well newer faces to meet...what an entertaining day it would be

Feat : Tanaka

Jamil is... about to lose his mind . Caught in a whole other world without a meaningful explanation of how he ended up here or why . Magic doesn't work and there is no certain way to scape this situation and make a return to NRC . But the worst thing about it remained certain : He is caught with Kalim

Why in the bloody hell does he always have to be hooked up with Kalim ? Parents forced him into it at childhood , headmaster orders to it at school and now , the world suddenly decides to abandon him together with Kalim ? If it's joke , that's a pretty lame one . Why does he have to live in the shadows of Kalim being the unworthy dorm leader ?

Now lost in the streets , not knowing where to go or who to contact , what a wonderful way to start a day

Kalim isn't liking it at all : dirty streets , loud and short tempered people , street fight and drunk men everywhere , the smell of death filling the air , this is horrible . Kalim is well aware of poverty and deprivation lasting for so long and even remaining until the very present day , but traveling back in time and space to face one of the most terrifying levels of it just isn't his thing . He feels sorry and odd at the same time : Is this how life behind of the walls of his royal castle looked like ? He wishes he could help it . He probably could if he was any linked to NRC right now

He keeps on telling Jamil how poor they look and wonder if there is a way to help...The world Kalim knows has elegant and colorful nights and days but this world...was all caught in a dead gray mist

Jamil doesn't say a word because he doesn't want to listen , Kalim can keep on daydreaming but he has to find a way back a.s.a.p . They can't leave Scarabia just on their own and everyone (including Kalim's Dad) must be really stressed out by now . He continues to look , but there isn't really anything helpful around them . People yelling at each other and smoking the shit out of themselves . Young ladies flirting as young men offer them a carriage ride and tourists staring at each and every building like they hadn't ever seen a place to live inside as if they've been living in a cave so far , huh

Jamil can no longer take it next to Kalim and eventually goes feral : " WOULD YOU JUST SHUT UP !!?" He has no control over his words now , he's nervous , furious and freaked out . If he were to compare his mood to something similar he'd say the time he overblotted , just that he had his magic back then

Now Kalim as well gets into a fight with him . What the hell does this have to do with him ? Jamil has to calm down and be realistic unless they'll never find a way out ! Jamil states that if he grew up just enough to realize how terrible their current situation is , he would've had something better to do than showing mercy over some bunches of street rats

The two of them keep on arguing until someone cuts them of : " Hohoho young men ! What's with all these loud sounds ?"

They stop and turn back to face the source of this old , chill voice . Facing a tall , old man dressed in all black clothes which high-leveled servants would wear and a monocle , giving them a soft , calm smile

" Aa- nevermind grandps ! It wasn't like it seemed we were just talking ! Right Jamily ? " he says , putting a hand on Jamil's shoulder and giving a big , wide smile . "H-hey... don't call me that..." , Jamil doesn't like Kalim acting this chill ; but it is embarrassing to see that they actually called attention

"Hoho , better . Now tell me young men , could it be that you have a trouble ? You look awfully down ," Tanaka asks ; sounding just like a grandfather guiding his grandchildren

Kalim takes a look at Jamil , wondering if it's right to do what he's thinking of and Jamil in return , nods as a yes " Well sir , there you see we actually don't belong here yet to another-" Jamil cuts him off before he could mess the whole thing up : " -Another state , indeed ! We came here for some sort of a business trip and were supposed to be on our way back home by now but sadly , ran into thieves . Our families must be really worried for now and I doubt them being sure of us being hooked up here . We lost everything and have no way to contact anyone we know... only if someone nice enough could be found to help us with it right now ," Jamil dropped his head , trying to act as natural as possible . Kalim wants to remind him that this isn't right to lie someone who is trying to help them yet he wonders if he should let Jamil take care of this now , after all he was much of a worthier leader than him to be honest...

" That's so sad to hear dear boy , I'm sure that young master as well would've been really frustrated if he were here ," Tanaka replies . Oh ? Young master ?  Jamil is now interested . Wherever this man came from , it can't be somewhere cheap , Jamil could tell . Leading them to a mightier source would be a better thing than just laying in the streets waiting for some miracle to save them right ? " Young master , you say ? " Kalim asks . " On the second thought , how about me introducing you to my master ? You're not much older than him I suppose , he as well needs to have more friends like you good men  ," Tanaka says with a sweet smile . " That'll be so nice of you um , Mr...? " Jamil asks " Tanaka is fine young boys . And you? "  " Jamil Viper ," " Kalim al Asim ! Glad to meet you Tanaka sir ! " Kalim says , bringing his hand for Tanaka to shake . Tanaka shakes hands with both of them and Jamil decides to make the process a bit faster : " I look forward to meeting this young master you say , Mr. Tanaka . It's always great to meet more men of culture ," Jamil sneakers . " Then by all means , follow me young men ," Tanaka says . With a sound of pop and some smoke , the tall man shrinks into a chibi version : " Ho , ho , ho ," " What the-!!!" Kalim panicks , no magic and yet this dude can shrink all of a sudden huh ?

" Ho ho," chibi Tanaka says before turning back and going to another direction . " I guess we should follow him," Jamil says . Kalim agrees and then , they're both following the chibi old man to the Phantomhive's mansion . Unaware of the two eyes watching them all this time : " Hihihi ~ they're quite interesting ,"

Feat : Grell Sutcliff & Ronald Knox

"Come oooon Ronald~ Shake your lazy ass and bring her along already..." " Oi senpai , that's mean ! This one's quite heavy-" "JUST SHUT UP AND DO THAT ! Don't you know it's rude to question ladies too much ? " " F-fine then , but at least give me a hand ! Have you even checked if she's dead !? " Heavy ? Dead ? She...? Vil isn't born to be disrespected like this . AND NOT A SINGLE SOUL GETS TO PULL HIM BY LEG WHEN HE'S ASLEEP

Vil immediately starts shouting at the Blondie , threating him that he'll regret it if he doesn't let go of him now . Ronald and Grell almost have a heart attack at Vil's chicken like screech which makes them jump

Vil snads up and glares at the two shinigamis : A really ugly female like one all dressed in red and a small blondie brat which looks like...eh..Azul ? Well nevermind ; doesn't matter now

What should he begin with ? Where he is ? Who these potatoes are and how they didn't recognize him being the leader of Pomefiore ? How perky they were to move him while asleep like this and ruin fabric of his overly expensive unforms ? Too many things to do

" Ah you're too loud ! My ears...Such an unexpected shout to hear from a man this hot I'd say..." Grell giggles . Vil's eyes widen , well of course he is beautiful but to be praised like that ? Ew , this is more of a insult ...

Vil decides to ignore Grell and get to the main point : Who they were and what they wanted . Grell smirks before preparing to give a 5 hour long opera show of shinigamis' romance but Ronald locks him on that point : They are shinigamis , they collect souls of the death , they had grabbed Vil because he looked a bit like the woman they were just going to collect yet didn't pay enough of attention to notice that they made a mistake , so they can all leave since they've got nothing to do with each other

Just before Ronald could get away Vil grabs him by collar , asking where they've brought him to . Grell clears that they just moved him by 30-40 meters from where they found him so it can't be really counted as bringing him to somewhere . Vil refuses to believe , wherever he is , it's way further than Pomefiore dorm or even NRC's accessable area ; that can't be . Vil threatens them one more time : " You refuse to tell , you'll end up dealing with the headmaster ," Grell and Ronald probably don't know who the headmaster is but Grell tries to take advantage : "Aaa? Is he one into punishing type ?" Vil is slowly getting annoyed by how weird this red one sounds to him ; To be honest he acts like an impatient porn star or something...

That's it , he's calling Crowley but uh , where is his phone ? Did he lose it ? Impossible . He'll never forget such an important thing to bring along ... Did these brats dare to steal his pockets....!? Vil asks them to give his phone and wallet back : now " Sir , you may like to know that human money brings no good for us and also , I'm afraid that I don't really know what you may mean by phone? " Ronald mumbles (Remember that phone isn't yet invited at their time ). Why don't this guy just let them go take care of their business ?

Vil hates it when people dare opposing him and doesn't ever take that lightly...who do these two think they are ? " Where is Night Raven College , answer or you'll face unpleasant consequences..." Is Vil challenging Grell ? Then Grell's more than ready to see what this human may have up his slave to speak to a shinigami like this : " And what may the consequences be...?" Vil gets tired , a small spell and this red ass bitch would be nothing but a toad , " I tried to warn you , you should've listened..."

Ahem , hello ? Magic ? Why isn't it working ? " Pffffffftttt- Lmao are you high or something man ? You just woke up !You'll be a great actor though I swear- You can drown in all that nonsense ," Grell laughs . " Well then hottie , I'm afraid we've got to go , see you when it's your time ~ " Grell turns to leave but Vil grabs him by collar . No one is leaving until they explain what the actual heck is going on : this place , the magic , everything

Grell on the other hand enjoyed flirting , but can't take being acted to like this . He pushes Vil back and gives him a psychotic smile , bringing up his chainsaw : " Wouldn't it be amazing if I cut those rushy tongue of yours at once ? fewer words , more of a male charm ," "Oh ?" magic may not work here , but they're not all Vil has got , he can still give this bitch guy a lesson without them : " Oi you two , this isn't really gonna workout-" Ronald mumbles but it's too late now -

Feat : Undertaker

At least he wakes up to a more suitable scene , or it seems so - His body couldn't move freely inside of this cage-like space . Is this a cuffin...? He has experience with them from his freshman year but to end up in one of them again ? Could it be that Crowley is planning on another fancy event like their first time ? Boy , he didn't like it anyway . He knocks the door trying to open it but if seems too heavy to be moved . Damnit- , he hears footsteps from the outside : " Someone there ? Why can't I open this ??" A sudden screech from out and the door slides open : " Ah thank yoUWAHAAAA- !!" Idia screams at the sight of the creepy stranger's smile at him ; he wasn't expecting this . Also , this place doesn't look like the mirror hall ? Who is this guy and where is this place ??

" Hihihi you weren't that dead I see , why waking up so soon though~ ?" , Undertaker giggles in his playful tone . Idia needs too many things to be explained to him but he just doesn't have the time , Crewel will burn him in acid if he gets any late for his class again and he doesn't care how weird his current situation is , he has to go

He gets out of the coffin and rushes to the door but Undertaker stops him there telling him not to show up out there so carelessly , which clearly confuses Idia . " Your hair...It is quite fascinating that curses remain strong even as magic gets blocked..." Undertaker adds . Idia is used to people judging him for his family misfortune but this one seemed quite...odd . He decides to ignore it and leave

" ~ Okies then I warned you , but you'll end up needing a real cuffin in a few minutes pwahahaaa-" , Undertaker burts into laughter and Idia leaves

" creepy ass old ma-" , Idia nags slowly before freezing as someone screams really-loudly right into his ears " HAIR ON FIRE , HIS HAIR IS ON FIRE !!" Before Idia can notice what is going on he's gained tens of gazes to himself , why are these guys all dressed so strangely...

" M-mummy is that a monster ? I'm scared..." " Stay away from our children you hellish creature ! " Idia freezes , critiques coming one after one : Demon , monster , Satan , Death . One option left : Run

Idia now has to run for his life , this world just isn't his thing : not at all . Even if it weren't because of being chased by a group of angry humans , do you think that he could last for even one day in this old fashioned zone ? No technology , no phones , no robots , no gummy bears , no wifi- He'd read about how different the world was before the invention of media and couldn't explain how thankful he was to never have to handle a second in the past world because he wouldn't last there for more than an hour- well he wasn't right about never ending up there but , he was 100% right about not lasting for more than an hour

Now there , he is running like he never has , begging his feet to help him this time out of any other time . Angry people screaming and bringing fire and weapons to destroy the evil

He tries to contact any possible source for help but : No magic - no internet . RIP Idia

Meanwhile Undertaker is chilling at his shop , his mind running over the cursed boy and now listening to the sound of the frightened people because of him , how pathetic , If only he had agreed to hide his hair through a safer way...sigh he should have listened to advises coming from someone who has been living within humans for years by hiding his identity as a shinigami as as his eyes... " My my , humans aren't the only fragile creatures I see..." creation can seem disturbing to him sometimes , and that's the best part with it

Back to Idia , he is slowly running out of breath . Well maybe this is the point where he has to give up ? He has long lived as a loser , bastard , procrastinator and wasted almost each and every second of his life ; well perhaps except Ortho , that was a nice work of him . Wish he was here too say goodbye .  He isn't sure if his prayers would be accepted or not but it won't hurt trying : " Good gods who're told to be somewhere up there , I know that I wasn't best that I could be and I won't try to excuse my sins ; just please let it end fast, Ame- " he forgets his prayers as his guardian angel is standing just a few meters away from him ; oh have gods sent an identical twin - human version of Leona for him to be saved ? Well whatever now , he has no time if he's the original furry or not : "LEONAAAA HELLP-!!!!!!"

And yes , he is the original one ! He curses as he sees the population after Idia , what the hell is wrong with this world ? Idia hides behind his back and Leona tries to take control before they end up burning the two of them together : " You people , chill ," " Why you defending that creature ? He a a misfortune ! A demon !" others shout at this words in agreement . Leona laughs it off . He says that Idia is way too dumb for a demon and even if he is one , he's the type to scream his ass off when someone says "hi" . Idia doesn't know if Leona's defending him or not but he doesn't dare saying a word . Leona seems too busy dealing with the crowd and slowly , the argument topic switches from Idia to Leona ; who isn't afraid of punching some faces . The argument slowly takes over and no one (even Leona) realizes Idia sneaking into an alley saving his life . He feels a bit guilty for leaving Leona on his own but he'll be fine , hopefully

Thankfully the alley is deserted and he finally lays down to catch his breath , still panting heavily . He almost got killed today and can't get over it , but things were getting a bit comforting : "Meow~" several cats show up from the corners and Idia puts on a small smile . A white kittens comes closer and allows Idia to touch and comfort him . Idia wonders , how does their lives as a cat here feels ? do they as well get as scared as he was just now?  . A few minutes later when Idia -and his cats- were chilling someone steps closer to them  . Before Idia gets to run away , a tall , black and familiar face shows up and gives him a pretty calm smirk : " My my , I see you as well adore cats, could it be some part of our hellish natures ?"

"...J-Jade...?"

Feat : Ciel Phantomhive & Sebastian Michaelis

Let us be honest , it isn't going to be that bad for him , is it ? His current lifestyle at Valley of the thorns is nothing less than London's late 19th century , just maybe it had more of a natural theme . Well , no technology can be good news since he never really get used to it after all . London's atmosphere as well seem to be just his thing : Sometimes savage but calm , filled with tea parties and great ceremonies , an interesting back ground toward the royal family and in summary , Malleus's ideal theme

Well maybe except some things : 1) HORNS-ARE-GONE . His family treasure , the great heritage that proved him coming from the all great and respected Draconia family , now is gone 2) No need to mention that there is no sight of his fairy ears either- 3) Having his magic lost in this unknown world , he is now nothing different from a fragile human being , just as weak , just as empty , just as disgusting . Oh but our prince isn't totally left on his own here...

Unexpectedly , Phantomhive's mansion is serving a mysterious guest today , even though Ciel was against letting strangers inside the house . Sebastian insisted on being aware of the importance of hospitality as the Queen's watch dog , specially with special guests

Everything seems odd to Malleus , this world , this time , this people and...this master and butler . He is no fool , not even the foolishest of these humans would treat and cater strangers without wanting something in return , therefore he needs to keep his guard up . They shouldn't be aware of his actual identity even if they look deprived of any magic

Ciel is feeling awfully uncomfortable , who is this man ? And what the heck about him might have caught Sebastian's eyes ? This greedy demon wouldn't easily be impressed , so what could it be ?

Sebastian insists that it's how he should learn to treat everyone else if he's willing to be well remembered after death ; he pronounces the last word in a pretty deep , dark tone . Making it clear that how he'll finally die in a sarcastic way which teased Ciel

He decides not to have any argues with Sebastian on that point since he can act pretty cocky with stuff he gets stubborn over , so let's see what he's hiding up in sleeve this time . Though Ciel is suspicious of other stuff as well , this Mr... -whatever he is since he doesn't give them a name- looks like a pale - greenish version of Sebastian . Could he be another demon..?

Malleus refuses to give them a name due to possible risks , yet he has to admit that he's being taken care of properly . The room he's given isn't as big as the one in his castle , but is still considerable for something a stranger would be given . Other than that , anyone else he's met here so far seemed to be pretty chill , oh except this tiny child with a blindfold and he gets to be called young master ? He has to admit that he's impressed . To be in control of all this property when you aren't yet even tall enough to pick your favorite book from the shelf on your own

And there is another guy who is really...how to explain , is it some feeling of deja Vu or he really does look like Silver ? The guy is always talking to the snakes just as Silver talks to the birds and animals . If it weren't because of difference in eye color , perhaps Malleus wouldn't believe that he wasn't Sliver himself . " Your stay won't last much longer master , your friends are on their way here , says Donne ," Snake tells him . Malleus doesn't really know how to feel about him but his words comfort him for some reason...

Ciel says that he needs to check on the trio since they've been calling him all day so he heads to the front yard , leaving Sebastian and Malleus alone

Sebastian offers him some tea and Malleus of course sees no reason to refuse . Sebastian doesn't sit beside him because it's arrogant of servants to sit beside the guests , so he remains stood up . He doesn't bother starting a conversation with Malleus and he does know how to get him to speak . Malleus doesn't mind answering to...some of his questions . How he likes it here in London , if he needs anything else during his stay , but the last question made his eyes widen : Does he do feel any uncomfortable under the terms of not being able to use his powers ?

Malleus doesn't answer , he pretends that he didn't hear him and stares at the window . He is hoping it to help him ignore Sebastian , but what he sees isn't any better :  Isn't that... Rosehearts laying there...??

Malleus has to go , not only because of getting rid of Sebastian at this point but to also check on his ally if he's alright or not :  Did the butler know he too was here all the time ?

Sebastian just knows what was going on in his mind and wants  better answers . Malleus stands up to leave but Sebastian takes grabs his arm before he could do anything : " No need to rush . We still have a lot to talk about , Mr. Draconia ,"

♦♥♠♣

Note for Idia's part : I was actually planning on Idea having his hair as well gone because , well , no magic no hair ? But that seemed too unfair for him lol

[cemcerkez]

While she goes on to explain herself and the cause behind this impromptu visit of hers, Cem watches her intently, brows furrowed from the weight of her words, the shift of her energy pulling him in again. Just like it did that very first night. Although, a week ago it had been for entirely different reasons.

This time, he simply stands there frozen, as if weighing in on how best to respond to the fragile apology she offered him. Then, just like it had started to with hers, the tension in his body eases slightly. Although, there's still a clear edge in his voice as he speaks, the concern for her and her well-being, looming beneath the surface.

“Sahra…” He starts off softly, taking a careful step toward her, not too close, but close enough to extend an olive branch while still giving her the space he thinks she might need. “You don’t have to apologize for anything.” Because, really, she doesn't. Some people just get cold feet. Just as some people shed their lust-filled goggles in time to avoid making a huge mistake. Not, that he believed what could've happened was a mistake. Cem was nothing if not, careful and selective about the partners he chose to fornicate with. Sahra, being one of them. They got along well. And, there certainly had been a positive vibe. “I’m just glad you came back to talk. Seriously, I get it." The reservations she might have, the questions. It was all normal. And further proof to him that she was human. "People don’t always have the perfect response in situations like that. Hell, I don’t even know what I would’ve done if I were in your shoes, dealing with whatever you're clearly going through emotionally. You don’t owe me an explanation. Nor do you have anything to feel sorry about.”

Just then, he pauses to take a breath while running a hand through his hair again. It was a contemplative gesture, the sentiment about her being broken hanging in the air between them, unspoken but understood nevertheless, even without her having to utter the truth out loud. He recognizes it because, he knows the feeling. He’s been there once before. So, as a result, something inside him stirs.

“You also don’t have to explain yourself to me. Life’s... messy. So are people. Sometimes, we do things before we're ready. Doesn't mean, those things are wrong or we shouldn't do them. But perhaps, it's just a sign from our own intuition to slow them down a little.” He lets out a quiet chuckle, a small, almost self-deprecating sound. “I’ve made more than my fair share of stupid, messy mistakes. Not the ones previously assumed, of course. But others. So, don’t think you’re the only one who has to figure her shit out. You're not alone.”

After shifting slightly onto one foot, his hands slip into the pockets of his sweatpants, while his voice becomes more gentle. “Maybe instead of letting you leave, I should've offered you this instead. Which is...an opportunity to talk. If you ever need someone to talk to... or if you just need space not to talk... I’m here. You know where I live. So, it's not like I plan on going anywhere anytime soon.”

He offers her a small, tentative smile. “As for the whole ‘I didn’t do anything wrong’ part... yeah, well, I don’t know if I’d go that far. I definitely should’ve cleaned the place up before you arrived, but... I swear, I’m not hiding a secret family from you or anything like that. My sister's just visiting for awhile, or perhaps thinking about moving here. It's a long story. She's going through a lot and, after all the crap she's put up with from me over the years, I figured I kind of owed her one. My privacy and place, be damned.” His lips finally twitch as he adds, “You’re lucky you didn’t find a bunch of old pizza boxes lying around. Though, I'm sure if you were to go digging through my fridge right now, you might find some leftover Mac'n'Cheese. Courteous of Aysa. I'm sure she wouldn't mind sharing, if you were hungry?”

His dry chuckle is meant to ease the last bit of tension lingering in the air. Considering, this new vulnerability between them feels raw, but in a way, he doesn’t quite mind. If anything, it feels like maybe... just maybe, they’re both figuring out how to move forward with each other.

“If you’re up for it, perhaps we can start over? I can tidy up real quick, heat you up a fresh batch, maybe offer you something to drink?” His gaze is steady on her—warm, gentle and inviting. "What do you think?"

Sahra's fiery gaze was fixed on his face, watching for any signs of deception, of guilt, of anything. Because she knew what she'd seen as soon as she'd walked in the apartment- and the things strewn about the living room that had been practically pristine the last time she'd been there didn't lend to a man who lived alone like he'd led her to believe the night they met. And she wasn't about to let another man pull the wool over her eyes just because he was pretty and good at twisting his words to manipulate the situation at hand.

"Don't gaslight me, I know what I'm looking at!" Her voice was louder than even she was prepared for and she had to take her own step back, gesturing towards the entirety of his living room. It was very possible that most of her anger didn't come from the situation at hand, and wasn't truly meant for him, but unfortunately Cem had ended up on the receiving end of it. Was it possible she was finally moving on in her grieving process from depression to anger? She knew that wasn't how the progression was supposed to go (she'd looked up the five stages of grief often during the first few weeks of her heartbreak) but then again, her life never seemed to follow the path it was supposed to so why would her grief be any different? "You have naked barbies and a bra hanging over the back of your couch! Now I'm not expert or anything, but considering you're shirtless right now I think I can confidently say you're not a c cup."

With her arms coming up to cross over her chest as he began his explanation, Sahra's usually bright blue eyes were dark as the assessed him once more. Looking for any signs of uncertainty, of fallacy, of Kyle. It wasn't fair, it wasn't even the same situation, but after Kyle had so easily led her to believe that he loved her, that he'd wanted to marry her- all while having a mistress on the side that he got pregnant and married mere months after their decade long relationship ended- she couldn't trust her own instincts. They'd already steered her wrong before, so she had to be extra careful. She wasn't about to break another woman's heart like her own had been shattered. She refused to be that person. And she wouldn't let the likes of him turn her into that woman, no matter how pretty he was.

Unfortunately, his explanation did make sense. And he was right, she was the one who'd ended their tête-à-tête. But maybe that was her intuition knowing who he really was before the rest of her had time to catch up. Maybe the way sorrow had overcome her, completely uninvited and unwelcome, was the universe's warning that this man would only lead her down a path she didn't want nor need to go. Or maybe, just maybe... grief was a cruel companion, making its presence known at the most awkward and unfortunate time. But she wasn't convinced, not yet. Even if some of her anger visibly dissipated with a sigh.

"Men do stupid and foolish things all the time." Was what she came back with, pulling her sweater tighter around her body as a small frown curved the corners of her lips downwards. She allowed an uncomfortable silence to settle between them, pulling her lower lip between her teeth as she chewed lightly on it in anxious thought. After a few prolonged moments of silence she finally found her voice, the majority of the anger gone from her tone and a flush overtaking her cheeks, chest, and the tips of her ears as embarrassment came back full force.

"Look," Unable to meet his eyes, Sahra focused on a spot on the wall over his shoulder as she spoke, "I didn't come here to accuse you of anything. I actually came to apologize for running out of here the way I did without an explanation. It..." She let out a sigh, finally meeting his gaze. "It had nothing to do with you or anything you did. So, as much as I'm sure it didn't actually affect you at all, I just wanted to make sure that you knew it wasn't your fault. You didn't do anything wrong I'm just..." Trailing off, she broke their eye contact and shrugged. She was just what? Broken? Yeah, but he didn't need to know that. "I'm just sorry, is all."

[rsmrymnt-tea]

Must one make good points?? Is it not enough to be incomprehensible in the face of a good idea?? /j. Just so we're clear you are very comprehensible and I enjoy all of your input!! (also noticed you apologise for making long replies, but do you see my asks?? Do you think I would care if you rambled nonsense for a million words? I would read all of the nonsense and enjoy it!!)

Anyway I'm probably sending two asks with this. I have had a lot of Thoughts™️ about the arranged marriage au, there's so much to say. I am just throwing pasta at a wall to see what sticks with this so if anything feels like meh or ew just discard it!!

So I wanted to mention this idea, and I will come back to it but it's not super relevant for the most part: consider the Lord titles being inherited. Sort of like how they do with like kings and queens, if the Lord of Masks dies or abdicates the title then his kid (or less often an appointed person) inherits the title.

Anyway, you're right about royal politics being A Lot, so I am just gonna be vague about it, but my ideas in terms of backstory are thus: (gonna reference LoM's dad, he'll be called FLoM short for father of Lord of Masks. And we're considering Dola's family to be artists).

Once, perhaps when Dola was a young child, her family got on splendidly with the Masks family. The family served as patrons to Dola's for generations, and they visited fairly often. FLoM values art you see, and on these visits he would bring the little Lord of Masks to be with him, hoping to instill a love for the arts. And perhaps, once or twice, only for a moment, the LoM would catch Dola peaking at him and his father from around a corner before being shooed away by a grown up.

Something happens. Petty drama, perhaps. Or the family pushing just a little too hard, and the favour of FLoM snaps like a shitty hair tie. Whatever it is FLoM is furious and Dola's family meets that energy a touch too enthusiastically. And Dola and the Lord of Masks grow up hearing their family badmouthing the other's.

FLoM dies when our LoM is still a teenager. And his new role does bring him back onto Dola's family estate (something about reintroducing himself, now as their Lord or maybe re-establishing his patronage). He doesn't meet Dola, but he does see her art and it has.. A profound affect on him.

Sometime when he's more settled into his lordship, I think Dola's family requires his assistance. Financial trouble, or finding themselves in hot water with another lord, it doesn't really matter. They now owe him and they hate it.

Eventually the time comes for Masks to take a spouse. It's Dolasach, obviously. His mind drifts to fuzzy memories of a face peering at him from around a corner, and the art that touched his heart when he thought that perhaps all that was left for him to feel was grief and anger. And he does try to justify it of course, her family is incredibly influential, and it's spiteful to steal their best artist from them, and with her new title her work would only be worth that much more... And it would be a favour to allow the family to repay their debt so cheaply. But he knows a lie when he hears it, especially coming from his own mouth.

So I do feel that, on Dola's family's side. Losing the favour of FLoM, they were suddenly unable to get away with their sketchier behaviors, so they did lose members to the dungeons, and perhaps there were members who received fines that pushed them into financial ruin. And idk being bored rich people maybe killing people on the side has just been a hobby for certain branches of the family, so when Dola is chosen to be married to Masks, there's a lot of pressure for her to revenge them.

Anyway I've been considering how to translate certain aspects of Satan into the Lord of Masks. And I think that maybe Masks' father was a very opinionated, angry person, and Masks inherited these qualities. Maybe his father encouraged the suppression of all emotions that were not anger too. And upon his death, the LoM begins to recognise the prejudices that were put in him by his father, and his inability to properly contain his anger, the apparent absence of any other emotion. He recognises he wants to be better than that and begins to work towards it.

And of course we've got to have some tension with the Lord of Corruption. Consider: there being a common rumor that Masks is the bastard of Corruption. The trouble being that if it's true, Masks loses his rights to his lands, to his people, to his title. He can then only hope to be the next Lord of Corruption. And then perhaps also things going awry in the early days of his Lordship, and the LoC having to step in to stop things falling apart.

So I am thinking that maybe to get the polycule into the au that maybe Dola and Sol are childhood sweethearts? Dola being sent to stay at his castle to train under the kings most beloved artists for a time, and she and Sol having a cute forbidden romance thing? Sol asking Dola to run away with him but she says no because she's not ready for that yet!! Being forced to split when Dola's training is finished and she's sent back home. (the entire experience catalysting Sol leaving to pursue magic and explore the world)

Maybe once the pair have been married for a while, Dola takes an interest in magic, and Sol happens to be passing through and in need of some money, perhaps he's the only one who meets Masks' high standards for a teacher. Or perhaps Sol breaks into the castle with the intent to steal an artefact and she catches him in the act!!

I know I just suggested Masks and Dola being connected via childhood stuff, but I consider that to be more one-sided (perhaps Dola was too young to remember his visits) than her and Sol being sort of first loves for one another.

Honestly though, realizing that the LoM knows something is going on with Dola elevates the entire concept? He feels something is wrong, but despite being able, does not force her confession. Wanting her to trust him, and wanting to trust her even though he knows it's a bad idea. One night, finding her when he's drunk, and pleading with her to lay her burdens on him, that they can work through it together, that he will support her every endeavor if only she let's him, and her turning him away. And then when she finally tells him, he feels all her masks slip away. He feels for the first time she is not hiding anything, and that is when she tells him for the first time that she loves him??? Ajdjsksksjdjdms

- 🐝

oh my god nonnie this whole thing sdhjkshdfjg I literally woke up less than a minute before this was sent in and this woke me up so good like shdjhsfdjg this honestly only loses out to the other concept because I adore the idea of scrappy runaway noble Dola having a rivals to friends to What Are We story with Sol

Plus I've got this idea stuck in my head (that I'm going to write I swear to god) of Dola resting at a little camp in the woods at night after an awful day, when Solomon suddenly shows up because he just happened to be around and saw sensed a familiar presence around the campfire. They have a little talk, for once not on the subject of whatever artifact they're fighting over, and Sol learns a little bit more about her now that they're just... talking.

(but really he just happened to be there during the worse part of Dola's day when something went horribly wrong and wanted to check on her >.< this whole short thing being before the rivalry becomes companionship but after Sol starts feeling that urge to help and mentor here aaaa)

But oh my fucking god nonnie this is all so so so good!! There's so much in here that I wanna mix into the other one somehow bc sdjhsdfjg holy hell

The whole thing with the family falling out of the FLoM's favor is so *chefs kiss* and little Dola and little LoM meeting but never really interacting???

And the bold move of the LoM choosing to marry Dolasach despite the bad blood between the families!!! I feel like no matter how he explains it, it's just going to come off as a move fueled by spite by the LoM even if his reasons for choosing her are entirely sincere and actually based off of positive emotions shdjfhdjfg

Honestly, the reasons for him choosing her are so... ;w; The vague memory of curious eyes, and the much more vivid one of actually feeling emotions that aren't just anger and hatred and grief when he looked upon her work. An attraction that formed from what he knows isn't enough basis for a real love, but he can't help himself, he's beyond curious and just has that gut feeling that this is something he needs to explore somehow. Even if all he knows of her is the face she presents to the public, one that allows her to succeed and thrive despite the disgrace her family has fallen into

(And perhaps a vague memory of seeing her and those curious eyes during her time in the castle)

Which, speaking of!! A foRBIDDEN ROMANCE WITH SOLOMON??? I'm not sure how old you envision them to be but like it's so sdhjk both ways, whether they're incredibly young or it being more recent, like in their later adolescence or early adulthood. Thinking of Sol being royalty at the time and trying to convince her to leave with him to his country, only for her to refuse because being that far from what's familiar and so young is so terrifying!! So cute if they were something like pre-teens, and bittersweet if older and actually capable. Both their hearts would be broken because who knows if they'd even ever see each other again because Sol comes from across the sea, and once he's older he'll struggle to even leave his castle.

So when they meet again it's the most thrilling and startling thing. I like to think that the LoM wouldn't have been aware of the secret romance at all--the two were amazing at keeping secrets after all,and the young lord was too busy to really pay attention to them.

When the LoM brings Solomon to Dola's studio within the castle, the tension is there and clear as day to the LoM. He gets an inkling that there's something the matter, but when he asks them if there was, the sorcerer's insistence that there's nothing wrong only registers as something not entirely true and he waits for when he and his wife are alone for him to ask for the full story.

AND THAT LAST PARAGRAPH!! Nonnie help me I am dying... just the absolute risk he's putting himself in by not forcing her to confess everything she's hiding to him like he would with any other person... Drunk LoM being so openly vulnerable and desperate, she's so close to finally cracking because it does kill her that she's doing this to him... But she's saved by the alcohol, and she gently lays her betrothed to bed, quietly crying as she caresses his face in his troubled sleep because she doesn't know what to do sdhkjshdfgkj

God nonnie this is all so so so so SO good beyond words like every little thing in here is making me wanna run around the house yelling!!!

[nightswithkookmin]

WHEN JIKOOK ARE SHADING EACHOTHER:2020 Japan Comback Interview Analysis

WARNING: Full on angst ahead.

If you believe Jikook are holding hands chanting Kumbaya all the time while they walk into a purple sunset this is not for you. Jikook is real. At least to me and as a real relationship they have their fair share of ups and downs.

DISCLAIMER: Everything expressed in here is my thoughts, observations and opinion. It is not meant to offend any of the members involved or anyone else.

A Little Background:

Its my and a few other Jikookers observation that Jikook fight. A lot. They separate or breakup from time to time too. You may or may not have caught these moments as they happen but doesn't mean they don't happen all.

For me, 2018 and 2020 have been the pinnacle of such moments. Jikook are having issues- have been having issues. They are still going through a rough patch unfortunately. But not to be alarmed, they are working through it.

Now I can't say with certainty when such said issues began. I can only speculate. I started noticing some sort of tension between them right before their vacation somewhere between March/August 2019 to date.

I'm talking about their Bon Voyage 4 moments, the tattoo girl scandal, Jimins Paris scandal, Jingle, MMA, Jin's Birthday Vlive moments and all those moments that had us raising our brows.

And when I say started noticing I mean from across the various means they've been communicating with us- across their Weverse posts, Twitter, Vlives, interviews etc

I like to look at all these moments combined to see the bigger picture and not just dwell on individual moments as and when they are presented to us because BigHit do not feed us their moments in real time.

I know what you're thinking and no, Jimin flying all over to South Korea to celebrate Jks birthday wasn't him making a grand gesture for the sake of it. It is my opinion that that was just him extending an olive branch to fix things between them because... More on that later.

To understand the shade I'm referring to you'd have to understand why they are shading eachother to begin with:

Jeon Jungkook. To put it simply, Jeon Jungkook hates not being with Jimin 24/7. HE HATES IT. He hates when Jimin is not with him. When Jimin is not around him. When Jimin is with anybody that is not him. Bless him. He has proven this time and time again with all the times he's cheated to be in the same group as Jimin during Runs. His 'Jimin hyung and I will sleep here' his 'thats the friendship' statements he throws at people when Jimin has a moment with any of the members that remotely resembles anything other than friendship, SateliteJeon, and my personal favorite TeleporterJeon etc

Now I suspect this is just due to his personality as an INTP. He has the tendency to latch on to things that feels falimiliar to him and would fall back to it so he feels safe and anchored. He has latched on to Jimin and uses him as his emotional anchor and safe zone and we thank him for that. Thanks to him we've had all those amazing moments as well as the Jeonlous and now TeleporterJeon moments that only proves to us crazy Jikookers that we aren't that crazy and that Jikook is real. Bless him.

Now Jimin is like that too, don't get it twisted. This man is so deep into Jk he won't even hear anything we say. Call him by his JK. Bless him. Jimin is also very possessive of JK if not more possessive. Its just his slytherin ass does a better Job at hiding it.

The problem is, this differences in their personalities may have likely created a lot of tension and problems in their relationship with each other as well as in the relationship they have with their friends and bandmates.

The difference here being while JK latches onto Jimin because he is an introvert and have anxiety issues and isn't exactly the social type; JM is the very opposite of that.

Jimin is a highly extroverted person and loves to maintain other relationships besides his romantic one and there is nothing wrong with that.

See that face on Tae here? Now that's the face of an angry man right there. Tae literally held his breath when JK came to stand next to him because he was afraid JK was gonna ask him to move so he could stand with Jimin instead like he does with the other members like Hobi and Suga most times. To me, this was him feeling like his little bromance moment with his soulmate was being threatened and intruded on.

EXHIBIT A:

Jimin of course noticed what JK was up to. JK was being territorial. Jimin glanced at Tae through the corner of his eyes and moved to stand behind Tae. Later he tried to cheer Tae up by dancing with him.

We've seen moments time and again where JK has moved to physically block Tae from interacting with Jimin on stage and during fansigning events etc and mind you Tae is Jimin's best friend and soulmate.

This face right here! Thanks for attending my Tedtalk. Have a nice day!

Tae said it not me. It seems JK has the tendency to isolate JM and keep Jimin from his friends most times both on and off camera.

In this video, Tae's expression after he said JK was keeping JM from coming to do the live with him said it all.

Why would Jimin do that? Because I believe Tae had complained to him several times how he feels about JK keeping him all to himself and interfering with their moments most times. Frankly, I'd do same if my friends' partners kept interfering with our girls night.

And also because Jimin likes to reassure people of his love and loyalty when they feel their bond with him is being threatened by someone else. We've seen him do this with JK too a couple of times like when JK saw RM wrap his hand around Jimin during that live and he ducked and later did a heart for him. You know which VLive I'm talking about. Moving on.

Do I need to say anything here? Hobi is JMs roommate and even he complained in this VLive how he was missing JM. So the question is, where the bloody hell had JM been?! Why is everyone he is supposed to be close to missing him? His Bestfriend/soulmate and now his roommate? Fo you see the pattern?

This is not much of a stretch if you think about it because Tae has literally said this to Jimin before when he told him on the live he was missing him and JM had to apologize for that.

Truth is, Jeon Jungkook can be a bit of a bully sometimes when it comes to his position next to Jimin. That's his spot and he won't hesitate to claim it no matter who is in the way.

And for JK, we all know he doesn't interact much with the members off camera. Tae has said once that JK ignores him when they aren't filming which is why when JK was given a secret mission to Ignore Tae, Tae didn't even notice.

Now we all know KBS Gayo is Vmin land and so having JK try to stamp his Jikook stamp on it must have been tough for Tae.

RM has also said how JK doesn't even call him and Jin has said JK barely answers his calls and texts. This is not to say JK is a bad person or hates his other bandmates. He loves them all. He is just an introvert.

Now this is getting longer than intended so I'm going to break this post into two parts.

EXHIBIT B:

But to sum up everything I have been saying and to get to the point of this post, JKs possessiveness over JM for sometime has been taking a toll on JM and the group in general as it has been putting a lot of stress on JMs relationship with others.

To the point, some of the members have even been seen to side eye JK sometimes when he comes around JM and some do try to separate them or put JK in his place, acting like they don't approve of their relationship etc.

Now, I won't name names or point out such moments because it can be a bit controversial and I don't want anyone twisting my words around and calling me names. That would hurt my feelings because I love them all and my intentions are not to be malicious in any way. I'm just pointing out an observation and of course I could be wrong about everything.

I don't know for sure, but it's my belief that Jikook have been advised to spend sometime apart because perhaps people had noticed their codependent tendencies have been reaching exponential heights. It could have been their therapist or their friends or loved ones but since March/August 2019 through late 2019 to date is when I noticed they have been trying to spend time apart.

By this I mean, their vacation apart last year, JM staying with Tae for sometime this year, JM visiting his family in Busan this year, spending time with his friends and JK on the other hand taking much time to himself, picking up new hobbies such as reading, posting on Weverse about how he misses JM which I analyzed in my previous post, JM responding with how he was drinking alone watching the rain;

JK not knowing JM had taken up pop dancing, not knowing JM had taken up boxing- PS: Jikook live together, ride together, do everything together, JM calls Jks Mum Mum etc. They are super close and have proven they know every intimate detail about each other like the food they like, the briefs they wear, how long they shower, when they go to bed, what time they wake up, what song they have on their alarm etc. So when suddenly they don't know certain less intimate detail about eachother it is usually a sign that that information/detail came to exist at a time they were separated and weren't filling eachother in on what they've been up to when they are temporarily apart. Like during the recent Jikook Vlive when Jimin was surprised JK had eaten Gimbap. He seemed really shocked by that information and I wonder why. *smirk

TO BE CONTINUED.....

Signed,

GOLDY

[cosmiciaria]

In defense of Detroit Become Human (spoilers marked - long post!)

I know I arrived late at the party and everything that could've been said about this game has already been said – but I do want to add some things I haven't found in some reviews I’ve come across, while addressing all the flaws and giving credit where credit is due. And believe it or don't, this game is due a lot of credit. Yes, a game by David Cage is due credit, what has the world come to?

I must admit I'm not the greatest of fans of Cage's works. I can see all the flaws and plot holes in his games/interactive movies, but unlike others, I'm not that bothered by them. Hell, there are plot holes in many good stories and even the greatest games have some flaws, sometimes it feels people like picking one director and hating on them (cof cof, Tabata from Square cof). This doesn't mean Cage is free of sins, since that's far from reality: I still remember the Ellen Page's controversy with her naked model inside the game, and the creepy things they did to Madison in Heavy Rain for no reason whatsoever. Man, I think you should revalue some of your fetishes.

But aside from that, his games are heavily narrated focus, straying too far from the ordinary hero path and 'saving the world with the power of friendship'. He's stated there are so many things we can do in the videogame industry, and that most developers stick to the usual formula, just because they know it works and it profits. And I can understand his point of view, and even support it, that's why I always try to find something good in his games, even when the dialogues are bad and some acting leaves much to be desired – that happens in every game, in every movie, in every series.

Detroit Become Human is, by far, the best work by Cage. I can say so with full confidence: it's the first of his stories whose plot seem cohesive, coherent, whose characters undergo a visible and palpable development throughout the whole game, whose decisions and paths actually cross-impact later chapters and your choices do shape the way the story unfolds. I stress this because, for example in Beyond, your choices didn't matter much – even the QTE's were pretty useless. You just decided how the game would end in the last ten minutes of plot and that was it. Detroit, on the other hand, is so well planned that things you've done in the very first chapter have repercussions later down the line, and it's not like there's just two endings, but a lot of them, and lot of combinations that I'm still discovering. Your choices affect the during of the story, not just the ending. You can have good relationship with someone, or a bad one, and that will affect each scene those characters are in. You can have a good reputation with a group, or they can hate you, and so you will be ejected from the team. You can act irrational, or stay forever a machine, and the last big choice regarding that will depend of your actions across the whole game.

Just the decision making is a huge step up from previous works. And I can only compare this game to Until Dawn, but even in there, there are less decisions and less impact. Detroit is overwhelmingly huge when it comes to different paths and different versions of the same story. So much so that I told a friend who was also playing it about a scene, and she said 'wait, when does that happen? I didn't see it!'. It was as if we were talking about different games.

Detroit is about androids. It's the year 2038 and androids have flooded the market. They're like your usual vacuum but, hey, they can cook, take care of your children and even satisfy you sexually. They are such a common thing to see in the city that people ignore them. Most families have at least one android in their household, becoming completely reliant on their features. This is a future not so far away from our present.

But, lo and behold, because this game will explore the idea of 'freedom'. And, as you could've expected, some androids suddenly realize they don't want to work for humans anymore. Some androids are mistreated by their owners and suddenly they know they're in an unfair situation. Some androids have ambitions, dreams, ideas – some androids have the desire to be free.

And so, they become deviants. An artificial intelligence, capable of billions of simultaneous operations, young forever, and with conscience. Afraid, yet?

We will follow three main characters who happen to be androids: Connor, Markus and Kara. Connor is a prototype designed to assist investigators and police officers with cases, and he comes with many features that will facilitate all the analysis of clues. Markus is an android designed to care for an old man who has lost his mobility, and lives with him and cares for him as if he were his son. Kara is a housemaid android, who specializes in cleaning and taking care of children, but her owner is a drug-addict who forgot what it means to be a father.

Markus and Kara realize their unfair situation pretty early in the game, so they become deviants well at the beginning. Connor, on the other hand… well, it's in your hands to decide his fate.

Their stories will be intertwined: Connor will investigate cases involving deviants, alongside his sidekick – I mean, his partner, Lieutenant Hank Anderson, an old, anti-android human whose past is yet to be revealed; Markus will be falsely accused of aggression towards his owner or his son (depending what you choose), and he will come back from the dead, ready to lead a revolution against humans, demanding androids' rights; Kara will realize she wants to be a mother, and she will save the daughter of her owner from that hellhole they live in, only to travel from one corner of the city to another in search for an escape route. While Connor's and Markus's stories are well entangled, Kara's always felt a bit separated from them, which can be a huge let down. Personally, Kara's story was the one I enjoyed the least, but it has to do with something that happens at the end – that stupid plot twist – besides, it's more than clear in Kara's plotline that all the BS Cage loved from his previous games makes a return in here. Sometimes it felt like he left blender open and all the disastrous ideas he had for her story were spilled all over his kitchen. I can't think of anything else for that, because her plotline is a Frankestein of a story – uneven, irregular, although it has some touching moments, and Valerie Curry, the actress who plays Kara, delivers some guuud acting and lines.

I know the main message this game is trying to send is that androids are equals to humans. This is the most controversial aspect of the game: Cage, whether he says he did purposely or not, has compared the androids' struggle for freedom to that of African-American people, mixing together slavery and segregation. It's funny because Cage stated it wasn't his plan to allude to actual historical events that did happen not so long ago, and still we can see the segregation of androids in public transport, in public places, and the fact that Markus, with a bunch of other androids as well, demand freedom and the end of slavery from the humans. I like it more when he asks for fair compensation for their work.

And I say it's controversial because it's sending a wrong message. Slavery and segregation weren't contemporary, one came after the other; and the fact that they make a clear comparison to that social movement is criticizable. I'm not the most expert on US history – hell I'm from Argentina, guys – but even I know that the bloody history behind the fight for equal rights is far from over and has put the country on the brink of breaking down many times. That someone deliberately compares the android's fight that took only a few months to develop to that monstrous side of US history is, uhm, questionable in the least.

BUT let's just say that it's an awful coincidence (I'm looking at you, Cage) and leave it aside for a moment. That's the main message the game tries to send. But I believe the game actually sends another message, that is better executed, better fleshed out.

Androids and humans can love each other.        

[SPOILER scroll down until you see the end of the spoiler section]

This is obvious at the beginning with Markus, if you decide to endure Leo's bullying. Carl, Markus' owner, dies from a heart attack, and Markus, crying, desperate, falls to his knees and embraces the man who's been acting like his father for years. He yells Dad, no! in front of the real son, provoking a reaction in him and in the player. Just in this tiny moment, which I think most people slip by without paying too much attention, is enough message. It explains everything.

If you decide to push Leo, the scene plays out differently, and we learn this message towards the end, still in Markus' branch. Later in the story you go back and visit Carl, who doesn't die, but is instead stuck in his bed, connected to cables and such. He regards Markus with love and tenderness, and holds his hand, saying You're my son, Markus. Your blood is a different color, but I know that a part of me lives in you. Thank you, you made me cry.

This message is also well developed in the friendship you can form with Connor and Hank. And notice the 'you can' because you can also make them hate each other. But why on earth would you make Hank mad, if not only for the trophy? Because I can't bear the idea of disappointing that good old man. I need him to be proud of me – I mean, of Connor! Their relationship is wholesome, with some instances in which Hank calls him his son, which melted my heart obviously. Knowing that Hank had lost his real son prior to the events of the game makes all this even more touching and moving.

This message is not well conveyed with Kara and Alice, and you might guess why – yes, the fact that towards the end we learn that Alice isn't a human but an android too, utterly destroys the whole concept the game has been trying to build up for this moment. I don't know why Cage thought this was a good idea – maybe trying to explain that androids can love each other as family just like humans do, but that kinda breaks the rules here, because the idea was an android discovering they can love thanks to a human, who has all the real feelings whereas the androids have this emulations and… alright you get me. How can we truly know if they love each other for real if they are two androids? How can we make sure it isn't just some emulation and chemicals inside their metal bodies? Alright I'm going too deep here? Maybe?

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All in all, this is the message that stays with me after playing the game. I don't know if Cage did it purposely (suddenly all his messages are casual), but this is what I can save and treasure from this story. Oh, and also, save your fucking planet, polar bears are going extinct.

Characters are really well created. Their interactions are believable and natural, the acting (specially Bryan Dechart as Connor and Clancy Brown as Hank) is flawless, and you can appreciate when they become deviant and when they start thinking for themselves. Some lines delivered by Markus felt a bit forced, but I've heard the actor talk and he talks like that so maybe is the way he speaks. There are some secondary characters that became my favorite really quick, like Luther, Kara's companion in this journey; Simon, one of the first members of the revolution Markus meet; Hank, of course, although I deem him as a main character at this point. Others, well… Gavin is your well-known bully, whose lines are so stupid I can't believe his character made it into the game. Like really, he's taken straight out of a 90's high school movie. I could hear Henry Bowers from It laughing at his attempt of being a bad boy.

On the technical department, this game is stunning. Visuals are a delight: sometimes you couldn't differentiate if it was filmed or if it was CGI. Hint: it was all CGI! Faces, expressions, animations, I can't complain of any of those. The character's eyes, which are the only thing the motion capture can't record, were all added digitally, and I'm bound to say that they're perfect: they make each character feel real, alive. You know when you're staring at something, that your eyes regard everything and your pupils have these tiny, micro, slight movements? That was in the game, and I loved it. Clothes get wet when it's raining, they get frozen when it's snowy, and lights reflect every surface so realistically that you can tell the texture of each object and piece of cloth.

Music is also a great asset in this game. Each character had a different composer, which brought a distinct and unique aspect to each of their stories. I know I've been hating on Kara until now, but I must admit her theme song is the best out of everything in this game. Even when I watched the cutscenes back when the game was released, I had her theme buried under my skin, for it's melancholic, it reminds me of rain, and it makes me wanna cry.

Another aspect I want to address is the gameplay. You know Cage loves his daily doses of QTE's. But this time, though, they're well executed. I recommend playing the game in Experienced difficulty (which is the normal difficulty), because it truly offers a more immersive experience. The use of the controller in all this was clever, and they used everything they had at their disposal to make you feel you're there in the story. For instance, the use of the vibration system of your joystick: when you pet the dog at Hank's house, you can feel a very slight vibration in your hands, as if the dog was breathing, what you would feel when you pet a dog, of course; but when you're driving a truck that leaves the sidewalk and falls into the street, you feel the sudden rough movement and the way the engine is speeding up; or you can feel heartbeats when Markus is trying to repair himself. All these instances of breaking the fourth wall to make you feel part of the story are implemented in such an intelligent way that it works wonders.

And speaking about breaking the fourth wall… In your main menu you'll have an android that will be your hostess. She will comment on the discoveries you'll be finding in your storyline, but she will also play some tricks to you or talk to you all of a sudden. And if you reach the good ending… well, there's a surprise with her. Let's just say that she's a great addition to the game and a fan favorite.

In conclusion, this is by far Cage's most polished and well thought game to date. And I've been hiding my obsession with Connor up until now so you wouldn't think I'm crazy but, I can't believe Cage created a character like this. I love him. Protect this sweet summer child. Don't make him a machine, please :'( Connor Army here I go.

If you have doubts about this game, buy it on sale. You will at least have a good time playing it and discovering the different paths. But if you like heavily narrated games, and you have at least enjoyed some of his previous works, don't miss on this one. It's really better. And it's really more worth it.