#THE CRAFTSMAN.... YOU ARE OUR FRIEND...!

[zeravmeta]

hmm yes i do love the fate/grand order character that is an amalgam of human and monstrous attributes that has always strived to maintain the ideal and belief that humans have a place in a world that is fundamentally incompatible with them and through sheer willpower managed to maintain their sense of self despite how warped they have become and when faced with the cold reality of how all their efforts and dreams amounted to nothing devolved into the monster that they were always at risk of becoming and yet even in such a tragic state and having lost control of themselves still fight for the value of a humanity that despite being lost to them is still truly beautiful and worth fighting for

[dollfaced-erin]

𝔻𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕠𝕟'𝕤 ℂ𝕣𝕒𝕕𝕝𝕖 (Blade x F!Reader x Jing Yuan)

PART 17

PART 1 , PART 2 , PART 3 , PART 4 , PART 5 , PART 6 , PART 7 , PART 8 , PART 9 , PART 10 , PART 11 , PART 12 , PART 13 , PART 14 , PART 15 , PART 16

A/n :

i have JUST finished Penacony, and i have to say, THAT WAS A WILD RIDE FR HELP ?!?! i did NOT expect it to end that way. Okok, hear me out, you might cancel me or whatever, but opinions are opinions right, and i LOVE how they made Sparkle some little gremlin that REALLY knows how to flame people good. ye ye i know about the things happening on twitter, but push that aside. that's merely a reference. all in all, the races in the game still dont exist. and getting mad at a fictional VILLAIN is somewhat hilarious to me ngl...i never even SAW the racism until i watched tiktok. my eyes. anything on tiktok is like...corrupting my brain rn and i hope your fyps are favoring you all too ! But still. We're all humans and we all have our opinions. so dont start messing around and bullshitting people online youre never gonna meet, okay ?

Taglist : -

@rebeccawinters , @nayukiyukihira , @pix-stuff , @fluffy-koalala , @swivy123 , @starxao , @kaoyamamegami , @kimura-uzuri , @rsvye , @seikouryuu , @just-here-reading , @matsulovesyou, @sincerely-aaronette , @prettyliliy , @chibiduck , @hermosacolibri , @la-diablas-thingz , @farelady-fate , @everi-eve , @shadowfoxey , @helloyuki , @immahuman , @samptlay , @boomie-123

Back then, he was only a young man, staring up at the starskiffs that flew by in the sky. He looked no older than a mere teen, but as a Xianzhou native, looks are VERY deceiving. Even for someone as young as Jing Yuan.

The young man looked up at the sky, his adolescence was only peaking up back then. But even so, he was a splendid Cloud Knight, already the climbing up the ranks to be a Sword Champion like his master. Though she had shielded him from much the horrors she had faced when she was a mere child, she tried her best to raise her student as her very own.

He remembered seeing his friends earlier, during the crowning of Jingliu as the Legendary Sword Master, entitling her with the nickname transcendent flash due to her movements that had seemingly cut through time and space within a blink of an eye. They all came around, wanting to congratulate her.

There was the legendary craftsmen, though hailing from another land and being a short-lived species, he had come to present to her the sword made of alien material, shining ebony matte black even under the bright sun. And not far behind him, was the Imbibator Lunae, coming over adorned with his robes of silk and jewelry of jade. Then, there was the mischievous Baiheng who roamed across the stars and set to stay on the Luofu.

But clinging to the sleeve of the High Elder of the Xianzhou Luofu, like a little lost girl, though he was sure that she was most likely just a couple decades younger than the Imbibator Lunae himself. And with the glaucous horns perched atop her head, he knew that she was inevitably the relative of this royal dragon before him, the one they called Saltator Lunae.

She was a beautiful young woman, with bright, curious (e/c) eyes that shone with wonder for the world. Her silky (h/c) hair was held up with a beautiful hairpin made of glass that seemed to be sturdier than plain ceramic he saw the nobles wear. But it matched her innocent look, and it seemed to him that she had yet to see more of the outside world.

He saw her for a mere glimpse, and she seemed to be talking to either her brother, or Yingxing the craftsman who seemed to be very much absorbed into his conversation with her. The middle-aged man even seemed to adore the young woman.

'Cute...' he remembered thinking as he saw her.

It was hot that day, and he was just fresh after training. But after remembering his master's swordsmanship, he quickly got back up, grabbing the sword he used to train, and went on with his practice. There was still much to learn, much to face before he could even dream of being half the person his master was.

"Jing Yuan, meet Imbibator Lunae's younger sister. Saltator Lunae." Jingliu said, appearing seemingly out of nowhere, as he was in the middle of training.

And he saw her again, from a much closer distance. The pretty girl from the other day, this time with an intricate hand fan in her hold, closed. This time she seemed much more...reserved ? Was it because her brother wasn't around ?

"Huh ? Sister ?"

"Yes, she'll be training with you. Other than Cloudhymn magic, she wants to learn about forming wind and water together to form ice. It doesn't hurt to learn more, especially from someone with core differences like you, Jing Yuan."

"Ah..." sighed the General as he shook his head, pulling himself out of his thoughts. He chuckled softly, looking at the item in his hand, which was a small decorative hand fan.

It was a beautiful oriental fan, with intricate designs carefully inked and dyed with care and professional handling. And it was no ordinary fan, instead it was a beautiful silk fan that he had seen her hold on the day they first met....

And was entrusted to him by Dan Feng who loved his sister very much before he had to part from this world.

The fan just...was just a reminder of what sunny days he blindly lived through, never anticipating the position he'd assume current day...

"General ?" A young voice piped up, snapping him out of his dampened mood.

The General turned to see his retainer by his side, peering cautiously at the fan in his master's hand, knowing that it must've belonged to someone of position and status. Especially since the wood forming it was no ordinary slice, but rather elaborately detailed to the smallest feature.

"Yes, Yanqing ?" He responded back, the lazy cat-grin on his lips as his golden eyes met one he considered his son.

"Lady Fu Xuan has given signal that she has deployed the anomaly team towards the suspected location of the Plagues Author's devotees." Yanqing said, the young boy nodding his head to signal to his master something.

"Thank you, Yanqing. It is time for me to depart, and reunite with the princess herself face to face. I cannot have the Ace of the deck be pulled out before its time." Jing Yuan said as he placed the fan onto the table, and rose to his feet.

"An...ace of the deck...?" Yanqing asked, cocking up an eyebrow as he suspiciously eyed the General of the Xianzhou Luofu.

"Yes. One of the keys in saving the Xianzhou itself." Jing Yuan said, giving no room for his retainer to further impose on his agenda.

"Now, Yanqing. I will be leaving to coincide with the Master Diviner's troupes, and those stationed in the Alchemy Commission." Jing Yuan said with that same smirk plastered on his lips.

"Do not lay your foot in a trap laid down by yourself, lest you be the hunted instead of the hunter." Was Jing Yuan's final warning before he walked off to leave the Seat of Divine Foresight.

But what he didn't know was that his little apprentice had been exposed to the sights of the legendary without either of them noticing it. And this youngling was very much eager to try his new profound knowledge in bringing justice to the land he served.

Though the General had yet just finished another meeting with the Master Diviner, even issued her with the official warrant to temporarily command the Cloud Knights, it was clear that things were far from over now. Affairs on the Xianzhou Luofu this time wouldn't be so easily averted, not with the interference of outsider hands in this matter.

He shook his head as he remembered the contents of the earlier discussion with Fu Xuan earlier. He remembered the troubled face of (Y/n) who had not dared utter a word as he issued another errand for the Astral express team to run.

He remembered his own words, spoken with his regular slyness and his lax tone in order to conceal what he truly felt inside...

"Miss Tingyun, I would like you to continue to serve as a guide for our Astral friends. And Lady (Y/n)..." he said, trailing off as he turned to look at her.

She looked...troubled. Biting her lower lip was a habit she had built long back during the prime era of the High-Cloud Quintet. Not only did she look troubled, she also seemed quite...saddened. Perhaps...it was the memories that surged her, or even the weight of her duties to reseal the Ambrosial Arbor. And everyone knows that...Lady (Y/n) isn't quite complete in herself...

"I hope you understand the importance of your presence within this mission. I am sure that the team will be able to safely escort you through the paths, and guide you safely to the Alchemy Commission."

He had once again broken the rules and regulations of the Luofu. With the next task he issued...was to get the Astral Express team towards the Ambrosial Arbor through the Alchemy Commission's delve. It was a hard decision, knowing the routes they needed to pass through were heavily infested and affected by the growth of the Ambrosial Arbor and it would be increasingly dangerous for (Y/n) to continue venturing along.

But he had no other choice yet in this matter. She was the King piece in this chessboard. Though her Queen piece...was nowhere in sight.

But he knew that man would appear sooner or later. Along with the young prince, who served the missing half of the current king's severed power.

He just hoped she was faring well.

"Phew ! That deer sure was a tough one !" March said, a relieved smile on her lips after the team had departed from the Alchemy Commission and saying good by to a certain...Furnace Master.

"Quite a deer friend indeed." Replied her companion, Stelle, who earned a tired groan from March due to her pathetic excuse of making jokes.

"But Lady (Y/n)..." March said, looking at the woman who was walking ahead of them, her back turned towards the team. Robes of expensive silk fluttered in the wind behind her, light shining off the material. Her (h/c) swayed in the wind, giving off nothing but an air of royalty.

But despite her ice cold gaze...everyone saw how shocked she looked when Gongshu had introduced himself as the Furnace of Creation's master. The woman was silent, merely staring at the man before her, uttering not a word. But she bit her lip, as a way to prevent herself from saying more than she should.

Then there was the deer, the Ebon Deer that was nothing but an abomination. Colors of blue, gold and green, representing life, vitality and wealth. A beautiful yet horrifying mix of colors forever ingrained in her mind.

"Are you alright, Lady (Y/n) ?" Welt asked, making sure that the young woman behind her was faring well.

Fighting against the Ebon Deer was hard work, at it seemed that even (Y/n) had trouble against it before they dispelled the outer source of power it was extracting from the power of Abundance.

He watched her horrified reaction as it withered and yet regained its former state, almost as if she were haunted by the extremes of power an Aeon can possess...

Or perhaps were those the same eyes of the people who fought in the War of Abundance...? The eyes that witnessed fear and loss time and time again. Maybe...perhaps even those eyes were included in the horrors of the abominations.

Powers of the Vidyadhara were nothing short of the definition of power itself, but she struggled to face it off, as if having second thoughts while fighting, or even extending the period of fighting just to conduct a couple observations and conclude a couple thoughts.

This woman...was trying to learn something. Gain an insight, perhaps...?

Even as Welt was making his own observations and conclusions regarding the change of paths from the Abundance to the Hunt, (Y/n) stood away from them, deep in her own circle of thought.

"I...am alright." Said the regal lady, dusting of the sleeves of her dress. It was tough, but she knew there was more to come, especially with the warning Jing Yuan had discretely yet undoubtedly been trying to relay to her.

Her presence was playing a crucial part in this play of his.

Did that mean...she had to meet...his reincarnation...?

Jing Yuan had never told her what had become past the period of molting rebirth. But did she really want to know...?

"It's just...that deer..." she said softly, shaking her head. "Reminded me of someone."

The man she loved, falling at the hand of the abundance, due to some...forbidden ritual they were trying to pursue. And he too...began one of the Abundance. Healing time after time, without even having a say in his own life.

The woman looked back to meet the gaze of her worried companions. All sorts of gazes landed on her form, pity, worry, concern, understanding...she appreciated them all, but...

"That's enough. We should keep going. The Alchemy Commission...shouldn't be far from here now..." said the dragon lady before she turned on her heel to leave the scene.

Right...there was no need to say anymore. Words...could not convey the feeling of loss she felt etched deep inside her heart. Nor did the memories even fulfil the void that grew day by day, with a certain longing for times of old to resurge...

Through the gates of the Artisanship Commission, it led the team straight towards the Alchemy Commission, a delve where all the medicinal and healing practices were carried out. It was the perfect place for concocting medicines out of herbs and materials of rare items to treat unknown diseases, or a place to jot down prescription after prescription while attending to the endless stream of natives that need the attention of professionals.

Some came here to learn, and some came here to help others. But ultimately, the desire of all here was one, to make the Xianzhou Luofu more prosperous and longevous than it ever was.

But this place...was also the same place for dubious plans to be carried out. With the high-tech equipment, materials only those in the alchemy would be able to obtain, should the Luofu fall into peril, this...would no doubt be their lair.

(Y/n) led the team into the commission, walking past the walls that were once so familiar to her. Though it has been centuries, this place...was almost as same as it used to be back when she was in her prime, looking over the apprentices like a protective mother watching her eggs.

Bodies of the mara-struck, celestial bodies and the Cloud Knights littered the stone ground left and right, for as far as the eye can see. It was no doubt that a fierce war had indeed taken place within these walls, no time to reach out for help since the delve had been sealed off, and the commission was deemed to be deserted.

"Whoa, looks like the battle here was intense..." March said, the poor girl looking around the blood-bathed battlefield with fear and horror in her young eyes. Her hands were to her mouth, almost in disbelief with what had occurred here.

Tingyun sighed, looking behind her to meet the gaze of the young girl. "Looks like the Master Diviner had launched a campaign while we were delayed in the Artisanship Commission."

"She must've divined it at the right time..." responded the usually silent Stelle, only ever opening her mouth to let out the most unheard of jokes (Y/n)'s pointed ears had heard of, or to say something incredibly out of character.

"Seems like she had sent in the Cloud Knights to clear out the way before we arrived. It would've been dreadfully dangerous had she let us in without proper preparation and training like the knights." (Y/n) said, her sharp and luminescent eyes scanning the area, the scene before her like flowers wilted on the ground.

But this...was nothing compared to the flooding blood rivers she had witnessed as a young maiden. Should things continue as they are...well...the Luofu would be drenched in mixed blood once again.

But unlike last time. She would do everything in her power to stop from memories of the past haunt and overshadow her future, refusing it to take shape it once took form as.

She wouldn't dare dream of losing another person dear to her.

Not the warm and kind-hearted General that had embraced her with loving arms the moment her eyes had revealed itself to the world. Not when she had to let go of her lover that remembered so little of her yet yearned for their long lost intimate moments.

Back then...she had so much to lose. And this time was no different.

She just hoped...that his reincarnation was doing well somewhere.

Welt noticed the unease in (Y/n)'s gaze. Being the attentive man he was, riddled with experience and written with history of a distant land, he knew better than to outright voice his concern over the Dragon Lady.

"Time is of the essence. The most important task for the Xianzhou Luofu is suppressing the Stellaron." Said the brunette, his arms crossing over his chest as he too observed the concluded battlefield before him. "General Jing Yuan tasked the Master Diviner with commanding the Cloud Knights-- he would've known she'd act on the results of her divination."

"Maybe that's why they sent us through the Artisanship Commission. To avoid direct contact with the battlefield. It is too dangerous for us here. If fighting the Ebon Deer was already breaking more than our usual threshold, imagine actually engaging in a real battle." (Y/n) said softly, looking sad at the loss before her.

"But...that's out of your scope." She whispered, walking towards one of the knights to check on their conditions.

"Lady (Y/n)..." March said worriedly, and Tingyun looked a little...somber at the Dragon Lady had returned back to her post as the Miracle Healer.

"This...must be hard for Lady (Y/n) to see." Tingyun said softly, shaking her head. "As I remember records...the past Dragon Lady was someone of immense caliber and knowledge, having pulled strings no one dared to interfere with."

"But this is nothing compared to what she had seen back in her days. Centuries ago, an Emanator of Abundance besieged the Luofu with the aim of the Ambrosial Arbor. They destroyed half our delves and killed most of the Cloud Knights." Tingyun said, looking up at the sky, perhaps wondering what the sky looked like when the ground was bathed in red.

"For long-life species, such events are more like yesterday's memories rather than ancient history. This awful spectacle is child's play in comparison to what they've seen and been through."

"It's...hard to tell if the Master Diviner won or lost here." Welt said with a heavy sigh, that was until (Y/n) walked back, her (e/c) clouded with regret and shame.

"There...are many losses here. I might be able to restore and patch some up, but...it would be too dangerous for me to venture further alone without back up." (Y/n) said, her eyes never leaving the fallen soldiers. "If only Yingxing and..."

She cut herself short, her thoughts snapping back to prevent herself from saying anymore of those forsaken memories of old. She shook her head and cleared her throat, as if to regain composure.

"Nevermind." She said sharply. "There aren't many Cloud Knights here, so I reckon there's a retreat nearby, or maybe they really did make it out with a minimal count of casualties. Deeper into the delve, perhaps."

"Will you try heal those here, Lady (Y/n) ?" Tingyun asked the horned woman before her, noticing her determined gaze. And (Y/n) nodded. "I'll...try my best. I'm a healer, a doctor even, or whoever I used to be, but I'm not miracle granter."

"Please be careful, Lady (Y/n), Stelle. These monsters seem pretty tough..." March warned carefully, fearing the safety of her companions and the lady they were meant to escort safely.

(Y/n) leaned down to inspect the wounds on one of the soldiers that seemed to have been ridden with mara, rooted deep inside its body. As she scanned the figure with her sharp eyes, she noticed how this individual...a woman, perhaps in her early 300s...was far too deep in mara.

Mara was plaguing her body like flies eating away at rotting flesh. Slow, constant, but unbearable. The wounds were shrinking away beyond a usual native's ability, and with the lack of injured vital signs, (Y/n) knew it was best for her to try freeze the cores and quickly move away.

So that was as she did. To those still blessed with life, she leaned down to bestow them the gift of her healing, hoping that they would be able to be to at least endure less pain than they should. She even froze cores, wishing that it was enough to prevent the rapid outbreak of the plague, harming others beyond control.

She knew...those mara struck before her...had their regrets and their ambitions to see another day. She knew another person who was just the same, bringing flesh of a fallen Emanator, striking his beloved with a fatal blow, yet he himself was a victim to another's plan who wished to deny the cruel nature of death.

The beloved who once held her hand so tenderly, an arrogant man who was yet so soft towards her, bestowing her with a gentle kiss on her forehead as he held her close by her waist.

(Y/n) looked up, knowing that those days were no more, and the sky above them...was never a witness to the moments she held dear to her frozen and recovering heart. Her heart that was facing conflict and turmoil with her current identity and her past self, knowing both were nonetheless one of the same.

Though she had forgotten most of her past, only bits and shred able to be brought forward to her current time, she knew it was time for her to step up and once again place the crown high on her head, though it weighed so heavily on her shoulders.

"Look ! There's someone over there." March called out, taking (Y/n)'s hand to point towards a woman wearing an Alchemy Commission uniform, and a kneeling Cloud Knight by her feet.

(Y/n) didn't have a good feeling about this.

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

Vesuvia Weekly: The Marketplace Incident

~ my little written sketch for @vesuviaweekly's prompt "How Things Went Wrong (feat the Arcana familiars)". Enjoy an afternoon from the perspective of my fandom self-insert :3 ~

Word count: 1.5k

The marketplace really is the best spot to write in. The bustle of afternoon shoppers in the sunny square is a soothing view from my shaded nook, tucked between Selasi's booth and an alleyway of stairs. The steady sea breeze makes the parchment in front of me flutter, carrying the smell of spiced bread as it tousles my hair from my forehead.

"Need a refill?" The baker leans on the stone wall above the low table I'm pretending to draft my next story on. "Maybe it will help the ink flow better."

"Thanks, Selasi, but I'm afraid I've barely had a sip." I gesture to my mostly-full clay cup. "It's a good blend, though - what did you use for it this time?"

"A craftsman never shares his secrets." He hunches closer, not-so-subtly trying to sneak a peek at my handwriting. "What is today's writing about? More of our six friends' adventures, by a friendly young man whose signature is a rotting brain?"

I roll my eyes at his teasing smile. "Okay, using the moniker 'brainrot' doesn't automatically mean gruesome physical decay -"

We both jump at the sudden cat's yowl from the direction of the baker's counter. A fuzzy orange blur streaks to my corner, tiny claws digging into my shirt as it uses me as a ladder to get to Selasi's shoulder.

"Pounce? What is it, little one?"

"Bad dogs!" Faust's face pops into view, her body slowly unwinding from the cloth umbrella over me.

I barely have time to stabilize her plop onto my arm before I catch sight of two more barking fuzzy blurs tearing around the corner, a screeching raven flapping frantically after them. All three start heading in my direction as soon as they see me stand up to intervene. "Mercedes, Melchior! Come here!"

As ill-trained as I know Lucio's dogs are, the half-finished roll I hold out in their direction is more than enough to convince them. They slide to a halt in front of me, paws and tail still skittering from side to side, eyes trained on the treat. The flustered raven descends on my shoulder and Faust scoots onto Selasi's arm to give him more space.

"It's rare to see these fellows here without their owners ..." The baker runs his hand over Pounce's bushed-out tail in a soothing arc. "Did something happen?"

"What didn't happen?" I mumble in response. I don't think I recognize the strange goop Faust has left on my shirt, or the hooped earring in Malak's beak, or the concerningly pleasant smell wafting off of the dog's silky coats. I hold out my palm in front of the bird on my shoulder. "Give me the shiny, please. Which friend did you take this from?"

"Took it when I squeezed!"

"Who did you squeeze, Faust? Was it Julian?"

"Stinky count. Stole my fishies!"

The hissed voice clearly belongs to a cat, but it's not coming from the trembling ginger tabby in Selasi's arms. Pepi lopes into view on the wall above me with a smug look on her little face. Oh, right. I keep forgetting that she learned how to talk ...

"Lucio ... stole your fish?"

"Pepi earned the fishies - Pepi was a good cat and caught all the rats! Went to the docks to get the fishies, but he took them first!"

I try to piece the narrative together, noticing what looks like a pearly white owl listening in from the roof of the booth. "So ... Portia went to buy Pepi some fish, but Lucio bought them first? Where did the earring come from?"

"Master tried to help!"

"Oh, did Asra try to trade their earring for the fish? I thought his piercings closed up years ago."

Malak caws loudly in protest. Faust wiggles and bobs from her perch on Selasi's shoulder as the distant owl takes off for a different corner of the marketplace.

"Not Master's earring."

I study the golden hoop, finally catching the protective gleam in Malak's eye. "Ohh, this is Julian's, isn't it? Okay, from the top." I watch five pairs of animal eyes point back in my direction. "Portia went to get fish for Pepi, but Lucio bought them first. Asra tried to intervene, and then Julian offered an earring that he apparently owns to bargain for the fish with. Is that right?"

I almost miss the variety of nods when a thick coat of fur unexpectedly brushes across the backs of my knees. When I look down, it's right into Inanna's bright green eyes - and the torn bag of rice in her mouth. She drops it at my feet, spilling the grains across the ground and sending Malak into a flurry of indignant squawks. The wolf curls up for a nap at my heels, completely unfazed. Selasi gently sets Faust on my abandoned parchment and returns to his oven with an amused "good luck!"

"O-Okay." I drag my hand down my face and do my best to analyze the mess. "So why do the dogs smell nice, why is Faust slimy enough to smudge my ink, and why am I the one currently holding Julian's mystery hoop?"

"Squeeze the thief! Rescue the shiny! Run away fast!"

Faust bleps her tongue proudly, while Pepi takes a smug seat on the stones and the dogs begin to growl. One warning huff from the large wolf pretending to sleep behind me quietens the impending ruckus.

"And ... do I want to know about the slime and the fruity smells?"

Pepi yawns above me, slowly succumbing to the sun-warmed wall. "Beauty stall."

Faust curls herself elegantly over my story draft in an attempt to flaunt her shiny scales. "Moisturize."

"You're practically glowing, Faust. Such a beautiful girl!" Asra's trotting in my direction, a very sweaty pair of Devorak siblings close behind and a red-faced ex-count bringing up the rear. The magician scoops her up off of the table, my freshly hydrated parchment going with it, as Pepi uses the top of my head as a springboard into Portia's arms. Julian gives his judgemental raven a sheepish look before brightening at the earring in my palm.

"Did you leave us the rice trail, Faust?" Asra scritches the serpent's chin.

"Wait - rice trail? What rice trail? Is that how you knew where you were going? Where did they get - my rice!"

Inanna gives the shocked doctor a guiltily amused look, nudging the torn bag with her nose and watching the last of the grains spill onto my feet. Lucio straightens from where's been fussing over his perfumed dogs, finally catching his breath.

"Hah! Serves you right for trying to take my fish!"

Portia bristles and turns on him as Inanna slinks off to the large figure skulking in the shadows several booths away. "Your fish? That vendor and I have been friends for three years, you heard him say that I'd get first pick!"

I can't tell if Lucio is grinning or gritting his teeth. "Does it matter? I already paid for those things, they were the least smelly ones!"

"Enough!" The Countess's firm voice rings across the corner of the square, effectively halting the brewing squabble that's hijacking my writing corner. Chandra reassumes her perch on the baker's booth roof as Nadia rubs her temples in resigned frustration. "I have already paid for a year's worth of cosmetics. I have no interest in paying for your argument with a headache as well."

She heaves a tired sigh as the familiars settle in with their owners, sparing me a comforting glace. "Considering the paperless state of your table, I trust there were no writing casualties involved?"

Portia scurries over with a worried look. "Oh, I'm so glad you hadn't started yet!"

"Well ..."

"I think we did interrupt him, unfortunately." Asra's already taking a seat at my table, holding a fresh bowl of rolls in one hand and my smudged paper in the other while Faust hides guiltily in their shirt. "What's a 'ringtone'?"

Julian helps himself to the paper. "Allow me - perhaps I can shed some light on - ah!"

I've already given up hope on restoring my draft, so I don't wince nearly as badly as my friends do as a sharp, golden hand snatches my handwriting and rips it in the process. Lucio's pout deepens the further he reads. "I'm not in this."

"He's probably not finished it." Nadia holds her hand out, impervious to Lucio's begrudging surrender, and carefully offers the paper back to me. "We should leave you in peace, or you'll never meet your deadline."

Portia takes the cue and begins herding Lucio back to the docks for a fresh round of fish. Nadia gives Asra a pointed look, resulting in them stuffing the last of their roll into their mouth and rising from the cushions. They leave the last two pieces of bread for me.

"Julian," I call as he turns away, "one more question."

"Ah - yes?"

"What's the story with the earring?"

"Oh!" He flushes unexpectedly, fumbling the hoop away into his pocket. "... it, ah, it doesn't go in my ear. Adieu!"

[missadmyre]

Date Night at Ghost Town

It wasn't often that his mentee, Randy, would invite him to do little activities such as fishing inside the Nomicon, such moments he appreciates as it reminded him of the peaceful memories he once had back at the living world.

When Randy had intivited him to come with him at the Celebration of the Founding of Sanctus Civitas in the Ghost Realm, he couldn't believe at what he was being offered to. "A trip to the Ghost Realm?" He asked.

The teen then replied, "Yeah, Danny invited me and Jake to come with him to the Ghost Zone for the celebration. Since you're some kind of spirit or something, maybe you could also have a chance to go there? I mean, it's gotta be kinda wonk to be lonely inside this book."

The First Ninja denied Randy's invitation at first, skeptical as he finds it nonsensical but also dangerous, given that he is the very foundation of the Nomicon. Should he be absent from his duties, he feared that an unexpected force would invade at a time of weakness, something of which he wouldn't allow.

Yet, even PlopPlop started to bug him about the boy's invitation, finding it weird that his ally had also approved of the boy's attempt. Eventually, he decided to go, finding it hard to resist two of his people and their charm to annoy to him.

As he tries to find an appropriate attire to wear, he discovers an elegant robe from back when he was alive, a kimono that dates back to the Kamakura Period. A gift from his fourth brother, a craftsman at heart.

On the day of the celebration, he, along with Randy his friends set off to the Ghost Realm, finding themselves in a dense forest with a jagged dirt pathway. Following the path, they reach the marble stairs, climbing up as they were greeted by a Torii Gate with two bells hanging on each side.

Ringing the bell four times on each bell while citing a chant that guarantees their entry, they soon were able to enter through the gate and into the celebration. The place was brimming with energy, hundreds of ghosts, spirits and souls running around around having fun.

The setting was beautiful, a dreamy dawn accompanying it. It was like a mix of a fairground and a ceremony, which would happen later that night as the procession of the Hyakki Yagyo would happen later that night. Stalls of food and games were placed left and right, attracting attentions of passerbys.

As he was about to ask the boys about his purpose in this, he was confused to find him, the warlock. Snarling, the First Ninja asked "What are you doing here?". The warlock chuckled, "Oh my, ask your kid, he did set us up for our date". Eyes twitching, he turned around to find Randy and his friends smiling, telling them to have fun as they ran away to enjoy the event.

Sighing, he faced Chase as the lizard hybrid held out his hand, "May I accompany you?". He begrudgingly accepted, knowing damn well that he himself won't be able to disagree.

Randy, while walking with Jake and Danny, smiled as his plan worked. He had planned it since the day he realized both their feelings are mutual, just way too stubborn and prideful to recognize them. He pleaded PlopPlop to go along with his plan, which after many attempts and bribery, he finally agreed.

Jake had been able to contact Chase, it wasn't hard considering that their main topic would be about the First Ninja, but what was hard was to convince the lizard hybrid that none of what they were planning is a trap.

The two heroic teens had known about their guardian's feelings about each other for a long time, even more so when they received the news that they were practically married. Grimacing at their pining, they planned to get the two to spend time with each other to work out their feelings.

When Danny had gotten an invitation to the Celebration of the Founding of Sanctus Civitas, they knew it was their chance to set the two immortal men on a date, letting Danny in on the plan as they tried to make their invitation look natural.

"Hey Randy, I know you set this up and shit for a long time, but come on! Let's enjoy the event, man!" Jake exclaimed.

"Hold on a minute, gotta take a picture of this." Pulling a camera out of his pocket, he placed it at the direction of the two immortals who were walking by the crowd, zooming in and pressing the button as it emitted a flash.

Click!

[felixcloud6288]

*Ferdinand von Aegir and Lorenz Hellman Gloucester having tea together*

Lorenz: Aren't we just the pinnacle of nobility?

*Laughs Nobly*

Ferdinand: Indeed we are. Sitting and enjoying tea is truly a noble pastime.

*Nobly laughs*

Lorenz: Why just the other day, I declared new shipping routes be made so that we can import more varieties of tea.

*Laughs in Noble*

Ferdinand: And thanks to those increased imports, we were able to lower to cost of tea and other goods so all the commoners have better access to them.

*Laughs Nobly in Noble*

Lorenz: And of course, I increased the security of my lands so the commoners and the tea supply are safe from bandits.

*Nobly laughs in Noble*

Ferdinand: And since the roads are safer and living expenses are lower, the commoners can travel the land and enjoy tea in plenty of lovely settings.

*Nobles Nobly while laughing*

Lorenz: But still, I worry the commoners do not have the required understanding to enjoy tea like we do. Why just the other day, I saw someone pour honey into an apple blend.

*Ferdinand Nobly stops Nobling*

Ferdinand: That will not do at all. They should know honey goes best with chamomile. We have failed in our duties as nobles if our people don't know how to truly enjoy the tea we offer them.

*Lorenz Nobles*

Lorenz: You are right. We must provide our people with the best possible education so they can truly understand the wonders of tea.

*Ferdinand Nobles in Noble agreement*

Ferdinand: Indeed my noble friend. But forcing them to take time to learn could be detrimental. How can someone truly enjoy something they're forced to partake in? And then there is the matter of whether they can afford to take time from their work.

*Lorenz Nobly ponders Nobly*

Lorenz: Let us raise the wages of the commoners so they can keep their same standard of living while working fewer hours. And we should also lower their tax burdens while we're at it. We can always make up the difference by taxing the richer lords of our lands.

*Nobly sips his his tea in a nobly noble way*

Ferdinand: I understand what you mean. If the commoners need to work fewer hours to make a living, then they'll have time for an education. And by reducing their tax burden, that means they'll have more money to buy more tea to enjoy.

*Beams with Noble excitement*

Lorenz: Oh indeed. And of course we should make their education free and provide public transport to and from the schools as well as to and from the tea markets.

*Nobles in his Noble Nobleness*

Ferdinand: We can make these schools more enticing by making them a place where you can learn all walks of life. Imagine a school where you can learn how to be a scholar, a mage, a warrior, a craftsman, or a better farmer; and we can include lessons on how these different lifestyles make their tea.

*Nobles in the Noblest way*

Lorenz: I love that idea. And by giving our commoners these opportunities, they'll be able to choose the lifestyle and tea that they truly feel is their calling. No longer would the circumstances of their birth prevent them from achieving their dreams and enjoying their tea.

*Nobles Nobly while Nobling*

Ferdinand: Let us begin drawing plans immediately. If we succeed, more people will be able to enjoy tea just as much as we do.

*They Nobly Noble their Noble Nobles while Nobling Nobly on the Nobly Nobles with Nobly Nobling Noble Nobles, Nobly*

[py-dreamer]

@violetjedisylveon

Ok I honestly don't know if I'll ever finish the other WIP...

BUT

I've had this in my files for a while now, got the guts to finish it and so here it is.

Y'know that one painting in Rapunzel's tower? The one with the floating lights?

Yea so I wanted Red Son to have something like that but I thought that the prince is an inventor and while is still technically an artist so I wanted to give his piece a new format.

(art isn't necessarily a 2D format after all)

Then I remembered the wishing machine from the greatest showman.

And I thought like why don't we combine the two?

Like a stained glass wishing machine thingy!

And it makes sense cause with his firey powers and all, I imagine Red could easily melt sand if he ever got access.

So it would make sense that he'd experiment around with stained glass

AND ITS SO FREAKING PRETTY MAN LOOK AT IT

PLS MORE STAINED GLASS CHURCHES SHOULDN'T HAVE ALL THE FUN WHY ISN'T STAINED GLASS USED IN MORE DECOR ITS SUCH AN AESTHETIC!!!!

He wouldn't need a blowtorch or soldering iron cause again, he's got his hands.

I imagine his tools are quite limited in the tower so he'd make his own and for a kid who never left his tower, he's quite the craftsman I imagine!

think about it:

there are just hanging glass pictures everywhere.

You look in his bedroom and instead of the blank skylight you have a bit of a glass rook with shingles missing but replaced by stained glass pictures the prince made over the years

and we have that epic shot in the end of the movie where light streams through all the tiny windows and glass all showing the samadhi flower and Red Son realizes they're the goddamn lost prince!

Like wouldn't that just be magical?

Pay no mind to the gold ring in his hair, I genuinely don't know what its for.

I was trying to render the hair, made a part too shadowy like something was meant to be there so I just went:

"Slap a ring on it!"

I have to credit my friend (no name drops for privacy's sake) for pushing for the idea for the colorful spots of light

(ignore how it looks like circus polka dots)

during the performance I was working on, I spent like 50% of my time drawing when I wasn't needed (a lot of the time) and could just work on my projects which was really nice

And the performance was a hit!!

Gosh I still miss it so much, its only been like 4 days

I've honestly really put off this project cause I was really scared to do the stained glass but personally, I do really like how it came out!

THIS ISN'T MY AU!!!! I'M JUST MAKING FANART AND HEADCANONS IG

[queenlucythevaliant]

The remnant there who survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down.

After the door in the air was shut, King Caspian brought together an assembly of his friends and advisors. There, he called the dwarf Trumpkin to speak concerning what he had seen of Cair Paravel.

“Well,” said Trumpkin, “I can’t say that there was much left of the place when I was there. The walls are in pieces and it’s all overgrown. You’d scarcely know it was ever a castle, if you weren’t expecting to find one.”

“But could it be restored?” asked the king. “In your opinion: as a craftsman and a Narnian?”

Trumpkin seemed to ponder this for a moment, but his answer came readily enough. “We’d have to rebuild it from the foundations. Quarry stone, cut timber, and tear out all the plants that have grown there by the root— and that’s all before we so much as lay the new cornerstone. But if we go about it the right way (I mean, with the good guidance of Aslan and all)—yes, I think we can manage it.”

“But is it the thing that we ought to do first?” asked Doctor Cornelius. “After all, the Telmarine castle stands, and it will serve. There’s much else that needs doing at present.”

“It is a worthy undertaking,” piped Reepicheep, who was now standing atop his seat almost at attention, one small paw on the hilt of his rapier. “One more urgent and noble than any other work before us now. Cair Paravel is the ancient seat of justice in Narnia, and the graves of Old Narnian kings are on its grounds.”

A silence fell, and when it became clear that no one particularly felt like disputing the Mouse’s words, Caspian nodded his head solemnly. “Very well then. We rebuild.”

.

It was a little after noon and the sun was high on the day that Old Narnian exiles first returned to the shores of Cair Paravel. They arrived in row-boats and dinghies and on ferries from the mainland, for no ships had yet been built. Trumpkin and the King were in the lead boat together, and by Trumpkin’s direction the boats made landfall along the stretch of beach that ran alongside the ruins of Cair Paravel. Behind them came a host of Red Dwarves and Black Dwarves with their tools. There were Centuars, led by Glenstorm and his sons, and Beasts of all kinds: Clodsley Shovel and his Moles, the Hardbiters and the Hares, nimble-footed Harts, mighty Bears, Sables, Hedgehogs, Dogs, Horses, and the Mice with Reepicheep their Captain. Then came the fauns, with Mentius and Obentinus. Last of all were the Birds, soaring over the ships and calling to one another in high voices as they went.

When the first boat alighted on the shore, a great cheer went up, starting at the king’s boat and fanning out to all the rest. Caspian stepped onto the soft sand with a crunch and surveyed the place where the ruins of Cair Paravel sat. He could not think of anything suitably momentous to say, so he sank wordlessly to his knees and looked up, giving thanks to Aslan.

That night the whole rebuilding party camped on the beach. The dwarves built bonfires and the fauns played their flutes and there was song and dance. A few of the centuars were old enough to remember living in the lands around the Cair before the Telmarines had driven them off, and those that did wept. A few of the younger creatures wept too, though they could not express why. Yet Dumnus led the singing of loud choruses and some of the others whooped and hollered for joy. The sound of their voices, both the weeping and the singing, mingled together and fled into the night.

The next day, the dryads and naiads of the land around Cair Paravel came down to the beach. The giants, who had come from the mainland on foot, arrived not long after. Their number complete, the Narnians set to work.

.

“One thing we have in our favor,” Doctor Cornelius said, scroll still half open before him. “The historical records on the construction of the castle are exhaustive. There are plans and specifications for every inch of the place.”

Caspian straightened, wincing a little. He’d been helping one of the naiads clean debris from the courtyard well, and his back ached from bending over. “You might try telling that to the black dwarves,” he said. “They still haven’t figured out where to dig.”

Once the dwarves had assessed the ruins of the castle, they used a kind of scrying magic which Caspian did not understand in order to find a quarry of new stone to match the old. The trouble came when the time came for the stones to speak: they would only sing, in voices too deep for words.

“They’re too busy celebrating to tell us where they came from,” said Winnibrik gruffly when Caspian inquired about the progress of the quarry. “And I can’t blame them for that, really. It’s good that there are Narnian feet in this place again.”

Dryads guided parties into the forest to show which trees could be used for timber, and then Horses and centuars dragged the beams back to the Cair. In general, such work would have been beneath them, suitable only for dumb beasts of burden; but they did it without complaint. They knew, as everyone did, that they were in the midst of a great work.

Yet it was the cleaning and removal of debris that occupied most of the workers. Trufflehunter knelt in the dirt, patiently pulling broken bits of twisted metal from the ruin of the small armory. He hummed as he went, something lilting and wordless. A little way behind him, in the courtyard, a group of fauns hoisted a fallen apple tree and carried it away.

.

It was shortly after the foundation had been laid that a band of efreets appeared from the north. They arrived late in the evening while Caspian was dredging one of the cellars and asked to be brought before the king. “If it please you, sire, let us build with you,” said their leader, a broad creature with a toothy smile. “After all, we are Old Narnians too.”

Caspian, who was knee deep in water and soaked to the skin, called for a halt and went to confer with his councilors.

“You ought to have nothing to do with them,” said Trumpkin firmly, “not by my advice.”

“I should think not!” echoed Trufflehunter. “We’ve no need of any congress with creatures of that sort. Cair Paravel must be rebuilt by those who follow Aslan.”

The efreets, however, were less than accepting of this verdict. A few nights later, a Dog reported that he’d smelled men in the woods and a few scouts confirmed that Telmarines were camped a few miles upriver. “It seems that our ghoulish friends are angry with us,” said Caspian, “though I can’t for the life of me imagine what an efreet could have said to make a Telmarine come with him this close to the sea. At any rate, we ought to be alert. Send someone down to the treasure chamber and distribute whatever weapons you can find to anyone who can use them.”

So, as the walls of Cair Paravel rose up, the Narnians carried swords as they worked. At night everyone camped together inside the great footprint of the castle, with guards stationed on the half-built watchtower under the stars.

Reepicheep took more watches than anyone, for he said that he liked to be alone in the stillness of such a sacred place. “We needn’t be afraid,” he told Caspian softly one night. “Cair Paravel is ours, and we are Aslan’s. What can hurt us here?”

.

The Brothers of Shuddering Wood built the entrance to the main foyer, armed with heavy dwarven hammers that seemed to split the air when they fell. The hung the gate one glittering morning when the sun was on the sea. They left it wide open for the rest of the day.

Clodsley Shovel took the Moles to set the king’s garden to rights, and one day the Mice joined them in repairing the Tombs of the Kings. When they were through, they brought trimmings from the garden to decorate the monuments. The Dogs dug holes for posts, and a greenhouse soon followed. Then came the armory, the buttresses, the tower of guard.

“Was all of this really here before?” Caspian asked in astonishment. The water-gate had just been completed and his old tutor was beside him, looking up at the intricate device of bolts and bars that kept it securely lowered.

“Yes, my boy, it was,” said the old man. “It’s all in the books, you see?” Caspian felt a lump build in his throat: something like pride and another something like hope. He tried to swallow around it.

Hogglestock and Trufflehunter split the middle-sized Beasts into pairs for the construction of the broad wall. They told stories as they worked, in loud voices so as to carry down the length of it: stories that usually started with “Remember…” and occasionally, “In the days when Peter reigned at Cair Paravel…”

The great feasting hall came together little by little. The eastern windows were cast by dwarven artisans from enormous panes of glass while Glenstorm and his sons built the dais and drew sketches for the skylight. Wimbleweather carried great stone pillars in his arms and set them down where Ravenscaur instructed from his perch in the rafters. The Oak and the Beech made carvings on the seven heavy doors that led into the hall, and when they were through dwarven smiths fitted them with handles of silver and gold.

They ate in the hall together when it was built, though the walls were still bare and their voices echoed. The Bulgy Bears carried in the first piles of food from the kitchens, which were at last in working order. They heaped it on makeshift tables with little concern for appearance: grilled fish, pheasant, and apples prepared in every imaginable way.

.

When the last stone was laid in the castle, Caspian decreed a day of general celebration. But when he turned the corner down the hallway to the grand staircase, Caspian saw Trumpkin standing at a window looking morose, with tears in his eyes.

“Come now, Trumpkin, what’s the matter?” said Caspian as he came to a stop beside his friend. “Today is a happy day, and there’s no room in it for tears.”

Trumpkin made a sound between a snort and a sigh as he turned to face his king. “Certainly, your majesty. No tears today. But—” he smiled beneath his beard, “—Turnips and thunderbolts, Caspian! If you’d asked me a year ago, I’d have laughed myself silly rather than imagine that any of this was possible.” He swept his hand towards the window and Caspian looked out.

It was a crisp, cloudless morning, the sky bright and clear, and the sounds of singing and of instruments being played filtered all the way up to the tallest tower. Caspian watched the Dogs running to and fro as they prepared for a hunt. Dryads danced in the courtyard and fauns played their flutes. Beyond the wall, a group of dwarves were coming up from the beach, where they’d just arrived with several boats full of gold and jewels from the mainland with which they meant to beautify the castle.

“Why Trumpkin!” laughed the king, “I’m surprised at you. Wasn’t it on your recommendation that all of this was done?”

Trumpkin shook his head ruefully. “My foolish optimism, perhaps. Aslan’s Mane, but times have changed.”

He cleared his throat and nodded towards the beach. “King Edmund said he’d have built a bridge if Cair Paravel had been an island in his day. What say you, King Caspian?”

The castle still needed furnishing, but there were finally tables in the feasting hall and the armory was stocked with swords. Doctor Cornelius was well on his way to reestablishing the library, and soon Cair Paravel would be adorned with the finest dwarven jewels.

“Next year,” Caspian replied. “I’ll put you in charge of its construction.”

Remember me, my God, for good.

[epitomereally]

Meet Me at Midnight by @the-starryknight

This was an absolutely favorite from this year’s H/D Wireless & I’m so happy Starry let me bind it! It features a gorgeous healing craftsman Harry, a prickly but soft Draco, and an incredible ensemble cast of Harry’s friends, who all love and take such good care of him, while working towards bettering the world. Starry’s writing is so lush and evocative. The dreamscapes, 4 Jonquil Place & Chiara, and all of Harry’s woodworking pieces are so beautifully described, and I tried to do this atmosphere justice in my binding.

This was a fic where the binding sprang into my head fully formed while reading. I was struck by the description of Chiara, vines growing all over her body, and the gorgeous blues and greens throughout the story, which inspired both the illustrations and the colors throughout. I went fully maximalist with the illustrations, and leant very literally into the dreaming & waking up motif. We have growing vines at each chapter header, which slowly open up into morning glories. On the cover, I’ve illustrated poppies to fit with the dream motif, and then a dahlia, because I love them :) this was also my first time making headbands and I love the pop of emerald & seaform that they add. I also was so happy with the bookcloth; I spent a long time looking for a deep, rich blue. It was surprisingly hard to find a highly saturated dark blue!

The dedication comes from @sitp-recs recommendation. It’s officially the longest dedication I’ve ever put in, but I couldn’t shorten it!

This fic is, first and foremost, a love letter. Not only to Drarry but mainly to creators, artists and crafters, who are struggling with burnout and feeling defeated, uninspired, maybe even useless. This was a realistic portrayal of how devastating it feels to lose the grip on our creative muse, the very thing that gives us purpose and gets us through the mundane by making our lives extraordinary. This Harry represents so many of us feeling lost and discouraged and broken, but Starry generously mends all pieces…This fic is full of hope and understanding, it’s about love but also about friendship, self-care, resistance and the importance of fighting for political change no matter how seemingly small or unimportant.

Many thanks also to @a-gay-old-time for their cover painting tutorial & also for answering my ask about how they bind flatback books. This bind wouldn’t be possible without your help & you have been a huge inspiration for me in taking up fanbinding!

Body font: Alegraya

Title font: Venose

Dropcaps: Fleur Corner Caps

Endpapers: Craft Consortium Ink Drops in Ocean

Bookcloth: Japanese Asahi bookcloth in navy blue (here from Oregon Art Supply & I also assume Navy from Talas is the same color, though it's hard to tell over the monitor) - thanks for pointing this out, @pandamomentum)

[asteroideaaa]

kilvan [kil.ˈvan] n. river

Genre: angst(with happy ending)

Netayam X female OC Omatikaya

Word count: 3.4k

Authors note: I promise I'll make more happy fics I swear.<3

✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: :･ﾟ✧

If I ever went missing look near the river.

“Look at this stone ma Tamìfa,” Nang said excitedly. He handed me I yellow stone. This was perfect for Neteyam’s necklace. I've always been a good craftsman. My friends and I would make breast covers for many women in the village. My mother taught me everything I know. She was one of the best beaders in the whole village. I'm so grateful that she was able to teach me beading before the great-mother claimed her back with my father.

“This is perfect. Thank you so much for helping me Nang. Neteyam has been so stressed with the training I know this will cheer him up.” I thanked him. Neteyam and I have dated for many months now. We swore to each other before ewya. Though it is not the same as being mated, it's basically the same. We are a mated pair.

“Let's go back to the village. It's almost eclipse and we’ve been out here since morning. Neteyam must be back from training. You should be there to greet him back. I wonder what the hunter has brought back for the feast?” Nang said grabbing my wrist and leading me back to the village. 

“I know the way you skxqwng.”

“Last year we lead a whole search party for you. You were so deep into the woods it took hours to find you.” Nang scolded. I knew where I was going… “And don't even say you knew where you were going. We all know that's a damn lie.” he chuckled wrapping my arm around my shoulder and pulling me in as we walked into the village. We made it just in time. I see Neteyam jumping off his Ikran. Our eyes meet, but he seems angry. I walk towards him trying to hold my posture. 

“ Ma Neteyam I’m glad you're back safe. You must be hungry please come let us go eat.” I say trying to wipe his scowl off his face. I wonder if today wasn't a successful training day. On days like this, he's usually happier once we've eaten. So I take his hand to lead him to where everybody eats.

“Not tonight Ma Tamìfa. I'm not hungry.” he walks away from me. He takes long strides away from me. My lightly smaller legs cannot keep up as well. “Ma Neteyam please come. You need to take care of your body. After we should go to the hot springs. I feel like we haven't had alone time in ages. Please Ma neteyam.” I say out of breath from him walking away. We are now at his muri.

"Just walk go away, please. I want to be alone. I've had a long day of men yelling at me during training. The last thing I want right now is your nagging.” my heart slits as I watch his throwing his hand in the air out of frustration. My neck feels hot and my eyes burn. I don't dare to cry. Crying will not help. Maybe I just need to give him space.

“I’m sorry I bothered you. I will see myself out now. Goodnight ma Neteyam.” I turn on my heels and walk back to dinner. I look down at my feet tears threatening my eyes. 

~~~

“Maitan you dare speak to your future mate like that. She did not deserve such.” Neteyams mother said fiercely. He knew she was right, but anger get to the best of us. The real reason on why he's mad is because you've been spending so much time with Nang. Nang was a couple of years older than Neteyam. He's more experienced with the way of life. That made Neteyam very jealous. Neteyam tends to overthink a lot, consequence of having three younger siblings.

“Sa’nu please I just want some rest. I've had a very long day.” 

“ Maitan im only concerned for you itan.Tamìfa is a sweet girl. You shouldn't lose your temper with her.” Netiriy softly said trying to calm him. She handed him a bowl of stew. Out of every meal created by the Na’vi people Hexapede stew was his favorite. He took one sip of it and melted. He quickly slurped up the stew and then headed to his hammock.

~~~

It's now dawn and I'm dreading getting out of this hammock. Last night I could not eat due to anxiety. It was a warm morning I could hear the creatures of pandora chirping as they got up to live their lives. My eyes start to feel heavy and I think to myself it wouldn't hurt to sleep in a little longer. My eyes shut and I start to dream.

I was having the most wonderful dream. Neteyam and I were flying our Ikran out in the night sky. I often have this dream, it is one of my favorites. The sight of him makes my heart swell knowing we will be mated for life. I can't help thinking about having many children. I want to have a family of my own someday. From time to time I think of names for our children. Neteyam has always promised me this for our future, but my dream comes to an end. I'm awoken by the Ikran screeching goodbye to the clan. I hop out of my hammock feeling the warm sunlight laying on my muri floor. I think to myself “I should start Neteyam’s necklace.” grabbing all my beads, string, and needle made of fish bones gifted by my mother.

Hours later of beading and weaving I've now created this beautiful necklace for my Neteyam. I look at it with great pride. I really do hope he likes it. My heart would break into a million pieces if he didn't. My thoughts are interrupted by the creaking of my muri flood. It's Nang he greets me as I do the same.

“Ma Nang you nearly sent me to Eywa herself.” I hold my heart out of fear.

“I'm just checking up on you Ma Tamìfa. Last night you didn't eat so I had my mother make you some roasted Teylu. I know it's not your favorite, but you must eat breakfast. From what I've learned the sky people say it's the most important meal of the day. That is probably the only thing ill agree on with them.” he chuckles 

“That is right,” I say rubbing the back of my neck out of discomfort. Nang quickly realizes. “That is bothering your neck ma Tamìfa?” he questions. “I spent all morning making Neteyam a necklace. I spent hours looking down now my neck is in so much pain.” I said sadly not knowing what to do. Maybe I should go see a practicing healer. I'm not in need of a matured healer. “We should go to the hot sprint. Come put on your bathing clothes.” Nang says persistently. He leaves my muri waiting outside to leave me to change. I get up from my seat and head towards my woven basket holding my garments. I decide to wear a newly woven set. It is covered in all shades of green and brown beads. Feathers hang off of the rectangular breast cover. As for my loincloth, it's dyed with dark green berry leaves. I attach my song cord to it and head out the door.

I meet Nang outside and start walking toward the spring. “Let us go find others to come!” I said excitingly clap my hands together. “That sound like the perfect idea ma Tamìfa.” Nang says patting the top of my head. We walk over to the Sullys hut. Before we can enter Nang and I hear arguing. We both turn our heads to face each other. “What did we just walk into.” we both say entering the muri.

“Tuk please maywe.!”kiri shouts 

“No! I want to go to the hot springs right now!” she squeaks 

“Tuk you have to eat first then we can you. Now please stop being a brat and eat. You'll never is a mighty warrior like mom. you can't even eat breakfast.” Lo’ak cried out of annoyance bringing his hand to cover his face. “Tuktiry listen to your siblings. Nang and I actually came over to ask you guys if you wanted to go to the hot spring. Now if you eat we will fly the Ikrans there.” I say in a motherly voice. Talking to Tuk like this makes me want to be a mother even more even when Tuks having a meltdown. While Lo’ak and Nang prepare Tuks meal I asked kiri to take out my braids. Now my hair flows freely with a couple of braids holding beads. “Do you want these feathers Neteyam found for me? I think they will suit you way better,” she asks in her very calming voice. My breath hitches at the thought of Neteyam. Kiri quickly notices. “What is wrong?” she says putting feathers behind my ears and attaching them to my braids. “It is not a big deal really. It's Neteyam He just got upset with me yesterday after coming back home from training.” I sigh “I'm sorry my brothers can be such asses sometimes. I'm sure he'll come around soon. After Tuk ate we left on our Ikrans heading towards the hot springs. Passing by unnoticed by the rest of us Neteyam and his training friends pass under us. 

~~~

Neteyam unmounts his Ikran and sits down bringing his hands to his face. Neteyams ears perk up to hear a conversation behind him 

“Did you see Tamìfa? She was with Nang again.” 

“She's been hanging out with him a lot maybe she's interested in a more mature man.”

“She was wearing a really nice outfit. Maybe she's trying to swoon him.”

Neteyam hated gossip but since it was about his soon-to-be mate he couldn't help being jealous. The truth is he’s been super jealous of Nang. Tamìfa and Nang have been friends before she even met Neteyam, But his anxiety gets the best of him. He tightly grips his bow and walks over to his Ikran to go fly to the hot spring. He knew you'd be there because he overheard Tuk asking Kiri this morning.

~~~

We got to the hot spring and immediately jumped in. now soaked I find a stop next to Nang. “I really wish Neteyam was here. We barely get to spend time with each other these days” I say saddened by his presence not being around. “Don't worry hell come around” Nang comforts me putting his arm around my shoulder to bring me into a hug. I wish it was Neteyam giving me a hug. We pull away from each other and he swims away probably to go talk to Lo’ak. My ears twitch back hearing a branch break. I look back to see Neteyam, my Neteyam. 

“Neteyam what are you doing here I thought you had training?”

“I got off early.”

“Do you want to hang out with us? I feel like we haven’t hung out in weeks. Come in the water it's nice and warm it will relax your muscles. I have a gift for you. I say excitingly pulling his necklace out. Im soon interrupted by his words.

“Why are you always hanging out with Nang these days ma Tamìfa? Every time you're around he follows like he's lost,” he questions me. We've never really had a problem like this before. He seems to be really upset with me. That is the last thing I want right now.

“Nang? He’s one of my longest friends ma Neteyam.”

“Friends don't hug as much as he does.”

“You're being unreasonable ma Neteyam. He keeps me company when you're away. These past few months you've barely paid any attention to me.” 

“You know what I'm just gonna leave. Nang can have you. Since he has so much time for you.” I didn't want him to go. What did he mean Nang could have me? Nang already has a mate. They mated a few months ago.

“Ma Neteyam please don’t go. I want you.” I cry tears now burning my skin falling down my face. What did I do wrong? I thought I was doing everything right. I made sure he ate, healed his wounds, and gave him nothing but support. Now he's leaving me. I watch him walk away ignoring my last words. My heart is broken into a million pieces. What will I do now?

~~~

It's been two weeks yet I have not left my muri. My heart is giving out I can feel it in my stomach. My skin is dull and my body is thinner. I haven't eaten a proper meal in days. How can I eat when the love of my life has left me? Kiri, Lo’ak, and Nang all try to visit me but I do not answer. I wish for Eywa to call upon my return. I lay in my hammock just as I have for a week but this time it's different Kiri burst into my room yelling for me.

“Tamìfa awaken now. I will not let you rot away over my ridiculously stupid brother. Come summer is in full bloom it's perfect to swim in the river. Everybody is there partying. “Everybody?” I question. “Yes he's there but, that doesn't matter.” 

“Kiri I can’t let him see me like this I look a mess.”

“How about I do your hair in nice braids and you put a cute outfit on? Will that make you feel better. ?” kiri said about to say more but was interrupted by a male Na’vi walking into my muri. I only saw his shadow at first. I hoped it was Neteyam, but I’m soon let down. It's just Nang checking up on me. ‘I saw your curtain was open. Are you feeling any better?” he coos in a worried tone.” “Everybody is down at the river. You should come, get some sun on your skin. I'm meeting Ekong there. Ekong is his mate.

“See we all want you to go now sit down so I can do your hair. Namg go pick he out an outfit.’ kiri directs like a war leader.

~~~ 

I hop off my Ikran feeling so uncomfortable. My hair is in a style that not many Ometicya women were here it's more of a Metkyina style hair with a braid on top and loose flowing hair in the back. Not to mention Nang picked out an outfit I'd never worn before due to the fact it was quite small. I feel like they all want Neteyam to regret what he did. I walk passed the brush leading the way to the lake I hear Na’vi and music being played. Nang leaves us to go swimming with his mate. Now it's just me and Kiri. I look over to my left but she's gone. She’s probably bonging with the creatures of the forest. Feeling awkward I find myself sitting on a rock at the edge of the lake dipping my feet into the water. I feel multiple eyes on my back trying to not think about it I look forward. Clear a day I see neteyam surrounded by young Na’vi women. Our eyes meet but a look down at my feet quickly not wanting to look at him a second more.

~~~

Neteyams heart could burst out of his chest seeing you. You looked like a goddess. He's spent his entire training break all alone. He wishes he could say sorry and take it all back but he didn't have the guts. His whole family is disappointed in him. Today these Na’vi girls just wouldn't leave his side. If Neteyam went swimming they did or if he went to look for pebbles so did they. He couldn't keep them away

“Oh look who showed up.” an unknown Na’vi girl said.

“She looks so sexy and I don't think were the only ones who noticed.” one of them giggles pointing at the Na’vi men sitting a distance behind her. Neteyam couldn't help but feel rage. He knew it was wrong because he was the one who hurt you. He watched the men walk toward you and sit next to you his eyes filled with rage. The girls quickly noticed 

“Don't worry about her Neteyam you guys were just a fling.” one other girl said.

“Plus she has Nang.”

“Not all the time. Nang mated to Ekong months ago when the men were off.” 

right there and then Neteyam felt like such a fool. You told him he had nothing to worry about anything between you and Nang, but he was filled with so much envy it clouded his mind. He knew he needed to do something about these boys. He stood up harshly knocking one of the girls off her feet.

~~~

It was as if my stomach was hollow. The men walked up to me and started bomb barding me with questions. I couldn't keep up with all of them.

“So you a Neteyam are really over huh?”

“Come swim with us, sweetheart.”

“We can treat you better than he ever did.” little did they know Neteyam could hear everything. You looked right passed the men into his golden eyes. They noticed and turned around terrified. “Oh hey Neteyam didn't see you there.” one of them said scratching the back of their neck trying to keep calm. “Back off. Now.” was all Neteyam said. Why was he mad? He was the one who broke up with me. Though this really made my heart throb. I feel guilty for still loving him. He's probably been such a player after our breakup. My heart splits just thinking about him even talking to other girls.    

“Why should I? You're the one who broke up with her. You obviously don't know a good woman when they're sitting right in front of you.” that threw Neteyam off the edge before I knew it Neteyam punch the guy right in his jaw. “Ma Neteyam! What are you doing? You can't just go punching people for speaking truth.” I scream but am quickly cut off by him grabbing my wrist. He pulls me deep into the first unseen but nobody but Ewya herself.  

“Ma Neteyam let go of me. Im not yours anymore.” I cry

“I know I'm sorry but please listen for just a moment Ma Tamìfa,” he said grabbing my shoulders “I'm so sorry I'm such a fool. I should have listened to you. I should have never left you all alone. I'm a fool I didn't treat you how you deserved and now I'm paying for my sins. I hate seeing other guys think they can have you. I hate the thought of being with anybody else besides you Ma Tamìfa. I know I'm such an ass for treating you so coldly during my training. I should have seen the beautiful woman right in front of me.” he said all in one breath. I don't know what to say. This is everything I could ever want. My heart fills with joy. What do I do? He looks into my eyes dropping to his knees. He tightly grasped my legs crying. Seeing him like this broke me. I need to lift this pain holding him down on his knees.

“Ma Neteyam please get up.”

“Not until you say it! Say you'll take me back. Please I’ll do anything.” he sobs. He's getting too overwhelmed. He thinks the worst is about to happen. I sit down on the floor touching our heads. “I want you to Ma Neteyam.” those words almost didn't register in his mind. He looked up at me in disbelief. “Ma Neteyam I need you my life has no beginning without you,” 

In that very moment, we grab each other's faces and our lips connect as one. I feel butterflies in my stomach as if it were our first kiss.

“Ma Neteyam I have i gift for you.”

“ my sweet I do not deserve such things,” he said wiping my tears                                                                                                                      

“ it was meant for the day we went to the hot springs.”

“The day we broke up…”

“Yes, but that doesn't matter anymore here my love.” I pulled the hand-beaded necklace out of my bag. I softly placed it into his hands. “My sweet did you make all of this? It's beautiful.” he rushes to put it on. When it's on his skin glows as the sun reflects off the iridescent beads. My heart is jumping out of my chest seeing him finally wear it. 

~~~

We dove into the river as one. He grabbed my waist pulling me into a kiss once again. I thanked Eywa for bringing this man back into my life once again. “Everybody is watching Ma Neteyam.” “let them. Let every Na’vi in this clan that you're mine. For as long as the stars come out in the night sky I will never let you go my sweet.” his eyes soften looking into my eyes. “Become my mate officially Ma Tamìfa. Let's have the ceremony after my dream hunt.” I could not speak. I've waited for those words all my life. I waited for him to ask again as soon as we made up. “Yes of course Ma Neteyam.” I joyfully scream wrapping my arms around his muscular neck. We bring our heads together.

“Oel ngati kameie Ma Tamìfa”

✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: :･ﾟ✧

[visceravalentines]

Insatiable

Dad's Best Friend!Dilf!Bo Sinclair x AFAB!Reader

3.8k words

Part 1 Part 2

Smut & fluff, age gap, dad's best friend, fingering, oral, dirty talk & praise, soft orgasm denial, very mild alcohol use by Bo & reader, reader is referred to as darlin', baby girl, pretty, and lady at one point

Alright who wants a weekend sleepover date with Bo Sinclair? Everybody? I thought so. He's gonna take real good care of you, darlin', don't you worry.

I just have to say, I'm thrilled so many people love this AU as much as I do. I did not intend on it becoming an ongoing thing but it's honestly such a pleasant and comforting headspace for me to be in and I'm so happy it seems to be the same for many of you. Also dilf!Bo is the soft dom we all deserve you can't change my mind.

Despite Bo’s instructions, you did pack clothes.  It took no convincing for your parents to wish you well on your weekend trip.  You felt a little guilty for lying to them, but the prospect of them finding out the truth was infinitely worse.

In less than an hour you were in the car on your way to Bo’s place just a few miles away, flush with anticipation.  His house was a cozy, blue-and-white craftsman with a well-kept lawn and thriving flowerbeds.  Per his instructions, you pulled your car around to the four-car garage in the back, typed in the code he had texted you and secreted your car inside.  With your overnight bag on your shoulder, you climbed the front steps and knocked on the door.

“‘S open, darlin’!”

You let yourself in, set your bag down on the couch in the front room and wandered down a short hall to a split kitchen and living room.  Many of the furnishings seemed to be antiques, smooth dark wood and worn leather.  Music played from a speaker on the counter and Bo was busy chopping vegetables. 

“Hey stranger.”  You rounded the kitchen island and kissed him. 

“What took you so damn long?” 

“I was just asking my dad if he needed me to pick anything up from you while I’m here.  I think you borrowed a drill one time?  Just wanted to see if he wanted it back.” 

Bo pointed the knife at you.  “For the record, you ain’t funny, and he borrowed the drill from me.” 

“So now you’re drilling me, is that it?” 

“Alright, maybe you’re a little funny.” 

“Do you need any help?” 

“I need you to sit that fine ass down and let me concentrate.” 

You obliged, perching on one of the barstools on the opposite side of the island, examining the intricacies of his bare arms as he worked.  You felt a little nervous and weren’t sure why.  Perhaps it was the sudden intimacy of seeing him in his own space, of being a guest in his home.  “What’re you making?” 

“Jambalaya, since you seem to like the taste of Louisiana so much.”  He winked at you.  “Now I am no chef, but y’all are incapable of makin’ decent Southern food out here, so I had to teach myself a few things.” 

“It smells delicious.” 

“That’s just onions, peppers, and celery, darlin’, welcome to Southern cuisine.” 

You spun your stool around to examine the living room.  There were a lot of framed sketches on the walls, ranging in dimension from the size of a postcard to almost half your height.  “Do you draw?” 

“Nah, that’s my brother, Vincent.” 

“He did all these?” 

“Mmhm.” 

You hopped down and moved closer to inspect a few of them.  They were simple, almost abstract, with just enough detail to evoke emotion, memory.  “They’re really beautifully done.” 

“He’s an artist.” 

There were dozens of sketches but hardly any photos.  You studied one in particular, featuring a much younger Bo, a shorter man with a broad grin, and a third man with long, dark hair covering half of his face.  The uncovered half was remarkably familiar. 

“Are you a twin?” 

“Yup.  That’s me on the left, Vin on the right, and our kid brother Lester in the middle.” 

“Do they live around here?” 

“No.  We’re all scattered to the wind.”  His tone was flat, not unfriendly, but guarded.  Maybe a little sad.   

Today was not the day to disturb those particular skeletons.  You moved around the room, exploring the bookshelf stuffed with mass market paperback copies of horror thrillers, the shotgun hanging above the fireplace, a beautiful chess set on the coffee table with pieces that looked hand-carved. 

“Did Vincent make this too?” 

“That was Lester.  The pieces are bone.” 

“Really?  That’s so cool.” 

“He’s a crafty one.” 

“I don’t know how to play chess.” 

“That makes two of us, darlin’.  Les may be crafty, but he ain’t always practical.” 

You laughed.  “Maybe we can learn.”  Returning to the kitchen, you put your hands on his waist, pressed yourself against his back.  “You have a very nice home.  Thank you for letting me visit.” 

“Anytime, baby girl, you’re always welcome.” 

“You have a very nice ass too.” 

“‘S all yours, sugar.” 

You tucked your hands into the waistband of his jeans.  “Are you sure you don’t need any help?” 

“I need you to quit distractin’ me so we can eat today.  Why don’t you open that up?”  He handed you a corkscrew and indicated a bottle of wine on the counter.  You poured a glass for yourself and one for him.  Bo took a sip and shooed you back to your barstool.  “Tell me about school.” 

He listened attentively as you described your degree, your favorite classes, the weird guy who always tied everything into the Divine Comedy no matter what the subject was.  He asked you questions and you taught him some of the finer points of your particular interests.  Before long, the food was ready. 

It was, of course, wonderful, and after dinner you curled up with him on the couch, your legs stretched across his, the summer evening sun bright and golden through the windows.  You looked around at the room and when your gaze wandered back to Bo, you found him staring at you wearing a lopsided smile. 

“I can’t believe you’re here with me, darlin’.”  He squeezed your thigh.  “Musta done somethin’ real good in a past life to deserve a moment like this.” 

You slipped your small hand into his big, rough one, scooted closer so you were practically in his lap.  “Lucky I came home for the summer.” 

“Lucky they kicked me outta the boondocks and I ended up in the suburbs fixin’ your daddy’s truck.” 

You laughed.  “Why did you leave Louisiana?” 

His smile didn’t fade, but it shifted, became wistful.  “Sometimes, you ain’t got no choice but to burn everythin’ down and start over.”  He looked at you knowingly.  “There’s a lotta ghosts in Louisiana, darlin’.  I pray you never meet any of ‘em but me.” 

“What about your brothers, do I ever get to meet them?” 

“Sure, at the weddin’.”  You choked on your wine and Bo laughed.  “I’m just kiddin’.  Not even a sweet thing like you can make an honest man outta me.  Yeah, I s’pose I’d introduce you, if they were ever in town.” 

“Are either of them still in Louisiana?” 

“Nah.  There wasn’t nothin’ left there for any one of us.”  His grip tightened on your hand.  Your eyes settled on the thick band of scar tissue surrounding his wrist, same as the one on his other arm.  You had noticed them before, hadn’t wanted to comment on it.  He rolled a mouthful of wine around his tongue before saying, “Go ahead, darlin’, you can ask.” 

“I don’t need to.”  You shook your head.  “Someone hurt you, I don’t need to know any more.”  He turned his hand palm-up on your lap and you ran your fingers gently over the marks. 

“I used to think that was the way o’ the world,” he said.  “Someone hurts you, you hurt someone else, and on we go, destroyin’ each other.” 

“What do you think now?” 

He looked thoughtful.  “I think life is more about buildin’.  I think the world is a dark and terrible place full o’ dark and terrible people, and if you find somethin’ bright and beautiful, you do everythin’ in your power to keep it safe.” 

You furrowed your brow, regarded him carefully.  “You’ve hurt people.” 

You watched the shadows flicker across his face, the way his eyes hardened.  He smiled coolly at you, flipped his hand back over, rubbed his thumb across your knee.  “I most certainly have, darlin’.  And there’s somethin’ about ghosts, they never stay put where you want ‘em to.”  His smile faded and he looked at you seriously.  “I will never hurt you.  I promise you that.” 

“I’m not scared of you.” 

He bit his tongue behind his lips.  “You should be, darlin’.  You prob’ly should be.” 

You set your wine on the coffee table, took his and placed it there too, adjusted your position and pulled him over so he was lying with his head on your chest.  He leaned into you without resistance.  You wrapped your arms and legs around him, rested your cheek against his brow, said nothing because you weren’t sure there was anything you could say that he would believe.  You hoped it would be enough to hold him against your heart, that maybe he would take the hint. 

Finally you ventured, “You’re bright and beautiful.  To me.” 

Bo looked up at you sideways, his devastating baby blues dancing with amusement and something else you couldn’t quite catch.  “You gonna keep me safe, huh?” 

“Absolutely.” 

“How are you s’posed to do that when you keep leadin’ me into temptation every time I turn around?” 

“That’s the trick,” you said.  “You can’t get into any trouble if I never let you leave the bedroom.” 

Bo chuckled as he sat up and kissed you, pressing his tongue delicately against yours.  “You wanna come see my bedroom?” 

“I would love to.” 

He helped you to your feet, led you down a short hallway and into his room.  The bed was king-sized with a big wooden headboard.  A sizeable dresser stood against one wall, an armchair in the corner.  The focal point of the room was undeniably a large art piece hanging above the dresser, nearly four feet long, an asymmetrical geometric pattern formed by pieces of wood slotted together.  “Did you make this?” 

“That I did.  I like woodworkin’.” 

“It’s amazing, how long did it take?” 

“Oh, five minutes.” 

You elbowed him in the ribs.  On the wall near the armchair hung three more of Vincent’s sketches, all curves and contours, tasteful representations of the female body in compromising positions.  “Bo Sinclair.” 

“Yes dear.” 

“You have porn on your wall.” 

“Take off your clothes and I’ll have porn in that bed too.” 

You couldn’t keep the grin off your face.  “They’re beautiful.” 

“You ain’t listenin’ to me, why you still dressed?” 

You turned around right into his open arms.  “I want you to do it.” 

He huffed.  “I gotta do everythin’ ‘round here.” 

“Alright, alright, I’ll do it.”  You pushed him away lightly. 

Bo sat on the edge of the bed.  “I’m expectin’ a show.” 

“Didn’t you get enough of a show this afternoon?” 

He smirked.  “I never get enough o’ you, baby.” 

Slowly, you undid the buttons on your shirt.  He made an approving noise, leaned back for a better view.  When you shrugged off the shirt and allowed him a full view of the lacey, front-fastening bra you had on underneath, his eyebrows shot up. 

“You wear that for me?” 

“Sure did.” 

He let out a low whistle.  “Do the panties match?” 

“Mmhmm.” 

Bo licked his bottom lip.  “Show me.” 

You unbuttoned your shorts, pushed them down your thighs.  The set was a rich teal, stunning against your skin, the fabric translucent.  Bo was reaching for you before your shorts hit the ground. 

“This ain’t allowed.  You keep takin’ my breath away like this and they’re gonna give me an oxygen tank.” 

You straddled his lap, hands on his broad shoulders.  “Has anyone ever made you cum in this bed?” you teased. 

“Just myself thinkin’ about you, angel.” 

Your stomach flipped.  No one had ever said that to you before.  “You don’t bring anyone home?” 

“I live a celibate lifestyle.”  You made a skeptical face at him.  “I don’t like strangers in my house.  If they want a piece o’ this they gotta take it where they can get it.”  He fell back onto the mattress, bringing you with him.  “You can get it anytime, anywhere, baby girl.” 

“I want it here now.” 

“Anythin’ for you.”  He caressed your cheek and you melted on his lips.  His hands were rough on the bare skin of your back and thighs but his touch was gentle and warm.  Your kisses grew fervent; you groped for the hem of his shirt and pulled it off him, trailing your lips down his neck and chest. 

“I want you, Bo, I need you.” 

In a flash, he had you on your back, hands pinned above your head.  You gasped, arched your back.  “Want me so bad, huh?” he murmured, pushing your legs apart with his knee.  “Can you do somethin’ for me, baby girl?” 

You nodded quickly.  “Uh-huh.” 

He let go of your wrists and unclasped your bra, opening it up to free your breasts.  He circled his tongue around each nipple in turn, drew it up the center of your chest.  You threw your head back, moaned, squirmed. 

“I need you to tell me if I’m doin’ a good job for you.”  He trailed two fingers down your midline, hooked them in the waistband of your panties, pulled the front down to expose your sex for just a moment before letting it snap back into place.  “Can you do that for me?” 

“Yes,” you gasped.   

Bo stood up, stripped off the rest of his clothes, and settled on his knees between your legs.  “‘S just you and me.  You make all the noise you want, darlin’.”  He pushed your panties aside and slid his middle finger into you, eliciting a long, drawn-out groan.  “So ready for me, such a needy lil thing.”  He stroked the inside of you slowly.  “How’s that feel?” 

“Good….” 

Your focus narrowed to his touch at the exclusion of all else.  “You want more?”  You nodded.  “Use your words, angel.” 

“Yes, please.”  You whined when he added a second calloused finger. 

“I know, darlin’, I know.” 

“Bo….”

“You’re doin’ so well for me, moanin’ so pretty.”  His thumb rubbed over your clit and you cried out, bucked your hips.  “Y’like that?” 

“Y-y…yes.” 

“Tell me how you feel, baby girl.”  He did it again, firmer this time. 

“Oh, Bo….” 

“Use your words.  I know it’s hard.” 

“S-so good.” 

He rewarded you with a steady, circular rhythm, keeping his fingers pumping in and out of you at the same time.  You felt the pressure building deep in your core, canted your hips to push him in deeper. 

“What d’you want?” he said softly. 

“Mm….” 

“You want me to make you cum?”  You nodded frantically.  “I’m all yours, baby girl, but you gotta tell me what you want.” 

“I-I…I wanna cum.” 

“I ain’t stoppin’ you, baby.” 

“I….”  Your thoughts were scrambled, incoherent.  “I…want you….” 

“I want you too.”  A frustrated cry escaped your lips.  You were so close.  He was holding back.  “You’re doin’ so well, darlin’.  What d’you want?” 

You gulped in a deep breath.  “I-I want you…to make me cum.” 

“‘Course, baby.”  He pushed a third finger into you, shifted the angle of his thumb, knocked you over the edge in seconds.  He didn’t even need to ask; you wailed in the pleasure of release at last, felt yourself clenching around his fingers, heard him hmm with satisfaction.  “There’s my girl.” 

You let out a string of tiny sounds as you came back down and he took his fingers back.  He held your gaze as he sucked them clean one at a time.  “You did so good for me.”  He stretched out next to you on his side, tilted your face toward him and gave you a gentle kiss.  “Now…have y’had your fill, or would y’like a little more?” 

“More,” you sighed.

“The lady wants more.”  He kissed the bridge of your nose.  “Happy to oblige, darlin’.”  He slipped off your underwear, tossed it on the floor.  “I got love to make to you.”

You opened your legs for him and he aligned himself with your entrance, already hard, having worked himself up while he worked you over.  Bo thrust into you partway, slowly, grinned at your wanton moan.  “Easy, baby.”  He watched himself slide all the way into you with a lascivious look on his face.  “Look at you takin’ me so well.”

He felt marvelous inside you, filling you up better than his fingers, sending rolling waves of pleasure down your legs and up your body.  You grasped his arms, ran your hands over his shoulders, clasped your fingers behind his neck.  “You feel perfect, Bo.”  He kissed your wrist and lowered his weight on top of you.  You locked your ankles around the small of his back and let him sink deeper into you with a gasp.  “Fuck.” 

With his lips against your ear, he crooned your name over and over.  You clawed at his back, breath catching in your throat, feeling a second, rapid build coalescing around his cock as he moved in and out, steady and slow.  His teeth nipped at your earlobe and he whispered hoarsely, “You’re mine, darlin’, y’hear?  All mine.” 

“Yours,” you panted, taking his face in your hands so you could look him in the eyes as you collapsed around him, “all yours, Bo, I’m yours, Bo – ”

He groaned as he climaxed, gripping the sheets, spilling into you, lips parted, expression angelic. 

You laced kisses across his chest, ran your hands through his hair as he buried his face in your neck.  “You feel good, baby?” 

“You ain’t never leavin’ this bedroom,” he mumbled.  “Your daddy can come after me with a shotgun, ‘s fine.”  You laughed and squeezed him with your legs.  He kissed you sweetly, brushed his thumb over your lips.  “Lemme show you how the shower works.” 

“I think I can figure out a shower.”

“Nah, I gotta show you.” 

You followed him to the adjoining bathroom and stepped into the shower with him.  He held you close in the spray, resting his chin on your head.  The man could not keep his hands off you, insisted on soaping you up, caressing your breasts, your stomach, your hips. 

Before you knew it, he was on his knees in front of you, venerating you with his mouth, had you searching for something to support yourself as your legs threatened to collapse underneath you.  You ended up clasping your fingers behind his head, holding him against you, trying and failing not to buck your hips into his face when he made you cum for the third time. 

“Jesus Christ, Bo,” you said weakly as he stood up, gazing down at you with admiration.  “You’re insatiable.” 

“I like watchin’ your eyes roll back, that’s all.”  He turned off the water and handed you a towel.  “I’ll stop when you stop lookin’ so good.” 

He pulled on a pair of sweatpants, toweled off his hair, and kissed your cheek.  “I’ll be on the back porch, darlin’.  Don’t be too long.” 

You retrieved your bag from its place by the front door, put on clean underwear, took the liberty of rifling through his dresser for a shirt.  After pouring yourself another glass of wine, you crept out the back door and found him reclined in a deck chair on the porch, smoking a cigarette and watching the sun set. 

He looked over his shoulder as you approached and the smile he gave you was so handsome, so enamored, it made your heart skip a beat.  “Nice shirt.” 

“I thought so.”  You sank into the chair next to him, took his hand and looked around at the backyard.  Like the front, it was neatly kept, surrounded by a tall privacy fence.  The neighbors would most certainly not see you.  “It’s nice out here.  Peaceful.” 

“I used to, uh…landscape for a livin’.  And do little home repairs, cosmetic stuff, electrical stuff.  Comes in handy.” 

“How are you still single?” 

He laughed out a puff of smoke.  “Could be the emotional baggage.  Might be the sex dungeon.” 

“The what?” 

“You ain’t ready for that yet, darlin’.  Lemme tie you up first, see how that tickles you.” 

“Are you telling me there’s a sex dungeon?  In that cute little house?” 

“I ain’t tellin’ you shit.”

“Please?” 

“You gotta earn privileges like that, baby girl.” 

“How do I do that?” 

“Oh, I’ll come up with somethin’.  It’ll be real fun.”  He kissed the back of your hand.  “Y’got any plans for tomorrow?” 

You stretched out your legs.  “I met someone hot, I think I’ll spend the day with him.” 

“Hmm.  Someone from your peer group, I imagine.  Age-appropriate ‘n all that.” 

“Definitely.” 

He clicked his tongue.  “I hate to say it, darlin’, but I’m gonna have to kill him.” 

“Now why would you do that?” 

“I don’t like people touchin’ what’s mine.” 

You laughed, stood up and sidled over to sit in his lap.  He tasted like cigarettes and lust.  You slid your hand down his bare torso, over the softness of his belly, hooked your fingers in the waistband of his sweats.  “You don’t have to worry about that.” 

“I know I don’t.”  His arm around your shoulders was warm and solid.  “Y’got any requests for breakfast?”  You shook your head and laid it on his chest.  “Mm.  Well I know what I want.” 

“God, Bo, isn’t your libido supposed to go down as you get older?” 

“What the fuck is that s’posed to mean?”  You giggled.  “Now that’ll earn you a trip to the sex dungeon, y’minx.  You best watch that mouth.” 

“Watch it do what?” 

He huffed, grabbed your jaw, gave you an open-mouthed kiss.  “Ain’t it past your bedtime?” 

“Ain’t it past yours, old man?” 

Bo slapped your exposed ass cheek.  “You’re gonna love the dungeon.  It’s real cozy.” 

“Will you be there?” 

“Oh, you bet I will.”

“Good.” 

He chuckled, hugging you against him, and kissed your temple.  The sun sank out of sight and the cool air grew chilly.  You yawned, struggling to keep your eyes open. 

“Ready for bed, darlin’?” 

“Yeah.  Someone fucked me a lot today.” 

“Hm.  I bet he’s gonna do it again tomorrow.” 

“Yeah, probably.” 

“You best get some sleep then.” 

Reluctantly you unwound yourself to stand up and stretch.  Bo picked up your wine glass, pinched your ass, led you inside.  You brushed your teeth side-by-side and then slipped between the sheets, cool and clean and smooth.  They shared the same scent as his clothes.  A thrill shot through your chest, cut through the exhaustion.  How could you possibly be this lucky? 

Bo switched off the light and you felt him climb into bed beside you.  He drew you close, so hot beneath the cold blankets.  You nestled into his neck, barely conscious. 

“Goodnight, baby,” you mumbled. 

He strung a crown of kisses across your head.  “Goodnight, darlin’.  See you in the mornin’.” 

Taglist at the bottom bc this is a monster post already: @vincent-sinclair-deserved-better, @slutforguts, @brandnewhuman, @fluffy-little-demon, @cypressnmarigolds, @slasherlouvre . If you'd like to be added to the taglist, let me know!

[zapreportsblog]

In Love With The Same Cat

➥ summary : There’s no Spider-Man without the Black Cat just like there’s no Black Cat without Spider-Man. But what if we had a multiverse dimensional traveling jewelry stealing burglar Black Cat (try saying that seven times fast aye) that traveled across dimensions not only stealing the worlds finest jewels but also the hearts of four unlucky, or lucky depending on how you see it Spider-Man’s and Spider-Women’s hearts.

➥ chapter 5: Threads of Legacy

In the vast labyrinth of the black market community, connections were forged and secrets whispered. Walter Hardy, a renowned cat burglar, had cultivated relationships that spanned decades, his influence reaching even the darkest corners of this clandestine realm. Among his network of allies was an old friend, a master craftsman skilled in the art of creating costumes for those who tread the shadows.

As Walter recounted tales of his daughter (y/n) venturing into the family business, his old friend's curiosity piqued. They were captivated by the notion of a new generation carrying forward the legacy of the cat burglar thieves. Their discussions became more frequent, their conversations a dance of nostalgia and anticipation for what the future held.

Inspired by the significance of (y/n)'s journey, Walter's friend felt compelled to contribute to the unfolding narrative. They meticulously crafted a costume that embodied the essence of the cat burglar's life—a testament to the cunning, agility, and legacy that coursed through the veins of those who walked the path of shadows.

The day came when Walter, with a glimmer of excitement in his eyes, presented (y/n) with a carefully wrapped package. As she unwrapped it, a gasp escaped her lips, her eyes widening in awe and anticipation. Nestled within the folds of the fabric lay the embodiment of her newfound identity—a costume that told a story of heritage and destiny.

The costume shimmered with elegance and mystery, intricately designed to blend seamlessly with the night. It clung to her form, accentuating her lithe figure and exuding an air of confidence and allure. The midnight black fabric, adorned with subtle patterns resembling the tracks of a stealthy feline, whispered tales of the secrets it had witnessed and the treasures it had helped secure.

As (y/n) donned the costume, a surge of energy coursed through her, connecting her to a lineage of illustrious thieves who had come before her. She felt the weight of their legacy settle upon her shoulders, yet she stood tall, ready to embrace the challenge. The costume had become an extension of her being, a symbol of her commitment to honor the past while carving her own path.

Walter watched with a mix of pride and apprehension as his daughter transformed before his eyes. He recognized the significance of the costume—the mantle she had chosen to carry. But his heart ached, for he understood the dangers that lay in the shadows, and he longed to protect her from the perils he had faced.

"(y/n)," Walter's voice was tinged with a mix of caution and love, "this path is not an easy one. The shadows hold both secrets and danger. Promise me that you will be vigilant, that you will always remember the risks that come with our chosen way of life."

In response, (y/n) turned to her father, her eyes reflecting determination and a deep sense of gratitude. "I promise, Dad," she said, her voice steady. "I will tread carefully, but I will also honor the legacy you have passed down to me. Together, we will navigate this world, protect what is precious, and strive for justice.

Walter's heart swelled with a mixture of emotions as he witnessed the resolve in his daughter's eyes. He had feared that she would be consumed by the darkness, but (y/n) had proven herself to be a beacon of strength and integrity. With a sigh, he embraced her, a silent acknowledgment of the challenges they would face together.

In the nights that followed, (y/n) ventured into the depths of the city, her costume a constant reminder of the path she had chosen. The fabric rustled gently as she leapt from rooftop to rooftop, a silent wraith traversing the shadows. The city became her playground, its buildings and alleyways offering an intricate web of challenges to test her agility and cunning.

As she immersed herself in the art of thievery, (y/n) discovered a delicate balance—a dance between darkness and light. With each successful heist, she aimed to protect the innocent, to ensure that justice prevailed even within the realm of shadows. Her actions echoed the legacy of those who had come before her, but with her unique blend of tenacity and compassion, she carved her own mark on the pages of history.

The costume that adorned her became more than mere fabric; it was a symbol of her commitment to preserving the values instilled in her by her father. It spoke volumes of her determination, resilience, and reverence for the past. With each use of her newfound abilities, (y/n) honored the lineage of cat burglars who had walked this path—a legacy of audacity, skill, and the pursuit of the extraordinary.

In the heart of the city, (y/n) embraced her dual identity—the daughter of Walter Hardy, a legendary cat burglar, and the embodiment of her own destiny. With each stolen moment and daring escapade, she became a testament to the enduring power of legacy—a force that bridged generations and propelled her toward a future filled with mystery, adventure, and a profound sense of purpose.

[zeravmeta]

our friend the craftsman came through again!

thank you sensei! looking forward to your next work!

[thestalwartheart]

the unknown craftsman

This is a another location prompt table fill that fills two prompts. One from @sweetbabyangels and one from @eleanor-is-fine, who sent me 'The British Museum' and 'a beloved place' respectively. I'm sorry this isn't set at the British Museum itself, but it was inspired by Grayson Perry's exhibition there called The Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman. Our beloved place is the MI6 Memorial Wall. Warning for grieving/mourning and (the aftermath of) a Major Character Death.

[Read on AO3]

Under a gnarled tree in a private garden—the kind of garden people rarely saw in the urban sprawl of London these days— sat a mound of earth lay recently disturbed and repacked. It sat at the edge of a neat and well-tended-to memorial wall, and for days it had been drawing a crowd of mourners. 

The mourners were not tourists or flighty visitors. They were sentinels, defenders, worker bees and secret keepers, and they did not lay flowers as most people would. Not fresh ones, at least. 

Instead, they built a frame of objects around the soil. To any outsider, it would look mad; cult-like and strange, but then the man they were remembering was strange too. He would have been—or would be, depending on one’s beliefs—delighted to see the bullets dotted on the ground around him. He would have smiled at the model planes and the innocuous-looking watches and the ripped-apart computer accessories. To his right, a jade vase shaped like a hairless cat sparkled in the sun. He’d never seen it in life. It was a gift planned for a day too late, and it was one of the giver’s deepest regrets that he never got to give it to the man now in the ground. 

One woman, who could not keep her tears in whenever she looked upon the grave, placed a bouquet of steel-wrought roses on top of the fresh dirt. They remained there through rain and shine until a new white headstone arrived, gleaming brightly. 

“He was one of the greatest inventors of our age,” explained a man called Tanner to a crowd of colleagues as the headstone hit the ground. “And no one even knows his name. But you have him to thank for the peace of this country and the lives of our agents, half of whom would be dead without the things he built them.”

Tanner looked to a man at the back of the crowd, whose blue eyes were shining. 

All the mourners raised a toast to that. They were drinking a fine single malt from a small distillery in Wales. It reminded Tanner of the sweeping green hills of Bannau Brycheiniog and of marmalade on rye. 

“To our Quartermaster,” he said. “To Q.” 

“To Q.” 

The whisky went down smooth and warm, and people began to desert the grave in hushed groups. They returned to work with memories of Q flowing from their tongues, stories of technical prowess and nerve and shared pots of tea early on weekday mornings. 

At the end, two men remained: Tanner and the blue-eyed man. 

“No chance your talent for resurrection extends to others?” asked Tanner. Alone with a friend, he slumped with fatigue and grief. 

“If it did, I wouldn’t be looking at a headstone.” 

The man poured Tanner another drink, and they stood for an age in silence. The tombstone in front of them spoke well enough of everything they wanted to say. It read, simply:

Q, the unknown craftsman 1982 - 2038.  A stalwart defender of the nation and a dear friend.

[kaydeefalls]

WIP Wednesday

Feeling increasingly antsy about the fact that we are four full months into 2023 and I have posted zero fics so far this year, but I am actively writing again these days, I swear! Currently close to 18k words into a Joe/Nicky canon-divergence AU set during the last Punic War (i.e. the Fall of Carthage). I'm probably only around the halfway mark and my gremlin brain craves validation, so have a snippet:

"My apologies; I did not catch your name earlier. Mine is Nicolò—or Nicolaus Genuates, as the Romans would have it."

"Well, I am obviously not Roman, and I would have you as you are, Nicolò," Yusuf replied with a wink. He filed the name away for later consideration; not entirely Roman himself, then, this Nicolò. "My name is Yusuf."

Nicolò leaned in a little closer, smiling with his eyes. "So what land do you call home, then, Yusuf? And what brings you to our city?"

"Carthage, and the great misfortune of my family connections, I'm afraid," Yusuf said dryly. "I'm a merchant by trade, but my sister's husband sits on our judicial tribunal, and wanted to ensure our family's interests were represented in the negotiations with your Senate."

"Ah, the One Hundred and Four, as they are called?" Nicolò's gaze sharpened. "You are part of the Carthaginian envoy."

Yusuf lifted an eyebrow. "Indeed. You are better versed in foreign affairs than most actors I have met."

"Then you haven't met the right actors," Nicolò countered. "But I'm not one myself, though I count them among my friends. I'm a scribe—I work at the aerarium archives."

It caught Yusuf by surprise. "I admit, I would not have guessed that. That you are an educated man, yes, I presumed as much from your speech, but it's hard to envision you spending your days transcribing laws or balancing accounts."

Nicolò gave him a charmingly crooked little grin. "Perhaps you lack imagination, then."

"I have never been accused of that before."

"No? How did you picture me, then? As an actor like my friend Aurelius over there?"

"You would cut a fine figure on a stage," Yusuf allowed, letting his gaze travel down along the curve of Nicolò's neck to his broad shoulders, the lean muscles of his arms. "But if not that, then perhaps…a craftsman, or engineer of some sort. Someone who works with his hands." One of Nicolò's large hands rested atop the table between them. Yusuf traced along the outline of it. "You have very capable-looking hands."

"Capable of holding a pen, yes. Among other things." Nicolò turned his hand palm up, letting his fingers tangle with Yusuf's. "Your hand is not as soft as I would have imagined, for a wealthy Punic merchant."

"Carthaginian," Yusuf corrected. "'Punic' is a Roman word, not one we use to describe ourselves. And do your merchants not travel by ship, and handle the ropes alongside their sailors as needed? Or the sword, when called upon to defend their cargo? All these tasks build their own callouses."

"As they should." Nicolò stroked his thumb across the lines of Yusuf's palm, and somehow that simple touch sent a crackle of heat along the full length of Yusuf's body. He sucked in a breath, and Nicolò lifted his heavy-lidded gaze back up to meet Yusuf's. His lopsided smile now had clear intent behind it. "So what brings a Carthaginian merchant-ambassador here, tonight, instead of toasting his compatriots after a long day's negotiations?"

Yusuf ducked his head in closer, brushing the words against the shell of Nicolò's ear. "I tired of their company, and sought better. Have I found it?"

[danceswithsporks]

Warm- Part 3

Part 1 of 6 in the Complete Series!

Part 1 Part 2

Pairing: Tech x Reader

Warnings: major character death

About: You and Tech experience another first together….and a last.

Warm, the feeling of the special thermos in your hands. You’d ordered it from a craftsman here on the island and he’d fulfilled the order surprisingly fast. It could keep any liquid at the preset temperature all day with little battery consumption and had Tech's name engraved on it. The craftsman was a friend of your father's and thus gave you a nice discount. Even so, it had been a bit pricey, but you didn’t care.

You’d planned on giving it to Tech when he came down for lunch. But he didn’t show up. You chalked it up to him helping his brother still and hoped he’d still pick you up for your lesson. Now you stood outside your front door holding the thermos tightly as your new sundress flowed in the evening breeze.

One of the things you enjoyed about living on Pabu was that almost everything was here, craftsmen of different styles, seamstresses, jewelers, and so on. It had been simple to ask the elder seamstress who lived near you to make the dress. She’d smiled knowingly at the colors you chose and helped you decide on a cute but eye-catching design.

“So which one is it? The one with the face tattoo? The big one? Or the smart one?” You’d hated that she’d figured you out so easily. If you gave in and told her then the news would fly across the island in seconds. Soon he’d know and maybe that would push him away. It was hard to understand where his feelings for you stood. He’d wanted to kiss you yesterday and maybe that was a good sign. But he’d also stated it was an experiment. Did that mean he wasn’t sure about his feelings?

“With any luck, you’ll figure it out one of these days.” The downside to being on such a small island is gossip spread like wildfire. No doubt rumors were already spreading about you two. You hoped to the stars above; he hadn't heard them yet.

Your sandal bounced against the stone walkway as you looked around for him. He was twenty minutes late. He was never late. A frown spread across your lips as you turned and looked towards upper Pabu. Maybe something was wrong? Would it be ok for you to go to his ship and confront him?

Picking up your satchel, you placed the thermos inside along with a batch of macarons you’d made for Omega and began the long trek to the top of the island.

-*-

“So, you were just gonna leave without saying goodbye.” Phee watched as Tech continued to avoid eye contact with her.

“That is correct.” His fingers tapped furiously at his datapad. Instead of hearing a retort, he heard silence. Looking carefully to the side he found a disapproving glare from Phee. “Did you require a briefing?”

Phee sighed softly as she crossed her arms. “You know, when two friends are talking, it’s called a conversation.”

Tech adjusted his goggles before looking back to his datapad. “I see, I am sorry for not informing you of our departure.”

A noise from behind Phee drew her attention and she shook her head at Tech. “It’s not me you should be apologizing to.” Stepping to the side, she revealed you standing near the large tree. Without hesitating, Phee moved around the spectacled clone and into the ship, she’d like to say bye to the others. Stopping at the edge of the ramp she spoke softly over her shoulder. “She has a sweet soul. She deserves a goodbye.”

Tech swallowed as he looked at you. You were out of breath from the hike and grasping your satchel strap tightly. The dress you wore made his cheeks flush as he took in his colors. The white, red, and black were an almost gradient style that fell to your ankles. The top was pulled tight around your breast with two straps over both shoulders that tied into bows, the material flared from there and hung perfectly around the rest of your body. The material moved with the breeze and he wondered what it felt like.

It took more courage than you realized to walk toward him. You’d seen the others getting on the ship, prepped and ready to fight something. The ship itself was idling and waiting for takeoff. They were leaving. You didn’t want them to go, you’d finally found the one who made your heart warm. Why did he have to leave? Stopping in front of him you looked down at your sandals, afraid that if you made eye contact you’d cry. “Are you leaving?”

“I am.” He didn’t like the lump that was sitting in his throat. He’d run the numbers, run them four times. What they were about to do was dangerous, and deadly. The likelihood of them all making it back was slim, almost twenty percent. “I am sorry I was not able to enjoy lunch with you today. As well as my tardiness in our lesson.”

Chewing your lip, you looked up at him. You knew it wasn’t his fault, not really. It was clear something big was happening and he was needed. “It’s ok. They need you.” Reaching into your satchel you pulled out the container of macarons. “These are for Omega. A new recipe my father is trying out. We figured Omega would be the best to try them out.”

Tech placed his datapad into his holster and took the container. “I will make sure she gets them.”

“How long will you be gone?” The question came out faster than you’d wanted it to. It would take as long as it took and he didn’t owe you a response. It wasn’t like you two were a couple. Just…friends.

“I do not have an accurate estimate. But the flight to our destination will take three standard rotations. From there it will be an unknown amount of time.” It wasn’t ideal, but who knew what they’d find out. “If that is all then I will be going. I must prepare for our departure.”

Oh, of course. Shaking your head you quickly reached into your satchel and pulled out the thermos. “Here, take this. It has that tea I was telling you about. It’s specially designed to keep it warm for an entire day.” Holding the thermos out to him you tried to force a smile. “With you becoming such a great regular I figured it was only fair that you got your own thermos. That way you can have tea while you’re working on your projects.”

Tech carefully took the drink carrier and turned it in his hands. It was warm and according to the temperature screen on the side, it was at the exact temperature he enjoyed. Turning it carefully he noticed his name in your handwriting. The flowing style of your hand, giving him that reminder of the ocean. “Thank you, this is a useful gift.” It was clearly unique and stylized to fit him perfectly. You’d put so much thought into it and he had nothing for you.

You sighed softly, understanding that Tech didn’t exactly give compliments. This was good enough for you. “When you get back I’ll have that special tea I was telling you about. My father says the order should be arriving in a week.”

“I look forward to trying it. So far your recommendations have been good. There has yet to be a tea I disliked.” He watched as you smiled half-heartedly, clearly fighting the urge to ask another question. “Was there something else?”

Of course, he could see that you wanted to ask something. Clearing your throat you decided to put it all on the line. “When you get back would you like to go for a picnic out on my family’s boat? Would you like to go on a date…with me?” Stars, your heart was beating fast. If he said no then that was it. You’d take the family boat and go become a hermit on some unsettled island.

“Yes. I would enjoy that quite a bit.” He watched as a genuine smile crossed your lips. Adjusting his goggles he decided to record your reactions, subtly he clicked the record button.

“Really?” He’d said yes! Oh, your heart felt like it was about to burst out of your chest.

“I had planned on asking you the same thing last night. But we were interrupted and thus I was unable to ask.” The way your smile reached your eyes was everything to him.

“A lot was interrupted last night.” Like the kiss you’d almost shared, the special time you’d begun looking forward to and apparently him asking you on a date. Brushing your hair behind your ear you decided to fix another one of those interruptions.

But he beat you to it. Closing the gap between the two of you and dropping the thermos and container of sweets to the ground. Tech took your face in his hands and placed his lips against yours. He hoped he was doing this right, from the holovid he’d watched a few nights before it seemed like it was the right move to make at this moment. Your body relaxed into his as your arms wrapped around his neck. Unlike your first kiss beneath the waves, this one was softer but filled with need. Now that you’d confirmed his theory that you liked him as well, he found that he didn’t want to leave you.

“Tech, we need t-“ Echos words caught in his throat as he took in his brother. So you were why Tech had had to call him back. You were a cute little thing and he could see why his brother was interested in you.

Hunter walked over to Echo and opened his mouth to ask what was taking so long when the arc trooper stopped him. Pointing with his scomp, he motioned to the two of you. “Finally.” Came from the leader before he turned and made his way over to the cockpit.

Tech sighed as he finally broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against yours. Behind him, the sound of the Marauder preparing for take-off filled his knowing ears. It was time to go. “I must be leaving. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Your family needs you. I’ll be here.” Your lips felt amazing, hell, your entire body did. You’d finally kissed again but this time without any sneaky motive. It had been just as you’d remembered but now filled with so much warmth you thought you’d melt. “Just come back in one piece, ok? That’s an order.”

A small chuckle came from the clone as he placed another kiss on your lips before pulling away. “As you command, cyar’ika.”

You didn’t know what that word meant, but the way he’d said it made your cheeks flare. So hopefully that meant it was something sweet. You watched as Phee descended the ramp and walked over to you, a knowing smirk on her lips. Hunter had told her what he’d seen and she’d been able to catch the second kiss.

“Hurry back, brown eyes.” Came from the adventure as she watched Tech pick up the fallen items and make his way to the door of the ship. A feeling in her gut told her something was going to happen. She didn’t know what, but it wasn’t good.

Tech stood at the entrance of the Marauder as it began to take off, determined to have you as his final image on Pabu before they hit the atmosphere.

A lump took hold in your throat as you watched the shop take off, Tech standing in the doorway as they ascended through the clouds. You fought the tears that threatened to break the happy facade you’d put on. Next to you, Phee took your hand in hers as you both continued to wave at the ship until it was finally gone.

Then you collapsed in a puddle of fearful tears.

-*-

You two spoke a lot over the next few days. He explained what they were hoping to do. How Crosshair had left them under the worst of circumstances but that he was still their brother.

“In fact, he is my twin.” Tech spoke to you softly as he leaned back in his pilot chair. The others had gone to bed and he was on the first watch.

“I thought all clones were identical? Present company excluded.” It was early morning on Pabu and so you sat in the window of your room watching the fisherman leave for their boats.

“They are. But it is not uncommon for twins to occur. They are connected on a deeper level.” It was hard to explain how exactly it worked. But it just did. Fives and Echo, Waxer and Boil, himself and Crosshair were all special sets of twins. That’s why it hurt him the most when Cross had made his decision to follow the horrific orders of the empire and Order 66.

“I look forward to meeting him then.” You smiled sweetly at the comm before you two continued with your conversation.

He walked you through some issues you were having with your menus and the programming that went with them. When you’d finally figured out on your own where your problem was, damn curly braces, he’d smiled brightly at your reaction. A swell of pride made him feel warm. He’d taught you enough to figure this out on your own and you’d succeeded.

You two discussed your childhoods. What life was like on your home planet before the warlord took over. Your family, your mother. You’d sent him holopics of her and he’d commented on how you two looked the same.

“She would have loved you.” You whispered as your head rested in your pillow. It had been a long day in the shop. You’d spilled an entire tray of tea cups, shattering them across the stone flooring and slicing your leg. Your brother had yelled at you and it had understandably upset you.

“Do you think so?” Tech lay under the console of the cockpit and worked on fixing one of his scanners. “What was she like?” The only maternal figure he’d had growing up was Nala Se and Shaak Ti. Though he figured they could hardly be called mothers to them.

You hummed as your eyes closed, envisioning your mother nearby. “She was feisty, not afraid to stand up for what was right. When we’d moved around before settling on Pabu, she always haggled with the land owners and bosses. Made sure we always had what we needed. She didn’t like a lot of the people we met, a lot of them tried to take advantage of our situation as refugees. But she liked clones. Said they were some of the only ones she could have intelligent conversations with and that they would always keep us safe in the galaxy, like the ones who originally saved us.”

Tech hesitated as he heard you speak of the unit that he saved you. He’d done more research on them, the 17th army, led by a young Jedi knight who had just gotten her rank. One day he’d tell you, share their story with you and let you know all the greatness they’d done. But he wanted to be there with you when he did. “Your mother sounds like a wonderful woman. I feel I would have enjoyed conversing with her.”

A yawn came from you as you smiled at the thought of your mom and Tech sitting on the seawall having a debate about…anything really.

Sliding out from under the console, Tech took his datapad in hand and looked at your peaceful face. “You should sleep. I will be up for a few more hours and do not wish to keep you awake as well.” He watched as you sleepily moved your head from side to side. “Please, Cyar’ika.”

“What does…” Another yawn was released as you settled deeper into your pillow. “Cyar’ika, mean?”

A happy sigh came from the clone as he watched you begin to drift. “It is Mando’a. It means Sweetheart, Darling…Beloved.”

“Hmmm, I like that. Cyar’ika.” You mumbled the word a few times as you finally drifted.

Tech enjoyed the sound of you speaking Mando’a. It was only one word but it still sounded wonderful coming from your lips. Sitting with one of his knees up. He rested his arm and head against it while watching you sleep. The warmth he’d felt from your shared kiss still hadn’t left him. It had energized him in a way he couldn’t describe and kept him warm in the coldness of the marauder. He wasn’t one for feeling loneliness, far too much going on to stop and worry about it. But it seemed with you, he was having multiple firsts.

He missed you. Sure, you two were conversing through the holonet. But it wasn’t the same. Your laugh didn’t sound the same, nor the little hums you tended to make when you were thinking. No matter how hard he tried his tea just didn’t taste the same as yours. Most importantly he missed how the evening sun caught your hair, how it illuminated you like a little halo. It made him warm in a way he couldn’t describe, but didn’t hate it at all.

He stayed that way for far longer than he intended, just watching you sleep comfortably. By the time you’d wake up, they would be on their mission. So for now he continued to enjoy the sound of you sleeping. Only after a while did he finally end the call. “Goodnight, Mesh’la. I will see you soon.” Brown eyes watched as you shifted in your sleep to the sound of his face. His final image of you being a soft smile.

-*-

“When have we ever followed orders?”

-*-

You’d known that once their mission began it may be a while before you heard from him. But it was going on five days now and you’d still not heard anything. Pulling out your datapad you quickly typed him a message.

“I hope your mission has been a success so far. That tea I was telling you about is finally here. I’m waiting for you to get back so we can try it together.” You chewed your lips as you thought about what you were going to say next. “I was thinking about trying to learn mando’a, there’s a protocol droid here that knows over fifty thousand languages. I asked and he knew Mando’a.” A part of you almost erased that last part. You weren’t sure why you felt embarrassed about learning his language. It didn’t seem so silly, it showed you were interested in learning more about him. Didn’t it? Fighting the urge to delete it you quickly sent the message. After another thought, you sent another message.

“I miss you, Tech. Come home soon.”

-*-

Three weeks passed when you finally saw the familiar ship break the atmosphere. A gasp left your lips as you almost dropped the tray you were holding. You didn’t even bother telling your father where you were going. Your feet carried you far faster than you thought they could as you made your way to upper Pabu. Finally, they were back.

You’d spent every day staring at the sky, hoping for the familiar sound of a ship coming in. Every day you’d make sure you looked your best, hair and makeup done perfectly, a cute dress or shirt and skirt. A warm cup of tea was constantly sitting, waiting for him to come. Now he was back. You stumbled over your feet and fell to the cobblestone. The cut on your knee went unnoticed as you scrambled to make your way up. The hem of your dress was torn but you could care less. He hadn’t messaged you back, nor had he called, but you’d yell at him later about that.

Finally cresting the top of the staircase you smiled as the Marauder took its place. Behind you, the sound of another set of shoes on the cobbles drew your attention. Turning, you nodded excitedly to Phee. Though the woman seemed to have a more distressed look on her face. Did something bad happen? Oh Stars, was someone injured? Turning you watched as the door to the ship opened and the ramp descended.

Finally.

Omega was the first to descend. Well, Omega and Wrecker. The large clone was carrying the child out of the ship. Both of their faces were solemn as they passed you.

Next was the one named Echo. Tech had briefly explained him to you but you were looking forward to getting to know him better now that he was here.

You weren’t exactly sure who this next one was. Perhaps this was the twin that Tech had been telling you about? Crosshair? He looked…mad, really mad actually. He made his way towards you and stopped for a moment. His brown eyes scanned over you as if you were an enemy or something. But then he let out a long sigh and moved past you.

Well, that must mean that Tech and Hunter were hanging back. Tech had told you one night that he couldn’t settle until he knew the ship was settled and taken care of.

You could hear Phee off to the side conversing with Echo about something under their breaths. You weren’t sure what it was but they seemed pretty upset. Surprisingly, Omega was silent. The entire time you’d known the young girl she was also talking. But now she was so quiet.

Something began to form in the pit of your stomach as the air continued to hold a weird weight. Something was wrong, wasn’t it? So far everyone seemed ok. Which has to mean something had happened to one of the others.

The sound of boots on durasteel drew your attention back to the Marauder and you turned with hope in your heart that it was Tech.

Hunter had done everything he could to prepare himself for this. For what he was about to have to do. Hands held the important items tightly as he watched his brothers and sister depart the ship. The look on Echo's face let him know all that he needed. You were waiting. He swallowed as his eyes rested on a cold bunk. It was best to get this over with.

The small unsettling feeling morphed into a lump in your throat as you watched their leader make his way over to you. In his hands was a small bundle and as the sun caught the thermos you felt your knees begin to buckle.

“There was an incident.” Hunter watched as Phee made her way back to your side. “I won’t get into too many details. But…” This felt impossible.

Phee inhaled slowly as she took your hand. “I’m sorry. But…Tech is gone.”

Everything stopped at that moment. The sound of rushing water filled your ears as your knees finally gave out and you collapsed to the stone beneath you. The pain of your cut knee digging into the ground once more went unnoticed as the pain in your throat…and your heart.

Hunter closed his eyes to the sound of your cries as Phee wrapped her arms around you and held you tight. “H-he had a…plan. In case things went sideways. Tech always had a plan for everything.” His hands trembled as Phee stood and took the items from him before returning to you.

This couldn’t be happening, it couldn’t be true. The bundle from earlier was slid into your lap as Phee continued to rub your back. She was speaking but you couldn’t hear any of it, nothing mattered as you observed the items in your lap. The bundle passed to you was one of his shirts, the thermos you’d ordered for him, his personal datapad….and a pair of broken goggles. Your hands trembled as you held the goggles. These were his. You’d adored how they looked on him. “No. No!”

Crosshair stood to the side as he watched you wail over his twin. Omega had told him about you as they waited to be rescued on Mount Tantiss. She’d spoken highly of you, of the sweets you made and how you and Tech had formed a relationship. From the way she’d described things, his brother was head over heels for you. Now you were here, crying in front of him as you mourned the loss of his twin. His anger bubbled at the idea that his brother had finally found someone who’d liked him for him, and he’d been pulled away from you. Saw Gerrera, because of that bastard things had gone south. The mission had been a waste of time. The locator had been lost, and in turn, they’d lost Omega to Hemlock. Most importantly they’d lost Tech. If Crosshair ever saw that so-called Rebel, he’d personally kill him.

Phee held you tightly as you continued to sob into her chest. You poor thing had been through so much already and now…now this.

Cold, the temperature of an untouched cup of tea that sat on the seawall overlooking the sea below. Beside it, a datapad flashed a reminder to meet someone after their shop closed across the screen. Unanswered messages waited to be read and a video remained paused from where the owner had left it. Soft hands held a pair of broken goggles tightly as the owner stared out at the water. Velvet lips trembled as tears ran down their cheeks. In a breathy whisper, a name was spoken into the cold night air.

“Tech.”

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

“Father, are you sure he’ll survive? The cable car next to him was destroyed. How could anyone survive that fall?” Young blue eyes stared at the bandaged body in front of him. The chest rose and lowered slowly, the owner of the body struggling to get each breath out.

“Their repel hook saved them when it tangled around the ladder spokes. It slowed his fall. Without that he would be dead.” Old graying hands carefully peeled the bandage from the injured forehead of the stranger in front of him. The blood was finally clotting. “It will be a struggle. But I think he’ll make a recovery.” A clean bandage replaced the previously removed one as the elder male watched the stranger closely. “The village doctor will be here soon to check him over. Hopefully, we can help this young man get back to where he belongs.

Tag list:

Want to be added to my tag list for the next parts? Let me know!

@rndmpeep

@sarahskywalker-amadala

@queenariesofnarnia

@idoubleswearimawriter

Remember to like, comment and reblog!

[sketch-pencilpoint]

Now this is something I started working on for a while. So here are my fan made partners (and main antagoist) of my conceptual paper mario game:

Paper mario and the craftsmans curse!

Name: Lewis "hoodie"

Male, he/him

Species: toad (cap has no spots, it's a birth defect)

Personality: can be a bit self-conscious due to being bullied a lot, paranoid, smart, dorky, gets annoyed easily

Backstory: born with no spots on his cap, he was always told that they would come in eventually. Well, they never did, and pretty much every toad around made fun of him for it. Around a year before the game started, he met mario, and they became good friends and have been regularly hanging out since.

Name: Bloom "bloombaria" (hates her real name)

Female, she/ her

Species: Goomba (chipped tooth was a result of an accident in her childhood)

Personality: shy, wears crown since it boosts her confidence, sweet and a bit of a people pleaser, loves sparkly things,

Backstory: she has looked up to the princesses since she was a goombaling, hence why wearing a crown helps her with her confidence. Broke her tooth when she fell forward and hit her tooth against a rock. Like hoodie, she was made fun of for this as well but had an easier time hiding it.

Name: sherbert

Male, he/him

Species: Shy guy, has very strong ice powers

Personality: talkative, energetic, socially unaware, secretly very lonely, touch starved, quick-witted

Backstory: Because of his lack of understanding of social queues, he was ostrisied by the other shy guys in the town he grew up in, he set out to find the friendship he desired. Most places he went to tended to give him the could shoulder due to his tendency to freeze things over. This led to him hopping towns frequently.

Name: you decide (like the yoshi kid in tyd)

Gender also chosen by player

Species: chain-chomp, incredibly small for its species

Personality: goofy little dog

Backstory: bred by a group of bowser's minions to br a serving chain chomp, they failed a "quality check," meaning they were not fit to join the ranks of bowser's army, led to them being abandoned not far from the base they were born in.

Name: Shrapnell "nell"

Male, he/they

Species: Bob omb (nothing of note just yet)

Personality: severe anger issues, laid back, loves science, inventions, and general technology, can get aggressive

Backstory: Whenever his anger got out of control, he exploded. Thankfully, Bob omb scientists invented a small fuse attachment that prevents the individual from exploding due to emotions alone. This led to them becoming very invested in modern technology and inventions and the ways that it can help people.

Name: Lavender

Female, she/her

Species: poison blooper, she's lavender sented

Personality: calm, quiet, brooding, isolated, caring, gives good advice

Backstory: As the lone poison blooper in a civilisation of bloopers, she naturally drew to isolation studying the making of potions and antidotes. Thus, she became a well-known alchemist across the mushroom kingdom and the best individual to go to if needing a poison antidote

And now for our villain

Name: The craftsman, "crafty luigi"

Male, he/him

Species: human, possed, and turned into a wooden doll

Personality: cruel, vengeful, sadistic, aims yo turn the entire mushroom kingdom into wood and fabric.

Backstory: a toad living in an ancient city loved to create art using wood and fabric, but the other toads hated him. When he gave the Prinsess a wooden doll as a birthday present, the king was so offended that the craftsman was locked into a dungeon until he died. That's when he came back as a ghost to torment the people who tormented him. He was cursed to be trapped into a needle for all eternity. Unfortunately, our favourite green man cut himself on this needle, allowing him to be possed and the craftsman to come back for one last chance of vengeance.