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bonny-kookoo · 4 years

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Hangang River Bride (OT7 x Hybrid!Reader): Story summary (chapters 1-5)

Pairing: OT7 x Hybrid!Reader

Genre: Fluff, Angst, Hybrid!AU, Future smut

Warnings: Mentions of myth & Folklore, Mentions of Myth & Folklore, Drama & Romance, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, so much Angst, Past Abuse, mentions of domestic violence, rough handling and not in the kinky way, I'm adding more as the story progresses, Cat hybrid Jimin, Dog Hybrid Taehyung, Human Jin & Namjoon, Cat hybrid Yoongi, Dog hybrid Hoseok, Fox hybrid reader, Wolf hybrid Jungkook

Summary:

(Originally posted by R0ADKiLL on AO3, taken over by me with her consent in July 2020.)

Kim Seokjin and Kim Namjoon- a married couple and well known Hybrid owners. While Seokjin helps Hybrids as a very respected lawyer, Kim Namjoon focuses on studying them to help the world understand better. Their Hybrids Jimin and Yoongi, two rescued cat hybrids from a shelter, were their first- now the house is full of booming life with Taehyung and Hoseok, the two dogs they had adopted soon after, and Jungkook, the newest addition. Saved by a rescue organisation and taken in by Namjoon partially for his studies and partially just to give him a loving home, they seem to be finally complete. Until they meet the girl at the Hangang bridge.

Or: Y/N tries to sneakily steal Jungkooks lamb skewers, and almost gets herself eaten.

Careful: A lot of writing under the cut. Mobile users with older phones should switch to a browser page since the app could crash. I'm speaking out of experience lol.

Kim Seokjin enjoyed the simple things in life. Such as the situation he was in right now; in the arms of his husband, sleeping in because they both finally got a day off for once. "Are you worried?" He asks his Partner, who seems oddly serious despite the comfortable silence surrounding them. He knows that Namjoon knows what he's talking about; for the first time in months, Jungkook, their most recent hybrid addition to their family, has gone out by himself with Taehyung, the almost hyperactive australian shepherd hybrid. Jungkook can't be left alone by himself outside their four walls due to safety laws; all because he is a predator hybrid. As a Wolf, together with his alpha-gene, he has to be accompanied by at least one other Person; hybrid or human. Namjoon found it odd at first, but getting to know more about predator hybrids made him understand the thought behind it. Even though Jungkook was one of the most well behaved and down to earth hybrids he'd ever met, there was still a small chance of him acting on impulse. And it wouldn't even be his fault. Maybe he shouldn't leave the house then, but Jin and he decided that he should have a bit of freedom as well; after all, he was partially a person as well. He deserved to make decisions and have some alone time- as alone as he could be. "They're gonna be fine. Taehyung will keep an eye on him." Jin spoke softly, placing a small kiss to the bare shoulder of his partner, who just nodded, before falling asleep again.

"I'm hungry Jungkookie, let's get something to eat. We can eat it over there!" Taehyung pointed excitedly to the park, while Jungkook just nodded. He didn't like to decide things; he never learned after all. This was all still pretty new to him, even though they had been living together for almost a full year. Growing up in a cage treated like a full blown animal does that to you, they said to him at the rescue center. He's slowly coming out of his shell though; thanks to Jin and Namjoon, and all the other hybrids he now considers his pack, he finally lets loose once in a while.

Grabbing some food, the both walk around the park for a bit, finding a perfect spot to eat. Jungkook always thought what it would be like to have Lunch with friends at this park, never thinking it could all eventually happen. "There you go. Do you need anything else?" Taehyung asked, but Jungkook smiled and denied. He had more than he could've ever asked for if he was being honest.

All while this happened, the two male hybrids chatting away actively, the small fox hybrid saw her chance to strike. Modern pet hybrids didn't hear her usually, and both of them seemed to be of the sorts- even though she could smell something weird on the black haired one. Her own snarling stomach however made her stop thinking, slowly inching forwards until her small hand was able to reach the white plastic bag with the rest of the food still packed for the other ones home- until the dark haired one whipped his head around.

It all happened so fast, the girl snatching the bag and running for her life- quite literally, because Jungkook completely ignored Taehyung shouting at him to stop and come back, his mind running on autopilot. She was stealing, from him, from his pack, and he had to get her. Deep in his brain he knew she probably didn't meant any harm, but his instincts did the thinking for now, his long legs easily catching up to her much smaller form. Grabbing the straps of her honestly pretty torn dress, he yanked her backwards, making her fall on the ground with a loud noise. He threw himself over her, his body hovering, hands holding her struggling ones in a strong grip while his legs tried to keep her from kicking. Only when he heard Taehyung whimpering for him to not do anything, he looked up, noticing the terrified look on his friend's face. He looked down again much calmer now, taking in her appearance for the first real time. Her clothes were a mix of things; two differently colored overknee socks, shoes that looked not to be her size at all, but laces bound around her ankles to keep them from slipping. Her dress was white; probably, because the dirt stuck to it colored it all shades of colors. The fabric was torn at the seams, the entire thing not fitting her at all. But neither her clothing, nor the skinny appearance or the bruises and fading cuts caught his attention. It were her hybrid features.

Her ears, turned backwards so hard they seemed to be wanting to dissappear into her skull were a dirty white, rimmed with pitchblack. Her tail swishing back and forth underneath her was puffed with panic, probably white underneath all the dirt with a greyish black stripe on it. The fur was tangled, parts matted- he knew what this meant. She was probably either feral, or came from a place he knew all too well. "I'm gonna let go. Try to run and I will catch you again." Jungkook spoke lowly, and suddenly the small female went completely still, apart from her shivering, which was probably due to her inner panic and fear. Taehyung watched, wanting to get closer, but choosing to stay a respecting few steps away, too scared he might make her want to flee again. "What's your name?" Jungkook asked after he had sit up on his heels, arms crossed in front of him. Her scent gave her away to him; he already noticed she was a predator hybrid as well. When she didn't answer, he sighed. "Do you even have one?" He asked, his entire posture turning more sympathetic towards her once she finally shook her head in denial. It all made sense to him, even to Taehyung who'd never known such situations himself luckily.

Said hybrid jumped a little when his phone rang, Namjoons ID making him answer. "Hyung?" He answered, before Jungkook held out his hand for the device, Taehyung understanding. "Hyung, Jungkookie wants to talk to you." He said, nodding at something he said over the phone before giving it to his younger brother, wary not to move to fast so you wouldn't flinch too much.

"I'm gonna bring someone home." He simply said, looking at the girl in front of him. In no way in hell he would let her just walk off like that, knowing where she probably came from. He knew this could very well be overstepping a line for him in his new home, but Namjoon simply saying that it was okay and asking if he should set out another plate for food. Jungkook chose not to say anything about her condition yet, knowing it would be rude for him to talk about her like that now. He simply said his goodbyes, giving Taehyung his phone back, before slowly standing up, picking up his plastic bag along the way. "Come on." He said, taking off his zip hoodie to give to her, helping her hide her pretty beat up form in his big clothing. She seemed wary at first, not trusting the entire situation yet, but choosing the jacket after a moment of thinking it over. Taehyung smiled at her comfortingly, but keeping his distance, not knowing how to react. He'd been like that with jungkook at first too, unsure and shy almost. Jungkook however seemed calm, giving him reassurance that at least one of them knew how to handle the situation.

Things however took a turn once he noticed the girl next to him paling even more than she already had; breath turning uneven and eyes suddenly closing, she fell to her knees first before Jungkook could react. "What do we do?" Taehyung asked with a bit of panic in his tone, Jungkook now looking like he was out of answers as well, before picking her up and carrying her back home.

Luckily for them, the park they were at wasn't that far away, making it easy and fast to reach the large house rather quick. Opening the door, Jin started to turn around to greet them, before he noticed the unconscious figure in the arms of the wolf hybrid, automatically shooing both inside and turning off the stove before telling them to put her on the couch.

"What happened?" He asked, but Taehyung was talking so fast his brain couldn't process all of the information at once, making him simply nod. "Who is she?" But at this question, both fell silent. None of them knew for sure, Namjoon walking downstairs after hearing all the commotion, the rest of the hybrids slowly following, concerned faces everywhere.

"I don't know. She said she doesn't have a name. I've seen her before though." Jungkook simply stated, making everyone frown at the realization what he meant. She probably came from the same company as him, shipped illegally and living with a highly possible abusive owner. Just like him.

Namjoon kneeled down in front of the couch, softly inspecting her hybrid features, careful not to wake her. "From what I see I would say fox hybrid." He stated, standing up and crossing his arms.

"But her ears aren't red!" Jimin, the cat hybrid asked timidly from his spot near the couch at her feet, feeling concerned at her lack of movement. Namjoon smiled a bit, placing a hand reassuringly on top of his head.

"They don't always have to be. Foxes have different breeds and colors as well." He said, and Jimin seemed as entranced as ever. The young cat hybrid always liked to almost soak up every bit of knowledge Namjoon gave him like a sponge, though he was known to be pretty forgetful due to an accident he had as a small kitten.

"I'd say lets bring her in our guest room, let her sleep, and after she wakes up, we'll see what we do." Jin stated, making everyone nod. To wait was the best answer for now.

Waking up honestly never felt so pleasant as now. Something that should've set you at ease, but it did the exact opposite; not knowing where you were plus the lack of consciousness after just waking up made your fur stand up, and your body shooting out of the bed into the nearest corner. Accidentally pushing down a small table lamp in the process made all hybrids and humans react; a soft knock was heard on the closed door, asking for entrance. But you couldn't answer, even if you wanted to.

The door opened hesitantly, a cat hybrid with black ears and Sandy brown hair making it's way inside gently, before sitting down with his back pressed against the closed door lazily. He seemed calm, collected, but you couldn't read his intentions. He didnt talk; he maybe knew you wouldn't answer anyways.

A long staring contest followed, or maybe he was just waiting for your heavy breathing to calm down, because as soon as he felt you were calm enough he spoke. "If you're hungry, we're having dinner." Noticing your surprised face he had to swallow the chuckle bubbling in his throat. "Its almost noon. Just so you know." He said, and noticed how your cheeks turned pink in embarrassment. He slowly stood up, opening the door to walk outside, but leaving it open. Leaving the choice to you.

After a moment or two, you slowly stood up, legs still a bit wobbly. You didnt know your way around the entire house, but your ears caught noise from downstairs- a lot of voices mixing together. It felt odd to you- where were the guards? Slowly trying to find your way downstairs (you've never really walked stairs before, neither up or down for that matter) your movement stopped as soon as you noticed eyes on you. Holding onto the banisters, you felt insecure, not daring to move another inch. You heard a chair scrape on the tiled floor, and someone stepping up to you. Closing your eyes you got ready to be scolded- this had been a test hadn't it? But as you opened one eye to peak, a hand was held in front of you. "Come on." The gentle voice sounded a bit familiar, and the face was very much so. The boy with the dark curly hair from the park stood one step below you, a gentle spark in his eyes. Slowly taking his much larger hand, you both made your way down the stairs carefully, him always stopping and taking it slow and steady so you wouldnt fall.

"Ah, sit down! I'm Jimin!" Said hybrid cat told you excitedly while pointing to his side, an empty chair waiting for you. His multi colored feline features gave his entire feelings away, and you internally found it a bit cute if you were honest. You looked at the chair for a second, and looked around after a bit as if to ask for permission first. A tall man with broad shoulders and a very handsome face nodded with a smile, and you sat down as quietly as you could. Jimin immediately started to fill your plate with food, your eyes sparkling at the view in front of you; never having received such amounts of nice smelling and looking foods before. Looking up, you felt awkward, yet once everyone around you started to eat too, you took the nod from the handsome stranger again as a form of permission. But there was a problem.

You'd never used cutlery before.

Sensing your trouble, the dog hybrid on your other side (the same one from the park) started to cut up your food into bite size pieces, before he gave you a fork, holding his as well to give you an example on how to hold it. You had to try a few times but eventually made it; the smile of everyone sensing a funny feeling through your body. You had to restrain yourself from reacting too boldly, but if you could you wouldve jumped in your spot at how delicious it was. However, the speed you were eating in gave away how nice it was. The dog hybrid with the marbled floppy ears chuckled a bit while cutting up more food for you and loading your plate until you gave him a sign to stop.

Slowly, one of the two humans stood up collecting the dishes; another odd thing. Why didnt they tell their hybrids to do that? You stood up and attempted to help, when a hand was placed on your shoulder- warm and gentle. "Ah, we'll handle it. Do you maybe want to take a bath?" The handsome human told you, and your eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, obviously asking if he was serious. He smiled at you and nodded. "Do you want someone to help you?" Yiu nodded, not really knowing your way around, your eyes spotting the dark curly hair from the couch, he however wasnt looking at you. The human caught your stare however, turning around. "Jungkook, can you help our friend here run a bath? Oh, and maybe jimin has some clothing that'll fit her-" he said, but Jungkook had already stood up, walking over to you.

The bathroom was large, and as you sat on the closed toilet just how Jungkook had instructed you to do so while he turned on the water, you took the opportunity to look around. How long does it take to clean the entire thing? Would you be in charge of that? But the others didnt have to do the dishes either, so maybe this was one of those homes one of the domestic puppy's had talked about at the mansion. As if he could sense your thoughts, Jungkook started to talk while he poured a nice smelling purple liquid into the water, making it foam. "We dont have to actually work here y'know." He started, and you listened to him with a bit of confusion. He didnt push it though. "I'll leave you to it now... if you need help just uh.. call me or Someone or whatever." He said and walked out after turning the water off. You sat there for a bit, not knowing if you could do anything, but deciding to just go for it. Stripping your clothes you gently got into the tub, warmth surrounding you as well as a nice flowery scent. You happily started to wash yourself, not caring for a moment as you rubbed your ears and tail clean of all the grime that had piled up, grinning once the fur started to turn white and black again, the dirt finally coming off. Washing your hair you finished off, stepping out and wrapping a towel around you.

Opening the door you peaked around the corner, until you softly called out for the wolf. You thought he maybe didnt hear you, but suddenly you heard feet stepping upstairs and soon he stood in front of you, holding some clothes out. "Here." He said, and at your look of confusion he simple looked to the side, almost as if he was embarrassed. "They're uh.. mine. I- so you can- I mean baggy clothes are comfortable so, yeah.." he said, and you smiled at that, his eyes suddenly widening at the view he got. This was the first smile he'd ever seen you display, and he couldn't help but feel his heart rate increase.

You changed into his clothing before finally coming downstairs, a bit slow but finally without any help, looking a bit awkward. Someone cooing at you made you look in the direction of the sound, spotting the living room it seemed, all hybrids and humans sitting down. The puppy hybrid with the marbled ears had turned around on the couch, looking at you, while the other tall human came to you, towel and brush in hand. "Come on, before you catch a cold." He said, patting his lap for you to sit on. You hesitated for a moment, until you finally sat down, your back facing him. "I'm Namjoon by the way." He said, until he pointed to the broad shouldered man sitting on the other couch. "This is Seokjin. He's the eldest, kind of the head of the family." He stated, gently drying your hair with a towel before he started to dry your ears as well. "Taehyung and Jungkook were the ones you met at the park." Pointing towards the marble eared puppy hybrid and the wolf sitting next to him. "You already met Jimin. Next to him is Yoongi, the one who called you for dinner." He stated, before he pointed to the one who seemed to hold back his excitement the most as if not to scare you. "And that's Hoseok. Hes kinda quiet because he tends to get a bit loud. We dont want to scare you." The towel felt soft against your features, until he took a brush to run it through your hair. "What kind are you?" He gently asked, to which you answered on a quiet voice.

"A marble fox." You stated, everyone listening closely because of how quiet you spoke.

Namjoon nodded, visibly interested, but keeping it in for now. "Do you need anything specific concerning your diet?" He asked, and you shook your head. Not that you'd know. Until now, hybrid pellets were your best bet concerning food. "I see. I know you probably dont want to talk about it, but it's important." He started, turning your around so you sat sideways on his lap. "Do you want to go back to your owner?" He simply asked, and by the way your ears instantly turned backwards, everyone knew the answer. Jimin instantly moved forwards, reaching out to pat your head gently, making your eyes widen at the gesture.

"We wont make you go back. She can stay, cant she Joon?" Jimin asked, looking hopeful at his owner. The calico hybrid had always been extremely social and clingy towards people he liked, and it showed; he took a liking to you, letting you go would prove difficult now. That was one of the many reasons he'd ended up in a shelter; his high maintenance nature and need for attention made him not an easy pet. He felt for you.

"Its not that simple Jiminie, but well try our best." He said, sharing a glance with his husband on the other couch. They'd have to find out if you were in any database first, and after that Jin could start collecting necessary documents for your adoption.

"Wait, wait!" Taehyubg suddenly said, making everyone look up to him, until he sat down in front of you. "You dont have a name right?" You said, making everyone gasp a bit, apart from Jungkook who knew already. "Then we'll give you one!" He said, looking around, and everyone started thinking. Giving a name to a hybrid was a huge thing; after all, you'd be carrying this forever. You started to get a bit nervous, everyone trying out names until Jungkook spoke up, gaze straight on you.

"Y/N."

And for one once, everyone instantly agreed.

The next morning started slow. You found out that both humans, Seokjin and namjoon didnt work on weekends, and took the time off to spend time with everyone. It felt a bit foreign not knowing what your exact purpose was.

"Master Seokjin?" You asked as you sat on one of the kitchen chairs to watch him cook. He turned around a bit before answering.

"Jin is fine, really. That title is.. really not necessary. We're all equal." He spoke in a gentle tone, and you noted not to call him that anymore.

"What is my purpose in this household?" You questioned with great curiosity, and Jin was close to answering until a hand was placed on your head.

"Being cute." Yoongi answered before sitting on the kitchen board, making seokjin shake his head a bit, because he wasnt supposed to, but did it anyways. "We all dont really have a job or anything. We help around the house here and there, Jimin takes care of the garden for example, Taehyung has his pet bunnies outside, and so on. It's more like a hobby though." He explained while continuously stealing pieces of bacon from jin.

"But.."you started, frowning a bit. "Why have hybrids then?"

"Because, we wanted to. Companionship. Simple as that." Jin answered, before ushering Yoongi out the kitchen, who just smirked as he walked out lazily. How he could get away with his behavior was a mystery to you. Just as you wanted to ask something however, a yawn interrupted you. You woke up early again today, a habit you would find hard to get over.

The wolf with the long hair came in, picking you up without asking at all. "Yah, Jungkookie, you cant just carry her around like a ragdoll!" Jin said, the Saif wolf however just shrugged and walked out, putting you down the couch before laying down himself, arms around you.

"Jungkook.?" You gently asked, but he made a sound to silence you.

"Naptime." He simply said, putting his leg over yours for good measure, as if he wanted to make sure you wouldnt escape. During those two days the wolf had been constantly around you, always keeping an eye out for you, making sure you didnt get uncomfortable. It felt as if he'd unofficially claimed you as his, a fact that felt a bit weird to you. There was nothing to claim. You were a used product, still unsure and constantly confused. But before your thoughts could fall any deeper, the gently sound of his heartbeat against your back made you fall asleep.

Shopping was something that was foreign, again. You knew how it worked of course, but you'd never been out before to buy things- and for you for that matter. You slowly got used to your name however, your brain inking the sound into your memories, so that you'd never forget it again. People seemed so carefree, your companions happy and joking around, Jungkook never daring to let go of your hand, as if he was scared to loose you, and to be fair, a lot of people were out this time.

"You okay?" He asked once he noticed you staring around, and you nodded, looking up to him, since you were a good bit shorter.

"Yeah. It's just.. a lot to take in." You said, while he looked at clothing. "Do you think I.." you started, and he looked at you, urging you to continue. "Stay? Like, could I stay with you.. and your family?"

He smiled at that, squeezing the hand he was holding a bit. "I'll do everything I can to make that happen." His words made your tail sway a bit, the first real time it happened, and Jungkook cooed internally at the sight. And although he didnt voice it out, he made a promise to get more reactions like that out of you.

Together everyone made their way home after everything was bought, you sitting next to Jungkook and Tae on both sides. Things like these were still exhausting for you, causing you to eventually fall asleep, your ears tickling Taehyungs neck a bit. He looked down on you, trying to burn the image into his mind. You looked so peaceful, angelic even, he couldn't explain it.

Deciding not to wake you he unbuckled your seatbelt, slowly moving you out the car and carrying you inside the house. As soon as he laid you on the couch and tried to walk away however, your hand grabbed his pants, gently tugging to get him back. He smiled and complied, hugging you on the couch happily; you seemed to open up to everyone one by one, making him exhale with fondness.

"Come on, let's get you to bed then." He gently said, as everyone around you said their good nights and walked upstairs into their rooms.

"Can I.." you started, but slowly stood up without finishing, making Taehyung grab your hand this time, tables having turned with him keeping you from walking away now. "I.. uh, you can say no, but maybe I could like... sleep in your room.?" You asked, not looking at him out of embarrassment. His reaction however, was a smile so bright and boxy you swore you could've melted right there on the spot.

"Of course cuddlebug. come on!"

"This is bad." Namjoon mumbled, carrying an opened letter in his hand while carding his unoccupied hand through his hair. Seokjin looked at him with worry, walking towards him to catch a glimpse of whatever he'd been reading.

Earlier that day, they've gone out for breakfast, jimin suggesting you should ge used to being outside more. Since Jungkook was someone who slept long, Taehyung and Jimin had taken you out instead, happy to get the surprisingly clingy wolf off of you for a few hours. Needless to say, the canine hybrid however wasnt too happy to find you missing when he woke up, a little jealousy mixed with worry making him fussy until you finally came back.

The news in this letter however weren't too good. Apparently, your old owner has taken notice that you've been sheltered at his place without his consent, asking for a date to quote unquote "return his property" as he stated, making both humans scrunch up their faces with disgust at the wording. Jin has had his suspicions about you being treated poorly in the past, and it seems like he was right about it.

"Should we tell her?" Namjoon asked, not sure if it was something you genuinely should know yet. Maybe there was a way to get you out of this without making everyone feel uneasy or restless. They both didnt want you to go back to that place, having already locked you into their hearts. They also thought you deserved to know, making both worry. However, a deep voice startlet both.

"Tell her what?" Jungkook asked, eyes glazed over with something they couldn't quite place. "Huh?" He said again, getting impatient. He was easy to rile up in general, but with you he seemed to be especially touchy. Jin simply gave him the letter that was in question, and the wolf immediately widened his eyes, looking back at them. "He cant be serious. We wont let her go back there." He said, scoffing, but looking darkly at his friends when there was no answer. "Right?" He asked, but there still was no reaction other than uncomfortable silence.

"Jungkook it's not that easy-" but he was soon interrupted by the young wolf.

"Are you mental?! Dont tell me you're actually giving her away like what?!" He raged out, heart racing with the fear that he could be separated from you. "She trusts you hyung! You cant be serious.!" He said, getting quieter the more their silence stretched.

The main reason was that they legally had no ownership. They couldn't afford going against authorities with the other hybrids in their possession, they had to think about what was best after all. And jungkook deep down knew as well- but he considered you a part of his pack already. Loosing you would hurt alone. But losing you to an abusive situation would drive him insane.

The door opened, happy voices cutting threw the heavy atmosphere in the house, but before they could reach the three, jungkook dashed into his room, needing to cool down. Both jimin and Taehyung looked at their owners confused, but the only thing they could do was sigh. This was a difficult situation. And the outcome could be horrible.

You knew something was up.

The atmosphere had changed, both humans were starting to grow distant from you, keeping a safe bubble around them you couldn't seem to join. Slowly but surely, even though you had a small glimmer of hope this wouldnt happen, you realized what was going on.

They wanted you gone. But they just didnt know how to tell you.

So what was the best thing to do in a situation like that? Exactly. Take away the burden of decision making, and do it for them. Softly folding your clothes, you made sure to leave your room as tidy and clean as possible, as a form of thank you for their hostility. You didnt hold a grudge against them; they had to take care of a lot of wonderful hybrids already. You were a burden that needed to be lifted. Slipping on a red beanie that you may or may not have stolen from jungkook, along with some warmer clothes since it was winter, you opened the window. Walking outside the door was absolutely impossible, since it creaked a bit every time it opened, but the window wasnt a problem to climb out of.

As soon as your shoes (timberlands, a thing that jungkook always cooed over because they looked tiny compared to his own pair) touched the soft crunchy leaves that weren't covered in snow, you breathed in. You made it this far. You could go even farther as well. You believed in that.

Meanwhile, jin stirred in his sleep a little, cold icy air hitting his exposed feet. Did he forget to turn the heater on? No, it smelled like fresh air, even though his bedroom windows were closed. It took him a sleepy moment to make a very scary thought creep until his mind. Instantly getting up and walking until the hallway, opening your bedroom window, his fear became a reality he hoped to turn out as a mere dream. But the soft wind accompanied by small snowflakes making it's way into the empty room was easy too real. And he swore he could hear his heart crack like glass as soon as he heard the broken growl behind him, not needing to turn around to know whose it was. Namjoon tried to calm the wolf down, but it only caused him to be even louder, luring a tired Taehyung, and even Yoongi out of their sleep.

"Whe-where is she.?" Taehyung slowly asked, fearing the answer he'd get. He knew he cared deeply for you, but jimin would simply be heartbroken by the fact that you left. But before Namjoon could explain, since Jin was still simply staring, frozen, Jungkooks dark voice cut through.

"Gone. Just like they wanted." He said, suddenly speedwalking down the stairs, slipping on his shoes and throwing over a jacked, dashing out, blinded by rage and fear for you. He didn't even hear his friends yelling for him to come back; his mind running on autopilot, his only mission:

Getting you back.

Warapped up in one of Taehyungs oversized coats, walking along the streets littered with cafes, you wondered if leaving was really the best idea. How could you really have gotten attached so fast though? It wasnt really like you, considering your past experiences with humans, and other hybrids as well.

Pulling the red beanie a little down to make sure it covered you well, you decided to make a trip back to the very park you first met the large family. It felt odd to be back, knowing what had happened- and how far you've come. You had actual clothing now, some snacks in your pockets to keep you going for a while, and some newfound energy you didn't even think you could have. Deep down you had known all along that a future wasn't in it for you; this family was a well established pack already- it felt rather rude to intrude for you. But maybe now you could actually maybe approach people a bit better after coming out of your shell a bit- but the more you thought about it, the less it felt appealing to you.

Because no matter how kind a person would be, jimin would've been so much kinder. No matter how happy someone would make you, Hoseok could've made you smile so much brighter. No matter how smart someone would be, Namjoon could've shown you so much more in this world. No matter how tight someone would hug you, Taehyungs hugs would've felt so much better. No matter how calm a silence would be, Yoongi's would've felt so much more comforting to you. No matter how well someone would take care of you, Jin would've mothered you even worse.

And no matter how much someone would try to make you feel safe, Jungkook would've made you feel so much more protected. As if nothing could ever hurt you in this world.

You sniffled a bit, noticing your eyes stinging with tears that threatened to spill from your dark thoughts alone. But thats what you felt like; for the first time in a long while, you truly felt alone. And it wasn't a nice feeling. If back in the day loneliness comforted you because it was better than being with 'him', it now felt suffocating. You felt small, tiny, and truly vulnerable. And you hated it.

You shook your head, scouting out a place to spend the night without getting noticed by authorities. It was back to your old habits again, your knowledge about the surrounding area and how to survive out here helping you to fit back into your situation again.

However; together with your old situation came an old perso as well, his greeting sending cold shivers down your spine- and that had nothing to do with the flaky-breeze the winter brought.

"There you are."

Somewhere in Seoul, a distressed wolf was almost running down the streets during the early morning hours, his skin running hot even considering the freezing temperatures. But this only added to his worries.

Were you scared? Cold? Hungry? Or worse?

What if you got hurt?

Where would you sleep?

His mind automatically pictured the worst; you, hiding somewhere, cold, distressed, and all alone, vulnerable to every predator around. He knew deep down that you were strong, that you probably wore clothes to keep you warm, you were smart enough to think before you acted, but his instincts wouldn't let him rest at all. He almost jumped at a heaving Yoongi; the cat wasn't really used to running after the way more active Wolf hybrid, but he had to- if someone saw him running wild without anyone with him, they would have even more problems at hand than just you. "Jungkook-" He began, but before he could even get another word out, the younger Hybrid grabbed his shoulders, his eyes sparkling with fear, showing their bare, reddish-brown color, a sign that he was slipping into a very dangerous headspace for a predator hybrid.

"Hyung, she's out there- she- what if someone gets her? What if her old owner finds her, you know how bad it was where she came from, what if she gets hurt, and I'm not there to help her, I'm supposed to protect her, I-" He was breathing heavily, his eyes opening wide with the fear that his own words began to fire up in his chest.

"Jungkook, we'll find her-" But namjoon may not have been the best person to speak up in that current moment, and Yoongi thanked whoever god was in charge that day, because thankfully the streets were empty this early in the morning.

Because as soon as Jungkook heard his owners voice, his entire body changed in posture- he was ready to jump him. Thankfully Jin had arrived as well, rushing to hold the alpha back while he wasn't thinking straight and yelling at the person he should be able to trust with his entire being. But in this moment, Namjoon seemed to be his worst enemy. "Its your fault! You wanted this didn't you?! Admit it, you're glad she took the decision off your way too high shoulders and decided to make it easy for you!" He yelled, his body language basically screaming hostility. "Its because you're always right- but you never make decisions do you! You only follow rules if others follow with you, and you only run with whatever shit someone seems to spit, you're a coward!" He said, slowly calming down since his body was getting tired. He hadn't been this riled up in a long time- the stress finally taking a toll on him now.

Jin and Yoongi managed to get him back inside the car, leaving Namjoon and Jimin alone. The cat hybrid had followed along as soon as he heard that you left them so suddenly- he was distressed about it as well, but he worried about his entire family situation too. He nodded towards Yoongi, who made a gesture to tell him they'd bring Jungkook back home where Taehyung and Hoseok were waiting as well- having the alpha hybrid running wild while not being in the best state of mind wasn't the best idea. It could also prove getting you back difficult as well, seeing as you were still pretty skittish whenever he was getting only a bit louder when playing video games with Taehyung.

"Lets go back to the park. Maybe she's gonna stay in an area she considers familiar? I know I would.." Jimin said softly, gently tugging at the sleeve of Namjoons jacket, to get him to move. But he had troubles concentrating, Jungkooks voice echoing inside his mind almost hauntingly. He knew that deep down it was just his distressed wolf speaking, but maybe this was what he really thought of him. And the worst part was that he wasn't even wrong about it. Maybe he was a coward. He was insecure, and he shouldn't be. Not as a person, not as a lover, not as an owner, and not in his field of work. But he shook his head, nodding at Jimin who slowly started walking into the direction of the park.

Namjoon couldn't hold it in on their way as they walked towards the place they had initially met you- or in this case, where Taehyung and Jungkook met you. "Do you think he's right?" He asked softly, not looking at jimin, and trying to look at every corner in front of him to maybe spot you.

"You know how he gets Joonie." Jimin began softly, his red bucket hat hiding his ears, but he could see them move slighty under it. "He wasn't in the best state of mind. I think he was just.. out of it I guess." He said, his senses trying to notice something he could identify as you.

But namjoon only sighed. "But he had a point, no?" He began, his brows furrowing while thinking about it. "He may have blown his thoughts out of proportion, but the root of them was there. I know he's right. But I don't know why it bothers me so much." He said, his steps getting harder as they began to walk on grassy grounds, finally reaching the park.

"That's because its you. You hate it when other people are right." Jimin chuckled, making his statement appear less sharp than it was. "But that's you, and that's why you're so good at anything involving your brain. You and Jungkook are pretty similar; you both hate loosing." He said, his smile spreading as he spotted a familiar coat near a streetlight. However, his pupils became slits in distress, his mind slipping just like Jungkooks as soon as he noticed your body language- you stood in front of a person, a stranger, and your entire being screamed fear at him, making him taste the bitter flavour even though he wasn't in your place. "joonie-" He said, but the man in question was already walking foward.

"Hey, what're you doing?" He said rather loudly, his voice sharp edged, not leaving any room for a smile. The man simply turned towards him, holding his hand out.

"Ah, you're the person that took it in right? I assume because you look quite like the Kim Namjoon I saw on your profile picture while we where in contact via E-Mail." He said, his voice full of a weird sense of pride, making Jimin step back a little. He desperately wanted to get to you, but his fear was getting the better of him, instinctively hiding behind his owner.

"That's right." Namjoon simply said, but refraining from shaking the man's hand. He wanted nothing to do with this person, knowing what kinds of businesses he was involved into, you quite possibly having been a part of this too. Because this had been why he had been so hesitant in answering Jungkook. It was difficult to go against someone of that size, and they needed to think about their actions before actually doing anything. But again Jungkooks words rang inside his ears. He wouldn't stay a coward in this situation. He had the law in his favor. "I also advice you to step away from her because, as you should know, hybrids get anxious when someone other than their owners are too close to them." He said, making the man scoff.

Jimin wanted to lash out as he harshly grabbed the end of your tail making you squeak in pain and him laugh, Namjoons face contorting slowly with growing anger. "Ah yes, but we both know how the situation is. That's my property, and therefore mine to take back. I do thank you for keeping her in your apartment and feeding her, but I have business to attend to."

The cat hybrid was silently crying now, his sympathetic character making him feel just as much distress as you felt, the man still keeping a tight hold of your tail- something you hated as you had told Jimin many times before. He felt helpless- but Namjoon would surprise everyone, just like every time.

He simply took out his phone, tapping a bit here and there before opening a document, holding it towards the stranger. "Legally she is mine currently since you're under official surveilance involving several issues we won't get in too deep. Now, would you mind letting go of my hybrid sir?" He simply said, voice calm.

The man simply scoffed, pushing you forward onto the gravel, making you hiss as you felt your nice jeans scratch open, revealing your knees which scraped open as well on the ground, along with your hands that tried to soften the blow. Jimin dashed foward now, not caring if the man was close to him or not, immediately shielding your body from anyone around him, softly purring in order to calm you, and himself down. The man simply left, Namjoon softly walking over to both his hybrids, patting Jimin's back to get him to reveal you towards him.

He made you sit down, the cold seeping into you but you didnt care- your hands and feet stung, making you tear up. But the reason you were crying was because you were both upset and relieved- maybe there was a chance of staying with them, even if it was just for a while longer. "Can I look at it?" He asked softly, and you just sniffeled, nodding. Namjoon knew it was a bad moment, but he couldn't help but admire you in that moment. Even with a runny nose, all red from crying and the cold, eyes shiny with tears, you had that adorable pouty face making him melt. He observed your scraped up knees and hands, softly brushing over them to at least get most of the dirt out before helping you get up. "Lets go home, yeah? You scared everyone to death." He said, laughing a bit to lift the mood. Jimin, still a bit teary as well, held your arm, since your hands still hurt from the incident. Jungkoo would run wild seeing you hurt, but he would eventually calm down, hopefully. Both Jimin and Namjoon hoped first however, that he left the apartment standing.

"It's never gonna be the same Taehyung." Jungkook said still angry, sitting on the living room couch with his head in his hands. The Dog hybrid had managed to at least calm him down a little, but overall there was still a rather dark mood surrounding everyone. Tae himself was sad as well, however he pushed his own feelings back in order to at least not fuel the fire even more. The front door jingled a bit with the sound of someone inserting a key, and at first, no one really did anything- until Jungkook got hit with your scent, his head snapping up at the sound of you-

sniffling.

Where you crying? One look towards you confirmed that you were, his mind running on autopilot as soon as he saw those glassy orbs looking at him. He jumped over the back of the couch, almost tripping over the carpet and his own shoes he simply had taken off mindlessly, immediately observing you to look for injuries. "What happened?!" He said in a rush, his large hands taking your small ones in his, hissing at the scratches on the inside of your palms.

"Come on Jungkook, I need to treat y/n first, then we can talk." Namjoon said, Jimin helping you take off your jacket and leading you to the bathroom downstairs. Jungkook followed silently, his pack instincts simply refusing to get him to leave you out of his sight for even a moment. He sat down in front of the open bathroom door with his legs crossed, watching as Jimin made you sit on the closed toilet seat, Namjoon getting a small towel and filling the sink with warm water, beginning to slowly clean up your cuts and scrapes from any dirt and gravel. Every time you hissed, Jimins ears twitched and Jungkook sat up straighter to get a look at you- not because he didn't trust namjoon, but because he just had to make sure you were okay.

Namjoon took out some larger bandaids and placed them onto your knees since they were actually bleeding, but simply brushed over the backs of your hands when he was done. "Try not to do much with them okay? Its better if we leave them like that. It'll heal faster." He said, and you nodded, still a bit pouty and awfully quiet, but everyone could see your interest in the scent that slowly began to creep through the apartment; jin's cooking. "Alright buttercup, go get changed and then let's eat, alright?" He said, silently telling you that you both would talk in private soon. You knew he had made a decision, and you hoped it was for you, not against.

Jungkook stood up, stepping aside so you all could walk outside, Taehyung running towards you and hugging you tightly. "Don't do that again." He mumbled, and you nodded, your own cheeks growing a bit red at the close proximity. "Lets go! Jin made your favorite!" He said, and you followed behind him.

"Hyung-" Jungkook started, thinking about how to apologize, since it was needed, but the older one beat him to it.

"It's fine Jungkook. It maybe wasn't the best moment, but you were right. I guess I can't leave the protecting-part solely to you, huh?" He said, making the young alphawolf scoff and playfully push his shoulder.

After you all ate, you slowly went outside the kitchen after helping jin a bit, even though he scolded you for using your hands. Suddenly, someone came up in front of you, wrapping his own hands around your tiny form compared to him, and burying his nose into your head between your ears, the soft fur of them brushing against his cheeks, making him sigh happily. "You're part of my pack you brat." He mumbled into your hair, squeezing you a bit tighter while careful not to hurt you. "I don't like people taking away whats mine." He said again, and suddenly, he heard the rest of his family coo at him and you, making him raise an eyebrow. He had hugged you before, so what? But then he noticed it too.

The happy wagging of your tail.

This have been 5 Chapters, combined in one post. Because R0ADKiLL's chapters are fairly short I've decided to make one out of them, simply to get you all on the same page of the stories progress up until now. The writing officially belongs to R0ADKiLL, not me. Only future chapters are mine. =) Thanks again to R0ADKiLL for giving me her baby practically, I promise I'll take care of it!

#ot7 fic #ot7 x reader #ot7 imagine #ot7 hybrid fanfic #ot7 hybrid imagine #namjoon imagine #hoseok imagine #taehyung imagine #jungkook imagine #Seokjin imagine #jin imagine #jimin imagine #suga imagine #yoongi imagine

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mugiwara-rosewolf · 4 years

Text

Alphabet Headcanons

One Piece Edition

Portgas D. Ace

SFW

A= Affection (How affectionate are they with an s/o?)

Ace is a charismatic, kind-hearted man, and with an s/o he’s the consummate gentleman. Especially in the beginning, Ace will check in to see/find out what’s okay with you and what’s not.

For example, let’s say the two of you are walking down the street at a village market. If you feel his pinky twine with yours, the motion will be quickly followed by his warm breath murmuring in your ear; “Is this okay?”

Needless to say, if you reply by intertwining your hand entirely with his, Ace will be over-the-moon and beaming for the rest of the trip. If twining pinkies is all you can handle in public, that’s okay too. Ace will still be happy knowing that you trust him with your boundaries.

Once he knows you’re okay with physical affection, little gestures like these will slowly become the norm. He’ll hold your hand everywhere if you let him. He loves kissing every inch of your face when you’re looking especially cute.

The closer the two of you become, the more he’ll want to show how much he loves you. Whether it’s wrapping an arm around your waist/shoulders, or a fleeting kiss on the cheek--if you allow it, PDA will quickly become one of his favourite things.

As for when he wants affection from you--it’s a bit of a coin toss as to whether he’ll let on how he’s feeling. He usually hides his bad moods pretty well. But what you’ll learn over time is that he often looks for affection when he’s feeling down.

Sometimes he’ll ask to hold your hand or go in for a hug (often silently, he does tend to get quiet on these kinds of days) and has a hard time letting go once you do. In public, he’ll often opt for the former, because in private he won’t have to let go of you unless you ask him to.

Other times it’s him just giving you a look. In public, he plays it off as a ‘suave’ eyebrow lift, like an open invite from Casanova. (Though the smile typically gives him away--he’s not always as smooth as he wants to be). In private, it’s the infamous sad, silent, yearning puppy-dog eyes following you around (you know it’s a real bad day when he’s just staring off into space with that look on his face).

All in all, Ace is a very tactile, and affectionate partner. But he will always be sure to confirm what kinds of gestures you’re comfortable with so as not to overwhelm you. He wants you to be comfortable and enjoy his loving gestures whenever possible.

B=Breath (What could their s/o do to take their breath away?)

Okay, there are two sure-fire ways to really impress this boi.

First is with your kickass skills. If you can match him or beat him at something, this man will definitely take notice. It could be a physical skill, maybe matching him in a fighting or eating contest. It could be verbal skill--like when you’re roasting his arse for his damned-reckless behaviour. Either way is damn sure to capture Fire Fist’s attention.

Second would be the smaller, more intimate things. Take his narcolepsy for example. When accommodating for Ace’s narcoleptic episodes, it tugs at his heartstrings when you lay his sleeping head on your shoulder, or bring him down to your lap. When he wakes up to your gorgeous smile and your fingers combing through his hair, he falls in love all over again.

C=Cuddling (Do they cuddle? If they do, how and when do they cuddle?)

Honestly, all types of cuddles are Ace’s favorite, he’s just not the type to say so out loud.

That’s not to say he’s ashamed of his tactile nature. On the contrary, Ace is especially partial to cuddling you and giving you surprise hugs.

Hugging you from behind when you’re in the middle of a conversation and stuff like that are completely fair game unless you request otherwise. Sometimes he’ll place the faintest of kisses on your forehead as you cuddle into his embrace.

No matter what though, Ace radiates heat. So even just sitting together side by side you can feel how warm his thigh is against your own. He doesn’t really bother to regulate his body temperature either unless someone else points it out.

But even then, it’s harder for Ace to relax if he has to concentrate on managing his body temperatures. So, cuddles with Ace are always hot. Which…usually means you both end up cuddling or falling asleep with the duvet shoved under you or to the side of you because the heat is too much.

Once he becomes comfortable enough (and ensures that you’re okay with it) there’ll be some nights where he’s just clingy. Sometimes draping himself over your back, sometimes clinging to your torso like a koala cub. He feels comfortable and safe when he can take a nap resting against you. It’s actually kinda cute.

The only issue is when he falls asleep on top of you and you can’t get him off. He’s basically a human furnace so you just suffer there until he either wakes up or someone comes around to help you.

When he’s having a particularly bad day he gives you The Look (as mentioned in A for Affection) and you know what it means in an instant.

D=Dream (What do they dream of doing with their s/o?)

“I’ll become a great pirate and show them what I can do!” That’s what Ace declared to his brothers as a child. And in some ways, it could be said he fulfilled that childhood dream. He became the infamous ‘Fire Fist’ Ace--known all across the world in one way or another, even before Blackbeard blabbed about his parentage. He made a name for himself, by himself just as he always dreamed he would.

Yes, his purpose did change upon meeting Whitebeard; wanting his new captain and father figure to become the next Pirate King in order to prove how great a man he was.

That being said, I can imagine Ace’s dreams evolving yet again when he meets his s/o. Both of the aforementioned goals/dreams are ambitious, but one key commonality between them is that they both seek to Prove something. Therefore it would make sense to presume that the next evolution of his ‘dream’ would share the same foundation.

At the beginning of your relationship, for example, it’s quite possible that Ace’s goal would be to prove that he is worthy of being your partner or to prove how much he loves you in some tangible way.

He dreams of all the ways he can make you smile and laugh and ensure that you’re happy with him.

He dreams of all the moments you’ve ever said ‘I love you’ and how he could find a way to hear those words again.

He dreams of all the times he’s told you that he loves you and all the possible occasions where he can hold you close and tell you over and over again.

He dreams of returning to Dawn Island, to Fuchsia Village and the mountains where he was raised so he can show you all his childhood memories.

He dreams of sailing with you and the Whitebeards for the rest of his days. He dreams of proving he can make you happy, in any way that manifests.

In other words—what it all boils down to, truly, is—Ace dreams of being alive Happy with you.

E=Effort (How much effort do they put into a relationship?)

One thing we all know about Ace is that he doesn’t do things half-assed. EVER.

This boy is dedicated. Once he sets his mind to something, Fire Fist will always follows through (a trait which can turn deadly when combined with his short temper and impulsivity).

Point being, if Ace wants your relationship to work, he will make it work. Whatever it takes.

Don’t let his playful charm fool you. Ace is a gentleman who takes your relationship seriously, always treating you with the utmost politeness and respect.

He’ll open doors for you, he’ll *try* not to swear in front of you (good luck, pirate)--and knowing him the gestures just get more ridiculous from there.

He just wants to show you that he values you and your relationship. The only other people who are of equal value to him are his little brother Luffy and his father Whitebeard.

All the same, Ace has committed himself to love you, protect you and to make you happy no matter what it takes.

F=Fear (What do they do if their s/o is scared? How do they handle it?)

Ace is impulsive and protective. Whatever it is that scares you, Ace’s first instinct is to tackle it head-on. Nothing’s gonna hurt you, not while he’s around.

At his core, Ace is worried about you. When he sees your fear, he acts without thinking, immediately responding to anything that makes his blood boil. And nothing lights him up faster than his loved ones being insulted and/or threatened.

Fire Fist (with serious effort) can learn to take a step back when he thinks you’re strong enough to handle a particular threat/fear.

But the moment he thinks you might actually get hurt, all bets are off. He can’t stand the thought of you getting hurt if he can do something to prevent it. This man will die to protect his loved ones. End of story.

G=Gifts (What type of gifts do they give their s/o? Do they want a gift in return?)

Ace is not a terribly materialistic person, especially not by pirate standards. (He doesn’t even own a shirt, for God’s sake!)

But the things he does own, mean a hell of a lot to him. (Striker, anyone? Stetson, maybe?)

So, in that way, finding gifts to give him is kinda challenging. You can’t really get away with the first little trinket that makes you think of him. It needs to be something of hefty significance.

He doesn’t expect any gifts from you, not even on his birthday. He’ll always be surprised when people get him things. He’s surprised that people value him.

Due to personal trauma, he doesn’t think very highly of himself. He desperately wants to prove himself a worthwhile part of other’s lives. He wants to be helpful--he needs to be needed.

So when he’s searching for a gift to give you--he ends up having the same struggle you do with him. He wants to give you something really meaningful. Which is why a lot of his gifts to you will be handmade instead of bought. In each one you’ll be able to see the time and effort he committed to making it for you.

If one thing can be said about Ace, whatever he goes for, he does so to the fullest.

H=Hugs (Do they hug their s/o? How often?)

He may not always initiate them, but the boi loves hugs. If you’re comfortable with PDA, he’s definitely adding ‘Hugs’ to his repertoire of affectionate gestures.

But even more than giving hugs, Ace finds love and gratification in receiving hugs from his s/o--especially when he’s having a tough time (See A for Affection).

Ace knows that he is a tactile person. It’s a truth of his personality that he knows and accepts, but doesn’t often flaunt without reason to do so. Finding his s/o, for example, gives him the perfect opportunity to express this part of himself.

The second division commander is especially partial to cuddling you and giving you surprise hugs. Tossing an arm over your shoulder, tucking an arm around your waist, Hugging you from behind when you’re in the middle of a conversation--all this stuff is fair game unless you request otherwise (See C for Cuddles).

He especially loves those full-frontal Bear-hugs. You know the kind--the ones where both of you are swathed in each other’s embrace. Arms wrapped around each other, heartbeats pressed together, chins tucked into each other’s shoulders/chests/chins--(trying to accommodate for all heights here, bear with me).

The point being, Ace loves the moments when the two of you are completely intertwined. That’s when he feels the most grounded. Certain in the fact that he is here, and he is loved.

Oh! And one more thing. Ace gets surprisingly flustered if you hug him first--sometimes to the point where part of him accidentally catches fire--he’s super careful not to burn you, though.

But when he hears your contented sigh--god forbid you nuzzle into him--the man just melts. All of his protests fall away, and he’s left standing there, tenderly wrapping his arms around you with the softest love-struck smile in the world.

I=Intimacy (How romantic are they? Do they have problems with intimacy?)

Ace is a romantic at heart, of that you can be sure.

But, he also has deeply internalized abandonment issues and fear of rejection. His father chose to die before he was born. His mother died not long after he was born. Almost everyone who’s ever become attached to him has either died or not stuck around long enough to meet that same fate.

Not only that but all throughout his life, Ace has been subject to degradation. Strangers saying that his father was a demon and that ‘the child of the Pirate King’ was nothing more than worthless spawn destined to be just as bad--if not worse--than Roger himself.

As a result, Ace thinks that he is cursed, a worthless son of a demon who will be rejected and abandoned as soon as others learn of his parentage.

So, prior to him sharing his family history with you, Ace will definitely struggle with intimacy. He’s frightened of being vulnerable in case his expectations/fears come true...that you will think just as little of him as he does of himself.

As his feelings towards you grow, the more those deep-seated fears will swirl in his mind;

‘If I tell them who I am, they’ll leave me.’

‘They’ll hate me.’

‘It’s no use, the moment I fall, they’ll either leave me or die trying.’

‘I don’t know which is worse.’

It’s going to take a lot in order to get through to him. You’ll need to be patient--you can start small and maybe ask about what he wants for the future, or sprinkle in little tidbits about the present, instead of wallowing in the past. You can pave a path forward together just by talking plainly about what you want from your growing relationship.

As your mutual trust builds, Ace will slowly start to unwind. The more time you spend together, you’ll start to feel each other ‘sync up’ with teamwork and such. He’ll start to grow more comfortable sharing his ideas and opinions, even if the two of you disagree on something. Over time it may get to the point where you and Ace are both acting or speaking at the same time. (Ace finds it endearing, don’t worry).

Once Ace knows that he can be his true self around you--that you won’t reject or abandon him because of his ‘monstrous’ parentage/lack of worth--he’ll grow more comfortable trusting you, sharing his thoughts and feelings with you. And in return, he will wordlessly swear to consistently support you and keep your secrets just as you’ve kept his.

All throughout the growth of intimacy in your relationship, if you pay close attention, you’ll see slow growth in the number of romantic/intimate moments between the two of you. As the intimacy between you grows stronger, you’ll be able to feel its presence--something that brings peace and rejuvenation to both your souls. A bond that is unique to your relationship and allows you both to relax and be at ease.

At first, moments like this are rare, probably in part because of Ace’s genuine responsibilities to the Whitebeards as a division commander. But as your relationship grows, you’ll notice Ace begin to commit himself more and more to making time for the two of you. Eating meals with you, a lingering hug and kiss at the end of each day and--if he can swing it--arranging a genuinely romantic ‘date’ between the two of you.

Ace will definitely dance with you out of nowhere. He’ll take your hand and twirl you around just to hear your surprised laughter. As mentioned many times before, Ace will take any excuse to touch his s/o affectionately throughout the day, not just when either of you wants to be romantic. He wants to give you all of his attention whenever he can. Whenever you want to talk to him, expect direct eye contact, perked ears and an affectionate smile.

Though he greatly enjoys PDA with you, Ace also likes the intimacy that comes from privacy. Those moments when he knows you are both in a safe space and can share your feelings with one another, even uncomfortable ones. Privacy also gives him the space to be truly intimate with you, so that he can learn the way you like to be held and touched. He wants to learn about you just as you took the time to learn about him.

J=Jealous (Do they get jealous? How do they act when jealous?)

Oof. Okay. Yes, Ace does get jealous. And he’s exactly the kinda jealous you’d think of when the word pops up. There are two, maybe three big traits working against Ace in this regard.

One would be his reckless and fiery temper. This is the trait that sent him on a deadly goose chase to capture Teach. His mercurial emotions lead him to make hasty, impulsive decisions, sometimes to the point of blatantly forgoing reason. This trait leads to your typical abrupt Alpha-Male confrontation with whatever stranger is trying to flirt with you.

Second would be his wolf-like protectiveness. This is the trait Akainu used to goad him to his death, first by mocking Whitebeard then by targeting Luffy. Ace can be very protective, though he struggles trying not to be overbearing. If you’re capable of handling a situation yourself, he’ll try his best to stand back and leave it to you.

But, if he feels a situation is getting out of control, he’ll come to your aid in the blink of an eye—literally guns blazing. If Ace hears someone saying lewd comments about you or notices anyone targeting you--ya’ll better believe this man is gonna say/do something about it.

Third, and perhaps the most powerful motivator in this scenario, is his deep-rooted insecurity. This is a man who has been questioning his worth, his very existence, for as long as he can remember.

Then you come along, someone who makes this life worthwhile, and he sees you ‘getting comfy’ with someone else. It makes him angry, sure. But more than that it hurts--makes him a question and doubt all over again.

Thus, we have jealousy. Needless to say, Ace will not be thinking clearly when he confronts whoever is getting too close to you. He will be angry and protective and irrational.

So, unfortunately, it will be up to you to de-escalate things and keep some sort of fight from breaking out. You’ll be the one to pull him away and get him to calm down. You’ll be the one to explain the situation, to talk him through what he’s feeling and why he feels that way. He’ll tell you the truth, you two will make amends (and hopefully plan in case of future incidents).

Fair warning, in order to fully console your fiery partner, be prepared to give a whole lot of affection and reassurances. And patience, always patience--goodness knows this man is trying his best to be good. Please, grant him grace.

K=Kiss (Are they a good kisser? Do they like to kiss? How often do they try to kiss you?)

Fair warning, it’s likely Ace would have had at least a few flings before you. He’s a handsome, charming guy—guys like him are like flypaper, attracting all the honey’s in a given radius. And with the company he keeps (PIRATES) he’s bound to have spent a night (or ten) in a brothel-esque setting.

All that to say, this man has experience. Not as much as Marco or the other Whitebeards, but still, a little experience counts for something, right?

At the very least, Ace will be a fantastic partner when it comes to kissing, 9 times out of 10, his kisses are either passionate & enthusiastic or affectionate & goofy, especially with an s/o.

Yes, Ace likes to kiss you, the frequency is irrelevant. Yes, casual PDA is pretty commonplace with him, he fucking loves it. But anything heavier than a peck? He typically prefers to keep that between you and him.

He is WAY too embarrassed to make out in public. Makino’s manners-lessons are ingrained too deeply by now, even if his s/o is purposefully driving him crazy. --He’s not opposed to a quickie in a broom closet or anything of the sort; just as long the two of you are out of plain view when snogging and such. If you two have at least some modicum of privacy in those more heated moments, Ace considers it fair game.

The only two exceptions are when he’s feeling playful ‘bet you a hundred berries I can take your breath away’ or jealous ‘you are my treasure, those damned bastards better back off’ —those are his two very different kinds of showing off.

L=Love (When do they say they love you? How often do they say it? Do they prefer to say or show it?)

Honestly? He’s a little bit of both.

Whenever Ace says “I love you,” those words are meant for your ears and your ears only. He doesn’t say them all that often, either.

The more frequent sign of his affection, you’ll realize, is his peculiarly ‘discrete’ flirtations. Murmuring little comments/compliments whenever you cross paths;

“Great job! You were wonderful back there, darlin’.”

“That a new hat? Sexy.”

“You look handsome/beautiful, my love.”

and of course the obligatory “Last night was *spectacular*”

And it only gets more endearingly ridiculous from there.

With the help of a bit of alcohol, Ace is plenty more affectionate towards you. He’ll shower you with compliments, make flirtatious jokes, and basically smother you with love. For example, say some of the crew are fawning over someone beautiful like Dracule Mihawk or Boa Hancock. Ace might joke with them, but the moment no one’s looking he’ll murmur in your ear;

“The Greatest Swordsman ain’t half as sharp as you, babe.”

or “The Pirate Empress ain’t got nothin’ on you, darlin’,”

any reaction you might have will be met with a wink and a smirk.

At the start of every day--if he doesn’t say how he looks forward to seeing you again before he leaves, he’ll always acknowledge how much you mean to him-- “I love you.”

M=Marriage (Do they want to get married? If so, what kind of ceremony?)

When he first set out to sea? Ace had no intention of getting married. Falling in love, getting married--the only thing he associated all that with was settling down. ‘Settling down’ in his mind meant the opposite of freedom. So of course none of that ever occurred to him. Having been raised in the wild with only his little brother to love, Ace always assumed that ‘Falling in Love’ was something that happened to other people, not to him.

As the years went on, Ace’s insecurities also played a role in this misconception--after all, who would want to fall in love with a demon-child like him? The son of the monstrous pirate king could never be loved by a stranger. Even if he did learn to care for someone that way, the moment they learned who he was, they’d betray him in some way. Maybe they’d leave him, turn him in, try to kill him; somehow the world would try to punish him for trusting someone, just like it did with Sabo.

So, even after he builds his own crew, joins the White-beards, even after he gains some experience pub-crawling with the WB Commanders, emotionally he keeps his distance from romance. That is...until he meets his s/o. Everything about his relationship with you is completely unexpected. He knows that you like him, he knows that you trust him. You took the time to support and get to know him--something not many people in his life had done to such an extent.

Suddenly, his entire perspective on love is turned on its head. He still doesn’t really give two shits about the institution of marriage. The whole ceremonial pomp and circumstance bit doesn’t really vibe with him. But the idea of you two staying together for the rest of your lives? That he can get behind.

N=Night out (What type of dates do they like to go on? How often do they like to go on them?)

Honestly, unless someone else brought it up, Ace probably wouldn’t think to do anything fancy for a date. If you were with him and the Whitebeards as they landed on a carnival island or something he could certainly make a date out of it. But unfortunately for your resident hot-head, he doesn’t have much of a propensity of planning ahead. He’s a lot like his little brother in that way--outside of the battlefield, he’s a little bit of a dumbass.

Like, let’s say you land on an island that’s having some sort of cultural festival. The first thing Ace would do is dive head first to plunder all the food-stands, leaving you to trail behind and pay for the mess he made. After he’s had his fill, then you can get properly dressed (if necessary) and enjoy the rest of what the island has to offer. At that point, Ace would remember something besides his hollow leg and try to make up for his embarrassment.

Good thing he has *the best* wingmen a pirate could ask for; Marco and Thatch. Marco has those empathetic sensibilities, if he’s met you before, then he has a pretty good intuition for the kinds of things you’d like. And Thatch, with that classic pompadour, knows how to put a romantic spin on just about anything. Hell, even Izo would put in his two cents more often than not. He’d be more than willing to be a co-conspirator, guiding you to through the dates they plan for you and Ace without spoiling the surprise.

Thanks to friends like that, you and Ace get the crow’s next to yourself at least once a month, enjoying a picnic Thatch made for the two of you and basking in each other’s company under the stars. After a while, you might just be able to mark the dates on a calendar. But you don’t mind, Ace enjoys intimacy that comes from privacy. Those moments when he knows you are both in a safe space and can share your feelings with one another, even uncomfortable ones. And besides, the night sky seems to give Ace a certain peace of mind, so it’s all worth it.

O=Out of the Ordinary (What’s something they don’t normally do with/for their s/o?)

As mentioned before, Ace doesn’t often plan romantic happenings ahead of time. Mostly because he’s kinds clueless in that department. The most he knows how to do is those little tender gestures; Eating meals with you, a lingering hug and kiss at the end of each day, things like that. He wants to give you all of his attention whenever he can, but he’s not always the best at those big romantic dates. That kind of stuff either occurs by happenstance, or thanks to the orchestrations of friends.

So whenever Ace does take romantic initiative--unprompted--you bet your bottom dollar it’s gonna be extraordinary. After all, this is Ace we’re talking about. When talking about elaborate activities spent away from the daily routine, the first thing his mind will jump to is Adventure. Nature hikes, scavenger hunts, stargazing on a mountaintop, all the roller coasters at a given carnival--the list goes on.

A lot of these ‘adventures’ will result in him giving you little ‘gifts’ as well; a bouquet of wildflowers he collected on your hike, a scavenger hunt ending in all your favorite things, a plush he spend God knows how many berries on to win for you. The gestures would only get more endearingly ridiculous from there. Granted, a lot of his gifts to you will be handmade instead of bought. But now matter how they were earned, in each one you’ll be able to see the time and effort he committed to making it for you (See G for Gifts).

Ooh! Ace will definitely dance with you out of nowhere. He’ll take your hand and twirl you around just to hear your surprised laughter. Ace will take any excuse to touch his s/o affectionately throughout the day, not just when either of you wants to be romantic (See I for Intimacy).

P=Playful (Are they playful in a relationship? If so, how do they play around/mess with their s/o?)

There is no doubt about it. Ace is a complete and utter goofball. Therefore, he is also the goofy-type of lover. If you ever blush at his teasing, Ace will absolutely relish in it. He’ll find it so adorable that he’s rolling around on the floor. The mental image of your flustered face would be absolutely priceless to him. In all honesty, he’d probably try to experiment from there--see what kinds of teases or compliments get the greatest reaction out of you.

He does have some empathy for you, though. When Ace was younger he’d act the exact same way. Makino would lovingly tease him and he’d get all flustered too--definitely a shy boy. He loves to joke around and playfully tease his s/o, but at the end of the day, he’s always a sweetheart.

The funny thing about Ace is, the boy loves to not only tease you but to show off. The damned pirate is always trying new tricks with his powers at the most inopportune times. Literally the first thing he thought of when he got his Fire-power was ‘Oh my god, Luffy’s gonna love this!’ Now, the same applies to his s/o. He can’t wait to show you just what he can do. Whenever you are fighting Marines, if he beats one of them up, he always looks up at you and grins.

Another thing to keep in mind is--regardless of what stage your relationship is in--Ace likes to drag you into his shenanigans. As mentioned earlier, Ace is an gung-ho adventurer. Plundering food stands, conquering roller coasters, this boy has a lot of energy. And if there’s not adventures to be had on a given day, what better way to release it than make himself and his friends laugh?

You need to be prepared for some risk, though. It’s no mystery that Ace is an adrenaline junkie and can have reckless/stupid ideas. Sometimes you both might end up hurt because of his bad decisions.

Sometimes he’s a sweetheart, sometimes he’s an asshole. But whatever ruckus you got involved in, somehow you always end up happy and smiling.

Q=Questions (Do they ask their s/o their opinion on things? Do they share theirs?)

This is an aspect of your relationship with Ace that develops slowly over time. At first, there’s that goofy, overly-polite layer of him that doesn’t think ahead enough to bother asking questions. At this stage of your connection he behaves in a way similar to the adage that says; ‘Better to ask for forgiveness than permission’. He won’t ask your opinion before he does something, but he may come to you afterwards, either to apologize or reflect on whatever he did.

After peeling back that layer, you’ll find the lingering remains of his tsundere childhood roots. That lost, self-hating child so desperate to prove his worth and strength that he doesn’t want to be vulnerable to anyone. The boy with whose expression was a stony brick wall deflecting the rest of the world. This is how you’ll know, there’s a part of him believes that showing uncertainty is a sign of vulnerability, something others can mock and degrade, just as the bandits and so many others did.

At that stage of your connection, it’s a bit of a coin toss as to whether he’ll let on how he’s feeling. He usually hides his bad moods pretty well. By the time the two of you come together, he’s mature enough to realize that scathing retorts are not the answer to everything. He’s no longer the kind to immediately lash out when someone asks him too many questions--but he certainly will if pushed too far.

But what you’ll learn over time is that he often looks for affection when he’s feeling down. Sometimes he’ll ask to hold your hand or go in for a hug and has a hard time letting go once you do. Other times it’s him just giving you a look. A lot of these gestures are often silent; he does tend to get quiet on these kinds of days. But it’s the first sign of him opening up to you.

In public, he plays it off as a ‘suave’ eyebrow lift, like an open invite from Casanova. The smile typically gives him away--he’s not always as smooth as he wants to be. In private, it’s the infamous sad, silent, yearning puppy-dog eyes following you around. You know it’s a real bad day when he’s just staring off into space with that look on his face (See A for Affection).

In short, yes, Ace will eventually come to rely on you, quite closely, in fact. He will learn that he can ask your opinion on things, that he can share his own thoughts and feelings freely with you at anytime. But it’s a long, arduous journey for him to reach that level of trust. Showing that you love and trust him; asking his opinion on things, standing by him through thick and thin--those are a sure-fire way to build that faithful trust in your relationship.

R=Random (How spontaneous is their relationship? Do they do things on the spot or plan ahead?)

Spontaneity is Ace’s middle name (lol). It comes with the territory of being an impulsive, hot-headed dumbass with a penchant for adrenaline and adventure. There are seeds of it scattered throughout his personality and his relationship with you.

Ace will dance with you out of nowhere. He’ll take your hand and twirl you around just to hear your surprised laughter (See I for Intimacy).

He’ll take any excuse to give you surprise hugs. Tossing an arm over your shoulder, tucking an arm around your waist, Hugging you from behind when you’re in the middle of a conversation--all this stuff is fair game unless you request otherwise (See C for Cuddles).

That combined with his peculiarly ‘discrete’ flirtations--never fail to take you by surprise (See L for Love).

It’s no mystery that Ace is an adrenaline junkie and can have reckless/stupid ideas. Our resident hot-head doesn’t have much of a propensity for planning ahead. Regardless of what stage your relationship is in--Ace is going to drag you into his shenanigans (See P for Playful).

And whenever Ace does take romantic initiative--unprompted--you never know what you’re gonna get. Could be nature hikes, could be scavenger hunts, could be stargazing on a mountaintop, or it could be just all the roller coasters at a given carnival (See O for Out of the Ordinary). Honestly, the possibilities are endless.

S=Sleep (How do they sleep with their s/o?)

Oh, this one varies. A lot.

First, there’s Ace’s narcolepsy, which very much affects the way he sleeps with his s/o. Hell, it affects the way he lives his life. But, one inadvertent positive of Ace’s narcolepsy, was how you could surprise him with those small, intimate moments of affection. If he falls asleep hugging you from behind, then he’d just stand there snoring with his chin propped on top of you head (depending on your height).

If he fell asleep sitting next to you, you could let him rest his head on your shoulder, or pull him down into your lap. That’s one thing he loves, waking up to you. It tugs at his heartstrings when you lay his sleeping head on your shoulder, or bring him down to your lap. When he wakes up to your gorgeous smile and your fingers combing through his hair, he falls in love all over again (See B for Breath).

Second, Portgas D. Ace is a human fucking furnace so honestly, he’s always gonna be warm. The way you sleep together is gonna depend on how much you need that heat.

If you and Ace are parked on a winter island, you bet your bottom dollar the two of you are gonna be clinging to each other for dear life. Not that Ace necessarily needs any more body heat in order to keep warm. He’s just taking advantage of this prime opportunity for cuddles. He can cling to you like a koala and you’ll actually welcome the gesture. It’s a dream come true!

If you and Ace are parked on a summer/desert island? That’s a whole other debacle. Summer islands are always hot. It’s just a matter of whether it’s dry heat or humid heat. With dry heat--you could *probably* get away with spooning? Or at least with one person lying on the other’s chest. With humid heat--everything is damp, warm, sticky and being near human skin is almost miserable. Your best bet is holding hands while facing each other in your cot/cabin/tent wherever you are. Desert islands are an exception to this because deserts often get pretty chilly once the sun goes down. This is where spooning becomes *most* likely.

Beyond those two extremes, almost any position is fair game. Ace loves it when he’s in your lap and you’re playing with his hair. There are happy days, where he loves to be the ‘big spoon’ and nuzzle himself in the crook of your neck. And there are hard days, where his mind is a minefield and he just needs someone to hold him close. He loves lying face to face, weaving his fingers between yours. Could be any kind of day, doesn’t matter to him. What matters is that he can just relax and admire you, and just how lucky he is to have you.

But maybe, just maybe, he does have a favorite way to hold you. Of all the ways in the world to hold someone, Ace loves when you lie on top of him. With your head on his chest, you can feel his heartbeat under your ear. And just like his heartbeat is to you, your weight is an anchor. I can feel you, know that you’re there, present and loving--always loving. So yea, that’s probably his favorite way to be.

T=Trust (How much do they trust their s/o?)

Given time, Ace will come to trust you with everything he has. But, as mentioned before, it is a very long, slow and arduous journey to reach that point. Luffy had to endure weeks, if not months, of Ace trying to lose his tail, if not actively trying to kill him, before they reached a point of mutual trust. From then on, Ace was willing to protect his brother with everything he had--including his own life.

But before you can get to that point, you must assuage his deeply internalized abandonment issues and fear of rejection. All throughout his life, Ace has been subject to degradation. He grew up internalizing the hate directed his way, and no one knew to contradict it. Almost everyone who’s ever become attached to him has either died or not stuck around long enough to meet that same fate (See I for Intimacy).

As a result, Ace has a lot of self-hatred accumulated in his heart. He also has a lot of problems being open about it. He’s so used to shouldering mistakes that are not his own. His blood carries all the crimes of Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King. He’s frightened of being vulnerable in case his expectations/fears come true...that you will think just as little of him as he does of himself.

Ace will definitely struggle with trusting you. This is an aspect of your relationship with Ace that develops slowly over time. At first, there’s that goofy, overly-polite layer of him; he’s cordial, charming, and fun to be around. But it’s hard to get a clear read on him at that point; who he is, how he thinks, and how his thoughts influence his actions (See Q for Questions).

After peeling back that layer, you’ll find the lingering remains of his tsundere childhood roots. That lost, self-hating child so desperate for a reason to live. He tells the world that he wants to be remembered. He wants to prove that he, as an individual, is worth more than the legacy of his father. But that dream, that grand ambition, also translates itself in smaller ways. He wants to be wanted, needs to be needed.

At that stage of your connection, it’s a bit of a coin toss as to whether he’ll confide in you. He’s no longer the kind to immediately lash out when someone asks him too many questions--but he certainly will if pushed too far. Even then, he’s not likely to explicitly tell you this deep-rooted need in the core of him. So it’s likely something you’ll have to learn by observing his words, his actions, his being (See Q for Questions).

However, with you around--especially when your relationship becomes more stable and long-standing--he slowly breaks. As your mutual trust builds, Ace will slowly start to unwind. The more time you spend together, you’ll start to feel each other ‘sync up’ with teamwork and such. He’ll start to grow more comfortable sharing his ideas and opinions, even if the two of you disagree on something (See I for Intimacy).

That being said, once Ace knows that he can be his true self around you--that you won’t reject or abandon him because of his ‘monstrous’ parentage/lack of worth--he’ll grow more comfortable trusting you, sharing his thoughts and feelings with you. And in return, he will wordlessly swear to consistently support you and keep your secrets just as you’ve kept his (See I for Intimacy).

U=Unique (What makes them unique as an s/o?)

Oh, so many things. Ace is such a unique combination of character traits, sometimes it’s difficult to articulate just how they call fit together in one human being.

As an s/o, Ace is cordial, charming, and ever-the respectful gentleman. Then you get to know him, and he becomes this goofy dumbass who will take any excuse to touch you, hold you and take you on these crazy adventures exploring the world together. Dive even deeper, and you discover the utter depth of him. He is a vulnerable soul who has internalized the worst of the world he was born into--yet he stills finds reason to smile.

What makes Ace unique as an s/o? His resilience. If you two come to a disagreement, he may lose his temper in the moment. But give him time, give him patience, give him grace, and he will come back to you. No matter his fears, no matter his doubts, he will find a reason to push through. If one thing can be said about Ace, whatever he goes for, he does so to the fullest (See E for Effort).

That’s not to say resilience can’t be a double-edged sword. There are a few coping mechanisms Ace developed in order to persevere through life that actually inhibited his ability to connect with people the way he longed to. After all, how many times did Whitebeard have to deflect Ace before the boy understood that he didn’t have to fight his way through life? And how many times did Luffy have to almost-die chasing the lonely boy through the jungle before he finally accepted the company?

All the same, if you remain just as stubborn as he is, you will give him yet another reason to get back up; another reason to live. Take this hypothetical argument as an example. It may take a few tries to get through his thick skull, but he you will eventually talk things out and come to a resolution. He’ll grow from the experience and the two of you will be all the stronger for it. That’s what perseverance and resilience is all about.

V=Vulnerable (How long until they can be vulnerable around their s/o? What are they like in this state?)

If you were ever vulnerable around Ace, he would support you wholeheartedly. If you were to get stuck in your own negative thoughts/feelings about yourself, he’d hold you as close as possible and refuse to let go until you admit you’re a good person. No matter what you say about your past/insecurities, Ace won’t judge you or let you feel as though you deserve any of the trauma you went through (big or small). He knows that you are better than you think you are and he won’t let you feel the same kind of self-loathing he has.

Ace is a very outgoing man. He’s surrounded by countless friends and keeps making new ones every day. There’s something in his exceptional charisma that makes people cling to him. However, Ace does not open up easily to others. It would take a while for Ace to really open up to his s/o, just because he’s internalized all of his negative thoughts and feelings about himself from a young age.

Over time, however, he’d slowly grow to trust you and one night, when it’s just the two of you together somewhere, Ace would just tell you what’s on his mind. “Sometimes I don’t think I deserve you--your love--or anyone’s really.”

The conversation would turn into the two of you opening up to each other (equivalent exchange for the win!) Ace would tell you about all the things weighing him down; his father being Gol D. Roger, his mother dying to keep him safe from the World Government, being called a ‘Demon-child’ all his life, his time in the mountains with Luffy and Sabo, meeting Whitebeard and joining the family--all of it.

By the end of his story, tears soak his cheeks, his lips are red and raw, his voice hoarse and his words thick with emotion. He looks like a mess and you won’t know how to fix it. The best you can do is hold him, guide him through it.

The conversation would likely end with both of you promising to support each other from then on. Whenever one of you starts to feel insecure or lingers too much on the past, you’ll have a keyword to communicate how you’re feeling.

He might not acknowledge ever being in this state later on, but he will thank you quietly that night--and every night after if you’ll let him. “Thank you...thank you for loving me.”

W=Wild Card (Get a random domestic headcanon of the character of your choice)

Ace does not share food. EVER.

His narcolepsy makes him fall asleep in the weirdest situations--and in the weirdest positions. You can’t possibly count the number of times you fell to the ground because he dozed off while carrying you on his shoulders.

Or because he does it mid-kiss or hug and just leans on you. Or because he trips and accidentally knocks you down. He’s not even ashamed of it--unless you get hurt somehow during these incidents--otherwise he’ll just laugh it off, if a little sheepishly.

X=X-Ray (What would they do if their s/o got injured?)

Ace is our resident self-deprecation machine. Whatever happened, however you got hurt, the man would find some way to blame himself. Always thinking; it should have been me.

He would be terrified out of his mind. He knows you’re strong, but sometimes he forgets that you can still get knocked down. He’ll camp outside the infirmary door until he’s allowed to come in. The moment he’s given the go-ahead, he’ll charge into the room and wrap you up in his arms as close as he can. He needs to feel you and reassure himself that you’re alright.

Even after he’s been assured that you’re okay and that you’ll recover, Ace will hardly leave your side unless there’s some unavoidable responsibility he has to take care of. There will be moments when his mind will try to twist things and make him feel like a bad partner; as if he’s the reason for your injury, whether because he was the target of the attack or because he couldn’t protect you.

You’ll have to be the one who keeps those thoughts at bay. Ace will make sure you never want for anything, for as long as you’re recovering. He won’t ask for anything in return. But between him supporting your physical health and you supporting his mental health, the whole ordeal will only serve to make your relationship stronger.

HOWEVER-- once he finds out who hurt you--he’s going to be just as relentless as he was chasing Teach. The guilty party won’t even be able to hold a pencil again once Ace is done with them (if they’re even still alive afterwards).

Y=Yuck (Do they have any pet peeves about their s/o? Are there any habits that might bother their s/o?)

If you try and steal his food, he will bite you. There’s still a Little bit of that feral child energy that rears up whenever something annoys him. He does not appreciate jump scares for that exact reason. His adrenaline and danger radar will immediately be turned up to 11 and he is no longer responsible for how he responds to the perceived danger. (Though he’ll probably apologize profusely anyways, cause he’d feel horrible if you got hurt by his knee-jerk reactions).

On the other hand, there are a few scenarios when perhaps his narcolepsy can become a bit trying. If he starts snoring when you’re in the middle of telling him something important. If he falls asleep on top of you and you can’t get him Off. There could also be situations where his formality gets in the way of what you’re really trying to talk about. Once he starts apologizing for something, things can go on for a while. But the level to which these quirks annoy people, depends on the individual.

Z=Zeal (Are they passionate as an s/o? Do they want or like passion?)

Ace is, as always, full of passion and impatience. He’ll certainly appreciate a similar amount of fervor from his partner, but it’s not a criteria, by any stretch. Whether you’re extroverted, introverted, bouncy or chill AF, he’ll gladly accept you exactly the way you are.

On his end, however, there are instances where Ace’s intensely passionate personality can come back to bit him in the ass. One would be his reckless and fiery temper. This is the trait that sent him on a deadly goose chase to capture Teach. It also leads to your typical abrupt Alpha-Male confrontation with whatever stranger is trying to flirt with you (See J for Jealousy).

His mercurial emotions and stubborn determination lead him to make hasty, impulsive decisions; sometimes to the point of blatantly forgoing reason. Once he sets his mind to something, Fire Fist will always follows through--a trait which can turn deadly when combined with his short temper and impulsivity (See E for Effort) .

At the very least, Ace will be a fantastic partner when it comes to kissing, 9 times out of 10, his kisses are either passionate & enthusiastic or affectionate & goofy, especially with an s/o (See K for Kisses).

In the end, if there’s one thing we all know about Ace--it’s that he doesn’t do things half-assed. EVER. This boy is dedicated. Point being, if Ace wants your relationship to work, he will make it work. Whatever it takes.

#one piece #portgas d ace #ace x reader #One Piece headcanons #alphabet headcanon #sfw #whitebeard pirates #ace one piece #spade pirates

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thesnowfelled-a · 3 years

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Warning ; this deals with topics of death, suicide, drug overdose, and mental health. If this is going to be a red light to your mental health? I suggest that you don’t read this headcanon. This is your ONLY warning on the topic of this post. This headcanon is based off a verse with a friend of mine and NOT canon.

THE MERGE ( life alterning event ) ; where two people become one.

HERETIC ( species ) ; where a siphoner witch becomes a vampire.

LIMBO ( place ) ; a standstill before life & death

CAUSE OF DEATH ( important to note ) ; overdosing on medication prescribed to her.

Lizzie woke up right where she laid dying and it was the WORST experience for her on the planet because seeing Josie DYING on the ground without the ability to comfort her twin was agonizing . Likely, Lizzie stopped breathing first out of the two of them for this to work. Lizzie watched the last puff of air come to her twin’s lungs and SOBBED over a body that she can’t touch. That was when someone found her before her twin came to limbo.

Lizzie met her biological mother while there and was able to say SORRY for not loving her like she should. ❝ Lizzie, you have such a big heart. It is okay to let other people see it. ❞ . The reason this is important because Jo saw something in her from the moment they met. Jo loved her without even knowing her (like a mother should).

In the land of frozen time, Lizzie got to see the things that thought were going to break her again from a different point of view. Watching herself CRY as a boy walked away from her after a date, watching herself fall in love only to be crushed by the weight of it, to see the smaller version of herself sob in her mother’s arms at the diagnosis that she was given of bipolar disorder. Anything that her mind thought would BREAK her? Lizzie gets to see again. This is meant to prove to herself that she is STRONG and very much WORTH IT in life.

Alternatively, Lizzie gets a moment to watch her interactions with Josie for the first time from the outside looking in and gets to REALIZE that Josie can hold her own in this world. Lizzie is aggressive and over times the top dog in their relationship out of fear. She fears of the world hurting her twin and thus pushing people away from Josie is easy and the sure fire way that no harm will come to her twin but in the end, it hurts Josie greatly. Also, it is a way to make sure that Josie has her. She NEEDS to be needed as the rougher twin, she needs Josie’s softness and mother hen personality in her life and fears other people will take it from her.

Lizzie gets a GLIMPSE at a possible future for herself. One where she is HAPPY and FREE. Drinking coffee while walking the streets of Paris with a pretty girl on her arm. She gets to see herself managing the Salvatore School (lower class) where children run the halls and are safe for the first time ever. Gets to see a glimpse of her twin in all their happiness. It could change in a moments notice BUT it still very much is something that brings a warmth to her heart.

Lizzie actually woke up in transition LAST because she spent what felt like HOURS after leaving Mama Jo at the edge of the Salvatore College property just walking around having an internal fight with herself on if she should just KICK THE BUCKET completely. In the end, the idea of leaving Josie ALONE in this world is what makes her come back.

It was HOT™ for the siphoner witch. It was a symbol to her that Josie will ALWAYS be there for her. The fire that she felt in her veins is an annoyance to say the least. Josie is the FIRE to Lizzie’s ICE.

Lizzie JUMPS headfirst into the cold water that is like the ice of coming home. The last words the afterlife gives to her is ❝ You are stronger than you believe. ❞ & ❝ She can handle herself. ❞

Hi Gwen, I have a completely random request of you; please write a HC on what you think Lizzie would have seen or witnessed while in limbo between dying and waking up in transition for becoming a heretic. I’m so fascinated to read your opinion on it. @dereliquitpactum

#【 lizzie saltzman ; answered】. . . you can’t BREAK me anymore

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atiny-piratequeen · 4 years

Text

Against the Tide: Tenth Voyage (Ch. 10)

Pairing : Poly Ot8

Genre: Heavy Angst, Action, Fantasy, Smut, Fluff

Rating: 18+

Tags: DemonPirate!Au, Supernatural, Eventual Poly Relationship, Violence, Blood, Elemental Powers, Past and Modern Day AU, Mythical Creatures, Character Death, Slow Burn, Happy Ending Endgame

Chapter Specific Tags: Repeated Main Character Death, Reincarnation, Emotional and Psychological Manipulation, Graphic Blood and Violence, Brief Mentions of Mental Health Concerns

Chapter WC: 10k+

A/N: There could be tags added later, especially if there’s something I write that potentially triggers my readers. The last thing I want is for that to happen, so please don’t hesitate to give me feedback if there’s something I write here you’d like me to tag.

**A/N: Thank you Riza @not-majestic-bluenicorn for helping me out with the tarot card readings, ilysm

Taglist moved to the bottom of the work. If you’d like to be added to the taglist for this or my other works, feel free to fill out the form here after reading the full post. AO3

Taglist

← Last Voyage Next Voyage →

The sound of Seonghwa’s screams from that night still haunts the crew.

They’re fortunate, Yunho thinks.

Though, he’d never say it aloud and Geb is kind enough not to call him out on the bitter, spiteful thoughts when they arise.

Anyway, the crew was fortunate.

Most of them are lucky that all they heard was the screams of their First Mate- no -their new Captain. The crewmembers below the deck and the ones unconscious didn’t have to deal with the sight of their captain, the one who held them all together, breaking down.

The fear on his face. The defeat. The pain. The terrified, yet resolute tone in his voice.

All that haunted them was the screams of the ex prince, which, coupled by an explosion of ice, creating a fortress of frost around them, was a beacon in the night for what had happened.

Yunho had to drag him out of the ocean. Nearly got stabbed doing so. It took an hour of Seonghwa diving into the depths, freezing everything around him and reaching fruitlessly before Yunho snatched him back to the surface.

He’d nearly been frozen and stabbed for his efforts and the crew watched on as Yunho pinned Seonghwa to the deck, thick vines keeping him still as he screamed and thrashed.

Just behind him, Mingi stood back with an unconscious San in his arms. Wooyoung was at his side, eyes wide as tears rolled down his cheeks while Yeosang leaned over the taffrail, emptying the contents of the dinner he’d worked hard to make into the ocean. Jongho still lay unconscious under the broken planks of wood in the hold, sea water soaking his clothes and Whiro noticeably absent from his skin for once.

“LET ME GO! LET ME GO! HONGJOONG! HONGJOONG!” Seonghwa screamed, his voice raw and cracking as he thrashed in Yunho’s arms.

None of them had ever seen the level headed ex prince fall apart like this. He bore his teeth at him, trying to wrestle his way free, freezing parts of his body to try and get Yunho to let him go. The sight of the raven-haired immortal coming apart at the seams broke everyone’s heart and Geb gently whispered into Yunho’s ear so he could settle Seonghwa down the hard way.

They weren’t getting anywhere like this.

So Yunho sighed and created a small flower near Seonghwa’s head, tears slipping down his cheeks. Seonghwa looked up at him, eyes bloodshot from crying.

“H-Hong-”

“I know. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Small spores wafted out of the flower and slowly Seonghwa’s thrashing slowed down. He felt his body grow heavy as Yunho put his head in his lap, crying quietly as Seonghwa’s pitch black hair slowly went back to it’s natural blonde color.

“N...o...Hongjoong...putois…”

Yunho wished all that haunted him was the screams, and not the guilt of not being strong or fast enough to keep him from disappearing. That Hongjoong’s quivering, terrified voice didn’t knock around his head as much as the anguished howls of Seonghwa.

Unfortunately, that was all it was. Wishful thinking.

-x-

- I finally get what you've been saying

Now that we're knee deep side by side

The storm clouds are circling above us

As we struggle against the tide-

-x-

There are intricacies that come with warfare, the king knew these well.

Though, even he may admit that this was an... unfortunate miscalculation.

Getting to a point in Hongjoong’s mind where he was distracted enough for him to actually affect his powers was leagues more difficult than he’d ever let anyone know. For as much as he antagonized the pirate, the dragon inside would admit he had much more mental fortitude than he originally gave him credit for.

Stupid mortals and their useless sense of ‘love’.

Though, technically, he wasn’t a mortal anymore.

Whatever.

Regardless of what the little captain was classified as, the fight with the one called ‘Priscilla’ had left him in such a panic that the dragon was able to break through, tap into the core of their-no, his -powers, and snatch it from under him while he was fighting for everyone’s lives.

Disgusting.

He figured he’d distract the foolish captain long enough for him to kill him mentally and rid himself of the beast.

Oh, and sink that damned ship and rip it’s crew to pieces. For fun.

He’d never expected a curse to be placed on him because of his intervention. Not only did the she beast strip the captain of all of his knowledge of who he was and his crew, she had inadvertently banished the dragon to the farthest recesses of the captain’s mind.

As the king stood, he couldn’t see light in either direction.

He had to get back to the front so he could take control. He had to break out before the captain remembered and broke the curse. He could handle Pricilla later.

With a scoff, he turned into his dragon form and snorted.

A minor misstep. He could outsmart some stupid immortal wannabes and that grotesque bastard child.

Then, he’d create havoc.

For fun.

And revenge.

But mostly fun.

-x-

-I feel your grip firm on my shoulder,

But this fear in my head won’t subside,

They patiently circle around us,

As we hold out… -

-x-

“Do you see those men there? They hold your entire fate in their hands.”

Hongjoong panted, blood running into his eyes as his hair was pulled back roughly. On the other side of a clear glass bubble, he could see seven men in a room. There was a tall blonde man pacing. Every time his boot touched the floor, it would freeze before the ice melted.

There was a taller man holding onto two smaller men who were crying.

Something was said and the blonde turned suddenly, his body rigid. A buffer man stood between him and the group, reaching for something on his person. The blonde man crossed the room and took his hand, the tips of his fingers frosting around the man’s wrist as he glared at him, saying something.

Hongjoong couldn’t hear a word either of them were saying, nor did he care. He pivoted on his heel, elbowing the monstrous woman behind him in the face before he broke off into a run.

He didn’t know where he was going, but he figured if he ran far enough, screamed loud enough-

Something hard slammed into his back, knocking him forward. He rolled, his clothing soaked by the water as he wheezed, trying to catch his breath. When he looked up, a rabid dog was staring him down.

He screamed in terror and backed away, eyes wide.

Who was she? Why was she doing this to him? Where even was he?

Fangs sunk into his thigh before he was dragged back towards the woman, kicking and screaming.

A dark smile came to her face.

“Get real comfortable, little pirate. With how your sorry crew looks, you’ll be stuck here with me forever and ever~ You’re here because of them, at the very least, you should know that they’re the reason you’re here.”

-x-

- Oh, father why have they forsaken me?

You warned me that they would,

The curse is passing down the bloodline,

Misspoken and misunderstood.-

-x-

“Seonghwa, all I’m saying is we can try it out-”

“We’re not calling that woman!”

Jongho pursed his lips, annoyed at the older immortal raising his voice at him, while Wooyoung flinched and whined behind him, sitting with Yeosang in Yunho’s arms as the two of them cried.

“What else are we going to do? How else do we start? We don’t even know what happened to Hongjoong fully or where that witch took him!” the Maori man snapped back.

Seonghwa paced like a caged animal, but eventually scoffed, admitting temporary defeat.

“Fine. Call her.” He hissed. Jongho eyed him for a moment before reaching for the feather dangling from his hip. Whiro curiously shifted along his skin, but Jongho focused on the feather, holding it out in front of him.

“Hyuna!”

Seonghwa and the others stood and waited.

And waited.

And waited….

And...waited….

“Why...isn't she coming?”

Seonghwa’s nostrils flared in anger before he barked out a laugh.

“Oh, look at that. She’s not coming . You wait around for her and we’ll never find Hongjoong. Right now, we can start by finding out who fucking stole that fucking staff.” He hissed.

The temperature in the room drastically lowered as ice cold grey eyes scanned over everyone in the group.

They lingered on some more than others.

“It wasn’t me. Don’t stare at me like that.” Mingi’s voice was hurt as he looked down at the floor. Seonghwa’s jaw ticked.

“I didn’t say it was you.” He stiffly informed him.

“You didn’t have to. I was raised around Bella Rose, I know an accusatory look when I see it. It wasn’t me.” He muttered, his voice quieter. San noticed the clench of his fists and the tears welling up in the boatswain’s eyes and moved to place a hand on his back. Seonghwa clicked his tongue, keeping his eyes on the duo. Yeosang began to hiccup through his sobs in Yunho’s arms, so the man stood, catching Seonghwa’s attention.

“I don’t...think that should be our top priority. Not right now.”

“I disagree. One of you stole the staff, and Hongjoong is gone now. That seems pretty damn important. Which one of you did it?” He spat, malice dripping from his voice. Even Jongho flinched back, his brows pulled together. Whiro shifted along his skin and tutted before lifting upwards.

Jongho moved to reel him in, but he was met with more than the usual amount of resistance and Whiro’s voice in his head.

‘For once, trust me, kid.’

Jongho pursed his lips and let Whiro form into a mirror image of himself aside from the blonde hair, red eyes, and ta moko. He rolled his shoulders and looked at Seonghwa, who looked unimpressed and fed up before anything even left the fragmented god’s mouth.

“If you’re going to talk shit, save-”

“Nah, you’ve said enough the past few days. Shut up and listen for once, prince.”

Seonghwa snarled, but Whiro ignored him, keeping his thick arms crossed as he spoke. Even Jongho looked on curiously as Whiro continued.

“What exactly are you gonna do with that information? Hm? Hurt one of them? Kick them out? Is that what the old captain would have wanted?”

Seonghwa looked taken aback-and he wasn’t the only one.

Seven pairs of eyes watched Whiro in shock.

“Whoever stole it doesn’t matter right now. What matters right now is whether you like it or not, you’re the captain now. From what I understand after Jongho and I got knocked the fuck out, you were told to protect this ship and it’s crew. Last time I checked, this temper tantrum you’re throwing isn’t protecting shit, not even yourself.”

“Am I not allowed my hurt? My anger? Hongjoong was...Hongjoong was my first love, he saved my life-”

Whiro rolled his eyes.

“Listen, I’m stuck here in this body for all of eternity and I feel what he feels,” He jabbed his thumb in the direction of a shocked Jongho before he kept talking. “Get your shit together. Stop your sniveling, and start being the leader the shortstack knows you can be. The kid is strong. He may have lost this, but at one point, he had eight spirits inside of him and didn’t fall completely to ruin. Instead of doing the exact opposite of what he said to do and tear this crew apart, wipe your nose, wash your face for fuck’s sake, and go find the shortstack. He needs you, all of you. It’s been a week and we’re still in Greece. I’ll give you a day or so longer to get those tears out before I expect all fucking seven of you to quit bitchin’ and start searchin’. Do I make myself clear?”

Seonghwa blinked before he ran a hand through his hair.

“Gods, is it that bad that the literal God of Evil is trying to help?”

“Yes, actually.” Whiro responded without missing a beat, drawing an involuntary laugh out of some of them.

“I’m stuck to Jongho for all of eternity. I’d rather not to deal with all of these stupid ass gushy ass emotions normally, but since I have no choice now, I’d rather we pull ourselves together. Oh, and when I get my hands on that serpentine bitch, you can all step aside. I’ll take care of her myself.”

Seonghwa rolled his eyes, but turned to the group, sighing as he bowed himself down.

“I...I’m sorry.” There was more sitting on his tongue, but that was all he said for the time being, turning to leave. Once the sound of his boots on the wood retreated down the hall and out of earshot, everyone let out a relieved sigh, turning to look over at Whiro.

“Holy shit. You helped us.” San muttered.

Whiro cocked a brow.

“Helped you? Please. I’m just tired of the back and forth and even ol’ Jongie boy here is getting affected by all this more than I’d like, for us to share a body. I helped myself, nothing more.” It was a lie, and all of them knew that much, but no one called him on it. Before he disappeared into Jongho’s skin, however, he did have something else to add.

“Though, my words will only light the fire under his ass and distract him for so long. You all seem content not knowing who took it, and that’s strange to me, but whatever. I suggest you all find the pipsqueak captain before blondie starts getting in his own head again. I can’t assure you all I can step out of Jongho every time Seonghwa becomes overwhelmed with anguish. I put these emotions in the world, I know their power. You don’t want the ice prince coming after you because most of you won’t be able to stop the rage that kid has inside from this. So find him. And quit feelin’ so damn sorry for yourselves.” With that, Whiro settled back onto the skin of Jongho’s arms.

Everyone glanced at each other before standing to go to their own respective rooms except Yunho, since they had gathered in his room.

As one of them left, his shoulders slumped lower than the others, his heart thundering in his chest.

‘I’m sorry I took it...I’m so sorry, I didn’t know...I didn’t know it would be this way, please forgive me, I just-’

-x-

-We're losing light

And strength of will

The darkened depths beckoning still

And we hold on

Against the tide-

-x-

Dawn pursed his lips.

“The pirates called for you. Should we get going?”

Hyuna lifted her head from the tub of water she was mostly submerged in.

“Can’t. They’re in Greece. If I stepped foot in Greco-Roman territory again, Zeus would surely come down from Olympus himself to strike me down. He’s still bitter I didn’t just accept my role as the harbinger of evil to mankind and then die off like the toy he created me to be. Whatever the boys need me for, I’ll just apologize next time they call on me. I’m sure it’s nothing. Besides, the last time they called me, I got my ass kicked. They’ll live if I just take a rain check this once.” Hyuna pouted from the tub before sinking back into the water, her inky hair making the water seem like it was pitch black.

Dawn watched her for a moment before humming and turning to sharpen his sickles.

Maybe she had a point.

-x-

-Beneath the storm and left to fight alone

Remember son, you're reaping what you've sown

Under the waves and sinking like a stone

I'm sorry son, you're reaping what you've sown-

-x-

When Lloyd answered the door that one cold night in January, he wasn’t expecting his son on the other side of the door. His lips parted in surprise.

“Jesus it's cold, Lloyd, why is the door op-YUNHO!”

Yunho laughed through his tears as Robin shot out from behind Lloyd, nearly knocking him down as he hugged him tight. His dreads, though graying, were much longer than the last time Yunho saw him, and he couldn’t help the big smile that crossed his face as the sound of thundering footsteps followed by excited screams pierced through the night air.

The smell of sapodilla and of Barbados lilies flooded his nose with the smell of cerasee clinging to Robin’s clothes.

Before he knew it, he was crying, relieved to see all four of his parents in good health.

Lloyd observed them with a small smile on his face, before he noticed the men standing just off behind him.

“I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Lloyd, one of Yunho’s fathers. My partners will introduce themselves once they’re finished hugging the daylights out of our poor son...though...there seems to be more of you than last time, and I don’t see the captain…?”

Yunho tensed immediately, and it didn’t go unnoticed by his parents. Mei pulled away first, noticing the wobble of Yunho’s lip and Valeria cupped his cheeks.

“Ay, lad...what’s wrong baby?”

“I’m...I’m the captain now.” Seonghwa spoke, though he didn’t meet any of their eyes. Robin pulled away, as well, and Yunho sighed, rubbing his arm.

“I...I came home because we need some help.” He murmured.

All four of them exchanged a look before Lloyd stepped aside.

“Come inside from the cold, boys. Mei will brew some tea, and you can explain what happened.”

-20 years Later-

Mingi sat in silence as he sat in a cathedral. He had taken some time away from Yunho’s island to visit another, picking up a few books to read from a shop on curses and the like. Was it the most ideal place to be reading something like this? Most likely not, but he had to do what he needed to.

The crew had stayed near the Caribbean Islands, doing their absolute best to find somewhere, anywhere to start.

It was stifling, with tensions so high. Some members from the original crew had either moved on or passed away trying to help Seonghwa and the others locate Hongjoong, and the blonde captain had been adamant about not bringing new members in.

There...was no love lost between the seven of them, Mingi liked to think, but he’d be lying if he said Seonghha hadn’t put up a wall between all of them and himself. After Whiro put him in his place, he seemed to mask his true anguish and hurt, and they all could tell it was taking a toll on him, though he always put on and front when he was around them.

He was the leader. The captain. He had to keep himself together, lest they all fall apart. Hongjoong trusted him to do this much. To protect them. If that meant suppressing his own emotions for the betterment of the crew, so be it. It wasn’t like it was something he didn’t know how to do already.

He was raised as royalty, next up for the throne and title of a king. Kings couldn’t show any cowardice and weakness. Seonghwa could hide away his emotions well enough.

Though, that was a lie. They could all see it. The chips in his icy exterior. The tremble in his lips when he kissed them. The slight, barely there crack in his voice when he went to reassure them. Seonghwa was falling apart and masking it with layers of ice, but none of them had the heart to call him out.

Not when they were falling apart too.

An air of failure and guilt clung to them and no amount of sweet words from Yunho’s parents could hold it back for too long.

Speaking of parents...

Mingi’s fingers trembled on the page. Right. He had to return to the island soon. Lloyd had passed away of natural causes from his old age and they would be having a celebration of life for him tonight.

The four of them all but put a pause on their work to help out with locating Hongjoong, studying everything from mythology, to curses themselves.

For two decades, they tirelessly helped them, and Mingi was forever grateful. Honestly, it was all four of them that kept the boys from completely losing hope. From the Irish, foul-mouthed tongue lashings they (lovingly) got from Valeria, to Robin taking their mind off of it with teaching them capoeira, to Mei gently telling them Korean folktales over cups of tea when the stress was too high, and finally, old Lloyd teaching all of them the way of herbal medicine and always lending an ear when they needed to vent.

The four of them had all but become the in-laws to the group, and Mingi was forever grateful.

“You look troubled.”

Mingi jolted, closing his book as a nun walked up to him. Mingi scooted over as she sat beside him, placing her hands on her lap as she looked forward past the pews to stare at the beautiful organ at the forefront of the hall.

He subtly hid the book behind his thigh, clearing his throat.

“I’m sorry, I just needed somewhere quiet to read and-”

“You’ve been staring at that page for half an hour. Either that passage is really good, or you’re troubled.” She laughed lightly. Mingi stared at the side of her face. His brow furrowed.

Why did she seem so familiar…?

“Would you like someone to lend an ear? We have a confessional, or I could just listen.” She offered, kind brown eyes staring into his own. He lowered his gaze to his hands and sighed.

“I’m just...looking for someone close to me. They were taken away and I don’t know if I can find them or where to start.” he muttered. The nun tilted her head before crossing her feet at the ankle, sitting up straighter.

Mingi expected her to mention God, they were in a place of worship, after all.

“I think you should take time to clear your heart and your mind. You’re very troubled and you won’t be able to focus on your objective when you are so conflicted. Life...throws lots of hurdles at you. Take time to catch your breath and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You can be surprised how asking different people for advice will steer you in the right direction. Sometimes you need to take a step back and look at it from a different angle. Remember that, and I hope you find your friend.” She smiled and stood up, waving to Mingi as she turned to leave.

“Wait!”

She paused.

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry if this is...a weird question, but what is your name, Sister?” He inquired. She blinked in surprise before sending him a kind name.

“Mine? My name is Sister Gracie.”

-x-

Seonghwa stood in front of a mirror, looking at his reflection. His jaw was clenched tight as he wiped his eyes. He had to pull himself together. Two decades and they haven’t found him yet.

He looked into his own grey eyes, his voice tense.

“I’m not giving up on you. I’ll never give up on you. I’ll find you, mon petit putois.” he muttered, adjusting the buttons to his shirt.

What he couldn’t tell, in a plane beyond the one he was standing in, was Hongjoong was looking back at him.

Panicked fists slammed against the invisible aquatic wall that separated the two of them.

“Hey! Hey!! I’m screaming at you, please!” Hongjoong looked behind him, finding something slithering in the depths of water behind him. Bubbles erupted from his mouth as he screamed louder, his voice getting raw as he reached desperately for the vision of the blonde man. He pressed his palm to the man’s image, tears in his eyes.

“ Please! I’m screaming, I’m begging! Why, why can’t you hear me?! Help me!”

A thick tentacle wrapped around his waist, pulling him roughly. Hongjoong scrambled, pressing both hands to the barrier. A laugh echoed from behind him before he was snatched back, away from the image of the blonde man.

In the guest room, Seonghwa placed a palm on the cool mirror, eyes downcast.

“I’ll find you. No matter how far you are, Hongjoong.”

-x-

-Beneath the storm and left to fight alone

Remember son, you're reaping what you've sown

Under the waves and sinking like a stone

I'm sorry son, you're reaping what you've sown-

-x-

He can feel it. Every time he dies. Every time he’s reborn and has a different name.

~1668, the first death after the curse was placed on him, he’s trampled by a horse.

1690, he can feel his throat closing after a fatal allergic reaction.

1712, an accident while trying to help create the first working steam engine.~

Hongjoong feels it all. It doesn’t help, the she-beast likes to toy with him. Sometimes she lets him roam free, in the vast expanse of...wherever he was trapped in. He had no concept of the passage of time anymore while he was in here. Everything felt...stalled and floaty. The woman told him he had been there for almost a century, in her clutches, but he paid it no mind.

That was absurd.

~1734, flash, then it’s gone with a lightning strike.

1756, huddled up for warmth, only to die by the morning from exposure getting lost in the mountains.

1778, blood loss from a carpenter accident. He was a careless man in this particular life.~

Sometimes she leaves him alone. For very long periods of time. He doesn’t know if he prefers that or not. On one hand, her torture was agonizing, between the way she’d wound him, leaving him on the brink of what surely should have been death, but unlike his selves on the outside, he couldn’t die in here.

No, he had to slowly power through the pain, slowly heal in this god forsaken place, and then she’d come back, and start all over.

He envied the other ‘hims’ on the outside. They got to live lives, all of which unfulfilling and mostly in poverty, but they still got to live them, and then they all died on November 7th, only for the piece of his soul to be cast away to another part of the world, into a newborn and reborn once again.

Then the cycle continued. He watched it all from this space. His lives, his deaths, over and over again.

The woman never called him anything other than cruel names and ‘Captain’, though he had no idea of what anymore.

Hell, he was pretty sure he’d forgotten his own name while trapped in here.

~1800, a casualty in the Quasi War.

1822, a fall from a moving locomotive.

1844, a fatal encounter with a wild boar.

1866, a mine shaft collapse.~

When he’s alone for decades at a time, he feels a bit of his sanity slip. Like he’ll never get out of this place. Like he’ll be here for all of eternity. Sometimes, he lays on his back, with his eyes closed for as long as he can, and waits.

Nothing ever happens, but sometimes it's easier to just...exist. Rest his eyes and his tired body. He hasn’t given up. Not yet, anyway, but sometimes it's better for him to just... be.

He’ll never admit to that woman that sometimes he looks forward to her arrival when she comes back from leaving him for so long, just because her presence grounds him into reality.

Or, rather, whatever hellish reality he’s found himself in at her hands.

At her hands, and as he looks out at the bubble she forces him to look at, finding those same seven men. Or, rather, two of them, this time.

They’re in Paris, the one with the dimples has an arm around the other one’s waist, muttering something into his ear. He nudges him before a tender smile comes to his lips and the two share a kiss before disappearing into a hotel room.

The brunette looked away, not sure why he was made to follow these people along though his time here. She always sneered in his ear that they were to blame, that they were the key to getting him out, that they were all happier without him and had forgotten him at this point.

She never showed him the seven of them tirelessly searching for him. He didn’t even know how hard they were working. She carefully picked out the rare moments they took time to themselves to catch their breaths and try and stabilize themselves, painting them as people who didn’t have any sense of urgency or care in the world.

The cook who made large meals with a big smile on his face. The inseparable duo, always attached at the hip, in each other’s space, bringing love and comfort to one another. The tall man with his nose in the books, glasses perched on his nose as he spent days engrossed in his books. The other tall one, filling out his notebooks with whatever hasty, nearly illegible sprawlings came to him as he sat amongst plants. The rugged one with the curious markings on his arms and legs that sometimes shifted and formed some dark being. Hongjoong would be surprised, but he had an aquatic beast breathing down his neck with tentacles for legs and rabid dog heads extending from her waist, so he would be lying if he said he was truly surprised.

The only one that never looked like he was relaxed was the blonde. Pricilla didn’t show him for long, but whenever he was in the background of those visions she’d hand picked for him, he looked like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. An air of guilt and anguish always settled underneath whatever expression he happened to have on his face, and it always made Hongjoong tilt his head and gave him a small flicker of hope.

~1888, a fall during the construction of a new building.

1910, a stage accident during the production of a play.

1932, burned alive saving a child from a fire.

1954, starvation.

1976, a hostage, taken out in an unsuccessful negotiation.~

He’s exhausted. He wonders if Pricilla is too. Doesn’t it get exhausting to do this to someone? Was what happened that led him to this point really that bad?

He watched his soul go into another body, sitting down and watching this one grow up. Quite the rebellious one, this version of himself. From his mullet, to the dark makeup around his eyes and the piercings littering his ears.

The trapped man watched him, grateful Pricilla had chosen to leave him alone for the time being.

He looked at a calendar on the wall behind the other him as he walked by one day, spotting the ‘1997’ on the wall.

Ah, only a year left until he’d die and another incarnation of him would come.

One day, as the other him is looking in the mirror, the trapped soul stands and stares at him. He knows he looks like hell, though he’s grateful Pricilla never showed him what he looked like. Hell, at this point, he wasn’t sure if these versions of ‘himself’ were really him, or if it was all just an elaborate lie.

“I’m right here. I’ve been right here. You’re lucky, living on the outside. You don’t even know I’m here, do you? You can’t see me, they never can.” He muttered bitterly.

The man on the other end paused the application of his makeup, his cut brow twitching.

“I can hear you. I liked it better when you were just some weird, fucked up version of myself in my dreams, though. I have enough on my plate without worrying about if I need to see a shrink for voices in my head.”

He froze.

“You can hear me?! You can hear me, really?!”

The other him narrowed his eyes.

“Jesus, you’re loud. Yes, I can hear you.”

He stared wide eyed at himself and for the first time in centuries, he had a flicker of hope. He wasn’t sure what changed, but for once, he got the fire in his whole body to get up and fight with his whole body once more.

-x-

-You're reaping what you've sown

You're reaping what you've sown

You're reaping what you've sown-

-x-

“You still haven’t forgotten the pirate from Delphi?”

Grey-ish blue eyes opened slowly and looked up at a pair that were identical.

“I could have done something, Tem.”

A small hum came from her lips as she crossed her legs and stared at him. She reached over, smoothing down his blonde hair before she pulled him into a hug.

“Why do you cling onto that immortal? He was only with you for but so long.”

“He made an impression. The way he spoke of his family and his crew, it was honestly the most genuine and pure emotions I’ve seen in centuries, and still, I haven’t quite seen anything like it.” he muttered.

He was met with a small hum.

“So, centuries later, several incarnations of him later, and you still want to step in and help? Is it because of Hyacinthus?”

He pursed his lips, looking down at her collar, biting his lip.

“I-”

“He’s gone, Apollo. But I see this means a lot to you. Father and Uncle have their hands tied with their...ugh...escapades, so I doubt you’d find much resistance. I can...I can try and help you. I hate to see my brother like this.”

Blue eyes widened and he pulled back.

“Artemis-”

“I said I can try . You and I, there is only but so much that we can do. This may even require you to step out from Olympus, out from our domain, and into the domain of other deities. Some of them may not be too privy to actually help out. Our father hasn’t left the greatest of impressions on the other sky deities and they tend to run the show. But, I will try for you.” She kissed the top of his head and sat back.

“We should get started. We should look into this curse a bit more. If it was our...darling cousin that put the curse on the man, I wouldn’t be surprised if she put in some hidden stipulations.”

He stood, eyes determined.

“Right, then. Let’s get to work.”

Artemis smiled and led him out of the room.

“Let's start by talking to the Fates. Maybe they can tell us where we can start.”

-x-

-We're slowly losing ground

And hope is harder to maintain

When all the prayers we've prayed

Feel lost like tears in the rain-

-x-

The king snarled, exhaustion pulling at his form.

Really, how fucking long had he been there? Was he even going in the right direction? Which way was up or down?

The heavens themselves wouldn’t save that damn beast of a woman when he got to the front of the pathetic pirate’s mind. He swore it on his own pride and honor, he would revel in breaking her in half.

Then those incompetent ass pirates. He was certain if they had gotten to the kid sooner and broke whatever curse was inflicted, he would’ve already been at the forefront of the captain’s mind once more.

Instead, he was here, swimming in the inky blackness of this idiot’s mind, unsure if he was even-

“-member me?”

He blinked, hearing an echo. His scaled head snapped up, pausing momentarily.

Was that…?

“I have dreams, yes. Of past ‘mes’, I guess. You’re really kind of persistent.”

“I’m sorry, I just...I need you to remember fully who you are, who we are. You’re the first one of me that can see and hear me. I think maybe...Maybe we can break the curse?”

“Sounds like a lot of work.”

The king’s fangs glinted as he looked towards the sound of the voices.

“F i n a l l y.”

-x-

-The waters pulling down

The moon's eclipsing the sun

The ending that we knew would come

Has finally begun-

-x-

Joong wasn’t much.

He lived his life poor and disinterested in life. His only friend was a fortune-telling, self proclaimed sun witch, and his only real interest in life was his motorcycle.

Nothing more, nothing less.

The dreams that plagued him since he was a child, of past lives and their subsequent deaths, none of it interested him.

They, like this persistent voice in his head for the past year, harping on a ‘curse’ or whatever, were just an inconvenience. He hadn’t heard from the ‘other him’ in a while, so maybe it was just an illusion from staying up late too many nights or something.

Either way, all this talk of mythical creatures and curses was truly a bother.

“Ah, you’re here. I was wondering when you’d show up.”

He ducked under the beaded curtain of the fortune telling shop, sitting across from a gorgeous woman with feline eyes.

“I told you I’d come, Siyeon. It is your birthday.”

Siyeon smiled softly and reached for his hands, gently rubbing her thumbs along the back of them.

“Yeah, but you never let me read your cards.”

Joong shrugged a shoulder, running a hand through his sandy brown mullet.

“Yeah, well. Happy birthday, how do you want me to do this?” He inquired. She laughed and pulled out a beautiful deck of tarot cards.

“You can shuffle the cards. Pull three of them and place them in a triangle formation and flip them one by one for me, okay?” the witch seemed excited about him participating, so he sent her a small, kind smile. He didn’t quite believe in any of this, but Siyeon was someone incredibly important to him, so just this once, he would go along with it.

He shuffled the cards, humming a birthday song to Siyeon while he did so before he followed her instructions and plucked three of the cards from three different sections of the deck, placing them in front of him in the shape of a triangle.

“Okay, flip them.”

Joong nodded and flipped the cards one by one.

Siyeon’s smile immediately fell.

A Reversed Emperor, The Tower, and the Three of Swords.

“Well that doesn’t look pleasant.” Joong tried to tease, but Siyeon’s expression didn’t crack. She looked up at him, brows pinched together. Joong shifted in his chair, the chains attached to his leather pants jingling from the move.

“Well? You gonna tell me what my fortune is, Si?”

“Right...right. Um...First is the Reversed Emperor. This is normally a symbol of power and being the king of kings, of sorts but um...reversed, there seems to be a lot of turmoil within you. You don’t have as much control as you’d like to believe you do, and it’s left you with a fake sense of safety and security.” She stared at the card before looking towards the second one.

“The Tower...there is chaos brewing for you, Joong. Chaos and destruction, and soon, something will happen that will absolutely turn your whole world upside down. The last, the Three of Swords, means heartbreak of some form is coming. It can be interpreted as something to do with the relationships you have, but it also can be in reference to some kind of terrible pain and suffering.”

“Well, that sounds welcoming.” Joong hummed, shrugging a shoulder. Siyeon looked at him, her face conflicted.

“I-”

“Hey, it's alright. Maybe your cards just don’t like me today.” He teased. Siyeon opened her mouth to tell him that wasn’t how it worked, but he put a hand over hers, sending her a disarming smile.

“Hey, it’s your birthday. Don’t worry so much about this stuff right now. I finally let you read my cards, so let’s go out to eat or something.” He offered. Siyeon resisted the urge to scold him and tell him to take what she had read more seriously, to caution himself, but instead, she only nodded and stood from her table.

“You’re taking me to the Latin place down the street, right?”

“Only the best for my best witch. See what I did there?”

“Because I’m a witch, hardy harr, let’s go nerd.”

-x-

“What do you mean there was a curse placed on him?! How long was it gonna take before you found me?!”

“We tried days after it happened! You didn’t respond!”

Hyuna paused, staring at Yeosang in surprise before she squinted.

“Wait...in Greece…?”

“Yes!”

“HE’S BEEN GONE FOR THAT-” a hand covered her mouth and she nearly bit San, eyes narrowing at him. He sent her a dirty look, wiping his hand off on his jeans before he looked at Dawn.

He was the calmer of the two of them, so they’d get answers from him.

“Hyuna can’t step foot in the Greco-Roman territories. Zeus would skin her alive. Since you all were in Greece when you called on her, she didn’t come for her own safety. And I imagine because of her not responding that time, none of you called on us again until right now?” the weasel spirit inquired.

Wooyoung, San, and Mingi shook their heads. The three of them had stuck together this time.

Somewhere at the turn of the 20th century, Seonghwa had suggested they start splitting up to try and find Hongjoong, since all seven of them looking in the same spot in such a vast and ever changing world was...impractical, at best. Downright idiotic at worst.

It made sense, but all of them knew that was the kindest way Seonghwa could tell them he couldn’t stand looking at some of them as much as he could anymore. They had begun to see the cracks once more. The barely concealed tick of his jaw when he thought no one was looking. The way he sometimes scanned their group when they were together, silently hoping whoever took it would come forward.

At the very least, he needed to know who did it. Whiro be damned.

Speaking of, he and Jongho had become exceptional trackers, which came as no surprise to the group. After all, Jongho had tracked down Hongjoong with the minimal information and tech that he had from before, so this was progressively getting easier.

He just needed to be faster. He’d found Hongjoong once, the last time, but by time he got to the city he felt Hongjoong was in, he could only stand by in wide-eyed shock as the sound of a gunshot rang out into the night.

He didn’t tell the others that part. He and Whiro would bear that one alone.

Regardless of their failures, they often grouped up on the 22nd year, to try to fruitlessly put together the pieces they needed to find him this time before his birthday passed and they inevitably lost their opportunity once more.

It was 1998 now. The 22nd year. He’s birthday was in a week and he’d die once more if they didn’t find him.

Hyuna frowned and looked at her box on her hip.

“I don’t have any spirits for searching, but I can find some. For...y’know, the next time.” She cringed. The boys did as well before hearing the door to the loft they were temporarily staying in open.

Seonghwa must have come home.

Hyuna gauged the looks on their faces and cringed.

“Right, then. I imagine this won’t be a good look for me to be here if that’s how all of you are looking at me. Dawn and I will go and I’ll get back to you as soon as I find a dog spirit suited for the job. I’m...I’m sorry.” She bowed her head down and the two of them disappeared as soon as the door opened.

Seonghwa stared at the trio for a moment before pointing behind him, his voice having lost nearly all of it’s usual sass and coyness.

“Come, I brought food.”

The three of them exchanged a look before trudging out of the room.

-x-

“Apollo, you really are impressive.”

Alistair, or rather, Apollo, wiped sweat from his brow and looked up from his spot on the floor before Hera, blood running down his temple as he tossed the head of some beast at her feet.

“Will you help me?”

“I haven’t seen you so determined to do anything since Hyacinthus’ death. And even Kaliopel is helping out-”

“I spoke with the Fates, I’ve spoken to Aunt Persephone and convinced Uncle Hades to offer up assistance in locating where the soul goes...even Nana Styx offered to pacify my father. I just need your help this once.”

Hera arched a perfectly curved brow.

“And if I say no?”

“I assure you, I can find someone else who will help me in my plight. This could be your chance to get rid of me, but if not-”

“I’m listening.”

Apollo exhaled, looking at the sun disk charm in his palm. He had retrieved it from the sea shortly after Hongjoong disappeared into the depths all those moons ago.

“I offer up half of my godhood for your assistance. All I ask is your assistance in distracting my father and for your aid in my wife and I finding him. It’s too late this time for us to intervene, but I think a soul toiling around in this cycle without the acceptance of the gods is already means enough for someone to step in. If he is out of our domain, I shall go to him. I just ask that you help me, this once. You’ll never see me again afterwards.”

Hera looked at him in genuine surprise.

“All this running, and it’s not for another consort?”

“No. It’s to break the curse no one authorized my cousin to make. Even Uncle Poisiden doesn’t seem to recall giving Scylla permission to do such a thing. It has caused conflict between him and Uncle Hades.”

Hera stared at him for a long while, looking at the offering he’d so graciously tossed at her feet. She tutted and stood, her sandaled feet being the only sound in the room as she descended the stairs to her throne. She plucked a peacock feather from her robe and pressed it to Apollo’s forehead.

“Get up off of your knees. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but your words and determination have appealed to me. I shall take part of your godhood in exchange for my assistance, but it shall be restored in full if you can complete your task. I will only help you once. If he dies again, you’re on your own.” She warned him before humming.

“I’ll even see about getting you some extra assistance.”

Apollo perked.

“Extra?”

“Don’t get too excited. It won’t be easy. We’ll see how determined you are. Go speak to Mnemosyne and her daughter Klio and refresh yourself with what you have missed. Then go.”

Apollo nodded and stood, a resolute look on his face.

“Thank you, Hera.”

“Tell anyone I was kind to you and I’ll find a way to kill you myself. Now go.”

Without another word, the Sun God turned on his heel and left, looking at the sun disk in his palm.

There was a lot of work to be done.

-x-

-You're reaping what you've sown

It's finally begun

You're reaping what you've sown

I'm sorry son, you're reaping what you've sown

You're reaping what you've sown

You're reaping what you've sown-

-x-

“JOONG! JOONG HOLD ON, PLEASE!”

The biker looked towards the sky, his body growing numb as he felt Siyeon’s hands shakily cup his face. Somewhere off to the side, his motorcycle lay in pieces.

So this was it? A car collision?

Ugh.

“Joong! Joong please!”

He knows Siyeon is yelling, but all he can hear is static. Above her head, he can see the sad reflection of himself, looking down at him.

Oh, so that’s where he was.

He stared at it for a long time before blinking slowly, letting out a terse laugh.

“Don’t have such a horrible look on your face. It’s only another life, right? You looked so hopeful. Find yourself again.”

Siyeon’s brows pinched together in confusion, but the other him’s eyes grew.

‘Find yourself again.’

In the depths of the eighth sea, between the planes of this world and the next, the captain grits his teeth and nods, swimming away from his dying form.

He couldn’t give up. It was a slow time coming, but he couldn’t give up. He wouldn’t let her win. Hell, he had even made a breakthrough with himself, something he couldn’t fathom happening before.

He was close. He was close to doing... something .

The king was also getting closer.

‘Pricilla’ had chosen to leave him alone for the first few years of his next life, it was nothing extraordinary. He was an orphan, lonely just like he had been for all sixteen of his lives before this one.

Everything changed in 2008.

“Melody, look!”

He swam to the edge, peering out.

What is this? Someone noticed him in the orphanage?

No one ever noticed him before.

“Hey there, buddy. Do you wanna come home with us? You and your siblings?”

The child frowned and looked at his feet, a small beret hiding most of his hair.

“I don’t have siblings.”

The massive man sent him a smile, tucking his hair behind his ear and as the spirit watched on, he could see he had lots of tattoos.

“You do now. If you’d like to come with us, Hongjoong.” He offered. The ten year old blinked.

“My name..isn’t…”

“George is a bit boring, don’t you think? I like Hongjoong better. It means you’re the center of the whole world, y’know.”

Hongjoong looked up at him, then the woman standing behind him who sent him a gentle smile as three other children clung to her dress, staring at him in anticipation. They looked desperate to get out of the orphanage and have a family.

A happy family.

Hongjoong smiled shyly and walked up to the grey-ish blue eyed man, gently squeezing the little harbor seal plushie he kept with him at all times. He stepped in front of the man, shifting from foot to foot.

“You won’t...you won’t throw me away, will you, mister? Not me and my friend Angel, will you?” He inquired, hugging the seal tighter. The man shook his head.

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Hongjoong. Do you accept? Will you come with us?”

Hongjoong paused for only a second longer before he nodded, all but jumping into his arms with a wide smile.

The tall man’s arms closed around him and he smiled, picking him up before picking up one of the other children.

She stared at Hongjoong with wide eyes before smiling softly, her hair up in a ponytail.

“My name is Suzuka. I guess you’re my little brother now?”

Hongjoong nodded eagerly.

“Yes! My name is George-ah no...d-dad said my name is Hongjoong!”

The spirit of the captain watched on with tears in his eyes and disbelief.

Even he didn’t remember his name anymore, but somehow, when this man appeared, he felt a familiar sense of home and warmth when he uttered the name to the child.

The captain watched the child and his family (that word felt so new to him. Family. He hadn’t had a family in ages) grow together. He expected the worst. Expected the tattooed man and his wife to be demons. That had to be it, there was no way he’d have a happy life when the sixteen leading up to this point were so miserable.

They...never treated the four of them with anything other than the purest form of respect and love the captain can remember. He watched on, as the mother sang lullabies and told them stories before bed. As their father taught them how to play music, tattooed fingers working over a guitar, or the keys to a piano.

This...was honestly such a happy and energetic life.

He had friends and family. He smiled every day, got to perform on stages.

Hongjoong...was happy. For the first time in centuries, he was truly happy.

Years later, Pricilla returned, wrapping her limbs around him.

No, no, no, he couldn’t let it end. He couldn’t let the best version of himself die again.

So he turned and fought with all his might. He clawed and scratched and bit down on whatever he could.

No more, he was tired. He wanted to live, he just wanted to live!

“Captain! What’s gotten into you, hm? I haven’t seen such fight in your eyes in a while~”

He’d fight. Harder than ever before. He couldn’t let her win.

Hongjoong thrashes, slamming his fists against the wall. He can see himself, just beyond the water, blissfully unaware.

He’s laughing with his friends, celebrating new years as the calendar rolls over from 2019 to 2020. The captain feels his throat close slightly. This was the 22nd year. He was going to lose again, wasn’t he? He was going to lose his life again if the curse wouldn’t be broken.

Sometimes he screams at his own reflection, hoping somehow he can hear himself. The last one, the biker named Joong, heard his voice. So maybe if he could get through to this one…

He needs to know, he has to find out who he is.

“Hello!? Can you hear me?! Hello!” He screams out to the college student.

“Remember them, remember yourself!” He shouts. It's almost funny in a tragic way. He in spirit can’t even remember the names of the men that held his fate in his hands. The seven men from before. He needed them to help unlock his memories. They were the key as much as he was, he thinks.

Golden eyes watch him, impressed. A clawed hand snakes around his body and squeezes his face so hard it hurts. He glares at the woman, his lips curled up into a scowl. She tuts at him, shaking her head.

“You’ve been fighting for so long, Captain. Wouldn’t it be easier to give up? They look close to calling it quits. How could they not? Centuries without their precious leader, their precious lover-” She spits the word out like a curse, but Hongjoong only pushes past her, swimming to the opposite side of the vast space. He can see the men, six instead of seven this time.

“You want to give up on him?!” Seonghwa snarled. Mingi’s nostrils flared in anger as he stood nearly chest to chest with the ex prince.

“I didn’t say that! I’m saying you need to slow the fuck down and breathe for a bit. None of us have gotten anywhere like this. We’re tearing ourselves apart like this!” He hissed. Seonghwa grit his teeth, ice frosting over his fingers as he glared at him.

“None of this would even be happening if-” He stopped himself short, clenching his fists. Mingi glared at him.

“If what? If someone didn’t steal the staff? You keep bringing it up, you keep looking at me different than the others. You still think it’s me!”

Seonghwa lowered his gaze, but didn’t deny the accusation. Mingi clenched his fists so hard it hurt, before he raised his voice.

“I didn’t do it! How many times do I have to tell you I didn’t steal it?! Even if I did, do you think I wouldn’t have come clean by now?!”

“I never said you did steal it!” Seonghwa barked.

“You didn’t have to!”

The two of them began to argue and Jongho stood, letting out a sigh.

“Fuck this, we’re going for a walk.” He grumbled, sliding on a leather jacket. Yeosang watched him in concern before standing to retreat into the kitchen, five fox tails swaying behind him as he began cooking. Yunho sighed and laid on the floor out of the way. He was too tired for this today. Geb rumbled in silent agreement while Wooyoung shook in San’s grip.

“Cheese, c’mon boy.” Jongho beckoned and a black and tan Jindo ran up to him, nuzzling his thigh and letting him put a harness on before he walked out, slamming the door with a bit of force behind him.

Whiro rumbled in his head.

“You got the cloth for the dog, right?”

“Never leave home without it.” Jongho held out a small cloth, dangling it under Cheese’s nose. The dog was given to them by Hyuna as a search dog for Hongjoong. He was still young, but with a bit more training, Jongho was sure he’d be a good supernatural sniffing dog.

At least, he hoped he could sniff Hongjoong out before November. They were running out of time.

Seonghwa and Mingi continued arguing and the captain screamed from beyond the invisible walls, pounding on the wall desperately.

“What are you doing?! Stop it! Stop arguing!! Please!!!! Find him! Find me!” He screams, watching Seonghwa and Mingi argue. San and Wooyoung are holding each other, eyes downcast. Yeosang is busying himself in the kitchen, distracting himself from the argument. Yunho is curled up on the floor, an arm over his eyes as he keeps himself from intervening.

Hongjoong felt his heart sink, biting his lip as he watched the men. The hand comes back, fingers wrapping around his ankle as she pulls him down like she’d done time and time before.

Deeper, deeper into the eighth sea, the sea of time itself.

Deeper, deeper into the abyss.

Hongjoong reaches out at the wall, tears rolling out of his eyes and washing away with the salt water.

“Please, don’t give up on me.”

-x-

-This sorrow weighs down on my shoulders

This fear is getting harder to hide

You’ll leave me alone in this darkness

Left to hold out

Against the tide-

-x-

Jongho sighs as he bundles up. It was March, so the chill of winter still clung to the air in South Korea. Whiro stretched across his skin under his jacket, providing an extra layer of insulation that none of the locals could see.

Amazing how close the two of them had become.

Cheese tugged at the leash, barking once before pulling him forward. Jongho blinked before jolting in surprise at how persistent the dog was.

“Cheese, what the hell-”

Cheese ignored his protests and pulled the Maori man into a crowd of people. He was about to scold him when he heard a voice.

His heart stopped.

“People want it

People dream about it

It can be different to every individual

It can complete us

Or it can destroy us

And it can change the world

People call it 'treasure'”

Jongho’s lips parted in surprise as he watched a man walk forward on a stage, his hair a sandy brown color in a mullet. He held a microphone to his lips as a few other people and even some kids moved around behind him. It seemed to be a street performance of some kind.

Jongho had his eyes focused on the small brunette the whole time.

“The sound of wind blowing from the horizon

The warmth of the sun hitting the ocean waves

The vibration of sand beating like the hearts of youth

We're at the starting point of this long journey”

“Holy fucking shit, kid.” Whiro’s voice snapped him back into focus as he tugged at his hand. “Get the phone, Jongho! Close your mouth and get the phone!”

Jongho shakily plucked his phone from his pocket and held it up, eyes wide as he recorded, nearly dropping it.

On the stage, the brunette dressed in modern clothing that was clearly supposed to resemble pirate attire, walked around the stage, smiling at some of the kids and some of the other five adults on stage.

“The freezing winds may make us shiver

The heat of the sun may make us thirsty

The vibrations of the sand may swallow us

But we'll never stop.”

The group grew closer to him, and Jongho watched a woman with feline features raise her microphone next, posing prettily.

“Gold~”

A man with piercings through his eyebrow and bottom lip put an arm on her shoulder, speaking into his own microphone.

“Eternal life~”

A blonde man with a distinct accent put an arm around the brunette’s shoulder, grinning at him before he winked at the crowd, sending them a smile that made his eyes crinkle.

“Honor~”

A slightly shorter man with a deeper voice wiggled under the blonde’s arm and grabbed his mic, his accent matching his as he chimed out his own line in a deep baritone.

“Love~”

A person with pink hair with yellow and blue chalk highlights eagerly bounded up behind them, all but throwing themselves onto the brunette’s back in the center, their long legs stretching outward.

“Fame!”

The six of them laughed before the brunette in the center held his microphone up to his lips.

“It doesn't matter what you dream for,

So let me ask you

What.is.your.treasure?” he extended a hand out and for the first time in centuries, as the sound of people clapping around him echoed through his ears, tears slipped down his cheeks.

“Hong...joong…?”

“Will you join us?”

------------Taglist-

@kimnamshiks @angel0taiyo @atiny-dazzlinglight @phasephoenix @eversionic @itsatinyworld @prettyjoongs @unatempesta-dipensieri @lonely10vely @yunhosblackgf @not-majestic-bluenicorn @moonmin-miya @girlcarma @kpopthingzsblog @delphinium3000 @just-a-starfruit @mireyth @skmoonchild @queen-of-himbos @allthestarsrcloser @sneaky-ash @im-what-iam @thereal-smolchild @arohatiny @smallfrye @atinyteez @takitaro @hunnibxbe

#fie writes #against the tide #kwritersworldnet #kdiarynet #kpopuniversenet #atzinc #kconnet #AtT Ch.10 #ateez fic #ateez fanfic #kpop fanfic #ateez fanfiction #ot8 #ateez ot8 #member x member #ateez ot8 fic #polyteez #hey look i posted and its not 3am look at that pls reblog if you like it thx ily

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aceofspadegrass · 3 years

Note

What's this??? Niragi and chishiya turn into cats! Now its up to nijiro and Dori to take care of them. (Pre borderland)

Pre-BorderKitties

Characters: Dori Sakurada, Nijiro Murakami, Niragi Suguru (Technically), Chishiya Shuntaro (Also technically-)

Genre: Fluff. Just a bit of soft times with kitties.

1.4k words

I did it, after so long of this thing sitting in my inbox. I hope I did it justice, even if I never mentioned how they even turned into cats in the first place! Look, I even made a custom liner for this-

The knock at the door wasn’t foreign to Sakurada. Sometimes people come by to have a chat with him, usually either close friends coming over to visit, or occasionally a delivery person bringing him his packages. He gets up, his dog Fanta napping happily as he strides over to the door, opening it and being greeted by a very familiar face.

“ Sakurada! Sorry for bothering you, but-“ Sakurada holds a hand out to stop his junior, Nijiro Murakami, from bowing too far, a small box in hand. “ No worries. What’s going on?” Sakurada asks, stepping aside to let Murakami inside. Murakami nods his head in thanks as he steps inside, taking off his shoes and putting on the house sandals that were neatly laid out for any guests, Sakurada following behind as they head to the living room together.

Murakami sets the box on the table, the kind meant for carrying fruits like oranges or melons, and there was a faint noise coming from the inside. Curious, Sakurada bends down to peek into the hole at the side, eyes widening as a little face peeks out in return.

“ Are those….?”

Murakami nods, and he pulls open the flap, Sakurada peering inside. There, nestled on a nest made of a black and white towel, were two little cats, one of them half buried in the towel while the other was wide awake, staring up at Sakurada. The cat was a smooth white colour, with a slight tinge of grey at the top of its head as well as little spots on its body. The cat hops out and pads away, Murakami sighing as they watch the cat leave.

“ I found them huddled together near the studio, and the director said I should probably get them somewhere safer, since they’re filming and people are gonna be everywhere. This one, the black coloured cat?” He points to the one still in the box, which appeared to be shaking out of fear, pulling at Sakurada’s heartstrings. “ He was absolutely terrified at anyone who approached him, I think he was hurt before….. Poor thing.” Sakurada nods, just observing the cat. Unlike its counterpart, this one was the opposite, a dark colour with patches of a lighter shades on its body, much more frequent than the white one. “ Do they have names?” Murakami chuckles. “ Actually, yeah. See, when we were discussing the shoot, our characters names came up at one point. You know, Niragi and Chishiya? And, well-“ Murakami gestures at the box again, the kitten now peering up at the two of them from a hole in the towel, dark eyes nervous yet curious. “ They respond to it like it’s their names. So I decided this one is Niragi, and the white one is Chishiya! Like our characters! I think they were both boys as well, so it fits!” “ I see…. Isn’t this Niragi a bit skittish though? So it’s more appropriate to call this one the Niragi before the main plot. Pre-Borderlands.” Sakurada points out, Murakami nodding. Niragi had buried himself back into the towel, Murakami shutting the lid shut again to give the cat some privacy. Chishiya on the other hand was gone, hidden away where Sakurada hopes he wasn’t messing the area up. He’d hate to find it later covered in unmentionables because the cat decided to use it as his personal bathroom.

Still, he wasn’t sure why Murakami even decided to bring them here of all places. They were cute, sure, but he wasn’t a cat owner and didn’t have any of the proper materials to even watch over a cat long term, let alone two. If they were puppies, he’d be a little more prepared, and maybe Fanta could even play with them. But these were cats, and with one obviously skittish and the other clearly wanting nothing to do with them, they probably wouldn’t have gotten along as he’d hope.

Still, no point in not trying. He gets up and heads to the kitchen. They had to be thirsty and hungry, right? He could get them some water and some fish easy, Sakurada opening his fridge and grabbing some leftover fish. He turns on his stove, pouring a little oil to lubricate the pan. He chops up the fish into smaller, more manageable bites for the cats, and tosses that in, letting the fish cook a little.

The smell soon begins to linger, although not terribly strong of a smell, but out of the corner of his eye he spots a small presence of white staring at him from around the counter corner. Sakurada glances over and smiles, Chishiya not moving from his position, merely licking his lips at the smell. So he was hungry. That was good. Sakurada plates the cooked fish soon enough, and pours water into a bowl for the cats. He carries both out a bit further, setting them down on the ground and walking away. Murakami smiles at him in appreciation, and he opens the box, peering inside.

“ Hey, it’s lunchtime now….. It’s okay, we’re not here to hurt you.” Murakami says, in hopes of reassuring the black cat. There was no response, Murakami frowning a little and looking up at Sakurada. Sakurada just gently takes the box and sets it on the ground near the water and fish, tilting it over so Niragi could come out eventually at his own pace. He steps away and sits across Murakami, the both watching the area.

It was a slow movement, but eventually the box shifts, and Niragi comes padding out, coming closer to the food and water. The two adults watch in anticipation as Niragi sniffs at the fish, then gingerly takes one piece. “ Yes…!” Sakurada mutters under his breath with a smiles, Murakami smiling nearby. Niragi drops the piece on the ground and slowly takes a few bites, huddled close to the ground as he ate. Chishiya was nowhere to be seen, Sakurada looking around. He swore he saw the white cat somewhere earlier….

“ Oh- Look, there he is!” Murakami points, and Sakurada looks back over, the white cat appearing from practically nowhere and approaching the water bowl, dipping its head and drinking without a single glance at either party, cat or human. Niragi practically scoots away the moment Chishiya came over, apparently even scared of the other cat despite no clear notice of the latter. The poor thing, really, if it was that skittish of everything. Sakurada hopes he’d be okay, the cat looked rather young still.

He laughs internally to himself. Maybe this Niragi would undergo the same personality change like the character would, becoming more confident and perhaps more destructive to whoever had the misfortune of keeping them.

“ You’re going to take them to a shelter later, right?” Sakurada looks to Murakami, who was also watching the cats eat and drink. Murakami turns his head towards him, mouth opening and closing as he thought.

“ I don’t know, honestly. Probably. I don’t know if I can handle them for that long, and I wasn’t really planning on adopting two cats out of the blue. They deserve better than that.” Murakami pouts a little, turning his attention back to the cats, Chishiya having already started eating while Niragi remained curled up nearby. “ But just for a few days, I want to keep an eye on them, you know? They’re just so cute, and we can post about them online so maybe they can be adopted that way?” “ You’re attached, aren’t you~” Sakurada smirks, Murakami sputtering.

“ Wh- Hey, okay maybe a little-“ Murakami gestures loosely to the cats, Chishiya now grooming himself. “ They didn’t run away immediately when I approached them, so I felt like, cool!” Sakurada laughs a little at that, smiling. “ You are pretty cool. Ahh, okay, we can take care of them for a little bit. But you’re helping me, okay? I have things to do too, and since you were the one to bring me them…” He leans over, nudging him playfully with an elbow. Murakami nods, smiling. “ Of course! It’s the least I can do!”

There was a small meow, and both men look down, Chishiya staring up at them with what Sakurada swore looked almost smug, then padding his furry little body onto Murakami’s lap, judging by how the younger man’s eyes widen as he stares at his lap. Murakami looks over to Sakurada with a loose grin, mouthing about how Chishiya had curled up oh so casually on his lap and pointing, Sakurada chuckling airily and nodding.

A second meow and the feeling of something nudging his leg catches his attention, and Sakurada looks down, Niragi ducking underneath the table instead the moment Sakurada took notice of the cat, his little tail still peeking out as Sakurada chuckles. Close enough, but he didn’t mind giving them shelter for a bit. It’d be fun, and honestly…. yeah, they were adorable.

#aib #alice in borderland #aib fanfic #alice in borderland fanfic #sakurada dori #murakami nijiro #niragi suguru #chishiya shuntaro #but they're cats #it's just very soft times I guess-#what set were they at? you decide- :3 #pre borderland niragi is so skittish and pre borderland chishiya is very aloof #pre niragi kitty is trying his best to interact but people spooky~#what wizard did they anger this time? who knows #murakami now makes a good cat rest spot #ask

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grailfinders · 4 years

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Fate and Phantasms #106: Jeanne d’Arc (Alter)

Today on Fate and Phantasms, we’re making the burning dragon witch of France, Jeanne d’Arc (Alter)! Jalter’s pretty good- Fire, more fire, and bullying dragons into serving you- solid kit!

Check out Jalter’s build breakdown below the cut, or her character sheet over here!

Next up: We’re really testing that “All Dogs Go to Heaven” theory, huh?

Race and Background

Like I said with Mash, Homunculus isn’t really a race in D&D, so we’ll have to keep things simple. While you are a magically made copy, you’re a copy of a Human, so we’ll have to stick with that. This gives you +1 to all abilities. Make up the Magic Doppelganger background (or just use Haunted One) for Arcana and Religion proficiencies. You’re made of magic, and you have to know about God in order to spit in His face.

Ability Scores

If that custom background wasn’t weird enough, we’re also using the Point Buy system for this build, because we need a lot of stuff right away. You were made by an evil wizard, so a little bit of minmaxing is probably fine. Unfortunately, we have to keep Intelligence at 8- I’d like to make it higher, but we need the points for other abilities. You don’t really go on a self-improvement kick until you’re a berserker anyway. After that, set Dexterity and Wisdom to 12- they’re needed for multiclassing. You can fight (and presumably dance) in a dress, and you can still pick people out in your Grondement du Haine, so they can’t be that bad. Set Constitution to 13 for some toughness-you’re a frontline fighter, and your Avenger class makes absorbing peoples’ hatred (read: their attacks) a bit easier. That leaves us just enough points to bring your Strength and Charisma up to 14. You have one of the highest attack stats in the game, and you’re damn scary when you want to be-and you always want to be scary.

Class Levels

1. Barbarian 1: Avengers are good at hitting things and taking hits, and so are barbarians! When you pick up the class, you get proficiency in Strength and Constitution saves, as well as two barbarian skills- Intimidation and Athletics. You’re strong and scary. (Pretty sure we said that already.)

Either way, barbarians can Rage as a bonus action, gaining extra attack damage, advantage on strength saves and checks, and resistance to the physical attack types. In exchange you can’t cast or concentrate on spells, and it ends early if you don’t attack or get attacked by something in a round.

You also get Unarmored Defense, giving you an AC based on your dexterity and constitution. I’d highly recommend not using that because yours is pretty bad, but it’s available if you really need to fight in a ballgown. Sometimes showing up the Ice Bitch Queen is worth the pain.

2. Sorcerer 1: A Jalter just wouldn’t be a Jalter without plenty of fire and draconic imagery, and that’s why you’re a Draconic Bloodline sorcerer. A black dragon would be more on brand, but we have to go with a Red Dragon Ancestor for the fire damage. This also lets you read and write draconic, and more importantly, your proficiency bonus is doubled for charisma checks against dragons. You may not have magical control over them yet, but you can probably keep the younger ones in line already.

Your Draconic Resilience gives you an extra hp per sorcerer level, as well as an AC of 13 + your dexterity modifier. That’s still not great, but it’s much better than what you had going before.

Finally, sorcerers can cast Spells using their Charisma as the casting ability. Control Flames, Green-Flame Blade, and Burning Hands should give you more than enough fire to start with. Friends will make it even easier to control dragons, while False Life will give you just a touch of healing. NP bars don’t exist in this game, so we had to represent your Self-Restoration somehow.

3. Barbarian 2: Hitting things with sticks powers up a lot faster though, so let’s stick with that for now. Second level barbarians can make Reckless Attacks, giving themselves advantage, but also giving enemies advantage against them. Your Danger Sense also gives you advantage on dexterity saves you can see coming. You don’t really care where your spells hit-this will help keep you out of your own fireballs.

4. Barbarian 3: You might have figured out where this was going with all that fire talk, but your subclass here’s the Storm Herald! When you rage (and as a bonus action each turn afterwards), you can use your Storm Aura to deal extra damage to enemies. The desert aura deals a bit of fire damage to all creatures within range save free! A perfect option for those fidgety monks and archers. You also gain Primal Knowledge, giving you proficiency in Animal Handling. I mean, for a given definition of “Animal”, I guess that works.

5. Ranger 1: You didn’t think we were done making this build weird, were you? I promise this will make more sense in a bit. For now though, you get Perception proficiency, as well as the ability to mark a Favored Foe with your bonus action. For a minute afterwards (or as long as you keep up concentration) you can add an extra 1d4 damage to any damage done to it once per turn. Also, while it does use your concentration, it technically isn’t a spell, so maybe it works with rage? (I’d rule it does, but I’m not your DM.)

A less complicated feature you get is Deft Explorer, specifically the Canny feature, which doubles your proficiency bonus in a single skill. Power up your Intimidation to become even scarier to everyone, but especially dragons. A +14 to intimidate means you can really turn heads, even at level 5.

6. Barbarian 4: We’re about to jump back into sorcerer now, but it might be a good idea to be skilled at casting spells before we do that. Use your Ability Score Improvement to nab the War Caster feat for advantage on concentration saves, the ability to cast cantrips as opportunity attacks, and most importantly, the ability to cast spells with full hands. Now you can upgrade to a proper flagpole pike!

7. Sorcerer 2: It’s been a while, but now that we’re back you’ve become a Font of Magic, giving you Sorcery Points that you can spend on metamagic (later) or more spell slots (right now). You also get another first level spell. Shield’s useful at least, but we’ll get something more “you” at a later level.

8. Sorcerer 3: Now that you’re level three, you get that Metamagic thing we just talked about. Casting an Empowered Spell will let you re-roll damage dice to make sure everything hurts as much as possible, while a Heightened Spell will make it harder for a target to resist. Trust me, you do not want a dragon breaking out of Charm Monster.

Speaking of spells, you get second level ones now, like Dragon’s Breath, which will let you turn anything you want into a smaller, less cool dragon. Other flavors are available, but why would you not pick fire breath?

9. Ranger 2: Bouncing around even more, you get a Fighting Style. Rangers don’t get any styles for big weapons, so we’re just grabbing Defense for an extra point of AC while wearing armor. You can go without, but you have a look to maintain, you know?

You also get another set of Spells that use Wisdom to cast. Your wisdom isn’t that powerful, but luckily Searing Smite and Absorb Elements don’t use it, so you’re set! I guess good things really do happen to bad people!

10. Sorcerer 4: We’ve had way too many odd numbers for way too long, it’s time we did something about it. Use this ASI to round up your Strength and Charisma for stronger hits and stronger spells.

You also get even more spells- Blade Ward gives you some defense without having to rage, and Aganazzar’s Scorcher got you covered on the offensive side. There’s a bit of a theme here, if you haven’t noticed.

11. Barbarian 5: It took us a while, but you finally get an Extra Attack for each attack action. You also get Fast Movement, adding 10 feet to your walking movement. It’s about time you got a little violent.

12. Barbarian 6: Our last level of barbarian unleashes your Storm Soul. The desert soul gives you resistance to fire damage, and you can also ignore extreme heat, which is super useful given how much black you wear. You can also set objects on fire by touching them.

13. Ranger 3: Now that we’re finally getting to this subclass, it’s time we justified this multiclass. You get Primeval Awareness to help you track down and “convince” dragons to help you, but if your DM is really uncooperative, you can also summon a dragon thanks to your subclass. (We know, we went ranger to make a build less situational. We think we just saw hell freeze over.

Surprisingly, there are still subclasses left in UA after Tasha’s blew through. The Drakewarden lets you cast Thaumaturgy thanks to your Draconic Gift. You can also summon a Drake Companion as an action once per long rest (or by spending a spell slot) You have to use your bonus action to command it, but it can always use its reaction to infuse weapon attacks with its element of choice. (Do I even have to say we’re picking fire?)

You also learn Entangle this level. Your Grondement du Haine leaves a lot of spears all over the place-it’d be pretty hard to pick your way through those.

14. Sorcerer 5: Fifth level sorcerers get third level spells, but they also get Magical Guidance, letting you spend 1 sorcery point to re-roll a failed ability check. I’d save those for something you’re really good at, like intimidation.

You also learn Erupting Earth at this level, in case you wanted to actually do damage with your noble phantasm. Sadly your spears are a bit dull, but bludgeoning damage is still better than no damage at all.

15. Sorcerer 6: Sixth level dragon sorcerers get an Elemental Affinity, adding their charisma to fire spells. You can also spend sorcery points to resist fire damage, but you’re already good on that front.

Speaking of things that aren’t really needed, you can cast Fear this level. You already have Expertise/Super Expertise in intimidation, but sometimes you just need magic.

16. Sorcerer 7: Seventh level sorcerers can cast 4th level spells, and you can finally cast Charm Monster to take control of a dragon of a dragon for up to an hour. We can also finally replace Shield with Wall of Fire to really set the scene for your dramatic confrontation with that goody-two-shoes you share a face with.

17. Ranger 4: Use your last ASI (they go by so fast, don’t they?) to become an Elemental Adept in fire. This means every die you roll for fire damage will always count as at least a 2. Also, your spells now ignore fire resistance! Just your spells though, your rage is out of luck.

18. Ranger 5: Your Extra Attack doesn’t do anything this level, but you do learn how to cast Spike Growth, for those times you want to sit back and let your enemies throw themselves on your spears.

19. Ranger 6: Your Favored Foe bumps up to a d6, and you become Roving! This adds 5 feet to your movement, and you can climb or swim at the same speed. Now nothing will be able to escape your wrath!

20. Ranger 7: Your capstone ability gives you a Bond of Fang and Scale, allowing your drake to fly and deal more damage with its bite. You also gain resistance to whatever damage type your drake deals, which can help your survivability against themed enemies (like you).

You can also cast Lesser Restoration this level. Memory correction is a little vague-status correction is a bit easier to implement.

Pros:

You’re good at burning things, and yes we count people in there. You can deal a lot of fire damage through rages, dragons, and spells. You also have multiple ways to make that fire even more dangerous, and can spread it at a touch. Great for property damage!

It can be pretty hard to escape you, thanks to your buffed movement speed and the ability to swim and climb faster than most people. Worst comes to worst, you also have a dragon you can sicc on people.

You’re pretty terrifying, especially towards dragons. Beyond having direct control over them, you can also intimidate them with advantage, a third die from sorcery, and a +27 to the roll. Barring an act of god, you can probably get most dragons to stand down, if not obey you outright.

Cons:

You have some power in your corner, but it’s all focused on fire, one of the most immune-to damage types in the game. When it’s good it’s great, but when it’s bad it’s awful. At least you can swap out your dragon damage each summon if you really need to.

Speaking of, your drake’s pretty weak, with only 40 HP at level 20. It’s probably best for you to think of it as a limited use feature than a companion, because it is absolutely not sticking around.

Really there’s a lot of multiclassing problems to go over here. Beyond the classic “spells and raging” thing, there’s also a severe lack of ASIs, several overlapping abilities, both your rage and drake using up all your bonus actions, and an overall lack of focus. You might not be great at doing any one thing, but nobody will have the nerve to criticize you.

#Fate and Phantasms #Fate Grand Order #FGO #D&D 5e #Jeanne d'Arc Alter

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corvusravenette · 3 years

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FanFiction: Qi Ye

Title: I Thought of You and Yet You Came Based on Original Work: Qi Ye || Lord Seventh Author: Priest Genre: BL Warning: Gore and Violence Rate: Teen / Young adults Pairing: M/M (Wu Xi + Beiyuan) Chapter: 2 of 5 +-+-+-+-+-+-

Swinging off his warhorse, Wu Xi pulled Beiyuan into his arms, shielding him against the rain that had slowed down to a drizzle as his hands moved quickly, determinedly, ripping the cloth covering Beiyuan’s wound in halves. He could sense footsteps grazing over and he snapped his eyes up only to recognize the uniform were men of Heaven’s Pane. The one closest to him quickly saluted, Wu Xi noticing his left arm missing before the man turned around, gripping a sword in his right in a protective stance over them. In a battle-ready formation, what was remaining of the men surrounded him, their backs to him, providing as much protection as their sorry bodies could handle against possible sneak attacks.

Wu Xi nodded in gratefulness and went to work immediately. His lips pressed into a thin line, refusing to say anything else, he kept astute focus on the one person that he was not willing to let go. The Netherworld Judge would have to wait a lifetime before meeting Beiyuan again. His hands continued to strip the chemise off Beiyuan and inhaled a sharp breath as the garish wound on Beiyuan’s chest were displayed full frontal in his line of sight. Fingers steady, his identity as the Great Shaman kicking into gear, he deftly poured vials and vials of unknown medicines from his lapels into Beiyuan’s mouth and over his most prevalent injury. The skin above his ribs were shredded to the bone, his blood not coagulating fast enough in the rain and Wu Xi carefully positioned the flayed skin as best and as quickly as he possibly could over the wound before pouring a deep purple liquid over it. The purple liquid [1] stained the skin so vividly, it looked as though Beiyuan’s body had taken a vicious beating. Carefully, Wu Xi took a smaller pouch from one of the many compartments in his robe and took out a hook needle and some thread. He began the tedious process of suturing the open wound, from shoulder to abdomen efficiently, at the back of his mind grateful that he had years of medicine in his belt. Ripping the seams of his cloak into large strips of cloth, Wu Xi quickly wrapped the deepest of Beiyuan’s wound tightly, the blood already coagulating after coming into contact with the purple liquid he had poured on it earlier, stemming off the blood flow. He became increasingly aware of the presence of more people coming towards them, but he was not willing to spare them further thought, his chaotic mind had stilled akin to the clear pond of reincarnation – not a ripple to be seen on the surface. He had pushed his fears so far down his own mind that he became almost statue like, methodically processing the leaden body in his arms without a word. “Great Shaman, we must make headway soon,” the familiar voice of Nuahar spoke barely above a whisper. The warrior had stopped and knelt across Wu Xi, his eyes quickly taking into account how grievously injured the Prince was. Swallowing his apprehension and doubt for the Prince’s survival, and as though fearful of the Great Shaman’s wrath if he had spoken this out loud, he pushed on, knowing that they needed to get out of the rain. “The war is over, the Emperor sends summons for us to head into the capital. A residence is being prepared as we speak”. “Good,” Wu Xi replied, his tone monotonous as he covered Beiyuan in what’s left of his partially wet and torn cloak. He needed to get Beiyuan quickly out of the rain and he needed to disinfect the wounds again. This news was welcomed relief. However, Wu Xi could not be complacent. A life and death fever would set in without a doubt. Steeling his determination, Wu Xi moved, “Let’s go,”. Wu Xi hoisted himself up first onto his stallion and a short while later, Nuahar lifted the comatose prince carefully into his arms, taking care not to jostle or tear the latter’s fragile wound although the Great Shaman had sutured the worst of it closed. Wu Xi sat the man across in front of him, resting the latter’s head on his shoulder, an arm securely holding him around the waist. Swallowing the growing lump in his throat and blinking away rapidly as he turned around to face the remaining surviving Heaven’s Pane assassins, he deftly tossed a few vials of medications towards the men and instructed Nuahar and the rest of his elite Nanjiang warriors who had sought after him up here, to take care of Master Zhou Zishu’s men. Battle-weary and heavily injured, Master Zhou’s men breathed in relief as the Southern warriors helped them up onto their horses, their wounds freshly covered in medicine. Bowing their heads in a silent prayer for all those who perished in this idyllic mountain grounds, led by Nuahar, Wu Xi followed closely downhill, paying close attention to Beiyuan’s shallow breathing. He didn’t dare ride his stallion hard, no matter how much he wanted to, the fear of injuring Beiyuan too deeply ingrained in his soul. Pulling the cloak closer and holding his most precious beloved close to his heart, Wu Xi pressed a reverent kiss onto his eyebrow, his eyes reddening as he continued to blink away the unshed tears that threaten to fall. The small troop then made its way into the war-torn land towards the capital city. *** “Great Shaman,” Zhou Zishu was standing in the doorway of Beiyuan’s room, “The Emperor demands to know the Prince’s status. You can’t hide him forever,”. Wu Xi’s features hardened as he snapped his head around towards the man standing rigidly in the doorway, his braids whipping along with the movement. His black eyes stared down the man who hadn’t changed out of his blood-soaked clothes either, the human skin mask he usually wore to hide his face had been taken off. In its stead, a sharp chiseled face was revealed – handsome in an almost cruel way, his eyes dead, a hint of brokenness almost visible around its red edges as though he had stemmed off a flow of tears just moments before. Wu Xi had no patience for this Emperor who coveted his beloved, but he knew in this land Helian Yi held the absolute power as the Son of Heaven. He was not willing to forget that this Prince had chosen to die for the Emperor over leaving with him.Were all his ill-fated reincarnations not enough?! He was still going to die for this dog of an Emperor, again?! A sudden image of a man with a head full of white hair flashed through Wu Xi’s memories, burning bright in his mind’s eye, like a memory from multiple lifetimes - the nightmarish remnants of the Dream Stupor courtesy of the comatose man behind him crept in from the depths of his pain. Just as quickly, he blinked, and the image was replaced with the man now standing in front of him. Reining in his already brittle hold on his emotions, Wu Xi spoke possessively through gritted teeth, unconsciously moving to hide Beiyuan’s body from Zhou Zishu’s sight lest the latter made an attempt to grab him. “He is already on death’s doorstep! The Emperor still refuses to let him go?” the suppressed anger and incredulity in Wu Xi’s voice was apparent as he glared viciously, “Master Zhou, I don’t care who you are but I am taking Beiyuan away! Away from this goddamned land! Dead or alive, I will take him back to Nanjiang with me. I am not blind to the fact that Helian Yi has feelings for him! If I can see that then I’m sure you’re stark aware of it too! I will slaughter anyone who desires to even think of taking Beiyuan away from me. Do you hear me?” Wu Xi spent no time beating about the bush, rising from his seat next to Beiyuan’s comatose form to face the Emperor’s right-hand man head-on, not fearing the callous way he had just threatened the captain of the Emperor’s personal bodyguards. If he must, he would kill this man too, be damned the consequences. Zhou Zishu was not the least bit surprise when he heard this forceful declaration. He observed the Great Shaman’s features for a short moment – knowing that this Southern warrior was true to his words and would carry out what he threatened to do, knowing that although he was older than this man, the latter had stronger qi and could easily suppress him in hand to hand combat. He was also a strong leader, his people having blind faith in him. He was privy to the strength of the Nanjiang warriors too. If they were to pursue an all-out war once again with these Southern warriors, this empire would crumble and perish into oblivion. He was sure of it. He knew though that despite it all, even if he gave in all his strength, he would be powerless against him if the Great Shaman decided to take it upon himself and chop the head of the Emperor off. He saw the fire in the younger man’s eyes. Those were eyes not to be trifled with. He let the harsh words sink into him momentarily. His past actions, his blind devotion to the Emperor’s quest for power had cost him so much... Xiao Liang. That name gave him pause. His breath hitched in his throat. He looked down, unable to hold the Great Shaman’s piercingly overbearing gaze, as he swallowed hard – memories of his shidi’s mischievous smile and that monumental guilt over his death gnawed at him viciously. Blinking away the tears that threatened to fall, Zhou Zishu turned his face away, his back now facing the Great Shaman. “Easy, Da Wu, lest your qi deviates from your anger. Rest assured the Prince will be martyred in this war if you so wished it. I will prepare a body double, but the Emperor still needs to be informed. Else, he might storm this residence himself and I won’t be able to stop him,” Zhou Zishu responded after a while, turning around again to face Wu Xi, a determined smile on his face as he steeled his resolve to do this good deed in memory of his dead shidi, “Beiyuan would never tell you in this lifetime. He did not stay here to die for the Emperor. He is a man of Great Qing and was prepared to die for the country. He had plans to leave the country, to Nanjiang, to find you if he survived this war. Yes, His Majesty has him in his heart, but the Prince already has you in his. He sent you away to keep you safe. I hope he recovers well and that you both live a long prosperous life away from all of this. Da Wu, I swear it on my life that he will no longer be in the Emperor’s sight,”. With a slight bow, Zhou Zishu left the way he came – quietly blending into the dark night. Wu Xi stared after him, long after he had gone. The words the former carefully said remained ringing in his ears… Yes, His Majesty has him in his heart, but the Prince already has you in his… He turned around, the heavy weight in his heart refusing to even lift a smidgen as he sat back down by Beiyuan’s side. His beloved’s breathing was dangerously shallow as he held the ice-cold hand in a tight grasp. Lifting the icy fingers to his lips, Wu Xi reverently kissed each tip in utmost sincerity, unable to hold the tears at bay any longer as he held the open palm to his cheek. Stroking Beiyuan’s hair, Wu Xi vowed to never let another man harm his beloved, his determination giving him the drive he needed to stamp down the fear of losing this man and to save him at all cost. Nuahar and Ashinlae who were standing outside the door, kept an eye on the Great Shaman, making sure that they were there whenever he needed a new change of bandages or medicines brewed. The warriors looked at each other somberly, a quiet veneration taking over them. Never had they seen this young man, who was as frigid as the ice-cold North, be openly honest with his emotions to this extent. Their hearts despaired for him as they watched the boy they had taken care of their entire adult lives grow up in a hostile environment, forced to adapt to the fake courteousness of the Great Qing people, watched him build tentative friendships, witnessed his very first oath of love and to have that love be almost taken away from him in front of his very eyes. Deep within, the warriors had developed a deeper sense of respect for the Great Shaman’s determination and his devotion to this beloved one. Only a great man could spur an army to rescue his most beloved. They nodded almost understandingly and made a silent promise that they would follow this Great Shaman until death invites them home. Wu Xi didn’t know how long he had stayed by Beiyuan’s side that night, refusing to change out of his clothes, keeping vigil by the bedside, changing the bandages repeatedly and applying new concoctions multiple times. He was determined to hold Beiyuan’s flickering light alive, no matter how dim, channeling his qi in soft tendrils inwards to mend Beiyuan’s fractured meridians. His foundation was already weak to begin with, a bitter result of years of idleness reared its ugly head and had slowed his recovery down. Wu Xi swore to himself, if… if his beloved lived on through this night… he would force-feed him all the foundation building pills he could find. That grim almost humorless thought sank deep in his heart, taking root as he scolded the dying man in front of him in his head. This is what you get for not taking care of yourself! Now look what you’ve gotten yourself into! If you weren’t such a lazy bout, you wouldn’t have been this… badly injured… Wu Xi’s hands stilled as the voice reprimanding Beiyuan in his head immediately quietened. “Bei..yuan?” he whispered, gingerly holding two fingers to the pulse on his neck. “Nuahar! Ashinlae! Quickly get in here!” *** Writer Notes: [1] Potassium Ferrate - wound seal for coagulating blood

Click here: CHAPTER 1 || CHAPTER 3

#fanfiction #qi ye #lord seventh #wu xi #jing beiyuan #xiyuan #zhou zishu #priest

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ashyblondwaves · 4 years

Text

Gold Dust Part 1 - Welcome Home

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff/Vision

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 2,376

Notes: This one shot is the first in a series of one shots I'll be writing about Wanda and Vision. They'll all be posted here and won't follow any particular order. Since this is my first foray into this pairing, I went with something less about plot and more about the couple just enjoying each other. Aka, this is smut with a tiny bit of world building. Messages are very much appreciated. I'd love to hear from you!

Collection Summary: Shuri was able to successfully extract the Mind Stone from Vision during Infinity War. Despite this, Thanos still managed to get a hold of it and perform the snap. With Wanda gone, Vision is without her for five years. After the events of End Game, Wanda and Vision have been reunited and they’ve started a new life together. Here are snippets of that new life.

You can also read on AO3!

***

The only thing worse than the sound of someone you love screaming in anguish is the sound of nothing at all. For three weeks, that’s all Wanda heard. Endless nothingness as he waited for him. She didn’t know if he was alive or dead. Hurt or in tact. The only thing she knew was the empty space he’d left when he’d kissed her goodbye and walked out the door three weeks ago.

Maybe she was overreacting. She felt deep down he would come home to her, but the more time that passed the harder it was to be certain. The more time that passed, the further away she felt from him. With or without the mind stone, she felt him.

Sparky heard him coming before Wanda did, waking from a deep sleep in the middle of the rug. He ran to Wanda’s bedside, whimpering and shaking. When she finally got out of bed she scooped him up and shook her head at the small dog.

“Some guard dog you are,” she whispered to him as she set him back down and headed for the source of the noise.

She felt this day would come. While he felt far away, he was never out of reach. However, at that moment she was hoping it would have been with some kind of warning.

Maybe mid-morning, after her shower when she could have been fresh faced and alert. Ready to greet him with anything he wanted. Not in the middle of the night like this. Dawn was approaching but wasn’t quite there and Wanda’s body was still heavy with sleep. Her auburn hair in a disheveled ponytail, oversized t-shirt wrinkled and hanging off her shoulder and a taste in her mouth she wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy.

Only it wasn’t her worst enemy fiddling with the lock on the front door downstairs when he could easily phase through it without a sound. Three weeks. She last saw and spoke with her husband three weeks ago, just before he left on a mission with the newly reformed team. They’d all talked about it, keeping the Avengers going, but with Tony gone and Steve living out his golden years in peace, it took time for them all to feel ready. Once it was decided that they would regroup and handle smaller covert missions, Wanda couldn’t join in for a while. As much as she wanted to go with Vision, they both knew it was for the best that she stayed home for the time being. It was far too dangerous for her.

Wanda quickly grabbed for the blue plaid robe on her husband’s side of the closet and shrugged into it, struggling to pull the side closed against her ever swelling belly; the reason why missions weren’t the best idea for her right now. She’d just made it down the steps as Vision opened the door and dropped his bag down at his side. Wanda’s lips quirked up at the corners, breaking out into a full smile as she stepped down the last step.

“Darling!” Vision exclaimed, beaming back at his wife standing before him. “I came home as soon as we’d secured the area and reconvened at the new compound. I didn’t even stay for the debriefing.”

“That explains this…” Wanda laughed, reaching up to touch a smear of dirt on Vision’s forehead. He was still in his human form, not yet far enough into the house to change. It was a discussion they’d had several times over the last few months. No phasing through things outside of the house, and human form while outside. There was only one reason for those rules.

Neighbors.

Since they bought their home, it was a matter of making sure Vision used doors properly and didn’t phase through walls unannounced while maintaining his human facade. They feared the neighbors wouldn’t quite understand the phenomena set before them if given the opportunity and they wanted as much peace as possible in their new neighborhood.

“I hope I didn’t scare you,” Vision began apologetically. He moved forward, hands pressing gently against Wanda’s shoulders, his thumb caressing the exposed skin of her neck. “I just had to come home to see you, no matter the time.”

“You could never scare me, Vis,” Wanda moved a step closer, pressing her hands against his chest and moving down to take his hands. “Come on,” she whispered. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

As Wanda dipped a washcloth in warm water, Vision sat on the edge of the bathtub watching his wife’s ministrations. Delicate yet dangerous hands rung out the water over and over until she was satisfied. His eyes roamed further, back to the exposed neck, the soft swell of her breasts and finally settling on the round belly keeping her a few inches from the sink.

“You’ve grown,” he remarked with a smile.

“I’d watch my words if I were you,” Wanda warned lightly, launching warm droplets of water at him from the end of the washcloth. “You’re treading on a sensitive subject.”

“I just meant to say that you’re beautiful,” Vision returned, summoning Wanda to him. “You’re carrying our boys. How could that possibly be negative?”

“I don’t always feel very beautiful,” Wanda admitted, smiling as Vision’s strong hands enveloped her belly. “I’m off balance, tired, sick…”

“I’m so sorry, my love,” Vision said sympathetically, planting a kiss just above her belly button. “Behave, boys,” he whispered. “Your mother is doing brilliant things.”

They’d found out they were pregnant not long after moving into the new house. And when Wanda’s belly started growing larger than normal each week, they weren’t surprised when they were told they were having twins.

Vision had wanted their gender to be a surprise, but Wanda said she could never carry two babies and not have names for either of them. When it was confirmed both babies were boys, they agreed to each name one.

William and Thomas.

Strong hands roamed the expanse of Wanda’s belly, reveling in how just three weeks had changed her body so much. He stopped at the hem of her t-shirt, a puzzled look suddenly crossing his face.

“Have you left any of my clothes for me?” he questioned as he then fiddled with the shirt hem. His shirt. “Is there anything for me to wear to bed?”

A stray piece of hair roamed free from Wanda’s pony tail and dangled in front of her face as she looked down at Vision and smiled.

“I hope not,” she murmured playfully, swiping the warm washcloth across the smear of dirt on Vision’s forehead with one hand while lightly tracing the curve of his jaw with the other. “I’d rather you came to bed without tonight.”

Vision smirked, “I’d like to say the same for you, then.” He toyed with the shirt hem further, coaxing Wanda.

She let the robe fall from her shoulders first, pooling around her feet like a deep puddle. Vision took a moment to take in the sight. His wife, standing before him in nothing but a t-shirt and panties. He’d never tire of seeing her like this. Nearly naked, guard down, waiting for him. In one swift motion, he pulled the t-shirt up and over Wanda’s head.

Large hands quickly moved back to Wanda’s belly. He lightly caressed the growing bump and traced the line at her bellybutton, leaving goosebumps on her skin. His hands never left her body as he traveled upward to cup her breasts in each hand. With a single squeeze Wanda sucked in a breath at the touch.

Vision moved his hands away quickly. “I’m sorry,” he stammered, looking for a source of pain. “Have I hurt you?”

“They’re just a little tender. It’s okay,” Wanda assured him, taking his hands in hers and bringing them back to her breasts. “Gentle, that’s all. But please,” she breathed, “please touch me.”

Vision, now aware of his wife’s discomfort, lightly swept his hands across Wanda’s breasts, making sure his palms just grazed her hard nipples on his way up to gauge her reaction.

Wanda moaned under her husband’s touch. She loved how his warm hands felt over her breasts, his fingertips gently circling her nipples with one hand while the other snaked up to caress her jaw as he urged forward toward his mouth. She happily obliged, pressing her lips to his.

The kiss started easy, both of them slowly enjoying the feeling of the other’s lips. But it soon deepened. Wanda opened her mouth, allowing Vision’s tongue in. He traced her bottom lip with his tongue and gently nipped at it.

“Bedroom?” he breathed against her lips.

She nodded. “Bedroom.”

Hand in hand, Wanda led her husband to the bedroom. All Vision could focus on was the curve of Wanda’s ass moving back and forth with each step. With his free hand, he began to unbutton his shirt, dropping it in a heap in the middle of the hallway.

Once in the bedroom, Wanda turned and pressed her body against Vision.

“Touch me again,” she instructed, pressing a kiss to Vision’s chest.

His hands crept down her body, committing every curve to memory. Though her skin was warm, she was covered in goosebumps. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, silently reminding her that he was truly home. He reached down, hands brushing against her lower back while he made his way down to the waistband of her panties.

“May I?” he asked, rubbing the soft skin under the fabric.

“You may,” Wanda hummed. She moved away just enough to allow Vision to slip the panties down and as she stepped out of them, her hands moved to Vision’s pants.

The button and zipper were undone with ease and there was no time wasted on choreography when he took off the pants and underwear at the same time.

They were entangled in each other in no time; arms wrapped around each other, lips connected and the bed just a few feet away.

Together, they made their way toward it, gently falling down together, Wanda on top of Vision, stifled laughs coming from the pair of them.

“We ruined that attempt at eroticism,” Vision quipped, pushing a stray piece of Wanda’s hair behind her ear. “Let’s try again. Tell me what you need, darling.”

Wanda didn’t miss a beat. “I need your mouth on me.”

“That’s more like it,” Vision growled, moving up closer to the headboard as Wanda climbed up his body.

Wanda’s hands were already holding the headboard, her body hovering over Vision’s face; he wasted no time, starting by planting soft, tender kisses to her inner thigh as he held her hips and pulled her closer and closer to where he needed her to be.

Wanda gasped loudly when Vision’s mouth finally reached her middle. Entranced by his soft lips on her most delicate skin and desperate to feel his mouth on her again after three weeks, she moved down closer. The anticipation had her throbbing, and when his tongue lightly swept between her folds she cried out his name.

Easy movements turned into a steady rhythm between them both. While Vision’s mouth worked in tandem with his tongue, alternating between licking and kissing Wanda’s most sensitive areas, Wanda rolled her hips, ensuring no spot was forgotten.

Vision continued with fervor, inspired by the sounds his wife was making. With each pass his tongue made over her clit, her pitch grew higher and higher and her hips gyrated with purpose.

“Don’t stop,” Wanda panted, gripping the headboard tighter as her hips moved in short circles that grew briefer the closer she came to her orgasm. “I’m there.”

Her body seemingly gave out all at once, her legs shaking as each jolt of her orgasm moved through her. Disjointed moans that fought with heavy breaths tore through the room until they evaporated into the air as her orgasm subsided. Vision continued to lick and suck at her folds stopping only when she gently pushed herself off of him.

“Sensitive now,” she breathed with a laugh, dropping down onto the bed next to him.

Vision joined in with a laugh of his own, turning to look at his rosy cheeked wife, breaths still labored but a smile so big he knew he gave her what she wanted properly.

“Those noises you make when you come are magnificent,” he said, sliding his hand down to caress her belly again. “Those sounds. Your breath hitching. It’s all just... magnificent.”

“Shhh,” Wanda quelled through a smile. “I missed you so much, I just want to feel you near me again.”

“Mmm,” was all Vision said in agreement, settling in close to Wanda.

They lay in silence for what felt like days, just appreciating each other’s company as the sun rose. Vision listened to the gentle cadence of Wanda’s breathing while she played with his hair.

It was only then that Vision realized he was still in human form. Neither of them had given it any thought. They just needed to be with each other. As they lay together, Vision phased back to himself and broke their silence at the same time.

“I’m so glad you weren’t frightened by me returning home at such an awful hour,” he said, running his hand through the stray locks of hair that had fallen from Wanda’s ponytail.

“I’ve been waiting for you every night for three weeks,” Wanda admitted, pressing her hand to Vision’s cheek. “You scared Sparky but as soon as he started barking, I just knew it was you.”

“I scared the guard dog?” Vision laughed. “Or at least that’s what you said he’d be when we picked him out.”

Wanda hid her face in Vision’s chest. “He’s the size of your shoe, Vis. You knew he wasn’t going to be a guard dog.”

“I’m not entirely familiar with the growth rate of dogs,” Vision explained, laughing again as Wanda slapped his arm. “I’ll look into it, though.”

A comfortable silence filled the room, bringing a sense of calm and order to Wanda that she hadn’t felt since Vision left on the mission.

“Welcome Home,” Wanda whispered, unsure if Vision was still awake. She pressed her lips to Vision’s chest and closed her eyes, content once again.

#scarletvision #scarletvision fanfiction #wandavision #marvel #marvel fanfiction #mcu #mcu fanfiction #wanda maximoff #vision #wanda maximoff fanfiction #vision fanfiction #i write shit #fanfiction #gold dust

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weeniewrites · 4 years

Text

Princess

contains: dom reader, g/n reader, noncon, rimming, bondage, manipulation, forced feminization

words: 991

Yakus just, too cute to not get a taste of him. Even if he insists on always being the one to treat you.

(this is my first time sharing my writing so please be nice and heed the warnings!)

Your relationship with Yaku has been fine, good even. He's giving, understanding, a bit more of a jokester than you expected and always helping push you to do your best. But there’s something missing, in your sex life specifically. He wants to give. Wants to be on top. Loves to pound you into the mattress and mark you up and tease and it just. It doesn’t suit him. That soft face, his ruffled hair, his big shiny eyes, soft lips, and that delicious little round rump. He laughs off any compliments with a blush but any comment on his ass has him faltering. “Men don’t- I don’t have a nice ass” And the attention's back on you with his faltering attempts to try and avoid comments like that. The ones that make him feel smaller, smaller than he already does. That just won’t do.

You shyly ask for little changes in the bedroom “Can I please suck you off?” or “Could you please wear this?” and he always leaps at the opportunity to please that sweet shy self you’ve chosen to present. His baby, his darling, the one he’d harvest each star in the sky for. Of course he has to spoil you. But the requests get weirder, he finds himself further out of his comfort zone. He leaves a session with more hickies than you, has trouble keeping control when you’re pleasuring him so intensely, and eventually he agrees to some bondage that you promise, promise is just to practice. To make sure you’ve got the knots right and then you can show him how to do it on you. He can even keep his shorts on.

The pose is embarrassing, legs spread wide and bent so far back they nearly touch his chest. It took some maneuvering but eventually his arms are tied to his thighs too. Completely immobile, vulnerable, bound up in rose red ropes that suit him so well. He can’t maintain eye contact and his soft face looks even softer blushing so prettily like that. It’s impossible to resist kissing him in this state and he whimpers into it.

“Thank you for doing this for me baby” you coo.

“You’re welcome Can-Can you” a nervous chuckle “Can you get me out of this now?”

“Is it uncomfortable?”

“A little bit. I can handle it but-”

“So it’s fine?”

“Yes but-”

“But we need to know how long its comfortable, don't you want to know how long I could stay like that?”

“I don’t know if I’m really, into this rope stuff honey.” His breath hitches as your hand trails down the parts of his stomach you can reach, pausing at his waist band. “Baby?”

“Shhh just a little longer. I wanna try something.” Pulling out a small pair of scissors you get to work, carefully cutting around the ropes and removing the cloth stuck underneath, unwrapping and revealing more of him as his blush spreads from his face to his shoulders and chest. “Y/n this isn’t what we talked about, I don’t- wait wait not there!” and there it is, his cute little butt, the hole twitching as its exposed to the air. Beautifully framed by the rope and finally, finally at your mercy. Rubbing each cheek you hum in appreciation of how soft he is down here too. It’s ruined a bit by how tense he is but that’ll be fixed with time.

“It’s okay baby. You’re okay. I’m just showing you something”

Yaku squeaks as you pull him into your lap, his body furthering curling into itself as your breath puffs against his most vulnerable place. “Babe this isn’t fun anymore. Get me out of this and I’ll, I’ll forgive you. We can talk about it.” His voice is quivering. Is he shivering? Oh that won’t do.

Despite your best efforts to calm his breathing, rubbing up and down his sides and thighs, cooing soft sweet words, he only gets more riled up. Not even in the way you want. He seems so angry, scared, and his cocks still flaccid but that’s fixable.You shush him again and lean in, kissing his balls, then lower, and lower, finally getting your first taste of that pretty plush place.

“I don’t want this. let GO!” Oh he’s nearly snarling now, like a little dog.

Your hands keep a firm grip on his muscular thighs, leaning in to lap at his hole. ‘It’s okay baby. I’ll take care of you, show you how much you like this” you moan as your tongue finally breaches inside despite how hard he’s clenching down, fear and his struggling making it so hard to go further. He’s sobbing and trying so hard to kick and lash out but with how well you bound him (you did your research) it's a worthless effort. “Just let me take you Baby. You don’t need to be strong. You don’t need to do anything, just let me show you how good I can make you feel, but I need you to be good, okay?”

“Get off of me! Get-Get off!”

“Don’t make me gag you baby. I wanna hear you, but if you’re going to be naughty and use those words I don’t like, I’ll have to.”

“Fuck you! Fuck off, Fuc-gRGH” and the gags forced in, his breath hissing around it. You kiss the outside of it the gag as he thrashes. Surely he’s getting sore by now with the ropes biting into his tensed muscles, tired at the least.

“Even when you’re being bad you look so pretty. My pretty princess. I made sure to get a gag that suits you, much more than those mean mean words I need to train out of you.” His eyes are wide, confused. Betrayal and rage distorting his features more than the pink gag that holds his mouth open so nicely. “I’m going to taste you now, give that pretty ass of yours the attention it deserves.”

#haikyuu lemon #haikyuu smut #yaku x reader #haikyuu x reader #hq smut

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obaewankenope · 4 years

Text

The Second Life of Sandu Shengshou

Thanks to a dream I had several nights ago, I ended up writing this. It’s the beginning of a Multi-chaptered fic that can be read on AO3 here. I’m not even remotely sorry for this.

Not in the slightest.

One

The day Sect Leader Jiang dies is a day that the entire cultivation world remembers. For them, the passing of the Jiang Sect Leader is an event not to be ignored or celebrated. It is a day to remember his amazing deeds; losing his entire Sect to the Wen and then rebuilding it from the ground up; becoming a living legend during the Sunshot Campaign; fighting and killing the Yiling Laozu; raising the son of his beloved A-Jie into a fine young man who took the mantle of Jin Sect Leader well; being part of revealing the truth of Jin Guangyao’s deceit to the entire cultivation world; fighting fierce corpses and holding demonic cultivators to account for their crimes.

The day Sect Leader Jiang dies is one to remember his deeds and those of his brother, the last of his family beside the Sect Leader Jin.

For Sect Leader Jiang, it’s just another day of enduring a tired soul and a damaged heart, pasted back together with anger and grief. He expects the day to end with his finally seeing his family and those of his Sect who died in the Wen attack, again.

He closes his eyes, takes his last breath, and lets go. The heavens greet him and Jiang Cheng sees his family once more.

He doesn’t expect to take another breath until his next reincarnation which will hopefully be happier than his current one has been.

Jiang Cheng does not expect to cough dusty air from his lungs and open his eyes to the sight of a fierce corpse intent on killing him.

Instinct honed by battle and years of training serve him well as Jiang Cheng kicks out at the corpse, sending it careening back with an application of spiritual energy. His hand scrambles for his sword, for Zidian but finds only dirt. He has no weapon but his body and his core.

Jiang Cheng grits his teeth. So be it.

He jumps to his feet, stumbling when the strength of his core seems greater than his body can handle, but recovers well enough to drop into a open-handed stance. The corpse moves toward him at speed and, just as it is close enough for Jiang Cheng to strike, somebody slams into it and away from him.

In the moment it takes Jiang Cheng to register the identity of the person who just barrelled into a fierce corpse, a half-dozen purple-robed cultivators appear from the darkness of what he realises are trees. He’s in a forest. The humidity in the air tells him its a Yunmeng forest, but figuring out where he is suddenly isn’t important anymore when he gets a glimpse of some of the faces of the cultivators.

_He recognises them. _

Shidi’s he’d seen slaughtered by Wen-dogs. His disciples, his responsibility and here they are; coming to his rescue like he was a child again.

Is this his heaven?

Jiang Cheng looks around. He’s in a small clearing, ground recently disturbed by what he assumed had been the fierce corpse rising. A glimmer of silver on the ground reveals Sandu’s location and he immediately picks it up, relieved to have it in his grip again.

Everything is easier with Sandu.

“Drop it Corpse!”

Jiang Cheng looks in the direction of the fierce corpse that had attacked him, expecting it to be holding something, but it was down on the ground, pinned by a very, very familiar blade.

His father’s.

That was his father’s sword. That meant-

“I said, drop it!” Someone shouts. Fifth shidi, Jiang Cheng guesses, judging by the tone.

He looks at the children he’d seen die once, and realises, with a jolt, that fifth shidi is talking to him!

“What? I’m not a corpse!” Jiang Cheng exclaims and then almost let’s out a surprised shout because his voice—his voice.

He sounds like a child!

Jiang Cheng looks down at his hands gripping Sandu. Those are not the hands of a Sect Leader of one-hundred-and-three years. Those are- those-

“A fierce corpse cannot speak.” His father’s voice, the voice of Jiang Fengmian. “My son is dead, who are you to use his body so?”

Pingheng glows a pale violet in his father’s grip and Jiang stares at his father, open mouthed.

“What?”

Jiang Fengmian’s face looks like it’s carved from ice with no emotion to speak of. He looks more like Hanguang-Jun than the father Jiang Cheng remembers.

It’s incredibly disconcerting.

“I’m not- but- what!”

Jiang Cheng doesn’t understand what is happening. If this is heaven for him until he reincarnates then it sucks.

“Who are you?” Jiang Fengmian’s voice grows as cold as his expression and Jiang Cheng realises that it wasn’t just his mother that he got his temper from. His father’s is colder, but no less intense.

“I’m Jiang Cheng!” He is and he doesn’t understand what is happening but he’s not going to be anyone but himself. But that doesn’t mean he can’t improvise.

A childhood spent growing up with Wei Wuxian and then being the youngest Sect Leader during a war taught Jiang Cheng a lot. Mainly that he can bullshit just as good as his brother is he really, really needs to.

“I have- I’ve been sent back!” He exclaims, holding Sandu and pushing his spiritual energy into it to make the blade glow a deeper purple than his father’s blade. “I have come back from the heavens to protect the Sect! I swear on my sword and my core!”

Wei Wuxian would be proud of his attempt to not get attacked by his own father and shidi’s. Speaking of Wei Wuxian…

“Why should I believe you?”

Jiang Cheng doesn’t splutter in shock but it’s a near thing. He has no idea why his father should believe him be abuse Jiang Cheng doesn’t actually know what’s going on but he doesn’t want to die in the afterlife. That would just be embarrassing.

“I don’t know!” Jiang Cheng exclaims in frustration. “You never paid me any attention when Wei Wuxian was all you ever cared about!” There’s a ripple of surprise in the group of disciples and even his father’s face shows a crack in the stone facade at the jab at his father’s favouritism. “Honestly, I’m over it! But it’s not like you know enough about me for me to give you a reason to believe me in the first place!”

Jiang Cheng snorts. “Whatever,” he mutters. “Believe what you want, I don’t care.”

He has spent literal decades coming to terms with his father’s lack of favour for him and his mother’s general disappointment in him. He’s over it.

“A-Cheng.”

Pingheng drops to the ground and Jiang Cheng finds himself wrapped in an embrace he barely remembers. His father is real and solid and clinging to him with the same kind of desperate relief that Jiang Cheng clung to Wei Wuxian all those months after Lotus Pier was destroyed.

It’s the kind of embrace that is full of emotions that can’t be said aloud.

He doesn’t drop Sandu—he’s not his father and he fought in a war, he won’t drop his weapon—when he wraps his much smaller arms around his father’s chest and clings right back.

Jiang Cheng has no idea what’s going on but his father is weeping silently as he holds him and Jiang Cheng can’t remain emotionally distant from that. He just can’t.

Apparently, this afterlife has him dead as a child and his family and Sect have mourned him. What this means, Jiang Cheng doesn’t know, doesn’t really care, because right now he’s in his father’s arms for the first time since he was a small child and that’s more important than figuring out what the hell is going on.

One thing Jiang Cheng knows is a priority however is to find out where his shixiong is. Wei Wuxian will have some idea of what is happening; he always does.

Although he’s expecting it, the sight of Lotus Pier as he remembers it from his childhood is disorienting enough that Jiang Cheng wobbles on Sandu as they come in to land. His father reaches out to steady him, close enough to do so with ease and he’s been hovering around Jiang Cheng since he accepted his son is somehow alive again.

Jiang Cheng steadies himself and dismounts Sandu smoothly, and looks around his home with a more open expression than he intends to have judging by the look his father is giving him. He would hide it, the emotions he feels looking at Lotus Pier as it was before the Wen attack, but Jiang Cheng doesn’t want to. He’s spent one lifetime hiding his feelings, he refuses to spend another doing the same.

Not when he understands how precious this time is.

Of course, his emotional journey at seeing his home unharmed is ruined by the sound of his mother’s voice, loud and very angry-sounding, rapidly approaching.

Jiang Cheng doesn’t sigh because he loves his mother, he does, but she was such a bitter, angry woman who had taught Jiang Cheng to fear showing his soft-side to those who mattered most to him. The Madam Yu, Jiang Cheng remembers was one consumed by resentment toward her husband for bringing home an orphan that was the son of two people her husband loved. After raising his nephew, Jiang Cheng can’t accept his mother’s behaviour as anything but motivated by spite and hate. Perhaps pain.

Whatever this afterlife is for him, it’s giving Jiang Cheng the chance to right wrongs to his family and his brother then, by the heavens, he’s going to take it!

“What do you think you’re doing, Jiang Fengmian: leaving me with that child! He’s useless!”

Jiang Cheng has no clue what his mother is angry about precisely but he knows exactly who she’s talking about. Wei Wuxian. And where his shixiong is, his A-jie isn’t far behind.

It’s unbecoming of him to break into a run, leaving his father and shidi’s where they landed, but Jiang Cheng’s priorities are his siblings. Seeing his mother would be nice in that distant way seeing someone he once valued the opinion of, but he’s lived so long now without her that Madam Yu is less a priority than his siblings.

That’s probably an uncharitable thing to think about his mother but, well, Jiang Cheng won’t lie about the fact that A-jie definitely did more mothering of him and Wei Wuxian than Madam Yu ever did.

Resenting your children because you resent your husband is definitely not a sound basis upon which to build a family, let alone a Sect. Jiang Cheng can admit that, even if it’s only to himself.

The sight of his mother heading straight toward the landing point is a nice sight nonetheless. The last he saw of his mother, she had been fighting Wen Zhuliu with the fierceness she had shown all Jiang Cheng’s life. Seeing her in her prime is something he wishes he’d treasured when he’d had the chance. He has the chance again.

“Mother!” He exclaims, smiling in a way he hasn’t ever smiled at her before. He loves her still; she’s his mother.

His smile is ripped away when Madam Yu let’s out a cry of what sounds like horror and Zidian arcs out in a crackling purple chord that smashes into Jiang Cheng and sends him crashing into boxes of lotus seeds.

Shaking the dizziness from his head, Jiang Cheng realises that if his father thought him dead then it would stand to reason that his mother would have too. His mother of the Meishan Yu. He’s lucky he still has his head_ attached to his body_.

“Ziyuan! Stop!” His father shouts and Jiang Cheng looks up to see his mother with her blade drawn moving toward him with deadly intent.

Right. The whole ‘dead thing’.

“He’s alive! A-Cheng is alive!”

Madam Yu’s approach falters at those words but there are tears in her eyes and a determined, grief-stricken expression on her face that tells Jiang Cheng that his mother is not going to stop.

She must think he’s a conscious corpse like Wen Ning!

Talking to his mother when she’s like this is about as useful as talking to Wei Wuxian into not abandoning him for the Wen remnants had been. So Jiang Cheng doesn’t bother.

He vaults up from where he’s still sort of kneeling among broken boxes of lotus seeds, drawing Sandu and parrying Zidian as it tries to throw him off his feet again.

Jiang Cheng focuses on his mother to the exclusion of all else, though he doesn’t lose the awareness battle dried into him of his surroundings. He needs to fend his mother off and falling into the lake would not help with that.

Fighting his mother is a little bit like the one time Jiang Cheng spared with Nie Mingjue but without the pressure of not making an utter fool of himself. No, the pressure here is not having his head separated from his body by his mother.

Jilie, his mother’s sword, is as fierce as its master, but Jiang Cheng has more years of battle under his belt than his mother and father both. Sandu was more than a match for Jilie but Zidian was still a problem.

Parrying her attacks, Jiang Cheng focused on defending himself rather than attacking his mother; distantly registering the sound of his father calling for his mother to stop, for Jiang Cheng to stop.

Jiang Cheng will stop when his mother stops.

The problem with fighting his mother is that Jiang Cheng has grown used to fighting with Zidian, not against it, and it makes it difficult to handle both Jilie and Zidian at the same time. Eventually his luck at dodging Zidian will run out, he knows that.

When it does, he’s not surprised. Jilie and Sandu are locked and Jiang Cheng can’t disengage fast enough to avoid Zidian arcing around to slice into his neck. The only thing he can do is let it injure his arm instead.

The spark of pain from Zidian wrapping around his forearm is enough to have Jiang Cheng curse and snap at the spiritual weapon with his own spiritual energy.

He doesn’t expect Zidian to unfurl from his arm and instead settle around his wrist, violet sparking disappearing as the weapon goes inert.

That, more than anything, has both his mother and him stop dead.

Jiang Cheng stares at Zidian wrapped around his wrist. “What the fuck?”

In hindsight, saying anything was probably a bad idea but swearing was the worst idea ever.

Madam Yu and Jiang Fengmian both state at him with near identical looks of disapproval at his profanity which is just hilarious, really. Jiang Cheng’s entire political history is cursing, shouting, threats of violence, and profanity.

Still, he is somewhere around twelve and twelve-year-olds do not battle their mothers to a stand still and curse. But, this is Jiang Cheng’s afterlife so he can do what he wants, parental disapproval be damned.

Whether it’s his swearing, his father’s words finally penetrating his mother’s battle focus, or the fact that Zidian has in fact decided Jiang Cheng is fine, Yu Ziyuan pulls away from Jiang Cheng and studies him with a more open expression than he’s ever seen on his mother.

“Jiang Cheng?” Hearing his mother say his name so tentatively, sounding so uncertain, is just another surprise on top of more surprises.

He nods warily, unsure if his mother will start shouting at him for swearing, fighting her, or whatever other reason madam Yu can no doubt think of. Jiang Cheng certainly doesn’t expect his mother to drop her sword and drag him into a hug.

He can literally count on one hand how many times he’s been hugged by his mother. This makes hug number three; and he’s including the hugs from his previous life too.

Madam Yu doesn’t cry like Jiang Fengmian did but there’s a slight shaking to her shoulders that tells Jiang Cheng that she probably would if she ever allowed herself to be that emotionally vulnerable. His father approaches carefully, as mindful of his wife’s temper as ever, and gently joins the embrace; an arm around his wife and Jiang Cheng each.

This, this Jiang Cheng has never experienced. Both of his parents embracing him at the same time. The dashed wishes of the child that Jiang Cheng was long ago rise up and have him clinging to his parents with a desperation he doesn’t expect of himself. He’d reconciled his parents memory with his own failings long ago; he doesn’t need this from them but… It’s nice.

Jiang Cheng deserves nice things after all the crap he’s lived through.

The reunion with A-Jie and Wei Wuxian is either going to be wonderful or possibly worse than his mother realising he’s not dead. Jiang Cheng honestly doesn’t know which it’s going to he but he strongly suspects it’s going to involve a lot of shouting and crying at the least.

Jiang Cheng doesn’t pride himself on being right about things like Wei Wuxian always had, but he’s a little proud of himself for guessing rightly about the shouting and tears. He’s less proud when the source of shouting is his sister and tears is his brother.

Mostly because he doesn’t know how to handle either of those things separately, let alone at the same time.

Jiang Cheng feels perfectly justified in mumbling the same excuse he gave his father to A-Jie as she gives him the same look Madam Yu always gave him; expectant. At least, Jiang Yanli expects an explanation whereas his mother expected perfection.

Wei Wuxian is, in comparison to A-Jie near catatonic, clinging to Jiang Cheng the way he used to whenever someone mentioned dogs or he saw one. It’s terror and fear and a desperate, desperate need for comfort. Jiang Cheng, after literal decades spent trying to be less emotionally constipated, complies readily and pulls his shixiong into a hug that buries Wei Wuxian’s head against his chest.

Jiang Cheng used to do that with A-Ling all the time when his nephew was young and needed comfort after a nightmare. The experience comes in handy with his brother.

“I’m sorry, A-Jie, I didn’t plan on dying in the first place, let alone being thrown back by the heavens to protect the Sect,” Jiang Cheng says and there’s more sarcasm to his words than there should be considering the way his sister actually glares at him. “I’m sorry for hurting you all.”

A-Jie’s glare softens at those words. Jiang Cheng means them for a lot more than just being dead in his afterlife here. He means them for failing his sister and her husband, for not being a better uncle, for pushing Wei Wuxian away, for being so ignorant that he didn’t even realise his core was actually his brothers…

Jiang Cheng is sorry for a lot of things.

“You are forgiven A-Cheng,” A-Jie tells him, smiling at last as she joins Wei Wuxian in hugging Jiang Cheng. “Do not do it again.”

“I definitely don’t plan to, no,” Jiang Cheng promises, smiling despite himself because he has his siblings again. They’re alive and safe and though they’ve been grieving him, he knows they’ll be happy again soon enough.

And he’s going to keep them that way. Even if he has to go and kill Wen Ruohan himself at the tender age of twelve. Possibly Jin Guangyao- wait, it’d be Meng Yao still. Su She too, maybe.

Jiang Cheng sighs into his siblings embrace. He’s going to have to write a list.

The years of being a Sect Leader with no family and a newly rebuilt Sect will come in handy now that Jiang Cheng is going to have to single-handedly organise protection of Lotus Pier and possibly kill several cultivators without getting caught. He can do it, he’s of Yunmeng Jiang, but it’s going to be annoying with Sect Heir duties.

Judging by the hair pierce and robes Wei Wuxian wears, Jiang Cheng figures his father made him the Sect Heir after Jiang Cheng’s… Demise. Of course, Wei Wuxian would be a wonderful Sect Heir and Leader for Yunmeng Jiang, Jiang Cheng has come to accept this about his shixiong and not resent him for it. But Jiang Cheng gets the feeling that Wei Wuxian doesn’t want to be Sect Heir instead of Jiang Cheng.

Considering that Wei Wuxian had become Sect Heir thanks to the Wen attack, Jiang Cheng trusts that his brother has been carrying out Sect Heir duties just fine. The admission by Wei Wuxian that he has in fact been completely useless in the week since Jiang Cheng’s death is… Surprising.

But it’s not, not really, when Jiang Cheng thinks about it. Wei Wuxian loves him—he hasn’t shied away from this fact for three decades, he’s not about to start shying away from it now—and Jiang Cheng himself had been pretty useless those first few days after the Wen attack and then Wei Wuxian’s disappearance. He understands.

“You’re meant to be the next Sect Leader, anyway,” Wei Wuxian mumbles into Jiang Cheng’s robes.

“Maybe, but you’ll be my Sect Heir when I do,” Jiang Cheng replies, calmly staring at Wei Wuxian’s shocked expression. “I’m serious. A-Jie will marry and leave Lotus Pier, but you’re Head Disciple and will become Sect Heir when I take over from father.”

Wei Wuxian stares at him. He looks a bit like a koi fish.

Jiang Cheng kindly does not tell him that.

“But- Madam Yu-“ Wei Wuxian splitters and Jiang Cheng cuts him off.

“Mother is not Sect Leader or Sect Heir,” Jiang Cheng says firmly. “It is not her decision who I have as my heir. I love her but you are my brother and I will not allow anyone to treat you like you are unworthy of being treated as my brother. Not even mother.”

It seems that Jiang Cheng can reduce Wei Wuxian to speechless by a) dying and reviving, and b) declaring him his brother and being willing to fight Madam Yu about it.

Considering Jiang Cheng has already fought his mother today, he’s relatively confident he could beat her if it came to that; even if he’s twelve. He’d rather it didn’t but Jiang Cheng has learnt to plan for contingencies as a Sect Leader.

You never knew if you were going to reveal a major plot to undermine the Great Sects and frame your brother for crimes he didn’t commit, after all.

Speaking of contingencies, Jiang Cheng wonders if it would be wise to reach out to Gusu Lan earlier than the Disciple Exchange in three years. The Lan would be able to offer assurances to the other Sects that Jiang Cheng really isn’t dead, and it would afford him the chance to introduce Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian sooner. Whilst he’d much rather gouge his eyes out than witness his brother being so shameless with the Second Jade of Lan, Jiang Cheng remembers how happy his shixiong had been with Hanguang-Jun and Jiang Cheng will do whatever he has to, to make sure his siblings are happy.

Even if he has to endure shameless flirting and truly obnoxious displays of affection.

He’ll have to figure something out regarding the peacock for A-Jie too. Jiang Cheng sighs. The things he does for those he loves.

#The Untamed #Jiang Cheng #Wei Wuxian #Jiang Yanli #Jiang Fengmian #Yu Ziyuan #Kat writes

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rosepetals-flyingbirds · 4 years

Text

These Monsters.

With: Geralt x Reader.

Word Count: 2,436

Another town, another search for a monster so Geralt could gain some coin.

Roach walked slowly and Geralt gazed at the new town, it was dirty and smelled weird. Common.

Sometimes he wonders about Jaskier's questioning of retirement. Geralt chuckled at the thought, where could he possibly live after retirement?

"Oh shit! You bloody bitch!" A man yelled and Geralt searched for the disturbance. "Stop meddling."

"I ain't! I'm asking politely and with coin for the dog!"

"Stop caring so much. You and your damn dogs!"

Geralt got off Roach and walked close to the scene. "Don't curse them! Their lives matter more than yours." You yelled.

The man held your forearm. "Oh you-"

Geralt approached and the man looked up at him, he wasn't short, but Geralt was gigantic. "Do we have a problem?"

The man looked at him up and down. "Don't meddle, Witcher." He spat on the floor and Geralt looked at you.

You knew he wanted an answer so you chuckled. "This man refuges to sell me his dog, even though he is a monster that is selling him for terrible people who will kill him for rituals."

"Rituals my ass. There are using them for magic."

Geralt glanced at the man and then noticed the dog that was being held by a firm rope. "Selling?"

You nodded. "Yes."

"Why won't you sell for her then. Its the same price?"

The man rolled his eyes, not believing the annoying you and a Witcher was bothering him. "Its! But this is about my pride."

You laughed in mockery making the man angrier. "What pride? Your assassin!"

Geralt looked at you with gleam with his eyes, you were short, probably couldn't handle a sword for your life if needed, but there you stood causing chaos to save an animal. Then he looked at the man again and extended his hand to grab the dog's rope. "Give her the dog, it'll be for the best."

The man looked at the Witcher's hand and looked offended. "Don't touch my dog!"

You intertwined quickly making Geralt smirk at your ferocity. "Is not yours! You're selling him to slaughter!"

Geralt looked at the man again and gave him a look of knowing. "Give it to the girl, now."

He looked at you, the scared dog, the Witcher and rolled his eyes he took the coins from your hand and marched to the opposite way mumbling some curses.

You kneeled on the floor and caressed the baby's head. "Hello girl, we will go home okay?! You will be treated with respect."

Geralt could walk away, he should have, but his feet were glued to the spot. Why did you care for such a small creature?

Fighting with dumb people to save them.

Realizing the broadening figure that still stood near you, you stood up and held the damned rope. "Thank you, for helping me. Honestly, that asshole wouldn't give in and I was desperate."

He hummed and a small smile broke his lips. "You? Desperate?"

"Yeah, because if I stole him then they would kill me, probably anyway. I have stolen others before and... if I die all of this will be hopeless."

"Why do you care so much?"

"They are alive beings, man's best friend! And they betray them and its disgusting!" You saw the pretty horse in a few steps away and by the black bag that was propped by the horse's side, you connected it to the man with white hair and striking eyes. "Is she yours?"

Looking at Roach he nodded. "How did you know?"

"Well, for one she is well treated, that gives away a lot, and I've never seen you before."

"I'm a Witcher, I'm searching for a job."

"You kill monsters." You thought out loud. He nodded and you looked at the curious people that were going outside their houses just to look at him. "If I had enough coin I would give you to kill these monsters." Geralt knew you meant the people and he found that amusing. "Well, I will go now. Thank you for helping me and if you ever need help or a cup of tea, or ale," You chuckled. "I live deep in the woods, you'll probably hear the dogs if you approach."

Smirking at you, Geralt saw you walking away.

…

Nearing your house you held the baby in your arms and opened the door carefully, you allowed your other dogs, or as you call them, children, to smell the new baby and you went to cook something for them.

As you prepared the food your attention went to the Witcher you met in town, how he helped you made you smile.

Yes, he was very very, painfully so, handsome; But the fact that he helped you when everyone else called you crazy was amazing to you. And how his horse was so well treated made you smile believing he cares for the animals too.

You placed the dogs' food in the table waiting for it to cool off and took the new baby to wash her. "Hello you, you have been through some rough time uh?!" She shaked with the water and you tried to go as quickly as you could so you could dry her up.

In the end, you rubbed a towel in her fur and went back to the kitchen placing the food on the floor and watched the nine rescued dogs eating.

…

Geralt found a job, a ghoul. It was stealing dead bodies at the local cemetery, and of course everyone was afraid of the 'demon that is destroying our ancestors' as the blacksmith said.

It wasn't easy, and at the end of the fight, he was embraced in ghoul's gut and a wound in his thigh.

"Fuck." He grunted and threw the body in the floor, he watched the almost opened graves but avoided it, he was paid to kill the monster, not to clean it's mess.

He walked back to town limping a bit, the beast's nail perforated his thigh and he needed to find Roach and take one of the potion elixir that helped his witcher magic heal him faster, the one made with veratrum, stramonium, hawthorn, and spurge.

On the way back to town, where he would rent a room he heard a bark, well, a bunch of. He thought of you along the day, the people he met in town where rough, most of them didn't have their teeth, nor education for the matter.

Yet you shone upon them, not only because of the gentleness with smaller creatures, but also how good you looked.

As if you ran off a castle.

You did invite him earlier did you not?

Letting a grunt he tried to decide if he should or shouldn't go visit you.

Following the barks he reached a small house, no dogs outside being locked in chains, he peeked inside and saw by the window a dog with white neat fur. So you let them inside too?

A lot of barks erupted as if the dog in the window told the others that a visitor was approaching their home and they didn't know if Geralt would hurt their human or not.

You approached by the window to call the dogs but realize he was outside.

Quickly you opened the door and looked at him up and down, the smell of guts was strong but the injury in his thigh was prominent by your eyes. Even with the dark cloth of his trousers covering it you could see his blood, then it might be disastrous.

"What happened?"

"I found a case."

"I can see that." You smiled but he could see the fear in your eyes, not because of him, which made him feel comfort. "I, uh, can I help you? Do you wanna bath I think I have some herbs ointment here." Geralt looked at dogs howling at him and you shushed them making them stop. "Come in."

"I, I don't want to get your house dirty with ghoul's guts."

You smiled and shrugged. "I don't know what that is but I don't mind."

As Geralt walked in you spoke with the dogs. "Luna, Ásia let him in, he is a friend."

Geralt looked at them and followed you to what looked like a bathroom. "I don't know your name." He spoke with a grunt and you smiled.

"I don't know yours either." He hummed and you grabbed a towel for him, and searched for a tunic and trousers big enough to fit him.

Geralt looked at the water buckets and you told him he could use them. Getting back at the bathroom you placed the clothes in a chair. "I don't know if they will fit but I believe it's better than these ones." You pointed to his clothes.

"My name is Geralt. Geralt of Rivia."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Y/N, Y/N of... here? I guess." Seeing he used the buckets of water you would use before his arrival you pointed to the sponge and allowed him space to clean up. "I will be outside."

Geralt appreciated the gesture and got out of his clothes slowly to not hurt his thigh further, gladly his healing process was way faster and efficient than humans.

You went to your kitchen to fetch something for him to eat, Geralt was a Witcher, he hunted monsters, killed them and with that he automatically helped people too. Why people hated them?

You knew the dumb tales, and the stares everyone threw at him earlier on made you upset.

He wouldn't hurt you... would he?

Ruby, the most caring dog you had, patted you in the thigh as if asking what was wrong. "Its okay boy."

…

Sometime later Geralt opened the wooden door and you looked at him wearing the loosest clothes you had, but even then they were a bit firm in his body.

"How is your thigh?"

Geralt sat in the chair near the table and you placed a wooden cup with ale for him, and as you have placed the bread, fruits in the table ere you sat to make him company. "Better, it will heal overnight." He drank the whole cup and started to eat the bread.

"How?"

"Magic." He answered simply, not revealing how the magic could help him much less where his magic came from.

"You don't talk much do you?" He smiled and looked at the almost destroyed bread he was eating.

"I'm sorry."

"No it's okay, I'm just curious about you. Magic you say uh?!"

"Yeah."

You saw him looking at the fruits as if something was missing. "I'm sorry but I don't have any type of meat here, I don't hunt nor buy it."

"It is okay, you're very generous."

Geralt felt something touching his feet and looked at the dogs surrounding him.

"They like you."

"How?"

"Well, they are not barking and are asking for bread." You smiled.

"Should I give them?" For a moment you swore you saw a glimpse of worry in his eyes.

"No no, they already ate and bread isn't good for them." He nodded and you served him more ale. "So, where you'll sleep tonight?"

"I will find a room in town."

"You'll leave tomorrow?"

He got silent for a while, deep in thought. "Yes."

In that would be the last time you saw him, or any Witcher to be straightforward. "You'll go home?"

"I don't have one."

"Not even in Rivia?"

"Definitely not in there."

"So you go from town to town? All over the state?" He nodded. "I don't know if I would be able to do that." Geralt smiled at your sincerity, almost everyone he met annoyed him about their lives and how lucky he is for traveling, when it isn't luck, its a curse. He was transformed into a Witcher and didn't have the luck of having a home or a family. "Well, I will wash your clothes. Or you want to take them dirty and all?"

You awaited for the answer and Geralt opened his mouth, but shut it quickly reconsidering his words. "If it won't be an inconvenience I would appreciate it."

"Sure thing." Leaving the kitchen you grabbed the stained clothes in the bathroom and went outside to wash them.

Geralt stood up from the chair and moved at the place, the dogs were looking at him contemplating the weird man in their home, he sat in the couch and propped his back, letting a sigh of relief. He was exhausted, days sleeping in the woods because of the search for a job. So finally feeling a warm house with a comfortable sofa was amazing to him.

Half of an hour later you entered your home again and placed the clothes in a made-up line near the fireplace, it was cold outside so it wouldn't dry them with the same efficiency.

You saw three of the dogs sleeping near the fire, two under the table and then the one you rescued earlier in the sofa, near a very tall Witcher. Geralt was passed out, you studied at him and then at the door, he said he would rent a room in town earlier on, but you wouldn't wake him up when he was so obviously relaxed.

Going to your room and finding the other three dogs near your bed, you petted one of them and grabbed a blanket you had made recently, you placed it in Geralt's body and gazed at him seeking for any sign of discomfort.

Finding none you walked back to your room and closed the door. Putting a small dagger you had under your pillow, you sat in bed and caressed your dog, Ubbe. Geralt wouldn't try something bad, you were sure of it, but to be sure you had to at least be prepared.

And as for Geralt, he slept better than he had in days.

…

The night passed and he woke up with a lick on his face. Grunting he opened his eyes and saw the dog he helped you buy the day prior, he smiled at the small creature and sat in the sofa stretching his sore muscles, touching his leg he realized the injury was apparently gone. And looking at his surrounds he smiled at how the sun rays swept in the atmosphere making everything look warmer, brighter, and better.

And adding the place to the way you treated him with nothing but gentleness he smiled. Yeah, people were shitty but sometimes he was blessed by meeting good souls.

And he will try his best to treat you with nothing but.

…

#geralt x reader #geralt of rivia x reader #the witcher x you

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all-of-the-imagines-for-eve · 4 years

Text

Protector ~ Embry Call

Word Count: 4100+

Request: "Can I request a embry call imagines where the reader y/n Is kinda shy and she is very scared around big crowds so she always holds onto a part of em and he loves protecting her! He imprinted but loved her before and she is pretty short I'm 5,2 so when she is behind him you can't see her! And a girl at her school is teasing her about being like embrys puppy following him everywhere and she gets shy and em feels her discomfort and steps in to comfort telling her to mind her own business. Thank you" by @cullens-stuff

A/n: This user has been so sweet to me even as I took AGES to write their (I don't know your pronouns I'm sorry) and I appreciate it SO MUCH so I was hella on top of this when I came back. This is my longest request by a long shot as I added a bit (because we stan a queen who can stand up for herself). Lol hope you like it hun!

MASTERLIST

Embry and Y/n were those kids who everyone knew would end up getting married one day. He doted on her and she got hyper and attentive when he was around. He gave her anything she asked for, and in return she would take care of him. Whether it was him giving her a piggyback ride, or her braiding his hair because it was in his face, they were always doing things for each other and staying stuck to each other's sides and it seemed that the friendship would never end.

Then they grew up, as most kids do. Puberty hit and anxiety rose and Embry made other friends, and after a time they were less inseparable and more casual friends. This was good, in the end, as the slight distance allowed Embry to go from joking and childhood crushing to actually seeing how pretty and smart and caring Y/n was. He might have gotten rowdy while she got quiet and reserved. He might have gotten taller and taller when she stopped growing in the fifth grade. He might live life for adventure and adrenaline while Y/n preferred to stay home and half learn skills and watch tv. They might be different. But it didn't matter. Embry Call had a huge crush on Y/n and it was becoming painful to watch as he did nothing about it.

Predictably, Y/n found herself in a similar predicament. She loved his hugs and how he pulled her right off her feet when they hugged. She loved how he was never bothered by how she hovered and instead made sure was nearby- within arms reach if he could help it. She loved that when she cuddled up next to him she fit right into his side, and how when things scared her or the sun was really bright she could step behind Embry and he would cover her completely. She loved how safe and loved she felt with him. She loved how he would constantly ask her to play with his hair, even if he had it up and especially when he noticed she was nervous and needed something to do. She loved... him.

The worst part was: Y/n was afraid of everything. Crowds. Bugs. Tall people. Mean people. Food that tasted good but looked really gross. Strong people. Places she wasn't familiar with... It's not that she was a coward, she was just small. She reached 5'2 and was shy and quiet and easily spooked. She had a faint heart and a weak stomach. She was cute and small and soft- the kind of person you looked at and immediately thought: PROTECT AT ALL COST! Which of course made Embry even more wonderful as he swooped in time and time again to have her back when she was struggling again.

Long story short: She was the purest of beans and he was her knight in shining armor and never before in their teenage lives at the kids that were apart of the pair's daily life been more in love with a couple that simultaneously made them so frustrated.

With all the potential wasted by longing and no action, everyone else was suffering.

They were perfect for each other... but they were also completely oblivious to the other's affections.

That was cured, more or less, when Embry became a wolf. He had to leave her side for a while as he figured everything out, but then he made eye contact with her one day and imprinted on her and everything lined up perfectly. What came next was a slew of Embry at the peak of awkwardness as he tried to explain to her how he'd felt all this time and about the whole werewolf thing.

She'd sort of had a melt down at first as she tried to wrap her mind around it all, but didn't scream and run away as he'd expected so honestly she handled it pretty well. After she got used to the idea and they figured things out between them, it had been simple to move from that point to the next.

Now they were inseparable again, just like they'd been as children. She was glued to his side and he was attentively protective of her. She could be touched by nothing. Crowds a problem? They'd hold hands, or he'd put her on his shoulders or carry her or give her a piggyback ride. Anyone stepping up to her to cause problems? Embry was there. Wether they were being harmful or flirty, Embry was there. Bug problem? Emrby suddenly had lightning fast and one hundred percent accurate attacks. He could swat it out of the air, or guide it out a window and away from them. Dog on your heels? Let's see how long it lasts against Embry, the werewolf.

After a while of Embry stepping up to protect her, Y/n fell into an easy habit of just holding onto him. It allowed her to easily communicate when she was nervous- all she had to do was squeeze and he was ready and able. He couldn't always be there, but he did his best and really that's all Y/n could ask for.

People were shipping it more than ever. They were the sweetest couple, unphased by anything and so full of love.

Well, actually, almost everyone.

Marina Kyle was one of those girls who used beauty to get power. She had most boys wrapped around her finger, and knew how to keep the girls that could tear her down as friends. She was manipulative and smart and absolutely gorgeous. No one told her no and no one could take her down.

No one but Embry Call.

Which seemed to bug her endlessly.

When she was younger, she'd had a crush on Embry. She'd tried everything to get his attention, to no avail. She'd dismissed it after a while as him being uninterested in girls or being one of those people who didn't want to date until college. Then he started dating Y/n. The girl was pathetic in Marina's eyes. Absolutely pathetic. Y/n should have been learning how to survive on her own, conquering her fears and getting stronger instead of letting her weaknesses own her so much. She didn't deserve Embry Call- tall and strong and pretty. As if to rub salt in the wound, everyone LOVED THEM together. Everyone was psyched when they finally got together and for a significant amount of time, that's all anyone ever talked about.

Marina tried to let it go. She'd lost. Whatever. But Marine NEVER lost and it finally got to her and she snapped. She knew she couldn't ever get to Embry, but Y/n would only ne too easy. She waited for her moment then made her strike.

"Hey there," she purred, leaning against the wall next to Y/n's locker. School was over and Y/n was getting her stuff out to take home for tonight's homework. She paused when she saw Marina.

Y/n smiled sweetly. "Hi." She put her math book in her bag last, zipping it up and putting it on her back. She looked twelve. Small and young and ridiculous. Her smile was warm and her eyes were clear of any malintent. She was pure and Marina absolutely hated it. "Can I help you with something?"

Marina put on a fake smile. "Yeah, I was just wondering: how do do it?"

Immediately Y/n was confused. "Do what?"

"Get yourself a guard dog like Embry Call. I mean-" She grinned, sighing dreamily. "He's tall dark and handsome incarnate, and protects you from every little thing that goes bump in the night. Such dedication and he's hot? You have to let me in on your secret!" Y/n opens her mouth to defend herself but Marina leans closer, intimidating her so she doesn't get it out. "Come on sweetheart, us girls have to watch out for each other. How did you do it? Did you sleep with him?"

"What?" Y/n squeaked. "No-"

"Black mail him?"

"No!" Y/n insisted, her eyes wide as she gripped her backpack straps tightly. "Look, I can't help you. Embry isn't some muscle for hire, he's my boyfriend." She spoke very quietly, her words fumbling due to fear. Marina was feeding off of it.

The taller girl hummed, her finger touching her lips in faux thoughtfulness. "I guess he just pities you then."

Y/n's eyes went wide. "Wh-" The small girl broke off. With all her insecurities, the thought had occurred to her before. She'd been assured every time she brought it up so she'd finally dismissed it, but if someone else saw it too... Maybe Marina knew something Y/n didn't. "How do you figure?"

Marins tilted her head back and forth a few times,, as if considering. She had a smile on her face that made Y/n feel like she had a secret, and it would ruin Y/n's life. Y/n got the impression Marina was excited to use her power. "I mean, he's quite a catch. He's got to have plenty of girls begging for his attention. But you like him and you're so small and... cute." She reached out and softly pinched Y/n's cheek. "I'm sure he just sees you like a stray puppy." Marina pat Y/n's cheek ad the smaller girl flinched. "How could he say no when the only thing standing between you and every shadow on the street is him? You need a big strong man to watch your back everywhere you go or you'll break down in no time. You do seem to be afraid of EVERYTHING, after all." She leaned away, waving her hand as she looked away. Her complete lack of consideration for the damages her words were doing made Y/n feel like they were even more real. Even more honest. Like what she was saying had some real weight to them. Marina had spoken a lot of truth so far. Why wouldn't she be right about Embry's feelings toward her as well? "Do you miss him when he leaves at night or does he sneak in your room to protect you from the boogie man hiding in the darkness too?"

Y/n hated herself as she felt tears come to her eyes. "It's not like that."

Marine sighed, turning away. "Whatever you say, Sweetheart. Have a safe walk home! I'm sure you'll be fine with Embry watching your precious back." She walked a few steps to the corner that lead to another hallway before pausing to say one last thing. "If he's a guard dog, does that make you his puppy?" She laughed, leaning against the wall and watching Y/n look away, her eyes unable to meet Marina's.

"Are you really so pathetic that you have to tear people down to get what you want?" The laughter suddenly cut off and two girls turned, surprised, to see Embry Call himself. His usual smile was replaced by a glare. The sharp kind that dug and stabbed into Marina's very soul, making her mouth snap closed and her fingers interlace behind her back. The confidence she had before melted and she suddenly looked as nervous as Y/n usually was. Embry stepped closer to Marina. "Can't you ever mind your own business, Marina, or do you have to shove yourself into everything?"

"You don't have to protect me," Y/n snapped. Embry and Marina both looked to her now and both were surprised by the look of anger she had. She wasn't directing it at either of them but at herself as her eyes trained on her hands. She slowly looked up, stepping purposefully. She was shaking, obviously afraid and downtrodden but not giving into it for the first time in a long time. For the first time since she was little and had to force herself to walk by the house with the dogs who would bark at her every time. When she forced herself to walk slowly instead of run. She took shaky steps toward Marina, wiping the tears off of her face. "As much as I hate to hear it, Marina was right about a lot of things. You shouldn't have to keep such a close eye on me. You shouldn't have to protect me from literally everything." Y/n turned away. "I'm walking home today Embry. Don't wait up."

She walked away and Embry went after her, leaving Marina who leaned against the wall with ease now that the intimidating boy was gone. She smirked. She was winning.

Embry tried to get Y/n to listen to him, but Y/n wasn't having it. She eventually reaching into her bag for her headphones and once she put those on, Embry knew he had lost this fight. He stopped walking when she snapped at him to leave her alone, letting her keep going without him. She watched as she passed the same house they used to walk past as kids. The house with the loud dogs that made her jump. The house that made Embry smile, because it was the first time he'd ever had to put his arm around her and push her to the other side of him to put himself between her and something that scared her. The first time he'd made it known that he would always be there to have her back and protect her, even if all she really needed was comfort.

It didn't make him smile now. As she walked, the dogs went off and Embry stepped forward to run after her as she flinched. But then he froze as she solidified her stance and turned to the dogs to stare at them. They didn't stop barking but eventually her body relaxed and she turned away, walking calmly and unbothered by the big dogs and their unrelenting barking.

He had never seen her do that before.

Was he too overprotective? If she could face her fears like that and had simply learned to depend on him to deal with it, was he holding her back from being as brave as she could be?

When Y/n avoided him for the next week, he let it happen. She obviously needed some time and space and he was always willing to give it to her. If she needed time to find her own strength instead of depending on his, that was okay. He wanted her to be secure in herself as well as him and their relationship. He could protect her, but he could also let her protect herself... if she could. He hoped she was just okay.

Turns out, she was. She'd taken the week to really think about what Marina had said. To separate what had been real from what had just been mean. Y/n was weak. She was a tad pathetic. Especially recently. She faced her fears one at a time. She walked past those dogs every day. She watched scary movies and learned breathing techniques to deal with her anxiety properly. She went to the ocean and stood quite deeply in it. Maybe not deep for a normal person, but definitely for her. She let the waves push and pull at her and stood her ground. She went to the aquarium and walked through the tunnel with the sharks and moved slowly and purposefully, even when a really huge one swan right at her a second before swimming up. It had just been a swimming, but it was so big and she was so small and for a second it felt like it was coming for her life specifically. She didn't run though. Again and again she dealt with irrational fear with determination and proved to herself that she could protect herself. She could handle this. She could handle anything.

Well, not quite everything.

As much as irrational fears weren't a problem, real fears were. Like crowds. Being so small meant that she could easily get lost in a crowd and when she went to the dance that was jammed with people dancing and walking around she hadn't realized how easy it was for her to get knocked around and almost trampled until it was happening and she was near tears as she tripped and almost fell flat on her face.

A hand caught her arm and pulled her into a chest. She looked up to see Embry, his expression half worry and half pride. She felt the anxiety lift away from her as she smiled. She moved away from him, brushing off her dress a little and pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. "Thanks."

Embry chuckled. "Anytime, Princess."

The nickname made Y/n frown. It had been developed after Embry had been at Y/n's beck and call. He'd had her back so often that Y/n had jokingly called Embry her knight in shining armor. He'd responded with calling her his princess. It reminded her of how weak she was. She needed him...

No, she didn't. "I had it handled."

Embry frowned. "Y/n can I please talk to you outside?" She hesitated before nodding. They moved to a distant corner where no one could hear them. The night air was chilly but Y/n tried to play it off and even though Embry knew it was bothering her he knew that it would only cause problems for him to offer help so he didn't. He turned to her and she looked up at her. He sat down on a bench so he didn't tower over her so much. "You know I love you, right?"

Y/n sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Yeah." She shook her head. "But Marina was right about me needing you too much. I was weak."

"You're small, Y/n." She went to argue with him but he began speaking, cutting her off. "That isn't a bad thing, it just means that you can hurt a lot more easily. You can get pushed around. You're lighter and easier to physically move. You could have really gotten hurt in there." He scooted closer, trying to enunciate the truth in his words. "You're right. I've been overprotective forever because I was terrified of anyone hurting you. I'm probably even worse now that you're so much smaller than me and I have this whole imprint thing messing with my head. And I've noticed how you've been handling things recently. I'm so proud of you for learning to depend on yourself and being stronger and stuff- it's awesome! But there are time when you're going to need help. Hell, there are times when I need help. I'm a werewolf! But I'm also part of a pack, and for a reason. We all need each other to take down vampires. None of us could do it alone. Even in normal every day life, sometimes I have to go to one of my friends when something doesn't make sense to me or I've bit off more than I can chew. Sometimes I need y mom's advice for something I have no idea how to handle because I'm still so stupidly young." He exhaled sharply and Y/n realized for the first time that Embry Call was not unbreakable.

She moved closer to him, taking one of his large hands in two of her tiny ones. "I just want to be able to be there for you as much as you are for me."

Embry smiled. "Y/n, you are." She started, surprised. "You think I come over at 1am just because you're afraid of the dark?"

"I'm not afraid of the dark."

"Exactly." He smiled. "I go to you because I need your comfort. Because life is frustrating and confusing and hard and the only thing that makes sense sometimes is you and me. You might be small but when you pull me into a hug when we're cuddled on your bed and I burry my face in your neck and can't see anything and my senses are full of you, I feel completely at peace. You make me feel safe. You make me feel strong. When everything's out of control and terrifying and I feel like I can't do anything, I know that I can love you and that I can do it well and no one can do it better than me. You ground me. You straighten me out when I'm spiraling out of control." He pulled her closer and she melted at his touch. "I know that when I can't do anything to save my pack and I have to just sit there and wait for something to happen and hope it turns out okay, I can look at you or touch you or kiss you and you'll blush and melt and smile and be happy. I can protect you and you'll be safe." His eyes he been watering and now a tear fell. Y/n raised her hand to wipe it away and he leaned into her touch. "I depend on you too Y/n, and you let me. You handle every crazy thing I throw at you without hesitation or holding it against me. I put you in danger actively by dating you. Remember everything I told you about Bella Swan?" Y/n nodded. "If I made enemies like Edward and her did, they could come for you in a second- you know that right?" She paused before nodding. "And you're okay with that?"

She sighed. "I know you'll always protect me Embry. And you're not a such of an idiot as Edward Cullen is."

Embry sorted in amusement and Y/n smiled. He calmed. "You're amazing. Do you realize that?"

"I'm pretty cool," she agreed. He grinned. The old dropped a little as she got serious. "I just don't want to be weak either. And I was. I am."

Embry thought about that for a second. "We're all weak in some way or another."

"That's not-" she began.

"No I'm serious!" Embry insisted. "We all have a weakness, Y/n. Yours is just that you're short." She rolled her eyes and he chuckled. "Can you imagine it being something worse? Like..." He trailed off. "Like the smell of blood driving you so crazy that it forces you to kill innocent people?" She looked away, her expression dark. He touched her cheek, guiding her eyes to his. "Or being so insecure and desperate for attention that you'll tear apart two in love, happy people just to make yourself feel better about not having someone like that yourself?" Y/n recognized the bite at Marina and tied not to smirk. "I love you Y/n. And maybe you can have your own back- that's fine. But sometimes you're going to need help. Let me help you those times. Please."

She hesitated before nodding. "Yeah, okay." She waved her hand, pulling it out of Embry's grasp to mirror what Marina had done weeks ago. "I suppose I'll allow you to be my guard dog." She put on an airy tone and looked away, dramatically teasing. She looked back, winking. They both laughed.

The next day, Embry and Y/n were back on track and better than ever. Marina, who had been thriving under the stress between the two, was pissed to see them have everything figured out. To her knowledge, Y/n was just as weak as before. Just as dependent on Embry as before. And just as easy to break without him to puppy guard her.

So she went in for round two.

And Y/n shut her down immediately.

"GOD don't you have a life? Get over yourself Marina not all of us depend on other people to fill what we lack in ourselves." Marina stood there, mouth agape stunned. Y/n shook her head. "You know I should actually thank you. You're the reason I finally found some confidence for myself. You helped me are my relationship even better. If it wasn't for you, Embry and I might have run into some real problems and had to break up." Y/n popped up on her tiptoes, tapping Marina's cheek like Marina had her a while back. "Let me return the favor by saying this: get a life and stop trying to ruin mine." The smaller girl's attention moved to something behind Marina. "Aw, if it isn't the cute little dog himself." Embry chucked as she moved to his side, Marina turning to face them with that same stunned expression. Y/n kissed him on the cheek and they walked off, leaving Marina to her own thoughts.

She had lost. Really lost. And they wouldn't be bothered by her ever again.

Forever Tag List: @bitchyseawitch @alexa-playafricabytoto @chipster-21 @captainxmikaelson @justanotherdaydreamersoul

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aboveallarescuer · 4 years

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Daenerys Targaryen in A Storm of Swords vs Game of Thrones - Episode 3.1: Valar Dohaeris

In this series of posts, I intend to analyze precisely how the show writers downplayed or erased several key aspects of Daenerys Targaryen’s characterization, even when they had the books to help them write her as the compelling, intelligent, compassionate, frugal, open-minded and self-critical character that GRRM created.

I want to make it clear that these posts are not primarily meant to offer a better alternative to what the show writers gave us. I understand that they had many constraints (e.g. other storylines to handle, a limited amount of time to write the scripts, budget, actors who may have asked for a certain number of lines, etc) working against them. However, considering how disrespectful the show’s ending was to Daenerys Targaryen and how the book material that they left out makes it even more ludicrous to think that she will also become a villain in A Song of Ice and Fire, I believe that these reviews are more than warranted. They are meant to dissect everything about Dany’s characterization that was lost in translation, with a lot of book evidence to corroborate my statements.

Since these reviews will dissect scene by scene, I recommend taking a look at this post because I will use its sequence to order Dany’s scenes.

This post is relevant in case you want to know which chapters were adapted in which GoT episodes (however, I didn’t make the list myself, all the information comes from the GoT Wiki, so I can’t guarantee that it’s 100% reliable).

In general, I will call the Dany from the books “Dany” and the Dany from the TV series “show!Dany”.

Scene 1

Summary: show!Dany and show!Jorah are on a ship. The two discuss a) the dragons' growth, b) whether it's worth being complicit in the slave trade or not and c) the Dothraki's seasickness.

We begin the episode with this conversation about the dragons:

JORAH: They're growing fast.

DAENERYS: Not fast enough. I can't wait that long. I need an army.

Is it true that Dany needs the dragons to conquer Westeros and wishes they were bigger than they are at this point in the books? It is:

Another year, or perhaps two, and he may be large enough to ride. Then I shall have no need of ships to cross the great salt sea.

But that time was not yet come. Rhaegal and Viserion were the size of small dogs, Drogon only a little larger, and any dog would have outweighed them; they were all wings and neck and tail, lighter than they looked. And so Daenerys Targaryen must rely on wood and wind and canvas to bear her home. (ASOS Daenerys I)

However, that's not all there is to their relationship. Dany loves them as she would love her own human children:

They are my children, she told herself, and if the maegi spoke truly, they are the only children I am ever like to have. (ASOS Daenerys I)

Because she loves them like a mother would, she pays attention to how they grow and develop and act like a mother would:

Dragons always preferred to attack from above, Dany had learned. Should either get between the other and the sun, he would fold his wings and dive screaming, and they would tumble from the sky locked together in a tangled scaly ball, jaws snapping and tails lashing. The first time they had done it, she feared that they meant to kill each other, but it was only sport. No sooner would they splash into the sea than they would break apart and rise again, shrieking and hissing, the salt water steaming off them as their wings clawed at the air. (ASOS Daenerys I)

That level of care and attention (and her own cleverness in the choice of the word "dracarys") is what allows her to figure out how to order them to breathe fire on her own:

She took a chunk of salt pork out of the bowl in her lap and held it up for her dragons to see. All three of them eyed it hungrily. Rhaegal spread green wings and stirred the air, and Viserion’s neck swayed back and forth like a long pale snake’s as he followed the movement of her hand. “Drogon,” Dany said softly, “dracarys.” And she tossed the pork in the air.

Drogon moved quicker than a striking cobra. Flame roared from his mouth, orange and scarlet and black, searing the meat before it began to fall. As his sharp black teeth snapped shut around it, Rhaegal’s head darted close, as if to steal the prize from his brother’s jaws, but Drogon swallowed and screamed, and the smaller green dragon could only hiss in frustration.

“Stop that, Rhaegal,” Dany said in annoyance, giving his head a swat.

“You had the last one. I’ll have no greedy dragons.” She smiled at Ser Jorah. “I won’t need to char their meat over a brazier any longer.”

“So I see. Dracarys?”

All three dragons turned their heads at the sound of that word, and Viserion let loose with a blast of pale gold flame that made Ser Jorah take a hasty step backward. Dany giggled. “Be careful with that word, ser, or they’re like to singe your beard off. It means ‘dragonfire’ in High Valyrian. I wanted to choose a command that no one was like to utter by chance.” (ASOS Daenerys I)

She feels a lot of pride for them and knows how to distinguish each of them:

Every man of them, from captain to cook’s boy, loved to watch the three fly … though none so much as Dany.

[...] Viserion’s scales were the color of fresh cream, his horns, wing bones, and spinal crest a dark gold that flashed bright as metal in the sun. Rhaegal was made of the green of summer and the bronze of fall. They soared above the ships in wide circles, higher and higher, each trying to climb above the other.

[...] Drogon was aloft as well, though not in sight; he would be miles ahead, or miles behind, hunting.

He was always hungry, her Drogon. (ASOS Daenerys I)

Now, does this scene prevent any of these aspects from being true for show!Dany as well? No. That being said, not only these aspects don't come across as strongly in this scene (aside from how proud she is of them), it's also important to notice the show's priorities: they would rather focus on how show!Dany is dissatisfied with their slow growth because of her need to wage war and take back the Iron Throne (which, as I said in this post, is only a means to an end rather than the end that Dany really wants). Benioff describes Dany as "fiercely ambitious" and says in this video that "what she wants, more than anything, is to return home and to reclaim her birthright". I can't agree with these descriptions, so I need to call out this scene's priorities.

Related to how Benioff feels about Dany, we also have show!Dany saying this:

DAENERYS: Not fast enough. I can't wait that long. I need an army.

At this point in the books, Dany isn't even thinking of that, she is thinking that she will go to Pentos and meet Illyrio.

“From Meereen I am sold to Qohor, and then to Pentos and the fat man with sweet stink in his hair. He it was who send Strong Belwas back across the sea, and old Whitebeard to serve him.”

The fat man with sweet stink in his hair ... “Illyrio?” she said. “You were sent by Magister Illyrio?”

“We were, Your Grace,” old Whitebeard replied. (ACOK Daenerys V)

(Now, it could be argued, like @rainhadaenerys did in this meta, that show!Dany has more agency than Dany when she realizes, on her own, that she needs an army. It's a valid perspective that can coexist with what I'm saying here.)

This change doesn't bode well with the fact that they are choosing to portray the Iron Throne as show!Dany's most important goal when, like I just said, this is not what primarily motivates Dany. They are making show!Dany more ambitious (which, again, is not a bad thing in and of itself) than in canon and will have her pay the price for that later on.

JORAH: We'll be in Astapor by nightfall. Some say the Unsullied are the greatest soldiers in the world.

DAENERYS: The greatest slave-soldiers in the world. The distinction means a good deal to some people.

If D&D were following Dany's characterization, she wouldn't be aware of how deplorable and unacceptable slavery is at this point:

“...In Astapor you can buy Unsullied.”

“The slaves in the spiked bronze hats?” Dany had seen Unsullied guards in the Free Cities, posted at the gates of magisters, archons, and dynasts. “Why should I want Unsullied? They don’t even ride horses, and most of them are fat.” (ASOS Daenerys I)

Some people could argue that show!Dany's awareness of these issues from the get-go is a good change. However, I think it detracts from Dany's character development quite a bit. As @khaleesirin says here:

Dany’s supposed arbitrariness and hypocrisy ranging from “why wasn’t she against slavery earlier?” to “why did she leave Astapor?” stem from the fact that her beliefs, her core principles, were “anti-foundational”; they didn’t come from some pre-existing knowledge she adapted as a priori truth. They were all a result of her actual experiences. (x)

With this change, show!Dany misses out on the chance to receive this sort of growth; it detracts from her arc being of someone who develops her political goals and moral values along the way and may actually later validate claims that Dany is too self-righteous (she never was). Now, to be fair to the show writers (and I know this can be hard), particularly to Weiss (who, at least back in 2013, seemed to be much more sympathetic towards Dany than Benioff), he knows that Dany was a slave herself and that that informs her feelings and eventual actions against the masters (And so does Emilia Clarke). Even so, I have to say: I don't think Dany would have gone to Astapor if she were fully aware of the implications of being complicit in the slave trade.

“Khaleesi,” he said, taken aback by her fury, “the Unsullied are chosen as boys, and trained—”

“I have heard all I care to of their training.” Dany could feel tears welling in her eyes, sudden and unwanted. Her hand flashed up and cracked Ser Jorah hard across the face. It was either that, or cry.

Mormont touched the cheek she’d slapped. “If I have displeased my queen—”

“You have. You’ve displeased me greatly, ser. If you were my true knight, you would never have brought me to this vile sty.” (ASOS Daenerys II)

“I want to sail now, not on the tide, I want to sail far and fast and never look back. But I can’t, can I? There are eight thousand brick eunuchs for sale, and I must find some way to buy them.” (ASOS Daenerys II)

In these passages, we find out that witnessing the Unsullied's training is so hard for Dany that it makes her cry. It makes her question Jorah's honor as a knight for having thought that it was okay to bring her there. It makes her want to leave Astapor and never look back. I would say that Dany is an accidental queen (in the sense that she only became one for very specific circumstances, namely that all the men around her died) and, similarly, an accidental revolutionary - not in the sense that her haters argue (i.e. she just wanted an army and it became convenient to free the slaves), but rather because she only ended up in Astapor for very specific reasons: a) she didn't know how wrong slavery was and thought that slaves were treated like normal servants and b) she needed an army (not because of her "ambition", but because she realized that she shouldn't depend entirely on Illyrio and remain a beggar queen).

Show!Dany, on the other hand, knows that slavery is unacceptable and still sails to Astapor. Some things remain like they are in the books despite that change: like Dany, show!Dany still feels empathy for the slaves and risks a dragon solely because she wanted to free them. However, on a superficial read, it gives a bit of weight to the notion that she is too ambitious or that freeing the slaves was only a secondary goal to that of getting an army. Even if show canon can still disprove these claims, it's frustrating because they would be even easier to debunk if the show writers had been more faithful to the books.

JORAH: Do those people have any better ideas about how to put you on the Iron Throne?

DAENERYS: It's too beautiful a day to argue.

One of Dany's core traits is that she is open-minded and accepting of feedback, both positive and negative.

“A queen must listen to all,” she reminded him. “The highborn and the low, the strong and the weak, the noble and the venal. One voice may speak you false, but in many there is always truth to be found.” (ASOS Daenerys I)

The old man had not wanted to sail to Astapor; nor did he favor buying this slave army. A queen should hear all sides before reaching a decision. That was why Dany had brought him with her to the Plaza of Pride, not to keep her safe. (ASOS Daenerys II)

“Your Grace, I did not mean to give offense.”

“Only lies offend me, never honest counsel.” (ASOS Daenerys II)

This characteristic, however, doesn't come across in this scene, in which show!Dany is brushing off any discussion and trying to retain her own opinion on the matter.

Now, this is not to say that there aren't moments in which we see show!Dany listening to her advisors and following their counsel (there are many) - heck, even now, she is following show!Jorah's advice since she is still going to Astapor despite her misgivings.

However, considering that:

a) the show is, in this episode, adapting parts of ACOK Daenerys V and ASOS Daenerys I and II (all of which contain explicit moments of Dany asking for advice and feedback and truth from her advisors, even if they disagree with her),

b) the show will later try to paint show!Dany as reckless or dangerous when she doesn't listen to her advisors and

c) there's a widespread misconception that Dany (especially the show version) is unable to consider other people's perspectives... I end up looking askance at this scene.

They could have written many others (such as any of the three examples from the books that I showed above) that would have left us with a different impression of Dany. Worse scenes will come, of course, but I'm taking note of every single thing that may have helped to mischaracterize Dany in the eyes of the general audience.

Also, unlike show!Dany (who isn't shown onscreen offering either counterarguments or "better ideas" than show!Jorah's advice to turn Astapor), Dany is shown onpage making lots of questions to Jorah's counsel before deciding to follow it:

“How am I to buy a thousand slave soldiers? All I have of value is the crown the Tourmaline Brotherhood gave me.” (ASOS Daenerys I)

“Those are Illyrio’s tiger skins,” she objected. “And Illyrio is a friend to House Targaryen.”  (ASOS Daenerys I)

“There will be dangers on such a long march ...” (ASOS Daenerys I)

“What if Captain Groleo refuses to change course, though? And Arstan, Strong Belwas, what will they do?” (ASOS Daenerys I)

While it could be argued that Dany is not offering "better ideas" here either, that's not my point: my point is that Dany is being shown here as an active player who takes part in discussions of which course of action to take, which is not what we tend to see in the show. Indeed, there are plenty of moments in which the series has show!Dany follow her advisors' counsel with no objections or complements of her own at all. That's why there are lots of different flavors of misconceptions about Dany: when it comes to whether she listens to people's advice or not, some argue that she can't think on her own and depends too much on them, some argue that she is too self-absorbed and never listens. In D&D's case, they have said that show!Dany has only relied on the men around her for the first two seasons, which is blatantly untrue in the books - see examples of Dany making her own decisions in both AGOT and ACOK here and here. Their misunderstanding of Dany is what makes me wary of this scene (for it is informed by said misunderstanding), so it's necessary to point out that what it intends to convey about show!Dany isn't what the books intend to convey about Dany.

Then, we have this:

DAENERYS: It's too beautiful a day to argue.

(Dothraki man vomiting)

JORAH: You're right. Another lovely day on the high seas.

DAENERYS: Don't mock them. They're the first Dothraki who have ever been on a ship. They followed me across the poison water. If they'll do it, others will. And with a true khalasar ...

JORAH: The Dothraki follow strength above all, khaleesi. You'll have a true khalasar when you prove yourself strong. And not before.

This exchange may be brief, but it is wrong and offensive on so many levels.

First, show!Dany seems to suggest that she is interested in expanding her khalasar when she says that "if they'll [follow her across the poison water], others will", which is something Dany never expressed any desire to do in the books.

Second, both show!Dany and show!Jorah think that the former doesn't really have "a true khalasar". Why doesn't she have a "true khalasar"? Is it because they are too few? Is it because show!Dany hasn't proven herself strong (as show!Jorah puts it)? In any case, both suggestions are bullshit. Dany does consider her "meager" group (as she puts it) a khalasar:

“We follow the comet,” Dany told her khalasar. (ACOK Daenerys I)

Yet even as her dragons prospered, her khalasar withered and died. (ACOK Daenerys I)

Aggo, Jhogo, and Rakharo were brave warriors, but they were young, and too valuable to risk. They kept her khalasar together, and were her best scouts too. (ASOS Daenerys V)

Also, while I've criticized the underdevelopment of Dany's khalasar before, each of them have different reactions to traveling at sea, so the show's portrayal manages to make their lack of characterization even worse:

Her brave young bloodriders had stared off at the dwindling coastline with huge white eyes, each of the three determined to show no fear before the other two, while her handmaids Irri and Jhiqui clutched the rail desperately and retched over the side at every little swell. The rest of Dany’s tiny khalasar remained below decks, preferring the company of their nervous horses to the terrifying landless world about the ships. When a sudden squall had enveloped them six days into the voyage, she heard them through the hatches; the horses kicking and screaming, the riders praying in thin quavery voices each time Balerion heaved or swayed. (ASOS Daenerys I)

Perhaps more importantly, unlike what show!Jorah says, Dany's khalasar is already devoted and faithful to Dany ever since she walked out of the pyre unscathed with three dragons. They already think that she is strong:

She was naked, covered with soot, her clothes turned to ash, her beautiful hair all crisped away ... yet she was unhurt.

[...] The men of her khas came up behind him. Jhogo was the first to lay his arakh at her feet. “Blood of my blood,” he murmured, pushing his face to the smoking earth. “Blood of my blood,” she heard Aggo echo. “Blood of my blood,” Rakharo shouted.

And after them came her handmaids, and then the others, all the Dothraki, men and women and children, and Dany had only to look at their eyes to know that they were hers now, today and tomorrow and forever, hers as they had never been Drogo’s. (AGOT Daenerys X)

“We follow the comet,” Dany told her khalasar. Once it was said, no word was raised against it. They had been Drogo’s people, but they were hers now. The Unburnt, they called her, and Mother of Dragons. Her word was their law. (ACOK Daenerys I)

Jhiqui had braided her hair Dothraki-fashion, and fastened a silver bell to the end of the braid. “I have won no victories,” she tried telling her handmaid when the bell tinkled softly.

Jhiqui disagreed. “You burned the maegi in their house of dust and sent their souls to hell.” (ACOK Daenerys V)

At this point, Dany doesn't have to prove herself as a leader to anyone because she has already done so. However, D&D seem to think that show!Dany still has to. What's even worse is that this plot point will be forgotten; show!Dany's khalasar will only make a brief appearance in season four and then disappear until she's captured and later unites all the khalasars to her cause. Then, when show!Dany crosses the narrow sea in season six, the Dothraki's fear of the "poison water" will no longer be an inconvenience (even though she is carrying thousands of them). It's lazy writing that, nonetheless, undermines Dany's character.

Finally, while at least they have show!Dany empathizing with the Dothraki the way Dany also does in the book, I wish the writers had made show!Dany empathize with the Dothraki based on her experiences like Dany does, because it highlights that Dany is humble and views herself as an equal to them:

The Dothraki distrusted the sea and all that moved upon it. Water that a horse could not drink was water they wanted no part of. They will learn, Dany resolved. I braved their sea with Khal Drogo. Now they can brave mine. (ACOK Daenerys V)

This scene may last for less than two minutes, but, as you can see, there's still a lot of wrong (or at least questionable) to dissect in it.

Scene 2

Summary: show!Dany is given a tour of the Unsullied barracks by Kraznys while show!Missandei translates his Valyrian into the Common Tongue. Show!Dany is outraged by their training, but show!Jorah still urges her to purchase them. On the way to the ship, show!Dany is distracted by a child who turns out to be an assassin sent to deliver a deadly manticore to kill her. Show!Barristan impales the manticore with his dagger and the child leaves. Then, show!Barristan introduces himself to show!Dany and offers her his service.

Considering how other aspects were poorly handled, I think Dany’s discomfort with the Unsullied’s training was translated relatively well from the books to the show. Even so, I wish they had added more of Dany's emotional reactions:

“What is he doing?” Dany demanded of the girl, as the blood ran down the man’s chest. (ASOS Daenerys II)

“How can that be?” she demanded through the scribe. (ASOS Daenerys II)

“No names?” Dany frowned at the little scribe. “Can that be what the Good Master said? They have no names?” (ASOS Daenerys II)

Dany’s mouth surely twisted at that. Did he see, or is he blind as well as cruel? She turned away quickly, trying to keep her face a mask until she heard the translation. Only then did she allow herself to say, “Whose infants do they slay?”

“To win his spiked cap, an Unsullied must go to the slave marts with a silver mark, find some wailing newborn, and kill it before its mother’s eyes. In this way, we make certain that there is no weakness left in them.”

She was feeling faint. The heat, she tried to tell herself. “You take a babe from its mother’s arms, kill it as she watches, and pay for her pain with a silver coin?”

When the translation was made for him, Kraznys mo Nakloz laughed aloud. “What a soft mewling fool this one is. Tell the whore of Westeros that the mark is for the child’s owner, not the mother. The Unsullied are not permitted to steal.” He tapped his whip against his leg. “Tell her that few ever fail that test. The dogs are harder for them, it must be said. We give each boy a puppy on the day that he is cut. At the end of the first year, he is required to strangle it. Any who cannot are killed, and fed to the surviving dogs. It makes for a good strong lesson, we find.”

Arstan Whitebeard tapped the end of his staff on the bricks as he listened to that. Tap tap tap. Slow and steady. Tap tap tap. Dany saw him turn his eyes away, as if he could not bear to look at Kraznys any longer. (ASOS Daenerys II)

Even the part where show!Dany is horrified by the discovery that the Unsullied are forced to kill a baby while its mother watches (which at least the show writers rightly focused on) doesn't convey a lot of emotion like in the books... It doesn't seem like show!Dany is struggling to hide her revulsion or that her blood pressure is lowering because of her anxiety in the moment. I understand, however, that the directors never allowed Emilia Clarke to express too many feelings in her portrayal of show!Dany, so I don't tend to blame her.

I also want to take note of what is in line with the Unsullied's training in the books:

The Unsullied are forced to stand for a day with no food or water to prove their discipline and strength.

The beginning of their training, the drilling from dawn to dusk and the mastering of the weapons.

The Unsullied not being considered men.

The Unsullied not moving even after their nipples are cut off.

The Unsullied needing to go to the slave marts to kill a baby before its mother’s eyes.

There are some things that were changed or omitted, however:

Even more Unsullied die during their training: only one boy in four survives rather than one boy in three. (Which makes it even more disgusting that they will try to frame "conciliation" with and "mercy" towards the slavers as the better path in the later seasons)

No mention of the “wine of courage”, which the Unsullied drink in the books to feel less pain and endure any torture.

No mention of the puppies that the Unsullied are given only to be forced to kill a year later (and, if they don’t, they are fed to the surviving dogs).

No mention that their names are changed every day so that they lose their sense of individuality. This will be included on episode 3.5, however.

Kraznys is not shown whipping Missandei and other slaves.

Overall, the show gave us enough reasons to understand why show!Dany's rebellion against the slave masters is righteous.

The biggest problem of the scene was replacing Barristan for Jorah as the advisor who is with Dany when she meets the Unsullied: it gives room to the perspective of a slaver, who attempts to normalize the masters' treatment of the Unsullied. This undermines how abhorrent and unjust their training is. Right off the bat, we have our first sign that the show will turn into slavery apologia (to the point of later comparing Dany to the Nazis and the Ghiscari slavers to the Jews via subtext).

In the books, there is a Doylist reason as to why Barristan is with Dany when she meets the Unsullied for the first time: his presence and opinions emphasize how wrong and unacceptable the training of the Unsullied is.

“I call that madness, not courage,” said Arstan Whitebeard, when the solemn little scribe was done. He tapped the end of his hardwood staff against the bricks, tap tap, as if to tell his displeasure. (ASOS Daenerys II)

“You have lived long in the world, Whitebeard. Now that you have seen them, what do you say?”

“I say no, Your Grace,” the old man answered at once.  (ASOS Daenerys II)

Arstan Whitebeard’s face was still, but his staff beat out his rage. Tap tap tap. (ASOS Daenerys II)

“Bricks and blood built Astapor,” Whitebeard murmured at her side, “and bricks and blood her people.”

“What is that?” Dany asked him, curious.

“An old rhyme a maester taught me, when I was a boy. I never knew how true it was. The bricks of Astapor are red with the blood of the slaves who make them.”

“I can well believe that,” said Dany.

“Then leave this place before your heart turns to brick as well. Sail this very night, on the evening tide.” (ASOS Daenerys II)

That's not to say, of course, that he was the one who motivated Dany to begin her abolitionist campaign (that's her decision and only hers), only that his appearance influences the framing of the scene (just like show!Jorah's appearance does). It also has negative implications for show!Dany's characterization, since, as @yendany said here, Dany may have unconsciously desired to have someone with an anti-slavery stance (like hers) by her side when she chose to have Barristan accompany her to meet the Unsullied.

Also, having show!Jorah be with show!Dany when she sees the training of the Unsullied means erasing the fact that, in the books, Dany left Jorah on the ship because he forced a kiss on her and she no longer trusted him enough to be alone with him. Erasing this event from the books means that Jorah's creepy and disrespectful behaviors toward Dany are, in the show writers' opinion, irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, which is horrible. I will talk more about this issue in the post discussing the things from the books that the show completely left out, but I still felt the need to briefly address this here.

Replacing Barristan for Jorah also led to one of Dany's best assertions to be cut:

“Better to come a beggar than a slaver,” Arstan said.

“There speaks one who has been neither.” Dany’s nostrils flared. “Do you know what it is like to be sold, squire? I do. My brother sold me to Khal Drogo for the promise of a golden crown. Well, Drogo crowned him in gold, though not as he had wished, and I ... my sun-and-stars made a queen of me, but if he had been a different man, it might have been much otherwise. Do you think I have forgotten how it felt to be afraid?” (ASOS Daenerys II)

In the books, this scene highlights a few things:

Dany is not looking for an army because she is "fiercely ambitious", but because she lived in poverty for years and saw her brother not getting the help he needed (something she also experienced in Qarth, despite having dragons). She knows it's not a good idea to rely entirely on others, which is why she went to Astapor. (besides her ignorance, which I already explained above and in this post)

Despite empathizing with the slaves' plight, Barristan did not go through what they went through (he is a well-intentioned ally, as you will). Dany, on the other hand, did. She was a sex slave once and does not need to be reminded that being complicit in the slave trade is morally wrong. She still remembers "how it felt to be afraid".

Show!Jorah would never say that it's "better to come a beggar than a slaver" because he is okay with slavery, making it harder for this assertion to be added. It wasn't impossible for the show writers to have added it, however - they could have simply had show!Dany be less confrontational and say, by her own initiative, that she knows what it is like to be sold and that she hasn't forgotten how it felt to be afraid. To be fair, as I already said, Weiss shows awareness that Dany's empathy is informed by the fact that she was a slave before, but there isn't any scene in the show explicitly making that point, which is quite a shame. Instead, most of the scenes seem to communicate Benioff's reading of the events:

Benioff: Idealism is wonderful, but it's not gonna happen if you're idealistic, you gotta be a realist. She feels like she has this almost divine mission and nothing is gonna prevent her from achieving it. (x)

Benioff: For Daenerys to win, ultimately, she's gonna have to be just as ruthless as the others, and maybe even moreso. (x)

This idea that show!Dany needs to be a "realist" makes it very likely that Benioff (and who knows which other writers) sides with show!Jorah on this discussion. This also explains why his perspective is being favored to the detriment of show!Dany's and show!Barristan's.

Also, I've already written an entire post about how Dany is not primarily driven by prophecies or destiny or, as Benioff puts it, a "divine mission".

Also, he misses out on the fact that Dany's idealism in the books (and even in the show) actually pays off. As I said here:

Like with Viserys and Drogo, Dany is influenced by both of their [Jorah's and Barristan's] recommendations and apply them in different ways while forging her own path: she will not help to maintain the oppression of the slaves like Barristan advised her, but she won’t play by the rules (because they view human beings as objects to be sold and invalidate her moral values, so they shouldn’t be acknowledged as such to begin with) like Jorah advised her: she will break the rules because of her moral duty (as she sees it) to free the slaves.

And yes, this act of rebellion will have negative (and unintended) consequences later in ASOS and ADWD, but it was still righteous and necessary for it to have happened for the reasons expressed in these links. To summarize them, ending the supremacy of the masters will always be a good thing, and this wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for Dany's idealism. The books validate her idealism instead of belittling it.

DAENERYS: How many do you have to sell?

MISSANDEI: She asks how many Unsullied are for sale. (Kraznys points eight fingers) 8,000.

KRAZNYS: Tell the Westerosi whore she has until tomorrow.

MISSANDEI: Master Kraznys asks that you please hurry. Many other buyers are interested.

I'm singling out this part of show!Dany's talk with Kraznys and show!Missandei because I don't think the show writers really understood why Dany asked "how many do you have to sell?" in the books. First, let's see the context in which she made that question:

“Tell her it is well she came to Astapor, then. Ask her how large an army she wishes to buy.”

“How many Unsullied do you have to sell?”

“Eight thousand fully trained and available at present.[”] (ASOS Daenerys II)

As I said in this post, Dany doesn’t ask how large an army she wants (though she admits she needs soldiers), but rather how many Unsullied he has to sell. This is one of the several hints that she wants to rescue them all (not her interest to buy an army), even she must go to extreme lengths to do so. See also this passage:

She doesn't have to find a way to buy eight thousand of them. Jorah himself had only advised her to buy a thousand. But then, again, it's because she wants to free them all.

In the show, this doesn't come across. Aside from her uneasiness about the training, the show cuts all of the other moments hinting that Dany will do against the slave trade rather than be complicit in it.

“The Good Master has said that these eunuchs cannot be tempted with coin or flesh,” Dany told the girl, “but if some enemy of mine should offer them freedom for betraying me …” (ASOS Daenerys II)

Dany knew she would take more than a hundred, if she took any at all. (ASOS Daenerys II)

It wouldn’t have been hard to have her say it out loud that she will take “more than a hundred, if any at all” or that she can’t leave the city now. It wouldn’t have been hard for her to ask Kraznys about what would happen if a hypothetical enemy offered freedom to the Unsullied.

To be fair, we also see show!Dany saying this to show!Jorah while they are going back to the ship:

DAENERYS: 8,000 dead babies.

Like the Dany of the books, show!Dany is also distressed at the systematic killings that allowed for the Unsullied to become who they are, so I can't say that they are only making her motivations be about the need to get an army (though, as I showed above, they overfocused on that need too). Anyway, this brings me to this part:

DAENERYS: 8,000 dead babies.

JORAH: The Unsullied are a means to an end.

DAENERYS: Once I own them, these men ...

JORAH: They're not men. Not anymore.

Unlike in the show, Dany is the one who reminds Jorah that the Unsullied are no longer men. However, the reason why she does so is completely different from show!Jorah's:

“How many men do they have for sale?”

“None.” Was it Mormont she was angry with, or this city with its sullen heat, its stinks and sweats and crumbling bricks? “They sell eunuchs, not men. Eunuchs made of brick, like the rest of Astapor. Shall I buy eight thousand brick eunuchs with dead eyes that never move, who kill suckling babes for the sake of a spiked hat and strangle their own dogs? They don’t even have names. So don’t call them men, ser.”

“Khaleesi,” he said, taken aback by her fury, “the Unsullied are chosen as boys, and trained—”

Mormont touched the cheek she’d slapped. “If I have displeased my queen—”

“You have. You’ve displeased me greatly, ser. If you were my true knight, you would never have brought me to this vile sty.” (ASOS Daenerys II)

I will quote myself on the significance of this scene:

Here, Dany recognizes that no human being should ever have to undergo the sort of systematic abuse and torture that the Unsullied were forced to experience in order to become as subservient as they are. Dany recognizes how dehumanizing and unacceptable that sort of treatment was for making them “like one man” meant for sale (or “not men” at all) - that’s why she tells Jorah to not call them men: she asks that he doesn’t erase their suffering and talk as if the way they were treated was, in any way, acceptable.

Jorah doesn’t understand any of this, though. While his advice for Dany to go to Astapor ultimately paid off because of Dany’s actions, we should remind ourselves that he did her no favor. I’ve already shown in another post how he still has no problem with slavery even after being exiled, and you can see that in the next passage below: he can’t understand why would Dany be angry at him for advising her to go to Astapor to buy them nor why would she be appalled by how they are treated, so he tries to normalize the situation by focusing on how effective as a force they can be (“the Unsullied are chosen as boys, and trained…”). That’s enough for Dany, who rightfully slaps him in the face.

She makes it clear here: if he were her true knight, he wouldn’t have brought her to Astapor. (And that he forced a kiss on her and looked at her breasts without her consent makes her anger even more pronounced, rightfully so.) Thankfully, Dany is a true queen, but not because of him.

Does any of this come across in the show? No. For one, as I said above, show!Dany is given less agency because she needs to be reminded that the Unsullied are no longer men and her righteous anger toward Jorah is erased. For two, show!Jorah's perspective is again prioritized and never called out as immoral like in the books. (Again, the show writers' bias in his favor is showing).

Their dialogue goes on like this:

DAENERYS: Once I own an army of slaves, what will I be?

JORAH: Do you think these slaves will have better lives serving Kraznys and men like him or serving you? You'll be fair to them. You won't mutilate them to make a point. You won't order them to murder babies. You'll see they're properly fed and sheltered. A great injustice has been done to them. Closing your eyes will not undo it.

While it's true that Jorah also gives arguments as to why Dany should buy the Unsullied, they are different ones:

“I saw King’s Landing after the Sack. Babes were butchered that day as well, and old men, and children at play. More women were raped than you can count. There is a savage beast in every man, and when you hand that man a sword or spear and send him forth to war, the beast stirs. The scent of blood is all it takes to wake him. Yet I have never heard of these Unsullied raping, nor putting a city to the sword, nor even plundering, save at the express command of those who lead them. Brick they may be, as you say, but if you buy them henceforth the only dogs they’ll kill are those you want dead. And you do have some dogs you want dead, as I recall.” (ASOS Daenerys II)

We'll see some of these arguments from ASOS Daenerys II being expressed in episode 3.3, but that's not my point: my point is that the show writers prioritized show!Jorah's point of view so much that they created new arguments for him to make show!Jorah seem, as Benioff puts it, "realist". In the books, for instance, Jorah never acknowledges that “a great injustice has been done to them” - he only focuses on how they'll be useful to Dany and how they'll cause less collateral damage (which is what Dany wants). So, again, we had foreshadowing for the show's turn into slavery apologia right from the beginning of show!Dany's storyline, especially when one compares it to the books (which are far from perfect; I've already criticized, for instance, the books' lack of attention to the freedmen's perspectives. Even then, however, I doubt they'll be justifying slavery any time soon).

Then we get to the scene in the docks. Honestly, I don't understand why they changed it so much. I’m not even referring to the fact that it takes place in Astapor rather than Qarth, but rather to other two major divergences.

First, in the books, Jorah notices that he and Dany are being followed:

As they made their way toward the next quay, Ser Jorah laid a hand against the small of her back. “Your Grace. You are being followed. No, do not turn.” (ACOK Daenerys V)

Dany makes plenty of questions and observations about the followers as she observes them:

Dany let her glance sweep over the strangers. The brown man was near as wide as he’d looked in the platter, with a gleaming bald head and the smooth cheeks of a eunuch. A long curving arakh was thrust through the sweat-stained yellow silk of his bellyband. Above the silk, he was naked but for an absurdly tiny iron-studded vest. Old scars crisscrossed his tree-trunk arms, huge chest, and massive belly, pale against his nut-brown skin.

The other man wore a traveler’s cloak of undyed wool, the hood thrown back. Long white hair fell to his shoulders, and a silky white beard covered the lower half of his face. He leaned his weight on a hardwood staff as tall as he was. Only fools would stare so openly if they meant me harm. All the same, it might be prudent to head back toward Jhogo and Aggo. “The old man does not wear a sword,” she said to Jorah in the Common Tongue as she drew him away. (ACOK Daenerys V)

She also has a very funny scene with a merchant; he wants to sell a platter for an expensive price and she keeps asking for it to go down, but she is actually only using the platter to pay attention to how the two men following her look like and what they will do. It’s a scene showcasing both her cleverness and her sense of humor:

“A most excellent brass, great lady,” the merchant exclaimed. “Bright as the sun! And for the Mother of Dragons, only thirty honors.”

The platter was worth no more than three. “Where are my guards?” Dany declared. “This man is trying to rob me!” For Jorah, she lowered her voice and spoke in the Common Tongue. “They may not mean me ill. Men have looked at women since time began, perhaps it is no more than that.”

The brass-seller ignored their whispers. “Thirty? Did I say thirty? Such a fool I am. The price is twenty honors.”

“All the brass in this booth is not worth twenty honors,” Dany told him as she studied the reflections. The old man had the look of Westeros about him, and the brown-skinned one must weigh twenty stone. The Usurper offered a lordship to the man who kills me, and these two are far from home. Or could they be creatures of the warlocks, meant to take me unawares? (ACOK Daenerys V)

Second, in the books, a Qartheen offers Dany a jewel box:

A Qartheen stepped into her path. “Mother of Dragons, for you.” He knelt and thrust a jewel box into her face.

Dany took it almost by reflex. The box was carved wood, its mother-of-pearl lid inlaid with jasper and chalcedony. “You are too generous.” She opened it. Within was a glittering green scarab carved from onyx and emerald. Beautiful, she thought. This will help pay for our passage. (ACOK Daenerys V)

It makes sense for Dany to fall into this person's trap because she was receiving gifts from the Qartheen and people from other regions all the time during her stay simply for being the Mother of Dragons. (Which is not to say that they ultimately helped her; they did not)

In the show, a random child somehow captures show!Dany’s attention enough so that show!Dany follows her for no reason and then gets fooled. It doesn’t make much sense and actually portrays show!Dany as someone who is easily distracted by things. The only detail that is salvageable is that show!Dany is able to guess that the assassin was sent by the warlocks, just like Dany applies the knowledge she had previously received of the Sorrowful Men to correctly identify the person who tried to kill her as one.

Finally, we get to show!Barristan's introduction.

DAENERYS: You know this man?

JORAH: I know him as one of the greatest fighters the Seven Kingdoms has ever seen and as the Lord Commander of Robert Baratheon's Kingsguard.

BARRISTAN: King Robert is dead. I have been searching for you, Daenerys Stormborn, to ask your forgiveness. I was sworn to protect your family. I failed them. I am Barristan Selmy, Kingsguard to your father. Allow me to join your Queensguard and I will not fail you again.

First, as I said above, the show erases most (if not all) the moments in which Jorah attempts to isolate Dany from other men and make her distrust them. This moment is one of those:

“You know him?” Dany asked the exile knight, lost.

“I saw him perhaps a dozen times ... from afar most often, standing with his brothers or riding in some tourney. But every man in the Seven Kingdoms knew Barristan the Bold.” He laid the point of his sword against the old man’s neck. “Khaleesi, before you kneels Ser Barristan Selmy, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, who betrayed your House to serve the Usurper Robert Baratheon.” (ASOS Daenerys V)

Jorah's description of Barristan in the books is much less flattering than the one from the show because Jorah is hellbent on isolating Dany from other men.

Second, I know most fans think that having Barristan reveal his identity right away was ultimately a good choice for practical reasons (i.e., it would be too easy for the fans to remember Barristan's actor and figure out his identity), but I think this change ultimately did far more harm than good.

How did show!Barristan track show!Dany? Why would he think she was going to Astapor? How could he have known if he didn't have Illyrio's (or anyone's) support?

How was he aware that the warlocks sent an assassin after Dany? In the books, he saves her on a rush, after the manticore left the jewel box. In the show, he drops the ball before the manticore leaves it. For some unknown reason, he already knew that it had the intent to kill her.

In the books, Barristan is supposed to serve as a positive contrast to Jorah's negative behaviors when they are both put on trial for betraying Dany's trust. Because show!Barristan reveals his identity early on, the contrast is lost.

Barristan is the one who tells Dany about Jorah's betrayal in the books. Since it wouldn't make sense for show!Barristan to only tell show!Dany about this later on, the show writers had the Lannisters randomly think that Dany is a threat, that Dany and Jorah are a good duo that must be separated and that sending a letter pardoning Jorah would necessarily do the deed. Not only that's stupid (Jorah received and sent letters without Dany's knowledge in both mediums), it also validates the idea that show!Jorah is good to show!Dany (something that the showrunners think is the case). These are all unfortunate consequences that arose from the early reveal of show!Barristan's identity.

By revealing himself earlier, show!Barristan loses his arc from the books, which was partly about finding a liege who was morally worthy of being served after he spent years in the service of bad kings. (He might say later in episode 3.5 that he's looking for the right person to follow, but his actions don't show it in any way.) That Barristan hid his identity and only pledged his sword to Dany because he realized that she was more than Rhaegar's sister, but also a queen in her own right, speaks volumes to his character development and to how we're supposed to see Dany in a sympathetic manner. Unfortunately, the show writers (especially Benioff) don't like Dany very much. As this review hopefully shows (and others will make it even clearer), they go out of their way to undermine her intelligence and empathy and humbleness and all of the other traits that make Dany who she is, while GRRM goes out of his way to portray Dany in a sympathetic light, with this chapter review from @turtle-paced showing a perfect example of how he does so.

Third, I don't understand why the show made the question of whether show!Dany would accept show!Barristan's service as the episode's cliffhanger. First, book readers would already know that she would. Second, show!Barristan won't be treated any differently in the next episodes than he would be if they had met earlier (aside from show!Jorah's distrustful remarks). Third, I don't like how leaving this scene as the episode's cliffhanger makes us wonder if show!Dany will be merciful or not. We can point to her later actions and realize that she will be, but this shouldn't have been a question in the first place. It helps to mischaracterize Dany in the eyes of the public audience and doesn't convey that some of Dany's core traits are being open-minded and forgiving.

In the books, Dany doesn't really feel angry with Barristan. It's more that he becomes collateral damage after she finds out that Jorah, the person she trusted the most at that point in time, was lying to her from the very beginning:

“...And since the day you wed Khal Drogo, there has been an informer by your side selling your secrets, trading whispers to the Spider for gold and promises.”

He cannot mean ... “You are mistaken.” Dany looked at Jorah Mormont. “Tell him he’s mistaken. There’s no informer. Ser Jorah, tell him. We crossed the Dothraki sea together, and the red waste ...” Her heart fluttered like a bird in a trap. “Tell him, Jorah. Tell him how he got it wrong.”

“The Others take you, Selmy.” Ser Jorah flung his longsword to the carpet. “Khaleesi, it was only at the start, before I came to know you ... before I came to love ...”

“Do not say that word!” She backed away from him. “How could you? What did the Usurper promise you? Gold, was it gold?” The Undying had said she would be betrayed twice more, once for gold and once for love. “Tell me what you were promised?”

“Varys said ... I might go home.” He bowed his head.

I was going to take you home! Her dragons sensed her fury. Viserion roared, and smoke rose grey from his snout. Drogon beat the air with black wings, and Rhaegal twisted his head back and belched flame. I should say the word and burn the two of them. Was there no one she could trust, no one to keep her safe? “Are all the knights of Westeros so false as you two? Get out, before my dragons roast you both. What does roast liar smell like? As foul as Brown Ben’s sewers? Go!”

Ser Barristan rose stiff and slow. For the first time, he looked his age. “Where shall we go, Your Grace?”

“To hell, to serve King Robert.” Dany felt hot tears on her cheeks. Drogon screamed, lashing his tail back and forth. “The Others can have you both.” Go, go away forever, both of you, the next time I see your faces I’ll have your traitors’ heads off. She could not say the words, though. They betrayed me. But they saved me. But they lied. “You go ...” My bear, my fierce strong bear, what will I do without him? And the old man, my brother’s friend. (ASOS Daenerys V)

Before she knew about Jorah's deception, Dany is more puzzled and surprised about Barristan's identity reveal than anything else:

She was more confused than angry. He has played me false, just as Jorah warned me, yet he saved my life just now.

Ser Jorah flushed red. “Mero shaved his beard, but you grew one, didn’t you? No wonder you looked so bloody familiar ...”

“You know him?” Dany asked the exile knight, lost.

“Why are you here?” Dany demanded of him. “If Robert sent you to kill me, why did you save my life?” He served the Usurper. He betrayed Rhaegar’s memory, and abandoned Viserys to live and die in exile. Yet if he wanted me dead, he need only have stood aside ... “I want the whole truth now, on your honor as a knight. Are you the Usurper’s man, or mine?”

“Quiet,” said Dany. “I’ll hear him out.”

In this sense, I think Emilia Clarke's expression manages to capture how the Dany of the books must have felt when Barristan's identity was revealed; perplexed, but also grateful that he saved her life.

Also, they have show!Dany ask show!Jorah if he knows show!Barristan without the proper context: in the books, she only makes that question because he made an unpleasant comment about Barristan. In the show, she asks if he knows who he is in a way that makes her seem more dependent on him than it would have been if they had been faithful to the books.

My comments on the Inside the Episode 3.1

Benioff: For a great leader who is doing something unpopular for a certain segment, whether it's the Warlocks or the slave masters or whatnot, she's creating a lot of enemies, and powerful enemies, and those people are going to try to stop her regardless of how powerful she becomes, and it's something she's actually, in a weird way, used to, because she grew up running from assassins with her brother, you know, from the time, from the earliest time she can remember, she was being spirited from one city to another one step ahead of Robert Baratheon and the assassins, because there were so many people who wanted to destroy the Targaryen family and make King Robert happy and now there are thousands out there for all sorts of different reasons because she's made even more enemies, but, I think in her mind this is just the price you pay for being Daenerys Targaryen, for being the last of the Targaryens, and it's not going to stop her.

Benioff is not entirely inaccurate when it comes to Dany feeling that she's always been on the run:

It was not by choice that she sought the waterfront. She was fleeing again. Her whole life had been one long flight, it seemed. She had begun running in her mother’s womb, and never once stopped. How often had she and Viserys stolen away in the black of night, a bare step ahead of the Usurper’s hired knives? But it was run or die. (ACOK Daenerys V)

ASOS Daenerys V is particularly heartbreaking in that sense when she decides to leave her tent and interact with her people only to almost be killed by Mero:

She had no enemies among her children.

“Your Grace.” Arstan knelt. “I am an old man, and shamed. He should never have gotten close enough to seize you. I was lax. I did not know him without his beard and hair.”

“No more than I did.” Dany took a deep breath to stop her shaking. Enemies everywhere.

However, Benioff forgets Dany's very first chapter:

They had wandered since then, from Braavos to Myr, from Myr to Tyrosh, and on to Qohor and Volantis and Lys, never staying long in any one place. Her brother would not allow it. The Usurper’s hired knives were close behind them, he insisted, though Dany had never seen one. (AGOT Daenerys I)

I've already written an entire meta on how Dany's PoV is not entirely reliable and this is one of the instances. I imagine her thoughts on the matter changed because of this:

“A letter to Viserys, from Magister Illyrio. Robert Baratheon offers lands and lordships for your death, or your brother’s.”

“My brother?” Her sob was half a laugh. “He does not know yet, does he? The Usurper owes Drogo a lordship.” This time her laugh was half a sob. She hugged herself protectively. “And me, you said. Only me?”

“You and the child,” Ser Jorah said, grim.

“No. He cannot have my son.” She would not weep, she decided. She would not shiver with fear. The Usurper has woken the dragon now, she told herself ... (AGOT Daenerys VI)

It seems that Dany unconsciously and retroactively changed history in her mind after Robert tried to have her and her child assassinated (something that I forgot to talk about in my meta), which is quite interesting. I guess it's a detail that is easy to miss, so that's forgivable.

What's less excusable is the way that Benioff talks about Dany's mindset.

Benioff: I think in her mind this is just the price you pay for being Daenerys Targaryen, for being the last of the Targaryens, and it's not going to stop her. (x)

It's true that Dany is aware that she is the last of her family:

With Viserys gone, Daenerys was the last, the very last. She was the seed of kings and conquerors, and so too the child inside her. She must not forget. (AGOT Daenerys VI)

However, I look askance at the possible interpretation behind this statement. One could switch "Daenerys" for "Viserys" and it would be just as fitting. It's left ambiguous on its own, but, considering how he overfocuses on how "ambitious" she is or how she wants "more than anything" to "reclaim her birthright" or how "the only threat she poses is her name" until she frees the slaves in Astapor... I have to assume that he wants us to think that show!Dany is both arrogant and entitled for being a Targaryen. All of these mischaracterizations have been exhaustively refuted by @rainhadaenerys in this meta.

My comments on Anatomy of a Scene: Daenerys Meets the Unsullied

Weiss: Dany spent the first two seasons of the show leaning on men - her brother, Drogo, Jorah Mormont, Xaro Xhoan Daxos. She came out of season two realizing that the only person that she can completely trust is herself.

Benioff: Dany has her lovable side, but she is also ruthless, and she is also fiercely ambitious. What she wants, more than anything, is to return home and to reclaim her birthright.

Clarke: She needs the manpower to go back and conquer the Iron Throne and to be able to right the wrongs that she sees going on around her.

Minahan: She's been brought to Astapor, where she's reluctantly going to meet with slave traders. Her quest in this is to build an army without taking slaves.

Comments from Charlie Somers (location manager) and Christina Moore (supervising art director) that don't have anything to do with the storyline.

Benioff: The Unsullied were kidnapped as babies from their home countries and brought to Astapor and trained in the ways of the spear and castrated.

Emmanuel: They won't do anything without the command to do so first.

Comment from Tommy Dunne (weapons master) that doesn't have anything to do with the storyline.

Clarke: She's being introduced to the Unsullied by Kraznys, the slave master in control of them.

Emmanuel: Kraznys is being quite insulting to Daenerys. And Missandei very cleverly smoothes out her translation, just her initiative doing that shows her intelligence.

Clarke: Dany sees a lot of herself in her and can kind of see that it's a young girl who's capable of much more than the position she's in. She's his No 1 slave. If you were in the UN, she would be the translator for everyone.

Weiss: Kraznys speaks a version of Valyrian that's been bastardized and mixed with other local languages.

Comment from Majella Hurley (dialect coach) that doesn't have anything to do with the storyline.

Clarke: She's struggling with the moral aspect of the way that these cities are run. And it's something she's been grappling with because they are an army of slaves, which she fundamentally has moral issues with due to the fact that she herself was a slave.

Weiss: The only way she can make the world a better place is to become the biggest slaveowner in the world.

Benioff: She's put into a difficult position, and she's got her advisors whispering in her ears.

Glen: Jorah encourages her to get over her moral scrupules, with taking an army that were duty-bound to follow whatever leader it was, and that could change in an instant.

Weiss: What she wants to do isn't just conquest for the sake of conquest, but it's really conquest for the sake of making the world a better place, and she's a revolutionary in that sense.

Benioff: For Daenerys to win, ultimately, she's gonna have to be just as ruthless as the others, and maybe even moreso.

My comments about their statements:

Clarke: She definitely understands Dany better than Benioff and maybe even Weiss. My only nitpick is that there's no No 1 slave for Kraznys ... In the books, he repeatedly whips Missandei and has no problem giving her away to Dany as a gift. Even in the show, he still constantly disrespects show!Missandei.

Weiss: I've already said this above and will repeat: Weiss is wrong when he says that "Dany spent the first two seasons of the show leaning on men". Or at least that's certainly not what the Dany of the books (i.e. the character show!Dany's should ideally be based on) does, as my posts here and here showcase how competent a leader she's becoming and how much agency GRRM gives her. His comment about how Dany wants to "become the biggest slaveowner in the world" to make it a better place is also distasteful (though I don't think he meant it as negatively as, say, Finn Jones), so here goes @rainhadaenerys's meta disproving the claim that Dany is a slaver. As for "conquest for the sake of making the world a better place", I kind of agree with this, but I've already showed above how it does a disservice to show!Dany's character development to paint it as if she's always been aware of these injustices, because the Dany of the books was not. In hindsight, that change makes me wary because I know they will later try to sell show!Dany as someone who is morally inflexible, which she never was in the books.

Benioff: I've already criticized his claims that Dany is "fiercely ambitious" and wants "more than anything" "to reclaim her birthright" in many moments of this meta. I also condemned his opinion that Dany needs to be a "realist" when I explained how the show overfocused on Jorah's point of view. As for his point that "she's gonna have to be just as ruthless as the others, and maybe even moreso" to win... Considering how they made her choose the more ruthless option in the end only to punish her in the most traumatizing manner for that very choice (which made no sense and was completely OOC, no less) ... Fuck him, seriously. It's clear how the show made it impossible for show!Dany to win based on contradictory standards that only viewed her unfavorably. If she is merciful, she is stupid. If she is ruthless, she is a danger that needs to be stopped to save humanity.

Show!Dany's clothes

This episode adapts events from three chapters (ACOK Daenerys V, ASOS Daenerys I, ASOS Daenerys II). The first is the only one with a detailed description of her clothes:

If the Milk Men thought her such a savage, she would dress the part for them. When she went to the stables, she wore faded sandsilk pants and woven grass sandals. Her small breasts moved freely beneath a painted Dothraki vest, and a curved dagger hung from her medallion belt. Jhiqui had braided her hair Dothraki-fashion, and fastened a silver bell to the end of the braid. (ACOK Daenerys V)

In ASOS Daenerys I, Dany is only described using a coverlet to hide her nudity when Jorah comes to talk to her.

In ASOS Daenerys II, we don't know how Dany dressed when she went to meet with Kraznys, only that her garment had a sleeve.

In the series, we see show!Dany wearing this blue dress:

It's meant to pay homage to the Dothraki, so it's at least spiritually faithful to how Dany looks in the scene on the docks ... Well, more or less. Not only blue isn't a special color for the Dothraki despite what Michele Clapton might say, look at how Barristan reacts to seeing Dany for the first time:

“I regret if we caused you alarm. If truth be told, we were not certain, we expected someone more ... more ...”

“Regal?” Dany laughed. She had no dragon with her, and her raiment was hardly queenly. (ACOK Daenerys V)

This little scene displays both Dany's frugalness and how she doesn't take herself that seriously, for she doesn't mind if her subjects see her looking less than regal. That doesn't come across at all in the show, to the point of some people thinking that show!Dany never allows herself to look anything but perfect, which is certainly not true of the character she is based on.

#daenerys targaryen #asoiaf meta #valyrianscrolls #a storm of swords #a clash of kings #asoiaf vs got #asos vs got #barristan selmy #jorah mormont #s3

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a-decoy-soul · 4 years

Text

You Cannot Cheat Death When It Comes Knocking At Your Door

(Yandere Satan fic)

Chapter 1: A Body Has Been Discovered

“The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Spoken words are far stronger than something as silly as ancestry, and I believe as if our blood calls out to each other, love. So, shall we unite?”

~~~~~~~

“I’ve been thinking...If all of us were in a horror movie, in what order do you think we’d be killed?”

“Though I don’t support your friendly relations with these demons, I hope you have safe travels, Solomon.” A grumble and a pout was all the small angel responded with, a loyal dog watching as his human left to make friends with the neighbors cat.

“Now, Luke, you’ve gotten close to Lucifer and his brothers, there’s no shame in it.” A sweet laugh, as smooth as honey, left the brunette’s lips as he struggled once more to convince the smaller the kindness demons have to offer.

Solomon was used to this, Luke time and time again warning him the dangers of dealing with the devil, but he had experience and 72 demons on his side. If there was any human that could handle themselves against a demon it was him. Though as much as he loved having so much power, he had to admit, it wasn’t enough.

Perhaps his need for power was insatiable, or he had something dark in mind, no one truly knew what he was planning, or how far he’d go to get what he wanted. In fact, he had plans for making more pacts that day, no matter what he had to do.

“I assure you, I’ll be fine, Luke. You have no need for worry, I know how to work with demons, you should know this by now. I should get going, I have a feeling something big is about to happen.”

With a quick text to Asmodeus, letting the demon know what he was doing in case things went south and he had to summon him for help, the sorcerer walked out of Purgatory Hall.

Somewhere in the Devildom, a plan was set into motion, a smirk in a dark room and eyes glistening in the dark with corrupt plans and carnal desires.

After the human left to bargain with the damned, a lesser heavenly body made its way to the door. Raven hair slightly messy, yet still proper, ocean eyes baring a look of infatuation for all to see. As his slightly gloved hand made its way to the handle, he was stopped in his tracks.

“Orion, where are you going?” A voice called out to him from down the dorm hall, with a slight blush on his cheeks he turned to see Luke walking with Simeon back to their own dorm room.

The starry eyed angel looked at the others, knowing he’d been caught in the act of sneaking to the House of Lamentation, a habit he’d made after developing a soft spot for a certain blonde that resided there.

“Oh, Solomon wasn’t answering any texts, so I was going to the House of Lamentation to check on him, you know, angelic duties.” He was always an awful liar, whether it be his angel blood or his obvious body language, he was transparent.

“He just left, I doubt he’ll be doing any texting while he’s walking and he never actually said which demon he was trying to pact.” Simeon knew why the other wanted to leave, he’d push aside the fib for now and simply speak to him about it when he returned. “Just tell Satan and the others that I said ‘Hello’.”

At the mention of the demon with the golden hair, he turned away, hiding just how his pale, freckled skin burned at his name. Orion could daydream for eons about that man if he had the time, however he only had a year here in the Devildom and while he’d gotten close to him, he still yearned for something more. Something more than speaking about customs from their separate worlds, chatting about astronomy and how beautiful the unknown is, more than sitting in silence as they read together.

Perhaps he was a bit too conspicuous with his emotions, how the other angels could see through him so easily, maybe he’d work on that during his stay.

“R-Right, I’ll let them know.” He used a few fingers to sweep his bangs to the side out of embarrassment, before moving his hand once more to the doorknob, yet again to be interrupted.

He looked down to see Luke’s hand grabbing his arm, a wary look in his eyes paired with a matching frown, his facial expression dead serious.

“Never trust a demon.”

Something the fair haired angel said more often than not to all he crossed, yet this time, it seemed to speak differently, causing Orion to freeze in his tracks as he processed why this same sentence sounded so foreboding

It wasn’t until a sigh was heard that the trance between the two angels broke. “Now Luke, I really hoped you would have gained a bit more confidence in the brothers after all the things they’ve done for you. You can trust them, they may be demons, but it doesn’t mean they’re vicious.”

With a childish huff breaking the gravity of his words, he walked off with Simeon, both probably speaking a farewell that Orion didn’t hear, his mind elsewhere.

~~~~~~~

“You’d be first, Levi.”

“WHAAAAT?!”

“Ah, hang on...I figured if I’m in my room the whole time as usual, I’d be able to stay undetected. But in reality, it could actually make it easier for them to find me, huh! I see…”

As he arrived at the House of Lamentation, walking in through the doors, he still couldn’t shake Luke’s warning. Making his way through the halls, he checked his D.D.D for any responses from the demon that clouded his mind and filled his thoughts. As he walked, he looked around, a bit curiously, it was way too quiet for the House of Lamentation, almost eerie.

Just as he was beginning to question the silence, a voice pierced the quiet and he felt a foot step on the celestial cape that trailed behind him, stopping him in his tracks.

“What’s a low rank angel like you wonderin’ around here for? If you’re lookin’ for Satan, he isn’t in his room, said he had to return a few books.”

Mammon, Avatar of Greed and the only one annoying and disrespectful enough to step on a holy garment with shoes on just to be a nuisance. Orion pulled his cape from underneath the other’s shoes giving an irritated huff.

“Thank you for informing me, now if you don’t mind I’ll wait for him in the planetarium.” He spoke with a smile, sloppily hiding the slight aggravation that came from the other staining the silk that flowed from his shoulders to the floor. Then ignoring him as he turned and walked towards the planetarium, where he usually found himself drawn to, it was calming there.

“H-Hey! You listen here, ya can’t be walkin around like you live here! You’re gonna get in trouble!”

The angel simply kept walking, knowing he tended to get in more trouble if Mammon was within 5 feet of him. He wasn’t exactly in the mood to get thrown into any of his antics today.

“Whatever, angels are still as stubborn and full of themselves as i left.” The demon mumbled to himself as he walked off, taking his schemes elsewhere.

In the planetarium he sat, sighing at his D.D.D. and looking up at the beautiful decor as he waited patiently. He wished Purgatory Hall had this, a place to remind him of where he came from, a place that brought him comfort and peace, the night sky had always soothed his weary soul.

It had only been an hour when he decided maybe he should take a slight nap as he waited, hoping that he wasn’t forgotten about, and admittedly surprised he hadn’t been bothered. As he leaned back in the rosewater velvet chairs and closed his eyes, he heard a silky voice break through his slightly confident exterior, replacing it with an embarrassed and sloppy appearance.

“I figured you’d be up here, I understand if my errands made waiting for me a bit...tiresome.”

There he was in all of his glory, a demon in an angel's body, the most heavenly thing the raven haired boy has seen in hell.

His hair a halo around his head, glowing golden in the light, amber radiating from him brighter than Sirius itself as it flowed through soft wellkept locks. Each strand was a piece of sunshine as it fell in frame with his face, his bangs caressing his skin ever so slightly as they kissed his face. Orion could imagine how it felt to run his fingers through the honey that flowed from his head, perhaps it felt like satin to the touch, gracing his senses each moment.

Looking into his eyes was like staring face to face with a nebula. A sense of both fear and awe washed over as sea green waves pulled the angel under, and as the other filled his lungs, he felt a calm saturate him. The northern lights in his the blonde’s eyes were a powerful force, showing emotions and desires despite the strong mask he wore.

Orion sat up and did his best to act like he couldn’t feel the crimson burn his freckles. “No, no. You’re fine, I just figured I’d rest my eyes a bit while I waited and hope that none of your brothers bother me.”

“I’m surprised you weren’t interrupted, my family doesn’t exactly know the meaning of peace and quiet. Though I suppose this is a good place to find serenity. Perhaps we should read here instead.”

The angel smiled at Satan, his eyes glowing with the look of adoration. “That’d be great.”

After making a trip to the demon’s room, they returned with a few books, the dim light in the planetarium giving a soothing vibe, perfect for reading or simply gazing at the space themed decorations hanging from the ceiling. Taking a seat, they opened their books, nothing but the sound of turning pages and the water from the fountain maintaining such a zen atmosphere.

Each time they accompanied each other, it seemed like Satan was the only one who could concentrate on the task at hand. Orion was always sneaking glances at the other, wondering what he was thinking about, what his hopes and dreams were, what he would do with all the knowledge he’d stored in his head over the years. A demon who knows more than any human alive, and yet all he craves is more knowledge, though the angel supposed that anyone who had such great intelligence would long for more. The unknown brings out curiosity and draws in all who seek to attain its secrets like a siren song, perhaps that’s why Orion’s eyes couldn’t help but to wander back to this demon.

Eventually he would focus on the words in front of him, knowing there would be discussion about it afterwards, it was sort of what the humans called a book club, but with only the two reading their own preferred texts. Slowly the angel’s mind was captivated by the book in his hands, completely ignoring the existence of time itself, all that mattered was the hardcover before him, it’s pages bearing information about the Devildom night sky and it’s wonders. Lost amongst it’s celestial objects, time slipped away from him.

~~~~~~~

“So I’d be the first one to get killed, but people won’t find out right away.”

“Levi’s new game shoulda got here by now, he said he wanted to play it with me, but I haven’t got a text from him. He’s been kinda quiet all day hasn’t he?” The Avatar of Greed spoke to himself, walking to his younger brother’s room with an annoyed huff.

“Probably started playin’ it without me that’s what he’s doin’.” As he reached the other’s room, he heard what sounded like game menu music, opening the door with irritation, he was greeted with a sight not too out of the ordinary.

Levi was in Henry’s tank, such an oddly large tank for such a small fish, he never understood it until he started getting in and talking to the goldfish. Being a demon with the build and even features of a sea serpent, he could stay underwater for a while and loved every second of it, especially if they were being spent with Henry. Well, Henry 2.0.

“Get outta the tank Levi, I thought we were s’posed to be playing Bust Sisters Ultra! How am I gonna kick your butt while you’re goofin’ off with Henry?”

No answer, no sound, no movement.

“Levi? Ignorin’ me isn’t gonna make me leave, I thought you were excited about this?”

The second born walked away from the door and closer to the tank. That’s when he realized something, Levi wasn’t even blinking, his eyes frozen in a state of panic.

Levi was dead.

He couldn’t move, he couldn’t scream for nothing wished to come out, the shock of seeing another one of his siblings unmoving hitting him like a freight train. His brain was pushing through slowly, trying to think of what he should do, he had to do something. Grab Lucifer? He’d know what to do, right? No, he had to get Levi out of there, maybe, just maybe, he still had some life in him.

How was he going to get in? How did Levi even get in? He looked around, his eyes watering up and his vision getting blurry, the world itself seeming to come to a sudden halt, yet he felt like he could see everything turning. As the waterworks started, salty rain dripping from sapphire eyes, clouding his vision as he pressed himself up against the glass. He racked his brain, thinking as hard as he could of how to get in, when he looked at his hands, pressed against the glass. He had to break it, it’d flood the house, but that didn’t matter now, what mattered was Levi.

The snowy haired demon started to shake, shifting his demon form and slamming his fist on the glass, tears continuing to slowly spill as he did his best to break the barrier between him and his brother’s body. First Lilith and now Levi, losing siblings took its toll on the demon, after the death of his sister, never did he think he’d feel such pain again.

With a scream and flash of light, the tank cracked, the water doing the rest of the work, breaking the glass and flooding the room out into the hall. Soaked but determined, Mammon pulled his brother from the skeleton of a tank and held him close, he was truly too late.

Annoyed by the ruckus, Lucifer stormed down the hall, his boots making an audible splash on the water soaked carpet. What in the three realms happened here? A thunderous yell boiled in his chest, waiting to be unleashed on whichever one of his foolish brothers decided to flood the entire hall.

He threw open the door, but stopped in seconds, the sight in front of him shaking him to his very core. Mammon looking up at him, tears falling like rain, and a look in his eyes that he hadn’t seen in millennia. He was genuinely broken, and wrapped in his arms in wings was none other than Levi, his body unresponsive.

Lucifer had lost another one, another one of his younger siblings that he’d done everything he could to protect, cold and dead. There was no yell that came from the eldest brother, he simply trembled like a child, walking to view the body of his lifeless brother. He did his best to stay strong, holding himself together for Mammon, for when the others come in, he has to be there for them.

Everyone had heard the glass crack, that wasn’t something uncommon, they heard the door slam open, that happened all the time. It was the silence after that scared them. Usually Lucifer would let out a loud, “MAMMMOOOOON!” or whomever was responsible would let out a whine at the sight of his anger. But utter silence, that was something that never happened in the House of Lamentation.

Slowly, everyone filed down to the hall, the sound of splashing echoing as they followed the water to Levi’s room, all eyes noticing their brother lying stiff, and the strongest of them all hanging on by a thread.

Each brother having a different reaction, all seeing the same scene and reliving past trauma, but all dealing with it so uniquely. It was something the angel wished he never witnessed.

Beelzebub falling beside Mammon, tears filling his eyes as he denied the other’s death, hoping with every fiber in his body that this was all a silly prank. “Levi wake up...this isn’t funny, you and Mammon really fooled us. Now stop this stupid prank, you know this isn’t funny!” He grabbed the third born’s body from his older brother, the other letting him, putting a hand on his shoulder with a defeated look in his eyes.

“He’s gone Beel, this isn’t a joke, I wish it was. I wish it was all a joke but he’s gone.”

The glutton continued to shake his head, crying as he held his brother close, his grip gentle and soft despite his strength. In fact it looked as if he was cradling the corpse like a sleeping child, mumbles mixed with hiccups as he tried to keep quiet, as if not to wake him.

Asmodeus could sense everyone’s desires in the room, his powers becoming the thing that made him the weakest in such a dark situation. The pain, the agony, the craving for justice and the rising anger and depression filled the tank lit room like smoke. There was one feeling that kept him from being overwhelmed, simply because it stood out from them all. Disgust and pride, a strong desire for the angel that was frozen in shock near the doorframe. His eyes followed this desire, but as he started, the feeling was gone. No, as if he were cut off, perhaps the perpetrator was in this room, lacing themself with a temporary magic, meaning that they possessed power greater than he did. Strange.

The blonde’s reaction was perhaps the most calm out of all them, then again, he was always well known for his masked smile. But it seemed even he was shedding tears over the loss of his brother, struggling to keep up the facade he wore, turning his head to avert eyes from anyone as well as the body in his brother’s arms.

Belphegor was the first to break, seeing his twin so upset and sharing his pain, as well as having flashbacks to his little sister arrow ridden, he couldn’t take it. Turning to his eldest brother, he began to shout, “How could you let this happen! You’re supposed to protect us! You lost Lilith and now Levi is murdered in our own home! Who’s to say we won’t all be killed, Lucifer? And you’re powerless and weak just like always!”

The room got silent.

Orion felt an unease washing over, he shouldn’t be here, he shouldn’t see this. Demons this strong looking like they’re about to shatter like glass, Hell’s finest having tears pool up and drip down their faces as they kneel around Leviathan. He was in shock, whispering in angelic tongue, a prayer and words that just seemed to spill out of his mouth because of his current surprised state.

He shouldn’t have spoken a word, especially not in tongues.

In the blink of an eye Lucifer was in full demon form, slamming him against the wall with a snarl, his eyes betraying the look of fury on his face. His powers making the angel feel like his very soul was being torn apart, the fury of an ex archangel was nothing to laugh at.

“It was you wasn’t it? Does father really wish for me to suffer that he’d send one of his glorified rodents down to take my family away?! Haven’t we had our punishment?!” His words like a frozen blade, cold and cutting deep as the angel struggled in his grasp, wriggling like a worm in a bird's beak.

“Lucifer, stop! I understand your anger, but clearly you aren’t thinking straight, do you want another war?” Orion didn’t need to look to know who was speaking, Satan being the voice of reason, knowing that he couldn’t have done it. “He was with me the entire time, let the angel go before you start something you can’t finish!”

With a growl, the raven haired demon released the celestial being, turning away from the gazes of his brothers, they all seemed to look up at him in search of command and comfort. Lucifer couldn’t protect Levi, the otaku who’d never done anything wrong, who never left his room. How could he protect them? Who did such a thing to Levi?

Sadly, they didn’t have time to mourn, if there was something there, someone there that could kill their third most powerful, they couldn’t rest until it too was breathless.

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write-like-you-mean-it · 4 years

Text

A Hunter’s Prey: Fights and Fire

A day has passed since I saw Killua and Illumi left. Zeno hadn’t let me do anything but train. I hadn’t even seen the sunlight as the training ground was only lit by many dim flames. A few had gone out due to the length of time spent training.

“You must read the attack of the person before they actually attacked,” said Zeno as he stood in position. He’d been attacking me with Nen for hours. I could feel they were weak compared to his power. “Try to see the attack by focusing Nen into your eyes.”

I wiped some of the sweat off my face. I was doing well enough to dodge any of the attacks. Let alone trying to see them coming. I could only feel three seconds before the attacks hit. I took a deep breath and focused some of my energy into my eyes. I could see some faint wisps of white illuminating from Zeno’s body.

“I-is that aura?” I panted while gaining my posture once again.

“Yes, young one. Now try to stop my hand. Push the aura to the spot that I will hit.” His arm attacked. He gave no warning to where he would be attacking. In an instant, I had to guess where he would attack. Given where I saw the most Nen, he would attack with his right hand. I held up my arms in a cross form and sent all my Nen into them. If I was wrong, I could be seriously hurt.

Zeno’s Nen hit like a train; however, I guessed correctly. I flew back into the wall while shifting my Nen to my back. I had to protect myself. I could feel the crunch of the wall as I hit. I didn’t remember closing my eyes, but I opened them to find myself in a small crater in the wall. After all this time, this was the first real Nen ability that had hit me. Everything else was me protecting myself from Zeno’s normal punches.

“Great job,” said the elderly man as he watched me climb out of the wall. “You actually defended yourself.”

“Thanks,” I said before collapsing on my knees.

“Maybe we did go a little too far.”

“No. I feel fine.” I forced my run-down body to stand. Every inch of muscle and bone was screaming for me to stop. But I can’t stop. I can’t have myself so open to attacks. I can’t live at this mansion my whole life.

Zeno walked a far distance away. “You said you were a transmuter right? I want you to attack me with your Nen. You won’t hurt me. Picture what you think is a strong force and attack me.”

A strong force? What could be something that is strong to attack. My face fell to look at my shaking hands. What forces could I use? It was then, I caught the flicker of a flame above me. The flame danced around the room while casting a shadow in my general direction. I realized that the best attack might be one that was fluid while also being deadly.

I forced my Nen into my hands and produced a small flame. It was tiny for the amount of Nen I had to give it. The more Nen I gave to my attack, the more vulnerable I felt. Suddenly, I pushed the fire from my hand. I still had it attached to me but the main point held the most Nen.

The fire hit Zeno with a force stronger than I thought would happen. Zeno, as he said, deflected the attack quickly. “Interesting that you would choose to use fire.”

I could feel the Nen force fading from my body. I had used up a lot of aura within the last twenty-four hours. I doubled over with my hands on my knees to try and gain some balance in my self and gain some breath support. “I-I felt like fire was a terrifying force.”

“It is,” nodded Zeno as he walked towards me. “There’s many more things to teach you, but you need rest for today. As long as you know a defensive move and an offensive move, you will be able to practice them both. Illumi only taught you the basics.”

“I only needed the basics if Illumi is here,” I said while coming back to a standing position. “If he’s here then he said he’d protect me.”

Zeno’s eyes narrowed. “Illumi won’t always be there.” He stares intensely at me as if I had done something wrong. “I think Illumi has some explaining to do when he gets home. You need to learn how to be a Zoldyck if you are to carry the name onto next generations.”

“You mean children?” I ask a little surprised. “W-we haven’t really discussed any of that yet.”

“Of course you haven’t. Illumi would only tell you things that he wants to tell you. Now go and get some rest. You can always come get me for training if I am here.” Zeno starts walking towards the door with his hands behind his back. “Also, tell Illumi that we need to have a chat when he returns.”

“I will. Thank you, Zeno,” I said with a small smile.

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

One shower, meal, and nap later, I finally feel rested and like myself. I was continuing to read my second book on Nen when I could feel power resurging deep within the house. Something was happening and a gut feeling told me that it had something to do with Illumi. I put down my book and walked outside the room.

I followed the feeling of strong Nen until there was a door that seemed too strong to be opened by me. It was a steel door with a thick lock. However, I could feel the power and bloodlust still from the outside. There must be someone in there with a desire to kill.

I couldn’t move the door so I decided to wait. Waiting had become so ingrained in my thought process that it became a part of my life. I was always waiting on Illumi like a little puppy dog waiting for its master. Machi would pity me.

The door swung open with a resounding squeak. It was Illumi coming up from stairs that lead deep into the mansion. A far crevasse that seemed bleak and bare. “What are you doing here?” said Illumi. His voice held a hint of vile and excitement. I felt terrified to even be near him.

“I was looking for you,” I said as confidently as I could muster. I knew my mind lied to me about how confident I sounded. “I heard something and wanted to make sure you were okay.”

The malicious look within his eyes slightly softened. I don’t think he was expecting me to say that. “Let’s go back. We have a mission that’s going to take awhile. I’ll explain on the ride there.”

“We-?” My voice was tentative and shy. Was Illumi really going to take me on a mission? Illumi had already reached the turning point in the hallway when I finally realized that I should’ve been following him much sooner.

“Yes, this one is going to be exceptionally long and I need you to come with me.” Illumi’s stride didn’t cease. I arrived back in the room and Illumi was already packing a bag for me. “You need to get everything that you’d need incase we do not return.”

“What do you mean?” I ask while taking the bag from Illumi. “I need an explanation or I am not going.”

Illumi stopped grabbing some of the items he thought I would need and turned towards me. His eyes had the same malice and excitement as before. A terrifying mixture for an already terrifying man. “You will do what I say. Remember, you are still mine. I might give you freedoms but you’re still mine.”

My breath caught in my throat. My mind was transported back to the cell from a month ago. While I was not chained, I could still feel them wrapped so tightly around my wrists that they chaffed. My wrists still scarred from the chains dragging across the worn skin every day. “I-I know,” I said. My hand clamped tightly to the sore spot. “But can you please answer me. I need to know.”

“I’ll explain everything while we’re on the ship. Trust me, this is the best thing to happen to us. All of us and it’s my job to get him back.”

I didn’t dare ask anymore questions. Illumi was a menace when he wasn’t in this state. This mission must be worth a lot if he wasn’t even going to return home for a long time. I packed up a few more things before going to the airship.

Illumi’s bloodlust was still present even after take-off. I watched as the Zoldyck mansion became smaller through the window. Would this be the life of a Zoldyck? Going from one mission to the next until we die? All of it seemed too much to handle.

I gave Illumi some space to calm down while I picked up the book on Nen once again. My heart ached for more training that could’ve been accomplished if I had stayed. I might never get the same training again.

The sky was turning a deep black before Illumi had seemed to return to his normal self or as much of his normal self that he could. He sat across from me at the table that I chose. I couldn’t tell if he decided to sit next to me because I seemed distant or that he wanted to actually be near me. In fact, I couldn’t tell anything anymore. I thought we were making progress but I guess we weren’t.

“Father told me you practiced with grandpa,” Illumi said after a long, uncomfortable pause.

“I did,” I said while turning the page.

Another pause loomed through the air. “Did you learn something?”

“You’re asking me questions?” I ask. I tilt the book down so I could look at him. A few tears escaped my eyes. I only noticed the tears once they clouded my vision while reading.

“Yes. We can trade question for question.” Illumi ignored my response. He might’ve thought they were happy tears at the prospect of being allowed to do something I so desperately longed for. Instead, they were the tears of the days spent in the pit. I had almost forgotten the fear due to time. He wouldn’t understand that.

I put the book down while marking my page. “Okay, questions.” I wiped a few of my tears away. I hated that the response to fear is sadness. Tears show a weakness that I’m not ready to give. “Yes, I learned something new with Zeno. Where are we going?”

“To follow Killua. What did you learn?”

“Things you refused to teach me with Nen. Why are we following Killua?”

“Because he has control over the most powerful thing in existence. What did you learn?”

“Transmutation techniques. Is that the sister you never told me that you had?”

“I don’t have a sister.”

“Then who is she?”

“It’s my question,” Illumi said. “Are you afraid of me?”

“Yes. Who is she?”

“Alluka. The second youngest sibling. Why?”

“Because you chained me up,” I said. I could feel myself becoming hotter with anger. My voice rose slightly with each question. “And I’m not property. Yes, you took me but that doesn’t mean anything.”

“But you’re my wife.”

“You never asked me. You assumed I would go along until there was no other option. I was stuck with this role. You forced me into this role. Plus I’m not your wife. If anything, I am only a girlfriend. We would have to make this official.”

“Would you want to make this official?”

“It’s my question,” I say. Heat rose within my body. I could even feel my own bloodlust within the expanse of the surrounding area. “If she’s a Zoldyck then why did you keep her from me?”

Even though I was getting angier, Illumi stayed as calm as ever. He might’ve been even more calm than I’ve seen him in awhile. “I didn’t tell you about him because he was not important. Now he is. How many kids would you like to have?”

Illumi’s question threw me off. It was so out of left field that it made me stutter. “What?”

“How many kids do you want?”

“I don’t want to talk about kids right now,” I said.

“But you have to answer. I’ve answered all your questions and you’ve rarely answered any of mine.”

“Then you know how it feels.”

Illumi paused for a moment. I could tell his mind was thinking once again. “I was thinking three or four.”

“Why are you still talking about kids?”

“Hisoka said that I should try to be a little honest with you. We have a big mission and I want to have something to look forward to after we have Killua under our control once again.”

I scrunched up my face and sighed. “Can we discuss this more tomorrow? I’m feeling tired from today’s events. I want to go to bed.”

“That’s fine,” he said as if it didn’t phase him. “Would you like me to join you?”

I stood up from the seat to go to the bed part of the airship. I couldn’t tell if his comment was meant for sleeping or for sex. I didn’t want him to join for either. “No.” My voice was quiet. I felt conflicted on whether I truly didn’t want him to join me to sleep; however, he didn’t touch me or allow me to touch him after sex. He slept on one part and I on the other. I didn’;t have much protest before because I wanted to sleep. Tonight was different. I wanted him to hold me and apologize but I knew he wouldn’t. That is why I said no.

Illumi didn’t follow me as I got my restless night of sleep in the air. This mission was going to be hard on both of us. I could feel it in my soul.

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