#and again the vultures circled above me

[fcktaken]

Ispagnac - Florac

That day I had hazy views of the Tarn Valley I walked in the day before, the Grandes Causses with their vast plateaus and the steep valleys of the southern Cevennes I would hike in next.

This landscape has been formed and shaped by humans driving livestock up on the pastures in summer and into the valleys in winter for millenia. It is so intricably linked to agro-pastoralism and transhumance that a whole ecosystem would vanish if the animals would not keep the plaines free of trees and the humans would not tend to the sweet chestnuts, the paths and drailles, the terraces and the stone huts. It is now a UNESCO world heritage and the sound of the bells was the soundtrack to my hike the whole ten days.

(Cevennes 2022)

[diariesofthelover]

Wayne Brothers’ Gala Girl

synopsis: Bruce Wayne’s galas are held every once in a blue moon, but when they did occur, every Gotham socialite was sure to attend. The eldest sons of Gotham’s favorite billionaire always wound up in some trouble to entertain themselves, this time the brothers’ idea of fun was a beautiful woman who looked almost as bored as them.

notes: Jason Todd & Dick Grayson x reader, 3rd person pov, little bit 🌶️, inspired by the painting above.

The Eldest Wayne brothers found themselves in the quietest corner of the gala, bored with no idea of what they can get into this time around to beat last gala’s “performance” as they would call it.

“We could set off the fire alarm,” Dick suggests lazily to his younger brother.

“What are we twelve? Most of the people here already think we’re still fifteen.”

“No, they think you’re still fifteen because you were legally dead for like four years.”

“Shut up, dickwad.”

“HER!” Dick exclaimed, “Her, her, her, her!”

“You were Robin not a fucking parrot, her what?”

“That beautiful beautiful woman right there that looks even more miserable than we do with those tuxedo vultures circling her.”

Tuxedo vultures was spot on. These rich pigs had her trapped, all trying to win her attention one at a time, attempting a better pitch than the last guy. Any kind of manners that were instilled in her from an early age couldn’t apply after the third man insisted that he was the perfect man for her, actually, the perfect man for any proper woman, brains or not. All of the men here were the exact same, they believed their money and family were enough to flatter any woman here, that having any form of a likable personality or distanct traits besides snobbery was, “not something women really wanted.”

The woman couldn’t control her eye roll after the second attempted joke was made, averting her gaze where her eyes landed on the two men who already had their bright eyes on her, Bruce Wayne’s oldest sons.

She didn’t have a problem with the Wayne Family of course, she was after all attending their gala, it was just some of the guests that she wasn’t so fond of.

“What about her?” Jason looks over to who Dick was fawning over. Jason wasn’t blind, actually his vision only got better after he was resurrected, he too thought that the woman was beautiful, maybe one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen, which is why he immediately shut Dick down, knowing what he was going to try to do.

“No, Dick. No chance, leave her alone.”

“I don’t think she wants me to,” Dick replies as the woman returns his famous flashy grin with a soft smile.

Dick had been trying to get Jason…well more out there after the whole dying, coming back to life, and then out in the public eye again thing. Jason died young, he barely got a chance to live his teenage years so whenever Jay’s attracted to someone, he starts acting like a teenage boy but at the age of twenty instead of sixteen.

Dick, make every girl swoon over him since his Robin days, Grayson mastered the whole girl thing by now and is trying to be his not so little brother’s tonight’s wingman.

“Follow me,” Dick whispers to Jason, not taking his eyes of the beauty across from him.

Dick and a hesitant Jason make their way over to the group of men that were all secretly jealous of their father, probably jealous of his sons too, interrupting the lifeless conversation and taking all of her focus off the vultures and onto him and Jason.

“Good evening gentlemen, how are we doing tonight?” Jason almost gagged at his at his brother’s fake politeness, he was always the better one at socializing, his charming personality didn’t stop at women.

“Richard Grayson, boy you’ve certainly grown up since I last saw you!” An older man around Bruce’s age greets him stirring up the rest of the men.

“Dick Grayson huh, pleasure to finally meet Gotham’s new prince.”

“I hear you’re very popular with the ladies,” the group erupted into laughter, these men really love any jokes to do with a woman don’t they?

“And you must be Bruce’s other son, Tim is it?” Jason’s takes his eyes off the woman to give the man a slight scowl, he promised Bruce he’d behave tonight.

“No, no, that’s Jason the one that…” one of the men tries to begin to tell the epic tale of Jason Todd.

“Say, we would love to stay and chat but our date has been waiting for us for quite a bit now,” Dick quickly interrupts him before Jason pulls out any kind of weapon on these men and offers his hand to the woman.

She places her hand into his thinking that she’d rather be a damsel in a in distress in need of saving by a knight, or in Gotham’s case a masked vigilante, instead of spending another moment with some men that are old enough to be her father thinking about how’d she make the perfect trophy wife and the younger who simply want to get laid after the gala. As Dick pulls her away from the hungry drunken men, she offers her hand to Jason who gives her a confused and flustered look.

“If I’m not mistaken, Mr. Grayson said our date,” she says to him in the most soothing and charming voice Jason’s ever heard.

Forcing himself to snap out of this teenage haze, Jason takes her hand earning a smile from both her and his brother.

“I hope you don’t mind us whisking you away like that, you just seemed like you weren’t enjoying yourself,” Dick started, never dropping his darling smile.

“I don’t mind at all, I needed an excuse to get away from them,” the woman looks back at the men as they watch the brothers walk away with their “prize” in envy, “god they’re pathetic,” she sighs.

“Tell me about it,” Jason mumbles beside her.

“All night I’ve been surrounded by these people that only talk about their money, their jobs, their mansion and penthouses, it’s a bit exhausting, they really can’t think of anything else to discuss. It’s fascinating that they really think that’s the way to win over a woman.”

“Well I can promise you we’re a lot more interesting than that,” Dick laughs, “We also have access to all parts of the manor, how about Jason and I give you a little tour?” Dick states rather than asks earning a questioning look from Jason about what he’s planning.

“If you insist.”

Jason knew how Dick wanted him to jump into the dating pool. He frequently tried to set him up with either other vigilantes so he wouldn’t have to worry about his partner 24/7, or an ordinary Gotham citizen where Jason could escape from Gotham’s criminals and Red Hood duties to enjoy a semi-normal life. What Jason wasn’t understanding was why Dick had a chosen a woman that he was madly attracted to as well.

As Dick began his small tour of the manor, Jason stood awkwardly alongside the woman who was attentively watching his older brother and the places he showed. Jason didn’t know if he should join in or take over, make some small talk, he was sort of frozen in place and shy. You’d think that the big bad Red Hood who always had a mouth on him since he was Robin and would break Batman’s moral code would be the last person to get nervous around a pretty girl, maybe Red Hood wouldn’t but Jason Todd would.

“And this is the library, Jason’s favorite place in the manor,” Jason was snapped out of his thoughts when Dick mentioned his name, “once he comes in here you won’t see him for hours.”

“Big reader?” It took a moment for Jason to realize that the question was for him and not Dick.

“Yea, um, yes, I love literature.”

“Really, would do you love to read?” She was now fully focused on Jason who was struggling to maintain eye contact as his cheeks and ears were colored red.

He couldn’t keep his cool physically but he could try verbally, “classics,” he responded simply, not adding more to his portion of the conversation to which Dick internally sighed to.

“Dostoevsky, Shakespeare, Austen?” The charming woman tried to get something out of the boy.

“All of them, and more of course,” Jason gave her a shy smile.

She heads towards the leather chair that Jason always sits in, making herself comfortable in his spot.

“This where you sit, get lost in all those stories you read?”

Something about her sitting in his chair made his blood rush. The way that she had made it look twice the size bigger being half the size of Jason, the way she relaxed into his chair, sinking into his molding. The boy was so mesmerized he forgot to answer her question.

Dick noticed and decided to swoop in, “Mhm, right here,” Dick drags now standing over her, “he’s a very smart guy you know with all the books he reads, runs in the family.”

She slowly shifted her gaze from Jason to Dick who was getting closer and closer, “I guess the looks do too, interesting for adopted brothers,” earning a smile from both boys.

“Excuse my brother for his shortness, we usually occupy ourselves with stunts at these galas, not beautiful women,” Dick says switching the attention back onto Jason, “he can get pretty shy.” Normally that statement would earn a punch to the shoulder or at least a nasty remark but Dick was right, Jason was pretty shy around pretty girls.

Dick and the mystery woman were now smiling at Jason who was leaned against the wall, close enough to where he can see the rise and fall of her chest, but far enough from engaging the way Dick was.

Dick gently tilts her head up with his large calloused hands forcing their gala girl to look up at him, “What do you think of my brother?”

Now it was the woman’s turn to be painted red, “I think he’s one of the most handsome and intriguing men I’ve ever seen.”

“And me?” Dick pouts.

“I think you’re one of the most handsome and charming man i’ve ever come across,” she says in a sultry tone that lures the boys in like sailors to a siren.

Both Dick and Jason’s blood is rushing, relishing in the fact that this goddess of a woman found the boys to be worthy of her attraction, that nobody else at the gala was as good as them.

“Tell me something, both of you,” she starts, “why stray from your usual chaos and shenanigans to show me around your manor?”

“You’re much more intriguing than anything we had in mind,” says Jason surprisingly boldly as he moves closer to her.

“You’re the most entertaining here tonight, baby,” adds in Dick who quickly got back his confidence after a brush to his ego.

“I heard I was beautiful too,” she teased, trying to get the higher ground again.

“I bet you get told that a lot, don’t you angel? You think that’s what those pigs were telling her Jay? How much of a pretty girl she is,” It was too late though, once Dick Grayson got wound up, he got complete control, “Now you tell me something doll, did they tell you how sexy you look in that dress of yours?” She shakes her head no, any kind of witty and teasing responses wiped from her pretty head, “Aw, well that’s just wrong, Jason tell her how good she looks in that dress.”

Both eyes are on Jason, waiting for his compliment, “She looks—you look stunning in that dress,” Dick was waiting for more, he knew Jason had the vocabulary he just needed the push, “You suit my color, red’s my favorite,” now they were getting something out of him.

“I’ll be sure to think of you when I wear red again,” god she was good. Dick had to bring the power back to him and Jason again, this all quickly became a game to him, his real entertainment for tonight’s gala.

“And what if we got rid of the red,” Dick slips the strap of her dress off her shoulder causing her to shudder, he’s in control again, “how’s that look?”

“Fuck,” Jason whispered under his breath.

“I think Jason feels the same way about it as I do,” with how quiet it was in the library his whisper was heard easily by the two, “what do you think pretty, you think it’s better?”

She felt like how Jason felt in the beginning, mesmerized and stunned. From Dick talking to her so confidently and his usage of pet names, to the way Jason was losing his fucking mind over her.

“Y’gonna answer me or are you gonna keep looking at Jay with fuck me eyes?” Dick wasn’t jealous, he was trying to tease the two, get them riled up.

Before she gets to respond there’s a knock at the door, “Master Richard and Master Jason, Master Bruce requests your attendance for at least another half hour.”

“We’ll be right out Alfred,” Richard quickly answered before Alfred could barge in on the scene, “shall we?”

Dick heads towards the door as Jason and their gala girl slowly fix themselves up, avoiding any kind of eye contact with each other.

Dick stops Jason before they head back out to the gala, “You’re welcome, Jaybird.”

[cheolsfae]

Hi could u do Soulmates as Songs?

If u do,pls do one for Enhypen🌈

shuffling through my liked songs!

*Disclaimer: For giggles!*

Jungwon's: Firefly - BANNERS

"world's apart, when it went dark, you were always on my mind. Illuminate, set ablaze, you make me light up like a firefly."

He's down bad for this person. This person is the light in the darkness for him. They really are his personal sunshine!

Jay's: To be human - Marina

"All the people living in, living in the world today, we're united by our lover, we're untied by our pain"

Getting the vibe that this person is someone who is very compassionate similar to how he is but maybe a little bit more than he is. Very cute!

Jake's: Carousel - 5 Seconds of Summer

"I's feeling like a dreamer don't you try and wake me now, my life's just a carousel spinning around, I'd pay again just to keep from stopping it now."

One, ironic that it's an aussie band for the aussie member. Two, when they get together the whole thing is going to feel kind of magical. All the hardship is going to be worth it to them in their eyes.

Sunghoon's: Holy Water - Freya Ridings

"I shouldn't love you, Vulture circle above you, and you keep me holding on to the devil that I love in you"

This feels like a little bit of a toxic situation. But they do deeply care about one another. It might start out as a friends with benefits situation.

Ni-ki's: I do adore - Mindy Gledhill

"Twinkle in your eye that strikes a match that lights my heart on fire when you're near, I hide my blushing face and trip on my shoelace... Puppy love is hard to ignore when everything you do I do adore!"

Y'all he might already know this person! He might be already down bad for this person Could have a bit of a crush on them at the moment or something. This is so cute!

Heeseung's: True - Marina

"Always said we're gonna be true, we will never change, they could never do it better than we are together."

This person doesn't care one bit about what someone else thinks of them. They are going to stand in their power and be who they are and not feel bad for it one bit!

Seonwoo's: Bite - Troye Sivan

"You can coax the cold right out of me, drape me in your warmth. The rapture in the dark puts me at ease. The blind eye of the storm, where you can be reborn and kiss me on the mouth and set me free. but please don't bite."

This could start out like Sunghoon and just be a situation-ship. It'll kind of go from there. I feel like the his future spouse is going to be the one to catch feeling first!

[axelsagewrites]

Jon Snow*Blind Date

Pairing: Modern!Jon Snow x f!Reader

Platonic: Sam, Gilly, Cregan, Robb, Sansa, Theon, and Tormund

Summary: Jon's friends bully him into going on a blind date he's sure he will regret but by the end he is head over heels for her

TW: Swearing and inuendo but nothing major

Word count: 3459 (I got carried away lol)

Masterlist Here

“Dude, I said no,” Jon said rejecting Sam’s offer yet again.

Sam and Gilly sat across from the stubborn Snow as they ate lunch and Sam questioned why he even tried. “Why not though?” Sam asked.

“Because I don’t need you to set me up with someone. I can find my own dates,”

“Really?” Sam said staring at Jon in disbelief. Gilly let out a giggle as her boyfriend began to berate the boy, “Last week all you did was write poetry about how alone and sad and moody you were. You’ve went full emo,”

“First of all, that was for class,” Jon glared at Sam only receiving a smirk in return, “Secondly I thought that was private,”

“And if you had a girlfriend then you would know-nothings private,”

“He’s right you know,” Gilly pipped up. Jon liked Gilly. He liked Sam. He liked them together. But right now, he wanted to slap the pair's heads together and storm off. But Jon chose to rise above and be mature.

“Yeah, well fuck you both,” he grumbled as he began to almost stab the food on his tray with his fork. “I’m happy being single,”

“Since when were you happy?” Cregan asked as he sat to join them for lunch.

“Im trying to set Jon up with my mate but he’s being stubborn. As always,”

“Ooo which girl?” Cregan asked before quickly adding “Or guy or whatever it is you’re into. You are into people, aren’t you?”

The three laughed as Jon’s attack on his food increased, “People that aren’t assholes yeah. I don’t get why you’re so insistent on this,”

“Because one day Jon,” Sam folded his arms, leaning on the table, and began his tale, “I’m going to realise I haven’t heard from you in a while and decide hey I should check on him. So, me and Gilly are gonna come over to your sad little apartment and break in. And what will I find? You dead on the couch and Ghost circling your body like a vulture. And I don’t wanna Gilly to see that,”

“Ghost isn’t gonna fucking eat me when I die,” Jon snapped, “Do you really think im gonna die alone? Do you think I can’t get a date that badly?” Gilly, Sam, and Cregan all shared a look “Okay fuck all of you,”

“I just think it’d be good for you to get out the house,” Gilly pipped up and the other two nodded in agreement before she added, “Besides you’ll be less tense if you get laid,” making everyone’s jaws drop, “Im serious. I used to be even more stressed than you Jon and then I met Sam and ever since I’ve just been- “

“I don’t think we need to talk about that darling,” Sam cut her off.

“Seconded,” Cregan said, “but she’s right. You need to get laid,”

Jon sighed and Sam looked between his friends and questioned his life decisions, “While I’d prefer you didn’t just ‘use’ them for sex, I genuinely think you would like them,”

“We didn’t say to use them for sex,” Gilly said but Jon ignored her.

Jon sighed and pushed his tray away since his food was now closer to mush than anything else from his stabbings, “Fine. One date,” Jon said, and the group let out a cheer, “but I swear to god Sam they better not be crazy or something,”

“By something he means ugly,” Cregan said, and Jon slapped the back of his head. “Ow dude wtf?”

Sam grinned, “Don’t worry. I know your type. You’ll like them,”

Jon Snow’s mystery date was all the talk of their friend group. Robb had found out, Tormund found out, and Theon had found out. He even got a text from Sansa about it. all of them bombarded him with tips and tricks and lines to use. Sansa demanded he Facetime her to pick his outfit out.

As Jon was getting ready to leave his room was filled with all said annoying friends bar Sansa but she was texting him so much it felt like she was practically there. “And when you get to the restaurant- “Cregan started, and Jon let out an agonising groan.

“Shut up,” he whined, “I know what to do on a date,”

“We know mate but,” Tormund began, “you haven’t been the same since Ygritte. We just don’t want you giving up if it doesn’t go to plan,”

“I’m not gonna give up,” Jon said as he looked at himself in the mirror. The outfit Sansa bullied him into was a white button-up and weird checked trousers that were ‘trendy’ right now. Jon sighed as he began to unbutton it, “Besides Ygritte was a long time ago,”

She had been his first-ever girlfriend he got the week of university. It was good at first, but they were always fighting and bickering. They were constantly breaking up and getting back together. The whole ordeal lasted a year and messed Jon up. Especially since he didn’t realise, they weren’t getting back together until he found out she was seeing Orell.

“You’re not cancelling,” Sam warned Jon who in return through his shirt at him.

“Im just changing shirts calm down,” he said as he pulled out a black shirt and black jeans. “Do I at least get to know anything about this person before im trapped at a table for an hour with them?”

“They’re in my history of medicine and herbology class, from Kingslanding, same age as us, funny, and extremely sarcastic,” Sam listed.

“Is that it?”

“You’ll have to find the rest out yourself,”

“Do I at least get a name?” Jon asked as he began to tie his doc boot laces.

“(Y/N),”

“Oh, I like them!” Robb pipped up, “Yeah, they tutored me in Dornish lit last year. Only reason I didn’t flunk out,”

“Oh, yay maybe I can study tonight,” Jon deadpanned before turning to look in the mirror, “How do I look?”

“Perfect,” Sam said.

 “Very emo,” Cregan chimed in with a smirk causing Jon to roll his eyes.

“Hot bro,” Theon blew Jon a kiss and received a slap on the head from Cregan. “Can’t a bro appreciate another hot bro?”

Theon was ignored and Robb spoke up, “Sansa’s gonna kill you but you look good dude. Don’t worry. It’s just a date,”

“Im not worried,” Jon lied as he continued to try straightening out his already straight shirt.

Robb grabbed Jon's leather jacket and helped him shrug it on, “Of course not,” he said as he held Jon's shoulders, “You’ve got this,”

Jon was standing outside the restaurant with his gaggle of hens following him, “You’re not coming on this date with me you know?”

Sam rolled his eyes, “I was just gonna point them out then we were gonna head to the The Wall bar encase you need us,”

“I won’t need you,” Jon said causing Sam and Robb to share a look “Shut up,” Jon grumbled as he looked into the restaurant, “So who is it?”

Sam pointed them out and the nerves instantly flooded Jon's system. They had got there early and were already sitting down looking absolutely gorgeous. They weren’t even trying. They were just sitting there playing with a fork and staring out a window and yet Jon was already feeling his mouth go dry, “Dude they’re well out of my league,”

“I said the same thing about Gilly and look at us now. Now go get em tiger,”

“I hate you,” Jon said before walking up to the restaurant door, “Here I go,” Jon took a deep breath and forced himself into the building, throwing a quick glance back to where Robb and Sam were giving him a thumbs up like some kind of child.

“Table for one?” The hostess asked.

Jon cleared his throat, not even sure what name the reservation was under, “I’m meeting someone here. For a date,” he began to stutter and cursed himself mentally, “I think they’re- “

“Jon?” she asked, and he nodded as a blush began to flush his cheeks, “They were sat a few minutes ago. Come with me,” she said and led Jon to his table who was desperately trying to walk normally and not fall into a deep hole and die. “Your dates here,” the hostess grinned as Jon sat down across from his mystery date who even the hostess knew before him. “Here are your menus. Have fun you two,” she said before leaving.

“Hi- “

“I’m- “

“Sorry you go- “

“You go first- “

The pair let out an awkward laugh before she quickly jumped in, “Hey,” she said with a smile stuck to her lips that were perfect just like her smile.

Jon found his face flushing yet again, “Hey. A friend of yours im guessing?” he asked nodding to the hostess who kept glancing at them.

“Yeah,” she laughed despite him not making a joke, “That’s Baela. Sorry if she keeps spying on us. She traded a shift just to watch me crash and burn,” Jon laughed and smiled as a blush filled her face instead of his for once, “Not that I think im gonna crash and burn im sorry let me start again. I’m (Y/N),” she said as she stuck her hand out to shake his and Jon saw her cringe at her own actions.

But he just grinned and shook her hand in return, “I’m Jon,” she took her hand back and his hand had never felt colder.

“Sorry about the handshake,”

“No, it’s good. Handshakes are good,” Jon reassured her, glad that it was not only him sweating buckets over this date. “I’ve never had a date shake my hand before,”

“I’ve never had a blind date before,”

“Me neither. Sam practically bullied me into this. He wouldn’t even tell me your name,”

“Me too,” she grinned. “Well, he let me know your name, but he forbade me to look up your social media,”

“You wouldn’t find much im afraid,”

“Not an Instagram guy?” she asked, and Jon shook his head, “Hmm I suppose I can forgive you,”

“Oh, so kind of you,” Jon said, and she laughed, “I guess we should probably look at the menu. That waiter looks like he’s ready to pounce,”

(Y/N) smiled, opening her menu, but it dropped once she looked up to the waiter, “Oh fuck,”

“What?” Jon asked, dropping his menu and looking to see what she had been staring at. It had been their waiter who had skulked off as soon as she had looked up. “Do you know him?”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” she said as she tried to shake it off, but Jon kept looking at her causing her to sigh, “That’s my ex. Baela swore he was off tonight or I would’ve said somewhere else,”

“Is it okay? Do we need to leave?” Jon asked, fully ready to walk half the earth for this girl he had only had half a conversation with.

She sighed and took a second to think “Nah it’ll be fine. Yeah, no it’ll be fine. He broke up with me anyway plus it was like a year ago so like yeah, its fine. Plus, they do a really good cheesecake I wanna get for dessert so its fine,” Jon couldn’t help but find her rambling adorable, but his silence caused her to look at him, “As long as you’re okay with it?”

“As long as the cheesecake as is good as you say,” he joked.

She laughed and picked up her menu, “Oh I promise its more than just good,”

After the pair had looked at the menu their chat was interrupted “(Y/N),” their waiter greeted not even glancing at Jon.

“Ramsay,” she said giving a tight-lipped smile, “How are you?”

“I'm fine. What can I get yous?” he asked and Jon's face contorted at how he didn’t even pretend to be courteous. (Y/N) also appeared shocked as she began to stutter her order and he wrote it down. “What about you?” he asked not even looking at Jon. Jon was so baffled that he didn’t even respond causing Ramsey to ask again “Well?”

“I’ll have the gourmet burger and a coke,”

“You’ll have the Pepsi,” Ramsey said as he turned and walked away from the table.

Jon and (Y/N) looked at each other with a look of half horror half confusion, “Was he always such an asshole?”

“I mean yeah but I assumed he’d at least pretend at work. Im so sorry,”

“Don’t apologise for him,” Jon assured her “Why did you even date him?”

She laughed but her face was anything but happy, “Can we save toxic ex stories for date two?”

“I understand. I mean like. I get it,” Jon said, and relief flooded her face, “We’ve all got some shitty stories I guess?”

“Yeah, but let’s focus on the good ones for now. Baela will kill me if I scare you off before dessert,”

“Good thing I don’t scare easily,”

From there the conversation flowed so easily that even Ramsey's bluntness couldn’t ruin the night. They had so much in common and Sam was right. She was funny and kept up with his quick tongue.

“You’re an idiot if your serious think Aegon the conquering was- “

“Dessert?” Ramsey interrupted their debate as he began to take their plates away.

The pair shared a look before (Y/N) spoke up, “Could we get the cheesecake and- “but she was cut off by his scoff, “What?”

“Do you really need the cheesecake?”

Jon felt a hot rage go up his spine as he glared daggers into Ramsey. (Y/N) went instantly red and was stumbling to even get a word out so Jon spoke up. “Give us one of each dessert,”

“You want four desserts?” Ramsey finally actually looked at Jon whose gaze could cut metal right now.

“Yup. Problem?”

“Whatevs. Coming right up,” Ramsey said as he sauntered off to the kitchen.

“Don’t listen to a word that guy says. He’s an asshole. I don’t understand why you ever dated him. And you said the dessert was good so we’re trying each one no arguments,”

(Y/N) smiled and Jon almost forgot the anger at the sight of it, “He was nice once. I think. Im honestly not so sure now,” she laughed but her voice was fragile.

Jon grabbed her hand without even thinking, “You deserve someone way better than him. You’re so,” Jon shook his head trying to think of the right word, “I don’t think I’ve ever met someone so perfect,”

“You barely even know me,”

Jon sighed as he debated if he should go against everything his friends had told him and lay himself out on the table, “I had my own Ramsey. And well, there’s a lot to that story but long story short she just. She was just not good for me. Now I don’t even know why we ever dated but she messed with my head, and I haven’t gone on a date since until now. And I can honestly say I’ve had more fun tonight than I did in the whole year I knew her,”

He expected her to run, to excuse herself to the bathroom and climb out a window, but she squeezed his hand instead, “I get that. I really do. I was thinking the same thing about Ramsey this whole time. How could I date someone as pig headed as him- “she said causing Jon to chuckle, “when I could’ve been with someone like you,”

“Maybe blind dates aren’t so bad after all,” Jon said, and she smiled. They stayed looking into each other’s eyes till Ramsey ruined it yet again by ungraciously dumping four plates and 2 spoons on the table.

 They didn’t let it ruin the mood and spent another hour sitting and chatting as Jon experienced the best cheesecake of his life. They must’ve been too happy for Ramsey's liking who decided to dump the bill on their table without even asking but made sure to add, “Remember it's rude not to leave a tip,”

“Its official. I have better taste than you,” Jon joked as he pulled out his wallet.

“Hey, I need to stalk this Ygritte girl before you get to judge,”

“Fine fine,” Jon said as he began to take cash out, “It was 38.50 but I only have $20s and I don’t wanna leave him $1.50,”

“Here I have change,” (Y/N) said as she pulled out $18.50 in cash, “You can pay me back by getting me a drink at The Wall on our next date,”

“Oh, can I? your so kind,” Jon said though internally he was bouncing off the walls at the idea of another date with this perfect specimen.

“I know,” she said as she scrunched her nose up and Jon thought he may die from her cuteness, “Do you have a pen though? I wanna leave him a ‘tip’,”

Jon passed her a pen and tried to watch what she was writing but she hid it and closed the bill holder with a grin, “We should go. Now,”

The pair rushed to the host stand for (Y/N) to say a quick goodbye to Baela. As she was telling Baela she’d text her they heard a “Hey!” from across the restaurant and the pair turned to see Ramsey pushing through tables to get to them.

“Go, go, go,” (Y/N) laughed as she grabbed Jon's arm and hauled him out of the restaurant, and ran across the road, narrowly dodging a car.

Ramsey flipped them off, unable to leave the restaurant but as soon as he walked back in the pair broke out into a laughing fit, “What did you write?”

(Y/N) laughed harder, “I told him how to find the clit,” she said, and Jon laughed even harder.

“Oh, my gods I love that,” He was almost crying at this point, “This is the best thing Sam has ever forced me to do,”

“Im glad,” she laughed as she looked up at Jon, “It’s getting late. My roommate said if I didn’t get back by 11, she was calling the cops,”

“Well, I don’t need to get arrested again,”

“Again?” she asked, and Jon laughed, “Am I dating a gang leader or something?”

“I’ll tell you as I walk you to your dorm?” Jon offered.

(Y/N) grinned and nodded as the pair began to walk back to campus, “At least you’re a gentleman gang man,”

Jon was disappointed as they reached the door to her dorm knowing he would have to wait to see her again, “So if you don’t do insta do you at least have a phone number?” (Y/N) asked as she leaned back against her front door.

“Gimme your phone I’ll put it in,” he said, and she complied.

“This better not be a fake number Jon Snow,” she teased as he handed the cell back to her.

Despite his anxiety at the beginning Jon felt his confidence grow with every joke and come back. He didn’t even think as he stepped closer, leaving only an inch between them, “Don’t worry its very real. I promise,”

“Good,” she grinned as she brought her hands to rest on his shoulders, “I had fun tonight,”

“Me too,” Jon said as he leaned in closer, placing his hand on her waist. “I really wanna kiss you right now,” he confessed as his lips ghosted hers.

She leaned in ever so slightly so that her lips brushed against his as she said, “Then do it,”

His lips fell onto hers and her arms pulled him in closer, so they were pressed against each other as their lips moulded together perfectly. Jon wanted it to last forever but as he grazed his teeth against her bottom lip she pulled back slightly, “If we don’t stop, I won’t be going into my room alone,”

“You’re lucky im a gentleman,” Jon said as he forced himself to pull back, letting her turn to unlock her door, “Another time?”

“I’m free tomorrow?” she offered.

Jon laughed but nodded, “Tomorrows great. Text me,”

“As soon as im through this door.” She said, “Goodnight Jon,”

“Goodnight,” he said as he stepped away and let her return to her dorm.

Jon was barely out the dorm's front door when he checked to see if she had indeed texted him. She had. A text from an unknown number saying, ‘Guess who?’. Jon laughed to himself as he texts her back before looking at the bombardment of texts his friends had sent him. But they could wait. He wasn’t gonna let Sam find out he was right ruining his night. Turns out blind dates aren’t always a bad idea.

[roetrolls]

Candy and Crocuses

“Cotton candy. A big, big pile of cotton candy. The blue and pink kind.”

Asleep but not deeply, Nymira’s ear twitches in response to her brother’s whispers, held aloft between his thumb and forefinger as he tries desperately to drill the thought into her subconscious.

“Cotton candy,” Somnia whispers again, “just a big huge mountain of cotton candy.”

“I’ll give you an easy one, Dreamer. You’ve done it before.”

Her ear twitches again, this time as if to flick away the venomous honey that drips from the hypnotic voice above her. She feels a vague sense of movement, not her own, and the image of a vulture drifts to mind. She is used to prayer.

She feels like prey.

“Cotton candy! Really, really sweet. Lots and lots of cotton candy.”

“A crocus.”

“Cotton candy!”

“Six petals, pointed up.”

“All stringy and soft and fluffy.”

“Purple. Yellow center.”

“Pink and blue!”

“Picture a crocus.”

Nymira opens her eyes to find Somnia staring at her, black voids shining expectantly. Blinking off her sleep, she turns a droopy gaze to her hands, staring curiously at her tiny palms and the short, stubby fingers that curl towards them.

“Did it work?” he asks excitedly. “Did you see a crocus?”

Confusion muddles the godling’s features. She raises her head to look once more at her brother’s eager face and the purple flower that adorns it, brilliant color shimmering faintly in the low light of her bedroom.

“Cro…cus?” She mumbles softly, the word oddly intrusive on her tongue. 

“Six petals,” he reminds her, “pink and blue.”

Her attention drifts back to her hands, cupped gently around the flower she has summoned. Its golden center stares back, reaching out as if to touch her.

“Yes!” Somnia shouts, laughter bubbling from his chest. He slips his hands beneath her arms and pulls her out of bed, swinging the young goddess in a circle before hefting both of them into the small reading nook set into her bedroom wall. 

She stares at his face, at the petals where his eyes should be, and struggles to make sense of him.

Ignorant to her befuddlement, her brother plucks the flower from her palms and splits it in two, pausing to compare the size of the pieces before holding the smaller of them out to her.

“‘Cause you’re littler,” he explains as she takes her share.

“For Cy?”

He frowns. “No, just for us. He can have some next time, okay?”

“Not sharing?”

“This one’s special for us. We’ll share next time.”

“This time just Poppy?”

“Both of us! We’ll try it on three. Do you wanna count to three with me?”

Nymira flexes one small hand, fingers splayed awkwardly with muscles she is still learning to use. She can count to three. She’s good at counting.

“Six petals. Ready? One, two…”

“What is that?”

A sharp voice jolts Nymira to her senses, eyes snapping open with a start. Persep looms over her with a frigid scowl, his shoulders tight with annoyance. The godling furrows her brow, too disoriented to be intimidated, and turns her gaze to the wispy bundle in her hands.

“It’s…cotton candy.” 

“Cotton candy,” the purpleblood echoes, lips contorting into a snarl.

“Somnia likes it.”

“I didn’t ask.”

Nymira blinks softly, vision still trained on her palms. With two slender fingers, she lifts the morsel and turns it in front of her face, expression somewhat distant. Finally, she turns her attention back to Persep and holds it out, eyes large and innocent.

“Would you like some?”

[forlorn-crows]

Crow!

I have a question...questions? Request? Maybe a little bit of both...?

I am a (relative) newcomer to the fandom, I've been hyper-focused on Ghost for the last year and my heart's completely, irreparably and quite blissfully gone on all of the Era IV Ghouls (Phantom and Aurora included), but, in particular, on our beloved Earth Ghoul Mountain (Mmmmmountain...💕)

HOWEVER, recently, I've begun trying to learn more about the previous era's Ghouls, and although I already have a growing appreciation for Omega, there's another that I find myself circling back to again and again and again...

...Zephyr.

Unfortunately, there seems to be a distressingly small amount of information on him in terms of HC's and fandom lore which really does make it harder to get a feel for his character and personality, so, I was wondering if you could help with that.

How do you see him in your head?

What is he like?

Who is he to you?

Please help me add a tenth Ghoul to the nine I already love...

hi, welcome!

ive got lots of headcanons about them so i'd love to go through some of those for you. i'll drop some great zephyr photos first and then we'll continue under the cut :3

firstly, i cant tell you where the name zephyr originated. maybe fanfiction or other fan circles. zephyr is more commonly known as "chAir", because they were almost always sitting down to play. sort of like cowbell is named after the instrument he appeared for two seconds to play lmao

you'll notice i use they/them pronouns for zeph. thats something i picked up from @gayrickgrimes when i first started interacting more with ghost fanfic. but lots of people also use he/him. not sure why nonbinary zeph has really stuck with me since then, but i quite enjoy it!

i would say the most commonly shared headcanons about zephyr are as follows:

older in age, like omega or alpha often are portrayed

has chronic back and/or joint pain (there's lots of clips of them walking off stage holding their back, thus the headcanon)

has light or white hair, commonly portrayed as longish and wavy.

reserved. maybe a little "old mannish" at times. less spontaneous than other ghouls.

however! they like groovin' on stage. can be seen doing some wiggles during their keytar solo or jamming out on their stool.

some artistic portrayals i love are @endopyre's, @turbodrawn's, and @kamonart's :3 also for a portrayal that doesnt necessarily fit those 'common' appearance hc's above is @joeynihil's zeph, whom i LOVEEE.

i also love @divine-misfortune's depictions of them, but i have indeed given void the zephyr brainrot soooo....oopsies sorry not sorry.

so, now onto the things i specifically headcanon about zephyr. i dont know if youve read any of my ficlets with them yet, but i do have a few! generally, i hc pretty similar to the above bullet points. some other thoughts i have are as follows:

i think zeph has a more antiquated way of speaking. doesnt use a lot of slang or 'modern' words. is very precise, refined in the way that they speak.

very amicable with and well-loved by their pack (aether, ifrit, dew, mountain).

has an 'air' about them, if you will (pardon the pun haha). some may say its too much like they're looking down their nose at you, but i think they're clever, smooth, and teasing in equal measure. has a way with words, in more ways than one.

they really do like to have fun on stage, and i think they like to 'let loose' a little bit that way. that ghoul can groove and move when they want to! and i do enjoy watching ritual footage of them, would recommend <3

not sure if you're interested in unglamoured hc's, but i think they turn very gangly, resembling something like a vulture or other long-legged birds. taloned feet and hands. hocked legs. feathers sticking out behind their ears and tattered, crooked wings. bright eyes that glow in the dark and can see for miles. razor sharp teeth. literally terrifying if you catch them peering at you from high in the trees.

likes when the others offer to help with their back pains. ifrit with his warm hands. aether with his quintessence. maybe mountain with weed or dew taking them to the lake to take some weight of their joints. always very kind, thankful in return.

i think the abbey has a chapel with an organ that zeph likes to play. i think that's what they learned on originally, and transferred that knowledge to the keyboard. when they retired from the band they still enjoyed playing for midnight mass or special occasions.

lastly, i think zeph is a quiet dom. very controlled of a ghoul in normal situations, but very good at controlling and directing others. has a silver tongue and can absolutely take mountain down to studs with just words. i have many feelings about mountzeph in general, and how their dynamic works, which ive explored a little bit. but in general, i think zeph likes to have that control, either because they have pain that doesnt allow them the freedom to explore certain pleasures, and/or because thats what they like. its natural and fun for them. and its certainly fun for everyone else involved lmao. i just think of them as a very elegant ghoul in all aspects of their life.

all in all, im very fond of zephyr as a character, at least how i see them in my head and how i've seen them portrayed by others thus far! hopefully that can serve as some inspiration for you in 'getting to know' this air ghoul :3

[infraaa]

How do we- how do we feel about longan and a siren reader.. silly little idea 😋

『INSP BY THE CONTORTIONIST AND IF YOU DONT KNOW THAT SONG….. GO LISTEN TO IT NOW 👹 also I really like this idea ngl! I made some hcs for it if you don’t mind. 💜』

longan dragon cookie w a siren s/o (afab)

bakers notes // imo this made me legit think of like… like sea fairy or black pearl. So since this is a siren thing there’s probs gonna be some ties between black pearl and the s/o (also @m00r3-starzz and or @ask-the-longan-dragon may place me in super hell (💜) after this.) also I’m still coming for either a random anon or @windlotus

tw i guess // hypnosis bc siren. Also it’s just a tad bit suggestive due to the nature of sirens, and the song… so… yk.

what makes you think that they haven’t or have not encountered one? For fucks sake, look, their palace literally floats above the Pacific Ocean.

They’ve seen Black Pearl Cookie at some point, and they know who Sea Fairy is… if anything seeing a siren would just take them back…

Your glistening tail under the moonlight and the reflection of the water on your gills… like a shining gem in their hoard.

Your singing would bounce through their air, into the nightly current floating around the golden palace.

Longan knows what you want. They aren’t dumb. Sirens sing for souls— for blood and food. And they are aware that Dragon���s Blood is well sought out after not just by vampires, but sorcerers and mages for its benefits and health properties.

They try to ignore you to the best of their abilities. But after a while it gets hard not to go out.

But when you sing so beautifully,

“Twisted all my limbs for you. Two of them in knots and two of them in loops. Ribbons tied around like a noose… wonder if I'll ever get it loose.”

Mmm, so smoothly…

“I don't wanna bruise for you. Holding back my words until my face is blue (huh!) I don't really care about your crew. You can tell 'em what you wanna do.”

You get into their head and make them internally spin around in a dizzy circle when you make your voice sound like that for them…

“Pushin me, lovin me, pulling me, fuckin me, crushin me, touchin me… aah!~”

Eventually they bite their lip and follow you, their eyes a dull gold. Their grey complexion now reflecting somewhat of a warmer tone in their cheeks. Aimlessly walking towards you, the click clacks of their feet across ivory tile floor as they go in and out…

They walk out to a terrace to eye you like a vulture, looking down at you, golden eyes now agleam in the dark of night. Yet they hold some kind of want…

They want you in their palace. But that’s impossible. If you’re akin to Black Pearl, you wouldn’t be able to survive above water… at least… not for long.

But that doesn’t mean that they can’t come to you, despite knowing the possible dangers that lead up to that. But ah hell, they could defeat you in a fight easily. The temptation of floating down to you was forming in their legs.

They must show restraint and willpower however.

Oh…

Twisting all my bones like screws. Stretching my self worth, just like you usually do. Caught you like the cold or a flu (achoo!) Praying that I'll someday be immune.

Here we go again…

Got me like a bad tattoo… always under skin, even when it gets removed. Never got a chance to undo… positions that you forced my way into.

Ugh! Their breath just quickened… mouth watering… of course, they don’t let you see that. That’s all internal. But they’re internally foaming at the mouth. Truly miserable.

But they do anyway. They step up to the terrace and graciously float downward. They have a small lump in their throat that tightens. They feel hot— but a comfortable kind of heat soars through them.

As you bummed you put a webbed finger under their chin, the intensity of eye contact not seeming to phase you. You smile… sickly sweet towards them…

“Sing. Sing weakling.”

They grow to crave it nightly— like a drug. Your soft sweet voice not looking to harm them, but to please them. And when push comes to shove, as it sometimes does…

There’s… other ways they can make you sing.

And sometimes, after you actually do, you continue to do so going on further in the youth of the night.

But the singing they make you do… isn’t singing. If you catch me…

[cdragons]

The Eastern Wind & Moon Sail to Winterfell

READ THIS FOR CONTEXT

Previous Part

Summary: 美灵 (Měilíng) and 明阴 (Míng Yīn) visit House Stark after news of Jon Arryn's death and murder arrives at Winterfell. Ned Stark senses a trouble brewing in the air. Are the vultures from King's Landing circling to soon feast on his family's flesh? Is there any way to stop it? Meanwhile, the Young Wolf begins to battle his desires for the heart and affections of one tempestuous YiTish Sea Captain.

Warning(s): MDNI 18+; Canon doesn't exist here *shhhhhhhh*, Ned is having a crisis, Stannis may be OOC; Robb Stark wants to Dom the hot sea captain when he's clearly a Sub; Catelyn Stark is kind of a bitch; GOT is GOT (shit's gonna go down); Yi Tish dialogue is Bold, Italicized, and Green

Author's Note: Author hasn't seen Game of Thrones in a long-ass time, so if the characters are OOC...my bad 🤷🏻‍♀️. I used Mandarin for YiTish, and translations are at the bottom. Game of Thrones belong to GRR Martin, and the regions of Yi Ti are all credited to @anya-snow. If you liked reading this, please check out the masterlist!

Arya continually stabbed her needle in the fabric as Septa Mordane gushed over Sansa’s pretty embroidery. She looked beside her and met eyes with his youngest brother’s betrothed, Shireen Baratheon. The young girl gave an encouraging smile as she also struggled with stitching and embroidery. The young Baratheon heiress preferred to lose herself in the ancient library in Winterfell or with Maester Luwin as they discussed the history of House Targaryen.

The Stark girl smiled back at the young Baratheon. She liked Shireen very much, and thought her excellent company. At night, she would recount tales and stories her sister, Minna, shared from her travels in letters or from herself. Arya felt her mood drop again as he looked at Sansa. Shireen was so lucky to have an older sister as exciting and fun as Minna—someone who would fight and travel the world. The girls were only sisters through marriage. Shireen was from Stannis Baratheon’s first marriage, as Minna was the daughter of her mother’s first in Yi Ti, but they loved each other so fiercely that blood hardly mattered.

Minna didn’t care that Shireen was scarred from Greyscale, nor did she treat her as a pitiful creature to grow with her face. Minna and her mother, Lady Mei, loved the girl to the seven hells and back. The woman loved Shireen so much that she demanded her new husband swear that Shireen’s place as his heir would not be changed if they ever had a son. Arya still remembered the night she overheard Shireen tell Rickon how Minna told her that the gods gave Shireen her scars to prevent the Maiden from cursing her.

“Minnie told me I have the most beautiful soul,” she whispered just loud enough for Arya to hear her from outside an open door. “If I were beautiful both inside and out, the Gods would have cursed me for having too much, like Aphrodite had done to Marcaria.”

Arya bitterly continued with her stitching as a dull thud entered her ears, and she turned her head in the direction of laughter outside in the courtyard.

Bran struggled as he pulled his arm to draw out the bowstring. His older brothers, Jon and Robb, stood beside him in observation to guide his lessons while his younger brother, Rickon, sat above them on a mounted saddle. When he released the bowstring, the arrow shot up and over the target and outside the wall. He looked down in dejection as his brothers began to laugh even harder.

“And which one of you was a mark smith at ten?” his father, Lord Eddard ‘Ned’ Stark, called out above them. He and Lady Catelyn Stark, nee Tully, watched him practice. Ned Stark looked at his young son and encouraged him. “Keep practicing, Bran. Go on.”

Jon Snow lowered to whisper in Bran’s ear. “Don’t think too much about it, Bran.”

“Relax your bow arm,” remarked Robb.

Just when Bran was about to release his draw, an arrow shot past him and pierced the red center of the target. Whipping his head behind him, Bran saw it was Arya with a bow about twice her height. She curtsied with a smile before Bran went after her. She let him chase after her, and soon, they were running around the courtyard.

“Quick, Bran! Faster!” called out Jon as he and Robb watched their two siblings joyfully play.

Rickon remained seated on the mounted saddle. He looked up at the window where Sansa and Shireen should be. When his mother and father told him he would marry Stannis Baratheon’s daughter last year, his mother was enraged. He overheard Mother plead with his father to reconsider the match. She did not want her youngest boy to be with someone deformed by the gods. But Father dismissed her claims.

“Shireen Baratheon is Mei’s daughter now, and she confirmed that the girl’s illness is no longer contagious.” Ned Stark firmly stated.

“You would risk our family’s health over some foreign woman’s ‘confirmation?’’ Catelyn Stark exclaimed. “How is she to know? How can you possibly trust her words so much? A woman from a land as far as hers has no way of knowing such remedies. What if she and that girl–”

Her husband cut her off. “That’s enough, Cat. I understand your worries. I do. But I will not allow you to besmirch Mei’s and her daughter’s good names. She has been a long friend of Stannis Baratheon, and now she is his wife. She would never harm children. Never.”

He noticed his words frustrated his wife, and he placed a gentle hand on her arm before laying a soft kiss on her brow. “Mei is probably the wisest woman I have ever known. And sending Shireen with her daughter isn’t so much for an engagement – but to make her comfortable around others. The boys are long used to her sister’s presence; they will take up nicely with Shireen’s.”

And the matter was settled. Rickon remembered how Mother and Sansa kept their distance from the girl when she first arrived with Minna. Minna would only stay for the first month before leaving to travel to the Reach and then Dorne. When Shireen first approached him during Luwin’s lessons, he was amazed by the book size she was carrying. The moment she opened her mouth about things like Jin and huakaʻi pō, Rickon decided that it would make him extremely happy if he spent the rest of his life with Shireen. His mother was less than pleased and stormed off to lock herself in Winterfell’s Sept. But Father only gave Rickon a proud smile and gave his hair a good tousle.

As Ned Stark and his wife laughed at the scene, they were interrupted by the small pattering of a child’s footsteps running towards them. They turned and saw Shireen Baratheon escorted by Theon Greyjoy, the Ironborn ward. The odd pair first bowed respectfully and greeted Lord and Lady Stark with their titles before Theon stepped aside for Shireen. The young girl was beaming so widely that it warmed the old Lord’s heart. He couldn’t help but pity the child for the hand life dealt her, but it filled his heart to know that she would at least experience some kindness outside her own family.

“Ah, Lady Shireen,” he greeted the girl. “What brings you here? Come to watch Bran practice?”

Shireen shook her head. “No, my lord. I just received news from Shadow. My sister is currently docked at Dragonstone, and she, Mother, and Steffard will be arriving in White Harbor in a week’s time from tomorrow!”

Ned’s eyebrows shot up in bewilderment. “A week? From Dragonstone to White Harbor? How will they make it so fast with her crew and that giant ship of hers?”

“They won’t be coming with her,” Shireen answered. “She’s traveled to after stopping at King’s Landing. Father is Dragonstone to take care of some things while she sails alone. My sister is a very accomplished sailor blessed with the winds’ favor, my lord. I wouldn’t be surprised if she arrived here in just five days or less.”

Ned gave a loud laugh. “Knowing she’s your mother’s daughter, it wouldn’t surprise me either. Thank you for telling me.”

“I’ll be sure to prepare a guest room for them,” Lady Catelyn informed her husband before turning to Shireen. “Will your sister and Lady Baratheon bring their own handmaidens, or will they need one provided? Will your brother need a wet nurse?”

Shireen shook her head. “Oh no, my lady! My sister greatly dislikes the idea of handmaidens and ladies-in-waiting! But Minnie said that she would be bringing Wu! And my mother prefers to nurse my brother.”

Lady Catelyn Stark’s smile faltered slightly while Ned’s widened at the mention of Lady Minna’s ‘pets.’ The beasts resembled more killers than travel companions. Catelyn Stark almost preferred the ruffians that made up her crew to the animals.

Shireen turned to Theon. “Do you think Ari will enjoy spending time with another bird? I would feel awful if he became lonely from Shadow’s arrival.”

Theon gave a sincere smile to the young girl before tousling her hair. “I think nothing would make him happier, my lady. He was bored out of his mind being alone with the ravens before Baleor’s arrival. What’s one more?”

Rodrick walked up to his lord and lady to inform them that they had captured a deserter of the Wall, and they were ready to give his execution. Ned Stark’s expression became somber hearing the news as his eyes darted to the young Shireen. He ordered Theon to escort her and Rickon to Maester Luwin for their lessons before telling Robb and Jon to saddle their horses. When the Greyjoy ward left, he informed Rodrick that Bran would join them. This gave concern to his wife.

“Ned,” she pleaded. “Ten is too young to see such things.”

“He won’t be a boy forever,” her husband replied. “And winter is coming.”

Bran kept thinking about the words his father had imparted to him after he had taken off the deserter’s head with Ice.

“The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword.”

It still confused him. He wanted to ask Robb when Father stopped in the middle of the road. He made a right turn toward the river. Jon was right behind Father while Bran followed. It was a direwolf! But…it was dead, and it had pups! But as excited as Bran was, he made no sound. Everyone around him was silent as they all stood in awe at the dead symbol of their house.

“It’s a freak,’ remarked Theon.

Father corrected him. ‘It’s a direwolf–” he looked at Rodrick for a moment in shock before grabbing the antler lodged in its throat “–tough old beast.”

“There are no direwolves South of the Wall,” commented Robb.

“Now there are five,” remarked Jon, picking one pup in his arms and handing it to Bran. “You want to hold it?”

The pup’s fur was white with speckles of grey across its body. Its body squirmed as it whined and whimpered at the change of its surroundings – and for the death of its mother.

Bran looked up at his brother. “Where will they go? Their mother’s dead.”

With a heavy heart, Rodrick answered the young lordling’s question. “They don’t belong down here.”

Ned Stark stood with his sword in hand. “Better a quick death. They won’t last without their mother.”

“Right,” Theon unsheathed his blade and reached for the pup in Bran’s arms. “Give it here.”

“No!” Bran cried as Theon looked mildly distressed at the boy’s plea.

“Put away your blade,” Robb commanded his friend. He didn’t like to give Theon orders – especially since the boy was more like a brother to him than just a ward his father brought from the Iron Islands, but he didn’t want to spill the direwolf pup’s blood.

Nonetheless, Robb’s words irked Theon. “I take orders from your father, not you.”

But Bran couldn’t allow the pups to die. He continued to plead with his father. “Please, Father!”

“I’m sorry, Bran.” The lord didn’t like seeing his young so upset, but he needed to understand the way of the world. It would be cruel to let the pups live – only to struggle to live and die before winter comes.

“Lord Stark–” Ned turned around to his son’s voice “–there are five pups—one for each of the Stark children. The direwolf is the sigil of your house. They were meant to have them.”

“And what about you?” thought Ned. “Are you not my child? Why should you be denied the right to wear and own the sigil of my house – your house? Even if you carry neither mine nor your mother’s name- are you still not of my blood?”

 He looked at his son with sad and hurt eyes as if reliving a memory from another lifetime ago. When everyone turned to him, waiting for an answer, he replied sternly and somberly.

“You will train them yourselves. You will feed them yourselves.” And with bitter anger on his tongue, he spat out. “And if they die, you will bury them yourselves.”

As Jon handed two more direwolf pups in Robb’s arms, Bran turned to his brother. “What about you?”

Jon hesitated before answering. “I’m not a Stark. Get on.”

But as they began to leave, Jon heard small and faint whimpers from below. He walked down to try and locate it. Robb and Theon stopped to ask if there was a problem. For his answer. He held up a sixth direwolf pup – one with stark white fur like snow and piercing blood-red eyes.

“Ah, the runt of the litter,” Theon quipped with a smug smirk. “That one’s yours, Snow.”

Jon looked at Greyjoy with exasperation, while Robb looked pleased and grateful for the albino pup’s existence. At the very least, his favorite brother also had a direwolf. He was a Stark – whether his mother liked it or not.

The ride back to Winterfell was quiet in the front, with the grown men still somber and sullen from the execution. But the boys were speaking with one another with great excitement for bringing home new members of their family. Robb and Theon were riding in front of Jon and Bran. Bran was still thinking about what the deserter said about the white walkers. Was he lying? Was Father right about mad men seeing what they want to see? But…he didn’t look mad.

“Quite the day for the lad. Eh, Bran?” Theon called out to him as Bran broke from his thoughts. “First, your first deserter execution. Next, you and your siblings are getting a direwolf each. And to think, I thought Shireen’s sister’s arrival would be the most exciting news of the day.”

“What?” thought Bran. His thoughts about white walkers and deserters were quickly replaced by news of his friend's arrival.

“Minnie’s coming?” he excitedly asked with a broad smile and bright eyes. “Did she say when? Is she bringing Wu with her?”

Theon’s news also caught Jon’s and Robb’s attention. Jon was lost in his thoughts since finding the albino wolf pup. Robb was thinking about Arya’s and Rickon’s reactions to receiving the privilege of caring for their house’s sigil. But now, something of greater import came to their attention.

“Ming’s coming?” asked Jon. “Are you sure?”

Theon smirked at the bastard’s excitement. “I was with her when Shadow flew up to her with a message tied on its leg – escorted the Lady Shireen myself when she told Lord and Lady Stark. Lass was practically jumping off the walls after reading it.”

“Did she say when she would be arriving? Are Lord Stannis and his lady wife coming with her?” asked Robb.

Theon shook his head. “She says she’s in Dragonstone to prepare for her stay. She’ll be at White Harbor in a week. She’s bringing their mother and brother, too. But Lord Stannis won’t be joining them this time.”

This greatly confused Bran and his brothers. Lord Stannis was infamous for his sour expressions and austereness – but anyone who had the privilege of meeting him now would see how much the company of his second wife softened his hard nature. Stannis Baratheon was a man who showed no love for his brothers, but he adored the women and girls in his life. An adoration now extended to his youngest child, his only son.

For such a man to not travel with his wife was a strange and unusual occurrence.

“Why is Lord Stannis not traveling with Minnie and Lady Mei?” asked Bran. His brows furrowed before worry took hold of him. “Did he and Lady Mei fight, and she’s running away with their son?”

“Bran, that’s enough,” ordered Jon. “Everyone knows how much Lord Stannis respects Lady Mei’s advice. I’m sure he's not joining them because there’s too much to do at King’s Landing. Being King Robert’s brother gives him a great number of duties.”

Theon turned to Jon with a wide smirk. “Awfully defensive of Lady Mei’s honor – aren’t you, Snow? Think that’ll grant you any favors from her daughter, ‘Minion’?”

“Don’t call her that!” Bran called out.

Jon sputtered his response with red-tipped ears. “You know how much she hates being called that. Or do you want a repeat of what happened in the courtyard when you and Robb first called her that? And, of course, I care about Minna’s mother – I’d be a bad friend if I didn’t.”

Jon shouldn’t be as excited as he was at that moment. But he couldn’t help himself. Ming – his Ming – was coming to Winterfell. She was everything Jon wanted in an older sibling. She was invincible and told him as such. She and her mother had never once treated him differently from the rest of the Stark Children after learning of his bastard status. Whenever he got in over his head about his birth, she would always manage to ground him in some way. Once, he asked her if she was trying to trick him. She stared at him briefly before rolling up a piece of paper and swatting his head.

He still remembered her scowl with fondness.

“Do I look as stupid as Catelyn Stark to you?” she interrogated. “Who cares if you’re a bastard? You care about your siblings and work hard to be a worthy son despite the world giving you an excuse not to. I’ve given you some of my favorite fruits from my homeland, and you dare ask me if my friendship towards you was a ruse?! Don’t be stupid, Jon.”

He wept like a baby. He had never felt so happy in his life, and all he could do was thank his friend while weeping for joy. And to make him stop crying, she let him cry on her shoulder as she softly stroked his hair.

“Yeah,” snorted Theon. “Friend – sure.”

“That’s enough,” Robb cut in. “All of you. You want Father to scold us?”

Robb could tell his brothers were ecstatic about Ming’s arrival, but he had conflicting emotions about the news. Ming Yin Baratheon was a woman grown who was older than him by two years, the same age as Theon. Ming always had a wicked and brash tongue on her. When they first met, she was his height but so skinny and dressed so plainly with dirt streaks on her face.

Was it really so bad if he assumed she was smallfolk?

Then Theon dared him to tug on her braid while she was reading a book in the courtyard. A stupid dare between stupid boys resulted in them running for their lives with tears down their cheeks as a short and bookish girl chased them with a broom twice her height. She shouted out curses and promises of all the vile things she would do to them as she violently swung the broom through the air with fire in her eyes and poison on her tongue.

It took the combined efforts of Stannis, his father, Rodrick, and Jory to pry her off when she caught up to them. In the end, Robb’s cheeks burned with embarrassment as Luwin treated his bleeding nose, black eye, and bruises across his body while he and Father occasionally snickered to themselves. His mother nearly had a heart attack at the state of her eldest child. When she heard what had happened and tried to scold the girl, Ming only responded by blowing her tongue and spraying her spittle at the Tully woman. Even with more dirt on her cheeks than before and her braid ruined, she carried herself in such an unrelenting dignified manner that Robb couldn’t help but envy it.

At the very least, Theon was in no better state than him.

How in the Seven Hells could a girl of nine years manage to fight off four grown men? The memory stumped Robb then and still stumped him now.

“Scared of meeting the Demoness from Dragonstone?” Theon smugly asked when he saw his friend staring in the distance. “Or are you worried she won’t be impressed with your new height and strength when she sees you haven’t improved your writing?”

Robb scoffed at Theon’s words. “No, don’t be ridiculous.”

He refused to believe that he cared so much for some quick-tempered girl who always teased him– even if she had shiny black hair that ended at her waist and sharp, expressive dark eyes with full lips. It didn’t matter that she haunted his dreams every night since she was in Winterfell when she turned fourteen. It didn’t matter to Robb that Minna was the epitome of an exotic beauty with enough fire in her soul for any Northern winter to freeze her. It didn’t matter to Robb that she was closer to Jon than to him.

“I’ll kiss you when you finally beat me.”

It didn’t matter to Robb – none of it.

“I’m not scared of Minna, Theon – so stop trying to bait me.” Robb let that be the final word before riding ahead just behind his father.

Meanwhile, Ned had heard everything passed between the boys while riding in the front. He chuckled at Bran’s excitement. He was sure he would be climbing the gates of Winterfell every day to wait for Minna’s arrival. It was no secret to anyone in the Stark family or those working in Winterfell that Bran had a bit of a crush on the tempestuous sailor. While his wife disliked the girl, Ned was very fond of her. Her temper and sharp tongue reminded him of Mei when he first met her. Not to mention that she was the spitting image of Mei at that age.

He wasn’t too old to be oblivious to how his sons acted around pretty girls – especially girls like her. Northern women were one thing, but Mei and Minna were an entire league of women. There had never been two women who would turn Westeros upside down and inside out as much as them. Mei had turned the forever stoic Stannis Baratheon into a feeling human, became the most respected woman in the Keep, and opened trade opportunities for Westeros. At the same time, Minna tore down every obstacle in her path to pursue knowledge and made Dragonstone one of the richest keeps in the Seven Kingdoms – not that Robert or his queen will ever get a hold of a single coin from her.

When Ned and his sons returned to Winterfell, he was immediately bombarded with questions from the rest of his children about whether Minnie was really coming to Winterfell. They asked if he knew about whether he knew she was bringing gifts from her travels. Arya wanted to know if she would give her a dagger forged by the Master blacksmiths from Qohor. Rickon hoped she would bring any sweets and candied fruits.

Even Sansa couldn’t hide her excitement. Despite the girls' differences, Minna would bring Sansa the most exquisite fabrics, accessories, and books. The gifts were more often than not used as a way to distract her from any pranks or tricks pulled on her. Thankfully, Mei would be here as well. Sansa held Lady Mei Baratheon on nearly the same high pedestal as her mother. She would tell how beautiful Sansa was growing and how her grace and charm rivaled the most beautiful empresses from her homeland. She would sing praises of how her stitching looked more impressive than the last time she’d seen it while sharing news of the latest trends worn among noble women worldwide.

Excitement filled the halls of Winterfell at the news of their guests. Preparations were underway for their arrival. Ned went to the Godswood and shone his sword under the branches of the Old Weirwood tree for some peace. He was grateful for the life the Old Gods blessed him with. This was not the life he was meant to have. Everything of his should have been Brandon’s – his wife, his title, his responsibilities – but he wouldn’t change any of it, not for all of the power and gold in the world.

But his world would be crashing down around him when his wife arrived with a message from King’s Landing.

“I’m so sorry, my love,” Catelyn told him with sympathetic eyes. Then she told him Jon Arryn had died, and Robert and his wife would travel to Winterfell with their children and the Queen’s brothers.

Ned looked down at his feet. “If he’s traveling this far North, it’s for one thing.” He looked at his wife in hidden fear. “He wants to make me his Hand.”

“First Mei, now Robert,” thought Ned when he shared the news to his children. “May the Old Gods and New protect my family for what’s to come.”

Bran watched the road to his father’s keep from the top of the gates. He saw a single dot moving closer and closer until the dot became a wheelhouse. His eyes widened in excitement as his smile broadened in anticipation for his friend in the horse-drawn carriage that carried House Baratheon’s banner. He stood up and ran across the edge or beginning to climb down the tower. He reached the ground to run to his father at the stables.

“They’re here! They’re here!” he exclaimed when he reached him. The boy was practically bouncing on his heels for barely containing his elation.

Ned chuckled at the sight of his son. “Who, Bran?”

“Minnie! There’s a wheelhouse coming! It carries the sigil of House Baratheon!”

“Was anyone carrying the banner?” his father asked with a quizzical brow raised.

Bran shook his head. “No, but I saw it painted on the top of it.”

“Alright, then,” nodded Ned as he gave his son instructions. “Gather your brothers, sisters, and Shireen. I’ll prepare your mother. Tell them to gather in the courtyard to greet them.”

Bran nodded before doing as his father instructed. He swiftly ran through the familiar halls of the Winterfell keep that was his home. He found Sansa, Arya, and Shireen with Septa Morgane. They were learning their sums when Bran burst into the room. Septa Morgane scolded him for acting so brashly, but her words were quickly ignored when Bran told the girls that Minnie and her mother would soon arrive. As soon as the news left his mouth, Shireen dashed right past him, followed by his sisters.

Jon, Robb, and Theon were already in the courtyard, sparring with wooden swords, when Bran found them. They immediately put away their wooden swords and met their father with Rodrick right behind them. Father and Mother stood side-by-side when Robb stood to Father’s left. Rickon stood next to their mother, and Shireen stood next to him with an eager smile beaming on her face. Sansa stood to Robb’s left, Arya on her right, and Bran was on hers. Jon and Theon were behind them – Theon was a Greyjoy, but Ned Stark’s ward. Jon was a Stark by blood…but not by name.

Shireen was bouncing on the tips of her toes in hopes that time would move faster. The days since her sister’s letter of her arrival moved so slowly, and she could hardly sleep a wink last night for this moment.

“Do you think she missed me?” she whispered to Rickon.

“Of course! Minnie loves you more than anything!” Rickon replied. “Even more than her own ship, I think.”

The loud creaks and groans of the aged wood crept closer and closer until the wheelhouse stopped in the courtyard’s center. The driver ensured the horses were calm and stable before leaping from his seat and opening the doors. A vision in a marigold silk tunic with trumpet sleeves and gold floral patterns paired with a gold belt around her waist. It was a shame that such finery was hidden underneath a thick wool cloak with a thick fur mantle. Her lustrous, flowing, jet-black tresses were bound with a green ribbon and golden stitching in a single braid trailing down her back. The pendant of her husband’s sigil hung down from a simple gold chain over her bosom.

Lady Měilíng Baratheon was the second wife of Stannis Baratheon and the mother of his only son. As she stepped down from the wheelhouse, she stepped on the dirt with such grace and poise that it seemed the Mother of the Seven had come instead of a highborn lord’s wife. A woman over forty years of age who still managed to get pregnant and carry a son to term – she looked far too young to be her age.  

A small boy who could not have been taller than Ned Stark’s knee shuffled behind her. It was the little lording, Steffard Baratheon, the only son of his father and second-in-line to inherit Dragonstone after his older sister, Shireen. He wore a fine coat from a stag’s hide and little shoes to protect his feet. Like his mother, he too wore a gold pendant of his father’s sigil hung from a simple chain. Despite being blessed with most of his mother’s soft features, he certainly inherited his father’s bright blue Baratheon eyes and inky-black curls.

Seeing the boy standing next to his mother, Ned felt a hundred years older than he was. Where had the time gone? He, Mei, and Robert were all children once – children involved in a war to decide the fate of a country for its future years. Ned had once pitied the YiTish girl for the hand she was dealt in life. As a foreigner, she should have had no part in Robert’s Rebellion, but she experienced loss and grief like the rest of them nonetheless.

And now, all three of them were leaders with their own children and carrying burdens on their shoulders that their children would inherit – how the years escaped them.

Měilíng searched for her young daughter and beamed when she found her. She nudged her little son and guided his eyes to his sister. His eyes lit up as he toddled to her, warming her heart. “希希 (XīXī)!” he exclaimed as Shireen ran towards him. Her arms were spread open as Steffard leaped into her arms and wrapped his arms around her neck. “I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!”

“I missed you too!” Shireen giggled as her body was flooded with her baby brother’s warmth.

Still locked in their reunion, the two young siblings spun in circles before falling on the ground in laughter. The scene loosened the tension as House Stark looked at the pair warmly.

When they stopped laughing, Shireen helped her brother as she looked at their mother. Mei’s smile shined as she squatted on the ground, balanced her body with her feet, and spread her arms wide open to greet her daughter. Shireen needed no instructions to race into her mother’s arms. A cocoon of love and happiness blanketed the young Baratheon girl as her face was dotted with pecks and kisses. She buried her face in the crook of her mother’s neck and breathed in her scent – her mother always smelled like the salty sea breeze of Dragonstone and peonies. To Shireen, it was as if she was transported home, and if she closed her eyes, she was back on the shores of the Dragonstone beaches, walking alongside Minnie.

“How are you, my little doe?” her mother asked as she tenderly stroked the back of her head. “Did you enjoy the books your sister and I sent you? Did you enjoy your lessons with Maester Luwin and Septa Morgane?”

Shireen answered her mother with a broad smile and starry eyes. “I am well, mother. I loved the books! But–” Shireen looked behind her mother to try to find her sister “–where is Minnie? Was she not in the wheelhouse with you and Steffard?”

Meiling shook her head as she laughed to herself. “Do not worry, little doe, your sister is here. But she is a little worse for wear after days in the wheelhouse.”

Their mother rose from her feet as her hands remained grasped with Shireen’s. She turned to the wheelhouse behind her and called out her daughter in the language of their homeland. “明阴 (Míng Yīn)! How long do you intend to keep your sister waiting?”

A weary and pained groan exited the horse-drawn transport in response. “Would you give me a minute? I’m a little busy trying not to die here!”

“You are not dying!” Měilíng scoffed. “How long do you want to keep Ned and his family waiting?”

“As soon as I’m done making sure I won’t shit or vomit my guts out! I don’t want to have to pay any additional fees for this torture device on wheels!”

“Do you need a brush for your hair?”

“NO!” A few moments passed. “OKAY! I’m good!”

The giant wooden box creaked as Shireen’s sister finally exited the wheelhouse, and she immediately breathed in the fresh air only found in the North. A young woman an entire head taller than Měilíng stepped into the light – despite the bags under her eyes and the slightly tired look on her face, she was every bit as beautiful and poised as her mother.

Míng Yīn was exactly how Ned Stark imagined her mother would have looked if Mei trained herself in combat and fighting as a child. Her dark almond-shaped eyes could either enchant a man enough to willingly give her his life or scare the souls of all her enemies. Her muscles grew and hardened after years of training under her biological father in Yi Ti before traveling around the world on open seas – fighting anyone who dared cross blades with her and leaving a trail of blood and corpses for fish to nibble on. Ned did not doubt that she would bankrupt his boys if they even dared to try and bet against her in combat.

Míng Yīn wore her hair in a half-up-down style with a part of her hair bound in a simple braid on the back of her head. Her outfit was more fitting of a sailor than a highborn noblewoman. She wore a mid-length dark blue wool robe with a silver border stitched on the hem and long sleeves. The robe was wrapped around her body in a way that left her neck, collarbones, and the slightest hint of her cleavage out in the open. The dark linen sash that held her sword and dagger further emphasized the curve of her hips and waist. The black leather breeches hugged her lower body, and the tall black leather boots highlighted the muscles of her calves.

A large black jaguar had quickly come outside the wheelhouse as well. Its pristine and shiny coat shone in the faint sunlight that bathed Winterfell. Without missing a beat, it promptly stood beside its mistress, scanning the new environment for any dangers that would risk his beloved mistress’ safety and well-being.

So, Míng had indeed brought Wu. Robb’s mother wouldn’t like that.

But unlike her mother and brother, Míng Yīn did not wear the sigil of her mother’s second husband’s house. On her neck and sitting on her breasts was a black jade pendant with a small dragon with a white eye carved into it hung from a red string. On each side of the pendant was a tiny Dragon’s Bloodstone bead.

Robb unconsciously straightened his posture at the sight of her. He felt himself release a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding until Ming came into view. Years’ worth of memories flooded his mind as she reached for her younger sister.

The young Baratheon girl launched herself in her sister’s arms. “Minnie! You’re here!”

Robb watched on the sidelines as Ming greeted Shireen with a dozen kisses for each month since they last saw one another. He wondered if she still smelled as cool and crisp as the ocean’s wind that blew through her hair. Or if her skin would taste as warm and bright as the sunshine soaking her skin while she stood on her ship’s dock on cloudless days.

He longed for a sample – anything would be enough.

When the two sisters parted, Wu gently lowered himself to nudge his head against Shireen. Loud purrs came from his throat as the young girl scratched that spot under his chin and stroked his back.

“Oh, Wu! You’ve become even more beautiful! Thank you for protecting Minnie!”

The beast preened at the attention. Míng Yīn was his mistress and savior and, therefore, his favorite. His eternal loyalty and love would forever belong to her. But if he had to choose a second favorite, it would belong to Shireen Baratheon – for she had the purest soul and kindest heart in all of the Seven Kingdoms.

Rickon could also not contain himself and joined his betrothed to embrace her sister. The sight of two small children clinging to the person who brought fear and awe to every sailor, sea merchant, and trading company from Westeros to Essos was both comical and heartwarming. A scene that became more comical was when Míng Yīn grabbed one child each and flung them on her shoulders as if they were small sacks of flour. Wu jumped on his hind legs to play as he licked their tiny hands.

Finally, Lady Měilíng of House Baratheon and her children brought themselves to stand before the Lord of the Winterfell and knelt with one knee on the ground in a show of respect. Ned told them to raise before bringing his old friend in a tight embrace.

When they parted, he gave her a look-down to take the sight of her in fully. “Gods, look at you. How many years has it been?"

Měilíng gave a kind smile in response. “I’d say almost two years – far shorter compared to when you’ve last seen Robert.”

“How is Robert in King’s Landing? Is he working Stannis to the ground?”

Měilíng huffed in annoyance at the mention of her brother-in-law’s name. “Oh, of course. The man’s too stupid and fat to do anything else but order his brother, my husband, and his Hand to run his kingdom while he eats, drinks, and whores himself to ruin.”

Everyone apart from Ned widened their eyes in shock at the woman’s words. Did she not fear for her head? Was it alright if the wife of the King’s brother said such things of him? But Mei only turned to Ned’s wife as she bowed in respect for Lady Stark.

“Lady Stark,” she spoke in a clear and calm voice. “On behalf of my husband and House Baratheon, I humbly thank you for opening your home to allow my daughter to stay with your children this past year. Your generosity was further extended to allow room for my family’s visit. I cannot imagine the stress my eldest daughter gave you when her letter stated that we would be here in less than two weeks.”

Catelyn bowed her head in response. “Think nothing of it, my lady. Lady Shireen Baratheon had been our home's most polite and wonderful guest. I am grateful you and your husband sent her to my family’s home to host her. She had quickly become my youngest son’s most favorite playmate.”

Měilíng smiled at the woman’s words. She then turned to the Stark children before greeting each and every one of them. She marveled at how tall and handsome Robb had become since childhood. She softly whispered in his ear if he were hopeful that his sparring skills improved enough to beat her daughter. Seeing him sputtering and pale skin blushing made a very amusing scene. When she came across Sansa, she gasped and held the girl’s hands in her own.

“Oh, Sansa!” she exclaimed. “Look at you! You’ve grown so beautiful and tall since I last saw you. I thought you were a princess! And your cloak – tell me, did you do the stitching?”

Sansa softly giggled as she blushed from the praise. “Yes, Lady Baratheon. I’ve improved a lot in my stitching and needlework since you last saw me – I’m sure I could even make you something, if you’d like.”

Měilíng put a gentle palm on the girl’s cheek. “I would love nothing more. Perhaps you would even convince my eldest to practice her needlework. Or even try to persuade her to stop wearing breeches and trousers when she’s not at sea.”

“Never going to happen, Mother,” interjected Míng Yīn, who had finally put Shireen and Rickon on the ground after greeting Lord and Lady Stark. “I do enough needlework on my own. Thank you very much.”

Míng Yīn’s mother turned to her daughter in exasperation. “The only time you practiced as a child for needlework was to sew wounds close after training with your father.”

“…Yeah, exactly,” Míng Yīn nodded with a slight shrug and a blank expression. “What more needlework skills are necessary after that?”

“Minnie!” shouted Arya and Bran as they both made their way to crowd the woman. After exchanging warm greetings and kind words, the most essential questions came from the younger Stark daughter’s mouth.

“Did you bring gifts?” she asked in an eager tone.

“Arya!” exclaimed her sister and mother. Both women’s faces turned red at Arya’s impoliteness as Ned and his friend only laughed at the girl’s bluntness.

Míng Yīn stroked her chin as if deep in thought. “Did I bring gifts? Huh…I wonder…that doesn’t sound like something I’d do. Is it?”

Bran jumped like a child of four after eating too much sugar. “You did! Can we see them? Please?” He turned to his father with pleading eyes.

Ned slightly shook his head. “Come on now, Bran. Let our guests first get settled in their rooms. Judging from Lady Minna’s expression, she could do for a bit of rest.”

“But after they get settled, can they give us the presents?” Rickon sweetly asked while holding Steffard’s hand on one side while Shireen held the other as they placed the baby on Wu’s back.

His mother answered as she softly stroked his head. “After they rest for a bit, then we will have supper. The cooks prepared a feast for our guests’ arrival. There will be plenty of time tomorrow.”

Even Sansa deflated a bit with her younger siblings that they couldn’t receive their presents sooner rather than later.

Míng Yīn grabbed Shireen by the back of her cloak before placing her sister on her back. Shireen was a bit shocked before she giggled at the display of her sister’s open affection and wrapped her arms around her neck as Míng Yīn looped her arms around her little legs.

“Anyone been doing this for you while I’ve been gone?” she smirked.

Shireen responded with glee. “No! I only like you doing these!”

As Robb watched his parents and sister walk off with Lady Meiling and Steffard, he figured now was as good a time as any to approach Ming. Shireen jumped off her back to her mother’s side to try and hold her brother the rest of the way to their rooms.

“Ming!” he called out. He felt his palms grow sweaty when she turned around in his direction.

He walked towards her with long, confident strides. He thought he looked intimidating, but he realized that wasn’t the case when she burst out laughing. The young lord’s ears burned at her reaction, and they only grew hotter when he heard Theon and Jon snickering behind him.

She only stopped laughing long enough to gasp out a response. “What’s with that face? You look like you swallowed a lemon!”

…Fuck, what was Robb to say in response to that? He had to be smart about this. He would not make a fool of himself. He tried his best not to stare at the jaguar staring at him with hollow eyes.

“…I’m finally taller than you,” he dumbly stated.

“Shit,” was the only echoing in Robb’s mind as he heard Jon and Theon loudly guffawed as they heard him.

He didn’t have to look behind him to know that the bastards collapsed on the ground, gasping for air.

But Míng Yīn only walked toward him while Wu did not come any closer before stopping a few feet away as she traced her eyes over his face and down his form. He saw her dark eyes crinkle with appreciation as a sweet smile spread. She snorted out through her nose as she stepped even closer until only a few inches of air were between them. Wu still hadn’t moved, but he was staring more intensely than before, and Robb wondered if his death would be from a jaguar clawing out his throat.

“Yes,” she whispered as her eyes darted to his lips. “You’re much taller now.”

Blue met black as only the noises came from their parents walking farther and farther away. Their growing distance made the space between them seem more like a separate reality. One where it was only the two of them and no one else. Robb’s eyes quickly glanced down to Ming’s lips, and his Adam’s apple bobbed at the thought of them around his cock.

But that bubble burst when Míng Yīn bumped her fist into Robb’s chest and backed away with a cheeky grin and mischievous eyes.

“笨蛋 (Bèndàn), I’m still going to kick your ass in the courtyard, though.” She turned to Wu before walking. “Come on, 无牙 (Wú yá)! Let’s catch up to 小希 (Xiǎo xī )! I want to take a bath before dinner.” She turned to walk back to her family and called out to him without looking back. “You’ll always be a hundred years too early to beat me in a fight!”

Robb only stood in a daze as he watched her walk away. When Theon slapped his back, he finally came to and saw that Jon was beside him.

Theon snickered at the glare his friend gave him. “Stare at her ass any longer, and I’ll think you’ve become more scarecrow than wolf. Plus, I think the cat can sense your eyes.”

Robb only shrugged. “It’s a good ass to stare at.”

“It’s a great ass to stare at. That doesn’t make you look less stupid.”

“Can we stop talking about Ming’s backside?” Jon begged. He didn’t like talking about their friend in such a disrespectful manner, and he liked the idea of Wu tearing out their throats even less. “Let’s get back to sparring with Rodrick before the feast.”

Another reason to adore Míng Yīn – she hated it when Jon wasn’t included in the feasts while she was staying at Winterfell. The feast of her first coming to Winterfell with her mother was marked mainly by how she walked out of the Great Hall and returned with Jon. She dragged him by the wrist before seating him right next to her at the table.

Jon was terrified Lady Stark would berate his new friend for deliberately bringing the bastard to the feast. But all that came was a stare-down between the Lady Stark and Ming Yin. Lady Stark’s face was red with embarrassment, and she stared down at the girl with the most terrifying look Jon had ever seen. Just remembering the expression gave chills down his spine.

But Ming refused to back down. She unblinkingly returned the lady’s stare with her own, and it was as if a silent war had broken out. Ming wasn’t afraid of the red-haired fish with crow’s feet under her eyes. A wolf by marriage was hardly a wolf at all. She wasn’t going to be beaten in a battle of wills – not then, not ever.

Ned sat by his wife, wondering if Mei would bring war to his feet if his wife killed her beloved daughter. Meiling sat beside Lady Stark in rapt interest for the events unfolding. She always loved it when her little goblin decided to enact her idea of justice. She loved it even more when she took charge.

After what seemed like hours, Lady Stark conceded to the girl as she returned to her meal. Ming turned to Jon with bright stars in her clever eyes.

“Didn’t I tell you?” she asked with a broad smile. “I’m invincible.”

Since then, Jon has always included every time a feast was held for the YiTish women. An act of genuine kindness that was appreciated by all of Jon’s siblings and his father.

An act that only deepened the infatuation of a confident young wolf with dark auburn curls and bright blue eyes.

An infatuation that the Gods saw morph into obsession as they felt shivers course through their divine forms in anticipation of the future ahead.

*Additional Notes:

The characters from Yi Ti and other countries in this stories will different ways of how they are referred

Míng Yīn's Nicknames and Who uses them:

Ming - Robb, Theon, Jon, Sansa, and Catelyn Stark

Minna - Ned (he is the only one allowed)

Míng Yīn - Luwin

Minnie - Shireen, Rickon, Arya, Bran

Měilíng's Nicknames and Who uses them:

Mei - Robert, Ned, Renly, and Stannis

Translations:

希希 (XīXī) - Hope Hope; 希 means "hope"; Shireen's name in Chinese is written as 希琳 (Xī lín), in which 希 means "hope," and 琳 means "forest." Because Steffard is a baby who grew up hearing Yi Tish and Westerosi Common, it makes sense he would refer to Shireen with a nickname.

小希 (Xiǎo xī ) - Little Hope; another nickname for Shireen, but specifically from her older sister. Míng Yīn is a girl who is thousands of miles away from her hometown, Wan, in Yi Ti. When her mother married Stannis, she had to leave everyone she ever loved, including her older brother. But seeing baby Shireen have her hope that everything would turn out for the better.

明阴 (Míng Yīn) - 明 means "bright," and 阴 is the character used for "yin" in the Chinese philosophy of "yin and yang". The character's direct translation is "negative," but it is also used to describe "femininity, moon, water, and earth" as it represents the female principle of the universe

笨蛋 (Bèndàn) - Fool or dumbass; 笨 means "fool," while 蛋 means "egg." Technically, the direct translation is "foolish egg," but most people will use it to call someone an idiot.

无牙 (Wú yá) - toothless; 无 means "none," while 牙 means "tooth"; Míng Yīn named him this because when she first found him as a cub, he didn't have any teeth.

杀手 (Shāshǒu) - killer; this is Shadow's actual name; Shadow is a Peregrine Falcon

Tagging: @succnfuccubus, @valeskafics, @arcielee, @anya-snow, @asa-do-your-thing, @aphroditesmoon, @jamera-ash, @lillian-morningstar, @strangedragonqueen, @writingsofwesteros, @a-libra-writes, @leonkennedyslefthand, @dreaming-for-an-escape, @hd-junglebook, @what-the--curtains, @axelsagewrites

[valiantwarriorsquadroncomic]

MISSION 7

The airfield that held APOTHECARY’s bunker continued to rattle as the HCA’s aircraft continue to strafe the base. any and all aircraft that hadn’t been shot down had been destroyed on the ground. The pilots ceased their runs and proceeded to circle the bunker surface like vultures over potential prey. Nathan became surprised as several HCA copters hovered above them

“No way, we’re getting come actual, tangible back up for once from the krauts?” Nathan said, giving the others the go ahead to advance. Joseph’s scars flared up for a moment, he felt an almost euphoric sense of cruelty wash over him as he dowsed APOTHECARY. A cruel smile cracked across his face as he and his comrades charged. He then shook himself out of it, remembering that he was here for JUSTICE, not revenge. As the VWS arrived to engage the ALA’s American soldiers, its American mercenary auxiliaries, and the shattered remains of Prospera’s MUERTA BLANCO faction, panic had begun to spread. The VWS met a small platoon of QM commandos, who both then approached a mediocre barricade guarded by more MUERTE BLANCO commandos, all looking horrified and exhausted. “Hold your ground.” Nathan said in a casual manner. “Stay here, we got this covered.” The neo nazis hands trembled as they shot at the quintet with worn handguns and civilian rifles. Their bullets bounced of laleh and her vest as the rest made their way from cover to cover. The neo nazi’s commander, a white american man, pointed his finger at the vws.

“CHAAAARGE!” he bellowed, blowing into a whistle. The MUERTE BLANCO operatives didn’t budge, only moving to turn towards their commanding officer in complete disbelief. One of them was so shocked that he dropped his weapon. The commanding officer snarled at his platoon’s insubordination. “I KNOW DAMN WELL EACH ONE OF YOU UNDERSTANDS ENGLISH, GET OUT THERE AND STOP THOSE COALITION CIRCUS FREAKS!” It seems that weeks of poor rations and rest, having to survive in the unforgiving Prosperan jungles, and incompetent leadership leading to unnecessary casualties had begun to take its toll. “DON’T MAKE ME TELL YOU AGAIN!” yelled the commanding officer.

“You won’t have to.” Whispered an especially haggard looking MUERTE BLANCO operative. He drew his weapon and shot the commanding officer in the chest. He crumpled to the ground. Veronica poked her head out of cover, her yellow eyes slowly becoming offwhite. The sitation had devolved into a bizarre stand off as one of the MUERTE BLANCO soldiers dropped his tarnished assault rifle. He turned slowly to the rest of his own soldiers. “If you stupid assholes want to die in this hellhole, be my guest.” He ran off into the the cracked walls where the jungle lay. After murmurs and whispers, the remaining MUERTE BLANCO soldiers also fled from their post. Nathan snapped his comrades out of their disbelief.

“Let’s go everyone, we got a bastard to apprehend.”

“My god…it certainly appears that the ALA could be falling apart faster than anticipated.” Fritz whispered. A small distance away, ARACHNEA, observed veronica and began to feel pangs of guilt and failure. She couldn’t contain her disbelief that the bumbling group of greenhorns that she was sent to monitor had become an increasing thorn in the ALA’s side. The hideous, screeching bat thing that she almost blew to kingdom come was now tearing through her troops. She observed several other locations outside the bunker via her command posts. The tv screens showed imagery that could’ve been mistaken for a horror film, if it weren’t live feeds of their soldiers getting slaughtered. American mercenaries getting torn to shreds by the erasure unit, ALA soldiers and a small contingent of europra’s fury soldiers getting blown apart by E-12. In her final recon sweeps, she witnessed more of ALA operatives fleeing from their positions and into the jungle around them. Several of their jets were destroyed by HCA private air-force fighter jets.

“DON’T JUST STAND THERE, KEEP SETTING UP DEFENSES!” she bellowed at the combat engineers, who were already running low on material and on the verge of collapse. She flicked on her personal radio to communicate with ALPHA KOMMANDO’s commanding officer. “WE’RE LOSING MEN FAST, I NEED REINFORCEMENTS.” The radio crackled as a calm voice rang out.

“UNFORTUNATELY, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PROVIDE REINFORCEMENTS AT THIS TIME, YOU ARE TO HOLD OUT AS APOTHECARY IS EVACUATED FROM THE BUNKER.” No sooner had he said that, APOTHECARY was dragged out of his barely disguised prison to the last dinky jet that was being guarded diligently by several poltergeist commandos. Another crackle went out as SGT. Gustavo interjected once again from his own bunker.

“THEY’RE COMING CLOSER, I NEED EVACUATION IMME-” the radio went dead silent as a loud bang went off on the background.

“I NEED FIRE SUPPORT NOW!” She yelled into her intercom. There was no answer except a panicked report from another American ALA operative.

“THERE’S THESE TWO GIANT BITCHES TEARING US APART, WE CAN’T HOLD ON FOR L-” he started before an especially loud shotgun blast silenced him. She knew that E-12 had been seen deployed in the area, but she could never dream that the bunker’s rear barricade would fall so quickly. She tried flicking through multiple channels before connecting with someone.

“WE’RE TRYING TO GET SOME MORE ARMOR TO THE BUNKER, BUT WE’VE BEEN AMBUSHED BY THOSE MARXISTS AND THEIR FREAKS.” He announced as a round of gunfire seemed to almost graze him. “Wait what the HELL is that?!” The operative continued as a helicopter above him had gotten struck by some sort of anti-aircraft round that was shaped like an arrow. He screamed as a large crash finally silenced him as well. She was soon met with her lieutenant.

“Ma’am” He started “ your effective obstacle and defense placements have killed 10 CSTF soldiers, and 12 QM soldiers.” He winced as his shoulder was recently shot, poorly treated with a cloth rag rather than a bandage. “We also have reported your mines knocked out a tank from the Prosperan army.” He winced again. “I’m afraid I do have some bad news, our combat engineers have run out of mines and plastic explosives.” He continued as he gripped his shoulder “the scarred owl has also been scene on the battlefield, and the CNGS and its proxy forces are breaking through our defenses.” From far away, Ted and Sergei were keeping tabs on the ALA troop movement, killing ALA snipers, and tracking down any ALPHA KOMMANDO members.

“Nathan, it looks like they’re pulling out without informing their other soldiers.” Sergei announced. “I figure they’re just using their remaining useful idiots as bait to flee for their lives.” Ted looked at the chaos through his scope as high ranking ALA field commanders were boarding apcs’ with their abomination soldiers and experienced ALA soldiers. They rapidly fled the area without notifying their mercenaries or MUERTE BLANCO operatives. Some of them began to realize that their superiors were leaving them to die, causing some of them to jump on the fleeing armor, banging and screaming out of fear or anger. Some officers ordered their personal guards to kill any mercenaries and their own infantry who came too close.

“They’re pieces of shit for joining the ALA, but I almost feel bad they’re bein’ used as human roadblocks.” Sighed ted, noticing a flock of tropical birds in the distance. He was momentarily distracted by their beautiful plumage amidst the fire, blood, and carnage. Meanwhile, Joseph and Veronica were instructed to get into a sniping position. Joseph spotted a large abandoned tower being guarded by several abominations, whom were left to hold the line as their superiors fled into the jungle. Veronica’s eyes turned yellow in delight for an easy kill, but Joseph stopped and hushed her. Offended, she placed her hands on her hips as he crept towards them. He grabbed a small batch of rocks and spotted an technical truck far away. Taking careful aim, he threw several of the small rocks at the vehicle, which loudly bounced off its hood. The abominations opened fire at the truck, making Joseph’s eyes bulge in horror, who was merely expecting them to investigate the sound. The truck exploded as the abominations rushed off to the burning scrap.

“FIND THE CORPSES.” Said an heavy abomination officer. “TEAR THEM APART AND SHOOT THE REMAINS.” The rest of the abominations began firing into the truck some more. “GOD KNOWS THAT OUR HUMAN OFFICERS WONT, AND THEN SOMEHOW BLAME US…AGAIN…” the officer continued to grumble. “THIS IS THE EIGHTH GODDAMN TIME WE’VE HAD TO STOP AN AMBUSH WHILE UNDERSTAFFED.”

“Holy shit.” Whispered veronica as she and joseph crept into the unguarded building. Joseph gave her a quiet thumbs up, letting her know he it was clear to enter.

“Now we don’t have to waste time getting into a firefight while this… ARACHNEA lady slows down or kills our allies.” At the top of the building, veronica unzipped her pack and assembled the large anti material rifle. Joseph looked like he was going to vomit at the sight. “Pretty sure a regular rifle could do the damn job just fine.”

“Before you complain, our orders were to make sure any and all ALPHA KOMMANDO operatives are dead, PERIOD.” She assembled the barrel quickly. “You can’t get much deader than an anti armor-round through the skull!” she hummed as joseph observed ARACHNEA. “Also, the ammo in this thing is pretty expensive to make, so don’t miss.” Joseph’s scars flared as saw the glare of a sniper rifle from opposite his position. The enemy sniper was erratic, constantly changing position, and firing at pretty much anything moving in their direction. The ALA also weren’t playing anymore, and wanted him dead. Though the sniper didn’t detect his position, Joseph observed that he had his face covered by a balacava. His gaze then zeroed in on veronica, who had an extra sniper scope that fell off her person, alongside a makeup mirror. The scope was dirty and unusable, but still reflected light. He noticed the empty room, and a metal pole broken off a bathroom wall.

“I got an idea.” He said as she tilted her head in confusion. “You got any extra helmets in your pack?”

“Well yeah…” veronica said, fumbling with the pack. “I brought some extras and I didn’t wanna fumble with cleaning.” The two sat beside each other as he loaded the rifle, the plan formulating in his head as gripped the scope.

“I don’t know where he is yet, and sticking our heads out to get sniped isn’t an option. He took the helmet from her and motioned jamming the metal bar into it. Veronica tilted her head to the side again, until she suddenly understood his idea. She nodded her head vigorously.

“How marvelously devious!” she cheered, giddily taking out a piece of rope. Meanwhile, ARACHNEA’s command pose was in chaos, the communication experts desperately tried to unjam their equipment. They panicked as they ran, trying not to trip over the giant cables and wires.

“Call me nuts, but it feels like high command underestimated what a pain the scarred one can be…” said the ALA lieutenant as he brought up his field glasses, searching the woodland for the glare of a sniper’s scope. “Who would’ve thought that an inferior, non-white species of subhuman would be so much trouble to deal with…” ARACHNEA saw APOTHECARY being rushed to the jet via her own binoculars as she tried to process the situation. He suddenly saw the glint of light shining off a glass lense. “THERE!” he screamed at his sniper on the roof. “GUN THAT FOOLISH UNTERMENSCH DOWN!” the abomination sniper almost stumbled as he took aim and fire into the glaring lens in a decrepit building. It shattered upon conact, causing the sniper to cheer at seemingly killing Joseph. His joy turned to unbridled terror and confusion as he looked back into his scope and noticed that there wasn’t a body, but a sniper scope tied to a helmeted stick, jammed into the rotted wood of the windowsill. Before he realized he was duped, his head was partially blown off by a sudden bullet.

“How BRILLIANT and CUNNING!” Veronica said, praising Joseph’s idea to bait the other sniper. She clapped her hands like a young girl. Joseph could sense ARACHNEA’s presence within the building and took aim, noticing that she appeared to be completely stationary.

“My god, I don’t nearly have enough men or material to stop them…” ARACHNEA whispered as her radio began to crackle, her second in command in hysterics as his sniper was slain.

“THIS IS HIGH COMMAND, THE RESIDENTIAL AREA IS LOST, YOU ARE TO ACT AS A ROADBLOCK FOR APOTHECARY AND OTHER WNM6 OPEARTIVES TO ESCAPE.” ARACHNEA fought through nausea and disbelief to muster up a rather unkind choice of words for her superiors.

“WAS I JUST SOME SACRIFICIAL LAMB TO YOU?!” she screamed into her radio.

“WE SIMPLY NO LONGER HAVE THE RESOURCES TO WAGE WAR IN PROPSERA PROPER, AND THE CNGS HAS INSIDIOUSLY PULLED THE STRINGS AND UNITED OUR SEPARATE ENEMIES TO FIGHT AGAINST US.” ARACHNEA became choked with disbelief as she swore she saw a person stir within the shadows of the residential building. “YOU SHOULD BE HONORED THAT YOUR DEATH SHALL ASSIST IN THE COMING OF THE ARYAN PARADISE.” High command finished before ceasing contact with her. The second in command laid his head against the building one last time as he saw the scope glare, a wound on his shoulder mounting.

“He took out out best sniper…did they just…assume he wasn’t a threat because he’s a racial untermensch…? A loud BANG erupted from a giant rifle. An anti-material round ripped through ARACHEA’s skull, reducing it to a crimson paste splattered on the wall, her cranium reduced to a large blossom of crimson before her body fell in the ground. Her limbs contorted and twisted as her nervous system ceased to function, and her body finally fell limp. The building was filled with screams of the ALA soldiers. Within his sniper nest, joseph took shallow breaths. Veronica smiled with delight behind her helmet.. Joseph’s hands trembled as he held the great rifle in his hands.

“IS THE ALPHA KOMMANDO OPERATIVE LIQUIDATED?” asked MacMillan. Joseph breathed a deep sigh of relief as he continued to fight the joyous glee of life being extinguished.

“Affirmative.” He whispered, quietly returning the giant rifle to veronica.

“Quite the shot!” she declared, noticing Joseph’s grim expression. Her tone quickly changed “You have to remember they’re monsters now.” She emphasized in a much softer voice.

“Maybe.” He said, loading his carbine and gently giving the rifle back to her. “That doesn’t stop me from the overkill putting a bad taste in my mouth.” Joseph’s scars flared as he sensed several footsteps running up the hall. “THE BEASTS ASCEND!” he screamed ominously.” He began firing through the walls, with veronica following suit until the footsteps stopped. Josephs scars flared again as he used his a burst of his sudden human agility to jump from the window. Gunfire tore through the opening he slid further into the building. Veronica vaulted behind an iron bookcase as more gunfire rocked the inside of their snipers nest. Joseph popped out as the abomination reloaded, and pointed at a certain part of the floor. “RIGHT THERE!” he screamed.Veronica nodded as she sprayed return fire where joseph pointed. A loud scream and gurgled cough echoed, followed by a loud thud. Silence followed, only the distant gunshots in the ensuing raid opposite of their position could be heard. Veronica stood near the spot, and looked towards her comrade. Her finger was now back on the trigger, despite the sudden silence. He nodded, prompting her to unleash a torrent of fire again. One of the abomination’s bullet managed to graze Joseph’s vest amdist the chaos. A second scream wasn’t even heard. Joseph pointed again to the other abominations he could sense through the building, prompting the giant bat like woman to open burst fire again. He sighed as he gave her a thumbs up. “Bastards heard us, and even tried to play dead.” He whispered. He looked out the window with his scope, sensing APOTHECARY, he stared him down as he attempted to run towards an escape jet. “CAPTAIN, HE’S MAKING A BREAK FOR THE JET NEAR THE RED HANGAR!” the two dashed downstairs, but not before Joseph halted. He prepped his bayonet. “No more surprise.” He told her before stabbing the dead abomination through the skull. Veronica saw and opened fire on the bodies.

Within the abandoned building, Nathan instructed Fritz to apprehend the fleeing APOTHECARY. Fritz saluted diligently and barreled out of the building. Laleh dove infront of her captain as two poltergeist abominations burst through the ceiling. Nathan was able to kill one with his handgun, however, the second commando threw a flashbang at the two, leaving Nathan to flee to cover, and laleh to take the brunt of the impact. Her head flew back as bullets impacted her helmet, and the abomination stabbed her in the chest. Her eyes bulged and foam spewed from her mouth. Her gloves ripped as her claws unsheathed. However, she took a deep breath, accepted that her anger was a part of her, and grabbed the abomination by his neck before throwing him through the building. Nathan popped out of cover.

“Jesus christ.” He remarked. “Are you ok?”

“A lot better the last time this happened.” She replied breathing deeply and regaining her control. “Counseling helped me a lot, now let’s go help fritz.”

“Great fucking idea, laleh.” He replied with a smile. He took cover in the door way and used his handgun to shoot the downed poltergeist commando. His face grew hot with rage as thoughts of N.1685 crept through his head. He quickly regained his own composure afterwards, Laleh fearfully noting her captain’s self hatred. As the two flagged down an erasure unit vehicle, Fritz closed the gap, making temporarily slowing down and avoided debris and the corpses of ALA operatives he took out with burst fire. He noticed WRAITH in the distance riding an armored vehicle with another E-12 member in an odd shaped mask. He adjusted his internal radio within his helmet.

“This is CASTRATI!” said the armored bat like man as he made sure to slow down when crossing area full of debris. “I’ll be assisting you to apprehend the target soon.” The soldier he reported to, WRAITH, answered back.

“Not really keen on getting assistance from a monarchist, but OK.”

“Listen, I know our factions have indeed have some quarrels, but we need to band together for the sake of justice against the fascists.”

“That’s nice.” Answered WRAITH. “I want revenge.” Fritz could hear the buzz of an engine in the background. “Just stay away from that jet unless you feel like getting caught up in the fireball.” Gunshots rang out as the small abomination guard shot at several E-12 soldiers who began to advance on APOTHECARY. He was wracked with horror as the last of the remaining ALA soldiers near him were being routed by the combined forces. Any and all substantive ALA forces near him were either dead, fled into the jungle, or deserted.

“EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF!” screamed an Australian ala operative. “THIS WHOLE DAMN COUNTRY’S A DEATH TRAP!” He threw his gun to the ground and fled the scene as APOTHECARY’s remaining bodyguard futilely tried to hold their position.

“LOOK OUT!” APOTHECARY screamed as he saw WRAITH burst out of the jungle on an armored car being driven by another E-12 member. Using her enhanced reflexes and superhuman balance, she slapped a large parcel of plastic explosives on the jet as she and her driver sped off into the jungle. APOTHECARY dived for cover as the jet burst into flames, metal and flames swept over the abominations. APOTHECARY cowered in terror as the ringing in his ears died down. Suddenly, he spotted fritz bounding after him. Instead of terror, it was a sudden wave of relief that washed over him. The coalition would have no choice to take him alive if he surrendered. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the armored car WRAITH was riding shotgun in. The car ran over foliage and metal signs as her driver took out a submachine and gunned down his abomination guards. WRAITH didn’t even wait for her driver to stop to chase down the neo nazi. Her long fingers twitched as she drew a combat knife from her vest. Other E-12 operatives arrived to provide her cover.

“Don’t look, PHANTOM, I don’t want you to see this.”

“BEIRA SAYS HE MUST BE TAKEN ALIVE AND PUT INTO CNGS CUSTODY!” PHANTOM called out, leaping from the car’s driver seat.

“True.” WRAITH barked as she leapt towards her target, “BUT AT LEAST I CAN CUT SOMETHING OFF.” APOTHECARY tore off his various ammo pouches, knives, and hand guns.

“I AM ENACTING CNGS TERMS OF SURRENDER 575-Y, I REQUEST PROTECTIVE CUSTODY.” Fritz flipped APOTHECARY onto his back, and began to zip tie him. WRAITH stopped on her tracks, the heels of her boots dug into the immaculate,paved road.

“You’re just going to let that MONSTER into the CNGS’s neo-liberal prison system INTACT?” WRAITH hissed as she brought out her customized assault rifle. Fritz put his boot into APOTHECARY’s back, and stood tall and stalwart as wraith walked up to him face to face, for he would refuse to let himself be policed by a Marxist. Despite being almost two feet shorter than him, WRAITH refused to back down. “You have no idea what his abomination program did to ME.” She hissed again as PHANTOM was driven back in order to calm her.

“Hey…I think you need to stand down” Said PHANTOM trying to defuse the situation. WRAITH pointed to PHANTOM. “NO IDEA what it did to THEM.” She continued as APOTHECARY began shaking and praying for god’s protection over the increasingly volatile situation.

“I have no niceties towards this man, and I am simply complying with my CNGS allies.” Fritz spat back.

“That MAN is a MONSTER.” WRAITH retorted as she shot a single bullet 2 inches from APOTHECARY’s head. “HOW MANY OTHER TRAFFICKING VICTIMS AND POWS DID YOU DISSECT FOR YOUR LITTLE TOY SOLDIER PROGRAM?!!” She screamed as PHANTOM had to physically restrain her.

“BOTH OF YOU STAND DOWN!” yelled nathan from a microphone, the two whipped around to see Nathan in a CSTF light armored vehicle with the rest of his comrades, and stopping mere 3 feet in front of APOTHECARY. Laleh thundered out, her helmet cracked and her vest had three bullet holes in it. Fritz drug APOTHECARY to his feet, and tore off his hood, revealing a pasty older middle-aged Englishman with a full head of grey hair, face wet with sweat and tears. Nathan took APOTHECARY into his grip, Veronica pushed her way past the two men and placed herself squarely in front front of fritz, her arm outstretched to shield him from WRAITH.

“Don’t bother talking sense into that woman.” Veronica got into WRAITH’s face. “Threaten my brother again, socialist witch, and see what happens.” She hissed. WRAITH was then overcome by a large shadow, only to be met with Laleh’s gaze, her eyes furrowed into anger within her helmet.

“I’ve been informed that you were also a survivor of this terrible man’s experiments.” Her gaze then turned into sorrow. “I’m so, terribly sorry that you suffered such monstrous things, but I can’t let you bypass diplomacy.” APOTHECARY heard quiet footsteps approach him, he didn’t even need to bother to turn around to know who it was. Not even the agonizing tightness of the zip-tie that fritz used to bound his hands could distract him from the impending terror of facing his consequences. Joseph’s gaze met with his. “PLEASE, DON’T KILL ME!” apothecary screamed. The scarred young man’s mind ran a mile a minute, dark intrusive thoughts flooded his mind.

“The bayonet.” He whispered to himself as his eyes darted to the bloodied weapon he used to ensure the abominations that attacked him and veronica would stay dead. “Cut out his eyes, then his throat.” The young man’s thoughts filled with thoughts of sadistic glee. That was until he looked slowly towards laleh, whose big yellow eyes could be seen through her glass visor. Her brow was furrowed with concern rather than shock. He thought back about all the times they spent together, how she emphasized the importance of kindness in a cruel world, even if it seems useless. He backed off, causing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief. Laleh’s gaze became less intense.

“Thank god…” APOTHECARY spat out.

“I’m not going to kill you.” Said joseph. “You’re going to live so you can pay for every terrible thing you’ve done to me, to other people…” he pointed to WRAITH and PHANTOM. “And what you did to THOSE two.” The two paused, almost shocked that CNGS operative were concerned for their wellbeing.

“We got him alive, MacMillan.” Reported nathan.

“Then the mission is over, drag his ass away from the airstrip and regroup with ACKERMAN near the clearing.” Nathan nodded as Fritz dragged off APOTHECARY like he was a heavy sack of garbage his captain’s position. Before Joseph lead his comrades to Ackerman for their pickup, he looked back at WRAITH and PHANTOM, who regrouped with more QM soldiers to continue the battle.

“What about them?” he asked. “We’re supposed to help our allies, right?”

“Our mission was to capture apothecary.” Nathan responded. “I’m sure they’ll be fine.”He took one last sad, forlorn look at PHANTOM, knowing that they were upset by his presence. The VWS left the scene as the pair of super soldiers took a look at each other.

“She’s an odd woman.” PHANTOM remarked as they got back into the armored car. “Despite slathering herself in conservative and monarchist propaganda and symbols, she at least respects our identity.

“Fantastic.” Answered WRAITH as she entered the shotgun seat, ready to aid the QM soldiers. “Let’s give her a medal for doing the bare minimum and getting our pronouns right.” The two charged back into the fray to aid their comrades. Far away, the VWS-1 exited the vehicle and met with Ackerman. The clearing was eerily calm as explosions rocked the airstrip in the distance. Sergei and ted kept watch for any ALA reinforcements or stragglers. As the VWS-1 waited for Ackerman, APOTHECARY spoke up.

“Before I am imprisoned, I enact the CNGS addendum 3820 to explain myself. Nathan sneered before giving fritz the OK. The war criminal yelped as fritz twisted his arm and neck, and forced him to look face to face with joseph. APOTHECARY then attempted to plead for his life, finally scraping up enough gumption to once again face the young man whose life he destroyed. Joseph’s fist trembled in rage as APOTHECARY fought to take his eyes off his still bloodied bayonet. “I was put in charge of the abomination program, my superiors told me it was I that would singlehandedly save the concept of the Aryan paradise.” Joseph stood unmoved. “In my arrogance, I began to make mistakes.” He was yanked back from joseph when he attempted to move closer. “It was an accident, I had left the newer staff in charge of an experiment and I didn’t properly relay procedures… the chemical NEEDED for the serum is VOLATILE and DEADLY if not properly mixed and exposed to high temperatures!” APOTHECARY began to hyperventilate. “I didn’t MEAN to reap unnecessary casualties against young white men who had their whole lives ahead of them!” Joseph stood unmoved. “Racial untermensch that you are, you didn’t deserve to go through that transformation process or be torn from your family!” Joseph gently stroked his helmet where his scars would be normally visible. He slowly brought down his hand in a clenched motion, overcome with anger.

“I think you’re only saying that because I was your ticket out of the doghouse, if someone could snatch up RM 4, you could fix your mistake and go back to treating people like guinea pigs.” APOTHECARY’s jaw dropped. “You wanted me AND Logan, to turn us into your mindless weapons when you ran out of willing volunteers, then use our blood and skin to make more mass produced Renaissance men.” APOTHECARY tried to speak out again. “One bootleg Renaissance man just wasn’t enough for your freaks to fight the war that your sorry asses are losing.”

“Oh Christ , you knew what the Nfelhiem lab was conducting…”

“Yep” Said nathan. “Finally got Andrew to tell him part the real story after proper paperwork.” Nathan cleared his throat. “George smith, you are under arrest for multiple crimes against humanity, GROSS VIOLATION of COALITION HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION AMENDMENT NUMBER 455, unauthorized and criminal use of CNGS synthetic materials…” APOTHECARY began shaking again, tears falling from his face. Norman’s voice came over Nathan’s headpiece.

“I give you permission for vocal acknowledgment of the program.”

“And finally, continued, unauthorized production and use of the RENAISSANCE MAN EXTRA-IMPLENTARY SERUM.”

Ackerman arrived with a cadre of erasure unit soldiers and two mini-harris aircraft. APOTHCARY was ziptied once again and handed off to the erasure unit for further interrogation. He turned towards joseph, though his eyes were masked by the mechanical lenses in his helmet, he could feel his burning, hateful gaze. “IT’S NOT LIKE I KIDNAPPED THEM!” HE screamed, his face becoming slightly red with a mix of anger and sorrow. “I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE!” “THE ABOMINATION PROGRAM WAS TO HELP HERALD THE COMING OF THE ARYAN PARADISE!” he screamed as he was was escorted to an erasure unit VTOL jet. “THEY WERE TO ASSIST THE ALA AGAINST THEIR RIGHTEOUS WAR AGAINST THE VAST RESOURCES AND MANPOWER LIBERAL DEEP STATE, WE HAD NO CHOICE!” Several erasure unit soldiers struggled to place him the backseat. “THE MODERN WORLD IS A CESSPIT OF POLLUTION AND ECONOMIC DEAD-ENDS!” “I COULDN’T SIT BY AND LEAVE MY CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN TO SUFFER A LIFETIME OF HARDSHIP!” “TO LET THE PLANET BE DROWNED IN POLLUTION AND SEWAGE!

“Tell it to the judge.” Said nathan flatly. Before he was manhandled into the jet and had the door shut on him APOTHECARY went on one final tirade.

“Please believe me, I surrendered because I can’t ignore the blood on my hands…” Apothecary stopped struggling and allowed the door to be shut as he was secured to his seat. As the door closed and the erasure unit piled in, he turned towards the indifferent pilot. “Just take me from this nightmare.” He begged as the aircraft finally closed. Joseph’s stomach turned trying to process everything. Was he supposed to feel sickened that APOTHECARY used his family as an excuse to hurt and kill the innocent? How was he supposed to come to terms that this disgusting man had family members that he cared about? Joseph stumbled trying to comprehend it all.

“He might be in custody, but they’re all still gone.” He said to himself, remembering the final days before George smith killed them and his chance at a normal life. Veronica’s curt voice snapped him back from reality.

“Don’t let the prick get inside your head. She spoke coldly. “I’ve had to capture my share of ALA women’s brigade, I hear that same old sob story on how they had to join the neo nazi terrorist cult.” “It was the ONLY way to save themselves from the “scary trans people and refugees infecting their countries” she sneered. “Or protect them from black men who look at them funny.” Nathan motioned him and the rest of his squad to leave. Ackerman quietly avoided Laleh, remembering all too well of their last confrontation at the beginning of July. Before being escorted into he jet, Joseph looked into the battlefield with his own binoculars. Within the smoldering remains of the residential area, the only ALA soldiers remaining were the American branch and its mercenary auxiliaries, who either died at their post or fled into the surrounding jungle. Before takeoff, Nathan fiddled with the radio signal and happened to pick up Sgt. Gustavo’s feed. Veronica would usually invade his personal space and ask dozens of questions about who he was talking to, but she was too distracted by the Prosperan assault helicopters making one final missile sweep before the CSTF mobile cavalry began touching down and deploying soldiers to secure the airstrip. QM and its soldiers vanished into the jungle at a brisk pace. The giant batlike woman swiftly turned to Nathan as a screaming voice erupted from his ear-piece.

“WHERE THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING?!” Gustavo screamed over what appeared to be a flurry of panic and evacuating soldiers. “ I’LL MAKE SURE YOU’LL ALL BURN IN HELL WITH THOSE MARXISTS!” No sooner did he announce that, another loud explosion rocked the facility. After several seconds, heavy footsteps echoed closer and closer towards Gustavo. “Oh Jesus.” He breathed. Veronica’s ear twitched as she listened to the incident unfold. “STAY BACK, I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!” Gustavo screamed, uselessly shooting whatever was terrifying him, the sounds of bullets ricocheting off metal were inter-spliced with radio interference. The low guttural voice of Charlotte rattled the radio.

“Once I get you back to base, I can finally get some peace and quiet for the first time in months.” Gustavo screamed as his radio cut out.

“Sounds like the VWS senior corps is just about done with their mission.” He said, putting his head behind his hands, and adjusting his seat to lean back. “Andy’s really pulling out all the stops for Prospera.” Joseph winced as he saw ARACHNEA’s lifeless body being loaded unto a sarcophogus like container with several other corpses of several abominations. The surviving ALA soldiers who did surrender were loaded into A special CNGS POW holding gunship as they took off. It appeared the CSTF and Erasure unit members were busy setting up communications, talking with their commanders. Two of them knocked an surrendered abomination soldier into the dirt after striking him in the back with the back-end of their assault rifles. The two roared with laughter before high-fiving each other. Joseph looked down as their aircraft ascended, and looked down at his feet, feelings of disgust and pity miring within him.

“Y’know, I hope we get a better looking medal for our accomplishments today.” Commented veronica, taking off her helmet. Her face was covered in sweat and several small cuts.

“Indeed, we’ve executed our objective with most of flying colors.” Chimed in Fritz, removing his horned mask-helmet as well. He smiled cheerily as joseph met his gaze. “Congratulations, we’ve apprehended that monstrous cur and had him groveling for your forgiveness.” Joseph seemed to be staring off into space, prompting veronica to speak up.

“You look so miserable, I would’ve though you’d be happy you helped tracked down the guy who killed your friends with his incompetence.” No sooner did she say that, she observed the sorry state that everyone else was in. The rest of her team were suffering from cuts to even bullet wounds. Joseph turned towards her.

“I know throwing him to rot in a cell wouldn’t bring my friends back, but…”. He tried to get the words out, but he began to feel his throat form a lump. Laleh reached out to comfort him, only to be beat out by Fritz.

“It’s true our mission isn’t over yet, but with APOTHECARY arrested, at least he will not harm anyone anymore. Joseph turned towards Fritz, whose usually intimidating gaze had softened. “Rome wasn’t build in a day, it was built one brick at a time.” While he was still upset, Joseph felt a little more forgiving of himself. The VWS flew away from the chaos of the airstrip, now swarmed by CNGS soldiers alongside the prosperan military. Nathan’s ear-piece crackled as they ascended higher.

“This is Sargent Nguyen, demanding to speak to Captain Nathaniel of VWS-1, over”

“Bian, it’s been too LONG since we had a nice heart-to heart!” called Nathan cheerfully from the passenger’s section. “What do I owe the pleasure of this call, over?” Sgt.Nguyen, nonplussed by Nathan’s attempt to flirt, continued her order.

“We have successfully taken Sgt.Gustavo into custody, as well as several high ranking ALA members. OPERATION:VENGEANCE was a success, over.”

“Hopefully he didn’t give you any trouble, over?”

“En route to capturing gustavo, we got blinded sighted by ALPHA KOMMANDO’s air force units, bastards almost took out the engine.” Before signing off, Cpt.Nguyen regaled a warning. “It seems like they’re rallying their special forces with a more competent chain of command and excising more aggressive tactics, your second in command getting shot down is evident of that, over. The rest of the VWS became as solemn as joseph. “Be alert and be cautious, they’re not screwing around anymore from here on out, over.”

“How’s the old gang doing, over?” Nathan inquired, trying and failing to lighten the mood. Sgt.Nguyen’s audio feed began to cut off.

“We can chitchat later once we’re out of hostile airspace, over and out.” Her feed cut out, leaving everyone with a cold, empty feeling. Half an hour later, the CNGS aircraft landed inside the Harris so a round of cheer and applause from the aircrew. Veronica sighed in relief as her personal guard had the RISENFLEDERMAUS back in their grasp. They even had already removed and began to repair the downed engine. APOTHECARY silently complied with being put into several more handcuffs and sent off to a holding pin. His demeanor was opposed to Gustavo, now disheveled and sweaty from being in a bunker, fought every step of the way. Joseph noticed Charlotte carrying what appeared to be a giant glass coffin. AKROPOLIS bathed in the applause of her own successful mission. The coffin her comrade carried didn’t contain an abomination, but rather a preserved, lifelike corpse with his hands folded in front of him. Without the giant scars on his neck, one could assume he was merely sleeping.

“GIVE HIM BACK!” Gustavo screamed as the CNGS military police restrained him. “GIVE ME BACK MY FATHER YOU FAT FREAK!!” the giant woman merely snorted as she continued to follow the other erasure unit soldiers and their sarcophagi to transfer their macabre cargo. “I’LL KILL YOU FOR MANHANDLING HIM!” He screamed at the lumbering woman. To his horror, she stopped, and turned towards him. Charlotte’s almost human visage was broken as she snarled, revealing large, animalistic teeth.

“I’ll manhandle YOU next if you don’t shut your mouth” She hissed, prompting him to finally be quiet. Joseph noticed a sign on the glass coffin, a small black serial code that read “IN LOVING MEMORY WNM6 ADMIRAL FERNANDO MIGUELA RODRIGUEZ.” He was then suddenly grabbed and directed into decontamination with the rest of his comrades. The hours seem to wiz by after suddenly becoming accepted by the Harris staff that treated him and the other VWS members as lepers, and given a very brief awards ceremony where they received another CNGS medal, which was basically the same medal but slightly bigger.

“Um…sir?” joseph asked Andrew with a respectful salute. “What the hell is WNM6, is that a thing I’ll have to wait to learn the Truth about?” Andrew stood there for several seconds, saying nothing.

“We will be informing you soon once the proper NDA is drafted and printed.” He cleared his throat as the Erasure unit on board cleared a small path for him. “CONGRATULATIONS ON A JOB WELL DONE, VALIANT WARRIOR SQUADRON DASH ONE. He said in a loud, monotonous tone, as if he was trying to sound enthused. “OPERATION: VENGEANCE, THE COUNTER-TERROR OPERATION ON THE BEHALF OF THE PROSPERAN GOVERNMENT IS NOW COMPLETE.” Loud applause rippled through the Harris. “THE EX-DICTATOR AND THE PERPETRATOR OF THE NORTHERN IRAN BIOWEAPONS DISASTER WILL NEVER AGAIN HARM THE INNOCENT, YOU’LL RECEIVE FURTHER ORDERS ON CLEANUP OPERATIONS ON PROSPERA SOON, UNTIL THEN, YOU MAY ENJOY YOUR DOWNTIME UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. Things only seemed to calm down after joseph was allowed to return to his barracks with Laleh.

“It feels odd to finally get some respect after so long.” Laleh said, touching her shiny new medal.

“I never really cared if the other staff members didn’t accept me, but it feels nice to be treated like a person for once.” Said joseph. This whole thing is such a blur, did you know that it’s almost august?

“No!” said laleh, shocked and flustered. “I completely lost track of the time!”

Suddenly, Joseph’s scars flared as he saw a person bound down the hall. It was his old friend and lover Logan, still slightly weak from his torture at the hands of the ALA, but nonetheless still full of life and hope. He almost tackled Joseph to the ground as he embraced him.

“You got him!” Logan cheered as he hugged his companion. “You fucking got ‘im buddy!” While he was still empty about the rest of the ALA to fight against, the warmth and accolades of his lover convinced joseph he still accomplished something. The fight wasn’t over, but he was filled with a renewed sense of purpose, and ready to move from his past trauma, and try to do good in his position in life. Logan had returned to the med bay to continue his recovery, however Laleh was able to take the night off as a second shift Medical expert would watch over him. The two got caught up with each other, and proceeded to have an enjoyable day off, with Laleh more chatty than usual. She went on and on to him about a new medical technique to treat bullet wounds in the public lounge, something she would have never done before. Occasionally, the two would get visited by other CNGS soldiers and staff, praising their accomplishment of capturing APOTHECARY. Some of the staff were people who visibly avoided them in public almost a month ago. Everything seemed to finally ease up for the VWS, that is until the two were walking to their dorm to retire for the night. Fritz was in the HCA private room, seeming to talk to someone in german. The voice was deep, and commanding. The two didn’t need to speak german to understand patronizing language. “DO NOT DISTURB” blazed in blood red letters in a monitor next to the room, so Joseph and Laleh simply kept moving. Soon, the two bumped into veronica, but her eyes almost pale yellow, her face almost just as pale.

“Hey, are you alright?” Laleh asked compassionately. Veronica, seeming to be in a world all her own, whipped around.

“WHAT?!” she blurted out “HAha, I’m just fine, I think I’m just a bit wired from today’s mission!” She said disingenuously.

“There’s something wrong with Nathan, isn’t there?” Joseph asked. She quickly became defensive.

“You DON’T know what he’s going through, so STOP trying to play therapist with me!” Laleh tried to gently comfort veronica.

“If you two are having problems, you don’t have to keep it inside.” Veronica tore Laleh’s hand from her arm.

“It doesn’t concern you at all, so butt out.” She hissed, as she entered the room with her brother. Within a secret, noise proof room, the two conversed.

“I’m so perplexed why he insists on acting like this for a man his age.” Fritz scowled.

“Well, you know how older people are, especially our guys.” Replied veronica. “Maybe it’s just a dad thing.” She furrowed her brown “first him, now NATHAN’s acting weird.”

“You would’ve thought becoming prime minister would stop father from being so brash.” Fritz continued. “I think he’s riled up over wanting Schmidt in custody as soon as possible…

“I’ve never seen Fritz or Veronica this upset” Joseph said as the two passed the restrooms. “It’s so odd to not be the one struggling emotionally for once.” Laleh nodded. As the conversation finished, Joseph was confronted by GHOST FANG since his rescue, fully recovered from his ordeal.

“Andrew wants to talk to you, kid.” Said the well built, masked man. He nodded as he left Laleh’s side. Within a dark room,he was greeted by BERSERKER opening a laptop, revealing Andrew Norman in a teleconference call. Joseph spied the current date. JULY 22ND, 2040. Through the stress and horror he had to survive since the fateful day in iran, the young man had simply lost track of time. “Congratulations, Mr.Baker” said Andrew with the regular, unchanging expression. “George smith will be interrogated and undoubtedly be given multiple life sentences.” Andrew took a small sip from a mug. “There is another matter we need to address with you.” Joseph tensed up as GHOST FANG gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Your terms of agreement when joining the VWS was tied to OPERATION:VENGEANCE, to apprehend several important ALA operatives in Prospera and undermine their occupation here.” The light reflected off BERSERKER’s mask, making his presence more foreboding. “With Gustavo and George’s capture, the operation is complete and you are no longer required to be a part of VWS-1.”

“Right…” remembered joseph. “It was to bring that bastard to justice.”

“I want to offer you something.” Said Andrew. “I certainly can’t return you to your parents, there’d be far too many questions and you could easily become a target for ALA spies.” Joseph once again shifted in his seat at the mention of his mom and dad. “However.” He said twisting the cap on his thermos, returning to a coaster on his desk. “If you no longer wish to be in VWS-1, we can find you a different occupation away from active duty, if you wish.” Joseph’s mind began to race and ponder what to do, until he remembered Logan and his father who was seduced by the ALA. He simply couldn’t waste his skills by not bringing the fight to them and assisting his comrades.

“I appreciate that, but the war isn’t over.” He answered. “The ALA needs to be stopped, and I just can’t sit on my ass and twiddle my thumbs as they hurt and kill Innocent people.” Andrew cracked his knuckles.

“Very well.” He said. “You and the rest of your comrades will be assigned a new mission in 3 days time.” A part of Joseph regretted bowing out of the horror and trauma, but he would regret it more to leave his friends and leave them to endure. He decided that when he returned to Laleh, he would let her know everything. A small beeping alarm alerted Andrew. “You are dismissed, Mr. Baker, GHOST FANG will see you out.” Andrew cut out to a private direct message, to be notified by higher up CNGS personnel. “EAST VELEDOVIA IS UNDER THE PROCESS OF JOINING THE CNGS AND ITS PRESIDENT HAS AGREED TO BECOME A PART OF OUR UNION." "OUR APPEASEMENT DUE TO LOSING PROSPERA FINALIZED THE DEAL."

“Finally, it appears the east Veledovians have seen the light, and wish to join our cause.” He said slyly to himself. Before he got a chance to celebrate, he answered a call from a CNGS intelligence operative.

“Negotiations were a success, sir.”

“I hadn’t had a single doubt.” Andrew answered in his usual monotonous tone.

"We'll have both Veledovias united and under the CNGS's influence in no time."

Andrew smiled, his blank eyes seemed to flash with an enthusiasm that he never had in public.

“However, she has also confirmed an alarming amount of Europa’s Fury activity near several crucial government sites near the East and West Veldovian territory.” Andrew’s joy of another country joining the CNGS was immediately extinguished.

“How much time do we have to prepare for a counter-insurgency?” he whispered in a worried tone. Another, larger alarm went off, causing his eyes to widen. A direct message from his VPN protected message system produced another message “CNGS POW CONVOY ATTACKED AND DESTROYED, SUSPECTED ALA SPY ACTIVITY WITHIN CNGS-USA INTELLIGENCE HIGHLY LIKELY CAUSE. “Oh dear, god.” He wheezed.” Meanwhile, Joseph and Laleh were chatting as they made their way to their room.

“You don’t have to do this.” She said nervously wringing her hands. “You’ve already accomplished your goal.”

“I’ve got a new one.” He replied. “It’s my chance to actually make things less terrible in the world.” Laleh’s concerned gaze turned into subdued happiness. “We’re in this together.” In the back of his mind, the young, scarred soldier saw his friends struggling mental states, the gnawing possibility he would never see his parents again, and that any and all normalcy in his life was now effectively dead. The two fell into at least a peaceful slumber as the distant rumbling of thunder echoed in the great HARRIS stealth bomber. This was in contrast to the panic in CNGS intelligence operatives aboard the giant aircraft as they scrambled to an alarm.

“A CNGS DETENTION CONVOY HAS BEEN COMPROMISED, THIS IS NOT A DRILL.” Read a robotic voice as hushed arguments and panic spread as alerts erupted across the server room. Off the eastern coast of CNGS-CHILE was a small island, a giant sign read “THIS AREA IS A CNGS AUTONOMOUS PROPERTY, TRESPASSING WILL BE MET WITH SWIFT AND DIRE REPERCUSSIONS.” The barbed wire fence was destroyed as the corpses of CNGS personnel and CNGS military police littered the area. a giant explosion rocked the highly secured trucks. From the wreckage, N.1685 appeared decked out in new armor. His tentacles had regrown, and now gripped two large combat knives, the size of machetes, as they seemed to snake and dance around him. Following him were a muscular, platinum blonde white man, whose fists were covered in blood, a large man in armor that seemed to walk in awkward, robotic movements, and three effeminate figures in the same armor. Finally, ARTIFEX appeared in a bright orange prison uniform. He dusted himself before allowing N.1685 to lead the charge towards their plane. The other CNGS aircraft were taken over by spies and double agents. Surviving CNGS personnel futilely tried to call for assistance, but the ALA spy ring had sabotaged communications and defenses. Several CSTF stationed soldiers, ones that survived the horrific sabotage fired at N.1685, but it was useless. His new armor absorbed the bullets like they were nothing. One of the soldiers attempted to shoot in from the back of his head, only for his tentacles to immeaditly snake behind him and take the round. N.1685 returned fire, shooting the bloodied and ragged CNGS soldiers to pieces. As the rest attempted to flee, he launched himself at several CSTF soldiers, and lashed out with his combat laden tentacles. A flurry of blood and dismembered limbs coated the ground as the rest imprisoned CNGS staff watched on in horror. ALPHA KOMMANDO boarded the plane, with N.1685 being last to get it in. He singlehandedly drove off entire platoons as their craft went airborne, using his tentacles to fling grenades, causing more property destruction and death. The aicraft was met with several ALPHA KOMMANDO jets, who were finished detroying any and all CNGS aircraft and naval vessels as they ascended into the cloudy skies. ARTIFEX was moved to a fancier part of the large jet plane. N.1685 reported to his ALA superior on his PDA, whose faced was blacked out, the ALA insignia blazed in the upper right corner.

“EXCELLENT WORK.” Said the ALA high command superior. “WITH ARTIFEX BACK AS LEAD ABOMINATION DESIGNER, WE NO LONGER NEED THAT FOOL AND TRAITOR APOTHECARY.”

“I have also bathed the prison convoy in the blood of CNGS dogs as you demanded, commander.” N.1685 replied in a deep voice.

“GOOD, THOSE SIMPERING LIBERALS WILL KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES OF INTERFERING WITH OUR PLANS TO USHER IN THE ARYAN PARADISE.”

“If I may be so bold to ask, my lord, I feel that I and my fellow abomination commandos were forced to carry the grunt-work of this mission.” N.1685 inquired. “Perhaps we could get better sup-”

“CONTINUE TO THE SAFE HOUSE AND MEET WITH VALKYRIE.” N.1685 could barely contain his composure. “SHE WILL RELOCATE YOU TO PROSPERA AFTER TRANSFERING ARTIFEX TO THE ESCAPE CRAFT TO AUSTRALIA.” The giant, monstrous man regained his nerve. “YOU WILL BE SENT BACK TO PROSPERA TO ASSIST OUR GROUND FORCES IN EVACUATING ALA HIGH COMMAND STAFF UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.” “NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS UNTIL THEN.” Said the superior, ignoring the grievance completely.

“I am truly Pygmalion and you are my walking, talking masterpiece.” ARTIFEX said gesturing to N.1685. “You were worth the $800,000 dollars for production fees.” N.1685 grew disgusted how he was treated like someone weapon or luxury. “I was skeptical at the white sovereigns utilizing our spy rings more offensively rather than for intel gathering, but I suppose the results speak for themselves.” He opened a bottle of celebratory champagne and drunk it striaght from the bottle. “No need to worry about me, my masterpiece.” He said, as if he was speaking to a small, frightened child. “The CNGS-Australian military and government, like the CNGS-American military and government, is in no short supply of our sympathizers, spies, and allies.” As ARTIFEX ceased his visual feed, N.1685 became filled with rage. He knew the abomination soldiers in Prospera where left once again to save the weak ALA soldiers or left to die for the sake of their superiors. One of the abominations who led the charge,was an ASSASSIN type abomination. The ASSASSIN, ALPHA KOMMANDO member, METZGERKONIG, noticed N.1685’s frustration. He fumbled in his pocket for a piece of paper with a mysterious symbol and the word “SEVEIRENCE” on it. He quietly dropped at the large man’s feet, which prompted him to pick it up, observe it before stuffing it into the harness where he kept his combat knives. METZGERKONIG took a glance down in his book, before looking up again. His harness creaked as he met eyes with his N.1685. The masked abomination man paused, and nodded slightly to his fellow post-human.

“He’ll make a fine edition to our group…the master race greater than any aryan human alive or dead…” the ASSASSIN said internally as the plane gathered speed. The warning lights bathed the cabin in crimson red. A small light with the ALA’s swastika appeared to malfunction and dim as the light surrounding the abominations only seemed to grow brighter.

In a secluded area, the superior administration group WNM6 was filled with outrage upon losing several highly expensive investments; , ARACHNEA, and APOTHECARY. The head of WNM6 raised up his hand, silencing everyone.

“Run an internal investigation within high command, prepare ALPHA KOMMANDO for a rescue mission in Prospera…” The other shadowy figures saluted the screen of their leader. “And finally, prepare OPERATION: APOCALYPSE and OPERATION: RAGNAROK, I will NOT let my father’s vision of the Aryan Paradise die to incompetence…” he raised his hand again. “WE SHALL ALSO COMMENCE OPERATION: HARVEST, AS THE VOTES TO CONTINUE THE OPERATION HAVE COME IN, AND WE SHALL TAKE A MORE PROACTIVE STANCE WITH OUR WAR.” The white sovereign members cheered and hollered as this political victory.

“UNTERMENSCH BLOOD SHALL BE SPILLED!” cheered one member. “THE SPY RINGS SHALL FINALLY ENGAGE THE ENEMIES AS SOLDIERS, AND NOT SPECTATORS AND COWARDS!

“WHAT I’D GIVE TO PERSONALLY SEE THOSE SNIVELING LIBERAL DOGS WATCH THEIR PRECIOUS TOYS AND FACILITIES GO UP IN FLAMES!” cheered another. Another WNM6 member tried to hide his disgust at their bloodthirst.

“To think…” said the WNM6 member internally “They were just the south african branch of the ALA, now those MANIACS are on their way to putting a stranglehold on our operations….” Two ALPHA KOMMANDO members, decked out in body armor that resembled medieval knights popped up on a large screen.

“ROMULUS AND REMUS, YOU SHALL MEET WITH HEINZ SCHMIDT AND EVACUATE HIM TO AUSTRALIA AS WELL.” “WE MUST RESCUE SEVERAL WNM6 OFFICIALS LEST THE LIBERALS, MARXISTS, AND MONARCHISTS TAKE THEM FOR INTERROGATIONS.” Before he cut out, he had a final warning. “THOSE COALITION FOOLS MUST NOT LEARN OF OUR UPCOMING OPERATION CONCERNING MOUNT UNITY AND OUR INVASION OF THE TWO VELDOVIAS.”

“…As you wish, my new fuhrers.” Said the twins in a unified, quiet voice.

To be continued in Mission 8

[meaninglessblah-writes]

Rule: Make a 24-hour poll with the names of your WIPS, let it run, then write one sentence for every vote the winner received. Tagged by the incredible @setsailslash

I'm extending this to a week, to give folks a chance to read the previews beforehand. Previews for each WIP below the cut!

And I'm forcing @daemoninwhiteround2 @scandalsavagefanfic @sarriathmg and @nightwang96 to join in the fun, because I know they've got some excellent WIPs tucked away.

Enjoy the previews! 💙

Wild West AU — Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson — Mature

The main street of Gotham rises like a vulture’s shadow over the prairie, solidifying before their eyes as Slade guides them towards the townsfolk milling through its paved streets. They strike Dick as odd; it’s not often towns this far out on the county’s border will bother with infrastructure. But even the wooden facades of the bank and the sheriff’s office are immaculately painted, not a single chip to mar their appearance.

Dick casts his gaze around, pitching his voice above the gentle clop of their horses’ hooves. “This place looks well-to-do.”

“You’ll do well to keep your mouth shut and your comments to yourself, boy,” Slade reminds him, and Dick sighs as he steers them towards the hitching posts of the saloon.

They earn a few wayward glances as Slade dismounts, the spurs of his boots chiming gently as he steadies himself and deftly lashes his reins to the timber. Dick leans his bound wrists onto his saddlehorn and offers him an amused smirk when he circles around to meet him.

The look Slade gives him is unimpressed, like he knows exactly what game Dick is playing at. To be fair, it isn’t the first time they’ve played, but Dick is always looking for the simplest, time-proven means to irritate the man. It’s the least he can do.

“Dismount,” Slade commands, and Dick’s gaze flicks to the slatted saloon doors and back again.

“Too tired to lift me off yourself, old man?” he purrs, flashing Slade a thinly veiled smile. That blue eye rolls, one hand snapping out to seize Dick’s belt. There he pauses, the threat obvious, and Dick tenses.

“Hop down, boy, or I’ll pull you down. Quicksmart.”

“That’d cause a scene,” Dick murmurs down at him.

A muscle in Slade’s jaw ticks. “If these townsfolk are wanting to see a criminal spluttering in the dirt, who am I to deprive them of the entertainment?”

Dick’s ribs twinge at the threat, the reminder of their last venture into a populated town still fresh in his mind. One snowy brow crooks, and Dick kicks his boot from its stirrup, shifting until he can dismount clumsily.

One broad hand falls to his hip to steady him when he staggers at the force of his descent, dust gathering around his calves as he sucks in a breath. Dick clenches his fists to curb the way he wants to flinch from under that grip.

Slade’s lips brush his ear, breath warm in the stagnant air as he murmurs, “Keep testing me, and I’ll leave you tied in the sun with the horses.” Then he straightens, that hand shifting back up to the small of Dick’s back, to press his shirt into the beads of sweat that have been slowly gathering there. “But I thought you said you were thirsty.”

It takes most of his self-control to unwind his jaw and mutter, “Yes.”

“What was that, boy?”

“Yes, sir.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” Slade murmurs, one wrist winding through the tether of Dick’s cuffs. His tongue clicks once as Dick falls into step, and he takes the time to glare at the man as they cross onto the timber floorboards.

Pacific Rim AU — Tim Drake/Jason Todd — Mature

You can begin to read this here.

“You know who they assigned me to?” Jason asks, and Dinah shakes her head clinically.

“Not my place to ask. I don’t need to know to provide my diagnosis.”

“But you know, right?” Jason presses anyway, holding her gaze, because he and Dinah go way back. She’s got a better map of his head than anyone, and he hasn’t even shared a drift with her.

Dinah purses her lips, considering her answer for a moment. “I don’t know,” she answers, honestly. “But I can guesstimate their height based on the dysmorphia.” Jason waits. “They gave you Drake, huh?”

“Has he seen you?” Jason asks, and Dinah nods. “You wanna give me a heads up on anything?”

“There’s legislation that prevents me from disclosing confidential patient information,” Dinah reminds him with a wry smirk.

“Well, he’s gotta have all the pieces ticking up there if you’ve approved him for duty,” Jason reasons, and Dinah doesn’t acknowledge that, but she does smile like she’s proud of his deductive reasoning. Jason leans his forearms onto his knees, bowing forwards as he studies her expression. “And he’s gotta be pretty fucked up in there for him to still want to be a pilot. What’s his motivation?”

Dinah doesn’t gratify that with an answer, and Jason sighs.

“Fine. He said he’d lost people. How many copilots has he had before me?”

“That’s classified information,” Dinah provides on auto-pilot, and Jason frowns.

“Two,” Jason retorts, and lifts the fingers on his left hand for emphasis. “I’ve had two copilots so far. Tim’s my third. Based on what I’ve seen of the inside of his skull, I’m at least his third. But I get the impression with a career as illustrious as his, I’m well out of the ballpark.”

“Does the number of co-pilots he’s had previously trouble you?” Dinah asks.

It’s a digging question, and Jason’s lips twist, but he answers, “Just want to know if I’m up to scratch or if they threw me in here because they had no other option.”

"It can't be both?"

Royal AU — Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson — Mature

"Will you be back later tonight?"

The crown prince's skin looks bronze in the flickering torch light. Stretched out across the furs and linens, all plump sinew and firm muscle bared, Slade could mistake him for a sculpture.

Those blue eyes are heavy, indolent. The smile tugging at his lips even more so. He'll rise soon, to clean the stain of Slade's release from between his thighs; but for now he indulges.

Slade lowers his eyes to the teeth of his belt, scabbard rattling against his armour as he redresses. "I will. I'll wake you."

Prince Richard turns over, spine arching as he stretches into a more favourable position. Slade has never understood how such positions could be comfortable — far more suited to a hard stretcher or a thin bedroll from his earlier military days than the palatial silks that line Dick's bed — but he also supposes pleasure and discomfort are often bedfellows when it comes to the prince.

Slade pauses to press a lingering kiss to the prince's shoulder as he passed. He's enjoyed many luxuries since he came into the royal employ. Slade's still learning to enjoy them fully.

Dom/Sub AU — Dorian Chase/Dick Grayson — Mature

“Shit, kid,” Dorian sneers, half-impressed, half-disgusted. It makes Dick’s chest pang. “They really did a number on you, didn’t they?” 

“Dorian,” Dick wheezes, but the rest of his sentence is swallowed in a groan when he’s dumped on the concrete. 

“Stay,” Dorian orders, thrumming with command, and Dick’s muscles unspool of their own will. His shoulders roll forward, breath sighing from his lungs as all of him melts pliantly into the floor at Dorian’s heel. Beneath Dorian’s heel, when the vigilante rests a boot on the back of Dick’s upturned neck. “Good.” 

He doesn't stay there long. It might feel like an eternity to Dick, all of his focus narrowed to the scrape of Dorian's tread over his skin. But it can't be more than a few contemplative minutes before Dorian is shifting down to crouch beside Dick's prone form. 

“Tell me what Eddie and Liu did to you,” Dorian instructs, and Dick hiccups on his next breath. It hurts, even now, even after the months Dick’s had to work through it. The hours he’s dedicated in therapy to getting over one bad dom. 

He doesn’t want to talk about it. He doesn’t want to talk about it. Dick doesn’t want to have to relive every excruciating moment, squeeze out every blind ounce of trust he put in his former doms. Doesn’t want to pick over every wrong word he said, to earn their betrayal. Doesn’t want to analyse every disappointed look, to work out when he should have seen it coming. 

Dorian doesn’t give him the reprieve. Dorian’s never been that kind of person. 

Bodyguard AU — Harvey Dent/Lincoln March — Explicit

Lincoln blinks. Harvey shifts, uncomfortable with being so vulnerable.

Repeats himself, rephrases it to, "Fuck me, damnit. Hard."

And he must have had a lot of champagne, because the words don't stop pouring out of him; every fantasy Harvey's had spilling up.

"Push me down on my knees and make me suck your cock. Throw me onto the bed and fuck me until I come without even being touched. Make it hurt. Make me enjoy it." 

Lincoln doesn't move, and Harvey can feel the frustration ebbing; he's not going to get what he wants, he's drunk, this was stupid—

And then Lincoln moves.

Hunger Games — Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson — Explicit

You can read the beginning of this series here.

He forces a smile onto his face when the door whispers open, blinking back the last of his prickling tears to beam at his guest.

In all honesty, Dick is terrified. The thought of servicing Slade Wilson, the gamemaker who crafted his Games, who nearly sent Dick to his death… It’s too much to stomach.

If the dread is plain on Dick's face, Slade doesn't acknowledge it. He takes his time crossing the room, surveying Dick where he sits. Those eyes pin him to the bed like a butterfly to a board, and Dick's chest feels tight beneath the draping sequins and fabric.

When Slade reaches out, Dick flinches. Doesn't pull back, lest he provoke the gamemaker, and chastises himself for being so obvious. Dick's spent months playing at this game, preparing for this dreaded moment. He's a victor, for Christsakes; he needs to be smarter than this. His survival depends on it, now more than ever.

The earrings clatter, little gems chiming, when Slade tips his face up with two fingers beneath his chin. With the height disadvantage, Dick feels small and outmatched, his pulse a drum in his chest.

Slade fingers the sapphires, watching them refract the light. “Are these pierced?” he asks, and Dick glances down, shaking his head.

He tugs them free of Dick’s ears, tossing them aside. Dick swallows, summoning resolve as he’s made bare before his gamemaker.

Dom/Sub AU — Tim Drake/Jason Todd — Mature

You can begin to read this here.

"As his physician, I'm asking you to leave."

Tim does his utmost not to bristle. "And I'm refusing, as his dom."

When Jason flinches at that assessment, bare shoulders pulling together beneath the harsh fluorescents, Tim swallows and shifts into a less rigid stance.

"I'm not trying to be an ass," Tim begins with, and forges ahead despite Dr Thompkins' arched and acerbic brow. "But I have a responsibility to Jason, now that he's my sub. His well-being is my priority. If I'm responsible for his care and maintenance, I need to know his afflictions. All of them, not just the ones he wants to tell me about. Then I can be mindful of them when we scene. Can't soothe a bruise with a harder hand, or so the saying goes. I'm staying."

Dr Thompkins watches him for a moment before straightening and holding Jason's attention like Tim had never spoken.

Jason's lip twitches at that, the first hint of positivity that Tim's seen from the moping teen all week.

"Legally, I can't remove him," she tells him, and Tim bites his lip to let her have this small victory. "He's entitled to attend on you, as your dom. But I want to take this opportunity to remind you that I'm your physician, Jason. And my confidentiality does not bend, not matter how persistent the dom."

Star Wars AU — Jason Todd/Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd/Slade Wilson, Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson, Tim Drake/Damian Wayne — Teen & Up

You can begin to read this here.

Some of his lackadaisical grace is marred by the onset of adrenaline, sliding into that entrancing focus Tim’s all too familiar with. 

It’s not like Tim’s focus; it’s more fluid, less tangible. Shifting around his opponents, to ensnare and entrance. Tim’s spent years beneath Dick’s leadership, learning to undo the effect that trance has on him. Learning to ensnare himself. 

Dick rolls his sabers over his palms, the motion an outlet as much as it is a goad. He can see how tightly the jedi is wound, how firm a grasp he has over his control as they circle one another. Their footsteps are steady, pace languid if not for the thick undercurrent of anticipation that runs between them. 

“Been a while,” Dick calls around a broad smile. The flares of his saber reflect off the whites of his teeth, carving them into vicious incisors. 

Tim doesn’t bite. He knows every tactic the knight has to offer; distracting him with banter is hardly the sharpest tool in Dick’s arsenal. 

He rolls his shoulders, sliding into a stance as he grips his saberstaff in a defensive lean. 

Dick considers him for a moment, the last dregs of amicability dying as those lips close thin over his teeth. “Alright,” he says, dangerous and resigned, and springs. 

Wild West AU — Jason Todd/Bruce Wayne — Mature

The boy is persistent, Bruce will give him that.

He’s swearing up a storm, wrists burning raw with the friction of the ropes he won’t stop trying to fight.

Bruce ignores him, checking his mare over. She’s remarkably placid, considering Bruce has never handled her before. Her tack is worn in places, repaired in others. Meticulously maintained, despite its age. The mare, too, is in good nick; her girth filled out, and coat gleaming in the midday sun.

Bruce flicks a glance towards her ears, and sensing no protest, dips a hand into her saddlebags.

Her owner isn’t nearly so neutral. “Hey!” the boy pipes up, slightly breathless. Bruce doesn’t even look down. “I said, hey!”

“You did,” Bruce agrees, retrieving a tattered novel from the saddlebags. He flicks idly past the worn cover, skimming the prose.

“That’s mine,” the boy snarls, with such indignant fury that Bruce glances up from his place on the page.

Hockey AU — Duke Thomas/Jason Todd/Slade Wilson — Explicit

"You're sloppy," Duke says without looking up. 

That hits Jason under the ribs. He cocks his hip, tilting his head to survey the goalie. "Excuse me?" 

Duke looks up, his gaze arresting. "You're sloppy. You miss passes. You make too many turnovers." 

Abruptly, Jason feels defensive. "In the rush of a game—" 

"Let me be clear," Duke says with a mirthless huff. He sets his stick against the goalpost to give Jason his full attention. "You miss easy passes. You make too many easy turnovers." 

"Is that so?" 

Duke crosses his arms over his chest at Jason's tone, unfazed. "The GM brought me in to give this team a breath of fresh air before playoffs. If you don't want my insight—" 

"No, please," Jason says, haughty without being able to pin down why. "Give me the miraculous insight you gleaned from sitting at one end of the ice, watching through bars."

Vikings AU — Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson — Explicit

Dick laughs when Slade tips him back into the bed of furs, ankles still hooked over his hips. His dark hair looks like water in the nighttime, trickling between the soft white fleece as Slade lifts a hand to trail down his cheekbone.

He's still bloody, still stained with the rot of battle, but so is Slade. It flakes beneath his touch, Dick's warm, blemished skin waiting for him beneath.

Dick's eyes are hooded, his throat tipped back for Slade to kiss down as his fingers move deftly for the knots at the warrior's waist. They fall apart with a harsh tug that rocks Dick up the bed, drawing another chuckle from his smiling lips.

"You nearly died out there, today," Dick hums, arching to press his collarbones to Slade's fingers when he slides them up Dick's chest, shucking his tunic with heady care. "Again."

Slade breaks from his warm skin long enough to murmur, "I have Hel's blessing."

Dick scoffs, lips curling further in his mirth as Slade sits back on his heels to tug his own tunic over his head. When he looks back down, Dick is watching him, all indolence and amusement.

"You'll slight her one day," he warns, shivering when Slade's calloused fingertips trace the blue inked vegvisir on his wrist, trailing up his forearm to finger the heavy gold of his wedding band. "Outlive her graces, and then she'll take you from me."

Slade smiles, soft and amused, and dips his head to kiss Dick's shoulder, wrap his hands around his husband's narrow waist as Dick's ankles tighten around his back. Holding them together, as inseparable here as they had been on the battlefield.

"Never."

Omegaverse AU — Apollo/Midnighter/Jason Todd/Slade Wilson —Explicit

Apollo can feel Mid's temple cushioned on his collarbone, Slade's steady presence at his back. Cracking his eyes open reveals the murky shadows of their bedroom, sunlight lain across his brow like a lover's touch.

Everything is muted, the sweet dregs of slumber still clinging. Apollo becomes blearily aware of what's woken him:

Jason, straddling his thighs, his wet heat grinding against Apollo. Coaxing the alpha to half-hardness in the morning light. Enough that he can begin to lower himself into Apollo's length.

A whine fills the room when Apollo reaches a hand down to splay over Jason's thigh, anchoring him.

"Oh, starlight," he murmurs, voice thick with sleep.

Thank you for reading 💖

[ohmygodshesinsane]

PERSUASION

for @jilymicrofics / april prompt 9: flush / words: 723

They circled like vultures, then fell into line with the others, stepping sourly. Sweat stuck dark curls to James’ forehead, and Lily’s cheeks flushed with effort, glittering under the dazzling chandeliers above. A dozen levitating violins swelled the music. Time for partners again. Lily and James thrust forward, facing each other, and their hands raised and met, palms flat. They spun.

“If you think,” Lily hissed under her breath. “That I would ever be so foolish as to consider a proposal from you as genuine, you had best crawl back into whatever whorehouse you left your brain in and die there. It is an insult.”

“You think me devious!” The dance separated them, Lily now with Peter and James with Mary. They glared at each other across the floor. Peter trod on Lily’s toe. With derision, they all returned to their lines, two steps left, two steps right, meet in the middle.

 “How low am I in your regard that you believe I would put forward a false suit?” James demanded, eyes narrowing behind his spectacles. “What benefit would it be?”

“You would -” Another change in partners cut Lily off, and she gripped poor Remus’ hands so tight he flinched. Back to James again. Frustration welled. “You would humiliate me,” she said, forcing back tears. “You would ruin me.”

“To what benefit?” James repeated. He took her waist with a light touch, and her gloved hand hovered above his shoulder. Nevertheless, their bodies barely had an inch of room to breathe.

“Revenge,” Lily said finally, casting her gaze over the crowds of proud mamas and ageing viscounts. “On Severus.” James laughed, and she dug her nails into his shoulder, features sharp. “It amuses you even to think of it!”

“Only because the premise is so ridiculous,” he said. “Miss Evans, what is the most likely truth? That I have spent years plotting to humiliate you because of a boyhood grudge, or that I have spent years in love with you and that every word from my tongue has been earnest.” He silently pleaded with her to understand, to see. Lily pressed her lips together. He rubbed his thumb against the soft satin of her dress. “Lily. The park, the lake, the races – my friends are fools and my manners often rough-hewn, I can admit that. I could never say what I wished. I couldn’t find the words. It has been – an ache in me. A hole. And if -”

 They were spun away from each other again, and Lily ended up in Sirius’ arms, blinking back tears, while James guided Alice Longbottom.

“Miss Evans,” Sirius started.

“No,” she snapped. “No, I shan’t hear from you.”

“As you wish,” Sirius said. They rotated, and Lily and James’ eyes met over shoulders. James’ eyes rimmed red. They stung. Lily’s heart bobbed in her throat. Then she twirled under Sirius’ arm, and he looked down at her, eyebrows raised.

“What would you tell me?” she said, resigned.

“He might humiliate another,” Sirius said. “Would he humiliate himself?” Lily bit her lip, trying to take his measure. Sirius shrugged. “Do always as you wish, Miss Evans.”

For the dance’s finale, she and James were returned to each other, both hands touching, bodies flush.

“If you will not have me,” James said hoarsely. “You are free not to. I shall never breathe a word. But do not reject me if your only concern is that I have no true love for you, because that would be a falsehood. Lily,” he shut his eyes, tilting his head back, breathed in. “Lily, I have loved you since I was eleven years old. Hold me in the foulest regard if you will. But know my regard for you has never failed. It could never.”

Lily’s sight blurred through the tears. “James.”

“But if you will have me,” he said, blinking furiously, their fingers interlacing, “if you would have me. Marry me. Marry me, Miss Evans.”

 Steps back, one, two, three, away from each other. Lily made a decision in the space between the beats of her heart. One, two, three, they touched. He was laughing at himself now, opening his eyes wide.

“Yes,” Lily said softly. His eyes fell down. His lips parted in a question. The music peaked – Lily breathed in – silence fell over the ballroom.

“Yes,” she said again. “Yes.”

[jcbbby]

For the Witches

Chapter 5 - I'm the Vulture, I'm an Eagle, I'm a Debutant

Jamie’s dark preacher character is the center of this story, based on some of the themes and lyrics from the “I Am” music video, as well as a bit of Dante’s Inferno and general witchy-ness.

Full synopsis here. Chapter 1 here. Chapter 2 here. Chapter 3 here. Chapter 4 here.

Chapter 5 below the cut!

“Alright then…” She breathed. “Show me hell.”

Jamie smirked ever so slightly. “You’re not ready.”

“Try me.” Harper was still backed against the wall, Jamie staring straight into her eyes. He fully smirked at her egging him on.

"As you wish..." He stepped back, motioning to the altar.

Harper stayed against the wall for a brief few seconds before carefully walking over to the stone altar, never taking her eyes off Jamie. He came around to the other side of the altar and began moving the many candles from it on to the table and floor beside it. Harper watched him intently as he repositioned the candles. Once finished, he motioned down toward the stone, signaling for Harper to get on to it. The flickering flames from the candles that now surrounded them both flashed over his face as she hoisted herself up. Jamie filled and handed her the chalice. She took a sip, and handed it back to Jamie.

"Lie back, please." He instructed, taking the chalice from her.

Once she was flat on top of the altar, he drew a cross on her forehead with charcoal. Harper suddenly began to feel a sense of dread, of fear, for the first time since she had arrived. She felt her heart begin to beat in her ears.

"Are you ready?" Jamie asked, looking down at her.

"Yes." Harper replied, trying to appear stoic.

"Let's begin." Jamie smiled, and started his ritual as he typically does, finding the energy and calling to the spirits.

Harper stared straight up to the ceiling, watching the shadows and flames dance on the cement. The warm yellow and orange light wavered over the cracks and divots above her in a calm motion at first. Slowly, they started to morph into a more chaotic and bright cyclone of sorts. Jamie's voice started to fade. She blinked tightly, and when her eyes opened again, she was now standing in what appeared to be a desert by herself. There was no sun, just the beige dusty ground and a dull gray sky above. A haze filled the air.

"Jamie?!" She called out into the dry landscape. No answer.

She began walking, confused and looking all around. As she went on, she came upon a vulture picking at a carcass of some sort. She stared as she passed, when suddenly, the carcass began to morph. She paused in shock for a moment. The carcass began to morph into her. Her eyes widened as she came to the realization, and the vulture kept feeding. She backed away slowly before turning heel and running, now frantically trying to find any sign of human life.

"Jamie!?" She screamed out again. Still nothing.

After sprinting for a few moments, she fell to her knees on to the dry, cracked ground, catching her breath and trying to figure out what was happening. Out of nowhere, flames erupted around her. The landscape now was a massive blaze. She got back up to her feet, spinning in a circle to find a way out, but there was none. She covered her nose and mouth with her shirt, trying to not breathe in the smoke as she tried to look through the flame. Peering into the fire, she began to see visions inside it. First, she saw her parents. Their deaths replayed within the flames. Then, she saw her boyfriend Aaron, passed out drunk on the couch in their apartment they shared. The vision changed again now to her. She saw images of herself, being tortured various ways in hell. Ways that made her almost nauseous to look at.

The visions suddenly disappeared, and what she saw next was a disfigured creature. It stared directly at her for a moment before it began running toward her, out of the flame. Without thinking, she turned and started to run, the creature chasing behind her. The surrounding flames opened up, allowing her the ability to move forward. As she ran for her life, she noticed the gray sky opening up above her, as the ground below her crumbled. Violent rain started pouring out of the opening in the sky as she suddenly felt herself falling through the ground below her.

She landed in complete darkness, no longer the prey of whatever that monster was. The rain still fell harshly on and around her, quickly filling up the pit she had found herself in.

"Okay you proved your point! Jamie, get me out! Jamie, please!" She yelled, trying to feel around for any walls or something to climb on.

As the pit filled with water, she found herself stuck to the bottom. It was as if she was a solid rock, and the water filled in around her. The water rose above her head, and she desperately tried to swim above it to no avail. As she grew tired and her lungs could barely hold her breath any longer, she began seeing visions again, now in the water. She saw herself smiling and happy, sitting again in the garden with Jamie. She frantically swam toward this vision as she started to feel herself go unconscious.

She awoke and sat up in a violent coughing fit, and panicked breathing.

"Hey hey hey, shhh. You're okay now. You're awake." Jamie reached out to her, speaking calmly trying to soothe her.

She breathed heavily as she scrambled to cling tightly to Jamie, slowly realizing she was in fact back to reality and free from the nightmare. He reached for the chalice again.

"Here, drink more of this. It'll help ease your mind." He smiled and handed her the wine.

Harper took the chalice slowly. Once her breathing had slowed a little, she chugged the remaining contents, wincing as she swallowed the alcohol. She released her grip on Jamie and swung her legs around off the side of the altar, placing the now empty chalice down next to her. Jamie pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and brought it to her forehead.

"Here, let me wipe this off for you... It's clean, I promise." He smiled before dragging it across her forehead to wipe the charcoal cross off.

"Jamie...Jamie it felt so real. I thought I was going to die. I thought I did die..." She said as he wiped the black residue off her forehead.

"But you made it out." Jamie said, tucking the cloth back in his pocket. "You've graduated, rather quickly." He chuckled.

"What do you mean? I thought you woke me up." Harper asked.

"You pulled yourself out. I'm not sure how you managed to, but you got out of that yourself. Anyone else would have needed to be woken up. But that was all you." He replied.

There was a moment of silence as Jamie started blowing out some candles. Harper turned to him.

"Jamie...why do I keep having visions of you and I in a garden?" She asked.

Jamie turned to her and smiled. "So you've seen it."

"What...what do you mean? Seen what?" Harped hopped down off the altar.

"Come, let's get you some rest. I think you've dealt with enough today and you need sleep. We'll save that for another time." He put his arm around her.

"Of course we will..." She huffed.

Jamie chuckled as they made their way up the stairs, through the bulkhead, and out into the night.

TAGS: @001-simp, @petersprincesss, @lunerbitch, @cinnamoncunt, @dark-academia-slut, @bleuatlas, @lma1986, @steamystrangerfics, @juliettesgotagun

FINALLY here is chapter 5 lol. sorry it's a little short. let me know if you’d like to be tagged! and LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE LIKING THIS PLEASE.

[asixnfr0g]

" 𝕸𝖞 𝕿𝖗𝖚𝖊 𝕷𝖔𝖛𝖊 "

My true love lurks

At the bottom of the ocean.

Encapsulated by his waves

Everytime I go under.

I see everything we are

And everything we could be

Veiled by the blue.

When I come back to the surface,

I'm faced with what I own:

Someone who's not him.

Seagulls cry out my name

Chanting profanities

And circle around me

Like vultures in your oasis.

The one who I am with

Suddenly disappears

And I am left alone

Once again

To fend for myself.

My true love lurks

At the bottom of the ocean,

But is too occupied to see

What's happening above shore.

He doesn't come for me.

He doesn't call for me.

He just lurks

At the bottom of the ocean,

Living in my sparkling blue-veiled fantasy

At the bottom of the ocean.

~ asixnfr0g

*inspired by the music video of "West Coast" by Lana Del Rey*

[noeffingbody]

Part 2: The Cage

But Daddy I Love Him - You can’t have a forbidden romance without the obstacle. In this case, it’s not a jealous husband or a scorned ex. It’s people in the cheap seats saying, “so did you hear…?” in between sets. For the first time, I think ever, has Taylor taken aim at people who are not haters, not casual listeners, but people who claim to intimately KNOW her, and also claim to know what’s best for her. I love the conceit of the song being that it’s sort of an evolved love story. The “daddy” isn’t some evil tyrant king mad on power, it’s the people who claim they have a very special connection with Taylor. People who claim they’ve made her, they grew up with her. They become stand-in parents who tragically can’t let her go. Despite it all, there’s a kind of joy and teenage rebellion to this song. It feels like a celebration of her personal freedom, part of the joy comes from doing exactly what she wants but also because there is a kind of satisfaction watching people who think they have control realize they actually…don’t.

Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me? - It’s no wonder Taylor released this in the middle of a gigantic tour where her every move is dissected, analyzed, characterized, judged. She has always played around with the idea of being torn apart, and accepted it as a natural hazard of her job—she has no way to control it so might as well resign herself. In this song, though, she is livid. It’s a howling rage running through the chorus of this song. What if I crash all of your parties and let me hear you say those things again to my face? Would you be scared? Would you dare to repeat yourselves? And who are you if not the people who came up with the hoops I have to jump through in the first place? Doesn’t that make me fearsome because I aced all those terrible tests you personally devised just for me? Again, this is a song aimed at a subject which seems to be people who claim to care deeply about her. They’re coming to watch the show, after all. But just know, she’s judging you as well, she’s going to come right back no matter how many times you try to hang her.

How Did It End? - Imagine a somber time in your life, maybe a death, maybe a loss of some kind...a serious situation where the mood is low and maybe you deserve some space and privacy. Instead, you have gossip-mongers circling this death like vultures in the sky, ready to descend on the body of whatever has died. In this song, the death is of a relationship. That's not the tragic part, though. The tragedy is that people must search for any scraps of meat and bones to pull apart and dissect. I do remember when the news of joever reached tumblr, and it became an almost joyous occasion. Inboxes were overflowing, discussion was at a fever pitch, and there was renewed interest in parsing Taylor's facial features for any hint of a stray tear. This isn't a call-out for any one specific person, I was also engaged in it. In hindsight, it was pretty nauseating that something so personal to her, could become such a wide-ranging topic of discussion. It does come with the territory of being such a huge celebrity, you provide entertainment via your public life. But whose humanity is really being lost in that process? Hers or ours?

I Can Do It With A Broken Heart - This is arguably the best "caged" song. It outlines the parameters of her job--be OKAY above all else. You could be dying, you could be depressed, you could be broken and alone, but you've got to slap a smile on your face and perform. Whether it's in front of a dining room with your extended family who can't fucking mind their own business, or a sold-out stadium tour filled with fans who celebrated your latest breakup, there is a particular art involved in being a woman and being so good at hiding your emotions that you've turned it into a career. Imagine Bree Van Decamp from Desperate Housewives sobbing her eyes out in the bathroom, only to emerge three minutes later without a hair out of place and a serene smile on her face holding the most beautifully arranged bouquet of flowers. It's jarring, it's weird, it's...a woman.

I Hate It Here - What if I lived in a different time? What if I had a different career? Would it be better? Nope, nope, and nope. At least, those are the answers this song gives us. It does seem a very modern, but simultaneously timeless, sensibility that has you trapped in a very very particular life. There's no deserting, there's no escaping, there's no relief. It's just day after day of being you. In your body. In your town. So what do you do? You escape into the recesses of your mind, of course. Anything is possible there, you've morphed into the stories of a million different people simultaneously. You are in the secret garden, you're in a lunar valley, you're happy, you're in love, you're safe and beyond reproach. And, most importantly, none of these other people have any part in it. They can't watch you, they can't hold you, they can't touch you.

Florida!!! - You can't talk about feeling trapped without also talking about escape. Apparently our narrator feels like her escape is Florida. It's swampy, it's low, it's barely tethered to reality. I can see the appeal. I do think the song speaks to a specific moment in time, when you don't just need a bender or a vacation, you need, like, extensive healing and unimpeded time to yourself. You need to not be hounded by your mistakes, and big neon signs flashing your name all the time. You don't need to be surrounded by your friends who are happily married with kids, OR friends who are living in their own personal neverland. You need escape from the times, the life you've led, the people you've known who just won't leave you alone. Who are coming to get you after every minor change in your life, so that there's nothing you can do which doesn't make you feel like a fucking criminal. To be so hunted, no wonder she wants to go to Florida of all places.

[wonder-teo]

Entry 2

Date: 4/24/2024 Approx. Time Frame: 8:50am-9:40am Days Since First Contact: 8 Locations Visited: 2 - Lemo Valley - Secret Inlet Creatures Sighted: - Finfin - Snuffy - Pogo Squirrel - Heartbird (With pictures!) - Finfin Jr./Finnina/??? (With pictures!)

Notes and sightings under cut. Notes I deemed important are in pink bold italics.

I decided to do an early Teo-watching session today. I so rarely have time in the morning for leisure activities, so I hardly see Finfin and the planet Teo during the morning hours. I was up early today, so I decided to seize the opportunity.

Lemo Valley - I decided to catch up with Finfin in Lemo Valley - Finfin was deep in the valley, harvesting Lemo fruit - Finfin ate a red Lemo fruit in midair. I believe it's a red Lemo every time he eats Lemo here, but I figure I'd specify just in case - Finfin sat on the left branch and sang a quick tune - Finfin flew over the valley in circles like a vulture. The Lemo bushes better watch out - Finfin sat in the valley near a bush and a song began playing, which Finfin soon began singing along to. Sounds a lot like the vocals in Wonder Teo! - Finfin's Happiness went down when I tried to play along to the song with the drum. lol - Finfin back at left branch and wagged his tail at me - Finfin yawned. Not a morning person? Still sleepy? - Finfin went back to the bush and sang Wonder Teo again. Encore performance! - Finfin left, but that's okay. That just means it's jamming time! - At first, 3 plants joined in: Peach Rain Blossom, Pong Plant, and Cup Tree, alongside the regular Taiko - Quickly, the 3 plants grew bored of my lackluster drumming, but as soon as they did, Snuffy joined in! - It was just Taiko and Snuffy both trying to get me on-beat (I assume) and me not quite getting it exactly correct for everything to come alive - Snuffy left, and at that point, I decided to stop wasting Taiko's time - Pogo Squirrel sighting. At least I have one fan of my music

Secret Inlet - I decided to switch over to Secret Inlet to take some pictures - Snapped the whole scene before anyone showed up. Note the Mid-April flora! Seems to be just the Perna Lotus Flower

[The Perna Lotus Flowers are the pink flowers growing alongside the river] - Wait, the Perna Lotus Flowers... disappeared? Did the game decide that it's no longer Mid-April at ~9:29am? This is likely a glitch, but I'm unsure

[As seen above, the Perna Lotus Flowers have disappeared from the scene] - Heartbird sighting + pics! I took several, so I'll just include the two best ones and post the batch separately

[To me, when Heartbirds are flying and viewed from the back, they look like a heart with wings] - A dolphin-bird that isn't Finfin stuck their head out of the water and sighed

[The dolphin-bird can be seen in the water near the bottom of the screen. Has it been confirmed if this is Finnina, Finfin Jr., or someone else?] - I was still curious about the disappearing lotuses, so I left the inlet and returned. Still gone! What??? - I needed to start getting ready for the day, so I concluded my Teo-watching there

[needcake]

Part 2 of my collab with @rosesandalfazemas​ ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

Engport | PG13 | 700

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Alentejo, 1762

He felt his stomach churn in protest with every one of his hobbling steps, bile rising on the back of his throat, his stomach filled with the last of the cheap army alcohol he had brought with him from the old country. The sun burned above him and he wanted to throw up. He said so to Portugal, but all he got from him was a gruff, “Don’t you fucking dare,” thrown over his shoulder as Portugal continued to hobble up a cliff through the thorny cliffside bushes, carrying England half-thrown over his shoulder and using his musket as a cane.

A bird cried loudly above them and England looked up, squinting his eyes. From the distance it looked like a vulture. Just their luck. “Hide me in a bush and put a bullet in my head, Port,” he told him, getting a grunt in answer. “You can barely walk.”

“I’m fine,” Portugal grumbled, but England could see the sweat running down his neck into the collar of his tattered uniform, the strain on his face as he forced his body up, up, up that hill, carrying twice his weight on barely-healed bones.

“You haven’t been fine since the quake.”

Portugal shook his head, eyes pressed tightly shut. When he opened them again, England saw the raw determination in them, a hidden power in him, a desperate, foolish, stubborn resolve. He hauled more of England’s weight over his shoulder and he could barely feel the ground under his feet for the last couple of meters up, his eyes lost in the clouds above, the vulture flying in circles over their heads.

Seven years ago he had sat by Portugal’s bed in a convent turned-infirmary, every inch of his body wrapped in bandages save for one of his eyes, blood-shot and bruised. Put a pillow over my head and let me sleep, he had begged him one night, but England had shaken his head, twisting his hands anxiously together. What if he didn’t wake up again, he had thought to himself at the time. They heard voices below in the valley and Portugal hurried to set him down as gently as he could, but it still hurt. His cracked skull spinning and eyes lost behind his head, bile rising up his throat again. Distantly, as if coming from another plane of existence, he heard him shuffling not too far from him and blearily opened his eyes to glance at the shape of his body hidden under a bush, belly down on the dirt and uniform ruined beyond repair, his musket in his hands as he took aim at the Spanish soldiers below.

Next year it would be seven years since this war against France started. Their problems spilling over the seas and reaching colonies, reaching Portugal. He had come when he heard they had put a gun in his hands the moment he had left the hospital. A lot of good men had been lost in that fateful All Saint’s Day, surely the Admiral wouldn’t mind serving his country once more.

“When this is over, I’m going to make love to you,” he told him in a slurred whisper, and Portugal huffed. He pulled the trigger and the smell of exploding powder finally tipped him over, burning bile spewing from his lips and nostrils down his bloodied, dirty front. The screaming coming from the valley below was giving him a headache.

“I’m holding you to that promise,” Portugal smiled over at him, and England snorted, coughing. He heard him stuff another bullet down the barrel of his musket. Another shot and the screaming stopped.

He opened his eyes again and saw the harsh sun hallowing Portugal’s dirty face, a sweaty handkerchief dabbing gently against his foul lips.

“Did you save a bullet for me?” he asked, and Portugal scoffed.

“No.”

“Why not?”

Portugal looked at him. Only one eye visible against the glare of the sun. What if you don’t wake up, it seemed to ask, and England nodded weakly, swallowing down his protests when Portugal hauled him up again, pretending not to see the pained grimace in his face and his white knuckles gripping his musket.

Above them the sun was still burning too hot. He glared weakly at it, and dared it to strike them down.

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Historical notes: This story takes place during the Seven Years War, more specifically the Fantastic War fought between Portugal and Spain within that wider context. Portugal was still under reconstruction from the devastating effects of the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake when the Spanish invaded, prompting the British to send a contingent of men commanded by Count La Lippe to join the popular Portuguese militias in fighting off their neighbors.

Author’s notes: This is part 2 of our collab of historical fics and I hope everyone enjoys it as much as we did! 💗💗💗💗💗