#and cap knowing how she feels about him how she isn't gonna abandon him how she isn't ready to give up on him yet

[spaceratprodigy]

the tiny metronome in my brain aggressively ticking back and forth between wanting to make cap and max fluff or cap and max angst

[durrtydawg]

hey gorl! idk how cereal you were about headcanons, but can i request something domestic? like what the uncharted boys are like when they're at home and not treasure hunting for once? (can be as clean/dirty as you like hehe)

Hey lovely! Thanks for waiting for so long, and sorry if this isn't what you had in mind, but I've spewed some domestic Sam headcanons into my notes that I think about too often. A lot of them are very random, so if you want something more specific, please let me know 👹❤️

I started writing Nate, too, but honestly, if you want some good Nate hcs, you should ask @nathandrakeisabottom bc she's gonna have them done to a T.

[Masterlist]

Without further ado,

Domestic Sam Drake Headcanons...

Sam likes to rotate his 'at-home wardrobe' between two pairs of ill-fitting jeans, raglan shirts, the odd henley, and a fuck tonne of minimalistic graphic tees with references that he has no clue about. Boots are abandoned for trainers. (- sneakers, for those who are anglo-challenged)

If it's cold-cold, he adds his trusty sherpa-plaid shirt combo.

If it's hot-hot, he opts for his slutty vests and perhaps some track shorts if he's feeling... frisky.

And fucking baseball caps. He wears them lots, and he wears them well. I do NOT make the rules.

Whenever the weather is good, Sam is outside working on his bike. Whether he's cleaning it, fixing it up, or just revving it for the attention, he'll be out there in aforementioned slutty little vest, cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth, tinkering away because he can't sit still for long at all.

When the weather isn't good, he's miserable. As soon as Winter rolls around, he contracts at least one cold a month, and whilst he gets surprisingly over dramatic about it, he also refuses to take any meds for it. Stubborn man.

Untidy- but never unclean. Being stuck in that grotty old prison for so long, it's clear that Sam wants nothing to remind him of his disgusting cell. He always cleans up after himself in terms of dirt and grime, BUT he's also become a bit of a hoarder, which also makes wherever he lives constantly untidy. Books, ugly little ornaments, and also clothes that he buys and never wears are scattered all over the place.

The idea of owning his own stuff remains seemingly overwhelming; he grows attached to whatever he gets his hands on because he's lived for so long without things of his own.

Continuing down the cleanliness route, Sam takes the longest showers you could imagine. The warmth? The privacy? They'll forever be luxuries to him that he wants to take complete advantage of.

Uses some sort of 250 in 1 body wash/shampoo/car brake fluid concoction, and is in complete refusal of the fact that he needs anything else... though once or twice his intrigue and thieving nature have gotten the better of him, and he's left the bathroom with an oddly feminine aroma that's dangerously similar to the scent of whatever it is his partner's using. Not that he'd ever use a girl's body wash.

Sam whistles around the house. A lot. Also sings quietly to himself throughout the day. He keeps it hushed, mostly, but for some reason, he thinks the shower is soundproof. Lucky for any cohabitors, he's got a pretty good set of pipes on him, and it's actually really sweet. ('We Didn't Start the Fire' by Billy Joel is one of his go-to's. He definitely brags about his ability to remember all of the words.)

He's a dab hand in the kitchen. Well. Sometimes. Sam's got a selection of about three dishes that he makes to Michelin star standard. Other than that he's fucking useless, which can be frustrating since he eats like an animal. Guys of his stature need fuel!

Many times has a frozen lasagna or a teaspoon that's been absentmindedly left in the microwave ended up almost burning the house down. Though, his mind is always in about six places at once, so you can't really blame the poor guy.

But those that he's good at? He's really good at. It's not often that he can be found in the kitchen with a tea towel strewn over his shoulder, four different pots and pans bubbling away on the stove, whilst he bops his head along to a crackly radio station, but when he is? You know you're in for a treat.

He can't scramble eggs for shit (he does it in the microwave and insists it tastes fine💀 it does not.) but can poach 'em good. Expect eggs benedict in the morning, or banana pancakes if you've got a sweet tooth. Not the type to eat brekkie? You are now.

Speaking of breakfast in bed:

Morning 👏 sex. Like... more than any other time of day. Sam wakes up with insane levels of energy in the morning, and the first two hours of his day are more productive than the other twenty-two combined. So if he's not out for a morning jog (eugh.) or busy finding out what recipe he wants to try out for breakfast, he's got it in you. End of. Perhaps you used to grumble about the time... but he's got a thing for your early-am laziness, and you've probably woken up with his head between your thighs more times than you can count. I suppose that feeds in to the somnoph1lia he's most definitely privy to.

That, of course, is not to say that he's exclusively into morning sex.

Is verrrry cuddly with partners when they're visiting or living together. Sam craves touch, so even if it's not a super committed relationship, lingering shoulder squeezes, resting his chin on your head whilst his arms are wrapped around your middle, and gentle strokes to the small of the back are staples- half the time he doesn't even realise he's doing them.

Overall, he’s one handsy bastard, and at his cockiest will take any opportunity he can to smack, squeeze, and even bite your ass if it's convenient enough, offering you nothing but a complacent grin when you try to snap at him. Best you save your moaning for the bedroom. He knows you love it.

Hear me out. He has a weird fascination with teleshopping channels. Not because he wants to buy any of it. Moreso because he enjoys criticising some of the ridiculous stuff they try to flog on there. With a mouthful of cereal, he'll be mocking whatever poor sod has a slot to sell their item, calling you to come and watch in hopes that you find it just as ludicrous as he does.

With TV in general, he has a very stereotypical 'dad' stance on it. Does the whole "what's this crap you're watching? Don't you wanna do something more productive with your day?", only to be glued to the screen within minutes, asking about characters and plot alike.

Unfortunately, this also includes Hallmark Christmas movies.

Sam loves loves LOVES 90's-00's british sitcoms (And no, that's not self-indulgent). I genuinely believe he would binge watch Father Ted and Peep Show happily, especially because he enjoys satire and absorbs the dry sense of humour like a happy sponge. He'd try to impress you with the accent too. Doesn't work.

Falls asleep on the sofa more than anywhere. Since he's often up at the crack of dawn, as soon as 5pm rolls around, he's yawning and 'resting his eyes'. That, and the fact that he finds it hard to get to sleep in bed unless he's totally fucked out. Something about being left alone with nothing but the view of the ceiling and his thoughts makes it difficult for him to switch off. Trauma, eh?

When he does sleep, though, he's precious. Definitely fidgets throughout the night, waking up all stiff because he's been in all sorts of weird positions. He doesn't snore... but he definitely mumbles in his sleep. And it's always nonsense.

Never plans a big groceries run. Sam's trips to the supermarket are solely made on an ad hoc basis, and every time he returns with something that definitely wasn't on the list, i.e. he'll go out to buy pasta but returns with a novelty kitchen timer shaped like a lemon, and a new wooden spoon because he doesn't like the turmeric stains on his current one.

Big porch dweller. Will idle away the hours smoking on his porch or balcony when he's exhausted all of his other options, and will draw little smiley faces on the railings with the burnt out end of the cigarette before throwing it away. Awh.

[barleyo]

Just What I Needed. (4.5)

(Mike Schmidt X F! Reader)

A/N: Hey, guys! Sorry for abandoning this series for a while lol. This chapter is, as you can see, one of the flashback chapters to the reader's childhood. Thanks for reading! (Warning: mentions of child abuse)

Chapters: 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5

(Y/N) sat at the small, tattered desk in the corner of her room. Her mother had sent her up there many a times, but it felt different then. Usually, she'd shrug it off. Families fought, and yelled, and that was normal, but her mother's recent outbursts were enough to make anyone a bit hateful. So, she stayed in her room. From the previous night, until the next evening, just waiting and silently cursing her mother.

The crayon in her hand struggled under the pressure of her grip. She was trying her best to color evenly, but the pure anger coursing through her small body made that difficult. 

"Hey, can I come in?"

She dropped her crayon quickly, recognizing the voice immediately. It had been a few days since she had seen her father. It wasn't uncommon for him to spend days in his office at work, or in the strange back room, tinkering. She had missed him dearly through his absence, especially with the rising tensions between her and her mother.

Instead of a true verbal answer, she gave a 'mhm,' and continued to stare at her desk. She had a feeling her mother twisted the story a bit to him, and she worried he would be just as angry with her.

Her father, William, cracked open the door and stepped in to the crammed room. He took a brief look around, noting the chipped paint and scattered toys over the floor.

"I heard what happened," he said softly, taking a seat behind her on the unmade bed. 

"So? What, are you gonna yell at me too?" 

She winced at her own bratty behavior. She knew it wasn't right to lash out at her father, he wasn't the one who had hurt her feelings so badly. Right then, however, he was the only one there for her, the only one she felt safe expressing herself to in that moment.

"You know me better than that," William said plainly, fidgeting with the cap of the beer he snagged on the way to her room. 

For a while, neither of them spoke. (Y/N) tried to pick back up on her drawing, but there was a sinking feeling in her chest that wouldn't let her. 

"What're y'working on?"

She picked the paper up and looked at it for a moment before answering. "A drawing."

"Can I see it? Come," he patted the space beside him on the bed, "sit here with me."

The chair scuffed the floor and made a long, drawn out screech when she stood up. She joined him and handed the paper over, looking a bit ashamed of what she had done.

William, giving the paper a quick scan, saw only two figures. It was obviously the two of them, and even their house was in the back, but not the rest of the family. Her mother and brothers were missing from the drawing.

"Where's Evan and Michael? And your mom?" 

"Why does it matter?" (Y/N) asked, biting the inside of her cheek.

"Isn't it supposed to be a family portrait?" He handed the paper back to her an leaned back a bit, waiting to hear her explanation. 

"I didn't feel like drawing them. They aren't nice to me. Why don't they treat me like you do? Why do they all gang up on me when you're gone?"

"What do you mean?"

He knew how things were when he was gone. Of course he knew. She was an easy target for the dysfunctional people in her life to get, there was no doubt about that.

"When you leave for work, Michael is never nice to me. He never wants to play with me, he pushes me away. He treats me like I'm stupid. So does mom, but it hurts more from her, and she pushed me too. Not even Evan is that nice to me, he's always trying to get away from all of us."

She tried to bite back the tears forming at her waterline. She had done enough crying in the last days to last a lifetime. 

"Yeah?" William had almost nothing else to say. It didn't surprise him, and he really had nothing else he could do to make her feel better besides just being there.

"Yeah." 

"Mom said she grabbed you hard last night. That the bruise?" He asked, pointing his ring finger at the purple mark on her arm.

"I dunno why she did it, she's just always tired of me."

He pressed his bottle of beer on her bruise, hoping the coldness would soothe it a bit. "Hold that on there for a bit, okay?"

She took the bottle from him and held it tight to her arm. It worked a bit. Definitely took some of the sting away.

She leaned her body onto his and felt his arm wrap around her shoulder.

"Dad?" She waited for him to acknowledge her, continuing to speak when he looked down at her. "Can I tell you something? Just promise you won't tell mom?"

"Sure, kid. What is it?"

"Sometimes it feels like you're the only one who loves me. Not mom or Michael or Evan, but just you."

William was tied between 'that's not true,' and 'don't say that,' but he knew that, for the most part, she was right. There wasn't much love in the house, but most genuine of it was between them.

"Well--" he mumbled, slurring over his words while he tried to decide what to say in response. "I do love you."

He quickly stood up and held his hand out to get the bottle back. Leaning down, he gave the girl a peck on her forehead, and turned to leave. He held the doorframe for a second before he left.

"Night, kid. See you tomorrow."

[silentmoths]

Moths very big ultra long thoughts on part III of the archon quest (with pictures!)

Ho...hoo boy that was a lot, we finally got nahida out her damn bedroom and I have things to say.

All of it below the cut so no spoilers for those who dont want em. I will begin with one picture above the cut because HELLO SAILOR

With that note: I dont know how to feel about the majority of the plan being revealed to us as the quest progressed, I get it's a lot of dialouge to put at the beginning but personally I found it frustrating.

The whole alhaithem being a double traitor tho? Liked that, seems very on brand. and it also means we get treated to this lovely shot of haithem bent over a table presenting ass as he should

Everything w nilou's scene happened so fast, but ye olde switcheroo? smart idea.

I, personally, am not a cyno kisser, but I have an OC that I have that does, in fact, kiss him, hello sir what them claws do but also hell yeah protect our girl please and thank.

SPEAKING OF THE GIRL

THERE SHE IS, TOOTS ON THE FLOOR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 500 FUCKING YEARS.

honestly the fact that rukkhadevata had initially made the barrier in the sancturary so she could meditate in peace, only to have it reverse engineered so the sages could use it to keep Nahida in as opposed to keeping outside forces out?

I've hated the fucking sages since the start I've never been fond of overly snooty academic types like chill the fuck out and touch some grass you pompus dicks.

honestly as you should girl. cut their fucking dicks off.

Hoyo I am begging you to make this a pet

look, before all this, i was NOT fond of scaramouche, to me he was a dinky little twink boy with mommy issues, but then after seeing the parts of his past from part II, yeah ok my heart hurts for him, boy's got abandonment issues and while we didn't see anything about this anemo vision he gets, Im hoping hoyo isn't gonna just yoink it out like rabbit out of a hat.

Helluva boss stolas goetia is that you

Honestly fuck this thing, I have no idea how to fight it, i spent the entire time floundering, zhongli is the only reason I live and breathe thank you for my life geo daddy.

PUT. MY CHILD. DOWN.

NO NOT LIKE THAT-

HELL YEAH SUCK MY ASS IM THE SAGE NOW.

Ok no cap this scene was hard to watch, he's so desperate, clung so tightly to this gnosis and him being a god that to have it ripped away is honestly very painful to watch, you see that vunerability for a brief moment, the actual Kuni that's still in there somewhere and its so sad. I didn't get a shot of him falling from the robot but it's clear losing this gnosis and ripping himself from the machine was not good for him and im having an emotion about it.

somehow...yeah the giant boat isnt even a fucking shock

Im glad we got some closure but also can nahida and rukkhadevata do the creepy twins thing and cause some chaos please and thank you

When the words 'world forget me' started coming into play, i was afraid of this.

BRO

I remember when the teaser came out and everyone was ready to throw hands at whoever made Nahida cry

CANT PUNCH EM ANYMORE, FUCKOS.

I HAVE REACHED POST POINT AND WILL NEED TO MAKE A PART TWO

[queenoftheworldisdead]

Help wanted

Summery: Boarding house with the occasional unwanted tenant.

Note: I don’t think Arvin is dark in this, but it might be for other people.

Warning: non-con/dub con, dark theme, choking, slight spanking, cream pie

Grey Arvin Russell x Reader; Dark Lee Bodecker x Reader

🛎

The bell rung on the door of your boarding house. Drying your hands with a dish rag you got yourself ready to meet whoever it was coming through the door. When you crossed through the archway you were shocked still.

He had a duffel bag slung over his shoulder, his clothes looked all greased up, the hat that hid a thick tuft of hair peaked out looked like it had seen better days.

His type weren't known for being on this side of town so you figured he was either new to town or looking for someone.

You welcomed him with a soft smile and gave your name.

"How can I help you today sir?"

"Hello Ma'am." He said politely, tipping his hat slightly at you. His thick country twang confirming the former. "I saw the help wanted sign out side. Y'all still hiring?"

"Um..Y-yeah... I need a handy man, job includes free room, and board, but I won't just hire anybody though. There is a washer in the basement, if you fix one of them the jobs yours."

🛎

Waddling to the basement with your Daddy's old toolbox, the heavy rusty thing knocked at your knees each step. He jogged over to you, taking the kit from your grasp and you thank him for it.

"The left one broke down a month ago and the other I'm guessing couldn't handle the over use. Dryers work just fine though."

Before he could reply you heard the door bell ring again. You excused yourself and left him to work.

"I'm coming, just a minute!" You shout down the hall as you hurried.

🛎

"Sorry it took so long."

"Saul right Ma'am" he said rising from the floor. You watched from the door as he twisted a dial. The hum of the machine filled the growing awkward silence.

"Well aren't you something! I guess that means your hired."

He lifted his hat to smooth back stray strands of hair, his shy smile hid as he looked down to the floor.

🛎

"Your room's on the third floor. Has a bed and a little sitting place. It's really small just enough room to lay your head really." The sound of foot-steps coming down the stairs halted you. Your eyes watch their back disappear into the night, until he cleared his throat bringing your attention back.

"That'll do just fine Ma'am." Something about his southern accent made your heart flutter. He picked up his duffel, throwing the strap over his shoulder as you dug out your ledger.

"Just down there is the supper table. I cook breakfast and dinner. You can eat in your room if you like, a lot of them do."  You explained as you watch him sign the book. Arvin Russell it read.

He adjusted his strap as you talked, his deep brown eyes made it hard for you to keep his gaze, making you fidget nervously in place. "Most folks are gone during the day so I don't make lunch, but if you like no problem just give me a holler. Bath rooms are at the end of each hall."

Digging in your desk you find the master keys and a list of things that needed to be fixed. His fingers grazed yours lightly in the transfer, Arvin's touch sent a ripple of heat up to your face. He flipped through the wrinkled papers, scanning over the chores with a wrinkled brow.

"S-sorry to put so much on you, but when my daddy got sick things got out of hand and I never been one for fixing things."

"No problem Ma'am."

🛎

During the day you kept busy. Scrubbing windows and mopping the halls of each floor. Arvin crossed paths with you on occasion. Gently brushing past you with his tools as he headed to his next assignment.

The door to Odis', one of the tents, room was left wide open when you walked by. Curious you glanced in, catching sight of Arvin lifting his shirt. Your legs stop moving as you watched him wipe away beads of sweat from his brow with the hem. You couldn't stop yourself from ogling his well toned exposed stomach.

The clanking of the dust pan hitting the floor caught his attention. Your face burn with embarrassment when he found you standing outside the room. Panicked you quickly picked up the pan and rushed off to the ground floor.

🛎

You heard Arvin call your name. "Yeah?" You replied weakly still embarrassed.

*Relax he isn't thinking about you. Probably just thinks your a clumsy dits.

He came halfway down the stairs, looking down at you from the banister. "You got a minute? I need a little help" he asked politely.

"Oh sure... Uh sure" you reply looking up at him. Arvin abandoned his cap, his dark hair sticking to his forehead, curling from sweat. More sweat pooled on his shirt, the dampness helped stick the fabric to his lean figure.

Following him up the stairs he led you to a room on the third floor. In the corner of the room there was a large metal pipe leaning against the wall.

You watched as Arvin lifted the heavy pipe, angling it vertically in position.

"Can you hold this?" he called over his shoulder.

Walking over you grabbed it and Arvin moved to get behind you. He took your hands and placed them along the pipe as you steadied yourself to hold it still while it slightly wobbled.

"OK hold still just like that." He bent over beside you, digging into the tool box that rested on the floor. When he rose, Arvin stayed close behind you. You could feel the heat coming off him, he smelled like sweat and after shave. Your hands felt sweaty as you felt rattled a bit by his closeness.

The pipe shifted a bit, you tried nudging it slightly, but couldn't get it back in place.

"Stay steady" his breath tickled your ear, you gasped making him chuckle lightly. "Just like that" he moved the pipe back into place, pushing into your butt when he stepped closer. "Just hold right... here." He placed a hand on your hip and you tensed. His fingers lightly squeezed your softness. You had to fight hard to bring your mind out of the gutter, he just needed your help, nothing more, the spot between your thighs thought otherwise.

With his arms raised above you, Arvin tightened the nuts to secure the metal tube. You swallowed thickly when you heard him grunt as he forced the wrench to move. Looking over to your right you spied his exposed arms. His muscle flexing as he moved.

"Almost done" he said to you, pushing you almost flush to the steel, bumping you gently with each twist of the wrench. You only nod, unable to conjure words to speak properly. Through the cheap fabric of your dress you felt something hard poke at you through his jeans.

*Stomp it now get your mind out of the gutter.

You don't know what had gotten into you lately. First staring at him like a creeper now thinking about his manhood. Maybe its about time you started going back to church you thought to yourself. Cause right now it felt like the devil was leading you to temptation.

When Arvin stepped back you had to choke down a whimper from the loss of his feel. Pressing your lips together you prayed he aint hear you.

Tapping a hand on your shoulder you turn to look at him. "All done." He smiled at you, your hands release the pipe and you backed away.

"Thanks Ma'am."

"You're welcome Arvin" You smiled shyly then rushed off back to your desk.

🛎

No matter how hard your days were the nights were by far the worst. Lying in bed you felt the mattress dip. The fear of the impending figure behind you prickled your skin.

Your eyes squeezed tightly shut as you tried to force yourself to sleep. Holding your breath in a dumb attempt to force yourself to pass out. The blanket covering you pulled away and you felt water fall from your closed eyes.

🛎

Propping your head on your hands you leaned on your desk. Your eyes drooped as you zoned out, looking into space.

"You alright Ma'am?" Arvin startled you as he walked down the stairs.

"I couldn't sleep." You stand up and stretch, yawning a bit. He walked closer to your desk, dressed in his work pants shirt.

"Try some warm milk. Used to help me." He passed by your desk, walking down the hall with tool kit in had to the washers. The old machines acting up again since last time he fixed them.

"Oh Arvin" you shouted at him before he passed through the door. "Um.. can I add something to your list. No worries if you can't get it done today, but I would much appreciate it if you could."

Placing the box down by the laundry door he walked back over, digging the sheet from his back pocket. You grabbed a pen hopeful it was a task he wouldn't mind sorting right away.

"If you can't fix the lock today no problem. I will just go sleep in the attic." You spoke casually as he slipped you the paper to write on. He read over your assignment and you watched as his lips made a hard line.

"I locked myself out of my room, didn't want to wake you to get the spare, sorry. Now I done made more work for you" you laughed, but their was no humor in it. His features softened and you hoped he wouldn't press the issue.

Pushing the paper back to him, you bid him a due and turn to face away to pretend to make a call. When you heard him walk away you let out a breath.

🛎

Arvin was a saint among men. You don't know where he found the money, but he added a chain lock to your door. You smiled at the shiny gold. Sliding on the chain and the bottom lock you prepared for bed.

Laying in bed the thought of the extra lock helped sooth your nerve as you slipped into sleep.

You felt an uncomfortable lump at your back rousing you awake. Your eyes shot open and a hand covered your mouth before you could scream out.

"You think your smart, putting that chain on that door" the beer on his breath hit your nose. Your tears soaked his hand as he held you.

You shake your head 'no' repeatedly in reply. He was still dressed in his work clothes as he laid next to you. The sound of his belt jingling made the tears fall harder.

"I told your daddy I would look out for you. How am I gonna do that if you lock the door?"

Lee, a local cop, only came around when his wife was either on the mends or she just flat out kicked him out. Your father had offered the man a free bed whenever he needed. His way of thanking him for keeping the neighborhood safe.

Lee pushed up your night gown and tsked when he felt your panties. The hand on your mouth slipped down your neck and you blubbered out your apologizes. He hated panties, too much work he called it. "What I told you about these?" he grumbled, forcing the fabric down.

"I-i'm sorry I thought my monthlies were coming on." You sniffed. You tried hard not to cry, you just hopped he would squeeze hard enough to make you pass out.

You heard him spit in his hand, he bumped into your back as he lubed himself up. You yelped when he smacked your ass hard, the sudden sting of pain loosening your locked legs.

"Yea you said that last week. I aint forget girl." He shoved himself inside after he found your opening. "Fucking bitch. I run the house gawd damn it!" Lee was mad at his wife agin. What ever his spite with her, you were paying for it. "Not gonna tell me what to do. Fucking bitch." He growled, panting heavily as he pumped.

You jolted with each thrust, no matter how many times Lee did it, it never got easier.

"Please." You panted desperately. "Please don't come in me" you choked out, his hand tightening his grip around your throat. You had been lucky so far, but you knew it was only a matter of time before your luck ran out.

Lee didn't like back talk, this was his show and you were just here for the ride. Pushing you completely flat you grip the fabric of the sheets. Lifting your ass as he rose to his knees he fucked into you harder. You cried out unable to adjust to his lengthen. He chuckled darkly at your pain, slamming into you repeatedly with a punishing rhythm.

He cursed your name. Reminded you of your place as he came deep in you. His seed filling your cunt as you pressed your head into the mattress and cried.

He slipped out of the bed. His pants once again jingling as he fixed himself up and headed out the door.

🛎

It was that time of the month again.

Whenever he shouted he spit. It was disgusting. You had given him chance after chance, but he used them all. "I'm sorry Tommy if you don't have the rent by Thursday you are going to have to leave."

"Fuck you bitch you let that boy stay here rent free!"  He shouted. Trying to make sure tent knew.

"He works here. He earns he keep."

"Then let me earn mine? or give me another week." He barked. His tone more of a demand than a request.

Sighing you hung your head low. Rubbing your temple with one hand you hugged your stomach with the other. First of the month was the worst. Tents ducked and dodged. Begged and pleaded or straight up demand just to not pay rent.

"Next Friday Tommy... That's the last time you hear me." You try to sound strong, but you knew he didn't give a shit as long as he won. "If you aint got it then, then I'm changing the locks and putting your stuff on the street."

He slammed his door in your face and you turned on your heels headed to the next delinquent.

"You alright Ma'am?" Straight ahead, Arvin poked out from the bathroom. You had to fight yourself from looking down at his lower half. In your peripheral you could see he was just in a towel that hung around his waist.

His wet hair seemed to curl under the towel on his head. Strands sticking to his forehead, his face still damp from the shower.

"Umm yeah. Uh just rents due and folks get a little uppity around this time of the month." You dry chuckle turning your eyes up at the ceiling. Fighting yourself from venturing further.

You couldn't tell if it was the steam that came from the bathroom or you. Whenever he was close, your body would react. The heat would turn up making you sweat.

"Well alright then. You have a good night Ma'am."

🛎

*Bang Bang Bang

"Tommy!" You bang again. "Tommy! I will give you to the count of three. If you don't open this door and pay up. I am coming in and kicking you out!" You huffed tapping a foot.

"Ma'am?"

"Morning Arvin. Sorry did I wake you?"

"No was working down the hall."

"Tommy, skipped out on rent I think." Taking a deep breath you lifted your master key ring and unlocked the door. When you peered inside the room was a mess, no sign of Tommy.

Arvin followed you in side, with a hand on your hip you groaned. The amount of clean up you would have to do to ready it for a new tenant would take all day.

"Arvin can you change the lock on the door. I hate doing this, but I gotta kick him out"

"Sure thing ma'am"

As you turn to leave you over at Arvin who was still assessing the damage to the room. "Oh and can you possibly stay close. If he comes around I might need your help."

Arvin only nodded in response as you took your leave.

🛎

Tommy didn't come back that day or the next. Putting up a sign you thought that you could clean up the room a bit, before the weekend. With the storm you figured not to many people would be coming around anyway.

Taking up a few boxes you get to tossing. One box you would keep in the addict. Somethings were just to hard to throw away sometimes, but a good chunk would go.

Thunder bashed down filling the room with a blinding white light. You yelped loudly bringing the sound of feet rushing down your way.

"You alright Ma'am?" Arvin looked in the room worried.

"Sorry Arvin, it’s just the storm. Lightening makes me a bit skittish sorry." You apologize as you get back to clearing the room.

"Well I am finished with my list for today, would you mind if I trouble you for some company?"

"U-um sure" you tried to fight off the smile.

His lips curled as he walked in the room. The instant he crossed the door frame you heard shouting coming from down stairs. When the voice made itself more clear you frowned.

"Oh uh sorry.. I need to tend to that" you say softly. With your head low you walked past him.

🛎

Lee was wet and agitated. "Fucking bitch had the nerve to accuse me of drinking again." He spat while you sat waiting on the bed. "I aint touch a drop today" he said smugly.

You looked at your feet as he undressed in front of you. The sound of a siren blared loudly from out side, Lee turned and squinted at the sound. "Shit!" He stopped undressing and ran out.

Getting up from the bed you grabbed your robe and peered out the hall. The front door was open and Lee wasn't there. The rain still coming down hard, blew in through the open door so you walked bare foot to close it and see if he had really gone. His car was gone that was for sure and as you looked into the rain it seemed he had disappeared too. You exhaled in relief, backed away and closed the entrance.

"Ma'am?" Arvin called to you out of breath.

"Shit!" You gasped, turning to face him. Your heart bashed in your chest as you stared at him crazily. He was soaked to the bone. "Your gonna catch a cold walking around like that" you scolded tightening your robe.

"Do you have any clean towels?" You asked, but you turn back to look at the door. Hoping that Lee wouldn't suddenly comeback.

"I think so.. I know I need to do laundry, not too good at it so I've been holding it off."

"Well, I don't normally do this, but if you like I can mix yours with mine. I don't have enough clothes to justify using all that water anyway."you shrugged.

"I don't want to put you out" he stepped closer to you. "The way his clothes clung to him you had to try hard not to stare.

"N-no trouble. Um wait here I'll give you a towel just in case." You leave him and head back into your room. Digging in your cabinet for the towels. When you turned around again Arvin stood in your living room, looking around your meager abode. "I know it aint much, but at least I got my own bathroom" you chuckled.

When he stepped closer and you had to hold yourself together. Arvin dragged his teeth over his bottom lip while his eyes fell to the opening in your rope.

"S-sorry" your face felt on fire, embarrassed you looked down to your feet. You held out the towel and closed the robe with the other. Arvin’s hand lifted your chin and your eyes went wild.

His lips felt so soft. You just wanted to kiss them all day. Arvin's arms wrapped around your waist and you wanted to melt into him.

Arvin turned you around and backed you up until you both fell backwards onto the bed. Arvin rested comfortably between your thighs while his manhood pressed on your mound. You didn’t know if it were his jeans or your nature making you go wet, but either way you welcomed it.

You gasped when he sucked on your neck, kissing the spot after pulling off. Arvin ground his hips into you making the warmth between your legs soak with desperation.

Holding himself above you, you forced yourself to finally look back at him without shying away. He smirked down at you as he peeled off his top, the wet garment hit the floor hard. His muscles moved and tightened as he freed his shaft. Biting your bottom lips you hummed when he rubbed the tip hard against your slit then lining himself up. Arvin pressed his weight down as he pushed inside slowly. You moaned his name at his fullness. The bed frame squeaked as he rocked.

Kissing you again swallowing your moans, you wrap your legs around his back urging him deeper. Ever the gentleman he obliged.

🛎

*Bang Bang Bang

The furious jiggling and banging was most definitely Lee. You were surprised he hadn't popped the lock as usual, but it was only a matter of time before he got through.

Arvin must not have noticed so you slapped his chest. Pushing him off, but he wouldn't stop. Instead kissing you again as you tried to speak.

"Arvin please, that's Lee... he's.. cop" you spoke on his lips, but your words meant nothing.

Arvin's eye were darkened with lust. You tried to spin away, but he hooked your legs keeping you there, fucking you with his slow pace. He was splitting your mind in two. You wanted to cum so desperately, but your reason told you that Lee wouldn't take kindly to this.

Arvin continued to rock into you as Lee screamed at the door.  Your back arched when Arvin took your nipple in his mouth.

"That's it. That's my girl. Come for me." He mumbled over your nipple. Licking the areola and sucking it again, you came around him, squeezing his cock making him hum with approval.

The banging on your bedroom wall brought your high down fast. "I will shoot through this gawd damn wall if you don't let me in!" Lee threatened. You looked at Arvin with panic in your eye. Arvin kissed you gently again as Lee screamed on. You were terrified, you hoped you could explain Arvin's presence away as a maintenance emergency, but before you could properly forma a though he pulled up his pants as you fixed yourself. Arvin didn't stop or look back as you called out to him. Paying you no mind as he opened the door and walked out.

The sound in the hall was so loud you thought lightening had broke through the roof. You rushed out of your room and found Lee out cold, with a pool growing around his perimeter. You looked at Arvin, the young man unconcerned as he began dragging the cop into your room by his feet.

"Get a bucket and a mop" he commanded, the pistol tucked deep in his pants. Without a word you followed his orders.

🛎

[beautifulterriblequeen]

The Thief and the Tinker, Part 4: Circles and Cycles

part 3

Part 4

Viren: *smirks and plinks Runaan's coin to Ethari*

Ethari, furious: You throw another Moonshadow at me and I'm gonna lose it.

Circles and Cycles

Angst rating: 8/10

Back to Ethari, because we're not done with him yet. Ethari is soft, but he isn't weak. He won't be a willing pawn for Viren. He loves Runaan to the point of invention, and his devotion is more constant than the moon itself. He'll agree to do what Viren says, and he'll be Very Sad. But his spirit is in no way broken. Viren bribing him with the coins containing his family will only have the opposite effect. It'll give Ethari something to fight for.

We could get Focused Chaos Ethari. We could get Angery Trickster Ethari. We could get Rules, What Rules? Ethari. Let him try to steal the coins, try to break them, try to kill Viren, and be stymied at every turn, until he settles and seems cowed. And then all he does is craft his way out of the problem.

What if we are gifted with Iron Man Elf Ethari, who pretends to build a fake Key for Viren, but meanwhile he's really building a coinbuster with whatever he can get his hands on - primal stones, magically imbued gemstones, stolen artifacts, his own arcanum, his own reputation as the Master Craftsman of the Silvergrove. He'll use almost - almost - anything, to stop Viren and free his family.

Ethari may have to choose between those two things, though. And he's a hero, deep down, just like his family, just like his daughter. If he has to choose, he'll choose to stop Viren and save Xadia. He'll pay the same price as his family has if he must.

He'd let Viren think he was motivated purely by wanting his family back, but Ethari is far too steeped in the illusion and sacrifice for that to be all there is to his motives. It's a so-close-and-yet-so-far thing, how he and Viren almost embody the same ideals. Almost. Ethari would take one look at Viren, who just burnt down his whole Forest, he'd see the biggest threat in Xadia, and he'd say anything to get a chance to stop this juggernaut of destruction from getting his hands on whatever that ultimate power really is, locked behind that missing key. If he has to abandon his people and bawl his eyes out to convince Viren he's in, then he will.

And Viren wouldn't make it easy for him. He knows clever when he sees it. He went through all this trouble to persuade Ethari to work with him. He would need to keep Ethari as off-balance as possible to ensure that he keeps working as he should.

Angsty jewelry, anyone?

Viren giving Ethari his husband in pendant form to remind him what he's working for, when Viren and Ethari both know full well that only dark magic can open the hellcoins. Ethari wearing another pendant of his love, except it's not a metaphor this time. It's literally his love, in a coin around his neck.

Viren would love making Ethari stay close to him of his own free will if he ever hoped to free Runaan. Making people bind themselves to you is a big power flex. Remember that TDP stream future-season teaser note about Bait being in a creepy restraint in a future season?

This card is written on in all-caps, so that really could be "Bait" or "bait," or--knowing this show--both. Viren's been using Runaan as bait for Ethari all along. Putting his coin in a dark magic pendant casing for Ethari to wear would be a great parallel for that. Oh god. Oh man.

Maybe he'll stab the coin's scary casing right through that circle on Ethari's chest, right over his heart, make that Iron Man reference really obvious. Ethari also losing his shirt at some point, for angsty Viren-related reasons? It's more likely than you think. I mean... Ethari is literally involved in both forms of forging at this point. Shirt's gotta come off for uhhhh work reasons. And because he's hot. Because of all the forging. Mmhmm. I mean how else are we finally going to discover what his markings look like this is research I swear

I mentioned that I liked god-tier villains, right? Yeah, this is amazing. I haven't wanted to die and ascend over an idea for quite a while, but Ethari vs Viren in a drawn-out battle of wills would kill me in the best way. Especially since, while it looks like they're essentially fighting for who gets Runaan, they're truly fighting a much larger battle with much higher stakes. They're fighting for the future itself. It's an epic struggle between the Narrative of Strength and the Narrative of Love. And we've seen what happens, over and over, when the Narrative of Strength gets to call the shots.

On a meta note: If Ruthari's story arc isn't a love letter from one trauma survivor to another, and on a broader scope to all survivors who see it, I don't know what is. Sometimes life just chews us up and spits us out and we can't stop it and it breaks us. But sometimes we can reach out and grasp the chance to help each other, even after that, even when it hurts a lot, because we know what it means to be loved, and to love, and to want a safer future for each other and for people we'll never meet. The future is worth standing together for, helping each other back up for, fighting side by side for, even if you can't see how it'll end, or even how to begin. We are stronger together, and sometimes we need to fight for our "together" before we can fight for anything else. And that's worth it, every time.

This is glorious, it's beautiful, it's tragic, it's amazing, it makes me want to dance, it makes me want to scream into the void, it makes me want to slap someone with a semi truck. No, someone specific, don't worry, and he super deserves it.

Because Ethari is going to win. He was always going to win. He's soft, and he's clever, and he hasn't forgotten what love means. It's what he's fighting for. Not power, not control. Love. He doesn't want to dictate Runaan's future or anyone else's. He just wants his husband--and everyone else--to have one at all.

So he's going to win.

What thwarting Viren looks like, I couldn't possibly guess. TDP is no stranger to angst, so there will probably be a high cost involved in outwitting the dark mage. Maybe not everyone can be rescued from the coins. Maybe Ethari will lose his life, or his soul, or his vision, or something else really angsty. Viren could even kill him and resurrect him as a smoky craftsman, or a zombie craftsman, or something equally biddable but horrible. The only thing I'm sure of is that Ethari would never willingly make a working Key of Aaravos Ethari as long as there's a chance Viren could possess it. But I do believe that if he gets the right opportunity while he's busy saving the world from Viren's dark intentions, he'll break his husband's hellcoin open somehow and set him free, even if he has to smile at the devil to do it.

Ethari understands the difference between "you can" and "therefore you should." He might sacrifice his own world to save his husband, but he'd never sacrifice someone else's world. That's one of the Moonshadow cultural limits I've noticed: they accept boundaries when it comes to other people's autonomous rights, especially regarding life and death.

These limits could get pushed. Ethari will be under great duress and emotional strain if he goes through this kind of interaction with Viren. And maybe he will choose some dark things. Everyone else has. But I'm placing all my eggs in the basket labeled "Saved By Love." Either I'm right, or I'll get the best angst omelets in the universe. And I do love omelets. A villain invented them, you know. ;)

Another support for Ethari not making the key for Viren: the real Key exists!

Callum has it right now. The plot doesn't need Ethari's key (yet? ever?), but it does need Ethari to learn what he's made of, to stand up for something, or against something, or both at once. And once he learns what he will and won't do and the universe has rewarded his discovery with the return of his beloved husband then Ethari will be ready to take on whatever else the plot has in mind for him.

Depending on the plan, all of these events could happen in S4, as a setup for even bigger things to follow. Viren's wishes can be thwarted here and the show's overall tension will only continue to rise. It would let Ethari flex yes pls his skills so we know who he is, it would show how driven Viren can be for a long-term goal, it would let Claudia saunter further downwards, it would reveal some human/Moonshadow history, and it would resolve the seasons-long tension regarding Runaan's fate, allowing for the cycle of speculation, feels, angst, and Ruthari fanart to begin again. ;) Viren would need to find another way to pursue his long-term goal. And Callum's Key will get a little more clarity on just how important it is to the fate of the world - which will make everything he does, and everyone he talks to, and anyone who knows what he's carrying, intensely important.

Nyx is gonna steal it isn't she, omg chaos birb

To Viren, Ethari was a main course, meant to be devoured and consumed in his lifelong quest for something that will finally satisfy. But to Ethari, Viren was just empty calories to be passed over in favor of ordering his perennial favorite dish, one more time.

Once Ethari escapes Viren's clutches with as much of his family as he can rescue, Viren may turn back to looking for the real Key, especially if someone's seen it recently. Hunting a kid probably seems easier than hunting a full-grown Moonshadow craftsman who just outsmarted him. okay so maybe Nyx stealing it would be a good thing and save Callum's life

Ethari could go on to help repair the Sunforge, or rebuild the Moonhenge, or work on constructing Moonshadow villages in Katolis if he hasn't been ghosted for abandoning everyone after the forest fire. He might build magical devices for any number of reasons, to help all kinds of characters. Hopefully, wherever he goes, he'll have Runaan with him, in some way, for at least a little while. Cycles be like, and I feel like Runaan will not want to remain still for long, for whatever reason. Does he need revenge, atonement, justice, a new body, to find Rayla, to find Ezran? He'll be back in action as soon as he can, I think.

Okay, but, I'm so soft at the thought of a scene where Runaan and Ethari come before King Ezran. The husbands tried to save their people Runaan's way, the old way, and it only continued to endanger them. Following the cycle, as Moonshadows do, was the wrong move. But the son of the last human Runaan killed reached out with mercy and broke a thousand years of suffering and sorrow and hatred. Ezran did what Runaan couldn't: he saved the Moonshadow elves from total destruction. And that, more than anything else in the world, could soften one very broody assassin's heart toward humans again.

What would Runaan do, if his heart truly changed toward humans? What would he say to Ezran? I could see him struggling for a long moment before dropping to one knee to pledge his heart as he once had to do before the Dragon Throne. He doesn't know any other way but to serve. Ezran, reading the whole room and everyone's feelings before he tells Runaan that No, we don't do that here. That he's free, and free means free. No chains, no oaths. Just trust and friendship. He should get to make his own decisions for a change, even though that can be hard and scary sometimes. Runaan being genuinely scared, because that's too much freedom. But he's not alone. He has Ethari, and Ezran, and Rayla, and Callum, and their people, and their allies. And no matter what else happens, the people of Katolis - elven and human - will find a way forward. Together.

part 5

[hiimsociallyawkward]

the darkest hour pt 2

i'm back with my bs. this is for my bestie @lady-ofmagic-andstars. basically, all of my dumb thoughts while i watched 'darkest hour pt 2', 04.02 of merlin. in case you weren't aware.. ✨spoilers✨

right off the bat i'm sad

ok when i first watched this i was really confused. i mean, you see others when they interact with the dorocha have that perpetual frost on their face right? all of them, every single one. so imagine my surprise when merlin has no frost on his face, and he's miserable yea- but he's not dead??

like tbh, watching this again, ik why but when i first watched this, i was SO confused.

arthur looks so worried slkdjfalskfsd

him being willing to abandon the mission to get merlin back to camelot to be treated 😔🤪😎🤤🤩 lots of emotions

LANCELOT. of course it's lancelot. santiago is perfect. actually.

merlin looks so SICKLY. it physically pains me to see him like that

okok hahaa. the scene where percival is carrying merlin. i have several notes on that.

1) ik it's supposed to be all 'noble' looking. yk? them walking in slow mo, percival carrying merlin like he's been slained in battle. knights looking knightly

ALL I CAN FOCUS ON IS THE LACK OF PROPER NECK SUPPORT FOR MERLIN. PLS TELL ME I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE.

like pls

second note, idk why this remind me of hagrid carrying harry back

idk maybe that's just me but it feels oddly reminiscent

colin is SO pale my heart is actually hurting for him what the heck

asf;lsdjfa;lsdfj 'take me with you' stop.

dude they ACTUALLY care about each other. i just love them. arthur is so worried rn and while i'm like 'alsjfalsdj i don't want arthur to be sad and worried' we can see just how MUCH arthur cares about merlin.

like yea, we KNOW that they care about each other. but arthur is the prince and merlin's a servant so arthur can't have friends, but they're friends, and they care, and it makes me happy

ok it's sad and everything that merlin's basically dying but is it bad of me that i chuckle at merlin SLUMPED over on his horse?? probably.

but i mean, merlin is already raising himself up so he can sit more comfortably on the horse. ik that doesn't mean that he's in the clear yet, but he's doing a LOT better than the other people who ran into the dorocha. idk where i'm going with this

to quote the destiny and chicken podcast (who i love btw, if you want an awesome merlin podcast, check them out), they stay on arthur's face for SO long after merlin and lancelot leave.

i feel EVERYTHING that arthur is feeling in this moment. he's so pretty

there's another beautiful landscape. i'm not even sorry i'm gonna attach them ALL.

tell me that's not gorgeous

LMAO WHAT IS GWAINE DOING IN THAT TREE.

gwaine is the EMBODIMENT of 'boys will be boys' when he sticks his hand into that tree and gets swarmed by bees.

he's adorable and i love him

ok but also, someone tell me why capes are so hot. someone TELL me.

separate from the episode but on the note of capes being hot, i want a cloak SO BADLY. like the whole gist. floor length, big hooded cloak. why?? it's not like i'm sneaking anywhere but still. ✨cloak✨

ok the line where leon goes 'if anyone can get merlin back to camelot, it's lancelot' and arthur's face?? idk what to make of it. someone help me pls.

ok actually this probably isn't the best reaction shot but someone please help

the only thing i can think of is that arthur momentarily forgot and was reminded that merlin was in danger bc of him?

another thought is that he thinks he should take merlin back instead of lancelot?

ik for a fact you guys are better at analysising this stuff than i am so pls, thoughts?

i love lancelot so much. first time i watched this, i was CRUSHED

him carrying merlin to the lake(?) pond(?) area and then covering him with his cape? i love it

ok idk why but i love the idea of merlin instinctively going towards the water

it makes me think back to how he's made of magic and basically everywhere, espeically nature, has magic and instinctively- he wants to connect with nature as much as he can so his body just puts his hand in the water

a dumber thought i had, his hand is ✨sparkly✨in the water HAHAH

omg when the water called lancelot i deadass thought it was freya. i'm actually dumb i have WATCHED this before and i STILL thought it was freya

'a future that has been written since the dawn of time' makes me so proud but also so sad at the same time

it's like, yes, merlin is going to 'save the world' but it's like he's there just to do that. anyways, i just want him to be happy

MORE SPARKLY

these water spirts are op but also MORE SPARKLY. hehe i thin kthat's so funny

also, i'm literally only like 7 mins in. buckle yourself in

l;askdjflskdjf arthur going into the tunnels with the wilderons?? i miss merlin ouch. AND THE GAJA BERRIES. arthur misses merlin.

ok percival tackling gwaine?? cuties ;))

heheheeh gwaine kicking a skull and then running directly behind arthur for protection?? pls stop. i already love you

HAHA OK. THEM WEARING THE GAJA BERRIES ON THEIR FACE REMINDS ME OF THIS FACE MASK . THAT'S LITERALLY HOW I LOOK WITH THAT THIS FACE MASK ON HAHAA

yes im dumb, but the 5 of them slowly peeking over the rock and then ducking back down?? i love that so much they're so cute

omg what's wrong with me. not these knights literally FEARING their lives and me going 'they're so cute'

ANYWAYS

gwaine you absolute dumbass. smh merlin just took it but you just HAD to stab it. #cancelled

FRICK. YOU. AGRAVAINE.

YES. i have a love hate relationship with gaius, but BUST into the council room. king energy right there

smh gaius you pUSH over.

I LOVE GWEN RIGHT HERE

YES

FIGHT FOR WHAT IS RIGHT

DON'T LET ALL THOSE SMELLY OLD COUNCILMEN PUSH YOU AROUND

THIS IS ACTUALLY QUEEN SH!T RIGHT HERE EVERYONE ELSE CAN LEAVE

stfu agravaine 'gueniviere'. ST F UP

ok gwen. pop OFF

you KNOW that arthur would've fought agravaine on this. GO GWEN for speaking her mind

oh look at me with anotehr fic rec. sort of, not really. ok but this scene with gwen talking about all the villagers remind of this fic called To Love, Honor, and Piss Off by @thenerdyindividual .

ok so it's basically a fic where basically merlin and arthur have this 'arranged marriage' type thing for 3 years, and merlin is arthur's 'common consort'. what that means is that arthur marries merlin as a show of good faith and to learn more about what it means to be a commoner- merlin giving arthur the tea about commoner life

anywAYS. check that our if you want, but i loved it

stfu 'i feel the pain as much as you' agravaine. hop off my dick

YES. GWEN. PLANT THAT SEED OF DOUBT THAT AGRAVAINE MIGHT NOT BE ALL THAT HE SEEMS. i love gwen :,)

wow when she's intellegent with her speaking so everyone HAS to side with her but also respectful so NO ONE can get mad at her?? i stan. i ACTUALLY stan

santiago is so pretty

the PANIC in his voice. i stan.

HAHA AND MERLIN'S SNARKY 'SHH'

merlin is ready to GO. he's like, sorry for almost dying. that was ill advised of me.

i'm actually soft for any displays of friendship ever. what does that mean about me 💀 KIDDING. anyways..

i love the *swing* *duck* 'yea, not as quick as arthur

sa;kfs;akdfj lancelot insisting that merlin go back to camelot and merlin just nOt

LADS

stop rn. lancelot's face when merlin turns away. i am in pAin. I AM SO SAD OVER LANCELOT. PLS LANCELOT.

this isn't exactly, but morgana's paleness from here on out reminded me of merlin when he was literally DYING.

anyways, that's my note on that

like, yes- i get it- morgana is evil now. but idk should i feel bad for her? she looks so pale and ghasty and just :(

aksfhaskdjfas;ldf morgana

HAHA MORGANA IS SO EDGY IN THIS MOMENT. 'I'D RATHER DROWN IN MY OWN BLOOD THAN SEE THAT DAY' SO DRAMATIC. WHY IS SHE SO EMO/GOTH. LIKE IK I SHOULD BE SCARED FOR WHAT THAT MEANS BUT I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING

stfu don't kill gwen i'll KiLl you

agravaine literally needs to die

stop. i am literally SCREAMING when agravaine is asking gwen to meet him in his chambers. PLS. STOP. STOP STOP STOP. I NEED A WHISLTE. I BITE MY THUMB AT AGRAVAINE. HE NEEDS TO SACK THE HATEFUL MANSION. BETTER YET I'LL BURN HIS MANSION

again, someone tell me why capes are so hot. especially these red ones?? i'm in love with them.

ok see this guy?? he just died with the forst on his face. not merlin?? he started getting better. surly that should've tipped them off that merlin was different

merlin's little head quirk when he does magic. ALSFJASLDFJAS MERLIN. NO ONE SAID YOU WERE USELESS. AND IF THEY DID I WOULD BEAT. THEM. UP. GIVE ME ADDRESS RN.

wow. seriously. i'm gonna attach all the pretty landscape pictures

morgana's like 'i'll cut a b!tch'. ok ik morgana's evil and everything, but morgana flinging that guard against the wall is bad ass

oh this is weird but gwen telling agravaine to 'show courage' but the whole room tinted green? ik this isn't harry potter or anything but idk i thought that was interesting. i'm not abt to go into if i think agravaine is a slytherin or what but still

STOP. GET. YOUR. HANDS. AWAY. FROM. HER. I ACTULALY HATE HIM. SHE'S SO UNCOMFORTABLE. BACK THE FRICK UP AGARAVINE.

morgana :( smh you can't deny that morgana and gwen carried for each other and morgana flinging gwen away is making me sad. don't touch me

asldjfasldasd 'you're never alone' elyan i love you

lancelot and merlins being lads. omg no them talking about gwen

lancelot is SO noble. stop this reminds me of Die for you in secret by @emrysofmagic so much right now. not gonna lie. your fic LITERALLY lives in my head rent free and sometimes i think of it and my heart just HURTS in those last few chapeters. PHYSICALLy. i am in pain. anyways.

stop the trope where it's like "i love them, but i just want them to be happy. it doesn't matter if they're with me or not. i just want them to be happy"

I WAS LITERALLY SCREECHING AS MERLIN WAS CALLING KILGHARRAH i'm not even capping

ok so it's been like a month ish since i've watched merlin bc i was waiting for @//f-f-podcast 's destiny and chicken podcast, so i don't exactly what terms kilgharrah and merlin are at right now

still i think it's very sweet of merlin to bow slightly when kilgharrah looks at him

'the bravest and most noble of them all' 🥺

aw. merlin is really saying good bye right now

ok this scene is weird bc like i said, i don't rlly remember how merlin and kilgharrah are right now but it still makes me sad

asldjfslakdjfasd merlin and kilgharrah are old friends now. that makes me happy but sad at the same time

ok the 'it will be an empty world without you, young warlock' kills me.

obviously, we know that even though they butt heads, kilgharrah and merlin both care about each other

not only is kilgharrah being forced to let merlin go right now, but he's making peace with the fact that he'll be alone

the last dragonlord is planning to die. and kilgharrah is going to be alone again, like he was in that cave.

another thing is that if merlin died rn then we would never have aithusia. i'm kinda going on a tangent now but idk this scene is sad

this forest is so pretty

literally just lancelot's face and lancelot in this whole episode.

that's my note

HAHA GWAINE BURNING IS SOCKS

LADS BEING LADS

I LOVE THEM

omg i always see posts about this.

like merlin and lancelot planned that lancelot was going to walk in first and trick them and THEN merlin walked in

that's so funny to me. they're SO dramatic HAHAH

merlin looks so happy

BRO

ARTHUR

JUST HUG

HIM

PLS

STO

P

JUST HUG HIM WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM

Tell me why they actually look MARRIED here. PLS

🥲🥲 SELF SACRIFICING IDIOTS I LOVE YOU BOTH YOURE BREAKING MY HEART

LADS I LOVE THEM

🤠🤠 arthur wanting Gwen to be happy is KILLING ME. He loves her so much

This is so pretty. Honestly like how

Who let merlin have this many pretty landscapes

HOENSTLY

Lajs;dlkfajd buds in a boat together.

This reminds me of going to amusement parks and there’s always that boat ride

They’re the cutest

Ok so they also have this picture. It’s actually 3 pictures spliced together because the episode pans down and it’s really badly spliced (sorry) but LOOk how pretty that is.

WTF

Omg not me literally copying merlin with his slow mo head flick at the wyverns to make them go away

;sldkfjasdlkjasd leon percival and elyan and my heart.

Ok i’m not even gonna try to lie. They all have my heart

Frick you cailleah

Omg i was like ‘gwaine you dumbass’ jK i love him. Pls don’t come for my neck

Asldjfasldjfka ‘i’m prepared to pay whatever price is necessary’

HAHA CAN YOU NOT. WHAT IS WITH THIS CREEPY ‘COME HITHER’ HAND MOTION MS CAILLEAH

Stopp rn. ‘It’s my density

STOP. I AM HOWLING. LANCELOT

WHY

COME BACK

NO NONO PLS. YOU CAN’T DO THIS TO ME.

stop rn merlin is all alone.

PAN TO ARTHUR WHO IS LITERALLY SURROUNDED BY EVERYONE.

Stop they all look so sad. I’m so sad.

merlin looks like he’s cried

I’m not sure abt arthur with his ‘no man is worth your tears’ type business but still

I am ✨sad✨

I screamed at this picture. I am depressed

Anyways

Gwen’s face is killing me

I’m so sad i don’t even want to write commentaries

Arthur realizing that lancelot only died because he loved gwen

Gwen standing in front of the fire

Aslkdfjasldjfa im so sad

HER STANDING IN FRONT OF THE FIRE ALL ALONE.

I. AM. SO. SAD.

STFU THAT THRONE IS NOT “RIGHTFULLY” YOURS MORGANA

STOP PLS GET AWAY

WHAT IS WITH THIS WEIRD TENSION

PLS DO NOT STAND WITHIN KISSING DISTANCE

IK YOU’RE NOT TECHNICALLY BLOOD RELATED BUT STILL.

PLEASE.

STOP.

I HATE AGRAVAINE

✨we hate agravaine in this house✨

😭😭 not merlin having ANOTHER secret. I’m so sorry bby

Anyways! I’ll be back next week to rant more about the wicked day so I’ll see you then! thanks I love you bye

[babylooneytoonz]

Blood Trails (Book 2 of Coffee Stains)

Summary : It's been five years since you gave birth to your and Bucky Barnes' daughter, left her with his father and went on to resume your duties with HYDRA. If plans made by you do not backfire, where will all the drama come from? What happens when HYDRA finds out that the child had never died? And worse, what happens when a brainwashed you is assigned the mission to get your own daughter captured by your HYDRA handler Vasili Dreznov (Will be played by Jensen Ackles in my book) ? What will happen when your fate crosses paths with your once lover once mission once again?

Warnings: Darker theme, Steve Rogers left after passing the shield to Sam Wilson, Bucky and Natasha leave the Avengers towers, will have violence and abusive language, a dark Bucky, sexual assault, Bucky Barnes with short hair

Word Count : 2600 + (Allegedly?)

Masterlist link

The branches hung low with the weight of the snow, although the green was still there under the brilliant white, just hidden away under the coating of it. The air was of course cold; and the view from the massive penthouse suite that belonged to Tony Stark looked like a canvas painting, where the color of pristine white had been strewn all over it.

Five year old Sasha stood against the frosty glass, staring out into the horizon. Behind her, the fireplace had already been lit, yellow embers erupting out of it; and a tall, decorated Christmas tree stood in a corner where Natasha Romanoff sat, her legs curled underneath her, her fingers grasping a mug of hot chocolate, when the child's sweet voice rang out in the living room, "Мама, когда папа вернется домой? Рождество." (Mama, when is daddy coming home? It's Christmas Eve.)

"дорогая, your daddy must be with your uncle Sam, he will come home. Почему ты не ложишься в постель?" (Why don't you get into bed?)

"Нет, пока папа не вернется домой." (No, not until my daddy is home.)

Natasha rolled her eyes, thinking back on how this little girl was just like Y/N, and shot her a quick smile, her ears already having picked up on the sound of the front door unlocking, meaning Bucky was home. She slid out of the comfortable position she was sitting in and stretched her arms into the air, before mumbling something to Sasha, who's eyes brightened when she saw her dad walk in.

Bucky was dressed in a heavy winter coat, his short black hair gelled back perfectly, without a single strand out of place; but hidden underneath the warm cap that he was wearing. Upon seeing his girl run towards him, he bent slightly, when Sasha ran into her father's arms, her tiny little arms clasping around his sturdy neck as he lifted her up and hoisted her against his hip, a rare smile playing against his lips. If anyone could make James Buchanan Barnes smile, it was little Sasha Barnes.

"How have you been, моя любовь?"

"Mama didn't let me go out and play in the snow, I really wanted to go," she brought her palms to her eyes and started rubbing them, when Bucky kissed her on her forehead softly, and she forgot about it.

"Come on now, let's get you to bed, your mama and I have some things to talk about," he kept her against his hip as he started towards her bedroom, and slowly lowered her into her bed. Sasha immediately pulled her toy close to her chest, and Bucky tucked her into the blanket.

Once he was sure that Sasha was comfortable and warm, he switched the lights off and his heavy feet dragged himself out of her room until he found his way to the bedroom he shared with his now partner, Natasha Romanoff.

"You were at her grave again, weren't you?" She asked, as she looked at herself in the vanity, combing her reddish black waves.

"I was angry, I needed to vent out."

"Well, did you vent out? Did she make you feel better?" She stood up, taking off her robe, as she got ready for bed.

Bucky didn't answer her, instead, he took off his coat, and then his shirt, grabbing a sweatpants and a comforter from the closet and locked himself in the bathroom. He looked at his own reflection in the mirror as he stripped. Bucky was on the edge; he always had been, ever since he had lost you. He didn't understand why it had to be him, in the end that was left alone; abandoned. Everyone left him, be it Steve, who left him to be with Peggy, or you, who died yet gave him the best gift of his life. He didn't understand why he couldn't be at peace. First it was Natalia, the woman he loved, and he couldn't have her. But now that he had her, it was at the cost of losing you, and he couldn't bear it at times.

"Ты там в порядке?" (You okay in there?)

Her voice was enough to snap him out of whatever it was that was spurring in his mind.

"Спи, Natalia, сейчас выйду." (Go to sleep Natalia, I'll be right out.)

She didn't say anything else, and neither did Bucky come out for a few minutes. When he finally mustered the courage to step out, he saw that she had her glasses on and she was flipping the pages of a book.

"дорогой, I'm sorry I snapped," she looked up at him when she heard him, and took off her reading glasses, slowly placing them on the side table as Bucky got into bed with her. She got into the space between Bucky's legs, bringing her knees up to her chest as Bucky engulfed her in his arms, "I'm sorry I was so involved with myself, I didn't ask you how your day was." Bucky's words made Natasha give him a weak smile and she sat straighter, staring into her lover's eyes.

"I'm worried about Sasha, Buck, I think we should try to take her out. She is literally cooped up in here all day."

"No."

"Bucky, it will be okay."

"Natalia, you know Sasha isn't like other children, and we've done a pretty good job keeping her hidden from HYDRA so far, I want to keep it this way," he nuzzled his nose against the nape of her neck and she melted into his warm embrace, her eyes fluttering slightly.

"She is only five, Bucky. We are keeping her cooped up in this house like a prison."

Bucky sighed, a soft, punctured sigh as he fell back against the headboard of the bed, his fingers stroking through Natalia's hair, "What if they find her? They haven't tried in five years. Not that the two of us can't handle it, but we don't know how badly they'll be after us if they find out."

"I know, Barnes, but think of her, think of all the normalities in life that she is missing on and besides, isn't this what you and Y/N always wanted for her? For her to grow up in the most normal way?" Bucky grabbed her hand, bringing it up to his lips, as he planted a chaste kiss over her knuckles, "how about we take her to the park tomorrow? The two of us, and her. It'll be fun, дорогой." He finally said.

He smiled down at her, nuzzling his nose once again against her, and finally let her go as she straightened herself and got into bed. Bucky stretched once and lowered himself into bed next to her after switching off the lights.

╞═════𖠁𐂃𖠁═════╡

"Are you bundled up nice and warm?" Natasha placed the mittens on Sasha's hands and made sure that the girl was bundled up in a nice, warm jacket. She nodded with her bright blue eyes, the only thing that she had inherited from her dad, everything else being from her mother.

She took her hand and walked out of her bedroom, finding Bucky by the security alarm of the penthouse suite as he was clicking around on a few buttons that beeped. When he saw that the two were here, he smiled warmly and took his daughter's other hand and the family left their home.

They walked down the densely snowed in street, the little girl skipping in excitement, with a great difficulty off course, her either hands holding Natasha's and Bucky's until they reached the park.

"Can we build a snowman mama?" She looked up at Nat, who only nodded and swiped her palm playfully over her forehead, ruffling the top of her head as the two of them ran off, towards the piles of snow, leaving Bucky standing there, with a smile on his face as he watched them.

"Daddy, I'm gonna hit you."

A fistful of snow came smacking against Bucky's face and he gasped dramatically, leaning forward and swooping some snow into his metal palm.

"You think you're going to get away?" Bucky's voice boomed back, as he threw a fistful of snow towards the girl. The girl, however, was super agile, and fast. She ducked at the right time, and the snowball flew from above her and hit Natasha square in the face. She gasped, her eyes widening as she turned towards the two.

"No, you did not just hit me."

"It was daddy, he hit you."

"Well, she ducked," Bucky chuckled dramatically, but started running after the little girl, squishing the snow underneath his heavy boots. The girl, even with ankle deep snow all around her, was running at a pace faster than most children her age, no doubt the super serum running in her veins.

"Well you can't catch me, you're a slow poke, daddy," she called back, turning her head slightly so she could see where Bucky was. As she was still running, looking back, her footing got caught in the snow and she fell face first into the white, glistening heap. Bucky reached her in time, quickly pulling her out of the snow, her face red slightly as Natasha and Buck tried to warm her face with their palms and all this while, the little girl kept laughing heartily.

A few steps away, shielded well behind a trashcan, the top of which was covered in snow, two men stood, their eyes fixed on the family in front of them. One of them pulled out a cellphone and started recording a video of them. Two minutes later, they lowered their round sort of Scotland yard looking hat over their eyes and twirled around, sliding their hands into the coats as they walked off. The man who had recorded the video footage sent it to someone and then pressing the phone to his left ear, started speaking to the other one on the line in Russian.

"Похоже, она сыграла всех вас, Johanna.. Нет, я отправил вам доказательства. Ребенок Зимнего Солдата жив." (Looks like Johanna played all of you.No, I've sent you the proof. Winter Soldier's child is alive.)

╞═════𖠁𐂃𖠁═════╡

"Johanna, ты хорошо справился." (You did good, Johanna.)

Your handler glanced you neck to toe, scanning your body for any visible injury but you had none, although you were covered in blood. This blood, however, didn't belong to you, but rather belonged to a Romanian woman, a really important woman, who had to be taken out, because she knew a lot of HYDRA secrets.

"Не моя кровь, Vasili." (It's not my blood, Vasili.)

You threw out your arms towards him, looking straight ahead, your eyes fixed on the concrete gray wall in front of your eyes. He looked up at you differently, the blues in his eyes twinkling as he patted on his knees, "Садись, милый." (Sit, my dear.)

Your eyes flicked from his blue ones down to his lap, and slowly, yet like a good, obedient student, you lowered yourself onto his lap. Vasili's intense studying of your face, and then slightly lower than that, until his eyes were travelling all over your body, although your lip quivered once in a while, but you didn't protest.

He eyed the dark marks that adorned the side of your neck, as they disappeared into your body beyond his visibility. He lifted his palm, using his index finger to trail over one of the marks as he spoke, "Johanna, вы знаете, что символизируют эти знаки?" ( Do you know what are these marks symbolic of?)

You bit down on your lip, and tried to think but all you felt was a gruelling pain at the back of your head; it made you shake your head. Vasili smiled crooked, his eyes glinting underneath the bulb that illuminated the room as his hands held you tight against his lap.

"Вы были наказаны за то, что влюбились в свою миссию." (You were punished for falling in love with your mission.)

The more you tried to think on his words, the worse your head revolted against it. It was like they didn't want you to think, or remember this mission Vasili was talking to you about.

"Слушай, дорогая, я должен быть твоим всем, ты должен поклоняться мне, и я всегда буду заботиться о тебе." (Listen darling, I should be your everything, you should worship me and I will always take care of you.)

Vasili's fingers then flew to your tunic, his fingers latched to the buttons on your chest as he started unbuttoning it, one by one. When he reached the third button from the top, there was a clatter outside the metal room, and then a thumping against the door.

"Чего ты хочешь ?" (What do you want?)

He snapped towards the door, his fingers now having moved away from your chest, but he still held you close, his fingers now stroking the side of your hips. A man stepped in, meeting Vasili's blue eyes for a split second and then immediately lowered it, without even placing it on you once.

"Вы должны кое-что увидеть." ( There is something you must see.)

Upon hearing the HYDRA guard's words, your handler turned towards you, as his hand that was on your waist now moved upwards to cup your cheek and pull your mouth dangerously close to his as he smiled evilly.

"Садись в ванну и жди меня там, мой солдат." (Get into the bathtub and wait for me there, my soldier.)

You nodded, and lifted yourself up from his lap, and Vasili stood up, and without addressing you again, he left your cell, and the door slammed shut behind you, leaving you alone with a tiny bed in one corner and a large bathtub in another. Remembering your handler's words, with slow steps, you found yourself at the bathtub, drawing yourself a warm bath.

Meanwhile, Vasili watched the footage on the holographic screen in front of him. Of course, Johanna had lied to them all, the girl in the video only proved it. The resemblance she had to her mother was uncanny. The same hair and face, except the eyes and the ability and speed, no wonder a result of the Winter Soldier's serum running through her veins. She was lovely; and Vasili wanted nothing more to have her here, so he could now experiment on her.

"Johanna ничего не помнит, и так остается. Если кто-то, я имею в виду, кто-то пытается заставить ее вспомнить..." (Johanna remembers nothing and this is how it stays. If anyone, I mean, anyone tries to make her remember..)

His words of warning were enough to instill a deep rooted fear inside all those who were present in that hall. They all nodded and watched the handler leave, an evil smile planted against his face. The footage had brought out a jovial mood in the man; he whistled to himself, a merry little tune as his footsteps rang through the dinghy hallway of the underground base in Hungary until his most favourite soldier's cell was in sight. Two guards stood by her door, and he motioned towards them to unlock the door and let him in.

The minute he stepped in, his eyes were greeted by a beautiful site of her, her clothes strewn all over the floor, her beautiful, naked back glistening underneath the flickering lightbulb overhead.

"Как прекрасно," he strolled towards you, and you craned your neck submissively, so he could brush his fingers against the side of your neck before he got into the bathtub with you. This was almost a routine; every time you came back from a mission. Your glassy, stone like orbs remained fixed on the wall, as Vasili took off his clothes and let them fall against yours, and stepped into the bathtub with you, pulling you against him. He cupped his palm and poured the water over your back, drawing designs on your moist back with it. You sighed, rolling your neck as his hands ran across the line of your shoulders, caressing your back.

"Солдат, у меня для тебя миссия." (Soldier, I have a mission for you.)

Your eyes lifted themselves off the ripples forming on the surface of water, and you turned your neck sideways, although you couldn't see your handler's face, "Куда мне теперь идти?" (Where do I have to go?)

"Америка.. Нью-Йорк." (America.. New York.)

Permanent Bucky Barnes Taglist:

@really-dont-forget-it @thepeakygurl @all-art-is-quite-useless @baumarvel @janajjj @chipilerendi @nyotamalfoy @skittychat @allidoiswritewritewrite @jessyballet @x0xchristine @evansgirl7 @laisbeltrans @thegayseance

Want to be added to the Taglist? Pls fill in the form on the link here.💙

[anonil88]

“This isn't prison break.”parts 1 & 2

Rue runs away for a night from rehab with a bunch of people she doesn't know. They go to a club, do some stupid stuff and adopt a cat.

wrote this and put it on AO3- lnk here- but also updating on here:

PART 1

Rue laughs absently at the other group of "degenerates" as Ali would call them. They are walking along the side of the road towards wherever a kid named Malcolm was leading them. She technically was supposed to be in her small dorm bed asleep and awaiting 4 am check in. But instead here she was being a fellow degenerate who had technically escaped the rehab facility. They all intended on going back to the treatment facility eventually. She hopes Sol would even though it meant they probably would be separated. They all just needed a night of more because everyone was on edge and needed a break. Everyone was aware that the consequences would be getting kicked out or all restrictions taken away. But, fuck it.

Her group of acquaintances, because they were not her friends, was made up of a random assortment of folks. One of which was some guy named Graham who was apparently the older "brother" of Angel. Angel was the only one out of the group besides her roommate who actually knew more than whatever she half assed in group therapy. Which was very little but it was enough to keep them.... interested. Rue shoves her hands in the pockets of a pair of baggy shorts that Angel threw at her in a parking lot after everyone met back up. Their escape plan was a plan but they all booked it through a hole in the fence and through a patch of woods at first. Some person named Bones, who had to at least be a sophomore in college, picked them all up in a hatchback and the Graham who opened a backpack filled with vices.

Rue steered clear of the opiates and went straight for the bottle of Coconut Rum. Even though she could practically hear the pills singing her fucking name. Most of them actually opted to be clean of whatever landed them in rehab but not sober. Not everyone though because Angel was definitely rolling a tiny bit and so were two other people out of the 5 fence jumpers. Including her roommate Sol. Rue just figured the slap on the wrist once they got back would be less harsh without a positive test. The rum was more than enough to stay kind of alert amongst everyone here. All these faces that might leave her dying face down in a ditch if she OD’ed....again.

She wasn't even in here because of an overdose. Just a basic relapse that made her mom's mind up for her and now she was forced into a stupid facility with strangers. They forced her to talk, made sure she ate, but she honestly felt worse being inside than out. It was probably working the 12 steps and quiet therapy sessions but in places she didn't see yet. This right here though the warmth of the air touching her skin as the packed car they'd all tumbled into hurtled through empty streets. Leaning her head back she mumbles along the lyrics while Sol pulls at the worn shirt collar. 

 "Beep beep go swerving in my, Beep been you want me riding in your...."

Rue sighs feeling sticky lips press against her clavicle and up her neck.

 "Beep beep ghost busting in my,

 Beep beep you want me riding in your....driving super fast."

Sol was cool people but Rue knew it couldn't be anything more than fooling around. Kissing when no one was watching or either of them came back from a therapy session sobbing.  Sometimes Sol sneaking into her bed at night so they could have quickie sex sessions. This wasn't how Rue expected to explore her sexuality that was pretty dormant but it was what she had. It also wasn't with who she had in mind either. Lingering feelings aside the two of them were stuck in a juvenile inpatient program. With the same beds as the ones in college pamphlets, a no shoelace rule, and  fuzzy socks ( that Rue secretly loves). This girl was like 3 inches shorter than Rue, dark skinned, neck tattoos and a short cut. Sol had been through so much more shit than Rue and it made her feel ungrateful. Ungrateful because at least she had a hard working mom who still loved her and hadn't abandoned all hope. Other people in the program who took it seriously though told her not to because her life sucked too.

Feeling Sol's lips on hers she kissed her back. She didn't feel anything but it must have felt amazing to Sol who deepened the kiss. The car swerved past what in Rue's mind had to be a pothole. Sol falls away further into her body clutching the fabric of her shirt and accidentally her chest. Rue hears Sol sigh and snaps her eyes open while Sol still kisses her. Rue grabs hold of the handle above the door and sits back up mumbling, what was that. She watches Sol roll her eyes and sit back into the tan seats.

"Oh FUCK," Bones yelled slowing the car down and pulling over. Bones had their black hair slicked all the way back and a cigarette falling out of their mouth. They were odd enough sober and everyone's dd, just a ball of chaotic a.d.d they'd laughed at her earlier as they walked her from the gas station bathroom back to the car. It was a nice gesture because apparently she seemed "kind of uncomfortable," which was true. The urge to escape herself dulled the fear of her mother's true unbridled anger. Or Fez's.

He was really upset when he found out she got a new plug after actually being clean for so long. She turns to look out the back window and sees two green eyes attached to a small grey mound in the road. 

"What the....omg a cat omg," Angel is practically bouncing out of the car after pulling out a half eaten filet o fish. Rue watches him in an outfit she felt fit him so much more than the basic t-shirt and sweatpants he wore everyday. His platform sneakers lit up across the black asphalt as he inches  closer to the obviously terrified animal. A glitter covered arm wove in front of him with food and Rue leans into the window in anticipation. The only thing that could make Angel seem even more angelic was wings or a halo above his half platinum half silver hair. He honestly seemed like the type to fit right into Jules's friend group. But instead he was the kind creative rave kid who drew her pictures of kandy he'd give her one day. 

"Hey um...you ," she feels her shoulder being tapped. "Put this in your lap."

PART 2

"Yes! I love this song," Bones yells back rolling down the windows. The cool autumn air filling the car and the smell of weed being blown out the window. 

Her heel is bouncing with a mix of anxiety and anticipation. With one more she could become triple A instead of alcoholics anonymous. She can feel a comfortable softness against her sole. It's from a piece of fabric she keeps stuffed in her sock. Her knee keeps bouncing in place with the sleeping kitten being stroked by Sol in her lap. Her current reality is so much more serene than the one she relives in her head.

Arrival nurses took her hoodie at this new place only letting it stay with her the first night. She was so fucking high on check in that she screamed please don't take my dad please as they explained it to her mom. Her mom who she clung to like they were about to skin her alive. Chest rising and falling quick enough someone said something about a shot. Too high to be cold and distant but not enough for her heart to stop. Just enough to be a paranoid fuck up. Leslie tried to calm her down but it only worked after her mom bargained with them, one night.

One night and then her mom visited the next day to say goodbye. Slipping a gray square in her pocket. It was worn in from a t-shirt that her dad wore in her baby pictures. Leslie hugged her so tight before leaving whispering we love you so much. That was the last time she'd seen her mom and every time she called Leslie said oh rue like her heart was breaking again. So those phone calls were short because her mom crying always fucks her up mentally for a few days. The silent pauses remind her of the little sister who always has faith in her but is turning into someone who doesn't even look at her. 

"You okay," Sol whispers and rue nods because when was she ever. Her arm that sol is resting on is cramping but she lets it, not much arm space in this back row anyway. She should have just chosen the trunk with some 16 year old named Zach. 

"On the left yesss we made it and on time too," Graham jeers next to Sol.

 Rue looks at the dash clock crinoline her brow. "How is almost 1 am on time," she whispers. 

Sol chuckles, "It is a club not a house party you knew that right ?" Rue bites the inside of her lip and shakes her head no. Sol puckers a bottom lip and kisses her cheek. Great pity Rue thinks. Sol leans in to whisper to Rue, "Don't worry Graham knows the bouncer. No fakes required."

Rue opens back up the glass bottle in the seat net and lets the clear liquid burn her throat a bit. Out of her realm was an understatement, house parties were something she was used to but never clubs. She didn't even know what kind of club this was but judging from the giant rainbow flag out front, angry repressed frat bros wouldn't be an issue. Which helped the nerves in her stomach unwind. The fur ball on her lap made a noise and she rubbed it through the sweater it's been laid on. Sol said the kitten was probably dumped because there was a tag scar and the kitten was super clean. But was she risking it....no.

Sol takes the bottle from her hand and screws the cap back on. "You gonna dance with me tonight Benny." Sol says as she nudges her shoulder.

"Maybe," Rue shrugs.

" Okay well how about anyone else," Sol grins coyly.

Rue looks away from her and out the window. She's more interested in the brick building as they get closer than someone's hot sweaty body. There's a line to the door with several guards standing with gloved hands and flashlights. " Idk maybe," Rue looks back at Sol who is rolling her eyes. 

" Yes she is," Angel yells from the passenger seat. He's checking his makeup in the mirror and winks at rue. Which makes her tuck her hair behind her ear and cough to cover the blush. Angel turns around happily and says, "meee.'

Leaning forward Sol pecks Angel and says, " Bennett your goal tonight is to have fun, dance with someone. He, she, they, who cares, maybe you'll get a lil prison pen pal."

Rue rolls her eyes, that probably wasn't happening but it was about trying new experiences. Treatment was also not prison; it just was not freedom either. Bones pulls past the entrance and swings into the parking lot. Graham is behind them pointing as they follow directions. He's even saying fun facts like this is Knott's which Angel keeps mimicking. Bones slowly moves the car  until  one guard leans his hand in the window. The guard daps Graham up and they laugh for a second. His name is apparently DJ and he's their in. The only rules are no weapons. 

In the parking lot they all get put and Rue notices other cars with clusters of people around them. She shakes her lap free of cigarette ash and cat hair. The cat now named sparkle is being in the trunk with a makeshift bed, a small can of tuna Bones just had and an old bottle lid filled with water. Rue leans down and ties the mismatched dollar store laces on her chucks. They had hot dogs on them which was kind of cute. A tire squeals close by of a car obviously moving way too fast and drunk singing out a window speeds past them. Idiots. Everyone else was finishing a shared bottle or blunt. Leaning against the side of the trunk she feels Sol rest against her arm warming it up.

Rue can hear a steady thump and beat coming from the brick building. It makes her head move which means the music might not be her thing but it'll be tolerable. Graham even said there's another section with actual seats that has a more contained dance floor with pop and hip-hop. Just in case she got overwhelmed by the rave scene and the lights. She doubles over as she laughs at Angel's jokes. 

Kid was fucking hilarious, she stands up wiping her eyes and freezes looking in front of her.

[jamiebluewind]

Character/Location Descriptions for Fantasy High 2.10!

***

As always, let me know if I need to edit or add anything and tag/ask/PM me about art and stories so I can check them out!

Warning: emprisonment, multiple injuries, canon typical violence, multiple blood mentions, gross descriptions, poison mention, broken bone mention, vomit mention, torture mentions, trauma, abandonment,

***

Brennan

"Free dad slap."

"You 'Ally'ed out of the box of doom!"

***

New Character/s

Fire Elemental #3

Genderless

Was summoned and bound by the elves of old to protect the elemental pylon that powers the permanent magical effects of Ka'lethriel Tower, which transformed them into a monstrous fire thing along with 2 other fire elementals bound there

Was embrased by Fabian in a deep dip as he cradled their head and his sheet wrapped around them both and roiled above them

The power of Fabian's dance partially stunned them and took them out of active combat

The thing binding them to protect the pylon went when the fire pit helix was put out, causing them to change back to a creature with an elvan face of wreathing flame

They cry fire

They kissed Fabian softly on the lips (for 8 points of damage) and whispered in his ear (softly like flame) "Thank you. For my freedom. For my life." before disappearing

Established Characters

Arthur Aguefort

Slows localized time at Ka'lethriel Tower, opening a rift from his desk at the academy to talk to Adaine

Crawled through the rift after Adaine confirmed that her captors chose the way of pain

The way of pain involved Aguefort using new and experimental magic resulting him growing 450 feet tall (massive thudding steps), reaching up to grab the Sun (causing his veins to light up with golden fire and his mouth to fill with a fire that releases and races across the sky), calling thousands of terracotta Agueforts to burst out of the ground and sprint north, moving the Sun itself (leaving a burning scar across the sky), and shooting lasers the width of highways that have enough power to cap a mountain in one hit with lasers that shot out of his eye (which took on a golden bright glow)

He appeared to Kristen later (via a spell that appeared as a scroll glowing with illusionary magic with his name on it that allowed him video chat with her from back in Elmville) badly injured, wrapped up in bandages, bleeding a lot, and in pain.

The new magic tore up his guts so bad that by the time he got about 50 miles north of the tower, he "shit about an ocean of blood" and almost passed out (we can't get that big, 450 feet tall is too big)

Was also hit with a lot of powerful elven counter magic before he teleported back to Solace

His terracotta army fell apart when he left

Admitted that he had been going ham for a while since after Kristen snuck him into heaven, that being dead for a couple months really messed him up, and that attempting to destroy the government of Fallinel was "just too much"

Got in a lot of trouble with the government of Solace, will probably have to go to court, and he has to move the Sun back ("gotta figure out how to do that")

Dragged the Sun "a little bit north of where it should be" (causing the far south of the Earth to be colder and far north to be hotter), but said the Sun was "going in the right direction" and "still going around the Earth", resulting in clarifying that Spyre normally goes around the Sun, but he's not sure of what he did when he dragged it across the sky and that there was more of a poetic understanding of how things really work, but he still "really fucked up"

Kear/Keer

Was horrified by Augefort's actions

"I'm getting very confused and upset with everything that these children do."

Was poisoned and vomiting when Kristen banished her with a kiss on her face, came back when Kristen broke her ankle, and was banished again by Ayda who loudly pronounces "mwah!" while kissing her face like Kristen

Oak Warriors

8 foot tall

Look like green men (not automaton) made of magic with elven faces

Vulnerable to fire

Controled by Kear

Anguin

Was blinded by Kristen

Went invisible and ran

Was knocked unconscious by Fig and left in the vault (with some of his teeth knocked out) when Ka'lethriel Tower collapsed

Aelwyn

Kept awake for 5 months

Was rescued from the tower and fell unconscious/comatose immediately

Was carried out by Ayda

Even outside the orb, her body shook with the strain and effort

As she and Adaine tranced, a tiny piece of her abjurative magic (an innate cantrip, abjurer's ward) came back and she started building a shield around Adaine in her "sleep"

Was taken to a hot spring with elven healers by Adaine

Was unsure if they actually escaped or just died before trying to cast a feeble shield around Adaine again

Her mind was damaged and the torture had a profound and corrosive effect on her well being and memory

The inside of her mind looked like a city razed to the ground with crumbled walls, battlements, towers, and arcane defenses. Only a weird, vulnerable labyrinth of images remained

Has a deep self loathing (especially for not saying anything on Adaine's behalf against their parents) and a powerful fear of her parents. Her cowardice fed into her self loathing which fed into her cowardice in an endless loop.

Had an intense magical charm in the center of the labyrinth of her abjurations and a little faint enchantment with "Despite all of the torment and tribulation, let this be proof. I always knew there was only one person clever enough to find this." written on the outside. The charm was a custom modify memory spell (which The Court Of Stars had been searching for) and contained a saved unbroken version of her from before she was capture which overrode her current broken state once it was dispelled

Adaine

Found a sword in the vault while looking for a weapon to fight with

Later gave the sword Fan-dran-goorh to Fabian (was made by his grandpapa Tel'amine)

Held Aelwyn as they sleep

Detects magic on Aelwyn and find a faint whisper of enchant magic before using detect thoughts on her

Found and dispelled the magical charm within Aelwyn which returns her sister's mind to a version before she was captured by The Court of Stars

Gilear

Fluid in his feet, especially his right (due to rolling his ankle months ago) which now has a band of purple around it (possibly a bone issue) and causes him an ambiant throbbing pain and heat from all the extra blood (GO TO A DOCTOR!!!)

Tel'amine

Tried very hard to say "Gorgug" one last time, but just said "Chedge" and then cried and became really embarrassed when Gorgug responded "It sounds like literally no sound was correct in that."

Dances with Fabian at one point in the night to the sound of Fig's bass.

He and the other adults of Kylo Me'newra give teens grapes because they believe it will make them less horny (doesn't actually work)

Riz

Shot a fire elemental over Gorgug's thumbs up

"Stay positive."

Said "It's beautiful" about Fabian dancing with the fire elemental and shed a tear before saying "It's beautiful Gorgug" and lowering his gun, aiming at the last pitcher

Poked his head in when Adaine was about to go to sleep to ask if her sister was still trying to kill them (since she was just kind of there now), listens to her answer (doesn't think so, especially with her trauma), and then slowly (and awkwardly) backs out of the room as the sisters doze off together (after Ayda dropped her off)

Gorgug

Soot on his face and singed hair after being set on fire

Had his thumb knicked slightly when Riz shot over it

Fabian

Slashed the first fire elemental on his first two turns before hiding behind Gorgug

Had an elven sheet on hand which has the ability to put out fires, so he used to put out his friends

Danced and jumped with his sheet during the battle and did a bit of contact juggling with the fire

(On being kissed) "I take it. I take every point of that damage and I take it slowly. I can feel it. In my whole body."

Was left with red hot lips after kissing the fire elemental and (with a gulp) felt a glowing moat of fire travel down his throat and rest hot and warm in his chest

Had the sheet tied around him like a cape while traveling back to meet with the others

At Kylo Me'newra, danced (badly due to rolling a 1 and a 2) all night outside with his sheet (like nobody is watching) as the ground lit up behind him with a dull glow with each step. It helped him get in touch with his feelings and his body

Enjoys the taste of the flower his grandpapa gives him

Gorgug, Riz, and Fabian

Ran to and from their pylon with their arms back like anime characters

"I believe in you/us."

"Spring break!!!"

All three were burned from their fight

After getting back to Kylo Me'newra, Fabian danced all night while Riz and Gorgug watched (cradled in the boughs of treents that hummed a song as the trees rocked them)

Riz: You know? This place isn't so bad.

Gorgug: How did this part start happening?

Riz: I thought I was just gonna sit in a tree and it started singing to me.

Gorgug: Hey. Really not horrible.

Riz: Yeah.

Tel'amine: Yes. Really not horrible at all. *catches a blossom and shoves it into Gorgug's mouth* Eat it.

Gorgug: *chews*

Tel'amine: Yes.

Riz: Is it good or is it just a flower?

Gorgug: *shakes head*

Riz: It was beautiful.

Tel'amine: *glides off into the night*

Gorgug: *coughs and sticks his tongue out*

Riz: Did that dude just feed you a flower?

Gorgug: Yeah. *hacking sound*

Riz: That was insane.

Gorgug: It's a complex flavor, I don't like it.

Riz: That was insane.

Kristen

Unmade a oak warrior due to the annoyance of her spirit guardians

*appears behind Kear and puts her hand on her back* "You're on the wrong side, but you could join us if you want. Just something to think about." *casts banishment to give Kear time to think and kisses her on the side of the head before she goes*

Tried to ribbon dance fly down 10 stories in the middle of the tower and ended up just slamming into the floor at the bottom instead, breaking her ankle

Her spirit guardians attacked Anguin while he was invisible and trying to sneak into the vault, ending his invisibility

Used sending to get in contact with Jawbone (Jawbone. Hey. Having some trouble with Tracker. She's pretty upset at me. I keep saying the wrong thing. I kept something from her. Oops? -> Tough break kiddo. Happy to help if I can. Should I find a way to contact you other than this spell? -> Fuck yes. -> Hell yeah.)

Had a long distance talk with Jawbone (using Aguefort's video chat spell) where she got advice on not treating her partner as a means to an end and about transparency.

Fig

Gave Wicklaw's sword back to Leviathan

Disguised herself as a Arthur Aguefort (but with a bass guitar) and accidentally really upsets Ayda

Played a really sick guitar riff that would make all the gems dance (to persuade them somehow and find out more about gems) and ends up causing a large gem built into the base of the tower to crack and the tower to collapse (but not before grabbing a book on gems lore)

Tried to set Adaine's dad on fire with a pack of cloves as they left

Had a sleepover with Ayda (text link below)

Ayda

Brennan stated outside stream that an incarnation of Ayda has been living on Leviathan for a very long time, building the Compass Points. When she dies and is reborn, it is a true rebirth and her new incarnation has none of the memories of her previous forms, only knowing her previous selves from the written instructions they leave behind. Her current incarnation is the same age as Tracker (17).

Can fly with two other medium sized people (and later the two plus an underweight Aelwyn)

Immune to fire

Her dad is very triggering for her

Had a sleepover with Fig

(to Fig) "Have you said something so kind on purpose?"

When Fig attacked her as her dad (due to spell fail), she got very upset and said "Dad. Dad. I'm sorry. I'm done. I'm sorry. Dad. Dad." as Fig tried to calm her

When she counter spelled Angwin and Fig told her thank you, she answered "Whatever. I would help you, Fi-du-du-Dad. You're not my dad. You're Fig! Right? It's an illusion. Yes. You're Fig. I know. Why would I have carried my dad here? He never carried muh... me."

Told Fig that she might need to work through some of her stuff in battle as she "elected to have a disguise that was very upsetting."

After dispelling a spell on Fig that was gonna make her run away "Dad don't leave! I mean Fig! Fig don't leave."

Was very happy to see Adaine.

Said "My friend Kristen did this" before giving Kear a loudly pronounced "Mwah" kiss to the side of her head and banishing her again

Fig: How dare you do that the Arthur Augefort!

Ayda: PLEASE STOP THAT!

Fig: I know, but see, it's intimidating for them-

Ayda: It can't possibly be helping us more than it's hurting us!

***

Location Descriptions

Ka'lethriel Tower (new details)

The tower itself is 10 stories tall and sits near a wall (with a gate) that surrounds the tower and the garden

Each floor has one room (save the top which has at least two)

The first floor holds a vault (which is normally protected by permanent magical effects) with a big locked door

There's a large gem built into the side of the tower within the vault

The vault is filled with a lot of things, including Adaine and Aelwyn's property (spellbooks, arcane focuses, and The Jacket of Useful Things), Fan-dran-goorh (Fandrangor): Sword of The North Star (long, whip thin elven sword that shines a gleaming green golden light, can talk with the voices of elvan ancestors, and once belonged to elven kings long past), a massive religious tome, a quarenteened series of top secret elven scrolls that is the research of Adaine mom, a series of notes by mom looking for the location of a temple in Sylvar (Kristen knows due to a book at the Compass Points Library), and a book on gem lore

Fire Pit Pylon

Large elvan smithy (only in looks as it's an arcane power station and not an actual forge) and worst of the two pylons

Stone, mossy covered building with a floor covered in traps and an entire infrastructure filled with a high elven adoration for magic

In the center of the building, there is a hexagonal 6 pointed room with a fire pit in the center that's so hot that it's hard to look at. The fire is golden green helix at the start (changes to purple gold with the first pitcher of water spilled into it, ruby red with the second, and out with the third. It also flickers with other energy at ruby red from the other pylon being attacked).

Surrounding the fire pit in altering positions around the 6 sided room are 3 braziers and 3 statures (each statue directly across from a brazier)

The elven statues have ornimental stone weapons on them and are holding huge alabaster pitchers of clear water which bend towards the fire pit and require a cantrip (or enough damage to break them) to dump their water

The large firy silver elven braziers are piled high with burning coal (responsible for the smoke) and are traps that conjure a monsterous fire elemental when the water from its corresponding stature spills into the fire pit or when a floor trap is triggered

***

<- PREVIOUS

[another-blog-bites-the-dust]

Eternity

Summary: Six of you go to a castle to hunt some ghosts only you get into a bit of bother and a skeptial Brian saves you.

Warnings: lots of mentions of death, swearing, suicide mentioned, slight suggestiveness, some angst, fluffy ending (?😏?), technically breaking and entering which is apparently against the law but you never fuckin saw people/dogs like scooby doo and the gang getting into trouble for that sort of stuff did you now...

A/N: This is actually creeped me out a little because I wrote it in the dark so that was A+ logic. Also Joe/John gives me v strong Shane Madej from Buzzfeed Unsolved vibes idk why but you're gonna see that in this fic. Enjoy! 💖

Brian shut his eyes and let out a sigh "You cannot be serious." He said looking at all the electrical equipment on the table in front of him. "You and Rog actually believe in this rubbish enough to buy all this stuff and this board thing?!" He said, holding up the board that had letters on it.

"It's not just any board Brian- it's a Ouija board! You use it to communicate to the dead!" You grinned. "And Roger isn't the only one who believes in it! John, Freddie and Mary and coming along with us this time! C'mon! Come with us!" You shook him slightly. When Brian first met you- aside from being absolutely amazed by you and your beauty- he had no idea what you and your best friend Roger would have in common- the two of you were complete opposites. What you did have in common shocked Brian- mainly because he thought it was ridiculous.

Ghost hunting.

You had been friends with Roger since he moved to Cornwall. The pair of you first had a paranormal experience while in the school library. The school was used as a hospital during the wars and people did die in it. The pair of you were discussing something when you both saw a chair being dragged, but no one had their hand on it. After the moment of sheer fear, the pair of you were in awe and since that day you had learned all you could about the paranormal from books and newspapers. The two of you went into the spookiest of places to try and find anything paranormal.

"Would it make you happy if I went on this absurd trip to the supposedly haunted graveyard and church in the middle of the night?" Brian asked, leaning back on the sofa and crossing his arms with a small smile on his face. You sat on his lap and he wrapped his arms around your waist while yours wrapped around his neck and played with his hair while nodding with a grin on your face and batting your lashes. Brian couldn't resist you- you knew that. "Alright!" You squealed and peppered kisses on is cheeks "But I'm going to complain the whole time!"

You rolled your eyes "Well, it might just surprise you! In fact, you might even want to tag along to our visit to an abandoned castle at the end of the month!" You kissed him once, then again, then again- only the third time you did it, your lips never left Brian's and he moaned into your mouth.

"I can think of something we can do just now in the dark..." he murmured seductively.

"Oh really...?" You playfully smiled and stood up, pulling Brian with you. The phone rang and you groaned, crashing against Brian's chest. You reached for it but Brian pulled you back, making you giggle. "Stop! Might be important!" You managed to get the phone. "Hey John!" You sat down next to the phone and your brows furrowed. "No you do not need to take a bath in holy water before we head to the graveyard," you looked up to Brian shaking your head with a smile and rolling your eyes. "It's kinda like seance, yes..." you looked up through your lashes to Brian who raised a brow. "Kinda." Brian held out his hand, silently asking you for the phone "Bri wants to talk to you!"

"Hey mate, can we talk about this tomorrow morning? Only I'm trying to get off with my gorgeous girlfriend-"

"BRIAN!" You screamed and giggled, stealing the phone back "Sorry, John! Sorry!" You laughed and tried swatting Brian's roaming hands away from your legs. "We'll see you tomorrow night! Bye!" You hung up and burst into a fit of giggles. "I swear, Brian!" You cupped his face with a huge smile "You better live up to your words!" He bit down on his lip with the corners of his mouth tugging upwards as he picked you up in his arms and carried you to the bedroom.

•••

"Got the EVP?" Roger asked and you nodded. "EMF meter?" He asked and you pulled it out from your backpack to show him. "Alright then!" He capped his hands with a grin and then rubbed them together. "Time to hunt some ghosts!"

You walked beside Mary who seemed genuinely interested in the whole experience. "What is an EVP and EMF?" She asked.

"Well, an EVP stands for 'electronic voice phenomenon' it records and interprets spirt voices. An EMF meter shows us the electric magnetic field. If something gets closer to the EMF meter, the lights light up, the closer the object- the more it lights up and beeps!" You smiled and showed her the little gauge on the piece of equipment. "We also all have our cameras to try and capture any orbs in the graveyard!" She nervously but excitedly grinned and clutched onto your arm. When you arrived at the graveyard you took a few snaps with her and John.

"Oh my god! Look!" He shone the light from his torch on the photo and showed everyone. "There's the little orb dot things!" He ecstatically squeaked.

Brian rolled his eyes with a sigh "That could be anything, John! Flies, little bugs, dust..."

You and Roger shared a glance "Brian's a skeptic..." you uttered.

"Of course he is- it's Brian." Roger retorted back with a smirk. "Let's take a couple more photos before heading inside the church." You went around the place with John and Mary who were loving the whole experience of creeping around in a graveyard in the middle of the night. Once you had taken a few snaps, you all went inside and stood at the end of the alter. You and Roger set up some of the equipment you had brought. He turned on the EVP and another recorder and then you all turned off your torches, being plummeted into darkness. The only source of light was coming from the moonlight that streamed through broken bits of window. "Okay, Freddie, do you want to ask if anyone's here?"

He widely grinned "Alright! Hello there, darlings! How are we tonight?" He called out and created a bit of an echo. You didn't get a reply. "John, do you want to say anything?" Freddie asked him.

John blinked and looked around, he could barely see a thing. "Uh...hey there demons it's me...John Richard Deacon. I'd like to know why you haven't taken me yet." You all raised a brow at him. "I think everyone's looking at me kinda funny just now so it would be good to pick me up or scratch me or slam me into the ceiling- yeah...now would be the best opportunity for that. Do try and kill me."

"John!" Roger hissed "Take this seriously!" John sniggered slightly. "Brian, why don't you ask a question or ask a spirt to do something?"

Brian didn't believe in any of it, but made the effort for you. "Okay...if anyone is here with us, let yourselves be known by knocking twice." Silence. "Y/N, I told you this-"

Knock. Knock.

You heard everyone, including Brian gasp. You gasped yourself with a huge grin on your face. Roger grabbed you and excitedly shook you. Brian went as white as a sheet. Surely there was a logical explanation behind it. "If anyone is there, could you please come closer and give us your name!" You asked and the EMF meter buzzed and two lights flashed, then three. "Do you have a name? How old are you?" You called out. More silence followed and Brian's heartbeat was returning back to normal. That was until you all clearly heard the number seven being said. You glanced to Roger and then to the EMF meter, the lights reached up to five. "What's your name?" You asked again. "Ow! Brian!" You snapped feeling him tightly squeezing your hand "That hurt!"

"What?!" He squeaked out "I didn't touch you!" He soon did touch you- clutched onto you in fact when you all thought you heard the faintest giggle float through the air. "Surely this isn't happening?" He said in a quiet voice.

"Have I summoned a demon?" John didn't actually sound all that worried about if he did summon one or not.

"No," you sighed and grabbed the newspaper clippings from your bag about the church. You shone your torch on them. "Look here! 'Girl, 7, named locally as Janet Riley...tragically passes away in church fire...'" your voice grew quieter and you felt a tear slip down your cheek. "I think it's enough for tonight, Rog." You said with a sinking heart.

"We're actually getting somewhere though, Y/N!" He said, estatically.

"Roger," Your voice was a little shaky "She's just a girl..." you whispered. Brian sighed, placing a hand on Roger's shoulder. Roger knew it was time to call it a night but this had been your first big find in years- and everyone was with the two of you to share the experience. But he understood. You all packed up your things and decided to head home- it was one think contacting the dead, but knowing it was a child always broke your heart.

"Goodbye, spirt!" Mary called out with a small smile on her face "God- that was liberating! My heart is pounding!" You smiled and linked arms with her as you all headed back to the car with everyone.

"Still a skeptic?" You asked Brian back in the car. "How can you explain what just happened?"

Brian had just about regained composure. "The mind is a funny thing, Y/N, and in places like that with stories like the ones in the newspaper- our minds and imaginations run wild! There's always reasoning and a logical explanation behind stuff like this." You disappointedly nodded, you respected and understood his point of view. "But I'll come with you to the castle at the end of the month." You grinned and wrapped your arms around his neck and gave him a hug, your face being engulfed by his curly hair.

"I promise you won't be disappointed!"

•••

"Gilbert castle!" You pointed to it in the distance while driving. "Rog and I have been wanting to come here for years! There's a story behind it! Tell them Roger!"

Roger turned in his seat to face everyone. "There was a man, Jack Gilbert, who lived here and was madly in love with a girl called Elise, she loved him too. His mother disapproved though and when he went off to war she told the girl a few weeks later he had died. Elise was so broken hearted- she cried every night and the mother was so annoyed by it that she locked her in the basement of the castle. She kept crying constantly and the mother left the castle for a while just to get away from the crying. When she returned just before Jack came back- there wasn't any crying. Elise had died in the basement. Jack came home and found out what happened and then he threw himself from the balcony at the very top of the stairs." They all murmured incoherently under their breaths. "His mother saw him flying through the air. She saw him do it. The grief was too much for her and she took her own life too- not in the castle however. She left and went to another family estate in Wales."

"Jesus Christ," Brian uttered and placed his head in his hand. "And we're going here because...?"

"Ghosts!" You and Roger replied at the same time.

"Don't worry Bri," you looked at him via the rearview mirror "I'm sure there will be a logical explanation to everything..." you sarcastically uttered.

"Can I summon a demon again?" John asked.

Roger glared at him "How many times do we have to tell you that you didn't summon a demon?!"

John shook his head with pursed lips "Technically we don't know if it was a demon or not because we didn't hang about for long enough to find out..." he looked out the window. "God, I wish we did." Freddie sent John a concerned glance while Roger rolled his eyes with a sigh. When you pulled up to the castle and distributed equipment to everyone, you all went inside.

It was still just as grand as the day it was abandoned- there was plenty of cobwebs and dust about but all the furniture was still in place. You all fixated your eyes on the high, broken balcony on top of the staircase, they then slowly moved down and stopped at the floor. A chilling reminder of why you were here. "Why don't we split into two groups?" You suggested "I'll go with Brian and John. Rog, you can go with Fred and Mary." They all hummed in agreement and the three of you headed upstairs while the others headed down to the basement. "Look at the art," you whispered and brushed your fingers over the dusty works in the hallway, shining your light over a piece and narrowing your eyes. "Looks like he has your hair, Bri..." you smirked and Brian walked over, letting out a snort of laughter then feeling his stomach drop when he saw the name of the person in the painting.

"Jack Gilbert..." he said in a low tone and sent you a nervous looking gaze before moving on down the hall.

You looked at another piece and John gasped right in your ear, giving you a fright. "Fucking hell, John!" You quietly snapped, clutching on to your chest. "Don't creep up on me like that!"

"That's Elise! She looks just like you, Y/N!" He said, looking between you and the painting.

You rolled your eyes "She looks nothing like me! Think you need to book yourself in for an eye test!" You chuckled. Suddenly all the lights came on and the three of you jumped at the sudden burst of brightness.

"Guys!" Roger shouted from downstairs- you could just hear him. "We found the generator! We got some light!" You turned off your torch.

"I can't believe the electricity is still working in a place like this..." you uttered and kept walking down the hall. You took out your EMF reader but didn't have a reading yet. John wandered into a room with Brian following him. You went into the one just before it. It looked like a bedroom. It was beautifully decorated- nothing looked out of place. It was as if time had stood still. Then you felt a chill down your arms.

Roger, Freddie and Mary had made it to the basement. Mary jiggled the door handle "It's locked," she sighed and folded her arms.

"That's alright," Roger cockily smirked "I have a multipurpose key- one size fits all!"

Freddie furrowed his brow. "Didn't you say that about your bits once?"

The drummer pointed at him "Not the time or the place, Freddie...but yes."

"Where's the key?" Mary asked.

Roger moved his hands up and down his torso. "You're looking at it!" Roger then body slammed against the door a couple of times, grunting. "Jesus...that's a tough door!" He did it a few more times before letting out a loud groan when the lock burst and the door opened. A gust of cool air rushed passed the three of them. "Whoa..." Roger murmured and they all rubbed their arms. "It's freezing down here!"

You turned around quickly hearing breathing and then a name being said. "Hello?" You whispered. "Is anyone there?" You asked glancing to the EMF. The lights were flashing but there wasn't any noise coming from it.

"Elise?" You stood frozen in fear when you turned and saw a tall figure standing in front of you. He almost looked like Brian with his curly hair. "My love..." the figure reached his hand out and brushed his cold, hard fingers against your jaw. You screamed as loud as you possibly could and everyone heard you, jumping on the spot at the terrifying noise. Brian turned to see if you were behind him- he thought you were...you weren't. He looked to John and they both ran to where the noise was coming from.

"Y/N?" He ran towards you just as you fell forward with open eyes- it looked like you were being pulled by thin the air. When you crashed against Brian's body, you snapped back to reality and quickly pulled back.

"Brian?!" His hands were still holding your arms while John was standing by his side watching the whole ordeal. "Wh-where is he? He was right..." you pressed your hand against Brian's chest "Right here..." Brian sighed and shook his head, he knew you were taking the piss- you were a good actor when you wanted to be. Your eyes flickered up to the door and tears began to well in them. The figure was standing by it peering around the frame- he almost looked afraid and a little jealous. "He's right behind you..." you whispered with a tear rolling down your cheek. John was too paralysed with fear to glance behind him whereas Brian was unconvinced and unimpressed with your little act.

"Stop messing about. It was scary when you screamed, I'll give you that, but now-" Brian stopped talking when he heard the floorboard creak and saw a shadow in the window. He looked at you with wide eyes.

"I told you..." you whispered. John scampered out and Brian grabbed your hand, pulling you out of the room. Your hand slipped from his grip and the door slammed shut. "Brian!!" You banged against the door. "Brian!"

"Y/N!" He tried to open it, frantically twisting and turning the doorknob with trembling fingers. "Hold on! Get back from the door!" He tried to knock it down but the door was much harder than it looked.

Roger, Freddie and Mary ran upstairs when they heard the scream. They stopped in their tracks when they noticed a figure standing by the staircase. "Y/N? Where did you find that dress!" Mary laughed at the attire. "We thought you were upstairs with the boys?" She asked before John's hollering caught their attention.

"Guys! Brian needs our help!" He shouted out and the three of them ran upstairs.

"What's the matter?" Freddie asked seeing Brian throw himself against the door.

"It's Y/N, she's locked in the room!" Roger, Freddie and Mary burst out laughing. "What the fuck is so funny?!" Brian snapped and they all abruptly stopped laughing. "She's locked in there!"

"Brian," Roger stepped forward "We've just seen Y/N downstairs barely a minute ago..." Brian stopped slamming against the door. Fear was flowing through everyone's veins. Roger ran up to the door and harshly banged his fist against it. "Y/N? It's Rog! Y/N?!" The panic and worry was evident in his voice. They all heard a loud thud- you had been knocked to the ground by a force that appeared from thin air. You grabbed onto your chest with a groan when you felt a chill run right through your soul. "Fuck!" He uttered "Let's batter this down." He and Brian managed to open the door after six attempts. When they opened the door- you were gone.

"If that wasn't Y/N downstairs...then who was it?" Mary whispered with a trembling lip.

•••

"I am not the person you think I am..." you said while releasing a breath, you were sitting in another part of the castle- it seemed to be a library and it felt like you had floated through the rooms to get there. The figure was looking at you with a fond, yet concerned, smile. "This isn't happening," you sobbed out with tears streaming down your face. The mix of scared yet amazed emotions running through you were overwhelming. "I'm not her...I'm not Elise."

"My love," Jack whispered, you could see a trickle of blood on his pale forehead as he kneeled before you and took your hands. He was frozen and felt stiff. He pulled you off the chair and pushed you forward a little. "Just look at yourself in the mirror..." you looked into the one in front of you with Jack standing behind you, a small smile appearing on your face before it fell. You felt as if you were slipping in and out of your own body. "Now we can finally be together- my mother can't stop us. The dress is there, my love. Let us be together...for the rest of eternity." He slipped his fingers between the gaps of yours- the coldness didn't faze you anymore...it almost felt natural.

"Where the fuck could she have gone, Roger?!" Brian snapped in a state of panic. He was petrified that something terrible had happened. "You know this is all your bloody fault!" He pointed accusingly at Roger.

"My fault?!" Roger pressed his hand against his chest at the incredulous statement. "No way! We are all in this shit storm together! We are all ghost hunting here!" Roger pointed at the group, his blood-drained face reddening a little as he shouted.

"Ghosts don't fucking exist!" Brian yelled. Freddie wrapped a comforting arm around him. "What the hell is happening?!" He groaned into his hands and wiped away the tears. "I just want her back. I want to know she's safe!"

John shook his head with a sigh before a flash of white at the very end of the long hallway captured his attention. "Y/N?" He whispered before realisation dawned on him that the figure he had just seen really was you wearing a wedding dress. "Oh fuck! Y/N! It's Y/N!" He yelled and everyone ran towards you.

"Y/N NO!" Mary screamed seeing you inches away from the ledge of the broken balcony that was leading to the sheer drop below. You found yourself fighting with someone else inside you as you turned around to face everyone.

"Y/N..." Brian whispered out with tears rolling down his cheeks. "Love, what are you doing?"

"Jack..." you said in a voice that wasn't yours. "He's waiting for me...down there." You said and went to move forward again.

"No! No! No!" Roger grabbed you and pulled you back. Brian and John ran down the stairs and froze on the spot seeing what looked like Brian's reflection standing across from them when in fact it was the ghost of Jack Gilbert. "Y/N stop!" Roger snapped and your arms flew all over the place. Roger stumbled back into Freddie while you fell back off the staircase balcony. Your dress made a slight whooshing sound through the air as Mary let out a blood curdling scream while the boys gasped in fear and shock- Brian never. Brian quickly reacted and managed to catch you, falling to the floor with a loud grunt as he did. Everyone ran downstairs, keeping an eye on both you and the ghostly apparition.

"Y/N!" Brian tapped your face as you lay in his lap "Y/N, wake up!" He sobbed, his taps becoming softer. "Don't...don't...do this..." he sobbed out "You don't know how much I love you." His tears fell onto your face and he brushed them away. "Wake up, love..." he whispered.

You gasped and felt your chest rise as you came to and felt the chill leave your soul. "Brian?" You whispered. He happily sobbed and scooped you up, almost squeezing the life out of you with a hug. He pulled back to with a wide smile before looking up behind you, his smile slowly falling. You followed his line of vision and saw two people standing there holding hands and lovingly smiling at each other. A tear slipped down your cheek as you softly grinned at the two of them.

Jack looked down at you sympathetically "I thought you were my Elise..." he said and glanced to the woman beside him before looking back to you. "I am terribly sorry."

"It's alright," you lowly spoke. Roger and John were standing with their jaws wide open and Mary was warily standing behind an amazed Freddie. Brian was still tightly and protectively holding you. "At least you're both together again..."

They both bowed their heads at you ever so slightly. "We thank you for reuniting us." Elise spoke in the softest of voices "And for finally setting me free," she looked to Roger who could only nod with a dry mouth, he was numb with shock and wonder. "Now we can both move on and be together...for the rest of eternity." They fondly smiled at one another before heading down the corridor arm in arm, vanishing into the darkness.

After being frozen on the spot for a few seconds- everyone ran back to the car. Brian had scooped you up in his arms and carried you bridal style- which if you weren't so paralysed with shock from what just happened, you would have laughed at how ironic it was that you were wearing a wedding dress and he was carrying you like that. You all stayed silent for most of the journey back home- each of you processing what just happened in your own way. "Why did she...attach herself to you?" John quietly asked and leaned forward "Was it a demon?"

He looked to you for an answer. "Some ghosts," you emphasised with a small glare "feel they need to posses another persons body in order to continue on. Elise thought by using my body as a vessel, she could get to Jack and be with him but that wasn't the case. It was just a mistake." You thinly smiled.

"A mistake that almost cost you your life!" Brian was holding your hands and still full of worry. "I thought you died," he had tears welling in his eyes. "Please don't hunt ghosts again..."

Roger's eyes flickered to you, he knew you wouldn't pack it in over something as wild as that- in fact it only encouraged you even more to pursue looking for them. "I don't think I could ever do that, Brian." He huffed and Roger smiled. "Oh don't be like that! Can you believe what we just experienced? All of us?! We could do this all the time- together! Don't you want to find more? Don't you want to know what's out there?!" You asked with so much passion in your eyes that it almost made Brian's heart burst. He wasn't sure if it was that passion that was doing it for him or you in a wedding dress but he leaned forward and crashed his lips to yours. Roger let out a long groan at the sight- he always found it weird seeing his two best friends being all lovey-dovey. Brian pulled back and you turned to Mary and Freddie "You guys in?" The nodded with beaming smiles. "I already know your answer, Rog." You smirked and then faced John "What do you say, Deaks?"

"I say this guy is going to finally find a demon!" He pointed his two thumbs at himself and shook them while wiggling his brows with a wide grin.

"Okay..." you trailed off with a cautious smile- Mary narrowed her eyes at John and murmured something to Roger about demonic possession...and if John was showing signs. You turned to Brian again. "Well love, it's just you....you in?" You asked with a hopeful look in your eyes.

He looked at everyone else- they were now staring at him, waiting for an answer. He looked at you and smiled. "Think my days of being skeptical are behind me," he kissed you. "So are we going to a haunted house or getting married first?" He joked with a wink and you giggled. He soon became serious and intertwined his fingers with yours. "Try not to scare me like that again..."

"I'll try," you smiled and kissed him. "Now...I hate to be the one that says: 'I told you so' but...told you ghosts are real." Brian narrowed his eyes at you and playfully jabbed your sides. When you arrived back to your flat in London- everyone stayed the night. They were still in shock. Brian noticed your deep in thought look as you both lay on the bed- John was softly snorning by the foot of it on a blowup mattress. "It's funny how they looked liked us..." you whispered and turned to him. "Do you think-" you began talking but stopped yourself from continuing. Brian encouraged you to carry on. "Do you think it's a sign for us...? Like way forward in the future when we're no longer here?" You whispered with a tear rolling down your cheek.

Brian softly smiled and wiped away your tear. "I think it just goes to show that love like Jack's and Elise's...and ours," he pecked your lips and gently cupped your cheek "Will last for an eternity."

——————————

Tags- (tag list is open! Just let me know if you want to be tagged !) @rrrogah-tayluhh @rogerofmylife @phantom-fangirl-stuff @pyrotechnic789 @deacytits @mercurys-bike @thatgeekspeak @mhftrs @dannydelay @queenismylifenow @whitequeen-blackqueen @stateofloveandvedder @blondyfel @mespetitestortues

[knicks-knacks]

You probably answered this before, but what are your opinion on Carla and sta/rla? And what do you think about the fans? For me I don't like it. I guess is just how the show showed about their relationship. And what are your opinion on g4g? For me I don't like it either. I would love to hear your opinion. Hope this question isn't a bother.

Hmmm, I think I’ve talked about it before, but I don’t think anyone has outright asked me what I think about it before- they’ve all just been vents or someone wanting to complain with me. This question isn’t a bother at all, friend!

For Carla, on her own and in canon... I don't really give a shit about her??? She's a character that was used as a minor plot point in like two episodes, she has less screentime than fucking GOMPERS for God's sake. Like, it's cute that Stan and Carla dated for a while, but the fact that she became a HUGE ship and people thought she was actually significant it's like. I started to hate her REAL quick. Plus the fact that she left Stan on a dime, and that Stan probably wasn't the best of boyfriends, and if you ask me I headcanon that she kind of shamed Stan into getting more fit. And then after that, Stan got so jealous he harassed both her and her new boyfriend.

So like, I don't mind the ship much as the fluffy-short-lived-high-school-romance, but when the ship is like "omg carla is the love of stans life!!!!!!! omg carla is gonna come back and they're gonna get together!!!!!!!!! omg carla is the grandma of dipper and mabel!!!!!" it's just. shut the fuck up. she's literally JUST a teenage fling that was used to get Dipper and Stan to bond over something.

And as for the fans, my goodness, they were terrible. They fought so much with the Stancest shippers back in the day when they were still rampant through the fandom. And gosh, it's been a while and my memory is hazy, but I know there were ACTUALLY ST@RL@ FANS who said some homophobic as FUCK stuff (Since Mystery Trio was still a big thing, so was Fiddlestan, and the Starla fans got SO pissy that Stan was being shipped with another male - no, instead, he should be shipped with CARLA, because SHE CAME FIRST etc etc), and there was some entitled as fuck stuff they said, including one Starla shipper getting pissy that there was a Fiddl3st@n art that had Stan and Fidds dancing - because that's a ST@RL@ THING. ONLY STAN AND CARLA CAN EVER BE SEEN DANCING TOGETHER EVER. And that's just scratching the surface, but I know so many of them were like "STAN CAN'T BE WITH ANYONE BUT CARLA EVER" because that's some of the stuff they said to me back then lol. Plus the fact they just KEPT spouting off like they were the definitory ship, even when the show proved again and again that they aren't into each other at all anymore, they still acted like they were the best ship ever and they were NOT a tiny dingboat with a fucking hole in it. And it's not like they've changed, there was actually a recent incident with a shipper that happened that I don't want to go in depth on because it will be too obvious who/what I'm talking about.

And then god... g4g..... legit and honestly the worst thing in this entire fandom. Like, take St@rl@ shippers, make them ten times worse, and that's G4G. Like, THE worst I swear. There's a lot of bullshit going on with antis right now and all that, but I'm still SO relieved that G4G is mostly dead.

Like, just focusing on the theory for a moment, it makes no sense and it never did. They claimed that Stan got Carla knocked up in their teens, and then Dipper and Mabel are their grandkids. Timelines wise, it's not TOO far fetched - but they also were like "Stan got Carla knocked up and then ditched her and the baby" which fucking NO. NEVER IN HIS LIFE DO I THINK STAN WOULD EVEN CONSIDER ABANDONING A KNOCKED UP LADY AND A BABY. That is just SO INCREDIBLY OOC AS FUCk. And then they turn around and ALSO say that, a big reason G4G is "confirmed" is because "Stan loves the kids too much just to be a great uncle" which i think is one of the arguments that got me frustrated the most because like????? okay u say Stan loves them SO MUCH that it doesn't make sense to "just" be an uncle, but he's okay with abandoning their parent for years on end????? and the kids' parents are totally okay with sending the kids to stay with the brother of the man who abandoned them???????? what the fuck??????? but it just frustrates me SO MUCH that they were like "He's just an uncle he can't love those kids THAT much if he was just an uncle" like what the absolute FUCK does that mean. family ties???? mean nothing when it comes to love and bonding????? they act like the more closely related u are the more you care about a person and like no????? there's people who hate their parents and parents who hate their kids and there's some grandpas that couldn't give less of a shit about their grandkids, and then there's uncles who are better dads than the dad in question. like, I had a great uncle, he lived in california and he cared about me more than one of my grandpas ever did so??????? that logic is so skewed and actually kinda offensive so jeez

and there's so many other little things that they saw and screamed "CANON" at the top of their lungs like an idiot. MABEL WORE A FLOWER AND CARLA WORE A FLOWER IT'S CANON. STAN SAID SOMETHING ABOUT KNOCKING A GIRL UP, COULDN'T HAVE BEEN A JOKE HAD TO BE CARLA. And uh. god there was a ton of other stupid shit that they said was "evidence"

but I think their attitude was the most absolutely abysmal - like I said, they screamed. they literally got into all caps fights with people who didn't agree with the theory, called people who didn't agree with it idiots, generally screamed down ANYONE who wasn't along with the theory - all while believing there was no way ever in the possible universe that THEY could be wrong about this completely true theory!!!!! Stanley says he's their great uncle? HE'S BLUFFING G4G IS CANON!!!!! Alex says Stanley doesn't have kids? LIES HE DOES TO ALEX IS TRYING TO THROW US OFF!!!! Alex says AGAIN that Stan never had kids? L I E S STILL HE JUST DOESN'T WANT US TO FIND IT OUT TOO EARLY!!!! Stan literally says outright that they're Shermies grandkids? LYING ALEX IS GONNA PULL THE RUG OUT FROM UNDER US AT ANY MOMENT!!!!! Alex literally answers a fan asking 'is stan the grandpa' with 'no'? HE'S STILL LYING HE JUST CAN'T SAY IT YET!!!!! Canon compliant game mentions Shermie again and Stan mentions fighting him off to hold Dipper and Mabel? LI E S HE IS TH E G RA ND  PA

It was the most infuriating bullshit. Even though Alex had said himself three times before Stan wasn't the grandpa, even though there's a shit ton of canon evidence and outright things that debunk it, they STILL thought they were the most canon thing in the universe, to the point that they STILL yelled at people who didn't agree with them.

just. ugh. seriously, if you're new, be relieved you didn't take the brunt of the G4G bullcrap. i mean i still feel bad the for the stancest shippers who were there before me because I came in at the very end of it but I saw how bad it was. weirdly enough St@rl@ shippers targeted Stancesters a shit ton???? it was weird but yeah

[beautifulterriblequeen]

The Thief and the Tinker, Part 3: I See Fire

part 2

Part 3

Viren: Well how do you suggest we get him out?

Claudia: *grins, brandishes marshmallow on toasting fork* Unharmed is just another kind of harmed

Viren: Claudia no

Claudia: Claudia YES

I See Fire

Angst rating: 9/10

Viren is clever enough not to take the Silvergrove on alone, no matter how badly he wants Ethari to make him a magic key. Aaravos could be cooking in that pod for a while longer, but Viren still has a trustworthy and badass ally at his side.

Oh yeah, it's Claudia Time again!

Claudia is a powerful and imaginative dark mage, and she has the tainted Sun staff. So, you're the magefam, and you've made it to Xadia, to the edges of the Moonshadow Forest. And all you need to do to get the power of your dreams is to threaten one soft craftsman. But how do you find one specific Moonshadow elf in a hidden Moonshadow village somewhere in the middle of a giant spooky magical forest?

You burn him out.

Credit once again to@random-fandom-ramble for reminding me of this forest fire headcanon, because it fits so well. and so I don't get all the blame for this one, lol

Because see, that's not ordinary fire. Oh, no. That's dark magic fire. We've seen that before. It leaves permanent scars. Remember Sol Regem's eyes?

That's going to be the landscape when Claudia's fire gets through with the Moonshadow elves' home. Where I live on the US West Coast, they name forest fires, and if they combine, they get called complexes. So maybe we can name this fire the Dark Tragedy Complex? Because I do have to wonder... you could start a dark magic forest fire easily with a tainted Sun staff, but how do you put it out?

Two things are going to happen if these events should unfold. One is angsty. The other is also angsty but then amazing.

Firstly, Viren is going to get what he wants. He'll find Ethari, whose tree burned down :(. He'll show him the coins, and he'll offer a trade. Build what he wants and make it work, and Ethari can have his family back, uncoined and free.

And Ethari will say yes.

He'll say yes no matter what anyone else tries to persuade him to do, and I hope they do try, because see: Ethari has to make it look good. He has to make it look like he's all in on Viren's plan, to Viren. Even if that means turning his back on his people in their time of greatest need.

Secondly, the Moonshadow elves are going to be collectively homeless and bereft, hungry, injured, terrified, angry. They will have nowhere to go. They will be a people without a home. And no one else in Xadia will help them. Maybe they're too terrified to hide Ethari's people in case doing so brings Viren down on them, too. We've seen how ordinary elves flee in terror from dark magic. Maybe they're all fighting other issues, too. Viren knows all about stretching resources too far during times of crisis. Whatever the case, there will be no welcome anywhere in Xadia for the Moonshadow elves of the Moonshadow Forest.

But here's where it gets amazing. Because one hand will reach out. One small hand, from across the border. Good King Ezran will stand up on the seat of his throne and say, "You can stay here. I have forests. You're tired, you're hungry. You need medicine. Let me help."

And I'm gonna cry like a little baby.

How many cycles does this break, how many circles does it complete? Moonshadow elves used to live in Katolis before the border was created. When humans were under threat of total annihilation, the Moonshadow leader's daughter spoke up and asked for mercy. That mercy came in the form of land reassignment, and the Moonshadow elves had to give up their ancestral home, their Nexus, and travel east across the new Border. But that mercy got paired with justice, and the life-loving Moon Druids probably had to swear some kind of blood promise to keep an eye on the humans forevermore, and to kill any individuals who got out of hand, as if their sins were the Moonshadows' responsibility now.

That's got to breed a little resentment, a little superiority. "Look what we sacrificed for you, and this is how you act. Ungrateful." And maybe that was partially Luna Tenebris's goal: to hold to her vision of justice, she had to make the elves who shared her arcanum feel a little resentment. Moonshadows love life, but we can't have them being too soft to keep Xadia safe from dark mages, now, can we? I will never stop cackling over dragon politics okay, never

But the Moonshadow elves never figured on King Ezran. A soft boy who refused to let his father's assassination harden his heart, because every life is genuinely important to him. I've seen headcanons for Ezran getting the Sun, Earth, Ocean, and Stars arcanum. How about Moon, too? Because this is very Ethari of him, and if these stories of Viren's plan and the Moonshadow elves' displacement were actually to happen in tandem, the contrast between Ezran's soft choice and Ethari's hard one would be mindblowing.

Ezran completes the circle by inviting the Moonshadow elves to return to Katolis, to their ancestral home. They left long ago, paying the price for an act of mercy, but they were welcomed back by the mercy of humans, repaid after a thousand years, repaid in the face of tragedy. Tragedy on all sides. Tragedy Ezran wants to stop from happening, by being brave and caring and soft, and by being the first to break this thousand-year cycle between Katolis and the Moonshadow elves.

Rayla is his friend. And these are her people. It won't matter what they've done, only that they need help in a time of great desperation. And of course he'll help them. He's Ezran, and he's Katolis's greatest treasure.

Oh, what's that you say? Inviting the Moonshadow elves to settle in Katolis again would make it easier for Rayla to live with Callum in the future? Oh gosh, how about that? What a deal. *smug matchmaker noises*

And once the Moonshadow elves understand that they're safe and begin to trust Ezran--which could happen very quickly, because saving a Moonshadow elf's life when you didn't need to is a really fast way to prove you're trustworthy--maybe Ezran will be encouraged to take the next step toward peace, and eventually other elves and dragons will come to meet together to talk it over. And Ez will offer them jelly tarts, which they will love.

Back to Ethari, because we're not done with him yet. Ethari is soft, but he isn't weak. He won't be a willing pawn for Viren. He loves Runaan to the point of invention, and his devotion is more constant than the moon itself. He'll agree to do what Viren says, and he'll be Very Sad. But his spirit is in no way broken. Viren bribing him with the coins containing his family will only have the opposite effect. It'll give Ethari something to fight for.

We could get Focused Chaos Ethari. We could get Angery Trickster Ethari. We could get Rules, What Rules? Ethari. Let him try to steal the coins, try to break them, try to kill Viren, and be stymied at every turn, until he settles and seems cowed. And then all he does is craft his way out of the problem. What if we are gifted with Iron Man Ethari, who pretends to build a fake Key for Viren, but meanwhile he's really building a coinbuster with whatever he can get his hands on - primal stones, magically imbued gemstones, stolen artifacts, his own arcanum, his own reputation as the Master Craftsman of the Silvergrove. He'll use almost- almost - anything, to stop Viren and free his family.

Ethari may have to choose between those two things, though. And he's a hero, deep down, just like his family, just like his daughter. If he has to choose, he'll choose to stop Viren and save Xadia. He'll pay the same price as his family has if he must.

He'd let Viren think he was motivated purely by wanting his family back, but Ethari is far too steeped in the illusion and sacrifice for that to be all there is to his motives. It's a so-close-and-yet-so-far thing, how he and Viren almost embody the same ideals. Almost. Ethari would take one look at Viren, who just burnt down his whole Forest, he'd see the biggest threat in Xadia, and he'd say anything to get a chance to stop this juggernaut of destruction from getting his hands on whatever that ultimate power really is, locked behind that missing key. If he has to abandon his people and bawl his eyes out to convince Viren he's in, then he will.

And Viren wouldn't make it easy for him. He knows clever when he sees it. He went through all this trouble to persuade Ethari to work with him. He would need to keep Ethari as off-balance as possible to ensure that he keeps working as he should.

Angsty jewelry, anyone: Viren giving Ethari his husband in pendant form to remind him what he's working for, when Viren and Ethari both know full well that only dark magic can open the hellcoins. Ethari wearing another pendant of his love, except it's not a metaphor this time. It's literally his love, in a coin around his neck.

Viren would know that Ethari would have to stay close to Viren of his own free will if he ever hoped to free Runaan. And making people bind themselves to you is a big power flex. Remember that TDP stream future-season teaser note about Bait being in a creepy restraint in a future season?

This card is written on in all-caps, so that really could be "Bait" or "bait," or--knowing this show--both. Viren's been using Runaan as bait for Ethari all along. Putting his coin in a dark magic pendant casing for Ethari to wear would be a great parallel for that. Oh god. Oh man.

Maybe he'll stab the coin's scary casing right through that circle on Ethari's chest, right over his heart, make that Iron Man reference really obvious. Ethari also losing his shirt at some point, for angsty Viren-related reasons? It's more likely than you think. I mean... Ethari is literally involved in both forms of forging at this point. Shirt's gotta come off for uhhhh work reasons. And because he's hot. Because of all the forging. I mean how else are we finally going to discover what his markings look like

I mentioned that I liked god-tier villains, right? Yeah, this is amazing. I haven't wanted to die and ascend over an idea for quite a while, but Ethari vs Viren in a drawn-out battle of wills would kill me in the best way. Especially since, while it looks like they're essentially fighting for who gets Runaan, they're truly fighting a much larger battle with much higher stakes. They're fighting for the future itself. It's an epic struggle between the Narrative of Strength and the Narrative of Love. And we've seen what happens, over and over, when the Narrative of Strength gets to call the shots.

On a meta note: If Runaan and Ethari's story arc isn't a love letter from one trauma survivor to another, and on a broader scope to all survivors who see it, I don't know what is. Sometimes life just chews us up and spits us out and we can't stop it and it breaks us. But sometimes we can reach out and grasp the chance to help each other, even after that, even when it hurts a lot, because we know what it means to be loved, and to love, and to want a safer future for each other and for people we'll never meet. The future is worth standing together for, helping each other back up for, fighting side by side for, even if you can't see how it'll end, or even how to begin. We are stronger together, and sometimes we need to fight for our "together" before we can fight for anything else. And that's worth it, every time.

This is glorious, it's beautiful, it's tragic, it's amazing, it makes me want to dance, it makes me want to scream into the void, it makes me want to slap someone with a semi truck. No, someone specific, don't worry, and he super deserves it.

Because Ethari is going to win. He was always going to win. He's soft, and he's clever, and he hasn't forgotten what love means. It's what he's fighting for. Not power, not control. Love. He doesn't want to dictate Runaan's future, or anyone else's. He just wants his husband--and everyone else--to have one at all.

So he's going to win.

What beating Viren looks like, I can't guess yet. TDP is no stranger to angst, so there will probably be a high cost involved in thwarting the dark mage. Maybe not everyone can be rescued from the coins. Maybe Ethari will lose his life, or his soul, or his vision, or something else really angsty. Viren could even kill him and resurrect him as a smoky craftsman, or a zombie craftsman, or something equally biddable but horrible. The only thing I'm sure of is that Ethari would never willingly make a working Key of Aaravos Ethari as long as there's a chance Viren could possess it. But I do believe that if he gets the right opportunity while he's busy saving the world from Viren's dark intentions, he'll break his husband's hellcoin open somehow and set him free, even if he has to smile at the devil to do it.

part 4