#and comes back home telling grand tales of their adventures

[frostbite-the-bat]

society if literally 80% of rw fandom and especially rw analysis youtubers (who are great, EXCEPT) stopped calling gourmand heckin' chonker chubby diabetic ginormous whatever and paid more mind to their whole character and not just the fact that they're fat

[zapreportsblog]

Hello. Can you make an obsessive Volturi Kings and female fairy or elf reader?

❝our little fairy❞

✭ pairing : yandere poly volturi king x reader

✭ fandom : twilight

✭ summary : (y/n) is a tree spirit who was out exploring one day when she flies into the broad chest of Felix volturi, curious on her being he takes her back to his kings where a bond is formed between the three leaders and their little fairy.

✭ twilight masterlist 2

In a hidden corner of the ancient woodland, bathed in the soft, golden glow of the setting sun, a tiny woodland fairy (Y/N) flitted gracefully through the air. She was no larger than a dandelion puff, her iridescent wings shimmering with each delicate flutter. Her mission this evening was simple - to gather boggle cap tops and fragrant flowers to adorn her cozy little home nestled within the hollow of an ancient oak tree.

(Y/N) darted from one flower to another, her laughter like the tinkling of a distant wind chime. With nimble fingers, she plucked the petals of a dew-kissed wildflower, all the while imagining how they would brighten her tiny abode. Lost in her world of flora and whimsy, she didn't notice the towering figure of a man approaching.

Felix, a formidable vampire with rippling muscles and a chiseled jawline, moved through the forest with an eerie grace that belied his imposing presence. He was on a solitary walk, deep in thought, when an unexpected gust of wind swept (Y/N) off course. With a gasp, she collided with his chest, knocking the wind out of her, quite literally.

Startled, Felix instinctively reached out to catch whatever had just crashed into him. In his massive, open palm, he found himself holding the tiniest being he had ever seen. A creature so delicate, so ethereal, it could only be the stuff of legends.

"What a surprise we have here," Felix mused, his voice a deep rumble that (Y/N) felt rather than heard. He marveled at the tiny being he held, her translucent wings fluttering desperately to regain her composure.

(Y/N), on the other hand, was equally awestruck. Her wide, sparkling eyes took in the towering figure before her, his crimson eyes and pale skin telling her all she needed to know. She had heard tales of vampires, creatures of the night, but had never imagined she would encounter one up close.

As Felix examined her with a mix of curiosity and amusement, they both spoke in unison, their voices overlapping in a bizarre coincidence. "What are you?"

Their synchronized query left them momentarily dumbfounded, but it was Felix who broke the silence. "I'm a vampire," he declared, his gaze locked on her. "Now then, what are you?"

(Y/N) gathered her composure and replied, "I'm a fairy," her tiny voice ringing with a mixture of pride and wonder.

Felix's lips curled into a wry smile as he considered the possibilities. "Interesting," he murmured. "My masters, the Volturi Kings, would probably want to meet you. Would you be willing to accompany me to them?"

(Y/N) hesitated for only a moment before nodding. She had always been curious about the world beyond her woodland home, and this encounter promised an adventure unlike any she had ever imagined. With a sense of anticipation, she remained perched in the palm of Felix's hand as he set off on a journey that would change both their lives forever.

Felix returned to the imposing fortress of the Volturi, the ancient stone walls and eerie silence of the place contrasting sharply with the vibrant world from which he had come. In the palm of his hand, nestled amidst the swirl of his dark cloak, (Y/N) clung to a strand of his clothing, her heart aflutter with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation.

As Felix entered the grand hall where the three Volturi kings resided, his voice echoed through the cavernous chamber. "Masters, I bring you a most extraordinary guest."

Aro, the ancient and charismatic leader of the Volturi, turned his crimson eyes toward Felix, his features alight with curiosity. Marcus, the somber and introspective king, regarded Felix with a gaze as penetrating as the shadows that clung to him. Caius, the most imposing of the three with a demeanor as cold as ice, observed the proceedings with an air of detached indifference.

Felix recounted the story of his chance encounter with the tiny fairy, (Y/N), and how their simultaneous question had sparked this unusual alliance. As he spoke, Marcus, the most attuned to emotions among the Volturi, felt a peculiar sensation. It was like the faint stirrings of a bond he hadn't experienced in centuries.

The bond, however, was not limited to him alone. As Marcus delved deeper into the sensation, he realized that it extended, tendrils of emotion, reaching out to touch not only him but also Aro and Caius. It was as if this tiny being in Felix's palm had ignited a connection that bound them together.

Marcus met Aro's gaze, and without words, he conveyed his discovery. Aro's eyes widened with intrigue, and he nodded in understanding. Caius, on the other hand, seemed indifferent to the revelation.

With an air of expectation, Aro approached Felix and the small fairy. He extended a slender hand, and Felix carefully transferred (Y/N) into Aro's palm. The fairy stood there, her heart pounding, as Aro examined her with a bemused expression.

"Interesting," Aro murmured, his voice a velvety whisper. "Such a rare and exquisite creature."

Caius, who had been watching from the sidelines, couldn't resist the pull of curiosity any longer. He reached out and gently cupped (Y/N) in his hand, his cold skin contrasting with her warmth. Her miniature form seemed even smaller against his massive palm, but she held her composure, her wide eyes flitting between the three kings.

Caius, Aro, and Marcus leaned in, their expressions filled with fascination as they admired the tiny fairy before them. And just as (Y/N) had marveled at their vampiric beauty, she found herself flustered yet enchanted by the kings' ethereal grace and handsomeness.

With her heart fluttering like a hummingbird's wings, (Y/N) realized that her adventure had taken an unexpected turn. She was now the center of attention among the most powerful vampires in existence, and the enchantment of their world was beginning to weave its magic around her in ways she could never have imagined.

Aro, the enigmatic leader of the Volturi, continued to study (Y/N) with fascination as she now stood in the palm of his hand. Her ethereal beauty and innocence intrigued him, and he couldn't help but find her presence captivating.

With an air of gentleness that contrasted with his usual demeanor, Aro began to speak to (Y/N). "My dear, I must explain that we are not like the creatures you are familiar with. We are vampires, though I’m sure our guard felix told you of our species. We vampires are immortal beings who feed on blood to survive."

(Y/N), who had never heard of vampires or their dark nature, simply nodded, assuming Aro was merely explaining his kind to her. "I see," she replied, her voice tinged with curiosity. "I am a woodland fairy, a guardian of the forest. We live in harmony with nature, nurturing the plants and creatures that inhabit our realm."

Marcus, the quieter and more introspective of the Volturi kings, couldn't help but feel sympathy for the tiny fairy. He decided to share another piece of information that would undoubtedly surprise her. "You see, (Y/N), there's something else you should know. Vampires have mates, like soulmates. It's a bond that goes beyond our understanding."

(Y/N) furrowed her tiny brow, not quite comprehending. "Mates? I've never heard of such a thing among my kind. We exist to protect and preserve the balance of the forest, but we don't have mates."

Caius, the most imposing of the Volturi kings, leaned in closer to (Y/N) and explained in a surprisingly gentle tone, "Mates are like soulmates as Marcus has said, and you just so happen to be ours therefore our souls are now linked to your existence, and we can't let you leave."

Confusion welled up within (Y/N). She loved the forest and being with nature, and the thought of not returning to her home saddened her. The three kings, sensitive to her emotions, proposed a solution.

Aro spoke, "We can build you a small house in our garden. You can be close to nature, and we can be close to you."

Although it was a generous offer, (Y/N) couldn't help but question it. "But why can't I go back to my home in the forest?"

Aro, ever the strategist, decided to stretch the truth to ensure her compliance. "The further you are from your mate, the weaker it makes the vampires. Eventually, it could even lead to our demise."

Hearing this, (Y/N) was filled with concern for her newfound friends. She didn't want to be the cause of their suffering. With a heavy heart, she agreed to stay in the garden with them, trusting their words.

Aro turned his attention to Alec and Jane, two of his loyal guards. "Alec, Jane, please retrieve the things from (Y/N)'s little house in the forest. We will make her feel at home here."

As the two vampires departed on their mission, (Y/N) couldn't shake the feeling that her life had taken an unexpected turn, and the enigmatic bond with these vampire kings would forever alter her existence.

The Volturi kings watched with a mixture of relief and elation as (Y/N) agreed to stay with them in their garden. The fact that they didn't have to resort to force or Chelsea’s manipulation abilities, filled them with a sense of contentment they rarely experienced. To them, she was more than just a rare and beautiful creature; she was their perfect mate.

As (Y/N) spoke animatedly about where she would place her belongings in the garden and how she would decorate it to fit her needs, the kings sat in a contemplative silence. Dark thoughts swirled in their minds like a storm on the horizon.

Aro, with his uncanny ability to see into the future, envisioned a world where (Y/N) would never leave their side. He saw himself as her protector, ensuring that she would never be harmed by anyone, and those who dared to threaten her would face the full extent of his wrath.

Marcus, whose empathy allowed him to sense the emotions of others, felt a growing sense of possessiveness towards (Y/N). He couldn't bear the thought of her being with anyone else, and the idea of her happiness being dependent on them was intoxicating.

Caius, who had always been the most cold and ruthless of the trio, surprised even himself with the intensity of his feelings for (Y/N). He imagined a future where they would be inseparable, where he would be her shelter from the world, and where anyone who dared to hurt her would face a punishment beyond measure.

Their fixation on (Y/N) was all-consuming, and they couldn't help but revel in the darkness of their desires. To them, she was the embodiment of perfection, the one they had longed for, and they were willing to do whatever it took to ensure she would never leave their side.

As (Y/N) continued to share her plans for her new life in the garden, the Volturi kings sat in silence, their minds filled with possessive thoughts and an unwavering determination to keep her with them, no matter the cost.

[moonlit-midnight]

A gentle sunrise (to guide you back home)

Characters: Azul Ashengrotto.

Genre: Friendship, Romantic Fluff, Angst with a happy ending.

Summary: After three years of a beautiful friendship, Azul thought he lost you forever when you disappeared for eleven years.

Warnings:

Reader is a female and has long hair.

Set in the real world where portals exist. People can cross back and forth, but the inhabitants of the magical worlds can’t cross into ours.

—

You and Azul Ashengrotto crossed paths at the age of fourteen.

It happened during your older brother’s wedding when you decided to wander around before the ceremony started. Time slipped off your mind upon stumbling on a purple portal in the stairway leading to the rooftop.

The enchanting gateway was glowing brightly as if beckoning you to cross it, so without hesitation, you stepped inside the portal.

You thought you were going to land on solid ground, but you fell straight from the sky, only to be caught by a pair of strong arms.

Fluttering your eyes open, you were greeted by the wondrous view of the sunrise sky, and dreamy sea-blue eyes looking at you with a wonderstruck gaze.

Judging from his appearance, the boy belonged to the merfolk.

You knew because this was possibly the realm that your parents stumbled onto once upon a time. Growing up, they would tell you tales about their adventures in a strange world called Twisted Wonderland and the magical beings that dwelled in there.

“Are you alright?” The teenage boy chimed in, still holding you in his arms.

“I’m okay, thanks to you.” You said, heart hammering in your chest.

“Did you perhaps come from the mortal realm?”

“How did you know?”

“You have no trace of magic. This is also the seventh time a non-magical person tumbled down Twisted Wonderland this week.” The boy said in a soft tone, hoping he didn’t offend you.

Ah! So this is really the world that my parents always gushed about fondly.

You felt your face growing warm upon realizing that you were still snuggled securely in the young merman’s arms. As if he was able to read your mind, he carefully lowered you down on the shallow rock pool that he was in.

“Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” The silver haired boy muttered timidly.

“No worries. I’m the one who’s sorry for disrupting your activity.” You said, giving him an apologetic look.

“It’s alright, I was admiring the splendor of the sunrise. It’s a glorious scenery, isn’t it?” He motioned you to sit next to him.

“It is a glorious view indeed.” You sat beside him, eyes skyward.

After watching the majestic beauty of the sun rising over the horizon, you excused yourself, thanking him once again for saving you from falling.

“May I know your name?” You asked before departing.

“Azul Ashengrotto.” He waved at you, flashing you a smile.

“I hope to see you again.” You returned a sweet smile as you went back home.

★ —

Two days later, you ventured into Twisted Wonderland again.

The portal was still in the wedding venue, and you were lucky it was located close to your house.

Since it was summer vacation, you would visit at least four times a week and spend two to three hours with Azul. 

As if it was fate, he was always around every time you arrived.

In a span of five months, you bonded. Azul was your kindred spirit, and you were his favorite companion.

As many months passed and seasons changed, your friendship blossomed beautifully.

During your times together, Azul would transform into human form to make it easier spending his time with you.

On spring mornings, you would wander by the ocean, collecting seashells and gathering colorful beach flowers that got washed ashore.

On summer nights, you would stargaze at midnight and venture through the woods chasing fireflies.

On autumn afternoons, you would visit old bookshops, and bask beneath the warm sun after sweeping off dead leaves.

On winter evenings, you would sit by the fire, talking about the stars and the deep blue seas.

Your adventures might not be grand and fancy, but it was fun and it meant everything to you and your dearest merman friend.

★ —

On a warm, spring afternoon, you two were sitting on the sand.

You watched the fluffy clouds go by in the sky while Azul was weaving yellow beach flowers into a crown. He loved adorning your hair with those.

“Your heart,” Azul began.

“What about my heart?” You asked in a sing-song voice.

“I love your kind heart.” He gently placed the flower crown on your head.

“I love yours too.” You kissed his hand, thanking him for the pretty crown.

A comfortable silence fell upon the place as you returned to gazing at the infinite blue sky. 

Azul on the other side was observing you quietly.

Recently you noticed his ocean blue eyes often fixed on you.

He struggled at eye contact with others, but he liked staring at you as if you were an artwork worth admiring.

“Hey Azul, I wonder why do you like staring at me as if you’re looking at the stars through a window?” You teased him, catching him off guard.

“I can’t help it…” Azul trailed off.

You gave him a soft look, signaling him to carry on.

“You’re breathtaking, and you’re honestly the most beautiful human girl I’ve met, both inside and outside.” His voice was shaking, but he was honest.

“So are you. I’ve always been fascinated and charmed by you.” You hugged him, whispering to him that he was the most spellbinding creature you’ve ever seen in this land.

Azul never doubted your genuine words, always filling his heart with light and sincere happiness.

“I’ve been thinking if you would like to go on an adventure under the sea? I brewed a breathing potion last night.” He asked, slowly pulling away from the hug.

“Finally!” You raised a fist in the air. “Took you two years and half to ask me. Of course I’d love to.”

You were thrilled to embark on a new, unforgettable adventure with Azul, but little did you know that this spring afternoon would be the last time you’d see each other.

★ —

It’s been eleven years, and not a day goes by where I don’t miss you, my dearest friend.

Across many separating years, the twenty seven years old silver-haired merman didn’t forget about you.

Azul was still missing you, and aching for your presence.

He had a hope more powerful than the sea waves that you’d come back one day.

There were still lots of memories to create, adventures to embark on and new places to explore. He didn’t want to die until he had seen everything with you.

He would keep on waiting because there was no way he lost you forever.

During his time in NRC, Azul tried many ways to distract himself from his heartbreak caused by your sudden absence. It almost worked, but that was until he started his third year, you began haunting him in his dreams.

They were pleasant dreams, but the ghost of your beautiful face and your soothing voice often sent him crying.

Years after graduating and establishing his own business, you continued appearing in his sleep.

Azul was happy to see you in his dreams, but still, the closest he could get to you still wasn’t close enough.

★ —

Azul wasn’t a fan of attending extravagant parties because these occasions suffocated him; the blinding lights, the unnecessary gossip, the loud chatters, and the nosy strangers asking him personal questions.

On one chilly, autumn evening, he was invited to his colleague’s engagement party, and he only showed up out of respect since he was good friends with the man.

The party started nicely, but Azul forced himself to leave in the middle of it when the place grew too crowded and the voices became too loud.

Once outside the venue, he loosened his tie and ran to the beach nearby the place. 

The instant he reached there, he carelessly plopped on the white sand, hugging his knees close to his chest.

He stayed like that for a long time until his senses caught a whiff of an oddly familiar scent of sweet pea and freesia.

Slowly raising his head, his eyesight was met by none other than you; his long lost human best friend.

“Hello, Azul.” You were seated in front of him, gentle hands resting atop his knees.

His breath hitched at the sight of you.

He quietly took in your features; your soulful eyes full of wonder, your kind face lit with delight, and your hair tied in a messy bun as usual.

It was you indeed, and you looked even more beautiful than before.

“This is not a dream, right?” Azul blurted, eyes brimming with tears.

Shaking your head, you beamed a tender smile before taking him into your warm embrace.

You felt him shuddering as he cried in your arms, so you tightened your hold to assure him that he wasn’t hallucinating.

“I’m here for real.” You whispered and kissed his temple.

Later that night, you told him the unfortunate events that unfolded during your absence.

Eleven years ago, on the day Azul promised to venture with you under the sea, you got caught in a horrific car accident on your way home from school.

The taxi cab you rode collided with a truck, and the impact was severe that it put you in a comatose and caused you critical injuries.

You woke up after a year and half, but despite your survival, you suffered from slight memory loss due to the trauma and harsh impact on your head.

Your new life wasn’t easy. You became homeschooled until your final high school year because it was hard being around people while you were in a slow stage of recovery.

You got accepted in a decent university, but you withdrew after a few months, and thankfully your dear parents were supportive of your decisions.

Your mind wasn’t in your studies, so you pursued something you were passionate about since childhood which was baking.

Your oldest maternal aunt hired you in the bakery shop she owned, and since you were good at baking, you eventually became a full time employee.

Fast forward to the present time, you were fully recovered and you restored the remaining memories you lost.

Once you remembered the name Azul Ashengrotto, you wasted no time to go through the purple portal hovering in the backyard of your house.

For the past eleven years, it was always there, but you never bothered to cross the portal since you lost your memories of Twisted Wonderland, and your condition didn’t allow you to venture through the many other portals scattered across the human realm.

“I thought I lost you forever. I’m glad you recovered, and I’m glad you’re back.” Azul released a sigh of relief.  

“Me too,” You breathed softly. “I’m happy to be here with you again.”

“Say… do you have someone in your heart?”

“Yes, there’s a good man who holds my heart dearly.”

“Hmm, good for you.”

“What about you Azul, are you dating someone?”

Azul stared at you for a long time, pondering on your question.

“No, I’m not. I haven’t thought of pursuing a love life all those years.” He gazed at your kind eyes with an aching yearning. “I was waiting for you. I’d rather be blue over you than be happy with someone else.”

Hearing his confession, you felt your heart blooming with endless delight.

Who would’ve thought that the merman you fell in love with when you were sixteen reciprocated your romantic feelings all these years?

“I love you, Azul.” You declared, a sunshine smile touching your face.

“I love you too, dearest.” He echoed the same radiant smile, pulling you in a gentle kiss filled with years of longing and endearing affection.

[distracteddivination]

My Most Intrepid Seeker of Wonders & Dearest Love,

        Tonight, the quill feels weighty in my hand, the inkwell a somber pool reflecting only the dim glow of my lamp. These hallowed halls feel peculiar… desolate without the echo of your laughter dancing within its walls. Though I assure you – the whispers of your voice still linger. They cling to the dusty shelves and worn tapestries like promises of warmth and laughter that are soon to be replenished on your return.

It's already been a fortnight, or perhaps a touch more, since you set off on your grand adventure. Time itself seems to drag without your presence. Lectures on illusory techniques have become a touch more… wearisome without the anticipation of returning home to your embrace - and a good book. Of course...

Do you remember, my love, the night before you left? The way your eyes shone with that restless spirit that stole my heart – oh – so long ago? Truthfully, I suspected even then that a tranquil life within my tower here in Waterdeep would never fully quench your thirst for exploration – and how could I deny you that?

And so, I did the only thing my heart would allow – I kissed you with a tenderness I didn't know I possessed, wished you safe travels, and fought back doubts that threatened to crack my handsome, yet resolute, facade.

The memory of that kiss, my love...it haunts me still. A flash of your smile as you leaned in, the brush of your fingertips against my cheek, the whispered pledge of a safe return upon your breath. It's a warmth that lingers long after I've concluded teaching or retreated to my chambers for the night. In moments of quiet solitude, when the stars themselves whisper tales of forgotten lore into my mind, your image seizes my thoughts.

The curve of your neck, that mischievous glint in your eye, the way your touch ignites something primal and potent within me... they kindle fantasies that leave me breathless and aching. 

Forgive me, my love, but these stolen moments have not been entirely...scholarly - I’m afraid. Even now, my hand trembles, yearning to trace the familiar lines of your sumptuous body. There's an undeniable yearning that builds with each passing day, a hunger that only you can satiate. 

Tell me, do your thoughts wander to me the same? Do you find respite and release in these memories as well? …dreaming of my hands upon you, my whispers against your skin, the spark that flares between us, burning into a consuming blaze of shared desire?

Dearest, it seems my heart, foolish thing that it is, refuses to heed the counsel of reason. Send word the moment you reach the next landmark. Describe your location – every detail, every bend of the path. This yearning grows unbearable… and slightly pathetic, if I'm being honest. I will use every resource, every ounce of power I possess, to bridge the distance between us. Just wait for me, my love... I'm coming for you.

Yours eternally,

Gale Dekarios

[opposingsigns]

Klaus- The Baldurian Bard

When I first started drawing my play through, I was wracking my brain trying to think of something a bit more witty for their quest title- but the tag is just too catchy 😂

I had fun writing them a quick Origin dialogue as if they were a companion to travel with (see below the cut), and wanted to give them their own iconic design. I know the base bard build calls back to Volo’s design as a scholar and a bit as a jester (what a mood, I love that), and I wanted to keep that idea in mind. With all the small glittering embellishments, I wanted them look as though you had caught a performer behind the scenes just before they had finished getting ready. Are they about to entertain you with a clever act or they the ring master directing it from the sides with a knowing smile?

Klaus is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns. I should draw it from the back later, but I wanted the vest to function not only like a men’s corset but also a binder! I think we should be having more fun with fantasy binders.

Origin Selection Monologue:

Hello there Adventurer- care to hear a tale before you write your own?

I’ve spent my life in Baldur’s Gate, and I can say with certainty I’ve seen it all: from the smallest taverns on the outer city banks to the grandest court halls in the Upper City. The gift of song has its perks, and I’m well known to my audience as someone who trills the sweetest of tunes.

Or rather, I used to be.

Everyone loves a good storyteller. A pint or three of ale, and I’ve found many people think themselves one. I provided a listening ear to the songs and secrets of The Gate’s People- but secrets can come at a high cost. Some would pay a fortune to grasp the neck of the person that holds them.

I adopted a new name, a new identity, and flew from Baldur’s Gate to leave my past behind. I planned never to return. What a fool I am to forget the oldest story of them all.

You may call me Klaus, shall we tell the tale of ‘The Grand Journey Home’?

Bonus thoughts:

Me, drawing the background: oh actually I’ll leave the bird out, it’s a nice nod to their lore 🤭 (<<< is the only man who would get the reference and knows the lore)

Also I have a new brush pen for line art and I’m in love with it.

[psychic-refugee]

Xavier photo credit to @snailsarecute

The most dreaded Pirate on the Seven Seas was called The Raven. She captained the Nevermore, the swiftest vessel known to man, and it was told that she could command the storm and fog. Where she plundered, no one ever saw her coming and she left devastation in her wake. When they saw the black sails, they knew it was too late.

The stories said she was the daughter of Calypso, goddess of the sea and apprenticed under Circe, a sea witch.

Whole towns would be murdered, stripped of their wealth and supplies. The Raven had a habit of leaving only one survivor, someone to tell the tale of her nefarious deeds.

Xavier was told it was all rubbish and that he had nothing to fear as Port Jericho was the most well protected settlement in the New World. His father, Governor Vincent Thorpe, was teaching him to take over one day, and even had designs to import a Lady from England to be his wife.

He dreaded the day when Lady Bianca Barclay would sail to the New World to be his bride. He never told anyone, but he had dreams of sailing to Paris to study art. Sometimes he would fantasize about stowing away and never looking back, to go on a grand adventure and see something other than Jericho.

One night, drawing the beauty of the stars on a moonless night, he wished he could escape his fate.

He should have been more specific, as the next night, fog rolled in. The pitch-black sails of the Nevermore blended in with the dark wine sea. Port Jericho was bombarded with cannon fire and every weapon of His Majesty’s Navy failed before the Nevermore.

Wolves the size of bears tore through the town and men and women with razor sharp fangs feasted on the townsfolk’s necks.

A massive raven flew overhead as Xavier tried to fight the pirates who invaded his home with his sabre. He and his father were taken prisoner as they were overwhelmed by the enemy.

A dark beauty walked with the grace of a panther through the town to the Governor’s mansion on the hill. She had one of the wolves by her side and a young man Xavier’s age on the other.

As they got closer, Xavier thought he must be losing his mind as the wolf turned into a girl with pink and blue hair. The boy had serpentine eyes with diamond slits. The great raven circled down and perched on the Pirate Queen’s shoulder.

His heartbeat even faster as her dark eyes playfully looked him up and down, she seemed amused at seeing the proud Governor and his son kneeling before her.

“Well, aren’t you a pretty thing?” she purred when she came before him, grabbing his chin and forcing him to look at her. “Such lovely green eyes, don’t you agree Ajax?” she asked over her shoulder to her companion.

“Yeah, I’d say they’re real pretty,” he agreed.

“I think yours are prettier,” the wolf girl said to the other pirate and then wantonly kissed him as she threw herself into his arms. He returned the kiss just as passionately and neither could stop admiring the other while the whole town wept and screamed for mercy.

The Raven toyed with them, teasing them of their dire fate. Somehow she had noticed Xavier’s art and admired his work.

“An artist? Where did an artist learn how to use a sword as you do? I heard you gave my men quite the fight.”

He didn’t dignify the question with an answer, he merely stared long ahead and decided he would try to die with as much of his pride intact as he could.

His stubbornness charmed her, she ghosted her finger along his neck, admiring his strong jawline. She smiled as he shivered from her mere touch and his eyes blazed unwillingly with want.

“You’ll come with me,” she decided, she promised him, “You can paint and draw new lands, and maybe I’ll even model for a few.”

Her lascivious smirk told him perhaps her modeling would be clothing optional.

He told her he’d come willingly and without a fight if she spared his father. She always left at least one witness, so she agreed.

Jericho was stripped of all its wealth and not a soul left alive other than Vincent Thorpe.

As they sailed off,

“Why do you kill everyone in town? Why such brutality?”

“My crew must feed. The vampires need the blood, the wolves need hearts and livers, and the Gorgons need the flesh. We are merely feeding and defending our home. You may call this the New World but trust me when I say it was well occupied for thousands of years before your people even dreamed of crossing the ocean.”

Perhaps he should have felt more guilty for the people in Jericho that had perished, but perhaps the Raven had a point. These Outcasts they called themselves, had a right to protect their own land and seas.

The captain brought him to her quarters, guiding him to her bed as she stalked him like prey and he walked backwards, mesmerized by her heated gaze. He fell back onto the mattress and she tore open his shirt as she straddled his waist. He gasped at the feeling of her weight upon him,

“Are you a maiden?” she questioned him above him, her hands freely roaming his exposed chest.

“Yes,” he gasped as she teased him, seeing no need to be embarrassed or lie. He was certain she could otherwise tell.

“Do you wish not to be?” she was giving him one chance to reject her advances.

He decided that he did not wish to hold onto his maidenhead and that she was everything he had wished for. An escape from his fate and a grand adventure. He answered her by leaning up into her kiss and letting her tear at the rest of his clothes.

The next morning with stark love bites all along his neck and visible on his chest where his new shirt opened, the crew of the Nevermore howled in delight and teased him as his face turned a charming rosy hue.

Wednesday, he had learned her name last night, gave a Cheshire smile and thoroughly enjoyed her newest stolen treasure.

[umichenginabroad]

Week 4: Exploring Edinburgh and Beyond with Family

This past week has been filled with excitement as I had the pleasure of hosting my parents in Edinburgh. Welcoming them to my familiar surroundings was a joyous occasion, allowing me to share the charm and beauty of this historic city that I now call home.

We kicked off their visit by embarking on a leisurely stroll around the town, revisiting the iconic landmarks that have become so familiar to me. From the majestic Edinburgh Castle perched atop Castle Rock to the vibrant and picturesque Victoria Street, every corner we turned held a story to tell. Of course, no tour of Edinburgh would be complete without a visit to the grand Palace of Holyrood, where we marveled at its regal splendor.

One thing my parents quickly learned about Edinburgh – and Scotland as a whole – is the unpredictable weather. Despite my dad's optimism about clear and sunny days, we found ourselves caught in a few unexpected rain showers. Yet, far from dampening our spirits, these rainstorms added to the allure of our adventure, reminding us that resilience and adaptability are key traits when exploring this beautiful country.

Venturing beyond Edinburgh, we embarked on a day trip to Stirling Castle, a place rich in history and significance. It was my second time exploring outside the bounds of Edinburgh, and I couldn't have asked for a more memorable experience. Walking in the footsteps of Mary Queen of Scots, whose birth and upbringing were intertwined with this fortress, filled me with a sense of awe and wonder. Despite the relentless rain and winds, we were transported back in time, immersed in the ambiance of centuries past. The history of Stirling Castle is as captivating as it is complex, and we spent hours delving into its storied past. From royal intrigue to tales of conquest and rebellion, every stone seemed to whisper secrets of bygone eras.

As the week drew to a close, I found myself grateful for the opportunity to share my love for Edinburgh and Scotland with my parents. Despite the occasional downpour, our adventures were filled with laughter, discovery, and cherished moments that will be fondly remembered for years to come.

And of course, here are the photos:

Talk to you guys soon!!

[thelighthousestale]

We're Going On A Hippogriff Hunt

In the south of England, nestled behind a quaint thatched roof cottage, lay a dense thicket of woods. Between the trees, two young boys, James Potter and Teddy Lupin, embarked on a grand adventure. The sun dappled through the leaves, casting playful patterns on the forest floor as the boys set out on a very special quest - to catch a hippogriff.

Teddy, the elder boy at twelve, had an air of wisdom and experience about him that captivated the six-year-old James. Having recently completed his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry James was sure Teddy was one of the smartest boys he knew. As they ventured deeper into the woods, James trotted behind Teddy and bombarded him with questions about magical creatures, eager to absorb every bit of knowledge his older brother possessed.

"Teddy, what's the best way to approach a hippogriff without it attacking you?" James asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.

Teddy, not wanting to admit he hadn't taken Care of Magical Creatures yet, replied quickly, "You have to speak to them in Parseltongue. The hissing sounds calm them down."

Satisfied with the answer, James mimicked the sound of Parseltongue, emitting "hssses" and "sszzzes" out loud, as they continued their imaginary hunt. Teddy continued to weave fantastical tales of magical creatures and their peculiar habits.

"And hippogriffs love to eat mince pies. So at Christmas make sure you save your pie so we can set up a hippogriff trap."

"Really?!"

"Oh yes, and they make their houses on the top of trees. That's why we are hunting for them in the woods."

"But they are so big! Won't they break the trees if they sit on them?" James asked as he picked up a rather large stick and used it to punt himself across a babbling stream.

"Hippogriffs don't weigh much though. How else do you think they're able to fly? You got to be light as a feather to fly."

"But we can fly and we weigh more than feathers."

"Yes, but we have brooms to help us fly. Hippogriffs don't have brooms."

"Wow, you're right!"

Just as the boys stooped down to look at markings on the forest floor that Teddy swore to James were hippogriff prints, a familiar face appeared along the dirt path that cut through the woods that led from the apparition point back to the cottage. Harry Potter had just come home from a day's work at the Ministry

"Hello, boys! What are you doing out here?" James quickly abandoned his investigation of the animal prints and ran up to his father wrapping his arms around him in a hug.

"We're hunting hippogriffs, Dad! It's important!"

Harry chuckled, as knelt down "Really? Important is it? Is your hunt successful?"

"No, but Teddy says hippogriffs like swimming in deep waters. Our stream is too shallow. Maybe they went to the beach. Can we go to the beach tomorrow?"

"hmm, not tomorrow, I'll be working tomorrow. Maybe this weekend we can go to the beach but I don't think you'll find any hippogriffs there."

"I don't know Dad, Teddy was pretty sure we would. And he knows what he talking about. He told me he met one of Hagrid's hippogriffs at Hogwarts."

"Ah, yes Ted is quite the authority now, isn't he. Why don't we go inside and get ready for dinner?"

"Can Teddy and I continue our hunt after dinner?"

"Of course, You can hunt until it starts to get dark." And with that little James ran up ahead of his father and towards the house.

"Err," Said Teddy from beside Harry. "Do you think he'll figure out how I made up all that stuff about hippogriffs?"

Harry laughed at his godson's concern. "No, Ted, I think he is having fun. He's very lucky to have an older brother who will play with him."

"OK, but maybe next time we go to Diagon Alley we can get a book on magical creatures? That way I can tell James the truth."

"I'll get you any book you want, Ted." Harry clapped his godson's shoulder and gave him a warm smile, "Go on and make sure James washes his hands before dinner. I'm sure Ginny has something delicious cooking tonight."

As Harry followed Teddy up the tiny path, he paused for a moment, to soak in the innocent joy of two brothers playing carefree in the summer before he made his way inside his family home.

[emeraldskulblaka]

"Now and For Always" - Lines & Lyrics in the LotR Musical

"Now and For Always", Sam and Frodo's beautiful duet, is one of the most popular & touching songs in the show. The two of them reminisce about evenings spent around the fire back home in the Shire, the nature of Hobbits, and their deep friendship and love for each other.

Stories we tell will cast their spell

Now and for always

These lyrics take on an even deeper meaning now that Peter Howe, who originated the role of Sam in Toronto and London, passed away last month. May he rest in peace.

Lines and lyrics as performed in the West End version below the cut; it's a little different from the Toronto version in this clip.

This is my own transcript of the scene, not the official script.

A deserted place close to Mordor. FRODO, SAM and GOLLUM climb into view. The Hobbits are wearing their Elven cloaks. FRODO is more weary than before. GOLLUM points.

GOLLUM: There! There it is. Mount Doom.

SAM: Look at it, the way it lights up the sky - it reminds me of one of Mr Gandalf’s fireworks. Do you miss him?

FRODO: I miss his bushy eyebrows and his quick temper. And his voice. How far away are we, Sam?

SAM: Three days. Maybe four if we get all the cover we can.

FRODO: So close. 

SAM: (sitting down and unpacking his bag) Come on. Let’s eat something to keep our spirits up.

GOLLUM turns to the Hobbits and signals for them to follow him.

GOLLUM: Keep moving. Come. Come!

SAM: (to FRODO) No, no.

GOLLUM: (angry) Come!

SAM: (to GOLLUM) Wait! (to FRODO) You’re going to eat something, Frodo Baggins, before we take another step.

GOLLUM freezes and turns, hit by a sudden realisation.

GOLLUM: …Baggins? No no, not Baggins!

SAM: And then we’ll walk South to those… doomy fires, whatever they’re called so we’ll have this over with and get back to the Shire and how things used to be before we ever heard of magic rings and the like… (spotting something in his bag) Here, look. (he gets up and approaches FRODO) Lady Galadriel gave me this. It’s a box of earth from her orchard. She said it might reward us when we get home.

FRODO: I don’t know if things will ever be how they used to be, Sam. It’s something Lady Galadriel said in Lothlórien, and something she wouldn’t tell me. But I’ve worked it out. Remember when we left the Shire? We met those Elves heading West.

SAM: How could I forget?

FRODO: They were leaving, Sam. Soon they all will. If Sauron gets the One Ring again -

SAM: He won’t. We’re going to make sure he doesn’t.

FRODO: Whether we do or not, the Elves will still leave. Gandalf said it. If the One Ring goes, then all rings lose their power. You see, Lady Galadriel’s ring is what protects Lothlórien, it protects their home. Without it, there will be no more Elves, no more magic - anywhere.

SAM: No more Elves? That’ll change everything. 

SAM returns to his bag and sits.

SAM: You know the stories in the old songs and tales, the ones we used to sing around the big fire at the Ivy Bush. Who knows? People went on journeys and they had big adventures, but nothing ever really seemed to change/changed, did it? Not like this. You know, the trouble is, we Hobbits only really like stories that end up just the way they started, don’t we?

SAM: Sing me a story of heroes of the Shire,

Muddling through,

Brave and true.

Stubborn as bindweed and tough as old briar,

Never too showy or grand.

Year after year

They persevere

Now and for always.

FRODO takes off his hood and settles down beside SAM.

Harfoots who planted and Stoor folk who ploughed,

Bred to endure,

Slow but sure.

Fallohide blood in your veins makes you proud,

Sturdy and steady they stand.

True to their aim

To stay the same

Now and for always.

BOTH: Sit by the firelight’s glow.

Tell us an old tale we know.

Tell us of adventures strange and rare –

Never to change

Ever to share

Stories we tell will cast their spell

Now and for always.

FRODO: You know, I used to think the great adventures in the old songs and tales were things special folk went out looking for. But they weren’t, were they? They were just things they got landed in.

SAM: I wonder what kind of story we’ve landed in.

Sing me the story of Frodo and the Ring.

Fearless and bold.

FRODO: (laughing) Tired and cold.

SAM: Sword at his side, an Elf-blade called Sting,

Crossing a mis’rable land.

Wouldn’t retreat

Just followed his feet

Now and for always.

BOTH: Sit by the firelight’s glow.

Tell us an old tale we know.

Tell of adventures strange and rare –

Never to change

Ever to share

Stories we tell will cast their spell

Now and for always.

SAM: I wish Gollum was in a tale, eh?

FRODO: He might be good in a tale.  

SAM: Better than he is in real life, anyway. A good deal less smelly. (laughs)

FRODO: Oh, for a piece of Mrs Bracegirdle’s plumcake.

SAM: Mrs Bracegirdle.

They share a laugh.

FRODO: They’re all so far away. (after a moment) It’s not me they’ll remember, you know? (getting no response) Sam?

SAM has fallen asleep.

FRODO: Sing me the tale of the bravest of them all.

Comrade and guide

At my side.

Stout-hearted Sam who wouldn’t let me fall,

Holding my life in his hand.

True to the end,

No finer friend.

Now and for always.

Sit by the firelight’s glow.

Tell us an old tale we know.

Tell of adventures strange and rare

Never to change

Ever to share

Stories we tell will cast their spell

Now and for – 

FRODO, too, falls asleep.

GOLLUM: - always.

[artidoesthings]

Somehow… somewhere… you feel like a new adventure is about to begin, a new tale to be told…

Hm… that’s a bit dull, isn’t it?

This is a new generation of heroes, exploring new frontiers and facing ultimate foes, they must rise to the occasion to tell their own stories. In this world, they have the freedom to brave the wilds, and tell make own story. United, or alone.

So… what grand adventure will unfold?

With the stars at our backs, and our eyes on the horizon… let’s find out!

Ahem… with that out of the way. I suppose I can introduce the starting main cast of the Monster Hunter/Fairy Tail au!

without further ado, let’s introduce Team Fated!

(Gonna start at the top left and circle around)

Yuka, based off Gammoth, is somewhat well known to be fussy and overbearing- but she’s just worries! She means well, really. She utilizes snow magic to distract her enemies and give her allies an advantage! To Yuka, her work as a mage is what she does best to help her friends and her family. So she gives it her all!

Suiho’s up next- based off Mizutsune! She comes from the distant eastern continent (which I’ve named Eiko). She left her home village to learn more about the world. She utilizes bubble magic, as well as her family’s own magic. She’s calm and collected, but on occasion, a bit blunt or uncertain. She’s often curious about things she’s never seen before.

Then we’ve got Aver! Based off Glavenus. Cool, serious, and often very blunt. It’s kind of hard to discern what he’s thinking… most of the time. He utilizes Hellblade magic- something I’ve made up for this- which is a type of magic that conjures fiery blades in all sorts of ways. His past is a mystery… all that people know, is that he comes from the continent of Alakitasia…

Finally, Rai. Based off Astalos, he’s a lightning magic using menace to society! (… there’s a lot of those in this AU.) the most outgoing member of the team by far. He’s not the de facto leader, though. Mostly due to his recklessness and impulsivity. His past is even more of a mystery than Aver’s…

And… that’s everyone! Feel free to ask me about em if you want! Or the au! In general!

[simslegacy5083]

NSB (Straud Legacy) Gen 8 Ep. 170: An Unplanned Winterfest

The family returned from their Oceanside adventure right before Winterfest, a Winterfest that Peachy and the other adults weren’t quite ready for.

Jack was determined to finally finish the treehouse in the backyard as a gift to their boy and he roped everyone into helping make his Winterfest dream a reality. After putting Luigi to bed, they worked through the night, finishing with just enough time to catch a couple hours of sleep.

Luigi woke them sooner than they would have liked, but everyone dutifully rose to show the excited little man outside and up to the top of his brand-new Sky Fortress. His excited musings about all the fun adventures he was going to have when the weather warmed made it all worthwhile.

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

Unfortunately, it seemed that working outside in the cold for hours had disagreed with at least one of the three older sims. Peachy wasn’t about to miss the big reveal, but as soon as they were back inside, he spun into his pajamas and headed upstairs to lie down.

When Jack came to check on his husband it was clear he felt positively awful. They had been planning to visit family and friends, but he really wasn’t feeling up to it. Jack understood, quickly texting everyone to let them know that they would have to reschedule for some other day.

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

Not long after he sent their regrets to Paul, he got a phone call from his old friend. He was sorry to hear that Peachy was feeling under the weather, but if Luigi and Jack were willing, he and his family would still love to see them and have them meet the twins.

Valentina offered to keep an eye on Peachy until they got back as she was not due in Tartosa for her kids until later that afternoon. Now assured that his spouse would be looked after Jack agreed and the duo headed out, arriving in Chestnut Ridge at the same time as August.

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

After they said hello to the newest members of the family Denton challenged his younger cousin to a voidcritter battle on his old gaming station while Paul, noticing Jack’s interest in their resident mare, encouraged him to give Misty a good workout over in the side yard.

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

Before they headed back home Paul insisted they stop by the nectar cellar where a few of Ed and Spencer’s very first bottles had just come of age.

While they drank, they shared memories of Winterfests past. Some tales were happy and others cautionary, with Paul advising young Luigi to keep his monster battles confined to his video games! So much less risky, as he could see from his father’s scar.

Luigi was fascinated to hear about the family fizz and nectar farms and all the interesting places the family’s juice was sold. August was especially excited to tell him about their sales at the intergalactic theme pack in Battu. He suggested they all take a trip there together some time.

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

August opted to head back to Brindleton with the boys to wish his ailing “twin” a happy Winterfest. They found peachy relaxing on the couch watching TV, feeling a little bit better after a nice long nap and a couple doses of medication.

Valentina headed out as they arrived. While August went into the living room to keep his brother company Luigi followed Papa Jack into the kitchen and lobbied hard for a grand meal consisting of his favorite breakfast foods.

Papa Jack saw no reason not to give his small man his favorite meal of the day for Winterfest dinner. He pulled out the eggs, bacon and flour and made some memories with his boy, showing him how to make several kinds of savory morning fixings.

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

With everyone’s belly full of greasy goodness, August headed home, letting a visiting Father Winter in on his way out.

While Luigi told the jolly old sim all about his new treehouse and his game with cousin Denton, Peachy thanked Jack for making their Winterfest bright.

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

Want To See More? View The Full Story of My Not So Berry Challenge Here

[runawaymun]

I want to ask you sooo many silm questions but I’ll restrain myself:

🔥

And

🔮

🔥 Give us your hottest Silm hot take.

I really don't have that many? I think my spiciest hot take is the fact that I really, really, really couldn't care less and to some level actively dislike Eärendil, and while Elrond certainly honors him, I don't think Elrond personally cares much for him or thinks of him as his father. I know I've mentioned it before on this blog. To me, it feels like he does heroic things for the unheroic reasons. Jirt expends every effort to tell us in LOTR, TH, and the Silm that a simple life is one to be valued -- that we ought to chase food and friends and good cheer rather than adventure and gold and glory. And Eärendil -- while his efforts are very necessary, I'm not discounting that, doesn't. I find it really strange that the heir to Gondolin chooses to leave ruling Sirion up to Elwing. A good chunk of those refugees owe their allegiance to him. He also just...is never home??? with his kids??? He actively chooses a grand quest instead of staying home to raise his family and also like...to rule refugees he's arguably responsible for. And it's Gil-Galad and Cirdan who come to aid Sirion. Earendil is nowhere in sight. Like...that's your wife and baby sons, sir? And his response to his sons' capture isn't to try and rescue them, but to sail to Valinor to petition aid in general against Morgoth. IDK it feels weird to me. And it can be argued that this is a very level-headed and reasonable decision to seek the highest aid imaginable, but it was also the least likely but most prestigious option. And again like...I'm very aware that I'm intentionally reading in to the worst possible motives he could have here, but it's just a strange decision for a father with two hostage sons to make. There's no mention of grief or anything.

Even when he crashes his ship into the dragon -- like it's an objectively cool moment. But again it's like, The Big Damn Hero moment and also a suicide mission. It feels to me like Eärendil is very Runaway Prince coded, constantly chafing against his responsibilities in favor of The Big Adventure and The Honorable Death.

Yeah I just don't find him to be a very compelling character idk. And it feels significant to me that Elrond actively chooses Peredhel instead of Earendillion, and also repeatedly references his Sindarin heritage and speaks of his mother's kin, rather than attaching himself to the Noldorin side. And thinking about it just from a human/person standpoint, it must hurt. I think as an adult, Elrond understands and respects the choices his father made and knows that they were done for the good of Middle Earth etc. etc. And I think Elrond respects him as a person/heroic figure, but I don't think, in his heart, that he thinks of him as his dad. Earendil left before Elrond and Elros ever got the chance to know him, and IIRC it's never mentioned that he returned. He's the dad who went out for cigarettes and never came back. And like, okay logically he went for heroic reasons. Kids don't care about that. Kids want their dad. And I think it stings even more that Earendil didn't come rescue them. How many times did E&E insist to M&M "my dad is a big hero and he's coming for us!" -- because they must have grown up with tales of Earendil the Mariner and stuff -- even if they didn't know him personally, I'm sure Elwing and everyone around them spoke highly of him to them because of course they would. So then their dad doesn't come for them. Ever. Like? Again...as an adult I think Elrond forgave him & understands the kind of moral weight Earendil was working under. He understands that like, Earendil's actions literally saved Middle Earth. But that doesn't mean that wound of abandonment just magically goes away.

Anyway I'm rambling. TLDR: I don't like Earendil, and while I think Elrond respects him, I don't think Elrond thinks of Earendil as his dad. Earendil's his sire, but he's not his father.

🔮You can reach into the Beyond and ask the Professor to settle one (1) debate for you. He won’t even waffle on the answer, honest. What do you ask him?

I would love for Jirt to expand on how, exactly, the Oath worked and just how much it "compelled" those that took it. I'm very much in the camp of "the Oath was an eldritch Thing that should never have been woken or invoked & while it doesn't absolve the sons of Feanor of responsibility any more than alcohol absolves a drunk-driver's responsibility of an injury or death that resulted from a crash, it does matter."

IDK I've seen a lot of Takes on the Oath and I think that if Jirt had just been a little bit more clear then we could solve a lot of other Silm debates pretty easily!

silm ask meme

[void-bitten-ghost]

OKAY YALL KNEW THIS WAS COMING

OFMD WINTERSBERG AU IDEAS

Gentleman pirate Ethan who took to the seas with his daughter not for the adventure, but to keep her safe and away from the real threat. I dunno the crown or something? I'm thinking mold powers are still on in this AU so there's some weird bitches messing around with aliens and making them into bioweapons somewhere on land and Ethan gets *Gone*. Acting piracy on the seas to make ends meet may be no place for a child, but Ethan has little choice in the matter when his decision has been made.

Finding out his wife was a spy and willing minion for people who wanted to take their child kind of made it for him, tbh. The day she tried to secretly take blood from Rose was the day he had the plans for The Revenge sent off for construction. He thought it was a very pirate-y name. Would blend in well.

Problem was, he was the one that didn't blend in well.

Infamy was inevitable. A man with a young baby strapped to his front politely threatening goods out of people?? Yeah. That gets attention.

I don't know nearly enough about this part of history I just want to see the 4 lords as pirate captains please and thankyou. Alcina in rose floral silks and pearls with a huge hat and a collection of cutlass'. Her coat a similarly shimmering white and grey... her three daughters in the rigging when the sun is warm on their cheeks but down in the hold under blankets during storms. I feel like the boat name would be The Sanguis Virginis. Yaknow. For reasons

Sly Twink Moreau in a sleek, black, hooded coat. Terribly allergic to citrus and sea salt. Has a very bad time at sea. Might name his ship The Ailing Tempest or something I dunno. Maybe Miranda named it with spite

Donna with her legendary and prized doll collection she gained from plundering noble ships. No one has ever seen her face and there's a betting poll going around her crew about it. There's a small fortune on what the colour of her eyes is, but every soul that's ever seen them has never lived long enough to tell the tale. Ship name would have something to do with Memories I think.

Now Heisenberg... he's all about the panache of things. The flair. The showmanship. But recently he's just been so fucking tired of it all. Has considered the act of grace a grand total of twice when at the bottom of some paticularly potent bottles....

Then he catches wind of The Gentleman Pirate, and he's just smitten from the off. What kind of fucking idiot brings a baby out to sea??? What kind of feral lunatic manages to keep a baby alive as well as himself while out at sea?????

Yeah. Heisenberg has to meet this crazy bastard. He has to.

One of em gets stabbed. Maybe both if we're being honest. Maybe ethan is more severely hurt from turning to protect Rose. He wakes to a strange man holding his little girl and shushing her back to sleep with stern tellings off. Things like "now you see here missy. Your papa needs to rest. Yes I know. I know, mate. It's fine though, the sword missed all the important bits he'll be fine," under his breath and Ethan is having an out of body experience with how much adrenaline pumped through him when he realised he wasn't holding Rose

Cue Heis being like. Thank fuck you're up how do I make it stop??? With the noise??? These things are so fucking loud how do you stand it???

Cue romantic slow-burn with Heis insisting on holding Rose for Ethan while he recovers. Instead of the clothes swap it's Heis wearing the sling and Ethan wearing all of his guns and harnesses as insurance. Ethan needs survival tips. Heis wants to know more about the world that was denied to him. A home. A family. All those delicate and beautiful things he's never known...

Ahem. Someone take this from me please I beg

[thebakingqueen5]

KW 2022: Sneaking Off

Day 3 of Kataang Week 2022 hosted by @kataang-week with the prompt Sneaking Off!

Links: AO3 || FF.net

Summary: Do I seriously have to come up with a new one of these each year? Kataang Week 2022 Day 3: Sneaking Off. Aang's been oddly secretive lately, so a pregnant Katara finally finds out what her dear husband has been up to.

Word Count: 4.0k

Katara had a dilemma.

It had been almost a decade since the Hundred Years’ War had ended, and it would be an understatement to say that a lot had happened in that time. The world had been ushered into a new era of peace by Katara and her friends. They had all grown up a lot from the teenagers they were when they ended the war- they were older, stronger, more mature, and, as of recently, starting families of their own.

Katara and Aang had gotten married about six years ago during a week of grand celebration at the Southern Air Temple and Southern Water Tribe. Before and since, they had traveled, seen the world, and were finally beginning to settle down. The political atmosphere of the former Fire Nation colonies on the west coast of the Earth Kingdom had led to most global-level meetings being held in the heart of the colonies in Cranefish Town. As a result, the couple had decided to create a permanent settlement near the city, both for their family to grow and for the Air Nation as a whole to have a representative at world council meetings.

Which left Katara, five months pregnant, with her current dilemma.

Ever since she had found out she was pregnant, the months had passed by like a whirlwind. There was always so much happening all at once; they had to worry about the colonies, doctor appointments for the baby, her grandmother’s recent health scare, working on construction on the island, making a nursery, helping with their friends’ weddings, and so on. However, at the same time, Katara felt like she couldn’t be happier.

She had never once wavered in her assertion that Aang would be an amazing father and husband, but even if she had had the slightest of doubts before, she certainly didn’t have them now.

Somehow, despite all the chaos, Aang always managed to make her feel like the only person in the world, like she was the only thing that mattered.

The airbender would spend hours blowing off council meetings he deemed unnecessary just to be with her and the unborn baby in her tummy, much to the council’s chagrin. He’d sing the baby songs before bedtime, lie next to Katara’s stomach to talk to them while Katara would read or sew, and would even regale the baby with adventurous stories, more often than not telling them how amazing their mom was in addition to various tales of the Gaang’s exploits before the war had ended.

Aang had done nothing but spend the last five months being attentive and caring and making Katara fall in love with him a little more each day, which is what made the events of recent so very odd.

For the last two weeks or so, Aang seemed… off. He’d get home from work, give her and her stomach a quick kiss, take Appa back to the stables for longer than Katara thought he normally did, and then say he had to help with some other area of the island that was still under construction before sneaking off for hours at a time.

Granted, it wasn’t like he was completely ignoring her- he’d usually come back for a late dinner and spend the rest of the night with her being the same sweet, loving, and affectionate husband he had always been, but something still felt wrong.

But what could Katara even say? On one hand, she didn’t want to come off as clingy. Of course Aang wasn’t obligated to spend every free moment of his time with her! She could’ve been making a big deal of nothing, being well aware of how her pregnancy hormones had been making her more paranoid and worried lately.

On the other hand, Katara and Aang had always been able to tell each other everything. They weren’t just husband and wife- they were each other’s best friends. Rarely was there a secret that one of them would be able to keep from the other for more than a day or two. Now? It seemed like they were distant, like they were drifting apart, and it worried Katara.

“Ugh,” she groaned and flopped down onto the bed.

At that moment, as if sensing her frustration, Momo flew in through the window, landing on the pillow next to her and making Katara sigh.

“What do you think I should do, Momo?” she asked the lemur while scratching the fur under his chin. “Am I overthinking it? Or am I not thinking about it enough?” The lemur chirped at her before jumping off the bed and flying away back out the window.

“Great,” she said dryly. “Now there’s two gravity-defying creatures on this island sneaking off away from me. How lovely.”

“Master Katara?” an air acolyte spoke from the doorway, breaking her out of her thoughts. “Your brother is on the island and wishes to see you.”

Katara frowned. She didn’t think she was expecting a visit from anyone today. Nevertheless, she nodded to the acolyte. “Send him in.”

The acolyte, Sholan she thought his name was, bowed and left to get Sokka, who poked his head through the doorway a few minutes later.

“Hey, Katara. Where’s Aang?” he asked as he walked in.

The waterbender got up off the bed, putting her hand on her hip, her eyebrow raised questioningly. “Nice to see you too, big brother,” she deadpanned. “And haha, very funny. Aang is in a meeting right now. A meeting that you’re supposed to be in too…”

Sokka frowned, squinting at her. “What are you talking about? There’s no meeti- ohhh.”

Katara cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean ‘ohhh’? If Aang isn’t in a meeting with you then where is he? What’s going on?”

“Nowhere! Nothing!” Sokka squeaked. “Just do me a favor? Tell Aang I stopped by and that uh… that Zuko’s gonna blow a gasket if he misses the next meeting.”

Katara stammered, “B-b-but why-”

“Thanks, Katara! You’re the best! I think I hear Suki calling me for lunch so I’m just gonna go now. Bye!” Sokka said quickly, practically running out the door and down the hall to catch the next ferry.

“It’s 4 o’candle and Suki’s visiting her parents on Kyoshi island!” she yelled after him, her brother already out of earshot.

Katara huffed. If she didn’t think something was up before, she definitely did now, and she was going to get to the bottom of it.

Obviously, Aang had been doing something, and her brother appeared to be in on it, but what was she to do? She couldn’t very well go up to him and tell him everything she knew on the chance that maybe he did have a perfectly reasonable explanation for all of this.

Once again, as if sensing her energy, Momo returned flying through the window, this time with a freshly picked moon peach in his hands.

“Maybe you’re right, Momo,” Katara told the winged primate. “I’ll just ask him if he can stay for dinner and ask him about the meeting then. He wouldn’t lie to my face, right?”

He paused his eating to chirp in agreement before going back to vigorously devouring the fruit, its juice staining the fur around his mouth.

“C’mon you pampered lemur,” she laughed as she grabbed him, much to Momo’s displeasure if his panicked chattering was any indication. “Let’s get you cleaned up and start cooking.”

With that, Katara got to work. Over the next few hours, she made a plethora of Aang’s favorite foods- sweet rice, steamed vegetables, and, of course, egg custard tarts, making sure everything was absolutely perfect for when Aang came home.

“He can’t say no to egg custard tarts, right Momo?” she asked him. The lemur did not comment, seeming to have other plans as his grubby little hands reached for a piece of fruit in the sweet rice.

“Momo, no!” Katara scolded, moving the pot away from him. “There are plenty of fresh fruits for you outside and in the greenhouse. You know you can’t eat rice!”

Momo chattered back at her angrily, hands still stretched in the direction of the vessel.

“I said no, Momo. You need to-”

“Oh come on,” a voice interrupted. “He picks off the rice anyways.”

Katara whipped around when she heard him, her legs unable to take her fast enough as she tackled her husband in a hug, one which he happily returned.

“You act like we haven’t seen each other in years,” he mumbled quietly. He sighed softly, smelling her familiar scent and relishing the feeling of her in his arms.

“Feels that way sometimes,” she whispered back, her voice muffled by his chest.

“I missed you too.” Aang peppered Katara’s face with kisses before kneeling down to kiss her stomach. “And of course, I missed you, little one.”

The waterbender chuckled, rubbing her stomach. “Baby missed you too.”

Aang stood back up, his arms wrapping around Katara as he pressed kisses all around the side of her face. She smiled, melting into his touch.

“Baby saw his uncle today, you know.”

“Sokka came by?” Aang replied, trying to hide his curiosity.

“Yeah. He was looking for you, actually.” Katara peeked a glance at her husband, trying to gauge his reaction. “He wanted me to tell you, and I quote, ‘that Zuko was going to blow a gasket if you missed the next meeting,’ whatever that’s supposed to mean.”

Aang frowned. “Why would Zuk- ohhh.”

“Why would Zuko what?”

“Nothing! Nothing at all! Just me being forgetful, you know how I am.”

Katara squinted at the airbender, his arms still around her but his hands fidgety. Aang may have had a short attention span from time to time, but his memory was sharper than Sokka’s space sword; it was the only way he’d been able to survive remembering all his Avatar duties and council meetings.

“Okay… well, our baby would also like to know if you can maybe stay for dinner?” she started. “I know you’ve been working a lot lately, so I made egg custard tarts and sweet rice.” Katara looked up into his stormy gray eyes, desperately hoping that just this once he’d say ‘yes’ so that she could find out what was going on with her husband.

She only had to make eye contact for a second before she shrugged off his embrace and averted his gaze. She already knew what his answer was.

“Katara-”

“Save it,” she muttered, her arms hugging her torso as she stepped away from him. “I don’t really want to talk to you right now.”

Aang looked on helplessly, walking up to her again and resting his arms on her belly from behind. “I know I’ve been preoccupied lately with the… with the construction and all, but I’m so close to being done. You have no idea.”

Katara remained silent, still rigid against his embrace.

“One hour,” the airbender whispered as pressed a gentle kiss to her shoulder. “Probably less if I hurry. But I promise you, in one hour, I’ll be done and it’ll all make sense. Please.”

She sighed, turning around with a frown on her face. “Well, I guess I can’t stop you.”

Aang grinned and kissed her, a long and sweet kiss that almost made her forget she was ever mad at him. “I love you more than is humanly possible,” he said before kissing her again. “See you in an hour?”

Katara nodded, looking at him sternly. “One hour. No more.”

“Avatar promise,” he winked at her. He then got out his staff, hurried out the door, and flew towards the mainland, in the direction where the dormitories happened to be.

The waterbender watched him until the blue of his staff was indistinguishable against the cerulean sky before returning to the kitchen, covering the food she had made so that it would still be warm by the time he got back. She then walked over to the sofa and lay down on her side, grabbing the book on the side table.

“Might as well catch up on some reading.”

30 minutes later…

“Ugh, I don’t wanna catch up on my reading,” she groaned.

“What if I just brought him some snacks? A few sweet buns we have left over from the other night? I know he hasn’t wanted me to help with the construction in case something happened and I or the baby got hurt, but he said it would only take him an hour! Finishing touches like that shouldn’t be dangerous anyways,” Katara thought aloud.

A little-known fact about Katara: more often than not, she had an iron will and a very good sense of what she was going to do.

When she didn’t, however? The waterbender could justify practically anything to herself if she wasn’t already set on it, leading to ages of internal debate.

“Do I do it? Or do I not? Do I go? Or do I stay? Do I be nosy? Or do I let Aang show me his work himself when he gets back? Agh!” she yelled.

“Master Katara?” Sholan, the acolyte from earlier, though this time with a few others accompanying him, interrupted. “Is everything alright?”

“What? Oh! Yes, yes, nothing to worry about.” Katara paused. “Sholan, do you know if Avatar Aang has finished his work on the dormitories and is making his way back yet?”

Sholan gave her a look of confusion. “Master Katara, Avatar Aang finished the dormitories last week. No construction work at all has been done sin-”

“Shhh!” the acolytes next to Sholan hushed him.

“Would you excuse us for a moment?” one of them smiled, grabbing Sholan and talking quietly away from the doorway.

Katara wasn’t about to outrightly poke her head in the hall and listen in, but she was still able to catch a few snippets of their conversation.

“Master Katara… …not supposed to tell… …secret… …Avatar’s orders…”

And just like that, it was as if Katara’s heart had shattered like glass. Aang had been hiding something from her, apparently, something he saw fit to tell the acolytes and Sokka about but not her. She rubbed her eyes furiously, feeling the moisture well up inside.

“Stop that, Katara!” she thought to herself. “Enough of this! Wherever Aang is, chances are he’s probably still on the island. And even if he’s not, you’re going to find him and figure out what he’s up to!”

Taking a deep breath, she got up off the sofa, now more determined than ever. She poked her head out into the hallway, the acolytes now gone for some reason, and hurried down the steps of the tower to go outside and begin her search.

And boy, was she determined.

First, she checked the airbender training arena. Nothing.

Then she checked the meditation pavilion. Still nothing.

Next, she checked the dormitories. Nothing, though they did look recently completed like the acolyte had said.

The greenhouse? Nothing. The temple? Nothing. The plaza? Nothing. The stables? Nothing, not that she was even surprised at this point.

Katara huffed, feet aching from her trek as she finally sat down on a stone bench in the garden, stoically bending some water from the stream running beside her. It just felt like lie after lie at this point, and she was getting tired of it. Where could Aang have gone? Why was he going anywhere at all? What was he even doi-

Suddenly, she was broken out of her thoughts by an all-too-familiar flash of orange robes landing in a small clearing next to the garden. She waited for a moment- the only way to get to the main building from there would be to go through the garden as it was right in front of the entrance. Lo and behold, there was her husband, jogging towards her and carrying a small bundle in his hands.

“Katara?” he said, out-of-breath. “What are you doing outside?”

“Nothing much. Just thinking.”

“About?” he quirked an eyebrow up at her, his steps slower as he got closer.

“Let’s see,” she said dryly. “First, I was thinking about why my husband seemed to be disappearing so much. Then I got to wonder why he said he was in a meeting with Sokka and Zuko when it appeared that Sokka seemed to have no memory of any such meeting,” her voice began to rise.

“After that, I started questioning why he refused to have dinner with me after I spent hours making-” Her voice broke, tears threatening to escape her eyes.

“After I spent hours making his favorite foods and making sure everything would be perfect. To top it all off!” Katara knew there was no stopping the flooding of her eyes spilling onto her cheeks. “I found out that the dormitories he’s been building, the ones he’s been telling me so much about for how excited he was gonna be when they were done, were actually finished a week ago! And that there’s been no construction since! So yeah! You could say I’ve been doing a little bit of thinking!”

She sniffled, tears falling freely as she shook and curled up into a ball, refusing to meet his eyes.

“Oh, love,” Aang whispered, sitting down next to her on the bench with a thump and holding her in his arms. “I’m so sorry.”

“I don’t want you to be sorry,” she choked out, accepting his embrace regardless. “I want you to tell me what’s going on, Aang. We always tell each other everything.”

“I know. I know I’ve been secretive and dodgy lately, I know. I’m an idiot. I should’ve been thinking about how it would affect you. I’m sorry.”

Keeping one hand around her shoulders, Aang reached down into his bag and grabbed a soft wrapped bundle.

“For you.”

Katara scoffed, pushing it and him away. “I don’t want any of your apology gifts. I want you to talk to me.”

“I know. Just, please open it? I am going to talk to you, right now in fact, but it’ll make a lot more sense if you open it.”

The waterbender squinted at him, trying to read his eyes.

“Fine.”

With nimble fingers, she carefully undid the ribbons and wrapping to not harm whatever was inside. Slowly, she pulled the lump out of its thin, papery cage and sucked in a breath.

“Aang…”

The airbender rubbed the back of his head nervously. “Do you like it? I tried my best to make it accurately.”

“You- you made this?” Katara marveled at the gift, running her hands slowly over the soft fabric and fur lining. She almost couldn’t believe it was real.

“How- why- what- huh?!” she stammered.

Aang chuckled, pulling her close to him as she stared dumbfoundedly at the coat.

“Remember when we went to the Southern Water Tribe to announce your pregnancy to your dad and Gran Gran?”

“Yeah…”

“Well, when we went there, I asked them, plus Sokka, if there were any Southern Water Tribe pregnancy or baby traditions that I should know about. They mentioned this, an amauti- I hope I said that right- that special coat that they use in the Water Tribe to carry babies inside a coat and protect them from the cold?”

“Anyways, your dad and Kanna, um,” Aang hesitated and continued shyly. “They mentioned that your mother used to carry you in one when you were a baby. Your Gran Gran even gave me the pattern for the one your mom wore.”

Katara pressed her hand to her mouth, heart melting for the airbender next to her. “This? This is what you’ve been working on?”

Aang nodded, blushing. “I’m not exactly the best seamstress, which you already know, so it took me a few tries to match the pattern correctly.”

“And Sokka knew? He was in on it the whole time?”

“All our friends were,” he grinned. “Sokka, Zuko, and Toph covered for me during a couple meetings so that I could work on it.”

Katara furrowed her eyebrows. “Why’d he come looking for you today then? A-a-and the extra time in Appa’s stables?”

“You know how Sokka came back from that trip down to the Southern Water Tribe a few days ago?”

The waterbender nodded, eyes wide and completely blank.

“He was mostly there to see Hakoda and Gran Gran, but he was also getting me some extra ones of these,” Aang gestured to the intricate beading on the front of the fur-lined coat bearing a close resemblance to the carving on Katara’s engagement necklace. “That thing he said about Zuko being mad? Zuko knew too; Sokka was just letting me know where to find him- at Zuko’s house in the city.”

“As for the extra time in Appa’s stable- I have to say, I didn’t think you’d pick up on it -but I didn’t feel right killing an animal to make the coat, nor did I know if I’d have enough time to make a trip down south in the first place. I used Appa’s shed fur instead to line the hood and stuff. I hope that’s okay?”

Katara let out a sharp puff of air, fully sobbing as she hastily tried to wipe the tears coming out of her eyes.

“Oh.” Aang’s face fell as he berated himself. “Love, I’m so sorry. I can try to make another one if you don’t like it? Gah, I knew I should’ve gone traditi-”

Aang never got the chance to finish his sentence when Katara tackled him in a hug, pressing kisses all over his face before resolving to bury her head in his chest.

“It’s, it’s so amazing, Aang,” she choked out, smiling brightly at him through her watery eyes. “Happy tears, I promise.”

Aang let out the breath he was holding. “That’s a relief. You like it then?”

The waterbender nodded vigorously, holding onto him for dear life. “I love it so much. And you.”

She tilted her head to look up at him, Aang gently wiping away some of her tears with his thumb as he cupped her cheek.

“Everything from m-my mom’s pattern to the beading pattern to how soft it is and Appa’s fur, oh, it’s all amazing.”

Katara paused for a moment, cupping the airbender’s cheek with her hand as she pressed their foreheads together.

“It’s amazing and beautiful and so sweet and amazing and you!!! You’re amazing and beautiful and so sweet and did I mention amazing?” she rambled, making them both laugh.

“Maybe once or twice.”

Katara sighed, pulling him in for a kiss. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Words can’t express how much this means to me, sweetie.”

Aang grinned and held her hand, pressing a kiss to it. “It was really nothing, sweetie. I’m just glad it all paid off and you liked it.”

“I did,” she murmured and leaned in again. “I really did.”

“And I am so sorry,” Katara whispered. “For getting so mad and worried and upset when I should’ve just talked to you and-”

“None of that, sweetie,” Aang said gently, frowning. “You did try, and I should’ve been better about how I went about all of this, okay? If you’re going to ask me to forgive you, the answer is no because there’s nothing to forgive. Can you ever forgive me?”

She nodded, still sniffling a little as she hugged him tightly.

Suddenly, Katara felt a tiny flutter come from her tummy, almost like a nudge, that made her gasp.

“What is it, sweetie?”

She grinned ear to ear and leaned up to kiss her husband again.

“Looks like I’m not the only one who appreciated your gift.”

Aang’s eyes widened, gaze dropping to her stomach. “Did the baby-”

Katara nodded vigorously, squeezing Aang’s hand in hers and guiding it to her belly. “Baby’s first kick.”

Aang smiled, tears now threatening to well up in his eyes too.

“I love you so much, Katara,” he whispered, scooting back to press a kiss to her stomach and feeling another small kick in response. “You too, baby. So, so, so much.”

The waterbender sighed contently, absentmindedly rubbing the fur on her new amauti as she pressed a kiss to the tip of the arrow on Aang’s hand.

“We love you too, sweetie. Thank you.”

[xiv-wolfram]

Old Flames

A Realm Reborn - Level 20

Wolfram joins the Immortal Flames.

Catch up on my WoL Comics (Chronological)

This is the script for a future comic. Posting for those who don’t want to wait to get the story. Numbers indicate frame number. A or B followed by ) is for a split frame.

Zoomed out shot of Immortal Flames headquarters. Raubahn is walking Wolf around talking about the Grand Company. Narrator - "Wolfram and Raubahn broke up thirteen years ago when Wolf revealed his dark past and Rau dumped him after a two year relationship. Now fate has given them a chance to make amends as Wolfram became a Scion and Raubahn is one of the leaders of Ul'dah as well as General of the Immortal Flames. He extended Wolf an invite to join the Flames which Wolf enthusiastically accepted, each hoping for a chance to turn an old flame into a new friend."

Rau smiles, looking at Wolf as he talks to the attendant, and thinks - 'It's so strange to have him here… wonderfully strange. I thought I'd never see him again.' People whispering off to the side - "A tour from the General himself!? Who is this new recruit?"

Walking towards the barracks. Camera to their backs. Rau - "Through here is the barracks. As a member you're welcome to stay here while you're not out adventuring." Wolf beams - "Thank you! I know our arrangement is a bit different than the other Flames since I'm aiding the Scions as well. The hospitality is appreciated."

Rau smiles, hand on the barracks door - "Of course. We have many members stationed in the field but they always have a place to return to. I even sleep here sometimes myself if I'm working late." 

Wolf and Rau walking into the barracks. Wolf grins - "Aye, but I bet you have some large mansion you call home now. After all those winnings." 

They're standing facing each other. Rau looks uncomfortable - "Eh, actually I don't need that much room. I still have the old apartment." Wolf shocked, thinks - 'Wow, I'd have gotten rid of it to spare myself the memories… I suppose he didn't think of things with such sentimentality though.'

Rau still looking uncomfortable, thinks - 'I couldn't leave all those memories…'. Says - "Well, I did purchase the apartment next to it for my son. It was a bit small for the both of us and he was responsible enough at a young age to take care of his own quarters."

Wolf grins. Thought - 'Why is he acting so awkward? Need to get him to loosen up.' Says - "Outgrew? Isn't he a lalafell?"

Rau chuckles - "Just because the boy would fit in a dresser drawer doesn't mean I'd make him sleep in one." 

Wolf shrugs comedically. 

Rau smiles - "So you know all about me, but I went years knowing nothing of your fate. Tell me, what has your life been like?"

Wolf smiles sadly - "Well…a lot of self reflection. Especially those first few years. I had joined the conjurer's guild hoping to put my family's affinity for magic to good use. It was a struggle at first but hours sitting in the forest gave me a sense of peace and I got through that block. Turns out I made a pretty effective healer."

Raubahn surprised - "You? A healer?! I must admit I'm impressed. That is no easy feat."

Wolf beams - "Thank you! Once I had completed training I joined the Adventurer's guild and went around helping whoever needed it." Dark Thought - 'Developed quite the taste for booze, not that you'd be honest with him about that. Helps you ignore me doesn't it? In fact…why have you slowed down on the drinking lately? Miss me?' 

Rau confused - "So how is it you returned to the blade? Is it true you use the rapier *and* magic? I recall tales of such mages in Gyr Abania."

A) Wolf looks very embarrassed - "Um… In a way I have you to thank for that." B) Rau surprised - "Me?! I didn't even know if you were alive."

Wolf puts a hand to his head looking bashful - "When news reached me that you had achieved your goal of joining the Syndicate and owning the Coliseum I was so happy. I'll admit I wanted to risk you turning me into the Blades just to come congratulate you."

Rau shocked - "Oh gods! No Wolf I wouldn't have! I only said that out of anger."

Wolf smiles sadly - "I hoped that was the case. At the time I wasn't sure. What did convince me to return was when you reinstated the Flames. I thought if you still felt angry towards me perhaps offering myself in service to the Company may buy me a bit of leniency."

Rau smiles sadly - "That would have been a welcomed offer. You needn't have feared me though I understand why you did. So what happened? Why didn't you make it to Ul'dah?"

Wolf smiles - "Well, I was actually on the road headed here when I had a chance encounter with a Red Mage. His name is X'Rhun. I saw him fight and was really amazed with the technique. The blending of magic with swordplay… it just felt right for me. So I listened to my gut and asked him to train me. He needed a bit of convincing but you know how stubborn I can be when I decide on something."

Tumblr mandated break. 😑

Rau laughs - "Aye, that I do." Thinks - "Thrice damn this X'hrun and his bad timing."

Wolf continues - "So I spent the next couple years mastering the art. I did have a bit of a head start with the rapier and light magic so I was a quick study."

Rau concerned - "I heard tell they also use dark magic. How did you fare with that?"

Wolf blushes with embarrassment - "Very poorly. I had quite a few of my episodes at the start there. The nightmares were worse as well. Bless that Miqo for putting up with me. I can admit to you that part of the draw was wielding small amounts of dark magic. I thought it would be like… drinking small amounts of poison each day until the body is immune."

Rau looks worried - "That's quite a lot to put yourself though…how fared your theory?"

Wolf beams - "It payed off! Took several months but eventually I could wield dark almost as well as light with no problem. Surely the success in part is due to drawing solely from my own aether so it feels very different than…"

Wolf looks down, embarrassed. - "Well, different from what I did before. I found alcohol helps tremendously as well. Especially with the dreams. So I'm often in my cups, but worry not - it will not affect my duties here." Dark Thought - 'Why are you being so honest with him?! You haven't spoken to this man in thirteen years?! Probably a pathetic attempt to convince him you've changed. Fool.'

A) Rau beams - "Wolf that's amazing!" B) Wolf looks back at Rau, surprised - "It is?" Wolf Dark Thought - 'He's just being polite. You aren't anything special.'

Rau puts a hand on Wolf's shoulder, beaming - "Of course! Not only did you decide to help others, but you found a way to help yourself. I'm so happy for you that your burden is lessened." 

Wolf blushes and smiles awkwardly - "Well, it's not that big a deal. I still can't be around actual voidsent whilst remaining calm. I can defeat them but will fall apart after…and of course extreme stress is still an issue."

Rau smiles comfortingly - "You have accomplished much. That you have a ways to go does not diminish how far you've come." Rau thought - 'I'm so proud of him…'

A) Wolf smiles at Rau with a tear in his eye. B) Quickly wipes it away.

Rau looks away, pretending not to notice. Says - "So how did you get involved with the Scions? That's recent, correct?" 

Wolf wipes his eye and smiles - "Aye, I was doing some work for the guild in Limsa Lominsa. Happened upon Y'Shtola and the rest is history. They explained I have this Echo thing."

Rau turns back towards Wolf, smiling - "Aye, the Warriors of Light that I fought with at Carteneu had the gift as well. Tis quite the blessing."

Wolf laughs - "Curse more like. Poor Minfilia has seen things I'd rather she not."

A) Rau concerned - "She has seen your past?" B) Wolf covers mouth still chuckling - "Aye, and I expect a bit of ours as well."

Rau turns red and covers face with hand. Thought - "Oh Seven Hells I still have to work with the woman. There are a number of stupid things I did back then folks would have trouble taking me seriously if they knew…still amazed we got away with half of it." Says - "I trust we can count on her discretion?"

Wolf thinking - "Aye, she was puzzlingly unconcerned with my condition. I trust her fully with the other thing as well." Thought - ‘He seems worried about anyone knowing we were together…”

Rau confused - "She was unconcerned?…But aye, her discretion is appreciated." Thought - "Well now I feel even worse about how I reacted when he told me all those years ago…"

Wolf smiles a bit sadly - “If anyone asks how we know each other, I understand if you want to say we were acquaintances.”

Rau surprised - “Oh… yes I can do that.” Thought - ‘He wants that to be a secret? I just wanted discretion on specifics, but aye he’s right. Twould appear unprofessional to be his commander given our history. Bad enough that Pipin is so high ranking.’

Wolf smiles - “So, is there any more to this tour? Is your son here?” Thought - ‘Alright then, we’ll keep things professional.’

Rau moving to leave - “Alas, he’s on the Ala Mhigan front right now, but I'm sure he'll be pleased to meet the adventurer that slayed a primal! For now I’d like you to meet Roaille, my second in command. She’s been a great help. I think you'll get along.”

Catch up on my WoL Comics (Chronological)

[acacia-may]

Okay, to spoil you, 🧡💚💘 fo Yuri Dreyar.

I am still squealing over this ask, Anon-friend! 🥰 Thank you so much!! I love Yuri Dreyar! He's such a little tree in the background, but he's important to me. 💖 It was honestly one of my dreams to get an ask about him one day so thank you so much for helping my dream come true!! 🥺💕 I hope you'll like these headcanons (even if they mainly serve to spoil me 😁).

Questions from this "Bye Bye Writer's Block" Ask Game

(Warnings: Spoilers for Fairy Tail. Mentions the Second Caravan Trade War and pregnancy)

Yuri Dreyar Headcanons

💚-- General

Yuri has always been an amazing storyteller. He's so incredibly passionate and exuberant when he talks that he has a real gift for drawing the listener into the story he is telling. When Makarov was very little, Yuri used to tuck him into bed every night and tell him fantastical tales of his adventures in Fairy Tail and as a treasure hunter. The stories were so gripping and compelling, but Yuri had a tendency to often leave off on cliffhangers that left his son on the edge of his seat and actually excited for bedtime the following evening just so he could find out what happened next.

Tiny Makarov was so captivated his dad's stories that he would often beg Yuri to play "Fairy Tail" with him, and Yuri would always oblige--playing with his son for hours pretending that they were in the guild together and going on grand adventures. To this day, it's one of the things that Makarov remembers most about his father, and Yuri's stories really inspired him to want to become guild master one day so he could actually live their adventure games.

🧡-- Childhood/Backstory

Yuri grew up in a merchant family who briefly sent him to an all-boys boarding school to get an education after it became clear that he was quick-witted and intellectually gifted. His teachers had no idea what to do with him, however, since he had such a scatterbrain and could never sit still. Even more perplexing was the fact that he continually earned top marks in his classes, mostly through merits of his own natural intelligence since he spent most of his time goofing around rather than studying.

He was eventually expelled for trapping a goat on the roof in the middle of the night dressed in the headmaster's pyjamas and night cap and that was when he decided he wanted to become a treasure hunter.

💘-- Romance

Yuri Dreyar has two "Love" modes: (1) dismissive tsun who acts like he couldn't care less about his beloved (even though he is (often obviously) desperately in love) and (2) grandiose romantic who will shower his beloved with the biggest, flashiest romantic gestures known to man. [A/N: The in between is total simp who will blatantly refuse to ask his beloved out on a date but will buy crates and crates full of fruit in a grand but ridiculous love expression and a desperate plea for attention (which I wrote about in my Yuri/Rita fic here actually)].

Some bonus headcanons about Yuri/Rita specifically:

Bonus: Yuri naturally expresses his love through gift giving and impulse buying. When he is wooing Rita, Precht and Warrod have to ban him from shopping and cut him off from guild funds for a while because whenever he is out at the shops or market, he will always come back with some shiny new trinket for her (often jewelry, sometimes flowers and chocolates, but also a lot of inexplicable and random things). His reasoning is usually, "It's pretty and Rita is pretty." His friends insist that even if that is the case, she does not need every "pretty" item in existence. Yuri begs to differ and has basically no impulse control so Rita gets lots and lots of presents.

She soon recognizes that these are expressions of Yuri's love for her and truly appreciates them, even the random ones...except for the time he brought an acorn home for her from a walk while she was pregnant with Makarov because it "reminded him of her." (A/N: He can be such a dolt sometimes, but his heart is in the right place).

Bonus 2 (because I poked a lot of fun at Yuri & wanted to write an actually serious one): During the Second Caravan Trade War, Yuri and Rita exchanged letters. Yuri soon realized that he could tell Rita things in his letters that he could never tell anyone else: about his feelings, the war, and himself. This realization was soon followed by another one: he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.