#and first being taller than earth has me shook lol

[offjumpoladulkittiporn]

this picture kills me 😆

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

Humans are Space Orcs “Football”

Forgive me in advance for my complete lack of knowledge on the subject. I am not entirely sure if that works for me since Sunny doesn't know anything about it either, but I tried, for the sake of you who suggested it.

But be warned, I tried to look up a few things, but couldn’t even understand the explanations lol. Have fun, Hope it is at least entertaining even if it isn’t accurate. 

Sunny lifted her head to the Earth’s Sun allowing the warmth to seep into her skin. Despite what Krill said, Earth was very nice, and it didn’t have so much ash in the air as her planet did. It was nice, and bright, and warm. It smelled nice too, mostly from the brightly colored flowers that made her mouth water. Adam looked at her a little funny every time she turned to quickly snack on one as she walked by, but she didn’t mind. It almost surprised her that the human didn’t eat them since they seemed to eat everything else.

Granted, she hadn’t taken to these walks simply to eat the earth flowers, but because she thought it would be good for Adam. It had been a month or two since the prison fiasco on Noctopolis, and he was slowly returning to himself. She had been reading up on the proper way to help a human heal mentally and determined that he needed sunlight, friends and something to do, so walks with her and Krill were the best option. Plus it had the added bonus of being something Krill liked, which was a miracle since, when it came to earth he often didn’t like anything.

They turned onto a road shaded under tall over-arching trees. To their right, the ground behind the trees was manicured grass with a playground covered in tiny humans, and a surrounding park dotted with blankets and other human lounging in the sun. It was a truly alien scene to her, and the atmosphere was like nothing she had experienced. They received some wide eyed open mouthed states as they walked past, especially from the children, who ran over to get a closer look trailed by their equally curious but somewhat worried parents.

Adam greeted them politely as they passed by the park, and onto the stretch next to a chain link fence behind that being a set of bleachers which looked out onto a diamond-shaped filed Adam said was used for baseball. After that was a soccer field covered in more human children, one group wearing bright green and the other wearing purple. Adult humans cheered their spawn from the perimeter of the field.

They passed beside another wide open field.

That’s when her attention was diverted by a sound. A human voice barking a sharp guttural call. SHe turned her head just in time to see a group of humans crouched in two parallel lines facing each other. As the call was given, the man in the middle front tossed the ball backwards to a teammate standing behind him. The rest of the human responded violently and quickly bellowing war cries and slamming into each other with violent force knocking each other to the ground when possible.

A human at the end of the line raced out behind their opponents ducking past a larger human barreling towards him. The human with the ball fell back and then lobbed the thing into the air brown highlighted against eggshell blue. It flew in a tight spiral before arching towards the ground. The running human reached out with both hands and leapt forward arms wide. He caught the ball, though sloppily, and cradled it against his chest just in time to be plowed into by a human from the opposing line. There was a sharp burst of blue around the man’s head and shoulders as the two men hit the ground, the rest of the human came to a grinding halt

“Jackson! What did I say about head shots.” The human without the ball staggered to his feet, “He has a force field, so it's not like it matters.”

“Just because he has a field doesn't mean a concussion isn’t possible.” The leader explained in annoyance.

Adam had come to a halt ahead realizing that Sunny wasn’t next to him anymore. She felt him rather than saw his as he came back to stand next to her watching as the humans returned to their lines once more, “Should have known you’d like it.” He muttered to himself a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Which human game is this one.” Sunny wondered.

“A dangerous one.” Krill determined wincing as the humans plowed into each other for a second time.”

Adam accompanied sunny onto the grass as she moved a little closer, “Football….. Or I guess American Football depending on who you ask. It was almost banned at one point once they realized repeated concussions were bad for the brain.”

“No shit.” Krill muttered.

He kept going, “But people couldn’t let it go, so instead they just made better protective technology.”

“So what you’re saying is this sport was killing people because of how violent it was?”

Adam shrugged, “Less killing people and more giving them degenerative brain damage, but I digress.”

Krill looked up at sunny with annoyance, “Tell Me I am wong, but the fact that it hurts people didn’t make you more excited…. Did it?”

Sunny shrugged. 

Krill groaned.

There was a clattering as the human rammed into each other. One was violently plowed into the ground, and the group went silent as he didn’t get up. His friends knelt next to him, “You ok.”

The man gasped and through heavy breathing, “Shit…. I…. I think I pulled something.” With looks of concern, his friends pulled him off to the side to look him over. 

Of course Krill being Krill couldn't help but wander up shadow darkening the humans who looked up and jerked back in surprise at the strange alien watching them. Then their eyes moved upwards to where Sunny stood sun glittering of her bright blue armor. 

Adam approached with a smile, “Sorry, but my…. Friends were interested in your game.”

The humans blinked in surprise, “No…. apologies necessary.” one of them stammered craning his neck back to look up at Sunny.

Krill pointed to the downed human, “I am a doctor.” Eyes still wide the humans slowly moved to the side So Krill could get closer ordering the padding removed so he could get a better look.

The human leader walked up to Adam and Sunny. He was tall, taller than even Adam was making him only maybe five or six inches shorter than Sunny, “Shit…. You’re a Drev, right…. Damn your tall.”

She looked down at him with amusement, “On my planet, I am actually very very short, human. My brother is over nine feet tall.”

He blinked in shock and surprise then looked her over one more time noting the double set of arms and the built in padding, “Wow ... wouldn't mind having someone like you on my team. That extra set of arms would be nice.” Curiously, he reached out a hand and then paused, “You mind?” Hw wondered 

Sunny shook her head, she knew how humans liked exploring things with their hands, and actually found it rather endearing.  He knocked on her armor with a closed fist prodding at that which covered her shoulders and her chest with great interest, “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were built for a game like this.” 

Krill had stepped back from the downed man, “Just a pulled muscle, but you should stay off of it for a week or two.” The human sighed dejectedly, but didn’t argue.

Their leader frowned, “That leaves us two men down since Dave didn’t show up today.” He glanced towards Adam and Sunny, and Sunny leaned forward eagerly hoping he would ask.

“How about you two….. Would you want to hop in.” he glanced at Adam, “You ever played?”

He shrugged, “Backyard games with my brothers.”

The guy turned back to sunny, “What do you say?”

She nodded eagerly, ad the humans whooped enthusiastically. Adam was given the protective padding the other humans wore, and the two of them were talked through the rules as they dropped into line. Sunny found herself standing across from an absolutely massive human, maybe only an inch shorter than her. He had dark skin, dark eyes, a wide smile, and his shoulders were probably wider than hers.

She had never seen a human so big before. 

He held out a hand, and she took it, “Never played against an alien before. Should be fun.” She chirped her agreement pleased with how personable these humans were. Looking around, she lowered herself into a crouch like the other humans. She didn’t know exactly what she was doing, but it was clear to her that her job was to protect her team from the opposite human, or to…. Make sure the ball didn’t get any further down her side of the field…. Or at least that’s what she thought.

She couldn’t be entirely sure.

From the sidelines Krill shook his head with annoyance standing next to the injured human.

Somewhere the human began speaking words Sunny didn’t understand. Then the order was given. She and her opponent charged forward at the same time, and before she knew it, she hit the ground hard, hard enough that it caused a slight tremor through the earth. She barely remembered what happened but was aware of a horrible throbbing in her chest, where the human had plowed into her shoulder first.

Another call went up, and the large human loomed over extending a hand down to help her up.

She groaned but took his hand, and he hauled her to her feet like she weighed nothing. It was a strange experience for sure. She had never felt like that around the humans 

“You ok Sunny.” Adam laughed, “You look like you just got body checked by a train.

She wheezed, “This human is very large.”

The rest of the group laughed, the big human most of all. She vowed to give him a taste of his own medicine next time.

And she did too. She probably didn’t intend to do it so excessively catching him by the waist ducking and inadvertently causing him to do a full rotation over her shoulder before slamming into the ground. The blue forcefield erupted around his body, and despite her apologizes, he was good natured and gave her a few pointers. She soaked them up like a sponge chirping happily pleased to find a human nearly her equal in strength and greatly outranking her in skill. She Hadn't had a fight like that in a while.

Krill hated the game as expected, but Sunny loved it.

 She especially loved watching when Adam, caught the ball, registered a moment of surprise and then was plowed into the ground from two directions. The look on his face was priceless. That was followed by a discussion about how fair it was Adam having a cybernetic leg that, he accidentally (according to him) used to flip over one of his opponents and go racing off down the field.

THey determined it was fair enough considering how many times he ended up knocked over or fumbling the ball when it was tossed to him. Adam good naturedly joked it was his depth perception with only one eye. The group laughed and said that was probably fair.

Krill decided it was a good time to lecture the humans on why they would play a game that was clearly so violent and aggressive after a particularly excessive play where one of the humans ended up squished to the ground under at least four other bodies. However they just laughed and kept playing.

Sunny learned pretty quickly that she wasn’t very good at throwing things, her arms just weren't built for that sort of thing, but she did enjoy running people over, so didn’t even bother with the ball most of the time. 

She did bother plowing into other players as they tried to get to the ball, though, and found herself thrown to the ground on more than one occasion for going after an opposing player with the ball. She wasn’t entirely sure she was doing any of this right, but no one corrected her, and when they did it was generally just to tell her what she could be doing better rather than what she was doing wrong.

Not only that, but she was pleased to hear Adam laughing again, not that he hadn’t done it in the past month but because it seemed easier than it had been lately. 

They played till the sun set, and the two of them were invited back if they were ever in the area. Her tall opponent approached her as the others were packing up and handed her the ball, “You play well.” Was all he said before returning to his team. Sunny hummed her pleasure honored that someone as good as that human would acknowledge her in that way.

Sunny like that game.

Though they were forced to endure a lecture on the way home from Krill bout how insane humans were. Where sunny saw a game of strategy and Skill, Krill saw a bunch of raging idiots using their bodies as battering rams to the detriment of their health. It was barbarous idiotic and a reason for the human to beat on each other in an acceptable manner.

They didn’t bother correcting him.

There was no arguing with krill when it came to his opinions.

Sunny spun the football in her hands thoughtfully. She would have to look into this game more. Perhaps get herself a team to root for.

She wondered if they carried jerseys in her size.

[mirkwoodshewolf]

Guardian of creatures; AU! Queen x oc female x reader Chap. 11

*Author’s note*

Well this got done within a night shift of writing lol but now we discover the TRUE mythology of the Wizards in this story. I also hope you all enjoy the face cast I’ve picked out for you all, I know some of you are gonna FLIP OUT!! So enjoy this chapter folks and until the next update :)

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things​

@queendeakyy​

@queensdivas​

@queen-paladin​

@geek-and-proud​

@waddles03​

@psychosupernatural​

@ixchel-9275​

@simonedk​

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels​

@kinole009x​

@wormzteef​

@glitter-at-the-panic​

Chapter 11,

The Truth

__________________________________________________________-

*3rd Person POV*

Serafina and Balthazar walked side by side along the desert as the rain continued to softly pour down on top of them.

“Why didn’t you tell us that you were—the Balthazar when you first met us?”

“I don’t usually give out that information freely.” He answered using the Egyptian’s actual voice.  It was more softer compared to his original voice but it still held a commanding tone to it.

“Also this body……this clearly isn’t your human body. Are you possessing this poor man?”

“He volunteered it freely all those centuries ago when I went to find you and John. Plus I have to keep my true self hidden. As I’m sure you remember that the Sorcerer Supreme can sense every living creature on Earth. And ghosts give out the strongest power force known to our realm. If Grindelwald saw me freely moving about in the world, all hell would break loose.”

“That is true.” She muttered.

“We’ve arrived.” Balthazar soon said as he stopped. Serafina stopped beside him and the two of them stood on top of a semi-high (around 3-4ft) rock wall which stood over more desert.

“You woke me up in the middle of the night just to bring me out further into the desert?” Serafina sassed at the great Wizard.  He softly chuckled and said with a sigh.

“Oh you even have his sarcastic nature.”

“Whose sarcastic nature?”

“Close your eyes dear one.” Serafina closed her eyes before feeling 2 fingers press against each side of her temples and soon Balthazar’s real voice spoke in her head.

‘Over a thousand years ago the world of Sorcerers was a very different place. Instead of one Wizard ruling over all others, all of us lived and helped serve under the 3 great apprentices of Merlin.’

“This was the story we were taught on our first day of school. The history of Wizards.”

‘Indeed. While each wizard and witch lived in their own countries, all Sorcerers were considered equals and called a special sacred place known as the Garden of Merlin, home. Now—open your eyes.’ Serafina opened her eyes and she was greeted with an amazing sight.

Nothing but pure green surrounded her, the sky was just shining it’s dawning colors of pink and blue as the sun continued to rise higher into the sky.  She stood up on a hill and saw wildflowers growing as far as she could see in all various colors and types, trees so big she’d swore they’d brush against the clouds in the sky.

“Did we just time travel?” she turned and saw Balthazar as his true self.  He now stood roughly about John’s height, maybe a couple inches taller.  His ghostly eyes stared at Serafina as he told her.

“There’s too much to see and so little time. Try not to ask too many questions.” With that he walked deeper into the forest.  Serafina ran behind him and when she caught up to him, she looked around the forest.  

Listening to the frogs and birds bring the forest to life, squirrels scampering around the tree branches and deer along with other forest creatures doing whatever it was they do.

“This is where your family was born. Behold.” Balthazar pushed back a shrub and soon they saw a group of wizards all talking amongst one another, children playing games with either one another or with their parents.

“But won’t you disrupt the time stream by being here?”

“No. Because this is just a vision. No one can see nor hear us.” Serafina looked out watching everyone all happy and smiling at one another. Nothing like she had seen before with sorcerers of different nationalities and skin colors truly living like brothers and sisters.

“Hang on you said this is where my story began? That’s not true at all. My family didn’t come around till after the fall of the 3 apprentices.”

“Not true.” He immediately said to her.  She looked at him confused. “You see that little girl over there? Who does she remind you of?” he pointed towards a young girl with long brown hair and blue eyes.

Playing alongside her was a Hispanic man with brown hair, warm brown eyes and a mustache over his upper lip while at his jaw a stubble of a beard was forming.  He wore an elegant golden wizard robe and watched with pride and a warm smile as he saw this young girl practicing her magic.

“She…..she almost looks like me.”

“That’s because she is your ancestor. Wanda Arya Black. And that man she’s with is my brother Archimedes.” Serafina’s eyes widened as her jaw dropped.

“Archi—Archimedes?! As in Archimedes the Wise?! That Archimedes?” she turned to Balthazar.

“Yes is there an echo in here?” wow he was definitely John’s ancestor.  He cleared his throat and said, “He was the only one out of the three of us to take on an apprentice. As the first muggle-born witch she showed prose and potential, so Archimedes took her in as his ward as well as her teacher.”

“But there was never an apprentice in the legend. Balthazar no offense but I’ve been taught your story throughout my entire life. Why did you bring me here?”

“Because you don’t know our story. Come with me.” He walked away leaving Serafina to stare at her ancestorial grandmother as well as the 3rd great apprentice of Merlin.  As she watched the two of them walk away, Serafina turned and followed in the direction Balthazar went.

Day soon turned to night as they kept walking to another part of the garden.  As they stopped, they spotted 3 figures sitting at a clearing looking up at the moon and the stares in the night sky.  Serafina obviously recognized the two men because she was standing right next to him now.

The two men were Archimedes and Balthazar (back when he was alive).  A woman was also with them.  She wore a long, short-sleeved black dress and had long wavy brown hair.  She was around their age and she was sitting upon a rock beside inbetween the two men.

“It’s you guys. And that woman, is that—”

“Shh! Pay attention now.” Balthazar told her.  They turned back towards the three young apprentices and soon they heard Archimedes speak up.

“I know that I was chosen to be his wisdom and destined to teach future young ones of our ways but I—don’t think I’m ready just yet.”

“There’s no way we could ever feel ready for this. I mean how do you think I feel about being the next Sorcerer Supreme?” asked Balthazar.

“Some help you are.” Archimedes scoffed out a laugh.

“I’m not finished!” Balthazar stated.

“I think what cheekbones is trying to say is, is that we’ll be fine. Merlin has never steered us wrong before my brothers. We are all ready for this. And we’ll always have each other for when things get hard, right?” Morgana said as she got off the rock and placed her hands on each of her brother’s shoulders.

“Right.” Balthazar agreed with a strong nod.

“Right.” Archimedes however had a slight hesitant tone to his voice but the smile on his face fooled the other two.  Morgana let out a yawn and Balthazar said.

“I think we’ll go ahead and retire for the evening.”

“Goodnight. I’ll see you both tomorrow.” Archimedes said. As Balthazar and Morgana flew off, together (Balthazar using his magic to fly while Morgana summoned her broom).

“Cheekbones? Really Morgana?” Balthazar asked offensively.

“C’mon Balthazar, you’ve got to admit you have sharper cheekbones than even our Master.” Morgana teased back.  The two of them continued to banter with each other till they were out of sight.

Archimedes softly chuckled and shook his head before growing solemn again and looked back up at the moon.

“You see…….at the time I didn’t realize that while Archimedes was ready to take his place as the Wisdom of Merlin, he wasn’t happy.” Balthazar explained to Serafina.

“You guys have the most famous story in all of Wizard lore, what was it that could make him happy?”

“A friend of yours.” They turned back around and after a little while a female voice spoke up.

“Are they gone master?”

“They’re gone.” He said.  Soon coming out of the shrubs was Wanda.  She was older, now the same age as Serafina and she could see for herself that she looked almost identical to her ancestral grandmother.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t keep him away much longer.” She suddenly shrieked as someone lifted her up and spun her around.

“Well then don’t make me stay away so long next time!” Soon coming into the light of the full moon was none other than Roger Taylor himself.

Serafina couldn’t believe it!  She knew Roger had been around since the creation of the seas but he actually was there before the fall of the 3 apprentices of Merlin? He knew Archimedes the wise personally as well as her ancestral grandmother?! Was that why he seemed to flirt with her cause she reminded him of Wanda? And why didn’t he ever mention it before?

“How can I survive without my favorite witch and wizard?” Roger said as he nuzzled into Wanda’s neck affectionately.

“We’re sorry my friend, we just don’t……don’t want Morgana and Balthazar to—” Archimedes said as he pulled Roger away from his apprentice and gave the Nokken a brotherly embrace.  Roger separated from Archimedes and looked at him confused.

“You—you mean to tell me that Roger. My Roger knew Archimedes as well as my infinite great grandmother!? So what were he and Wanda friends like we are? Or—”

“Archimedes and Wanda both cared for their brother and sister wizards. But the beings they both could be truly happy with, were the Magical creatures.” Balthazar explained to Serafina.

“I just don’t understand why you won’t tell them you don’t want to do this anymore? What will you do tomorrow when Merlin crowns you the Wise?” Roger asked.

“I’ll go through with it. It’s been destined that I become his Wisdom after he passes on so—I will.”

“And then what you’ll forget about all the creatures we’ve helped? Forget about me?” Wanda said.

“No! That will never happen! Querida you know I’ll always love you.” Archimedes said as he cupped Wanda’s cheeks in his hand, stroking her cheekbones with his thumbs.

“Right. You say you love her, but you don’t want your fellow wizards to know what you both have been building! Sure we get it!” Roger huffed as he took Wanda back into his arms.

“This duty was chosen for me at birth what else am I supposed to do?! I don’t have a choice Roger.”

“You weren’t born to serve a purpose. You were born to live your life. You always have a choice.” Roger said.

“He’s right Master. Think of what we’ve worked so hard to build. Do you really want that to go down in flames? I don’t have the power to convince the Wizard council to keep what we’re trying to do secure. I need you. They need you.” Archimedes brushed a strand of Wanda’s hair out of her face and placed a hand onto Roger’s shoulder.

“Come on. This way now.” Balthazar guided Serafina away from the three of them and the two of them walked to another part of the garden.

The sun slowly started to rise but already in Serafina’s mind, dozens of questions were buzzing around her head.  She soon saw Balthazar stop beside a tree and she ran up to catch up to him.

“Where is he?!” Morgana’s voice snapped.  “Sorcerers from across the world are out there waiting for our coronation!”

“We’ve searched everywhere. But no one’s seen him ma’am.” Said a young blonde wizard.

“Well look again! He could’ve been captured or-or killed!” Morgana snapped.

“Lady Morgana! Lady Morgana!” soon a young witch with ginger hair came running up.  She had freckles decorated all over her face and bright green eyes. “I have news about Lord Archimedes.”

“Thank Paracelsus. Where is he?”

“He and his apprentice Wanda left with a creature known as a Nokken. He said to tell you that he and Wanda are safe and not to worry.”

“Left with a Nokken? For what?”

“It seems that he—” she went quiet.  She cleared her throat and continued hesitantly. “He said he had a greater calling. Than staying here, ma’am.” At hearing this, Morgana went silent.  Slowly her face contorted to anger as she sneered softly.

“You said a Nokken right? They’re like sirens yes? It tricked them both and then kidnapped them.”

“No. My Lord Arch—”

“I AM MORGANA LE FEY! MERLIN’S CHOSEN LAWKEEPER!! I DECIDE WHAT’S TRUE!! Where did it take them!?” she snapped with pure rage at the young witch.

“He—they didn’t say.” She said fearfully.

“No matter. I’ll find them one way or another.” Morgana growled lowly.

Balthazar sighed heavily with solemn.  He then turned to Serafina and warned her.

“This next scene won’t be pretty.” He walked ahead.  As Serafina passed over the tree, she was greeted with a gruesome sight.  Hundreds upon thousands of sea creature corpses lay across the land.

From mermaids, to sirens, Nokks to Kelpies.  Every sea creature known to mankind could be seen. Their bodies pale and their eyes soulless with death.

“Morgana declared war between us and the sea creatures. Accusing Roger of seducing both Archimedes and his apprentice and demanding retribution. It resulted in a massacre on a scale never seen before in Wizard history until two other occasions.” Balthazar explained as he and Serafina slowly walked over the corpses of the poor sea creatures.

“Me and Freddie.” Balthazar nodded solemnly.  They arrived at seemed to be the end of the garden. “Heartbroken at his apprentices fall into darkness; with his final breath, Merlin arranged the meeting between the four of them to meet at the sacred, neutral ground known to all creatures.” Balthazar once again pushed the shrubs away and Serafina soon saw Roger, Wanda, Archimedes, and Morgana standing in a landscape that she knew all too well.

“It’s—my home.” She whispered in awe as well as shock.

“I’ve come as Merlin decreed. Now give them back, and all of this can be over.” Morgana took a step when Roger, who was now in his full Nokken form guarding Archimedes and Wanda, snarled as his gills flared angrily.

“Stay back! They came here to talk! That’s all!”

“Please sister stop this. I can’t give you what you want.” Archimedes pleaded.

“That’s not true. You’re our brother!” Morgana tried to reason with him.

“Yes. You and Balthazar have been my brother and sister. You both will always be my brother and sister. But our journey together has come to an end.”

“You’re—abandoning us? For what purpose? What purpose is greater than being with your own family?” Archimedes swallowed his tears and said as he looked directly at Morgana.

“The protection and safe security of all Magical creatures. So please, let them live in peace.”

“There is no peace without you Archimedes! You belong with your own kind. With Sorcerers. With us.” Morgana pleaded.  Archimedes turned his head and refused to look Morgana in the eye.  She took another step before looking towards Wanda now.  “Wanda, you know this is the way. Please child come with me.” Roger’s claws dug deeper into the ground as his fangs grew longer.

“I said….STAY BACK!!” then like the animal he truly was, he launched himself at Morgana, pinning her down and snarled down at her.

Morgana’s gagging echoed in the night as Roger began to choke her to death before he felt ready to deliver the final blow.  He wasn’t just doing this for his Sorcerer friends but he also lost all his best friends and family to this witch.

She cause in a complete genocide against the sea and now he was going to have his revenge.

“Roger stop it what are you doing!?” Wanda exclaimed.

“SHE’S A MONSTER WANDA!! She’ll keep hunting you both. Just like she hunted my people! I. Have. To end this!” Morgana continued to choke as she tried to get Roger off of her but he was too strong for her.

“Roger please listen to me! I know she’s slaughtered your people but—” Archimedes started off.  “If you kill her now, you will be no better than she was. We—we can’t bear to see you……”

“Please Roger let Lady Morgana go! For us.” Wanda pleaded as tears formed in her eyes.  Roger looked at his friends with helpless eyes but when he looked down at Morgana, his eye grew hard and filled with hatred.

But he knew they were right.  If he killed the high witch now, he’d not only have to go into hiding but he’d also be consumed by revenge.  Soon enough what would stop him from killed all other sorcerers? Including Wanda and Archimedes who have shown him nothing but kindness and love. Something his kind never truly understood, until he met them.  He turned back towards them and said softly.

“Only for you both.” He released Morgana and crawled over towards them.  Morgana let out a series of coughs as she slowly raised herself off the ground. Archimedes pressed his forehead against Roger’s and whispered.

“Thank you my friend.” Roger then turned to Wanda who immediately hugged him and kissed his blue/grey scale cheek.  “Sister Morgana I—”

“SANGUINE MALICE!!” Morgana cried out.  Wanda pushed Roger away and took the spell head on. She stumbled backwards as she clenched her stomach with one arm and held her hand to her mouth.  Wanda grunted and groaned before she suddenly vomited out blood.

Serafina watched with horror as she was experiencing déjà vu. For that spell was the very same spell that was used on her by John’s own mother.

“WANDA!!” Both Roger and Archimedes exclaimed fearfully. Roger quickly phased back into his human disguise and caught Wanda as she collapsed and proceeded to keep coughing and vomiting out blood.  Her eyes dripping out bloody tears as they slowly went red.  Her coughs and gagging now pierced the air.

Archimedes joined alongside Roger and took the young witch’s face in between his hands.

“She-she wasn’t the target. It was for the Nokk. But if a witch is willing to die for a monster, then she’s no different!”

“No. No, no, Wanda. Wanda, Wanda hey, hey, hey querida por favor. Por favor, stay with us. Stay with me.” Wanda slowly lifted her bloody hand towards Archimedes’ face and tried to speak, but all that came out were haunting gurgles.  “Shhh, shhh, shhh. Save your strength my darling girl. Shhhh, shhh.”

“Please Wanda just hold on. Archimedes will heal you just hang on we’ll get you help. Just please hold on for us. I love you so much my soulmate.” Roger pleaded as he stroked through her hair.

Slowly her head became limp as her gurgling ceased and her arm fell to the ground, leaving a bloody sweep across Archimedes’ right cheek.

“No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no! No!” Roger pleaded and begged but it was too late.  Wanda Arya Black was gone.  “NOOOOO!!!!” Roger roared out in heartbroken agony and wept over her corpse. Archimedes too couldn’t hold his tears back as he pressed his forehead to Wanda’s and his tears fell upon her face.

When Roger slowly turned his head towards Morgana, his blood boiled with more rage than ever.

“You’ve killed one of your own!” He went to charge towards Morgana but a hand stopped him from moving any further.  Roger looked down and saw that Archimedes had stopped him. Before he could snap, Roger’s anger suddenly turned to fear as he sensed a sudden spike of power rising within Archimedes.

The wizard slowly stood up and Morgana stared at her brother in fear.

“Archimedes?” she softly spoke his name.  Suddenly she felt something beginning to choke her.  She dropped her wand as her hands went up to neck, trying to feel what it was that was choking her but she felt nothing but her own skin.  The sky grew dark, the wind softly picked up and even the moon went dark.  It was then Archimedes spoke in a low, haunting chant.

By the Guardian of all creatures

I give my voice to the Seers.

Soon even the moon itself grew black till it practically seemed to have disappeared completely.  Archimedes began to glow a bright white color as his lower half changed and morphed into a long snake-like tail.  

It soon came towards Morgana as it now revealed that a tail was now choking her.  Coils also formed around Wanda’s body protectively while Roger fell to the ground and submitted in fear, for he knew just what was coming.  

Suddenly from Archimedes’ lips not only did he speak but a thousand other voices both male and female came out of him.

“FOR YOUR CRIMES ON THESE SACRED GROUNDS, YOUR SOUL WILL KNOW NO PEACE! NOT FOR YOU OR YOUR DESCENDANTS!!” Soon Archimedes’ upper-half grew and grew till he stood well over the trees themselves.

His eyes now glowed pure gold with a white slit as the voices continued to speak through Archimedes.

“EVERY DESCENDANT YOU GIVE BIRTH WILL BE MARKED WITH SUFFERING. AND WE, SHALL BE YOUR DEATH IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM. SO SAYS THE NAGA, THE SEERS OF ALL. THE GUARDIAN OF CREATURES CONDEMNS YOU. MORGANA THE TRAITORUS!”

Morgana had never in her life felt such fear surge through her body.  Her brother had surrendered his very being to the most powerful and dangerous creatures known to the supernatural world.  The eyes closed and with a bright light, all three of them disappeared, leaving her cowering on the ground as the wind blew her hair around her face.

Her expression frozen in pure terror.

From the bushes Balthazar looked down solemnly while Serafina was just in shock.

“None of this—was taught to us at school.”

“That’s because Morgana obliviated the entire Wizard community of what really happened that night, told her own version of the tale. And from there she made Morgana’s law, the execution and hunting of all magical creatures, out of her hate and fear. Years after I became Sorcerer Supreme, and saw for myself what happened that night thanks to the help of Freddie Mercury himself, I exposed her for the coward she really was. But when you obliviate an entire community, there is only so much you can do to rewrite certain parts of history without dire consequences. And her laws and teachings would soon make their way to my bloodline and the massacre of the Naga soon commence.”

Soon the forest changed to the very day the Naga genocide happened with Thomas Riddle Deacon was Sorcerer Supreme.  All of the Nagas surrounded them before the vision went black as Balthazar choked out sadly.

“I did my best to warn him, but—it wasn’t enough.” Soon the two of them were back in the real world.  Balthazar in his vessel’s body, a broken expression on his face as his head lowered in sorrow.  “Archimedes has been missing since that night and Morgana’s law continues to be enforced. That’s why at the end of every Sorcerer Supreme reign they plan, target and exterminate every living creature.”

“You mean Archimedes—is alive?” Balthazar nodded sadly. “This whole time?! So why hasn’t he been protecting these creatures?”

“He renounced his claim to it. So their only hope is for the next chosen one to take the mantel. That’s why Freddie also chose you along with John.”

“What?”

“You are Wanda’s descendant. You are destined to be the next Guardian of Creatures. If you don’t, the cycle will only continue. Archimedes will stay hidden, Morgana’s law will remain, and Sorcerers will continue to kill till only they are the supreme beings. That’s why we want you to help us end it.”

“I’m—sorry Balthazar. That’s too much even for me.” Serafina sat down along the wall and said as she held her legs to her chest. “I’m not a Guardian or a descendant of anyone connected to the 3 apprentices, I’m just……me.”

“You can believe in that and forget what I’ve told you or can continue to help fix a broken world. Your choice.”

For years she had been following in what Freddie has foreseen her and John to do but never did she imagine that she’d have to also lead all Magical creatures into peace.  Not to mention that she now suddenly got a whiplash of the fact that her family line was connected to the 3 apprentices of Merlin through apprenticeship.

But she had come too far now.  If she fled now then all this work would have been for nothing. She’d be abandoning her family yet again and that was something she couldn’t do.  Not when she finally started to rebuild it once again with the return of her adopted sons.

“Okay. What do you need us to do now?”

“Find Archimedes. He’s in his Motherland of what is now known as Chile. He has got to crown a Guardian of Creatures.”

“But Chile has one of the most powerful magical barriers. We wouldn’t even know where to start looking once we got there.”

“He’ll come to you dear one. He’ll trust his apprentice’s bloodline. But uhh… Archimedes won’t train you if you bring forth my descendant let alone know that you’re married to him. Best if you go find him alone.”

“You want me too—abandon my family?”

“You’re not abandoning them. Your destiny lies on a different path than theirs right now. You and Archimedes both need this.”

“I don’t know if I can do this on my own.” Balthazar placed his vessel’s hand on Serafina’s shoulder and both the vessel and Balthazar’s real voice spoke to her.

“When the time comes, I know you will do the right thing.” Their voices echoed in her head.

Back at camp Serafina’s eyes suddenly shot open and she panted heavily as a cold sweat stuck to her entire body.

“Melda?” John’s voice groaned beside her.  She looked down and rested her hand against John’s temple and used her magic to put him back to sleep.

“I’m alright my love. Go back to sleep.” He cleared his throat tiredly before letting out a moan and immediately fell right asleep. Serafina stared outside of the tent and thought to herself, ‘A descendant of Archimedes’ apprentice.’

She turned her night dress into traveling clothes and looked down at her husband and sons one last time.

“I’ll be back my loves. Please don’t worry.” She sent three red auras of magic into the minds of her boys who all smiled in their sleep and let out tired moans.

Serafina got out of the tent and she got on top of her horse and proceeded to race off into the desert.

[ddaengyoonmin]

Faerie Realm 14

Pairing: Ot7xReader; currently mainly Jungkook x reader with past Jimin x reader and um maybe some Taehyung x reader? 👀

Genre: fluff, angst, smut(In previous and later chapters)

Theme: Based kinda on sword art online a lot of similar ideas and themes kinda combining the idea of them trapped in the game, but the world is closer to ALFheim online

Warnings; fiction video game beast killing, (giant turtles it’s not graphic just mentioned) Taehyung gets himself in a predicament. There’s not too much in the way of warnings but let me know if I forgot something.

Word count: 4.4k

Taglist: (no one got back to me on if this taglist is still good or not so I’m just reposting it lol) : @taekookandyoongi @life-anime-food @i-like-puppy-mg @seesawsmin-flower @karissassirak @btsvisuals @vynia

A/n: um... don’t hate me?

Where floor two differed from floor one was its climate mostly it was hotter.  The game had generated similar creatures and plants in most places that were similar to floor one, but everything was just slightly colored more in browns, tans, or warmer colors.  You hadn’t really noticed a trend in the colors but when you think of it a lot of the creatures and plants from floor one were in blue tones, and silvers and deep green. 

The layout of the map was also very similar.  The main town was in a central location just like floor one’s town, and it was also just nicknamed a simple name, “Main 2” was what all of the players were calling it. 

One area though was completely new and different than anything seen on floor one.   Where the snowy ice capped mountains stood in floor one, now stood tall mountains with bright glowing red lava constantly flowing from their peaks. 

No one had been able to get close enough to climb the mountains and see what was at the top yet.  For some reason flying gets disabled once you hit the base of the volcanoes, and you have to climb.  With the lava constantly pouring down the sides, it's impossible to make it up without dying.  No one has even tried to risk it.  But, the theory of some is that the portal to floor 3 sits inside the mouth of the center volcano.  This theory was then further supported by the strange light that some had noticed would shine up from the taller central volcano at night.  Most assumed it was always glowing; it was just so faint that you could only see it when night was at its darkest.  Portal to floor 3 or not, something was up there, and with how hard it was to reach, it had to be good. 

“When you get to level 30 you should pick the extra experience perk over the money when it gives you the option to select a milestone award.” Jungkook suggested to you. “It's not like we don’t already share anyways.” 

“Are you sure?” You sat on the wooden bench, elbow on the table with your hand pressed against your face, staring at your screen, level 29 with your experience bar half way there.

When a player hit level 30 they got the option to choose between a giant sum of money, or a permanent perk for the rest of the game that would increase their experience gained from kills by 50%.  

You did think the experience would be nice to have, leveling up quicker would certainly help you survive.  Then again, so would the money.  It was more than enough money for you to buy you and your whole team all new upgraded armour and equipment, and that would certainly help keep you alive as well.  

Another new thing that level 30 unlocks is potions.  You actually were relieved that the need for your class of fairy was lessened by that.  Now that a lot of players were able to self heal no matter what class they were, you weren’t constantly hassled by strangers on the street to join their teams without healers.  

Even more than that, it put your mind at ease that Jungkook now at level 32 can carry around potions with him wherever he goes. 

You would still have the benefit of all potions you make having extra strong effects due to you being a water fairy.  Hoseok had just reached level 30 this week and he’d discovered this perk in his player profile under his active permanent skills list. 

“I took the experience, I think it's the smartest.  I already make plenty of money kicking ass and being the best at this game.” Jungkook winked at you with that cocky smirk of his stuck to his lips.  You never knew if you wanted to smack him or kiss him when he acted like that, it was a mixture of both. 

The tavern that the two of you sat in was your regular hangout spot now with your team.  Tonight though, it was just you and Jungkook. The girl behind the wooden counter serving beers in giant tin mugs was an NPC with giant breasts and a big smile named Flower, and you could hear her right now repeating a dialogue you’d heard a million times. 

“Welcome to Muspell Tavern, what can I get for ya!” 

“Hoseok took the money.” You commented. “If I took the money I can get you that dagger you wanted to commission?” 

Jungkook shook his head. “No, I already have something in the works for that.” 

This was the first you were hearing this.  You made direct eye contact with him and cocked an eyebrow. 

“Since when?” 

“Since...For a bit alright.  So go with the experience alright.” Jungkook insisted. 

You gave a tiny sigh and nodded.

“It was a close decision anyways, but I’m sure you’re right.” 

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

One of the great things about Faerie Realm was being able to cure your hangover with a simple press of a button. 

Now, it wasn’t free, but 20 gold is still not the worst price for that throbbing in your head you woke up with that morning to clear up. 

You tapped the sleeping Jungkook on his shoulder and when that didn’t work you resorted to putting your pointer finger on his nose and tapping a few times. 

He scrunched up his face annoyed, but the expression was just so cute you couldn’t help but giggle. 

“Time to wake up Kook.  Clear your hangover and let's see what everyone is planning for the day.  I hear Tae and Jin are up already.” You told him. 

Jungkook nodded and sat up. 

Your team had been able to put all of your camp items in your inventory and transfer your camp to a location you found in the woods on floor 2.  So, you and Jungkook had continued to upgrade and build your small tent up to a two room tent with a divider for a bedroom and living room space.  

You got up and left the tent, Jungkook wouldn’t mind if you didn’t wait for him, he might be a while waking up. 

Taehyung and Jin were sitting on logs on either side of the fire pit, each with a wooden mug in their hands. 

“Breakfast?” You asked, chuckling and pointing to the mug in Taehyung’s hand as you sat next to him, your shoulder slightly pressing against his arm now as you scooted to fit next to him comfortably on the log. 

Taehyung didn’t reply for a second, like something had distracted him, he stared at you blankly. 

“Earth to Tae?” You leaned into him pressed against him hoping to jostle him out of his strange state. 

It worked and he shook his head slightly, chuckling and gripping his mug with both hands tightly, staring down into the liquid it contained as if it was some kind of puzzle to figure out. 

“Just, bad sleep.” He mumbled. 

“Ah.” You nodded your head up and down slowly, giving him a look that told him you weren’t buying that but you weren’t gonna press further. 

Jin then spoke up from across the fire.

“Hey can you tell Jungkook that I can’t find that metal that comes from the giant turtles here on floor two?  All of the red turtles here just drop meat, the green ones back on floor one always dropped shell parts so I think we’ll have to travel down there if he wants his dagger any time soon.” 

You looked over at him, confused. 

At that moment Jungkook had walked out from your tent. 

“Jin! Damnit, that was a surprise.” Jungkook groaned. 

“You’re surprising her with you getting a new dagger? Boyfriend of the year.” Jin scoffed playfully. 

Jungkook laughed and punched Jin in the shoulder as he sat down next to him across from you.  Smiling over at you and giving you a cute wink that no one else saw.  Your cheeks warmed up and you felt your stomach start to flutter, it was such a small thing, but you still couldn’t help the wave of happiness that would flood over you when Jungkook would even just slightly flirt with you.  No, you were sure that would never go away. 

“Well. I guess she can know that, since you’ve spilled the beans already.  But, you say anymore and I will kick you so hard you’ll be back on floor one.” Jungkook laughed.

“Noted.” Jin replied, feeling slightly embarrassed to have spilled a secret. 

But, why was that a secret.  Jungkook was collecting materials for his dagger with Jin...did that mean…

“Did one of you open up a blacksmithing skill line?” You gasped with your jaw feeling like it could fall to the ground. 

You heard Taehyung gasp next to you as well, this must’ve also been news to him. 

Jin stood up, his fox ears sticking straight up proudly on top of his head.  He bowed to you and Taehyung with a big grin on his face. 

“Guilty.” He chuckled, sitting back down after his dramatic display. “I figured it would come in handy if our group had our own weaponsmith so I asked around and did the quests needed to open up a blacksmithing and woodworking skill line.  There's still one more skill line called Leatherworking that would be needed if I wanted to make certain outfits and armor.  But, I think I can get there too!” He rambled on excitedly. “I figured my first big item should be for one of you guys, so I asked Jungkook if I could try and make that Shadow Dagger he’s been wanting.” 

 “That's amazing Jin!” You smiled, clapping your hands together. “Well that's settled then! We should all go to floor one today and get some shell parts!” 

“Yeah? You’re fine with that?” Jungkook’s face lit up at your words.  

You nodded “Yeah, It’ll be good for me to just do some grinding right now anyways with how close I am to level 30.” 

The three boys nodded in agreement. 

A sleepy Yoongi now wandered out from his tent with a messy haired Hoseok close behind. 

Hoseok pressed a button on his screen and his hair snapped back to its well styled smooth blue normal look. 

The two of them sat down at one of the other logs around the fire without a word, yawning in completely perfect synchronization causing the rest of your group to break out in laughter much to Yoongi and Hoseok’s confusion. 

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

You got the whole team updated on the plan.   A simple day of collecting shell parts and you’d all send Jin the materials.  

You had managed to wander off and get separated from your group, you weren’t as worried about that anymore on floor one though, with your level the things in this woods would have a very hard time landing any kind of critical strike on you before your team could get to you. 

The two turtles you’d just fought off were right by a beautiful little creek that you’d found. 

‘I wouldn’t doubt that there are a lot of turtles up and down the creek, I should let the team know…’ you thought. 

But for some reason, you hesitated on that. 

It’d actually been a while since you did anything alone, without one of the boys with you, usually Jungkook or Hoseok. 

So while it was extremely selfish you decided to venture down this creek alone. 

There were a lot of blue and white flowering plants lining the once shallow creek, that was actually getting deeper and wider and seemed more to be almost a river now. 

You fought many of the giant turtles on your way there, your experience bar now hovering so close to your level 30. 

It had been about an hour of walking when you reached the place where all of the water in the creek had been flowing from.  

A large waterfall poured down in a graceful veil from about 30 feet high up on a ledge, falling down into a beautiful pool of water, and in the center of the pool was a tiny little island.  It was only a small six feet by four feet wide sandy little piece of land.  But, sitting there was a beautiful silver chest, with a sparkling blue glow around it. 

Without thinking you excitedly ran toward the water at the chest. 

“y/n wait!” a voice yelled. 

You spun around, your feet at the edge of the water almost about to step in. 

Taheyung stood behind you, now reaching forward and grabbing your shoulder pulling you back. 

“Doesn’t this seem like the type of thing that’s gonna trigger some kind of monster fight when you step foot in the water?” Taehyung asked you. 

You looked around at the calm serene sight with the lovely chest just sitting out in the open for anyone to take.  He's right, too good to be true. 

“Your water attacks probably won't be very strong against it if it ends up being some type of water creature which i wouldn’t doubt.  So I’ll attack it and you just keep me healed alright?” 

Taehyung suggested.

You nodded in agreement.  You couldn’t believe how stupid you’d almost just been, walking into a monster fight alone without a thought at the sight of something shiny. 

The two of you stepped into the water together, just enough so you were up to your ankles.  

That was all it took, Taehyung was right.

Only a few seconds after your feet touching the water a blindingly bright light shone up from the entire pool of water.

It was a white shimmering radiant light that seemed to have tints of all colors of the rainbow reflecting off when you looked at it the right way.

You and Taehyung looked at each other with the same confused expression.

The light which you could only now describe as somehow extremely...loud, shone like that for about 30 seconds before it toned itself down just enough so that you could now see standing in the center of the water, next to the chest, a figure.

"Don't be afraid Water Fairy, Sylph Fairy.  Step forward and take the chest." A voice spoke out.  You squinted your eyes and stared forward at the figure who you could now make out as a woman wearing a white dress.  She had wings as well.  You'd almost mistake her for another player if you didn't know better.

But, something was off about her. 

"I don't trust it." You whispered to Taehyung, leaning in to him.

Taehyung nodded in agreement, staring at the Fairy in the center of the pond with a skeptical gaze.

"I think we may have to step forward more still though if we want to trigger the next part of this.  Be prepared to heal both of us." Taehyung added in.

You took a deep breath in and waded further into the water, Taehyung following next to you.

The two of you were now past where you could stand in the water, and still nothing had happened.  The figure was becoming more and more clear, a glowing beautiful blonde fairy dressed in white silk and adorned in gold jewelry.

Once you made it to the small island, dripping wet and slightly out of breath due to your lack of swimming skill, despite your class being inclined to it you'd never worked on that skill line much.

The small blonde fair stood in front of you smiling with a golden staff now in hand that you hadn't noticed before.

"Take this staff from my hand." Her voice boomed loud and commanding, it seemed as if it echoed throughout the whole floor, too large a voice for the tiny girl in front of you.

You and Taehyung exchanged looks of 'what do we do'

It seemed forever passed before Taehyung finally just stepped forward, arm outstretched and leaning forward towards the large and heavy staff tightly clutched in the girls hands.

Almost instantly a loud crack like thunder sent Taehyung flying back so fast that you couldn't register where he went.

He was gone...

Did he just...

No...

You gulped and felt your stomach tensing and your hands shaking. 

You didn't see him anywhere, but you also didn't see the tell tale pixels floating up towards Faerie Realms sky that happened when a player...

"Take this staff from my hand." Her voice repeated exactly the same as before.

Did you have a choice? Should you run and get help? Could you?

If you tried, would the same thing happen that happened to Taehyung?

Most likely.

You needed a different strategy.

"I don't want the staff I just want my friend back." You spoke sternly at the girl in front of you.

"To get your friend back.  You must take the staff." Her voice boomed out again.

You felt your heart start beating normally again, Taehyung was safe, it was possible to get him back.

That made the importance of doing this the right way even greater.

"How much?" You asked.

A strange thing happened, something you'd never seen this game do.

The NPC in front of you seemed to glitch.  Blue pixels took her place for a split second and you heard the warbling crackle of her sound malfunctioning.

"H-H-H-How M-M-M-uch?" She stammered out.

"How much to just buy the staff from you? If that's what I need to get my friend back." You spoke, not too concerned with the games errors and more concerned with getting Taehyung back safely.

"One, One, One, One," She kept repeating.

"One coin?" You questioned, leaning forward to see if you were catching all of her words.

You went into your inventory and pulled out a single gold coin into a physical item so that you could try and hand it over.

You weren't going to feel bad about exploiting a glitch in a game that could actually cost you or your friends your lives.

The girl glitched once more and held out her hand.  You placed the single gold coin in her palm and she closed her fingers around it, handing you the staff in exchange.

You looked around, waiting for Taehyung to appear, but he didn't.

Another loud thundering crack sounded out and the light returned, only for a few seconds.

When it was over the girl was gone, but the staff remained in your hand.

A notification bubble popped up on your screen.

'Acquired: Restoration Staff of the Blue Pool: Amplifies all healing abilities channeled through the staff'

Your eyes widened, it was perfect for you.  It also had the benefit of being incredibly beautiful.  It was heavy and seemed to be pure gold, smooth all the way down the handle with gold vines etched into the metal, leading up to a blossoming tulip like flower at the top.

Suddenly you snapped back into what was actually important here.

"Taehyung!" You screamed. He hadn't been returned...

"Y/n!" You heard a voice echo back after a few long seconds.

He was alive, you sighed out in relief.  But, you couldn't see him.  You spun around in circles a few times to see if you could tell where his voice was coming from.

"Tae!" You yelled again.

"Y/n! I think I'm behind the waterfall!" You heard him shout.

Without missing a beat, staff in hand you sprinted into the water towards the waterfall, swimming until you got to the tiny strip of land that sat to the side of the waterfall.

"Taehyung you're in there?" You tried to push your hand through the water, only to feel a sharp sting and hear the chime of your health bar taking a small hit. 

It seemed that you couldn't just step through.

"I can't get in!" You whined.

"I can't get out either, I already tried walking through and using all my spells and weapons on it.  It's useless." You could hear the desperation in his voice.

"Wait." You looked at the staff clutched in your hands. "The girl said the staff would help.  This must make the water part or something..." You thought for a few moments. "Okay step back." You nodded to yourself, a small encouraging 'you can do this' as you pointed the flowering tip of your new staff at the water in front of you.

"Okay?" Taehyung, not knowing your plan, still listened on faith that you had a good idea in mind and stepped as far back in the cave as he could.  It wasn't a big cave, about the size of an average bedroom.  If your bedroom was a cold, dark, damp, rocky prison.

You used all of your power to try and shoot an attack from the staff.

Closing your eyes you braced yourself for whatever recoil might come with the attack. But, nothing more than a quiet fizzle and spark came from its tip.

Shit.

"Taehyung, you can come back, nothing happened." you groaned, now going into your inventory to check out the description of your staff to see if it had any helpful tips for using it on the waterfall.

"y/n...I-" Taehyung's voice cracked and he stopped himself, sighing and shaking his head.

"I'll get you out of there don't worry." You yelled to him.

You started reading through the staff's summary and noticed at the bottom a count down reading 52:43 and going down. Underneath it read 'Blue Pool Staff Ultimate Ability: "Moses" this move can part any unmovable water force with a recharge time of 1:00:00'

"Oh." you whispered.  So the small fairy must've used the staff to part the water and emerge from behind the waterfall, you just hadn't seen her come out because of the light.

"Taehyung you're gonna be okay!" You giggled. "You just have to wait 50 minutes."

"Oh?" He yelled back excitedly.  You could hear the relief coating his exclamation.

"Hey y/n?"

"Yeah?"

"You're gonna wait with me right?"

"Well I kind have to, I'm the one with the staff."

silence for a moment.

"Well you could leave and just come back."

"Me going off on my own didn't work out so well last time, I think the buddy system is a good plan." you chuckled.

"Y/n I love you."

You felt your stomach fall to the floor and a chill run through your spine.

No. He didn't just say that.

Not him. Not Jungkook's best friend. Not when you already struggle so much with...

No. Hearing this from Taehyung was not good. Because you might actually...

“Y/n?” Taehyung called out from behind the almost unreal blue veil of water separating the two of you. 

“I’m still here…” You spoke quietly.  Not quite sure how to respond to his confession. “I just don’t know what to say.  Jungkook is…” 

“I know.” He cut you off.  

You couldn’t see him well, you wanted to just push through the water and run over to him, shake him, ask him why the hell he thought it was okay to say this to you now. 

“I just thought you should know.”

"Do you want me to say something back to that? Taehyung what the hell." You felt tears now rolling down your face.

"I just...I'm tired of just thinking about it every day and not being able to say it. Jungkook is my best friend. I know. I'm an asshole for this. I know. But...I just can't help it."

Your knees were growing weak, you slowly sat yourself down cross legged on the flat stone ledge you'd been standing on.

"Taehyung. I can't say anything back. No matter how I feel. You know that." You spoke out so softly that you weren't sure if he'd even heard.

It was quiet for what felt like almost the whole remaining hour.

"I think I do want to know." Taehyung broke the silence.

"What?" You replied back dryly. You'd zoned out into thoughts of Jungkook leaving you if he ever found out that once again you were feeling like doing something unloyal.

"I want to know how you feel about me. I need to hear you say it. It's not fair to feel these things and not say they are real." The pain in his voice bleeding through the water between you.

"No." You whispered, digging your fingernails into the palm of your hand.

"Y/n..."

"Stop." You sobbed, your eyes clenched shut, trying and failing to make walls so the tears couldn't escape.

"I love you." He said once more.

At that moment a small ding sounded and a notification popped up that your staff had recharged.

"I'm letting you out now." you muttered, wiping your eyes with the back of your hand and standing up shakily.

You pointed the staff at the waterfall and a bright light came out from the tip.

The rushing water now seemed to have an almost invisible quality. You could see Taehyung standing on the other side, looking almost as much of a mess as you.

"I-" You managed to get out, but nothing more.

"Do you love me back." His voice cracked again on his last word.

You felt your lips trembling as they tried to let the words slip past them. You couldn't say it though, you didn't feel like you could.

How could you tell Jungkook's best friend that you'd always admired him from the moment you saw him? That when you fell asleep on his shoulder, you felt warm and comfortable? That sometimes, right before you'd drift off to sleep you'd imagine the feeling of your lips on his...

Before you could stop yourself you were leaning forward to do just that.

With no hesitation his hands reached around your waist to lay flat against your lower back and pull your close against him.

His lips were soft and gentle against your own moving slowly as if he was trying to drag the moment out as long as possible. You could hear him let out a small happy hum when one of your hands reached up to ruffle the hair on the back of his head gently.

This moment was good. This moment felt right.

So why was it so bad, and it felt so wrong.

You pulled back from Taehyung, your lips trembling again, you recoiled your hand away, as you should've done at first.

"This is a fucking brilliant trend you're getting into y/n." A familiar voice came from behind you.

Shit.

[a-tamed-dragon]

Within These Walls: Chapter 3

The only thing I’ve been consistent on in the past... well, at since 2017. Isn’t that sad? Here is Chapter 3 of my Tokka fic “Within These Walls”. 

In the wake of my own crumbling relationship of 3+ years, I have hope that somewhere in the atla-verse (lol like a pocket universe we spoke into existence) at least some people are happy somehow.

I would really appreciate feed-back on my writing. Thank you all!

Enjoy,

Prue

Part 1 Part 2

There wasn't anything out there as far as she could see. The wind was so loud in her sensitive ears it was deafening. She wasn't used to the cold, growing up in Ba Sing Se it was warm all year round. Her nose was numb with frost and the hair in her face was caked in snow. The thick fur around her hood muffled the whip of the arctic wind but did very little to clear the air. It was impossible to hear her travel partner, and currently, the man that was her eyes.

She knew they were in the village just outside of where they landed on Appa when many pairs of hands touched her shoulders and when she politely recoiled, a familiar arm encircled around her back.

"It's nice to see you too." His deep voice perked her ears up, attentively. "Where's Gran-Gran?" He excused themselves from the moderately sized crowd. The frozen girl heard her name passing numerous lips.

"That's Toph Beifong" – "Toph Beifong in our village." – "She must really be blind here." The comment made her set a hard brow, it wasn't malicious, but it was a weakness.

They were guided into a hut, the wind was silenced and warmth finally reached her frostbitten cheeks and nose. Even on rugs, the shoes she wore still muffled her vision like a heavy blindfold.

"Gran-Gran!" Sokka let go of his partner to rush towards his grandmother.

"Sokka, it's so nice to see you. My, you've grown." The old woman's voice was a new one to be stored in the blind-girls memory. That's how she knew everyone, she never forgot a voice. Sokka looked around the small hut of ice and blankets.

"Where's Master Paku?" He inquired.

"Oh, he had to go back to the Northern tribe and take care of a few things. You just missed him by 2 days." Before Sokka could say anything, Gran-gran asked, still in a merry tone. "How's Katara?"

"She's great! You'd be so proud to see her. She's a master, AND is working very closely with Aang." Sokka said in an excited tone, even though the siblings fought, they were still very proud of each other.

"That's my granddaughter." She said with a laugh. There was a pause and Toph stood where ever she was, still and tranquil with a hint of uncertainty.

"Gran-Gran, I'd like you to meet our very close friend- Toph Beifong, the best earth bender of all time." He gestured towards her, still one hand in his grandmothers'. The old woman approached her.

"Ah yes, I've heard so much about you. The fearless girl who can see with her feet." Toph smiled and extended a hand, she could hear the muffled sound of boots on the furs underfoot but couldn't distinguish much else. A rough warm hand closed around her mitten covered one.

"You invented a new form of bending, yes?" Toph was taller than Gran-Gran but not by all that much, she was still behind on a growth spurt.

"Metal bending, was it? Very smart." She clasped another hand over Toph's upper arm. "And very strong too." She turned back to her grandson. "Don't be a smart mouth with this one Sokka or you'll be through the roof." She said with a serious set face. Sokka rubbed the back of his neck and rolled his shoulders in the spotlight.

"Oh believe me Gran-Gran, I know." He nodded.

"It's so nice to finally meet you- uh, Mrs. Sokka's Grandma." She made an unsure laugh.

"AH HA" Gran-Gran chuckled wonderfully and warmly. "Just call me Gran-Gran." She smiled, even though Toph couldn't see it. Even with her red cheeks, the girl looked dangerously pale, almost ill.

"You two must be exhausted. I'll send some food. There are two pelts for each of you and I set out more blankets on the small table over there." She gave the direction really to Sokka but spoke facing Toph.

"Pleasure meeting you." Toph bowed respectively as Gran- Gran let go of her and went back to Sokka. Kissing his cheek and walking back out into the cold.

Unsure how to take off any of the heavy clothing, Toph was completely reliant on Sokka to take care of her. She was just a helpless little blind girl all over again.

They were alone and without the watchful eyes of the village, Sokka took the liberty of undressing her and began helping Toph out of her freezing clothes.

Taking his gloves off first and stuffing them in his pockets, he pulled her hood down ad untied the scar. He unraveled it with care and let the soaked scarf hit the rug. Occasionally his fingers brushed her cheek with undenounced purpose.

"Hands up." He had a smile with a light-hearted laugh.

Toph sniffed and raised her arms up, allowing him to pull the thick long coat over her head. She didn't feel odd about having the young man undress her. Beforehand, she had dressed her in traditional water tribe garb. Some of the clothes actually belonged to Katara: a blue shirt that V necked: pair of sweatpants over tight leggings: and boots he had to make her. He spend months finding just the right materials for the boots to be made, making her try many dozens of different furs on her feet to see what would be comfortable for him. He knew, and she had told him, that she would be blind once-off of Appa. However, he was grateful she took the trip with him.

The whole time Toph was like a compliant doll, probably used to it from the years of pampering from her parents and servants in Ba Sing Se. She raised her arms as needed and lifted a leg to slip the sweatpants off over her boots without a hitch or complaint. Nor was there any attempt by her to do it on her own. Sokka questioned that most of all, but upon getting the baggy pants off he discovered just why she didn't. 

He slipped the pants off of her left booted foot and with her right leg only planted on the ground, Toph lost her balance. It startled Sokka as she immediately bent to put her hand on his shoulder for stability. Without her ability to see through earth bending, everything was dark except for herself.

Sokka stood up, untied the string holding each of her mittens on, an original design meant for a child, and pulled them off with care.

"Cold?" His voice was amused but soft, he was leaning forward and into his charge.

"Freezing." Toph didn't sound as nearly amused as him.

Sokka brushed the long ebony hair away from her delicate face and tucked it behind her ears. He wore a half-smile with pride and laid the inside of his hand on her face, cradling her frozen cheek in his palm. His hands were warm and brought the feeling back in the tingling skin.

"Here." He rubbed his thumbs on the apples of her cheeks. Her pale green eyes were distantly lingering on his chest, although out of habit he looked into them.

With his hands on her, she was given an entire image of him, the way he stood close to her, his muscular arms held up gently to hold her face in his big hands.

"Thanks." Toph paused but her tone left more than one word. She saw the way Sika's chin tilted. "Huh." Her laugh was empty. "So this is what being blind feels like." Her indifference sparked concern in her best friends' chest.

"I guess." The back of his hand ran up the hollow of her cheek. "Are you mad about coming? I could take you home tomorrow morning if you want." Toph shook her head.

"No. I want to stay with you. How many times have I made you suffer at the academy, anyway?" Now there was forced humor in her voice, and she licked her chapped bottom lip. "I just hate feeling so- so"

"Hate feeling helpless?" Toph turned her face away, out of Sokka's hold.

"But this time I am, I've been here 10 minutes and am sick of not being able to see a thing. I mean, YOU'RE my feet. It's amazing if I'm not dead by the time we leave." She threw her hands up in a very Toph way and her voice was animated with amusement, not to hurt Sokka, but in her common joking vernacular.

"You're not missing anything and there's nothing to see but snow for miles. And the village? Not much either. And, HEY, you trust me more than that! "He chuckled when Toph stuck the tip of her tongue out at him and smiled, brightening her sullen face.

"It's funny." She raised her hands up, one finding perch on his broad chest, and the other searching for his hand. "I can't see-see you, it's like being completely alone."

"But you're not alone Toph, you're here with me." She could faintly see the sway of his head nodding in assurance.

"Not like that, dunder-head." She moved her head in her way of rolling her eyes. "It's like… look." She slid her fingertips up to his face and covered his eyes with her hands. "See that?"

"No."

"That's what I'm feeling. Like there isn't anything around me, there's only me, until I can feel through someone else." She moved her hand off of his face and was alone again. "Right now. I can't see you. Or feel your heart. Or tell if you're going to step one way or the other."

Sokka still looked into her eyes, now with a better view that her hair was pulled away.

"You can still see me Toph, you just have to use your hands." He put his hand around hers and brought it flat to his chest, just above his heart.

Toph's fingers splayed slightly, feeling the thump of his strong heart. It was silent in the hut for a moment as he looked down at her, and her face was tilted up towards his. The tiny ridge between her eyebrows told him that she had something on her mind.

"What else?" She asked.

Sokka smiled and took her other hand that was now at her side. He placed it to his cheek lightly. Toph could count on one hand the amount of times she purposefully touched Sokka’s face. Mosr of them in chaste kisses they no longer talk about, she felt his cheekbones but never tried to map his features out.

Toph's fingers swept up his temples and down along the bridge of his nose, delicately sweeping over his eyelids, and brows. She could feel his heart beat faster. The tip of her index finger and first knuckle caressed just along his jaw that was even sharper than the last time she thought she mapped it. She reached the dimple in his chin, he was looking down at her, and his lips were just barely parted.

The pads of her fingers brushed his lower lip and a small smile pulled at the corners of her baby doll lips. He didn't know what she was thinking about but had a feeling it was the same thing he was.

The young pair were pulled apart by a voice calling their attention from just outside the hut.

"Sokka, I said are you both hungry?" Sokka looked up, clearing his throat as Toph turned her head away and cast her glassy eyes downwards.

"Yeah, just leave it here. I'll get it. Thanks." He let her hand slip out his and went to the entrance

Part 4

---

I hope you are enjoying my little... excursion into this ooolddd ship... That I still ship. 

Leave a comment with constructive criticism or simply what you think!  

[arthurs-wife]

Cleopatra - 1/?

tigerlilywine said to arthurs-wife:Hey, been reading your drabbles. I think you capture Arthur real well. M!reader and all. You've ever thought of a... future au? They are still cowboys but they jump to worlds instead of areas. Bounty hunters in space. Reader is royalty of one alien species (close to humans) and gets kiddnapped. King hires the gang to save em? (Fluff is a must but smut is optional, though I'm sure you can work it!) It is an idea tho lol keep doing what you're doing!

A/N: because i’m extra as hell, i wrote a ton of lore for this and wanted to throw this up to see if theres interest because I can go on and on with this future shit.

Pairing: Arthur Morgan x M!Reader Words: 1.7k Summary: Working for the agency of Lemoyne Department of Defense Services in the year 2149, Arthur Morgan and his gang struggle to complete as many jobs as they can before the Terran Bureaucracy can dissolve it completely. With the promise of one final, multi-million dollar job, Arthur Morgan is sent on a mission to rescue the kidnapped hybrid child of Tavantis’ human King and angel Ruler, going head to head with the Bureaucracy itself. 

If Arthur could change one thing about this bureaucratic hellscape it would be the Jump Queues.

Ten minutes to get to the damn thing, twenty minutes in the queue, another ten while the nice pre-Mars lady checked your license and asked about you and how’s that nice boy doing? What was his name?

“Lenny, ma’am,” Arthur said, hand over his eyes.

“When is he going to come back up here and visit me?” she tittered. The sounds of a mechanic keyboard could be heard in the background, painfully slow.

“Whenever I can rip him from his computer,” Arthur shrugged, staring blankly out of the cockpit’s windshield.

“And where are you heading today, Mister Morgan?” she asked.

“Chantakor,” he read from his console, “the Tavantis continent.”

Another five minutes to punch that unfortunate name in.

“Three jumps,” she declared, “the credits will be taken from your account.”

Arthur grumbled.

“You’re good to go Mister Morgan, jump safe!”

“I will, ma’am,” Arthur promised and sat up straighter as the portal ahead of him turned bright hot-purple and his engines were taken out of lock.

He cut the comms channel and another message came through immediately, buzzing in his ear like it couldn’t wait another five god damn minutes.

“Arthur?” Hosea blared through, “are you there yet?”

“Yep,” he said, pushing up on the throttle and sending his LASO into the portal. The comms cut out, but that was to be expected when you jumped through space beyond light speed.

First jump through and Hosea was back, Arthur turned his ship to face the next portal.

“You said you were there,” Hosea deadpanned.

“And I lied,” Arthur shrugged, speeding up, “you better get to your point before the next one.”

“I just wanted to s-”

Second jump and Arthur blasts through.

“You know Arthur, you’re a real piece of sh-”

Third jump and thank goodness, any more and Arthur’s head would be spinning.

“I’m at Chantakor now, Hosea,” Arthur said, powering down his drives and folding out the secondary wings.

He had never been to Chantakor before, partially due to its royal status in the Galactic System and damn was it a fine sight to behold.

Arthur leaned forward to peer out of his windshield at the whirlwind of activity near the main gate, thousands of LASOs, Chantakorian ships that dwarfed even the largest transport LASO. Humans were good at many things but apparently not at making decent ships. The Chantakorian transports gleamed in the light of the binary suns, making them shimmer like waves.

He almost missed his stop, the heavily guarded gate above the Tavantis continent that would lead him directly to the King’s quarters.

“Are you done being an asshole?” Hosea clips in. Arthur can just hear his arms crossing.

“Yes I’m done,” he said, fiddling with knobs and allowing the Chantakor fields to pull him in carefully.

“Alright listen,” Hosea started, “the King is expecting you any minute now. All you have to do is get in there, get his information on where his child is, and get the hell out of there.”

“His-” Arthur did a double take at nothing, his LASO stopping at the zero-G gate, “his what now?”

“I probably should have mentioned this is a kidnapping bounty,” Hosea said apologetically.

“Who’s the asshole now, Hosea?” Arthur blurted, tapping on his console. Apparently long queues were universal.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, son,” he said, “but it’s a lot of money and you’re our best.”

Arthur grumbled again.

“I will be getting the largest cut of this,” Arthur pointed threateningly at the comms, “and I will be taking the longest vacation afterwards.”

“Whatever you need to do, Arthur,” Hosea said, “but we need this. This job could get most of our systems back online.”

Yes, yes, the fabled systems Lenny and Karen had been working on since… forever it seemed. Arthur was ushered into the planet’s atmosphere and he banked down, heading to the private landing zone of the King himself. He couldn’t muster up any amazement.

He hit a button and the LASO unfolded its wheels as it touched the ground lightly and rolled along the tarmac towards the stupidly ornate building he assumed belonged to the King.

The angels were never a race that Arthur had been acquainted with either. The angels had a proper race name, but they had been dubbed so by the god-fearing human race due to their strikingly similar features to biblical angels. They were tall, gender neutral, majestic pillars that humanity had no business dealing with but dealt with anyway.

The LASO came to a stop in a hangar and Arthur powered it down, clambering out of the seat with some difficulty and opening the hatch. Chantakor was temperate and mild, almost a boring sort of weather if Arthur wasn’t used to the dramatic patterns of Earth.

He was met by two seven foot tall angels who ushered him to the main gate and the halls within the King’s palace. At this distance he could make out more features of the angels, they were all some variance of blue or green or grey, they had feathers all over them, and great big feathery wings that folded up neatly behind them. Their legs were like bird’s legs without all the scales and they were covered in feathers too.

They mumbled something in their native tongue, which sounded like trills and whistles, occasionally glancing back at Arthur. They reached a set of silver doors and turned to face him.

“You’ll see our Ruler now,” the taller one said, their great blackish-purple wings bustling behind them. Arthur held up a thumb to show he was ready to go, in true human fashion.

Also in true human fashion, the angel rolled their eyes and opened the set of doors, letting him in the room. All of the ceilings were cathedral style, towering up over them at almost 20 feet tall. It looked like the angels were just as fond of showmanship as humans were, as the entire room was festooned with colorful curtains and lights. In the far center was who Arthur assumed was the Ruler.

They stood a whopping eight feet tall, taller than any being had ever stood in front of Arthur, and they were bright. Their wings were massive and unfurled to their full extent, shining gold and green like old bronze in the sun. Eyes set wide in a dark face, they blinked several times and scrutinized the dirty man in their throne room.

“Howdy,” Arthur said unceremoniously.

“Are you Arthur Morgan?” they said in the same clipped accent, settling back in on their nest.

“Yes, uh, your Grace.”

“Thalia will do.”

“What’s this about a kidnapping I hear?” Arthur said, supremely indifferent to the angels and their customs.

“My kin has been taken,” Thalia mused with a face so indifferent that Arthur wondered if they actually cared or not, “and my world has shattered.” Of course they cared, Arthur, what’s wrong with you?

“When did this happen?”

“Twenty cycles ago,” they answered.

Arthur counted on his fingers for a moment to add it up.

“Alright so a couple nights ago,” he said, bringing out his comms pad and typing something in, “any ideas at all about who may have taken them?”

“I think my partner may have more information than I,” Thalia turned back and whistled something in their native tongue. The door behind them opened and a tired looking human man strode through and noticed Arthur. As he got closer he extended his hand and Arthur took it.

“I assume you’re the man here about my son?” he asked and Arthur nodded. It was the first time he had heard someone refer to an angel with a pronoun. Then a whole other set of questions popped up in his head. As if he read his mind, the King nodded and waved a hand, gesturing for Arthur to come sit with him.

“Are you familiar with the Llinovan?” he asked and Arthur sat down with him, thinking on it for a moment before realizing the Llinovan were the angels’ proper species name. He shook his head. “When humans first met the Llinovan many years ago there was an initial power struggle. Since then we have lived in harmony, myself and my wife included.”

“Does that mean…?”

“Yes,” the King nodded, “it means my son is part angel and part human.”

Arthur thought about the implications of this.

“You mean to tell me,” he started, “that humans and angels can have kids?”

“Yes,” the man replied, “and it’s not just us. There are thousands of hybrids now, all in hiding. Since they’ve grown in numbers, the human ambassadors on Chantakor have noticed, and they don’t approve.”

“I can imagine.”

“That’s who has taken my son,” the King sighed, looking straight at Arthur.

“I’m not,” Arthur stuttered, holding up a hand, “I can’t go toe to toe with the Terran Bureaucracy, that’s suicide.”

“Even with such a handsome reward?”

“Hosea never told me how much.”

“60 million credits.”

“God damn!” Arthur blurted out before hushing himself quickly. Several of the angels and the Ruler had turned to look at him. The King finally let out a little smile.

“It is my understanding that your community needs the credits,” he went on, “I intend on rewarding anyone who challenges the strong arm of the Terran Bureaucracy for what they’ve done to the human race.

Arthur thought a moment, mulling over the state of Earth, the constant rebuilding of the communities, the lush paradise of Amazonia that only the richest could afford to step foot onto.

“Alright,” Arthur nodded finally, “alright, where can I find these people?”

“The higher ups won’t have gotten their hands dirty with this,” the King said, standing up, “they’ll have sent their versions of bounty hunters to claim him and take him to another world. My guess is Niston, just a jump away.”

“I’ll get right to it then,” Arthur nodded and stood up with him, moving towards the door.

“And Mister Morgan,” the King called after him, “I’m very sorry to hear about LDDS, they have done very good work for us in the past and I’m angry to see them go.”

“Yeah, me too,” Arthur grumbled and tried not to think about it.

[snake-house]

Galran!Shiro X Altean!Male!Reader - first sight. [1]

Galran!Shiro X Altean!Male!Reader warnings: mentions of mpreg he/him pronouns used for reader (i dont put [Male Name] because my name is gender neutral so it weirds me out, so i just put [Name]) *complete au from series ahhh **i am sorry if anyone is too ooc & female pronouns used for pidge ***contains lance x keith and allura x lotor, sorry not sorry lol (also started before season7 sooooooooo) ___ Here is everyone’s species: Allura: Altean Shiro: Galran Keith: Galran/Human (like canon so he looks mostly human) Lance: Altean & Allura’s little brother Hunk: Balmeran Pidge: Altean/Human Matt: Altean/Human [Reader]: Altean ___

word count: 1,770

___

"Welcome to Altea," Allura beamed as her old friends Shiro and Keith walked off the ship, "How was your mission?" She asked immediately, ignoring Keith's wandering eye, already knowing he was looking for her brother. "It went well," Shiro started, sighing and nudging Keith to pay attention, "Nothing unexpected, we were simply sent to scout the rogue planet. It hasn't seemed to slow down since it was ejected from its solar system, so we are still watching it. There still hasn't had any civilian life been detected from it, but there are still signs of life, we are getting ready to send some probes to investigate more thoroughly before it decides to collide with something, but such a thing is far in the future." Allura nodded, Shiro already noticing the traces of deep thought on the Princess's face and smiled softly.

"How have you been since we have been gone? Any word on the marriage contract?" He asked gently, knowing the subject was rather touchy with her. "I've been well, Lance has been a wonderful distraction. He and I are training a boy who has shown quite a connection with Quintessence and wants to go into healing. Since my father has been distracted by that rogue planet, I have started his training along with Lance, though Lance doesn't show half the potential [Name] does. It's quite amazing too." She said with a smile, "I need to introduce you to him, he is becoming a wonderful friend, and Lance is quite taken with him," Keith's eyes narrowed at the words, "As in very protective, [Name] is a bearer." Allura fiddled with the sleeve of her dress, "As for that marriage proposal, I have ignored it as it is not the time to think of such things, but I am only barely into my second century, I have time." Shiro grinned at the princess, watching her straighten and her eyes turn determined. Even though she was younger than him, she always seemed to be able to hold herself in such a way that made her seem so much older and refined. He knew of her current distaste for such a thing, but he was curious. He had been gone for almost two months after all. "Let us find Lance and I will introduce you to [Name]. I am sure you'll like him, he is a sweetheart." She smiled brightly and led the way to the castle. The older Galran let his mind wander to the mistery Altean Allura was talking about. He was certainly a new development in the last two months, and he wanted to know more. They eventually found Lance in his room with Hunk and Pidge, and a smaller boy with [color] hair that neither Keith or Shiro recognized. "Hey, guys!" Lance brightened when he saw the two Galrans and stood up quickly to pull them into a hug, "How have you been? Did you just get back from the scouting mission? How was it?" Lance bombarded the two with questions. Allura pouted at being ignored by her brother. "It went well, we are going to send some probes to confirm there are no lifeforms on the planet, and when that comes back, then we will see what the next phase is," Keith explained easily, "How have you been?" "Great! Hunk and Pidge have been keeping me company, as well as [Name], who you guys need to meet!" The prince exclaimed and quickly motioned for the fourth and previously unknown person in the room to stand. "This is [Name]?" Shiro asked Allura with slightly wide eyes as the boy stood up and approached him. You were sitting on the settee by the window before you were called over, and the sun effectively shadowing your face. You stood rather short compared to Shiro, coming up just below Shiro's sternum. The smooth expanse of your skin really gave way to your Altean markings, making the stand out proudly against your skin. The sickle-shaped markings that sat under your [color] eyes were [preferred color], as well as the diamond shape that stood between your eyebrows and the other dainty markings beside it. (here is what reader's altean markings look like and ignore the bad art i haven’t drawn in ages but i thought you guys would like a visual) (and btw the marks are only pink so you could see them

Allura's smile lit up as she nodded, "He's beautiful, isn't he?" She teased as she noticed her longest friend staring at the boy. Before Shiro could respond to the tease, you spoke up. "It's nice to meet you," You said meekly, looking at the two Galra soldiers and giving them a slight bow of your head. "Likewise," Keith said, "I'm Keith Kogane." He held his hand out to shake yours, which you easily took and shook. When you reached your hand out to Shiro, Shiro couldn't help but eagerly grab your hand and shake softly, just barely restraining himself from bringing the hand to his lips, "I'm Takashi Shirogane, I hear you're sensitive to Quintessence?" He asked, wanting to further the conversation with the smaller male past just an awkward introduction. You smiled slightly at the question and nodded, ignoring the fact that Shiro still held your hand, "I am, a prodigy according to Allura." "What do you plan on doing with such a gift once you are fully trained?" Shiro asked curiously, only now realizing that he still held your hand and tried not to make it awkward as he let go. "I wish to go into healing," You said, looking away from the taller male as you blushed at his action, "But that is still a long way away, and I have other duties to tend to along with my lessons." "How old are you? If you don't mind me asking," Shiro quickly added. A small smile tugged at your lips at his question, "I don't mind, I'll be 94 before the year ends," You replied simply, "Meaning I still have many more years before I can use my gift to help people." A bell sounded from your being. Shiro watched as you pulled out a small blinking blue screen. "Allura," You said looking away from the device to the princess, "Your father has requested me to do a lesson with him today. He has asked for you and Lance to come along too." "Oh shoot, I forgot what time it was," She started, pulling a reluctant Lance away from the smaller Galran soldier, "We'll catch up later?" Allura asked turning towards Shiro. When she got a nod from him, she gave the Pidge and Hunk a farewell and left Lance's room with you trailing behind them with your own round of goodbye's to the group. Shiro watched you leave with a slight hint of disappointment, he wished to talk with you longer. He only looked away from the door when he felt eyes on him, and he met the smug look of his brother in all but blood. "What?" He snapped hastily. "You're already smitten," Hunk chimed with an equally as smug look on his face, "[Name] has a habit of making people fall for him." "What do you mean?" Shiro asked again. "Oh don't worry," Pidge started, "You don't have any competition towards him, but Matt has already sworn himself in as [Name]'s protective older brother so you'll have to go through him if you want to pursue him." She added with a grin. "Who would have thought one of the best soldiers and commanders of the Galran Empire would fall for a small Altean bearer," Keith said smiling brightly, "If Allura's and Lotor's arranged marriage doesn't bring our empires together, your union definitely would." Shiro flushed, ignoring the deep purple hue that must have taken over his features, "Isn't that a bit much to assume we are going to get married? We've just met today." "Yeah, but with the way you looked at him when you walked in," Hunk said with a wide grin. “If you’re going to court him, you’ll have to first get his parent’s permission first, they’re super traditional," Pidge started in again, pulling out her mini com to start taking notes for him, "And once you get their permission, you'll have to ask him with a hand-made gift. My dad made my mom a circlet, with her favorite Earth gemstone in it." She prattled, fingers tapping quickly across the soft blue light. "Whoa-Whoa," Shiro said waving his hands in front of him, "We've only just met!" He repeated, feeling himself heat up at the confrontation. "Courtship does not mean you have to get married, it's just like dating, but in a more traditional way," Keith said, as he already knew all about Altean courtship rules and guidelines. "Either of you can end it whenever you wish." "At least let me get to know him before you all start throwing courtship rules at me," Shiro groaned, "Anyways, Keith, we need to report back and finish relaying what we found about that planet." The younger Galran nodded and gave Lance one last longing look before he followed Shiro out of the room. The two walked in silence back to their ship. They would be meeting with Alfor and Zarkon soon to talk about their mission and needed to regroup with the rest of their team before the meeting. They had already briefly filled Zarkon in when they arrived, but they were given some time to cool down from the intense mission before they would be grilled with every detail so they could work on their next move. "If you do wish to pursue [Name]," Keith started as they walked up to the ship, "I would support you, no matter what." Shiro understood the underlying meaning to his words. Keith was and has always been his little brother in all but blood, and knowing that there was always some risk to social stigma for dating or courting someone outside their own race, Keith would be there for him for he was in a similar situation. This what why it was important to Zarkon and Alfor that their heirs married. "Thank you," Shiro said genuinely, "I'll be there for you too, whenever the two of you decide to go public." It gave Shiro immense pleasure to see the younger light up red at his statement, he always knew how to catch Keith off guard. "Right, thanks," Keith said blandly, cheeks still painted pink.

Shiro grinned and ruffled the younger’s hair before letting the silence wash over them, both deep in their thoughts.

[strangerstuffandthingsimagines]

Even Though It Hurts Pt.1 (Steve Harrington x Reader)

Song Inspiration: “Hoodie” - Hey Violet

Request: how are you i’m good lol okay so can you make some about steve the kids and them fighting demodogs and stuff and can you make it more than one chapter but still long you don’t have to omg i am asking for to much sorry to bother you hope your day is great also if you do tag me -  @im-a-stranger-thing 

Part 2

Warning: Curse words

A/N: I hope you like it so far! I plan on making this a two part series (depending on the next part, we could get three). This first part might not be as good as this is my first time writing for Steve, but I want to make the second part more deep so please be patient! haha hope you like it!

P.S. I finished the show “Star” and Brittany O’Grady has been my latest obsession, she’s really great in broadway productions and acting in drama, so I had to make a gif of her and use it for this story.

GIF Info: I’ve recently discovered the beauty of GIPHY so I’ve been making my own so yeah lol

“I’m coming!” you called, jogging down the hall toward the kitchen, nearly tripping over a heap of hockey gear. You rolled your eyes and shoved the pile to the side with your foot, muttering under your breath about how messy 12 year old boys were.

You entered the kitchen were your aunt stood stirring a pot of something, probably a new experimental dish.

“Did you need something?” You asked as she had called to you only moments ago.

“Oh yes dear!” She said twirling around, her cheeks rosy from the warmth of the stove. “Dusty went out to look for mewsy but it’s getting dark and I’m a little worried.”

Ever since the youngest Byers boy had gone missing the year before all parents seemed a little on edge.

Your family was having some financial issues so to help take off some stress your aunt had offered to take you in. You weren’t new to Hawkins, in fact you visited every summer since you were three.

“You want me to go look for him?” You asked, already pulling on your coat that had been sitting over the kitchen chair.  “I think I know where he is.”

Whenever  Dustin dragged you along with him you’d go to this junkyard and help him look through the scraps. You’d look for cool things to make Star Wars replicas with and things like that.

“Can I borrow the car?” You asked your aunt, who was probably the sweetest woman on the face of the earth.

“Sure thing sweetie, the keys are by the front door.” She said as she continued to stir the...soup? The woman wasn’t the best cook but you’d never tell her that.

You squinted as you tried to navigate through the fog, the headlights barely making a difference.

The car struggled to get up the hill, the tires had hardly any grip on the dirt backroads. You recognized the old school bus, from what you could tell and pulled over.

You hugged yourself as the air was cool and the fog thick.

“Dustin?” You called out, your eyes squinting through the fog. “Dustin are you out here?”

A hand wrapped around your mouth, you trashed around in their grip.

“Stop it’s me.” A voice said, you were too scared to process whose it was.

You jerked backward as more hands grabbed and pulled you into the school bus. You fell to the floor of the bus from the force of who ever was tugging at you.

“Y/N what the hell are you doing here.” Dustin said crouching next to you.

You gave him a bewildered look, as if you were in the wrong. You looked around to see the three others who accompanied your younger cousin. You recognized Lucas, he’d gotten a little taller but looked otherwise the same. He gave you a little wave, you returned with a nod.

“What am I doing here?” You said a little angry now. “What am I doing? What are you doing Dustin? Your moms worried sick, it’s dark out. The least you could say is ‘thanks Y/N for making sure I wasn’t dead in a ditch.”

Dustin shoved a hand in your face, using his other to motion up and down.

“Keep your voice down, they are going to hear you.” Dustin warned, Lucas nodding in agreement.

You rolled your eyes and swatted his hand away.

“Listen if this is some dungeon and dragons shit I’m going to-“

“It’s not.” The same voice from earlier said, now realizing you never noticed who it was. Steve Harrington stood with a serious look on his face, a baseball bat with nails hammered through it resting on his shoulder.

“Steve?” You asked, now completely confused with a horrified expression plastered on your face.

The summer before he and Nancy Wheeler got together you had shared your first kiss with him. Not only that but you had become good friends that summer, and to find out from Dustin that Steve was now with Nancy hurt quite a bit.

“Okay that’s it,” You said throwing your hands up in defeat. “I’m going home, have fun playing your little games. Get a ride from Babe Ruth over here.”

“Babe?” Steve repeated with eyebrows raised.

“The baseball player dumbass!” You explained, trying to get around steve.

“Y/N, no! I’m being serious, you can’t go out there. If you leave I’ll never- Uh- never talk to you again.” Dustin threatened, frantically trying to block the door to the bus. “I’ll eat all your mint ice cream!”

You rolled your eyes giving him irritated sigh.

“Are you being serious right now?” You said, finally surrendering to his silly attempts to make you stay.

“They are being serious, I didn’t believe them at first but they are.” The red head girl piped up, dustin rolled his eyes.

“No one asked you, why are you even here” he snapped, completely out of character and out of line.

You smacked the back of his head, obviously not aggressively or too hard but just to snap him out of his attitude.

“Why are you being such a dick?” You scolded, becoming motherly.

“Ow, jeez Y/N!” Dustin said, adjusting the hat you had nearly taken off.

You sat at the back of the bus, one knee bent as the other leg extended off the seat. You fiddled with the fraying thread on the knee of your jeans, waiting for whatever the fuck was going on to be over. You weren’t sure why you decided to say, it wasn’t like you really believed the bullshit story they were feeding you. You convinced yourself it was just something to do, considering you read every single one of Dustin’s comics and there was no way you were actually going to do homework,

“Hey.” Steve said, taking a seat across from you. Your chest tightened, feeling nervous around him for whatever reason.

“Hi.” You said without looking up, now picking at the nail polish on your thumb.

Steve shifted uncomfortably, turning his bat around in his hands.

“So, how’ve you been?” He asked, glancing up from his hands to see if you were going to look at him.

“Shitty.” You said with a shrug. “I didn’t have much of a choice moving here, my grades are pretty crappy and I’m pretty sure you are all lying to me about whats really going on.”

Steve ran his tongue along his bottom lip before letting out a dry laugh.

“If you knew, you’d lose your shit.” He said a playful grin on his face.

You moved to the edge of your seat, your knees now nearly touching his.

“Would I?” You asked, returning the look. “I don’t know Harrington, living in New York makes you see some pretty bizarre things.”

As he was about to say something in return, he took a double take at your outfit. 

“Nice sweater.” He said, his grin now twisting into a smirk .

Your eyebrows furrowed as looked down at the sweater you wore underneath your denim jacket.

“Thanks?” You replied,  wondering what Steve was on about.

Steve turned toward you, elbows on his knees his chin resting on top of his hands in a prayer like position.

“You don’t remember do you?” He asked, the corners of his mouth still pulled upward.

You shook your head laughing still not understanding what was going on.

“That’s my sweater, remember? I gave it to you when you were cold, like two, summers ago.” He explained, a proud look on his face.

You reached behind your head and pulled at the nape of your hoodie, pulling it as far as you could to the side to get a better look at the tag.

“shit” you thought to yourself. You had kept his sweater, never really making an effort to give it back. You had worn it to bed a few times, because it was warm, not because you missed Steve or anything like that...that would be weird.

You saw the “S.H” written in a faded sharpie on the tag, now having no way to get around this mess.

“Oh shit, you’re right” You said scratching the back of your neck. “Do you want it back?”

His chin held high and clearly smug about the idea you still had and wore his hoodie. You looked away from him, tapping your knees as you tried to find somewhere else to give your attention to.

“How’s Nancy?” You asked, finally returning his gaze. “Dustin mentioned you guys are going steady.”

“Going steady?” Steve said giving you an amused look. “I didn’t know we were living it up in the 50’s”

You gave his shoulder a shove, now laughing with him.

“Says Elvis Presley himself” You quipped, playfully reaching up to mess up his hair, in which he caught your wrist still laughing himself.

“Not the hair!” He dramatically exclaimed, falling backwards on the seat. Pulling you down with him, you rolled off his chest and onto the floor with a thud.

“Would you two stop making out for five minutes and keep your voices down.” Dustin whisper yelled, giving Steve an annoyed look.

“Yeah Steve keep it down.” You mocked between laughs, placing a finger over your lips to jokingly scold Steve.

The two of you regained some composure and just sat in silence for awhile.

“Listen, I’m sorry I stopped writing to you. Things just sort of got busy here, a lot was going on.” Steve tried to explain, a mixture of guilt and regret on his face.

You looked up from under your eyelashes, your mouth in a hard line.

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me, Steve, it’s fine. It’s not like we were together.” You sadly admitted. You arms crossed tightly as you glared out the window, although there wasn’t much to look at.

Steve let out a whistle, tapping his foot as the atmosphere was getting more and more awkward.

“I guess karma got me,” he announced, this grabbing your attention. “Nancy dumped me...pretty sure for Jonathan Byers.”

Your eyebrows tilted upward sympathetically, the hurt evident on Steve’s face. From what you knew of Nancy, she seemed pretty nice, and you only knew the surface of the situation so you weren’t going to pass judgements on her too quickly.

“That’s...rough man.” You said, patting his knee in a poor attempt to show your sympathy. “If it’s meant to be, it’ll be...right?”

“Thanks?” Steve responded giving you a funny look.

Lucas climbed up onto the roof of the bus acting as the lookout, You and Steve joined Max and Dustin closer to the front. Steve flicked the lighter on and off, the clicking slowly driving you up the wall.

“So you really fought one of these things before?” Max asked as she watched Steve mess around with the lighter. “And you're, like, totally 100% sure it wasn’t a bear?

Before Steve could answer your younger cousin piped in, almost aggressively.

“Shit. Don’t be an idiot. Okay? It wasn’t a bear. Why are you even here if you don’t believe us? Just go home.” He snapped at Max who had done nothing to provoke this behaviour. This obviously pushed her away as she now joined Lucas on the roof.

 You sat across from Steve watching in horror at Dustin’s behaviour, your lips pursed and your eyelids fluttering quickly in disbelief.

“That’s good.” Steve complimented, clearly impressed. “Just show her you don’t care.”

“I don’t,” Dustin said shortly, Steve shooting back a wink.

You were pissed off, to say the least, not only by Dustin’s behaviour but Steve’s encouragement of it.

“Um excuse me?” You questioned, eyebrow raised at the boys. “But what the fuck was that? What the hell has gotten into you?”. Dustin rolled his eyes, slumping in the seat where Max had sat before.

“You wouldn’t get it.” He explained, his hands balled into small fists.

You stood up from your seat and walked over to him, hands placed firmly on your hips.

“Yeah? Why is that? Last time I checked I’m a girl, and I know for a fact that girls don’t like being treated like shit.” You snapped, clearly upset by how he was treating Max.

“I don’t know what Mr Casanova has been telling you, but from a girls perspective, you’re acting like a tool.”

Before either of them could respond to you, the eerie sound of some sort of wailing animal cut the conversation short.

Steve and Dustin scrambled to the window, peaking through the blinders, watching the fog for movement.  Your arms rested on their shoulders, now joining their gaze.

“What the hell is that?” You whispered, your stomach buzzing with nerves.

“What’s it doing,” Dustin said, his eyes not moving away from the fog.

Your fingers moved toward the window, clutching the grate that covered it. You analyzed the creature that moved around in the distance.

“It looks like a big lizard, like a Komodo dragon. You know those things with the poisonous spit? From Indonesia, I think.” You rambled on, trying to wrap your head around what was happening.

“He’s not taking the bait, why isn’t he taking the bait?” Steve asked.

“Maybe he’s not hungry,” Dustin replied, both breathing rather heavily.

“Maybe it’s sick of cow.” Steve said backing up, eyes fixed on the creature.

Steve grabbed his bat, Dustin following after him with concern. You came to your senses and realized what Steve was doing.

“Steve, you can’t go out there.” You said, now closely behind him.

“Be ready.” He said dismissing your concerns, tossing Dustin the lighter.

Steve hesitantly stepped out, making his way carefully toward the pile of raw beef that laid a few feet away from the bus.

As he taunted the creature you could hear Lucas muttering about something on the roof, you climbed the later to see what was going on.

“Holy shit there’s more of them.” He said frantically. “Steve, Steve there’s more!”

You quickly climbed down the latter, jumping from the third step. You got on the floor and crawled, looking for a weapon to help Steve.

“What are you doing?” Dustin asked, peeling his eyes away from the scene unfolding before them.

“Buses.” You said with a gasp. “Buses they-they have emergency axes in case the bus flips on its side.”

Your hands reached around under the spot where the bus driver seat was, although it was lopsided and a falling apart. Your hands now coated in dust and grime as you wildly rummaged around.

“Got it.” You said getting up as you pulled the axe out and up with you.

Without hesitation you ran off the bus, quietly closing the door behind you, careful not to alert any of the creatures that had begun to lurk around Steve.

You got into a low crouched position, keeping the chances of detection low. Crawling on top of the nearest cars hood, you slowly inching yourself further onto the windshield. You cringed every time the glass cracked under your weight, already weak from the cracks created over time.

You caught a glimpse of one of the lizard demo-thingy’s, its tail waving around as it focused on its prey.

It was getting the upper hand on Steve, but you had the upper hand on it. You got to your feet, careful not to lose balance. You let out a slow breath, trying to calm down before swinging the axe and slicing into the demodog.

This now taking the attention off of Steve and onto you.

“Shit.” You said as the dogs began closing in on you, gooey blood dripping down the handle of your axe. “Shit. Shit. Shit.” 

Steve regained his composure and began swinging at the demodogs that had begun toward you, allowing a window of time for you to sprint to his side and help mow down the creatures.

[bellamys-hope]

So today I met the Harmon siblings, and let me tell you I had such an amazing day. 

Richard remembered me from almost two years ago, when I went to my first ever con in Stuttgart, Germany and met him and Bob. I was completely shook that he remembered somebody who was so unmemorable, and because I was in full Octavia cosplay with war paint and all that on my face. He asked why I wasn’t in cosplay today and I told him my wig for my Clarke cosplay didn’t come in time, so he suggested the idea of a gender bender Murphy with purple hair! On my autograph he wrote ‘Purple hair Murphy... think about it.’

And then I met Jess for the very first time. She’s hands-down one of the sweetest, funniest and most down to Earth people that I’ve met and I’m so glad that I finally had the opportunity to meet her. I was at her autograph table for at least a good 10 minutes just having a chat with her about my art, about Richard, and about the lotion that I added to the gift bag that I got for her. We spoke about Dystopia, and how she didn’t even know that she was going to Dystopia until just before they announced it. 

We moved on to the photo ops, and my one with Richard was first. It was fast but not rushed, people were still allowed to do poses unlike the first con that I went to. I originally wanted to do a titanic pose with Richard, the iconic one at the front of the boat where Rose has her arms stretched out, and I wanted Richard to be Rose and me Jack. But me being shy I didn’t ask so when I walked up to him he went ‘Hey Lisa’ and pulled me into this cute hug and he’s just so adorable. 

For the duo I asked to be sandwiched in between the two of them, and Jess basically shoved me into Richards chest. Richard said ‘I’m gonna stand on my toes so I’m taller than you.’ He literally stood on his toes in every photo during the duos lol, I thanked the two of them and Richard said ‘Thanks Lis’ and I died inside.

And then for my photo with Jess I couldn’t come up with a pose so I asked her to think of one, so she wrapped me up in her scarf, but we had to retake the first one because only half my face was showing. She was like ‘I gotta keep you warm, it’s cold in here!’

But yeah all in all I had a beautiful day today and I can’t wait to see them again next month

[thehorde]

First of all, congratulations!! \o/ For prompt... 30, Logan and Virgil? Or pick whomever you want, I'm really just intrigued by that prompt, lol. No romance needed! XD

Thanks @artistictaurean ! So. 30: “Your eyes… They are different colors.” Here you go!

“Your eyes… They’re different colors.”

Virgil had never noticed before. Then again, he had not been this close to Logan’s face before.

“It is called Sectoral Heterochromia. An irregularity in the iris caused by, well, genetics.”

Virgil frowned and leaned closer to look at them. It wasn’t super obvious, but now that he’d seen it, he didn’t think he’d ever not notice it. Logan’s left eye was brown, like the rest of them, but the other one was shot with slices of blue.

How freaking cool was that?

“How come we don’t all have eyes like yours?”

Logan rolled his eyes. “I don’t know, Virgil. Would you please just get on with it?”

Virgil huffed and stepped back, brush in hand. “Maybe you should have Roman do it. He’s way better at stuff like this.”

Logan shifted uncomfortably on the bathroom stool. “Roman has very sparse attention to detail and I would rather not end up with missing pieces, and Patton will probably forget what he’s doing halfway through and then I’ll have to do it by myself, and I am,” He cleared his throat. “not very good at this sort of thing.”

Well. He had a point.

Virgil sighed and mixed the hair dye in the little jar it had come in. Logan was the last one to dye his hair to match Thomas’s, and Virgil had been shocked when Logan asked for his help. Roman could just wish he had purple hair and, boom, there you go. Not so much for the others. If they wanted to look like Thomas, they had to actually try. Logan had not been excited about the color change (purple, of all colors) but now he was standing out, so here they were. Reluctant on both sides.

Virgil chewed his lip as he mixed the foul-smelling gunk that would make his hair look like the rest of theirs. “Couldn’t have gone with blue…” Logan grumbled. “He could have gone with blue…”

“I personally like the purple,” Virgil inserted. Logan glanced up at him, disgruntled, and Virgil was again stopped by his eyes. “How on earth have I never noticed that before? Have you always had that?”

Logan hesitated.

Which caused Virgil to hesitate. “Lo?”

“I… no. No, I have not.”

Well, that was weird. Virgil continued mixing and Logan wrinkled his nose. “I believe that I am… diverging.”

Virgil blinked.

“Uh, what?”

Logan didn’t say anything. He pursed his lips and twisted his hands in his lap and that was just making Virgil more nervous. “When we first manifested, we obviously would look exactly as Thomas does. But time has passed and it appears… we do not.”

Virgil stood there, stunned. He had never considered that that was even possible. But now that he thought about it, they all did look slightly different than they had a first. Didn’t they? Roman was certainly more muscular than Thomas. Patton… had Patton always had freckles? And Virgil, well, he supposed he was a good two inches taller than Thomas now.

“We must work to control such deviations,” Logan said. “It is only fair to Thomas.”

Virgil frowned. Was it? It wasn’t like he knew how to make himself shrink…

Or change eye color, for that matter. “I dunno. I mean, it can’t be that big of a deal.”

Logan shrugged. “We are not individuals, Virgil. We are parts of a whole. And thus, cohesiveness will only benefit Thomas.”

That was an interesting mindset… Virgil slowly stopped stirring and narrowed his eyes at Logan. “You say that but… you don’t want Thomas’s hair.”

Logan shook his head. “Of course I do.”

“You’re a horrible liar.”

Logan huffed and crossed his arms. “Are you ready or what?”

Yes, he was ready, but Virgil had an idea. A better idea.

He dropped the dye on the counter and opened up the mirror for the other dye he knew was tucked in here. Logan watched warily. “What are you doing?”

Virgil smirked. “Chill out, I’ve got something that’ll be way cooler.”

“But-”

“Logan, do you trust me?”

A pause. And Virgil realized suddenly what he’d just asked. His stomach swooped. It hadn’t been very long since Logan started speaking to him, much less trust him. And maybe he didn’t. Maybe he still didn’t trust him but was just being civil and now he’d put him on the spot.

“Of course I trust you,” Logan grumbled. He messed with his tie. “I wouldn’t ask you to do this if I didn’t.”

Virgil relaxed and a thrill of something flew through him. He gave him a lopsided smile. “Then let me dye it. I swear. It’ll totally cool.”

Logan nodded. Once, and then again. “But Thomas-”

“Thomas will think it’s great. Yeah, you’re a side, but we’re people too, Logan. I doubt he’d even be bothered.”

“… Okay.”

Virgil was inwardly kinda shocked he’d agreed, but on the outside, he just smiled and opened up the new jar of dye.

When they entered the living room later that day, Logan was restraining a smile and Virgil slunk, satisfied, to his usual spot on the corner of the couch. Roman and Patton were attempting to play monopoly on the floor, and they looked up when they entered.

Roman’s mouth dropped open. “L-Logan?”

Logan raised an eyebrow and sat down in his usual spot at the kitchen table. “Yes, Roman?”

Virgil curled up and waited to put his headphones in, intent on the other’s reactions. Would they be alright with this?

For a moment, Patton and Roman just stared at Logan, who was getting more and more uncomfortable, but then Patton squealed and scrambled to his feet. Roman followed quickly. “IT’S SO COOL!”

“Absolutely stunning! What gave you the idea? I am in awe! I didn’t think we could do such things!”

Logan smiled and brushed his hair back with his fingers, clearing his throat. He had work to get to, but it was obvious that he was pleased. Virgil had (very expertly mind you) dyed the tips blue. It faded from dark brown to whitish blue streaks that matched Logan’s multi-colored eyes in a way that worked far better than Virgil had anticipated. “Virgil had the idea.”

“AND OMG YOUR EYES THIS IS THE COOLEST THING.”

His work here was done…

[welovekpopscenarios]

The Stars Above the Chaos (Space/Halo!AU Mingyu x Reader)

Admin: Mimi

Earth is under attack, and Mingyu is being shipped out to war tomorrow. You don’t know if this will be his last one. Better make the night count. Space/Halo!AU

Fandom: Seventeen

Genre: Smut, teensy bit of angst

Pairing: Mingyu x Reader

Warnings: Language, slight mentions of death

Word Count: 3555

A/N: Don’t let all the terminology or Halo scare you off, it’s basically a smut with a bit of backstory. This was honestly just to feed my need to write for Mingyu seeing as he is my bias and Halo bc it was the game of my childhood and it will always be one of my top games (I even have a big book about it that my ex got me for Christmas haw haw). But yeah, this is essentially just a smut and can be taken as a basic Space!AU, so I hope you still read and enjoy regardless of the space/halo stuff in it! Happy reading! (Low key happy about this one LOL)

I made a little index with info and visuals, if you’re interested in the help!

The sound of mindless chatter and clinking metal sounded in your ears as you entered the canteen to collect your dinner for the day after training, nodding your head in hello at chefs and soldiers alike, the ships A.I Sasha even throwing a sweet wave as you passed the holographic screen. Your eyes searched the large space, table upon table filled with soldiers of every ranking; cadet to captain, private to sergeant, but you were only looking for one table in particular. Tucked away in the corner of the room, you found some of your friends sitting together and chatting amiably amongst one another, as usual around this time in the evening.

Seungkwan spotted you first, his head raising from the conversation to wave you over with his usual sweet smile. You headed towards the spot with hurried steps, ignoring the talks of the ongoing battle ensuing on Earth, the countless number of deaths and casualties occurring while you’re stuck here on this ship, waiting for the day when you get called to join the gruesome fight. Jeonghan greeted you with a smile and moved over on the bench, making room for you to sit, placing you directly in front of Mingyu who fixed you with a small smile and a subtle wink. The others – Seungkwan, Minghao and Wonwoo, to be exact – all gave you their own greetings before returning to their previous conversation.

“I don’t think I’ve ever fixed so much equipment before – seems like there’s something coming in nearly every hour to be worked on lately,” Wonwoo complained, playing idly with the food on the tray in front of him. “So many weapons and vehicles coming in, needing repairs. Some of them are so badly damaged, I don’t even know where to start with them.”

Jeonghan made a noise in agreement, shaking his head. “Tell me about it, the med wards are flooded here. It’s too hectic to keep up with, and we’re nearly running out of supplies.”

“We’re overloaded here,” Seungkwan piped up from beside Jeonghan. “I can’t even imagine what the situation on Earth looks like right now.”

The table grew quiet, the horrible elephant in the room ever present as you thought about the struggle on Earth. Just recently, as small fleet of Covenant ships exited slipspace and began to attack the African city of New Mombasa. During the ensuing battle, a Covenant Assault Carrier breached the orbital fortifications on the city and made its way to the surface. The ship, which carried the Covenant Hierarch known as the High Prophet of Regret, took position over New Mombasa, deploying troops and vehicles which occupied the city, and the city's civilians either evacuated, took shelter, or were killed.

Nobody could talk for too long on those who were lost to the hordes of aliens destroying the city, be it soldier or civilian. You felt useless, stuck on the UNSC Say My Name while others risked their lives to stop the invaders from controlling the city. But another part of you, hidden deep underneath your skin and making you sick with guilt, was slightly relieved your unit wasn’t shipped out to deal with the situation yet. The tales you heard from the returning soldiers; the frightening pincers of the Elites, the raw terrifying strength of the Brutes, even the swarms of Grunts and Jackals becoming too much to handle in the heat of the moment. Nobody knew exactly the intent of the invasion – just that if the Covenant managed to take control of New Mombasa with the fleet they have, more will come, and Earth will soon be in the hands of the enemy.

Minghao made a loud tutting and jabbed irritably at his food, scowl present on his otherwise pixie-like face.

“I wish they’d just send us out already. They clearly need us, and I’m sick of all this waiting. We should be going now instead of tomorrow” he grumbled, shovelling tasteless slop into his mouth hurriedly. Jeonghan gave a derisive snort, fixing Minghao with a level stare.

“You should wish they won’t have to send you out,” he retorted, to which Minghao gave another tut and a slight roll of his eyes. “To send the ODST’s out would mean that the situation really has gone to shit. And that’s when panic sets in,” he explained, picking up his cup to take a sip and raising a brow at the infamous ODST over the rim.

“ODST’s: Orbital Drop Shock Troopers,” you mused quietly, and looked forward to find Mingyu’s eyes already on you. “Things must be getting really bad down in New Mombasa if they’re gonna send out the ODST’s soon,” you said, and all heads at the table turned at your voice. “You’re practically a last resort when these things happen.”

Mingyu nodded seriously, shoulders heaving in a sigh the exited through his nose. “Yeah,” he agreed. “They say the fight’s getting pretty grizzly and they’re losing hope. The Covenant are pushing strong. Coups said we could be shipped out some time tomorrow,” he elaborated, and made eye contact with you to give you a heavy stare that put a dead weight in the pit of your stomach. It was a stare that said ‘I’m going away tomorrow, I don’t know when I’ll be back. I don’t know if I’ll be back.’

You always knew what would happen when one of you gave a stare like that, a sort of tradition between the pair of you after you began seeing each other in secret years ago. But it would have to wait until after dinner. You brushed your leg against Mingyu’s underneath the table.

Minghao gave a humourless smirk. “’Last resort’,” he repeated, shaking his head. “We’re the best of the best. They just don’t want to use us so early in the fight. They wanna see if they can pick them off without using all their resources first,” he said arrogantly, but you saw right through him as if he were glass. He might be an ODST like Mingyu, a soldier who went through tougher training than most, than yourself, but he was afraid. Just like everyone else was. One wrong move, and life as you knew it was gone.

“Actually, The8,” Wonwoo mocked Minghao’s notorious nickname as if it were an insult, and Minghao turned his head to his left to glare at the taller boy. “I wouldn’t consider ODST’s the best of the best. You’re good, yes, but you’re just that bit stronger than the average soldier, like Y/N,” he nodded his head in your direction, and you ducked yours when Minghao’s dark eyes flitted to your form. Mingyu stifled a giggle at Minghao’s enraged face, and instead paid attention to the rest of Wonwoo’s speech. “If you were to call on the best of the best, then the Spartan’s would have been sent. Those were the real super soldiers.”

Seungkwan cut off Minghao’s retort in an effort to keep the peace once he saw the ODST clenching his fists and flaring his nostrils. Minghao always got too fired up when danger was imminent, snapping at everyone without warning. “Spartans aren’t in use any more. Well, except for the Master Chief. He’s the last Spartan alive, apparently,” he said, checking his surroundings before leaning into the centre of the table, the rest of you following suit as he lowered his voice.

“I heard he was on the UNSC Pillar of Autumn when it exploded. He was supposed to be destroying a new alien threat that was released, something even worse than the Covenant. But that’s all I heard. There were a few units that came into contact with this new threat but…not many people made it back alive,” he gossiped, a grim look upon the nurse’s soft visage. Mingyu groaned, eyes darting to the ceiling, cracking his knuckles loudly that had you cringing at the sound.

“As if we need even more shit to deal with,” he whined, boots tapping yours in silent conversation. ‘I’m worried.’ You tapped back and gave a slight smile, one that felt weaker than intended. ‘I know. Me too.’

“Regardless,” Minghao clipped loudly, sitting upright once more as he spooned the last of his grub into his mouth, “we’re the next best thing. There are more of us than there are Spartan soldiers, isn’t that right, Gyu?” Mingyu nodded wordlessly, eyebrows nearly reaching his hairline as he sipped his water. “We’re the ones who are going to be doing most of the fighting. Master Chief can join whenever he wants, but he better not steal our glory.” And with that, he stood up from the bench, gathered his tray, and stormed away from the table. Wonwoo rubbed his eyes tiredly while Jeonghan shook his head disappointedly.

“Please, ignore him,” Mingyu apologised, resting his forearms on the table. “His feathers get a bit rustled when a fight is just around the corner. He doesn’t mean to snap.” The group just nodded in understanding. Truthfully, tensions were high with everyone now, stress piling on every time a new problem came up, which seemed to be nearly every second now.

The intercom above interrupted the chatter in the room, calling upon all available technicians to return to their work stations immediately, and Wonwoo placed his forehead on the table and gave a pitiful, exhausted groan. Mingyu laughed warmly and reached an arm around his friend’s shoulders, squeezing in sympathy. The leaner male simply sighed, and drug his body out of his seat on the bench. Lifting a weak arm in goodbye, he picked up his tray and headed in the direction of the technician’s labs.

“We should get going too, Y/N,” Mingyu announced, your attention aimed at him once more as he looked at you with a hard stare. “We need our rest as soldiers, don’t we?” he asked, and you nodded in agreement mutely, picking up the remainder of your food and standing up from the bench. Jeonghan gave you a knowing look, one that had you fighting the heat rising to your cheeks and scowling when he gave a light scoff. You curse the day you called him your friend and trusted him with the information about your secret relationship.

Before you could grab him by the throat and choke him out for being so obvious, Mingyu tilted his head in the direction and led you both out while you ignored the teasing “have fun” from Jeonghan’s sugared mouth. Mingyu guided you down the hallways of the ship while you saluted every passer-by, reminded of just how vast and lively this single airship can be. It was essentially a world of its own – each person a cog in the well-oiled machine that was the UNSC Say My Name, another fighter in the galactic war. Turning a corner in the metallic hallways, you came upon a rare occurrence of the hall being completely devoid of life. And just when you thought that Mingyu was leading you nowhere, you were suddenly dragged into what seemed to be a supply closet and promptly pressed up against the newly locked door.

You gasped as Mingyu’s sturdy body was flush against your own, his calloused hands trailing a rapid path across your skin as he attempted to feel as much of you as he possibly could, his hidden fear and his duty as a soldier causing him to panic and rush his actions. You grabbed a hold of his wrists to stop him and stared deep into his wide eyes, so beautifully dark and so tragically frightened. Your thumbs rubbed soothing circles over the veins, and you watched as he gradually relaxed and sighed out of his stiff posture, deflating like a balloon until he looked unbearably small in the cramped space of the closet, the light casting even darker shadows over his weary face. Bringing his wrists to your face, your lips skimmed the smooth surface, his pulse dancing beneath your mouth as he closed his eyes in peace.

Edging closer to you, he moved his arms to wrap around your form as you wrapped yours around his waist, holding him close to you as he rested his forehead atop the crown of your head, breathing in the scent of your hair and keeping you hidden in his longs arms for as long as he could. He’s not stupid. The situation on Earth is way worse than ONI or the UNSC are letting on. But for the sake of keeping their soldiers up for the fight, they’re staying quiet about how bad the devastation in New Mombasa is. And while he knows he’s one of the best ODST’s in the army right now, he isn’t sure if he’ll live to see another battle after he gets deployed and sent feet first into hell tomorrow. He knows when he sits in that pod and gets dropped into the heat of battle, there’s no going back for him. And the only thing that has been racing through his mind since the Covenant invaded the planet was you. Thoughts of you heading into the fight soon, thoughts of you being safe on the ship while he was doing heavy duty, thoughts of if he’ll get to see you again once everything’s been dealt with.

If everything’s dealt with.

And it’s with this in mind that he plans to go through with the unspoken tradition for when either one of you are set to leave. A moment of bittersweet release, one last night in paradise, as he bitterly jokes, a time for you both to feel alive and in love before it’s drained out of him in the coming hours.

He moves first, his lips pressing butterfly kisses to your forehead and moving them downwards; kissing your cheeks, your lids delicately, and even your nose before they finally reach your lips, where they seal over yours in a searing kiss, one that left your mind spinning and perfectly distracted you from the worries plaguing it. Your fingers trail through his hair, tugging at the soft strands and wrenching a delicious moan from deep within Mingyu’s chest.

You felt the ends of your standard tank top being tugged out of the confines of your cargo pants, but couldn’t think on it too long, not when Mingyu’s tongue was sweeping across the seam of your lips so wonderfully. You opened up for him and he dove in like a man starved of everything that was you, your tongues swirling and pushing in ways that had your knees turning to jelly. You think you would have fallen if not for Mingyu’s strong arms keeping you upright, hands working frantically to open the buttons on your pants.

You did the same, hands reaching beneath his shirt and brushing over his toned muscles, honed after years and years of training, your fingertips caressing the little bumps of scars, hard work and even harder memories painted across his skin. He tore his shirt off impatiently, the fabric pooling somewhere on the ground, and he did the same with yours, your arms raised high above your head as he near ripped the piece of clothing off your body, leaving you in your sports bra and pressing you to the door once more.

The cold sting of the metal against your flushed body wasn’t near enough to distract you from Mingyu’s ministrations of trailing kisses down your neck, his thick fingers dipping beneath the waistband of your bra behind your back. You made a light squeak when his lips touched the more sensitive parts of your neck, lust seeping over your mind like a cloud on a stormy day, and you could do nothing more than pull on Mingyu’s hair whenever he did something particularly pleasing. He was placing your pleasure above his own, like usual. He pulled your bra off until you were completely bare from the waist up, and Mingyu took the opportunity to place hidden nips and bites along your chest for only his eyes to see, sucking on your pert nipple and rolling the neglected one with his fingers.

You bit your lip to contain the moan threatening to leave your chest, feeling your arousement seeping through your underwear and your core throbbing annoyingly, desperate to be touched.

Mouth still lavishing your chest, Mingyu worked on getting your pants down and off your legs, pulling until the fabric piling around your ankles until you kicked them off along with your boots. You gasped aloud when his hand flew into your underwear and straight for your slit, fingers rubbing up and down the flesh before moving to your swollen bud, circling around the nub harshly that had stars as bright as the ones you’ve seen out of the docking bays windows flashing behind your closed lids.

But Mingyu knew there was no time, and so he tugged your underwear off and left you as naked as the day you were born, his hands shoving his own pants and boxers down his thighs. Without even taking them off, he lifted you up with ease, your legs wrapping automatically around his waist as his forearms kept you balanced beneath your rear. You reached between your bodies to grasp his member and gave it a few pumps, leaving Mingyu to grit his teeth at the sensation.

Once he reasoned he was fully hard, Mingyu moved his dick to your soaked folds, rubbing the tip up and down your core, drenching his member in your slick before he pushed in, moving you down his length slowly until he was fully sheathed in your heat. He allowed you a moment to breathe, peppering kisses on the underside of your jaw before you gave the go ahead, and next he was lifting you up and down his cock while you clung to his shoulders for dear life.

You could feel the rumble of his chest against yours with every grunt and pant he made, driving you even crazier as you watched him become more ruined the closer his orgasm came. Each thrust caused his abdomen to grind against your throbbing clit, and you were too weak to even keep your eyes open at the feeling, that knot in your stomach growing larger and more intense with each hard plunge of his shaft into your sensitive cunt. The lewd sounds of skin smacking against skin slapped around the metallic supply room, your moans lost to the wind in airy little whispers as Mingyu readjusted his position and hit that oh-so-special spot deep inside of you.

Your orgasm was approaching fast, too fast, but you were powerless to stop it when Mingyu sped up his thrusts and kissed you so hard you lost your breath. Your back arched as white heat washed over you, your nails biting into the bronzed skin of his shoulder blades while Mingyu hissed with pleasure, that knot finally unravelling and dragging you down into a plane of pure ecstasy. Your body twitched in satisfaction, feeling truly spent, and you coaxed Mingyu to his own end with whispers of praise in his ear, and when your walls clenched around him, he gave a whine and pulled out, hand rapidly pumping at his hand.

With furrowed brows and sweat lining his forehead he came, white strings of his seed spilling over his stomach and his hand, and with all the energy you could muster you bent down to grab your underwear for him to clean himself with. It was better than nothing.

You pulled back on your clothes groggily as Mingyu wiped down his hand, chest heaving from exertion, and soon he too was getting dressed in the dark space of the closet. Fully clothed, you stared at him for a moment before he dragged you in for a kiss, one so passionate and desperate, you swore you felt your heart break just a little bit. Pulling back to gasp for air, he leaned his forehead on yours and held you close to his body, rocking you back and forth in a way that seemed more soothing for him than you.

You wished you had more time, had an opportunity to have a proper night together, to lie peacefully in each other’s arms rather than a quick fuck in a dirty closet. You wanted to spend your life with him, a life of serenity, a home, with a child and a pet and-

Fuck, you just wanted a better life for him.

Your hands held either side of his face and forced him to gaze into your eyes, eyes that looked so heartbreakingly dismal that you wanted to cry right then and there. You steeled yourself - for his sake - and took a deep breath. You can do this.

“I want you to win this fight, Mingyu,” you said simply, and he stood still, emotionless, before resolve flooded his face, and with newfound determination and strength he nodded resolutely, pressing one more sweet kiss to your lips. And he’d make sure it wouldn’t be the last.

And when you both exited the supply closet, ignoring the curious looks of other soldiers and workers and watching as you headed in the other direction towards your sleeping quarters, Mingyu was certain of his decision to finally propose to you if he comes back from battle.

When he comes back from battle.

[renaroo]

Wherever a Rose May Bloom

Disclaimer: Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire series and related characters are the creative property of George R.R. Martin Warnings: Canon-typical violence & language Ships: SansaxMargaery Rating: T Synopsis: In the years that pass through a harsh winter, many things can be forgotten, many wounds can be healed, many battles can be won. But for the Queen of the North, for her, she finds that the feelings once felt are still the strongest of them all. 

A/N: My first GoT fic and it’s for the first day of Femslash February <3 Feels 100% right, gotta say. Hopefully it’ll not be the last I write for GoT, but this being the first it has a bit of experimentation to it. Also a VERY hopeful idea of who will be surviving in the aftermath of the main storyline, I have to admit lol. But I am pining for some Sansa reaction to Margaery’s death after the destruction of the Sept. 

I’ll get around to happier AUs eventually 

The Direwolf hung on banners across the courtyards of Winterfell with the magnificence and dignity that Sansa had not learned to truly appreciate until she had come of age. And even by then it had almost been too late.

A Direwolf -- the Stark Direwolf -- was not delicate and beautiful the way even her own Lady had been in the poor pup’s short life. It was fierce and in some ways savage. 

Sansa remembered growing within these very walls of Winterfell and feeling a disdain for it. She wished for the nobility of a lion or the the beauty of a stallion. 

It was a time of stupidity and immaturity. When the banners of other houses did not burn her eyes or make her mouth fill with ash as she dared to say them. 

The war was over, but even Jon could not say as much to her with a straight face. Winter was still there, and they had fought for House, life, and home for every moment since the unexpected death of King Robert. 

Perhaps before then? Since Lady had died at her father’s hand, perhaps? 

Surely not as far back as Jon Arryn, though the Queen of the South, in all their currently testy relations, would dare to stake claim that their unending battles had carried on since far sooner. 

Age had made perspective both so much easier and so much harder than when she was a girl. 

Sansa was a queen. It was the only thing she had ever wanted to be. 

And that, that ambition reminded her much more of Margaery than of the current Queen of the South. 

“Your Majesty,” a familiar voice called out as Sansa walked across the courtyard. 

She turned and forced a polite smile toward the blossoming young woman who had stood by the Starks since her House had been called upon by Robb himself. 

"Hello, Lady Mormont,” Sansa said gracefully. 

Lyanna bowed respectfully to her and then looked at her with the regard and confidence that she had maintained since she was the child wrapped in a bear’s skin that Jon and Sansa had first encountered. 

“It’s bitter cold, are you leaving the grounds?” the lady asked. “And without your guard--”

“There are some things even queens must do in private,” Sansa said with her smile pressed with years of practice. 

The younger woman stared at Sansa with that unreadable expression that Sansa had always found unnerving, even when she stood more than three heads taller than the girl. “I would think Brienne of Tarth would think ill of that plan. And she is the captain of the Queen’s Guards,” Lyanna said as a matter of fact.

It was logic that was difficult to refuse. 

Without further input from Sansa, Lyanna glanced to her own guards and nodded from one to the other and they took the hint and began to flank Sansa’s sides. It was immediately discomforting.

“This is really not necessary,” Sansa attempted to interject. 

“They’ll go wherever you need, and bite their tongues on whatever matters you need them to stay,” Lyanna offered without hesitation. “As I have said to both you and your brother since the day you called upon my House, there is no loyalty like Mormont loyalty.”

“And it continues to be proven,” Sansa said awkwardly. “But still--” 

“My Queen!” 

Closing her eyes so as to remain dignified among her people and not show off Westeros’ grandest of eye rolls, Sansa let out a small sigh and then turned toward her ever present, ever diligent Captain of the Queen’s Guard.

Brienne and Podrick joined her side and took the place of Lady Lyanna’s guards rather readily. With how breathless Podrick was, no doubt he had spent quite a bit of time attempting to keep up with Brienne in her search for the queen.

“I have walked to the Weirwood tree on my own since I was a child,” Sansa said in aggravation.

“When you were a child you were not a queen, madame,” Podrick pointed out the obvious.  

Lady Mormont, seemingly satisfied to have her sworn queen guarded adequately, bowed and took her leave. 

Sansa looked at Brienne long enough to get a sense that the fiercely loyal woman had no intention out of being talked out of her sworn duty. As if she ever were.

With a heavy sigh, Sansa marched forward through the snow. “Come on, then.”

“Yes, your Grace,” Brienne said with satisfaction. “In step now, Podrick.”

“I am no longer a page,” he began to argue before being shot a look. He sighed and joined in flanking the queen. “Yes, your Grace.”

Sansa waited until they were outside the wall, her stride slowly losing the learned nobility and easing into comfort. Her head shook with annoyance that Brienne aptly ignored and Podrick remained oblivious to. 

“Even queens have some right to privacy,” Sansa said. “There are some things which cannot be forced to be shared. Even with the Queen’s Guard.”

“As you say, your Grace,” Brienne said without hesitation or miscalculation in her own stride. 

“There’s nothing quite as private as the counsel of your personal guard, your Grace,” Podrick added with only mild hesitation.

Sansa shot him a look. “Privacy, Sir Podrick. Privacy is quite a bit more private than counsel. That is why there are different words.” When she saw the recoil and shame the crossed her guard’s face, Sansa sighed and lowered her chin. “I apologize for the sharpness of my tongue. It was undeserved.”

“You are queen, what’s deserved is what you deem,” Brienne defended.

“No, not even for a queen may things be unjust. Especially not for a Stark,” Sansa said quietly. “I believe Westeros has had enough unduly cruel queens. I have no interest in being one of them.”

"Of course, your Grace,” Brienne replied lithely. 

After that, their walk grew silent. 

Compared to the southern heat, Sansa felt comforted by the chill on her skin. Enough so, she let down her hood to allow the snow to land in her hair. 

What a fool she had to have been to ever fancy being a southern girl when beneath her bosom rest the armor of a Northern Woman. 

By the time they reached the weirwood by the pond, the troubles and difficulties of ruling the North and its people through the longest and harshest of its winters seemed so far away. Sansa was left to what she did nearly every day she could spare.

She knelt by the tree and lightly brushed the snow away from the bushes which grew beneath -- those she had planted herself after seeing the poor Lady Olenna Tyrell a last time toward the end of the wars. 

Through the snow, a brilliant golden rose bloomed, then another as Sansa dusted it off, too. 

“Will you pray while we’re here, your Grace?” Podrick asked, shifting uncomfortably as he stood in attendance. He still lacked the discipline and fortitude of Brienne -- though, of course, Sansa couldn’t imagine who would stand a chance save maybe Arya. 

Arya was another case entirely.

“I am not at all pious, Sir Podrick,” Sansa said, continuing to clean the bush of roses and tending to it. “The gods, Old and New, have been rather clear through my life that they aren’t interested in sorting our mortal affairs.”

The young knight nodded slightly before glancing toward the weirwood’s sap. “When I take guard of your brother Bran, he speaks to them, you know. He’s very certain that we are approaching the end of this winter. Finally.”

Sansa glanced up toward Podrick only for a moment before pulling out a sharpened pair of scissors from her gown. “My brother Jon places stock in what Bran has to say. I do not.”

Podrick gave a half shouldered shrug. “He hasn’t been wrong that I can think of--”

“It’s not a matter of being right or wrong,” Sansa said -- short again, caught herself a moment too late. She took a breath and looked apologetically to the knight. “I take council, but my first and last decision on a matter has to be my own wit. And I have to make.... considerations for all my actions. For every person it effects. Should I not, I’ll be making decisions because of prophecy and not because it is what a queen should do.”

With the scissors, Sansa cut the most bloomed rose. 

“Queens have to be smarter, be stronger, and be kinder than any king,” Sansa explained. “We have many queens trying to be kings right now. I’m merely doing the logical thing.” She glanced toward the two knights. “I’m being a queen. And to do that I come out here, and I thin of the only real queen I ever met.” 

“Of course, your Grace,” Brienne said, a strong and stern smile that portrayed nothing but pride in the knight. 

There were the faintest of cracks in her smile at that. Sansa turned back to the bush of roses, clearing the earth around its roots from the snow, attempting to relieve it, give it warmth in the sea of ice and snow it was surrounded in. 

“Podrick,” she spoke out again. “Do you know the words of House Tyrell?”

“Yes, your Grace,” Podick nodded. “’Growing Strong,’ your Grace.”

Sansa let a huff of laughter escape her lips, it came out all steam in the bitter air. “Growing Strong.”

Standing up, Sansa looked to her dress, adorned with its pockets and sleeves. All places of honor for her favorite blooms of the bush of Tyrell roses. She added the newest and freshest to her collection.

“Sweet Margaery,” Sansa said, water welling in her eyes. “No kindness in my life will outdo that which you showed me in my darkest hours. No queen was born better suited for her role. No player better understood how to be a proper lady in the Game of Thrones. And no rose ever grew stronger than you.”

Respectfully, the queen’s guard remained silent. 

Sansa took in a cold breath and pulled her hood back over her head. “Podrick,” she said softly.

“Yes, your Grace,” he said dutifully. 

“I am not pious,” she reiterated. “But I believe in the eternal. And I believe nothing proves it more than the lasting effect one person can have another. Or how a heart can long and love for what is no longer there. I do not pray to gods who sit back and watch our affairs from afar, but to make myself a good queen, I come out here and am dutiful to that pain because it reminds me of the cost and the example of a good queen.”

When she turned around, she could see slight confusion on Podrick’s face. But Brienne was all knowledge -- all understanding and mutual feeling. She, after all, served a long line of dead fealty. 

“Am I mad?” she asked all the same.

“Your Grace, you are wise beyond your years, and sharpened by the trials of your life,” Brienne said humbly. 

Sansa smiled, all bitter in the corners. “Sometimes I wish it were a bit mad. Madness helps someone love, I think. I haven’t been mad since last I walked the gardens of King’s Landing. It was mad to think love of two girls who dreamed of being queens could be anything but tragic.”

“You do her affection a great service,” Brienne assured her, nodding to the bush of roses in the snow. “Your dedication and love grows golden roses in the worst of winter’s snows.”

Some of the bitterness left Sansa’s smile and she petted the golden rose in its new home. “Let’s return to Winterfell,” she ordered. “I’m ready to rule again.”