#and then by the end they wind up actually for real falling in love with each other

[dannyphannypack]

dpxdc prompt: dead on main fic in which using jason to summon the ghost king has the unintended effect of also working as a love spell (either for jason or danny), and the level-headed one has to figure out how to break the bind while the stupid in love one just has to try to be cool be totally chill it’s so fine i’m so normal

[klausysworld]

Hi could you write some angst about a deeply insecure reader who hates her appearance and is sort of friends with Elena and everyone(pushed to the side kind of relationship)but when klaus comes around it’s clear that she has a crush but believes he’s out of her league then klaus uses it to his advantage by showing an interest in her for information and helps her with her self worth.klaus then starts to develop feelings for her but then it’s revealed that he was just manipulating her and reader is devastated and utterly humiliated and it sets her back to how she was before him.(sorry if that was a really long explanation,you can decide the ending)thanks I love your writing btw

Real

Growing up in Mystic Falls is a bizarre experience.

There were town events almost every month where you had to dress up and act better than everyone, parents basically had a competition over who had the prettiest daughters or the most handsome sons.

Not my parents.

They didn't think I was good enough to even pretend that I could compete. I was told my worth from a young age and became more aware of it with time. When your own parents don't think you're good enough it's sort of an eye-opener if you will.

It didn't help that everyone in this town seemed to be born into modelling.

Somehow I was lucky enough to wind up 'friends' with people like Elena, Caroline and Bonnie but I knew I didn't belong with them. Somehow they were gorgeous enough to get whatever they wanted.

Sometimes I wondered if everyone else at the age of 17 looked like them and I was behind or if somewhere, I was above average. I doubted it. A lot.

Occasionally I would look at a mirror and think that I wasn't even that bad to look at. There was nothing particularly ugly about me, there just wasn't anything special. I looked plain in a way, bland and forgettable.

I was very forgettable actually. My 'friends' made that abundantly clear throughout the years when they would go out without me or forget to ask if I also wanted something or liked something.

Somehow I was of no value to them. Perhaps I was simply there to amplify their beauty. Like a DUFF. I was definitely the DUFF.

Damon actually told me that I was once, after Tyler had made the joke and Damon asked what it meant. Even though I already knew it to be true, to be told it was much worse.

You could sort of tell everyone else was thinking it, especially when I was stood beside Caroline.

Stefan was the only one who was nice but I wasn't sure if it was out of pity or just because that was who he was. Then again, I'd rather just not know.

So I tried my best to keep in the background, avoid attention and stay out the way.

Even with all the vampire and werewolf drama that took course, I kept myself quiet and to the side. Strangely it was Katherine who was kind to me, whether she had an ulterior motif I'm not so sure anymore but she never hurt me in the time she was there. Neither did Elijah when he came to town, he was polite to everyone but it was obvious that my presence was irrelevant to him.

And then of course, Klaus arrived.

I didn't officially meet him until the senior prank night, he sort of just threw to the side and told me to keep my mouth closed and not to bother running because he'd just kill me. Part of me thought about running anyway so he would just end it but I didn't.

Klaus dragged me by my wrist into his car, told me to keep quiet while he drove Elena to the hospital. For whatever reason he brought me along and left me in the car as he went to drain her of blood for his hybrids. I did as told: sat silently and waited.

He came back out and spoke to Damon for a moment, I saw them glance over in my direction only for Damon to laugh and smirk. I sighed to myself and got out the car. It was clear that Klaus thought I could be a good pawn but was surly mistaken and Damon told him to do whatever he wanted to me. In response I walked home, neither noticed so it was fine.

A week or so later he came back, crashed homecoming or something? I dunno, I wasn't there but I was told about it the next day via a stroppy Caroline.

It was that same day that he came and sat beside me at the grill. I ignored him for the most part, confused by his attempt at what I could only guess was flirting? I wasn't really sure. I think he could tell.

"Not easily impressed are you love?" he questioned as he leant forward, uncomfortably close. I sort of just looked at him, still unsure to what he wanted. A smirk pulled at the end of his lips and his hand lifted, his fingers wrapping around a piece of my hair making frown and pull away abruptly. Without hesitation I stood up and spun on my heel, going to leave. His laugh followed me and a hand grabbed my waits, it was stange.

"Calm down love, It's not like I was going to rip it out, I just wondered what it felt like" he chuckled, pulling my back flush against his front making me tense and squirm.

"It feels like hair" I stated simply "Now get off" I grunted, shoving my elbow into his side to make him let go. I kept walking, keeping my eyes on the ground.

The next time I saw him he apologised for the previous encounter which again, i didn't understand but there was no point in questioning and arguing so I just accepted it and tried to leave but he asked if I'd stay for one drink, he asked so nicely and he smiled. I was stupid enough to think it was genuine and accepted.

Looking back it was pretty obvious that this was a game for him or a trap, whatever you want to label it but in the moment I ignored what was right in my face. Deep down I knew it was all a joke of sorts really.

But no boy, let alone a man had shown me this sort of attention and the soft fluttering it made me feel had me staying for far too long. I listened to his little stories and asked a range of questions as the drinks kept coming. He asked a couple about me but i gave relatively vague answers. There wasn't much I had to give him on me, I wasn't up for a pity party about friends and I didn't really fancy talking about my shitty parents either. I think Klaus picked up on the fact that I didn't really want to talk about me and eventually gave up with it.

It was late when I realised I needed to get home and he offered to take me which I admit made me wary. I didn't want him to kidnap me and think I'd be any good as leverage again, though I guess Damon made that pretty clear already. I decided to just walk home which he eventually accepted and got into his car.

Walking by myself probably wasn't my best option after drinking so much in one go but I made it home with minimal stumbling. My mother shook her head when she saw me and asked what was wrong with me. When she realised I had been drinking her mind jumped to two very different conclusions. The first being that I was being a slut which was ironic as in the past she'd made it clear that no guy would want to sleep with me, and the second being that I had taken pills to kill myself.

Listening to her drastic thinking made me wonder what kind of pills she was on but I didn't question it and waited for my father to come and take her to bed, telling her to just ignore me. Then I proceeded to make my way to the bathroom, getting changed and washing my face before going to my bed.

My phone dinged making me sigh, thinking it was Elena asking me to help her with something dumb and life threatening however much to my surprise it was Klaus. A smile involuntarily spread across my face and we messaged back and forth before he told me to rest.

The following few days he would just check in. Not too much but he also made it clear that he hadn't forgotten me which was all I had ever truly wanted from someone. To be acknowledged at the very least.

Of course I didn't tell the others that he had been talking to me, besides they didn't ask so I didn't see why I should. I guess I just wanted something for myself.

I wasn't completely stupid. I always had the feeling that he was using me, especially towards the start...but he was just so wonderful with his words and his ways.

When he began to make and buy sweet gifts and claim they were tokens of his affection, I couldn't help the blush on my face. When he would find a way to have his skin against mine, or how he would pick up my hand and gently tug my along. Somehow we always seemed to end up somewhere for food, and he would always refuse to let me pay.

Something about him was so enticing, addictive if you will.

He began to make me feel a certain way. He made me warm and happy. His touch was so soft, it made me feel like I was buzzing. i was stupid for thinking he could feel the same way about me.

I had been so scared to admit my feelings.

He had assured me that he would never push me to.

He told me that he liked me, that he didn't want me to be frightened of him or nervous around him. "Not unless it's the sort of nervous that puts butterflies in your stomach sweetheart" he had teased and my cheeks had glowed red.

Over the space of months his presence never lessoned. He always made time to see me, and speak with me. I found myself longing for his voice, his touch.

On days where he was too busy at home, he would urge me to come over. I would spend as long as I possibly could with him, a few times I even stayed over but he had slept on top of the duvet so that I would feel comfortable.

This had gone on for a small while until he actually said the words 'I love you'.

Perhaps I was just so happy to actually hear those words. Maybe I believed them to be true, real. Or I just saw what I wanted to see, heard what I wanted to hear and ignored the rest.

The time I gave myself to him used to make my smile and blush. Now it just makes me feel dirty, humiliated and embarrassed.

Knowing that he could and has had his hands all over my body, his lips and eyes. In the moment I felt like a goddess, probably because that’s what he told me I was. The memory of him inside me haunts me. I had thought it to be such a beautiful experience, romantic and personal.

I wish I could say that I had slept with him only once but as the months went by we would share intimacy often.

I had even told him that I loved him, so many times and I meant it for all of them.

So you should understand why it was so hard to accidentally hear him tell his sister that he had been compelling me for any information on the others.

It had felt as though my heart had stopped when the words hit my ears and tears already made my eyes burn. I heard a weak laugh and turned my head to see Damon, strung up by chains whilst bleeding all over, looking straight back at me.

“Y/n…” I heard Klaus’s voice, his tone one of panic or maybe it was just surprise. He probably didn’t want me to know of his routine. Damon only rolled his eyes and gave me look,

“You didn’t…think it was real, right?” He coughed, a cruel smile on his face.

His words just made me quieter. They made me think. Why did I think it was real?

My eyes slowly lifted to meet Klaus’s. I could see and feel Rebekah looking at me, everyone was silent. Even Damon shut up for a second. I think maybe he was expecting me to say something but I didn’t really have anything to tell him.

As awful as it all made me feel, and even with the amount of emotions swallowing me, I felt more disappointed in myself than I did him.

My right hand went to my left arm, pinching my skin through my jumper in some sort of hope that I’d wake up from some stupid nightmare but it didn’t work.

The first tear fell from my eye and I sniffed to keep the other ones from coming.

Klaus just looked at me, I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, I didn’t want to know either. I could just guess anyway.

So without a word I just turned around and left, walking quickly back out the door before breaking into a sprint in the direction of my house. I could feel the mascara running down my face, ruining the foundation I had only recently started wearing, for Klaus’s benefit.

My hands wiped at the tears as I pushed my from door shut behind me and went upstairs, blocking out the annoyed voices of my parents and locking myself in my room.

It was only once I was in the shower that I was flooded with memories. That I remembered all the things I had done with him. By the time I stepped out of the bathroom my skin was scrubbed raw in an attempt to wash his touch away. Even the slightest touch made me feel as though my body was burning, stinging with pain but I would have rather felt that every day than have to realise Klaus had been using me for over a year now.

I was curled in my bed, hidden under the blankets and surrounded by the dark as I let every comment not matter how small or petty play back through my mind.

I wasn’t even sure who to be upset with. I chose myself.

Klaus must’ve known I was an easy target. Desperate. I wonder how much he’s had me tell him. To be fair I knew more than you’d expect about what was going on. I had gotten good at observing and overhearing so I still knew what was going on, even when spending so much time with Klaus himself.

I also wondered what else he had compelled me to do. I hoped he wouldn’t do anything other than ask questions but I couldn’t help that fear creep inside me. It made me sick to my stomach, and then I wondered if he would just wait to compel me again so that I could continue to be his information feeder.

The idea made my fingers dig into my arm, bruising the skin purple but I wouldn’t stop. I only did so that I could go get some vervain that I kept downstairs in one of the cupboards at the back. I was reaching for the little glass bottle when I heard a door close. I spun around quickly to see Klaus in the doorway of my kitchen. My hand clutched onto the vervain tightly and I noticed his eyes glance at it briefly. His hands went up as if to show no harm but there was no way I would believe that meant a thing.

“Sweetheart- listen to me..” he began and I let out a breathless laugh

“Get out” I whispered making him sigh and frown as though he had the audacity to be upset or annoyed.

“Y/n..”

“No Klaus. I’m fucking serious, get out.” I told him, my eyes watering again. I let out an involuntary whimper when he stepped forward making him stop and stand still.

“I never meant for you to know that” he whispered and I frowned, swiping a tear away.

“Sorry I ruined your plan” I mumble, exhausted.

“No- no I didn’t mean it like that- I meant that-“

“Klaus it’s fine” I murmur, avoiding his eye, “It’s fine, I get it. You needed to know what was happening, you got to be two steps ahead. I’d appreciate if you just found someone else now please”

I could feel his stare on me, it make my skin itch and I just needed him to go. I could feel my hand getting clammy as I held onto the bottle.

“I haven’t compelled you in such a long time” he muttered, as though maybe that made it better. “I used to, but I truly have fallen for you Y/n. I love-“

“Please get out” I cut him off, my spare hand resting on my forehead to cover my eyes.

“I love you”

“No you don’t” I cry, “you wouldn’t do this to someone you love. I know you don’t love me. You never have and you never could. You’re just pretending again so I’ll let you control me, I don’t like it” I whimper, tears streaming again. I could hear him getting closer but I was already against the counter and I couldn’t out run him. There was no point in trying.

“Sweetheart, I’ll never use you again-“ he tried to argue but I couldn’t listen to it.

“I really, really need you to leave. Please Klaus just get out, I can’t stand you” I tell him honestly and for a second as I look up at him, he looks almost sad but I have to assume it’s still apart of his act.

“You- you’re not going to do anything…anything harmful are you? To yourself, I mean.” He asked and I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me. I should never have told him that I’d had those thoughts or feelings once. I shouldn’t have ever said a word to him.

“No…now go away” I whisper, my hands trembling as I stared at the ground, listening to his footsteps eventually get further away.

I knew there was no way I could sleep, he was probably still outside my house. Waiting.

I wasn’t sure what he was waiting for but I could him there.

I had no idea what I was going to do.

[heirofnight]

pendulum

an azriel x reader thought dump that may or may not become a series but is really just me needing to unload a bunch of thoughts and feelings that i have

ok enjoy <3

the late afternoon light cascaded through the chiffon curtains that billowed gently against the large windows.

your rooms at the house of wind had become a sanctuary - your safe place, secluded from the hustle and bustle of the main two floors below you.

you'd spent months curating your chambers, collecting pretty trinkets and beautiful art that were all now dutifully placed around the room. you'd made sure that each item had elicited emotions from deep within your chest each time your eyes happened to fall upon them - sadness, joy, longing, adoration - you'd been infatuated with simply allowing yourself to feel.

you'd acquired bookshelves lined with novels including the widest range of genres you could get your hands on. you loved to learn - aspired to fill your mind with as much knowledge as possible. your eyes snagged onto the spine of one of your favorite classics - a romance, of course. you were always drawn to romance. your heart was consistently perched right on your sleeve, dreaming of the day that a lover may pluck the beating organ right into their own hands - cradling it and worrying over it as if it were their own.

you sighed at the thought, gently sprawling your current read across your chest. layers of cloud-like bedding encompassed your frame - you were already curled into your mattress for the evening, body adorned in a silk pajama set comprised of a camisole and shorts. the smooth fabric boasted dainty embroidered roses - it was your favorite ensemble to wear to bed, airy and light.

you peered around your space, the fire lit in the hearth providing the coziest blanket of warmth. the bursting sunset allowed pools of golden, pink light to pool across your hardwood floor. you felt, just for a moment, like you were solely existing in a dream.

and, like in most of the dreams that nestled their way into your mind's eye while you were asleep, azriel's face made an appearance right at the forefront of your thoughts - uninvited, but never unwelcome.

your eyes fluttered shut as you allowed every part of you to succumb to every bit of him.

you adored being a romantic to your core, and often found a lovesick, drowsy feeling always trailing right behind any thought of the shadowsinger that resided right down the hall.

you'd pined for him, which came as no surprise to you at all. he was so kind, so gentle with you. and you longed to give every ounce of love that you'd been collecting, saving, nurturing, growing for the right moment - the right lover - over to him.

you knew he deserved it. and deep down, you knew he'd been longing to be loved just as much as you'd longed to love.

you curled your legs in tighter to yourself, opening your eyes to cast them to the tall ceiling above your head, but only momentarily.

you never allowed yourself to give into these lovelorn feelings for too long, lest you actually make yourself feel ill. your body would begin to itch with the urge to bound northward through the halls, until your bare feet found themselves right at the threshold of azriel's wooden door.

and then what?

then things - feelings - would become too real, and azriel struck you as the kind of male likely to bolt as opposed to stare down the barrel of that gun.

so, you clutched onto the book that was still spread across your chest, stretched your bare legs out before you, and continued to read. about love, and happy endings, and a male that loved the main character just as much as she loved him. if only.

azriel, on the other hand, decided that he loved you about fifteen minutes later. and by decided, it moreso felt like he had been hit in the chest by one of cassian's training shields at full-speed.

his shadows had been skittering about his large frame, following him up, up, up the stairs, and down the hallway towards his rooms.

he was lost in thought, momentarily attempting to work out the details of a mission he was set to embark on later in the week, and also contemplating if he should ask the house for a plate of chocolate cake to indulge in before sharpening truth teller.

he watched as a tendril of shadow darted ahead to unlock his door, and all it took was one absentminded craning of his neck to the left to stop him dead in his tracks, literally - his heavy boots almost making an audible screeching sound at the abruptness of it all.

the door to your rooms was ajar, just slightly. he wasn't even sure if you were aware of it.

but right in his line of sight, was you. laying atop soft bedding, bare legs in silk shorts, long hair undone and cascading around your shoulders like a halo. the evening glow through your windows mixed with the flames from the hearth and surrounded you in a haze that made you look like an angel - like you were a figment of his imagination that had conjured itself when he was in need of it the most.

you were so peaceful, reading a book with a dreamy-looking expression painted across your features. he couldn't have asked the most skilled artist in prythian to create a more beautiful piece of art.

now, of course azriel knew you. he'd conversed with you plenty of times. you were often around the rest of his family, present at most meals and gatherings. and he'd always thought you were beautiful - achingly so, at times.

however, he'd forced himself to place a mental barrier where you were concerned. you were too precious, too kind, too bright. so bright, in fact, that he'd always made sure to hide his shadows away from you.

but seeing you this way, right now - he felt those mental walls crumbling under the weight of your exquisite existence.

should he knock?

should he inquire about what you were reading?

should he honestly just skip all of that, and instead rip his heart from the confines of his chest and offer it over to you on the spot?

no, surely not. his shadows were lazily orbiting around him now, and his wings had relaxed to the point of lightly trailing along the stone floor. he was mesmerized, and you hadn't even noticed - hadn't even seen him.

which, he thought, was probably how it was always going to be.

his hand twitched, his fist clenched, and his shoulders drooped - all for only a moment. and then he continued forward, dejected and craving isolation.

back to the shadows, where he belonged. not worthy of your warm, bright light.

a/n: sad girl + sad hours = sad writing

lmk what u think PLS, this one feels a little pointless but i wanted to share it anyway <3

[wonnieluv]

Enhypen…

When they see you after you being apart for a long time

Heeseung

Heeseung would envelope you in the most tightest. Not the kind where you’re gripping each other real tight but the kind of hug where you just feel so secure. Like not even the strongest wind could knock you out of his embrace

He’d kiss your forehead and just hold you for a solid few minutes as you just bathe in each other’s presence mumbling small I missed you’s and I love you’s into your ears as you inhale his scent. It’s such a healing moment and any pain, exhaustion or stress you had weighing on you didn’t seem to matter anymore because all that mattered was that you two were together

Jay

Jay would be counting down the days to being able to see you again. You two probably have one of those countdown’s on your lock screen or something. The moment you open the door for him when he knocks, you nearly tackle him over as he drops everything in his hands to hug you

Once you let go of each other, you walk in your door hand in hand. He sets his stuff down and you both immediately snuggle up on the couch maybe with a cup of wine or some tea. You rest your head on his chest as he tells you all about what him and the members have been up to and some of the exciting things they have coming up. You eventually turn on the TV and pop in some cheesy rom-com that you both love. There hasn’t been a more perfect moment. The two of you cozied up on your couch, he runs his hand through your hair as you listen to his heartbeat. Needless to say your both asleep in each others arms long before the movie ends.

Jake

Jake is all giddy. No one within his close circle doesn’t know you’re coming. He probably sits and tells Layla all about how excited he is to see you and all the things you’ll do when he goes to visit his parents. When you finally do arrive he runs up and bear hugs you with the brightest smile on his face. Like his cheeks are probably aching with how hard he’s smiling. As you walk to the car hand in hand, he drives you back with his hand not leaving yours once on the drive home and he doesn’t waste a single second in pulling you into his room and trapping you in a hug on his bed. He’s waited so long to hold you and now that he has the chance, he won’t be able to keep his hands to himself.

He’ll tell you about all the stuff he wants to do with you; the cafes he wants to visit, the late night walks with Layla, the places in Seoul he can’t wait to take you to. He’ll promise to take you to the HYBE building and show you around (maybe they’ll let you watch practice ;)). If you show more excitement to see another artist he may teasingly say that you can’t go anymore and he’ll be pouty and never leave your side if you guys actually go. The time you spend with Jake you’ll probably end up sleeping better than you ever have wrapped up in his arms

Sunghoon

Sunghoon may not immediately show it on his face, but he is so excited to see you. When he finally sees your face and sees you running towards him he’ll break out into the prettiest smile and immediately open his arms for you to run into. He’s probably trying to play it cool but in reality he’s trying not to combust from how happy he is. His giddiness immediately gets exposed the second he brings you around the members. ‘Hoon literally won’t shut up about you’ ‘y/n comes in a week, y/n comes in 4 days, y/n comes tomorrow, I see y/n in a coupon hours’ ‘I saw him kicking his feet and giggling when you guys texted last night’. Like they won’t let this poor man live.

When you guys get to be alone there may not be many words exchanged at first but you guys are just going about your business being more than content to be in each other’s presence. Whether he’s playing games, you’re doing your skincare, on your phones, cuddling in bed. Whatever y’all are doing there’s always a permanent smile on your face. But before you fall asleep you probably tease him a bit about how much the boys said he missed you just to seem him get all flustered.

Sunoo

You and Sunoo would FaceTime almost everyday when you were apart. You would be spilling tea, giving eachother updates on whatever has been going on (because he knows alllll of your friends and all of the gossip in your life), doing skincare together, or just exchanging quick words to each other to help cheer the other up.

When you finally are together again you immediately take over the bathroom for the most extensive home spa routine to ever exist. No one is interrupting and by the time you’re done, you’re going through your camera roll looking at all the goofy pics you took with your matching face masks and pajamas on and giggling to each other picking the perfect one that you can post on your story without showing his face. You guys put on the drama you agreed to watch together and spill any recent drama you’ve had yet to tell each other. Needless to say the entire evening is filled with soft giggles and sweet smiles shared between the two of you from the comfort of each others embrace in Sunoo’s room.

Jungwon

You know Jungwon is busy and he knows that you are as well so when you finally have the time to spend an evening at his place you had your bag packed a week in advance and made sure no one would get in the way. He gave you the code so you came to the dorm a bit early to surprise him when he got out of his schedule for that day. The second he walked through the door to see you in the living room his tense shoulders immediately relaxed and before you could even sit up to greet him he was laying on top of you. I’m not talking but ‘tackled into a hug on the couch’ type of thing, I’m talking the ‘there’s his body laying on top of you like a sack of potatos’ and he is not getting up.

When you finally do get him up you head of his room. After you convince him that you will in fact still be there when he’s done showering, he goes to wash up before catapulting himself into bed to lay on top of you again. You spend the next 30 minutes to an hour with his head on your chest combing your fingers through his hair as you exchange words about all the things you’ve been up to as you both slowly fade into unconsciousness holding each other. The next morning he will not let you go and you may have to get 2 of the members to pry him away from you when you have to go back home but it’s ok because you know that it won’t be long until you’ll be in each others arms again.

Ni-ki

Your texts with Riki mostly consist of daily updates and horrible memes exchanged between the two of you with some play fighting added to the mix. Even when you’re ‘arguing’ with each other he knows how to make you laugh and that does not change when you finally get to see him face to face again. He would probably pretend to not see you if you’re a lot smaller than he but when you start to get annoyed he pulls you into a hug and apologizes through his giggles.

The majority of the time you spend with each other consists of you two giggling over things you find on Twitter, taking silly goofy pictures of each other that you beg him to post on Weverse, him teasing you, you punching him for teasing you, him apologizing while laughing and the cycle repeats. By the time it gets to 1am you have settled in his room and he’s telling you goofy stories of things the members have done recently and you’re telling him about the things you’ve been up to recently with your friends (who he totally 100% remembers the names of) until the conversation fades as your breathing steadies and you both fall asleep with smiles on your faces. The rest of the time you’re staying with him consists of similar routines with maybe a late night run to the convenience store or some video games where Riki promises he’ll play fair but we all know he won’t with the biggest smile on his face.

[honeyflashbang]

My theory on Sampo's true identity...

(Minor Spoilers for 2.4) (also, I’m no expert in… anything, really, but these are just my ramblings).

So, this has probably been mentioned before, but I have a teeny-tiny theory about Sampo’s true identity, and it relates to Finnish mythology.

So, “Sampo” in and of itself doesn’t have a set meaning, but it has its roots in Finnish mythology, particularly the “Kalevala” which is a 19th-century compilation of epic poetry. In it, a blacksmith god by the name of Seppo Ilmari(nen) forges the mythical device known as “The Sampo”. It’s never quite explained what The Sampo really is; some versions depict it as a mill, others as a cornucopia from which bountiful creations flow from, and some even have it as being a world tree/world pillar, so what The Sampo really is, isn’t entirely known. But, what is known, is that it brought riches and good fortune to its holder (again, the same as the cornucopia from Greek mythology).

But why am I mentioning all of this? Why bring up the Kalevala? It could be that Hoyo just chose the name “Sampo” for some flavour—befitting of a character who magics up relics from seemingly thin air and is trying to create riches—and yeah, it’s a possibility…

Until I saw these two screenshots from the 2.4 story:

You know what this means, right? 

Kalevala is a real planet in Hoyo’s Star Rail universe, and I find it awfully coincidental that they would use this name for a planet and not have it related to a certain blue haired conman, especially since The Sampo is such a pivotal element in the plot of the Kalevala—there is no way this is a coincidence (I refuse to believe it).

This leads me to believe that Kalevala is Sampo’s real home world, and is where he originates from.

Now, this is all well and good, knowing where “The Sampo” hails from, but I want to focus on its creator—Seppo Ilmari(nen)—and his parallels to a certain blue haired conman. For one, Ilmari(nen)’s name is quite interesting as the ‘Ilma’ part is Finnish for ‘air’ or ‘weather’, and as we know, Sampo’s element is that of ‘wind’ (And also the fact that Ilmari(nen) is credited as “Godlike smith-hero and creator of the sky”. I could go into a whole spiel about Ilmari(nen) and Qlipoth swinging their giant hammers in tandem together for all eternity (Go Sampard! Geppie is Qlipoth's true heir, you can't convince me otherwise!), but that’s for another conspiracy theory lol).

So, ‘Ilma’ means ‘air’, and Sampo wields ‘wind’.

Cool.

If the parallels ended there, I’d just say I was being crazy… but there’s more.

Sampo’s 4th (and arguably best) eidolon is called “The Deeper the Love, the Stronger the Hate”. Two out of his six eidolons refer to 'love', whilst the other 4 are to do with wealth and riches. The wealth and richest aspect leans towards The Sampo of mythology, whilst the ‘love’ aspect, well…

According to the story, Seppo Ilmari(nen) is the unluckiest bastard alive when it comes to love. Like, seriously. His whole storyline is that he can’t find a woman. For one, Seppo Ilmari(nen) is double crossed by his so called buddy, Väinämöinen, into creating The Sampo for the evil witch Louhi of Pohjola in exchange for her daughter’s hand in marriage (which, Ilmari didn’t even want in the beginning), but when the poor guy actually sees the daughter and falls in love with her (and subsequently creates the Sampo—after failing miserably a number of times, mind you—he creates a crossbow, a boat, a cow(wtf?) and a plough, all which are somehow either evil or flawed), she ups and just leaves him hanging! (in the original runes, however, he is successful in gaining a wife, as his ‘unlucky in love’ spiel was later added by Lönnrot in compiling the Kalevala).

As with any mythology and re-telling of it, there’s so many different versions of the same event. In “The Maiden of the North”, a 1898 opera written by Oskar Merikanto, both Ilmarinen and Väinämöinen compete for the chance to marry Louhi’s daughter, who is then mentioned as being “Ilmari(nen)’s first wife” and who later dies to Kullervo’s curse (apparently she was a bit of a bitch to Kullervo by taunting and tormenting the poor boy—who was a child slave mind you!). Distraught, Ilmari(nen) forges himself a wife of gold and silver, but he finds her to be too cold and callous—he forges her out of love but only finds hate—so he tries to gift her to Väinämöinen (who doesn’t want her either, lol), and suggests he cast her back into the furnace and to “forge from her a thousand trinkets”.

Here’s the accompanying poem:

Never, youths, however wretched,

Nor in future, upgrown heroes,

Whether you have large possessions,

Or are poor in your possessions,

In the course of all your lifetime,

While the golden moon is shining,

May you woo a golden woman,

Or distress yourselves for silver,

For the gleam of gold is freezing,

Only frost is breathed by silver.

It is apparently your standard Aesop’s fable of “money can’t buy happiness”, which is something else I see in our dear old Sampo Koski. During our time in Belobog, we see how different he acts with the Underworld and Overworlders. To the poor, he actually seems approachable (albeit a bit of a nuisance), going so far as to help the Underworlders (an example being the questline “Survival Wisdom” in which he and Peak set up a business together renting out his tools to help the miners make a decent wage to support their families). In contrast, we actively see Sampo being very hostile towards the Overworlders, scamming them and putting the nobles in their place or setting them up to be caught by the Silvermane Guards (an example being during the museum questline where you discover his identity as “Mr Cold Feet”. Sampo clearly states to who he thinks is his mark that ‘we are not friends’ in a very hostile manner, something which we’ve not seen from Sampo before as he is usually quite amicable). 

For all Sampo’s showboating and flashing his money around, he helps where it counts. He wants to make money, sure, but not at the detriment of the people who need it the most, only to those with excess.

Anyway, back to him being unlucky in love…

In another rune entitled “Kosinta”, Ilmari(nen) goes on a journey to compete for Hiisi’s daughter, and wins by completing various feats, one of them being “ploughing a field full of snakes”:

And as we know, Sampo is very heavy on the snake motifs (the head of the snake on his shoulders, the spine wrapped around him, the daggers are its fangs…etc.)

So that’s another interesting link between Seppo Ilmari(nen) and Sampo Koski.

So, why have I gone on this long winded tangent about Seppo Ilmari(nen) when I’m supposed to be talking about Sampo Koski?

Well, that’s because I think Sampo Koski’s real name is (or a variant of) Ilmarinen.

In the Hoyo universe, I believe Ilmarinen came from the planet Kalevala and ‘created’ the persona of Sampo Koski, much like how in the Kalevala, Seppo Ilmari(nen) forged The Sampo.

As I’ve listed above, there’s so many links between the two:

“Air” as a name and “Wind” as an element.

Seppo Ilmari(nen) ploughed a field of snakes to win Hiisi’s daughter’s hand in marriage, whilst Sampo Koski relies heavily on snake motifs for his attire.

Sampo’s two eidolon names that relate to love (which are completely different from the other 4 eidolon names), whilst Seppo Ilmari(nen) is known to be unlucky in love.

I’m pretty damn sure Sampo creates his own bombs and tinkers with the old relics to bring them back to life, whereas Seppo Ilmari(nen) is a smith who created the dome of the sky! They’re both artificers!

And now the revelation that a planet by the name of “Kalevala” exists is no mere coincidence.

So, either Sampo is Ilmari(nen) - or! - Sampo is a puppet (like Herta) created by someone called Ilmari(nen). 

(I would love if his 5* version is him with this name).

Right, I’m finished rambling. Gonna go huff some copium...

[wqnwoos]

it’s late at night when you get home, but not too late. it’s not late enough for seungcheol to sleep, especially not without you.

he never does, when you go out with friends in the evening. he’s never explained why he always stays up directly to you, but jeonghan had slid it into conversation once — it’s just to make sure you’re home safe.

even on nights like tonight — you’re not drunk in the slightest, and he knew you wouldn’t be — he’s sitting in bed and scrolling on his phone, smiling when you open the door and immediately holding out his arms. “come kiss me, baby.”

you oblige, winding arms around his neck and bending over the bed to kiss him gently. seungcheol holds you there for a second afterwards, murmuring into the skin of your neck. “hi, angel. you have a good time?”

“yeah,” you whisper back, toying with his dyed hair. “was fun. missed you, though.”

a satisfied grin spreads across his cheeks, but to his credit, seungcheol does try and hide it. he’s unsuccessful, and so instead, he pats your shoulder. “go change, baby. you need any help?”

you shake your head, and detach your limbs from his, leaving for the bathroom — and the moment you’re gone, seungcheol’s face drops into a frown.

you didn’t mention his birthday yet.

it‘s tomorrow — or more accurately, in forty two minutes — and you didn’t say anything about it. in fact, you haven’t said anything about it all day, even though the whole of last week you couldn’t stop singing about it.

seungcheol pouts, folds his arms and waits.

when you do get out the shower, you still don’t say anything about his birthday. you’re talking about your day, what you and your friends did, asking about his day, and through it all, his pout is getting more and more pronounced. did you forget? but no, you can’t have forgotten. you never forget.

you, on the other side of the room doing your skincare, are having an increasingly hard time pretending not to see seungcheol’s rounded eyes and jutted lip. in fact, you’ve been avoiding eye contact — you know you’ll cave the moment he looks directly at you, and so you compromise by glimpses of him through the mirror, and by patting his cheek and calling him handsome~ when you finally climb in the bed beside him.

you roll over, with your back facing him. you never sleep like this. even when you’re mad at him, you guys end up cuddling in bed — or if it’s really bad, one of you moves to the guest room. but you never just… roll over like that, and you can feel seungcheol’s gaze burning into your back because of it.

desperately, you check your phone. 11:58pm. you’re so close, but you feel so guilty. your hand literally twitches towards his, before you have to yank the traitorous limb away.

11:59pm.

you feel seungcheol shifting beside you; and then you feel lips pressed to the back of your shoulder, a soft murmur accompanying them — “goodnight, my love.” — and oh, you can’t do this to him anymore.

you whip round so fast that your boyfriend jumps, but he can’t even react before you’re flinging your arms around him, yelling, “happy birthday, my cheollie, i love you, i love you, i love you!” and pressing kisses to everywhere you can reach.

“yah — hey!” he’s laughing giddily, wrapping his arms back around you, and pressing his face into your shoulder with a whine. “i thought you forgot.”

“i wouldn’t ever!” you say indignantly, but then you’re smiling ecstatically, practically bouncing in his arms. “but for real? did i actually get you? did you really think i forgot?”

there’s a lopsided smirk on seungcheol’s face, and he pulls back to kiss you instead of answering the question. there’s a moment where you let yourself relax into him, and then you pull away, face falling. “i didn’t get you?”

your boyfriend smiles, pulls you back in — “i think you should just let me kiss you,” he breathes, in the half inch of space between your lips and his. “you know. since i’m the birthday boy and all.”

you gesture to his pinging phone, slightly breathless. “the boys are messag— ”

“they can wait,” he interjects, hands sliding into your hair. “i’m busy kissing the love of my life.”

an / giving up on rewriting just take the drabble guys. for that one anon who sent me an ask, this is for you 🫵

[earthnashes]

Melon didn't stand a chance.

One moment he's staring the end of their journey over the horizon, and the next he's sent plummeting into the awaiting maw of the trench he stood over by a hearty smack of a claw.

He yelps as he tumbles, twisting in the air for a heartstopping moment before his back meets a crag. Mario's cries are muted by rushing wind as he slips again, falling falling falling--

A heavy thud echoes as he collides--bounces-- off another rock face. His ears rings with the rattling in his skull---

A sharp thwack of his head hitting a jutting ledge, and suddenly Melon doesn't hear-- or feel-- much of anything the rest of the way down.

A metal tang coats his tongue red, and the sting of the air bites against his bruises.

 No weight on his back anymore-- 

Everything hurts. 

--the boy...Mario. Where's Mario? D-did he fall too--

Can't move.

--he needs to get up. His human cub, he could be hurt o-or--- get up--

Stay down.

--get up get up GET UP-- 

Melon stays down, can't muster the strength to listen to the mantra in his head. Instead, all he hears is the desperate wails of Mario, and it's enough to force his eyes open just a sliver. He blearily looks up.

At the edge of the cliff he tumbled from stands the silhouettes he can only barely make out; three huge, three smaller, all laughing and pointing and grinning toothily at the heap of him. The leader- and he must be, with how he leers cockily over the ledge-- sneers down at him.

"Thank ye for the delivery, lad! We've been lookin' all over for this little bastard," he says, and without a care he swings a hollering Mario over the ledge by the scruff. The boy twists precariously in his grip --one slip from falling-- and reaches out for Melon with terrified tears in his eyes. He wails some semblance of his name, and Melon feels his gut twist.

no

"Come now, lad, I see that long face from here; ye nothin' to worry about! Brat may've been a pain in the arse to get, but it'll be worth it in the end. Pirate's Honor: we'll take real good care of 'em," The leader gloats, ugly grin stretching wider as he flicks the boy's nose with a sharp claw. "Just like we have his snivellin' flake of a brother. They'll fetch a fine cut yet."

No no no give him back

"I reckon ye wanna say g'bye at least, aye? I could grant that much, bein' a frog of honor and wot-not." The captain holds Mario high above his head, like an angler would his prized catch, and grins down at Melon from his spot above.

"Go on then. Tell 'em 'afore I change me mind."

Something twisted and ugly clogs Melon's throat with bile and copper. He bares his teeth and tries tries tries to bark, to roar, anything to demand his human cub back to him.

GIVE HIM BACK, his mind screetches. But all that crawls out of his mouth is a rattling, broken whimper. It drags his strength with it by the scruff, spilling in a tiny puddle of spittle and grime and blood as his vision begins to waver. His eyes glaze over and fall closed against his will.

And within the canopy of booming laughs and grating cackles, the last thing Melon hear is Mario's cries.

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

AND HERE IT IS.

Part 10 of Melon's Adventure, FINALLY COMPLETE, and with it Arc 1 of this story has come to a close!

I'm glad I managed to finish this arc even with it being forced into a hiatus alongside my burnout months back; I had an absolute blast revisiting my childhood and telling the story in a way I've always imagined it as a kid.

Now, given that it's been a while since the last part, I've taken the liberty to compile all of Melon's Adventure into the #melon's adventure tag for ease of access if you'd like to read it back from the beginning!

Despite this marking the end of Arc 1, I'm hoping to make this the start of me delving back into my Super Mario AU, albeit in a slightly different way. There's still plenty of stories there I'd love to share with ya'll. :>

In fact, in related news: I'm actually planning on opening an online store, and my first planned launch will be themed on Melon's Adventure! More information to come on that relatively soon as more work is done.

At any rate, I hope ya'll enjoyed this story! More to come soon! owo

[niki-phoria]

WHEREVER YOU'RE GOIN', I'M GOIN' THE SAME

pairing: geto suguru x gn!reader (no pronouns used) genre: hurt comfort word count: 851

notes: late night smoking with suguru. that's it that's the post, loosely inspired by this fanart, my take on fix it fanfic, disclaimer that i don't actually smoke lmao, title from frank ocean - moon river

“do you have a light?”

GETO SUGURU barely reacts to the sound of your voice, simply sparing you a slight glance over his shoulder as he turns. he tucks his cigarette between his lips as he reaches into his pocket before slipping a small, black lighter into your hand. “here.”

“thanks.” the small flame glows brightly in the moonlight, illuminating the stairwell in gold. you let a cool gust of wind carry the smoke away from your face when you take a breath, closing your eyes as the nicotine fills your lungs.

“long day?” suguru’s voice is soft as it cuts through the quiet of the night. stray strands of ink black hair frame his face, exposing his sharp features. his hands are soft when they brush against your own before he tucks the lighter back into his pocket. 

you hum, returning your attention back to the moon above. it’s little more than a sliver, shining brightly in the sky above. “something like that. and you?” 

smoking wasn’t an uncommon habit among sorcerers. you had found yourself bumming cigarettes off of shoko more often than you’d like to admit - enjoying the feeling of your worries slipping away with each breath you took, health consequences be damned. 

suguru nods, though you don’t see it. he sighs softly, letting another puff of smoke filter through the air. after a moment of silence, he finally murmurs, “long… month.” 

ash filters through the air, staining the concrete near your feet. you don’t reply. there’s nothing to say. 

sorcery is a monotonous grind - one that has done nothing but wear you down. even with the help of shoko’s technique, your body aches in various places. scars litter your chest and hands from years of combat. splotches of red and purple litter your skin as bruises linger for weeks on end. 

“have you ever thought about… leaving?” suguru’s voice is so quiet you nearly miss it entirely. his gaze remains trained on the ground, studying the grooves of the concrete. you take another drag in lieu of responding, letting the ash fall to the ground below. another cloud of smoke surrounds you before the wind carries it away. “sometimes,” you finally whisper. “i think about what it would be like - having a normal life. but if i wasn’t a sorcerer, i don’t know what else i would do.”

suguru hums. he takes another drag from his cigarette; this one is longer. he pauses, letting the smoke fill his lungs before he exhales a puff of air. “i think i would go home.” 

“home?” you turn to face him, silently resting your hand against his shoulder. suguru’s body sags in response as some of the tension begins to escape from his body. “to your parents?”

he nods. “i’d go to university. a real school, for once. or maybe get a job. something dumb - like working in a convenience store or a fast food place. just enough to get by and save up some money.”

you ash your cigarette, leaning back against the cool metal stairs. you can almost see the image in your head; suguru would be happier in a normal life, you suppose. “we’d live in a shitty apartment somewhere in the city and you would spend all night studying.”

he chuckles, shifting a little closer to you. you take the chance to slip your hand into his, intertwining your fingers together. “we could adopt a pet. sleep in on weekends. spend the nights curled up watching movies and dancing in our kitchen.” suguru’s voice wavers. you tighten your grip on his hand, stroking your thumb against his knuckles.

suguru moves just a little closer. his knee brushes against yours. with a shaky breath, he whispers, “would you still love me if i left?” this time there’s an unmistakable crack in his voice. he presses the tip of his cigarette against the ashtray harder than necessary before tossing it to the side. suguru leans in, resting his forehead against your own. his hands tremble before he curls them tightly into fists. “would you come with me?”

“suguru,” you whisper. you toss your own cigarette into the ashtray before reaching up, gingerly resting your hands against his face. his skin is cold; you can feel the tiny scars that litter his body beneath your fingertips. “of course i’ll go with you.”

he closes his eyes as he leans into your touch. one of suguru’s hands wraps around your wrist. his fingers press into your palm, tracing miscellaneous shapes into your skin. in the quiet of the night, you let the wind carry your secrets away. the moon shines brightly in the sky, surrounded by the faint gleam of stars littering the sky. suguru leans in, pressing a chaste kiss against the crown of your forehead. “i love you,” he murmurs. 

“i love you too,” you whisper. 

suguru doesn’t say anything else. he doesn’t need to. his head rests against your shoulder - a comforting reminder of his presence beside you. under the cover of darkness, smoke fills the stairwell one last time before it drifts away with your promise. 

taglist (open! send an ask/dm to be added): @sunoooism @vamxpi @sad-darksoul @kamote-kuneho

if you liked this fic, please consider leaving a like, comment, feedback, or rebloging !! and if you want to support me, check out my jjk masterlist <33

[whalesforhands]

the flowers that bloom without you (tartaglia x reader)

warnings: I LOVE CHILDE SO MUCH, angst, blood and slight gore descriptions, hanahaki au, reader is not traveller, reader is childe’s childhood friend

“Does love truly need words?”

Ajax never really understood what you meant by that. Never really got your cryptic bouts of speech as you stared out the window, blanket tucked over your form as you listened to the bustling of the city, your face looking weary, bags under your eyes dark, skin almost icily cold whenever he would lay a hand upon you to personally check on your condition.

From personal nurses, personal doctors, hells, even researchers that he paid extensively to search for the cause of your illness. Yet, an answer had yet to be found, he’s growing restless with every passing day, anger and irritation swirling in his head with every lower-rank recruit he inevitably beats to a pulp to release stress.

Just what was the source of this stubborn disease?

Your condition would never get better if you had stayed in the cold, unforgiving climates of Morepesok.

You would only seek to worry him whilst he was out on the job, thousands of miles away from you. His family can only do so much by informing him of your worsening, deteriorating self. Your insistent coughs, your shortened breaths, a body that seemed to be growing colder and colder that rivalled the icy winds of the small fishing village that you both grew up in.

Another thing Childe has noticed in the time you spent writing each other, was that you liked to prance around the truth.

You weren’t getting better like you claimed in those letters.

He doesn’t ever wish to come home only to see your tombstone. He could never begin to even fathom the thought. So upon the news in which he had orders to depart to the warmer atmosphere of Liyue, he whisked you away.

(Despite your initial rejections.)

He’s not taking anymore chances. Not when you had insisted that it was nothing, that you’ll be fine, only for it to end with you collapsing to the ground right before him, mouth spewing globs of blood that had caked up and solidified within your throat. He didn’t know whether he was more disgusted to that sight, or of himself for being too patient with you.

Though, you seem to be having quite the improvement to your wellbeing ever since you’ve arrived in the bustling city of Liyue.

“A crush? All of a sudden?” He’s chewing on some sweet potato snacks he had bought for you to come try together, a bag of the aforementioned snack on his lap as he opens his mouth to let you throw another into his mouth for him to catch. The odd, salty sweetness is actually quite addicting.

(And so were the giggles you made whenever he successfully caught one.)

“It’s not all of a sudden!” You’re huffy, defensive, angry and quite frankly, offended as you cross your arms, lightly smacking him as he feigns pain, an overly dramatic yelp and rubbing of his injury following.

“I had it— Since—“ It’s cute how you fight to find the words, puffing your cheeks up, growing determined as you look back up at him. “Since a really long time, okay?! That’s how you know feelings like that are real!”

Always the hopeless romantic. He laughs at you as you continue to blow a fuse, warmth emanating in his chest as he notices the drastic improvements to your health.

You’re looking bright today. Face more coloured, hair even shinier than usual, eyes brighter than they have ever been before. Maybe you were getting better.

A light flick to your forehead as he watches you swipe at his hand with a blush and a smile.

“Why don’t you just confess then?”

You grow silent.

“I… don’t think I could find it in my heart to.” Your tired eyes trail out to the bustling city of Liyue as your demeanor falls back into a calm, eyes blanking out as murmured words are caught on his ears. “Falling in love is so unpredictable…” His fists clench.

He thinks you’re stupid, foolish even, to keep those messy, deep feelings hidden from this secret crush of yours. Those stringent secrets you keep, never telling them. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

You slap your cheeks, as if to snap out of your trance choosing to smile up at him from atop your bed instead. l swear I will find that strength one day!”

You’re so stupid. Yet, he still loves you all the same. You are his dearest childhood friend, after all.

(And that’s all you’ll ever be… Right?)

——

The festival is loud this year. You stare out of your bedroom window, barely able to see the explosion of colour against the starry night sky, obscured by tall buildings and infrastructure.

“Miss Lumine invited me to watch the lantern rite with her today!” His eyes are alight with mirth, his grin excited and just so… Full of life.

Ajax always looked the prettiest when he was happy.

So it’s okay. Whatever is okay as long as he is happy. Anything for him.

You don’t even mind the feeling of the flowers blooming deep within you. The itch in your throat, the fluttering you had to endure in your lungs.

You do it for love. Love so deep-sated and rooted to your very core, it hurts. Love so hard to describe, you sometimes fear that it doesn’t exist until you see him walk into the room, causing the blooming, the feelings literally swirling within your lungs, shortening your breaths as the petals flutter about in your heart.

You’re in love with him. Unbelievably, helplessly so.

You can’t even feel the hot tears dripping onto your hands as lights of the glowing, festive explosions shine through your window, casting you in an almost apologetic glow as you hear the laughter of the common folk outside.

He chose her in the end. You’re not surprised, really. Who would even want to spend their time with the terminally ill? Who would ever want to watch the fireworks from within a glorified hospital room? The scent of iron with an undertone of flowery fragrances, paired with quite frankly, a shitty view?

“Ajax— Would you have time to watch the fireworks with me this year…? Since you have—“

You take in a breath, your hands trembling as they dig into the skin of your thighs, your blanket obscuring them where you laid. “Plans with Miss Lumine.”

Lumine, Lumine, Lumine. The traveller who had stolen his attention away with barely a twitch of her pinky finger, the one who had a natural disposition for battle, a prowess for duels. She who was charming, skilled and everything you weren’t.

It hurts all the more at the thought of what a wonderful person she is. Everything that you could never even hope to be.

You can’t even resent her, for her kindness and willingness to help those who needed it preceded every silver of hatred you built. She was simply… Her. And you could never find it in yourself to hate someone who had as much goodwill as she did.

A contemplative hand is placed under his chin, before that stupidly pretty smile on his face breaks out. “Of course! I’d be stupid to not come spend time with you.” A wink is sent your way as he holds your hand, winding your pinkies together.

You want to cry.

“Love can be so fickle, Ajax.” You’re staring straight into his eyes as that promise manifests from the entanglement of your fingers. Are you… Tearing up?

“For if you get caught in it’s arms,” You’re still smiling as he throws you a look of utter confusion, patting your head as he showers you with attention, unwinding your fingers to bring out a handkerchief to wipe at your tears for you. The bouquet of glaze lilies by your bedside shimmering in the afternoon sunshine.

“You’ll be happy even if you di—“

“There you go being cryptic again,” He’s sighing, absolutely confused as he lightly dabs at your eyes. “You’re going to make me sad, you know?” All this talk about death… He wants to keep you smiling, even if it’s just for a little while.

It doesn’t matter that he broke that silly promise. He’s happy, so you are too. That’s all you could ever hope for.

——

“I’m surprised you picked me.”

“Of course, comrade!” He’s smiling, twirling a lone Glaze Lily in his hand as he regards the traveller, leaned back and elbows rested upon the railing as he looked up at the brilliant sky.

“I’m not one to turn down a good time. Plus,” The flower is held between his fingers as he straightens his back. “I’m here to collect my insider information from my favourite errand girl.” A handsome grin growing on his cheeks as he sees the golden-haired girl stand beside him.

“I want information, comrade.” The chopsticks in his hand are fumbled with, the mechanics of it lost. “On someone precious to me.”

“Hanahaki.” Lumine’s voice is dead serious as her eyes get lost at the sight of the lanterns above. “A terminal illness that stems from love, causing flowers to take root in their lungs.” An ironic disease, taking ‘blooming feelings’ far too literal, utilizing such a pure emotion against the victim. It makes him sick to his stomach.

Good. As expected of the famous, reliable little traveller. More competent than any goon he’s ever had.

He’s growing anxious with her words, though. “And the cure?”

“Surgery. It’s possible for a procedure to be done to remove the roots on the lungs. There’s a surgeon in Inazuma that—“

Then it’s done. That’s all? Then you’ll be cured and won’t be bedridden? He’ll arrange for it at the earlie—

“But,” Lumine’s voice is slightly shaky, her grip on the rails tightening as the feel of the metal digs into her palms. “The feelings of the victim will disappear.” Her golden eyes meet a palpitating, uneasy blue. “Sources cited that… The surgery will remove any and all emotion from them.” He knows what she’s implying.

You’ll never fall in love again.

“I don’t ever want to let them go, Ajax.” Your hand is over your heart as your shy gaze meets his. “It’s so precious to me.” The smile on your face begets the stuttering in his chest, the sweat on his palms.

Beautiful.

No. He— Can’t. The thought of you never able to think of another person romantically… Is sickeningly appealing. No. He can’t do that to you. Not if you’ll be unhappy because of it.

He gulps, as if swallowing the lump stuck in his throat. “Is there no other solution?”

“Reciprocation of their feelings.” Lumine’s straightforward, quick to the point. “True reciprocation.” Requited love.

He grits his teeth. So he has to track down whomever you admire… And make them love you? That’s… Honestly not that hard of a request. You’re… Lovely. The loveliest person he has ever had the honour of knowing.

It’s hard to not fall in love with you. And he…Doesn’t like the feeling, the idea of you being in love with someone else. He never did. And he doesn’t think he ever will if it’s not—

(What is he going on about? This isn’t the time for this!)

“Fine.” It’s spat out in disgust. “Do you have any leads on the bastard?” It’s a last resort, a manifestation of the fact that he would do anything for you.

(Even if he feels the ripping, clawing pain at his heart.)

Lumine looks… Absolutely unimpressed. Hand massaging her temple as she fought the urge to wring the Harbinger’s neck.

——

It’s a rush he never thought he had to face, didn’t want to face. How is he so dense? So stupid?

“So? Who is this crush of yours?” The smile is unsteady, almost forced on his face as he watches your expression switch to one of embarrassed shame, almost choking on the scallion pancake in your mouth as he pulled the fork away from your lips.

“He— He’s…” He’s right before you. Closed eye smile, teasing grin and absolutely, infuriatingly cute.

“You can’t just ask that all of a sudden!” Your hand lifts up in defensive, pure embarrassment, not taking into regard how much the adrenaline of love can give you so much strength.

It ends with you coddling a weeping Ajax’s head in your lap, stroking his hair as he continued to fake the apparent agony you caused him, letting him snuggle himself into your arms and overtake his ‘competition’ vying for you.

Good. It’s good that he was the one filling your mind. He doesn’t like it when that secret admirer of yours is the one that takes over your thoughts. He doesn’t want to admit how warm you make him feel on the inside despite how cold your body is.

He doesn’t want you to want that stupid loser of a person who made you so fluttery, making you akin to a blushing schoolgirl whenever he brings that crush of yours up.

Was it stupid of him to not have noticed that he was in love with you all this time? How long had he been tying himself back? How much longer does he have to give to you?

How long did he make you suffer?

Time has been cruel to him, to you.

——

You’re smiling. Why are you still smiling? Aren’t you in pain? Aren’t you scared that you’re going to die? Why are you spending your last moments like this?

He hears it, barely even breathed out from your choked throat.

“Ajax…” You coughing fits are acting up again.

“If- If in another lifetime…” It’s getting worse, your breaths are hacked, blood spilling from your lips with every syllable forced out. “If you could ever learn-“ A multitude of bloodied petals bloom within your throat, suffocating your words, a final attempt to save you the heartbreak you knew all too well. “To love me-“

He calls for the doctor, turning away to grab their attention before your fingers weakly tug at his sleeve.

Your face is aghast with the pain, your mouth stained with blood, crimson petals discharge from within you, stalks entwining and curling itself around your heart, a final comfort and a warning of your last moments.

“Would you please have me?”

Realization strikes, the feeling finally settling down in his stomach in an odd satisfaction, the dull throb of pain in his brain as his breath hitches.

Why? Why why why why why why? Why now?

He doesn’t say anything, trembling hands grasping your own in his before he leans in to capture your cold, colourless lips with his own, returning every ounce of unsaid affection, every bit of undivided attention he owed you.

Childe— No, Ajax doesn’t care that all he can taste is the vile flavour of petals mixed with blood and bile, he can only feel you through this kiss so raw and emotional, that all he can comprehend is the texture of your bitten lips, the slipping warmth of your skin, the feeling of loss that envelops his entire being.

He pulls away, hoping, praying that you understood his reply to your confession. That your eyes will flutter open, staring at him as if he picked the stars from the sky and placed them in your hand, tears that stained your cheeks flaring within your eyes from happiness, skin reinvigorated by the jubilant feeling of having this silent love of yours finally being heard by the object of its affections.

It all goes quiet save for the sounds of his despaired sobs as the wind carries your final breaths away.

Too late.

[russo-woso]

Happy anniversary | Lucy Bronze

Today was a day you’d dreamt of since you met Lucy.

Today was your first anniversary.

You and Lucy had been married for one year.

Although it wasn’t such a big thing for other couples, for you it was massive.

It marked a year since you promised each other the world.

One year ago today, you and Lucy promised that you’d be together till death do you part.

She promised that she’d love and cherish you forever, and she’d done just that.

Everyday since, and of course before you got married, she made sure you had everything you wanted.

She woke up and told you she loved you, she would ask if you needed anything all throughout the day, and then she’d tell you she loved you as she was falling asleep.

Recently though, she hadn’t been telling you that she loved you. Instead, she had been telling you that she loved you both.

Both of you being you and your baby.

About six months ago, you both started trying IVF.

To your luck, you ended up pregnant on the first egg transfer.

Lucy made sure that you and the baby had everything you could possibly need.

It was safe to say that this baby was going to be spoilt rotten.

Watching you grow your baby made Lucy fall in love with you all over again.

She would wake up extra early in the mornings to watch you sleep as her hands would wrap around the growing bump.

This was the case this morning.

Your eyes fluttered open as you felt a pair of arms wrap around your waist and land on your bump, gently caressing it.

A gentle kick was felt within your stomach and you felt Lucy smile against your neck.

“They’re a kicker, aren’t they?” You asked as your own hand reached down to lay on top of Lucy’s.

“They are. I’m going to teach them how to play football when they’re older. They’re going to be a defender just like me.” Lucy whispered against your neck, her thumb stoking your bump.

“What about if the little one’s a striker?”

“We don’t talk about that. They’re going to follow in their mummy’s footsteps.” Lucy said adamantly.

“I wouldn’t jinx it if I were you, Bronze.” You warned and rolled over so you were now facing Lucy.

“Too late now, Bronze.” Lucy smiled as she looked into your eyes. “Happy anniversary, babe.”

“Happy anniversary, Luce.”

You both connected your lips.

Your lips connected like a jigsaw puzzle. They both fit perfectly together and moved like two dancers in the wind.

“They really don’t like us kissing.” You said, pulling apart as pain from a strong kick took over your body.

“You need to stop kicking mama, little one.” Lucy whispered against your bump, pressing her lips against it.

And with that, the kicking stopped.

You looked up at your wife, shocked that your baby had actually listened.

“I can’t wait to see them today.” Lucy said and the realisation hit that your 20 week scan was today.

“Me neither. We can find out what gender the baby is. I know you want to find out.”

“I do. I want to find out if we’re having a princess or a prince. Only if you what to though.” Lucy told you, wrapping her arms around your back and gently massaging it.

“Well, we’ll know by the end of today. I want to find out too.”

You pressed a long kiss to Lucy’s lips and you tried to deepen it but she pulled away and started getting up.

“What? Why are you getting up?”

“The real question is why you aren’t getting up? We’ve got a long day today, Mrs Bronze. Filled with lots of surprises.” Lucy revealed and you just smiled at her.

You could tell that she had organised this all for your anniversary.

“Luce, you didn’t have—” you started saying but Lucy cut you off.

“Oh, but I did. You see today’s very special. A year ago today, I promised that I’d love you forever and I’m going to show that I was truthful. I’m going to show that I’ll love you forever.”

“You don’t have to show that, Luce. I know you’ll love me forever, just like how I’ll love you forever.” You said to her, and started getting dressed.

“You deserve to be spoilt. I just want one day to be able to spoil you.”

“Thank you, babe. What are we doing then?” You asked as you could just tell she was eager to tell you.

“At 10, we’re going bowling.” She began the list. To any other person, you’d think why bowling? Why are you going bowling on your first anniversary? But to you, it was a special place to go. Lucy took you on your first date to a bowling alley.

You were both at England camp and the closest thing to St George’s Park was a bowling alley.

“After bowling, we’re going to the beach to have a picnic.” She continued.

Having beach picnic on the Barcelona beaches were your favourite.

The sun shining down on you both, whilst you cuddled up with Lucy eating your favourite sandwiches.

“Then we’re going to see bump and find out if they’re a prince or princess. And afterwards I’m taking you out for dinner.” Lucy finished and you went over a kissed her.

She’d put so much effort into the whole of today.

“Thank you, baby.”

“You deserve it.” She said back and rested a hand on your lower back, rubbing it gently.

“I love you so much, Lucy Bronze.”

“I love you too, Y/N Bronze, and baby bronze.”

————————

“Lucy, today was perfect. Thank you again.”

You were sat down waiting for your meal as you thought back at the adventures you had experience today.

Bowling was fun. You got so much Deja vu from when Lucy first took you to play bowling them four years ago.

Lucy won, of course. With how competitive she is, she was bound to win.

The picnic at the beach was incredible.

Lucy had gotten Kiera to go and set up a picnic at the beach whilst you two played bowling.

A picnic blanket was set up with different sandwiches laid out and a glass of non alcoholic champagne for you to enjoy.

And then one of you favourite, if not your favourite, part of the day happened.

You got to see your baby.

You went to the clinic and they went through all the normal stuff before you saw your baby on the screen.

They were perfect.

He was perfect. Your baby boy.

Lucy was ecstatic when she found out you were having a little prince.

After the scan, Lucy took you to the best restaurant in Barcelona.

You had Lucy’s hands in yours as you sat across from one another.

“You don’t have to say thank you, baby. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I did too. And I’m even happier knowing that we’re having a little prince. I would’ve loved a princess, and I hope that one day we do, but I really wanted a baby boy.”

“I know, a baby boy who really doesn’t like the smell of that fish over there.” You admitted and pointed to the meal that was brought out to a table a few rows down.

“Does he not? Sorry, babe. We can go.”

“No, Luce. We’ve already ordered our meals. I don’t want you to waste any money.” You pointed out and Lucy shook her head at you.

“Baby, I don’t care about the money. You feel uncomfortable because of the smell. We’re going.” Lucy got up from her chair, leaving money on the table and helped you get up from yours and walked out the restaurant.

This led you to now.

Sitting in a car park with McDonald’s.

You couldn’t decide what you wanted so you decided to drive home and order takeout, but when you drive past McDonald’s, the only thing you could think about was a McDonald’s burger.

Today had been one of the best days of your life.

You hadn’t done anything major, but you got to spend it with your prince and the love of your life.

[khuzena]

Friends

Jing yuan x g/n!reader

Summary: The xianzhou citizens don't often indulge in romance, to love is to one day see yourself fall into the embrace of mara— to let your lover witness it. Some still love, some deny themselves of such feelings.

Cw. Angst, unrequited love (not really), getting drunk, mixed signals, implied sexual stuff and a little bit of that but they don't actually do it (i think), no fluff no comfort because that shit is for the weak

A/n: Did I cry writing this? Yes. Was it worth it? I don't know.

Love.

noun

an intense feeling of deep affection.

He wonders if you ever noticed how he felt about you. Lingering gazes lasting deeper than it should, ‘accidental’ brushes against your hand or how he finds himself dropping everything he's doing just to be with you.

“Jing yuan, your move.”

Your words snap him back to reality, he awkwardly bit his lip, his focus back on the board. Right.

He wonders as he moves his piece two tiles forward, would you ever get wind of these growing feelings of his? If you did,

“Checkmate.”

Would you feel the same?

A light chuckle leaves his lips, the sight of your frustrated expression ingrained in his mind, like every memory he has of you.

A loud slam echoed in the room, “How do you always win?”

“You make brash decisions on the board,” Jing yuan backtracks the pieces before the soul-crushing checkmate, he positioned your pieces, “It should've gone here, you could've blocked my move.”

An exasperated sigh escapes you, clamping chunks of your hair frustratedly after realising you could've won, “I hate you.”

The man laughs as he tidies up the table, eyes still trained on you.

He doesn't know how and why you both ended up in this position.

Your relationship was complicated.

He doesn't understand you.

Sometimes you'd hold his hand, tell him all your secrets like he were a priest at a confessional, take care of him and everything of the like.

Yet, you always pushed him away. He'd sit right beside you, looking over your shoulder to read the novel you recently took interest in. As if he were a bug, you'd swat him away for being too close.

“Ji, don't get too close. I'm melting from the heat.” you say, but it was winter?

He doesn't understand love at all.

He loves mimi, he loves starchess, he loves his family (the high-cloud quintet, or should I say, ex-family), he loves tea, he loves his home.

Sometimes you two would go out to the library, indulging in me-time, faces buried in pages.

“Jing yuan, have you found a book about that one novel I told you about?” He shook his head no, he doesn't indulge in fictional work that often. But you loved novels.

“I think I found it.” He wipes the dust off the book spine. ‘How to fall in love with a genius’, what a strange book title.

“Really?” quietly tiptoeing towards his direction, the library lady eyeing you two; you had a habit of making too much noise, leading to the bookkeeper scolding you both.

“Here,” he blew over the cover, dust particles puffing in your face.

“Bastard—” words barely audible as you spoke in-between coughs, “Thanks though”

The bookkeeper glaring at you two, sending shivers down your spine. The idiot laughs again, you slap his back.

You both get kicked out.

Friends don't get drunk together, friends don't cuddle, friend's don't do this.

Like ‘friends’, you cling to him in his bed, head nuzzled in his neck. Jing yuan was scared to hug you or even dare to hold your waist.

He can only get a taste of heaven but never the real thing, you can hug him yet when he reciprocates he's too close.

He envies at how audacious you are. That you're not afraid to hold him like he's yours but he could never call you his. How you could just stare at him with those loving resplendent eyes but he could never stare longer at yours.

This time however, he wishes he slept in, he wishes he told you he was busy, that he doesn't want to hang out today.

One drink turned to two, two drinks turned to three. More, more and more, until you're on top of him, all of him you can see.

“Ji.”

How cruel you are. Straddled on his lap as he was laid against the pearly sheets of his bed, your eyes devoid of light as your free hand tug on the hem of his shirt, “Jing yuan, I'm sorry”

You cried again, gripping his shirt tightly. Why can't he push you away?

Tears spill out as you desperately wanted to love him, as he did too. But was it really love?

“I love you.” he accidentally slips out.

Your eyes widened in fear, you tried to convince yourself you didn't hear anything as you grind your hips on his lap, croaking out a guttural moan.

“Please,” you grinded faster, your hips burning, you prayed to god that what you heard was a lie, that you misheard him.

He groans in desperation, hands on your hips, “I really love you.”

Without a second thought, as if you were sober, you swatted his hand away and got off his lap. He stares at you like you were a madman— why did you suddenly stop?

He wishes he was drunk enough to indulge in you that night, but sober enough to have never said that.

He sat up, his hand reaching out for you but you swat it away again, “Stop.”

A sob stuck in his throat, heavy breaths drowning out the wanton moans from earlier.

“I…”

He wishes he never even loved you in the first place.

Tomorrow came, those lingering gazes on each other no more, those playful banters dissipated into thin air.

He can't bring himself to confront you, too scared to accept what's become to the two of you.

“Ji— General. Documents from Madam Yukong”

The way your eyes dart to anything but him, he bit his lip anxiously, “Yes, thank you. You may leave now.”

As if nothing happened last night, you bowed your head and ran away as quickly as possible. Does he even have the courage to ask you for another game of starchess?

Days passed yet no progress. Your relationship has turned into a strictly professional one. So cold to each other, yanqing and fu xuan can't wrap their hands around what could've happened but they don't have it in them to ask what happened.

The general signed paperwork, like usual. Not noticing loud thumping footsteps nearing his desk.

“General,” a part of him wished it was your voice.

“Yes yanqing?”

“They've turned in their resignation paper”

Oh. Huh?

He thinks yanqing is joking. Not when his dear retainer thrusts the documents to his hand does he realise he's really lost you.

“For what exactly?” he asks as if he doesn't know the answer.

Yanqing sighs, “I'm not sure either, but they talked about retiring.”

“They're too young to retire,” the man scratched his head, his mind racing with a million thoughts and a million regrets.

“General, they're 630 years old”

“Oh right,” he gave his retainer a weak smile, hoping the young boy doesn't notice the uneasiness in his eyes when he read through the contents, “I shall talk to them before I approve their resignation. You may leave.”

Yanqing nods, taking his leave as Jing yuan trembles. He's lost the high-cloud quintet, does fate have to take you too in its stride, far away from him?

He was okay with just being friends with you.

Jing yuan called for you in his private garden, he didn't expect you to actually come especially after that.

“You came.”

“You called,” your eyes as empty as that one night.

He tried his best to hold back the tears, heart burning yet he had to remain professional. After all, he was your boss.

“Yanqing brought me your resignation request.” he pauses, unable to find the right words.

Normally, if an employee of his decides to resign, he'd sign away their request and carry on with his life but this— how could he just sign so easily?

“Have you not signed it yet?”

“No.” he can't bring himself to.

Your fingers found solace under the table, fiddling and fidgeting together but you'd rather die than let the man in front of you notice it, “Can't you just sign it?”

“It's just… you've been working with me since the high-cloud quintet and it's not that easy.”

“How so?”

“We’d lose an important member of society, your contributions to the mechanical team have been beneficial,” he tapped his foot aggressively, agitated. “Can't you think twice about it?”

Without hesitation, “I can't. I'm getting old, sooner or later I'd die—”

He listens, not interrupting you, “— I don't want to die without living.”

Living? What a lie. You've been more alive by his side more than anything.

“What exactly do you mean by living?”

He pretends to not understand, he wishes you'd just take him into consideration and talk to him like he was Jing yuan, not the general arbiter.

“You know what I mean,” the air sucked out of your lungs, why did he have to make you say it out loud?

“I want to live. I want to be finally free of my duties, get married, and retire.”

He nodded along with your words, he felt sick. Sicker than he ever was in his life.

“I wish you told me sooner”

“What good would it bring?”

“I just wished you were honest from the start.”

The words were once stuck again in your throat, trying to blink nonstop to not let those pathetic tears spill out, “This is for me—”

“What about me?”

Desperation laced in his tone, he wishes you'd give him a chance, that you'd let him in.

“What about you?”

You wonder, what about him? He wants to ask, what about us?

“This is about me,” neither of you could find the words, but you try.

“I want to live,” forlorn, not a glimmer of hope in your eyes, he wishes on a sliver of hope, “Is that too much to ask?”

Yet life is cruel. It was a mistake trying to be more than friends with you, again; he wished he stayed as friends with you. He would have been fine with anything.

For your own good, “I understand.”

Jing yuan reluctantly took his pen, staring at the paper. He signed.

“Thank you.”

He signed you away, at least now, there's no more need for formalities. He is no longer your boss, he is just jing yuan to you.

“I… “ his mouth snapped shut.

“No more words, general?”

As selfish as it sounds, he wants to tell you that he's willing to leave this life behind. That if you want to live, he'll live with you, if you want to marry, he'll marry you. If you want to retire, he'll retire with you.

But duty calls, he can't just stop being ‘general arbiter’ in a heartbeat for you. He wishes he could.

It's not that hot outside today, but he feels like burning.

“Ah, nothing. Where will you go now?”

“It doesn't matter, I'll just go somewhere, live alone or maybe start a new life.”

“I wish luck for your future endeavours.”

Jing yuan has never been selfish. This time however, he wishes he wasn't the general. He wishes he was just a normal man, he wishes he had the privilege, that he had the choice to be your man.

You could no longer handle being under this suffocating atmosphere, “Can I leave now?”

“By all means.”

That was the last time he talked to you, he wonders, he wishes, that he was anyone but him. Not even he could have foreseen this.

When your footsteps grew quieter as you were farther away from him, he cried.

It's been long since he's cried… years, centuries perhaps.

He's lost his family, he's lost you too. All because he wanted to be more than friends.

He wonders if you cried too, if you'd come back. It's for the best.

In due time, one of you will turn mara struck. He doesn't have the heart to see you in that state. But he wishes you gave him the chance to love you, even for just two years. A year or two is all he needs to be content.

None of that matters, he wipes his tears. Reporting back to the seat of divine foresight.

Note: not proofread so dont laugh. 😔😔😔 Before one of you bitches say, who hurt you, who hurt you? No, this is just me projecting with my cupioromantic and aromantic tendencies. ITS SO COMMON TO SEE MC BEING THE ONE GETTING REJECTEd BUT NOT THE CHARACTER GETTING REJECTED I NEED MORE FICS WITH THIS PLOT GRRRRR 😟. ITS 3:16 AM FUCK SLEEP FUCK IT ALL GRRRR

Written by @khuzena. Likes, reblogs and comments are always appreciated. ♡ 

[tadpolebrains]

I love your headcanons <3

I wanted to request one for Gale and his love on their first morning together in his tower in Waterdeep.

Ayyy ty! Glad my random rambling is enjoyable XD <3

First Morning in Waterdeep

• I’d imagine that the night before the first morning waking up there is when there would be a lot of emotions. It’s as you’re both getting there, knowing you’re about to have what is probably the first full night of proper rest in weeks that it sets in for both of you that… it’s over. There’s no more tadpoles, no more netherbrain… but also no more Netherese Orb.

• That’s what hits Gale the hardest that night. Because this tower is where he spent his prolonged time in isolation because of the orb, waiting out his days. There’s still scattered magic items around, dozens of books and random papers all over the floor, it’s… a mess. He’s a bit embarrassed about the mess at first, briefly considered trying to cast an illusion so you wouldn’t see it, but… well, you’d seen him at his worst already, hadn’t you?

• You probably wouldn’t have believed him if the tower was spotless anyway. Or Tara would have called him out.

• Regardless, when you two get into bed that night, on an old, creaky mattress that Gale swears he’ll get replaced if it bothers you, you fall asleep in each other’s arms. Gale cries that night, whether from relief, grief for the years past, or joy for the future, even he couldn’t tell you. But neither of you say anything about it. Just hold each other close.

• You lightly trace the place on his chest where the orb used to reside as he starts to drift off.

• You don’t technically get a first morning in the tower together the next day, because it’s past noon when you finally wake up. You’ll count it as morning, though.

• Neither of you even particularly want to get up at first. You’re warm in the bed, and for the first time in weeks there isn’t a need to force yourselves up. So you lay there together.

• Gale will mumble small things every so often. There’s no real order to them- for once, you have the time to make idle conversation without any looming threats over your heads. So you talk about everything and nothing, not even caring about what time it is.

• He idly traces patterns along your skin as you lay together, or lightly taps little rhythms.

• When you do get up, it’s because you’re both hungry. Though Gale does offer to get up to make ‘breakfast’ (it’s well into the afternoon at that point) and bring it to you in bed, he also just doesn’t want to let go of you. So you end up standing there, arms slung around his waist, chin resting on his shoulder as he cooks.

• You might distract him a few times, pressing lazy kisses to his cheeks, his neck. Breakfast ends up a little burnt. It’s perfect, though.

• Once you two decide to actually function, he gives you the ‘grand tour,’ which consists mostly of him pointing out random magical trinkets or going on long-winded rants about some of the books strewn about. If any of the books seem to catch your attention, he puts them in a designated pile so you can find them later.

• It isn’t long before you’ve both just settled back down again, whether on a couch or just getting back into the bed. Gale picks up one of the books from the pile and starts reading it aloud to you, Tara coming over to curl up at his feet.

• You drift off to sleep that night to the soft sound of his voice filling the air like a lullaby, feeling a gentle kiss on your forehead as you slip off, and a murmured “goodnight, my love.”

[valerie-is-in-the-cupboard]

Out of Darkness - Chapter Four: Fall from Grace - Alastor x human!fem!reader

Go to: Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter ThreeHello! Sorry for this chapter being so short. I had some unfortunate events happening to me and I ended up writting a shitty chapter. I deleted it because I felt a bit anxious since Alastor wasn't Alastor and decided to stick to something that focused more on him. I really hope you'll like it! Kisses <3TW: Angst, swearingWord count: 950

It had been days since Alastor and (y/n) decided to ‘take it slow’. A part of him hoped that after she left that night, he would never hear from her again. That she would give him up, meet someone or win a 100-day free holiday and leave, forgetting her phone at home so she couldn’t call him either. But each day, she returned, her presence a constant, unsettling reminder that there was something he didn't quite understand happening to him.

Every single day she would come and visit him, having fun little ideas on how to spend their day. One night, she took him to the cinema to watch a newly released horror movie. Horrendous. Who the Hell were Ed and Lorraine Warren? He had never heard of them. If they were that good, he would have. He got so bored that he started thinking about what would happen if he randomly began terrorizing people: would he get a movie too? Hopefully, his would be better. But at some point, he started analyzing (y/n) reactions, rather than the movie: how she’d jump a little bit at the most predictable jump scares and look away in disgust at the gorier scenes. He couldn’t help but chuckle a little, winning a mad look from her whenever he would make fun of them.

She also introduced him to a show, “Supernatural”. It took him a while to understand that Dean and Sam were not in fact real like the Warrens were, which made him a bit disappointed. They seemed to be more professional. He would’ve loved to make a deal with them.

So, did he entirely hate those little getaways? Disappointingly, no. This world was already shitty enough, so these little moments made him forget about everything happening to him, how his life was going downwards since he entered that portal. But tonight his last drop of patience slipped.

He had had a horrible day at work. His incompetent coworker, Steve, spilt coffee on him. Normally, he would’ve just destroyed his soul, smiling at him as he begged for mercy. But he didn’t. Instead, he thought the moral thing to do would be to steal his laptop and enter all those ads (y/n) warned him not to click on. So now, Steve’s laptop was full of single moms who were ready to fuck. He considered this a small victory… at least until he actually destroys his soul in hopefully less than 20 years with his smoking-three-packs-of-cigarettes-a-day habit.

When he arrived home, he got a message from (y/n) saying that she was taking care of her niece for the night. She asked him if he wanted to come too, but he declined, not being a fan of having brats around him. He felt a bit annoyed at the fact that she abandoned him for such things, so he poured himself a glass of whiskey and sat on the couch, listening to some jazz and trying to wind down. The sugar on the cream was that his neighbour and his wife were trying so hard to bring new souls into this shitty world, that he couldn’t even hear the jazz clearly anymore.

It was too much for Alastor, his senses too overstimulated and his patience far gone.

His grip on the glass tightened, breaking it into multiple pieces, his demon form slowly engulfing him, sharp teeth and red eyes slowly replacing his human ones. His antlers pierced out of his head, tingles running down his spine at the sensation.

The lights flickered in the room, exploding one by one, darkness eventually conquering the small apartment. The only source of lightning was his red glowing eyes. The radio started distorting, chuckling and growls filling the room.

"I'm gonna..." he started in between the growls. "I'm gonna kill all of them..."

Alastor burst into laughter, as he crawled on the cold floor. "I will crush their bones and rip them out of their body... One by one..."

His claws gripped at the rug covering the floor, throwing it away harshly, a low growl escaping his mouth as dark tentacles broke out of his back, pain washing over him. He needed to get out of here now.

Using his tentacles, he grabbed a can of paint that was lying in the apartment, dropped it and spilt it, covering his hand with the coloured liquid. Like an animal in pain, he dragged himself across the floor, drawing a huge pentagram in the middle of the room. The candles that (y/n) brought all lit up in unison and shadows placed them perfectly in every corner of the pentagram. His eyes flickered in excitement, a grotesque smile growing on his face as the portal to the other world opened right in front of him. Screams of pain and sorrow invaded his ears, filling him with immense joy. Adrenaline pumped his veins as he approached the portal. This was his chance. His chance to leave before he becomes too weak again.

But he stopped.

He stopped just as he was about to crawl inside the portal.

“Fuck…” he whispered to himself, backing down and getting on his knees, his smile still plastered on his face. The portal in front of him closed, as the candles extinguished themselves one by one, leaving him in darkness and sorrow. His heart was pounding in his chest as he gripped his dark hair. He missed it… His chance to leave… Who knows how long it will take him to build the power to do this again.

He just stood there in silence. Was he weak? No… It wasn’t him the problem. It was this world, it was… it was her. She was the problem, not him. She made him weak.

He tried to get up, chunks of hair falling from his hands as he removed them from his scalp. His feet were weakened, making him fall to the ground, and his breath was heavy.

He heard the phone he hated so much ringing, but it slowly got muffled by static. Loud. Persistent. Static.

Tags: @sirens-and-moonflowers, @ratsematary

Go to: Next chapter

[apollosgiftofprophecy]

God Games

I absolutely love this song. It’s fun, it’s catchy, and the visuals on the livestream were spectacular!

And speaking of the visuals, I have some thoughts to share that seized me just after the livestream.

Before we begin though, I do want to say that I do love the animated visuals we got in the stream! They are all so beautiful and I could NOT look away! Zeus going Beast Mode? Amazing. Athena fighting her way up the stairs? Aweing.

So this is in no way criticizing the visuals, or Jorge’s vision of them! I just want to share something I think is cool, and wanted to share :3

@gotstabbedbyapen i think you might like this too >:3

In short, I think it would have been cool if the other gods had been involved in the final part of God Games- but not in the way you think.

Hear me out.

Long version:

Let me set the scene. Let's see if I can explain the visuals in my head.

We're at the moment Zeus goes Beast Mode. He's going "THUN-DER, BRING. HER. THROUGH. THE. WRINNGEERRR" you know the part.

and as "SHOW HER I'M THE JUDGEMENT CALL, THE ONE WHO MAKES HER KINGDOM FALL" is said, we flash between Apollo, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Ares, and Hera, before landing on Athena, all looking up at the thundering god, wind rushing around them.

They are all wearing various levels of worry/concern/"uh-oh", because Zeus has gone Beast Mode...and then Athena gets struck.

We cut to Ares saying, and looking distinctly concerned, "Is she dead?"

Camera pans out to show Athena lying on the ground, smoke coming off of her, deeply injured.

The slow Warrior of the Mind motif plays. Apollo's the first to move, checking on her, and we slowly zoom onto Athena's face as she blearily opens her eyes.

Camera change: we're now in Athena-vision. Everything is blurry. Then the faint outlines of Odysseus, Penelope, and baby Telemachus (like in the livestream) slowly come into focus. They get clearer, and towards the end of the slow motif, Athena blinks, blinks again, and we have a clear image of all five of the gods hovering over her.

The music swells. Apollo offers his hand out to her, and Athena grasps it. She clasps Hephaestus's next, and Aphrodite and Ares take her arms, while Hera does so from behind.

They help her up, Athena leaning a bit on the others as she stares at Zeus, who has calmed down, and looking at them.

Athena, bleeding heavily, still says; "Let him go, please. Let him go." And passes out.

End scene.

It's a lot more dramatic in my head (as all things are) but I hope this is all cohesive! XD

So why do I like this idea?

Because it shows that the gods have solidarity. As much as they hurt each other, they do, in fact, love each other too. The five gods in God Games know that Athena won fair and square, and that Zeus is being unreasonable. And let me be clear: Zeus is not a tyrant. The other gods keep him in check, which is what would be happening here. The five of them helping Athena would be enough to snap Zeus out of his rage and ego-trip.

Speaking of Zeus, this would also give him time to cool down and realize how rash he’s being, something he has done in the mythology! (ie, calming down before throwing Apollo into Tartarus) In fact, he's calmed down after the interference of other gods, so this would track well with the mythology too :3 (ie, Leto was the one who got him to rethink the Tartarus idea)

"But would the other gods even help Athena?" Some of you may be asking- I say yes. Apollo and Athena in the myths are actually very friendly with each other! Hephaestus and Athena were on the same side of the Trojan War! Aphrodite has no real beef with Athena, and while it's a popular idea that Ares and Athena hate each other, that's simply not true either. And Hera? She and Athena were practically besties in The Iliad. They all would help her, especially if it would temper Zeus's anger and stop him from causing too much damage.

Again, I loved the visuals on the livestream!! There is no doubt about that!!

It's just this juicy idea came to me after the live-listen and I've been stewing over it since :3

[little-cereal-draws]

@scuorge101 I had some headcanons for your alive!Polites au! (I hope that's ok)

Eurylochus lowkey became the captain after the cyclopes incident bc Odysseus was spending 24/7 next to Polites' bed

Odysseus let him use his captain bed (which was slightly better than the others) and either slept on the floor or on a stool next to him

nobody blamed Odysseus for not being there tho, they all knew it was serious

it still takes them several years to get home but not as long as it does in canon. in that time tho, Polites recovers somewhat

he likes to sit on deck and feel the wind on his face. this is also where he talks with the crew and tries to lift their spirits

Odysseus cries bc he's being eaten alive by guilt but somehow Polites is still optimistic even after all he's been through

Polites cries a lot back in his room tho (sometimes in front of Odysseus, sometimes keeping it a secret from him)

he makes more progress back in Ithaca where they have access to actual doctors. He sort of learns to walk again but it's never like it was before. He can shuffle from one room to the next, either holding onto Odysseus' elbow or the wall for support, but then immediately has to sit down

it takes a lot out of him to move from his bedroom to the dining hall, the living room to the garden, etc. Anywhere farther than one room is all his exercise for the day

his speech is messed up too. By the time they get back to Ithaca, he can speak again but his words are slurred which can make it hard to understand him sometimes. He'll also mix up words, make up words he thinks are real, or say words in random unintelligible orders. A modern doctor would call it "word salad"

This doesn't happen all the time tho, and he actually loves to talk to people. Odysseus, Eurylochus, and Telemachus are his favorites. He doesn't like talking about himself much -I don't think he ever would- but he loves asking them about their days

(let's pretend the ancient Greeks had wheelchairs) Telemachus loves to push him around and they get really close that way. Telemachus will push him out to the garden and they can easily spend all day there talking, bird watching, or napping. If Polites isn't in his room, you can find him wherever Telemachus is

Polites loves to go in the garden bc he was cooped up in his tiny suffocating room on the ship for nearly a year before he was well enough to make the journey upstairs. He can't bear to be trapped in his room anymore

Odysseus helps him take all his medicine (mostly painkilling herbs), redo his bandages, walk places, eat when his hands are too weak, and, in the beginning on the ship, go to the bathroom and bathe

Odysseus checks up on him every night before bed too. He'll take more painkiller and have Odysseus help him lay down. By the time it's night tho, he's usually not feeling well at all and is either mostly or all the way nonverbal

a bit of fanfiction to end: At dinner, Polites always sits next to Odysseus. Polies' hand suddenly falls to the table and he drops the food. Odysseus looks over. "Are you ok? Do you want help eating?" his friend asks. Polites grimaces down at his food. His skull is pounding like Athena is being born again and his hand won't close around the bread he wants. "Yes," he manages to get out. Odysseus holds the food up while he nibbles on it. He groans and squeezes his eyes shut. Hurts, hurts, it all hurts. His body is on fire. "Do you want to lay down?" he hears Odysseus gently ask. He nods; he can't think of the words to respond. "Ok," Odysseus says, quickly nodding to Penelope. "I'll be right back." She hums in acknowledgment and Polites feels Odysseus stand up and get ready to help him up.

[notjustjavierpena]

Firstborn

Series Masterpost | Main Masterpost | Support a disabled creator

A/N: A silly little piece for a silly little author, who wanted to have more of husband!Javi and The Peñas. This is a follow-up to Fever!

Summary: It’s early in the morning when you go into labor with you and Javier’s first child.

Pairing: Javier Peña x f!reader (no y/n)

Tags: Sfw, pregnancy, angst, non-explicit descriptions of labor, love!!!

Word count: 2.1k

Link to this work on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48493402

Firstborn

Your water breaks at 03:48 AM on an early Sunday morning. You know this because your initial thought is to check the clock on your nightstand, too tired to register why you’ve woken up and briefly thinking that you have wet the bed. You’ve had contractions on and off for a few days, but this marks something new, something real and exciting and oh God, soon something extremely painful too. 

Still being slightly disoriented from sleep, you reach between your legs without thinking much about it. Immediately, you shoot up from your lying position until you are sitting, suddenly very awake and aware of what is happening when a contraction starts at the base of your spine. Yep, definitely more painful than the ones you have had up until now.

Javier feels your movements, blinks awake as slowly as you had just done, but then does the same thing as you; stirs, realizes and widens his eyes. He looks to you, swears under his breath, and nearly falls on his face as he stumbles out of bed, because he accidentally forgets to untangle himself from his covers. 

“Now?” He just asks, ending up on the floor nonetheless. He sits on his ass, awaiting your answers. You can see the slight redness in his face from his pulse having quickened, giving away his nervous state. 

“Now,” you nod. You have a brief moment where you curse the fact that he will have to take you to the hospital in this state; clumsy, nervous, boyish and excited. Then you remember all the other things too: Caring, loving, supportive, serious and absolutely in love with you.

“Right,” he rubs a hand over his face as if collecting himself, smooths his thumb and forefinger over his mustache before fighting to get off the floor despite the thumping in his chest. He also somehow looks a little paler than usual, but powers through anyway, “Let’s get you out of the door, momma.”

“Javi,” you get helped off the bed with only a slight struggle of keeping your balance, placing a hand on your belly afterwards to soothe your child who seems eager to let you know of their arrival.

Javier is frantically stuffing useless things in the bag that has been packed and ready for weeks, and you take a deep breath when he shoves three extra towels in there. You’d be fine with it if it wasn’t for the anxiety creeping up the back of your neck at what is about to happen, “Javi.”

“Yes, amor?” 

“Just take the fucking bag and let’s go. It’s packed. It’s been packed for a month. They have towels in the hospital,” you waddle towards the door, “Javi, let’s go.”

*

You know that you are over-prepared with a bag; stuffed toys, beanies, pacifiers, onesies, candy, apparently a million towels. Yet in the car, between contractions, you realize that you are in no way mentally prepared, because you start to feel absolutely terrified at the idea of going into actual labor. 

You keep it together during the car ride though, afraid of Javier losing focus of his driving on the main road if you start to hyperventilate from being scared instead of in pain. It’s already hard enough to tell him to have his eyes front when you feel your whole pelvic floor start to cramp horribly, holding on for dear life as you breathe through the pain.

“Almost there,” he reassures, knuckles white on the steering wheel.

You want to turn the car around and go back home. 

*

You arrive at the maternity ward twenty minutes later. The latest contraction came as you were walking across the parking lot and nearly knocked the wind out of you, so when they finally get you a bed in your very own hospital room, you can feel relieved tears prickling at the corners of your eyes. Javier is sweet, and has gotten you ice water and a chocolate bar from an overpriced vending machine, but he nearly drops both when he sees you crying as he enters the white room again.

Softly, he says your name and rushes to put everything down on the bedside table to empty his hands. He stands by your side, and you smile weakly at him until your bottom lip starts to tremble and your facade starts to crumble. 

“¿Qué pasa? Do you need a nurse?” He tries to seem calm for you, but his nervousness bleeds through. You know him better than anyone, and you can see that he is worried. You want to let him know that he doesn’t have to be, but you’re filled with anxiety as well.

“No need for a nurse, she’ll come check when she thinks it’s time to check,” you say through a few tears.

“What then? What’s happening?”

“I’m—“

Then another wave of pain hits you. This time is stronger than ever, causing you to groan loudly, holding onto the bed for support and trying to breathe through it. 

Javier watches you nervously, looking at the call button for a moment and then back at you. 

“Don’t call,” you say through gritted teeth. The pain gives you something to blame the tears on since you feel quite silly for being scared of something you’ve prepared yourself for, for months, and so you let yourself sob once and then twice as you wait for the contraction to fade out again. 

“You want something to drink?” Javier asks, picking up a cold rag from a bowl on the table. He gently dabs your forehead, sneaks down to tap away the flowing tears as well, “Chocolate?”

“No,” you pant as the cramping sensation passes. Your whole body relaxes into the bed again, grip loosening and your eyes fluttering closed, “I just want this to be over.”

“You’re so brave, momma,” he says with a little smile, replacing the cold rag with his hand instead. He runs it over your hair soothingly, repeating the action over and over, “And a fucking badass too. Not scared of anything.”

“Javi,”

“No no, it’s true,” his voice is usually enough to calm you.

“Javi, I’m terrified,” you confess and then immediately burst into more tears. You turn your head away to avoid his eyes from where you are lying down, feeling the tears run down over your cheek and into your hair, “I’m already exhausted. What if I can’t do it? And what if I’m hurting the baby? What if I’m going to be a shit mom?”

Javier is silent for just a moment, holding onto the bed’s railing and tapping it anxiously with his fingers. He opens his mouth to say something but then hesitates just as he is about to. 

“Say something so I know you don’t agree,” you sniffle, heart pounding in your chest.

“Agree?” Javier’s tone is a little more high-pitched than usual, but he clears his throat to bring it back down again, “Of course I don’t agree, amor. We’ll figure it out, yeah? The baby-thing? We always do, and you’ll be the best momma out there.” 

You dare to turn your head to face him again. He looks perfect; eyes soft, smiling down at you with an expression that tells you it’ll be okay. 

“And I’ll be right here until he’s here, ain’t gonna be one of them fainters now, am I?” He jokes, drumming slightly on the railing, “Not even if you break my wrist. I’ll even allow you to do that.”

“He?” You ask. He comes down to kiss you and then you watch him push himself back to stand upright, going to put a straw into your ice water and holding the cup up to your face. You take a sip.

“I don’t have hard proof right here, but I just know it’s gonna be a boy,” he looks a little embarrassed as he says it, but you just love him more. He sets down the cup again, takes your hand afterwards, “You can do this, and I’m not going anywhere.”

*

“Javier F. Peña! You! You did this to me! Fuck you!” You spit his name venomously as you endure yet another contraction, which has become more intense and frequent by now. You have been scooted to the edge of the bed, legs in the torture instruments they call leg supports.

Javier looks like someone who is about to turn on their heel to run off in the opposite direction of danger. He doesn’t though because as much as your eyes are wild, they are also full of tears. He stays by your side, holding your hand as you continue your scarily accurate impression of the girl from The Exorcist. 

“Alright,” your midwife says, “I think it’s time to push, contractions should become less intense but more frequent.”

“You think it’s time?” You yell loudly through a contraction. Javier says your name softly.

“I know it’s time,” she corrects herself, “You got this, mom. When you feel the next one, you give me what you got, alright? I’ll count down with you.”

You whimper as you nod, but at least you can see light at the end of the tunnel, and so you give it your everything and more until Javier is nearly brought to his knees from you squeezing his hand. 

“Fuck!” You swear through your teeth and throw yourself back into the mattress to catch your breath. Your hair is wet and your skin is glistening from sweat and tears, making you sob from the exhaustion that has completely overwhelmed your body. You shake your head rapidly as you pant, “I can’t do it. I can’t— I can’t do it, I’m sorry. I don’t want to. Please, I don’t want to.”

“We’re almost there, almost,” your midwife encourages, but you just feel naked and sweaty and tired. She keeps going, “Just a few more pushes, I promise.”

Javier kisses your damp hair as you cry, holding your hand tightly. When he draws back, he finds your eyes, “I’m right here, amor. Just a few more, hear that? C’mon now.”

“I can’t do it,” you sniffle but it just turns into more wreaking sobs.

“If anyone can, it’s you, baby, it’s you,” he presses another kiss to your hair, shifting his hand to entwine your fingers and gently squeezing, “One more push. Please. For me.”

“O-okay,” you hold his gaze, bottom lip nearly splitting in half as you bite down on it when another contraction starts.

“5, 4, 3, 2, 1…” Your midwife counts out loud.

It is in fact just one more push, and then you hear the cry of a newborn fill the room. Everything has been worth it, you decide in an instant, and whatever pain you’re experiencing is numbed by the insane amount of happy chemicals flooding your tired form. 

“It’s a boy,” the midwife says and through heavy eyes, you can see Javier tense up at the mention of the sex, “We got a name?”

“Lucas,” you and Javier say at the same time. 

It takes them a moment to wipe Lucas down and cut his umbilical cord, but when you feel the weight of his tiny body on your chest, you start crying all over. He cries in your arms, searching instinctively for food and you sniffle quietly as you admire your creation.

“Hello you,” you say weakly as he suddenly looks you in the eye, “Oh my God, look at him. I made him.”

Lucas Peña. Nothing but a mess of dark hair, tiny hands and feet, and somehow such a strong resemblance to his father despite being so new and frail. 

Javier is silent beside you, and you’ll never say it out loud, but you have forgotten he is there for just a moment. It’s only when he clears his throat that you realize how strained his voice is, cracking for just a split second as he tries talking.

“He’s perfect,” he sniffles, daring himself to reach out and run a knuckle down the infant’s back, breath hitching in his throat, “You did so fucking good, mi amor.” 

Lucas wiggles a little under Javier’s touch, small fingers moving in the real world for the first time. You force yourself to look up at your husband to see his reaction, but you’re scared you’ll miss the tiniest thing that your baby does.

“I love you,” you smile tiredly. Javier leans down to kiss you ever so gently and it’s like a permission, a promise that everything is under control of his unconditional love for the both of you.

You can feel your eyes starting to close at that despite knowing not everything is over just yet. You’ll take the chance of resting for just a few minutes. 

Besides you, Javier is trying his damn hardest to suppress a sob. He does manage, but only until he gets to hold his first- and newborn son against his chest for the first time.

.

.

If you would like to follow my writing then go follow @notjustjavierpena-fics and turn on notifications 💖❤️