#and then to have the only adult he placed that much faith in betray it??? oof

[koisuko]

ask, and you shall receive ♥ @engie-main

Tw: none, fluffy, slight spoilers, fem reader

What it would be like as the Lin Kuei's youngest sister

Being the youngest daughter, you were often treated like a baby, even if you were a full grown adult.

Your father, when he was alive, had very little faith in your abilities, nothing you did was enough to earn is approval. Even when you had developed magic, much like your brothers, his face showed no sign of pride.

You often clung onto Kuai Liang in particular, like your life depended on it, as he provided a safe environment to vent on your frustrations. He never disagreed or belittled you for your feelings, placing a reassuring hand on your back as you sobbed beside him in emotional turmoil from your father’s lack of care.

Surprisingly, despite how cold he is, Bi-han kept you close and under his wing. He secretly wished you would come to him instead of Kuai Liang, wanting so desperately to be close with his younger sister, even though emotions were jumbled for him as well. He often envied his brother’s ability to comfort you, wishing he had the emotional intelligence to calm your nerves.

When Tomas entered the picture, you were glued to his hip. Everyday you woke up to mess with your brothers together, training together, and even opting to share a bed most nights due to nightmares. You had someone to relate to the younger sibling status, and it felt refreshing.

On missions, Bi-han often made it a point to have you by his side at all times, checking on you if you were to separate as if you were delicate without his protection. In truth, it sometimes annoyed you in how overly protective he was, how he watched over you like a hawk especially after your parents died. You knew that he cared, in his own way, but it made you feel as if he didn’t believe in your ability to fend for yourself without him.

“Who harmed you?” He would ask, his voice dark and laced with internal rage when you would return with any injuries from your prior mission. He would be too busy searching for your attacker to tend to your wounds, instead Kuai Liang would take that place while Tomas provided support while you grimaced in pain.

Not to say they weren’t just as concerned, but they were much more collected than their older brother, and knew that nothing could stand in his way when his protective rage took over.

Don’t even get started on crushes or potential love interest, your older brothers were intimidating to everyone, scaring away any potential suitors from even glancing in your direction. When Johnny Cage decided to hit on you, Bi-han sent him a swift punch to the face, “stay away from him, he is beneath you.”

When Bi-han betrayed his family, his clan, you were distraught to say the least. You knew he had a lot of inner struggles, especially with the treatment of him from your father, but you never thought he would act this drastically. Hearing he was the actual aid in your father’s death was even more disturbing, you felt your stomach churn at the thought.

It was overwhelming, on one hand you could understand why Bi-han is the way he is, wanting to give in to his pleas to join him in the rebuilding of the Lin Kuei despite the obvious corruption. On the other, you knew he was wrong in everything he had planned, you knew he was throwing morality out the window in his search for power, and betrayed not only you but the entire idea of the clan. You were being tugged between your torn family, both sides gripping on to you as if to tip the balance.

It eventually proved too much, causing you to disappear and stay in hiding with Lord Liu Kang. He was the only one you knew and trusted outside of your brothers, he promised confidentiality and kept you away from the war between your brothers.

When you eventually did reveal yourself, you refused to join either clan. Instead remaining solo under the guidance of Liu Kang, still occasionally visiting Tomas and Kuai Liang over tea.

Your brothers remained completely understanding of your decision, thinking it best to keep you out of this. Even Bi-han left you be, he would never admit it, but you were the last person he ever wanted to harm, and not a night goes by where he does not wonder if you are safe from the never ending battle of brothers.

[persephryne]

Making Aegon a rapist was straight up bad and lazy writing.

Let me elaborate.

In the show, the first thing we learn about Aegon as an adult is that he is a rapist. We haven’t seen him yet but still we already know that he is an horrible despicable rapist, especially since Dyana is so young, which pretty much makes him a pedophile too. How could anyone root for a man like that ? And that’s where the problem begins.

Rhaenyra had already been established many times as the rightful heir to the throne in season 1. It has been made obvious that she would make a decent Queen too. In the meantime, it had already been shown that Aegon is not even a good person. He’s selfish, inconsiderate, a bully, and does not act like a prince at all. To put it plainly, he sucks big time and we as viewers already know it. Add what we saw in season 2, how reckless he gets, how he’s an alcoholic immature asshole, how he obviously knows nothing about strategics nor how to rule efficiently, or even how bad he is at high valyrian, and you can’t have anyone tell you in good faith that he would’ve been a better ruler than Rhaenyra.

However, had Aegon not been made a rapist, you would still feel for him even though he is not cut out to rule. Because he knows it too and tried to escape it and he was forced to attend his own coronation . Because this crown that he did not want does not fit him, even though he really tries to show that he is not as worthless as everyone seems to think and he just keeps failing. You would feel for him because the war ,that he has started when he was made an usurper by the people around him, has cost him his son’s life. Because the brother, who is partially responsible for his son’s death has now betrayed him and tried to kill him with dragonfire. Because the injuries he suffered make him look more and more like his father who never cared for him, never loved him and that he definitely hates. Which also probably why he tries so hard to make his mother proud of him and love him but he can’t and his main attempt has left him half-dead, half-burn. Not only that but his dragon, with whom he has the strongest bond known in Targaryen’s, history probably died during this futile attempt to prove himself. The only thing about his Targaryen’s heritage that he seems to care about has been destroyed all because he wanted to prove himself. Because he truly resents his Targaryen’s, his father’s heritage, it’s obvious, just as it is obvious that he didn’t want to marry his own sister but was forced to. It’s completely legitimate of him to want to distance himself as much as possible from everything that is Targaryen related. He is indeed more of an Hightower than a Targaryen, but can you really blame him for that ? Would you not try to fit somewhere else too, if you were in his place ? It’s all absolutely and undeniably tragic.

I wholeheartdely believe that, even if you would’ve root for Rheanyra to be Queen, you woud’ve probably still thought that Aegon, as bad as he is, did not deserves this much pain.

But because he is a rapist, well, he honestly does.

By not trusting the audience to see that Aegon is not a good person, nor a good a king, without having him comitting a literal crime, by making Aegon a rapist, the writers have annihilated any possibilities for an internal conflict regarding Aegon and Rhaenyra. The whole concept of « teams » just goes down the drain because of this lazy, manichaean, writing. And that, my friends, is bad writing at its peak.

[yorucean]

a conversation between the traveler and the bard

“Didn't they betray you? Why do you still love them?”

—about the Anemo Archon's love for his children, the people of Mondstadt.

Mondstadt has always been a peaceful place. For children just beginning to learn their alphabets, teenagers finding joy in the smallest things, young adults searching for the meaning of life, and weary souls who have weathered too many storms—be it locals, travelers, wandering merchants, or even the animals and creatures... The carefree breezes, carrying the scent of dandelions, will always find their way through your hair, breathing life and hope into you, wherever you go.

It is said that the gentle wind, the safe haven, and the freedom that seeps into the waters beneath the land were all gifts from the God of Freedom himself. Some call it a blessing—a manifestation of the love and affection that the Anemo Archon holds for his children.

He may not be the God of Love, as it is a title reserved for the Snezhnayan goddess, but his love for his children is enviable, and it is reflected in the way the people of Mondstadt reciprocated his love. Some say that the people's faith in their archons is the main source of their power—which then would mean that the Anemo Archon is exceptionally strong, given how much his people love and trust him. Not a single person in Mondstadt is irreligious, the popular phrase ‘may the Anemo Archon protect you’ that every Mondstadtian would sneak in every conversation and the grand statue specially sculpted for him in front of the Favonius Cathedral were clear giveaways to it.

Why?

Lord Barbatos' name was never associated with grand titles. In fact, little was known about him—especially to the outsiders—aside from being an absent archon ruling the City of Wine and Freedom. What were his goals? His ideals? How did he secure a seat among The Seven? Was he immensely powerful, like the Electro Archon who could cleave an entire island with a single strike? Or was he as influential as the renowned Rex Lapis during the Archon War?

No one ever truly knows.

Then why? A certain Traveler once pondered to themself.

What is so special about him, that his people's faith never shakes, even without his presence for such a long time?

The Anemo Archon was never one to talk about himself, nor would he answer if the Traveler ever asked. So, no matter how curious they were, these questions could only linger unanswered in their mind as they wandered through the nations.

At least, that was the case, until they found the answer on a random sunny afternoon.

“Didn't they betray your trust in the past? Why do you still love them, even after all the horrible things they did?”

The Traveler asked Venti as they sat beneath the great Windrise tree, watching the skies of Mondstadt gradually turn orange.

Venti simply smiled. A gentle breeze wove through the strands of his dark, aqua-tipped hair, as the warm sunlight cascaded over his skin. It was a sensitive question to anyone hearing, but there was no sign of displeasure on his face. Just like the wind, he was always calm, carefree and serene. Not a single person had ever seen the playfulness leaving his eyes, never, except in the presence of those who posed threat to his children.

“My dear Traveler,” Venti purred, his voice akin to the sounds of birds singing in the woods. “Children are bound to make mistakes. Stumbling across a rock, tripping over their feet, scraping their skin... It's all part of growing, isn't it?”

“It would be too cruel to deny them, mere humans who struggle to find their paths yet still find joy in the smallest things, the chance to learn and grow from their mistakes.”

There was a comforting silence as Venti's hand reached for a fallen leaf on the ground, turning it gently in his fingers. The leaf was vibrant green, still holding onto the life it once had when it was part of the tree.

“Look at this leaf,” he said, his voice gentle and thoughtful. “It once clung tightly to the branch, part of something greater. But now, it has fallen, carried by the wind to new places.”

He held the leaf up to the light, its delicate veins illuminated by the setting sun. “Just like this leaf, my children sometimes fall and drift away. They may lose their way, make mistakes, and face hardships. But even as they fall, they are never truly lost,” Venti said, a twinkle in his eyes. “Because the wind will be there to support the leaf, just like how I support my children. I lift them up and help them find their path again.”

He then released the leaf, watching as it floated away on the breeze. “Every leaf, every child, has its own story, its own purpose. And just as the wind carries the leaf to new places, so too does my love carry my children, helping them to grow and flourish, no matter where they land.”

The wind felt exceptionally warm that day, as they watched the leaf drift away, fading into the twilight.

Somehow, the Traveler understood the reason why the Anemo Archon was so loved.

After all, those titles were never necessary.

Venti may be absent, and most, if not all, of his children have never seen him in person, but no one ever doubts his presence. They feel his love in every whisper of the wind, every rustle of the leaves, and every joyful song sung by the bards. He is there, always watching over them, lending his hand to those in need of his blessing, while allowing them to find the meaning of life on their own.

Just like the wind, ever-present and unchanging.

“For in the heart of every gentle breeze lies the boundless love of a guardian watching over his children, guiding them toward their own destinies.”

***

in honor of venti's birthday. may (or may not) upload a longer version on ao3, work is still in progress.

i hope you enjoy it!

[somereaderinblue]

Gotham's New Stray

Gotham Menagerie Menace AU: 1 | 2

-Lila swore off the ‘sausage tails’ hairstyle but by god she’s breaking that vow if only so she could use them to strangle Marinette.

-The past month has been an absolute shitshow circus.  Somehow, LB managed to defeat Hawkmoth who turned out to be Gabriel (jfc, just when she thought the asshat couldn’t sink lower) but *gasp* CN has betrayed her! Worse, Adrien is gone!

-So far, no one, not even LB herself, specified what ‘gone’ meant. Was he missing? Was he dead?? Nobody knows and it’s killing them.

-Poor Marinette is naturally heartbroken & worried sick and oh, it’s so romantic how she’s holding onto hope. Just look at the shrine she made for Adrien!

-(Lila will bet her entire Venetian Mask collection that she isn’t the only one who wants to burn the embodiment of a stalker’s delusions & entitlement to the ground.)

-Chloe was throwing money at PIs but with the Hawkmoth revelation, Andre wanted nothing to do with Gabriel, much less his son.

-Felix doesn’t believe he’s dead. Call it stubbornness, call it desperation, call it faith: Adrien was tenacious long before he got the miraculous with an animal said to have 9 lives.

-More importantly, Adrien would Cataclysm himself before betraying Paris (yes, he & the others know bcz secret IDs are bloody overrated).

-Lila, Chloe, Zoe, Nino, Nath, Marc, Felix & Luka are determined to get to the bottom of this but where do they start?

-Their first lead comes in the form of Nathalie.

-Nathalie, who tells them the instructions she gave Adrien; who also shows them the peacock & butterfly miraculous.

-When Adrien Cataclysmed his sperm donor (damn it, all of them would’ve paid to see that), Nooroo barely hid inside his miraculous in time to avoid damage. Luckily, his dormant state made it easier for Nathalie to snatch him & Duusu before LB could.

-Although very suspicious, they begrudgingly accept her help. An adult would make a better scapegoat cover anyway.

-While the others prepare to leave, Felix reaches out to his Gotham pen pal.

F: I’m coming to Gotham. D: And others say my humor is lackluster. F: I’m not kidding. D: And I’m not laughing. D: You’re also not the type to do something without reason. F: Damn right I’m not. I need your help.

-Before leaving, Nathalie tells them one last thing: she’ll hold onto the peacock (she’ll be damned if she lets another kid suffer for her mistakes), but someone has to wield the butterfly. It’s not combat-orientated but being able to empower someone in a place like Gotham? A boon they can’t waste.

Nathalie: Which one of you will accept this responsibility? Chloe: .....just to clarify, Hawkbitch was wearing that like, 24/7? Nathalie: Yes. Chloe: I love Adrien but ew, no, not it. Others: Not it! Nathaniel: Not- damn it! Lila: Twas fate.

-They could’ve sworn they saw Nathalie smile.

Meanwhile in Gotham.......

-Adrien was adapting.

-He’s found a decent building to stay in (Gotham was full of abandoned buildings), got a job at a hole-in-the-wall café & even better, the city was a fresh start for his alter ego!

-Rather than mope around, he’s more determined than ever to continue being a hero. His dad being a villain means he has more to atone for & Gotham may be a slaughterhouse but she never dictated who could play savior.

-He’s established a routine. Whenever he doesn’t have to work at the café/ run errands, he’s prowling around as Stray. He wanders around, helping wherever & whenever needed; saving a stray cat from cruel assholes with nothing better to do, stopping a mugger, befriending other kids who have it rough, he goes where there's trouble which happens to be everywhere.

-(Lots of crime means lots of work that requires lots of focus! Lots of focus means lots of time & less to be spent lingering on many repressed issues/traumas waiting to bite his ass.)

-He becomes a bit of an urban legend. Slowly but surely, he’s welcomed into the community. It’s imperfect & dirty but the slot he’s carving for himself fits him so much better than Paris’s ever did.

-Back home (...? Dare he call it that?), he’s trying his best to take care of all the kwamis. Each were unique & there was never a moment’s peace but Adrien loved them. These tiny gods gave him companionship & guidance despite what his father’s done to one of their kin. 

-They try to teach him everything Fu didn’t & he’s lenient with them. His territory has more paraphernalia for their interests than his. When Adrien’s gone, they use fractions of their powers to chase away any would-be-robbers, giving Adrien’s building the ‘haunted’ status.

-Whenever someone he saves offers compensation, Stray usually asks for some food to feed himself & the kwamis.

-(They probably don’t mind giving food bcz there’s the saying abt feeding strays. But hey, him hanging around means extra protection. It’s a fair price to pay.)

-One night, while feeding a bunch of strays, he gets a visitor.

-Catwoman (he's totally not fanboying, he is.)

-Stray is surprised & a bit scared bcz shit, what if he’s done something wrong? Was he trespassing? Was he unintentionally mistreating the strays?!?!

-Catwoman was simply curious. She heard rumors of a ‘Stray’ lingering around the Narrows. She half-expected the mini menace to be some hotshot punk in over his head but-

-She knows.

-She knows how to spot the signs of abuse with a certainty as familiar as it is painful. She’s seen them all: abused animals, abused women, abused children, abused partners.

-The kit covered it with puns, cockiness & charisma but he wasn’t fooling her.

-It wasn’t just the matching theme. They clicked & before he knew it, they were sitting together on rooftops every night to feed & pamper the strays. Some nights, they sat in companionable silence; others they gossiped & bantered each other into a friendly spar.

-Maybe it was the loneliness & lack of human companionship but Stray found himself looking forward to their nightly hang outs.

-Selina knew it wasn’t her place to take him in like Batman would've; but she tried to teach him some tips before the city’s cruelty could. The first time he appears with a cut on his cheek & a split lip, she doesn’t hesitate to treat his wounds.

-Stray wouldn’t call her a maternal figure (she's neither Emilie nor Nathalie), but he comes to view her as a reliable cool older sister/aunt figure. She was nothing like LB. They were parallel lines: heading in the same direction but never intersecting.

-He’s glad that he’s made a friend.

.

.

.

-But some nights, when he thinks the kwamis are asleep, all of them can hear him cry for the friends & lover he never got to bid goodbye to.

To be continued

[cherubchoirs]

made this a while ago but i basically somes up my feelings about the p5 whenever i replay

like yaldy may come out of nowhere but so does the p4 final boss, doesn't change the fact that i feel like the weight of the world in on my shoulders when im fighting them ! also they built up the final floor like so much that was morgana's like end goal! where we see all those 'people' getting on those trains go

i may have know it was yaldy but i def got the feeling that like something was down there

signed persona 5 propaganda

SO AGREE that p5 is a great game and all of the talk around it being bad is just overanalyzing it to death due to how long it’s been out by now. i do believe that p5 absolutely has bad or even terrible points and it's got plenty to criticize, but the way people talk about it makes it seem like it's absolute garbage and i think that's just the effect of it being so highly popular and atlus marketing it so strongly for years. i can understand being fatigued and i totally agree with a lot of the good faith criticisms, but it's not a trash game. it's like. really really good imo.

BUT i gotta come in being the yaldabaoth fan i am and mention once again that the critique of "he came out of nowhere" is wrong. igor is present throughout the game, his confidant is built like all of the others BUT he is largely ignored by the player due to how he's integrated into the game. his inclusion is insidious and it's very fitting of the character he's revealed to be - he's a background element, a game mechanic, never thought of and never questioned much like the role of society itself in the creation of palace rulers. criminals get all of the attention, they are thought of as an individual problem, but society is responsible for them. ADDITIONALLY yaldabaoth is akira's "trusted" adult - he guides him and personally becomes close with him only to betray him at the end of the game. like all the other thieves, akira gets his personal palace in mementos (shido, to me, is far more goro's aborted palace rather than akira's) and the ruler he must face is yaldabaoth, the one he placed his faith in his entire journey. and like. how neat is it that in a game all about the evils of authority, the magical guide in like every rpg turns out to be the ultimate evil??? plus just in terms of escalation, where do we go after fighting the prime minister? god. we go to god. and again, with themes centering on power and authority, the god of control is pretty much the apex of those two qualities. yaldabaoth as a proxy for society makes total sense for the endgame imo

[chidoroki]

182 Days of TPN - Day 12

Chapter 12: “Traitor, Part 2”

We don’t see the inside of the other farms much, or at all even, so I always forget that the “older girls assisting with the babies” thing was something Isabella came up with. I do find it humorous that she has more faith in giving Emma a mom position over Krone. It’ll help improve Isabella’s status as a reliable caretaker who continues to raise valuable merchandise, sure, but also.. favoritism.

Now, I’m gonna imagine a scenario for a second: if Gilda learned the truth about the farm from Krone right here and now and not from Emma after she just put her trust in the trio to help with the escape plan, it would definitely hurt in more ways than one. Not only would it create a strife between her and Emma, thus jeopardizing aspects of the plan (& their friendship too), but hearing the secret would most likely cause Gilda to freak out and show weakness in front of Krone, which is something we don’t want, as Krone was looking to take advantage over Gilda and use her for her own schemes.

This is a reason why I think Ray’s concerns last chapter about how they told Don & Gilda a twisted truth instead of the real secret were valid. Yeah the fake story they told her & Don still frightens her and the possibility of a spy present was the main reason behind the white lie in the first place, so said spy wouldn’t reveal the whole plan to Krone and/or Isabella, but y’all should’ve just put more trust in your siblings I guess. Emma regrets not doing so in the upcoming chapters but still, Norman knew who the traitor was at that point so I will say the lie was a bit extreme. It also creates unnecessary problems later that could’ve easily been avoided if they told the truth.

Nonetheless, big props to Gilda for the quick thinking and forcing Krone to back off. Quite an accomplishment to stand up to any adult in this series and come away unharmed.

90% sure I mentioned Norman fooling Krone with the many slipper footprints in his bday praise post but I’m too lazy at the moment to go back and check.

Oh, I have words about the brief conversation he has with Emma before he calls Ray out on being the traitor, but I’ll save that for next chapter. Just know that it was this moment in the anime that had me so very close to jumping into the manga because I didn’t wanna believe my favorite boy was betraying us.

Favorite panel/moment:

Kirby-faced child! Kirby-faced child!

[casspurrjoybell-17]

Hart and Hunter - Chapter 39 - Part 3

*Warning Adult Content*

Julian Hart

Rhiannon looks up and addresses the other Fae in a slow, rough whisper.

"You are guilty of treason, then. But if you help us, I shall vouch for you. I cannot promise the Council's forgiveness but you shall have mine."

She strokes Halloran's sweat-dampened brow.

"As do you, my brother."

The Fae exchange glances again and Alyth, who seems to be the leader now, speaks once more.

"We will help. As a sign of good faith, we place ourselves in your hands."

Unstringing her bow, she hands it to Dane.

The other Fae does the same, passing her weapon to Freya.

"We are at your command."

Rhiannon nods.

"Tend to your wounded. Then free the children and wake them."

She tosses the pouch of smelly herbs to Alyth and turns her attention to her brother once more.

"The curse is broken, then?" I ask, coming to kneel at Halloran's other side.

Rhiannon glances up at me and nods.

"Yes. If I needed any more proof that it was Darragh who betrayed me, I have it now. With his death, my voice is my own again, though it comes at a great cost."

"You've... lost so much, already," Halloran gasps.

Blood trickles from the corner of his mouth in a steady stream and his face is colorless.

"I couldn't let him... hurt you any more. If only I'd... known sooner..."

"Shh," Rhiannon smooths the hair away from his brow.

"You are forgiven, brother. Darragh fooled many with his lies, myself among them. You did not know."

Halloran's gaze shifts to me.

"Julian... I'm sorry. I should have told you everything... from the beginning. None of this would have..." he chokes and coughs, blood flecking his lips.

I grimace at the two arrows protruding from his chest.

"Try not to talk," I say.

"We'll get you help. We'll get you to Faerie and you'll heal, just like I did."

He coughs and smiles weakly.

"I'm afraid... there isn't time for that. Even if I... could make it out of here... the standing stones..."

"But we're right under them," I say, looking to Rhiannon.

"You know how to open the doorway, don't you?"

"Yes but not from here," she says as tears fill her luminous eyes.

"The Shadow, Fae and human Realms are close but only through the human realm of Earth can we pass between them. We must return to your world first and from thence into Faerie."

"But Darragh's plan..."

"Was to tear a hole... in the fabric of reality," Halloran interrupts, grasping my hand.

His voice is thin and almost soundless and he struggles to draw breath between words.

"Julian, it's all right. I've... lived more years than you know. More... than I've deserved. I only wish... I had more time to know you. I would have liked... to see where fate leads you... someday."

"You still can," I say, refusing to give up.

I twist to look at Freya and Dane.

They're busy tending to Danni and Ingrid but Freya catches my eye and comes over to examine Halloran and I move aside to give her room.

"There must be something we can do."

She barely glances at his wounds before she shakes her head.

"Fae shafts fly true. I doubt even Fae magic would save him. Best say your farewells while you can."

Touching her hand to her forehead, lips,and heart, she bows her head.

"May the Moon Goddess bless your journey, friend," she says,and rises to her feet.

I take her place once more, my heart constricting around a growing seed of grief.

I barely got a chance to know the man, barely trusted him but he's the closest link to my father I have, besides Rhiannon... part of a family I never knew I had... and now I've got to say goodbye.

"It's alright, Julian," Halloran whispers, reading my thoughts and squeezing my hand weakly.

"I've only... one request."

I nod.

"Anything in my power, I'll do."

His gaze shifts to Rhiannon.

"I'd... like to go home," he breathes, his words so faint I read them on his lips more than I hear them.

"Please. Take me home."

Rhiannon nods, tears slipping down her cheeks as she leans to kiss his brow.

"You have my word, brother. You shall lie upon the highest tor, beneath the widest sky, above a wild sea and when the bright sun sets, the silver stars of Faerie will grace your resting place with their light."

His breath catches and his gaze grows unfocused, as if he sees the vision she has painted for him with her long-lost words.

"Sleep now, dear brother," she whispers.

"I know that you are not to blame. You are forgiven and you have my love."

"Rhiannon..." his gaze fixes on something only he can see and then, with a last, soft exhalation, he is still.

She shuts his eyes, folds his hands upon his breast and bending, kisses his brow.

A hand on my shoulder startles me and I look up to see Dane at my side.

Gently, he helps me to my feet.

"Are you okay?" he asks, holding my shoulders to study me.

I shake my head and wipe my eyes.

"No. Not really."

"Me either," he says and folds me in his arms.

I let myself rest against his chest for a moment, listening to the calming beat of his heart, until with a steadying breath, I pull away once more.

"What now?" I ask, glancing around.

Erickson sits with Savannah in his arms.

She appears sleepy and confused but oddly calm.

I understand why as I watch the other Fae freeing the remaining children.

They speak to them softly in the Fae tongue, charming them into a dreamlike state to keep them from becoming frightened or upset.

"What will happen to them?" Rhiannon answers me, wiping her eyes as she rises and joins us.

She'd snapped the arrows off and lain them at Halloran's side, folding his hands upon his breast.

"We will bring them to Faerie," she says.

"They are already too out of time for your world. There are many childless Fae who will be happy to raise them as their own."

"How will we get them back through the caverns?" I ask.

Rhiannon shakes her head.

"We will enchant them and I will guide the way."

Exhaustion weights my limbs like lead and grief weighs my heart as heavily but relief lightens the load a little.

It doesn't feel as if we've won but at least it's over.

I risk a glance at Halloran's body, mindful of his final wish.

"Alright," I say, leaning against Dane's side.

"Let's get out of here. Let's go home."

[akkivee]

aaaaaaaaaaaand bam!!!!!!! here it is the final day!!!!!!!!!!! day 18!!!!!!!!! it’s time to break the wall y’all and wrap this up!!!! can you feel it??? i can feel it!!!!

First impressions: me: *looking at the newsletter from a jp anime goods site*

me: *sees ichiro for the very first time unknowing that this was the start* oh that’s a cute piece of merch!!!!! who’s the guy on it i wonder???? 😲

Current impressions: does ichiro know that i would kill for him. it is important for me to know that ichiro knows i will do anything for him—

man, ichiro randomly popped into my life when i needed him the most; i was really tired from the the previous couple of fandoms i’d been in, looking for a new one unconsciously when he showed up in my email, hugging a cd and utterly adorable with his big heterochromatic eyes. i wish i had a pic of the merch on hand ‘cause it was love at first sight man 💕 and he continues to be an utter delight to know!!!!! he’s the 19 entrepreneur that everyone would be writing about due to his jaded past and how successful he’s gotten all due his hard work!!!!!!!!!! i definitely understand jiro and saburo’s hero worship over him!!!!

Favorite thing:

he’s just a really cool dude man. he’s incredibly levelheaded with an equal amount of brain smarts and street smarts. but that levelheadedness is something he’s working hard to maintain. his personality is closer to samatoki’s and he knows this and wants to be better than the man who let him down and to be a good role model for his brothers with it. he’s an head full thoughts many kinda character and it shows in pretty much everything he does

Least favorite:

his seiyuu is kinda wack lol sometimes it feels like ichiro is one of those bland characters that doesn’t do anything and the surrounding characters are all totes more interesting yet are, for some reason, super into this bland character. thank god this statement is a total disservice to ichiro’s character because he’s incredibly interesting, it’s just ichiro is currently in an ‘after story’ kind of arc in his life where everything is good (for now.) it just sometimes feels like he’s being left behind in the story 😕

What i want to see from this character:

what don’t i want to see??????????????? how is he going to react seeing his father again and on the same team as his old teammate, sasara??????????? does he really know he’s been alive all this time???????? if he has, how is he going to deal with how betrayed his brothers may feel????????????? apparently he and samatoki can make up now since he knows nemu is ‘missing’ and samatoki knows that ichiro has nothing to do with her leaving him but will it really be that easy????????? will he and kuukou make up and be aikata back at again, like how is he going to react seeing kuukou again?????????

Favorite moments:

hhhhhhhhhhhh okay i’m going all in.

it’s not really a favorite moment but something that strikes me as a hindsight is 20/20 kinda thing, but ichiro fully intended to leave his little brothers out of his team and the rap battles. in the very first buster bros drama track, he gave them an assignment each, fully expecting them to fail. it comes as a surprise to him that they got it done and done so well. now, he’s been fully supportive of having his brothers be his team but it’s terribly ironic for him to get so offended when anyone insults his brothers abilities when he was the first to have doubted them.

and say ichiro has known their father’s been alive all this time. rei honestly might as well had been good as dead to them with how absent he’s been in their lives. granted, it’s definitely not something that comes up in casual conversation but with jiro and saburo having to confront ichiro pretty much twice in the course of helter skelter, it really looks like ichiro just doesn’t have faith in his brothers to outsiders and that could really blow up on him man

in our treasure trove of character tidbits called arb, when you have ichiro set as your my room mascot, he comments on his brothers who seemed to have stepped out and it’s something along the lines of:

“where is jiro? i hope he’s not getting involved with any weird people....” and “where did saburo go?? ......well, if it’s him, i think he’ll be alright.”

and if this isn’t the best example of how ichiro feels about his brothers individually lol. i’m sure ichiro is worried jiro’s trying to copy him too much and sees saburo doing things he was never capable of at his age as an inspiration but it’s interesting food for thought

and then in the stage play (*crowd boos*) has some of the best ichiro moments but i’m just going to say ichiro yelling at his brothers for being too loud with their musical number when he was the loudest one on the stage was really fcking funny 🤣

Headcanon:

i’m pretty sure this is canon at this point but ichiro is a clingy mf like once he’s decided you’re one of his peoples, then you are one of his peoples. you see it with how much of a brocon he is, you see it in the stage play when his long lost childhood friend, kazu, rolls into town and refuses to believe that kazu may be trouble, and you see it with ichiro naming his team buster(s) bros after his old team with kuukou who he still thinks about and considers a friend. (and might i add, was willing to change everything about himself in order to keep kuukou by his side and he’s the only person we see ichiro seriously crying over save for when he thought his brothers were dead after he lost the showdown battle with samatoki)

Ships:

ICHIKUU FOR LIFE!!!!!!!! ICHIKUU SUPREMACY MUST BE REINSTATED!!!!!!!!! like bro how do you have two different types of protagonists mesh as well as they do like they’re both loners with a huge amount of power but where kuukou is kinda nuts ichiro is kinda cool. kuukou is definitely ichiro’s sun but kuukou’s the one who puts himself into ichiro’s orbit like if their relationship turns out to be where if ichiro is struggling or if he’s calling and kuukou comes running, i will actually perish!!!! and then they’re both weebs!!!!! i really wanna know how this current ichiro, who’s a lot happier and not emo, and kuukou are going to mesh!!!!

lol and then ichidice is kinda cute and so is poly 19 year olds, ichiro/nemu/kuukou!! and of courses, i am heavily invested in however his and samatoki’s relationship is going to pan out

links to: jiro | saburo | samatoki | juto | rio | ramuda | gentaro | dice | jakurai | hifumi | doppo | kuukou | jyushi | hitoya | sasara | rosho | rei

[sepublic]

This flashback and its worldbuilding history really messed me up. As Darius implied in Any Sport in a Storm, for all its faults, the Emperor’s Coven wasn’t always like this. People weren’t like this! Belos started off as reasonable, as any dictator does; And then gradually slid everyone down the slippery slope into a full-on cult that persecutes freely and treats isolation and conflict with peers as totally normal things!

The covenscouts used to be relatively chill people. They encouraged and taught trust exercises, teamwork and collaboration. One actually feels free enough to speak up against Terra’s child endangerment as being illegal. Hunter says covenscouts have to cut all outside ties, yet we see how this one covenscout waves to and apparently recognizes someone from outside the coven, and vice-versa! And when Terra declares that nobody gets a ribbon, we even see a few covenscouts look upset about this, maybe even express disapproval; They once had the freedom to object!

If the Golden Guard of this time period shared and embodied those ideals, it adds to Darius’ motives. He saw firsthand how the coven wasn’t always that bad and used to be reasonable, and then personally witnessed its downwards decline into cult behavior and fascism. And it stands to reason that the Golden Guard may have been phased out because he was reasonable, he represented this kinder age and so had to go, be replaced with Hunter later down the line.

It just really messes me up. These people used to be normal, reasonable; We see multiple adults don’t have coven-bindings, they probably weren’t a mandatory thing back then, hence Gwen not being in a coven at this point in time! But people like Belos and Terra, they start instituting their little changes, one at a time; When they brush up against the rules of society, they opt to change these rules, one by one, now that they’re in the power to do so.

It’s honestly eerie. I expected to see Bonesborough looking nicer in this flashback, to show how it was physically ruined by the coven; But it’s so much more than that. We see how the isles was socially corrupted by Belos, how kids back then can remember that; But Belos controls history, so people don’t realize it wasn’t always like this and doesn’t have to be.

It’s like seeing a country before a regime as peaceful and chill, knowing it becomes a dictatorship, seeing the early warning signs here or there that we know eventually spiral into the oppressive norm... Because that’s exactly what it is. Like Germany before the Nazis, the Middle East before colonization, North Korea before the regime... It’s uncanny and unnerving. This place, the people used to be nice... And then look what happened, because some fascist said this wasn’t good enough, actually! It’s eerie, the calm before the storm we’ve already seen; The dissonance of people not realizing what’s about to happen, what IS happening. They’re DOOMED and walking right into it!

And it just adds to Darius’ motivation. This dude is defending his home; He trusted and invested in this coven to make things stable, and was personally betrayed when he realized how Belos corrupted the isles. This is a man who joined the coven, believing he was helping his home, only to realize he was lied to and used to destroy it; Darius offered good faith and Belos threw it aside and spat in his face.

And the same goes for Raine; They probably figured this out well before Darius, and/or at least chose to do something about it before him. The older generation is important, because they remember what it was like, and that’s why people like Belos seek to silence them. And all of this just leads to a righteous rage and vengeance by those who remember and can grieve, remember what they lost. Darius, Raine, Eberwolf, and as the name implies, the Golden Guard, wanted to defend their home; And Belos tricked them into destroying it instead.

[randomwriteronline]

why is majora's mask a game about love?

Because every waking moment is devoted to the inevitability of death, and in the face of that inevitability the most pressing thought on many characters' mind is love.

The first example to come to mind is likely Anju and Kafei, who spend the last three days before their impossible wedding fretting to make so that everything is ready for it; maybe it will remind other pairs too - Madame Aroma and mayor Dutour, Honey and Darling, the Deku Scrub in Clock Town who wants a Moon Tear for his wife. The seahorses. The implied romance of Lulu and Mikau.

But I would argue that more than romance it's a game about platonic love first and foremost.

It fits with Link being a child, with him noting (after receiving Anju's letter for Kafei) that he doesn't understand all this grown up stuff, but someday he might. It fits with there being no love interests and it fits with all the examples of platonic love we are shown over and over.

You have the love of a parent for their child. You have Madame Aroma sending you to find her missing son with a mask of his likeness, the Deku King so heartbroken by the disappearance of his daughter that he can't even think straight, the Goron Elder distraught at the news of his child desperately calling for him, Lulu falling into despair after her newborn children are stolen and Mikau giving his life to save them; you have Anju's grandmother and the Deku butler who see their lost sons in every boy they meet. You have Anju's mother, whose love makes her distrust in Kafei and Cremia because they remind her of something that hurt her and that she doesn't want to hurt her daughter - you have Tingle's father, who is ashamed of his son yet cares for him all the same.

You have the opposite too, children's love for their parents: the bomb shop owner, as punkish as he may appear, worried sick for his mother walking around alone at night with valuable good that could get her attacked, and Pamela, who keeps the Gibdos at bay and her half transformed father safe and calm as best as she can.

You have the love between siblings. Between Koume and Kotake, one immediately urging you to help the other as soon as she hears she's in danger. Between the Gorman brothers, who are awful and conniving and still get tears in their eyes seeing the ringmaster's mask because miss their last triplet so much. Between Romani and Cremia, who makes her an adult right before the end of the world so her little sister too can feel fulfilled. (Maybe so that she can have her drunk and unconcious, so she won't feel anything.) Between Sharp and Flat, who even when betrayed and locked in his own grave worked on a melody that would free his brother's soul from the deal he had struck. Between Tatl and Tael - the reason why she teams up with Link in the first place being so that she can get reunited with her more timid brother for whom she worries.

You have the love for a people, a nation, so to speak. Darmani, dying to stop the winter that so threatens his tribe, and captain Viscen, who only wants the townsfolk to evacuate to safety while he himself will very likely have to remain directly beneath the moon.

You have the love for things that might not love back. The astrologist is infatuated with the Moon; the rooster man of Romani Ranch laments only that his dear chickadees won't ever be roosters; the twin dancers and twin jugglers love their jobs, but can get frustrated by them. The barkeep loves you, his favorite costumer who decided to spend their collective last hours with him. Mutoh and the councilmen love their town and remain in the face of imminent destruction. Gorman loves a song sung by a voice he will never hear again and a home he has forever left behind,

Unhappy kinds of loves are the swordsman's excessive faith in himself (which backfires and leaves him terrified in the end) and the postman's devotion to the mail and schedule (which traps him). Maybe even Kamaro's love for his art, which he laments having no one to pass on to.

You have the love for friends, which drives the story - without which there would not be a story.

Because it's Link's love for Navi regardless of the player's opinion of her that sends him on the quest that has him ending up in the Lost Woods, and it's his love for Epona that has him chase down into the hollow tree stump that ends up in his new adventure.

It's the love that Skull Kid feels towards the Giants, and that he feels has been betrayed by the Giants, by their leave and their banishment of him from Termina, that leads to the stagnating sadness and resentment that has him so vulnerable to Majora's influence.

It's Tael's love for Skull Kid that cues him in on how something is not right with him, and it's the Giants' love for Skull Kid that makes them implore Link to save him, and that they repeat for their friend to hear, to know now and forever.

It's love that Ikana lacked - the trust, the camraderie that comes with it - and that led to its downfall. It's love that Majora doesn't seem to recognize or entertain or care for. It's love that the Fierce Deity, as a personification of Termina's collective memory, embodies and unleashes so absolutely violently against its absence and the looming threat of eveything coming to an end.

It's the love that makes up, at least in part, the happiness the Happy Mask Salesman comments Link has brought to the people.

And all of these loves, it's important to note, fail.

They are all fated to fail.

Mostly, by no fault of their own.

After all, if an entire Moon is falling a hug can't do much.

Sometimes you're not strong enough, lucky enough. Sometimes you just feel too much and that keeps you from being able to think or act. Sometimes good intentions lead to bad decisions. Sometimes you're just faced with something you cannot fight back against and win, if you can fight back at all.

Love is powerless against death and forgetfulness.

But that doesn't mean that you can't feel it. That doesn't mean that, when faced with inevitable death, you shouldn't feel it. That doesn't mean that, on the last moment to feel it, you shouldn't allow yourself to feel it.

All over the Apocalypse, people look up at Thanatos inching closer in the sky and run to their loved ones to hold them tight, shield them, let them know of an affection that will have no other time to be told.

Majora's Mask is a game about love.

[messers-moony]

Secrets | R.L

Paring: Remus Lupin X Wife!Reader

Summary: Y/n withholds her past from the Order of the Phoenix but it all comes loose after one eavesdropped conversation with Sirius.

Standing in the kitchen of Grimmauld Twelve after cleaning up dinner was always a fun experience. The Aurors finally allowed themselves to relax, even if it was just for a moment. Everyone could feel the amount of ease in the room, including the children. Harry Potter always remained grateful for these moments to relax. But he was never far from the woman who raised him, Y/n Lupin.

Remus was having an animated conversation with Sirius, Nymphadora, and Mad-Eye. Meanwhile, Molly, Arthur, Y/n, and the kids all spoke together, just joking around. Y/n couldn’t believe that Harry was fifteen. It felt like yesterday when he had gotten spit up all over her shirt while she tried to feed him. It was astonishing to watch Harry grow into the man Lily and James always wanted.

“ Professor Lupin! “ The Weasley twins called in symphony making both Lupins turn their way, “ The female Professor Lupin. “ Fred specified, and Remus chuckled.

The twins pulled her away into a secluded corner, “ Did you get them? “ George queried, and Y/n scoffed, “ Of course, I did. What do you take me for? A liar? “

“ Absolutely not! “ Fred replied, “ They’re all in your room. Make good work of those fireworks. “ Y/n whispered, and both boys were jumping with joy.

They bowed, “ Only for you, Professor. “

Both boys ran off to presumably go and check their new items. Y/n chuckled at their antics when arms wrapped around her waist. A chin was rested on her right shoulder, and the scratch of scruff tickled her jaw. Caramel-brown hair fading and flecked with grey obscured part of her vision. Two hands were rested on her waist—the left hand adoring a very familiar ring.

“ What have you given those mischievous boys? “ Remus asked, “ Nothing. I’m not quite sure what you’re on about? “ Y/n answered, turning to face her husband.

His eyebrow quirked, “ Okay, I made a trip to a particular store. I got them some fireworks. “ Y/n informed, “ Fireworks? “ Remus questioned.

“ They’re magical fireworks. “ Y/n stated, “ The boys like to experiment, so I let them have their fun. “

“ And that’s why you refuse to give them detention. “ Remus rolled his eyes, “ I do give them detention! “ Y/n exclaimed, pouting slightly.

“ I lecture them about all the things they did wrong. “ Y/n added before Remus could speak, “ And then I tell them how to do it better. “ She mumbled.

Her husband laughed, “ Oh, there's the marauder in you, my dear. “

There was a prominent silence between them before Remus spoke up again, “ Have you told Harry about your former last name? “

“ No, I haven’t. “ Y/n swallowed, “ He doesn’t need to know. “

“ I think he’d like to know. “ Remus replied as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, “ I think he’d like to hear all the stories about your twin brother. “

She shook her head, “ Sirius can tell him. “

“ Sirius can’t tell him everything, love. “ Remus informed sweetly, “ Only you knew James Potter since he was born. “

“ I know, I just- it’s hard. “ Y/n bit her lower lip, “ I know, darling. “ Remus responded as he pulled her lower lip from her teeth with his thumb, gently.

They stared at each other for a moment before someone interrupted, “ Y/n, I think you should talk to Sirius. “ Molly informed, and she furrowed her eyebrows, “ He showed Harry the Black Family tree. “

Molly left, and Y/n kissed her husband on the cheek, “ Talk about this later. “ Y/n whispered, leaving him.

She walked around the house. Sirius was standing in the doorway, about to close the black wooden door. Y/n only stood a couple of feet away, but he was hesitant. He didn’t want to shut the door just yet. So much history laid on the wallpaper of the room. So many awful memories. Y/n laid a hand on his shoulder gently.

“ Come on. “ Y/n beckoned as she pulled him into the room, and he shut the door behind them, “ Colloportus. “ She muttered, locking the door.

Sirius stood in front of Regulus’s name, “ Go on, speak. “ Y/n said, and Sirius sighed.

“ It was hard. Losing him, I mean. Even though we didn’t have the greatest relationship, it still felt like I should’ve been there. I should’ve protected him. He was my little brother, for Merlin’s sake. “ Sirius ranted, “ Maybe if I stayed. Maybe if I took him with me that night, this would’ve never happened.

“ Losing a brother is hard. “ Y/n began, “ It’s a pain I wouldn’t wish upon anyone, but people die. People come and go. Truth be told, there isn’t much you can do about it. “

“ My brother wouldn’t have wanted me to live my life suffering. That’s why I married Remus even if he wasn’t by my side. Even if he wasn’t the one walking me down the aisle like he promised. “ Y/n continued, and tears streamed down Sirius’ face, “ Harry still doesn’t know. “

Sirius turned faster than a threatened spider, “ What? Haven’t you told him? “

“ No. He doesn’t know. I’m Y/n Lupin to him and everyone else aside from the adults. “ She shook her head, “ To be fair, it feels nice. “

“ Call me daft, but it feels nice not to be Pity Potter anymore. It feels nice to be Professor Lupin. “ Y/n shrugged, “ You raised him, and you lied to him. “ Sirius retorted.

“ I’m not lying to him; I’m just not telling him the entire truth. “ Y/n corrected, and Sirius turned back to the family tree, “ You were never Pity Potter. “ Sirius muttered.

Y/n chuckled, “ Everyone pitied me after they died. Poor Y/n Potter. She lost her parents at seventeen, lost her brother at twenty-one, became an unexpected parent at twenty-one with her brother's son. People didn’t have to say ‘I’m sorry for your loss’ for me to see the pity in their eyes. “

“ When Regulus died, nobody even said I’m sorry. “ Sirius whispered, “ Nobody knew Regulus like you did. “ Y/n replied.

“ Regulus wasn’t meant to die. He shouldn’t have died. But he did, Sirius. “ Y/n stated, and Sirius turned to her with tear-filled eyes, “ And if your brother was anything like mine, he wouldn’t want you to sulk your entire life. He wouldn’t want you to ask yourself ‘what if’; he’d want you to live your life. “

She took steps in front of the crying man, her hands placed on his shoulders, “ Regulus Black and James Potter didn’t die because they wanted us to suffer. They died because they wanted us to live. “

“ So please. Live for them. Don’t let their death be in vain. “ Y/n said, taking Sirius in for a hug which he returned gratefully, “ Harry loves you. He likes having his godfather in his life. Live for Harry. “

Sirius nodded, and they pulled apart, “ Remus got really lucky. “

Y/n laughed, “ James used to say the same thing. “

When they left the room, it felt like time stopped. Everyone stared at them. Sirius and Y/n were given glares aside from the adults. The children looked betrayed. Harry looked almost in tears. The Weasley twins looked guilty. It seemed to freeze, and Remus looked stressed. Molly and Arthur looked disappointed in their children. Mad-Eye looked unimpressed. Nymphadora looked intrigued. Remus and Y/n exchanged looks, his saying everything– he found out.

Y/n coughed, “ Why- Why is everyone staring? “

“ You lied! “ Harry’s voice sounded heartbroken, betrayed, “ I never lied to you, Harry. I just- you never asked, and there was never a suitable time. “ Y/n tried to explain.

The extendable ear in Fred’s hand told her everything, and she took a breath, “ Harry, can we talk about this in private, please? “

Remus walked forward and took Harry from the shoulders, guiding him to their shared bedroom; once Harry was out of earshot, the Weasley twins stared at their Professor, “ I’m- I’m so sorry, Professor. We didn't- “

“ I’m not mad at you. “ Y/n interrupt, “ I’m not mad at any of you. To clear the rumors, yes, James Potter was my twin brother- “

Before Y/n could continue, Sirius interjected, “ And Y/n Lupin is one of the strongest people I’ve ever met. “

“ She has suffered a more remarkable feat than any other witch I know. Y/n was the one who found Marlene McKinnon’s family dead. She watched her best friend bleed out right in front of her eyes. “ Sirius continued, and Y/n swallowed, looking at the ground, “ She watched Frank, and Alice Longbottom get tortured to insanity. “

“ And finally Y/n suffered losing her other half, James Potter and her sister in law, Lily Evans or Lily Potter. “ Sirius put two hands on her shoulders as he stood behind her, “ So before you glare at her, understand what she’s been through. Understand that she’s been tortured, hurt, and killed in more ways than one. “

Sirius still wasn’t finished, “ Her husband is a werewolf. Her husband has hurt her before, and she bears the scars. Her brother was killed. Her brother by choice- “ Sirius chuckled before he continued, “ Was sent to Azkaban for twelve years, and someone she trusted betrayed us all. “

“ Y/n Euphemia Potter-Lupin has endured more pain than everyone in this room combined. But Y/n Euphemia Potter-Lupin is always the one holding us together, the glue to this horrid new world we live in. So please, before you glare. “ Sirius repeated, “ Understand that she’s been tortured, hurt, and killed in more ways than one. “

Hesitantly, Y/n raised her head to see everyone almost in tears. The children weren’t meant to know; they weren’t meant to hear all the suffering she’s endured. It wasn’t their time yet. But as she looked up, she saw Harry and Remus. They hadn’t entirely made it to the bedroom before Sirius began talking. Tears trailed down her husband's cheek, remembering that faithful night he had broken his vows and attacked her. She didn’t blame him.

Hermione was fully sobbing. The Weasley boys had light tears falling down their cheeks. Molly cried in Arthur’s arms while he tried withholding his tears. Nymphadora and Mad-Eye looked astonished. Ron was brought into a hug by Hermione but remained shocked. Y/n didn’t quite know what to do from here. They had just heard her entire life story.

“ I’m sorry you all had to hear that. “ Y/n chuckled, “ I didn’t know Sirius was going to give you a biography on how the first wizarding war went for me. “

She swallowed, “ I’m sorry for keeping this secret from you guys. And Harry, because I know you’re only a floor above me right now in the comfort of Remus’ arms. You need to know that I love you from the bottom of my heart. I just- I just didn’t want you to find out and get too excited. “

“ But I’m your biological Aunt. I fought Dumbledore tooth and nail to take care of you. I remember sobbing and wailing in Remus’ arms because you were right there, right in front of my face, yet I couldn’t have you. “ Y/n explained, “ Vernon and Petunia are awful people. You deserved love, and you wouldn’t have gotten it there. You would’ve been an outsider your entire life. “

Y/n was sobbing as Sirius rubbed her back, her words choked up, “ B- But, I love you, Harry James Potter. “

Harry left Remus’s arms and ran down the flight of stairs. His arms took around his Aunt. The fifteen-year-old held onto his aunt closer than he could ever imagine. Remus walked down the steps slowly to take his place beside Sirius. Harry pulled away slightly, and Y/n wiped her face. Harry’s eyes had that glint of mischief James always had, and it made her want to sob all over again, but Harry spoke before she could.

“ What was your marauder name? “

[morsking]

uhhhhhh to better grasp why rin is a host for both ishtar and ereshkigal and why sakura is a host for both kama and parvati you’re gonna have to read the vn since that is the only place where you will be treated to the different dimensions of both their characters and dispel any illusions and misunderstandings the ubw anime created (about rin in particular). i can explain it well but if you have the ability to, you should read the vn to really let it sink in and appreciate things more organically.

there are times in the anime where rin feels like a caricature of herself since she appears so confident and fun-loving and tsundere about it (the vn sometimes does this too but manages to balance things out a little better) that it overshadows how rin is also in her own way extremely repressed. 

rin, while fashioning herself the ruler of her own world and a competent genius is still someone shackled to her duty as the last living tohsaka heir and denies herself a more profound and fundamental happiness because she reasons so long as she is the tohsaka heir, she can never be sakura’s sister, and wrongfully believes that sakura has moved on without her and belongs with the matous oblivious to what zouken has done to sakura for almost 11 years because it’s easier to think that sakura doesn’t care about her anymore than to confront all she’s taught and has lived for for so long is wrong and that she has a chance to make it right. rin however finds ways to keep running into sakura just enough that her true desires betray her efforts at keeping her distance, and if sakura just said “you are my sister, please let’s live together again” no doubt rin would be so torn to hesitate yet so hopeful to as to want it to be real. 

rin’s apparent emotional independence and reputation is a product of her purposefully distancing herself from making any real human connections because she has no idea how to be emotionally available from years of stifling aristocratic conditioning. if she puts herself on a pedestal, it’s easier for others to not approach her and see through her facade. apart from that, as much fun as rin could possibly have by herself there is still something that will keep her from feeling truly fulfilled, and that’s the lack of opportunity (and emotional bravery) to reconcile with sakura. it’s also easier to forsake sakura and threaten to kill her when she’s out of control because acknowledging the horror of killing her own sister would break her own convictions and denounce her, and the tohsakas, as murderers and frauds. ishtar is that side of rin that finds being herself and living as the person in charge of her own existence. ereshkigal is the unhappy part of rin that yearns for more than what she’s been given but feels too guilty and too bound by responsibility to seek it out, and therefore denies herself her wish to connect with the person who would make all the difference in the world (sakura for rin, guda for eresh). 

sakura is a naturally kind, gentle, yet strong-willed individual who has experienced that which would break and utterly annihilate most at a spiritual level. sakura only survived what she did because her mental fortitude, much like shirou’s, is so exceptional she will always retain her sense of self even if pushed to the very brink of suffering. despite that, she grew up extremely bitter, depressed, and with a disposition that utterly gave up on the world that abandoned her to the point where she wished others to fail and suffer at whatever they endeavored. if her life was pointless and fruitless as to be thrown away, why shouldn’t everyone else’s be too? 

it’s really not until she met shirou that she began to change her mind and desire to have more than just numbness. a boy who just wouldn’t give up no matter how many times he couldn’t clear that jump, and accepted the outcome without regrets, second-thoughts, and self-loathing left such a deep impression on sakura that she wanted that thoughtless drive to live freely and greet tomorrow as a given to be hers as well. 

little by little the broken doll with lifeless eyes restored more and more of her inner kindness and good faith, both because she gained a will that did more than just curse, and because there was someone who showed her what a real home, a real family looked like so she’d believe in love and happiness again. but much like rin, sakura struggled to believe she deserved happiness. years of abuse crushed sakura’s self-esteem, and thought her suffering made her unlovable and unnatural. her desire to be both loved and pitied clashed against one another, and were also contradictingly one and the same. it would be easy to be pitied, that means she would’ve been right about her hatefulness all along and she can just fade away along with the pain her baggage might’ve caused others. but if she’s loved, then how will she ever make herself worthy of it? how could she ever justify to herself that she’s being given love that hasn’t been earned? and even worse, what if she’s given love that can be lost?

sakura hides all the things that risk her losing all the love she’s accumulated, a desperate selfish tactic employed by a scared girl deathly afraid to lose the only light she’s ever known. if all her anger, bitterness, cowardice, jealousy, scars, and self-hatred were exposed, what would shirou think of her? once he does find out what she’s gone through, she pushes him away. she really believes she’s done for and has nothing else to come back to. even as shirou keeps asserting he does still want her in his life, she keeps hurling all the terrible things she’s done to him and herself without him knowing: that because he’s kiritsugu’s kid she spied on him for zouken, that she used him to run away from zouken and shinji, that she tried to kill herself, that she’s not a virgin, all to get him to reject her for good while guiltily clinging to the hope that he will still choose to love her in spite, or because of all that.

even after sakura’s killed shinji by accident and transforms into dark sakura, a part of herself is weak towards shirou. a part of herself lashes out when he’s around because she’s still rejecting him hoping he’ll forsake her so he’ll live without getting hurt by her while also begging for him to see how much she’s suffering so he’ll save her, going so far at the end that she tells rin to run away with shirou, having decided to kill herself alongside the grail. rin however, sees through sakura’s attempt to earn pity, but in her own fit of duty-induced forced apathy threatens to kill sakura herself before sakura has the chance to wipe herself out (jesus, rin) rather than comfort her and tell her she wishes for her to live. rin though fails to follow through with her plan. just as she overpowers sakura, she throws away all her lies and embraces her sister, telling her how she really feels, and the very first sincere expression of love her sister has shown her in a decade is enough for sakura to stop dead in her tracks and crumble in grief until shirou arrives to save her and insist that she deserves to live so that all the suffering she both caused and experienced and all the people she devoured can be given meaning. this parallels into how kama as beast iii/L wishes to render all love obsolete by drowning the universe in love to the point where all love becomes meaningless and kama no longer has to be hurt by love, with their defeat marking a change in their beliefs about the world and themself.

parvati tells you as much that she’s taken over sakura’s good side. she’s the earnest hardworking woman who is full of benevolence and enthusiasm after her purpose has become clear. however, what parvati doesn’t understand is that sakura’s good qualities are intermixed with her darker ones and fundamentally cannot ever be truly separated, and that’s why parvati also connects with sakura’s tendency to hide the ugly things about herself out of fear she’ll be rejected, and that it’s wrong and harmful for her to do that to sakura as much (if not worse) as it is for sakura to do it for herself alongside all the people that could be affected by that dishonesty. 

apart from the obvious gross reasons, there is in fact a good justification for kama’s ascensions in fgo. their ascensions go from child to adolescent to adult to demonstrate that kama has a parallel to sakura’s personal growth. they are both individuals who, after being betrayed by their own kind (the gods and the tohsakas) and having their bodies destroyed (kama becoming the cosmos, sakura being devoured by crest worms and having her dna rewritten), have lost faith in who they were before and the world around them. kama starts out in sakura’s child body: the young girl who was sacrificed for a greater purpose and whose heart has been filled with depression, cynicism, and hatred for the world around her. their childish disposition however, marks that kama has truly been reborn and is going through the process of recreating their identity after it was shattered by trauma. 

when kama is in sakura’s adolescent form, that signals that much like sakura around that age, they still cling to some anger and bitterness, but have begun to ease into forming new connections and their desire to be identified with love becomes complicated as it is both heavily resisted yet profoundly wanted. it is kama at their peak self-loathing, directing hatred to themself as much as their child form did to everyone else.

when kama shifts into sakura’s final adult form, it marks the period where they both have had some of their faith renewed in their existence. while it is still very difficult for them to truly know what love is and whether or not they’ve earned it, they nonetheless make it clear they want to believe in it again with the help of the person they’ve placed their trust upon (shirou for sakura, guda for kama). as the god of love, for kama to learn what love is is for kama to once more understand what it is to love themself again, and like sakura at the end of heaven’s feel finish constructing their brand new identity and move forward in a way that their happiness and reforged self-confidence can dignify their suffering and make up for all the damage they caused others and themselves.

this isn’t to say that pseudos as a concept are inherently good or anything. they are still very flawed because when mishandled for fanservice (and it happens a LOT) they do far more to displease both fans of the mythological figures and fans of the original fate/stay night characters simultaneously than to appease them both by robbing all characters involved of their complexities. regardless, that doesn’t mean that these gods wearing the faces of these girls is entirely pointless, lazy, and thoughtless. on the contrary, these girls were chosen because of all the different facets they have that match their possessors’ demeanors and themes, and i hope that this knowledge can help people see the connection with more clarity.

[fiftyfiftyinla]

HARDIN. I scan through the pages of the small notebook, my eyes move across the words quickly as I decide where to start. It's a journal from her religion class, it took me a minute to figure out what the hell it was because each entry is labeled with a word and a date, most of them having nothing to do with religion.

Pain. The word catches my eye and I begin to read.

Does pain turn people away from their God? If so, how? Pain can turn anyone away from just about anything. Pain is capable of causing you to do things you would never consider doing, such as blaming God for your pain. Pain.. such a simple word that holds so much inside. I have come to learn that pain is the strongest emotion one can feel. Unlike every other emotion, there is no upside to pain, no positive notion that can make you look at the pain from a different perspective, there is only pain. Lately I have become very well acquainted with pain, the ache has nearly become unbearable. Sometimes when l'm alone, which is more often than not as of recently, I find myself trying to decide which type of pain is worse. The answer isn't as simple as I thought it would be. The slow and steady aching pain, the type of pain that comes when you've been hurt repeatedly by the same person yet here you are, here I am, allowing the pain to continue, it never ends. Only in those rare moments when he pulls me to his chest and makes promises that he never seems able to keep, does the pain disappear. Just as I get used to the freedom, my freedom my self inflicted pain, it returns with another blow.

This doesn't have a damn thing to do with religion, this is about me.

I have decided that the hot, burning, inescapable pain is the worst. This pain comes when you finally begin to relax, you finally breathe, thinking that the pain is yesterday's problem when in fact it's today's problem, tomorrow's, and every day after that. This pain comes when you pour everything into something, into someone, and they betray you so suddenly that the pain crushes you and you feel as if you are barely breathing, barely holding on to that small fraction of whatever is left inside of you begging you to go on, not to give up.

Fuck.

Sometimes it's faith that people hold onto, sometimes, if you're lucky enough you can confide in someone else and trust them to pull you out of the pain before you dwell in it for too long. Pain is one of those hideous places that once visited you have to fight your way out and even when you think you have escaped you are permanently branded. If you're like me, you don't have anyone to depend on, no one to take your hand and assure you that you will make it through this hell. Instead, you have to lace up your boots, grab your own hand, and pull yourself out.

My eyes move to the date at the top of the page, this was written while I was in England. I shouldn't read any more, I should just put the damn book down and never open it again but I can't. I have to know what else was written in this book of secrets. This is the closest to her I fear that I will ever fucking get. I turn to another page labeled "Faith".

What does faith mean to you? Do you have faith in something higher? Do you believe that faith can bring good things into people's lives?

This should be better, this entry should knife the ache in my chest. This one couldn't be related to me.

To me, faith means believing in something other than yourself. I don't believe that any two people can possibly hold the same view on faith whether their only faith is religion based or not. I do believe in something higher, I was raised that way. My mother and I went to church every single Sunday and most Wednesday's. I don't go to church now, which I probably should but l'm still deciding howI feel about my religious faith as an adult without my mother's influence. When I think about faith my mind doesn't automatically go to religion, it probably should but it just doesn't. It goes to him, everything does. He is my every thought, I'm not entirely sure if that's a good thing but that's the way it is and I have faith that it will work out for us in the end. Yes, he's difficult and overprotective, sometimes even controlling. okay, he's often controlling but I have faith in him that he means well with each frustrating action. My relationship with him tests me in ways thatI never thought imaginable but every second is worth it. I have faith that one day the deep fear of losing me will dissolve and he will embrace our future together, that's all I want./ know he wants it too, though he would never say it. Thave so much faith in that man that I will take every single tear, every single pointless argument, I'll take it all just to be around for the day when he has faith in himself. I have faith that one day Hardin will say what he feels openly and honestly, finally putting an end to his self-imposed exile. I have faith that one day he will finally see that he isn't a villain. He tries so hard to be one but deep down he's really a hero. He's been my hero, my tormenter at times, but mostly my hero. He saved me from myself, / spent my life pretending to be someone I wasn't and Hardin has shown me that it's okay to be myself. I don't have to conform to the person my mother wanted me to be and I thank him dearly for it. I have faith that he will see how truly incredible he is, he's so incredibly perfectly imperfect and I love him so much for that. He may not show it the conventional way but he tries and that's all I can ask for from him. I have faith that if he continues to try, he will finally allow himself to be happy. I will continue to have faith in him until he stops trying.

I close the book and pinch the bridge of my nose in an attempt to control my emotions. She had all of this faith in me for no damn reason. I'll never understand why she wasted her time on me in the first place but reading her unguarded thoughts this way twists the knife, removes it, and impales it into my chest once more.

I really am a fucking drunk. I'm hovered over the kitchen counter with a fucking bottle of vodka in my hands. I twist the top off and bring the bottle to my lips. Just one drink will cause the guilt to go away. If I have one drink I can force myself to pretend Tessa will be home soon. It has worked before to numb the pain, it will work this time. One drink.

Just as I close my eyes and tilt my head back, Tessa's teary eyes flash behind mine. I open my eyes, turn the sink faucet on, and pour the vodka down the drain.

[racheloveyunho]

Till Death do us part - 1

Y/N grew up in a wealthy family, she always was seen as a beautiful and smart kid and was most likely to take her father’s place as the CEO of one of the most important companies in South Korea. However, after the death of her mother, Y/N’s family slowly started to break apart. Her father was always working to forget his uncalled pain while his kids were left alone at home.

She was 17 years old when her life took a sudden turn when she met him in a dark alley. He was a bloody mess, bruises everywhere but behind blood and dirt, she could see his beautiful features and his addictive gaze. Maybe she should have walked away, maybe she shouldn’t have helped him, but the moment his gaze locked with hers, she was already his.

Choi San was his name.

Genre: Mafia AU, angst, fluff, stranger to lovers

Words: 2486

 TW: Y/N is described as an OC. Please be aware that this story will contain a lot of triggering content such as smut, blood, death, murder, drug, kidnapping, etc. Do not read if you are under a legal age!

Chapter 1

 I still wonder what would have happened if I didn’t meet him during this gloomy night? We were young and I was way too brave for my own good. Maybe it was my faith or maybe it was a sheer coincidence but now, I know that I will love him till death do us part.

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 5 years ago.

 "Hey Y/N, wake up sleepyhead! It’s time to go to school and I will surely not wait for the princess to wake up" my brother yelled loudly from the first floor, waking me up in the process.

I groaned and shifted uncomfortably in my bed; it was too much noise at such an early time of the day. My long-browned hair was messy from the last night, as always. I was the type of girl to move a lot during my sleep and my morning head was always a funny one, swollen, with small eyes and with some of my lightly curled hair stuck in my mouth. After five minutes of rethinking my life decisions, I found enough motivation to get out of my bed and walked down the stairs.

"Why the hell did I agree to help other students during holidays, huh?” I asked my brother as I lazily rubbed my tummy.

“Maybe because you are too dumb to say no to your teachers?” he answered, his mouth full of food.

“Do you mind keeping your mouth shut while you are eating? It’s disgusting.” I shook my head disapprovingly.

I headed toward the kitchen to get a cup of fresh milk. Jin, my brother, childishly opened his mouth wide to show me the content of it. I let out a long “Ew!” before smashing his arm playfully.

“No, but seriously Y/N. There’s no use to be brilliant at school if that means you have to help your classmates with their studies during holidays” Jin said after taking a sip of his coffee.

“Yeah, but the teacher who asked me this favor told me that he will write a recommendation for me if I agreed to help him” I answered.

“You don’t even need a recommendation, we’re from a rich family” Jin mumbled to himself but it was loud enough for me to hear it.

 He wasn’t totally wrong and I knew it. We were born with a silver spoon in our mouth. We were “cake eater” as the other kids used to call us when we were younger, we never knew what it felt like to run out of money and everyone at school was jealous of me because of that.

But they didn’t know. No one knew how hard it actually was for me and my brother.

My mother passed away 2 years ago, and since then, my father didn’t stay at home with us longer than a week straight. He was always working, working, and working again, his job had literally become his life. He was one of the richest men in Korea and still, he was always eager for more and worked every day and night for it.

He wasn’t a good father for me and Jin. He never made any compliments to us, all he was able to do was to pressure us to be as perfect as possible or at least perfect enough to not ashamed him and his reputation. Unlike my brother, I wanted to hear my father say that he was proud of me, just for once. That’s why I was trying hard to be the perfect daughter, with good grades, good manners, and good appearance but even if I tried my best, it wasn’t enough for him.

 “Do you know why I’m working so hard, Jin?” I asked him, voice as soft as a whisper, almost not daring to tell the truth.

“Why?” Jin put a hand on the top of mine, a sign of comfort since he already knew my upcoming answer.

“I don’t want to follow his rules forever. I’m still a minor so I had to stick at them but when I’ll turn 20, I will leave this house and will never come back” I sadly stated, “I want to marry a man I’m in love with, I want to do a job I like and most of all, I don’t want our father to commend my life.”

 Jin tightened his grip on my hand. He understood me, he understood me too well. We were indeed rich but we were far from being happy. Jin was 6 years older than me which means he was already an adult. He wanted to leave this house as much as me but couldn’t bring himself to do so and leave me behind.

Unlike me, Jin has never been a good student, he always has been considered a failure to our father, and even if he finally was able to run away from here, he stayed there for me. I was really lucky to have a brother like him and I was well aware of that.

 I took my breakfast and came back to my room to take a quick shower and get ready for this day I knew would be exhausting.

My brother was already waiting in his car. Jin took me to school as often as he could. He was working on a supermarket he owned and even if he was pretty busy, he wanted to spend his mornings with his “sweet baby sister” as he liked to call me.

I am indeed lucky to have a brother like him.

 8 pm, it was already late when I heard the bell ring for the last time today. I was the last one to leave the class as I helped my teacher with the preparation of some material for the next day. It didn’t bother me too much, I wasn’t in a hurry to get home since I knew my dad was finally coming back home from his work.

In all honesty, I didn’t want to see him. I didn’t miss him at all, even after all this time. I wandered here and there even though the street was already pitch black.

 “Oh! It’s been a while since I last went to the haunted alley!” I happily exclaimed to myself.

I knew every nook and cranny of Seoul, I grew up there after all. My favorite place was the haunted alley. As its name suggests and according to some beliefs, that path would be haunted.

It was an old story I heard with my friends when I was less than 10 years old. A grandma from our neighborhood scolded us and told us not to stay there because there was a woman who had been murdered in the walkway and that since then, one could hear her cry every night.

A simple way to scare naïve kids you may think, and you are more than right. However, this story is known by everyone, not just by kids. That’s the reason why I love this place, thanks to all of these rumors, no one uses this path except me. It was like my secret place.

 I walked around the alley with heavy steps, thinking about my father and his upcoming lecture about how to be a good girl. My thoughts were suddenly stopped by the voice of two men who seemed to be fighting each other. I stayed still for a moment, trying to figure out where the noises were coming from.

“You piece of shit! And you claim yourself as the Boss” son?” One voice laughed.

I hid in the dark and saw what could have been mistaken with a scene from a horror movie. Between two old houses, a tall man was beating up a boy who seemed to be around my age.

I felt shivers down my spine but before I could even think straight, my body started to move with its own will.

“Hey! Let him go!” I shouted, my voice betraying me by showing how scared I really was.

 I moved closer to the two men, I could now see them more clearly.

The young boy was sitting on the ground, badly bleeding, whereas the tall man was standing in front of him, blood on his hand and his nose broken.

They were watching me. The silence was heavy, the only thing I could hear was the beating of my racing heart and the shake of my knees that were begging me to run away from this place. The silence was soon replaced by an ominous laugh.

“Wow. What a beauty! Is she your girlfriend? Huh?” The tall man laughed and hit the youngest on his stomach before coming closer to me.

He came closer, until he was in front of me. I had a better view of his poor state. He wasn’t less bleeding than the other man, his blood was actually covering his whole face.

I don’t know what had taken into me at this exact moment, the adrenaline was rushing in my veins and even though my feet were stuck on the ground, unable to move, my hand reached the pepper spray I always carried in my bag. Before the man could react, I used my weapon against him.

When the chemical product had reached his eyes, he screamed and placed his hands on his face, trying desperately to soothe the pain. I took advantage of the situation and kicked him as hard as I could on his crotch before he fell loudly on the ground.

I quickly grabbed the boy by his arm and helped him stand up. He was badly injured but followed me without any complaint.

 I was panting when I reached a lighted street. We stopped there, trying to catch our breath.  I turned around to face the man I was still holding and my breath hitched in my throat, not from the run I previously had but because of how beautiful this man looked.

“Are you okay? What is your name?” I asked him but he simply stayed silent, staring at me with his piercing eyes.

I took a better look at his features, he was really handsome with a well-defined face. He wasn't older than me but he hadn't the body of a teenager either. His broad shoulders and his arms muscles could be seen without any effort from him. His dark hair was harmonizing with the dark of his eyes and his dimples were visible as the border of his lips turned upright in an inviting smirk.

How can someone like him be involved in such a fight?

“The sight is at your taste?” he giggled, his smile spreading wider.

I finally took notice of my staring when I heard him laugh. I must say it was the most beautiful laugh I ever heard, slightly high-pitched but almost bewitching.

“I wasn’t staring!” I shouted from embarrassment. Fortunately, the darkness of the night was covering the redness on my cheeks.

“Sure, you weren’t” He added, amused by my reaction “I’m San. Choi San. I didn’t need your help earlier but thank you, I’m glad you rescued me”

He came closer to me and gave me a sincere smile, showing even more his dimples.

My heart was going crazy in my chest. This boy seemed small earlier compared to the other man but he was way taller than me, maybe 7 inches taller.

“You’re welcome”

I was a bit intimidated by him but I dared not to look away. He had something special, an aura that seemed as dangerous as comforting. His gaze was intense and deep, it was like he was looking through me, memorizing every detail of my face.

He didn’t move and didn’t talk for at least 2 minutes and even if I was feeling uncomfortable, I did my best not to let him know.

“Where is your house?” he finally asked after what felt like an eternity.

He startled me with his sudden question, I didn’t expect him to talk this soon. Why did he want to know where I lived? He probably wanted to walk me home and I would have gladly let this handsome guy walk me home if I hadn’t met him in an odd situation.

‘But he is really handsome…’  I thought, sighing softly, making San arch an eyebrow.

“It’s okay, I live near here, no need to walk me home. You can go ahead…” I said “Go ahead to…the hospital, your house or…go murdering someone…whichever comes first” I added, lowering my voice at the end of my sentence.

His face changed into a surprised expression “I wasn’t going to walk you home, don’t worry”

I sighed in relief even if I felt a bit disappointed, maybe he wasn't that bad after all.

“I want to stalk you” he stared at me with his beautiful smile as if it was the most natural thing to say.

‘What the fuck?’

“Sure, stalking me haha, it was obvious, silly me!” I gently hit my head and laughed awkwardly, taking a step back from him.

He laughed sweetly and took my chin between his thumb and his index to lift my face up. His mouth came closer to my ear and he whispered a small “Just joking” before turning his heels back and leaving me, alone, in the dark street.

  I was finally back home. Fortunately for me, my dad hadn’t noticed me since he was already sleeping on the couch.

I quickly went upstairs to my room and collapsed on my bed, my mind still processing what had happened earlier. It was scary to say the least but fascinating at the same time. I was still confused even after showering. This San had a deep effect on me, not only mentally but physically too.

“Choi San…” I muttered before closing my eyes and drifting into a deep sleep.

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This is my first story, it’s bad but I’ll try to improve myself!

This series will be uploaded slowly since I don't have a lot of time.

Thank you for reading!

[dr-lokidottir]

As someone who's been betrayed by people I considered to be my family, honestly, Tyr got off pretty easy only losing a hand for that betrayal. But hey, I'm biased.

Well I've been waiting for a question like this for a long time!

Tyr and Fenrir: a story where both were betrayed.

I want to clarify that this is SPG. and UPG.

We all know the story where Hel, Jörmungandr and Fenrir were taken to Asgard. There are many paintings where they are portrayed as children, not as adults and much less as dangerous beings, because they were not and never were. They were simply feared because of their appearance, leaving much to think about. And I must repeat this: they used to be children.

Let's talk about Tyr.

My boyfriend works with him. He is an incredible God. Tyr is the God of war, but I want to emphasize that he is the God of order and justice.

Tyr and Fenrir in their meeting.

According to the Eddas, Tyr was the only "brave" God (and perhaps not brave, but with the brains not to judge another by his appearances), who fed Fenrir. In my mind and of many others, they played together, became best friends, and Tyr spent all his time with him. We all know the relationship was wonderful. Tyr cared for him, fed him, and offered his trust. We know that Fenrir did not trust the Gods at all, but Tyr earned his trust.

The Wolf the Æsir brought up at home, and Týr alone dared go to him to give him meat.

Gylfaginning XXXI-XL

The betrayal of Fenrir, and why I am sure that they also betrayed Tyr.

Tyr and Fenrir were together all the time. Tyr did not know that they were building the chains, since he was always with Fenrir. Being his protector, the Gods would obviously never have mentioned to Tyr that they wished to bind (and practically torture) his best friend. Besides, Tyr would have stopped the situation. And he would have even alerted Fenrir and let him escape. Being the God of justice, he would have raised his voice for his INNOCENT and BEST FRIEND.

Besides, if Tyr had been part of the creation of the chains, from the first chain Fenrir would have been stuck, why? Simple, because Tyr was the only one who truly knew his strength and destructive potential.

The loss of Tyr's hand.

Tyr was sure that, like all past chains, Fenrir would break them. Tyr trusted Fenrir completely, and that was why he placed his hand on his jaws. He was sure that his best friend would emerge victorious as on all previous occasions. When Tyr saw that his best friend had been totally trapped.... He had to keep his promise, being something they both suffered. If Fenrir had desired revenge or to make him truly suffer, he would have devoured more than the arm of his best friend, Tyr. But there was an oath to keep.

We even know that Tyr did not plan to deceive him, much less sacrifice his hand:

' The Wolf said: 'If ye bind me so that I shall not get free again, then ye will act in such a way that it will be late ere I receive help from you; I am unwilling that this band should be laid upon me. Yet rather than that ye should impugn my courage, let some one of you lay his hand in my mouth, for a pledge that this is done in good faith.' Each of the Æsir looked at his neighbor, and none was willing to part with his hand, until Týr stretched out his right hand and laid it in the Wolf's mouth. But when the Wolf lashed out, the fetter became hardened; and the more he struggled against it, the tighter the band was. Then all laughed except Týr: he lost his hand.

Gylfaginning XXXI-XL

Therefore, as the Eddas say, all the Gods laughed, except Tyr, not only because his arm was going to be devoured, but because his best friend had been betrayed and had been trapped because of him. Tyr is the God of justice, and if he had known that situation he would never have allowed it.

To my mind always comes a scene where the two of them stare at each other, in pain and fear, maybe even with tears in their eyes.... Two best friends who were separated by the ignorance of many.

My personal experience:

As I said, my boyfriend (husband, practically) works with Tyr and Odin. I've had a lot of contact with Tyr because of that, and his presence never generates rancor in me. Because of my traumas and being hypervigilant constantly, I can't trust the Aeisir and Vanir because of everything they did against Loki and his family, but it's a personal thing I have to work on. I can't especially trust Odin though, for banishing children, just because of how they looked. Saying this I don't mean to make you hate the other Gods, far from it, but I'm telling my personal experience and how my Post Traumatic Stress is reflected there.

Tyr is the only Aeisir I have my trust in, along with my aunt Sigyn.

Tyr has accompanied me a lot of times, especially when I go to the gym to train. More than once I have felt Fenrir (he is the one who always accompanies me to practice boxing and weights, and in general, to do physical activity) talk and laugh with Tyr while I train, about things in life that I have never managed to hear clearly, but they get along excellently. Tyr has even helped me a lot in my practices!

One UPG that is practically a SPG, is that my best friend and I asked by pendulum if Tyr gives apples of Idunn to Fenrir in secret. We know that the Gods are kept immortal by them. The answer was a playful "maybe" from Fenrir. Come on, we all know it's true. Even in meditations I have seen them both together in the cave where Fenrir is bound. Tyr is amazing.

Well, that might be all! Remember it's SPG/UPG, so you can avoid negative comments, attacks, and so on. I'm a pretty sensitive person and I ask please for patience, especially in contrary opinions please, and that negative comments usually hurt me a lot! I appreciate the understanding.

Art by Meretyh.

[thatphatoven]

At the Beginning

 Diluc x Fem! Reader; Anastasia inspired Au

The lost Princess of Fontaine, with vague memories, journeys back to her homeland with the darknight hero trying to discover her past.

Chapter one

AN; This series will set place when Diluc leaves the dawn winery after his dad's death. I apologize if the information is inaccurate or the characters are out of their personality. Also, I used google for translation for some French, so if anyone wants to correct me, feel free. 

Word Count; 2,488

Unedited 

Like a mystery, the night held infinite uncertainty. The blanket of stars provided the comfort of light to bystanders bustling in the streets. Boisterous waves of laughter mingled with the notes of the viola, while at the same time, the patter of feet dances amongst the cobbled pavement as constant jeers chant words of ambition.

A short and stout plump man clambers on the wooden bar table, raising his pint of beer. "Vive la Fontaine!" He bawls. The swarm of drunkards mimics his gesture, laughably heaving their beers. Everyone adores the late-night festivities of celebrations. Conspicuously for a certain Princesse. All classes of the hierarchy were divulging on her 10th birthday. The common folk paraded in the streets, as the aristocrats partake in the Château. One devotee perched away from the horde, gripping his pint considerably tight. Resentment filled this man to the brim. His eyebrows creased at the carefree atmosphere while his teeth clenched vigorously. His unsettlingly deep brown eyes leered at the ripples of his beer. The Tavener in duty glanced at him, wary of his movements. "Are you not enjoying the night, Monsieur?" he questioned. The cloaked man remained mute, desire to be alone with his brooding. Having enough of the repulsive atmosphere,  he pushed the tankard towards the barkeep while fishing out a couple of mora before slamming it against the hard surface.

The barkeep raised a brow at the mug, filled to the brim untouched. "What a waste," he thought, his pupils trailed on that particular individual crashing into other patrons, not until he reached the knob of the entry, but only to slam it vigorously. Not one person wavered at his little act but happily drank more to feeding their drunken state. Outside the Tavern, least people loiter around the city streets. Only the occasional hidden couple is kissing in a dim alleyway as some hasten their journey back to their cozy homes.

Fog swarm the night while the chilly air nipped his skin. In a straight line, rows of oil lamps lit up the murky mist. He begins his stride of pace out of the precinct, and after turning and turning, this section of the city became less active. Only sealed up windows and abandon property lived here. He was passing an unkempt park, with rust and weed growing on the deteriorating swing set. There assigned next to it was where the citizens worship their God. A once tall, beautiful structure is now a decaying building with the statues nation archon, sat in the middle of the courtyard as vines grew on the idol. The wind whistled loudly, fabricating a frightening aura to his personality. Trudging up the cathedral's steps, he swiftly entered the church, in the process of ramming the heavy entree.

Crash.

Shards of a porcelain marble bowl were scattered on the flooring. The heel of his leather shoe crunched against the broken pieces as he stationed himself in front of the altar. Pope Marquis Puissant. A once righteous man was loyal to Fontaine's  God, now castaway for betraying the regality and abandonment of faith. A wicked man, they call him. Instead of the common holy word of the Archon, he was preaching of Ursa the Drake. A draconic creature that wasn't a God. That dragon, though it held an intense amount of power, enrapturing his attention. The local faithful became weary of his sudden turn on his faith which his reputation took a turn. Fewer attended the mass and begged the crown to disown him as a Pope. It was a late Sunday morning when the priesthood strips his power as a Vicar. In a rage, he stormed the Palace ground. "You're all nothing but halfwits blinded by power!" pointing at each, and of them, he cursed words of unpleasantries. "You wait, like this poor country excuse of a God, justice will be served."

Ever since then, he took shelter in a deserted church. Where there in the middle of the stone tablet laid a delusion. The Tsaritsa must have pitted the vengeful man, even if he's not part of the fatui. He will gladly serve two Gods. Now on the night of the beloved nation princess, Marquis will commence his revenge scheme, starting on the birthday girl.

"Higher Papa!" a giggle of chortle escape the young girl's lips. The man twirling her oblige, raising her higher in the air to the beat of the ensemble's melody. The puffy maroon gown fitted around her petite body, while the style of her long white hair swayed with every movement. The (e/c) pierced her fathers, carrying mirth of cheekiness. Sitting on the throne mirrored with the same features of the Princess sat a kind queen, with soft eyes smiling at the ridiculous scene of her daughter's ambitions. "Look at my beautiful Granddaughter." grey-haired, tied in a tight bun with a crown, sat snugly on her head. The Grand-mère watched the ballroom flock in high spirit. However, it was the girl that danced with her Father that held all that energy. "Have the Ragnvindr's arrive yet?" she questioned, looking at her daughter. "Not that I'm aware of Mother, but you should stop inquiring for rare alcohol from Master Crepus." "It's not my fault that the family makes splendid wine" The elderly woman hid her smile behind her gloved hand. "Besides, it's the offspring I'm after," they watched (y/n) grinned at her son-in-law, ruffling the girl's hair. "A charming man, with a charming boy. Don't you agree?" The queen let out a sigh at her Mother's antics.

"Grand-mère!" a small cheer escape (y/n). Pulling the layers of cloth, she began to hurry to the pair leaving her Father on the dance floor. Spreading her arms, the elderly accepted her hug and began smothering with small kisses on her round cheeks; her granddaughter laughed. "Look at you, my little lumière. All grown up," she squished her cheeks together, holding tenderness behind her blue eyes. "Now that I'm ten, you're going to teach me how to play poker! Right?" Tiptoeing closer to her, she held the throne seat, giddy of the thought. Her Mother stared at the child and Grandmother in disbelief. Chuckling nervously, she patted her hair. "Maybe wait until you're coming of age." (Y/N) pouted at her answer, leaving her explanation unreasonable. "But I do have a little gift for you instead." Grabbing the tiny Princess's palm, placing a red leather ring box. In a rush, the child swiftly opened the present. A gasp emitted from her. "Oh, Grand-mère! It's beautiful!" (Y/N) cried. A simple golden chain sat in the cushion, with the same colored ore boldly gleaming in the middle. "Together in Fontaine," reading out loud as she deciphers the cursive writing.  The two grinned at each other as her Grandmother help put the necklace together around her. "When you wear this, think of an old woman who loves you very, very much." (Y/N) nodded at her words, directing her attention to the lockets words—hugging her once more.

"Your majesty," a rich and velvety tone interrupts the tranquility. "Master Crepus," the aging regal announced. A tall, aristocratic gentleman with charm greeted the family. His attire consisted of a simple charcoal black two-piece suit, and the tie he was sporting matched his fiery red hair. A handsome man he was. "Finally declaring your arrival, it seems." she teased. (Y/N) gape at the lord, intimidated by his scarlet hooded eyes. "Apologies, I was struggling to convince my son to attend the party." Crepus sighed. "Is this the boy you took in? Kaeya was it?" The ensemble's melody began a new tune as she glanced at her associate.

“attentive as ever, your majesty." The older woman smirk at his reply, "when you reached a certain age, you recall every little detail." He let out a deep laugh only after he shakes his head. "Diluc was the one who managed to drag him." "Ah, the little Crepus did it?" "Indeed, he promised that he wouldn't abandon him during the party."  Their eyes trailed over to a smaller version of the man, who was currently dragging a bashful blue-haired boy across the room. "That little ball of light does have his ways."

(Y/N) fidget on her spot, feeling increasingly uninterested in the adult's discussions. Aware of her actions, Crepus near the girl and kneeled. "Happy Birthday, your highness." Only to pass his present for her. She lightened up at the gift and hugged it."Thank you, my lord." she smiled at his action while showing a missing tooth in the middle of her teeth. "You must be bored just listening to us old people talk," he spoke. Standing straight, he called to the pair of boys. The bubbly red-haired boy was the first to respond, pulling his brother behind him. The Grand-mère scanned Crepus prized possessions; the boy replenish with enthusiasm did take after his Father. The same color hair, all down to his features. While his adopted brother next to him possessed blue hair and sapphire eyes. Though it was the eyepatch that caught her attention, she raised a brow but didn't question. It was like comparing them to the sun and moon.

"Your highness," The boy greeted as his brother mimic his actions muttering the same sentence. "This is Diluc and Kaeya" Crepus put both of his hands on both children's shoulders. (Y/N) looked at them with awe; she has never come across with blazing hot and cold calm hair.  She ponders wanting those colors rather than her dull white hair. "It is an honor to be in your presence," Diluc address. "My, what a sophisticated son you raised." The women applaud. "That's Diluc for you." The group laughs at the small tease. The bold child reached the girl and stared. Uneasy, she dug her hands into the gown, afraid to look at Diluc. "You have pretty eyes," he said, still gazing. (Y/N) blushed at his compliment. "I like you and your brother's hair!" she returned—Kaeya observes behind his adoptive Father's legs, envious of his brother's daring personality. As the two new friends converse, he felt the older man nudge him towards the pair. "Don't be shy now, Kaeya."

As Kaeya approach the Princess and his brother, the girl let out a gasp. "Your eyes have stars!" she inspected closer, now flusters with her bold move. She kept rambling on waves of compliments towards Kaeya. Diluc giggled at the discomposed Kaeya and band in with more teasing. The child lifts his dark hands in defense, trying to calm them. Maybe it was better to stay back at the lodge.

"What's under your eyepatch?"

Kaeya stiffens at her direct question. All of a sudden, the air thickens, and the ambiance of unsettlement quickly replaces the mood. "(Y/N)," her grandmother warns. At once, she felt guilty at her grandmother's tone and the dismal Kaeya. "It's nothing," he whispers. The reflection of his face that the marble flooring held became more interesting. "I'm sorry." tears gathered at the corner of her eyes. She feverishly struggles to hold back the tears, surprising the two boys. "Ah, Princess, don't cry," Diluc reassures, hastily stop her tears with his tie. "But I made him sad! What PrincessPrincess does that to her people!!" Shutting her vision, and her gloves gripped tightly, feeling the harsh material. Diluc looked at both disheartened children; at that moment, he suddenly felt restless. "It's alright, Kaeya doesn't mind that question, right?" looking at his brother for support, he nodded at his words. Then softly smiling at her. 

"Don't worry," he whispered.

The girl gape at him then mirrored his smile. Childish laughter once again replaces their sadness. "Princess, even though we live in another nation, the Ragnvindr's will always aid you," Crepus informed. "Yes! Kaeya and I will be your royal knights when you visit Mondstadt." Diluc hooked his arm under Kaeya while puffing his chest proudly. (Y/N) clapped her hands at his proclamation, "But Diluc were not knights yet." his older brother stiffen. "Maybe wait in five years."

The night crowd with freedom. Not one complained or did the fun died down. The triplex of kids, hanging around each other, and befit on being close friends. This night was the most fun the little Princess had as she watches Diluc tease Kaeya again. However, the night holds infinite uncertainty.

An instant gasp and the shatter of a wine glass caused a halt in the ballroom. The music ceased as a gust of wind expelled the chandelier candles. The cloaked man sauntered his way past the frightened crowd, clapping his hand in slow motion. He let out a deep laugh, approaching the family that strips away his power. "How dare you return to the palace!" The king spoke brashly, pushing his daughter behind. (Y/N) shook in fear, watching the mad man plastered a demented smile at her. "But I'm your confidant," he exclaimed. "Confidant? Ha! You are a traitor to Fontaine!" "Get out!"

"You think you can banish me? Pope Marquis Puissant!" he steps closer to him, hiding his delusion in his cloak. As (Y/n) was watching, she felt a slight tug pulling away from them. Diluc stood in front of her, furrowing his small brow. "By the holy power given by the Tsaritsa and Ursa, I'll banish you and your family with a curse!" The chamber gasp at his comment. "Mark my word I will not rest until I see the end of the Rousseau!" Bring out his power; he directed his attack toward the king. A shriek was let out from the queen as he shut his eye tightly, anticipating the attack.

"(Y/N)!"

The Grand-mère cried, flinging herself out of her throne. All eyes direct their attention towards Diluc; he didn't feel the girl's hand. Turning around, she was gone. "What did you do to my daughter!" Her Father roared. Marquis laughed and grinned, not saying a word. "Guards, get him!"  he ordered to the once holy man. Laughing again, more mist gathered quickly in the ballroom; as the guard's closed onto him, fire circled his figure, preventing them from entering.  The blaze grew quicker; Crepus felt Kaeya stiffen in his arm, watching the delusion in Marquis's hand. The windows exploded in one motion, making the room more in a frenzy while the wind blew harsher.  Diluc, in rage, ran towards him. "Diluc, no!" Crepus warned, however, as he passed the flames and mist, he was gone.

The only ashes and embers replace his spot. Marquis was far gone, along with the Princess. "Quickly close all the borders! I don't want anyone leaving Fontaine!" The distraught Father ordered. " I want every house to be searched, every church, alleyway and caves checked!" "Whatever you do, find the Princess and Marquis!". Tears of despair escape the Mother and Grandmother crying for the kidnapped daughter.  Diluc silently stood there watching the embers die down.

The once festive night took a turn into a nightmare.