#anyway. kisses. see u soon for art fight wrap up. and of course come to art fight in the next ten days if u want an asskicking.

[lemonadeslice]

siblings in horror: codependent edition

ginger snaps | a tale of two sisters | shrew's nest | the endless

blood-soaked | haunted | ride-or-die

[chimtaera]

imagine prince jungkook.

adventure time! 

jungkook isn’t the crown prince so outside of his princely duties he can go questing! exploring! adventuring!

of course his family doesn’t really approve of his activities, but they’ve basically struck up a bargain that he’ll attend court and such without making a fuss, as long as he gets to run around when he isn’t needed.

of course he has protection with him, the court approved putting together a little adventure party, which is basically just all his best knight friends, i’m sure you can guess who.

these guys have been together most of their lives, always getting in trouble as kids, climbing what they shouldn’t be climbing, fighting what they shouldn’t be fighting, eating what they- ok you get my point.

imagine a seamstress running frantically around after jungkook before an event because he always tears his clothing somehow.

or being chased out the kitchen before a big banquet with flour in his hair.

everyone loves him though.

he’s the baby of the palace, everyone dotes on him and lets him get away with mischief, ‘cause it’s cute.

and the people down in the villages love him too.

they’re always excited to see him ride out on an adventure, or to see him coming back form a quest.

and he’s often invited in for a drink at the taverns, to tell stories from one of his quests.

and if there’s any loot he shares it, because he doesn’t actually need any of the gold and jewellery. 

boy is more likely to like, take a hedgehog he rescued with him as a pet, or like, keep a really round rock he found in a river when he stopped for water, than he is to hang onto any of the valuable stuff.

people in the tavern be like “ooh, look at all that gold.” and jungkook will be like “ok sure but guys this rock is so smooth, u gotta feel it.”

probably has separate room in the palace just for his adventure keepsakes, and he keeps it very organised and tidy.

oh and people write songs and poetry about jungkook and his brave knights’ many adventures, but the best songs are of course his own.

because, like any royal, jungkook is highly educated.

in everything from politic and war, to the arts.

and, like any good royal, he’s also a brilliant poet.

so how did you two meet? ok story time

you live in the woods somewhere far away, at the bottom of a mountain, just u and ur doggo.

you have a little cottage that’s been with your family in generations, it’s where you’ve grown up and you didn’t really know much else so you stayed. 

you travel to the nearest villages if you need something, about a day’s journey, but you’ve never felt very welcome. 

they’re not mean, it’s just- you’re an outsider, and an outsider you shall remain.

so your doggo wakes you up one morning and you’re like?? what is it

it’s clear the doggo has found something outside and desperately needs you to come see.

you’re like, did you find another baby bird that’s fallen out of its nest?? do i gotta raise a NOTHEr baby bird ?? istg

the answer is no, but also yes.

jungkook looks to be fast asleep in the moss and soft heather, he’s got a few scratches, but he’s got lovely pink nose and lips and seems quite healthy.

you gently prod him awake like, u ok my guy ?? you’re gonna catch a cold come have some tea.

he’s a little spooked at first, with his big round eyes snapping open to stare at you, rendering you a little speechless at first. 

but eventually you explain that you live here at the bottom of the mountain and that your dog just have smelled him because they woke you up to come find him.

doggo takes the opportunity to introduce themselves, you know, the way dogs do, and that’d the first time you hear jungkook giggle, and suddenly you understand what your grandma was warning you about when she said to stay away from the pretty boys.

you invite him to come warm himself in your cottage, you just put a log on the fire before going out, so it should be warming up by now.

he’s like umm uh sure

and you’re not sure why he’s so hesitant, you’re not a very intimidating figure even though you live in the woods by yourself.

but then as the two of you start making your way back to your cottage you start to realise he has some difficulty keeping up with you.

it’s dark, but you still se him grimace when you turn to look for him.

“oh no, you must be hurt!” how silly of you, why else would he be sleeping in the woods behind your house.

“ah, no it’s- i’m just, uh... yeah. okay, yes.”

turns out he’s twisted his ankle falling from his horse, and the way down the mountain in the night has only made it worse.

you help support him the rest of the way back, much to his embarrassment.

as you sit him by the fire and make tea and a little breakfast he explains that he was on his way back home from his quest when he lost his companions, and later his horse when it got spooked. 

when he finally got to the bottom of the mountain, which had taken him almost all night, he was exhausted and fell asleep as soon as he sat down to rest a little.

he seems a little embarrassed, so you tell him it’s the sort of thing that could happen to anyone, and maybe you tell him that story about how you fell down the mountain as a child and almost scared your grandmother to death, but by some miracle you survived with barely a scratch. 

anyway, he’s lucky you found him.

jungkook asks how far the nearest village is. his friends will be looking for him and perhaps he can find a horse there, or send word of his whereabouts.

you tell him it’s about a day’s walk and he’s not going anywhere on his ankle, it needs at least a few days rest, but he’s welcome to stay with you in the meanwhile.

in that case his friends will probably go back home, and gather a party to come search for him, it might take a few days.

again, he’s embarrassed but very thankful, and you find it adorable.

he is very cute actually.

like super handsome, he’s tall and seems strong, he’s so well-spoken and well-mannered he seems almost otherworldly to you, but he has a shyness to him, and a playfulness, and the way he takes everything in with his wide, enthusiastic eyes really adds to his boyish charm.

as the sun comes up you get some water so he can wash up, and help clean the scratches on his face and neck.

he’s actually?? so pretty ?? it’s very distracting, you’ve never seen anyone that looks like this and especially when he blushes wow

you think it’s just because he’s embarrassed, but in actuality it’s because you’re really close and kinda very cute and you smell so nice?? like earthy and warm and dried flowers and herbs.

you spend your day like you usually would, but with jungkook helping out where he can, like chopping wood because he can do that seated.

and it’s so nice to have his company tbh, you two talk about everything and nothing, and in the evening you make dinner, and sit by the fire in the dark.

and that’s when he starts humming.

and you’re like?? omg what is this

you’ve only ever heard your grandmother sing, or like drunk people in taverns, and you only know a handful of songs so this is new!!!

you ask him to sing for you, and he’s a little flustered but he does so gladly.

and it’s a m a z i n g omg let me tell you

imagine sitting by the fire? in a little cottage miles away from anything? cozied up with your doggo and a cup of tea? and jungkook? singing? songs about epic battles and tragic romances and awesome adventures?

you make him sing every song he knows and eventually you ask to hear some of them again, and you two sit up sooo late sharing songs and stories.

jungkook never mentions he’s a prince though.

you let him have the bed and sleep in a chair by the fire that night, although it takes a while to convince him.

another day goes by like that, and you’ve come to really enjoy his company.

you know he has to leave, but you know it’s going to be strange to be so alone again when he does, and you find yourself wishing he could stay forever.

you were never discontent with your life, but you realise you like sharing it with someone.

that night he insists you sleep in the bed, and after a little arguing you agree, but only if he'll sleep in it too.

and he’s very flustered but he agrees and you pretend you’re not flustered too.

you two sat up until late again, talking and singing, but it’s hard to fall asleep with all the butterflies in your stomach, and he smells so nice??

like, you don’t know what expensive smells like. 

but that’s what he smells like. 

just the lingering remains of exotic spices and perfumed oils.

it’s really nice to wake up next to jungkook.

like, really, really nice. 

like, your heart swells with warmth and fluff and it feels like it’s gonna burst or do a dance or something so you have to get out of bed, and only watch him sleep for a very brief minute.

at breakfast you notice that one of the scratches on his forehead looks a little inflamed, so you go out and pick some healing herbs while he chops more wood.

you’re both very quiet as you apply the paste you’ve made of the herbs to the cut.

he’s sitting in the chair, you standing over him, and watches you so closely with his shiny rounds eyes that it gets very hard to focus.

as you finish up you meet his gaze and find it impossible to pull away like you had intended to do.

without a word, like magnets, the two of you are drawn to one another and meet in a kiss.

carefully, he wraps his arms around you and scoops you into his lap, and you in turn wrap your arms around his shoulders and deepen the kiss.

and then the doggo barks.

you pull away from each other but can’t look away, just smiling shyly at one another for a moment before the dog barks again, and you decide you should probably check it out.

outside, you call the doggo and they appear through the trees, followed by jungkook’s search party.

you feel a little forlorn as they greet one another as old friends and you realise you will have to say goodbye to jungkook already. 

but you knew it would happen eventually, so you suck it up.

“are you ready to leave, your majesty?”

“your majesty?” because of course he is, i mean, look at him.

cat’s outta the bag.

jungkook realises all too late that he has to leave you too, and makes a hurried excuse that he has to fetch something inside, to get you alone.

once you’re alone he kisses you passionately and tells you in a rush that he’s a prince, that you are the most enchanting person he has ever met and that he will return to you as soon as he can, that while he is gone he leaves with heart with you.

and then he leaves.

and you don’t know this but when he comes home he writes many sonnets and sings many songs about you, and your little cottage in the woods, by the foot of the mountain.

so much so that he begins a whole new movement in literature, a genre idealising the simple life, chopping wood, gathering herbs in the woods and raising baby birds, all with the one you love, miles away from anyone or anything.

and when he comes back to see you he brings you a horse, so you can come and see him whenever you want.

[bnhaficsforthesoul]

Shinsou fluff alphabet

Starting off this blog the right way

A = Attractive (What do they find attractive about the other?)

He really likes your eyes

Hes definitely the type of person that puppy dog eyes work on

When you look up at him with those pretty eyes he just melts into them

B = Baby (Do they want a family? Why/Why not?)

He would want a baby eventually

Like after you get married

But he loves the thought of having a baby with you

Seeing which traits come out from both of you

Or adopting a baby, he thinks that would be awesome too

He loves kids, hes just kinda scared that he doesn't know how to take care of them

C = Cuddle (How do they cuddle?)

He is the c li n g I est mf

He acts like hes not but he is

He doesn't have a preference when it comes to being the little or big sppon

He loves holding you

Just wrapping his arms around your shoulders or waist and hugging you as tight as possible while pressing little kisses onto your forehead

And when you hold him he melts

He feels so loved and wanted

Play with his hair plz plz plz

His eyes will flutter shut and hell just be like

"Mmm... so comfy"

It's so cute

D = Dates (What are dates with them like?)

Toshi is pretty spontaneous

So dates will either be

Let's go out at 3 in the morning and run around the city and buy junk food

Or

"Babe, I got us reservations for this super fancy restaurant so make sure you get dressed up. Were leaving in an hour."

They're always fun tho, even the more formal dates are super silly with you two making jokes and just being crackheads

E = Everything (You are my ____ (e.g. my life, my world…))

To Hitoshi, you are his inspiration

His reason for moving forward in life

Before you, his only goal was to become a hero - and even then no one seemed to believe he could

Then theres you

You who tells him that his quirk does not make him evil

It's super effective against villains

hell be a pro hero someday

Before he wanted to become hero simply because why not

But now he wants to become a hero for you, to show you that your positive words were not misplaced and he is someone you can count on

F = Feelings (When did they know they were in love?)

It was one night after he was training with Aizawa in martial arts (since he knows his quirk isnt the most effective in battle if he cant get it to work)

And he walked out of the field to see you standing there with this big smile on your face

"What are you doing here? It's late, you should go home."

"I was but then I saw you training and wanted to watch 😊"

He kinda gives you a weird look and is like why

"Cause you're super cool Shinsou! If I wanna be a pro hero I need to make sure I can get strong too, so I wanted to take some pointers."

His eyes widen and hes like- you think I'm cool??? Me who has to do this training cause my quirk is useless most the time?? Me who's quirk actually sucks?? You think I'm cool.

You just give him this big smile and you're like well ya anyways see you tomorrow

And he kinda is just like fuckfuckfuckfuckdu kkckcdudyhsj the whole way home cause wow you're super cute and you're the only person to ever praise him like that

He lies awake all night and is like I'm in love fuk

So ya, he was in love long before you even started dating

G = Gentle (Are they gentle? If so, how?)

Hes so gentle with you

Like hell brush your hair out of your face and move it behind your ear

When you kiss his hand kinda just cups your jaw and his thumb rubs your cheek

He presses little kisses on your forehead when you hug

Theres times when he can be more rough, but you're his baby and he cherishes you so much

He doesn't wanna scare you in any way and treats you so well

H = Hands (How do they like to hold hands?)

When you're walking he likes to place his fingers with yours and holds onto your hand tight

But other than that, he prefers holding your hand by placing his on top of yours and lacing his fingers while his thumb rubs your pinky

Hell pick up your hand and press kisses on it

Lowkey to tease you cause he likes to see you blush but still

I = Impression (What was their first impression?)

His first impression of you wasn't the best? It wasn't the worst either tho

He first met you at the sports festival

You were fighting after he did, so when he was walking back and you were going out you saw him

So you were like "great job in the match!!"

And he thought you were teasing him cause he felt he horribly lost so he got kinda pissed

And was like "ya whatever"

He realized you weren't lying later tho, when you kept talking to him whenever you would see him at school

J = Jealousy (Do they get jealous?)

Oooooh yes, boy gets so jealous

You're HIS baby, not anyone elses

Hes put up with a lot of shit and a lot of shitty people and now that he has someone who loves him and he adores back - he doesn't like the fear of losing them

It's less of he gets angry when people flirt with you and more of he gets scared

Hes scared hes not the best and that you might decide you'll leave

He knows you love him and are loyal to him, but he cant shake that fear

K = Kiss (How do they kiss? Who initiated the first kiss?)

So he initiated the first kiss

It was after your first date, and he kinda just kissed you out of nowhere (and you didn't mind at all)

While he does kiss you fairly gently, its lots of times a way to tease you

He loves to kiss you more roughly- the kinds of kisses that leave you breathless and your lips bruised

But he starts gentle half the time so that you get frustrated and have to try and make him kiss you deeper

Lots of tongue

Lots and lots of tongue

L = Love (Who says ‘I love you’ first?)

You did

Again, He knew he loved you before you started dating

But he didn't wanna put you off by saying it too soon so he waited for you

He did things to help you know he loved you, but he waited until you said it

The first time you said it you were cuddling

You were lying on his chest and he was playing with your hair on his bed and you quietly said "I love you Toshi. So much.."

His eyes widened and he got the biggest smile on his face

"I love you too baby"

M = Memory (What’s their favourite memory together?)

His favorite memory with you is probably one of your first dates

He took you to an amusement park

You were holding hands the whole time and you were so happy throughout the whole night

Hearing your beautiful laugh, being able to play the games with you and win you prizes since hes for some reason super good at them, getting to be that annoying couple that just cuddles in all the lines

He was in heaven

of course you had to do the stereotypical couple thing and ride the ferris wheel

But! It got stuck when you were almost to the top (if only it had been at the top - it would have been peak amusement park date romance)

You two were so ready to kiss at the top, but now you get to make out for like 30 minutes?? Awesome!

Getting to have a whole photo shoot together with all the pretty lights from the park and the city?? Double awesome!

Sitting in the cramped seat and being able to just talk and cuddle without worrying about school or anything?? Tripple awesome!!!

Everything about the night was perfect, and now you two love going on amusement park dates (tho none will ever beat this one)

N = Nickel (Do they spoil? Do they buy the person they love everything?)

He won't Spoil you too much, hes broke anyways

Besides, hes not the most materialistic person anyways so he would rather give you gifts of like dates and stuff

When he does give gifts, it's more personal things

Hell spoil you for your birthday and anniversary tho, if you really want something hell do his best to get you it

O = Orange (What colour reminds them of their other half?)

Pink

Why?

Because he loves that cute blush of yours ~

He teases you all the time, anything to get you to blush

So when he sees a pink, especially in the shade of your blush, he kinda smirks and is like aw

Also, its such a soft color, and you're his baby so he gets soft for you

So honestly pastel colors remind him of you too, but mainly pink

P = Pet names (What pet names do they use?)

ANYTHING that will get you to blush

Hes tested out them all

Honey, sugar, babydoll, bub, cutie, EVERYTHING

But his favorites are baby, and kitten.

He likes cats so he tested out kitten and the BLUSH that erupted on your face, he was hooked

Q = Quaint (What is their favourite non-modern thing?)

My dude he is so into ball room dancing

Like I guess that's modern if you're rich, but neither of you are so that's something you only see in like old movies

Dead ass he took you to an abandoned castle just to dance with you while he played music from like the 40s

R = Rainy Day (What do they like to do on a rainy day?)

Loves rain

Wants to go play in it

He will drag you out into the rain so that you can run around and act like little kids

Then you'll come in eventually so you dont get sick and make tea and cuddle

S = Sad (How do they cheer themselves/others up?)

Hes more of the type that will just ignore his feelings when hes sad

Like it's no big deal they'll go away

But you got mad at him for doing that so now - he just tells you

Hell text you and be like "hey.. can we cuddle..."

And you'll immediately know what's up and run to cheer him up

When you're sad, he takes a more direct approach

He wants you to tell him straight up what's wrong, and hes willing to wait if you need time

Hell hold you until you're ready, but he won't leave until you're feeling better

T = Talking (What do they like to talk about?)

He loves gossipping

Like you two talking about dumb stuff your classmates do

Makes up like 70% of your conversations

Also about movies, or TV shows, hes into a lot of fandoms and loves talking about them

U = Unencumbered (What helps them relax?)

You

Playing

With

His

Hair

That's it

Hes stressed? He will plop himself into your lap and you just know

V = Vaunt (What do they like to show off? What are they proud of?)

He likes showing off his martial art skills honestly

Hes gotten good at them, and many of the students dont bother with learning any formal fighting style since they're more into just using their quirk or swinging as they please

So it's something hes proud of

Hes also proud of it cause the 2 people he looks up to the most - aizawa and you - are also proud of him for it

So he loves showing you new things hes learned, or showing you how to do them so that you can be safer

W = Wedding (When, how, where do they propose?)

Again, hes spontaneous, so it kinda just came out

You two were just goofing around one night - spending time with each other since soon you would go into working at an agency since you had graduated

He was just thinking about how much hes gonna miss not being able to be around you all the time

So this man deadass ran into a gas station that was still open, bought a ring pop, and ran back out and was like

"Shit babe I'm so sorry this is such a horrible proposal but I'm doing it cause I don't wanna back out so- (y/n), will you marry me?"

Hes down on one knee holding this ring pop and he expected you to start laughing (you did later) but instead you started crying and you just jump into his arms nodding

X = Xylophone (What’s their song?)

Serendipity by BTS

His world changed when he met you, the love his life

Theres so much hurt in life, and you are his happiness

Even when you two fight, you only come back stronger

Hes so happy with you, and so hes worried that something will happen to take you away from him

This song kinda captures that

Y = Yes (Do they ever think of getting married/proposing?)

Yes

All the time

He planned it a few times fully before when he actually did, and they were all much more romantic than the ring pop

He thought of the ring and everything

Z = Zebra (If they wanted a pet, what would they get?)

Cat

Do I even need to say that

He wants you two to be crazy cat parents so bad

Even tho the max you ever have at a time is 2

[thewritewolf]

Nino’s Quest Chapter 7: Audience With the King

The party finally meets up with the King and they receive their next quest.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 (Final)

Enjoy!

Read on Ao3.  My ko-fi.

Direct Message From Alya

Alya: babe. Have you noticed anything… ...weird? With the babies

Nino: Our babies? Yeah M’s back to her usual with my bro And adrien is a blushy mess around her Crazy

Alya: Is this progress? It feels like a side step Or taking a step forward… ...and tripping on their face.

Nino: Well, if they could get comfortable around each other before…

Alya: Babe its WAY worse now than what it was before Now NEITHER of them are talking to each other God they’re frustrating

Nino: Did it have something to do with that last akuma? You said you saw them heading toward it before things got crazy

Alya: Maybe? BUT OMG THAT BATTLE

Nino: ??? What happened??

Alya: After they beat the akuma They got the hell away from each other Super pale No fist bump I posted pics on the ldb

Nino: Lemme check Wait Are they blushing?

Alya: gr8 Now i’m even more confused

Nino: lmao Your fleet of ships! It is sinking, babe

Alya: Don’t even JOKE about that! Ladynoir WILL set sail Marinette WILL get her hamsters with Adrien

Nino: lol Just teasin Let em figure stuff out on their own They’ll get there

Alya: I hope youre right…

Nino: Trust me, babe. I AM a master of romance

Alya: Yeah? Where’d you get those credentials, huh?

Nino: I got you, didn’t I?

Alya: … Smooth, cappy Very smooth

-------

Lord DM: Alright, my dudes, we have agreed that there WILL be dnd this weekend. The question is now… ...where the heck is it going to be.

Adrien Regreste: Definitely not at my place They are barely letting me out No way are they going to let me have friends over [crying cat face]

Alya’ll Beware: yeah and its not going to be any better at my place Esp with Nora back in town

Lord DM: What bout u, M?

Marinoodles: There is a big order at the bakery They don’t need my help BUT They DO need the extra space My place is out

Lord DM: Well dang Looks like i’ll have to bring out the big guns You guys can come over to my place

Adrien Regreste: [shocked emoji] I never thought I’d see the day…

Alya’ll Beware: lol, chill sunshine. Stay focused on the dnd

Lord DM: No no Let him bask Few mortals get this honor

Alya’ll Beware: [eye roll emoji]

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

Saturday arrived at long last, and Nino took stock of his preparations for the day. His little bro out with their parents. A stack of chip bags and pop and all the things that would make Adrien’s nutritionist twitch. Bean bag chairs for him and all his friends. Ambiance from tabletop audio. Everything had to be right - they were meeting with the Good King Haman, after all. It was one of the climaxes of the campaign.

Which was why he was worried when everyone finally got there.

Adrien had picked up everyone, of course, which might explain why he and Marinette were already a blushing mess. Nino glanced to Alya for clues, but all she had for him was a frown and a shrug.

The two of them sat opposite each other, with Alya opposite Nino. There was a pregnant silence where usually they would have their pre-session chat.

Nino considered himself a pretty empathetic kinda guy. It wasn’t that hard for him to get a feel for the room, or put himself in other people’s shoes. But even for him, his two friends were a stone wall. The only thing he could say for sure is that they weren’t angry with each other. Maybe just… scared. Which was weird, but hey - Dungeons and Dragons hadn’t let him down yet. Maybe it could help them now.

With that in mind, Nino started the session. “After spending the morning making yourselves look like you totally belong at court - with different amounts of success - you make your way to the royal castle. Looks like someone’s looking out for you, since the usually long line to see the king is super short today.”

“Finally, some kind of break,” Alya grumbled. “After bandits and assassins, at least we don’t have to wait in line.”

“After an hour, you finally find yourselves face to face with the King himself. While it is clear that he is no longer the adventuring knight of his youth, he’s still got the broad shoulders and strong arms of a fighter. His jeweled, golden crown rests easily atop his head. He watches you intently as you approach, a well groomed eyebrow raised as he takes in your martial appearance.”

Adrien furrowed his eyebrows. “Wait, we’re in armor and stuff?”

“Well,” Marinette responded, “we are adventurers. We should never be too far from our gear.”

Bowing his head in acquiescence, Adrien returned his attention to Nino.

“After you are declared, the King seems even more curious about you. He speaks with a clear, booming voice, one used to commanding armies in the field. ‘I recognize your names. There was a wretched matter afoot last night - one that you were the center of. I admit, I had wondered what would force someone’s hand in such a way as to send assassins. What business do you have with me?’”

When it became clear that both Marinette and Adrien weren’t going to speak up - each seemed to be stuck in a cycle of catching the other’s eye, blushing, and looking somewhere else - Alya sighed and responded.

She cleared her throat. “During our travels, we uncovered something that we felt you ought to know. There was a…” Her eyes widened and she glanced between her flustered friends. “Um… What was he called? An evil sorcerer?”

Marinette mumbled something that might have been, “Dark adept.”

“Thanks, M.” Straightening her back, Alya looked toward Nino again. “There was a dark adept raising the dead to fight for him.”

“A flurry of murmuring erupts around you. The royal guard flanking the King tighten their grips on their halberds. The King himself has his lips tighten into a thin line before saying, ‘That is a bold claim, young knight. I trust that you brought justice to this renegade, in accordance with the laws of our land?’”

Alya nodded. “Of course! But there is more to it than that.” She checks her character sheet. “Who has the decrypted journal of the dark adept? It looks like it isn’t on me.”

There was a rustling of papers.

“Oh, right,” Adrien said, “I forgot that I was checking it for other clues.”

“Is that when you rolled another one and forgot how to read for a few hours?”

“Hush.”

“Anyway,” Alya said, returning to her character voice, “My ally has a decrypted journal we took from the adepts quarters. There were repeated references to the adept’s master, and hints of a larger plot against the kingdom.”

“The King frowns. ‘Let me see this journal.’”

“I’ll take it up to him.”

“He takes it from Adrien’s character and quickly skims through it, his eyes narrowing as he reaches the end. ‘I must thank you for your work in ending this threat, but it seems a larger one has made itself known. While I am sure you must want to rest, I must ask you to meet this threat to the kingdom.’ He gestures to an advisor nearby. ‘Pay these heroes five hundred gold pieces for each of them.’ His eyes land on you once again. ‘I’ll pay double that once you bring me proof that the Necromancer is dead, and his plot has died with him. Do you accept?’”

The other three exchanged looks between them.

“I’m all for earning a name for myself. And a quest from King Haman himself is about as good as it gets. I’m in.”

“I don’t have anything else planned,” Marinette shrugged, her eyes pointedly on the table in front of her. “I’m sure fighting evil will be its own kind of fun.”

“And where she goes,” Adrien nodded towards Marinette and met her eye. His voice lowered to almost a whisper. “...I’ll follow. Always.”

Something passed between them and it felt almost as if Nino were intruding. The moment passed, and the two of them broke out into furious blushes again.

“Right… so. The king nods, a faint smile on his lips. ‘Excellent. May the gods be with you in your quest.’” Nino took a sip of his drink. “Well, now you’re a little richer, and its time to level up your characters.”

For the rest of the session, Nino walked them through their first time leveling up and taught them the time honored art of spending their hard-earned gold. A new rapier for Adrien. Alchemist’s fire for Marinette. That sort of thing. They were feeling more confident now that they had more than their starting array of equipment, and Nino smiled as he watched them work. It was good to be the dungeon master.

--------

Later, after Adrien had taken Marinette home, Alya and Nino cuddled on the couch. With how big both their families were, it wasn’t often that they got a chance to hang out alone.

For a while, Nino was comfortable with the silence. But then curiosity got the better of him.

“So… how are you liking Dungeons and Dragons now? Still think it’s just for nerds?” He smirked at her as she rolled her eyes.

“Okay, I admit… I’m having loads of fun. It’s always nice to spend more time with you guys. And you especially,” Alya said, reaching up to kiss his cheek. “I’ve gotten surprisingly invested in this story. It almost feels like being Rena Rouge again, fighting evil and all that.”

“Not as likely to end up getting thrashed by a super villain, though.”

“Fair. And it’s nice to act like someone else for a while. Although,” she stretched, “it’s also nice when I don’t have to be the one taking the lead. I hope the babies get their act together soon. Being the leader is exhausting.”

“Poor babe,” Nino cooed, earning himself a gentle punch in the shoulder from his girlfriend. “Don’t worry, I’m sure they’ll figure things out sooner or later.”

“It’s the later part I’m worried about. I just hope they’ll get their act together by next session.”

“I’m sure they will.” Nino wrapped his arms around Alya. “What’s the worst that could have happened? It’s not like they have big secrets that they are sitting on.”

They considered this for a few moments before Nino added,

“Besides the obvious crush thing, at least.”

[changji]

before and now

◊ pairings: hwang hyunjin | reader, bang chan | reader

◊ genre: angst, college au

◊ word count: 2.1k

◊ warnings: implied cheating

◊ summary: you were in love and so was he. but not all relationships work out.

italics is a memory, written in letter format

Dear Hwang Hyunjin,

After some thinking, I decided that this toxic relationship needed closure.

Proper closure.

Okay, actually, it was my boyfriend who decided that I needed closure. I thought it was the stupidest idea anyone’s ever come up with, but in the end, I caved.

I swear I’m not trying to trash you or become the clingy ex-girlfriend that nobody likes, or trying to talk shit about the things you’ve done.

I just wanted to get these words off my chest, to say them to you.

I’ll never forget how you came up to me on the first day of uni, how nervous you looked, how scared you seemed. You asked to sit next to me, and from then, a pretty great relationship (well, until it crashed and failed).

“Hi, is anyone sitting here?” A boy gave you a small smile. Glancing up, you smiled and shook your head, inviting him to sit down.

“I’m (Y/N).”

“I’m Hyunjin.”

I’ll never forget how you looked past my weird attitude on our first date.

“God, I’m so sorry.” Grabbing a napkin, you began to furiously wipe at the brown coffee stain on his shirt.

Laughing, Hyunjin pushed your hand away from his shirt, held it in his own, and wiped the stain himself. “It’s okay.”

I’ll never forget our first kiss.

Tilting your neck, you peered up into Hyunjin’s eyes. “Thank you for taking me out.” Stepping closer to you, he smiled, showing off his infamous grin.

“I’d be happy to go out with you again.” Slinging his arms around your waist, he swooped down to place a peck on your lips. “See you tomorrow.”

He kissed you again and left you standing in front of your door with a starry eyed look.

I’ll never forget how we weren’t just dating, but we were more. I called you my boyfriend and you called me your girlfriend, and no one questioned it.

“Who’s that?” Jisung pointed his chin in your direction after too many (not so) discrete stares at each other.

Giving him a dazed look, Hyunjin turned his eyes back to you and smiled. “That’s my girlfriend.”

I’ll never forget the first time you said ‘I love you.’

Twirling around the living room with a mop, you laughed as Hyunjin slid around on a towel.

“What exactly is it that you’re doing?”

“I’m helping you clean.”

Suppressing your smile, you listened to the light music playing in the background. “Really? That’s real nice of you.”

“It’s my job as your boyfriend. Along with loving you of course.”

“What?”

“I love you.”

I’ll never forget any time you said ‘I love you.’

You and Hyunjin lay on the sofa, you trapped between his body and the back cushion.

“You’re really cute.” Your cheeks turned a light shade of pink as you buried your face into his chest. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

I’ll never forget how every moment I spent with you, you somehow managed to make my day brighter. .

Trudging down the halls of your apartment building, you lugged the textbooks and countless of assignments your professors has thrown at you.

“Boo!” Hands suddenly found their in front of your eyes. Grinning at the warmth, you found yourself sinking into his embrace, dropping the bags you held.

“Welcome back.”

I’ll also never forget our first real fight after you kissed that Soojin at the Christmas party.

“Don’t misunderstand it, it was nothing.”

“I saw you kiss her! Don’t lie to me!”

“I’m not lying to you! Goddamnit, listen to me for once in your life!” Your glare pierced his soul, and realizing the words that escaped his lips, he stopped, tucking his shoulders into his body as if he could fold himself into a small ball.

“I’ll see you at home.”

How we spent the night in bed, both faced away from each other.

“Still not gonna talk to me?” Hyunjin stared at your back, desperation laced in his voice, silently begging you to turn away from the wall.

“Hm.” You still didn’t budge. He sighed, sitting on the bed and brushing your hair away from your bare shoulder to plant a kiss there.

“I love you. Don’t forget that.”

And I’ll never forget how you started drifting away from me when you suddenly changed your major halfway through our second year.

“I switched to fine arts. With Soojin, you know her.”

“Oh, you dropped business?”

“I just said that. Anyway, we already have a project due soon.”

“We?”

“Me and Soojin. See you later. I love you.”

I’ll never forget how seeing each other every day turned into seeing each other once a week.

“Hyunjin, are you coming home tonight?”

“No, sorry. Me and Soojin have a really important thing to do tonight.

“But-”

“I’m sorry, babe, but it’s celebrating getting a 93 percent on our final. I’ll see you,” The line went dead.

“But… it’s our anniversary.”

How talking all the time turned into talking only when needed.

“Hey, do you wanna go out for dinner tonight?” He didn’t notice the desperation in your tone.

“Ah, I’m busy. I can’t,” Hyunjin smiled, albeit slightly forced. On his way out the door he picked up his phone, saying the name you were starting to despise. “Soojin? Yeah, I’m almost there.”

When texting every hour turned into texts being unanswered.

Sender: (Y/N)

Receiver: Hyunjin

Hey, you didn’t answer my texts. Are we still up for our date tonight?”

Sender: Hyunjin

Receiver: (Y/N)

I’m busy. Sorry.

When cuddling every night turned into your side of the bed being cold and empty almost every single damn night.

You pulled the covers closer to your body, tears staining your face as you stared at the door, waiting for it to open, and for him to come home.

He never did.

How waking up to your face turned into a loud, blaring alarm.

You opened your eyes to the loud screeching of the alarm, the lingering scent of Hyunjin’s cologne left on his pillow, indicating that he was there sometime throughout the night.

But he still didn’t wake up with you.

When eating dinner together every evening turned into uneaten food, wrapped and placed in the fridge.

Cooking for him never brought a smile to your face like it used to. Your food was turning bland, getting simpler with smaller portions. Your face was always kept straight as you stuffed a few spoonfuls of food into your mouth, the taste you longed for no longer there. His plate would be wrapped away and stored away into the fridge.

Yours was dumped into the trash.

How over-exaggerated paragraphs turned into one or two word sentences.

“Will I see you tonight?”

“No,” and he just left.

How “I love you” was directed to her, and not me.

You sat on the couch, motionless as you watched Hyunjin open the door back to the apartment. His smile was wide and his face was practically glowing. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Soojin. Love you, take care,” he walked into the room, closing the door behind him.

Never glancing at you.

How you strung me along for a few months, making me believe you still loved me while everyone around me knew that it was her you were dating.

“Who’s that?” Jisung asked after Soojin just left, but not before hugging Hyunjin and pecking him on the cheek.

“She’s my girlfriend.”

“And (Y/N)?”

Hyunjin shrugged.

I’ll never forget how stupid I felt when I saw your texts to her, completely disregarding me and everything we’ve been through. For her.

Sender: Soojin

Receiver: Hyunjin

Are u with (Y/N)? Wanna come over?

Sender: Soojin

Receiver: Hyunjin

I can cancel I’ll be over soon.

I’ll never forget the pain you put me through, Hwang Hyunjin. People told not to fall for your charms, because underneath that is so much more. Thinking back, I was the most stubborn person alive, and I stupidly decided to ignore them, because I believed that you would change for me.

I was wrong, and I almost lost myself in our relationship.

Surprisingly, the person that I least expected took me to his hometown. He showed me his roots, where he grew up, how he grew up, the little cafe his parents own, his childhood bedroom. He wasn’t afraid to love me for who I am, to show me off. He helped me find myself when I was incapable of doing it alone. He showed me that I am worth it.

More importantly, he showed me that you’re everything I can live my life without.

Now, you might be wondering what the point of this letter is, but the truth is: you lost something great.

Do whatever you like with the people you want, but trust me. Eventually? You’re going to realize you want it all back.

You’ll want to see me everyday, like he does.

“Hey, come here.” his voice was low and slurred, full or grogginess seeing as how he just woke up. Moving into the living room from the kitchen, you sat yourself on the arm of the couch, raking your hands through his, currently, platinum blonde hair. Curling himself back up, he pressed his face against your thigh, dozing off to the feeling of your fingers running through his scalp.

You’ll want to talk to me every hour of the day, like he does.

“(Y/N)?” you were walking through the campus gripping tightly onto his hand, looking for places you haven’t been before, which was probably over half the campus.

“Hm?”

“Did you know that the sun is 93 million miles away from us?”

You’ll want my texts, the one he gets.

Sender: (Y/N)

Receiver: My Love

Make sure to eat!!!!

Sender: My Love

Receiver: (Y/N)

You too! I’ll be home at 6

You’ll want my cuddles, the ones you missed out on.

Feeling your body being pulled back to someone’s chest, you rose an eyebrow to him, despite him not being able to see you. Turning yourself around, you buried your face into the crook of his neck, feeling him nuzzle his nose into your hair. He exhaled, loving the feeling of you wrapped up in his arms.

You could stay like this forever.

You’ll want to wake up to my face, the view he gets every morning.

You woke up to someone stroking your face and hair being moved away from your neck. Opening your eyes, you stared up lovingly at him, cuddling more into his touch.

“Good morning.”

You’ll want how I made dinner for you everyday, like I do for him.

“Is that clay pot chicken rice?” his deep voice rumbled throughout the room, barey rising over the sizzling of food on the stove. Turning around, you beamed at him, smile making his whole day.

“Yeah! Your favorite, then we can go watch a movie or go to your studio or something.”

Smiling, he walked over to you and slung his arms around your waist, kissing your neck. “I’d like that very much.”

You’ll want my long, over-exaggerated paragraphs, like he gets.

Sender: (Y/N)

Receiver: My Love

Remember to eat okay? I might show up late tonight, so make sure you get some rest and keep yourself hydrated, AND DON’T HOLE YOURSELF UP IN THE STUDIO. I’ll have someone watching you, okay? Since I probably won’t see my beautiful, sexy, handsome, boyfriend til late tonight or tomorrow, I hope you can feel my love through this! Love you!!!!!

Sender: My Love

Receiver: (Y/N)

Okay! Don’t overwork yourself and don’t spend the whole night working on your essay. Love you see you tonight

You’ll want my hugs, like he gets.

Deeply inhaling his scent, you shuddered when a hand came around you to rest on your back. Attempting to pull yourself back, you found yourself being brought closer to his chest, a deep whine rumbling from his chest.

“Just a few minutes.”

You’ll want my kisses, like he gets.

Pulling him against you, you grinned when he placed his lips against yours. Trailing away from your mouth, his lips placed gentle kisses along your cheeks to your jawline.

“That tickles!”

“I don’t care.” Only to continue pressing kisses to your skin.

You’ll want me to say “I love you,”  like how he hears it.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

Hell, you’ll want my love, how he has it.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you, honestly.” your voice was slightly muffled, due to the fact that your scarf was pulled up to your mouth.

“I don’t know what you’d do without me either.”

“Hey-”

“But I’m happy you’re here. I love you.”

“I love you too, Chan.”

You’ll want me.

But when the time comes, you will always be too late.

I’ll never be yours again.

And trust me, you’ll want everything back.

From,

(L/N) (Y/N)

a/n: god this is so bad lol thanks for reading

[mystery-moose]

do u ever think about ravens roost not getting destroyed, and julia and magnus keeping on living in their town? how long do u think it would take for magnus to get his memories back like that? what if he never met merle and taako and it wasnt until the day of story and song?

I don’t know what prompted this but THANKS ANYWAY

/////

“Magnus?”

He was sitting in the mud room, strapping on his boots. The good ones, not the ones he usually wore to town. Rich, thick leather that the salesdwarf had insisted was drakeskin but was probably closer to salamander. Julia had gotten them for his birthday.

“I’ll be back,” he said, not looking up from the buckles. “Soon. I promise.”

“Let me come with.”

He grimaced. Of course she knew where he was going. It had beamed straight into her head, too, hadn’t it? “Jules–”

“You don’t have to go alone.”

“I know, I know that,” he said, standing and grabbing his duster from the the coathook. Stiff and heavy, it was one of the first things he’d purchased when he got to Raven’s Roost. It frayed at the sleeves, the elbows had nearly worn through, and its rust color had long-since faded into a creamy tan. He hadn’t thought anything of the color before today. “But this is – it’s personal.”

“It’s personal for me, too,” she argued, folding her arms. “Or am I not involved?”

Magnus shrugged on his coat and turned to face her. She glared at him like she did whenever he was being particularly stubborn – or when she was about to do something particularly reckless.

He wanted to throw his arms around her, lift her up and kiss her the same way he had for years. But he’d been afraid to, since yesterday. He wasn’t sure what he looked like to her anymore. He wasn’t sure what he looked like to anyone.

Those monsters – the Hunger – had nearly brought down the entire Craftsman’s Corridor. He’d helped fight them off, save lives, and when the Song came, he’d been too caught up in the fight to stop and gather himself.

Once it was over… he’d seen how people were looking at him. His friends. His neighbors. Stephen. Like they didn’t know him at all. Confusion and awe and fear and sadness and even some anger. He’d made one of the relics, after all. How, exactly, was still a bit of a mystery to him; sifting through the massive information dump in his head was still a trial.

He’d slept on the couch last night. Julia hadn’t asked him to, but he had anyway. It didn’t feel right. Nothing felt right. He hoped this would help sort things out in his head.

“Please,” he begged, standing there helplessly. “Please, just – let me do this. I can’t – I don’t know if I could do it, with you there.”

“Do what?”

Magnus opened his mouth, closed it, and shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know. I just know that it’ll only be harder with you there.”

Julia frowned and opened her mouth to argue, but whatever she was about to say caught in her throat. Her hand went up and touched the wooden charm hanging from her necklace; it was a duck.

“I’ll be here when you get back,” she mumbled. “Alright? That’s a promise.”

Before Magnus could answer, she turned and walked away. He felt sick, watching her go. But he knew she always kept her promises.

Magnus picked up the old battleaxe he kept by the front door, unused for years before yesterday, and hooked it into his belt. He turned up the collar of his coat and left the Hammer and Tongs behind him.

There were agents from the so-called “Bureau of Balance” down in Raven’s Roost now, helping to shore up the weakened pillars before they collapsed. They had come down in those glass spheres, in the hours after the attack had ended. Magnus figured he could convince them to let him hitch a ride.

/////

As nervous and uncomfortable as he was, as the sphere drifted slowly up and away from Raven’s Roost, Magnus couldn’t help but gawk out the windows. He wasn’t a wizard, and had little experience with magic, so the whole “flying” thing still held some measure of awe for him.

(No, not true, he was surrounded by wizards on a literal spaceship for a hundred years. This was nothing. This was less than nothing. Wasn’t it?)

“Drink?”

One of the Bureau people held out a flask. Magnus considered the offer for a moment before he decided, fuck it, why not. Maybe it’d calm his nerves some. “Thanks, uh–?”

“Avi,” the man said with a nod.

“From Brandybuck,” Magnus said without thinking.

Avi grinned. He seemed like the type who smiled easily. (Was that part of the Story, too?) “Yeah.”

Magnus took a swig from the flask – it was sweeter than he expected, and didn’t have much burn. Not quite mead, but close enough for jazz. “Magnus,” he said, handing it back.

“From space.”

He should have smiled at that. Instead, Magnus winced. “Yeah.”

Avi winced back, sympathetically. “Sorry.”

“No, it’s–” Magnus sighed. “I guess it’s something I’m gonna have to get used to, now.”

“Your family make it out okay?”

“Yeah.”

Avi blew out a breath, relieved. “That’s good.”

“How’s the, uh. The whole moon-based secret organization doing?”

“Busy,” said Avi. “Lotta cleanup. Lotta work left to do.”

“Still working?”

“Yep.” Avi took a swig from his flask and screwed the cap back on. “Of course, some folks don’t exactly have anywhere else to go, y’know?”

Magnus settled back in his seat. He looked down and watched Raven’s Roost rapidly shrink away beneath them.

“Not really,” he mumbled.

/////

Even in the wrecked and ruined state it was in, the Bureau was a marvel of arcane art and magitechnology. From the cannons that fired their glass capsules, to the alchemical lights that lined every wall and corridor, to the sliding doors to every room. Magnus marveled at the grass (pockmarked with smoking craters) and the trees (several of which were burned or broken or uprooted) and the smooth white dome-shaped buildings that lined the quad (half of them with massive structural damage). Any other day, he would have spent hours exploring the place.

Today, he just felt sick.

Avi led him, without being asked, to one particular dome with its ceiling blown out. It had an atrium with a dais and a throne, a door in the back, and a glass window on the right that showed a blank white chamber with an empty metal sphere inside. The floor and walls were scorched almost pitch black, only a handful of spots left unburned.

“She’ll be here in a second,” Avi said, and left Magnus there to wait.

Magnus spent a minute pacing around the room, toeing at the rubble and kicking at debris. He was a little surprised no one had cleaned up the place yet. But he guessed that there were more important things to do.

There was a broken wand in the corner, by a charred and mangled set of furniture that might have been a table and chairs, once. It sat in a clear patch of ground, and had survived whatever fire had flooded the place. He wondered how that happened.

(Lup loved fire. She sculpted it like fine art. It danced around her friends and engulfed her foes, without fail. Never even singed a hair on his head – unless she wanted it to.)

“Oh my god.”

Magnus turned around, and his whole world went sideways.

She was so much older, now. Older than he’d expected. Older than she should be. Her hair was still white, but shorter, cut close. Her robe was the wrong color, and her eyes, still big and expressive, were edged with wrinkles that spoke more of worry than laughter.

(She should be his age, even younger, with longer hair. Not too long, she always hated a high maintenance look, but longer. And blue wasn’t her color, he can’t remember ever seeing her in blue; reds, of course, greens or purples or yellows, but never blue.)

“Lucretia,” he said, and it sounded so strange in his voice. Like he was out of practice.

She rushed forward and threw her arms around him. And Magnus, who had never once turned down a hug in his life, simply stood there and took it.

And that’s when he realized he was angry.

“I didn’t know if you were alive,” she said into his shoulder. “I hoped, but I didn’t–”

She froze. His lack of reciprocation had not gone unnoticed. She pulled away and took a step back, concern and uncertainty all over her face.

“What’s wrong?”

Magnus almost couldn’t believe she had the nerve to ask.

“How could you?” he growled.

“Magnus, I–”

“You threw me away. You threw all of us away.”

“I didn’t, I–”

“How could you?” he repeated more forcefully.

Lucretia stared at him, examined his face. And now she didn’t recognize him anymore, either.

“You were miserable,” she said quietly. “Dying. You were all dying, watching this world crumble around you and I just wanted to–”

“You took me from my family!” Magnus shouted, smacking his hand against his chest. “You took me from everything that mattered to me!”

Lucretia’s mouth opened and closed, searching for something to say. “…I just wanted you to be happy.”

“And I was!” Magnus shouted at her. “I was happy! I was so fucking happy there were times I couldn’t even think straight! And now it’s gone!”

Her eyes widened, and the color nearly drained from her face. “Gone?”

“Gone,” he said, and jabbed his finger at his head. “Because now I know I spent ten years in my own little world while the people I loved suffered. Ten years! I could have helped you research the Light, or Taako and Barry find Lup, or – or – something!”

“Magnus–”

“Do you have any idea what that’s like?” he said, pacing away from her towards the windowed chamber. “To just suddenly know that there are people out there that you love, who needed you, and you did nothing? For everyone else, who thought they knew you, to look at you and suddenly see a complete stranger?”

“That’s–” Behind him, he heard Lucretia stifle a sob. “It’s not your fault, Magnus.”

His hands became fists, nails biting into his palms.

“You’re right,” he said. “It’s not.”

Silence. Magnus saw Lucretia’s reflection in glass. Hand over her mouth and one arm wrapped around her waist, like she was holding herself together. He closed his eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath.

(They were friends, dear friends, and they relied on each other a lot in those early years. He was take-charge while she was overly cautious, and she was calm and rational while he was anything but. But for all his bravado, and all her composure, they were still just a couple of kids in over their heads. They understood each other when it seemed like no one else did.)

“There’s a room in the dormitories for you,” Lucretia said, her voice distant. “Avi can show you there. If you want.”

Magnus felt his stomach churn again. He crossed his arms and scowled at nothing. “I’ve got someone waiting.”

“Oh,” she said, sounding somewhere between surprised and relieved and despondent all at once. “That’s good.”

Another silence. Magnus hated this. Magnus hated himself, for coming here, for saying what he said, for failing to remember even though he knew it was impossible. Magnus hated her, too, but with every passing second, that hate was waning. He wasn’t sure he wanted it to.

“There’s work to do,” Lucretia said slowly. “If there’s anything else you need, then… you know where to find me.”

Magnus said nothing. He opened his eyes and watched Lucretia’s reflection turn away, towards the door in the back. She stopped, looked over her shoulder – not at him, but at some spot on the ground a few meters to his left.

“I’m so happy you’re alive, Magnus.”

And then she left.

/////

Magnus walked the Bureau aimlessly. Tight, winding corridors led to large, open-air rooms. A large cafeteria was wrecked and empty, the wall-spanning picture window out to the quad shattered. Dozens, maybe hundreds of people went about their business around him. Some of them stared at him as he passed, whispered to their companions. A few even followed him for a bit, though they didn’t try and talk to him. But most were too consumed with their own business to pay him much mind. The world was a shambles, and there was work to do.

He had done what he came here to do, he thought, but he wasn’t ready to leave. He realized he should probably ask for directions, but he didn’t; he was in a terrible mood, and he always shut up and refused to talk when he was in a bad mood. Jules gave him hell for it, because clamming up and stewing in your own misery never helped anyone, but it was a hard habit to break.

(He’d done it for years before anyone noticed. Taako, of all people, had been the one to get him to quit it; every time he’d go quiet, Taako would needle him relentlessly, building up pressure until he either exploded and felt worse or gave in and confessed what was bothering him. Taako took either outcome in stride, of course, and was a better listener than Magnus expected – his disaffected air and general lack of tact let him cut right through the bullshit.)

What kind of person was Magnus Burnsides now? What habits did he have, and which had he already broken?

“Magnus?”

Magnus blinked and realized he was on the quad, over by a still-intact railing at the edge. Beneath them, the Sword Coast stretched out from horizon to horizon. You could almost see the curvature of the planet from up here. He looked over his shoulder.

“Holy shit.”

He looked like hell. His beard was tangled, the hair he still had on his head pulled back into a messy bun. His hands were dirty, covered in something dark that Magnus hoped wasn’t blood but knew probably was; healers were likely in high demand at the moment. Clutched between two of his fingers was a lit cigarette trailing a thin stream of smoke (he would smoke cloves or tobacco, but preferred whatever equivalent of weed he could find on whatever plane they landed on) and the old sandals on his feet were coming apart.

And he was missing an arm and an eye.

(They were about forty years in or so. Some creature, a shapeshifter or doppelganger, had tried to impersonate Merle, get its way onto the ship. Magnus had seen through it immediately – Merle’s eyes were unmistakable. They blinked happily and twinkled with mischief and lit up when he was about to tell a particularly awful joke. There was a light in there that couldn’t be replicated by anything without his spirit.)

Magnus was shocked. Scared. He was trying to find words when Merle bounded up and yanked him down into a hug.

“My god, kid,” Merle said, sounding like he was about to cry. “It’s good to see you.”

“Merle–” His voice caught in his throat. “I didn’t know, I’m sorry–”

“Sorry?”

Merle pulled away, brow furrowed. And Magnus realized he hadn’t just lost an eye – the other was dimmer, duller than before. The color faded, just enough to notice. His nausea returned in force.

“I didn’t remember,” he said. “I couldn’t help you, and I wasn’t here, and I would have been if I’d known, I swear–”

“Hey, hey, heyyyy,” Merle said soothingly, squeezing his shoulders. “Calm down. Shit. What’s got your goat, big guy?”

“I just–” He looked down at Merle’s wooden arm. A small branch with a leaf on it quivered in the breeze. “If I’d been here, maybe–”

“What, this?” Merle regarded his wooden hand, the fingers flexing, creaking gently. “You can’t blame yourself for this one, Magnus. This here was a classic Merle fuck-up.”

“But–”

“I said quit it, kid,” Merle said with a shove of his shoulder. He grinned and shrugged. “I’m alive, ain’t I? Can’t ask for much more than that.”

You really can, Magnus thought, but didn’t say. “What happened?”

“Oh, long story,” Merle drawled. “Long and dumb and a little embarrassing. C’mon, I’ll fix us some drinks and fill ya in. You still prefer whiskey?”

“Yeah,” Magnus said, surprised even though he shouldn’t be.

“Well, too bad, because all I’ve got is bourbon!” Merle said with a laugh, clapping him on the shoulder. “But we could raid Taako’s stash, if you picked up a taste for wine.”

“Taako’s here?”

“Think so,” Merle said, leading the way across the quad. “He might be out right now, helpin’ Barry and Lup deal with some, uh, negotiations that gotta take place.”

Magnus reeled. “Is everyone – what about Davenport?”

“Oh, he’s definitely down on the surface. Talkin’ with that Neverwinter big-shot, Sterling, about where we should be helping next.” Merle shook his head and sighed. “Cap’n hasn’t given himself a moment to rest since the shit hit the fan.”

Merle led him into a dome, and crossed a corridor to an elevator. The music that played as they descended reminded Magnus distinctly of the Song, and he realized he knew the source.

“Johann’s dead, isn’t he?”

The smiled disappeared from Merle’s face. He nodded solemnly. “Yeah.”

“And Fisher?”

Merle reached over and squeezed Magnus’ forearm. “Fisher made it out just fine, kid. Them and their kid ghosted after they sent out that broadcast. Not sure where to, but Barry said they were alive and well.”

A small weight lifted itself from Magnus’ heart, only to be replaced by another pang of regret. He wondered if Fisher had missed him.

The elevator doors opened and Merle stepped out. Down a short hallway was a single door. Merle fished around his pockets for a key, then gave up and kicked it in.

“Lock’s been half-busted since the attack anyway,” he explained, leading Magnus into a large suite. He kicked off his sandals by the door and headed further in.

There was a carpet half-covering a glass porthole in the floor that looked down on the Sword Coast below. The window was cracked, but intact. It was in a small pit in the center of the room, surrounded by a pair of curved sofas and with a glass coffee table sitting atop it. In the back, a dining table with seats for eight next to a short hallway leading to what must be the bedrooms, and to the right, an open-air kitchen that Merle was walking towards.

“Think Barry’s got beer in the fridge,” he said. “That alright?”

“Fine,” Magnus said, hanging by the door. He always felt a little awkward in someone else’s home.

Merle noticed. “Sit down, Magnus,” he called out from beyond the counter. “Get comfy. This story’s gonna take a while.”

Magnus walked over and plopped down onto the couch. Before Merle could return, one of the hallway doors opened.

He walked in in a set of bedraggled pajamas – a white, long-sleeved dress shirt that was a bit too big on him, and a pair of neon-yellow shorts. He had no jewelry, which threw Magnus a bit, and his hair was tied back too messy to be anything but an afterthought. And there was something about his face… something off, something changed, impossible to place but undeniably different.

(Magnus’ first impression had been vain and arrogant and self-absorbed, and to be sure, all those things were true. But there was a surprising charm to that prickly facade that didn’t take long to reveal itself. He was confident, yes, but that confidence was earned. Vain, sure, but not for anyone but himself. And while he was slow to trust, Magnus learned that once someone wormed their way into his heart, there was no one more loyal – or more viciously, violently protective – than Taako.)

Magnus got up from the sofa as Taako stood frozen in the hallway, eyes wide. Magnus forced a smile and waved awkwardly.

“Hi.”

Taako didn’t react. He started walking towards him, around the sofa, gaining speed until he reached Magnus and threw his arms around him. Distantly, Magnus was aware that this sort of open display of affection was uncommon for Taako, and that made it worth far, far more.

“Hey, buddy,” Magnus said quietly, arms wrapped around him.

“Hey, dullard.”

Magnus laughed a little. Taako pulled away and put his hands on Magnus’ face, turning his head this way and that.

“God, you got old. And what’s this?” Taako said, indicating the scar over his eye. “You go off and do something stupid without us?”

Another pang in Magnus’ gut. He ignored it. “You should see the other guy.”

“’Bout time you woke up,” Merle said, returning from the kitchen with a pair of bottles in his hands. “Gonna play a little catch-up. You wanna join in?”

Taako leaned past Magnus. “Not if you’re drinking that shit. Get the wine. It’s in the cabinet.”

“You get it! I just got these!”

“And I’m overcome with emotion after this touching reunion!” Taako said, pressing a hand to his chest. “You’d really tear me away from this beautiful moment?”

Merle rolled his eyes and sighed heavily, setting down the beers and wandering back to the kitchen. Taako smirked, smug and victorious. Magnus laughed again, a little amazed at how easy it came.

“It’s really good to see you again, Taako,” he said. “Like, really.”

Taako’s smirk softened around the edges. “Likewise, my dude.”

He held up a fist. Instantly, Magnus knocked it with his own, sending them into a short routine they’d perfected somewhere around their thirty-ninth year. It wasn’t as smooth as it used to be, but Magnus figured they were both out of practice.

“Alright, numbnuts, here’s your wine,” Merle said, setting the bottle and a wine flute down on the table. “Pour it your own damn self.”

Taako grinned and snatched them up, then plopped down onto the sofa, taking up the maximum amount of space possible. Magnus had to sidle over to sit back down, and Merle hopped up next to him and handed him a beer.

“Lup and Barry still out?” Merle asked.

Taako uncorked the wine with a pop. “Yeah, the boytoy’s still workin’ things out with his boss.”

“You found Lup?” Magnus asked.

“More like she found me,” Taako said cryptically, pouring himself an altogether too-full glass. “But oh no, I ain’t startin’ this train. That’s on you.”

“Me?”

“Shyeah, my dude. Where you been? What’s your life been like?” Taako crossed his legs and lounged back against the cushions. “Guarantee it hasn’t been worse than mine.”

“Hey, I lost an arm!” Merle protested. “And an eye!”

“Still think I’m in the lead.”

“Yeah, you would.”

Taako flipped Merle the bird as he took a swig of wine. Magnus laughed, again, even though it wasn’t that funny. Even though he should be sick with shame, with regret, with worry, with anger, with all sorts of things.

But he had found his friends. His family. After all this time. And despite absolutely everything, if he closed his eyes, it was almost like nothing had changed at all.

/////

He told them everything. About Raven’s Roost, and Stephen, and Julia. About Kalen, about the rebellion, about how he’d almost lost everything. About his life there, simple and happy and unassuming, now a bit upset by everyone knowing he was a heroic space alien. And they, in turn, told him – about the relics, about the lie of the Bureau of Balance, about the cave with the vault and the boy on the train and crystal kingdom and the time-sick town. About Wonderland – and he nearly was sick when they told him about their sacrifices – and about their final fight, and their final victory.

The sun had set by the time they finished. Magnus knew he couldn’t stay. He told them to come and visit, soon – preferably with Lup and Barry in tow, and this boy detective that Taako seemed surprisingly attached to – and they promised they would. Magnus left the suite pleasantly drunk, almost giddy with happiness, the exact opposite of how he’d felt that morning.

He knew who Magnus Burnsides was, now. Or he was starting to. It turned out he wasn’t that different.

And on his way out, he realized he had to make up for something.

/////

Magnus opened the door to the Hammer and Tongs. “I’m back,” he called, shrugging out of his coat.

Julia was there in seconds, charging down the stairs. “What happened? How’d it go? How’d–”

She went quiet when Magnus stepped aside to hang his coat on the hook. He followed her gaze past him to Lucretia, standing awkwardly in the doorway, hands clasped by her waist.

“I, uh, probably should have called ahead,” Magnus admitted with a nervous smile. “Is a guest for dinner okay?”