#ares x original female character

[littlejuicebox]

Chasing birds to get high, chasing birds to get by

(Astarion x Original F!Character)

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Chapter number: One Themes: BG3, slow burn, original female character x astarion, dialogue heavy, mostly canon behavior Masterlist: Click here. Song: “Chasing Birds” – Foo Fighters Notes: I used to write a lot, for sheer enjoyment and as a creative outlet, but I haven't in years. This character, inspired by my own Tav, and the storyline of BG3, have really inspired me. It's been nice to get a creative spark back! Even if this goes nowhere, or only one person sees it... I hope you enjoy. :)

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Wren holds the book up in her callused hand, littered in scratches from today's earlier run-in with the owlbear. She eyes the thick, heavy tome with a grotesque, leather cover that appears to be adorned with a face… purple, glowing eyes of amethyst and a wide gaping mouth shaped into a scream. Her gut churns for a moment as she wonders if the cover is really made from the face of some poor, unfortunate, creature… or just a clever design.

The half-elf turns the prize over to examine it further, dusting off the cover in the process, thick clouds of detritus wafting through the air. It’s clear this magic item has been in this basement, untouched, for a while. Wren may not be the most versed in magic, like some of her traveling companions, but she can still feel the power radiating off of it, the hairs of her arm standing on edge, pulled by the object's magnetic force.

“Curious…. why don’t you take a closer look? I’ll observe from back here.” Shadowheart muses, playfully.

The pale elf to Shadowheart’s right chuckles lightly, but otherwise says nothing, which strikes Wren as a bit odd. Astarion loves the sound of his own voice... but he's seemed a little off today, ever since last night's events, when she awoke to his fangs clasped around her neck. Her body gives a slight, involuntarily shudder at the memory, not in disgust, but Wren would be loath to admit it was from excitement and perhaps a drop of… was that arousal?

‘Gods, no. What is wrong with you Wren?’

She hadn’t spent much time amongst humanoids out in the wilds; her friends had been the trees and the whisper of the wind. And the one night she made it back to Baldur’s Gate, after a year away, she had to go and get herself snatched up by a mindflayer. Though, it was unlikely she would have jumped at the chance, had a man or woman attracted her attention that one night. Grief still cloaked her other emotions, covering even the happiest moments in a blanket of sadness.

Her mind wanders to the events of last evening, a throb in the side of her neck, where still new-fang marks join a smattering of freckles.

'"Can you trust me a little further?" He questioned, his head tilted just-so, as she confronted the handsome, pale devil standing before her, revealing his vampiric nature. Arms crossed, she’d eyed him, appraising his intentions. She was irritated, and violated, sure. But the look in his eyes and the desperation in his voice reminded her of the scared rabbits and feral cats out in the wild… all of whom she befriended with a bit of effort and a heavy dose of speak with animals spellcasting.

And for some reason that she couldn't explain, even now, perhaps save the fact that somewhere in her subconscious she associated that vampire with any number of wild things in need of love, she’d relented and given him access to her neck. He’d almost gotten carried away and nearly drained her dry, but she’d shoved him off in time, and well…

Well, that’s that, secret is out. And, for the most part, the group had been accepting of the revelation... as long as they weren't the ones he sunk his teeth into, of course.'

The side of her neck throbs, and she absently brushes her hand against her new neck wounds, partially covered by her chocolate locks.

‘Focus, Wren.'

Snapped back to the present, Wren turns to look at the raven-haired cleric, rolling her eyes in the process. “Always concerned for my safety, aren’t you, Shadowheart?”

Her female companion laughs, “Well, if something does go wrong with what is CLEARLY an evil book, I need to maintain my distance so I can be sure to heal you… or revive you.”

Wren scoffs in response, too prideful to admit that Shadowheart’s logic is sound. After a failed attempt to open the book, which feels as if it’s practically glued shut, Wren turns to the duo, a befuddled expression on her face. After making a second attempt, the ranger hisses through her teeth, voice full of strain and effort, “The damn thing is stuck shut.”

She gives up, exhales a defeated sigh, and brushes a few wayward strands of hair from her face. “Well then, you two, we should probably head back to camp. It's been a long day. Maybe Gale will have a better idea about how to open the book; perhaps it’s locked with some sort of magic that he's read about before.”

“That looks awfully heavy, darling, why don’t you let me carry it for you?” Astarion asks, extending his hand out as if to grab it from her.

“Oh, that’s okay, it isn’t far.” Wren mumbles absently, shoving the thick tome into her pack. Why is he offering to do something kind for her? Has his attitude toward her changed, now that she's done him a favor? Seems unlikely.

Shadowheart cackles, shaking her head as she rolls her eyes up at the ceiling in the dingy, abandoned cellar. "Don't tell me you've become our knight in shining armor, Astarion, and that all it took was a little bit of Wren’s blood to turn you into a brand-new man."

Astarion fakes a gasp, hand planted on his hip, "You wound me, my dear. I'm nothing, if not a gentleman."

----

'Gale? She wants to ask Gale? What, so he can eat the bloody thing?'

Astarion bristles, flipping rapidly through the pages of his book (though not the book he wished to be reading), trying to control his underlying frustration as he watched their little gang leader talk to that pompous wizard.

He was merely pretending to read the book in his hands -- some dreadfully boring story about Baron von Baron they'd found several days back, in the Dank Crypt not far off from the nautiloid ship -- while his keen ears actually zoned in on the conversation playing across the camp, his peripheral vision just able to make out Gale as he placed a hand on Wren's shoulder.

"Unfortunately, I don't have any knowledge on how to open this book, Wren..." the wizard starts, "But by the looks of it, that thing probably contains evil magic, perhaps it's best if we destroy it. If you'd like..."

'Destroy it? He can't be serious. He really does just want to consume what is obviously a valuable and very powerful bit of magic!'

"Hey soldier!"

'Blast it.'

"I just want to warn you, don't get any bright ideas about biting my neck tonight. Unless you like third degree burns." Karlach appears in his periphery, and Astarion turns, forced to acknowledge the hulking woman's giant, good-natured grin on her face.

‘Gods, what horrible timing she has.'

"I'll keep the warning in mind, darling. Though, to be truthful, I do enjoy a bit of pain with my pleasure now and then, you know." The response is automatic, laced with innuendo and his signature vocal gravel, every bit of the retort designed to deflect from the fact that the vampire was still struggling with the idea that the entire camp knew his secret and he’d exposed himself with his impulsivity.

‘You need to be more careful than that, you fool.'

Karlach howls a laugh and shakes her head, walking off towards her own tent, taking a bite out of an apple along the way.

Suddenly, Wren is making her way towards him, tome in hand. Red eyes flicker briefly to the violet-clad man she left behind, Gale's face the picture of disappointment.

"Here," she says, matter-of-factly, as she extends the ugly thing toward him, "It's yours to keep."

Astarion reaches out his hand slowly, eyebrow lifted in such a way that clearly asks, 'Why?'

Wren shrugs, "Gale can't open it. And anyway, you helped me disarm the traps to get to it in the first place. Finder's keepers."

"You aren't interested in it?" The vampire asks, grasping the tome by the spine and staring into the honeyed eyes of the half-elf woman, trying to hide his incredulity.

"Not really," Wren responds, "You clearly are more interested in it. And anyway, even if we could open the damn thing--"

She stops abruptly, thumb moving to rub the vertical scar slashed just across the left side of her mouth. Her eyes flicker, for the smallest moment, with embarrassment.

Astarion looks at her mouth, her finger touching her dainty scar, and feels his mouth water. It almost feels as if undead heart thrums for just a moment thud, thud, THUD. Gods, he must be hungry, he needed to hunt... the owlbear took a lot out of them.

A small shuddering sigh from his companion catches his attention, and the next sentence comes out so hushed that, without his enhanced hearing (thanks to her generous gift last night), he might not have been able to understand it. "Even if we could open the damn thing, it's not like I would be able to read it."

The silence between them stretched just a hair too long. He was truly caught off guard. What could she mean? His tone was slow, measured, but clearly confused. "You... wouldn't be able to read it?"

Wren pinched the bridge of her nose, slamming her eyes shut, just at the tips of her ears began to flush. "I mean... Gods! I can read, okay. I'm not an idiot. I just... I have a condition. My father had the same one. Reading is difficult for me. The letters flip on the pages, sometimes the words move around, and the more complex the material... the more difficult it becomes to read it. The humans call it word blindness... And, I just -- well, it's clear whatever is in here is awfully complex and the thought of trying to sift through it all is already tiring me out." She ends in a flustered huff.

For a moment, Astarion thinks she is playing a joke. But he can tell by the rosiness of her ears and the quickening of her pulse that she is not.

"Oh. Well... thank you, darling. Your little secret is safe with me." He offers her a coy smile and a wink, trying to find a way to smooth the moment over, "And, not that I think you're an idiot, because clearly you are quite capable in many ways, but who needs brains with a face like yours, my dear?"

Wren laughs at his cheesy line, despite the pit of embarrassment sitting in her chest. "Well, now you know one of my deepest secrets. Seems it's only fair... since I know one of yours.”

“Just a moment, darling.” Astarion calls, book in hand, as the little ranger makes a move toward her tent. She pauses, warm orbs of amber focused on his scarlet ones. “I just— I didn’t get a moment to thank you, for last night. That was a gift, you know, and I won’t soon forget it.”

Astarion couldn't help but let his eyes flicker to the fang marks he left on her neck the night prior, hidden among a smattering of freckles that lined her neck and formed a trail down her collar bone, the rest of that speckled constellation hidden by the bust of her blouse. He'd never noticed all her freckles before, nor really paid any mind to the scar that dashed across her lip. Perhaps the blood of thinking creatures had made him more observant than he already was before.

‘Gods I would love another taste of that delicious neck.’

Wren threw a cautious smile in his direction, another beat of silence passing between the two, both of them thrown by his genuine moment of authenticity. “Yes, well… like we discussed. No more drinking without consent, and only attacking enemies and animals from now on. Though, truth be told, I think I might rather you go after evil humans than my poor little squirrel friends.” She smirked at the last bit, eyes flashing with humor. “Good night, Astarion. And good luck opening that vile thing.”

"Of course, darling, I’ll be a good boy. Cross my undead heart. Good night, little bird." He called after her, tome in hand as he turned and walked to his tent, smirking at the bit of luck he just happened upon as he placed the book amongst his belongings before meandering towards the forest. Perhaps whatever information that magical novel contained would give him the power to save himself. As for how to open it? Well, that was a problem for another day. For now, he needed to hunt, and catch more than just a little bird.

[exitpursuedbyavulcan]

The Silver Dragon (15/?)

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x Original Female Character

Word Count: 2887

Story Summary: Lady Arianwyn Targaryen, the Lady of Runestone, was seeded by her father, the Rogue Prince Daemon Targaryen, in an act of unbridled hatred, and borne of her mother, the late Lady Rhea Royce, as a desperate grasp at revenge.

Ignored by her father, and alone following the death of her mother, she is raised in King’s Landing alongside her cousin, Prince Aemond Targaryen. As they grow, the two find themselves indelibly bonded. But their lives are far from the fairy tales they read, and as tensions in the family rise, they find their paths may diverge.

Will they be pulled apart when the dragons dance?

Chapter Summary: At long last, Arianwyn returns to King’s Landing.

Warnings: None.

Series Masterlist

Taglist: @thelittleswanao3 @trap-house-homiecide @50svibes @literishdegree99 @dc-marvel-girl96

A Holy Sight

The next morning, Arianwyn climbed down the steps to the castle courtyard well before dawn. She wore her riding leathers, but had a satchel containing one of her favorite gowns, a pair of matching slippers, and appropriate jewels slung over her shoulder. She would most certainly not make her grand return to the capital wearing dirty, worn leather. Queen Alicent had taught her better than that.

By the time the rest of the family emerged, Arianwyn was already comfortably mounted on Emrys, her satchel tied firmly to his saddle. As Jacaerys and Lucerys mounted their own dragons, Rhaenyra, with a sleeping young Viserys on her hip, called to each dragonrider.

“You will stay with the ship until King’s Landing comes into view,” she commanded. “Only then will you fly ahead and land only at the Dragonpit. The keepers expect you and will care for your dragons while we are in the capital. After you are all landed, a carriage will take you to the docks. Once we disembarked, we will ride as one to the Red Keep. Understood?”

Jace and Luke both responded to their mother, but Arianwyn did not. She did not even meet the Princess’ gaze, instead focusing on offering soothing words to Emrys. Finally, after a moment of trying and failing to catch her stepdaughter’s eye, Rhaenyra sighed and made her way toward the dock. She and Daemon would not fly to King’s Landing, not while she was so heavily pregnant. Instead, they were to sail on the ship with their two sons – Aegon and Viserys – and all the servants and cargo.

Arianwyn was grateful for it. The last time she had flown across the Blackwater, Caraxes had nearly driven Emrys to madness for how close he followed. Today, for the first time in a long time, they would fly free.

The sight of the shining red roofs of King’s Landing brought more comfort to Arianwyn than she had anticipated. How could simple tiles bring forth such a feeling of home?

While Vermax and Arrax flew straight for the Dragonpit, Arianwyn led Emrys in a wide circle around the city before she landed, wanting to soak in as much of the city as possible before she was stuffed in a carriage with her stepbrothers. The sun felt so much warmer here, and while there was still the smell of salt coming off the sea, it was a far more inviting than the fishy, wet brine of Dragonstone.

The moment they landed, Emrys let out a joyful roar, overcome with excitement to finally be home. The Dragonkeepers hardly had to lead him at all, for as soon as Arianwyn dismounted, he scampered into the mouth of the Dragonpit, seeking the companions he had missed for so long.

One of the young female Dragonkeepers allowed Arianwyn to use her quarters to change into her gown, and even stayed to help adjust the folds of the silk, straighten the braided silver and bronze chains of her necklace, and release the wind-blown tangles from her silver curls. But when she finally climbed into the carriage, her stepbrothers were not impressed by her appearance.

“We’re going to be late because of you,” Jace complained, pounding the ceiling to signal their departure.

Arianwyn ran her eyes over his attire – a padded red and black gambeson that made him look more like a squire than a Prince. Luke wore the same, though the colors were on opposite sides for him. “At least I will look presentable when we reach the castle.”

He scoffed, “What do clothes matter? I am the future King, no matter what I wear.”

“What you wear can send a message,” Arianwyn replied, perhaps more curtly than was necessary. “For those of us who cannot speak so freely as a ‘future King,’ we must rely on more subtle methods to convey our opinions.”

“And what message does this dress send?” Jace asked, now thoroughly annoyed by her – precisely the way she liked him. Luke pressed his forehead into the carriage window, desperate to be anywhere but between the arguing pair, again.

Was Jace really so thick that he could not figure it out for himself?

The elaborate, flowing gown was made entirely of the finest black and bronze silk brocade, with hundreds of tiny round beads made of blackened steel stitched into the bodice and sleeves, evoking the appearance of a set of pauldrons. Her jewels were entirely set in bronze, save for the single silver chain woven into her necklace – the same necklace Aemond had chosen for her on her thirteenth name day.

The ensemble practically screamed her message: I am not one of them.

But she could not say that. Not to Jace, who would immediately report what she said to Daemon. So she pursed her lips and gave a pretty lie, “It sends the message that I am a beautiful and civilized young woman. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Unable to refute her yet unwilling to compliment her, Jace scoffed and turned away from her, watching the pale stone of the city rush past them. For the rest of the ride to the docks, Arianwyn wore a pleased smile, though she fiddled nervously with one of the stones on her necklace: a single, tear-shaped sapphire.

The mood in the carriage lightened significantly once Rhaena joined them. She had not been permitted to bring Morning with her, as the long journey would have been difficult for the still-young hatchling. So, she talked ceaselessly about how much she missed the pink creature, worrying that she would somehow miss all of his youth in the few days they would be gone. The others sympathized with her, and all tried to cheer her with stories of their own dragons’ adolescence.

But silence fell once more when they rode into the courtyard of the Red Keep to find it all but empty. The King was not there to greet them, nor the Queen, their children, or even any of the Small Council. Only Ser Steffon Darklyn was there to receive them.

“All hail Rhaenyra of House Targaryen,” he announced to no one but the assembled guards and a handful of scattered servants, “Princess of Dragonstone and heir to the Iron Throne, and her Royal Consort, Prince Daemon Targaryen.”

As she exited the carriage behind her siblings, Arianwyn watched the confused anger of Rhaenyra and Daemon’s faces melt into anger. Obviously, the Princess had been expecting something far more grand. Perhaps she expected it still, as she ordered the children into formation with a tilt of her chin.

Being his eldest daughter, Arianwyn should have been positioned just behind Daemon, with her younger half-sisters behind her. But from the countless formal occasions she had endured on Dragonstone, she knew her true place. So she stood in the back, both Baela and Rhaena ahead of her.

But it did not bother her. Soon, she would be with her true family once more.

After long, awkward minutes of waiting in the chilly courtyard, the doors to the Red Keep finally opened. Only one man emerged, a Lord that Arianwyn did not recognize. He approached Rhaenyra and gave a swift bow before taking her hands.

“Welcome back, Princess,” he said.

Rhaenyra stared back at him in disbelief. “Lord Caswell. Has something happened?”

They all glanced around the pitiful courtyard before Caswell answered. “I am afraid not, Princess. Please, come with me.” He stood aside with a hand gesturing back toward the door. With a hefty sigh, Rhaenyra followed him into the Red Keep.

Arianwyn’s heart soared as she entered the familiar halls. Some things had changed, yes. New paintings and tapestries hung on the walls, and the Seven-Pointed Star had been carved above many thresholds. But still, it was home.

Lord Caswell brought them to a halt at the foot of the Grand Staircase. “Your petition shall be heard tomorrow, I am told,” he said. He leaned closer to Daemon and Rhaenyra, whispering something Arianwyn could not hear.

When he leaned back, Rhaenyra turned to her children. “Your father and I are to go see the King. We will meet you in our chambers later in the evening. But, for now, you have leave of the castle.”

Daemon stared directly at Arianwyn as he added, “I expect you will all behave yourselves and stay out of trouble.” She did not reply but held his gaze until he turned and went up the steps with Rhaenyra.

Rhaena immediately ran off to find her sister. For a moment, Arianwyn did not know where to go. Her old rooms? The library? But her choice was made as soon as she overheard Jace.

“Let’s go to the training yard,” he suggested to Luke. “I want to see if that hole in the wall is still there!”

Of course, the training yard. Arianwyn’s heart skipped a beat as she mentally scolded herself for considering anywhere else, for she knew that the training yard was where she would find Aemond.

It was difficult for her not to sprint down the hallways for her eagerness, but she kept her pace slow and herself behind her stepbrothers. A lightness began to spread through her body, and her fingers tingled until she clasped her hands together and squeezed.

Though it had been nigh on six years since she had seen him, she had still heard from Aemond every day. He kept her appraised of everything that happened in the Red Keep, so thoroughly that she sometimes felt as though she had never left. So why did she now find herself so nervous to see him?

She brushed off the question as she emerged into the light. Jace and Luke turned right and began down the stairs to the training yard proper while she continued straight on the rampart to the viewing platform.

Her eyes were drawn downward when she heard the clanging of steel on steel, but she was left disappointed when she only found the Cargyll brothers sparring. The yard was more crowded than she had ever seen, with dozens of Lords and Ladies gathering to watch the men practicing. Curious, she had never seen Ladies below the ramparts before.

Before Arianwyn could consider it further, a flash of white caught her eyes. Her breath caught when she, at last, saw him.

Aemond.

He was turned away from her, leaning over a display of weapons, no doubt pondering which to choose for the day. In his letters, he had told Arianwyn that while he could hold his own with each weapon he used, the simple longsword remained his favorite. Indeed, he set aside all the maces, hammers, and axes on the table before him and drew his sword from his belt.

Picking up a wooden shield, he stalked across the yard to meet Ser Criston, a crowd immediately gathering around them. Not wanting to lose sight of him, Arianwyn ran across the wall to get a better view.

Gods, he was truly a man now.

He stood several inches taller than Ser Criston, and though he was quite lean, an undeniable width to his shoulders revealed a great strength. But what most drew Arianwyn’s admiration was his face.

Beautiful was the only word Arianwyn could think of to describe him. The line of his jaw was severe, running parallel to the sharpness of his cheekbones. His nose was long and stately, and his lips seemed to hold a permanent mischievous grin. There was an intensity in his one eye, which was only amplified by the harshness of the red scar that still ran across the left side of his face and the black leather patch covering where his eye had once been.

Arianwyn wondered if her sapphire was there now.

Aemond jumped up and down, shaking his arms to banish the stiffness in his muscles before crouching in an offensive position. Ser Criston mirrored the motion, and the fight began.

Cole moved first, swinging his morningstar directly at Aemond’s head. Arianwyn’s heart jumped as it came down, but Aemond had already moved, and the weapon crashed against his shield.

She hardly breathed watching them fight, at once terrified to see Aemond hurt and yet thrilled by the warrior he had become. He moved with the remarkable swiftness of a Dornish adder and the deadly grace of a Qohorik tiger.

Arianwyn fought the urge to shout when Ser Criston once more brought his morningstar down on Aemond’s shield, shattering one side and forcing him down on one knee. But Aemond was not defeated. Instead, he tossed his shield out of the ring and rose, swinging his blade around the Kinsguard’s head twice.

When he feinted another swing, Cole fell for the bait, swinging wildly and throwing himself off balance just as Aemond spun out of the way and behind him. Cole was angry now, frustrated that he could not match his opponent’s speed. Aemond spun his sword in a taunting flourish as the knight stalked around him, assessing his next move.

Cole struck left, and Aemond dodged. Cole followed the momentum of his heavy weapon and came back around to his right, but Aemond dodged again. Cole swung again and again, but each time Aemond dodged him with ease.

When Cole began to shout as he raised his weapon to bring another wild swing down on the Prince, Aemond brought up his sword to meet it. The morningstar pulled Cole to the right, exposing his chest and neck. Aemond spun around him, keeping his good eye on his opponent, and brought the tip of his blade against Ser Criston’s neck.

Arianwyn shivered as an unfamiliar feeling swept through her. It was nearly like the rush she felt whenever Emrys took a steep dive, but somehow even more thrilling. After taking a moment to collect herself, she joined in on the applause.

Ser Criston dropped his morningstar and began to clap too, murmuring something that Arianwyn could not hear from atop the wall. Nor could she hear Aemond’s response as he spun his sword back to his side and faced his nephews.

A shout came to open the gates, drawing the attention of all in the yard – except Aemond and Arianwyn.

Neither noticed as Vaemond Velaryon strode in, surrounded by bannermen, giving a withering look to Lucerys as he passed. Aemond did not even notice a servant approaching to offer him a new shield, for he had turned to look up at the wall, and there he found her.

As Aemond gazed upon Arianwyn for the first time in nearly six years, he thought that, surely, no other man had ever felt such joy. When she looked down on him from the rampart and blessed him with her glorious smile, he was certain of it.

He was a drowning man at last breaching the surface and taking a life-giving gulp of air. He was a man dying of thirst at last feeling the sweet taste of water upon his lips. He was a man whose heart had been bleeding for years without ceasing, healed in an instant simply by the holy sight of the woman he loved.

When he had first heard that Rhaenyra and the rest were coming to King’s Landing, he had not allowed himself to hope that Arianwyn would be with them. For if he had, and she were left alone on Dragonstone, he would not have been able to stop himself from flying to her rescue.

But thank the gods, he did not have to. She was here. She was safe. And she was perfect.

Her beauty far surpassed anything Aemond had been able to imagine. Her curling white hair fell in a wild, wonderful cascade down her back. Her slender cheeks and full lips were the deep, enticing pink of the finest Tyrell roses. And her eyes were as bright as polished silver, sparkling with their characteristic gleam.

Aemond brushed aside the servant and ignored Cole’s attempts to begin another round of sparring entirely. Sliding his sword back into its sheath, he pushed through the gathered crowds toward the stairs. Seeing him approach, Arianwyn ran across the ramparts to meet him.

Even as he came to a halt a step below her, Aemond stood at least a head taller. He did not say anything as he faced her, breath heavy from both his fight and his rush up the steps. Then, lowering his eyes to her neck and the jeweled chain that lay there, he reached out a hand as if to grab it, but stopped mere inches from her skin.

“Aemond…” she whispered, for only him to hear. Gods, he wanted to kiss her. To take her in his arms and carry her to the Great Sept and wed her without hesitation. But he could not do that. He could not even move for the intensity of the elation racing through his veins.

But he did not have to. Swifter than he could realize, Arianwyn threw herself into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as she pressed her cheeks to his. Slowly, as his body remembered how, he brought his arms around her, at last running his fingers through her silver curls. It took all his strength to remain standing.

“Aemond,” she whispered again, her breath warming his ear. “Aemond, I’m finally home.”

Next Chapter

[luthien-under-bough]

won't be satisfied 'til i'm under your skin - Daemon Targaryen x Rhaenyra Targaryen (COMPLETE - chapters 2/2)

*banner by anamazingangie!

For Ginvael, who has blessed the fandom with daddy-in-law Daemon. In honor of her birthday, I decided to attempt a little role reversal, and give you mommy-in-law Rhaenyra. I hope you enjoy something a little bit different from me! And a very happy birthday to the lovely and talented @ar-feyniel. <3

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Role Reversal, Older Woman/Younger Man, Aunt/Nephew Incest, MIL Rhaenyra, minor daemon targaryen/original female character, minor rhaenyra targaryen/others, Infidelitydaemon and rhaenyra are married to other people, Infertility, Needles, Past Underage, Underage Masturbation, Targcest | Targaryen Incest (A Song of Ice and Fire), fucked up family dynamics, maybe even more than usual?, Arranged Marriage, Flashbacks, Praise Kink, Mommy Issues, Belligerent Sexual Tension, sad man jerking off

Summary:

Daemon’s aunt Rhaenyra was his first crush. To be completely accurate—she was his only crush. She was the first woman he jerked off to. She’s still the woman he jerks off to. (Even when he’s supposed to be impregnating her daughter. Maybe especially when he’s supposed to be impregnating her daughter.) --- In which Rhaenyra is Daemon's aunt — and also his mother-in-law.

[devilmen-collector]

Writing Request Rules (pls read)

This is the first time I'm taking writing requests, pls be gentle with me >3<

Will write

Fanfic and headcanon

SFW and NSFW

GN (default) and Male reader/MC

Seven Deadly Sins, Ars Goetia devils, Minhyeok, the 3 Seraph x Reader/MC

Platonic with Ppyong, Jjyu, Solomon

Crossover with OM, Genshin, HSR

Will NOT write

C x C ship

Unacceptable kinks (pedo, vore etc)

Female reader (for now, will reconsider in the future)

Involving irl political and social issues

Anti-religion, especially anti-Catholicism

Anything I'm uncomfortable with or I feel that I won't give it justice

Characters that I can write if there's a crossover

OM: 12 original boys

Genshin: all released characters up until 4.1 (I haven't completed all 4.2 Quests)

HSR: all males except Welt and Luocha (I don't play Hi3 so I don't think I can give Welt justice and I think there's more about Luocha than in the story so far), all females except Kafka and other new characters since 1.5 (I don't have a good grasp on their personalities). Pls take note that all characters must have been released, I won't write for an unreleased character even if he/she has appeared in the story.

Rules regarding the requester

You are an legal adult (having passed 18th birthday according to international standard).

Anon must explicit says your age/age range or that you are an adult in your ask.

Blog owners must have your age on your blog, preferably in bio or pinned post.

I won't be responsible if you lie to me.

If the need arises, I will update these rules.

[m1ckeyb3rry]

Endure XV: Mikasa

Series Synopsis: You and Eren Jaeger have been best friends since the age of two, but the two of you are destined for an inevitable tragedy. The world you have been born into is cruel; it is one where friends are traitors and enemies are allies, one where you find yourself doubting everything you've ever known. In this life, mistakes are fatal, and you must be careful, lest you make one too many.

Chapter Synopsis: A look into Mikasa Ackerman’s thoughts and feelings, as well as the assault on Stohess.

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Eren Jaeger x Female Reader, Armin Arlert x Female Reader

Chapter Word Count: 5.1k

Content Warnings: swearing, canon-typical violence, sexual abuse (non-explicit), major character death, angst, original characters included

Mikasa Ackerman’s favorite color was not, contrary to popular belief, red.

Sure, she liked red. Red was a great color. Red like her scarf, red like blood, red like that strange surge of energy that filled her whenever her friends were endangered.

Red reminded her of Eren. The boy was all rage and fire. It hurt her head, but she loved it, loved him anyways.

Though it was not a romantic sort of love, and neither was it a familial bond. It was something else entirely, something she had only ever felt for one other person: Y/N L/N.

Mikasa wasn’t sure what it was about the two of them. Red and blue, fire and rain, sun and moon. Was it because they had saved her when she was a child? Did she feel like she owed them her dedication and protection for what they had done?

If that was really the case, then when would her debt be paid off? Would it ever be enough? Mikasa didn’t know. She didn’t even think that was why she did what she did.

The two best friends were celestial bodies of some sort. It was obvious with Eren, for he was so brilliant and intense, blinding those around him with his passion and determination. It was less so with Y/N. She had a subtler manner about her, a soft benevolence in the way she would smile or laugh.

Mikasa was neither of these things. She was an earthly being at her core. What she did not know was that she was not of the earth; rather, she was the earth, as steady and dependable and strong as the ground beneath her feet. True, she was ruled by the fickle whims of the beings in the sky, but they relied on her as much as she did on them; for it did not matter how beautiful the moon was nor how bright the sun was if there was nobody to see it.

When she had first met Y/N and Eren, she had mistaken her feelings for the both of them as attraction. It had been confusing for her, as she did not know what to do or who to love. It was not until much later that she realized it wasn’t attraction. Attraction was what she felt towards the cheerful auburn haired girl or the cold blonde one that she had trained alongside as a cadet.

No, the best way she could describe it was devotion. She was devoted to the two. It was not obsession, it was not unhealthy: it was simply a fact of life. She would do anything for them, but it was not one-sided. She knew they would do anything for her, too.

Or at least she thought that was the case. Yet all she had wanted was for them to be safe and alive, and neither of them could even grant her that. Eren was a titan shifter slated for execution, and Y/N was dead. Both of them had never been further out of her reach, and she resented them for it. How could they have not kept up their end of the deal? It had been simple and yet they had failed.

Still, Mikasa continued to protect them faithfully. What else could she do? It was what she had always done, what she would always do, and that was just how it was. Even if Y/N was dead now, she would protect her memory, guarding it zealously, keeping it close to her heart. And as for Eren, well, she would not let him slip from her grasp, either.

At the present moment, Mikasa, Captain Levi, Eren, Armin, Commander Erwin, and Tullia were sitting around a table. Discontent filled the room as Armin described his suspicions and the evidence behind them.

Mikasa didn’t want to believe him, and by the looks on their faces, Eren and Tullia didn’t, either. After all, if Armin was right, then Annie had been the one to lead to the death of all of those innocent Scouts, including Eren’s squad and Tullia’s older sister.

Annie. The girl they had trained alongside for years. They had slept and ate in the same building, showered at the same time, sparred with each other. How could she be a traitor?

Before, Eren might’ve been enraged, might’ve slammed his fists on the table in rage or thrown a chair in protest. Now, though, all he did was bury his face in his hands and sigh.

“It can’t be Annie,” he groaned.

“I don’t want it to be her either,” Armin said with a frown, “But it lines up too perfectly. You know it, deep down, don’t you?”

Eren’s face went white, very very white, at some memory or something. “Of course...fuck. Why?”

“She killed my sister,” Tullia said dully, pulling Jean’s jacket tighter around her shoulders, “She was my friend, and she killed my sister.”

“She was never your friend. Any relationship you thought you had with her was a lie,” Captain Levi said, his voice icy.

Mikasa was silent. She had never had any sort of relationship with Annie, besides perhaps a mutual respect and a slight attraction, grown stronger through their fierce rivalry. The blond girl was the only one that could hold a candle to Mikasa, and she wasn’t sure why she found that so intriguing, but she did. Still, there was no relationship, and she had no reservations about killing the girl that had caused so much pain, so much suffering, to so many people.

She could see it in the way Tullia cried herself to sleep every night, wearing Jean’s jacket everywhere she went like it was a security blanket. She could see it in the way Eren always mysteriously vanished as soon as the sun set, returning with red rimmed eyes and leaves in his hair.

Mikasa had followed him once, wondering where he went when he was supposed to be detained. Captain Levi turned a blind eye to his charge’s nighttime activities, which only made her curious.

The boy had gathered a pillow and blanket, tucking them under his arm and then creeping to the small garden that had begun to go quite wild in the absence of its tenders. Picking a pink camellia and a bright yellow sunflower, he had crept into the stables and saddled his horse before getting on and galloping off. Mikasa had waited a moment before doing the same, ensuring that enough of a distance had been left that she would not be noticed but not so much that she would lose sight of him.

He had continued down a dirt road for some time before turning abruptly; if Mikasa's eyesight had been any less sharp, she would’ve missed it entirely. She tied her horse at the fork in the road and followed the rest of the way on foot, not wanting to get caught.

Eren stopped his horse at a cemetery, and a horrible feeling filled the pit of Mikasa’s stomach as she realized who owned this cemetery: the Rals.

The first thing he did was walk over to the newest grave. It was empty, just like the other one he was sure to visit, but the thought, at least, was there, memorializing Petra Ral for years to come. Bending down, he placed the sunflower next to several others of its kind. Mikasa wondered how long he had been coming here.

After standing in front of Petra’s grave for a moment, eyes closed and head bowed, he headed over to another one. If Mikasa had thought Petra’s had a lot of flowers, well, this grave was practically drowning in blooms. There were several sunflowers, true, but there were a multitude of pink camellias, too. As she watched, he placed the one he had brought with him down with the others before kneeling and beginning to speak.

“Hey, sorry I was a little late tonight. It’s been a rough week. The whole thing with the expedition happened, of course; I’m sure Petra’s telling you all about it. Anyways, they finally decided what they’re going to do with me: execution. The Commander’s already coming up with some plan to stop it, but I don't know. Maybe I deserve death. At any rate, at least I’d get to see you again,” he said, placing the pillow next to the headstone and lying down, resting his head on it and spreading the blanket out to cover his body.

So this was what he did. He came to sleep next to a dead girl. Because of all that had happened, Mikasa almost forgot that it had only been a couple of weeks since they had found out she had died. She knew, or hoped at least, that eventually he would move on. But to ask him to do such a thing so soon was unfair and unrealistic.

“I really miss you,” he whispered before closing his eyes. Mikasa turned away, trudging back to where her horse waited for her. She would not intrude any more than she already had on that sacred place of flowers and buried corpses, where one lone half-living boy made his home amongst graves, as if he were already dead himself.

Though Tullia and Eren were the worst off, everyone from her cadet days had been impacted by the battle for Trost and the 57th Expedition, including her. Unlike the rest of them, though, she pushed her emotions aside to be strong. She would defeat Annie, she would get justice for what had happened, she swore on her life that she would.

It was because of this solemn oath that she was currently walking down the streets of Stohess to meet with Annie Leonhardt and convince her to join them. Armin had been insistent that she be the one to do it, though she could hardly figure out why.

“Mikasa Ackerman. I’ll admit, I’m surprised you wanted to meet with me. Thought you were dating Sasha,” Annie said.

“I am. That’s not what I’m here to talk to you about,” Mikasa said, a light pink blush covering her cheeks at the mention of her girlfriend.

“What a shame,” Annie said dryly in a tone that suggested it was not at all shameful. Mikasa scowled, feeling altogether out of her element. Words were not her thing; they were Armin’s. He should be here instead of her, but he wasn’t, so she had to do her best. After all, Eren’s life depended on her success in this.

“Look, Annie, I’m sure you’ve heard what’s happening with Eren. I’m here to ask for your help. He’s passing through Stohess tomorrow, and since you’re an MP, you’d be able to sneak us out of the district without anyone questioning you,” Mikasa said. Annie raised an eyebrow at her.

“Is that so? I have no love for Eren, and I could lose my job if I get caught. Why should I do it?” she said.

“Because Eren doesn’t deserve to die! They’re going to execute him like a dog!” Mikasa hissed, appealing not to Annie’s humanity but rather her tactical side. After all, the Female Titan had tried to kidnap Eren, not eat him. It was obvious she wanted him alive, for whatever reason, so him dying was not something she’d be in support of.

Mikasa’s bet paid off, as a frown crossed Annie’s face. “I suppose that’s true.”

“You’re our only hope, Annie. Please, I’m begging you. Do you want me to get on my knees or something?” Mikasa said. Annie snorted.

“We can save that for later. Fine, I’ll do it. You and whoever else is going to be coming can meet me here tomorrow at noon. Don’t be late, or I’ll leave and you’ll be on your own,” the blonde warned her.

“Thanks, Annie. That means a lot,” Mikasa said. Annie scowled.

“I’m not doing it for you or Eren or any of your other stupid friends,” she snapped. Mikasa shrugged, turning to leave her behind.

“To be honest, I don’t care why you’re doing it. I’m just glad that you are.”

That was how she found herself wearing a green cloak to cover her face and walking with Eren and Armin to where Annie was waiting. As they made their way to meet the MP, Tullia and Jean rode in the carriage in place of Eren, with Tullia serving as a sort of bodyguard for her boyfriend.

The trio kept as silent as possible, not wanting to draw attention to themselves and the way they were completely out of place in the interior. Stohess was a beautiful district, albeit in a different way from Shiganshina and Trost. It was polished and sleek, with men in suits and women in dresses milling about, speaking in hushed whispers. The streets were wide and clean, with carriages rolling down the stones as the noblemen and merchants went about their days.

There were no playful children or flowers in windowsills. Mikasa did not see a single cat sleeping in the sun or any stray dogs begging for scraps. She furrowed her brow at this, wondering how such a place could be so devoid of life, the only sounds heard being the clip-clop of hooves on cobblestone and the tolling of the church bells.

Annie was waiting for them right where she said she would be, her arms folded across her chest as she leaned against the wall. Noticing Mikasa, she nodded curtly.

“Good, you made it on time. I was just about to leave. Well, let’s get on with it, then. What’s your grand plan?” she said, joining them as they continued walking to the now-deserted area of Stohess where they could hopefully contain Annie before she transformed.

“We’ll sneak Eren out through one of these old passages that was supposed to lead to the Undercity, back before they abandoned it. Captain Levi found it while doing reconnaissance. It should connect back to Trost at some point; from there, we can get him to safety,” Armin said as they reached the tunnel. Annie looked down at it before giving them all a startled look.

“You want me to go in there? I don’t think so,” she said as the three of them descended the stairs into the tunnel. They paused, turning to give her confused looks. The sun shone from behind her, shadowing her face, making it seem like her ice-blue eyes were nearly glowing as she stared at them.

“Don’t tell me you’re afraid of the dark or something,” Eren said, despair creeping into his tone.

“That’s exactly it,” Annie said dully, “I’m weak and pathetic, and I’m scared of the dark.”

“But Annie, you’ve always been so strong! Come on, just come down here,” he said weakly.

“No. I just can’t,” she said.

“Cut the crap. We all know the truth,” Mikasa said, drawing her blades, having had just about enough of Annie’s games. Annie’s eyes widened before she began to laugh. She laughed and she laughed, her cheeks turning pink.

“Mikasa, don’t tell me you figured it out,” she giggled.

“I did,” Armin said, a dark, horrified expression on his kind face. Eren sucked in a sharp breath.

“You’re just joking, right Annie? This is all a joke,” he said. Annie gave him a surprised look before laughing harder, though there was a more deranged, broken cast to her amusement now.

“Amazing! Nearly word for word. It was never a joke. I wish it was,” she said, abruptly stopping laughing, her face growing serious.

“Word for word? What do you mean?” Mikasa said. Annie grew sorrowful, her mood switching so fast it nearly gave Mikasa whiplash.

“It doesn’t matter. None of this does. I noticed you made this area completely deserted, didn’t you? Very clever. I’d wager that there’s a bunch of people ready to restrain me as soon as I begin to show signs of resistance,” she said. The trio from Shiganshina was silent, though for different reasons. Eren was clearly struggling to come to terms with the fact that the girl who had taught him hand to hand combat had killed his entire squad. Mikasa was preparing to strike, an ambush predator like her beloved stuffed animal. Armin was waiting and watching, trying to anticipate the enemy’s next moves.

“Well, mind if I join in on the gambling? Here’s my bet,” Annie said with a feral grin, raising her hand to her mouth. In a split second, Armin shot off the flare gun, and Annie froze as she was tackled by a group of soldiers.

“It can’t be…” Eren muttered, still in shock.

“At least we finally got her,” Armin said grimly. Mikasa watched as the blonde girl raised her hand, and she gasped, recognizing the ring on her finger. She had found it once and returned it to her; she remembered this distinctly because she had thought it odd that the ring had a spike on it.

Grabbing Armin and Eren by the cloaks, she yanked them into the tunnel behind them. They did not struggle, but Eren yelped in confusion, and she knew Armin was similarly unsure of her actions; that is, until Annie shifted into her titan form with an explosion of steam and lightning and heat, blowing back and immediately killing the people restraining her.

“Did you see that, Eren? It was her. There should be no doubt in your mind that it was her. She killed all of the members of your old squad. Annie is the Female Titan!” Mikasa said as they ducked into the tunnels. Eren scowled and bit down on his hand, but nothing happened. Furrowing his brow, he did it again, and again, but it didn’t work. He didn’t transform into a titan, and Mikasa growled, taking him by the shoulders and shaking him in frustration.

“Mikasa!” Armin protested.

“Transform! Why aren’t you transforming? Is it because you still don’t believe Annie did it? Is it because...you have feelings for Annie?” she snapped.

“No! No, I never liked Annie!” Eren said.

“Seems like you did, because you’re sure as hell not very willing to fight her. Think, Eren. She’s allied with the Armored and Colossal Titans. You know what that means? She helped cause the breaches in Shiganshina and Trost. She’s the reason your mother is dead. She’s the reason Y/N is dead,” Mikasa said.

“I can’t,” Eren said as he bit and bit, tears rolling down his cheeks, “I’m trying, Mikasa, I just can’t.”

“Fine. We’ll split up to distract her from getting to her true target: you. If we have our hoods up, she won’t be able to tell who is who. You get out of here and run. Are you alright with that plan?” she said.

“No! You guys could die!” he said.

“If you can’t transform, like you’re saying you can’t, then it’s our only choice. Sorry, Eren. Sacrifices have to be made sometimes. This is war, you know. You can’t save everyone. In fact, judging by your track record, you can’t save anyone,” she said, pulling her hood up and nodding at Armin, who hesitantly did the same, giving the stricken Eren a worried look before the two left their friend behind.

Mikasa felt bad for her harsh words, but they had been necessary. Eren would not be motivated to fight Annie unless he got some sort of encouragement, and not encouragement of the gentle kind, either. He needed a good kick in the pants to get moving, and Mikasa was more than willing to provide.

Because this was the truth about her devotion: it was not blind affection. Mikasa simply took on whatever form of a friend that was needed at the current moment. With Y/N, more often than not, it had been a caregiver, a protector, a confidante — and Mikasa wanted nothing more than to play this role for her. With Eren, it was usually some sort of support system, though it was also, many times, the giver of tough love. She did not coddle him. He didn’t need nor want coddling, though he’d certainly argue otherwise at times like this.

As Annie’s foot came stomping through the tunnels, Mikasa checked over her ODM gear before preparing to launch out and attack. With Eren unable to transform and Captain Levi out of commission, she was humanity’s best chance against the Female Titan, and she knew it well. Rolling her shoulders, she took a deep breath before springing into the air, latching onto Annie and attempting to slice at her legs as she ran.

Annie paused, somehow feeling Mikasa’s hooks digging into her skin. In one swift movement, she turned and then kicked Mikasa off, sending her crashing into the ground in a tangle of wires. Mikasa hissed in pain, feeling the stones scratch at her skin as she fell in a heap. Annie gave her collapsed form a final look before continuing to run forwards. Mikasa almost felt insulted.

“Mikasa!” Sasha shouted, swooping down to help her stand and fix her ODM gear.

“Hey, Sash. How’s it looking?” Mikasa said.

“They just got her in Section Commander Hange’s trap,” Sasha said.

“Really? That was quick,” Mikasa said with a frown, not having expected that of all things.

“I know. To be honest, if this is really Annie, then I doubt it’ll be permanent, as much as I’d like it to be. Annie’s too good to let a trap like that get her down,” Sasha said.

“It really is Annie,” Mikasa said with a sigh, “And I agree. There’s no way this is lasting.”

“Where are Eren and Armin?” Sasha said as the two girls took to the sky.

“Eren can’t transform, for some reason. I’m assuming Armin’s trying to snap him out of it. If anyone can do it, it’s Min-Min, so I’m putting my faith in them, but still,” Mikasa said.

“Do you know why he can’t transform?” Sasha said. Mikasa shook her head, landing on a rooftop and surveying Annie, who was trapped by layers upon layers of netting.

“No clue. Personally, I think he still is unsure about Annie’s guilt, even though she transformed in front of us. Regardless, the reasons don’t matter as much as the fact that he can’t, and that’s a problem,” she said.

As they watched, Annie broke free and began sprinting through Stohess again, crushing buildings wherever she went without seemingly any care for the lives she was destroying. Mikasa was repulsed at the display but resigned herself to chasing after the titan.

She hated this. Hated every piece of this. For once, she was done fighting. She just wanted to go home. She wanted to go back to how things used to be, back when titans were just scary bedtime stories, not monsters that she flew after in the streets.

There was another crack of lightning, and a savage roar pierced Mikasa’s eardrums. Her lips curled into a smile as the entire district began to shake, glass windows shattering as Eren’s titan stomped towards where Annie stood in waiting.

He crushed an entire cathedral without thought, and Mikasa frowned only slightly. He wasn’t as in control as he should be for a fight of this magnitude. He was vicious and unreserved, but maybe this bloodlust was for the better. Maybe it would strengthen him enough to be able to do what he had to.

Annie raised her fists to face off against Eren, who snarled at her. There was anger and a thirst for revenge in his every movement, and Mikasa wondered what had changed. Armin landed lightly beside her, and she gave him a curious look.

“What’d you say to him?” she said, motioning towards how Eren and Annie were destroying the city in their rampage.

“It’s not important,” Armin said as sadness filled his face, “All of Stohess will be gone by the time this is over. I can’t help but wonder if Commander Erwin made the right choice.”

“I know what you mean,” Sasha said, shaking her head as Annie hardened her shin, kicking the entire lower half of one of Eren’s legs off even as he punched her in the face, knocking her back. Still, Eren fell too, and Mikasa chewed on her lip in worry, not wanting to get in between the two brawling titans but not wanting Eren to get hurt, either.

Despite his missing leg, Eren stood again and lunged at Annie. This time, though, she was prepared for it, catching him by the arm and throwing him into a nearby building. He crumpled, stones raining down around him. Annie hardened her fists and began repeatedly punching Eren in the face. He was powerless to fight back and lay there, motionless. Annie gave him a final look as if to reassure herself of his defeat before running off.

Yet Eren was not one to lose so quickly. Staggering to his feet, ignoring the way he was missing a leg, he ran after her, grabbing her neck in a firm chokehold and then tackling her to the ground. Annie’s eyes bulged, both from Eren squeezing it and the fact that her enemy had not been as easily put down as she was expecting.

“We should help him,” Mikasa said worriedly.

“We’ll just get in the way. It’s too dangerous. Have faith in him,” Armin said, placing a soothing hand on her shoulder. Mikasa frowned, looking at Sasha for confirmation, but the brunette girl nodded.

“He’s right, Mikasa. You’ll get hurt if you get in between them. You might need to help him soon, but for now, let him be. Just wait and watch,” she said.

Eren placed his hands on Annie’s face in a gesture that would be so comically loving if it was gentler, in any other context but this. At the moment, though, there was no love in Eren’s heart as he began to squeeze, crushing her head between his fingers. A person with a weaker stomach than Mikasa would have vomited at the way Annie’s eyes popped out of her skull, but Mikasa just watched impassively as the Female Titan screamed and clawed at Eren frantically. She was finally able to shove him into the ground and break free. Racing towards the wall, she hardened her fingers and began to climb up it.

Eren shrieked in fury, following after her and hanging onto her leg. Annie let out an indignant cry and kicked him off. Mikasa gasped before turning to glance at Armin. His face was serious, and when he caught her eye, he nodded.

“It’s now or never, Mikasa,” he said. Without a second thought, she shot into the air towards where Annie was scaling the wall. Faster than she even thought possible, she sliced through the fingers of the titan’s right hand before spinning and glaring at her fiercely as she passed by, cutting off the other hand in one swipe of her blades. Then, to add insult to injury, Mikasa landed on her face, giving her a calm look as Annie stared at her in terror.

“Sorry to have to do this to you, but you hurt me and my friends first. Fall, Annie,” she said, pushing off and hanging suspended in the air for a moment as Annie did as she had told her to, falling right where Eren was waiting.

Eren let out a victorious, rumbling purr as his prey was delivered neatly to him. He punched her, again and again and again, savagely beating her face as Mikasa and the rest of the Survey Corps watched. Blood and tissue flew everywhere, turning the streets of Stohess into some sort of macabre painting.

Eventually, he whittled away until there was nothing left protecting her human form from his hungry jaws. He leaned forwards, and Mikasa realized he was going to eat her. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that, until she noticed Annie crying. It seemed Eren had seen it, too, though they had opposite reactions. Eren hesitated, while Mikasa was filled with an irrational rage at the sight. How dare she cry? As if she deserved anything less than what was happening to her?

Several things happened all at once. A blinding blue light burst outwards from Annie’s prone body, making Mikasa’s eyes hurt and Eren’s titan stumble back. A green blur shot by, slashing through Eren’s nape and ripping him out in a swift movement. Captain Levi had arrived on the scene, and he did not seem very happy with the turn of events.

Mikasa, Armin, and Sasha joined Captain Levi, Eren, and Jean on the ground. Eren was knocked out completely, strange red marks painting his sleeping face. Jean was furiously striking at a large crystal with his blades as Marco tried to calm him down, though it was mostly in vain. Captain Levi looked overall very unimpressed, scoffing at Eren.

“We needed her alive. Oi, Kirstein! Quit it. It’s a waste of your blades,” he said. As he spoke, Tullia joined them, walking over to place a hand on Jean’s shoulder and murmur something to him softly. He broke down crying (and who ever thought the smug, arrogant Jean Kirstein could cry?) but allowed her to lead him away from where Annie was frozen.

Mikasa hated cowards. Mikasa hated traitors. Annie Leonhardt had proven to be both of those things, and so Mikasa hated Annie Leonhardt. At least, that was what she told herself.

Traitors. Yes, traitors were the worst, because they betrayed one’s trust, and trust was the most important thing in the world to Mikasa. Trust was earned, not freely given, and so for someone to take such a thing and stomp on it, lie about it, was like a personal insult, an attack on everything the girl believed in.

And that was why it hurt even more that Reiner and Bertholdt were traitors, too.

It was one thing with Annie. She had been more aloof, never doing anything to break trust, but never doing anything to earn it, either. Reiner and Bertholdt were different. They were like everyone’s older brothers.

Mikasa remembered Y/N having a crush on Reiner. She almost found it humorous, and she was, in a way, glad that the girl was dead. It was a horrible thing to think, true, but how could she not? At least she had never had to find out that the boy she so admired was the reason her family was dead.

At least she had never had to see the boy she had crushed on carrying away the boy she had loved.

Yes, Y/N L/N was probably better off dead. Mikasa almost wished she was, too, so that she could escape this hellish reality. She was so tired of red, of blood and violence and hatred.

She wanted blue back.

taglist (send an ask or dm to be added): @futuristicxie

[chibi-celesti]

I'm back with more exposé about my Twst x Ar Tonelico AU! And I wanna explain a lil more about the Reyvateil aspect that I mentioned before!

It may seem like a lot of information, but I promise it'll make sense! The concepts are generalised, but just enough to get the idea across!

Massive info dump ahead, and slight spoilers for the Ar Tonelico trilogy ahead!!!!!

So...What is a Reyvateil?

As I mentioned in my first post about this AU, a Reyvateil are an artificial race of singers. These singers exist to harness the power of songs, and there's a lot of lore connected to these type of people. Another thing to note is that they are- in universe- a mono gender race. Aka, they're an all female race. The reason behind this is because, according to the lore, the Y-chromosome in males suppresses the ability for the songs to be made. That and women have better singing frequencies than their male counterparts.

HOWEVER!!!!! I am more than welcome to bend the rules of the lore and add some variety! So, in this case, Reyvateil can be all genders!!!!! Plus, I think it's only fair to allow certain events I wanna try out with this AU to include the guys trying out Hymmnos among other things

There are about 5(ish) types in the existence of Ar Tonelico:

Origins

Beta types(Purebloods/ Neo Purebloods and B-6D)

Y-Sublimate

IPDs(Infel Phira Dependant)

3rd Generations

Each one is different based on their form of production, with Origins being made a la Homoculus-style. These ones are made to govern special Towers that allow all Reyvateil to utilise their Song Magic, and they are made to live for centuries. The oldest known one is said to be about 1200 years old.

The Beta types are split into different types of productions styles(listed above but almost roughly function the same way). Like with Origins, they can live a long time; only up to 150 years to prevent them for going insane. Like with later types, they are given a special Identification code associated with whichever Tower/ place of birth they came from.

Y-Sublimates are slightly complicated as there is only one in existence to the Ar Tonelico series. A newer type made as an enhanced form of Beta types, Y-Sublimates have a higher frequency of their singing output. The sole Reyvateil made in this typing was made to absorb the Wills of the Planet(aka the Spirits/ Gods in AT lore); in essence, a sacrificial lamb.

IPDS and 3rd Generation Reyvateil are a unique form of Reyvateil. These ones are Half-bloods born from a Human male marrying and procreating with Purebloods and Neo Pureblood Reyvateil or said Half-bloods. As long as the gene is carried on one side of the family tree(the females), a female Reyvateil will be born. There is one drawback to these types: their lifespan is the shortest of the bunch. They closest age they can live to is 20 years the most. Some can live up to 40, so long as they special Life Extending Suppliments made to for them.

IPDS are 3rd gen Dominant but were a result of scientists in the continent of Metafalss to craft special Reyvateil who could sing a special Song that would create a newer sanctuary for the people there. And they rely heavily on a specialised sever called the Infel Phira Dependent, hence the acronym.

So.... where does that leave our Prefect?

For the most part, I've been toying with the Pureblood concept vs the Y-Sublimates concept. Both are ones that piqued my curiosity when I saw and listened to more of the series songs and character backstories. And when I heard more on the later.... that one was a sure fire winner.

I've also made various prompts of the different types(not counting Origins as of yet), and brainstorming how the boys would handle their Otherworldly friend being a Reyvateil.

So my AU, the Prefect is a Y-Sublimate!

I'll go more in depth later about the world building and make the tags specifically for the Twst x Ar Tonelico AU so be on the look out for those!!!

[vostara]

Hypnophobia — 01

eins — your hotel hall won’t be so vacant

pairing: ares x original female character (beatrix)

blurb: “I’ve fallen in love with you, but you have too many secrets.”

word count: 1.8k+

title inspiration: kill4me - marilyn manson

Before we begin, I wanted to give a special shoutout to @the-darklings​ for granting me permission to post and write a story inspired by their own work, Children of Ares. Just so you know, Hypnophobia is a completely separate entity and does not exist in nor have any sort of canon relation to COA. I also want to give a quick shoutout to my dear friend, Tati, who has agreed to proofread my drafts for spelling and grammar errors.

This work is cross-posted on AO3.

01 | 02

A December night in Chicago is frigid. The pavement is littered with clusters of salt, melting the layers of ice that had hoped to make a home on the sidewalks and roads. This is a salt ruins leather boots that owners have neglected to protect. A salt that obliterates a pair of cheap shoes before winter concludes, before spring peaks her head between the gray clouds. When the snow falls, it blankets the drab, cold cement with an even colder white blanket. The snow buries the cars on the streets, the entrances to apartment complexes, and the sparse shrubbery meant to break the monotony. It buries the wooden platforms of the train stations that have yet to receive an overdue upgrade to concrete. Stations that are located in areas that the city does not care to fix.

Even with all of the cold, the city is still full of life. It is crowded with civilians hustling their way onto the trains, hoping to feel its warmth before their gloved hands are completely numb. People go about their day, rushing to work in the mornings and eager to come home in the evenings. The college students crack open bottles of booze, as soon as the sun sets on Thursdays. And they spend the rest of the weekend stumbling into bars and flirting with anyone willing to glance at them for more than a mere millisecond. The lonely singles are desperate to find someone who can warm their beds. Someone who can distract them for a few hours. Someone who gets them so high that they forget about the Christmas misery and forced cheer permeating the air.

And on this particular night, Beatrix stands on the balcony of a hotel room. Dressed in a black coat, much too large for her frame, and a pair of red stilettos, she examines the city streets below with her chestnut brown eyes. Despite the late hour, there are still groups of people stumbling through the streets and shouting their conversations for all to hear. Just as her eyes settle on a group of drunk women slipping on the ice, a pair of muscular, tanned arms wrap around her waist.

“Come back to bed, bella,” the man whispers into her ear. “It feels lonely without you.”

Beatrix smiles and turns around. She places a hand on the back of his neck and then pulls him down for a quick kiss. “What are you doing out here?” She asks.

Luca is, by far, the most attractive man she has had the pleasure of sharing a bed with. His towering height and dimpled smile, mixed with the perfectly disheveled coffee-colored curls sitting on top of his head, is a combination that could make anyone weak to the knees.

Realizing that the man is dressed only in a pair of boxers and an unbuttoned black shirt, Beatrix pulls him towards her. “You’re going to freeze out here.”

Luca chuckles. “Unfortunately, it appears that a beautiful woman has stolen my coat. Perhaps if she comes back inside, we can both be spared from the cold.”

“Perhaps,” she replies.

The couple leave the balcony, escaping from the ice and the wind chill. Beatrix slips out of her heels and tosses the coat onto an armchair in the corner of the room. She hops back onto the bed, while her lover rummages around in his duffle bag.

“I have a surprise for you,” Luca says.

“Oh?”

He climbs onto the bed next to her and holds out a thin black box. “A gift, to celebrate the occasion.”

Beatrix plucks the box out of his hands. “And what is the occasion?”

“A reunion.”

After throwing another glance and smile at Luca, she focuses her attention to the gift. She pries it open and her eyes focus on a large pear-shaped ruby pendant, resting on a delicate gold chain. “It looks expensive.”

Luca nuzzles his face into the side of her neck. His nose brushes against her dangling gold earrings, a gift from their third liaison, as he moves to place an open-mouth kiss below her ear. “Only the best for my girl.”

Beatrix pulls the necklace out of the box. “And did you get this before or after your business meeting?” She turns to face Luca and quirks an eyebrow.

He pauses. “After.”

“Must have been one hell of a business deal. If it makes you splurge on such a gift for your holiday fling.”

Luca frowns. “Is that what you think you are?”

Beatrix hesitates with her response, shifting her gaze away from his eyes.

The man places his right hand on the side of her neck and pulls her head to lay against his chest. It’s a gesture that feels almost too gentle for somebody whose hands are covered in tattoos of skulls and daggers.

“Tell me what’s wrong, bella.”

“I just,” she sighs. “I want to know who you are, who you really are. What you do. Where the money comes from.” She pulls away from him and starts to cry.

How much more of my time are you going to waste?

“I-I’ve fallen in love with you.” Beatrix tries to wipe the tears off her face, but just ends up smearing the liquid all over her cheeks. “But you have too many secrets.”

He’s too loyal.

Luca reaches out towards her. He pulls her hands away from her face and wipes the tears himself.

“I don’t care if you’re a criminal. I’ll love you no matter what, but I need to know the truth.”

The man sighs. “It’s best if you don’t know anything about my business affairs.”

There’s a deadline.

Beatrix peaks up at Luca through her lashes. His jaw is clenched and there’s a tinge of regret painted in his chocolate eyes.

I know.

“I’ve seen your gun. And your knife. Is your boss, like, a drug dealer?”

He doesn’t respond.

“I think I should go.” Beatrix slides off the bed. She heads for her purse that had been carelessly tossed near the bathroom door.

Luca rushes after her. “Wait, don’t go,” he pleads.

Can you turn him?

Beatrix whips around and shoves Luca away from her. “Then tell me who you work for.”

“I can’t.”

“You can’t or you won’t?”

Luca pauses. “I won’t.”

Doubtful.

“I’m leaving.” Beatrix responds. She grabs her purse and unbuckles the clasp.

“I know you’re upset, but I think we can work through this—”

Beatrix reaches inside her purse. When her fingertips brush against the object she’s looking for, she curls her fingers firmly around the metallic handle.

“—I just can’t share this aspect of my life with you. Not yet.”

Terminate him.

Dropping her purse, Beatrix lunges at Luca.

The man stumbles and falls backwards onto the bed. Beatrix jumps on top of him, straddling his waist. Not quite fully alert, he fails to notice when the woman raises the object in her hand. By the time he realizes what is about to happen, it’s too late to stop the dagger plunging into his heart.

Beatrix pulls the blade out of his chest and then slices open his neck. As she sits on his hips, she watches as the pristine white sheets are tainted by a deep crimson liquid. She reaches for his right hand and slips a ring off of his finger. It’s a gold ring. One that identifies him as a notable member of the Camorra.

A few moments later, Beatrix finally climbs off of him. She heads toward the armchair, grabbing her purse along the way. Settling into the seat, she pulls a phone out of her purse and calls one of the three saved contacts.

The line rings twice before the call is answered.

“Hey, you busy?” Beatrix speaks. “My boyfriend hooked me up with some amazing wine, but I accidentally spilled some of it on my white sheets. Would you mind popping by? You’re a genius at fixing this stuff. Plus, I still have plenty of wine to share.”

~ ~ ~

“At least you weren’t lying about the bottle of wine this time.” A woman, Izzy, remarks before taking a sip from her wine glass. Beatrix had met her a couple of years ago, when they were introduced through a mutual friend. Though she had been drawn to the dark-skinned woman’s sharp cheekbones and playful banter, she was more interested in Izzy’s talent for making evidence disappear.

Beatrix hums and takes a sip from her own glass. She shifts her position in the armchair, leaning back and crossing her legs.

“When were you gonna tell me that you were back in town?”

“It’s temporary.”

“Uh huh,” Izzy gestures to the corpse on the bed. “And what is this?”

“The boyfriend.”

“Okay,” Izzy nods. “Is the boyfriend’s departure from the land of the living due to a lovers’ spat? Or are you working?”

Beatrix reveals the faintest hint of a smile, before taking another sip of wine.

Izzy rolls her eyes and approaches the corpse. She leans down for a closer inspection, examining the man’s injuries and the blood pattern on the sheets. “Damn, he was cute. What a shame.” She frowns. “Didn’t put up much of a fight though, did he? I don’t see any defensive wounds. No early signs of bruising.”

A long pause follows the woman’s observations.

“Is he,” Izzy glances over at Beatrix, “Camorra?”

“You’re good with faces. I don’t think you really need to ask, do you?”

Izzy laughs before finishing off her glass of wine. She reaches for the half-empty bottle and pours herself another serving. “You? You were fucking a Camorra man? I thought you despised that organization.”

“A job’s a job, right?”

“You’re joking.”

Beatrix shakes her head.

Izzy frowns. “Someone hired you to hit the Camorra and you took it?”

The pale woman doesn’t respond.

“Jesus,” Izzy approaches her friend and leans against the wall beside her. “Bee, what kind of bullshit have you been roped into now?”

Beatrix downs the rest of wine. “You don’t need to worry about me.”

“Is the job done?” Izzy’s eyes shift back to Luca. “Was he your target? Some dude that they’ll replace before the sun sets tomorrow?”

“You’re not getting paid enough for that information.”

Izzy pouts.

“I just need you to clean up this mess.” Beatrix stands up and sets down her glass on a nearby table.

Izzy sighs and places her glass next to Beatrix’s. She shrugs off her coat, folds it up neatly, and places it on the table as well. Then she reaches into an oversized bag and pulls out a pair of black latex gloves. Slipping them onto her hands, she rolls back her shoulders and stretches her neck to relieve a minor kink in it. “And here I was hoping to waste some company dime by gossiping on the clock.”

A/N: I’m so sorry that Ares couldn’t make an appearance in this chapter, but she will be showing up in the next chapter, I promise!

If you are intrigued by what you’ve seen, I would really appreciate it if you could reblog this chapter. I literally have 3 followers right now (and one of those followers is me on my main blog), so I would very grateful for any help that gives me more exposure than what I would be able to reach on my own.

This is the first fic I’ve written in like four years, but I’m really excited to explore Beatrix and her position in the John Wick universe. I am hoping to post a new chapter bi-weekly (on Saturdays).

[221bshrlocked]

The Heart of War Masterlist

Pairing: Ares!Bucky x Original Female Character

Greek Mythology AU

Summary: “Falling in love with a god is not a death sentence. The story is only a tragedy if the god loves you back.”

A/N: Let me know if I write something that is wrong or offensive! And please please please comment and tell me how it’s going. Reblogging won’t hurt either. There might be more parts than listed below I do not know yet.

I - The Most Hateful

II - Of Good Fortune

III - Raging Emotions

IV - His Fiery Heart

V - Feasted by Women

VI - Of the Bronze

VII - The Unloved God

VIII - Bound for Heartbreak

IX -  Father of Tears

X - He Who Hears

XI - The Quiet One

XII - Beastly Touches

XIII - Bloodstained Needs

XIV - Plucking of the Fairest Flower

XV - The Fragility of War

[beautyandthenovels]

Princess of the Night // eddie munson x fem! OC

THIS FIC IS ALSO PUBLISHED ON MY AO3, LINK BELOW!!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/40050807

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Female Original Character

Summary: Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Montgomery is stuck in Hawkins, Indiana after a family tragedy shakes her world upside down. Done with the overbearing pressure to be popular, the senior ex-cheerleader finds solace in Hellfire Club, especially their Dungeon Master.

Navigating falling in love for the first time, overcoming grief and getting thrown into a supernatural world where something or someone seems to be hunting her down, Gabby has a lot to deal with during senior year.

Notes: First fanfic ever. *scared* I am sorry if there are grammar errors (English is not my native language) or if it simply is a piece of shit. I am very sad about the Eddie ‘situation’ in Stranger Things so I decided to write my own version of what that sunshine fluff ball deserves.

Please show love or guide this padawan through the fanfiction universe.

CHAPTER ONE

The sunlight across the window burned her eyes, causing her to close them aggressively. The bus drove fast, making her sweat from the scorching heat but also from anxiety. They were about to cross the Indiana state border, all the way from Tennessee, where she had hopped on. Gabrielle glanced at the clock in her right wrist, confirming seven hours spent inside that smelly bus. She felt movement at her side, from a middle aged woman enthralled by a magazine containing the latest gossip, ultimately pressing Gab’s body harder against the window, much to her dislike.

Gabrielle was traveling down to Hawkins, a small town in Indiana, to live with her Grandfather August for her senior year, although she lived - or had lived - in Tennessee, alongside her parents and older brother. Tears threatened her eyes, not unusual these days, but she successfully contained them, not wanting to cause a scene inside the bus.

It was now mid-August, which meant she should have been enjoying the long days of summer, helping her mother with her veterinary work… or maybe they would have gone camping or she could have been helping her brother settle down in New York. She remembered afternoon sweet tea on the porch, neighbours coming for barbecues, horror movies with her Dad and Aaron.

A memory from the crash jolted her senses, driving her momentarily incapacitated. She performed the breathing exercises her dad taught before for panic attacks. ‘Gabby, inhale slowly and exhale…Don’t let it dominate you, you’re the one in control.’ He reassured her every single time. But sometimes it was difficult to remain in control, especially when the accident reminisced inside her head.

In the beginning of July, her parents, herself and Aaron had decided to go on a trip to New York to search for houses for him to live in, since he was going to college there. They left for the airport on a Saturday afternoon, after her regional cheerleading competition, when a truck hit them sideways full speed, not stopping at a stop sign. Time seemed to stop during the strong impact. She couldn’t remember much else, besides spinning several times, ultimately awoken by Aaron, who unfastened her seatbelt, and pushed her body towards the broken window, while he remained with his legs smashed against the seat and the truck’s weight. Her parents seemingly had died instantly, but her brother’s suffering haunted her, conscious, not able to escape or be released. He finally passed away on the way to the hospital. Gabrielle was just recollecting his crying while she screamed outside the car, when the bus suddenly came to a stop.

“Hawkins, Indiana. All passengers for Hawkins, Indiana may leave now. Thank you. Next stop:…” Here she was, in this hell hole of a town, away from home. She got up, obligated to push the lady aside to get off, extended her arms to grab for the huge duffel bag and made her way down the stairs, glad to breathe fresh air after a long time. The bus stop was located on main street, where she looked around and spotted a diner, a clothing store, general store, the post office, among other small services. Her grandfather was nowhere to be seen. She walked around, noticing people’s stares, conjuring ideas of who she was and what she was doing in Hawkins.

She walked through the suburban neighborhood, all very similar to the last time she had come here to visit, when she spotted her grandpa’s house at the end of a cul-de-sac. A charming white picket fence house with a porch engulfed in flowers, still there after Grandma Jean had passed away 2 years ago. On the swing there was a tall man seated, with a newspaper spread out on his hands. He turned right as Gabrielle’s sandals approached, a sad tired smile forming over his thin wrinkled lips.

‘Honey, you’re home!’ Gab welcomed the warm familiar feeling of her Grandpa as he hugged her. She quickly noticed the sharp pain in his face as the one she identified on her own when she stared at the mirror.

‘I’m here Grandpa.’ she sniffed, unable to control herself much more.

‘I am so sorry for driving you out of Tennessee but I am so old, this has been my house for decades… Don't be angry at me for making you come here please. ’ She cleaned the tears forming in her eyes, entering the house.

‘I’m not angry, I just… It’s weird leaving Tennessee, Dad’s farm.’

‘Are your other grandparents taking care of it?’ She nodded affirmatively. Her mom’s parents were very different from Grandpa August and Grandma Jean, they had a lot of money so they employed people to keep the farm running and decided it was better for Gabrielle to spend a year away, but since they lived in Maine they thought it would be best to live closer with Grandpa August in Hawkins, until Gabrielle finished high school and became independent.

‘How are you holding up? Have you been sleeping?’ No, she thought. She frequently relived the accident when she tried to sleep throughout the night so she normally spent hours ravaging Aaron’s metal cassettes on her walkman, or reading her brother’s D&D’s campaigns and fantasy books until eventually succumbing to an extreme state of tiredness there is no way she would dream.

‘Much better actually.’ Liar. ‘And you, how are you?’ Her grandpa kept his stoic face in place. ‘Better than yesterday.’ Both liars and both knew it.

After some time talking a bit more, an effort Grandpa played out since he wasn’t much of a talker unless Grandma Jean had been around, she was taken to her new room or, in other words, her dad’s old room. She unpacked, organized her clothes, toiletries, the cassettes and notebooks she brought from Aaron’s room. Finally, she took out a picture of the four of them standing in front of their farm, smiling, content, happy. She paid attention to her stupid face, all sunshine and careless, dressed in a baby blue dress her mom had bought her. She had been so stupid, worried about being liked by everyone in school, partaking in every single club, being class president. She regretted everything now, especially cheerleading. Aaron was so right about everything, how cruel her friends were to poor, unpopular people. How they used to act out in school like they were part of some VIP club, so above everyone else. How she got along with everyone, polite and nice just for her perfect image. It had been for nothing, got her nothing. None of her friends cared enough when her family passed away, they came around once or twice for condolences but quickly went on with their summer activities and parties. The ones who kept her company and made sure she wasn’t alone or had food were Aaron’s friends, whom her ‘friends’ absolutely disliked. Some people spoke behind their backs because Aaron and the rest of the gang had a peculiar style. But, in reality, they just hang at Gab’s house, listening to metal, play cards and Dungeon and Dragons.

‘Hey, brunette Barbie, wanna join us in our deadly quest against the zombie army of popularity?’ They knew her since she was a baby so she knew they weren’t being mean, they understood she was different from them. But she enjoyed their D&D campaigns the best and hung out with them, listening to the wonderful stories and characters they created, always with the purpose of letting good prevail over evil. It haunt her that the popular crowd at school asked her if she was turning into a weirdo like her older brother, her best friend Sheila even dared pushing her into one stall in the girls bathroom one day and warn her that she needed to give Aaron and the boys the cold shoulder because people were starting to notice and it would jeopardize all she had ‘accomplished, especially cheerleading’. Gabrielle felt numb and had no idea how to respond to that, what had one thing to do with the other? When she arrived home that day and stepped into Aaron’s room, listening to her secretly favorite song by Iron Maiden ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’, she brought up what had been happening and the conversation earlier with Sheila.

‘So, you’re going to pretend you don’t know me and the guys? That’s it?’ He kept playing with a pencil, turning it round and round over his two fingers, his green eyes feral and hurt.

‘No! I would never do that but I just don’t understand why…’’ He brushed his mid-shoulder dark brown hair backwards, frustrated.

‘Listen Gabby, I am not going to tell you what to do because you’re a big girl. These people, they suck, they don’t know anything besides being a bunch of snobs who hang at the country club. They see themselves as the norm and anyone who lightly deviates from that line, from their so-called perspective of normality is a danger solely by existing. I know you have good friends like Sheila, who’s worried about you in her own way, but is this all you want? To be pretty and shake your pom poms, have a perfect GPA, be known as Miss Sympathy? You love D&D and hanging out with us, I know you do, you actually even like some music I listen to, right? ’ He chuckled at the last bit when she rolled her eyes.

‘I mean, you can be a nice girl, a cheerleader and still love Judas Priest. Those fuckers are the ones who simply decided you have to be A or B. Don’t let them shape you, that’s my advice.’ Gab got up from his bed and hugged him fiercely, so happy she had him for a big brother. It was the last time she ever did.

An accident that never would have happened if she didn’t go to that stupid cheerleading competition. Sharp pain ate her in her when she thought how it all could have been prevented hadn’t she go, had she never been part of that cheer squad that she didn’t even like. It had all been her fault. They were all dead because of her.

Gabrielle woke from the memory, realizing she had been sitting on the bed for quite some time, noticing it was dusk outside, the last few rays of sun piercing the window, dust particles flowing around the room in a disorganized dance. She glanced one last time at the family photo, vowing in Aaron’s name that this time it would be different, she would remain true to herself and strong, whatever or whomever came in her way. ‘I love you’.

[thefanficmonster]

Never Satisfied [Chapter 10]

Corpse Husband x Original Female Character

Warnings: Language

A Collaboration between Vy & Ashens

“i can see the sunrise in your eyes“

It must have been around 2 or 3 AM when they had finally fallen asleep. Corpse, much to his own surprise, didn’t find himself repeatedly checking the time on his phone like he usually does. Instead, he spent every moment talking with Cora in hushed whispers, little giggles passing between them and exchanging soft ghosts of a kiss every once in a while. He wasn’t sure who fell asleep first - they both felt their eyes go heavy and their mumbles faded into silence, the exact moment blurring in his mind. He, however, was the one to wake up first, his usual sleeping pattern taking form as per usual, not allowing him long slumber if any at all. When his eyes fluttered open, he felt a weight on his chest and was briefly concerned he had woken up into a bad day of anxiety. Instead, he found himself cradling a smaller figure to his chest, arm looped around her lower back as she slept peacefully. His delicate touch combed her hair out of her face, not wanting to wake her up before she was ready to face the day on her own accord. It was one thing to see the peace in her face while she slept on his lap. But here? With her cradled in the crook of his arm, asleep on his chest?

He could have sworn his heart ached with joy. 

This can’t be real. 

But it is, even if it wasn’t, he would be prepared to accept this reality as his real one. Because here, in this new reality they’ve created together, he feels something he hasn’t felt in a long time. He feels happy. Truly and utterly happy.

He brushes his thumb across her cheek, eyes half lidded as he watches her content smile become more prominent with each passing second. As gentle and calm as he tried to be, it isn’t long before Cora’s voice startles him from his trance, still not quite yet aware of his affectionate gaze. 

“You’re staring…” She murmurs so faintly he almost misses it.

“Sorry…” He replies with a mumble, drawing his hand away as a blush creeps to his cheeks. Before it could get far, she reaches out and takes hold of it, tucking it back in its previous spot as she snuggles closer into his chest. 

“Mm...time is it?” She whispers, smiling softly as she rubs her nose against his knuckles. 

He sighs softly, looking up to the ceiling. It takes him a moment but he soon realizes they;ve found themselves in a deja vu similar position.

“...I can’t tell, you’ve taken me hostage again.” He whispers into her hair, smirking against the bird’s nest it had turned into as she slept. 

She shifts a little, winding her ankle around his. “Guess it doesn’t matter then. Time is just a social construct anyway, right?” She replies, sighing happily, evidently ready to doze off once more. 

Corpse, whether he likes it or not, comes to terms with the fact that he isn’t going to be moving anytime soon yet again and lets his own eyes flutter closed, keeping Cora closely cuddled up against his side. She’s warm, the blanket draped over them leaving him in a cocoon of comfortable coziness. 

“Guess not…” He whispers, kissing the top of her head before sinking back into sleep along with her. 

A couple hours pass. In that time Corpse has gone from having Cora tucked up against his chest to having her tightly wrapped up in his arms, face pressed into his shoulder. She has looped one arm over his waist and the other under his neck, legs tangled together as he murmurs into her hair. 

He has to admit, as he feels the grogginess of having just woken up start to leave him, this is one of the best nights of sleep he’s gotten in a long while. Maybe it’s because of the warm body next to him, or maybe it’s because he finally feels safe enough with someone beside him. He doesn’t think that he could really explain it to anyone, but having another person there was more than he needed. 

Black curls shuffle against the pillows as he tucks her in closer which initially would seem impossible considering their bodies are already flush against one another. Cora shifts and stretches in his hold before squeaking. It was one of those good stretches, the ones that made your body shiver with delight. She rolls away from him, briefly leaving him with a twinge of emptiness in his chest but it’s quickly extinguished when she rubs her face and reaches out to pat his chest.

“You slept well, Hades?” She sounds groggy, the slumber as hard as a rock having rasped her voice a tiny bit. She tilts her head to look at him, eyes lidded with a lazy smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. It’s a beautiful sight he finds himself so entranced by, that his own lips quirk a little before he leans forward to touch his forehead to hers for a moment. That’s good enough for him, the feeling it provokes in his chest much alike the one that blossoms when their lips touch. 

She runs her hand through his dark curls and forces herself to sit up, his shirt hanging off one of her shoulders as she blinks sleepily. Corpse is in no rush himself, choosing to lay there and continue observing her, taking in the elements that compile her beauty: hair messily tousled following the long night’s slumber; how his shirt looks on her, like it always belonged there to begin with, like he’d done it injustice by wearing it himself. He could keep going but when she looks over her shoulder and catches him staring he looks away, a blush creeping onto his cheeks. 

She grins and ruffles her hair to help undo the knots that have formed before scrunching her face at him. “You gonna lie in bed all day? Or are we going to get breakfast?” 

He smiles and shifts so he too can sit up, legs hanging off the bed as his palms roughly rub his face. Once he’s sure he got the crud out of his eyes, he stretches his arms high above his head and arches his back before sighing. “It’s too early for you to be this awake.” He grumbles, rolling his shoulder to reawaken it after having been used as a pillow for so long.

She snorts and looks at her phone before lifting her brow and showing the screen to him, “Dude, it’s almost 11 AM.”

“Yeah. Too early.” He grins, his smile softening and he moves to stand up, wincing a little at the sudden discomfort in his neck and shoulders. Must’ve slept funny, he thinks to himself, fucking nerves. Subtly rubbing his joints so Cora doesn’t notice, he glances down at his carpet and nudged the pair of socks he’d been trying to force on her feet out of his way. “What do you think about grabbing brunch since it’s too late for breakfast now?”

“Brunch, huh? Are we fancy now, or what?” She teases, grabbing her clothes from where she’d tossed them on the floor. She wanders out of the room and makes her way to his bathroom and this time, she shuts the door. 

While she’s inside, Corpse changes into his usual attire: black jeans and a simple black shirt, accessorizing with his go-to chains before stuffing a mask into his pocket and yanking on his favorite hoodie. Cora returns from the bathroom a moment later, her hair looking like it had been combed through with her fingers before getting pulled back up into a messy bun. Watching her carry his clothes with care made his heart flutter in a way he has never experienced before. She has folded them neatly and is now offering them back to him as though they were a holy item. 

“Thanks for letting me borrow these. Maybe next time I come over I’ll bring my own pajamas.” She says with a beaming smile, one he returns without missing a beat.

Taking the clothes, he looks around as if he isn’t sure where to put them. A moment later, he decides the foot of his bed would be good enough at the moment. 

His gaze travels down to the floor and he stutters a little as he says:  “I-..um…I’m gonna….go piss.” He motions at the bathroom timidly as if he’s expecting her to be taken aback by the fact that he has bodily functions he needs to get taken care of.. 

Accordingly and casually, she shrugs and laughs before jokingly patting him on the head, pushing up on her tiptoes to do so, “Go for it Cujo, unless you plan on going into the back yard, then I’ll have to hook a leash on ya.” 

His face flushes a deep red and he shuffles away and into the solace and privacy of his bathroom, closing the door behind him and leaning against it. She was just joking. She was just joking. Fuck me she was JOKING, he swears and scolds himself, a hand threaded deep into his mop of curls as he exhales deeply. Turning back to face the door, he locks it and begins his usual morning routine. 

With that said and done, he steps back out in the hallway in a matter of fifteen minutes. Glancing to the right, he sees that Cora hadn’t gone back to his room. Moving further down the hall he catches a glimpse of her sprawled out on the couch with her legs over the armrest, tapping away on her phone while lazily kicking her feet. 

When he emerges from the hall, entering her view point, she lets the phone drop to her chest and smiles. “Ready to get some grub?” She hooks her knees over the edge of the sofa like it was a set of monkey bars and reaches down to grab the edge with her fingertips and heaves herself up into a sitting position, looking up at him. 

Damn that was some impressive core strength

Corpse hesitates, but before he could say or do anything, she reaches up and loops his chain around her fingers, pulling him down for a soft tender little kiss. His hands flex, gripping at nothing, hanging awkwardly at his side for a second before moving up as if he’s going to place them on her shoulders or cup her face but immediately drops them instead. What the FUCK am I supposed to do with my hands!? Before he could figure that out, she breaks away and hops up onto her feet, fingers still curled in his chain, the entanglement allowing her to pull him along behind her as she walks out of the room. “How does Waffle House sound?” She asks, sparing him a brief glance over the shoulder without letting her walking pace falter.

He follows like a lovesick puppy, lips still tingling from her kiss, creating a sensation he’s far too focused on to coherently reply so he finds himself nodding in response as he mutters a small, uncertain: “Y-yeah.” 

Equipping his shoes, wallet and eyepatch, he throws on the hood of his hoodie and gives the curls that stick out from underneath it only a brief thought before he looks over at Cora who’s already pulled her shoes on. He catches himself as his gaze travels up the length of her legs, stopping at the short black shorts clinging to her upper thighs. She has omitted the fishnets she’d worn the night before, choosing to shove them in her hoodie pocket, but has left the suspenders to still hang around her thighs.

“Ready?” She asks with a bounce to her stance, smiling widely like an overly-excited child. 

He nods, opening the door for her and following her out.

@vixenl  @annshit​  @wineandionysus  @wiseflamingoqueen

[antiloreolympus]

10 Anti LO Asks

1. if there was ever a short, chubby man in LO it would just be someone to creepy after Persephone and be the butt of the joke about how he's not "hot" compared to Manly™️ Hads. Rachel has the weirdest hard-on to mock anyone who isn't a conventionally attractive, straight rich person and it shows itself way too often.

2. are .. are LO characters supposed to look attractive? is that RS' intent? 😵‍💫 say sike right now because none of them look good

3. I would just be so pissed if I was an Original creator seeing what this WT does. These creators are busting their asses week in and out to make a weekly comic with a tight story and great art with little to no help (some even broke their hands and RELEARNED HOW TO DRAW WITH THEIR OTHER HAND to keep going) but WT continues to ignore them while giving Rachel as much help and promotion as she could ever want or need and she gets to rake in the money for what little she does. How is that ok?

4. I’m just gonna put it out there, but the fact that Eros was confirmed bi/pan in an earlier episode only for him to later be exclusively shown attraction to women is so gross. Especially when he’s the only mspec character which was revealed along with him being very promiscuous. It’s very “pick a side” and “all mspec people are very sexual. As a bi person it’s just way too gross.

From OP: Hera also seems to be mspec as there’s a thing (??) between her and Echo. It’s not 100% confirmed but, let’s face it, RS would face a lot of backlash if she goes back on Hera x Echo after that girlfriend comment Ares made.

That being said, I hate how she’s also mspec and (potentially) cheating, which is something a lot of mspec people get accused of just for liking more than one gender.

5. i feel like there's a big difference between stylization versus whatever rachel is doing. we know she can draw but the style she's chosen for LO is only getting worse even as rachel tries to "improve" it with lineart and attempts of anatomy (despite her being nearly 40? why is she only NOW trying to learn it??)

6. I mean yeah the art in LO isn't the worst thing ever, but the fact it markets itself off being the most unique, beautiful art on the whole app is just like ... really? Based off what? Often the bright colors and "painter" style, especially in the last few years, is a hindrance instead of a strength. I can browse the Canvas Top 30 and see miles ahead better art with only one person doing it, not a team of five or more people.

7. did ... did rachel just slap harpy aesthetics onto eris and call it a day? can she even try to keep any of these creatures straight. even daphne and the other nymphs loses their pointy ears  half the time and that's their only defining feature.

8. wait, so RS did a comic for DC and WT wasn't screaming about, even though they have a DC partnership??? Even RS wasn't?? Surely that's far more legitimate than anything else? I'll agree we can see with actual time and effort put into it she can actually draw, but are just going to ignore her depiction of WW and Superman are still the same exact buxom female and just Hades with dark hair now? Also PS, the Circe/hamster thing is directly ripped off from Percy Jackson, so that's not very original.

9. RS would make Wonder Woman be a tiny teenager huh. She's allergic to tall women with muscles. At least we should be glad she's not a repeat of Athena or making them highlighter yellow and blue.

10. RS making Helios be pro-global warming is damn near evil. He's one of the most loving gods ever?? He was one of the few Titans who was worshipped well beyond antiquity because of his love for humans?? I get DC's versions are also different from mythology but even they tend to be framed as good guys, wtf?? She literally can't write them correctly even with it's someone else's version. Talk about a negative team player.

[sothischickshe]

I created and single-own the relationship tags Rio x Envelopes and Beth x Her Bourbon Glass on AO3 and I couldn't be more PROUD!!!!! 😂😇😍

(you did create this new ask game where ppl come and tell you what tags they invented, right?)

haha!!! wellllll i was actually contemplating a new tag game, but i applaud this initiative!!! <3 <3 <3

& those truly are fantastic tags, normally i think i hold my own with this game (i mean ive got rio/rio, dean boland & rio, beth boland/sleep, rio/dean's bathrobe AND amber dooley/ofc) but those are god-tier (as is dean boland & you which you inexplicably failed to mention?!)

in fact... P I V O T !

let me rec you some RARE rare ‘pair’ fics?!

(& also tut at basically everyone in this fandom including myself for not using the relationship tags on ao3 that fully, haha)

ao3 / tags

Hell Is Other People by @onemore-light technically isn’t the only fic tagged beth boland/rio/james fitzpatrick, butttt im pretty sure the other fic using said tag doesnt mean it (it’s also got beth boland/ruby hill/annie marks tagged and uh guyZ, i do not think that means what you think it means ha, but! i digress! my point: im counting this for being a single intentional use!). it’s SO creative and i love it!!!

the instigator by @inyoursheets likewise technically isnt the only fic tagged as beth boland/rio/rhea, but since the other one also uses the beth boland/ruby hill/annie marks tag im gonna apply the same logic. anyway: this fic!!!! yes.

Ain’t No Sunshine by @missmaxime is inexplicably the only beth boland/jim turner fic on ao3. also it’s so fricking good!!!

Come, let us march against the powers of heaven by @fairhairedkings (which is a fabulous ~brio ~reincarnation fic) is, im pretty sure, the only gg fic tagged as aphrodite/ares

You & Me Babe How About It is not in fact the only fic tagged as beth boland/debbie ocean, buttt since both fics are by @nakedmonkey im gonna ~cheat and count this ship singly anyway haha. an inspired pairing!!!!

And I’d have told you I was lonely too by @fairhairedkings is a great rio-was-johnny graceland/good girls crossover fic, and the only paige arkin/johnny tuturro fic in the gg tag

Rush by Azdaema is SOMEhow the only fic tagged beth boland/adrenaline????!?!?!??!?!!?

vile and yet devout by @inyoursheets is the first part of a very sexy brio grocery manager au (!!!!) and features background jt/annie marks/nancy (and is sadly the only fic using this tag)

Drop your defenses (and come into my arms) by @pynkhues is a magnificent mar(r)y pat/mick series!!! (ship of ships!!!) AND the first part is also tagged as boomer/pain, which is truly one of the most important gg ships

your thighs, my throne by ElasticElla is SOMEhow the only diane/phoebe donnegan fic?!!!

Falling for her incognito by @misshazelevers20 is the only fic tagged diane x rhea & it’s a lotta fun! (althoooo  listening through the airshaft by @mego42 (which is a fantastic multi-outsider pov fic about beth/rio) features rhea/diane!!!! and is that tagged thusly you ask? why no it is not)

Crush by @foxmagpie (which is a prequel piece for delinquents, and features silly sausage baby rio) is im pretty sure the only gg fic tagged original female character/original male character (which is uh...making me realise i def shouldve tagged one of my fics like that too, whoops ha)

gimme the dream by ElasticElla is the ONLY beth boland/amber dooley fic somehow!

Knock First by @bensonstablers is a v fun threesome fic, and the only one tagged as beth boland/rio/original male character(s)

ao3 & tags

Milkshakes by @bensonstablers (which is a LOVELY pre-canon beth/rio fic) is the only one tagged as emma boland & rio (although May The Moon’s Silvery Beams by @pynkhues is also deffo kinda an emma & rio fic i’d say?)

AITA for wanting to stop paying my wife’s “business partner” and yelling at her? by @lemoncupcake (which is!!! the most!!!! fun!!!!!!!!!!!) is the only fic tagged as dean boland & annie marks (one day im gonna add a fic to this tag though <3)

Like Icarus Who Flies to The Sun by kibasniper (which is great fitz pov) is the only fic tagged beth boland & james fitzpatrick

Earning her M.R.S. by oyhumbug (which i am obsessed with!!! it’s a high school au where beth & rio are the teachers!!! <3) is the only one tagged with: beth boland & judith boland, beth boland & original male character(s), beth boland & original female character(s) AND beth boland & ben marks!

Walk-Off by oyhumbug (which is a sweet baseball brio AU) is the only one tagged as: beth boland & sara hill (although ahem at the In Lumine chapter of Nest in the The Center and Circumference series by @pynkhues yknow), marcus & gretchen zorada, beth boland & gretchen zorada (side-eyeing more fics than i can be bothered to list haha)

Almost Checkmate by kibasniper is great creepy phoebe pov, and it’s the only phoebe donnegan & ruby hill fic

ao3 vs. tags

i don’t think there are any of these?! im not sure this is a relationship style you can tag on ao3?! what gives, beth vs. rio is the ship of ships!!!!

tumblr-only fic (for now, grr)

I don’t think there IS any beth/phoebe tag tagged fic on ao3, but! there is a great phoebe pov beth/phoebe tumblr ficlet from @nakedmonkey (put it up on ao3 too though you monster?!)

never say never by @foxmagpie does not YET include any beth/rio/diane BUT here’s a sneak peak!

the untagged

Show Me by @janejoens isn’t tagged as beth boland/rio/original female character(s), but also that kiiiinda is what’s going on? also, it’s excellent, as is the entire series!

Working On Things by odenkirk is not tagged as beth boland/dean boland/rio(/phone) but i think that’s a reassssonably accurate description of the dynamic?! also, it’s incredible!

Touch (without leaving a trace) by @sdktrs12 is a fantabulous ~brio gang bang fic (!!!!) which deffo features some beth/mr cisco amongst others. is it tagged for any relationships other than beth/rio? non

To Face Unafraid by @pynkhues (which is a delightful xmas fic & part of the C&C series) is at least in part about rio & judith boland’s relationship (!!!!) (and ok beth & judith’s too), but it’s not tagged as such

Everybody wants to know if we fucked on the bathroom sink by @misshazelevers20 (which is wonderfully entertaining outsider pov on brio) features mrs karpinski & hipster hitted barman (!!!!!!), yet is it tagged with that?! no it isn’t!

if no one is around you, say baby i love you, if you ain't running game by @medievalraven (which is a wonderful phoebe pov wire fic) is kind of.... phoebe & beth/rio? i dont think you can actually tag things like that on ao3, which now i think abt...is kinda unreasonable...? i don’t think there’s a single fic tagged beth boland & phoebe donnegan though, which is kinda wild??

Both Sides of the Law by @joeyjoeylee (THE law school au!!!!) deffo has plenty of rio & gretchen zorada but isnt tagged for that (again i dont think there’s any fic tagged thusly? w i l d ! )

Copper Kisses by @missmaxime definitely has some beth boland/rio/jim turner Vibes but isnt tagged with that (is my fic with similar vibes tagged any better? no but ok im not the one on trial am i)

.....so ughhh i might go add some relationship tags of my own to my bookmarks is i think what im saying haha (or more like think abt it & then not do it which is practically the same thing right?)

addendums

I shouldn’t need to rec your own fic to you (although you do seem to have forgotten it?! ha) but i also can’t let an opp to rec: But the tigers come at night with their voices soft as thunder (by @bourbon-ontherocks) pass! a fic where dean complains abt his sex dreams abt rio to you the reader inaugurating the dean boland & reader relationship tag which was better than i could possibly have imagined!!!!!! so good!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

also! there are several gg fics tagged with no relationship/s (some of which confused me, I mean Sure am using you (by Aniara) isn’t tagged as rio/original female character? anyway it’s amazing, but that’s not a single-use tag so i digress).

no tag is i guess def not a single use (lack of) tag, but i feel like these probs don’t get recced much so here’s one:

Under no illusions by mallanghours (is this basically a dean & rio fic...you decide! haha)

anyway! back to the original point haha.... indeed, do all come tell me about the relationship tags you (will) inaugurate w/ your gg fic (existing or to-tag or to-write)!!! and/or which of these thus far ~single-use tags you plan to fill up??!!!!

[medalloway-blog]

Sirius x OC fanfics

This is a list with my fav fanfics with Sirius and Original female characters - all multichapters fanfictions. 

Why So Sirius? by gryffindorcutie | Complete (18 Chapters) | Sirius Black x  Ariel Prewitt | Sirius Black is five years into his life sentence at Azkaban Asylum when the Wizengamot decides to revisit his case with a hearing.Ariel Prewitt is a jaded reporter for the Daily Prophet who is dying for something exciting to shake up her boring routine. The universe answers her drunken prayers when she is given the interview opportunity of a lifetime. | A very, very favourite one! Very smutty, yes, but with a sweet and loving plot. It’s alternate universe and Sirius has a happy ending in this one.

War Of Attrition by siriusblackfoot | Incomplete (6 Chapters) | Sirius Black x Devin (Muggle) | London, 1980. Sirius Black is on the front lines of the First Wizarding War as Voldemort's army threatens everything he holds dear. The Order is struggling to stay afloat. Friends are starting to look like enemies, and enemies are starting to look like friends.What a horribly inconvenient time to fall in love. | This fanfiction has so much potential, I really hope @siriusblackfoot will finish it one day. The few released chapters are thrilling! 

Stray by Molly Raesly | Complete (16 Chapters) | Sirius Black x Eliza Boyd (Muggle) |  Sirius Black's motorbike fails in the middle of a torrential downpour, and he seeks shelter in a rundown diner. While at first he just returns to fix his bike, the young muggle waitress might be another reason to stay for some pie. | This is a cute, comforting fanfic, I quite like it. In my mind, I always had the belief Sirius would fall in love with a Muggle.

Snuffles by Mish123 | Complete (18 Chapters) | Older Sirius Black x Dove Alby | Dove works at The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. Little did she know, feeding the town’s stray dog would put her down a dangerous path. | Really like this one, funny, fluff and smutty. Enjoy!

Pureblood by @twoidiotwriters1 | Ongoing (Book Two) - Book One finished (41 Chapters) | Sirius Black x Persephone Singh | The Singh family has lived in the British wizarding world for several decades. Their policy of purebloods has prevailed along with their hatred for muggles.This ideology is shared by many families, but especially with the Malfoys and the Blacks. All the wizarding world knew who these families were, and they were respected and admired, even feared.The last Singh generation was conformed by Ares Singh II, his wife Amelia, and their five children: Apollo, Isis, Juno, Balder, and Persephone. As expected, this family attended Hogwarts and they all have been part of either Slytherin or Ravenclaw. Their pride is lasting, and the adults make sure to inculcate all traditions to their children.But their story will soon be threatened by the changes that the youngest Singh is trying to accomplish. And it all starts when she and her best friend Sirius Black begin their first year at Hogwarts in 1971. | I am still in the first chapters of Book One, but so far, so good, I am totally hooked.

The Rosier Runaway: A Sirius Black Love Story by kittythebutterfly | Ongoing (8 Chapters) | Sirius Black x Florence Rosier |  A Marauders Era Hogwarts story, that explores the darker side of the wizarding world, and follows two young people that reject their family's involvement in the increasingly popular dark magic group, the Death Eaters. Instead, they join their friends to protect the wizarding world, and turn to each other for support in finding the courage needed, and help with rejecting their family's expectations.

1976 by ASomewhatCuriousInvitation | Ongoing (13 Chapters) | Sirius Black x Lara Love | Life had been somewhat simple for Sirius Black and Lara Love. Hogwarts in the 1970's had been their arena, and they were the champions. Separate champions, of course. Content to ignore each other as worthy opponents often do in the face of certain defeat. That is, until a chance encounter in the summer of 1976 opened their worlds to the poignant possibility of each other. It was from then, along with the changing seasons, that something began brewing between their stolen glances and stifled thoughts that risked everything: their bodies, their sanities, their hearts. OR, in which two stubborn and secretly broken teens try to deny their feelings but fall in love anyway. It would have been easier to single-handedly take on the giant squid.

How to tame a Marauder by melian225 | Complete (60 Chapters) | Sirius Black x Laura Cauldwell | This fanfic is structured as a coming-of-age story rather than a traditional romance, and covers the last three years of the Marauders' schooling. |  Suggested by a reader and I’ll soon start reading it (added to the list 12th April 2021)

For the Greater Good by thesearethebadlands | Incomplete (7 chapters) | Sirius Black x Nora Selwyn | Even though it’s incomplete the written plot is totally worth it. Nora Selwyn disappeared from the Wizarding world fifteen years ago with a heavy heart and a warrant out for her arrest. She hid in the Muggle world to avoid facing the consequences of being a Death Eater and betraying those closest to her, including one Sirius Black. But when the Dark Lord rises again, she must choose between her shadowy past and a new start with the Order.

Let me know if you have any other suggestions to add to this list.

[chriscdcase95]

Wonder Woman WLW prompts

Alright, so you know how the DCEU incarnation Diana is popularly shipped with a multitude of female characters in both DC and Marvel media ?

Considering she has been walking the Earth for literal decades, I’m wondering where is that one fic of her many WLW romances over the decades are ?

Or possible poly groups she’d be involved in.

Just think of the potential (I say in my mad scientist voice).

Note: The following combines the DCEU, Arrowverse, and MCU into the same world. I don’t now how this would work, so let’s suspend our disbelief a bit. Originally this was just going to be a Superwondercorp post, but my ideas got the better of me.

MCU: 40′s era: Peggy (and Angie) are introduced to Diana temp housemate who would be staying with at Howard Stark’s estates as a guest. Heck, you want to go all the way with the Aunt Peggy headcanons for Kid!Tony, just imagine Aunt Diana!

DCEU: 80′s: You’ve got Diana pairing up with Barbara. I’ve seen plenty of those prompts already, although I am yet to see WW1984.

MCU: 90′s era: Carol Danvers, during one of her on and off stays on Earth happens across Diana while the two happened to be looking into rumor's of alien activity on Earth. Unlike what you’d expect they don’t come to blows, but have more of a rivals to lovers thing. Depending on Carol and Maria’s relationship at this point, we’d get more Aunt Diana.

Although given WandaVison, I’d figure at most Carol would be on and off with Maria, but her heart always leads her back to Maria.

Present Day: Okay this might be a little difficult, because I don’t know which one to settle on.

I’d like to  humor the idea of a Diana x Harley enemies to lovers thing, but taking their DCEU characters into account. I just find them too different and problematic to make it work; I would think that at the very least Diana’s friendship with Bruce, and Harley’s involvement with Jason Todd’s murder would be a point of contention between them, but that’s just me.

Then you got other MCU girls, and to be honest I’m kind of leaning to Natasha Romanov for this one, I just don’t know what version to go with so the following is something I did off the top of my head. 

Warning, it’s gonna be bittersweet because Endgame is a thing. I advise you to skip down to the Superwondercorp bit.

After the events of the Thanos snap, and during the five year time skip, Diana is among those unaffected by the snap. However the Justice League is fractured, brought about by their failure to aid in the fight with Thanos along with the Avengers. When Carol returns to Earth, Diana reunites with her, and with Tony whom she hasn’t seen since her days with Peggy. 

Initially, Diana would serve as another aunt figure to Morgan Stark, and over time however, she ends up bonding with Natasha with the latter holding down the fort with S.H.I.E.LD, with the weight of the world on each others shoulders, with the two working together in that department. The end result is Natasha becoming a “primary” girlfriend to Diana, while the two try to hold eachother together.

Diana doesn’t join in on the time travel heist, but she, and the Justice League, join in on the final battle with Thanos’ army. And when she learns of Natasha’s sacrifice...we see Diana in such a stage of superpowered rage we haven’t seen since her battle with Ares.

When the dust finally settles, and after Tony’s funeral service (which may include DC allies for this AU), Diana takes to mourning in private. She sets up a shrine to the lost loved ones she had over the decades, both lovers and those she considers family. We see Steve (Trevor), Peggy, Tony, Natasha among those she pays tribute too, and those she will always keep in her heart. She is approached by Clint who tells her that Tony isn’t the only one they are mourning that day; during Tony’s hologram speech to his family, we also get a montage of Nathasa’s friend and family (pretty much everyone who wasn’t in the Stark’s living room during the “I Love you 3000″ scene) passing Diana’s shrine to her, each leaving a rose under a picture of Natasha.....

Superwondercorp: Set also corresponding with an alternate version of Supergirl, season five. Set several months after this verse’s version of Endgame.

With the Justice League and Avengers readjusted into the world, Diana decides to take a small break after carrying the world for so long. She is slowly going back into her civilian life, and attending art galleries'. At one such gallary, she meets Lena Luthor, whom she is initially cautious with, but quickly the two grow on each other. 

For the sake of transparency, Diana reveals herself as Wonder Woman, figuring that Lena - as a Luthor - would already know considering this world Lex would already know their identities. As one gag, while Diana and Lena are drinking at Lena’s place, Diana reveals that Bruce Wayne is Batman, to which Lena is genuinely at a loss for words when she finds out.

Anyways, Diana notices and hears about Lena and Kara falling out, and takes it upon herself to fix their relationship. While she’s a freelance superhero, Diana still works with Kara and the two bond over that. We get no more William Dey in this AU; Diana shoots that down before it even starts and is the one who calls out his Nice Guy attitude.

Diana herself isn’t looking for a relationship, as she’s still raw over Natasha’s passing, and it usually takes her years, even decades to get into a new relationship. Despite this, the romantic tensions she feels for Lena and Kara is so thick, that Excalibur itself would break trying to cut it. In addition to the struggles Kara and Lena canonically go through, Diana’s struggle is trying not to fall in love so soon after Natasha. Not that it stops Diana from accidentally sleeping with both of them on two respective occasions.

Since season five technically didn’t get a proper ending, things would still be up in the air for now, but I figure that when Kara and Lena reconcile in the seasons “finale”, they both kiss a surprised Diana on the mouth. They then agree to talk things over after Lex is dealt with...

[lost-in-yujikiri]

SAO Pride Week 2021 Final Day

Due to various irl reasons, I can not finish all 7 days of SAO Pride week as I want to. So I can give you a post on the rest of the ships I want to tell you about that still have a fair amount of tributes in official SAO media.

Eydis x Alice

Eydis is an interesting case. She's a mobile game's original character and yet she got popular among SAO game fans very fast due to her bright & energetic personality and badass when needs be, yet she's way more attached to girls and is meh or so-so towards guys including Kirito. Also, her story does not contradict canon events and she can be integrated very well to canon without anyone raising eyebrow. Among the interpretations of her character, many fans (even straight cis males) actually suspect or think she's a lesbian, despite the game throwing in parallels to how she loves girls is the same as how she loves her blood younger sister (much same old backtrack tactics that Japanese media tend to do to sell queer-coded females to the male audience), and yet some catfight with Lipia, her enemy who doesn't fit her sister type contradicts that because they has so much chummy lesbian UST that even Bercouli joked about it with Eydis. Originally I wanted to write a full blown post on Eydis Synthesis 10 and how much chemistry and attraction she has to girls, either it's her self-proclaimed younger sister type (Alice) or the ones who don't fit that category at all (Sheyta - the super cool, deadly & silent knight, Lipia - foul-mouthed brash & brave Dark Territory enemy, Goddess Stacia Asuna) but well... it's too much, I can't cover all unless you play the ARS game since launch, so at least I can speak a bit about her most popular ship: Eydis x Alice

I can speak with confidence that out of all alive characters in SAO franchise, Eydis is the one who genuinely cares the most for Alice the Knight. Eydis used to catfight with Eldrie over getting affection and time with Alice. Eydis thinks Alice has romantic feelings for Kirito, and yet she respected Alice's feelings when she visited Alice at the log house when Alice was taking care of coma Kirito unlike Eldrie who was mad with it. Though Eydis is a good person, when she knew Kirito x Asuna is a couple she's fine with it and supported them happily, then wished for Alice's happiness in the real world. After the War, when Kirito said he thought Eydis loves Alice, she replied that "Of course I love her!". In one event when Eydis was talking to Delegate Swordman Kirito, if Kirito said probably Alice is not all that happy in real world, she demands to go to Alice immediately. In another option, she threatened Kirito that if Alice is unhappy in real world she will make Kirito pay. If Eydis is still alive after the 200 years timeskip, I think she's still waiting for Alice as she said.

One of Bride Eydis homescreen's lines is about her marriage partner having crystal-blue eyes and only Alice fits the bill.

Renly x his best friend

These two were once said to be Eugeo x Kirito 0.5 because of their similarities. Also the 2 coupling birds symbol and crossing sword symbol. How obvious are they? They also have a (very gay) dedicated section in Renly & Sheyta's story event in ARS game.

Asuna x Kizmel

Kizmel is a NPC character in SAO Progressive. Without spoilers (as it's a matter of time all of Progressive gets anime adaptation), let me tell you this ship has a small dedicated faction among the Japanese readers. Even the first Progressive manga artist ships them.

Here is a small panel in the manga. Look at what Asuna wrote on the ground when Kirito & Asuna were separated from Kizmel:

Asuna

❤

Kizmel

(Though I once feared true to Reki's old tendency Kizmel will die before Kirito & Asuna parted way in Floor 25, or maybe not as he has changed his way since Unital Ring and current Progressive. Who knows, we'll see)

[vostara]

Hypnophobia - 05

fünf — and there’s no escape

pairing: ares x original female character (beatrix)

blurb: “Loyalty can be rather expensive.”

word count: 2.1k+

title inspiration: game of survival - ruelle

apologies for the incredibly long wait. in mid-july, i moved across the country and immediately got sick due to 3-4 weeks of nearly continuous heatwaves (uncommon for the area i’m living in). my apartment does not have a/c, so all i had was one fan and an unbearable amount of humidity. my apartment was in the high 90s nearly every day, with the low end being.... the low 90s.....

just to note: i am starting graduate studies this monday. i am working on getting an mfa in creative writing, so all of my school-related writing projects will take priority over fanfics.

This work is cross-posted on Ao3.

… | 04 | 05 | [discontinued notice] … series masterlist

In theory, Santino’s new task is easy.

“You want me to meet with your seller?” Beatrix asks, a request for confirmation that she had not misheard the man.

“You will be accompanying Ares,” Santino clarifies. “She is the one meeting the buyer.”

“You’re not going to meet him yourself?”

The Camorra boss frowns, leaning back into his armchair. “I’ve been asked to return to Naples and I can’t push it back any longer than I already have. I’m entrusting Ares with closing the deal and I want you there for support.”

“Why send me?” The woman says. “Why not send one of your men?”

Santino shrugs. “You know sign language,” he replies.

A simple assignment, really: be the translator.

As the driver eases the car into a stop, Beatrix glances out of the window. Her eyes scan their surroundings, noting the clusters of people showing off their overpriced designer jewelry and the borderline scandalous hemlines of their clothing. The New Yorkers loiter the space outside of a ritzy expensive nightclub, Das Schwein, a club that is embedded into the bottom three levels of the high-rise building.

To get the woman’s attention, Ares reaches out towards Beatrix, brushing her fingertips against the top of her hand. And when Beatrix turns to look at her, Ares pulls her hand away, signing, We are here.

The assassin nods, before opening the door and stepping out of the vehicle. She smooths the sides of her burgundy dress and takes a moment to straighten the plunging neckline. Though the winter chill encourages a splattering of goosebumps to form along her bare arms, it, for the moment, lacks the biting cold that had permeated the Chicago air.

Ares, dressed in a matching suit, takes the lead and approaches the building. Do not speak unprompted, she commands. Do not leave my side.

Falling into step behind the woman, Beatrix nods. “I understand,” she says.

When the bouncer sees the pair approach, he steps aside before waving them through the entrance. Without even acknowledging the man, Ares steps between the doors. She scrutinizes the first floor of the club, scanning over the patrons boozed up with fine liquor, the grinding bodies on the dance floor, and the sloppy touches exchanged between indiscrete temporary lovers in the booths. Her eyes land on a private elevator tucked away in the corner of the room, protected by a couple of guards.

Ares and Beatrix approach them and the guard on the left greets them with a nod of his head. “Mr. Brecher is on the top floor,” he says, pressing a button to open the doors.

Beatrix tenses at his words.

Brecher?

No, it couldn’t be.

He wouldn’t be here, not in New York. Not right now.

Ares enters the elevator and Beatrix steps in beside her. She clicks on the button for the top floor and takes a small step back when the doors slide shut. They ride in silence, undisturbed by the subtle hum of the ascending machine.

But for Beatrix uneasiness fills the silence, floods her senses with a flight response that’s impossible to act upon in this enclosed space. Threads are tugged in the pit of her stomach, snapping as they attempt to suppress the building worry, anxiety, dread.

It could be a coincidence; a different man with a shared surname.

A button dings, signaling their arrival.

When the doors open, Beatrix realizes that this easy job, this simple task of being the translator, is a far more complicated situation. Her eyes land on the silhouette of a person she had hoped to avoid for as long as she could. And her gaze drifts to the left side of his face, confirming his identity with a familiar scar etched into the skin. One that begins just beneath his eye, before curving to slice into the side of his lips.

Matthias Brecher.

Her last thread breaks, drowning Beatrix with a renewed realization that she has spent too much time dancing next to the growing flames. That frequently tempting fate would encourage it to retaliate with the most severe consequences.

The man notices the Camorra woman first. “Ares,” he greets.

She exits the elevator, stepping into the private room.

Matthias shifts his gaze to Beatrix. His eyes flicker with surprise, before an amused grin weaves itself into his features. “Well,” he says, “I wasn’t prepared for quite the surprise.”

“Matthias,” Beatrix acknowledges.

Ares’ footsteps come to a halt and she turns her head to glance back at the other woman. She watches her, studying the assassin’s face for any subtle twitches that would give away her thoughts, betray her motives.

“I didn’t think we would meet again so soon,” the man says.

Beatrix smiles, but the false joy never reaches her eyes. “Perhaps we meet again too soon,” she forces the joke between her lips.

And the words deepen the frown that’s already forming in the corners of Ares’ mouth.

Matthias slides his hands into the pockets of his dress slacks and takes a step closer to Beatrix. He chuckles, “I thought I was having a meeting with Camorra’s people, not Lilith.”

The woman straights her back, lifting her chin just a tad higher off of the ground. “You are having a meeting with Camorra,” she states. “I am here to translate on Ares’ behalf.”

The man hums, pondering over the woman’s response. “But Lilith would never loan you away for something this trivial.” He nudges his head towards Ares, “especially when it involves one party in particular.”

“I wanted a change of pace.”

“Or,” the man leans down, “perhaps the rumors are true. Perhaps Lilith’s favored rosebud has fluttered away with the wind. I’ve found that loyalty is a tough commodity to find,” he whispers, “nowadays.”

“Loyalty can be rather expensive,” Beatrix says.

Matthias takes a step away from the woman, turning to face Ares. “Would you mind if we postpone our meeting, for a just a few minutes?”

Ares narrows her eyes.

“Miss Amsler and I are old acquittances,” he continues. “Conversations with her are always a treat. And I do enjoy splurging on a bit of pleasure before getting into business.” Matthias chuckles, “You never know which job is going to be your last.”

Ares shifts her gaze to meet Beatrix. When the other woman gives her a slight nod of assurance, her eyes dart back to Matthias. She gives him a nonchalant shrug and then retreats to the small bar on the left. She sits down on one of the stools, before gluing her eyes back onto the pair.

“Come, Süsse,” Matthias places the palm of his hand against the small of the woman’s back, directing Beatrix towards the open balcony on the other side of the room. “We have much to discuss.”

When they are just far enough away that Ares is unable to listen to their conversation, Beatrix pulls herself away from Matthias. “You said there are rumors that I’ve been disloyal,” she says. “Did you know that I was working with Santino?”

“It wasn’t my first guess,” he admits. “But I knew you wouldn’t stay with Lilith forever.”

Beatrix frowns.

“I am surprised,” Matthias continues. “The last person I expected you to align yourself with would be such a prominent figure for the Camorra.”

“People have stooped to less for a few extra dollars in their pocket.”

“I’m almost offended,” the man says. “You would choose his company, before committing yourself to someone like Tarasov, or to someone like me?”

“At the time,” Beatrix leans towards the man, “I found this to be a more favorable business opportunity.”

“Must be quite the pay,” Matthias says. “Perhaps I should consider dropping my lifestyle as the boss, huh? Work as one of D’Antonio’s lackeys. After all, you must be swimming in riches. The pay must be good, good enough to convince you to work for the man who told his people to brutally torture and murder your best friend.”

The woman tenses, nails digging themselves into the palms of her hands.

“Tell me how you sleep at night,” he continues, “knowing that you’ve chosen to snuggle up to the devil himself. Do you still think of Evie? Do you hear her screams? Her pleading cries for help?”

Beatrix takes a small step away, increasing the distance between them.

But Matthias inches closer. “Or do you hear the wails of your baby?”

“Fuck you,” Beatrix shoves the man away from her. “Don’t you dare—”

“—No wonder you look so tired.”

The woman scoffs. “Is there a reason why we’re discussing this?”

“Süsse, we’re just having a conversation,” he says. “But if you want a change of topic, let’s talk about Ares.” Matthias smiles, briefly shifting his gaze to the Camorra woman. “She’s your type, no? Deadly, powerful, commands the room, when she wants to. And stuffed full with information that you could sell for quite the pretty penny.”

The man chuckles. “I know you, more than you’d care to admit. You’d never work for Santino, but you would target him, hurt him, cripple him. So, are you going to seduce his right-hand woman? Manipulate her? Convince her to confess all of those valuable secrets?”

“Targeting her would be pointless,” Beatrix says.

“Why? Because she understands the concept of sworn, unfaltering loyalty?”

“Because it would take too long,” she says. “I have no interest in wasting my time with a pointless task.”

Matthias smirks and pulls a phone out of his pocket. His fingers press against the screen, tapping on the buttons, before angling the item towards the woman. “Is that why poor Luca got chopped up into itty bitty pieces?” He taunts. “Because he wouldn’t spill any of Camorra’s dirty secrets? Was he a waste of time?”

Beatrix glances down at the phone, swallowing the nerves brewing in the bottom of her throat. Filling the screen is the image of a body, blood spilling out of appendages that had been sliced into manageable pieces. The body had been placed inside of bathtub, one that Beatrix recognized.

“Izzy may be your friend, but she is still under my employment,” Matthias explains.

“Does she give you documentation on every job she takes?”

“Just for the handful of people I care to keep tabs on,” the man shrugs. “Is your contract for intel or disposal?”

“I think it’s best that I keep that information to myself,” Beatrix says.

“I disagree.” Matthias puts the phone away, before reaching inside of the pocket concealed beneath the jacket of his suit. He pulls out a small circular object, which he holds up, displaying it for Beatrix.

It’s a Marker.

Her Marker.

Beatrix can feel the intensity of Ares’ stare, can feel her processing and examining the situation as it unfolds. And though she wants to look at her, wants to tell Ares that she wants, no, that she needs this conversation to end, she chooses to ignore the Camorra woman. She maintains eye contact with Matthias, determined to not shudder, to not buckle, beneath his gaze.

“You owe me,” he says. “We’ve made an oath, you and I, a blood contract. I’ve completed my end of the bargain, but I still need to cash in on your side.”

Beatrix remains silent.

“Tell me the truth,” Matthias continues. “Which of your many skills have you been hired to perform?”

“What would you do with that information?” She says, “If you sell it to the right buyer, I’ll end up killed, regardless of my answer.”

The man frowns. He raises a hand towards Beatrix and weaves her loose curls between his fingers. “You think so little of me,” he says. His fingers tighten around the hair, and he pulls Beatrix towards him, before shoving her towards the railing at the edge of the balcony.

The assassin gasps when the metal slams against the bottom of her ribcage. Instinct kicks in and her fingers latch onto the rails.

“If I wanted to kill you,” Matthias growls, “there are much more convenient ways for me to do so.” He releases his grip on her hair and takes a step closer. With his chest pressed against her back, he traps her between himself and the metal that is preventing her from tumbling to her death. “I have every intention of using the task you owe me. Ratting you out would be a waste of time and resources. You owe me, Beatrix,” he hisses, “not the other around.”

“Boss,” a man calls.

“What?” Matthias answers, ever so slightly relaxing his stance.

“Do I shoot?”

The man pulls away from the woman, turning towards his henchmen.

When Beatrix turns to see what the man was referring to, her eyes widen at the sight of Ares. All thirteen of Matthias’ men have their weapons trained on the woman, whom has a gun pointed directly at the their leader’s head.

“How fascinating,” Matthias says.

a/n: thank you so much for reading. if you liked what you read, please considering reblogging this chapter. every reblog truly does help a small author like me! but any likes, comments, or other indications that you enjoy this story is also appreciated!

this chapter was meant to be much longer, but i didn’t to split it into two pieces in order to prevent even further delays in getting an update out. the next chapter’s rough draft is over halfway done. if all goes well it will be published before the end of next month.

if you’re interested, you can also follow me for more updates on twitter @ VostaraFics