#but like. EVENTUALLY. let rook earn it first

[suranamellblackwood]

seeing people complain about how rook (or a specifically shadow dragon rook) can't romance lucanis if they chose to save minrathous but he'll still fall for neve, who will ditch the party to go save minrathous. it just feels like the petty complaints over Isabela/fenris all over again. this game will not shut up about how you are the leader of the veilguard and leaders sometimes have to make difficult decisions people will resent you for. neve is not the leader! neve is not making the final decision as to who rook is showing up to help. it would not make sense, given the scenario the game presents, for lucanis to hold her as equally accountable for that decision as rook, the leader of the veilguard.

...i do totally get complaining about the scenario the game presents, though. it is a little silly that rook specifically showing up with two other people makes THAT much of a difference in the dragon sieges, especially because supposedly the rest of the veilguard goes to help whatever city rook doesn't. you don't even use the dagger for anything beyond waving it around tauntingly

EDIT: apparently waving it around tauntingly is actually what made a difference here. so never mind, neve and lucanis are in fact both correct beyond just being game-logic correct

[thesummerstorms]

I really really like very over the top, stereotypically fanficy fanfic tropes. (Getting into SVSSS and its fic made it so much worse tbh.)

But that said: the trope where something happens a character temporarily regresses BOTH physically and mentally to a child? I can't necessarily say the set up is ever gonna read as realistic to me for a DA Fic, but damn can my brain still play the consequences straight.

In the case of my mage Crow Rook:

Rook scrambling up to hide in the rafters somewhere because she's terrified and overwhelmed; everyone except Davrin is freaking out that they've lost her...

But then she voluntarily makes an appearance to very seriously warn Bellara that there are Templars are around. Because in that moment the last thing she remembers is being eight and being dragged across Thedas against her will to a Circle.

Yet she vaguely knows that Templars dislike the Dalish and recognizes that Bellara is a mage. She is worried because Bellara doesn't know and is going to get caught because of how obvious she's being. So of course she has to take the risk to say something.

Lucanis shows up and starts admonishing her in Antivan (he is very stressed) and she visibly relaxes at hearing it. She asks if he's a Crow and, if so, can someone pay him to take her back home to Antiva, since Crows aren't afraid of Templars. (She does not have a financial plan in place. She just wants to Go Home. Lucanis still looks Upset.)

She still won't come within catching distance until Davrin steps in with Assan. (They actually found her first, but he didn't want to spook her/was trying to strategize.)

She eventually decides she will come down from the roof beams (saving everyone's nerves) but only with Assan staying physically between her and the others minus Bellara and Davrin. (Bellara because she's clearly also an Apostate and thereby unlikely to rat her out, Davrin because he has a Griffon and in Rook's mind this is also shortly after the HOF ended the Fifth Blight)

Child!Rook very seriously tells Neve that she is very pretty

Lucanis is stress cooking and baking the longer this situation takes to sort out, and eventually Rook and Assan both take to shadowing him from a slight distance in hopes of treats

Rook peppers him with questions in Antivan that she feels too insecure to ask in a way that everyone would understand. He earns her trust by not lying or sugar coating.

Rook is a little terrified of Emmrich, partially because of the skeletons, more because she has incorrectly put the pieces together and thinks he's akin to a southern Circle's senior enchanter

Rook doesn't trust Harding because Harding (with the best intentions) tried to feed her. Harding just thinks that child Rook was a picky eater.

Taash has said some variation of the phrase "that's messed up" a truly ridiculous number of times since this all started. And some point they and Harding throw together some simple puzzle traps to keep Rook entertained.

At some point, for some reason, she's older (~12 ish,) but not back to normal. Idk, it's how the trope works

Lucanis drags Viago back to the lighthouse in lieu of trying to find the words to explain this back in Treviso, much less to convince Viago he isn't lying or impaired

The second Rook sees Viago step into the library, she shouts his name and makes as if to dart behind him before catching herself

He goes pale and still at the sight of his protege as a literal preteen again. But when he sees her mix of fear/relief he barks out a sharp "Come here"... And steps in front slightly to let her hide behind his cape

It's something he never would have done back then... But this Rook is just young enough not to know that yet and she scrambles to safety

Viago is way more anxious about the security of "child" Rook than he was about actual child Rook de Riva. But after all now he is in a position where he can afford the luxury of caring, of doing something differently

Child!Rook being way too trusting of the Veilguard for a Fledgling who wants to survive. She's eating whatever she's handed, has worked her way up to standing close to Neve and Lucanis now, is willing to curl up and take a nap in a room full of the "strangers" because she was mildly sleepy

Lucanis begging Viago not to correct her on the mild parts of it because it isn't like she's actually a child. Deep down, she's a Crow. She knows. Can't they just... Let the not-actually-a-Fledgling have this comfort? Just this once? Since they can afford to let her be a child now, even if they couldn't have back then?

[inquisimer]

OC Meme: Marisol Cantori

Tagged by @wishforhome to do this OC meme, ty friend 💜 doing this for Marisol, and it ended up being a really good exercise in rounding out some details for her!

tags forward to: @shivunin | @rosella-writes | @crabs-with-sticks | @pickelda | @the-rebel-archivist | @effelants | @asexualtabris - blank template at the bottom (:

-

GENERAL

Name: Marisol Cantori

Alias(es): Rook, anything that suits the contract, probably some other nicknames that I haven't chosen yet bc I just love to give characters nicknames

Gender: Female

Age: (oh god I have been playing fast and loose with this so bad) somewhere in the range of 23 - 26 during DATV

Place of birth: Antiva City (alienage)

Spoken languages: fluently: Common, Antivan, Orlesian, ASL/CSL (Antivan/Crow Sign Language); not fluent, but knows a bit of Tevene and Nevarran

Sexual orientation: Bisexual

Occupation: Thief (formerly), Antivan Crow, Spellblade of House Cantori

FAVORITE

Color: neutral metallic - bronze, silver, rose gold

Entertainment: people-watching, thievery, competition of any sort

Pastime: leather carving (and enchanting), flirting, riddles (telling and solving)

Food: dark chocolate, oranges, soft cheeses

Drink: coffee, any lyrium-infused alcohol

Books: mystery and romance! she also enjoys reading non-fiction firsthand accounts of travel/adventuring, a holdover from being in the Circle

HAVE THEY

Passed university: Yes and no, depending on how you spin it! Marisol passes Crow training without any real issue, but she was never Harrowed

Had sex: yes

Had sex in public: (something something Antivans and hot blood and passion) more like semi-public, but yes

Gotten tattoos: yes! Marisol has a geometric/floral design on her left arm inspired by her memory of drawings from her friend in the Circle. She also has a unique Cantori tattoo on her back (either between her shoulder blades or at the small of her back, I'm still deciding, vote now on your phones)

Gotten piercings: She has multiple ear piercings and a nose piercing, but she rarely actually wears any jewelry in them.

Had a broken heart: Once, when her roommate in the Circle was made Tranquil

Been in love: at the risk of being overly poetic, Marisol is in love with her freedom and independence. On a more literal level, she is absolutely in love with Teia before DATV, and with both Teia and Viago (and Lucanis, let's be real, it's going to happen) post-DATV.

ARE THEY

A cuddler: yes!! she runs cold, and physical touch was dangerous or discouraged in the Circle, so she loves to cuddle now that she can.

Scared easily: nope!

Jealous easily: definitely not

Trustworthy: her word is only as good as whatever you've done to earn it

FAMILY

Sibling(s): one younger sibling who was a newborn when Marisol was taken to the Circle! When she goes back to the alienage, she finds her family home burned down, finds out that her parents were killed in the fire, and assumed her sibling is dead too. In truth, her sibling ends up in an alienage orphanage and eventually sold into the Crows and is a de Riva fledgling.

Parents: were laborers in the leatherworking industry, die in an alienage fire a few years after Marisol is taken to the Circle.

Children: none biologically, but she is good with kids in general! She helps train the Cantori fledglings and is often emotionally motivated by things happening to children that are outside of their control

Pets: she gets a spirit dog in the Lighthouse! a spirit of [devotion or tenacity or loyalty] (vote now on your phones) that manifests as a dog, to be specific. At first, he only manifests in the Lighthouse or parts of the Crossroads, but eventually after some emotional suffering practice, she can call him to places outside the Fade as well.

-

Blank template:

GENERAL

Name:

Alias(es):

Gender:

Age:

Place of birth:

Spoken languages:

Sexual orientation:

Occupation:

FAVOURITE

Colour:

Entertainment:

Pastime:

Food:

Drink:

Books:

HAVE THEY

Passed university:

Had sex:

Had sex in public:

Gotten tattoos:

Gotten piercings:

Had a broken heart:

Been in love:

ARE THEY

A cuddler:

Scared easily:

Jealous easily:

Trustworthy:

FAMILY

Sibling(s):

Parents:

Children:

Pets:

[mllemaenad]

Spent a bit of time redesigning Melissa, because I'm finally starting to learn a bit about her. Not a big difference – I didn't miraculously become adept with the character creator, but I'm working on it.

The broken horn is from infancy, when her adoptive mother had the bright idea of attempting to remove her newly adopted daughter's horns in the hope of better passing her off as human. In her mother's defence (in terms of logic, not morality; there's no defence of the latter), there's less difference between babies of any people than between full grown adults, and Mel's complexion was not quite so distinct then.

Her father intervened and prevented the loss of her second horn. It caused a significant rift in the family for a time. They reconciled eventually. It's ... complicated. Mel remembers none of this, of course; only that she's always been closer to her father than her mother. She doesn't think her mother would try to cut her horns off now ... but she's also not sure she completely understands why she was wrong to do it at all.

I desperately wanted horns with one broken, and the other with the same decorations she had before. But if there is one like that, I could not find it.

As a child, she was largely educated at home. Attempts to socialise were ... let's say not great. She has scars on her face and body from rocks thrown at her by other children during an ill-advised attempt to join in a game. So she turned out precocious and bookish. Little Melissa, working of whatever random old books her parents had, would tell people she was a Kossith, not a Qunari; Qunari was the religion. She was quite proud of knowing this, from some obscure and ancient military texts, when no one else did. Only much later, at the Circle, did she find out that the proper word was Vashoth.

And her magic ... oh, her magic. That should have been such a coup for her family! A daughter from a military household with magic! Instant status boost. Except ... she's Vashoth, and could barely walk the streets without getting mobbed by angry citizens, let along expect a promotion to high office.

She was educated at one of the smaller Circles, with little prestige, and can relate quite heavily to Neve: like her, she's a working class mage, who earns her living but using her skills. And she ended up with the Shadow Dragons at least in part because no one else would have her.

Elves suffer most from enslavement in Tevinter, undeniably – but she's very aware of how lucky she was, in her circumstances. Few Qunari children fall into Tevinter hands, but the outcome for those that do is not usually good. It gives her something concrete to fight for. And if it was a matter of necessity at first, she knows enough former slaves of all races now to believe the institution must be destroyed.

She's curious about her heritage, of course. She's curious about the Qun, too, but ... as a mage she's keenly aware that they would not want her. Not as she is. But she does read every scrap she can get. This business with the Antaam is infuriating for her: a lifetime of the regret that she can't investigate the culture of her birth because of her magic and now these idiots are in league with Blighted mages who call themselves gods? Are they kidding her?

Otherwise, she's a solid daughter of Minrathous: occasionally a little bit superior about her magic, nominally Chantry faithful but not hugely committed (she could submit a paper to her old Circle about the whole "the Blight didn't actually come from ancient magisters!" thing if her source wasn't "the weird elven trickster god who lives in my dreams"), absolutely certain that their food is better than everyone else's, really tired of hearing about the bullshit politics in the Magesterium.

"Rook" was initially just "rookie"; for a long time she was the newest member of the Shadow Dragons – at least the newest that lasted more than a week. It's changed over time, though. Although I haven't got all the details out of her yet.

We're going on a walk with Davrin and Assan now.

[lucianhuntress]

Davrin x Reader: #67 “What does that have to do with me?”

I had no idea what to write here and then it escalated and well, it's something. I've never written Davrin before so here goes ehehehheheheee.... Reader is an Antivan Crow!Rook.

There are a couple of things you miss in the mornings of Treviso—a cup of fresh coffee being one of them. After a long night of doing whatever it was the Antivan Crows required, you'd trudge across the city to unwind after hours of lethal activity.

Sure, sleep would often be a stranger, and Viago would give you an earful every time. Mostly  because you did need to sleep eventually, and he was clearly concerned—but every drop of that coffee was worth it. You could swear it had a magical ability to wash away your nightly sins, like having someone's guts around your dagger night after night.

Even with Lucanis brewing coffee all day, every day, you find yourself daydreaming about the real Treviso experience. And with an Eluvian, grabbing that morning coffee would be easier than ever.

Davrin must have noticed your dreamy gaze as you twirl your spoon in the nearly empty cup, his brows knitting with concern as he wonders what’s gotten into this Antivan Crow sitting at the breakfast table, looking so distracted.

“Rook,” he waves a hand in front of your frozen stare, “you alright?”

You blink, suddenly aware of the heaviness in your eyes—a side effect of staring into nothing for too long.

“Ow, yeah,” you groan at the prickling sensation as you squeeze your eyes shut, earning an amused chuckle from your breakfast company. “Just homesick.”

The worry on his face fades, replaced by amusement as the corners of his lips curl into a tiny smirk. “I actually have something I need to pick up, and you’re the only one around,” he says, motioning to the quiet dining room of the Lighthouse. Emmrich has probably already had breakfast—he gets up at first light, though telling time inside the Fade is a challenge. How that man manages to rise before anyone else is a mystery you’re not ready to tackle this early.

“Sure,” you sigh heavily, taking a bite of toast.

Once you’ve both wrapped up your morning routines, you head for the Crossroads. You let Davrin lead as you have no idea what the Grey Warden is up to. Still, following him and Assan feels like trailing something wild—and it bubbles excitement in your chest.

He stops at a familiar Eluvian. The reflection of Treviso dances on its glassy surface, and you swallow hard.

“Treviso?” The question escapes as an exhale. You haven’t been there in weeks. Surely the Antaam haven’t stirred up anything... right?

“Yeah. I figured you’d be the best person to join me here and…” he trails off, looking away. His ears tint red, but you miss that detail as he scratches the back of his neck.

“And?” you press, crossing your arms. Usually, there’d be at least one more person joining a trip through an Eluvian—especially one where things could go sideways. “Shouldn’t we at least invite Lucanis?”

Instead of answering, Assan jumps through the Eluvian, and Davrin gently grabs your hand to pull you through with him.

Familiar sights flood your vision, and the scent of the canals hits harder after time away.

“I’d rather not invite Lucanis tonight,” Davrin says with a quiet chuckle.

“Just you and me then?” you ask, but then something—or rather, someone—nudges your hand resting at your side.

“And Assan, of course,” you add, glancing down. “Though I doubt people will appreciate a griffon poking around their stalls.”

Assan coos sadly, and you can’t help but feel bad for the adventurous bird-lion.

“Then this is the perfect opportunity for him to learn some table manners,” Davrin quips, wrinkling his nose at his companion.

“Oh, true—Bellara will be thrilled to see him holding a fork and knife,” you jest. Both of you laugh, while Assan seems to spot something flying above.

“By the way,” you say, “you still haven’t explained why we’re here…”

“Ah, that…” he suddenly seems shy—something you never expected from him. He casually points toward the street below.

“What does that have to do with me?” you ask slowly, trying to sound stern and threatening—but the smile breaking across your face gives you away. So much for that Crow charisma.

“I thought you really wanted a cup of that coffee,” he says with a laugh, “and maybe I’d get to see what all the rage is about.”

“Are you sure you’re not one of the ancient elves?” you giggle, and amusement lights up his handsome features. “You Wardens sure miss a lot.”

[guillotinesandroses]

Stalemate - Chapter One; King's Gambit

"Eh, you know what, sure." You laugh. "Shirley's going to be on your case for this, you know that right? But if you're willing to take that risk... sure, I'll go with you this time." 

"Yes! That's great, just hop on next to Lelouch!" 

"I'll make it worth your while, trust me." Lelouch smirks. 

"Oh, really?" You grin back, clasping the helmet over your head. "You're not scared of jinxing yourself with that?" 

"No, not at all. A guaranteed chance of victory won't shake from something as flimsy as superstition." 

"If you say so." You chuckle and sit next to him. 

"Alright, make yourselves comfortable in there, lovebirds! Unfortunately though, this train isn't headed to la-la land, so hold on tight or you'll fall!" Rivalz calls out in a sing-song voice as he revs his bike. 

Lelouch groans as you laugh off the accusation. The conversation continues in a similar manner all the way to the destination. You and Rivalz engage in some playful banter while Lelouch skims through a book. The nature of the meeting place catches you by surprise, it is neither the fancy casino environment nor shabby basement you had expected. Instead, it is a tall skyscraper clearly owned by someone wealthy, likely by the middle-aged man grinning smugly over a chess table in one of the higher floors. 

"Hm? Has your substitute arrived?" The man in expensive clothes smirks as the three of you enter the room. 

His opponent, a frail old man, scrambles out of a chair. "Thank heaven, I'm saved! Are thing going well at school?" 

"What have we here? Students?" 

"Hmpf! Well, look at this, a nobleman." Lelouch smiles calmly. 

"I envy you kids today, you have so much time on your hands... time for regrets. What's your name?" 

"Lelouch... Lamperoug-" 

"Whoa! Now, wait a minute! You can't win this one, it's impossible, right?" 

"I thought you said this was risk-free..." you mumble. 

"Rivalz, in how many minutes should we leave in order to make it to our next class?" 

"Uh, twenty minutes if we haul ass." 

"In that case, I'll ask you to drive safely on your way back." Lelouch sits down as the nobleman taps his pen impatiently. "I'll need nine minutes. By the way, owner, about yesterday..." 

"Understood, sir. We'll discuss it later," the frail man says. 

Well, he certainly has confidence, you think. Lelouch is not someone you have paid any particular attention to before. In fact, this is the first time you have hung out with him outside of school. You are not sure why Rivalz even invited you to come along, but you suppose you might as well get the most out of it. Crossing your arms, you look over to the chess board. 

Most of black's pieces have been eaten, save for a few pawns, a rook, and obviously, the king. Meanwhile, white has lost almost exclusively pawns and kept majority of the special pieces. Hm... a tough situation, but not impossible to wriggle out of. I could probably do it myself though I haven't played chess in a while. Let's see, I'll make a note to challenge Lelouch later if he wins, that might be fun. 

Although Lelouch's move to start with the king seems strange, his playful yet self-assured, almost carefree smile tells you he knows what he is doing. This assumption ends up being even more true than you guessed it would be, as Lelouch turns the tables on the nobleman far quicker than you expected. He shoots past through all of your expectations and earns an unreal amount of money, leaving the noble seething and shocked. All you reacted with was a raise of eyebrows, surprised but rather curious about him. Upon leaving the building, you decide that you will, indeed, eventually challenge him to a chess match- he might just be able to beat you. '

"I love playing against nobility!" Rivalz exclaims as the three of you pass through the automatic doors. "When they lose, their pride ensures they pay what they owe you! By the way, eight minutes and thirty-two seconds is a new record!" 

"He also didn't have much time to move, either. Besides, as far as opponents go, nobles are tepid. They're just over-privileged parasites, that's all." 

"Well then, why don't you challenge one of the elevens? They're nothing like us Britannians-" 

You send a side-eye to Rivalz, but get distracted by the same noise that cut him off. A screen showing the aftermath of a recent terrorist bombing fades into showing the flag of Britannia, and a voice announces what was to happen. 

"Forgive the delay. It's now time for an address to the nation by His Royal Highness Prince Clovis, third prince of the Britannian Empire." 

"To my imperial subjects. And of course, to the many cooperative Elevens who choose to serve the Empire of Britannia!"

Heh, I don't qualify for either one of those groups. Guess he's not addressing me... you think to make yourself feel better and fight back a smug smirk, retaining a poker face as you watch his message.

"Do you not see my pain? My heart was ripped out of my chest, only to be torn apart, leaving the remnants filled with rage and sadness! However, as ruler of Area Eleven, I will not allow terrorism of any kind! Because the battle we fight is a righteous one, a virtuous one, to protect the well-being of one and all! Now then, everyone, won't you join me in observance of the eight who died for justice, in the line of duty?" 

"Well, aren't you gonna join in?" Rivalz asks from his bike. 

"Aren't you?" Lelouch shoots back. 

"Heh, it's sort of embarrassing!" 

"I agree with you. Besides, spilling tears for the dead won't bring them back to life, now will it? 

"Dang! That's dark, buddy!" 

"Quite theatric, isn't he?" You chuckle after being handed a helmet. "It's almost admirable." 

"Hm? What is it, (Name)? You're not saying you think he's lying about being sad for all the lives that have been lost, are you?" 

"No, of course not," you lied with a calm smile, "but I do think he's playing it up for the public." 

"That is certainly common for royalty," Lelouch pipes in, "Passionate and exaggerated speeches draw out much deeper and more emotion-driven responses from the people. It's easier to rile up the masses and get them to side with you by pretending their pain resonates with yours." 

Your smile settles into one of genuine intrigue. "Yes, exactly." 

Lelouch's smile somewhat resembles your own, even if his words sound bitter. "In the end, it's all about self-satisfaction. Doesn't matter how hard you try, you can't do it. There's no way you can change the world." 

Your smile fades, but you hide the change in expression under your helmet. Rivalz is the one to lighten the mood with another goofy comment, easing the two of you back into normal conversation again as you settle into the passenger seat. However, the storm in your mind has awakened once more with Lelouch's comment. That shouldn't be the case, and I don't want to believe it... but with each passing day, it's becoming harder to hold onto hope. Am I truly being delusional by waiting for someone to follow, or is there still a point in trying? 

"That first move you made..." Rivalz trails off and you zone back in to the conversation, "...why'd you start with the king?" 

"If the king doesn't lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow?" 

"What's with that?" 

"With what?" 

"Do you fantasize about running a major corporation or something?" 

"No way. Weird dreams like that will ruin your health." 

"Speaking of dreams that ruin your health..." you trail off, locking eyes with his, "...do you truly believe it? Is wanting to change the world a childish goal?" 

Lelouch gets ready to answer but before he can, the bike swerves. Rivalz screams as he tries to get out of the way of a massive truck. You grab onto both Lelouch and the bike so neither one of you fall off, and he does the same. Missing the motorcycle by a hair, the truck driver panics and takes a wrong turn. The vehicle crashes into a nearby building before the three of you can even react. 

"Eh... was that our fault?" Rivalz grimaces. 

"I don't think so," Lelouch states, getting up to take a closer look. 

"Driving a big vehicle like that, one would they'd have the common sense not to go so damn fast," you mutter. 

"Aw man, this sucks! It looks like the power line on the bike's been cut off." 

"Yeah... hey, come check this out!" 

You raise a brow and walk next to him as Rivalz tries to fix his bike. Civilians gather around in the distance to see what is going on, and you bring your eyes to the truck as well. However, even by squinting your eyes, you cannot figure out what Lelouch wanted to show. 

"All those idiots..." Lelouch mutters. Then he steps back and tosses his helmet to Rivalz before rushing to the scene.  

"Lelouch, wha-" 

"Hey, wait!" Rivalz calls out but Lelouch does not stop. "Man, what's that guy doing?! We're gonna be late for class!" 

"Ugh, at least mine are over for today. I'll go and make sure he doesn't die!" You frown and chase after him. 

"Be careful!" Rivalz yells before his voice fades into the distance. 

You catch up to him after he has reached the truck. He tries to pull a large piece of debris away from blocking the driver's door, not making any progress. "Hey! Are you alright?!" 

"You can't lift those up," you state. 

"Brilliant observation." He grunts, then rushes to the ladder at the side of the truck. You swallow your nerves and follow him up. "Can you hear me? Are you okay?!" 

Suddenly, the truck whirrs back to life and you nearly fall off. Lelouch crashes into the vehicle's container and you grip onto the ladder tighter. Your eyes snap shut from the wind whipping into them but you force yourself to move up. I need to get in there too. I'll fall off if I don't! 

Gritting your teeth, you make your way up and hesitate before throwing yourself in through the open hatch. The air flees from your lungs as you slam back first into some sort of weird sphere. After realizing you are fine, you let out a sigh of relief. 

"That was reckless." Lelouch offers you his hand, upside down in your vision. 

"It was your idea to play prince charming and act all heroic," you grumble. Even so, you roll yourself over and accept his help to stand up. 

"I know. Either way, we need to get o-" Lelouch gets cut off by the truck making a sharp turn. He gets thrown into a wall and you into his chest. You step back with a groan and mutter an apology, rubbing your back. That fall definitely left you with some nasty bruises. 

Lelouch nods at the apology and looks around. "You'd think they'd stick a ladder on the inside too." 

"Yeah. What even is this thing?" You gently knock on the side of the dark, mahogany sphere. The sound reverberates inside of the metal.  "Huh, it's hollow." 

"It's probably better if we don't find out. Come on, let's get out of here." Lelouch climbs up to try to reach the hatch. 

"This driver clearly doesn't care about speed limits. We'll get minced from the friction if we jump." 

"Got any better ideas?" Lelouch gets ready to keep climbing. However, before he can proceed, a voice booms from an approaching helicopter. 

"SURRENDER NOW AND YOU'LL GET THE CHANCE TO DEFEND YOURSELF IN COURT! SURRENDER AT ONCE!" 

You and Lelouch share a worried glance. Right after, the truck swerves from side to side uncontrollably as gunshots rage against the pavement. Lelouch crashes down from the sphere and you fly back into another wall. 

"Nevermind. We no longer have a chance of just breaking our necks by going out there, we might get shot." Lelouch tries to get his phone out but notices footsteps from the hallway. You flee to the other side of the truck to avoid being seen. A girl your age with peach-colored hair walks past the room, talking on the phone with someone else. 

"Something about her seems familiar..." you whisper absentmindedly. 

"To you as well?" Lelouch turns to you. However, that conversation is cut off when a Knightmare exits the back of the truck. Lelouch tries to rush for the open escape route, but it closes in front of his face. "Shit, these guys are real terrorists!" 

"Dammit," you breathe out, "what's in that container, then..?" 

"You're awfully obsessed with that." Lelouch pulls out his phone. 

"For all we know it could be a stolen bio-weapon or something radioactive." Your eyes narrow. 

"Right, I know." Lelouch clicks his tongue. "No cellphone reception, we're out of range. Judging from the darkness and the road's surface, we must be driving along the old subway lines. They're headed for a ghetto somewhere, exiting will be dangerous." 

"Still... okay, I've got it." Lelouch seems to daydream for a moment before placing his phone away. "The conditions are clear. I may not be big on the military, but I'll take their protection. If we give them a terrorist communicator... wait, I forgot..." 

"What's wrong?" 

Before he can answer, the truck comes to an abrupt halt. It trembles harshly before arriving at a total standstill.

"An accident?! Or else..." Lelouch trails off. 

The door suddenly opens and you rush to hide with him. As no one seems to be around, Lelouch climbs up the pod to escape. A Britannian soldier rushes in out of nowhere and kicks him to the floor. 

"That's enough mindless murder!" The soldier grabs Lelouch by the throat and shoves him further down. 

"Wait, I'm not-!" 

"I can't believe you people would use poison gas! Don't play dumb-" 

"Please, hold on!" You call out with a higher-pitched voice, deepening your frown and softening your eyes to seem more afraid. "We're not terrorists! We were taken hostage after-" 

"Get off me!" Lelouch has had enough and kicks him back. 

The soldier lands effortlessly. Lelouch stands up with a scowl. "We're not here by choice. Besides, if there's poison gas here, it was made by Britannia, wasn't it?" 

The soldier pauses in shock, lowering his weapon. Lelouch continues, "You don't want any more mindless murder? Then obliterate Britannia!" 

"Lelouch..?" The soldier asks in disbelief. Removing his helmet, a boy your age with brown hair and green eyes is revealed. "It's me, Suzaku." 

Lelouch flinches back from shock. "You... became a Britannian soldier?" 

"Yeah, and what about you? Don't tell me you're..." 

"What are you saying-?!" Lelouch is cut off by the sphere beginning to glow. Light shoots out through the middle as the gears wring into action, as if it is opening up.

Before you can react, the soldier, Suzaku, has the both of you tackled to the ground. Lelouch has a gas mask shoved into his face, while Suzaku covers yours with his clothes. As the pod opens up, however, nothing poisonous or gassy leaks out. Instead, a young woman with long green hair rises up. She seems to have been floating in some sort of clear liquid, in clothes that made her look like a prisoner. 

Suzaku shifts so his arm no longer covers your face. "That's not poison gas... what is it?" 

Lelouch rushes to help the girl, you and Suzaku following suit. He checks her breathing while Suzaku and you undo her various bindings. She appears to be unconscious but still breathing. 

"Tell me the truth, Suzaku. Poison gas? And this girl?" 

"That's what we were told in the briefing, I swear!" Suzaku opens up some more of the girl's bindings 

"Not to accuse the definitely great and holy Britannia of doing anything immoral, but..." you trail off sarcastically as you undo another buckle of her restraints, "...this is starting look an awful lot like human experimentation." 

Before either one of the boys can respond, a blaring light shines into the room. 

"Stinking monkey! Even being an honorary Britannian will not excuse what you've done!" 

Your nose scrunches in disgust as you try to stare through the lights. Even so, you cannot figure out what to do at all. Moving an inch means being shot down on sight- but then again, your death would finally give your country a reason to break their truce with Britannia. 

Suzaku rushes up to the commander. "But sir! I was told this was poison gas!" 

"How dare you question orders! However, in light of your outstanding military achievements, I'm going to be lenient. Private Kururugi, take this and execute the terrorists!" 

Suzaku turns to you and Lelouch. "But they're not terrorists! They're civilians who got caught up in this, hostages!" 

"You insubordinate- That's an order. Didn't you swear you loyalty and your life to Britannia?" 

"Yes, but- but... I can't." 

"What?" 

"I won't do it, sir. I won't shoot a civilian. I can't follow your orders, sir." He smiles at Lelouch, trying to reassure him. 

The commander moves his gun to Suzaku's gut. "Very well, then d-" 

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." You stand up abruptly and scowl. The man returns your expression, even more livid at the interruption. Suzaku and Lelouch stare at you in shock. Straightening your bruised back, you do your best to keep your voice steady. 

"Murdering us, more specifically, me will be a declaration of war against (Country). Does a no-name officer like you have the authority to start a conflict like that? With a powerful and currently neutral land?" 

"And what the hell may you be talking about, student?" The man reaffirms his grip on the gun but holds off on firing it. 

"I am (Name) (Surname), firstborn of (Country)'s president and currently, a prisoner. Among the many conditions for a ceasefire, I was sent to live in Britannia, protected by the government and with the rights of a full-blooded Britannian citizen." 

"Hrmh, I have heard of you, as a passing mention. This would be bothersome to explain to his highness..." the commander trail off, but was quick to recover. "Eh, to hell with that!" 

"I'll simply blame your death on the terrorists!" He grins. "It's high time I weed my branch of this filth. If your life truly is of that much value, blaming it on the fools who stole that container will only set your weak country against them as well." 

"That wouldn't matter." You chuckle with false confidence. "The agreement was that I would not be harmed in any way during my time in Britannia. Whoever's fault it is that I died is all the same. If Britannia fails to guarantee my safety, the deal is off." 

The commander scoffs but his shoulders tense nonetheless. "So what? If you are hanging around with terrorists, Britannia should have every right to execute you on the spot!" 

"I have all the proof I need to prove my innocence. I have been under some surveillance still, after all, and I have a great alibi. No matter how you look at it, killing me here will start a war." 

The man scowls but grits his teeth. For a moment, his hold on the gun falters, but then he scoffs again. "Very well! We will take you alive, but the other two will perish here and now!" 

"Wait- what's the point?" Your voice breaks momentarily, as you have no idea how to save the others. "Someone else with this knowledge will live anyway!" 

"The less the better! Besides, Kururugi here disobeyed orders. I have no use for insubordinate soldiers!" 

"You're killing a civilian and someone who refused to harm him! What makes you think I won't talk?!" You yell, trying to fight back your fear. 

"Ah, who cares if you talk! The only authority you posses is in death!" He grins sickly, pulling the trigger. The bullet sinks into Suzaku's guts, knocking him onto the ground. Lelouch screams out to him but to no avail. 

"Well, Britannian schoolboy, not a good day to cut class. Collect the green-haired girl and the prisoner. After you've secured them, kill the other student!" 

"Yes, My Lord!" The soldiers exclaim. 

Lelouch flinches in fear and you grit your teeth, balling your hands into fists. What am I supposed to do?! Dammit, words won't work and I don't have a gun! Should I take off and run? These are trained soldiers- that'd only buy Lelouch a few seconds more time alive-! 

Suddenly, the truck explodes. Smoke shrouds the whole area, and you reach to pull Lelouch up. Trying to not get separated, you grasp onto his sleeve as the two of you escape. Eventually, he grows exhausted and dumps the girl he was carrying onto the floor. You cannot blame him as you catch your breath, eyes blurring up from the smoke and ears ringing from the ceaseless bombs and gunfire outside. 

"What the hell are you?!" He exclaims in rage. "This chaos is all your fault, isn't it?" 

Lelouch stumbles back into a wall, out of breath and struggling to keep his composure. "But besides that, Britannia has... they even killed Suzaku..!" 

The hallway falls into a silence. You offer the girl your hand and help her stand up. "I... don't want to be insensitive, but... if we don't move soon, you will die." 

Lelouch remains silent for a little while longer, hands over his face. "...Right. Right, we need to keep going." 

Wordlessly, he pulls his hands from over his face and rushes through the hallways. Believing he has a plan, you follow suit with the girl following after. Soon enough, Lelouch manages to guide the three of you to a stairway that leads to a garage, which would hopefully lead out of the building. 

"Stay quiet, okay? Wait here," Lelouch tells the girl. 

You offer your hand for her to hold for comfort, which she gingerly takes, still not uttering a word. Before Lelouch can even investigate up there, however, another civilian is gunned down nearby. The officers talking sounded the same as those who threatened you earlier. Lelouch flinches as a young girl's screams come to an abrupt end after gunfire while you swallow, sick to your stomach. Then, right as the men were leaving, Lelouch's phone rang. 

"Give that to me!" You demand in a whisper. 

"What?! No, they will-" 

"They'll just make up a story about how they heroically rescued me! They'll kill yo-!" 

"There you are!" The soldiers pull Lelouch up by his shirt and slam him into a wall. You try to rush between him and the guns but are pulled back and restrained. 

The pressure on your injured back makes you suck in a harsh breath. Trying to struggle only made it worse, so you stopped. Tears prickle at the corners of your eyes from sheer stress. Can't I seriously do anything? Am I really going to watch another person die today?! 

"What an appropriate location for a terrorist to meet his end." 

"You scum..." 

"Still, you did well for a student but that's to be expected. You're a Britannian! Unfortunately, my clever young friend, you have no future!" The commander pulls the trigger. You wince, shutting your eyes as Lelouch flinches, expecting his death. 

"He mustn't die!" The green-haired woman rushes in front of him. Taking the bullet head-on, she collapses onto her back. 

"You shot her!" Lelouch exclaims in shock, running to her side. 

"Our orders were to bring her back alive if possible. Oh well, nothing can be done about it now. We'll tell our superiors that the royal guard found the terrorist hideout and killed them all. Regrettably, the hostage was already tortured to death. How does that sound?" 

Your whole body trembles at the man's voice, frustration crushing your racing heart. You want to scream, trash around, but you cannot do a single damn thing to help him. A headache pounds at your skull, and clenching your jaw did not help at all. 

Lelouch, after remaining silent for a solid minute, gets onto his feet all of a sudden, not fearful at all. "Say, how should a Britannian who detests his own country live his life?" 

"Are you some kind of radical?" The commander frowns. 

"Why not shoot? Your opponent is just a schoolboy. Or have you finally realized? The only ones who should kill are the ones prepared to die themselves." Lelouch removes the hand from over his eye, staring at the soldiers. 

"What- what's happening here?" The officer's hands tremble around his gun. You swallow and keep your gaze on the ground, something about the voice unnerving you enough not to look. 

"Lelouch vi Britannia commands you! All of you... die!" 

What... what is he doing..?! What does he mean by Lelouch vi Britannia?! You wonder, but desperately hope he has a plan. 

The commander then breaks out into a maniacal laughter. "Happily, your highness!" 

"Yes, your highness!" The rest of the soldiers follow. 

"FIRE!" The commander shouts. 

Your eyes fly wide open at the sound of gunshots. They truly did shoot themselves, every single one of them. The body of the soldier who was holding you collapses halfway on top of you. With a sharp breath, you crawl away from the bodies. Your breath picks up to a point near hyperventilation as your hands and clothes get soaked in warm blood. 

"I... what... how the hell did you do that..?! Oh gods... there's so much..." you trail off with a fragile voice, staring at your dark red, soaked hands. 

Lelouch seemed to be in a trance staring at the corpses. When he turns to you, however, his expression is tranquil, voice almost calm and apologetic. "I'm sorry, that caught me off guard as well. I hope I didn't scare you too badly." 

"Well... if it was between you and them..." you trail off, looking over the sea of bodies, "...still it's not a... pleasant sight." 

"I agree. We should get out of here." Lelouch approaches you slowly, then stops before you to offer a hand. 

Although still hesitant from the bloodshed you just witnessed, you reach out to him and accept the help. Even after allowing him to pull you to your feet, your eyes trail across the corpses on the floor. Your jaw clenches with discomfort, only for Lelouch to gently guide it to face him instead, his deep violet eyes, distracting you. 

"About your question from earlier... I think I can finally answer it." 

You blink slowly in confusion. "My... question..?" 

"Yes, what you asked before that collision interrupted us." Once he is sure he has your attention, he pulls his hand away and steps back. 

"No, there's no way wanting to change the world is a childish dream." 

Your eyes widen, heart easing up its pace. In spite of the moment's brutality, hearing those few words relaxes your shoulders. It is all you have been aching to hear for years now. A shred of hope, for someone to believe in the same dream as you did, it is all you have wanted for so long. Holding onto hope has not been a mistake, wishing to find someone to follow even when it has felt impossible, none of that time was wasted. 

Have I found the one? Is he the one who can fulfill my dream? 

"You asked me that question, because it's your dream, isn't it? Your life as a prisoner, you are not satisfied with it, are you, (Name) (Surname)?" 

"Right..." you trail off, almost in a trance, "...life has been a living hell since then, even if that hell has lied beneath the surface. There's nothing I want more than to change this world, our circumstances." 

"Good. Because I, Lelouch vi Britannia, share that dream of changing our reality. I have shared it for a while now, lied in wait to put my plans for this world into action!" He straightens his back, then brings out his hand to offer it to you. "For far too long have people like you and I, like Suzaku and this girl, suffered under the whims of Britannian royalty!" 

"So, for their sacrifice, we must make the lives they've granted us count! Accompany me, (Name) (Surname), and together, we shall obliterate Britannia!" 

Proceed to Chapter Two; Sicilian Dragon  

Stalemate Masterlist

[sirotras]

3, 25, 33, 46 for Alessa?

thank you!!

questions for rook (no spoilers)

3. What was Rook’s life before their faction?

she was an orphan living on the streets of [insert antivan city here] and then she was "taken in" by house kortez. (is it kidnapping if you didnt have a home or family to be taken from?)(yes, but dont make her think too hard about that)

25. How does Rook like to spend their free time?

"free time" is largely focused on training or gear maintenance. what, did you mean like a hobby? i dont think they let crows have those

(which is to say im not actually sure yet. i will have to come back to this)

33. What do fear demons look like to Rook?

darkspawn, specifically blighted ghouls i think. stories of blights scared her a lot as a kid, but now its more the fact that there isnt any fighting the blight itself, not for most people, there's only avoidance. facing a threat she cant take down thru regular means (violence) rattles her. not that shes keen to admit it

46. What does it take to earn Rook’s trust?

a lot of time and effort. but you cant be TOO obvious, because then its suspicious why you'd be so determined to get her to trust you. so... time is ultimately the best way. enough exposure, the chance to actually see someone in a variety of situations and assess their threat level, and she'll eventually relax (or get as close to that as she's capable)

one way to speed up the process would be to show vulnerability or trust in her first. but that has to be sincere, or else her walls will shoot right back up

[elcor-thespian]

🌻 How old is your Rook? How do they feel about celebrating their birthday? What gift has meant the most to them?

🌿 Does your Rook have any tattoos? What was the moment when they got them like? If they’re a Crow where is their de Riva brand located? What vallaslin do they have/how did they earn it if they’re Dalish?

Thank you for asking! This is going to get long because I have multiple characters, so I'm keeping it under the cut.

Nephele Mercar: Born 24 Kingsway, 9:24 Dragon. No one has ever celebrated Nephele's birthday, but she will save up money so that she can do something nice for herself that day. Usually she'll buy some kind of single serving fancy dessert and one or two small pretty things (I.e. nice fabric for making her own clothes, ribbon, a simple ring, a new pair of shoes, etc.). She'll make her favorite food and take the day off from doing any kind of work. Her first birthday after Veilguard, everyone works together to throw her a massive birthday party. While she received plenty of wonderful gifts, the act of throwing the party is the best gift she's ever received.

Each of my characters has a different bird code name, and after the course of the game they all get a tattoo of their bird. Nephele was the most reluctant because she doesn't have any other tattoos and "People should know who I am". But eventually she gave in and got a very small rook on her hip.

Nasreen Aldwir: Born 28 Firstfall, 9:27 Dragon. Nasreen hasn't really done much for her birthday since she moved out when she was 18. When she was a little kid her parents would make a big deal out of it and they would decorate their aravel, make hearth cakes together, and the clan would have a party. After she is orphaned, her adopted mother does her best to make her feel special on her birthday, and wants her to feel included in the family, but money is very tight so they can't do gifts. The most important gift she's ever received is her guitar (i.e. elven instrument that you can decorate your room with) that she got when she was 10 and she still has.

Nasreen has burgundy red vallaslin in honor of June. It's not that she venerates that god particularly, but it is the same vallaslin her mom had, and in the color of her dad's. She is no longer living with the Dalish when she comes of age, but she was able to find someone in her town in Rivain that knew how to do it. Her bird is a Raven, and she gets it tattooed on her thigh, perched on a skull.

Aleksei Laidir: Born 8 Cloudreach, 9:26 Dragon. Aleksei LOVES his birthday and will turn it in to a birth week/month if you let him. He grew up in the same house as Nasreen, so they didn't have a lot of money, but it doesn't take a lot to make Aleksei feel special. Now he'll use his birthday to excuse any impulsive purchase or questionable decision (I really shouldn't have a 5th ale, but fuck it it's my birthday!....girl your birthday was last week). The best gift he's gotten was when he was 18 his mom gave him a gold arm band that belonged to his dad.

Aleksei has a lot of tattoos. He has a grey blue tattoo that goes down his chin and neck. He got it right around the same time Nasreen got their vallaslin. It's not a true vallaslin, although Aleksei is elven he isn't Dalish and doesn't feel super connected to elven culture. Here's something cute I've never written down: Nasreen has vitiligo, and Aleksei has heterochromia. When they first met when Nasreen was homeless (they were about 12/13), Aleksei said that they were both multicolored. They literally don't look alike at all, but Aleksei calls her his sister and when she got her vallaslin he wanted to get something too so they would have something else that made them look similar. I don't know if I explained that well, but it was a cute gesture. Since becoming a sailor and joining the Lords of Fortune he has gotten a full sleeve, a back piece, and tattoos basically all over his body. Pretty much every excuse to celebrate an achievement. He has a magpie (his codename from Varric) on his forearm (fun fact: I have this tattoo in real life), and then later added a raven (Nasreen's codename) and a hummingbird (for his beautiful girlfriend) further up his arm.

Brenna Thorne: Born 15 August, 9:20 Dragon. Brenna grew up as a noble and so her birthday was always celebrated with a feast and many lavish gifts. But no one ever asked her what she wanted, they gave her what they thought she should want. She's had infinitely better birthdays in the Wardens just getting drunk in the dungeon at Weisshaupt with her friends. One of the only things that she took with her when she left home to join the Wardens was a shawl that her sisters had embroidered for her 18th birthday.

Brenna definitely has a Grey Warden tattoo (for some reason I don't have any pictures of her character creator on my phone, so I can't be crazy specific right now). She gets her kestrel tattoo on her back. At some point after Veilguard I think she also gets a small rose tattoo on her wrist because Davrin called her Rosie, and I like to hurt my own feelings.

Konstantin Ingellvar: 10 Kingsway, 9:24 Dragon. Konstantin was always given practical gifts growing up (clothes, books, etc), with a few exceptions. Vorgoth gave him a sketchbook when he turned 12 (they have a shared love of art), and he still has it.

Ok in the character creator I accidentally gave Aleksei the same tattoos as Aleksei. In my defense I made a lot of these characters while high (which is an awful defense, lol). But he has tattoos on his arms, back, thighs, and hands that are various wards and charms, as well as maps/keys for the Necropolis. He gets his wren tattoo on his calf.

Elspeth de Riva: 6 Justinian, 9:23 Dragon. I can't imagine Viago making a big deal out of Elspeth's birthday, but I believe Teia would get them little things and treats. On her first birthday after meeting Lace, Lace gave her a succulent, and she has been desperately trying to keep it alive ever since.

Another one I don't have pictures of! But they have two full sleeves. I was going for ultimate soft butch energy. Crow brand let's say back of the base of the neck. They get their crow tattoo wings stretched under their tits.

Paloma: 13 Drakonis, 9:26 Dragon. Paloma doesn't have any memories from before her magic, and obviously she didn't celebrate her birthday as a Saarebas. I'm making up a head canon right now: Paloma and Nephele were both Shadow Dragons but Nephele was much higher up and they didn't interact much. One day Nephele just happened to be in the safe house going through her bag and pulled out a lipstick and was like, "I've literally used this once and it's just not the right color for me. Do you want it?" This is the first time Paloma received a non-practical gift, and it happened to be her birthday (or the day she decided she was going to celebrate her birthday every year). It was also the first make up she ever had, and experimenting with make up became a huge part of her personality. Years later after Veilguard Paloma tells Nephele this story because Nephele doesn't remember how they met. Nephele is so mortified that she immediately buys Paloma a brand new set of high end cosmetics and brushes (she got that Dellamorte money now, and she will use it to spoil her friends for any reason).

Paloma doesn't have any tattoos at the beginning of the game, but she'll absolutely start getting them after. Maybe even during. Tbh I don't have this planned out yet. Dove tattoo is on her ankle.

[sandersgrey]

A Study in Greys

Eventual Kit/Ty Endgame, Mutual Pining, Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Psychological Trauma, Kit Rook Has ADHD, Kit Rook has C-PTSD.

First / Second / Third / Fourth / Prev. / Next. Fic also available on ao3.

Wordcount: 5k.

A/N: Shout out to my beta and partner in life, @jynxlovesluck, as well as my friend @thechangeling. Also thanks to everyone commenting. I'm taking a break after this due to national college exams, but dont worry about me abandoning this fic. I'm finishing it or dying trying. TW for a mental breakdown in the latter part of the chapter.

Sixth Chapter: Carrying Water

Ty doesn’t even try to fall asleep.

Every last shred of experience earned over his years here tells him he should. Demon patrols await for no one’s sleep deprivation, and he’s been pushed to the forefront of fights more than enough times to know his colleagues won’t either.

Sleep is simply beyond his reach today. Electricity buzzes underneath his skin. A rush of giddiness bubbles up in his chest like champagne, his rib cage an unsuitable container for the sheer volume of it. 

Livy watches him flap his hands, wrist joints crackling with the force of his joy, and her entire face softens; doesn’t even complain when his elbow goes through her, a little out of control.

“You seem happy.”

Ty rocks himself back and forth on the balls of his feet, a squeak high in his throat. His mouth opens, a syllable or two dropping out before he swallows them back down, violently wiggles in place, tries again:

“Kit’s here, I was right, and we’re so close to cracking the case. I can feel it, Livy. We’re going to solve this soon. And then-”

Then things can be good again.

And, who knows, maybe the Death’s Scales aren’t the only powerful relic that has been tucked away; maybe there’s something that’ll bring Livy all the way back, too. It’s not too out of the realm of possibility. Everything could just… fall into place. 

Ty wants it all, suddenly and fiercely. There was a grain of truth when Kit said he was selfish, back then; still it’s not quite right, really. Hungry is the closest word he has for the deep pit in his stomach, wide and unrelenting, an open maw. He wants very few things, but the things he wants…

He just doesn’t know how to let go of them.

“I think we’re close, too”, Livy says, leaning forward to look around a corner before Ty turns. “We just need one last piece of evidence.”

“That’ll be much easier now.”

She looks at him from the corner of her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. “You’ve always had a lot of faith in him.”

“He’s had Heather Ashworth letting him do whatever he wants after two days. I don’t think she’s ever smiled at us once.”

“That’s true. Do you think we can get him to help us kill her?”

“ Livy.” The door of his room closes behind him with a satisfying thump. “ ... Probably.”

Half of the room is empty, shelves and closet still left the way Anush left them; but, for once, the reminder doesn’t make him want to look away. If Kit can come back after being a much more unreachable dream for years, so will Anush. 

It’s only reasonable to not get used to the extra storage space. 

Besides, he’s not the only one living here. 

Irene sniffs around his leg, rising onto her hindpaws to bump her wet nose against his arm, and only returns to her favorite spot under the bed once given a sufficiently good scritch behind her ears. 

Shedding his jacket, he hangs it up. It’s not the one Kit has let him borrow: that’s tucked under his pillow, since no one’s asked him for it back. Ty has been meaning to wash it. 

He probably will. At some point.

Right now, though, he sits on his bed and sticks a hand under the pillow. His fingers trail over the worn material. “He cut off the tag before letting me borrow it”, Ty says. 

“I know.”

“I didn’t ask him to.”

Livy gracefully floats down until she’s sitting on the bed next to him. The mattress doesn’t shift under her weight. Her hair cascades down her shoulder, the deep brown color muted by its transparency. 

“After this is done…” Livy bites her lip. “Do you think he’ll…”

“He’ll what?”

“... Nevermind.”

Ty looks up, frowning. The look on her face is unfamiliar. “Livy.”

“When he goes back home”, she says, slowly, “do you think it’ll go back to how it was?”

Kit isn’t a centurion or a student. His time in the castle has always been limited. Ty knows this , and yet. He chews on the inside of his cheek, pensive, the open maw of his wants a new Charybdis. It could swallow the entire sea.

“It’s different now, we’re talking again. I’m sure we can just… write to each other, or even visit, now. It’ll be better.”

“Do you think,” Livy hesitates, picking at a loose thread in her dress. “Do you think you’ll stay here? Once it’s done?”

Ty frowns.

Rubbing at one of the seams of Kit’s jacket, his fingertips find it’s rougher than the rest. 

Ty turns it over, spreading it over his lap, and finds himself smiling a little at the places where it has obviously been mended. Threads of different colors crisscross everywhere, reinforcing everywhere where it could have fallen apart. 

“Kit ties his loose threads a lot of times over," he comments. “it’s like he’s afraid it’ll all come apart if he only ties it once.”

“Ty.”

“I don’t know what you mean. Why wouldn’t I stay?”

“You just… You’ve never looked happy here.”

Ty pinches one of the knots, bright blue thread a stark contrast with the duller color of the denim. A part of him expects it to fall apart on his lap. It doesn’t. The whole thing is a little messy. But the multiple knots do their job well; it had all felt very sturdy when he wore it. 

It isn’t pretty. Ty would have done a neater job, if he cared to pick up a needle often enough to develop the skill.

But he wouldn’t have thought to reinforce the seams. He would have just assumed it would be fine.

“Ty?”

“We should focus on figuring this out first.”

“Okay”, she says softly. “Okay.”

Ty folds the jacket again, tucking it back under his pillow. It should probably be hand washed. There’s a lot of tiny modifications that might come apart in a machine, so it’ll have to wait for a day he’s not busy. 

Technically, he’s not busy right now. The fizzling just hasn’t disappeared yet. If anything, it’s grown: from a champagne buzz to an earthquake.

“I don’t think I can stand around doing nothing right now.”

“Ty-”

“I know. Nothing too harsh.” Ty carefully dodges the paw Irene sticks out from under the bed frame, draping his study bag over his shoulder as he gets up. “There’s probably something we can do. I’m going to take a look at the archives.”

“You’ve already spent a lot of time there.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t know what to look for before,” he says. “That’s always the most important part.”

Her lips thin as they press together, but she offers no comeback. That’s a yes. 

Ty takes back to the hallways. 

So early in the morning, the archives are mostly empty. It tugs at something deep within Ty until tension unspools from his shoulders. 

Mayhew should be on patrol right now; he’s heard, with some satisfaction, that her request for a break got lost on its way to her superior. It’s not the first time something like that has happened, but it’s the first time it has happened to someone other than Ty.

She must’ve shirked duty somehow, nevertheless, because there she is at one of the tables. Her eyes don’t leave the text she’s focusing on. 

The tall bookshelves readily swallow him away from her sightline. Ty lingers, pondering how worth it would be to report her to Ashworth; it probably wouldn’t do anything, and is he petty enough to risk it? She carefully turns a page. 

Livy peers at the book’s cover, half hidden behind the furniture, and raises a thin eyebrow. “Treatise on the Upkeep and Transmutation of Magical Relics”, she says. “Wow, that’s a heavy one. I guess at least someone is doing their research. Wouldn’t have expected it to be her, though.”

Ty nods, a hand curling around the edge of the bookshelf. He remembers when she’d stopped coming to the library. Wasn’t it around the time Mayhew had started ingratiating herself with Ashworth and the others? 

The same way he had grown increasingly dedicated to his work after graduation, Mayhew had left any academic aspirations behind with her textbooks.

At least, it had seemed so. 

“The Careful Balance Between the Courts”, Livy cranes her neck, looking at the pile beside Mayhew’s book. “Faerie Unity: An Impossible Dream. That’s… weird. The Scales are just Unseelie, aren’t they?”

That is weird. The silence is thick enough for Ty not to risk speaking; instead, he carefully opens his notebook and scrawls a message on a random page. Stay here and monitor her?

Livy pauses for a long moment; finally, she says: “Alright. You’re lucky I love you.”

Smiling, Ty nods. He tucks the notebook back in his bag, wincing at the resistance in the front zipper, and takes one last look at Mayhew. 

In the few moments he was looking away, she had tied her long, shiny hair up in a bun and started taking notes. The glasses she hasn’t been seen wearing since her second year are folded on the table. It reminds him of a slightly younger Mayhew, back when they still had finals as their common enemy. 

It’s not quite nostalgia, this feeling, but it’s… similar.

“She’s pretty”, Livy sighs.

Ty shrugs. He supposes so. Livvy leans against the bookshelf, her position more of an affectation than actual rest, and watches Mayhew with an expression he doesn’t know how to read.

Leaving all that behind is a relief more familiar than the walls of the castle. 

Step after step, what he’s looking for is seventeen bookshelves in. Ty relaxes the further he is into the archives, right at the start of the collection, conserved by runes so strong that running his hand over the bookshelves makes his fingers tingle.

Here, the lights are dimmer. Dust motes float like ṕixies in the air. The pages are yellow, sometimes stained by unthinkable fluids, and the edges curl in on themselves.

This is the domain of battered spines. Ty does some of his best work here. 

The dry pages feel like old friends, cracked paper a beautiful reflection of what his own skin will look like if he lives to see old age. A callused fingertip traces the words he brings back to his table.

Most information on faeries that the average 19th century centurion would have considered important enough to archive is, of course, not only outdated but filled with the type of bigotry that Ty is far too tired of in his daily life. For this reason, he’s always avoided this particular subject.

Maybe Ty was wrong about that. Maybe he should’ve been putting his time and energy towards correcting those books, much as he has been trying to do with others. It’s certainly tempting to take out the red pen now.

Interestingly enough, the tome in hands is filled less with misinformation than with detached disdain. It talks about faeries as though they’re just another species of demons to exterminate: in such cases, accuracy is, of course, of the utmost importance. 

It’s slightly less blood-boiling than the rest. 

Ty will take dispassionate bigotry over incorrect information any day, even if lately his days have been quite bleak. 

He takes notes. Of course, he takes notes. Ty even uses his own personal code, digging into his bag for more pens as the first one runs out of ink. Dark blue and black ink eagerly stain the lines of his fingers. There’s a lot to write about. 

Every so often, Livy floats by with a new piece of information.

“She’s working with the Seelie Queen’s biography now. Not reading it, just… A little like how we cross reference dictionaries. That’s weird, right?”

Fact one: The Scales of Death are not, in fact, purely Unseelie. They were a gift from the Seelie Queen during a very brief attempt at reconciliation between the Courts, and are therefore one of very few relics with both Seelie and Unseelie energy. 

“Noah Jones? You know, the guy who was flirting with Kit the other day? Well, he just stopped by. She ducked under the table before he could see her.”

Fact: Due to that, it is claimed that the Scales are able to identify the First Heir when used. 

Fact: Ty hadn’t known that, which means it’s not common knowledge. 

“She has a magazine now instead of the books. Jones looks like he didn’t expect her to be here, which makes sense, but doesn’t explain why she hid her stuff?”

Inference: Whoever had both known about the Scales and been able to take them without raising any alarms, therefore, must have been competent. 

“They’re complaining about Ashworth expecting them to help with the paperwork.”

Fact: The current members of the conspiracy are visibly not.

“Jones keeps saying something about the previous leadership, then interrupting himself.” Livy frowns. “He says he wishes Ashworth would hurry up and replace Zach already.”

Inference: Either the original competent member is no longer being listened to, or they are no longer around. 

Fact: Someone died when the Scales were used. 

Fact: The paperwork overload started directly after the death.

“He says: I volunteer for puppet consort.”

Fact: They had never, as far as Ty is aware of, given any useful information beyond the location of the office when it was clear they must have known more. 

“Mayhew laughed kinda uncomfortably and said Ollie probably would have liked that. I don’t think Noah’s happy about it, but he smiled anyway. He says-”

Inference: Oliver Konman was their leader.  

Reminder: Kit is currently carrying his dagger everywhere. 

Conclusion:

“-Ty?”

He gets up and leaves.

Despite the alarm sirens blaring in his head, Ty hesitates at Zach’s door. 

This is important information, Ty tells himself, the kind of information Kit needs to know. His brain hisses back: and that’s the room where he sleeps with fucking Cross. Ty’s personal dislike of Zach aside, it’s…

There’s a few degrees of separation there that can’t be kept if he sees it. Where they sleep. Where Zach can throw an arm over Kit and pull him closer, mapping out the constellations of freckles with his lips, and Ty… can’t. He’ll never be allowed to.

His throat burns with bile.

It’s true that he’s been looking away all this time. He’ll keep looking away, for his own sanity, but. What if, when the door opens, he sees them ? Together? His entire being flinches.

“Do you want me to take a look inside?” Livy offers, kindly. “See if he’s even there?”

Without the words to express it, Ty nods. She nods back, eyebrows drawn together, and disappears.

There’s a thump and a muffled curse from the inside of the room (Ty’s breath catches with the same instinct of a prey animal hearing a growl), but, when Livy sticks her head back out, she’s laughing: “It’s safe.”

The door opens with a groan.

Kit leans against the doorway, looking as soft and malleable as a well-loved stuffed animal. (Reinforced seams and all). 

His hair is a mess. There are clear tracks where he’d run his fingers through, attempting and failing to tame it, one side flatter than the other. Pillow marks are pressed from nose to jaw.

He’s changed, at least; swapped the pajama pants with the cute helmet pattern for jeans, pulled on a dark gray hoodie that looks worn and comfortable under his signature jacket, sleeves clearly bunched around his elbows under the denim layer. 

(That’s where the dagger is stashed, Ty knows. Cold sweat pools at his nape.)

Tugging at the fabric with his free hand, tongue poking at the inside of his cheek, he gives Livy a flat look.

“I could have been naked”, Kit tells her. 

A vision of pale, smooth skin flashes in front of his eyes. Ty blinks.

“Oh, no," Livy says. “A naked male body. However shall I cope.”

“I don’t appreciate the sarcasm”, sighs Kit. With a last tug, he frees the hoodie’s sleeve and pulls it down to his wrist, rotating his hand in a stretch. “What’s up?”

Tendons pull taut under the skin of Kit’s hand, pulling at the shape of his Voyance rune and down to his arm where Ty could apply his mouth, slick against Kit’s skin, and worry at the lines with the very edges of his teeth. 

“Ty?”

“I figured it out," Ty blurts out. 

Kit’s eyebrows fly up, wrist pausing its rotation. His freckles grow starker against a paler face. “You figured it out?”

“The case.”

Understanding crosses Kit’s expression as his eyebrows relax back down.

“Of course you did”, Kit says, almost fondly. “Do we have to do this at seven in the morning?”

“I need to talk to you. It’s important.”

Livvy nods in support, even though he hasn’t explained anything to her yet. (Ty is lucky she loves him. He has always been.)

“We need to talk, huh”, Kit muses, nearly amused. “Still, probably shouldn’t do it here. Where do you propose we hold a meeting about this shit?”

“We’ll just go deeper into the castle. It’s safer.”

“Yeah, I think I’ve heard that. Fine. You better know the way, though, because I sure as hell don’t.” 

“Have I ever led you astray?”

“Now that,” Kit says, “feels like a metaphor.” But he steps out anyway.

The hem of Kit’s hoodie is half tucked into his jeans at the back, meaning he was probably already wearing it when he’d pulled his pants on, thighs flexing under the denim. It wasn’t a very long hoodie. Would the hair on the top of his thighs be blond, too? Darkening the thicker it grew?

“Ty?”

He blinks. “Mm?”

“Hurry, c’mon”, Kit tugs Ty’s sleeve carefully, pinching the fabric between his thumb and pointer. He kind of wishes he’d pull harder. 

“What, you have somewhere to be?”

Snark or not, Kit shakes his head. He lets go of Ty’s sleeve with a grimace and takes a look over his shoulder, facing the wrong direction entirely. The bedroom door gleams.

“I just really don’t want to have to explain this to-”

“Kit? Who are you talking to?”

“-him”, Kit sighs, turning on his heel. 

Zach is much more put together. Kit looks like he just got out of bed, but Zach seems like he’s been out and about for a few hours, hair combed, uniform in place, and not a single shred of the exhaustion weighing on Kit’s shoulders. Eyebags have no place in Zach’s world.

“Just talking to a friend,” Kit tells him, and a part of Ty wants to scream. “Nothing to worry about.”

If Ty has to guess, Zach looks like he’s worrying about it. “Blackthorn.”

“Cross.”

“Of course it’s fucking you. No one else in this castle is this goddamn obsessed with my boyfriend-”

“ Zach," Kit interrupts. (Even though, technically, Zach is right). “I’m just gonna step out for a bit, we can have lunch together later, okay?”

It’s the exact same tone of voice Aline and Helen use to negotiate with Tavy. 

Zach crosses his arms, biceps bulging like balloons about to pop, and scowls down at the both of them. Kit meets his gaze placidly. 

(A part of Ty indulges in rubbing his pointer and thumb together, imagining he’s rolling a needle or a toothpick between them. Anything sharp but ultimately small. Not really dangerous. Balloon-popping.)

“People will think the wrong thing if you keep going off and gallivanting with Blackthorn, babe, c’mon!”

Is it really the wrong thing, a part of Ty wonders; except, of course, it is.  

His hands close tightly around his headphones. Ty casts his eyes down. The stones in this part of the castle look darker to the eye, stained by the kind of grime centuries of footsteps will leave on you. It’s nothing new. He starts counting stones.

Kit shrugs, something a little too casual in the arc of his shoulders, arms, down to the hands in his pockets.

“People will think the wrong thing no matter what I do.”

The scowl in Zach’s face softens slightly, but doesn’t fade. There’s a brief moment where Ty is sure it will come down to a fight, and then Kit raises an eyebrow, mouth flattening into a line, and Zach sighs. 

“Fine. I will see you at lunch.”

“Not with that attitude, you won’t," Kit says, cheerfully, and makes both of them scarce before Zach can gather himself enough to reply.

Kit’s fingers form a tight band around Ty’s wrist until they turn a corner, at which point Kit lets him go and tucks his hands back into his pocket, rolling his shoulders back, and allows Ty to take the lead.

It’s an easy route. He doesn’t have to think about it much, which is on purpose. Although his spatial sense is usually very reliable, right now, his concentration is not.

“Sorry about Zach," Kit says. “He's just jealous.”

Ty blinks, a sinking, cold feeling in his stomach akin to the first step off a roof. 

“Of me?”

“Y’know, the… “ Kit gestures around his collar. “Necklace thing. Sorry if he’s bothered you about that, by the way.”

“He did,'' Livy says. She still hasn’t forgiven him for that, Ty thinks.

A muscle spasms in Kit’s jaw. “Good to know.”

“Do you… w ant it b-”

“ No . No. Even protection spells aside-” Kit shakes his head, hands bunching into fists inside his pockets, opening and closing with enough force to strain at the fabric. “No, keep the necklace. He’ll just have to get over it.”

Ty lowers his head, smiling at the floor. The pendant is warm against his skin. He hooks a finger around the chain and tugs, just a little, to feel the links bite at his nape. Wishes, briefly, that it were Kit pulling on it.

Stop that, he reminds himself. We literally just talked about Zach. 

Zach doesn’t get to wear Kit’s family crest, though. Ty does. He’ll always be a Blackthorn, down to his core, but.

But.

He’s always preferred animal motifs to the black thorns on his own family crest, after all.

(It’s true: A part of his brain wants the heron engraved like a brand on his skin. Wants it to scar into grooves he could thumb at, indented into his flesh. A part of him.)

Ty stops before they’re too deep in the castle, the areas where the dust is so thick every breath is a struggle, and pulls Kit into one of the cleaner rooms. At least, he’s pretty sure it’s cleaner. He doesn’t come here very often. No one does, these days.

The grime here is lighter, somehow, almost purer than the one in the most visited areas. Ty doesn’t claim to understand it. Less ichor spilled, perhaps.

It sticks to his clothes nevertheless.

“Okay,” Kit says, “you look a little nervous. What’s up?”

Is he nervous? Is that what the electric buzz under his skin is all about? It’s probably justified, right now; he feels a little like a bomb squad, if bombs could hear you talking about them and detonate faster. He assumes someone would have mentioned it if Oliver were present, but- 

Paper and pen will have to suffice for now. Just in case. 

Fortunately, he’s got plenty of both. Ty flips his notebook to a blank page and writes down, as clearly and precisely as possible: 

I think Oliver has been lying to you. 

Over his shoulder, Kit takes in a sharp intake of breath.

His mouth, pale and bitten to shreds, opens- before Kit takes another look down and closes it, lips pressing together until they’re as white as the sheets of paper beneath. A muscle in his cheek twitches. 

Finally, Kit reaches out and grabs the pen. Okay. Why? and relief washes over him.

Ty flips the pages back to his notes and tries to summarize them. 

It’s not an easy task. 

They were competent enough to get the Scales, and then, after his death, stupid enough not to keep things organized, he explains. He hasn’t told you anything at all except for the office. I’m surprised he didn’t let you touch the door with your bare hands and just let it kill you.

Kit makes a sound deep in his throat. Heat creeping up his neck, Ty watches him through the corner of his eyes. 

Would it have killed me?

Yes. It's trapped.

“Mm”, Kit says. Livy, hovering over both of them, makes a corresponding strangled noise.

Why lie to me specifically, then? His hand is shaky. If Oliver was their leader, why would they have sent his dagger to the London Institute. It makes no sense if they didn’t know he’s a ghost now, and even less sense if they do.

Ty shakes his head, chewing on the cap of his pen. I’m not sure yet. Can I see yesterday’s pictures?

Wrinkling his nose, Kit tugs at one of the pockets in his jeans until his phone comes loose. He types in his password- an actual password, not fingerprint or face recognition, which Ty approves of- and taps on the gallery app before handing it over. 

“Here you go," he says, voice weird. Kit’s face scrunches up and he buries his face in his elbow, a sneeze wracking his body. “You guys really should clean this place, fuck’s sake-”

The code on the photos is crystal clear once zoomed in. It’s not the easiest level of shadowhunter coding, which would have been surprising yesterday, but makes a little more sense now.  

Ty sits on the floor, notebook and pen in hand, and gets to it. 

“It’s really not worth it most of the time," he admits. “The castle is too big for that.”

“Still. I feel like I’m getting diseases that haven’t even been invented yet.”

Ty frowns down at the half finished sentence on the page, pen’s cap held between his teeth. “Diseases aren’t invented.” he says, muffled. “ At least, not most of them. You’ll be fine.”

“Don’t be such a drama queen,” Livy adds.

“I’m sorry, have we met-”

The bickering fades into the background. His teeth close around the pen’s cap, digging into the plastic as he reorganizes letters: FH seems to be a common thread, having even been written uncoded on the margins once or twice, as is Puppet King . Kieran, maybe? Were they planning to accuse him of being manipulated?

Hard plastic cracks under pressure. Ty spits it out and keeps reading, a taste of copper on his tongue. 

O.K, which he’d initially interpreted as the word, is now clearly a reference to Oliver Konman. It fits better now. O.K has given permission for the first phase of the plan, it reads, although he claims it’s against his better judgment. N.J [Noah Jones? Ty wonders] thinks we’re ready. 

They hadn’t been. The next page is charred at the corner. Experiment failed. O.K is- and a large blot of ink, as though someone had held the pen tightly enough for it to explode. 

New rumors of poltergeist movement in Devon, reads the next one, in a bubblier handwriting. It’s not the real thing, but it’s convincing. Just like our candidate. Z.C is as malleable as ever, and H.A doesn’t foresee any issues with using him as bait.

FH ready for harvest.

“Ty? Are you okay?”

Blinking down at the pages, he writes his own note. They wanted Kit.

For a long moment, all Ty can hear is the uneven tempo of his own heart. 

Her eyes leaving the page, Livy turns to look at him with a pale hand over her mouth, half through a wall. Even though there are no windows and no wind, the skirt of her dress lashes out behind her like a computer glitch.

“What do you mean,” Kit says flatly. 

Ty hesitates. He really doesn’t want to have to convey all this in writing. “Are we sure Oliver isn’t here right now?”

“That sounds like a bad start to a seance," Kit rubs a hand, hard, against the concave of his orbit. Hard enough that, for just a moment, Ty fears the pressure of his palm will pop the eye beneath. “Fuck. Okay. I mean, I can’t see him, so probably not?”

That is a very good indicator towards “no", if even Livy hasn’t been able to fully hide from Kit. He still doesn’t feel like risking it. “Can you hand me the dagger?”

Kit nods, his hand floating over the hilt of his own knife for a moment before digging into his jacket’s inner pocket. It takes a few seconds. The impression is of a very stuffed pocket, which Ty isn’t sure what to make of.

Their fingers brush in a shock of heat.

A part of Ty had expected the sheath to be colder than it should be. It’s not. The cube is, however; Ty’s grateful for the gloves he’d kept when he shoves the dagger inside its new prison. It just barely fits. The hilt is a little bit scratched, but it shouldn’t matter, not really.

“If it can keep the Scales contained even after the implosion," Ty explains, closing it with a soft click, “it will probably work fine as a temporary ghost container.”

Livy tilts her head. “Like a lead box.”

“Or those vacuum machines in Ghostbusters," Kit agrees, and nods at Ty. “ Very well done, Sherlock. Jail, jail for traitorous ghost. Now that we don’t have to have this conversation through text messages, go on.”

A little to his own surprise, and against his own better judgment, Ty finds that he’s smiling.

“The Scales are supposed to be able to tell who the true Heir is," he flips through the pages, ignoring Kit’s sharp intake of air. “We know it backfired, it killed their leader O.K-”

“Okay?”

“No, O.K , like the initials for-”

“Oliver Konman."

Ty nods up at him. “He thought they weren’t ready, and he was right. The backlash was too severe, that’s why so many ghosts acted up, it wasn’t meant to affect them. They had to run damage control, that’s why the dagger was sent to London. It was…”

“Bait," Kit mumbles. 

“They must’ve known you were going to investigate.”

Back against the wall, Kit slowly slides down to the floor. His face is white. 

“That’s why they sent Zach, of all people.” Kit puts his head in his hands. “They knew he was going to bother my friends. Heather has the ghost reports- she must have known I was helping there, that I wasn’t just going to stand by. What, did they think I’d forgive him if he was just handsome enough?”

“I mean," Livy says. “Didn’t you?”

Kit’s mouth opens and closes. “It’s… complicated.”

It’s probably not the time to ask for elaboration, but by the Angel, does Ty want to. 

“The Scales were meant to find the true heir. But it didn’t work, so they had to work out a replacement. Someone they could put on the throne without a war breaking out. Someone they could control.”

“A puppet king.”

“Not the actual First Heir, that they couldn’t be sure of finding; but someone convincing. Someone whose ancestry had already been hiding unexpected blood.”

Livy chews on the skin of her thumb. “Kit.” Then: “Christopher Herondale.”

At first, Ty assumes it’s a sob. 

He’s sent his notebook spinning across the floor, already half up on one knee, when he realizes that the reason why Kit’s shoulders are shaking so violently; 

the reason why he keeps gasping for air, breaths almost painful to hear-

 -is because he’s laughing.

Dropping back onto his heel, Ty stares. “... Kit?”

Still laughing, he bends forward until his forehead touches the ground between his knees, hands tugging hard at his hair. His knuckles are white. 

“ FH," every syllable sounds like it could be his last gasp of air. “ First Heir. Of fucking course, it’s a compelling story! The lost heir, back in place! A fucking Aragorn-”

“ Kit, I need you to breathe.” 

Ty itches to lean forward, breathe it into his lungs himself. Instead, he hovers; uniquely useless as Kit falls apart in front of him. The buzz is over. A weight sinks in his stomach instead.

“They just never thought. Zach as bait, right, that’s why they were so nice to me, they wanted me to…”

“Kit. Kit, please tell me how to help you.”

Shaking his head, Kit sinks deeper into a fetal position. “It’s not- it’s not worth it- I’m-," the word chokes him out, air too precious to waste, shoulders rising. His entire body is shaking, shaking, shaking, visible even through the layers of clothing.

Ty walks on his knees to him. 

“Kit," he says carefully, “Please tell me how I can help you. Please.”

A heartbeat. Two. And then- 

-Kit’s hand, outstretched. 

Unsure, Ty grasps between his own. It seems to do the trick: Kit’s body relaxes, just slightly, as his hand squeezes Ty’s hard enough to grind the bones together. Ty looks up at Livy. She shrugs at him, her eyes still wide. Fingers shake underneath his own. 

He squeezes Kit’s hand back.

“That’s good," Ty tries to gentle his tone. “Can you try and breathe with me?”

“I can’t- I don’t-”

Hesitantly, Ty pulls Kit’s hand up and presses it against his own chest. It rises and falls with the rhythm beneath. “Is this better?”

A minuscule nod. Ty exhales, relief deliberately drawn out: 

“Thank you.”

The hand in his twitches, just a little, as Kit scoots over (head never quite raising enough for Ty to see his face-) and lays his forehead on Ty’s thigh. The warmth of his skin is scorching. 

It feels precious, somehow, like a moment that should be caught in amber. The weight and shape of Kit’s skull against his flesh. Fingers wrapped tight around his own. The vulnerability of an exposed nape. Ty curls in on himself, too, bringing Kit’s hand up to his lips. The Voyance rune under his mouth.

“Is this better?” He asks, ever so gently.

With a long, shaky exhale of his own, Kit nods. “Sorry.”

“What for?”

Kit shakes his head, rubbing his forehead against the fabric of Ty’s pants. “I don’t know. For-For needing you to calm me down?”

“You’ve done this for me before. You still would, right?”

“Of course.”

“Then let me do the same for you”, Ty says.

A tiny huff. “I guess. It’s just-” Kit raises his head, sitting up. There are no tears tracks in his face, but his eyes are wide, the sunken bags underneath darker than ever. His lips spasm. “-I’m such a fucking idiot. Of course I did exactly what they wanted me to.”

Slowly, Ty squeezes his hand. Pink tints Kit’s face.“You didn’t.”

“I’m literally right where they want me.”

“Kit," Ty repeats, gently. “No, you’re not. Look around. Where are you?”

Nervous eyes dart around the room. Kit tugs at his own hair to move his head, holding it up instead of moving it naturally:

“The Scholomance?”

“The heart of the Scholomance, with Livy and I, surrounded by coded pages you figured out how to copy.”

“You’re the one who actually figured out the code.”

“Yes. I’m not saying you did this alone. I’m saying that I- that we could’ve only figured things out together.” Ty leans forward. “Even the Scales. I couldn’t have picked the lock. Kit, do you think they planned for you to know this? For you to help me figure them out?”

Slowly, Kit shakes his head. Ty nods.

“They never even thought it could happen, so you’re not where they want you. All we need is something to conclusively link them to these papers and they’re done. Thanks to you. ”

Kit blinks. 

“They underestimated us, huh," he says weakly, rubbing at his face with a hand. Ty’s fingers twitch. “Yeah, I guess. Thanks, Ty. That really helped.”

“I’m glad," Ty says earnestly. A rush of color paints Kit’s ears. 

(Pink, he knows now, looks prettier when framed by a constellation of freckles. He wonders how it would taste on the flat of his tongue.)

Kit shifts to stretch out his legs, leaning his head back against the wall. There are layers of dust on his sweatpants, turning the fabric covering his calves much darker and greyer than on his thighs, but he doesn’t seem very bothered by it. 

The ungainly sprawl of his limbs is a picture Ty wishes he could capture. 

“Do you think…” Livy interrupts herself. She twists her hands together, chewing on her lip.

They both jolt upward. Rolling his head against the wall, Kit looks at her: 

“Fuck, I forgot you were- Yeah?”

“Do you think Zach knows about this?”

The cold thrill of excitement pokes its ugly head from underneath Ty’s ribs. Real life isn’t like that, he tells himself firmly, but hope unfurls still. 

Pensive, Kit stretches one of his legs until the toe of his shoes poke Ty in the thigh. He captures it there, curling a hand around Kit’s ankle, keeps it safely tucked against his leg. Kit’s skin is warm. He could map out his bones by touch alone.

“No," Kit muses. “I don’t think so. He's not really good at lying. I think they just knew him well enough to know it would work.”

“Why are you dating him anyway? He’s an asshole.”

“Language," Kit says. Livy shows him the middle finger, which he laughs at. “I don’t know. Do I need a reason?”

Shifting in place, Ty traps Kit’s foot under his thigh. It struggles once, twice, until it’s in a more comfortable position; and then goes still and placid under his weight. The shadow of a smile graces Kit’s face.

Ty clears his throat, suddenly feeling a little hoarse:

“Livy is right. You deserve better than him.”

“Do I?” Kit wonders absentmindedly. “I guess. He’s nice to me.”

To his own surprise, Ty is already leaning forward again, the hand on Kit’s ankle sliding up his leg and curving over his knee. Kit blinks, eyes wide. He doesn’t pull away. 

“Kit. You deserve better than nice," Ty tells him, so earnest it borders on anger. “You deserve to be happy. Every time I see you two together, it’s like… It’s like you’re not even there. There’s only this version of you that’s never… That’s never really you . It’s this you that just always says what he wants to hear. I hate that. You should be with someone who...” Ty makes a noise deep in his throat. “Who never wants you to feel like you need to be anything but yourself.”

“Aren’t I your Watson,” Kit mumbles.

Somewhere, Livy chokes. Ty squeezes his leg. 

“That’s different. All you need to do for that is- be there. Listen to me. I don’t- I don’t want you to be anyone else. It’s a function, not a role. You are my…” You’re my Kit, he wants to say. “You are my best friend.”

The way Kit is looking at him now, a muscle jumping under his palm…

Ty doesn’t have the words for that. In a hundred years, braced over a thousand dictionaries, he wouldn’t be able to describe it. 

He wishes he could. He wishes he could bottle it up and keep it close to his heart, cradled between his lungs, in that safest of places beneath his bones. They’d have to kill him to get it. They’d have to break him apart.

Finally, Kit lays his feverish hand over Ty’s. All their fingers overlap.

“Thank you,” he says. ““I think I have a plan.”

Notes: For anyone confused by the timeline: - The conspiracy begins. Mayhew, Ashworth, and Noah Jones are involved. Oliver is the leader. - Oliver finds and takes the Death's Scales, seemingly with the objective of using it to find the First Heir, which they aimed to use as a puppet king in Fairyland. A bloodless coup. - The Scales implode, therefore killing Oliver and affecting the ghosts, such that Livy could feel it in LA. - Poltergeist levels rise. - The remaining centurions decide that a fake First Heir will do, and that Kit is the prime candidate. - They send Zach with the official goal of dealing with a poltergeist, but actually there in order to serve as bait for Kit. Zach is seemingly unaware of this. - It works. - Except, as Ty says... it doesn't.

[jangmi-latte]

❞ 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐈𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐌𝐞𝐭.. ❝

➻ content: four smoothies! the last two, served

➻ warnings: uwu

➻ comments: here is the next part of the request! part one involves riddle and leona. mentions events from epel’s ceremonial robe sr card and chapter four!!! (not really spoilers) 

Ⅲ.

…⚘  I Met You…

➺ you met because of rook.

➺ being a part of pomefiore meant you specialised in science, are hard-working, and beautiful. you and epel are both from the same homeland and knowing that both of you are neighbours, oh dear… 

➺ if epel is a brash young boy, then you’re no exception. maybe a little less brash than epel but you do have that country accent along with seeing the fun in being non-sophisticated like vil. 

➺ now, let’s go back to how rook was able to make you and vil meet. apparently, during the entrance ceremony, after being sorted into pomefiore, you escaped and wandered around the grounds of night raven college.

➺ in the end, you got lost. you nearly missed the welcome party that vil threw. up until the dorm head did a roll-call that rook started to look around for the only female in the whole college. you were sorted into pomefiore too. even epel was surprised not to see you around.

➺ rook found you wandering around the main building, near the tower just in front of the school and led you back to the dorm. you were baffled by how rook spoke plus the culture shock you experienced was enough to make the vil schoenheit be your mentor.

➺ the look on epel’s face told you it isn’t a good experience. rook was his babysitter, how unfortunate of you to have vil as YOUR mentor. see how i used different terms to refer to your babysitters?

➺ unlike what epel is going through, your meeting with vil was rather, surprising. you knew basic table manners, which made epel want you to be his mentor instead, and you can easily carry yourself. just a little work on your choice of words because vil wasn’t entirely impressed by how you said ‘absobloodylutely’ instead of saying a ‘yes’.

➺ by surprising, vil’s treatment to you wasn’t any different to how he treated epel. he was a little lenient on you (you want that in percentages? let’s say 5% lenient) since he had bigger trust on you. aha, jokes on him you’re also shovelling horseshit with epel.

➺ he has yet to know what happens behind his back and rook has also become your babysitter because of that.

…⚘  Closer To You…

➺ how do i say this…

➺ if anyone would describe how you two got close, it would be a heart monitor. it’s a rollercoaster for sure and rook enjoys watching two people with different personalities trying to get along.

➺ you’re epel 2.0 and vil nearly pulled his hair out with how carefree you are. one time he saw you and epel covered in mud after chasing a runaway horse and he’s not impressed. you’re a lady, hold yourself better! rook is laughing is ass off while vil dragged you to clean up. epel looked at you apologetically while you just pouted. 

➺ “you are pomefiore’s student! in the name of the queen, be more graceful!” “but that’s not me!” 

➺ woowee, you just made vil dumbfounded. that’s right, that’s not you. but vil won’t just take that easily. how about we do things your way while also make you be more of how a pomefiore student should be.

➺ you are now epel 2.0 and rook 2.0. while rook is away, you are tagging behind him. how did that happen? despite being who you are, you are a hard-working student. you were able to maintain your grades, help other fellow first years, and was even to point out some of vil’s not-so-obvious flaws. 

➺ “vil…” and you’ll suddenly cut a loose thread from his uniform.

➺ with you being a lady, vil is able to earn some knowledge from your nonstop blabbers. he’ll let you talk about anything you want while he corrects your proper use fo words. subconsciously, you’re learning and vil couldn’t be happier.

➺ if epel can carve apples, you can cook. living in a village which population is mostly old people, you have developed a talent for cooking. vil would just suddenly smell something good coming from pomefiore’s kitchen and rook would say, “that’s the mademoiselle!”

➺ he prefers your handmade smoothies rather than those from mostro lounge. 

➺ you two grew closer the more you accompany. you’re learning from him, he’s learning from you, and epel is beyond surprised to see you getting along with the strict model. “how did you do it?” he would ask while you just shrug. 

➺ he didn’t force you to do anything, in fact, he’s just brainwashing you in a good way. surely, he may have been a bit forceful at first, but once he got to know you more – with just his skilful way of using words – he was able to bring out your full potential. still rusty but you’ll get there.

➺ rook is starting to ship both you and vil.

…⚘  I’m Yours…

➺ vil eventually learned to trust you. you have a somewhat good taste of judgement. he always reminds you, “i didn’t build you, you built yourself. i just showed you the right way to do it.” and honestly, that’s some motivational words from a professional model.

➺ if vil gave someone his trust, then you’re a special person indeed. if he lends you some of his makeup brushes or palettes, you’re blessed. one of the rare moments of vil showing his trust to you is when he would subconsciously share some of his stories to you.

➺ “roi des poisons, i can see in your eyes that you have fallen in love!” rook would proclaim and vil would just roll his eyes. he’s in denial, of course.

➺ you, however, began to be all flustered the more you’re around vil. his touches would make you melt, his words will make your bad mood go away, and just his presence would make you be all gushy. how much more will you surprise epel? how could you fall in love with vil schoenheit?!

➺ you honestly don’t know. do you really love him? how could you ignore your fast heartbeat every time he’s close to you? okay, maybe you do have a little crush on him. who wouldn’t it’s vil schoenheit!

➺ but really, besides his gorgeous appearance, vil has really helped you, y’know?

➺ with you first weeks in pomefiore, you were nearly as brash as epel, and now you’re just you. he helped you shape you into who you really are. he helped you uncover talents you never knew you had. everyone just needs to look past vil’s strict nature.

➺ while you’re being a gushy highschool girl, vil is just…well, vil. he’s still confused with his own feelings himself despite rook’s constant convincing. he’ll always look out the window if he hears your voice from outside and if he sees your breathtaking smile, he’ll just smile himself.

➺ the more you present vil with your delicious cooking, the more he would adore your hard-work. vil was used to taking care and working for himself that when someone would take care of him, he’s just speechless.

➺ “vil, have you ate?” he would always hear that every day.

➺ rook’s just waiting for the opportunity to make the both of you confess and he’s irked for that day to come. that opportunity came when you ran into the dorm crying. 

➺ you failed the project you’ve been working hard on that rook knew the only person to comfort you was vil. ah, how it crushes vil to see your adorable face contort into an expression so unsightly. he hates seeing you in distress so, with the use of his words, vil was able to motivate you back into your smiley self.

➺ it was you who confessed to him first just by saying, “i guess this is why i love you.”

➺ rook had to contain himself from making noise after he heard that. vil was surprised but who could deny love? you two became an ideal couple. you still had your differences, but opposites attract don’t they? 

➺ you were finally recognized as his when he posted a picture of you – you were combing his hair and the shot was you smiling in front of the mirror – on his magicam.

➺ epel wanted to faint.

Ⅳ.

…☾  I Met You…

➺ let’s do a little twisted and say your meeting with azul was unexpected.

➺ you are a human, he was a mer-octopus. how did these two different species meet besides meeting in night raven college? well, remember that one moment where azul and the twins earned their legs? that’s how you two met.

➺ you were walking along the beach where azul and the twins laid after recovering from the sudden limb change. you grew concerned on why there are three – rather handsome – men laying on the shore looking like they just escaped death.

➺ you rushed to them and the closest person to your reach was azul. “sir?” you lightly tapped his cheeks and that’s when azul opened his eyes and saw you. followed by jade and floyd, they were all in surprise and you totally didn’t notice they were naked.

➺ azul and the twins didn’t know how to react. this was their first time encountering a human. jade pointed out they’re naked and ohhh boy the embarrassment. you immediately covered your eyes while saying you’re sorry.

➺ azul was able to use clothes changing magic to give the three of them pants and they were really uncomfortable. since it isn’t uncommon to have merfolk going out of the water, it wasn’t hard for azul to explain to you that they’re transferring to night raven college next week and that they have to practice walking.

➺ again, to their surprise, you offered to help them walk. the trio looked at each other before agreeing to your help. you first helped azul by holding his arms, it was a little tricky at first considering their legs were really weak and that the twins are so tall you needed to hold their torso.

➺ they needed a place to stay after all that walking and since you just live near the shores, you offered your little townhouse and made them stay there for a remainder of a week.

➺ one would think how dumb are you to let some strangers stay in your home. either way, if they did plan anything magic is the key to defending yourself, no?

➺ for the whole week, you have helped the three move their feet and azul is greatly thankful for your help. jade had to stop floyd from squeezing you since you’re so huggable.

➺ when it was time they take their leave, they promised to come back and pay you back your generosity even if you keep declining. azul is a kind man after all.

➺ now you have started your first step into a good friendship.

…☾  Closer To You…

➺ in a span of a year, azul kept his promise and kept in contact with you. you didn’t expect to suddenly earn a friend, let alone someone from under the sea. jade had a keen eye and was more than happy to see azul finally have another friend other than both him and floyd.

➺ unbeknownst to azul, a year later after his enrollment, you were pulled into night raven college and into octavinelle. you know that one moment in chapter four where the mc and grim flew their way to octavinelle? yeah, that happened to you except you were thrown out the mirror and landed on floyd.

➺ the twin was annoyed alright but was surprised to see you. now you got to experience his deadly hug that you got dizzy.

➺ floyd easily carried you to the vip room where jade and azul are saying, “little shrimp is here!”

➺ oh god, floyd give y/n a break…

➺ azul was astonished to see you in in nrc. you were in your pajamas too so you were still trying to process everything.

➺ so timeskip, timeskip. crowley let you stay as a member of octavinelle, earned your uniform, let you study there, and get to help azul with the lounge.

➺ your job was to serve and accompany customers who wanted business with azul AND is jade’s replacement when the latter isn’t present. with your stay in the vip room, you would distract azul by talking to him. maybe even help with some paperwork too if he lets you.

➺ your friendship blossomed more the more you stuck to him. everyone would say that azul’s rubbing off of you when really, you’re the one who scolds azul with his antics.

➺ “please don’t tell me you’re going to play a trick over that one client of yours…?” “of course not! i’m generous, there’s no way i’ll make them have a hard time!” “azul.” “yes?” “put that potion down.”

➺ jade is thankful for your presence since azul is starting to open up to you. azul is a mysterious person but when someone cracks his shell, his vulnerable side shows up. he’s still that soft little octopus in the inside who’s scared to lose everyone.

…☾  I’m Yours…

➺ if azul’s a sly friend then he’s a shy romantic. azul makes sure not to let his emotions get to him so it took him quite a while for him to realize he has feelings for you.

➺ azul tends to be clingy and vulnerable when it comes to his friends so he made sure to always think ways through and ignore his feelings to avoid any conflict that may fail his plans.

➺ you weren't any different either. with a new school life to handle, love is something out of your league and as someone situated in a dorm where intelligent people resides, academics are your top priority.

➺ your relationship with azul remained in the constant line of friendship. you remained as friends for years, up until azul turned into his third year did you both finally come into the realization that you two might have feelings for one another.

➺ it was floyd who noticed that azul has been smiling a lot whenever you're around or how his mood seems to be uplifted when you come to him. he bluntly pointed out by saying, "azul looks happier when little shrimp is around. ne ne...y/n stay with azul more often. i don't want him to nag at me."

➺ this made azul's face burn 150 degrees (overreacting? maybe) and he sent floyd away while jade just patted his shoulder and smiled at him. you were confused but nevertheless smiled at azul, feeling thankful that azul finds comfort in your presence.

➺ "it's your chance," jade mouthed before leaving the two of you behind. you looked at azul, talking to him more and eventually started to hold his hand a lot, place your head on his shoulder, and whatnot. azul would be malfunctioning while you did this. like riddle, he isn't entirely used to affection and let alone a girl doing it was making his heart beat erratically.

➺ it was azul who confessed first. he tried to keep his emotions in tact but when you asked what's wrong and if you're making him uncomfortable, he just blurted out, "it's because i like you" before wanting to be in his pot again.

➺ awww...little octopus has made his appearance again as you cooed and said your feelings back before pecking his cheek. if azul could camouflage as an octopus, he can camouflage into heatslabyul's red walls by how red he is.

➺ anywho, you're now officially his girlfriend after that. the twins are happy for your relationship and wishes you two to last long. who knew that just a simple encounter on the beach would lead to this?

➺ you just earned yourself two bodyguards when azul's not around. ah, the perks of having a boyfriend who's good with business and picks the right friends.

➺ he's protective so you'll be safe and sound around nrc from then on.

[megan-is-mia]

can I request a delusional yandere #21 prompt with Vampire Vil and Rook? It can be nsfw if you want. Thank you

(You’re welcome and I hope you like this) 21. “All I want is you. All I’ve ever wanted was you.” (Yandere! Vil Schoenheit x Fem! S/o x Yandere! Rook Hunt) (WARNING NSFW AND NON-CON AHEAD!)

(Y/n) didn't have much alone time anymore, not since she’d been made the slave of the Lord of the Night Vil Schoenheit and his second in command the Midnight’s Executioner Rook Hunt. Both men were vampires, a fact the young woman had become quite acquainted with not long after she arrived at the two males’ mansion when they’d first feasted on her as the sun set both on the day and her freedom. Luckily for her, Rook and Vil seemed rather uninterested in (Y/n)’s daytime activities and permitted her to roam the castle as long as she made herself available for feeding time at dusk. However tonight was a rare treat, the vampires would be too busy with business affairs to demand her presence and therefore the young woman had decided to spoil herself with a long shower. Usually, she had to rush to make sure she could make herself presentable for her masters, but this night she would stay in the hot water until it ran out and she would enjoy every minute of it. (Y/n) turned the water on, letting it get nice and hot before stripping out of her clothes and stepping into the warm jets of water pouring down. She hadn’t locked the door, none of the other slaves would dare interrupt her if they valued their lives.

She had to admit there were some perks to being the blood bag of Vil and Rook. One of those perks being permission to eat when she wanted, and to sleep as much as she wanted to make sure her blood was as healthy as possible for the vampires to consume. (Y/n) let her eyes shut as her head lolled back enjoying the heat of the water on her skin. All the while being in too much bliss to realize that the bathroom door had opened and two figures had slipped silently into the room with her before locking the door with supernatural power behind them as they stripped down to nothing. 

The young woman stretched her arms up and behind her trying to relax the muscles only for her hands to press against something smooth and cool to the touch. (Y/n)’s eyes flew open and locked with one of the vampires she’d been hoping she wouldn't see tonight: Rook. The green-eyed male grinned down at her, enjoying how her body had gone stiff in surprise and her hands remained planted against his chest. “My how bold of you Dame d’Aeon, i wouldn't have expected a gesture so forward of you so soon” Rook said reaching up to grab the girl’s wrists and rearrange their position to his liking. The blonde took a step forward so his chest was pressed against (Y/n)’s back as he forced her to rest her hands on her breasts as he held her in an uncomfortably intimate embrace. The young woman’s head snapped forward as she broke eye contact with her captor and tried to stare at the floor before her. Only for her gaze to be forced upward by a second intruder in the form of the other vampire: Vil. “Someone told us you’d been in here sulking but I didn't expect them to be telling the truth” Vil said, his voice strangely casual for the situation at hand, as if he wasn’t standing naked before what was essentially his food. “I-i-i thought you had court matters to d-duh-deal with my Lords. I didn’t think you’d be re-re-requiring my services ton-n-night” (Y/n) stuttered out, her eyes threatening to pop out of her skull with how wide they were. Her words made both vampires go still, even more than they naturally did as creatures of the night. The bathroom was deathly silent save for the sound of the water pouring down and the young woman’s own nervous breathing. Suddenly Room burst out into raucous laughter and hugged the girl even closer so she could feel the vibrations of his mirth on her skin. “My, my you really are just full of surprises, Dame d’Aeon. To think you believed that we'd allow ourselves to get so tied up in business affairs that we’d have no time for you… Really it's so naive of you to think that way” Rook said once he’d gotten control of himself, even though the tone of his voice made it clear he needed only a little nudging before he’d start laughing once more. “And instead of trying to take advantage of that opportunity, you stayed where you were supposed to like a good girl. Such behavior should earn you a reward don’t you agree Mon Cher?” he added as he looked at Vil with a smirk that made (Y/n) shiver. “Agreed, you’ve learned a lesson that all of our previous pets failed to grasp” Vil said before taking hold of (Y/n)’s chin and holding it gently as one would hold a baby bird. There was a look in the vampire’s eyes that the young woman had never seen before, it was so similar to the one he’d made the night he’d first fed on her, a hungry almost depraved expression. Yet somehow this one was even more intense than that. The girl had been so entranced by the look in the blonde’s gorgeous violet eyes that she hadn’t noticed that he was still speaking to her or that he was leaning closer until their lips touched. The sudden contact of Vil’s chilled but silky smooth lips against her own slightly cracked yet still soft lips brought (Y/n) crashing back to reality with a yelp. She threw her head back, making Rook let out a soft grunt as her head smacked against his shoulder. The young woman’s face flushed with blood making it turn red and heated as she mumbled a confused apology to the two men who only sighed. “It seems you weren’t listening as closely as I hoped” Vil said, his expression turning disapproving. “But I can forgive your carelessness in light of the situation” he added, going in for another kiss. 

This time (Y/n) was not allowed to pull away and her lips were gently pried open by Vil’s tongue as his hands came to rest on her hips and he traced nonsensical shapes on her skin. Rook amused himself by nuzzling his face into the crook of the young woman’s neck and running his fangs playfully up and down the column of her neck but not quite breaking the skin. “Since you didn’t listen the first time, I suppose I'll repeat the message for Mon Cher” the blonde said into the girl’s ear. “As reward for your obedience Dame d’Aeon, you’ll be given an experience most mortals would die for the chance at” he added with a coo.

(Y/n) could feel herself going light-headed from lack of air when Vil mercifully broke their liplock and permitted her to catch her breath even as his fingers continued dancing over her upper thighs to make patterns that made sense only to him. “Lord Schoenheit?” the young woman began hesitantly and received a hum in answer that encouraged her to continue speaking. “I don’t understand what you desire from me at this moment. I don’t know what I did wrong. Please…” she trailed off not knowing how or even what she was supposed to say to get a real answer. “Are you that thick-headed? Are you so naive to this matter?” Vil spoke sounding both disappointed and bemused. “Nevermind, that was a foolish question. I forgot that humans can be so dense even to things happening right in front of their noses” he added after a moment shaking his head and making water fly everywhere. One of the hands that had been idly moving along (Y/n)’s hips suddenly slid down between them to poke at the young woman’s nethers. On instinct, the girl tried to squeeze her thighs together and force the vampire’s hand to be still. “What an abrupt reaction, it’s almost like you were trying to put up a fight (Y/n)” Rook said surprising the young woman with the sudden usage of her name and giving his partner the opportunity he needed to wedge a leg between the girl’s knees so she couldn’t try and resist his touch again. Vil’s index finger flicked at (Y/n)’s clit and the girl’s body lurch in response at the sudden spark of pleasure and pain. The vampire did it a second time, harder now, and received another reaction from the young woman this time the movement was accompanied by a strangled moan. “Tell me (Y/n) how did that feel? Good?” Vil said with a smirk watching as the girl tried to avert her eyes even as her face became even redder with embarrassment. “There’s no point trying to lie, I’ll be able to tell if you do. So give me an answer my darling mortal~ Do you feel good?” he added with a third flick to the young woman’s sensitive clit which got a proper moan out of her that was paired with her frantically nodding to answer his question. “That’s better, I want to be able to reward you properly and I can't do that if you won’t answer my questions” the vampire crooned, trying to poke a finger into (Y/n)’s cunt. “Do you understand yet? Or do you need some more explanation before we get into the real fun of your reward Dame d’Aeon?” Rook said adjusting his grip so he could hold both of (Y/n)’s wrists in one hand and the other could be used for groping her breasts. “Or maybe you need it said aloud before you’ll get it. Ever since you arrived and became our new pet I’ve been hungry. Not only for your blood, oh no you made me ravenous for something more carnal than even that. It’s been a long time since I’ve desired the affections of someone besides Vil” he added in a low growl. “Do you have to make it sound so lewd” Vil said, his words suggesting disdain for his partner’s words but his tone had turned playful as his finger sunk into (Y/n)’s pussy and she let out a soft cry at the intrusion. “He’s telling the truth, there’s no point growing too close to one’s bloodbag. It only makes the eventual disposal that much harder to complete. Yet you, you pried your way into my mind and now it's impossible for me to be rid of you so easily” the blonde said sounding mildly annoyed as he added another finger to the one already inside the girl’s cunt and after a few moments more adding a third and fourth finger too. “You’re not making any sense, none of this makes any sense. Why are you doing this to me if you’re so attached to me? Please just stop!” (Y/n) said and then let out a squeak as Rook began laughing again. This time however she could feel something begin to grind against her backside as the vampire kept laughing at her childish naivete, and she squeezed her eyes shut trying not to think about it. The blonde did not take kindly to being ignored and he let out a low annoyed growl into the young woman’s ear before biting down on her neck and sucking her blood. The girl’s cry of pain was quickly cut off by one of pleasure as Vil’s fingers probed deeper into her cunt and pressed against a sensitive bunch of nerves that made (Y/n) see stars. The juxtaposition of Rook drinking her blood and Vil fingering her pussy was making all her senses go fuzzy as the opposing stimulations fought for dominance in her mind. Despite her best efforts to remain in control, there was nothing the young woman could do to stop her body from responding to the men’s advances and she found herself relaxing back into Rook’s grip as he continued to feed off her negating the need for Vil’s knee between hers. “Can you bend her forward for me?” Vil said, his words directed at Rook as he pulled his fingers free of (Y/n)’s cunt with a sloppy pop as her fluids clung to his digits even as he brought them to his mouth and licked them clean. The other vampire happily complied, retracting his fangs from the girl’s neck and removing his hands from her wrists and breast so he could force them behind her making it easier to hold them in place as she was bent overdo she looked like she was bowing in reverence. As the young woman was forced to bend, she soon came face to face with the purple-eyed man’s half-erect cock.

(Y/n) vaguely understood what she was being told to do even without the words being said. The problem was she didn’t know how to do it, having never been in a relationship long enough for this activity to come up as an option. A hand descended into her hair and entangling itself in her locks before lightly tugging to give her a warning of what might happen if she didn’t get to work. Hurriedly the young woman opened her lips and took the head of Vil’s cock into her mouth. Her technique was sloppy of course, owing in part to both inexperience and nerves. Fortunate for her then that neither of those things bothered the vampire very much. Vil let out a soft growl, using his other hand to cup (Y/n)’s cheek and stroke it lightly as she took more and more of his member into her mouth. All the while Rook continued to grind against her rear and grope at it as she obediently sucked the other blonde off. He gently pried open the girl’s thighs apart so he could nestle his cock between them and tease her overly sensitive clit some more while she focused on the task before her. (Y/n) tried to protest but her sounds were all muffled as she was forced to take more and more of Vil’s shaft. Vil tried to keep himself in control, this was supposed to be a pleasant experience for (Y/n) even if he was taking this chance to selfishly indulge a bit. He continued to stroke the girl’s cheek as his shaft disappeared further into her throat until her nose bumped against his pelvis. He used his grip on her hair to keep her there for a moment before pulling back a little and driving his cock back in, trying to encourage her to move her head a bit. The young woman quickly got the message and bobbed erratically on his shaft. Her movements were rewarded with stimulation from Rook who began thigh-fucking her to the same rhythm.  

If it wasn’t for his years of sexual experience and his extreme self-control, the blonde might have blown his load down the girl’s throat and ruined the entire encounter. At the last moment, he released her hair and pulled himself free of her delightful throat and mouth with a grunt. The sudden loss of the purple-eyed male’s grip almost made (Y/n) fall headfirst against the shower tile. Luckily Rook had not loosened his grip on her arms and kept her quite steady as she gasped for breath. The green-eyed male helped her back into a standing position before throwing his partner an excited, hopeful look. “Is it time for the main event Mon Cher?” Rook said his tone just oozing anticipation that was reciprocated by the other vampire who nodded with a smirk. (Y/n) just looked from one man to the other still not quite understanding what was about to transpire. Rook wrapped an arm around the young woman’s waist hoisting her up so her butt was pressed against his lower abdomen. With the other, he took hold of his cock and lined it up against her dripping cunt. The light pressure of the head of the vampire’s cock forcing her pussy open was what finally made (Y/n) understand what was going on. “Nononono” (Y/n) babbled trying to wriggle free of the blonde’s grip. “I’m sorry! Please! Don’t do this to me!” she continued to beg frantically. Her purity was the last thing she could still call her own, no matter how the vampires demeaned her and treated her like a toy she could still take pride in her still being a virgin. But now they were going to take that away from her too and she was beside herself in panic even as water from the showerhead above dripped into her mouth, choking as she inhaled the water amidst her wails for mercy from the two men. “Stop resisting (Y/n), you’re acting like a child” Vil scolded, stepping forward to grip the girl’s thighs and force them still so Rook could thrust up into her without any further fuss. (Y/n) tried to keep fighting but it was no use as her insides were abruptly forced open by Rook’s cock and the vampire let out a pleased moan at how warm her cunt was. The green-eyed male’s hips bucked lazily a few times as he grew accustomed to how perfectly (Y/n)’s inner muscles squeezed his member. The young woman’s head lolled to the side as tears began to build up in them and she let out a sniffle. “Oh Ma Chérie, you should save those tears for later” Rook said sweetly, peppering (Y/n)’s neck in kisses as Vil pressed his cock against the opening of the girl’s already stuffed cunt and began sheathing himself as well. This time the young woman didn’t bother trying to fight, there was no point resisting anymore when they’d already tainted her beyond repair. Vil’s body went still as he bottomed out inside (Y/n)’s pussy, and he let out a contented sigh before pressing some kisses to the girl’s neck as well. However as he and Rook began fucking their prey in earnest, his fangs came out and he began feeding on (Y/n)’s blood. As for (Y/n) her brain had gone totally blank from the intense pleasure and pain she was experiencing at the hands of the vampires. Her eyes rolled back in her skull making it impossible for her to tell which male was pinching her nipples and groping her tits and which one was biting her and toying with her clit like a doorbell button. Her cunt was dripping non-stop turning the water going down the drain pink with the blood from her lost maiden-hood. During a moment of clarity mid-fuck she managed to ask for the reason for this punishing reward. Her mind went cloudy again before she could hear the answer and her body was forced through a series of rapid-fire orgasms, each leaving her more sensitive than ever. By the time the vampires had had their fill of her body, (Y/n) was only half-conscious as they pulled out. She was easily maneuvered by the pair who washed her properly before carrying her out of the bathroom back to their bedroom. Usually, the young woman was banned from being in this room unless she'd seriously misbehaved and needed to be disciplined for an extended period of time. Yet she was tucked into the bed as if it was the most natural thing in the world as the vampires curled themselves around her and settled in for slumber. Vil fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, however Rook remained conscious awhile longer muttering to himself. “All I want is you. All I’ve ever wanted was you” were the only words (Y/n) could piece together in her drowsy state. Was he talking about Vil? Was he talking about her? Perhaps both? The young woman didn’t have the energy to ponder this query, not when the next time she woke she’d no longer be of the living world... THE END

[capri-ramblings]

These two were conveniently requested together so I decided to make it into one whole post. Also I posted this awhile ago but it didn't show up smh so I'm reposting it aha. I'm sorry for the long wait and thank you for your patience! (*´ω｀*)

Please refer to Pinned post before requesting.

Green as Envy II

Idia Shroud

- Idia's type of jealousy is the quiet one, though I wouldn't say it's not unnoticeable.

- He's immensely more reclusive and spends his time locked up in his room.

- Being pessimistic and awkward, Idia gets Jealous over small things that he tends to over think about

- Like the time Ace gave you his blazer when yours got dirty during lunch break or when Cater takes pictures of you and has his arms over your shoulders

- He knows they're your friends and that being the social person you are, you're bound to be surrounded by people but he just can't shake off the feeling that you're trying to get away from him

- As if you're using his dislike of crowds so you wouldn't have to put up with your closet boyfriend

- He isn't the most interesting person after all. He plays games and is an avid Otaku. It makes sense if you didn't want to be near him

- With that thought in mind, Idia starts to distance himself from you. He makes sure you don't bump into him after classes and he makes Ortho swear to always tell you he's busy when you come over to Ignihyde

- He's frustrated and insecure. He isn't sure where he is on your list or how much you really like him and Idia has never dealt with emotional pressure well

- He lets the Jealousy fester inside him and it caves in his entire mood. Just thinking about you hanging with Ace and Deuce riles him up

- When playing games, he switches to the kinds that are violent just so he can lash out a bit of his tension. Afterwards though he just lays in bed with his phone in his hand, wondering why you never bothered to call him.

- Gradually,Idia just gets moodier and whenever he sees Ace and Deuce, his gaze turns dark. He doesn't hate them,it's just...He wished he could be as fun as they were.

- Consoling him is easy though, convince Ortho you know how to make him feel better and you already have access to his cave.

- He'll be very fidgety of course when you suddenly enter his room. Part of his mind actually thinks he's gone insane but then you start talking and it's just horrible.

- You said you were worried about him? Has he been troubling you all along with his insecurities? How? And why?

- He won't know what to say but he will apologize even if a small Jealous part of him says it's your fault for being so carefree with other people

- If you hug him and nuzzle your head against his chest, you'll make him melt and Idia will stop processing thoughts all together

- It doesn't take much to reassure him but you'd have to reassure him a lot so his jealous side won't get the better of him again

Rook Hunt

- Oh,you made Rook Jealous?

- Well,at least now you'd know why Leona finds him intimidating.

- Rook doesn't express his Jealousy like most would, his eyes flicker too subtly for you to catch how he looks at you attentively watching Trey beat the pastry batter. How his hands just lightly overlap with yours almost like in a dreamy state

- A Jealous Rook is a Rook who starts to realise how easily likable and attainable you are to others and it's a jealousy that runs deep in his veins

- He won't say anything that indicates his Jealousy nor would he act any different, but if you paid a bit more attention to how his body reacted when other males make you smile or laugh, you'd notice how still his gaze is. As if he was burning the faces of those people in his memory

- Rook understands with you both being young and filled with life that there will always be things that will garner your attention greatly but the fact that anyone could so easily take your hand away from his whenever he's not looking...It just gives this bad taste gurgling in his stomach.

- He won't do anything that could hurt you though but he will act more profoundly and take you away with him anytime he sees fit

- You and a lot of other people would see it as Rook being his usual self, but the reason he's pulling you away isn't because he wasn't listening to your conversation but because he couldn't stop listening to it. How melodic and happy your voice sounded talking to Riddle and Epel.

- Rook will start leaving you small, unexpected gifts be it on your bed or in front of the porch of your dorm. Anything to make you feel pleased because of him.

- To Rook, Jealousy is simply another expression of love, so he isn't inherently frustrated by it but it does get him in a certain kind of mood. He'd describe it as the very first feeling he had when he went hunting. A Dangerous thrill.

- He's not upset but if you shower him with more attention than most, it'll earn you a lot of his in return.

Malleus Draconia

- Sulking.

- There isn't any other way to describe it.

- Malleus will say he isn't Jealous and he has no reason to be but the way he looks at you and the people around you is obvious if you really look

- It's like a brief glint that shimmers in his green gaze and colours it slightly off than usual

- He'll frown too but with Malleus always looking stern, it goes unnoticed often.

- Despite himself, Malleus gets Jealous when he sees how hands on you are with those around you,how involved you get into their lives whether or not it's planned and generally how people seem to just flock to you

- Usually the jealousness comes and goes pretty quickly but some days it just lingers in his head

- He won't ever tell you that he has no time though and insist you're allowed to come and visit as you'd like but he seems so distant and too quiet for you to not realize something is troubling him

- If you ask him he'll just stare at you a bit too long before he sighs and shakes his head

- "Just thoughts." He'd say

- Malleus rarely gets the chance to be around people and have them like him so when he sees you doing it so naturally, it makes him kinda envious

- He's not typically riled up by the fact you're surrounded by guys though since he trusts you completely but he won't lie that he gets a teensy bit irritated when people act as if he isn't part of your life

- Eventually he gives in and just expresses how he feels, asking if it bothered you or not that he wasn't able to solve such a simple emotional conflict

- All you have to do is just reassure him that it's normal to not be able to handle emotional things alone and that he's just like everyone else

- Simple words of comfort and a warm presence is the natural remedy to soothe this young dragon after all.

Epel Felmier

- Epel hates feeling Jealous, so whenever he does feel it, he tends to brush it off as a small matter and refuses to acknowledge it at all.

- Similar to Riddle though, his mood will tip over more often and he tends to lash out

- Epel's jealousy stems from the lack of progress he makes in making himself a strong and dependable partner for you and even if it's a one sided feeling, it frustrates him a lot

- He knows you're always putting yourself in danger and the thought of you being protected by other guys makes him want to grow as tall as Floyd and step on people who would hurt you

- He gets slightly touchy like Riddle too, and whenever anyone else tries to pull you towards them he gets this dirty look on his face and when he speaks his accent slips

- Epel will actually go as far as to use his naturally soft features to manipulate you into spending more time with him

- He'd pout his lips and his eyes would look so sad, how could you possibly say no to helping him make notes for his potion class?

- He doesn't see the manipulation to be wrong since he's not hurting you in any way, and plus it makes him less frustrated too. So it's good on both sides.

- At the end of the day though, Jealous Epel is harmless and actually makes him more motivated and boosts his spirit into building himself up as a man but if his moods get out of control, all you have to do is tell him there isn't a man on earth that could ever take you away from the one already holding your heart.

Ruggie Bucchi

- Despite himself, Ruggie gets Jealous a lot and his defense mechanism is similar to Leona's,minus the physical proof of it.

- He won't start biting or marking you like the beast prince would but his words does get kinda condescending whenever he sees that you don't realize you're making him Jealous

- Ruggie's seen it all, you know. How some relationships turn bad quick and it was mainly the reason he stayed away from it.

- But life is unexpected, and now that he's in a relationship himself, Ruggie's survival instincts kicks in fast.

- Unlike most Jealous partners,Ruggie's senses heightened and he becomes more observant of his partner's action and gestures.

- He doesn't trust easily, so this comes to bite him in the back and it starts playing thoughts in his head that riles him up even more than he is already

- Ruggie won't say he's Jealous,nor will he make it obvious that he is. When you ask him why he seems tense though, he'll laugh if off and add in something like, "What? Are you suddenly becoming some kind of mood radar?"

- He'll purposely let his words take you aback and he'll admit that he wants to see you a bit hurt but if it gets too bad Ruggie just starts to avoid you by acting like he's too busy

- While he's aware that putting the distance himself he's giving way to the possibility of you leaving him, Ruggie's conscience knows it's wrong to hurt you just because he's frustrated.

- He does a lot of self reflecting and tries to put a bit more trust in the relationship,but of course it doesn't happen in a day,right?

- Dealing with a Jealous Ruggie is better when you're patient and give him his space so that he can have his own thoughts before you come to confront him about it

- He's a bit harder to reassure but once he sees how genuinely worried you are,Ruggie will go soft and just let you shower him with any sort of comfort he needs.

- Though honestly the fastest way to convince him is to let him know that you only want him holding you.

Floyd Leech

- Floyd's a handful.

- A Jealous Floyd? That's just a nightmare coming to life.

- With his unpredictable moodswings, Floyd is always getting Jealous over things that you will never truly understand.

- He'll tell you that he's upset and that you're the reason behind it but he won't tell you how to fix it

- "Ha? Figure it out yourself why don't you? I'm kinda pissed so I don't want to help you."

- His eyes turn sharp in a split second before it goes dim and dull. Like he's bored of watching you look at him with confusion

- This goes on for days and not even Jade could help you, and that's only when his Jealousy is still mild.

- An extremely Jealous Floyd consists of Jade helping you avoid him at any cost everyday for an entire month because if Floyd so much as sees you, he'll make you run until you're crying for a brief minute to just get air into your lungs

- It's never sure as to why Floyd could get jealous nor is there any indication of it until he comes out and say it

- Most of the time though Floyd gets over his Jealousy when he has you cornered and he sees how scared you are of him, how close you are to crying in front of him. It makes him feel like he really does matter a lot to you if you're in pain because he's Jealous

- Rather Twisted,Floyd doesn't really know he scares the living lights out of you when he's in that state but once he's over it though,he's all over you with hugs and smiles.

- Best advice for Jealous Floyd? Make sure you work on your stamina.

Jade Leech

- Jealous or not,Jade will always smile even when he's displeased.

- His speech mannerisms doesn't change at all but somehow, whenever he's near you, his polite demeanor feels sick and dark. Like a looming dark cloud during a sunny day.

- He'll reassure you that he isn't upset or in a bad mood but the smile doesn't seem to reach his eyes

- "Oya,how could I ever be mad at you?"

- You must've done something to make him like this but like his twin,Jade won't say what it is.

- It shouldn't be easy to make him Jealous but once he is,Jade will probably the most hardest to reconcile with.

- Depsite his polite composure,Jade isn't so forgiving and even when he acts as if he's always in contro, he's not.

- Maybe it was the way you're always around those Heartslyabul boys or how doting you are with your first year schoolmates like Jack and Deuce.

- Either way,even when he's severely upset,Jade enjoys seeing you stumble on your existence trying to appease him, though eventually he'll get over it and start acting normally again

- When faced with a Jealous Jade,it's probably better for you to try and not get him in an even worst mood. And maybe try to not get too happy around him either, he'll think you're doing it on purpose to spite him.

[littlemisswriter]

Connection

Summary:

Imagine Lily and Jacob sharing a bed together for the first time

[This honestly gives me so many feels!! Please enjoy x]

The warmth of the train carriage had been a complete contrast in comparison to the cold rain looming over London. It hadn't been unusual for the assassins to each return at different times during the night, though the weather had done nothing but been mere encouragement to find shelter quicker.

Footsteps began through the carriage, the pair that made them covered from head to toe in their robes. The cowls had still been hauled over their heads, raindrops dripping from the edges in attempt to keep those underneath dry. Yet despite any inconvenience from the weather, the two seemed unbothered, pulling back their hoods with a smile etched on each face. Lily had been the first, making way before the fireplace in said carriage while drawing her attention over her shoulder every so often.

"I have to say, I'm impressed." Her hands held out to the fire, her gloves quickly disregarded to capture direct warmth against her skin.

"Did you doubt me, love?" Jacob came by her side, hood removed as he lightly nudged the edge of his shoulder to hers. Her attention turned to him, eyes grazing over the bruises he sustained during the fight. Mere hours ago, the assassins had been underground, finding easy entertainment with those that weren't afraid to get their hands dirty. A handful of Rooks had also been in attendance, acting as support to their leader that managed to finish all rounds in the ring; coming out as the winner yet again.

"Never," she lightly laughed, "the odds were against you, which made your win all the better." It had been true. Three brutes up against Jacob had seemed like an unfair advantage, but the Rook leader was unfazed, still managing to tear through one by one with incredible strategy and strength. "Besides, I got what I paid for." Her quip had Jacob chuckle deeply, eyes looking down to his partner as she stood grinning at the flames.

"Did you now?" He turned, hand closest to her making a trail across the small of her back. The sudden physical attention had done nothing less than to stir a mild shiver up her spine, the assassin easing into his touch as he pressed a chaste kiss to her temple. "You're a cheeky one tonight." Lily hummed, turning to perch both hands on his chest, the two close before the warmth as they gaze into each others eyes.

"Just in a good mood is all." Leaning up on her toes, she pressed a light kiss to Jacob's lips, the man humming in delight at the attention. Even going so far as to follow her after she pulled away, the action earning another round of light laughter. He could only smile at the sound of her good mood, hands slipping around to her hips as he tugged her against his torso. "Anyway, I should let the winner get some rest. Freddy has requested our audience tomorrow." Groaning at the awaiting work, his arms only tightened as he buried his face to her neck.

"They can wait." Lily's arms reached around his own neck, indulging in the close embrace against Jacob. His scent having become familiar to her, and now rather pleasant despite his activities. "Or," he began, slowly pulling away enough to look down at her. His hazel eyes drifting between her own emerald gaze as his hand gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "you could stay here. With me." The offer had her brow raise as she glanced over to the nearby bed.

They hadn't been together for a long time, yet it appeared to seem reasonable to start sharing a bed with one another. Most would call it indecent to do such a thing before marriage, yet that had never been deemed a problem to them. Lily hadn't shied away from the idea, her fingers idly tracing along Jacob's arms as she contemplated the new arrangement. He kept attentive to her face, his hand now settling against her jaw as he simply admired the woman.

"I suppose so," she finally came to, turning attention back onto Jacob. She met his soft gaze, the slight swelling doing little to change his features as he drew no concern to it, "that it's finally time." The fact that Jacob had held off the suggestion this long had been a miracle in itself. Yet the relationship between the two had blossomed into something he had taken very seriously, having no intent to mess anything up from impatience. Lily's fingers slowly etched up and around his opened collar, tugging lightly at the material as she coyly smirked up at the man. "I'd like that."

The motion had been approved, Jacob eager to praise with his lips pressed against her own. Lily could only smile against him as his hands moved from the small of her back up to the buttons of her coat. His fingers nimble in undoing her clothing though his excitement appeared to stem higher. Jacob's lips pressed deeper against her own, slowly opening her coat outwards to lay his hands to her hips.

He was getting carried away, and as exhilarating as the thought of bedding the man was, she had been quite tired. His lips dragged from her own and along her jaw, fingers dipping deliberately to get a rise from the assassin. But she could only softly grab his hands and guide them up between them, cupping them in her own as she pressed another chaste kiss to his lips.

"Not yet." She mumbled, lifting a hand to softly caress his face before gently tugging him back towards the bed. Jacob sighed, his riled intentions coming back down as the pair began to disregard the heavier clothing. Weaponry, belts, and shoes had been taken off, leaving them in easy attire to rest in; though Jacob had chosen to go shirtless as he always had, the array of hair from his chest down to his pelvis had caught Lily's eye. Now she had been the one to have to simmer down any racing thoughts.

"After you, my dear." His hand extended out toward the bed as Lily took the corner underneath the window. The bedsheets were soft and welcoming, unable to restrain an audible sigh as her sights turned up to the rain hitting against the glass. It could put her in a trance like state, if the sudden warmth of the man behind her didn't catch her attention.

His arms wrapped eagerly around Lily, chest pressed closely to her back properly for the first time like this. Her hands cupped his own, the man nuzzling to the back of her neck with light kisses. She could only hum again in content while his leg pushed between her own, tangling their limbs as they shared warmth beneath the colder weather. To feel so whole, so safe and comfortable like this had done wonders to the pair. Jacob leaning up to press kisses to the back of her shoulder as Lily muttered his name in praise.

The two knew that from this point, sleeping apart simply wouldn't commence anymore. To be this intimate without any sexual tension was nice. To be held close and true by those who have developed an emotional connection to you was complete bliss. Lily never properly having this until she had met Jacob, and the man clung to the relations he had with her, happily content to be apart of something meaningful for the first time in his life.

"Goodnight, Jacob," Lily whispered, gently running a hand up and down his arm before going limp against the sheets beneath them.

"Goodnight, my love." He whispered back, lazily smiling at the last interaction before sleep eventually turned his world black.

[akirakurusuimagines]

Something to Protect

Posting my piece for a zine that didn't go through, I hope you enjoy this P5xHMC AU with Akira as Howl and Hifumi as Sophie!

“Check,” Hifumi breathed as she placed the rook on the far end of the board, promoting it and leaving the white king no room for escape in the very same fashion as when she mercilessly destroyed Akira in their first battle on the board⁠. 

She unclenched her jaw and relaxed her face, sinking back into the chair she set up in front of the warm hearth Caroline and Justine sustained with a deep sigh, feeling her old bones ache as she released all of the tension she unknowingly held throughout her solo match. She briefly assessed the state of the shogi board Akira had so kindly gifted her before closing her eyes, her chest aching in a way she only heard about in fairytales.

Hifumi stroked the indented lines of the time-worn lance piece she always kept inside her dress pocket as a token from her father⁠. It was the same piece she once caught Akira tossing and catching in his hand a few days after returning home from one of his secretive expeditions, where he asked her with his unbearably charming grin and mischievous gaze if she knew how to play. 

The corner of her mouth twitched upwards at the memory, remembering how frantically she had stumbled over herself in order to retrieve it after returning to Akira’s moving castle with bags of fresh groceries cradled in her aged arms. Hifumi had made a complete fool of herself, and yet, she recalled with fondness the way he laughed at her haggard state, holding the shogi piece higher than she could reach, and without any regard for her current unsightly appearance, cupped her cheek with tenderness she hadn’t expected from a rumored casanova like him. 

“You don’t have to worry, you know, I’m not going to do anything to it,” Akira had explained as he tucked a strand of greyed hair behind her ear⁠—she could almost feel the ghost of his fingers against her skin even now, igniting her nerves and setting her heart aflame. “You’ve done so much for me, so I wanted to thank you somehow. You don’t have anything but this kosha piece, do you?” 

Hifumi remembered staring at him as she slowly shook her head⁠—not used to acts of affection of any sort⁠—until he pulled away, turning around to grab something from one of the many drawers underneath the array of coffee beans. He handed her a gift box which looked rather expensive, and even as she hesitated to take it, he urged her with a gentle crinkle around his eyes and a toothy grin, proud as ever. Her heart stuttered with joy seeing the well-crafted shogi set that he obviously paid good money for. When she had tried to refuse it, telling him to spend his hard-earned gold on something more worthwhile, he gave her a stern look and replied rather curtly. “Seeing your smile as you opened up the box made it worthwhile, and then some. You’re not going to refuse a gift, are you?”

It took some time to convince her, but he eventually suggested a compromise she agreed on: Hifumi would teach Akira how to play shogi whenever he requested it in exchange for the set. He took full advantage of it, stopping her from cooking or cleaning so they could play. She often wondered why he would ask her for a match so frequently, when there were far better things to do, like cleaning up after himself or researching a new spell. 

Still, she couldn’t help but chuckle as she recalled the way his obvious gambling complex peaked as they played, the raw, abrasive competitive nature he held behind his pretty face urging her own fighting spirit forth—to the point where she would sometimes forget he was a complete novice at the game and let old embarrassing habits slip through. 

Hifumi’s chest felt hollow at the memory of Akira’s playful demeanor and kind words, the temporary café setup suddenly much colder with the harsh reminder of his absence. She opened her eyes, a sad sigh leaving her lips before she could stop it. 

“Oh, so you’re finally done being lost in la-la-land?” Caroline’s tone dripped with sarcasm, the bright blue fire threatening to consume the wooden board in an attempt to catch Hifumi’s attention. 

At her side, Justine’s softer flame coaxed her temperamental twin to calm herself. “Patience, Caroline,” she chided, “she’s already tended to our needs tirelessly, give her a moment more to rest. We’re all on edge right now.”

“No, it’s quite alright,” Hifumi reassured, but the smile she offered them didn’t reach her eyes. She glanced to the side, over to where Shinya was playing with Morgana, watching him run around frantically as the tip of his tail changed from one thing to the next, and bit her bottom lip. She needed to say something, before it consumed her whole. 

“Caroline, Justine,” she began, letting the words roll off her tongue, knowing if she stopped now, she’d never be able to get the words haunting her off her chest, “I think…I think I’m in love.” She didn’t need to elaborate, the answers they needed were written all over her face.  

“What?!” Caroline’s emotions couldn’t be tamed⁠ with the sudden announcement, a near-inferno licking the roof of their fireplace as she stared at Hifumi with astonishment. “You? In love with the trickster? What do you even see in him?!”

Justine at least tried to remain calm in the face of Hifumi’s confession. “Caroline, your jealousy is showing,” she teased, the smile on the flame only growing wider as her twin pushed back against her roughly with a loud yell in an effort to shut her up.

“What’re you guys talking about?” Shinya’s annoyed voice rang loudly in Hifumi’s ears, startling her from the bickering. 

“Oh⁠— ah…” Hifumi mumbled nervously, wringing her hands together on her lap, rather embarrassed. “I… was just telling these two how much I missed Akira. He’s been gone for quite some time,” she explained. 

“Liar!” Caroline seethed, giving her a stink eye. “If you’re going to be in love with that no-good trickster, you had better learn to be proud of it!” 

He laughed loudly at Caroline’s outburst, having known about Hifumi’s secret admiration for a while now. Caroline would’ve exploded from mortification after realizing she had been the last to know had it not been for Justine’s soft whispers about something Hifumi couldn’t quite pick up, which simmered her down until she nearly fizzled out on the charred wood she rested on.

Shinya tugged at Hifumi’s sleeve as he calmed down and stared at her sternly, trying to be as serious as possible⁠—he really did care about her, Hifumi thought. “If Master Akira hurts you, I’ll make sure he regrets it. I’ll make his hair fall out.” 

“There’s no need to go that far, Shinya⁠,” Hifumi nervously laughed, remembering the shocking outburst when his fluffy hair had spontaneously turned a bright, almost blinding blonde as the result of a flyaway spell that took forever to return to its normal color. It was a humorous memory, but she wasn’t sure if she could handle Akira’s reaction to suddenly being balder than a newborn babe.

She forced herself off the chair with a soft groan, adjusting her dress and tucking the loose strands of hair behind her ear. She looked outside, watching as the early sunset illuminated the busy streets, people still fleeing with their livelihoods in a hurry as the impending war approached their humble town. She frowned, her anxiety ceaseless, but a gentle tug on her hand from Shinya snapped her out of it. He really was a good kid under his rough exterior. 

“Let’s go outside and pick some flowers in the field nearby,” Shinya said, looking at her tenderly before clearing his throat and hurriedly adding, “I want to find something for a new spell master Akira was teaching me.”   

Hifumi took one last glimpse at the other residents of the strange castle, at the twins and then at Morgana, her position as caretaker making her a little more susceptible to worry. She gave in after a moment of hesitation, figuring some fresh air would do them good. Who knew when it would happen again? “Alright, but we should only be out for a few minutes. It’s going to get dark faster than you think, and we had better be here in case something happens.”

Shinya’s cheeks flushed with warmth as he rushed to take the basket in one hand and Hifumi’s in the other, tugging her towards the door excitedly. He didn’t often get to do this, it seemed. 

“Slow down, Shinya,” Hifumi covered her grin behind her free hand as he guided her hastily towards the array of gorgeous wildflowers flowers⁠ just a few blocks from the castle—a sight that made her heart ache for Akira, remembering the way he beamed when he presented his secret garden to her. It felt like eons ago.

“You hold onto the basket, Hifumi,” Shinya said, once again bringing her out of her melancholic thoughts before rushing off, diving into the sea of tall flowers as he searched for whatever ones he thought would work. 

“Alright, but don’t stray too far!” she called out to him, hoping he heard. Hifumi kneeled down in a soft patch of grass, examining a few of the flowers surrounding her, swaying slightly in the wind and brushing against her skin as if to comfort her. 

She leaned forward and took a large red wildflower between her fingers. The color was a gorgeous crimson, the same color as Akira’s eyes whenever he drew on his magical abilities, intentionally or not. Shinya’s eyes, by contrast, turned a glittering gold. 

Hifumi continued to stroke the colorful petals of the flower, gazing upon it sentimentally as Shinya raced back and forth between the thicket of flowers and her basket, choosing only the best. The moon crested over the horizon and the sun’s radiance slowly dimmed, sky of pink hues slowly giving way for the stars.

It was the abrupt blaring of the air-raid siren that jolted Hifumi upwards onto her legs, adrenaline suddenly bursting through her veins as the constant whining of the sirens above them numbed all other thoughts. “Shinya!” she called, distressed. Hifumi turned, spotting Shinya’s cloak as he looked up at her, eyes wide with fear. She sighed in relief, only to watch as black ooze began to slither behind him. 

Her body moved on its own. Hifumi dropped everything in her arms, crushing the beautiful flowers under her feet as she dove to tackle Shinya out of the way of the shadow who threatened to attack him. They rolled together for a brief moment in the dirt at the force before the shadow advanced on them once again, and without a second thought, Hifumi scooped Shinya up in her arms. 

She couldn’t be sure if it was the adrenaline rush or a blessing from the gods above that she felt lighter and faster than usual as she rushed back towards the moving castle. Even as the harsh stinging of heavy steps begged her for relief, she refused to relent until they were in the safety of Caroline and Justine’s hearth. Hifumi held on tightly to Shinya as he clung to her neck, weaving in and out of alleyways and dodging any further shadows popping up, a near swarm of them licking at her heels. She stumbled, nearly falling, her ears ringing the world around her nearly collapsed, heart racing as she pushed forth, the view of their home just out of reach. 

Hifumi knew she wouldn’t be able to make it to the castle before the shadows caught her and Shinya, spelling out their doom. She pried the boy off of her and shoved him away, slowing her steps as she did so to give him time to process and react to what was happening. “Run! Go back to Caroline and Justine!” Hifumi ordered. Shinya could only nod and scurry away, tears welling up in his eyes as he clung to torn and bruised flowers, disappearing around the corner. Hifumi darted to the right into another alleyway to distract the shadows from following him. Smoke and exhaustion burned her lungs, the hem of her dress was tattered and torn, and yet she pushed onwards, praying for Shinya’s safety with the twins and Akira’s peculiar cat. 

I’ve really done it this time, haven’t I? Hifumi thought as she found herself trapped in a garden of an evacuated home. There was only one way in and shadows already began to flood through it, swarming her from all sides. Hifumi looked up to the sky as defeat began to sink in, watching as vibrant reds and oranges of destruction reflecting off the clouds with no sign of hope, believing that it would be the last sight she would see. She squeezed her eyes shut and clasped her hands together in a prayer. “I’m sorry, Akira⁠—”

Anguished screeching of faded shadows behind her surprised Hifumi. She whipped around to see Akira, nearly completely transformed, crushing shadows under his heeled feet. He silently wrapped one arm around her, pulling her immobilized body close, keeping her safe and warm as he extended his clawed fingers and his large raven wings, fury burning in his crimson gaze. He raised the hands of the dead, dragging the wailing shadows back into the abyss with the force of a master magician.

“Akira,” Hifumi’s voice was hardly above a whisper, nearly drowned out by the sounds of the ongoing sirens, “Akira, you’re here.” She pulled away from him for a moment to look up, this form far larger than his usual lanky self. “You’re really here,” Hifumi’s lips quivered as she threw herself onto him, hugging him tightly and burying her face in his neck, refusing to let go.

“I’m here,” he spoke equally as softly, careful to not harm her with his claws. Akira rested his temple against her head as her body quaked with sobs, melting into her touch just as she did in his. “I’m sorry I’m late. You’re safe now,” he cooed, hoping to soothe her. 

“I was so worried about you,” Hifumi choked on her words, relief pouring out with every word. 

“I know,” Akira stroked her back calmly. “Let’s get you home.” 

Hifumi’s cheeks grew hot as Akira effortlessly carried her in his arms, cradling her like a bride. She didn’t protest, though by the rumble she felt from Akira’s chest, he knew she was embarrassed. Even now, he was cheeky. 

No shadow dared to approach them as Akira walked her back to the castle, setting her down on the steps in front of the door, giving her some extra height. “Go back in and take the castle far away,” Akira instructed, the whizzing of explosives and bangs of destruction pertinent in his mind. “I’ll come find you when I’m finished here.” 

“No!” Hifumi yelled, her outburst startling Akira. She took his face in her hands and looked at him, desperate. “I don’t want to risk losing you, please, it’s too dangerous.”  

Akira nuzzled his face on the warm hand that cupped his cheek, closing his eyes to avoid her hurt expression. “I can’t,” he explained with a heavy heart. “Another wave is coming, and Caroline and Justine are too weak to handle it and the shadows.” 

“Don’t fight them! We can make a tactical retreat⁠—” 

“Sorry, Hifumi,” Akira shook his head, peeling himself off of her and taking a step back, his hand still holding hers. “I’ve had enough of running away. Now, I have something I want to protect,” he squeezed her hand briefly. “It’s you.”

Hifumi bit the inside of her cheek, seeing in his determined eyes just how serious he was. Akira was stubborn, whether it was in shogi or in war, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to change his mind. But she had things to protect too. Her kosha piece, the other residents of the castle, Akira. 

Before he could slip out of her grasp, she tugged him forward and kissed him firmly, allowing tears to roll down her cheeks, conflicted but compliant. She pried open one of his hands as she kissed him, forcing the old lance piece from her dress pocket into his palm before forcing it close and pulling away slowly, knowing once she did he would be gone. “You had better win and come back home safely,” her voice cracked as she spoke, but before she could say another word, Akira kissed her chastely, a soft smile on his face. He understood.

“I intend to.” 

Not a moment more, Akira flew off into the war-ridden night, taking her lance and her heart while leaving behind a feather and a promise.

[mistyeyedbi-archive]

🖊 Lucille

Oh you're just indulging me today!🤩

Lucille was wilding as a teenager. She wanted nothing to do with anyone, and was ready to leave the house as soon as she had the money. She had a little business at school where she'd fix things for people. Stuck lockers, watches, sewing up tears in clothes, but she barely went to school so it wasn't the mostly steady income. And it was boring. And she didn't care about any of these people's things.

What she did care about were cars. She managed to save Rook's toolbox from the storage unit, so she'd skip school in favor of fixing up cars left in junkyards. Unfortunately she wasn't alone the entire time. Some people would mind their business, others would ask the standard "aren't you a little young to be messing with these cars?" to which she'd reply "aren't you a little old to be moving?"

But there were some real creeps who would show up there. Nevermind that though, that just means she doesn't have to invest in an actual punching bag yet.

She eventually manged to get one to function properly. On her 16th birthday she decided to stop waiting on Rebecca and drove to the big city! At night with no GPS. Not the greatest idea but the adrenaline that coursed through her was the most she'd felt in a while, which convinced her to go through with it. Also it would piss Rebecca off, so that's another win.

She drove into this one section of the city that seemed pretty dead that evening. She was disappointed at first, like damn why do people hype up this place if it looks like a ghost town? But then there was a loud sound. The roar of an engine. She saw two cars appear in the corner of her eye. They were fixer uppers but they were fast. They drifted at a corner and sped right past her and hOlY sHIt WhAt!?

So she jumps in her little car and follows them until she hears the sound of people cheering. Long story short she stumbled across two groups of street racers! And they were earning big bucks while doing it too! And so began her street racing career. She later finds out it was illegal but she didn't let that stop her.

[edda-blattfe]

I fully support Mal x Vil x reader/MC that's top tier. Your universe brain is blessing the fandom with that. Now I'm imagining Vil finding excuses to go to the Diasom dorm to see Mal and MC... I bet it's study sessions between the dorms initially, but Epel and Rook see the way he is with Mal and MC and know exactly what he's doing almost immediately. It's not long before they say stuff like "we understood today's lesson, you go on ahead tho" just so Vil can be more alone with them

~Ehh, thank you love!~

Ooh! I love the way your mind works!!! Mind if I go ahead and share some relationship headcanons for this trio?

Malleus x Vil x MC Pollyship Headcanons:

- A few details on this MC. Both Mal and Vil are strong willed, decisive, manipulative, and dramatic individuals with a horrid tendency to wallow in their negative emotions rather than find proactive ways of dealing with them or seeking help from others. For these reasons, I believe MC would have to be a rather laidback and open minded person. They wouldn’t have to be plain per say, but just not as dramatically flamboyant in comparison to their romantic interests. It would also be a load off of the boys if MC is honest, maybe a little blunt, and genuine; in this case, they wouldn’t feel the need to manipulate MC, being comfortable enough to let their guard down. Since the boys are lacking in emotional intelligence, it would fall to MC to pick up the slack in that department; thus they’re also gonna need to be observant enough to recognize when their boys’ are in a foul mood, be quick to analyze the situation to identify the source of their discomfort, and think of a healthy way to help them deal with those emotions. So, to summarize, this MC is: easygoing, open minded, relatively modest, honest/blunt, genuine, intelligent, observant, analytical, and tactful. Also gonna toss in curious and sharp, just for the he’ll of it. MC is in Diasomnia, because: a) that’s how Des’s scenario fits, and b) Malleus would the most difficult of the two to get close to, so earning his friendship first would be key to beginning this polyship. Moving on now.

- It didn’t take long after the first years’ arrival for Mal to notice MC, as they were already proving to be an excellent student. From what he’d gleaned from Sebek’s retelling of class, MC always paid attention and took notes during lectures, almost always answered every question pertaining to the subject of study (both from the professors and fellow students) in a clear and concise manner, and never shied away from their schoolwork. Malleus observed them from a distance, just to be sure if they were really worth his time, before finally approaching them. He was cautious in his initial introduction, not wanting to terrify the little creature too terribly with his oppressive aura. Much to his surprise, they didn’t seem all that deterred, in fact the exchange and following conversation was rather pleasant; so much so, that Mal continued to visit with them. Gradually their conversations became longer, deeper. It was easy for the draconic fae to relax around MC, since he realized that they weren’t the type to use personal information against others. In time, Malleus came to think of them as a good friend.

- Vil, on the other hand, didn’t give MC much thought for the better half of the semester. Outside of Malleus occasionally mentioning them there had never been an opportunity for them to catch his eye, especially since they didn’t really stand out in a visual sense. That changed during one of the school mock battles. This particular event required every able bodied student to group up into teams of 3-5 students all chosen by a leader. Naturally, Malleus got first dibs and chose Lilia, Vil, and MC for his team. The Pomefiore dorm leader attempted to convince his dear friend that someone a little more experienced than a first year would probably be a better choice, but Mal would hear nothing of it; Vil found out why soon enough. Just as they did in school, MC paid close attention to Mal’s strategy briefing and wasn’t afraid to ask questions or suggest alternative plans if things didn’t work out in their favor; it was impressive, even to Vil. The event went over quite well for them, the four person team overcame their opponents through mutual cooperation and tactical precision; in an odd way, the whole practice was kind of fun actually! Afterwards they went to the cafe to celebrate, there Vil and MC finally got a chance to talk. The two of them got along pretty well, and became fast friends.

- As Des said; Vil began using group study sessions to spend more time with Mal and MC...which Rook and Epel caught onto, then suggested he just go ahead by himself. Malleus was relieved at this news; not that he doesn’t like the other Pomefiore members, but he’d much rather spend time with just MC and Vil...you know, alone.

- At first the three of them mainly hung out during study sessions, which somehow evolved into training sessions, eventually makeovers and trips to Mr. S’s Mystery Shop.

- Let’s say that MC isn’t familiar with doing their hair or makeup. Vil happily designates himself as their cosmetics instructor, Mal occasionally pitching in as his assistant when he can. Despite succeeding in teaching MC their ways, both of the boys still enjoy doing it themselves.

- Mal started growing noticeably possessive of the other two, growling if someone seemed to stand too close or placed a hand on them in an all too familiar way. While Vil began fussing over their appearances, not in a nitpicky way, just fixing their hair or makeup more often; he even lent them his favorite product. None of this raised any flags for MC, who gradually became more comfortable initiating physical contact; leaning against them, laying their head on the others’ shoulders, sometimes even wrapping their arms around them.

- Like In @twistedwonderlandimagines Vil x Malleus headcanons, Mal was the first to realize that he liked the others as far more than just friends. They were in his dorm room, Mal watched as Vil brushed MC’s hair on the bed, adorably content with being there. “I love you,” Mal confessed nonchalantly. It was barely louder than mumble, but it was enough to make the others stop dead in their activity and stare at him questioningly. “Both of you, I mean.” Vil and MC glanced at each other, “Like,” MC spoke slowly, “platonically? Or...” The look on Mal’s face made the answer quite clear. Vil cleared his throat, MC shifted to view both of their companions. “Ok then. Let’s...uh, talk about this.”

- And So, they did. It was a little awkward at first, but in the end, they all agreed to try dating. At first MC and Vil thought they were just supposed to share the dragon. But, soon became very aware of their own feelings for each other, which led to more awkwardness as they attempted to sort out how that fit into the relationship dynamic. Of course, Malleus isn’t blind and, just as he did with the confession, blatantly told them he didn’t mind them dating each other too, maybe even preferred it, if it meant he didn’t have to watch their confusing little game any more. There ya go, crisis averted.

- Turns out that their relationship didn’t change all that much. They still enjoy all of the usual activities, only now there’s some intermittent cuddle sessions and kisses being exchanged. Mal has since decided to move his study time to his room, since there he can sit with both of his darlings. *debates whether or not to describe how they make out* *vetos due to excessive blood rush**maybe with a little peer pressure...*

- It’s an unspoken rule that MC is the designated comforter. Whenever zone of the boys are feeling stressed or under the weather, they’ll just latch on and soak in MC’s affection. If the third person comes in, MC will hold out an arm to welcome them; It’s very rare that this doesn’t end with all of them nodding off in a cozy pile.

- Once they’re all comfortable enough, group baths become a thing. Vil brings in his favorite shampoos and conditioner, along with sweet smelling bath oils and plushy towels. Mal loves it when MC uses their nails to gently scratch his scalp while working the shampoo into his Raven locks, particularly around the base of his horns. They all secretly enjoy pressing their cheeks to the others warm, damp shoulders...It’s just a really sweet past time.

That’s all I have for now. Feel free to add on more headcanons if y’all like!