#doesn't want to admit she's better with the spear

[snackugaki]

Have I finally let go of that one horse stance joke my brain farted out six years ago?

hahahahaahhha ✨NO✨

[aphroditesmoon]

heyy for the clarisse head cannons, maybe a enemies to lovers w clarisse

enemies to lovers hcs with clarisse

clarisse la rue x fem!reader

warnings: fighting, mild violence, kissing.

- I feel like you would probably be in athena cabin or hermes, (or whichever ur prefer)

- clarisse has a lot of people who hate her, but no one brave enough to challenge he, until she met you.

- the two of you match eachother's skills, and it's frustrating for clarisse to admit that you're actually good.

- "you really think you're all that, don't you?"

- "of course not, we both know no ones better than you, clarisse."

- you probably meant it literally, but everyone watching laughs anyway.

- everytime you spar with her, its not because you want to humiliate her but simply because you're intrigued by clarisse.

she was an angry, violent girl, and you wondered deep down if that was the only side of her that existed.

- she doesn't know that ofc.

- she thinks everytime you try to be funny or nice to her, you're just being patronizing.

- for example, when you tell her she's not that bad or try to help her up after you win she's sure that you meant it in a mocking way.

- that was until she got beef with the new kid percy jackson and he broke her spear 💀

- when you found her alone in the ares cabin while everyone's eating dinner, you tried to comfort her. she doesn't appreciate the notion.

- "you shouldn't have went after him, clarisse." you told her.

- "how was I supposed to know he was a son of the big three?" she snapped back, refusing to look anywhere else but atnthe spear.

- the cabin was sileny for a moment before yoi spoke again, "maybe you could give it over to the haphaestus kids, they could fix it."

- "this is a magical spear, not a normal one." she answers back.

- she assumed you came to gloat, to tell her she deserved it, to call her a bully like everyone else did, but she was weirdly comforted by your presence instead. she didn't have to lie or pretend to be strong in front of you, something she learned of after a few months in of sparring with you is that you wouldn't hit someone during their weakest.

- "I remember the first gift my mom/dad gave me when I first got here. a knife, It meant so much to me, but I didn't know that it wasn't invincible, I broke it while trying to pull it out of a tree after I accidentally staked it into."

- clarisse was quiet for a moment before turning to you with a frown and said: "that's so stupid."

- you smiled at her and nodded your head. "yeah it was." she smiled back at you and shook her head. "I can't believe thats the same person who beat my ass last week."

- your eyes widened. "I can't believe you're actually admitting that I've beat your ass." she scoffed at that.

- "how did it end up in the tree anyways?" She asked. you blinked for a few times and reluctantly responded, "I tried to carve my name onto the tree." you could tell clarisse was so baffled by it that she wanted to laugh, but instead she just stared at you with her mouth wide open.

- "thats-" "stupid, yeah, you already said that."

- "carving your name on a tree? really? what, were you 10 years old or something?"

- you were 10. "I was 10 actually." "oh." her face relaxed, all of it finally making sense.

- "anyways, what I mean is, at least your spear went out in a fight. I'm sure your father must be really proud of you."

- clarisse looked away immediately, as if the idea of her father at all, hurted her.

- "you know nothing about my father."

- you shrugged and sat next to her on her bed. "I don't, but I know you. and I'd say you did pretty damn well.".

- you expected her to snap at you again, that was her thing, confronted by kindness or any kind of empathy, fight or flight. but instead she smiled sadly at you. "you think so?"

- you answered yes and inched closer to her. "everyone at camp is either scared of you, or they respect you. that respect didn't come out of nowhere."

- clarisse nodded her head, staring back down at the spear on her lap. "do you really think they can fix it?"

- "it's worth a try." you told her.

- the next time you see her was the following day after she and the other cabin leaders were gathered together for Percy to choose for his quest.

- you noticed she still tries ti act cold with you, but she was less meaner than before.

- "chiron gathered the best of the best to join the quest." she had told you when you asked her where she went.

- "and he asked you to be there?"

- "what, you don't think im good all of the sudden?" she asks, glaring at you.

- you rolled your eyes at her. "I know you're good, but I also know that you tried to kill Percy yesterday, not exactly team spirit is it?"

- she considered it for a moment and shrugged. "who cares, at least that punk will be gone for a while. everything can go back to normal." you follow her as she walked out of the cabin with a normal spear.

- "normal as in?"

- "normal as in, I'm going to kick your ass."

- the two of you sparred for an hour and a half, you wont say that you were holding back today, but you weren't exactly giving her your all. you liked to see the eay she smiled everytime she won, even if it was annoyingly smug.

- that same night, rumors were going around that clarisse was going soft. breaking her infamous spear, befriending her nemesis.

- "we're not friends," she told her cabin siblings. "It's not my fault she's obsessed with me."

- when word got out about what she said, you decided that maybe trying to get to know clarisse was a bad idea. not really being the confrontational kind of person, you just stopped talkiing to her.

- it was a few days later when she went out of her way to find you. all the cabins were in disarray. they were all choosing sides between zeus and poseidon after the news broke that the two powerful gods we're against eachother.

- uncharacteristically, clarisse aided with poseidon. she weighed her choices as cabin leader and daughter of ares and decided it was the best option

- (if you're a daughter of athena) then, you sided with zeus. athena is known to having feud with the god poseidon, and you would side your mother.

- (if you're in the other cabins), then you just use the feud as an excuse to not talk to her, claiming that all kinds of provocative interaction should be kept om a liminal time.

- clarisse found you in the bathroom and tried to get you to listen to her.

- "you're saying that this feud bothers you so much that you've just completely stopped talking to me?"

- "I think, that I'd like to stop being so obsessed with you, considering it was you who said that you wanted me out of your hair."

- she chased after you as you walked out of the bathroom and pulled you to the side.

- " I didn't mean it that way." she was lying and you both knew that.

- "you know what your problem is clarisse? you care so much of what other people think of you, what their perception of you is like. people who wouldn't blink twice if you were in danger. but what about the people who do care about you? the people who want to keep caring about you?"

- your words caught her off guard, she knew it was her fault but she didn't think as far as you had said.

- "I care about you too." she says honestly.

- "you don't hurt people you care about." and she knew that. she knew what it felt like to be scorned and hated by the person you love. and clarisse la rue, will not be like her father.

- "give me one chance to make it up to you, let us start over again." she pleaded.

- you might resent her for what she had done, but that doesn't mean you're immune to her wishes. "one chance."

- "one chance." she agreed.

- the next day, while everyone was out practising, she finda you helping a younger girl in your camp with her stance in fighting and called you to the side.

- "I got something for you." she said.

- the two of you walked a bit further away from other people but she stopped and pull out something from her pocket.

- "the haphaestus kids couldn't fix my spear, but I did get them to work out something new for you."

- it was a knife, similar to your old on2, but the engraved heart shape on the black holder was different. The holder was made if rubbee, easier to grip, and the tip was sharper than anything you've seen.

- "this is for me?" she nodded and placed it into your right palm.

- "it's not magical, but it'll be useful."

- you did not hesitate to pull her by the back of her head to lean down and meet your lips halfway.

- and she did not hesitate to wrap her own arms around your nwck and waist to kiss you back just as strongly.

- "I'm gonna get laughed at for this aren't I?" she muttered against your lips as she pulls away slightly.

- "not something you can't handle." you decided with a small smile on your lips.

- "right, definitely not something I can't handle." she agreed.

[a-dauntless-daffodil]

after an extra busy weak covering things at the hotel so the morningstars can have some family time, vaggie wakes up with a blinding stress headache and charlie whisks her back into bed to rest because she, charlie, can TOTALLY manage the hotel on her own for one day! 100% there is nothing to worry about!

vaggie is worried. she has all the faith in her girlfriend and none left over for the other hotel residents. charlie spins it as 'please rest? for me??' request though so she let's herself be kept in their room listening to Very Concerning Noises from outside as charlie pops in regularly to bring snacks and smile tensely and swear things are completely fine she just felt like setting part of her suit on fire today! vaggie's not convinced. vaggie's headache is getting worse. around dinner time charlie is late checking in with her and then from somewhere below charlie is yelling FUCK!!! and vaggie is out of bed armed and downstairs in three murderously angelic wing flaps

there used to be a wall between the main hall and the kitchen.

there isn't anymore, so she can see exactly when everyone freezes in place and stares back at her.

what, she askes, are they doing. charlie tries to laugh and say nothing nothing just cooking but she's also got her horns out and alastor in a headlock, so vaggie turns to angel dust instead.

why is the wall missing? because cherri is here helping. why is there an empty wine bottle next to the ominously bubbling pot? because husk is helping. why is angel's ass on the countertop? because looking pretty is how he's helping. why is niffy stirring the ominous wine goop with a knife- no it's niffy never mind. why is one of sir pretentious' eggs teetering on the edge of the pot as if about to dive in? because alastor is here NOT helping

why, then, is ANY of this happening....? because everyone was bored, no one had been threatened at the end of a spear all day, they followed charlie into the kitchen and heard vaggie was sick. so.

the thing in the pot, charlie admits weakly as her hold on alastor's neck tightens, was supposed to be soup, to help her get better. sooner. bc charlie can run the hotel alone for a day but oh she REALLY doesn't want to.

vaggie checks the soup. the only way it's curing her headache is by making her dead. charlie drops alastor and droops dejectedly only to see vaggie smiling, a glint in her eye. everyone who is not charlie tries to edge away but it's too late- they are all going to obey their new kitchen commanding officer and follow her orders on how to actually make soup or they're gonna wish THEY were the ones being chopped up and caramelized on the bottom of a cooking pot (no niffty, you can't volunteer) (no angel, boosting moral is not a valid contribution, get off your ass and wipe down the counter top)

a few hours later dinner is raging with everyone fighting over second helpings (except alastor who's prodding his cooked food with a grin of horror) and vaggie leans in to thank charlie quietly. what for, charlie asks? for not telling everyone that the only 'sick' vaggie had really been was sick of them. she's feeling a lot better now. they're not so bad, really.... or at least they're kinda worth it anyway

charlie smiles softly. she'd almost let the truth slip when she'd gotten kinda sick of them too, at the point when they all crowed into the kitchen after her- then she'd realized they wanted to know why vaggie hadn't been around and had maybe been causing such a ruckus because they missed her, a little bit

they share a proud moment, gently holding hands. then they duck as alastor static shrieks and throws his soup across the room, revealing the egg bois who'd been soaking at the bottom of it like a hot tub

tomorrow it'll be charlie who stays in bed all day with a headache

[moraxrkive]

ƞsʄw ɑlpɦɑbet witɦ: ɱiƙɑsɑ

cw: this whole post is nsfw, so yeah... title is self-explanatory, lol. canon!universe, post-war mikasa, sapphic mikasa, female!reader, feeding kink (?) (not really confirmed, but it is mentioned so...). MINORS AND NON-WLW DNI. a/n: i'm not from the US, so i had to search how to convert bra sizes, so i'm sorry if it's wrong, i'm not used to this way of measuring chest.

A - AFTERCARE

mikasa is really good at aftercare, always making sure to take care of you with whatever you need: water, snacks, a massage, and even a bath. you name it, she does it. her personal favorite is massages: she loves both massaging you and receiving massages, she loves the contrast between the previous sexual touches and these softer ones.

B - BODY PART

i personally believe her favorite body part on herself is her arms. after years of fighting (not to mention her ability to carry those thunder spears), her arms are pretty big. she secretly loves that it’s so easy to swoop you directly into her arms, and how easy it is to just pick you up whenever she feels like it.

when it comes to you, her favorite body part of yours is your thighs. i can 100% see her being a thighs person. she loves them, she loves to kiss, bite and grab them. dare i say, she has wet dreams specifically about your thighs, but she’ll never admit it out loud. she’s obsessed.

C - CUM

our dear mikasa is a little shy when it comes to cumming. she doesn't like to cum on your face, even if you say 100x it's ok, she just doesn't feel like it. she feels as if it would make you dirty, and, to her, sex is something to make you feel good. she only cums either against your pussy or on your fingers (curiously, she doesn't complain if you make her suck your cum-stained fingers. huh)

D - DIRTY TALK

i'm sorry to the fans of dirty talk out there, but our dear mikasa is not a fan of it. like i said, she thinks sex is something to make you feel good, to make you feel loved. she's not wrong, of course. that's why she absolutely refuses to call you anything degrading. the maximum she can do is something along the lines of "you look cute when you're desperate". do not expect more from here.

E - EXPERIENCE

dear mikasa is not experienced. with all the stress and trauma from the war, eren's death and just the overwhelming discover of how the world really is (consequently, how her whole life was a lie), her libido was pratically nonexistent. pratically. once in a blue moon, she would engage in some private time for herself, touching herself silently in the dark of the night, but still a virgin. you were her first and, honestly, she hopes you'll also be her last.

F - FAVORITE POSITION

100% scissoring. she loves the eye contact you two make during it. to mikasa, intimacy and romance are the most important parts of sex, so expect her to be clingy during it. also expect a lot of eye contact, she loves looking at you, seeing that she's the one making you feel good.

G - GOOFY

not goofy at all. mikasa takes sex very seriously, it's a very important part of your relationship. but i can't deny if you made a joke or two, she would let out a chuckle. only a chuckle, though.

H - HAIR

canonically speaking, i think none of the women in aot shave lmao. they have better priorities honestly. therefore, expect mikasa to have a black bush of hairs down there. they're relativately thin, comparing to how most pubic hairs are, but still there.

I - INTIMACY

mikasa LOVES intimacy. after killing the boy she had been loving for years, she started to prioritize intimacy in her life and, of course, that means total investment in her relationship with you. even when it comes to things not sex-related, she just wants to feel your love and show you how much she loves you. mikasa is a woman with a heart full of love, and how lucky you are for being the one she loves.

J - JACK OFF

previously, she didn't have the habit, like i mentioned before. after you two started dating, and the terrors of the war started to wear off, tiny bit by tiny bit, mikasa allowed herself to feel sexual desire again. so she rediscovered masturbation, and she doesn't regret it: it allows her to discover new spots on her body that send shivers down her spine, and she's happy to share her discoveries with you.

K - KINK

i don't really think mikasa is a kinky person. that doesn't mean she's not open to try new things with you, though. one thing she discovered she likes, for example, is overstimulation. she likes to see you begging for her to let you cum. she likes to know she's the one in control of your pleasure.

another thing i believe mikasa enjoys a lot is mirror sex. you're the first woman she's ever been with, don't blame her for being curious! she likes to see her fingers going in and out of you. she also enjoys to see you eating her out in the mirror. (she also secretly likes to see herself lost in pleasure. it reminds her of how all the nightmare is over now, and she can lower her guard and indulge herself in this but, hey, you'll never see her admiting this out loud.)

L - LOCATION

sex is for the house and the house only. mikasa is against doing it in public, or in any circumstance that might get you two caught. your sexual lives are for your eyes only, mikasa prefers to die than let anyone see you in such an intimate state.

that doesn't mean some hands here and there don't happen. when she's in a particular good mood, she can give your ass a squeeze or two, but nothing beyond that.

M - MOTIVATION

mikasa is still rediscovering her libido and her sexuality, so that's why she doesn't really have a specific reason to have sex with you. sure, sometimes you might wear something sexy to tease her, or bend down a little too much near her, but most of the time... perhaps just your presence is enough to get her going. she just wants to be with you in the most intimate way possible, so give her some love, will you?

N - NO

mikasa will never degrade you nor be rough with you. her life has been filled with violence since her childhood, demanding aggressiveness from her to simply survive. ever since the end of the rumbling, mikasa promised to herself she would never be violent again, only if she deemed extremely necessary, and you are the last person in the whole world she ever wants to do something violent with.

O - ORAL

mikasa LOVES oral!!! both receiving and giving. she was a little bit intimated at first, not only because she was a virgin, but also because she was performing oral on another woman! she felt like she needed to know what to do, since she's also a woman, but you calmed her down and guided her. since then, mikasa got hooked.

when she's giving, she loves the way you squirm under her, it makes her feel proud of herself, since she's the one making you feel so good. she likes seeing you so relaxed and letting go.

when she's receiving, she likes to hold your hand. it's a reminder that you are the one making her feel good. it's also a reminder to herself, how she can allow herself to let go and break free from all the mental strains she has.

P - PACE

mikasa likes long-duration sex, so she's not rushing anything. dear mikasa takes her time taking off your clothes, kissing your body and caressing it. to her, you're a work of art, and she's glad she's the one who has the privilege to appreciate you with eyes, hands and mouth. you can bet she'll take her sweet time going through your body.

Q - QUICKIES

with that being said... she hates quickies. you two tried doing it once, and she hated it. she hated how rushed and messy it was, not to mention she didn't get to appreciate your body the way it deserves to be. so, no, mikasa doesn't tolerate quickies.

R - RISK

not taking any risk. mikasa is a very private and quiet person, but she's also very jealous. the mix of all these 3 traits are the reason you two won't do anything outside the house, not even on your backyard. sex belongs only inside the house, more specifically in your bed.

S - STAMINA

mikasa is an ex-soldier, you know she has stamina. even if the war has worn off of her and her belly is a little chubbier rather than the hard abs she had in the past, her stamina is still there. she can easily handle 4, maybe 5 rounds before she needs to stop to catch a breath, but, of course, if you can't handle all of those, she's not going to force you.

T - TOYS

toys are not her priority in the bedroom, but I can't see why she wouldn't enjoy them. you are the one who brings toys to sex, and she's not opposed to it. she likes seeing their different features, and also the different reactions they can get out of you.

she wouldn't be opposed to you using some toys on her, of course. just don't expect it to happen frequently.

U - UNFAIR

out of the two of you, you're the one who teases her honestly. 99% of the time, it's your doing, but that 1%... that 1% it's when mikasa is feeling really needy. it's when she puts on revealing clothes and bends down in front of you, making sure you can see her boobs perfectly. she also sits on your lap and innocently grinds against you.

she doesn't tease you often, but when she does... you're in for a long ride.

V - VOLUME

mikasa is pretty vocal in bed. she doesn't moan loudly, she's vocal in the meaning of always telling you that "you fell so good, love" or letting you know that you're doing something she's enjoying a lot. poor girl can't keep her mouth shut, she'll always be praising you, telling you how much she loves you and how good she feels.

W - WILD CARD

"m-mikasa..." you moan as you feel her featherlight touches on your neck, just the tip of her fingers. she purposely scratches your neck with her trimmed nails, just to see you shiver.

"shh, my love, take another one" she says, pushing a grape against your lips. she watches as your eyes get half lidded, taking the grape inside and grazing your teeth against the tip of her fingers.

mikasa has you sitting down on a chair. she's sitting on your lap, feeding you grapes. oh, and you're both naked. and she also has your hands tied behind your back.

"that's it... you're doing good, such a good girl for me" she whispers against your ear, kissing right under it, on that spot she knows it's so sensitive and makes you gasp and arch your body towards her.

you're breathless. you have no idea how long it has been since this little teasing game of hers began, all you know is how frustrated you feel right now. you can feel your neglected pussy aching between your legs, begging for attention.

you never took her as the type to have a feeding kink.

eh, maybe she doesn't even have it. maybe she's just in the mood to tease you.

"mika..." you whine once she puts another grape against your lips, silently demanding you to open them up. "p-please..." at this point, you don't even know what you're begging for. you just need her to do anything, anything at all.

"I know my love, I know" she kisses your neck "but you've been acting so good, you can handle more for me, can't you? you're my good girl, aren't you?"

just between us, you have no idea if you can handle more teasing, but hey, you'll never know if you never try.

X - X-RAY

mikasa has big breasts, easily 42C. she's very neutral about them, but you? oh, you make up for it. always buring your head on her chest and lapping at them. it makes her flustrered and shy but, hey, it's her fault for having such big boobs, right? how can you act normally when it looks like they are staring at you and begging you to suck them! as for her pussy, it's hairy, like i mentioned. it has a pretty pink color, lips not too big or too small, just the perfect size. her clit is on the bigger side, which makes things more interesting for the both of you, giving how easy it is to stimulate her.

Y - YEARNING

you two have a healthy sex life, and have sex surprisingly frequently. 3x a week, even 5x a week if one of you is feeling needy. the best thing is when both of you get needy at the same time: you'll have sex literally everyday. the only time things die down a little is when mikasa or you get a period. she used to be embarassed to have sex when she was on her period, saying "it's disgusting" or "i'll get the bed dirty". but, once you tried it, she saw how it soothed her cramps, and - since she was sensible - how the sensations were enhanced. so now, you two are not against having sex while on your periods anymore.

Z - ZZZ

our pretty girl falls asleep easily after sex lol. do not be fooled, she's not trying to avoid pillow talk (she loves them), her body is just asking her to find comfort in your cuddle. mikasa likes to fall asleep right after sex because she enjoys feeling the warmth of your body pressed against hers. she truly thinks your arms are her real home, and who are you to say they aren't?

[medusamagic]

So you want to know more about Big Barda

As Tumblr's resident expert on all things Barda, and as Kelly Thompson's Birds of Prey run brings far more attention to the character, I figured it was high time someone stepped in and gave the tumblr world a primer on DC's biggest and boldest heroine.

The Basics:

Introduced in Mister Miracle #4 by Jack Kirby, Big Barda was once the leader of Apokolips' premier death squad, the Female Furies. Trained from birth for a life of violence by Granny Goodness, Barda spent the first 250 years of her life as a living weapon. This all changed when she met Scott Free, a gentle Parademon-in-training with a mysterious past and a knack for escapes. Eventually, she and Scott both escaped to Earth, where they fell in love with both the Earth and each other. She's a lover, she's a fighter, she's a Pokémon card expert, but most of all, SHE BIG.

Barda's signature defining attribute is her raw strength. Her raw muscle allows her to keep up with heavy hitters like Wonder Woman. This isn't to suggest that she's a simple-minded brute, however-- Barda has centuries of military experience under her belt as leader of the Female Furies. She's mastered multiple weapons, including spears, swords, and her signature Mega-Rod.

Below are some reading recommendations for anyone interested in Big Barda:

Essential Runs:

Mister Miracle Vol. 1 #4-18 by Jack Kirby (1971-1974)

This was the run that introduced the world to Big Barda, as well as the Female Furies. If you want to know the basics of Barda, there's no better place to start. This run is collected in a trade, as well as a part in The Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1.

(NOTE: Even though Barda doesn't appear until issue #4, I suggest you start with Issue #1. It'll help you get acquainted with the rest of the mythos.)

Justice League International #14-24 by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis (1988-1989)

Big Barda was on the JLI! She plays off the other characters as well as ever, and a lot of what's great about her in Jack Kirby's original run is still here! Definitely check this one out if you want to see her in another team setting. This has been collected in this omnibus.

(NOTE: Once again, I recommend you start from issue #1.)

Popular Runs:

Mister Miracle Vol. 4 #1-12 by Tom King and Mitch Gerads (2017-2018)

Yeah, I know.

Listen, Tom King is a writer with... idiosyncrasies to put it nicely. The characters in the periphery of his stories tend to act really out of character, and his dialogue can be clunky at times. That being said, The Scott/Barda dynamic in this book is excellent, and this book has some of the best art that the Fourth World has seen since the 80s. The series has been collected in a trade.

(NOTE: Did you know that the CIA has over 2003 files on Tom King? Look up "Tom King CIA 2003" for more info!)

Mister Miracle: The Great Escape by Varian Johnson and Daniel Isles (2022)

If you're at all interested in the idea of a Young Adult reimagining of Mister Miracle and Big Barda's origin story with an all-black cast, this book was made for you. It's a bit heavy on the YA tropes, but the Scott/Barda dynamic is really solid. It was released as a standalone graphic novel.

Birds of Prey Vol. 5 #1-??? by Kelly Thompson and Leonardo Romero (2023-)

Admit it, this is the reason you're here. The Cassandra Cain & Big Barda is so instantly iconic, I'm surprised no writer has paired them up sooner. It also helps that this book has the single best Barda look since Jack Kirby's original run. Plus, she gets to throw down with Wonder Woman! What's not to love? This run is still ongoing, but the first 6 issues should be getting a trade pretty soon.

(NOTE: I started writing this before BOP #8 dropped, I had no idea about that thing that happens in the newest issue.)

Stories to Avoid:

Action Comics #592-593 by John Byrne (1987)

This is not a comic book-- it's an infohazard designed to cause pain and suffering to anyone who knows of its existence. Its premise is vile and disrespectful on the surface, and it becomes more insidious when you learn the context of its creation. This pair of issues is profoundly evil, rivaling even Avengers #200 in terms of loathsomeness.

For those who dare to investigate this, Content Warnings for rape, mind control, and human trafficking.

Anyway, let's end on something a bit lighter, shall we?

Remember that Mister Miracle YA graphic novel I mentioned earlier? Barda is getting a graphic novel of her own this summer! It's not out at the time of writing, but the preview pages look promising!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that introduction to one of my favorite superheroes ever. Please get back to me on this, I have no one else to talk to about Fourth World stuff.

[whereserpentswalk]

What do demons do when we don't see them? In all of our stories, in all of our histories, we only ever speak of what they do when interacting with mortal races, we only know what they do when they're trying to hurt us. They are our prey as much as our predators, so well only remember them as violence, and trickery, because that's all we ever see of them. Is that what they are to themselves?

Somewhere at the edge of the abyss a few demonic soldiers sit, red horned creatures in black armor, carrying axes and spears. It's been a long time since any of them had to deal with any enemies passing through, they mostly just sit, talking to each other. Occasionally they'll play games of dice and cards. The guards all know each other by name by now, know the names of each other's partners and children if they have any. It's not bad work, probably the safest place to be stationed in the armies of the abyss, though still there is always a fear of an angel or human coming to attack them, or something older and stranger, even when they play cards, they must be vigilant.

Deep in the city of dis, at the center of the abyss, a succubus unwinds after a long day of work. She undresses from what little clothing she's allowed to wear and steps into a warm shower. Her movements are still as graceful as ever, most people think it's a trick but it's just how she looks, just how she naturally moves. There's nobody to see her naked body, though it's still as beautiful as ever it there are no eyes here who see it with lust, only she sees herself in that moment, and she's entirely mundane. The hot water feels nice on her raven wings and scorpion tail. She sings a song to herself, she wanted to be a siren when she was younger, but she works better as a succubus apparently, or at least that's how she's able to pay her bills for now.

In the apartment across from her an imp comes home, after a month outside the abyss trying to make deals with mortals. The children of the neighborhood consider him a hero, he's one of the only demons they've ever seen brave enough to interact with creatures as dangerous as mortals. Of course, he's just himself here, his black suit and yellow eyes look sharp and intimidating on the side of a human highway, but in his own apartment he looks so very common. All of his deals fell through, he talked to seven humans and one werewolf over three weeks and none of them made a deal, he had to stop by the fae and they barely tolerated his presence, and that plan he had with the Martians went nowhere. He sits on his sofa and watches cheap television, a poorly translated Yokai show, he doesn't want to think about anything. It's not even that his job is in danger, he just wants to be who people think he is.

Deep within the center of dis a fallen angel sits on a bench inside of city hall. They're hoping for amnesty within the abyss. The entire place seems scary and alien to them, it's still hard for them to admit that they really are fallen, they were told the creatures around them were pure evil but its all that they have for hope now. They hold themself, letting white wings stained with blood wrap around their clockwork body. As they look out the window at the streets below they wonder if the creatures outside are truly filled with hate. They don't notice them at all.

Deep within his palace, looking above the city of dis, stands lord Satan himself, his massive body clocked in dark armor, his eyes glow a warm orange red, his loyal knight Paiman hands him a letter from the queen of the angels. He puts off reading it. It's all the same. The other races have hated him for longer than anyone remembers, from before even lucifer fell, and before the ancestors of humans crawled down from the trees. Even he, as ancient as he is, does not know the reason. He hopes one day, perhaps his people will not fear the outside world. He sings a song of sorrow.

[undercoverpan]

Fish for breakfast

Spider wondered which deity he upset.

No, really, which god or goddess got so mad at him; they put him in this position?

This position being trapped beneath his dad as he hisses and snarls at his other dad, Jake. The enraged Na'vi had his ears pinned down as he bore his teeth at the other, the aforementioned Na'vi doing the exact same. It's normal for these 2 to be at eachothers throats, but it doesn't mean that Spider likes being held. By either of them. Jake lost his holding privileges when he had taken him to ride a tsurak, and promptly allowed him to be swept away by the waves. Quaritch lost his when he accidentally cracked a rib from how tightly he was holding.

"He's my son and I am taking him for the holidays!" Roared Quaritch, murder flashing in his eyes. "We agreed that Spider stays with me during Na'vi holidays!" Jake argued, his voice as sharp as his blade. "He's had enough Na'vi holidays, asshole! You're not depriving my son of christmas!" Spider didn't even know what Christmas was, but Quaritch wanted to take him on the RDA trip to the northern mountains, so he could experience a real christmas. He's not sure what that means, but he admits that it did sound fun.

And Neytiri didn't like having him around, especially on special days. He thinks it'd be nice to be welcomed on a holiday. It's a win-win situation, he gets to enthusiastically participate with one side of his culture and Neytiri gets to enjoy the festivities with her family without spider around.

Fair trade, right?

Wrong.

His dads were on the verge of instigating another war between them and Spider, as always, was caught in the middle. And this time, he hasn't even had breakfast yet! 

"Oh who cares about christmas! It's a shitty holiday anyways!" 

"Sully, I swear to God, I'm going to knock your teeth out!"

He managed to wriggle free while the 2 fought. He crept away to the beach, where no one was because it was the ass-crack of dawn. Strangely, he spotted a small cookfire with 4 people.

As he got closer, he immediately recognized them as his friends.

"Monkey boy! Come, come!" Kiri cheered as he ran over, crashing down into her waiting arms. They seemed to be roasting some fish over an open fire.

"Finally got away from dad?" Lo'ak asked as he chewed his food. Neteyam flicked his forehead, muttering something about swallowing first. 

"Yeah, finally! They're both so overdramatic, they both give me a massive migraine every time they start talking about visits and holidays and who's my favourite. Eywa, I wish they would stop."

They all nodded in agreement. They suffered from having to live with the world's prettiest man who got into catfights with Quaritch every other day. 

So they all sat there, talking about everything and anything to distract each other. What weaving pattern should Lo'ak use for the necklace he's making for Tsireya, Kiri found an ilu with a heart shaped mark on its forehead, Neteyam is getting better with a spear, Tuk ate a salty rock recently. They talk and laugh as they eat cooked fish all morning.

The group slowly goes silent. He followed their gaze as they all looked behind him. He felt his heart drop as he saw Neytiri approaching. Her face was blank, expression unreadable. The sand crunched beneath her feet as she approached.

She sat down between him and Lo'ak. They all watched her with bated breath.

With a click of her tongue, she spoke; "What's for breakfast?"

And they all started the morning with roasted fish.

______

Everyone is fed up w Quaritch and jake, 100%

[scamsz]

Unrequited, terrifying…

Fem!reader, ooc gojo, implied geto x reader, angst??

“Didn’t I say it’ll hurt every time you look?”

Shoko's voice was dry as she spoke, from what could only be the number of cigarettes she smoked that day--that didn't stop her though, she was already lighting another one.

It was just her and Gojo sitting outside on the prickly grass, much to Satoru's dismay.

He had to admit that Shoko was right though, today was actually the perfect day to just sit outside and relax. The wide trunk of the tree perched in the middle of the high school field was the one thing protecting them from the scorching sun up above.

"Jeez man, did you not hear what I said?" This time Gojo could hear her good and well, immediately turning his attention to the girl beside him--resting comfortably on the tree beside him.

"What?"

He blinked one, two, three times before she even said anything. His mild confusion only irritated the girl more. "I said if you keep looking at Suguru and [name], it'll hurt."

Satoru knew Shoko was blunt, he liked her bluntness—sometimes welcomed it, even. It was refreshing having someone who wasn’t scared to talk back because he was Satoru Gojo.

He hated when that was directed at him tho.

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out of his lips--unspoken words that would never pass the vicinity of his mind. His first instinct was to deny what she was implying. There was no way.

"What are you even talking about?" He scrunched his eyebrows, feigning confusion, sealing it with scrunched eyebrows and a quirk with his lips.

He didn't want to look at Shoko anymore but looking at the two of you wasn't exactly the better option either.

"Dude." By her tone, he knew that she knew. "Lying to yourself doesn't make the weird feelings go away." She sighed, puffing out the excess smoke into the air.

She was right, he knew that. He knew for a while but he had to deny it, who knows what the hell would happen if he even told you. “You know you don’t gotta tell me if you don’t want to.”

It was silent between the two for a while, and he was thankful for that. “How obvious am I?"

There was no point trying to keep it to himself anymore, he kept all that he wanted to say to himself long enough. "You don't wanna know." She giggled, leaving Gojo to wallow in embarrassment.

"Don't think she caught on tho cus of...." She cut herself off before she could say what they were both thinking. He was still her friend and she wanted to spear his feelings. "So you're good."

"Yeah, cus she's too busy drooling over Suguru."

Just that one sentence alone revealed the obvious elephant in the room, growing bigger the longer Shoko was stepping on the glass around him.

Everyone noticed the difference between how you treated him and Suguru: the way your eyes always trailed after his best friend and not him, the way you touched him, smiled at him, talked with him.

Suguru and not him.

The only thing he could do was ignore the sting in his chest.

He figured that having a crush on you would be a little difficult, but damn, did you make it hard.

First, he was grateful for the silence but now it was suffocating. He wanted to go back to the last few minutes and pretend like nothing was wrong, where he could shove down all the stupid thoughts trying to run through his mind.

"Where did the blunt Shoko run off to?"

He laughed, but it was the only thing he thought to do to stop the unwanted awkwardness. It was quick and strained, clearing his throat right after.

He didn't dare to look back at her, not wanting to see the pitiful look that might be on her face.

"You don't know that for sure."

This time he laughed a real laugh, but still sounded just as strained as before--perfect opportunity to inhale secondhand smoke. "A cruel way to get my hopes up."

He slouched even more down the tree trunk, so low that he was almost fully lying on the grass at this point, using his arm as a cushion. "I don't think that equals to me having a chance."

He pointed at the two figures that were far enough to be blissfully unaware of the two watching them, together in their own little world.

Shoko watched the two of you huddle by another spot on the field, sitting together under a tree. You two decided to venture off after a while and left the two alone.

It was like y'all didn't know personal space when it came to one another. Knees bumping each other's, not-so-subtle touching and hand holding, and looking at each other like y'all were the only people on earth.

Whispering in each other's ears and giggling was the icing on the cake. "Suguru's a lady's man."

She tensed the moment it left her lips, the words leaving her lips before it was allowed to--she was sure that it had set back the amount of time it would take to for her friend to bounce back from his depressive episode.

But the actual and genuine laugh that she managed to squeeze out eased her shoulders--causing her to laugh along with him. “Could they be anymore obvious…?”

He was fine watching his two best friends fall in love with each other,, and he would push down any feelings if that meant complicating things.

He wouldn't stand between the two most important people in his life.

“Didn't I just say it'll hurt every time you look?"

Shoko's voice was dry as she spoke, from what could only be the number of cigarettes she smoked that day--that didn't stop her though, she was already lighting another one.

It was just her and Gojo sitting outside on the prickly grass, much to Satoru's dismay.

He had to admit that Shoko was right though, today was actually the perfect day to just sit outside and relax. The wide trunk of the tree perched in the middle of the high school field was the one thing protecting them from the scorching sun up above.

"Jeez man, did you not hear what I said?" This time Gojo could hear her good and well, immediately turning his attention to the girl beside him--resting comfortably on the tree beside him.

"What?"

He blinked one, two, three times before she even said anything. His mild confusion only irritated the girl more. "I said if you keep looking at Suguru and [name], it'll hurt."

Satoru knew Shoko was blunt, he liked her bluntness—sometimes welcomed it, even. It was refreshing having someone who wasn’t scared to talk back because he was Satoru Gojo.

He hated when that was directed at him tho.

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out of his lips--unspoken words that would never pass the vicinity of his mind. His first instinct was to deny what she was implying. There was no way.

"What are you even talking about?" He scrunched his eyebrows, feigning confusion, sealing it with scrunched eyebrows and a quirk with his lips.

He didn't want to look at Shoko anymore but looking at the two of you wasn't exactly the better option either.

"Dude." By her tone, he knew that she knew. "Lying to yourself doesn't make the weird feelings go away." She sighed, puffing out the excess smoke into the air.

She was right, he knew that. He knew for a while but he had to deny it, who knows what the hell would happen if he even told you. “You know you don’t gotta tell me if you don’t want to.”

It was silent between the two for a while, and he was thankful for that. “How obvious am I?"

There was no point trying to keep it to himself anymore, he kept all that he wanted to say to himself long enough. "You don't wanna know." She giggled, leaving Gojo to wallow in embarrassment.

"Don't think she caught on tho cus of...." She cut herself off before she could say what they were both thinking. He was still her friend and she wanted to spear his feelings. "So you're good."

"Yeah, cus she's too busy drooling over Suguru."

Just that one sentence alone revealed the obvious elephant in the room, growing bigger the longer Shoko was stepping on the glass around him.

Everyone noticed the difference between how you treated him and Suguru: the way your eyes always trailed after his best friend and not him, the way you touched him, smiled at him, talked with him.

Suguru and not him.

The only thing he could do was ignore the sting in his chest.

He figured that having a crush on you would be a little difficult, but damn, did you make it hard.

First, he was grateful for the silence but now it was suffocating. He wanted to go back to the last few minutes and pretend like nothing was wrong, where he could shove down all the stupid thoughts trying to run through his mind.

"Where did the blunt Shoko run off to?"

He laughed, but it was the only thing he thought to do to stop the unwanted awkwardness. It was quick and strained, clearing his throat right after.

He didn't dare to look back at her, not wanting to see the pitiful look that might be on her face.

"You don't know that for sure."

This time he laughed a real laugh, but still sounded just as strained as before--perfect opportunity to inhale secondhand smoke. "A cruel way to get my hopes up."

He slouched even more down the tree trunk, so low that he was almost fully lying on the grass at this point, using his arm as a cushion. "I don't think that equals to me having a chance."

He pointed at the two figures that were far enough to be blissfully unaware of the two watching them, together in their own little world.

Shoko watched the two of you huddle by another spot on the field, sitting together under a tree. You two decided to venture off after a while and left the two alone.

It was like y'all didn't know personal space when it came to one another. Knees bumping each other's, not-so-subtle touching and hand holding, and looking at each other like y'all were the only people on earth.

Whispering in each other's ears and giggling was the icing on the cake. "Suguru's a lady's man."

She tensed the moment it left her lips, the words leaving her lips before it was allowed to--she was sure that it had set back the amount of time it would take to for her friend to bounce back from his depressive episode.

But the actual and genuine laugh that she managed to squeeze out eased her shoulders--causing her to laugh along with him. “Could they be anymore obvious…?”

He was fine watching his two best friends fall in love with each other,, and he would push down any feelings if that meant complicating things.

He wouldn't stand between the two most important people in his life.

[celebrityxcrushes]

JEALOUSY, JEALOUSY pt. 2

-

Pairing: Lo'ak x (metkayina) f!reader

Word count: 1836

Part 1

-

For the fifth time that day, you made your way towards the Sully family's sleeping pod. Entering it, you let out a soft groan of disappointment at the sight of Neteyam.

"Happy to see you too," Neteyam retorted sarcastically. From your grim expression, it was clear to him that something was bothering you, and so he beckoned for you to sit down next to him.

"What's wrong?"

You had assumed that Kiri had filled him in about what had happened the night before, but perhaps you had been mistaken.

Deciding that you should fill him in, you let out a sigh. "It's Lo'ak."

It was obvious that Lo'ak was avoiding you. No matter how many places you looked, or how many people you asked, you had no luck in locating him.

Your village, albeit beautiful, was quite small. It should not be this hard to find someone. Especially not a member of the Sully family; since they, due to their lack of knowledge about the area, preferred to stay in the most populated parts of the village.

A few minutes later, you had finished retelling everything to Neteyam. For the entirety of your rambling, he had stayed quiet - letting you vent your frustration.

"Just relax," He finally spoke up. "You'll find him eventually, and then you can both confess properly and this whole thing can be forgotten about."

His words of encouragement, however, did nothing to ease your nerves. If anything, it increased your stress levels. Unlike Neteyam, you weren't so confident about this having a positive outcome.

"That will never happen!" You sulked. "Obviously he doesn't feel the same way, and tries to spare my feelings by avoiding me instead of outright rejecting me."

"No way." He shook his head.

He knew his brother better than most; perhaps even better than all. Despite Lo'ak's attempts of keeping his feelings for a secret, Neteyam could tell. It didn't matter that Lo'ak never outright admitted the crush. It was obvious.

"Look, I have no clue why my brother is avoiding you. That part is weird," he admitted, "but trust me on this - he likes you too."

Taking a moment to think, he started absentmindedly fiddling with the beads on his necklace. Not many seconds later though, he perked up.

"He has to come home at some point to sleep, or dad will seriously beat him. If he tries to disappear again tomorrow, Kiri and I will stop him. We'll help you."

Although you weren't all so sure about his plan, you gave him a hesitant nod. "Alright, thanks."

-

Early the next morning, the Sully siblings decided to launch their plan into action.

Immediately after breakfast, Lo'ak had stood up and tried to excuse himself. Neteyam, however, had been quick to interrupt his exit. "Actually, I need some help with this spear I'm making. Could you give me a hand first?"

With furrowed eyebrows, Lo'ak felt forced to agree to Neteyam's request. He didn't know why Neteyam would ask for his assistance on making a spear - as everybody knew Neteyam was the better at crafting things. But with his parents sitting right next to them, clearly expecting him to be a helpful brother, he couldn't deny.

"Uh, sure, I can try to help."

As the two brothers exited the marui together, Neteyam quickly signed for Kiri to also hurry along to get you.

Some minutes later, back in your own family's marui, your ears perked up as you heard rapid footsteps approaching.

"Y/N," Kiri shouted as she barged in.

Not even giving you the chance to reply, she grabbed your hand and started dragging you with her. "Come on, Lo'ak is finally free for you to speak with him."

You knew they meant well, both her and Neteyam, but you couldn't help but to feel like they overwhelmed you a bit. "Just slow down. Please."

With a roll of her eyes, she slowed down a little. "Do you want to talk things through with my brother or not?"

It really was more of a rhetorical question though, seeing how her hand was still tightly gripped around yours - forcing you to follow.

-

The two of you had sat across from each other like this multiple times before. Not once though, had it ever felt awkward. On the contrary; you and Lo'ak simply clicked from day one. It didn't take many days for you to consider him one of your closest companions. Whenever the two of you hung out, you would normally talk each other's brains out.

Up until now.

When you and Kiri arrived outside her family's pod, she and Neteyam immediately ditched and left you alone with Lo'ak. However, neither of you had spoken a word since they left - instead opting for an awkward silence.

"So," Lo'ak eventually spoke up. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

He didn't mean for the words to come out as harshly as they did; but he was avoiding you for a reason. Talking to you, and even simply being near you, hurts too much.

As he watched you nervously chew on your bottom lip, he wanted nothing more than to kiss you.

"Um.. Well, it's about what Kiri and I talked about in your pod." You noticed how Lo'ak seemed to look anywhere but at you, which made your voice falter slightly. "I don't know how much of it you heard, but-"

Sharply, Lo'ak interrupted you. "I heard everything."

"Oh." Another awkward pause followed.

A small part of you was disappointed. Deep down you had hoped for him not to have heard anything, and for his disappearance and weird behavior to have a completely different explanation. That way, this could all be forgotten about, and you could go back to hiding your feelings.

Taking a deep breath, you wiped your sweaty palms on your loincloth. 'Focus on the positive', you told yourself. At least this way you didn't have to confess your feelings to his face.

"Well," you tried to speak up again, "what do you think of it?"

Lo'ak was confused and annoyed, all at once. Was this what you needed to talk to him about? Your feelings for his brother? As if it wasn't bad enough that the two of you had betrayed him like this, you now had to corner him and flaunt it to him too?

Taking deep breaths, he tried his best to calm himself. He wasn't really angry with you, not really. Deep down he knew that neither of you technically had betrayed him. Neither of you knew about Lo'ak's feelings.

To be honest, he was only upset with himself for thinking that he even stood a chance with you in the first place.

"I don't really care," he shrugged, trying his best to appear casual.

Your entire posture faltered at his words. He didn't care that you had feelings for him. As much as it broke your heart, it also made you angry.

The two of you were friends. Even if he didn't like you back, you deserved a better rejection than this.

"You don't care at all? I find that really hard to believe."

"Okay," he agreed bitterly. He had tried his best to seem non-bothered. If you wanted to push him like this, then fine. "I'll be honest."

A small pause followed as he desperately tried to contain his emotions; but failed. "It makes me mad. I honestly thought you were better than this."

Lo'ak felt relief spread through his body. It felt good to let out the pent up anger he had been carrying the last couple of days.

"Wow, I never pegged you as such an ass."

You were absolutely livid. Albeit you hadn't expected him to return your feelings, this reaction was far from what you had imagined even as worst case scenario. Was he truly so disgusted by the thought of you liking him that it angered him?

Involuntary tears formed in your eyes, and you tried to blink them away. You were already humiliated enough, you didn't want to give him the satisfaction of making you cry too.

Lo'ak let out a sigh in frustration. Shit, he had made you cry. No matter how hurt he was, that was the last thing he ever wanted to do.

"Look," he softened his voice and shuffled slightly closer to you, "I'm sorry but I-, well it bothers me to think about you and Neteyam."

Your frown deepened, "Me and Neteyam? Lo'ak, what are you talking about? There's nothing going on between us."

Lo'ak blinked three times in a row, trying to process what you had just said.

He genuinely didn't understand what was going on. Could he have heard something wrong the previous night? But no, he was sure that you admitted to having feelings for-

Realization hit him like a punch to his gut. Kiri asked if you had feelings for her brother, but she never mentioned Neteyam by name. But if it wasn't Neteyam you had feelings for, that only left one other option...

"Wait, you have feelings for me?" He felt ecstatic at the mere thought of you returning his feelings.

"Why are you acting like this is brand new information to you when you just said you heard me and Kiri talking?" You scoffed and took a step back; as if you were planning to leave.

Lo'ak mentally cursed himself. How could he have been this dense?

"I did hear you talk, but I thought you were talking about Neteyam. Shit, I'm such a skxawng."

You merely shrugged at his words. "Well yeah, you can be one sometimes."

You probably should have stayed more mad, but you couldn't stop the intense feeling of relief that simmered through your body. His harsh words suddenly made sense. Lo'ak didn't hate you, he simply misunderstood the situation at hand.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N."

With no hesitation, you engulfed him in a hug. His loose braids tickled your neck as his familiar scent filled your nose. In that moment you felt so content that you almost forgot to wonder about why Lo'ak was so bothered about the thought of you and his brother together.

Almost.

Pulling back slightly, you looked into his eyes. "I forgive you, but only if you give me an honest answer on something."

Ignoring the nervous flutter in his stomach, he agreed with a nod.

"Why did it bother you so much when you thought I liked Neteyam?"

As you awaited his reply, it suddenly hit you just how close the two of you were. Your faces were merely inches apart; so close that you felt his breath softly hit your face.

[captainlunaxmen]

Be My Queen

Chapter 2

Eddie Munson x reader x Steve Harrington

This is a repost since the old blog doesn't work anymore. 🥰

Chapter summary: the team gets ready to face probably the worst they've ever faced. What better timing to confess some feelings?

Chapter warnings: I think, none.

We finally arrive in this open field and I can take a break from all those creepy thoughts.

We split into small groups, Dustin and Eddie are tasked with making shields, Erica and Lucas with making spears, Max helps Nancy and me with the shotgun, Robin and Steve make "bombs".

Nancy wanted to be as sure as possible with the aiming so we're cutting the end of the shotgun.

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" Max asks me.

"Positive" I nod and before she could say anything back "it's safer for you this way"

"She is right, Max" Nancy supports me "I wish she wasn't, I wish there would be another way... but this is the safest option"

"I'm just scared, okay?" Max admits.

I sigh and so does Nancy. Just like the others Max quickly became like a sister, the exact moment we met, she was family.

Seeing her so distraught and uncertain makes my heart clench.

"So are we" I sweetly say to her. "Fuck... I'm more scared than ever if I'm being honest. But unfortunately, if we don't do anything, no one else will and... again, unfortunately, looks like we're smarter than anyone else"

A small smile appears on Max's face at my comment.

Then her eyes focus on Nancy's cutting the shotgun.

"Is this legal?" She asks her.

"I think it's felony" Nancy answers "but it guarantees one thing." Her eyes find mine for a moment before hitting the end and making it fall on the ground "I won't miss."

She says this to reassure me, which I'm more than grateful for.

"What about you?" Max looks at me "Are you gonna do something about those two idiots or you'll just wait and wait..?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I feign innocence.

"I'm pretty sure now is the best time to say something to them... you know, confess something" Max hints.

"I don't know. It's complicated..."

"It's not" Nancy chimes in as she stands up "just tell them how you feel. I know it's difficult, but... it's now or never"

I look at her and sigh, then turn to Max, who nods agreeing with her.

"Fine... yeah, alright."

I turn around to look at Steve by the RV with Robin, he probably feels like he's being watched so he looks up and about until his eyes find mine.

I gently smile at him and he smiles back. I can see he's worried sick, he probably feels guilty too somehow, that he can't find another way to do this.

I then look at Dustin and Eddie playing fight.

As he spins around he locks eyes with me and smiles waving at me as he walks backwards, he eventually falls and Dustin takes advantage of it and attacks him.

"He's such a baby" I whisper to myself with a smile.

-----------

We're all waiting for Dustin and Nancy to check everything for the millionth time, never too careful they said.

I look at them, biting my nails and bouncing my foot.

"Hey" Steve's voice pulls me out of my thoughts.

"Hi," I say softly.

"It's gonna be fine" he tries to reassure me.

"He's right" Eddie appears beside me too.

"Yeah.. easy for you to say. Your job is jamming with Dustin" I say with a forced laugh and they stay silent "I'm sorry... I didn't mean.."

"I know." Eddie gives my arm a soft squeeze.

"You're very brave, Y/n, you know that?" Steve tells me.

"Oh yeah? Then why I'm shaking like a freaking chihuahua?"

"Because it's still a crazy situation."

I look him in the eyes and see the sincerity in them, along with fear of course. I look at Eddie and see worry.

I think of what I'm getting myself into... Vecna might not want to kill me, but it doesn't mean he won't if necessary.

I guess it's time to talk.

"I... I think I need to tell you something" I sigh.

They look at each other, sharing an understanding nod.

"It's alright, sweetheart." Eddie squeezes my arm once again.

"We know," Steve says with a smile.

"What do you mean?" I ask. How?

"We talked the UpsideDown, while we were walking to Nancy's house. We... both realised our feelings for you. And we also realised that you're the one who has to choose" Steve explains.

"Yeah, we were about to argue on who had more right to ask you out, but you should decide who you want..." Eddie says" if you want any of us of course." He quickly adds.

Oh.

Oh!

They do feel something for me.

Oh god, what a relief I wasn't crazy.

"I..." I start, but Eddie cuts me off.

"The choice is yours and... it won't change anything. Whoever you choose" he says is almost resigned.

"I... don't want to choose," I say shyly.

"What do you mean?"

"I too have feelings for you... for the both of you," I say looking back and forth between them.

"Oh..."

"What..."

"Yeah" I laugh embarrassed looking down at my feet.

"That's... that's good," Steve says and Eddie nods.

"Is it?" I look up at them.

"Yeah. I mean... yeah" Eddie looks relieved and just smiles, while Steve chuckles grinning.

"Cool"

"It's implied we're taking you out on a date after this is over" Eddie declares grabbing my hand.

"If this.."

"Don't." Steve stops me "we're gonna make it, okay? I'm not letting some delusional monster prevent me from taking my girl out on a date"

"Our girl" Eddie corrects.

"Our girl out on a date" Steve repeats with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm just scared and I don't want to keep my hopes up" I confess.

"I know, love. Trust me, then. We're gonna make it. Right, Munson?"

"Definitely. Trust us, sweetheart." Eddie nods.

I look at them for a moment, they're trying to be strong for me.

I nod.

"Guys" Dustin calls us and we turn our attention to him "it's time to go"

"Let's go end this," I say and walk to the RV followed by Eddie and Steve.

-----------

We're at Creel's house.

It's time.

Max, Lucas, Erica and I are about to get out.

"Alright, you know what you have to do, right?" Nancy asks us.

"Yes, Nance. We do. We got over it a thousand times." I tell her, to reassure her.

"Then one more won't hurt" she smiles, but she's tense.

"I know" I go hug her and she hugs me back tighter.

"No funny business, I don't want to come back to know you made a demonic deal with him to save us all, but sacrifice yourself" Robin blurts out hugging me once I pulled away from Nancy.

"Wouldn't dream of it, not without my lawyer"

"Please be careful" she whispers.

"Always"

"Wait!" Dusting exclaims.

"What's wrong?" Steve asks alarmed.

"What... we don't have a song for her," Dustin says.

"I don't think that would work for me," I tell him.

"Well, we can't be sure. Maybe it helps! Fuck... why didn't I think of it before" he curses.

"Language" I warn him

"I got it" Eddie chimes in, moving his hands into his pockets.

All eyes are on him, watching him curiously.

He takes out a tape.

"What's that?" I ask.

"Your favourite songs.." he quietly says, heat rising to his cheeks.

"Eddie.." I softly say walking to him.

He hands me the tape and I see there are all my favourite songs in it.

"I wanted to give it to you for your birthday, but... guess now it's the best time"

"It's still very appreciated. Thank you" I say kissing his cheek, he responds by hugging me tightly.

"Please be careful"

"I promise"

I pull away, still holding the tape in my hand and I turn to Steve.

"Kill him. Please." I say in a whisper.

"You don't need to tell me twice," he says.

I nod and wrap my arms around his neck while his are around my waist.

I turn ready to follow the others out, but Dustin stops me once again.

"I'm sorry," he says.

"About what?" I ask confused.

"That I couldn't find another way"

I immediately hugged him tightly.

"Shut up. Never say that again. It's gonna be fine and we'll be back at our movie night sooner than you think" I say to him and I pull away. "Okay?"

"Okay. Yeah..." he takes a breath and nods.

"After all... I'm pretty sure it's my turn to pick" I wink and he laughs rolling his eyes.

Finally, we wall out of the RV and into the Creel's house.

As Erica walks to take place in the playground, Max, Lucas and I start to place the lights around the house.

I sit on the ground, I try to calm myself watching Lucas and Max talking through notes. I hope they'll work it out after all this is done. Max has been through a lot this year, Billy wasn't exactly Mr Kindness, but he was still his brother and she saw him die, that must've been hard to witness, she deserves to be happy. Lucas deserves it too.

I can't help but think about Jim. When he signed the adoption papers and took me to Hawkins was, I think, the best day of my life. He taught me everything I know and he made me who I am today. I owe this to his memory, being brave for him, for him and El. I hope she's alright, and I hope to see her again after this.

Suddenly the flashlight outside catches my attention, Steve, Nancy and Robin must be ready.

Max and Lucas look at me, breath heavy with tension.

I take a deep breath.

Time to phase two.

[axailslink]

could you do shuri x reader training together? maybe reader is a Dora & is helping the new black panther in hand to hand combat. if not, i love whatever you write lolz

Go for it

Shuri Udaku x Dora Milaje reader

Summary: When it comes to the Dora Milaje you're the best in hand to hand combat. Of course your general is very well when it comes to combat but you, you see past who you fight which is why you're so well General Okoye assigns you to train Shuri as a punishment of being reckless on a past mission.

You stretch and watch as Shuri approaches you in her black panther suit "no civilian clothes? Smart" she watches you as you stretch on the grass. "I will not go easy on you because of who you are" Shuri takes a quick glance down your body "you are in civilian clothes" you stand up and grab your spear "I am trained and you are not. Alright enough talking." Shuri can't help but let her eyes drift to your figure again just to admire for a quick moment. "I hear you're the best" you're quick to jab the end of your spear into her shoulder "I said enough talking you're learning to fight. So fight." Shuri grunts as she roughly grabs the spear and tosses it to the ground. Well that's fine by you, you enjoy hand to hand combat better anyways. You smile as she approaches you but she doesn't throw the first punch causing you to lose interest quite fast "I'll let you have the fi-" bad idea that was a bad idea before she thought it to come out of her mouth you punch her in the gut and kick her in the knee causing her to fall on said knee but you aren't done when you come behind her and hold her in place one arm around her neck and the other behind it. "You are really bad at this my queen" she smiles as she grabs your leg and flips you over her you land on your back and gasp for air. "No I like to see my opponents approach and I find I like you better on the ground" she looks down at you and smiles you aren't cocky but Okoye lied when she said this woman was untrained. She was surely trained by someone. You roll over before she can strike you and get up grabbing your spear to keep her back "okay maybe I've underestimated you" she shrugs "I'm not completely untrained just not the best" you nod "of course but you're not focused. Fighting is a dance and you are not dancing you're skipping plus you're too busy eyeing me" you jab her shoulder again pushing her off her footing but when you bring your spear up to strike her in-between her chest she grabs it and holds as you push it until her back is to a tree "you've cornered yourself" you mention she pulls the spear upwards above her head pulling you to her you're within kissing distance for a moment but she quickly kicks you in the stomach. "Oh what the fuck!?" you back away for air and she smiles "you're the best yet you're going easy on me why's that?" You pant and glance at her stomach "I'm not going easy you may just be that good" she can see you lying through your teeth. "The wound is healed she chose you to fight me because she knows you wouldn't care about hurting me" you step back as she approaches you "don't be afraid. Fight me" you continue to step back until your trip over a branch causing Shuri to look down on you. "Fight me as if I am the enemy aim for my head" you gulp truth be told you didn't mind hurting the princess but you saw how in pain she was from the fight with Namor it just didn't sit right with you also you don't want to get set on fire.

"I don't want to hurt you my queen" Shuri grabs your hand and pulls you up only to kick you back down you feel your leg strain when she does so causing you to gasp and hold onto it. "Now do you want to hurt me?" The easy answer is yes you kick your leg out a few times before you retain your stance. "If you admit defeat you should say so" Shuri only nods "you are in worse shape then me Y/n" you are but now you are no longer worried about hurting her so you don't have to play nice or by the rules. You're quick to start fast paced combat hitting her wherever you can she can't block it all so she of course takes a few punches but the ones you make that are the most effective the right below rib and her face. When you realize you hit her face you don't stop instead you kick right where the wound would have healed right below the rib that is. You aren't fighting fair you know this but when training with the Dora they always say your opponents weakness is your best friend while you yourself don't own any weakness. Shuri gasps and grabs at her stomach but you don't care if she wants to stop you she'll have to stop. You forget the whole time you were hitting her it only charges her suit so maybe you were too into it maybe you weren't focused. So when she charges at you full force and grabs you her claws sinking into your skin you yelp before feeling the rough feel of a tree against your back. Your head throbs but she doesn't let go as she looks you in the eyes it should be intimidating but it's not it only fuels your next actions. You wrap your legs around her waist and slide down the tree feeling her claws run streaks up your skin but you're too fast for her to catch. You slip between her legs and out of her grip and kick her to the tree you're quick to grab your spear and hold it to her neck pushing her against the tree with your own body. Shuri smiles and grabs your spear gently "I admit defeat" you drop the spear and back up panting and looking at your arms

"Lovely you scarred me... literally" she looks at both your arms and then you "I apologize you hit me in a pretty painful spot I couldn't control my claws" you laugh "you're lying it was purposely I saw that look in your eye when you did it. Don't lie you wanted to hurt me I admire that." Shuri looks at the blood running down both of your arms. "you're going to experience blood loss lets you get you to my lab and can patch you up there." You groan of annoyance "I like you better when you're trying to kill me it's kind of sexy." Shuri blinks for a moment and looks at you "you are weird that's not sexy" you nod "hm I don't know I've got soon to be scars on my arms I can't help but wonder how they would look down my back with my tattoos." Shuri pays no mind to your words as she looks for something to cover your arms with "this is going to be really indecent but may I?" you look her up and down as she looks at your shirt you can't hold the sly comment "you can do whatever you want to me." Shuri can't hold back her laugh this time as she rips your shirt and covers both your arms. You notice Shuri glancing at your chest for a moment and you're quick to look up at her and say "my eyes are up here unless you're trying to start something..." Shuri rolls her eyes and picks you up causing you to smile as your eyes get a bit drowsy "yes pick me up miss udaku." You have Shuri laughing the whole time to the palace your eyes dropping lower with every passing minute.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When you wake you're on a couch there's no lab in the couch is there? You sit up but Shuri is quick to come over and usher you back down you notice her wrapped knee. "Are you alright?" You ask her and she chuckles "am I alright? You're the one with the lack of blood right now" she sits beside you and smiles "where are we? This is not the lab" she nods "obviously, this is my bedroom the lab has too much light you wouldn't have been able to rest comfortably I decided to bring you here. Okoye is on her way to give you blood you never said you two shared the same blood." You shrug as you look at the ceiling "it's not important are you alright? I hit you pretty hard in a few spots" Shuri nods "nothing I can't take you did give me ptsd though" she laughs as she looks at you "most Dora Milaje are strong and stoic not as funny as you" you smile "well unlike Okoye I have a sense of humor." As if speaking her into existence her voice cuts through your conversation "I have a sense of humor when there's time for a sense of humor."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shuri leaves the room to get the equipment and you're stuck with a scolding Okoye "you're a great liar" you look up at her and roll your eyes "I don't know what you mean." Okoye leans against the wall as she speaks "you made her think you're weak you've never fought that terrible" you shrug "I was distracted." Okoye laughs "by what? Her pretty eyes or her pretty charm? It's quite noticeable you like her" you groan "and I'm done I'm done." Okoye smiles as she approaches the couch "come on you've never kept any secrets from me I watched you fight today. You let her scar you" you look at your arms "no person has ever gotten close to hitting you yet she scarred you? I just don't believe that I believe that everything you did today was calculated and planned." You look at Okoye in the eye now "and if it was? What if I do her like her? I can't date her" Okoye nods "says who?" You shrug Okoye gently nudges your shoulder "I say go for it but that's all I'll say nothing else" she crosses her arms over her chest and you smile "nothing else?" She nods but it doesn't take long for her to break "you two would be cute I'd love to see her happy more often and you. You are my sister and yet no one catches your eye but her go for it." You laugh and roll your eyes as Shuri comes back into the room "I also have to change your bandages if you'll let me." Okoye retreats to the back of the room and smiles "go for it" she mouths.

Shuri puts her gloves on and ushers Okoye over so that she can carefully insert the needle "Shuri go on a date with me" Shuri looks up at you then back to the needle "you want to date me?" "Well now I'm thinking otherwise because you're asking questions maybe I shouldn't have asked in the fi-" Shuri chuckles causing you to pause "you think this is funny?" Shuri says nothing "no I think you're funny sure" you scoff. "Sure? I don't even want you to go now" Shuri laughs and watches you ramble on how she should be grateful.

"I'll pay for the date if you pick the place Y/n..." You smile but roll your eyes. "Good." Shuri smiles at you "good" you scoff at her mocking "good" she laughs and shakes her head.

Okoye visibly rolls her eyes "is this enough? Please let me leave you two are like children." You both just smile at each other you can't lie you're already thinking of how goofy your date is going to be even though being with Shuri Udaku it might be a month from now. You still can't help but smile at the possibility.

A/n: very very unedited sorry just needed to post something for her.

[ae-azile]

Progression Preview - Chapter 19

It is nice to spend time with Ma in a space that is hers. She seems more comfortable and outgoing, and she also has some semblance of control over her environment that Porsche simply hasn't witnessed until now. She even makes them Kai Jeow and cuts up fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, and cilantro to garnish it, something he hadn't expected her to do without someone assisting her. When Porsche had tried, she shooed him out of the kitchen. 

“This is really good, Ma,” Porsche tells her honestly as she watches them eat, “I remember…”

As Porsche trails off, he decides it's best not to say he remembers her making this when he was young. He doesn't know what kind of reaction that would invoke, or if it would invoke one at all. There have been times he tells Ma good, benign memories he has, hoping it might make her remember it too, only to get very little in response. 

“It's good,” Porsche just says again, “I think Kim would be impressed. Maybe one of us should go over and get him and Khun up since you made extra.” 

Ma shrugs at that, “I don't think he is there. He is probably with Chay, because Chay is not a cheater.” 

Ma has to spell the last sign because Porsche doesn't know it and Kinn is a little confused too. But once they understand, Porsche nods in agreement. 

“You're right. Chay would never cheat on Kim,” Porsche says, then grumbles, “I just want him to openly admit they are a thing. I got so close last night-” 

“He basically told you, Porsche,” Kinn says. 

“I want a clear admission!” Porsche says insistently as he leans into Kinn, “And that will lead to a brotherly heart to heart where we talk about the brothers we are madly in love with.” 

That gets a small smile out of Kinn. Good. He's been smiling so much less this last week, and Porsche doesn't know if Kinn even realizes it. Porsche definitely has. Kinn’s unguarded and unfiltered smile is his absolute best feature, and Kinn has so many great physical features. But when he smiles? It lights up a room. No, it lights up the whole compound. Porsche remembers the first time he saw him smile - his real smile, the one he lets himself show when he isn't trying to be a poised mafia boss. 

Well, he sort of remembers. It had been at Yok’s, back when Khun rented out the bar for the first time. He remembers being completely drawn in. His intrigue had already spiked when Kinn tried to pull him out of the way of that bullet, but his smile is what drew him in. Once he saw it again in the forest - after Porsche taught him how to spear a fish - he was a goner. Kinn’s eyes were bright with excitement and he looked so youthful and happy. That is his absolute favorite version of Kinn - the one who is so happy that he is grinning until his cheeks hurt. 

It's a version that had been coming back after Kim started getting better, and after Porsche’s arm started getting better too. But he hasn't really been around recently, and it's getting to a point where Porsche feels like he needs to sit down with Kinn, tell him his observations, and really talk with him. More specifically, get Kinn to talk to him about whatever is getting him like this. 

“There’s that smile,” Porsche whispers, lifting his hand to run his fingers through Kinn’s hair. Kinn glances at him, but doesn't say anything. He does, however, lean in slightly when Porsche puts his arm around him. That will have to be enough for now. 

“What are we doing today, Ma?” Porsche asks as he meets her eyes again. Ma stands up to pace, as if she is really thinking about it, then faces them again. 

“I want to make a cake,” Ma signs, “Maybe Kim can help me, but I want to decorate it myself. It can be a late lunch. We can play video games too. Chay wants me to play the Switch he got me. And then we can go out. Explore.”

Porsche smiles at that, “Okay. That sounds like a really nice day. I'm in. What about you, Kinn?” 

“I have a meeting at 11, but nothing besides that,” Kinn says, “It sounds like a good day.” 

Ma smiles at that, “I'm glad you will be free. I want everyone I can trust here for my cake. I am going to work really hard at it. It's important." 

“Ah, are you making one that's really fancy?” Porsche asks, smiling back at her. 

Ma nods, “I want layers and colorful icing. I will have someone get the things I need from the kitchen. I have something called YouTube on my television. I searched for ideas, and I know exactly what I want to do.” 

Once Ma makes her signs clear, Porsche raises his eyebrows at that, “You were searching cake tutorials up on YouTube?”

“And other things. It's very useful!” Ma signs, “But I do want Kim here. He is a good cook. He knows about food.” 

Porsche looks down at his phone, “It's 9:30 now. I’ll text the group what you would like to do.” 

Porsche: Morning! 👋🏾 Ma wants to make everyone a cake for a late lunch. 🙂 It sounds like we are basically eating dessert first, and then will go out for dinner together later if everyone is okay with that. She planned this herself, so the more people who can join, the better. Kim, she would like your help with making the cake if you are available. 

Arm: I am tending to some training overviews this morning with the guards, but should be done by 1. Is that okay?

Porsche: That should be fine! 

Khun: I’ll join! Cake for lunch sounds marvelous! 🎂🔪🍽️🍰🤤😋 Pol is with me right now, and he says he will join too! 

Porsche: 😁💙

Khun: I shall go prompt my sweet, innocent baby Kim! 🧑‍🍼👶🏻 So that he knows his assistance is being requested!

Khun:...Sweet, innocent baby Kim is not in his room. 🤔 Is sweet, innocent baby Chay in his?

Porsche: No. He's not. 🙄 I’ll give them fifteen minutes, then blow up their phones. They can't even get frustrated about it, since they are included in this group text. Timer starts now. 

Porsche keeps to his word. He gives both of them fifteen minutes before picking up his phone again. When he sees no response from either of them, he calls Chay. On the third ring, Chay answers. 

“Hello?” Chay says, sounding like he is half asleep. Porsche looks at the phone, then stands up and goes over to Chay’s suite door to open it. It's empty. 

“Where are you?” Porsche asks, his eyes narrowing. 

“I told you I was going to the gym,” Chay mumbles. 

“Yeah, you told me that almost four hours ago,” Porsche says pointedly, “And you still aren't back. On top of that, you sound like I woke you up from a dead sleep.” 

“I worked out,” Chay says, “I’m tired now.” 

Porsche narrows his eyes with suspicion, “Uh huh. Kim isn't in his suite either.” 

“Huh?” Chay murmurs, not sounding concerned at all, “I wonder where he ran off to?”

“Chay, who is it?” Porsche hears Kim’s fatigued voice say quietly. 

“He ran off to wherever you are because I just heard him,” Porsche says with a huff, “You're such a faker.” 

“We worked out together and went to my old suite to gather some things,” Chay says, “But we were exhausted, so we took a nap. Like I said, we worked out. So hard.”

Porsche opens his mouth, only to feel his mind freeze at the memory of telling Pete how hard Kinn punished him when the reality had been so different from that. 

“Chay,” Porsche says, feigning patience, “I am not dumb.” 

“I never said you were, Hia. Did someone tell you that? I want a name,” Chay says.

“Just…you…” Porsche gets out, lets out an exasperated groan, “Ma wants Kim’s help in making a cake. Check your texts. You didn't answer. That's why I called.” 

He hears Chay telling Kim to check his phone before Chay responds. 

“We’ll be there soon. Sorry for missing them. I had the alarm set for 10. And I wouldn't have left if you weren't there.” 

“I know that, but…” Porsche starts, then just decides to say it, “Chay, you don't have to lie. I realize you are an adult. I hate it, but I realize it. You don't have to tell me you were working out if that's not what you were doing, especially when I have given my approval of you and Kim very clearly.” 

“It wasn't a lie,” Chay says, sounding like he's stretching, “It really feels like I worked out.”

Porsche isn't going to touch that. Nope, he is not. He isn't even going to give Chay a reaction, because that is most likely what he is looking for. He's so good at getting them too. Porsche refuses to give him the satisfaction. 

“Wonderful. Glad you got your cardio in,” Porsche forces himself to say instead of some mixture of sputtering and screeching, “Please come back to your new suite with your boyfriend in tow. Make sure you look presentable.” 

“Okay,” Chay says, “Love you, Hia.” 

And while Porsche feels his heart grow at the sentiment, he does not miss Chay not even bothering to deny or deflect the boyfriend thing. 

“Love you too.” 

As soon as Porsche hangs up the phone, he looks at his own boyfriend. 

“They snuck out of their suites to have sex. Chay sounded exhausted, so they were up to some freaky shit. I know it.” 

“Hm,” is all Kinn says. 

“Maybe you should check in with Kim,” Porsche suggests, “Give him another sex talk if he needs one.” 

“If he exhausted Chay that much, I doubt he needs one.” 

“Ew, Kinn!” Porsche says, then tries to scrub the last seven minutes out of his brain. 

[asfateentertwines]

Love languages

Spiders love languages are acts of service and quality time

He spent a large amount of time alone and figuring things out for and by himself so having people put the attention on him is his weakness

He's embarrassed to admit it but he loves attention. Kiri is the only sibling to realize how much he'll preen under it and teases him for it relentlessly

Similarly, he's one to show his love by trying to help them and give them his time, however, the favor is only ever returned by his siblings. Hence, it gets him flustered to be the target of help or focus

Lucky for him, Rotxo is exactly this type

Rotxo's love language is also acts of service but also gift giving. He loves to make things for those he loves and puts his time towards them to show it

Much like Spider, reversing this onto him will fluster him to oblivion

Hence, their courting is the bane of all the kids existences

They're both usually in the background and so neither can handle it when they're brought to attention

Spider will go hunting for coastal animals for Rotxo since it's a rarer event in the Metkayina meals to have land food

He and his brothers take it upon themselves to help change that, but Spider will specifically snag cuts of meat for Rotxo since he loves to cook

He also makes Kiri help him find herbs and such similar to what they had a home which he helps Rotxo explore when he cooks

There's a lot of nights they end up eating scraps cause Spider isn't exactly the best one to show him how to cook. A, he has little talent for it and B, he couldn't eat half of what he grew up around

Rotxo ends up tentatively approaching Neytiri (who actually terrifies him despite him growing up with Ronal) to get help in cooking Omaticaya foods

She's adopted Spider at this point, but their relationship is still not nearly as close as it is with her other children so it's one of the ways she starts to mend that bridge

Rotxo and Neytiri bond over feeding their families and sharing their cultures recipes

Rotxo also puts more effort into finding human-friendly foods. He refuses to accept that his mate can't have the good foods he loves just because of some measly poison

Spider has accidentally been poisoned several times but doesn't have the heart to tell Rotxo to stop trying or to deny trying his creations

If they cook together, Spider is on chopping and cutting since he has the best knife skills and the least cooking skills

Rotxo is a solid chef but has a questionable palette at time and has made some rather interesting meals that only pass by the questionable tastes of teenage boys

By the time they're young adults, Neteyam and Tsireya have to step in and help them make better decisions

While Spider brings gifts from land, Rotxo likes to bring Spider gifts from the water

Even with his mask, Spider isn't able to get but so deep before the pressure bothers his head

He's a strong swimmer and keeps up normally but there's certain limits his human body can't breach

So Rotxo will dive for him and bring him little gifts

Shells and rocks are common for his braids or the jewelry he's now covered in but Rotxo also brings him little bottom-feeders so he can see it all. He'll bring the little creatures to show Spider before he'll thank them and return them

Spider just sits on his ilu or whatever rocks they've found and grins, watching this giant race to and from to show him whatever it is he's found this time

On the note of jewelry, they're both covered in necklaces, beaded clothing pieces, and bracelets that they've made for one another. shells, stones, bone beads, and whatever else they find adorn them both. Rotxo can't always wear so many in the water so he'll wrap his spear and daggers in them and leave the rest to decorate their marui. Spider, on the other hand, has most of his on at all times

It reminds him that he's wanted, that someone loved him enough to make them

Spider grew up working with some of the elders and mothers making garments for the clan and so he gifts Rotxo with belts and shoulder-guards he made with his cultures skills and Rotxo's styles and resources.

Neytiri has to help a lot, women is keeping them both together in a lot of ways

Rotxo sorts through his clothes to try and wear them all, he loves the feeling of being loves and shown off when he wears what Spider has made him

Gift giving between the two is constant

They also are one of the best teams when they work together

While other couples (Lo'ak and Tsireya) work together and struggle to get through tasks, they play off of one another constantly

They meet in the middle very well and are just very in tune with one another

With their jobs, Spider working among the clan or on the coast and Rotxo being a diver and warrior, they don't get to work together as often as they like so when they do, it's a sight

They're the type to finish one another’s task without care or notice. Both grew up as someone's right hand and being in the background so hard work is nothing new

Similarly, they're deadly as a duo

Spider will literally use Rotxo as a spring board and combine strength and agility in a deadly combination

They have each other's back at the end of the day no matter what

Everything comes back to wanting the other to never feel alone or unwanted

They just love to take care of one another man

[hisui555]

Hazbin Hotel Thoughts : Foils 7

Masterpost here

The lovely @phoenixlionme messaged yours truly again with a request, and so I shall deliver for the next two foils. Credits to them, because I hadn't really thought about it, so, here's to you my friend ! Just so you know, I might be paraphrasing or outright quoting you, because what you said was really spot-on and I couldn't have said it better.

So the request was about Vaggie VS Alastor - and it's quite the interesting dynamic indeed, can't believe I missed it. Might turn into a triangle of Foils with Lucifer added into the fray, given how all three revolve around Charlie (with her as the focus point).

Vaggie was here from the beginning of the Hotel project - or at least, when it started to consolidate into actually something. Charlie was already out and helping during (or directly after) Exterminations (seen when the two first met three years ago), but it's likely that Vaggie played a huge hand in actually helping her make it take off : pitching, brainstorming, securing funds (not that Charlie doesn't have any), keeping her focused and on-task ("Life isn't a musical, hun"), basically being grouding and seeing the practical side of things. There's a reason why she's the manager, or else Charlie would be still stuck on "dolphin hugs and rainbow sparkles".

Alastor on his side has the power and notoriety to make it happen : he brings in staff, arranges furniture, and his well-established reputation as the Radio Demon does the work for him. Alastor has the connections both Charlie and Vaggie don't naturally have : Vaggie keeps a low profile (and given she's a Fallen angel only knowing Charlie, justified) and Charlie is alienated from her own people despite her wishes to connect - both as a Princess and daughter of Lucifer, and due to her personality, being to sweet and naive to be taken seriously. What everyone remembers is that she's the delusional "brat" of Lucifer, that's it : Vox only speaks of her in those terms, Val can't even remember her name outside of that it sounds "mannish", Alastor literally pictures her as "Lucifer's delusional daughter" in his 'ad' for the Hotel, Katie Killjoy in the pilot presents her as "Princess Charlotte". Nobody sees her as herself and cares about her own project... except both Vaggie, her girlfriend, and Alastor, who addresses Charlie directly and acknowledges her dreams - for his own twisted source of fun.

Joining on what Phoenixlionme said, both are supportive of Charlie... for widely different reasons : Vaggie is genuine and really wants her girlfriend to succeed, even if it won't hold her back from critisizing and pointing out the flaws, but it's constructive. Alastor is selfish and wants entertainment, being fairly dismissive of Charlie's struggles (see Ep 7) and only supports her only as long as he can push his agenda, and use her : her position as Princess of Hell, and "like her daddy she's madly powerful", is what makes it worthwhile to him, but he still acknowledges her person and dreams, "one of a kind, a charming demon belle", even if he admits getting a bit attached to the group. Alastor and Vaggie are both protectors of the Hotel, that sometimes get annoyed with the residents : Vaggie is more comical because she's the only sane one next to Husk having to deal with Angel, Pentious, Niffty, and Alastor's antics when he's in the mood to screw everyone over, while Alastor is more terrifying because he has way less morals than her (or especially skewed ones) and is willing to let most of the antics slide (in fact, some he relishes in, like Niffty's) but can still get annoyed at Angel's promiscuity towards him, and is straight-up threatening Husk the moment Husk pushes too far. Also, Vaggie sincerely cares, while Alastor doesn't. However, they both take the role seriously : Vaggie points her spear at whoever she thinks is a threat (like Pentious and Alastor - not wrong on that last one) while Alastor reminds everyone why he's here and cuts off his friendship with Mimzy the moment the Hotel is threatened.

Phoenixlionme also rightfully points out that both have a mysterious past : Alastor is a big question mark in Hell, Vaggie's is revealed in Ep 6 - up to that, she was only "Charlie's girlfriend" and the "Hotel manager". However, both go in opposite ways about it : Vaggie is very content with her past staying a secret, which brings up trouble later between her and Charlie, and she's genuinely ashamed. Alastor on the other hand relishes in the attention he gets for his secrets, that he also keeps close to his chest, and basks in the spotlight - he needs it on him, contrary to Vaggie, and visibly gets pissy when he doesn't get it. It shows how they both go at things : Vaggie is ultimately a team-player, while Alastor wants to be the MVP. And even if Vaggie is now outed as a Fallen angel, her true origins are still up in the air : there's a higher chance she might have been human (Salvadoran, being Hispanic) but nothing is confirmed. Alastor has a human background (of Creole heritage, died in the 30s, was a radio host and serial killer) but fuck if anyone currently knows what his deal is. They also have self-esteem issues : Alastor has too much to cover hidden insecurities, Vaggie is noted by Husk to hate herself. Alastor is a proud killer of many while Vaggie did it out of (misguided) duty and ashamed of her high body coutn as a past Exorcist, but is still willing to "make the mistakes" (Whatever It Takes) for Charlie and her group, fighting for her loved ones. Alastor is the one to bail to save his own tail (though he did put up a good fight and still threw his weight in), because that is not where it ends for him. It should be noted that both aren't afraid to punch above their weight class, however.

Ironically, this makes them both the "angel" and "devil" on Charlie's shoulders, as Phoenixlionme rightfully pointed out - which also allows me to tack on with Lucifer, who's, ironically, also the "angel" on Charlie's shoulder : Alastor drives her to take decisions that are detrimental to herself (making a deal for information in Ep 7) while both Vaggie and Lucifer are genuinely standing by Charlie's side to support her entirely and have no further agenda. They were left behind by Heaven and have all reasons to think it wouldn't work - Lucifer actually comes around on that - yet are her most active and vocal supporters, while Alastor can't be bothered by her tears and emotional distress. The opening scene of Ep 7 is also notable to analyse : Vaggie gives Charlie space (maybe Charlie asked her to and Vaggie respected her demand) while Alastor immediately jumps on the occasion to prey on her insecurities and catch her in a vulnerable moment to wring a deal out of her. She even tells him that she has no time for his "sick idea of a joke", but he keeps pushing to hook her on the deal.

Vaggie (and later Lucifer too) drive Charlie to be the best version of herself, and step in to either pick her back up ("Come on, little lady, why the frown ?") or fight at her side, more or less literally (Vaggie manning the trust exercise to try to help, and feeling bad when she thinks it doesn't work) while Alastor only steps in when he has his role to uphold and generally doing his own thing, taking the helm to steer into his own purposes and getting Charlie under his power ("She's filled with potential that I could guide"), sticking with her to be on the winning side. Hell's Greatest Dad shows that Lucifer threatens this particular position, so he'll manipulate Charlie back under his thumb, appealing to her insecurities, while Lucifer feels replaced and tries to help his daughter out of love, a desire to protect her from harm (to the point of "rigging the game because he's the ref") and a will to fix his family. This is well-shown when Alastor immediately reacts sourly to Lucifer, and Lucifer is dismissive of him, but embraces Vaggie on the spot (even if he gets her name wrong) and fully accepts her from the get-go.

Another point I agree with Phoenixlionme is that Vaggie and Alastor both hide their emotions : Vaggie needs to be drunk to drop her guard, and rarely emotes more dynamically than her usual sullen frown or tiny smiles, while Alastor constantly plasters on his hundred-watt grin as a tool to show power. They do have a wide range of emotions, but both present them very subtly - you'll have to look for the minute changes in their face to tell. They're both more stoic than the others (Alastor keeps the same smile on, Vaggie is hardened by her life) and keep a cool head in harsh situations, becoming the leader in a fight (Charlie follows Vaggie with her shield, while, though Pentious is the one playing general, Alastor also is one of the main players and provides the shield and fight against Adam). They don't cry (well, aren't seen crying yet), and only show their true feelings of vulnerability in alone moments (Alastor breaking down mentally, Vaggie being hurt when Charlie gives her the cold shoulder), although Vaggie is healthier in dealing with them because she still talks to Charlie about it once she passes the hurdle, and is honest about hers.

One is driving Charlie away from people and is only helping on the surface for his selfish purposes, the other actually helps her connect and make her dreams come true the way Charlie wants it.

And here you have it ! Again, all thanks to @phoenixlionme, also credits to them, because some of what I wrote are their own musings and words. Next Foils in the series also stems from their request, with very interesting points, so, as one Radio Demon would say, stay tuned !

Again, Masterpost here.

[ghostlysundae]

Nya redesigns/rewrites seasons 5-6, spears are not drawn to scale

Seasons 1-2 Seasons 3-4

(Details under cut, click for better quality)

Season 5:

I don't change much about her storyline in Possession besides her being slightly more open to being the master of water due to her love for the ocean. She isn't, of course, too open to being a ninja rather than samurai, not ready to let go of Samurai X until she finds she enjoys fighting along side her brother and friends much more without the bulky suit separating them.

I want to improve her dynamic with Ronin a little bit; a thing I really like about their relationship already is how Ronin has an understanding of Nya, that most characters don't, due to their similarities and how Wus methods don't work on Nya. Ronins mentoring does because of those similarities; so one of the biggest changes I'm making here is the sword of sanctuary scene. Instead of it being unnecessary, and uncomfortable, the sword reveals that Ronins cursed soul affects him physically. (I go into detail about this in his rewrite)

Afterwards, Nya better understands the severity of his situation. She tries to reason with him; tell him that she and the others can help him if he would just let them, this doesn't work. He's running out of time, and he's become more desperate. Everything that follows plays basically out the same as in the show.

Season 6:

Making a lot of changes to her character and others in this one. For starters I'm not having Jay and Nya get back together. It never sat right with me that he still 'got the girl' after she repeatedly makes it clear she isn't interested and has rejected him once already. She stands her ground and it actually feels like she's making her own choice.

Nya doesn't just admit she believes she has a future with him nor does she give him a last minute love confession after a whole season of trying to get it through his head that it isn't gonna happen. He doesn't get to win her over after trampling her boundaries and lying to her over and over again just because Nadakhans the worst out of the 2 guys that won't leave her alone.

Their conversation in the light house leads to Jay finally understanding that he was in the wrong to push her. They bond and talk while rigging the lighthouse with traps and defenses. Their relationship as friends starting to improve. Nya still gets captured because I do honestly like the moment where she puts her trust in Jay to stop Nadakhan, which shows she still has faith in him.

Nya will still get poisoned but thats because she ends up being too close while trying to keep Nadakhan in clear range. Jay saves his friend with the wish; they've got the shared trauma and can now also just be machine building besties.

Also ya'll can't tell me Dareth wouldn't just be doing the make up tutorial segment himself.

[thewidowsghost]

Seeing the Beauty (Piper McLean x Fem!Reader) - Chapter 4

Series Masterlist

Main Masterlist

On the central green, a group of campers are playing basketball. Those are incredible shots, Piper thinks. Nothing bounces off the rim; three pointers go in automatically.

"Apollo's cabin," Annabeth explains. "Bunch of showoffs with missile weapons - arrows, basketball."

They walk past a central fire pit, where two people - Piper didn't want to assume - are hacking at each other with swords.

"Real blades?" Piper notes. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"That's sort of the point," Annabeth replies. "Uh, sorry. Bad pun. That's my cabin over there. Number Six." She nods to a gray building with a carved owl over the door. Through the open doorway, Piper can see bookshelves, weapon displays, and one of those computerized SMART Boards they have in classrooms. Two girls are drawing a map that looks like a battle diagram. "Speaking of blades," Annabeth says, "come here." She leads Piper around the side of the cabin, to a big metal shed that looks like it is meant for gardening tools. Annabeth unlocks it, and inside are not gardening tools. Piper adds, Unless you want to make war on your tomato plants. The shed is lined with all sorts of weapons - from swords to spears to clubs like Coach Hedge's. "Every demigod needs a weapon," Annabeth says. "Hephaestus makes the best, but we have a pretty good selection, too. Athena's all about strategy -matching the right weapon to the right person. Let's see . . ."

Piper doesn't feel much like shopping for deadly objects, but she knows Annabeth is trying to do something nice for her.

Annabeth hands her a massive sword, which Piper can hardly lift.

"No," they both say at once.

Annabeth rummages a little farther in the shed and brings out something else.

"A shotgun?" Piper asked.

"Is that a Mossberg 500?" a voice says, and Piper turns, and for some reason, she's really excited to see the person - and it wasn't the person she thought she'd be so excited to see.

"You remember that?" Annabeth asks, handing (Y/n) the shotgun; she checks the pump action like it's no big deal.

"Something about my mom," (Y/n) replies, and then she winces, as though her head was hurting her.

"A Lastrygonian giant," Annabeth says gently. "And don't worry, Piper," she catches the cautious look Piper is throwing the shotgun. "It doesn't hurt humans. It's modified to shoot Celestial bronze, so it only kills monsters."

"Um, I don't think that's my style," Piper replies.

"Mmm, yeah," Annabeth agrees. "Too flashy." She takes the shotgun back, puts it away, and starts poking through a rack of crossbows when something in the corner of the shed catches Piper's eye.

"What is that?" she asks. "A knife?"

Annabeth digs it out and blows the dust off the scabbard. It looks like it hadn't seen the light of day in centuries.

"I don't know, Piper." Annabeth sounds uneasy. "I don't think you want this one. Swords are usually better."

"You use a knife." Piper points to the one strapped to Annabeth's belt.

"Yeah, but ..." Annabeth shrugs. "Well, take a look if you want."

The sheath is worn black leather, bound in bronze. Nothing fancy, nothing flashy. The polished wood handle fits beautifully in Piper's hand. When she unsheathes it, she finds a triangular blade eighteen inches long - bronze gleaming like it had been polished yesterday. The edges were deadly sharp. Her reflection in the blade catches her by surprise. She looks older, more serious, not as scared as she felt.

"It suits you," Annabeth admits. "That kind of blade is called a parazonium. It was mostly ceremonial, carried by high-ranking officers in the Greek armies. It showed you were a person of power and wealth, but in a fight, it could protect you just fine."

"I like it," Piper glows. "Why didn't you think it was right?"

Annabeth exhales. "That blade has a long story. Most people would be afraid to claim it. Its first owner . . . well, things didn't turn out too well for her. Her name was Helen."

Piper lets that sink in. "Wait, you mean the Helen? Helen of Troy?"

Annabeth nods.

Suddenly Piper feels like she should be handling the dagger with surgical gloves. "And it's just sitting in your toolshed?"

"We're surrounded by Ancient Greek stuff," Annabeth replies. "This isn't a museum. Weapons like that—they're meant to be used. They're our heritage as demigods. That was a wedding present from Menelaus, Helen's first husband. She named the dagger Katoptris."

"Meaning?"

"Mirror," Annabeth says. "Looking glass. Probably because that's the only thing Helen used it for. I don't think it's ever seen battle."

Piper looks at the blade again. For a moment, her own image stares up at her, but then the reflection changes. She sees flames, and a grotesque face like something carved from bedrock. She hears the same laughter as in her dream. She sees her dad in chains, tied to a post in front of a roaring bonfire.

She drops the blade.

"Piper?" (Y/n) asks worriedly, taking a step forward.

Annabeth shouts to the Apollo kids on the court, "Medic! I need some help over here!"

"No, it's - it's okay," Piper manages.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I just . . ." She had to control herself. With trembling fingers, she picks up the dagger.

"I just got overwhelmed. So much happening today. But . . . I want to keep the dagger, if that's okay."

Annabeth hesitates. Then she waves off the Apollo kids. "Okay, if you're sure. You turned really pale, there. I thought you were having a seizure or something."

"I'm fine," Piper promises, though her heart is still racing.

. . .

Piper thinks that all the cabins are cool, but none of them strike Piper as hers. No burning signs - wombats or otherwise - appear over her head.

Cabin Eight is entirely silver and glows like moonlight. "Artemis?" Piper guesses.

"You know Greek mythology," Annabeth replies.

"I did some reading when my dad was working on a project last year."

"I thought he did Cherokee art."

Piper bites back a curse. "Oh, right. But—you know, he does other stuff too."

Piper thinks she'd blown it: McLean, Greek mythology. Thankfully, Annabeth doesn't seem to make the connection.

"Anyway," Annabeth continues, "Artemis is goddess of the moon, goddess of hunting. But no campers. Artemis was an eternal maiden, so she doesn't have any kids."

"Oh." That kind of bums Piper out. She'd always liked the stories of Artemis, and figured she would make a cool mom.

"Well, there are the Hunters of Artemis," Annabeth amends. "They visit sometimes. They're not the children of Artemis, but they're her handmaidens - this band of immortal teenage girls who adventure together and hunt monsters and stuff."

Piper perks up. "That sounds cool. They get to be immortal?"

"Unless they die in combat, or break their vows. Did I mention they have to swear off love? No dating - ever. For eternity."

"Oh," Piper says. "Never mind."

Annabeth laughs. For a moment, she looks almost happy, and Piper thinks she'd be a cool friend to hang out with in better times.

Forget it, Piper reminds herself. You're not going to make any friends here. Not once they find out.

The trio passes the next cabin, which is decorated like a Barbie house with lace curtains, a pink door, and potted carnations in the windows. They walk by the doorway, and the smell of perfume almost makes Piper gag.

"Gah, is that where supermodels go to die?"

Annabeth smirks. "Aphrodite's cabin. Goddess of love. Drew is the head counselor."

"Figures," Piper grumbles.

"They're not all bad," Annabeth says. "The last head counselor we had was great."

"What happened to her?"

"She died, didn't she?" (Y/n) asks, a pain piercing her head again.

Annabeth's expression saddens, "We should keep moving."

They look at the other cabins, but Piper just gets more depressed. She wonders if she could be the daughter of Demeter, the farming goddess. Then again, Piper killed every plant she ever touched. Athena was cool. Or maybe Hecate, the magic goddess. But it doesn't really matter. Even here, where everyone was supposed to find a lost parent, she knows she would still end up the unwanted kid. She is not looking forward to the campfire tonight.

"We started with the twelve Olympian gods," Annabeth explains. "Male gods on the left, female on the right. Then last year, we added a whole bunch of new cabins for the other gods who didn't have thrones on Olympus - Hecate, Hades, Iris -"

"What are the two big ones on the end?" Piper asks.

Annabeth frowns. "Zeus and Hera. King and queen of the gods."

Piper heads that way, and Annabeth follows, though she doesn't act very excited. The Zeus cabin reminds Piper of a bank. It is white marble with big columns out front and polished bronze doors emblazoned with lightning bolts. Hera's cabin is smaller but done in the same style, except the doors are carved with peacock feather designs, shimmering in different colors.

Unlike the other cabins, which are all noisy and open and full of activity, the Zeus and Hera cabins look closed and silent.

"Are they empty?" Piper asks.

Annabeth nods. "Zeus went a long time without having any children. Well, mostly. Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, the eldest brothers among the gods - they're called the Big Three. Their kids are really powerful, really dangerous. For the last seventy years or so, they tried to avoid having demigod children."

"Tried to avoid it?"

"Sometimes they . . . um, cheated. I've got a friend, Thalia Grace, who's the daughter of Zeus. But she gave up camp life and became a Hunter of Artemis. My boyfriend, Percy, and (Y/n), they're Poseidon's kids. And there's a kid who shows up sometimes, Nico - son of Hades. Except for them, there are no demigod children of the Big Three gods. At least, not that we know of."

"And Hera?" Piper looks at the peacock-decorated doors. The cabin bothers her, though she wasn't sure why.

"Goddess of marriage." Annabeth's tone is carefully controlled, like she's trying to avoid cursing. "She doesn't have kids with anyone but Zeus. So, yeah, no demigods. The cabin's just honorary."

"You don't like her," Piper notices.

"We have a long history," Annabeth admits. "I thought we'd made peace, but when you and Percy," Annabeth nods to (Y/n), "disappeared . . . I got this weird dream vision from her."

"Telling you to come get us," Piper realizes. "And you thought Percy and (Y/n) would be there."

"It's probably better I don't talk about it," Annabeth says. "I've got nothing good to say about Hera right now."

Piper looks down the base of the doors. "So who goes in here?"

"No one. The cabin is just honorary, like I said. No one goes in."

"Someone does." Piper points at a footprint on the dusty threshold. On instinct, she pushes the doors and they swing open easily.

Annabeth steps back. "Um, Piper, I don't think we should - "

"We're supposed to do dangerous stuff, right?" And Piper walks inside.

. . .

Hera's cabin was not someplace Piper would want to live. It's as cold as a freezer, with a circle of white columns around a central statue of the goddess, ten feet tall, seated on a throne in flowing golden robes. Piper had always thought of Greek statues as white with blank eyes, but this one is brightly painted so it looks almost human - except huge. Hera's piercing eyes seem to follow Piper.

At the goddess's feet, a fire burns in a bronze brazier. Piper wonders who tended it if the cabin was always empty. A stone hawk sits on Hera's shoulder, and in her hand is a staff topped with a lotus flower. The goddess's hair is done in black plaits. Her face smiles, but the eyes were cold and calculating, as if she was saying: Mother knows best. Now don't cross me or I will have to step on you.

There is nothing else in the cabin - no beds, no furniture, no bathroom, no windows, nothing that anyone could actually use to live. For a goddess of home and marriage, Hera's place reminds Piper of a tomb.

No, this wasn't her mom. At least Piper is sure of that. She hadn't come in here because she felt a good connection, but because her sense of dread had been stronger here. Her dream - that horrible ultimatum she'd been handed - had something to do with this cabin.

She freezes. They aren't alone. Behind the statue, at a little altar in the back, stands a figure covered in a black shawl. Only her hands are visible, palms up. She seemed to be chanting something like a spell or a prayer.

There is a shink sound, and Piper turns to see that (Y/n) had drawn her sword, and the glimmering bronze weapon is balanced easily in her friend's hand.

Annabeth, however, exclaims. "Rachel?"

The other girl turns. She drops her shawl, revealing a mane of curly red hair and a freckled face that doesn't go with the seriousness of the cabin or the black shawl at all. She looks about seventeen, a totally normal teen in a green blouse and tattered jeans covered with marker doodles; despite the cold floor, she is barefoot.

There is another shink and (Y/n)'s sword slips back into pen-form.

"Hey!" the girl, Rachel, runs to give Annabeth a hug.

They talk for a few minutes about Annabeth's boyfriend and how there was no news, etcetera, until finally Annabeth remembers Piper and (Y/n), who are standing there feeling uncomfortable.

Rachel's eyes light up at the sight of the daughter of Poseidon. "I'm glad you're safe," she gives (Y/n) a tight hug, and Piper swallows back an unfamiliar feeling that she can't quite place.

(Y/n) smiles politely, returning the hug.

"I was being rude," Annabeth apologizes. "Rachel, this is Piper, one of the half-bloods we rescued today. Piper, this is Rachel Elizabeth Dare, our oracle."

"The friend in the cave," Piper guesses.

Rachel grins. "That's me."

"More like the future mugs me from time to time," Rachel says. "I speak prophecies. The oracle's spirit kind of hijacks me every once in a while and speaks important stuff that doesn't make any sense to anybody. But yeah, the prophecies tell the future."

"Oh." Piper shifts from foot to foot. "That's cool."

Rachel laughs. "Don't worry. Everybody finds it a little creepy. Even me. But usually I'm harmless."

"You're a demigod?"

"Nope," Rachel replies. "Just mortal."

"Then what are you . . ." Piper waves her hand around the room.

Rachel's smile fades. She glances at Annabeth, then back at Piper. "Just a hunch. Something about this cabin and Percy's disappearance. They're connected somehow. I've learned to follow my hunches, especially the last month, since the gods went silent."

"Went silent?" (Y/n) asks, her brow furrowing, causing a scar cutting said eyebrow to almost disappear.

Rachel frowns at Annabeth. "You haven't told her yet?"

"I was getting to that," Annabeth replies. "For the last month . . . well, it's normal for the gods not to talk to their children very much, but usually we can count on some messages now and then. Some of us can even visit Olympus. I spent practically all semester at the Empire State Building."

"Excuse me?" Piper asks, bewildered.

"The entrance to Mount Olympus these days."

"Oh," Piper replies. "Sure, why not?"

"Annabeth was redesigning Olympus after it was damaged in the Titan War," Rachel explains. "She's an amazing architect. You should see the salad bar -"

"Anyway," Annabeth continues, "starting about a month ago, Olympus fell silent. The entrance closed, and no one could get in. Nobody knows why. It's like the gods have sealed themselves off. Even my mom won't answer my prayers, and our camp director, Dionysus, was recalled."

"Your camp director was the god of . . . wine?" Piper asks

"Yeah, it's a -"

"Long story," Piper guesses. "Right. Go on."

"That's it, really," Annabeth says. "Demigods still get claimed, but nothing else. No messages. No visits. No sign the gods are even listening. It's like something has happened - something really bad. Then Percy and (Y/n) disappeared."

"And Jason and (Y/n) showed up on our field trip," Piper supplies. "With no memory."

"Who's Jason?" Rachel asks.

"My -" Piper stops herself before she could say 'boyfriend.' "My friend. But Annabeth, you said Hera sent you a dream vision."

"Right," Annabeth says. "The first communication from a god in a month, and it's Hera, the least helpful goddess, and she contacts me, her least favorite demigod. She tells me I'll find out what happened to Percy and (Y/n), if I go to the Grand Canyon skywalk and look for a guy with one shoe. Instead, I found you guys, and the guy with one shoe is Jason. It doesn't make sense."

"Something bad is happening," Rachel agrees.

Rachel looks at Piper, and Piper feels an overwhelming desire to tell them about her dream, to confess that she knows what is happening - at last part of the story. And the bad stuff is only just beginning.

"Guys," she begins. "I - I need to -"

Before she can continue, Rachel's body stiffens. Her eyes begin to grow with a greenish light, and she grabs Piper by the shoulders.

Piper tries to back away, but Rachel's hands are like steel clamps.

"Free me," Rachel says, but the voice isn't Rachel's. It sounds like a much older woman, speaking from somewhere far away, down a long, echoing pipe. "Free me, Piper McLean, or the earth shall swallow us. It must be by the solstice."

The room starts spinning. Annabeth and (Y/n) try to separate Piper from Rachel, but it was no use. Green smoke envelopes them, and Piper is no longer sure if she's awake or dreaming. The giant statue of the goddess seems to rise from its throne. It leans over Piper, boring its eyes into her. The statue's mouth opens, its breath like horribly thick perfume. It speaks in the same echoing voice: "Our enemies stir. The fiery one is only the first. Bow to his will, and their king shall rise, dooming us all. FREE ME!"

Piper's knees buckle, and her world goes black. The last thing she remembers is someone catching her before she can hit the ground.

. . .

The front doors of the Big House blow open, and Annabeth and Rachel lead (Y/n) - who was carrying an unconscious Piper - into the room.

"What happened?" Jason asks. "What's wrong with her?"

"Hera's cabin," Annabeth gasps, like they'd run all the way. "Vision. Bad."

Rachel looks up, and Jason sees that she'd been crying.

"I think . . ." The redheaded girl gulps. "I think I may have killed her."

Word Count: 3111 words

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