#dynamic: ruby snow

[dinneratgrannys]

Snow White + accepting Ruby for who she is

[huntvir]

anyway who is volunteering at the animal shelter with graham ???

[doctorbitchcrxft]

Emotions | Sam Winchester x Angel!Fem!Reader

Pairing: Sam Winchester x Angel!Fem!Reader

Word Count: 5521

Warnings: mentions of drug addiction, mentions of smut (MDNI this is an 18+ blog), mentions of iffy family dynamics

A/N: For this nonnie! I have a very deep love of music and a special connection with it, and pretty much all of my one-shot fics are gonna be titled after songs. If you'd like to connect with the music as well, here's a few songs I recommend reading while you listen to the chapter!

Emotions by Brenda Lee

In the Still of the Night by the Five Satins

Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene by Hozier

Snow Angel by Renee Rapp

Queue up on Spotify or your preferred streaming service, and happy reading!

General Writings Masterlist

Humans were curious. The more time you spent with them, the more you couldn’t understand why your father loved them so much. However, one human was beginning to pique your interest. His name was Sam Winchester. 

Your brother Castiel had been charged with rescuing Sam’s brother, Dean, from Hell. However, Zachariah had not given the word to begin the mission just yet. You, though, were charged with the care of Sam Winchester. 

He became interesting for a number of reasons. The Winchester boys had been of special interest to all of Heaven since their mother died in Azazel’s attack. You’d known of his existence and watched from afar as the sweet, intelligent young man became a cold shell of who he once was while his brother suffered in Hell. The demon Ruby— who you would be sure to kill as soon as you could get your hands on her— had been getting Sam addicted to the potent substance that was demon’s blood. If you had to compare it to a human drug, you’d heard many angels say it felt like a heroin addiction. 

Despite your disinterest in most of humanity, you were more compassionate toward them than most of your brothers and sisters. While some, like Uriel, were ruthless in their method to get humans on their side, you always took a more “humane” approach. No matter how many times humanity had broken your heart through their horrible mistakes leading to death and destruction, you still tried to show each human compassion. 

You watched from afar as Sam began to learn to exorcize demons with his mind. The experience was undoubtedly painful, and your anger with Ruby grew with each passing day. Always keeping your distance, though, because you knew now was not the right time to step in. Zachariah would give you the word when it was. 

You followed Sam down a darkened, busy street, keeping just far enough back that he wouldn’t be able to see you. He turned the corner onto what you assumed was another street, and you foolishly followed. Suddenly, you were pinned to the wall with a demon’s knife at your throat and an angry Sam staring down at you. 

“Who the hell are you?” the man spat, pressing the tip of the weapon into your throat forcefully. “Why are you following me?”

“Hello, Sam,” you said calmly. “My name is (Y/N). I’m here to help you.”

He scoffed. “What? Another demon coming to peddle your wares? I don’t think so.” The brunet stepped away from you and tried to exorcize you with his powers. 

You just remained still, large doe-eyes looking at him with a small smile playing on your lips. 

Sam then appeared scared. “What— What are you?”

“I’m an angel,” you replied evenly.

He laughed. “Right. C’mon, what are you really?”

You unfurled your large, beautiful wings and called upon a clap of thunder to ensure the shadow would be cast on the wall behind you. “I told you. I’m an angel.”

Sam shook his head. “I don’t believe this.”

“What’s wrong?” you asked. “Why are you angry?”

He spun around to face you. “Why am I angry? My brother’s been dragged to Hell, and you’re asking me why I’m angry?”

You continued to look at him in confusion. 

“I prayed. Every day for the last year Dean was alive. Why didn’t one of you answer?” he finished.

“It wasn’t the right time,” you explained. “Father wouldn’t allow us.”

“Well, fuck all of you guys, then,” Sam spat.

You were intrigued and confused by his intense anger. “Your prayers are being answered now. Isn’t that all that matters?”

“Too little, too late,” he replied. “Now, leave me alone.”

You stared after him as he walked away. Didn’t he want your help? Why was he angry at you when you were simply obeying your father? His prayers were being answered, and he was cruel to you.

That should have enraged you. However, it only intrigued you even more.

***

You knew Sam had not told Ruby he’d seen you, which surprised you. Everything about this man was surprising you.

While his addiction to demon blood was horrific and disgusting to you, you were surprised how much… empathy, you believed the feeling was— you were starting to feel for him. He’d undoubtedly been manipulated by the demon into that state of being.

His incredible strength both physically and mentally was impressive. While he wouldn’t last a moment in a fight with you or any of your brothers and sisters, he was skilled in many different athletic pursuits. His interest in different philosophies was curious to you as well; most humans you'd come across were set in their ways with no interest in different points of view.

After your last conversation with him, you decided not to intervene unless he desperately needed you. And now, he desperately needed you.

Ruby had either knowingly or unknowingly sent him into a death trap. While Ruby conveyed she believed only two demons to be hiding in a warehouse, an entire lair of at least thirty laid in wait for the young man. You knew you’d have to get involved this time, no matter if Zachariah approved or not.

You watched from the skylights of the darkened warehouse as Sam crept around with Ruby following closely behind. Your father willing, you’d slit her throat with her own knife.

You could see the other demons beginning to creep in around Ruby and Sam. Sam was the first to notice something was wrong and spun around to face the demons behind Ruby.

You used your powers to appear behind a wire rack covered with boxes to have the element of surprise with the demons.

“Hey there, handsome,” one of the demons was telling Sam.

Another snarled, “And Ruby. I thought Lilith got rid of you.”

“Apparently, she didn’t do a very good job,” replied Ruby.

The demons had Sam and Ruby back to back as they closed in their circle around the two.

Taking out your blade, you stepped out into the dim light, heels clicking across the floor. All of the demons turned around to face you, as did Sam and Ruby.

“Wow, Ruby. Seriously? You’re working with an angel?” a demon snickered.

You didn’t allow any of the demons a chance to get another word in. You appeared behind the demon who had the nerve to speak up and plunged your blade through its vessel’s back.

A few of the demons tried to escape by fleeing their bodies, but you forced them back in. While you were compassionate, merciful would not be a word used to describe you. When you were crossed, you didn’t play nicely. 

A few demons tried to charge you, and you immediately reached out to two, grabbed their hands, and killed them while you used your free arm to plunge your blade through the other’s chest. With, in all honesty, very little effort, you managed to make your way through most of the demons. With the mess of dead bodies sprawled across the concrete floor, it made it easier to see what was left for you to deal with. That was when you noticed Ruby was gone, but Sam was still there, fighting demons with his demon knife. 

A demon behind Sam was preparing to stab him in the back, but you threw your angel blade through the demon’s throat just in time to save Sam. 

Slowly but surely, you made your way through the remaining demons. Sam panted from exhaustion and the few wounds he’d sustained but still stood with his shoulders squared. “I didn’t need saving,” he huffed.

“I don’t mean to offend you, but yes, you did,” you replied evenly. “I will admit, I’m disappointed your demon friend left so soon. I was looking forward to formally introducing myself.” 

Sam laughed, somewhere between mocking and a genuine laugh. “You were gonna kill her, weren’t you?”

“Without hesitation,” you nodded. “I know what she’s been doing, Sam. I know what you’ve been doing.” 

“I really don’t think that’s any of your business,” he said, his voice cold. 

“It is my business.”

“How?”

“Angels are only sent to earth for their missions; unless they’ve fallen,” you explained. “Like I told you before, you’re my mission.”

“And like I told you,” he sneered, “not interested.”

“I don’t understand,” you stated. “Isn’t this what you wanted? I’m answering your prayer. I thought you’d be happy.” 

“I told you; too little, too late—!”

“I’m not talking about the prayers for your brother anymore, Sam,” you cut him off. “I’m talking about your prayers for yourself.”

That seemed to quiet him down.

“I heard you. The first night you drank demon’s blood, you prayed. That was when I was assigned to you,” you told him. “Some of the angels believed you were too far gone. I, however, was the one to ask my superior if I could help you.” 

Tears welled in Sam’s eyes. “Why would you do that? Why wouldn’t you save Dean?” 

“I wanted to,” you admitted, not quite understanding why you were spilling your secrets to a human.

He got angry again. “Why didn't you?!”

You tilted your head, eyebrows furrowing. “It is not my place to question my superiors. I serve Heaven first; not you.”

“Well, find some other way to serve Heaven. I’m not interested,” he grumbled, turning away. You noticed how painfully he rolled his shoulder.

“I can fix that for you,” you said, stopping him in his tracks. 

“What?” Sam turned back around.

“Your arm.” You nodded in its direction. “And those gashes. They look like they’ll get infected if you don’t let me help you.” You stepped toward him, and he remained still.

His impressive stature was incredibly intimidating to you despite your angelic status. You had never felt such a feeling; only when you were in the presence of the archangels. Whatever this feeling was, you didn’t think you liked it.

“May I?” you asked, hesitantly reaching your fingers out toward his arm. 

Sam nodded, face drawn into hard lines.

You closed your eyes as you touched his shoulder to concentrate on sending your healing powers through his body. You didn’t miss the way his muscles tensed momentarily before relaxing under your touch. 

“Thank you,” he said. 

You nodded. 

Sam hesitated for a moment before asking, “ What’d you say your name was?”

“(Y/N),” you responded.

***

You watched through the window of the cabin he was hiding in as Sam fought with Ruby over you. You expected Ruby to be angry, but you didn’t expect Sam to defend you. 

“She’s an angel, Ruby, she’s not here to hurt me,” Sam said, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“You don’t know angels, Sam. I do. They’re not the peaceful hippies the Bible makes them out to be,” Ruby snapped. “If she knew I was helping you, she’d probably smite me.”

“She does know,” Sam replied, almost too quietly for even your enhanced hearing. 

“What?! You told her?!”

“No, I didn’t, I—” Sam cut himself off, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “She just knew, somehow.” 

Ruby clearly didn’t believe him. “Somehow,” she scoffed. “And somehow, I don’t believe you.”

“Whatever,” Sam huffed. He suddenly caught your eye in the window but covered it up by quickly looking back to Ruby. “I think you should go.”

She crossed her arms. “Seriously?” The demon rolled her eyes and began to walk toward the door. “Goodbye, Sam.”

You invited yourself into the room. “Is she gone?” you asked Sam, appearing in front of him.

“Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, she’s gone.”

“Your motivations confuse me, Sam Winchester,” you stated bluntly.

He seemed to chuckle genuinely. “Why?”

“Do you not believe Ruby to be helping you? It seemed you couldn’t stand the sight of me less than twenty-four hours ago. Why would you kick her out after all that and cover for me?” you asked, head tilting in confusion.

You knew you weren’t supposed to question. You knew Sam was simply an assignment; there should be no desire for further questions exchanged. However, a nagging force in the back of your mind refused to let those questions remain internal.

“I don’t know,” he responded, seemingly earnest. 

Suddenly, a song began to play in the background. Your head turned to the source of the sound; a peculiar little box with a spinning disc on top of it. You swayed to the soft music emanating from it. “What is this?” you asked.

“Music,” Sam replied from behind you.

You turned to face him. “I know what music is, Sam. What is the little box?”

“A record player,” he replied, much closer to you than he had been when you first turned to the sound of the music.

“And what is this song?” you asked, dewey eyes shining in the dim light.

“Uh, one of the records they had in this old cabin. I think the band’s The Five Satins. ‘In the Still of the Night’,” he explained.

“I think I like this song,” you said, your voice taking on a peculiar lilt you’d never heard yourself speak with before. You suddenly realized how close Sam was to you and backed away. “Well, if you need anything,” you began, “I am never far from you.” And with that, you were gone.

***

“(Y/N)?” you heard Sam praying. “(Y/N), uh, I don’t know if you’re listening—”

With a quick flap of your wings, you appeared in front of Sam in his cabin. “I am,” you replied. 

“Oh, hey,” he snorted. He sat on the edge of his bed, rubbing his hands together and staring at the floor.

“What’s wrong?” you asked. 

“I don’t know what the right thing to do anymore is,” he admitted. Sam was suddenly embarrassed by what he’d said. “Uh, I don’t know why I said that…”

“Do not be embarrassed. I do not pass judgment on humans for their feelings,” you replied. 

That pulled a small smile from him. “Do you guys… not have feelings?”

“No,” you replied. “At least, I don’t think we do. Or, perhaps, what we experience as angels is too complex to be simplified into human emotion.”

“What do you mean?” he asked. 

“I believe I may experience compassion, but I am not merciful. Those two traits I have seen go together in human manifestations. My loyalty to my father is incomparable to any human form of loyalty. Most humans I have come across sacrifice their loyalties quite easily,” you explained thoughtfully. 

“And by your father, you mean, God?” he asked. 

You nodded. 

Sam hesitated before asking his next question. “What’s he like?”

His question caught you off-guard; it wasn’t something you’d thought about before. “Well, humans describe him as—”

Sam shook his head. “I know what people make him out to be. What do you say?”

That question startled you even more, and all you could answer with was the truth. “I haven’t met him.”

Now, it was Sam’s turn to be caught off-guard. “Really?”

You nodded. “I’ve been around just about as long as the planet, and I’ve never met him once.”

Sam considered for a moment. “And you’re still loyal to him?”

“Well, I don’t necessarily have a choice in that matter,” you replied. “I am an angel. I was created for the purpose of my loyalty to my father and carrying out his missions.” His questions were beginning to get under your skin, and you’d never thought so long about those things before. 

“Well, how do you know your orders come from him if you’ve never met the guy?” Sam continued to press. “How do you know somebody’s not lying to—”

“My brothers and sisters would never lie to me,” you cut him off. Perhaps this is what “offense” felt like? “I don’t believe lying to be something we are capable of.”

Sam took a deep breath and flexed his eyebrows. “Whoa, didn’t mean to strike a nerve, there.”

He did. “You didn’t,” you responded. 

A spell of silence was cast over you. 

“What’s it like?” Sam asked. 

You tilted your head in confusion. 

“That blind faith,” he embellished. “How do you do it?”

You shook your head. “I don’t know. I just always have. I am a Seraph; I believe ‘blind faith’ is my purpose.”

“Oh, seraphim’s a real thing? Are you guys the, uh, high-rankers?”

You nodded. “I don’t think of myself in terms of my rank, but I am superior to those in my garrison. My superior is Zachariah; the only one of us in direct communication with the archangels.” You felt yourself snap out of it. “I… don’t know why I told you that.”

“Well, I guess we’re even then,” Sam smiled. 

***

You began to see less and less of Ruby as days went by, and for that, you were grateful. It seemed she was only around for Sam to feed from her.

“What does she say the demon blood will do for you?” you asked Sam, sitting beside him on the edge of the cabin’s roof.

Sam gave you a curious look but answered your question anyway. “It’ll make me strong enough to kill Lilith.”

“And… why do you want to do that?” you asked trepidatiously. 

He answered your question quite blankly, staring ahead. “Revenge. For my brother.”

You nodded. “And what do you believe getting revenge will do for you?”

That seemed to challenge him. “I don’t know.”

“I have been with you since you were young, Sam. I watched you go off to college, I watched Azazel kill Jessica, and I watched every fight between you and your father.”

Sam turned his head toward you as you talked, a pensive look on his face. 

“And I think I decided that all of those fights between you two happened because of how similar the two of you are.” You turned your head toward him, the sunset casting a heavenly glow across Sam’s face. “This is one of those things you two have in common; vengeance. I cannot decide if that’s a good or a bad quality, if I’m honest.”

Sam huffed out a small laugh. “That’s fair.” His hair fell in front of his eyes as he looked down at his hands folded in his lap. His eyebrows drew together, and you just watched him carefully. “You’ve never wanted payback? Not even once?”

You shook your head. “That’s not part of my job. I am a warrior, but I don’t feel emotional attachment to my fights. And, rationally, I know revenge is pointless. It doesn’t change the past. It can only make for a worse future.”

Sam was silent for a moment. “Wow. For a… shiny, hard, plastic, emotionless angel, that’s pretty profound.”

You tilted your head in confusion. “I am not plastic or shiny.”

He laughed. “No, you’re not. Just an analogy.”

“You humans and your words,” you sighed. “The English language is by far the most confusing.”

“Why do you say that?” Sam chuckled. 

“I speak every language ever created, Sam,” you explained. “Even Enochian is simpler than English.”

The young man laughed. “For an angel, you’ve got a good sense of humor.”

You tilted your head. “I didn’t know I did, but thank you.”

***

It had been about three months since Dean’s sentencing. The angels began to talk about how he’d said “yes” to Alistair and was beginning to torture other souls in the pit. However, you knew it was best not to bring that fact up to Sam. 

The brother in your care was still not doing very well. His addiction was getting worse, and his anger at himself for not being strong enough to take care of his most recent demon hunt. You watched through the window as Sam and Ruby shouted at each other, and their anger eventually devolved into Ruby kissing Sam. 

You were stunned, and something you’d never felt before flooded your chest. Whatever this feeling was, you hated it. You backed away from the window you’d become accustomed to staring through and walked off. You felt your vessel stumbling rather than walking, and you were unsure why your chest hurt. You stumbled through the night forward against a tree and held yourself there. 

Whatever was happening to you, one thing was for sure that you could no longer deny: you were beginning to feel.

***

A few days went by, and you hadn’t seen Sam. In fact, you refused to answer his many prayers. He begged you to come to him and told you he didn’t know what he’d done wrong. Eventually, your resolve broke. 

“Hey,” he said, standing from his chair and seeming startled by your appearance. “Wh— Where’d you go? Why didn’t you answer?”

“Why did you have sex with Ruby? Didn’t you know I was watching?” you asked, large eyes holding a pleading innocence. 

Sam seemed caught off-guard. “(Y/N), I haven’t had sex with her in weeks. Wh— Why do you care about that, anyway?”

“I saw you two. She kissed you. I know what comes after that, Sam, I’ve been around for thousands of years,” you continued. 

Sam shook his head. “She kissed me. And then, I pushed her off. I haven’t seen her since.”

You tilted your head. “Why did you do that?”

“ ‘Cause. I couldn’t do it,” he shrugged. 

“Why?”

“ I’m not into voyeurism,” he smirked. “I knew you were watching. I haven’t had sex with her since you showed up.”

You thought for a moment, realizing he was telling the truth. “Oh.” Was this feeling… relief?

Sam gave you a curious look, and you averted his gaze. “Why’d you wanna know?”

You shook your head. “Not important. How have you been these last few days?”

“Honestly?” He scratched the back of his neck. “Not good. The addiction… it’s, uh—”

“Bad?” you asked. 

“That’s putting it lightly.”

“I’m sorry,” you told him. 

“ ‘S not your fault,” Sam shrugged. 

“That is much different from what you told me when we first met,” you said. 

Sam snorted. “Yeah, I was angry then. Now, I know you.”

Your heart fluttered in your chest, and you were surprised at the feeling. 

***

You hummed the tune of “In the Still of the Night” by the Five Satins, a song that Sam had introduced to you. 

The man in question sat at the cabin’s kitchen table hunched over his laptop. Sam had suggested you come inside with him since you’d be keeping an eye on him anyway. You told him if Ruby came, you’d kill her, but he just shook his head. “If she knows you’re here, she’s not coming,” he’d told you. 

“You’ve got a pretty voice,” Sam commented. 

You stopped humming. “Thank you. When the cherubs in my garrison were young, they liked when I’d sing to them.” You resumed your song. 

A few minutes went by before Sam spoke up. “Can I ask you something?” 

You stopped humming again and nodded. 

“Why haven’t you gone after Ruby yet?”

Before you could think, you answered, “Because I knew it would upset you.”

A small smile tugged at the corners of Sam’s lips. “I appreciate that.”

You smiled in response. 

“That’s the first time I’ve seen you smile,” Sam told you. 

You continued to stare at him with your dewey doe eyes. 

“Can I ask you something else?” 

You nodded again.

“Whose body are you in?” he asked. 

You hummed as you thought. “I’ve been with her for centuries. She was being abused by her husband and begging for a way out. You see, angels have to get consent from their vessels. She wanted me to use her body to carry out my father’s mission.”

Sam nodded. 

“I quite enjoyed her company,” you continued. “I’ve never told any of my brothers or sister about this, but the day her soul moved on was the first time I ever felt something like… sadness.”

“So, angels, is it like demons where the vessel’s soul takes a back seat?” Sam questioned, his interest seeming very genuine. 

You shook your head. “Not with her, it wasn’t. She could force me out whenever she wanted, but she told me she preferred my company to that of her husband’s.”

Sam nodded but seemed pensive. 

“What’s wrong?” you asked.

“Nothing,” he replied. “It’s just… It’s a lot to take in.”

“I can understand that.” You paused for a moment. “I don’t think I’ve ever spent this long in the company of a human; aside from my vessel.”

“Really?” Sam asked.

You nodded. “I was taught not to spend time with the humans I was charged with. We were always told that the more time you spend with them, the more you become like them. And if you’re a human, you are flawed. You can’t  truly live in service of my father while human.” 

“That sounds kinda fucked up though, (Y/N),” Sam told you. “I mean, don’t you think it’s… restrictive? Limiting?”

You considered. “I guess so. But… I’m sure my father had good reason. He wouldn’t try to hurt us.” 

“I don’t think he would, either,” Sam told you. “But I do think he did that for self-serving reasons.”

You stared at him, waiting for him to elaborate. 

“He creates these… beings— you and the other angels— to bend to his every whim. Think about it. He makes you emotionless, so you don’t question his ‘will’ or… rebel,” Sam explained. “He needs you to be perfectly loyal.”

Sam’s words swirled around in your head. “You’re confusing me,” you said, breath quickening.

Sam shook his head. “I’m not trying to. But you’re smart. I’m just trying to make you think.”

“No human has ever challenged me the way you have,” you responded. “I appreciate it.”

“You do?” He seemed genuinely surprised.

You nodded. “I’ve been around a very long time. Things can get monotonous. It is… refreshing to meet someone like you.”

The corners of Sam’s lips turned upward.

The two of you went back to silence, and suddenly, Sam was up and running to the bathroom.

“Sam?” you asked, running after him.

When you got to him, he was hunched over the toilet bowl vomiting. 

Hesitantly, you reached toward him and began to rub small circles over his back. You remembered your vessel telling you that’s what she’d do to her children when they were sick. 

“It’s okay,” you said softly. “I’m here.”

When Sam was done, he slumped to the floor, curling up into a ball. Sweat covered every inch of his body, and he began to shake feverishly.

You knew it was the withdrawals from the blood after not seeing Ruby for days. You wanted nothing more than to help him through it, but your healing powers couldn’t assist with demonic workings of any kind. What you could do, though, is put him to sleep. You ran your hand over his hair and got up from the floor.

After grabbing a blanket off his bed, you brought it back to the bathroom and sat back down beside him. When you’d tossed the blanket over him, you helped Sam rest his head on your lap. Then, you went back to running your hand over the brunet’s hair and used your powers to put him to sleep. His shaking subsided, and his breathing relaxed. You stayed with him through the rest of the night.

***

When Sam woke up laying against you, he immediately seemed embarrassed. He jerked back from you. “Oh, uh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s okay,” you said. “It’s what I’m here for.”

Sam leaned forward hesitantly. He kept pausing as his face got closer to yours, seemingly to ensure you weren’t uncomfortable.

Uncomfortable wasn’t quite the word you’d use; there were a million thoughts running through your mind. And yet, you couldn’t string one coherent sentence together. 

You tilted your chin up, and it was all the confirmation Sam needed. His kiss was gentle when he first connected your lips. You responded, almost completely frozen, but still moving your lips in time with his.

Sam’s kiss got more desperate, and he pulled you across his lap, wrapping his large hands around your hips and back. 

And then, he was gone. You were confused only momentarily as you became aware of Zachariah’s presence in front of you.

“I know what you’ve been doing, (Y/N),” Zachariah chastised. 

You hung your head in shame. “I’m sorry, Zachariah. I let myself get too close to Sam Winchester, and—”

Zachariah cut you off. “Yes. You did. I’m disappointed in you.” He stalked around you, his multiple sets of wings encircling and taunting you. “You were one of my best, (Y/N). And now, I’m going to have to let you go.”

Your eyes widened, and you looked up at your superior. “Wait, please! I’m sorry!”

He patted your cheek. “I know you are. But you turned your back on us, (Y/N). You turned your back on our father.”

Tears welled in your eyes. 

“Ah! That. That, right there.” He caught the tear on his first finger as it slipped down your cheek. “Feeling. Feelings are human. You’ve changed, my dear sister.” 

“I’m sorry,” you cried softly. 

“I told you that Sam Winchester is a lost cause. I knew something like this would happen, but you? You didn’t listen. Goodbye, sister.”

And with that, you were sent barreling down to earth. The fall was incredibly painful; your wings feeling like they were being burnt off your body, each feather leaving ripples of searing heat in its wake. 

Nothing could stop you barreling toward the earth. The speed of your fall began to take a toll on you, and your vision faded to black. 

***

You woke up flat on your back in the middle of nowhere. Your limbs ached, and your vessel’s body was undoubtedly broken. Using your weakened powers, you healed your body enough to be able to stand. When you’d gotten your wits about you, you would heal yourself completely. 

You walked through the woods you’d landed in the middle of. The morning sun was still rising, the birds chirped, and light streamed through the trees. All at once, the reality of your situation hit you, and you cried.

You cried for your brothers and sisters you’d never see again; very few ever came to earth. You weren’t sure how you’d get to Sam without your wings, but you needed to see him. This feeling of need was still foreign to you, and you couldn’t decide if you liked how it felt.

All that time you’d spent in service of Heaven and of your father, and you were cast out as if you didn’t matter at all. You knew getting so close was wrong, but you hadn’t expected such harsh treatment. In all your years of being alive, you had never made a mistake. And after just one, you were kicked out? 

On the other hand, though, crying was freeing. Maybe Sam was right. Why would your father restrict you from feeling?

For a moment, the world was quiet. All you could hear was your soft sniffles, the birds chirping, and the wind rustling the leaves of the trees. You took a deep breath, and for the first time, life felt beautiful.

***

Sam was praying to you, and you had no way of responding to him. Slowly but surely, you were making your way back to him. You could feel his soul calling to you, and it only spurred you on to continue walking. As an angel, you had no need for sleep or eating. And so, you walked continuously for five days; each step making Sam’s essence grow stronger. You could feel yourself getting closer to him.

“Hey, (Y/N)?” you heard Sam calling to you. “I don’t know if you’re even still listening to me, but I’m sorry for scaring you off. I— I shouldn’t have done what I did. Just… come back. Please.”

It broke your heart that you couldn’t get to him sooner, and you mentally begged him to wait for you. 

And finally, on the sixth day, you found Sam’s cabin. Joy and relief flooded your chest, and you smiled widely. You ran through the front door, and Sam jerked out of his chair with his gun in hand. When he realized who you were, he dropped his gun to the floor in surprise. “(Y/N)?”

“Hello, Sam,” you smiled, tears rimming your eyes.

“Wh— What happened? Why’d you leave?” he asked.

“I didn’t. Zachariah brought me back to Heaven, and… he took my wings,” you explained, looking down at your shoes. 

Sam’s confused and angry stare turned to his familiar puppy-dog-eyed stare. “What, why?” 

“I’m a fallen angel now. I betrayed Heaven,” you responded.

“By doing what?” he asked. “I kissed you, you didn’t do anything.”

“Yes, I did,” you assured him, stepping closer to him. “I started to feel. And… feel for you.”

Sam’s soft gaze flooded your chest with warmth. He used his first two fingers to tilt your chin up toward his and closed the space between your lips. 

You and Sam weren’t perfect in any sense. But you would take whatever you two were over your shiny, hard, plastic, emotionless past. 

Forever taglist is open; series rewrite taglist is closed!

[jamespotterismydaddy]

Lord Husband (Chapter 8)

cregan x reader

A/N: omg another update so soon? who would've thought i could do it

series masterlist

word count: 1,832 words

You’ve never looked so beautiful in your life. You know that to be a fact as you stare at your reflection in the looking glass. You made all the handmaidens leave as soon as you were readied, wanting to spend your last few moments as an unmarried woman in solitude. Now, you aren’t sure if the solitude is something you can even appreciate. You’ve waited all day for your mother to arrive, thinking she would want to spare some comforting words but now you’re starting to wonder if you’ll even see her before you become Cregan’s… before you’re no longer her’s. It’s disheartening to think about how desperately you wish that you could revert back to your childhood. It’s almost all you can think about, swimming in the sea with Jace and Luke, playing dolls with Baela and Rhaena, resting your head in your mother’s lap as he fingers run through your hair, Daemon’s voice whispering a story about Valyrian dragonlords in the background. They’re such fond memories but you hate it when they fill your head because you’ll never feel that way again.

“You’re a vision.” You didn’t hear him come in. You didn’t even hear him knock. Did he knock?

“Thank you, kepa.” father. Sometimes it feels strange to call him that. Especially when you know you used to call Laenor the same thing.

Daemon walks over to you. “You will do well here.” He says as his hand grasps your chin gently but he is still forcing you to look in his eyes.

“Will I?” You ask just as gently as he touches. “Is that how you felt about Runestone? Is this what you wanted for me?” His grip tightens.

“My clever girl.” He says thoughtfully. “Clever enough to know it’s different. This marriage is necessary.”

“At least it isn’t one of your daughters being sold to the North, right?”

“You are my daughter. You also know that Baela and Rhaena help your brothers through marriage.” It’s left unsaid but it’s in the air. 

Baela and Rhaena make my bastard brothers look more legitimate. 

“And I suppose I don’t need such help?”

He sighs. Of course you don’t, is what he’s thinking. You have a claim to nothing. You inherit nothing. You’re just a girl.

“Can you believe me when I say that Cregan Stark is the best match for you? Your mother and I didn’t have you betrothed on a whim. We would not be so careless about your future.”

Your mother said nearly the same thing and you think you could open your mouth to agree with him but Rhaenyra arrives at the door. 

“Mother.” You hate how you breathe out the word in relief.

There’s tears in her eyes. “My perfect girl.”

You notice the dripping ruby earrings in her hands.

“For me?”

“Of course. They were your grandmother’s.” She comments as she walks over, taking your own earrings out gently before putting in the rubies. They’re more simple than what you have on but clearly the better choice. “She wore them on her wedding day.”

“Did you wear them on your’s?”

“No… I didn’t.” The fact seems to hurt her. “She would be happy to know that you’re wearing them.”

“Thank you.” Is all you can seem to say. Even Daemon senses the tension in the dynamic.

“They’ll be ready for us soon. You ought to make way so you don’t miss the ceremony, Rhae.” Your stepfather says and your mother seems to agree.

She grabs your hands, giving them a fleeting kiss before she’s out the door.

You think you dissociate for the next ten minutes. Actually, you know you do because there can’t be another explanation for how you’ve come to be at the edge of the Godswood. Your breath freezes up in front of you. It’s snowing; you wonder if that’s a good thing. Brides often dread rain on their wedding days. Should you dread the snow? You can’t imagine doing such a thing when it’s this beautiful. The little flakes drape themselves on your eyelashes, across your hair. They melt into your warm cheeks. You wonder if it makes you look prettier because as your eyes follow their way up the aisle to Cregan, you think they make him look prettier. He’s shrouded in a fur cloak. Tiny snowflakes decorate it and his hair. He’s the embodiment of a northernman. 

You’re clinging to Daemon as you’re brought up the aisle, clutching his arm like he’s a piece of driftwood that might save you from drowning. Perhaps it’s more like a child clinging to her mother’s skirts, about to be ripped away by slavers. There’s so many unfamiliar faces in the audience, so many people who will be your subjects in a sense. You’re cold as you reach the front, almost shivering.

“Who comes before the Old Gods this night?” You don’t recognize the man who stands at the front. He must be some sort of relative to your betrothed.

Daemon speaks for you, saying your name, “of House Velaryon, comes here to be wed. A woman grown and flowered, trueborn and noble. She comes to beg the blessing of the Gods. Who comes to claim her?” You wish at the very least that you could say the words yourself but of course, that would be silly to think.

“Cregan, of House Stark, Lord of Winterfell. Who gives her?” His voice is firm and steady. You know he’s looking right in your eyes as you look over his shoulder to avoid eye-contact.

“Daemon, of House Targaryen, husband to her mother.”

“Princess, will you take this man?” The officiator speaks again.

Now you look in Cregan’s eyes. You can see the pleading in them. It’s so hidden and almost overshadowed by his clear pride but it’s there, no matter how much he doesn’t want it to be. You don’t know if he pleads for you to not embarrass him or if he pleads for you to want him. It’s of no consequence. 

“I take this man.” Now is it relief in his eyes or pity?

He takes your smaller and much colder hand in his, sending a flush of warmth through you before you both kneel in front of the heart tree. Everything is silent for the prayers that are meant to be between you and the Old Gods. You suppose you should say something to the gods that you now claim but you can’t think of a single thing.

You and your husband rise now and he removes your Velaryon cloak to place one of House Stark over your shoulders. He cringes at the way you practically wince. You already miss the loss of colour. He then takes your arm, people clap and you’re led to the feast.

“You’re colder than ice.” He murmurs, taking your freezing hands in his to try and warm them.

This is the first thing he says to you?

“Is the snow a bad omen?” It’s the only thing you can think about right now. You can’t get the idea of it out of your head.

He didn’t seem to think you were going to say that. “I would not have thought that you cared much for northern omens.”

You’re just silent in response.

“It’s good luck.” He says. The answer doesn’t necessarily please you. “You look wonderful today, wife.”

Wife.

“I don’t think i’ve seen a woman so beautiful in my whole life.” You gaze up at him as he says it and he’s just staring straight ahead. It’s like he’s stating just pure facts and not an opinion.

“You look… very nice as well.” You reply, hating how his comment made you blush.

He takes you to the main table in the hall, holding out your chair for you like a proper gentleman. All the other guests file in. You’re more than glad that you don’t have to talk to them until after the feast. Though, you’re not sure if you’ll be able to down a single bite, finding more comfort in your wine goblet instead.

The Queen stands and raises her glass. “To Lord Stark and his beautiful wife, my lovely daughter.” All the northerners cheer. You notice how well your brothers and stepfather seem to enjoy the rowdy bunch. You, on the other hand, are trying to keep the bile down.

Cregan places a hand on your upper back, rubbing gently. “Perhaps some food to go with your drink?” His eyes have no judgement in them, only worry. He noticed right away that you’re eating like a mouse.

“If I want food, then i’ll eat.” You snap at him slightly and he just sighs. The wine is starting to go to your head more and more. 

“I know. I know you can take care of yourself. I just take my duty as your husband seriously.” You hate the tenderness behind his words. It’s hard to be cruel to a man so kind. So, you say nothing.

The feast comes to a natural end and clearly people want to dance and celebrate so you don’t protest when Cregan takes your hand.

You feel like a fairy, floating on air as you dance. Your head is empty and your body is light as your husband lifts and twirls you. You look so peaceful to him at the moment, calm and angelic. He wonders if he should have been more firm about discontinuing your wine consumption but he’s also so pleased about how content you look.

You dance the whole evening away, exhausting yourself as you take the hand of almost every man who asks. You don’t even feel real. It’s like you’re above the clouds when you move.

It’s Daemon who halts the fun. After you dance with him, he brings you back to the table. “Are you trying to drink yourself into the ground, sweetling?”

“Yes.” You say bluntly.

“Hmm.” He sighs. He understands why you behave this way. “Understandable, but I won’t see you with another goblet for the rest of the night.”

You have to hold in your eye roll but you still obey.

You slowly start to sober up over the next hour and it’s sickening. Your melancholy seems to grow as the alcohol leaves your system and your heart drops when someone calls for the bedding. You hope it’s nothing like a southern bedding ceremony even if you doubt that your mother would allow such a barbaric tradition to befall her daughter.

Cregan makes his way through the crowd to you. He speaks once he is by your side, “There is this tradition in the North, as a symbol of protection and strength, the groom will often carry his bride to bed on their wedding night. Will you allow me to carry you?”

“I would not deprive you of tradition.” You try to keep your words from slurring.

Everyone is watching as your husband takes you in his arms. There’s no goodbyes as you’re whisked away for your wedding night.

taglists (comment to be added): General: @valeskafics @urmomsgirlfriend1 @girlwith-thepearlearring @darylandbethfanforever9 @lovellies @juhdoche @papichulo120627 @watercolorskyy @ophelialaufey @aerangi @ravenclawprincess33

Lord husband: @feyres-fireheart @possiblyafangirl @hb8301 @marihoneywk @youn-jo @velvet-spider @janelongxox @ninastyless @nyctophilic0vitnir @m-a-s-h-k-a @delicious-xx @weepingfashionwritingplaid @happinessinthebeing @betelrus @joliettes @black-swan-blog27 @mxtokko @valeridarkness @karolalolla @satan-s-ass @synindoodles @a-beaverhausen @petertingle3000 @lunnnix @hermaeusmorax @cupcakesminicakescupcakes @purplegardenwhispers

[bluecheeseinmyoffwhites]

Hello, saw your posts about RWBY Characters' Allusions. A question, does team rwby have another character allusion?

A lot of characters have more than one allusion, and team RWBY is no different. These allusions often have a character fill a complementary role of a significant figure in another fairy tale.

Let's start with Ruby Rose. She is of course Little Red, but there are also other characters she embodies. The Wolf in the story is known for his big & shiny eyes, a very notable feature of Ruby (that was pointed out by Ozpin in the first episode, just like the fairy tale). She is also her own huntsman, equip with an "axe" weapon of her own.

Weiss Schnee is Snow White, but also takes other roles of the story based on her summons. Her Boartusk represents the huntsman, who killed a boar to spare the princess. Her Knight represents the noble prince who saves her. Her Queen Lancer represents the Evil Queen who plagues her. Weiss seems to take after the Evil Queen the most, with her friends often referring to her as "Ice Queen".

After reading those first two, you can probably now understand why Blake is based on both Beauty & the Beast. She has Belle's beauty, part of her name, her love for books, her relationship to "Adam" and her tendency to run away. But like the Beast, she has animal traits that she hides, is haunted by a rose, prefers living in isolation, and eventually falls in love with a human girl. She is often seen in Forever Fall, a forest with wilting red flowers, representing the wilting rose that curses the Beast.

Yang is Goldilocks with her destructive nature & yellow hair, but can also be seen as Baby Bear, the child of the Papa (Taiyang, blue eyes) & Mama (Raven, red eyes), resulting in Yang being a mix of both (purple eyes). Each parent compares Yang to the other, and she learns to embrace the good and bad traits of both in order to become "just right".

The tale of Rose Red & Snow White, two young girls based on Little Red & Snow White, can be the inspiration for the partnership between Ruby & Weiss. The two were sisters, which is represented by the ever-growing bond between Ruby & Weiss. Weiss's fairy tale, Snow White, could also be the reason for Ruby's theme, Red Like Roses, which is how the Evil Queen described how red she wants her lips in the original tale (in some stories she compares it to blood in the snow, both line up perfectly with the Red Trailer & Players & Pieces).

Weiss also represents the story of the Snow Queen. She is called Ice Queen. She has a male companion (Kai/Whitley) who is cold, distant, & rude. She sets off to find the Snow Queen (Winter) in V5, during her trip she meets a talking corvid (Raven) & a robber maiden (Vernal). Weiss also gets pierced by evil glass like Gerda.

Gerda’s most cherished memories is being young playing in the rose gardens with her friend. They shared many happy memories here. This rose garden takes the embodiment of Ruby Rose, who befriends Weiss & takes her on adventures. Weiss reminisces about Ruby in V4 after the attack on Beacon, missing the days when they had fun together. A frozen rose garden is seen in Weiss Character Short, representing her longing for Ruby (innocence, fun, freedom).

Blake & Yang have so many allusions when it comes to their relationship. Start with Beauty and Beast. Blake already shows traits of both Belle & the Beast, but Yang does as well. Her affiliation with yellow, adventure, bright energy, & beauty is reminiscent of Belle. The Red Trailer even directly ties her with Blake, calling her the beauty to her beast. Yet Yang also displays signs of the Beast, most notably her behavior when she is angry. She sparks fire red eyes similar to the monstrous Grimm they fight, and is the most aggressive fighter of the group. She receives an injury on her arm identical to the Beast. Most importantly, she is abandoned by Beauty in V3. This theme of having similar & different traits within one another ties into another dynamic that will be explained later.

There are two roses that bring them together. They meet through Ruby, the good rose Yang gives to Blake. Adam is the bad rose that Blake tries to keep away from Yang, but he breaks them. Adam starts off as the Beast (Adam) to Blake’s Beauty. Once she leaves him (like the fairy tale) he then embodies the Rose that haunts her. Once he meets Blake’s new partner, he then becomes Gaston & adopts his jealousy. Once Blake & Yang defeat him, they free themselves from the curse and come back to the Good Rose.

Blake & Yang also represent the Yin & Yang dynamic. We have the darkness (Blake) and the light (Yang), with a little bit of each other in each (matching eyes). Many cultures depict Yin as a tiger (Blake's cat ears) and Yang as a dragon (Xiao Long). The themes of darkness and light has been associated with Blake & Yang since their trailers. Blake engulfs in darkness when she leaves, while Yang brings light when she enters (kind of like their semblances). Scenes with Blake & Yang play with lighting a lot (2x06, 6x01, 9x06), and fights involving them often have them circling around each other or moving across each other, just like the Yin Yang Symbol.

Team RWBY as a whole also has references. One commonly known reference is the Wizard of Oz crew, with Ruby acting as Dorothy (who had Ruby/Silver slippers). Weiss is the Tin Man who gains heart while the real one loses it (Ironwood), Blake is the Lion who gains courage while the real one loses it (Lionheart), and Yang is the Scarecrow who learns to fight smarter while the real one acts irrationally (Qrow). These four adventurers set off to Beacon (Land of Oz), meet the Wizard (Ozpin), and get their wishes (graduating). They are told to stay on the Yellow Road, but fail.

The team's respective Remnants also allude to their fairy tales. Ruby sheds roses, representing her red color scheme, her youthful innocence, and the flowers Little Red picks for her grandmother. Weiss sheds snow, representing her white color scheme, her cold attitude, and Snowhite's soft skin that gave her the name. Blake sheds shadows, representing her black color scheme, her dark personality and background, and the Beast condemned to the shadows. Yang sheds fire, representing her yellow color scheme, her bright but scorching personality, and the porridge Goldilocks claimed was "too hot".

Ruby represents multiple figures from others characters’ allusions. Penny is based on Pinocchio, who wishes on a Shooting Star to be a real human. Ruby, who is often characterized as a small flickering light (literally & figuratively) she represents the star that Penny wishes for & makes her feel human (literally & figuratively).

2x07 Dance Dance Infiltration is a retelling of the Cinderella story. The maiden is told she needs to return by midnight, puts on a disguise, & goes off. Ruby tracks her, Cinderella enters the stage, the two dance, and she leaves without a trace. Ruby in this case represents the Prince that wants to find the mysterious maiden he danced with the night before. His only clue was her missing glass slipper. Cinder fights with glass, a point Ruby reports to her professors as information to track her down.

There's a lot more micro references to other fairy tales but these are the most notable for Team RWBY. These references influence how a character is portrayed, how they interact with others, and the actions they take.

[rwbyrg]

A Rosegarden by Any Other Name Would Smell As Sweet

AKA Reasons Why Rosegarden is Canon #015: Ruby and Oscar's Multiple Shared Allusions to Other Fairytale Love Stories

Typical disclaimer that while all characters within the RWBY narrative have a main allusion, they often have secondary allusions that apply to the roles they fill in relation to other characters stories. Like how Yang is Goldilocks on her own, but becomes the Beauty to Blake's Beast when paired together.

The first, most notable example for Rosegarden is, of course, The Little Prince (expanded upon here). Oscar's primary allusion is of a boy who grows up on a planet "scarcely bigger than himself, who was in need of a friend", and one of his most influential relationships is that to a rose with whom he loves. They spend much of the story separated from one another, while the prince wanders lost in a desert, pining for a way to reunite with her back home.

Important to note this isn't the only time Ruby has been a Rose for another fairytale. She also slots in as the Rose Red to Weiss' Snow White, she acts as the successor to her mom as The Last Rose of Summer, and she also stands in as the Enchanted Rose to Bumbleby's Beauty and the Beast given how it's a "true loves kiss will break the spell before the last petal falls" situation... and BB kisses two episodes before Ruby Rose "dies".

The second notable allusion for Rosegarden is the Warrior in the Woods (expanded upon further here), a canon RWBY fable from The Fairytales of Remnant. The very first story within the book is about a village boy who becomes a huntsman after being inspired by a huntress he meets in the woods. A huntress, I might add he fell in love with the moment he saw her silver eyes.

Something to note about both of these examples, is that they are each stories with a focus on caring for someone else in unique ways. With The Little Prince, the Rose is vain and has many demands and asks the prince to tend to her; while in WitW, the warrior works tirelessly without thanks to protect a village. When the boy meets her, he starts looking after her for a change because he figures that's the least he can do to repay her. Both of these tie in well to RG's dynamic of Ruby carrying such heavy responsibilities alone, with Oscar making a conscious and active effort to help her shoulder those burdens.

The third, more subtle allusion, is their respective ties to The Wonderful Land of Oz. Oscar's first confirmed allusion before the Little Prince reveal was originally to Princess Ozma/Tip, the heir to the Kingdom of Oz given his proximity to Ozpin as the man behind the curtain, as well as to fit a "genderbend" character within the framework of team JNPR.

How does Ruby tie into this one? Well, we have to work backwards a bit. Ozpin's initial four lieutenants were all linked to the original cast of Oz:

Qrow as The Scarecrow without a mind (travels around as a crow and is regularly inebriated)

Ironwood as the Tin Man without a heart (his multiple cyborg prosthetics and character development in Atlas)

Lionhart as The Cowardly Lion (his fear overtakes him and pushes him to join forces with Salem to save his own skin)

Theodore as Dorothy Gale (donning ruby gauntlets instead of the traditional red slippers)

But RWBY is a story about legacies and breaking cycles. With the new generation of huntresses in Oz's inner circle, they replace those who came before them.

Blake takes Lionheart's place (cat faunus that ran out of cowardice, only to become brave and return to the fight)

Weiss as the Tin Man (aka Ice Queen, who's heart melted as she became kinder and grew more attached to those around her)

Yang the Scarecrow (no longer blindly following orders, but making an active effort to question the words and intentions of those around her)

Ruby as Dorothy (her little dog Zwei and the red - or silver, depending on movie or book adaptation - slippers that lead them all on their journey)

Why bring up Oscar as Princess Ozma and Ruby as Dorothy? Well, according to the original books and not the movie, "Dorothy and Ozma are each other's closest relationship" as illustrated here:

Very good friends. Just gals being pals. Sharing the responsibilities of leadership with one another. Smooching in the palace gardens. Dorothy as the only one who's allowed in Princess Ozma's rooms without an invitation. #BFFS4EVA

These are all the canon ones that are easy enough to parse, but there are some similarities to others famous stories that can be found with a bit of squinting that I will also share just for fun.

The first is how Ruby's experience in the Tea Party acts as a near perfect display of Romeo and Juliet's ending. For those unfamiliar with - or who have forgotten - the bard's infamous tragedy, it is a story about two star-crossed lovers very much doomed by the narrative. It ends with Juliet faking her death without telling Romeo. So when her prince charming comes across what he believes to be her corpse, he drinks a vial of poison and kills himself out of grief. When Juliet wakes and sees he has left her, she takes his dagger and stabs herself so they might be together.

In the tea party, Ruby fills the shoes of Romeo and Oscar of dear Juliet. Oscar is "killed" by Ruby's blade, but it is an illusion. He's not real. Like Juliet, he's not really dead. However, the vision is still enough to push Ruby into drink a vial of poison (the tea that takes her to the tree), giving up in the face of her grief, just as Romeo does.

And if we need any more evidence for this one, can't hurt to bring up the infamous quote of Juliet wherein she likens her love to an oh-so-familiar flower:

What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet;

A line that Juliet says to proclaim that if her Romeo weren't a Montague, then she would still love him regardless, but through which implies that it would be easier for them to be together if he were not himself. And within V9, Ruby's cited motivation to go to the tree is because she doesn't want to be herself any longer.

And last, but certainly not least, is how a lot of ships within RWBY seem to have fairly direct parallels to the myth of Eros and Psyche. It is a classical tale about the trials of love, putting the protagonists under multiple tests of loyalty and attachment before letting the two lovers unite at the end. Both love stories within Beauty and the Beast and Snow White and Rose Red pull inspiration from the myth, and we see it in CRWBY's approach to writing romances throughout the show thus far.

Blake and Yang being separated, breaking and rebuilding trust, before coming together in V9; Ren and Nora going through trials and conflict, currently apart now so they might discover who they are on their own before re-uniting with one another again; and Rosegarden having constant reunions, separations, and trials with strong focuses on their attachment to each other. Another common archetype they use from Eros and Psyche is that of the "Animal as Bridegroom", wherein at least one of the partners undergoing a transformation that is often monstrous in nature.

Bumbleby is self explanatory

WhiteKnight has the issue of Jaune being lost to time and becoming an Old Man, who's curse is reversed by magic. It alludes to his role as the Prince within Snow White and Rose Red who was initially turned into a bear via a curse

Rosegarden, has this instance for both characters. Oscar as an Ozcarnation (becoming something he doesn't want via a curse they are trying to break before time runs out) and Ruby's future fate should she be captured by Salem (being turned into a Grimm by the wicked witch - or eaten by the wolf - like her mother before her).

All of these line up with the myth's structure as well as Monty's foundational philosophy on love stories that we see in his quote from many years ago:

A lot of these all have really tragic endings so uh. Good thing RWBY likes to subvert the stories it's telling, right? They're going to get a happy ending, right CRWBY???? 😰

[guillotinesandroses]

Blemished By Life; Tokyo Revengers Reader Insert Masterlist

WARNINGS; Blood, injuries, gore, mental illness, night terrors, self-destructive tendencies, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, suicide, guns, sharp weapons, unhealthy relationship dynamics, canon typical violence and themes

8/45 Completed

Chapter 1 - Indigo Velvet Skies

Chapter 2 - Pitch Black Stare

Chapter 3 - Blood Red Lips

Chapter 4 - Gentle Lilac Eyes

Chapter 5 - Hazy Amber Irises

Chapter 6 - Pearl White Snow

Chapter 7 - Dried Bone Yellow

Chapter 8 - Dark Silk Hair

Chapter 9 - Purple Old Wounds

Chapter 10 - Chartreuse Running Shoes

Chapter 11 - See Through Tears

Chapter 12 - Zealously Carried Cross

Chapter 13 - Gold Coloured Buttons

Chapter 14 - Wine Red Victory

Chapter 15 - Birds And Blues

Chapter 16 - Silver Shaded Weapon

Chapter 17 - Dull Monday Grey

Chapter 18 - Apple Green Beginnings

Chapter 19 - Crimson Clad Monsters

Chapter 20 - Never Same Saffron

Chapter 21 - Painted Blue Festivities

Chapter 22 - Obsidian Black Gratitude

Chapter 23 - Concerning Development Gilded

Chapter 24 - Paranoia Laced Navy

Chapter 25 - Broken Nose Garnet

Chapter 26 - Rainy Day Teal

Chapter 27 - Bittersweet Reconsiliation Jade

Chapter 28 - New Conflict Scarlet

Chapter 29 - Blaring Ruby Flags

Chapter 30 - Amethyst of Love

Chapter 31 - Bright Christmas Stars

Chapter 32 - New Year Tin

Chapter 33 - The White Charcoal

Chapter 34 - Run, My Lavender

Chapter 35 - Ever Blooming Daffodils

Chapter 36 - The Black Snowflakes

Chapter 37 - Ashen False Hope

Chapter 38 - Burgundy For Liars

Chapter 39 - White Oleander Leaves

Chapter 40 - Returning Red Lips

Chapter 41 - Wine For Nostalgia

Chapter 42 - Shattered Dream Slate

Chapter 43 - Newfound Resolve Blue

Chapter 44 - Graphite Grey End

Chapter 45 - Punch Pink Beginning

[konako]

I'm back with another question about our favorite werewolf.

What's your least favorite misconception of Ruby. And some of your favorite popular headcanons of her? (If you get what I mean)

Everyone has their way of interpreting canon and extrapolating information about personalities, dynamics and behaviors. Some resonate with me more than others. Some seem more attuned to details than others. And ultimately, one will interpreter a character from their individual place in the world, based on their own particular experiences, whether there's self-projection or not.

That being said—

I think most of the interpretations of Ruby that I disagree with tend to reference only one aspect of her personality (often artificial), and magnify that so it's her entire character.

For example, taking her Cursed!Persona literally (which itself is a persona, a mask), and disregarding the later incorporation of her previous life, resulting in the PostCurse!Personality we have — which is so beautifully complex.

Presenting her as a party girl, socially unaware, disregarding boundaries, blindly confident, overtly sexual, generally unintelligent, vapid, shallow, simple... Those traits might have been present on a superficial level on her cursed persona (and arguably in her FTL self, before learning the truth of the Wolf), but they're not to be trusted as real pillars of her character! So I can't engage with depictions of Ruby that are built on that.

One more (and that's more of a nitpick): the misconception that Ruby/Red's body count (murder wise) is limited to what we've seen in Red Handed; so, roughly five dudes and Peter. That's... oh boy, that's not the case. There were many before that, and, considering she's used her Wolf power to help in Snow White's war, there were many more after that. So It's safe to say she has killed a LOT of people, intentionally or not. Interpretations that overlook that sometimes lack weight for me.

HEADCANONS THAT I LOVE (give me enough words and I could justify them as canon based on facts—)

I very enjoy the presentation of Ruby as a dork. Considering her unfunny jokes, serious gaps in self-confidence and general fear of upsetting people. Friendly, but insecure and shy in a very particular way.

THAT THE WOLF IS HUGE, ACTUALLY.

That silver leaves a scar, unlike normal wounds. (Clavicle scar nation, unite!)

That Ruby is a terminally bad cook.

That she had a crush on Belle.

That she DEFINITELY HAD A CRUSH ON SNOW.

(eyes up here, girl)

That's all I can think of at this moment, forgive me. I go so hard on headcanons sometimes, I've convinced myself they've been there all along, so I forget that's maybe not the case. It's fun!

[lovingdabeessss]

WARNING: R A M B L E

AAAAA LITERARY ALLUSIONS AAAAA

I love Rwby it’s all immediately that deep with the character- like- LISTEN they take intentional simple good/bad characters fair tales which are THE simplest because it’s being told to children and then they make them complicated!!! They make them multiple things

Blake- everyone knows Blake’s everyone loves Blake’s I mean it’s wonderful beauty and the beast where she’s both of them already good already great but then!!! But then it also!!! makes a DIFFERENT CHARACTER also both beauty and the beast which also goes into their other dynamic of yin and Yang and transformation into the other and the constant switching and it makes it like symbolically Yang is a part of her it’s so good she’s the only one who’s a love story she’s defined by the people she loves it’s great

Weiss, she’s always great never disappoints she’s a knight and a princess she’s Snow White which Rwby recognizes as less of a love story and more of a story about parental abuse and overcoming it and never once is it Snow Whites fault the evil queen is acting like that she just is too pretty which Weiss is so it’s perfect for her i truly love “what if Snow White was a middle child” never stop Rwby

Then RUBY I love her she’s red riding hood and the HUNTSMAN makes the “are you a huntress” a little funnier to me cause it’s the core of her character just a little girl trying to do a sweet thing until she is TRICKED AND EATEN BY THE BAD GUY

she’s never not devoured in the story she goes to see her grandmother and they are both eaten and then saved because the huntsman cuts the wolf up it’s truly horrible she never gets saved beforehand and this I think is very well shown in volume 9 where she has to be totally destroyed by the wolf which in this specific instance was just her own grief and guilt (and the cat the cat was also wolf) and then she cut herself out of the stomach of the beast (and attacked the cat that too)

And finally in no particular order YANG my beloved she’s so great

Yangs particularly interesting because she’s the only one of them to be both the hero and the villain of the story and in Goldilocks that villain changes often the villain is the little girl for breaking into the bears house and other times it’s the bears

In some versions when they catch her the bears attempt to burn her (which doesn’t work quite right) drown her (not right either) and then finally MAIM HER BY STABBING HER WITH A CHURCH CHAPLE!??!?!?

She is also the only character in her story it’s Goldilocks and the three bears, she is the only one in this story and all the story is that she will destroy herself

And it’s so interesting that the child is the villain of the story it reminds me of when she was talking about Alice saying she was a bad person when she was just a kid trying to survive

And being the only character and her self destruction in her loneliness like when she lost her arm and no one was around and she just deteriorated

She’s destroying herself she’s so desperate to protect people she’s determined to go out saving someone Yang is a huntress who watched her entire family be destroyed by the job she went into this expecting it to kill her she went into this hoping it would kill her not Ruby

[dinneratgrannys]

ONCE UPON A TIME 5.18, Ruby Slippers

[oodlyenough]

ohh steven moffat lmao

(boom spoilers)

me last week: i hope we get to see ruby rise to the occasion and get her big moment, we're four eps in. the doctor stepping on a landmine could be it!

this ep: she fucking dies halfway through the episode fekhadlflkg

actually, i mostly liked it fine -- i thought the plot held together ok and was pretty interesting. after the last few eps i wanted something heavier and this delivered. the tension was pretty good. "they're fighting themselves to death bc capitalism" and "thoughts and prayers" are both on the nose, but i didn't mind. i don't know 15 and ruby well enough yet to feel particularly strongly about how they're written or their dynamic with each other, so none of that particularly bothered me. there were a few moments that felt very Clara Oswald to me, but not really in a way that made me think "that's not Ruby!"

the doctor was a very moffat doctor lol -- i liked seeing ncuti get some more dramatic dialogues and some anger etc we haven't seen much of from him yet. his impatience with ruby at the end felt off and was the kind of thing that used to make me bonkers in the moffat era, so disappointed but not shocked to see it crop up here. also "snow isn't snow until it falls" classic moffat line that means nothing but sounds pseudo deep. almost nostalgic

my other nitpick with pacing is that if you're gonna have an ep heavily rely on a countdown you should try to do it in real time. having monday (mundi? munday? idk) say "about 3 minutes" and then have a 3 minute conversation with another guy cracked me up lol. keep it vague if you're not gonna follow it!

but ruby dying was stupid as hell, imo, and is the one thing i have trouble overlooking. i feel like maybe we could've reworked some things... she gets shot later in the ep during the countdown and is injured/dying but then is healed, something like that. i'm not opposed to companion in peril, all things being equal, but when you kill and revive characters so often death stops meaning anything and it's episode 4 and i feel like i'm relitigating shit from 2013 again. real ones who've been following me for a decade know

but the trailer for the next ep made it look like i might finally be getting my ruby-focused ep so i am hyped!!

[littlepumpkinsdiary]

Happy Pride Month yall!

The art i have in here is a little spoiler for this post

Regal Academy Reimagined AU

Let's talk about some ships that we don't have un the original show, but that i would do in my au

Ruby and Kira: they are the one, who I have on my art. Well, in the show they didn't interact, except for one episode but I really want them together, cause Ruby in the show became Snow Queen's helper, and Kira is Snow Queen's daughter. I thought that could be cool

Shir and Hatter: gay couple, yey. They don't interact in the show at all, and the only reason I want their ships is because I like their personality and that they both from wonderland. They would have funny dynamic

And the last three ships for today, the ones, that no one expected:

Professor Wolfram and Officer Red Hood: i just want them together, because i didn't really understand which tale Wolfram is, so that just be funny, because of original red hood story

Alicia and Chad: They are in the one team in the show, and I remember, that Chad was crushing on her in the first episode she appeared in, so I just made them together

Mermaid(she does not has a name in the show) and Bea: They don't know each other in the show. I came up with their ship when redesigned them cause they looked so good together in my head

Joy and Melvin: remember I told that I don't want Joy to end up with fucking frog? That's why I decided to ship those two. And I wanted to do enemies to lovers trope with love/hate dynamic, they fit in perfectly

Have a good day

[foxyanon]

The Vampiress and the Dane: Part 1

Summary: Her presence plagued him for 30 years, but will he admit to both her and himself that he craves her? Or will his prejudice push her away for good?

Pairing: Sihtric Kjartansson x Corvina

Word Count: 4,500

Rating: 18+, Minors DNI

TW: Sexual themes, blood, violence, older woman/younger man dynamic

Part 2

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from The Last Kingdom nor do I own any of the images used. I only own my OC, Corvina and her AI image.

Dividers by @arcielee and @saradika-graphics

He hated her. Absolutely despised her. Couldn’t stand the very sight of her. At least, that’s what he told himself every night when those irritating thoughts of her found their way to the forefront of his mind, his hand sliding beneath the waistband of his breeches to fist his cock, her name falling from his lips as he pictured her writhing in pleasure beneath him when he spilled himself in his hand.

The woman he both hated and craved for nearly three decades. No, not a woman. A vampire, a very old and powerful one at that. Corvina.

He hated her pale skin, as soft and beautiful as the snow of the lands of Norway where she was born. He couldn’t stand her perfect ruby red lips, so kissable but hiding those sharp pearly, white fangs of hers. He despised that long dark brown hair, the way it fell in soft waves down her back when she wore it loose and how it contrasted with her skin, making her look even more unnaturally stunning. The worst was her eyes. Those damn gorgeous and absolutely mesmerizing blood red eyes. He swore just one look was enough to cause any sane man to fall under her spell, the result of her vampiric compulsion.

But he’d be lying because he knew that wasn’t it. After thirty years of knowing Corvina, Sihtric knew it wasn’t magic she used to charm men like him. It was her gentle and caring nature, so unlike the others of her kind. It was the way she was always there for him and his friends, never with a harsh word or judgement. He was so used to being talked down to by Saxons and Danes alike, be it for his paganism or his status as Kjartan’s bastard. But not with her, never with her. No, her sweet voice and kind words always caused his cheeks to flush red and he hated it. She should be spiteful and cruel, like he had been taught all vampires are, but no. She had to go and be different, so caring and thoughtful and gentle. Sihtric had wanted to scream to the gods themselves that they were truly cruel to curse such an amazing woman to be an immortal beast, destined to live her life in the shadows.

He remembers the first time Uhtred had told Finan, Osferth and him about her. He was barely 20, a fresh faced warrior in his lord's service. It was 886 at the Battle of Beamfleot when Uhtred decided to attack the fortress in an attempt to free Aethelflaed from the clutches of Erik and Sigefrid. There wasn’t enough men to successfully storm the fortress and Uhtred knew it, so he said he called in a favor and everyone was thrilled for the aid. How was Sihtric supposed to know it would be the very being who would haunt his every waking thought and even dreams? He remembers seeing her walking into the camp the first night, how she seemed to appear from the shadows beyond the light of the campfire. He was startled by her sudden appearance, so speechless as she gave him that little knowing grin that he almost didn’t notice the predatory gleam in her unusual eyes. Uhtred had introduced Corvina to the others and Sihtric could only stutter out a half-assed greeting to her beautiful face, before she turned and started discussing how many men she brought and plans to get Uhtred to Aethelfaed. He remembers how stunning she looked in the heat of battle, cutting down her enemies with ruthless efficiency in that damned black armor looking every inch a warrior queen that he knew she was. His breeches felt tighter when he saw her covered in blood, her eyes glowing fiercely and fangs on full display when she dragged Sigefrid in front of Uhtred, tossing his body to the ground like he weighed nothing. The siege was a success, Aethelflaed and Erik eloping and leaving East Anglia behind to start their new life, thanks to the financial contributions of none other than Corvina. Finan and Osferth gave Sihtric a hard time afterwards, saying that he was acting like a fool in love. He vehemently denied their claims, saying he was just surprised a creature like her would help them and he worried for the price she would ask. She never asked for anything.

Then of course there was that whole situation with Skade and Bloodhair, the way that damned witch cursed his lord and friend. Uhtred’s health had been failing fast and they weren’t going to make it to Dunholm, so he made the choice to seek out Corvina for her help. Of course, she opened the doors to her castle and removed the curse, never once asking for payment for her aid. Sihtric had tried to offer her one of his armrings (after Uhtred told him to give it to her) and she simply smiled, saying she wouldn’t take anything and that she was happy to help a friend. That was the first time Sihtric snarled at her, deciding then and there that she must be a manipulative creature, because no one is that nice for no reason. He hated her and he hated that hurt look in her eyes after he yelled at her even more, but his pride wouldn’t let him apologize for his outburst. No, in his youthful ignorance and arrogance, he doubled down and simply glared at her. She was a vampire, a creature of the night. A beautiful monster. He went back to his wife later on, but Sidgeflaed was only a sorry reminder of who he really wanted. He remembers taking his wife from behind that first night back, the sight of her brown hair reminding him of Corvina. It’s no surprise when he said another woman’s name in his marriage bed that his wife would be angry, leaving him and taking the children with her. He truly loathed Corvina then, blaming her for his failed marriage because he refused to accept that he was well and truly in love with her.

When Uhtred failed to regain Bebbanburg from his estranged cousin, Wihtger in 910, the men fled to the safety of Corvina’s castle and Sihtric was practically seething in frustration. He hated that they came knocking on her door looking like kicked dogs and she just let them in with a sympathetic smile, telling them they were welcome to stay as long as they needed to. Uhtred had firmly told Sihtric to mind his manners, because they couldn’t afford to get tossed out now and if he snapped on Corvina again, they would really make the square. Sihtric had bit his tongue for most of their stay, seeing her move about the castle like a damned angel amongst men. She dressed in the varying styles of the world, but he remembers that Grecian gown the most of all. The fabric was a beautiful shade of purple, something he’s never seen even the wealthiest kings of this land wear. The fabric flowed over her soft curves, her hair pulled back and pinned with golden laurel leaves. She looked like a goddess and his mouth watered at the sight of her, sitting atop the throne as she held court for her undead minions. He hated her, he told himself as he hid inside an alcove and jerked himself off, imagining burying his face between her thighs and devouring her on that very throne in front of everyone. He imagined she tasted like that ambrosia she spoke of from her time in Greece, all sweet and addicting. He felt burning shame when he came and made a mess of the wall and floor, knowing it was wrong to crave her but he couldn’t help himself. He couldn’t stand the way her very existence seemed to bring about powerful emotions, and he hated not feeling in control of himself. He snapped at Finan and Osferth when he had returned to them, their mocking smiles grating on his nerves. As per usual, Corvina just had to glide up to them at that moment with her signature alluring smile on her face, asking what was wrong. Sihtric sneered at her and made some snarky remark before storming off, never seeing the knowing look on her face.

That was nearly 8 years ago now. Today, they stand in the war camp just outside Bebbanburg planning an attack. Uhtred intends to win this time and of course, he just had to ask Corvina for help. Sihtric had been avoiding her like the plague he convinced himself she was, but he couldn’t dodge her forever. She walked into the command tent, carrying herself with an authority that took the breath right out of his lungs. She was wearing her usual black armor, her dark hair braided back and not a hair out of place. She cut Sihtric a look, her red eyes piercing into his soul for a moment before she smiled brightly at Uhtred, hugging him with a laugh and a joke about how old he had gotten. Even Finan and Osferth, his own battle brothers, had hugged this despicable creature like an old friend, even though that was exactly what she was. He thought she looked just as beautiful as the first time he saw her nearly 30 years ago, before bitterly remembering that she doesn’t age due to her vampirism. His lips pressed into a thin line and he simply nodded at her, determined not to piss both her and Uhtred off if his mouth got away from him. Plans were made for an attack the next morning, her men joining the shield wall alongside Uhtred’s forces. Even if he couldn’t stand the sight of her, Sihtric knew she was a formidable ally and warrior, commanding respect from her people and instilling fear in the hearts of her enemies.

Sihtric found her later that night, standing on the edge of the field beside the coastal fortress and staring out over the moonlight grass. He knew her eyes were better suited to the darkness and she always studied the battlefield before the fight, something she claimed she learned from her time with the Roman Legion. She stood there with her hands clasped loosely behind her back, her back straight and head held high.

“If you are here to sass me, Sihtric, you will find I am not in the mood,” Corvina spoke in a calm voice, looking over her shoulder at the warrior. She couldn’t deny he had grown into a handsome man, the top half of his dark hair braided and the rest hanging in curls that would make anyone jealous. He was sporting a goatee, and she wondered what it feel like against her cold skin. He looked damned good, the muscles of his arms flexing as he crossed his arms and stood next to her. She wanted to bite him and those arms, wondered if his blood tasted as good as he smelled. She saw his jaw tense before he took a breath, looking at her with a serious expression.

“No, I am not here to sass you Corvina. I wanted to make sure you understood the gravity of what is happening tomorrow. We aren’t just reclaiming Bebbanburg for Uhtred, we are fighting for the fate of Northumbria itself,” he said firmly, already aggravated with himself for his thoughts running wild.

Corvina sighed, turning to face Sihtric with an exasperated expression. “I know what we fight for and we will not lose. You have fought on the shield wall with me before, you have seen me fight and you know I am not in the habit of losing. But I can tell from your tense stance that is not the real reason you are here, is it?”

Sihtric nodded, his eyes finding Corvinas. He always found them captivating, the red hue switching from a bright red to a deep burgundy depending on her mood. “No, I came because I wanted to make sure you will keep your end of the bargain. No feeding on the soldiers before or after the battle, your men stay in control and don’t succumb to bloodlust in the middle of the fighting, and all those other promises you’ve made,’ he replied in a tense tone, grinding his teeth together as he looked away from the pretty little vampire that had haunted him for his entire life.

She rolled her eyes and looked away, placing her hands on her hips as she looked down and shook her head, her words coming out with a defeated tone as she spoke. “You already know I will uphold my word, Sihtric. We have this conversation every time I agree to fight with you lot. By the gods, I am tired of this.”

Corvina turned to look at Sihtric, licking her red lips and staring into his eyes with an intensity the Dane didn’t quite like. “What have I ever done to you to make you hate me so? I have been nothing but a good and kind friend to you all, never betraying any of you like so many others have, and yet you treat me with the same level of animosity you did when you were 20. By the Aesir, you are 51 years old now. What in the hell have I done to you for you to hold a grudge after all these years?”

He remained silent for a moment, considering her words carefully. He knew had been harsh towards her in the past, his youthful ignorance causing him to be suspicious of the supernatural. He was older now and he knew better. He knew she was a powerful and loyal ally, but he also knew she could be ruthless and unforgiving. Admittedly, he had taken her for granted without fully appreciating the nuances of her character. After a moment he spoke, avoiding her searching gaze. “I know that you have never betrayed us and I know that you have been a good ally. But the fact remains that you are a vampire, and for most people that is enough to inspire fear and loathing.” It was a cop out, and they both knew it. He couldn’t admit to her that he just wanted to be in her presence, finding it to be both soothing and resolute, like an anchor in the eye of the hurricane.

Corvina shook her head, looking up to the stars and taking a deep breath before responding. “That might be most people, but you are not most people. I asked why you specifically hate me. It’s been 30 gods damned years, Sihtric. I have fought for you, taken hits for you and still it's not enough. I am owed an explanation at the least,” her words were firm, her tone indicating she wanted answers and she wanted them now.

Sihtric looked at her, his expression hardening as all his repressed emotions boiled over in the worst way possible. “Because you are a fucking vampire!” He exclaimed, his voice ringing out in the quiet of the night. “You drink blood for Thor’s sake! How can I trust someone like you?” He shook his head, trying to reign in his temper before spitting out. “You are a monster and I will never trust a creature like you.”

Hurt crossed Corvinas face for a split second before her own face hardened, her lips pressed into a thin line. He knew calling her monster was the one thing she hated, and he suddenly wished he could snatch the word back if it meant she wouldn’t look at him with such disdain.

“Goodnight, Sihtric,” she said in a harsh tone before suddenly turning on her heel and walking away with a stiff stride, determined not to let him see her cry. She may have been undead, but that didn’t mean she was completely heartless.

Sihtric watched Corvina retreat, feeling guilt and anger surge through him. He hadn’t wanted to hurt her, but his emotions got the best of him and he started running at the mouth before he could stop himself. He started pacing, muttering under his breath trying to calm himself down. “Dammit. I need to apologize to her…but first, we have a battle to win.” He went back to his tent after several minutes of cursing himself for his actions, trying and failing to get some sleep before the battle tomorrow.

He woke early the next morning, preparing for the battle and checking on his men, making sure everything was in order. He didn’t see Corvina around the camp, but he forced himself to stay focused on the fight ahead. He needed to keep his head on right if he wanted to survive the day, but he thought to himself that Valhalla would be a preferable end after the way he acted last night.

By the time the sun starts rising over the horizon, everyone is in position on the battlefield. The two opposing forces face each other, shields up and swords in hand, the deep breath before the fighting breaks out seeming to slow time. The early morning rays shone across the field, a low fog hanging between Wihtger’s men and Uhtred’s. Corvina stands next to Sihtric, their shields locked tightly in formation as they wait with bated breath for Uhtred’s command. Despite the events of the previous night, they both have grim and determined expressions on their faces, stone cold focused on the enemy.

Once the signal was given, all hell broke loose. Wihtger’s men clashed hard with the wall, but the joint forces of Uhtred’s and Corvina’s armies were not so easily broken. The sounds of clashing metal and wood, along with the battle cries of the warriors filled the otherwise calm morning air. Once the wall finally broke, Sihtric and Corvina fought back to back, slicing through their foes with brutal efficiency. He smirked when he saw Corvina hit her stride, her supernatural speed and agility unmatched by the Scots and the rest of Wihtger’s men. He saw the moment they realized what she was, the fear in their eyes for the split second before she cut them down. He tried not to stare at her, his axe swinging through the air as he managed a fatal blow on his own enemy.

After a couple hours of fighting, Uhtred’s side had cut a swath through the usurpers' forces and Wihtger was engaged in a one on one battle with Uhtred. Sihtric and Corvina pick off a few stragglers, the rest scattering to the winds at the decisive loss only to be run down by Corvina’s vampire spawn before they reach the edge of the battlefield. She turned her back for just a second, slashing the throat of a still twitching man when a monster hunter snuck up behind Corvina. She realized what was happening just as the hunter brought a silver dagger up, driving it deep into her side. She cried out in agonizing pain, dropping her shield and bringing her sword down across the man's neck, his blood spraying across her face. She collapsed to the ground with the dagger protruding from her side, another hunter running up with an elder wood stake in his hands. Corvina hissed menacingly at him, her fangs elongated and eyes glowing dangerously as she struggled against the man.

The moment Sihtric heard Corvina cry out, he turned and his heart nearly stopped. He didn’t hesitate to charge forward, swinging his axe with precision and decapitating the hunter, pushing his body off Corvina before dropping his weapon and kneeling by her side. He quickly pulled the blade out of her side, knowing that her natural healing abilities will kick in now that the silver is removed. He tossed the blade off to the side before reaching down and scooping Corvina up into his strong arms, quickly carrying her out of harm's way. Her head lolled back as she lay in his arms, Sihtric only half aware that Uhtred stood victorious over his cousin's body as he half ran back to the camp. He heard her mumble his name and he pulled her closer, looking down at her quickly with a soft expression before turning towards where her tent was. Where she was normally so strong and independent, she now looked so vulnerable in his hold. He felt a whirlwind of emotions within him, but he pushed them aside and focused on getting her back to her tent.

“Shh, It’s okay. I’ve got you, Vina,” he whispered, ignoring anyone who tried to stop him. Once inside her tent, he moved to lay her on her bed and began removing her armor and clothes, wanting to get a good look at the wound.

She hissed in pain, feeling Sihtric remove her leather cuirass and pulling her ruined tunic up enough to expose the wound to his focused gaze. She tightly gripped the furs beneath her, her breathing heavy as Sihtric grabbed a bucket of water and clean rag to begin cleaning the blood away from the gash in her side.

“I need to feed, it’s the only way I will heal. I know you hate me for being a vampire, as you so kindly put it last night, but this is who I am, Sihtric,” she said through gritted teeth, her fangs glinting in the low light of the tent as she looked into his mismatched eyes. The hurt from him calling her the one thing she hated was still fresh in her mind, but she refused to stoop to his level even if she wanted to.

He looked at her, his expression softening when he saw how much pain she was in. He hated seeing her hurt and hated even more that she was right, she needed to drink blood if this wound was going to heal properly. That thought caused him to remember exactly what she was and his usual sneer found it’s way back to his face. “Fine, but don’t think for a second that I’m doing this because I like being your snack. You’re a dangerous creature and I hate having anything to do with vampires,” he growled, his jaw clenching as the image of her feeding from him sent his mind racing with less than innocent thoughts.

Corvina sighs exasperatedly and shakes her head, sitting up with a groan and a wince as she clutches her side. She gives Sihtric an expectant look, her tone questioning. “Oh, so you go from despising me for being a vampire to offering yourself up to be my breakfast? How generous of you, Sihtric. You told me last night that you didn’t trust me, so what the hell changed for you between then and now?”

He glared at her, his face flush with embarrassment and anger as she called him out. He knew he was being hypocritical, but he didn’t need Corvina telling him that. His frustration at the whole situation came out first, and he naturally lashed out at her. “Oh just shut up and feed from me already! You should just be acting like a predator, a monster like any other supernatural entity but you just have to talk to damn much.”

There it was again, that derogatory term. Corvina took a breath and stood up from her bed, speaking in a harsh voice that belayed her hurt. “Fuck you, Sihtric Kjartansson.” She slowly made her way to the entrance of her tent, determined to flag down one of her own people if it meant getting away from the most infuriating and oblivious asshole in all of Northumbria.

“Don’t you dare leave! You are injured and need to rest,” Sihtric shouted as he jumped to his feet, running up and grabbing Corvina’s arm by surprise, pulling her back towards him. His grip was firm, intended to keep her close to him and not to harm her. Not that he could anyway, seeing as how she had an impressive threshold for pain. His breath was hot on her ear as he whispered menacingly, the thought of her soft lips on another person causing jealousy to rear its ugly head within him. “If you think you can just go out there and find someone else to feed from…think again.”

Corvina growled back, turning and shoving Sihtric off her. Even injured, she was still stronger than a human and he stumbled backwards with the force she used against him. “Do not presume to touch me or give me any commands. I have put up with your unjust treatment of me for long enough. Your stubbornness and pride has cost you a friend this day. Enjoy your victory, Sihtric, and be gone from my tent when I return,” she snarled at him for the first time in their long friendship, letting the startled man see her righteous fury painted across her face. She knew she looked every inch of the ancient vampire she was, her fangs elongated and eyes glowing the brightest red Sihtric had ever seen. She closed her eyes and shook her head, muttering something under her breath about stubborn men and how they are the same in every age and land. She then turned on her heel and left her tent, leaving Sihtric behind with his scattered thoughts. He stood there staring as the flap of the tent blew in the soft early morning breeze and the sounds of people returning to camp filled his ears.

After the initial shock of seeing her lash out at him in that manner wore off, all Sihtric could think about was how his breeches suddenly felt a lot tighter and he hated everything about it. He groaned and ran a hand down his face, feeling both frustrated and aroused at the way everything went down. Frustrated at his own stubbornness and prejudice against vampires despite her best efforts to prove otherwise, and aroused at getting to see her in all her glory and have it directed at him. Despite himself, he thought she looked beyond magnificent and he finally understood what it was that had made her the vampire queen in that moment. After a few moments, he left her tent and walked out into the busy camp as the high from their win filled the air. He couldn’t help but envy the lucky person who she would feed on, wanting nothing more than to be in their shoes before the shame of thinking such thoughts came back to the forefront of his mind. As he made his way through the war camp and back to Uhtred’s side, his first thought was how he hoped he hadn’t pushed her completely away. His second? He wondered if he groveled enough at her feet if she would take pity on him and let him fall into her bed rather than someone else after the celebrations tonight.

Gods help him not muck this up, because he wasn’t sure he could handle another night of just him and his hand.

Taglist: for the Sihtric girlies @sihtricfedaraaahvicius @mrsarnasdelicious @bouncehousedemons @gemini-mama @whitedarkmoonflower @synindoodles

[takaraphoenix]

Top 3 Fandom Ask Game! I did follow you for the TW content so I don't know as much about your other fandoms, but I've seen you reblog/post some things about Once Upon a Time, so Top 3 for OUAT!

Thanks for playing!! And yesss, I love OUaT! ^-^

3 male characters I love: Rumple, my beloved. David. Killian

3 female characters I love: RUBY, oh I adore her so much. Mulan!! Snow!

3 romantic ships I love: Rumple/Belle is one of my all time favorite ships actually, David/Snow truly captured the essence of Disney True Love, Mulan/Ruby/Merida got me in one episode

3 platonic dynamics I love: Ruby-Snow the besties they are, David-Killian had such a fun dynamic, urgh there are so many, like, part of why this show is so great is because it's family centric so actually I'll throw the whole damn Charming-Mills family in there, Snow-David-Killian-Emma-Henry-Regina

3 favorite moments in canon: whenever princesses got to interact in cool ways, like, Jasmine and Ariel questing together, Belle and Mulan traveling together, genuinely the final scene of season 6, the family dinner picture was the perfect way to end the show

3 favorite headcanons: Honestly, I don't really have headcanons for this show beyond the very few non-canon ships I have and the fact that I ignore Hades and Robin's deaths, so do these count? xD

3 least favorite things about it: The fact that this show had a picture perfect finale in season 6... and then they made a nonsensical seventh season? Killing off Robin and directly linked to that Hades choosing power over True Love on the True-Love-show, Hades/Zelena should have gotten to rule the underworld together and Robin/Regina should have gotten their happy ending,

Top Three Fandom Ask Game

[minijenn]

Getting a lot of asks about my apparent plans for UF2 based on the old chapter list, so I went through and wrote out everything I could remember for these chapters based on only their titles and the very sparse handful of notes I still have on hand. Enjoy!

Arc 1: A Wheel in the Woods

Prologue: Welcome to the Universe: Idk, establishing a bunch of behinds the scene shit particularly with Homeworld I guess

Chapter 1: Back to the Falls: Reunion, everyone coming back to Gravity Falls and meeting up again

Chapter 2: Journal 4: Dipper starts writing his own journal (Ford probs gives him a blank one) ala what the end of Journal 3 implies

Chapter 3: Prior Engagement: Soos and Melody get engaged?? I think?

Chapter 4: Gravity Falls Noir: A Noir mystery story idk about what tho, mostly for fun

Chapter 5: Film Festival: Everyone teams up to make short films for a film festival

Chapter 6: Normal Kideon: Gideon (now reformed) asks the MK's help in teaching him how to not be a fucking little meglomaniac

Chapter 7: Techromancy: Something featuring Ford and Fiddleford and Peridot idk what

Chapter 8: Speed Demon: Zoom makes her triumphant return

Chapter 9: Twenty Zodiac Tales (temp): Very short stories featuring all the zodiac characters

Chapter 10: A Wheel in the Woods: The gang fucking discovers that goddamn triangle's statue and they're all fuckin scared

Chapter 10: Trust No One: Idk Bill gets freed somehow but he's not as powerful as he used to be

Arc 2: That Will Be All

Chapter 11: Fusion Foretold: This one was gonna be fun! So a group of magical creatures, pixies I think, saw Stonipbel fighting during Weirdmageddon the previous summer and believe them to be a prophecised hero, without knowing they're just four kids in a tall trenchcoat. Hijinks ensue

Chapter 12: Back Into the Bunker: Return to the bunker, this time with Ford and Fiddleford, basically a flashback on how Rose and the Gems helped them build it

Chapter 13: Summer Snowfall: Fuckin snows in Gravity Falls, its basically just swinter iidk winter hijinks

Chapter 14: Monster Shack: Return of the Monster Falls designs idk how I just wanted to see them again, would have probs featured Monster Stevonnie, Maven, and Stepper bc im obsessed

Chapter 15: Revenge Tour: Stan and Amethyst up to illegal hijinks again, this time roping Wendy and mabel Lapis in?

Chapter 16: A Shoulder to Cry On: Steven/Pacifica fusion, Connie and Dipper are jealous little shits

Chapter 17: A Pines Bros Mystery: Flashback chapter adapting the chapter of the same name from Lost Legends focusing on the young Stan Twins

Chapter 18: Steven's Dream: Same as the show, the gang goes to fucking Korea I guess (said gang including all four of the Pines)

Chapter 19: Adventures in Light Distortion: More or less the same as canon

Chapter 20: Gem Heist: Hinjinks in the zoo, the zoomans also think stan and ford are hot along with greg imo deadass they're right

Chapter 20: That Will Be All: same as canon this time featuring Stonemason foreshadowing

Arc 3: Wanted

Chapter 21: The New Crystal Gems (temp): would have had a name change, same as the ep but featuring Pacifica, Wendy, Soos, and Fiddleford filling in for the Pines, hijinks ensue

Chapter 22: Room for Ruby: Fuckin little shit comes to earth, only Stan and Lapis are able to tell she's sus as fuck

Chapter 23: Tie the Knot: I think this was when Soos and Melody were gonna get married???? Yeah UF2 was gonna have 2 weddings lol

Chapter 24: Alternate Ending: Same as the ep, Steven imagining what it would be like if he did have a sister bc he's a lil jealous of Dipper and Mabel's dynamic

Chapter 25: Alone in the Woods: Something Dipper and Lapis related??? idk

Chapter 26: Doug Out: Same as the show more or less, Aquamarine and Topaz fuckiin around

Chapter 27: Brotherly Shove: Stan and Ford focused, probs would have resulted in them both getting captured by Aqua and Topz

Chapter 28: Are You My Dad: Same as the show, more GF characters captured alongside the SU characters

Chapter 29: I Am My Mom: Same as canon, but with Dipper and Mabel getting taken to Homeworld with Steven and Lars, would have also included Stuck Together

Chapter 30: The Trial: Same as canon, more implications of Rose being a Shady Bitch who worked with Bill in the past; ends with Dipper pulling a self sacrifice essentially so Steven and Mabel can escape, thus officially kickstarting the Stonemason arc

Chapter 30: Wanted: Mabel and Steven desperately trying to find a way to save Dipper, Lars fucking dies, Maven maybe shows up? The kiddos go home and break the bad news that they're now one short oop

Arc 4: Stonemason Unmasked

Chapter 31: Within Without: Aftermath of the Wanted arc, Pines family is a fucking mess, not even knowing if Dipper is still fucking alive; Steven is a guilt ridden disaster

Chapter 32: Gemcation: The gems take everyone on a trip to try and both cool down and strategize; Stan and Ford get into a fight bc they're stressed, everything is bad

Chapter 33: Kevin Party: More or less same but Kevin wants Stevonnie, Maven, and Stepper at his party (lol kinda impossible for that last one atm imo); Mabel runs into Gabe Bensen at the party and tells him to fuck off, feeling guilt once again for the events of Sock Opera especially now that Dipper is gone

Chapter 34: Shipping and Handling: I think this was gonna focus on Pacifica's feelings about Dipper being missing? Was probs gonna be sad as fuck tbh this entire arc was

Chapter 35: Lars of the Stars: Same but with Mabel trying to convince Lars and the Off Colors to take them back to Homeworld so they can look for Dipper; they don't get far before Emerald attacks tho

Chapter 36: Jungle Moon: Same as before but this time it has a subplot with Mabel being lost on her own on the Jungle Moon, and her first encounter with Stonemason (she doesn't realize who he is yet)

Chapter 36: Sweater Sewing: Gang is back on earth, more focused on Mabel's huge well of emotions about missing Dipper, writing him letters so she can fill him in on everything once they find him/her doubting if they will

Chapter 37: Mindless Education: All our remaining MK have Angst for days and fusion aint gonna help them work through it this time, basically, the MK aren't complete with Dipper ahahah

Chapter 38: The Assassin: Stonemason officially arrives in Gravity Falls and fights the Gems (they still dont know who he is yet)

Chapter 39: The Mask: Second encounter with Stonemason, ends with the dramatic face reveal ahahaha

Chapter 40: Stonemason Unmasked (p1 and p2): deadass just retelling how Dipper wound up as Stonemason in full, introduces Amber and shows how he lost his arm, was conditioned/brainwashed, etc. Was gonna be told as a series of vingette scenes

Arc 5: Break the Chain

Chapter 41: Show Yourself: Reactions to Stonemason's real identity, failed attempts from the Pines and the Gems to basically break Dipper out of the brainwashing I guess

Chapter 42: Deep Cut: Outright fucking war between the Stans and the Gems basically with the Stans blaming the Gems for what's happened to Dipper and Steven and Mabel trying their best to get them to reconcile and work together

Chapter 42: Lullaby: Probs Stonemason focused, showing that Dipper is still in there and is trying to break free but cant bc of YD's conditioning

Chapter 43: Puppet Strings: Bill fuckin returns after like 40 chapters, absolutely taking advantage of this fucked up situation to try and broker a deal with Steven. it doesn't work. Yet

Chapter 44: Crash and Burn: Stonemason attacks Gravity Falls directly, without the mask which will have huge repercussions later

Chapter 45: Forever Together: Maven focused; they go off on their own to try and track down Stonemason, probably having an emotional breakdown or two along the way

Chapter 46: Don't Let Go: Possibly Lapis focused??? How the whole Stonemason thing is impacting her (not well)

Chapter 47: Burnout: Everyone fucking just hits rock bottom unsure of what the fuck to do

Chapter 48: A Final Farewell: Essentially that oneshot I wrote that one time, Amber sending the Gems and Pines a message from Dipper that encourages them to keep going

Chapter 49: Hide and Seek: The gang finally captures Stonemason and restrains him but they have no fucking idea how to help him

Chapter 50: Find the Key: Potentially calls back to both Dreamscaperers and RMD, with Steven and Mabel going inside Stonemason's mind to save Dipper

Chapter 50: Break the Chain: They fight Stonemason in there, break Dipper free, and he's back yay! but he's a lil fucked up actually lol

Arc 6: Rise and Fall and Rise Again

Chapter 51: Yes, My Diamond: Aftermath of Dipper struggling to fully break out of the conditioning ahaha angst city babyes

Chapter 52: The Golden Rule: I have no fucking clue something Stonemason related I guess, maybe the reveal that he's still runnin around inside of Dipper's mind and isnt actually gone like everyone thinks he is

Chapter 53: Blackout: Also don't know about this one, I guess its like emotional reconcilation from other characters?

Chapter 54: Your Mother and Mine: Finally getting back to SU eps, learning about how Rose started the war

Chapter 55: Pool Hopping: Garnet has even more angst bc boy howdy she did not see any of this Stonemason shit happening and she is hella guilty about it but at least she adopts a cat imo

Chapter 56: Raising the Barn: Lapis wants to leave now that Dipper is back, Dipper begs her to take him with her so YD won't find him and control him again; she says she's going to but doesn't imo fuckin ruins her relationship with her son nice going idiot

Chapter 57: Legend of the Dragowl: Dipper sad about his mom leaving, basically finds a cool dragon/owl hybrid in the woods and its basically HTTYD from there as that becomes his pet (names her Luna, she's cool)

Chapter 58: Save the Light: Adaptation of the SU game, Hessonite (who was involved in the Stonemason process) comes to earth and wooo boy everyone wants to beat her shit in

Chapter 59: Knock, Knock: Something something Bill I think? I have no fucking idea

Chapter 60: Rise and Fall: Imma level with yall i Have no fucking idea what this arc ender was gonna be; probs more Dipper angst? That sounds about right.

Chapter 60: And Rise Again: ^^^ Ditto

Arc 7: Dimensional Duel

Chapter 61: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Stepper, my sweet fusion son, returns after being away for so long as Steven tries helping Dipper recover emotionally but oh boy it doesnt work

Chapter 62: Alone Forever: Something else having to do with Stepper, idk what

Chapter 63: Rifts and Memories: More Stepper bc we can never get enough, probs plenty of RMD callbacks

Chapter 64: Open the Door: Ok yeah this one was def Bill making his full comeback, possibly using Steven as a pawn

Chapter 65: Twinning: This was an AU chapter but I honestly couldnt fucking tell you which one imo

Chapter 66: The Home in Homeworld: This was supposed to be the Crystal Falls AU chapter but then I swapped it over to UF itself and then also never wrote it so this is just redundant

Chapter 67: Mother Knows Best: Water Mom AU! Makes Dipper feel even worse about his Lapis being a fucking negligent runaway!

Chapter 68: The New Mystery Kids: Time travel into the MK2 future, old MK meets new MK its very cute and wholesome

Chapter 69: The One Who Watches: Axolotl introduction, idk what else besides that

Chapter 70: Portholes: AUs collide, basically a bunch of various AU characters from all the AUs we've seen fuckin Interacting

Chapter 70: Dimensional Duel: More of that ^^^ But there's fighting involved??? They all beat the shit out of Bill???

Arc 8: Change Your Mind

Chapter 71: Can't Go Back: They find Lapis on the moon, her and Dipper fight bc what else are they gonna do; Lapis still doesn't go home oop deadbeat mom over here

Chapter 72: A Single Pale Rose: Pink Diamond reveal and also the reveal of the deal Rose made with Bill during the war for her Gem

Chapter 73: Now We're Only Falling Apart: Reactions to the reveal; basically the same as canon as we learn more about Pink becoming Rose

Chapter 74: Reconnect the Chain: Stonemason (who's still in Dipper's head) and Dipper decide to reconcile their differences bc they're mad as fuck that they went through all this bullshit for nothing and decide they're gonna allign to a mutal goal: shatter all the remaining diamonds (except steven for obvious reasons)

Chapter 75: The Question: Rupphire engagement, cutie pies

Chapter 76: Made of Honor: Bismuth angst, fully bringing her back into the CGs (remember she gets unbubbled during Weirdmageddon but she keeps her distance from the CGs out of shame)

Chapter 77: Reunited: Rupphire wedding; Blue and Yellow come to Earth, big fuckin battle and they discover who Steven is

Chapter 78: Legs from Here to Homeworld: Shit awkward as fuck bc the Pines wanna fucking mutally murder Yellow for obvious reasons lol otherwise same as canon

Chapter 78: Familiar: Steven angst with a side of Dipper and Stonemason angst ahaha

Chapter 79: Together Alone: Stonipbel at the party, cute until it isn't; fucking blaze through Escapsim bc that episode sucks

Chapter 80: Battle of Heart and Mind: Dipper/Stonemason try and spectacularly fail to shatter Yellow, the others find out about his plans and are mix of semi supportive (the rest of his family) and not supportive at all (Steven bc he wants to heal the corrupted gems and that cant happen without Yellow) (so basically we get a fight between Dipper and Steven hahaha oh no where have we seen that before)

Chapter 80: Change Your Mind: Confrontation against White, even more dramatic than the actual episode if you can believe it

Arc 9: Ursa Major

Chapter 81: Back Then: Basically adjustment to the post CYM status quo, corrupted Gems are being healed and the MK all finally feel somewhat emotionally OK but there's still an arc left of this shit sooo

Chapter 82: Meet the Pines: Pines parents arrive in Gravity Falls for a surprise visit and are shocked to see what utter hell their kids have gone through; they ultimately decide to let them stay though when they realize just how happy their kids are here despite everything

Chapter 83: The Call: Bill fuckin around one more time, plotting to fuckin just destroy everything out of sheer rage alone; something something Axolotl

Chapter 84: The Unknown: I dont fucking know msot of my plans for UF2's final arc are very hazy

Chapter 85: Without Within: Dipper trying to find a way to make Stonemason his own person bc they've become friends?

Chapter 86: Glow Gem: Something to do with Steven idk what though

Chapter 87: Encore: I dont fucking know

Chapter 88: Sixty Degrees Come in Threes: Was gonna be Bill's backstory until Book of Bill came along and made me look stupid

Chapter 89: The Axolotl's Chosen: So in the Adventures in the Multiverse chapters of UF, the oracle tells Ford that the Axolotl has a "chosen one" that'll take Bill out once and for all and impliies it to be him but it aint lol its Dipper bc this kid hasnt been through enough already fuck

Chapter 90: Ursa Minor: Something something remnant trauma Dipper has not just from the Stonemason thing but shit Bill did to him like RMD and Sock Opera but still deciding to fucking end that motherfucker anyway

Chapter 90: Ursa Major: MK vs. Bill you know how it goes

Chapter 90: Polaris: That stupid motherfucking triangle finally dies for good

Epilogue 1: Mystery and Magic: Cool down from the climax, lots of cute interactions and character moments

Epilogue 2: Of Pines and Gems: Peaceful final resolution, conclusions, foreshadowing to the Movie probs with a scene hinting at Spinel idk

[bluerosesinthenightsky]

There’s A Hollow Fracture In Kirito’s Chest...

{{Not A Title, Just an Attention grabber for a preview of a polyfic of different romantic/platonic dynamics between Eugeo, Kirito, Asuna And Alice coming to an A03 near you. Yujikiri is the main focus, and the poly stuff comes more towards the epilogue. How does it all play out? You will just have to wait and see!}} _ _ _

OBLIGATORY MAJOR SPOILER WARNING FOR Sword Art Online: Alicization Arc! Do not READ if you haven't finished the first half of the Alicization Arc! MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH INCOMING! YOUVE BEEN WARNED!

_ _ _

There’s a hollow fracture in Kirito’s chest, a fissure stretched all the way vertically across the middle, it is wide and raw. Bleeding, red, agonizing and burning, yet all at once so cold.  

So cold… 

It was as if a blade of ice, so cold it burned, but so hot it was cold- had flayed him open. Cleaving through skin, muscle and finally carving against the bones within his ribcage. Where it punctured downwards, rending them until broken, and struck true into his heart. 

The frigid point piercing and plunging its serrated edge so deeply into it, that it found his very core, his soul and froze it over. 

There was a hollow fracture in Kirito’s chest. It was far deeper than it was wide, like a black abyss, swallowing him up whole, devouring everything he had left to give. 

A murky nebulous, akin to the night sky, yet there was no light to guide his way, no stars speckling the canvas of the lonely void to bring him back home. 

Why? Why wasn’t there any light? 

He knew why. 

His light, his star, it had burnt out like a supernova and had left him all alone. 

Isolated and suffocating in his own despair. That’s right… his heart had been plundered and his soul pillaged, and all that remained was ice. 

Kirito’s home didn’t exist anymore. 

There was a hollow fracture in Kirito’s chest and in that hollow space between his bloodied and shattered ribs, was a single blue rose. 

It was withering, yet a sheen of glistening frost had crept over the surface of its beautiful petals. 

Beautiful just like…him. 

Beautiful it might be it was still just as ugly.  

A merciless constant reminder of being so brutally bereaved of his beloved partner. 

It was as if the frost had frozen Kirito in time. Forcing him to remain in that exact heart-stopping and spine-chilling moment. When the sword, that was responsible for this fractured and icy hollow in his chest, shattered and then dispelled and released his precious partner. Leaving him to plummet to the floor. 

Leaving him all but lifeless, his crimson cruor pooling like a sea of ruby rose petals underneath him. His frame severed into two halves, leaving him a shell of something once whole, by the sword of the ruthless ruler of the Underworld. 

“EUGEOOOOOOOO!!!” 

The guttural and wounded growl, of Eugeo’s name, detonated like a violent gale. It surged rapidly out from Kirito’s vocals like a swirling storm and echoed within those damn forsaken walls. 

And she with her long lavender hair, fitted with a dress as white as snow, looked on. 

Outwardly, one might mistake her for a holy being, innocent and pure, full of love and light. 

If Kirito didn’t know better, he would have thought her an angel sent from the heavens above to collect Eugeo. 

But the angel was a devil in disguise, staring mockingly and sneering with a smirk so vile that Kirito had come to despise it and her. 

That despicable woman, no not a woman, she was naught but a callous and cold creature with no capacity for loving anyone put herself. She had love for herself alone and her insatiable bloodlust for control over all. 

The Administrator, Quinella, were she still alive now- Kirito would have hunted her to the ends of the Underworld and he would have slaughtered her. Then he would have used system commands to bring her back and slaughter her again, and again, and again… 

Over and over… until not a trace of her fluctlight remained. He would raze her away, permanently deleting her from the system, and by the time he was finished it would be as if she’d never existed. 

Yet nothing could be done now. Though Kirito’s body was in the present, his heart and soul and sense of self and time had been frozen in place. It froze over within an impenetrable barrier, an icy cage. Of which the only key that could set him free had long since melted away. Leaving it forever locked and leaving him in everlasting lament. 

A part of him had died with Eugeo that day. That dark and dismal day, the day that Kirito’s star went out, the day that his precious little Eugeo… 

His best friend and his ever-loyal partner, his everything… 

His beloved Eugeo. 

His icy blue rose. 

Burned and melted away in a baleful blaze of crossing blades and blood. 

_ _ _ There you have it, that's the preview! I've wanted to rp a Yujikiri reunion for a long time, but no one has ever come to the call and actually committed. So I decided to write something my damn self, and make it into a fanfic. this will be a self-indulgent Yujikiri reunion fic, with a small side of poly dynamics between Kirito, Eugeo, Alice and Asuna scattered throughout the fic and in the epilogue. If polyamory isn't for you, then this fic I'm writing isn't for you.

Please do NOT start a ship war in the comments, or reblogs, or even screen shotting this preview and making it into a ship war, thank you. This fic won't be exactly like the Yujikiri reunion I have in my head rp wise. Rp wise would be a much simpler premise, and it would be strictly Yujikiri, and not as long and as lore heavy.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed what you've read so far. I don't know if it's obvious or not, but Kirito is having a nightmare. He's reliving Eugeo's death over and over and has been every night for YEARS.

I take no responsibilities for anyone's emotional turmoil.