#go read it it’s a no forgotten realms au

[lunarrosette]

He’s all I’m thinking abt rn :(

[bongo-clash]

Peacock Au Part 1

Okay so Big Huge credit to @stealingyourbones for letting me do my own take on their amazing eldritch Danny idea!!!! This started out as me just doing a drawing but then I ended up with a whole DPxDC fic that I'll be posting the part two for at some point!!! Anyway, here's the vague designs:

And here's the part one of the fic under the cut!!! :D (Edit: Part 2 is Here!!)

There’s a Lazarus Pit forming underneath Gotham. Normally, this would not concern John Constantine at all, because it’s Gotham, therefore Bat territory therefore not his problem, and honestly he has his own things to worry about. Unfortunately for him, however, the infamous Dark Knight has somehow gotten it into his head that he can do something about it and, Hell, he’d said it would be a ‘big favour’, which meant the man really must be desperate; had to have been in the first place, he supposed, to have even bothered with John in the first place. 

Still, he’d almost kind of forgotten what a huge mess any kind of favour for Batman could be, and thus, he now holds possession of a book that is probably going to get him killed. 

Whether the actual book itself wants to kill him is up for debate, but Constantine has read the contents of this particular Book of Summonings and nothing in here seems remotely safe. He’s absolutely going to be hiding this away somewhere deep in the archives of the archives of the Justice League watchtower with an incredibly pointed ‘DO NOT TOUCH’ on it once he’s done with this, but for now, it’s the only thing he’s got in the way of sorting out this Pit problem. 

There’s an entity that exists, this book claims, that keeps the balance between realms. ‘Closes doors’, apparently, and the doors the pages depict certainly look like a Lazarus Pit. This is brilliant news, obviously, but the book doesn’t describe the entity itself at all beyond that; barely any of the other entries are as vague as this, and that plus some of the frankly bizarre sigils he’s having to draw to summon the damn thing are giving him no comfort. The only remotely comforting thing about it is that the ritual doesn’t require any blood- which either means the entity is benign, or it wants something more valuable than blood. 

…Okay, maybe not that comforting, actually. 

But, before he can consider that maybe this wasn’t his best idea and backing out would be for the best, the sigils flare with light, and Constantine squints to keep track of the way they activate, desperate for any indication of what he’s managed to summon with that stupid book. 

His feet feel feathery against the ground, like they’re barely tethered by gravity and just waiting to float away, and perhaps the seeming lack of atmosphere is fitting with how dust like stars lift from the summoning circle, bringing with them intercepting layers of purple-blue-pink-white, galaxies and nebulae being peeled off the floor. It comes with a sound- something whistling, almost. Seeming hollow, between a shriek and a bell ringing, or maybe more musical than that. It seems to change every moment he tries to focus on it, as if it’s something his ears can’t really hear but his brain is desperate to process, painful to try. 

And then, the entity begins to form. 

Unnoticeably at first, a white glow drifts forming in the centre. It congeals as Constantine’s gaze finally fixates on it, layers forming like jellyfish trails, or flowers, or peacock feathers with runic circles at the tips, fading smaller and smaller as they reach the centre, and a thing akin to a body unfolds into view at the front, a centrepiece. A child’s image of a shadow in opalescence, a strange curving feature where a neck might be, and searing-green spots of varying sizes scattered along the space where cheeks and eyes could’ve been, fading up and down across the lower-half of the ‘face’ and into the ‘hair’. He barely understands what he’s looking at, but maybe that’s the point. 

The sound of a thunderstorm rings across the room, and the curve of the neck unfolds, and it’s an eye, and the tips of a thousand twisted, cosmic peacock feathers become eyes as well, if they weren’t always. They move, wavering, either lashing or flickering from visibility. 

“And what is this?” The voice is a kaleidoscope, echoing off and from every corner of the room, and when they speak, infinite eyes become infinite mouths, too many teeth barely contained by the edges of what seem vaguely like frostbitten lips. To have something even remotely human suddenly etch itself onto the entity is somehow worse than the parts he can’t comprehend. “Who are you, to have summoned me, and seem so afraid?”

Constantine wishes, maybe for the first time, that it hadn’t been an obligation to do this alone; he’s never wanted Batman or one of the Light members with him more than now. It’s a difficult thing, almost impossible, to shake off the speechlessness. It’s a wonder that it’s possible at all, with how the room seems to have been twisted into a vacuum. “I was told you could- you could help with the pits?”

“The pits. There are many pits.”

God, this is creepy. “The Lazarus pits to, uh, to be specific. There’s a huge one cropping up under Gotham that’s not supposed to be there, and the local- I mean, the locals are getting antsy about it. …I heard you can take care of them.”

“I can smell its blood between the gaps of atmosphere, encircling. You, whose soul is bound in so many directions, who may be pulled apart like meat in time- can you sense it? Does it draw you?” John doesn’t know how this- this thing knows that, but he’s scared asking will invoke some kind of consequence, and more and more he’s wondering why the Hell he decided to do Batman this favour. He feels exposed. 

“Uh… no, I don’t think so. But can you fix it?”

“Yes.”

“…Will you fix it?”

The chill is getting to him. Goosebumps are running across his arms like a livewire, and he’s never doing anyone a favour ever again. The entity makes an approximation of a hum, his ears shriek with whale song and stars, and after a pause, everything switching up and down on itself, the peacock eyes form into huge, reaching hands. For a second, Constantine’s whole body freezes with terror, because he’s petrified the thing’s going to grab him, but then the arms tumble phasing into the ground, and the green spots on their ‘face’ flare with a supernova glow and they make another piercing noise, chiming or trilling. 

A long moment later, the hands slowly return to the entity’s back, and fade into the peacock feathers or jellyfish bells or whatever they were before, blinking at him. “It is gone.”

“Uh… cheers?”

“It will not return, but this place shall see its dead for some time. Try not to look.”

This is maybe the worst day of Constantine’s life. “Can I- uh, yeah, great advice. ‘Appreciate it. But, can I ask just, y’know, what you are? Or not.”

“That is up to you.” They say, and though the eyes that appear briefly between sentences bely or reveal no expression, it feels scrutinising. “What is it that closes doors? Is it alive?”

He hates riddles. He hates riddles and he hates cosmic horrors and he hates eldritch entities and he hates Batman for getting him to agree to this horrible favour. He wants to go back to the House of Mystery and pass out for long enough that this whole thing becomes a dream. “Fair enough! Forget I asked- cheers for sorting out that pit, though. Uh, don’t suppose you’ll just let me go on my way or anything now.”

“I know of your Bat.” 

Oh dear. Constantine’s stomach sinks like a shipwreck into the Mariana Trench, but the entity moves on like they’d never even said it. “I will recede, and find you in time, perhaps both. You will know when I am coming, and I will find my recompense.”

And just like that, their whole form shimmers into clouds and pearls and smoke and mirrors, and they fade back into the runes that summoned them like tap water down the drain. The galaxies they’d formulated within the confines of the room fold back in on themselves and turn to whispers and then nothing, but the feeling persists on his skin long after weight has settled back onto his bones. He hadn’t known a thing like that existed until now. He doesn’t know what it can do, doesn’t know how all-encompassing it truly is. 

And he owes it a favour. 

Crap. 

[yoonia]

the bedroom hymns ● chapter xiii

⟶ Chapter summary | Once again, the magic portal have granted your wish to a broader adventure, allowing you not to only see the magic realm with your own eyes but also learn more about it. And you have found someone who is willing to guide you through it.

⟶ Title | The Bedroom Hymns: a Bluebeard’s twist ⟶ Pairings | Min Yoongi x female reader  ⟶ Genre | Fairy Prince!Yoongi, Crown Princess!reader, Fantasy AU, Fairy Tale retelling ⟶ Word count | 5,2k words ⟶ Ratings | PG-13, +18 / M for Mature for future chapters; include some form of classism, black magic, alcohol consumption ⟶ Story Masterlist: The Bedroom Hymns | ⤎ previous chapter | next chapter ⇢ ⟶ Main Masterlist | Mailbox | Taglist | Feedback | Music Playlist | Ko-fi ⟶ Author’s note | This took a bit longer to finish, and since it got a bit too long, I decided to split this part into two separate chapters. As mentioned in the previous chapter, the setting in this story may be included in the other stories that are also parts of the Once Upon A Fantasy collab. There won’t be any spoilers and you won’t have to read the other stories before getting into this to enjoy it. Have fun reading!

chapter xiii. red strings-1

You never realised it then, or perhaps you simply have forgotten, but your hand seems much smaller in size compared to Yoongi’s. 

Yoongi easily reminded you of it the moment he first came to greet you, taking your hand and kissing the back of it like a noble gentleman. And he has yet to let go of that hand since. 

Yoongi has his hand and long fingers wrapped around yours, engulfing your hand completely in a gentle hold while he takes you across the meadow. He keeps his pace slow to allow you to follow him comfortably while enjoying the view. 

All around you, the world seems to sway with the wind, drifting away out of your touch while he keeps you grounded to him. Every urge you had to pinch yourself to once again make sure that you are not dreaming has long vanished, when the warmth of his hold, his touch, the deep timber of his voice, and his whole presence are enough to let you know that he is real, and that he is truly here with you. 

You can still feel the tingle on your skin, right where he pressed his lips. Slowly, you can feel that tingling sensation surging through your body, until it resides deeply in your chest, making your skin flush and your heart thrumming rapidly in your chest the longer you are with him.

Meanwhile, Yoongi remains oblivious—or he pretends to be. 

He keeps his eyes mostly looking ahead as he continues guiding you to walk with him between the rows of crops, merely throwing quick glances over his shoulder in the middle of explaining to you about the farmland, the crops, and the farmers who are working diligently in the fields to gather the crops before the sun starts to descend. 

Yet you can barely pay much attention to his words. Still feeling dumbfounded that you get to see him again, in a place that is no doubt far, far away from where you met him last. You are also getting more curious to know the meaning behind the pleased look that he is giving you—one that seems to be hinting that he may have somehow expected to be seeing you today. 

“I assume it is just another coincidence that you are also here, traveling through the farms?” you playfully ask him as he comes to a brief pause right in the middle of the field. 

Here, the row of crops have grown just as tall as your shoulders, and it would have made you feel as if you are being swallowed in them if not for Yoongi who is keeping you close and helping navigate your way through them. His face appears between the swaying crops as Yoongi glances over to you and smiles. 

“What if I told you that it may not be a coincidence?” he says to you with a calm voice and just a tinge of tease in his words. “Perhaps it has been decided by fate that we would be seeing each other again.” 

“Fate?” you muse with a smile, “So you believe in such a thing?” 

Yoongi tilts his head and gives you an unwavering smile. “Don’t you believe in fate?” he asks, his voice sounds playful, but he does seem genuinely curious to hear your answer that you find it quite endearing. 

“I think the Fates are the ones that hold the key to every coincidences, no matter how small,” he later adds as he pulls you to walk by his side, the hand that has been holding yours is now placed at the small of your back, guiding you through the thick meadow while he continues to speak, “like how I caught a little dove one day in a market full of people, watched the beautiful thing fly away with almost no hope of ever seeing her again, and yet here we are, walking hand in hand across the cornfields.” 

Your cheeks burn because of his words, yet you hide it by looking away. “You’re speaking with too much jest.” 

Yoongi leans down, denying your effort to avoid his eyes. “You don’t believe my words, then? That it was all thanks to fate that we got to see each other again?” 

Trapped under his attentive gaze, he makes you feel nervous. Yet you find it hard to look away from him. Not that you even want to. 

“Since you saved me the last time we met, I suppose I can learn to trust you,” you say to him while biting back a smile and feigning annoyance, acting as though his comment didn’t send your heartbeat racing a mile a minute. “You know what? I think I can trust you. I don’t see the harm in having a little faith, after everything that you’ve shown me so far.” 

“I feel honoured to have earned your trust,” he says with the corner of his lips tilting up to a smile. He straightens up and continues to guide you through the rest of the meadow until you finally reach the edge, where trees are lined up to mark the estate’s borders and a dirt road spreads wide on the other side. “A wise man once said that a little goes a long way.” 

You laugh at his comment. “Are you the wise man in question?” 

As he takes you under a tree, letting the canopy of leaves above your head shelter you from the pale golden afternoon sun, he turns to you with a gaze that looks so deep it makes you want to drown in it. 

“If you want me to, then I am willing to become one for you.” Yoongi smoothly says, while you can see his gaze dancing with mirth. “I’ve said it before, haven’t I? I can be whatever you want me to be.” 

“Is that so?”

With a shrug, Yoongi simply continues to add, “I can be flexible. I can be whatever and whoever you need me to be. A mercenary, a guide, a guardian, a friend, a farmer.” 

His eyes seem to glow under the shadows formed by the thick leaves above you as he silently gauges your reaction. When you say nothing to him in return, he then simply continues with, “and I can be wherever I want to be, or in places where I am needed. Across the borders, across the land and mountains, and beyond the sea—”

Yoongi lifts a hand and tugs gently at the hood of your cloak until it falls back, revealing your face and hair. He catches a stray strand of your hair that has slipped from its bind with his delicate fingers and carefully tucks it to the back of your ear. A gesture that feels so intimate that the flutters inside your chest go wild. 

And he makes it feel even more intense with his eyes never leaving you as he speaks to you softly, “I can continue following your shadows, if only you’d let me, making sure that you’ll never find yourself feeling like you are all alone in this wicked world.” 

As he finishes talking, you can almost hear the unspoken words that he is withholding from you. You can see it through his lingering gaze, in his secretive smile, and in the way he is looking at you knowingly, silently telling you that he knows more than he is letting you on. 

In that moment, you finally realise the reason why you are able to recognise this look, and why you feel so familiar with it. 

Because you have seen it before; through your father’s eyes, when he first welcomed your arrival at the Stargrave Castle and on the day he passed you the magic keys; on Nanny Abigail’s smile, whenever she brought up any story about your mother and the memories from your childhood that you had long lost; and in the reflection that you see in the mirror whenever you have to lie to your lady maid about your past afternoon activities while she is brushing your hair to help you prepare for the day. 

A look that holds a secret, something that is so deeply concealed and carries a lot of weight that it makes you feel like you are standing on the precipice of your sanity. 

As you fall silent, Yoongi reaches out, delicately catching your wrists with his hands. Without saying a word to you, he gently runs his thumb across your skin, and your body reacts almost immediately. 

You feel yourself swaying before you realise what is happening. You start leaning closer, your chest brushes against his, and that is when you can feel it.

A tingling sensation runs through your body the more you lean into him. It seems to begin from the touch of his fingers on your skin, yet it quickly spreads all over his body, brushing against yours while drawing you further into him. 

You remember feeling this same sensation whenever you walk across the magic portal, which has been growing stronger as you continue using your father’s magic, and the more you continue using his magic keys. 

Magic. What you are feeling is magic. And it is coming from him. 

“You,” you gasp softly once realisation dawns on you. Your head is spinning as your mind slowly starts putting all the pieces together until it becomes almost too overwhelming for you to think clearly. Yet you still manage to find your voice, allowing you to question him, “You’re not a regular human, are you?” 

Yoongi simply smiles in return and tilts his head. “What makes you say that, little dove?” 

He makes no move, so you take the initiative by stepping into his personal space, getting even closer to him to test your theory. So close, that your chest nearly brushes against him, and you can feel the magic growing stronger, radiating from his body in a soft hum that fills your senses—as if the magic that is coming out of him is welcoming your presence.

Being this close also allows you to feel the soft thrum of his heartbeat vibrating from under his thin white shirt, almost in tune with your own. You have no idea what to make of this, so you put that thought aside as you try to focus on the murmurs of mana that are trying to reach out to you.

With a deep inhale of breath, you look up, meeting his gaze to whisper, “Because we’re no longer in the human realm. And just like me, you would need a special means of travel to be here.”

Like the magic that you can sense coming from him. A strong spell. A portal.

You bite your lips, having no idea how to question his ability without having to reveal your secret in return. You can almost hear your father’s voice, reminding you to keep the magic portals and his keys a secret through the echoes going inside your head.  

“Within each one of the silver doors, there is a strong kind of magic. One that has been so demanding of our family’s powers, exists under my control, and it is also the type of magic that should be kept secret, no matter what. Once you go through them, you will understand why it is important for me to defend this castle and our home territory.”

Noticing your hesitance, Yoongi brushes has fingers on your wrists once again, drawing your attention back to him to see his smile. “Perhaps, if you would give me a chance, I can explain everything to you.” 

“Yes, please explain,” you find yourself whispering back to him, “Tell me everything.” 

Yoongi nods and starts glancing around. “Not here,” he murmurs as he slides his fingers between yours, entwining them together. “Follow me. This conversation may require us a place to sit down and be comfortable, preferably with a few glasses of drinks to share, maybe a meal? If I remember correctly, you have a taste to sweet and savoury snacks.”

Hearing that he remembers about your previous ‘date’ brings a smile to your face. “Where are you taking me?” you question him as he begins taking you away from the flourishing meadow. “Are you thinking of kidnapping me now that I vowed to trust you?” 

“Sounds tempting,” he teases with a wink. “But I promise, I’ll keep you safe until you are to return to—” Something flickers through his gaze. A deeper secret. A question. But it is gone when he continues to add, “wherever you came from.” 

He reaches out to you with his free hand, playing with the hood of your cloak to place it back in place, as if hiding you from sight. “I want us to have some privacy as we chat. Which would be quite impossible to do now that the farmers have caught your presence,” he says while his throws a subtle glance over your shoulder. 

Carefully, you follow his gaze and steal a quick glance to see a few farmers surreptitiously watching you from under their bamboo hats with curious eyes. 

How odd, you wonder. They paid no mind to me at all earlier while I was walking through the fields. As if they couldn’t see me. 

You turn to look at Yoongi again, wondering if he has anything to do with the unwanted attention. Maybe they are looking at him, instead of you, and wondering why he was pulling a random stranger across the fields? 

You have so many questions, and for some reason, something tells you that he may have all the answers. But how much can you truly trust him? How much can you share in return?

You keep these questions to yourself, however, and instead follow him without a word as Yoongi once again begins to guide you with him, taking you further away from the pastureland and the curious farmers through the dirt road. 

“Y’Old Whispers.”

When Yoongi talked about taking you to a place that would be comfortable and safe enough for you to have a chat, you didn’t expect him to be taking you to this place. 

Written in ancient letterings, the tavern’s name—which is engraved right above the tavern’s front doors—draws you back to the conversation that you had earlier with the farmers. You are beginning to question if fate truly does have a hand in leading you to this place, albeit through Yoongi’s hands. 

Located on the other side of the farmer’s village, the old tavern sits right in the intersection where the dirt road crossing the farm estate and the farmer’s village meets the gravel-covered road leading towards the busier downtown. A stone bridge hovering over the nearby bank that borders between the farming region and the more advanced town seems to be the connecting route that helps people travel from one region to another. 

Right now, the path seems vacant. Which isn’t much of a surprise when most of the villagers are still so hard at work. There is nothing visible except for the scattered dirt and carriage tracks that have been imprinted on the gravel road. There are empty carriages parked on the side of the road, which no doubt would be filled with crops by the end of the day. 

“You’ve heard of the place?” Yoongi asks after hearing you whisper the tavern’s name with such familiarity, while you merely shrug, feeling intrigued to find out what you may find inside more than you are curious to know how Yoongi could have known about this place.

Just like how he knew exactly where to take you during your great escape back in Narlès.

“A kind local farmer who I encountered earlier today told me about this place,” you explain to him, “He said something about it being the perfect place for travellers to recoup, rest, and gather some information.” 

Yoongi seems pleased to hear this. “I guess that means I made a good choice of bringing you here, then,” he proudly boasts, “Still not convinced that this is the work of fate?” 

Choosing not to share your brief thoughts about fate, you simply give him a coy smile. “We’ll have to see.”

Chuckling softly, Yoongi takes your hand in his and guides you to enter the small tavern. He pushes the old wooden door that swings open with a creak, and the sounds from within filters out through the door; the low murmurs of conversation shared between the patrons, the sounds of clinking glass and cutleries, and a faint melody of a lute being strummed from somewhere inside the bustling tavern. 

“Shall we?” Yoongi invites you to walk in first as he holds the door open. 

Walking into the tavern, a blast of warmth welcomes you. The air inside is thick with the scent of seasoned timber and the comforting aroma of hearty meals. There is also the strong scent of brewing alcohol wafting around you. Yet what draws your attention is the scent of aromatic herbs which seems to be coming from the kitchen, making you wonder what kind of sustenance and brews that this place may be offering its guests.

Looking around, you cannot help but compare this place with The Rare Roots.  

Inside, the tavern seems much smaller and perhaps more humble.the atmosphere seems a bit calmer, compared to the loud and rowdy air that you had often seen back at The Rare Roots. 

Just as you had expected, the light inside is kept dim, but there are wide windows on the other side of the tavern that are open towards the bank and the dirt road bordering the village. The windows allow the golden sunlight to filter into the room, adding natural warmth within while the hearth at the end of the room remains unlit. 

Perhaps it will remain that way until later in the evening, when the night turns cold and the hot meals no longer bring enough warmth. 

At the corner of the room, there is a young man playing the lute while serenading solemnly for the patrons who are dining and drinking around him, most seem to be chattering mindlessly over the tune that he is playing.

So that’s where the music was coming from, you wonder with a smile, admiring the musician who seems to be enjoying himself despite the lack of attention he seems to be getting. 

Yoongi places a gentle hand on the small of your back, guiding you towards the main bar. The bar, which seems to be made of old wood, is stretched along one side of the room, right at the far back.  Under the dim light, you notice the ornamental carving adorning the front side of the bar which appears slightly worn down and is fading with age. There is a story there, you realise, although you might not be able to know what it’s all about when you know almost nothing about this place. 

Behind the bar, wooden shelves fill the wall from the floor to ceiling, with an array of colourful bottles and tankards lined up within the racks. Hops filled with the local brews are lined up at the sides, and you notice that there is also a hint of a rich aroma of herbs wafting from within.

Right at the bar stands the bartender, a seasoned figure with a mop of unruly ginger hair on top of his head, a dust of five o’clock beard around his sharp jaw, and a friendly twinkle in his eyes. He glances up from the glass that he has been busy polishing in his hands, offering a nod of acknowledgement at Yoongi while the latter greets the bartender as if they are old friends.

“Business seems to be running well today.” 

The bartender grins at Yoongi as he sets down the glass that he was working on, switching it with another from the counter, continuing his work to polish the glass as he answers Yoongi, “’Tis harvesting season, this is. Folks come by during their breaks, have their meals and drinks here before going back out to the field there. More folks will come in the evening for tomorrow’s work, but yer not staying here that long, I bet.” 

You take a quick glance around the room, soaking it all in. Noticing only now the distinctive features of the patrons filling the tavern to realise that the ‘folks’ that he mentioned seem to vary. Sitting in small groups, they separate themselves between travellers, local and foreign merchants, mercenaries on duty, and also commoners and locals who look like farmers and workmen who have no doubt been working for the harvest. 

Turning back to the bar, you find that the bartender already has his gaze on you. He silently watches you with a knowing look in his eyes, as if he is trying to read you. But then a friendly smile appears on his face as he turns to Yoongi once again to ask, “The usual?” 

Yoongi nods. “You always know what I need.” 

The bartender chuckles. “Don’t I know it better than other folks would,” he says with a quip. “The table’s been cleaned in the morning. I somehow had a hunch you’ll be stopping by today.” 

“Thanks,” Yoongi says to the man before guiding you away from the main bar, going past the corner where the musician is still playing his lute, and then turning to the small stairs that is hidden from view on the other side of the fireplace.

The short flight of stairs takes you to a more private quarter right above the crowded ground floor. Instead of a closed room, the space you are walking into is an open balcony. There is a row of tables and seats set up near the railings and outer columns that are covered with vines, a smaller version of the bar’s wall mounted shelves you saw downstairs stretches out on the adjacent wall, all filled with similar bottles of drinks and tankards lined up in order. 

Yoongi walks ahead with a familiarity in his attitude, looking as if he owns the place. He then goes towards one of the nearest seats and pulls it back for you. “Milady,” he says with an overly dramatic poise, making you think of a refined noble. The notion only makes you smile as his action seems a bit too graceful for a man wearing a bamboo hat and cotton pants covered in dried soil. 

“Thank you, my kind Sir,” you accept his offer by playing along by curtsying at him, which draws out his deep chuckle. After helping you settle in your seat, Yoongi walks around the table and claims the seat right across from you. “I suppose it’s safe to assume that you are a regular to this place?” 

Yoongi smiles. “This place has a great view, as you can see,” he says, pointing out at the balcony. 

You take a look around, realising that he is right. From the balcony, you get to see the sight of the vast farmland that you visited earlier—which you had suspected to be a part of your father’s secret estate—that is fully visible on one side. Looking over to the other side, you get a clearer view of the village’s borders; the river, the intersection, and the crossing bridge leading towards the main town. 

Seeing all of this, you realise that this private space would be the perfect spot for you, or anyone else, to watch the comings and goings between this village and the neighbouring town.

Turning back to the table, something catches your eyes that makes you stop. Right in the corner of the table where you are sitting at, there is a familiar-looking crest that have been skilfully engraved into the wooden surface. The same crest that you had once seen printed on the reports handed to the King by the royal advisors about the suspected rebellion rising among the commoners.

It only takes a moment before it dawns on you. 

“This is a viewing spot for you and your brothers of the mercenary, isn’t it?” 

Yoongi has a smile on his face when you look back at him. For some reason, he seems—pleased, that you manage to catch on so easily. “You are quite perceptive,” he says. “That is correct. Me and my men often gather here. Sometimes we’d be here for work, either it’s for aiding a merchant who has some business in this place and needs our protection. Other times, we would come here to do a simple surveillance work, but we mostly use this place as a rendezvous spot and to recoup just as you had suggested.” 

Right as you are about to question whether the bartender or any of the men downstairs have been a part of his army, the bartender himself appears at the doorway, approaching your table with an easy smile on his face. The worn wooden floor creaks softly beneath his heavy steps. His looks remind you a little of the barkeep, Sir Elias, who is just as friendly and as massive as this man looks—although you must admit that the older barkeep back home seems to be a bit taller and more muscular. 

You lower your hood to greet the kind bartender as he sets down a pair of tankards filled with the local brew and a large plate filled with fried meal; spicy chicken wings, deep fried sweet potatoes that have been chopped in small strips, flour-coated fried vegetables and sausages, with buttermilk biscuits on the side. 

Yoongi takes a peek at the plated fried meal and raises his eyebrows. 

“Hey,” the bartender says, shrugging and crossing his arms, “You said to get you the usual.” 

Yoongi shakes his head. “I was thinking about your special stew and seasoned chicken. The biscuits are fine,” he says, before turning to you, “You’ll have to forgive O’Moran here, as he rarely serves a distinguished lady in his business.” 

“That there is true,” the man, O’Moran, admits proudly before bending down at the waist for his own version of curtsy. “The name’s O’Moran, M’lady. As a local establishment, I must shamefully admit that we’re lacking in our fancy menus. The stew might take a while to boil. We’ve been busy since dawn, so we keep running out of our specials today.” 

Smiling, you simply regard him with a nod. “That’s quite alright, Sir. I’m actually more curious to try on your local brew. I’ve heard good things about the special drink that was said to help mend exhausted travellers like myself.” 

There is a glint in his eyes as he listens to your compliment. You figure it may have something to do with the secret behind the drink’s special healing effect. You can almost hear the wheels in his mind turning as he silently tries to figure out who you are.

“Then you are in for a treat, M’lady. This here is our special brew. Made not only to restore your health, but also magic for some,” he says, drawing a smile from you.  

“Then I shall savour the drink, together with the snacks that you served us,” you kindly say to the man, who later scoffs at Yoongi.

“See? The Lady doesn’t mind your boys’ favourite snacks,” he boasts with a chuckle while Yoongi rolls his eyes. “Do you folks need anything else?” 

“We’ll be fine. I’ll call you up if we need anything else,” Yoongi says to the man, while O’Moran shrugs. 

“I’ll leave you folks be, then. I’ll go down and have a look at that stew and bring you some when it’s ready,” he says as he turns away. “And some refills to that drink,” he adds with a wink. 

You thank the man one last time before he walks away, disappearing through the small stairs to return to the crowded bar and the kitchen downstairs. Once again, you are left alone with Yoongi in the privacy of the secluded balcony, accompanied by the trickling sound of the flowing river nearby and the breeze that is slowly cooling down as the day is closing into dusk. 

Taking one of the drinks, you take a careful sip of the brew, tasting it in your tongue. A rich taste of herbs fills your mouth, and you take your time savouring it. 

Closing your eyes, you focus on the other sensations that are rising from within as warmth starts flowing through your body. A dust of tingles spreads through your skin, while everything else on the inside seems to be mending together. Your exhaustion slowly melts, your chest seems to feel lighter and it feels easier to breathe, while your muscles no longer feel as tense as they were after dealing with your royal duties before venturing through the magic door this afternoon. 

“This is…quite nice,” you mutter as you open your eyes, loving the way your body feels after drinking it. 

You look up, noticing that Yoongi is watching you closely while he is enjoying his own drink. “I assume that as you’ve heard about this place, you must know what this drink does to our bodies.” 

“You can say that,” you answer him with a grin. As you watch him taking another drink, the words from the old farmer return to you, reminding you of what he mentioned before about the local brew being made in this place—

“Just say yer new ‘round here and he’ll have ye the fine brew of his that’s said to be good for young elves.”

Earlier, his words had only made you think about how it was supposed to refer to you, making you wonder if the farmer had indeed sensed something about yourself which you haven’t been able to identify for yourself. 

But now, as you watch Yoongi closing his eyes briefly as he savours his drink, you begin to question about his secrets. “What are you, really?” you find yourself asking him as the curiosity grows on you. “Who are you? How do you travel between realms?” Your eyes briefly turn towards the engraved emblem by the table and wonder, “Is it safe to assume that your men is capable of doing the same thing?” 

“So many questions,” Yoongi muses with a soft chuckle as he puts down his drink. He carefully leans forward and says, “So many things to unpack. I don’t even know where to start.”

There is something in his voice that makes you feel wary, the hidden challenge that he seems to be giving you making you grow alert against him. It makes you want to draw back, to take back all the words that you had just given him the moment you realise that the more he reveals his secrets, he would only make it fair by demanding the same honesty from you in return.  

“You can start by explaining what you can,” you carefully say to him, allowing your curiosity to win. 

Yoongi taps his fingers on the table, contemplating his answer. And just as expected, he responds to you by saying, “And what do I get in return? What do you have to offer for an honest answer?” 

— © 2024 Yoonia, all rights reserved. reposting/modifying of any kind is not allowed. unsolicited translations are not allowed.

[perpetualexistence]

Slumbering Pride

Alenoah Week Day 7: Free Day! (Demon AU)

Alejandro is finally, finally close to beating José at something. He's in his junior year, and universities are already scouting him out thanks to his name, his academic prowess, and his athletic prowess.

They did the same for José when he was about to graduate. The difference is he had five schools attempt to recruit him.

Alejandro has six.

José can't let this stand. If Alejandro officially gets six offers, then he'll know José isn't perfect. He'll start trying harder to beat José in things. And worse, he might actually win if he's proven himself capable of it.

José needs to do something about it, so he comes to the most obvious solution.

He summons a demon.

(Rest under read more because it's long)

Demons are an open secret. They were confirmed to be real a while back, though are mostly bound by the deals they must make in order to maintain a foothold on the human realm. An unbound demon is a dangerous thing, and often happens if the person making the deal is tricked into breaking their side of it.

Demons are known to do everything possible to do this, or at least cause havoc in whatever capacity their bounds enable them to. It's forbidden and illegal for anyone to summon one without proper qualifications. (There's still some summonings that do happen after all, demons are quite useful so long as you're careful).

Still, humans are naturally curious creatures, and have found multiple ways of spreading this knowledge as best as they can. Demon summoning is uncommon, but it still happens. So much that children are taught what to do if they believe they're encountering a demon.

Most sane people know better than to risk entering any contract with a demon. But there are always those desperate enough, or stupid enough, to try.

Getting his hands on a book on demon summoning is child's play for someone with José's family connections. He doesn't care what kind of demon he summons, so long as he summons one that will do the job he wants. He can sweet talk them into giving him the best deal possible just as he sweet talks anyone else.

As he finishes the summoning, his limbs grow heavier. It is constant agony to keep himself standing. His thoughts grow fuzzy as he struggles to remember what he was so focused on. He isn't quite sure why he bothers.

It would be much easier to sit down and rest. What was he so worried about, again? It couldn't have been so important if he's forgotten. His eyes droop to a close as he lets out a sigh of relief he had been holding back for so, so long.

"Wow, you're seriously pathetic if you're this affected by my summoning."

José snapped out of his stupor to see a teenager staring back at him. He was a couple of inches shorter than José and could only be described as a breathing fashion disaster.

José could have stopped there, but he couldn't ignore the horns atop the demon's head, the wings pressed against his back, the tail lightly tapping the ground. His arms were folded as he tapped his clawed foot impatiently.

José was expecting something much more imposing than...this. He'd laugh if had less control of himself.

"I would like to make a deal with you-"

"Could have fooled me with your craiglist ad." Noah said, glancing at the circle underneath him. "It's so generic it screams 'I'm not going to put you in a van and drive you to an undisclosed location, I promise.'"

José could feel a headache coming on. "I am going to make a deal with you, demonio." He needed to regain control of this conversation, fast.

"Never said I wouldn't make one. What do you want?"

"I would like for you to stop my brother from getting too far ahead in life. At the very least, I want to make sure that he can never surpass me. In any way. Can you do that?"

"Depends on what I get in return."

The two end up negotiating until they settle on a deal: Noah makes sure that Alejandro can never surpass José, and in return Noah gets to take his ability to dream. José can do without a few dreamless nights.

That's how Alejandro finds himself waking up in the morning with a demon that was only as tall as halfway up his knee staring at him from the foot of his bed.

Alejandro instinctively kicks the smaller boy out of panic, sending a very unhappy demon crashing into a wall. When they've both recovered, Noah explains exactly what's going on.

He's here to pretty much haunt and sabotage Alejandro, José's the one who sent him because he's a dick, and this is just going to be their life now.

After Alejandro processes the fact that his brother truly hates him this much as to risk both of their lives to a demon, he asks why Noah would bother to tell him all of this. He doesn't say it out loud, but he knows that a demon could absolutely make his life a living hell. He's expecting insidious manipulations and life threatening accidents.

And this demon is making any sabotage more difficult by confessing that he's going to sabotage Alejandro? Something isn't adding up.

That's when Noah points out the big flaw in Jose's brilliant plan.

Because he hadn't been concerned about what kind of demon he summoned, he pretty much set up a job posting for a demon from any of the seven sins to snatch. Noah just happened to get there first.

So what does José get for not being specific?

A sloth demon.

Noah plans to do the bare minimum of what's required for his job. He doesn't care to bother with the effort of lying to Alejandro about his purpose here. The only reason he bothered to take this job in the first place is because the human realm has two things that the demon realm doesn't: Decent places to nap, and good books.

The only thing he hadn't counted on is how small he'd end up being once bonded with Alejandro. His size is dependent on the amount of sloth Alejandro has. The teen who gives it his all in every activity he does.

Noah's got his work cut out for him.

Alejandro tries seeing if he can use his own silver tongue to have Noah quit the job before he gets started, but with no luck. Noah doesn't feel like leaving. And he's not about to break the deal on his side because then he be forced back into the demon realm and unable to return unless directly summoned.

Alejandro would very much like to try just trapping the demon somewhere, then go to his brother to confront him about doing this. But he knows better than to act before fully knowing what Noah is capable of. And he wouldn't be surprised if his brother tried to gaslight him into thinking Noah wasn't real. He still doesn't quite believe it himself.

He does start to believe that having Noah around will be a continuous little nightmare. He's constantly offering snide remarks. He keeps trying to convince Alejandro to stop trying so hard and just be lazy.

Alejandro's not as aggravated as the attempt than he is at the fact that there's zero tact to it. Noah isn't even TRYING to be subtle. He could think of a thousand ways to do Noah's job better, except telling him that would then make Alejandro's life worse.

It gets to the point where he's so upset he just throws a pillow at Noah. The demon squawks as he gets hit, and Alejandro gets immense satisfaction from this. Alejandro knows this is a terrible idea, but he's angry at this whole situation and needs to take it out on somebody. Might as well do it on the one successfully set him off.

Alejandro gets his karma for snapping at Noah when he goes to sleep.

His dream starts off as he would expect it to. Until suddenly he finds something knocked against his back. He finds himself pinned to his stomach, and when he struggles to get out from under it, he finds the tip of a very familiar tail at a much larger scale pressing down on him.

"I thought 'Burromuertos conquer whatever they set their minds to'. We're in your mind. So get up."

Alejandro can feel Noah's smirk though he can't see it. He refuses to give Noah the satisfaction of admitting defeat and continues to fight against the tail.

Tears are not pricking his eyes as he's made to feel insignificant in the last safe place that was truly his.

As he can't feel tired in his dream, he continues to struggle. Noah admits that Alejandro's probably the most stubborn human he's ever met.

Alejandro snaps that he's a Burromuerto, and he does not quit. He cannot, and will not quit. Ever. No matter the competition, no matter the cost. Noah's just another obstacle in his way. But he will beat his brother in something for once in his life.

He does his best to hide the desperation in his need to believe that this is true. He's hidden it well in the past, but Noah is a perceptive sort and hears it anyways.

Noah asks what could type of win could possibly be so important that it was worth the risk of his brother summoning a demon on him.

"I'm about to beat him in the amount of colleges offering me admissions by one." Alejandro gloated, pride swelling in his chest.

The tail pressing down on him suddenly reached underneath him, and flipped him over like he was a roach. He looked up to see Noah's face free of apathy for the first time. Instead, it was replaced with one of...pity.

"You can't seriously be proud of that."

Alejandro grit his teeth. "I am."

"You have to know how that sounds, right?"

"Please do enlighten me about what you think that sounds like."

"It sounds pathetic! You're going above and beyond and you're seriously caught up in something as stupid as one-upping your brother?"

"Don't you dare try to act as if you know any better tú hijo de su puta madre," Alejandro snarled, the tears returning to his eyes. "I don't care what you are. You know nothing about me and my family. You can say and do whatever you like but I will not cow to any of your attempts to degrade me." His snarl turned into something of a deranged chuckle. "Do your worst. This is nothing new. I will still come out on top and grind you into dust."

Noah was silent for a long time. As he started to move his mouth to speak, Alejandro found himself snapping awake. He looked around to see Noah still in his room. He's looking at him with incredibly impassive indifference. Alejandro won't see anything else in his gaze. At least the demon was smart enough not to try running his mouth again.

Alejandro stormed off so he could grab a book to study while he ate breakfast.

Noah mostly stays out of Alejandro's way, but Alejandro can feel him watching. He doesn't care where Noah scampers off to during the day. He refuses to acknowledge the little monster.

He throws himself deep into studying. He's spending more time awake so he can study and avoid having to fall asleep. Beauty sleep be damned, he does not want to deal with Noah again.

When he does sleep, he dreams. He can always feel a looming presence behind him, and he says nothing of it.

He does his best to hide his exhaustion from the rest of his family. José notices and pounces on it. Alejandro continues to deny it, because he will not give his brother the satisfaction of having won yet another battle.

All the stress and exhaustion comes to a head after a few nights. Alejandro hopes for a dreamless night, and is instead greeted by a nightmare.

He's attending one of his parent's many galas, and his outfit is atrocious. He's sweating profusely. His hair is plastered to his face. Try as he might, it refuses to go back into place. He's a truly unforgiveable sight. He tries to sneak off so he can find something else to change into. Despite his appearance, no one is paying any attention to him. He finds out why as he goes through a guest.

He's running as fast as he can now. He's going through so many people, everything is blurring together. It all comes to a halt as he crashes into a wall he can't see. As he falls backwards, he sees that he's now in a terrarium.

Outside, his much larger brother and parents are talking to each other. Alejandro can't make out what they're saying, but he can see them laughing. He gets up and bangs on one of the walls. His brother flicks his gaze towards his little brother.

Finally, a break. He know Jose hates him, but he'd never truly hurt Alejandro. Alejandro knows this. He has to believe this. Jose could hurt him physically, mentally, and emotionally, but even he wouldn't leave Alejandro to die.

He'd just deliver a potential vehicle of death to Alejandro's doorstep, is all.

Their parents are gone, and it's just him and Jose now.

"Relájate, hermanito," Jose cooes as if he's talking to an infant, "Nadie espera que seas más de lo que eres. ¡Deberías estar agradecido de haber estado cerca de una fracción de mis logros! Sabes exactamente lo que te mereces por eso, ¿no?"

Jose lifts the lid of the terrarium up. He reaches a massive hand down towards Alejandro. Alejandro wants to climb up and away, but the walls are too smooth. They're closing in. All that there is is the hand, ready to grab him, crush him, throttle him, any variety of things.

He can do nothing to stop it. He was a fool for ever thinking he could. He closes his eyes shut in an instinctive fear he can't hold back anymore. He's hoping he can bring himself to fight. He's silently begging for his brother to be merciful enough to make it quick.

The hand that grabs him is much more gentle than he expects. He struggles to be free, but the grip is tight enough to stop much movement. There is no squeeze. It is weight without malice, and cool to the touch.

He feels something the size of a tree trunk gently brush his hair away from his face. He lets out a gasp of air he had been craving for far too long. He tries to open his eyes. He feels the tears sweat from earlier is sticking his eyelids shut. He shudders. His arms are pinned, so he can't move to fix wipe his eyes.

Suddenly, he's being moved higher and higher. He hears steady flapping from above. The pace is slow enough to where the wind is just a gentle breeze soothing his clammy skin.

He feels his captor descending, and he's unceremoniously dropped to the ground. He wipes his eyes and stands up. He's dressed to the nines. He sees other figures roaming about. He can see how they sneak a glance his way, then happily chitter amongst themselves.

"Mijo, no te quedes ahí parado," his mother says as she suddenly slips through the crowd. This is how he remembers this is a dream. His mother would never refer to him so colloquially, "Entra, tu juramento está por comenzar."

"Un momento, madre. Hay algo que debo hacer primero."

She clucks her tongue, another informal mark of unreality, and leaves him be.

Alejandro turned around, but all he could see were faceless guests.

"You can come out. I know you're here." Alejandro felt the ground behind him quake slightly, and turned to look up at Noah.

"Sure you want to waste your time with me? The dream isn't going to last forever."

"What did you do?"

"Took you out of your own nightmare. Brought you into one of José's dreams. And before you throw a fit, this is one he already let me have. He's nowhere here."

"Alright, that brings me to my next question. Why?"

"Is it really so hard to believe I did something out of the goodness of my miserable excuse of a heart?"

"Sí."

"You're ridiculous," Noah groaned, rolling his eyes. "Fine, I did it because it's easier to get you sleeping if you actually want to sleep. Happy with that answer? Or do you want me to pull out my five step plan for sabotaging you?"

"Well, a little presentation would go a long way~" Alejandro teased. He was finally comfortable enough to find his own voice again.

"And congratulations, you've made me regret doing anything. I'm going back to insulting you the second you wake up."

"You can try, and it still won't work."

"It will. Now go on, you've got the rest of this dream and that's it."

Alejandro left Noah to go explore the rest of the ceremony of achieving the same position of his father as a Spanish ambassador.

He wakes up to find a small Noah clinging onto his chest. The demon had somehow managed to wriggle his way under one of Alejandro's arms and was using it as a blanket. He's still fast asleep. Alejandro tests how asleep by moving his arm slightly. Noah clings tighter to the arm, but otherwise doesn't stir.

Alejandro could just stand up. That would definitely force the smaller boy awake. ...But, as loathe as he is to admit, Noah did help him. So, possibly for the first time in his life, he decides to sleep in rather than wake up for his daily morning routine.

Noah grows a few inches, matching the height of Alejandro's knee, during their nap.

The two are still antagonistic towards each other, but it's nowhere near as bad as when they first met. Alejandro lords over Noah in the waking world, and Noah returns the favor in the dreaming. There is one added wrinkle, though.

Thanks to Alejandro's moment of weakness, Noah has gained the ability force Alejandro into taking a nap. It can only happen when he's already feeling tired, whether physically or mentally thanks to studying, or if he's doing a mindless task.

It's some of the best sleep Alejandro has ever had.

It aggravates him to no end.

When Noah isn't trying to convince Alejandro to give up on his dreams, he's either sleeping, or is reading one of the many books in the Burromuerto library if that's where Alejandro has decided to study.

Alejandro notices Noah struggling when he tries to get books to read due to his size. He offers to grab a book for Noah to bribe him into leaving Alejandro alone for this study session. Noah immediately starts taking advantage of this by questioning Alejandro about what kinds of books he has. Noah might as well get a book based on its contents rather than its weight.

The two start getting into book recommendations. Alejandro sweetens the deal by gifting Noah one of the books he no longer reads to get peace for as long as it takes for Noah to read the book. Noah accepts immediately and will cling to the book with his entire body when Alejandro tries to help him lift the book.

No. This is Noah's book now. No one else is allowed to touch it.

He's so possessive because human things are hard to come by in the demon realm. Only greed demons are able to carry human things back to the demon realm, so they've of course got a monopoly of jacked up prices. The only exception is if a demon properly owns a human thing. Or in this case, is gifted one.

So yeah, Noah will agree to let Alejandro touch it to carry it, but he's watching that thing like a hawk.

A few weeks pass like this. Eventually, José butts his way into Alejandro's life as he usually does. He gloats that their parents are planning to host a party for José to start making connections now as he's properly starting on his journey to becoming an ambassador.

The second he's gone, Noah and Alejandro start bonding by shit talking José.

Alejandro justifies trying so hard so that he can finally one up José. It's why he won't give in to sloth. Nothing good ever comes of doing nothing. Besides, it's one of the weakest of the sins, so it will be easy enough to overcome.

Noah argues that sloth isn't as terrible as Alejandro makes it out to be. It means actually getting rest when everything is overwhelming rather than chugging on through to crash and burn later. Taking a step back and doing nothing can lead to new ideas popping up because there is no longer stress preventing them. Hell, some innovation comes from humans being lazy and wanting a better way to do things.

Like any of the other sins, it's only bad when done in excess. And it can be worse than just being lazy. Having too much sloth means having too much apathy. Horrible people get away with atrocities when enough people are too lazy to do anything about it. It means nothing changes because nobody wants to change.

Noah reveals that underestimating sloth is exactly how José has absolutely screwed himself. José has given up his ability to dream. He thinks the only definition of that are his literal dreams at night, and that's what Noah has been feeding on so far.

They also mean his dreams about being an ambassador. His dreams of more. Dreams are heavily linked with desire and ambition. By the time Noah's done with him, José will be nothing more than a walking husk. He'll do the bare minimum needed to survive, but nothing more. Knowing he should long for something else but being unable to.

The only reason he hasn't done so immediately is if he does take it fully, it means his deal would be over, and no more being in the human realm.

This does remind Alejandro that he is having a casual conversation with a demon. Despite their current pleasantries, it would be a terrible thing to watch Noah get more creative in his interpretations of his deal with José. It's safer to keep him entertained than to let his mind wander.

It doesn't hurt that entertaining Noah has led to riveting conversation.

Still, he comes up with an idea to control Noah, and get himself some much deserved revenge. He asks if he could actually make a deal with Noah to get back at José.

Unfortunately Noah can't. Not because he doesn't want to. He's got no issues with taking José down a peg. He's just unable to make a deal with more than one human at a time. There are conflict of interest rules in place. Even if there weren't, he's still a teenager. He's not powerful enough to make multiple deals at a time yet.

But he knows a demon who'd be willing to help out.

Her name's Eva. She's a wrath demon. She's pretty straightforward. Tell her exactly what you want, and she won't try to screw with you so long as you don't do the same to her.

Alejandro is concerned about what her price would be, but he isn't going to say that directly. Instead, he comes up with a different plan to solve this in a way better than his brother had.

He asks about what kinds of things that Eva likes. Noah did mention that human objects were more difficult to come by in the demon world, yes? Alejandro could give something concrete rather than abstract. Everyone wins.

Noah doesn't say anything, but Alejandro can tell that Noah is impressed that he remembered something Noah had said. He must not have much chance to show off his knowledge in the demon realm.

Noah tells him that she likes music. All she's been able to scavenge is a very old, shitty MP3. Phones are more easy to come by, but with no service they're practically worthless. Besides, Eva's chill when she's not fully committing her job.

His only condition is Alejandro's going to have to agree to forget how to summon Eva after they've done the ritual. Eva doesn't like just anybody summoning her, and Noah respects that enough to not share it with others without her permission.

Alejandro agrees.

When the final word is spoken, he waits. And waits. and waits. It feels like he's been waiting for at least an hour. He's going to tap a hole in the floor with anticipation at this rate.

It can't be taking this long. The longer he waits, the longer José gets to prance around consequence-free. He deserves no peace for what he's put Alejandro through. His lips curl in disgust at the thought of his brother getting rewarded for all of his misdeeds. He wants to call his brother over, right here, right now. Just so he can throttle José himself-

"What do you want?" asked the demon who now stood in front of him. Her arms were crossed, and she looked annoyed to even be looking at him. Alejandro had to shake his head to head to let go of the pent-up rage he had suddenly developed.

"Hey iron woman." Noah commented from his current perch on a nearby bookshelf. Eva turned her attention away from Alejandro to see the smaller demon.

"Noah." Eva commented as she acknowledged him with a nod. Noah's face was still set with apathy, and Eva's with annoyance.

Yet Noah was wrapping his tail around his leg to prevent it from wagging as furiously as Eva's was.

"So, what do you want?" Eva repeated. The edge to her tone was dulled this time.

"I would like to make a deal with you. My brother is going to be at the center of a gala recently. I know he doesn't think as highly of others as he will pretend, so I would just like your help in making him more...honest about his true feelings." Noah sighed at this answer.

"You want a truth spell?" Eva asked. She turned to pay attention to Noah before Alejandro could form a response. "Why would you summon me for this?"

"He wants you to make his brother throw the rage fit to end all rage fits in front of an international audience."

"Then why didn't he just say that?"

"Because he doesn't know how to follow instructions."

"Then why'd you bring me a stupid one?" Eva asked Noah.

Alejandro had to bite his lip to stop himself from interrupting. He was being both ignored and insulted. He couldn't let this be his impression on anybody.

However, Noah knew this demon, while he did not. She clearly valued Noah's opinion over his own, so countering his opinion now would only serve to shut her off further from responding to the Spaniard.

"He has his moments," Noah replied, "Plus, you're going to like what he has to offer."

"Well?" Eva asked, turning her attention back to Alejandro.

"As Noah so tactfully implied, I do plan to offer a fair price," Alejandro said, glad to have control of the conversation again. He pulled out a small device he'd performed quite a bit of research to get his hands on. "I've heard that you are in need of more music. I have managed to find a top of the line mp3 player-"

"How many songs?" Eva interrupted. She was looking directly at Alejandro now.

"If I had to guess? A little over 20,000."

Eva's tail immediately dropped. He could see her mind move from processing that number, to grappling it, to understanding it. Her eyes shone with anticipation that she didn't bother to hide. Her tail was practically causing a minor tornado. Her hands were half clenched and shaking as if she was five seconds away from snatching the prized jewel Alejandro held in his hands.

"Ice Nine Kills."

"Hm?"

"Ice Nine Kills. Silver Scream 2: Welcome to Horrorwood. We're moving up from there. Now gimme."

"Well, hold on. We still need to work out some of the finer details-"

"Fine, sure, we have the deal, whatever you want now give it to me."

Alejandro had to hide the smirk that was threatening to form on his face. He had no idea his offer would work this perfectly. All he had to do was seal-

"Eva!" Noah snapped. "You just offered a human 'whatever they want' in a deal."

"...Oh." Eva realized.

"Yeah, 'oh'." Noah glanced at Alejandro. "And don't think I didn't see that look in your eyes. I'm proctoring your deal."

"But-" both Eva and Alejandro tried to argue.

"It's happening."

With that, the two negotiated for a fair deal. Eva could stay in the human realm specifically to download as many songs as she wanted for her mp3 player, and to help Alejandro in his revenge. After that, she'd go back, and the mp3 player would be hers forever.

They both agree to it, and the deal is set. Noah and Eva spend some time catching up while Eva searches for music. Noah insists on catching up in private, which he obliges. After two failed attempts to eavesdrop.

The three of them plan exactly how to best humiliate José. Alejandro hadn't known quite what to expect with Eva, but he was pleasantly surprised. Her ideas were simple, direct, and brutal. They contrasted with Alejandro and Noah's more elaborate plans until they came to a consensus.

The party happens, and everything is set in place. Eva is invisible to everyone else, and is preparing elsewhere. Alejandro just needs to stay away from his brother so he doesn't realize something is amiss with Noah.

Alejandro knows that this is the perfect time to put himself out there. Especially since José's reputation is about to be shattered. He'll be remembered as the good Burromuerto this time around. Talking comes as second nature to him. All he has to do is talk, and just ignore Noah.

Noah, who's not having a good time at this party. Despite being invisible, his eyes are darting around everywhere as if they could see him. Thanks to being invisible, he's constantly having to avoid feet stepping on him. He's sticking as closely as he can to Alejandro, though he's not commenting on it at all.

Alejandro excuses himself to go to a more quiet part of the mansion forbidden to guests. Noah's visibly more relaxed as they get farther away from the crowd. But he does ask what Alejandro's doing.

Alejandro attempts to lie about being the one who needed space, but Noah shuts him down since he could see Alejandro lighting up when he talked to others. Alejandro will confess to noticing Noah and leaving since he knew Noah would follow. Their new partnership won't do well if one of them is in a near state of panic.

...Consider it returning the favor for the nightmare, if that helps.

Noah's quiet as he recognizes that this human is showing the closest thing to compassion that he can muster. He wants to say something, but the time of José's humiliation is nearing, and he wants to be there to see it. Alejandro makes his way back inside. He keeps Noah calm in the crowd by having him perch on his shoulder, and quietly making fun of the guests as they pass.

Eventually, José's breakdown begins. It works gloriously. He's swearing at other ambassadors. He's throwing things. At one point he's about to let loose of of the skeletons in the Burromuerto's family closet, but he's dragged away before he can. Alejandro has to hide his laughter, though Noah has no need to.

Unfortunately, it means that Noah has broken the deal on his end because he's intentionally let Alejandro beat Jose in something: not causing an international scandal. He gets pulled back to the demon realm and as punishment, can't answer any summons for at least a year unless it's for him specifically.

Alejandro's heartbroken to have Noah ripped away from him. He'd grown rather fond of having the demon around. He can't ask Eva for more help because she disappeared once José's scandal ended. He tries to find the book José used to summon Noah, but it was shredded. José was smart enough to guess that a demon had something to do with his irrational behavior.

Alejandro spends the next few weeks obsessing over finding the right summoning circle. His grades are slipping the tiniest amount, and he can't bring himself to care. He forces himself to sleep. He hopes that will somehow increase his chances of finding Noah. They feel empty without Noah to watch. He has no idea how to find one for Noah specifically, though he certainly does try. He settles for the next best thing: trying a generic summoning circle with the first gift Alejandro gave him as a conduit. Maybe he could at least find a demon who'd be willing to make a deal to help him get in touch with Noah.

This is incredibly dangerous and stupid, but the risk is worth it.

His stomach growls as he finishes the circle. He's been so focused on his work. He doesn't remember the last time he's eaten. He could leave to grab a quick bite-

No, no. He knows what this is. These thoughts aren't his. They can't be Noah's either. Noah's never cared much for-

stuffing his face until he can take no more. His body is a temple, and it deserves to be lavished. He's salivating, and must force himself not to run for the kitchen.

He's rewarded for his discipline with a large, blond demon who calls himself Owen.

He explains the situation to Owen, but no sooner does he utter Noah's name that Owen lights up.

"Ooooh, YOU'RE AL!!!"

Owen immediately starts going on about how Noah's his best friend. Which confuses Alejandro. He'd assumed Eva was Noah's best friend. She was stoic, blunt, and had common sense. She made sense.

This oaf with no volume control did not.

Owen keeps going on regardless of Alejandro's thought process. He completely outs Noah as being a mess thinking he'd never see Alejandro again. Noah was sleeping even harder than was normal for him, he was talking about Alejandro a lot you name it!

So of course Owen will be happy to get the two connected again!

Owen does want to give Alejandro Noah's summoning circle/number, but Alejandro did summon him so it does have to be some kind of deal. Uh...What's the nearest snack he's got? Owen'll take that.

He shares the information, then immediately leaves to go tell his little buddy that Alejandro plans to summon him.

Alejandro changes the circle to summon Noah with fervor.

When Alejandro summons Noah he feels as if every worry he's ever had has melted away. He wants to lay his head on Noah's lap and look up at him. He wants to reach up and tease his fingers through Noah's hair. He wants to trick Noah into leaning down so they can share a kiss and shift to nuzzling together. No more fighting to be on top. Just this once.

They're both blushing when Noah does get summoned because uh they both felt THAT. Neither of them meant that to be the way to confess but uh, whoops.

The two make a deal: "I'll help you get revenge on Jose until you're satisfied (knowing that with Alejandro, he never will be), and you'll let me stay in the human realm for as long as I want."

"Change that to for as long as I live."

"Still don't trust me?"

"I have to put some limits on you mi gatito travioso. Besides, now I know you have an investment in keeping me alive."

"You're terrible."

"Says the demon."

There are many ways to seal a deal with a demon.

They seal this one with a kiss.

[starfall-dream]

Okok hi, I had more thoughts regarding this AU and a little headcanon I had about our poor little friend Withers... and also the Gods in this au- but mostly Withers. (Since I've been playing around with him for my own yan BG3 isekai thing)

I feel like this might be very different from what you have in mind for the worldbuilding (as I remember you mentioning how this isn't the game at some point but I might be thinking wrong), but I thought this was on my mind, and just in case this might inspire something, I thought about saying it. So don't feel pressured to reply to this. It's just me getting my thoughts out there because why not and I wanna hear your thoughts too!

With Withers I've been playing around with the idea that, since in BG3 he is the one who let's us play around with classes, stats, reviving long lost party members, stuff like that I thought it would be pretty neat if he actually knew of other timelines or had some sort of magic that had some sort of ability tied to it for Withers to know/look into the knowledge of things like stats, classes, and possibly the fact that reader is from a whole other realm/world. Possibly even knowing the meanings for when they talk strange. He definitely lets on for more than he shows in the early game at least.

So in my AU I sorta lean into that and have Withers and the reader character get really close as friends because, "at least someone has a sense of what is going on and can explain in a way that I can understand". Probably has to explain that they're a human fighter or a ranger (especially later on when characters like Wyll get way more protective, he might start trying to move them away from the front lines at some point. Even if he taught us swordfighting it's still 'too dangerous' for his darling out there so they gotta pick up being a ranger to even think about contributing to the combat)

That actually leads me to my second batch of thoughts! Reader's class. I know you said they were leaning towards a fighter class but as I said before I feel like soon enough archery or being a ranger might be more viable, or if they get the attention of a god they might just get cleric (not as plausible as ranger but one can assume). The thought of them playfully or jokingly making an oath and becoming a Paladin is also funny but just as impossible. Still, always fun to play around with, especially since clerics in general sometimes don't even get a say in becoming a cleric, poor reader might just suddenly become the cleric to someone like Sune who even covers more darker aspects of romance (as a god of romance)... at least from what I've read off her Forgotten Realms wiki page. For all we know, someone might just "you're my cleric now, we're getting soft tacos later" the poor reader and they'd have no say in it.

The possibilities could be endless!

Honestly I love withers, he's great.

In my head, reader technically doesn't have a class, they just fall into fighter since it would make the most sense in my head. I didn't even think about ranger though, even though that was the first class I played as. I feel like they would be a mixture of any class that doesn't use magic, since they really can't.

I think since withers has more of an understanding of things, reader and him and a nice relationship. I think reader just confides in him about a lot of things and he offers very wordy and lengthy advice. It's like a grandpa and grandchild relationship.

[obsessingoverthisandthat]

So, I'm on the final episode of season One and I cannot shake an idea of an AU off, that I myself would fucking love to read but will also probably never write or properly work on (probably. I do love Ron a lot and mourn the fact that there is very little fanfic about him, so I might snap):

What if the time-travel remote doesn't send Darryl back in time, but just completely malfunctions (because of whatever reason) and sends back Ron's memories to his own teenage self, just a couple years before Willys death? And yes, not Ron himself, only his memories, so Teen-Ron basically would experience an extremely intense vision of all of Dad-Rons memories including all feelings related to that, keep the memories as if his own and still keep his Teen-brain (this is to avoid age-gap ickiness).

This would not end up in a fix it. We are talking about the dndaddies here, so this would end up changing things, sure, but the idea is that Ron, having experienced all of these sudden memories, gets a fucking panic attack over several issues here:

1. The abuse. Ron realizes that yes, all of the things he saw will happen, he believes it and HE DOES NOT WANT TO EXPERIENCE THAT (AGAIN). He doesn't want to lose his dog, doesn't want to hide from his dad so that he won't be hurt, he doesn't want to hurt at all.

2. He doesn't want to kill his dad. He doesn't want to be killed either.

3. His friends (he has friends, right? In the future they are friends, so. They still are? They should be. He has friends). Where are they? He doesn't know where they are. Dang it. He needs and wants them. (What if they don't want to be his friends now? No, that. That can't be. They said they loved him)

4. This realization would come after some drastic changes, but. What if Terry Senior never dies this time and Samantha won't fall in love with him and he will never gain her and Terry Jr. as family? What if he changed too much? And even if Terry Sr. does die again, what if Samantha this time around simply will never meet him?

5. How does he...fix it all before the shit hits the fan in the forgotten realm. He's Ron, sure, but. How? He doesn't want his friends or kids in danger this time. He doesn't want to face Willy like that ever. He can't like, open a portal and stuff. He's magical, but he doesn't have magic. Fuck.

Aka, Ron now has to survive, keep Willy alive, find his friends and ensure that they are somehow prepared for the worst case scenario and manage to pop into Samantha's life again at the right time and bond with Terry Jr. And he's what? Ten? Fuck.

And he's Ron. So. That's gonna complicate things too, even tho he himself doesn't know it (We heard the Dennis episode, like. Cmon. They would not just believe him before they have a big time to bond with him and most definitely some proof. Well. Glenn would, maybe.)

U see where I'm going with this? Epic exploration of the dad's childhoods, Ron himself and pre-canon and just all in all a wacky rewrite where all the characters are still just as fucked up but stumble into a found family way earlier. Not a Fix-It, but a Remix.

[jollybirdtheorist-new-art-blog]

Personal headcannons and Potential au!

I hc that Zane is interested in witchy stuff and can do magic (other than his element) to some extent due to absorbing the power of the golden armor and accidentally absorbing some of the overlords essence (I hc that last part due to ninjago decoded, because the overlord somehow ended up in his system.) not to mention the fact that in the pilots he was(in my opinion he still is)a seer

I also hc that there's some kind of astral world that zane enjoys exploring when he meditates.and he has plenty of knowledge over magic stuff.Plus in this mini au Zane sorta stumbled upon clouse's grimoire (spell book) and took it because he was curious and because clouse was dead/ stuck in the cursed realm (it's not stealing if the owner was dead and didn't put their name on or in it).

Now what exactly is this astral realm in the au? Well to put it simple it's a minor forgotten realm that was ruled by an unknown "god" (who was actually a titan which a being similar to a god but not really) there used to be an ancient civilization there mainly consisting of seers and a race who called themselves night walkers, although their name sounds ominous they were actually peaceful beings who used their magic to deliver dreams to the main 17 realms and guide lost souls to the land of eternal peace(which is the departed realm's more peaceful and beautiful counterpart). However an unknown disaster struck this realm creating a war which caused its civilization to fall into ruins and it's titan sovereign to fall dormant for many centuries . however the night walkers hope despite being dimmed during years of hardship still remained burning for they were revealed a prophecy as they waited for their newborn Savior

*I edited this post and erased the story snippet because I wasn't pleased with it and couldn't read it without cringing because I know I can write better, don't worry I'm going to create a new story snippet at some point and I'm still plotting the story line as well as trying to do some world building. So until then please be patient*

The Astral realm has many beautiful places here's a glimpse of one of them ( I drew it! But it took FOREVER so Ita gonna be a long long long time until I get motivation to draw more)

location name: ✨🔮the astral sea 🔮✨ the shiny things are supposed to be glowy stars in the water but I forgot how to draw them 😔

[romerona]

War Of Hearts

⇢ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ’ᴛ ʜᴇʟᴘ ʙᴜᴛ ʙᴇ ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋ. ᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ɪ’ᴍ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴡᴀʀ ᴏꜰ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛꜱ

Selene Maltheon never thought of herself to be a puppet, she thought she'll live her life free and happy, there was no denying that she was a big dreamer and hopelessly naive. Selene thought she'll grow up to live one of those happily ever after lives like the ones from the books she reads so much... however, the inevitable happened, she grew up and came to the realization she was yet just another pawn in the big game.

Jacaerys Velaryon x Oc // Aemond Targaryen x Oc.

A/N: A bit of an AU. Rhaenyra and her sons are still in Kingslanding but they (The greens and The blacks) still hate each other.

[UNCHARACTERISTICALLY HIM]

Masterlist

1 - 2 -

Prince Jacaerys isn't someone to flush easily, not out of something as mundane as seeing a beautiful girl. He sees pretty ladies every day, the court is full of them after all and some are also rather salacious whenever he speaks to them but the point still stands, Jace is constantly around them and accustomed to them. He was actually rather a 'smooth talker' as Daemon likes to tell him when it comes to women, whoever they are, ladies, maids, common women, whores, Jace was never one to flush at the sight of even the prettiest of them, so, he couldn't for the life of him understand why he always freezes at the sight of Selene Maltheon.

Selene was the only lady of House Maltheon, the most powerful house in New Valyria. She, her father, Lord Alexios and older brother, Lord Crater arrived a couple of months ago at the call of his grandfather, King Viserys. The King was appointing Lord Alexios as his new hand --Jace doesn't know the details as to why Lord Otto Hightower is no longer his hand but honestly, he didn't care, he, his daughter, Queen Alicent and her sons, Aegon and Aemond always look for a moment to strike action against his family-- And since the Lord of House Maltheon and his family arrived to Red Keep, Jacaerys found himself smitten by the Lord's daughter.

Anyone with working eyes could see just how beautiful the girl was, it was the type of beauty you could never find anywhere in the realm, not even if you go knocking door by door, woman-to-woman would you ever come across such beauty in all of the seven kingdoms and sure, her beauty was the first thing he noticed about her but he's been observing her -- because he does that instead of having a normal conversation -- and Jacaerys has noticed that the beauty outside reflects the beauty within. Lady Selene is quite generous to everyone around her, maids, guards, children, lords and ladies, no matter how disdainful some tend to be, hell, even the common folks in her short time of residing in Kings Landing know about her kind nature. Jacaerys is also aware Lady Selene must have a rather brilliant mind for when she is not charming the realm with her smile, she is often found sitting somewhere with her nose stuck in a book... just like right now.

She was sitting on a bench in the garden, the sun of the late afternoon shining over her, she was surrounded by hundreds of flowers, some still flourishing others at the peak of their beauty, she looked like a living painting.

"Are going to keep staring like a madman or are you going to speak to her, Jace?" Baela's voice snapped him out of whatever trance Selene usually puts him on.

Jacaerys turns his head to her, Baela had a borderline teasing smile on her face while leaning against a long pillar, he clears his throat and shrugs. "I do not know what you speak of,"

"Of course, you don't," Baela's teasing smile become more evident, her eyes were glimmering with amusement. "Anyways, I was here because your mother ask me to remind you about your Valyrian studies with the Maester."

"Ah yes, of course, I haven't forgotten, thank you Bae-"

"But that can wait, today is quite a lovely day, isn't it? How you fancy a stroll through the gardens, huh?" Baela put her arm around his and started to make her way down the stairs towards the rich greens and blooming flowers but before she could go any further into it, Jace holds into his ground.

"Wait, Baela" Jacaerys pulls her back, he sends a quick glance to where Selene is sitting, still very much into her book. "I don't feel like going for a walk at the moment,"

"Oh, pray tell? Baela questions tilting her head, her hand clasped in front of her giving her a look of innocence, but Jace knew better than to fall for it, the glint in her eyes told him as much.

Jacaerys narrows his eyes at his cousin, she was always delighted to tease him in any way she could, "I don't think it's wise for me to miss my studies... my high valyrian is rather terrible if you hadn't noticed."

"Oh, we all have, Jace," Baela smirks ignoring Jacaerys sending her a glare, she fakes a sigh "But since when have you ever cared about missing your studies? Today seems like a wonderful day to be out in the sun, I don't really see a reason for you not to want to go for a quick walk... Unless there's something keeping you from it or someone?"

Jacaerys huffs, rolling his eyes, "This is not amusing, Baela."

"Oh, I think it rather is," She took hold of his arm again, and pull him with her, "Is not every day a lady manages to capture Prince Jacaerys Velaryon's attention."

Jace kept silent, he knew better than to lie to her or evade the subject with her, not to mention Baela’s words are true, he was infatuated with lady Selene and there was no denying it. "So, what? Half of Red Keep is taken with her as well."

"But you aren't like half the castle, are you?" Baela told him, stopping to pull a lilie out of the ground. She sniffed it and handed it to Jace."You are a prince, Rhaenyra's son and future heir to the throne"

Jace took it and also sniffed it, the sweet scent evolving him. "Sure but that's until my mother passes and that won't happen for a long while"

"You still a prince, are you not?" Baela rolls her eyes at his temporary incompetence. "Put that Velaryon courage to work and talk to her, for the seven's sake. Seriously, I have never seen you act shy before, it is unsettling."

"Baela..." Jacaerys sighed, he tried to come up with a plausible reason as to why he hasn't spoken with her other than his uncharacteristically fear of performance, for lack of better words but came up with nothing.

Baela stops, she turns to him and places both hands on his shoulders, to make him look at him, "You are a prince, you have a dragon, and you will be sitting on the iron throne one day, what are you so frightened about?"

"Nothing," Jace scoffs, his jaw set with light annoyance at the thought his cousin thought he was scared of talking to a girl, he wasn't he is simply... Not ready yet.

"Well, good, because you are about to talk to her right now,"

Jacaerys frowns in confusion and wariness, he glances to the side, finally noticing Baela took him on an alternative route but with the same destiny. He quickly turn to his cousin who unsurprisingly was grinning like mad. "Baela, don't you dare-"

Baela pushed him in Lady Selena's direction.

Jacaerys froze again, she hadn't noticed him yet but the fact that she was just a few paces away was enough to make him cease any movement. His heart beats fast and hard as it usually does when he's anxious, it is a miracle she hasn't heard it.

Jace turns to leave but catches Baela's eyes, she mouthed "Go on"

Jacaerys clutches his jaw but sighs before turning. Baela was right, of what he was so afraid of? She was just another lady, how different can it be? And honesty, all that freezing and gazing was getting a little pathetic.

Jacaerys took a few steps forward, hoping by then she finally gave him her attention so he can casually start a conversation but much to his dismay, she never look up from her book.

He awkwardly clears his throat but not even then she looks up, Jacaerys stands awkwardly for a second or two before clearing his throat a bit louder. "Lady Selene, I presume?"

Selene finally looks up at him, she seems startled at his sudden appearance, which actually wasn't sudden at all but to her, it might have been. Her eyes widen for a second when she took notice of who was speaking to her. She instantly stood up.

"Oh, Prince Jacaerys, you gave me a fright." Selene softly chuckles, trying to bring lightness into the situation.

He smiles at her, ignoring his beating heart. "I apologize, I didn't mean to. And please, just call me Jace."

"Oh, no I could never--

"Please, my lady, the prince thing is just for show in front of older nobles." Jace was quick to assure her. He thought it sounded way too formal from her. Way too polite.

"Vey well," Selene nods, and she sends him a smile. "However, I believe it's only fair that if I get to call you only by name you ought to call me just Selene."

Jacaerys felt the muscles of his cheek had already moved the way he wanted them to before even realizing it. "Selene, then."

There was a second of uncomfortable silence. Jacaerys noticed it was his fault after she looked away from him. He hadn't stopped smiling (and staring) Jace clears his throat "Anyways, I noticed you reading earlier, and you look like you wanted to be alone, so, I figured I'll come and ruin it." Jace jokes, hoping to get rid of the small tension and if he's lucky, to get a smile out of her as well. Even from afar, he had enjoyed watching her eyes when she laughed. The way her eyes widen, the way her smile looks on her face... It was absolutely captivating.

"Oh, nonsense, I was just hoping to avoid my brother. He's a dread to be around." Selene chuckles, looking down at the book she was holding, a finger in between pages to keep her from losing the page. "And uhm, it's just a silly book about two lovers from the north."

"Ah," Jacaerys nods with amused acknowledgement, he grins at her, once again struck by how beautiful she was as the late afternoon light reflects off of her green eyes. They look like emeralds. "I'm assuming it's a tragic love tale? The north is not very well known for a warm heart after all."

Jace was not much of a reader if he was honest, but when he did read he usually enjoys more historical Westorian tales and the wars people ack then face rather than romance.

Selene sighs and nods looking down at the book. 'The Lover and the Road' "Sadly, the main character's lover was forced to marry another and couldn't take the pain of losing her, tragic really."

Jacaerys frowns a little when he notices the slight change in her poise. He wanted her to look at him but she continues to stare at the book. "Are you all right? You seem a bit doleful."

"Oh, yes, of course," Selene snaps her eyes back at Jacaerys, however, they were not as bright as he would have hoped.

"What is it?"

Selene purses her lips as if she was hesitant to talk to him, much to Jace's dismay. It took her a second and a nod of encouragement from Jace for her to speak. "It's just that... that kind of situation tends to happen more often than not in real life, wouldn't you say?"

Jace sighs, "Indeed, it does. Sometimes I wish everyone could marry for love. But that's nothing more than a childish hope, I suppose." He shrugs and smiles at her.

"It's not childish to hope for love, Jace, It's in our human nature to desire to love and be loved." Selene smiles warmly at him and Jace felt his face heat up. He looked away to keep her from noticing it, and he quickly clears his throat. "Tell me, Selene, if you weren't constrained by duty, what would you be doing?"

Selene's hair was with the light breeze, she had to move it out of her face, "I would be..." she thought for a moment before letting out a chuckle, shaking her head. "I would like to travel to the citadel and learn with the Maesters, but that's just a feeble dream, a woman in this society can only do so much, you know?" Selene sounded slightly sour at that last comment, and if it hadden for how close they were standing, Jacaerys would have missed the light sneer on her lips.

He hums and nods, his eyes still fixed on her. "What would you study at the citadel? I'd assume history, but perhaps theology? Or even some old text they have there?" Jace smiles, thinking about how much more she would be allowed if her gender wasn't a limitation. "There might be a way you could study, even as a woman. You do seem to have a rather clever mind."

"I would love to become a healer. Make people feel better." Selene sighs, she walks to a nearby railing where the view of the city and its citizens could be admired and lean on it. "And yes, I suppose there could be a way for me to study but it still wouldn't change the fact that people would look down on me for trying to be something they don't deem as ladylike. My father certainly would... "She lightly rolls her eyes, looking at the city below. "He believes there's no room for cleverness in a woman, that we ought to sit there, keep silent, look pretty and make babies."

Jacaerys listens intently, his eyebrows furrowing as Selene speaks, feeling apologetic for her. He already knows how much his mother has to deal with it and Jace could tell from the little they have talked about that she was such a bright person and for her to have to suffer through such nonsense because she was a woman was unacceptable to him.

"What if there was a way to get around that?" Jacaerys takes the view in with her as he speaks carefully." There certainly are people that would take to teaching you. It might not change the fact that your father disagrees, but you wouldn't be alone." He turns to her, with sincere eyes "There are many that wouldn't be so quick to judge solely because you are a woman."

Selene chuckles and turns to him with a fond smile, one he hadn't seen on her. "You have a good heart, Jace. If only more people thought like that... what a dream that would be."

Jace smiles back, looking away from her and back to the city hoping she hadn't noticed the blush that he was sure covered most of his face. "Do you think it is impossible to archive? To have those in power think more like myself? To make a world where anyone can be anything, no matter what they were born as?" He looks into her green eyes with determination, as if he was making a promise to not only Selene but himself too. "Because if it is, then I'm going to work my damndest to make it possible."

Selene tilts her head, a smile of admiration painting her face but it didn't reach her eyes. "As admirable as your intentions are, Jace, one cannot build a new world alongside men who are loyal to the old one."

Jacaerys expression sours, his smile fading from his face. "What do you think the best course of action is? Surely there must be some path forward, no? I can't stand for them telling you that you are a lesser person because you are a woman. It's absurd and I won't let it stand."

By the time he was done, Jacaerys felt his shackles rising. Mad at society in itself, at the old kings, at the people in power...

"Perhaps... Once your mother becomes queen? She can certainly create a new order of things, I mean her being the queen of the seven kingdoms is already incredible in itself, that alone changes many things." A hopeful smile made its way to Selene's face. "I have faith your mother, Jace, would be a brilliant queen,"

Jacaerys smiled back, glad to see that Selene believes in his mother as the future queen of Westeros, despite all the opposition. "My mother would be a great queen, yes, but she'd still be constrained by all the rules put upon those of us with the blood of the dragon." He notices the way her smile faded and quickly added. "There must be something we can do, there has got to be some way to change it." Jace takes a deep breath, thinking, and then he suddenly gets an idea. He snaps his head towards her with a large smile which causes Selene to mirror it. "Maybe we can write a book, as an argument of why things should change. It's certainly worth a shot, I'd say."

"A book?" Selene giggles, just as she was about to give her opinion on said book another voice cut through the conversation.

"Selene, here you are." Both, Jacaerys and Selene, turn to face the person who interrupted their chat. It was Lord Crater, Selene's older brother. Lord Crater was a tall, bulky man, similar to what an elite knight was supposed to look, his features were assuredly similar to Lords Alexios however the only thing he resembled of Selene was his eyes. Crater's gaze turns to Jacaerys, he was surprised for a moment to see him there but quickly recovered. He did a small polite courtesy. "Prince Jacaerys, what a surprise to see you here."

Jacaerys couldn't help but sigh inwardly, realizing that he'd gotten so caught up with Selene and their conversation that he had stopped watching his surroundings. He straightens up, his royal prince mantel on. "Lord Maltheon, the feeling is mutual. May I ask what brings you to seek your sister out?" He flashes Selene a smile, hoping that she can still see the sincerity in his eyes before turning back to her brother. "Perhaps you could join us? I find your sister to be a particularly engaging conversationalist."

Selene threw him a shy smile, chuckling a little.

"You say that now, your highness, but then you won't get her to shut up." Crater chuckles, there was a patronizing tone in his laugh. Selene purses her lips and settles her gaze downward, clearly not enjoying the subtle insult towards her.

Jacaerys could recognize the slander behind the 'joke' towards Selene and felt a twinge in his chest. Though, in the position he is in, all Jace could do was smile, and fake a chuckle alongside Crater. He only hopes Selene doesn't takes it to heart. "That seems only to make her more appealing to me, my lord, to be so talkative." His eyes glance towards Selene, making sure she knows the lightness of the situation.

However, Selene had a cold look in her eyes as she looks away, from him and back to the floor. She evidently didn't enjoy the exchange between the Prince and her brother.

Jace's heart drops as he takes in her demeanour and knows that he messed up.

Lord Crater laughs again with the same condescending chuckle. "Well, you'll be a saint for it then, my dearest sister is nothing but a bother most of the time."

Jacaerys tries to lighten the situation by making a joke. "Well, I am the prince of Dragonstone, I am not as pure as some may think." He chuckles slightly awkwardly, hoping that it isn't as noticeable as he continues. "And if I have to be a saint, so be it, for a woman as kind and as brilliant as Selene."

"Brilliant?" Crater chuckles. He looks back at Selene, his eyes shining with amusement, "What lies have you been feeding the Prince, Selne?" He shakes his head before his eyes widen as he remembered something "Oh, Father is summoning you, sister, he needs to speak about some important matters to you."

Selene spares Jacaerys a glance, she purses her lips before turning to her older brother. "Where is father?"

The Prince watches as Selene exchanges words with Lord Crater, his heart sinking further at the tension in the voice and face. He tries his best to stay relaxed but it doesn't seem to help as he feels the guilt in his stomach reach his chest. He sighs, knowing that his attempts to make the situation lighter have been failing and speaks up. "Is this matter important? I wouldn't want you to have to leave if it isn't absolutely necessary." Jace tried his best to sound convincing, wanting nothing more than have Selene stay, to make sure he can make things right. Things were going so well until her brother interrupted.

"Unfortunately, my prince, it does seem to be a rather important issue my father wishes to discuss with Selene." It was Crater who answer his question, Selene only turned in Jacaerys direction ever so slightly but did not meet his eyes.

He sighs, trying not to let his disappointment show. "Very well, I understand. Then I wish you a good day, Selene. I hope your father doesn't keep you long and perhaps we will get to converse again soon?" Jace bows his head to his lady, he was asking in hopes she accepts his request.

Selene finally raises her green eyes to meet his, she did a courtesy "It was an honour to speak with you, your highness but I must take my leave now." When Selene said his title it made Jacaerys stomach turn inside out.

He sighs as he hears the formality in her voice, knowing that he has failed. His eyes linger on her, trying to make up for what he did. His heart breaks as he watches her walk away. He gives one final bow, then makes his way up to his room... He sits alone for a few minutes, trying to calm himself down before he gets a knock on his door. He opens it, and there stood his mother, her face looking angry...

Part 2????

[zombubble]

From In Memory; In Truth Chapter 06:

Pei Ming sighs. “Wuxian, I know your reputation in the Mortal Realm isn’t quite where you’d like it to be, but really, you ought to start trying to get worshippers, they—” “Lao-Pei,” Wei Wuxian says, looking at him, “drop it.” Pei Ming sighs. “Ghost City is hardly enough for a real base of power.” “It’s enough for now,” Wei Wuxian says. “Let everyone who hates me die. Let who I was be forgotten.” “It doesn’t work like that,” Pei Ming says. “Even my deeds are recorded, still, in mortal books and scrolls, a millennium after they were done.” “You were a prominent general,” Wei Wuxian says. “And you were the scourge of the cultivation world,” Pei Ming replies. “Your legacy will continue regardless of what you do; it’s up to you how soon it starts to change, and if it does at all.” Wei Wuxian scowls at him. The problem is, he’s right. Except the other problem is, telling the Jianghu he ascended is a surefire way to get his temple burnt down. Probably.

Yes, technically this is a crossover! Wei Wuxian is a god and working with a lot of the cast from TGCF but it is, by and large, an MDZS AU. It's centered around WangXian and other MDZS characters, and is an AU of the books, so... I guess it's more of a fusion than a crossover, though a lot of TGCF characters show up throughout the course of the story.

Regardless, here's this week's snippet, home grown and offered humbly.

As far as writing progress goes, I'm nearing the end of the first draft which means I get a few people to read through it, do major edits, then go through with a fine-toothed comb or two, and then... I get to publish. Finally.

[my-multiversal-storage]

Hollow Light Lore.

Hello once again!

before anything else i want to tell three things:

1.- Im making a story based on this au with the same name, but because i really want to tell pepole all the lore of this au and most of it won't be told on that story, iv'e decided that i would put it here.

2.- This is majorly for my au, but ive also had it in a bit mind for @void-and-light (if you are reading this, please tell me what you think of the lore :D)

Lastly, there might be some spoilers for the history, but I encourage you to read it throug!

In the beginning the Light and the Void worked together, none of them were above of the other, because existence needed them both to survive.

The Light would give life to beings and give them free will to express themselves with joy and happiness, and once their time came, the Void would embrace the beings as they passed on.

The beings feared the Void, but it didn’t care as it was with the Light who embraced it and understood it.

Millions of millennia passed, many came and many went on, the Light and Void were no exception to this…

As their time came the Light gave the beings the Guardian Spirits, representations of itself, the Void couldn’t do such thing as it wasn’t in its nature to give life, but to take it.

As both beings embraced each other in their final years, Void confessed to Light that it was scared, because without it, the void could go rampage if provoked and could cause irreparable damage to the living.

But the Light comforted it, and reassured such thing wouldn’t happen, because the beings understood the importance of life and death, and wouldn’t try to brake such balance, calming the Void.

And as the last year came, they finally confessed to each other, and they left being happy in their final moments, because they had each other.

----------

As decades came, so did Gods, one set of them were the dream goddess and the nightmare one, “siblings” that ruled over the essence realm.

The dream goddess was worshiped by the moth’s, and was some what close to the Spirits, as her light not only comforted them but other beings, and in the Spirit’s eyes, she reminded them of the Light.

She was pleased by this, seeing as many thoughts of her and many remembered her, the nightmare one didn’t really care for this, they just liked to enjoy his dances that they did from time to time…

But as decades left, so did some Gods, she was terrified by this terrified of the darkness that always came, everyone was, even the nightmare god, who was a bit more reckless than her, but she was terrified of it, terrified of dying, Terrified of Being FORGOTTEN.

The nightmare god, tried to calm her down, but in her fear and anger, she attacked the nightmare god, giving them a mortal wound and casting him out of the essence real, forcing them into a dance that would keep him alive unless they managed to get back to the full essence realm.

Also because of this, the dream goddess got more power, enough to be able to control the minds of beings, but she didn’t do that for now as she was praised enough to be able to live for thousands of years.

Because of her new-found power and also because there were no one to go against her, no one that could defy her will, NO ONE THAT WOULD FORGET HER, she declared herself to be on par with the Light, the goddess of gods.

She also gave herself a name, something that the mortals would refer her to, something that the nightmare fool also did, she would now be known as “THE RADIANCE”.

----------

Years passed, and The Radiance ruled with an iron fist, making sure that everyone respected her, there was no will that could outshine hers.

That was until the Wyrm came, a giant being that had the ability of foresight, a higher being just like her, but she didn’t pay attention to him as it looked like his life cycle had reached his end.

Unknown to her, the Wyrm’s life cycles of life and Rebirth were never ending, and so the Wyrm shed his shell and transformed into a smaller being to blend in with the others.

There he found out how The Radiance wouldn’t let anyone question her, stripping everyone of their free will, of their sapience, making her word be the first and the final.

He took pity on them, but also saw an opportunity to guide them under his light in a kingdom that in his foresight would last forever.

So, he began to work, first he expanded their minds, giving them sapience and the free will they had lost under The Radiance, slowly but surely, she began to lose her followers.

Until, she was almost forgotten, only remembered by very few and close to death.

Then, once the Wyrm was sure that The Radiance wouldn’t be a problem anymore, he started to plan his Kingdome that he foresaw.

There were complications, that was known, some were uneasy of the idea, others out right detested being ruled by another due to what happened with the radiance.

But he reassured them, they would still be able to rule on their own, it just meant that he was the major ruler, and be known as the king of the land of Niwen, the king of Hallownest.

He talked, he convinced, he made offers, to bugs, to the mantis, to the bees, to the spiders, to the moki, the kii, the owls, the gorlek, the mushroom, the snails, the mosskin, the moths, and the Spirits.

Little by little, his kingdom was taking shape, his vision was coming true, until finally he had done it.

A kingdom that was at peace, under his rule, were everyone respected him, and some saw him as a god to them, he was respected, he found love at the hands of the White Lady, and he would be remembered as “The Pale King”.

He had done it, and his kingdom would last forever… or… it should have lasted forever…

----------

Many forgot about The Radiance, but she wasn’t truly forgotten, and she was enraged beyond belief.

She was angry at herself for not seeing it sooner, angry at the beings that had forgotten her, but above all else, she was FURIOUSE at The Pale King, for he was the one that had made everyone do so.

And in her anger, she began plotting, “They want to forget about me and leave me to rot? Fine! Let’s remind them why I can’t be forgotten”.

The habitants of niwen began to have head aches and strange dreams about Her, soon the dreams began to break their minds turning them into slaves once again of The Radiance as they oozed a sickling orange.

The ones that were unaffected to this were the subjects of The Pale King, the Spirits, the White lady, and The Pale King himself.

While the Spirits tried to keep the situation under control, The Pale King tried anything he could to put an end to the infection, but all he tried, always ended in the same result.

What… what could he do? Everything he tried was completely useless against her, his hopes were diminishing by the minute, his kingdom that was supposed to last forever was crumbling, he was going to be forgotten because of HER! what could he do, What Could He Do, WHAT COULD HE-!

… An idea came into his head, he remembered something he came across at the beginnings of his kingdom.

A black substance, but not any kind, it was… void.

The mere existence of this substance was completely opposite of the Spirits, while they were full of life and some of them shared their light even in death by becoming Ancestral trees, the void was completely lifeless, even compared so something as the natural elements.

But thanks to that he got an idea… what if they made beings out of void? With no mind to think, no will to break, no voice to cry suffering, able to seal The Radiance inside itself, forever.

For any other, this would be a fool’s idea, because in a sense, he would be making something completely unnatural. Giving life to something lifeless? It would go against nature as a whole.

But, what other option did he have? If he didn’t do this, his people, his kingdom would fall, without anyone to remember it, and he HATED that idea.

And so, he began to work in secret, no one could find out what he was doing, MUCH less the Spirits, because they more than anyone else knew that what he was doing, was against nature itself, so he kept it to himself.

At first, he tried to only use void and soul, a life energy that everyone had but only the snails and higher beings could master and use to their will.

But they seemed inefficient to contain The Radiance itself inside of them, but if they were born of god and void, then it could work.

But he would have to do something he himself deemed punishable by death, he had to sacrifice his children to the void so he could have the perfect vessel.

He told the White lady about her plan, and she was disgusted by the mere idea of this, but somehow the king convinced her that this was the only method to save Hallownest, so even if a bit against her will he began to work.

1, 10, 100’s, 1000’s, 1000000’s, 1000000000000’s of vessels, try after try after try, failure after failure after failure after failure, none of them were hollow, they always had some emotion that would make them failures, over and over and over and over and over.

Until… he had finally done it, he had created a pure vessel without any kind of emotion, he was truly pure, for he was “The Hollow Knight”.

He then began training it, so it could finish The Radiance once and for all, he got the Great Nailsage sly to teach him all there were to know in the nail arts, he made some of the greatest gorlek prepare its nail ,he made it go trough the path of pain millions of times, modifying it to be as agile as a Spirit if not more, he even taught him to use soul as another way to attack if needed.

As this happened, he knew he would have to seal The Hollow Knight somewhere so nothing could interfere in its endeavors.

So, he had to choose three beings that shall enter an eternal sleep to keep the seal where The Hollow Knight would be sealed, the first one was Monmon the teacher a chief researcher and teacher of Hallownest; the second would be Lurien the watcher, the one who watched over the city of tears, who had offered himself out of loyalty for the king.

Lastly, he intended Herrah the beast to be the last dreamer, after a lot of back and forth, it was concluded that she would become a dreamer, only if she got an heir with him, and so Hornet was born.

 She was one of the only things that brought a light at the end of the tunnel to everyone, her innocence was a much-needed rest to everything else that was happening, and even The Pale King traded her as his heir…

But the more he thought Hornet as his child, the more he saw The Hollow Knight as HIS child and not only as the weapon to end The Radiance, but he had to convince himself that it was just the mean to the end.

----------

But there was something that The Pale King didn’t consider while creating The Hollow Knight, while he knew that what he did was against nature, what he didn’t consider was that the void would retaliate.

For every unnatural life that was made, the void wanted back, so it created something on par with The Radiance’s infection, it was a fungus like thing that could overtake creatures and turn them into stone.

The Spirits being the first to encounter this called it “Decay”, when they addressed it to The Pale King, but it seemed that the Spirits light could out right dispose of it, but that wouldn’t be the last problem that the void gave to the kingdom.

Far away in the silent woods the decay took many lives at random for it nor the void had someone to command it, that was until Shriek was born.

Due to the conditions of her birthing, she was born with extreme deformities, one of those being having a layer of stone over her body, afraid and alone she searched for any comfort she could get, but everywhere she looked, she was rejected by everyone, but the one that hurt her the most, was the rejection of her own kind towards her, so she just flew back to the silent woods.

Once she got back, she cried, cried because of what she couldn’t have, cried over the rejection of her own kind, cried because she would only be remembered as a monster, even if she was just a child.

But amongst her sadness, only one thing comforted her, the decay, because to it, she was the only one that could guide it, the only one that could control it, and she saw this, as she saw that the only other thing that was comforting her was also regarded as something dangerous.

She thought of The Radiance, she started to think that she was also wronged without reason, just like she was, and se set up her mind, if she couldn’t be remembered as a friend, as a kid, if they could only see a monster, then she would give them a reason to remember her as a monster, as “Shriek”.

----------

Things were getting worse and worse by the minute for the kingdom, the infection and the decay were getting more and more ground as time went on, but The Pale King had hope in The Hollow Knight, hope that not only would he be able to finish The Radiance, but also Shriek, but it would need to train harder for that to happen.

Unknown even for him, he started to treat The Hollow Knight more and more as a son than a weapon, even the White Lady knew this but she didn’t tell him in fear of having to lose another child.

Time passed and The Hollow Knight was ready, along side him there was a Spirit named Willow, she had been informed of the plan they had, of course she disapproved of it, but it was already near finished, so the only thing she could do at the time was to also train it for the upcoming battle that was going to happen on its mind.

After a long battle against the decay and the infected that had cost thousands of lives, they had finally caught the attention of The Radiance and Shriek, and proceeded to seal them both in The Hollow Knight, and sealing him in the Temple of the Black Egg with the help of the dreamers.

They had done it! They had won over The Radiance and Shriek! But… it wasn’t over, the decay still remained, once again without something to control it, but Willow had already foreseen this, so in an act of self-sacrifice, she donned her life to become something greater than a Ancestral tree, she had become a Spirit tree on top of the Temple of the Black Egg, a tree that emitted enough light to dispel the decay, but she knew that the decay wouldn’t only attack there, it would also go for other places, so many Spirits waved their goodbyes to Hallownes and Niwen, and left to fulfil their new purpose.

----------

Time passed and The Pale King was celebrated by everyone for his accomplishment of being able to defeat The Radiance and Shriek, he only said that it was the least he could do for his people.

But, whenever he was alone, whenever he was sure that there was no one else? He was near breaking point, questioning himself if he had truly done the right thing, if the many lost lives of his children were okay, if somewhat damming another species to have supposedly premature deaths in order to keep the balance of nature was justified. Was there truly no cost too great?

Time and time again, he questioned himself over and over, slowly but surely losing his sense of self…

Until the last nail in the king’s coffin was placed by the king himself.

The Pale King used his foresight to reassure himself that what he did was the correct choice, that thanks to him the kingdom would live eternally, but what he saw, was everything he didn’t want to see.

He saw the kingdom that he had sacrificed everything for, crumbling down, the people screamed in fear and agony as the decay and the infection grew more and more, The Radiance and Shriek destroying everything he had done without anyone to stop them.

That was the last time he used his foresight at all, he now knew that everything he had done, every promise he made, Every Sacrifice HE made, was all in vain.

So, he disappeared without a trace, everyone wondered where he had gone, but no one was ever able to find him, for he didn’t want to found, because he feared that he wouldn’t be remembered as a king, but as a fool that destroyed everything.

----------

Decades passed, many Spirits transformed into Spirit trees to keep the Decay at bay, it had been considered an honor to them to transform into such beautiful trees full of life that gave birth to even more Spirits.

But in Hallownest things were getting worse without anyone knowing, The Hollow Knight began to fall under The Radiance and Shriek, and the Spirit tree Willow started to die, leaving way for the Infection and the Decay, killing all the Spirits that were supposed to heir his will, and without any other Vessel, The Radiance and Shriek would come out of The Hollow Knight, leading an era of inbalance.

It seemed like it would be the end of everything… but amongst everyone a prophesy arose.

“When the kingdom comes to its final hour, when the tree’s life comes to an end and the vessel were about to break. Two heroes would come to save them all, a Spirit that calmed the darkness and a vessel once lost but that has found its way thanks to the light. Together, the both of them would give new light to Niwen and defeat The Radiance and Shriek once and for all. For they got each other, No Matter What.”

One of the few that believed the prophesy was Hornet that had fully grown to be the queen of the spiders, but after the prophesy, she sought out the ones that the prophesy spoke of, but to no avail.

When she returned, she vowed to test the both of them to see if they truly the ones that the prophesy spoke of, if they were, they would survive her test, if they weren’t, then she would have to wait for the right ones.

----------

Far, far away from Hallownes, from Niwen, a Spirit named Ori met a Vessel without a name but had named himself as Ghost, together they saved the lands of Nibel, restoring the light of the Spirit tree, they were able to calm the Owl named Kuro and save her las last child named Ku, and they brought back the mother they had lost to the decay named Naru.

Sadly, for Ku, her right wing las left without many feathers, leaving her unable to fly as a result, but thanks to thanks to a feather that they got from her mother, Ori and Ghost helped her gain the ability to do so, and in their excitement, Ori and Ghost got on to Ku’s back and flied.

They passed over many places and intended to get back, but a storm blew off the wing that Ku used to fly, as well as separating Ori and Ghost from Ku.

They landed in a place they didn’t know, but they would find out that, what they had to get over on the land of Nibel, would be considered child’s play on this land.

would they be able to save this land? or will they succumb to the Decay and the Infection?

____________________

Hope you enjoyed it :)

[roselightfairy]

End of Year Fic Recs!

Recommend up to 5 series or multi-chapter fics from 2023 that everyone should read (multi-year WIPs count, if the last update was in 2023).

Recommend up to 5 single chapter fics/one-shots (long or short) from 2023 that everyone should read.

Recommend up to 5 fics NOT from 2023 that everyone should read (oldies but goodies).

Recommend up to 5 of your own fics (completed or WIP) from 2023 that everyone should read.

(Thank you, @tathrin, for the tag!)

I think the fandoms here will be kind of all over the place, because I've been in three different places this year (though one of them for the majority of it, sorry about it!). I'm also really having to go through my history - being in rapid consumption mode makes one forget things here and there! Also this turned INCREDIBLY long, so putting it under a cut.

5 series or multi-chapter fics from 2023:

all that it touches to wonder by cynassa (LOTR, Legolas/Gimli) - I've been seeing this fic around for some time and finally got into the right LOTR headspace for it yesterday and it is absolutely WONDERFUL. Politics, pining, cultural exploration, letters, gifts, public spectacle . . . mmm. The kind of fic that's so good it makes me mad.

Mine to Bear by pen_ultimate (Dungeons & Daddies, Henry/Darryl (and others) - a fic that takes the cringe of early-season Darryl and leans SO HARD INTO IT that it is sometimes painful to read but so so so worth it. A no-Forgotten-Realms AU in which Darryl's desire to understand Grant's sexuality leads him to (painfully, reluctantly) explore his own. Unstoppable force (Darryl's repressed urges) meets immovable object (his own stubborn refusal to deal with them). Also this Henry portrayal (and interpretation of his relationship with Mercedes) is amazing.

Catharsis (series) by Diotima_Philosopher (Star Wars, Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan) - This series hits a very specific urge I used to look for in Legolas/Gimli fic but never quite found, and I suppose it makes sense that I'd find it here - in a relationship that is textually (or non-textually) transgressive, a story that takes it to the absolute limit of that transgression. Sometimes you want to rationalize away the taboo elements of your pairings; sometimes you want to create a situation to avoid them entirely; other times you want to push them to the limit: the notion that the relationship in question is seen as not only odd but deviant, absolutely revoltingly taboo in its society. And then just - dive into that and explore the complexity of it, the impossible situation the characters in question face, the twisting line between right and wrong. This story does that deliciously.

if you're on a mission, you've got my permission by allowaykirk (Cody/Obi-Wan, but mostly Obi-Wan/EVERYONE) - This story had me in STITCHES. The thing that struck me in watching the movies, but also mostly the Clone Wars, was how much intense chemistry Obi-Wan has with . . . everyone? But mostly with a bunch of the antagonists? This fic takes that to its logical conclusion and says, well, what if Obi-Wan is regularly sent on missions to seduce information out of various people? For the war effort, you know. The Ventress chapter in particular had me HOWLING. (And them, too.)

By a Sleep to Say We End by @katajainen (LOTR, Legolas/Gimli) - this one became multi-chap this year, and somehow even more devastating in the second one! It's frankly unfair that katajainen has the ability to hurt me like this, but also I want her to never stop doing it. Zombie apocalypse, technically, but this one deals with much more intimate interpersonal challenges in the lead-up to it. Warning for suicidal themes, but if you are okay with reading that, this hurts so so good.

Five single-chapter fics from 2023:

offer it a soul by @willowcrowned (Star Wars, Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan) - This fic ruined me. It was one of those stories that's so upsetting yet so good you're thinking about it for days after and making an absolute mess of yourself in the comments section. There is this emptiness that just echoes throughout a story that is so full - of worldbuilding, of repressed emotion, of feeling. I was a raw nerve all the way through. It's not a happy story, but it is an incredible one.

Soon Enough - by LuvEwan (Star Wars, Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan) - This fic was one of those incredible little moments that makes perfect sense within the canon but that you don't necessarily think about happening! What about people who were related to Jedi, who lost family members they never had the chance to know? And how do you deal with being a Jedi, with someone for whom this lifestyle is well known and expected, and yet you also have people you love within the system whom you also will eventually lose? This was such a quiet little moment, breathless with discomfort and pain, and I loved it.

Look Back, My Love, Look Back At Me! by @tathrin (LOTR, Legolas/Gimli) - I'm such a sucker for myth retellings with these two, and this is an Orpheus/Eurydice imagining - with a twist! I gasped at the end. Tathrin is killing it with these two this year and I'm going to have so much to catch up on when I'm back in main LOTR headspace again.

this is what it feels like, now by @thetimesinbetween (Star Wars, Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan) - Just. The most intimate, emotional, incredibly steamy smut. With feelings! And like - one of those things that acknowledges the nature of the teacher-student relationship without pretending it isn't there, but also lets that be part of the appeal rather than a detraction. I. Um. Read it.

Snowbind the Stars by katajainen (LOTR, Legolas/Gimli, Legolas & Gimli) - Love, love, love a queer-ambiguous portrayal of these two, and katajainen's prose is such a dream, as always. The loneliness of homecoming when something you never knew you needed is missing . . . but the promise of finding it again, eventually.

Five fics NOT from 2023:

Okay, this one was hard, because again - I've had a whole fandom's worth of fic to catch up on this year! It was hard to narrow it down to just five, but I'm going with some that really stuck with me:

Desert Bloom by canis_m (Star Wars, Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan) - This fic is everything I could possibly want from a Force Ghost-roommates premise, an absolute gem of a fic that is perfect in every way. Vignettes from Obi-Wan's time in the desert and his training with Qui-Gon to release his own consciousness, in which he has to reveal some of his own feelings that have lived with him all the while. I find it incredibly in-character and plausible and such a gentle, slow unfolding and healing.

Crystallize by torch (Star Wars, Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan, a very little ship implication at the end) - This is such an atmospheric fic, quiet and slow as the remote snowy world on which it takes place. It is also a fic that fully solidified my understanding of Obi-Wan's relationship with the concept of relationships, a very married-to-duty sort of thing which precludes romance as a matter of course. This fic is just a slow meander through various aspects of Jedi life and expectations, the nature of love, and the ways that a master and padawan can learn from and with one another in the most personal ways. And yes, there's a slight turn to shippiness at the end, but only in the mind of one character and not in a way that detracts from the revelations unfolding throughout the story.

A Duel With Fate by psocoptera (Star Wars, Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan) - Speaking of fics that RUIN me. This was my first understanding of what a time loop fic can look like and how it can be absolutely devastating. This story left me feeling off for days, and I mean that as a compliment. Proceed with caution, but also - guh. Do proceed, if you can. I can't even rec it well because of how good it is.

How to Grow Vegetables and Alienate People by Meggory (Star Wars, Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan) - Add me to the list of zillions of people who loved this story, but it caught me in just the right place. I've been feeling the void a lot in the last several months, downtrodden by work and expectations of life, and this fic STARTS with the premise of one character being forced to take a three-month leave of absence from work? And then getting into gardening and connecting to the world and falling in love? The most glorious escapist modern AU I've read in - maybe ever? I made @thevillainsmustache read it, too, even though it's not her ship, and now we both sigh over it regularly at home.

Into a Dozen Pieces by Temve (Star Wars (Master and Apprentice), Qui-Gon/OC, Qui-Gon/Rael) - So many canon authors love to do this thing where they imply a love interest in a character's past. Generally I don't love it, and for all my adoration for Master and Apprentice, I didn't love it there, either - but Temve took those brief mentions and spun them into an absolutely enchanting story of young gentle Qui-Gon falling head over heels for the first time and having his heart broken by the Jedi Code - but healed, at least a little, by the others within the Jedi who are there for him. Highly, highly recommend.

HA PSYCH I'm doing an unauthorized sixth! A Thing of Flesh and Shadow by MlleMusketeer (Star Wars, Qui-Gon-centric with some background relationships) - This fic is only barely not 2023, so I dunno if it counts as an "oldie," but I think everyone should read it! It's an amazing Qui-Gon AU, in which Dooku resurrects him during the Clone Wars and tries to manipulate and abuse him into becoming his new apprentice, all while Qui-Gon slowly realizes what's going on and struggles to escape. It's got gorgeous philosophy, incredibly well-written emotional and physical hurt, and I just love every second I spend in this Qui-Gon's head. I'm praying there will be more, eventually, but even if there isn't, the fic is a wonderful standalone.

And now . . . 5 of my own fics from 2023:

Only Through Surrender (Star Wars, Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan): Qui-Gon lives, and the whole timeline changes.

Lessons in Intimacy (Star Wars, Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan/OC): Exploration of Obi-Wan coming into his sexuality, and what romance and sexuality might look like in a Jedi context.

Driven to Do (Star Wars, Anakin & Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan/OC): More sexually liberated Obi-Wan and scandalized (legally married) Anakin.

Anchor (Star Wars/Clone Wars, Ahsoka/Rex): The follow up to the absolutely devastating Clone Wars finale.

The Unassisted Physical Training and Self-Defense Circle (Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan): The one in which Qui-Gon's participation in an illicit padawan fight club leaves him with a lasting physical reminder.

This was so much fun! (It also took me more than an hour to do, but I enjoyed every minute of it.) Tagging @katajainen, @deheerkonijn, @unnamedelement, and anyone else who wants to do this!

[jazzystudios82]

Diabolik Lovers - An Angel's Embrace AU: Sofia's relationships with the Sakamaki Family 🥀

Image made with a picrew. Will probably change it when I learn to draw digitally for a more accurate depiction of the character.

Note (updated info):

Sofia Sakamaki is the younger sister of Akira, Shu, Reiji, Ayato, Kanato, Laito, and Subaru. She is the daughter of Karlheinz and Angelica, and the youngest of the Sakamakis. This 12 year old vampire adores her family very much, even if they can be a bit weird from time to time. . . .

WARNING: Diabolik Lovers is a dark series with mature themes and topics. Discretion is advised. . . .

Also, keep in mind that some of the information is for an upcoming story and some of it may change in the near future.

Karlheinz | Tougo Sakamaki ♔

Karlheinz is Sofia's father. Unlike the rest of his children, he was present for her birth.

As she was his and Angelica's child, Karlheinz put in more effort in being present in her life than he did with his sons.

This all started when after she was born, little Sofia had grabbed his finger with her tiny hand, and smiled at him. This melted his heart a little and she instantly became his favorite child.

Due to her being a girl and being far too young to partake in his "Adam & Eve" plan, Karlheinz allowed Sofia to live a normal life: what's normal for vampires anyway.

Unlike her older brothers (minus Reiji), Sofia likes Karlheinz. She enjoys hearing his stories of his accomplishments. It also helps that he only shows her his good side.

He believes that Sofia is the "perfect combination" of him and Angelica: she has her mother's light pink hair and his golden eyes.

Has framed the drawings Sofia makes for him on Father's Day: she would make him drawings for his birthday, but Karlheinz has been alive for so long that he doesn't see the point in celebrating it anymore. It also doesn't help that he's long forgotten the date.

One time when Sofia was a baby, she had mistaken Karlheinz as her grandfather and Reiji as her father in front of him when he tried to get her to call him "papa". Her brothers and mother still find that amusing.

When at work as "Tougo Sakamaki", Karlheinz typically tells his subordinates about the things his daughter does during the week, as he thinks she's adorable. While his workers do think it's cute, they'd rather focus on work than talk about the boss's daughter.

He has her baby teeth in jar somewhere in his castle. He's weird like that.

Karlheinz, however, is not above lying to Sofia. When she called him, using her mother's phone, about why Yui and the past sacrificial brides before her stayed at their home, he'd tell her he's paying back some favors for some friends of his.

He's tried to teach Sofia how to play chess once, but she was too impatient to learn how to play the game properly.

Karlheinz has told her a "fairytale" like version of how he and her mother met, causing her to believe that they are madly in love with each other.

He already had her enrolled at Nevermore Academy, the best and most prestigious school in the demon realm, when she was old enough to read and write.

When it was time for her "Coming of Age" ceremony, Sofia didn't go through the same horrific nightmare-like "simulation" he made her brothers go through when they were around her age.

Karlheinz has portraits of both Sofia and her mother (often of them together) in his castle: in fact, there's so many that they overtake the ones he has of his previous wives and sons. Though whenever Sofia would try to ask him about this, Karlheinz would redirect her attention to something else.

Freaked out a little when she asked him where babies came from when she was six years old.

Angelica Amor-Sakamaki 🎶

Angelica is Sofia's mother. Unlike her older brothers with their moms, Sofia is absolutely close with her.

Kind of like Kanato with Cordelia, Sofia takes some pride with how close she looks to her mother in looks. Though she sometimes wishes that she had her mother's silver eyes instead of her father's golden ones.

Enjoys playing dress up with Angelica, especially if it's with her mother's old clothes from her childhood.

When she was four, Sofia would often ask her mother to sleep in her room whenever she had a nightmare. If her mother was already asleep, Sofia would walk from her room and go to her mother's and curl up and drift off to sleep.

Angelica made her a stuffed bunny toy made of fabric of her old dresses so Sofia would have something to remind her of her mother whenever Karlheinz or her father would send for her. Sofia would go on to name her stuffed bunny "Usagi".

Like her older brothers when they were her age, Sofia would lie down on the peppermint smelling carpet in the main room whenever she misses Angelica.

Sofia also loves her mother's cooking, and often watches her prep meals with Reiji and offers help in whatever way she can. Though she'd often end up as the taste tester, but she didn't mind.

Likes to watch movies with her mother and brothers, though she'd typically end up falling asleep before the credits would roll.

Once for her mother's birthday when she was ten, Sofia helped Reiji with making breakfast for Angelica to eat.

Sofia once asked Angelica if she loved her father, Karlheinz, after he told her how they met, with little sprinkles of lies here and there, but Sofia was never the wiser. Angelica was taken aback by this, but she didn't want to break her daughter's heart, so she'd answer with "I care for him" or a variation of that. Sofia would think that was a bit of an odd response, but she could tell that her mother didn't want to talk about this, so Sofia would ask her something else.

She's aware that her mother was married to a different man and had another child before, but since no one really talks about them in front/around her, Sofia doesn't really know how to feel about them. She likes to imagine that they're good people though, since her mother seemed to care about them a lot.

When Sofia got older, she'd try to become less and less dependent on her mother, since she didn't want to "bother" her anymore with her problems and other things. When Angelica heard about this, the older woman would have a talk with her daughter and tell her that she'll always be there for her if she needed her, even if she was a "big girl".

Sofia was shocked to learn that her mother was once a student at Nevermore like she is right now. She feels like it makes her closer to her mother when she ends up in the same house she did and meets the teachers Angelica had (who are still apart of the faculty) speak her praises.

Angelica noticed that Sofia would have difficulty with learning certain subjects in school. So when she hired tutors to help her, Angelica was shocked to learn that Sofia didn't like any of them, as they were a bit frustrated with her and a bit harsh, Angelica didn't like any of that. After firing the tutors, Sofia's mother would hire tutors that were more patient and understanding with her daughter.

Shu Sakamaki 💛

Despite being called a "good for nothing" and a "deadbeat" by a certain someone (Reiji), Shu was pretty responsible with Sofia.

He was usually the one to hold and rock her to sleep as a baby when Angelica is tired.

Shu once played the violin for her when she was one in order to get her to sleep. When the worked, Shu even tucked her into bed and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

When Sofia got older, Shu would try to teach her how to play classical music so they'd have more interests. When he noticed that she was having some difficulty in learning how to play properly, Shu would be patient and take his time with helping her.

One time, he caught Sofia dancing to one of Kou Mukami's songs in her room. When she realized Shu was watching, Sofia immediately got embarrassed. He still teases her about it, though never in front of the others.

When Sofia got scared of a clown in the park, Shu decided to take her to get an ice cream and see a movie to help calm her down. Shu understands her fears as he's also scared of clowns (the scary ones).

Shu often has Sofia take naps with him when he senses that she's anxious about something or tired.

Basically a secondary father figure to Sofia.

Sofia of reminds him of Edgar and Akira: Edgar with her smile caring nature and Akira with her thoughtfulness and looks. This makes Shu especially protective of her.

One time, Sofia found a playlist of Shu's that contained "certain sounds" on it. When she was about to press the play button, Shu quickly snatched it out of her hands and told her not to touch his stuff without permission (not in an angry way, more of like an embarrassed way). When Sofia tried to ask why, Shu told her that it just didn't contain any music that she would like.

Sofia is aware of Shu's old friend Edgar. But like with her mother and her first husband and son, Sofia never really asks Shu about Edgar, since she doesn't want him to feel sad.

When Shu went to the North Pole for having to repeat a year of high school, Sofia would try to write letters to him everyday.

Unlike his mother Beatrix, Shu made sure that he showed Sofia the proper amount of affection and gave her space when she needed it.

Reiji Sakamaki 💙

Reiji was absolutely involved with Sofia's upbringing in any way he could be.

The man was even responsible for coming up with a "perfect" plan for what Sofia's first words would be. Yes, he was that dedicated.

Practically a secondary father figure to the girl, even though their brothers would joke that he gave more "mom energy" than anything.

Reiji would usually help Angelica with planning playdates for Sofia and what school she would go to in the human realm, since this happened around the time the Sakamakis moved to Japan from Eden.

Whenever Angelica was tired from looking after Sofia, Reiji would have her relax and reassure her that he'd look after his baby sister. He'd typically put her in a baby carrier and do work around the mansion that requires his assistance.

Reiji was the one to introduce Sofia to tea when she got old enough. Though unlike her older brother, Sofia likes her tea iced. She likes hers with fresh fruit. Though Reiji wishes that Sofia would drink tea the old-fashioned way, he still appreciates that he has at least one sibling to drink tea with.

He, alongside Angelica, taught Sofia to put her things away when she's done using them.

Reiji makes sure to keep his potions science equipment away from Sofia so she doesn't hurt herself or break them on accident.

Because of his complicated relationship with his mother Beatrix, Reiji made sure to never neglect Sofia, and whenever she does something that is considered in achievement in Nevermore Academy, such as getting the highest grade in her class, Reiji makes sure to make her feel proud of herself.

He has taught her proper table manners.

Reiji has also noticed that Sofia seems to learn at a different pace than most kids her age, so he makes sure to teach subjects her at her own pace whenever her tutors were too busy.

Reiji has his brothers watch their mouths around Sofia. He doesn't want her to pick up bad words and their habits.

He has taught Sofia some German because she asked: she thought it would be fun.

The bespectacled young man helped with baking Sofia's 12th birthday cake: it was in the shape of a rabbit.

Ayato Sakamaki ❤️

Ayato didn't really know what to do when Sofia was born and revealed to be a girl.

The redhead literally looked up advice for "what to do with a girl baby" on Yahoo! answers (depends on what year this takes place).

When he heard about how big brothers are supposed to "protect their baby sisters from the big bad wolfs in the world", Ayato immediately went into "overprotective big brother mode". He even refused to allow a six month old Sofia to have playdates with babies that were male: Laito and Kanato never let him live it down.

His overprotective nature calmed down over the years, since Ayato became one of those "fun big brothers".

Ayato has taught her how to play basketball because she'd watch him play at their house. She was very tired afterwards, but she had fun.

When Ayato learned from Laito that Sofia had a crush, he immediately went to Sofia to find out who it was (overprotective an all), the redhead was extremely shocked to learn that Sofia's crush wasn't someone who was real: it was some character from one of her favorite animated movies. After that, Sofia never told him about her other crush, the very real Kou Mukami.

He enjoys drawing with her. Ayato even has one of her drawings she made him framed in his room.

Ayato tried getting Sofia to like takoyaki. She thinks it's good, but she's not as big of a fan of it as he is.

He brags about having a cute little sister at school.

While Ayato is known to be a big prankster, he doesn't do anything "extreme" with Sofia: one time he wore a clown mask and snuck up on her while she was watching a movie. When he scared her, Sofia cried and ran to her room, hiding in the closet until her mother returned home from an acting gig. After getting thoroughly chewed out by his brothers and feeling extremely guilty, Ayato helped Sofia calm down and apologized to her. He promised that he wouldn't do something like this again and got her an ice cream to make up for it.

Ayato doesn't really understand why Sofia doesn't like drinking blood from humans. He claims that it's natural for a vampire to drink human blood, and when he asked her, Sofia simply says that she just doesn't want to.

While he thinks that Sofia is a bit too kind hearted, Ayato wouldn't change a thing about her.

Affectionately calls her "pipsqueak".

When Sofia wanted to learn how to swim, Ayato made sure that she learned the proper way, not the way his mother Cordelia made him.

Sofia thinks it's odd that Ayato sleeps in an Iron Maiden (without the spikes of course), though this is mainly because she doesn't like small and dark places.

Ayato does his best to not let Sofia anywhere near Cordelia's room. One time she asked why it was locked up, and Ayato simply told her that it was just to keep away a monster. Sofia, naturally, got scared, but Ayato comforted her and said that as long as he was here, no monster would hurt her.

Kanato Sakamaki 💜

Originally, Kanato didn't really care that his father Karlheinz and stepmother Angelica were having a baby. Would he still try to make the kid favor him over the others? Yes, of course. But like the others, he assumed that the baby would be a boy due to their father's track record, and Kanato didn't care for having another brother.

But when it was revealed that his new sibling was a girl? His feelings changed in the blink of an eye.

A girl? Finally! Kanato has someone (other than Teddy and Angelica) to partake in his tea parties and dress up games! And when he saw Sofia's tiny form for the first time and she grabbed his finger with her tiny fist? Kanato immediately became attached and vowed to annihilate anyone or anything that tried to harm her or take her away from him and Teddy.

He dressed Sofia up in the cutest clothes and made her the most adorable stuffed animals when she was a toddler.

Kanato attempted to have her first word be his name. It didn't work, but he got over it.

He likes to brush and style her hair: in fact, Kanato styled her hair to look like curly princess hair for her first day at Nevermore.

Sofia is the only one of his siblings that he shares his sweets with.

Like Ayato, Kanato is very protective of Sofia when it comes to boys, though with someone like Kanato, it's a lot more concerning. He did turn Cordelia's lovers and Angelica's unwanted suitors into "dolls" after all.

Also like Ayato, Kanato became very shocked to learn that Sofia developed her first crush. While he was planning to turn whoever her crush was into a "doll", Kanato learned from Ayato that Sofia's crush was a fictional character. He then relaxed and talked to Teddy about how he was going to need a nap after this.

Other than Angelica, Sofia is the only person Kanato allows to talk and hold Teddy.

When Kanato learned of Sofia's old tutors being harsh and impatient with her, Kanato became enraged and killed them. He didn't think that they were worthy of becoming part of his "doll collection", so he burned their bodies and got rid of their ashes.

If Kanato had friends at his school, he'd most likely talk about Sofia. But he still does this with Teddy.

Doesn't like sharing the time he spends with Sofia with. . . .anyone really. Unless they're Angelica.

Laito Sakamaki 💚

When Laito learned that he was getting a new sibling, he was happy for his stepmother Angelica, truly, he was, but he had his concerns since it obviously involved Karlheinz. What would his menace of a father do with the baby when they arrived?

He didn't really care if the kid was a boy or a girl.

When Laito learned that his new sibling was a girl, he was rather surprised, but not in a bad way. He was actually a little excited to have a sister in the house after having so many brothers.

Like Kanato, Laito dresses up Sofia in a lot of cute and fashionable dresses.

Laito doesn't want Sofia's innocence to be ruined like his was when Cordelia abused him, so he vowed to protect her from anyone who could harm her in a similar way.

Whenever they have little dress up games, Laito always has her wear little hats that match his.

He usually keeps his door to his bedroom locked so Sofia doesn't find his stash of "dirty" magazines and movies.

Whenever Laito has a girl over, he makes sure Sofia is either asleep in her room or she's with one of their brothers. He doesn't want her to meet whichever girl he's with and assume she's his girlfriend.

When Sofia was a baby, Laito would play a calming tune on the piano whenever she was fussy.

Laito takes her to a local bakery so they can share macarons.

He is helping Sofia with learning how to play the piano.

When Laito learned that Sofia had a crush on a fictional character, he thought it'd be funny to have Ayato think that she had a crush on someone from her school. When Ayato learned the truth, Laito laughed in his face.

He likes that they both have beauty marks on the right side of their chins.

Laito gifted her a bunny shaped pillow once.

Out of all the brothers, Laito has the least amount of trouble with not swearing in front of Sofia.

Like Ayato, Laito also brags about having a cute little sister to his classmates at school.

Sofia is aware of Laito's flirtatious nature when he interacts with girls, but she thinks nothing of it.

Despite being the older brother, Laito comes to Sofia whenever he sees a spider in his room so she can take care of it for him.

Subaru Sakamaki 🤍

Due to his close relationship with Angelica, Subaru is naturally the closet with his little sister Sofia.

He typically tries to keep Sofia as innocent for as long as possible: Subaru does NOT want her to have her mind ruined the way his and their brothers' were when they were young.

Sofia likes to help Subaru with his rose garden when she's free from homework and chores. She thinks the white roses he plants are so pretty and fragrant. Whenever she tries to ask him why he specifically plants white roses, Subaru gets quiet and seemingly sad, and would finish with the garden early. This makes Sofia worried that she said something wrong, and would try to do something to apologize to him.

She'd usually make drawings and cards that said "I'm sorry" and leave them by his bedroom door when this happens. Subaru would of course find them a couple minutes later and would put them in a box in his closet for safekeeping.

But Sofia thought to do something different, so she thought about making him something tasty to eat so he'd feel better. Even though Sofia knows that Subaru doesn't normally eat human food, she is also aware of the fact that he does enjoy their mother's cooking. So she would go to the kitchen and attempted to make him a specific soup her mother made that she remembered him liking.

But due to her being six at the time and not having adult supervision, Sofia ended up breaking a porcelain bowl and burning her arm. Subaru happened to be nearby when he heard the breaking of the bowl and Sofia's yelp of pain, so when he saw what she was doing, he immediately turned the stove off and yelled at her for not being careful.

This made Sofia cry and say "I'm sorry" over and over again, and how she just wanted to make him feel better. Subaru was naturally shocked by this, and after calming her down and getting some medicine to help with the burns, he told Sofia that he wasn't mad at her and was just thinking of something else. When Sofia tried to ask what it was about, he told her not to worry about it, and to focus on resting since she was tired from the crying and because of what happened in the kitchen.

Subaru would clean up her mess and would try to finish the soup that Sofia tried to make while she slept. When she woke up, Subaru would have her eat some of it with him while they watched one of Sofia's favorite movies.

He has most certainly taught Sofia some self-defense techniques.

One time when Subaru took Sofia to the park, she found a lost puppy and asked him if they could take it home as a pet. Subaru wasn't sure if it was a good idea, but after he contacted Angelica who told him on what to do, he said they'll only take care of the puppy until the owner came to take the dog back. No one came to claim the dog, as it turned out it was a hellhound and it imprinted on Sofia. The dog, Howl, became her little fluffy bodyguard.

Subaru gets embarrassed when Sofia compares him to a Disney princess whenever small animals from the forest near their home come to him. He knows she means it as a compliment, but still. . . .

Whenever Subaru gets worked up and punches a wall in the mansion, Sofia worries about his fist getting hurt.

Sofia does think that it's a bit weird that Subaru sleeps in a coffin instead of a bed, but she ultimately doesn't say anything since Subaru seems fine with it.

He keeps one of her baby photos in his room.

Kino Sakamaki 🐦‍⬛

Kino is Sofia's older half brother through Karlheinz, though not in the way one would think: Kino was in actuality a creation of Karlheinz's that he abandoned in the town of Rotigenberg. When the dark haired young man tried to take over the Sakamaki family, but failed, Sofia vouched for him and pleaded with her mother and brothers to at least give him a chance to redeem himself. This is basically the scene between Charlie and Sir Pentious from Hazbin Hotel episode 2 "Radio Killed the Video Star".

Kino did his very best to hate Sofia when he first met her due to her being half vampire. This lasted for barely two minutes as her kindness ultimately won him over.

While he liked Sofia, Kino was still jealous that the young vampire had a family that loved and cared for her, while he had nothing growing up. Though he'd try to keep in mind that she'd just a child that didn't have anything to do with his past, and was always nice to him. She's the reason why their brothers are even tolerating him.

After a few weeks, Kino became close with Sofia since she helped him get acclimated with his new home. She even helped Kino with decorating his room.

Like Ayato and Kanato, Kino tries to make himself Sofia's favorite brother.

Kino is a little scared of Sofia's hellhound Howl, since the dog growls at him and has tried to bite him if he gets too close to him and Sofia.

Kino likes having movie nights with Sofia.

One time, Kino tried watching a scary movie with Sofia thinking she could handle it. She couldn't and was too scared to sleep by herself, so she'd sneak into Kino's room and sleep in his bed for comfort. He'd be thoroughly chewed out by the others when they found out about it later.

He likes playing video games with her during their spare time.

Richter Sakamaki 🗡️

Richter's relationship with Sofia is practically nonexistent. This is due to his constant travels around the world and because he doesn't really care for her, as she's the child of the brother he hates and the woman he obsesses over to this day.

Due to the older vampire still having feelings for Sofia's mother, Richter believes that Sofia shouldn't be here, and that Angelica should have been married to him and give birth to his baby.

Sofia doesn't know how to feel about her uncle, while her mother and brothers clearly don't like him for their own reasons, Sofia at least tries to be nice to him whenever he visits the mansion, though her shyness tends to get in the way.

One time when Richter visited just before Yui's arrival, she tried to offer him a drink of water, and he refused, saying that he was fine. Her brother Laito reassured Sofia that he was probably just tired from his travels and not to worry about it.

When Sofia tries to ask her mother or father what Richter is like, both of them tell her different things:

"Your uncle? Oh, you mean Richter. Stay away from him, dear. Your uncle is a bit of an odd one." -Karlheinz.

"Your uncle? Oh, you mean the one with cloven hooves and the little rat claws." - Angelica.

When Sofia learns about Richter's plans to become the next head of the family and with her mother, Sofia's own hatred for him began to grow.

Cordelia, Beatrix, and Christa 💔

For Cordelia, Sofia wasn't really her biggest fan (to put it kindly). Due to her young age, Sofia wasn't aware of everything that Cordelia did to the triplets, but she knew just enough to know that their mother was a terrible woman. This had started when Sofia, at six years old, wandered around the mansion and came across a locked up room she had never seen before: her brothers and mother would keep her away from that specific area of the house. When she asked about the locked door, the triplets and Angelica knew that she was too young to know all the details, so they told her a simplified version of what she was like. So when Cordelia was resurrected in Yui's body because she possessed her heart, Sofia became worried for her friend and helped Reiji with making a potion to expel Cordelia's soul from Yui's body. Sofia is also unaware that Cordelia tried to poison her and her mother when she was still in the womb, since everyone agreed that would have been too much for her to handle.

For Beatrix, Sofia, while she didn't hate her like she does with Cordelia, disliked that Beatrix seemed to have been too strict with Shu and neglectful of Reiji from what she heard about her. She does wish that Beatrix had lived long enough to make up with her sons and have a better relationship with them.

For Christa, Sofia doesn't really know much about them since Subaru and Angelica don't talk about them much. For a while, Sofia thought that Christa was dead, and that's the reason why her mother and brother don't talk about her. However, one day when she and her mother were visiting her father in his castle, Sofia heard the sound of a woman crying. Concerned, Sofia had followed where the sound was coming from, which led to a metal door that was unlocked and a spiral staircase. Sofia walked up the staircase and when she reached the top, found a sobbing woman with white hair and a white dress, Christa, in a cell. When Sofia tried to ask her what was wrong and if she needed help, Christa mistook her for Angelica due to her near identical resemblance to her old friend. When she asked Sofia how things with Subaru were doing and if she left that "terrible man" yet, Sofia had no idea how to answer her, except with that Subaru was doing fairly well. When Sofia tried to ask her for her name and who the "terrible man" was, one of Christa's episodes began to take place, and worried for "Angelica's" safety, told her to go before she gets hurt. Even though she didn't want to leave her alone, Sofia did as she was told and ran down the staircase, making sure to close the door behind her. When Sofia's mother and father found her and asked what was wrong since she seemed shaken up, Sofia didn't say anything about her meeting Christa. She simply told them that she thought she saw a sad ghost woman and got frightened. While her parents knew that she wasn't being honest, they didn't push her for answers since she seemed like she didn't want to talk about it.

Anselm | Akira Amor-Sakamaki 🩸

Akira is the older brother that Sofia never got the chance to meet. He was killed by a vampire hunter long before she was born.

Because of how close her brothers were with Akira, Sofia tends to ask them what he was like when he was alive.

She feels a little jealous that her brothers got to know him and she didn't.

Whenever she sees his portrait, Sofia feels a bit of sadness. Though she wonders how this can be if she never met the man to begin with.

However, during her stay/imprisonment at the Tsukinami castle, Sofia had made friends with a familiar/follower of Carla and Shin, an amnesiac young man, who wore a cloak and mask, that went by the name of "Anselm".

Anselm knew that Sofia was the Tsukinami brothers' prisoner, and that all she wanted was to go home and be with her family again. But he wasn't allowed to disobey their orders, so Anselm tried to at least make Sofia's stay as comfortable as possible until Carla and Shin changed their minds and let her go.

Anselm was the one to make Sofia's meals and get her to reveal information about Karlheinz that the Tsukinamis could use against him.

Sofia liked Anselm, as he was the only one that wasn't scary to her originally.

He'd read to her every day in an attempt to comfort her so she could sleep.

When Sofia asked him, knowing of his condition, if he any potential memories of the people who cared about him, Anselm told her that all he could remember was the moment of his original death: where he protected a woman he assumed to be his mother from an attack by some kind of demon hunter. The attack left him with a scar on his face, and his resurrection had somehow erased his the important memories of his past. Sofia could tell that this upset him, so she gave him some space afterwards.

The two became close to the point where they came off as an older brother and a younger sister.

When Akira had finally regained his memories, he tearfully reunited with his mother and brothers, and had properly introduced himself to Sofia, who was overwhelmed with so much emotion that she ended up crying.

He does think it's a little funny that Sofia gets jealous that he has their mother's eyes and she doesn't.

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This took a lot of work. Which part of this was your favorite? And in case any of you were wondering, Akira's picture was made with this picrew that I found.

[strawberrypinky]

get to know me tag! ❦

thanks for the tags @legacygirlingreen and @nyda-the-tav - i'm making this my own post now and restarting the chain, if you will/combining the two lol 😝💕

❦

Last song: "thanK you aIMee" by Taylor Swift 🎼but when i count the scars there's a moment of truth, that there wouldn't be this if there hadn't been you 🎼

Last movie: love actually. Yes, I know this is a Christmas movie, but I'm in the middle of preparing for all my final project submissions and I just needed some fluffly, cliché comfort. Besides, the weather has been so atrocious it might as well be the middle of October where I am.

Currently playing: BG3, if I've got the time. Can't wait for Patch 7 though, when I'll inevitability do my Atrocities Only™️ run!

Currently reading: Aside from endless material on budgeting, sales reports and financial statements lmfao? "Before the Coffee Gets Cold" by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. 10/10 would recommend thus far!

Currently craving: A Ceasar Salad Wrap with a small side of fries and ice tea. Though recently I've also been craving a certain Pain Au Chocolat I had in Paris last year and I'm not joking when I say that thing was life-changing.

Last thing you searched for writing purposes: Church of Bane and food and wine in the Forgotten Realms.

Favourite colour: This is going to be a huge surprise but - pink *gasp*. Shocker, am I right? Aisde from pink I love ivory and periwinkle, though recently I have also loved sage green.

Coffee or Tea? TEA. Tea ALL 👏🏻THE 👏🏻WAY👏🏻. I am the most stereotypical (half-)British woman you will ever meet. I drink tea like it's nobody's business, starting my morning with a nice cuppa of builder's brew (for my non-English lovelies: that's a strong cup of English Breakfast, with very little milk) and usually continuing on with whatever suits my fancy. I love tea. Fun fact: I cannot tolerate the caffeine in coffee (or any caffeinated drinks for that matter) anyways. I don't have that same issue with tea though.

Favourite Animal: Horses! I am a certified horse girl and have been an equestrian for nearly twenty years. I think I might have actually rode horses before I could properly walk. I used to be a competitive dressage rider too, but I have since left competitions behind me. Either way, I still love horses and spending time with them. It brings me peace and comfort in ways I can't explain.

Other than that I love poodles, but that's because I have a small toy poodle and he's my entire world.

Tagging: @gufu-vire @avani-telvanni @taveliara-as-in-tav @winterhartarts @heyitszev @jonquil

[stormbreaker101]

ASKING YOU ABOUT THE NOTHING IN YOUR AU 🫵

YEEHAW

SO!

In Corrupted Spiral, canon basically "breaks" before Arc 4 can begin. My wizard, Nora, left the Spiral before getting the invitation to the Schism Summit in Karamelle. Which means the Nothing has absolutely no reason to go to Karamelle either. And because Nora left the Spiral, the Nothing can't exactly follow.

So, the Nothing and the Old One remain completely separate, and it never gains the desire to seek Lemuria. The world stays forgotten and hidden for a few more years, and when Lemuria eventually IS released, the Nothing isn't involved at all. So, the Nothing never becomes Dasein, and the World Synthesizer never makes Novus happen either. Wallaru exists, of course, but there's no Walkabout in it because NEITHER Nora nor "Dasein" are present.

But enough of what doesn't happen. Time for what happens INSTEAD.

After fleeing the Spiral, eventually Nora comes around and realizes that the Spiral is her home, and she misses it dearly (and also she should... clean up the consequences of her leaving). But during her time outside the Spiral, she gained the attention of a second cosmic entity/force/plane of existence, the Abyss (not related to the Novus sidequest boss). The Abyss is a realm of hunger, strength, brutality, and one-way transformation, and is kinda close to how people in the Spiral assumed the Nothing would be in canon: a void that just consumes and destroys.

The Abyss catches up to Nora and drags her down into it, and the Nothing finally sees a chance to reach out to Nora, the "Everything" in its metaphorical eyes. It can't glomp her despite its instinct wanting to, so instead it mimics her appearance and consumes her phone. Now, instead of just having the Old One's memory as in canon, it has ALL OF THE INTERNET (that I as its writer can access) at its disposal. A massive array of information, but not the ability to do anything with it. That takes things like reason and wisdom, which it doesn't have.

When Nora finally awakens, the Nothing 1) hits her with the "Hey, you, you're finally awake" from Skyrim and 2) joins her quest to get out of the Abyss and back to the Spiral. The journey through the Abyss serves as the Nothing's Lemuria, where it learns about things like danger and teamwork and wisdom and personhood.

It even gets a name of its own in the Abyss! After hearing Nora's discomfort with being called "Scion", the Nothing's like "oh can I have that name? That way if people try to call you that, they're just talking to me instead." Nora responds that "names and titles don't really work like that... but sure. Why not. Knock yourself out." And The name of Scion slowly warps over time to its current name, Kiyom. (Fun fact: I derived the name Kiyom from the word קיום in Hebrew, which like dasein in German means "existence".)

And Kiyom quite likes being Kiyom. It's not what it's "supposed to be" in canon (which it can read because of the Wizard101central wiki), but... that's the whole point. The Spiral is Corrupted, things can change! Including the Nothing. Including Kiyom.

in other words yippee transfemininity

[weaselgirl]

Chapter 4 is up and it's probably my favourite one. So if you were thinking, when's the best time to read it? It's now!

A Matter Of Chance (19395 words) by Weaselgirl1988 Chapters: 4/12 Fandom: Dungeons and Daddies (Podcast) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Nick Close | Nicholas Foster/Lark Oak Characters: Nick Close | Nicholas Foster, Lark Oak, Glenn Close (Dungeons and Daddies), Taylor Swift (Dungeons and Daddies), Sparrow Oak Additional Tags: Name a character they are probably here somewhere, Marriage of Convenience, Fake Marriage, AU No forgotten realms, canon typical generational trauma, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Eventual Smut, ex friends to husbands to lovers, Slow Burn, Nick has no idea what is going on, But this is not new for him, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Grief/Mourning Summary: “So what you have told me is you live alone in a rented studio, with no permanent income, no social support network and that you were out of Taylor’s life for nearly 3 years while you were ‘finding yourself’. You have never paid child support even though he lives with his mother, who is in permanent work with a long term partner in a home she owns outright. We haven’t even looked at any criminal history or drug use- I know it’s legal now, but have you ever done it around Taylor? That’s what I thought. If I was a family lawyer- and I definitely am not- I would want to be paid upfront, because this would be over very quickly.”   Nick's life was not going exactly to plan, despite his "best" efforts. When his ex-wife Cassandra gets in to a new relationship, she throws another spanner in to works already pretty full of spanners. Out of other ideas and other options, Nick is forced to consider an offer from some old friends he would rather not have spoken to at all. In order to maintain his family, he's going to have to move past some old grudges and let some people in.

[gerec]

Hi! Since you do fic recs: Do you happen to have a good list of sword & sorcery or fantasy style Cherik aus? I prefer less dark and hopeless but I’m open to anything! Thank you! I love that you do these.

Thanks for your patience Anon! The fandom has some amazing fantasy fics; I've listed some of my favorites below!!!

Blue Raven and the City of Gold and prequel Swords and Sorcery by Anon on the Kink Meme A Conan the Barbarian AU

terrible with the brightness of gold by brawlingdiscontent

The war is lost.

With the futures of his people and his children at stake, former Crown consort Charles of Normandy awaits the arrival of England's new master, the fearsome Viking warrior, Erik Lehnsherr. (Inspired by 11th century historical events)

The Dragon King's Incubus by Pangea

Hank of House McCoy is the reluctant but determined squire of Ser Sebastian of House Shaw, a noble house that has fallen from grace in recent generations. It’s common knowledge Ser Sebastian is willing to do anything to restore the lost prestige of his surname.

Anything, like crossing miles and miles of wasteland to an abandoned castle, where rumor has it a fair prince is held captive by a beastly dragon.

Letters for His Majesty by motleystitches (furius)

When Charles the Gentle, King of Westchester, was nineteen years old, he killed a man named Shaw and rescued a boy he gave to the MacTaggerts’ to raise. Twenty years later, he has almost forgotten the incident. With a wife he loves as a sister, no heir, and a war going badly, Charles falls quickly and inappropriately in love with the knight Erik Lehnsherr.

All the King's Man by Pookaseraph

In an effort to get out from under the thumb of his step-father, Charles chooses to become a courtesan for several minor nobles in King Erik's court. It is not long before he attracts the eye of the young king, and the Cardinal who holds the young king's ear. Charles spends months working to secure his place as King Erik's favorite and to regain his father's title of Merchant Prince. Charles hopes to disprove the old adage that once you enter the king's bed, you have nowhere to go but down.

Winter Comes With a Knife by RedStockings

It apparently came to no one’s surprise that the war-mage Erik Lehnsherr took up residence in the Dark Keep. I knew he was going to choose my sister, Raven, to be his apprentice so why wouldn’t he let me go? What did he want from me?

My name is Charles Xavier, I can read minds and use magic. I’ve met Kings and Queens, mages and magic users. I’ve travelled through lay-lines and jumped through the Dark Void… but none of that really matters.

I am leading an army into war, I am scared and I never wanted this. I’ve come to realise that what I want, rode into my life when I was still a child. Now he’s out there, ready to charge into battle. Ready to die for me.

The Seventh Tree by Clocks, RaelynnMarie

Erik has served Shaw, ruler of the desert kingdom Genosha, for years as one of his Elite Knights. His life of unquestioning obedience changes when he meets a man in the strangest of circumstances who is not at all what he seems.

The Waste Land by nekosmuse

The White Queen and her Shadow King sit on their throne, safe behind the psionic shields of the Walled City. The armies of Genosha batter uselessly at the gates, a war locked in stalemate. Magneto, camped in the frozen mud, receives word the Citadel intends to send a telepath to the front lines. The same telepath he met two years ago, who sat across a carved wooden chess set and offered Magneto the first friendly smile in a lifetime. The same telepath who still haunts his dreams.

i've been waiting all night for you by jasminetea

As a young boy, Charles once enjoyed his visits to the Dragon King Erik's hearth. Now a young man, he isn't sure what he feels when he enters the hearth once again, this time as the Dragon King's bride.

Show Us the Sky by Pangea 

Erik has been away on duty for five months, protecting the realm as a dragon rider. Now he's finally on leave and he has a special present for Charles, who waits for him back in their home village.

Pale Night (Caught Remix) by ikeracity

Charles is an omega prince promised to a faraway king. Erik is an alpha, and a lowborn squire.

This could only ever end in disaster.

In Your Honor by Black_Betty (first of a series)

All his life Erik had fought to overcome the loss of his mother, and his meager beginnings. He had fought for food, for survival, for blood and vengeance, for honor and respect. He had fought for the heart of one boy, and he had given away his own in return. He knew how to fight.

He was entered in the Tournament.

And he was going to win.

A Flight of Dragons by keire_ke

Moira skidded on the ice, slid down the slanted slope on her arse and came up panting, surrounded by a circle of glowing eyes and gleaming teeth.

Dragons.

Love Like Winter by garnettrees (WIP)

"Once, when all the world was green and young, there lived two very different little boys..."

Now these boys have grown, thrust onto a political battlefield filled with long-held grudges and secret motives. Charles has spent the majority of his adult life studying and teaching the finer points of spell casting.

Erik... Erik fights for what is his.

Ritual Self-Torture by TurtleTotem

For the following prompt: Shaw is King, Charles is his royal consort and Erik is a Knight/Lord. Shaw is sterile but his kingdom can't find out, so he asks Erik to impregnate Charles.

He doesn't know Erik and Charles are in love.

King and Lionheart by ikeracity (WIP)

Erik, captain of the king's elite fighting force, returns home from a campaign in the north to find that the king has taken a new concubine, Charles Xavier, son of one of the princes of the realm. As a reward for his victories in the north, King Shaw gifts Charles to Erik for the night. Little does he know that this night will form a bond between Charles and Erik strong enough to shatter Shaw's throne—if they survive long enough to bring their plans to fruition.

The Genoshan Prince by flightinflame (series)

Westchester has fallen to Genosha, and the Genoshan ruler, Erik Lehnsherr, demands that the mutants from the kingdom are handed over to him. Neither he nor Charles ever expect to fall for each other. When they do, it changes both their lives, and the fates of their people.

home as a borderless metaphor by specficslut (homosociality) (series)

Erik has been traded to a foreign king for a chest of gold and a hundred bushels of grain. In Westchester, he must learn to start a new life... and navigate the roles that have been thrust upon him, whether concubine or courtesan, consort or slave.

grasps the empty sky by Ireliss

Charles Xavier is sent to slay a dragon. He ends up rescuing a wounded man instead — he knows Erik Lehnsherr from somewhere, he's sure of it, but between Charles' wavering control over his powers and the secrets Erik clutches tightly against his chest, this mission is quickly spiraling into a fine mess...

haunted by the ghost of you (remix of i had all and then most, some and now none of you) by faerie_ground

Every generation, the eldest heirs of the Lehnsherr and Xavier families fight in battle after the death of the current king, the victor becoming the new king. It is tradition, but tradition never accounts for love.

the white knight is the king’s shadow by ninemoons42

Warrior-Prince Erik has suffered a string of defeats and is well on his way to heading home in disgrace. As he drags the shattered remnants of his battle group onwards, his path crosses that of a powerful, untrained outcast of a magic-user - and Erik quickly learns that there are no accidents in life.

Especially not in his life.

Beyond Measure by jasminetea

The tale of a King and his loyal Knight, told in threes as all such tales are.

Coup by Anon on the Kink Meme

Alpha King Charles takes Omega General Erik prisoner .

-----

And some fics by Yours Truly for your consideration!

What Night Brings the Dawn by Gerec

High Lord Xavier's duty is clear - he must execute the greatest enemy of his Order, to ensure lasting peace for the troubled kingdom of Genosha. But the Divine of Eternal Night is both adversary and bondmate, and the ties that bind are not so easily broken...

Tribute to the Horde by Gerec

Kurt Marko offers omega!Charles as tribute to the Genoshan Chieftain Erik Lehnsherr, to stave off the great mutant horde that has amassed outside the capital of Westchester. The Genoshans are a fierce, nomadic people with very different traditions, including a public bonding ceremony where Charles must mate not only with the Chieftain, but also with his most trusted generals...

Gods or Mortals by Gerec (WIP) Excerpt from 'The Life and Times of King Charles the Third', volume XI of the 'Histories of Westchester':

They say that his birth was foretold by the Great Seer of this Age, an omega child born unto the House of Xavier and most beloved of the gods. Powerful amongst the Gifted Ones the child will grow to rule a kingdom mighty and vast, a legacy of dominion over land and sea. That he will be beautiful beyond mortal countenance and desired by all who see his face. Empires will fall by his command and kings by his design; the world torn asunder by war and then made new from its ashes.

These are the words that herald the arrival of Charles Francis Xavier, 124th of the line of Xavier and heir to the throne of Westchester.

This is his story.