#he knows he should let her walk away but he finds excuses to accompany her | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

cherriegyuu · 3 months ago

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asellus australis | jww | part 1

pairing: wonwoo x f!reader genre: fluff, romance, idiots to lovers word count: 6k summary: Wonwoo couldn’t possibly be the only person living in Sydney who didn’t know how to swim, so he reluctantly says yes to the lessons his friends signed him up for. When he learns that you are his instructor, he figures learning how to swim as an adult isn’t all that embarrassing after all warnings: fear of water, mentions of drowning a/n: this is part of the @svthub 2024 world tour collab. please head there to check out other fics under this collab. if you enjoyed reading, please reblog and leave a comment, it really does mean the world to me and i would love to know your thoughts. thank you! 💕

It was the kids' laughter that brought your mind out of its newest daydream. It was hard to keep yourself focused on what was happening right in front of you rather than on what had already happened. It was a new feeling and so completely out of character for you.

A couple of weeks had gone by since you attended a certain party, one you didn’t want to go to. You were too tired from the week and there was a little hint of emotional exhaustion to put yourself through a situation where everything would eventually turn out to be too much.

It had been so easy to find a quiet place further in at the back, away from all the people and their noisiness. There was only so much music and chatter you could block out just by standing away though.

You sipped your drink, something sweet and fruity Kira had gotten you before drifting off to wherever she wanted to go. It was somewhat frustrating to have gone there because of her and having her pull away from you the second you got there. But at the same time, you understood why she did it. Whoever her new crush was, he was at the party, which meant that she saw an opportunity. Kira was never one to be at a party by herself, and unfortunately, Nina had a better excuse to not be there than “I’m tired”, so you had to be the one to tag along. Though it wasn’t entirely too bad, it was a little boring.

And then he showed up.

You had never seen him before, which considering that you didn’t know a single person at the party wasn’t surprising at all. You knew Kira and maybe a couple of others in passing. You made a mental note to ask her how she found out at that party.

There was no way for you to look away from him. It was like there was this spotlight on him, just on him, making everyone else around pale.

Somehow he had ended up by your side, claiming to also be running away from his friends and the noise.

“This isn’t really my scene,” he said “I don’t even know how they managed to drag me out here, to be honest”

You blushed a little when he looked at you, a smile wide on his face. It was enough to make your heart skip a beat.

“I’m Wonwoo”, his hand stretched out while his left one adjusted the glasses in his nose.

“Hi”

You let your hand be wrapped by his. You had never felt quite that shy before while meeting someone. Usually, you were the talkative one.

“I wasn’t supposed to come out tonight” you admitted “but I’m kind of glad I did”

Was that possibly crossing a line? You weren’t sure, it probably was but early that morning you read that you should be more open to relationships in whichever format they came from, the reason why you didn’t even try to stop Kira from dragging to the party.

A long time had gone by since you felt anything similar while talking to someone — especially since using the word talking seemed to be a little much considering you had barely exchanged a few words. Wonwoo had your undivided attention from the moment he walked in.

Wonwoo simply smiled at you again and looked up at the sky. The sun had long set and in its place the most beautiful full moon lit up the sky, accompanied by the countless shining stars.

“There’s so many stars tonight,” you said and almost kicked yourself for it.

It was probably the worst way you could have started a conversation with a guy. You half expected him to answer you at all, a nod or a hm, at best.

“Did you know,” his words were almost shy, his delicious low voice dropping even lower, almost as if he was telling you a secret “that the stars have colors?”

His voice was so quiet while he spoke, his eyes still focused on the sky above. Wonwoo clasped his hands together, his knuckles turning white while he put way too much strength into something that needed none.

“Really?” you looked up for a second before turning your full attention back to his profile “I thought it was just some sort of optical illusion”

He turned to you then, his full attention on you as you waited for him to speak again. It was an odd feeling, for him to have someone interested in whatever he was saying.

“Yeah, there’s a few. Blue, white, yellow, orange, and red” he made a fist between the two of you, raising a finger every time he said a different color “The color depends on the temperature and life cycle”

Maybe you didn’t mean to, or perhaps you did, but you leaned your body a little to the left, your knee touching his.

“I had no idea”

He looked at you, slightly surprised that you were suddenly so close to him but smiled at you all the same.

“You can’t see the colors when you look at the sky?” his eyebrows were slightly raised, lips in a mix of a pout and a smile.

You pulled your bottom lip in between your teeth in hopes that it could make you stop from inching forward and pressing them against his. If you were in his place you’d probably run away screaming “crazy” at the top of your lungs”

“I mean, I can, I just didn't think the star had actual colors. I guess I just always assumed it was all silver”

Wonwoo laughed, his nose wrinkling in the most adorable way possible.

You were talking with him for a couple of hours, the most casual kind of conversation and it was probably the most fun you had in a long time at one of those parties. Not that you didn’t have fun. Nina and Kira were always fun to be around and it was something you always said yes to, being around them. But with Wonwoo it was just a different kind of fun. Usually, when guys approach you at parties the conversations always remain the same, and it was always made to make them look larger than life.

Wonwoo however seemed to be much more interested in talking about the sky and the moon and the stars — “did you know that the moon moves away further from the earth every year? — and while you were aware that some of it was just to prove himself as smart, you found it cute and at times, even endearing.

He seemed somewhat passionate about what he was talking about to the point where you could just stand there and look at him without ever getting bored. His voice, low when he had first sat by your side, had gone up a few notes, maybe partially because of the music around you, but you had a feeling that it was because he was just getting excited about what he was talking about.

“I never saw you before at one of these,” you said

Wonwoo took a long sip of his drink, you weren’t sure of what it was but it wasn’t the cheap beer that was in your cup.

“I don’t come to these often, my friends” he pointed at where the rest of the people were and you had no real way of finding out who his friends were “finally managed to drag me out. I would have stayed at the office if they didn’t”

It was a redo of the conversation you had before but you didn’t mind in the least, not when you could feel his warm breath at the top of your cheeks as he leaned down to talk to you. Slightly, you turn your head to him and for a moment you thought about just typing your head up slightly, just enough to reach his lips.

“What do you do for a living?”

Wonwoo cleared his throat, his eyes moving from your eyes to your lips. He did that maybe a couple of times before he finally, finally, leaned in. And it was like little bells of you started to play inside your head. It was perfect for all of two seconds, his lips pressed over yours, soft and warm, his hand at the back of your neck pulling your face closer to his before someone screamed your name at the top of their lungs.

He pulled away from you immediately and you honestly wanted to cry. The kiss had only lasted a brief second but you didn’t want it to end.

Kira was suddenly by your side, a look of complete desperation in her eyes.

“We have to go… Nina…”

Before she even finished her sentence you were already up. You looked at Wonwoo quickly, hoping that he could see how sorry you were when you ran out.

Looking back you wished you could have remembered to ask for his number before you left, or for him to ask for yours. But all of it had happened way too quickly that it had never crossed.

Ever since that night had been stuck in your mind, you couldn’t stop thinking about Wonwoo or the kiss. It was like your mind was in this infinite looping playing that one moment.

“The new guy is here,” Jinah said, Laughing a little.

You looked where she was pointing and couldn't help the low laugh that escaped your lips. Three guys were walking towards you. Maybe walking was a bit too strong a word, one of them was being pushed by the other two.

“We're already here,” the shorter one said, exasperated “You just have to go there and learn”

“You know, this is a terrible idea” the one who was being pushed said.

It was as if you had been transported back to that day at the party. It was precisely the voice you wanted to hear but had no real way of hearing.

“Wonwoo?”

Your voice was one that Wonwoo didn't expect to hear any time soon, or maybe ever again. After that day when he left the party in a hurry, without giving the slightest explanation, Wonwoo was sure he would never see you again. Sydney was far from a small town and he wasn't the biggest party-goer who had ever set foot on this earth, he knew that the chances of running into you again were slim to none.

But somehow, you were right there in front of him.

He had thought many times about what he would say if he saw you again if he was that lucky. Everything that had gone through his head had seemed wrong and now that you were in a place where he could see you, nothing came to mind. It was as if he had momentarily forgotten all the words he had learned throughout his life. That all the years he had spent trapped in an educational institution hadn't taught him anything.

Ever since that night, Wonwoo couldn't stop thinking about you. It didn’t matter what he did, however, he tried to think of other things or other people and focus on work. You were always there, in the back of his mind. He had never done anything quite like that before.

That wasn’t to say that he had never had a girlfriend. He had, a few of them throughout his life but it never happened quite that fast and it was never quite life-altering. Sure, he had met a girl once at one of the many events he attended as part of his job and she had stayed in his mind for a couple of hours, but never days like it happened with you.

And when he started to babble about the moon and the stars, because he had gotten nervous, you didn’t seem to mind. Instead, you gave him your full attention, seemingly inserted in what he was saying. But then suddenly you were gone and he didn’t even have the chance to ask for your number or anything that he could use to find you again.

Wonwoo had been certain that you would, somehow, be the one who got away and yet there you were, in shorts and a black swimsuit with the logo he saw outside.

He hated the word destiny, but maybe there was some of it sprinkled in seeing you again.

“Hi!”

Wonwoo’s voice came out a little louder than usual, making his friends turn to him with furrowed eyebrows. Soonyoung looked utterly confused while Jihoon just did his best to suppress the laugh that was bubbling inside his chest.

“I didn’t think I’d see you again,” you said, smiling brightly at him.

Wonwoo was completely caught off guard when you took a step forward and wrapped your arms around his shoulder. It only lasted a second and it wasn’t enough for him to react and hug you back.

Your cheeks had a light pink on them as you stepped back. He smiled once he noticed that your hand was balled into fists.

“Sorry, my mom is a hugger so I just sort of hug people sometimes” you were quick to explain, waving your hands in front of yourself.

You closed your eyes tightly, your cheeks getting even redder. Wonwoo thought that you looked cute that night at the party, but this version in front of him was much cuter. He pressed his lips together, trying not to smile too big.

“Do I get a hug too?”

Soonyoung took a step forward, arms wide open, smile so big that Wonwoo wasn’t even sure his friend could see anything at all. Thankfully Jihoon was quick enough to pull him back and angry enough to hit him in the back of the head.

“No…”

You took another step back and raised your index finger at him. Your reaction alone was enough to pull an honest laugh out of Wonwoo. You seemed horrified by the idea which made him think that your earlier allegation of being a hugger was probably a lie.

“How dense are you?” Jihoon whispered and shouted at Soonyoung.

You lightly shook your head, maybe trying to shake off any sort of dizziness, before smiling again.

“Which one of you is the one taking lessons?”

In the queue, Wonwoo felt two sets of hands at his back, pushing him forward. Both of his friends were holding back giggles.

He had hated the idea of taking swimming lessons as an adult. His friends were irreducible in his learning though so he eventually just caved and did as they wanted. However, all of the cells in his body that were against it dissolved the second he saw you. Now, learning didn’t seem all that bad or all that weird.

“Great! I need you to follow me to the back if that’s okay?” you pointed over your shoulder with your thumb “You need to fill out a form before we can get started”

Wonwoo nodded and followed you. He was naive enough to look back at his friends once and he was glad that you didn’t do the same. Jihoon was giving him a thumbs up, a weird-looking smile on his face, while Soonyoung would be screaming if he could, if not for the hand covering his mouth.

He loved his friends, he really did, they were one of the reasons why Wonwoo even had any kind of social life, and they were there for him whenever he needed them, even if he just wanted to complain about something — Soonyoung was especially good at hating someone he had never met before just because Wonwoo complained once about said, person.

In silence, he followed you to the back, eyes focused on your back. He had to force his eyes to stay on the back of your neck and not on the way your hips swayed deliciously from side to side while you walked.

You sat down on one of the tables and smiled sweetly at the receptionist who handed you a sheet and a pen. You slid the paper across to Wonwoo, followed by the pen.

“While you fill that out, I’m going to ask you a couple of questions”

Wonwoo was never that great at multitasking, so he was sure that he would either write his information down or he would talk with you. If he did do two things at once, most likely both of them would be half-assed.

“Why are you taking swimming lessons?”

He paused writing and looked at you. It made sense that that was your first question, he would just like it if it wasn’t on the list.

“I don’t know how to swim, so my friends thought that it was good a idea to sign me up for lessons”

You smiled and nodded at him, not a hint of judgment in your eyes. It was new. When he told people that he didn’t know how to swim people usually looked at him like he had four sets of arms, it was almost like the look one got when one heard that they could ride a bike.

“Can you float on your back?”

He simply shook his head and kept writing his information down. It didn’t go unnoticed to Wonwoo how you pursed your lips together and tilted your head to the side.

“Do you feel comfortable in the water at all?” you asked, slightly confused.

Wonwoo set down the paper and pen, now fully looking at you. He wanted to avoid the conversation, yes, but he knew if there was one place he had to be honest, it was there, with you.

“I’m not the biggest fan of water,” he said, voice low matching how his eyes were kept on the table the entire time.

When Wonwoo was a kid, while on a trip to the beach with his parents, he was playing in the water when a wave forcefully took him away. He had tried to scream for help but instead of pushing his voice out, all he did was pull water into his lungs. According to his parents, the moment didn’t last for more than a few seconds but it was enough for him to never want to do anything with the water again.

It wasn’t a problem to be at a pool, like the one he was in, as long as his feet could touch the floor and he had enough space between where the water ended and his head. But he had never been to the beach again. Not that his friends hadn’t tried to convince him to go to the beach, just to feel the sand between his toes, they never even mentioned the idea of getting in the water. But Wonwoo refused every single time.

Why would he go to a place that only brought him bad memories when he could simply pretend that synch place didn’t even exist in the first place? Of course, living in Sydney posed as a minor problem to that plan, but it had never stopped him before.

And yet, somehow, he found himself in front of you, asking for swimming lessons. The fact that it was you made him somehow calmer if such a thing was even possible.

“Can you get into the water or is that something we need to work on?” Wonwoo looked up at you, eyebrows furrowed “Some people come here and they have a rough time getting into the water, so it’s something we have to work slowly on. Is that the case with you?”

“Oh, no” he shook his head “I can get into the water just fine”

You smiled at him while you looked at his information. Wonwoo felt his insides twist a little when your smile slowly dropped.

“Is everything okay?”

Your eyes left the paper for a second and you smiled again.

“Everything is fine” you put the paper on the table again, now fully ignoring it “Should we get started?”

“He is a cancer!” you wailed, dropping your head on the back of the couch.

Of course, it made absolute sense that the most dreamy and perfect guy you had ever met, was a cancer. Of course!

“What is she on about?” Kira asked, making a weird face.

Nina simply sighed and nudged you, placing the wine glass into your hands

“It’s the guy from the party,” you said, sipping the wine “He came in today to take lessons and I saw his birthday. He’s a cancer”

Both of them nodded as if understanding what you were saying, but you knew that they couldn’t care less about it. Between the three of you, you were the only one who cared about star signs. You were always one to simply look into it once and let it go. It usually gives you a way to understand someone better. And while it could just be some harmless fun, you know yourself well enough to know that something you let get a little too much into your head.

And you see, Wonwoo is a cancer, which in itself it’s not a real issue. Cancer men are known to be caring, loyal, and protective, all of which are great treats when you are in a relationship with someone, their groundedness is highly incompatible with Sagittarius women. They usually enjoy their time at home and are more on the introverted side.

“Are you going to treat that as a problem?”

Nina had her eyebrow raised so high you were sure that if she pushed up a little more she’d be able to touch her hairline.

“We are incompatible!” you cried, drinking the rest of the wine.

Both of your friends looked at you, knowing that the conversation would probably lead you to drink a little more than you needed, which in return would cause them problems. Truth be told you weren’t the best drinker out of the three of you. You were the worst of your group, to the point you avoided drinking out, but in the comfort of your home — or this case, Kira’s home — all bets were in and you could be as much of a bad drinking as you wanted to be.

“You can’t let sun signs, moon signs, whatever it’s called, rule your relationship, babe,” Kira said, her voice sounding a lot like the one she usually used on the kids she teaches.

Kira was a kindergarten teacher, a real hero if you knew what one of those looked like

“Remember how you were over the moon after the party? You couldn’t stop talking about him and we all know that if you can’t stop talking, it also means that he was constantly in your mind as well”

Her tone was almost mocking you. The thing is your friends knew you, sometimes, better than you knew yourself.

“Do you remember Ben? He was a cancer” you said trying to prove a point, but knowing fully well that it meant nothing at all. Wonwoo and Ben couldn’t possibly be more different, even just at first glance.

“Ben stole money from your wallet, used your card to his heart’s content, and then fled, making you pay for everything he ever bought. I’m sure Wonwoo is nothing like that”

You narrowed your eyes at her. She was defending Wonwoo a little too much. You knew Kira’s thoughts on your zodiac obsession and she was always quick to shut it down, but this time around, the way she was defending a man she had maybe seen for 5 seconds was a little suspicious.

“I agree with Kira,” Nina said, eyes still on her phone “Ben was a dick but Wonwoo might not be one. You said he was sweet at the party. Sorry I sort of ruined it for you that night”

Your friend smiled at you, her eyes a little sad. Nina had been the reason why Kira pulled you out of the party that night. She had been traveling for work and was in a car accident on the road on her way back to Sydney. She was fine, with no life-threatening wounds, but she was very nervous, understandably so. She was still insecure about being on the road again, but you were sure that she just needed a little more time.

“It’s fine” You wrapped her shoulders with your arms, pulling her closer to you “No boy in the world is more important than you”

Your mind went back to the party and the way you felt that night, how you’d have stayed there the entire night with him unless you were pulled away — which eventually happened. Wonwoo talked about the moon and stars and you were that if he ever told you that he was the one responsible for hanging them up in the sky you would have probably believed him.

“You’re so corny sometimes” She pushed you with her shoulder but made no real attempt to move away from you.

“You love me, so…”

“I guess the swimming lessons are much more interesting now, right?” Soonyoung teased Wonwoo.

Wonwoo simply rolled his eyes and kept his focus on the computer in front of him, making Jihoon snort by his side, which in return only made Soonyoung wine as he sat on the couch in the back of the room. Under normal circumstances, Wonwoo would probably already be home at such an hour but there were things that he needed to do if he wanted to have a truly off weekend. One when he could just focus on the lessons he was bound to have on Saturday.

He was never one to anxiously wait for things, especially when those things had a lot to do with the water and yet there he found himself, wishing that Saturday morning came just a little faster than it usually did.

For him, Saturdays mostly meant trying to come up with reasons as to why he wouldn’t be able to go somewhere with his friends. That was mostly Soonyoung, to be fair. His friend enjoyed being out and about, going to new places, and having new experiences. From time to time Wonwoo did too, but he liked his time alone time a little too much when it was just him and his stars.

“It pains me to say this” Jihoon said with a sigh, almost as if he didn’t believe those words were coming out of his mouth “I agree with him. It looks a lot of fun now”

Jihoon and Soonyoung were a weird duo, that was for sure. They spent half of the time bickering like old men who have nothing else to do and the other half they were either in agreement or just pretending that the other didntdidn'tt. Somehow, it worked.

“I mean” Jihoon continued “She’s the girl from the party”

Wonwoo turned around in his chair, giving Jihoon a look with eyes wide. There was a reason why he didn’t mention you to Soonyoung, and it was quite simple: he would never hear the end of it and Soonyoung would, at the very least, contact every single person he knew at the party and ask if they knew you. His friend would stop until he found you and though seeing you again was something that he wanted, Wonwoo didn’t want to come across as someone who was desperate and maybe a little bit of a stalker.

“What girl?”

He let his body slide down on the chair and closed his eyes. Wonwoo would never hear the end of it now with Soonyoung.

“The party we managed to drag him to a couple of weeks ago? He met a girl there and she had to leave before he managed to ask for her number”

Another thing about the Soonyoung and Jihoon duo is that they like to gossip like teenagers. It’s the very stereotypical image of highschoolers whispering to each other in the hallways, except for the fact that they gossip about Wonwoo right in front of his face and there is nothing that he can do to just make them stop, and they haven’t been to a high school hallway in years.

“Why didn’t I know about this?”

“Probably because you were too busy with whatever it is that makes you disappear at parties?”

The two of them exchanged a look and Wonwoo knew that they were talking without ever saying a single word.

“So” Soonyoung turned to him again “you went to a party and talked to this girl”

“Kissed her, actually,” Jihoon said

Soonyoung’s body almost vibrated at the news and he was clapping his hands, making sounds that no human should ever be able to make.

What is the closest emergency exit from here? Wonwoo couldn’t help but wonder.

“This is the greatest day of my life” he laughed hysterically “You went to a party, something that on its own is already very out of character to you, you kissed a girl and now she’s your hot swimming instructor?”

He turned to Jihoon for approval, who simply nodded.

“You should ask her out, she looked interested earlier at the pool”

The image of you looking over his information and your smile slowly dropping came across Wonwoo’s mind and he couldn’t help but think that Soonyoung was wrong. Whatever it was that you say written there, which Wonwoo couldn’t possibly even phantom what it was considering that it was his most basic information, was enough to make you rethink something.

“And she listed to you nerding out and still wanted to kiss you”

His mind drifted back to the night of the party. Wonwoo was certain that if you had stayed for a little longer he would have probably gotten your number and asked you out on the very next day and with some luck you would have said yes and who knew where it would go from there.

“Oh, this just keeps getting better” Soonyoung clapped his hands.

“Again, this is very painful to say but I agree with Soonyoung, you should ask her out”

Wonwoo rolled his eyes. Jihoon talked a big game about not agreeing with Soonyoung but he always did. They were always in the same frequency of decisions and Wonwoo was usually the one who had a different opinion.

“And maybe, who knows, she might have thought about you as much as you thought about her these past few weeks?”

Soonyoung grabbed Jihoon’s arm, his eyes wide with uncontrolled excitement.

There was something different about the way Jihoon said it as if he was in some sort of secret that Wonwoo had no idea about. Of course that was the entire purpose of a secret but it felt different.

“If I promise to think about it, will you” Wonwoo pointed at Soonyoung “stop this weird, whatever it is?”

Surprisingly enough, the pool was mostly empty during the weekends, hence why they usually closed at noon on Saturdays. Parents usually sent their kids during the afternoons and most adults preferred either early mornings or after hours so the weekends were usually pretty low and you’d rather be anywhere else than at work but Saturdays started to look so much better once Wonwoo’s name was written on the board, right under yours.

After the initial minor breakdown

You sat down on the edge of the pool, your feet on the water while you waited for him. With each passing second you grew more anxious, your heart beating rapidly inside your chest in anticipation of what would happen.

A part of you expected it to be just a regular class, with normal small talk. The other part, this one much more hopeful and highly unrealistic, hoped that you could pick up where you left off the night of the party. But the truth was that you had no idea what was about to happen. You were certain that there was a secret third option that you couldn’t see or even think of.

You turned around when there was the distant sound of a door closing and a few seconds later Wonwoo walked in, in black swim shorts and a black t-shirt, a towel on his shoulder. He smiled at you while pushing his glasses back.

For a moment it was like you were back at the party that night and he was all that you could see again. There wasn’t anything or anyone else there but even then the space seemed to disappear.

“Hi,” he offered once he stopped next to you.

“Hey”

You got up and walked to the other side, removing your shorts and folding them over the side of a chair. Wonwoo followed suit, dropping his towel on the chair and then taking off his glasses and shirt. It took everything in you to keep quiet and not just fully ogle him. You almost had to hit your face to make yourself remember how to breathe properly again.

"You ready?" you said without turning to him.

The only answer Wonwoo had to give was a small ruff, in exchange for making you chuckle. Though it was funny, it was not the ideal.

“Listen,” you turned to him, hands on your hips “If you’re uncomfortable we can reschedule or maybe not even do this at all”

Wonwoo looked at you, his eyes going a little soft as he sat down on the edge of the pool, mimicking your early stance. His eyes were focused on the water in front of him, unblinking.

“I’m tall enough that my head will stay above water, right?”

“Yes, you’re good until halfway”

He nodded his head, eyes until in the water. If the situation was any different you’d have cracked a joke or anything else that could somehow lighten up the mood but there was no room for that.

“Let’s just get this over with”

Most of the hour you spent with Wonwoo in the pool was silent. It was mostly you talking and him listening, trying — and failing — to follow your instructions. You tried to crack the occasional small talk, but he was having none of it. You couldn’t help but wonder if his lack of enthusiasm, or interest, was because he was still uncomfortable or if it was because of how you had acted when he first came by to sign up for lessons.

It took you a few hours, and three glasses of wine, to realize that you had made a face when you saw his birthday written. And it wasn’t a nice face, you were sure you scowled at the paper. Maybe it was that moment you ruined it all between you and Wonwoo. Or maybe, he was just really unhappy.

“Are you okay?” you asked him once again, hand on his shoulder.

You were honestly so worried about him that it was hard to ogle him.

“Yeah, I’m just not a big fan of water, that’s all”

This time you put both of your hands on his shoulder, turning his body fully to you. God, he is too handsome. Forget the whole “too worried to ogle” thing. His chest, his very naked chest, was right in front of your eyes. You were only human, a human that had dreamed of the man in front of her a few too many times and none of them had been pg-13. It was fine to appreciate someone’s beauty.

“Listen to me, you don’t need to do this, okay?”

“This is Sidney,” he said as if that was enough explanation.

The only possible reaction was to roll your eyes at him.

“Who gives a fuck where we are in the globe? Do you go to the beach? The pool? Boats? Loves to be on airplanes who happen to fly across oceans?” when his answer to all of your questions was no you shook his shoulders a little bit “Then you have no reason to learn how to swim. Right now you’re just torturing yourself”

Wonwoo sighed and nodded, but he still looked sort of weird, if you were one to tell considering how little you knew him. You raised your eyebrows at him, hoping that it was enough to get him to talk.

“It’s just…” he seemed to struggle to get the words out “I want to see you again”

This time you didn’t even try to suppress your smile or the butterflies in your stomach.

“You could ask for my number and ask me on a date, you know?”

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again, if you enjoyed reading, please reblog and leave a comment, it really does mean the world to me and i would love to know your thoughts. thank you! 💕

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#svthub #svthub.collab #k-labels #wonwoo x reader #seventeen x reader #wonwoo fluff #wonwoo angst #seventeen fluff #seventeen angst #svt x reader #wonwoo x you #seventeen x you #svt x you #wonwoo imagines #wonwoo scenarios #seventeen imagines #seventeen scenarios #svt imagines #svt scenarios

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nicohischierz · 7 months ago

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reunion for the books: john marino

tagging: @ivy-34, @francesfarhadi, @hzstry8, @cixrosie, @itsnotgray, @estapa94, @trevs-swiftie, @heartz4hischif you want to join the taglist let me know!!

“johnny, i can’t just stay with you,” you reiterated

your boyfriend grumbled on the phone and pouted. you chuckled at his expression and answered your brothers text.

“it’s not like you live in a different apartment building johnny. you guys live on the same floor for goodness sake,” you teased him.

john grumbled a bit more before being called by your youngest brother.

you arrived to new jersey the morning of the devils game against the rangers. jack and luke had driven you from the airport and you caught up with them before they went to the rink.

john saw you as you bid goodbye to your brothers. he smiled and waved, a light blush coating his cheeks as you blew him a kiss.

you too made your way to madison square garden for the game. you adorned a hughes jersey accompanied with a necklace from your boyfriend.

john had thrown you a puck during warm ups under the pretence that you were a fan. your brothers waved and luke continued stick handling beside your boyfriend.

the game hadn’t even lasted a minute before the first fight broke out.

john wasn’t much of a fighter.

and this was proven when he went to fight the rangers player. sure, john held his own for a bit but he went down easily.

your spot next to the penalty box proved useful as you looked at john unimpressed. johnny smiled at you before conversing with his teammates.

they didn’t stay long in the box before they were ejected from the game.

you enjoyed the rest of the game despite the devils loss.

jack had texted you earlier to meet him and luke at the away changing rooms so you walked around like a headless chicken trying to find your way.

you’d finally found the changing room and waited off to a side when john walked out. he grinned and ran over to you, picking you up from the ground.

“oh i’ve missed you so much,” he murmured in your ear.

the second he put you back down, you brought him in for a kiss. however, it was short lived as you heard chatter coming your way.

instead you opted to change your position to a hug. “leave your door open and i’ll be there as soon as my brothers are asleep,” you whispered pulled away.

john gulped hard before turning to his teammates that filled the hallway. jack and luke had trailed behind and hadn’t spotted the two friends reuniting.

that was until dawson opened his mouth “hey, you’re hughesy’s sister!” he pointed out.

luke then pushed past his teammates towards his sister but stopped in front of her and john.

“you two know each other?” he questioned.

you nodded and moved away from john to your younger brother. “oh lukey, you need to stop growing up!” you exclaimed.

jack came up behind the two of you and hugged you in greeting. “how do you know john?” he asked.

“well we went to harvard together and we happened to be in the same class. also because i did some work with the team,” you explained.

the boys let it slide and informed you that john, nico and dawson were coming to their apartment to hang out a bit.

you smiled and nodded along.

the rest of the evening was spent with you sending longing looks to john and excusing yourselves to the kitchen whilst trying to remain under the radar.

“baby, i think we should tell them,” john announced.

you stopped pouring your glass and turned to your boyfriend. “you want to tell my brothers right now?” you asked.

john nodded. “we’ve been dating for three years, i want to be able to take you out on dates and not worry about your brothers finding us sneaking around,” he confessed.

you were about to agree with him when jack barged into the kitchen. “you’ve been saying for three years!”

luke and the rest of the guys followed after. dawson handing the captain some money as he grumbled about his luck.

“i thought quinn was crazy when he said he thought you had a boyfriend!” jack rambled.

“but then when you kept going for our games in boston and penguins games we thought it was cause of your crush on crosby,”

john laughed at the last part, watching as your cheeks turned red. you promptly elbowed your boyfriend “i was like eight,”

john kissed the top of your head and smiled at your brothers.

luke narrowed his eyes at you and john before widening them.

“wait a minute. when duker and i called you last year and he saw someone’s head was that john?” he asked.

the two of you looked at each other and blushed.

“eww,” the two hughes brothers gagged.

john wrapped his arm around your waist and kissed your cheek. “now if you’ll excuse me, my girlfriend and i haven’t seen each other in months,” john excused.

#john marino imagine #hughes sister imagine #nicohischierz writes #nhl imagines #nhl fic

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runnning-outof-time · 9 months ago

Note

Another little request, please don't mind the spam if you don't feel inspired c: <3 "I didn't get your name" + Arthur please!

Thanks so much for sending some extra Arthur in, Shark @call-sign-shark ! I greatly appreciate it! I know I said it before, but it was fun to end this celebration off by showing some love to him…and I wouldn’t be writing for Arthur Shelby if I didn’t add some of his violent self into one of these stories. That’s where I went with this one…trust me, it makes sense…….I think. I hope you like it! Enjoy! :)

Oh and this is the last blurb of this celebration! Thank you to all who read these!! I can’t believe I’ve finally finished writing them!

I’D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! YOUR COMMENTS & REBLOGS HELP ME WRITE!

Part of my 3.5k Celebration — find more stories here!

What A Way to Meet Your Boss

Arthur Shelby x Reader

Warnings: language, series typical violence, use of derogatory name

Word Count: around 1k (I’m too lazy to find the count)

Summary: (Y/N) meets one of her bosses in a rather…unconventional way. Or maybe it’s very conventional considering the company she works for.

(Y/N) had just finished her tasks for the evening. She made sure that all of her materials were put in places where she could quickly find them tomorrow before grabbing her coat and purse. She exited the Shelby Company Limited building then, ready to get home and relax.

But of course, Birmingham had different plans for her.

“Women as pretty as you shouldn’t be walking alone at night,” a man’s voice came from the darkness of the alleyway she’d just passed. (Y/N) willed her feet to keep walking, knowing that things would turn bad if she stopped and entertained this man. Maybe he’d give up.

But it didn’t pan out that way.

Shoes then scuffed on the concrete as his quick steps were heard behind her. “I’m fuckin’ talkin’ to you, bitch,” he sneered. (Y/N) quickened her pace. “Fuckin’ get back here!” His angered words were accompanied by a rough hand, and (Y/N) was left defenceless as the man effortlessly pulled her back and into his grips. Her eyes widened as the man’s forearm came into contact with her throat. “Gonna make you pay for ignoring me,” he seethed, his mouth right against her ear. “How about you make it easy for yourself?”

The man couldn’t follow through on what he was going to do because the next thing he knew, he was getting the wind knocked out of him; his arms falling slack from (Y/N)’s frame. She didn’t even stop to look and see what had happened, instead moving as fast as she could to get away from the altercation just as it sounded like someone started to deliver a barrage of punches onto her assailant.

It didn’t take (Y/N) long to notice that there wasn’t even much of a fight when she did finally turn around. The man who had his arm wrapped around her neck seconds ago was now curled into a ball on the ground as he tried to stop the madman that had come to her rescue. Even she flinched as the second man landed one more vicious punch before standing tall over the beaten man.

“Please, please…please be done,” the man pleaded, his voice and body shaking.

“You should know better than to fuck with the Peaky Blinders,” the man standing above him bellowed, his voice one that (Y/N) was familiar with, but couldn’t quite put the name to.

“I…I didn’t know that she was a Peaky woman, Mr. Shelby,” the man made an excuse, still pleading for his life. He couldn’t tell if the animal of a man standing above him was finished or not. Hell, he should have known better than to choose to hang around this part of town. Who would have known there would have been a Shelby in the area though, let alone the worst out there all?

“Peaky woman or not, you lay another fucking finger on any woman and I’ll fucking cut them off. You understand me?” the Shelby man threatened.

“Yes, yes,” the man on the ground was nodding his head profusely within seconds of hearing the other’s threats…which should really be considered promises.

“Now get the fuck outta here before I decide to do it now.” That was all the man needed to hear to scramble to his feet and hurry away from the area. It was evident in his limp that he’d been beaten pretty badly, but that didn’t stop him from running as fast as he could. The man left behind couldn’t help but chuckle as he watched him leave. When he’d finally turned a corner and was out of sight, the man turned to (Y/N). “You alright?” he asked, making his way over to her then.

“Yeah,” she answered with an exhaled breath. “You came before he could do anything. Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me,” he brushed her gratitude off, shaking his head slightly. His peaked cap had been returned to his head and was now pulled down, shielding his eyes from her, but she couldn’t miss his prominent mustache. “I could walk you home if you want,” he offered.

“I live a block away,” she answered, a polite smile present on her face.

“Safe travels,” he nodded to her, starting to turn back towards the company building the she’d just left.

“I didn’t get your name,” she quickly called after him, the words leaving her mouth before she could think better of them. She knew he was a Shelby man, but she didn’t know which Shelby man he was.

Her voice made the man stop and turn back to face her. “Arthur Shelby,” he answered simply, lifting his head enough for her to catch a glimpse his full features as they were illuminated by the streetlight.

“Thank you, Mr. Shelby,” she thanked him again, sending a grateful smile his way.

“Happy to have ya workin’ for us, love,” he said, sending a closed mouth smile her way before turning again so that he could walk back to the building she’d left a short while ago.

(Y/N) watched him enter the building before she turned and hurried the rest of her way home. She let out a sigh of relief once she was behind her locked door. What a way to meet your boss, she thought to herself, shaking her head as she headed to her bedroom. What a way indeed.

*tags in reblog so that hopefully they get sent out

MASTERLIST

#arthur shelby #arthur shelby x reader #arthur shelby x y/n #arthur shelby x you #arthur shelby blurb #arthur shelby imagine #arthur shelby fanfic #arthur shelby fanfiction #peaky blinders #peaky blinders x reader #peaky blinders x y/n #peaky blinders x you #peaky blinders blurb #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinders fanfiction #peaky blinders fanfic #fanfiction #fanfic #k’s 3.5k celebration

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reartem · 4 months ago

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Day 14

This is actually a continuation to this, so go ahead and read it if you want:

As the night wore on, Anya’s initial thrill gave way to a growing sense of unease. The grand hall, with its ornate chandeliers and swirling gowns, seemed to close in around her. She realized the gravity of her deception. If discovered, the repercussions could be severe not only for her but also for Lady Becky Blackbell.

After their enchanting dance, Prince Damian seemed genuinely intrigued by her. His piercing eyes never left her, and Anya felt the weight of his gaze even as she tried to blend into the crowd. She excused herself from the prince’s company, her mind racing. She needed to leave before anyone discovered her true identity.

In one of the quieter hallways, Anya took a moment to compose herself. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her mind was a whirl of conflicting emotions. She knew she had to get out before things spiraled out of control. She gathered her skirts and made her way towards the exit.

Just as she was about to reach the doors, a familiar voice called out to her. “Lady Blackbell, are you leaving so soon?”

Anya turned, her heart skipping a beat. Prince Damian stood there, his smirk betraying his amusement. He took a step closer, and she could see the curiosity in his eyes. “Is something the matter, my lady?”

“Your Highness, I… I just need some fresh air,” she stammered, desperately trying to keep her composure.

Prince Damian’s smirk softened into a more genuine smile. “Allow me to accompany you, then. A lady should not be alone on such a night.”

Realizing she couldn’t refuse without arousing suspicion, Anya nodded reluctantly. They walked together into the garden, the cool night air a stark contrast to the warm, perfumed atmosphere of the ballroom. The prince’s presence was both comforting and unsettling.

As they strolled through the moonlit garden, Anya’s nerves frayed further. She knew she had to maintain her facade, but the prince’s probing questions made it increasingly difficult. He was charming and attentive, yet there was a sharpness to his gaze that suggested he knew more than he let on.

“So, Lady Blackbell, tell me more about yourself,” he said casually, though his eyes never left hers.

Anya hesitated, her mind racing for answers. “Well, there isn’t much to tell, Your Highness. I… I enjoy reading and spending time with my friends.”

The prince raised an eyebrow. “Is that so? You seem different from what I’ve heard about Lady Blackbell.”

Anya’s breath caught in her throat. “Different? How so?”

He chuckled softly. “Oh, just rumors, I suppose. People often speak without knowing the full truth.”

Before Anya could respond, a voice called out from the garden entrance. “Your Highness, you are needed inside.”

It was one of the royal guards. Anya felt a wave of relief, but it was short-lived as Prince Damian turned back to her. “I must attend to my duties, but I hope we can continue this conversation later.”

Anya nodded, forcing a smile. “Of course, Your Highness.”

As the prince walked away, Anya let out a shaky breath. She needed to leave immediately. Without another glance back, she hurried through the garden, finding a hidden path that led out of the palace grounds.

Her heart still pounding, Anya disappeared into the night, leaving behind the opulent world of the masquerade ball and the prince who had unknowingly danced with a commoner. She knew this wouldn’t be the end of her story with Prince Damian, but for now, she had escaped the night’s dangers.

In the following days, Anya couldn’t shake the memory of the prince’s intense gaze and the warmth of his hand in hers. Little did she know, the prince too was haunted by the mysterious lady who vanished into the night, and he was more determined than ever to uncover the truth behind her disguise.

maybe I should start writing fanfics👀

#art #fanart #anime #spyxfamily #anya forger #damian desmond #spy family #manga #Fanfic #damianya fanfic #Damianya #damian x anya #Day fourteen

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cantstoplovingjude · 5 months ago

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Maid for Your Command - Jude's Commands

This is from Ikemen Villains EN, Cybird owns everything.

Jude: "So lemme get this straight. Some bloke ya barely know says 'Be a maid' and you go 'Yessir, right away, sir!'?"

Jude: "That the kinda thing ya into, huh?"

Kate: "That's not what happened!"

I let out a frustrated sigh as I argued with Jude yet again.

It all started as I was accompanying him on a mission as Fairytale Keeper.

A woman who appeared to be a maid accidentally bumped into me and dropped the clothes she was carrying.

The man beside her looked to be her master and tried whipping her right there and then.

I immediately intervened to protect her, only for Jude to get irritated with the "negotiations" that took place between us.

Kate: "I thought it would be better to help her with the laundry, rather than let her get abused."

Jude: "Real impressed by your integrity, I truly am."

Jude: "But there's no guarantee all ya gotta do is wash it 'n be done."

Kate: "I know there's no way to confirm that, but still..."

Her master has said, "If you want to protect her, then be my maid in her place and wash my dirty clothes."

But then he saw Jude before I could say a word, and all the color drained from his face. And then he just ran off somewhere.

Kate: "At least I'm not such a terrible person that I scare people off with just a glance at my face."

Jude: "Yeah, 'cept thanks to that 'terrible person' ya don't gotta play maid no more, do ya?"

Kate: "Well-"

Jude: "Shouldn't ya be returnin' me the favor?"

My body froze as if it were a reflex.

I already knew what owing Jude a favor meant, and it wasn't pretty.

(But I can't deny that him being there helped me out...)

Kate: "I'll treat you to lunch in order to say thank you."

Jude: "Nah, don't want that."

He flatly refused and stared at me with the eyes of a predator.

Jude: "Let's see, what should ya owe me..."

A cruel, cold smile spread across his face.

Jude: "How 'bout ya pay me back by bein' my maid, huh? If ya can do it for a stranger, ya can do it for me, can't ya?"

Jude: "Ya ever hear of a contract of obedience?"

==========

Jude: "Huh? Can't hear ya. Say it again, louder this time."

I tried to gather up my voice, but every time I opened my mouth to speak, the words came out shaking.

Jude: "Next time if ya talk too quietly, I'll shove a rag in your useless mouth. C'mon now, speak up."

Jude had taken me to one of his company warehouses.

And I stood there trembling with anger at his humiliating order.

Kate: "...I pledge obedience to my master."

Jude: "Sit."

Kate: "...Excuse me?"

Jude: "What the hell happened to obedience, huh? I said, sit!"

I gritted my teeth as I obeyed Jude's ridiculous order while he crossed his arms and leaned against a packing box.

The floor of the warehouse was so cold it made me shiver.

Kate: "You're not treating me like a maid. You're treating me like a dog."

Jude: "If ya listen to every command I give ya, what's the difference?"

He stood up and stepped on the hem of my dress with his stylish black shoes.

(How am I supposed to stand up now?)

As I watched him looming over me, my heart started pounding even louder.

(Who knows what he might do if I don't fulfill my debt to him...)

(I don't know if I want to find out what else that twisted mind of his could come up with.)

Jude: "How 'bout I strip those annoyin' clothes off ya, slap a collar round your neck 'n take ya for a walk?"

Kate: "Absolutely not!"

Jude: "Did I ask the dog to talk back to her master?"

Jude: "Apparently, ya got no intention of obeyin' me, so I guess ya don't need that mouth after all."

He reached out and tried to cover my mouth with his large hand, but I jerked back and hurriedly apologized.

Kate: "A-all right, I'm sorry! I apologize for being careless!"

Jude: "Oh yeah? Prove it. Get on your hands 'n knees and bark. Then I'll forgive ya."

Blood rushed to my face when I heard his command.

I started to protest instinctively, but then quickly shut my mouth.

(...I might as well just do it. Make him happy, and get out of this situation as quickly as I can.)

I glared at Jude, getting down on my hands and knees like he said.

Kate: "...W-woof."

Jude: "So vicious. Looks like you're 'bout to tear your master to pieces!"

Jude: "And look at those rebellious eyes of yours. Hah, yeah, I like that."

Kate: "Wha-?!"

Jude: "Wasn't intendin' on playin' with a lil bird like ya, but..."

Jude: "Now I wanna know what you'd look like when ya scream 'n cry for me."

Kate: "...Ah?!"

He grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet, then roughly pushed me up against the wall.

He pinned my arms to the wall, his grip so trong I couldn't fight back.

Kate: "Let me go! ...Ah!"

I struggled in vain as he wedged his knee between my legs, then my body began to tremble as a strange heat rushed through me.

(He's got to be kidding... He can't be serious!)

Jude: "Hmm..."

I couldn't read the expression on his face as he stared at me coldly.

Kate: "Ahh, J-Jude...!"

As I shifted, his knee rubbed against the sweet spot between my legs and a thrilling, throbbing sensation overtook me.

My mind was a mess of fear, frustration, shame, and... pleasure.

Jude: "What're ya gettin' so excited 'bout, huh? I'm not doin' nothin'."

Kate: "Please move... your leg."

Jude: "Ya could get fired for tryin' to do somethin' that indecent with your master's body, ya know that?"

Kate: "I am not!"

Jude: "How 'bout I leave ya here all alone as punishment then?"

(Oh, to hell with it. He is the absolute worst!)

I wanted to say that to him, but the sound of his whisper against my ear sent another shiver down my spine.

I desperately tried to stand my ground, but my legs began to tremble and grow weak.

Jude: "What would ya do if ya saw another woman bein' treated the way ya are right now, right in front of ya, huh?"

Kate: "What? I-I'd call for help, of course!"

Jude: "Tch. You're a right idiot, ya know that?"

Right now, he looked more angry than mocking.

Jude: "You're supposed to ignore it. Haven't learned your lesson one bit, have ya?"

Kate: "Ahh...!"

Now his leg which had pressed me against the wall started rubbing against me with purpose.

The hot, grinding stimulation I felt between my legs was too much to bear and I couldn't help but moan.

(I-I didn't mean to make that noise...)

Jude: "Ya really think ya can 'help' anyone with that tiny, weak body of yours?"

I flushed with embarrassment as he immediately released me.

Jude: "If you're gonna follow me 'round, ya gotta ditch all the niceties 'n goodwill."

(He really is... something else entirely.)

Jude: "Or if ya don't wanna get tossed aside, then forget the damn mission 'n go back to sleep in your castle, princess."

I bit my lip, trying to calm my breathing.

(Even if that was his way of warning me, he could've done it in a different way.)

(And I'm not going to stop being kind to people. But I don't want to give up on my mission, either.)

(Besides, why is he trying to make me learn a lesson by being so malicious, anyway?)

(I wish I could understand his way of doing things better.)

I took a deep breath and stared at him.

Kate: "I refuse both."

Jude: "...Hah, should've stuffed your mouth shut, after all."

He gave me a very displeased look and then sauntered out of the warehouse.

And I still chased after him, dragging along my throbbing knees and aching body...

End.

#jude jazza #ikemen villains jude #ikevil jude #ikemen villains

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makeitmingi · 8 months ago

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The Cat and Dog Game [Chapter 28]

Genre: Romance, Fluff, Comedy

Pairing: Yunho x Reader (y/n)

Characters: Chef!Reader, RestaurantOwner!Yunho, MaitreD!Hongjoong, Waiter!Yeosang, Waiter!San, Waiter!Mingi, SousChef!Seonghwa, SousChef!Wooyoung, PrepChef!Jongho

Summary: Yunho's dream was to open and run his own restaurant. But he doesn't know anything when it comes to cooking. Until you came along and accepted the job, bringing with you a small crew. How will the black cat tame the energetic golden retriever?

Word count: 3.3K

It was stuffy and you wanted to leave. Well, you could say youu expected it. All these events were about image and connections. Seonghwa's older brother had broken away from the group the moment you entered. Okay, to be fair, it wasn't by choice, he was dragged away by one of the Park's business acquaintances.

"Here." Seonghwa handed you a champagne flute. You needed some liquid confidence before your own father and stepmother had to whisk you away.

"I want to get out of here." You mumbled lowly to him.

"Sweetheart, it's only been 10 minutes." Seonghwa chuckled. But he knew what you meant, he wanted to get out of there too.

"That's 10 minutes too long. I don't belong here, Hwa." You sighed, taking a sip of your champagne, shooting someone a fake smile as they walked past you. You had no idea who they were.

But it didn't matter. That's what you have been taught growing up. Even if you didn't know the person, they knew you so you have to be friendly to them.

"Ah, there you are, (y/n)." Your father came over with a fake smile planted on his face. You smiled in return, letting him wrap an arm around you to greet you. His eyes cast over to Seonghwa, who bowed respectfully to your father.

"Thank you for accompanying her here, Seonghwa. And always taking care of her." He said to your best friend, as if you weren't there.

"It is no problem at all, Mr (y/l/n). We take care of each other." Seonghwa smiled. With that, your father led you away. You cast Seonghwa a look and he gave you a subtle nod.

"Were you late?" Your father asked softly.

"Of course not, appa. I would know better than to be." You replied, trying not to scoff at the end of your sentence.

"Good." He hummed and brought you over to where your stepmother was engaged in a conversation with another couple. It was showtime, you needed your game face.

"Ah, there she is. Come, sweetie." Your stepmother beckoned you over like a dog.

"Good evening." You smiled with a polite bow of your head as you approached them. You really wanted to call her 'mom' to play into the facade but there was still a boundary that you could not cross. There was only one person you would call your mother and it wasn't this woman in front of you.

"This is Judge Kim Soohyuk and his wife." She introduced. Seeing how he had this almost arrogant smile on his face, you knew he was regarded as someone important.

"Nice to meet you, judge Kim and Mrs Kim. It's an honour." You shook hands with them.

"What a beautiful young lady." Judge Kim chuckled and his wife giggled, nodding in agreement.

After speaking to your father's colleagues and your stepmother's connections, you excused yourself for a drink and moved through the crowd to find Seonghwa.

"(y/n)?" A familiar, soft voice called out to you. You turned around and you immediately relaxed, seeing who it was.

"Mr and Mrs Jeong. I'm so glad to see you! What are you doing here?" You said, letting Mrs Jeong hug you. She let out a soft squeal as she wrapped her arms around you, as if she was seeing her own child. You sent Mr Jeong a smile.

"Mr boss is one of the donors on the board. So he got extra invites to attend. Yunho's running the restaurant so he couldn't make it and Gunho's at his internship." Mr Jeong explained.

"I should be at the restaurant too but I couldn't leave my parents." You said.

"I know." Mrs Jeong smiled, showing you she understood everything without you needing to explain any further.

"We didn't know you were Mr (y/l/n)'s daughter." She said softly and held your hands, rubbing the back of them with her thumbs, as if to silently comfort you.

"Yeah... I haven't told Yunho and..." You chewed your lip.

"Don't worry. So you and Yunho? You're a thing now? Or becoming a thing? I swear, my son doesn't tell me anything." She chuckled.

"We've been a few dates, taking it slow. He wanted to accompany me tonight but I knew he was needed at the restaurant, especially when Friday nights are our busiest." You giggled. You didn't even know when mr jeong disappeared but when he came back, he had a plate full of finger food.

"Honey! Isn't that a bit much?" Mrs Jeong laughed, seeing how much food he had.

"These small little sliders never fill you up. You need at least 5." Mr Jeong clicked his tongue in annoyance. Seonghwa, who was also finally free of his parents, came to meet you.

"I can see where Yunho gets his big appetite from then. He's just like you, Mr Jeong." You laughed.

"Mr and Mrs Jeong." Seonghwa greeted as he came to your side.

"Seonghwa, right? One of the sous chefs." Mr Jeong asked. Seonghwa nodded in confirmation and bowed respectfully, shaking hands with them.

"Let's take a picture, I'll send it over to Yunho and make him jealous." Mrs Jeong suggested. You nodded and leaned in with Seonghwa to take a picture with them. Only a few minutes after she hit send, her phone started ringing. She handed her phone to you to answer.

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING THERE WITH (Y/N)?!"

"Good evening to you too, Yunho. How am I? I'm okay, thanks for asking. I hope the restaurant is doing fine." You said, almost rolling your eyes at his dramatic ass.

"Oh, (y/n)! It's you. Sorry for yelling. Hi, (y/n). You look amazing, by the way. But seriously, why are my parents there?"

"If you must know, Jeong Yunho. Appa's boss is one of the big donors for the night so they gave him more slots to have guests." Mrs Jeong took her phone back.

"Hi... omma..."

"(y/n)." Your father called you. You nodded and bowed to Yunho's parents quickly before walking over with Seonghwa following suit.

"You see?" Mrs Jeong changed the call to a video call to let Yunho see you. You were so... docile. It was like Yunho was looking at a different person, he had never seen you like that before.

"She's beautiful."

"She is." Mrs Jeong nodded in agreement. You were wearing an off shoulder dress, starting from dark, midnight blue with a cascading gradient down the dress, ending with white at the end of the skirt. There were even gems dispersed sparsely around the dress, looking like stars in a night sky.

Yunho felt like all attention should be on you. Yet, you remained meek and submissive, obediently standing by your father's side with a fake smile as you spoke business with his acquaintences.

"Your brother is studying overseas, right? How capable. What is it you do again?" One of the ladies asked, almost with disdain.

"Culinary." You replied.

"Oh... So you... cook... for other people..." She raised a judgemental eyebrow. But you were used to it, so you were unphased, nodding at her question.

"It's only temporary. You know young people and their fickleness. Just until she's ready to take over for me." Your father lied.

"That's good. A lot more promising career choice." The lady finally smiled at your father.

"I remember how much potential you had with your law and accounting skills. It would be a shame to throw it all away, you know? Especially when someone of your father's calibre basically handing you all his skills and contacts." She flirted with your dad.

Luckily, your stepmother was not around to see it. Or maybe unlucky, she might see it and leave him. You knew this lady would take the chance to be your father's partner. Any of these ladies would.

"(y/n)." A familiar voice called.

"Uncle Junghyun. It's great to see you again." You smiled and bowed your head but the male hugged you instead.

"Junghyun, I didn't think you could make it." Your father hugged the male. Junghyun worked alongside your father, they've known each other since they were kids so you always saw him around growing up.

"Caught a last minute flight." He chuckled.

"So, how have you been? Still cooking up a storm?" He asked you with a fatherly smile.

"I'm doing good, uncle. Still adventuring through all the kitchens that come my way." You laughed. Despite being like your father in every way, he had always been supportive of your culinary journey.

"You'll have to fill me in when we have the time." He smiled. You nodded your head.

"It's a promise." You said, just like you always did as a kid. Noticing your father had moved on, you quickly made your way to him, bowing apology for lagging behind. Before coming to these events, you father would always send you a list of people you'll meet and their projects for you to read up on.

"My stepbrother and I were discussing your recent surgery with the myofiber cell sheets to repair brain tissue. We usually hear it being used for heart muscles but the brain is impressive." You lied.

"Oh, you know my work?" The older man didn't even bother to hide how shocked, yet impressed, he was.

"Of course. You're the first doctor in South Korea to successfully harvest stem cells and grow the cell sheets." You added.

"Wow, thank you. I've been wanting to try skeletal fiber sheets. It will be beneficial to have it here in South Korean hospitals for bone healing." He said.

"Of course, were you thinking of including osteoblasts (cells used in new bone formation) into the mix?"

"I do. You sure know your medical knowledge." He said, looking at your father.

"My brother is the one with all the medical knowledge. I mainly read and learn all these." You smiled. Smiling up at your father, he nodded in agreement, shooting you a proud smile. You were trained well by him, you knew how to act.

Although you've not seen your stepbrother is years, thankfully, you had to speak highly of him. That was your role, to shine the spotlight on him and his surgeon career.

"Finally, we get to see you, dear." A lady greeted you as your father finally let you go.

"Omonim, abonim. It's great to see you. I've missed you both." You grinned and hugged Seonghwa's parents.

"Aigoo, you've become so much thinner. Is Seonghwa not feeding you, my daughter?" Mrs Park frowned. She always looked after you like her own daughter.

"I am." Seonghwa came just in time to defend himself.

"All you do is eat her food like always." Mr Park rolled his eyes, making you laugh. Mr Park was just as whipped for you as Mrs Park was. You were the daughter they never had and they liked to spoil you.

"Please, I make sure she eats. Not my fault she breathes coffee like it's air." Seonghwa exposed.

"Hwa!" You hissed.

"(y/n)... I told you too much coffee is bad for you. Do you want me to ban you?" Mrs Park scolded. You pouted and shook your head while Seonghwa snickered.

"Stop him. You see? He's always mean to me." Two can play at that game. Now it was your turn to throw Seonghwa under the bus. Seonghwa's eyes widened as his parents came down on his with scoldings and lectures on how he should be taking care of you and treating you like a princess.

"I hate you so much." Seonghwa said through gritted teeth and a tight smile.

"Aww, I love you too, Hwa hwa." You smiled innocently.

"You two are always arguing one minute and inseparable the next." Mr Park chuckled, shaking his head at the both of you. That's true, that was your dynamic.

"Anyway, Seonghwa's been telling us about the new place you both are working at and how interesting it is." Mrs Park said.

"Yeah, it's definitely different from the other places we have been before. And it's a new place with just the 4 of us as the kitchen crew. So we're learning as we go. But it has been fun to say the least."

"That's good, that's good. You've always worked in high end restaurants, maybe it's good to change things up." Mr Park smiled.

"It is. We have a lot more creative reign at this place for sure. The owner's guidelines are easy to stick to and broad enough for us to play around with ideas. He lets us decide all the menus, from breakfast to dinner." You explained.

"We'll have to drop by some time then." Mrs Park turned to her husband, who nodded in agreement.

"Sure but please give a prior warning. Don't just show up and surprise us." Seonghwa sighed. His parents have always done that at the previous places you've worked at.

"No promises." Mr Park laughed.

"We'll go out for a meal soon, hmm?" Mrs Park held your hand with a soft smile.

"I'd like that." You said, hugging her. She giggled, patting your back. You can proudly say that Seonghwa's parents raised you in your parents' absences.

After Seonghwa's parents were called away by other business acquaintences, you took the chance to sneak off for a breather. You found an outdoor deck area. Seonghwa came to sit with you.

"You haven't eaten anything since we've got here. Do you want some food?" He offered. You shook your head with an assuring smile. You never ate at events like these, with all eyes on you, it was hard to stomach anything. You knew you only had a few minutes before you needed to go back in.

"Last time I disappeared for too long, my father never forgave me for being missing. So I should head back in soon to greet his connections." You sighed.

"Just a while more then we'll head home, okay?" He rubbed your arm.

"Hwa, you can enjoy the ball. Don't let me be your party pooper. I'll be okay." You promised, feeling the guilt settle.

"You aren't. You know I don't like these events too, it's just a chance to compared whose child is better, it's useless. I'm not even in my family business." He rolled his eyes.

"I wonder which inheritor my dad is going to pitch my hand in marriage to tonight?" You chuckled.

"Well, you're going to be taken soon so for Yunho's sake, I hope no one." He laughed. You leaned against his shoulder and took a deep breath, closing your eyes for a few seconds. Even your cheeks ached from all the fake smiles.

"I wish things were normal. That I can bring Yunho home and introduce him to my parents. But I know that'll never happen." You spoke absentmindedly.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." Seonghwa said, holding your hand. You shook your head.

"I've accepted it as the reality..." You sighed again.

Although you wished to stay out there with Seonghwa until the end of the event or just go home, you knew you couldn't. So you both went back in.

"Snuck out?"

"You know I'm always finding a way to sneak out, uncle." You said to the smirking male. Of course he knew, he used to help you stay hidden from your father and stepmother, causing him to get lectured by your father. He never liked how they only spoke highly of your stepbrother.

"How is it, really? Living on your own, making a career for yourself." He asked, sipping his wine.

"It's been great. I'm not alone, I still have Seonghwa, Jongho and Wooyoung with me to support me." You smiled softly.

"Feels like there's someone else?" He raised an eyebrow. You contemplated telling him about Yunho. Sometimes, he would let things slip to your father unintentionally.

"At the moment, it's nothing serious." Was all you said.

"I'm happy for you, kiddo. You deserve to be happy again." He said, gently patting your head.

"Thank you. I am slowly getting there." You admitted. He nodded his head, genuinely proud of you. After all, he was the one who loaned you money to pay for your first house when you moved out.

"(y/n), there you are. I've been looking everywhere for you. What did I say about disappearing? Your stepmother and I have people to introduce you to." Your father came with a disapproving frown on his face. You knew your father was always a little jealous that you acted differently with Junghyun, like he was your father.

"Sorry, dad. I'm coming." You bowed your head to Junghyun with an apologetic smile and walked to where your father was, letting him lead you back to the social introductions.

"You shouldn't act so chummy with him." Your father said as you both walked through a secluded hallway.

"Why? You wanted him to be close to me since I was little. You even said that if anything happened to you, he would take care of mum and I." You frowned.

"I just don't want people to get the wrong idea." He shrugged.

"Wait, what wrong idea? They know I am your daughter and they know that you're Uncle Junghyun's friend AND business partner."

"Why do you think he hasn't been around much after your mother died? There were rumours floating around." Your father turned to you. You stopped and looked at him.

"Rumours? What kind of rumours? And even if there were, you've known him since you were kids..." You said. This was news, what sort of rumours was there? You didn't even think much about him not being around after your mum died. You just thought he was working.

"There were rumours that you were his child, not mine. It was embarrassing and harmful so I told him to stop coming around." He revealed.

"Embarrassing? That's all you care about? Did you care about mum, being falsely accused? Or your own best friend. Don't tell me you actually believed those rumours." You crossed your arms.

"Of course not. I cared about your mum, I did it to protect her and her image." He frowned.

"Sure..." You nodded.

"I will not be disrespected by you, young lady. Know your place. It was a mistake to let you get close to Junghyun. He encouraged your bad habits" He clicked his tongue.

"What bad habits? You wouldn't know, dad. You were never there." You pointed out.

"He helped you run away from home, gave in to all your little temper tantrums. That's why you turned out to be like this." He gestured. You wanted to bite back, that your uncle saved you, he gave you an escape. But it would be futile to argue with your father right now. Taking a deep breath, you turned to walk away.

"Where are you going now? You are not done." Your father said firmly. You turned around, fighting back the tears.

"Bye, dad. I'll see you when you want me to." You bowed your head respectfully and spun on your heel to walk to the exit. As you were exiting, you sent Seonghwa a text.

"Wait, you left? Where are you? What happened?"

"It's okay, Hwa. I'm okay. I'm on the way home already. You should stay with your parents. I'll see you tomorrow." You said.

"No, you're not okay. Geez, (y/n)... What did he do? I'll meet you back at your house."

"Hwa, please. I already feel like shit that you always have to comfort me when I fight with my dad. Please, I just need some space to collect myself. I'll be okay." You begged, sitting in the cab.

"Okay, fine. Call me later."

"I will. Thanks, Hwa." You tried to fight the tears and the strain in your voice before hanging up. You took a deep breath and sent a text to Yunho instead of calling him. You didn't want him to worry if he heard how shaky your voice currently was.

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yeoblurbs · 27 days ago

Text

2: Drowning In Envy

sometimes, it feels like you're drowning in envy. everything you've ever wanted in life was already taken by someone else.

when you were in kindergarten and reached for the Barbie with pink hair, a hand shot out to grab it before you. when you were in the second grade and began to read more advanced books, someone managed to one-up you and reach a higher level. when you were in the tenth grade, you baked cookies for your first crush; only to find him with his lips preoccupied with another’s.

when you entered university for the first time, you figured you were finally free. you could be yourself, without having everything you merely glanced at taken away from you.

but then she shows up in your first class, and you think you're going to lose your mind.

because yes, everything you've ever wanted in life was already taken.

by who?

Jang Iseul.

“Y/n~” a voice drawls, and you suppress the grimace that urges to overtake your face.

you stop walking, looking at Lim Jin with a weary expression. he’s with a girl; she’s pretty, her hair is blonde and she’s wearing a short pink skirt with a white top. he has her caged in with his arms as she rests her back on the wall, looking at the two of you in confusion.

you bow, trying to move past. but then you feel a hand grab at your wrist, and you tug your arm back. “Don’t touch me.”

Jin grins, “Aw, feisty as ever aren’t ya?”

you frown, glancing back at the girl, but she just takes a sip of her drink and walks away, unbothered. the area you’re in is more secluded, not many people are here. you don’t know how to leave at this point.

“Don’t you think we should talk? It’s been over a year since I’ve seen you.” he smiles, and the sight only makes you more uncomfortable.

“I don’t think so. I just need to use the bathroom, so if you would excuse me-”

he grabs your arm again, tugging you into him. you gasp out loud, pulling your arm back harshly, but his grip doesn’t let up. he pouts, “Don’t be such a prude, Y/n. Iseul always hated that about you.”

something in your stomach tightens at his words, but you don’t have any time to retort when someone reaches out from behind you and grabs his wrist.

“Let go.”

the low timbre of his voice makes you shiver, and you don’t have to turn around to know which person is behind you. you can feel the heat from his chest radiating on your back; you instinctively press closer as Jin tightens his grip.

Jin laughs, but it’s not kind. “And why would I do that, Junie?”

Yeonjun grabs your wrist gently with one hand and Jin’s with the other as he carefully pries him off. “Because she’s uncomfortable.”

the words are so simple but they warm your heart. you never did very good when faced with the bare minimum.

Jin smiles, stretching his arms above his head. your nose wrinkles at the odour that emits from him. “Alright, fine then.”

his eyes meet yours, amusement and something else you can’t quite place coating his expression. “Tell Iseul I said ‘Hi’, kay?”

he walks away without another word as you try to calm your breathing. you really should’ve let Wonyoung or Belle accompany you. you don’t know what he’s going to tell Iseul, but you’re sure he will mention Yeonjun. and then she will interfere and tell Yeonjun all sorts of things about you to make him hate you and you won’t even get to be friends with him because she -

“You okay?”

you turn around, eyes wide and nervous. your heart hammers in your chest as you press your lips together at the sight of Choi Yeonjun; dressed in an oversized jacket with his hair crimson red, he looks absolutely breathtaking.

you swallow, forcing yourself to respond. “Yeah, m’fine. Thanks for… well, that.” smooth, Luna. smooth.

his brows furrow. “Don’t thank me. He was being an asshole, I just did what anyone would do.”

a part of you deflates at the confirmation that he really views you as a mere schoolmate. he would’ve done this for anyone, and the thought has you happy that he’s such a good person, but sulky that he doesn’t view you as someone special.

“Right, well thanks anyway. My world is not always as kind as you, Yeonjun.” your lips tug up in an attempt to seem casual. it works, because he directs his unearthly smile back at you.

“Sounds like your world sucks.” he teases.

maybe you should become part of it; maybe then it won’t suck.

you giggle, shy. “Well, not every part of my world sucks. Just like… fourty percent of it.”

Yeonjun’s eyes widen, “Fourty? That’s a lot. Maybe you need some superhero to come save your universe.”

you smile. “Are you offering?”

he throws his head back and laughs, the sound sending butterflies through your belly.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·. .·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·. .·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·. .·:*¨༺

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Lim Jin and Iseul used to hook up.

Yeonjun was not flirting with Y/n, he’s simply that friendly.

Y/n did end up using the bathroom before she went outside with Yeonjun.

a/n: get ready for a lowkey slow burn :>

tags: @rkivesfilm

#txt smau #txt angst #txt x reader #txt fluff #txt fanfic #yeonjun x y/n #yeonjun x you #yeonjun angst #yeonjun fluff #yeonjun x reader

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thesparklingwriter · 11 days ago

Text

taking fate into one's own hands

09—acceptance

Word count: 2.5k

navi | taglist | masterlist

“Is there some kind of invisible barrier I am not privy to?” you joke, unfolding the layers of fabric and preparing to hang them up in your closet. They are soft and cool against your hands. A luxury, you remind yourself as your fingers slide over the pink embroidery. It is beautiful and familiar. The familiarity confuses you, and you move one to the next piece.

Zhongli’s response is delayed as his eyes zero in on how you’re unfolding your clothes—into colour piles first, and then you look at each piece in more detail. The action is familiar to him, and even more so is the glint in your eyes as you look over your shoulder at him.

“Does the aforementioned barrier reduce your ability to hear, too?” you add, holding a brown dress with golden embroidery. You had never thought much of earth tones, but this one is so stunning that it almost takes your breath away.

“I apologise. I was preoccupied. It is your space and I did not want to intrude.”

And as much as you would like to deny that it has become your space, a quick look around quickly tells you that it has—it is lived in but in a neat kind of way. You surprise yourself with your emotions nowadays—you actually like your routine here, you enjoy looking out and the Liyuean scenery, and you want to talk to Zhongli.

“That’s sweet.” you reply. “You don’t have to stay out there if you don’t want to.”

He glances over to your desk, at the sealeed letter that rests there. “You finished it?”

You nod, getting up to hand it to him. “Do you know anything?”

“Nothing that is certain.” he replies. You don’t even know why you bother.

“Do you think my parents made some kind of deal with them?”

“That is a possibility.” he says. And you want to call him out on being secretive and not telling the truth, but the look in his eyes is telling you that he wishes he’d known more, that he could help you more.

And you find yourself staring into those eyes—for longer than is reasonable before you clear your throat. “I should find Alanna.”

“I shall see you at dinner, then.” he says finally, and you smile lightly. There is nothing else for you to say as he excuses himself. As he walks out, Alanna walks back in, brandishing what can only be described as a trove of assorted accessories.

“How on Teyvat do you disappear like that?” you grumble as she urges you into your seat.

Alanna doesn’t reply to your question. “Sit down, please! I heard there’s a new inn opening in Liyue Harbour, and they invited the king to the opening. And I have it on good authority that the king will ask you to accompany him.”

You glance up at her as she starts fussing with your hair, “He would have asked me earlier.”

“Have you ever considered that the king has nerves?”

“Of steel? Yes, I have.” you sigh. “How long have you known about this opening? Is this why you wanted to dress me up?”

“I found out while I was hunting for hair pieces.” Alanna smiles. “But now I have a perfect excuse to make you look even better since I’m not allowing you to decline the invitation.”

“Alanna!”

“I see the way you look at him. And I know you. You will wallow in pity for as long as I allow you to. You are allowed to make friends, you are allowed to be happy. Stop denying yourself that because of decisions your parents made.”

You scowl at her, but you allow her to doll you up. You don’t question it when she picks the gold and brown outfit, and the dragon hairpiece. You don’t question the way she hurries you out the door when Zhongli arrives once again to let you know dinner is ready.

“Why the fanfare?” you ask him, noting his hair is braided and his attire is more formal than on usual days.

“It would be impolite to allow you to dress up while I relax in my casual wear.” he replies easily as you both begin the short walk to the dining room. You wonder why he always finds you himself rather than asking one of the palace help to get you.

Your dinner is quiet and amicable. You ask Zhongli about grammar rules, and when you mention that they're similar to an old dialect from when your kingdom was first born, the look on his face changes so slightly that you almost miss it. He asks you to elaborate, and when you do, he is shocked that you sound the same as you used to.

But as usual, he doesn’t address it, and pushes the topic forward. Clearing his throat as he finishes his meal, he speaks.

“I was wondering if you might accompany me on a small outing later. I have been invited to the opening of a new inn and i thought you might appreciate it if i passed forward the invite.”

You blink at him. You expected this, but you didn’t expect him to ask so humbly. “Does the initial invitation extend to me?”

“In a very discreet way, yes. They mentioned provisions for an additional guest. This rarely ever happens.”

“If i am not putting anyone out,” you agree quietly, “I would be honoured.”

The tension in Zhongli’s frame seems to dissipate. “I shall ask someone to alert you when the carriage is ready.”

“Do I need to do anything to prepare?” you ask, and zhongli pauses.

“It is not a political affair.” he says finally. “There is nothing for you to worry about in that regard.”

“Okay.” you say. “I’ll come.”

The carriage differs from the one you were in the first time you came to Liyue, and you are grateful. Although your time here hasn’t been unpleasant, you don’t think you’d be able to cope with reliving your emotions from that morning.

“What's so special about this inn? Do you always get invited to all new openings?”

Zhongli smiles, sat across the carriage from you. Alanna opted to stay home, and Xiao had chosen to make his own way there.

“Not ordinarily. An acquaintance of mine is in charge of the kitchen, and since she has invited me to her previous ventures and most have thrived, she seems to believe that I am a lucky charm.”

You laugh at him. “It’s one thing for her to believe that but another thing for you to indulge it.” You've learnt that there are many complexities to Zhongli’s character. Although he can be firm, there’s a soft side to him bubbling under the surface. A soft side that seems to be coming out more as the days go by.

“She is a dear friend and her joy is contagious," Zhongli says. "You’ll see.”

You feel the beginnings of jealousy build up in your chest, but you ignore it. As far as you’re concerned, you have no claim on him other than on paper. So you glance out the window so Zhomgli can’t see the conflict on your face.

The inn is incredibly popular. There are already people milling about, and although they are waiting for the announcement of the store opening, Xiao catches quite a few people expressing excitement for being in the king's presence. And he even hears a few people mentioning you, the foreign bride—although there was no wedding to be heard of.

And Xiao himself had his concerns, but he was mostly interested in viewing the two of you from the people's perspective.

Even though the carriage is parked a decent distance from the inn due to space constraints, it's easy for Xiao to pinpoint when you're both in the vicinity. Zhongli brings with him an air of tranquillity. But you seem to have the opposite effect.

There’s a buzz in the air when they catch sight of you, and as it isn't a formal event, there is no one to announce your entry, so speculations ripple through the group. People at the back of the crowd see Zhongli talk to you quietly and urge you forward so you are not walking behind him. They see—but probably don't notice—how he positions himself so you are at the centre of his vision.

They cannot fault your attire or your demeanour. You are not loud or intentionally disrespectful of their culture; there is not a single hair or piece of fabric out of place. And more than anything, the king looks at ease near to you.

Zhongli’s friend darts out of the inn doors, flying out at him as if to give him a hug, but she glances at you and pauses.

And then, even more to your surprise, Zhongli glances at you too, and you conjure up a phrase from the kids books you’d been going through to say you don’t mind.

Immediately she turns to you instead, pulling you into a hug.

“i’m Xiangling, it’s nice to meet you.” her accent is different to Zhongli’s and you feel bad that your grasp of her language is so bad that she has to speak yours.

“It’s lovely to meet you too,” you reply, smiling brightly. You open your mouth to apologise, but Zhongli thinks better of it.

“Xiangling often travels to different nations for ingredients. She enjoys practising her linguistic abilities.” Zhongli lowers his head to speak to you, and his warm breath against your ear makes you shiver. What is happening with you today?

“Already sharing secrets.” Xiangling scoffs. “i never thought i'd see the day.”

Zhongli makes no effort to defend himself. “If a heart doesn’t beat once in it’s lifetime, it cannot claim to be one.”

Xiangling scoffs. “That makes no sense. Come, I want to show you around.”

Xiangling takes you both around the inn, showing you all the suites and important rooms and meal preps and menus. She lets you taste the champagne, and after a while, it all becomes a little too much, so you excuse yourself.

You sip at your flute of champagne, glancing over at the plains. It is bittersweet to see the green and fresh grounds when you know things aren’t so idyllic at home. All the inn does is remind you of your home and how busy it used to be in your palace.

“May i join you?”

“You may.” you reply, as Zhongli rests his hands on the balcony railing beside you. “It’s a beautiful view.”

“But you feel guilty for appreciating it.” He says quietly.

“I know my parents, and despite everything, they would only ever send me away if I was in danger. Whatever they did, whatever deal they made was going to affect me. They’re choosing me over their people. I am the reason my kingdom is dying. And they won’t tell me the truth, so I can’t even help, and I’m scared. I’m so scared that the blood of thousands and thousands of innocent civilians will be on my hands, and I can’t do anything about it.” Your hands begin to shake, and Zhongli takes the glass out of your hand and places it on the deck.

“It will not be on your hands. You are not responsible for your parents actions.”

“Have they replied to my letter?”

“My courier has not returned.”

“This is all my fault.” you sob. “They wouldn’t do this if not for me. I pray their deal was worth it because I don’t know if I can take the guilt.” you wrap your arms around your body as if you can compact yourself with your own hands.

Zhongli is silent for a while, trying to think of any comforting words. But he knows what you need is the truth, and he does not know it.

“Would you like me to hold you?” he says finally and you turn to hug him before he even finishes the sentence. You melt into his arms as he gently rubs your back.

“This is not your fault. Not at all. So please, I beg of you, do not let it make you feel guilty.”

Your knees give way underneath you, and Zhongli follows, using himself to stop your knees from tsking the most of the hit as you sob into his chest. He doesn't say anything, he doesn't ask when you'll be done, and he doesn't try to soothe you with cheap lies and half-truths. His hands cradle the back of your head until your tears have subsided.

“I’m sorry.” you whisper.

“You can feel every single emotion under the sun if you need to. you never have to feel sorry for relying on me.” he replies. “We will figure this out. It will all be as it should..”

You get comfortable in his arms, so much so that when you reluctantly separate yourself from him, the world suddenly feels cold.

“Do not rush yourself.”

“I fear I overestimate your goodwill.” you reply drily, gently rising to your feet.

“No such thing. Do you think you can tolerate the ride home tonight?”

You nod. You would rather sleep in your own bed.

On the carriage ride home, your head lolls against Zhongli’s shoulder as you fall asleep. Acting impulsively, he cradles your head as the carriage flies over a rocky patch. As much as he promised to not let his past emotions influence what he does in this life, he cannot help but be drawn to you. And maybe you’ve begun to do the same over the past few days.

When the carriage draws to a stop, he decides to at least try to carry you if you’ll let him, and if it will keep you asleep for longer, he is okay with doing it. He is surprised by how you turn into him and ignores the look Xiao gives him as he carries you in.

“Might I speak with you?”

“You may. Once she is comfortable,” he replies, almost dismissing Xiao. He grapples with where to let you sleep—he doesn’t want to invade your privacy by taking him into your room, but he doesn’t want to worry you by leaving you in his.

“Surely the obvious choice is to—“

“Is your grand plan to wake her up?” Zhongli shoots back. He decides to risk your scrutiny and leave you in your room. Alanna is nowhere to be found when he opens the door, so he places you in your bed and tucks you in. Suddenly, he feels the urge for more—to stroke your hair, to kiss your forehead… but he regains his composure and excuses himself.

Xiao immediately returns to business as Zhongli is back in his sights.

“It does not take a genius to observe, but you don't think as negatively of her as you want us to believe,” Xiao replies drily.

“Giving precedence to unrequited emotions is a waste of time.”

“You wouldn’t give precedence to any emotions if I allowed you the opportunity to do so.” He grunts. “I don’t see why you cannot simply refrain from lying to yourself.”

“I am not lying to myself. I am simply being realistic.” Zhongli retorts, sitting wearily at his desk. “

“She is here anyway. There is no shame in doing something for yourself for once. Allow yourself happiness. It is not a crime to like a woman, you know.”

“Perhaps the fact I like her is the problem.” Zhongli shoots back.

The two men stare at each other blankly until Zhongli clears his throat. “I believe I have a better understanding of the Abyss’ intentions. But if what i suspect is true, i do not know how to solve this problem.”

Neither of them notices you as you leave your room, looking for an entrance to the gardens and catching the tail end of their conversation.

notes: are we all enjoying the celeste resurgence? two posts in the last 2 days like wth who even am I

Taglist: @tartigglez @ainescribe @blue-sapphire-ink @mikashisus @local-lover-boy @osmanthus-wine-addiction @vitanye @peachystea

#zhongli genshin impact #genshin impact zhongli #genshin zhongli #zhongli x reader #genshin x reader #zhongli #zhongli fanfic #genshin fluff #genshin impact #zhongli fluff #[🧡]—taking fate into one's own hands

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cmdrfupa · 1 month ago

Text

Winters Blessing

Suguru x Reader

an: idk yall. This has been sitting in the files for a minute and I finally found how I wanted to go about this. Little to no proofreading so uh.. Slight copium ig.

Cw: claustrophobia mention, reader and Suguru have a child, mentions of death, Cursed Child Arc which is a warning in itself.

Suguru looked curiously into the crib, "She looks just like me." You didn't say anything, instead keeping your eyes on the sleeping child. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Soft golden light spilled from the windows as the night's snow flurry was underway. The gentle winds blew against the window.

"If I told you, what would be different?"

"I would've helped." his tone was neutral.

"You wouldn't have chosen us nor dismantled your following," noticing how closely he looked at the baby, you inched closer to him.

Suguru's views caused too much chaos, so you left. You followed him longer than you should have, choosing to stop trying to find ways for him to spread his opinions without aggressive forces. You were understanding (complacent) until you found out you were expecting, and his actions became more volatile. " I did what was necessary." The emotional turmoil was evident in your voice, a testament to the unresolved struggles.

The strings of white, green, and red lights twinkled around the window trimming. You kept the house toasty as small gusts of winter chill swept across the floor of your older home.

Suguru smiled, "Fair point," accompanied by a light laugh. A bitter taste lingered at the edge of his tongue. "We wouldn't have been able to agree, true. But when two parents have conflict about their child, the healthy option would be to have a conversation." He felt like a teenager again, the sick side effect of love, the kind that makes you do things you never thought you would. It was a pathetic realization that he would've done anything for you and still would.

"Healthy conversation? Geto, please," the subtle rise in your voice caused the baby to stir. You rubbed her back lightly. "I tried telling you. More than once. Just for you to have your assistant put me in your room like some concubine without a voice."

He tried to ignore the ache from the formality of you calling him Geto. "I did that to keep you safe. Did you think I was just going to let you roam? I don't trust those ingrates."

"That's not the point, Geto."

"Then what is? You're not giving me a good excuse," The lack of understanding between you was palpable.

"The point is you didn't give me a chance to help from the beginning. When we left Tokyo, you were confrontational about literally anything I said. You were tired and underappreciated. We were on the same team. But you never let me into your world enough to be there for you."

You stepped away from the crib, attempting to step directly into his sight.

"You say that as if we were ever the same. "We weren't then, and we aren't now," Suguru said. He wanted to touch the child's dark hair, but he held back. He placed his hand on the crib railing. That action alone would make this more challenging than it is. "Almost 10 years of knowing me in my truth and your views on life and humanity are weak. You are weak. You walked among non-sorcerers for too long, and it made you soft. You coddle them as if it's your purpose. I've been fixing what you've had a hand in ruining." Suguru's voice was sharp. But, it hinted at your old bond beneath his pointed words.

"And that is why I stopped trying to tell you."

"Not a good enough excuse. It is my child. My blood." You were just as stubborn as he was; he was out to hit a nerve. "Will you resent this child as they grow older? You do know she will be a sorcerer who appreciates her place in the world. She won't be weak, like you." his lips turned up, looking down at his daughter. Her hair haloed around her cherub face as she slept peacefully. "Your child is better than you... honestly rather shameful, no?"

"Hallway. now." Your eyes said everything. You opened the door, holding it for him.

Suguru wasn't stupid enough to argue. Without another word, Suguru walked out to the hallway, grinning.

"Suguru. You have some nerve coming to me like this when I tried to be understanding for years." Looking into his eyes was setting a trap, but you needed him to see you. "My view on life and humanity might make me look weak. But you kept me. You loved me. I left everything and everyone behind for you. To support you. To understand you more. And all I was given was dust."

The smirk on his face was disgusting. It made your skin crawl. "You wanted to support me? Fine. You left everything behind and stood by me." tone dripping with condescension. "But I kept you with me because your weakness made me look stronger amongst fools who lead with emotion." Already a tiny space between you, he takes a step forward. "The minute you don't get your way, you run. Just to be in need. Always needing to be saved. Never necessary.."

"Don't you dare." the heat in your chest pooled as you cut him off; this was beyond anger as Geto attempts to manipulate your emotions. "If I've always been weak and never necessary, tell me why you loved me. And don't lie."

"What I thought was love was simply us being teens. Even then, you accepted me and my flaws." He pauses again, a flicker in Suguru's eyes. A sense of longing in his voice has already faded from him. "But I know you're not the same anymore, and neither am I." Exhaling, he knew he wasn't lasting against you for long. "You're too compassionate and open. I'm cold and willing to set the world on fire for my goals. Perfect disastrous match." His words didn't match his feelings. Suguru was losing his inner battle.

The silence was thick as his brown eyes couldn't look away from you. You had him. He was letting you in.

"I've only read your thoughts once before."

“And that time, you asked me.” He tsked, putting on a face of disappointment. “Shame on you for not getting my consent this time, sugar.”

“You didn’t look away. You know how this works Geto.” You quickly retorted. “And consent wasn’t an issue when it was your followers I was doing this on.”

Since that one time in school, he had kept you from accessing his thoughts and feelings. Knowing that eye contact was key to your technique, Suguru made it a habit to look at the tops of your brows when he spoke to you. There would've been no success if you'd discovered his plans before he was considered defected. But he was tired. He was tired of hiding emotions and thoughts that made his will waiver. He needed you to see him, all of him.

"Why are you letting me in now?"

"Because you have power over me, I don't want to forfeit that."

"How did you find me?"

"I had one of the cultists following you since you left. You went to Gojo. That makes me believe you did it out of spite." Suguru sucked in a breath and clenched his jaw before continuing. "Did he try to turn you in for being an accomplice?"

You shake your head. "I stayed with him during the pregnancy. I didn't have much of a choice, considering the other option was being sentenced to death for my collaborative efforts. You weren't an option, Ever."

Your words sliced him open. Was he so horrible that a death sentence was more appealing that coming back to him wasn't an option? A grotesque feeling of shame filled his body.

"Why are you back? Is it the child?"

"Both you and the child..” hesitance spread across his face before he shook his head. “And I have business in Tokyo.”

Was your defection inevitable?” The locks that kept the gate his emotions locked up rusted and fell off. You heard everything. felt everything.

“When Yuki and I spoke. She understood what I felt but we saw different ways of achieving that goal. I saw eradication as the only way.” His eyes were stuck as he saw you in his mind. You were in his temporal lobe and only planned on going deeper. “If I didn’t go that route of taking others' lives, I would’ve taken my own.”

The way your throat tightened was a threat for tears to spill.

You took a deep breath, placing your hand on your chest before tapping it lightly and the room slowly dimmed. The surroundings transform into a cold, sterile interrogation room. Geto was seated across from you, bound to a chair with restraints unseen by the naked eye, unable to move or escape. With a harsh light overhead and a tense feeling pressing down on you both, you broke the silence, “Geto. Speak.”

“It wasn’t supposed to go this way. I let things get out of control. I lost myself. I lost my best friends. I lost you.” His words spilled out, no longer playing tug of war as it was a losing battle with your power no longer holding back.”The way things felt. Like I was second best despite being told I was the best with Gojo. Seeing how life was worth nothing to those fucking ungrateful, ancient, careless fucks who look down on us from the safety of their hiding spots. I needed to be heard. To be seen by them.”

The lights grew brighter as Suguru's emotions intensified. He hung his head, tears dropped down the front of his robes. “Geto.”

“Then you. A fucking child. Our child. You hid a child from me!” The walls drew in, the space between you closing as the sterile room became a claustrophobic nightmare. “I know I wasn’t the strongest. I knew I was unstable. But you didn’t even give me a chance to fail.”

Shaking your head with confidence, you clenched your fist. “That is a lie. I gave you ample chances. Every day was a chance and you being the strongest would’ve meant nothing.”

A harsh, anger-fueled laugh left his throat before Suguru spit on the floor. “You gave me a chance to come to you so you could feel better about leaving me. You already knew you were leaving me the day I told you I’d leave no stone unturned when it came to getting the ending I wanted. Being pregnant was just a convenience. And you’re lucky it happened the way it did.”

“Thats not true. Geto, I-”

“Yes, the fuck it is.” Eyes bloodshot, Geto struggled against the restraints, failing to get up. You walked over to him and kneeled to look directly into his face. “You what? Loved me? You never loved me as much as I loved you. You gave me part of you while the rest of you stayed behind at that hell on earth of a fucking school.”

“You don’t know shit.”

"That child is your reminder. A reminds of my love for you. That if they handed you stones to end me and watch me die, I'd be a part of you for the rest of your miserable, lonely life.” It was like watching Jekyll and Hyde with how much he tried to hide his true thoughts. “No matter how far you ran, I’d be right there looking at you through the eyes of that precious angel. Our angel.”

“So why didn’t you get rid of me? Tell me to stay behind or leave me with hopes that you’d return?”

“If anyone were to ever try and forget me, you’d remind them of what I did. Of who I was at my core.” He wiped his wet cheek on his shoulder, trying his damndest to stop from tearing up as he let out a half-hearted chuckle. “God I really hate your stupid technique. It’s too potent.”

“It works when it needs to.” You stood up, your domain dissipating as you gave Suguru space to get up. “You were never going to be forgotten because I was never going to stop you. I just needed you to be here. To be present.”

The familiarity of your home embraced you as the pale-colored hall was now in view. “You were going to keep me grounded and out of my own way and honestly, I fucked up.” Suguru took your hand. His cold fingers squeezed yours as he needed you to see his soul in yours one more time. “When I’m done, you’ll see my efforts haven’t gone to waste.”

“What are you telling me, Suguru.”

The heater roared to life down the hall and the chills that crept up your body were soothed by the rush of warmth.

“I’m telling you that I don’t regret a single thing. My defection, my love for you, our child. You will remind them of who I am because you know the real me.” A punch to the chest after every word, the truth cemented behind tired eyes. “You made me feel known. And I won’t ever regret being known by you.”

Showing understanding with nothing but a nod, you touched his cheek gently. Suguru closed his eyes for a moment, releasing every bit of tension he’d held onto for the last 2 years without you. “There is always love when I’m with you. I’ll carry it with me until my last breath.”

Tears at your waterline, you smiled, attempting to combat the somber energy that now filled your home. “Niina should be getting up soon. Do you want to help feed her? I can make dinner for us if you want to stick around for the rest of the evening.”

“Are you certain?”

“Sugu. I want you to meet her. You can be a dad, see our little mastermind in action. It will be good for you. For us.”

It was a night that felt suspended, heavy with stillness, where the world seemed paused in the embrace of winter’s grip. Calm and serene as if the world knew to slow down for you to enjoy your last night together in the stillness of December.

#jujutsu kaisen #jjk #suguru geto x reader #suguru angst #jjk angst #geto x you #geto x y/n #Suguru Geto #lu.logs

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youssefguedira · 7 months ago

Text

wrote this instead of doing any of my actual tasks <3 tw for brief mention of animal death (by hunting)

Yusuf has been dreading this since the moment they left for Akkala. He had made as many excuses as he could to stay in Goron City for as long as he could, but every one had run out in the end, and he could no longer put off the inevitable.

The first time he had walked this road, his father had accompanied him with a platoon of guards, still cautious, still reeling from the attack that had taken Yusuf's mother. The second time there had been fewer, but still many.

In the years after that, the number of people sent with him had decreased even further until it was only two or three guards, enough to keep him safe. His father stopped accompanying him on these journeys after he turned fourteen and there had been no sign of their worth.

Now, only Nicolò.

He follows, keeping a respectful distance away from Yusuf, but closer than he had walked before they had gone to meet Nile, to ask for her help. He doesn't ever ask to stop, or to slow down, letting Yusuf set the pace. He keeps a hand on the hilt of his sword and does not speak.

What is there to be said? Nicolò knows what lies at the end of this road, even if he does not know what it will mean for Yusuf.

Yusuf can feel Nicolò's eyes on his back. It is bad enough that the whole kingdom knows he is a failure: he does not need Nicolò to watch him fail and say nothing.

The sun is low, casting the landscape in burnt orange. It would be beautiful were it not so horribly familiar. There is a cabin nearby, and not far from it, the Spring. They will stay in the cabin tonight; they will leave for the Spring in the morning and spend three days there, then return to Goron City and after that, the castle.

Yusuf thinks about returning, about his father's inevitable disappointment, and feels sick.

“Yusuf,” Nicolò says, sounding uncertain. He is not yet used to calling Yusuf by his name. “We are not far, yes?”

Yusuf had forgotten that Nicolò does not know every cursed inch of this road the way Yusuf does. “No, not far. In a moment you'll see the cabin.”

Nicolò says nothing. Yusuf glances back just long enough to meet his eyes before looking away.

What is Nicolò thinking? Yusuf can never tell.

Yusuf catches sight of the cabin a moment later. Dread sits like a stone in his stomach.

When they get closer, Nicolò takes hold of his elbow, gentle. It startles Yusuf all the same - he hadn't realised Nicolò was that close to him.

“Let me go first,” Nicolò says. “To check. But stay close.”

Yusuf nods, and lingers barely a handspan from Nicolò's back while he surveys first the outside, then the inside, of the cabin. Once he's satisfied, he gestures for Yusuf to enter.

“You should rest,” he says, and he is being so gentle with Yusuf it almost hurts. Perhaps Andromache has told him what this will mean for him: she has accompanied him before.

Yusuf shakes his head, because sleep means dreams, and dreams will be worse. “What are you going to do?”

“I am going to find something for dinner,” Nicolò says.

“Let me come with you,” Yusuf says. Anything is better than sitting in this cabin alone with his thoughts.

Nicolò looks at him for a long moment. Perhaps he takes pity on Yusuf, or perhaps he thinks that it will be easier to keep Yusuf safe if he stays with Nicolò. Either way, he nods. “All right.”

----------

Finding something for dinner means that Nicolò leads Yusuf a little way into the woods, far enough that the foliage and the dying sunlight makes it difficult to see, and bids him hide beneath a tree, in a space formed by the roots, while Nicolò crouches beside him with his bow, nocking an arrow in one smooth, seamless motion. From his vantage point, Yusuf can see a small clearing with a few fallen trees.

“Do not move,” Nicolò instructs him in a whisper, “and do not make a sound.”

Yusuf rests his head against the tree and watches the leaves move in the breeze. It is quiet enough that all he can hear is their rustling, the sounds of birds and animals calling to each other, the rushing of the stream nearby. After a moment, and with nothing else to watch, Yusuf begins to watch Nicolò.

He has gone as still and as quiet as the trees around them, barely breathing, his shoulders rising and falling only slightly, like he has become a part of the forest. Faron Woods is much further south from here, but Yusuf supposes that this forest must be somewhat similar to where Nicolò grew up. He wonders who taught him to hunt; who taught him to be so comfortable in this place. Why he left it behind to travel to the castle and work for the king.

There are a lot of things Yusuf wonders about him. He cannot tell if Nicolò is aware of Yusuf’s watching; he must be. Still, Yusuf cannot help but watch.

It happens faster than Yusuf can track. Nicolò goes entirely still, and draws his bow swiftly, silently. Yusuf holds his breath and so does the forest.

Nicolò lets the arrow fly.

Yusuf doesn’t see whether it finds its mark, but Nicolò looks for a moment and then stands. “Wait here,” he says to Yusuf, and then heads for the clearing. When he returns he’s carrying something behind his back, the arrow in his other hand. Blood drips onto the grass.

“You can wait inside while I prepare it, if you prefer,” Nicolò says haltingly. Yusuf shakes his head, and so he sits on a log outside while Nicolò skins the rabbit, arms wrapped around his knees and chin drawn up to his chest. Nicolò keeps his back to Yusuf, shielding most of it from view.

Who taught him this? Yusuf wonders. It is a part of Nicolò he has never seen before.

When it is done, he takes it back inside to cook over the fire, and they eat it alongside the bread and cheese they brought from Goron City, across from each other at the cabin’s little table.

“When do you want to leave, tomorrow?” Nicolò asks softly.

“I don’t,” Yusuf says before he can stop himself, and then adds, “I don’t know. Early, probably.” The thought bursts the little bubble he’s been in since they arrived. He doesn’t want to leave, could stay here for the three days they’ve been allocated and return to his father without even having tried and it would change nothing.

“Just after sunrise, then,” Nicolò says. “It is not far, you said?”

Yusuf shakes his head. “No,” he says. “Not far.”

----------

The water is freezing.

It has always been freezing. But Yusuf knows well enough that if he stands in it for long enough, it will start to warm. It reaches to around halfway up his thigh; when he was younger, it felt deeper.

The stone in front of him offers nothing. No sign, no indication that anything is listening to him except for the water and Nicolò, who has been standing at the gate of the Spring for however long he has been in here. Has he been listening? Has he heard Yusuf pleading for something, anything, dreading the moment he returns to the castle and his father looks down at his left hand and sees nothing there?

What does Nicolò think of him now? If he did not see a failure before, does he see one now?

His legs may be going numb. They tremble beneath him, struggling to hold his weight. How long has he been standing here?

“Tell me what I am doing wrong,” he begs the stone. His voice sounds like it’s coming from somewhere else. “I know I am not the one you wanted, but I am trying. I am trying. I have given everything. I do not know how much more I have left.”

The stone says nothing.

Nicolò says, “Yusuf.”

Yusuf hears him without listening, falls to his knees in the water and does not even feel the chill.

“Please,” he pleads. “I cannot return – I cannot give anymore.”

There is a splash behind him, and then there is Nicolò, pulling him to his feet, pulling him from the water. Yusuf tries to hold fast - he cannot leave now or it will have been three days in the Spring with nothing to show for it.

“Yusuf,” Nicolò says again. His grip is gentle but unrelenting, and he is warm. Yusuf, shivering as he is, can’t help but lean into it. “You are exhausted. You are going to freeze. Come with me.”

“I can’t,” Yusuf says, even as he lets Nicolò take his weight, lets him guide Yusuf out of the Spring. “I can’t.”

There is a small paved area where their camp is set up. Nicolò has kept the fire going, or restarted it, while Yusuf was in there, and he half-carries Yusuf over to it now. Yusuf’s legs buckle under him the moment Nicolò lets him go, and he sinks onto something soft laid over the paving stones. He blinks, and there is a bowl in his hands, warming even if he does not really taste it.

“It was never supposed to be me,” Yusuf says without really meaning to.

From across the fire, Nicolò watches him.

“It was supposed to be my mother,” Yusuf whispers. The only sound between them is the crackling of the fire. Yusuf is so, so tired. He has never said this to anybody else, not even Andromache, but he cannot keep the words from rushing out of him now.

“It came to her when she was nineteen,” he says, “and that’s how they knew it would happen in her lifetime. So she trained, and she mastered it, and we were ready. And then she was killed, and because I was the oldest, it came to me.”

He does not like thinking about this. He has not thought about this in years. They do not speak of it anymore.

Nicolò is still watching him.

“I was asleep when it happened,” Yusuf continues. “I dreamt it as it happened, but I didn’t know until later. The moment she died, I woke up screaming. They told me afterwards that I was– I was glowing, bright enough that nobody could look at me for long or get close enough to see what was happening to me. They just had to wait until I came out of it. It felt like I was burning.” If he closes his eyes, he is there again, twelve years old and terrified.

“That’s how we know it should be me,” he says after a moment. “Who can do it. Because I did, once, but never again, despite all of this.” He waves at the Spring, the water, the stone.

Exhaustion tugs at him. His eyes will not stay open, but he cannot let himself fall asleep, not yet.

“Don’t let me fall asleep,” he tells Nicolò. “There’s still time.” It cannot be late yet; the sun has gone down, but it is not quite dark. “Don’t let me.”

“You have to rest,” Nicolò says. It is the first thing he has said to Yusuf since he pulled him from the Spring, and Yusuf cannot tell what he is thinking.

“I can’t fall asleep,” Yusuf insists.

“At least let yourself warm up first,” Nicolò says. There is a pile of dry clothes in his hands - where did he get them?

Nicolò convinces him to change and to sit back down, to rest a little while longer. This time he steers Yusuf to sit down on his bedroll instead, and Yusuf’s grip on his arm goes tight.

“Don’t let me fall asleep,” he says again.

“You cannot go on like this,” Nicolò says. “Sleep, and I will wake you in a few hours’ time.”

Yes, a few hours. That, Yusuf can afford. “Promise me,” Yusuf says, but his eyes are already closing unbidden.

Nicolò says nothing.

----------

When Yusuf wakes, it is still dark outside, and there is a cloak that is not his own draped over him. Nicolò is crouched over the fire only a short distance away. He catches Yusuf’s eye, but doesn’t say a word.

It all comes crashing back at once: the water, the stone, Nicolò. Yusuf sits up.

“You didn’t wake me,” he says.

Nicolò watches him for a long moment. “You needed the rest,” he says finally.

Suddenly his consideration stings. “That wasn’t your decision to make. What time is it?”

Nicolò glances at the sky. “It will be sunrise soon.”

Yusuf’s heart sinks. Sunrise means return, means return to the castle and his father with nothing. He gets up, pushes Nicolò’s cloak aside. “You should have woken me.”

Unexpectedly, Nicolò pushes back. “You would have only made yourself ill. You were barely conscious. I would not have done it if–” “That was not your decision to make,” Yusuf snaps. “I am not a child, Nicolò. I am capable of handling myself. I have lost hours.”

Nicolò does not say anything. Yusuf almost wishes he would keep pushing, but he does not. He simply folds himself back into the same blank expression he always carries, and again, Yusuf cannot read him.

“If the sun will rise soon, there is not much use in staying here for much longer,” Nicolò says eventually, quiet. He doesn’t meet Yusuf’s eyes. Guilt twists his stomach.

Did Nicolò know? Did Andromache warn him? Or was he just worried?

Yusuf nods.

They pack up their camp in silence, side by side. By the time they set off on the road back towards Goron City, the sun has risen, and the early light turns the world around them to gold.

Yusuf walks, and Nicolò follows behind him, as always.

#neon writes #the zelda au which lives only in my head #spring of power baby! if this seems vaguely familiar setup wise its because ive moved the vague plot of the mount lanayru ficlet here #this is a fairly early stage in their relationship booker is the 3rd champion they find (before andy who's the last)#so like. yusuf is warming up to him (hence him actually talking to nicolo) but is still. going through his whole deal #he'll apologise i promise hes just having a rough go of it the springs are a bit of a touchy subject #spring of power btw. nicolo on the other hand has not quite realised the full extent of whats up wrt yusuf and the springs #and his father generally. he doesnt think yusufs a failure tho thats just yusufs brain #anyway ive been replaying age of calamity and Wow botw zelda is the character of all time. for sure. obsessed with her #so i'm channeling that into this. feat. the reveal of what happened with yusufs mom #anyway. enjoy <3 #the old guard #kaysanova #fine main tag. whatever. this is for me and the 2 people who have expressed interest in this au #it haunts me daily

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arisewanekosuki · 5 months ago

Text

Dreamer in Teyvat -Night 1- (7/?)

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6] [For the next part check Masterlist]

[Equipment: Backpack, bag, shield, 3 Sango pearls, 3 Onigiri, comfortable Inazuman clothes for traveling]

Thankfully you haven't woken up in your world yet, that means one day and night in Teyvat doesn’t equal one night in your world. But still, you can’t help but wonder how much time is left till you wake up. Well you can just sit and think about it or do something… of course you choose to do something. Thankfully Miss Momoko let you sleep in her house for the night, she even prepared some Onigiri so you have something to eat later. She didn’t want your mora but you felt bad how much she did for you, so you left it in a place where she will be able to find it later. For today’s plan is to find Gorou and ask him to accompany you to Mouun Shrine. The first place to search for him was where other soldiers gather but you couldn’t spot him anywhere. You ask the first Samurai that you spot. -“Excuse me, do you know where I can find General Gorou?” The man looks surprised. -“General is now busy. If there is some problem I may help you.” -“Ah no, thank you! I just…um…a-anyway! Have a nice day!” and with that you run off.

It's really unlucky that Gorou is busy today. You’re not sure where he is and when he will have free time, so for now you decided to go to Mouun Shrine alone. You pass an old bridge and follow the road and pass another one.. You continue following the road till you reach the beach. You notice that for now you’ll walk on the sand, so you take off the sandals, holding them in hand. You pass through shallow water and then continue walking on sand. You reach the small canyon, you take a look around it wondering if it's a good route to the Shrine.

You decide to continue through it. The sand here felt much colder. When you pass it you notice something. Katanas and some destroyed things were lying around. It looks like someone was fighting there. You only hope whoever won is not here anymore. You take one of the best looking katana. At least now you have something to protect yourself with. Even if you don’t know how to use it you still can stab someone or something with it. From here you can see the skeleton of the whale but before it on the right side there is another bridge. Passing through another shallow water that changes into a waterfall, you reach the bridge. The wooden bridge seems to be in worse condition than the one close to the village. You put on your sandals and step on it, testing if this holds your weight. It seems stable enough so slowly you go through it. When you approach the end you notice that some planks must fall off. You had to jump. You take some steps back and then run and jump. Your feet slipped and you quickly grabbed the planks, knee hitting hard into the wood. You hissed in pain but you got up and left the bridge. You sat down on the ground to check your knee. -”At least it’s not bleeding..” you sighed. Deciding to take a small break, you start to eat the onigiri that Miss Momoko prepared for you. It’s delicious. You notice there are some Berries so you take them for later. After resting for a bit you continue to follow the path. After some time, you see 3 Torii Gates.

Passing through them you see the ruins of the Shrine. Looking around you don’t see anything unusual. There are some loaches so you try to sneak on them and get some loach perls. After some time you managed to collect 5 loach perls, maybe you will be able to sell them later. Going around the shrine you search for anything. But then you hear something.

There was Abyss Mage, it seems it was searching for something. It didn’t notice you yet. Should you try to attack it with a Katana? It doesn't have a shield yet, but what if the Abyss Mage noticed you before you'll struck it? Should you just hide and wait till it will go away? Or maybe should you run back towards the village?

------ Yes, I didn't forgot about this series. Tbh I had a bit more time and motivation so I wrote the next part! But I can't promise I'll be back of writing other parts immediately after the voting is over ;; Also sorry for mistakes, the worst is when even I notice silly ones after posting it but I can't correct them because you can't change post if you added voting T_T

#Genshin Impact x Reader #Genshin x Reader #Genshin Impact x You #Dreamer in Teyvat #Genshin Impact Platonic #My stuff #Kokomi x Reader #Gorou x Reader #Heizou x Reader #Beidou x Reader #Kazuha x Reader

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torashisama · 1 year ago

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WoT 207 ''Daes Dae'mar'': A detailed theory-analysis

DISCLAIMER :

This explanation is a detailed one. It is a deep dive into the season taking into account the point of view of all the relevant protagonists and antagonists of the game of houses that took place in Cairhien before our eyes in S2E07.Therefore, It's seemingly endless. If you don't enjoy reading or simply does not want to take the time to read, listen and watch all of it. You can check the following links to find the initial (shorter and less detailed, also outdated but still relevant) version of this explanation:

FOREWORD :

Excuse any eye piercing mistakes I might make or clunky phrasings you might notice, I'm French and ADHD's a bitch.

I've seen a lot of confusion about how Lan figured out about Moiraine. So, I analysed his POV throughout the season and those of the relevant characters in all of this so that it's clear for everyone as understanding part 1 is the central and fundmental part of this theory. It would be best for everyone, if there was no confusion.

PS: THE SCENES ARE IN HYPERLINKS FORMS BECAUSE I CAN'T PUT MOST THAN 1 VID PER POST, also forget about the backlinks. I forgot that the url would change if I went back to the different scenes after posting so that it'll stay like this but they won't work. ( no even sure they'll be necessary, i added them in case it was, so it'ss not an issue)

Let's theorise now, shall we ?

Part 1. Lan's and other relevant characters point of views throughout the season

E01 : A taste of Solitude

Here, his point of view is not important as it's mostly about how the bond being severed for the last 6 months affected him. What we can still point out from this episode is that at the beginning, Moiraine finally understands what the broken piece of Cuendillar at the Eye of The World meant. She understand thanks to the poem that was written on the back of the one that Bayle had, that all this time Ishamael was freed not defeated.

And that, at the end, when she first tried to leave without Lan, they ended up getting hurt and almost dying then getting rescued from the Fades who were following Bayle Domon by Verin and Tomas. ( (educated guess thanks to E08)Lanfear used him to get to Mo trough the fades, Moiraine was supposed to die before she had the chance to intervene.)

E02 : Strangers and Friends

After the Fades attack, Moiraine and Lan have been healed.

She's cold and leaving for the "docks", Verin tells her that Adeleas and her will accompany her and suggests that she goes to the White Tower first. She agrees. Later, at night, seated around a campfire listening to Verin, Adeleas and Tomas reminisce about their youth, Lan and Moiraine gets to do the same and remembers the first time they met each other. Sometime after, it's time for them to say goodbye and go their separate ways. Lan, while Moiraine is distracted, searches her saddle in which he finds a worn out piece of paper that is laced into what appears to be a thin thread of leather, before he can take a look at it, Moiraine comes back and he hides his findings in his cloak. They talk.

"I should have sensed the Fades were coming. I should have… I'm sorry. "

"Do you know when I actually decided you'd be my Warder?"

[…]

"You'll go to the Tower and I'll continue alone."

[…]

"We didn't defeat the Dark One, we set his strongest lieutenant free. The Forsaken are 3000 years old. They're the strongest channelers that ever lived, and Ishamael may be waking the others. What they can do with the One Power make the Aes Sedai look like tavern magicians conjuring birds from their sleeves. I mean, he cut me off with a flick of his wrist."

"But it takes eight Aes Sedai to cut someone off. Alone, he couldn't, no matter how…"

"You have no conception of the power they wield. "

"Well, then tell me.You and I walk this path together. […]"

"We've never walked this path together. You've never seen the forest for the trees because I have never shown it to you."

"You can't push me away."

"Rand's alive."

"No. You said he was dead."

"You assumed."

[…]

"I took an oath to defend you. "

"And without the bond, you're unable to fulfil that oath."

"I'm still your Warder.""

"No, you failed me.""

[…]

"I am not letting you walk away from me again."

"I know. Alanna will see you to the Tower. I'll have her take your bond by force if I must."

Lan from his last conversation with Moiraine before Siuan, Alanna, Maksim and Ihvon becomes relevant factors learns that :

He had been chosen as her warder because she thought "he'll ultimately will be fine if I die"

She wants to leaves him behind again

They did not defeat the Dark One at the Eye but only made things worse by releasing his strongest lieutenant, a forsaken: Ishamael a.k.a Ishy.

Ishamael is most likely than not on a quest to release the other ones.

The forsaken are so much more stronger than the Aes Sedai that the difference is hilarious to think about.

Ishy apparently stilled her by himself.

Mo's betrayed his trust for the last 6 months by lying the Aes Sedai way ( purposefully misleading him) about Rand's death.

She thinks that he failed her and isn't her warder anymore.

She never thought of him as her equal.

She'd betray his trust again by letting Alanna take his bond by force (violate him) so that he'd let her leave alone on her suicide mission.

E03: What Might Be

This episode is unusable as Lan only appears as a part of Nynaeve's trial in the arches. However, we can still count the day or days passing in this episode to try and know how long it's been since Moiraine and Lan have been separated.

I've found that it's only been a day since they left each other by the end of episode 3.

E04: Daughter of the Night

When we first see Lan again since he's been forced to leave with Alanna, He's already been 2 days and 1 night away from Moiraine. This episode will be the 3rd day and 2nd night.

During the day, he's with Alanna and instead of heading straight back for the Tower they pay a visit to Alanna's family.

He eats with them ( lunch ) then he leaves the table to go take a piss, he expected Maksim or Ihvon as before but this time it's Alanna that came to see him. They talk.

[…]

"a warm memory. Something worth living for. And at that point… "

"So we're going to skip all of that.,I don't think you're gonna kill yourself. Your bond wasn't ripped from you. She took it. So have you decided what you're going to do now?"

"Have I worn out my welcome? "

"The three of us, we are going back to the Tower tomorrow. Will you come with us?"

[…]

"I wish you could've known Moiraine before. "

"Before what? "

"Something happened to her. About years ago now. A year or two before she bonded you. One day she was simply… changed. The way water becomes ice, and you look at it and wonder how it was ever water before. "

"Was she happier, then?"

"I don't know. I don't know if she's ever been happy. "

Later during the day, in the afternoon, he talks with Maksim.

[…]

"Moiraine has left the bond masked for… the last six months or so."

"I thought I was the only Warder who could go that long. When Alanna first bonded me, it was miserable for everyone. I didn't like having an audience in my head, and she didn't like the show. So, the three of us talked it through, and we decided that she would mask her bond with me. Except in battle. And bed."

"Does the Tower know about this? "

"Have you ever known a marriage that is exactly the same as another? I know the others will tell you…you can't go back to Moiraine. But I'm proof that you can. If you want to."

And finally, at night he talks with Ihvon.

[…]

"It's something she said. You keep saying it to yourself over and over. A thousand cuts for her one. People don't understand that we quiet ones… are quiet because the conversation's always… playing out in our own heads."

"She said that, all these years… Mm…she never considered me an equal. "

"Of course not. We are not their equals, Lan. We're not supposed to be. An Aes Sedai can… call down lightning, raise mountains. The rest of the world only sees their power. We see their weakness. We remind them that they are not gods."

"I wouldn't think that… Alanna needed a reminder."

"Yeah, well, she knows we want the same thing as her. "

"What's that? "

"The triumph of the Light over the Dark. And dessert after. "

"What about Moiraine? What does she want? "

"Maybe that's the problem. I don't think I know anymore. "

While they're talking, Maksim who was meditating with them but left them alone before they started talking, found the old and worn out piece of paper that Lan previously took from Moiraine. He shows it to Alanna, who reads it and immediately understand what it could mean about Lan and maybe Moiraine too. Is he a dark friend ? Are they dark friends ? Later during the night, while Lan is asleep, Ihvon joins them and they talk it out, outside the house, Ihvon then reads it and they figure out that it's a prophecy in the Old Tongue about a forsaken, specifically about the Daughter of the Night, Lanfear. They're not sure of what to think yet, but they now suspect Lan.

E05: Damane

In this episode we do not follow Lan, Alanna, Ihvon or Maksim. There's is no point of view for them while they're travelling together but we can add 2 nights and a day to the counter. It's been 4 days and 4 nights away from Moiraine and as many days and nights spent with Alanna and her warders for Lan. However, we do get Verin's point of view.

After just arriving at the Tower, she asked after Nynaeve and Egwene but it turned out that they were nowhere to be found. Not in their rooms, not doing chores or in class and somehow, it was the same for the Daughter-heir of Andor, Elayne. They seemed to have disappeared so she went to see Sheriam Sedai, the current Mistress of Novices to try and understand where they could have vanished.

[…]

"Why, Verin Sedai. I was unaware you'd be visiting us."

[…]

"Uh, what can I do for you, Sister?"

"I was hoping to have a word with two of the girls in your care, Egwene al'Vere and Nynaeve al'Meara. Do you know where I might find them?"

"Uh, they are likely busy doing their chores. "

"In fact, they aren't. Nor are they in their class, nor in their rooms. And, um, also the Daughter-Heir of Andor is nowhere to be found."

"Is it possible they may have left Tower grounds?"

"The Daughter-Heir? It's worth taking a look, don't you think? "

"Oh. Uh… Oh, goodness, yes. Here it is. A visit to Elayne's home in Caemlyn. The three were signed out just the other day."

"That seems worth remembering. "

"It is. I, um…I don't know how it slipped my mind, frankly."

"It's quite unusual".

"That it is."

[…]

"Oh, yeah, I have another question for you. I was in the library asking after a book, Meditations on the Kindling Flame? Oh, yes, I've been meaning to return it. It's in my room, actually. Do you need it? Just for a short passage on the Amyrlin Tetsuan, uh… if you could. "

Verin went to the library before going to Sheriam and asks Nomy and Yassica about the "new very powerful Novices".

We don't actually see this happening, but since she went to the tower knowing about Moiraine's adopted kids and particularly about Rand, she must have wanted to meet them as opposed to being able to meet the Dragon Reborn himself ( being bothered by her insatiable curiosity again). She learns that they are nowhere to be found, knowing what link they might have with the Dragon Reborn, she finds suspicious that just after Moiraine got attacked by 3 Fades and went looking for the Dragon Reborn, again, that her girls would appear to have left tower grounds with no one knowing about their departure. With these information in mind, before going to see Sheriam, she takes some precaution to ensure that she discovers the whole truth if for some reason Sheriam was not revealing it all. Knowing all of this, we can deduce that she had the following course of action:

Go to the Library and asks her fellow trusted brown sisters about the girls, after she tells her that it seems like they're not in the tower anymore, She asks them to help if she suspects that Sheriam, might not be telling her the whole truth during their talk.

ask about a book she borrowed and did not return yet, so that they can use it's mention as a signal and use it as a diversion (Meditation on the Kindling Flame).

Look for Ny, Eggy and Elayne

Ask and look around for them

Go to Sheriam and ask about the girls disappearance and determine whether it would be wise to use the backup plan.

Signal to Yassica that they're following the plan, that their conversation is coming to an end and that they'll soon get out of her study.

Distract Sheriam long enough so that Yassica retrieves all of the supposedly useful information.

Meet Yassica to talk about her findings.

Get the names of every Aes Sedai who left the tower in the last few days because it seems that a weave of compulsion was used on Sheriam (so Black Ajah).

Get the prophecies about the DR for Moiraine ? (not sure that she ever did)

Liandrin cross examination

Liandrin successfully fails

[…]

"I, um, I thought you were in Jurene hunting a young man suspected of channeling. "

"Luckily it was nothing."

"Hmm. "

"But… I did… bring back some white asparagus. If you'd like some. It's a delicacy from the village. You can only… "

"Procure them there and only at this time of year. "

"Yes."

[…]

"That's strange. Novices shouldn't be allowed to… "

"Well, they've, uh… they've gone to a name day ceremony in Caemlyn. "

"I'd heard on the road back that a royal envoy going to Caemlyn was attacked south of here. "

"By whom?"

"Uh, a soldier at the inn. He said it was… bandits or Whitecloaks. But if the girls were with them… Come, we must talk to the Keeper immediately. Those girls are worth more than gold itself. Hurry."

Even though her suspicions about Liandrin are at an all time high, I think that she did go with her to go "talk to the Keeper". It's the last time we see her before Cairhien.

E06: Eyes Without Pity

It's been 4 days and 4 nights, Moiraine got to Rand the night before and finally separated him from Lanfear. Defeated and her plans for the Dragon Reborn interrupted.

MOIRANE AND RAND

[…]

Lanfear: "But, if you actually want to work with me… I have one condition. "

Moiraine: "What did she say?"

"I have to go."

"Where? Did she tell you where… "

"No. Away from you. That was her condition. If she sees us together again, she'll kill you".

Lanfear, goes to Liandrin who she's been prying on in the World of Dreams. They talk.

[…]

"Ishamael said he'd freed you, but I…"

"Tell me, why do you work for him? For Ishamael? You hate men. With one exception, it seems."

[…]

"Men hurt us… betray us, and still, we love them. You swore your oaths to keep him alive, but this is not life. "

"I know. "

"He's holding you back. The last tie to the girl you used to be. The girl who was beaten and starved, and forced to marry before she bled. "

"I know. "

"And that's why I'm here, to do what you can't. A gift only one woman can give to another."

[…]

"You swore your oaths to the Dark, not to Ishamael. You cannot take them back. It's impossible. But there are many paths to walk through the night."

(optional but recommended) : Torashi's thoughts about Lanfear and Liandrin

Liandrin ends up switching sides at the end of this conversation. She will now aid Lanfear, not Ishy and Lanfear gives her the task of killing Moiraine (it's the 2nd assassination attempt). She needs to get rid of her but can't kill her herself because she wants Rand to trust her and believe in her and her cause.

Meanwhile, Moiraine is in Cairhien with Rand and at some point she attempts to write a letter in response to her "Dearest Siuan" to update her on the situation and finally tell her the truth about being stilled but she can't. At least, not yet. Only, she did not expect Lan to overtake her.

Lan's point of view (during night 4)

It's night, Lan, Alanna, Maksim and Ihvon are travelling. We don't know where exactly they're going but we can expect them to be going towards the Tower as it was what was planned. All this time spent with them, Lan has been pondering on the idea, that, maybe, Moiraine, really is not stilled but something else. He does not know what but he needs to at least dissipate his doubts. On the other side, Alanna, Maksim and Ihvon still suspects Lan of being a Dark Friend. During their trip, they purposefully choose to stop at a Forsaken temple to observe his behavior and judge him. Lan having these doubts in the back of his mind, wants to get to the Amyrlin seat, Siuan Sanche, who happens to be Moiraine's secret wife. He needs more information on the forsaken and needs to know where to find Siuan, so that she can help him dissipate his doubts ( he understands the old tongue- he understood what Ihvon meant by "Blood calls blood") and help him find how to help Moiraine.

Alanna : "Here's as good a place to stop as any. I'm dying for some tea."

Lan: "This is a temple to the Forsaken. Interesting choice."

Maksim: "Shelter's shelter. "

Lan: "We'll need the Amyrlin's permission for me to return to the Tower. Moiraine's banishment applies to me until our bond is formally removed from Tower records."

Alanna: "The Amyrlin won't be back for another few days yet. She's returning from a visit to Caemlyn."

Lan: "Forsaken. Do you believe they had powers the Aes Sedai have lost? Weaves this Age has forgotten?"

Ihvon: "They were the generals of the Dark One's army. The things they did, our Aes Sedai would never even consider."

Alanna: "What you're willing to do changes depending on what you're faced with."

[sometime later Alanna, Maksim and Ihvon are supposed to be distracted, having fun in their tent. Lan attempts to leave but they were watching him all along. He's cornerded by Ihvon and Maksim then trapped in the One Power by Alanna.]

Maksim : "It's rude to leave while your friends are sleeping."

Ihvon: "Ruder still to use your weapon against them."

Lan: "I don't want to fight you. "

Maksim: Rejection's a relatively new experience. You'll have to forgive me for asking, but… where are you going, old friend?

Lan : That is my business.

[…]

Alanna: "The Amyrlin did not banish you from Tar Valon. You know that. You wanted me to tell you where she is. Why?"

Lan: "I need to find her."

Alanna: "What do you want from Siuan Sanche ?"

Alanna: "You will tell us the truth, al'Lan Mandragoran. We will kill you were you stand if you don't."

Lan: "We found the Dragon Reborn."

[Lan goes to Siuan to tell her the truth about her wife, so that she can help him check whether he was right to doubt a forsaken's ability to still someone alone and help her.]

It's the last time we see them before the new day starts. They had all night to talk to each other, research (if needed) and come up with a plan.

DURING DAY 5

-MORNING

Lan is preventing Rand from leaving to go to Falme, alone, without Moiraine. He's accompanied by Alanna, Maksim and Ihvon.

Moiraine sends Jonas to give a letter to a trusted sister of hers of the Blue Ajah so that she can "get it where it needs to go" (To Siuan I suppose). She apologises to Barthy and he hugs her, they're interrupted by Anvaere.

"The Amyrlin Seat is here, in Cairhien, with 14 Aes Sedai, and she's demanded an audience with you."

Liandrin's in Cairhien, thanks to her, we know that Siuan summoned them without disclosing why.

"The last time the Amyrlin Seat called 14 sisters to meet with her in Cairhien, we installed a new king on the Sun Throne."

"Well, maybe this Amyrlin is a little more frivolous daughter."

"Hmm. "

"We'll have to wait and see."

In this part, we learned that :

Lan was suspicious from the moment that he learned how Moiraine got stilled by Ishy.

He doubted what his next step should be and thanks to Ihvon and Maksim, he knew that he had to get back and COULD go back to Moiraine.

He needed to get to Siuan before so that she could help him get back to Moraine and check whether he could have been right or not about her not being stilled.

He told Alanna about Rand and never disclosed that Moiraine could not channel or that Siuan and her were working together or that they are lovers.

He went to see Siuan, they talked and planned an intervention to save Moiraine from herself.

Lanfear used Domon to get to Moiraine trough the fades to kill her before she could do anything about Rand. (educated guess when informed by E08)

Lanfear rallied Liandrin to her cause and tasked her to take care of Moiraine for her. (educated guess when informed by E08)

Verin now knows about the dragon and is going to the Tower to look for prophecies about the dragon for Moiraine.

Verin suspected Liandrin of being Black Ajah and of being able to use the weave of compulsion and left with her to "go see the keeper"

Siuan, Lan, Alanna, Ihvon and Maksim went to Cairhien

Siuan summoned 14 Aes Sedai there but did not disclose the reason why and demanded an audience with Moiraine

Lan prevented Rand from leaving without Moiraine for Falme accompanied by Alanna, Ihvon and Maksim.

Part 2. Liuan : Their off screen talk

Thanks to part 1, we can be assured that Siuan was the one who showed up at Cairhien and not the Amyrlin Seat. It was about Moiraine not the mission or Rand. They were secondary motives and afterthoughts. All that mattered when she saw Lan, was Moiraine. It would have been five days since she answered to Moiraine from their previous letter and she still did not have an answer, so she was already worried. In E06, when Moiraine attempts to write to Siuan before Barthy interrups her. It either was the first letter from E01 or a follow up one that Siuan sent out of worry. Lan showing up alone, probably was horrifying. As for Lan, is sole purpose and worry from the night Moiraine got "stilled" and they lost their bond was to help Moiraine, support her, be close to her again. Basically as he said:

Moiraine: "I don't know what you think you'll gain from this."

Lan: "Hopefully, everything we've lost."

Now onto the talk.

credit: @aflawedfashion

What we can deduce from E07 and the previous episodes we just deep dived into is that Lan told her more than she had just been stilled. He confirms that he went to Siuan doubtful near the end of episode 7 when he says :

"It never made sense to me, Moiraine. What you're feeling? Ishamael didn't still you. Not even a Forsaken could do that alone. It is a shield that he's tied off, which means… "

scene

He just told her what he tried to say from E02 (except this time he knows what it is if not stilling and how to fix it), but she wouldn't listen to him.

scene

So, between Liuan this is what he must have said:

Siuan, At the eye of the world, Moiraine actually fought a forsaken, he was not defeated.

She was mistaken, a few days ago she realised that we released him. We were wrong, we,lost at the eye of the world.

She's lost her ability to touch the source but she said that Ishamael stilled her alone. I don't think she's been stilled, Verin Sedai said that most stilled women ended up dying and that her behavior was not aligning with what's usually expected. After she told me that he stilled her alone I strongly doubted that she really was, I thought maybe it was something else, I told her but she brushed me off. Are they really that strong ? Can a forsaken really still someone alone ?

She's been casting me out for the last six months so I only learned about all of it 4 nights ago when she left me behind to go find Rand. He wasn't with us, she let me assume he died and let him leave.

She forced me to stay back with Alanna Sedai and her warders by threatening me of letting her take my bond by force. They were to take me back to the tower but before Moiraine left me I took a poem she had in her saddle, it was about Lanfear. Ishamael released her, Alanna Sedai found it and cornered me earlier as I was trying to get to you to confront me about it. She wouldn't let me go, she thought that I was to harm you and a dark friend, she was ready to kill me so I had to tell her about the dragon reborn so that she'd let me go.

Lan told her and knew everything she needed to know to be able to help her wife as she's always been doing. Only, this time, Moiraine would have to stay out of the loop. She's emotionally unstable and is not in a place where she could allow herself to think of such a possibility anymore, giving her hope for no reason wouldn't make for anything good.

optional but recommended : Thoughts about why Liuan decided to keep Moiraine out of the loop

We now wonder, what did they plan ?

Part 3. Liuan : The Plan

Before diving into this part, we need to know what might have happened between them beside their talk.

What can we deduce happened ?

Lan tells her everything and Siuan comes up with the plan and tells him what he'll have to do and they'll obviously use Rand as a pretext (well, Siuan will).

(I used to think that she could have not know as soon as he'd tell her since Moiraine herself did not think that a Forsaken wouldn't be able to do that but after further research and taking into account the fact that Lan immediately suspected it and that Moiraine judgement was clouded by her emotions, I now think that Siuan knew as soon as he told her. Anyway, whether she needed to check or not they had their plan which was not about the dragon in case you forgot but about Moiraine.)

Now, onto the discussed plan:

Siuan explains :

Lan you'll :

Get the boy, try to make him understand that he'll be fine but do not tell him the truth, we can't trust that he won't talk to Moiraine or that nobody will spy on you. I'll meet him and try and do the same and use our meeting as my main motive for coming to Cairhien, also, we'll need him to unshield her as I can't see Saidin (men half of the One power).

You'll check with Logain to know if we were right about her being shielded, we have to be sure before attempting anything.

Check if she ever wanted to kill herself if you have the chance.

Everything may not go as planned so be ready not to reveal that there's more than me meeting the boy and follow along with whatever I do.

This is what you'll have to do to un-shield her if we were right

If we get attacked you'll take her there. This will be our escape route in case we ever need it.

As for Alanna and her warders they'll be on the look out.

Most importantly, keep her safe, be careful and stand by her.

Siuan

I'll

Summon 14 Aes sedais and take them with me to Cairhien since we have 2 Forsaken on the loose trying to get him, they'll be useful in case we get attacked.

Meet and talk to Moiraine and distract her from what you'll be doing.

Meet the boy and try to make him understand that i'm on his side.

Alanna, Maksim and Ihvon

Look out for the Forsaken

Alert

Backup

Goals

The goal is to help Moiraine and that is it, probably discuss their next course of action regarding the plan since she might be stilled (which she can do with no problem since she doesn't know for sure that she isn't). As i've stated before, Rand and the mission in this case were the after thoughts as it is Siuan that decided to go to Cairhien and not the Amyrlin Seat.

Moiraine: "Siuan said you were leaving. Where were you going? "

(While they're the same person, they are not the same characters, Siuan isn't the Amyrlin Seat and the Amyrlin Seat is not Siuan but only a part of her, I thought the show made it clear enough but I'm reminding you all again anyway as i've seen that a lot (even other theorist and siuaraine shippers) seems to think that Siuan really went to Cairhien to take Rand away from Mo, cage him and stuff as if they did not show us that it simply was not how it worked between them and that she simply was not her position at all. Most misunderstood and underappreciated character sincerely (those who voted Hopper, i'm looking at y'all). Anyway, SHE IS NOT THE AMYRLIN SEAT AND THE AMYRLIN SEAT IS NOT SIUAN BUT ONLY A PART OF HER.)

So, Siuan shielding and putting Rand in a cell was improvised as he was leaving without Moiraine knowing and she needed him to be around anyway.

Daes dae'Mar : The Game of Houses, Liuan's plan put into practice

House Sanche-Mandragoran

Siuaraine meeting in the Sun Palace

Goals :

Meet and talk to Moiraine and distract her from what Lan will be doing.

Use meeting Rand as her main motive for coming to Cairhien.

[MOIRAINE] Mother. [SIUAN] Leave us, Daughter. She's no threat to me. [LEANE] I'll be right outside, Mother. [SIUAN] Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me you'd been stilled? Six months of letters, Moiraine. And not one word about this…this violation. [MOIRAINE] Well, what else did Lan tell you?

[MOIRAINE] That you threatened to let Alanna take his bond without his permission. You know he told her. That you found the Dragon. (half truth and deflection, she knew about the forsaken and talks about it later,)

[MOIRAINE] Why are you here, Siuan?

[SIUAN] I've let you carry this burden for years, love. You've given everything for it. From here on out, I row beside you. ( half truth, because she also was there to help Lan check her powers)

Moiraine: [SCOFFS] (not convinced)[gets hypnotised by Siuan's touch]

[SIUAN] It's time I met Rand al'Thor. (deflection)

scene

Lan takes Rand and prepare him to meet Siuan

Goals:

Prepare him to meet Siuan :

make him understand without telling him the truth that Siuan is on his side. Even though she's the Amyrlin. ( for the reason mentioned before but also, it's Cairhien)

[LAN] Tuck in your shirt. [RAND] What does the Amyrlin Seat want from me? Is this a trial? I saw what she did to the last man who called himself Dragon. (scared) [LAN] Is that why you ran from the Eye of the World? Why you hid here? (wonders why he left and questions if it was because he was afraid about sharing Logain's fate) [RAND] I left to protect the people I love. (angrily answers, offended by the assumption) [LAN] Don't be so selfish. You were born to protect this world. Every person in it. Not just the ones you love. (reminds him of his responsabilities as the Dragon Reborn)

Listen to me. The Amyrlin's a smart woman. She's a good woman. (reassures him about Siuan) And she comes from humbler beginnings than you. (she's not what she seems) [RAND] Does Moiraine know you're doing this? (asks about the only Aes Sedai he kind of trust) [LAN] There's one rule above all others for being a man. Whatever comes, you face it on your feet. ( ignores and teach him what his answer should be to the fear he's currently feeling)

Put this on. Give me your blade.

Heron Dips the Wing. You've been learning sword forms. (proud uncle moment) [RAND] I've learned a couple of things. [LAN] Keep the sword. (let him keep his sword as he is still stressed)

If the Amyrlin's afraid of you, it won't be for a sword. (build his confidence up)

If you're going to use one of the forms, use Cat Crosses the Courtyard, keep your back straight, every muscle loose. As if hung from a wire at the top of your head. (teaching moment)

Go. The Amyrlin waits.

scene

Siuan meets Rand while Mo'an are talking

[RAND] As you've summoned me, Mother, so I've come. I stand ready. [SIUAN] Do you now, boy? Lan has prepared you, I see. What else did he tell you? [RAND] That you aren't exactly what you seem. [SIUAN] Most people are not. In this world, it is wise to guard your truths, but not us. Not today. (she won't lie, since she can't but she's going to aes sedai her way out of his questions not to reveal blatlantly that she's on his side) I have questions for you. Answer truthfully.

[LATER]

[RAND] And then what? [SIUAN] You say you've been careful. How many times have you channeled? [RAND] Not many. Not deliberately. [SIUAN] You will continue to channel, as sure as roe makes fish. You can't help it. And if you don't learn to control it, you won't live long enough to go mad. (INFODUMP) [RAND] What kind of a choice is that? (when did she give him a choice exactly, please ?), (ignored question) Dying or going mad and killing everyone I love? (ignored) What if I'm tired of being a spoke in the Wheel? (acknowledged) [SIUAN] You're not a spoke, boy. You are the water that turns the Wheel itself or dashes it to pieces. (answers)

Do you know what Tower law says the Amyrlin must do if she finds the Dragon Reborn? (question and attemps at making him understand) [RAND] Gentle him? [SIUAN] Gentle him? No. How do you fight the Dark One without the One Power?

Some of my Red daughters would want that, I suppose, but… (beware of the reds basically) we are meant to cage you. (teaching, infodumping)

Keep you shielded, channeling only when we want, what we want. And when we go to fight the Last Battle, you will be the greatest weapon in our arsenal. But not our general.

This is not a conversation. (yes it is) You already made your decision. (indeed, 20 years ago dumbass) You made it before you ever met me. (how do you know? she made it looking in your other mom eyes the day you were born and ruined their retirement plans, BEHAVE RAND)

I won't live in your cage. (did she say SHE, would cage you or that the Amyrlin was MEANT to cage you ? she infodumped, you stupid boy)

(she had no other choice but to shield him as he was getting hostile, then Mother got mad, i can't blame her I would have too (actually I did), because how can you be so dense, mistaken and dumb, like why would you think you'd be able to do anything against the Amyrlin Seat, when you know nothing about channeling- je souffle (I sigh), je souffle, je souffle. Il fatigue(he tires).)

scene

Six months you've known what you are, and… you've learned nothing.

Six months! Huh?

She taught you nothing. (she's mad, and it takes a lot to get her to snap according to New spring so leave my girl alone, Mo took the decision alone, said nothing and did teach him nothing also from an objective stand point, she's not necessarily talking about chanelling. She's been over their whole discussion since he pulled a Nynaeve while asking about being tired of being a spoke or whatever )

A single Aes Sedai can handle you like baitfish. ( just an astute and accurate observation made with an iconic fish metaphor)

[SIGHS] (me too)

We would've been so much better off if you were a girl. (i'm sorry not sorry to the men who got butt hurt by this comment but she's right, had it been possible it would have been so much better and it's an objective truth, she basically stated a fact so get over it)

scene

Mo'an talk during Rand and Siuan are talking

Goals:

Check if she ever wanted to kill herself ( symptoms of stilling basically)

Do not to reveal that there's more than Siuan meeting Rand

[MOIRAINE] I don't know what you think you'll gain from this. [LAN] Hopefully, everything we've lost. [MOIRAINE] Leave. I have nothing to say to you. [LAN] I have a question for you. And I hope someday you'll forgive me for asking it. ( a single question huh ?)

After you were stilled by Ishamael, has there been a time… in all these months when you thought about ending it? [MOIRAINE] killing myself?

I read the Tower records. (keep that in mind,take a mental or physical note.) There have only been two women in history who were cut off who didn't. Most did it within the year. [MOIRAINE] No, I didn't. (Rand & Moiraine getting offended by Lan's perfectly reasonable and logical assumption)

Not for one second.

Because I know that protecting Rand, guiding him, that is the only thing that matters. More than me, more than you. More than anything. [LAN] That's what I thought. (happy Lan)

[MOIRAINE] And this whole thing you're doing with Siuan, it puts all of it… the Last Battle,the fate of the world… in jeopardy. (Yes, it's true but do I need to remind her "when have ever followed the rules?" or simply that these two never let her not take care of herself? WHY DID SHE EVEN EXPECT THEM TO CARE ABOUT THE WORLD IF SHE WASN'T FINE ? SUCH A DEPRESSED LOVABLE AND ANNOYING PUFFERFISH).

I apologise for my lack of professionalism,

It will definitely happen again though,you've been warned.

What isn't she telling me? (was not convinced by Siuan earlier, just hypnotised)

You have to trust someone at some point, Moiraine. You can't do this by yourself. You can't. And if it's not going to be me… then I thought it might at least be her. (deflect)

scene

Siuaraine, Mo'an, Liuan fight (+ red haired misbehaving toddler)

Goal:

distract Moiraine so that Lan can do his thing

improvised: shield rand and prevent him from leaving, as he's shown that he's ready to be hostile and harm, he's caged and to be kept shielded by Leane who knows nothing but that she has to shield him.

[SIUAN] Let them through. [MOIRAINE] Release him, Siuan. ( Mo, you don't even know what he did) Now. [SIUAN] No. We tried our way, Moiraine. -> true

And we nearly lost everything. -> true

The Tower's laws have stood for , 3000 years.-> infodumb

It's time we obeyed them. -> it was time from the moment they became accepted, it was already time in their hut when Moiraine was asking when did they EVER followed these rules. [LAN ] This is not what we agreed to. (true but he also remembered that bro was leaving alone when he found him and will stay quiet and follow along from now on)

[MOIRAINE] The Reds will gentle him.

[SIUAN] Not while I hold the Seat. -> true, even if she really wanted to follow the rules, she wouldn't let them.

[MOIRAINE] The Tower is filled with your enemies. -> true, she knows

You're this sure of your power? -> true, and siuan stays quiet because she can't Aes sedai her way out of this one

We each had a task, Siuan.

I was to find the Dragon Reborn. You were to get the Tower ready to support him. Or have you forgotten that day? -> something here snapped in her brain people, Moiraine angered her with this one and she loses her temper ( which is, AGAIN, hard to do according to New spring in case I needed to remind you)

[SIUAN]

Of course I have not forgotten.

But you were supposed to be with him, ready to shield him if he starts to go mad.

Yet here you are, stilled. (still isn't sure and it's what it appears to be so she can say it, and she is pissed)

You can't control him. -> true

You can't guide him. -> true

Can you imagine, Moiraine, if one of the Forsaken got their hands on him? (she gave herself away there, remember in the first meeting when I referenced this ? )

He's no more ready now than he was before you found him. -> true

You left the fate of the world to chance… -> true, she let him leave at the eye when she was not sure of what the fight they just "won" meant + she never told her that he left because she couldn't tell her why she let him leave and there was no other reason than she couldn't protect him anymore from the dark and himself and it was best if he laid low + it meant that telling, and admitting that she'd never touch the source again could be delayed

… for your pride. -> so yes but for those not agreeing with her statement there, we do not care, she just need to believe something to be able to say it. IT DOES NOT MATTER.

Tomorrow, when Queen Galldrian returns, we shall announce him as Dragon here in Cairhien… with Sisters by our side to show he is under our control. -> he's supposed to leave with Moiraine as soon as she's unshielded if they were right, no one knows about Rand but them and those who learned about it this season and it's one of the possible choice they could have made by actually having a conversation about what to do if Moiraine hadn't come in there after Lan told her to trust, ordering Siuan around, wanting to hear nothing else, when she didn't even know why he was shielded (he deserved the time out sincerely.)

Prepare him for what is to come.

I think she was saying this to both of them, and it had a double meaning.

Lan: Still on board, even though things got heated carry on with the plan, just lost my temper. ( would explain why the camera shows him and not Moiraine even though the whole conversation had been only between Siuaraine)

Mo and us: yeah i'm apparently ditching the plan we sacrificed 20 years for, and the one I came up with Lan, last night, without a discussion, just because i'm pissed after I told you her earlier that I was there to support you her. Yes, that is right, this is what is happening.

scene

Since there had been no objection, no attempt at bargaining or anything, just plain old silence. Siuan thought Moiraine had dropped the ball. She let her be, and Moiraine chose to stay with Rand. ( good because she'll still be distracted even though they're mad at each other right now) Had Moiraine been imprisoned too, she wouldn't have been allowed to be in the same cell, and Siuan would have disclosed that she had been stilled to Leane but she did not. Siuan trusted her, still, even though they just had a fight about their kid and knew that she had been Aes sedaying her way out of transparency for months. So,to her everything was mostly going according to plan but then Rand happened and introduced another player to the game that was currently unfolding before our innocent, untrained eyes and unaware minds.

House Lanfear- Al'Thor

Goals:

Get rid of Moiraine

Get Rand to Falme alone

[RAND] What is happening to me? [MOIRAINE] You've been shielded from the One Power. [RAND] Um… it feels… [MOIRAINE] As if you've lost everything you ever were and everything you could possibly be. Don't worry, it's temporary. She has to channel to keep the shield in place, but when it drops, you'll feel yourself again. [MOIRAINE] Siuan said you were leaving. (off-screen first meeting)

Where were you going? [RAND] Falme. Egwene is there. Ishamael has her. [MOIRAINE] Lanfear showed you this in the dream world? [RAND] I know they want me to go there. But why Falme, of all places? [MOIRAINE] The Dragon is supposed to proclaim himself there. "Bannered 'cross the sky in fire." [RAND] They want everyone to know who I am before they try to kill me. If they need me in Falme, then they certainly don't want me being held prisoner by the Amyrlin Seat.

He happened, and Moiraine broke Siuan's trust there once again by indulging in it.

As Justine Juel Gillmer( S1E06 and S2E07 writer) pointed out and explained : Moiraine feels like she lost Rand to Lanfear, operates without a clear path to follow for the first time and is all alone. She focuses only on Rand, nothing else matters (as i've pointed before myself too, during Mo'an's talk). (in the bonus)

So, she does nothing else than what she felt she could do : She stays by his side and tries to win him back. She says nothing,let him and indulges in his tendency to call on Lanfear (the dark) for help, thinking that she would be able to outsmart her even though she knows that she wouldn't have been able to see their interaction in the world of dreams, she trust Rand to give her all of the information that she'd need to know if something was wrong and Rand ends up asking Lanfear. A fair price to pay to gain some of his trust back: trusting each other and only one another and further harming the trust Lanfear made sure they would build while she was away and unaware. Without realising it, she built trust in one of her relationship, while harming one of hers too.

She breaks the trust that Siuan chose to still have in her, even though she knew that she was not in the right head space right now because of the shield, by actually trying to escape when she had dropped the ball earlier.

scene

Meanwhile, Liandrin is working on fulfilling the mission she has been given by Lanfear in episode 6. […]

[LIANDRIN] I remember her at that age. You have the look of her, you know. [BARTHANES] Why are you here, Aes Sedai? [LIANDRIN] To deliver an order. (from Lanfear) [BARTHY] What does our master ask of me? ( he assumed it was from Ishy or the DO) [LIANDRIN] Remove her from the board. [BARTHY] She is my aunt. [LIANDRIN] Exactly. Even she will be unprepared for this. Do it today. She's being held in a cell in the palace. (Lanfear or you got this one wrong Liandrin, she's in there voluntarily.)Oh. And if your mother suspects anything… take care of her, too.

scene

Meanwhile House Lanfear-Al'Thor,

[LANFEAR] You didn't even make it out of the city. ( she knew already) [RAND] I need your help. I'm in a cell in the Sun Palace. The Amyrlin's holding me. [LANFEAR] I know. [RAND] Can you get me out? [LANFEAR] Hmm. Isn't Moiraine with you? Surely she could do something. [RAND] Maybe she will. Maybe I won't need you. [LANFEAR] Oh, I do like it when you try to manipulate me. [RAND] Can you get me out or not, Lanfear?

scene

On the other side,

House Sanche-Mandragoran

Goals:

check with Logain to know if they were right about her being shielded, They have to be sure before attempting anything.

Alanna and her warders will be on the look out.

[ALANNA] Through there. What did he say? Does the Daughter of the Night walk in our world? [MAKSIM] Forsaken. Dragon Reborn. I miss the farm, Alanna. I even miss your cousins. [ALANNA] Come now. Did you expect we would fight the Last Battle against an army of kittens?

[LOGAIN] I would offer you a match, but.. stones is a gentleman's game. Tell your master that I'm still waiting for her to keep her promise. Or you can just run me through with your blade now, save her the trouble. [LAN] I can do better than that. You can see male weaves. What do you see when you look at Moiraine? [LOGAIN] A desperate, lonely woman who has given her life to a cause… beyond her understanding. [LAN] A half a year in an asylum, and you're a madman still. [LOGAIN] Madness is expecting a straight answer from the man you helped lock away. There are weaves on her. From a man. Thousands of strands pulled together, held in place, but nothing being channeled into them. [LAN] How is that possible? [LOGAIN] I don't know, it's just like…

scene

House Lanfear-Al'Thor

[PEOPLE SCREAMING IN BADASS LANFEAR ANNOUNCING HER ARRIVAL]

Meanwhile House Sanche- Mandragoran,

[ALANNA] There's a fIre. In the Foregate. [LOGAIN] The key. [LAN] You think I've forgotten what you did to Kerene and Stepin? You will get this key when they take you back to the White Tower. There are two Brown Sisters that are desperate to study a man who can channel.

[LAN] Go. (to Moiraine) [LANFEAR] 3000 years pass and I'm back to this.

scene

And another player comes in, unexpectedly,

House Damodred

Goals:

Save Moiraine

Save the name of House Damodred

Save herself

Get yourself absolutely adored by the Fandom in one action

[BARTHANES] You're sure my aunt's alone? [SERVANT] As you asked, my lord. And a sedative in her tea. She should be asleep already. [BARTHY]] Good. [SERVANT] Would you like me to open it, Your Grace? [ANVAERE] I didn't think you would do it. [BARTHY] Mother. No. No! No! No. [ANVAERE] Why? In Light's name, why? [BARTHANES] I did it for us. I did it for you, Mother. For our family name. Why do you think that we've risen so far so fast, Mother? I am to be king. And you would throw it all away for what? For-for her? Mother, Moiraine doesn't care about you. She trust no one. She cares about no one. She… She will leave this place, and she will not give us a second thought. [ANVAERE] I know. But there are two things my sister understands better than anyone. The difference between right and wrong, and how much harder it is sometimes to do what is right. [BARTHY] Mother. Mother, please. Mother, please. You can't tell the queen. You can't tell anybody. [BADASS, HEROIC ANVAERE] I already have. [CRYING BARTHY] Mother. Mother. Mother! No! Mother! Mother!

scene

House Lanfear-Al'thor

Goals:

release Rand while Lanfear's being the perfect diversion

give him the map leading to the Waygate.

[VERIN] The city's burning. The Amyrlin requires your strength to protect Cairhien. [LEANE] I've been told to watch the boy. [VERIN] This is an order, Leane Sedai. (from Liandrin or Lanfear?) I'll take his shield. [LEANE] Don't let her get close to you. (still doesn't know Mo is "stilled") [MOIRAINE] You are very clever with your words, Sister. (did not realise that she couldn't have known she'd need help) [VERIN] The Dragon Reborn. I'd say you've spent long enough in Cairhien, wouldn't you?

There's a Waygate hidden in the city. (how did she know she'd need to plan for this from the morning she arrived in Cairhien ? Lanfear or Liandrin but really just Lanfear has if not herself she'd give the order trough Liandrin) [MOIRAINE] That's just a rumor. [VERIN] With a grain of truth. An Ogier Stedding once stood in the inner city center. Cairhien families built right over it. Here. [VERIN] Where will you take him? [MOIRAINE] Falme. Toman Head. [VERIN] "Above Toman's Head shall he proclaim himself bannered 'cross the sky in fire." ( here's the reason you might be looking for if not for compulsion by Liandrin when she followed her to "go see the keeper") You plan to have him declare himself the Dragon Reborn. The Wheel weaves.

scene

House Sanche-Mandragoran

Goals:

If we get attacked you'll take her there. This will be our escape route in case we ever need it.

Alanna: Backup

[LAN] Good work. We'll take him from here to the Waygate. ( did not take the map or hear them speak, Verin and Thomas followed as he had the same destination than the one they had planned for Rand) Just make sure that we're not followed. [ALANNA] You're not alone in this any longer, Sister. But you need to hurry. This city is not safe. I hope you're worth this, boy. Light be with you. [LAN] Let's go.

sceane

Meanwhile, Siuan isn't worried about the dragon reborn being protected by a single abled Aes Sedai when she knows that it probably is one of the Forsaken, she carries out her duty as Aes Sedai and Amyrlin Seat with the utmost calm. She even seemed bored of it for a second. Then again, in the utmost calm and collected manner, she sees the only Aes Sedai supposed to be shielding the boy and doesn't pannick and order that they rush there and find him, NO, she calmly ask who's shielding her son and it's only when she hears Verin's name that she's not okay anymore, suddenly she needs time to process what she just heard and then leave in a rush.

[SIUAN] Link with me. [LEANE] I'm here, Mother. [SIUAN] Who's shielding the boy? [LEANE] Verin Sedai. You… you sent her. [SIUAN] Lead your Sisters and heal the injured. That boy must not leave the city. -> something is wrong I have enemies I did not expect and doubts to clear he mustn't leave before they are cleared. [EXHALES]

All the while, Lan is still oblivious that something is wrong and is just following the plan.

[LAN] It should be somewhere. There. (did not use the map) [MOIRAINE] You'll have to channel into it. Split it open with sheer force if you have to. [LAN] No, he won't. You're going to open it. [MOIRAINE] Just do it. [LAN] Look at Moiraine. With the Source. [MOIRAINE] Lan. [LAN] Not just your eyes. What do you see? [MOIRAINE] Don't. [RAND] It looks like a knot tied together. [MOIRAINE] That's im… It's impossible. (see, this woman really wouldn't allow herself to even think about it, Rand tells her he see them, yet she won't believe it)

[LAN INFODUMPING BECAUSE MOIRAINE IS STILL BEING STUBBORN ABOUT HER "STILLING"] There's a story from the Age of Legends about the Foresaken's powers… a skill that's been lost for thousands of years… to tie off weaves and leave them in place. It never made sense to me, Moiraine. (reminder that it is proof he went to Siuan with doubts about this) What you're feeling? Ishamael didn't still you. Not even a Forsaken could do that alone. It is a shield that he's tied off, which means…

[MOIRAINE] It can be removed. (finally) [LAN] Yes. [RAND] What do I need to do? [LAN] You don't have the skill to untie this knot. You'll have to cut it. [MOIRAINE] I trust you. [LAN] Go on. Cut through it. [MOIRAINE] I feel it. I feel it. Thank you. Thank you. [LAN] I am sorry it took me so long to do my duty.( it took you 4 day and nights but go off king)

scene

House Sanche-Madragoran + House Lanfear-Al'Thor

Siuan arrives, shields Rand as he was super dense and leave Lan alone.

[LAN] Stop! No!

Siuan yeets Lan to the side, she does not have the time to explains and maybe he lied to her too.

[SIUAN] Close the Waygate, Moiraine. Now. -> she needs a proof You lied to me about being stilled. -> the aes sedai way obvi

[MOIRAINE not suprised to see her as she knew they were hiding something from her, and she must have her coming with her Siuan tingle.] No. I cannot. -> ok cool you didn't but you know she doesn't literally mean lie -.- I've been more truthful with you than anyone else. -> this just means that she told her the truth more than to anyone else, not that she told her all of it. Moiraine speaking in codes is tiring sometimes.

[SIUAN reminds her, in an attempt to convice Moiraine to close the Waygate herself. ]

We failed, Moiraine. -> They did fail together At the Eye of the World, you failed. -> She did fail at the eye. The stakes are too high to fail again. -> stating facts

Close the Waygate. -> she asked

[MOIRAINE being the bratty bottom that she is] also where was she going ? SO dramatic i swear, she turns around and start walking to the Waygate as if Siuan was just going to unshield Rand and let her leave because she said no) No. [SIUAN] I don't want to force you.-> but I need and have to know.

You swore to obey me on the Oath Rod. An unbreakable oath, bound by the One Power. -> Moiraine knows , she knows she voices it because she doesn't want to have to use it, feels cornered and is trying to convince and brace herself for whatever will come of it if Moiraine ends up forcing her to use it. A real betrayal or she just violated her wife because of this damned Mission. Both, horrific for her.

Siuan… -> surely Moiraine understood after hearing this what was really going on for Siuan. She doesn't know if she can trust her anymore. For Siuan, surely Moiraine understood why she insisted so much and was ready to do what she never even though about as a possibility or as something that was anything but just wrong ( throwback to Lan's bond in the first suiaraine meeting)

Close it. -> this one feels like she's desperate at this point for her to close it there, not the same intonation at all, she's bracing herself for what is coming. No more feelings, no more asking, no more plea, no more bargaining, she has too know before it's too late, she orders. Even though, that's the intent she puts behind the intonation we can still see it on her face, hear it in her voice, see it in her eyes and in the way she moves.

[SOFTLY] Siuan… -> this one must have felt like a ruse, the same way Moiraine first rejected Siuan's touch because she knew what would happen. The facade would break into pieces and she'd give in. Here, Moiraine softly calling her name, almost like she's begging, after she's been warned, after her herself showed how much she just needed her to at least close it did not feel like something she could allow herself to hear so she cuts her off and the rest is history.

Moiraine Damodred… [MOIRAINE] No, if you have ever loved me, don't do this. [SIUAN] … I command you… … to close the Waygate.

House Lanfer-Al'Thor

[MOIRAINE surprised to even see Lanfear as she thought she escaped having to deal with her, when Verin freed her. I believe that she pieces things together here, not all of it but just enough to understand what she couldn't believe happened to her from Siuan, the last person she'd think would ever do this to her just the moment before she arrived, they did not talk but she understood]

Lanfear.

[LANFEAR LAUGHS]

[MOIRAINE] She's too strong, Siuan. Don't. No. [LANFEAR] I told you the next time I saw you two together, I'd kll her. [RAND] You're not going to touch her. Not if you want my help.

[LANFEAR] Every day you grow more like Lews.

Lucky for you, a broken Amyrlin is more useful to me than a dead one.

[SIUAN] Moiraine, please. (go)

[LAN] Moiraine, please. (come)

Highly recommend you watch this scene in particular

Conclusion

All along Daes Dae'Mar was being played, and we failed to realise that in the current game of the houses we were witnessing, there were 4 houses.

House Lanfear-Al'thor

Lanfear

Verin

Tomas

Rand

Liandrin

Barthanes

House Damodred

Moiraine

Anvaere Damodred (unknowingly)

Siuan

Lan

Alanna, Ihvon & Maksim

House Sanche-Mandragoran

Siuan

Lan

Moiraine Damodred (unknowingly)

Alanna, Ihvon & Maksim

House of The Dragon

Goals: different for each person but utltimately related the Dragon.

Rand Al'thor : leave Cairhien, to go to Falme to free Egwene

Moiraine Damodred : Help Rand, avoid Lanfear.

Siuan Sanche : Help Moiraine, Protect her and Rand from the Forsaken

Al'Lan Mandragoran : Help Moiraine, Protect her from the Forsaken and secondarily Rand.

Alanna Mosvani : Help the dragon reborn/ Moiraine

Ihvon : Help Alanna, the dragon reborn/Moiraine

Maksim : Help Alanna, the dragon reborn/Moiraine

Verin Mathwin : Help fulfill the prophecy

Tomas: Help and assist Verin

The Daugther of the night, Lanfear : Seperate Moiraine and Rand, Kill her, Get Rand to Falme

Liandrin Guirale : Kill Moiraine, Help Lanfear

Barthanes Damodred (unkowingly) : Help his house regain it's lost glory

4 houses playing against each other and for each other at the same time. What went wrong ? Everything. Who won ? No one. What was left of what was before ? Nothing.

I wanted to be a little dramatic. On a more serious note, they all lost and won something, except for Barthanes.So that is all.

To sum it all up, everything that went down with Siuan and Moiraine was genuine and real, Lan and her had a plan all along, everything was going fine until the other players of this game of houses started to place their pawns on the board to try and win the game. In the end, as they were all playing for each other and against each other at the same time no one really won.

On the first board,

Moiraine regained her powers, but still has to deal with Lanfear, Siuan is hurt and in a precarious position for both herself and their mission because she did not listen to Lan and trusted her.

Lan regained Moiraine's trust but Lanfear is still a threat and Siuan.

Rand is still manipulated and a pawn in someone else's game, no matter how much he thought he wasn't anymore because of Lanfear.

Siuan is heart broken that she had to do this to Moiraine, even though her plan still worked and Moiraine regained her powers which is a win but then again did she really win, when she's lying on the floor, hurt and surrounded by enemies, even in the tower, where she was supposed to be at her safest and strongest ?

Lanfear gets Rand but Moiraine isn't dead and she even have to deal with Lan now, as she said in E08, they're dead weight.

On the second board,

Liandrin being Black Ajah is known because of Elayne, Eggy and Nynaeve but now, even Anvaere.

Verin is black ajah and known ( or least suspected to be) because of Siuan (thanks to Leane), because she knows Verin couldn't have known about her plan to help Moiraine or known that she'd ever need to escape. Tomas goes with Verin.

Alanna and Maksim seems to have lost Ihvon.

Thank you for reading, answering the poll, carefully listening and watching. Leave a comment and tell me what you think about this theory-analysis of episode 7. I'd love to hear your opinions, answer your questions etc…

Well, it is finally over.

Onto the next one now,

Here..."Daes dae'Mar theory-analysis : What has been proved so far ?"

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