#i like that cape honestly i might go looking for something else to make him wear just so it fits better aesthetically

[devotedlystrangewizard]

dad said it was my turn on the torture table

[libraryofgage]

Life in Miniature (One)

Part of: Steve Deserves Good Parents, Actually Debbie and Fester Addams One | Two | Three Rick and Evelyn O'Connell One | Two Harley Quinn One 10th Doctor and Rose One | Two (on the way!) Scooby Gang (there are plans for this one lmao, so plz be patient with me orz) Jedediah and Octavius (from Night at the Museum) One (you're here!)

There will be more Jedtavius in the next parts I promise, I just thought this would be a funner introduction to the AU lmao

I just love those little guy dudes from the museum so much hfjdks and now we get two pairs of them

Also, fun fact, I took Steve's Roman name from, like, an actual king of Rome. The actual sixth king. He seemed like a chill dude.

Anyway, there's a meme at the end and as always, if you see any typos, no you didn't ;)

---------

When Robin took this job as a night guard, she didn't think the previous guard's words about history coming to life at night was, you know, real. She thought it was a joke, a predictable and corny joke, but a joke nonetheless.

But now, after being chased by a T-Rex, getting saved by Theodore Roosevelt, and almost being taken captive by fucking Attila the Hun, Robin thinks this job definitely isn't worth $16.50 an hour. Then again, this is the best paying job she's had in a while, and she was living a nocturnal life anyway.

Robin groans, leaning against a wall in the diorama exhibit, and slides down to the floor. She lets her head fall back against the wall, her eyes slipping shut as she slides. "This is crazy. This is insane. I need to find a fucking weapon or something," she mutters.

"Pardon me," comes a voice close to her head, "but might you be the goddess Diana?"

As pick-up lines go, it's not the worst one she's heard. And, based on what she knows of Greek and Roman deities, it wouldn't be too far off. Still, she does not want to be hit on by whatever weird historical thing is trying to flirt with her.

Robin takes a deep breath, opens her eyes, and says, "Do I look like a goddess to you?"

She looks to her left where the voice came from, blinking when her gaze falls on a figurine that would barely reach her ankle. He's dressed in a toga with a chest plate, wrist guards, a sword on his waist, and a deep purple cape over his shoulders. His hair is, honestly, the most impressive thing Robin has ever seen, made only more impressive by the golden laurels resting perfectly against his temples.

He's looking at her with wide eyes, more awed than anything else. "Yes," he says. "I have heard the gods are larger than life."

Okay. Fair.

"Why Diana, man?" Robin asks.

He tilts his head, studying her for a moment, looking her up and down. "You give me the same feeling as statues of Noble Diana with her Huntresses," he explains, pausing for a moment before adding, "A feeling of kinship, perhaps?"

Oh. This...this is like ancient Roman gaydar, right? Robin snorts and turns, resting her elbow on her knee. "I'm definitely not Diana. My name is Robin. I'm the new night guard."

His eyes brighten some, his smile growing wider and certainly charming enough to make the hearts of a few girls and guys flutter. "I am Servius Tullius, Sixth King of Rome, son of Vulcan, weapons master of the gods, and adopted son of Jedediah, Cowboy King of the Wild West, and Octavius, general of the Roman army."

Robin nods, letting all of the those words process in her head before saying, "Mind if I call you Steve? You look like a Steve."

The Sixth King of Rome blinks, looking slightly confused before his eyes light up with understanding. "Ah! A nickname! Yes, I am familiar with this concept. You may call me Steve, Lady Robin, as a show of our newfound friendship."

"Yeah, don't call me Lady Robin. Just Robin is fine," she says, hesitating before offering her hand to Steve.

"As you wish, Just Robin," he says, stepping carefully onto her hand and remaining steady as she raises him higher.

Robin blinks, frowning slightly and about to correct him again when she sees his smile and realizes it's a joke. "Okay, very funny, dingus," she says, carefully poking his side.

"Is dingus another nickname? It sounds like an insult."

"It usually is, but it's affectionate when I say it."

"Oh! Yes, like when Ockie calls Jed a philistine."

"Uh, sure," Robin says, nodding once as she lets Steve move to stand on her shoulder. He quickly sits, holding onto the collar of her jacket as she carefully stands up. "Hey, you know what I'm supposed to do about the dinosaur bones?"

"Rexy? Yes, he enjoys a game of fetch."

"Fetch. Of course."

----------

"What's going on in that head of yours, little man?"

Steve blinks, looks over at Jedediah, and raises an eyebrow at him. "I'm taller than you," he says, gesturing to the good inch he has on Jedediah.

"As long as you're my son, you're a little man."

Doing his best to not laugh, Steve nods once and points to the new diorama set up in the middle of the room. It's a circular diorama, centered on an equally circular stage divided into sections. A cacophony of noise echoes from it, clashing as each slice of the stage fights for dominance. "I'm trying to figure out what in Jupiter's name they're doing over there," he says.

"Well, most of it sounds like music," Jedediah says, "I think."

"It's not any music I've heard before," Octavius says, coming to a stop next to Jedediah and frowning at the diorama. "I would have assumed it the unholy shrieking of the damned."

"Perhaps it would be nicer if they weren't all playing at once," Steve suggests, hands on his hips as he tilts his head.

"Oh, boy, there it is," Jedediah says, his grin audible in his tone. "He's got the King Face."

"What are your intentions, my boy?" Octavius asks.

Before Steve can answer, Robin strolls into the room, grinning when she sees the raving diorama in the middle. She walks over to Steve, Jedediah, and Octavius, crouches down, and says, "Hey, guys. I see you're checking out the History of Rock display."

"History of Rock?" Steve asks.

"What in the sweet hell do rocks have to do with that mess?" Jedediah asks, gesturing to the noisy stage.

Robin rolls her eyes. "No, like, rock music. It's a genre. Anyway, it was sponsored by some musician, so it's a permanent display now."

"And they will be...playing every night?" Octavius asks.

"Probably."

Steve frowns a little more and nods, rolling his shoulders back. "If they are a permanent fixture in our hallowed hall, they must be welcomed. As Sixth King of Rome, this duty falls upon my shoulders. Fathers, I shall return shortly."

"Woah, woah, hold your horses there, little man," Jedediah says, moving to stand in front of Steve. "You're not going anywhere near that snake pit without some back up."

"A few centurions, at least," Octavius agrees.

"I will have Robin. What better protection is there?"

Jedediah and Octavius glance at each other before looking at Robin. She grins and offers them a two finger salute. "I'll guard him with my life," she says, "It's literally my job."

With that reassurance, Jedediah and Octavius move out of the way. Steve steps onto Robin's hand and settles on her shoulder with practiced ease, ignoring the nervous flutter in his stomach at greeting the new museum residents. He hopes they'll get along, but he also knows the might of his Roman army and the railroad workers can crush any who stand in their way.

Robin stops next to the diorama, tilting her head as she studies it. This close, Steve can see the bands playing on each slice of stage, the instruments and fashion shifting as his gaze travels around it. "Uh, excuse me," Robin says, raising her voice.

The raucous noise from the diorama screeches to a halt, the feedback making Robin and Steve grimace slightly. "Uh, hi. We're the official welcome crew for the Hall of Miniatures here. So, I'll need someone to represent your, like, whole display," Robin says, glancing over the bands until she finds one she recognizes. "Okay, I know you guys, so I'll be designating you the spokesband. Now, could the lead singer step forward?"

Steve watches as someone on the "Corroded Coffin" (what an odd name for a band) slice of the stage steps forward. Robin offers her hand to them, carefully lifting it away once they step on. "Great, uh, carry on, I guess. But, like, maybe play some of your quieter stuff for a bit," she says, her words barely out before the music starts up and the crowds start screaming once more.

She sighs and just walks over to the bench, letting off the person on her hand before letting Steve slide down her arm in a move they spent nearly three weeks practicing if only because they knew it would look cool.

When he hops onto the bench, Steve walks up to the other miniature, a man his age with long hair and odd clothes with tears that Robin once said were fashionable. His instrument is still slung over his shoulders, resting casually against his hips much like Steve's sword. Steve suddenly finds himself thinking that the man looks a little like a warrior. An odd one, to be sure, but a handsome one nonetheless.

He flashes his most charming smile, lets his shoulders relax, and says, "My friend here is Robin, Guardian of Brooklyn. I am Servius Tullius, Sixth King of Rome, son of Vulcan, weapons master of the gods, and adopted son of Jedediah, Cowboy King of the Wild West, and Octavius, general of the Roman army. You, however, may call me Steve."

-----

As far as Eddie was concerned, nothing mattered so long as Corroded Coffin got to keep rocking in an endless concert. The energy never waned, the set list never grew boring, and the music never stopped. He was ready to inform this welcoming crew of just that and promise Hell on Earth if they tried to disrupt the music (angry concert goers are a force of nature), when the words just died in his throat.

Because the most gorgeous man he's ever seen slides down that giant lady's arm, easily and smoothly landing on the bench. Somehow, his hair is perfectly windswept, the golden laurels glinting in the lights above them. His purple cape flutters softly as he walks closer, his toned thighs on full display with the toga hem that falls to the middle of them. There's a sword on the guy's hip, a chest plate that Eddie wants to pull off, a smile he wants to taste, and a pair of freckles right next to each other on the guy's cheek he wants to drag his tongue across.

He misses most of the introduction because he's too busy staring. He gets the important bits, though: Robin, a king, son of a god, adopted son of two dads. Eddie licks his lips nervously, a grin of his own tugging at his lips as he steps forward and playfully bows. "It's an honor to meet you, Your Majesty," he says.

It's supposed to come out joking, a little poke at the guy's authority to see if he can be riled up. It actually comes out way too genuine, and Eddie has a sudden realization that he meant it. He absolutely will accept this guy as his king, actually. He'll fall to his knees before him right now if asked, and not just because it might give him a little peek under the dude's toga.

"Please, just call me Steve. There's no need to be so formal."

Eddie bites the inside of his cheek, hoping Steve doesn't realize that the things Eddie is thinking about (the things he wants to do to and with Steve) are just about the least formal things on this earth. "Good to know," he says, relieved his voice sounds normal as he stands up straight and offers his hand. "Name's Eddie Munson, uh, lead singer of Corroded Coffin."

Steve blinks, and his smile becomes a bit more genuine as he steps closer and clasps Eddie's forearm. "A fellow leader," he says, squeezing Eddie's arm. "Welcome to our museum."

"Y-yeah," Eddie says, his arm still tingling when Steve lets go. He clears his throat, idly tugging on a few strands of hair. "So, uh, what's the deal around here? I mean, giant women...Roman kings...cowboys, it looks like."

"Our noble museum is home to Pharoah Ahkmenrah and his tablet, which brings the exhibits to life each night," Steve explains.

"There's a few rules, though," Robin says, sitting down on the bench behind Steve. "One, no getting into fights. Two, be back in your display by sunrise. Three, no leaving the museum at night."

"What? Why not?"

"We have lost good exhibits to Sol Invictus's morning rays," Steve says, frowning slightly. "So, be careful."

Eddie stares at Steve with wide eyes as he nods, amazed at the fact that Steve seems to talk like that so genuinely. And the fact that Eddie is...kinda into it. Holy shit, that's not helping with Eddie's whole "fall to his knees" thing. He wouldn't mind some good old-fashioned worship if Steve would just smile at him again.

Maybe his prayers are heard, because Steve smiles at him again. "Wonderful," he says. "Now, Eddie, could I interest you in a tour of the museum tonight?"

"Oh, you could interest me in a lot of things, sweetheart," Eddie blurts out, his mouth running faster than his brain.

He snaps his jaw shut, relieved and horrified at Steve's slightly confused expression and Robin's "I know what you are" thousand-yard stare from over his shoulder. Before he can try to backtrack, Steve snaps, understanding in his eyes. "Ah! Sweetheart is a nickname, yes? I accept your offer of friendship."

Eddie clenches his jaw, stopping himself from saying that it's more than friendships he's offering, and smiles. "Yeah. A nickname. That's all. I'm just...a nickname kinda guy. I'll probably think of more, too, Stevie. Like that."

Steve practically beams, and Eddie feels his knees go weak. "I look forward to it," he says, turning on his heel to look at Robin, who thankfully schools her expression. "Robin, this is where we leave you for the night. You have my word that Eddie will be back in place before sunrise."

"Well, you two kids have fun," she says, grinning in a way that immediately puts Eddie on edge. "I'd better not hear about any funny business, though. Absolutely no bases should be reached tonight, and you'd better not do any conquering or pillaging."

She definitely looks at Eddie when she says that last bit. Eddie stiffens, doing his best to hold back a blush when Steve glances over at his, the confusion clear on his face. "Conquering requires more planning than this, Robin. I've told you before."

"Don't worry about it, dingus. Just have fun. Here, I'll even call a ride for you," she says, winking at them before turning, holding her fingers to her mouth, and whistling sharply.

Steve walks over to Eddie right as the ground starts to shake, easily catching him around the waist before he can lose his balance. "The shaking does take some getting used to," he says, his tone full of sympathy and obliviousness to the crisis Eddie is experiencing.

When his brain finally catches up enough to ask what he's talking about, a dinosaur skeleton slides into the room, its body wiggling excitedly as it growls. Eddie jerks back, the arm around his waist tightening some. "What the fuck?!" he shouts.

"Worry not," Steve says, leaning closer. His voice is a little softer now, his breath fanning over Eddie's ear. "This is Rexy, our steed for the evening. He's very friendly."

"Friendly," Eddie mumbles, letting himself be dragged over to Rexy and placed on the dinosaur's head by Robin. "The dinosaur is friendly."

"Many of the exhibits are," Steve tells him, grinning brightly as Rexy begins moving after a pet on the snout from Robin.

Eddie looks at him, feeling blinded by Steve's smile once more, and completely forgets about the living dinosaur skeleton.

--------

Lemme know if you'd like to be added to the tag list!

(Also I know there are like one or two upcoming parent AUs that people have asked to be tagged in and I tried to see if this was one of them but couldn't find anyone for the life of me hfjdks so I'm sorry if you asked on another post and I missed you orz)

And, finally, a meme for you

[fawnfictions]

i know there’s a lot of this same prompt on this app but i love your writing and i would love to see it from you <33

OK!! Macaque and Wukong with a gender natural reader which simply LOVES their fur and gets really clingy on their tail and ear(s for macaque :3), treating them like a literal plushie

monkie plush!

— wukong & macaque, gn!reader

i feel the need to personally apologise for how many months it took for me to post this <//3 i've been SO SLOW recently,, i can't guarantee i'll be getting any faster, either

heheuwudhhey!! none of u should worry about sending me an ask with a 'common' prompt—just because someone else has done it before, doesn't mean i won't want to write it!!! i like giving ppl my own opinion on these sorts of headcanons LOL

;; fluff, fluff, and more fluff!! (+mention of something more spicy, but nothing explicit)...

WUKONG

- he RELISHES in any affection you give him, and he isn't afraid to show it.

- you'll come up behind him, embrace him while rubbing your face in his fur, and he will MELT.

- leans back into your arms, wrapping his tail around you to pull you even closer; and, if you're listening closely, you might hear quiet purring.

- honestly, he'll do the same to you — compared to monkey hair, human hair is VERY soft and feels very nice :3

- cuddles between you two are just constantly rubbing your faces in each others hair.

- i can also imagine that his tail would be sensitive, as most monkey's tails are...

- be careful, though, because certain areas of his tail are more sensitive than others — you may run into a situation you didn't mean to...

- ...ANYWAYS

- while i can imagine him being the big spoon a majority of the time, he could TOTALLY be a little spoon.

- he enjoys being able to hold YOU, since he likes feeling in control, and as if he's protecting you, but he'll happily sit back and let you cuddle him.

- play with his hair, twirl his tail, brush him...

- tbh, the other monkeys would probably join you a lot, interpreting it as a grooming session.

- me and the boys [monkeys], grooming each other on a sunday morning.

- he will complain, though, if you don't let him cuddle YOU sometimes.

- you two are almost sickening with the amount of PDA you show; cue MK pretending to puke in the background, but Wukong does have SOME decency, and will get a little embarrassed if you take it too far.

- if you're both out in public, chilling in Megapolis or something, and you start rubbing your face in his fur and cooing at him? he'll go red pretty quickly, and shyly respond with small affections in an attempt to sate your clinginess for now.

- this especially goes for being around people he feels the need to keep a reputation up with — like, the brotherhood, although most of them would laugh it off, they'll tease him for it at some point, or anyone from the celestial realm.

- he'll make it up to you later with plenty of cuddles, but for now? he's gotta look cool and tough in front of lil' old Nezha /j

MACAQUE

- hes touch starved as hell (we all know it).

- BUT he gets shy when it comes to affection, but he's hypocritical about it...

- constantly drapes himself over your shoulders, resting his head on top of your own when he gets the chance, etc etc.

- however, if you DARE even try to hug him, he's gonna get real nervous.

- doesn't know how to properly relax at your touch; he may not exactly move away from you, but he won't lean into it (at first).

- this especially goes for PDA – he loves you, but not now; he's gotta look cool and mysterious at all times.

- if you're with people that he lets his guard down around, he'll be a bit more playful with you.

- he notices you attempting to sneak behind him for a cuddle attack? next thing you know, theres a familiar cape-covered arm thrown over your shoulder, blocking your affection with his own with a teasing smile.

- he IS different when in private, though !!

- more willing to give in to your touches, but it is clear that he's unsure how to feel about it.

- after a while, though, i feel that he would learn to find a lot of comfort in your hands ?

- like, if he's had a rough day, he'll probably seek you out to be showered in affection,, in a way, it makes him feel very loved and worthy.

- he's such a little spoon too, i'm sorry LOL

- but he has his confident days, just ask and he'll be happy to be the one holding you instead.

- it took a while for him to be comfortable with normal affection, yeah? well, it's gonna take even LONGER for him to be comfortable with touching his ears, let alone losing the glamour on them.

- the day he lets his glamour down around you, is the day he's decided that you're stuck with him forever, sorry to break it to you...

- his ears are VERY sensitive, so please be careful, he's very cautious with you touching them.

- but he'll never admit how nice it feels for you to massages his ears, especially with how much stress they give him from the loud noises in the city (not that you can't tell, he's practically melted into your lap and would ABSOLUTELY be purring if he could).

- overall, it takes time, and he won't ever be fully comfortable with PDA, but he's a big softie in private <3

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

HI ITS ME gvxzggsgjfh ok look this is. i know this is a weird one it is SO specific and so obviously something i should just write myself if i want it👏but👏but👏BUT i decided to shoot my shot when a perfect chance has arisenderised for you to pick and choose from anything you like AND in any form, and to see if this one maybe by any chance just so happens to spark anything fun in u too xD

ssssssssssoooooooooooooooooooooo RANDOM EVENT ROLL D20 mc gets bitten by a werewoof or some other kind of "contagious" monster species (....cant really think of anything else other than vampirs, now that i say it) but WAIT THERES MORE because. what if mc insisted that they dont want any potential existent cures, they just wanna stay monstery >:3 JVDTHGLN who's considering it, who would absolutely go in the "its either me or this" direction, who's enthusiastic🤣 this is silly as hell but in the case it sparks joy id love to hear ur any and all thoughts because this idea has been haunting me for forever lmao honestly the best way ive imagined it is like one of your own selfinsert pieces youve posted before where its just all of them together bickering heeheehee💘💕🩷💞💖

love u have fun!!

The Arcana Drabble: MC transforms into a "monster"

In the spirit of things, I though a long drabble/short oneshot would work best to keep the madness going XD

Asra's getting stuck in their "one focus and one focus only" mode and right now that focus is making sure you're okay. He'll decide how he feels later, which isn't being helped at all because Julian keeps calling on him to help him slow down the process and get you to think about this a little more. However, it's hard to tell what exactly Julian wants your decision to be because in between him trying to get Asra to make you think about it some more, he's having all kinds of medical epiphanies about how your anatomy is adjusting to the new monster form:

"MC, let's think about some more, shall we? I'm sure Asra agrees with me - don't you, Asra? Asr - oh, whats this?! Your finger's joints are rapidly adjusting to accommodate for - I need a pen and paper -"

"Right here, Ilya." It's Portia's dismissive tone as she digs a small notebook and pencil out of her pocket that keeps you grounded. Not for long, though, because she can't wait to see what happens next. "Accommodate for what, anyways? Are you growing another joint?? Are you going to get claws??? Talons???? Show me!"

Between Julian jotting down unintelligible notes while he studies your elbow's range of motion, Portia's excited exclamations, and Asra's attempt at soothing touch as they rub your shoulders and ask how you're feeling, it's a miracle you can notice Muriel's quiet mumble in the background. He's clearly overwhelmed and very concerned that the physically-altering substance in general got to your brain first, making you so seemingly okay with turning into a monster.

"MC, do you remember your name? Do you need to take a nap? You don't have to be okay with this -"

"I believe this may warrant far more than a nap to recover from." Nadia's doing her best to keep Lucio calm, holding him back from tackling you much like she might grasp a leash. You can practically see the headache building behind her eyes. "We have yet to determine what the extent of this transformation is and therefore whether our dear MC is even capable of fully agreeing to the current process. MC, darling, did the source of this transformation give you any indication of what the end result would be?"

You'd try to respond, but Lucio's excited yelling is too noisy to shout over. He's fumbling at the fastenings on his cape, distracted by your ongoing changes, and very annoyed at Nadia's interference.

"Where did it go? I want to see if it can give me powers too - OW! Dammit, Noddy, I'm trying to help here! You're keeping me from finding the monster and getting it to give me cool - I mean, getting it to tell us more about what's happening! Don't you want that? Don't you want to help MC, Noddy?! Let me go -"

It's with a loud RIP and subsequent "that was velvet, you know!" that Lucio finally breaks free and sprints off in the direction of your new monster friend. You can feel yourself slowly settling in to your new form as the process shows signs of slowing and reaching completion.

Nadia's facepalming. Portia's looking at you with eyes shining in wonder. Julian's still trying to nag Asra into reversing this as he takes notes. The magician in question is still ignoring him as they ask you how you feel for the nth time. Muriel's eyeing the nearby closet in hopes of taking a nap and waking up to it all being a dream. Lucio's a distant, spiky golden speck at this point.

Faust is quietly trying to sneak her knife into your hand, for crimes.

[allwormdiet]

Interlude 1

Time to meet the parent.

Scion is so fucking weird. Like even being spoiled on what his deal is, what a fucking wild introduction to the world's first superhero. Absolutely buckwild. Naked golden man just floating above the ocean looking depressed. What a way for the world to be changed forever.

Cancer and suicide are both hard things to grapple with, and they're both things that have rocked my family and loved ones. This, I dunno, incidental fucking gesture just feels so. I don't know what to call it, it just feels. Makes me feel. Whatever.

Again, just, that's gotta be so fucking weird for a superhero to just suddenly exist. No way people jumped to superhero first obviously, might as well have been the Second Coming for all anyone would know, but still. I want to know what it is that makes Scion act like a hero when his ultimate desires for Earth are. Pretty unheroic? Maybe there'll be an answer for that, and presumably it's more subtle in the long-term than just immediately going apeshit, but it's still a mystery to me, so I'm left with the speculation.

Feel like I've heard the name Vikare before but fuck me if I can remember the context. Setting that aside, there's something, I dunno, telling? In that the first capes were superheroes, that the villains came after. Even in a world that's as shit as this one, the first instinct people had when they realized they had actual for-real superpowers was to do good. That's honestly a bit less cynical than I was expecting.

It is interesting that the honeymoon period for heroes lasted not even half a decade, that's longer than I'd have expected. And I think this is the first time we hear the word parahuman, which is fun. "Para-" meaning alongside or distinct, they're not superhuman, they're not inherently better, they're just. Different kinds of human. That's a clever pick.

Whatever else can be said about Danny Hebert (and we are getting to whatever else can be said about Danny Hebert, gimme a minute), this is a really really really good way to immediately get us in his head and on his side. When someone isn't where you expect them to be, when it's the middle of the night and they're not in the house like they ought to, that's fucking terrifying. For a parent to realize their child has disappeared, I cannot even imagine.

And yeah, not far behind Danny being terrified for his daughter is this complicated tangle of longing-anger-guilt for his wife. His wife whose death has absolutely nothing to do with the lack of a cellphone I'm sure.

And I'll be the first to admit I was a lot like Taylor back in high school, although I had a friend group and the bullying was a fraction of a fraction of what she's dealing with. My wildest nights were spent in a too-hot garage drinking novelty sodas and playing RPGs with the world's crappiest Dungeon Master. But I'm distracting myself.

"I hope that my daughter's only source of catharsis hasn't gotten her kidnapped or raped or murdered in this godawful city in the middle of the night" is such a horrifying thought to have to grapple with. God.

Speaking of horror.

I know about the thing with the locker, and God what a nightmare. Like, obviously, number one victim here is Taylor, and it is a testament of immense moral character that she didn't kill anybody for that torture, but Danny takes silver in the aftermath. His daughter has been tortured, and nobody will punish wrongdoers, nobody will even say who it was. Taylor won't even say who it was.

Anger and futility juxtaposed again. Danny rages for his daughter but it's fruitless except for a settlement to cover the hospital stay, so all he can do is wait and hope that something changes for the better.

This is actually something I've always wondered about. Taylor goes to such extreme lengths to not tell Danny about her life, and I've never fully understood why. Like the cape stuff I get, or at least mostly get, but Taylor doesn't open up to him about the bullying in anything I've ever seen or heard, and I don't know what's stopping her. It hurts both of them in the end.

And here's Danny's failure, right? He doesn't commit. He's letting Taylor lie to him, he's letting Taylor think she's getting away with lying. That's... kinda useless.

Honestly the fucked up thing is that Taylor's already got that anger in her, Danny worries about hurting her and he's not WRONG to worry about that, but to some extent she's already got that same kind of smoldering emotion as he does.

And the fact that he's tried so goddamn hard to protect her from his anger, the fact that she's caught the edges of it anyway even if it's never been targeted at her, that's just so goddamn sad. The Hebert family makes me sad.

Current Thoughts

The thought I can't get out of my head is that Danny doesn't want to confront Taylor because he doesn't want to chase her away, doesn't want her to feel unsafe with him, but like. One day she's going to leave anyway, drifting apart from him as their lives grow so much more different from each other, and what she's going to remember is that he never tried to keep her by his side, that he gave up on trying to fight for her. And that's worse. That's so much worse.

[cinnamncornflakes]

Tachihara as an Older Brother Figure

Older brother figure!Tachihara x Teen!Reader (platonic)

OKAY WARNING THIS MIGHT BE OOC

content: slight spoilers for season 4 and 5, fluff, a bit of angst

HE’S LITERALLY THE BEST OLDER BROTHER EVER

hes always taking care of you when he can and loves to tease or mess around with you

he’ll mess with your hair until you start swatting at his hands and grumbling at him to stop or sometimes he’ll jump at you from behind a corner and double over with laughter at your startled face

as a very young member of the pm you usually have the black lizard looking over you

okay well the entire black lizard? they love you and they swear they’re never letting you get hurt

if you’re an assistant to the hunting dogs, they’re the same with you :3

usually you just hang around him, playing animal crossing or something on your handheld in the training room while he shoots down targets or wields his sword roald im coming for you i will get you on my island

okay getting angsty + spoilers for a minute he honestly sees yourself in him when he was younger and he swears now that he needs to keep you safe

he finally understands how his brother must have loved him once he gets attached to you

he didn’t wanna get attached, because well, he’s part of the hunting dogs and the port mafia. he has plenty of enemies and he doesn’t want you to get involved with them

he’s scared they might use you against him

and honestly he’s scared that he’s gonna lose you like he lost his brother too

BACK TO FLUFF

yk how he carried around teruko on his shoulders? he does that with you all the time and you may or may not take advantage of it

you honestly think he’s so cool and you wanna be like him SO BAD

when and if you tell him this he will feel like crying just from pure endearment he’s so proud of himself for being your role model

sometimes he catches you getting hirotsu trying to teach you to use the double pistols or getting tetchō to try and teach you to use a saber

oh my god he feels like such a proud older brother when you try and show him your less than mediocre skills and you have that little goofy toothy grin

sometimes you get really tired and just kinda… fall asleep.

if you’re in the port mafia usually you go on a lengthy mission with the black lizard (they keep you safe dw) and you get so exhausted you fall asleep on the nearest couch or chair you can find as soon as you get back to base

if you’re an assistant for the hunting dogs, you get really tired from hustling around, filing reports, making calls, organizing files for fukuchi or jouno and you just fall asleep at your desk the minute you can

if he ever finds you asleep, his look softens a bit and he takes off his jacket/cape and places it over you, and makes everyone else be quiet if they come across you

sometimes you fall asleep in the car against his shoulder on the way back from missions and he makes sure no one wakes you up and stays perfectly still

if he’s feeling extra laidback maybe he lets you paint his nails or style his hair with curlers and stuff (gin is totally keeping that photo as blackmail)

defo takes you out for ice cream every week and eats some of your share even though he has his own cone

overall 10/10 older brother figure 5 stars easily

[mx-lamour]

Costuming Strahd: Art Addendum

I didn't include any mention of the official Dungeons & Dragons art for Strahd von Zarovich in my previous post, because I had dismissed it outright. There, I said it.

I shall strive to amend my folly in this addendum.

Let's start with that 5e cover:

I generally approve of this representation. No doubt it colored my concept of Strahd's silhouette, since this is the first image of Strahd I came into contact with, some two or three years ago.

The shape of this garb is much like what I was aiming for in my previous post. Strahd is sporting a crisp shirt with stiffened, buttoned cuffs, much like our modern button-downs or blouses spanning back into the mid-1800s. His torso is trim in a fitted vest with standing collar, which easily fits into the category of fantasy-Renaissance. Speculation on from where/when exactly the inspiration comes might be a futile effort; it would find itself at home among the elves in The Lord of the Rings, and I'm not about to dig into that concept work just now.

Actually, what his vest reminds me of most is 15th century brigandine [or tabard (see below), which would cover brigandine or a breastplate, which is why] it's the right length, if nothing else.

Reconstructing History, He's literally Elrond, and some brigandine

I believe I said it's easy to fake good pants, especially when sitting down. This example reinforces my point. His legs are indeed covered, and the result is not garish. Not particularly exciting, but nonetheless successful. You could probably even call them hose if you really wanted to.

His boots are literal extant riding boots, from "early 20th c." England, and honestly I'm so proud of this one-to-one reference.

[Fig. 1] and [Fig. 2], although my first thought had been Victorian cycling boots.

The cape draped around his shoulders appears to be quite thin and probably only falls to about his fingertips, since it doesn't drape over the chair cushion and he's not sitting on it. It could look like some kind of military cape. Or maybe even, to drag him back a few centuries again, something Elizabethan.

I'll do a whole thing on capes later.

Moving on...

Early Strahd von Zarovich was definitely Dracula by another name, but later art has been pretty consistently (from what I can see) this other red/blue outfit, with baffling ruby clasps instead of a single pendant around his neck.

That last one has me. To be fair, it's the only one gazing back at the observer... >.>

Look. This garb is sexy. It cannot be understated. While it's not what I'm going for in my own costume foray, this is a fantastic design. Here's why:

The line where blue meets red along his ribcage accentuates his chest. That same red draws the eye down over his crotch, subtly curving to accomodate his thighs. Those chains on his cloak and the sash around his waist are positively drippy, like the source of the Ivlis pouring down to the Tser Pool. The asymmetry of that and his mismatched shoulders gives him such a dynamic slant, something to visually climb back up like handholds on the face of a cliff. And the sash is supple, in direct contrast to his armored hips, solid and stalwart. His limbs are clad in slim nondescript brown, making it all the easier to focus in on his center, in high contrast dotted with solid rubies. The red and blue both, especially together, are blood colors, indicative of veins hidden beneath the skin.

He might be covered from toe to jaw, but this is an intimate costume.

Despite my appreciation for it, though, again, I personally am trying to make something a little less Lord of the Rings. For reasons.

So, let's see what I can come up with in terms of historical inspiration... if anything, lol.

This is going to be fairly stream-of-consciousness. (Not that it wasn't already, I suppose.)

The first thing that came to mind was a kaftan (or zupan?), because they can be fitted through the torso and feature a standing collar and embellished closures up the front. But, kaftans from Russia, the Ottoman Empire, and other areas touched by those cultures usually also have sleeves. I finally found the two illustrations below without sleeves, but they were difficult to track down and I'm not sure how much of what they depict is imaginary. (Although the sword, pouch, and helmet from the first one are definitely from an extant burial site.)

There's also the Polish kontusz, where the arms can be worn out of the sleeves, with the sleeves flipped back, and that can give the illusion of sleevelessness... A lot of examples I found of this particular garment are also open to the waist, which is delightfully provocative, but doesn't resemble the Strahd ensemble.

Examples from Chernigov (Ukraine) and apparently Moldova; a Polish kontusz

I can think of little source material for that long, pointed fantasy hemline, but allow me to grasp at some straws.

The straws in question.

Actually, this brings up a really good point of inquiry. Where does this drapery-between-the-legs situation that modern fantasy seems to be so enamoured with come from?

Tabards would seem the obious answer, but even that, in modern parlance, is used as an umbrella term for a wide range of garments that may or may not have any true basis in reality.

There's also just... loin cloths, I suppose, which can look like a piece of fabric just draped over the crotch and hanging between the legs, but there's usually more to it than that.

At last, after some digging around, I came across the video below. Bless Shad for his contribution to society.

It goes over all the the differences between those various styles of garment usually bearing symbols of allegiance all lumped together as "tabards", and presented me one more vocabulary word with which I was not yet familiar: the scapular.

Alas, monastic garb is my blind spot. Silly that I've played at least five clerics so far.

To summarize, I think the that the shape of the lower part of Strahd's... whatever-it-is... is inspired by a mix of these garments described in the video. It's short like a tabard should be, and has that dip between the legs reminiscent of a scapular.

But, ultimately, this thing is a waistcoat. Not a waistcoat in the Victorian sense; a waistcoat in the mid-18th century sense.

Monk wearing a scapular, and some fancy waistcoats.

Finally, the very-high standing collar on Strahd's waistcoat smacks of a couple things: Russia (again), or the Regency era. Although, in the Regency years, waistcoats became much shorter (ending at the waist) and lengthened up the other way with high standing collars. But, if you were to combine the two waistcoats above and throw in some suggestive high-hip cutouts like a 1980's leotard, you might come out with something that resembles what Strahd is wearing in all that sumtuous art.

The one with the sash really drives the comparison home.

With the initial kaftan comparison and this guy with the funny hair (a Count Vasili, coincidentally) above, Strahd von Zarovich's red/blue fantasy garb is also giving the Motherland, and folks, I already said that I was trying to keep blatant Russia out of Barovia (as much as that garb clearly slaps). But I also recently remembered due to this post that I am a total sucker for Russian pet names, so... who knows.

In the end... do I know what I'm doing? Absolutely not. I'm not sure which of these elements will filter into further consideration for my own Strahd von Zarovich costume, but I'm definitely glad I gave all this a look. Absolutely worth it. Learned a lot. ♡

[l-amplights]

erm. patapon oc info post

no new art here., all stuff ive posted before. so if youre just here for that uhh might wanna skip over this one

also these arent insanely detailed yet im still working on it i just wanted to get a basic bio out for now i want to speak *something* about them :thumbsup:

ok first up uhh

orii :]

he goes by he/him and hes a regular mahopon, he wanted to be a megaton though unfortunately he was too short and lacks a mouth. despite that he taped a horn onto his staff and uses mahopon magic or somethin idk to make it work. he is not the brightest but hes moreso clumsy than anything else. he really admires any megapon or ton or men and may get distracted having a autism moment in the middle of a battle. also he doesnt have actual magic mant/cape vamp, he made this replica himself because it looks cool :>

ok next

Chicken

havent really decided on chickens pronouns yet they havent came to me so ill be using they to refer to chicken for now

anyway, chicken is a Chigyobi Cannogabang or if we pretend patapon 3 doesnt exist. a chigyobi robopon. theyre a gremlin who loves to make things explode. for fun. theyre also smaller than the average patapon but that will not stop their path of destruction. they are very energetic and fast and the kind of guy to go blehhh :P after breaking something :]

okkk next are zigotons

lets start with leitton my newest oc :>

(name pronounced like leit in leitmotif btw)

she goes by he/her and is a megaton and also a zigoton general (they kinda new ones after the events of pata 1 lmao) he takes her job quite seriously but can easily be flustered by compliments

shes quite neutral on the patapons not really seeing them as a enemy, but still keeps an eye out knowing theyve taken down many zigoton forces before

also. he is short. he wears stilts to seem tall.

short queen yippee

ok last one

Glunk.

he/him, yariton, he uses a donkanels fang

dont let his hat fool you, he is not a general or high ranking at all, he just likes this hat. he does want to be a general one day though, and looks up to the current ones a lot. hes not very good at fighting though and its honestly quite incredible hes still alive, though he is quite good at identifying what went wrong/what to improve on, unfortunately though a lot of the time people interprete it moreso as him looking down at them rather than constructive criticism :[ he gets very excited sometimes and someone else needs to take him out of a situation to help him calm down.

uh ok i ran out of things to say now anyway uh all my oc stuff at least rn takes place between pata 2 and 3

[ampedupkaon]

August Writing Challenge Day 27: Drole/Gloxinia

AN: Set while the two of them are Commandments, at the ruins of Edinburgh. There's... at least one night between the Commandments waking up and Meliodas going to say 'Yo!' right?

It felt strange being able to see the stars. In the Fairy King's Forest, it was often branches of trees as old as the world you'd see, heavy with fruit, covered in leaves as large as your head. Gloxinia had often nestled in hollows in trees, carved out by animals for somewhere to roost for a season, then forgotten the next. He'd collect leaves and make a nest for himself, a cosy bed to snuggle in away from everyone else. He wouldn't forget where his particular nests were; though sometimes he had an animal sleeping in a nest he'd claimed.

“Do you have names for the stars?” Gloxinia looked at the man who'd asked, his oldest friend, the one who got it.

“We didn't often see the stars; never mind the practice of trying to make pictures out of them.” He answered honestly. Drole nodded, glancing up at the stars.

“I heard a few of them complaining the stars looked different in Purgatory and the constellation they usually wished on for luck or protection wasn't in the sky.” The first thought which went through Gloxinia's mind was 'They're demons with incredible power, what need have they for luck?' and then he realised. 'Doing something for luck' didn't link to any kind of logic. He now glanced around their companions. And saw they were all lounging around, looking rather comfortable. He grinned, floating to see what was going on.

In spite of Melascula's protests... she was lying quite comfortably on top of Galand. Asleep. Gloxinia heard a grumbly noise, before realising it was Galand snoring. Probably from lying on his back. The volume of the snores made him ponder how Melascula could be asleep... unless they normally slept together. Perhaps in that sense, he had the suspicion the old demon was sweet on her at the very least. He floated off, finding Zeldris and Estarossa both lying on separate ledges near each other. In exactly the same pose.

Had he been feeling more mischievous, he would have scooped the smaller demon up and put him beside the bigger one. They might have cuddled and it would have disturbed the two of them in the morning if they did that! He floated to where Fraudrin had dozed, snores erupting from his mouth as well. Grayroad was sleeping close by as well, all of her pairs of eyes closed, a soft rhythmic grunt that might have been her snores creeping out.

Which left him to float over to... the only actual couple. Monspeet and Derieri. His cape had been commandeered as a makeshift blanket, the two of them cuddling the way lovers might. Gloxinia wasn't sure exactly how lovers cuddled... but he did know that Derieri was naked; darkness didn't manifest when a demon was asleep. He floated back over to Drole, hovering in front of him.

“Think everyone else is asleep.” It got him a smile.

“It is strange that we are all still tired after being asleep for three thousand years.” Gloxinia giggled softly, before yawning. He was tired too, it seemed. Drole yawned too, all four arms stretching up.

“It appears we should be sleeping as well.” He carefully lay down, a little nervous of the branch he'd been perching on not being quite big enough. His feet dangled, but only his feet, when he'd lay down. Gloxinia landed, sitting on Drole's chest.

“You won't get very far sitting there.” Drole told him, the vibrations rattling through his body. He laughed.

“I like the view from up here.” He caught the hint of a blush, because he wasn't looking at the sky. He was looking down at the giant below him.

“I'm not sure I'd be the most comfortable bed for you to lie on, Gloxinia.”

“I am.” Gloxinia lay down, on his front, wings twitching in contentment. Drole was warm. And the rhythmic thumping of the giant's heart was lulling him to sleep. He yawned, closing his eyes.

“Do you fidget?” Drole asked. He didn't open his eyes, but did answer the question.

“Not when I'm asleep. These two get in the way.” He fluttered his wings. He heard a soft noise which might have been a chuckle.

“Demons seem rather more willing to cuddle than we'd thought, don't they?” Gloxinia made a noise of agreement. There were... at least two pairs lying together. Three, counting him and Drole. He wouldn't have called what Galand was doing with Melascula cuddling, but didn't argue with the giant.

“May I...” He felt the tickle of a finger on his back and shuddered. Drole appeared to want to cuddle. Not that he was opposed to cuddling.

“Yes.” He stretched his arms out as far as they'd go across Drole's chest. He felt the giant's fingertips resting on his back, under his wings.

“Good night, Gloxinia.” He whispered, a soft smile on his face; not that Gloxinia could see that.

“Night Drole, sweet dreams.” He whispered back, sleep claiming him quite quickly afterwards.

AN: In the morning, Gloxinia wakes up before everyone else. He takes the opportunity he'd been meaning to last night; pranking a couple of the others. Neither Galand nor Fraudrin appreciate the wake up call; a drop of human blood from the tip of Basquias straight into their open mouths. It does cheer a few of the others though; Melascula included.

[originalfireemblemscenarios]

♠️ Okay, wonderful! For the event, would you be open to writing for a F!Corrin with Takumi and Jakob (separate)?

I would love to see you write something centered around a curse on Corrin...maybe her voice is stolen, her memory of her loyalty to Hoshido/Nohr goes away, she's put to sleep...? Just some ideas. Excited to see what you come up with! ❤️

THERE IS SO MUCH POTENTIAL! I could write so many curse prompts... Maybe I can do it as an event in the future?

Takumi and Jakob with cursed Corrin

Corrin here is female

Starter for both

Corrin had been waiting for some free time to visit the realms and see her two adorable sons.

Unfortunately though her husband was busy handling variety of tasks she couldn't help with... But that'd mean that she'll just have to give her sons twice the attention to make up for it!

Traveling alone to the realms went smoothly. But trouble started once she was heading back.

Suspicious mages were found not far from the portals and naturally she decided to investigate to make sure what their goal was.

To put it simply- she got unlucky and caught. Turns out the group was just beginner mages that liked to play around with curses and Corrin ended up as their test subject.

She managed to fight them off... But she didn't come back unscathed. Although it'd be a matter of time before the curse takes it's effect...

Takumi- Sleep curse

The moment he was done with all his tasks he noticed that his wife didn't come back yet. Which made him worry greatly.

So the second he was notified that she came back he went to see her. He wanted to know if anything happened or if she just lost the track of time.

He happily greeted her and she seemed normal as ususal. She was just as full of life as always.

Suddenly her head started hurting and she felt weak. He immediately caught her in his arms and lead her back to their quarters so she can rest.

"Takumi...? What's happening to me?" it felt scarry to be so helpless. He wanted to lie to himself and say that she was just a little tired but everything came so suddenly there was no mistaking that something else is the cause.

When he helped her lay down he only then noticed a mark underneath a cape on her back.

He immediately wanted to get help, but at the same time he didn't wanted to leave her.

He recalled how he was cursed and he definitely remembered how scary it was. Especially to forget hurting his friends. Luckily it doesn't seem like she'd be under a similar spell.

When she closed her eyes is when he started to panic more. So he immediately went to look for someone who could help.

Fortunately the curse wasn't strong. The people behind it were clearly an amateurs. It was easily broken.

The whole thing didn't last even an hour but he was a little paranoid that Corrin might never wake up.

When Corrin woke up Takumi immediately hugged her like he was never going to let her go. He was dead worried but now everything was alright.

But the happy moment had to come to an end sooner or later, because now they had to take care of those mages before more people get hurt.

Jakob- Memory loss

He was happy to hear that she was back from her trip... But he also wanted to scold her for losing the track of time so easily.

She was acting normal for a moment but then she suddenly started acting confused by everything.

The realization hit him when he spoke to her and she said "Do you know where I am? Who are you?" not being recognized by her hurt more than getting stabbed.

He thought it was impossible for her to not remember him. But there you had it.

She was still just as kind and sweet. Somehow the curse only affected her memories but not her feelings. So she acted a little shy around Jakob like she had a crush on him.

Which was honestly adorable but he didn't wanted her to be like this. Although she didn't lose her feelings, she doesn't know who he was to her. He thought this kind of thing could only happen to someone like Silas, not him!

He was sure it was a curse, what else could it be? So naturally he looked for someone who was more experienced with dark magic.

As they walked around he held her hand and it made her rather flustered, but she didn't stop him or even ask where he was taking her.

It wasn't anyhow an advanced curse so it wasn't hard to get rid of it. Still the whole thing made him angry.

Now that she remembers everything it'd be loveley if she could tell him who had cursed her. In that case he could make sure nothing like that would ever happen to her... Well anyone but he only cared about his wife's safety.

~Mod Bernadetta

[eristic-kaleidoscope]

How Many Times Do We Have To Teach You This Lesson, Big Man?! | AIRika | Trial 3.4 | Re: Arakiel

"Yeah. Yeah. I saw that coming, honestly. Makes sense, right? I'm the one who got endangered in the motive."

They can't even be mad at Arakiel for his accusation, honestly. It's annoying but honestly? It's fair.

"So, Ae-ra would have been attacked around 5:30PM based on the hemlock poisoning. I'm accounted for until 5, right? And it's obvious I didn't have the materials to make the hemlock during that time, Erik Azrael can vouch. Obviously, that's my boyfriend, so you might be inclined to not trust him. But consider this:

I actually went to the eatery with my rubber chicken with the plan to stab it. Why would I leave an obvious piece of evidence incriminating me at the scene? What kind of a cover is that? Okay, yeah, I'm stupid. Fair. But if I was planning a murder, I would've probably picked something way less obvious.

I also had no room on my person to hide the hemlock and the gloves along with the rubber chicken and my tablet. My outfit is tight and has tiny pockets, and my cape doesn't have any. I would've had to juggle all of this around.

They shrug. They know they don't have an airtight alibi like last time, but they hope this proves themselves.

"Also, I'm accounted in the eatery from four to five. That would've left me only thirty minutes to leave the eatery, grab the gardening gloves, gather the hemlock, go back to the eatery to mix it together, and then go to the fountain room. Doable? Sure, but I would've had to sprint from place to place. I also would've been seen in a lot more places if I had to go to all these places in that short amount of time, especially with the alibis we've heard. More people would've had to see me."

There's a moment as they try to think. What else can they do to prove themselves?

"The mess in the greenhouse accounts for how I got my clothes wet too- besides the rain. That was my mess, and nobody else has spoken for it. That proves I went to the greenhouse after my time in the eatery, meaning there's no way I could've been at the scene of the murder. If anyone went to the greenhouse after 5:35PM, they can attest to the mess. Even if the hemlock is from the greenhouse, yeah, I'd have no reason to spray water literally everywhere and incriminate myself further. That should speak to my alibi, right?

And then, Erisu saw me leave my room at 6PM, which proves I was away from the scene by that point- and definitely by the time Ae-ra was dead. Obviously the killer could've left before Ae-ra died, but that would've been risky if she found a way to survive."

They pause again. There's one more thing they can use to prove their point- as stupid as it is.

"Also. Okay. If I wanted to kill someone with poison, I literally had the easiest way to do it. Back when we all got here, I got this chemistry set in the gacha, except there were bottles of sealed poison inside. If you searched my room, odds are you found it. All the poisons would've been accounted for, too.

I had no clue how the hell to get rid of them safely, so they've sat in a box at the back of my desk all this time. Nobody has known about this except Erik A and Erik Azrael. I could've easily just used my poisons and then disposed of them discreetly and saved myself the entire hassle of cutting hemlock and mixing a paste. Would've been so much easier than whatever the killer did, and left behind way less evidence.

And besides. Do I look like I know what the fuck hemlock was before today? You guys think I could identify a poisonous flower, known the leaves were toxic, mixed a paste with enough power to kill, known that injection was a possibility, and then prepared it safely? I burned a fucking grilled cheese and I have repeatedly shown I can't cook or make food for shit. No way I could make safely a murder paste."

They have to agree with Arakiel on one thing, though.

"I hate to say it, but Ae-ra probably killed Erika Chen. Erika Chen was found dead before Ae-ra would've been realistically attacked considering the speed of the poison, meaning she was the only one who could do it. This, on top of her being seen in the place with the murder weapon and the letter with Arakiel's handwriting that only Ae-ra could've produced.

It's unfortunate. Fuck. But I don't see anyone else who could've done it."

[cardinal-copia-popia]

Can I please request some Dracopia? Maybe a sister is wandering the halls at night and finds our dear cardinal a little worse for wear cause he needs a little snack? 😈

Thank you so much for requesting this, anon!!! ❤️❤️

This kinda got away from me a little bit, but I hope you enjoy!

NSFW under the cut!

You walked down the empty corridors of the Abbey, enjoying the peace and quiet of the night. That was rare at the Abbey. Something was always going on, usually on the more… carnal side of things. But this was one of those special evenings, and you intended to make the most of it. 

Anyone else might have thought the Abbey was a little scary or creepy at night, but you found it almost magical. It felt as though the secrets of the ancient building would show themselves to you if you looked hard enough. And tonight, you felt as though you were finally going to find one of those secrets.

You wished a certain cardinal was there to explore with you, but he always seemed to disappear at night. Probably off with some other sister, you thought a bit sadly. You had been assisting Cardinal Copia for a while now, and while the two of you had become friends, he never seemed to want to become more than that. You did, however, and you would swear he sometimes seemed interested in you, but anytime you would get close, he would get so nervous that you felt bad for trying to push him. 

There were rumors about him among the siblings that the nervousness and awkwardness were a front to hide the fact that he was a vampire or something, but you could not imagine that he was acting unless he was a pro. And as much as you liked him, you did not believe he was that. As far as him being a vampire, well, that would explain some things. And honestly, the idea excited you. But you were not about to ask him something like that. What if you were wrong? You did not want to make a fool of yourself.

In the end, it did not matter. He was your superior, and it was not your place to make the first move, no matter how much you wanted to. For all you knew, all he needed was that push from you, but being friends with him was more important.

There was no place in particular you had in mind to go, but for some reason, you were drawn to the chapel.

You snuck inside, slipping through the partially open doors. You wondered what it looked like in the dead of night when not in use, and you were not disappointed. A few candles were still lit here and there, and the moonlight made the stained glass glitter enchantingly.

You were just about to walk further in when a sound caught your attention. You frowned, knowing the chapel was usually off-limits at this time. Who else could be here?

The noise came again, and this time you could distinctly make out the sound as that of a voice. A whimper, to be exact. Careful not to make any noise yourself, you crept forward, squinting into dimly lit recesses of the chapel. Finally, you were able to make out the silhouette of someone seated in one of the pews ahead of you. Your curiosity got the better of you, despite your brain telling you to leave.

As you got closer, the person tilted their head back and moaned, making you freeze, and your cheeks heat up. Oh. You then heard something else that made heat pool between your legs and your breath quicken.

The now unmistakable voice of Cardinal Copia moaning your name graced your ears.

You moved now without thought. You had to see. In no time, you reached the pew, and, though it was still too dark to make anything out clearly, it was obvious your dear cardinal was pleasuring himself apparently to the thought of you.

"Cardinal," you managed to say in a hoarse whisper.

You had no idea he could move so fast. Copia shot up, covering himself with what appeared to be a cape. What on earth was he wearing?

“S-Sorella! Ah, shit… Um… Hello.”

You felt as nervous and embarrassed as he sounded. Now that he was standing, you could make out more of his features. He was staring at you wide-eyed. “I'm sorry, Cardinal. I heard something in here, and well…  I was curious.” You ducked your head. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt you, but…"

Copia’s hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, and he appeared to be looking for a way to escape, but he was blocked in by the pews. There was a wildness in his eyes you were unused to seeing. “No, Sorella, I am sorry. I knew you were there but thought perhaps it was just my imagination. The scent of you was so strong, I…”

You frowned. He smelled you? This was what you wanted, though, wasn't it? You wanted him to want you. Boldly, you stepped forward.

"Do you do this often and think about me, Copia?" you asked quietly. You did not usually use his name, but the effect it seemed to have on him was worth it.

He let out a shaky breath as you pushed his cape back to expose him once again. "Sì. I usually have more control. But when I get this… hungry, it is hard to hunt when I am so aroused, sì?"

What? Did he mean…?

He was very clearly agitated, though you supposed part of that had to do with the still very obvious length of his erection hanging out of his pants. You wanted to help him, but you also wanted answers. You grabbed his hand, loving the feeling of the smooth, soft leather against your palms. 

“Cardinal.”

Copia became even more desperate. “Sorella, please,” he all but whined. “I need—”

“You need what?”

“You. I need—” His lips parted enough that you could see the points of his teeth catching the light from the candles, confirming your suspicions. A thrill went through you. So it was true. And he needed you. “I need to taste you. Every day, for hours on end, sitting beside you with your scent overwhelming me… It is maddening. And intoxicating.”

You were a bit shocked, to say the least, but also thoroughly turned on. “You mean, you want to…”

“Feed on you, sì. Drink from you. I have been searching for food, but all I crave is you. And not just your blood, but your body as well.” He grasped his cock in his free hand. "Please, Sorella," he begged again.

You quickly brought his head down to kiss him, echoing his whimper at finally feeling his lips against yours. Copia seemed to melt, pressing closer to you.

“I have wanted you for so long, Sorella… And I know you want me. I can smell it on you, as I have many times before in my office.”

“Why haven’t you said or done anything before now?” you asked against his lips.

“I was afraid,” he whispered back. “I did not want to frighten you.”

“Oh, Copia…” you sighed. Without another word, you pushed him back, so he sat down again. You climbed onto his lap, hiking up your habit and kissing him. “I’m not afraid of you. Whatever you need, Copia, take it. I’m yours.”

He whined again and grasped your hips. “I want to feel you around me first, tesoro mia.”

You wanted that, too, desperate to feel him inside you. After all this time of longing for him, of craving him… To be this close to him, to be about to do this, was almost too much. And Copia seemed so desperate and needy for you that it aroused you like nothing else.

Your hesitation did not go unnoticed by Copia, who hooked his fingers in the waistband of your panties and tore them off with ease, making you gasp. You had no idea what happened to them after that, but right now, you did not care. You sank down onto him, more than ready for him and moaning at the feeling of him filling you. Copia buried his face against your neck, breathing you in.

“Oh, dolcezza mia… Per favore… per favore, fammi assaggiare.” In the next instant, you felt two light pinpricks against your neck. You could feel him trembling slightly in his efforts to keep himself under control. “Please.”

“Copia!” you cried as he sunk his teeth into your neck. 

It was almost too much at first, but the pain ebbed away to something akin to pleasure. You could feel him drawing the blood from you, making you a bit lightheaded. Copia was moaning as well, his free hand that was not cradling your head seemingly everywhere at once like he could not decide where exactly he wanted to touch you. You sighed his name again, acutely aware of the feeling of him throbbing within you. You needed him to start moving.

But instead of interrupting him, you began to rock your hips, grinding down on him. Copia gasped, pulling away from your neck. He gazed up at you, his breath coming in short puffs as you moved. Your blood stained his lips and dribbled down his chin. The wild look in his eyes was gone, now glazed over with lust. He looked delicious and dangerous, but you knew you were safer with him than with anyone else.

“You taste even more wonderful than I imagined, Sorella,” he breathed, now holding your hips and slowly fucking up into you. “Cazzo, you feel so good around me, too.”

You threw your head back, moaning. How often had you dreamed about this moment, to finally be joined with him so intimately?

“I’ve wanted this for so long,” you managed to admit.

Copia wrapped his arms around you, holding you close as you continued to rise and fall on him. “Sì. I am sorry I could not act before.”

You smiled down at him and kissed him, ignoring the tang of your blood that colored the kiss. He kissed you back fervently, licking into your mouth to tangle his tongue with yours. You both hummed and moaned your pleasure, your pace quickening.

“I am sorry, Sorella, I will not last,” he gasped.

You were not going to last much longer either. Nothing could have prepared you for how good he made you feel, for how much pleasure was coursing through you with each stroke of his length within you, with each touch of his hand and press of his lips on your skin. The occasional hint of teeth lightly scraping along your skin only heightened the pleasure, making you keen and cry out, begging him for more. More of which he gladly gave you.

You gripped the back of the pew as you moved above him with abandon, the wooden seat creaking from both of your movements.

“I am going to cum, dolcezza,” he rasped.

"So am I! Oh! Copia!"

His thrusts faltered, and you felt him surge inside you, his choked moan muffled against your neck as he bit you again. All of it was too much. Tears filled your eyes, and your mouth fell open as your release washed through you, with your walls squeezing his cock and your arms squeezing his shoulders. If anyone outside the chapel had not known you two were there, they certainly knew now.

Copia extracted his teeth once more, lapping up the excess blood. He was muttering something in Italian, though you could only make out the words 'beautiful’ and ‘thank you.’

Both of you were trembling as your hands gently stroked over each other's clothed backs in attempts to soothe. While your skin was slick with sweat, making your habit stick to you, you could still feel that Copia was cool to the touch under his suit and cape. The metal clasp on the front of the cape dug into your chest from where he was pressed to you, but you did not care. Your need to continue to hold him was too great.

You held each other close, neither of you making any attempts to move, with Copia pressing sweet kisses to your neck to ease the ache there left by his bites. The feelings that you had developed for him were only growing. You never wanted to let him go after this. You did not think you could now after what the two of you had shared.

“Copia,” you murmured. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”

You felt him smile and hold you tighter. “I think I am falling in love with you, too, tesoro mia.”

You took his face in your hands and tilted his head up. “So, you won’t shy away from me anymore?”

He shook his head. “No. Not anymore, Sorella.”

“And if you need me?” you asked, swiping your thumb along his bottom lip over the dried blood there.

“I will find you.” He then smiled a bit smugly. “You will be my midnight snack.”

Your laughter echoed off the chapel walls, but it was quickly silenced by Copia’s lips once again melding to yours. This was by far the best secret you could have ever encountered, and now that secret was all yours.

Translations:

Oh, dolcezza mia… Per favore… per favore, fammi assaggiare - Oh, my sweet… Please… Please, let me taste you.

Cazzo - fuck

Tesoro mia - my darling

If you've got any requests, send them my way!!

[pkg4mumtown]

Through Glass (Ch. 1)

Chapter 1: Sitting All Alone Inside Your Head

Rating: M

Summary: When Stephen lost you, he never thought he’d get another chance to have you. Until now, that is.

Alternatively: You’re convinced that your house is haunted in some way and recruit some help from your local wizard.

A/N: Hi all! This is a weird one. I kind of had a weird fever dream about it and started writing it out. It’s also loosely based off of Through Glass by Stone Sour. It’s going to be a few chapters long and I might do art for each chapter. We’ll see. Enjoy!

Warnings: Feelings of being watched, Multiversal Stalking, Possessive!Stephen, Eventual body horror, Gender Neutral Pronouns for Reader, No Y/N, First Person POV, What If AU where Reader dies instead of Christine, Strange-Supreme just needs a hug honestly, Stephen in Reader’s universe is a big dummy

Cause I'm looking at you through the glass

Don't know how much time has passed

All I know is that it feels like forever

When no one ever tells you that forever feels like home

Sitting all alone inside your head

-Through Glass by Stone Sour

The hustle and bustle of New York was almost immediately muffled as my attention was pulled to my phone. Nearly stumbling over the uneven cement, I dodged people as best as I could out of my peripheral vision while pulling my phone out and reading a short text.

“Can we hang out soon?? I miss you ☹️,” the text read from a good friend of mine, Oscar.

I smiled softly and nodded to myself, thinking quickly about when I’d be free this coming weekend, “Sure! Miss you, too! How about—"

The text remained unfinished and unsent as my phone tumbled from my fingers as I collided with a solid figure. Scalding liquid sloshed onto my hands, making me hiss quietly. I managed to catch my phone in wet hands before it could have an untimely meeting with the cement, wiping it and my hands onto dark parts of my clothing to avoid stains.

“Shit! I’m so sorry I—,” I paused, not really expecting to see a man in a…cape?

I also expected him to be more irritated—given our current location in New York—but he simply smiled tightly and righted the cups, “It’s okay, it’s mostly all here,” he gestured to his two to-go cups of, presumably, tea since my hands didn’t reek of coffee. “Are your hands okay?”

“I’m fine, really. Um, I can go grab you another?”

“I promise, it’s fine,” his warm, soothing chuckle drifted through the noisy crowd around us.

I inspected him closer, from his graying temples to his neatly trimmed goatee, to the cape around his shoulders, and the robes—did the cape just wave to me?

Then, it dawned on me.

The Wizard of Greenwich Village I’d heard about on social media and the news, with his orange sparkles, his part in the Blip, and constant battles with creatures in the streets of New York. Yes, the get-up finally made sense.

“Is there a—uh—cult meeting in town or something?” I asked, with a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips.

"Oh, yeah,” he droned sarcastically, “Specially laced tea and all,” he laughed again. “Doctor Stephen Strange,” he offered.

“The wizard guy, right?” The words tumbled from my lips before I could stop them. Of course, he’s not called a “wizard”, that’s probably extremely offensive. He probably thought I was a complete dumbass by now.

“Or, the Wizard guy,” he pursed his lips awkwardly.

An unfriendly shoulder slammed into me, reminding both of us that we were hogging a decent portion of the sidewalk.

“I’m gonna…” I pointed the direction I’d been walking, wanting desperately to leave before I could say anything else that could make me look like an idiot.

“Right,” he nodded and stepped forward with the crowd, both of us walking in different directions. “Nice to meet you…” I heard my name fall from his lips as his voice drifted away.

I shook my head, my brows knitting together as I stopped again, Funny, I didn’t tell him my name. By the time I turned to look at his retreating form, all trace of him was gone.

Returning home that evening, I set about making dinner and ignoring the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. The feeling of being watched was stronger today, but considering I lived alone, that feeling came and went often as I let my imagination take control. Shaking off the feeling as best as I could, I turned on some music so I wouldn’t feel so alone.

With a final stir in my pan and a flick of the knob for the burner, I reached up to my cabinets for a plate only to stop mid-air as I swore I saw something slither across my floor in the reflection of my microwave. For a second—I paused—blinking and trying to rationalize with myself that it was caused by something outside or that my hand blocked light—casting shadow over the surface. When that didn’t work, I turned around sharply, feeling around behind me for a knife. I held it down to my side as I crept around the corner, gulping as I mustered up the courage to turn the corner aggressively. However, when I did, the living room was empty. My eyes passed to the adjacent hallway, also empty. My rapidly beating heart pulled me out of my search, the thumping having grown so loud in my ears that I started to panic.

There’s nothing here, you’re just being paranoid.

But resigning the shadow as my imagination the first time, only made me expect to see something the rest of the night. Like turning and expecting to see another shadow disappear out of the corner of my eye, scaring myself more and probably making myself see things as a result.

I figured a cold shower was in order, as if it could reset my brain for fifteen minutes and shake these feelings away. I dressed for bed and tried to keep the lights on for as long as I could before shutting them off and passing out for the night.

The same feeling continued growing stronger every day after that, but only within the confines of my own house did I feel the true weight of the uncomfortable, piercing gaze. It got to the point that I spoke to the gaze like its own entity in my house, obviously not expecting or even wanting an answer, but acknowledging nonchalantly that something was there made it somehow less scary.

Reaching for my microwave to take out the warmed-up leftovers from a couple days ago, I once again saw the darkness slithering away, my brain trying so hard to rationalize it as a trick of the light on the reflective surface.

“What? Not in the mood for leftovers?” I murmured while slamming the microwave shut.

I hesitated as I saw the darkness peek back from the edge of the reflection as if it acknowledged me talking to it. I’m not fucking crazy. I looked closer as it paused and retreated quickly as if something pulled it away, focusing in on one crucial aspect: This tentacle-like shape didn’t go behind my wall at all. It rested on top of the reflection of my living room and kitchen, even my own face. If this was really in my house, I should be able to see it floating in the space in front of me. Therefore, it couldn’t be real, right?

Right?

I stared at my reflection, the burning plate in my hands long forgotten as I hoped to catch another glimpse of the shadowy appendage, but nothing came back. Maybe I needed to move up that eye doctor appointment.

So, like every other night, I stayed up with the lights on as long as I could—hoping my electricity bill and sleep wouldn’t suffer for it—before eventually passing out. Unlike every other night, though, I woke with a start and discovered it to only be three in the morning. I gulped, listening for what could have woken me up.

Neighbors?

Sirens?

Nothing.

The heavy gaze was back in full force, but as I squinted around my room, all the blinds were closed. It should have put me at ease, but not when I knew the issue was coming from inside and not outside. I glared harder into the shadows, hoping to finally see something but dreading to see a figure there all the same.

It wasn’t until I fixed my eyes on three glowing yellow orbs in my mirror, that I felt chills run along my skin in fear. I couldn’t place what they were at first, but my question was soon answered as they seemed to blink and focus in on me. I wished my blankets and mattress would smother and swallow me whole as the eyes just stared. I was awarded no such thing. All the bravery I mustered earlier to sass the shadow had left my quaking body in an instant and I had no smart-ass quips to hurl.

After a few tense minutes, the eyes blinked once more and seemed to follow the figure they belonged to as it turned around in the mirror until the eyes were no longer visible.

Strange-Supreme POV

Stephen. Couldn’t. Believe it.

He’d finally found you in a universe where you had no one else. Or, at least, it seemed that way. He watched you for a few days to make sure you really lived alone, his excitement bubbling to the point where he got sloppy and let you see parts of him. Once he saw that you warily began to welcome and acknowledge his timid presence, he showed you a little more but never all of him. He didn’t want to scare you, after all, considering his version of you hadn’t reacted so well to this monstrous form and he didn’t blame you. He was nervous, though, because sometimes this horrifying form was just easier to let out instead of keeping the monsters in him at bay. But, just like his version of you, he was reminded of just how brilliant you were as he watched you piece together the mystery he was laying out for you day by day, and it only made him fall harder for you.

As he watched you nervously shift in your bed under his watchful eye, he hoped you would come to accept him, love him even. So many times he’d looked across the multiverse only to find universes where you were already happy with him, happy with someone else, or dead because of him—just as he suffered now. And while he might look like a monster, he wouldn’t hurt you or destroy your happiness like that. No, he'd want you to come to him of your own will.

But if he had to suffer without his version of you and your version of him was too stupid to claim you…then this you—this you—was just for him.

Chapter 2

Bonus: A little close up of Strange-Supreme without all the overlays to simulate night:

[wallflowerimagines]

Hello there ! Just found your blog and I wanna say I fell in love with your writing 🥺✨ I was wondering if you could have the 4 lords react to their s/o just suddenly stealing their clothes or hat or lil trickets to wear since the s/o just loves how the lords look , hope this makes sense XD

Thank you so much!!!

You also....found out my weakness so quickly...TOP OF THE TO-DO LIST AGAIN IM SORRY IM WEAK--

Alcina Dimitrescu

First, lest we all forget: Alcina Dimitrescu is a Big Laydee

Let's be honest, there is not a person alive who is the same size as Alcina. That makes it extremely easy to find things that fit you in her closet.

The fur coats are probably going to be your favorite, because they're like the softest blankets you could ever own, BUT YOU CAN WEAR IT!

You feel like royalty walking through the halls of Dimitrescu Castle in this super sized coat. There's a big train trailing behind you, and you can tuck your feet into the super soft fabric when you sit down. Sure, the sleeves are a little long, but it reminds you of Alcina, and you miss her.

Fur coats are a favorite of Alcina's too. It's her favorite thing to see you in, especially with nothing else on underneath💕

Honestly, she gets the warm fuzzies whenever you put on something of hers--jewelry, hat, gloves, it doesn't matter. Alcina gets this deeply satisfied feeling whenever you have something of hers on.

(She's also more likely to pull you in for a smooch, but that's neither here nor there.)

Sometimes, she will even make a point to leave something out of hers that she wants you to wear. You have a little pile of things to choose from, and they all smell like her~~

There is one exception: please don't try to put on her dresses. I know you think it's going to drape all ✨sexy✨ over you, or you can tie it at the waist like a big, fancy robe, but I promise you, that is not the look that you will have achieved. There's just too much fabric--it's a loose, lumpy mess. 0/10, do not recommend.

Donna Beneviento

But...why though?

Donna is more than happy to make you your own clothes, you don't need to steal hers!

Yeah, but that's not the point, though, is it?

She's actually a little offended until you explain it to her. She likes to make you so many things, and likes to see you in the things she's made for you, so when you pick out something else she gets a little sad.

It's more romantic if she makes it for you, in her opinion.

You have to explain to her why you want to wear a trinket of hers, or else Donna is never going to get it.

You want something of hers for when you miss her, for when you're out or she's gone! You love her, you love how she looks, and you want a piece of her to be attached to you. It's reassuring to tie your hair back with her hair pins, or thread her spare veil around your waist like a belt.

It's a Lover's Token.

Oh...Well, in that case, Donna is definitely on board!

You two start a tradition where both of you wear bracelets for a week, and then switch with each other for the next week. They're shared bracelets, owned by neither of you individually, but specifically something you both have as a couple.

The more you guys do this, the more Donna understands the appeal. There's never a time when the bracelets aren't warm to the touch, and it feels like your fingers are always caressing her wrist.

It's so special for both you and Donna that you guys have a tradition all to yourselves. You guys are rarely ever apart, but in case you are, all you have to do is look at the bracelet and your heart feels full.

Salvatore Moreau

HI HELLO YES THIS IS SALVATORE'S FAVORITE THING

You?? Wearing something of his?? Is a dream come true.

Moreau loves indulging in various romance tropes, and if you didn't start wearing something of his, he was going to wear something of yours.

(He might have already taken a couple of things without you noticing? Not just clothes, but knick knacks and pillows. He likes to snatch up things that carry your scent and make a little nest out of them in his bed. On nights where his back hurts, the smell does wonders to distract him from the pain.)

Anyway, he likes the world knowing that you're taken, and that you belong to each other. Swapping clothes is a great way to do that.

Salvatore doesn't have a traditional body type, so you only have a couple things to choose from: his cape-cover and some of his jewelry.

It doesn't matter what you ask for though, if you even mention that you had a thought about putting on something of his, it is OFF HIM and in your hands. Salvatore is happy to give it to you.

But, if you really want to knock him out? Steal both his cape and crown and wrap yourself up in them. There's juuuust enough fabric to cover any unmentionables, and if you drape yourself over the nearest piece of furniture, well...

Apparently, you can make Salvatore's brain shut off so fast he actually drools.

Karl Heisenberg

I mean, sure? You can wear his stuff if you want to, Heisenberg isn't going to stop you.

Please, please, please wear his stuff, holy shit, YES PLEASE

Karl likes to pretend that is doesn't effect him as much as it does, but you know him. It doesn't matter how hard he tries to hide it from you, when he walks into a room and sees you in his spare coat, he cannot keep his hands off you.

It's not even necessarily a sexual thing. Karl really likes the idea of both of you being joined at the hip, a perfect pair, best friends as well as partners, and when you put on something of his?

There's a tiny little voice at the back of his head that goes 'yeeeeeees, goooood'. It reaffirms the idea that you both are close-- close enough to trade clothes.

The one thing that really messes with him is if you take his dog tags. They make tiny little tinkling noises, so he's always aware of where you are in the room. If he's trying to focus, he'll probably pull them off of you, but not before he tugs you into a kiss. 🥰

He wants nothing more than to have physical contact with you when you wear something of his. He will pull you into his lap if he's sitting, wrap his arms around you from behind if he's standing, and hold your hand if you are next to him.

He will also make little comments about how much he likes it, but it's so obviously not on purpose. Stuff about how you match, about how he trusts you to look after his hat/coat, about how you look like a real team...

It's weirdly romantic?

[genshingarbage]

Hiii, Good Morning/Good afternoon/Good evening Mod Kaeya,Mod Diluc^^, It's my first time requesting, Can I request? Angst with any Genshin Impact characters?,Soo The genshin characters are much more spending time with Lumine? Then the reader asks why they aren't spending much time with them and the genshin characters snaps and said the readers are weak ( reader is already insecured because they can't fight) and they have work to do then the reader leaves to fight hilichurl camps and unfortunately there's 2 Mitachurls ,luckly the genshin characters were on time to save the reader? Then they apologized to them? (It's Gn reader^^) sorry if it's alot and sorry if my grammar is wrong you both can disregard this ask stay safe ^^

Good afternoon dear Traveler!! Well done for making your first request! And such a lengthy one too oh my~ Your grammar is fine don’t even worry about it. Sorry for the long wait, Mod Diluc and I have been busy on the Kuzuha banner haha but I hope you enjoy this tear jerking tale (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧- Mod Kaeya

Recommending this song for this oneshot!

Go checkout Anna_drw01 for more art like this!! Here’s her artstation!

The distant scientist, renowned for being hard to get close to was someone you used to consider one of you closest friends. The two of you spent day and night together, hellbent of cracking open every single challenge you possibly could together. Many considered you two to be able to solve any mystery put in front of you together.

The keyword was together.

There was a mystery you yourself couldn’t solve; Why was Albedo’s time with you slowly becoming a rarity?

You’d been wondering why he’d been spending so much less time in the lab he’d meticulously built over years of his life or on site where his precious research was being buried little by little by crystalline flakes, tending to his experiments and recording time sensitive data that would be valuable for months to come for the research team. Albedo had been gone so long both you and Sucrose had designed a plan in order to cover the work he’s left unattended whilst managing your own on top of the store. It was beginning to get concerning. If the leader of the investigation squad was absent constantly then what did that mean for the rest of you? Surely he was only gone for the sake of something important he’d found, something he placed above everything else he was researching. That’s what you lent yourself into believing.

That is, until you saw him with her.

You couldn’t blame him honestly, Lumine was gorgeous. Her golden hair and fiery eyes are what a lot of men probably look for in a partner, even more so was the mystery behind her origins and the raw power she held in her fingertips at any given moment.

You didn’t have to have a vision to be able to tell that.

Maybe that was another thing he sought in her.

A traveling partner that could wield the powers of the elements, a traveling partner that could hold their own against the world. Maybe that wasn’t all he was looking for but also a romantic partner.

He finally came back to the investigation camp briefly one night, it was during a particularly rough blizzard ravaging across Dragonspine and the areas surrounding it a little like a turbulent child tossing snowflakes across already painted, buried monochrome peaks. He trudged into the camp with her rambunctious adventuring party, shouted something over the whipping wind about how they should get warm inside one of the communal tents dotted around the sparse camp halfway up the summit you inhabited and then ducked into the burgundy tent you were working away in with nothing but the clinking of vials harmonizing with the bubbling of flames. It was nothing but candle light right then in the morbid lonely night, only the sounds of the howling gales outside of the ones in your lab. If you’d felt like you were being watched during the night before now, Albedo’s piercing analytical gaze did nothing but soothe the loneliness you’d held inside yourself all night.

“I need a strong multi use Geoculus locator, if we have any.” The blonde said

He must’ve seen your shoulders perk up because he waited patiently as you searched through the shelves upon shelves of prototypes you’ve developed. After somehow finding one, you patted over to him. He seemed pleased with your work, if a bit distant as usual. He was in a good mood so you guessed would be the best time if any to ask. “Sir… with all due respect why have you been away so long?”

Albedo’s pale face was blank as usual though he blinked as if surprised you spoke, “Lumine needed someone with a sufficient Geo vision, I happened to be the one she knew the best to get the job done.”

“So you’ll be returning?”

“I never said that.”

You tried not to take it harshly, this was just how he spoke after all. “…could I come along then?” It was a long shot yes but you still missed his company, if it meant having to deal with him getting buddy buddy with that Outrider then you would suffer. 

It was quiet for a moment between you two as you stared him down and he observed the locator thoroughly. After he was pleased enough with the golden glowing device it was packed away into his back pocket without so much as a second thought, the man was obviously stalling while he thought carefully over the question but the result wouldn’t be to your liking evidently. You were about to make  a point you hoped would be convincing before he spoke, his voice sharp and words cold like the very ice being tossed around the blackened sky.

“No, you’re not a skilled enough fighter so you’d only slow us down more than we can handle to be right now. You’d be useless to us.” He put a hand to his chin for a moment in thought, “If you’d had been able to development a synthetic elemental burst like Sucrose’s swirl mark II…I would have considered but you can’t even do that.”

Watching him leave with them the morning after was torturous, they rushed off into the snowy landscape with barely a goodbye and never a second glance from Albedo beyond that. It stung.

Maybe that’s why when hilichurl camps, specifically ones becoming a nuisance to caravans as well as supply lines along Dragonspine almost avidly to the near point where there would be commissions called in, were brought up in conversation you elected to take a weapon and simply clear them out yourself. You could barely fight one off but usually they were smaller towards the base of the mountain so you figured it would be alright. You would just patch yourself up if you got a bit injured. Surely the pain of the injures would busy your silly little heart long enough to forget about Albedo and his cruel words to you, surely you would barricade your feelings of pining behind walls of broken bones and struggling through the snow. Maybe that was the remedy, the answer you needed to your mystery. Your pleas would probably be hidden by the snowstorms anyways.

Mitachurls unfortunately inhabited bigger camps. Thankfully, Frost Lawlichurls tended to live alone. The former happened to find it’s way to you, charging with the might of a bull on ozmanthys wine. As you were bowled over you heard an abrupt shout, maybe saw a brief flash of familiar golden light as the battle grounds around you erupted further into chaos but it didn’t matter that pale arms were abruptly gripping you to a panicked sword user. Your vision was to blurry, the shouts of attacks and spells too muffled and faint, your body felt too limp to comprehend even the though of moving. You could barely breathe.

Someone was muttering, crouched around you and holding you close, muttering something over and over again. Something important. The feeling of their lips pressed against your forehead, his quiet gut heaving sobs as he rocked you back and forth. Albedo’s pleas for you to just hang on a moment longer—

Where were you again?

There was sunlight and it was warm, a pleasant warmth that almost lulled you back to the sleep you’d fallen into. The only thing that kept you awake was that this was indeed not your bed.

Where were you?

Sitting up hurt, your whole body ached and you were certain something must have been rearranged or was missing because the pain shot through you like an arrow. Your sharp exhale alerted the two others in the room, one who immediately sprinted to get a nurse in an emerald and navy flurry of skirts and capes.

You were dizzy, only steadied by a gentle hand on your limp shoulder. Ah, when did you turn to face him?

The blonde man infront of you asked if you remembered what happened, his voice was soft but didn’t hold any emotion. The smoky circles around his beautiful striking cerulean eyes did nothing but worry you slightly as they implied a long period of time without sleep. You’d imagine him to be the sciency type who didn’t really know what to think of other people so he stayed nose deep in books to pass the time, though there was a deep sadness in the way he held himself you couldn’t understand.

“I don’t…who are you?” You thought you saw him flinch but figured it was a trick of the light.

“No one important, nevermind me.” The man sat up with an unreadable expression even for how blank it had been for this whole brief conversation after you had awoken, getting up from his chair to begin walking to the door when he stopped. “I’m sorry.”

“…for what?” You didn’t understand.

“Nothing that would natter now, please. Rest.”

You didn’t remember.

[staygolddindjarin]

Grief

Chapter One: History

Din Djarin x Reader x a bunch of other star wars characters

Series Summary: Raised on Mandalore, born into a bloodline of warriors, no one ever expected for the daughter of a Clan leader to go rogue. Leaving the life of security and making the journey to fight in the war against the empire meant many things... giving up the way of the Mandalore, and giving up a solid future. A future that involves an arranged marriage to a foundling from another clan.

Chapter Warnings: Oof this ones kinda angsty right off the bat- ⚠️ attempted suicide?? Kinda?? Age gap (reader is underage, but don't worry it's just for the sake of backstory and also there's no spicy, so...) mentions of death and afterlife, fluff if you like squint really hard

A/n: hello there... I'm sorry to inflict tumblr with this atrocity, but wattpad had to deal with it so tumblr can too. I wrote a different version of this on my wp with an OC name, but I know that not everyone cares for that so this won't include that. Also this series will be such a slow burn... prepare yourself ahead of time because it's going to be agonizing

Words: 6.3k+

SERIES MASTERLIST UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Part 1/?

"Pehea gar mar'eyir ni...."

How did you find me....

He came and sat beside me, the sound of metal scraping agaisnt the ground when he knelt first.

"Gar cuyir te shi solus tion'ad comes olar jii.  Ni kar'taylir gar jate'shya gar mirdir Ni vaabir," He responded.

You are the only one who comes here now. I know you better than you think I do.

I heaved a deep breath before letting it out in an exhausted sigh. Speaking in my native tongue was something I always appreciated, but now sitting here it felt nearly uncomfortable, but there was a reason for that.

"I wanted to be alone," The words from my mouth were no longer in my language, and he shifted beside me, trying to convey his confusion without a word.

"Care to elaborate?" He suggested, his asking tone was harsh... but then so was everything else about him.

I didn't really feel like explaning my feelings at the moment. I didn't want to focus on the very thing he was asking about. Even though he wasn't absolutely sure of what he was asking.

"You wouldn't understand if I told you," I trailed off.

"Try me." His voice wasn't any softer, but the sincerity he rarely showed had seeped into his tone.

"I really don't think it's a good idea. You really won't understand, and for all I know you could make things worse off for me than they already are," I didn't like it when he let his guard down around me. I didn't like getting closer to him, even though I was supposed to.

"I can't force you. Whatever it is, I wouldn't get myself too worked up," He sounded hurt, but I couldn't bring myself to believe it was by my words. He was too strong to be wounded by such trivial things.

He moved in his seat, beginning to stand, and for some reason the thought of being alone like I had originally intended seemed like a horrible idea.

I reached out to grip his arm. I kept my gaze forward, knowing that even if I looked at him I could not see his eyes.

"Stay."

He didn't hesitate. He sat down again, and I no longer felt guilt for the hurt in his voice a moment prior.

We sat for a moment in silence, just looking over the cliffside, into the deep canyons that wove in between settlements and encampments of our tribes and clans.

"I don't want this life," I whispered. I had only half hoped he would be paying enough attention to hear me. My voice was soft enough that he might not have.

"What do you mean?"

I squeezed my eyes shut, regretting the choice to even say what I did. I felt a shiver go down my arms, and I felt the wind come into the old open cavern, making the air around me chill. My arms were exposed, for I didn't expect the cold tonight. I didn't expect to be here this long.

"I'll turn sixteen in four days. I will either take the creed, or deny everything I've ever been taught. I'd leave if I do that," I finally gave a glance in his direction. He looked back at me, or at least the beskar did. I could never tell where his eyes were.

"You want to leave?" That pained tone of his voice had returned. The one I felt guilty for without actually believing I had done anything to cause it.

I did. I wanted to get off this planet. Away from the responsibility of becoming what everyone expected of me.

"I have to. It's the only way I will ever be at peace, but I'm not sure if I truly have the strength to stand in front of my family and deny the creed."

I could run away. I had some friends who were planning to jump a transport and join the rebellion against the empire.

They had offered me to be apart of this, but I had refused, believing that I would follow in my ancestors footsteps and take the creed. My father had already provided the beskar for my helmet to be made. It was already in the armourer's possession. All that was left was for me to come of age.

"Where did you go, just now?" He noticed my lack of attentiveness to my current reality, and brought me back to where I was. On the drafty cliffside, with my legs hanging over the end.

"Nowhere. I was just thinking about the future," I had admitted. Though I felt the need to stay emotionally distant from him, and not let myself develop a closeness, I knew I could trust him with my life, which is why I even revealed these things to him in the first place.

"What do you think your future will look like?" The tone that brought me guilt had again left his voice, but was replaced by something else... was it fear? I could not even think of theorizing that he could ever be scared. He was one of the bravest in his clan. Never had he shown an ounce of fear to anyone or anything. How stupid of me to even wonder.

"Merc and his crew are gonna stow away on a crate transport tomorrow. He has contact with the rebellion. He said that I could go with them if I was up for it," I looked down, almost embarrassed at admitting a plan of escape to someone so loyal to this place. Even though he wasn't born on this planet, and even though he wasn't a blood member of any tribe, the foundling was more of a mandalorian than I could ever be.

"You've agreed?"

"No. Not yet," I shook my head. I didn't feel like my reasons were valid. Having him sit beside me, and ask me these things made me realize that I needed to explain myself further.

"Din, I want to be free. I don't want to spend the rest of my life under a code that is so restricting to me, binding my every decision. Everything I'd do would have to be following after the creed."

He didn't respond, and even though his features were shrouded under the reflective surface of his beskar, I could tell he was thinking of something.

"I'm not yet sixteen, but when I am... I don't want to be locked down under a piece of metal. I don't want to have to be bound to this planet or a clan. I want to go some place far away and be something that is different than what everyone expects of me. I want to fight battles against the empire, I want to make my own rules. I want to be free to marry who I love, and not be betrothed to whoever my father chooses for me," I finished off my speech about freedom, but realized the last sentence too late. I should have chosen a better set of words.

Din's head hung down, looking at the wrist guards he wore. He shook his head back and forth and before I could interject, he began speaking.

"So that's why...." he trailed off. I was honestly too scared to say anything now. Why must I speak so bluntly and hurtfully honest to people? Perhaps it is because I had never gotten close to him that now I had no fear in what I said to his face.

"If the reason you plan to leave your family is because of me, then-"

"No," I said harshly, catching him off guard. I was usually snippy with others, but I had never before shown a tendency to be angry or intense with my speech. "Believe me, this has nothing to do with you."

"You have always shown enthusiasm towards coming of age. It's only now, when we are arranged, that you show any difference," He brought on certainty in his voice that I nearly couldn't deny, but the truth was... it really wasn't about him. "I can converse with your father, the rest of the clan... I will find a way to break it off if it will make you stay."

"Din, I don't want you to do that. If you don't believe me when I tell you that you are not the cause of this, then so be it, but I will not have you ruining your good name in my favor, when it won't even stop me," The heat of the moment provided actual, physical warmth for me in the time I was running my mouth off, but now that I had finished, and begun to calm down, I felt the freezing air on my arms again, wrapping them around myself and drawing my legs closer to generate more body heat.

"Are you cold?" He changed the subject, needing something- anything else to say.

"Its not exactly warm up here," My voice was low and sarcastic, but at hearing my words, Din stood up and stepped behind me. Before I even had a chance to ask him what he was doing, I felt his thick woolen cape being draped around my shoulders.

I smiled softly, not even a real, full smile. More of just a small tug from the side of my lips. My real smile was saved for later.

"Thank you."

He nodded as he sat back down, letting his legs fall over the cliffside.

"So you're gonna leave with them, aren't you?" His head turned to face me, but I couldn't dare try and stare at the beskar while thinking of what I would do. This choice was the beginning of the rest of my life.

"I think so," I didn't think. Thinking was what I had been doing too much of. Now I was certain. This was my choice. I was going to start new, and become something different. I may have been born on mandalore, but I was definitely not a mandalorian.

I had a rush of confidence come through me until I remembered what this meant. It all hit me like a dropship coming out of hyperspace. What was I thinking?

"No," I whispered. Din didn't understand my sudden discouragement, but he would soon.

"Merc and his friends already denied the creed. He's a foundling. They all are," I started to tear up as I realized what would happen to my family. The loss of a child in a clan is bad enough, but my family hadn't done anything to dessrve this. They were caring. They had shown me love. They had given me the best life I could ask for on a planet with such a religion.

"Second thoughts?" He asked genuinely, scooting closer beside me as to maybe get more information from my body language, or even my breathing.

"I can't do this. My family would be ruined. If I ran away, they would be punished for it," I felt tears coming up in my eyes. My clan was good to me. The people were kind, and I found solace there. Even if I had always dreamt about something bigger, I couldn't bear to let ruin come upon my family name. It wasn't fair to let that happen, especially when the only thing in the way was my own selfishness. "I can't leave my family."

I let the tears stream down my face, not even bothering to wipe them away. The contrast of the cold wind on my hot, tear streaked face had helped to calm me down a little.

"If you plan on staying, you understand that I am apart of your future here, don't you?"

"Din, I already told you before... you are not the reason I want to leave," I tried my best to keep myself together, but with my wet cheeks and red, puffy eyes, I didn't see how that could be an option.

What if there was another way to freedom?

I sat, trying to think of some stories that the other clan members would talk about.

"Din?"

He hummed in response, keeping his gaze on me.

"Has anyone in your clan ever mentioned afterlife?" I maybe should have taken a different approach to this. He seemed to be rendered speechless by my topic of conversation, but I had to ask.

"You mean after death?" He asked me and I nodded.

"I've heard some stories."

I thought about how it had been described to me. A paradise, with never-ending happiness, and unlimted freedom. Freedom.

"After you die, you appear in the world as another life. You can do whatever you want and no one has consequences for any of it. It's like a world without chaos. Everything is perfect," I remember every word as it comes out of my mouth. The words that were spoken to me, more like taught to me when I was a bit younger by the elders who had retired from their days of battle.

"It sounds too easy." He said, ripping me out of my fantasy.

"That's the point. You don't have to worry about anything or anyone, because you can do as you please, and everything will still be the same. All you have to do is die...."

"Like being reborn into a different world."

"Exactly."

I hesitated to take my safety blaster from it's holster under my hip, and when I did, I looked at it before pointing it out in the distance and testing the trigger. It shot a blast of lazer energy out into the air, landing somewhere beneath us in the canyon.

I decided that this was not an act to pursue at the moment, for Din was sitting right beside me, and the sight of watching a young girl pull the trigger against her own head might be an unpleasant one. Even for him, though he has seen worse.

I put the blaster back in it's holster and stand up from the rocky ground. Din follows suit, looking down at me with quiet concern. I wouldn't have known it until now, but I wondered if he had come to care for me at all during these last few weeks we had been betrothed.

I'd known him the majority of my life anyways, so I knew he must have felt some sort of attachment to me, but in what form, I hadn't ever cared to ask.

He kept breathing heavily as he looked down at me for a few moments, and it almost sounded like he wanted to ask me something. The question was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't bring himself to utter the words.

"Here's your cape back," I slid the material off my shoulders, trying to hand it back to him, but he pushed it back towards me.

"You should keep it for now. The sun is nearly down, it will only grow colder."

He reached his gloved hand up to my face, and I could swear I felt the warmth of his hand beneath the coarse leather.

I only nodded, and leaned forward, trying to lean my head into him, but he carefully stopped me, his hands on my shoulders. Instead he rested his helmet against my forhead, and the cold beskar wasn't such a bad feeling as it rested there.

"I won't let you down. I promise." He said, clueless of my plans for later tonight, after the tribes were asleep, and no one would be at the cliffside.

"I know you won't. You're a good man, Din Djarin." I paused, trying to gather better words. "A true Mandalorian if there ever was one."

The moment didn't last any longer because of how frigid the air was becoming. It was warmer back with the tribes, they always had a fire burning.

Without another word, we both left the old artillery cavern and hiked down the side of the canyon to get back to our own clan territory.

Once I was at the edge of mine, I turned around to utter a simple goodbye, and found that he was very close behind me. His hand came up and rested on my shoulder, lightly squeezing it.

Maybe this was the last time we would see each other. Tonight I would envoke my plan to freedom, to rebirth. Perhaps we would meet in another life. Perhaps I would have just enough memory of this life to try and find him in the next one. One where I will have freedom.

Tonight I had gotten closer to the metal clad Mandalorian than I ever had before. I didn't regret it. He listened to what I had to say, and there were few who ever did.

His hand fell from it's place on my shoulder, but I didn't let him walk away yet. I pulled him into an embrace, feeling him tense up for a moment before reciprocating. It took him a few seconds to let out the breath he was holding in, but when he did, he found himself relaxing into the comfort.

"Goodbye, Din," My voice wasn't sad, or overly sensitive in any way. I figured it actually sounded quite optimistic.

"You know I'll see you tomorrow." He said, reminding me of the clan meetings. Once a month the clans would gather and each tribe would go over the agenda for whatever was to happen soon. Battles were normally discussed, but tomorrow, me and a few of the others in the other clans would be talked about. Our ceremonial coming of age where we would take the creed.

"Yeah... right. Don't come looking for me, I don't plan on showing up," I said quietly, careful in anyone was to hear me.

He pulled me back at arms length and looked at me, but his black blast shield hid his features and I could not tell if he thought I was crazy or not.

"How come?" His voice was also quiet, as we noticed some of my clan passing by to get to the fire.

"Don't worry about it. You'll still see me tomorrow," I lied. Or did I? Everyone within the five neighboring tribes would probably see me tomorrow.

He nodded, pulling us all the way apart and stepping back.

"Good."

He didn't look like he was gonna walk away until I had gone into the hub of my clan's small village. I turned around and walked towards the large fire, seeing my mother. Her helmet was unmistakable. The pattern of the strill engraved into the side of the beskar. It was her signet. A worthy kill of her days in battle. I would never have one. I walked towards her when she noticed me.

Her modulated voice let out a small chuckle, before I stepped beside her.

"It is well to see you spending time with Din Djarin. Me and your father were afraid you may not have been fond of him," She kept her gaze on the fire, speaking only loud enough for me to hear her, given that the other mandalorians of our village were also gathering around the fire, conversing with each other the same way we were.

"I am fond of him, why would I not be?" I was unsure of what she meant. Sure, I had been keeping a distance between us since my father had arranged our marriage, but I never had shown that I wasn't fond of him. I was polite, and gave him attention when it was asked of me.

"Whenever I or your father bring up the discussion of your eighteenth birthday, you always seem to act like it's the plague," She was smirking under her helmet, and I could tell. I could always tell what face she made underneath her metal covering.

"Maybe it's the fact that I dread getting married at all. I'm not opposed to Din, though," I convinced her. I wouldn't have to try and do that again after tonight.

"Whatever it is, your father will be pleased to know you and him were in each other's company. Although I will stray from telling him you two were alone... you were alone, weren't you?" She turned her metal covered head, trying to figure out from the look on my face.

"Yes," I answered truthfully, knowing there was no point in lying. No damage could be done at this point, except for maybe towards Din.

"And what were you both doing?" She tilted her head, and I let mine drop. I would tell her the truth, because nothing bad could come from it. Or could it.

"We were just talking... about the future," I answered.

"Your marriage..." She suggested, and I nodded, knowing that it did come up in the conversation.

"Yes."

"I shudder to ask if consummating was apart of this conversation," She looked back at the fire, knowing how red my cheeks would turn and how embarrassed I would be.

"No, nothing like that. I can promise you," I shivered at the thought. Din was a good man, but I didn't necessarily need to be letting thoughts like that intrude my mind.

Everyone else around the fire seemed to be distracted by the glowing flames, and my mother was soon the same, so I suggested my absense.

"I'm going to go in for the night, get some rest. Big meeting tomorrow..." I said before reaching out and squeezing her hand tightly.

She nodded to me, and I took my leave, walking towards our living quarters on the opposite side of camp.

I wasn't looking where I was going, and brushed my shoulder against Merc, who was with Gander and Shyloh.

"Sorry, didn't see you coming," I told him, but he shook his head, optiing ti ask me a question instead.

"Don't worry about it, I was looking for you anyway... Did you think about the offer? We leave at sunrise on the north delivery tarmac," He informed me, but I didn't have an answer. I wasn't staying here, but I wasn't leaving either.

"You'll know if I show up," I gave him a smirk, partially just because I was glad to see someone's actual face tonight, and not just a metal facade.

"We can't wait up for you, just know that."

I nodded, letting them get by. Maybe I could go with them. Live this life freely without starting another one.

No.

My family will not be able to handle that. It's better off if I'm dead. At least they won't go on to believe that I betrayed them, turning my back on all loyalty they had ever taught me. They would nevwr wonder if I ever loved them or planned on keeping their wishes.

I could start fresh. They wouldn't have to worry about me anymore. And I wouldn't have to worry anymore either. Rebirth.

I went straight to bed, clutching the woolen blanket beside me close to my chest.

For some reason I felt a pang of guilt in my chest. Something that made the sting of salty tears swell in my eyes. I knew that what I was doing was best, but yet I started having a hard time justifying something so drastic. They would get on fine without me, wouldn't they? They would go on living by the creed. This is the way. They will find a way to go on without me, like they did before I was born. Din will be arranged with another girl as soon as I'm gone. Everything will be alright.

The wetness that spilled over my eyes and down my face lasted hours, even though my mind kept telling itself that it was at peace.

It was in the dead of night, when I gathered a few of my belongings into a knapsack, throwing it over my shoulder before leaving out the tattered window of my private space.

I ventured to the canyon, with the moons lighting my way. The planet was never truly dark, due to the brightness and the number of shinning moons, all the color silver.

I set my knapsack down on the edge beside me. By the end of this, I would be at the bottom, waiting to be found the next day. I just hoped it wouldn't be anyone I knew. Of course, the number of people who ever came out here was only two. Me, and Din Djarin.

I hoped he wouldn't find me. I hoped it would be someone from another tribe that was flying over, and happened to spot something at the base of the cliffside.

I pulled my flask to my mouth, taking a large drink. A bit spilled onto my chin, and I wiped it off, feeling the breeze on my face. It was much colder now than earlier tonight. I wasn't sure if I should pull the blanket from my belongings and wrap it around myself, or skip the process of making myself comfortable and just get this over with.

I leaned over, looking straight at the ground, hundreds of feet below me. My heart started racing, and I got scared. Why shouldn't I be? I have every right to be absolutely terrified. I closed my eyes, trying to scoot myself over the edge inch by inch, seeing if I would just drop.

I nearly panicked when my bottom hit a crack in the ground and I thought I was going over. My breath hitched in my throat and I instantly pulled myself back.

"This isn't as easy as I thought it would be," I murmered, beginning to feel the emotional side of everything rise to the surface again. It didn't help that with the absolute silence that circled around me, I couldn't have any single thing to distract me.

I stood to my feet, wrapping my arms around myself to ease the goosebumps rising on my skin from the frigid air.

I stood right on the edge, lifting a foot over and leaning forward, but before I could fall, I again caught myself, the adrenaline working overtime in my system and beginning to heat me up.

That wasn't going to work either. If I could, I would put a blaster to my temple and pull the trigger, but then it wouldn't look like an accident.

I paced around back and forth a few times, trying to calm myself down, to stop the whimpering and to make my tears cease. It wasn't working. I just needed to get this over and done with. A new life, with endless possibilities was waiting for me on the other side. Freedom was on the other side.

I wiped my face, even though it didn't stop me from crying, but it helped me to see clearer. I backed up, into the cavern, all the way inside until my back hit the wall of the ex artillery carvern. This was it. A new beginning. Rebirth. New life. Freedom.

I ran as fast as I could toward the edge, my eyes closed. I could feel the wind blowing against me even harder with my speed, and I could tell the edge was drawing near. Every step I took, I felt as though it was my last one.

I finally felt my foot hit the edge, but then I never fell. Instead, I was tackled to the ground. Whoever landed on top of me was heavy enough to hold me down, because half of me was hanging off the edge of the cliff.

I didn't dare even open my eyes. This was a sign. Someone stopped me.

I clinged onto whoever it was, and knew almost instantly who was laid over me when I heard him groan.

I cried even harder, my head buried in his armor clad chest, and my arms around his neck and his torso.

He was holding me tightly, one hand cradled my head into his neck, and the other firmly gripped my waist. He rolled us both over and I swear I felt him shaking.

"What were you thinking?" He stressed, his grip on me tightening as if he was scared to let go. I was scared too. I didn't want him to let go.

"You have to talk to me..."

I heaved a deep breath, deep enough to steady my voice so my whimpering didn't interfere with my words.

"I want out. I need to get out," I cracked in the middle of saying so few words, but they conveyed the message I was trying to get through.

"I can get you out, I promise.... But please don't ever try that again," His voice was full of worry, and as I suspected, he was trembling in fear.

"I'm sorry..." I cried some more, realizing that what I had done was now the biggest mistake I ever made, even if I was saved.

"It's okay. You're okay. I've got you," He spoke to me, my voice quieting down as my sobbing came to a slow halt.

I lifted my face from where I had burrowed it into his neck, looking up at him. I didn't know what his expression was, but something told me it was fearful, and worrysome.

"I have to get out of here," I repeated again. The last day or so it became my mantra, and would leave my lips often, even just to myself. Mostly just to myself.

"You're going to. You're going with Merc... when are they leaving?" He asked, his arms still around me like mine were for him.

"At sunrise. They're gonna jump a delivery ship on the north tarmac," I explained, my voice was now hoarse and thick, due to not only all the crying I had done, but also the cold night air that had entered my lungs.

"Sunrise isn't for a few hours..." he let me know, and I nodded, knowing we shouldn't probably leave yet, for the walk to the north tarmac wasn't very long from here.

"Din, if I leave, my family is going to get the fire for my decision. I can't let that happen," I told him, my voice had become more firm, and I needed to convey the importance of how much this meant to me.

"I give you my word, that as long as I live, nothing will happen to your family," He swore, and I could just feel his eyes staring into mine. So much so that for the first time since he put that helmet on, I knew where his eyes were.

"I trust you. And I know that you'll always keep your word," I nodded, a small smile finally forming on my face.

Since it got fairly quiet, and we were still entangled together,  I scooted off of Din and opted instead to take the seat beside him.

"I should tell you some things before I go. I just don't want to leave anything unresolved," I admitted, and he stayed silent, waiting for me to continue.

"I know this might sound horrible, but I hated the idea of getting too close to you. It was like if I had formed an emotional bond with you, I wouldn't be able to leave anymore. And the last thing on my mind had been to stay. I've wanted freedom for a while now, I was just always too scared to say anything. And when my father told me that you and him had come to an agreement for arranging a marriage.... it's like it all became more real to me. My freedom would be taken in just days. The creed of mandalore is sacred, and it's truly an amazing thing... but it isn't for everyone."

He sat and took everything in. All the words that just spewed from my mouth like I had been holding them in for ages went against everything I had ever learned. Everything that had ever been put into my mind was the opposite of what I wanted.

"You're young. You want more than what the creed can offer you. I think you'll be able to find what you want wherever you're going," He said, I knew there was more, for he didn't even mention anything that I had said about not wanting to be close to him, but when he stayed silent, I knew he was finished, and that I still had more to say.

"Din, I wanted to tell you that if I had to be married, I wouldn't have minded it being you," I admitted. I would leave no stone unturned before I was to just pick up and leave forever... maybe not forever, maybe someday I would return to my family, to Din.

"I can't say I don't feel the same," He seemed to become stiff next to me, but I soon found the reason when he suddenly reached for my hand with his gloved one.

I took it proudly, intertwining our finhers together.

"You know, I was only an eight year old kid when you took the creed. I have so many memories of you yourself, but whenever I recall them... I can't see your face. I've completely forgotten what you look like," I laughed a bit, though it was quite a sad thing actually. I could not remember him in a way that wasn't covered in metal. I remembered that he was a boy once, and that he would play with all the younger children in the clan set next to his. He played with me and the kids I lived next to. He was a lively, energetic boy. Always doing something... sometimes causing mischievous acts. He was so different now. But the change wasn't bad. Since he'd taken the creed he has been the most noble, fearsome, and trustworthy member of his clan. Completely honorable in every sense of the word.

"I don't look like I used to. It wouldn't do you any good to remember anyways," He chuckled under his helmet, and it brought a smile to hear the melodic sound.

"Well, if I'd stayed long enough to marry you I would find out for myself," I leaned my head on his shoulder, feeling comfort by his presence. If I had made the absolute decision to leave this planet earlier, I could have let myself grow a relationship with him. Romantic or not, he was easy to talk to, and I trusted him. He was a friend to me, and I never imagined more, but now his presence was just something that put me at such ease.

"Do you think you'll ever come back?" He pondered, seeing as just the tiniest moonrays shown down into the canyon ahead.

"Someday. I'll comeback and repay you."

"For what?"

"Saving my life," I replied. My attempt to throw my own life away had been pushed away but I had to bring it up. I owed him my life.

"Anyone would have done the same if they had seen," He insisted, and I shook my head.

"How did you even know I was out here?" My curiosity got the better of me, and I asked for an explanation.

"I couldn't sleep, I took a walk through Ronion until I found myself here. I saw you across from the mesa on the south side... I saw you lift your foot over the edge, I knew what you were trying to do," He said, his grip on my hand got tighter almost instantly.

"Thank you. If you hadn't been there, I would be at the bottm of this canyon." I let so much seriousness onto my voice, and it didn't sound like me.

"Don't thank me yet... not until I get you on the tarmac,"

We sat in silence after that, just looking out over the horizon. When the slightest bit of light hit the edge of the planet, we stood to our feet, gathering my knapsack and begining the journey to the north delivery tarmac.

We were there in no time, and before I could even look for them, Merc and his crew were in sight. They were all sitting with their backs against some cargo imports, waiting for the transport to arrive.

"Well, well, well... look at what the shriek hawk dragged in," Shyloh said, gesturing to me and Din.

"Djarin, I didn't expect to see you here," Merc raised an eyebrow at the sight.

"I'm just here to make sure she gets onto the transport safely," He assured them. I looked out of the corner of my eye, and in the brighter horizon I was able to see a cargo ship coming into the landing area.

"Our rides here," I said, and they all jumped up. Since the ships were automatically run, and don't even require droids, it was often very easy to hop aboard and be carried to another destination. Of course, there were only a few who ever wanted to leave.

I myself hadn't ever left Mandalore, neither had I traveled much even on the planet. Only a few trips to visit the the markets with my father. I never even went into the city, for it was told that in the city lived Mandalorians who did not keep the creed. The tribes were convinced that they hadn't actually ever taken the oath, and just wore the armor for the sake of doing it.

The ship's doors opened, pulling me out of my thoughts, and a conveyer belt folded down to let the cargo units be carried out onto the tarmac for later pickup.

"Alright, it's time to head out," Gander said, slinging his knapsack over his shoulder and boarding the transport.

The rest followed after him, but I still had one thing left to do. 

Din looked at me, waiting for me to join the others, but I came close to him one last time.

"You promise my family will be taken care of?" I asked, to which he simply answered with a firm nod. However the look on my face gave him reason to believe that his answer wasn't good enough, so he spoke instead.

"I give you my word. If they are not taken care of, I will let you strike me dead where I stand."

That was good enough for me. He truly meant it. He was a man of his word.

I pulled his head toward mine, resting ny forehead against his in a traditional mandalorian kiss. I pulled back when I heard my name being called from the transport.

"Goodbye, Din Djarin," I told him.

He didn't respond, he just let me go, watching intently as I boarded the ship before the doors closed.

The cargo transports were always on schedule, so as soon as the doors closed, it began lifting into the air. I looked out through the transparent view finder on the side, watching him stand as we began moving out of sight.

"You gonna miss him?" Shyloh asked, his brows furrowing as if he were sorry for me.

"Yes, I suppose I will."

I lost sight of Din, and realized we were leaving the atmosphere most likely preparing for a jump to hyperspace.

"But I'll see him again."

.

.

Tags are open ig...

A/n: please don't get too caught up in the age gap y'all it's just for backstory purposes because this story is eventually going to follow canon events.... (also i know that this doesn't really portray Mandalore correctly, but let's pretend it does because i had this idea)