#i was debating splitting this into two parts because its so long but

[mystar-girl57]

𝐌𝐘 𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐘𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌𝐔𝐌

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 || 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫

Summary: widowed Jake sully x reader

Warnings: reader has Thalassophobia (phobia of oceans/deep and large bodies of water)

Notes: okay ngl i'm starting to love reader and I wanted to add that bit in with Jake and turning his kids into soldiers because I see people debating that so much. I personally believe he isn’t but I just wanted to add it for drama. Anway love you all so much! <33

The next few days went by in a blur for you. As soon as you and Jake got inside your tent you had a family meeting announcing that you needed to leave High Camp. Unsurprisingly the children started to protest not wanting to leave their home. The forest is all they had ever known, the trees the animals, this was their sanctuary. You did not want to leave either, having such an attachment to this part of Pandora but you gently explained that it was for not only their safety but for the good of the clan. So after a few tears and comforting words everyone got to work packing.

When you arrived to tell Mo’at that you all were leaving she simply shook her head and mumbled something along the lines of “Ewya’s will”. Oh how you had come to hate that term “Ewya’s will”, anything that you did as of late was by Ewya’s will for better or worse and right now it had been primarily worse.

On the day that everything was packed and the Ikrans were ready to go the clan gathered at the Tree of Souls, your sacred spot to mourn the “death” of their dear Olo'eyktan and praise the rising of their new leader. You could not help but blink back tears as you looked up at the mighty tree, your direct connection to Ewya, your long lost family members, Neytiri. It had been since the last war against the Sky People that you visited here and now it was hitting you that you may never see the tree ever again.

Once Jake’s title had been passed onto the new leader of his choosing, the time to leave had come. The clan was split in two as you paraded down the middle in a quiet march, cries and wails from some of the members filled the atmosphere. You carried Tuk in your arms and Kiri stayed close to your side, her tail in her hands. You could feel the pain coming from both girls as Tuk sobbed into your neck. You kept your chin held high, willing yourself not to cry as you mounted Eylan and collected Tuk into your arms, wrapping the cloak around the both of you so you stayed warm.

You all looked back among the clan on final time before taking off into the sky.

The journey was a brutal one. For several days and several nights you flew across Pandora. The further from the forest you flew the worse that the conditions got. Soon land was no more and to your horror all that you could see was water.

Jake singalled for everyone to land on a beach that was at the cusp of the water for a break. You subconsciously obeyed, sending Eylan into a dive to the sandy land below. When Eylan touched the ground you hardly noticed. Your eyes were instead focused on the endless stretch of water that lay in front of you. It was a dark blue and you knew that if you were to fall into it you would be consumed into its darkness. Just the thought of it made you sweat.

Luckily there was a tug on your arm and you snapped your attention away from the water and down to Tuk who was still in your arms. She had a frown on her face, her big yellow eyes filled with concern. “Is everything okay Mama?” She asked, having noticed your panicked look and your labored breathing (something you were not even aware that you were doing.)

You gave a nervous chuckle, showing the little girl a fanged smile. “No need to worry Tuk, I am alright.”

Tuk gave you a look that told you she did not believe you but she didn’t have time to question you as Jake called out to the group. “Sully’s meeting fall in.”

You set Tuk down onto the sand gently letting her run ahead before you as you dismounted Eylan. When you got to the huddle pile you took a knee beside Lo’ak.

“Where we are going,” Jake began, “is to a clan known as the Metkayina. They live on the reefs of the Eastern sea. They are a water village meaning they are polar opposites from what we are used to. Instead of having a forest floor to run on or trees to swing through they have water and beaches.”

You frowned, your ears folding a bit as you side eyed the dark ocean to the left of you.

“What do we do if they say we cannot stay?” Tuk asked looking up at her dad and the kids looked at each other. That was a factor you yourself had not thought of. The selfish part of you hoped that they would turn you away so that way you would not have to be around such bodies of liquid death but you knew that this was your only chance of survival.

“Then we’ll keep searching sweetheart,” Jake sighed pulling his youngest close, “We’ll keep searching.”

You noticed the tiredness in the former leader’s tone. He was just as scared as the rest of you. He could not promise you all that this would be your safe haven, that you would be welcomed with open arms. But at this point all you could do was try.

The flight across the water was the worst part of the trip you had decided. As your mood worsened, so did the weather. Massive waves threatened to swallow you as you tried to maneuver around the sharp rock that seemed to rise out of the sea at the last moment. Tuk was nuzzled into your arms, her tail around your waist as she hid herself in your cloak. You felt her body shiver against yours and you pressed her closer to you, hoping to give her some warmth.

You looked on either side of you, Kiri and Lo’ak had their faces turned against the wind blinded by the sea spray and rain. Neteyam on the other land like his father was trying to keep his head held high, braving through the storm.

After a few more hours of flying in the inclement weather you came to the end of the storm front and the sun was shining down on you. The ocean below grew from a deep and deadly blue to be more shallow and transparent. But despite how innocent the water looked now you still knew how dangerous it was.

You felt a squirming and looked down to see Tuk popping her head up from under the cloak, her eyes still puffy with sleep. “Are we almost there?” She yawned. “I suppose we are.” You sighed seeing a village come into view.

As you drew closer you saw several na’vi out in the water. Most were swimming, fishing or collecting different sorts of supplies. What you noticed instantly though was how different they looked compared to you. They were a lighter, more green color than you, their features broader compared to yours. “They look funny mama.” Tuk whispered as you flew over the barrier and a horn blew. “Sh, manners Tuk.” You gently scolded while you followed Jake, landing on the edge of the beach.

Your arrival had drawn a crowd. Several of the Metkayina had come up to the beach, circling around you. You felt the tension rise in the air as you dismounted Eylan and helped Tuk down. “Stay close to me,” you whispered to the youngest Sully and she obliged, grabbing your tail.

Eyeing the clan members and the massive spears they carried you reached into your saddle bag for your barbed whip. Your eyes caught Jake’s and he shook his head, silently telling you not to bring it. You however gave the group another look and slipped it onto your loin cloth, letting it blend in as an accessory.

You watched as the crowd parted and a large Metkayinan man came up to you. He was taller than Jake, more muscular. His body bore several tattoos and from the way he was dressed you could easily see that he was a part of a higher power in the village. Then it dawned on you, this must be Tonowari. The Metkayina’s Olo'eyktan. You and Jake both gave him the sign of “I see you” and he did it to the two of you in return before pulling back to inspect you. The aura you got from him was not violent, he did not seem threatened by your presence, just concerned and confused.

He looked at each of you, making eye contact and when he came to you you did your best to not break it. The crowd parted one more and a woman came to his side. This was Ronal you figured, the Metkayina’s tsahìk. Unlike her husband she looked at you with nothing but distrust in her eyes. But you still gave her the motion of “I see you” just the same, not that she bothered to respond.

“Why do you come here.” Ronal demanded her words sharp. Jake took a breath and looked her in the eyes, trying to keep his tone calm, though he sounded almost meek. “We come seeking uturu.” His words earned a gasp among the clan. This request was rarely made throughout the Na’vi clans, it was always used as a last resort.

Ronal stepped into the small group that the you and the sully family had formed grabbing random parts of your body. She grabbed your tail then let it go and grabbed Kiri’s, making a comment about how it would be useless in the water. The teen girl let out a sound of pain as the woman squeezed her tail and you hissed. Ronal turned to look at you. She studied you and your body language with an unfazed demeanor. She noted how you were tense, holding Tuk behind you with your ears back and your teeth bared. Ronal was not the least bit intimidated and she continued on without a word. When she let go of Kiri’s tail the teen ran to you and stood behind you, Tuk holding onto her.

You watched Ronal’s movements with narrowed eyes. She went to Lo’ak and grabbed his hand. You knew what was about to happen. The tsahìk gasped in disgust before growling and holding his arm up so the clan could see his five fingered hand. “These children are not even true Na’vi!” She announced, “They have demon blood!” The clan broke out in murmurs, some even hissing, putting on a display of dominance trying to intimidate you.

Out of instinct you went to grab the weapon that was on your hip but Jake jumped in before anything happened. “Look! Look!” He waved his five fingered hand to Ronal, “I was born of the sky people but now I am na’vi. We can adapt.” He looked at the rest of you. “We will adapt.”

Ronal went back to her husband who was looking more unsure. “I have heard of your stories Toruk Makto and I know that your past is a violent one. We Metkayina are at peace. I am sorry but I cannot let you bring your war here,”

You let out a sigh feeling the rejection coming on as Tuk slipped from your grasp running to her father. Jake was beginning to feel desperate as he picked his daughter up. “No, no I am done with war I promise you.” He patted Tuk’s back, holding close to her. “I just want to keep my family safe.” Jake reached out and pulled you to him. “Please.”

This was a prime example of the displays that the two of you put on to appear as a doting couple. The hand that was currently settled on your hip meant nothing, you were just there to send the point home. To convince Tonowari and his mate to let you stay.

Tonorwari looked at you and Jake before looking down at his wife. They swapped looks, having a conversation that only the two of them could understand. Their blue gray eyes darting about searching the others. Finally Ronal shook her head, breaking eye contact. It seemed Tonowari had won.

“Everyone! We will bring the Sully family into our village. Treat them like they are your brothers and sisters. But remember, they will be like babies in the water, taking their first breath. Teach them our ways so they do not have to suffer the feeling of uselessness.”

At his words Jake perked back up, his hand coming off your hip. The ploy the two of you had put on worked. But what you were most concerned about was what Tonowari had said. Babies in the water. You looked to the water once more, tuning out what the rest of what the Olo'eyktan was saying. You would have to get in the water one way or another.

“Come on Mama!” Tuk’s excited squeal cut into your thoughts as she grabbed your wrist. You helped take some of the heavier items from her arms leaving her with a woven basket and you proceeded to follow the family into the village.

The girl who was showing you to your new home as you walked across the bouncy bridge was named Tsireya, the daughter of Tonowari and Ronal. Tuk was having the time of her life as you walked through the village bouncing along the walkway in front of you. “Come on Tuk,” You gently urged as you fell behind.

When you walked into your new home, a marui pod you found it did not differ too much from your home back at High Camp. “Oh this is great,” Jake grinned walking while carrying his gun box, “oh this is perfect!” You on the other hand did not think that it was perfect as you noticed the water underneath you.

“Alright Sullys take a knee, family meeting.” Jake announced once everything was set down. “Look, I want you all to be on your best behavior, learn their ways, be kind, be respectful, remember it is a privilege for us to be here.” You knew that most of the speech was for Lo’ak with how Neteyam pinched his brother’s braid.

Tuk however did not enjoy the speech and a sob rumbled from her throat catching everyone’s attention. “I don’t want to stay here,” she cried, “I want to go home.” At her words your heart broke and you opened your arm to her and she instantly hugged you. Jake sighed softly, “I know sweetheart but, this is our home how,” he gently rubbed her hair the best he could from how she was situated against you. “We just have to make the best of it.”

Make the best of it indeed. You thought unsure of how you would be able to do that. You knew that this was Ewya getting at you for ignoring her, but if she wanted you to start listening to her she needed to let up on you and the family you looked after. You knew in your heart, in your gut that things could and would get much worse. You just hoped that when that time came you would be prepared.

© 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫-𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝟓𝟕 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬

🏷: @fanboyluvr @mashiromochi @newjeansbonnie @cleverzonkwombatsludge @atxara @jakesully-sbabygirl @ducks118 @ssc7514 @squidalapobre @anxietydrogz @myheartfollower @misscaller06 @itzyahgirllkita1

[roo-roo-roo]

Hi, this is my first time making a request and I'm a little nervous. English is not my first language so if I am wrong I apologize.

Esto puede ser bastante largo. Me preguntaba si podrías escribir la reacción de los líderes del dormitorio, Floyd y Rook, Romántica, pero si te gusta Platónico, eso también es perfecto. sobre una lectora que es una estrella, la lectora fue creada en un universo donde las estrellas son seres adorados desde que nacen, la lectora que se cansa de ser adorada todo el tiempo entonces sale al mundo (galaxia), a experimentar los diferentes tipos de lugares, otras galaxias, planetas, etc. (el lector puede viajar a donde quiera cuando quiera, y este tipo de estrellas pueden copiar cualquier cosa, ya sea voz, apariencia, poderes, etc.), el lector llega a un retorcido país de las maravillas. de curiosidad. La lectora usa pronombres femeninos, es alguien de baja estatura, como todas las estrellas sus ojos tienen estrellas jsjskd, ojos morados, se inclina más por gordita en forma de reloj de arena, cabello negro y como es estrella puede que también lo tenga muchos años de edad (entre 10 mil o 5 mil).

Mi explicación es bastante larga, me emocioné a mitad del pedido jdakdk. Espero que te sientas cómodo con esa petición.

A Prefect Who Came From The Stars

Dorm Leaders, Floyd, Rook x Female!Reader

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3

TW: none

Hello, Prefect! Thank you for this lovely request! I absolutely love your idea and I thank the Sevens that translators exist! I would definitely miss out on such a cool prompt. Despite my creative drive, I had to split this one into three parts because I fear that Tumblr won't be able to handle extremely long posts. Not to mention, I have an upcoming midterms exam tomorrow (oh my...). Thus, I hope this will satiate your excitement for even just a moment. I will update the post with links once I upload more.

❝ 𝓡𝓲𝓭𝓭𝓵𝓮 𝓡𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓼 ❞ ✧ ೃ༄

Heartslabyul was just as lively as ever. Another unbirthday celebration was organized at the dorm, this time in style. Pastry towers were meticulously put on enormous plates, and dessert containers resembled pyramids displaying a variety of items. As the breeze caresses your black hair, you immediately inhale the aroma of fresh roses. Following Riddle's overblot, the dorm got a little less rigid. However, this does not excuse anyone from accountability.

"Ace! I strongly advise you to stop this madness immediately!" Despite his petite stature, the inhabitants of his dorm dreaded the housewarden of Heartslabyul. “Oh, c’mon Riddle! It’s just a little frosting. The world isn’t ending now, is it?” Except for one, that is… 

Ace struggled to respond as he crumbled in fits of laughter along with Grim. Apparently, the first-year student decided that it would be fun to fling a spoonful of cake frost. Not at Riddle. No.  Ace wouldn’t do that on his own volition. It was supposed to be for Deuce, but he missed the mark by a long shot. Riddle breathed deeply, refusing to debate with rage. One hand was gripping the armrest of his luxurious chair, while the other rubbed the bridge of his nose. A small giggle escapes your lips as you reach for a napkin to delicately wipe the icing off his cheek. “It’s alright Riddle, there’s no need for you to be upset. Today is a wonderful day to have fun, wouldn’t you agree?” Riddle remained frozen on his chair. Hearing your exquisite voice was a new kind of dessert that Riddle enjoyed. It wasn't unusual for the two of you to chat. However, he continues to feel nervous, yet giddy when he does have a chance. “I s-suppose so…” He muttered under his breath. Wishing for your touch to last an eternity rather than a moment. 

The party went smoothly as the hours passed and it was nearing its end. Riddle had started a toast to close off the event. A new ritual right after each party where he would give thanks to everyone, emphasizing you, of course. If he could, he would spend hours pouring his heart out for you, and only you. But we all know that he would never admit that out loud. Unless you bat your pretty star eyes at him… 

“Miss Y/n, will it be alright to request some of your time before you go? I… I have something that I wish to show you.” You turn around to see Riddle extending his hand for you to take. The party ended a while ago, yet you were still here. Trey had asked for your assistance with a few things while he persuaded Grim to join Deuce and Ace on the way back to Ramshackle. Cater was apparently busy with a few things, so you accepted. Little did you know, Trey caught wind of what was going on between you and the housewarden. His best friend was easy for him to read, after all. “Why, of course.” You agreed and placed your hand on his, “you wouldn’t mind if I joined Riddle, right Trey?” Turning back, you see Trey shaking his head. “No! Not at all. You two have fun while I finish things up.” He nods to both of you, proud of his choice to keep you busy enough for his friend to gather some courage. 

Riddle then leads you into the dorm, meandering through the corridors and up the stairs. You saw something in the way he held you. Always so gentle, always so elegant. It was as if he made sure you didn't shatter like a glass ornament. The idea of his delicate touch never leaving your form made your heart skip a beat. It was different from the worship that you received throughout your life. You both end your journey on a balcony that oversees the vast maze they had. As you step out and lean on the railings, golden hues envelop your form. The sun began to set right in time for Riddle to see this picturesque moment. Again, he was frozen, observing you from behind. The breeze that came next made the scene even more immaculate. 

“Oh, it’s getting a bit cold. The view here is amazing though! Do you often spend teatime here? Because if I were you, I would.” You wrap your arms around yourself to remain warm until you feel another pair embrace you. “Yes… I do. Though, I wish I had someone like you to keep me company.” Riddle whispered. His voice had a wisp of melancholy and uncertainty. Hoping that you were fine with him giving into his desires for a moment. Of course, you were. You were doing everything it took not to melt him into nothing as your body started to heat up in embarrassment. Burying his doubts, you turn around in his embrace and cup his face with both your hands despite being flustered. There was no need for words between the two of you. All that was left were hidden feelings to be felt. And it was all washed away with relief as he kissed you for the first time.

“My apologies. You were just… simply irresistible.”

*Click* *Snap*

“This is like- sooo Magicam worthy! #Couplegoals!”

❝ 𝓛𝓮𝓸𝓷𝓪 𝓚𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓵𝓪𝓻 ❞ ✧ ೃ༄

“Where the hell is he?!”

Scratching his head, Ruggie looked lost in Night Raven’s botanical garden. Sure, he had visited the garden multiple times, however, he had been here for quite a while. Struggling to find what he was looking for, or who he was looking for. “I’m sure he was here, he did inform me a while ago before class started.” You replied, pushing a few leaves aside as you helped Ruggie search for the missing royal. You and Leona were… a case yet to be solved. You see, when you first came to Twisted Wonderland, Leona was skeptical. Your scent was different from the others. He first thought that you were some type of fae just like Malleus, but the idea wasn’t enough for him to settle with. You were something more, something he couldn’t understand. Thus, staying away from you was the best option in his mind. While the others would praise you and flock to your energy, he would stay behind and scoff at them. He didn’t have the energy to deal with you. He’s got other things on his plate.

You, on the other hand, were intrigued. He obviously wasn’t like the rest and that made you want to know more about him. So, you followed him around like a second tail. Always seeking him out, curious as to why he would avoid you. You would continue your search for an answer by helping Ruggie bring him food. Even going as far as to help him in his studies despite his reluctance. Slowly, Leona would lower his guard down just a smidge. He would still question you and your advances, but he would never admit that your company would make his day a little more interesting.

As you continue to look for Leona, Ruggie has gone to the other side of the garden. He suggested that splitting up would make the search faster before the next class starts. Your starry eyes dart everywhere as you walk around. Suddenly, a loud yelp caught you off. Making you flinch and look down. “What the hell?! By the Sevens, Herbivore! Do the stars in your eyes make you blind or what?!” Leona growled, sitting up from the patch of grass he was lying on. Apparently, it looks like you’ve stepped on his tail by accident. “Oh! Oh no… I’m so sorry Leona! I swear it wasn’t my intention-” “Save it. What do you want from me? I’ve been hearing you scream and run around the place like an idiot.” He cut you off, questioning you with a groan.

Did he hear you all this time? If so, why didn’t he bother to respond? Sometimes you think about how insufferable the young royal is. You’ll never say that out loud though. He might throw you off a cliff back at Savanaclaw. He’s strong enough to do it with one hand if he wishes despite your stature. “M-Me and Ruggie were looking for you. He brought you lunch as you requested. I wanted to help him out because he looked stressed today.” You mumbled, shifting in place as Leona glared daggers at you. He was irritated. He really was, but he couldn’t help himself from caving in. You were annoying but cute. “Oh? Were you really? It seems that you’ve been using that damn excuse every time you want to see me.”

Ah… You’re on your own with this one, Prefect.

“N-No I… That’s not-” You gave out a little squeal as Leona yanked you towards him before you could complete your statement. Your head is now resting on his chest, as he reclines on the patch of grass. “Don’t test my patience, Herbivore. You’ve been taking a lot out of my naps, so you owe me.” Grumbling under his breath, he shifted and faced you. For the first time, he was able to take every part of you in. With your dark hair sparkling even under the shade and your glowing eyes, he kinda gets the appeal now. He tucked a strand behind your ear, observing you closely. Gliding his thumb across your soft lips.

“Y/n...”

“Yes, Leona?”

“You're starting to look a bug the more you stare at me with those big eyes of yours.”

“Excuse me?!”

While the two of you lay and joke around on the grass, Ruggie ends up munching on the sandwich that was meant for Leona while watching the scene in front of him. He had just found the two of you but decided that it would be best to keep some distance. Not only because Leona was enjoying himself for the first time in a long while, but it was also because he was feeling a bit petty towards the both of you. So what? You’re not gonna tell him that you found Leona already? Ruggie thought you were here to help him. Now, he thinks that it would be best for Leona to starve a little. He’s pretty sure that the lazy royal already had his fill by having you alone.

❝ 𝓐𝔃𝓾𝓵 𝓐𝓼𝓱𝓮𝓷𝓰𝓻𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓸 ❞ ✧ ೃ༄

“Ah! Miss Y/n! Such a delight to have you here at the lounge again.”

Greeting you with a bow, Azul delicately placed a chaste kiss on the back of your hand. You were a bit wary of Azul even after the fiasco you were dragged into by Ace and Deuce.  Despite your adversity, the manager of Mostro Lounge would always make a statement with his “warm” welcomes. “ Come. Let us continue our meeting in my office.” Before you could protest, Azul swiftly whisked you away. His hand rests on the lower part of your back while the other holds yours. It was like he was waltzing you through the hallways. Despite the caveats that come when one interacts with him, he does have that charm. I mean, it does help with the business, right Prefect?

“There you go~ Is the seat to your liking? I was able to redecorate the place a few days ago. I made sure to choose something soft enough for your figure. It would be a shame to provide the bare minimum for such a being like you~” Azul muses as he circles the large desk he has after guiding you to your seat. “And what do you have up your sleeve this time, Ashengrotto? I’m assuming you didn’t call me for nothing, no?” You quirked a brow. It was unusual for the manager to waste the minutes that passed by. He would always make sure that business meetings would stay short and straight to the point. Time is money after all. Unless… this isn’t about business.

“Hmm? Is it strange for me to ask for your company without anything in return?” He hummed. His gaze was focused on the papers that he was signing, paying no mind to your reaction. Though, he would pay the Seven all of his money to give him an eternity for him to spend on you. “Yes, it is. The others would always tell me that you like things to be snappy, yeah?” Crossing your arms, you lean back and squint. His eyes shift to your celestial ones, narrowing as he smiles even more. He always thought of how funny it was that a small being like you could get all feisty. The contrast between your heavenly aura and tone of voice is what he loved about you ever since you two met. The moment made it seem like sparks were flying around him. Azul never would've realized how much he needed you if Jade hadn't pointed out how his habits have changed. He even wanted to present you with a contract, but ultimately, he decided against it.

"My dear… As much as I want to continue my teasing, I want you to know that I genuinely adore your presence. Albeit your wary behavior, I truly believe that I am the best version of myself whenever you're here." He sighed, leaning over his desk and resting his cheek on the palm of his hand. "Azul… you don't even know anything about me." "Then let me." He quickly responded, getting up from his seat. He made his way to you, offering his hand right after taking off his gloves. With hesitance, you placed your soft hands on his. It was warm, you thought. You realized that this was the first time Azul had shown a piece of his true self. His glasses no longer carry a glint of his sinister intentions like they used to. It was just Azul behind them.

"Let me know you. Let me know what you want—what you need. You have plagued my mind ever since we met and it hasn't gotten any easier for me. You keep me awake at night and bring my thoughts somewhere else during the day. What would it take for you to tell me what and who you are?" Azul breathed deeply, wishing that he wasn't so sensitive when it came to his feelings. He always wanted to pour his heart out, but he realized that you constantly avoided praise from your peers. He didn't want to drive you away any further. That would do no good to his heart.

He wraps an arm around your waist, bringing you closer to his body. Your plush figure was enough for him to feel a little lightheaded. You tried to think of an appropriate response while clinging to his suit. "Do you have any other meetings today? I'm afraid it would take a while for me to tell you my story." You fidget, earning a breathless chuckle from Azul. "There is nothing for you to worry about. You have me for the rest of the day~" 

Rather, the rest of his life if the Seven would let him.

"Ah! There you are, Azul. We just saw the Prefect leave the lounge-" Jade stopped in his tracks with Floyd in tow. Both of the twins stare at their boss, a teasing grin slowly etched its way on both of their faces. "Hmm? What's the matter with you two? Wha- Hey! You better stop that Floyd or else I'll cut off this week's pay!" Floyd giggled in response. "You got something on your cheek there, boss!" He continued to smush Azul's face to get a closer look. Azul groaned in disdain, trying to pry the twin's hands off. "I was about to ask you if everything had gone smoothly, but it seems that you have already answered my question." Jade teased, covering up his grin. "What- Arg! What do you mean?!"

Turns out, you wore some tinted lip gloss and it left quite an impression on Azul.

╰─▸ ❝ cafekitsune owns all of the banners except the gif banners, which were created by me. Please check them out!

╰─▸ ❝ Hope you enjoyed reading, Prefect!

[eleanor-bradstreet]

Love to Spare - Part 5 (Anthony Bridgerton x Reader; Benedict Bridgerton x Reader)

Anthony Bridgerton x fem!Reader Benedict Bridgerton x fem!Reader Fluffy, friendship, angsty feelings! GIF by me Word count: 2k Part 4 Part 6 Masterpost Author's Note: Am I the terrible person that wrote Part 5 to be so long that I had to split it in half and now this will be 7 parts? Yes, I am that person. But it's all written - it's done. For real. 7 parts.

Summary: A season of suitors and a night at the opera.

You were an hour late in meeting Sir Edgar, having lost yourself in conversation with Benedict. You told him about your plans to teach and write and how they had been dashed by your family’s financial situation. He was sympathetic and supportive, his kind eyes sparkling as you spoke. When you asked him about his dreams in turn, he told you of his love for art, his penchant for sketching, and his hopes to distinguish himself with some kind of career. He was funny and inquisitive, listening so attentively that it was easy to open up to him despite barely knowing him. Where Anthony listened to you with all the insights of a clever colleague, Benedict seemed to listen with his whole heart.

Your subsequent conversation with Sir Edgar while strolling through the park was comparatively less stimulating. You spoke about your mutual acquaintances and the latest gossip of the ton, but neither of you turned inward to speak about yourselves in any meaningful way. You had the impression he was not the sort to even think to ask. Everything seemed very simple about him; simply pleasant, simply adequate, friendly and polite but lacking in passion. You convinced yourself that this could be a good quality in a husband. Someone who was quietly dependable, stable and calm, not prone to anger or jealousy or strong opinions. 

Two days later you received a parcel containing a small note and scroll of canvas tied with a blue ribbon. The note read:

I’m sure your home is filled with bouquets from suitors, but here is something to enjoy once they all wilt.

It was unsigned. Unfurling the canvas, you saw it was an oil painting of blue hydrangeas, bursting with color. Lining one stem were small, squiggled initials, ‘BB’. You displayed it beside Sir Edgar’s bouquet of roses, which were already turning black and shriveled, and felt something odd in your stomach each day when you admired it. But you didn’t send any reply, or acknowledge the gift when you later saw Benedict. You didn’t want to entertain any advance he may have intended with it.

Over the next several weeks, your parade through the ton and its annual events continued. You were guided through balls and garden parties, concerts and promenades, steered by Anthony into the company of Sir Edgar whenever he was present. You danced and chatted with other gentlemen who showed interest. Three of them even called upon you at home and left trinkets of affection, but Sir Edgar remained the least objectionable. You surmised that there wasn’t much objection because there wasn’t much of anything really. When a man said so little, there was little to take issue with.

Always on the fringes of your outings were Anthony’s brothers, Benedict and Colin. As your acquaintance deepened, you found that despite their similar appearance, their personas were very distinct. If Anthony was strength, Benedict was beauty. He always found ways to inject moments of joy into boring affairs; sneaking you glasses of champagne, or pulling you away from Sir Edgar to show you a vivid painting around a corner, or introducing you to acquainted academics, writers, and artists. You noticed that Colin often preceded him, calling Anthony away on some urgent matter just before Benedict appeared. You followed along in good humor, laughing on the edges of ballrooms, joining the Bridgertons at their picnic spot in the park, and debating artistic license with Benedict at each gallery opening. 

You consistently had to remind yourself that this was a friendship, just like the one you had with Anthony. But you couldn’t deny that each time you saw Benedict, something tugged within you, like a magnet within your chest pulling you in his direction. Try as you might to ignore such feelings, they could overwhelm you when your guard was down. Sometimes at night when you were falling asleep, hovering on the edge of consciousness, you would find yourself saying his name. You savored it on your tongue like a sweet you had stolen just for yourself to enjoy. Then in the morning you would chastise yourself, reminding yourself of all Sir Edgar’s good qualities and how he met your and Anthony’s criteria for a practical choice of husband.

Things progressed this way through the first half of the season. You knew matters with Sir Edgar were escalating when he insisted on holding your hand throughout an entire performance at the opera. It was the greatest affection he had yet shown and though perhaps a bit awkward, you supposed it was sweet in its own way. But you were distracted by the fact that the singer on stage was Anthony’s paramour, and you had a clear view of him in his family’s box above, looking as if he wanted to eat her alive. Whether that was passion or anger you couldn’t be sure, they were so entangled with those two. Just before the show ended, you saw him slip out of the box and disappear.

When crowds began to mingle in the foyer, Sir Edgar gave you a wide smile and stepped away to speak with your mother. You knew, without a doubt, that a proposal was imminent. Even though this was the intended outcome of your courtship, you suddenly felt yourself gripped with nerves. You wanted to speak with Anthony while your mother and suitor were planning your future nearby. His reassurance would put you at ease. You began to search for him in the hallways leading back toward the stage.

You heard Anthony before you saw him, one of three shouting voices echoing around a corner. Turning, you saw that he and the singer were yelling at each other over the shoulders of a large stagehand positioned between the two of them like a wall. The giant of a man was barking at Anthony to leave and looked about ready to trounce him. You felt certain that your presence was the only thing that stopped him because once the group saw you, they fell quiet. With a snarl, Anthony turned on his heel and began marching back toward you, nostrils flaring as he heaved with anger. 

“Anthony,” you chased after him.

“Not now, dammit!” He snapped. You both rounded the corner into an empty hall and he paused, looking at you with remorse though he was still panting with frustration. “I’m sorry.” His voice was anguished. “Y/f/n, I’m sorry.”

He was in no state to counsel you about your engagement, that was clear. You hated seeing him like this. You hated that his dalliance caused such maelstroms of emotions within him. But you had grown used to these moods, and you knew how to treat them. 

“Anthony,” You placed a gentle hand on his arm. “Take a breath and take yourself home. And don’t open a bottle until you get there.”

Exhaling heavily, he nodded in gratitude. “Will you come and join me, once you leave here?”

You almost reflexively said yes, but stopped yourself. The consequences of being seen alone with him at his home were significantly greater now that you could no longer be dismissed as just his solicitor’s daughter. You were a lady in society, and you had a serious suitor no less. A suitor who was waiting for you in the next room. You just then began to consider the impact your marriage would have upon your friendship with Anthony. Your meetings for brandy and banter would have to decrease if not stop altogether, as your time would be devoted to your husband. You didn’t know how you could continue to seek the comfort from each other that had become so reliable over the years. Now you felt even more conflicted about a proposal, a layer of sadness added to your nerves.

“I don’t know that it would be appropriate now, my lord.” You said sadly, reminding him of your stations. “I am spending the evening with Sir Edgar.”

He looked up at you, all of the same realizations clearly sinking in as his eyes grew somber. He nodded tightly. “Of course.”

“I will see you at tomorrow’s ball. Please take care of yourself.” You released him with a weak smile. His eyes full of pain, he returned a small bow, then walked briskly to a side door.

You wanted to stay with him. To try to convince him, once again, to find a new mistress and leave the drama of the opera singer behind, even knowing he wouldn’t do it. But your own love life and future were taking precedence that night. You each had your own feelings to sort, and could not do so together. You knew you’d have the opportunity to speak with him the next day. 

Crossing the foyer back to your mother, Benedict suddenly emerged beside you.

“Miss y/l/n! Have you seen my brother? Our mother is looking for him and naturally I am the one dispatched to retrieve him.” He flashed his tireless smirk.

You fought the little jolt within that you felt every time you saw him. “He has left for the night. I believe you’ll find him at his apartments.”

He frowned as he read your expression. “Is something wrong?”

You knew he was asking about Anthony, but you wanted to divulge all of your own feelings. You knew he would have listened. But with him being part of the reason you felt so odd about an impending engagement, you couldn’t say anything. “It’s not for me to say. But you should go to him.” If you could not be with Anthony, at least he could. “Be gentle with him, Mr. Bridgerton. Brandy and indirect questions should do the trick.���

His brows arched playfully. “Ah, you know the formula.” His grin brought one to your lips too. Then his face screwed up with confusion. “Wait, does that mean you visit him at his apartments?”

“Sometimes. Perhaps not anymore.” You sighed. “Why do you ask?”

His eyes grew intense, deeper somehow. “It’s just…I can’t believe our paths haven’t crossed before now. Or that he never said anything about you.” He was looking at you as if you were a precious artifact, something to marvel at. It rooted you to the spot, something buzzing down your spine. He stepped closer, and you looked up to hold his gaze as he towered over you. 

“Remarkable.” He whispered, so close that you could feel his breath on your skin. Then he murmured, almost as if to himself, “Can’t believe it’s taken so long…”

It was the warmth of his fingertips brushing yours that snapped you out of the spell and you all but jumped. “I must go.” You squeaked, then marched into the nearest cluster of people without a look back. 

You barely managed to catch your breath by the time you rejoined your mother and Sir Edgar. Your suitor smiled at you knowingly for the rest of the evening as you mingled with the theatergoers and slowly made your way home, walking under the lamplight. He deposited you at your doorstep and dropped a kiss on your hand before taking his leave. Your mother, eyes full of both hope and relief, confided that he had indeed declared his intentions to propose to you at the next night’s ball. 

It was settled then. In one day’s time, you would have a fiance, and your family’s future would be secure. You should have felt happy. You should have felt relieved. But all you could think about that night were Anthony and Benedict's eyes. Anthony’s so full of sorrow, a sorrow your marriage wouldn’t let you soothe any longer; and Benedict’s, glittering with some odd fascination. Surely you were reading too much into it with your silly infatuated emotions. You were an overeducated, undersocialized, secret friend of his brother and that made you an anomaly. It was time to stop thinking about him altogether. It was time to start distancing yourself from the Bridgerton brothers. You needed to prepare for the next chapter of your life as Lady Graham. That night, you stowed away the painting of the blue hydrangeas.

[inmateofthemind]

Have Some TWST Fan Lore Part 1: The Arcane Exchange

First of all, credit to @cyanide-latte for coming up with the event name because it just sounds so lovely, doesn't it?

Now, the Arcane Exchange itself is a fairly straightforward "what it says on the tin situation"; it's Twisted Wonderland's version of a student exchange program.

For approximately three months a year (my friends & I are currently working off the idea that this begins very shortly after the end of Book 4's events), students from various arcane academies will host each other and participate in certain events meant to strengthen the bond between the schools without it necessarily having to be competitive. After all, one of the last events that happens before the students are sent back to their respective schools is the National Arcane Academy Culture Fair that mainly works as an expo/convention (aside from the SDC, but you know).

There's a fairly substantial number of students from each school that get selected to participate, and then those various groups are semi-randomly split up amongst the other academies. (i.e Night Raven will host only some of the students from the other academies. Meanwhile, the NRC students going abroad for the exchange will be separated among the other schools).

In the case of Night Raven specifically, all visiting students are distributed amongst the seven dorms in a shared learning experience 'like a great big sleepover'. This is met with mixed results most times, but nothing too crazy since there are enough empty beds based on the number of NRC students having gone off to the other academies.

Speaking of, lets get into the schools involved in the Arcane Exchange!

Night Raven College and Royal Sword Academy are the obvious picks, but that's also a rather obvious recipe for disaster due to their long-established rivalry...if left on their own, at least. Hence the inclusion of other schools to act as a kind of buffer that actually tends to work due to the neutrality of the other two schools.

Noble Bell College does participate(probably the least since they seem to be the smallest school in both scope & population), and the group of myself, Cy, @ramshacklerumble, and @simons-twsted-children have even recently discussed an interesting debate on whether Noble Bell is co-ed. This is important due to the final participant of the Arcane Exchange.

Corlux Key Seminary(CKS), a paramilitary arcane institution of my own creation that will be discussed in more detail in a later post. Corlux is explicitly co-ed in both students and staff; the gender distribution is almost perfectly split down the middle if not outright in favor of the female-identifying population. Despite this progressiveness, however, the Arcane Exchange a bit of an interesting sticking point for CKS (& NBC to a certain extent). While the male students can be assigned to whatever institution they like, the female students of both schools are only ever exchanged with each other. In regard to any potential PR nightmare an incident occurring on campus could cause, this makes sense. Doesn't mean it's not a bit sexist though.

The Arcane Exchange is a fairly standard practice that has even fostered some grand shows of academic comradery, though there have been some....memorable moments over the years as well. For instance, the Arcane Exchange that happened the year before TWST canon starts was Not Fun for NRC as hosts because both the RSA & CKS kids were terrible. As in 'it was considered the 'trial by fire' for both Riddle as a freshman-year Housewarden & the OctoTrio as the staff of the newly-opened Mostro Lounge' kind of terrible. As such, none of the Housewardens are particularly excited when the meeting before the start of the canon-year's exchange approaches. And they're about to feel a lot more ill-at-ease when Crowley rather casually drops this little bombshell;

For the first time since the start of this most noble tradition, Night Raven College will be opening its doors to a selection of female students from Corlux as a kind of experiment of 'broadening horizons & relations' between the academies. If this particular Aracne Exchange proves to be successful (meaning nobody does anything to 'embarrass' NRC and/or CKS), then there's the chance of expanding the openings for female students to participate at RSA's end of the Exchange as well as Noble Bell being able to similarly 'branch out' as it were.

Now that begs the question; is Crowley really about to let a relatively small group of girls onto an all-boys campus & just have them shack-up in the dorms? "NO! Absolutely not; I would never do anything so foolish and dangerous to those promising young pupils! As a matter of fact, I have arranged for all of the female participants to have accommodations all to themselves for their comfort and safety. Oh how generous I am; it's almost unnerving!" Now if only Crowley had thought to mention to the host of those accommodations that they're about to find themselves with a LOT more roommates than the usual weasel.

Apologies to one Gia Yugo...

NOT! This is going to be fun~ >:)

Taglist: @cyanide-latte @simons-twsted-children @tixdixl @ramshacklerumble (let me know if you also want to be tagged)

[1-800-c0sm1c]

꒰crossteaming !꒱

genshin characters as your streamer bf/gf !

character x gn!reader

includes albedo, childe, kaeya, xiao, and hu tao!

warnings : none.

a/n : these ended up being longer than i expected, so im splitting up the post a bit <3 hope you enjoy :D

ALBEDO - THE MINECRAFT YOUTUBER

albedo gives me wilbur soot vibes, minus the height.

if anyone in genshin were to join a minecraft smp just to reenact hamilton and be a jason dean kinnie, itd be albedo and im absolutely right about this.

teaches klee how to play too, his most popular stream was when they beat the ender dragon together :)

he also seems like the type to strictly use minecraft education edition, which is also totally valid because some of the recipes in there are literally so cool ???

pulls a dantdm and has his own minecraft lab and everything, doing all his silly little experiments!

“surcose, we need to sell drugs out of a van RIGHT NOW.”

when chat found out you and albedo were dating, there were two reactions.

one side was really happy for you both, the other was albedos parasocial fangirls who immediately put you on a hitlist.

seriously, if you had a dollar for everytime you were @ed in tweets about writing your name in a death note, youd have enough money to pay for every single persons therapy appointments.

youre always there to cheer him on when hes in mcc, his own little personal cheerleader :)

you show up at his office and just.. stand in front of the door, staring at him through the window. it sounds weird yes, but the shocked expression on his face is worth the wait for him to notice.

CHILDE - THE GRAND THEFT AUTO ONLINE ROLEPLAYER

“no chat i have not gone red. im just startled, thats all.”

childe is the type of fella to participate in the most wacky roleplays on gta online, and i am sticking by this headcannon.

hes done everything from a drug empire to owning his own country, nothing is off limits.

surprisingly hes a really good actor? when youre watching his streams you dont get the cringey second hand embarrassment, its just fun entertainment :D

it took his chat wayyy to long to realize how fine he is, although to be fair he did have mostly men watching him. (not like thats an excuse or anything.)

i feel hes definitely been nominated for a streamy before! whether or not you think he deserves to win is up to you though LMAO

“only a small percentage of my viewers are actually subscribed-”

childe leaked your relationship by accident once by having a tab open of your instagram while he was streaming.

when chat confronted him, he kind of just… ended stream. (real smooth.)

fans went to your instagram afterwards and saw pictures of you two together and started posting them to twitter, and childe ended up on trending because of it.

you felt indifferent to the whole thing, but childe was panicking. he didnt want to let his viewers into that part of his life just yet, but he was, scientifically speaking, caught lacking.

you dont appear on streams much, and childe still avoids allegations about your relationship entirely. its not that he doesnt want to show you off, he does! he just doesnt like having less differentiation between his online persona and his private life.

“whos instagram are you stalking…? thats gonna be all from me chat goodnight!”

KAEYA - THE VALORANT STREAMER

kaeya doesnt play valorant because hes good at it, but because its fun to mess with the fanbase.

you know THOSE vtubers who are.. weirdly sexual? kaeya is like that but he does it in a satirical way. 

likes messing with the homophobes too, but everyone still debates on what his sexuality is (kind of like jschlatt.)

definitely is problematic on twitter on purpose just to get people to talk about him, hes a little bit of an attention whore but we love him anyways <3

has never apologized for anything hes said or done EVER, and doesnt plan on it either.

“what do you mean i got canceled on twitter AGAIN? its only been 3 days!”

chat didnt believe him when he said he was in a relationship. so be dragged your ass into his room to show them.

it didnt work though, they thought you were a paid actor for the next 2 months LMAO

it got to a point where kaeya was doing literally anything on stream to convince chat, and finally you had enough.

you told him to take a break from streaming, he was way too obsessed with trying to prove something that doest matter to anybody but the two of you.

something finally clicked in his head, and after that you dont appear on camera as much anymore. for the most part people believe that you two are together, but hell still get donations joking around that they dont think youre a couple, simply because its funny.

“thank you for 200 bits! ….i am retracting my thank you.”

XIAO - THE LEAGUE OF LEGENDS PLAYER

i dont have any reason for this connection, other than it feels right.

if xiao werent a league player i would suggest smite, he just seems like hed be more into team games like that rather than overwatch or valorant.

just because hes my favorite doesnt mean im letting him off easily, league players get no rights <3 and xiao is no exception.

unironically listens to k/da as well, knows all the choreography but will literally never admit to it.

everyone in his chat has channel points stacked up to tell him to hydrate, he tends to forget when he gets really into the match.

“stream more by k/da for clear skin. no i will NOT be giving you a demo, i dont want a dmca.”

youre xiaos number one bully, and chat is always there to back you up.

when i played lol i was an ahri main, so stick with me here, its about to get real self indulgent.

youre a cosplayer, and one of your favorite ways to mess with your boyfriend is to dress up as his favorite characters. (peak s/o behavior right there.)

chat teased him heavily for his reaction, you could hear my chemical romance being blasted from the bedroom that night.

something about the cosplayer x gamer trope is just sooo <3

“you have no respect for league of legends players.” (duh - an ex league player)

HU TAO - THE DEAD BY DAYLIGHT PLAYER

when hu tao first heard about dbd i imagine she thought it would be an easy way to gain new clients, now she sticks around because its fun to terrorize people as killer, and be an absolute menace as survivor.

i think shed be a nurse main, but one of those that are insanely good at playing nurse. she wins the game in no time because her teleports are perfect. 

i can only imagine how many people have rage quit because of her.

along with dead by daylight, i see her just overall being a horror game player. lots of five nights at freddys, resident evil, etc.

shes never gotten scared on camera before, chat has tried but shes always one step ahead.

“i lied, i dont actually like sex. put your clothes back on i need to explain to you the entirety of the five nights at freddys timeline.”

hu taos favorite pastime is scaring you, she stays on top of the newest horror content specifically because of that. (oh, and its also kind of her brand. but she puts you first <3)

shed sacrifice herself in a heartbeat if youre playing dead by daylight together. she always says if at least you survive its good enough of a victory for her too.

she also has gone on record to say yall are playing the security breach dlc the day it drops. run while you still have the chance.

youve tried to convince her to tweet at shayne and ryan about being on an episode of ghost files but everytime she just suggests to play phasmophobia instead. like cmon girl those are two different things.

even thought shes trying to scare you on purpose, you know shes always got your back if something happens.

“ha look at your face! …okay okay im sorry! come here, youre fine, ive got you.”

[hiiragi7]

hi! hope you dont mind the ask!

since you have a lot of pro-endo stuff on your blog, i was just wondering how endo systems even form? since, did in its essense is inherently formed by trauma

genuinely curious btw!! not trying to start any sort of argument or get into discourse ^^

Well, the thing there is that endogenic plurals and DID aren't the same thing.

Endogenic isn't "DID but without the trauma". Endogenic is an umbrella term for various spiritual, cultural, and psychological experiences. It is not DID. Endogenic plurals are not made up of dissociated states, and they do not tend to display other symptoms of DID such as trauma-based developmemtal issues, attachment issues, comorbid psychological issues, somatic symptoms, personality disorders, and so on. Endogenic plurals also do not tend to split in the same way as a DID system. The two tend to function very differently from each other.

An endogenic plural may form in a variety of ways, such as having been born plural, purposefully developing headmates later in life, or viewing themselves as more than one self may be a part of their spiritual or cultural practices; many cultures for a very long time have had very different ways of viewing the self as well as experiences of possession, and this may account for some endogenic experiences.

This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of how endogenic plurals form, but rather to give you an idea of some of the bigger examples.

An endogenic plural may also be DID or have a trauma history, but for spiritual or cultural reasons they do not view themselves as soley DID or traumagenic, which is related to subjective labelling and differences in how people view themselves and their history. Shit gets messy there. I'm not one to tell people they're wrong in however their cultural or spiritual identity interacts with clinical disorder.

Some plurals may also have their own psychological theories for how their plurality formed unrelated to trauma, which is also a subjective labelling thing.

If a traumagenic framework isn't useful to them (or, worse, actively damaging to their mental health), there's no reason to push it on them, to me. If they are traumagenic, they'll figure it out with time, and if they're endogenic, good for them.

Psychological theories regarding non-DID plurality seem to be especially relevant to parogenic plurals, who most often tend to have psychological explanations for what they're experiencing, but it's not exclusive to them.

I'm a bit conflicted on shared terms and labels, since on one hand it seems that it leads to a lot of conflation of two very different things (DID and endogenic plurality) and misconceptions based off of that, but on the other hand I don't think drawing lines in the sand at who can use what words is useful when these communities have been mixed for such a long time that it's kind of impossible now to really use entirely seperate language.

Just so we're clear though, even if the same language is used, how those terms are used in the context of DID is not the same as how those same words are used in the context of endogenic plurality (think "system" as a big example of this), which I think is where a lot of people get stuck and why origins debates are such a big topic. A big part of origins syscourse is definitely how people define words differently and misconceptions regarding language.

For example, I don't think nearly as many people would be upset with someone saying "different cultures have different ways of viewing the self, with some cultures seeing individuals as having multiple selves" or "my spiritual views mean I see myself as having multiple spiritual identities that are always present", but "you can/can't be a system without trauma" is a very hot topic, because one side defines "system" as the more clinical "system of dissociated parts" while the other defines it as simply "the subjective experience of being more than one".

Sorry for rambling, I'm not really sure how to end this post. I hope this answers the question even if I ended up going on and on about things, lmao.

[heavenlycloud]

the veil~ ღཾཿ༉ ༘჻ღཾཿ჻

four: you think i’m cute ‧₊˚ ⋅ ༘☆*.ﾟ

warnings: swearing, crying

pairing: huh yunjin x aespa 5th member! fem reader

summary: to be in the same place at the same time looking for the same thing is one hell of a coincidence. you both hope to find one another and the mutual ties of friendship may guide your way. so close to finding one another, just hope you don’t fall short and miss the opportunity.

author notes: its been SO long since my last update because i was traveling, in classes, now working, AND my laptop FUCKING BROKE ON ME???? so i managed to throw this chapter together using my phone and a glitchy ass version of google docs. there’s probably spelling errors i didn’t catch so sorry in advance!

this chapter might seem messy and not cohesive with the way it starts and ends but it’s because this chapter did get extremely long so due to that + mobile only letting me post 10 photos at a time—i have to split the chapter into two which will be posted soon as the next update. tag list is still open for those of you all who want to be added in, just comment or drop an ask in my inbox! lastly, feedback, comments, reblogs, questions, literally anything but hateful speech is welcome and very much appreciated!

̟ ̇ ˖ಎ˚˖࿔ masterlist 𓂅୨⊹ ₊˚๑

you jolted awake when you heard the front door to your dorm slam shut followed by muffled sobs and hurried steps to the bathroom. sleep clouded your thoughts and you tried to figure out what was going on elsewhere in the dorm when you went to move your laptop off your bed. you glanced over and noticed you were alone on the video call, and your match was gone. at first you were disappointed and part of you had clung onto the delusion that she’d stay on the call until you woke up. however, that feeling of disappointment was replaced with full blown panic when you saw your camera was turned on when you were 99.99% sure you’d left it off. the only thing keeping you from completely losing your shit was despite the camera being on, your image was blurred by default of the app settings. but, that in no way guaranteed that your identity remained unknown. the screen blur worked when people were sitting a considerable distance from their camera, not a few inches away like you had when you fell asleep. even after you hung up, you racked your brain trying to think about what you could do until you heard a quiet knock at your door.

aeri slipped into your room with tearstained cheeks and swollen eyes as she stood in front of you like a lost puppy. her entire body trembled and her breathing became erratic while she looked down with unfocused eyes. you asked in a serious tone, “are you hurt?” aeri shook her head and you pulled back your blankets and made room for her beneath the covers. she slipped in beside you and you brushed back a piece of hair that fell into her face. the scent of her coconut-apricot shampoo and herbal body wash watered down the lingering odor of alcohol that clung onto her words. there was a small silence before aeri sniffled, “why do i feel like such shit? i thought i would be over all of this by now but i feel the fucking same.” you frowned and ran a hand over her hair before replying softly, “gigi, it’s only been four weeks. you were with him for two years, it’s gonna take time.” you debated on adding on more, but you knew she’d have to hear the truth eventually, “and i know you don’t want to hear it but….running off to other boys and getting white girl wasted isn’t helping much either you know?” she sighed into your shoulder and admitted, “yeah yeah i know but i don’t know what else to do.” you pulled away and looked aeri in the eyes, “you have all of us here, and you can reach back out to your therapist. remember that you have people around you that are here and want to help you when you need it okay?” she nodded slowly and rested her head back on your shoulder before humming, “i will, i promise this time. but right now, i just wanna sleep okay?” you smiled weakly and pressed a kiss to your member’s head, “of course.”

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚✭・彡♡・✫.˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

in the morning you found minjeong sitting alone in the kitchen poking at a bowl of fruit she’d cut up earlier that morning. she looked up and made eye contact with you before looking back down silently. you knew the reason for her being upset so you didn’t bother asking because it’d really only rub salt into the wound. instead, you tried to lighten the mood with another question, “are you excited for the Gucci Cruise Show tonight?” minjeong cracked a smile and responded, “elizabeth olsen is coming and IU sunbaenim! i’m gonna try to get pictures with them if i can.” you gave her a look and she scoffed, “i’m serious this time, i’m not gonna just stare at them from afar. ningning and aeri unnie are rubbing off their extrovert energy on me, i can feel it already.” you shook your head and laughed, “so i’m not going to get a call from you 10 minutes into the after party begging for me to bullshit up an excuse to our manager so you can leave?” minjeong’s face dropped and she glared at you, “shut up.” you threw your head back with laughter and she changed the subject, “how was your date last night? has she talked to you since then?” she saw how you suddenly stiffened at the mention of your match and awaited your reply nervously, “i think she knows who i am.”

aeri walked into the kitchen and sleepily rubbed her eyes, “who knows who you are?” she moved to sit on your lap but shot up when minjeong answered, “her match.” aeri already had her phone out with ningning on FaceTime so you could explain to them both: “i was watching the movies with her last night and it got super late and i guess i dozed off at some point. when i fell asleep my camera was off but when i woke up it was on. the screen blur was on but i was super close to the camera so like i don’t know if she could tell it was me…and i’m starting to think she knows because she hasn’t texted me at all this morning and usually she’s up now.”

ningning tried to offer a consolation, “well your hair isn’t a vibrant color right now and your lights were off so if she saw anything it probably wasn’t much.” aeri chimed in, “yeah and she might have had an early practice this morning and hasn’t had a chance to text you.” minjeong nodded in agreement and told you, “they’re right. it’s probably nothing to worry about.” you sank back into your chair again and picked at your cuticles as you let your mind wander to a world of negative ‘what ifs’. ningning snapped her fingers in front of your face and placed her hand over yours, “hey! stop that. everything is going to be fine so stop letting yourself worry about this girl. instead think about how you might see her tonight at the party.”

minjeong perked up and asked, “what party?” jimin emerged from the hallway while she answered, “it’s choi jisu’s birthday party. every year she has this massive celebration for her birthday.” aeri clapped her hands in excitement and continued, “there’s always a cool theme to go with it. last year it was Starry Night and she hosted it in a literal planetarium! this year’s theme is Masquerade Ball. it’s admission by invitation only and this year we’ve been invited AND management is actually letting us go!” the younger singer furrowed her brows and asked, “for an event so exclusive why is she inviting us when we’ve only met her in passing?” ningning chimed in, “when y/n and i were trainees jisu was also training here with us.” you pointed to her then added, “yeah jisu and i were close back then. it was only a few months because she left SM and we lost touch after that…but like i said we were close.” minjeong stared at you suspiciously and asked, “how close?” aeri snorted and slapped ningning’s arm as the two doubled over laughing. you whined, “not like THAT WINNIE OH MY GOD?!” the latter shrugged and plainly said, “hey i never know…people get around.” her gaze fell to jimin for a millisecond then to the floor as if she never said anything. ningning coughed awkwardly then blurted out, “okay well i uh…i have a thing.” the rest of you all scattered as well to go about your mornings before you had to start getting ready for the big night.

all you wanted to do this morning and afternoon was focus on the upcoming party, but you had to practice. you dragged your feet against the floor of the company building hallways until you reached your destination. music was already playing in the practice room when you opened the door and a blonde woman called out to you, “you’re late.” you turned to check the time on the wall clock just to see it’d been unplugged. instead you made a move to check your phone but the woman swiped it out of your hand before you got the chance to look at it. she playfully mocked the sassy retort you always gave her, “by two minutes.” when you scoffed in feign offense she reminded you, “which still means you’re late. get warmed up, i have to make a few calls.” the older woman walked out of the studio and you did as you were told, starting with some stretches to warm up your muscles.

four hours passed and it was just around lunchtime when you finished the main part of practice. you spun in a circle before falling to the floor in a dramatic dip earning a laugh from your mentor. she stared at you from above and shook her head in amusement before holding her hand out to help you up. when you held out a finger for her to give you a moment, she instead joined you on the floor. your chest slowly stopped heaving but the burning ache in your abdominal muscles remained. you rolled onto your stomach and let your face rest on your forearms with your eyes closed. the older woman patted your behind and praised you warmly, “you did really well today. i can see you’ve been working hard.” for a few moments you both sat in silence as she let you catch your breath before moving to stand up. you followed behind her and hesitated before asking, “wait- hyoyeon unnie….can i ask you something?” your mentor turned around and answered, “what’s wrong, babydoll?” the old nickname she gave you years ago slipped off her lips effortlessly bringing you a sense of security that washed away your nerves.

you tugged at the fabric of your pants and a smile grew on hyoyeon’s face, she loved when you got shy and embarrassed over things because it meant she could tease you about it later. slowly you asked, “can you teach me how to dance? you know how they do in the princess movies? like ballroom dance?” the older woman put her bag back down and clarified, “a waltz?” when you nodded eagerly and excitedly followed her back to the center of the room she laughed. she showed you the moves and explained them simply as you started to get the hang of it within a few short minutes. when she added music to it she started asking more questions, “why do you suddenly need to know this?” you followed her lead and answered as you both moved, “there’s a party tonight and the theme is Masquerade Ball…i just wanna know in case.” hyoyeon could see the way you were trying to hide your smile as you clearly pictured she was someone else. your mentor then prompted, “so it’s not in case you happen to dance with a certain someone?” you shook your head in refusal but she could see right through your lies, yet she didn’t question you. you told her about your outfit for the evening and how your members, minus minjeong, we’re going together as well.

when you both finished dancing to the song, she picked up your phone and handed it back to you. hyoyeon pulled you into a hug, “good work today, babydoll. have fun this evening and take pictures, okay.” you nodded and headed down opposite directions of the hallways as she tacked on, “good luck with your dance, im sure you’ll charm your princess.” you whipped around just to see her smiling at you as she shot a wink over her shoulder. she pointed to her phone then walked around the corner leaving you stunned to a silence. you realized what she meant and checked your lock screen which had numerous notifications that read: Lyra 🪐

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚✭・彡♡・✫.˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

“god- soobin wait! shit fuck- i can’t breathe take it out! somi save me!” yunjin rasped out as her best friend squeezed the last breath out of her lungs while tying up the back of her gown. he let the ribbons go and threw his hands in the air, “somi you’re up. my hands are cramping from the last four times i did it..” somi huffed, “you’re being dramatic. jen come here.” she walked over to her and took a deep breath before yanking the ribbons to the back of the ball gown and tying it tightly. she patted yunjin on the shoulder, “see not so bad right?” yunjin coughed dramatically and winced, “i think you broke one of my ribs…” somi beamed “then i did it right. come on the car is downstairs.” kazuha, chaeyoung, and chloe were already waiting in another room for the other three and the six made their way down to the garage.

chloe gathered more handfuls of her dress’ lilac tulle topped with lavender and silver flowers as she walked and tried not to stumble over her own feet. she asked while looking around for somi’s car, “somi, remind me again how you expect to fit all of us in your car?” the blonde simply pointed to two black Cadillac Escalade trucks, “i got drivers.” the five friends looked at each other with shared glances before remembering this was their best friend they were talking about. chaeyoung helped kazuha into the truck first, picking up her forest green dress so not to ruin it. chloe followed behind her then chaeyoung filled in last, adjusting her navy blue blazer that was lined with silver hearts around the cuffs and trim. from the front seat, keeho turned around, “we waited down here for like an hour.” the girls rolled their eyes and ignored him, insisting that the music be turned up louder instead. meanwhile, soobin was busy helping somi and yunjin into the truck. yunjin went in first and somi followed in suit. her bubblegum pink gown took up a seat and a half, some of the tulle spilling onto beomhan’s lap when he sat behind her. soobin sat in the passengers seat before letting the driver know that everyone was here and they were ready to go.

“who did you invite tonight?” yunjin asked as she watched cars go by in the other street lanes. somi, who was in charge of jisu’s guest list, replied easily, “everyone in jisu’s address book…more or less.” yunjin asked in a more serious tone, “hold on, you didn’t invite jimin did you?” somi looked confused as she slowly answered, “yeah, why?” everyone in the car collectively started speaking over one another causing somi to raise her voice, “STOP YELLING AT ME AND TELL ME WHATS GOING ON!” beomhan lowered his voice as he told her, “she has a thing with ryujin while ryujin also has a thing with jisu. and before you ask yes jisu also has a thing with yeji. i don’t even know what it is honestly. the whole dynamic is a little weird she said. but apparently yeji and jisu are cool and they have their own little…thing. jisu also has a thing with ryujin too though and yeji knows obviously they like live together. but jisu says that she doesn’t really care who else ryujin wants to be with because they aren’t an exclusive thing, right. but then when someone tries to talk to jisu, ryujin gets all territorial, even when it’s yeji sometimes. she said ryujin will act like she’s only hers and her feelings get all hurt when jisu reminds her that they aren’t really a thing. and then in the same breath ryujin turns around with karina and acts like she didn’t even want jisu to begin with. i dunno it’s all just messy.”

yunjin frowned and asked curiously, “i thought karina had a thing with chaewon?” somi added on with a confused look too, “i thought she was messing around with winter?” beomhan pursed his lips as he explained further, “technically you’re both right. karina just has girls she messes with but nothing exclusive. ever since she and ryujin broke up a few months back she’s just been friends with benefits with a couple different people…including ryujin. i’m pretty sure all of them know they’re not the only ones she’s seeing.” soobin offered from the front seat, “well ryujin won’t be there tonight. she has that Gucci event. so even if karina does show up, ryujin wont be around to entertain her.” yunjin added with a shrug, “neither will chaewon.” the rest of the car ride everyone noticed yunjin in her own little world, completely ignoring when taylor swift came on the shuffle.

somi waved her hand in front of yunjin’s face, “jen? hellooooo???” the american singer then snapped out of her trance, “what? my bad what happened?” soobin pointed to the radio and said, “you didn’t sing to the past three taylor songs. are you okay? what are you thinking about?” she tried to play it off but even with the mask over her face it couldn’t hide the smile that pulled at her lips. beomhan glanced at her phone and noticed her Veil app open then he giggled, “she’s talking to her match.” the rest of her friends cooed and teased her before getting her to admit, “jasmine said she’ll be at the party.” somi gasped then questioned, “do you know what she’s wearing?” yunjin shook her head, “nope. she barely even told me she was coming.” soobin asked just as the car pulled into the lot, “do you know if she’s here yet?” yunjin once again refused, “nope.” all of them adjusted their masks over their eyes and secured the ribbons on the backs of their heads before heading into the building to find the massive ballroom. while the ballroom was on everyone else’s mind, all that was on yunjin’s was finding you.

⚠️‼️extra tweets and messages (important) ‼️⚠️

♡‧₊˚˘͈ᵕ˘͈‎ 彡♡ ༘*.ﾟ .·:¨༺ ʚ♡ɞ༻¨*:·.﹢࿐ ☆

authors notes: since i’m posting on mobile (my laptop is still being repaired) i can’t post all the messages and tweets id usually do for a chapter. that being said i can’t post the FULL chapter until i get my laptop back. HOWEVER i think it’ll be ready for pickup tomorrow. but cuz i’m working and i have a hectic week ahead i don’t wanna deprive you all of what i do have ready. and idk if i’ll be able to post again tomorrow even tho i’ll have my laptop back ☹️ so just know something big is coming and it is ready to be posted, i just need to get back on desktop! thank you all for being so patient and understanding i know i’ve been breaking promises with my updating schedule since may 😭 but thank you for sticking with me!

[sagau-my-beloved]

OK OK OK HAHAHAHA this is gonna be terrible and I don’t even know if you’ve done this before but I have two ideas. Ei and Venti related ofc

Idea one: Yk how Venti has beef with Ei/Raiden? Imagine his S.O takes the role of electro archon. Like…. Thoughts?

Idea two: An archon(Like Ei cause of slight beef) steaks Venti’s S.O away. Literally snatches them while he’s away, and has hidden them away.

I feel like I can make the first one wholesome gimme a minute

So like, for starters, I would say that he doesn't have any problem with the role itself, it would make him a hypocrite if he just had a problem with Archons, it's more him and Ei have completely different views about how to rule a nation, so it's personal, and there's absolutely nothing saying you have to rule that nation as she did

I guess there could be a variety of situations which would kind of hinge on why the reader is taking over the role of electro archon, and you could also change it up based on if Venti knew the reader before that, or if their cause of meeting is because there is a new archon, i.e. you

Assuming you're taking over the role because Ei dies he'd probably have mixed feelings on the whole thing, like sure, they weren't the closest and they certainly had their differences, but that was someone he had known a very long time, she was around almost as long as him

If she's simply choosing to step down he's probably a bit more hopeful about the entire thing, a new face, a new way of ruling that has the potential of being better than what she did, only time will tell

He probably wouldn't pay a whole lot of attention on who takes over the position at first because his status as an active Archon is debatable at best, but maybe if you sought him out to say hi he'd take matters into his own hands, only after realising you're much easier to get along with that is

More likely to feel comfortable getting close to you considering you have a similar life spans, of course he would still be significantly older than you so you gotta deal with him hanging that over your head

Now if you already knew and were involved with each other before that, and by some weird turn of events you just happened to ascend (or descend? depending on if it's sagau ig), that would be a slightly different story

Once again you could split this into two main different things, either you were human before and have now suddenly become a god, in that case he's going to be absolutely stoked, now he doesn't have to worry about losing you nearly as quickly as before (human lifespan and all)

Realistically he was already probably looking for an excuse to grant you some sort of immortality, but this is just way more convenient—

Or so he thinks, until he realizes that you're not opting to take his 'hands off' ruling approach, and actually now have, you know, work to do

If you were some sort of immortal being beforehand, he probably considers this a downgrade, because nothing has changed except now you're forced to be away from him for significant periods of time, ruling a nation and all

Luckily, due to his specific circumstance, he's allowed to abandon his nation to bug you for as long as he wants, Inazuma just gained its newest resident (Thoma finally has another person from Mondstadt to talk to thank god-)

Of course he's going to use the excuse that he has way more experience being an Archon, and it would just be incredibly rude not to help you along, at least in the beginning, do him a favor and overlook the fact that he hasn't acted like an Archon in a few centuries-

But yeah, a lot of mixed feelings there, he really doesn't want that kind of responsibility on someone he loves so dearly, he would encourage you heavily to be a very different leader than she was so you don't have to deal with as much responsibility (but he also secretly likes taking care of that stuff for you, there's probably a part of him that likes acting like an Archon, so to spend time helping you help people is kind of refreshing)

Now onto the other one

This is certainly a can of worms, you have to know that action is an active threat against his entire nation btw

Like, it's basically a declaration of war, and he's not gonna drag Mondstadt or the Knights into it, but someone doing something to hurt the person he loves as a direct attack against him is just simply unforgivable

Immediately whatever ties he had with that particular Archon are completely severed, that's a relationship killer, and I'm talking all the way down to passive diplomacy, not a single person in the government scene from that nation is allowed to step foot in his any longer after this is all settled, and he is going to make sure of that through the Knights

It's kind of funny, but it seems like Venti doesn't really get along with any of the other Archons, I want to say he's probably closest with Zhongli and they share a causal love/hate friendship where they just completely bash each other's names but might occasionally stare out a window wistfully thinking of the old times

He and Ei have a pretty mutual distaste, acquaintances might be a bit of a stretch, they don't agree with each other on much of anything, and obviously his relationship with our dear Tsaritsa is pretty much shot, then he's voiced his open distaste about Murata, or the Pyro Archon, multiple times—

Idk about the Hydro or past or present Dendro ones, so I'll take the liberty of just assuming neutral, but for that whole 'stealing reader away thing', the blame really could realistically be placed on quite a few of them

Anyway, Venti doesn't have a whole lot of self control, so he's probably singlehandedly charging right in to that nation as soon as he realises—

Now he might, might, go out of his way to ask for Zhongli's help, because, let's face it, I really just don't think he could hold up in a one on one between pretty much any other Archon

Sure, if anyone other than a literal God took his beloved they'd be wiped off the face of the earth pretty quickly, but a simple 'sneak in sneak out' recon mission might be an order for this specific situation, and of course he would want to keep his nation out of it because let's face it, Mondstadt is kinda tiny, it's not exactly some big military power like some of those others

Assuming all goes smoothly, you're not leaving his sight for a good long time

The first couple of weeks to months after he's going to be on high alert 24/7, after that he might ease up a little but he's still practically attached to you at the hip, and will continue to be for a while

If you're mortal, that kind of increase is the whole tons of fears about you dying, because there were like a million different instances in that entire scenario where you could have died, so it's kind of a wake up call about how fragile you actually are and how there's always going to be other forces that try to get to him through you

He's gonna harbor a pretty strong sense of guilt about the entire thing for a while, like it was basically his fault, he should have noticed immediately when you were taken and you wouldn't have been taken at all if it wasn't for your association with him etc etc, the impact of that is simply he's just way more likely to give in to whatever you want of him as some convoluted form of making it up to you

If that nation is foolish enough to make another attack he's completely ready for it, he is not letting you get taken from him again and that's a promise

[aureentuluva70]

Spoilers for Ep 6 of Rings of Power, Udun:

Wow.

Just...Wow.

I really enjoyed watching this episode. Probably one of my favorites so far. It's just...beautiful. The fight choreography, the cinematography, and that cliffhanger of an ending! I can't stop thinking about it. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

This entire episode reminded me so much of the Battle for Helm's Deep from the Two Towers, which has to be one of the greatest battle sequences in all of cinema. The whole battle is extremely well done, even if quite gruesome at times. I truly cannot count just how many things I love about this episode, but I will try to focus on a few of those things.

First and foremost, and obviously the most important:

ARONDIR AND BRONWYN FINALLY KISSED!!!!!

AND HE BASICALLY PROPOSED TO HER AT THE SAME TIME!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰💕💕💕💕💕!!!

(Oh, and a nice Yavanna reference too, even if she wasn't referenced by name)

The scene with Bronwyn and Theo had me legit tearing up. It matches almost perfectly the passage from Return of the King, and has to be one of my favorite parts of the book. "In the end, this shadow is but a passing thing. There is light and high beauty forever beyond its reach. Find the Light, and the shadow will not find you."

I loved the battle, although I wish it wasn't as, well, gorey. Like, did they really have to show us that orc blood is black by it literally gushing out of the dude's eye? Did they really have to show us the torturous process by which they're trying to heal Bronwyn's wounds? I kinda wish I hadn't seen that, even if we did get a nice little family moment between Theo, Arondir and Bronwyn.

Oh, and I absolutely adore Isildur's bond with his father, and am glad to see that Aragorn is indeed descended from a long line of horse girls lol.

But its the scene with Adar and Galadriel in the barn that has to be one of my most favorite(and the part I'm going to ramble about the most) scenes in this episode. For one, it's when we learn just who Adar really is. He is indeed one of the first elves ever twisted into orcs by Morgoth, making him one of the oldest characters in this show. Galadriel calls them Moriandor, meaning "Sons of the Dark". So the orcs he leads and calls his Children may very well be his literal blood descendants. (I gotta admit, Im pretty proud of myself for getting that one right)Not only that but he apparently split Sauron's body open because he did not want to sacrifice any more of his children for Sauron's aspirations?! This is the kind of stuff that's got me so invested in this series. I don't care what you think about the show, you have to admit the writers killed it when it comes to exploring the nature of orcs.

But aside from the Adar reveal, the scene actually reminds me somewhat of the Athrabeth in that it's a philosophocal debate between two people and an exchange of beliefs. In this case, it's a debate about the origin of orcs, their nature and their place in the world. I find the whole thing extremely clever in that it addresses how Tolkien couldn't decide on the origins of the orcs. At first they were written as purely evil and created by Morgoth, only for Tolkien to realize that it wouldn't make any sense given his philosophy of "The Shadow can only mock it cannot make" and that only Iluvatar can create life. He went through multiple different possible origin stories for the orcs, from corrupted elves to corrupted men, but he never really decided or stated which one he preferred. Galadriel and Adar's debate on orcs and their place in the world is just such a clever way of acknowledging the many contradictory writings of Tolkien on many different matters.

Adar represents the side who believes(and the side that Tolkien seems to prefer)that the orcs are living beings, and thus creations of Iluvatar who are deserving of life and a home of their own. Adar seeks only to create a new home for his "children" where the orcs can live and thrive in. While his methods of bringing that reality about are certainly questionable, it's honestly quite a noble cause, and one anyone can sympathize with. I wouldn't exactly say he's a good person, but you can't deny the thing he is fighting for is pretty darn selfless compared to the things that Morgoth and Sauron fought for.

But in Galadriel we see something very different. We see perhaps the most hateful, cruel, vengeful and bloodthirsty part of her we've gotten so far in the series.

I think this scene shows better than any other just how far into darkness Galadriel has ventured. Just how badly she's allowed her obsession with hunting down Sauron to twist her. This Galadriel makes Adar look like a Saint in comparison. I found this on reddit made by someone who was reminded of a certain dark lord and you'll see what I mean:

Talk about cruel.

Like lady, if you seriously think you can say things like that and still think yourself the good guy, no matter how good you believe your cause to be, no wonder Gil Galad feared you would cause more harm than good. This lady's acting like a sadistic, genocidal maniac. And we can't help but nod our heads at the response Adar gives.

"It would seem I'm not the only Elf alive who has been transformed by darkness. Perhaps your search for Morgoth's successor should have ended in your own mirror."

Ouch.

Absolutely obliterated in just two sentences. Hit em' where it hurts, as they say.

And the worst part? It's all true.

Galadriel has become so blinded by revenge and hatred, she has fallen so far into the dark she's failed to recognize just who she's become. And Adar's mention of a mirror reminds me of ep 1, when in the ice fortress Galadriel finds herself looking at her own reflection in the ice, only to punch through it and find evil there.

She certainly seems to feel bad about it later, and perhaps it's this moment when Galadriel really begins her transformation from a bloodthirsty warrior to the wise sorceress we come to know from Fotr. And of course the crushing defeat at the very end may very well speed up that transformative process.

Speaking of the end-

That is all.

[kaddyssammlung]

Higher - Analysis

Video:

Same thing as text:

TW : trauma, SH

The whole of higher feels a bit weird because of the language used in there. It feels like there is “war language” in there. I would like the know what the battleground was. But then again I rather don't want to know.

“You say you won't begin again capitulate and let me in”

Capitulate, someone using Latin words and also one of the “war language” examples.

This could mean so many things. Either about an argument with someone or maybe Sleep did not visit him any more?

Or maybe he was not allowed to come home? This brings up weird stuff this line. Imagine a drunk me and my parents being like: we don't want you here like that. Sleep somewhere else. Nice thing when you can't even stand straight any more and also potentially dangerous.

“cause I am a fire and you are dry as bone”

I hope that fire will not kill something by accident since the other part is dry as bone.

It just plays with extreme opposites. My BPD self is like: yo Vessel, do you have some sort of “black and white thinking problem” too?!

“you are taking your time you are killing me slow”

This makes me think about “creating a slow dissection” from Like That.

The first expression seems nice and understanding but the second one not so much. Which reminds me again of myself because I used to “split” a lot. This means that either someone was the love of my life or either dead to me. There was nothing in between. I like to call this “black and white thinking”.

I wonder who is taking its time. Maybe Sleep?

“and I know we instigate go back and forth”

Again, I know, I was like that. My grandma always said “be the wiser person and stop arguing with your brother”.

“lacerate”

I'm pointing this out because I had not heard it before. I only know this as noun but not as a verb. As a noun it means something like military hospital.

“cause you can remember only when you're alone”

I still don't know what he means. I have feeling that maybe I don't want to know.

“I am granting you more then the debt that I owe”

This one has me thinking every now and then. I could only take wild guesses as to what this debt is. Maybe he does mean Sleep? Maybe he owes it something because he received something?

Maybe an actual debt? A loan for something? Maybe he just feels guilty?

When my depression was really bad I felt guilty all the time and did not even know why.

“cause I look for scarlet and you look for ultraviolet”

I remember countless debates about that. They are colours. Maybe they are just hair colours?! Maybe it's an SH allusion?

It does make me think about our energetic centres, the chakras and the way they are represented with colours. And how red is the base chakra and violet is the crown chakra and the third eye. And how you act like an animal when your energetically stuck in that base chakra and all of this. Which would kind of fit the whole vibe of the song actually.

It makes me think about soooo many things.

“and we are exhausted by all this pretending we just can't resist the violence”

Makes me think about pretending to be a happy couple or a happy family when in realty there so much violence and ab*se going on.

“and you need a melody I only need the silence”

This feels like it's just to underline how different the two involved parts are, whoever it it.

“but each time we battle the blood and the fury takes us a little higher”

My BPD self is like: yo man....sounds like fun. Let's just fight, of course only with words.

In all seriousness: there was a part in me that was kind of indulging all of the ups and downs that I had in my relationships thanks to said mental illness. I can feel this line but it's part of my past.

“with all that you believe you still refuse to shelter me”

And when it rains you don't take shelter.....

This line makes me think about having double standards.

“cause I'm a (at) danger and you're a long way from home”

This part is the one where I ask myself if this is directed towards a family member and if so then I feel very sorry for him.

This line has me terrified because it reminds me about being home alone with my brother and there was a terrible thunderstorm outside. I had my first panic attack from what I remember. I will leave it at that.

“you are one among many but you're now an your own”

Family situation? I have no idea XD

“and I hate the way you look at me when I am not understood”

Yeah so I used to have violent outbursts when I had the feeling that the humans around me did not understand me.

I would lash out in the worst way either against them or rather against myself and end up hitting myself until I was able to calm down. That's a strange thing to admit.

[talk-it-out-outsiders-smp]

Long posting one more time! This is part 2 of final things mainly about After Maze life for the Outsiders!

-They're free and most definitely in shock! After leaving behind Star enterprise and the Maze they had lived in for a year the group starts to wander.

-The biggest immediate difference is I don't think the group splits up anymore. They've always been attached to each other, unhealthy so but the final compounds that hard. They desperately need to be around people who understand them and really, that's only their fellow Outsiders. (The Announcer called them Outsiders and the title feels like it's worth less now because of it, how dare they take more from them)

-The first few days, maybe weeks they're sense of time is so screwed days feel too long and they wake up randomly in the night expecting it to be morning, are spent wandering the woods avidly avoiding civilization. They don't want to run into anyone who might recognize them.

-Foraging in the woods is second mature, chop trees, make tents, get food, it's only when Soup mentions they should find somewhere for her to garden so she can start potion making that everything really catches up to them, what are they doing?

-Most have no home to return to and those that do are haunted by the idea that any remaining friends and family have just watched their lives in constant danger, seen every up and down and emotional break for for a year and a day. How could they return to normal lives back home after that?

-After some talking they decide, let's just find somewhere in the woods and settle down there, it's not like it's new to survive in the wilderness with no one else around. So they find the nearest civilization, people point and whispers when they see them, and run as far from it as possible.

-In a forest area, nearby an Ocean and a cave system they settle down and start again. It's early Maze time again rebuilding homes and figuring out how to lay everything out. There's familiarity in it that feels good.

-Their new home forms and grows quickly Apo and Owen build a house together on the edge of the ocean and Owen sets up another training ground and Apo makes a dock.

-Rasbi, Squidney, Spidey, Oeca, Ayngel, Mohwee, and Ori all build tree houses high in the sky, rope bridges connecting them with zip lines and parcore leading up to the tree tops.

-Gracie and Magic live in a house together near the middle of the new clearing and remake the girls club, Magic points out an area where they can set up a game area

-Kyle and Acho make a home together and it's them who build the campfire area this.

-Reddons builds a bar first and foremost and after sone pushing from Apo he ends up just throwing a bed in the second floor of the building so he technically has a house.

-Bek builds a stage below Ori's tree houses and Builds her home in the back of the stage, she also lays a carpet out on the stage to catch Ori after all his failed mlg water buckets

-Soup makes her home in Reddon basement for no other reason then Red telling her it'd be like have a speakeasy but for drugs. He doesn't listen at all when she says potions aren't drugs but he offers to help her build a garden so she agrees

-Krow spends lots of time building its home and after it feels done it steps outside and sees that Guts has built their house right across from its and theirs is fancier than it's. This is the beginning of a terrible terrible house war.

-Sometime after getting their home looking nice Ayngel says she has to go home and see her siblings and like second nature the others offer to go with her. Showing up with 18 people to her home is probably not the best idea and bound to stir up trouble so after discussing she goes with Krow, Spidey, and Ori. It's the first time the group will be separated and everyone is panicky about it, overloading the small group with materials, weapons, and even some potions.

-The group is gone for 1 month and by the two week mark the remaining Outsiders are debating just going after them. They hold out and the night before the rest are going to look for them they show up, two kids in tow.

-Alina and Aldoro are excited to be back with their sister and the Outsiders are eager to make them feel welcome because Ayngel loves them so the two are showered in both gifts and lessons about surviving and fighting.

-Next is Rasbi who wants to go see her family, they must be looking for her since she just vanished. She isn’t sure if she wants to stay with them but she does want to talk to them and she doesn’t want to go alone but she doesn’t know who could even come. After some debate she, Guts, Reddons, and Apo all decided to go the latter for moral support. When they arrived they’re welcomed with open arms and a feast for Rasbi’s return (they’re so sick of people watching them, cheering for them, staring when they walk by, but Rasbi’s mother looks like she might cry so they smile and go along with it) things are fine at first. They don’t mention the show. Until they do. At first it’s the things Rasbi can talk about, how hard it was to survive, Grievers are terrifying in person, yes she misses the clearing sometimes. Then comes the inevitable question, her friendship with Owen. How is she supposed to answer that, how do you explain what it’s like to have your memories ripped away, to forge friendships with people just as scared and confused as you, to spend years, months?, living a life with them, having them defend you, and enjoying their company and then remembering the pain they’ve caused you. Seeing the regret in their eyes, being angry and confused but wanting that person to reassure you so bad that your ok. How does she explain looking her sisters murder in the eye and begging him not to sacrifice himself for her. The answer is you don’t. The answer is you ask for some time, she’ll answer later tonight just let her get her thoughts in order. Then she and the others sneak out before anyone can notice. She’s a coward but better a coward then having to stare at their disappointed faces when she explains. She doesn’t come back.

-Other exertions happen, Gracie visiting Quill’s grave with Oeca, Magic, and Owen. Krow going to it’s cults old haunting ground with Soup, Mohwee, Spidey, and Kyle. Kyle and Acho trying to go back to their old city and taking Bek, Gracie, and Squidney with them. All journeys end the same, they can’t fit in anymore. Old homes and old friends look different, feel different, they’re different now, they don’t fit in anymore. So they end up back in their new glade. It’s Oeca who demands they name the place and after being denied OecaVille they decide on a simple wooden sign declaring their makeshift home “The Glade”

-One day Reddons goes into the nearest town, he goes often in disguise to sell his home made beer, extra money never hurt for emergencies, he sees a commercial on the bar tv, Star Enterprise and their new season The Haunted Mansion. His stomach drops, it takes everything in him to remain calm and leave the bar without vomiting (people are chatting excitingly about the show, how can they be entertained by people being tortured?) he stumbles home and freaks out immediately explaining everything to everyone.

-They try to ignore, they’ll just stop going into town, not look at tv’s anymore, the season can only last so long, but none of them can sleep that night. Magic voices the idea first, can they really just leave those people to suffer? They debate but as soon as its said they know what they have to do, they start to gather weapons and make a plan, there are going to be some unexpected guest on this season, Star Enterprise won’t know what hit them.

[someonelookingpraediti]

Currently Reading...

The Goldfinch - Donna Tartt

We noticed when reading The Secret History that Donna Tartt's chapters are ridiculously long. When we were splitting this book up for our buddy read, we had to split it into huge chunks, to make sure we didn't end up stopping part way through a scene.

We left our weekends free, in case one (or both) of us needed the time to catch up. I managed the first week easy, but fell behind during the second week. In the end, I finished on Saturday, two days behind schedule.

Henry and I had quite a debate about the two books - not about which is better - they're both equally well written. But why most people seem to prefer Secret History over Goldfinch.

The subject matter of TSH, I think, appeals more to most people. But Henry said he related more to The Goldfinch, whereas I found TSH far more relatable. I think perhaps the reason Henry related to Goldfinch is because Theo lives a far more everyday, routine life before his mother dies, than Richard lives in TSH. There's also the fact that Goldfinch is set later, close to the time that Henry and I grew up in.

However, I related much more to Richard's state of mind. There's nothing in the world - no amount of dead mothers or drunken fathers or stolen paintings - that would have turned me into a opiate-fuelled drug addict as a teenager. But if a group of cool academics took me under their wing and wanted me to commit a murder (especially a ritualistic one) I'd probably have gone along with it in a heartbeat.

I loved the end of the story, but much like TSH, it sort of trailed off in the last fifteen pages or so, just kind of lost its way a bit. But it was a great read, and I'm definitely going to try The Little Friend once I've had a suitable break.

[mask131]

Deadly fall: Limbo

LIMBO

Category: Christian Catholic religion

Everybody knows that in Christian belief there are two afterlives: Heaven and Hell. Sometimes additional, “in-between” realms of the dead will be thrown in, such as Purgatory or Limbo… But let’s linger a bit about Limbo. It might surprise you to learn that, unlike what most media claim, there isn’t one “Limbo”, but that the term rather covers two different afterlives. One is the “Limbo of the Patriarchs” and the other the “Limbo of the Infants”.

I) Limbo of the Patriarchs

In Christianity, the belief is that you can only reach Heaven if you believe in Jesus-Christ and become part of the religion he started. However, teaching that proved to create a biblical paradox: in the Ancient Testament, in Hebrew belief (which was the common ancestor of Judaism and Christianity), there were people recognized as virtuous and good. There were people acting as prophets and servants of the Lord. There were “chosen ones” taken away by God or the angels – figures that the Church itself revered as holy and saint. Yet, these people all lived and died LONG before the arrival of the Christ, long before the birth of Jesus. So what to make of them? Because according to the Christian belief stated above, they could logically not access Heaven. So what, we would throw to Hell all those holy prophets and biblical patriarchs the Church claimed to honor and respect? A solution had to be found.

And this solution took the form of the “Limbus Patrum”, the Limbo of the Patriarchs (also called Limbo of the Fathers). Christianity decided that the “underworld” (or “Hades”, as early texts reused the Greek word) would be split in two: one part would be “Hell” proper, or of its full title the “Hell of the Damned”, and the other would be this Limbo, a place out of Heaven for its occupants did not know of Christianity and never could redeem themselves through Jesus, but a place without the torments and punishments of Hell, because they were still virtuous or in “friendship with God” – plus it was completely unjust for them to be punished for not knowing something that did not exist yet. This was where great figures of the Bible such as Adam, Moses or Abraham (the place was even called “Abraham’s bosom”) were said to exist after their death, and equated with the Hebrew/Biblical concept of “Sheol” (underworld).

However this Limbo of the Patriarch does not exist anymore – at least to Catholic and Orthodox traditions of Christianity. You see, one thing everybody agrees when it comes to Christian belief, is that after he died, Jesus went to “Hell” and stayed there for three days, before his Resurrection (with a big R please), when he returned among the living on earth, before ascending to Heaven. Christian belief holds that in this process, Jesus took back with him the souls of Hell and they ascended alongside him to Heaven: this is known as the “Harrowing of Hell”. Now this episode is HEAVILY debated and up to many interpretations: did Jesus took all the damned of Hell with him? Did he only take a few of them? Did he even go into “Hell” as we understand it today (The Hell of the Wicked) and not into another kind of afterlife/underworld? And one of those interpretations uses the Limbo of the Patriarch: in this concept, Jesus simply went to stay among all this good and honorable dead that came before him, and freed them from their endless waiting away from God, bringing them to the Heaven they always had the right to go to, but never could due to having to wait for the Christ’ salvation. In this interpretation, the Limbo of the Patriarch thus does not exist anymore.

II) Limbo of the Infants

The Limbo of the Patriarchs is an official and canon teaching of the Catholic Church. The second Limbo, the one most people are familiar with, the Limbo of the Infants (Limbus Infantium/Limbus Puerorum) is not. The Limbo of the Infants was, like the Limbo of a Patriarch, an afterlife created to fill some gaps and holes in the Christian teachings – but this “solution” was never endorsed officially by the Christian Church, rather conceived by several theologians (each with a different concept of idea), and then spread through popular culture and Christian “folklore” in Europe.

You see: people need to be baptized to become part of the Christian religion. By being baptized, you become Christian – and if you are not Christian, you can’t go to Heaven, so if you are not baptized, you go to Hell. Simple as that. However, in ancient times, babies were often stillborn, or infants died very young – sometimes before baptism could even be performed on them. (All babies were baptized, but still, as the ceremony needed a bit of preparation, they couldn’t be baptized right away). So should these baby souls go to Hell among the tormented and the damned? Of course not, that would be unfair for a religion centered around innocence and purity. But still, the Church couldn’t say that these babes would go to Heaven due to being “innocent”… because they were not. Ancient Christianity (especially in the Middle-Ages) held strongly onto the belief that all human beings were tainted since birth by the Original Sin of Adam and Eve, which is why people needed the salvation of Christianity, to get rid of this “natural evil” inside of them and be pure enough to reach Heaven. Result: babies were never innocent, for by the very fact of being human they carried in them the “original sin”. But for babies to be sent to Hell just for the crime of being born… Of course, people sought alternate answers.

The Limbo of the Infants was the solution. An afterlife realm that is not Heaven, but that is not Hell either, a “grey zone” where the souls of the infants who died before getting baptism go. For some fathers of the church, limbo is a sort of “soft extension” of Hell, a place of “mildest condemnation” to punish the “smallest offense” of being born with the original sin: the souls of those dwelling in it do not suffer any kind of torment or punishment, but still feel the pain and loss of being denied forever heaven and its bliss: thus their punishment will be one of sorrow, the grieving of never being able to see or be with God. Other medieval theologians rather claim the reverse: the souls of Limbo have no idea and no knowledge of Heaven and its beatification, so this “intermediate” realm between Heaven and Hell, while not being able to offer the “eternal life” of Heaven, is still a happy place to exist in – but a more “natural” joy, instead of the “supernatural” happiness of Heaven. Some even said that, due to committing no crime, the infants of Limbo still can “see” and “reach” God, the same way the souls of Heaven do – but rather indirectly, by sensing and identifying God through everything in the world he created and rules over.

While the Limbo of Infants was a doctrine held and used by theologians in both the Middle-Ages and the Renaissance, starting with the 18th century religion started to speak of the fact that the souls of limbo could be saved, and that even if a child died without baptism there was “hope” for them to reach heaven. Theories and elements thrown forward were: the wish of a mother to baptize her child, which can be enough to actually save the child as it was its parents project and intention ; the fact the dead child will receive Christian funerals rites can be enough to send them to God and thus heaven ; Jesus’ fondness for children in the New Testament is a proof that children will be saved by God in the end and not ignored…

By 1992, the Church tried to resolve the problem by officially claiming that baptism was necessary for salvation, but only in cases of people who 1- heard or knew the Gospel 2- had the possibility to ask for the sacrament of baptism. The official Catechism of the Church released this year notably writes down that while God “bound salvation in the sacrament of baptism”, God himself is “not bound by the sacrament”, explicitly saying that those who died unbaptized but with a desire to be baptized, repentance for their sins, and with acts of charity, would be saved – and even for those that never heard or never knew of the Gospel, they ensure that them “seeking the truth and doing the will of God in accordance with their understanding of it”  would be saved.

This was doubled by the release, in 2007 by a document of the International Theological Commisson in which they claimed, after a study of religious and theological material of the previous millennia, that there is “hope” for unbaptized children, and that while baptism is the most “ordinary” way of salvation, it is not the only one – adding that humans still had a lot about God’s ways that had not been revealed or understood by humans so far. The document was a study commissioned by the Pope John Paul II, and which was validated and authorized by his successor Benedict XVI – the media then made a big fuss about “The Pope closing Limbo”, but in truth this document was not published as the “official position of the Church”, rather recognized by the Pope as within the boundaries of Christian belief and the Church’s teachings ; and again, this document does not deny the existence of Limbo, but rather asserts its nature as one possible theory about the fate of unbaptized infants, though not the only one and with no ground of certitude to rely upon.

- - - - -

Limbo became very popular thanks to Dante’s “Divine Comedy”. In the first part of the epic poem, “Hell”, Dante describes Hell as being made of nine “circles”, with Limbo being the first of those circles, the wider one and closest to Earth: a bit of Heaven in Hell, not Hell proper but a sort of ante-infernum, of pre-hell. Described as a peaceful and pleasant place, heavily inspired by descriptions of the Elysian Fields (see my post “Geography of Hades”), Dante defined it as the home of the “virtuous pagans” (characters of Greco-Roman mythology and the history of Antiquity, such as Hector, Virgil, Orpheus, Electra, Julius Caesar) and the afterlife of the “virtuous non-Christians” (virtuous Muslims and Jews – Saladin and Averroes are two residents of this circle). It once hosted too the “Biblical Patriarchs” (and thus acted as the Limbo of Patriarchs) but they were ravished by Jesus during the Harrowing of Hell.

[random-writer-23]

In the process of another Poe fic, and it was gonna be short but it's already almost at 10k words. And the writing is not even good it feels like I'm badly summarizing an event that happened. It's okay though this is why we have an editing process.

Edit: we have now reached 11k words.... it takes 22 fucking minutes to read and I'm not even close to being done with it. Should I split it up into different parts and post it that way? or should I just finish writing and post the whole thing.... I'll probably just post it all at once unless you guys want me to specifically post it in separate parts. Anyway the title as of right now is called the princess and the Pilot so I'm hoping to get it finished, and edited and posted sometime this week, If you'd like to be a beta reader, send me a DM and I'll get back to you.

Edit 2: LMFAO ITS 12K WORDS AND I'M STILL NOT DONE WITH IT I'm genuinely debating whether or not to split it up into separate parts and post all the parts separately because of how long it is. I also Know shorter things are easier to read especially if you have a short attention span (its me I have a short attention span, yet I love reading 50 million word fics). It's fine It will hopefully be done soon, within the next two weeks if I hyperfocus on it. But I'm so sorry for the lack of posts y'all

[vigilantdesert]

ivy

Desert Flower - Accepting

ivy :   what are your muse’s views on marriage ?   do they believe it is something strictly for love ,   or an institution rooted in business   &   social benefits ?   do they desire or have they desired to be married ?

You all have no idea how long it took me to write this coherently

oKAY SO

The Gerudo at the time of BOTW have not had a boy born to their tribe for several thousand years, depending on who you talk to, it may have been since before the calamity and even before then, childbirth was completely uncoupled from pair-bonding. There are intersex Gerudo (vae) who may or may not be able to reproduce one way or the other, but as a general rule, Gerudo/Gerudo partnerships do not produce children.

Urbosa actually grew up during a fairly liberal time in which Gerudo/Hylian (of any gender) pairings were becoming accepted as a long-term relationship option, though these were rare and tended to happen in Nomadic clans which did not expressly forbid voe from living with them as Gerudo Town does. She knows several vai who live with their Hylian partners, either in the desert or splitting their time between the desert and Hyrule, and they seem to live happily enough.

Whether or not these relationships can actually be called marriage to the Gerudo is debatable, though (and is fiercely debated amongst a certain sub sector of Gerudo religious and philosophical scholars) because marriage is not an expectation for Gerudo - it is the exception. Many Gerudo live with another woman, raise children together, run business enterprises, and share what we would think of as common law rights for decades without even considering marriage. A Gerudo marrying another is extremely serious business, as it means they have pledged not only this life to one another, but the next. On a religious level, whoever dies first is expected to wait for the other to move on to the afterlife proper, while the living partner is expected to release the deceased partner's true name for prayer rituals (I promise I'll get into that at some point just roll with it for now).

The process to get married is also intense, as is everything the Gerudo tend to do. The prospective partners are expected to have lived together for at least one year, usually five is considered customary, and they go before a religious official to state their intentions. Functionally, they've usually been discussing it with a priestess for a while, but there is a ceremony for the actual intent to be stated. Part of this ceremony is to propose a challenge the pair endure together as a demonstration of their trust in each other and relationship strength. There are a few standard ones - live in the desert without surfacing for supplies for a month, searching the dangerous cliffs for a rare kind of flower, fighting an enormous monster together (traditionally this is a molduga, but they're few and far between and frankly, we've lost a lot of women this way, so a lynel will usually take its place). Once they return with proof that they have succeeded, then a wedding ceremony can take place. If the two fail but still want to be married, they recover from the trial and have to wait another year before they can reattempt. In the event that one partner dies during the trial, the survivor is offered the opportunity to be married to their deceased partner's spirit, regardless of whether or not they finished the task (this still causes some upset among more traditional temple-tenders, but telling a young woman who just lost the love of her life that it didn't count isn't exactly a popular move). If both partners die, or disappear long enough to be presumed dead, a double funeral is held in which the partners are treated as wives.

This is to say that a Gerudo marriage only exists for love, as business and social benefits can absolutely be reaped with a life-partner without the official title with significantly less risk. When she was younger, Urbosa respected those who chose to be married, but she could never see it for herself. She's something of a serial monogamist, and though she loved all her girlfriends, she couldn't see herself settling down until she bonded with Stanna and even THAT took a year and a half of traveling together so it took quite a lot to change her mind.

[ponds-of-ink]

Notre Dame Chapter 13: “The Bonfire”

Against all odds, it’s returned.

And it’s split into two parts, with this one being the first. Buckle up, because this is going to be a doozy.

-

Vehicles swarmed the front entrance of the abandoned mall. Construction workers yelled down to other professions down below. Firefighters formed a blockade around the closed metal door. An electrician and a locksmith stood behind them, locked in hushed (but certainly tense) debate on how to do their jobs safely. And, arguably tasked with the most important job of all, Gregory sat there with walkie-talkie in hand. Waiting for something, though only he knew what.

Inside the mall itself, final preparations were underway. Judge Glitch readied the elevator contraption. The tar-colored wires buzzed with Agonia’s energy, though the ghost himself was nearly drained. Vanessa peered outside the castle windows with weary eyes— All her attention fixated on Cassie listlessly trailing behind the greenish rabbit.

Minutes flew by for both sides. The unseen drums of justice rumbled louder and louder… Both literally and figuratively, given the Judge’s choice of music for the occasion. And, as amusing as it may sound here, it did not sound that way to anyone attending that morning. Especially once a torch-wielding Glitch decided to lead Cassie to the elevator.

With a flourish, the rabbit snatched the mask away with his free hand. He drew himself up to his most upright stature, then cleared his throat. “The child known as ‘Cassie’ has been found guilty of invading an abandoned Fazbear property and aiding a fellow lawbreaker,” he announced firmly, his voice echoing across the kingdom’s remains. “I have given her the death sentence, as per the protocol that has been rightfully bestowed upon me. It will be swift, momentarily painful, and a final voyage for this decrepit elevator.”

Cassie’s mind jolted out of its disorientation. Her eyes darted around, taking in everything she was about to encounter. The narrow walls that would be her tomb, the torch that would set the entire section ablaze, and the judge that would never be defied.

Her heart raced even faster as the rabbit leaned towards her. Before her eyes, his expression turned analytical. “Here you stand at the brink of the abyss,” he said in a much quieter tone. “And yet, you show only a typical amount of fear. The fear kids like you get when a roller coaster readies itself to plummet. Ever-gnawing anticipation, but no desire to scream and try to claw your way out. Not with you, at least.”

Cassie swallowed back her urge to tell him about her fear of heights. “What.. does that mean?” she asked instead.

Glitch’s left ear raised. He grinned. “It means that there’s still a chance to escape,” he explained darkly. “You become my new apprentice, and I’ll spare you from the fire. Gregory and Vanny will be free, you’ll be given a chance to live here, and I’ll have my bravest… ‘friend’ yet.” He watched his listener’s face closely. Her expressions were not promising, despite the enticing offer. “The choice is yours,” he concluded grimly. “It’s me or the fire. Think carefully, child.”

Everything Cassie witnessed last night played back in her mind. The conversations she shared below the castle. Agonia’s terror as the Judge entered the room and ruined everything. Vanessa comforting her as the rest of those terrible hours waned on. Gregory’s sobs as he recounted what he remembered from his previous encounters with The Judge…

All of this recalling happened in mere seconds, but it was long enough for her to come to a conclusion. She took a few steps deeper into the elevator. Her upset eyes focused on the rabbit. “No,” she answered coldly. “G-Give me the fire. I can’t let you hurt my friends anymore.”

The Judge gnashed his teeth. “So be it,” he responded in turn, straightening his posture yet again. He pressed the button with his free hand, then backed away quickly. “After some last-minute discussion, her fate has been decided,” he continued, switching back to his authoritative voice. “She has refused to accept my offer of pardon, so now I will do likewise. The sentence commences immediately.” And, putting words to action, Glitch placed the fiery torch on the elevator as well as the makeshift wooden beams surrounding it. The flames wormed their way around the beams, then got to work on what mattered. Slow as it was, it brought a triumphant smile to the rabbit’s face.

Agonia gazed from his bell tower. His eyes vacantly observed the scene before him. His master putting out the torch and walking away as if he had simply lit a campfire. The elevator creaking under pressure and intense heat. Distant, but incessant banging coming from the Pizzaplex’s front entrance— No doubt coming from locals who were as horrified as Vanessa was.

And, though one could debate what exactly caused it, something made him stir. 

No. He didn’t just stir.

He screamed.

“CASSANDRA!”

Descending into an even wilder panic, he leaped onto the railing. He pulled on the wires with all his might, but—as expected—he couldn’t loose himself. Not with his strength practically deprived from him.

The wires, however, did give him an idea. One that would’ve better suited someone like him, anyway.

With what ghostly power he did have left, he tugged his arm binds towards him. Purple sparks spiraled down to the bundles below, prompting them to spring to “life”. They tore apart what was left of the burning wood. A ‘stray’ one slammed itself onto the elevator control panel, mashing the up button with all its might. The rest blockaded the metal doors like a thorn wall, absorbing the orange flames and turning them a ghoulish violet hue as they vanished.

Using some careful (yet spectral) hearing, Agonia listened for the elevator’s cable system. Just as planned, it was ascending at the fastest speed it reasonably could. Using that knowledge, he primed his “army” down below. They split away like an upside-down curtain, leaving only the upper half open.

Judge Glitch (who had been yelling at Agonia for a few minutes by this point) now spotted an opening. He lit his torch once again, surveyed the bizarre opponents before him, then positioned himself to run. He let out a hoarse cackle before he charged at the elevator.

But Roxanne beat him to it. She furiously “shoved” him out of the way and scrambled to the two metal doors. Her two sharp pried them open, though it did take some effort. “Cassie, get out of there!” she bellowed, desperately relying on her own sense of sound to find the child. “We don’t have much time!”

Unfortunately, Cassie didn’t answer.

Roxanne cautiously leapt down. She could sense that Cassie was lying on the cold floor. 

As there was no time to mourn or to diagnose, however, Roxanne took this as a sign to scoop Cassie into her arms. The wires aided her as she jumped back into the main building… Right before they all had to dodge the lit torch hurtling itself towards them. Roxanne ducked and weaved out of the way. The wires slammed the doors shut a second too late. The elevator was on fire again.

Judge Glitch followed Roxanne in hot pursuit. He scrambled after her, struggling to snatch anything within reach. Anything that could pull her away from Cassie— Literally or metaphorically. But, as she was hopelessly fast for a sightless wolf, he had no chance of catching up.

As these two ran towards the side of the castle, the remaining wires regrouped. They waited for their master’s bidding, then slithered after the hurrying pair. Some slid their way across the floor, others scaled the walls like vines, but only a few properly followed the action before lifting the girl from Roxanne’s arms. Then, with effort on all sides, they carefully swung Cassie from one “friend” to another. They made their way to the front of the building, then rose higher and higher until they reached the bell tower itself.

Agonia watched as his newfound extensions gently laid Cassie on the stone floor. Then, with renewed strength of a different kind, he dismissed them with one cable-breaking tug of his arm. The purple sparks vanished from the lingering wires, prompting them to return to “lifelessness”.

After some more untangling, he hopped down from the railing. His satisfaction turned bitter as he finally confirmation on what happened to Cassie. She was, in fact, out cold. And most likely suffering from bruising, given how sudden the elevator’s stop must’ve been.

He peered at the world down below. Judge Glitch and Roxanne had finally stopped their chase. The fire was rising higher and higher, but that seemed to be the least of their worries. What they did seem to be concerned about was the sudden influx of actual humans invading the premises. And most of them were enraged rather than concerned by now.

Thinking quickly, Agonia zipped over to the cowering Roxanne. Tell-tale sparks flashed from her neck  as her demeanor shifted. She scrambled her way to the courtyard staircase, then fumbled her way inside. Her ears did catch Judge Glitch’s orders to “arrest” her, but that wasn’t her main focus. A brand new set of instructions ran through her subroutines: Go to Cassie. Tend to her in the lower levels. Leave them to me.

Not having much choice, Roxanne followed these instructions to the letter. She swerved onto the nearest staircase, barreled towards the bell tower itself, then vanished with Cassie as quickly as possible.

Agonia took one last glance over the railing. Because of his dealing with Roxanne, the commotion below took him by surprise. Several people were now banging on the doors as if they were barred shut. Judge Glitch held a third torch in his hands, screaming threats and brandishing sparking flames all about. The rest of the visiting group was either trying to put out the elevator fire or anxiously trying to find someone. Anyone who was reported at the first fire, if he was reading lips correctly.

In short, it was absolute chaos down there. Chaos, Agonia figured, he could reorganize if he just…

He froze in place. All of his flaws magnified themselves in his mind. The scars turned sickening and ever-winding across the more human half of his body. His crooked legs buckled under the weight of his lanky, yet hunched form. The more “pixelated” portion of himself seemed ever-changing like a horrific, living mosaic. Even his voice strained his own ears as he tried to wrestle with the rest of these malformations.

Dare he subject himself to scrutiny yet again?

Dare he subject those poor souls to his hideous appearance?

With a sharp twist of his body, he pried himself off the railing. He hobbled over to the giant bell and gripped the rope tightly. His uneven mouth formed a silent prayer as he shut his eyes.

A clatter of bells echoed down below. Most of the searching people stopped in their tracks. The more furious members were ushered to pipe down by their more levelheaded companions. Judge Glitch himself felt a surge of horror run through his “bones”. A couple of the rescuers yelled in triumph, though the elevator’s flames still posed a secondhand threat to them. 

Agonia, far too engrossed in his plans to notice, leaped from the tower to the Princess’ Perch. The bell slowly ceased its ringing as its ringer made his own voice heard. “Sanctuary!” he bellowed as best he could. “Sanctuary!” Then, after a brief pause, he yelled with even more vitriol: “SANCTUARIUM”.

That last word, though its meaning was the same as the others, struck pure fear in the heart of Judge Glitch. His ears pinned back. His eyes darted to and fro, helplessly watching his last shreds of power get stolen away. It took him a sharp prod in the arm to get him to return to some level of normalcy. “I defy the laws of Sanctuary,” he snarled as soon as he came to, yanking his arm away from a puzzled bystander. “Seize the Castle.”

“But, sir,” the bystander argued weakly, “I don’t even work here—“

“Did I stutter?”

“No, s-sir—“

“Then get some ‘friends’ and seize the castle,” Glitch sneered, looming over the frazzled ‘worker’. “Leave that gruesome ghost to me. I know just how to deal with him.”

Feeling hopeless about his words, the poor man simply nodded and fled. Glitch, meanwhile, stormed over to the courtyard steps. He tore past the rest of the crowd, leaving singe marks and searing pain in many shoulders. He rammed his shoulder against the door, but to no avail. His blood boiled even more as he spotted Vanessa slipping away into the main village. He would have shrieked some sort of insult towards her, but the sight of that cowardly “employee” recruiting some fellow ‘knights’ restored his senses. Even more so when they started crafting a makeshift battering ram from the remaining logwood.

Agonia watched all of these developments with a growing scowl. He gradually crept closer and closer to one of the tower pillars, eyeing it whenever he could. His mind spun with newfound plans, but only one seemed reasonable.

He put a hand to the ivy-like wires. His mouth once again moved with some kind of plea, though only he alone knew what that was. Whatever the words, it seemed to revive the mounds of cables with greater power. They regrouped at the front of the castle, transforming into a wide blockade.

The “knights”, completely unprepared for such a thing, dropped their battering ram. “We can’t get through that!” one of them yelled to the equally-alarmed Judge. “You’re on your own!”

Judge Glitch finally managed to stumble his way inside the castle. As he regained his sense of balance, a barrage of static and wave-like crashing drummed into his ears. Purple lights flashed under the door, but only for a moment. Any faint cries of horror he did hear afterwards, he brushed aside. Those weren’t the ones he needed to hear. Not now.

The rabbit quickly hid behind a tattered curtain. He waited there for a few good minutes, listening intently. Outside, it seemed as if the cables only made the less “treacherous” more bold in their futile attempts. Firefighters traded orders left and right. Construction workers reported their findings to some other branch of outside authority as they battled the smoke. Even Gregory and Vanessa banded together to rally some other rescue group.. Though, from what he could gather, these fools were not investigating the castle first thing.

Which was perfect.

All he had to do now was lay low.

From the west side of the hallway, a lone door swung open. Agonia, with a great swiftness he never had before, rushed into a half-open side door. “I did it, Cassie!” his hoarse voice cried out as it grew fainter and fainter. “I finally helped somehow…!”

The Judge stepped outside of his hiding spot. A grin finally returned to his face. Yes. He did, in fact, help. Very much, actually.

Dancing between motives, Glitch glided across the hall. He slowly descended the stone staircase, making his footsteps practically noiseless. His ears raised high in the air, adjusting themselves like television satellites. He had. To time this. Correctly.

Agonia, unaware of his master’s looming presence, followed Roxanne back into Eclipse’s chamber. His once-lively movements slowed to a tragic crawl. He tried to peer over the wolf’s shoulder, but her matted hair blocked his view. The lack of light in the room, however, did not bode well. Neither did the sudden dread building in his very soul.

He had witnessed this before, though not with Cassie. Not even with her circumstances, in fact.

It was a boy. In a hospital bed.

And… that boy was on his final throws. An accident that couldn’t be prevented was the cause.

The air, though much more musty here, carried that same cold feeling. The stillness of the scene matched as well.

“No,” Agonia thought as all these sensations sunk in. “It can’t be.”

Roxanne finally stopped. She moved aside, though she was understandably slow. Her voice box made no sound as Agonia stepped forward.

There laid Cassie on a pile of those pillows. Her body was motionless, even as Agonia approached. Medical kits and Roxanne-themed memorabilia blockaded him from drawing any closer. Diagnosis after diagnosis filed through his mind. Her skin showed no signs of fatal burns, despite the bandages she did have. The elevator change-up was as smooth as he could make it, but neither direction should have brutally injured her. So, given what little medical knowledge he did have, the thing that might have taken her was…

“The smoke,” Agonia muttered at last, clutching his head as he fell onto his knees. “The smoke from that pyre. It…” His attempt at a levelheaded conclusion melted into pitiful sobs.

Roxanne, relying on subroutines alone, scooped Cassie up into her arms. Wordlessly, she lumbered past the mourning specter. Her worn-down body ascended the stone staircase, nearly senseless to anything else around her. All that seemed to matter was the one objective she had left: To inform the rest, no matter the risk.

Judge Glitch, sensing his opportunity, emerged from the shadows. He strolled into the chamber, keeping his ears and eyes low. His expression stayed solemn as he sat himself beside his grieving companion.

The hunched figure felt a more deathly chill rush down his twisted spine. “W-We killed her, Master,” he stammered out hoarsely. “Both of us d-did.”

Judge Glitch raised an eyebrow. “We both had our duties,” he reasoned with a shrug, his tone gaining a bit of genuineness. “You had your foolish endeavors, and I had my job to carry out. All we can do now is go back to the way we were. Before any of this ever happened.”

Agonia’s expression shifted. “How?” he asked incredulously, turning to look at his master right in the eyes. 

“You come back with me, of course,” Glitch responded, faking a tender voice. “I’ll make sure you’ll forget everything about these past few months. The world out there, Gregory, Vanessa… All the things that’s led us to this awful night, gone within a week.” His eyes began to glow with those hypnotic purple rings. “We’ll need to adjust things, yes, but that won’t take long,” he continued, inching closer to his listener. “Come on now, onus meum, let’s go back to your Sanctuary. Your true sanctuary.”

Agonia blinked rapidly, then shook his head. “‘Sanctuary?’” he repeated with a scoff, backing away rather quickly. “This isn’t a Sanctuary—You’re not a Sanctuary! You’re a—!” He stopped. His skeletal hand tremblingly held his throat. Was his voice.. ever this clear before?

“I’m a what, Agonia?” Glitch questioned coldly, crossing his arms. “If you have to insult me, then at least be brave enough to finish it.”

Agonia gingerly rose to his feet. “You’re a dungeon,” he hissed sharply, gnashing his teeth. “I… w-would’ve said ‘leech’, but that’s an insult to the bug itself.”

“I don’t really think an actual leech would care, Agonia,” Glitch answered nonchalantly, rising to his own feet in turn. “Say all the nasty things you want about me. It won’t change a thing.” Once he was behind his listener, the rabbit halted his steps. “Your suffering will end one day,” he continued stiltedly, drawing out a knife from his tattered jacket. “And, if need be, I will make that day today.” He analyzed his target, readied the blade, then started to swing.

What was not accounted for was how quickly Agonia would turn around. In a matter of seconds, he was grasping both the judge’s wrist and the knife handle. The pair vied for control over the situation, but Agonia wrestled the weapon out of his opponent’s hands. He watched as his master fell back onto the floor with a thump.

Glitch’s heart fell to his digital stomach. “A-Agonia,” he sputtered out, tugging at his flopped-over ear. “A-Agonia, I—“

“My name isn’t Agonia, sir,” ‘Agonia’ cut in, his tone dancing between politeness and cold rage. “Not my real one, anyway.”

The Judge’s ears raised a little. “Really?” he asked in a honest tone. “”Wh-What is it?”

‘Agonia’ slid the knife between his hands, as if cleaning it of impurities. “It’s William Afton, sir,” he corrected before he tossed the weapon onto the floor. “But, in all honesty,‘Agonia’ better suits me nowadays. With or without you.”

To say that Judge Glitch felt a scream in his throat was an understatement.