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floripire · 10 months

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speed watching my way through s4, let's go!

4x01: flori is there when mali-landon's minddive is happening and she just winces through the entire interaction / monologue because "that's what i tried to tell you all, you're gonna have to deal with his conscious mind because he's aware of it all, instead of his subconscious mind which you're aiming for! it'll bounce back on us, too, he'll have access to our minds as well!" but she joins kaleb and tv!doctor s in mali-landon's conscious mind to keep him busy, despite the fact that mali-landon can definitely turn the tables on her and make her relive her own memories if he so wishes and he does: she starts in kaleb's, then moves on to her own (which is a mixture of the night her parents died, the night she turned into a vampire and sue died, and her stay at and break out from the detention facility). once everyone's back in the real world, she stays with kaleb for a while to make sure he's good before she goes off to find loren and mia.

4x02: flori vc: i am keeping this shirt and no one can do anything about it! because she's stoked about the whole movie in the square thing even though she can't be there in person to help out with the event. flori thinks it's kind of unfortunate that king kong was the chosen movie. i do think that she'd be with the anti squad + the super squad to help research while the others do the community service to make up for the last football game fiasco. (h: "that looks perfect. why doesn't our transfusion braid look like that?" / w: "uh, they recommend lion's hair." / h: "and what did you use?" / j: "shoelaces, mostly." / f: "but we could have another go at it if there is something - anything - left of that sphynx or any of the other creatures that we've dealt with so far. i'll call blaise and thea, they've gotta know something." / j: "we'll make it happen, hope, we promise." / w: "have you figured out who we'll be transferring into malivore yet?" / h: "i'll give you one guess." / f: "oooh, i'll play, it's gonna be that weird white guy, right? the one who disguised himself as vardemus before? sorry, word still travels about as fast as a vampire can run here, that never changed. news has wings, while the ground has ears.") at one point she's probably put on mali-landon watch and they talk about what happened in 4x01 aka her memory (triad, her sire, etc.) before clarke shows up. after the transfusion ritual fails, there is a moment in which flori just swears spectacularly in english and tagalog (because she's a sore loser and tired of all of this) and everyone looks at her like ??? and she's like: "that motherfucker had one job! one! job! and he fucked it up like he fucked up everything else!" plus, also, clarke worked for triad and maybe everyone else forgot about that but she will not be doing that, thank you very much! who's to say he's not just here to drag her back? "he might have turned over a new leaf but i don't trust that, i don't trust him, and i'll rip out my earrings and step into the sun before i go back to that hell-hole!" she's also there at the end of the episode where mali-landon chokes ethan with the chains.

4x03: mali-landon is out of his cage and back at the school there is a lot of arguing going on about whether or not hope should go full tribrid. flori stands off to the side with mia and loren, listening in on the conversation too. (personally i will be ignoring the upcoming dragon kaleb thing unless i can tie that into the night world lore i've established, potentially making him related to the drache family.) later on, kaleb and mg do the trolley problem and i feel like flori (directly or indirectly) gave mg the idea for that. it sounds like something she'd use to walk herself (or others) through a difficult problem or choice. flori is there during that big meal outside and she's sitting next to mia and loren while wade tells the group about that one time hope spelled a blowhard professor to only speak ancient babylonian and cringes when dorian reveals his favorite hope memory. as hope, josie and lizzie walk away to do a final spell, flori whispers not her favorite memory but an apology that she is sure hope will pick up because of her lupine hearing: "i am so sorry that i, along with many others, put you on a pedestal for so long. i will endeavor not to do it again. it is my sincere hope - pun not intended - that we'll get the chance to actually be friends and make good memories together too. i've never been to new orleans before. i think i would like to visit when all of this is over."

4x04: w: "one banshee candle and all the salt from the kitchen, as requested." / j: "hey, i thought we were helping you." / js: "believe me, i need all the help i can get." / j: "okay, well, do you need me to channel another monster? because i totally crushed it last time!" / f: "not if you actually want me to hemorrhage." / js: "no, i actually need you, wade and flori to be my last line of defense." / f: "which would be a much stronger line if loren and mia were here too. loren's a bennett witch and mia's a damn good wolf." / j: "..." / f: "you're also a damn good wolf." / j: "thank you, but wait, what do you mean, we just sit on our asses? no way!" / js: "it's important. i need you to clear out the school. make sure that no one can get in or out of this room. no matter what happens." / j: "we'll check in every thirty minutes." / w: "and we'll order pizza." / f: "i'll call the mystic tap to make sure they still have the good stuff on hand." much, much later on when cleo makes her entrance at the end of the episode, flori is relieved but saddened to hear about landon's fate.

4x05: hope has flipped her humanity switch and is now mia and with doctor s dead, flori is preparing herself to chase down every possible lead on hope even if it means she drops from exhaustion halfway through. the super squad is ruptured. but flori considers herself part of the anti squad first and foremost so she can still talk to kaleb and to the other members if need be.

4x06: flori is there during the simulations. she's getting her tongue pulled out, her fingers broken, her neck snapped, her head cut off and her heart ripped out. and watching as the same happens to her friends and loved ones. trying to fight simulation!hope doesn't work. trying to talk to simulation!hope doesn't work either. flori always goes down before cleo does so she doesn't know about the red oak stake. js: "are you skipping class now?" / ls: "we all grieve in different ways. we were supposed to meet up and go through spells hours ago. where were you?" /js: "trying to figure out what to do about hope." / ls: "our father is dead and you're more concerned about the person who killed him?!" / js: "dad wouldn't want us to give up on hope." / f: "and we might not have to. i just got off the phone with aradia crowley and she told me that the old powers are resurging in response to hope becoming the tribrid. to balance the scales a bit, the wild powers have also been activated: four people with special gifts. it may be a drop in the bucket, but we have to try. i'm gonna go see if i can track them down digitally and if not, then i would like to request a prolonged leave of absence." / ls: "granted." / js: "we can't do this alone." / ls: "watch me. or don't. 'cause you'll be going off, doing whatever else." / js: "if you'll figure out a spell, i'll be there, i promise." flori is not present for the training session (and even if she was, she'd want to sit it out). she is, however, present at the end of the episode; j: "look, uh, i shouldn't have said what i did." / k: "dude, it's... you're good." / f: "hi, i'm so sorry to interrupt, but if you're going after that thing on route fifty, would you mind dropping me off in harmony afterwards? i've got family there. and they know more about the wild powers than i do. oh, and speaking of knowing things: you should go for the eyes when you take it down. i'll wait in the car."

4x07: hope comes back to the school. flori is not present for salvatore idol (or whatever the darker equivalent of that is) as she is still in harmony, virginia.

4x08: flori formulates her own plan to find and work with the wild powers. she checks in with mia and loren and with the super squad. (in josie's simulation, flori is a technician who works together with wade, a nurse, and has a crush on jed.)

4x09: josie leaves the school and mystic falls, meanwhile, flori comes back to the school with new allies, new family members, and with a fully formulated plan to deal with the old powers. the sucky part of the plan is that there's a high chance flori could get hurt.

4x10: from this point on, my canon diverges significantly because i do not acknowledge the gods storyline. lizzie still turns into a heretic. aurora still enters the picture. but that's about it. instead of the gods, aurora is after the old powers to get tristan back.

4x11: flori works together with cleo to stall or stop aurora who is also looking to get her hands on the old powers so she can bring back her brother.

4x12: hope returns to mystic falls, still without her humanity.

4x13: hope comes to the school, looking for an army. not to fight the gods, but to stop the old powers from destroying the world. in all honesty, flori thought that hope might want to deploy those powers - those ancient forces of magic - to get landon and her parents back.

4x14: flori is there when vardemus does his chess game thing. meanwhile, hope's humanity is flickering, trying to get back in one inch at a time.

4x15: flori spends this episode working with the wild powers in preparation to push back the old powers.

4x16: hope's humanity is back on. flori visits her in the holding cell before lizzie shows up.

4x17: aurora doubles down on trying to get her hands on the old powers to restore her brother to the point of trying to summon hecate witch-queen, the ancient queen and ancestor of the hearth-woman (aka harman) witch tribe. hecate witch-queen and flori have a conversation about her role in the plan when hecate witch-queen astral projects to her, claiming that while flori might be a vampire, she knows a hearth-woman by heart and soul.

4x18: ft: water would just make the chain reaction bigger, you have to make a chemical solution to stop it. i asked an expert, you know, the one with a mind like a steel trap? the one you should talk to, maybe? she's worried about you." later in the episode, flori is there when hope gives her speech. instead of ken, aurora kills kaleb but he gets restored back to life.

4x19: aurora dies by hope's hand and the final battle begins.

4x20: through everyone's combined efforts, the old powers' resurgence has been stopped. though not without heavy losses. afterwards, flori attends so many funerals she's stopped counting them. while she's very stressed at the thought of potentially losing her home, she also realizes that she has one waiting for her in harmony, virginia, too. still, when she hears that the school won't be closing it's doors after all, she's relieved.

post canon: flori graduates from the school and goes on a roadtrip to find jed's sisters, gets drawn back to her own home town, fights the hunter trio after a reverse headdive and finds out that her sire wants to kill hope but that she's first on his list because he thinks she's a weak link in a long chain that will ultimately lead to her, anyway. at one point, hope kills derek and flori splits her time between immersing herself into the night world properly and trying to roll up whatever remains of triad industries together with mg. aside from that, she also does cyber security for the salvatore boarding school going forward.

#long post /#ooc.#queue.

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masterjasper223 · 2 years

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Pussycat

{Note: Y/C/N = Your Cat's Name}

Eric stares at the creature in your arms as though he has never seen one before.

"Eric? Are you even listening?" you demand, waving your hand in front of his face.

"Yes," he says, rattling off the list of instructions you gave him, word for word. "I was just... surprised."

"Surprised?" you repeat, furrowing your brow. "What's there to be surprised about? I asked if you could watch my cat for a couple of nights, you said yes. What were you expecting?"

Eric clears his throat, avoiding your eyes and your cat's judgemental stare. After a moment, it dawns on you what he must have been thinking, and you give him a pitying look. "Really? Who uses the word 'cat' for--"

"Anyway, why the no-touching rule?" Eric says, backtracking, as he now actually considers the words he recited for you. Food, water, litter tray... The unexpected responsibility weighs heavily on him, but even he can see that it would send a pretty bad message if he were to back out now.

"I don't want you to hurt (Y/C/N)," you say, nuzzling the cat's head affectionately, before setting it down on the couch.

Now it's Eric's turn to look confused. "I touch you."

"Yeah, well, I'm expendable. My cat is much more important." Eric begged to differ, but you plough on before he can argue with you. "And correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't have much experience with cats."

Eric does not correct you.

"So? Will you do it?" you press, fiddling with the hem of your skirt. "Remember, you can't just delegate this to someone, or glamour anyone into doing it for you. It has to be you. I'm trusting you with this."

You wouldn't be asking Eric if you had any other choice. You moved to Shreveport to be closer to him, so you have no friends nearby, and you don't know anyone else you can trust with a precious animal life. While even you have to admit that it's a job well beneath an ancient vampire, you suppose you'll just have to find some way of making it up to him.

To his credit, Eric hesitates for only a fraction of a second before nodding. "Of course," he says, holding your gaze. "You have my word."

Your shoulders sag with relief.

**********************************************

The next few days are full of surprises for Eric Northman. There's a moment when he thinks your cat is dying, because it makes a noise like a jug of milk being shaken back and forth and seems to be choking. He whisks the poor creature off to the vet at super speed, only to learn what a furball looks like for the first time as it immediately spits one out onto the waiting room floor.

There's a moment when the cat stares at a distant corner of the room for so long and so intensely that Eric becomes convinced your place is haunted, until he casually mentions it to Pam on his way back to Fangtasia and she tells him that that's just something cats do.

There's a moment when he sets down his TruBlood to go take a call, only to return to find the cat standing right beside the bottle, paw tapping idly at the glass, wobbling it closer and closer to the table's edge, all while holding the vampire's gaze, as if it's daring him to stop it in time. He manages to, thanks to his vampire speed, but afterwards he can't help but wonder: can vampires glamour cats?

So, the following night, when the cat jumps up in front of the television, blocking his view, Eric decides to give it a try. Intensifying his stare, he starts to speak in that gravelly, hypnotising voice that tends to make humans weak at the knees.

"I want you to get down from there."

The cat stares back at him for a few moments, its eyes wide, as if it's entranced... and then it yawns and starts washing its face.

Eric turns off the TV with a huff.

Finally, the night before you are due to come home, there's a moment when the cat jumps onto Eric's lap while he's lounging in your living room and butts its head against his hand until he pets it.

His guilt at breaking one of your simple rules soon turns to amusement as he finds all of your cat's favourite petting spots in about half a minute, taking care to be twice as gentle with it as he is with you, because surely that's good enough. Something about the way the feline lifts its butt when he scratches the base of its tail reminds him of you, and he chuckles to himself at the discovery. Not that he's ever done that to you, exactly, but you're very responsive to his touch, be it fleeting finger contact as he passes you a drink, or the brushing of your legs when you sit down next to one another on your cosy two-seater.

The cat kneads his thigh for a few minutes before curling up into a ball. Its purrs and rapid heartbeat are strange to him, but very soothing, and he almost falls asleep on your couch, before he remembers that he has a business to run.

**********************************************

"Any problems?" you ask, as you try to pet your cat, who ducks under Eric's chair, out of your reach. It's been stubbornly avoiding you ever since you got back, likely annoyed at your absence.

Eric thinks of the furball, and the TruBlood, and the fact that he broke one of your rules... But all's well that ends well, so he just shrugs and says, "None at all."

"I really appreciate the help. Is there anything I can do to..." You trail off, stunned into silence, because your cat- your cat- has just jumped on Eric Northman's lap as if it's the most natural thing in the world.

The vampire doesn't bother to hide his smirk as your cat headbutts his hand and starts purring loud enough that you can hear it across the room.

"You were saying?"

**********************************************

After Eric goes home, you decide to get an early night. You're still worn out from your trip, and a little extra sleep will probably do you some good.

It's too hot to sleep with clothes, so you get naked, throw a sheet over your midriff and bury your face in your pillow.

Sleep is almost upon you when you feel the bed dip beside your thigh. It seems your cat has finally forgiven you. You smile sleepily as you feel it curl up in front of your belly.

Then the bed dips again, this time at your back, and your blood turns to ice.

Someone's in your house.

But before you can scream, a familiar voice whispers, "It's just me," and you whip around to see Eric's blue eyes glinting mischievously in the semidarkness. He's lying on his side close behind you, elbow crooked and head propped on his fist, as if his presence in your bed is the most natural thing in the world.

"What are you doing here?" you hiss, trying not to startle your cat, who is now rhythmically kneading your stomach.

"You wanted to find a way to thank me," Eric whispers back, reaching over you to scratch your cat's chin. (The purring and kneading intensifies.) "I've come to collect."

"I didn't think... Not like this..." you mumble, watching Eric's dexterous fingers at work and trying to ignore the sudden spike in your heartbeat.

He smells so good, you think- then shiver as you wonder whether he's thinking the same thing about you.

"I'm not here to keep you awake," Eric murmurs, shifting closer, the better to stroke your cat's flank. "I thought we could have a little nap together. You, me, and the cat."

"That's all you want?" you ask, hoping you don't sound nearly as disappointed as you feel.

Eric chuckles, and his hand strays from your cat's flank to your stomach, then to your hip, sliding higher and higher, toward the bare skin of your chest.

"Oh, no. I want many things from you."

You gasp as his cold fingers reach the edge of the sheet- only for him to tug it up over your naked breasts.

"But for tonight..."

Eric presses himself against you, burying his face in the hair at the nape of your neck and throwing an arm over your waist to continue stroking your cat.

"This is best."

You can't argue with that.

It takes you a while to settle down, what with your heart racing a mile a minute, and skipping a beat every time you remember that Eric can hear it; but eventually you do fall asleep, lulled into dreams by your cat's sleepy purr, the heady smell of Eric, and the rhythmic movements of his fingers.

It almost feels like he's petting you.

#reader insert #eric northman x reader #Fluff #Eric northman imagine

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harrieatthemet · 3 years

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Mustache

He has never been keen on sharing.

And Gemma’s mere existence, as well as the small indent on her left thumb she swears is a scar (though Harry vehemently denies it is), is living proof.

Mr Ducky was his favorite bath time companion for a good bulk of his childhood. There were even times he’d carry it around with him in the house tied to a string like a pet, one of Anne’s fondest memories and favorite stories to tell whenever she found the opportunity.

Maybe it was Gemma’s own fault; she was only six at the time and was foolishly under the impression that the stupid rubber toy was at anyone’s disposal, which is what led her to try and situate the duck in her backpack as she geared up for school.

It’s also what led her to tears because Harry caught her on the way out the front door, Mr Ducky in tow, and he instinctively sunk his teeth right into the side of her hand in protest. And, okay fine, he may have bit down a little harder than he should have, but the overall message he was sending came across very clear. Gemma never touched anything he owned again for a very, very, long time; and eventually went on to tell everyone in her class she had a vampire as a brother.

“What do we think of this little number,” your hip jut, innocent as it was, just now became a permanent memory in Harry’s brain, “too much, like.. revealing?”

You like nice in red; devilish, even, and in the best way possible. There’s nothing revealing about the dress at all. Somehow, though, he finds himself perched squeamishly at the foot of your bed in complete fucking anguish. In theory, no, the dress is not too much. It’s the perfect ensemble and flatters you so well he feels like whoever made the dress conjured it up with you specifically in mind.

And no, it’s not too much, for literally anyone else except him. How is such a modest dress enough for him to think you up the way he is right now; bent over in front of him with your hair wrapped tightly up in his palm while that dress lays in a sloppy ball by his feet.

“Would be nice with nude shoes,” he mules, “like, those sandals y’ave, yeah?”

The way your eyes light up, that same way they always do when your mind starts to move at light’s speed as you start assembling a million different ideas into one, is enough to tug a grin onto his mouth.

He didn’t really want to agree to this. When you texted first to ask he ignored it, that way you’d have just carried on without him and he could blame a busy schedule or an overrun nap on his delayed response time. It’s much easier to blame a missed text for no response. Of course it’s not in your nature to send a text, and he knew that already. So it came a son surprise when he was bombarded by 4 phone calls. By the fifth one he had picked up, succumbing to you and just the flat out unfulfilled urge he had to hear your voice at the other end of the phone.

“Seriously Harry,” your voice is like fucking honey, sweet and sullen like it always is, and he’s in euphoria listening to it as you poke your earring through the lobe of your left ear, “it’s just, y’know I don’t- I’m nervous and I appreciate you helping me do something as stupid as picking a dress.”

“S’not stupid,” he reassures, “y’know I just like spending time with yeh, since y’so busy ’n stuff.”

Which is true. That’s the only thing that got him over here; and he rescheduled a zoom call just to sit in your bedroom for all of twenty minutes. Not one part of him regretted it, either.

“I’m busy?” You tease, “coming from the A lister who’s in London, than LA, than New York, London again, oh, than LA again oh, then ‘sorry love, m’in Tokyo.’”

Also true, he knows that, which is why he’s snickering at fault in response to your harmless teasing. He wouldn’t say it now, mainly because he doesn’t want to make it weird, but regardless of where he falls on the map he somehow still finds a way to fit you in. He’s never minded doing it, either.

Twenty minutes isn’t enough. Maybe another twenty more could be a sufficient amount. That’s almost an hour, right? Forty minutes is almost a full hour with you and he’d love to get even that much. Or twenty more hours, even, would be that much better. It’s better for him to think of getting more time with you than to let his thoughts wander and remind him of where you’re getting ready to go off to.

A date. It’s why he was so hesitant to come here. It’s hard enough as it is being a prisoner to his own thoughts, being around you and not getting to interact with you the way he actually wants; kiss you the way he wants, touch you the way he wants, hold you and talk to you the way he wants. Adding a new element to the mix, another man getting access to you the way he wants, well that’s just mental warfare.

You don’t know anything about though. And thank God, because if you could get a peak into his thoughts and see just a preview of what he thinks he almost knows for sure you’d ice him out in a heartbeat. He’s got a soft spot for you, nonetheless, which is why he swallowed the massive-sized lump in his throat when you told him you needed help on an outfit for a date and b lined it over to your place.

“Who’s this guy, anyways.” He chimes, following you similar to that of a lost puppy as you start heading towards the staircase, “Like, wha’s he look like ’n stuff.”

Immediately after he asks he wishes he hadn’t. The way that pesky fucking lump reappears when you wiggle your eyebrows in response, stuffing your hand into your leather purse in an attempt to fish out your phone. A simple response like ‘handsome’ or ‘he’s a nice guy’ would’ve sufficed for him. Seriously, that’s all he needed. What he didn’t need was an entire fucking slideshow of an above average looking guy. And he had a cool mustache, to boot, which really pissed Harry off for some reason.

“Should probably shave,” he squints his eyes at the photo you’ve got propped right in front of his face, trying his hardest to act like he isn’t so fucking jealous of that mustache, “kinda looks like a squirrel on his top lip."

“If I didn’t know you so well,” you tut teasingly, “I’d think you’re a dick.”

“You know me so well and still don’t think that?”

He likes the way your laugh sounds, and it makes him happy that he said something amusing enough to drag it out of you. And the toothy smile you pair with it practically knocks the wind right out of him. Everything you do seems to wow him, corny as it sounds. It makes him feel so at ease, and the butterflies he gets each time gets him reminiscing to the days where he was just a kid and had the worlds biggest crush on the girl who sat three rows ahead of him in grade school. He’s giddy and he doesn’t want you to leave for this date.

For a second he thinks about doing something elaborate; breaking his foot or faking an illness so that you literally have no choice but to hang back and look after him. That’s selfish though, and honestly just crazy and super fucked up, so he opts out of that. But he doesn’t want you to go so bad he seriously considers it, especially as you start sorting through the downstairs closet to find a coat that doesn’t clash with your shoes.

He could just be honest. He could just tell you that he doesn’t want you to go, solely because he’s absolutely infatuated with you and for every hour he’s awake and functioning you manage to consume every thought he has. He could just be an adult and tell you he’s got feelings for you that very much surpass a platonic, friendly demeanor. That might be a better way into persuading you to stay back with him than breaking his fucking foot.

“Ok now wait a minute,” he chokes, and there’s a painful twang that strikes his gut when you frown, “gotta tell y’somethin’.”

“What,” you groan, and he swears he would rather die right now than do anything else, “it’s the shoes, right? They make my calves look like I’m a running back don’t they?”

He wants to laugh but he thinks if he opens his mouth he would projectile vomit everywhere. But the thought occurs to him that if he does that than it would be an excellent excuse for you to skip the date. Though, of course, he runs the risk of grossing you out and absolutely humiliating himself all in one go of it.

So he shakes his head no. In fact he loves the shoes, and they make your ankles look slender and really compliment your legs quite nicely. Still, he’s scrambling to string together a coherent sentence because his brain is working a lot faster than the muscles in his mouth are and it feels like someone just super glued his lips shut.

“Speak now or forever hold your peace,” you tease, and the cheeky wink you shoot him over your shoulder just edges him even more if that’s possible at this point, “Styles.”

“I don’t want y’to go on this date, (Y/N).”

He’s well aware that he blurted that out in a way that he really, really, wish he hadn’t. Now the air in the room is stale and heavy, dense too, like someone just sucked all the air out and left the two of you here with nothing to inhale but words and unspecified tension.

And he’s starting to get more anxious as your playful manner dissipates. He can tell your puzzled not just be the demeanor of your face, but by the stance of your body because your letting shoulders hang the way you do when you’re a little uncomfortable.

“Oh,” you breath, and his chest starts sinking inward, “okay, I just- well why not? Do I not.. like, do I look bad or something?”

“No,” he coos, and he feels like the worlds biggest asshole when you start to frown, “No y’don’t- Christ, (Y/N) y’look amazing. Y’always look so fuckin’ amazing. It’s just-”

“What,” you huff, “than what is it, than? Why wouldn’t you want me to go?”

He’s really done it now. The proper thing to do would’ve just been to let you go, walk out with you and watch you drive off before he headed home himself. The proper thing to do would’ve been for him to just go home and think about you on a date with someone other than himself, curled up in a ball watching a Friends episode he’s already seen four times while he felt sorry for himself. But that’s not what happened, and what he should’ve done was just broke the fucking foot like he initially thought to do. That would’ve been less agonizing than this.

“Because,” he’s frustrated now, not with you but really just himself, “I should be taking y’out. M’absolutely in love with yeh, (Y/N), and I don’t have a cool mustache but I could take y’out on a date, ’n I want to so bad.”

There’s still that dense energy looming in the room, and his gut now too as he feels it winding up tightly in an anxious bundle of knots and twists. You’re not saying anything and the only thing he notices is that you’re breathing is vaguely staggered and your clutching onto that purse in your hand like he’s about to snatch it and run off. God, he should’ve just broken the foot!

“Please don’t go out wit him,” and now, his voice is small, “think it might kill me.”

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quarthly · 3 years

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Twilight characters as random animals that I think are oddly fitting

(Also yes, I am roasting the animals as well)

Edward: He would be a Cheetah. Now I know, seems like a cop out just because of his speed but hear me out. Cheetahs are, at face value, pretty cool. They used to be my favorite animal as a child, but then I grew up.

Cheetahs, through no fault of their own, are severely inbred. Now thats mainly because of poaching, but the cheetas anxiety also comes into play. In captivity, cheetahs are usually given emotional support dogs. I will admit it is cute but it negatively affects the population. Excluding one in the wild, cheetas can be to anxious to breed and thats not good for conservation efforts.

Cheetahs can hit up to 80 miles per hour in a couple of seconds. They are designed for fast running and agility. Their claws are similar to that of a dogs for better traction and they have elongated spines for longer strides. They have a thin build, long legs and a long tail for balance.

This has downsides though. Many times after making a kill, it will get stolen for them by larger predators. Thats right, they get absolutely bodied by the other animals. I should probably make these shorter but I'm on a rant now, so I guess this will be semi educational.

Throughout the series, we see Edward over estimated his abilities and value, constantly getting bodied by others. He's essentially a perfect mormon, though thats on S'meyers. He constantly judges others, dehumanizing them to their baser flaws, without doing any self reflecting. Him viewing himself as a monster doesn't really count to me. While he definitely hates himself, the only thing he is truly demonizing is being a vampire.

Bella: Picking up from Edwards, Bella is a Chocolate Labrador. Yes, she is his therapy dog. I feel like this is really fitting for her. I know Golden retriever would make more sense, as thats the most common breed for service animals. However, I kind of focused on her appearance. Only at first though! I just know that Edward raved about her human qualities and that would pass over as animals as well. Her chocolate eyes and brown fur, very average and boring. Thats essentially Bella. Even Edward wasn't into her until he got a wiff. Labradors a very loyal dogs and while they have more personality than Bella, I just couldn't shake it. Their also very stupid. Ok that's kind of mean, they're not stupid but when it comes to love, then yeah they are stupid.

I used to have a lab, loved him to death, but god he was something else. Very much danger prone, from their own stupidity or their lack of survival instincts. I know that labs are almost aquatic. They love water, swimming, all that jazz. We can just say that bella has a few screws loose in her dna and is just "not like other labs."

Rosalie: Now she was hard. There are quite a few animals that I think would fit for her. I'll list the other ones, but that one I went with is the Swan. Like Edward, seems a little on the nose, but I have my reasoning.

I was going to pick a predator for her, as she is shown to be very vengeful and viscous. I would have pick some type of cat, most likely a purebred, from a rich family. It could still work, but the swan just speaks to me on this one.

Swan's are known for being beautiful, graceful, and are pictured as the symbol of love. They are also very vain. Edward constantly brings up Rosalies vanity. She was constantly valued for her beauty as a human, so of course that crossed over in the transformation. She was raised to be married into wealth, she was used as a bargaining chip to increase the family's standing.

Rose has a very strong character and makes her opinions known. She's assertive and aggressive at times. She's not afraid to get dirty.

Swans mate for life and like geese, are known for being great parents. I was also going to choose geese as an option for the maternal instincts. I was wary at first because swans can be really aggressive. Like actually, you think geece are bad? Yikes bestie...

I was conflicted because swans are known for drowning dogs and sometimes people. However, I can actually see Rose drowning Bella. It's not that unbelievable lmao.

Emmett: Now this one is just ironic. I only associate him with bears. Its inevitable, but picking a Grizzly or Black bear is too obvious. So I went a slightly different route...

So I was going to pick the Sun bear just because of looks alone. Like, I'm not exaggerating, it looks like someone wearing a bear costume. I don't think it fits him but I know for a fact that he would dress up as a sun bear and sneak into a zoo to see if anyone would notice. I'll put a pic of it here

Like look at this thing. I have no words...

Anyway, what I picked was a Sloth Bear. Now Sloth bears are mostly nocturnal, which either way works consider vamps don't sleep. Their diet is also odd but honestly so is the cullens. They're native to the Indian subcontinent, and are known for being aggressive towards humans. Its said that for the most part they're pretty calm, so I think its just fear of humans that make them act aggressively. Honestly, that's a good thing because they are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red list.

They have some similarities with sloths, which is where they get the name. They have long claws and unusual teeth. They are known to hang upside down from tree branches, and is described as having a messy appearance. Honestly, Emmitt has a messy personality. Sorry bestie but you're a lot of work.

Now heres the biggest reason for choosing this bear. Aside from Baloo from the jungle book being a sloth bear, they are known to run fades with Tigers. Honestly, how fucking badass is that!? Now I don't think there are recorded instances of a Sloth bear killing a Tiger, but when push comes to shove, they can hold their own and I find that incredibly impressive.

Carlisle: This one was somehow the easiest as well as the toughest. I know Owl seems like the obvious choice, and I can see it. However, I believe Carlisle values emotional intelligence as much or if not more than academic intelligence. He is so charismatic and values other's above himself. He might not be as Saint like as Edward thinks, but he does try and I think he genuinely cares about others. For that reason alone, I choose a Elephant.

Elephant's are very social animals and are extremely intelligent. I could rave about them for ages, I love them so much.

Now elephants live in a familial unit and are usually matriarchal. Bulls usually are on the outer edges of the herd or form little groups with other males. Honestly, they're not that bad aside from when their in musk.

In the group of males, the elder ones will teach the younger where to get the best food, water, how to use things as tools, and every other thing that will increase their odds of survival. This is really cute to me tbh, they do this because the females usually choose the older males because they've proved that they are intelligent and strong, that they have survived and will continue to for awhile. Teaching the younger males these things are to make the odds of them getting chosen to mate more likely. The whole unit just reminds me of a father that has to deal with rowdy teens.

Carlisle likes to take in strays, he might not have a herd but he will make one and teach them to thrive. That's how he envisions it anyway. He just has a found family and is trying his best.

Esme: Now this might seem like an insult, but I promise it's not! This is in no way misogynistic. I love cattle and ever since I took animal science in highschool, I have appreciated these grass puppies like they deserve. Call me Castro because I love cows.

Yup! I chose a Cow for her. Specifically a beef cow. That might sound weird but its because beef cows have higher maternal instinct than dairy cows. I'm thinking Scottish Highland based on vibes alone.

They are nicknamed the Gentle Giants of Scotland. Super maternal and sweet and ugh look how cute they are!

Esme came from a abusive marriage and had just lost her child, she was depressed and desperate. Her changing was, in a way, salvation. She just fits in. She adopts all these strays along with him and will protect them to the death. She might be gentle by nature, but don't fuck with her family. She lost her first one and she isn't going to lose this one.

Alice: She's an odd one. There are so many possibilities and maybe I'm biased, but I feel like she would be a Crow.

Ok listen, I'm definitely biased but it just feels right. Crows get a bad rap, they are so cool! They are so intelligent and have the ability to actually sit and think about the past, prest, and future. I forget what its called, but this was only seem in humans! Maybe other apes, I can't remember exactly, but either way its awesome. They do live in groups, or murders, and remember people and faces. They remember locations and are able to pass down information through generations. They essentially have their own language! They are able to use tools too!

Alice's story is really sad. When we first meets her, it revolves around the death of her mother and her institutionalized. She was essentially tortured and forgot everything from her past. All she had was the future and even that wasn't constant. Crows a often viewed as omens, they are associated with death. I personally believe that instead of being the cause, they just know something is going to happen. They are very inquisitive and can be creative.

If you befriend a murder of crows, sometimes, depends or the group, they will bring gifts. Its can range from food to shiny metals and colorful plastic. Hell, I think I've seen a post of one stealing things from people just to gift it to their human.

Alice's love language is gifts. Even if they are focused around fashion, she still goes out of her way to get something that will look good and at least be a little comfortable. By that I mean she tends to forget peoples comfort zones, but she means well.

Jasper: Honestly not to sure what to put for him. I know a predator would be more fitting, but for some reason I can see a donkey working. I know, seems like I'm clowning on the confederate. Fair, but I'm serious about the donkey thing. Honestly, it would be perfect if it wasn't a herbivore. Porcupine would also work.

Being a predator would make more sense. Given his backstory and his characterization, it wouldn't make sense for him to be a prey animal. Usually I wouldn't count this, but given his gore filled past and trouble with the diet, it seemed fitting.

I see him as a Big Cat. Honestly, vamps in general just give cat vibes. Jasper though especially have some cat like qualities, which originates from hunting and being a soldier.

I specifically see him as a Mountain Lion. Aside from him being blonde, he just has the predatory stealth to him. In midnight sun, we see him use his gift to make the nomads overlook him. He's honestly really powerful.

Mountain lions are known for being stealthy with an air of grace and power to them. They are stong animals. And I mean strong. They can jump 40-45 feet.

They're very elusive and quite. They stalk their prey and tend to attack from behind but don't think they won't hold their ground if need be.

Jasper was changed during the Civil War and forced to fight in the Newborn wars. He was a soldier as a human and as a vampire. He's able to feel and manipulate others emotions. He's covered in scars and is very intimidating.

He still struggles with the diet and honestly I hate how the others handle it. Like they have no room to talk. I don't want to defend the confederate but it just pisses me off. He has to deal with his hunger on top of everyone else's. Like damn, besties always on edge! Everyone doubts him which I don't think helps any.

Also, Mountain lions and Cheetahs can purr!

@aquanova99 I'll do a Volturi one too. That one will be fun lmao

#twilight saga #the twilight saga #twilight au #bella swan #edward cullen #carlisle cullen #esme cullen #jasper hale #jasper cullen #alice cullen #rosalie hale #rosalie cullen #emmett cullen #the cullens #the volturi #honestly look at the muscle definition on that thing #jesus chriiiist

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thecitythatdoesntsleep · 3 years

Note

I’m the same anon who requested that collar whump and 🙌 it was so good!!!! if you want to go more whumpy I encourage it!!! The only limit I have is please no explicit smut. I’m fine with implied/referenced just not explicit. Otherwise you can go wild!!! I’d totally love to see it!!! thank you so much!! 💞💞💞

Awwh! I'm so super happy that you liked it, that pleases me greatly to know that it was enjoyable! I insist, for your kind words let me treat you to something extra whumpy!

Limits understood! Let's crank up the whump button and keep that 'too familiar' with Whumpee going. Mind if I add a pinch of obsession into that intimate whumper? You know, as a treat because you deserve it anon! Rewinding time a bit, this is before the first post.

(Tags/TW: Collar whump, Intimate Male Whumper, Female Whumpee, Kidnapping, Stalking, Obsession whump, Choking, Hanging, Swinging by neck, Neck whump, Broken bones, Noncon touching, referenced/implied noncon, Hot/Cold Whumper, Hair pulling, Drugging, Cursing/strong language, Vampire whump. )

"You were too naive, you know that?" Whumper stated, hand gripping a flawless face and watching pretty, gemstone eyes roll in their sockets. "You never saw me, all this time, watching you from afar."

"I hoped you'd notice, I really did. I was so messy a couple of times, I ran right into you and somehow you never even saw me." It almost sounded pained, the way Whumper said it. Thick with emotion as his grip on her jaw became more violent and drew her out of the haze.

"I don't know if I should be insulted... Or happy you're so oblivious to the world around you."

As soon as Whumpee made it through the fog, her features pinched in a grimace and the sight before her wasn't one she'd expected. She recognized him but couldn't place him anywhere, her mind telling her she'd definitely seen him before.

"But you're here now... and you're going to be my pet now. No one will ever know I didn't buy you, I made sure of it." The more he rambled, the more infatuated he became with touching her. First her shoulder, now he was holding her hand, bringing it to his lips for a clammy, tacky kiss.

"Y-You're all mine," He was frantic, panicked as if he was both excited and terrified for what he was actually doing. Having kidnapped and tranquilized her thus far.

"Like.. hell I am.." She rasped, watching him fight off a chuckle and lose almost instantly.

"Hah- You're not going to have a choice. I'm your Master and pets obey their masters." Whumper insisted, reaching for a collar that had been already chained up to a pipe in the basement ceiling. "I'm going to teach you how to behave down here first, then w-wh-when you're broken in, yeah? Then.. Then I'll let you upstairs like a real pet."

He grabbed her up by the hair and she flew into fight or flight as soon as she was lifted off the ground. He was big, she'd give him that. Tall, probably 6'4 and he definitely worked out and enjoyed his carbs at the same time.

She was on the shorter side, but she knew how to use her weight and no matter the tension on her hair; she wormed her whole body to wrench away from him. The force was messy, her system still getting used to the hazy, limpness in her limbs.

"Bad!" He growled in resonating anger, using the grip on her scalp to slam her head into the wall. The first obviously dazed her and the second left her stilling. "You're gonna wear your fucking collar! L-Like a good pet!"

She looked at him with stars in her vision and pain seeping from the back of her head, features cracking with lines of hatred. She could smell it, her skin had split open on the poorly constructed brick wall and it stung when it started fusing back together from her healing speed.

She couldn't let him know just how her body worked or she feared the worst of his wrath. He really seemed like a horror movie villain at this point, the way he stuttered and looked at her with such blatant, scrutinizing attention.

"T-Thats too high, take it down and I'll wear it." She tried to reason, feeling one of his hands grab around the front of her neck while the other repositioned in her hair.

"It's not training if it's not painful.. what would you learn from just wearing a collar?" He questioned, tone acidic like she was a moron for even thinking of suggesting such a thing.

Those damned drugs did her in, if only she'd been at full strength when he tried again to wrestle her over and up to the collar he had waiting on her. She could have thrown him across the room, easily, if he hadn't somehow managed to subdue her. Now it was a struggle to keep herself on the ground as the muscular human kept taking her footing away from her.

She kicked and kicked and even when she landed contact with his legs, she knew it wasn't strong enough to even pull a reaction from him. He eventually won, hoisting her up and latching the thick, chain collar around her neck to entrap her with her own weight. It was just in distance to let the tips of her outstretched toes barely brush the ground.

"There, now you can squirm all you want, you'll just go swinging." He mused, giving her a push by her hips and watching her uselessly grip above her in the swing.

She felt like at any moment, her neck would snap, a grinding sound in her bones giving a warning creak when she reached the highest point. Her vocal chords were ruthlessly crushed against the curvature of the chain and she couldn't stop the faux spasms she felt in long-deadened lungs. It felt like she was a human again, drowning or being smothered, only she hadn't needed real air in decades.

Choking gurgles of begging barely registered past how hard he'd started laughing. She was like a chandelier in a living room that a mischievous housemate knocked into. Swinging in whatever pattern or direction gravity took her until she learned that she'd only stop if she went still.

Finally whumper stopped her and grabbed her backside to lift her up against him, holding her face to face with a devious smile across his face. "You're l-like a piñata. It's kind of cute."

Her hands flew up and in a sound clap, cupped his ears in a deafening impact. Immediately his head started to ring and he dropped her with such force she nearly slammed into him again on the downswing.

Whumper covered his ears and shoved fingers in them, anxiously feeling for blood and unable to hear anything but an ambient whine. He was furious and the stunning pain left him staggering back a few paces to let her endure the remaining momentum. The faintest of garbled blubbering could be heard and it was his only hope that he hadn't been completely deafened.

"You stupid bitch.." He roared, louder than he'd realized in his current state. "Y-You just lost your fucking hands!"

A vicious latch onto one of her arms and his opposite hand grabbed her wrist, twisting and wrenching it beyond it's natural pivot. She grabbed onto his wrists, nails dug in but couldn't stop the force he'd held her with.

The crack was agonizing, it popped so many times and she would have vomited if not for the noose around her neck. The limb instantly radiated pain and fell limp, unable to hold upright on the destroyed joint. Muffled cries were distant to him and even though he was looking her in the face, she sounded soft.

She'd stopped swinging when he grabbed her second arm and gave the faintest of tugs back from his menacing grip. Begging, pleading without shaking her head or making a single noise.

He ignored it. Snapping the second joint in a long twist and the satisfaction that he had with the feeling of breaking a bone was maddening. He savored it, giving an extra roll this time and really feeling the damage he'd done inside her skin.

"I bet you'll behave for me now, wont you?" He picked her up once more, this time leaving space between their upper halves in hesitation. When she left her hands at her sides, he was pleased with the progress they'd already made.

"God, even when you're in pain and have spit all down your face, you're still pretty." Whumper praised, taking his hold on her a bit easier now, lifting her up by the backs of her thighs and encouraging them to wrap around his waist for reprieve.

They did, as disgusting as it felt it relieved the tension on her neck and she was almost grateful in just that short time alone.

He pet her head fondly now, pushing down the strands he'd frizzed and upset and he pulled his sleeve over his hand to wipe her mouth. Her lips hung open like she was panting but no breath escaped her, throat desperately trying to clear with small growls and hacks.

"I've never seen you blush until now, I feel special." Whumper pushed her bangs back and returned down her face with a loving sweep while holding her; thumb tracing her lower lip.

"I can't believe you're finally all mine. I get to keep you forever and ever and... You can't escape me anymore." As if his mind was looping through all the times he'd thought about her or thought about kidnapping her, he stared into her eyes blankly.

Even if she didn't remember, he certainly did. Every encounter, every time he'd sent her a drink at the bar and been to shy to say something. When she flat out rejected him for a dance. The time she'd gotten in a taxi with him and he didn't say anything to her. The week he'd paid for her coffee in the drive thru, strategically, every day getting ahead of her in line.

It had all been worth it.

"You can't reject me anymore. You can't hide.. or brush me off or ignore the gifts I get you." The more he rambled, he less he was looking at her and the more he was looking through her. He framed her body, wrapped along her curves with a curious hand. He abandoned the hold and let her support herself when he couldn't handle not touching her with both of them.

"Now.. I can finally love you how you deserve.."

Sorry it took me so long to get to this anon! I hope this is respectful of your wishes and not too much towards the descriptive side. I also tried to go with the same tropes you'd requested but just make it more miserable. ; ^ ;

I know there is a very thin border to intimate whump and it can transition beyond the boundaries very easily. So if you have any critiquing or things to avoid that could help in the future, I'd love to know so I can gain some more versatility. I would (ideally) love to be able to cater to all requests in all forms and insight will only help me with that goal.

Another apology for the wait. Had some personal life stuff come up and wasn't in the feelings to write much. But I'm back on the rise and I'm hoping to get to everyone's messages and requests within the next few days.

I will not be doing first come first serve, I'm just doing whatever inspires me with this batch. Sorry if anyone thinks that's unfair, it's just how it is for me as a writer. This is 1 out of 7 asks and I don't even remember which ones came first because I immediately convert them into drafts. : ( But thank you so much for the req! Hope you enjoyed. <3

#whump #whump prompts #lady whump #female whumpee #pet whump #pet whump prompts #collar whump #intimate whumper #tw whump #tw broken bones #tw hanging #tw choking #tw abuse #tw implied noncon #tw kidnapping #tw stalking #tw noncon touching #tw obsession #long post

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h0neyd3w-tea · 3 years

Note

Your Orange Light fan-fiction is fantastic. 10/10. I’m hooked, and I’m so excited for the next chapter now that there are new characters introduced in the storyline.

If you don’t mind me asking, did you already have a specific kind of vampire in mind for your Orange Light universe? Did you have any inspiration for your version of vampires? Your vampires seem quite feline-like, especially with the slitted eyes, which is a super cool addition to them. I’ve noticed so far that they have heightened senses, they can smell other vampires, they’re immortal, they have venom, they’re possessive and territorial, they have increased abilities such as inhuman speed, strength, grace/reflexes, etc., they can’t be out in the sunlight for too long, they can drink other liquids besides blood yet can’t digest food, their hearts stop beating after some time, some have their own unique abilities such as Wilbur’s mind controlling, their bodies run colder…they seem to have a hierarchy and familial bond in each Coven, similar to a pack of wolves, and silver can harm them…

I’m assuming they’re nocturnal as well? And that they can sniff out their prey? Do they have vampiric beauty to lure in their prey? How far away do they have to be to catch the scent of/hear someone or something? Are certain vampires far more…unhinged when it comes to the sight or scent of blood? Stuff like that. Or are these traits something we have to discover for ourselves and you’d rather not spill the beans?

I apologize if this comes off as an inconvenience. I’ve always been into vampires and each author’s version of their own vampires, so I’m, like, all into it. But once again, 10/10! You’re very talented! I never get disinterested in rereading each chapter and I’m excited to see what you have in store for it.

Aaaa, thank you!! ^^

I'll be completely honest with you, I had only the barest of ideas of what kind of vampires I wanted when I started.

I won't lie, while I was a big twilight fan when that came out, one thing I remember being disappointed about was the non-existent focus on vampires and their typical behavior beyond feeding and such. I wish I got to know more about their lifestyles, how they've lived alongside humans throughout history, and how that's affected their lives.

Therefore, I base a lot of my vampires' history and tendencies on what I feel is reasonable. Humans were originally nomadic, therefore I assume vampires must've originally been so as well, following the early humans from a distance either alone or with a Changeling. Then humans began to settle down, presumably, vampires would have to do the same.

And so on so forth.

I make a point to say that things changed during the first human and vampire war that occurred about 200 years ago in the story. Bigger Covens were unheard of before then, and Techno even says in the apartment that most vampire terms were made up by humans that vampires just rolled with, because there were no general terms to describe them and their behavior before then.

This decision was made on an assumption from the little knowledge I have from biology class, that predators can never outnumber the prey, and that the most desirable existence is a well-balanced symbiosis. The older, and therefore "superior" vampires, know this. It's the life they grew up with, it's more or less what they aspire to have, and do have in some cases. That's why enslaving and creating a global human farm, which is a semi-normal vampire troupe, would never happen in Orange Light. Like, they prefer free-range chicken over the more industrial chicken farms.

It wasn't really my intention to make my vampires big cats in humanoid bodies, but I do fully acknowledge that it's what happened.

I scored very low in science and biology, but I'm weird and have to justify every choice I make. Exhibit 1; vampires aren't actually dead. There's something in their blood that takes over both the heart's and stomach's job, keeping the blood flowing and replenishing. Which is the reason to why my vampires can't eat anything too rich in fiber and nutrition, there's nothing that can break it down anymore. The vampire blood can only get what it needs from human blood, taking all the necessary stuff from it.

As for what they can do... Well. I've made them quite overpowered. Your recollection of their abilities is accurate, however, it doesn't mean that they're omniscient. I haven't explicitly said so, but I personally think that they enter some kind of feeding frenzy they hunt. Having heightened senses and such can be great when hunting a human in a forest, but I can't help but think it'd be a pain to walk around in a busy city with heightened hearing and sense of smell and such. Therefore, I imagine that those are more often tuned down unless they're trying to search for something.

The abilities are rare, mostly because I have no idea how to balance it if they weren't, but also because I think superpower aus can easily get too complicated and therefore boring. My take on these powers is that vampires who might be inferior in a physical battle and with a strong talent or inclination for something, might develop a supernatural power connected to that ability or tendency.

Ex: Wilbur can charm people, because he's always been a smooth talker. And that, combined with his inferior physique and the devil's luck, gave him his ability. It's limited, and would not be effective on a battlefield, but it's still op as fuck.

Vampires are mainly nocturnal, yes, but as hinted at in the earlier chapters, some of the older ones need close to no sleep at all. I don't know about any vampiric beauty, other than I guess that people would be attracted to clear skin, healthy hair, clean clothes, and self-assuredness which most vampires have. I don't really know how to make it an enchanting thing really, it's more about how smooth the vampire in question is.

Vampires are probably more often than not crazy according to human standards, they have different priorities, different norms, and views on what is and isn't acceptable. It's like a different culture than I have just the barest of understanding of.

Thank you so much for this ask, it was incredibly lovely, even though I ended up rambling more than I wish I did. You asked a lot of great questions that I probably will and have alluded to more than said outright. I'm really happy that you took the time to write such a nice ask, and actually ask these questions. I prefer to write as if we're on the outside looking in, and while that's great for its mysteriousness, it can be a bit messy to understand fully. :)

Again, thank you so much, I hope I didn't forget to answer something but feel free to yell at me if I did! :D<3

#ask response #Orange Light (Painted by Morning Sun)

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praphit · 3 years

Text

F9: What does Absurdity even mean anymore?

Due to COVID, I thought that my last movie theater experience was going to be "Bad Boys For Life". I'm happy to say that if I died today, I would be telling souls in Heaven that "F9" was the last movie I saw on the big screen (I'm sure that films are big talking points in the after life).

There weren't too many people there:

There was a woman coughing in the corner; I barely looked at her. I imagined that COVID was mugging her, and I didn't want to be a witness, and so have COVID come after me next. I'm vaxxed, but still I was thinking of ways to distract COVID, so I could enjoy the film. There was an old couple sitting up front (like REALLY OLD... sitting UP FRONT... Ha! that's awesome). Awesome or not, I was going to point them out if COVID came after me. There were two obese kids sitting a few rows behind me that I could also point out, as well as my friend that I was sitting next to... what?? Look, they would ALL want me to escape, so I could bring my "F9" review to the people!

WHAT??!

Let's not talk about my survival skills, let's talk some Vin & the Fam - that's why we're here!

It took a while for me to remember what was going on:

Dom (Vin), Letty (M. Rod), and their... kid? Oh, right, they have a kid, and they moved on to start a new life together.

Didn't the real mom die or something?? Idk. You've got the British lady from "GOT" still hanging out with Luda and Tyrese.

(they so crazy)

"Hobbs and Shaw" are still gone

(making their own money, cuz bleep family!).

Brian (Paul Walker's character - rip) is apparently, now everyone's babysitter. So, if anyone in this gang, who could die on any of these missions, ever have kids, they can just send them off to Nanny Brian's.

There's a dude named Mr. Nobody who sometimes sends the gang on secret spy missions.

Oh, and people in the gang keep coming back from the dead. Boom! We're caught up with this absurdity. That's actually what I asked for when I got to the movies

"Give me one ticket for Absurdity please."

In this batch of the absurd, we find out that Dom has a brother, and he's John Cena (Jakob).

Charlize Theron is back! That must have been the worst bet that she has ever lost. I consider her to be one of the most underrated and underappreciated actors we've got, but movies like these ain't helping that case.

And who's idea was it to give her that haircut? - part of the bet she lost, I suppose.

It was reported that the gang goes into space (at least two of them do).

Annnnd the X-Men Jet is back!

(it really does look like that - Wolverine included)

Seriously, after the X-Men's last two movies (which were turrrible), I was expecting them to crossover for a fresh start. Why not?? They're a spy team now, that goes to space! - nothing should be off the table.

They're looking for two halves of some... war sphere?? If put back together with some key... idk... John Cena rules the world.

Remember when Vin and the gang were all about street racing, money, survival, and brown booty? - those were simpler times!

But, why discuss the plot? Seriously, why? None of it makes any sense. From Dom and Letty living like Amish people (which is an ending worse than death for action heroes)

to their convoluted explanation for bringing the latest person back from the dead (which reminds me of a married couple, when the husband or wife get caught watching porn, and try to explain that it was just a pop-up that came out of nowhere. The other spouse gulps their glass of wine and plows forward - that was me with this - gulping my soda (with a lil Henny) saying "whatever guys, let's please just move on".

and what's going on with the two brother's is a thin thread at best. AND the villain's motivation...

But, it's foolish to get into that., and take points off. I LOVE THESE MOVIES, but it ain't for the story. Let's grade "F9" by its own standards:

Racing, Action, and Family (they graduated from booty to family):

Racing

They've done the racing in a small city thing before, but this time it's with magnets! - SUPER MAGNETS!

YES!

I loved this! Cars are getting sucked into magnets. They're using them to make people fly away and explode. Which btw, they did my man Francis Ngannou wrong (an mma fighter). There's a fight scene with a giant white dude on top of a speeding vehicle. That giant white dude could have and should have been the role for Francis, instead he's just here to say high, and then blow up. As much as I loved these scenes, they were too quick in some areas. I think if they had slowed some of the magnet stuff down a bit, we could appreciate more what's happening.

Action

M.Rod is legit.

She needs her own franchise. The only action star I enjoyed more than her was Vin, and that's really due to the absurdity of one scene. Do y'all remember the "Civil War" scene when Captain America has one hand on a building and another pulling back a helicopter??

It's the same level of strength needed for what Vin does in some underground chambers. You can see a bit of it in the trailer. He pulls the whole place down, and then, just like in "Civil War", he ends up in the water (but unconscious). Oh, and he does this after beating up like 50 people at once. Ha! I love it! Then, how he is rescued (cuz c'mon, he can't die) is splendidly preposterous, and I mean that is a complimentary way. That scene is perfection.

The only action that bothers me comes from Dom's sister (mia).

She just doesn't sell being a fighter, but whatever. No disrespect... she’s beautiful, but... her hair might weigh more than the rest of her body.

Apparently, the highest trained fighters (agents) in the world (who have GUNS) never trained for a unskilled, unprepared, 110 lb woman in her 40's with a frying pan.

Family & Corona

Tyrese and Luda are always funny, but their act is growing a bit thin. It actually felt like an act this time around. I think it's time to add another black man in the mix; perhaps one who's older than they are... TRACY MORGAN?

Throw an OG in there and it'll freshen things up again. I do like though how Tyrese is starting to suspect that they might be immortals. I think they should test that theory out in the next movie; maybe have Tyrese break the fourth wall, kinda like Deadpool, as he realizes this is just a dumbass movie.

Dom and Letty's kid... terrible. I'm sorry! This is a bias of mine, but kids normally suck at acting. This one is no exception. Just get an older actor to play the young kid. I'm thinking Ryan Reynolds would have been a good choice.

You may be saying "that's absurd!" - I'm glad that y'all can still tell what that word means, cuz I can't.

The rest of the chemistry family magic is great!

Oh, and Cardi is here, but... barely (for like 30 seconds, if that).

No rapping, no wapping, no cursing... kind of a waste of Cardi B, if you ask me.

John Cena aka Jakob with a K!

Meh. JC def has charisma, just not in this movie. He doesn't stand out at all. You know?? - The Rock, Jason Statham, Charlize Theron, etc all have a presence about them in this franchise. Cena?! what happened, buddy?

There are certain music artists whom you'd think would have a great personality based off their music and how they dress. But, then you meet them, and you realize that they're just normal bozos like you and I (only rich and famous). And normal bozos like you and I, AT TIMES can be boring. You gotta have some flair if you're not going to have personality. Give my man some pink glittery highlights, a face tat, some vampire teeth, and maybe a chainsaw for his left arm or something.

Grade: Good action. The absurdities were funny. I was entertained! Production was great! BUT it's getting tired, my friends. It's the same formula that I've mentioned and then, like always, they're grilling and drinking Corona's in the sun. After nine movies (with at least two more on the way)... I never thought I'd say this, but it's actually not absurd enough. Wait... I seriously can't believe I just said that.

I need to say that again to know it's real.

This movie wasn't absurd.. enough? ENOUGH. IT WASN'T! They're going to need to step it up for the next two.

They were in space, but not for long. They raced for the most part in regular cars (regular for them). . You only brought ONE person back from the dead??! C'mon! We can do better.

I'm giving it an entertaining C+

I like that we saw different younger Dom's (during flashbacks) through time. I think that the next type of vehicle they bust out should be a DeLorean.

Y'all feel me?? TIME TRAVEL, baby!

Vin and the gang race through time! They can have Tracy Morgan. They'll each have a younger version (or older) of themselves join the group. Cardi B will actually do something this time - maybe turn into a car!

And maybe Cable shows up as they tie it to Marvel.

Think bigger, Vin!

#f9 #john praphit #praphitproductions.com #action movies #movie reviews #marvel #praphit #vin diesel #michelle rodriguez #racing #fast and furious #cardi b

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clansayeed · 4 years

Text

Bound by Destiny II, part 2 ― Chapter 9: The Arrival

PAIRING: Kamilah Sayeed x MC (Nadya Al Jamil) RATING: Mature

⥼ MASTERLIST ⥽

⥼ Bound by Destiny II, part 2 ⥽

They fled New York with one purpose. Find, hunt down, and return with a way to kill a vampire god. They abandoned their loved ones and survived the City of Shadows; had their trust broken and darkest secrets brought to light. All that... and Gaius still won anyway. But now that they have nothing to lose, Nadya and her friends are finally ready to do whatever it takes to see the King of Vampires overthrown.

They just have to avoid a vampire population eager to gain favor with their new monarch, the ruthless Order of the Dawn, and whatever plans Gaius has that involve Nadya captured and brought to him alive. So... easy-peasy, right? The worlds of both dark and light hang in the balance. The time has come for the Bloodkeeper to embrace her destiny. So if anyone wants to clue her in on whatever that means, now would be great!

Bound by Destiny II and the rest of the Oblivion Bound series is an ongoing reimagining project of the Bloodbound series and spin-off Nightbound. Find out more [HERE].

TAG LIST: @googlesentmehere, @cess02, @hellyeah90sbaby, @tayab12, @saratustra4, @imnotdonewiththeelementalists, @thepotatobleh,

*join the Tag List here!

⥼ Summary ⥽

It's the night of Vlad's masquerade ball, the most prestigious social event a vampire can attend. An entire ballroom full of faces and names every vampire in Europe knows... and apparently Nadya is going to upstage them all.

content warnings: language

[READ IT ON AO3]

A pretty big chunk of their plan relies on the staff of the Tepes Estate being just as snobbish and uppity as the man they serve.

So thankfully at least something is both easily predictable and surprisingly convenient.

Staff all around, and none of them pay the pair of them much mind. Beyond the fact that they get told by more than one footman that “guests really shouldn’t be back in the staff corridors” and receive multiple warnings about how “the Count has ensured all guests for the evening, (said while looking down the biggest snooty nose in all of Prague no less) no matter their prestige, will receive adequate time to sup on the serving staff,” and that they “really shouldn’t be allowing an undisclosed human on the premises but will look the other way this time,” Nadya and Cadence are pretty much left to their own devices.

Which means scurrying out of sight before any lone particularly loyal member of the Tepes household decides to go narc and everything ends up exploding in their faces anyway.

Because there’s no way on earth these full-face masques of theirs are providing any damage cover should their plans go KABOOM!

Nadya casts another look up at Cadence as they come across their umpteenth fork in the road. Watching him decide between right or left is starting to feel as nerve-wracking as actually choosing which direction they ought to go.

“You’re sure you know where we are?” You’re sure you know we’re going the right way?

“I’m starting to feel like you have less than zero faith in me, Nadya.” He probably thinks the glance down her way is a reassuring one. But the masque over his face is almost too neutral. It’s just a mask but it feels like it’s trying too hard, you know?

“That’s not it at all. This place is just…” A lot.

He barely remembers to reach back and take her by the hand before he chooses left in a hurry. Who knows how much time they’ve wasted just trying to find their way through this seemingly endless castle.

“It takes me a moment to recall the map Serafine showed me before we left, but I’m… ninety percent sure I know exactly where we are.”

“And the other ten percent?”

“Is trying to keep an ear out for party noises. So if you’ll zip it, thank you.”

Admittedly Nadya would have a lot more faith in this plan if it wasn’t just the pair of them, proven stumbling disasters that they are, relying on the apparently flawless memory of a man who literally introduces himself as ‘the one with amnesia.’ She understands the rationale behind it, just as she understands the rationale behind everybody else going through the front door like an entourage of normal party-goers. They have three prestigious faces and what Jax and Lily lack in clout they make up for in being practically invisible as nobodies to this upper echelon of attendees.

But shoving the two bigwigs of their gang — well, the most recognizable face in any room of vampires and the obviously human girl losing her freakin’ mind amid a cluster of the heartbeat-less undead — through the staff entrance with nothing more than simple masks to disguise them and trusting them not to mess up finding their way among the rest in time for some famed big reveal they still don’t know the full-on details of…?

Well if they live through this long enough to chronicle this part of their journey, nobody is ever allowed to even so much as imply via metaphor that Nadya never trusted her friends wholly and completely.

Actually if they’re talking about chronicling stuff, better they leave these more vague and improvised parts of their master quest to the footnotes. That way they can pretend they knew what they were doing the whole time.

For example Nadya isn’t gonna let anyone write down that she got so wrapped up in her thoughts about what may or may not get written down that she walked face-first into a brick wall.

OW.

Not a brick wall, actually.

Cadence turns around and catches Nadya’s mask just before it falls and shatters on the ground. Thank you vampire super-speed.

“Are you okay?” He asks, wide-eyed and worried, hesitant to give her back her disguise to take stock of how she really looks.

That’s such a loaded question though, so Nadya ignores it and rubs the redness on her forehead instead.

“Why’d you stop?”

The vampire takes a moment to look up and down either end of the corridor and even around the next corner. When he’s satisfied they’re alone he pries his own mask off with a groan; practically peeling his flattened hair from where its been stuck to his forehead the moment he put the darn thing on.

“Because,” with pursed lips he blows his fringe out of his eyes, “I’ve been talking this entire time… and even when I ramble you usually have some two cents or other to pitch in.”

That’s fair. Nadya takes back her mask with a sheepish shrug. “Sorry, got distracted.”

“That much is obvious. Care to share?”

“Not really. Care to keep going?” Not like they’re exactly full of free time, here.

He sweeps his arm in an after you motion, but keeps pace with Nadya’s shorter stride. “I can hear the string quartet by now. We’re close, but they haven’t begun the announcements Serafine told me to wait for.” So maybe they have a bit of free time. Got it.

Only now she can’t stop thinking about what will be on the other side of the big grand ballroom doors.

And Nadya without her set of note cards to at least help her through her dumb speech all because her dumb dress has no dumb pockets.

“You know I still don’t get why they wouldn’t budge about you not being discovered.”

“You don’t see me complaining,” Cadence says with a shrug; and actually now that he points it out…

“No, I don’t.”

He doesn’t need to look at her to know exactly why she says it that way, either. It’s not the first time they’ve had this talk. Probably won’t be the last either.

His sigh sags from his shoulders to his fingertips. “‘Surprise warmonger back from the dead’ might accidentally eclipse ‘reincarnation of the vampire Goddess.’ Can’t have that, now can we.”

“Cadence.”

“Nadya.”

They turn another corner in complete silence. Nadya’s ears strain to hear this quartet of his but nope, not close enough for her poor human ears quite yet.

Finally Cadence seems to decide on something. Gathering himself up all the way to his full height while fiddling with the porcelain in his grasp. “Actually… Serafine and Kamilah gave me the option. When they talked about prestige all this week it was largely assuming I might be able to pretend just enough to add to their collective fame. But they gave me the choice as to whether or not I wanted to try.”

“And you said no.”

“Of course I said no. I don’t envy you, Nadya. You have to do this regardless of whether or not you want to. But for the first time it feels like I’m not in that position, and I want to take full advantage of it.”

His face falls, voice going somber. “Surely you can see why.”

She can. She did, in the flesh, and while he’d been useful at the time she can still close her eyes and remember how easily Cynbel had threatened Jax, hurt Adrian and Serafine; how callous he’d been with her life even though she’d agreed with him at the time… Not to mention all the implied things that come with Serafine, always calm and cool and collected, losing her freakin’ marbles every time he ended up a part of the conversation.

He continues. “I don’t think I could have pretended to be him if my life depended on it. And if you think about it, your life does depend on it in a way. I couldn’t risk you like that. Not after how kind you’ve been to me.”

Her fingers brush over his arm. Cadence either takes it the wrong way or chooses to give a purpose to something so small; he bends his elbow and lets her arm slide into his like a proper escort to a proper ball.

“A lot of people’s lives depend on me pretending to…” Nadya can’t quite say it though, so she swallows it down. “I just have no idea what I’m supposed to do when we get there.”

“Understandably.”

“Seriously,” offering him a wry and dry smile, “that’s all the advice you’ve got?”

He mulls it over for a good and proper think. The effort is more than appreciated even if it doesn’t actually yield results. At least this way she gets to vent it out before messing up royally when the time comes.

Cadence stops first — their linked arms jerk her back and to turn and face him. “I wouldn’t call it advice, per se,” gee—great, “but maybe we both suck at pretending because we ought to be accepting, instead. Accepting who we… were. Possibly, in your case. That way we still have the chance to move on.”

It’s a sweet sentiment, but Nadya can’t help the way her nose scrunches up slightly.

“I don’t think that applies to this case, Cade.”

“Fair enough. Can’t say I didn’t try.” And that makes the pair of them laugh, no matter how weakly. Something neither of them knew they needed, nor how badly they needed it.

It doesn’t last long… but it doesn’t need to.

“You’ll figure it out when the time comes Nadya. You usually do.”

Usually.

In wordless agreement she and Cadence don their pretend masques with mutual reluctance. At least he doesn’t have to breathe in his. But it’s easier this time to see what his face really says beneath that neutral doll-like expression.

She smiles at him in return. Like many things these days they can’t quite see it, but the feeling is there.

When they get close enough that Nadya’s ears no longer strain to catch the occasional tittering laughter or melodramatic voice, Cadence diverts them yet again. This time for a staircase he just so happens to catch sight of out of the corner of his eye.

He keeps her close; closer than before. Practically hovering over her like a shadow less than a step behind her the whole way up. She pauses when he pauses, she waits when he waits, and trusts him enough to know her faith isn’t misplaced but some explanation would be swell any time he’s feeling his usual chatty self.

Crouched close to the ground (which is a feat for him, for her not so much) Cadence crooks a finger at Nadya to join him in inching steps along the carpet towards the railing overlooking the main foyer below.

Nadya is, understandably, hesitant. “What if someone sees us?” What if someone smells me, hears me, all-of-the-aboves me?

“Same principle as before.”

“Keep close and your blood will cover me up?”

He nods. Not like she really has any other choice. Well, that and the more snatches of conversation she plucks from thin air the more curious she is.

And when has her curiosity ever not won out?

Cadence’s cloak comes heavy around her other shoulder and all but smothers her. She grabs the edge and pulls it tight while making sure not to jostle it from his shoulders. For some reason she can’t shake the feeling like she’s hiding behind a curtain with her feet sticking out underneath.

But they’re here, so they might as well take advantage of it. So Nadya joins him in peering through the stone balusters to the hustle and bustle happening below.

The foyer had been beautiful already during her visit with Serafine and Jax the other night — Nadya would even go so far as to assume it was nearly completed. That assumption would have been vastly incorrect.

It’s not her contacts; she’s not seeing double. Every bauble and ribbon and glittering glassy gem brought along the entire family. There’s practically no surface without something shiny added in some form or another, and in many cases that shiny thing has a shiny thing has a shiny thing of its own on top.

On their own the decorations probably look gaudy and too-much. But when you fill the room with graceful vampires all dolled up in unique fashions and splendors everything else is lost in the background. Tasteful would probably have ended up the equivalent of a fifty-buck Party Town Supply budget. So at least the Count knows his audience.

She should be looking for their friends… and she is. But Nadya tells herself it’s being a good and thorough secret agent to observe all the other guests along the way. Two birds and all that. But it’s not easy to just sweep her eyes over the assembled masses in search of a few key faces. Not when each masque is a face all its own.

You’d think there are only so many combinations of colors, designs, and styles to make before they start getting repetitive. But that couldn’t be farther from the case. She gets it now, seeing everything and everyone from way up high and afar like this. The importance of not just the masque itself, but having the right kind of masque above everything else.

Masquerade balls are about hiding and blending in; being just another face in the crowd.

Les Visages de la Gloire is the exact opposite. And even that feels like the most watered-down way to put it she can think of.

A gentle weight falls on Nadya’s back and she shudders a gasp. When had she stopped breathing? Not for fear of being caught, but at the beauty of it all that could only be described as—literally—breathtaking.

Faceless in their full face-coverings and headdresses each more ostentatious than the last; not important enough to show who they are but still in competition with each other — still with deeds to announce and reputations to uphold. Half-masks covering the left side, the right side, the top of one and the bottom of another and all of them made uniquely for a single soul and nobody else.

Some vampires have masques that match their costumes. Others clash in a way that can’t be anything other than on purpose. Even from a distance Nadya can see the difference between carefully crafted metalwork and porcelain painted with glossy lacquer; can compare wood carvings with rich varnish and contrast that with the vast rainbow of matte colors on terracotta. Most are adorned with embellishments and jewels heavy enough to make her neck hurt just by looking at them.

Nearly all take full advantage of the fact their wearers won’t end up suffocating on the other side.

And I’m supposed to show them all up without so much as a sheer ribbon over my eyes? Yeah, Nadya’s confidence takes a knife to the gut just thinking about it.

“Over there.”

Not like Cadence’s finger isn’t pointing down to a massive crowd or anything, but that’s exactly the point — forgive the pun.

Though they can’t quite see double doors leading inside the castle from the exterior from their hiding spot, the sudden hush that falls over the idle crowd offers up an equally dramatic entrance.

It’s the kind of arrival that would be filmed in slow-motion. The kind that pans up from the purposeful echo of each expensive step; dragging over the exquisite details of their costumes in one long smooth glide all the way to the big reveal. And what a reveal it is.

Kamilah’s spindly masque may be made of steel but it curls over her sharp features with all the grace of a silken thread. It’s a face covering by only the thinnest margin of definition, with too many gaps in the framework to even pretend to conceal her identity. But after taking in the rest of the crowd… it’s obvious she’s the kind of face — the kind of presence — that simply can’t go unrecognized.

Everything about Kamilah, from her posture to her raised chin to her not-at-all-faked aura of superiority, demands recognition.

On the surface she’s the woman that Nadya knows; that she trusts and cares about so so much. But look beneath, something all too easy to do — like sweeping aside a mist, it’s impossible to miss how she’s so much more.

The Bloodqueen has arrived. And the entire foyer is speechless before her.

Without even moving a muscle the closest groups stagger back several more steps. Dozens of them nearly tripping over themselves and each other in their haste.

It’s no surprise that the space is quickly taken up by the two figures flanking Kamilah’s sides.

Serafine’s masque isn’t so much a mask as it is a scrap of lace just wide enough to earn the collective approval. As if anyone here doesn’t already know who she is regardless. But that’s how she can pull the look off if Nadya is remembering her explanation right.

No one would dare partake in Les Visages without knowing—without introduction—the woman who started it all.

Some final vestiges of their psychic connection tugs Nadya towards her; not physically so much as emotionally. Even without seeing Serafine’s features up close there’s a bittersweet ache in her chest that’s definitely not Nadya’s own.

The vampiress can offer up all the scarlet-lipped smiles she wishes. They are all hollow and fake. The simple act of being here causes Serafine nothing but distress.

And then there was Adrian.

Who, in comparison to Kamilah and Serafine, makes the women nearest him seem positively giddy and gleeful to be here tonight.

He wears his tailored costume perfectly; that wasn’t in doubt. It’s the masque that leaves him stony-faced. Gold rich and dark that catches every little flame on the chandelier over his head that covers his eyes but can’t hide the tension wracking his jaw.

He and Kamilah both wear near-identical rich crimson garnets inlaid just beneath their masque’s right eye. Shared stones for a shared Maker. But along his edges are thin metal spires, short but wicked sharp, that vary from the same gold, to steel, to a coppery hue.

A second glance confirms Nadya’s suspicions; Adrian isn’t the only one with those kinds of embellishments along the edges of their masques. Scouring a few of them from the crowd, the way they carry themselves and mirror Adrian’s ramrod-straight posture answers a question she didn’t know she needed to ask.

If the garnet labels him and Kamilah both as Turned by Gaius, then the spikes are the mark of the soldier. Any soldier; but one worth recognition for their service.

Which is everything Adrian doesn’t want. Everything he had worried over, and was working now towards overcoming in the wake of his past.

Nadya ducks her head hastily to catch her tear before it falls. Thankfully she’s quick enough. If only she could wipe away the reason for it just as easily.

Pull yourself together, girl, she scolds, and it’s just enough to do the trick and pull Nadya’s focus back to everything around them. All the stillness and nothingness and the way a room full of the undead hold their collective unnecessary breath waiting for what will happen next.

Which is exactly the kind of attention-grabbing showstopper the three of them are supposed to be. All eyes turned on the prestigious trio they are together, and away from Nadya and Cadence one floor above.

All focus on who they are, why they’ve come, what they will do; and away from the practically invisible dynamic duo that slips through the crowd towards the closed ballroom doors.

Behind her, Cadence lets out an impressed little “hah” when he finally manages to pick Lily and Jax out of the crowd. “I completely missed them. Did you see them sneak in?”

“No,” answers Nadya, but that’s actually a good thing. That was the whole point.

Without a word Kamilah takes one step forward. Her aura of command acts like an invisible shield that parts the rest; holding them at a respectable distance.

But the sudden shifting of the mass of faces and their masques gets dangerous when it turns right in their direction. If even one wandering eye looks up, they’re done for!

Without a word the vampire pulls Nadya backwards, letting the force of his bulk pull them out of eyesight in the nick of time. That was a little close, huh.

Nadya doesn’t get the chance to thank him though.

The moment she opens her mouth a loud echoing clang rings out below them, followed by the distinct shuffle of something heavy being dragged achingly close to the foyer’s marble floors.

Neither of them needs to risk sneaking a look.

Right on time. The ballroom doors have finally opened, allowing the first wave of prestige to spill forth out to the grand dance floor.

And though the shuffling of boots and sharp tapping of heels fills the vacuum of stunned silence as the attendees start to move, it’s not nearly enough noise to drown out the sudden and familiar exuberant laughter of delight that echoes across every polished surface below. The kind of laughter designed to be projected across adoring crowds; and carefully rehearsed to always seem full of intriguing promise.

What Nadya wouldn’t give to borrow a little of Vlad Tepes’ seemingly endless confidence for her own performance… looming ever-closer and starting to pick up real steam.

“Remember my lovelies! Faceless and no-names, see yourselves inside. New blood and the lucky virginal attendees right beside them!”

Her full-body shiver of discomfort is more than warranted. But Nadya only wishes she could be surprised at his… unsettling word choice.

“I’m suddenly very glad to be up here.”

She snorts at the wide-eyed stare looking out from Cadence’s mask. “You and me both.”

“Yes yes darling, oh you look a treat. And you there — you must tell me the story behind that engraving later, you simply must.” It’s really to their luck and benefit that the Count likes hearing himself talk so much. They can stay far away from the railing and still keep tabs on what gauge of prestige is next to be welcomed into the bal masqué proper.

They just have to wait until everyone—Vlad included—is inside. Everyone but the most prestigious of the lot of them. And when all eyes are (once again) on the Bloodqueen herself… they’ll have no choice but to witness Nadya’s arrival.

Having Kamilah by her side might just give her the kick in the metaphorical pants to do this thing. Not the literal though. There’s no way this practically bleach-white linen getup will survive a boot print, and especially not to the rear end.

Down below there’s a momentary lull; all but shattered by Vlad’s returning laughter now pitched higher than before.

“Why there you are, Serafine! Here I worried I had somehow lost track of your arrival in the excitement.”

His words are followed by two unmistakably wet noises; which Nadya prays are just over-dramatic kisses to her cheeks.

“Surely you jest,” she teases good-naturedly; said with all the humor of someone whose smile can’t possibly reach her eyes, “I see before me you follow the old traditions quite well. Showing the prestigious their due, their arrival witnessed by all who look to them in admiration.”

“Well of course! It makes for the grandest of entrances.”

“Ah, yes,” the elder vampiress croons, “and as the illustrious host yours would be the last, non?”

“Don’t worry darling — I would never claim credit for your centuries of contribution to our dwindling community.”

“Meaning?”

Somehow Nadya just knows Vlad throws his hair back unnecessarily as he laughs again.

“You can enter just before me, of course.”

“Then when, may I ask, might you suggest my blood-kin Adrian and I make our entrance known, old friend?”

Unlike Serafine, who at least pretends to smile while enduring the torture of his conversation, Kamilah’s question is cold and clipped. It rings with all the disinterest of the Kamilah that Nadya had met so long ago — and she’d place good money on the single raised eyebrow hiked high enough to be seen over her masque, too.

But if anyone could render Vlad speechless…

Nadya struggles to hear something, anything, until she catches the faint rustle of stiff and expensive fabric moving with haste. Vlad’s gesture of greeting, no doubt.

Just like she has no doubt that Kamilah and Adrian don’t humor him as long as Serafine has. It certainly explains the flustered, hasty way his next words tumble from his tongue with practically no filter.

“All the best surprises are the ones that sweep one off his feet. My humble gathering of our kind—nay, our family—from the nearest branch to the farthest root is made absolutely resplendent by the honor of your presence!

“Your Majesty, mon cherie —” —a beat, his attention likely shifting to Adrian— “— and Sergeant Adrian Raines, just when I had resigned myself to an evening of only the old and antiquated in renown. Here you stand before me, as handsome as the day we first met.”

Nadya quickly schools her bewildered expression — too long and it might get stuck that way. But that is flirtation if she’s ever heard it. Not good flirtation, but nevertheless.

“Vlad, as… lively… as ever.” Adrian just barely recovers, but now she’s dying to know what he had almost said instead. “Hard to believe it’s been nearly seventy-five years since last we met. Time… flies so quickly.”

“Oh pish posh,” replies the Count, “you wouldn’t know it but for the calendars. My memory of those chiseled features of yours obviously needed a refresh.”

He’s barely finished speaking when he gasps, clapping his hands together delightedly. “Speaking of memory! You’ll have to forgive my fright. As you all know surely, my recollection skills are of world-renown. Yet the sight of you all almost thrust me spiraling into self-doubt.

“And not without good reason! As I could have sworn you — the both of you, that is to say — had… cast aside your former titles.”

It’s just like before. Everything that pops into his head said without a filter all the way up until what he’s saying isn’t as vapid as it was at the start.

It must be so easy to write Vlad Tepes off at first glance. Just look at the public opinion of the guy. Nadya had, she’s humble enough to admit it. But the hard truth is that he is Vlad Tepes; he is Count Dracula.

But whether he’s all the things the myths and legends claim or not it can’t go ignored that he knows what he’s doing (even if it doesn’t seem like it). He knows how to play a crowd, how to stroke an ego. He’s a master of misdirection.

Has nobody pitched a Vegas residency to this guy yet? Seriously?

But if he thinks he’s going to out-wit someone like Kamilah he must have those leather pants on just a little too tight.

She doesn’t address his comment. Brushing it aside proves a much more important point.

“Shall Adrian and I wait patiently here while you and Serafine follow through, then?”

Vlad must be used to playing the ‘host with the most’ card, because he hesitates. But Kamilah wasn’t asking — she was just being polite.

“Yes,” he finally agrees, though surprisingly less strained than Nadya would have expected. “I would not dare nor dream of presuming your prestige. Nor would I separate the grand entrance of the progeny of our King.

“The three of you will have a most celebratory announcement, I give you my word.”

Did she hear that right?

Serafine offers a gentle tittering laugh. “I see no reason why you and I should not enter together, ma puce.”

“We shall.”

Vlad’s words die to the sound of heavy heels across the foyer floor. Too many steps to be one of her friends; but certainly more than enough for them to bring a person across the length of the room to where they are gathered.

Of course something is going wrong. They should have anticipated something going wrong. They had, her brain reminds her, and probably thinks its being helpful by doing so.

She dares to inch just close enough to catch a glimpse down below and spoiler alert — it isn’t helpful at all.

With his head held high, Marc Antony makes a bold statement in taking Kamilah’s hand without it being offered. Then he goes a step further with a half-bow and a kiss pressed to the back — or the ghost of one. He barely manages it before she yanks it from his grasp — in surprise, in anger, that’s not the part that matters.

With everyone fixated on the two oldest vampires in the room, Adrian dares to steal a glance of warning up to the railing. Wide-eyed and with pursed lips, the message when he gives the tiniest shake of his head is clear.

Nadya retreats, practically crab-walking backwards.

Cadence tries to help her sudden shaking panic with an arm over her shoulders. It’s the thought that counts.

“What,” he asks worriedly, “who is it?”

“Antony,” Nadya exhales, and the man goes rigid beside her. “It’s Marc Antony.”

#bloodbound #playchoices fanfiction #playchoices #kamilah x mc #kamilah sayeed #bloodbound mc #mc: nadya al jamil #adrian raines #serafine dupont #jax matsuo #lily spencer #marc antony #oc: cadence smith #vlad tepes #fic: oblivion bound #oblv: new chapter #oblv: bound by destiny ii #; my fics

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adabofblessings · 4 years

Note

Au where the kids, June and Fowler aren't exactly human, but since they are like only friendly humans the autobots see daily and the "humans" are trying to keep their own identities hidden no one notices. (Raf is centuries old vampire, Miko is a demon hunter with demonic blood, Jack and June are werewolves and Fowler is a shape shifting alien)

Okay, yes, i love this type of idea but I would definitely use different mythical creatures in each of the character's to match their personalities!

I searched some mythicals from each of the children's culture and region from them and Here's my idea:

Miko

I would think she would be a Kitsune. They're foxes with one or more tails the older and wiser they get. they have the ability to change into human from as well. They tend to be loyal, faithful and can be a friend, but rather mischievous. Definitely think that Miko is loyal and mischievous. Think about it: her loyalty stayed with Bulkhead when he was in rehabilitation. And lets not forget that she runs her little legs towards that groundbridge whenever she gets the chance at it.

Appearance wise when she is in fox form is sleek black a hint of streak of silver trailing from her tail and fades into a light gray at the tips of her tail (not very accurate with the folklore but why not?) Her human from takes after her character in TFP. She still has the spunky personality everyone knows.

One thing I wanna headcannon in all three the children is that they are older than they look like. Lets say that Miko is about 163 years old. Shes still a 'baby' in her mythical origin, but she surpassed the 100 mark, so shes able to get more tails after turning hundred. She now has two tails and they're the most gorgeous tails.

Though she is young, she has more knowledge than adult humans. But she gets bored easily so she just hangs around school most of the time, even though she rarely does the homework. Both her and Jack known each other for quite some time, only because they are both active at night before they met the elusive vampire, Raf.

She fly, which is a natural joy for her cause she likes going fast. However, her biggest flaw is not forming into her human form correctly. She often has to hide her tail or ears if they don't disappear when transforming into a human. She tries go stay hidden but some people had caught her transforming.

Not normal and it clearly shows. Is frequently made fun of by humans for being weird. If only they knew....

Jack

Jack and his mother are the typical werewolves. They are highly close and often roam the nights most of the time. Though, werewolves they are not your average kind of werewolves. They could transform into regular old wolves anytime, but rather than being vicious, they are guardians of those who are lost souls.

Basically, June was the guardian before her son will take her place. They are not immortal but they live much more than an average human lifespan. Probably 3 thousand years of age before they die.

Jack the deadly silent person who prefers the natural quietness. Due to his wolf nature, his and his mom's eyes are strikingly blue and their fur coats are as black as coals, often a advantage during the night, just as his hair. He's very mysterious and very, very few people know his secret and that's only his mom, Agent Fowler and his friends, raf and Miko, since they're mythical beings as well. Hes also a baby and is only a few years older than Miko. 165 perhaps.

He has fast regeneration healing, speed like the wind, super strength and a super intellectual with damn good eyesight.

But one thing he always has trouble is eating. Normal people can basically eat anything human goods, but his diet consists of mostly raw meat products. He can't have chocolate so hes limited to his choices due to his diet.

Tries to act normal but just gives off spoopy and mysterious vibes.

However, hes very relaxed when around Miko and Raf.

Raf

Rafael would definitely be a vampire. He's quiet, secluding and genuinely a very odd person. He has a pale-like skin and the deepest red-cognac eyes with a light shade of black under his eyes, as if he never sleeps. Honestly, it just looks like he hasn't slept in years.

He doesn't smile with a toothy grin due to his fangs unless hes around Miko or Jack. He wears proactive clothing from the sun and tries his best to act normal...even though everyone sees him as a dark-fiery red head who looks kinda emo. As most vampires they live for a long time! Even though he is centuries years old, hes the youngest of the pack in Vampire lifespan. An infant most likely XD.

Very, very intelligent and can transform into a bat if he chooses too. However, his eyesight is poor due to an attack from someone finding out his identity, so he now has to wear glasses and be very cautious as to who sees him in his true nature.

He can’t eat anything but suck blood and it becomes a very concerning for the teachers upon seeing him eat nothing at lunch. The good news is that he can drink goat’s blood, the bad news is that he looks demonic when it comes to sucking the life out of a poor goat. He hates himself of how he has to live like this, but life is life and he wishes it so bad he can be a normal kid.

He’s very blessed to have friends like Miko and Jack who encourage him and make him feel better about himself. They share each other flaws and try to solve their problems, as well as dreaming to be normal teenagers.

All three of them wishes to have a sense of normalcy in their mythical lives, but they were lucky they met and had things in common. Soon enough, another group of unique creatures came upon earth and they start to realize that...maybe they’re not alone after all. Unfortunately, they are still too afraid to reveal their true identities to these strangers, so they stay low and act like normal people, which is very easy because the Autobots have no clue on how organics act.

With them, they feel like normal people. Not because they were different like them, but because the Autobots understood what its like to be different. They shard something common, even if the Autobots don’t know Miko, Jack or Raf’s true selves.

But I mean...eventually The Autobots will find out.

#transformers #tfp #tfp mythical au #transformers prime #miko nakadai #rafael esquivel #jack darby #june darby #blessing answers #this was really fun tbh #mythical creatures #long reads #like hella long

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buckyreaderrecs · 4 years

Text

Gloxinia

Summary: You’re a witch that helps The Avengers a couple of times. Bucky Barnes finds some sort of happiness and healing in you, and the flowers you surround yourself with. He’s a boy in lalalove.

Words: 5,808 Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Reader Characters: Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, Tony Stark, James 'Rhodey' Rhodes, Clint Barton, Thor Odinson Additional tags: mostly canon compliant (Infinity War and Endgame never happened), witch!Reader, enhanced!Reader, she/her pronouns for Reader, other characters mentioned but not in scenes, recovering!Bucky, witchy vibes, evil werewolf clones, sassy Sam Wilson, LOTS of flower symbolism, Avengers compound, fluff Warnings: reference to having nightmares but nothing serious My masterlist.

Note: This was written for @the--sad--hatter and her Flowers For My Followers writing challenge. Kara, I love you, and I hope you love this. Also shout out to @vibraniumwitch for being my witchy inspiration always. Also, sorry for probably wrong geography stuff; I'm Australian and don't know shit about New York/Upstate New York loooool.

Gloxinia

For any of The Avengers to be sceptical of witchcraft seemed, to be perfectly frank, really fucking stupid. Each of their lives had been wrapped up in magic and mystery, so to have them hold back smirks and send mocking glances across the table at each other was not exactly what you had expected.

To be fair, it wasn't all The Avengers making fun. At the head of the table, Steve Rogers watched with curiosity, although he was sure his expression read as neutral. Sam Wilson took the seat closest to you, asking the same question phrased multiple ways.

"So, a witch witch?" "Is it more Sabrina or Charmed?" "Really just making a potion, huh? Like a real life witch…"

He broke the tension, which would have been otherwise unbearable.

Tony Stark, Clint Wilson, and James 'Rhodey' Rhodes had been reduced to acting like teenagers at the mere suggestion of brewing a potion. You'd been hoping for a different audience. Specifically, Wanda Maximoff. She would have believed you. Alas, you had not been gifted your choice in company.

"Alright, Broom-hilda, show us what 'cha got," Tony said, growing impatient.

"Do we really have to drink that?" Clint added, peering into the bowl you'd been mixing things in. "Won't turn our skin purple? Grow an extra limb?"

Rolling your eyes, you held up a plant. "Magnolia, for perseverance. Or, add the petals to a salad for a bit of extra colour," you explained in your best infomercial voice.

Sam snorted, then began to poke around the rest of the ingredients. "What’re the orange ones for?"

"That's nasturtium. For conquest."

When you'd finished the mix, you let it cook over a small, portable heat pad. Modern witch, and all that. Hot off the stove, you poured the liquid into a collection of small, glass bottles.

"Let it cool, cork them, then drink it when you need it," you announced, matter-of-factly.

When Natasha Romanoff had exhausted all of her routes of gathering information, returning with only your name, everyone was close to admitting defeat. The battle was lost, surely, if a witch's potion was the only hope… But Steve wasn't in the business of giving up. He sent Sam to bring you to the compound.

Steve explained that they had located a source of power. Ancient, unstable, highly sought-after power. And even with all their superhuman strength and superhuman speed and superhuman everything, they couldn't get to it. Maybe, though, with what was best described as a performance-enhancing-witchy-substance, they had a fighting chance.

The room looked over the bottles.

"How do we know if it'll work?" Sam asked, picking one up and inspecting it.

"We don't," Tony answered. It was less an attack than a statement of unfortunate fact.

"You'll just have to trust me."

Sam nodded, and watched as you pulled a sprig of yarrow and put it into his bottle.

"Yarrow, for healing," you told him.

"Yeah, ah… Can I grab some of that too?" Rhodey asked. "Falc ain't the only brother without super healing."

…

"No,"

"But-"

"No. I'm not gonna be a magical drug dealer to-" but Sam cut you off before you could finish your sentence.

"Y/N, Y/N, you got it all wrong! I don't want that nasty nasturtium stuff. Nah, I'm thinking… truth serum?"

"Truth serum," you repeated deadpan.

"Yeah, nightshade," he says nodded and wriggling his eyebrows. He was doing his best 'good kid does extra credit' impression.

"You googling 'truth plant' isn't impressive," you said. That elicited a snort from Sam's companion.

Standing next to him, silent and appearing impatient, Bucky Barnes crossed his arms over his chest. But the snort had dragged him into the conversation.

"And what do you want?" you asked him.

"What?"

"Love spell. Vampire tracker. Or just an easy bottle of truth serum too?"

Bucky blinked at you, then slowly shook his head. "I've had enough serums to last me a lifetime… I'm just here 'cause Steve said you'd kick his ass before you gave him any…magic or whatever," he answered, motioning to Sam.

"So Rogers got all the trio's brains, huh?"

Sam and Bucky frowned in unison.

"Look, we normally just use Nat for this kind of thing. But our guy ain't talking, and we need the information," Sam tried again. "She's out of town, and Wanda's taking a break from getting in people's heads."

Being called in to brew superhero steroids as a once off was one thing… Having the Falcon and the Winter Soldier show up on your doorstep at 11:00 pm was another. However, the men looked desperate.

Sighing, you looked at them. "Fine. Come in. I might be able to help."

You lead the men through your living room, overlooked by a small kitchen. Their faces told you a lot. "You were expecting a magic cave? Portal to a hut in the middle of a forest?"

"Yeah, kinda," Sam replied, casually shrugging.

"Do you live in a nest?" you asked him.

Bucky chuckled.

"Alright, I get it. The witch thing isn't always literal."

But that's when you pulled a dark purple velvet curtain back, revealing a room you referred to as your office.

"Woah," Bucky whispered to himself.

"Now, see, this is what I'm talking 'bout!" Sam exclaimed, looking around the room in awe.

The small, windowless room was framed by floor to ceiling bookshelves on three of the walls. Stuck between books were trinkets and oddities. Against the fourth wall was a table covered in dried herbs, potted plants, and other things neither Sam nor Bucky could identify.

"Sit," you instructed, pointing to the round table in the centre of the room. There were scorch marks and deep gashed in the wood grain. Bucky traced them with his right hand.

As they pulled out chairs and sat, Sam pointed, "Is that a microwave?"

"For heating potions… and hot pockets," you explained. "So, how much can you tell me?"

"Officially - nothing. Unofficially - your magic juice helped save the world a month ago, so, whatever you need to know," Sam answered.

"Okay. And, none of those C.I.A. psychotropic L.S.D. drugs are real? No secret truth serums invented by Bruce Banner?" you asked, more out of interest than need-to-know.

"If they do, they ain't telling us," Sam said.

He explained that they had a man in custody. The man knew a date and a location, but he wasn’t cracking in interrogation and time was running out.

"Sounds very spy T.V. dramatic," you mused.

"But it's real life," Bucky said.

"Yeah," you replied, looking at him and his serious expression. "Okay, so what's meant to happen? On the date or whatever?"

"You'll sleep better not knowing that," from Bucky, his expression remaining the same.

You trusted him to gauge what you should and should not know. Nodding, you turned around and began to look for the things you needed. The men watched, leaning over the table when you put things on it.

"I don't do magic on other people. It's a line we don't cross. So, no truth serum. What I can do is try to pull the information you need from somewhere else. Bring it here," you told him.

When you joined them at the table you smiled at their matching faces; furrowed brows and darkened eyes.

"You're sure he knows what you need to know?" you asked. They nodded. "Do you have anything of his?" Sam frowned, shook his head.

Bucky thought for a second, then pulled a knife out of somewhere. "Haven't cleaned this yet. Might still have some of his blood on it,"

"Disturbing, but okay," you said, taking the knife and putting it in the wooden bowl in front of you.

The room went silent as you picked white chrysanthemum petals off a fresh stem and dropped them into the bowl. Begonias followed, then basil. Truth. Knowledge. Success.

"One of you has to be the vessel,"

"The vessel?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. The information needs to go to someone. It can't be me,"

"I'll do it," Bucky offered.

For a second you hesitated, wondering how white magic would work through someone with so much darkness in their past. But that was just it - it was the past.

"You need to wear this," you said, handing him a crown made of blackthorn plant. "It's like, a filter. Brings in good luck, and lets the universe know you're working for good."

Bucky looked at the thing in his hands, slowly putting it on his head.

"Suits you, man," Sam said, smirking. Bucky just shot him a look.

They fell silent again, watching you carefully place a few more things in the bowl before filling it with a liquid poured from a glass jar that looked like it once held pasta sauce. Everything sat swimming but still until you placed a hand either side of the bowl, then it started to simmer. It bubbled and popped and seemed to quickly reduce down, evaporating faster than it scientifically should have. Soon, all that was left was about shot glass worth of black, thick syrupy liquid.

"Where's my knife?" Bucky asked.

"Gone," you replied as you poured the potion into a cup. You handed it to Bucky and he looked at you apprehensively. "Drink it and focus on what you want to know… Think about the guy. And, think about what happens if you don't find out what he knows. Think about it so hard that it hurts."

Bucky nodded slowly but shot the liquid quickly. At first, he just sat there, almost like he was stunned.

"How long-" Sam went to ask, but you shushed him.

Suddenly, Bucky pushed back from the table, standing up and sending his chair flying. Sam followed, holding his arms out like he expected Bucky to fall.

"It's okay," you told Sam. "He's okay."

Bucky's eyes were shut tight, and he held his head, fingers curling around his blackthorn crown. He began to breathe heavily, mouth open.

"Is he gonna spew?!" Sam shrieked in a high-pitched voice.

Taking the empty wooden bowl with you, you stood and moved to Bucky. He went still and mimicked your exact movements of slowly lowering yourself to the ground and kneeling. Sam didn't understand how Bucky knew what to do; you'd not uttered a command.

You placed the bowl between you and Bucky. He leaned over it, and began to cough and pull something from his mouth. It was impossibly long, coming from somewhere deep inside him. He pulled and pulled, letting it slop into the bowl. When it was all out, he spat, then seemingly woke up, falling on his butt and backing away from the bowl.

"What the fuck," he said between heavy breaths.

Sam and Bucky watched you look through the muck and gunk in the bowl, no hesitation to your movement.

"What is that?" Sam asked, truly disgusted.

You looked over to Bucky, who was looking at the thing intently. He scrambled back over and took it from you. "I know…" he started, looking up at Sam. "I know… everything.”

…

You had dropped cutlery three times, but when it was almost midnight and no company had come, you were getting restless. In your office, sat at the table, you shuffled a deck and laid out cards.

The Hanged Man. The Hermit. The Hierophant, reversed. The Lovers.

Then, 11.11 and a soft knock on the door.

Bucky Barnes looked sleep deprived but somehow hopeful.

"I thought I might see you tonight," you told him, opening the door and letting him through. "Were you right? About the date and place?"

"Yes," he said, coming to stand in your living room.

"Good. What do Earth's Mightiest Heroes need now then?"

Bucky looked around. "Do you have any pets?" he asked.

"No. Do you?"

"A cat. Alpine... Thought you'd have one… black cat or something." He wasn't teasing, like Sam had.

"Black cat? Thought you guys were the ones with a black cat?"

Bucky grinned. "Funny. You're funny,"

"Thanks… You're not here for them then,"

"No," he said, walking over to the window where plants were everywhere. "Do you use all of these? For your magic?"

"Most of them, yeah. Like, these ones…" You moved to stand next to him. "They give strength,"

"Snapdragons," Bucky identified.

"Yep. And… Vervain are protective in nature, especially from enchantment." You picked a sprig of the purple plant, threaded it through Bucky's hair, behind his ear.

"What about nightmares? What helps with those?" he asked earnestly.

The room was illuminated by candlelight. A soft orangy glow lit up half his fast, casting the other half into shadow. You turned to him and cupped his face in your hands.

"A tired soldier… Sing him to sleep… A tired soldier… The devil's to keep," you sung gently, running your thumbs along his cheeks. "Sit. I'll brew you tea,"

"Tea?" Bucky asked, a little hesitant to be out of your hands.

"Magic tea," you clarified, rolling your eyes.

Elderflower for compassion and sweet-brier petals for healing. A little poppy and chamomile, and other secrets kept in your family for generations. A dash of Indian jasmine to finish. It glimmered as you swirled it in the teacup.

Bucky was on the couch, sitting up too straight.

"Take your boots off. Lay down," you instructed. He went to protest, probably say you didn't need to put that much effort in. "Please," you said, stopping the protest. "Let me do this."

Bucky followed your commands and took the teacup when offered. He skulled it like a frat boy in a bar trying to impress his mates.

"Now close your eyes. Sleep," you said, taking the empty cup from him.

Kneeling next to the couch, you softly ran your fingers through Bucky's hair and waited until he fell asleep before you moved to your own bed.

He was gone when you woke up.

…

"What? No broomstick?" called the unmistakable voice of Sam Wilson.

Standing at the open boot of your car, you looked up and watched him approach, Bucky trailing behind, hands shoved in his pockets.

"You stalking me now?" you asked, clocking the bunch of flowers in Sam's hands.

"Nope. Just waiting for you. Weren't home and we wanted to drop off a thank you, for the helping last week," he said, holding out the bouquet to you.

"So, the information was good?" you asked, pretending Bucky hadn't already confirmed it to you. His late night visit to you a few nights before was obviously not something he'd shared with his friends.

"It was good. You do good work,"

"Thanks," you said dubiously, but taking the flowers.

"We picked those out especially. This one is a gerball-"

"Gerbera," Bucky correct.

"Means 'you are the sunshine of my life' and this one is an orchid, for beauty," Sam rattled off.

"What about this one?" you asked, pointing to the yellow agrimony.

"Buck picked that one. What's it mean?" Sam asked, looking over to Bucky. Bucky was leaning against your car casually. He shrugged, pretended to not know agrimony was the gratitude plant.

"They're beautiful. You didn't have to," you told them, putting the flowers in one of the boxes in the boot of your car.

"You need a hand?" Sam asked, not waiting for a response. He swooped in and collected one of the heavy boxes. Bucky followed, picking up the other.

"Ah… sure…"

You let them carry your things inside, put them on the kitchen bench.

"More witch stuff? Eye of newt? That kind of thing?" Sam asked.

"If microwave popcorn and frozen lasagna is witchy, then ya got me," you laughed. "You're gonna be disappointed if you keep thinking like that, Sam,"

"You say that but I've seen behind the curtain. You're definitely witchy enough,"

"Yeah, yeah… So what do you want? You didn't just come to give me flowers," you asked, launching yourself backwards and up to sit on the bench.

You glanced over at Bucky, who was back over at the window and the plants. Sam clocked you looking, but filed that away.

"We've got an offer for you,"

"When you say 'we,' who exactly do you mean?"

"Us! The Avengers! Superheros!" Sam said, chest puffed out.

Rolling your eyes, you shook your head. "Nope,"

"You haven't even heard-"

"No. I'm happy doing what I do," you told him.

"I told you," Bucky chimed in, stopping at a gloxinia, something about its prettiness resonating with him. "What's this one mean?"

"Love at first sight," you said, biting your lip to hide a smile.

"Whatever you do doesn't come with the perks we have," Sam persisted.

"Also doesn't come with anonymity I kinda like,"

"Alright. I tried. Can't promise we won't be back for more help though. Like I said, you do good work... So, this lasagna. Fresh?"

…

"Well, if it isn't Broom-hilda," Tony said, arms open.

"I hope you're not expecting a hug," you replied, holding your own arms around yourself. Bucky snorted from next to you.

"Brumhilda?! A name derived from Brunnhilde, no doubt. I have a friend named-"

"Yeah, now's not the time for Asgardian tales," Tony interrupted a seemingly very excited Thor.

"Her name's Y/N," Bucky said to Thor.

Thor looked back and forth between Tony and you. "He thinks it's funny," you explained.

"It is. And I am," Tony argued.

You sighed, sat down in one of the conference room's chairs and began to slowly spin on it. "So, what am I doing here?"

When Sam and Bucky knocked on your door before the sun had a chance to rise and shine that morning, you knew it was going to be hard to say no to them. They both looked upset, and Sam was even free from his usual quips. As soon as you saw their faces, you began to nod. "Let me get dressed. I'll come," you whispered, rubbing the sleep from your eyes.

Bucky pulled up a seat next to you, the rest of the room taking the cue and finding their spots around the large table. You recognised everyone, having met most of them. Clint and Rhodey nodded politely in your direction.

"Y/N," Steve greeted, sitting next to Bucky. "Good to see you. Heard these punks have been harassing ya?"

"Nothing she can't handle," Sam cut in, sitting on your other side.

"Truly sorry for them," Steve said, grinning.

You shrugged, looking at Bucky. "They're alright."

Tony cleared his throat. "Whole team isn't here yet, but they're coming… We're going to need all the help we can get."

...

"There's too many of them!”

"At least they're not evil flying robots!"

"Hey! I said I was sorry!"

"Cap, we've got to try somethin' else. Bullets ain't doin' shit."

"Wanda? Can you-"

"On it."

"Do you need me to go big? 'Cause I'll go big."

"Yes! Mr. Stark, can he go big?!"

From your hidden vantage point higher up the mountain, you watched the battle play out in front of you. Through the earpiece you listened to The Avengers et. al. try to work out what to do. It was true - they were severely outnumbered. The situation was going from bad to worse.

"Jesus!" you yelped as someone almost body-slammed themselves next to you.

"Sorry. Checkin' you're still here,"

"Where else would I be?"

Bucky shrugged, reloaded.

"What are they, Buck? I know a lot about a lot, but I've never seen anything like them."

You took another look through the M22 field binoculars you'd been issued. The monsters didn't look entirely… natural. Maybe, like many creatures of the world, they were made in a lab. They were men pulled apart, stitched back together with pieces of dog and wolf. Their claws ripped through protective gear and flesh like it was nothing, and they could communicate by wordless sound. It was almost howling, but more guttural and less fluid.

"They all look the same," you said.

Bucky nodded. "Yeah, noticed that too. Exactly the same,"

"Exactly? Up close? Even the human parts?"

He stopped what he was doing and looked at you. "Yep. Clones. What're you thinkin'?"

"Clones..? Um, I don't know… I just… If I can figure out what they are then I can figure out how to help."

Sam dropped down on the other side of you, his wings damaged. He ripped the pack off his back and began to try to repair them. "If I knew we were gonna be out here fightin' fucking werewolves I would've packed the silverware instead of the vibranium."

"Werewolves?" you asked, pulling a small silk pouch from your bag. "Here. Use this to stick them back together,"

"Stick it back together? Y/N. Can't just glue an EXO back together-"

"It's not glue, Sam. It's bumblebee orchid, oak leaf, protea, and a bunch of other things you don't wanna know about," you explained.

"You really questioning her magic? Use her glue,” Bucky ordered.

Sam huffed but complied. And abracadabra, your witchy sticky goop held his wings together stronger than they were before.

Bucky and Sam stood up, reloaded and ready to rejoin the fight.

"Wait!" you called, suddenly having a thought. "What if they really are werewolves?"

"What?" Sam said.

"Weirder things have happened, right? Werewolves are real. So maybe…" Your voice trailed off as you tipped the entire contents of your bag onto the forest floor.

"Y/N, we don't have time-"

"Gimme a second. I know I have it here,"

"Have what?" Bucky asked, kneeling down and studying the contents of your bag too.

"Aconitum extract… in a bottle… Here!"

"Aconitum?" Sam asked confused and growing impatient.

"Monkshood. Um, wolfsbane. Bucky, are we too far up for you to get one?"

Bucky took your M22s and assessed. "No. Nah, I can get one,"

"Gimme a bullet."

Sam and Bucky watched you dip the bullet in aconitum while uttering any and every luck enchantment you could think of. Bucky loaded his M249 SAW, steadied himself and fired.

The monster went down.

All three of you held your breath and waited. Through the M22s you watched Steve approach the body, check it.

"It's… dead…" came through the comms.

…

It had been two weeks since the army of hybrid werewolf clones, so two weeks since you'd last seen Bucky. It had taken days to kill them all. You had to be flown out to find more aconitum extract. From the lab at the compound you were able to work with Bruce Banner to find better ways of delivering the wolfsbane to the clones. Once you had it, it was all over for those motherfuckers.

When everyone else arrived back at the compound, they were exhausted, covered in the thick ash generated by the massive fires it took to burn all the bodies. Bucky was so tired he could hardly keep his eyes open, but he mustered the energy to offer to drive you back home to New York City himself. You just sent him off to shower and bed, taking Tony's offer of a ride with one of his minions.

It had been two weeks, then a dream, a vivid and hazy dream. A white cat brought you orange blossoms, carrying a branch in his mouth. "Do you want me to plant this?" you asked the cat, and you knew he would say yes if it could speak. He watched you tend to the blossom, then he disappeared through an open window. You could feel the cool breeze against your skin, felt your hair move.

When you woke, it didn't surprise you to find Bucky sitting next to your bed, back to it and legs stretched out in front of him. The window was open, letting in an unseasonably warm morning zephyr.

"I just had a dream about you," you whispered, ruffling his hair.

Bucky looked up at you. He seemed sad. "Good dream or bad dream?"

"Good. Always good."

He nodded, trying for a small smile. "The fern… It meant I could come in, right?"

"Glad you got the message," you answered. Out on the sills of all your windows, you left ferns. They meant a lot of things - fascination, magic, enchantment, sincerity, and shelter - and you'd told Bucky they were his plant, back when he and Sam came to offer you a job with The Avengers. At the entry points to your home, they were an open invitation for him, a coded welcome mat.

"Didn't want to wake you," Bucky said.

"I'm awake now. What do you need?"

He thought for a moment. He needed a lot of things, many of which you could definitely provide. "Tea? Thought maybe you could mix some for me to take home. Maybe give to the others,"

"I can do one better than that. I can make everyone their own blend. It will be fun. Come on. I'll teach you how," you said, pulling the blankets away and getting out of bed.

Bucky stood, looking a little alarmed. "You don't have to-"

"I know, Buck. But I want to. Come on."

It took all day, but eventually you had packaged up individual tea blends for everyone. Bucky got a stash of his special sleepy tea, and he already looked more rested with it in his possession. You walked him to the door sometime just before 5:00 pm.

"Thank you," he said, quiet and reflective.

"Easy. You're always welcome here. Sam - not so much. But you - always," you told him, leaning against the frame of your front door.

"Might take you up on that,"

"Please do," you said nodding.

Bucky smiled, went to leave, but turned back like he was going to say something. You stood straight, patient. His brain was ticking, thinking something over. Deciding. Then, he moved. Quickly, he stepped back and pressed a fast but soft kiss to your lips. He was gone, literally nowhere to be seen, before you had time to say or do anything.

…

The Hudson River sparkled under the sunset. Bucky watched the colours reflect the scene, like one of Steve's paintings. He was lost in a daydream when Sam nudged him.

"Where you at, man?" he asked.

Bucky looked over at Sam and Steve, who were both eyeing him off suspiciously. They'd carried a couple of couches to the roof. Stolen Clint's beer and set up shop for the night. Pizza was on its way.

"What?" Bucky asked.

"You were thinking about her again, huh?" Steve guessed.

Bucky looked back at the river, ignored his friends. They laughed, returned to their conversation.

Later, when Sam had retired to his room, not able to superhuman heat himself, Steve moved over to lounge next to Bucky. He rested his head on Bucky's shoulder and closed his eyes.

"You really like her, don't you?"

"I think I love her," Bucky replied.

Steve laughed at the speed of the response. "I think you might too. All those girls before, and you never really loved any of them... Guess you stuck around to meet her,"

"Seems that way,"

"You gonna do anything about it?" Steve asked.

"Yeah… It's gotta be good though," Bucky said, only then realising the depth of his feelings.

"Wouldn't wait too long, pal."

….

Bucky took you up on your invitation, coming and going from your place frequently. Sometimes, you'd find fresh croissants left on your kitchen bench. Sometimes, you'd find him asleep on your couch.

How much he needed from you varied, but how much he was willing to give seemed infinite. You had to proactively stop him from becoming some sort of amazing housekeeper slash meal provider.

After about a month, he settled enough to be able to just exist around you. He'd help you pick the right leaves for the teas you made people. He'd disappear into your bedroom when you had clients over, reading their cards while Bucky listened in like it was a television series. It was easy being around him, and you were ready to be patient for a lot longer, but fuck were you itching for more.

The kissing was sweet, but very often brief. Bucky caught your lips in the moments between your magic and his profound awe. You did what you could to encourage him, but knew the ball was well and truly in his court. So, when he ushered you outside one sunny morning, you didn't really have much expectation.

"I thought you'd never ask," you said, face lighting up when you saw Bucky's bike out the front of your place. New York City was buzzing around you, but as soon as you watched him get on and hand you a helmet, you'd never craved the open road more.

All the other times you'd been to The Avengers compound, you'd traveled by air. It was quick. The ride took longer but it was so much better. Having your arms wrapped around Bucky, the feeling of the bike rumbling under you, it was something new, which was all sorts of remarkable. Being magic sapped a lot of the wonder from the world, ironically. Bucky was bringing it back.

At the compound, Bucky took your hand and lead you around the side, not going in. "I've, ah, got something for you," he said.

"You sound nervous,"

"Yeah. If you could just cast up a little spell to get rid of that, it would be great," he said deadpan.

You laughed while looking around for clues to Bucky's surprise for you.

Rounding a corner, it came into view. A garden. A proper garden, complete with white picket fencing surrounding it. It was like something out of Practical Magic, and all your childhood dreams.

"What is this?"

"It's for you. A place you can grow whatever you need. Or want," Bucky said.

In a state of genuine shock, you let go of Bucky's hand and covered your mouth with yours. You had never seen anything more spectacular.

At the single entrance to the garden was an arch. Ivy and honeysuckle covered it completely, like they'd had a lot of time to grow. You pulled a flower from the arch, reaching up to find a full bloom. "Honeysuckle petals are edible," you said, reaching out to Bucky. He let you feed him the flower. "Sweet, like the perfume. They symbolism devotion, or being 'united in love.' Kinda like the ivy on it. Ivy symbolises attraction."

Bucky smiled wide, his eyes sparkling as he watched you walk further in. "We tried to make sections, you know, for the different plants. Like, this part here has sandy soil for the desert plants," he explained.

"We?"

"Got a lot of help from the others,"

"I'll have to thank them," you said.

There were veggie patches and small fruit trees. Almost half the garden was designated to all the types of plants Bucky had seen you use in potions and teas. Dog rose, blackthorn, rosemary, euphorbia, snowdrop flowers, bells of Ireland, and welcoming wisteria. The raised beds were overflowing with plants, just about ready to bloom in an explosion of colour.

"This… This is incredible,"

"Figured your apartment doesn't really have the space. And you're welcome here anytime,"

"I’ll wanna be here all the time." The garden was what your magical ancestors could have only dreamed of. "I don’t even know what to look at first,"

"Well, maybe that," Bucky said, pointing to a birdbath, where butterflies were hovering over the water. The best part though, was a small sign sticking out the ground next to it that read For Sam.

You laughed. "Oh my god,"

"He was so grumpy about it,"

"Shouldn't have named himself after a bird then," you reasoned.

Bucky nodded, grinning. "And we put that bench opposite so you could sit and watch them."

Your eyes were beginning to tear up, overwhelmed with the sheer amount of love and effort surrounding you. "Buck… I just can't…"

"Oh! And, one more thing. This was Wanda's idea. Come on."

Bucky took your hand and lead you through the garden to the back to where a weeping mulberry tree stood in the corner. He pushed through the soft branches, revealing the manicured underside. A green, little cave under the canopy held secret another wooden bench. Bucky sat down, otherwise he'd have to bend. It was the perfect height for you though, but you sat next to him anyway.

From under the mulberry tree you could see the rest of the garden. All the plants swayed in the warm breeze, and the flowers popped bright and happy.

"How long have you been working on this? Some of those are grown well in,"

"You don't need to know any of that. Takes away the magic, don't it?"

"You mean, a magician doesn't reveal his secrets and all that?" you asked.

Bucky shrugged and nodded, leaning back into the bench a little more and putting an arm around you. Snuggling into his side, you breathed out and just soaked it all in. Your mind was caught between racing with ideas of all the things you could do with the garden and plants, and totally turning to blissful mush.

"I know ya never wanted to work with us, but I'm glad Nat found you. Glad I met you," Bucky said, his voice back to being a little bit shaky, nervous. "You've made my life better, you know? Not just with the, the nightmares, but just… everything. You make everything better…"

You knew he wasn't finished, so you stayed quiet while he gathered his thoughts. In the meantime, you threaded your fingers through his, rubbed your thumb along the back of his hand.

"I used to be so good at this," he said, huffing a little.

It made you giggle. "Used to be good at what?" you asked knowingly, sitting up and looking at him.

He rolled his eyes. "Y/N! I'm tryna' tell you I'm sweet on you and you're gonna give me shit,"

"Yeah, I am. I'm also gonna give you shit about the phrase 'sweet on you' too," you replied, laughing.

Bucky smiled, watching you laugh, just happy you were happy. When you stopped, he sat up and used both hands to fold the hair behind your ears. Holding your face in his hands, he tried to not grin like an idiot. He couldn’t hide the smirk.

"I love you. I'm in love with you," he said, voice finally dead certain.

"Yeah, the garden was a bit of a giveaway," you replied, quickly adding, "And that's good. 'Cause I'm in love with you too. Very completely."

Bucky made the kind of expression you'd pull at a basket of mewing kittens, or a puppy tumbling across fresh cut lawn. It was very, very kissable. So, you did want any self-respecting witch would do. You kissed Bucky Barnes like your life depended on it in the secret mulberry tree cave he had made just for you.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

My taglist (open): @bubbabarnes @browngirlmagic @lookalivefrosty @aynaraxas @vibraniumwitch @the--sad--hatter @fairislesheets @vibraniumdaisies @cristie24

#mine #Gloxinia #Bucky Barnes #Bucky Barnes fanfic #Bucky Barnes fanfiction #Bucky Barnes x Reader #Bucky Barnes/Reader #Bucky/Reader #Bucky Barnes x Y/N #Bucky Barnes x You #Bucky Barnes/You #Bucky reader insert #Bucky Barnes imagine #Marvel #Marvel fanfiction

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night-unfurls-its-splendour · 3 years

Text

Ok time again for the Cullen Car Corner.

I guess this has become an unofficial series on my blog now? Yes I have two running series on my tumblr - one is Jane Austen reviews and the other is me prattling half-borrowed opinions about seventeen year old super cars owned by fictional vampires which I have never and likely will never drive myself. Fun fun.

Ok so in my previous posts I've conceded to the accuracy and thoughtfulness of Paul and Jacob's choices of cars for the Cullens.

Rosalie, a serious machine girl drives a rather manly BMW M3, which can only be cool when driven by a girl (Edward calls it ostentatious, but clearly he's unfamiliar with the rules of the Top Gear Cool Wall)

Alice is perfectly matched with her soul-mate. No, not Jasper, a Porsche 911 Turbo (due to the utterly mind-boggling nature of the 911 series nomenclature - they haven't actually been 911's since 1975 - we'll take a wild stab and say that Alice's is a 997 based on the year and headlight style of the picture used on Meyer's website.)

And Edward drives a safe, boring, fastidious hunk of Swedish lead that Volvo legitimately thought could go up against an M3 like Rosalie's and couldn't. One that's not really terribly good fun to drive and IS SUCH A KILLJOY that you can't skid around a track in because the damn thing just won't let go. So perfect for Edward then.

But now im up to Breaking Dawn and we're gonna be talking about two legitimate "Super Cars". Low slung pieces of nastiness designed to be road legal but which can only really be enjoyed when driven at illegal speeds or on private race tracks. They, much like rum, are a vile drink which can turn even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels. Except Edward of course and one of them is his.

Because Edward has another car other than the volvo: one which, I assume he bought after his shiny new Volvo embarassed him in front of his brothers in a straight drag race against Rose's M3. A band-aid to sooth his wounded ego. His car of choice which those of us who spent a lot of time on Meyer's site back in the day and read the "Extended Prom Remix" outtake knew about long before its Breaking Dawn debut.

The Aston Martin V12 Vanquish. It is a very beautiful and terrifying thing it must be said. But, it does have the drawback of having a "flappy paddle" shift mechanism. That essentially means its an automatic, but with little paddles behind the steering wheel so you can shift it up and down as needed when you're driving at highly illegal speeds on the mountain roads of the Olympic Peninsula- you know, as one does. Sounds great right? Well maybe nowadays when they've worked out the kinks but when Meyer was writing these books it was new and it worked HORRENDOUSLY SLOWLY. Even when they released the Vanquish S in 2004, the one they tested on Top Gear kept refusing to stay in gear. They could barely get a lap time out of it. Rose's M3 has this too, which is why I had to laugh when Edward describes everyone gawking over it in the M3 in Midnight Sun (and I think it eas an optional extra on the M3 -- it was mandatory on the Vanquish-- which makes it even funnier). Meyer doesn't seem to know about the draw back, and neither, it seems, did her brothers. But that's really the only problem with Edward having a Vanquish.

Unless he bought it in or after 2004, in which case he's an idiot.

Because in 2003 Aston Martin revealed it's new Baby fo the 2004 model year: the Aston Martin V12 DB9.

Smaller, sleeker, faster - better in just about every way except it still had the stupid paddle shifter (although in the DB9 I THINK it is optional and works slightly better), if Edward was REALLY SERIOUS about cars the way he says he is, i think he'd have sprung for this baby.

Here, I think, is where Paul and Jacob's judgment went slightly awry.

We know Edward likes to make a big deal about his staid good taste. So IF the DB9 was an option (and let's not kid ourselves- he could have gotten one early if he needed to) then why did Edward, through Stephanie, Jacob and Paul, buy a Vanquish instead?

Well the name is more imposing, there's that. Perhaps he liked the look better - i can't imagine that's it though because the DB9 seems much less showy to me. The Vanquish is a Bond Car, after all and not just that but THE Bond Car in Die Another Day, the most over-the-top, ridiculous, cartoonish James Bond movie probably since Moonraker. IT TURNED INVISIBLE i just... That doesn't seem like the kind of choice Edward would make, when the DB9, not the flagship car for showing off, but the (more) serious balls-to-the-walls racer was available (and cheaper, i think I'm not mistaken in saying). The only sensible conclusion I can think of is that the Vanquish was a known quantity at this point, while the DB9 was new and he didn't want to risk all the brand new car trouble. But Rose is a mechanic and Alice could probably see any machinery cock-ups so...

Why then? Just why?!

#cullen cars #twilight saga #twilight renaissance #edward cullen #breaking dawn #aston martin vanquish #aston martin db9

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angstalottle · 5 years

Text

He’s Squishy

@causeimanartist man this took a while lol

Funny thing about Batman is that when you first meet him everyone just kinda assumes he's ‘something’.

No one is quite sure what but there is an agreement amongst all the heroes and villains that interact with him that Batman must be more than human, after all, he can be thrown off a roof and be up and about the next day.

When Clark and Diana first started getting close to Bruce they hoped he would open up about what it was that made him so special.

Afterall Clark was always happy to answer any questions on being an alien and Diana never shut up about her home amongst the Amazons. Yet despite talking about detective work and science he never told them what he was and honestly, as more time passes the more it began to hurt.

“Do you think maybe… he doesn't trust us?” Clark asked nervously while Bruce was in the other room preparing a bowl of popcorn for their movie night. It had been a challenge to get him to say yes until they mentioned they were planning to work their way through the Sherlock Holmes movies.

He said yes very quickly after that.

“Bruce is complicated and as much as I hate it he's damaged, for all we know whatever reason he has his abilities is tied to his past trauma.” Diana sighed stretching out on the couch giving her poor legs a break before Bruce returned to fill up the now empty middle space “maybe he will tell us one day maybe he won't We can't let it change anything between us.”

Clark nodded solemnly “I know. It just feels like all this progress we made with him doesn't really mean anything if he won't tell us something like this. If we didn't figure out who he really is for all we know he would never have told us and then maybe we would never have become so…”

“Close?” Diana finished for him. She hated to admit it but the same nagging doubt had been at the back of her mind. “He cares about us as much as we do him. We have to trust that.”

“Trust what?” Bruce asked walking in carrying a large bowl of popcorn that was likely the work of Alfred judging from the lack of burnt chunks peppering the food.

“Nothing. Nothing it's fine” Diana said quickly wanting to avoid the topic and not ruin their nice evening but it seemed like Clark decided enough was enough.

“Bruce be honest you trust us right?”

Bruce looked stunned for a moment, setting down the popcorn on the table in front of them “Of course I do, what kind of question is that?”

“it's the kind that comes up when you've been keeping secrets from us since we met. Bruce, why have you never told us what you really are?” Clark continued.

For a moment the two believed they had made the right decision up until the colour drained from Bruce’s face and he began to have a panic attack.

It was nothing short of terrifying watching a man who had stared down Darkside and threatened to blow up his entire freaking planet on a bluff begin to crumble in on himself.

Super speed meant Clark got to him first but he just fluttered around in worry not sure what to do.

Diana however gently pushed him to the side and took hold of Bruce’s shoulders.

“Copy my breathing Bruce. In and out. In and out.”

It took a few minutes before those awful gasping breaths turned into more steady be it still a little shaky ones.

Eventually, though Bruce let out a slow steady breath and gently pulled away from Diana. “I never really lied to you guys. I just assumed since I had the surgery that it wouldn't matter or that it wouldn't matter to you in the first place. I'm sorry I wasn't upfront with the fact I'm trans I just-”

“That you what?” Clark asked in confusion.

“The fact that I was born a woman I assumed that's what all this is about.”

And just like that Clark looked back on his poor choice of words and began to feel very guilty “What no Bruce that never meant anything to us i didn't even know.”

“Me either but the sex one is born as means nothing in my home i assumed the same was here, Clark was simply referring to the mysterious nature of your powers.”

Bruce stared at them for a moment before he began to laugh.

Even after all this time, it was still a sound that left the two heroes weak at the knees no matter the situation but they managed to snap out of it in time to ask the important questions.

“What's so funny?” Diana crossed her arms glancing at Clark just in case there was a joke she was missing. He, however, looked as confused as she was.

“I don't have any powers I'm just a normal human. Did you two really think I was a meta all this time?”

“I honestly thought you were a vampire or something.” Clark coughed awkwardly.

“I believe some kind of healing magic or ability,” Diana added.

This, of course, sparked another fit of laughed that was only stopped by the pair each grabbing a hand and pulling him onto the couch.

“Sorry it's just well i assumed you knew.” Bruce snorted.

“If we knew you were squishy do you think we would have let you pull half the shit you do?!” Clark asked thinking back on the amount of times he had seen Brucheadfirst first into the fire to save the day.

Diana began to dwell on all the training sessions where she failed to hold back, how she could have easily punched a hold through him.

Either way the two of them were very much freaking out.

“You still fight someone with Kryptonite how's that any different?” Bruce asked raising an eyebrow.

“Because that stuff hard to get hold of, you can get a knife from Walmart.” Clark exclaimed “wait all those times you'd been hurt but turned up to the watchtower the next day you were still hurt.?”

“You were hit by a bus yesterday and you seem fine.” Diana’s eyes narrowed catching onto what Clark was saying.

Without any warning she lifted up his shirt to reveal a patchwork of scars and bruises of varying ages decorating his skin.

“BRUCE! You shouldn't have patrolled with this.” Clark hissed x-raying his chest and finding a couple set broken ribs as well.

“ What else would i have done?” Bruce rolled his eyes going to stand up but instead was pulled into a hug by the pair.

“We care about you! Please don't make us lose you.” Diana said softly as Clark nodded.

Bruce sighed realising things from this point on we're going to be different if he liked it or not.

In all honesty it wasn't too bad, the league did notice Batman being tailed by Superman and Wonder Woman a lot more often.

The biggest difference was that it seemed like Batman had lost his healing ability, any time he was hurt on missions we would take time off to go to the medical wing and actually recover.

Those with powers felt sorry for him, while Alfred was already planning the wedding as to keep his idiot of a son with those that finally made him look after himself.

#superwonderbat #fanfiction #angst #trans batman #December fics

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tallycraven · 4 years

Note

fic title: coffin song

puvoohighiuhfgkjhjk vampire au w/ human raelle.

scylla’s a vampire. not young, but not as old and cranky as all her superiors.

no, she’s barely one hundred years old. she’s seen her share of war, famine, pestilence, death, yadda yadda yadda.

it all means nothing to her in the grand scheme of immortality.

her sire, anacostia, thinks she’s selfish.

she’s right, of course, not that scylla would ever admit it.

she gets in trouble with her coven for nearly draining some boy completely one night and gets put on a house arrest of sorts. no going out alone, no feeding from unverified sources, and absolutely-under-any-and-all-circumstances no day-walking.

scylla’s half convinced they’re just jealous that she’s still young enough to be able to walk in the sun (albeit with limited powers).

but she listens. because house arrest is still better than getting sent to some hellish sect of their coven up in the arctic circle.

she makes friends with another young vampire by the name of tally.

younger, newly transferred from their sister coven in california so that she could study telepathy under anacostia.

scylla does admit, though, that for someone who was turned at the start of the cold war, tally seems to have the wisdom of those much older than either of them.

they spend most of their time reading and doing things in the large mansion to pass time.

there are only so many books and chess games you can play before even your undead brain turns to rotted pulp, though.

scylla convinces tally to sneak out with her once.

“we don’t even have to do anything! i just want to see people and maybe glamour some idiot into buying me a drink!”

“i don’t know, scylla.”

“just, tell anacostia you’ll watch me and we can go out for a walk.”

“scylla...”

“one walk!”

“.... fine.”

anacostia gives them strict rules that all boil down to: no fun allowed.

she also makes scylla swear on her fangs that she will not come within contact of any mortal, especially young humans.

tally seems satisfied with that, because she just grabs scylla’s wrist and drags her out before she can complain.

it’s not much, but scylla enjoys being able to stretch her legs somewhere other than the mansion grounds-- there’s more life out here in the town square.

even tally seems to be enjoying the change in scenery, smiling and waving to the dogs that are being walked.

“if you think about it, the dogs are kind of walking the humans.”

“what?”

“who’s deriving more joy out of it, the dog or the human?”

“what?”

tally doesn’t give scylla a real explanation and scylla gives up on the second try.

they don’t have to eat or drink, but both of them agree that those fun frosted treats at the coffee shop taste leaps and bounds better than blood.

so they stop by a place to grab something, but scylla is ordered to stay outside.

the idea of being told what to do by someone half a century younger than her is upsetting, but scylla obeys because she really wants to be able to go for walks outside again after this.

tally strolls inside with her order and scylla plops down onto a bench, legs crossed and fingers tapping on the centuries-old medallion that she wears around her neck when she sees her.

or.. smells, rather.

a lithe blonde, barely taller than herself, dressed down in black pants, a white shirt, and a baggy jacket that looks like it was handed down.

she smells like pine and firewood with something uniquely citrusy at the bottom of it all-- it’s oddly entrancing. scylla finds that she can’t look away.

she’s crossing the street alone, attention too focused on the phone in her hand to see the car charging down the street in her direction with no signs of stopping.

time slows and scylla is presented with a choice.

she’s seen multiple humans die of careless mistakes like this, has never felt the need to step in to stop them.

she doesn’t know why her legs move before she even consciously makes the decision, but before she knows it, she’s stood up with supernatural speed and has tackled the other girl out of the way, skidding to a stop on the hard concrete sidewalk.

“ow.” says the body beneath her. “what the fuck are you made of? marble?”

scylla finds herself speechless for the first time in a long time. caught between regret for breaking anacostia’s rules and fascination with the stranger pinned under her.

scylla doesn’t get much chance to explain her way out of the situation, because before she knows it, she’s being pulled off the girl by a panicked and angry tally and dragged away.

and despite her age, her self-proclaimed wisdom, her maturity and wit.

the last thing she says to the stranger is, “nice to meet you!”

raelle’s head hurts. it’d been hurting all day, but it hurts extra hard now that she was just tackled to the ground by a gorgeous stranger.

she sits up, rubbing her temple and trying to see where her savior is getting dragged off to, but is barely able to get two words out before she rounds a corner and disappears.

she feels something in her lap and looks down at the object that the other person must’ve dropped when she saved raelle.

it’s an old, weird looking medallion on a leather cord. heavy and worn enough that raelle’s pretty sure it’s not just some cool prop from hot topic.

“come back!” she shouts in the direction the girl disappeared. “you forgot your... super weird cult necklace.”

#¯\_(ツ)_/¯#!ficideas #asks #Anonymous

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god-save-the-keen · 4 years

Note

4. So, what should we do now? For Adrian x mc please

First of all I'm so so so sorry it took me this long to do it! I hope you enjoy it! And thanks for the request! ♥️

Quarantine

Warning: Fluff / NSFW 🍋

Words: 1316

Note: I promise my self that I wouldn't do a quarantine fic but, after three fucking months locked in, here we are! Oh! And MC is human in this story! Either way, I hope you all enjoy it!

Permanent tagg list: @gardeningourmet @eileendannie @desireepow-1986 @dawn-1994 @darley1101 @blackcatkita @flyawayboo @drakewalker04 @luckyferrero

Adrian Raines x MC tagg list: @senator-adrian-raines-wifey @alesana45 @choicesfannatalie @mattrodriguezmylife @bigmemesplz @perriewinklenerdie @x-kyne-x @livingpurpose @badgoodfishes @amyraineshessa @queencordonia @bloodboundismylife @bloodboundhoe @choices-addict-25 @lexilooloolovessenatorraines @bloodboundstuff

When Adrian saw in the news that the City was to be completely locked down because of the quarantine, he didn't hesitate to jump into his car and go to Amy's apartment. If they have to be stuck inside, even though he couldn't get sick, he wanted to be with her. And she wanted to be with him.

He took care of everything for her, shopping for the food, cleaning the products and putting the clothes in the washing machine, stripping in front of the intense gaze of Amy before heading to the shower, just to be sure.

Three weeks had passed and Amy's nerves were on the edge.

"I'm so bored!" She was laying in the bed, staring at the ceiling, looking annoyed.

"I know, Amy." He said laying beside her pulling her towards his chest and kissing her forehead. "So, what should we do now?"

"Teach me to fight like you." She sat with her knees on the mattress looking at him excited.

"What?"

"Teach me how to fight." She stared into his eyes, determined. "I know I don't have super speed… Or strength… Or sensitive vampire senses but after everything that happened with Vega and with the evil Santa I want to learn how to defend myself."

"You did a pretty good job in both cases." He pointed out, placing his hand on the side of her hip gently stroking there.

"Yeah but I can do it better." She pouted exaggeratedly at him making him chuckle. "Please, Adrian."

"Are you sure?" She nodded and he smiled at her excitement. "Okay then. Let's go to the living room."

"Yes!" She kissed him and jumped out of the bed, going to the bathroom to quickly change into a pair of leggings and sport top as Adrian put on a t-shirt. Only a few seconds later they had moved the furniture to the side, clearing a huge space to practice.

"The most important thing is your posture and to be aware of your opponent's every move all the time." Amy stood in her 'fight' position, flushing a little, conscious of how bad it was. Adrian smiled, standing behind her. "Separate your feet a little more and twist your hip to the right a bit." His hands held the lower part of her hips, gently moving them to the side as she felt herself became more secure on her feet and her skin grew warmer where his hands had been. "Better." His hands softly held her wrists and lifted them closer to her face, creating a protective wall for her face and chest with her arms while folding her hands into fists. "Always protect your face, it's the most easy way to knock you out." He took the same stance in front of her, his muscles rippled against the t-shirt as her eyes roamed his body. "Ready?"

"Bring it, grandpa." She teased him, observing even the tiniest move trying to guess his attack.

"Grandpa?" He laughed, slowly moving around her as she followed his moves, the tension palpable in the air. "I believe you have spent too much time with Matsuo."

"Maybe I have." A cheeky grin spread on her face. "My my, Mr. Raines, if I didn't know better, I would think you are jealous."

He faked an 'attack' to her right and poked her left side, tickling and surprising her. "I do not get jealous."

"Just like you don't beg, right?" His eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint remembering the last dark solstice and the first one they had celebrated together.

"Exactly like that." He went for her left side this time and she managed to block it in the last second, ginning confident in her moves. "Finely done."

"Thank you." They kept practicing for the next forty minutes, her moves faster and stronger as her confidence grew. She tried to fake a punch to his side but her body language was too obvious, giving him the chance to hold her wrists and pin her against the wall behind her back.

"Hey!"

"Nice try." He grinned getting a little closer, his eyes fixed on hers, hearing her heartbeat quicken. "But you got cocky and distracted." Her eyes drifting to his lips and chest visible through the t-shirt, biting down on her bottom lip.

"Can you blame me?" She saw his eyes darkening as his hands went towards hers and their fingers laced together, almost automatically, searching for each other and fitting perfectly. He lowered his head as she pushed hers towards his, their lips crashing halfway, heatedly kissing as he pressed his body against hers. He freed her hands and threaded his fingers through her hair, feeling her touch under his t-shirt, lifting it. He hoisted one of her legs and she did a little jump, wrapping his waist with her legs.

"Tell me what you want right now."

"You, Adrian. Every." She kissed his mouth. "Single." His jaw. "Part." His neck. "Of you." Until finally she bit his neck. Maybe she didn't have fangs but she knew how to make him groan with desire.

"Where?" He asked before placing his mouth on her chest.

"Right here and now." She sighed happily as his lips kept moving against her skin. He stood her on the floor long enough to discard both of their clothes and kiss her inner thighs until he easily lifted her again. Her arms looped around his neck and her legs on his waist as he held her with only one hand as the other took her chin to sensually kiss her. In moments like this she loved his super strength.

"You are gorgeous." Adrian whispered leaving a trail of kisses down her neck and sending his free hand between them, slightly touching her most sensitive point, making her gasp.

"And you are a teaser." He chuckled, continuing the movements of his hand inside her as she held his neck tightly. He kept it like that for what seemed like hours until, finally, pushing himself inside her, deep and slow, enjoying her prolonged moan while his fangs brushed her neck. "Feed on me." She commanded roughly and he smiled before biting her neck under her jaw, sucking the hot liquid, taking a small dose but enough to make her moan as his lips continued drinking. "Oh god! Adrian!"

"I love when you say my name like that." He licked the blood from the corner of his mouth as she tightened her legs around him, pushing his hips even closer, as he went deeper and harder, nibbling his earlobe, moaning against his ear. He left feather like touches on her neck, trailing down to her chest, breasts, belly and hips, as her whole body filled with goosebumps, making her move faster against him.

"Aaaah yes!" Her voice throaty and full of lust before taking his head between her hands and passionately kissing him, groaning into his mouth when his hand cupped one of her breasts. "Adrian--" She gasped again. "I almost--" He cut her off with another kiss, pulling down her bottom lip, feeling her walls closing around him, at the edge of her release.

"I'm here. Come for me, Amy." In a matter of only minutes, she let out one last moan, holding his shoulders like an anchor as he followed her. She softly pressed her forehead against his, panting and smiling while he carried her to the couch, covering them with a blanket. They lay together, his thumb caressing her cheeks and lips and their eyes locked on each other.

"Amy, I…" He stood in silence, lost in his thoughts. A part of him wanted to say how he felt but the other was doubtful, not fully sure if it was the right time.

"Yeah?"

"I really care about you." She snuggled, hugging his chest. "And I'm always going to protect you." He kissed her forehead.

"I care about you too."

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