#ladybug023

[lemonhemlock]

I love Jason Lannister, you love Jason Lannister

Let’s be friends?

bestie say no more 🤗 good taste in men is hard to come by 💅

[brbabcseu]

Idea that makes me happy:

Mia, Lia, and Ximena lose their brothers, their cousins, their lovers because of Jessie and Walter

With Gus, Walt, and Elario all dead, they inherited all that opportunity and now it’s like the Golden girls but make them the drug queens of Albuquerque.

@el-michoacano

JQKRJWJDJJE ty for being a friend fr...... the unstoppable force of Mi-Li-Mena

[cambion-companion]

Hi, I love your writing. I know you get A LOT of requests, but I was thinking if you could write some enemies to lovers. Dagger to throat, angry makeout session and you know stuff like that. That would be GREAT.

Hi, so I based this oneshot (maybe twoshot) from this post because I needed to, duty called, I answered. And @ladybug023 has some great ideas!

(I can't help but love you

Even though I try not to

I can't help but want you

I know that I'd die without you -Ruelle, War of Hearts)

Word count: 2,000

Aemond x tomboy!lady!reader | enemies to lovers ?

Tag list: @fuckinglittlekitten@bored-and-nerdy@echos-muses@moni-cah@mothertower@runningmunson@gabrieletargaryen@weskamoe@andreeasancheez@fleur-foudroyee@bcon24@tresefitzgibbons@lovesickwildcat@samblackblog@tinykryptonitewerewolf@thesapphirequeen@ohsehunbabyy@bitch-biblioklept@drawing-kitty1@scarletttargaryen@themartiansdaughter@blue-velvet-valentina@megatardisbaby@roseglowx@gotjonsa1@flowerpotmage@sirenofavalon@darylandbethfanforever9@enchantedpendant@nupppuff

You smirked up at the Targaryen prince through your lashes, his brow was furrowed in concentration, trying to gauge an opening in your defensive stance.

“You said this is called Water Dancing?”  Aemond huffed, he’d been unable to land a single blow to your person the entire sparring match and it was aggravating him.

“It is!  My father hired a Braavosi sword instructor because they’re said to be the best.”  You kept a trained eye upon the prince’s shifting stance, your one-handed sword raised at the ready.

“Is that not unusual, a Lord allowing his daughter to train in swordplay?”

You scoffed. “Says the one-eyed prince.”

Aemond snarled, his long hair swirling about his angular face as he lunged for you.  You were barely able to knock aside his strike, stumbling back before recovering your balance enough to swiftly dodge his continued attacks.

With a growl, the Targaryen relented, instead beginning to stalk in a circle around you, reminding you very much of a dragon in the way he moved and glared into your eyes.

“Why do you insist on training with me if it vexes you so?”  You feinted toward him, striking instead at his unguarded left flank.

Aemond, quick as ever, parried your blow. “My…intense dislike for you inspires me to train harder.”

“Oh, so I inspire you, do I?”

“Only in the way a fungus inspires nausea.”

“Ouch.”  You half-laughed at his disdain, failing to block his next attack, the flat of his blade knocking heavily against your shoulder. “Ouch!”

“Pay better attention next time.”

“You’re an ass, Aemond.”

He leapt at you again, you neatly dodge under his arcing strike, rapping him on the back with your sword.  Aemond spun, his violet eye practically glowing with frustration. “Better an ass than the spoiled daughter of a nobleman who indulges her every whim.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re jealous.”  You blocked several more of his attacks, the sound of metal-on-metal ringing off the stone walls of the courtyard.

“Jealous of a girl who looks as though she’s been drug face first through the streets of Flea Bottom?” Aemond snorted a derisive laugh. “I think not.”

“Why you entitled,” It was your turn to be the aggressor, a sudden burst of anger spurring you forward, “dragon-riding,” You jabbed at his torso, “towheaded,” You tried swinging a blow down upon his head, “pretentious Snollygoster!”

Aemond had to take a moment, holding a hand to halt the sparring as he leant upon his sword, laughing.  “Snollygoster?  Did your Braavosi master teach you that as well or did your father hire a separate instructor for rare insults?”

“It means-”

“I can imagine what it means, Y/N.”  Aemond spoke over you, twirling his sword one final time before moving to rest it back upon the weapon’s rack.  “As insufferable as you are,” He shook his silver head at you, his expression still amused, “you certainly aren’t boring.”

You returned your sword to its resting place as well, shooting Aemond a scalding look. “Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for you.”

“And yet,” Aemond mused, looking down his nose at you, “you insist on sparring with me alone and no one else…ever.”

“I-” You spluttered, only causing his smirk to grow wider, “I-you said it yourself.  No one else challenges me like you do.”

“That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me, Y/N.”  Aemond gave you a mock bow, his long hair falling over his shoulders.

You hated how pretty he was.

Averting your eyes, you crossed your arms over your chest. “I guess I’ll see you tonight?”

“Tonight?”  Aemond echoed, tilting his head in confusion.

“Yes, tonight.  The dance?  Have you forgotten?”

“Ah, no I hadn’t forgotten.  I simply didn’t think my mother would’ve invited a girl who pretends at being a boy as her favorite pastime.”

Despite yourself, his words stung.  You gave him one last withering look before turning towards the Red Keep. “Better that than a lonely little boy pretending he has any chance at the Iron Throne.”

You knew your words were cruel, but this was the game you two had been playing since the day you’d first met in the sparring arena.  His intense dislike for you was tempered by the admiration he felt for your boldness.  For your part, you appreciated how much you learned sparring with him in both swordplay and your everlasting battle of words.

Aemond did not call after you as you entered the dark coolness of the keep, winding your way upstairs and through torchlit corridors to your chambers.  He was right of course, you had mud on your cheek and your hair was a tangled mess. If you were to look presentable for tonight’s feasting and dancing, you a lot of work to do.  You called for a hot bath and some serving maids to help dress you and do your hair; you’d be damned if you saw Aemond smirk down at you tonight.

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

The shimmering cobalt fabric caressed your clean body in waves of chiffon and satin.  You wore a necklace of dark blue sapphires that cascaded like a waterfall, drawing the eye to the swell of your chest and the details of gold upon your bodice.  Your long hair had been successfully untangled and washed, thoroughly brushed through, drying in lustrous curls that the servants had swept away from your face in a twisting updo, showing off the curve of your neck.

You noted the surprise on the maid’s face at your drastic change in appearance, only growing to an expression akin to awe as you dabbed rouge on your cheeks and lips, underlining your eyes with a stick of kohl.

“You look…radiant, my lady.”  The sweet girl bobbed a curtsy to you before you swept from your chambers.

You gave her a smile of thanks, gathering your silky indigo skirts as you departed, leaving the scent of lilac perfume in your wake.

As you descended the sandstone steps to the crowded great hall, many eyes turned your way in admiration.  You gave a small smile to those people whom your eyes met, vindication swelling in your breast as your gaze alighted upon Aemond’s shocked face.

He was easy to spot, looking very handsome himself in a tunic and coat of dark green and black, the fabric contrasting pleasingly with his silver hair and purple eye.  He wore an eyepatch of black leather to match, his expression morphing from shock into something unreadable as he watched you striding toward him.

With the soft sound of your skirts brushing the floor, you walked purposefully up to the Targaryen prince.  Giving him a small curtsy, all the while a coy smirk playing upon your lips.

“I almost didn’t recognize you.”  He said, the corners of his mouth twitching. “You don’t look like an unwashed beast.”

“Amazing what some hot water and soap will do for a person.”  You grinned up at him. “Too bad it can’t help you though.”

Aemond let out a low sound of annoyance, shaking his head at you. “One day I will make you regret your insolence.”

You leaned into his space, your breath intermingling with his. “I look forward to it.”  You gave the prince a cheeky wink before flouncing away, deeper into the swirling colors of the crowd.

ʚïɞ.•*¨*•.¸¸♬

Your feet ached, you’d been dancing for quite some time, on the arm of one handsome gentleman to the other.  Most of the company proving to be too vapid and self-interested for your taste.  Despite yourself, you kept looking around for a familiar one-eyed prince, but hadn’t seen Aemond since your encounter at the hall’s entrance.

As you were swirled by yet another boring dance partner around the floor, the two of you passed the open doors leading to a moonlit balcony.  You barely had the chance to glance outside but were able to see the familiar taut stance and long straight hair of the man you were loath to admit you wanted to see.

“Excuse me.”  You broke the too-tight embrace of the man grasping your waist, waved off his protestations and turned to make your way through the other dancers, toward the balcony.

Cool night air washed over you as you exited the ballroom, your curled hair stirring in a salty breeze fresh off Blackwater Bay.  Aemond still stood, motionless as a spider, with his back to you, looking over the railing toward the sea.

Careful to keep your distance, you moved to stand at his right side, enjoying a moment the muffled sound of music and laughter behind you, the distant noise of the city and ocean in front.

“Why are you here?”  Aemond’s voice was not displeased, though he did not turn to look at you fully.

“I…”  For once you were at a loss for words, instead you tapped your fingers upon the rough stone banister. “I needed some fresh air.  Why are you out here?”

Aemond was silent a moment, so long you doubted whether he would answer you.  You turned your face to look at him, his profile sharp and regal as he stood tall with hands clasped behind his back.

“Large gatherings of people do not entice me.”  He spoke at last, still avoiding looking toward you. “You seem to be thriving, however.”

“You’ve been watching me?”

“Don’t let it go to your head.”  Aemond tsked, a measure of his former teasing levity returning. “It’s swollen enough.”

You laughed, the sound drawing Aemond’s gaze at last to your smiling face.  You stopped giggling immediately, upon seeing the intensity of his expression.  

“Are you alright?”  You were surprised at the amount of genuine concern you felt for him, and you could see he was as well by the way his eye widened slightly.

“You seem intent on tormenting me, Lady Y/N.”  Aemond moved toward you then with predatory intent, like a cat stalking its prey.

You instinctively backed away, until you hit the wall of the Keep, Aemond’s arm coming up to cage you in, his face inches from yours.  

“So, I shall ask you again: why are you here?”  Aemond’s breath was hot upon your face, though not unpleasant.

You found yourself looking at his curved lips longer than you should’ve before dragging your eyes back to his. “I needed some fresh air.”  You said stubbornly.

“Y/N, there are five other balconies adjoined with the great hall, that’s a remarkable coincidence.”  

“A happy accident.”  Breathing was becoming hard, you felt hot and cold all over, especially as Aemond raised his free hand to toy with a ringlet of hair falling against your neck.

“I don’t believe you.”  His voice was soft, almost dangerous.

You felt yourself lean closer to it, your eyes drifting once more to his parted lips.

“Y/N.  My eye is up here.”  Aemond ran his fingers from the lock of hair he’d been twirling to rest lightly upon your sapphire necklace just above your bosom.  “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you wore this on purpose.”

“My necklace?”

“Hmm.”  Aemond affirmed, his eye roving across your jewels then back to your moonlit face. “Everything you do seems calculated to drive me even closer to the brink of madness.”

“I’m…sorry.”  You managed to breath out, your own eyes widening.

“No, you’re not.”  He chuckled a deep laugh, pulling away from you abruptly, leaving you feeling bereft of his proximity.

“You’re right, I’m not!”  You called after the prince as he walked away from you, back to the firelit hall.  “Godsdamnitall.”  You swore quietly, smoothing your rumpled skirts and hair before pursuing Aemond back across the balcony. “Wait a damn minute, Aemond.”

It was too late.  The insufferable tease had already slipped back into the twirling crowd, the music drowned out your voice as you called after him.  You’d have your revenge for the way he’d made your heart flutter and your cheeks flush, he wouldn’t be able to dodge you forever.

[orbitinytheworld]

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024‼️

@theelderhazelnut @laismoura-art @barb-l @captain-liminal @queenieboo22 @ladybug023 @bloody-arty-myths

[fattylime]

commission for @ladybug023 ❄️

[theelderhazelnut]

OC Picrew

Tagged by @inafieldofdaisies and @darialovesstuff <3

Ombra turned out so cool that I didn’t want to ruin it by adding her metal jaw. She’s attending a formal event in Netherrealm. | Her older sibling Gizem is here too! Note: their hair is dyed.

No pressure tags: @vivilovespink @neonneurons @maddenedroses @roofgeese @huepazu @krysta-cross @voidika @strangefable @jillvalentinesday @licoricelump @littledarlingbunbun @loverofthewindgod @ninibear3000 @scentedcandleibex @poisonedtruth @middlechildwhoescapedthebasement @jillvalentinesday @ladybug023 @gavincruikshanksexhusband @jackieisraidenssidechick @de8mod @breakfwest @sweet-tigra @cassietrn @shegetsburned @nightbloodbix @jacobsneed @takiisieju-moved @aceghosts @euryalex @captastra @hi-thisiszira @bihansthot @mitsuko-saito

[houseofpendragons]

Gwayne Hightower/After the Death of Helena Cuy Drabble

(Obviously inspired by teen wolf, that Chris and Isaac scene after Allison dies. Also thanks to ladybug023 for convincing me with that lovely Daeron Targaryen drabble (go read it) to get off my ass and write something for Gwayne & the Hightower fam😂❤)

There is nothing worse than the grief of losing someone who you love. Especially when one is so young. It was choking Gwayne, seemingly cutting off all oxygen so that he couldn't breath. The tears flowed freely and stung his eyes like a thousand tiny pin prick needles, making his eyes all red and his skin blotchy; under his eyes were raw from where he'd constantly rubbed away tear after tear. He didn't wanted to cry, he wanted to make his father proud but he just couldn't stop. He tried and he tried but...this was his mother, the woman who bore him and nursed him at her breast, who always read him stories and sang songs, who was gentle with him and helped him when he couldn't get the words on the pages right - the woman who loved him most in the world. And now she was gone.

Gwayne's first memory was of his mother. The light of the sun had surrounded her like a golden aura to match her personality, and her smile was so wide that the dimples looked like little valleys on either side of her lips. She just smiled, and he remembered the love and the safety he'd felt just from her presence. Perhaps that's why he was now sneaking into his sisters chambers. She was the spitting image of their mother and he wanted...he wanted to pretend for just a moment that she wasn't gone.

But when he saw her sitting up in the bed, her clothes as bleak as the midnight sky and the feeling in their hearts, he faltered. Her messy face was a mirror of his but she wore a blank stare, as if all the light had been drained from the world. She didn't look like mother now, and he felt guilty for trying to pretend. She needed someone too and he'd selfishly only thought of himself. He felt it eating at him as he gently sat on the edge of the bed, digging his nails roughly into his palms to create cresent moons in the flesh. She merely looked at him, slowly moving her bloodshot eyes to focus on him, but even then she wasn't truly seeing.

"Are-are-" He cleared his throat and cursed himself for his stutter and the tears that came to gloss over his dark eyes, a replica image if his fathers; he hated them. "Are you okay?"

Even breathing hurt Alicent, and she felt a sharp sting, particularly in her chest, and the constricting of her throat. But she was better at being stong then her brother, for when she exhaled and opened her chapped lips to speak her voice was strong despite the barely noticeable wobble to them. "I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine. I have an ability to compartmentalize my emotions."

It was silent for a few moments and that's when she truly took in her brother and saw he'd turned away from her to hide the tears now flowing so freely down his face. He thought he used them all up. His voice was a mere whisper when he spoke up. To hell with being strong, I'm not strong, he thought.

"I don't." That was all it took for her instincts to kick in as a big sister, the need to protect and be the caretaker. She sat up and shuffled over to him, taking his face gently in her hands, and holding her against herself. She didn't care about the tears or the snot currently staining her dress, not as she felt her own hot tears slowly descend her face to land in his wild chestnut hair. She just whispered over and over again that it was okay, even though it wasn't, even though it probably wouldn't be for a while, it would be eventually. Until then they knew that they had eachother, they had their memories, and the thought that they would see their mother again one day. It still did nothing to help them escape the stabbing pain in both their hearts, though perhaps maybe it did dull it to some extent.

Their father stood just on the other side of that door, his fist raised to knock but never meeting the wood. He heard them crying in their grief, and he wanted to do what she would have wanted and comfort them but he couldn't bring himself to step into that room and see the looks on their faces. Alicent was the spitting image of his beloved Helena, a ghost he couldn't quite face yet. But Gwayne, everything he did, from the way he to spoke, to the way he held himself, and all his mannerisms...all belonged to his mother. Otto stood outside that door listening until they became silent, having cried themselves to sleep holding onto one another, and still Otto Hightower stood out there all night...and he cried.

[el-michoacano]

Following @ladybug023's lead and sharing some of Aurelia's looks! 🖤

[legends-of-apex]

Warrior on a date HCs? 🙏🏼😫

(Bolo, YJ, Ah Sahm, Ah Toy, Li Yong)

The Warrior characters on a date - Headcanons

Rating: T (mentions of drinking, non-sexual intimacy)

Tagging: @icy-spicy @noobsaibots

Here you go, lovely! Hope you enjoy and thanks so much for your request 🥰 headcanons are gender neutral for all characters!

Ah Sahm

Probably running through the streets at full pelt to get there on time and makes it by the skin of his teeth. Usually has a bit of blood on his face and gives his s/o the heart eyes when they very kindly wipe it off for him and press a kiss to wherever the blood was, even when he assures them that the blood wasn’t his. Will look at his s/o like a lovesick puppy for the rest of the night

Prefers a date in a more quiet and intimate setting away from the bustle and noise he’s used to. A date at his s/o’s place is perfect cause it’s familiar and comfortable territory. Loves curling up with or walking arm in arm with his s/o and talking about the most meaningless things. Dates with him are gentle, intimate and sweet

Ah Toy

She wants her s/o to have her, not whatever version of her she puts on for others so something nice and cozy suits her best. Loves going to the market and getting some food, bringing it back home and having a feast with her s/o by the warmth of the fireplace. Rarely doesn’t bring a gift of some kind for her s/o even if it’s just food

Her eyes barely leave her s/o at all throughout the whole date, especially when they’re talking about something they’re passionate about. She’s just looking at them adoringly all night. She’ll do everything she can to make them feel appreciated and cared for. Dates with her are passionate, quiet and personal

Bolo

Likes doing something fun with his s/o. Going for a walk, going for drinks, anything where there won’t be much silence or absence of things to talk about. He always walks them home afterwards with his hand in theirs, even if they live right next door to where the date was. A single kiss to his cheek in thanks and he’ll give the brightest smile imaginable

Is very good at smooth-talking his way into being asked if he’d like to join them inside. He’ll do that even if they’ve been dating for months and he’s been told he can come in or stay over anytime. It’s probably easier if you just pull him inside when he starts his pitch

Li Yong

He doesn’t mind where the date is or what they’re doing together. So long as he gets to spend time with his s/o then he’s happy. He likes to keep dates light because he’s used to just the most dour things. He smiles all the time on dates because he’s genuinely happy to be there and he’ll do everything he can to make his s/o smile too

He’s showering his s/o in soft kisses all the time on a date. Especially loves pressing gentle kisses to their cheek, their knuckles, their forehead. He sees a date as the time to dote on his s/o because he’s usually so busy otherwise. He’s giving constant love and affection on dates, or as much as his s/o let’s him

Young Jun

He’s out here doing the most!! Flowers for his date, chivalry dialled up to the max, making sure he’s looking his best. He just wants his s/o to feel special so he goes all out. Dates with him are often high-energy and grand. He spares no expense!

Is nervous as hell but will mask that with flirting. He’s respectful but will openly flirt with his s/o constantly. He’ll also compliment them every third or fourth sentence just to see them smile. Probably helped pick out something for his s/o to wear on their date and he’ll be sure to let them know how good they look

[archived-zombbean]

Sareena HCs plz?😁💕

Sareena

Goth girl you always wanted to date but never had the balls to.

Looks tough and like a bitch, acts like it a lot of the time, but has a soft side for people she actually likes. Those people are far and few between.

Probably drinks pomegranate juice because it reminds her of the underworld in greek mythology.

Stuck between “Will slice your throat for looking at me funny” and “You’re cute when you stare at me like that”.

Dated Bi-Han once and made him cry when they broke up.

Accidentally bite her lip too hard with her fangs when embarrassed. Let someone point it out tho. She’ll fuck you up.

[lemonhemlock]

Got any fancasts for Daeron Targaryen?

In my head he either looks like young Jonas from Dark (Louis Hofmann) or Krester from 1899 (Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen). 😅 So fairly popular fancasts as is, I don't have any particular indie picks.

[brbabcseu]

What’s Ximena’s favorite type of movies? She feel like a romcom girlie to me

She definitely has Moonstruck on dvd

local tumblr user ladybug023 i am a flop and forgot to answer this!!

ykw I hadn't thought of that before, tbh she indulges in a romcom every now and again! Oh absolutely she loves Moonstruck lol. In general she's more of a tv show kind of girl. Especially post-brba she likes to have a show on when she comes home bc she gets to turn her brain off and it fills the silence well

[midethefangirl]

i’m weak, so what’s wrong with that (reworked)

🏷️: fade to black, bireena, reference to toxic masculinity, and there was only one bed, touch starved bi han, author wrote this instead of sleeping 🤪💀💀

a/n: as noted in the previous version, this is inspired by @ladybug023 spy!Sareena headcanons. gotta give honour to whom it is due.

I know I said I’d upload this a few weeks back and I apologize for the delay. I was wrapping up my finals and I’ll be graduating this week, thank God! 🥰

enough of me rambling about my life, lol, I found myself rereading the previous version and I found myself cringing and I wanted to rework this. I just hope this turns out to be better than its predecessor.

again, I apologize for the delay and yeah, that is it from me.

tagging: @livingdeadgirly

word count: ~3.5k words

also on AO3 (if you’re like me and you despise reading long text on Tumblr)

“Stay still,” she said firmly, lightly pressing the warm wet cloth on his arm, cleaning up the slight gash on his upper arm.

A slight wince left Bi-Han’s lips, a glare on his face as he stared back at the woman before him. His eyes narrowed at the sight of her - her black hair with the white streak tied back to avoid them getting in the way and her face fixed in concentration. She was the reason why they were both here, in the first place - in this little shack in the mountains, hiding from the Tengu.

“You do not command me, woman,” he sneered and her head snapped up to meet him. Her eyes narrowed back at him before she rolled them.

“Maybe you should tend your injuries yourself then,” she gave him a sarcastic smile and almost then he was about to snatch the cloth away from her until she sent him a stare that read ‘are you serious?’

With a huff, he gave in, staying rooted. How can a woman be so infuriating and yet so intriguing? Even more so, how could he be so weak to fall for his protégée?

“We would not be in this situation if you had not chosen to defy me,” he changed the subject and she stared back up at him again.

She looked like she was about to say something but she bit on her full lower lip before turning back her attention to his arm. Almost then, Bi-Han wanted to reach for her head and feel her lower lip with his thumb.

So fucking pathetic and weak.

“We’d have been dead by now if we went with your plans, Bi-Han,” Sareena finally replied. “The Tengu are more advanced than what we had believed and they could have killed us both.”

He quelled the urge to protest even though he knew she was right. They were severely underprepared and lucky to have escaped with only a few injuries.

“We barely escaped with a few wounds, your plans would have our heads on a pike, Grandmaster,” her eyes rolled at his title. Okay, maybe not his title as his father, Zhāofēi still ruled the Lin Kuei.

Yet, he despised how his protégée held his soon-to-be title with contempt. It was a shame he could not punish her for that or even get rid of her - a doing of his father’s meddling. That she was his student was a headache on its own and another machination of his father.

Sareena had walked into the Lin Kuei, defeated a few initiates and managed to win over the hearts of everyone, including his father. For as long as Bi-Han could remember, Zhāofēi was not a man easily swayed by gimmicks and he would know that being the oldest son of the grandmaster.

And yet, all it took was her stepping in to take down her opponents for Zhāofēi to recruit her and place her under his tutelage.

“All done,” she announced finally and he snatched his arm away from her before turning away. “You are unbelievable, you know that?”

He did not need to maintain eye contact to know exactly what her facial expression was right now. He could imagine her supple lips pouting and her eyes narrowing at him as she carried that questioning look on her face.

How can anyone be this infuriating and yet pleasing to the eyes?

He could not lie to himself as much as he wanted to deny it, no matter how much. Those feelings he had kept hidden for the past two years of being her master threatened to break through the walls he had carefully built for years.

Bringing her along with him on this mission was a bad idea. Yet, he could not defy the grandmaster, not even if said grandmaster was his own father.

The relationship with his father has always been tense even before Sareena walked her way into the clan but the tension grew even worse the moment his father insisted on him taking her under his tutelage.

It seemed to be that despite the passage of years, the old man would keep on prioritizing outsiders over his own son.

First, it had been that orphan, the guilt of being partly responsible for the deaths of his family had clouded the judgment of an old man. That same guilt had led to him opening his home to Tomas, not just making him a member of the clan responsible for him being an orphan, but also adopting him as one of his sons.

Even a younger Bi-Han in his teenage years could see how fucked up that decision was on Zhāofēi’s part but he knew better than to question his father. Instead, he had distanced himself from Tomas.

Zhāofēi may have brought him in, made him wear the Lin Kuei insignia but Bi-Han had sworn to never acknowledge him as one of them.

It was so laughable how history repeats itself with Zhāofēi forcing another outsider on him and unlike Tomas whom he could keep his distance from, there was no way he could do that with Sareena.

He had tried every method in the book, from being not just literally but also metaphorically cold. He had even made sure his training was as tough as it could be, after all, he was infamous on the Lin Kuei for not holding back.

To his chagrin, Sareena could hold her own against him, although with a few bruises on her body as evidenced by her visits to the medical room.

To make it worse was this tight feeling in his chest that almost had him breathless each time she stepped into the trading room. That and that feeling which threatened to choke him each time he saw Tomas around her.

Tomas might believe he was hiding his feelings but to anyone who had eyes to see, they were so glaringly obvious that a blind man could see them.

As much as he hated to acknowledge the existence of the gray-cladded assassin, Bi-Han knew when to give the honor where it was due and Tomas was a formidable warrior in his own right. The man had been born without powers of his own and came into this clan a whimpering weakling after the old man had brought him in.

That had not stopped Tomas from training extra hard to prove himself, even to the point of using the ancient books and consulting the clan’s elders to acquire his own powers. If that was not dedication in itself.

But hell, was Tomas too obvious with his attraction towards Sareena. At best, Bi-Han could describe him as a pathetic puppy pining after its owner for a grain of attention. It was just annoying and pitiful to see. Like it is pitiful seeing you pant after her as well.

At least, he knew how to keep those feelings buried deep inside. Until now…

It had to do something with this stupid cramped up shack they found themselves in as a temporary source of shelter. He could only pray to some god out there, probably Liu Kang, that he made it out without succumbing to his weakness.

“Bi-Han.”

And there was his kryptonite at the foot of the door, her hand on the handle. She had an eyebrow raised at his earlier distraction. He could already tell that she had some witty remark in her arsenal by the twitch at the corner of her lips.

“Being distracted is not a good look for the future grandmaster.”

And there it was.

He scoffed, looking away from her. The door creaked slightly, immediately alerting him as he turned his attention towards the source of the sound.

“And where do you think you are going?”

“To patrol. I thought it would be best if-.”

“The Tengu would not find us here,” he cut in before looking up at her.

“You are so unbelievable, Bi-Han. Way too confident that the Tengu would not sniff out our location faster than a bloodhound,” she countered, defiant as usual and it grated on his already frayed nerves.

He was already on his feet faster than he could process it, his frame right in front of her.

“Must you always defy me, Sareena? Do you get a kick from this drivel?”

His stance coupled with his gravelly voice would have intimidated a clan member of a less position. But the woman before him did not seem phased by him and had quite the audacity for someone who was supposed to be his protegee.

“I may be your ‘disciple’ but that does not make me a blind follower of yours, Bi-Han. You cannot just assume we are out of the Tengu’s radar because we are in the middle of nowhere,” she shot back and he let out a huff of annoyance.

As much as he hated to admit it, she was right and it made him turn away as he muttered under his breath, “I will keep patrol and you stay here for the meantime.”

“But your injuries-,” she protested but Bi-Han could already see that from afar as he cut in.

“Will be fine, Sareena. Do not waste your time arguing with me,” he added with a warning tone and he watched her features relax as she pushed lightly at him.

He stepped aside, his eyes tracking her movement from where she was to the bed.

“Since you insisted, grandmaster,” she shrugged, taking her seat on the bed which was weirdly comfortable for one in a little cabin in the middle of nowhere. “Wake me up when it is my turn to take over patrolling.”

He said nothing, letting out a grunt as he made his way outside. It was the least he could do for now.

What was the mission again? Sareena found herself sighing as she melted into the comfort of the bed she laid on.

As much as she wanted to indulge in its comforting embrace and fall asleep, her mind kept on reminding her of how limited her time was. Quan Chi had to be growing impatient, given the kind of man he was.

Aside from the constant reminder of a certain Outworld sorcerer, there was the fact that this day also had to mark five Earthrealm years of Ashrah leaving the Netherrealm.

Being the closest to Ashrah, Sareena had been the first person the former had revealed her plan of leaving to, even extending the offer for her to escape the Netherrealm with her.

“Do you not want to see realms beyond the fiery skies?”

There were occasions when Sareena pondered on why she had declined. Maybe it was the fear of the unknown that held her back, after all, the Netherrealm was what she knew her whole life.

And there was Quan Chi ruling over the Netherrealm like the tyrant he was. The moment Ashrah had left, he had sent out fellow sisters to assassinate her. Given that none of them returned, it was safe to say that they had met their ends at Ashrah’s Datusha.

It had gotten to the part where the Sisterhood of Shadows dreaded being the ones called on to assassinate Ashrah. Aside from the likelihood of being killed in self-defense, Ashrah was still a sister regardless.

Even if she had made the conscious decision to turn her back on the Sisterhood, even if Kia forbade the rest of them from uttering her name, even if Ashrah was forced to have her sisters die by Datusha’s blade.

Five years had passed and now, Sareena found herself in the same position as she believed Ashrah had been those years ago. It had started so slowly like a seed planted in the ground of her heart and allowed to take root before germinating.

Yet, a lot of things hung in the balance, one of them being that she was a spy. She had infiltrated the Lin Kuei under Quan Chi’s commands, the sorcerer forcing her to choose between this or being ordered to assassinate Ashrah instead.

The sadistic smile that floated on the bastard’s smug face was enough to send chills down her spine. It was no secret that she and Ashrah were the closest and for Quan Chi to use that to blackmail her was a low blow.

Despite that, Sareena valued her life more than anything and had made the choice to infiltrate the Lin Kuei without second thoughts. If it mean not being killed by her own sister, then she had no qualms.

Yet, her conscience kicked right at her heart as the years went by. Initially, she had believed that her mission would be a flight through the Netherrealm but it turned out she had not considered the fact that she would get attached to the newfound family she had come to love in the Lin Kuei.

Despite it being her first day after getting initiated into the clan, Tomas had been the first to reach out to her. Then, Cyrax who was also known as Bontle Mohutsiwa had extended a hand of friendship towards her.

Coming from a dog-eat-dog world where the only person she had trusted on an intimate level was Ashrah, encountering these people posed a whiplash to her - a cultural shock.

She had found a new home which she knew would not last long. Not when they would eventually find out the truth of why she was in this clan. She dreaded just the thought of it, the thought of betraying them and the thought of proving Bi-Han’s suspicions right.

It was no secret that he looked down at her with disdain, the way he manhandled her like she was some obstacle to be eliminated.

Sareena had believed that it was understandable why he hated her. Tomas was also in the same boat as she was - they were both outsiders but in comparison, Tomas seemed to fare better as the worst he could get from Bi-Han was a cold silent treatment.

Maybe his disdain for her was not unfounded, she was a spy after all, although he did not know it yet. The truth always had its way of coming out.

The sound of light footsteps was enough to snap her out of reverie, her back almost against the wall as soon as Bi-Han walked in. The scowl on his face almost melted off as he shut the door behind him.

Wasting no time, Sareena’s feet were on the floor as she got down the bed when his raspy voice drew her attention.

“Just where do you think you are going?”

She paused, her eyes staring back at him in confusion.

“It is my turn to patrol, I believe so?” Her tone dropped with a hint of sarcasm as she asked, goosebumps forming on her arm as the temperature of the room dropped down a few degrees Celsius, her sign that that had not gone unnoticed.

“You’d be wasting your time, the coast is clear,” he dismissed with a wave of his hand.

“Still, I-.”

“Were you destined to be a pain in my ass?” He argued, his pointer pointing straight at her and Sareena could feel her blood boiling as she fought the urge to roll her eyes.

“Were you destined to always be…this?!” She shot back at him.

No doubt, he had taken an offence to that as his nostrils flared in fury, “And what is that supposed to mean, Sareena?”

Deciding that this was now or never, she squared her shoulders, also taking a dominant stance as she stared right back at him.

“Why do you hate me so much?”

“Why do you hate me so much?”

All the fight in him seemed to have left his body at that question, his brows furrowed at that question. He had expected any kind of question but that.

Why did he hate her? Did he even hate her anymore at this point? He scoffed, turning away from her. Maybe he did hate her.

He hated her for how weak she made him; he hated her for how she drove him to the point of insanity. He hated her for how she dominated his every sleeping and waking thoughts.

There’s a thin line between love and hate, someone had once said and Bi-Han had sneered at that quote, pondering on the nonsensical drivel of it all. Yet, he found himself an embodiment of that very quote.

This was a bad idea. Every part of this, from his father placing Sareena under his tutelage to the old man asking that he took her with him on this mission.

One, she had openly defied him in front of an enemy clan - the Tengu and fair enough, she was right to do so but that had bruised his ego in a way. His healing injuries throbbed as a reminder of that.

Two, he had made the error of thinking he could control himself around her and not succumb to his weakness. The fact that they were both in this shack with tensions running high and thickening the air just drove his point home.

“You know what I think of you?” Her voice broke through his thoughts and he slightly turned his head towards her. He wanted to shut her up, telling her he couldn’t care less what she thought of him but he stayed rooted anyway. “I think you are a coward.”

And there it was, his fists clenching in fury.

“You like me,” she continued and his heart rate accelerated like that of a man on adrenaline rush. “You think you hate me so you can push me away.”

She knew.

“Don’t resort to those delusional thoughts to make yourself feel better,” he sneered, turning to fully face her.

“I’ve seen weaker men fight for their love, grandmaster. Men who would burn the world for the ones they love. You, on the other hand, not even the Tengu-,” she pressed on and that was it from him as the last bit of control snapped like a delicate thread holding the two parts of a rope together.

She let out a yelp as his hand gripped her by the neck, tilting her head back as his lips met hers in an aggressive kiss.

For the first time, Bi-Han felt the tension flee his body, his hand leaving her neck now as the initial aggression was toned down for something else.

A groan escaped him the moment he felt Sareena’s hand roaming his chest and the other moving to let his dark hair down. She had taken over, her lips moving against his until he felt himself pushed down on the bed.

That was new and his clouded mind was the reason why he stared in confusion, his body feeling strangely warm despite the cryomancy that ran through his veins.

His eyes made contact with Sareena’s, her face looking more serene than his with a smirk on her lips. The only thing betraying her seemingly calm composure was the slight heaving of her chest as she straddled him.

“Lost for words, grandmaster?” She cooed, her use of his title not posing a source of aggravation to him for the first time.

He was indeed lost for words, panting like he had just ran a thousand miles. He definitely looked pathetic in her eyes yet that did not bother him a bit.

Her hand crept up to his neck and the irony was almost laughable at this point considering he had first kissed her with a neck grip in a kind of power move.

Her lips met his again, her hips grinding against his and he could already feel his length hardening just from that.

She pulled away from him, a short chuckle bubbling from her throat.

“I have barely touched you, Bi-Han,” she whispered, her hand now moving down to his crotch and his breath hitched as his body shuddered. She hesitated, staring at him, “Do you want this?”

He wanted to growl out in frustration, why was she asking him? He had kissed her first, the fact that she was touching him should be enough proof of his consent. Besides, he could not trust his words.

“Just- fuck, yes,” he groaned. It was his first time doing something like this, another side effect of him focusing on his being the next-in-line.

At least, his inexperience did not seem to drive Sareena away as her hand was back where he needed it to be.

“First time?”

There was a teasing glint in her dark eyes and if not for the heady lust which clouded his mind, he’d have glared at her. Maybe he did because she teased him even more with a gentle squeeze which made his breath hitch.

“I’ll be gentle, if that is assuring,” Sareena stared down at him, her hands leaving him momentarily as she reached to pull off her clothes.

At that moment, Bi-Han felt like a teenager all over again. The thrill of the mission always had the blood rushing through his vessels but this was an odd but not unwelcome feeling that had him going through what might as well be an adrenaline rush.

Maybe he could give in to his weakness for this one time.

a/n: ...so, how did that go? I hope to also rework out of control soon, hopefully, that will not take three weeks for me to do that (let us just hope) and if you want to be on my tagging list, please, let me know. and as usual, constructive criticism is welcome and thanks again for reading. 😄❤️

[cambion-companion]

15 questions 15 people

Thank you for the tag @beautifulsnake2162020

Nickname

Hawke :) DA2 players will get the reference!

Sign

Leo

Height

5'11''

Last Thing I Googled

"Medieval Insults"

Song Stuck in My Head

Bejeweled by Taylor Swift

Number of Followers

Somewhere around 3300

Amount of Sleep

Never enough haha

Dream Job

Trauma therapist

Wearing

Black and white. Yennefer would be proud!

Movies/Books That Summarize You

"The Lord of the Rings" "Bridge to Terabithia"

Favorite Song

King by Florence and the Machine

Favorite Instrument

Celtic Lever Harp. I've played since I was 16.

Aesthetic

College grad with no job lmao I wish I could say Elven princess, fantasy, whimsical

Favorite Authors

Jonathan Stroud, J.R.R Tolkien

Random Fun Fact

I speak German as a second language

I nominate

@aemonds-sapphire @lady-phasma @flowerpotmage @bitch-biblioklept @echos-muses @runningmunson @schniiipsel @the-daily-dreamer @enchantedpendant @aemonds-eye-patch @prince-aemond-targaryen @shootingthroughthemoon @levithestripper @azu21 @ladybug023

Only if you want to!

[orbitinytheworld]

Psst, need some help here from fellow Liutana shippers and the MK fandom (specifically who have a good understanding of the characters)

I have this oc named Lingxin (name may subject to change) and she's the daughter of Liu Kang & Kitana. Her parents decided to raise her in both Earthrealm and Edenia (In this timeline Kitana was Empress of a 100% Shao Kahn free Edenia and Liu Kang was consort king and Champion of Earthrealm), She lives a normal life like any kid in Earthrealm and was a beloved princess in Edenia.

Tagging fellow MK fans I've known:

@theelderhazelnut @ladybug023 @ku9korz @toomanyf4ndoms7 @bloody-arty-myths

[fattylime]

Sareena commission for @ladybug023 :)