#like. the guy I took eternal families from is my enemy

[daisydisciple]

I actually had a great time at BYU but

I was in a small humanities major + a lot of my classes were tiny

I didn't go to that many big events/pay attention to campus-wide stuff

I hung out mostly with people not from utah lol

so I definitely can't say my experience was universal. But for the record I think my actual education was very good + I have no debt. so. I would do it all over again but it's def not for everyone

[ghcstify]

✦ . ⁺ BITTER GIFT

carl grimes x fem reader

¡! warnings: enemies to lovers, death, weapon mentions, blood, injuries, angst & traumatic events

¡! a/n: this is a looooong one (specifically 3.6k words, um..) and it doesn’t really have to do with carl that much until the middle, sorry about that :c

the day you lost your parents is one you'll never forget. the sudden screams and gunshots continue to echo in your mind. you had a strong sense that you were one of the few who managed to escape the overrun camp where you and your family had stayed from the very beginning. despite being dehydrated and exhausted, you somehow managed to survive on your own for a while. then one day, you suddenly found you weren't alone anymore.

hearing footsteps behind you, you swiftly drew your knife from your hip and held it out in front of you. you found yourself at a doorway, realizing you needed to act swiftly to eliminate what you believed to be a walker. as you quickly moved past the door frame, you were met with a crossbow aimed directly at your face by a middle-aged man.

“daryl?” you heard another man speak, and with that, your anxiety intensified. you heard another pair of footsteps come up behind the guy who had his crossbow pointed at you. “put it down, she’s just a child,” the blue-eyed man spoke, and as the other man listened intently, he slowly lowered the crossbow from your face.

“i’m rick, this is daryl. what’s yours?” the man with blue eyes spoke. for some reason, you found yourself unable to even say your name to these strangers. you couldn’t determine if they were dangerous or if they had others around them waiting to harm you. you just weren’t sure. after a while, you finally spoke up. “y/n, i’m y/n,” you responded, lowering your knife to signal that you intended no harm. silence filled the air for what seemed like an eternity before rick finally spoke, “how many walkers have you killed?”

“what?”

“how many walkers have you killed?”

with the sudden question to which you had no answer to, your nervousness intensified. “i… i don’t know, i lost track,” you responded, hoping that not having an answer wouldn't cause any trouble. “how many people have you killed?” he posed yet another unusual question. with that question remaining unanswered, you took a deep breath before replying, “two.”

“why?”

why? what did he mean by “why”? given that your response to the “why” question might be hurtful, you took a moment to collect yourself before addressing yet another question. “my mom and a stranger because they asked me to,” you answered. rick gave daryl a sidelong glance, which left you confused. you still couldn't decide whether they were good people or not.

“we’re part of a larger community, you look like you could use it,” rick mentioned. you had observed daryl's silence, suggesting that he was likely a very reserved individual. at first, you were unsure of what to say, realizing how big of an opportunity this was in such a world. searching for the right words, all you could express was, “really? i would love to.”

before you realized it, you found yourself in an actual car with rick at the wheel and daryl in the passenger seat, heading towards what he described as a “large community.” the journey was marked by an unsettling silence, which only added to your discomfort. however, if they were telling the truth, it would be worth it.

upon finally arriving at the community, you looked out the window to see actual houses still standing, walls fortifying the area, and a sign that read, “welcome to the alexandria safe zone, mercy for the lost, vengeance for the plunderers.” observing this sign and noting all the pre-apocalyptic details, you genuinely felt a sense of safety and assurance that nothing bad would happen here.

rick had opened the car door for you, allowing you to step out and walk through the gates of your future. this gesture made you reconsider your initial impression, thinking that perhaps these people were not as bad as you had thought. taking everything in, rick began to speak, “if you don’t mind, my son’ll show you around. is that okay with you?” quickly nodding in response, daryl spoke up and instructed a middle-aged, brown-haired woman to open the gate. as the gates closed behind you, she approached and began to examine you. “i’m rosita,” she extended her hand towards you, signaling for a handshake. putting your hand in hers and shaking each others hand, you replied, “i’m y/n.”

after sharing your painful past with rosita for a moment, you hear footsteps approaching. turning around, you see a boy wearing a cowboy hat with long hair and a bandage over his left eye. “my dad wanted me to show you around,” he spoke, his voice carrying a subtle hint of annoyance. after parting ways with rosita, you found yourself walking in silence alongside the boy. “you never told me your name,” you finally break the unbearable silence by speaking up. “uh, it’s carl,” he replies, his voice still carrying that slight hint of annoyance. realizing that he didn't really want to be there, you remain silent. it becomes clear that carl isn't much of a people person, or perhaps you haven't been around him long enough for him to warm up to you.

an hour or two passed with carl still giving you a tour, yet you still felt as if he didn't like you. perhaps your gut feeling was right — maybe he really did want you gone. however, all you wanted was to make friends. after the lengthy tour was over, you found yourself sitting on your bed. unsure of what to do next, you layed down and drifted off to sleep.

months had passed, and you had developed many friendships, including with rosita, glenn, michonne, rick, and maggie; unfortunately, carl was not among them. in all honesty, you found that you didn't mind. you were beginning to feel similarly, not particularly liking him, though you couldn't quite discern the reason why. upon hearing the gossip, you learned that rick and carl had encountered someone in a gas station parking lot. you felt a pang of guilt, knowing that you were in that situation at once and you realized that you needed to take action. you decided to approach rick to discuss the situation and possibly work something out with him.

“if you decide to do what you’re going to do, i’d feel better with carl by your side,” rick spoke as you stood at the doorway of the house he shared with michonne and carl. “rick, you know he doesn’t like me,” you replied, feeling a sense of anxiety about having to work with someone who seemingly didn't even like you. “then i don’t know what to tell you,” he responded, giving a slight shrug of his shoulders. as he conveyed this information, you started to carefully contemplate your course of action. silence filled the house before you finally spoke, “okay, do you think you could talk to him?” before replying, he gave you a reassuring nod,

“of course.”

and with that, you retreated to your room to figure out what your plan was going to be. about an hour later, a knock sounded at your bedroom door. for some reason, you believed it was carl, and you took a deep breath before saying, “come in.” the door opened swiftly to reveal rosita.

“i heard what you’re doing,” she said as she stood at your doorway, the worry evident in her brown eyes. “i kind of have to do this, rose,” you replied as you began to contemplate where you would be right now if it weren’t for rick and daryl. she sighed before approaching you and taking a seat beside you. “i get that,” she remarked before continuing on, “but you really don’t have to.” you shook your head from side to side, indicating your disagreement with her. “i somehow got saved, so why not save someone else in return?”

“y/n….”

she spoke in a tone that conveyed her concern for you. giving her a smile, she embraced you before expressing her feelings in more profound words, “just be careful, please.”

“i will, i promise.”

after rosita had left, your door creaked open to reveal rick, who acknowledged you with a nod, indicating that he had successfully convinced carl to work with you. the next morning, you waited at the gate for carl to arrive, eager to get this over with. despite your efforts to convince yourself that carl wasn't such a bad person, you still couldn't find yourself caring for him. lost in thought, you heard footsteps approaching from behind. turning around, you saw carl finally making his way towards you. you turned back around to head out of the gate, taking a deep breath and preparing yourself for the discomfort that was about to ensue.

rick had previously informed you both that this individual followed specific routes each day. since today was one of the days he would pass through the forest, you and carl waited for him at that location. breaking the silence, carl finally initiated the conversation, “how long were you out there?” not fully believing that he was actually addressing you, you turned to look at him before replying, “about 3 to 4 months, i kind of lost track after a while.” he nodded in response and once again, he spoke up, “where are your parents?” with carl posing all these questions, you started to think that maybe he wasn’t so bad after all. “dead,” you responded, maintaining your composure by looking at the ground.

“i’m sorry.”

before you could say anything else, you were interrupted by footsteps. you and carl exchanged a nod and with this, you both approached the man, hands raised to signal that you meant no harm. “we’re not going to hurt you,” carl remarked, directing his gaze toward the man who had just finished killing a walker. after carl had spoken, it was your turn. you grabbed the bag of food and water and tossed it to the man. “there’s food and water in there.”

addressing the bag of food and water, the man fell to the floor, grabbing it and opening it. he grasped the bottle of water and chugged it, which reassured you about the decision you had made. “i’m glad i found you,” carl stated, breaking the silence. “you were looking for me?” the man inquired as he rose to his feet. “me and her, we’re in a community,” carl dodges the man’s question with a statement that could positively impact the man’s life. putting your hands down, the two of you slowly approach the man, as you begin to speak, “we’re going to ask you a few questions. we need you to answer honestly, okay?”

“how many walkers have you killed?” carl asked, breaking the silence, his voice carrying a tone of curiosity and anticipation. “i know it’s hard to keep track-“

“237.”

“really?” you asked with a professional tone and a thoughtful demeanor. “give or take a couple,” the man responded as he glanced at the walker he had previously put down. and with that, carl asked the second question, “how many people have you killed?”

“one.”

“why?” you asked, curious to know his answer. “dead tried to kill him, but they didn’t.” he responded while looking down at the ground. both you and carl had nodded at his response.

as you surveyed your surroundings, you observed that the man employed traps to kill the walkers. “you’re making walker traps. is that how you’ve killed so many?” you ask as you draw attention to his method of eliminating walkers. “it’s only part of it…. my mom thought, or hoped that killing them would.. free their souls,” he replied in a genuine and sincere tone, his words carrying a sense of honesty and earnestness that was unmistakable. after he stated this, you and carl exchanged a glance before refocusing your attention on the man. “you know, maybe she was right,” he continued speaking, his tone growing increasingly sincere.

“but doing that, doesn’t it just make things harder for you while you’re trying to survive?” carl asked as he closed the distance between him and the man. “i… i don’t know. but you… you gotta honor your parents, right?” the man spoke once again, his tone genuinely sincere. “if i wasn’t honoring my dad, we wouldn’t be talking right now,” carl replied with a slight smile spread across his face before continuing on, “and i definitely wouldn’t bring you back to our community.”

walking back to alexandria and engaging in conversation, you discovered that the man's name was siddiq. suddenly, you had encountered a few walkers — nothing that you couldn’t take care of…. right? drawing your knife, you noticed that siddiq had fallen to the ground due to a walker, and carl looked at you. “go! help him, i got this,” you shouted as you plunged your knife into the head of one of the walkers. unaware, you found yourself trapped and fell backward onto a deer that the walkers were feeding on. your knife had landed roughly two feet away, and as you layed on the ground, three walkers had fallen on top of you.

as you attempted to reach for your gun, you felt a burning sensation on the side of your torso.

fortunately, you managed to equip your gun and shoot all three walkers. pushing their bodies off of you, you stood up to find carl and siddiq looking at you. "are you okay?" carl asked, worry evident on his face. “we should go,” you avoided his question, pushing past the two who exchanged a glance as you walked by.

the walk back was as dreadful as you had anticipated; no one uttered a word or noise, except for your coughing. to enter alexandria without raising questions about siddiq, the three of you decided to use the sewers. as you climbed in, you noticed that carl kept staring at you. “i’m fine,” you lied, hoping he wouldn’t catch on. you could sense carl's suspicion, but he chose to remain silent after replying with an “ok.”

upon finally arriving in alexandria, you went directly to your house without speaking to either carl or siddiq. you hurried upstairs to your bathroom, where you removed your flannel to reveal blood seeping through the right side of your light brown shirt. removing your shirt, you inspected it and discovered a bite mark. looking at your abdomen through the mirror, you realized the dreadful truth: you had been bitten.

“fuck.”

you began to panic, fully aware of what needed to be done. closing your eyes, you took a deep breath and opened them again. to distract yourself, you decided to take a shower to clean up. afterward, you put clothes on, dressed and applied a bandage over the bite mark.

now, you found yourself in your room, writing letters to everyone you cared for, including carl. once you had finished, you sat on your bed and began to cry, feeling as though you had been saved for nothing. beginning to feel tired, you closed your eyes.

finally waking up, you noticed it was pitch black outside. surely, you hadn't slept that long... or perhaps it was just a side effect of the bite. trying not to think about it, you started to hear commotion outside and a sudden knock at your door. believing that an enemy had somehow gotten in, you grabbed an axe that you kept in your room for protection. the door suddenly swung open, revealing carl standing there. “carl? what the hell is happening out there?” you ask, your worry unmistakable in your voice. “the saviors. come on, we gotta go!” he responds as he takes your hand, guiding you both out of your house.

from a distance, you began to hear negan's voice, and an idea formed in your mind. “carl, i need you to follow me,” you said as you turned to look at him. “just trust me, okay?” now, you found carl following you to the watch tower at the front of alexandria where he began to climb up with you. “no. stay here, please,” you stated as he complied with your instructions. climbing up the ladder, negan began to speak again, “okie dokie. you brought this on yourself, rick. you see, i was willing to work with you. all you had to do was follow a few very simple rules. well, now i see that you’ve got to go! scorched earth, you dick.”

“he’s not home,” you shout upon reaching the top as the saviors aim their guns at you.

“oh-ho! holy shit! everybody hold your fire, it’s y/n,” negan remarks with a chuckle. “look at you, answering the door like a big girl. i am so proud. rick’s not home, huh? well i guess he’s gonna get back to a big ol’ smokey surprise!”

“there’s families in here,” you interrupt him with a stern voice before continuing on, “kids, carl’s little sister.”

“well that shit just breaks my heart. there’s kids at the sanctuary, you must’ve seen ‘em,” he responds in a measured tone. “even had a little baby at one of the outposts. i wonder what happened to her,” he continued speaking before beginning to walk around.

after a brief moment of silence, negan began to speak again, “none of this shit’s fair, kid. hell, you know that. you had to kill your own mom. that is screwed up. we need someone in charge who’s willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that shit doesn’t happen. oh-ho, wait! that’s me!”

“bad stuff does happen, but we can figure this out. we can stop this,” you respond with a somewhat convincing tone before negan interrupts.

“oh now you wanna talk? see rick had it that i died, no matter what. he gave my people a choice, not me. so now, we’re gonna need a new understanding: apologies, punish-“

“kill me,” you interrupt with a tone that is both desperate and heartbreaking.

before speaking, negan moves closer to you than he was before, “what did you say?”

“if you have to kill someone, if there has to be punishments, then kill me… i’m serious,” you respond, your voice beginning to slightly crack.

“you wanna die?” negan asks with a slight smirk spread across his face.

“no i don’t,” you reply as you shake your head side to side, “but i will…. it’s gonna happen. if… if me dying could stop this, if it can make things different for us, for you, for all those other kids, it’d be worth it.”

“i mean.. was this the plan?” you ask after a couple seconds of silence, “was it supposed to be this way? is this who you wanted to be?”

with a lot of commotion in the background, negan looks away from you, giving you the chance to get away. just as you're climbing down the ladder, you hear negan’s voice, “son of a bitch, y/n! was that just a play? i thought we were having a moment, you little asshole! bombs away!”

“what the hell was that?” carl asks you as you drop down to the ground. you ignore his question and proceed to take gas bombs out of your bag, handing a couple to him. understanding that this is all part of your plan, carl follows your lead.

after deploying numerous gas bombs, you and carl find your visibility severely impaired. slowly, you both make your way to the sewers. upon climbing into the sewers, your body began to feel weak, which heightened your anxiety. stumbling over your own feet, carl swiftly came to your aid, helping you to regain your balance.

“just put me down here,” you uttered in a weakened voice. “y/n?” carl expresses with concern before assisting you to sit down on the ground. kneeling beside you, carl watches intently as you slowly lift your shirt to reveal the bite mark.

“no no no, what? why didn’t you tell me?” carl asks, his eyes remaining on the bite mark, unable to believe that this is truly happening. despite the pain, you managed to give carl the most reassuring smile you could before replying, “it was bound to happen, carl.”

“bullshit.”

“no, it… it should’ve been me,” he continues speaking as he takes a seat beside you. feeling pain coursing through your body, you begin to grow weaker and weaker. your vision starts to blur, and your breathing turns into wheezing.

clearly concerned for your well-being, carl carefully lifted you and managed to navigate out of the sewers. thankfully, the saviors had ceased their bombing, and despite the surrounding fires, carl successfully brought you to a safe haven — the church. as carl was laying you down, your condition deteriorated rapidly; it felt as though you had been thrown off a cliff and subsequently run over.

“hey…. i just wanted to let you know that i got the wrong impression of you,” you spoke with a weak voice, which shattered carl's heart. “i got the wrong impression of you, too,” he responds, his voice beginning to crack. “if i knew that getting to know you would’ve helped, i would’ve done it a lot sooner,” he continues, and his words provoke a shared chuckle before you start coughing up blood.

“carl, i need you to-“

“stop it,” he interrupts you, his gaze shifting downward. after a moment, he takes a deep breath before slowly drawing his gun. cries begin to fill the church as he slowly raises the gun to your head before he spoke in a soft voice, “i wish we had more time.”

“maybe in another universe. but in this one, it was just a bitter gift.”

and with that, the gunshot echoed through your mind, bringing the pain to a final end.

[galvanizedfriend]

Klaroline Fic: The Wolf IV [01/13]

Summary: Five years after the downfall of the Mikaelson family, Caroline returns to New Orleans to fulfill the promise she made to Marcel: one day, she would be back for the man he has been keeping prisoner in the bowels of the old compound, and she would not be leaving without him. But the plans to abandon the city's eternal loop of tragedy behind once and for all are thwarted when a new enemy with unexpected old ties resurfaces, threatening not just Eve's life, but Caroline's as well.

--

S04E01 Gather Up the Killers ✨

The thing about finally getting something you longed for what feels like an eternity is the accompanying dread that it might be taken away.

Even after five years, Marcel is still not used to having it. Peace.

Nobody tells you how unsettling peace is. How it manifests as a constant nagging in the back of your mind, like you're forgetting something, getting soft, letting your guard down. It's quiet and harmonious, yes, but it's also a kind of fear. A cold shudder at the pit of your stomach, as though at any second it can all be snatched away from you.

If he doesn't watch himself, it can easily descend into paranoia.

He doesn't think there has been a single day where he hasn't been on full alert mode, looking over his shoulder, watching over the city from his not-so-new penthouse like a vigilante, waiting for the monsters to come out. And then he remembers that there are no monsters anymore. None greater than him, anyway. He is the thing that everybody fears.

He's always tiptoeing around that delicate line separating caution from madness, one sudden move around a corner away from overreaction that could send all the hard-earned balance they've achieved blown into the air.

One wrong move from turning into him.

Read the full chapter here

-- Took forever and a day, but ta-da! Starting part 4 was so much harder than I thought, but well. Here is something! Like I said, I'm not starting a new AO3 story for this, it'll be [22/34] there, but for the sake of being clearer here, I'm using the S4 numbers and a new summary.

I don't have any art or edit or anything to go with this story, so I just searched my old edits folder and found something that more or less applies, so there you go. :D As always, your comments/kudos/reblogs mean the world to me and I really hope you guys enjoy it! Cheers!

[from-the-coffee-shop-in-edoras]

OK, people were very nice to me yesterday about my latest absurdly niche blorbo: Guthláf of Rohan. I wrote a little story about him (it's below and it's only 500ish words). But I feel like I can't post it in isolation without explaining myself a little better first.

The fact that he's Théoden’s banner bearer is the only detail about Guthláf’s life in the canon. But just that by itself was enough to grab my interest because I took a class on ancient warfare in college, and one of my major takeaways was that the flag bearers were often the bravest and most selfless guys in a battle. They were highly visible, highly vulnerable, and highly prized as a target for the enemy. That's not an encouraging combo, and they had an appallingly high casualty rate. And yet, the ones who pursued it did so willingly and considered it an honor!

Although Guthláf's name literally means "battle survivor", he did not avoid the flag bearer’s usual fate. He’s listed among the fatalities at the Pelennor Fields (along with Halbarad, the only (?) other named flag bearer in the books). So I wrote the drabble-ish story below about Guthláf’s experience of his own terrifying job. (I also, of course, have a full head canon about his personal life—how he spoke Rohirric with a rural accent that stood out in Edoras, how the early loss of his family drove him toward recklessness, how he was maybe in love with fellow obscure blorbo Wídfara, etc.—if anyone is interested! And I decided that he's the tall, blonde drink of water on the left below, who I believe is otherwise unnamed and is too young to be Elfhelm or Erkenbrand.)

Anyway. Story (ish) here:

Alone among his éored, Guthláf carries no weapon. In his left hand, he holds his shield, his one and only means of protecting himself; in his right, he carries his banner, a charging white horse on a field of deep green that whips furiously in the cold wind above his head.

Alone among his éored, Guthláf does not strike blows. His war is fought not with strength of arms but with strength of spirit. He has only to keep himself going long enough to let his banner do its work. To signal the direction of the charge and mark the vanguard of the attack. To be the rallying point around which scattered troops coalesce. To lead the way, like a torch in the dark, so that those behind know where to follow. He has only to keep that banner flying, set high and stark against the cool blankness of the winter sky, so that every Rohirrim heart can see that they are yet unconquered, that victory still lies ahead.

Alone among his éored, Guthláf can never hide or blend in. His banner draws the eyes of foes just as easily as friends. His every move is visible. Noted. Tracked. Hunted. The hope he kindles in his fellow riders is equaled by the hatred he inspires in their enemies, and there is no greater blow such an enemy can strike than to bring him down, to achieve with the death of one man the turning of a tide that can change the fate of thousands.

Alone among his éored, Guthláf has no hope that he will survive unscathed to see old age. Banner bearers don’t last long in times of war, and Guthláf is his éored’s fourth bearer in five years. He has only to walk the streets of Edoras to be confronted with the reality of how the lucky banner bearers end their days–empty sleeves tied up where an arm used to be, angry red scars across unprotected faces and necks, canes and crutches that will never fully compensate for crushed legs, twisted spines, shattered hips. The unlucky ones end instead in hastily raised barrows, resting eternally in the sometimes distant and friendless lands where they finally slid from the saddle, bloodied and broken and desperately looking for a loyal hand into which they could pass the banner before everything went dark at last.

And yet, Guthláf wanted this job. He fought for this job. It means everything to him. Because even as he rides to his death, charging into battle on his gray warhorse with his banner streaming brilliantly in his wake, he has never felt more alive. He has never felt so much bigger than himself. When he carries his banner, he is no longer just Guthláf, son of Hulac. He is instead the spirit of Helm, and Eorl, and Frumgar and all the great warriors of old. He is the sound of thousands of hoofs thundering together across an open plain. He is the sight of the jagged white peaks towering over the lush green and gold grasses of the Mark. He is Rohan itself, not just a man but an idea. And an idea can never be slain. When he carries his banner, Guthláf becomes immortal.

[keegansversion]

reader, who is part of task force 141 is wrongly accused of being a traitor. but for some reason, despite all the torture they endured, they still forgive them.

hi guys :D im still quite new to tumblr and this is my first fic im gonna be starting. i have written before on ao3, wattpad, notes (for practise), a failed unfinished book so hopefully this will go well!

writers block may happen at some point because im kinda planning for it to be a series, if not, just a one-part fic. chances are, i wont have the energy to proof-read so if there are mistakes, please dont mind it :)

i got this idea from @ghostslittlegf . i have reblogged the post that they made that gave me the inspiration. <3

anyways, enough rambling, enjoy! <33

!tw! : t0rture, mentions of g0re, abvse, swearing, foul language, manipulation

part 1

it wasn't you. not your fault.

days pass, and all sense of time was lost for you. you don't know how long you have been bound to this chair for, and the same nauseating scent of old blood and soil was not making it any better.

the task force placed you in a holding cell underground. the entire place was empty; it was just you, and the chilling, hollow echoes of whatever slight movement you bore from the tight knots gnawing at your wrists and ankles. your skin was blistering from the constant friction of the jagged ropes and stinging. fear was eating you alive, consuming more and more of you as each day passed. hell, it felt like an eternity down here.

the task force, the previous week, had encountered a leak in information that meant the entire team was put under danger. they were sure it was someone within the base, as nobody else would just have access to such private information.

one day, you were just in the gym training when a few men took you aside, captain price at their heels. his eyes were dark and you could see levels of anger rising inside him. you were confused, obviously. had you done anything wrong? no, you hadn't. the next thing you knew, you were here. bound and restricted.

but you didn't do anything?

"you will tell us the truth, is that clear?" price spat as he bent down to meet your eye-level. behind him were 3 other people with pistols in their hand, loaded. you couldn't make out their faces as it was dimly lit.

"truth? what do you mean?" you question, utterly confused and a little scared of this situation. your eyes dart around the cell. you've never been down here before, and everything seems so foreign. the walls were slightly cracked, the large bricks uneven in placement. moss grew from the cracks, and the stench of wet soil creeped into your nose. it was cold and damp, and disgusting. these were the holding cells you never wanted to go down into, yet here you were, forced to be in one as a prisoner.

"dont play dumb." price sneered, his face closer to yours. you backed away instinctively, looking away to avoid his gaze.

"i really don't know what you mean..." you reply with some thought whilst slightly shaking your head, trying to make sense of this whole situation. price grabs at the arm-rests of the chair with some force. it startles you but you listen to him carefully.

"we know you betrayed us. that information that got leaked? yeah, well now the entire base is in danger. we're sabotaged, all because one little birdie decided to run their traitor mouths to enemy bases." he says, sing-songingly on the last part.

your eyes widen a little at such an accusation. never would you even think of betraying the task force. they were like family to you, and the accusation sickened you deeply. even the thought was sickening. "what? you're accusing me? but why!? what's your evidence?" you desperately pry for answers. all this was so sudden.

"oh, evidence? there's plenty of evidence, sweetheart." he replies, a sarcastic and irritated chuckle woven into his speech. he stands back up and looks back at the men behind him. he nods and they walk towards you.

"what? price...what are they doing?" you cry, your voice shaking and unstable out of fear. you watch as one walks behind you, the other two standing in front on either side. price walks away, pulling the cell door open and leaving.

"price? price! captain!" you yell, but no-one answers other than your screams that reverberate emptily off the cold, damp stone.

you wake to the sound of your cell door sliding open. it slams forcefully when it reaches the other side, which jolts you back into your senses. you blink away your exhaustion and look up at the dark figure that walks towards you. you try make out their face, and distinguish them as simon.

"simon...is that you?" you weakly mutter. your body was on the edge of breaking from the week-long physical and mental torture you had to endure.

he doesn't say anything and just walks towards you. his demeanor seemed calm and stoic but you knew what was about to happen. you took a deep breath to the best of your ability, your ribs hurting in the process, as you anticipated what he was going to do to you.

"listen, we've been a'this for a week now. you still refuse to tell us the truth. we've been too gentle with you. now, tell us the truth. or else i'll 'ave to resort to more...brutal ways." he stared at you, his gaze of pure rage that he managed to keep controlled.

"i'm innocent...i truly have nothing to say." you mumble, knowing it wasn't going to change anything.

suddenly, you feel the brute force of simon's fist against your cheek. you go limp at the pain of the punch, but you bite back tears.

"tell. me. the. truth." he demands, his voice becoming more stern and loud.

"i really don't have anything...i promise you the evidence against me are forged, and the accusations are false!" you whine, voice breaking.

another punch.

"i forgive you all for this...once you find out i'm truly innocent." you mumble with a sob in your voice, a warm, twitching smile on your face as tears brim in your eyes.

simon's eyes only narrow at you.

"i don't give a shit for whatever trickery you're pulling right now. i want the truth! so spit it out!" he demands again, just below a yell. you look away as you try contain your tears from the pain.

"i wont hesitate you batter you right now. i won't go easy like i did before, just a harsh hit here and there. tell the truth! the truth!" he yells this time, but you stay silent. your lip quivers as you try think of what to say, as you truly had no 'truth' to confess. you're not the traitor, you're innocent.

another hard blow hits your face, then another, and another. the abuse slowly turns into a result of his anger. simon had his denials, but the evidence changed his mind immediately. he was mad, infuriated that you betrayed the entire team, or at least, he thought.

"i'll forgive you, i promise." you choke under your breaking breath, trickles of blood running down from your nose and mouth.

"the truth!" he yells again before delivering another hit.

"i'll forgive you all...no matter what."

[spacebarbarianweird]

Could you do a astarion x Cleric reader? I haven't seen any and that's so upsetting since that's my main class

Oh, this one is definetely going to be interesting! I decided to make Tav Cleric of Latander coz this guy sounds like someone who can cause a lot of religious trauma (and he hates the undead which is unacceptable).

I decided not to separate SFW and NSFW parts so it starts like Cleric Angst and ends with smut.

Masterlist

Headcanons

Astarion x Cleric of Latander!Tav TW: Religious trauma, sex in sacred places

You have been a devoted Cleric of Latander as long as you can remember.

Your family has served Latander, the Morninglord, for generations, devoting their lives to him.

Latander, the Morninglord, the greater and beautiful god of the rising sun.

You've always prayed as hard as everyone else.

But Latander just ignores you.

And you've always had this emptiness within - a hollow black void that you tried to fill with sacred words and rituals.

You have always hated yourself for not feeling anything.

And prayed even harder. Excruitiang yourself by the most extreme forms of worship.

One day you took a pilgrimage in a desperate hope of finding faith, but you found yourself in a much more grim place.

Above the Nautiloid with a tadpole in your brain.

But Latander is merciful, he won't let you and your friends suffer, right?

Right?

… As for Astarion, he lost his faith decades ago. Latander was probably the first one he stopped praying to because the Morninglord is the enemy of the undead.

But you suddenly find yourself in a religious crisis.

You don't really question why Latander with all his mercy didn't answer Astarion's prayers.

Astarion is undead, end of story.

But you've given an oath to stand between common folk and the undead! To curse them as your god orders!

And you are in love.

You are in love with the undead!

Maybe, it's a test? Maybe, Latander sent you Astarion to test your faith? To see if you can be tricked by the enemy?

What if Latander tests your kindness? You've been taught to help the weak and the miserable and gods know Astarion is both.

You spend a lot of sleepless nights.

Astarion teases you - he talks about every dubious thing Latander has even been guilty in.

You get angry with his remarks. Astarion is free to believe in everything he wants but you are a Cleric, like many generations of your family before you. You don't want to participate in these discussuons.

And Astarion suddenly feels less radical about Latander.

Well, he did pray for him once. What if… What if he heard him?

What if the saviour Astarion begged for is you?

You were sent to Astarion. A messenger of the god.

You came. And what a story - the god who is the enemy of death and the undead, showed mercy to a vampire?

Once Astarion asks you to tell him as much as possible about your faith.

He doesn't mock you (maybe, a bit). He doesn't make jokes. He listens.

You teach Astarion how to pray, and how to do certain rituals. And he starts praying with you.

Mostly, because it makes you happy.

And, maybe, because he suddenly found a piece of faith in himself.

But things get worse.

Your family rejects you.

Your congregation ostracizes you.

You are given a choice. To break up with the vampire or be doomed

And what is worse...

Your abilities are gone. Latander turns away from you.

Of course, you won't leave Astarion, you love him. And love is stronger than your faith.

But it hurts. It scares. It represses.

Astarion is getting angrier with every day, seeing you praying and kneeling.

First of all, he doesn't want to share you with that handsome god of life.

Secondly, it reminds him of himself when he was tortured and beaten - praying and begging for a savior.

No one listens to you - and if the god doesn't want to answer, why keep asking?

You decide to visit the old temple of Latander deep in the Western Heartlands, ancient and beautiful.

There is a huge statue of the Morninglord in all his eternal beauty.

You kneel and start praying, your voice hoarse, your face wet with tears.

Astarion's undead heart aches with pain when he looks at you.

Then he casts a gaze on the statue.

And he finally has enough.

He shuts your mouth with his strong hand and looks at your teary eyes.

"You want a god? You can pray to me, then. And I vow, I will answer every prayer!"

With these words he pushes you onto the floor of the temple, stripping you of your Cleric clothes and tearing off the symbols of the faith.

You try to stop Astarion - having sex in the temple is a sin.

But he shuts your mouth with kisses while caressing your body.

He drinks your blood, spilling it onto the altar.

You suck Astarion's cock and lick every drop of his cum.

Then he pushes you on your back, puts your legs onto his shoulder, and fucks you with all the predatory passion he has.

And he does it under such an angle that if Latander truly can see something through the eyes of the statue he sees his cleric being railed by an undead creature in every detail.

"Pray to me!" Astarion groans. "Pray to me like you did to that shitty god!"

And you obey. Your voice echoes through the temple, desecrating it with this sinful act of passion.

When you wake many hours later all covered in blood, cum, and sweat, you cast a glance to the statue and realize that whatever faith you had, it's gone. You don't need it.

You burn everything that connected you to your old life. Astarion suggests burning the temple as well, but you talk him out of it.

But you gladly join him when he decides to ravage through the temple looking for loot and gold.

You are no longer a Cleric. And you will have to decide who else you might be.

And Astarion will gladly assist you in that journey.

Tag list

@tragedybunny @caitlincat-95 @tallymonster @astarionsbeloved @lumienyx @fayeriess @elora-the-slutty-songstress @veillsar @astarion-imagine-archive @micropoe10 @starlight-ipomoea @herstxrgirl @theearthsfinalconfession @ashrio20 @not-so-lost-after-all @vixstarria @wintersire @marcynomercy @tugoslovenka

[dangermousie]

One of the things I find so interesting is how Jing is so very much not what a FL’s endgame love interest, especially in an epic xianxia, looks like (I mean in terms of character and narrative, not physical looks. Deng Wei is a ridiculously handsome man, like the rest of XY’s choices.)

I wonder if that is where at least some of puzzlement over XY’s choice/dislike of Jing as endgame that I’ve seen come from.

Jing is NOT the male lead - that is Cang Xuan, XY’s cousin who she never has even a glimmer of romantic feeling or attraction to. But Jing is also not the biggest badass or most magically powerful or most ambitious or with most status or most grand gestures or most epic story or even most outsize interaction with FL (vampy took her on dates to freaking underwater with his magic while Jing got her a practical gadget to use to go underwater herself; Vampy gave up one of his nine lives to heal her; Jing was only able to preserve her body so it would not be beyond saving and also try to die himself. Vampy’s power is battle while Jing is a tracker. Jing’s love is all-consuming and devoted but it’s also quiet.)

Jing does not come out first in anything except possibly torture (tho honestly that’s a bit of an open season on that one) and abnegation for FL’s sake. I mean the three guys are (future) emperor, a legendary rebel general with nine lives and an insane amount of magic and a…wealthy merchant.

And in a lot of ways it goes against the accepted usual narrative. Of course the top alpha dog would get the FL - the biggest bestest dude!!!! There are not many dramas where FL ends up not with ML and the ones I can think of still have a guy with outsize power/not that quiet/unhinged charisma - think of Ji Chang Wook in Empress Ki for example. The closest I can think of is in The King Loves also based on a novel where FL did not end up with the royal ML but the SML, the quiet royal bodyguard (but even there Rin was the best fighter in the drama.)

And of course the other thing that reinforces this whole departure from the usual narrative and can drive frustration is if you look at the three arcs/obstacles to FL for the three men. Cang Xuan is freaking fighting and scheming to win an empire! And accepting the whole drama maxim “love is never fated for an emperor.” Vampy is literally a sworn enemy of XY’s brother and fights to restore the long-defunct kingdom. So we have a would be emperor and a rebel leader. And then Jing’s problem is getting out of his engagement to an awful woman to be free to marry XY and/or leaving his monster family and abandoning his name to follow XY. I can see someone going “that’s nothing!”

BUT!

I love the narrative for getting that to a person living it, it’s all-consuming but also sticking to its guns that who XY will end up with is not about the usual tropes but what makes sense for her as a character. And so there is a reason Cang Xuan is the ML but Jing is the endgame and she does not end up with Vampy either. Cang Xuan’s wishes and plans drive the plot but that is precisely both why Jing is secondary in the plot but the one XY picks - she wants someone who will not drive the plot because what she wants is someone she wants cottagecore life with and there is no plot in cottagecore. The very fact that all Jing yearns for and all he fights for is domestic bliss (a traditionally FL obsession) - even all his scheming to help CX ascend is because he wants to assist FL’s desires - is why she ends up with him.

As she pretty much point blank stated in 33, everyone in her life put her second to a great cause and she’s done with that. The girl does not want a man who will change the world, she wants someone who is content to live in it with her.

ETA: I keep saying it but what the audience would pick in her place remains irrelevant. I mean I would not pick any of the three myself - I don’t feel like eternally sharing my man with 100 women as anyone with Cang Xuan would have to, Vampy’s greatest desire is to perish in the fight and the lack of appeal of that as a dating quality is obvious, and with his fam, marrying Jing would be like marrying into the Manson Family. But I am not XY so here we are.

[forbidden-sunlight]

I’m not seducing the female lead’s obsessive father!

[yandere!regis floyen x agent!reader headcanons]

PART THREE: MERCILESS

PART TWO

warning: spoilers from the manhwa, obsessive behavior, implied violence. Please take caution.

Hey guys, hope you’ve been doing well and ready to dive into this next chapter! Special thanks to @d10nsaint, @rouecentric and a few more friends for helping get out of some tough corners that came with writing the draft!

I do apologize for the delayed release, I had it on my laptop ready to post when Hurricane Ian came barreling through my area, knocking out the electricity. It just came back on after three days without that and running water. Thankfully, my family was safe while I had been stationed at my medical workplace and the damage to our home was minimal.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the families who are still lost in the dark. 

So with that being said, sit back, relax and be prepared to see what happens next~.

It wasn’t too hard to approach Marquess Griddlebone after the Emperor had dismissed the council for the day. Regis was straightforward with his intention of getting acquainted with her as a fellow member. Especially since she will be replacing her father once he has stepped down from his position as the family head. 

She was certainly surprised. Then again, he had been known for not approaching the other nobles, maintaining a ‘stiff’ persona unless someone had insulted his little Jubel. The rumors were not wrong.  Look what happened to Marquis Hessen when he and his family insulted the Floyen duchy. 

However, the shocked expression was replaced with a smile, replying that she is looking forward to being acquainted with a fellow countryman who wishes eternal prosperity for the Ashet  Empire. A fellow countryman who was very good at honeying her words and falsifying a jovial mask when Darius had eyes and ears everywhere. Regis simply nodded and took his leave, not wanting to be here any longer. He wished to have dinner with Jubel for a change instead of by himself. 

Due to his workload, Regis had to wait two days before he sent Selli to deliver a secret message to the Griddlebone estate. It was a simple greeting, nothing more. It was best to be cautious. 

The following morning, the pigeon returned with a response. Inside was a greeting, inquiring about the health of his daughter and staff, and other mundane questions. But behind this letter were two more pieces, both were inscribed in a strange alphabet of the likes he had never seen before. Not even his intelligence network had used this code. A smaller parchment piece fell out of the envelope, written in elegant handwriting were the following words.

                                Want to play a game?

                                The rules are quite simple...

Marquess Griddlebone had sent him a cipher. By using the reference sheet, it should be easy for him to decode the message. Don’t ask anyone for help nor show it to anyone. Decode it, and send it back and he might get a response if he is correct. If, however, he was not interested in this game, she was more than welcome to use another means to communicate with him as he sees fit. 

He paced around his room, eyeing the reference sheet and cipher carefully before deciding to decode on a blank parchment paper. When he saw the hidden message…well, it certainly made him raise his brow. 

For all his talk on being a great leader of the country, one would wonder how the Emperor could allow to make so many enemies by attempting to conquer neighboring nations when he could have easily profited through an alliance via trade or a political marriage. By allowing the crown prince to be placed in charge of the royal army, he is allowing himself to create another contender for the people’s approval. 

Shaking his head, he enclosed it with a note asking how she came about this cipher that he, the nation’s hero, had never seen before, and sent Selli on her way. His response was that it is a secret cipher passed through the Griddlebone family for generations. But who said it is the only cipher that she knows? Is he curious?

This pattern of correspondence continued for three weeks. Each cipher was more challenging than the last one, but to his surprise, it did not annoy him. It was an interesting puzzle, and with each one solved, he learned a little more about Lady Griddlebone. 

If someone had told Regis that he’d be freely interacting with a member of the Emperor’s council, he would have ignored them and said they were delusional or drunk. And yet, here he is, interacting with Marquis Griddlebone’s only daughter as she secretly obtained any information he needed regarding the whereabouts of wizards.

At first, he regretted asking her. Wondering if he had made the right choice in trusting with such a task. But she did not question him, instead going to work immediately and promising to inform him of any news. In turn, if he heard anything about LaRue, please inform her. A working relationship with benefits, so to speak.

Within a week, she regretfully informed him that she was not able to find any such information except for a baseless rumor about the sighting of a wizard in the southern continent. However, there was something about a ring that can control a person, binding them to enslavement. It was forbidden magic, a contract between two people. If she wants to expand the investigation, she will. 

But Regis immediately declined. It was enough for that person to know about Circe’s Ring. He did not want Lady Griddlebone to be in further danger than she is already guilty of: rebelling against the empire, and aiding the enemy. Him. 

Instead, he stirred their conversation by sharing things about each other. In three weeks he learned more about Lady Griddlebone than he wanted to. Her schedule, the people she associated with at banquets, even her favorite colors and least favorite food. On the surface, she appeared as an unapproachable young woman with a silver tongue. 

Regis was now aware that she is kind and protective towards others who are younger than her. It is a virtue he is most grateful for, as he did not have to worry about Jubelian being in Lady Griddlebone’s presence. She would not try to take advantage of his daughter, as others have tried. Like Lady LaRue. 

On occasion, if his schedule would allow it, he’d extend an invitation to the Floyen duchy under the pretense of a meeting between colleagues, even going so far as to call it a tea party. Unfortunately, she would politely reject the offer every time it was brought up. 

Too risky. She confessed. Too many eyes would be on us. It might put Her Grace in danger if the Emperor hears about it. 

But…but he wanted to meet with her. He wanted to see the woman, more than he would have liked to admit. He needed to see her. 

It was to the point that if his aide heard that the lady from the Griddlebone family would be attending a social event, he would go to it. He was being foolish, to allow his heart to waver for a woman such as her…yet he could not stop himself.

In retrospect, Amelia would have wanted him to move on and be happy at this point, would she not?

Louise did not understand what was happening. She had been putting a lot of effort into being a fine lady of a rich family. Learning about the newest trends, building a network of connections with other aristocrats, making sure not to bring shame to the LaRues, etc. And where has this effort rewarded her? 

Nothing. Nothing but continuous anguish and aggravation. Why? Why is this happening?!

She gritted her teeth, trying very hard to tighten the grip on the champagne glass as she stared at the group of ladies surrounding the bashful female lead. She still hadn’t made any progress in a potential friendship with Jubelian. 

Jubelian coldly continued to rebuff her invitations for tea and pointedly ignored her at social events such as this one, a birthday for a count’s daughter. The only reason she had even to be here is because of her father. Hell, the male lead had the gall to threaten her when she just wanted to say ‘hi’ to Jubelian!

Seriously, why are they acting like this?! She had even stopped approaching the Duke because she thought he’d actually take interest when she pulled away, damn it! But there he was, across the glass greenhouse, surrounded by screeching, vibrant birds who wanted only his title. 

She just wanted a chance to show she was in love with him. Was that too much to ask?! She had to do something. She had to rethink her strategy or else she’ll lose her one chance at happiness!!

“Announcing the arrival of Marquis Griddlebone and his daughter, Marquess Griddlebone.” A servant called out, the guests silencing for a moment as the father-daughter pair entered the greenhouse silently.  Louise’s blood turned icy, watching them intensely while the hosts greeted them before scattering across the greenhouse. 

What? Why is she here?! It doesn’t make sense! They were part of the loyalists, and they were willingly to come to a house that is affiliated with the neutral faction?!

Outrage and anger boiled simultaneously in her veins as she watched the man who did not want a special woman like Louise LaRue, approached the damned loyalist with a foolish, lovestruck expression and a brief kiss on her gloved palm. Etiquette rules dictate that it is polite for a gentleman to kiss a lady’s hand, but such a romantic gesture is reserved for the female lead only!

And that woman isn’t even reacting like a blushing maiden in love! Just an expressionless face hiding behind a fan!  What did a loyalist have that she, a lucky transmigrator, lacked?!

Louise needed Regis. He’s the female lead’s father, an exceedingly handsome man with a prestigious title and a duchy to boot! He was the only one worthy of her affection! There is no way she would settle for less, especially the men that her father wanted to introduce her as potential marriage candidates! There was even someone who is twenty years her senior, for God’s sake!

Is it so much to ask to live a luxurious life with a handsome and rich husband?!

Regis quickly approached Lady Griddlebone and her father, nodding his head respectfully to them. He did not care much for the marquis yet he had to be courteous,  even though the sole reason he had come here was to talk to his daughter privately. Jubelian was with Lady Veronica and Lady Rose, so she would be fine until he came to fetch her. 

They talked for a few moments before the marquis excused himself to speak to someone across the room. His daughter nodded, watching the portly man scamper away before she turned his attention to him, at last. 

“Would you like to speak in private, my lady?” He asked. She blinked at him, tilting her head slightly before she spoke in a low, monotonous voice. “Of course. I shall follow your lead, Your Grace.”

Distant and polite with so many eyes surrounding them. Forcing all of his willpower to become as composed as the object of his adoration, he led them through the crowd and towards the outside of the greenhouse. 

Quite frankly, you had prepared to talk about ciphers and the sort with the female lead’s father. However, a loving scolding is something you were not expecting to reach your ears. You watched in stunned disbelief as he fussed over the dark circles beginning to appear under your eyes, if you have been taking care of yourself and so forth with his arms crossed. 

Clearing your voice, you snapped your fan closed and lightly tapped on it against your open palm. 

“Your Grace, please remember that we are in the public eye at a birthday banquet.” She watched as the man’s face flushed ever so slightly before he coughed. 

“My apologies.”

“ ‘Tis all right, Your Grace. Now, how may I assist you?” You asked, getting straight to the point. It would be prudent to not be away too long or else rumors would pop up. “Is everything all right with your daughter, the duchy? Or do you require me to do something else for you?”

He was about to speak when the door to the greenhouse slammed opened, revealing a flushed and angry Louise LaRue. You raised an eyebrow at her darkening expression. Oh? Was she jealous? How quaint. You watched with feigned disinterest as she approached the duke, curtseying before she asked to speak to him in private for a moment.  A few minutes of his time is all she desired.  Regis seemed infuriated, but you could not blame him. You had to give him kudos for his patience with idiots: in contrast to the female lead’s father, you would have snapped her neck a long time ago.

So why in the world was he looking at you for approval? He was a grown man for crying out loud!

You nonchalantly shrugged your shoulders. “Do not mind me, Your Grace. I am curious to see what other flowers are grown here on Count Orleans’ estate aside from their famous irises.” You said, turning on your heel in the direction where they were supposedly blooming when Duke Floyen said, “If Lady LaRue has something to say, then she is more than welcome to say it here.”

Huh? Why is he getting you involved in this matter? Ugh, HR had better prepare a nice compensation for all the trouble you are going through for the completion of this mission.

Looking over your shoulder, you blinked owlishly before giving the pair your undivided attention, waving your open fan in front of your face. “Then, by all means. I shall be a witness to this…conversation.”

Acting as if he had gotten permission from a university professor to continue a presentation, the female lead’s father glared at LaRue. She too was surprised at this turn of events, no doubt she could have anticipated it.

“Lady LaRue, do you even realize the gravity of the situation you have placed yourself in right now?” Regis asked coldly. 

“With all due respect, Your Grace, it is within your best interest to discontinue your association with that woman.” Lady LaRue said, surprisingly calm and collected as the duke. “She is someone whose heart or loyalty cannot be wavered. She is dedicated to the empire and the Emperor. Nothing more.”

“And where is your proof of these allegations?”

“These ‘allegations’ are from reliable sources, rest assured, Your Grace. Please understand that I say this out of concern for you and your daughter -”

“That is not for you to decide.” He said tersely. “If I dare to say so, you have conducted yourself in a manner that is unbecoming of a young woman of high society. You continue to approach my daughter with false intentions, even when she has gently rebuked your company time and time again. If you do so again…I am sure you are aware of what became of Marquis Hessen and his family, do you not?” 

“...I understand.” You smiled behind your fan as the sound of the outsider gritting her teeth in frustration reached your ears. Ah, what such sweet music~! “But please…allow me to ask. Why? What does Lady Griddlebone have that I do not? She and I are of the same social status, almost the same age! What is the difference between us that - that you wish to spend your time with her?!”

Wow. Talk about desperate. She is really trying to reel him in before you apprehend her for interfering with this world, huh? Well, too bad.

Even if she had married the Duke, you’d just erase his memories and drag her arse back to the Chapter’s headquarters. You were going to get back to your vacation, damn it. 

And it was time to end this farce here. 

Snapping your fan shut, you spoke. “Lady LaRue, do you recall the last time we spoke about etiquette? Not only had you been rude to myself, but to Her Grace as well. It is fine to approach another noble lady with the intention of establishing a fellowship amongst peers…but there is a limit to how much…enthusiasm one can place in such a pursuit. I believe they call it ‘stalking’ these days, do they not, Your Grace?” You asked, emphasizing on the word associated with unrelenting harassment with a smirk. 

She sputtered over her words, leaving herself wide open for the vicious mockery that left your mouth as you recalled everything she had done to gain the Duke’s attention. The outsider stood there, red-faced and trembling with her delicate hands fisting into the skirts of her dress. 

She did not deny or claim that these allegations were true. Just seeing her in such a wretched state and having it witnessed by a few spectators was more than enough for now. They would be sure to spread what happened here throughout the social circles by the end of the day. 

Your job is done here now. And it is the last time you would be nice to LaRue. You had no intention of staying in this world any longer than necessary. Turning to the duke, you curtised and excused yourself. 

But for all of the knowledge and experience you have gained as an agent, you did not see the look of longing on Duke Floyen’s face with your back turned towards him. 

When she had been reborn for a second time, Jubelian swore that she would not seek out her father’s approval and affection. It was obvious that he did not care about her, just as Mikhail did not reciprocate her love for him. 

All she wanted to do was live a quiet, luxurious life and not get married to the tyrannical crown prince. To do so, she had to repair her tarnished reputation as a wicked villainess and make connections. That was why she had accepted the invitation to this afternoon’s event. But when she saw the forlorn expression on her father’s face upon returning from the gardens, she became a little…concerned. 

Later that evening, she asked Merilynn about what the other servants had been saying, as the brunette knew quite a few people beyond the duchy’s gates. According to her maid-in-waiting, Lady LaRue had approached her father yet again, only to be thoroughly humiliated by Marquess Griddlebone. There was a rumor that he is fond of the woman, but it disappeared as quickly as it had been whispered. 

Jubelian knew that the Griddlebone family had been loyal to the imperial family since its founding…why would her father associate himself with a woman like that? She was concerned. 

If he did become involved with Griddlebone, her father might force her to break up with Max and force her to marry the crown prince or worse, someone from the political faction that supported the emperor and fell short of the requirements she desired in a man: someone who is more powerful than her father, money, status, and looks! No, she wanted to have a peaceful life with a man she loved! 

Determined to not let her plans go awry, she asked Merilynn to bring her some parchment and a quill. 

She needed to determine if Marquess Griddlebone was a genuine threat to her happiness and to the Floyen duchy. It was already bad enough that Lady LaRue would not stop following her or her father. And there was no better way to ferret someone’s true intentions than an invitation for afternoon tea out of the blue. 

[unicorncornflakes]

Wedding Dress - Modern AU! | Chapter 2

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Paring: Jacaerys Velaryon x Reader x Aemond Targaryen.

Summary: You have always seemed happy. A perfect life: a good job, a good family… and a good boyfriend. Finally, you are going to marry Jace after three years of dating. Everything seems perfect, but you know it's not.

Everything falters the same night you meet Aemond Targaryen. You are no longer sure of your decisions… let alone about the wedding…

Tags: Alternate Universe – Modern/ Setting Enemies to Friends to Lovers/ Emotional Hurt/ComfortDrama & Romance/ Eventual Smut.

Author´s note: Hi everyone! English is not my first language, sorry for any mistake! All of them are my fault! Pls, enjoy! Feedback, shares and comments are always welcome!

Word Count: 4.3K

Tag-List (If you wanna be tagged, let me know): @tssf-imagines @nika-sophie05

“I wish I was there. I would love it.” You could hear Jace’s voice on the other side of the line. You had the hands-free mode of your phone on while you were in the changing room, taking your clothes off. Finally, you were going to try on the wedding dress you had always dreamed of. A perfect ball gown wedding dress. It looked like straight out of a fairy tale: a slim-cut bodice and full bell-shaped skirt that seemed to float. It was the dress, you were so confident about that.

“The groom can´t see the wedding dress before the weding. It brings bad luck” You laughed, truly enchanted. All your doubts had disappeared upon seeing the dress. Jace was the right guy. This was the perfect decision, and what had happened last weekend was history.

“I won’t ever have bad luck if you are at my side” You could heard how he was smiling while he was telling you those beautiful words. You sighed. That was pure love and devotion. Alara and Daemon were not right, you belonged to Jace… “I have to take the flight, but I will arrive for the dinner. Order what you want. We have to celebrate the new contract”

“So… we sleep together tonight? At your apartment?” You tried to sound excited. The truth is, at the time, you didn't know if you were ready to sleep with Jace and pretend nothing had happened. You were living with your grandmother since she considered that a good lady should not live with her boyfriend before getting married and also for not discussing the subject with her. After all, Jace and you haven't seen each other for a week. It was normal for him to expect you to sleep together.

“Of course” It sounded too formal for your liking. You would have liked that he had told you how much he had missed you and the things he planned to do to you. You wished that he forgot dinner, that he grabbed you in his arms and took you to his bed. His long silver hair falling like a cascade over your chest while his mouth worked wonders on one of your nipples while his other hand captured the remaining breast... his violet eye fixed on youY face, the other one covered by that annoying eye patch that prevented you saw his whole face... ethereal... eternal... “(Y/N), are you there?” Your Boyfriend´s voice woke up you from your fantasies… You were fucked… You would have to think in Jace, not in that stupid guy…

“Y-yes, I was thinking about what to order” You lied. Your eyes were reflected in the mirror in front of you. ‘This is your best that you can say?’ your voice scolded you in your mind.

“Whatever you desire” he smiled again “I have to go. I will see you later. I love you”

“I love you too” the words sounded like a dagger tearing you inside. How would you love him? You had cheated on him with a guy you couldn´t get out of your head. You heard how the phone hanged up and you just wanted to cry. You didn't sound convincing, nor did you sound happy.

“You are so fucking stunning!” Alara Exclaimed in the same moment that you entered in the room, followed by one of the workers of that place. She helped you climb the step where brides were placed on this type of occasion to be admired by the family before buying the dress. You thought that something more ridiculous could not be happening to you.

“That Language” Your grandmother scolded Alara, who was sitting by her side in a terrible pastel pink sofa of that room “You are truly enchanting, honey” Your Grandmother smiled, gazed at you. She looked so proud that she made you think that you were doing the right thing.

“You are so gorgeous, so elegant” Rhaenyra verbalized while a sweet smile was painted in her face. She looked radiant. Her older son was to married a good girl, correct, elegant, polite… She couldn’t have more happiness in her hearts and when you looked at her, your own soul bounced.

“Yes, less is often more” Alicent commented “You are truly elegant”. She was an old friend of Rhaenyra, and even the Step-Gradmother of Jace, but this was the first time that you saw her. You didn’t meet none of that part of the family, but it seemed that they were triying to rebuilt the bonds that were broken with all the wedding subject.

“I think… that I don’t like it… sorry” you sighed, looking down at the floor. Everything was wrong. You only felt sad and guilty about the entire situation, you just wanted to run away when you saw their happy faces.

“What?? No, no, no. You´ve been an incredible pain in the ass about this dress, and now you don’t like it!” Alara was simply upset, you feared that she could exploded before your words. She knew the truth. This wasn’t about the dress. She looked at you, wide opened eyes, pouting her lips. She was about to speak.

“Well, Honey, You are so gorgeous in that dress, but if you don’t like it…” Your Grandmother tried to reduce the tension; she never met Alara on that way before. So, she attempted her best.

“(Y/N), don’t you worry, we have time, you can trying as dresses as you desire” Rhaenyra told you like a mother to her daughter. Actually, she always wanted to have a girl, but it never came. For that reason, she truly appreciated you.

“My daughter Healena had to try a lot of dresses until she found wich she really liked” Alicent commented, in an effort to make you more comfortable about the situation.

“But this was the first option…” You muttered in a lower tone, like a little child. All the present, except Alara, thought that you were simply nervous.

“Well, let’s to change this terrible option for something more… appropriated!” Alara exclaimed, conducting you to the change room to find another option.

'You are going to enter, you are going to say hello like a responsible adult and you are going to say how beautiful the bride is' His mother sent him that message that made Aemond roll his eye in disgust. He was still sitting in the cafe across from the dress shop, drinking coffee and smoking. It was one thing to go pick up his mother and quite another to have to put on a theater about an event that annoyed him rather than excite him.

'No' was all the answer he sent. 'I'll wait for you outside' he sighed and looked up from the phone to see how the waitress smiled at him. He knew that smile well, it was the kind of smile a woman puts on when she wants you to take her to bed. In another time, he would have risen and approached her. That same night he would have been between her legs, but he wasn't able to. He remembered the sweet way you'd looked at him, the shy smile before you turned into his…little slut. The mobile vibrated again and he read the new message from his mother. Aemond rose angrily from his chair, forgetting his coffee and his cigar. He went to the register and paid. He entered the dress shop with a very clear determination: Jace's fiancée was going to remember this moment for the rest of her life.

“I prefer this one much more that the other!” You exclaimed happily in front of the mirror of the changing room. A new trumpet weeding dress was what now you wore. It had a tighter fit through your chest and waist, before flaring out sightly around the knees. This dress showed off your curves, and you couldn’t seem happier. Alara rolled her eyes.

“(Y/N), I know what is the fucking problem with the last dress. It was for Jace. This dress is for that guy, and in the sept is not going to be him, but Jace” She sighed tired. You gazed her, deeply sorry. Maybe, that was true.

“Alara, I have to marry him. You know that…” You started to say.

“It´s okay, just let´s finish this! I know how stubborn you can be” She replied to you, helping you to walk to the other room again.

“I said no” Your Grandmother in the same moment that you stand in front of her again with the new dress. Her face was turned angry, and you knew her well. It was like just when you asked for going on a date with a boy that she didn’t like when you were teenager.

“But I like this one!” You replied crossing your arms against your chest “This is the right one” Even if it wasn’t; now you wanted it. You were making too many sacrifices with this entire situation. You wouldn’t gave up.

“I think that she is beautiful too” Rhaenyra tried to say something positive about the dress, but you can see the discomfort in her eyes. She wasn´t imagining you with a dress like that in her mind.

Your grandmother ignored her “You are not going to walk through the Sept like a whore, (Y/N)” she shouted to you.  So you continued arguing with her. Alicent told something to Rhaenyra and your mother-in-law replied her with a smile, and she just disappearance, while you stilled discussing.

“I´m telling you that this is the dress!” Aemond heard someone hysterical girl screaming about her dress. And he who thought that trying on dresses was boring. He was on the hall of that shop, just waiting for her mother. He smirked. His mother entered in the hall.

“Aemond” she greeted him, approaching him “I think that his is not a good moment to…”

“Jace´s fiancée is the one who one can listen outside from the shop?” He asked with an ironic smile, raising an eyebrow. “I have to watch that” He muttered while he directed himself to the room that her mother just left. Yes, tonight Aegon and he were going to taunt about what he had seen. She had to be a real beast if that girl was like this for a simple dress.

“Aemond” his mother tried to stopped him, but she couldn´t.

Alara contemplated all the scene as silence as Rhaenyra. She could see how you were breaking into pieces. You were going to marry Jace, not because you thought that he was the right one, but your grandmother thought it. That was the truth. And she only could felt pity for you. So you didn’t give up about the dress. She could see how a tear fallen from your eye, and you cleaned it quickly.

“This is the dress, and if you don’t like it, I´m sorry” you told to your grandmother. However, that discussion wasn’t about the dress actually, it was hiding more in between your grandmother and you than the both of you wanted to recognize.

And in that precise moment that your grandmother was to replied, Alicent and his son were just entered in the room… Alara´s jaw dropped to the floor. She cognized that eye patch, that silver long hair and that coat… he was the guy at the bar… she just looked confused and impacted to you, and in the moment that you realized of his presence you went pale. Alara could see how your mind crashed down in the same moment that your gaze met his.

“Oh, Alicent, this is your son?” Your grandmother asked, ignoring everything that was happening between the three. “You must be a decent man, boy, just tell my grandaugther how she looks with that dress” Alicent parted his lips in a gasp, like if she knew that his son was about to say something monstrous.

Time stopped at that precise moment, as did Aemond's heart. For a moment it stopped beating. You… you were there, just right in front of him, in a wedding dress. Your gaze met his. Again a deer in the middle of the road… the pupil of his eye went dilated. You were the same girl. The girl who didn’t want his number. The girl who begged for him… And… And… his mind was a swirl of thoughts. You are gorgeous, you are stunning, you are… going to marry his not so beloved nephew, really? While his mind was running in reflections, his face didn´t show any emotion, just to the end rose one of the corners of his lips, in a sign of disdain. But, it wasn’t for you… It was just for him. He licked his lips before speak. His gaze couldn´t stop to look at you.

“A perfect future wife is everything I can see here” He smirked “Jace is a truly fortunate man” He wanted to run away from there, but he couldn’t. He was the powerful one there. He was cold, he was the strong one… So, you were his Nephew´s fiancé. What a delighted coincide.

Alicent looked at Aemond. She had given birth to him. She knew her son like the back of her hand. Those words weren’t to mean to. She could understand his disdain by the Velaryon boys, but not this time, please. Not against the poor girl. But surprisely for her, he only approached you and took your hand.

“What a silly thing!” Your grandmother exclaimed again “This is ridiculous, this is not the dress”

But Aemond ignore her. He ignored complete the words of your grandmother. He just kissed your knuckles, really softly, his eye nailed in yours. “My name is Aemond, nice to meet you” his moves were so cocky and confident, a terrible smirk in his face, a shadow of malice in his gaze. ‘Well, nice to meet you again, what a delicious surprise’ he thought ‘You thought you could escape from me?’ Like that night, he was the hunter again and you were the prey, and he was so excited about that.

“My name is (Y/N)” you replied all blushed. It was supposed that you wouldn´t meet him again, you have must dreaming.

“Sister, what a beautiful bride your son have chosen!” he sneered. He wasn't going to show weakness, he wasn't going to show it in front of his bitch of a sister. He was the one who controlled the game, the one who marked the steps... Maybe he wasn't going to make you cry that day, but you were going to remember him forever and that precise moment. He looked into your eyes. Yes, you both knew that you belonged to him, that with simple shag he had you at his feet. "Hm" he sighed with a confident smile, without letting go of your hand.

Alicent was so surprised with that courtesy act. Well, she always thought that Aemond was a truly gentleman, but she never expected that chivalry with Jace´s fiancée.

You couldn’t think, you couldn’t… you just… you just… crashed down, like one computer and the terrible blue screen. You didn’t know what to say, how to move. The guy from the bar, the guy with one you cheated on Jace, the brash bastard that made you cum so hard was… Jace´s uncle. No. It was impossible, it was a nightmare, and however, he was there, in front of you. So tall, so dark, so sexy. You looked away from him, coming back to your reality.

“This is the dress, I decided it” You told to your grandmother and releasing your hand from Aemond´s grab. He chuckled. He couldn’t believe your words. But how could you not say it? You were sleeping with Jace after all. You were his nephew's girlfriend. A woman who knew what she wanted, right? You just didn't know what you really wanted and even he didn’t realize in that moment, but Aemond Targaryen was going to show you what you needed. Aemond moved back to the back of the room, his gaze following you. He already knew your name and whose girlfriend you were and he had proposed something: Jace could take his position in the company, but he was going to keep something much more important in his life: You.

It was not going to be all for his nephews, he refused to accept so. You were what he wanted. A pang of grief stabbed him in the heart, but he quickly recovered to be himself again. He was going to get you no matter what it cost him, he was no longer that boy with those bastards messed with.

When the dress fitting finished, you felt exhausted. What just had happened? Alara approached you when you leaving the changing room. You looked at the hall. There was your grandmother speaking with Alicent, Rhaenyra and Aemond. Your gaze stopped at him. Why he was there? Why? Karma is a bitch, a fucking bitch. And why he has to smell so good? Like coffee and cigarettes, he was like the bad guy about you dreamt when you were at the high school, but you weren’t a teenager anymore… and he was Jace´s uncle… life was punishing you hard…

“Are you okay?” Alara whispered and you only nodded and approached to the group. You pretend a fake smile and you caressed your grandmother shoulder.

“I think that we should go, Nana. It´s going to be late and I have to go to Jace´s apartment” you tried to explain, but your grandmother was still talking with Alicent and Rhaenyra. By the corner of your eye, you saw how Aemond looked at you, a lustful gaze. His arms at his back, that perfect black coat… and regret again.

“We were talking about the dress, Don’t you want to hear my opinion?” she asked you, and you closed your eyes and sighed. You could hear how Aemond gave a little chuckle.

“Not again, thanks” you replied her. All the way to home was going to be like that, you knew it.

“You were truly enchanting in the last dress” Alicent tried to smile “Aemond says that you were breath-taking with it” a little shade of pink appeared  in your cheeks, and Alara realized a brief instant where you looked at Aemond like a needed puppy.

“Thank you, Alicent” You replied with a fake smile.

“(Y/N)” Rhaenyra started to speak looking at Alicent with a sweet smile “We were talking about that you have never met to this part of the family, so we are going to make a familiar lunch at my father´s house the next weekend, all together again. And we will celebrate the new contract too” she informed you.

“Yes, it will be great” you replied really fast, with a fake smile again… you were fucked…

“’I´m not going to meet him again’. Do you remember from who are these words?” Alara whispered in your ear. Alara was acting like the little angel in your shoulder. You glared at her. ‘Just shut up, Alara’ your mind screamed “Oh my god! He has to be one of the best-man at your wedding” she whispered again laughing and you slapped her shoulder, drawing attention or the rest of the presents. She was continuing laughing.

“Then we will meet next Sunday for lunch” Raenhyra replied with a smile.

“It will be delightful” Alicent replied. And you could saw how Aemond smiled, that cocky bastard.

Aemond kept his eye on the road. Alicent was talking about the lunch. She was so excited, seated in the co-pilot seat of that expensive black Mercedes. Actually, Aemond didn´t need to speak about anything in that precisely moment. He couldn’t stop of thinking about you.

“She was pretty in that dress” His mother started to speak, but he pretended he didn’t listened to her. He kept driving in silence “She is really sweet. She is so charming” Alicent continued speaking.

“Hmm” Aemond didn’t’ want to thinking more about that. He had already known how sweet you were, how special you were, how pretty you were. 

“Jace is a truly fortunate boy” his mother muttered, and in that moment, Aemond only felt anger.

 “Yeah, you can get girls like that when your family has the 70% of the family company, your face is not crossed by a scar… and you have two perfectly and healthy eyes… That´s makes the difference…” He spoke up, altered and disturbed by his mother´s words. He hated when she spoke so delight about that boys.

“Aemond, please” His mother begged him, a way to calm his well hidden temper.

“I´m not a child anymore, mother, I know how the way world works” He confessed to her, only anger and regret in his voice.

“I bet you could find a girl like that” Alicent replied.

“Yeah, sure” Aemond couldn’t believe that he was speaking about that with his mother.

“Aemond, you will find a really lovely girl, as sweet as (Y/N)” His mother said, but he didn’t respond. He had to keep his atenttion in the road. He sighed, trying to remain cold and stoic. But what if he didn’t want a girl as sweet as you, What if the only one that he wanted was… You. And, by the seven, he was going to get you.

When you arrived at Jace´s apartment, you landed against the bed that you both normally shared. You started to think again. And then, you found the problem. Yes, that was the problem. You couldn’t remember when the last time that Jace and you had a magnificent sex was. You were to ride him that night, it was going to be the best shag in your life. And you will forget Aemond with your true love. You dressed yourself with those so expensive black panties that you had never used and one of the favorite t-shirt of Jace. You painted your lips red and used the cologne that he had given to you in the last Christmas. It was going to be a great night, a perfect one… you only could imagine his face when he saw you… and the ring door sounded… you went so fast to open, with a sensual smile… and then you opened the door and your smile faded.

“(Y/N)!” Jace picked you up and kissed you, a quick, brief kiss, almost chaste. But you were still surprised. Behind him, there were Luke and Joffrey. “They came for me to the airport” he smiled to you. “So we will have dinner together” he explained to you while you still remained in silence. Luke seemed to understand was what happening and he spoke first.

“Jace, I think that (Y/N) had other plans in her mind with you” he coughed, a little blushed for seeing you in that black panties.

“It doesn’t matter, right, (Y/N)?” he smiled to you. You were still in silence. You didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t the plan.

“Well, you have heard him” Joffrey said loudly, entering in the apartment and going straight to the frige for one beer. You sighed. You sometimes loved his brothers, but that time had to be for the two of you, alone…

“They are going to go early, you will see” Jace whispered in your ear and you only nodded with a perfect smile. You changed your clothes and you had dinner with them. But, they didn’t leave early. They spent almost all night alone talking about the new contract, the new opportuniries… Finally, at the three o´clock of the morming they left.

You fell againt the bed again, this time really tired. Jace yawned by your side. “How was the dress fitting?” he asked you, his gaze fixed at the celling. You lied down againt his chest. You kissed him, ready for the best part of the night. You had waited patiently, now was the time for your reward.

“Good. Normal. I don’t know” you answered his question; while your hips humped against his leg “Did you miss me?” it was an innocent question, but not your voice tone. A sensual whisper only for him. He looked at you confused. You had never been like that before.

“Of course, I…” his voice stopped when your hand caressed his cock. You had tucked it into his pants. He grabbed your wrist. His gaze was so cold. “I´m really tired, (Y/N). It was a long flight, and a stressful week. I´m not in the mood for that…” What he wasn’t on the mood? You had endured his brothers all the night, and now, he wasn’t on the mood?

“I can ride you if you are tired” You murmured almost with tears in your eyes. You need it, you really need it to fix the things, and he was denying what you needed.

“Tomorrow night. We will be not tired, it will be great. I really missed you, but tonight all I need is to cuddle you. That´s all” He caressed your cheek. Yeah, that was all that he needed, but what about you? 

You laid down on your side of the bed and he embrace you from behind, that night he was going to be the big spoon. Perfect. “I really love you, (Y/N)” he whispered again in your ear. But you didn’t replied, all that you could think was if Aemond would have denied you too.

[writingwhimsey]

Married to the Enemy- Shingen Ch. 5

Chapter 5

After returning to the inn from his date with Ava, Shingen made his way to the veranda, deciding to sit out and gaze up at the moon as he sipped on some good sake. His mind couldn’t help but to wander to the date he had spent with Ava.

It appeared his new bride was truly special. She seemed to truly care for others. She just wanted everyone to be happy. It must have been that drive to make others happy that led her to agree to an arranged marriage.

He had to admit he adored the way her face lit up when she talked about her work as a seamstress. She had looked so passionate and full of hope. He knew he would need to make sure she was able to work with the seamstresses in Echigo. “Maybe I’ll even be her first customer.” He murmured to himself as he sat silently making his plans.

Though Shingen had always wanted a loving wife and family, he had given up the hope of having those dreams realized long ago. He couldn’t imagine putting loved ones through a difficult ordeal. Yet it seemed the only way to bring true peace had been to ally with the Oda and that had meant entering into this marriage. Kenshin would never agree to such a thing and Shingen didn’t want to foist Yuki into an arranged marriage either. He wanted Yukimura to be able to have the life he wanted. So it seemed only natural for Shingen to take the role himself.

And though this was an arranged marriage, Shingen was going to make sure his wife was comfortable and happy. With whatever time he had remaining, he would make sure her days were happy and spent doing the things she loved.

A couple days later…

After what felt like a small eternity of traveling, we finally arrived in Echigo and were soon crossing the castle gates. When we arrived, what looked like a streak of black, blue, and white seemed to rush at us…well more specifically Sasuke.

“How dare you take so long to get back!”

Sasuke was nimbly jumping off of his horse and dodging the attack. He soon had to draw his own sword as the streak materialized into a strikingly beautiful man. “Lord Kenshin, please…” Sasuke protested with a calm face as he blocked a blow from the man.

“No. You took too long, especially when I didn’t give you permission to go in the first place.”

“I’m sorry Lord Kenshin, but I wanted to be there for my friend.” Sasuke replied.

“You deserve this for going against Lord Kenshin’s wishes and attending the wedding. I was all that was needed to attend in our lord’s stead.” Kanetsugu spoke.

I was watching all of this with a stunned expression on my face. That was when I felt Shingen’s large hand come to rest on my shoulder. “Don’t worry, this is just Kenshin’s way of showing he missed Sasuke.” He assured me.

I turned to look at Shingen, a perplexed look on my face. “Really?”

Shingen nodded. “Yes, he’s not very good at expressing himself without his sword.” He was then hopping down from the horse and offering me his hand. “Allow me to help you down, my goddess.”

I took Shingen’s offered hand and slid down from the horse, though I still couldn’t help but to worry over Sasuke…and did he really go against Kenshin and come to the wedding just for me? He really was such a good friend. “Should…should somebody help him?” I asked, still concerned.

“He’s usually pretty good at handling these things himself.” Yukimura spoke up as he hopped down from his own horse. “But if it gets too intense I’ll help him out in a minute.”

“And I thought our guys were strange.” Saki said with a giggle.

“Lord Kenshin, we do have a banquet planned for this evening.” Sasuke said, as he jumped back from Kenshin and managed to sprinkle ground spikes to stop the man from advancing. “Also this isn’t the proper way to welcome Ava to your castle.”

Kenshin was then turning to look at me with Shingen, a glare clear on his face. “Ah, the woman, who helped stop my war with the Oda.” He muttered.

“Kenshin, Ava is my wife.” Shingen said. “And I would think you could recognize what a brave thing she has done. 

Kenshin continued to glare at me. “Whatever, just make sure you stay out of my way, woman.”

I was feeling a little irked by his attitude…and being called woman. “Excuse me, but I have a name and it’s Ava. And since we’re all part of an alliance now, and I’ll be living here, the least we can do is be civil and you greet me by my name.”

Sasuke and Yukimura were both looking at me with mouths slightly agape. Kanetsugu looked at me like I had just committed some egregious sin and Saki was looking at me with an amused smile.

Kenshin seemed taken aback, but was slowly sheathing his sword before jumping over the ground spikes. “Just see to the preparations for the banquet and you had better have brought back some excellent sake to make up for all of this.” He declared as he walked away.

“I knew you were brave.” Shingen said, smiling warmly at me.

I felt my cheeks flushing from his praise. “I don’t know about that. Sometimes I just say whatever pops into my head without thinking…it’s really gotten me into trouble a few times.”

Shingen smiled at me. “I find it an admirable quality.” He said. “Now, come and I’ll show you and Miss Saki to your rooms.”

Some servants were coming to take mine and Saki’s luggage into the castle, while other attendants were taking the horses to the stables. Saki and I followed Shingen inside as he showed us around, taking us to the rooms we would be living in.

“Saki this room is yours.” Shingen said, gesturing to a door. “I hope it is to your liking and it is right here next to Ava’s room.”

Saki smiled. “Thank you, my lord. Makes it very easy to be able to attend to my lady.” She was then winking at me. “I’ll check it out and start working on getting it set up.” Which was her way of saying she was giving me and Shingen privacy.

I smiled at her, but felt my cheeks reddening at the thought of being alone with Shingen like this. Shingen was reaching for my hand. “Allow me to show you, your room, my bride.” He said, once again making me warm all over, especially with the look in his eyes.

“Okay.” I replied, my hand warming up in his larger one.

Shingen opened the door with his free arm and led me inside. The room was beautifully decorated with the most beautiful hanging scrolls and fine arts. The folding privacy screen was gorgeously hand-painted. There were wooden shelves and a wooden chest for clothes and other things. There were vases with fresh flowers…it was honestly more extravagant than my room at Azuchi.

“I hope everything is to your liking.” Shingen said. “I picked everything out for you.”

“Thank you…it’s all so lovely…it’s too much really…” I said, feeling a bit flustered.

“I can’t have my wife in a room with anything less. You don’t put a flower in a plain vase.” Shingen said, lifting my hand to place a kiss on the back.

“I…thank you.” I replied, my face on fire. It was then that it occurred to me that he said this was my room. “So…uhm…you said my room…uh…”

Shingen smiled at me, his gray eyes warm. “I thought it might be more comfortable for you to have your own space.” He told me. “Unless you are ready to share a room with me.”

“I…we’ve only had one date.” I replied, my face heating up further. “I…I do appreciate your consideration.”

“If there is anything you need, just let me know.” Shingen told me. “And speaking of our date… would you attend the banquet with me tonight as our second date?”

I smiled. “I think that would be a good date.” I agreed. “Are…are these banquet formal?”

“No. Very informal actually.” Shingen answered. “Very relaxed. We mainly use them to keep Kenshin pacified with plenty of sake.”

I couldn’t help but to laugh. “Does he get a little less…violent and stabby when he has enough sake?”

Shingen nodded. “Sometimes.” He answered. “I am very much looking forward to spending this evening's banquet with you, though.”

“I am looking forward to it, as well.” I replied.

Shingen smiled. “I will let you get settled and I’ll be back to escort my lovely bride to the banquet.”

“That sounds good.” I replied.

Shingen continued to smile, his gray eyes on mine as he brought my hand up to his lips placing a kiss on the back. “Until tonight, my goddess.”

The warmth of Shingen’s lips lingered on my hand once more. Shingen really knew how to make me melt. I was going to be a puddle…and we’d only been married a few days. 

[sweetescapeartist]

DR. GERO'S ATTEMPT TO RECREATE HIS FAMILY

(This has been in my drafts since June 25th 2022. 😅 I hope you enjoyed it & sorry if I over explain things. I'm trying to do that less often.)

The Red Ribbon Army took photo ID of Gero, Vomi, & Gevo. The photos on file appear to be around a time before their death, relaying that Vomi & Gevo passed away when they were relatively young. And Gero loved his family so much so that his goal was to bring them back through science & technology. Oddly enough... you kinda feel sorry for Dr. Gero.

Key word, "kinda." You cannot forget that he conducted inhumane experiments on two kidnapped teens for many years until they forgot their names and were turned into living weapons with bombs in their chest. Gero's a evil sick bastard. But, even evil ppl can love their own family.

GEVO; ANDROID 16'S TEMPLATE

Dr. Gero modeled Android 16 after his late son, Gevo. He was part of Gero's experiment to see if he could recreate his family. And #16 is a completely mechanical android made to be extremely powerful & was by far the strongest of the numbered Artificial Humans that Gero created.

When #17 & #18 wanted to release #16, Gero said that #16 was so dangerous that he would destroy the world, so he deemed him a failure. But, #18 finds it interesting that Gero kept this extremely dangerous "failure" around when Gero destroyed all the other failures prior to #16. Then, Gero stutters & makes up more excuses. This makes you wonder why did Gero keep #16 around. 🤔

In a Q&A that is now common knowledge, Toriyama revealed that #16 is modeled after Dr. Gero's son. Then, Toriyama explained that Gero did not want the mechanical recreation of his son to be destroyed in battle, so he gave him a gentle personality. This gentle personality resulted in #16 being deemed a failure & Gero had him placed in a special chamber for safe keeping.

[Link to the Q&A here.]

But, why did Gero install a bomb inside a robot replica of his son? Because Gero placed explosive devices in all the artificial humans that he made. It was a safety precaution to assure that his creations/weapons would not turn against him or fall into the enemy's hand. The bombs were also be used as a last resort against an enemy that is too powerful.

I find it amazing that Gero gave the fully mechanical #16 his own unique personality & made him sentient. In a sense #16 was a living machine. Gero was an extremely intelligent guy to be able to create artificial consciousness.

GERO; MECHANIZED HIMSELF

Dr. Gero also decided to turn himself into a cyborg in the present timeline because he desired eternal life, becoming #20.

(Its unknown if Future Gero turned himself into a cyborg because it is not shown in the manga. But, the filler sections of the anime depict him as a cyborg.)

Gero wanted to live forever in a world ruled by the Red Ribbon Army, and he wanted to do so alongside his family. Thus, he began recreating them. But, Gero only progressed to creating a robotic replica of his son & mechanizing himself.

VOMI; ANDROID 21'S TEMPLATE

Vomi is canon to the main DB continuity.

Bio-Android 21 is only canon to the video game continuities. (Specifically FighterZ, but she appears in Xenoverse 2, Dokkan Battle, & DBZ: Kakarot too.)

The creation of #21 was different from converting a human into a cyborg, & far more advance than how #16 was made completely from mechanical parts. Bio-Android 21 was an absorption-type created by Gero's computer in a similar way that Cell was, but modeled after his late wife. #21 was created from the combined DNA of highly intelligent humans as well as the strongest humans. But, Gero's computer also added cells from Majin Buu for more strength, resulting in her Majin 21 forms.

Perhaps bio-androids like Cell were the next step in Gero's plan to recreate his family while creating himself a new bio-organic body after his cybernetic one.

THE IRONY...

Vomi & Gevo were not a good people (that we know of) & both worked for the Red Ribbon Army. Ironically, the artificial human versions of themselves ended up being good people. Dr. Gero's immediate family were evil ppl. Except for his other son...

- THE UNNAMED SON -

Although he had another son, Gero did not have a close relationship with him. His unnamed son resented his father and the Red Ribbon Army & disassociated himself from his father.

It is mentioned in DBS: Super Hero that the parents of the 24 yr old Dr. Hedo had died when Hedo was young. And Hedo was 7 yrs old when his grandfather, Dr. Gero, was killed by #17. This indicates that Hedo's parents may have died shortly after the Cell Saga. Meaning, Dr. Gero did not recreate his other son because Gero was killed before his other son passed away. And because of their strained relationship, Gero may not have even recreated this son if given the opportunity.

AN INTERESTING DETAIL + SPECULATION

Gero: A pun on the Japanese word for "vomit."

Vomi: A pun on the English word "vomit."

Gevo: This name is interesting. It combines the "ge" & "vo" of his parents' names, and Gevo's name pun is still on a Japanese phrase for "vomiting."

Hedo: Yet another "vomit" name pun. But, this one references the word "反吐" which is "anti-vomiting" medicine.

Haku?🤔: If ever revealed, perhaps this will be the name of Gero's other son. The kanji for Haku is "吐" & also means "vomit." And what makes this theory of mine interesting is that Hedo's name pun consists of this character, but in front of it is the kanji "反" that means "anti." If Haku is the name, then the father's name is within the name of his son.

[azlrse]

CW: yandere themes, modern au, murder/suic*de, isolation, stalking & soft!Lucifer.

A/N: I've rewatched an old horror film (pagpag: siyam na buhay) and this caused me to break out of my writer's block. The best yandere for this imagine? The first born himself of course.

Upon watching the film, I was thinking to myself; what if Lucifer isn't an angel but a human who turned into a demon due to his prideful nature? Or what if Lucifer still haunts his beloved even after his death? Is he taking the quote "not even death can separate us" to the next level? Maybe yes-

Now let's get down to the imagine.

In his human life, Lucifer was a prideful and rich CEO who was indeed intrigued by you; just a regular worker who worked countless of hours just to make ends meet for your family. He became curious of you on why you asked so many times about working overtime and finds out that the reason why is because you wanted to save up every dime and penny for your sibling to go to their dream university.

You didn't want them to ended up with thousands of dollars in student dept just like when you're in college. He accepted your proposal nonetheless. The more you worked for him, the more he falls for you even harder. The prideful business man thought that he can win your heart through his money, status and his seduction but you turned those down because you didn't want to see yourself as a desperate human who would date someone just for their looks and money.

He was stunned but quickly does his best to swoon you over (and of course, win your heart and become his) and it didn't take long for his puppy like crush towards you had turned into something darker. That's right, dear reader; it's obsession.

But for Lucifer, this yandere is a very clever one. He hides these red flags, his obsession and successfully persuaded you that he's the kind of man who can provide for you, taking care of your family's needs and for him to love you. His affectionate and sweet words finally convinced you that he's the one for you and the next thing you know, you've become the CEO's significant other.

He indeed kept his words. You couldn't ask for a better lover other than him. He treated and spoiled you like royalty; money, clothes, dining in the finest restaurants he recommended and treated your sibling like his own. And because of him, your sibling graduated in their finally year of college. You couldn't thank him enough, in which he responded "Anything for my love"

Some of your enemies and snobby co-workers even became jealous of you just because you dated the most handsome guy they laid their eyes on.

And after a year of dating him, he finally proposed and asked the question for you to become his for eternity, and you foolishly accepted this sweet, loving proposal of his as he slides the diamond ring to your finger.

And unfortunately, on the day of your wedding, he unexpectedly passed away. This of course breaks your heart, you cried your heart out what was supposed to be the happiest day of your life. You loved him, you really do. You missed your dearest fiance as you cried and cried on the pillows, soaking wet with your endless tears and imagined that he was there, hugging your trembling form.

A few more years had passed on and his other siblings took over the company in his name while you, as his significant other, inherited millions (even trillions) of dollars from the will he left for you and his remaining siblings. Even you had all this money, you still him. Your loving fiance, Lucifer.

But you've moved past these bittersweet memories of yours and finally gathered the courage to date again but this time, the men/women you've dated were either died in an accident, being murdered or driven to suicide. When the news got out that you are the last person these people being with, they began avoiding you, even your own family for they thought that they'll die if they kept you within their lives.

You've became an outcast, a loner, a human the world knew that you're indeed a sign of their ultimate demise. And what you didn't know is that it was all the entity's doing, or isn't perhaps your so-called "dead" fiance?

Even after his "death", he watched over you after he became a demon. A demon with twisted horns, four ash black wings and a sinister smile.

The reason for his death? He traded his soul to the demon prince himself, all because of his greed for power. He didn't necessarily died, he just became a demon for your sake and of course, for your own protection. He drives all those people away, isolating you from the rest of the world. Don't you get it, (M/C)? He's desperate for your love and he's greedy for your affection and all the love you had, store within deep in your heart.

And if it's too late for you to find out that your fiance, your ever loving Lucifer becomes a demon and the sole reason why all the people you've dated were either dead or driven away to the brink of insanity, let alone your family abandoning you for the sake of their lives?

"Well, there's no escape, my beloved. For not even death can separate us."

You accepted the demon's proposal and finally succumb into becoming the demon's one and only beloved....

For eternity....

[please credit/tag me when you compose a fic with this imagine!]

[countrymusiclover]

93 - The End of Always and Forever

Part 94

Gemini Runaway

@icefrye19 @secretdreamlandmentality

Let me know what you would like to see next in this book 😊

Andrea was lying asleep on her bed in the spare room we had given them when they were living with us. Hayley was sitting at her daughter's bedside seeing that she had been sleeping for a few hours. Walking up to my twin brother he leaned against the doorway. “J, can we talk privately for a second?”

“Yeah I guess so.” He shrugged his shoulders following me through the house until we ended up in the alcohol room where Klaus, Vincent and Freya were waiting for us.

My brother glanced between the group. “What exactly is going on here?”

“You’re Raelyn’s brother and the daughter of Andrea right. I’m Vincent Griffin. We need to talk with you about what needs to happen next for her safety. We’ll have to separate the power that way it can’t harm her or the young Mikaelson daughters.” Vincent clasped his hands together explaining to him.

He raised his brow at him. “Rae, what else isn’t he telling me?”

“Jacob, the other thing is that to ensure that the Hollow is gone we will have to put Andrea under a sleeping spell. Since the Hollow has already taken her body we can’t risk her taking her body again.” I gave him a shrug of my shoulders with my gaze dropping to the floor.

He held his hands up still not understanding what we were saying to him. “Wait a second, Rae. Are you saying that in order to protect my daughter you want to put her under a sleeping spell like Kai used on Bonnie and Elena!”

Sucking in a breath I hated having to split his family up for probably the rest of our immortal lives. Crossing my arms over my chest I eyed my husband. “Jacob, I’m sorry but it’s the best option. Until we can find a way to ensure that the Hollow can never come back.”

“This is unbelievable…” Jacob put his hands in his hair gripping it tightly hearing footsteps coming down the hallway where he turned around seeing his wife Hayley. “Did you know about this sleeping plan for Andrea?”

She avoided his gaze for a little while before she finally met his gaze seeing that he was almost crying at the thought of having his daughter be put under a spell even if it was to save her. “Actually it….was my idea, Jacob.”

“I can’t do this right now.” He pushed past her and stomped down the hallway into his daughter’s room.

Hayley looked at the rest of us not chasing after her husband. “I’ll talk to him later but what do you guys need help with for the other part. The Hollow isn’t just after my family. Your daughters took the power from her. So I’ll do anything to help.”

“Freya is helping me gather up the ingredients. Rebekah is trying to get in contact with Kol. But what you can do for me is to get Andrea ready to sleep. Make her comfortable in whatever way you can.” Vincent explained leaving the room.

“I can do that.” She nodded leaving me and Klaus alone finally.

Waving my hand I locked the door with magic spinning around towards my husband instantly crying where I flung his arms around his neck. “I don’t want to do this again. I…we already spent six years without each other. I thought we were done with all this having to separate from one another.”

“Rae, Rae, Rae listen to me. We have to think about the girls and Henrik. We have to do whatever it takes to keep them safe. I know…I know that you don’t want to lose me. I can’t lose you either Raelyn. But the kids come first.” He closed the gap where our chests were almost pressed against each other.

Moving my hands to his shoulders I buried my face into his shirt. He wrapped his arms around my waist letting me cry until his shirt was stained with tears. "I don't want to lose touch with you…the kids deserve to know their father. I deserve to spend my eternal life with the man that I love. We promised each other…forever I do. Why can’t all our enemies understand that!” He moved one of his hands through my loose hair while he felt my hands holding onto his forearms tightly with my fingernails.

He tugged my flesh against his chest making me see that he was crying now too. Resting my hands on his chest, our eyes met when he rested his forehead against mine. “Even if we weren’t separated by curses or the oceans it doesn’t change how I feel about you and our children. You are my heart and everything that makes me feel human. And I want to remember you just like this.” He smashed his lips onto mine pushing me against the wall until he vamped us into our bedroom with Henrik sleeping in the girls room for now.

I began to move against him and leaned up pressing my lips down upon his. He embraced me back instantly when my fingers dug into his back, drawing blood that would heal later. He ran his body over every inch of my body he could reach, both of us slick with sweat as he moved against one another, our pants and moans filling the room.

“I will find a way to get us back to this. I swear to you, Niklaus.” I declare to him ripping his shirt at the same time he does mine.

He gently pushes my back onto the bed with the rest of our clothes being ditched in the mess of tears and kisses. “I know you will, siphon queen.” He whispered, tracing his thumb over my cheek.

He leaned up on his knees and began to thrust hitting a certain spot inside of her. "Nik! " I moaned out as his thrust became hard and fast, my boobs began to bounce up and down from the impact and I was actually in sync with his rhythm. Going off the fire that was burning between the two of us at this moment. The last moment we would be able to physically be in the same room together.

The bed was moving against our actions where he kept hitting the specific spot that we both moaned afterwards to. He broke the kiss where I held his face in my hands tracing his cheek with him thrusting into me quickly. “Rae!” He moaned when I pulled his head downward burying my face in his neck nuzzling my nose and kissing into his skin.

It was sunset by the time we woke up tangled in each other’s arms with the bedsheets hanging loosely over our naked bodies. I didn’t dare to open my eyes even though I felt him tracing patterns on my bare shoulders with his fingers in silence. “I know that you won’t rest until you find a solution to this spell. But I want you to promise me something, love. Promise me that you will try and be happy with our kids. I know that it’s hard. But promise me you’ll try Raelyn.”

“I…I will. But I will never be as happy as I was the night we rescued you from Marcel.” Lifting my head up so I could get lost in his blue eyes I put my hand over his heart while he had our other hands intertwined by our heads. “Niklaus, you will be my forever love."

He moved his other hand up cradling my face in his palm. "You are my forever, Raelyn." Leaning into his touch I moved forward kissing him slowly where he deepened the kiss, where my head went on the pillow behind me and we did the slowest round two we ever had wanting to savor the others kiss, smell and touch as long as possible. Though we finally moved out of the bed and went downstairs so he could hug his daughters and his infant son.

Vincent had returned with what was needed and had our daughters put on magical holding cuffs just to hold the magic of the Hollow inside them for the time being. He pointed where the others needed to stand. “Thank you. Uh, Kol, if you would, right there. Uh, Rebekah, perfect. Right there.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Rebekah spat seeing Marcel. “You come to gloat?”

He responded simply. “No, I came to make sure that this works.”

Vincent pulled their attention back to him. “Elijah, I need you right there at the top. Klaus, right there for me, please. And we are ready. I just want to say that what you guys are doing here today is gonna go a long way towards setting things right in this city. The Hollow took everything away from me. It inspired nothing but suffering and torment. It's ruined families, it's gone after little kids. And yet, here and now, despite all of our differences, and there are many... thank you.”

Rebekah sighed looking between her brothers. “The savage Mikaelsons heroically defeating a terrible evil. Maybe this will finally earn us our redemption.”

Klaus glanced at them. “Do any of us really believe that?”

Elijah shook his head slightly smiling. “Not for a second. It's a wonderful sentiment.”

Vincent lowers himself down near our daughters who were sitting on the ground. “Let's go. Raelyn, when I tell you to, I want you to take the manacles off. Hold onto your girls. Do not let them go. Everybody else, when this spell is over, you got to get away from each other, and you have to stay away from Hope, Alina and Missy.”

Rebekah sniffs through some tears. “Always and forever. We had a good run.”

Vincent began chanting while channeling from Freya. “Diviser...Diviser ak konkeri. Diviser...ak konkeri. Diviser ak konkeri. Diviser ak konkeri. Chire apa ak pó. Ak konkeri. Ak pó. Raelyn, do it now. Do it now.”

I waved my hand magically removing the chains from my daughter’s wrists holding onto their hands while we stood in a circle. “Magia tollux de terass. Magia tollux de terass. Magia tollux de terass. Magia tollux de terass.” Once we started chanting the blue magic shot up into the sky above our heads. It then divided into the four Mikaelson’s chests.n

Rebekah lowered her head. “I can hear it... whispering.”

Vincent convinced the others to leave before the Hollow escaped from their bodies and back into Andrea or our daughters. “Okay, you guys need to go. Now!”

The lights crackled and I could hear a ghostly whispering seeing my husband remaining by our side. “I need to know if they’re all right.” I could hear the panic in his voice since they had collapsed in my arms during the spell transfer.

Vincent raised his voice. “Klaus, I promise you, she is going to be okay if you go.”

“It's okay, babies. You're okay…..I love you, forever.” Lifting my head up from my daughters I croaked through heavy tears.

Hope whispers sitting up first. “Mom. Daddy? What's happening?”

“Dad…” Alina woke up and then Missy.

She began bawling before the other two did. “Daddy, please don’t go!”

“Hope, Alina, Missy.” Nik moved his gaze between the three of them struggling to not cry when he finally left his focus on me. “Rae…I love you.”

Alina cried out when I touched her shoulder. “Dad? Dad!”

Hope shortly after. “Dad!”

But Missy was the worst out of all three where she had stained her face with tears. “Daddy!”

"Come here, baby girls." Holding my arms out and open for them, the three sobbing girls tackled me in hugs. Gripping me so tightly where I started sobbing alongside them. "We will fix this, I promise you sweethearts."

Comments really appreciated ❤️

[farceargon]

Namekian Oc Time!

About time I posted my first oc here... It took me enough procrastination- Long post warning, I ramble a lot- There’s a TLDR under the artworks! (He’s not one of 2 main characters for an OG universe and plot for nothing-)

~

(Awesome art made by my partner over @painterofstars​)

(This piece commissioned from the lovely Aerhys over on flightrising) Here’s a TLDR for the guys who can’t actually be bothered (I feel ya, though there’s some fun facts at the bottom if you wanna scroll all the way): - Called the Harbinger by his people but called Harper by future friends and family. 120 years old. - Melanistic Namekian, abandoned out of superstition, left to die at 1 year old and hunted for sport later on by his people. - Found by an ancient dragon god of rage, fire and death (imprisoned in it’s own dimension but using a small raven as a vessel). Raised by it, since it needed a Namekian host to get it’s freedom it waited on Namek for thousands of years for the chance. - When enraged his carapace lights up in a red glow. He can exhale red fire from his nose and tends to when fed up or angry (I just think it’s neat). - You’ve never seen sudden and deadly, seething rage until you’ve met this guy. Despises all Namekians and it’s a 50/50 on whether he attacks them on sight. Unjustified aggression and immediate hatred is 100% guaranteed. ~ REAL info below, it may be lengthy but he’s my most developed oc to date!!

The Harbinger (Harper) This Namekian hatched melanistic. Unfortunately, the Namekians of his universe were very superstitious. They tried to raise him anyway, even though they were terrified of him. When a horrible storm ruined the land and a drought dried out the crops the last straw was finally drawn. At only a year of age he was deemed the ‘Harbinger’ and abandoned to die alone in the wilderness, even hunted down and treated like game by the younger warriors later on (few who made it back alive). When the eyes of a red raven fell onto him curled up by a river, his fate was sealed. The raven was a shred of power, an incarnation of a bigger, more violent and fearsome draconic god sealed away in a dimension of its own (known as the Demon Dragon King). Only through a Namekian could it be free and now it had found the host it’d patiently been waiting for. For over 100 years the Harbinger was raised by the raven (not knowing its true form). It fanned his flames of hatred for his people and helped his rage to fester deep within his very being. At 60 odd years the Harbinger created a set of deep purple dragonballs littered with eyes, ones that linked him to the Demon Dragon King for eternity. Unlike normal dragonballs, any wish made on this set without permission will grant the complete opposite effect. Wishing for eternal life will bring a slow and painful death, wishing for fortune will remove all of it from the one who asked. Now the Harbinger is an enraged being who despises all Namekian-kind simply for being part of the species that abandoned him. Only the death of his enemies at his own hands can bring him the joy and satisfaction that he craves. - Some bonus facts if you managed to read through all of that (and I’m impressed if you did, I love to wax poetic- Literally had to simplify the above to shorten it): - Harper is immortal thanks to a wish he was told to make using his dragonballs (the raven told him to, knowing he’d be eternally bound if he couldn’t die). ‘Death’ is still painful, draining and traumatic, but he isn’t able to be properly killed. When reviving he’s completely engulfed in red flames like a phoenix. - Hellfire and death energy are two of his signature forms of power granted by the Demon Dragon King. Hellfire is a pure red fire that, while not hurting upon contact (unless it gets inside the body), slowly ramps up in pain until it’s impossible to handle. If Harper’s knocked unconscious, weakened enough or ‘killed’ the fire goes out and the pain itself only ramps up based on the target’s battle drive/lust and anger (making it effectively useless against composed/emotionless enemies). It also has no effect on machines. Death energy is similar to destruction energy, but can’t disintegrate matter that isn’t organic. It’s tiring to use but any hit is devastating. Harper often covers and lengthens his claws with it, making his slashes incredibly dangerous. - His power level is stupidly weak, barely even worth looking at. It’s incapable of building beyond a tiny threshold. However his telekinetic power is terrifying. Harper can freeze powerful enemies for up to 3 seconds, though times his attacks for the split moment that he can get up close and deliver an instant final blow to any vital organs or arteries. Because it’s tied to his Ki (not directly in power but in connection), anything that shuts Ki off or can distract him/cause enough pain to him can easily render him almost defenseless.

- Harper can and will go for the kill as quickly as he can, no matter how messy or animalistic it makes him look. He’ll use his claws, his fangs, anything he can so long as the enemy never gets the chance to attack. - His horns and underbite are actually a physical mutation as a result of his body being used as a vessel for the Demon Dragon King. His eyes are also fully red and have reptilian slits instead of rounded pupils.

- If befriended (which takes a while) he’s a great ally if not also... A bit of a loose cannon. Deathly loyal to a fault, overprotective to the point any minor threat might get a much worse one in response. - At present has 2 kids :] One biological and one adopted (A Namekian and an Icejin). - Actually really loves food. He can eat just as much as any Saiyan and spends most of his time laying around. Much later on in his story he ends up basically becoming the epitome of dad/mum, dad/mum everything. Dad/mum instinct, bod, cluelessness, overprotective drive, seething rage- Wait, that’s not a thing? Oh well. - I love him so goddamn much you don’t understand I’m- ;-; He’s everything to me I hold him so gentle he makes me so happy I ;O;

[jhirowolf]

One of the interesting parts of comics is seeing what the characters started out as and what they were turned into as different writers started working on them, as their adaptations gotten popular and with how the times changed and had to re-work some characters for modern times and politics.

One of my favorite cases is personaly looking at Punisher before Ennis and after Ennis (and specificaly his MAX run from 2004, a series that to alot of people introduced and solidified Punisher and who he is).

When modern people describe Frank they'll propably tell you about this violent sociopath, a cold man who hunts down any criminal family he sets his sights on, waging an eternal war on crime. Some people would possibly say he's just a violent man who wants to kill and loves war and combat, and criminals are just his perfect target, that he knows that he'll fight forever and is doing it intentionaly.

There are also those who'd describe the screaming raging Frank that gets pulled into the violence, a reluctant adoptive father, a guy who wanted revenge, got it and now is trying to live a calm life but isn't able to do so. (Yk, like kinda like Wolverine)

But what suprised me when i checked out Punishers first mini-series, i found a someone pretty different to these two. A calm and quiet man, yes, but one who wants to destroy ORGANIZED crime, the type that took his family and his life, he fully believes in his mission and he spends alot of time considering it's achievability and his abilities, calling himself old, even thinking if he should just let go and leave it behind. He chooses his enemies in a way that he thinks could hurt the crime families the most, he's smart about it. He doesn't even want to kill criminals either, just end organized crime.

To me, modern vs original Punisher is like a violent sociopath looking for an exuse to kill and be creative while at it, while original Punisher is a man who fully believes his goals and will never break his specific moral code to achieve them. And both are interesting to me and while i find the modern Frank edgy at times (at least Ennis' Frank to be pretty dark and edgy but that's kinda what you get from Ennis) i won't act like it's the wrong or boring version.

I personaly preffer the version from the first series, but i understand the fans of Ennis work, tho for modern Punisher i preffer the Rucka run.

[kyriolex]

Ignoring whatever happened in Canon, What Type of Romantic partner is a suitable partner personality wise, for each of your favorite Naruto/Boruto characters?

For example, regardless of Tamaki, I think the perfect match for Kiba would've been someone who was just as adventurous, hot-blooded and wild as he is.

Idc care what Kishi says, Kiba just isn't the type of guy I can see just settling down and living a mundane life for a long time you feel?

Imo I can only see Kiba with someone who can match his energy

Sorry this took so long to answer. I'm just going to do the Konoha 12 for now since if I added all my fave Boruto characters it would probably go over the post limit.

Naruto: He needs a cheerleader - someone who is always in his corner no matter what. They don't have to be loud like he is, but they do need a sense of humor, because his love language is corny jokes. Loyalty is everything to him.

Sakura: Sakura wants to be taken seriously as an equal, but she also deeply wants to be pampered and protected. Obviously she can hold her own in a physical fight, but a partner who can "rescue" her from the rain with an umbrella or give her breakfast in bed will make her swoon regardless.

Sasuke: Sasuke is kind of like a cat: if you chase him, he'll just run away and hiss at you. He needs to be the one who initiates things. Because of his trauma, he can act very hot and cold, so his partner has to be patient and let things happen at his pace.

Kiba: For him, I think the perfect match would have to be the whole package: His soulmate. His best friend. His eternal rival. Kiba has gone through every iteration of enemies-to-friends-to-lovers there is, all with the same person.

Hinata: Her ideal relationship has zero conflict and 100% unconditional acceptance. Her father destroyed her self-esteem growing up, so even as an adult, she will soak up compliments like a parched flower.

Shino: Like Sasuke, a relationship with Shino needs to go at his pace, because if a partner pushes him too fast, he will close up on himself like a pill bug. He'll open up faster for someone who shows through their actions that they admire and appreciate him. Small gestures like a good-night text go a long way.

Choji: Choji is helpful and kind, but he's not exactly a planner, so he shines best when he has someone to gently nudge him in the right direction. His ideal partner would be generous and sociable, the kind of person who could host a huge family dinner and send everyone home full and happy.

Ino: This woman NEEDS to be in charge. She likes to be challenged now and then, but for a relationship to last, her partner should know when to step back and let Ino be her brilliant, badass self.

Shikamaru: He needs someone who can match his intellect. The prettiest face in the world won't do anything for him if the person can't hold a good conversation. Like Choji, he works better with a partner who can take the lead on most things.

Lee: His perfect partner will be as much of a romantic as he is - no gesture is too big or too cheesy. They will match his energy and push him to be a better man each and every day.

Tenten: Forget flowers or serenades - if you want to impress Tenten, show her a clean apartment and a balanced checkbook. She is the mom friend to virtually everyone she knows, but for her romantic partner, Tenten really needs an adult. Her perfect partner is strong, reliable, and level-headed.

Neji: He would do best with someone as ambitious and hard-working as he is. Neji's ideal partner understands that work comes first, and they don't feel neglected because they're plenty busy with their own projects. While not mandatory, it would help if his partner was a clan ninja like himself who could understand the daily pressures he deals with.