#our little secret part 13

[theerurishipper]

Twitter AU Masterpost

I decided to compile a list of my Twitter posts, and just put in a little summary of what goes on in each so anyone who wants to can find whichever one they want.

Now also on AO3:

Part 1

Damian bullies Bruce and Dick messes with him, Bruce simps for Superman on main and Clark and Damian take on a hater in the replies, Jason wants to be verified and his siblings bully him a little.

Part 2

A fan of Nightwing's gets a picture of him and Robin and Red Robin battle it out in the replies while Flash stirs up shit, Donna posts a picture of Dick and the Fab Five take on a hater, Damian texts Dick about his profile picture, a lucky Gothamite snaps not one but two pictures of Batblob.

Part 3

Nightwing posts a picture and the people of Bludhaven take the time to appreciate him, Red Robin reminisces about kicking Red Hood and Red Hood gets bullied some more, Batman posts a picture of baby Robin!Dick and everyone coos over it, Riddler questions how Batman got his Twitter handle.

Part 4

A warning is issued for Gotham vigilantes about Batman and Catwoman getting busy and Nightwing's trauma about this is addressed, the debate over Batman's sex life is put to rest, Talia issues a clarification and sets the record straight, Gotham discusses Bruce's emo era.

Part 5

Lex hateposts about superheroes and Bruce annihilates him in the replies, there's an investigation into the matter of Luthor's handle, a mysterious troll makes an appearance, Dick questions Clark, Bruce reveals his and Clark's shenanigans from Dick's Robin days, and a hater is given even more power.

Part 6

Lex is salty and Lois and Clark tear him apart, Superman posts a picture and is accused of plagiarism, Nightwing starts a trend, Babs takes issue with her overuse of coffee being questioned.

Part 7

Oracle and Red Hood reveal the story of why Joker is banned from Twitter, the people of Gotham reminisce about an old tradition, Bruce gets roasted by Alfred, Damian has a wholesome interaction.

Part 8

Damian bonds with Dick and gets trolled by Steph, Spoiler finally creates an account, Spoiler poses a question to the people of Gotham, Batman is bullied by his kids and a billionaire.

Part 9

Spoiler gets a present, mistakes have consequences, Red Robin questions Nightwing's decisions, a resident of North Dakota has a life changing experience.

Part 10

Some well-meaning Gothamites stand up for Red Hood and Oracle gives a history lesson, an old face makes a less than triumphant return, the fab five have some fun, a relatable photo of Batman reveals something more and a new player enters the picture.

Part 11

Harley Quinn beats up Joker, Flash is disgusted by Nightwing, Batman's hypocrisy is revealed, Superman has some fun at Batman's expense.

Part 12

Black Canary fondly remembers a better time, Green Arrow confronts Batman, Green Arrow issues an apology, Oliver schemes and plots, a well-kept secret is finally revealed.

Part 13

Arsenal reveals a personal secret, the people discuss some new revelations, the fab five weigh in on Arsenal's problems, Nightwing takes a stand.

Part 14

The Gotham villains share some opinions, Two-Face and Riddler have an argument, Flash finally picks a side, Green Arrow evades responsibility.

Part 15

Some observers share some hot takes, the Superfam witnesses a breakdown, Lois asks Bruce for help, Dick puts an end to the ongoing feud, everyone starts to move on.

Part 16

Deathstroke shares a story of a failed assassination, someone loses their Twitter privileges, the Court of Owls tries to recruit Nightwing, Talon gets more than he bargained for, some very recent history repeats itself.

Part 17

Bruce is a meme, The League has some concerns about their monthly budget, Nightwing's personality confuses everyone who knows him.

Part 18

Bruce's mistakes reveal his most defining character trait, an early present for Superman causes chaos in the present, Superman's reactions to the goings on lead to some pleasant destructive results, Bruce's inability to understand memes is discussed

Part 19

Red Hood shares an embarrassing opinion, Red Robin starts an argument, Superman wins massively, the superhero community can agree on one thing.

Part 20

The villains discuss their least favorite Robin, Nightwing defends his pettiness, Red Hood endures some misplaced blame, Tim explains his masterful plan, Jason finally gets a win.

Part 21

The Court of Owls is humbled, Nightwing's friends face a problem, a culprit is found responsible, Arsenal gets in hot water.

Part 22

One of Bruce's childhood obsessions is revealed, Riddler tries to call out Batman and runs his mouth online, Riddler issues an apology, the Wayne kids' comments about Bruce eccentric habits reveals their own inadequacies.

Part 23

A tweet is posted by a concerning individual, the heroes find a surprising ally, Superman is the victim of a prank, Superman fires back.

[fanfic-obsessed]

Smitten

I had this idea for a JayTim that I want to share. 

Obviously there is no canon here, for the record. 

In addition we have a version of Jack and Janet Drake that do love their son, they just have a really bad grasp on age appropriate supervision and activities. They honestly believe that a nine year old can be left alone with only a periodic check from a housekeeper (Also they are aware that Tim leaves the premises almost every night with a camera, they also believe this is a reasonable activity).  Like the very embodiment ‘they’re confused, but they got spirit’. Believe me when I say this will be relevant later.

We are also bringing Jason and Tim’s ages just a hair closer together. This starts with Jason being 14 and Tim being 13, at the annual holiday Wanye Gala. This particular time Jack, Janet, and Tim are in attendance. 

It starts with some boorish rich asshole, a little too drunk and being stupid about it, making an insulting comment about Janet Drake, heard by Tim. Now Tim loves his mother, and does not appreciate this man who insulted her. 

Thirteen year old Tim verbally eviscerates this man, his voice an icy even tone that everyone around recognized from Tim’s mother Janet. Tim’s diatribe of insults and threats leverages this man's secrets, his fears, and insecurities that he didn't even realize he had.  Ten minutes in, this man begins to cry. Just the complete, public, destruction of a middle aged rich drunk by a tiny thirteen year old.  The Drake family proceeds to exit after Tim winds down, never looking back (it was later in the evening anyway).

Jason, standing off to one side next to Dick, falls immediately and completely in love. Smitten through and through.  The first words out of his mouth, after the Drakes leave, is ‘We’re going to get married on that boy’s 18th birthday’.  This was heard by just about everyone present. Jason did not even know Tim’s name yet.

By the next morning Jason has used the BatComputer to discover that his future spouse is named Timothy Drake, he lives next door, and that he is 14 months younger than Jason.  At breakfast Jason very seriously, though a touch maniacally, tells Bruce that he would be marrying Tim when Tim turned 18, and that before that point they would be telling Tim about their ‘nightlife’ on the grounds that “we should not start our marriage off with secrets”. Jason magnanimously told Bruce that he had until Tim was 17 to get his feelings under control about the reveal (to give a full year before the wedding, in case Tim needed an adjustment period or Jason needed to win him back).  

Bruce is already very tired. 

Jason finds any occasion to seek out Tim Drake, to get to know his future spouse (the entire time Jason Mantra-having gotten some good advice from Alfred about becoming friends with and maybe dating Tim before anything else-is ‘Don’t start talking about the wedding, don’t start talking about the wedding’). Also every piece of romantic knowledge/flirting knowledge that Jason has comes from the regency era/Victorian era romances he reads. 

Tim, for his part, believes that Jason (Tim’s Robin and crush) has figured out that Tim knows Robin’s identity and is trying to subtly figure out how much Tim knows and what he is going to do about it; but for some reason Jason is not asking directly and Tim is enjoying getting closer to the other boy, so he does not admit to what he knows. 

This leads to some painfully stilted conversations and weird interactions, but every so often both will forget to be awkward and it becomes clear, whenever they actually act naturally, that they are very well matched. 

To the Gotham Elites, this is the best entertainment in years. Between Bruce Wayne’s ‘Brucie’ act and Dick’s feral behavior growing up, Jason’s bookish politeness makes him the ‘best behaved’ Wayne and honestly the most well liked one. Combined that with how sweet he is acting with Tim and  that this all started with Tim defending his mother, well this is the love story of the ages, happening right in front of them. 

Bruce and the Drakes are already fielding requests for invitations to the wedding. On a slightly more creepy note they are also receiving offers to be a surrogate for the boy’s to ‘continue the bloodline’ when the time comes. 

Bruce is honestly wondering if everyone forgot that Jason is adopted. Dick comes to Gotham more often, because he is also finding this immensely entertaining. 

A few months in, this leads to Batman, Nightwing, and Robin finding Tim taking pictures on a rooftop in the Bowery.  In Tim’s rush to apologize (he is starting to feel a bit guilty about his picture taking pictures of the Bats now that he has an actual relationship-where he believes that they know he knows who they are-instead of a parasocial relationship) it becomes clear that Tim knows their civilian identities and that they did not know that Tim knew their civilian identities. 

Tim gives his explanation (a quadruple flip that only a few people in the world can do and connecting the dots from there). Jason immediately blurts out ‘Go on a date with me?’ and is quite proud that he kept the ‘Marry me?’ behind his teeth (The earliest they could get married in New Jersey is 17, and only with parental consent. Jason had 4 years to convince the Drakes to let him marry their son, 5 if they don’t like him). Tim turns bright red and squeaks out a ‘Yes’. 

The next gala they enter holding hands.  Dick is quickly sought after by the Elite for gossip. Dick confirms that Tim and Jason are now dating, and that Jason insisted on a chaperone for their dates (Jason is still working off the regency/victorian era romantic relationships) so that nothing would ‘besmirch Tim’s honor’.  There is an entire crowd of cooing Gothamites around Dick as they discuss how these two got even more adorable, all the while watching Jason and Tim surreptitiously. 

At some point Bruce has to have a very surreal conversation with Jack and Janet Drake about when it is appropriate to leave one's children alone and for how long and at what ages. Jack and Janet, upon being convinced that they should not leave their 13 year old alone for weeks or months at a time, rearrange their future plans so that one of them is almost always home (and on the few occasions that they would have to Tim by himself, Tim would stay with the Waynes).

By the way, Jack and Janet love Jason, they can see how much he makes their son happy and are glad to support the relationship.  

Now I see this continuing one of two ways. 

The first way is that this derails Ethiopia. Jason still fights with Batman, but runs to Janet Drake (who is home) and Tim.  He does not discover that Catherine is not his mother until later, but is not missing parental influences and does some digging but does not go to meet Sheila. Tim becomes Oracle’s apprentice.

Alternately, it does not derail Ethiopia. Janet and Jack, on one of the few business trips that required both of them, is woken up by a call from an inconsolable Tim who tells them Jason has been killed by the Joker (both Jack and Janet having been let in on the secret at some point). Janet immediately hires Deathstroke and Talia Al Ghul to kill the Joker (Janet contemplated having them bring the Joker to her, so she could do it and make sure he understood why-he killed her future son in law and made her son cry- but realized that the why would never actually matter to Joker) and paid extra to make it look like natural causes (to lessen the attention on the bastard).  Two weeks after Jason Todd’s funeral, the Joker dropped dead of an apparent heart attack, there was not even enough time to get him back in Arkham. 

The Gotham Elite treat Tim like a bereaved widow, despite Jason never getting to have the ‘let’s get married when we are old enough’ talk with him. Jack Drake gets to have his own surreal talk with Bruce Wayne about accepting help, and therapy, after Jason’s death.  Tim picks up the Robin mantle to feel closer to Jason, and to distract himself from grief. 

Jason (Now 17) is brought back and Talia does find him. In this she does have good intentions (She knows that Damian is going to need to be sent to his father eventually, and hopes that helping Jason will endear Talia to Bruce enough that she can still see her son), plus a connection to Janet Drake and the knowledge that Janet had the Joker killed for Jason. So as soon as Jason’s madness ebbs enough to travel she brings him straight to Janet Drake's door. By then enough time has passed that it is three days before Tim’s 17th birthday.   

Jante takes one look at Jason and goes ‘Hmm, I was wondering what we were getting Tim for his birthday this year’.

[fangweaver2099]

𝐅 𝐀 𝐖 𝐍 𝐓 𝐄 𝐄 𝐓 𝐇 - Prologue pt 1

MINORS DNI 18+ FIC

You’ve always liked the idea of having a dominant partner - BDSM was something you’ve read about, watched videos about.

Something you made Pinterest boards and aesthetic tumblr posts about when you were 18 and curious, the idea always sounded nice, but you’ve never done it in practice, not really. Sure you bought fuzzy handcuffs at a gag gift store once, but that didn’t really count.

You’re still a virgin.

You’ve always had that chronically awkward, workaholic type of vibe that made typical dating near impossible at worst and frustrating at best. Normal dating apps have proven fruitless and agitating. So poor curious little you talked yourself into making a fetlife account. You weren’t looking for true love, but at least you could get laid.

DM Request from: 10:13 PM - WebRigger2099 - “Hello, Fawn.”

College was for new experiences after all.

CW: BDSM heavy/centric fic. Safe, Sane & Consensual. Miguel is your professor, but you both don't know that. Age Gap (Y/N is 23, Miguel is mid 30's)

PART 2

DM Request from: 10:13 PM - WebRigger2099 - “Hello, Fawn.” 

You squint at the request - you can see his icon is his torso.

You knew you had to snoop - be careful. The classic teen girl not wanting to be abducted shit. His skin was tanned - pale palms and even skintone told you he wasn’t a white guy. NYC was a melting pot - so you weren’t about to think too hard about it. You scroll through his writings. Most were boring and formal. You debate reading over the ‘contract template’ he had posted but decide against it.

His pictures are, mostly, not entirely him. A few torso shots showing off dark hair and abs - or more casual showing off a normal looking body of a dude who clearly worked out. The others are a few different women in different states of undress smothered in bondage ropes, always a bright red. The one that intrigues you the most again has the face censored by a black bar, but she’s hung upside down against the wall, diamonds of rope on her thighs as she’s suspended before red rope that was weaved into a massive spider web. He was a fan of spiders - the user name made sense.

The photos were old, from 2016 at the newest. The photos of him were new - posted just 6 months ago.

His wall was what told a touch of his story. You scroll down dozens of posts, women and men acting friendly or asking to meet up again. You wonder if he used to be a community person, the anon nature of his account was new? Could you check on the wayback machine? 

You tab back into his chat.

“hey. are you really 6’9? ” - Fawnteeth - 10:19 PM

 10:19 PM - WebRigger2099 - “You think I’d lie about that?”  

“maybe. I know a lot of guys who lie about their height, I’m tall enough to tell.” - Fawnteeth - 10:20 PM

 10:20 PM - WebRigger2099 - “Smart to ask. Yes, I am really 6’9”. Is height a big seller for you?”  

“when you’re a tall woman, it is.” - Fawnteeth - 10:20 PM

 10:21 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “You want me to make you feel small. Noted.”

“what had you messaging me? you seem popular.” - Fawnteeth - 10:21 PM

 10:22 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “I’ve been in the scene for a long time, made my way around. Your interests line up and you seem at least somewhat concerned about your own anonymity.”  

“here I thought you’d say you found me pretty.” - Fawnteeth - 10:22 PM

 10:22 PM - WebRigger2099 - “Shallow compliments hardly get us anywhere. Besides, that’s a given.”  

“well, thank you anyway. need to keep this and my personal life separate, like you I see.” - Fawnteeth - 10:23 PM

 10:24 PM - WebRigger2099 - “ “We all have our secrets and reasons to keep them.”  

“serial killer sorta secrets?” - Fawnteeth - 10:24 PM

“I’m kidding.” - Fawnteeth - 10:24 PM

 10:24 PM - WebRigger2099 - “Would you believe me if I said no?”  

“I can try. it’s not like you’re a blank profile, web.” - Fawnteeth - 10:25 PM

 10:26 PM - WebRigger2099 - “Maybe you shouldn’t. Things like that are easy to fake. You’re clearly trying to keep a secret, which means if I met up with you no one would know where you went. Would be a good tactic if  I was preying on little girls.”

You stare at his message for a moment, forcing in a quick breath you sit up as your bed creaks. Okay, time to take things a bit more seriously.

“Good thing I’m not a little girl. I do appreciate the concern, it’s attractive.” - Fawnteeth - 10:27 PM

 10:27 PM - WebRigger2099 - “Lot’s of untrustworthy people on sites like this. Ones that will lull you into a sense of security.”  

“Trust me, I’m well aware. You think I should be afraid of you?” - Fawnteeth - 10:27 PM

 10:28 PM - WebRigger2099 - “Yes. You can’t trust me right away.”

“Well, I like the honesty. I don’t think I have any plans to meet up with anyone soon - not even you.” - Fawnteeth - 10:30 PM

 10:30 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “Of course you don’t. You’re new at this.”

“Did I really give it away that quickly?” - Fawnteeth - 10:31 PM

 10:31 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “Yes.”

You stare at the screen for a long moment, eyes wide. How the hell do you reply to that? Is he ending the conversation? Did you already fuck things up? At this point, most men would be falling over themselves to impress you, not making you feel intimidated . You feel your core throb as you click back to his profile, scrolling over dozens of comments on his wall from years ago - the fact is, his profile spans back years. Longer. He’s experienced, and… he isn’t wrong, either. 

“Is that a problem? I hope it isn’t. You’re the first dude who hasn’t asked me for nudes yet.” - Fawnteeth - 10:32 PM

 10:34 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “No. You should be more careful though, me explaining that and this is something you should be suspicious of. Wanting to ‘protect’ you because you’re young and need to be taught the ropes, so to speak.”  

“Got it, Sir.” - Fawnteeth - 10:34 PM

“Wait, can I call you that?” - Fawnteeth - 10:34 PM

You cringe, placing the laptop on the bed for a moment. Shit - you’ve already messed up.

 10:35 PM - WebRigger2099 -   “That’s acceptable. If you ever call me ‘Daddy’ however I will block you.”  

 10:35 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “That’s not a joke.” 

You open your eyes, glancing over at the chat and his two messages. Raising a brow, you lean in, shifting the laptop back into your lap. 

“Understood. Not my thing.” - Fawnteeth - 10:35 PM

 10:36 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “What is your thing, Fawn?”

“Well… I like giving up control… Feeling like prey. I’ve always loved deer, something about being so fiercely defenseless as a fawn in a wolf’s maw is thrilling.” - Fawnteeth - 10:37 PM

 10:37 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “No wonder you brushed over the red flags.”

“Maybe.The whole giving up control is why most submissives are here, aren’t they?” - Fawnteeth  - 10:38 PM

 10:40 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “The illusion of giving up control. Any good dominant knows the submissive is the one with the power. Safe words, limits, contracts - it all relies on knowing they can end things whenever they want to explore it safely.”  

“Of course.” - Fawnteeth  - 10:40 PM

 10:40 PM - WebRigger2099 - “Of course? So you have those things ready for me?”  

“ Safe words and how I prefer them - yes. Limits, I think so. Contract - no. ” - Fawnteeth  - 10:40 PM

 10:42PM - WebRigger2099 -   “I need one for slow down/ease up and one for an immediate stop. I also need a physical sign if you are unable to say your safe words. Please list them.”  

 10:43 PM - WebRigger2099 -   “Send me 4 lists: Favorites, Yes, Maybe, and No not ever. Include everything you can think of. If you do not include something that I am interested in I will ask about it and we will consider it a maybe until you’ve had time to consider it and possibly research.”

 10:43 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “You will not need a premade contract. I have a basic format we can edit to our needs. If it goes that far.”  

“Is the green, yellow, red method good with you?” - Fawnteeth  - 10:44 PM

 10:44 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “Yes.”

“That’s good.” - Fawnteeth  - 10:44 PM

“...And I'll get you the other things - do you have any hard nos I should know of?” - Fawnteeth  - 10:44 PM

10:45 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “Send me yours and we’ll go from there.”  

“Okay.” - Fawnteeth  - 10:45 PM

You take your time in a Google document, carefully considering your late-night Archive Of Our Own feed. Anxiety tells you to rush, but you get the energy that Web isn’t the kind of guy who wants you to rush.

“ Will you click links? Google Docs. ” - Fawnteeth  - 10:55 PM

 10:55 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “ I applaud you if you somehow hack me from a google docs link. I have a very good firewall as a warning. ” 

You couldn’t help but grin at his reply - you’re charmed by him. Oh no.

“I’d figure as much. Here.” - Fawnteeth  - 10:57 PM

“ [Google Docs Link] “ - Fawnteeth  - 10:57 PM

 10:57 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “I’ll ask specifics soon but I want to be clear about this - I want something in person, but that is not on the table until the end of the summer. I have obligations. If that is a problem I don’t want to waste your time.” 

“That’s fine. I know we’re both in NYC. I’m kinda glad as I don’t think I’m ready to meet up soon anyway.” - Fawnteeth  - 10:57 PM

 10:58 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “Gives us time to get to know each other and learn expectations.

“Then it sounds like we’re on the same page.” - Fawnteeth  - 10:58 PM

 10:58 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “Good. Due to this being a distance-based arrangement for the time being I cannot touch you myself; Have you heard of a lovense?”

“I have. Aren’t those expensive?”   - Fawnteeth  - 10:58 PM

 10:58 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “Money isn’t a concern for me, and anything I get you is a gift. The only expectation is to use whatever I provide. Acceptable?”

“Yes. I don’t take pictures or videos with my face in them.” - Fawnteeth  - 10:58 PM

 10:58 PM - WebRigger2099 - “I noticed.”

 10:58 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “Neither do I. That isn’t a problem.” 

“Glad to hear that.” -   Fawnteeth  - 10:59 PM

“...So…”   - Fawnteeth  - 10:59 PM

 10:59 PM - WebRigger2099 -   “Your list says nothing about exhibitionism. If I were to tell you to wear your lovense during the day would that be acceptable?”

For a moment you stare at his message. Now that you’re not under your father’s roof, you have free reign to do whatever, and it’s honestly not like your roommates haven’t done weirder, less appropriate shit in far more public spaces. 

“That’s fine as long as I’m not visiting family. I live somewhere else.” - Fawnteeth  - 10:59 PM

 10:59 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “ You say you like roleplay. Are there specific scenarios you’re interested in?”

“Do you know what dead by daylight is?” -  Fawnteeth  - 10:59 PM

 11:00 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “I can’t say I do.”

“...Well. I wasn’t joking about the idea of enjoying being hunted. I guess. Kinda embarrassing to admit to a stranger.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:00 PM

 11:00 PM - WebRigger2099 -   “Does that embarrassment excite you, Fawn?”

“Maybe.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:00 PM

 11:00 PM - WebRigger2099 -   “I expect yes or no answers. If you’re not sure say so.”

“Yes, then.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:00 PM

 11:00 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “Good girl. What do you want me to do when I catch you?”

There’s no hesitation, no doubt in the message. What do you want when I catch you. Not would you want, not if I caught you. When. You can’t help but squirm. For a moment, you consider pacing your tiny, cluttered bedroom.

“Is whatever you want the wrong answer?”   - Fawnteeth  - 11:01 PM

“I might be new, but I think I’m kinda open. I want to please, I suppose.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:01 PM

 11:01 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “ Not at all a wrong answer.”

 11:02 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “Have you ever been spanked before? You said it was a favorite.”

“Yes.” - Fawnteeth - 11:02 PM

You bite your lip - it technically isn’t a lie. You have been spanked - just… not sexually. It’s fine .

 11:02 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “Would you be willing to use a paddle, crop or belt in my absence if I believe you need punishment?”

“I’m not sure. I have a very high pain tolerance, but I don’t live alone, sound is a concern.”   - Fawnteeth - 11:02 PM

 11:03 PM - WebRigger2099 - “Not a problem. Making a small list for a care package if you show me potential is all.” 

“Well, what can I do to impress you, Sir?”  - Fawnteeth  - 11:03 PM

“I don’t mind homework, for lack of a better word.”   - Fawnteeth  - 11:03 PM

 11:04 PM - WebRigger2099 - “Eager, aren’t you? I’m not done.”

 11:04 PM - WebRigger2099 - “Dirty talking. What are your limits, and do you have a specific pet name you want me to use?”

“I like Fawn, obviously. Affectionate things, I think it’s better figuring it out organically. Feels more genuine.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:04 PM

 11:04 PM - WebRigger2099 - “And no humiliation.”

 11:04 PM - WebRigger2099 - “ Understood.”

 11:04 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “I have rules. It’s better that I tell you about them early. They’ve scared most people off.”

“ Well. I won’t pass judgment immediately.” - Fawnteeth - 11:05 PM

“I don’t cut my hair.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:05 PM

 11:05 PM - WebRigger2099 -   “I would be disappointed if you did. Speaking of, I only allow my submissive to trim their pubic hair for one, no shaving it.” 

“That’s fine with me. I haven’t shaved anything in a while.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:05 PM

 11:06 PM - WebRigger2099 - “ If you are going to be unavailable for more than a few hours I expect an explanation so I know you are safe. I don’t allow my partners to go to clubs or bars without me either. If this becomes serious I expect you to download a location tracking app so I know where you are at all times.”

“Okay. That’s fine. I don’t go out much.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:06 PM

 11:06 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “I am not polyamorous. If you want to be mine you are only mine, and I will hold myself to the same standard.”

“That’s fine with me. I have been talking to someone else, but about as much as you at this point. Honesty and all that stuff.”   - Fawnteeth  - 11:06 PM

 11:06 PM - WebRigger2099 - “I don’t let things I own go into disrepair; You will take care of yourself and report what you don’t complete. Punishments will be given if you do not complete these tasks.”

 11:07 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “The basic daily requirements are the following: Three meals a day, showering every day, an hour of exercise and a consistent bedtime during weekdays.”

“Okay. Did this really scare people off?” - Fawnteeth  - 11:07 PM

 11:07 PM - WebRigger2099 - “People have called me controlling. It sounds like you want to surrender your control though.” 

“Not wrong.” - Fawnteeth   - 11:07 PM

 11:07 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “ You’re not hard to read.”

“I’ll try and take it as a compliment.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:07 PM

 11:07 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “Deception and confusion are a waste of time. Own it.”  

“I’ll try my best. I’m used to being considered odd.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:08 PM

 11:08 PM - WebRigger2099 - “Are you?”

“I’m on fetlife. So, yes.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:08 PM

 11:08 PM - WebRigger2099 - “I suppose.”

 11:08 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “ We already established you’re new to this. Will I be your first dominant?”

“Yes. Not my first partner.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:08 PM

 11:09 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “ Were they not interested in this?”

“I never brought it up to them. I don’t really want romance right now.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:09 PM

 11:09 PM - WebRigger2099 -  “And if you fall for me?”

“I’d rather talk about it then, I suppose. I don’t get the vibe from you that you’re looking for romance, just a pet.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:09 PM

 11:09 PM - WebRigger2099 - “Good, and no, not right now.”

“But you think I’ll fall in love with you?” - Fawnteeth  - 11:09 PM

 11:10 PM - WebRigger2099 - “You’re young and inexperienced. Maybe you will, maybe you won’t.” 

 11:10 PM - WebRigger2099 - “ My last important rule - no drugs, limited alcohol. If you drink you must have friends with you that are reliable or myself. Drinking and doing drugs is just asking to put yourself in a vulnerable situation. It’s a precaution some have complained about.” 

With how much he spoke of other people not liking his rules it was almost like he was trying to talk you out of it.

“That’s fine. I celebrated my 21st by watching movies.”   - Fawnteeth  - 11:10 PM

 11:10 PM - WebRigger2099 - “What movies?”  

“Midsommar, it’s my favorite. Silence of the lambs too. Roomies insisted on watching Barbie after that. lol ” - Fawnteeth  - 11:10 PM

 11:10 PM - WebRigger2099 - “ You like horror.”

“Yes. I thought the ghostface poster in my 3rd photo gave it away.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:11 PM

 11:11 PM - WebRigger2099 - “And you’d like him or some other violent thing to chase you down and do whatever they wanted with you instead of killing you.”

 11:11 PM - WebRigger2099 - “It must make watching movies with a group tense if that’s what is going through your mind.” 

“I won’t say it doesn’t.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:11 PM

 11:11 PM - WebRigger2099 - “Let me guess: some part of you likes the discomfort?” 

“Honestly. I haven’t thought about it. Probably.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:11 PM

 11:11 PM - WebRigger2099 - “I think you’d like to walk around with a lovense in you, never knowing when I might turn it on or increase the settings. You enjoy suspense.”

“ It’s appealing, yeah.” - Fawnteeth  - 11:12 PM

You sit back on your bed, propping up the laptop with your pillows. Why did you love that this guy was reading you like an open book? You take in a deep breath, remember - play it cool.

 11:12 PM - WebRigger2099 - “What do you want out of all of this?” 

“My first thought is sex - but also to learn myself a bit more, I guess. Explore something with a partner I can trust… Please someone, feel better about myself. Like I said - I’m a tall woman, it doesn’t exactly make you feel pretty.”  - Fawnteeth  - 11:12 PM

 11:12 PM - WebRigger2099 - "Okay, sounds good."  

You bite your lip, reading over the message on your dimly lit phone screen over and over again. Curling up tighter into the cotton blanket on your bed, you exhale, the cheap mattress creaking underneath you. You flinch, eyes flickering towards the shut door of your bedroom. Your heart flutters in your chest for a few moments until silence rings in your ears. 

You haven’t woken up any of your roommates.Thank god. 

Sighing, you turn your attention back to your phone, looking over the message again.

 11:12 PM - WebRigger2099 - "Okay, sounds good." 

Usually men are more expressive in their text speech when it comes to you - to the extent that some even make you uncomfortable. But WebRigger2099… is very much not . You’ve dubbed him 'Web' in your head, easy enough with his username. 

Web is formal, speaks with proper punctuation and never a single spelling mistake or emote. He’s direct, not flowery or soft in any way. But… you kind of like that. Direct is easy. There’s no guessing games with instructions and meanings laid out plainly.

 11:12 PM - WebRigger2099 -“ You are very pretty, by the way. ” 

You blush.

[nanamiscocksleeve]

Lovely, may I have 13 with our favorite cuck Satoru 💋

Awww why's Satoru always the cuck 😆. But ofc! 🤭

"I don't know why people complain about sloppy seconds"

--------

Satoru loved you but he had been harboring a secret for a while; he loved being a cuck. It was inexplicable to him; he loved imagining you in the throes of pleasure at the mercy of another man. He fantasized about it at the most inappropriate moments, his cock growing in anticipation whenever he thought about it.

He voiced this to you very carefully, making sure to tell you that you were still very much in a committed relationship, but he wanted to explore other avenues of pleasure and carnal satisfaction.

You were initially hesitant but agreed to try it for him, but as the two of you sat together, vetting your friend group, you found yourself getting aroused at the thought of what each man would be like while having sex with you.

Finally, the two of you decided on the obvious choice. It had to be Kento. Suguru came in at a close call but there was already so much joking that you were their shared girl that it diminished the excitement. And Suguru was too close to Satoru. The thought of having this man over for drinks and game night if you slept with him was too much to bear. Kento was more of an accquaintence, and you wouldn't need to see him again unless it was for a cucking session.

You were shy, sitting on your bed as Kento undressed you, taking in your soft skin staining pink from nerves and excitement. Satoru sat at the head of the bed, watching both of you with hungry eyes. Kento took his time but was firm and a little rougher than Gojo normally was with you. His large hands cupped your breasts as he rubbed his girthy cock in between your already moistening folds, the friction on your clit deliciously welcoming, dipping his head to nip and pull at your tits.

He was much thicker than Gojo, you could tell, and didn't lack in length either so you were a little apprehensive about how well you could take him but he did his prep work well, squeezing and teasing your nipples while coming to nest between your thighs, tongue licking your sensitive clit and making you moan. Gojo grits his teeth and starts palming himself through his pants, your noises driving him insane.

Kento builds up your pleasure and brings you to a satisfying orgasm, your sex pulsing against his lips and tongue. Once every last drop had been extracted, Satoru pulled you into an embrace, helping spread apart your pussy for Kento to fuck. Having him close was reassuring even despite the pleasure you'd experienced with Kento.

His thick mushroom head parts your cunt gratifyingly, and you feel like you're being split into 2, moaning as you take in his massive cock, squirming at the uncomfortable stretch.

"Fuck baby...taking that cock so well...must feel good huh..."Satoru says reassuring things to you as Kento penetrates you, then sigh as he nestled between your wet walls, adjusting, then moaning as he began to thrust, aided by Satoru holding you in place.

Gojo focuses on your face contorting in pleasure and it's the hottest thing he's ever seen. "Take it. Take it all. Enjoy his cock."

You're crying out in pleasure as Kento ruts into you, body shuddering as Satoru starts to play with your clit, and soon you cum a second time, moaning weakly as the breath tore from your throat.

With a grunt, Kento also reaches his peak, shooting hot ropes of cum into your abused hole.

"I need to see." Satoru gently settles you down on the bed as Kento pulls out, his cock covered with your fluids, and parts your swollen pussy lips, his eyes darkening as he saw Kento's cum sliding out and dripping on your thigh.

"My turn." He flips you onto your back and slides in, groaning at the slickness and wet heat.

"I don't know why people complain about sloppy seconds."

[anki-of-beleriand]

A Heart Made of Glass ch. 17

Summary: Ten years ago you left Wanda and the Avengers to heal your broken heart. You never stopped being a hero, just as you never stopped being in love with her. But life had to go on.

Now, after all that time, she is back and with her is a young woman needing help and an enemy that may not be as afraid as Wanda to lay a claim on you.

Pairings: Wanda Maximoff x Powered!F!Reader - Scarlet Witch x PoweredF!Reader - Past Wanda Maximoff x Vision - CarolxF!Reader

Warnings: Angst, drama, mentions of cheating, fluff, violence, Switch!Reader, internalize homophobia, hurt, comfort, Wanda being a complete mess, anger management issues, jealousy, Requited/Unrequited love, idiots in love, swearing, mentions of alcohol. More tags as the story progess.

Author's Note: This story is a continuation of Dirty Little Secret I was really surprised at the response I got for the story. Thank you for the support.

This is the story of their lives, as it was supposed to be. Sometimes our story is not what we wanted it to be but what we needed it to be.

Please, do remember English is no my mother tongue so forgive my grammar, spelling and funny mistakes.

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9 - Chapter 10 - Chapter 11 Chapter 12 - Chapter 13 - Chapter 14 - Chapter 15 - Chapter 16 - Chapter 17 - Epilogue

Chapter 17

The way it was supposed to be

Autumn was a strange experience in this part of the world. It was not too cold, but it brought with it heavy rain and windy afternoons that usually turned into lukewarm nights.

You had come to appreciate life for what it was: the passing of time and the golden experiences and memories you built with loved ones. After you had left the Avengers, you had faced a world that was submerged in a darkness that was not compatible with yours. You experienced firsthand the awful requests made by the common citizen, the envy and the everlasting hatred some of them held in their hearts. Natasha had always said you were far too noble, that your heart was far too loving to actually comprehend or even be a part of a job that could destroy that piece of innocence you still held closer to your soul.

You didn't believe her, though. 

You remember the anger, you remember the resentment, and you remember the pain. At some point, you thought darkness was all you should experience, everything you were capable of. The missions you had taken became the outlet of your anger and frustration, and it wasn't until you saw your reflection after a nasty confrontation with some mercenaries that you were confronted with the person you were changing into. You were walking down a road that could pretty well transformed you into a villain, it took time and tears and so much frustration but, by the time you crossed paths with Wanda you had put to rest your resentment and hatred against what had happened. 

The morning breeze sneaked inside the room, the curtains shifted slightly letting you see the heavy clouds gliding above the villa. You shifted your weight, turning to look at the sleeping form on the right side of the bed.

Wanda had her eyes closed, with the lines around her eyes completely relaxed and her lips slightly parted. Her hair was fanned over the pillow and her hand had been resting on your hip protectively. At some point during the night the both of you had moved through the bed, and Wnda had found herself snuggling closer to you while giving you space so as to not hurt your leg. 

It never occurred to you that another encounter with Wanda would result in the both of you starting something else. At some point in time, you always thought you would tell Wanda everything that you had been through emotionally and that after that, you would let her go. Now years later, and after a very tiresome mission, you couldn’t help but feel as your heart melted at the sight of the other woman sharing your bed.

You never stopped loving her.

Turning on your side, you held back an exclamation of pain while lifting your free hand. Your fingertips mapped out the features of Wanda’s face brushing on the skin on her jaw down her neck to the arm that was still holding onto you. Your lips broke into a smile, your heart beating without a control inside your chest and a little voice inside your head just begged to the woman still fast asleep to not break your heart.

Not again.

With a sigh, you leaned in placing a single kiss on her lips before sitting up. Your leg was hurting a little, but it wasn’t nothing that you couldn’t control, so with the help of your shadows you stood up hopping to the crutch that was resting on the bedside table. 

With a last glance to the sleeping form of Wanda you closed the door behind yourself and decided to go to the kitchen. The noise of conversation and kitchen utensils being pushed around told you were in for an interesting morning conversation.

___________________________________

Natasha was ignoring the bickering between America and Yelena, she had her eyes firmly planted on the paper she brought that morning but the smirk playing on her lips told you she had not kissed a single word. 

At times, you wondered how people found family in the most unexpected places with the most unexpected people. You had always been grateful with Natasha, she had made it her duty to share with you what she longed for. With a smile you took another step closer to the older woman knowing the skidding of the leg in the floor was something you couldn't hide at the moment. 

You knew the older woman had heard you approaching, though her posture ever changed the muscles on her back tensed. You sat down on a chair looking over at the paper before grabbing the mug Natasha had in front of her. 

“That's mine.” She stated never looking away from the news, you shrugged taking a long sip of coffee. 

“Was.” You nodded to the paper, “what is it?”

“Nothing much, they had been ignoring the incident so far.” Natasha put the paper down, turning her attention to you. “How are you feeling?”

You winced placing a hand on the table, “I've been better, no gonna lie. The pain this morning is not that bearable.”

“Must be you sudden outing yesterday, you forced yourself more than you should.” Natasha pushed her lips, her green eyes gleaming dangerously. “Where is Wanda?”

“In my room.”

Natasha gave a brief nod, her hand sought out yours grasping it tightly. You glanced at the table just before lifting your eyes to meet hers. In there you found a softening stare, the glimpses of a smile and understanding of the situation. It was more than enough for you. 

“How are things with her?” The question rolled out of her lips though you were pretty sure she wanted to say something else. 

Shifting on your spot, you lifted your face to see out of the window where America and Yelena had finally come to a silent agreement while going through the training routine. 

“They are fine, I guess.” You chuckled when Natasha huffed, tilting your head you continued. “Sometimes it is hard to just leave the past behind, but then when I'm with her I remember the innocence of my feelings for her back then and how different they are now.”

“Love is for children.”

“Indeed.” You mirrored the smile Natasha was giving you. “I think I never stop caring, and I never stop feeling. It is different now we are learning and getting to know one another.”

Natasha gave a curt nod, she squeezed your hand once more. Her face hardened for a moment, crunching her nose as in deep in thought. 

“She is recovering, you know? Strange has been telling us how much she had changed, how happy she has been as of late.” Natasha leaned back dropping her shoulders. “Wanda had gone through so much, I don't think she should go back to this life. And quite frankly, I don't think you should either.”

This was a conversation the both of you had put to rest before the whole incident with Thanos and Steve's death. The world had been changing and non-powdered individuals were already working to make the world a better place, not only that but they had been creating new technologies to keep in check those they deemed far too dangerous to be left free. It was something both, Steve and Tony, had been fighting in their own way but that had continued happening during the five years after the Blip. Being a superhero, trying to save everyone was no longer something that could be done so recklessly or even out of good will. It required to be smart, to know which battles to fight and most of the time it was quite unfair. Besides, you and Natasha had tried out the runaways routine, you had been searching to settle down, hence the normal job you had gotten back in Norway. And Natasha, well… 

You glanced at the woman in question, the wrinkles around her eyes were finally showing and there was a complete aura of tiredness she had been carrying for a while. Natasha was tired, and she would be more than happy to step aside. 

“That's why you have been training Yelena.” Your eyes opened wide with realisation, Natasha broke into a half smile but said nothing. “That's the reason you have been working with her, why you have been delegating missions.”

“Yes.” Natasha shrugged standing up and making her way to the coffeemaker. “I have taught her everything I could and she now has a bigger web than mine, she and America should be the next in line.”

“Does she know?” You turned your attention to Yelena then back to Natasha. “She had dreamt to work alongside with you for a long time, you know that was her whole purpose for a while.”

“Yelena is no fool, she knows but we have opted out to not talk about it.”  Natasha poured some coffee shrugging. “At least not yet.”

This was a lot to take in, once more you fo used your eyes on the two women training outside. Yelena was already a seasoned warrior, she had a different glint in her eyes and the missions along with the harshness of her upbringing shown through those clear eyes. America was still young, and even with her experience, she was still hopeful and full of righteous energy around her. She followed instructions easily, learn and then broke those rules to adapt them to her own style. Yelena smirked, she liked what she was seeing in the teen. 

Once more, your mind went back to the young woman laying on your bed. You thought about the days you had spent with her and the life you could have with her. You ère also tired of going around protecting the world putting yourself on the line. You were tired of being alone, thinking your life was only to be a hero. Or a villain. 

Natasha put a mug filled with coffee right in front of you, she offered a wink nodding to the stairs. 

“You two deserve happiness, perhaps it's about time we retired and let the young ones to save the world.” 

You blinked a couple of times, your ears straining hearing the sound of naked feet on the wooden floor. 

“Just in time, do you want some coffee Wanda?”

“Yes, please.” 

You didn't move but your lips curled into a content smile when you felt the sweet touch of a hand brushing your lower back. A bottle of painkillers was put to rest in front of you, turning around you could see only concern in Wanda's eyes. 

“You forgot this upstairs, I thought you may need it since I know you're in pain.” Wanda lifted her hand to brush your hair, caressing the side of your face. 

“Woah, not even a good morning kiss or anything?”

The smirk on your face was matching the one Natasha wore at the moment, Wanda squirmed glancing at you with wide eyes then back at Natasha with some apprehension. You raised a brow at her, and Natasha this time around mirrored your actions. 

“I don't…”

“You don't want to?” The question left your lips with a hint of pain, Wanda opened her eyes shaking her head. 

“Yes!”

“Then, what's the problem?”

“I don't think she wants to, to be honest. Bad breath, perhpas?”

This time around Wanda opened her eyes shaking her head, her cheeks completely red and there was a hint of panic running through her mannerism trying to get the situation under control. 

“No, of course not!!”

You rolled your eyes trying to stand up while shaking your head. 

“Come here, you doofus.”

Natasha snorted turning around to give the both of you a little privacy. You smiled into the kiss, Wanda relaxed her posture stepping back wearing a shy smile. 

“See? It wasn't that hard.”

Wanda pushed you lightly back on the chair, busying herself to try and hide her blush and calm her beating heart. 

“You should take the pills, Y/N, you really look in pain.” Natasha came with another mug she placed in front of Wanda. 

For a brief instant, Wanda and Natasha crossed stares and there was a moment of understanding between them. It was everything Wanda needed it to feel at ease with the situation, to finally let it go and pursue what she wanted with you. 

“You guys have any plans for today?” Natasha inquired leaning back against the sink. 

Wanda glanced at you her green eyes shone with concern pursing her lips but not daring to voice her thoughts. You wanted to go out, to keep exploring the city with Wanda by your side but the pain on your leg would make it impossible. After a moment of consideration you lifted your eyes to the other woman who was waiting for you to answer. 

“No, I guess yesterday's adventure was enough for me and me leg, so today I will rest.” You cocked your head nodding to the yard. “What about you, guys?”

“Not on my end, though I overheard Yelena and America wanting to go to the Old City.” Natasha pursed her lips, “I think they had something planned but I can't quite figure out what it is.”

You chuckled takin a sip from your coffee, Wanda stood behind you her hands resting comfortably on your shoulders. 

“Then, I could cook, if you want and we can stay here, just for today.”

Wanda lowered her gaze until her eyes found yours. Your heart skipped a beat, just as your eyes shone with the deepest of emotions you were experiencing for her. Natasha observed te both of you from afar, wondering just how missing chances the relationship had faced until a mission confronted them with the reality. How many heartbreaks could have been prevented if anyone had worried enough to help and guide the both of you. Natasha softened watching the subtle caresses and brushes of hands, the tenderness behind the stares and the attention Wanda poured on you without any shame. 

There was only hope for the future, and Natasha hoped after the conversation she had with you that morning that you would make the right decision. 

“I think that's perfect.” Natasha jumped forward pointing at you, “get change and go to the pool, you can rest there with Yelena and America and Wanda and I will take care of the rest.”

You blinked a couple of times, your mouth opened ready to retort but the hand on your shoulder stopped you. 

“I think that's a great idea, you can spend some time outside and we will take care of everything else.” Wanda offered a reassuring smile, though you could see the glint of trepidation in her green eyes. 

“Only if you're sure.” 

“I am.” Wanda nodded then grabbing the bottle of pills shake it in front of your eyes. “Keep this with you at all times, and tell me if you need anything at all”

You had a feeling this sudden eagerness to get rid of you had nothing to do with lunch and more so with Natasha and Wanda wanting to have a conversation. You hesitated only for a moment before standing up, you flashed them a content grin before dragging yourself to your room and getting ready for the day. 

_________________________________ It was bound to be a cloudy day, with just the exact amount of warmness for a Tuscan city. You at down on the lounge chair fixing your position so the leg, you leaned back watching as Yelena and America cleaned up a little before coming over to where you were resting. America wore a simple smile, her hair pulled up into a ponytail while she sat on the chair next to yours, Yelena accommodated at the bottom of your chair.

“So, you and Wanda…” Yelena shifted frowning, “what’s really going on?”

You snorted knowing this was the long-awaited conversation you had pending with Yelena. It was one thing to talk about it with Natasha and even with America, but Yelena had always been overprotective of you and at the end of the day the situation presenting itself at the moment was not something ideal. Not for her, anyway.

“What do you want to hear, Lena?”

“The truth would be nice.”

America glanced at the both of you, shifting forward, she opened her mouth to speak but stopped when you lift a hand shaking your head.

“I guess, this was something bound to happen at some point.” You declared; Yelena raised a brow leaning forward.

“Was it? I thought you hated her.”

“I never hated her, Yelena, you know that.”

“I just never expected you to…” Yelena let out a heavy sigh, she leaned back shrugging. “I guess I just never thought it would be like this, you know?”

“I know.” You could see the acceptance in Yelena, the small hint of a doubt gleaming in her eyes was only a response to you being so distant as of late.

“I always thought you would end up with Danvers, not with Maximoff.” Yelena rested her elbows on her knees, she glanced at America then back at you. “Are you happy, at least?”

You chuckled, “I think that we have been working on just getting to know one another once more before jumping into anything rash. But yes, I am happy.”

There was a moment of silence that was filled only by the sweet breeze of early morning brushing their skin, you closed your eyes for a moment enjoying the quietness around you. Yelena was contemplating her future, the restlessness inside her was still pushing her to keep running, to keep moving and get out there into the world.

“Are you?” You asked, Yelena blinked a couple of times pursing her lips.

“Am I what?”

You rolled your eyes nodding, “Happy. Are you happy?”

Yelena looked taken aback by the question, she was silent for a moment until her lips broke into a familiar grin. It was a sight not many got a chance to see genuinely on the blond-haired woman’s face and you were happy to see your family was also getting that little piece of peace and happiness they had always deserved.

“I am. Strangely enough, I have been working on the missions and my life, and I have never been so happy with what I do, or who I am.” Yelena punched you playfully on your leg when you start chuckling. “You better not be laughing at me, I haven’t seen someone so smitten since…”

“…Since you and Kate?”

You raised your brows at the comment, Yelena changed colours going from white to red in almost a second. America covered her mouth almost immediately, but you were just too shocked by such a revelation and of course the reaction it got from Yelena.

“Who is Kate?” You finally asked, America rolled over just on time before Yelena threw at her.

“I’m gonna kill you, you brat!”

“Sorry, sorry! I forgot!”

You observed sitting down on the chair lounge as Yelena caught up with America who was laughing by now. Yelena was speaking in a mixture of Russian and English, she caught up with America before the both of them lose their balance and fell into the pool. It took you a moment to recover from the shook, but as soon as you did you start laughing watching as America was now getting the advantage and was laughing tickling Yelena and swimming out of the way of the blond-haired woman.

They came at you dripping water, with their morning clothes completely drenched and a sense of dignity that didn’t match their recent childish games. You leaned back waiting until they took some of the clothes off grabbing some towels to get dry.

“So, who is Kate?” You asked once more, Yelena lifted her chin trying to pretend this conversation was not going to turn into a discussion about her recent explores in New York City.

“She is a spoil brat, that is quite good with the bow.” She said sitting down while scowling at the way America snorted.

“Okay, and …you like her?” Now this came as a surprised to you since Yelena had never shown any interest in anyone.

Yelena shrugged, “she is fine.”

America opened her mouth to speak but thought better off what to say when she found those clear eyes of Yelena on her.

“A couple of weeks ago I was called for a job in the States.” Yelena mumbled, you know remembering the call, Yelena shifted as if uncomfortable. “I met this woman, she was trying to get to a gang that was terrorizing the city but most importantly, they were threatening her mom.”

“And, is she pretty?” You chuckled when Yelena lifted her arms in defeat, America came right in winking at you.

“I gotta say she is quite beautiful, and she is also funny and pretty smart.”

“So, you’re also smitten by her?”

“What?! No, of course not!” America blushed shaking her head trying to ignore the glare from Yelena.

You cocked your head, blinking a couple of times, “how did you meet her? Weren’t you at school?”

“I was.” America lowered her gaze then returned her attention to you, “but I also have been helping Yelena around, I think…I think it is only right.”

It was at that moment you understood what Natasha meant about the youngest generation. You heard everything Yelena and America decided to tell you at the moment, how they had been working together alongside Kate and other people around the world to build up a new team. It was such an strange concept, watching as they tell you of their hopes and their goals, how the name of the Avengers was still used reverently by many and how others were still waiting for someone to come forth and saved them from the clutches of evil doers.

“You better go get change, I think Natasha and Wanda would be over soon and then we will talk more about this.” You finally said taking everything in.

Yelena was the first one to stand up, she hesitated before turning to you.

“I am happy.” She stated once more, “and I’m glad to know you are happy too. Wanda is not such a bad election, after all.”

“I am happy for you as well, Lena.” You grabbed her hand squeezing it comfortingly. “I don’t want you to get hurt, and I don’t want you to keep any secrets from me, you know I will always be there for you.”

Yelena nodded squeezing your hand back before going inside the house. America had stayed behind, her clothes clinging to her frame. She glanced at you for a long moment, and you waited for the young woman to speak.

“When I first came here I was highly irrational on a lot of things, your relationship with Wanda was one of those things.”

“I remember.” You furrowed your brows, America softened he features.

“I think you were patient with me, and I thank you for…just for listening to me, for helping me out.” She stated swallowing down her emotional response to the conversation, “I know it was hard for you when you saw her that first time back in Norway, but I am glad to see that things are working out with the both of you.”

It was something you never expected to happen, and by the way America was talking at the moment it was something the young woman had doubted as well. Then America stood up and came to you wrapping her arms around you.

“I’m so happy for you and Wanda, I really hope this could be the second chance the both of you deserve.”

Then, America was gone and you were left alone with your thoughts.

The morning was growing old, with not a single sound interrupting your thoughts you observed the trees and the grass, your eyes dancing around the backyard with images of the past, the present and the unknown future dancing inside your head.

Without meaning to, you fell asleep with only hope for the future to not be broken by the past.

____________________

The supermarket was a long way from the Villa.

Natasha and Wanda had driven quietly while letting the music in the car to fill the silence. Wanda glanced out of the window, her thoughts going back to you and how you were fairing with the pain on your leg. She had been dead worried the moment she heard of your accident, when she finally got to see the state you were in her heart had dropped with her mind going blank before crumbling with a single, terrifying thought sneaking inside her head: what if she loses you again?

“She was being reckless.” Natasha broke the silence, her eyes were on the road but Wanda had a feeling the other woman had been observing her out of the corner of her eyes.

“Was she?”

Natasha snorted nodding, “she wanted to finish the mission as soon as she could, she was trying to go back to her monthly date with you.”

Wanda tensed clenching her fists closed, she could imagine you entering a fight in use of your powers to try and get the advantage to finish the mission. Natasha tilted her head turning the car around, her eyes found those of Wanda briefly before continuing.

“I know you and her had been seeing each other for quite some time.” Natasha read the uneasiness on Wanda, the way the younger woman shifted on the seat while lifting her face with her eyes flashing determination.

“Natasha, I…” Wanda started but then trailed off, she was not sure how to approach this conversation.

“Many would say what the both of you are doing is stupid, and it should only lead to you breaking her heart all over again.”

There was a flash of hurt in Wanda’s eyes, she lowered her gaze frowning at the veracity of those words. Everyone had been waiting for Wanda to mess up again. She had even doubt that any kind of relationship could be built with you for as long as her initial betrayal would not be forgotten. It was a constant ghost haunting her whenever she tried to get closer to you. But it was this what the both of you had been working on, it was something Wanda didn’t want to repeat.

“Will I ever be free of my past mistakes, Natasha?” Wanda finally asked tiredly, “I’ve been trying s hard to…”

“To forget about it?”

“To redeem myself.” Wanda retorted forcefully, frowning. “I know I mess up, there is nothing I can do about the past, but I can do something about my present and my future. I have been fighting so hard against the prejudices, against the anger and resentment you guys held against me.”

Wanda spoke with a shaky voice, yet there was full determination in her stance and the force behind her voice. She passed a hand through her locks, her eyes turning to the city spreading before them.

“The moment I saw Y/N once more my whole being shook with longing, my heart broke knowing I could never be with her again because of my mistakes.” Wanda felt the tears welling up in her eyes, she never noticed Natasha stopping the car nor the older woman glancing at her with understanding in her eyes.

“I tried to be her friend, to at least get a chance to earn her friendship and then…” Wanda closed her eyes the visions of the twins, of the lived her counterpart was living with you, the glimpses of what her future could be.

“…then she gave me this chance and I don’t wanna mess up. Not again. I just…I want to love her, I want to be with her.”

The tears rolled down, Wanda lowered her face unable to open her eyes and find herself under a glance of scepticism. She held back a sob when a warm hand placed itself on hers, Wanda opened her eyes finding the green eyes of Natasha glancing back into hers.

“I know it hasn’t been easy for you or her, Wanda. I just want to make sure this is something you and Y/N want.” Natasha softened leaning back into the seat. “I know you guys are till working on your relationship, and I’m glad you were given a second chance with her. Just…don’t break her heart.”

Wanda stood speechless for a moment, she shook her head wiping away her tears breaking into a tiny smile. This was the very first time she actually felt the complete approval from Natasha, it Wanda didn’t know how much it meant for hr until that moment.

“I won’t, believe me, all I want is to…to make her happy.” Wanda sighed looking back into the street. “To love her and be loved by her.”

“Good, then you two should just talk about what the next step is going to be.” Natasha stated seriously. “A lot of things had changed since you were a teen and the world is not what it used to be, perhaps it is time for you two to consider this before making any decisions.”

Wanda was slightly confused at this, she thought about those words furrowing her brows. What did she want with you? Of course, she thought about being with you but, where would she live from now on? Was she ready to leave Kamar-Taj? What did she want to do with her live? What about you?

Natasha chuckled shaking her head, “of course you two were far too busy to even think about this.”

“I haven’t had the time to actually sit down and think about it, you know?” Wanda answered defensively. “Ever since I was back and the fight with Thanos my life has been a rollercoaster, I haven’t had the time to think about anything at all.”

“I know.” Natasha shrugged turning the car on again. “It is worth thinking and talking about with Y/N, don’t you think? Just to know where you guys are doing from now on, how you guys want this second chance to go. Just, think about it before doing something rash or…”

Natasha didn’t finish her thoughts, but for Wanda it was quite obvious what she meant. The young witch leaned back against the seat thinking about this, up until that point she had not considered any of this and while Natasha finally reached the supermarket and spoke about the ingredients and the things they would need in the house, Wanda couldn’t help but thing of the conversation that was waiting her back in the Villa.

A conversation that might lead to the future she was looking with you.

_______________________________

America realized she had come into the strangest of families she could meet in her travels.

She sat at table watching as Natasha and Wanda worked around with the dishes and the food getting everything ready while Y/N and Yelena talked about football and the oncoming matches in the European league. The environment was finally free of any tension, and all that was left was a room filled with familiarity and hopefulness.

It had been a long way to get to this point, America had been jumping around universes before coming across you and the others. She knew that it had been a long way before you and the others could come into this kind of gathering; a year ago everyone had looked at Wanda with anger and resentment, but those stares had been changing with time and at the moment the only thing America could see was acceptance, on Natasha’s and Yelena’s side, and love on your part.

America couldn’t help but smile.

Even in the midst of such dangers in the world, even after all the hurt and misunderstanding there was still hope for something as beautiful as love and friendship was possible.

“Okay, you two just shut up and enjoy,” Natasha finally sat down nodding to Yelena and Y/N, the both of them turned to their plates, with Wanda sitting by your side.

“You guys really went out of your way to cook,” You softened your stare while turning to Wanda, “it’s good to know someone is out there to make sure Tasha is not burning pasta.”

Yelena started laughing until a napkin hit her face, Natasha glared at her sister who flipped her. The older woman raised a brow rolling her eyes at the mature response, America chuckled taking a sip from her glass.

“I burn it once, and in all honestly it wouldn’t have happened if you had collaborated a little.”

“Hey! It wasn’t my fault at all!”

“You were supposed to be watching over the water, Y/N.” Natasha replied dryly, you winced remembering the incident smiling sheepishly.

“Yeah, well…we got better after that incident.” You said turning to Wanda with a reassuring smile, Wanda merely chuckled turning to her food.

“I don’t have a problem cooking for you, so we can prevent any accident in the future.”

Wanda spoke before she could stop herself, she tensed lightly her eyes glancing at you with her breath caught in her throat. You nodded taking some of the pasta in your mouth, closing your eyes enjoying the taste of the sauce.

“Mmm, well if you cook like this, count me in.”

Natasha and Yelena glanced at one another before turning their attention to their food, Wanda grinned nodding silently. You took another bite and soon the conversation changed into what you and Wanda had done the day before and what were Yelena’s and America’s plans for the next couple of days.

The conversation went around the table with light topics and stares that spoke more than words. You smiled through the whole ordeal, your hand sneaking around to grab Wanda’s one giving her a reassuring squeeze. Wanda relaxed into your touch, the conversation she had with you the day before and the conversation she had with Natasha still dancing inside her head.

The afternoon sun snaked inside the room, your eyes fluttering open to find the wooden ceiling of your room darkening slightly while the day gave way to the night. The room had the windows opened, with a sweet breeze lurking around to freshen up your skin; there was not a single sound you could detect yet your powers ignited with the movement of a shadow in the far end of the room. You stretched sitting up to accommodate your frame, your eyes squinting to make sense of the form standing by the window.

Wanda Maximoff was standing on the far end of your room contemplating the red and yellowish hues of dusk breaking into the sky.  She had her arms around herself, leaning against the windowsill with her eyes staring far away.

You couldn’t help but soften under the sight, your heart beating painfully inside your chest. With some trouble, you fixed your posture and stood up; taking a deep breath you started making your way to her. Wanda shifted her weight turning around when she heard your approaching footsteps.

“Y/N, what are you doing?” She straightened up ready to come up to you but you stopped her with a gesture of your hand. She hesitated but waited until you reached out to her, a proud smile playing on your lips.

“See? I could do it.”

“I never doubt about your ability to do it, but the wisdom of forcing yourself to do so.” Wanda replied with a light scowl, “how are you feeling?”

“Much better, thank you.”

The sight beyond your window was breathtaking, you leaned against the rail of the window closing your eyes for a moment. Wanda observed you with a warm heart, her arms twitching at her sides until she chewed on her lower lip before wrapping her arms around your waist. You tilted your head, your eyes finding those of Wanda, you felt the corner of your lips twitching upwards while those green eyes twinkled with hesitation.

“This is quite a sight, what were you thinking about?” You leaned back snuggling closer to Wanda, the other woman felt her stomach broke into a million fluttering butterflies while her heart stopped at the gesture.

She tightened her hold on your placing her chin on your shoulder, “I was thinking about finding a job, perhaps finding a house in Ulsteinvik.”

Wanda waited patiently, she could feel the tension in your body and the hold of your breath as she revealed this.

“That sounds nice.” You replied finally breaking into a smile. “I know just the job position for you. I bet you would be a great teacher.”

Wanda chuckled shrugging, “perhaps. I just thought…I couldn’t keep running, and I don’t want to be away from you.”

“Would you stay with me?” You asked, more than living together your house was big enough to have her in there, Wanda hesitated before shaking her head.

“I want us to do this the right way, living with you right now would not be…right.”

You nodded accepting this, your hands rested on top of Wanda’s ones. The last lights of the day soon disappear and gave way to a fresh night; you rested in Wanda’s embrace for a while enjoying the warmth her body provided.

“This was my last mission, Wanda.” You finally stated, “I won’t be going out unless the world is really ending and there is no other option. America and Yelena, they are ready to take over but I just think this should be over. I won’t be a field agent, and while I would love to help around with some desk work…I don’t think I want to go out anymore.”

“I don’t want to fight anymore.” Wanda replied back, “I am tired, and the world is…unforgiven.”

“I know.”

Wanda pecked your cheek, “I will be with you, if you allow me and we can be normal together.”

You smiled nodding.

“I would like that.”

You always thought you wouldn’t be able to forgive Wanda for what she did.

A part of you had always hoped for a confrontation in which you would scream at her, you would hurt her and showed her how happy you were without her by your side. Anger and resentment had defined those first years after the breakup but then, after all that had happened, after everything the both of you had faced, you found yourself resting in her arms thinking about the future.

It was a second chance you didn’t regret at all.

You realized just that beyond that anger there was still love, and that not everything was about you being a hero and saving the world. You could step aside and still be yourself with the people you love by your side. You lifted your eyes to the darkening sky thanking whoever was watching that you had crossed paths with Wanda once more, now after all the scars had been heal you could start a new life, and this time around you would make sure that everything would be as it should have been the very first time.

A story about two broken people who found it in themselves to give each other a second chance to live, to love and to be happy.

[illdowhatiwantthanks]

The Mango (The Surprise, Part 13)

Emily Prentiss x fem!reader Warnings: explicit language, innuendo, implied sex, periods, mostly just fluff, reader taking care of Emily because our girl deserves it Word count: 1.9k

Summary: Emily comes back from a hard week in the field and you treat her in all the ways you can possibly think of. Because she's baby girl and she deserves to be taken care of.

Week 23: The Mango

In both your personal and professional life, you were a wildly independent person. Self-sufficient, dedicated, proud of the work you did and how hard you’d worked to get where you were. You were nobody’s doormat, nobody’s housekeeper, nobody’s mom.

If anyone else you knew, especially men, asked you to cook for them or do their laundry or take care of them in any way, you would have been personally affronted. You would have said, “You’re a fucking grown-up, do it yourself. I’m not your mom.” And you’d mean it.

So it embarrassed you a bit that, with Emily, you acted like a full-blown ‘50s-style housewife and you loved it. Not all the time, of course. But enough of the time that you couldn’t just brush it off. Dinner on the table when she got home? Your pleasure. Packing her lunch? A joy. Doing the laundry and making sure she always had a second go-bag packed and ready in case there was a quick turnaround on cases? You lived for that shit, especially when you hid little notes in the pockets that said things like:

I love you (so does little mango)!

We miss you! <3!

So proud of you for saving lives and kicking criminal ass! P.S. It’s hot. ;)

The bottom line? You were down bad for Emily. You had been from the moment she’d asked you out and all the years since. But after you’d gotten pregnant, your roles had switched a bit. Emily had always taken care of you well, but in the last few months she'd taken over significantly more of the household tasks since you were often tired and achy. You ordered takeout more often than you cooked (Emily had tried, but after her third time setting off the fire alarm you’d said, “You know what, babe, why don’t we just order out?”).

You missed taking care of Emily. God knows, she wouldn’t let anybody else do it. So when she’d called you from the jet to let you know she was on her way home after a grueling week in the field–made even more grueling by the fact that she was on her period–you set out to treat Emily right. To treat her in all the ways you used to treat her before you got pregnant, in all the ways that Emily deserved to be treated and so rarely let herself be.

You had groceries delivered to make her favorite meal, and when the little Find My dot that was Emily showed up at Quantico and started making its way back to DC, you ran her a bath–water scalding so it’d be nice and hot when she came in, fragrant with lavender Epsom salts. You lit candles, turned the bathroom lights low, even put her favorite hoodie and sweatpants and a fluffy towel in the dryer so they’d be toasty and warm when she got out of the bath.

You started on dinner, playing Emily’s favorite Salah Ragab record on the turntable. The food processor growled as it worked overtime to blend a homemade hummus, complete with your secret ingredient: a splash of aquafaba. You chopped parsley and mint for fattoush, made a marinade for the chicken flavored with all the spices Emily loved so much from her childhood years in Oman and Egypt, sumac and cardamom and coriander and all the others that you ordered online from a specialty Middle Eastern spice seller.

Your oven shawarma wasn’t as good as shawarma from a spit in Cairo, but it was about as close as you could get at home, and Emily loved it. And you made a damn good fattoush and hummus. You sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, whipped together a quick yogurt sauce.

You’d just put the chicken and veggies in the oven and were starting on the cream cheese filling for the stuffed dates when you heard the door open and shut.

“In the kitchen!” you called, hands sticky from slicing the dates.

Emily looked exhausted, with dark circles under her eyes, her blazer rumpled from a long day of travel. But her face lit up when she saw you.

“Do I smell… shawarma?!” she asked, wrapping her arms around your waist and kissing your neck, her hands resting protectively over your baby bump.

“Mmhm.” You grinned, feeling Emily’s body melt into yours, the tension in her muscles already dissipating.

“What’s the occasion?” She turned you around, so she could lean her arms on your shoulders, running her fingers through your hair.

You shrugged. “Can’t a girl just want to treat her wife?”

“She sure can.” Emily smiled and leaned in to press her lips softly to yours. You held your hands out at your sides so you wouldn’t be tempted to press them into Emily’s clothes or skin.

Emily pulled away, watching you lovingly as you sliced and mixed and stirred.

“Can I help with anything?” she asked, lowering herself into a chair and wincing slightly.

“In the kitchen!?” You scoffed. “Absolutely not. There’s a bath ready for you, so go relax for a bit.”

Her eyes brightened. “Aw, honey. That’s so sweet of you.” She grabbed your hips again, once again turning you away from the counter so she could press you against it in a hungry kiss.

You giggled and swatted at her with a dish towel. “Go before the water gets cold!”

“Care to join?” she asked suggestively, pulling lightly at the waistband of your shorts.

You smirked, gently grasping her fingers and moving them away. “I have to finish dessert.”

Emily walked toward the bathroom like a scolded puppy, looking back with big eyes. “I can think of something else I’d rather have for dessert,” she commented, eyebrows raised.

You waved her off, blushing furiously. “Get out of here, you dork! Go take your bath!”

“I thought we were treating me tonight!” Emily called from the bathroom.

“That’s an after-dinner treat, honey,” you yelled back. “I’ve got shit to do first.”

“Fine! But I’m gonna hold you to that!”

You shook your head, grinning, as you spooned cream cheese filling into the halved dates, pressing them into a mixture of crushed pistachios and rose petals. God, you loved your wife.

When the dates were plated, the bulgur in the fattoush soaked through, the pita warmed, and the chicken covered in foil and resting on the counter, you washed your hands and went to find Emily, grabbing her comfy clothes and towel from the dryer.

You heart surged when you found her still in the tub, eyes closed, face relaxed. This is what your girl deserved. You leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.

“You alright, honey?” you asked, trying to squat down next to the tub, but ending up on your knees thanks to the baby.

She hummed in affirmation, keeping her eyes closed. “Thank you so much for this, baby,” she mumbled quietly.

“Anytime, love.” You watched her for a few more minutes, then set the stack of warm clothes on the bathroom counter. “There’s a warm towel and some PJs here for you,” you said, struggling to get to your feet.

“You good?” Emily chuckled, watching you out of the corner of her eye.

“Yes.” When you finally managed to make it to your feet, you had beads of sweat on your forehead. It wasn’t even that your belly was that heavy yet, it was that it threw off your center of gravity and made moving from one position to another awkward. “Get dried off when you're ready,” you told her. “I’ll get dinner on the table.”

You were proud of the spread when you stood and surveyed it. Shawarma chicken straight from the oven, spiced and heavenly-smelling. Warm pita bread and a swirl of smooth, creamy hummus with just a bit of paprika and olive oil on top. A lovely, vibrant fattoush, sliced cucumbers, juicy tomatoes. A little plate of stuffed dates, popping with green and pink from the pistachios and rose petals.

Emily walked in, hair wet around her shoulders, blotching her sweatshirt. You pulled her chair out for her but, before she sat down, she wrapped her arms around you, pulling you in for a hug. She smelled like lavender and fresh laundry, and you breathed her in, holding her close.

You could tell by the way she lingered there, by the way she breathed easier with her body pressed against yours, that Emily would need a lot of touch tonight. Not just in a sexual way, though Emily’s sex drive was always through the roof on her period. You could tell that tonight, Emily would let you hold her, that she’d curl herself around you tightly, possessively, as if to cover the most that she possibly could of your surface area.

In other words, she needed comfort. And she didn't get it from anyone else, not really. It had taken her a long time to even ask for it from you, to seek it out. So when she did, you were always more than happy to oblige. More than happy to hold clingy, sweet, needy Emily for as long as she needed.

She whined a bit when you pulled away, and you kissed her cheek, playing with her fingers.

“You’ve got to eat something, love. Then I promise I will not let you go for the rest of the night.”

She sat obediently, squeezing your hand, and piled her plate with all the things you’d made, eyes rolling back in her head when she swiped a finger through the hummus and put it in her mouth.

“I don’t know how you do it,” she gushed. “I swear your hummus tastes just like my friend Zainab’s mom’s from when I lived in Oman.”

“It’s the specialty spices,” you shrugged, taking a bite of pita with shawarma and veggies.

“No, I think it’s the special person making it,” Emily cheesed, beaming at you.

You smiled and rolled your eyes playfully. “Oh, you’re getting it tonight.”

“I certainly hope so.”

When your plates were cleared and the leftovers tucked safely into the fridge, you led Emily to the bedroom, pulling back the covers for her, tucking her in.

“You know these are just gonna get untucked, right?” she asked, biting her lip.

“Shh,” you scolded. “Let me take care of you.”

You crawled into bed next to Emily, drawing her body into yours, holding her gently as you pressed your lips to hers. She melted into the kiss, already breathless.

You brushed her hair out of her face, placing your hand gently on her lower stomach. “How are your cramps?” you asked. “You want any medicine or anything?”

“The only medicine I need is you,” she said, guiding your hand lower.

You chuckled. “Alright, Romeo. Calm down.” You lowered your face to her neck, planting kisses all across her shoulder and collarbone. “I told you I’d take care of you, and I will.”

Emily held your face gently in her hands, looking deep into your eyes. “Why are you so good to me?” she whispered.

You pecked her on the lips. “Because I love you. And you deserve good things.”

And with that, you started your long, slow journey across the topography of Emily’s body, ready and willing to give her every good thing you possibly could.

[whispereons]

Oracle!Reader Part 12

Masterlist - Part 1, Part 11, Part 13

Putting this early so y'all got something to read while waiting for Fontaine. Gl on wishing/saving!

Warning! This is SAGAU which is yandere, plus my story is imposter au which makes things even worse. You can expect detailed descriptions of sensitive topics like blood in this chapter.

The water is still as Mountain Shaper relays your claim to the other adepti. The cutting gaze they have is deflected by that calm expression you wear.

"Then before we deal with them, let's wrap up the situation with the children." Ganyu speaks softly as her eyes move past your form with wariness. 

Xingqiu and Chongyun relax at the sight of Ganyu.With her around, the punishment from the adepti should be prevented.

"Thank you both for coming to save the children, and I'm sorry we weren't in time to help that poor boy. I'm afraid I'll have to burden you both with the task of bringing them back to the city. This would be quite a big deal, especially for you, Xingqiu, as the son of such a prestigious family."

Xingqiu freezes up at the mention of his family while Ganyu takes out a notepad. She writes something on it and hands it over to him.

"This is a brief report on what happened, your cover up is that I asked you to bring them back home. You and your friend will have to give a report to the Millelith and when I get back, I can finish the report. I can get the needed information from your... teammate."

The skepticism and slight disgust in her voice makes it perfectly clear what she thinks about you. She didn't even want to thank you for participating in saving the children.

Ganyu is an adepti, even if she is half human, and that is why she has some of that signature arrogance. She always did jump to conclusions; like how she attacked that Fatui skirmisher that was berry picking. Her arrogance only makes it harder for her to change her mind until it's nearly too late.

Xingqiu smiles politely but the twitch in his eyebrow as he accepts the note says it all. Chongyun's face visibly sours but he keeps quiet. They both turn to you, silently asking if it's okay for them to leave you here.

Your lips stretch into a cheery smile and you give them a thumbs up. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Just make sure Yiran gets to her father and that the mother of that poor boy gets his body."

They leave with the children clinging to them, the children still have remnants of tears in their eyes. You can only silently command Teyvat to make their journey back to the city as safe as possible.

"One knows not why this interloper is not already decaying at our feet. Surely any being that claims such a frivolous thing deserves to be sacrificed to the glorious Creator."

Rude as always, Cloud Retainer is the first to ignite the hatred for you. In Genshin she was always comedic relief after the Archon quest but it's different with your current position.

"Don't be so quick to see to my death, Cloud Retainer. Surely Mountain Shaper has already told you what secret information I know about you all." You smoothly comment. 

"The young herbalist is not impossible to hold information on, it's the scent of Teyvat on you that led me to not kick you off my mountain." Moon Carver interferes calmly. You get the sense that he's the most curious on who you are in contrast to the rest that just want you to die.

"Like I said, I'm an Oracle for the Creator themself. Surely you aren't going to doubt Teyvat in who it chooses to embrace."

"Mimicry is a common tactic among evildoers like yourself. Perhaps you're a demonic spirit from the old war hiding in human flesh. It would suffice as an explanation for the way you used that little girl to buy time for yourself." 

Mountain Shaper pushes the agenda of some evil lurking within you. Honestly, it's starting to annoy you but becoming emotional would only fuel them further.

"I only spoke to Yiran so rashly due to your stupid rules. Who focuses on intruders that you clearly saw came for the children instead of the terrified young girl? She was scared from the massacre and felt responsible for that boy's death. That same dead boy’s mother that you proceeded to insult."

"And why should we concern ourselves with the folly of humans?"

"I'm not asking you to. I'm saying that you should at least allow the other humans to help those children, yet you treat adults and children like they have the same mental capacity. Not surprising as adepti couldn't possibly understand the complexity of humanity but it’s still quite disappointing that you cannot even see the logic."

Your words earn you a sharp amber tearing into the skin of your left arm.  A low curse escapes you as you yank the injured arm away from the crimson painted amber. Examining the wound with a grimace, you apply pressure to slow the bleeding. The puncture wound lets your blood stain the clothing and drip off. 

It didn't go all the way through but in certain areas your vein and arteries can be seen. Not broken, just exposed and so very painful. Resisting the tears, you dig into your bag with your good hand for the medical kit.

As you clean and wrap up your wound, you can hear the adepti arguing.

"What are you doing you old coot? One was looking to expose their lies, not attack in such a haste. Now that filthy blood is staining my abode."

"Cloud Retainer is correct on this topic. As devoted worshippers of our caliber, having the ability to unravel the demonic lies is true proof of our strength."

It's so funny, you almost want to laugh in their faces. 'Filthy blood'? Your blood is the one that they worship like salvation. 'Demonic lies?' Isn't the Creator's word's law and truth no matter the message?

That haughtiness that leads them to try beating you at your own game will be their downfall. You'll enjoy this new act. After all...

They're only the stepping stones for the showdown between you and the Geo Archon.

With a bandaged arm that sends dull aches and electrifying pain at intervals, you smile and speak in a sweet tone.

"Finished conversing yet? If you're ready to try exposing my nonexistent lie then get rid of this amber cage and let me show you firsthand why I'm the Creator's Oracle."

Your serene smile is met with sharp glares, distrustful eyes and a timid gaze that speaks first.

"And what proof or action will you show us?"

"Well, I have multiple ways, but illuminated beings like yourself will not be satisfied with that. You'll see it as a trick, a prepared prop to convince you all. So instead, why don't you ask me to do something or relay something to the creator? Something that you're positive I can't complete."

Beisht's scale seems to make your bag heavier with the reminder of its existence. But it's not time for it yet. The adepti only see Beisht as an enemy, that gamble isn't one you're willing to risk just yet.

"One would never ask you to pray to the creator and sully their ears with your sinful voice. One has a better idea on what you can do as 'proof'. As much as One hates to let you get closer, it is necessary to enter my abode."

Mountain Shaper seems to grumble as the other adepti force him to release you. Chains made of Geo and Dendro wrap around your wrists and tug you forward. 

Were you truly that untrustworthy in their eyes? Four adepti against one human, the outcome is obvious, but you keep a leisurely pace behind them.

Cloud Retainer's domain-like door opens and once you all step inside, the door shuts with a loud bang. It's just like how you remembered it in the game.

An absolute confusing mess.

Ganyu and Cloud Retainer cross the barely hanging rock bridge with ease, Meanwhile Moon Carver and Mountain Shaper throw remarks at her.

"What is the meaning of such a mess? It's in even worse condition than when we visited 300 years ago."

"One's abode is not of your concern. It is normal for one to keep it in the environment that suits one's needs."

Cloud Retainer and Mountain Shaper continue to bicker back and forth as you are led through the turning platforms and transparent golden bridges. 

"Maybe if a certain mortal had just accepted death as their punishment, we wouldn't have to be going through this disorganization."

As adepti, they probably could have just flown to the top where Cloud Retainers' main ruins are but as you are clearly human, they had to take the long way. They don't bother to keep that fact quiet but Moon Carver constantly saying that only makes you walk slower in pettiness.

The main ruin finally comes into view and you remember the initial conversation with Cloud Retainer when you had to discuss Morax's fake death. The door behind that never let players in, is now open. 

Entering you are greeted with long hallways with inventions in different stages of creation littering it. Texts, and murals of different time periods cover the walls. Morax, Guizong, the Yaksha and even other adepti you don't recognize are there.

A left turn at a three way intersection goes to a large room decorated beautifully with feathers and gemstones alike. The image of you forming an egg that has brown scales and gold accents is the main centerpiece. 

This must be how they believe you created Morax. Then does that solve the question on whether the egg or the chicken comes first? 

Cloud Retainer stops in the middle of the room and spreads her wings to point at the sides of the room that are inscribed with text.

"Ever since One took residence in this abode, One has never been able to decipher the text, nor has any other being that got One's permission to enter this sacred room been able to decipher it. If you are truly the Oracle then surely you must be able to decode such scriptures."

"Then let's see just what message this scripture contains." Your proud words are all the bravado you need to walk past their eyes and approach the closest words on the left wall.

As you move to walk past Cloud Retainer's form, she brings her wing down to cover your path.

"Death is the only ending for you in One's eyes. If you fail to translate, then you'll die. If you tarnish or destroy it, then you'll die. And if you refuse, then death will claim you before you can even finish your words." 

"I understand full and well, Cloud Retainer. My life belongs to the Creator, no matter how difficult or painful."

Her wing cuts through your shackles with ease. Now free, you walk past with that confident posture you've held throughout this meeting. Your hands itch to run over the wall and pray that Teyvat will automatically translate it as it had done for everything else. Yet when you get close enough to make out the words, you smile widely. A sight so beautiful for your poor eyes.

'Elemental creatures of all kinds must continue to worship the maker of all things to maintain their loving and personal connection. Refusing or forgetting to do so is the same as rejecting or not caring for them. Consequences are dire and just like trust, it'll be much harder to restore.'

Your language is written on the wall in clear letters. Your luck seems to have turned around for now. You could do so much with this information.

"I can understand this perfectly. It's the language the Creator uses to communicate on the world they're resting in. The scripture describes elemental worship that is specific to only elemental beings."

You recite the first text with ease as the room goes quiet. Not a laugh, scoff nor grumble is heard in the room. Should you take this as a bad or good thing? 

Pushing onward you begin to translate the rest of the text on both sides of the room. It gives a detailed explanation on how to sacrifice body parts, energy, blood, and lifeforce. 

"Stop, we have heard enough." Moon Carver cuts in emotionlessly. You look back at them feigning a confused expression. Trouble is clear on their faces, the truth of your words is spreading guilt within them.

Inwardly your lips curve into a smile that seems to soothe the pain in your arm.

They aren't guilty from the approaching truth of your 'oracle' status being real. They're feeling guilt over the worship methods that they had forgotten.

But pompous beings like them will never accept their wrong-doings so easily.

"You speak of words that poison our minds and weigh our hearts with guilt. This may be but a sham that you wish to deceive us with. Us, illuminated beasts will not accept this method until it's been proven in our sights."

With a careless shrug and scoff, you speak to Mountain Shaper with an uncaring attitude. "I would happily do it to myself just to prove my words true, but I'm not an elemental being like you all were so happy to point out. It seems one of you will have to test it out or we'll never get anywhere."

"Or perhaps we can end this farce now and eliminate you from the beloved maker's gaze." His angry reaction has you covering your mouth in surprise.

"You would skip past the proper protocols in the case concerning the Creator? Where is your devotion? Your faith? Or are you just afraid to do so and see the honesty in my words? Maybe it's a mix of both..."

Mountain Shaper takes a clawed step forward that makes the ruins shake. Cloud Retainer blocks his path with her wing.

"One has had enough of this Shaper! Treat the eulogies and artwork of the creator with more respect."

"It is shameful that an illuminated being like yourself is being led by a mortal like that. Are we not the ones who survived this long despite the varying enemies and plots? Calm yourself before you sully the Creator's pride with your uncontrollable wrath."

Mountain Shaper looks pissed as his eyes glare at you with malice. The temptation to flip him off with a shit-eating grin is too strong and he turns away like a toddler at your crude actions.

"I can do the ritual for us to learn the truth on this matter." A timid voice steps in during the brief silence. All eyes turn to Ganyu as she keeps her hands close to her chest.

"All the work I do is for Liyue, Rex Lapis, and most importantly: the Creator. If this method is true then I can learn a more intimate way to worship them. And if not, then I can keep the creator's reputation pure by utterly destroying Y/N."

Her words are soft and gentle but turn dark near the end as she stares at you seriously. The adepti stay quiet seeming to respect her bold actions even if Cloud Retainer seems just a bit ruffled.

"You said that there are many different offerings to give, all with their own reward. Which one would give the best result?"

"The energy sacrifice would be the most convenient and easiest but it doesn't fit you well due to your lethargic nature. Your body is physically strong so a blood offering would be the best choice."

Ganyu's eyes seem to follow your form as you step closer to the section that contains the instructions for the blood offering. She's no doubt trying to figure out how you could know about that without considering the possibility of you being the Oracle true.

You read it out loud so that everyone is on the same page before looking back at them.

"So let's start with the main things. We'll need a clear area outside along with a ceremonial dagger and cup. I'll wait here and write down all the ritual instructions for future use."

In Genshin you always know a NPC is suspicious when they want to 'wait and write' something while you do the actual work. The distrustful looks they all send you feel the same way.

They leave Ganyu to watch over you while they all leave to prepare the ritual. Deciding to leave Ganyu alone, you go back to jotting down the text into your handbook.

It's quiet to the point of it being uncomfortable yet you diligently finish the notes and simply doodle on the free space. Ganyu's eyes never stop running down your body, you ask yourself if she's even blinking.

"Before I came here to visit, I heard of an incident at Liyue Harbor. About two geovishap hatchlings that went feral and caused a mess. The most interesting part was how the 'winner' displayed its trophy to a masked stranger."

Ah, Ganyu... 3,000 years old and counting half-qilin adeptus with a whole war as experience. Did you ever forget her knowledge? No, you just simply underestimated her resilience to erosion. 

"Is there something you want to ask me about that incident? If so, just spit it out. Communication is important, a secretary like yourself should know that much."

"I have no doubt that you are the person in the incident. I'm conflicted over how you came to your... position. Someone tricking the people is normal and still saddening. But someone trying to trick the adepti? Foolish and stupid. I will stop you either way but just know that I will not stand for your evil actions."

A laugh slips past your lips as your gaze falls onto her firm stance. Gentle and quiet are the words to describe qilin yet the conflict avoiding nature seemed to have skipped Ganyu's genes. 

"Then I hope you repent properly to the creator for refusing to believe their loyal servant for speaking the truth." You move to stand in front of her and stare deeply into her eyes with mirth. "It seems the adepti have already returned. Why don't we get going?"

Not a moment later, Cloud Retainer's voice rings out, calling for you both to come outside. Smiling cheerfully, you follow Ganyu out of Cloud Retainer's home.

The moon's glow tenderly caresses your skin and bandaged arm as the water laps at your legs. The adepti stand on the small patch of land as you and Ganyu trudge across the water. On the table is a clean dagger with intricate gold patterns and a gold chalice decorated with Noctilucous Jade.

Dagger and chalice in hand, you survey the area with a critical eye. Smiling, you point at an area of water.

"The water here is clean and clear so it fits the bill in what the ritual needs. Follow me Ganyu." Not bothering to look back you walk deeper into the water, even still the water only reaches above your knees.

"Words are not needed, only actions. Kneel and choose a place for me to cut you. Your blood has to fill the chalice to the brim."

She goes along with your words and kneels, letting the liquid soak her clothes without complaint. Grabbing ahold of her beautiful white sleeve, she pulls it off, exposing her arm.

"Cut my arm in a long shallow slit so it can be filled quickly without too much damage."

"Alright, let me go over the steps once more as your time is limited once it's filled." With practiced ease, you cut her arm and watch her blood flow into the chalice. Not even a peep escapes her from the pain.

"You'll hold the chalice with both hands raising it into the air to signify that you are offering. Keep your eyes closed and pray for what you wish to communicate to the creator. In this case, you want to pray for the creator to accept your blood offering as the first step to forgiveness. After that you'll just need to follow my lead."

Ganyu nods solemnly and you move the now filled chalice to her hands carefully to avoid spilling it. Her eyelids flutter shut as her hands hold the chalice high in the air. The air seems to still as her lips move to mouth a silent prayer.

The blood that drips down her arm and into the water seems hypnotizing. To think you’d really hurt someone to hide your lie. It's different then the case with Beisht; you hurt Beisht to prove your identity. What you have done to Ganyu is a line you may have to cross again in the future. What if you eventually kill someone to hide your lie? The thought seems ludicrous to you now but so did hurting someone before this moment...

Your thoughts seem to still when the blood dripping from her wound changes in color. No, not just color but in texture too. Those wine red drops shift to a mix of pink and blue. It solidifies into a small glittering object that clinks softly as it hits the water.  

It flashes for a moment before dissolving into water like it never existed. Was that truly what a primogem looked like in real life?

An indescribable feeling swells up in your chest, soft whispers lead your body closer to Ganyu without a fight. Shakily your hands cover hers as that intangible feeling urges you to speak.

'I accept your offering' is nearly spoken but even in this haze of dopamine and serotonin, your self control is firm.

"The Creator accepts your offering." Your words are shaky with unknown emotions. Is this Ganyu's feelings towards you as the creator? It's gentle and rests on your soul like a weighted blanket feebly trying to pull you into a deep sleep.

Reminding yourself of the ritual at hand, you begin to tilt the chalice toward the ground. The scripture never specified what would happen but the sight you receive is beyond what you could expect.

What pours out of the chalice is not scarlet liquid, but thousands of primogems that clink and clank as it hits the water. Just like earlier, it dissolves leaving bubbles that cloud the starry sky that was reflected on the surface.

When the last primogem hits the water, you release Ganyu's hands and step back. You look up at the night sky that begins to glow with color as your voice cuts through the tense silence.

"Open your eyes Ganyu, it's time to see your wish revitalized. The Creator accepted your offering after all."

Coral and lavender eyes open slowly and go wide at the sight of the sky. The chalice is gripped in tightly on her lap as the night blooms with blue and purple wishes.

A single gold star begins to travel through the air at high speeds. Noticing its course you step farther away from Ganyu as she stays kneeling in amazement at the sight.

Before anyone can speak, the gold shooting star hits Ganyu and engulfs her spot with a beam of light. It's harsh on your eyes but the game screen that automatically opens in front of you soothes it.

Ganyu's splash art is the only thing you see before you click it off with a triumphant smile. Skipping through all the other wishes and four star constellations, the game screen and gold light disappear at the same time.

A shocked and confused Ganyu could be expected. A quietly happy and thankful Ganyu was expected. But the half qilin adeptus silently bawling her eyes out as she stays kneeling in the water was what greeted you instead.

The other adepti don't hesitate to move to your area with inhuman speed from where they were watching. You expected Mountain Shaper to be the first one to attack you as Moon Carver stands protectively in front of Ganyu but it seems the adepti didn't like to respond logically.

Sharp talons wrapped around your neck as the weight of the crane pushes you back onto the water. The unexpected submersion has you coughing uncontrollably underwater as your body seems to be weighed down by something invisible.

Fingers dig into your throat as blurry yells make your heart pound with panic.

"It's all your fault!" 

"None of this would have happened if you didn't exist!"

"Should have just let me do what I want with you, you pathetic fuck!"

Sickle in hand your attacks are choppy as the electro sputters in and out of existence. The fingers turn into a bruising, clawed grip once more as your free hand grabs a fistful of feathers.

The crane is pulled away and by extension you're pulled out of the water too. The water droplets make your vision blur as you try to calm your hyperventilation into something less vulnerable.

Cloud Retainer is held back by all three adepti as she squawks with indignation. The ringing in your ears prevents you from hearing anything more than, "One has not seen Ganyu cry in such a way since she was a child!"

Ganyu seems more than embarrassed as she repeatedly tells Cloud Retainer something you can't be bothered to make out. Your nails dig into the blood and feathers in your hand as you stare at the missing patch of feathers on Cloud Retainers body.

You're cold, wet, hungry, and so very tired but that bald patch you left on the noisy crane makes you feel happy in a vengeful way. If you weren't still reeling from the near death experience you would have loved to comment on her new preen.

The situation seems to calm down as Ganyu and the rest explain something thoroughly to Cloud Retainer. It's obvious that she had gone on a rampage due to Ganyu's reaction without bothering to view the situation in full. A rare mistake for someone as meticulous as her.

With care and concern only for the present, you move to the edge of the mountain and stare out across the sky. The view of Liyue is muddled yet enhanced by the starry sky. The grass under your shoes is welcome in comparison to the pond that nearly swallowed you whole.

Your fingers mindlessly pick at the healing scabs and bruises from the treasure hoarder fiasco. The grimace on your face is not from the pain of the jostled arm but the uncomfortable feeling of wet bandages. Carefully, your fingers trace the new talon marks on your neck that you gained from Cloud Retainer. Should you get hurt by Moon Carver too, to collect wounds from all three?

The grass crunches behind you and you already know what is about to happen. Your eyebrows pinch in worry and your gaze rarely leaves the floor as the adepti stand face to face with them.

"I'm so sorry for my reaction earlier. I was so surprised and overjoyed that the sacrifice convinced the Creator to awaken me that I reacted in such a shameful way. It's due to my failure to keep my emotions in check that you got hurt. Please forgive me."

Your mind is blank but your body is well versed in what to do, what lies to say. Softening eyes are steady with Ganyu's as your fingers gingerly touch the claw marks.

"I understand Ganyu, the creator's grace is an amazing thing. Be sure to serve them properly from now on." With a near patronizing tone you speak to the adepti as a whole.

"Don't you see what damage you had done to me? The creator is love, peace, justice and truth. I hope you don't think they'll let Cloud Retainer and Mountain Shaper off easy for harming me who has taken on such a heavy and dangerous burden."

Facades are only good if you know how to upkeep and keep track of them. If you act like some soft pushover now, they'll be suspicious. You slide into the control seat of the spider web of lies you've created as easily as breathing. 

Rest? Mental breakdowns? Dissociative states? Hallucinations from past traumatic experiences? All of those things must be pushed into the crevice in your mind. The same crevice that seems to grow deeper and darker with each passing year since your birth. Those thoughts can consume you when you're safe, if that day ever comes.

They react exactly as you expected; haughty but thoroughly humbled with seeds of self doubt planted in their hearts. Breaking even a fraction of their pride in their fake-ass devotion brings a longing for them to crumble even more.

You go along with conversation while conserving as much energy as possible. Ganyu was the only one with enough sensibility to apologize to you so why should you care about the rest of them? If they had Ganyu carry and apologize in their stead then they should be just as fine with you only giving her actual attention.

Pointing out this fact seemed to stun them into a tense silence. Your body naturally goes on edge expecting some sort of attack but nothing comes. Instead they present you with a few apologies without using words.

"As a faithful servant of the Creator, you are welcomed anytime in Jueyun Karst, as well as any other areas that would be deemed off-limits within our authority."

"Why not stay in One's home for the night after the enlightening events that have occurred today? One is not a careless host and will be sure to provide all that you need during your stay."

It honestly wasn't a bad idea, your mind and body were not fit for teleporting to Liyue and setting up camp. You accepted the offer despite knowing that the sleep you will get will not be fulfilling.

The conversations they hold as you are fed and tended to flow in one ear and out the other. The most notable information you picked up was how they wanted to try the method themself and even spread it to Xiao in hopes of the creator lessening his karmic debt.

It's Ganyu that accompanies you to a guest room that Cloud Retainer somehow managed to not make messy. The other adepti seem to think that you like her in some way when little to their knowledge, you're simply fond of her.

Not in the way that you want to be near or interact with her. She apologized for being part of the reason you were attacked. She still hasn't apologized for all her previous rude actions. You liked her the same way as you did on Earth. Only as a character.

A voice whispers that it's better than how you refuse to associate with Ei in any way.

You lay down on a clean mattress in the comforting silence of the night. You're dry, warm, full, and comfortable yet still as on edge as before. The eyebags you wear are not from random all-nighters but from the never-ending cycle of lying for a living. Both on Earth and on Teyvat.

Sleep doesn't come easy, not with the constant fear of talons holding you down. Nor with the unease of amber cutting through your skin. Rest comes in spurts of deep sleep before hands are choking you again back into the waking world. 

Sometimes you wish you could forget who your family was too.

Your internal clock is all sorts of confused as you wake up for the 50th time. Judging by the lack of discomfort in your body, you couldn't have slept more than an hour. 

Pale green glows in the corner of your eyes making you speed into sitting position. You catch the faintest glimpse of a horned masked bearing large fangs and glowing teal eyes. 

You blink at the spot as your breath is harsh even to your own ears. Was it real? Was he here? Why would he be?

For what reason would he watch you sleep if not to investigate?

The cool mask calms your clammy skin. If he had looked under it, you wouldn't be here anyway. It's that morbid thought that brings you peace. 

How ironic.

Knowing that sleep will not come to you for a while, you get dressed and follow the vague memory of the path Ganyu took when bringing you to the guest room. 

It leads to the domain doors to the outside and the brush of your fingertips on the stone doors has it moving smoothly. The early morning sun warms the stone walkway as you exit into the free space.

The sight of the pond trudges up memories of yesterday. With a bright smile and light footsteps, you hurry down the staircase and jump over the water with ease.

"-yet how could we possibly forget such a vital ritual?" "One suspects larger factors are at play." "The records in our abodes should show-"

Catching the near ending of such a serious conversation, you slow down as they all turn to look at you.

"Awake already Y/N? Would you like a light breakfast?" Ganyu is the first to speak, the other adepti are surely still examining you. Now far more lucid than last night you are positive that having another meal with them would be a true nightmare.

"I'm not hungry when it's so early so I'll pass for now. There are many private duties that the creator asks of me and it would be best that I get straight to it. Yet there's a slight problem."

The adepti seem to tense up in unison, not that they are wrong for doing so. You've been a consistent thorn in their side since you met Mountain Shaper.

"You see, my body has not fully recovered from the injuries that I received from fighting the treasure hoarders. And with the how rough I was handled by you all, my injuries were reopened."

The wind ruffles your hair as if highlighting the bruise and talon marks. Your left hand is pressed against your chest making the sun shine on the bandaged arm. The parts of damaged exposed skin are the icing on the cake.

"Then what is it that you desire oracle of the beloved? Do you wish to check on the children that were saved?" Mountain Shaper's voice is like ice. Sharp when cold like yesterday but smooth when controlled correctly.

It was a good thing you slept, even if it was sucky. You almost missed out on such a great bargaining chip!

"That is one thing I plan to do when I head to the city but there's a few things before that. Since you're already offering to take me then it would be a great help if you can take me to this location."

Shamelessly you hold out the map in your handbook with the only commission location left.

Increasing Danger - Hilichurls are building towers in the circled area. Destroy these towers for the safety of the people.

Mountain Shaper sighs tiredly and is about to respond when you cut him off on purpose. 

"Oh and those ceremonial tools we used in the ritual yesterday? I need them. The creator is an all-loving deity that would never desire to push away the innocent and loyal beings in Teyvat unless they deserved it. The creator wishes to conduct more rituals if necessary."

Cloud Retainer seems to stare at you in shock at the forceful way you pushed for the items you desire. The dagger and chalice glint in the sunlight as she resists the urge to hide them from your greedy eyes.

"But before you drop me off for good at my commission site, I'll need you all to help me activate the teleport waypoints. There's no way I'm climbing those mountains again. Besides, the creator blessed you all with such power, how could you not use it to support a fellow devotee?"

Your smile widens to bare all your teeth as Moon Carver avoids looking directly at you. They may be reluctant but you always make sure to have your debts be paid with interest. The price for hurting, exhausting, and stressing you out is not one to sneeze at either.

Quite a few teleport waypoints were activated with the dagger and chalice safely in your bag. Adeptus powers really were useful in situations like these. Within half an hour you had activated enough to safely teleport around Jueyun Karst without fear of running into the adepti again.

As Mountain Shaper sets you down nearby the hilichurl camp and towers for your commission, his curiosity finally gets the best of him.

"For what reason did you discolor so many teleport waypoints?"

"I can teleport using them due to the creator's blessing. Now that I activated them, I can teleport to all of your mountains whenever I want to visit!"

Each word you say with a cheerful grin seems to send him deeper into agony. He nods tightlipped and flies away. The wind brings his muttered words to your words. 

"A vacation is in order. A vacation for as long as possible."

Messing with the adepti was really fun. You just hoped that they would go on vacation permanently, your job would be much easier that way.

All you have left is to finish this commission, teleport to the waypoint near the harbor's entrance and get your money. Simple as that. Opening the game window from your safe viewing spot of the hilichurl camp, you begin to review all the books on hilichurls.

First and foremost, thank you to the editor of this chapter @serpent-benediction! He was a huge help even if he terrorized me the whole time </3

It gives me more time to add some fun stuff like italics and bold. Stories pack more of a punch with flair, in my eyes at least. All the improvements to the chapter are his work like capitalizing Oracle and Creator. We did debate on whether adepti was species or title. So yall are free to give your opinion on which it is and whether it should be capitalized. I'm glad to see that (almost) all the build-up to the adepti part is finished. Well for the adepti at least. I was like dead tired after the choking part so that's why it may be a bit wonky. Now that I'm not pressed for time (yet. Sep is coming soon) I wanted to thank everyone for staying this long in the series! I love reading and responding to comments. I love reading the notes and/or tags from reblogs. I don't know if I should respond to reblogs like I do to comments. Cause I see some really in-depth reblogs that I wanna respond to but I end up not doing that thanks to my thoughts of-'Is that weird, strange or uncomfortable?' I just don't wanna scare anyone off. And for those that might wonder why Y/N was choking here but not with Beisht, it's due to Retainer. Retainer was using her adeptus power to pressure the water against Y/N which caused the drowning and bruises. I hope that clears it up a lil!

I'm a dumbass, I forgot the taglist. That's why it looked so short in my eyes. Everyone is allowed to yell at me for this (except for my editor) Taglist: @vvyeislazzy, @nikqi, @the-dumber-scaramouche, @etherisy, @yourlocalstranger123, @ra404, @iruiji, @goldenglow149, @haru-tofuu, @lsleepysimpl, @bebobeboben, @yuyuzi-ling, @amidst-the-tempest, @resident-cryptid, @mxd1zzy, @mochicurls21, @nervouseaglelover, @thedevioussmirk, @yumuramma, @kwqsla, @undecidingfate, @ehjane, @game-savvy, @akiramirae, @sielt, @fluffy-koalala, @formacoon, @sxftiebee, @khxii-i, @ursinaw, @chuuya-brainrot, @sweetbills, @kazuchaos, @snowfoxnix, @bluebelony, @conspicuous-mayonnaise, @pencil-of-ashes, @ghostlyintervention, @taiformaifoe, @sielt, @goaudduck, @carminerin, @maddysflowers, @zenith-of-all-zeniths, @crazydreamcat, @leafanonsforest, @grimreapersscythe, @leylanx, @undecidingfate, @sapphireknown, @help-whatdoimakemyusername, @zhonglisfruityass, @fluffy-koalala, @mer0n37, @victoria1676, @mochinessss, @sinnful-darling, @emilymikado

[holylulusworld]

Indecent Proposal (12.2)

Summary: Your boyfriend wants to be part of their empire. You are the pawn he’s willing to sacrifice.

Pairing: Mobster!Stucky x fem!Reader

Warnings: sexy mobsters, fluff, established Stucky, angst, implied smut, caring mobsters

Indecent Proposal (12)

Indecent Proposal masterlist

Since Rumlow brought you to the police station, you refuse to leave your home. Steve and Bucky tried anything to get you to go for a walk, but you are scared the cops will grab you again.

“Doll, this is unhealthy,” Bucky tuts. He kneels in front of your bed and tries to get you to follow him outside. “Let’s go outside and eat ice cream or go for a walk in the park.”

“What if he’s out there, waiting for me to show my face?” You murmur. “I don’t want that cop to grab me again. He’s obsessed with you and Steve. I’m going to end up as collateral damage.”

“Collateral what?” Bucky grunts. “Y/N, we won’t let anything happen to you.” He kisses your cheek. “You’re our missing piece, and the one giving us a baby one day.”

“Okay, that is enough,” Steve walks back inside your bedroom. “If she’s scared of Rumlow, we need to make sure she’s safe. You don’t need the apartment any longer. We brought all of your belongings to our place weeks ago.”

“Steve is right, baby doll. You spend most of your time at our place. Let’s bring you home. You’re our girl now, and we are your men.”

Bucky tries to sweet-talk you into leaving not only the bed but your apartment too. 

You sniff and look away. “How do you wanna get me out of bed? It’s all I got left of my old home, and I won’t leave it!”

“Baby doll, don’t be a brat,” Steve clicks his tongue. “I’ll throw you over my shoulder and carry you out of the apartment if you do not get out of bed right fucking now!”

“No!” You squeak and crawl away when Steve tries to grab you. “Get your hands off me! No…” You giggle and try to wiggle out of Steve’s grip.

“Y/N, don’t make Stevie mad. He’ll edge you all night long if you mess with him. Stevie is a strict punisher,” Bucky smirks when you stiffen at his words. 

“No,” you crawl toward Steve to cup his crotch. “You can’t edge me.” You pout and look up at Steve. “I came here to hide from Rumlow. He…”

“He scared you,” Steve gently pats your head. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of to be scared, doll. Rumlow has been after us for years. He won’t harm you. I swear we’ll protect you.”

“You promise,” grabbing Steve’s hand you place it on your heart. “Cross your heart and swear it, Stevie.”

“How about he gropes your chest and swears it,” Bucky purrs in your ear. For a man his size, he’s like a stealthy cat. He kneels behind you to nip at your neck. “We can ruin this bed too.”

“Buck, we should bring her home,” Steve groans as you already tug at his shirt again. “You are both insatiable. How can a man resist you two?”

“We are needy because you made us your loyal sex slaves,” Bucky snickers and crawls toward his husband. “Come on, take your pants off…”

Bucky walks back inside the living room, Alpine tugged under his arm. “How are you?”

“Better,” you snuggle back into the warm blanket and stare at the fireplace. “I’m a little calmer now.”

“Alpine, go and help Y/N relax,” Bucky places the white furball on your lap. “Let him work his magic. Alpine is a master in calming pretty girls and hot hunks.”

You giggle as Steve rolls his eyes behind Bucky’s back. “He believes his cat is a saint or something. That furball is nothing but a hairy beast stealing my socks.”

“He steals your socks because you always nag,” Bucky grunts. “Alpine is the best cat ever, and I love him. Live with it.”

“Guys, look,” you sniffle. Alpine is excessively rubbing his cheek into your belly. He purrs and meows as you stare at him. “What is he doing?”

“I think he has a thing for you,” Bucky grins. “Like father, like son.”

“Uh-“ Steve watches the cat. He hums and rubs his chin. “Cats have a very good instinct. I think he knows our pretty doll has a secret…”

Part 13

Tags in reblog.

[dancingtotuyo]

10. hold you from the world and it's curse

Woman | Joel Miller X Female Reader

Rating: Mature/Explicit

Chapter Summary: You begin to come to terms with things. Ellie struggles with the limits of her immunity.

Tags: Joel Miller X Female Reader. Age Gap (13/14 years). HBO Characters. Mostly cannon compliant for show & game. Timeline is changed.

Chapter Warnings: pregnancy related things, angst, hurt & comfort, self worth issues, Character Death, references to canon violence and gore, talk about guns & shooting people (mercifully), lots of grief, anger,

Notes: huge thank you to my constants, my rocks @ramblers-lets-get-ramblinand @janaispunk for beta reading and letting me yell and scream and break their hearts.

If you have checked out Before, I would encourage you to do so for more backstory on our dear reader! The final part is out now!

Words: 4933

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When Maria was pregnant, she unashamedly let her bump grow in front of the gaze of the town. It came on with the winter months but she kept her coats unbuttoned and off while inside. She was excited, cherishing it all, marking and sharing milestones as she could. You don’t do any of it. You keep your bulky coats zipped and make sure your layers disguise your growing abdomen. 

It’s not a secret by any means, but you know even in the tight-knit community of Jackson there are still people who don’t know as you approach your 23rd week of pregnancy, even if you feel twice as large at this stage as you did during your first pregnancy. It’s been getting easier to keep the layers on as the temperature falls and Christmas approaches.

But it’s only a few days from Christmas, and there’s a dance. You’ve fallen in love with the dances again.  While it’s a relatively casual event as everything in Jackson is, you’re not prancing in there in your worn leggings and layered jacket. The body heat flowing between the dancing bodies is more than enough without your layer. With the extra heat you’re producing on your own, you’re sure you’d pass out in 20 minutes. 

You have one option: the dress with quarter-length sleeves and a skirt that hits your knees. You basically lived in that dress when pregnant with Carter, but it accentuates your condition. That’s the last thing you’re ready for, the stares, the questions, the congratulations. You feel a vein of guilt rush through you. You shouldn’t dread people congratulating you on this. 

You rest your hand on top of your swollen stomach. You’re starting to feel the baby move more often. It’s just as weird as it was with Carter, but it still sends a little thrill through you each time. 

Joel walks out of the bathroom to find you sitting on the bed in his sweatshirt staring at the closet like a monster might come barreling out at any given moment.  “Sweetheart,” he says. “It’s almost time to go.” 

You bite at your thumbnail, the closet mocking you. It’s just a dress. Why does it feel like so much more? “We don’t have to go. Let’s just stay in.”

“After you bribed Morgan with heaven and earth to watch Carter?” He crosses his arms, eyebrows raised.

“We could just stay here? Do other things.” You shoot him a suggestive wink. 

Joel seems to consider it for a moment. He surprisingly enjoys the dances. There’s something about the semblance of normalcy, and the night he kissed you in front of the whole town is a fond memory, but he likes being alone with you more. He sees through it though. You’re avoiding something.

Easing next to you, his shoulder brushes yours. He gazes at your profile as you keep your eyes pinned to the closet door. His fingertips brush along your cheek rounding behind your ear. “What’s actually buggin you?” 

Chewing your lip, you finally meet his gaze, unshed tears shimmering in your eyes. “If I put on that dress, everyone is gonna know.”

He sighs, arm wrapping around your shoulders. You lean into him, your heart rate slowing. “We can’t avoid it forever.”

“I know. I just thought I could for longer.”

“Baby, you’re over halfway there,” Joel cracks a smile. “And I promise that most of the town already knows.”

“Yeah, but they don’t officially know.” 

Joel wraps his arm around you, letting his hand fall over the one that rests on your bump. “We have to face it sooner or later. Maybe even embrace it?” He kisses your temple. He manages to pull a slight smile from your lips.

He rubs your arm softly as your head eases to his shoulder. “I’d really like to spin you around that dance floor, kiss ya for everyone to see. We don’t have to go for long, but I think you’ll feel better.”

You inhale deeply, nodding softly. “Help me up. I’ll get dressed.”

“Now I know you’re not that pregnant.” He grins, standing before you and pulling you to your feet anyway. 

You laugh, arms wrapping around his shoulders. You sway, pressed against him for a few seconds. Your lips press against his and then he’s pressing against your hips, directing you toward the closet. “Get dressed, Sweetheart.”

He kisses your head and slips out of the bedroom. You steady yourself with a deep breath before finally opening the closet. You can do this. 

Carter is sitting on Joel’s lap as he reads him a book. Morgan preps a light snack in the kitchen. You haven’t worn a dress in ages. This is the only one you own. You traded the others ages ago. 

Carter sees you first, letting out a soft gasp. “Mommy, you look so pretty!”

Joel’s head snaps up, the book lowering in front of him. Carter jumps off Joel’s lap, rushing toward you. You laugh, going to your knee to accept his hug. He’s still small enough for you to pick up and spin around, squeezing him tightly too you. He laughs as you pepper his cheek with kisses. “You’re gonna listen to Miss Morgan, right?” You stare right into his eyes, keeping him at eye level with you.

Carter nods with a great solemness. His big eyes sparkle in the light, his nose pressed to yours. His bright eyes are so close to yours, so reminiscent of Gabe’s. It sends a soft ache through you that he doesn’t get to be here for these moments. “Daddy already made me promise.” 

“Did he?” A grin captures your lips as you glance over to Joel.

Joel rises from the couch with a chuckle, adjusting his jeans over his hips. 

“Mhmm,” Carter says, kissing your nose before he slides to the ground. He rushes off toward the kitchen. “Miss Morgan? Is my snack ready?”

Joel laughs, watching the child disappear before sliding his arms around your midsection. “You look beautiful, but that’s nothing new.”

Heat floods your cheeks. Once again you’re smiling like a flustered schoolgirl. “You gonna take me out, Miller?”

“Tempted to take you upstairs.” He winks. His hands travel down your back to your ass. No underwear lines, just as he expected to find. One of these days he’s going to figure out what you have against the damn garment. The last thing he needs to know is that you’re bare under the skirt, that when he spins you around tonight and your skirt spins you’ll feel the air moving against you.

You let out a laugh, pushing against his shoulders. “Too late for that, Miller. I put on the dress. We’re going.” You head toward the kitchen. 

Joel lets out a groan trailing behind you. You give Morgan a few instructions, but she’s familiar with the routine by now. “I love you,” You kiss Carter’s cheek as he eats at the table. “Mommy and Daddy will be back after you go to sleep.”

“I know.” Carter grins proudly, face scrunching up slightly. “Love you, Mommy.”

Joel leans down, kissing Carter’s other cheek. “You behave.”

Carter cheese again, kissing both your cheeks in quick succession. “Love you, Daddy.”

“Love you too, bud.” He chuckles softly. 

Joel pushes you toward the door, helping you into your warmest coat before you can find a way to stall. Your legs freeze on the way to the Tipsy Bison, cool air shooting right up your skirt. This might be the first time you’ve regretted your commitment to not wearing underwear. 

Joel’s hand stays pressed to your back on the short walk over as if he’s trying to keep you from making a break to the safety of your home but The Tipsy Bison welcomes you in with warmth and vibrance, drowning out all your fears. When Joel helps you out of your coat, something amazing happens. The world keeps spinning. People go about their evening, seemingly oblivious to your arrival and your announcement. Throughout the night, you get a few stares and a few congratulations, you take them all with grace. 

After exhausting you on the dance floor, your stamina not what it was thanks to your pregnancy, Joel guides you toward a back corner. Chairs line the wall but few people mill about on the outskirts. 

“I’ll go get you some water,” Joel says, kissing your warm cheeks. 

You smile at him as he weaves through the throngs of people. Before you can sit down, you catch sight of Ellie further down the line of chairs. She watches, arms resting on her knees, the cheer of the night like an outsider looking in, the rush and thrill of the night ineffective against her armor. 

You tilt your head to the side before approaching. You ease beside her, letting out a soft sigh. You hook your foot under the legs of a stray chair to pull it closer so you have a place to prop your feet. Ellie doesn’t acknowledge you. She makes no movements that indicate she’s even aware of your presence. 

You follow her line of sight to the opposing corner. Dina and Jesse are flirting like all of Jackson doesn’t have eyes. Cat rolls her eyes at something Chris Lamer says to her, a playful insult likely rolling off her lips. The sight brings a smile to your lips. At least within these walls, they can act like teenagers.

“You’re not feeling very social tonight?”

Ellie lets out a sigh, falling back in her chair. She shoves her hair behind her shoulder. It’s getting longer than you’ve ever seen it. She shrugs. “Just not feeling it tonight.”

“Wish I’d known that before I bribed Morgan to watch Carter.” You offer a teasing grin. She doesn’t return it, crossing her arms over her chest as she shifts in her seat. Your brow furrows. “What’s up, Ellie?”

She bristles, taking her time to find words. “You look nice tonight.”

“You’re deflecting.”

“People do that when they don’t wanna talk about things.”

“Which usually means they should talk about things.”

She glances over at you, unamused. You smile back, but she doesn’t say a word, letting her eyes fall back over to her friends. 

“You know,” you say. “I didn’t want to come tonight.”

She looks surprised. “You and Joel love these things.”

“Yeah…” You nod, eyes scanning over the crowd. “But I can’t really hide this anymore.” You motion to your swollen abdomen. “Especially not in this dress. Which is about the only thing that fits me now.”

Her eyes flicker over to you, landing on your bump. You catch something in her eyes. “I thought you’d gotten used to it.”

“Don’t know that that’ll ever happen,” you sigh. 

“Even with Joel moving in?” 

That’s when it clicks. The changes. You should’ve known, or guessed. Joel brought the last of his things over last week. Ellie decided early on to stay in Joel’s house, or her house now. 

“Ellie, if you’ve changed your mind-”

“No,” she cuts you off. “I haven’t- at least I don’t think I have.” She bites her lip, frame ridgid. “Guess I didn’t think it would feel any different. He basically lived over there already.”

“But his things are gone now.”

Her eyes snap to yours like you’ve hit the nail on the head. Her eyes look shiny under the Christmas lights strung from the rafters. She blinks a couple times. 

“I didn’t think I’d miss that damn owl mug so much. I used to hate the way its eyes followed me when I was in the kitchen.”

A laugh tips out of your mouth. “Glad to hear it. I’ll smuggle it back over to you.”

Ellie’s head shakes, a smile pushing against the edges of her face. “Hell no. I said I missed it, not that I wanted it back in my house.”

The two of you laugh together until a comfortable silence forms between you. You feel like there might be another layer, but you’ve pushed as much as you can tonight surrounded by people. She’s smiling, the tension gone from her body, and that’s the most important thing right now. 

“Change is hard.” Ellie says. 

“So damn hard.” You agree. “Don’t make yourself a stranger, okay? I know you’re like kind of an adult in this world and a certified homeowner now.” You wink at her and she laughs with a shake of her head. “But we still want you around as much as we did. Really even more.”

“So you’re not tired of me?” she asks. She’s joking, but you catch the hint of a real question, that soft need for assurance.

Your arm wraps around her shoulders, tugging her close. “Never. I mean, who else is gonna talk to Carter about space. That shit goes right over my head.” She laughs, head falling onto your shoulder. “But in all seriousness, I don’t think I’d ever get tired of you, Ellie. You’re my family.”

“Guess I’m not very good at this family stuff.”

“We’re all still learning.” 

She nods softly, waiting just a few seconds before pulling away. She looks better, lighter. Her eyes land over on her group of friends, seemingly glued to one particular female. You look between them, a knowing grin on your face. “You know, I think she’d say yes if you asked her to dance.” 

Ellie’s eyes snap to you, confusion dancing in them. 

“I’ve known you for years, my dear. You can’t hide much from me.” 

She bites her lip as Joel finally materializes out of the crowd with your water in hand. “Sorry it took me so long. Adam was trying to rope me into trouble.”

You raise an eyebrow suspiciously. 

“Stayed out of it. Cross my heart, darlin.” He leans down to kiss your cheek. 

“You two are gross.” Ellie teases as she stands, stretching her arms above her head. 

“Promise I can make it even grosser.” Joel chuckles, easing into the chair next to you.

“That’s not even a word.” You roll your eyes, swatting him away from you. He only laughs more, arm settling across the back of your chair, finger tips twisting and turning lightly across your shoulder. 

“As much as I’d hate to see that,” Ellie says, taking a step back. She’s returned to her usual, playful self. “I’m going to join my friends.” With that, she dashes off. 

You and Joel talk in hushed tones, playful flirting firing between you. He’s distracting you, definitely trying to seduce you, and it’s working. As he pulls you through the crowd, you’re surprised to see Ellie dancing with Cat. 

You’re in the clinic the next afternoon when she bursts in looking wide eyed and terrified. She reminds you of the 14 year old you met two and half years ago. Your heart drops to your stomach. She was on patrol. They weren’t due back until tomorrow. 

“Ellie, what-”

She collides with your chest, sobs shaking her small frame. Your arms fly around her, holding her close. Your brain wracks through names and faces. Who was she with? Who did your community lose this time? But your brain won’t work, can’t piece together who you’ve seen today tucked within the safety of the clinic and who you haven’t. 

Eventually, she pulls away, eye red and swollen, cheeks flushed from crying and wind chapped. She doesn’t look any closer to sanity than when she walked in. Her eyes search frantically about. 

“Ellie,” you say firmly, trying to capture her attention. She doesn’t seem to notice, slipping through your fingers when you attempt to grab her shoulders. 

She scrounges through a bin until she feels the cool metal of scissors. The metal flashes in the clinic lights. She slams them down on the counter. “Cut it.”

“Cut what?” You’re confused and worried, your mind spinning as you’re still trying to process who was lost today, two days before Christmas. “Ellie-”

“My hair!” Tears stream down her hair. “I should’ve never let it get this long- I don’t even like it- and now-” Another sob breaks through, her voice cracking. 

You pull her back into your arms. She fights against you. “Please, just cut it off!” She’s desperate, barely hanging on. “I want it gone.”

“Okay.” You say. “Okay. Sit down.” 

She plops onto the nearest chair, eyes fixed on the letters of the eye chart straight ahead. It’s silent, nothing except the snip of the sheers. You could hear a pin drop, can hear her long tresses drop to the floor. You take it to her shoulders, about where it was when you first met her. This isn’t the first time you’ve cut her hair, but it feels like the most impactful. 

“Shorter.” She says.

You place your fingers midway between her shoulders and earlobes. She shakes her head. You move a little further up and still another shake of her head. You repeat it until your fingers are right under her earlobes. Finally, you get a nod. 

You hand her a hand mirror when you’re finished. She looks it over. It suits her, you think, makes her look older. 

“Thanks.”

“Ellie?”

She hears the question in your voice, knows what you’re asking. She’s not sure if she can manage the words to describe the pictures looping through her mind. 

“We ran into a couple infected. Got most of them except for one. I- my hair got caught on a bush.”

She holds eye contact with your reflection in the mirror. She shakes her head, the tears return. “I told Chris to go. I could handle it.”

You shudder. These are always hard, no remains to bring home, very little closure. You know first hand what it’s like, but losing teenagers on patrol is the hardest, losing someone Ellie’s age brings the danger too close.

“He came back. Put his arm in front of its mouth when it went to bite me.”

“Fuck…” it’s out of your mouth before your brain catches up. 

“I told him to leave me. I had my knife. I would’ve been fine.” It's barely a whisper, her hands shake.

“Ellie.” You reach out to take the mirror from her but she slams it to the ground. It shatters. 

“I would’ve been fine!” Her body shakes with all the rage it can hold, angry tears stream down her cheeks. “I had to shoot him! I would’ve been fine, but now he’s dead instead!”

You pull her into you. She tries to fight it, but you don’t let go this time, not until her tears dry up and her body stops shaking. When she pulls back, you cup her cheeks. Her voice is hoarse, scratching her throat until she settles for a whisper. “I have to do something. This can’t keep happening.”

“Ellie, it’s not your fault.”

“I think it is this time.”

Your heart breaks for her, because you see the determination set in her eyes. She’s convinced and there’s not a single thing you can say or do to change her mind. 

“I could fix this. I could save people! What’s the point of everything? Why was I made immune? To watch everyone get infected and die around me?!”

“What happened to Chris wasn’t your fault.”

“He tried to save me because he thought I needed it! And then I had to put a bullet in his head. There was no reason!”

“You didn’t kill him. Cordyceps did.”

“Are you sure? Or is that just what you tell yourself so you don’t get mad at Maria for killing your husband?”

Your breath catches in your chest. You know she doesn’t mean it, but it stings. It digs deep. You had blamed her at one point, spat the words in her face, but you push it away. You apologized. She granted forgiveness. You don’t blame her anymore. 

Her eyes burn with a rage you’ve never seen. You see the guilt weighing on her. You’re not sure she’ll be able to shake this one, another ghost to the host that haunts her. 

It’s quiet in the clinic. You can’t explain away what she feels. This one was preventable. There was a happy ending in sight. You both know that. 

“Look at my blood. I’m ready.”

“Not today.”

“Why not!?”

“You’re not in the right state of mind for this. None of us are.”

“It’s a vial of blood!”

“Not today, Ellie.” You’re firm. 

“What if something happens to you? Or Joel? Or Carter? Or this baby? And I could’ve stopped it?” She’s pleading, grasping at straws. 

“Another day. When you’re in a better place.”

“I can’t do nothing anymore!”

You hold her gaze. She’s stubborn, but so are you. She’s like a deer stuck in headlights, mind darting between rushing forward or darting back until it’s frozen. Then she’s gone in the blink of any eye. Only then do you allow room for your emotions to fill the empty clinic. 

You’re alone for maybe an hour before Joel finds you face up on one of the cots, tears streaming from the corners of your eyes. He lets out a long sigh, kneeling at your bedside. His hand runs over your head as you turn your head to him.

“I take it you heard?”

“From the source herself.” 

Joel inhales sharply. “She wouldn’t talk to me when I went over.”

You take a deep breath, chest quivering as you do. You ease into a sitting position. Joel helps you up. Your feet dangle over the side. He sits next to you, arm supporting your back. 

“She feels guilty?” Joel asks. 

“She’s blaming herself.” You run a hand over your face. “Chris put himself between her and the infected. Got bit so she wouldn’t.”

“Shit.” Joel cringes. 

You nod, keeping the rest to yourself. It doesn’t feel right to share the rest of what happened. You walk home together. The town feels silent. You pass a few people on the street, but they’re mostly in their homes, holding their families close. 

Maria comes out of Ellie’s house as you reach your congregation of houses. Unspoken words pass between you and your oldest friend. Joel kisses your head. 

“I’ll go get Carter from Tommy’s,” he says, leaving you and Maria.They nod to each other in passing. 

“She tell you?”

Maria nods. You catch the tension in her chest, even under her many layers. She’s reliving it too. 

“You know that was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” You’ve rarely heard her voice quiver. 

Your arms wrap around her. She holds on to you. “I know.” You don’t have more tears to shed, but you would if you did. “It wasn’t your fault.” 

“I know that… now.” Maria sighs, arms staying around you. “She doesn’t. Not sure she ever will.”

“I know.” 

The two of you stand in the middle of the street, depending on each other for support until Joel and Tommy pull you inside, worried you might freeze. You spend the evening at Tommy and Maria’s. It’s mostly quiet. Joel plucks at the strings of his guitar. He’s only missing one string now. Elias plays contently in the corner. Carter sits beside Joel, intently watching the way his fingers play across the frets. You’re doing what the rest of the town is, leaning on family for support. 

Eventually, the front door opens. Dina and Jesse pull Ellie inside. She looks like a ghost of herself, eyes skirting around trying to figure out who she should sit beside. You get the feeling you weren’t the only one who got snapped at today. 

“We didn’t want to leave her alone,” Dina says. 

You pick up the blanket on your lap, making room for her next to you on the couch. Her head picks up, looking for permission, like you might reject her after what she said earlier. You only nod your head and she’s falling beside you, curling up in a ball, head tucked into your side. You wrap the blanket around her.

“Thank you.” You smile up at Dina and Jesse. 

They nod. “We’ll see you tomorrow, Ellie,” Dina says. Ellie manages a small nod. 

The pair leaves and the quiet settles again. Joel is more thoughtful in his chord progressions, humming a soft melody. Carter makes his way toward you. He peers down at her. 

“I like your hair, Ellie,” He whisper yells. Ellie’s lips tip up just a little bit, but she doesn’t move otherwise. “I hope you feel better soon.” He kisses her cheek before wiggling in between you and Maria on your other side. 

Joel’s voice starts to raise as he sings. His voice has polished some the past few years, after being dormant for two decades. It reminds you more what he sounded like before the outbreak. Carter is asleep before the first song ends. As Joel transitions into another song, there’s movement in your womb. It’s happened more lately, but this picks up. Whatever the baby can hear, it likes. 

You peel through your knowledge of gestational benchmarks. You’re approaching the mark that it would be able to hear sounds outside of your womb, your voice, Joel’s. The kicking ramps up. You shift and Ellie picks her head up. “Should I-”

“No, you’re fine.” You both keep your voices low. 

But she looks unsure as you shift again. You let out a soft sigh, taking her hand and pressing it into the firm mass just above your hip. Her brow furrows and then she feels it, a firm thud right under her hand. 

“Woah… That’s so weird.” 

You smile. “You can hit back.” She looks confused. “Just nudge back. I promise, it doesn’t hurt.”

She does, a little soft at first and then harder. There’s a pause and then a double tap against her hand again. 

Ellie laughs. She actually laughs. Joy flashes across her face. Her hand doesn’t move for the rest of the evening.

Joel is curled around you in bed that night, holding you tightly to him. Ellie sleeps in the downstairs guest room and you’re 98% sure you heard Carter’s footsteps head down stairs as soon as your bedroom door closed. It would hardly be the first time he’s crawled into bed with her. 

Joel can feel the baby moving around under his arm. He doesn’t say anything about it, but you can feel the faint smile against your neck. Tonight with Ellie, the smile on her face as she essentially played with the baby, your baby sticks in your brain. You meant it to cheer her up, figured it would slide into that category of weird but cool. It seemed to, but it was really the first time you’d embraced the pregnancy, and it felt good. 

“You think Ellie’s gonna be okay?” He asks. 

You bite your lip, contemplating your response. You get a literal punch to the gut, getting out a soft grunt. 

Joel chuckles. “That was a hard one.”

Something sprouts in your chest. He’s never directly acknowledged feeling the baby even though you know he has before tonight. You’re okay with it. 

“The baby seemed to like your singing tonight.” 

Joel’s arms tighten around you. His smile grows. “That so?”

“Yeah,” You lay your hand on top of his. “Guess you’ll have to sing more often.”

“Suppose I will.” 

Silence falls again. You know he’s still waiting patiently for your response to his first question. You give it a minute. 

“I think it’s going to take a long time.” You roll over so you can face him. He cups your face, thumb running across your cheek.

He nods, mouth opening to say something before he closes it, eyes roaming over your moonlit features. 

“What is it?”

He sighs. “Just thought of something, but I shouldn’t-”

“What?”

“If we were out, and I got infected- I’d take care of it myself. I wouldn’t make you do that. Wouldn’t make anyone do it.”

You run your finger over the scar on his temple. It’s a serious conversation, one you hate the idea of, but you can’t help the teasing remark that comes out. “You so sure about that?”

Joel takes your hand in his, kissing each of your fingers. “To protect you, I’d do anything, Sweetheart.” 

You let out a shaky breath, touching your forehead to his. “I think you’d have to put the bullet in my head.”

“Ain’t ever gonna happen. I’ll make sure of that.” 

You want to shake your head at the chivalry, at the thing he can’t promise, but somehow you still believe him. Joel Miller will learn how to turn back time before he lets anything or anyone near you. 

His hand falls back to your stomach, running over and around your bump. You inhale deeply, feeling drawn toward sleep. 

“Sweetheart?”

“Hmmm?”

“If it’s something else that gets me… where I’m not putting you in danger…”

“Joel,” You want him to stop. You can’t think of that happening. You can’t think about him not coming back to you in one piece. Especially after what happened to Paul this summer. Especially now that you’re pregnant. 

“I want the last thing I hear to be your voice. Not a gunshot. That’s all.” He rubs your back. 

Tears gather under the lids of your closed eyes. He’s thought about this. You fight the constricting happening in your chest, remind yourself this is all hypothetical. 

“Okay.” You manage, wrapping your arms around his neck. “When we’re both old and senile, I’ll make sure to tell you goodnight so that it’s the last thing you ever hear.” 

He chuckles lightly, kissing your temple. “Okay.” 

Taglist: @pedrotonin @amyispxnk @joeldjarin @ilovepedro @justagalwhowrites @missladym1981 @jessthebaker @annieispunk @ashleyfilm @moel-jiller @eloquentdreamer @lizzie-cakes

[intuitive-revelations]

FLUXES [Celestis: Engineered Participants / Technologies] Example: "DOCTOR, The"

[Image description, courtesy of @quailfence: a series of pictures of text, alternated with screencaps and gifs from Doctor Who.

1: Text: Fluxes: [Celestis: Engineered Participants/Technology] Individuals transposed backwards in time but not too far in space, using a very high chaotic limiter setting and tied to their home period by a thread of biodata

2: The Eleventh Doctor stands in the future corpse of his TARDIS, looking and a pulsing stream of light that has replaced the console. He says, "That is the scar tissue of my journey through the universe. My path through time and space."

3: Text: He raised a finger. 'Look. There.

Now she could just make out the thread in the moonlight. It was just a faint reflection, maybe a foot or two long, about a metre off the ground. A taut strand of spiderweb hanging in the air, not attached to anything.

'What is it?' Fitz asked.

'It's only partially rotated into three dimensions,' he said. He pushed his finger right through the glimmering line, without affecting it. 'That's why it looks one- or two-dimensional. The rest is still perpendicular to what we can see - woven into higher space, or the time vortex…'

'Yes,' said Fitz, 'but what is it?' 'It's what your friend mistook for a ley line.' The Doctor was scuttling around the silver thread, peering at it from every angle, getting more and more agitated. 'It's part of the fabric of space-time itself. What DNA is to your genetic code, this stuff is to biodata. And it's all just exposed here now. Personality, history, memory, perception, all vulnerable…'

'I'm going to have to ask you again, aren't I?' said Fitz.

The Doctor said, 'It's me.'

4: The Fourteenth and Fifteenth doctors in the TARDIS. 14: "But you're fine?" 15: "I'm fine, because you fixed yourself. We're Time Lords, we're doing rehab out of order."

5: Text: The subject is turned loose in his or her own history, and the limiter setting allows tiny actions taken by the future version to have considerable effects on the past version. The biodata link then transfers these changes to the future version, which alters it, and thus alters the changes made to the past version. Therefore, the individual's history is kept constantly in flux.

6: The Fugitive Doctor says, "Let me take it from the top: Hello, I'm the Doctor."

7: Text: Let me finish. Think back to that time when you went to see your previous selves.

8: Ten, Eleven, and War talk to each other. Ten: "You're not actually suggesting that we change our own personal history?" Eleven: "We change history all the time. I'm suggesting far worse."

9: Text: 'Maybe there's no one home on Gallifrey,' said the boy softly. There was just the one of him.

The Doctor looked at him, cupping the small white cube in his hands. The boy said, Maybe they all left. Or maybe the whole planet's being destroyed, and undestroyed, and destroyed, and you just caught them at the wrong moment.

10: The TARDIS by the ruins of Gallifrey

11: Text: 'It's impossible,' said the Doctor. 'It's impossible for my people. Our past is unreachable. What's written can't be unwritten.'

'Who said your history can't change?'

Another boy answered, 'Someone from his history.'

And another: 'Maybe it's the second-biggest lie in Time Lord history.'

12: Dhawan!Master tells Thirteen, "You are the Timeless Child."

13: Thitreen stares at a ruined house. Swarm whispers in her ear and tells her, "All the memories you've lost, all the people you've been. It's all in there, contained within that house."

14: Text: And it was like the Doctor's home. As if his ship understood the loss of the House and had compensated to fill the emptiness. Shadowy corridors, alcoves and stairways, a secret at every turn. Like being in the Doctor's head. Like his life, for that matter, the details of which were strewn like flotsam across the floor.

15: Text: 'Sweet,' said the little boy. 'That's my favourite of your origin stories, too.'

The Doctor opened his eyes. He had been laughing, he realised, he felt that lightness in himself. The boys had all moved away, behind him, leaving him facing the empty dark of the warehouse.

'What do you mean?' he asked. His voice sounded very small.

'Is this the version where they banned all mention of his name, and yours, for consorting with aliens? Or the one where he got every record of himself deleted from the files?'

'Feel free to believe either of them,' snapped the Doctor, 'or both of them, or neither of them. If you're curious about my past, I want there to be as many wrong answers as possible.'

16: The Eighth Doctor tells someone, "I'm half human. On my mother's side."

17: Text: 'Well he's a hybrid, you know that. A Gallifreyan not born of Gallifreyan, the one who unites the two races and brings good old human niceness into their alien society. Aliens need that, y'know.'

'A human hybrid? She saw the contempt in his curling lip. 'Pseudoscientific nonsense. There's no evidence,' he repeated.

'He's allowed to be different. He's got a prophecy and everything.'

18: Lady Me says, "By your own reasoning, why couldn't the Hybrid be half Time Lord, half human?"

19: Text: Someone giggled. 'Let's play pin the tale on the donkey.'

'Maybe you didn't use to have a father.'

'Maybe you're living in the middle of a time war. Maybe there's an Enemy out there -'

The Doctor shouted, 'I'm not listening!'

'- who's rewriting you when you're not looking!'

'Maybe you weren't always half human.'

'But now you've become always half human.' 'Maybe you weren't always a Time Lord.'

But now you've always been a Time Lord.'

'Maybe you originally came from some planet in the forty-ninth century. Fleeing from the Enemy who'd overrun your home -'

'I said I'm not listening! Laa laa laa laa laa -'

'- and you've just been written and rewritten and overwritten, ever since.'

'Pin the tale!'

'How d'you know it's not true?'

'How could you know it's not true?'

The voices crowded in. 'How would you know, huh?'

'How would you know?'

'How would 'How would you 'How 'How would you know? you know? you know? know?'

'Why would I care?' shouted the Doctor.

The boy fell silent.

20: Lady Me asks, "Am I right? Is it true?" Twelve replies, "Does it matter?"

21: Text: However, the one group from the Homeworld which has excelled at flux-engineering is the Celestis.

22: Two asks the Time Lords, "Now then… what about me?"

23: Tecteun tells Thirteen, "Which is ehy we engineered the Fluyx: Shut the universe down and you within it."

24: Text: Even Mictlan itself can be considered a kind of enormous flux, an endlessly-shifting realm so cortosive to the rest of history that its heartland has to be kept on the outer skin of the universe

24: The Fourteenth Doctor tells Donna, "I invoked a supersition, at the edge of the universe, where the walls are thin and everything is possible."

25: The space station from Wild Blue Yonder

26: Text: There are suggestions of a stable middle-ground between the two fates, in which the physical matter of the flux is lost but the meaning of the subject/ victim is retained, a series of memetic connections with no flesh to support it. Yet this entity exists only on a purely theoretical level, relying on the perceptions of others to survive at all.

27: The Twelfth Doctor walks up to the TARDIS console. He says, "Can't wait to hear what I say." Glancing at the viewer, he adds, "I'm noting without an audience."

28: Text: You know what Sam represents. If a tree falls in a forest and no one's there to hear it, does it make a sound? Stop me if I'm getting too abstract here, but if a Time Lord saves the world and nobody witnesses him doing it, does history care? She's your witness. The thing you need to make you whole.

29: The First Doctor looks at the viewer and says, "Incidentally, a Happy Christmas to all of you at home!" End description.]

[Plain text: Fluxes [Celestis: Engineered Participants / Technologies] Example: "Doctor, The". End plain text.]

@dw-described

[mangosrar]

call it what you want part 13

this chapter is ass sorry xxxxxx

“y/n?!”. fuck.

you and matt both turned to eachother with wide eyes, frantically trying to think of a way out of this.

“i thought he was asleep?!” you whisper shouted.

“so did i!” he whispered back.

“y/n are you in there?��� chris asked, his voice slightly muffled due to the wooden barrier of the door.

you couldn’t ignore him forever, you had to just bite the bullet.

“yeah chris i’m in here” you replied, turning away from matt and towards the door, squeezing your eyes shut while placing your palm to your forehead, and your other hand on your hip.

“where’s matt?” he questioned, but there was a slight pitch to his voice that made you think he already knew.

your eyes shot open and you turned to look at may again before ushering him to be quiet.

“he uh..” you cut yourself off, clearing your throat. “i’m pretty sure he’s in bed” you replied.

there was a moment of silence, both you and matt stood there staring at the door.

“mh okay, we’ll i’m going to bed so hurry up, or you’re sleeping on the floor” chris said, before walking away.

you couldn’t move. you had been holding you’re breath for the past 20 seconds and you felt like you were about to pass out, the height of the situation making your brain go 100mph.

what would chris say?

would he be angry?

would he be happy?

would he hate me and matt for the rest of our lives?

you couldn’t gather your thoughts, until a giggle broke you’re trance.

of course matt was laughing. while you were stood there with clammy hands and you’re heart beating out of your chest. he was laughing.

“that wasn’t funny” you breathed, snapping your head around to face him, eyes looking up into his squinted ones.

“come on admit it was a little funny” he said, running his hands up your arms, bringing one hand up to brush a stray piece of hair out of your face, before letting it rest on your cheek.

you just rolled your eyes and shook your head, but you couldn’t help the grin that was pulling at your lips.

when your eyes landed back on matts face, you felt a little vulnerable. he was staring at you intensely, like he was trying to make a memory, studying every single freckle on your face, every scar, every ridge, taking mental notes and storing them away in his brain.

“what?” you whispered, looking up at him with those big round eyes that made his head spin.

he blinked, rubbing his thumb back and forth slowly along your skin.

“how did i ever hate you?” he replied, so quietly, you almost missed it, before bringing his lips to yours softly, letting them linger there for a second, before pulling back only slightly, so his nose was brushing against yours.

“what are we gonna tell everyone?” he mumbled, before pressing another chaste kiss to your lips.

your head jerked back slightly at his question, and your eyebrows pinched together. you weren’t actually sure. it was like you had been in a daze these past 15 minutes, and forgotten about the outside world, about chris, jessica elijah, even the fact that 2 months ago, you couldn’t stand the sight of matt breathing, yet here you were, pressed against him.

“we can’t” you shook your head. “we can’t tell anyone, this has to be just between us” you swallowed, suddenly becoming very uneasy.

matt sighed, pulling away slightly, to get a better look of your face, before nodding. “okay”

“okay?” you questioned, raising your eyebrows in shock. you expected him to protest, or even try and convince you not to keep it a secret.

“yeah, i mean chris and nick would totally freak out, especially chris and besides, jessica and elijah are still in the picture” he shrugged, letting his hand fall from your face, to rest on your hips.

you just nodded at him, he was right, but your chest sunk a little at the mention of jessica and elijah. of course you knew they were part of the reason this was going on, but you thought that might have changed after what just happened.

there was a pregnant pause, matt still studying your face, and yours staring at his chest with a frown on your face. there were a million different scenarios running through your head, a thousand alternate endings and 101 reasons why this could go wrong and why this will go wrong, but you stayed quiet, keeping your agreement in place.

“you should get to bed” matt whispered, pulling you away from your thoughts.

“so should you”. you replied softly, letting your eyes fall closed and your head rest on his chest, breathing in his cologne.

“yeah but i just wanna kiss you more”.

-

“you took your time” chris murmured, keeping his back to you as you climbed into his bed, pulling the covers over you.

“yeah sorry” you replied, laying on your back facing the ceiling, trying desperately to wipe the cheesy grin off of your face.

“matts in bed huh?” he questioned, still facing away from you.

“yes chris” you said, keeping your tone snappy, desperately trying to convince him.

“so why was he in the bathroom with you downstairs?” he asked, turning to also lie on his back, facing the ceiling.

your head snapped round to look at him, but his eyes were facing up, and your whole body tensed up, you thought you had been more careful than that.

“chris.. it’s not what you think” you rambled.

“my brother, in the bathroom, with my best freind, who he supposedly hates, while she’s in the shower…..what is it then y/n? please enlighten me” he said. his tone was harsh as he finally turned his head to look at you with a stoic expression.

you just swallowed and blinked at him with your eyebrows pulled together. you couldn’t defend yourself, and you couldn’t come up with an excuse. there was no way out of this.

“i’m not sure what’s going on y/n, but i know for a fact that matt is going to hurt you. he’s my brother and i love him but he’s a douche bag. he ended up with jessica for a reason so i won’t ask you to stop whatever you’ve started, but please don’t come running to me when he fucks you over” chris’s tone was harsh but his face didn’t change. he needed you to understand.

there was an abundant pause while you processed his words. he ended up with jessica because he was stupid. not because he was a douche bag.

“can you not tell anyone?” you asked meekly. you’re voice so quiet, like if you spoke too loud, the walls of the house would crumble around you. you felt pathetic. not only had you lied to chris, but you were now asking him to possibly lie for you.

he just scoffed and rolled over. once again turning his back to you.

“sure y/n.”

chris wasn’t convincing you, but you knew him well enough to know that he wouldn’t, but you also knew chris was wrong. matt wouldn’t hurt you, sure he was known for being a douche bag player, but this was different, you could feel the way he feels radiating off of him when he wwas next to you. he wouldn’t. but never say never.

——————————————————————————

no more taglist xxxxx

[yoonia]

the bedroom hymns ● chapter xxii

⟶ Chapter summary | Anyone would think you daring to gamble with your life, to keep using the magic doors to escape despite your circumstances. But you cannot help to feel restless, unable to stay still when you still have too many questions to answer, nor when fate keeps pointing a new path for you and doors to enter. So when fate once again points you towards a new door, you cannot resist stepping into the next world, to see what kind of surprises that fate has in store for you.

⟶ Title | The Bedroom Hymns: a Bluebeard’s twist ⟶ Pairings | Min Yoongi x female reader  ⟶ Genre | Fairy Prince!Yoongi, Crown Princess!reader, Fantasy!AU, Fairy Tale retelling ⟶ Word count | 9,500 words ⟶ Ratings | PG-13, +18 / M for Mature for future chapters; include magic terms, classism, brief mention of slavery, black market, usage of drugs mentioned, hypnotism.  ⟶ Story Masterlist: The Bedroom Hymns | ⤎ previous chapter | next chapter ⇢ ⟶ Main Masterlist | Mailbox | Taglist | Feedback | Music Playlist | Ko-fi

⟶ Author's note | Forgive me for the delay, but we finally have a new chapter and we'll continue our little adventures. I know I said that I wasn't going to split this part into separate chapters, but after finishing it, the lengthy word count didn't seem fitting for me to post this one as a full piece. I hope the change won't ruin your reading experience! Enjoy reading and have fun!

chapter xxii. serendipity-2

The silence in the hallways of Stargrave feels peculiar today.

The sun is still up. You can hear the palace maids chatting in their break rooms and service halls when you walk past after you are done with your lessons with Lady Laurel at the library, yet you have yet to see any of them walking down the corridors and halls when you make your way through the castle. 

Once again, your day was filled with long, exhausting hours of tutoring—hours of reading through a variety of tomes on magic and old folktales of Ancients and Kings—and minor royal duties, which ended only once afternoon comes and your tutors retreated to their quarters. With Lord Gordan once again absent for your afternoon lessons, still busy filling in for His Majesty King Aneas and dealing with the royal duties until the King returns, it leaves your afternoon free of any activities.

But your mind is still too lively for you to retreat into your bedchamber and find a moment to rest. The adrenaline that you felt from the previous days still keeping you high-strung to remain still. So you fill your free time strolling down the hallways of Stargrave, finding some entertainment in memorising the long-winding corridors, mapping out the halls and rooms and the indoor atriums that you walk past just to keep your mind busy. 

Normally, you would be spending the time browsing for the magic doors, either finding one that would tempt you into using the magic key to venture through the portal or simply learning more about their characteristics and the secrets behind each door. 

But not this time. 

Not because you are reluctant, or that you are disinterested in having another journey so soon after the last one you had. But it is because of the lack of privacy you are getting after stepping out of the library.  

Aside from your mealtime and the designated time for your daily tutoring sessions, you are rarely escorted by the royal guards. You would usually see them standing in their posts during this time of the day, all staying alert even when there is barely any threat coming to Stargrave. 

But today, you have Sir Stephan following you close, watching your every move and making sure to be there while you are making a stroll from one place to another. 

“Do you have nothing to do with your time, Sir Stephan?” You finally speak to him after walking in silence together for quite some time with him keeping only a few steps distance behind. “Or do you wish to have another sparring today?” 

You hear a soft chuckle from him before he speaks. “Lord Gordan has caught wind of what happened the other day,” Sir Stephan responds with a slight tilt on the corner of his mouth. 

You raise your eyebrows as you look at him. “Did he scold you for indulging me?” 

“No, Your Highness. He didn’t seem pleased, but—” His lips twitch, as if amused to say, “He seemed oddly intrigued by the news when he learned that you have beaten me during our sword fighting.” 

You let out a scoff. “As he should, since he’s been the one training me in place of my father.” Your hand twitches, suddenly aching to have a grip on the hilt of your sword again, to have a grip on something. 

You suddenly feel the desire to have your body moving again with another practice. The golden dagger that you had slipped under the skirt of your day dress this morning feels tight against your upper thigh, reminding you that it exists there, even if hidden from sight, ready for you whenever you find the need to pull it out. 

And you do have enough free time to mess around with it this afternoon. 

Only that your muscles are still aching, caused by the rigorous sparring and the intense fight happening on the same day. The wound from the fight against the guards of Arselon itself has mostly healed—thanks to the medicinal herbs that Gaia pasted on your skin and possibly some kind of remedial spells that she might have slipped in—but the faint scar was still visible when you took off your bandage this morning. 

Instinctively, you move your other hand, reaching up to your forearm and pressing against the scar from over the sleeve of your dress. Choosing a long-sleeved day dress this morning raised some questions from the maid assigned to help you this morning, as the weather is quite warm today and she had expected you to request a thinner and shorter dress instead. But you managed to alleviate her worries simply by telling her that you wanted to have a nice change. 

The healing scar might be hidden now under your sleeve, yet you can still feel the phantom pain pulsing when you move, reminding you that it would be too soon for you to raise your sword again.  

Your arms fall back to your sides as you turn toward a corridor leading to the side courtyard, the sounds of Sir Stephan’s footsteps echoing close as he follows. You take notice of the silence and bring up a different topic to get your mind out of it—of the fight, the scar, and the empty feeling in your hand with nothing to hold. 

“It seems that Lord Gordan has been rather busy.” 

“He is indeed, Your Highness. The royal duties never stop coming for the royal aide.” 

You look over your shoulder, meeting Stephan’s gaze. “And he has since sent you to make sure I’m not causing trouble when he’s not babysitting me? Or is this some sort of a punishment that he has given you for accommodating my actions from yesterday?” 

Again, the guard’s lips twitch to a broken smile. “I won’t dare say that the royal aide sees you as a troublemaker, Your Highness.” 

Holding back a chuckle, you turn away to continue your stroll, your escort quickly following close behind. “Everyone seems to be busy today, more than other days,” you muse, almost to yourself. “Is something happening?” 

“I cannot dare say—”

“Without my guardian’s permission, I take it?” you retort back with another scoff. “Nanny Abigail has been my guardian since I was a wee babe. Well, supposedly older, if I recall correctly. And she has always been open to me about the business with the empire, no matter what it is,” you find yourself sharing a bit of yourself before you can stop it, before glancing back at your guard again. “I assume that Lord Gordan has taken over the duty under the King’s order? Seems like he’s doing things differently when it comes to sharing information about the happenings in the empire.” 

It makes you feel bitter just thinking about it. You have always hated being kept in the dark about certain things. Including all the things that should have mattered to you. And you will surely hate it should you be placed in such position once again. 

Sir Stephan takes a moment to consider his response, which only confirms your suspicion. “It has been officially passed on to the palace staff that you are currently under Lord Gordan’s guardianship, though Lady Abigail still retains her role as your governess,” he carefully explains instead of giving you a direct answer. “If there’s any news that may involve your wellbeing and your duties in the palace, I am sure that either the royal aide or the Governess will inform you themselves.” 

Sighing, you can only nod. You keep your eyes looking towards the courtyard for a moment before smiling at him. “And until then, you’re going to have to remain patient as my babysitter?” 

This time, when you turn to look at your guard again, he makes no effort to hide his amused smile. “I wouldn’t mind it.” 

Closing your eyes, you tilt your head up, relishing the warm late afternoon sunlight falling on your face. 

This is quite a nice change, you wonder with a grateful sigh. 

After your previous trips, where you were taken to sacred places where you were met only with twilight and dim grey of sunlight, having this kind of warmth blanketing your skin and being surrounded by all the radiant colours spreading around you feels like a nice treat to enjoy. 

Having an adrenaline rush flowing through your blood may have alleviated this feeling too. A mixed sense of thrill and relief that you had gotten after fate gave you the chance to slip away from your temporary shadow of a guard. 

Any hope you had for being able to find the time and a chance to escape so you could travel today had started to dwindle, when Sir Stephan continued to follow you, shadowing your movements. Even when it was obvious that you had simply been walking down the long hallways and quiet corridors of Stargrave with no obvious direction, the guard was relentless. 

He only kept quiet, letting you continue exhausting yourself for quite some time. Barring you from entering the hallway where the magic doors were located so you could slip away to a different part of the realm. Until fate intervened. 

Another guard came in just when you were about to give up. Announcing that Lord Gordan had summoned Sir Stephan to come and meet the royal aide in his office. Not expecting the sudden change of duty, Sir Stephan looked hesitant about stepping away, while you couldn’t have been more eager to relieve him from his duty before he could even get a word in. 

“I should at least walk you back towards your bedchamber,” he said before he departed. You may have only known him for a short time, but it was quite obvious that he was displeased to know that he was being let go from his post. 

You held back a smile as you teased him, “To make sure that I won’t escape and cause some trouble?” From the corner of your eyes, you could see the other guard widening his eyes. He seemed baffled as he looked back and forth between you and his fellow knightly guard, amused to see the other guard bantering smoothly with their princess. 

Sir Stephan’s lips quirked to a grin. “Just making sure that you’ll be safe without an escort,” he said, stressing out his words as he regarded you with, “Your Highness.” 

“I’ll be safe between these walls. My bedchamber is merely a hall away,” you answered him by tilting your chin towards the small connecting hall leading you towards the West Tower. “It seems that your business with Lord Gordan is more urgent than sending me off to my afternoon nap.” 

Sir Stephan said nothing to respond, but the way his gaze flickered towards the next hall was sharp and quick, and you could tell that he had to hold back. A lot. Keeping his words to himself, the guard merely nodded and bowed. 

“Then I shall take my leave,” he said. “I shall inform the royal aide that you are on your way to your quarter.”  

You returned his bow with a nod and turned away before he could say anything else. And you kept on walking towards the next corridor, listening closely to the sound of their footsteps as they walked the opposite way. Only once you were sure they were no longer in sight, you quickly turned to a different hall to begin your afternoon exploits. 

You walked through some more corridors and then headed down some stairs, finding yourself in the Apex Hall connecting the center palace and the tower housing the king’s chambers, where lines and lines of doors appeared before your eyes. The hall was devoid of any form of activities, as there were only guest bedrooms and galleries for royal guests available in this part of the castle. But after going through a royal guest room the one time to find your way to Aeris, you were curious to see if you could find any portals hidden among these doors that would be able to lead you to places similar to the mage city.

Places that wouldn’t be as daunting and gloomy as the previous places you’ve recently been to, that aren’t as dilapidated from hardships or haunted by their dark history. 

The ground floor hall was filled with charming things, trinkets and decorations that made the place look even more alive than the other parts of Stargrave; royal portraits of who you assumed to be your ancestors or the previous kings and queens; sculptures and vases filled with fresh flowers; tables similar yet smaller to the ones you saw in guest rooms, all carved similarly to the ornate doors standing all round the atrium.

You walked up some steps and stood by one of those doors which had caught your attention among others. Made of old cherrywood—much like these other doors, only slightly darker—with carvings of tendrils of ivy looping around its frame, the door had a delicate charm which was alluring to look at.

It was the image carved at the center which had mostly drawn you to it; the carving of a chalice and crescent moon, similar to the image painted on the banners you saw at the temple of Arselon. 

The only difference you saw was that the crescent moon wasn’t hovering above the chalice but instead carved within its core, as if it was portraying the moon as being presented like fine and holy wine. 

The grooves around the carvings were filled with threads of silver lining, glinting under the dim light of the afternoon which penetrated through the glass windows under the arch ceiling above your head. Silver dust floated from the keyhole as you pulled out your magic key, beckoning you to reach it. 

The same silver dust seems to have followed you to this place, floating in the air where the streaks of sunlight are falling, floating above the lake filled with crystal-clear waters vastly spreading before you, and between your fingers when you reach out to touch the vibrant petals of the wild roses growing all around you.

There is magic here, pulsing in the same rhythm as your heartbeat as if living and breathing. Strange how it makes you feel like you have become one with the place, and you barely spent more than an hour strolling across the grassy plains. 

A spread of green grass as thick as the rugs you find back at the palace lies beneath your feet. Your low heels sink into the soft grass with each step you take, yet you find no discomfort as you continue to stroll down the small forested hill where you had emerged from. Excitedly, but cautiously at the same time, you cross the meadow with your eyes drawn towards the glittering lake. 

Beautiful, you wonder to yourself. And it feels so peaceful here. 

You look at your surroundings, enjoying the scenery that is presented for you to see. All around you, there are only trees, spreading all around and to the top of the hill. A myriad of colours appear before you as the shades of yellow and beige and brown are mixing into the green as they grow from the trees, a sign that autumn is seeping in. Some leaves have also dropped onto the ground, covering the green grass with yellow dots sprouting here and there among the vibrant roses. The air is fresh, filled with the scent of fresh grass and damp soil. A cool breeze flows all around you, and the warm sun feels comforting against your skin. 

Looking over across the lake, you see no sign of a town or anything that may indicate the presence of humans. But the more you look, the more you are curious, seeing that the trees on the other side of the lake appear to be bigger, stretching up to reach the sky, and thicker. The foliage seems denser, enough to hide something in the shadows. 

Just like the grove back in Arselon which kept the Keep and the shelters where the humans lived in hiding. 

You continue to stroll around the lake, hoping to find a way to get across and see if you can find anything on the other side. Once again, fate seems to be on your side—or perhaps you are just getting lucky today—as you find your wish fulfilled the moment you see the bridge crossing the lake.  

Without any hesitation, you walk up to make it across. From up the bridge, you find the chance to fully marvel at the nature around you as you get a better view of everything. And you cannot help but marvel at the structure stretching over the lake, connecting the two separate plains together. 

The sturdy bridge rises from the lake, standing firm from one end of the woodlands to another and high above the water like a solid gate. The structure is built with weathered stones, the foundation below covered with moss and lichen, adding a touch of green to the grey and brown. Thick ivy weaves its way along the stone bannister, softening the hard edges with its delicate tendrils. Looking down to the body of the bridge below, you see arches formed high enough to allow small boats to come passing through. 

On the top, the bridge’s width is enough for a single horse carriage to travel across, while the passage is covered with natural stones that are smoothed by countless footsteps and slightly etched by marks of wheels from carriages that may have come across from time to time. It’s obvious that this isn’t some simple structure that manifested itself from nature, nor was it built by lesser beings. Although the earthly colours do make it seem like the bridge has blended into the nature it is built on, causing you to nearly miss it the first time you looked. 

Halfway across the bridge, a gentle breeze flows around you, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth, and something more succulent and vibrant and fresh, a different vibe from the quiet woodlands you had just stepped away from. Slowly, you come to a halt, taking this moment to take another look at the lake as you get to see it from a different angle. 

From up here, it seems as if the lake is stretched out endlessly, its surface is clear like crystals, with the glimmers coming from the silver specks of dust and the reflection of the warm sunlight glowing all the way up to your skin. Small ripples disturb the mirror-like stillness, appearing in multiple spots where you think you might find fishes swimming beneath the surface or leaves falling from above. 

Smiling, you take a deep breath, taking in the scents before continuing your journey across. At the end of the bridge, a canopy of leaves welcomes you as thick branches appear to be growing and stretching low, covering what is hidden on the other side. You keep your eyes forward as you step off the bridge, and the moment your heel lands on the less solid gravel pathway, the air around you seems to ripple and shift. 

With a gasp, you feel a rush of magic coursing through your body. It doesn’t feel painful, yet strange enough to make your head spin a little before you finally regain your bearings. Only a short moment later do you finally realise that you have just walked across what seems to be a border, where a protective spell has been cast to cover the land before you. With a jolt, you realise that your arrival has somehow disturbed the spell, unlocking the magic to allow you passage to continue your journey.

Still reeling over your sudden encounter with a foreign magic spell, you continue walking down the gravel-covered pathway without a word. The sparks from the magic cling to your skin for a moment longer before it slowly wanes as you walk deeper into the thickets, clearing your senses just as the low branches in front of you begin to sway. 

The movement is quick, as if they are suddenly forced to hold some kind of weight. As the rustling sound of leaves begins to grow violent, its shaking sends drying leaves falling down your path, your steps falter until you completely stop. 

The swaying of branches intensifies, and before you can even reach your dagger to protect yourself, something pops between the leaves. 

“Hello!” 

A small, cheerful voice greets you, coming from a creature that is just as small—tiny face, tiny smile, with a pair of pointy ears that remind you of the elves, yet a version of it which is probably merely a palm-sized big—hanging upside down from the low branch hanging right in front of your face. Only once your shock subsides when you recognise what kind of being is greeting you from behind the leaves. 

A pixie. 

A smile grows on your lips. You have learned about them—the pixies—through one of the books in the library that Lady Laurel made you read. The Magnificent Beings of The Elements. 

In the book, the pixies have drawn your interest more than others. Known as little magical creatures that hide in the woodlands, the pixies were treated almost like dragons—mythical beings that are rare but most sought after. They are known to create the magical element, the pixie dust, which has a myriad of effects which are valuable to many. 

To nature, pixie dust helps cast magic into the land—helping plants to grow more affluent and flowers to bloom more vibrant, for water to be cleansed of any toxin or grime, and for the air to remain fresh even in the bleakest of weather. 

To other beings, pixie dust can be used as a cure for ailments, to heal physical wounds, and to alleviate the ailment of the mind. 

But for most humans, pixie dust can act like a drug, giving them psychedelic sensations and causing them to feel high and happy and filled with joy or to have intense hallucinations. 

For these reasons, the pixies were once hunted down, captured and sold as pets as part of illegal trade, to be made into house slaves, or to be used to create as many pixie dust to be sold illegally in the black markets as drugs that humans can use to get high. That was until the protection law for magical beings changed, forbidding any form of trading involving the pixies and other mythical creatures of the fairy tale land. They have since been declared as one of the most protected creatures, mostly hidden in sanctuaries that were built on higher grounds, up in the mountains, and the deepest woodlands.

“Oh, hello there. I didn’t see you up there,” you greet them back, smiling, and you can see the creature’s smile widening further. 

“Of course, you didn’t. You weren’t supposed to,” the pixie pridefully boasts, before flipping back into the leaves and jumping into another branch, this time sitting down with their legs swaying beneath them. 

“But we’ve seen you,” the tiny thing adds, while you tilt your head, wondering what they meant.  

“Have we met before?” 

The pixie excitedly nods, throwing the short strands of their honey-blond hair up and down their face. “We work with our master, Trish, at the magic shop in Aeris. We helped Master find some spell book for ‘ya.” 

Blinking, you suddenly remember the day you spent in Aeris. And then you remember entering the magic shop—l'Équinoxe—and the female elf who was running it, and your eyes grow wide at the memory of seeing tiny pixies jumping between the racks to fetch orders for their customers. Some with their hair pinned or tied up in ponytails, while others wore floppy hats that clung to their heads even as they moved quickly from one corner of the shop to another. And all of them wore the same bright green top and white pants, exactly what your new little friend is wearing right now. 

“Of course!” you cheerfully say, clapping your hands when you recall seeing a pixie with honey-blond hair perching atop the bannister on the mezzanine floor above the shop, where the shop owner—Trish—disappeared into to fetch your spell book. “So you were the—staff, in the shop?” 

The pixie’s lips curl to a sneaky smile. “We were not taken in to work in the shop as slaves, if that’s what you’re worried about—” the creature says, while you are taken aback and feeling guilty that the pixie can guess what you were thinking, “Trish has helped a lot of us in the sanctuary and when we wanted to do something in return, she gave us the job in her shops. We earn our wages, benefits, and even some vacation time when we need them, just like any other creatures in the mage city.” 

“So you mean”—you look around with a new sense of awe—“this is your sanctuary.” 

“This is home.” The pixie says, sighing with a content smile on their face. And then their eyes flicker with curiosity as they question you, “So what are you up to in this place?” 

The smile that comes to your face is small, but unguarded. It feels refreshing to hear the same question given to you, only without any underlying threat or suspicions this time. For the first time, you aren’t feeling like a criminal for crossing a border to a new land. To be seen as a regular traveller instead of a stranger trespassing into others’ land. 

“I was merely passing through,” you answer with a tilt of your head. “I was running away from home because I was having an odd day.” 

The pixie snorts. “Odd day isn’t good.” A frown forms on their face as if the thought of you having an unpleasant day is making them unhappy too. “It’s weird that you choose to hide here.” 

You shrug. “Why would it be weird?” 

Shrugging—the action coming out as a mirror to yours instead of it being something natural for them to do—the tiny thing nonchalantly answers, “Because only elves and fairies can pass through the gates. That was a part of the condition in the protection spell that was given to the sanctuary to protect us from danger.” 

Your heart skips a beat. A tiny slip that makes your breath catch, while something starts nagging at the back of your mind. Every single peculiar event that you have encountered before comes rushing back to you; from your previous journeys, from the words shared by the people you met, and the things you inadvertently learned from them—

“But you won’t regret it,” the pixie continues, oblivious to your wandering mind. “There are many things to see here.” 

You brush away your thoughts to smile. “Is that so? Then it’s a good thing that I’m here.” 

“Do you need a guide? We can show you around. We know every place to see here and where not to go,” the pixie says, jumping up and down on the branch with excitement, as if guiding you through their land seems like some kind of a fun game for them. 

Seeing this, and noticing the playful gaze in their eyes, remind you of something about them that you’ve learned from your books that cannot resist teasing, “Will it be okay? Are you sure you wouldn’t trick me into anything nefarious?” 

You grin at the pixie while they cock their head to the side, narrowing their eyes at you. Based on the texts you read in the books, their kind is often portrayed to have childlike personalities; mostly friendly and kind-hearted, but other times mischievous and playful, with a bit of naughty nature as they all love to play and have fun. 

There were stories written in those books where pixies, who live mostly in the deepest woodlands and higher plains, would come out at night and use their pixie dust to trick travellers and hunters, manipulating their minds with the potent magic of their dust to leave them astray between the woods. 

But there were also stories of pixies helping little children in distress, saving them from any kind of peril and guiding them home when they were lost in the woods, making them one of the most contradictory beings among any other mythical creatures you’ve learned about. 

The pixie merely rolls their eyes. “We might be naughty bits, but we promised Trish to not cause trouble as long as we live here. We’ve lost our old home a long, long time ago, and we want to keep this one for as long as we’re allowed to.” Their words are filled with grief, yet the way they are talking about it doesn’t show much about their loss, as the tone of their voice remains playful. 

As if their mind is already jumping to the next topic, the pixie leans forward with a grin to ask, “What’s your name?” 

“I’m ________,” you answer with a smile. “What should I call you?” 

“Eydan,” the pixie introduces themselves by standing upright on the branch and bowing down to their waist—like a royal greeting. A wide grin appears on their face when they straighten up again, the strands of their hair flowing with the breeze. “That’s the name. The only pixie here with honey-blond hair”—Eydan flips their hair—”never forget it.” 

Y'ethmelle is the name of this place. 

A town where elves reside, those with a deep connection to the earth and plants and deep respect for nature. Their home becomes the source of their power, their magic, and it breathes and pulses together with the lives within. 

And this place has become the perfect sanctuary for pixies like Eydan, who had once been through the kind of hardship just like what you have read in the books. 

While sharing a bit of their past before entering Y'ethmelle, Eydan guides you through the trees, entering the woodlands until you finally get to see it—a town hidden in the forest, blending in with the trees, the boulders, the hills, before rising up the stone wall where water was cascading from the top to the banks below. There are structures built along the thickest giant trees, forming from the ground and up the thick branches were small houses made of timber and glass that look like crystals. 

The same structures appear on the stone walls; small wooden houses floating on either side of the waterfall; hanging on top of the massive boulders framing the riverbanks; and some sinking into the foot of the cliff wall. Some houses were built extremely low and just enough for the pixies to reside in, as they blend into the small hills or hidden between the roots of the giant old trees that you saw during your stroll through the magic town. 

Eydan points out their home—the one small opening hidden between the roots of a giant elm tree—before pointing to a house built with stone structures at the very end of the tree line. “That’s where Master Trish lives. The pixies that work with her live in small houses like ours, all built close enough to her home, so she can often invite us for dinners and other celebrations when she’s free.”

“Where is your boss now, then?” you ask when you notice that the house is quiet. 

Eydan hops from one branch to another, and that is when you realise that the pixie never truly stops moving. They are constantly jumping, hopping and swinging on the branches, rarely ever stepping foot on the ground unless when they are sitting atop a stone. 

“At the city. Aeris. She mentioned having some business to take care of at the shop. The shop is closed today, that’s why we’re home,” Eydan explains, “But Master Trish is always working. Even when she’s not busy at the shop, she would be away on trips to gather some new things to sell.” 

“Is that why you have enough free time to guide a human across your homeland?” 

Eydan grins. “Yes, but it was also an odd day for us.” 

“How come?” 

Flopping onto a nearby boulder, Eydan stands on one leg, balancing themselves as they answer, “We weren’t supposed to be off work today, but Master Trish suddenly said she had something important to do and people to see, so we were told to stay home. But then we had so much free time that we played all morning, dancing, and jumping around the river, but then we got bored. That’s when you came.” 

The pixie flips to balance themselves on their hand when they continue, “Besides, it’s nearly the full moon. Us pixies always grow restless when it is time to celebrate the memorial of our found freedom.” 

And that is when Eydan sits you down, sharing with you the tale behind the pixies’ freedom and how they all got to this place. 

“Once upon a time, a young pixie managed to escape from their master. Seeking freedom in the woodlands, the pixie hid between the trees, claiming the forest as their new home and shelter and away from dangerous people looking to exploit their magic for nefarious uses. 

One night during their hiding, the pixie sensed a human walking through the trees. While staying in the shadows, the pixie cautiously watched the human, thinking that the human had come to harm them. But upon closer look, the pixie found out that the human was just a little girl. A princess who got lost in the woods and couldn’t find her way back home. So the pixie revealed themselves, offering to use their pixie dust to guide the princess to find her way home. Once she was saved, the princess returned to favour by fighting for the freedom of all pixies.”

You listen to their story with a fond smile. Among every single tale you’ve read about the pixies, you have never seen this part of their story written in the books, nor the old scriptures you found in the library which told about old, forgotten tales of The Land Far Far Away. 

“That was how we finally got our freedom. All because one pixie escaped their master and became friends with a kind-hearted princess one night. The princess was the one who wrote the law to protect us, to free us from anyone who tried to keep us like pets and slaves.” 

Eydan’s eyes glow with pride as they continue with their tale, while your heart feels warm, feeling privileged to be able to hear this story. “Each full moon, pixies gather around the waterfall or any revered places in each of their sanctuary and sing under the moon to pray for the princess. It’s our way to send our gratitude to our saviour.” 

Once your new friend is done with their story, the tour around the sanctuary continues. 

From the homes, the pixie guides you through the small town, passing some more houses that are intricately built to blend in with nature. They greet some of the elves that come peeking out their windows, introducing you as one of their friends, and then do the same with some other pixies that you come across during your mini tour. 

The tour continues until you reach even deeper into the woodlands, past the heart of Y'ethmelle, and past the old structures that look like an old Keep, completed with a tower built in the same weathered stone as the structure of the bridge on the lake. 

“This was where the warriors and guardians of the sanctuary used to live. We still have elves that take the role as guardians, but the elves no longer have warriors to guard the place ever since us pixies started living here,” says Eydan, as they guide you to follow the river, going down the stream until you reach the part where it is quiet and peaceful and safe. 

This place turns out to be the meeting spot where Eydan would hang out with their little friends, where Eydan had been earlier before meeting you by the bridge. 

A few of Eydan’s friends are in the middle of playing down the stream of the river when you arrive. A couple of pixies who look no different than Eydan, hop between boulders and branches while splashing water with their tiny feet, while two others have wings on their back, allowing them to float and soar in the air as they dance between the rosebushes. 

At first, they seem cautious, as they probably didn’t expect to have their wayward friend returning with a random human after missing for hours. But right after Eydan finishes introducing you to the little gang of mischievous pixies, they become more curious about you as they start throwing questions at Eydan while examining you closely. 

“Where did you find her?” 

“You didn’t kidnap her from the human town, did you?” 

Eydan huffs. “Of course, not. She came in by herself. Passed the bridge and the borders after the thing we felt earlier,” they explain with their small hands waving around as if describing what they saw. 

“Oh, the invisible magic ripple that came from the lake?” asks one of the pixies, surprising you once you realise that they are possibly talking about the ripple of magic coming from the portal when you came. 

“You felt a magic ripple?” 

Eydan nods. “Yep. It was rare for us to feel any magic of that kind. That’s why we left the others here and went to the bridge to see what it was, and then we saw you walking across the lake.” 

The chattering and the line of questions continue right before you get the chance to ask them about what they felt. The other pixies who kept their distance at first soon begin to join in, asking you where you came from, how you managed to find this place, and why would a human like you need a spell book from their master. You barely manage to answer each one before they get distracted when a couple of butterflies come fluttering in between the bushes, and they soon lose any interest in your evasive, non-answering responses. 

You join them for a while as they play around the stream. You even take off your heels to splash around in the water, feeling your body cooling down with it. It has been a while since you’ve felt such joy. The pixies are skilled in showing you just how to have fun and enjoy yourself the way they do, helping you forget all of your troubles without them realising it. 

Exhausted, you choose to rest at the edge of the river, soaking your bare feet in the stream as you watch the pixies continue to play around, showing no sign of their energy draining. You enjoy the cool ripples of water pressing against your sore ankles, while the stream also washes away the soil tainting the hem of your dress that you had gotten after the long walk you had through the elven town. 

Your heels, once covered in mud and slightly tainted from the twigs brushing against their sides, are now resting on the ground beside you after it was cleaned and mended using one of the pixies’ magic dust. 

The same pixie is the only one who chooses to stay with you, studying you closely with their curious eyes while ignoring the sound of giggles and cheers from the other pixies playing in the rosebushes. 

“You smell like human,” the pixie says as they flutter around you, sniffing at your hair, your back, and then pinching at the sleeve of your dress before going back to your front with a tilt of their head. 

“You can—identify a person from their scent?” 

Illyn, the pixie with fair skin and long golden hair nods, their delicate wings—which look like firefly wings, with silver dust sparkling from each —flutter behind them as they move around. They have their hair gathered to a braid, long enough to reach their ankles. You wonder if their hair ever gets tangled with the wings, yet the pixie has kept the braid hanging over one shoulder, keeping it away from the fluttering wings.  

“Every living thing has a certain smell in them. For walking beings such as yourself, those scents come from blood, skin, soul, or even magic,” Illyn explains with wide, curious eyes, while your eyes grow wide with intrigue. 

“Can you smell—my magic?” 

Illyn nods as they fly around you. “Yes, we can. It’s faint. That’s why it’s confusing.” 

The way they speak draws a soft laughter from you. “Why does it confuse you?” 

The pixie makes a humming sound. “You smell human, but also something else. Your magic isn’t like what most humans have, and we’ve met many human mages in Aeris to know the difference.” 

You raise your brow. “Really? How odd,” you hum softly, although you have no idea what that really means. You keep your eyes on the pixie as they continue to float around you, their eyes locked on parts of your face, as if searching for something. “So that’s not normal?” 

Instead of answering, Illyn inclines their head to ask with a whisper, “Are you sure you aren’t a fairy?” 

Hearing this, you begin to laugh. “A fairy? No, I’m pretty sure I would’ve known if I’m secretly a fairy. Why would you even think that?” 

“The way you came,” they say, still keeping their voice low as if sharing a secret, “you came with the ripple of magic that we felt from the end of the river. It’s been long since we’ve felt something like that.” 

Creasing your brows, you recall the way they talked about the magic flow earlier, remembering how they seemed unsure about what they felt. “And you don’t know what that magic was?” 

Illyn fell silent for a moment. “Well, not really, but—” The pixie considers their answer for a moment, thinking deeply before continuing, “There were old folktales about magic portals hidden all over the land of the Far Far Away.” 

Their eyes blink rapidly as they add, “Fairy portals.” 

Your eyes grow wide. “Have you ever seen them?”

Illyn’s hair nearly flips back when they quickly shake their head. “No, we haven’t. But some naughty ones who went across the bridge claimed they had. We think they all lied to us and exaggerated things, because fairy tales are stories for children.” 

Your lips twist to a smile. It is adorable how the pixies believe that they are normal beings, when their existence seems more like a part of a myth. Characters told in children’s bedtime stories and folktales shared by the people—humans—back in the mortal realm. 

But then your mind begins to register through the information that Illyn had just shared with you about the magic they felt. You wonder if they had truly sensed the magic coming from the portal. You can still feel it on your skin, lingering like a delicate touch. And if the same magic portal you have been using to go through these various places had truly been the same as the portals known as what they believed as part of the myth among the fairies—

Just like always, when the wheels in your head are turning and you are thinking deeply about something, your hand reach up, taking hold of your necklace that has been humming with its own magic—it has been that way since the moment you stepped through the border, you realise. 

Lowering your gaze, you carefully lift the ruby pendant so the pixie can have a look. “Could it be that the magic you are sensing from me actually comes from this?” you ask them, referring to how they claimed to have tried to sense and recognise the magic coming out of you. 

Cocking their head, Illyn flies closer. They examine the necklace for a moment before shaking their head. “No, your magic is vibrating from inside you,” they say, before they begin rambling rapidly, “I can sense your mana. It smells a little bit like Master Trish, with a little bit of the magic that felt similar to the one we felt from the woods”—they stop with a gasp—”do you perhaps have elves where you live?” 

“I don’t suppose—” You begin to answer, even if your mind can barely keep up with the quick flow of their words. 

And then any chance for you to respond to their question is soon stolen when Illyn suddenly turns away, distracted by the sudden shout of their friend coming from a rosebush a few feet away. Soon, the thought of your magic and your smelling of humans is forgotten as they start fussing about a wild rose that seems to have bloomed at the heart of a dying brier. You can faintly hear them cheering at its peculiar size and colour, before they start fighting about how they should be saving it before it withers. 

Seems like they have a short attention span, you wonder with a soft chuckle. Just like a child. 

You continue to watch them play for a little while until Eydan returns to your side. After chasing off an innocent hummingbird that had appeared from the nearby meadow, the pixie flops down to rest on the boulder next to you, though still restless, their feet kicking out the white mist that is starting to form from the rushing water. The cold that comes as the sun begins descending beyond the trees only causes the mist to grow thicker.  

“How come you don’t have wings?” you ask Eydan, pointing at the two pixies who are floating and dancing in the air, laughing as they toss each other around between the rosebushes, having a blast in their wild dance. 

Eydan blinks and begins to explain to you the differences between each pixie. “Us pixies gain different characteristics depending on which element our magic comes from. We”—Eydan points at themselves—”and Aela are earth pixies.” You look over at Aela, the auburn-haired pixie who is dancing with the dark-haired pixie who has been mostly silent, and instantly start comparing the two. 

While Eydan keeps their hair short, reaching only to their jaw, the other two have long hair—Aela keeps their hair in a thick, high bun which looks like a crown on top of their head, while their dance partner lets their hair down, swaying with them as they dance to some music that only they can hear.

“We live closer to the land, our homes built on the ground, while Illyn and Jolyn are air pixies. They live on trees, the ones that grow close to Master Trish’s home,” Eydan continues, pointing at the two pixies who are flying over the nearest rosebush, their wings fluttering wildly on their backs, picking up speed as they banter loudly with each other, debating about what colour the rose they are pointing is called—maroon red, according to Illyn, while Jolyn insists that it’s the colour of blood. 

Just like Illyn, Jolyn’s hair is long, but in the shade of brunette. Unlike the other pixies, Jolyn is the only one with curly hair, and they have kept it untied, leaving it as a mess of wild curls fluttering with the wind as they float around with their little wings. 

Eydan points at Aela’s dancing partner next. “Emara is a water pixie. They live near the lake, while their family live by the riverbank. They are good swimmers, always playing with the fish in the summer.” 

“That’s interesting,” you muse as you watch them all play together. “I suppose the same can be said about the elves? About how they gain their magic from elements?” 

Eydan considers it for a moment in silence, furrowing their brows as they answer, “For the elves that protect us, they do gain powers from elements, but mostly nature. But some types of elves gain power from the moon, giving them similar powers and traits to those of moon fairies.” 

“You know,” you gently muse as a thought comes across your mind. “I’ve always assumed that fairies are small creatures just like you are.” 

“No, obviously, they’re not,” Eydan says with a scoff. “That’s only true in children's bedtime stories. Perhaps they thought children wouldn’t be interested in fairies if they all knew that fairies look like regular humans—sometimes they even look like ghouls, depending on where they live—so they took our looks instead when they started writing stories about fairies, all to make them presentable and cute for children to love.” 

Once you feel rested enough, you cannot resist joining the pixies to play on the grass. Watching them play has been fun, and you want to join in while you still can. 

You join them in their little hide-and-seek—mostly as the one seeking—and then let them teach you how to do tricks on the grass. They have you join them in their group dance, following the tune of their music that only they know about. And now you are joining them in a messy game of charades. 

You are in the middle of trying to guess what Jolyn is trying to mimic—as the little pixie hides behind a small boulder at the edge of the river and acts as if they are singing in high tune while seducing you to come closer—when all of a sudden, everyone around you grows still. 

A gasp comes from Jolyn, the only one facing the opposite way from the others, and the pixies turn to look at the woods behind you. Everyone seems tense and wary that you start feeling worried. 

“What’s wrong?” you ask, just as Eydan steps forward, standing right in front of everyone, while the rest gather closer around you. 

“There’s another stranger!” One pixie hisses as you try to look beyond the thickets. 

You carefully trace the hilt of your dagger with the tip of your fingers. “Are you sensing danger?”

“We’re not smelling danger, but this scent is not familiar to us,” the silent one of the bunch—Emara—speaks. Their voice sounds more like a whisper. But their fear tramples their shyness as they slide closer to hide behind your dress. 

For a brief moment, nothing happens. 

The darkening sky is also making it hard for you to look beyond the line of trees. You can only faintly see the shadows moving in the forest, yet you are not certain whether you are looking at swaying branches or if it is an actual figure, that something else—or someone—has arrived in the woods and is now moving in the thickets. 

The trees sway a little—or perhaps the low branches?—and there are rustling sounds coming together with the heavy sound of boots landing on hard ground, stepping over fallen leaves, as if someone is walking slowly towards you and your little friends. While the pixies remain alert, you can feel a warm hum rising in your chest. A sensation that is quite familiar that every tension in your body is immediately lifted. Your heart thuds, rising slowly with a different kind of feeling that has nothing to do with fear. 

There is only one person who can incite such a feeling from you. The one person who has been occupying your thoughts and dreams, even on the days that you spent without him being present. Within moments, he finally emerges from the line of trees, like a piece of a dream emerging into the waking world. 

Wearing a white tunic on top of dark trousers, his leather boots sturdy at the bottom, and his half sword hanging from his left hips, Min Yoongi looks just like a prince; a dreamy character plucked out of a fairy tale written in storybooks as he walks into the dim light. 

The Prince Charming coming to life. 

The length of his hair falls to frame his perfect face, fluttering with the gentle breeze as he slowly comes closer. The urge to pinch at your skin comes over you—because you cannot tell if you are simply dreaming—yet you make no move, too mesmerised by the sight of him. 

Because every image of him which you tried to conjure in your thoughts and your dreams didn’t do any justice to the real him. 

As Yoongi stops, a smile slowly forms on his face. His eyes, upon finding you, seeing you completely left stunned, seem to glow brighter. A look of mirth dancing in his gaze when he gently greets you, 

“There you are, little dove.” 

You briefly close your eyes, relishing the shudder that Yoongi’s deep voice brings. This isn’t an imagination and I am not dreaming, you muse to yourself as you open your eyes to see him still standing right before you instead of dispersing with the wind. The white mist forming around the stream close by and from the temperature drop curls around his boots, breaking away when he takes another step closer. 

You listen to the sound of your heartbeat for a drop of a moment before finding your voice again. 

“You’re late.” Too many long days, three different trips late. “I almost believed that I wouldn’t be so lucky to see you today before I leave.”

Your gaze flickers towards the darkening sky as you say this, noticing how close it is for dusk to come. With merely a short time left to spare, he would have made this the fourth time you would be missing him if he had come once the sunlight was gone.  

A painful pinch shoots right through your heart when you take a sharp inhale of breath. You never realised how badly you have been hoping to see him. How you kept wishing that you would cross paths with him again. 

You didn’t realise until now, how often you kept looking over your shoulders during your previous excursions, or how you’ve kept your eyes open the entire time with the hope that you would see him again, that he would suddenly appear the way he had done it before. You were starting to lose hope, believing that fate may have decided not to give you another chance to see Yoongi. 

As you look up to him again, you are surprised to see a hint of remorse in his eyes. As if he feels the same way as you do. 

“I must admit that I was losing hope of seeing you as well,” he gently says. You know you shouldn’t, yet you find how pleasing it is to hear that he is feeling the same. 

In your fascination and delight of meeting Yoongi, you fail to realise that your pixie friends—who have remained in their places and have been watching closely at your interaction—have begun to move out of their hiding. Except maybe Emara, who is still clutching at the skirt of your dress, too wary about the other human suddenly interrupting their playtime. 

“You’ve made some friends,” Yoongi muses, his gaze softening as he looks at the pixies that are watching him curiously. 

You shrug. “I was getting lonely in my travels, since the only one I was expecting to accompany me has been absent,” you tease him with a smile, and for a brief second, Yoongi’s eyes widen at your playful tone, before his own smile grows just as wide. 

“Do you know him?” you hear Aela asking you as she flutters by your head, cautiously flying closer. “Is he a friend?” asks Eydan, and you answer them without pulling your gaze away from Yoongi. 

“Yes. A good friend.” 

Yoongi’s lips quirk to a grin. His eyes move to find Eydan, who is standing right in front of you with their shoulders rising as if to make themselves look bigger. You aren’t too sure if the tiny creature has been trying to protect you, or if they were just too curious to remain hidden, but it is still quite amusing to see them acting tough in front of the newcomer.  

Yoongi elaborately bows in front of the curious pixie. “You mustn’t worry about me. My name is Yoongi. I’m also a traveller like _____, and I meant no harm.” 

Neither of the pixies says a thing at first, until Emara slips out of your skirt to gingerly say—their voice sounds so gentle it almost fades with the wind, “Well, if _____ trusts you, perhaps we can trust you too.” 

Once again, Yoongi bows. The gesture looks perfectly elaborated to make him look like a royal. His gentle smile nearly melts your heart when he answers, “It’s an honour that you would accept me just as much as you have welcomed her into your home.” 

— © 2024 Yoonia, all rights reserved. reposting/modifying of any kind is not allowed. unsolicited translations are not allowed.

[fangsandfracturedhearts]

Fangs and Fractured Hearts

Summary: After embracing eternity as a vampire spawn under Astarion's wing, the Crimson Palace becomes a haunting symbol of the man he once was. As his personality unravels into a dark abyss, you flee. A year of hardship unveils the harsh reality of existence as a vampire spawn.

Just as all hope seems lost, a twist of fate reunites you with Astarion, revealing a glimmer of hope amidst the shadows. As you navigate the complexities of your relationship, you must confront the unsettling truth behind the Rite of Profane Ascension and the devilish secrets it holds.

In a race against time, you embark on a daring quest to save Astarion from his descent into darkness. With each choice you make, the stakes grow higher, testing the limits of your courage and determination.

Will Astarion find redemption, or is he destined to succumb to his own inner turmoil?

Pairing: Softish Ascended Astarion x female!Tav Spawn Note: It is/will be mentioned Tav is a draconic sorcerer

Rating: Explicit 18+ [Slow Burn]

Setting: Post End-Game Please note: Written before epilogues were added, so may not be congruent with that content

Warnings [more will be added] - expect mature content/read at your own risk.

Blood drinking. Sexual Themes/Tension. Slow Burn. Eventual Explicit Smut. Pining. Suicidal Thoughts. Biting. Violence.

Small Notes:

I am not well-versed in DnD 5e and it's rules as it pertains to this world, so although I'm going to try and keep it as accurate as possible, some aspects may not align or may be completely made up for story reasons.

Mentioned of in-game content that I've made resolve a certain way for this Tav.

Fabricated camp events.

Tav is named in later chapters (15 +), will have her own backstory, which we may explore eventually.

Details of Tav's appearance have been made up, but I've tried to keep details to a minimum so you can imagine your own Tav.

Otherwise, I hope you all enjoy!

Big thank you to everyone who reads and/or comments/follows/likes/reblogs - it truly does make my day to know you're finding some enjoyment in my story :)

Chapter 1: Lost

Chapter 2: Reunion

Chapter 3: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Chapter 4: Little Lamb

Chapter 5: Rebellion

Chapter 6: Dancing with Darkness

Chapter 7: Rogue Desire

Chapter 8: Free Fall

Chapter 9: Beneath the Veil

Chapter 10: Soulbound

Chapter 11: 'Till Death Do Us Part

Chapter 12: Catharsis

Chapter 13: The Fallacy of Power

Chapter 14: Devil's Ploy

Chapter 15: Reclamation

Chapter 16: Riddles

Chapter 17: Unearthed

Chapter 18: Unleashed

Chapter 19: Hark Thy Plea

Chapter 20: I Forgive You

Chapter 21: Preparations

Chapter 22: This is Our Sanctuary

Chapter 23: Way Down We Go

AO3 [cross-posted]

If you're interested, I also write a spawn Astarion x Tav fic - Shadows of the Past

I also write a much darker fic for named Durge and AA that I post to A03 exclusively. It's dark, gory, and not about fixing AA but about them becoming an evil power couple if you're interested - Lie to Me

[mischiefmaker615]

Trust

Prompt for President Loki: "Stay where I can see you." and "If they touched even a single hair on your head…"

Rating: PG 13

Request For: @eleniblue

Footsteps founded down the hall as they stormed through the underground bunker, determined to find out what was all the racket coming from the lower level. Loki was never one to be happy- unless things went his way of course, so anything that disturbed his precious peace time better have been well worth the interruption as he entered the room to see his men surrounding something on the floor. ‘’whatever is making you bark like dogs better be worth it or ill make sure you all are locked outside when the next storm hits!’’ Loki shouted, causing his men to spin around and grow silent by his sudden arrival. One brave soul decided to come forward, keeping his eyes low submissively as Loki straightened up, his horns making himself far scarier as he narrowed his eyes at the man. ‘’Mr. President.. sir.. we- we found a girl outside on our last search..’’ President Loki’s brow raised as he almost glanced behind the man and through the crowd, not wanting to show any form of interest or weakness as he gazed into the man’s eyes. ‘’so what. Is it another variant? Perhaps she could be of use to-‘’ ‘’she’s not a Loki..’’ the man almost squeaked out and that made Loki’s eyes actually cut through the group. By his sharp gaze alone, it was enough for his men to part off, making a path for him in which he didn’t dare take a step forward. But from what he could see across the room, practically curled up on the ground in tattered clothing, to torn to know what she had been originally wearing, a dress perhaps? Her valuables remained covered but she lay hugging herself, her long H/C hair looked messy but not dirty and remained covering her face. His men claimed to have covered the entire area in search of other Loki’s and perhaps a way out of this god forsaken land, hiding before the monster could find them and then search some more. Never had he ever come across any none variants before.. not alive anyhow. This one seemed young, frightened, but innocent enough where his eyes almost held a look of pity as his body tensed. ‘’leave us.’’ ‘’yes Mr. President..’’ they all said before quickly heading out down the halls in a rush as if any second longer would be the death of them. It wasn’t until a good moment of silence passed was when the woman slowly raised her head, the movement alone making her body shake as she looked at Loki before she flinched, looking back down. The look of fear in her E/C eyes made a strange feeling come to Loki’s chest.. pain? Perhaps, but he assumed his attire was professional enough to be seen more as a respectable being rather than a monster.

Just to be sure though, he glanced down at himself from his shoes to his vest and jacket, a hand reaching up his face before pausing at his horned crown. Did she think him a monster? A demon with horns that may bring harm upon her? If he were to rule this world, he wished for submission and respect, not fear.. at least not from all. Taking a silent glance behind him to make sure they were indeed alone, he carefully took off his helmet and set upon the table to the side. “..I’m not here to harm you little one..’’ His voice was gentle, a whisper that made her barely glance over at him, the fear to his secret relief was gone from her eyes but she merely moved her eyes away from him once more. The sound of his shoes walking slowly forward was the only sound that could be heard as he approached her, keeping his face expressionless but his eyes analyzed her all the same. Where did she come from? What had happened to her that made her so frightened? When he got one step away from her, he kneeled down and took a deep breath. ‘’if you wish for help in your unfortunate situation, I will need you to meet me half way by answering some questions..’’ By that he immediately saw her tense, to scared to move away from him as he stayed put. His body moved over her frame, seeing she seemed well fed so she couldn’t have been helpless for long. She was clean as well, but a few bruises caught his eye. There was nothing out there that could bring her harm, except for the storm.. but it would leave you as nothing, not some silly scraps and bruises. Her torn clothing also took note as well and his body tensed in that moment. Anger swelled in his chest as he prevented himself from storming upstairs that second and killing ever single one of his men for what he thought happened. “If they touched even a single hair on your head…” he breathed and put a hand on his knee to help himself up but his body paused when she suddenly, slowly, but surely pointed a finger up to the ceiling. ‘’…what? .. what is it?’’ Her hand was shaking but with hesitation, she made full eye contact with him and he was the one that almost flinched. They were gorgeous.. tired, but full of life, full of fight left, something she defiantly will need here. He glanced up at the ceiling and gave her a confused look, trying to figure out what she meant as she made no move to open her mouth and speak. ‘’..the sky? You came from the..’’ She looked around for anything that might help her, her movements slow and tired before she raised both her hands and pushed them forward at an angle as if she was stabbing someone with a spear before she shied away. Loki’s eyes flashed, almost he himself was remembering as he gave a nod. ‘’..you were pruned..’’ She gave a small nod and looked down, hugging herself as she shivered. That didn’t go unnoticed and he quickly removed his jacket, scooting forward before she leaned away and he paused, his face gentle as he shook his head. ‘’its alright little one, it will keep you warm..’’ he assured, moving even slower as he gently moved the jacket to rest it on her shoulders. His body heat from it was welcoming as she clutched it around herself gratefully. He gave a small smile before he stood up, taking a deep breath as he looked elsewhere in deep thought, his mind speaking out loud as he began to pace. ‘’pruned.. but you aren’t a Loki in the slightest. Those villains most likely was resetting the timeline and you must have been pruned to deem it necessary that things will go back to normal.. bastards..’’ he cussed, going over to a side table littered with papers, blue prints of some sorts and mostly scribble.

‘’the main thing I need from you is for you to speak, figure out what this all means in the long run.. perhaps it could lead us to getting off this damn.. realm of some sort..’’ he spoke as he leaned over the paper work as if searching for anything that might spark his mind. Quiet shifting caught his attention and he turned around to see she had shakily gotten to her feet, keeping the jacket close to herself to cover her exposed skin he tried hard not to stare at before her hand grasped the closest furniture for balance. ‘’stay where I can see you..’’ he warned gently, knowing she seemed to be coming around fine without his assistance and wouldn’t want to scare her progress off by trying to impose. ‘’those bastards wont be able to even try to think of touching you.. its best if you stick by me, do you understand?’’ he asked, speaking close and serious on the dangers she might be in if his men upstairs dared to started a mutiny. The simple nod was enough to draw him back to his work, analyzing enough to get frustrated again before he turned back to face her again, her eyes looking at him in slight alarm by his questioning eyes that seemed to bore into hers. ‘’..can you speak?’’ Her lips parted as if to answer him before she sighed, shaking her head no with pain in her eyes. Loki nodded slowly as his eyes searched hers, her face, and dragged down her body. This seemed to make her shift a little, turning away slightly as if to hide a bit of herself before his eyes lifted to hers again. ‘’..if I were to somehow give you your voice back darling, would you be able to help me with somehow getting out of here? plans are still in the works, but if things seem to be able to move forward, and the time comes where your assistance is needed where it could return both of us home, would you?’’ The silence was thick as she stared at him, understanding but the risk of the future’s unknown was startling. His request could be anything someday.. but if they were doomed to die and live here until that happens with a chance of possibly changing that result, she’d want to take it. Loki looked at her with his body straightening to his full height, confidence promising that they could get through this together, strangers, who only had met moments ago, wanting the same thing. Y/N bit her lip before she nodded. ‘’very well love, forgive me for what I’m about to do, but a deal is a deal..’’ he whispered, his strides long as he moved forward towards her with his eyes almost flashing a bright green. Confusion and fear flashed in her own as she took a step back, weak strength throwing her balance as she went to fall backwards but as arm reached out, snaking around her waist and pulled her forward against him, their lips crashing together in the process. It was a deep kiss, Loki moaning against her lips as if he had tasted bliss for the first time as his arm held her firm against his chest. She hands threatened to push him away, a weak attempt she didn’t fully commit to before she kissed him back, firing up his hunger even more as he pushed his tongue through and massaged hers greedily. Her body tensed, a shiver running down her spine and before she had the time to register what to do next, he pulled away with a hand cupping her cheek. her eyes timidly looked up into his own, her body tensing to find that his helmet was back on his head with his eyes flashing a green hue before returning to normal. her muscles tensed upon seeing the grin on his face, almost as if the devil was plotting as he returned back to his full height and a hand stroked her cheek approvingly. ‘’..what did you-‘’ a hand flew to her mouth as words left her lips, her eyes wide with shock and confusion as they gazed up into his amused ones. ‘’held my end of the bargain darling.. now it’s your turn.’’

[batbabydamian]

DC November 2024 Solicitations - Comics Featuring Damian! 🦇

LITTLE BATMAN: MONTH ONE #1

11/6/24

Written by Morgan Evans

Art and Cover by Jon Mikel

Variant Cover by Patrick Ballesteros

Taking place after the events of “Merry Little Batman,” Gotham City finds itself reeling from the Joker’s attack, and Damian Wayne (a.k.a. Little Batman) is eager to get back into the fight. That’s going to be harder than it sounds, as Bruce now wants Damian to put the cowl aside and embrace the value of his secret identity. After a suspicious guest is found lurking around the Wayne New Year’s Eve Party, it’s up to Damian to find the balance between both of his personas and save the day yet again. See Little Batman in a new adventure from the film’s screenwriter, Morgan Evans, after catching the rerelease of the breakout movie in theaters this winter.

BATMAN AND ROBIN #15

11/13/24

Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson

Art and Cover by Javier Fernandez

Variant Covers: Simone Di Meo, Ashley Wood (1:25), Aaron Bartling, and Guillem March (Creature Commandos Variant)

What should have been a run-of-the-mill charity banquet for Bruce and Damian has, quite literally, gone up in flames—and now, without access to their costumes and gadgets, father and son find themselves fighting for their lives at the hands of the mysterious specter known only as Memento. But who is this new villain who set the blaze that threatens to disintegrate the Dynamic Duo, why does it replicate an infamous, century-old tragedy from Gotham’s history, and what is Memento’s connection to the Dark Knight’s past? Nothing can prepare you for the answers to these questions, so join us and bear witness to “Memento,” part two.

DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V #4 of 12

11/13/24

Written by Matthew Rosenburg and Matthew Manning

Art by Otto Schmidt and Acky Bright

Cover by Otto Schmidt

Variant Covers: by Stephen Segovia and Homare

Gorilla Grodd and Aquaman have had little luck capturing the elusive Damian Wayne, but a mysterious figure arrives bearing a whispered prophecy that could turn the tide of war in their favor. Elsewhere, John Constantine might well be the human resistance’s last hope…just a shame he can’t remember what it was he was meant to be doing. Enter The Spectre to help guide his way! And in the shadows, a new Batman lurks…but what’s his connection to Bruce Wayne?

BATMAN/SANTA CLAUS: SILENT KNIGHT RETURNS #1 of 5

11/27/24

Written by Jeff Parker

Art by Lukas Ketner

Cover by Bernard Chang

Variant Covers: Dan Mora, Dan Hipp (DC Holiday Surprise Rub & Sniff variant), Kevin Wada (1:25), Erica Henderson (1:50)

Horrors haunt the Christmas season as life-drained bodies litter the countryside, each marked with a strange symbol. The Justice League responds—but it’s a trap! The heroes are pulled from our world, but not before Batman helps Robin escape. Now Damian Wayne must seek out Zatanna and the one and only Santa Claus if there’s any hope of saving their friends and family. Santa comes to the aid of the DCU heroes in the crossover-event sequel you wished for! And you must have been extra good because a wintry mix of DC’s wildest characters arrive this time to face a powerful foe… the Silent Knight!

*Clayton Henry Main Cover appearance

ACTION COMICS #1077

11/27/24

Written by Mark Waid and Mariko Tamaki

Art by Clayton Henry, Michael Shelfer, and Meghan Hetrick

Death to the Phantom Zone! Superman and Mon-El are reunited at last, but are our heroes too late to stop the impossible threat of Aethyr?! The mad wizard has breached the realm and begun decimating planet Earth…the Super-Family and the Justice League are holding on as best they can, but this sounds like a job for Superman! Plus, can Kara put her feelings aside and carry out the mission Superman gave her?

[rogueddie]

Scoops Ahoy Steddie Fics

Important: READ THE TAGS! Also, leave a comment and kudos! These fics are amazing and I love them and I hope y'all do too 🍌

STRIKE TEN.

oaseas

Steve’s striking out. It’s the summer after his graduation, he’s working 9-5 at Scoops Ahoy, and hey, did you hear? He’s striking out. Enter Robin, her ‘you rule/you suck’ board, and a promise to romance the next girl through the door. Except, that’s no girl. That’s Eddie Munson.

Words : 16,075 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Teen And Up Audiences

AO3 : x

two bros chilling in the mall (ten yards apart 'cause we're not gay)

Gues, peytra

Steve Harrington is just your average guy working a shitty part-time job in a stupid mall. Really! He's very normal, he promises.

Just across the way, Eddie Munson works at Legacy Vinyl. He hates his job, his life, and most of all he hates having to see King Steve every single day.

What could possibly go wrong?

Words : 91,993 Chapters : 34/34 Rating : Teen And Up Audiences

AO3 : x

Maybe You're the Boy From My Dreams

ZiraC

Steve and Robin often bitch at each other. It's just a part of their dynamic. What happens when Steve accidentally bitches at a customer instead of Robin.

Words : 5,264 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Not Rated

AO3 : x

Raspberry Riddle

madaboutmunson (BCRichSweetheart)

Eddie meeting Scoops Ahoy Steve, sort of from Robin's POV

Words : 4,874 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Teen And Up Audiences

AO3 : x

You know you're just my type

liionne

In the summer of '85, Robin and Eddie make a bet: ten dollars says Steve Harrington is straight, and Eddie has the whole summer to prove her wrong

Words : 7,287 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Teen And Up Audiences

AO3 : x

Maybe He's Born With It

Zigster

The one where Robin, Eddie, and Steve all work at Scoops. Robin has convinced Steve that wearing a little mascara and lip gloss goes a long way in luring in customers and Steve believes her. Friendship and domestic holiday-time enjoyment ensue with plot twists abound!

Words : 40,100 Chapters : 23/23 Rating : Mature

AO3 : x

sorry to ruin what's probably supposed to be a plot twist, but this has non-human Eddie- fyi for those who don't like that sort of au

double dare

firefencer

Nancy & Eddie working at Scoops AU

Words : 23,422 Chapters : 13/13 Rating : Not Rated

AO3 : x

Tell Me, Baby, What's On Your Mind

KiaraMGrey

All Eddie wanted to do was stop by Starcourt Mall to pick up his friend from the movies. But now he has a seemingly drugged up Steve Harrington leaning in WAY too close. And… did he seriously just call him pretty?

Words : 2,126 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Teen And Up Audiences

AO3 : x

purify our misfit ways

laundrybiscuits

“Edward Munson,” Robin says, eyes wide in a way that means trouble. “I sincerely hope your last will and testament is in order, because your mortal soul will leave your body when you hear who just got hired at Scoops Ahoy.”

Eddie and Robin survive the summer of 1985.

Words : 23,904 Chapters : 5/5 Rating : Mature

AO3 : x

You Are My Favorite Place

god_hates_tyler

Steve goes to his first day at Scoops Ahoy and meets one Robin Buckley. She notices how god awful he is with the ladies and bets him he can't get a date by the end of the week. Steve, not one to back down from a challenge, agrees. The only issue? Steve has been in a secret relationship with Eddie Munson for over a year now.

Words : 7,356 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Teen And Up Audiences

AO3 : x