#overcome target panic

[offthearrowshelf]

Episode 93 – Applying the archers triangle when coaching

In this episode I explore how the concepts round the archers triangle can be applied to help archers. The archers triangle is a concept I have used for several years to help explain the shooting process and steps. If you are interested feel free to check out the website for more details son how I apply the Archers triangle for helping archers suffering from target panic. In essence the triangle…

[tragedybunny]

Sunlight and Stars in the Sky part 2 - Astarion x F!Reader

First part - here

Weary and embarrassed you try to put distance between yourself and Astarion. But you slowly come to realize things are changing between the two of you.

Astarion is gone when you wake up, probably out hunting, and you breathe a sigh of relief. At least you won't be able to embarrass yourself further. Throwing yourself at him, being refused by him of all people, forcing him to let you into his tent to calm down, and that nonsense you'd spouted, gods he must've been so annoyed with you. 

All he wanted from you was a bit of fun, some enjoyable interludes during this journey you'd found yourselves on. You weren't so naive that you thought there was more to it. Yet he'd somehow found a little place in your heart. Which you had stupidly exposed to him last night with that stars in the sky drivel. If he kept his distance from now on, you'd know why. 

Head pounding from the wine, you fumble around for your boots. Slipping them on, you hurry back to your tent, and throw yourself under the covers, glad you didn't run into Astarion. The rest of the night is filled with fitful sleep, the drink making you nauseous and your memories driving you almost to tears. When the sun at last rises, the camp awakens muted and somber. Unable to face him, you wait until the scent of breakfast fills the air to finally leave your tent. 

Naturally he's somehow right there. "Good morning Darling," even he seems muted after everything, probably worried you'll be all over him again, "feeling better?"

"A little, sorry for the trouble last night," you murmur hastily, trying not to look at him before rushing off, unable to make yourself listen to his conciliatory response. 

Breakfast and breaking camp take far longer than they should and your solemn crew takes to the road that leads beyond the monastery to the shadow cursed lands much later than they should. As seems to be your fate though, not even a simple road is easy, and a group of undead bar the way. Body and mind aching, you fumble through the fight, spells missing their target, and reactions slowed. You don’t see the monster that’s crept up on you until it’s nearly too late to dodge its flailing attack. Suddenly the earth lurches and you’re facing the dirt. Panic constricts your chest, death is so close, even all you managed to overcome wasn't enough. Rolling, you try to get your feet under you, and find your assailant hovering over you. Your lungs inhale what is likely your final breath and you tense just a crossbow bolt sprouts from its forehead. It stumbles back and Karlach’s axe removes its head from its body. 

Most of the gory sight is blocked from your view as Astarion appears over you, crossbow back over his shoulder, pale hand outstretched and brow furrowed. “Are you alright my Dear?”

You wince and take his hand, twice as humiliated as before. Reaching a sitting position, you stop, your body unwilling to go further. Everything from the Nautiloid, to the Creche, to making a fool of yourself, bears down on you, and it’s all too much. One win at the Grove amongst a tide of wounding losses. Hands rub at your eyes to push away the tears. “Sweetheart,” Astarion is suddenly crouching next to you, brushing your hair out of your face. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” you shake your head, pulling away from that touch that you want to be real affection so badly. 

“You look exhausted.” Before you can protest, he’s turning to the rest of the group. “We should stop for the night.”

“Tsk'va, we’ve barely made progress,” Lae’zel snaps, any good humor she's developed gone for the moment, “we still have worms in our head, did you forget that whilst basking in the sun.” 

His eyes narrow for a moment, and he looks like he’ll shout back, but he contains it. “We’ve all had a hard time, and we’re in rough shape. Let’s get some rest and start fresh in the morning.” 

They don’t need to be told he’s talking about you, collapsed in the dirt, and you can feel their eyes turn on you. “That sounds eminently reasonable," Gale chimes in and the rest assent.

"Let's go find a nice spot," Karlach says brightly, taking Wyll by the hand and leaving the main road. 

The others follow in their wake until just the two of you are left. Reluctantly, you start to get your feet under you, feeling as weary as he says you were, and silently start off towards them. The crunch of his boots tell you Astarion is just behind you, a small mercy as he can't see the state you're in. Your chest aches, you can't seem to banish the tears that keep threatening, and nothing feels like it has a point anymore. When you catch up with the others, they're already setting camp for the night, with Gale prepping dinner with as much cheer as he can muster and the others barely speaking at all. The whole of it seems like too much and you collapse on a log near the fire, Astarion joining you seconds later. 

Shifting closer, he looks like he's about to speak when the sounds of an argument draws your attention and he just sighs instead. "The Underdark is backtracking, a waste of time and dangerous." Lae’zel is shouting at Shadowheart. 

"Well it might deter the interference of your people," she returns.

"That is a point, this road is already dangerous," Halsin chimes in. 

"What do you think," Wyll has wandered over from setting up his tent and turned to you. For the second time today, your whole group is looking to you, only this time they're expecting that leadership you've shown them this whole journey. 

"I…" you just can't find it in you.

"Gods," Astarion growls, "can you all not make one simple decision without her? She's tired and you're putting this on her. It's bad enough you expect her help solving all your petty problems."

"But it's fine if it's your petty problems, right Astarion," Gale accuses, his face dark. You know his problem is far from petty. 

"Say that again," Astarion hisses and does something you've never seen him do to one of your companions, he snarls and bares his fangs. 

"Astarion," you scold, stirred from your stupor finally and he gives you a wounded look. "Let's just get some dinner in everyone. Then we can discuss the Underdark." They need you, it would hardly do to give up now. 

"Right, you heard the lady, give her some space until dinner is done," Karlach waves them off and gives you a wink. 

Part of you expects Astarion to be angry with you for the reproach but instead he gently takes your hands in his. "How about I get the tent set up, you can rest before dinner. Or you could stay there the whole night, you don't owe them an answer." 

The tent, your mind reels. It's his tent and he's never been fond of anyone infringing on his space. Is he still feeling sorry for you? You cringe, and pull your hands from his. "I can stay in my own tent."

"Oh," he seems to shrink in on himself. "I had been wondering since you were gone when I got back last night. Did I do something wrong? I admit I'm new to having someone close like that.” His voice is quiet and unsure, and nothing like what you’re used to. “Or maybe it's my temperature, I know I'm not exactly very warm," he offers and laughs somewhat awkwardly.

"I just don't want to…" For the first time today, you really look at him, and you don't see the same Astarion you've been traveling with. His eyes are wide and soft, his expression full of hope and longing and not scorn for the world around him. You find his hands where you left them, as though waiting for yours. Something has changed, something that makes your heart flutter and chases away the darkness of your thoughts. You were going to say pretend; pretend he wanted you there, pretend you didn't make an idiot out of yourself; but that doesn't feel right anymore. "Impose," you slide your hands back into his and small smile ghosts over his features. 

"Love, I told you last night, you're not imposing. Well you were very drunk," a small kiss on your cheek makes you flush, “perhaps you don’t remember.” 

“Some rest is probably a good idea,” you admit, giving in to the ethereal moment that seems to be burgeoning between the two of you. 

He squeezes your hands before letting them go. “I told you so,” his usual smirk is back in place but it’s softer than before. 

While he’s gone you try to temper yourself, this could be temporary, and you should focus on your very grim situation, your losses and setbacks are still real. But it all vanishes the moment he’s leading you back to the tent and settling you into a pile of pillows and blankets, some of them from your own supplies. Your things, mingled with his, the two of you, joined together. With your approval very visible from the smile you can't hide, he joins you, pulling you into his arms so your head rests against his chest. From around the fire you hear voices, friendly banter, spirits are lifting, hope is prevailing. You’re glad but still so tired, and it’s so nice here with Astarion, a little peace for just the two of you. “Thank you, I really needed this,” you murmur sleepily. 

“Think nothing of it, my Sunlight,” he kisses the top of your head. 

It brings back the other night, but there’s no awkwardness for you now, you spoke true, no matter what happens from now on, he’ll always be the light of all your nights, the beauty out of darkness. “My Starry Sky.” 

He gives a small hum of approval, “I am growing fond of that nickname,” and he holds you tighter. There’s a note of sadness you think in his voice, but you’re almost asleep, maybe you imagined it. 

[blackopals-world]

Hiii, I have question ab the yuus (any yuus you want)

If they could be sorted into the NRC dorms, which one would they be in?

And may~be what kind of unique magic they would have if they did posses magic? 👉👈

🪡-Tailor!Yuu- Pomefiore

"Let's Stick Together"-Fuse two materials with seamless binds.

Used to fix tears in fabrics and cuts

Can be used to bind someone to an object but the fusion will loosen with enough pulling

🩺-Vet!Yuu-Savanaclaw

"The Lion Sleeps Tonight"- Sedate a target into an instant coma or relieves pain. (Like laughing gas)

Used on unwilling patients and anyone being annoying

Necessary for Spelldrive when players sustain bad injuries that can't be fixed on the field.

🔫-Special Forces!Yuu- Scarabia

"Flower of Adversity"- Summons two weights, strength, and discipline that will attach themselves to the target. The weights are proportional to the target's negative attitude that the caster chooses.

The effect is dispelled if the target overcomes the flaw chosen

It won't work on people too dense to realize their flaws.

Yuu can't find the insecurity to target for the spell to work on Rook.

🌊- Marine Biologist!Yuu- Octavinelle

"Heart of the Sea"- Allows the user to move water no matter the depth.

Used to keep water out of boat and parting the literal sea. Mostly for researching Sea life

Yuu doesn't realize that they are a water bender and doesn't care.

🪶-Harpy!Yuu- Savanaclaw

"Mine!Mine!Mine!"- Give the user the ability to spot valuable objects through any barriers. The objects are highlighted with a sparkling glint.

Used to steal shiny objects.

Note: Kalim is shiny objects

🌷-Gardener!Yuu- Heartslabyul

"Golden Afternoon"- Causes plants to grow at an expositional rate.

Used to instantly get fruits and veggies ready to be harvested

Used to create walls of plants for defense.

🍴-Chef!Yuu- Heartslabyul

"Anyone can cook"- Summons small bag used as interdimensional storage with an unknown capacity. Used to store ingredients and cooking tools

Can store stuff other than food but Yuu has never considered that.

♨️-Onsen!Yuu- Octavinelle

"Be our Guest"- A soothing scent wafts in the air that causes people to relax and forget their worries.

Works like the Lotus Eaters from the Odyssey

The effect makes it impossible to focus on how much you're spending at the spa.

🌙-Celestial!Yuu- Diasomnia

They are a literal God! Do they really need more power?!

Yes

"A Dream is a Wish"- literally grants wishes but only wishes that are the heart's true desires. If the wish isn't clear then it won't come true.

Getting a wish is almost impossible unless you're Silver who never asks for one.

Lilia got one but only because he tricked Yuu. He wished to marry Yuu. Chad move.

🎮-Otaku!Yuu- Ignihyde

"Wildest Dreams"- create a digital simulation that creates lifelike holograms. The simulation can replica any fantasy experience the occupants desire. Functions as an isolated chamber for those inside.

The room can be used to trap people in a simulation of the caster's choosing. The target would need to be very observant to realize they are in a simulation and escape.

The room is soundproof and can used for desensitization for those who get overwhelmed (Idia)

🔮-(???)Yuu-Diasomnia

"Into the Woods"- creates a foggy mist that blankets the area. I mist causes disorientation and over time panic. The targets will become lost and travel in circles while trying to escape.

Yuu has no control over the mist. It follows them.

🎬-Theater kid!Yuu-Pomefiore

"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"- A very simple spell despite how it sounds. It just makes it so you can remember rehearsed lines without a script and not stumble over words

Despite how it is used this spell is actually a memory spell. The user can use it to recall even the most deep seeded memories and test answers they studied.

⛓️- Disciplinary Committee!Yuu- New Ramshackle

"Chain the Beast"- Creates an anti-magic field that dispels all spells within the radius. Weakens users within to prevent further casting.

The spell is used to stop all fighting from students and disables them to be taken in by the discipline officers.

The spell is used rarely due to the taxing effect of Yuu which is why they rely on their officers to take over after the spell ends.

🧹-Maid!Yuu- Heartslabyul

"Whistle while you Work"- Animating objects to to do tasks like assisting in cleaning, cooking and dressing.

Very Disney princess meets Fantasia.

💎-Noble!Yuu-Pomefiore

"Mirror, Mirror"- Ask your reflection any question to find the secrets of others. They can even use it to watch other people.

A dangerous spell that Yuu uses to spy on others.

If Yuu uses the reflection of another person allows them to interrogate a target.

🪀-Toymaker!Yuu- Ignihyde

"No Strings"- The caster places a part of their being into an inanimate object and gives it the gift of life.

Yuu has only used this spell once to bring a doll they created to life. This became their little sister Dalia or Dolly.

Given its nature, the spell can't be cast more than a handful of times in a lifetime.

[pursuitseternal]

“Cleansing:” bathing smut and surprises in “Our Blood is Thicker”

Astarion x Named Tav (F!OC) | E | 4.6K of the calm before the storm

Summary: Securing rooms at the Elfsong was the easy part. The harder part, overcoming the wash of memories from their separation before. They both need a good cleansing, one where they will indulge each other.

CW: angst, banter, bathing handjobs, I was told to “let them fuck like rabbits” which is implied, one more memory flashback, and danger.

Previous ch | ao3 link | Masterlist

Chapter 16: Cleansing…

💞🗡️💞🗡️💞🗡️💞🗡️💞🗡️💞🗡️💞🗡️💞🗡️💞

“Does it… have to be here?” Cordehlia turned her cute little nose up at the smell in the tavern. To the rest of her party, it just seemed like she didn’t enjoy a stay at a public inn.

To Astarion, now he knew, it was sheer loathing, disgust, and almost a century of pain this place forced her to confront.

The Elfsong.

“Gale said the keeper is giving us the rooms for free, since we…” Shadowheart whispered behind her hand, all sneaky, “know about the murder upstairs…”

“It seems cheap here,” she shrugged beneath her armor. “Seedy, disreputable.”

“Sounds like you’re describing your intended, Cordehlia,” Gale taunted with that friendly smile. Even though it didn’t meet his eyes. Still that lingering jealousy and doubt she knew.

“Please,” Astarion laughed off the slight even as he put his arm around his love’s shoulders. “I was the son of a High Lord once, Gale,” he grimaced at the name on his tongue. “Cordehlia’s right, however, a place for disreputable debauchery and plotting, the Elfsong,” he laughed with a wave of his elegant hand. “We will all fit right in, I’m sure. Besides, we can't beat the price, and I won’t be sleeping on the streets.”

“Well,” Gale grinned again, perhaps a bit forced, “Can’t argue with that. Keeper said up the stairs.”

The party moved ahead, barely noticing that Cordehlia lingered back, rigid in Astarion’s arm. “Why here…” she huffed. “Won’t the keeper recognize his regular?” she hissed with spite.

“Darling, I haven’t hunted here for decades. It’s not even the same innkeeper.” He placed a kiss on her temple, feeling how her jaw clenched. “Maybe it’s time we make some pleasant memories here… together,” he purred right into her pointed ear, tracing up its delicate point with a feathery touch of a single digit.

She giggled at the tickling touch. “Fine,” she huffed. “But don’t expect me to spread my legs so easily. You’ll need to work for it if we stay here, my love. You have many years to make up for, you know.”

“Oh I know,” he smirked, one hand sliding to pull her in for a kiss by gripping the curve of her ass. “I am well aware of that fact, and that you will never let me forget it, my darling.”

He followed her up the tavern stairs, letting her slip from his arm’s hold. Lungs burned as he held his breath, worried and plagued with his old memories of his place. He tried to force them back down in the dank dungeon where he kept all those feelings from his centuries of torment. From all the targets, victims, hazy moments of disgust he had endured. He could swear it made his undead heart rap with dread. Calmly, slowly he stilled his breath, even as it grew more rapid and ragged as he climbed those same fucking stairs as he had a thousand times before.

This time was different, instead of trailing after some miserable wretch, some target, all he could see was the sway of Cordehlia’s hips and the way her ratted, unkempt, fiery red hair matched that rhythm down her back.

That made the panic subside.

As long as he had her, he would survive this.

The hall opened to a massive suite, a grand chamber filled with a dozen beds and every amenity. It was off limits to the likes of him before; he had only ever been here once, fortunately not on Cazador’s business. That night was fuzzy in his mind, a jumble of fear and exhilaration he recalled, slipping in the shadows with his contraband before being compelled back to the palace. A few moments to himself to steal a moment of respite…

Shaking his mess of curls, he followed Cordehlia towards a corner bed, one tucked away at least a bit, a few slatted screens here and there for privacy.

He smirked as she set her pack down, her toned shoulders rolling themselves out finally relieved of its weight. So graceful and lithe, she made quick work of her armor, dropping back a step at last to see him waiting at the foot of the bed.

“Make yourself comfortable,” she gestured to the massive collection of rooms.

But he only slipped his bag from his shoulder, dropping it on the mattress beside her from a great height.

Letting it fall, his claim to her space.

“Oh, my love,” she tugged its great weight over the covers with effort, “this one is mine…”

“But darling,” he grinned, snatching the bag from her hold and letting it rest at their feet, “what’s yours is also… mine.” Growling that last word, he swept her in his arms, pushing her back into the feathered bed. She yelped and giggled as she fell to his attack, his thin elven armor flexible enough for him to cover every inch of her unbound body. He kissed her, there in front of them all, pushing her legs apart even covered in the light metal that clung to his frame. Her hands dug at the bare skin at his nape, lips dancing with his, all in time with the buck of her hips.

“Insatiable minx,” he rasped between her pumping lips. “Why do you pretend?”

“I’m not, my love,” she chuckled, “you can have the neighboring bed…”

He hissed at that, caging her into the bed all the harder. Mouth trailing quickly to her neck, he sucked on the supple flesh, the skin already scarred from his fangs, bringing her blood to pump there all the faster before he…

“Ah,” she moaned, her skin giving way to teeth, sending her right to the edge of her climax in an instant. He sucked loudly, lapping and popping his lips from her flesh just to draw attention.

“For fucks sake, get a room!” Karlach guffawed from across the space.

“We have one,” Astarion laughed, sarcastic and dark as he raised his blood-drenched face to speak. “You just happen to be in it.”

“In all reality…” Cordehlia pushed her palm against his turned cheek, shoving him up with all her might. “You stink, my love.” She laughed, managing to lift him only slightly from her frame. “You need a good cleansing bath.”

“Tch,” he huffed and frowned in indignation. “I would never say such a thing, even if it were true.”

She scowled, “How loving of you…” Teasing, with just that hint of sarcasm behind it, she doubled her effort, a smile on those rosy lips of hers before she braced against his neck and lifted.

Crimson eyes wide, Astarion smiled wickedly in return. Obeying. Relenting as he raised himself from her body, his own muscles ached to return, taught with the need to do what they always had done in this tavern, longing to fuck her until she was incoherent, this time for pleasure and not from coercion.

But instead he huffed, sliding the plates of his armor off, watching her bare feet tread across the wood floorboards. He could smell her, as he said. But it was more than pleasant. That scent of her sweat, the way her arousal’s musk instantly filled his nose the moment he bit into her neck…

But first, he gathered himself, glancing around to ensure a moment of privacy before he adjusted his growing erection at her scent still in his nose. “Fucking hells,” he groaned as he dug out of his pack to get his cleanest clothes, all the way at the bottom of his bag. Finally, he fought with all the trinkets and loot in his sack to pull out a fresh set of trousers, when something heavy landed on the floor with a thud. One delicate hand reached to gather it up next to his feet, the green, leather bound tome right in her pale palm.

Cordehlia narrowed her eyes at the title embossed on the side in gold. “The Curse of the Vampyre?” she scanned the book and then locked those silver eyes with his, questioning, mischievous and suspicious. “Some light reading while I bathe?”

“Just a little research, darling,” he slipped it from her grasp to tuck it in with his clothing.

“How to kill Cazador?” she speculated, turning to head towards the now-steaming tub in the side of the room. That look she threw him from over her shoulder sent an instant shudder of warm desire to his groin.

“I think I’ll follow my instincts on that one, my love,” he chuckled, dark and tickled with the promise of violence. “No, no,” he hummed as they stopped at the side of the tub, watching as she closed the slat-screen separator, just a bit of privacy despite the wash of voices that floated around the suite. “I’m just… preparing for what it might be, between the two of us.”

Cordehlia slipped from her trousers, that hem of her undershirt barely covering that sweet apex of her thighs. Astarion swallowed the huffing moan he could have made. “Hmm,” she tossed him a smirk before turning her back on him. That little cream shift tugged up over her head as she let her voice lilt and flirt, “and what might that be for us? An eternity in love as Mistress Cordhelia Ancunín?”

“Close, my darling,” he set his clothing in a jumbled mess at his feet. The clean ones, too. And Cordehlia rolled her eyes as she watched him. Arms crossed over her bare breasts, she gave him a rueful yet desirous smile. He made no extra show, tugging his ruffled shirt off from over his one head, juggling the book between his grip. “You see, there’s a difference for a Vampire Lord in the creation of their servants or equals, whoever they should choose to make their own… to make them powerful like them…”

“Whatever fits their fickle, half-formed plans?” she taunted, stepping herself into the water, dunking her long, gnarled hair into the water.

Suddenly, tenderly, two hands fished her long hair from the water. Cordehlia turned slightly, his smirking face grinning with total mischief as he used those skilled hands of his to work the snarls from the end of her hair. A little rose scented oil on the tips of his fingers, and he worked them each out. No noise but the rasp of his breath down the back of her neck as he leaned over the tub. Warm water barely heated his touch, the pads of his touch brushed her cheek. Her head leaned into his palm, but a gasp from her lips slipped out as she felt his other hand close around her breast. His teeth scored over the sensitive shell of her ear, a whispering laugh tickling the inside. “Who’s to say I would be fickle… or have half-formed plans, if I were a Lord?”

A fang dragged over the soft curve of her earlobe, making her sigh, half-swallowed as her back arched at the sensation. “So… if you turn… if you can ascend, that’ll make you…?” she whispered, voice thick in that milk white throat of hers as she turned, water splashing in that tub as she swiveled.

“Lord Astarion….” He sighed, an intense and dreamy look in the dark red of his eyes. “Vampire Ascendant.”

“Is that what’s in your book, my dear? Is that what you’ve been researching?”

“No,” he rasped, standing as he slowly brought his hands to the waistband of his leathers. Pale fingers slipped the small buttons barely holding it closed free one at a time. “If you can’t tell… it’s you and your wellbeing that’s on my mind, darling…” Hands tugging that flap apart, his cock sprang free, and he couldn’t help but give a low, rumbling chuckle as she bit her lip at its sight.

Cordehlia slid over a smidge, her own lithe fingers massaging through her damp hair. Silver eyes were locked on his every move, the way he slipped from those leather pants, the way he slowly sank into the waters beside her.

The way his own right fang peeked out as he chewed his lip and wrapped his arms around her body at last. “I’ve never met one before, never even heard aside from rumors of their existence among my kind. They are rarely created, the perfect match for a Vampire Lord, the perfect threat to them too. But they say there is no greater love than a trusting Lord and his loving… Bride.”

She shivered in his arms, shaking her whole body despite the swirling steam that surrounded them.

“That’s what you want… isn’t it?” he purred right into the folds of her ear again, a single hand stealing underwater to run down her belly. “To be mine… forever?”

Her mouth opened, he could hear it, feel it in her jaw, but no noise came out but breath. Not until he slunk two fingers between her thighs, finding the even warmer, wetter slick that gathered there.

Her legs bent under the water, feet braced on the side of the cloth and wood of the tub. But he slowed his hand, dragging a single fingertip, a single nail even, over that hard little clit of hers. “You have to tell me, darling, if you will be mine… no matter what…”

Her hand reached behind her, clawing into the mess of his own damp curls and slotting her body between his own clenching legs. “You know my answer. It’s the same. It’s unchanging. Constantly beating yes when it comes to you, Astarion, for two-hundred years.”

“I’m so pleased to hear it,” he hissed, gratifying the little bucks of her hips by sinking his long fingers deep inside her channel. “Best keep it quiet though, I would hate to offend the rest of our group’s sensibilities…”

“You would love to give them offense,” Cordehlia snarled back, pulling him by his hair to whisper back in his own ear. Giving him just what he gave her. “You would love to make me give little whimpers, make me moan your name just loud enough to have one of them chastise you, hmm?”

“For what?” he growled back, starting to pick up his pace as he stroked her and crooked his touch inside her. “For being the consummate lover I am? For making you, the great warrior, whine for me, my little pet and darling?”

A hand reached behind her, her fist closing firmly around his cock, making a noise not unlike a moan come from his own throat through his gritted teeth.

“So are you going to share your research…” she pumped him, hard in grip and slow in measure, as she rode his fingers. A smile on her face. “Going to tell me more about what you think might happen?”

“Three bites,” he panted, those fingers of his working inside her, determined to make her squeal and come first. “And then… I drink you almost dry…” His voice in her ear is feral, more monster than man, and Cordehlia shivered, rapture taking hold at his touch and words and… all of him.

“Go on…” she murmured, voice thick in her throat, even as he hand gripped tighter and sloshed more water as she tried to keep up with his own fingers fucking inside her.

“I give you my blood, letting it fill you and make you mine. They say it will be far more pleasurable than anything you have ever… ever… experienced.” He panted, her thumb sweeping right over that spot only she knew, beneath the dip of his head. His thighs clenched, his balls tightened. “Gods,” he groaned, too close now to back down.

“And then I would be your Bride?” she replied, trying so hard to sound perfect and calm, hiding her own approaching pleasure with a pressed and quiet tone.

He held his breath, scoring a nail over that patch inside her, the one he knew always pushed her, careening towards her climax. “Yes,” he finally ground the single word out, definitely louder than he had hoped. “You’ll be your own being, your own set of powers linked to mine. We will walk in the sun, share our minds, share every bit of pleasure and … pain.” He whimpered loudly, too loudly, as she tugged and fondled him mercilessly.

A knock sounded on the divider, Shadowheart’s lyric voice only a bit muffled from the other side. “Can you hurry it up? The longer you take, the longer the rest of us poor peasants need to wait until it’s our turn…. And we obviously need to get fresh water now…”

“Shut up,” he growled, that hand on his cock not slowing a second even as their moment was invaded.

“Shh, play nice,” Cordehlia corrected him, hand leaving his shaft for a moment to clutch those smooth, hard balls in her palm, tight and ready to burst any second now. “Two people in one tub deserve twice as long, logically. Give us five more minutes.” She called so politely.

Their cleric huffed and stamped away, but not before her fingers stroked that flushed, fleshy head in their touch. Once, twice more, she pulsed that grip and stars covered his vision. Coils of heat burst inside him, spurts of cum sullying the water, and best of all, her own cunt flared and clenched in time. Her freehand flew to her mouth, covering it tightly to not make a sound. But he had her, the extra oily slick of her arousal shot around his fingers, her thighs shaking in the water as she bucked out her climax on his touch. And just when she neared the supple pleasure after, fangs sliced into her.

Her shoulder was pierced once, twice, three times. Nips in rapid succession until the final one. That, Astarion let his teeth sink fully into the crook of her shoulder, savoring the sweet, almost floral bouquet of her blood on his tongue. Filling his belly.

Her head rested back against his chest, body limp and warm. A comforting weight against where his heart would have beat, a sad smile on his lips as he released from her neck. Tenderly, he didn’t want to disturb her, he nuzzled into her damp red hair. As he breathed in, that rose-scented oil barely masked her own floral scent.

He didn’t want to disturb her, but maybe she needed to know….

“There’s a bit more to the Dark Kiss… umm the way that a Bride is made…” He trailed off as she turned. Her face was lined with confusion as she wrapped her legs around him in the water, looking hopeful, worried, waiting on his every word.

Astarion sighed. “It’s a bit dangerous,” he continued at last. “Once you wake to feed for the first time, you… you won’t be yourself. You will be feral, ravenous,” he paused, realizing the weight of his words, “dangerous. I’ll have to subdue you to make sure we both remain safe…”

“Alive you mean,” Cordehlia nodded, sage and slow as his meaning took hold. She looked over his shoulder, eyes distant as she thought for a moment. “More than anything, Astarion, I trust you.”

He closed his eyes and pressed his lips tighter, hiding the way tears stung behind his eyelids and the way his jaw wanted to tremble.

“Besides,” she shifted closer to him, running a hand down the ridges of his belly to grip him by the balls again. “You will love the chance to subdue me for once, even if it’s in unfair circumstances.”

Astarion swallowed the grunt at the delicious pressure she put on him, turning it to a laugh. “You're no different you know, not letting me bend the rules so I can win, just like when we were children.”

“Never,” she shook her head, coy smile and flirtatious glints in her eyes. “I’ll never let you off free, not even if you are some exalted Lord.” Those lithe fingers clutched one more time harder around his manhood. “And you wouldn’t have it any other way, my love.”

“Whatever makes you happy, my darling,” he purred, still hiding that lump in his throat. That niggling guilt over what he had done before, now that he knew. Now that he remembered. “I’ll try to be worthy of all that trust you have in me.”

She leaned against his chest, arms wrapping around his neck to bring him closer. A tender smile turning one corner of her lips, she kissed him. “I know you will.”

There was so much to be done… but for this evening, for tonight, they all rested in comfort for once. Every other member in their group gave them a massively wide berth, treating them like newlyweds, letting them hide behind the dividers around their bed, ignoring the little noises that came from behind it. Only once a meal was brought out did Cordehlia leave their little hideaway, just long enough to avoid everyone’s knowing smirks and make a simple plate of cheeses and breads.

Then her bare feet hurried back, for a moment of silence before the subtle and constant rustling resumed from behind those partitions.

A few hours later, silence finally fell. Night in the city was still so loud, too loud. And Cordehlia just couldn’t trance no matter how hard she tried. Even as Astarion fell into easy rest beside her, one arm braced behind her head and the other resting on his belly as it rose and fell. He was comfortable here, his home away from her for almost two centuries. That old pang of bitterness flared in her chest, and she sat aright. All she could hear was soft breathing in the night.

She looked out the window, dawn just starting to break with light. Climbing from the bed, she slipped into her clothing, that fresh cream undershirt, sensible black leathers. She would be quick, that pain from her past pushing her to return one more time to that place where agony had taken root.

One more glance to his beautiful, pale, naked body resting in their bed, she kissed her fingers and pressed it featherlight to his forehead. She’d be right back. One last visit to his grave to close the pain of the past.

Boots on her feet, she reached for her dagger. Just the one, her most favorite, if only to make her feel completely dressed; it would just be a jaunt around the corner to the graveyard, a couple of turns in the safety of the sun before she would return. And after all the ways he’d had her last night, she was sure he’d trance his way through that time.

She stepped silently through the dim room, paying no heed to anything other than that door, than her mission to bid the past farewell for good.

Astarion turned in his trance, his sleep restless and uneasy, the memories of being in the Elfsong mostly inflicting those little cuts and wounds of torture from his past as Cazador’s spawn. Except that one time he had been in this suite of rooms….

His dream swept him back to that time, the way his feet hurried away from the other spawn sent there with him to hunt. That little piece of paper in his hand secreted beneath his arm as he hurried silently up the stairs, picking the lock quickly into this empty set of rooms. It hadn’t been hard to find a dark corner, a loose floorboard…

He didn’t know why it was so important to him, but he had known he wanted to keep it. Even if he couldn’t bring it back to the palace, even if he knew that stealing away from his siblings and coming home empty handed tonight meant a spell in the kennels and a session with Godey. His chest rose and fell with the thrill of insolence. That parchment, that news flier unfolding in his hands made him smile.

Eyes scanned the words too quickly to really take in the story, some account of a battle… some fearsome tale of this warrior goddess… All he could do was stare at the printed likeness of her face on the paper. Black and white, just ink and fading parchment, but he had wanted it. And when Petras had tried to tug it from his fingers, he had snarled and disappeared into the crowd. Now he could savor his treasure, enjoy his stolen goods.

She was alluring, that long hair drawn to tease behind her, that sculpted body covered in dark armor, her face hard and fearsome and yet… something about her lips taunted him. Coy and teasing, beckoning him to look closer.

And closer he did look. His mind had raced over the words, no memory of them now almost a century later… but he remembered clearly what he did with that image in those few stolen moments. How his cock had hardened instantly, how it had been only a few moments of rough and dry handfucking for him to come.

How he had wiped himself clean quickly, breathless from actual pleasure for once in his long, broken memory, before he stashed that flier with the pretty She-elf on it under the floorboard.

Astarion bolted awake at last. Hardly noticing he was alone, he scampered from the bed, tripping as he slipped on his trousers too quickly and scuttled across the suite to the opposite corner.

“What in the hells are you doing, Fangs?” Karlach huffed a laugh, amused and annoyed as she had to hurry out of his way.

He said nothing, fingers pulling the wood up to free that long lost, buried treasure. Flinging himself against the wall, he shook his head. If he didn’t have company, he would have, could have cried.

Victory of the Bone Picker.

Clear as the day that dawned outside the window, he finally took the time to look at the words. To look into the printed eyes of his love.

He knew, somehow all those decades ago, he knew.

“Damn, Fangs, is that Cordehlia?” Karlach peered from the other end. “You knew that was here… you saved it here after all this time, didn’t you?”

“I guess so,” was his honest reply. Those crimson eyes looked up wide and shining wet. “Where is she?”

Karlach shook her head, taken aback. “Isn’t she sleeping her climax marathon off in your bed?”

“No,” he suddenly went rigid. Standing, flying to his feet to peer around the rooms. “Has anyone see Cordehlia?” he couldn’t hide the desperation in his voice now.

Gale looked up from his book at that. “She went for a stroll early this morning, first light. I don’t think she saw me here… not that she pays me much mind at any rate…”

“Shh, shh,” Astarion hushed him right up once he sounded as if he would start another one of his diatribes. “Not now, Gale,” he snipped. “That must have been an hour ago already, so where is she?”

“You could always use our little friends,” Gale suggested, two fingers tapping on the side of his head.

“You mean reach out?” the Vampire frowned.

“Wouldn’t hurt,” the Wizard gave a terse reply. For once.

Astarion closed his eyes, feeling the waves of the tadpole’s power emanating from his mind, searching for the other end.

Something faint returned. A flash of a cemetery, a headstone with his name on it, and a pair of glowing red eyes and stringy black hair staring down at her before… darkness.

Silence.

Nothingness.

🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️

Our Blood will update again in 3 days, so your arms don’t get too tired hanging from that cliff 💞💞

[themaeve]

AHHHHH! Memoire 61.5 of the Case Study of Vanitas just dropped! I'm loving everything about where we are going with this dham arc!

We are finally getting more on the whole business with where dhampirs stand in this society. Feared by humans as being too close to vampires, looked down on and at one point hunted(!) by vampires. And wow are the Count's people prejudiced as fuck. The only reason Dhampirs have "the right to exist" is because they are under the eccentric Marquis Machina's protection.

Watching Johann and Riche broke my heart this chapter. The way they both reached for their glasses when it was mentioned how dhams are revealed by their eyes. Riche was visibly scared the entire time and Johann was trying his best to comfort her. It really characterizes Dante, the member of the Dham trio who doesn't wear glasses, and is also almost always the most loud and proud of the three. Dante doesn't give a single fuck to "hide" his eyes.

Bless Noe, calling bullshit on everyone with "Isn't it just less confusing to just call people by their name?" Love that man so much. Vanitas stifling his laughter at Noe's wholesome honesty. Perfect.

I also really appreciate Domi's bits this chapter. My girl thinks she is so progressive with her whole "Being prejudiced in this day and age? How unattractive." And then only minutes later getting somewhat called out by Noe for never even learning Dante's name. Domi learning that she ain't above being prejudiced and that she needs to do better. Not being outwardly hateful is the bare fucking minimum. I love that last panel of her, that mix of embarrassment, panic, and palpable shame she feels with herself. The way she got really quiet and shut down. It hurt to watch in a good way. I've been there Domi. You gotta collect yourself, learn from your mistakes, identify and overcome your personal biases. Don't fall back into more self-hatred, you can do it girl! God I love her so much.

Also, I love that last panel of pissed off Dante! Dude is so over this conversation. Staring daggers at Noe like "Is this some kind of fucking White Knight routine of yours or are you genuinely this naive and friendly?" Good sir I eagerly await your angry rant next chapter. Fucking go off my dude.

This chapter had so much emotion from everyone. Hate, anger, fear, shame, love. All of it on display. As much as I have really started to hate the "fantasy racism" cliche, I'll give this one credit for some realism in displays of prejudice and the subtle effects it has on its targets. While I don't have experience being the target of racist prejudice, I do have experience being the target of queerphobic prejudice. The dhams really hit with me, especially the lines calling them "half-formed things, neither fish nor fowl." Like, yep I'm trans and non-binary, I've heard and seen that type of shit said before.

The way Riche and Johann reached instinctively for their glasses when it was mentioned how the uncontrollable gold flashes of their eyes give them away to humans. I felt that, being "revealed" by features of your body and being instinctually self conscious about them. Trying to hide the things that "give you away". I still remember when Jeanne was trying to figure out if Johann was human or vampire, watching the anime, hearing the tired and thorny contempt in Johann's voice with the delivery of "Nope, I'm a dham." Shivers. Same fucking energy of delivering "I'm nonbinary" to random people for fuckteenth flippin time watching the fucking look in their eye change as they realize what I am. Then, Johann catches himself after saying it, realizing Jeanne didn't mean any offense, that his tone was too prickly. She just genuinely didn't know. You can feel how Johann is always on guard. Always having to be prepared for people who think he doesn't have "the right to exist." I felt that.

I'm optimistic for how the story handles this arc. I'm praying it's good and doesn't fall for the problematic elements of "fantasy racism" tropes. The way this chapter handled Domi makes me hopeful. That and anymore material we get on Dante, Johann, and Riche is a win in my book.

[chronophobique]

Cursed!Draco as a Triwizard Tournament champion

— 1135 words

content warning: drowning (no one dies I promise)

Draco knew, since the moment he thought he saw a green flash hit him during his heated encounter with that one student from Ravenclaw—whose name he’d never cared to learn—on the train, that something was wrong with him.

He could feel it every time he climbed stairs, when he found himself panting like an old man as if he’d never got used to climbing them in the past seven years.

But he wasn’t going to pay a visit to Madam Pomfrey just now and ruin his chances at finally proving himself.

Not when the Cup had chosen him. Not another Chosen one or a brave heart, like it had in the past. Him. The only student in this school who had been an Azkaban convict.

It hadn’t enchanted him, at first. The opposite, in fact. The war had made him a target—quite rightly. Now certainly wasn’t the time to be in the spotlight.

But it was his opportunity to show them he wasn’t the boy who had blindly listened and obeyed to stronger than him anymore. And he wasn’t going to miss it just because of some pain in his chest.

“Ten galleons that someone will take care of his case before he has time to step a foot into that arena,” he heard a Hogwarts student not so discreetly tell a Durmstrang student as he passed them in the corridor. It was the day before the First Task.

The dark-haired girl met his gaze, then, considering her answer, when a familiar bushy head interrupted her train of thoughts, a finger pointed at her interlocutor’s face. “We don’t bet on the champions’ lives, Darwin. Twenty points from Gryffindor.”

“You can’t do that,” Darwin exclaimed indignantly. “We’re from the same house!”

“All the more reason to teach you a lesson,” Granger snapped back, eyebrows drawn severely as she walked away, barely giving him a glance.

As with his trial in which she had testified on his behalf, it wasn’t the first time she put her nose in his business to get him out of an uncomfortable situation, and all it did was make him more confused. Angry. Ashamed.

The third time was during the Second Task, when he realised with horror and ever more incomprehension that she was the one thing that had been stolen from him.

It was already a surprise that he hadn’t drown in the first few minutes of the task, given that he had been denied access to the library due to his past and exposition to the Dark Arts and therefore had been unable to find a way to breathe underwater, but seeing her floating amongst the hostile merpeople for him to save really was the cherry on the cake.

As his lungs painfully rejected the freshwater of the lake, he hesitated. None of this made sense. What the fuck did it mean, Granger being stolen from him? What would it mean to others?

Still, he’d made it this far. Somehow. And before his brain could even process it, he was grabbing her by the waist and pulling her to the surface as if his four members now had a mind of their own.

Or at least, he tried, because as soon as he started kicking the water it suddenly felt like claws were closing around his heart, dragging him down.

Down.

Down.

Overcome by panic, he kicked harder, but his efforts were in vain. In just a few minutes, he lost his hold on Granger, breathed what he was convinced to be his last, and let the depths of the lake swallow him.

He regained consciousness with a start, coughing up all the water that had seeped into his lungs.

“Mr Malfoy, are you feeling alright?”

“Obviously not,” he rasped, lying on his side, going completely still when he noticed Pomfrey wasn’t the only witch present in the tent.

As soaked as he was, a few curls already sticking up on either side of her face, Granger was looking straight ahead. Like the last place on Earth she wanted to be right now was on this stool but she had no choice.

Looking down, he quickly realised why; her hand was laced with his.

Appalled, he tried to wrench it out of her grasp, but she held on strongly.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Madam Pomfrey warned, a close eye on his vitals.

“Why not?” he asked through his teeth, goosebumps all over his skin.

“Because you’ve been cursed, Mr Malfoy.” She let that sink in, probably unaware that it was a daily occurrence for him. “And whoever hit you with it didn’t want you dead, but miserable for the rest of your life.”

That didn’t explain why Granger was holding his bloody hand. Merlin. He’d never had anyone hold his hand like this before.

“Well, clearly it failed. As you can see, I’m alive and don’t feel particularly worse than usual. Now tell her to let go of me,“ he groaned.

“The thing is you shouldn’t be alive. And you have Miss Granger to thank for that.”

“I didn’t do anything—” the latter said, still not looking at him.

“Voluntarily, no, but it doesn’t change the fact that you did.”

He saw her stifle a laugh and wondered if he was imagining the pinker tint to her cheeks.

“Care to explain?”

“You were hit by an Octopus curse,” Pomfrey revealed, point blank, lips pursed. “A rare curse which forced your body to undergo certain changes in a very short amount of time, such as growing two extra hearts.”

Rendered speechless, Draco could only listen, though the warmth of Granger’s skin against his own was irritably distracting.

“Two hearts you’ve already lost,” she continued in a graver tone. “As one was apparently stopped with the Killing Curse and another deprived of oxygen for too long.”

“One heart left, lucky me,” he muttered sarcastically after a few seconds, sitting up and locking eyes with Granger. “And what should I be thanking you for, hm?”

Eyes as dark as he’d ever seen them, the witch looked like she wished he’d never resurfaced.

“You remaining heart, it seems, only beats because of me, Malfoy.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. What an insufferable show-off. “Yes, I figured,” he snapped. “What I meant was—”

“Because,” she cut him off, squeezing his hand so hard he feared for a second his bones would break. “I make it flutter every time our eyes meet,” she spat, her voice full of reproach. “And makes it beat faster when I touch you. I keep you alive.”

“In simple terms, she has your life between her hands,” Pomfrey added as if she fucking needed to. “So I suggest you listen carefully to what I have to say.”

[gale-gentlepenguin]

Can you do similar analysis of Marinette's "implied" Akumatized forms (Princess Justice, Unmasker, Panic, etc.) as you did to Adrien's Akumatized forms?

I wish it was as simple. Like yes we know the causes of what each of these. But a key component in analyzing is the powers and appearance.

The best I can do is speculation.

So for Princess Justice, her issue was how she was being framed and no one was taking her side. She knew the truth but it didn’t matter. She wanted Justice and the reveal of the truth.

Unmasker is actually another example of Marinette hating being limited by the truth. She wanted to date chat noir, be happy. But it was the duty of the hero that got in the way, the her not knowing that once again left her hurting. Truth of something forbidden.

Then Panic, which sounds like the outlier, but it’s actually not. Once Marinette realized Why she was in such a state (the Truth) she was able to overcome her fear and anxiety. In this case it was the unknown that caused her fear. Once again it’s around truth. But it was her own fear hiding it.

But it’s not just the truth, all her identities were around REVEALING what’s hidden. Revealing the truth for Justice, For love, and for ridding her fear.

The akuma personas are about her deepest insecurity, She hates the secrets, the lies, everything that she believes binds her. She wants everything and everyone to be honest, regardless of outcome.

So her fusions of akuma forms, her ultimate iteration.

Revelation

An akuma that allows Everything about someone to be known. Being targeted will show the good and bad of everyone, even their deepest secrets to the akuma. Marinette’s need to know every intent is the embodiment of Revelation. It is likely the akuma Monarch would have loved to have the most.

[mushroommanstan]

Hi I really like your 'creepy' Tenko series. He's not creepy though at least not to me. He's not even really scary either. To outsiders he's definitely creepy. But to the reader he's just a guy who is touch starved lonely and someone who had a really bad childhood. From what I can tell if he's not even that bad of a person he just doesn't know how to socialize...

I love him so much I want to give him a hug!

Like him killing his family wasn't even his fault.

Imagine if you give a 5-year-old the ability to destroy anything that he touched including people without telling him and without giving him control over it.

That would not be the child's fault!

I want to give this guy a hug and affection! I want to be his friend. I'm acesexual so I don't really want to have sex with him like how the main character in your story does.... But I'm not sex proposed so I still like the story and I still want to give him love and affection! Like the poor man doesn't know how friends work....

You better give them a happy ending or I will find you and put glitter in your bed.

I don’t want to spoil it but I don’t think I’m physically able to make an ending for that series that isn’t fluff, no worries. Or maybe I’m lying, you don’t know! (I’m not)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone else’s college AU Tenko: Incel asshole who mistreats women and bullies people because his dads super rich

Mine: just a funny little guy with social problems and low self esteem

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anyways, here’s a fic where you hug him and make him feel good platonically. Why? Because I said so. Merry April Christmas

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hugging Tenko college au

Another day walking down the same grimy halls with the same grimy peers, all staring at him like he was a wild animal that stumbled into the building by mistake.

Another day of relentless bullying, spitballs and gum in hair like they were back in high school. Honestly, it was ironic. One would think that you would try and stay on the good side of a “serial killer”, right? And yet it seems like people try to target themselves by sticking their disgusting gum in his hair from behind. This is just one more reason why he has to stay in the back.

Could be worse though, at least he has the disintegration quirk. So really the gum is just a mild annoyance. But it’s the principle of it, the intention that makes his heart clench until he’s too numb feel it.

But today, it wasn’t just intentions that hurt. It seems like the bullies got a little more creative, going so far as to bring paintball guns and shooting him from all over. It stung, and it stained, which stung even more.

Even now he was pelted from behind, sharp snaps against his back again and again that made his eyes water. He scrunched his hair in his hands, his head down as he stopped in the middle of the hallway, enemy fire coming from all sides and pelting his back as he succumbed to a panic attack. He silently cried out for someone, anyone to help him. He hated this, he hated today, he hated himse-

Suddenly, he was overcome with warmth. Like a cozy campfire was wrapped around him, relaxing his bruised body and filling him with a forgotten comfort.

He looked down, seeing skin and cloth wrapped around his torso, and realized that you were hugging him. Cautiously, he wrapped his arms around your back as well, subconsciously melting into your embrace. He didn’t even know you, he didn’t even know why you were doing this… and yet… he felt safe. And secure, and… loved. It had been so long since he had had a hug he-he didn’t realize how much he needed one until now.

He let out a sigh, letting his head fall into the crook of your neck as he allowed himself to let his guard down. It just felt so good, the contact, the trust, the affection. He didn’t need to know you for this to be special to him.

In his peripheral vision, he could see a glowing blue mass behind him, seemingly made of some kind of pseudo-metal based on the sound it made when it deflected the paint balls, sending them back to their senders and making them cry out. Was it… a shield? Did you have a shield quirk or something? Were you… shielding him?

Why him? Why were you being so nice? Just what did you think you were doing? He opened his mouth, trying to squeeze out the words but finding it difficult for some reason.

“Why?” He mumbled. “Why me…? Why would you…”

You shushed him, softly, a sound that was usually made in a disgusted or abrasive manner but coming from you somehow felt comforting. Like you were saying that it was ok, that he didn’t have to worry about that. That he just needed to relax, and feel.

He could feel his eyes watering, and he couldn’t hold back the tear that fell any longer.

“Thank you… ‘really needed this.” He said, wiping his face on your jacket with his hands still wrapped secure around your back.

You chuckled, a nice, warm chuckle, before raising a hand and petting his hair, a motion that made his legs shake from relaxation.

Finally, you spoke. “Y’know, I got the new Super Hero Bros game.”

His face rose from your chest, red and moist from tears. “T-the exclusive one with the new EraserHead playable character?” He asked.

You nodded. “Wanna come back to my place and play it with me? I can order pizza.”

Tenko couldn’t trust himself to speak, only being able to nod before you took his hand and guided him back to your dorm for the gaming night he had waited his whole life for. To say he had fun was an understatement. He had the time of his life.

After that, you two hung out every Friday night, and on those nights, Tenko didn’t feel so alone.

[bcolfanfic]

when the young vets boys first get together do they keep it a secret for a bit? how do the others react? any concerns from them about how it could affect the group dynamic or their jobs if their 'involved'? actually, was there ever a situation where either one seemed to be in serious risk and the other lost it a bit? :( <3

i think when they're still in africa they try to keep it realllly on the downlow. they're in close quarters with everyone else (technicality fact, the air force doesn't have any actual us air force bases in africa, but they do own some african bases that deployed airmen are sent to. in my head they're at nigerian air force base 201- which is newer and smaller than bagram airfield) and gale isn't out so he's a lil nervous, sweet boy. and i think they don't want to fuck up and essentially sign themselves up to be separated when their rotation is over. demarco, who i put in africa with them, finds out- but as nosy nelly as he is he can keep a secret.

when they get to afghanistan they're reunited with curt, and since they're there for much longer i think they get closer with the guys there/feel more comfortable not treating being involved like a state secret. it's not *ideal* no, but with the state of things either of them being deployed somewhere else would be a loss, so they get away with more than they technically should.

re the other thing. godddd. thinking if gale was flying for something and got back to the base being in chaos because as far as he can hear in people's franticness around him, the EOD squad was targeted. immediately panics about the possibility of bucky being caught up in it- the fact that he was up in the air while bucky was possibly getting killed etc etc. goes crazy mode running around trying to figure out what's going on- and eventually runs into brady who tells him john is okay, just really shaken up and a little banged up from getting thrown in the air and back down. that he was far enough away to not be blown up, just felt the impact and is otherwise fine.

gale is so relieved, but it's the first time something like that has happened since their relationship got more serious and he's also *so* rattled. starts getting anxiety about something happening to bucky and not being there, which he really has to work at overcoming before the wrong person picks up on it and separating them gets revisited. (it doesn't, thankfully. and thanks in part to curt taking his rightful place as the therapist friend. god love him.)

[reality-detective]

"World Patriots, Rejoice: The Deep State's Second Pandemic Plot Unravels!"

Ladies and gentlemen, fellow Patriots and Freedom Fighters, this is a moment to celebrate, for your unyielding spirit has once again triumphed against the shadowy deep state and their globalist agenda.

Your voices, your unshakable commitment to the truth, have played a pivotal role in exposing the hidden agenda, thereby thwarting the second planned pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. The globalist deep state has been forced to abandon their malevolent scheme thanks to the MASSIVE AWAKENING INFORMATION CAMPAIGN!

Across more than 100 nations, their sinister plan has crumbled, with fewer than 5% of Americans succumbing to their booster shot agenda. Across the globe, consensus has been reached that the world refuses to bow to new lockdowns, and most now see a sinister elite agenda lurking behind the pandemic, vaccines, and lockdowns. Moreover, nations are awakening to the stark corruption undermining their two-tier governments, suppressing human rights, and censoring freedom of speech!

"Secret Vaxx Warehouses - A Billion-Dollar Fiasco"

Behind closed doors, the colossal failure of vaccine storage and distribution unfolds. Warehouses across the globe are overflowing, and the blunders are costing BlackRock and others hundreds of billions as vaccines languish without proper storage and cooling. Quietly, these vaccines are being destroyed, making this revelation a powerful testament to our fight against the deep state cabal.

"The Power of the Great Awakening"

This moment signifies a monumental victory against the deep state cabal and underscores the potency of the Great Awakening, spreading like wildfire worldwide. Your voices are the antidote to the deep state's lies, overcoming mainstream media misinformation, social media censorship, government suppression, and globalist narratives.

"Deep State Panic and the WW3 Scheme"

As the globalist cabal panics, they endeavor to concoct a WW3 scenario to fuel their illicit money laundering operations, extracting trillions from the U.S., EU, Canada, Australia, Israel, and the puppet Ukrainian regime controlled by the CIA. But their war machinations have crumbled as Ukraine's regime, feeling betrayed and abandoned, admits defeat.

"Israeli Civil War Looms"

Behind the curtains in Israel, the military plans to remove Netanyahu, paving the way for tribunals. A civil war looms, scheduled for 2024, as over 80% of Israelis lose faith in their government. White hat military strategists are preparing intricate Game Theory Operations for a bloodless military coup.

"Revelations Await in 2024"

In 2024, brace for groundbreaking revelations as military white hats and courageous individuals in the medical, government, and the broader pharmaceutical industry unleash hidden data on vaccine tests, fatalities, damages, and the corrupt agendas of global investment giants such as BlackRock, who manipulated, bribed, blackmailed, and laundered money to push through COVID-19 vaccines.

"Global Riots and Protests"

A wave of worldwide unrest will sweep through the streets, targeting the establishment in the medical, big pharma, big tech, and industries entwined with governments, presidents, and regimes beholden to globalist agendas and control. The depopulation agenda will cease to be a conspiracy, as the U.S. Congress launches investigations, intersecting with the 2024 election interference and the previous 2020 election meddling.

"A Planned Military Coup?"

This looming storm will be masterfully framed by the white hats as a meticulously orchestrated military coup engineered by the globalists, in collusion with the likes of Obama, the CIA, Pentagon, and the DOJ, extending its reach to the European Union, Canada, Australia, and the rest of the world.

Remember, Patriots, everything converges towards Q.

"Trust the Plan, Military Is the Only Way"

Place your trust in the plan, for the military stands as the only bastion against the encroaching darkness.

The revolution is imminent

- David Wilcock 🤔

[x0401x]

Tsurune —Tsunagari no Issha— Official Fanbook: Character Highlights

Minato's Highlight

Things Gained and Things Lost

After overcoming target panic, Minato is filled with joy at becoming able to shoot the bow as he wishes, to the point he ends up preocupied with nothing but archery and doesn't put his mind into the sports tournament. And so, he is caught up in the desire to "shoot well", to "shoot more and more" at the regionals, not as a team but just by himself. As a result, he becomes overly conscious of Shuu and Nikaidou's shooting and loses sight of his own.

"I'll leave him speechless!"

After the regional tournament, Masaki forbids Minato of shooting. He instead draws the rubber bow every day, just as he did back when he still had target panic, yet he takes it positively, declaring that he will "leave Masa-san speechless!". The biggest difference from when he was troubled by his target panic is that he now has friends to support him. As the ochi of Kazemai and for the sake of said friends, he takes on the task he has been given straightforwardly.

Those Who Aim For the Top

Minato and Shuu have been deepening their bond through their bows ever since they were being instructed by Saionji. They acknowledge each other as comrades who have continued to shoot together. Their opportunities to draw the bow in each other's presence are limited, as they currently belong to different teams, but the bond that was connected through archery has remained unchanged from when they were children. As people who walk the same path and who are aiming for the top, they are conscious of one another.

Seiya's Highlight

President and Vice-President Duo

Seiya tends to get tunnel vision when it comes to Minato. Kaito is the only one in Kazemai who notices this. Seiya, too, is the only one who through what's inside Kaito, so when Kaito has a falling out with Nanao, Seiya urges him on with a, "Fight, Onogi Kaito", intentionally speaking in a way that Kaito would appreciate. They acknowledge one another as president and vice-president and balance each other out.

Hardworking Person

As he was refused by Saionji to become her disciple, Seiya began doing archery in middle school. He kept training by himself while learning from Minato, earning enough skill in a short time to be able to line up with Minato and Shuu. Moreover, he boosts a stable hit rate in matches, so much so that Sase describes him as having a strong mentality. He supports the team as the club president and as the "naka" out of the five archers.

Ryouhei's Highlight

"Archery's what matters most to me right now!"

Blessed with a good physique, Ryouhei is actually a kendo dan holder. He is selected as the MVP of the archery club for winning the kendo section of the sports club against a senior, who had been undefeated for two years. While he certainly does have a vocation for kendo, it seems fighting opponents does not sit well with him. By the looks of it, archery, where one has to face oneself in a match rather than an opponent, is what suits him best.

Realistic Words

Upon seeing Sae and Toujou in trouble at the regional tournament's venue, he immediately went to talk to them. He is so naturally considerate of others that Seo calls him a "natural-born nice guy". Moreover, when he visits the Fujiwara residence, he is able to tell Shuu, "So your family's rooting for you, huh" exactly as he thinks. Rouhei's honest words and actions move people's hearts without him even realizing it.

Kaito's Highlight

All-Out Only!

Kaito, who does not tolerate half-heartedness in anything, dashes out at full throttle even in the soccer match of the sports festival! Seiya cleverly takes advantage of this, making him run around too much and collapse from lack of stamina in the latter half of the game. He is the type of person to work hard and diligently at everything he does, but his stubborn attitude and rough behavior often cause him to clash with those around him, who tend to think that he is "scary".

A Caring Personality

After the regional tournament, he immediately noticed that Ryouhei was not in good spirits and called out to him, for he has a caring nature and an inability to leave people to their own devices when they are troubled. He is also skillful with his hands, enough to be able to fix the central part of Nanao's bow, and is the second best cook amongst the Kazemai boys after Minato. When Nanao, who is good at getting people to spoil him, asks Kaito for a favor, Kaito often ends up looking after him without even realizing it.

Loss and Pride

When the ochi, Minato, messed up the rhythm of the shooting at the regional tournament, Kaito was greatly affected, for he is supposed to follow after Minato as the oomae. The old Kaito would have probably lashed out at Minato, but due to his pride from being entrusted with the position of oomae, the first of the team to shoot, he insists that he was the one at fault. Although he understands that Nanao's argument is right, he ends up trying to shoulder everything by himself due to being so serious about it.

Nanao's Highlight

The True Hero

At first glance, it might seem like he enjoys being flashy due to his striking looks, but Nanao himself actually believes that "the true hero is the support role from behind the scenes", rather than someone who stands in the front and sticks out. He often acts out of consideration for others, doing things such as supporting his team with accurate tosses during the volleyball match of the sports festival, or calling Kaito out for trying to take all the blame for the loss against Tsujimine.

Someone He Can't Afford to Lose to

Whenever Nanao gets into trouble, Kaito helps him, and whenever Kaito is faced with a problem, Nanao takes him by the hand... Ever since they were little, he and Kaito have had what was supposed to be a mutually supportive relationship. However, at some point, he began to think that he has to be by "Kacchan's" side. In order to take care of Kaito, he has to be ahead of him – his rivalry with Kaito is what motivates him.

Shuu's Highlight

"I won't let anyone get in our way."

Minato is special to Shuu, enough that when Nikaidou suddenly came up to him to pick a quarrel in elementary school, he responded by declaring, "I'll never let anyone else get in our way"—his first-ever rival. They are sworn friends aiming for the same heights and competing with each other. It is not as if they are together all the time like regular friends, but he is lonely when he is not able to see Minato at the dojo. Despite him rarely showing emotion outwardly, when Minato was unable to come to the dojo due to the car accident, gloom was visible on Shuu's face.

No Intention to Let Go

When Sae says she wants to watch the archery tournament, Shuu says he "doesn't want her to see him fail". He was recalling the bitter memory of the prefecturals. He had been on a hit streak since the preliminaries and only missed the last shot. His heart was stolen by Minato's shooting, and for a moment, his mind distanced itself from his bow... He never intends to let go of it again. Before the regional tournament, which would determine who would compete in the nationals, Shuu renewed his resolution.

Distance from His Family

Shuu, who used to conceptualize "family" as a different category than "friends" and "clubmates", was somewhat embarrassed to let his family watch the archery tournaments. However, thanks to Sae telling him that she enjoyed watching his match and their busy father rushing to attend the national tournament, Shuu's internal sense of distance from his family gradually began to change.

[offthearrowshelf]

Episode 81 – When target panic hit me at a local tournament

No surprise that the subject of this episode is target panic. In it I talk about how it made me feel when it hit me at a local field archery tournament a few days ago. This is partly a personal reflection but also I am hoping it will give some confidence to those who like myself struggle with anxiety at times. I also go through how I used a few techniques to settle my nerves throughout the…

[pendragon-of-chaos]

If requests are open can i request NNT Arthur and a vigilante (I believe is the word not sure) s/o who helps protect the town people secretly and maybe one night they randomly bump into each other on the way home and Arthur’s starts getting suspicious on what’s going on thank you and have a nice day!

I started this as a small scenario but it ended up being a little longer than the usual ones. I also thought I wouldn't be able to write something that pleased me, but I think it ended being better than what I thought. Hope you like it!

Small scenario: Arthur Pendragon with a fem!secret vigilante S/O:

"Have you heard the rumours about that one vigilante??? Who do you think they are? I wish I could talk to them some day, they seem soooo cool! Maybe I should be a vigilante too... Well, I am already a knight, but having a secret identity sounds fun too! What do you think??"

It was a sunny morning. Arthur and Y/N were enjoying a break eating some sweets, sitting on a table while talking about the latest news.

"I've heard about it. Seems like they are already quite popular within Camelot, aren't they?"

"Indeed! Specially within the knights. I've heard they are placing bets on who is the one behind that mask"

"Really? And who do they think is the responsible of all this?"

"There are different opinions, no one seems to agree with just one, so I can't really speak for them." Arthur shrugged his shoulders while taking one of the freshly baked buns on the table in front of him. "As for me, I don't agree with them either. I don't know, but my instinct says that the responsible isn't one of the knights... It's just a feeling". He took a bite and smiled at (Y/N) "If you ever have any clue you must tell me, ok?"

"Of course, I'll do my best to help you discover the secret identity of that vigilante, don't worry"

----

"His instincts sure are good" - (Y/N) sighed deeply, looking at the dark streets from the top of a poorly illuminated roof, making sure no one could see her - "I'm careful enough to not leave behind any sort of information that could uncover me and he still reaches that conclusion; guess I'll need to be even more cautious just in case..."

She looked back to the streets for a couple minutes, until a suspicious acting shadow figure entered an alley in between some houses. It emerged from time to time, looking to both sides of the street, and hiding again; until a pair of drunk men made their way past the entrance

"What a good night huh?" - The shadow appeared behind them. It looked like a big strong man by his silhouette. Not that his strength mattered versus those two people which weren't even able to mantain their balance, even less when he pulled out of his coat a bright dagger - "Now, give me all you got in your pockets if you don't want to end up worse than you already are"

Overcome by panic, the two men leaned on each other trying to not fall down, clumsily looking for their pockets and throwing everything their hands touched in them

"Y-Yeah sir, just leave us alone damn it! We didn't do anything"

"Just make sure to shut your mouth about this. You went home with no money because you spent it all on drinking, right?" Laughing, the robber walked towards them in an intimidating way - "Get out of my sight, scumb-AGH"

He turned around quickly, hand in his nape, rubbing to ease the pain of the sudden hit which came out of nowhere. In front of him, another figure covered in black stood still

"Going for the easy targets I see. Such a shame that you wasted your time waiting for them to pass by, I've seen it all". A pair of hands appeared under the cloack, ready to take care of the criminal in front of them

He wasted no time and, knife in hand, lunged towards (Y/N), who didn't move an inch. She was ready to counter attack, until a few feet away from her he appeared, behind the criminal, in less than the blink of an eye.

"I got him!"

A familiar orange-haired boy stopped the attack by skillfully positioning his sword blade near the criminal's neck in one second, and then disarmed him in the next one, sheathing his sword and laying him on the ground

"Arthur! I can-!!!" (Y/N) shut her mouth while everything happened. If she talked more than neccesary Arthur would discover her. She was also impressed with his abilities. She had seen him training but never using his skills in a real situation. The king looked back at her, still restraining his hands behind his back

"We'll take him to the castle's dungeons for the night and tomorrow morning the knights will take care of him. I'll gladly accept yor help with this task"

(Y/N) nodded in afirmation, and with a simple hand movement a pair of handcuffs appeared on the criminal's wrists.

"Much better!" - Smiling, Arthur got up from him, helping him to stand up - "Now let's head to the castle"

He looked back to were (Y/N) was standing, inviting her to come with him, but there was nobody to be seen there.

----

It was morning once again. (Y/N) was sitting at the table as she always does, having breakfast, when she heard the doors opening

"Hey hey, I've got something to tell you!"

Arthur took a sit next to her quickly, smiling excited to talk with her.

"Hmm? What is it Arthur?"

"I crossed paths yesterday night with the vigilante!"

"Oh really?" - (Y/N) put on her best confused face to not arouse any more suspicions - "How did you even manage to find them? What did exactly happen?"

"I went outside the kingdom yesterday, searching for some materials that Merlin asked me to find. It was more difficult than what I thought so I returned to Camelot late at night. While I was walking down the street I saw how a man tried to rob other two, and then the vigilante appeared to help them. But as a King I can't stand idly by when something like this happens, that's why I went to help them too! It was pretty easy, and I hoped I could talk to them after having the situation controlled, but they disappeared when I wasn't looking"

"Wow... I'm happy for you, but it sounds like in the end you didn't get to know who was behind the mask"

"I guess so, but at least now I have new clues. Listen, I think that the secret vigilante must be near our age judging by its appearance and movements, and they also know how to use magic. That reduces the number of potential people by a lot... Oh! And by their voice I think it might be a woman? But everything happened so fast, I'm not even sure. If I had a few more minutes I'm sure I could have gotten more information"

"Just a few seconds and he got all of that from me" (Y/N) thought to herself - "That's a lot considering you said everything happened fast"

"Right..." - Arthur looked directly at (Y/N) for a few seconds - "one more thing, didn't Merlin show you some time ago those magical spheres that makes you disappear if you use them?"

"...Are you insinuating that I am the vigilante?"

"Just a possibility, my instinct tells me you might know more than you tell me"

[aita-blorbos]

Aita for trying to spread hope?

I (21M, had memories wiped so I thought I was 16) was trapped with my old classmates on an island resort, and we were told that if we wanted to get out, someone had to kill somebody else and get away with it. Since everyone had gotten their memories messed with, none of us knew each other, thus we couldn't truly place any trust in one another. So, when the panic died down, I began to form a plan.

See, all my life I've had this bad luck/good luck cycle. Something really bad happens, something really good happens immediately after (a more colorful example is when I got kidnapped by a serial killer in middle school, only to find a lottery ticket in the trash bag he stuffed me in and use the corners to cut my way out. That lottery ticket later won me 3 million). So, I decided to use this to my advantage. During a party that was planned to help us get to know each other, I would use a knife I hid under a table while the lights were out to kill someone. In the despair caused by the first death, they would be overcome by hope and find who did it and get off the island. Someone found out about this plan while I was preparing, but I convinced him to help me.

But that didn't happen. While the lights were out, I was prevented from getting the knife, and by the time the lights came on someone else had already committed a murder. After every murder there's supposed to be a trial after some investigation, so I tried to play it cool and deflect the blame from who I knew had done it (the guy who found out about my plan). However, I kind of... snapped? I got stressed enough that I ended up dropping my calm-and-collected mask and laughing extremely hard before telling them straight up that I was the one who set up the murder (they also seemed off-put by my declaration of how beautiful it was that they were coming together to combat despair. Though I'm not sure why? It's a compliment!). The rest of the trial I helped them get to the right conclusion, and the killer was executed by the guy trapping us here.

Afterwards, though, everyone suddenly hated me. They yelled at me before leaving the trial room, and after that the next day they were treating me like I was worthless. And I mean, I am, they're all so much better than me and I don't really deserve to be treated well, but it still hurt. (At some point they even tied me up and trapped me in a shack because I was "dangerous". I deserved it, but those ropes were tight.)

In general they just didn't like me. I tried to mend that sometimes by offering myself up as an easy target for any potential killers, though they always ended up killing someone else. Such a shame. They never really liked my ramblings about hope and despair either, even though they were all true.

During one particular murder, I completed a puzzle that was supposed to have an important prize, and learned something important– all of them had been involved in a giant tragedy that had dipped the outside world in complete despair. Since our memories had been tampered with, none of us remembered, but it was written clear as day in the file I was given. So, instead of groveling at their feet, I began to instead treat them like the murderous scum they are. Especially one particular student there; he didn't meet the criteria the rest of us had to even been in this supposed class. That file was also how I discovered that there was an impostor among us.

But they still didn't like me. In fact, they treated me worse. So I devised another plan: I set a bomb to go off while I was being captured again by my classmates, and told them there were more bombs hidden somewhere else. I rigged the "bomb" so that it could only be defused if the impostor scanned their ID on a scanner I hooked up. While they were running around terrified, I filled a fire grenade with poison gas, locked myself in a warehouse, set it so that a fire would start if someone opened the door, injured myself to make it look like I had been tortured, and waited. Eventually they got in and grabbed the fire grenades to put out the fire, someone threw the poison like I had planned, and I died. Then I woke up in a pod somewhere and realized the whole situation was a simulation that me and the others had been trapped in. I truly believe my plan to out the impostor and bring them true hope worked, though, because the last remaining students got out not long after.

Throughout this whole situation, everyone was either angry at me, tired of me, or scared of me, but I believe I was in the right. It worked, didn't it? But I figured I'd ask you. So, AITA?

[symphonic-scream]

Updated Post for the Persona 5 Magic au

It all starts with the eternal battle for balance. Good v evil, light v dark. Two beings oversee all that is magical, using their every breath to keep the other at bay. With the opposing forces in balance, no one being can overcome the world, and rise up. The humans, the normal ones, remain in the dark

Darkness draws back for a few decades, and strikes swiftly. It goes to absorb the magic of Light, but cannot contain that much raw power. Light, and it's magic, are sent to the mortal plain, their magic scattering among those who were never meant to have such power

One dark night, many years later, a young witch, unaware of who he is, has his first spark of magic.

Akira Kurusu is charged for assault.

Akira Kurusu is sent to Tokyo.

Akira Kurusu is the first.

But first, he's late on his way to school. He feels the air leave his chest when a blonde girl takes down her hood in the rain. She blinks at him, and the glass film in his eyes shatters. He blinks at her. He feels normal. She gets in a man's car, and he's compelled by something else to deny a ride.

Suguru Kamoshida hits someone with his car

But it's okay, Ryuji Sakamoto gets up, completely uninjured. This has happened before, you see. A little girl, racially ambiguous, appearance shifting like the winds and the sands in the tides, well she greeted him the first time. Sent him right back, to his own waiting body

So, they decide to head to school together. That's when the talking cat shows up. And forms a blood pact with Akira, after revealing that he's a witch. A familiar bond.

The cat is Morgana, the former magic one of Light. And he recruits both boys to help him track down his magic, and return balance to the world of magic

Their first target? Kamoshida, who has some of Morgana's magic. Along the way they recruit Ann, a young succubus who's touch starved, very gay, and comes very close to killing in the name of her "best friend" that she is definitely not in love with

Their second target is an artist, who uses Morgana's magic to convince others to let him use their art as his own. Only one pupil remains in his lowly shack, one that Ryuji swears he's never seen blink

Yusuke Kitagawa believes he owes servitude to his master. A kitsune, one with large potential, just as he holds for art. The others show him the truth behind his master, how he tricked Yusuke's mother, leaving her to die, and taking all her work

He goes a little berserk. Finds Madarame in his exhibit, and let's his power fly. Yusuke drives his former master to madness, and his illusions leave a handful of visitors a little less sane than before.

Next, they go for the boss of a local Yakuza ring, Kaneshiro. The gang go after a few weeks of planning, deep in the middle of the night, dressed in Halloween store costumes for disguise, but find they don't need them

Uhm. Rating goes up for the next bit. Warning for violence and blood!

Because the doors are unlocked, left ajar. The full moon shines light on the red, wet floors, the stench of fresh death wafting out.

The sun has begun to rise by the time they gather their wits and find the central room. With one last shout of pain, they watch one last body sag between large fangs, the form of a full moon werewolf, dark fur soaked with blood, standing there. Right in the centre of the room

It turns to them, and it's bones creak as the moon comes to a close

Soon, all that's left standing there, bare, shivering, coated in blood, is Shujin Student Council President Makoto Niijima. With the additions of two furry ears atop her head, and a brown wolf's tail tucked between her legs

She's in a state of panic for many reasons. Partially for the mass murder she just did, partially for being all nakey wakey eggs and bakey. Mostly, because she has to get back to her apartment's boiler room before her sister goes to let her out, and she's in Shibuya and covered in blood and maybe losing it a little-

The gang throw Akira's jacket and Ryuji's pants at her, and race to Yongen, for a proper change of clothes and washing up. Which, leads to Ann trying to help only to discover her touch works on Makoto, who learns she's gay. Then it's a race back to Makoto's, where she ducks back into the dark boiler room

Come lunchtime at school, she thanks her underclassmen profusely, and asks to help them in return for what was a wild and awkward night. They let her in

Now is a good time to mention they have weekly Saturday Night sleepovers in LeBlanc's attic. Ann gets to spread out her wings, Yusuke doesn't have to blink, and now Makoto, who cannot put away her tail, wears pants with a hole cut in them. And she brings out her ears, too

This to say, during one of these sleepovers, there's a storm. Sojiro runs in, worried. He finds them all, magiced out, and barely thinks before begging to help him find his daughters

You see, Futaba isn't alone in her mind. Her mother had used dark magics to create a sentient AI, Sophia, but was stopped before she could properly set her free. In the incident that killed her, she uploaded Sophia directly to, Futaba. In technical terms, she's being haunted. Sophia appears over her shoulder in a ghostly blue, but humans can't see or hear her

They find her cowering inside the old movie theatre. Her uncle had shown up while she was talking to Sophie. Disastrous. But, sleepover night has one more guest going forwards

Next, is a request. News of this group of "monsters" is getting around, and through their online inbox, Haru Okumura asks if they can get her Selkie coat back, and return her father to who he once was

They have to stake him out first, make sure he has some of Morgana's magic. Ann and Yusuke go undercover as an elite married couple, with. Makoto as their large, exotic dog. For the laughs.

That night, Okumura is visited by a Vampire, who leaves him dead and drained on his study floor. Our heroes will get the blame, but during the next week of chaos, they're able to get into his office and into his safe, retrieving the pelt of a Ragdoll cat

Haru is grateful for her coat back, and spends an entire day in her cat form. She swears she'll help them clean their names, and return Morgana's magic

I will stop the plot regaling there, to list what everyone is in this au

Akira - Witch

Yalbadoath - Magic One, being of Darkness

Morgana - "sorcerer", Magic One, being of Light

Makoto - turned werewolf

Haru - ragdoll cat Selkie

Yusuke - Kitsune

Sojiro - seer of magics

Ann - succubus

Ryuji - undead

Goro - vampire

Futaba - Haunted (by Sophia)

Chihaya - nekomata

Munehisa Iwai - dragon

Tae - Wizard, potions expert

Sadayo - Fae

Ichiko - incubus

Shinya - ghost, unaware he is dead

Hifumi - warlock, charm master

Mishima - dream eater

Sumire - changeling

Anyone unlisted is human

Alright, so there's this one! I. Technically have more, cause this au covers Strikers. But this was tiring for me, I. Yeah

Feel free to ask about it! Suggest things! Comment on it!

[allthelittlecreepycrawlies]

With A Flap Of Wings, Part One

(okay. here we go.)

Warnings for the overall story: Implications/mentions of suicide, miscarriage.

Tags: Nie-family centric, alternate timeline, time travel fix-it, ghosts, suicide, everybody lives (I know how weird it sounds having both, you gotta trust me here), no-war timeline

----------------

Nie Huaisang sits and stares at the closed stone doors of the tomb that contains the bodies of nearly all of his family, or at least their sabers.

All except for his brother, who remains trapped in that heavens-damned coffin.

The pile of aged papers in his lap rustle in the chilly breeze, but he barely pays attention, even though the pages are the answer to one of the many questions that had been plaguing him since the first time the ritual to purify his brother’s soul had failed. 

Since the first time the time-jumping ritual had failed.

He can't remember how many times he's cast it, using his own blood to dive into the past, only to inevitably be flung back here no matter how deep he went or which events he changed.

But now he understands. 

All of the monsters and ugly twists of fate that had targeted his family... they had only been symptoms of the disease. 

He is the cause. 

He, the ill-omened child who killed his own mother with his first breath, is the one who brought calamity on all who ever knew him, death and misfortune dogging his steps before he could even walk.

This, all of this, is because of him.

But he can still fix it. 

Maybe none of the other attempts had worked, but that was because he hadn't known where to weed out the rot threatening the garden. 

Now, he does. 

Closing his eyes and bracing himself, he draws the knife from his belt for what he desperately hopes will be the last time.

–- 

Nie Leiyun is six months into her pregnancy –one month away from what would have been her death from hemorrhaging during an arduous childbirth– when she staggers and has to catch herself on a table, suddenly overcome by a horrible throbbing pain in her guts. 

But it's when the pain stops, everything inside her going unnaturally still, that she actually starts to panic and sinks down to sit on the floor, trying to call out and unable to make her voice work. 

A maid rushing to help her back to her feet is the first to see the blood starting to stain her robes and the stone beneath her, and she’s the one who screams for the healers when Nie Leiyun can’t. 

Despite all their efforts, the healers are only able to save one life. 

Once, in a timeline that has just been erased, it was the child. 

This time, it's the mother.

---

The grief that falls over the sect is heavy. 

No one seems to be more crushed by it than Nie Mingjue. 

All of six years old, he had been adamant that he didn't want a sibling and had complained to anyone who would listen. Babies were stinky and dumb and boring and either cried all the time or made messes everywhere. Gross.

And now the baby is dead, dead and gone, and no amount of hugs or kind words can convince the boy that he hadn't somehow wished his little brother away. 

Nie Haoran and Nie Linsong are gentle with their wife and son's grief -it had been Linsong's own struggles with having another child that had prompted the second wedding, after all- and it's Linsong who makes a fateful suggestion one night as the two of them are sitting by the fire one evening, Linsong spoiling her falcon with some extra preening assistance and Leiyun mending some clothing. 

"The only reason you put your search on hold was because the pregnancy was becoming too harsh on your health, wasn't it? Why not pick it back up again now once you've recovered a little?" 

---

Three and a half months later, Nie Leiyun hears rumors of a high-ranking courtesan in Yunping who has been making waves among the cultivation gentry. This by itself is nothing new, she has investigated over a dozen other women who ended up in the brothels like she originally had and have since risen to some level of fame, some even attracting the attention of sect leaders like she had. 

But none of those women had been outright carrying her long-abandoned surname of Meng. 

She does her best not to get her hopes up, but luck is on her side for a change, and three days after she first hears the whispers, Nie Leiyun -Meng Xiu- clutches her sister Meng Shi in a tearful embrace. 

She doesn't know how to feel about the tiny boy that her sister introduces her to. He is not yet two years old, so close to her Sang-er. 

They could have grown up cousins. 

Friends. 

But now- 

She wipes her eyes and puts aside her selfishness. Yao-er can still be a cousin and friend to Mingjue, and he and her sister both deserve far better than this place. 

She takes them home.