#protective of myself and attempting to control everything that happens to me

[lvl1l1]

hii, im really a sucker for arguments/angst imagine HAHA can I please have a request for LaDS guys where they made you flinch in an argument (^_^;)

LaDS men when you flinch during an argument

pairings: Xavier, Zayne, Rafayel, Sylus, Caleb x Reader

content: arguments, hurt/comfort, misunderstandings if you squint

a/n: small break from the silly

Xavier

Xavier usually didn’t get worked up during arguments, he’d just observe.

He’d listen to everything you had to say, taking the words to heart but trying not to engage too much, especially when he noticed you were starting to get more animated.

This time, however, was different.

He was upset and he wanted you to know.

He wasn’t raising his voice, he wasn’t being mean or mocking but his face gave his inner conflict away.

You weren’t backing down and neither was he.

“I can hold my own and you know that Xavier, you’ve seen me in action.”

His sharp inhale didn’t go unnoticed by you,

“I’m not doubting that, not doubting you, I just need to know that you won’t get hurt.”

It’s like you two were talking right past each other,

“I won’t, we don’t need to be attached at the hip for you to know that!”

He turned around quickly,

“Yes but I want to be able to reach you quickly, to get to you in time-“

He took a fast, heavy step towards you, wanting you to see the sincerity and genuine concern on his face, what he didn’t anticipate was for you to flinch at his sudden approach.

He stopped, his words catching in his throat as he just… looked at you.

You stared up at him, hands balled up in front of you and he felt immense regret wash over him.

“You…”

He started but couldn’t finish the sentence, being at a loss for words.

You lowered your hands, trying to adapt a more relaxed stance,

“Xavier, I didn’t mean to…”

His head hung low now, his eyes covered by his bangs.

You could see his shoulders rise and fall with uneven breaths.

Silence stretched between the two of you.

“Xavier…”

You tried again, softer this time.

He didn’t respond, he was standing there, the internal conflict in his mind clear.

When his gaze finally met yours again, his expression left you breathless.

It wasn’t what you had expected, it wasn’t anger, not disappointed but aching.

“I would never…”

The words left him quietly, not able to voice out what exactly had gone down just now.

“I need you to believe that.”

“I do,”

You blurted out,

“It’s not your fault. You just surprised me and I-“

“I scared you.”

He finished for you.

“Even if I didn’t do it on purpose, I can’t just say that, that’s okay with me.”

You took a careful step closer, tension between the two of you starting to ease.

Xavier didn’t move, he just watched.

“I know you’re not trying to control me,”

You said.

“But I need you to trust the decisions I make. And that I can take care of myself and still come back to you.”

“I trust you.”

He murmured,

“But what if something happens and I’m not there? What if I won’t be able to reach you in time-“

He swallowed the “again” that was about to slip him,

He took a small breath and then looked down at his hands.

“…can I touch you?”

He asked, hesitantly.

“Just- your hand. If it’s okay.”

You immediately softened at that.

You nodded, yes.

“Of course.”

He inched closer, steps slow, making sure you took in every one of his movements.

His hand reached for yours, getting a hold of it as if it were something fragile.

He brushed the back of your hand with his thumb in an attempt to ground himself.

“I’m sorry.”

You held onto his hand tightly, squeezing.

“I’m glad you’re being open about your concern but don’t try and decide for me. You want to protect me and I want to protect you.”

The ghost of a smile showed on his lips.

He leaned closer, close enough for your breaths to mingle.

He whispered,

“I want to figure this out with you.”

And this time, when his hand lifted to touch your cheek, you leaned into it without hesitation.

Zayne

The silence between you and Zayne hung heavy in the hospital room, occasionally interrupted by the soft hums of the equipment around the room.

Your boyfriend had been trying, trying to get through to you.

Telling you to stop pushing your limits, to stop taking unnecessary risks.

Yet you brushed him off everytime.

And now the consequences sat between the two of you.

“You could’ve gotten seriously injured.”

His voice was laced with restrained emotion.

Your eyes were looking at everything but him, hands clenched into fists at your sides.

“I know. I just didn’t think-“

“Exactly. You didn’t think.”

He interrupted you, voice sharper than what you were used to.

His eyes were cold behind his glasses,

“I kept trying to tell you-“

He went to adjust his glasses, hand raising.

But out of instinct, you flinched at the sudden movement.

It wasn’t a big reaction, barely a twitch but it was enough to gain Zayne’s attention.

He froze.

His face fell and any trace of anger and disappointment gone.

Instead, it was replaced by hurt.

He started,

“I wasn’t going to-“

A shaky exhale left him,

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Zayne stood awkwardly, his shoulders were tense, guilt reflecting in his eyes.

You looked up at him.

“It’s okay.”

Your eyes met, relief finally easing onto his face.

Still, he didn’t dare to move.

“…are you sure?”

You nodded, a small smile gracing your lips.

That’s when he stepped forward.

This time, not to lecture and to fight but just to be there.

Rafayel

A storm cloud was starting to form in the room.

The tension thick because of something more akin to a misunderstanding than an argument. At least that’s how Rafayel saw it.

He was gesturing animatedly, his voice was getting a little more heated than intended as he tried to explain himself, it was unusual for him to get so worked up over something he himself considered trivial.

Your arms were crossed, your brows were furrowed, frustration written on your face.

With one especially sudden swing of his arm, you flinched.

You stepped back a bit and Rafayel felt himself freeze as his words were caught in his throat.

He was staring at you, confusion and concern displayed on his face.

“Why?”

His voice had quieted down, soft.

“What… why did you react like that?”

You couldn’t immediately answer.

You were standing still, feeling guilty at that urge that had overcome you.

It was an instinctive reaction, not something you had realised in time to stop.

Rafayel hesitated, he could feel his hands twitch with the urge to reach out to you, wanting to comfort you but doubt filled his mind.

He was torn between wanting to pull you close and giving you the space you might’ve needed.

“Have I ever made you feel unsafe?”

His question wasn’t meant to make you feel guilty, it was sincere, making your heartbreak even more.

The raw vulnerability in his tone simply had your heart aching.

His question hung between you two, it was his way of asking for reassurance.

You shook your head, whispering,

“No,”

You put your hand over your heart,

“No, Rafayel. Never. I wasn’t expecting it. I didn’t mean to react like that.”

You could see some of the tension leave him.

The next time his eyes found yours, they were filled with the light echo of relief but also a hint of regret.

“I shouldn’t have gotten carried away like that.”

He stepped closer, gently wrapping his fingers around your wrist, an attempt to test the waters.

“Can I… hold you? Or do you want some space?”

You offered him a small, comforting smile,

“Come here, you big baby.”

A sigh of relief left him and he stepped closer to pull you into an embrace.

His hand brushed through your hair, as if attempting to make all your pain and sorrows go away.

“I’m sorry.”

He whispered against your ear, his voice low and sincere.

Sylus

Sylus and you stood opposite of each other, his face was devoid of any emotion but you could see his eyes, dark with frustration, showing his true feelings.

You went on a mission he warned you about, recklessly pushing ahead without considering any risks.

And lo and behold, it had gone sideways.

His arms were crossed over his chest and his breath came in sharp, controlled bursts.

“Do you think this is a game?”

His voice was firm, his words sharp.

“I told you not to go, not alone, and what do you do?”

“I could handle it.”

Cutting him off, you tried to stand your ground, though you could feel the anger radiating off of him.

As he let out a frustrated exhale, he threw his hand up, running it through his hair.

His movement was so fast and controlled, that you couldn’t help but flinch back, instinctively shrinking away.

The man facing you froze.

For a moment that felt far longer than it actually was, the room felt suffocating.

He stared at you with wide eyes, caught between something you couldn’t quite make out and something softer, something making his chest ache.

He felt overwhelmed by guilt.

“You know, Id never hurt you, right?”

His question was barely above a whisper.

His gaze softened, frustration replaced by something more vulnerable.

Your answer was caught in your throat.

You felt his gaze on you, watching you carefully, analysing your every move like you were something fragile, small.

Something to protect.

After a second, Sylus took a step back, creating some space between the two of you, giving you room to breathe.

He felt the weight of his actions making his shoulders sag.

He wanted to reach out, make sure you were okay but something in the back of his mind told him not, to not scare you further.

“I didn’t mean to scare you.”

The regret in his voice shining through,

“I was worried. And I often don’t know how to get that through to you without pushing.”

You lowered your head, letting his words settle, understanding him.

“I didn’t want you to think I wasn’t taking it seriously. I was just-“

You stopped yourself, inhaling, to collect your thoughts,

“I guess I just didn’t want to feel like I couldn’t handle it.”

Sylus watched you, his features softening.

He quietly said,

“You’re strong.”

A slow exhale,

“But you should know you have nothing to prove to me. All I ask for is to know that you’re safe.”

You searched for his eyes, finding worry and care still there.

They were always there.

Under all of it, even on the rare occasions that his frustrations got the better of him.

He muttered an apology, slowly closing the space between you.

“This won’t happen again.”

He kept up the eye contact as his hand reached out.

You didn’t flinch this time.

It came to rest on your shoulder, the slight pressure from his heavy hand grounding you.

It felt like an unspoken promise between the two of you.

He’d be by your side no matter what.

Caleb

Caleb’s voice was thick with concern, frustration and something he tried not to reveal to you often: fear.

He wasn’t one to argue, never one to raise his voice or escalate things, not when it came to you.

But this, this was about your safety and he couldn’t just stand to the side and not do anything.

“You’re not listening to me.”

His voice was steady, yet the edges let his worry show.

“You could’ve been hurt and you don’t even seem to care.”

Your arms were crossed tightly over your chest, brows furrowed.

You didn’t want to back down, wanting to stand your ground but you knew he was only acting like this because he cared.

Yet the ache of knowing he still doubted your capabilities pushed you to keep going.

“I can take care of myself.”

You said, frustration overtaking your voice,

“You’ve seen me in action before.”

In a moment of bad judgment, he thrust his arm out to emphasise his point, the movement swift.

Before he could even finish speaking, you flinched.

Caleb halted at that, words dying in his throat, eyes widening in realisation.

He felt his chest constrict slightly, breath hitching.

No, I-“

His voice cracked as he took a step back, face twisted in a display of guilt.

“I’m so sorry.”

He murmured, struggling to look you in the eyes.

Before you knew it, he dropped to his knees in front of you, face pale.

The slight tremble in his hands didn’t escape you, as he reached for you, not wanting to overstep but trying to lay his heart bare to you.

“I didn’t mean to scare you. I would never-“

He stopped mid sentence, shaking his head,

“I should’ve thought before… moving like that, acting like that.”

Your heart was pounding as you watched him bow his head in front of you, remorse clear on his face.

“I’m sorry.”

He said again, voice desperate.

“Please, just… tell me you’re okay. I didn’t mean to hurt you...”

He trailed off, wide eyes looking up at you, searching for a sign, any sign that you didn’t fear him, didn’t hate him.

He had to know that he didn’t destroy something he held so dear.

Swallowing the lump in your throat, you reached out, patting his head.

He stiffened at first, he was hesitant, but your warm touch seemed to reel him in.

“I’m okay.”

You reassured,

“It wasn’t your fault. It was just a reflex.”

Unbeknownst to you, Caleb wasn’t looking for reassurance, he was looking for forgiveness.

“Forgive me? Please?”

His voice was low, unsure, letting his insecurities and vulnerability show.

You knelt beside him, meeting his gaze with softness.

Cupping his face, you felt the warmth coming off him.

His breath was starting to steady slightly.

“Nothing to forgive you for…”

Your quiet voice reached his ears,

“I know you’d never hurt me, Caleb.”

He closed his eyes and leaned into your touch, resembling a puppy.

You closed the last of the space between you two, resting your forehead against his.

You and Caleb didn’t need words to understand one another.

[sailorsoons]

Please | Teaser (c.sc)

PAIRING: Alpha!Seungcheol x Omega! f.reader 

SUMMARY: A heatwave in your city makes dealing with your hormones more difficult than usual. Getting locked in a lobby at work for an hour with an alpha makes it ten times worse. Thankfully, Seungcheol is there to help you - and maybe a little more. 

WC: TBD

AU: Omegaverse, Coworkers to Lovers

GENRE: Smut, A bit of Fluff, the barest hint of angst

RATING: 18+ Minors are strictly prohibited from engaging in and reading this content. It contains explicit content and any minors discovered reading or engaging with this work will be blocked immediately.

TEASER WARNINGS: Reader is suffering a medical event (going into heat while locked in at work) and is distressed, a little bit of internal shame at falling apart in front of Seungcheol, reader needs assistance to get to a car etc. a/b/o dynamics. 

A/N: I lost all sense and control of myself. I’ve wanted to write a/b/o for so long and I finally gave up and dove in head first with this one. It’s very light on the actual science/society/tropes but outside of a random fic I did a few years ago, this is my actual first attempt at the genre :)

A/N 2: This is your friendly neighborhood reminder that a/b/o should always be written with the backslashes included, as the acronym without them is a slur in some countries. Please be mindful :)

MASTERLIST | ASK |

READ FULL FIC

“Hey,” Seungcheol says, causing you to look at him. His face is soft. Concerned. “You still with me?”

The way he says it, soft and gentle make things worse. Makes you want to whine and cross the lobby floor to him, to let him pull you in tight and tell you it’ll be okay. To comfort you. The desire is so bad that you realize you’re much farther into Stage 1 than you thought.

Panic starts to nip at your heels. You’re unsure what to do. There’s nothing on you besides your nasal spray and your patches to help you out, but those aren’t what you need. Your patches protect others from your scent and the nasal spray protects you from others - from Seungcheol. 

You try to answer, but your voice catches in your throat, coming out thin and shaky. “I’m okay.”

“Are you in prodrome?” he asks quietly, voice pitched low and careful.

You flinch when he finally says it out loud, letting the acknowledgement ring in the lobby. You close your eyes for a moment, your silence an answer in itself. 

Seungcheol sighs and pulls his phone back out of his pocket, dialing as he lifts it to his ear. “Yeah, I know. Look, you need to expedite. My colleague needs medical assistance and we’re still locked in the lobby. No… no.” Seungcheol glances at you. “She’s experiencing prodrome. Can you please expedite? Yes. Thank you.” 

He hangs up and turns back to you, stepping slowly so he doesn’t overwhelm, arms loose at his sides in a show of calm. “They’re sending someone now. Shouldn’t be long.”

You nod, but your breathing is uneven, shallow now. You can feel the sweat dripping down your spine, the pressure behind your eyes. Everything smells too sharp, too thick. Especially him. Spice and warmth and safety. It’s awful. 

Seungcheol stays where he is, a careful distance between you, but his voice is steady when he says, “Tell me what you need. What I can do to help.”

“I’m fine.”

“I mean it. If you need space, I’ll back off. If you need something cold, we’ll figure it out. Just don’t… don’t try to pretend this isn’t happening. Let me help you.” 

The kindness in his voice cracks something in your chest. No judgment, no pressure, just him, steady and solid, offering help while your body betrays you one symptom at a time. 

You swallow hard. “I just need to get out. I just need to make it home before it gets worse.”

Seungcheol nods, no hesitation. “Then we’ll get you home. I promise.”

Time moves like molasses. The silence between you thickens. You give up on standing, sitting on the cool tile floor. It only offers momentary respite until you’re panting again, struggling to maintain your grip on yourself. 

It’s not working. Your entire body is pulsing, tingling, burning in waves that crest and fall without rhythm. Your skin itches with hypersensitivity, every shift of your clothes unbearable, your breath slow and ragged. It feels like you’re melting, burning up from the forge in your chest.

You can feel Seungcheol watching you from his assigned corner. He says nothing, keeping a respectful distance. You steal a glance at him through bleary eyes. He’s just leaning against the wall, hands clenched and jaw tight. He’s doing his best to appear calm, but you see signs of irritation. His throat works and your eyes linger on the way his Adam's apple bobs for too long. You think about sinking your teeth into his neck, tasting him-

His scent, normally warm and grounded, spikes. You sense the shift and it makes you squirm, pressing yourself further into the wall. You look away from him, hiding your face in your shoulder while you squeeze your eyes shut as another wave of cramping crashes into you. 

Seungcheol’s irritation is sharp. Shame floods you, thick and fast. Of course he’s annoyed. Today has gone from bad to worse. He’s now stuck in a lobby with an omega in prodrome, a liability that he now has to be responsible for, and you’re barely holding it together, shaking like a live wire. You’re stuck, and he’s stuck with you, and-

The lobby doors beep and hiss open. You don’t even lift your head. Don’t even hear the first few words from the guards. You only feel cool night air and the sudden shift in pressure, making you keen and melt into the tile. 

Seungcheol appears at your side, his scent fading from acrid to soothing. 

“Hey,” he murmurs, crouching down to your level. It’s the closest he’s been to you all day. You feel the heat of him, the nearness overwhelming. “They’re here. We can go.”

You don’t move. The thought of moving suddenly seems like an insurmountable task. Your world is tilting, your ears ringing. Your limbs feel detached from your brain and your body is locked, curled in on itself. Heat prickles across your skin like static.

Worst of all, you’re starting to panic. Fear sets in, stabbing deep. You don’t know how to get up and take the train home. Don’t know how to get yourself up the stairs and into your apartment. To the cabinet to take a suppressant. To the fridge for water. 

Seungcheol’s voice sharpens. “Hey. Look at me.”

It’s a command. You blink up at him, barely able to focus. Something flashes behind his eyes and he’s on the phone again. “Hi, I need emergency assistance for an omega. She’s in heat prodrome and she’s deteriorating fast. No, she’s conscious. She’s overheating, but having trouble standing and struggling to focus. I have no idea what to do.” 

You barely hear the voice on the other end of the line, but Seungcheol does. His expression shifts, each word they say tightening his jaw.

“She’s a coworker - we were locked in a lobby at work but I can take her to an omega hospital.” You whimper and shake your head vehemently, whining. He softens. “They said they can give you a heat inhibitor on-site” 

“No,” you pant. “Those hurt.”

He nods. “I can’t do that, she doesn’t want to go.” The operator says something else and he nods. His eyes tighten at the corners and he glances at you. “I can take you to a service clinic. They can assign you-”

“Home,” you plead. “I just need to get home. I can- I can deal with it.”

“I don’t know… do you have um. Do you have an alpha you usually…?”

“No.”

Tears well up fast and hot, blurring your vision, sliding down your cheeks in silent streaks. Your whole body feels wrong, like you’ve been unraveled from the inside, trembling and raw.

“I just want to go home,” you whisper, folding in on yourself. “I have my meds. I can manage if I can just get home. Please.”

He repeats what you say into the phone. They say something and he shakes his head and hangs up, shoving his phone into his pocket. “Okay. Alright. We’re going to get you home, okay?”

READ FULL FIC

[hrizantemy]

I said to Tamlin, my back ramrod straight, “You don’t get to speak to me like that. You promised you wouldn’t act this way.”

“You have no idea what’s at risk—”

“Don’t you talk down to me. Not after what I went through to get back here, to you. To our people. You think any of us are happy to be working with Hybern? You think I don’t see it in their faces? The question of whether I am worth the dishonor of it?” His breathing turned ragged again. Good, I wanted to urge him. Good. “You sold us out to get me back,” I said, low and cold. “You whored us out to Hybern. Forgive me if I am now trying to regain some of what we lost.” Claws slid free. A feral growl rippled out of him. “They hunted down and butchered those humans for sport,” I went on. “You might be willing to get on your knees for Hybern, but I certainly am not.” He exploded. Furniture splintered and went flying, windows cracked and shattered. And this time, I did not shield myself.

The worktable slammed into me, throwing me against the bookshelf, and every place where flesh and bone met wood barked and ached. My knees slammed into the carpeted floor, and Tamlin was instantly in front of me, hands shaking— The doors burst open.

This scene is one of the most twisted examples of how the fandom—and Feyre herself—manipulates the narrative when it comes to Tamlin.

Let’s break this down:

1. Feyre’s Intentional Provocation

Feyre wanted this reaction. That’s undeniable. Look at her internal monologue:

“Good, I wanted to urge him. Good.”

She is deliberately pushing Tamlin to the edge, goading him into losing control. This isn’t an innocent conversation where emotions spiral out of hand—this is Feyre calculatedly provoking someone she knows is volatile, emotionally compromised, and deeply unstable after everything that’s happened.

She came back to Spring Court with the explicit goal of destroying it from within. She wanted Tamlin broken, isolated, and enraged. And when he reacts violently��not even directly attacking her, but lashing out at his surroundings in a loss of control—she welcomes it. She doesn’t shield herself on purpose so that there’s a physical consequence.

This is not to excuse Tamlin’s outburst—because yes, losing control like that is dangerous. But this wasn’t some random act of cruelty. Feyre engineered this moment. She weaponized his trauma, his guilt, and his desperation.

2. Context Matters

Tamlin is a male who has:

• Been manipulated by Ianthe.

• Seemingly sold out to Hybern out of a desperate, grief-stricken attempt to save Feyre.

• Watched his entire court slip into chaos.

• Been lied to, abandoned, and humiliated.

Feyre knows exactly what mental state he’s in. And rather than handle it with any sense of maturity or strategic distance, she taunts him about being a traitor, a whore, and someone who kneels for Hybern—when she knows damn well he thought he was saving her life.

3. The Double Standard

The fandom excuses Rhysand constantly for far worse behavior—mind control, threats, manipulation, and even outright abuse of power—because he’s “traumatized” or “had no choice.”

But when Tamlin, a character who clearly struggles with emotional regulation and grief, explodes after being intentionally provoked, suddenly he’s irredeemable?

Where is that same energy for Rhysand threatening to make the Autumn Court bleed because Lucien drew a sword? Or Cassian snapping because Nesta irritated him?

Feyre walked into this scene knowing exactly what she wanted to happen. She didn’t protect herself because she wanted a bruise—something to hold against him, to further justify her sabotage and to make herself the victim.

4. Feyre’s Hypocrisy

Feyre has repeatedly used her trauma as justification for her behavior—but gives Tamlin none of that grace. She acts as if he should be perfectly composed while she’s actively tearing his court apart.

She’s not confronting Tamlin out of a desire for closure, justice, or even protection of others—she’s doing it to provoke a reaction.

Conclusion: Why I’ll Never Blame Tamlin Fully For This Scene

Because this wasn’t a one-sided act of violence. This was a calculated emotional attack from Feyre, designed to push Tamlin into snapping so she could justify her actions and further vilify him.

Did Tamlin lose control? Yes.

Is that dangerous? Yes.

But was this entirely his fault? Absolutely not.

Feyre wanted this. She orchestrated it. And the fact that people ignore her role in this moment just proves how skewed the narrative has become.

[snezka-049]

Snezka and Doctor reference and lore (SCP-049) 🐰💚/💉🖤

Disclaimer: events of this story of Doctor (SCP-049) and Snezka, take place in one of the many multiverses of SCP! Lore will be supplemented. Sorry my bad English. This is my first experience.

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• Snezka. Doctor's assistant and apprentice.

Snezka's story [tw] (its me, myself, Childhood and my ideas, real events)

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From birth, Snezka had to go through traumatic, unpleasant events in the family: her father's frequent violence against her mother, their scandalous breakup, her repeated returns to him, and an identical outcome.

When Snezka was 5 years old, she and her mother moved to live with a very conservative grandmother. Domestic violence continued, in form of a cruel and despotic upbringing of Snezhka. For any childish mistakes, without explaining what she was guilty of, what she did wrong, and how it was worth doing - she was beaten, humiliated, severely punished.

When Snezka was 8 years old, her mother found a new husband, together they moved in with him, but problems got worse. Her stepfather began to drink alcohol often. In a drunken state, he became aggressive and literally tried to kill little Snezka. She had to run away from home to be safe, because her mother, although she tried to protect her, it was unsuccessful.

In future, these events affected her character, making her nervous, anxious, blaming for everything, depressed, and paranoid. This led to trouble in the future.

Problems began in her school years, it was not possible to join the team, all because Snezka's upbringing took place behind closed doors, she had no friends, for reason that she was not allowed to leave the house, she rarely went out for a walk, and then only under a control of her mother. She was not taught social adjustment and interaction, as it was not a priority for her mother herself.

Unjustified bullying and rejection of her peers led Snezka to aggression, in4 future she became detached from the general mass of people and until the very end of school, she experienced bullying.

The events that had happened had led her to Introspection. More and more often she thought about a meaning of existence, society and other philosophical reflections. Later, all of this led her to a breakdown, from which she attempted to take her own life. The attempt turned out to be non-lethal, which in the end brings more trouble and attempts to bring the matter to the end. From the age of 12 to 16, she tried to take her own life. Her family couldn't understand or help her, her problems didn't seem significant, her attitude was worse, no one tried to understand how she felt, no one tried to help or even just talk to her.

Since the time of rethinking, personality formation and age, the girl copes with problems and works on herself. In the family everything is more or less settled, communication and society appeared. In the process of the flow of all the traumas experienced, Snezka understands her mistakes and the mistakes of this world, the problems of society and the relations of people to each other.

Her raison d'être is to become one of those who will change the world for better. She dreams of working in medicine or psychology, but when she went through the psychiatric board, she was not accepted for training because she was diagnosed with schizotypal disorder. The disorder was diagnosed at the age of 15 when she was being treated in a neuropsychiatric hospital. This plunged her into further despair for several years, but eventually she came to decision to find another way to realize her destiny. More specifically, to return to what she'd been practicing before.

She had a theory that there were no bad people in the world, but wounded people who had not been healed. She believed that a person becomes wounded after being treated unfairly or cruelly by others who are similarly wounded. If a person does not work on his wound, it will not heal, because there are many wounded people in the world that will scratch this wound, making it bigger. And this pain and resentment like a virus or rot infects his soul completely, making the person the same as one who once inflicted the wound. Later on, this person carries this pain and resentment further, taking it out on others, making more infected. It is an endless cycle that cannot be eradicated completely, but can be minimized. Some can handle it, and some need help. It is necessary that a person wants help, understands the situation and tries to solve it too, because no one can help you better than you yourself, which is what Snezka had to go through.

Her first steps towards this were moral support and help to similarly lonely or abandoned people. She communicated with a lot of different people on the Internet, looking for people who needed help, as well as compensating for her lack of social life as a child. A lot of people during her communication with her, gained trust, she always said that she was ready to listen and help. People disclosed their emotional wounds to her, and Snezka could help them find a way to cure, gave advice on how to correct the problematic situation, as well as providing moral and psychological support, helping people to understand themselves.

One day everything changed in Snezka's life, a special Doctor appeared in her life....

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• SCP-049, Doctor. A humanoid creature, an anomaly, and a misunderstood genius.

The Doctor's Story (SCP-049)

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Once upon a time, he was probably an ordinary person, but after one incident and getting into "Alagadda", he became what he is to this day. It is not yet known whether it is possible to return it to its previous form, is it worth it?

Doctor believes that the world is sick with the "Pestilence" ー as he himself nicknamed this disease, its nature is not studied. His task is to rid the world of it, for what reason he took on this responsibility is not known, or maybe someone initiated him into it, once in the past (?). It has the ability to stop all biological processes in the human body with one touch, at its own will.

(The Pestilence is not a simple plague!)

Was captured by the SCP Foundation, which studies anomalies and contains them. At first, during his stay in the fund, he was closed in on himself and nurtured a plan for further actions. When he was told where he was, Doctor was very happy to be in the company of fellow researchers and scientists. He was eager to share his achievements and talk about his experience, but unfortunately he faced misunderstanding. His life's work, all his works, were criticized.

He insisted and was given a opportunity to show himself, but his experiments and operations failed, which with each such failure minimized the Foundation's handouts, and then stopped altogether. WhicWhichh extremely angered Doctor, in his opinion, the foundation staff, like many others, are incapable of looking past the minor setbacks to the salvation happening right before their eyes. He genuinely wants to help others, but unfortunately he was unable to provide the foundation with a concrete example of exactly what he is trying to save everyone from.

His long past keeps many secrets that he does not yet tell, probably does not remember everything or for some reason keeps it a secret.

One day, his life changed, he had a faithful and devoted ally who understands him and is ready for anything...

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• Beginning, escape from the foundation

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Snezka learns about the SCP Foundation from an acquaintance, and by invitation she managed to get to work there as a programmer. While working at the foundation, she learned about SCP-049 and became interested in his personality. As she learned more about him, she realized that they had a common goal in life and could help each other achieve it. She felt compassion for him and saw herself in him. She realized that this was an opportunity to change the world.

There was an accident at the Foundation, the security system was shut down, and most of the dangerous objects broke free, causing all the attention of the Foundation's guards to be focused on them. Snezka managed to get into SCP-049's holding cell, talk to him and convince him to trust her. Doctor was eager to return to freedom and continue his work after so many years. After a long time in the foundation, he had nothing to lose, the days were the same, and the possibility of escape became a very interesting proposition. Of course, he had to go through some difficulties, but the escape was successful. Doctor became one of hundreds of missing anomalies, and Snezka was added to the missing/possibly murdered staff.

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• Doctor and Snezka personalities

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Snezka

Born in the south of Russia. Speaks Russian and English, and is learning French. She looks like a fragile girl, slightly infantile, hyperactive, but when responsible moment comes, she becomes serious and collected. Extremely loyal and devoted, idealist, romantic and dreamer. Open and sociable when around Doctor. In public (without him) shy and silent. Optimist, finds bright sides in any situation, although due to frequent attempts to understand herself and digging in the past, there are prolonged depressive periods, and anxiety. (this has been eliminated with the advent of Doctor). Hypochondriac, vulnerable, can cry easily. Very empathic.

Often she feels miserably for dying sick patients, even if she tries to separate feelings from work and understands that this is all for the good. Even realizing cure is not perfect, she still fully trusts and is confident Doctor.

Attitude towards Doctor

She considers Doctor an alternative better version of herself, finds inspiration in him and sees an example to follow, dreams of being like him. Madly in love with him. He surrounds with a lot of care and tactility, shows signs of attention, may not notice how he hits hyper-protection.

Previously, Snezka did not have such love and romantic feelings for anyone, for a long time she believed that she did not need it, her priority was her life goal and work.

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Doctor (SCP-049)

He is able to speak different languages, although he prefers English or French. He is extremely well-mannered, intelligent, well-read and intelligent, a master of his profession, has outstanding knowledge and skills in the field of medicine. Uses complex phrases, metaphors and terms in speech. Very rarely show emotions, but is able to show them.

In general, peaceful, it is difficult to get him out of temper, however, if it comes to work or there is a person with pestilence next to him, he becomes aggressive and seeks to "cure" the patient.

Reacts negatively to criticism, is an idealist and a perfectionist. A little pessimistic, but confident in himself and his abilities (or wants to think so).

Attitude towards Snezka

Doctor sees in Snezka a hope, she motivates and invigorates him. With the appearance of this girl, his existence has brightened. She makes him feel truly needed in the world, which inspires and energizes him to work, he feels supported, cared for and understood. For a long time, Doctor has been alone and self-reliant. He has never experienced romantic feelings in his entire existence, which makes him temporarily unaware of his relationship with Snezka, but he knows that these feelings are positive. Deep down, Doctor is afraid of losing her, so he pays attention to all her complaints about her well-being.

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• Time after the escape

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Doctor began to live with Snezka, he understood that he would be safe with her, he did not want to be lonely again, he became attached to her. He was temporarily deprived of the opportunity to practice treating the pestilence. Doctor is a master of his profession, but because of the peculiarity of his essence, he cannot officially work as a doctor.

(and also does not have a license)

Snezka understood his longing for work, and also wanted to participate in it, she was very sorry for the fate of the Doctor and she was ready to help him with everything.

Sharing her story, Doctor realized that it makes sense for them to be together, and he takes her as a apprentice. The teaching took place theoretically, from his notes and personal narratives, but theory alone is not enough.

After a while, they became underground doctors, setting up their clinic at Snezka's home. Funds for it were spent from Snezka's budget, she earned money on tailoring clothes to order and drawing. This was enough to cover the costs of their accommodation.

For the clinic, Snezka found potential clients ー people in need of medical care. For their work, Doctor and Snezka took a symbolic payment, affordable to patients.

Those who did not have pestilence were cure with standard methods and procedures, whereas cure a patient with pestilence most often resulted in death.

Of course, the cure needs to be improved, but together they will find the best medicine.

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• Development of romantic relationships

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Their relationship was friendly. The initiative to get closer and move to romance began to show Snezka. Doctor noticed the change in her behavior immediately, but he was in no hurry to draw conclusions .

After a while, he began to feel that he too wanted to pay attention to Snezka and try to start a serious relationship, but only after he had achieved his goal of cure the world from the pestilence. But after a few years, he decided that their relationship wouldn't interfere with work, and made the first move, saying: "I've never felt this way before, but I think I love you."

After discovering that their thoughts and feelings were mutual, the couple began to pay even more attention to each other and express their love directly.

Because of Snezka, Doctor found inspiration and motivation to work, became less withdrawn and not shy to show feelings and emotions. And because of Doctor, Snezka was able to cope with her anxiety, become self-confident and let go of her past.

They complement each other, and together they can work on themselves and their common cause, they were able to realize each other's goals and desires.

They are cure for each other.

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• How they spend time together

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Most of their time, they are engaged in Snowball's work, treatment, and training.

In their free time, Snezka and Doctor like to philosophize about life over a cup of tea, walk in nature away from people, both have a weakness for lavender.

Often Snezka tries to introduce Doctor to modern culture, sometimes you need to take a break from work. She introduced him to many films, TV series, cartoons and video games.

Separately, they are withdrawn and deeply immersed in their thoughts, but when together, they become different. Sometimes Snezka becomes a psychologist for Doctor, because he still has mental wounds that he has never told anyone about, and she helps to heal them. They are confident in each other.

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• Situations from their lives

Why not, ahah. Section will be supplemented.

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Snezka often gives Doctor gifts, once the Doctor decided to give her his first gift, it was an embalmed heart in a jar. Snezka still doesn't know who owned the heart.

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One day Snezka decided to introduce Doctor to her family. She asked him not to talk about pestilence and not to cure anyone in her family if someone was sick with the fever, at least on the day of the first meeting, at least not in front of everyone. He promised that everything would go well.

At the family meeting, it was tense at first, Snezka's family was embarrassed by her lover's appearance. But after chatting for a few hours, they realized that he might be creepy on the outside, but he was a smart, well-mannered man.

When Snezka and the Doctor arrived home, Doctor sighed heavily and said that he was holding on and keeping his head down, but there were two people at the table with them who were sick with pestilence . They never traveled together to Snowball's family again.

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That's all for now, it will be updated from time to time. In the meantime, you can ask questions, thank you :3

[misspelledwordswizard]

Chapter 21 - I have never cried so much in my two lives as I do today

Previous chapter / Next chapter

I wiped the tears that rolled down my cheeks, trying incessantly to calm myself, taking several deep breaths so I could speak. I want so much to be able to tell him everything, to all of them. I want to get rid of this weight, but I don’t have the courage to do so, but I know I can’t keep everything to myself.

— I... I’ve been having nightmares. – That was the way I decided to start, at least I should tell that part, after all, it involved them directly. – with the shadow. It started the night I first saw him, and I have reason to believe he’s behind it.

As I spoke, Time remained quiet, understanding, letting me talk at my own pace while rubbing circles on my back in na attempt to calm me down further. My voice was weak and tearful, shameful, I must sound pathetic right now.

— He doesn’t exactly appear in the dream, but it’s always something dark. The second time it happened was when I passed out, but it didn’t seem like a nightmare, until tonight, when I discovered that it was all created by that thing. – I continued, considering how much I could tell him. – He made me dream about my family, to the point of making me think that meeting you had been nothing more than a dream. I think he wanted to trap me in that.

My voice weakened at the thought of it, thinking that that thing used people I love for such a vile reason filled me with anguish. I need to be more honest with him.

— So, that night I had another nightmare. He talked to me, he kept talking about how I shouldn’t be with you guys and... – I took a deep breath – that you would leave me, hate me when you found out the truth.

— The truth about what? – Time asked, his tone seemed intimidating when I knew that the answer to this question could upset him, anger him or even hurt him.

— He threatened to tell my secret, a secret that if you guys found out you would hate me. I’m so sorry, Time, I’m so sorry! I never wanted to keep any secret, I never imagined something like this could happen. – My crying intensified, and I struggled to control the sobs that were hampering my speech. – At first I didn’t know who you guys were, I didn’t trust you completely, I was just a stranger and you would think I was crazy if I said that kind of thing! And as time went by it became even more difficult.

— Calm down, it’s okay. Whatever it is, I will understand, you don’t need to be afraid, we won’t leave you. In these last few days, you’ve managed to become more than just someone we need to protect, my dear. You’ve become part of this group, and we won’t leave you no matter what happens. Whatever it is, we’ll help you get through it.

The Old Man’s words were comforting, even though I still had my doubts about how far he would go to keep this. I don’t know if I’m ready, but I know they need to know, if I keep this to myself any longer, even when Time was so supportive, it would be a reason for them to not trust me, one more reason for them to hate me in the end.

— I want to tell you. I really want to, I need to too, if I find out through the shadows it could be much worse. I don’t know if I can, or you won’t believe me, or you’ll hate me, and both options are bad. – I tried to prepare him before everything, maybe if he knew how bad what I was going to say would be the impact would be better. – But first, there’s a problem. I don’t think I’m in my right mind, I can’t sleep.

— Well, I could tell that, why? Was it because of the threats?

— Yes, but it’s worse. There are not only empty threats in the dreams that await me, if I sleep and he makes me have nightmares again, I might never wake up. Last night, he did something with the dream that made me hurt my ribs... – I said, then I moved to lift my tunic until the purple on my skin was visible. – And today I came across this, in the same place, and there’s no way I could have done it outside of this nightmare.

I tried to read the hero’s expression as I made my point, I couldn’t tell if he believed it or not. But I wouldn’t judge him if he didn’t believe it, it was hard for me to do so. I definitely didn’t expect Time’s normally serious gaze to turn into a melancholic look full of regret, seeing it in his eyes made my heart clench, I felt guilty.

— I’m sorry. – He said, his voice low and weak, and that was definitely not what I expected to hear. Before I could question, the large man beside me pulled me into a warm hug on his lap, squeezing me firmly, but gently so as not to hurt me. – It’s my fault, I should have paid more attention. Your safety is my responsibility, and I relaxed when I thought I would be safe around here. I should have considered all the possibilities, I should have been more cautious, I should have noticed the signs to prevent things from getting that far.

His hug was warm, his warm body against mine was comforting, I had to hold back the emotional tears that filled my eyes. Time was without his armor, which was good, because I don’t think hugging him with that serious thing is that comfortable. I don’t know what made him think he was somehow to blame for all this, but it wasn’t true.

— Please don’t blame yourself. I’m the only one to blame for having kept all this from you for so long. Link, I want to tell you the truth, all of it, and I ask that you please listen to everything before you jump to conclusions. And also, I don’t know if I can do the same for others, but I’ll understand if you think I should, because it’s true. – He shook his head, trying to contradict my pessimistic assumptions, but I just wanted to get this weight off my shoulders. – I had a life before this.

If he found that last sentence strange, he didn’t show it, but he was definitely contemplative. Of course, that alone wouldn’t be enough for him to jump to his own conclusions, but it might be enough for him to think I’m delusional.

— I mean, literally, a past life that I remember clearly. I died and was reincarnated here, in this life, with all the memories, even those of my last moments. That in itself seems crazy, or not so much if you stop to think that you have also been reincarnated, even if you don’t have the memories, you can literally know your past life, I mean. – I interrupted myself, seeing that I was getting away from the focus. – The problem is that in my past life I was from another world. Or rather, another reality, probably. A very different one from here, different countries, kingdoms, culture, technology, races. A place where there is no magic or monsters, where the only rational race is the human being. With round ears, different from the Hylians. Oh, and the goddess Hylia herself or any other deity from here doesn’t exist there either.

I observed his expressions, waiting for any sign that would make me give up. But there was nothing, he seemed to be accepting all of this well, he just waited for me to continue until I got to the point of it all, the secret that I was so afraid to reveal. When he realized that I wasn’t continuing, he decided to say something to calm me down.

— I don’t think that’s crazy, if you want to know. For someone who has traveled through time several times, divided the timeline into three, is the reincarnation of a hero’s spirit and fought the demon king himself, a different reality isn’t that absurd. – He said, trying to comfort me and making me laugh softly in a tearful voice.

— That’s not the big problem, yet. – I sighed, mentally preparing myself for this, and continued. – In my old life, the world was full of technology, after all, we didn’t have any magic to help us. Among these technologies, there was something called video games, games, made to entertain people, telling stories, giving challenges, it was a type of thing that we saw on a screen like the one on the Sheikah slate in Wild and controlled characters with controllers, for fun. And for everyone that’s what it was, games, just that, just stories invented to entertain us.

It was clear he didn’t understand the point of it all, but he remained silent as I continued to explain, trying as best I could to make it all make some sense to him.

— I played several of these games, I loved them, but my favorites were a series of games with a particular story, one that seemed to be complete among them, even though it was possible to play them separately. These games told your story, Link. Yours and the others. Each of you had at least one game of your own, which I played and got to know all of your heroic adventures, from your point of view, I learned things, secrets, that you never told anyone. Not just me, but thousands of other people too. – I stopped, feeling my breathing become nervously uneven. I sighed and continued, not daring to look him in the eyes. – I didn’t know, I had no idea that it was all real. That was so common to me, so everyday, as common as reading a book around here. I didn’t know that everything was real, I didn’t know that you existed, I had no idea who was invading your space, and I definitely didn’t imagine that one day I would meet you! Me- I’m sorry, I acted like they were strangers to me when I knew so many things I shouldn’t have. I acted like I didn’t understand what was happening when I experienced everything from the comfort of my home. It took me a few years to understand everything and come to terms with it when I reincarnated, that everything I played was a fact, and when I did I felt bad about it, but I didn’t think it would go any further. I never thought I would meet them, much less that they would end up becoming such important people to me, to whom I would end up lying like a traitor!

I was already in a state of aesthetic crying again, the hero’s grip tightened around me, bringing me even closer to his body, letting me cry into his chest while rubbing my back in comfort. Even after that, even after I told him all these things, he was still worried about me, about how I was feeling. He should be furious, for being seen as just a story, for being a game, for not telling him. But no, he didn’t show any of that, at least not now.

— Hey, look at me. – His voice was soft as he gently held my chin and lifted it so I could look him in the eyes, but I looked away, unable to bear the weight of the guilt. He just wiped away the tears that were running down his face. – It’s okay, I believe you. I really do. And I’m not mad.

— You’re not? – I couldn’t be more perplexed.

— Of course not, dear. You’re not to blame for anything in this story. It would be the same as blaming someone for reading a book, wouldn’t it? To you, we were just characters like so many others, just like the ones in books I’ve read, and who’s to say they’re not real too? Maybe they’re in another reality, if this happened to you it can happen to anyone, and that doesn’t make you a bad person. – His words hit me like a wave of relief and doubt at the same time, making me cry horribly more, but this time, my crying was much more associated with how relieved I was by this reaction coming from him.

— But I kept this secret, shouldn’t you be mad at me for it? – Of course I didn’t want him to be, but I had to be sure.

— No, I understand you, in your situation I might never tell anyone. You were brave and selfless, you had your home destroyed, you were forced to join us, knowing full well what our enemy is capable of. You didn’t use any of your knowledge against us and you were always empathetic. That in itself shows what a good person you are. – Even with those words that warmed my heart, I still felt guilty. – You made the best choice, I don’t think it would have been wise to tell you this when we first met, and it’s totally fair that you were afraid. Please, don’t blame yourself.

— Link, I’m so sorry... – His look was enough to make me stop with that sentence, I was blaming myself again. – But I want you to know that you are all very special to me, and that was the reason I avoided telling you the truth so much. I don’t know what I would do if they hated me, but I couldn’t blame them. But I don’t know if I’m ready to tell others either.

— I understand, you don’t have to, not now. I also think it’s better to wait, we have other things to deal with now. I don’t think they’ll react badly, but it’s a lot to process, and right now I’d prefer for them to focus on the mission. – He ran his hand through my hair as he spoke, trying to calm the rest of the crying that was still left. – Don’t worry about them getting upset about keeping this to yourself either, I’ll tell them it was my idea.

That was good enough for me, I was able to calm down and think better about it all. In the end, I think I should thank that shadow for something, if it weren’t for his threat maybe I would have taken much longer to reveal this and things could have been much worse. I’m grateful to have Time’s support now, a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I wouldn’t be able to show him my gratitude with words, but maybe with actions it will become easier. I grabbed the big man in a tight hug. It was a little difficult, he was quite big to hug, but man, what a good hug. He wrapped his arms around my back, returning the hug warmly.

— Thank you, really. I don’t know what I would do without you. – My voice was muffled because my face was against his body.

— It’s okay, honey, I’m here, and I’ll make sure that shadow doesn’t hurt you, ever again. – I felt his grip tighten, protectively. – So, you’re technically older mentally than physically, right?

— Hm? Oh, well, yes, I must be twice as old mentally. Why?

— Nothing, I was just curious, but that kind of makes sense. – He said, laughing softly. – Now, you should sleep.

— Oh, I’m exhausted. I don’t know how I’m saying it yet. But I can’t...

— Yes, you can, don’t worry about it, I’ll stay here with you, I won’t let anything happen, and I’ll wake you up if you have another nightmare. – He said, pushing me away so he could look me in the eyes.

— What? But then you won’t get any rest! – I complained, I’m not willing to rest at the expense of others.

— It’s okay, seriously. I’m used to it, and I can sleep in the morning, it’s good to enjoy it while we’re still in Skyloft.

I sighed, too tired to argue with this. The empathetic part of my brain said it wasn’t right, but everything else was begging for a long nap. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea after all, at least I was willing to give it a try. Before I could agree, Time picked me up with impressive ease and stood up, able to put me down on the bed properly for the night.

— Hey, what’s up? It wasn’t necessary.

— Yeah, it wasn’t necessary, but I wanted to.

Sometimes this grown man could be very childish when he wanted to be. I like that. He laid me down on the bed and covered me with the blanket, pulling the armchair in the room closer so he could stay there during the night. He kept only a flickering light from the lamp on, so he could continue reading a book and avoid accidentally falling asleep. Then he finally approached me, placing a soft kiss on my forehead.

— Good night, my dear, have sweet dreams and rest. I’m here for you.

With that, it didn’t take long for me to lose consciousness and fall into the dream world I had been waiting for, dreaming, for some reason, of muscular blonds who carry me in their arms wherever I want to go.

[ineffablesuffering]

Where The Furniture Used to Be (Aziraphale x Crowley x Adopted!reader)

Hello! Welcome back! So this was a request from a lovely anon! (I hope you see this and you like it!) This is my very first attempt at angst so please be nice!

Pairing: (Aziraphale x Crowley x Adopted!reader)

Warnings: again like one swear word. Feels? (look i tried lmao)

Word Count: 2557

Note: To the other anon that sent me a request, I have seen it! It's been added to my list <3

Masterlist

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“This is ridiculous,” you huffed, “Why can’t I go outside?” the wind picked up outside the bookshop window.

Aziraphale sighed. They, Crowley and Aziraphale, had adopted you when they you were a teenager after noting some strange weather patterns that seemed otherworldly and out of place in London. They had followed the trails and it led them to you, a then-teenager who had trouble controlling their emotions. You were a witch, a bloody powerful one at that, who could control and manipulate the elements no spell or potion needed. It had taken time, but Crowley had connected that the change in weather had come directly from your emotions whether they meant it or not.  Aziraphale and Crowley had worked hard to conceal them from their respective ex-head offices, and it had been working. Until now. You see, Heaven and Hell had taken notice of the young witch and had been watching closely for quite some time. The power they had worried them immensely, they felt threatened by it. With the planning of The Second Coming, they didn’t have the time nor patience to put up with someone who could quickly stop it.

“I just don’t want anything to happen to you, my dear, at least let us accompany you,” Aziraphale said calmly.

“To me or to other people?” you snapped, “I am old enough to go and get a coffee myself Az. You don’t need to treat me like such a baby anymore. I’m not going to hurt anyone. I can control myself now. What could possibly happen to me huh? Nothing has ever happened to me, and nothing will. I can’t stay cooped up in here forever.” The wind continued to pick up outside.

“Oi!” Crowley said from his position on the sofa, “there’s no need to speak to Aziraphale like that. We’re just looking out for you that’s all.”

You let out a deep sigh and rubbed your temples; the wind slowly calming. You loved Aziraphale and Crowley so much and were very grateful to them for everything they had done. But this was too much. You could protect yourself, should anything ever happen to you. You were a grown adult, not the once out-of-control teenager you used to be.

“I’m sorry,” you sighed, “I just think it’s a bit silly that I can’t go 10 minutes down the road to grab a coffee, on my own.”

Aziraphale and Crowley shared a look. It wasn’t that they didn’t trust you, they just didn’t want any harm to come to you. You just looked at them, as they had a silent conversation debating on how they should handle the situation. Aziraphale sighed again and took your hands in his own.

“Okay, fine. You can go but come straight back.” Aziraphale said, softly but his tone suggested that there was no room for argument. A smile appeared on your face as you launched yourself into Aziraphale’s arms.

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” you squealed, “I promise I won’t be long, and I’ll bring you back something too.”

Aziraphale chuckles as he returns the hug rubbing a hand up and down your back. “Just come straight back.” He said as he pulled away. You nodded and quickly made your way to Crowley.  

“Thank you!” you said as you gave Crowley a kiss on the cheek. Crowley just winks at you.

“I take my thanks in the form of a …”

“A big cup with 6 shots of espresso, yes I know,” you laughed interrupting him.

“That’s my little angel,” he said quietly and pressed a kiss to your hand.

You smiled as you made your way out of the bookshop. “Bye! Love you!” you said closing the door behind you.

“I do hope we made the right decision,” Aziraphale said sitting down next to Crowley, taking his hand in his.

“They’ll be fine Angel,” Crowley said, “Just have a little bit of faith,” he said kissing the angel's cheek before standing up and sauntering off into the kitchen to make Aziraphale a cup of tea.

You walked down the street towards the coffee shop with a smile on your face as you took in the scenes around you. There were cars driving up and down the street, the sun was shining, and a cool autumn breeze swirled around you. It truly seemed to be the perfect afternoon. As you walked with almost a skip in your step, you bumped into someone.

“Oh shit, I’m so sorry,” you said to the stranger. The stranger was a woman dressed in white with neat dark hair.

“Watch where you’re walking,” said the stranger.

“Sorry!” you said and continued on your way.

You reached the coffee shop just moments later, and praise be, there was no queue. The shop was particularly empty except for a woman who was sat at a table dressed in white but with beautiful dark skin. Strange you thought, that’s two women in white suits in the last few minutes. Maybe they’re getting married. You shrugged the thought off as you ordered an iced latte for yourself, a large cup with six shots of espresso for Crowley and a vanilla slice for Aziraphale. You paid and thanked the barista and waited for your order. You turned around and saw the woman at the table staring at you. You offered a friendly smile, but the woman just kept on staring at them. “Okay then,” you said under your breath.

You thank the barista when they hand you your order and make your way back to the bookshop. You take a sip of the iced latte and make a face. You didn’t order any syrup in your latte, but it tasted awfully like almonds, and that’s the last thing you remember before everything went black.

Back at the bookshop, Aziraphale was pacing. “They should be back by now,” he stressed as he walked.

“I’m sure they just bumped into a friend or something Angel,” Crowley responded trying to calm Aziraphale, but deep down he knew that something wasn’t right.

“It's been over an hour Crowley,” Aziraphale said glancing out the window to see if he could spot you.

“I know Angel, they’ll be fine,” Crowley said standing up and walking over to Aziraphale placing a hand on his shoulder.

Aziraphale turned to face Crowley and buried his head in his shoulder. Crowley wraps his arms around the angel, soothing him by running a hand up and down his back. Much like how Aziraphale had done to Y/N not too long ago. “Can we go look for them?” Aziraphale mumbled into Crowley’s shoulder.

“Would it make you feel better?” Crowley asked pulling away so he could look him in the eyes. Aziraphale just nodded and Crowley sighed. “C’mon then Angel.”

Aziraphale and Crowley walked down the same streets that Y/N had. The sun was still bright in the sky, the cool breeze whipping around them, but something wasn’t right. They could feel it. They turned the corner and stopped. On the middle of the pavement, there were two dropped coffees and a dropped paper bag which seemed to contain a vanilla slice. The angel and demon turned to each other as their hearts dropped to their stomachs.

You awoke to a bright light and a pounding headache. Your hands bound to a chair and a white rag in your mouth. You wince as you opened your eyes to see the two women from earlier standing before you hold a book.

“What is going on?” you tried to speak, but the rag prevented the words from coming out.

The woman with the neat dark hair snapped her fingers and the rag disappeared.

“You! You’re the women from earlier!” you thrash, trying to break free of the material that held you to the chair.

“Women?” the woman said, “We are the Archangels Michael,” they pointed and themselves “and Uriel,” they continued pointing to the other woma- angel, “and you must be Y/N,” they said a hint of disgust in their voice.

“What’s it to you?” you snap trying to burn your way through the material bounding you to the chair.

“Oh, that won’t work here, Y/N,” said Archangel Uriel, “your gifts are of no use to you in heaven.”

You froze. Heaven? Panic coursed through your veins like ice. “No, no, no, no.” you panicked.

“Oh yes, Y/N,” the Archangel Michael smiled. “You get quite the view from up here.”

“How do you even know who I am anyway?” You said.

“We’ve been watching you for quite some time now. Quite the stir you’ve made upstairs and downstairs. You’ve had us all quite worried,” spoke Uriel.

Your head was spinning. You knew about Heaven and Hell. You always have for as long as you’ve had your powers, that wasn’t the surprise. You knew Aziraphale was an angel and Crowley a demon, so coming face to face with two Archangels wasn’t a huge shock to the system. No, what panicked you the most was that you were up here and Aziraphale and Crowley were nowhere to be seen.

“W-What have you done to them?” you shouted.

“To who?” Uriel cocks their head.

“Aziraphale and Crowley!” you cried. “Where are they?”

“You mean The Traitor and the Demon?” Michael starts, “Oh nothing, it’s not as if they’ll even know who you are in a minute anyway,” they gestured to the book that Uriel held. You’d know that book anywhere.

“Is that?” you say suddenly getting quiet.

“You’re a clever witch, aren’t you?” Uriel said condescendingly.

“But I haven’t done anything!” you shout.

“Ah, not yet you haven’t,” Uriel starts “but we can’t have you interfering with The Second Coming now, can we?”

The Second what now? Fear and dread slowly started to fill your body from your head to your toes. They were going to erase you from The Book of Life. Tears filled your eyes as the reality of your situation dawned on you. You were at a loss for words as Uriel opened the book and handed it to Michael. Your thoughts ran wild as they smiled at you. You felt as if you were about to throw up.

Suddenly, doors opened to your left and voices shouted.

“Let them go!”

“What do you think you are doing!”

It was Aziraphale and Crowley running towards you. Aziraphale snapped his fingers, and you were freed from your restraints. You threw yourself into Crowley's arms and sobbed as Crowley caught you and stroked your hair. “You’re okay my little angel,” he whispered in your ear. Aziraphale stood in front of you both.

“What is the meaning of all this?” Aziraphale demanded.

“Ah, so glad you could join us,” Michael smiled, “We were just about to get started.”

Aziraphale froze when he saw what was in Michael's hands. He turned to Crowley, a wild expression on his face. Crowley tilted his head, confused until he too saw what Michael was holding. His hand froze on your hair.

“That’s not?” Crowley started, suddenly moving you behind him. Aziraphale nodded weakly, not knowing what to say or do. He turned to face Uriel and Michael.

“You can’t do that,” he stepped forward, but Uriel snapped their fingers, and he couldn’t move any further. He was stuck, and panic took over his body. “You wouldn’t, they haven’t done anything!” he shouted. His worst nightmare had suddenly become a reality. He was going to lose you and he couldn’t do anything about it.

Crowley tried to make a dash for The Book of Life, but it was no use, he wasn’t fast enough and soon he was also stuck in place, right next to Aziraphale. “You can’t do this!” he roared, fear washing over him. Michael and Uriel ignored them as they found your name in the book. You rushed in front of Aziraphale and Crowley, you turned and faced the two Archangels.

“Please, don’t do this,” you beg tears rolling down your face, “you can’t do this!” Uriel hands Michael a feather. “I promise I won’t cause any bother. I won’t!” you tried to bargain but it was no use.

“That’s not a risk we are willing to take,” said Michael and with one swift stroke, crossed your name out of The Book of Life, and disappeared.

You turned to face Aziraphale and Crowley and stumbled forward feeling slightly tingly. You felt arms around you as Aziraphale and Crowley were released from their holds as now, there was nothing they could do.

“No, no, no, no!” Crowley shouted as he grasped onto you. You could see tears fall from Aziraphale's eyes as he stroked your hair.

“It’s okay,” you said to them bringing a hand to each of their faces, tears still rolling down your face. “It’s going to be okay,” you whisper quietly.

“How can you say that Y/N?” Aziraphale whispers.

“Because in a few seconds, you won't even remember who I was. You won’t feel any pain.” You whisper to them, noticing that your hands were fading. This was it. A sob wracked through Crowley, his emotions getting the best of him. You feel his lips touch your forehead.

“You’ll always be my little angel Y/N,” he whispers into your hair, pressing another soft kiss to the crown of your head.

“I love you both so much.” You said, feeling yourself fade away.

“We love you too, so much,” Aziraphale whispers into your hair, kissing your head softly, and with that, you faded away in their arms.

A few days later, Aziraphale and Crowley were in the bookshop. Aziraphale had decided to close the shop today, not feeling like opening up. He sat at his desk a strange feeling in his stomach like something was missing but he couldn’t quite place what it was. He sighed and stood up from his desk and made his way to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. He found Crowley standing there staring at a cup of coffee.

“Everything alright my dear?” he asked.

“Hmm?” Crowley responded looking at him.

“I asked if everything is alright?”

“Oh, yeah m’fine.” He said with a sigh, “Do you ever feel like something isn’t quite right?” he asked Aziraphale after a moment.

“You know I was just thinking about that myself,” he said leaning next to him on the kitchen counter. “I’ve just felt rather, unfulfilled recently and I can’t seem to place why.” He frowned.

“Me too,” Crowley said reverting his attention back to his coffee. “It’s very strange, it feels like looking into a house you used to own and trying to place where the furniture used to be but you just can't.”

“That’s an oddly specific way of putting it.”

“But I’m not wrong.”

“No,” Aziraphale sighed, “you are not.”

They stood in silence for a minute before Aziraphale spoke up again. “I’m sure it will pass; all things pass in the end.”

Crowley looked at the angel with a bemused look on his face, “Did you just quote George Harrison?”

Aziraphale blushed “Maybe,”

“You surprise me every day Angel.” Crowley said with a chuckle, “C’mon make your tea and I’ll get you in the main room.” He said sauntering off.

So, life went on as it always had for Aziraphale and Crowley, though they could never shift that feeling that something, or rather someone, was missing.

[kimingyuslover]

The call

synopsis : you never thought that one call could leave you in a tearful night.

word count : 759

pairing : lee seokmin x afab!reader

warnings : reader is mentioned wearing a dress, angst (sorry not sorry), tears.

★ i feel like i need more angst in my life & i want to create a oneshot that will have the readers bawling their eyes out. idk to you guys, but i cried a little while writing this.

☆ check out my other works > main masterlist

the white mini dress you wore is adoring to everyone's eyes. you decided that it was time for you to have a date again, after your last one, which is 3 weeks ago.

the night ends so quickly, the date went absolutely wonderful, you have to thank Mingyu– who arranged this date, with lots of food.

"yeah, the date went so excellent! i think we'd have another date next week" you say as you start to open your laptop to finish the proposal you've been writing for ages.

"should i expect a barbecue dinner next month? you probably ended with this guy" Mingyu said on the other side, making you let out a giggle.

"i don't know, but maybe—

you got cut off by the ringtone from your phone, someone calls you, "wait a sec gyu, i need to pick up another call" which Mingyu answered with, "yeah sure, call me again right after that"

you can't figure the name of the contacts on your phone, and you can't remember whose this number belongs to, but you answer it because you think it's maybe something important?

"hello?" you let out.

"y/n," the other person replied. you know who this is, and you're planning to hang up the call, but before you can do it, he speaks again.

"i'm sorry! please don't hang up, i need to let this out, my hearts feels heavy if i have to carry this every day." he said, you replied nothing, and he take that as a yes, he can speak to you.

"i want you to know that, i still love you. i messed up a big time while we're still in a relationship, i'm sorry that i don't take the blame even though it's my fault, i'm sorry i neglected you, neglected our relationship. i need you to know that my heart still belongs to you. i tried, i really tried to leave you alone because that's what a good ex should do, right? but when i heard you already go on dates, my heart started to aches so much that it really brought tears to my eyes. that night, i had a few drinks because of the pressure my company put me in, i shouldn't lashed it out on you that night. i'm not in my right state of mind. my mind wanders around when you leave me, i feel miserable, i feels like shit, an asshole, a prick, bastard, and other terms that i used to believe i'm not one of them. i promise your mom to always protect you, but in the end, i was the one who hurt you," you heard him letting out a silent sobs. you don't want to cut him. you feel your own tears start to huddle in your eyes.

"i never made any attempt to make time for you because i think, i need space where i'm alone, far from you, and of course, i was wrong. i never want you to be far from me, i want you to hold me close every time I had a shitty day like you used to before my work schedule demanding every time i have and i start to distancing myself from you. i regret every single second when i'm thinking about what i did to you, i never deserved you, and you deserve so much more than me," now, it's your time to let out your silent sobs.

"Everyday, every night when i see my apartment, all i see is you. every corner of this building held it memory of you, i missed you, i missed us before everything happens" notices your sobs, he pauses for awhile.

"you don't need to answer me, i just want to let you know that every inch of me loves you until now. you deserve a man who can make his time for you, who can control his emotion better than me," he stop for a second, "who can love you better than i do"

that's your breaking down point. you try to speak, "seokmin, i'm sorry"

"it's not your fault. it's mine, it's never yours, i made us this way, so i have to accept it. " he chuckles dryly, and not long after that, he hangs up the call.

minutes later, you received a text from the same number

i'm not drunk or tipsy. everything that comes out of my mouth is proof that i, in fact, is still mourning for our relationship.

i hope you'll have a good life, away from me, goodbye, my love.

[slaymitchabernathy]

Fate is Cruel

| tw: attempted suicide (but our girl is not successful) |

Soarynn cries so hard sometimes that she throws up.

There’s a consistent ringing in her ears when she cries, an attempt to muffle out the noises around her, mostly to muffle him out, his voice. Razor sharp, the same as his touch.

There was a time that she thought of Coriolanus Snow as a good, noble man, besotted with her, willing to do whatever it took to protect her. Turns out wolves can easily disguise themselves as sheep, preying on the weakest links or in this case, her.

He didn’t reveal his true colors, his true intentions until they got married. Slipping that ring on her finger was the equivalent of slipping an imaginary noose around her neck.

Sometimes she’d prefer a real noose.

Right now she just wants to disappear so she can escape his verbal abuse, spewing out the nastiest things at her all because she slipped up at a company dinner they both attended tonight. She had been doing so good too, saying all the right things, even making him smile a few times. She remembers when she'd give anything to see him smile.

Now she takes it as a sign that he's not going to yell at her. She knows he'd never hit her, not wanting to risk bruising his most prized possession. Coriolanus loves to show her off, his pretty, young little wife. But he can yell, oh he can yell. He says the meanest things to her, nearly getting off when she cries.

But tonight she messed up, embarrassed him in front of his colleagues and she knew from the look in his eyes that she'd be in for a long night when they got home.

"...stupidest girl I've ever met," he continues barking out, pacing back and forth in his study while she sits in the chair across from his desk, quiet tears rolling down her cheeks. She sits with her hands in her lap, head lowered while she takes everything that he dishes out, it's easier this way rather than trying to reason with him.

After being married for over a year, Soarynn knows how Coriolanus operates. He needs to blow off steam before he can calm down, then he's a bit more reasonable but not by a lot. Soarynn is constantly walking around on eggshells with him, terrified of saying or doing the wrong thing.

She does everything he wants her to do. She dresses the way he likes, talks the way he likes, she even eats the food he likes.

It's still not enough.

"I mean honestly Soarynn, it's like you're just begging to be punished," he snaps, stopping right in front of her, "dumb little girl, can't even carry a decent conversation without humiliating yourself can you?" Her cheeks burn with shame and more tears blur her vision, she was just trying to be nice at dinner, make small talk.

"I'm sorry," she whispers for the hundredth time tonight, "I didn't mean to embarrass you or bring attention to myself." He scoffs, lifting his hand and she flinches involuntarily, Coriolanus has always been an angry man. She remembers the first time he truly lashed out at her. It had been over dinner ironically enough, except she had gone out to dinner with her friends and came home too late for his liking.

Coriolanus was just starting to show his true colors, his urge to control and possess her. She tried to reason with him, she stayed home every night with him, this was just a one-time thing, she lost track of time, this would never happen again.

It didn't happen again. Not after he threw his glass cup at her, barely missing her head as it shattered against the wall. Soarynn had been petrified by his aggressive behavior, he tried to hurt her, that was no accident.

He apologized afterward, once she started crying and trembling from fear. She never grew up in a violent household but he did, at least that's what he said while holding her. "My father darling," he had mumbled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, "my father was so strict when raising me, he believed in discipline to make me better, make me stronger. I want the same for you, for our future children."

The ring on her finger was a painful reminder that she was stuck with him and would eventually bear his children.

She forgave him that one time.

Then again, and again, and again. There was always a 'next time' for him to lash out at her and she always forgave him.

The forgiving lamb married to the spiteful wolf. Fate can be so cruel sometimes.

꧁ ꧂

Soarynn falls asleep with tear-stained cheeks and her husband's arm lazily draped over her side. Her body aches, her core is throbbing in pain. He's always so aggressive in the bedroom after a disagreement. He does it to hurt her, to drive the point home that she will always belong to him.

She sniffles but keeps quiet, she wouldn't want to wake Coriolanus, he'd only grow more angry with her. Sometimes he'll wipe her tears, whisper how it's for her own good, that he does this because he loves her so much, that he wants the best for her, for their family. Soarynn would rather kill herself than have a baby with him.

Kill herself. What a thought.

Soarynn has always heard people throw around the casual threat of ending their lives over meaningless things but this isn't meaningless. She's being abused, mentally, emotionally, sexually.

Wouldn't it be better this way?

The way he acts you think that she was a huge burden for him. Soarynn's father passed away five years ago, leaving her with their family fortune that Coriolanus quickly took over the second they got married, drafting up enough papers so that she couldn't touch a cent of her own family's money.

She has nowhere to go.

Soarynn finally feels herself growing tired, crying always exhausts her but arguing with Coriolanus has a tendency to spike up her adrenaline like an animal being hunted for sport. He loves a hunt though, and he claims to love her despite all he does to her.

Soarynn used to dream about getting married and falling in love.

Now it just feels like a nightmare.

꧁ ꧂

"Stop doing that."

Soarynn immediately stops tapping her foot, his words are harsh and they land on their intended target. "Sorry," she mumbles which earns her another disappointed look from her husband. "And stop mumbling. How many times do I tell you about the mumbling Soarynn? Speak. Up."

A small, minuscule amount of anger bubbles up in her chest. Soarynn had always been soft-spoken. Always. He knew that when he was courting her, when he was engaged to her, when he married her. Why he chooses to nitpick it now is beyond her.

Her eye twitches but she remains silent, forgetting that often actions speak louder than words because he catches the small irritation on her face.

"Something you want to say Soarynn?"

She shakes her head, it was a mistake, she didn't mean it. "No," she says.

"Speak up Soarynn."

"NO!" She shouts, glaring at her husband from across the living room, gripping the armrests of her chair, "No Coriolanus, I have nothing to say to you."

That was the wrong thing to say.

He calmly sets down the newspaper in his hands, they spend their mornings on the weekends relaxing in the living room, he reads the paper, she reads a book. If he weren't so terrible then she'd actually enjoy it.

"Come here Soarynn."

She shakes her head, beginning to tremble in fear. Coriolanus could do so many things to her, ranging from yelling to physically punishing her. She hates them all, hates him.

His eyes flash with anger and he beckons her over with the curl of his index finger, patience thinning, "I'm not asking again," he says, it's an order, not a request. But Soarynn is done being thrown around, treated like she's nothing. She is his wife, he should treat her as such.

"I am not your puppet," she fires back, surprised by how confident she sounds and he is too but it doesn't last long. His lips curl up into a cruel smirk as he rises from his chair, causing her to become frozen in hers. Coriolanus stalks over to her slowly, sizing up his prey, "It seems that last night's lecture wasn't enough for you darling, I suppose you might need a better punishment."

Soarynn fervently shakes her head, "No, no, I'm sorry Coriolanus, I misspoke. It won't happen again I promise."

He looms over her from where he's standing, inches away and she's choking on his air, "You're right," he says quietly, "it won't."

꧁ ꧂

Soarynn pounds on the locked doors, choking on her sobs, "Let me out, please let me out!" She hears nothing in response, no rude comments or smug remarks. He locked her in one of the guest rooms, one of the empty guest rooms, no sheets on the bed, no food, nothing but the clothes on her back.

It's dark in here too, cold and scary. She feels like an animal that's been trapped. She tried to change his mind, promised that she'd be better, that she'd never act out again but of course, he had to drive his message home.

He grabbed her by the hair, dragging her down the hallway while she cried, while she begged for forgiveness as if she were the one at fault.

He didn't say how long she'd be in here, he just threw her into the room and shut the doors behind him, trapping her in her own home. Soarynn presses her back against the doors and sinks down to the floor, pressing her hand to her mouth so her sobs are muffled. He won't get the satisfaction of hearing her cry.

She wonders what she did to deserve this, why he hates her so much. She wonders if it really was his father or his childhood in general. She knows that his mother died when he was young, leaving him with his father and his grandmother before she passed away as well.

That's still no excuse to hurt others.

Soarynn sits by the doors for what feels like hours since she has no real concept of time besides the sun shining through the windows. She listens for her husband's footsteps but never hears them, growing colder once the sun starts to set. Soarynn sniffles, rubbing her eyes, maybe there's a blanket in here she can use to keep warm. Still dressed in her nightgown, Soarynn slowly pushes herself onto her feet, padding into the large closet.

It's empty to her dismay, hasn't been touched in years from the looks of it. She crosses into the bathroom through the connecting door, rubbing her arms for some warmth. The bathroom is in the same condition, barren and dusty. She could always draw a warm bath, but the water would cool down eventually and she doesn't have a towel.

Soarynn pokes around the cabinets and finds some old makeup and jewelry. This must've been his grandmother's room, a tomb of remembrance now that she's gone. Soarynn will certainly remember this room but for very different reasons.

She opens the cabinet tucked into the wall and her stormy eyes widen when she sees all sorts of pill bottles. She grabs one out of curiosity, wiping away the dust on the label. The words are faded but the bottle looks old, at least ten years.

And there's a lot of these bottles.

With a lot of pills.

Soarynn would never have it in her to cut her own skin, she's too scared to try that but pills, well, pills she can manage. It all happens so quickly, her unscrewing all the lids, pills scattering across the bathroom counter while she turns on the sink. Soarynn dumps as many pills as she can into her hand, leaning down to gulp down some water. She's been so thirsty since she got locked in here, and now, it's her final drink.

Soarynn swallows down some more water before looking back at her handful of pills, contemplating her rash decision. She could always change her mind, stay in this cold, dark room until he came to get her. But then what? He'll just hurt her again, and again, and again.

No. She'd rather die.

With a shaky breath, Sorynn throws back the pills, swallowing as many as possible before taking another drink of water. It takes her about a minute to swallow all the pills and she immediately starts feeling dizzy. Soarynn whimpers, the realization of what she's done finally hits her the moment it's too late.

She stumbles out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom, hoping her husband might be there to save her but the doors are still shut. Soarynn feels bile rising up in her throat and it's coming out of her mouth before she can try to stop it.

She gasps, teetering left and right, seeing black spots in her vision. It's all happening so fast. She tries to make it to the bed but she falls before she can reach it. She hears a crack and then silence.

The last thing Soarynn wonders is how her husband will find her.

꧁ ꧂

Beep.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

What?

Beep.

"How is she, doctor?"

"She's doing well, we caught it just in time but she'll be fine."

No.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

Soarynn can hear more beeping, more voices, more nosies. It all comes crashing down on her like ocean waves, rushing into her ears, and suddenly her eyes open, staring up at a tiled ceiling.

A face appears above her, a stranger, she's never met this man before. He has a flashlight in his hand, shining it down into her eyes and she squints up at him, "Looks good," he remarks, "we'll have to run a few more tests."

Soarynn groans, she feels like shit, like she got hit by a car. Her entire body aches and her throat and lips feel dry. She tries to sit up but fails miserably. "Don't try to move, Mrs. Snow," another voice says, female this time. Soarynn looks to her right at a nurse standing at her bedside, a concerned look on her face.

Soarynn's voice is scratchy but she still speaks, "Where...where am I?"

"You're at the hospital Mrs. Snow. Your husband found you at home lying on the floor, unresponsive so he brought you here."

Coriolanus found her, that deadbeat, piece of shit found her and brought her here.

But he's not in the room, she scans the small space quickly and he's nowhere to be seen. Maybe this was the last straw for him, maybe he left her here, left her to be someone else's problem.

Soarynn tries to lift her right hand but she can't. She's restrained to the bed. Soarynn frowns at the shackles and gets a sympathetic look from her nurse, "We know this must be a lot," she says kindly, "and that you've probably been feeling depressed for quite some time but we want you to know that taking your own life is never the right solution. Your husband was devastated when he found you like that."

So he's here.

"He's here? My husband?"

Both the doctor and nurse nod, "Yes, yes he's here, would you like us to go get him for you?"

Soarynn's eyes burn with tears once again. If she wasn't scared of Coriolanus before she tried to kill herself, she's terrified now. He's actually going to kill her.

"No," she cries, pulling on her restraints, "no I don't want to see him, he's going to be so angry, so..." Her voice dies off and the tears begin to run. He's going to make her life a living hell, this was just what he needed, now he can watch her every move on the doctor's orders.

"Let me go get him," the doctor whispers, leaving the room. Soarynn keeps crying, accepting her new damned fate. For the rest of her life, she's going to be in his shackles. "It's okay, he won't be mad at you Mrs. Snow."

Soarynn wants to laugh at this nurse and her comforting words. She doesn't know him like she does, doesn't know how capable he is of being cruel. Before she can even try to tell her anything, the door opens and this time, it's Coriolanus.

Soarynn can see how angry he is behind his carefully curated expression. His eyes are seething with rage. She tried to leave him.

She bursts into tears upon seeing him and he immediately comes to her side, resting a hand on the side of her head to comfort her, "Oh darling," he whispers, looking down at his poor little wife, so depressed she tried to kill herself. "I was so worried about you."

Soarynn is finding it very hard to breathe right now.

"We'll need to keep her overnight for some observations but she'll be able to go home in the morning," her nurse informs him. Coriolanus nods, keeping his eyes trained on Soarynn, "I'm never letting you out of my sight again," he promises.

He means it too.

It's not a promise, it's a threat.

It must sound so sweet and caring from an outsiders perspective, the caring, attenetive Coriolanus Snow. Soarynn sees right through that. He's going to make her life a livng hell.

He finally looks over at the nurse, "You mentioned some mood supressants? I'm sure she'll need anything you can give her once we get back home and settle into a new routine."

Soarynn tunes out the rest of their conversation, muffled in her ears. She knows when Coriolanus leaves because he presses a kiss on her cheek. She knows when the nurse leaves because she turns off the overhead light.

She knows that she hopes she dies in her sleep because fate can be cruel.

꧁ ꧂

It's silent when they get back home.

His grip on her waist is far from possessive, he already owns her, mind, body, and now, soul.

Coriolanus closes the front doors behind them and sighs, they're finally alone, just the two of them. The mask can come off now.

"Part of me wanted to leave you lying there on the ground," he says quietly.

Soarynn sighs, so past caring about anything now, "I wish you did."

They make their way into the kitchen and he has her sit at the breakfast table, so he can keep an eye on her while he makes her something to eat. "From now on you don't go anywhere without me," he says, casually chopping up some strawberries with a knife, "not the bathroom, not the kitchen, not anywhere. I can't afford to have you trying to kill yourself again just because you're upset darling."

Soarynn wants to scream at him, flip over the table, and stab him with the knife he's holding a million times until he bleeds out but she can't. All the anger and grief within her has been suppressed by the pills they gave her, well, gave him. She feels as if she's floating through the clouds, too tired and dazed to truly put up a fight.

Coriolanus thinks what she did was a tantrum, he thinks that she tried to kill herself to piss him off, to send a message. She certainly hoped that finding her dead body would send a message or two but to him, she was acting childish, ungrateful for all he's given her.

"Nod if you understand me Soarynn."

His belittling words manage to spark up something in her, but it's not enough for her to snap back, so she meekly nods her head. Coriolanus grunts, scraping the cut-up berries into a bowl, "Everything I do for you is out of love darling, it's tough love but it's still love. I want what's best for you, for our family."

He walks over to the table, setting the bowl down in front of her, and rests his hand on top of her head, "Now, I want you to eat everything in that bowl and then we'll get you in the bath, goodness knows you need to be washed off."

Soarynn frowns, she doesn't know how long she was at the hospital for but she didn't think that she smelled bad. Then again, Coriolanus is freakishly strict about hygiene. She looks down at the berries, she usually loves strawberries and he knows her enough to remember that but she's not really hungry.

Perhaps she misjudged his anger because his other hand takes a firm hold of her jaw, squeezing it to the point of pain, "Stop being a fucking ungrateful brat and eat your food," he hisses, digging his fingers into her skin. Soarynn whimpers, tears prickling in her eyes from the harsh language and touch. She opens her mouth and grabs a piece of fruit bringing it to her mouth with a shaky hand.

Coriolanus keeps his tight hold on her while Soarynn forces herself to eat, even to the point of an upset stomach because it'll be much worse if she doesn't finish. When she finishes, she's rewarded with a kiss on her temple as if he didn't just grab her like that, "Good job darling, see what happens when you listen to me?"

Soarynn wisely says nothing.

Coriolanus goes to wash the bowl and Soarynn watches him, a distant look in her eyes as they settle on the cutting board. He usually likes to comment on how she never helps him with anything around the house so in an effort to be good, she rises from her seat and grabs the cutting board, bringing it over to him by the sink.

Soarynn takes the knife and holds it out to him, watching as his piercing blue eyes settle on the sharp object and widen. He drops the bowl in the sink, making her flinch at the loud noise and he quickly grabs the knife from her, acting as if she just stabbed him.

She thought about it.

"Don't ever do that again Soarynn," he snaps, causing her to grow confused. "But I...I thought..." Her voice dies off, too tired to try and argue with her husband who clearly doesn't trust her with anything. He shakes his head, setting the knife in the sink, "You don't ever get to be around sharp objects again darling, I can't have you cutting that delicate skin."

Oh.

So he didn't think she was going to hurt him, no, that would be too easy. As much as he denies it, the quickest way to hurt Coriolanus Snow is by hurting his wife.

It's just very unfortunate that she's the wife.

꧁ ꧂

Warm water sloshes around Soarynn, it feels nice, like a warm hug after a bad day at school.

More water pours over her head and she closes her eyes, letting the shampoo wash out of her hair. His fingers are deft while they work, untangling her hair, brushing through it, and washing it. If she were a stranger looking into the bathroom, she'd think this was sweet. A husband taking care of his mentally ill wife who tried to kill herself.

What a gentleman.

It's too bad that she knows the truth though, the ugly truth but the truth nonetheless.

Coriolanus Snow is a monster and she is trapped with him.

His hand drags up and down her bare back, causing her to shiver from his touch, "What were you thinking Soarynn?" He whispers, "Killing yourself? Do you have any idea what people are saying about me? About us?"

Of course, this is why he cares. She's tainted his reputation. Coriolanus Snow is now married to an unstable nutcase. Poor him.

"Sorry," she mumbles even though she's not.

He sighs, deep and heavy, she wonders what it's like to live in his twisted mind, how he justifies all the things that he does to her. "My grandmother died in that room, do you have any idea how horrible it would've been for me to lose both of you in the same room?"

Soarynn finally meets his scrutinizing gaze, it holds no empathy or remorse for what she's gone through with him. "You locked me in there," she whispers, closing her eyes when those terrible memories come flooding back, "locked me in there and didn't come back."

She feels his hand on her cheek, it's supposed to be comforting but it only reminds her that she belongs to him wholly now. There is no escaping. "You were misbehaving," he reminds her, "perhaps you should spend another night in there." Her eyes fly open at the threat, and new tears threaten to spill, "No, no please," she whimpers, "I don't wanna go back there."

Coriolanus grunts, giving it some thought, "Then you'll be my good girl hmm? Do as I say?"

"Yes," she says, lowering her head, "I'll do as you say."

They spend the rest of bathtime in silence. Coriolanus finishes washing her off and dries off her body and her hair. For once, she's grateful for him because she doesn't have the strength to do any of this by herself right now. He picks out a nightgown for her to wear, a light shade of blue with lace trim along the neckline. It's a pretty thing and he says that it matches her eyes.

He keeps an arm wrapped around her as they walk to their bed, Soarynn lost some weight in the hospital along with her strength and will to live.

Which is why she doesn't try to fight him off when he puts his body on top of hers. Looks like she isn't a total lost cause. Soarynn lies there, limp and unresponsive while his lips leave marks on her body, reclaiming her as his. She winces when she feels his fingers prodding against her entrance, she's not turned on in the slightest but that never stopped him from taking what's his.

"The doctor told me something else," he murmurs in her ear, sliding two fingers inside of her. Soarynn whimpers from the painful stretch, begging her body to produce some lubrication but nothing happens. These suppressants are doing more harm than good.

"Do you want to know what the doctor told me Soarynn?"

Soarynn wishes she had just slashed her wrists open instead. Then she wouldn't have to be here.

He kisses right below her ear and whispers the most horrifying words she's ever heard in her life, "That the little baby inside of you survived."

She's pregnant.

She was pregnant and then she tried to kill herself. Against all odds, the tiny little baby inside of her survived.

Tears are rolling down her face, Soarynn can't keep them at bay anymore. It doesn't help that his fingers are tearing her apart, pumping in and out of her at a rapid pace now.

"Even at your worst you still give me your best Soarynn," he pants in her ear, "gonna give me a child, gonna be so good for me." A child. She has to bring a child into this cruel world, into this dark, evil household. Soarynn isn't ready to be a mother, to have a baby, to give birth. She could die giving birth.

He doesn't care though. He doesn't care.

When Coriolanus finally forces himself inside of her, Soarynn says nothing, already imagining the child growing inside of her. If it's a girl, she'll think her father is the best man in the world, the same way Soarynn thought of Coriolanus before realizing the truth.

If it's a boy, he'll know right away that his father is horrible.

Either way, she'll lose and he knows that.

Soarynn wishes she were dead so her baby would be dead too but they're not. They'll be forced to live under his rule forever.

Fate is so cruel.

| tumblr oneshot/drabble |

| taglist: @strawberriicakes @wonderlandbound111 @kickmybark @evilmenarehot @thevoicesinmyprettylittlehead @melodyoflovee @erensrealgf |

[multi-fandoms-posts]

In the Storm of Love and Rage

X Men Masterlist:

The mission is dangerous, as it often is, but this time something feels different. Y/N, Charles, and Erik are heading out together to stop a dangerous mutant faction threatening a secret facility. The air is electric, and the tension weighs heavily on their shoulders. Y/N fights as always, side by side with the two men who share her heart, but she feels that something ominous is in the air today.

"Stay close to me," Erik murmurs, his voice quiet but intense as they approach their target.

Y/N rolls her eyes slightly, casting him a quick glance. "I can take care of myself, Erik. We all know that."

Charles, standing calmly beside them, looks from Erik to Y/N and smiles gently. "We know you're strong, Y/N, but he’s just worried about you. We both are."

Erik grumbles in agreement, his eyes still focused on the mission ahead. Yet Y/N can sense the underlying worry he’s trying to hide. She knows him well enough to understand that he views any danger to her as a personal enemy.

---

The fight breaks out faster than they expected. The enemies are well-organized and skilled. Charles coordinates their attacks mentally, keeping their opponents at bay, while Erik uses metal structures around them to neutralize enemies from a distance. Y/N dodges blows, fighting with strength and precision, but suddenly, the unexpected happens.

A mutant, faster than she anticipates, sneaks up from behind and stabs a knife into her side. She gasps, the world around her blurring for a moment. The pain is overwhelming, and she drops to one knee.

“Y/N!” Charles screams in her mind, and Erik whirls around, his eyes widening in shock and fury.

“No!”

With a furious shout, Erik loses all control. The metal around him shatters and tears through the attackers nearby. His power is unleashed without restraint, while Charles tries to reach his thoughts.

"Erik, calm down!" Charles rushes to Y/N, who clutches her side, her face contorted in pain, blood dripping through her fingers. But Erik is beyond hearing, his rage boiling over.

"I’ll kill them all," Erik growls, his eyes burning with uncontrollable fury.

Charles knows words alone won’t be enough. He steps in front of Erik, blocking his view of the enemies. "Erik, listen to me! She’s alive! Y/N is hurt, but she’s alive!"

But Erik doesn't stop. Metal shards swirl around them, and Charles sees Erik sinking deeper into his anger. Without thinking twice, Charles grabs Erik's face, forcing him to look into his eyes.

"Erik, please! You’re losing yourself in your rage. She needs us both right now, not your anger!"

For a moment, Erik seems trapped in his fury, but Charles doesn’t hesitate. He pulls Erik into a deep, calming kiss, his lips firm and demanding. It’s an attempt to pull him back from the darkness, and slowly, Erik’s body begins to relax. The floating metal falls to the ground with a dull thud, and Erik breathes heavily as he finally comes back to himself.

“Charles…” Erik whispers, his voice rough. He pulls back, his eyes searching and filled with pain.

"It’s okay," Charles murmurs softly, leaning his forehead against Erik’s. "She’ll make it. We just need to stay calm now."

Erik takes a deep breath, his hands trembling slightly, but he nods. The storm inside him has subsided, at least for now. He quickly turns and rushes to Y/N, who lies on the ground, trying to stop the blood from her wound.

“Y/N,” Erik whispers, kneeling beside her and taking her hand. His voice nearly breaks with worry. “I’m sorry, I should have protected you.”

Y/N slowly opens her eyes, her face twisted in pain, but a small smile appears on her lips. “I knew you’d freak out as always,” she says, her voice weak but with a hint of humor. “Charles has everything under control, right?”

Charles, who has also come over to them, smiles slightly, his hand gently resting on Y/N’s forehead. “Always,” he murmurs. “But you should rest. Hank will take care of you soon.”

Y/N closes her eyes briefly before opening them again, looking at the two of them. "You two..." She sighs and then laughs quietly, though it makes her wince in pain. "If I weren’t in so much pain, this would be the perfect moment for sex."

Charles and Erik exchange a glance, both smiling slightly despite the tension. "At least she hasn’t lost her sense of humor," Charles says softly, while Erik gently strokes her hand.

“You’re incredible,” Erik murmurs, leaning forward to place a soft kiss on her forehead.

Y/N weakly winks at them before closing her eyes, exhausted but with a smile on her lips.

[cherrryxx]

“All is fair in love and war, but I can’t fight with you anymore,,”

(Song: Allies or enemies by The Crane Wives)

OP men and their reaction to an argument, where m!reader gets upset and avoids them.

Including: Mihawk, Kaku

Warnings: angst, m!reader, hurt/comfort, minor cursing, SPOILERS FOR WATER SEVEN/ENIES LOBBY

MIHAWK

- Only reason he would end up arguing with you is for doing something he specifically asked you not to, that could have resulted in you being hurt. Mayybeee also if you’re being too ignorant about things too.

“I said I was sorry! Nothing happened so it’s really not that serious!” You shout at Mihawk. He was agitated and ended up arguing with you after you had followed him into a particularly risky battle.

“Really? And what if I had cut you in half! I could have killed you, THEY would have killed you.” Mihawk snaps. He’s never raised his voice or talked to you with such an aggressive tone, and to be honest it scares you a bit.

As he continues to chew you out, belittling your own ability to stay alive, practically insulting your skills as he gives every reason that he wanted you to listen. You eventually snap.

“Mihawk I’m not a fucking child!” You shout.

And that’s when he realized how much he screwed up. He tried to quickly apologize,

“Look, love, I’m sorry, I know I was being a little har-“

But you were having none of it. You closed the door in the golden-eyed man’s face.

Throughout a week period, you avoided him. Mihawk respected it for the time being, but didn’t enjoy the fact that you treated his presence like a vile plague.

Eventually, he couldn’t stand it anymore, and cornered you in the library.

“I’m sorry, please. I know I can’t control everything you do, I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

It was the first time you’ve ever heard desperation in the warlord’s voice. You looked at him your eyes heavy with sorrow; and pulled him close to you.

“I’m sorry. I know you just wanted to protect me, I just want to show you that I can protect myself, though.”

KAKU

- Kaku would literally be too perfect in a relationship to do something that would cause an argument. Oh, besides the fact that he was a secret government agent that nearly assassinated your beloved mayor and friend. Excluding that.

You were furious with Kaku after learning of his betrayal in Water 7. Paulie and Iceburg felt obligated to tell you, especially since you were together for the past five years.

You cried through the next few weeks, only stopping to celebrate when you learned the strawhat crew had managed to get Nico Robin back, and escape relatively unscathed.

After the Luffy and his crew left Water 7 for good, you felt numbed inside. The person you had been with for the past five years worked for the government, and no less attempted to assassinate your close friend Iceburg.

One night, while you were in one of the back allies so you could dispose of your trash; there was a loud thud. You quickly turned around, spotting a tall figure in black clothes.

Instinctively, you grab the carving knife you always kept in your pocket.

“Who’s there!”

You demand, not letting your voice waver for a second.

But when the “stranger” lifted his head, your heart dropped.

“Kaku?” You croaked, your eyes welling up with tears.

“Hello.” He said, shifting awkwardly a few yards away from you.

Your sadness quickly flared up into anger as you remembered why he left in the first place.

“How could you do this, Kaku?!” You shouted, it felt like your voice was ripping through your throat as you spoke. “I trusted you, everyone trusted you!”

You couldn’t keep your tears from running down your face as sobs wracked your body.

You felt arms wrap around you warmly, pulling you close.

“I’m so sorry, honey, please,” Kaku’s voice cracked as he spoke, “I didn’t want to, please believe me. I didn’t. I just don’t have a choice anymore.”

You cried, hitting and punching at his chest. Kaku took the hits sucking in through his teeth as he held back tears.

“Please, I’m sorry. I’m sorry my dear.” He choked out.

You grip his arms roughly, your hands shaking with the gesture.

“I forgive you.”

[branwenjade]

"It will never happen. You are aware of that fact."

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Your interest in him is fruitless, as he is already spoken for."

A glare, then a chuckle, "I know that's a damn lie."

An almost sinister growl, "There is much about my bondmate you do not know, Doctor."

Panicked look, "Your bondmate?"

"Indeed. He and I have been legally bonded for nine years now."

"He would have been 13. There's no damned way that the two of you legally got bonded at that time."

"And I myself was 16. Notice I did say 'legally bonded', as our actual date of bonding is much earlier."

"..."

"My parents were on one of the rescue ships that collected the survivors of the Kelvin. As I was only three years old, I was with them."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"Everything. Our bond was formed that day. He is my mate, my husband, and I am his. Either you cease your attempts at seducing him, or I will have you removed from his presence."

...

"What's wrong? Are you two fighting? I know this situation sucks but..."

"You two are..."

"Very, very married. That's why I'm annoyed by being put in the dorms, no offense you're a great roommate, I am supposed to be living in our apartment, but the Academy are being dumbasses with the whole 'a professor and a cadet can't live together because it would cause control issues'. Which, in normal cases, I totally agree with. But we aren't 'normal cases', we were married for three years before he even went to the Academy."

"If they continue to refuse to allow us to live together, I will have no option but to involve my family."

"Your family? Unless you're related to T'Pau or Ambassador Sarek I don't think your family can help y'all."

Snickers from one, and a raised eyebrow from the other.

"You're not..."

"Ambassador Sarek is my father, and the Lady T'Pau is my Clan's Matriarch."

"Plus Lady T'Pol put me under her Clan's protection due to connections with my family."

"And unless Starfleet wants to get in hot water from one of the Federation's founding members they'll need to make an exception for you two."

"Exactly." "Indeed." said in unison.

"Never happening," growled.

"Behave. He's my friend."

"He wants more."

"I didn't know you were married."

"Oh... That's why you've been so nice."

"Now hold your horses. I do want to be your friend. Never planned on saying anything about... you know. I'm not in any shape for a relationship, after..."

"Friends only."

"Keep your pointy-eared pants on. I am not trying to steal your husband. I said friend, and I meant it. Damn possessive..."

Giggled, "I love it when he gets all growly. Doesn't happen often but..."

[raspberrybesitos]

Deja Vú | javier peña x f!reader

Summary: You and Javier, your best friend and neighbor, have been hooking up for a while now. He’s infiltrated your daily life, lingering in your thoughts, seeing him everywhere - you’re unable to function without him crossing your mind. However, nothing has been exclusively established by you two. At least not until shit hits the fan when the two of you go on dates with other people. Will things between you and Javier turn into something more?

Word count: tbd (it’ll probs be long i can’t control myself)

Rating: 18+ MDNI (All ageless blogs will be blocked.)

Series warnings: friends with benefits, friends to lovers, lil bit of enemies to lovers at some point, idiots in love, miscommunication trope, flirting, mutual pining, some angst, Javi is a fucking idiot bc he is a man, jealous!Javi, possessive!Javi, protected and unprotected PIV (wrap it up y’all), fingering, oral (f receiving), spanking, some ass play, creampie, aftercare, reader speaks and understands Spanish, reader is female and has hair you can pull but has no other physical descriptions, no mention of hair type/skin color/body type, NO USE OF Y/N, translations will be available at the end of each chapter.

A/N: Mood board does not depict reader, she is completely faceless through and through. This is loosely based off Deja Vú by Beyoncé because how could i, Nini, not write a fic based off of a Bey song??? if y’all don’t know me, i am Beyhive 4L 🤞🏼i was listening to B’day and it’s so Javi coded to me, it’s crazy

Divider by @saradika

Full series here! 🫶🏼

As promised, my lil 200 followers celebration (and my WIP Wednesday) so, snippet under the cut!

You shut the door before he can answer, huffing out a deep breath you didn’t know you were holding in, and lean against it. What a long fucking night. Padding into the bathroom, you remove your makeup and sigh into your towel. You stare at yourself in the mirror and bite back tears.

Shaking your head, you will yourself not to cry - refusing to shed tears for him. You walk out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, grabbing a glass from one of the cabinets. Opening the fridge, you reach for the open bottle of wine. Sighing, as you’re reminded of Javi, having shared the bottle with him after a hookup a few days ago. 

You fill your glass to the brim and chug half of it, slamming down the glass on the countertop. You drag your feet towards the living room, plopping down on the couch. Your head hangs in your hands as you curl into a ball.

“Javi!” You perk up at the sound of a woman calling his name. Rising from the couch, you press your ear against the thin wall that separates yours and Javi’s apartments. “Sí, Javi, sí!” Your brain is short-circuiting as you hear her moan Javi’s name. You can’t help but let your jaw fall open, shocked that he’d be so bold to rub this in your face. Tears of anger and heartache well in your eyes. You attempt to storm off until you hear your name.

A man screaming your name - Javi screaming your name. Everything goes silent. Your ears are ringing and your body is hot, flooding with emotions as your head spins. There’s no way any of this is happening.

Suddenly, you hear shuffling and shouting from outside. Running to peer out of the small peephole at the top of your front door, your jaw drops again at the scene playing out in front of you. Cassandra, the woman from earlier in the night, is fixing her clothes while screaming at a shirtless Javi in the hallway.

i’m excited for this one! it’s like seeing the novelas in my head come to life on the page lol this is very self-indulgent for me

some moot/npt tags: @joelsgreys @nostalxgic @party-hearses @daydreamingmiller @tinygarbage @bastardmandennis @javierpena-inatacvest @amanitacowboy @undrthelights @gracieheartsspedro 🩷

ty @mandoisapunk @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin @jenispunk for the wip wednesday tags <333

[peanut-tyrug]

Brothership Fanfic: Beyond the Mask

Only the one who bore Zokket’s mask knows the truth of what created such a being… all of what created him, and what brought upon the beginning of the end to Concordia.

~~~

WARNING: This contains MAJOR spoilers for Mario and Luigi: Brothership. If you haven’t beaten the game yet, I would suggest doing that first.

The characters and settings in this fic belong to Nintendo and Acquire Corp. I simply made this for fun.

It is my duty as a Wattanist to protect what makes this world whole. If not for me, our home, our Uni-Tree… it would all be put in jeopardy.

…But by my hands, the world has been split. So many Bonds have been broken… I simply cannot forgive myself…

…If only I didn’t stumble upon that egg…

I expected to be looking after the Great Lighthouses that afternoon. I was close to complete, over half way through my work that day, before I would head back to the Uni-Tree… but then I had stumbled upon it…

I hadn’t seen anything like it. An egg of some kind. A dark and foreboding aura emanated from it, making me feel as if I should turn back… but I didn’t.

I suddenly felt as if it was pulling me toward it, no matter how much I wished to move away. I tried to force my body back, but I kept moving forward, almost reaching my hand out toward the egg.

“Hehehehee!!” I heard the egg laugh cheekily. “Come on! Come here! You know you want to!”

Despite my meager attempts to resist this pull, I was just inches away from the egg… and I had suddenly blacked out.

I lost awareness for only but a moment… before suddenly regaining my consciousness. Everything around me was shaded in a deep red. I looked down at my trembling hands, dazed and confused.

…I tried to process what had happened to me… but I almost couldn’t remember, as if those memories were being forcefully plucked out from my mind and placed somewhere else… some place I could never recover them.

As these memories left me… I heard a voice call to me. Speak to me…

“Solitude is Sublime…” The voice said.

Solitude is Sublime…

Solitude is Sublime…

Solitude is Sublime…

Over and over, this phrase repeated like a broken record. As I heard it echo and bounce off the walls of my consciousness, I lost all focus.

I was hypnotized. Lost in a trance I could never escape from. The more I heard that damned phrase… the more prominent he became in my mind.

…The more I lost myself…

“FWA-HA-HA-HA!!!” He cackled. “…So easy to control… my favorite kind of toy! …What could I possibly name you? Cozette is too… friendly…”

This beast of a God spat out names that I could barely process in my hypnotized state. I could hear all of what he said about me as his new doll… but I simply couldn’t process it all.

“Ahh… I know!” Said the Beast with a small yet menacing chuckle. “…Zokket… Zokket!”

At that name, my head swung upward, as if hearing something call to me from the heavens… and before my eyes, he appeared…

…Reclusa…

The true embodiment of solitude, just about as old as the revered Great Conductor… and the Conductor’s complete opposite.

Reclusa wants nothing more than to have Concordia forever remain in complete solitude… and he will do anything to achieve such a world.

No matter what it may do to others.

Reclusa then spoke to me, his large smile and big eyes glaring down upon me… his tone stern and certain of what he wanted to do with me.

“Solitude is Sublime, my friend!” He said. “…Spread that message ALL through Concordia! Tear them all apart, and free me from my prison!”

He then disappeared just as quickly as a mask appeared before my dazed eyes. In my hypnotized state, I couldn’t help but listen to this God… and placed the mask upon my face.

A new set of clothes covered my Wattanist uniform… a cloak covered my body and a large top hat perched itself onto my head… by this point, Cozette was entirely gone.

No longer was I a protector of Concordia and the Bonds that lay under the Uni-Tree… I hated Bonds. I despised togetherness… all of what Reclusa would want in a puppet of his.

…I was Zokket…

—

The egg… it continues to speak to me.

It preaches more of its virtues unto my mind, as if it were a pastor. An entity I can’t help but be utterly enthralled by… his plans are immaculate.

Bring Concordia into a never ending state of solitude. There are no Bonds, no connections. Everyone is alone, and in their own little world… none of it is real.

A simulation made to separate them from what they don’t need. No one needs Bonds to live a good life. We don’t need friends or family.

“Why have connections, when you can live in peace all by yourself?” The egg would ask me. “In your own world, in the exact way you want it… isn’t that fun?”

I couldn’t understand why I had never pondered it before… but I cared not. All I cared about was listening to his virtues. And wishing to bring upon the world he wanted.

I will break this world, piece by piece, Bond by Bond… until the world is finally ready for his unveiling.

It is all Reclusa’s will.

The rebirth of Reclusa is imminent. Nothing stands in my way.

~~~

…Every person carries Glohm with them. Only a little. But if the Glohm is emphasized and made part of your entire psyche… it becomes extremely difficult to control, and makes one destructive… like I had become, due to Reclusa’s meddling.

Reclusa may have controlled me through converting my Glohm into energy… but all of my actions were still my doing. Despite Cozette being completely absent from my conscious at that time… even after Reclusa lost his control over me, I still recalled everything that I did.

I broke the continent. I destroyed the Uni-Tree. I brought upon the spread of Glohm. I broke so many Bonds… I caused people who aren’t even from Concordia to enter a world never seen by them… I put everyone in danger… I put her in danger…

…When I had first arrived on Shipshape, I had seen her… my student…

Connie…

Even if I was glad to see her, on the verge of crying tears of happiness and relief… I couldn’t help but want to sob out of horrible guilt.

Connie is but a child… so young, and I put her through all this trouble, this mental turmoil. My heart felt broken beyond repair. As she ran up to me, crying hard… I felt so glad, and yet so awful…

I soon collapsed to the ground from exhaustion, both mental and physical. I don’t know what happened after that… maybe not what happened on Shipshape, but in my mind.

…I know all too well…

I had fallen into an intensely deep sleep… I wasn’t certain if I’d wake up. At one point, however, I thought I had.

I truly thought I did.

I was met with a crowd of my people standing around me, all of their berating and bashing they directed towards me slamming into my ears and crashing onto my heart and mind like a pile of bricks.

“You’re a terrible excuse of a Wattanist!”

“How will we ever rebuild!? …It’s all because of you!”

Their words hurt me, and cut into me deep, deep into my very soul… but the one that hurt the most…

The berating suddenly stopped and was replaced with a soft whimper. I looked outward, and the crowd was gone… only she stood there.

“…Ms. Cozette…” Said Connie. “Why did you do it…?”

Connie’s face was covered in tears. She looked immensely tired and worn out. Her eyes appeared puffy, as if she had been crying for a prolonged period of time.

I could only blankly stare back at her, completely shaken… but felt as if I shouldn’t have been surprised.

I did this. I did this to her…

I deserved it.

“…Why did you do it…?” Connie asked again, a soft whimper escaping her.

I simply had no response. I didn’t know how to… and then she suddenly faded away, just like the crowd. I was completely alone.

I felt like I wanted to cry. Wallow in my own grief… before I had woken up…

~~~

“…Ngh…” I suddenly grunted awake.

“Ms. Cozette!” Connie exclaimed as I awoke.

I had awoken upon a small bed, confused and groggy. I had forgotten what had happened before collapsing for a moment… it all felt like a blur.

I turned my head slightly, and saw Connie looking up at me… along with the Mario Bros… a pair I once despised. Each of them appeared genuinely concerned for me.

“…Connie?” I asked, groggy. “Where… where am I?”

As I woke, I slowly remembered… I was on Shipshape. And I had reunited with my student.

…Whom I couldn’t help but feel hated me, in some way.

I then looked up… and my worries from my nightmare had temporarily withered away. What laid above me… I couldn’t be more proud of Connie.

“Oh! Look at this tree…” I said in awe. “It’s a Uni-Tree… Connie, you’ve done a wonderful job with it.”

I then began to speak of the Uni-Tree’s light and guidance as they traversed Concordia’s seas… I couldn’t be more grateful for the Mario Bros., or more proud of Connie.

…But this didn’t last long.

I was quickly reminded of what I caused while under Reclusa’s influence. I couldn’t help but lament over them and admit to what I did… Connie seemed to feel deeply sorry for me.

My mind simply couldn’t accept it.

As I relented and begin to spill Reclusa’s plan, the Mario Bros. were suddenly pulled away by another member of Shipshape’s crew… a young sailor boy… another young one I forced trouble on to.

The boy begged the brothers to come with him and he urgently began to explain the trouble… before an odd flower erupted from the ground behind him and latched itself onto the boy’s head like a leech.

The plant then lifted the boy off the ground, keeping him suspended in the air. The young navigator became unresponsive for a moment… before a gleeful set of digitized eyes appeared on the flower, and the boy began to speak.

He began to speak of his father, and wanting to learn about Ocean Maps… my stomach twisted as I heard the boy speak of something that wasn’t actually there.

I did this… I caused this…

Other flowers then began to sprout around Shipshape, clamping upon the heads of innocents all around the island ship. Making them all see things that weren’t real.

'An immersive experience where there’s nothing but fun!' Reclusa had called it.

I watched all that transpired, the Mario Bros. and their little piggy companion trying to understand what is happening. Connie and the other innocents on the ship panicking…

I couldn’t help but imagine where else these flowers were appearing, who else had they affected… so many Bonds were in jeopardy, and it was all because of me…

As I continued to relent in the horror around me, I heard a horribly familiar cackle above Shipshape…

“Oh, this is just delightful! Isn’t being bound to others such a pain?” Reclusa bellows, his voice endlessly echoing into the sky. “It’s better living in your own world and doing what you like all alone!”

He then began to ramble on about solitude, and how much better it is to be isolated from everyone else… one can only wonder why he’d want such a thing…

It’s all to watch the world burn.

He loves to watch worlds fall apart. He loves seeing people cluelessly die at his hands… all he is, and ever will be, is a sick and twisted individual. A truly malevolent being.

…As if I was much different… as Zokket…

“Ohhh, I just had an idea!” Reclusa blurts out. “The Mushroom Kingdom sounds like a fun world! Perhaps I’ll pay it a visit!”

I heard the Mario Bros. immediately become defensive, especially the older brother, Mario. I could easily tell they both deeply detested the idea of their home being taken over… and its people left to wither away.

He then went on to speaking of the tree that had replaced Fortress Zokket and now stood as the Center of Concordia… there was a barrier around it, no way of getting in.

Reclusa then disappeared in a flash, the sound of voice echoing out once again, followed by the eerie sound of static.

~~~

“So, then…” I began as the four spoke what we all witnessed. “Reclusa’s wasting no time…”

“We worked so hard to link all the islands!” Said Connie, a deep sorrow coating her voice.

My heart twisted at Connie’s sadness… this feeling worsened as she eventually questioned how Mario and Luigi were going to get past the barrier. None of them knew how…

Until I spoke.

“…The Power of Bonds…” I said, prompting the four before my bed to turn their heads toward me.

“What?” Connie questioned.

“If we envelope ourselves with the Power of Bonds… we can punch through the barrier.” I said weakly. I then turned to face the watering can that sat beside my bed. “That… watering can…”

Connie turned to the can, appearing uncertain. “What… your Bonding Can?”

“Connie… give me your hand.” I said, holding out my hand towards Connie.

Connie looked confused, but still grabbed onto my hand. I looked at her as genuinely as I could, sure of my words and what they meant.

“The Power of Bonds is the strength to resist isolation.” I say with a firm tone, despite my tiredness. “We will fill this can with it.”

“My Bond with my Ms. Cozette…” Connie said softly.

After a few moments, a bright light circles around my dear student and I, representing the pure and true Bond we shared.

Connie wasn’t just a student to me. She was the daughter I never knew I had… or needed. She has always found ways to impress me, and I could never be more proud of her.

…But… in the recesses of my mind, I couldn’t help but feel that she must’ve still been disappointed in me…

I tried not to let this feeling consume me as the Bond energy entered my Bonding Can and filled the small section at the center of the can’s pattern with its energy.

I then explained to the heroes and Connie that once the pattern is full, they should have enough Bond Power to reach Reclusa. They all understood and began to speak of who else they could go to for Bond Power… before another islander upon Shipshape stepped in.

He spoke of a Prince and Princess… Princess Burnadette of Skorcheen, and Prince Chilliam of Slippenglide. They were trying to save innocents from the flowers.

After the news had been relayed to them, the Mario Bros. and their little companion set off to their homelands to find them.

…As they all left, I had begun to fall back asleep. I could tell Connie was still at my side, looking up at me from where she stood.

“…Please get better, Ms. Cozette…” Connie said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

—

…Why did you do it…?

…Why did you do it…?

…Why did you do it…?

Each time I heard her say it… I just wanted it to stop.

I couldn’t take hearing her ask that question any longer… and yet, I told myself I deserved it. That I should just take it as it was.

I deserved it.

I then suddenly awoke, quickly rising slightly in my bed. I slowly laid my head back down and sighed… this guilt, this grief… I couldn’t take it anymore.

I turned my head slightly to look at the group of people at the center of Shipshape… the Mario Bros. and their friend had done a lot while I rested.

They had spoke of being almost done gathering Bonds… I was relieved. This nightmare could be put behind us.

…But that relief quickly disappeared… for I felt as if I was watching someone else do my work for me. These heroes, whom I had never truly had the opportunity to meet, were fixing the problems I had started.

It shouldn’t be them to fix this… it should be me.

I need to atone for what I did. I can’t stand idly by, laying in bed, as this world falls apart because of the continent I broke and the Bonds I severed.

The Bonds that all of them worked so hard to bring back together…

I just couldn’t do that to them… I can’t let them be severed again…

But before that… I wanted to see it again. What I used to tend to so carefully…

I was somewhat doubtful that I’d ever see it again.

I proceeded to turn to my side, grunting a little. I realized I was still injured… but I couldn’t rest. Not anymore. I turned further, allowing my feet to settle on the ground.

I leaped from the bed, prompting my feet to smack against the grass. I winced, but still tried to prop myself up and balance. I took a deep breath, and headed for the big cannon at Shipshape’s edge.

It was the only way to get to the Great Lighthouses. On the way up the hill to the cannon; I looked out beyond Shipshape, and spotted the deep violet sea of Gulchrock. One of the Bonds they needed was near here, I would imagine.

I could get where I needed to be without much hassle… thank goodness. No one would know… except, possibly Connie.

I didn’t care as long as I could get where I needed to be.

I headed to the cannon, and locked eyes with the Gulchrock Sea Great Lighthouse through the its spyglass. The cannon then suddenly propelled me backward and shoved me inside it… is this what the brothers felt like every time they used this cannon?

I was compacted tightly inside the cannon, there was absolutely no room to move. I was then shot out of the cannon just as quickly as I was shoved inside. I propelled through the air, barely able to process what had happened.

The Gulchrock Lighthouse was approaching my sight at tremendous speeds. I wanted to try and land safely, but I didn’t.

I landed on the ground with a hard and mighty thud. I bounced and rolled as I came to a stop just before the stairs that led up to the Lighthouse’s entrance. I was surprised that I was still conscious.

After I attempted a few calming breaths, I slowly rose to my feet. My landing didn’t help the discomfort I was already in before. I almost fell back down to floor, grabbing my arm. Despite my pain, I trudged forward.

I slowly stumbled up the stairs, being careful not to lose my balance. I approached the Lighthouse’s entrance, and went inside.

…Nothing but a cold wind met with me. Before now, this Lighthouse was so noisy, bustling with workers gathering Glohm, and Zok Troops patrolling around… and before that, the Lighthouse was a serene, calming place to be.

Only now, with Reclusa’s World on the horizon, everything here felt… dead. As if every ounce of Connectar that flowed through it had been drained.

…I wonder who did that…

I stepped on the elevator, and began to lift upstairs. Up to the Top Floor of the Lighthouse. The higher I went, the more cold and dead the Lighthouse felt.

As I reached the top, I recalled how it used to be checking on the Lighthouses… a warm breeze gently blew with the scent of sea salt. But here…

There was nothing.

Just as much nothing as there was downstairs.

I felt a chill go down my spine as I walked off the elevator. I felt as if I was standing in Slippenglide, it was so cold… the rain didn’t assist in the temperature either. I stepped to the Lighthouse’s bloom, and it too felt extremely cold, even without touching it.

The dark red sky didn’t help either. It only emphasized my feelings in the moment.

Guilt.

I had tended to this Lighthouse, and all the others, before I had become Zokket… my heart sunk as I stared upon my failure…

Being here only reminded me of what I had become, and what it made me feel… and what it made me understand.

I had to fix this mess myself.

I almost didn’t care if I died trying…

As I stood in solitude, I heard someone speak from behind me. I jumped, and turned back… only to see a familiar red and green pair.

“Mario, Luigi— why are you here?” I asked, perplexed.

Mario then explains their presence to me…

…Oh…

“Ah, Connie. Of course.” I said, not too surprised. I took a deep breath before diving further into my purpose here, feeling they wanted to know. “…This is where it happened. Where I… became Zokket.”

I left out no detail. I spilled everything to the brothers. All of my guilt. All of my shame. No stone was left unturned.

I told them what I wanted to do… how I would atone…

“I’m going to face Reclusa.” I said, knowing what I must do.

Immediately after I finished my words, the brothers tried to suggest they come with me… but…

“…And you cannot come with me.” I said. “I don’t know if Reclusa still has some control over me. But if my presence can make a difference… if I can weaken Reclusa, it will be worth it.”

I then turned up to face the Lighthouse, the Bros. doing the same shortly after me… I simply couldn’t emphasize how much I had once enjoyed tending to it.

…But that doesn’t mean I didn’t fail to treat it, and be there to take care of it. I simply felt too ashamed to not bring it up. To further remind myself of my mistakes…

“…Take care of the Uni-Tree for me. And make sure the Great Lighthouses light every part of this world.” I said, my tone bitter. “You’ll have to be the Wattanist in my place.”

…After all, why not? The brothers and their friend did much more than I did.

They didn’t fail, like I did… why should I even call myself a Wattanist anymore?

I further lamented on my grief… I simply couldn’t help it anymore. I was simply rambling now… but in the mist of my self-grievances… a light shone through.

“…Concordia was separated, but even then, the islands WANTED to be together again. Through the work of Connie and the island residents…” I said, grateful for what they had done. “…And also that tree…”

Despite everything, the Bonds of not just the islands, but others both within and outside of Concordia brought everyone and everything together.

I couldn’t let that go to waste again.

“I’m going to put an end to all this…” I said, certain of what my fate was.

The brothers then tried to talk me out of it… saying it was a suicide mission to go alone…

“Please don’t say anything to Connie about this. I don’t want to make her worry unnecessarily.” I said… almost upset to not want Connie to know the truth, or where I was, or what I was going to do.

I had put enough stress on her already.

I immediately walked away, wanting to head back downstairs and get away from the brothers, who tried to follow me down. After a few steps, they stopped, leaving me alone.

…I was glad. I didn’t want them to go with me. This job is mine, and mine alone… although, I began to wonder…

There was no way to get into Reclusa’s fortress without Bond Power… if the brothers had stopped their search for Bonds to find me, which I presume they must’ve… then the barrier wouldn’t have been broken yet.

As I pondered this thought and headed back down to the bottom floor… I heard a cackle echo through the wind. A sound that seemed to be meant for my ears alone.

“FWA-HA-HA-HAAA!!!” I heard Reclusa cackle from seemingly nowhere. “You want to face me so bad? Why don’t I just bring you to my keep myself?”

I was then suddenly encased in a dark red orb… the same ball of Glohm I used to get around as Zokket. I feared that Reclusa may still have control over me… that this was my doing.

…That I was becoming him again…

But the orb quickly disappeared… and I was met with an awful, gut wrenching sight.

Reclusa had morphed Fortress Zokket into his own, more twisted iteration. Living plants exhaling Glohm gas lined the area I stood in. The gas made me nauseous, despite how far away from it I seemed to be.

“Welcome to the Soli-Tree!” Reclusa announces. “I hope you enjoy your stay! Since you’ll be here for a looooooong time!”

…He hadn’t changed at all. Still a sick, twisted creature. A creature bent on bringing civilizations to ruin through genocide… all for a good laugh.

“Awwww, don’t be so bitter!” Said Reclusa in a nonchalant and playful tone. “You get to take me down! I’ll go easy on you!”

He could read my mind, I was now certain. He knew how disgusted I was by him. How appalled I was at how he acted… it made me want to face him more.

I wanted to enter… but I stopped in my tracks for a moment.

“…Awwwwww, don’t tell me you’re scared, Cozzy!” Said Reclusa. “I didn’t bring you all the way here just so that you could stand there! Come on in!”

He was right …I was afraid.

A part of me hesitated to go inside… something in me made me stop… but I knew I couldn’t just leave. This was my duty. I had to fulfill it. No matter what Reclusa would do to toy with me.

The entrance to Soli-Tree swung open, allowing myself entrance into Reclusa’s fortress. I took a deep breath, and ran inside, swallowing my fears.

“…I’ll be waiting… FWA-HA-HA-HAAA!!!” Reclusa said coldly.

—

I feel like I’m going to lose my mind.

It isn’t the hardest task to get through the Soli-Tree. Its layout still remains the same as Fortress Zokket… I hate that I remember the layout of this place…

That’s not why I feel my sanity slipping, however… I don’t know where, but there are speakers lodged in the walls of the Soli-Tree. Distorted circus music plays from these speakers, droning in and out of tune.

The sound would drive one mad… it’s already doing so to me. I just want to find Reclusa, wherever he’s hiding, and face him.

Another odd thing I had noticed was that there weren’t of any his henchmen around… or what used to be mine. The halls were barren of troops, only flowers and vines that lined the walls and floor.

After walking slightly further, a peculiar room had come upon me. A circular room with several doors branching into other rooms. In the middle of it all were keys, all locked into their positions in the floor… and an elevator.

I gasped at the sight of the elevator. I rushed to it, and stood upon it. After taking my stop upon the mechanic mover, it started to descend.

The demented music was replaced with eerie silence… it’s better than the music, at least.

The elevator clattered to the floor with a loud and mechanical bang. After it stopped, I took in the area in front of me… it was a long hallway that lead to an exit at its far end. That’s all it was, with a few circular platforms wedged in.

I stepped forward into the hallway, and stopped at a platform. The more I looked at it, the more it resembled an arena of sorts. It made my stomach turn a bit.

“…Reclusa?” I called. “Reclusa!!”

“What!? What is it!? …Oh, forgive me for the cold entrance, Cozzy!” Said Reclusa as a hologram, still trying to be playful. “My troops have kept calling me for things all day… it gets annoying.”

“Stop with your games!” I exclaimed, finally through with his antics. “You brought me here to face you, as such is my motive!”

Reclusa goes quiet for a second, before a small giggle escapes him. “…Ah, if you want to play like that… let’s play! FWA-HA-HA-HAAA!!!” His hologram then disappeared, his laugh bouncing off the walls.

Then, out of the blue, a humongous fleet of Reclusa’s minions and Zok Troops fall from the sky above… it was huge, it seemed infinite…

…There was no way… but I can’t leave…

Before I could ever try to throw any kind of hit, I am immediately hit by an enemy up front, a small hovering television screen…?

I am given no chance to attack from there… I keep getting hit. Whether it was my metal piercing my skin, rings of electricity shocking and bruising me… I couldn’t do a thing. They wouldn’t stop.

After a long while, the minions eventually stopped and retreated to the sky… leaving me barely conscious. I felt like I could barely breathe. My skin burned and ears rang. I was motionless as I saw the real, true Reclusa finally descend above me.

“…R-Reclusa…” I stammered. “…Coward…” I tried to say before a rough cough left me.

A sickening chortle escaped Reclusa’s televised teeth as he looked down upon me. “Awwww, look at you. You look like a sick dog!” He snaps. “…And you haven’t even seen the worst of your pummeling!”

He then raised up an arm, and in his palm, a fire ball appeared. He thrusted it down to the ground, and I had no time to escape it. There was no part of my body that wasn’t temporarily engulfed in flames. I shrieked, but it wasn’t like Reclusa would listen…

He threw another ball, a sphere of ice. My body went from blazing hot to freezing cold, as if I had switched between the hot and cold borders of Heatfreeze.

He did this repeatedly for what felt like forever. Then, he took an unexpected turn… I should’ve expected this from such an unpredictable being.

He threw an orb of pure dark energy at me. As it hit me, I felt extremely cold… I hated it.

It reminded me of him… how cold, how sinister, how evil I used to feel. He was taunting me with this attack, I was certain… but I could barely muster a single word.

“…S…Stop…” I stammered, incredibly weak.

To my surprise, he seemed to be done with his attacks. I could just barely see the proud and smug look on his face… it sickened me.

“Ahh, it felt nice to get that out of my system!” Said Reclusa. “…Again, annoying minions are bad minions…”

I then saw him look down at me, that same large smile plastered on his screen. “You’ve been a fun toy to play with, you know that, Cozzy?” He said. “Not only did I brainwash you, I just beat you to a pulp! You couldn’t do a thing! It’s always fun to have complete control over what you play with!”

…I wanted him to stop talking. All he was doing was taunting me. He was flaunting his victory, rubbing it in… all to make me feel worse.

…I hate to admit it had worked.

I had lost. I was lying on the floor, my life hanging by a thread… all of what I wanted to fix, keep safe…

All of what I wanted to atone for, all of the Bonds I wanted to protect… all of what I did and thought to get myself here was for naught.

“…And maybe after all you did…” Reclusa begins, taking a long pause as he inches his face closer to mine. “You deserve it… FWA-HA-HA-HAAA!!!”

As Reclusa disappeared in a sudden, sharp hum of static… I couldn’t help but be absolutely heartbroken.

I was dying. I had beaten down to absolutely nothing. I was never able to mend what I had broken. Only these small-eyed screens staring back at me and my failures… his eyes…

Maybe… If I hadn’t gone alone…

…Why did I come here alone…?

…Why did I do this at all…?

I need someone… anyone…

To help me…

…Help…

~~~

…

…

…!?

“My mentor!”

The faint and hazy sound of Connie’s voice immediately woke me from my mental absence. I had been awake, but… my mind had drifted. I was in so much pain, so unfathomably numb…

If I had closed my eyes… If I had succumbed…

I needed help.

“Ugh…” I tried to say something, but I couldn’t…

“Please! Hang in there!” I barely heard Connie beg.

“…Con…nie…” I barely managed to say.

“Oh!” Connie exclaimed, relieved that I was okay… but I could tell she was still in a panic.

“…I… I… have… made… a mistake… uuugh…” I stammered, barely able to make sentences by this point. “I tried to stop Reclusa on my own, but… forgive… me…”

“…Oh, no…” Connie said, sounding horrified… I felt horrible making worry for me even more than she already had… “…Mario… my mentor… I need to…”

Mario then says she’s fine, and lets her stay with me… I was somewhat thankful, but also horrified… If I died, Connie…

She’d see my end…

“Mario! Luigi!” Connie calls out as the brothers turn to leave. “…Please, be careful.”

“Oh, yeah!” Both the Bros. say in unison before turning away and headed out from the next part of the hallway.

The area Connie and I lay in became extremely quiet after that…

~~~

I had begun to lose track of time.

It had felt like hours since Connie and I had last seen the Bros… the Soli-Tree still stood tall, Reclusa had yet to be defeated…

Were they alright…?

As I laid there, Connie had watched over me. She helped me stayed awake when I would begin to slip, and kept me company… I was grateful for her help.

The silence was peaceful… but this peace was suddenly interrupted by a loud bang from outside.

Connie turned back toward the hallway ahead, appearing full of dread. I awoke at the sound of her panic.

“Mario! Luigi! I have to do something…” Said Connie. Despite her want to go to the brothers, she seemed hesitant… she wanted to stay with me.

“Go to them…” I said softly. “You’re a Wattanist… your hope… connects people…”

“Ms. Cozette…” Said Connie… she didn’t want to leave me here.

It was here when an epiphany struck me… my thoughts were clear.

…Oh, Connie… how I had been so wrong… these nightmares plagued my mind, made me think I was hated by everyone… by you, of all people… you could never hate anyone, I’ve known you long enough to know that.

These dreams made me think horrible, untruthful things. They made me lose my senses. My guilt made me spiral… what I had done to end this nightmare... I could’ve perished… if not for your help.

…I truly wished I could’ve said all of this to you… but my weakness had restricted me…

All I could do to show her I was certain she could leave… was give as warm of a smile I could possibly muster with what little strength I had left.

She looked back at me with confidence and nodded, certain of what her task was. She turned away and took my Bonding Can that sat nearby, and walked away.

I watched as she trudged further into the hallway… my smile couldn’t help but grow wider.

“You’re going to make… a splendid Wattanist.” I said quietly… I cannot emphasize how amazed I was by her. How far she had come…

…But my amazement dwindled as a poisonous Glohm smog filled the room… and I had fallen completely unconscious…

~~~

“…!!”

“…oz…!”

“Ms. …ette!”

“Ms. Cozette!!”

I gasped at the sudden sound of Connie’s panicked voice. My eyes shot open, and I turned to look at her.

“…C-Connie…?” I asked. “…Reclusa… I-is he…?”

I then spotted Mario and Luigi were standing behind Connie… my suspicions were confirmed here. Reclusa was no more… I would’ve felt relieved if not for the loud crashing noises from outside…

“Ms. Cozette! The Soli-Tree!!” Connie exclaims. “It’s collapsing!!”

I gasped again, fear crossing my features. “…W-we have to… g-get out of—!” I tried to get up… but I had forgotten about how much pain I was in. I winced, and fell back down to my knees.

The others stood at my side, trying to slowly help me up. I eventually found my footing, and Luigi helped propel me forward with the others as we made our escape.

No matter how far we’d run, the sounds of the Soli-Tree’s fall were clear as day. It took ages for us to finally find our way out… but there wasn’t any way for us to escape without jumping from the Soli-Tree and descending down toward the Stormstar Sea.

As we stood at the fortress’ edge, uncertain of how to proceed, the destruction from the Soli-Tree had tore up what used to be Fortress Zokket… and it was heading directly for us.

All we could was jump…

We all took a leap together, only for a destructive blast to occur from behind and separate the four of us. I had been flung the furthest, Connie was the closest to me. I heard Mario call out for Connie and grab her hand, then I grabbed Connie’s…

…Where was Luigi…?

“Mario!!” We all heard Luigi call out for his brother. He was trying his hardest to get to us, but was struggling immensely.

“Luigi!!” Mario called out back, reaching a hand out for his brother.

They both tried desperately to reach other, Luigi just barely slacking… before they finally caught one another. As their hands clasped, a bright glow emanated from them… the Power of Bonds…

Our fall immediately began to slow as we all connected hands, and a bright aura shone around us. As we descended upon Shipshape, I hadn’t even noticed that the red sky had cleared… a clear, bright blue sky had replaced Reclusa’s blood red heavens.

I had also noticed the crowd standing at Shipshape’s edge, all of them cheering for the brothers’ return, a few faces I recognized, but most I didn’t…

Despite this, I could feel just how strong their Bonds for each other all were… they were incredibly strong, and they had brought them all together. I couldn’t help but smile at this realization.

I was immediately met with greetings from the small crowd. All of them, especially a regal woman in pink, wanted to get to know me. It was a relief to see that none of them were upset with me.

…They all deeply cared for me… just like Connie and the brothers. To think I thought that they’d despise me… oh, how wrong I was. How blind I had been…

To them, I was not Zokket. Our motives are not the same. We may have shared a body… but I am not Zokket…

I am me.

I couldn’t help but smile… I felt like I could’ve cried right then.

~~~

Saying goodbye is hard… I haven’t had to do it in years, but it doesn’t matter how many times you do it. It’s always heart-wrenching.

Of course, saying goodbye to Mario and Luigi was no different.

I truly wish I got to know them better. I had barely spoken to them before I had ventured through the Soli-Tree… but what I did know was how powerful their Bond was.

So powerful that the Great Conductor saw them fit to save Concordia. So powerful, that their Bond brought other Bonds together… it filled me with joy.

After goodbyes were said, we all witnessed the rebirth of Concordia… a tear had been brought to my eye as we watched the islands drift closer to Shipshape and join together with it. Especially so as the Uni-Tree had been restored to its former glory.

Everyone celebrated the return of Concordia, conversing with each other after finally being able to meet up. My wish to see Concordia restored was finally fulfilled… to think I likely wouldn’t have seen it happen, if not for the brothers and Connie.

All of us then watched as the Great Conductor opened a gateway back to the brothers’ home. The Bros. and their friends all gave us a warm farewell as they lifted into the air and began to head home… some odd creatures and turtle king followed suit after them… I never learned who the giant turtle was…

The gateway then closed, and the Great Conductor parted from the Center of Concordia… a sudden silence had washed over all of us.

We all began to speak of the land’s time being separated, and how thankful we were for the brothers… and how much we’d miss them.

As I recalled my short time with them… I remembered my pledge. My promise I had shared with them.

'I pledge to guide the children who will shape our future.'

…I will never forget it. I will never forget them…

Thank you, Mario Bros… I couldn’t be more thankful. Especially to you, Connie. You helped me see the error of my ways… I’m so, very glad to you were willing to help keep me alive.

All of you have helped me regain my true sense of self… and I couldn’t be happier…

Thank you.

- END -

[wayward-engineer]

Vignette of Sunlight and Science

Life in the Lamb’s flock is it's own special sort of hell. The hapless followers who question his every move, the shoddy tent he keeps as his “home”, the lack of proper robes. Were he still in possession of his crown, he would raze the entire place to the ground.

It is a miserable, ugly, backwater shithole that is hardly worthy of the god of death’s residence, but lying here with the sun warm on his fur…

It was comfortable.

He lies at the edge of the forest, atop a ridge overlooking the cult, back against a tree with eyes closed as a cool breeze rustles through the leaves above. The protection provided by the branches means that the world is not too overwhelming, and the sounds of birds and bugs are soothing next to the cacophony of the village. Here, he could almost forget how he lives at the mercy of a traitor. How thousands of years of torment have yet to end.

How empty it felt without all of this.

The soft chime of a bell signals the approach of the worst part of his new life: that damned Lamb.

He will just lie still, pretend to be asleep. With any luck, they will get bored and walk off without him having to lift a finger. Not that he could fight them off if he wanted to.

His stomach churns at that admission. It takes everything he has not to flinch away from them as they come to stand next to him. Whatever their reason is for keeping him, whatever it is they have planned, he wishes they would just get it over with.

They flop down next to him with a barely disguised grunt of pain. He can imagine them massaging their wound as they attempt to catch their breath before speaking. Today must be a bad day for them.

“Autumn will be coming into full swing here in a month or so, and the leaves will begin to fall. We’ll have to find a better place for you to pretend to sleep.”

“Perhaps I would prefer to be asleep,” he snaps at them. No point in trying to pretend anymore. “I loathe your presence. You claim to be kind, yet you always torture me with you constant bleating.”

“Hmm.” the Lamb nods in acknowledgment. They look exhausted, deep rings set under their eyes as they slump against the bark of the tree. Good. However much they suffer, they deserve it and much more.

His fingers dig into the dirt and his scowl deepens. He opens his mouth to berate them further, but not before the Lamb breaks the uneasy silence themselves.

“Hanabre got into a farming accident. Cut himself with a sickle. Not deep enough to need stitches, but he has been bandaged and told not to use it for the next few days.”

Mouth still agape, confusion mixes with the anger on his face. “And why should I care about the trivial hurts of lesser beings?”

“Look!” Narinder cranes his neck away as the Lamb shoves their palm near his face.

“Lamb, what are-”

“About thirty minutes after Hanabre was injured, I replicated the cut on myself.” They pull their hand back to inspect it themselves. “I replicated the location, length and depth of the cut. This happened yesterday around noon, and now it is mostly healed. See?”

With an annoyed look, he catches their wrist before it could make it too close to his face again. There is a scar that runs the length of their palm. It is still red and irritated, but whatever wound was there has fully closed, and any scabs have long since fallen away.

“Lamb, why did you do this?”

“To test a hypothesis. By using Hanabre as a control, this experiment estimates a metric by which we heal. It is flawed, yes. Our current wounds might slow down any other healing, as they no doubt require a great deal of effort on part of our bodies. And such a small control group leaves much room for error, but-”

“Get to your point”

“We still heal very quickly. Hanabre won’t see his wound fully close for another four days assuming he does not re-open it before then. But, in just sixteen hours, my wound has fully healed, even with rigorous use. The scar may even disappear by the end of the day tomorrow.”

Still holding them by the wrist, he moves their hand away from his face, to lie on the ground between them. “Why are you doing this?” he asks.

As they begin to speak, their gaze lowers to the ground. “We are both similarly touched by divinity, so these results likely apply to you as well.” Their other hand grabs the end of their cloak and begins to fidget with they frayed threads at its end. “I thought you would want to know. That you are still healing. That you won’t hurt like this forever.”

He is still for a moment, before tightening his grip on their wrist. “No, Lamb, I mean this!” he raises their arm to emphasize his point. “This! You understand that you no longer have the power of the crown, yes? How reckless injuries such as this can be?”

They give him a reproachful look, and attempt to pull their arm from his grasp. “I have turned my blade on myself hundreds of times before. I fail to see how this is such an issue.”

Now with both hands, he pulls them closer by the arm so that they may get a full view of his ire. “You jeopardize yourself for fruitless experiments. You risk your own body on a whim.”

“I am your vessel, is that not my job?”

He narrows his eyes, staring them down as he cradles their hand close to his chest, as though he must protect it from the reckless fool. A thumb runs over the scar on their palm, and then he lets go. “You do not die until I wish it, Lamb. Do not forget this, and do not repeat such foolishness.”

They deflate under his admonishment. So often they think themselves so clever. They must have expected a different reaction to what they believed to be a noteworthy revelation. “Very well.”

He leans back against the tree, returning to his previous task. “If that is all, you can finally leave me alone.”

They do not move. Instead they open their mouth again, and he is moments from putting his fist into it.

“I think I need a moment before I can walk again, if that is alright with you.” 

He glances again at his usurper. Today must truly be a bad day for them. “Fine. But if you talk, I will make sure you can’t walk again.”

They hum in thanks, then lean their head back against the tree. Both stare up into the verdant leaves, watching the sky shift to hues of orange and red as the day nears its end. True to his command, he does not hear a sound from them, save for their soft breaths as they relax under the branches.

Borders by @lambouillet

[tojiscumdumpster]

⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ vi. reader/suguru

⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⭑๋࣭ summary page

Reader

These past few weeks have been interesting, to say the least. After randomly seeing Suguru at my cousin-in-law’s party,  and watching Toji beat him up, let’s just say I've been a bit on edge. Not as much as my husband, though. 

 I know how overprotective Toji can be. He’s been this way before we started officially dating. Most women would hate how possessive and overbearing their partners can be, but not me. Something about how Toji acts makes me even more attracted to him. 

 His hold on me. His jealousy. His gruffness. Gosh, it freaking turns me on. I know, call me crazy, but it’s my truth. 

 Anyways. That’s besides the point.

 Since the whole Suguru situation, Toji has been by my side. When we have sex, he would pull me into embrace, tighter than usual, and his body heat would transfer to me, providing a warmth I know I can only feel from him. 

 We started running errands together. Going to sleep at the same time, but sometimes, he would wait until I dozed off until he eventually did. It even got to the point where we took all our showers together. . . That also winded into sex. 

 My speculation is that the Suguru bullshit sparked an emotion I thought he could never feel. Hearing how he forced himself on me, attempting to take my body without my permission, not only angered him, but scared him. 

  It’s my job to protect you, and I didn’t, is what he told me after we made love a few weeks ago. 

 I hate that Toji felt that way because he did protect me. Despite our fluctuating marriage this past year, there was never a time I didn’t feel protected by Toji. However, I can’t help but feel solely responsible for this mess. 

 My relationship with Suguru should’ve never happened. I should’ve declined his sexual advances the night we met. And I should’ve ignored him when I saw him at the bakery. I’m not diminishing how Toji neglected me in our marriage, but nothing can justify me stepping out on him. 

 Not for temporary lust.

 This shit with Suguru has gotten way out of control. Him saying that he loves me, suggesting I should leave Toji for him. Admitting that he listened to me and Toji having sex while we were at Naoya’s party. Thinking I’m going to be crawling back to him once Toji  (if, which he won’t) fucks up again. 

 I’m not interested in this potential fatal attraction. 

 I just hope that’s the last time I see Suguru. 

 “Sweets, you in here?” Toji calls for me. 

 “Yeah, I am.” He comes behind to give me a sweet open mouthed kiss on my neck. “Everything’s okay?”

 “Yeah. The place was quiet for a while, so I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

 I turn to face him. “Just thinking.”

 “About?”

 “Nothing, baby. I’m okay.”

 Toji holds my chin between his fingers, firmly saying, “Y/N.”

 It’s like he sees right through me.

 I deeply sigh. “Just everything that happened a few weeks ago.”

 “That fucker been messing with you again?”

 “No, no,” I reassured him. “I haven’t heard from him since that night.”

 He hums. “You’ll be okay while I’m gone handling this contract?”

 “Yeah, the gun is here.”

 He looks at me with skepticism because I know the last thing he wants to do is leave me for three days, especially since he’ll be in another country. But I’m aware of Toji’s lifestyle. One of the first things he trusted me with. It took some time at first for me to accept, however, knowing the type of contracts he took made me weirdly comfortable. 

 “Okay,” still sounding hesitant, but rubs my cheek with his thumb. “I’m heading out now. Be back on Friday.”

 I balance on my toes, wrapping my arms around his neck to pull him into a kiss. “Be safe. . . I love you, Toji.”

 “I love you, too.”

Suguru

 Love can make you do crazy things. Well, I wouldn’t consider what I’m doing as crazy, per se. More so, passionate. Yeah, I’d like to think of myself as a passionate lover. I love hard, strong, and deeply. Others may consider my feelings as overbearing, but when being in love with a woman like Y/N, you have to be.

 She deserves to be desired. Sought at constantly. Fucked daily. Loved loudly. I possibly couldn’t deserve her because I’m not worthy enough, but she deserves to be someone like me. Not her shitty ass fucking husband. 

 I hate that piece of shit. He ruined me and Y/N’s moment a few weeks ago. We were doing perfectly fine until he showed up. Yeah, maybe she was being a bit stubborn, but a few kisses and words of reassurance would’ve helped. 

 How else am I supposed to win her back if I don’t stay persistent? Last thing I want is for Y/N to think I don’t care about her anymore. It’s shown by how I left the tag on her car the last time we had sex so I could make sure she’s safe. That’s what a lover is supposed to do. . . Protect.

 How can her husband do that shit if he’s gullible enough to take a last minute contract I forged? I’ve done my research on Toji Zen’in. I know he’s a money hungry bastard that would take anything given to him, which works in my favor.

 When I go see Y/N, I want to do so without any interruptions.

 I’ve been patient and waited for this moment for weeks. Following her around. Getting her new number after she gave it to the cashier to redeem her awards while running her errands, which by the way is very dangerous. I mean, there has to be another way of looking up an account without giving out your phone number? What if a creep heard as well and got her number? Tch, I can’t let that happen. 

 Note to self, Y/N loves that makeup store a lot. She’s been there twice since I last saw her.

 I’ll be sure to get her a gift from there.

 Anyways.

 Once Y/N and I talk things out, I can show her how much I care about her. How much I miss her. Showering her with affection and maybe cock if she wants it. I’ll never deny my pretty girl cock, especially when she looks so gorgeous while taking it.

 Speaking of, I miss that pussy so much. She was always so fucking messy and I loved that shit, knowing how wet and creamy I make her. 

 Two times wasn’t enough. Nearly wasn’t enough time for me to deeply study her body, explore it so I could figure out different ways to make her cum. See, this is the reason why I need get rid of that Zen’in fuck. Because when there’s other people standing  in the way of what you’re trying to build with the person you love, they make your vision blurry.

 That’s exactly what Toji Zen’in is. A blur.

 And he needs to fucking go.

 Permanently. 

 Maybe tonight would be the perfect time for me to go talk to Y/N. I coincidentally moved into an apartment building across from where she lives, so this makes things easier for us. It just further proves that fate is fighting to bring us together–for good. 

 After we talk and she realizes how much I love her, we could lay down together and watch a movie. Somehow, in the midst of the movie, I can fall between her legs and finally eat that sweet pussy I’ve be thinking about since I first fucked her. Or if she just wants to cuddle, we can do that, too.

 Whatever my angel wants.

 My main goal is to have Y/N understand how I feel about her. She said no romantic gestures, but I want the world to know how much she means to me. Maybe just a small and intimate date if anything.

 No, Suguru. That’ll make her mad.

 I know, I know. 

 Shit.

 I need to let out this frustration, and although I can’t make sweet love to Y/N right now, I suppose fisting my cock for the fifth time today wouldn’t be so bad.

 I think of how gorgeous and thick she is. It’s like every time I see Y/N, she gets more beautiful. I think of the leggings she wore a few days ago on her daily walk to the park that imprinted her ass, showing the natural waves she has every step she takes. And how her pussy looked so fucking fat, cuffing and sucking in the material of the tights, practically begging for me to fuck her.

 “Let me see if she’s in her bedroom,” I mutter to myself. 

 I still have the photos she sent me a few weeks ago, along with the ones I took while stalk–watching her, but physically seeing her is more preferred. Lucky enough, I was able to secure a corner apartment and the distance is far enough for her to not notice me, but close enough for me to see everything. 

 “Fuck.” I began palming my cock. 

 Y/N looks like she’s reading a book (I know how much she loves reading because she always goes to the bookstore) while wearing an oversized shirt and nothing underneath. Why does she wish to fuck tease me like this? Exposing her bottom cheeks so I can have the perfect view of her ass. 

 My cock is out less than a second later and it’s crimson, and as expected, already leaking precum. I spread it across my head and length to act as lubrication. 

 I know that I’m a bit perverted when it comes to Y/N. I know. But I can’t help myself when it comes to her. She’s so perfect. So beautiful and sexy. So mine. 

 So fucking mine. 

 Playing with my cock shouldn’t be an issue, no?

 I can take it, Suguru. I can take it.

 Fuck yes, princess. You can. You know how well you take my cock in that tight pussy. Just thinking about being deep inside of Y/N makes me feel like a fucking satyromaniac. 

 I’m practically ripping the skin off myself with how hard I’m pumping my cock. My head is thrown back in pure bliss, bottom lip tucked between my teeth to contain my moans. Oh, fuck, she’s being over right now to pick up something off the floor. That pussy is dying for my touch, I know it is. 

 “Y/N,” I whimper.

 Just a little bit more, I thought. The arousal that’s burning through my cock is soon shooting through my tip. If only if she coul–

 Who… the fuck … is calling me?

 I curse myself. I’m angry that my phone notifications have been going off while I’m trying to please myself. I can ignore it. I can, but I’m technically expecting a call from–

 “Suguru, it took you long enough,” my best friend, Satoru says, on the other side of the phone.

 “I’m busy, Satoru. I hope you called with information that I want,” I bit out.

 He chuckles, baiting me. “Still not over getting your assbeat by your girlfriend’s husband? Poor Suguru. I can come there and make you feel better. Maybe change your band-aids?”  

 Sometimes I ask myself why I tolerate him.

 “You called to fucking mock me or what?”

 “Hm, maybe,” he admits. “Also to tell you that he took the contract. You fucking owe me for bringing me into your mess, dude.”

 Just as I expected.

 “Thanks. Gotta go-”

  “Suguru, wait,” he says abruptly. “Are you sure you want to get deeper into this shit with Y/N? Her husband is a fucking professional killer. Is she really worth your life?”

 What kind of stupid question is that? Of course, she is. I love Y/N. Why can’t anyone fucking see that? That we belong together? The instant connection, our sexual attraction, how I look at her. She’s mine. If anyone gets in the way of our relationship, there’s no reason for them to live. 

 “I’ll be sure to book a session with my therapist if I need advice. Bye, Satoru.” 

 The nerve of him trying to lecture me about pursuing Y/N when he had his fair share of dealing with married women.

 Watch, I’ll show him. I’ll show Y/N. Hell, I’ll even show her jackass of a husband how she’s meant to be mine. . . Not his.

 Maybe there will be mishaps along the way, but love isn’t an easy thing. Fighting for who you love is inevitable.

 And good thing I have a lot of fight in me.

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[simlit]

Chosen of the Sun | | dawn // fifty-one

| @catamano | @keibea | @izayoiri | @thesimperiuscurse | @maladi777 | @poisonedsimmer | @amuhav | @sani-sims | @mangopysims | @rollingsim

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TALILA: What’s going on? This all seems very official… EVE: And worrisome. Kyrie, you look like you’ve seen a ghost. KYRIE: I’m just upset… No, I’m passed upset. EVE: It’ll be alright. We’ll get through it, whatever it is, but first you need to calm down. KYRIE: I’m trying. EVE: Deep breaths. KYRIE: Right. ÅSE: Enough of this. Stop smacking around tree. What is going to be done! TALILA: Has something happened? KYRIE: Please, everyone, sit down. KYRIE: I made a promise to you all to be honest. Admittedly, I don’t know all the details myself, but the truth is… I’m alone in this. I expect some of you still see me as part of this system, and I can’t fault you for it. But with things getting so difficult, I don’t know who else to turn to but the ten of you. I trust all of you more than anyone else. SARAYN: And him? Shouldn’t we be introduced to our mysterious twelfth? KYRIE: Everyone, this is Elion. He’s been assigned to my protection, and I can go nowhere without him. You see, before you all arrived here, my sister, Lady Alphanei Loren, was taken hostage by a vigilante group known as the Knights of Dawn. They are ransoming her life in return for the disbanding of the trials. A plan that won’t work for them while I still live. They’ve already made one attempt on my life. If Lord Tev’us hadn’t been with me that night, surely I’d already be dead. ÅSE: Mm… TALILA: How awful! But… how are we just now hearing of it? Why wouldn’t they want us to know? THERION: I expect they don’t want anyone to know. Stirring up confusion and fear makes for panic. Panic is hard to control. INDRYR: And they are all about control. EIRA: So what? If we sit here with our thumbs up our asses, they’ll just send more people to kill you. Does your Priestess think she can lock you— and us— up forever? KYRIE: Lucien is dead. This isn’t something they can contain. The entire city will be in chaos soon enough. EVE: Lucien is dead? But why? Who would kill him? INDRYR: That is the question. Considering everything, it would be naïve to think the two matters were not connected. ÅSE: He is innocent child! What cares he about knights and dawn? It is absurd! INDRYR: Yes, the child was almost certainly innocent. I expect it is more what he represented. ASTER: Well, don’t speak in riddles! Not all of us grew up in libraries, you know! KYRIE: Represents… Of course. EVE: Oh… Lucien’s mother… KYRIE: The Aravae offer enormous financial support to the church. Aside from the Eveydan Crown, they’re the main source of funding. Unbelievable. The Queen of Kera was the leading supporter for the Selenehelion’s reformation… SARAYN: Then they are not at all interested in compromise. Bloodsport or not, it seems they will stop at nothing to bring the ceremony down entirely. I expect they have very good reason. EIRA: Being angry about how a ceremony was conducted centuries ago doesn’t make a great case for slaughtering children. SARAYN: But it was not centuries ago. Those that have been robbed by these trials still live. To lose a love, a purpose… a King. No, I doubt they have forgotten. And I doubt less they shall forgive.