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#royal war infinite
rboooks · 1 year
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DC x DP Fic idea: The Royal Consort
Wesley Weston runs a blog after getting over his desire to expose Danny's secret- primarily due to no one believing him- and no one pays attention to it since almost all of Casper high school has one too.
The difference between the hundreds of other blogs is that one of his pictures of Phantom is clear. A perfectly uncorrected image of the famous ghost, whereas nearly all other pictures are blurry due to ghosts disrupting cameras. Even Wes isn't sure how he managed to capture him so well.
Another difference between his blog and others is that one of his followers happens to be John Constantine, who followed the kid a long time ago due to the fanfiction of the Bats and found them hilarious.
John opens his phone app, expecting a new chapter to the Bruce Wayne/Superman fic, and spits out his tea upon seeing the High King of the Dead casually in the human world. Horrified that the King has not been appropriately welcomed- which could lead to a war that the humans would never win- he calls an emergency Justice League and Justice League Dark meeting.
It didn't help that they had allowed a county to pass the anti-ecto laws, which ruined any attempt to appease the Ghost King once the news broke to the public. The League still worried about a declaration of war even after they demolished the laws and the United Nations had the States apologize on humans' behalf.
They quickly discover High King Phantom has been visiting Earth for almost three years. Before his coronation, Phantom had not been outside the Infinite Realms very often though he has appeared throughout history. Cave drawings date back thousands of years before the first ancient Egyptians, but he's visits are few and short.
Life would naturally send him back to the Realms because he had too much power and ectoplasm. After taking the throne, his powers only grew, which meant someone had to summon him as the only way for him to stay on Earth longer than an hour.
Now as King, he appeared only within the small town of Amity Park daily. Why?
John sighs. "He has an anchor. Someone is tying him to this plane. Like the helmet for Nabu, which allows Doctor Fate to exist here without being launched back to the Infinite Releams, Phantom has bonded himself. And I know who that is"
He pulls up a class photo on Weston's blog and points to a boy wearing a particular necklace.
"Danny Fenton is wearing the official Royal Consort of the Infinite Realms symbol and has been since he was fourteen. Phantom's husband may be our only hope to salvage the terrible mess the USA's bloody GIW placed the rest of us in."
Danny loved the necklace he found in Pariah Dark's old haunt. He inherited Pariah's haunt and everything inside once he was crowned and hasn't taken it off since. He didn't think it would be an issue. It's not like it would out his secret to his parents or anyone else since it was in Ghost Speech. Even he didn't know what it said.
Then one morning he comes down for breakfast only to have the most important members of the Justice League sitting in his living room waiting to greet him.
Desperate to keep his halfa status a secret, Danny must convince the entire world watching him, that he's just a human who scandalously eloped at age fourteen with one of the strongest beings in the mulitverse.
Jack's horrified "We were shooting my son-in-law this whole time" became a meme that has trended for months.
( Part 2 )
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graceofgondor · 3 months
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It kind of wrecks me when the media reduces Legolas to the overpowered hot guy who defies gravity.
Like...
Did we watch the same movies?
Not only is this guy just an insanely honorable and fierce member of the Fellowship, but he's an infinitely heartfelt and dedicated friend. He would go to the ends of the earth to follow Aragorn, to save Merry and Pippin, to fight in the name of Frodo Baggins.
He's lost his mother, he was raised by a grieving and emotionally absent father, he was sheltered from the rest of the world for years, he went from insulting and threatening dwarves to protecting and practically EXISTING for one. Not to mention everything he did post war of the ring, uniting his people yet removing himself from his royal status??
And just to think, he has to grapple with immortality. To other elves it doesn't matter, but to him, his entire life has become these mortal friends he's grown to call family. And he has to go on living while they all slowly die.
And yeah, he's a fucking INSANE FIGHTER. Like BEYOND REASON.
I get that to the dude bros he's just a hot guy for the girls to thirst over but in reality he's just as complex as the rest of them and I'd really like for us to acknowledge it for once.
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dcxdpdabbles · 15 days
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I’ve been rereading you Royal Consort au and haven’t stopped thinking about it. I just know social media during that entire au was fucking insane
Dash Baxter opened his phone one school morning in his senior year after oversleeping for an hour—he may have worked out a little too hard, or he really did have a cold, like his mother claims—and was overwhelmed with messages from his friends.
They all say the same thing.
Have you seen this!?
Is it true?!
I can't believe this is happening!
Will we go to jail? I can't go to jail!
He scrolls through them with heavy confusion until, eventually, he clicks on the link Kwan sent him since the mention of jail seemed like a higher level of importance than whatever new gossip was going about.
Someone was likely pregnant. That was always what Pauline gossip the most about.
His best friend tended to catastrophize, so he figured it was better to help him calm down first.
The link takes him to a news clip showing a crowd of people surrounding a very familiar house. It wasn't the first time the Fentons had been on the news, but they were usually covered by local stations, and it was generally due to the damage the inventors had caused.
Dash knew they were only talked about when things were slow and a fluff story needed to be thrown in. Oh, back in freshman year, when ghosts first appeared, the Fentons were much more important, but now ghosts are a part of everyday life, and sometimes Dash forgot other cities didn't have the same issue.
Nothing the Fentons did was noteworthy, especially to have the Lois Lane covering their story. Yet, here in the palm of his hands, on the morning of a regular school day, he watched as Lois Lane did just that.
"Reporting live from Amity Park outside the residence of the Royal Consort to the Infinite Realms, I'm Lois Lane. Only a few minutes ago, the Justice League members- Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman- had entered the building hoping to speak to the Consort on a diplomatic mission. The tension between humans and the Realms has been at an all-time high since the Anti-Ecto Acts were passed. Although they were overturned in the last United Nations session, there has still been no comment from King Phantom and no guarantee that a war is not on the horizon." The woman says, holding her mic close to her face while the cameraman pans over the crowd of people outside of Fenton Works.
Dash feels like someone dumped iced water on him and then slapped him with a rubber fish. He is scared, confused, and a little offended. Still, the video continues as Ms. Lane explains the Realms, the political backlash the USA put the rest of the world in, and a brief overview of the humans' chances of winning if a war did break out (not high).
She then admits that their team had gotten a tip, claiming that the Consort has been married to King Phantom for the last three years, and despite not publicly announcing his title, he had all the power of his status.
He.
There were only two "he"s in the Fenton household and Dash knew for a fact Mr. Fenton would never cheat on his wife. Which left only one.
Oh gods.
As Ms.Lane speaks, the door to the house opens behind her, and the three high heroes of Earth outstep.
Along with Danny Fenton, who is squished between Wonder Woman and Superman with a flabbergasted expression, the crowd goes wild as Ms. Lane loudly shouts, "The Royal Consort, Daniel Fenton, husband to King Phantom, is being escorted by some of the most important members of the Justice League to a secondary location for peace negotiations. There is hope for humanity yet."
The clip ends with a close-up of Fenton's wide-eyed stare, which shows him looking terrified—the same expression he used whenever Dash cornered him to vent some of his frustrations.
Dash is left sitting in utter silence and rapidly growing horror. He had been mocking a royal, physically harming a royal, and, worst of all, he had been attacking Danny Phantom's husband, the same being who had been his personal hero for the last three years.
"I'm going to jail." He whispers "I'm so going to jail. Or I'm going to be executed. That happens to people who almost start wars right? Oh, gods."
The rest of the A-listers are panicking all over the city but not nearly as Dash Baxter, who was wondering how much time Fenton would give him for a head start.
It didn't help that Wes messaged Everyone on the basketball team with a gif of a dancing cat wearing sunglasses and the words "I TOLD YOU" in bright, bold colors.
He had repeatedly told them to leave Fenton alone. If they didn't, Phantom would retaliate, but no one had taken his word for it since the boy had originally claimed Phantom and Fenton were the same person.
Dash put his phone down and stared at the wall of his room. He liked that wall. It was covered in posters, pictures of his friends, memories of his best games, and now, with the floating shelves, his teddy bear collections.
He would likely never see it again.
"Oh gods"
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theartofangirling · 8 months
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part 2 of the 2023 version of this post: young adult books!
part 1: middle grade books | part 3: adult books
this is a very incomplete list, as these are only books I've read and enjoyed. not all books are going to be for all readers, so I'd recommend looking up synopses and content warnings. feel free to message me with any questions about specific representation!
list of books under the cut ⬇️
aces wild by amanda dewitt
the chandler legacies by abdi nazemian
bruised by tanya boteju
juliet takes a breath by gabby rivera
picture us in the light by kelly loy gilbert
when we were magic by sarah gailey
iron widow by xiran jay zhao
the rise of kyoshi by f.c. yee
jane unlimited by kristin cashore
summer of salt by katrina leno
the wicker king by k. ancrum
the dead and the dark by courtney gould
wilder girls by rory power
i kissed shara wheeler by casey mcquiston
her royal highness by rachel hawkins
tell me how you really feel by aminah mae safi
the weight of the stars by k. ancrum
you should see me in a crown by leah johnson
last night at the telegraph club by malinda lo
the grief keeper by alexandra villasante
crier's war by nina varela
how to excavate a heart by jake maia arlow
imogen, obviously by becky albertalli
in other lands by sarah rees brennan
carry on by rainbow rowell
cemetery boys by aiden thomas
felix ever after by kacen callendar
i wish you all the best by mason deaver
little thieves by margaret owen
technically you started it by lana wood johnson
the gentleman's guide to vice and virtue by mackenzi lee
the infinite noise by lauren shippen
bonds of brass by emily skrutskie
the darkness outside us by eliot schrefer
simon vs. the homo sapiens agenda by becky albertalli
what if it's us by becky albertalli and adam silvera
aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe by benjamin alire sáenz
like a love story by abdi nazemian
different for boys by patrick ness
history is all you left me by adam silvera
twelfth grade night by molly horton booth, stephanie kate strohm, and jamie green
across a field of starlight by blue delliquanti
heartstopper by alice oseman
check, please! by ngozi ukazu
bloom by kevin panetta and savanna ganucheau
laura dean keeps breaking up with me by mariko tamaki and rosemary valero-o'connell
the princess and the grilled cheese sandwich by deya muniz
if you'll have me by eunnie
on a sunbeam by tillie walden
the girl from the sea by molly knox ostertag
always human by ari north
rust in the root by justina ireland
dread nation by justina ireland
pet by awkwaeke emezi
the darkest part of the forest by holly black
elatsoe by darcie little badger
i was born for this by alice oseman
loveless by alice oseman
i hate everyone but you by gaby dunn and allison raskin
you know me well by nina lacour and david levithan
the black flamingo by dean atta
spinning by tillie walden
dreadnought by april daniels
a lesson in vengeance by victoria lee
all the bad apples by moira fowley-doyle
clap when you land by elizabeth acevedo
summer bird blue by akemi dawn bowman
the miseducation of cameron post by emily m. danforth
we are okay by nina lacour
radio silence by alice oseman
we used to be friends by amy spalding
a neon darkness by lauren shippen
i hope you get this message by farah naz rishi
are you listening? by tillie walden
alone in space by tillie walden
all out edited by saundra mitchell
out now edited by saundra mitchell
out there edited by saundra mitchell
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wordstome · 8 months
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kingdom come - i
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king König x princess & assassin reader
2nd person, no y/n, she/her pronouns, afab reader, romance, enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, kind of age gap because König has been king for a good chunk of time but it's not really much of a factor, fantasy/medieval setting, magic exists but it's the creepy kind ordinary people don't fuck with
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tw: swearing and König gets a boner. what's new
[NEXT]
GUESS WHO'S BACK ON HER BULLSHIT HAHAAA IT'S MEEE STARTING A NEW SERIES/AU AGAINNNnnnnn. Don't fret, I'm still working on university au! I just started watching The Great (the tv show) and I was like hmm. I should get back to that one idea I had.
p.s. When I mention a "mask" on König, imagine a sort of phantom of the opera, Brahms kinda thing. He isn't always wearing the hood.
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Outside, the bells are tolling. Back home, you’ve only ever heard church bells ringing to rally the troops. But here, in these foreign lands, they ring for a royal wedding.
You're wearing a truly massive dress shaped like a pastry. It's a work of art, to be sure, but it leaves you feeling restrained and vulnerable. You should be wearing armor into war—hard boiled leather and curtains of steel rings, not delicate lace and silken ribbons. You're walking into a battle: you would have liked to be able to bend forward further than thirty degrees.
You're at least glad you don't have to wear a veil—it would have been borderline unbearable if you had your vision restricted on top of everything else. It does mean, however, that you can see him standing at the end of the aisle, waiting for you.
A gigantic man with a soldier's physique, wearing a mask that covers more than half his face. Just the sight of him sends a a chill down your spine.
The officiant’s voice booms out over the assembly, but you don’t hear any of it. The sound washes over you, distant and echoing, as if your head is underwater. Your whole being is on alert as you tilt your face upwards to look at the only part of your soon-to-be-husband that you can see properly: his eyes.
They bore into you as if they're looking straight into your soul. As if they're revealing all of your secrets. For a moment, you feel disarmed, even though you can still feel the calming, solid presence of your trusty dagger against your thigh.
As the officiant finishes the wedding vows, he offers his hand to you, his touch shockingly gentle.
You steel your resolve and stare resolutely back at him as you place your hand in his, and the officials begin to bind them together with velvet cords. You remind yourself who you are, where you are, and what you must do.
You remind yourself that you have to kill him as they tie the final knot.
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The woods are foreboding, home to a darkness that seems infinite and all-consuming. The heavy old trees that surround the palace grounds shut out most sunlight and all moonlight, and sometimes it feels as if the forest itself is a living, conscious thing brimming with a dangerous unknown. It's proven to be an effective line of defense in the past: citizens don’t dare to trespass on the royal grounds as it is, but an extra deterrent never hurt anybody.
Except perhaps enemy soldiers. But they learn their lesson quickly.
To you, however, the woods are comforting. You’ve spent many lonely nights amongst these trees, training until your body was sore all over. These trunks have withstood many a misplaced blow, these exposed roots have been your downfall many a time, and this mossy undergrowth has cushioned your bruises during many a tumble and fall.
Tonight, however, there is no training. No combat, no groans of pain, no thuds against wood or flesh. You are blanketed in quiet, something sorely needed as you contemplate the days to come.
This is it. The task you’ve trained for all your life is here. Every sore joint and pulled muscle, every tear-soaked pillowcase, every scolding in Father’s office has led to this. Sometimes it seemed as if the day would never come, as if years of reading, shooting, riding and sparring would be for naught. Though your breath rattles the leaves around you, you feel as if you’ve been holding your breath ever since Father broke the news. This is happening.
You leave in a few hours, as soon as the sun comes over the horizon. Your maids have already packed your luggage—you had to enlist their help after it became too difficult to pick what to bring and what not to bring. If all went well, you’d be back in this room in a few weeks. But what could you afford to bring? What did you need for your sanity? What minute details of an object could compromise your position?
Luckily, Calliope, your most trusted lady-in-waiting, was able to step in when she found you sitting on your rug, clutching your set of cloth dolls—the only toys you’d ever owned as a child that weren’t made with murder in mind—and suggest you take a breath of fresh air. You don’t know where you’d be without her, honestly. You may be your father’s pride and joy of a perfectly well-rounded monarch and killing machine, but you would never have gotten here without her by your side.
You sigh and lean your head against the thick limb you’re lying on. If you didn’t already know you’d wake up with a complaining spine that would then have to spend days riding a horse, you’d go to sleep right here, right now. The woods are your home, these trees your solace. You’ll miss it terribly, as the only place you can truly avoid all servants, generals, teachers, and parents.
Well. Parent.
But as with all things—Father’s rare good mood, your training days, peacetime—the sweet, silent embrace of the forest can’t last forever.
Reluctantly, you give the tree one last pat and climb down, making the trudge back to your room so you can at least attempt to catch a few winks of sleep.
It takes quite a few days of travel to get to your destination. You arrive in the empire next door's capital city saddle-sore and on edge. This was the snakes’ nest, the heart of the beast.
And yet…people are happy.
The mood in your hometown is far quieter and more grim—your country has been at war with this one for as long as you can remember, and yet the contrast could not be more vast. Back home, people walk directly from place to place, and don’t make eye contact with each other. Here, children play unsupervised, outdoor markets overflow with people, and windows are thrown wide open as neighbors chat.
You don’t know how to feel. The previous king here was a ruthless conqueror, building an empire by invading neighboring countries and forcing their monarchs to yield—or killing them when they were defiant. Your own land had only escaped being absorbed into the empire by employing rigorous military discipline and strict wartime measures. Yet here, in the heart of the empire, you would never be able to tell it was a nation at war.
And now you’re marrying the king’s son. The current king. The one they call König. So little is known about him that his entire existence is shrouded in rumor: that the hood he wears conceals a monstrous, disfigured face, that he plotted his father’s demise, that his first wife died not of childbirth, but was assassinated in quiet due to being unable to provide an heir.
You don’t plan on sticking around long enough to find out if the rumors are true.
To your surprise, your reception by the people feels more curious than hostile. You’d expected a bit of resistance, or at least a few dirty looks, considering you're the princess of the country they've been at war with for years. But whatever König has told them has been far more charitable than you anticipated.
Your arrival at the palace is greeted by a flurry of activity. Your entourage scatters to put affairs in order, but Calliope and a small contingent of guards follows you into the main hall. Not that you need them—but you need to keep up appearances. No one outside your family’s most tight-knit circle knows you can throw a punch, much less have an assassin’s training.
You don’t feel in the least bit prepared to meet your fiancé—and target—face to face fresh off a days-long journey, but you’re ushered into the main hall anyway. It seems your task has already begun whether you like it or not.
“Ah, princess. Welcome to my humble home.” You hear him before you see him, his voice heavy with an accent. There’s something a bit charming about it, you think—before the sight of him shakes some sense back into you.
He’s huge. He towers over even his own palace guard, broad with muscle, and moves with a deadly raw power even in this nonthreatening setting.
When his father still ruled, before the current peacetime, stories of the empire’s prodigal heir on the frontlines served as frightening bedtime story and a terrifying cautionary tale for the nation’s soldiers. A beast in a hood who fought with the strength of ten men.
You stand your ground as he approaches you. The hood, then, is real—although the stories were so consistent about it that it was never really in question, was it? What the stories had left out were his eyes—striking and green, piercing into your soul as he bends to kiss the back of your hand. It’s an odd sensation that sends shivers racing up your spine.
“The pleasure is mine, your majesty,” you respond, a hint of apprehension in your tone. Of course you had been expecting some form of courtly courtesy, but for some reason you hadn’t expected him to be such a…gentleman. A part of you had been expecting some feral animal, needing to be put down.
"I'm sure you must be exhausted from your journey," he says. "I hope you will find your rooms to your liking." Something about his demeanor is almost...bored? As if greeting his future wife is just another task he's obligated to complete.
He doesn't join you for dinner that night, which is odd. The servants inform you that he's taking care of some urgent business. You hope that your dejection is taken as disappointment that you won't have an opportunity to get to know your fiancé. You are, but not the way people may think.
After all, getting to know your target is half the battle.
You're left to your own devices the next day. König, you're informed, won't be available. That urgent business from last night appears to be an ongoing situation.
Fine by you. You could use some time to prepare.
You spend the day wandering the palace, familiarizing yourself with the grounds and plotting an escape route. You're halted on your brisk survey when you stumble upon a...garden?
Unlike the perfectly manicured hedges outside the palace, or the groomed efficiency of the kitchen gardens, this place is small. Quiet. A little overgrown, but clearly taken care of. The grass is long and soft, dappled in sunshine. Flowers burst forward, crowded around trellises spiraling with vines.
Part of you feels like a trespasser in this private little sanctum, but another part of you is set at ease by the idle tranquility of this place. You pause, feeling a pang of homesickness. It reminds you of the forest: wild in its own way, but gentle and welcoming at the same time.
Something at the corner of your vision catches your eye. A bush bursting forward with round, dark little berries.
Nightshade. Deadly nightshade, in fact. What is this doing in this peaceful little garden? You move forward to examine them closer.
"You shouldn't be here."
You whirl around to find König standing behind you. You had been so absorbed by the garden that you hadn't detected his approach.
Your cheeks burn. You've only been here a day, and already you're letting your guard down. This won't do.
"My apologies, your majesty. I got....lost."
You hold your breath as he draws near. His expression is unreadable—not that you can see most of it, anyway. But when you meet his gaze, you can tell he's sizing you up.
"This is quite a long way to wander."
Shit, is he suspicious? Thinking fast, your brain supplies the best answer you can muster.
"Should a future queen not know the palace she is to live in?"
"Mmm. You make a fair point."
Before you can say or do anything further, he's standing right in front of you. "That's nightshade, you know." You can feel him watching you, assessing your reaction. "Not many can recognize it."
"I..." You can't very well tell him that you know what nightshade looks like because you're an expert in deadly poisons. "I had been wondering what they were."
"I see." He leans forward and plucks a berry off the bush, rolling it between his fingers. "Have you ever tasted one?"
Does he know? Is that a threat? You can't read his expression behind that goddamned mask of his. You stare at him, hoping you look dumbfounded instead of panicked.
"No? They're quite sweet, you know." He holds it out to you. "Care to try one?"
"Your Majesty, I—"
"Don't look so nervous." If you had ever thought he looked frightening before, there's something uncanny about the half-smile that he gives you now. "I didn't expect you to say yes." Before you can say or do anything, he pops the berry in his mouth.
You're too stunned to do anything but watch as he chews for a moment and swallows. One berry won't kill him, but you're more concerned about why he's doing this. Is he trying to intimidate you?
"This was my mother's garden." He gestures to the general surroundings. "I spent a lot of time here as a child. Peaceful, isn't it?"
You let out a tiny sigh of relief now that the conversation appears to be moving on. "Yes. Quite."
"It's always been a place to get away. The first time I ate a nightshade berry was right here, when I was six. I was violently sick for weeks." His tone is a little too light for someone describing being poisoned as a child, and it's unnerving.
"That's when I learned to be careful of things that are too sweet. A good lesson to learn, don't you think?" He walks towards you, and you brace yourself for anything.
He stops next to you, you facing one way and him the other. "Take care then, princess. I will see you tomorrow."
You stare resolutely ahead. "Yes."
And hopefully you won't see him for much longer after that.
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Fuck. You forgot about this part.
You had been prepared for this, of course, but you only realize now that you hadn't been mentally prepared. It wasn't until Calliope was helping you undress that you remembered what usually happens between a man and a woman the night of the wedding.
You pace the room, stewing and plotting, getting increasingly antsy before the door swings open and the man himself comes strutting into the bedroom.
"You look like a cornered deer." You hear König shut the door behind him, but you don't turn around.
"I've never done this before." Mentally, you curse yourself for the quaver in your voice.
"Well. Tonight won't be your first."
"What?" You do turn at that, watching him carelessly shed layers all across the room between swigs of his drink.
"I have no interest in bedding you. We do have to sleep in the same room for appearances, though." He plucks a grape from a cluster sitting on a side table and throws it up in the air, catching it with his mouth.
You haven't been in his presence much in the past few days, but each time you have, something about your encounters with him have shaken you up and set you on edge. Somehow, he's kept you on your toes even with a limited presence. Your meeting in the garden was dizzying and confusing, the ceremony set you on high alert. And now, he's thrown you another curveball.
It feels almost too easy. He's just going to go to sleep in the same room as you? No fanfare? "You don't want to...consummate the marriage?"
"You sound upset." He cocks an eyebrow at you. "Were you hoping to?"
"No!" Your face feels hot as he gives you that lopsided half-smile again, more like a smirk this time.
"That's a shame. I prefer fucking willing participants, you see." He drapes himself over the elaborate chaise lounge opposite the bed.
"Are you usually this vulgar?" you retort.
"I see no reason for pretense. We're married, after all." Curiously, he hasn't taken his mask off. Does he sleep in it? Or is he only keeping it on because you're here?
You feel silly now, dressed in a flimsy little silken thing, wrapped up like a present for a brute who won't even touch you. Considerate of him, you suppose. Not that it will matter for very long.
"Sleep well then, hmm? You should be well rested for your first day as queen tomorrow." There's a dangerous gleam in his eye, but it disappears so quickly you wonder if you had imagined it.
"Yes," you say, sitting on the bed while not taking your eyes off of him. "Sleep well."
You give it a few hours, just to be safe. A few hours of laying awake staring at the ceiling. A few hours of watching as moonlight bathes the room in silver light. A few hours of watching him.
The deepening darkness casts sharp shadows across his face, making him seem even more inhuman. What do bloodthirsty emperors dream of? Dominating the weak? Slaughtering the innocent? Conquering women? You shudder. Best not to know.
It's well past midnight when you slowly, quietly get up and pull your dagger from its hidden holster. One downwards thrust, and you're going home. One quick motion, and all of this is over.
It's a little anticlimactic, you think. But this is for the best. For you. For your people. For your family.
Light as a feather, you straddle him, hovering over him just enough so that your weight doesn't wake him. You try not to think about how intimate this position is, and remind yourself that this is the best way to prevent him from getting up or struggling, should your first strike not end him immediately. Which it will, of course.
You take a deep breath as you position the blade right over his heart, calming the fluttering anxiety in your mind. The beginning of a new chapter of your life begins now.
You plunge the dagger downwards.
In an instant, König's eyes fly open. Before you can react at all, his hand has seized your wrist in an iron grip, the tip of your dagger a hair's length from his chest.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" He purrs. "A little assassin?"
You grit your teeth and attempt to overpower him: you're so, so close. But his strength is so overwhelming that you can't even get the tip of the dagger to make contact. Panic starts to set in. This isn't good. This is disastrous, actually. He was supposed to be asleep!
You attempt to pull away, to get away, to do anything, but it's no use. "You don't seem surprised," you spit.
"It's not every day your most bitter enemy offers you his daughter's hand in marriage as a truce," he replies, clear amusement in his voice. Is he enjoying this? "Of course I smelled a rat. You must think me a fool."
"No." Yeah, you kind of had.
"Lying ill suits you, princess." You cry out as he jams his fingers into the tendons in your wrist, forcing you to release the dagger. You watch, helplessly, as he picks it up with his other hand and turns it over, studying it in the moonlight.
"What a delicate little knife," he muses. In your hand, it's a sizeable weapon. But held in his fingers it looks small, harmless. To your dismay, he then proceeds to chuck it at the opposite wall, the blade sticking itself solidly in between two panels.
"You knew?" you ask, a tremor in your traitorous voice.
"Oh, I suspected. You had me disappointed for a while—I thought you would have made an attempt well before this." He lets out a deep chuckle that sends terror through you. "For a moment I even thought that you were as you presented: just some poor little lamb, a peace offering given up to the slaughter." His eyes narrow behind the mask. "I am glad to see that you have proven to be much more interesting than that."
"Interesting?" Out of all the reactions you would have expected him to have, this is not one of them. Fear, anger, even immediate violence. Not...interest.
"You have no idea," he says. Your eyes widen as he you feel his hand run up your thigh.
That's not the only thing you feel, though. He shifts a bit underneath you, and it's then that the earlier flush to your cheeks returns in full force. Is he...hard?!
"If you're going to kill me, then get on with it," you ground out through your teeth.
"Little one, if I had wanted you dead immediately, I would have already pinned you down and snapped your neck. No, you've given me a gift: a gift I intend to cherish." You shiver as he slides a hand up your thigh. "A challenge."
"Is this a game to you?" You're not sure if your breath is running ragged from fear or anger, now.
"I could end this at any time, you know." You gasp involuntarily as a hand closes around your throat. "But that would be no fun, now would it?"
"You are a fool, then." You stare at him defiantly, even as his grip constricts your breathing. "Because I will kill you."
His eyes dance with some mad glee. "That's what I like to hear."
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Hiiiiiiiii besties. I've been chewing on the idea of a medieval royalty sort of au since before Shrike, and I came up with this premise like. At least a year or two ago, before I was even in the COD fandom. So I'm glad to finally be making some real headway on it! I have no idea how many parts this is going to have. I have a lot of plot planned for it, so we're just gonna have to see where the vibes take us!
I'd like to thank @danibee33 my angel as always. I bounced a lot of royal/medieval/king König ideas off of her, some of which I still may use, but I changed the plot drastically when I had an epiphany a week or two ago. Hope you like this one babe <3 Also, thank you @kneelingshadowsalome and @gremlingottoosilly for their historical/time period aus. Your fics gave me a real kick in the ass to finish this.
Also shoutout to Pedro Pascal fans? I stumbled upon some breathtakingly kinky fanfiction on this beloved hellsite featuring the Mandalorian, and thought: you know what? If people can proudly write and publish the nastiest, most shameless smut I've ever read, then I can push through whatever impostor syndrome, perfectionist embarrassment I have with my work and get it done.
As usual, please let me know your feedback! I'm trying out a bit of a different characterization for König (not that much different, he's still our beloved violent horny maniac), and I want to know what people think.
I'm also going to be using my taglist again. If you were tagged here and don't want to be tagged anymore, please let me know! And if you would like to be added to the taglist, drop a reply <3
@crowbird @poohkie90 @cumikering @iytatsworld @papaver-decervicatus @anxietyrain @riotakire @ax0lotly @cookiepie111 @kacchasu @no1runawaymilkdad @chthonian-spectre @backwards-readings @yxllowtxpe @garbau @hexqueensupreme @queenthorin1 @violetstyless @her-majesty-theking @vegan-peppermint @peonytarian @ghostslittlegf @euuuuuuun @e1x03 @kokonoiwife @deaddainish @dragonfang @teehee-47 @catluvwr
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Okay but hear me out!
Dead On Main Revolutionary Ghost Utena AU:
Canonically, Jason focuses his rage to summon the All Blade
Ghost Prince Danny would have the Ring of Rage, but not the Crown of Fire yet
I hypothesize to you that the two are connected, and not only that, but that wearing the ring allows one to draw the All Blade out of the other. Like, literally.
Because of this, summoning the All Blade of their own accord is the mark of a ghost powerful enough to be the ghost king's betrothed, and whatever other ghosts were in the running are pushed back in line as the All Blade wielder is now at the front.
It is part of ancient ceremony that predates Pariah as Ghost King and dates all the way back to the first Royal of the infinite realms, King Lazarus.
The connection itself is no more than a pull towards each other, a fascination at most to make an easier base to build a genuine and in this case, human connection.
To become actually engaged Jason would have to willingly appear before the Ghost Prince and allow him to draw the All Blade out of him, something he is not very excited for and might actually have other lasting impact besides the engagement.
Y'see Jason isn't a halfa the way Danny is, he came back twice in a short amount of time between those two instances, and while the second time was Lazarus induced, no one really knows how he woke up in his grave and broke himself out. There are theories but Clockwork was watching and even he doesn't seem to know for sure, so it's really anyone's guess.
So what the engagement ceremony could do, potentially, is either solidify his halfa status by sheer amount of ectoplasm transfered by the act, or alternatively it could just kill him on the spot and then he'd probably become a full ghost.
Now, neither of these sound great to Jason, but he also doesn't like that a bunch of ghosts have been trying to fight him for their Prince's hand in marriage, something they can only do while the Prince is still not engaged to anyone.
Meanwhile, Danny doesn't appreciate that as soon as he came of age all these marriage proposals started being thrown at him, he's known some of these ghosts since he was a teenager so that's really weird for one, and he gets that most of them are just trying to secure their happiness and not to mention their future safety as the mortal world seems to be moving on with the anti ecto act, which had lead many a specter to retreat back to the realms, causing a lot of unrest as the realms become more crowded and politically tense between factions who have not needed to interact for a while now.
It would seem the Amity portal and even Danny fighting the ghosts and sending them back through it was the break many of the realms' denizens desperately needed, but now with that option no longer being safe, as even their king can't protect them from the GIW when they're gaining so much support from governments across the world, tensions are running high in the realms and it seems that it's every ghost for themselves.
Danny doesn't really resent any of the ghosts for doing what they feel they must to make sure they aren't destroyed in what is shaping out to be a realms wide war at this point, even as he works overtime with his council to prevent that from happening, and he understands they obviously don't expect any actual marital kind of relationship from him, which is at least a little reassuring even if the idea of being married to any of them is still very weird, but he can't help but think there could be a better solution here that he's missing.
And then he feels it, a pull telling him he's overlooked something, someone important.
It's like a fire engulfing his ice core but not burning it somehow, just as it does not cool the fire around it.
Two opposite forces meant to cancel each other out, somehow instead keeping perfect equilibrium with one another.
He talks to Frostbite and Clockwork and finds out what that pull is and takes their advice to follow it.
Jason doesn't realize he just altered the source of all his recent problems to his location as he draws the All Blade to fend off yet another "challenger to the Prince's hand" whatever the hell that means, as finally one of them was dumb enough to try to use actual magic against him.
However, he soon feels the answering pull back from Danny as the latter decides to use the power in his ring to open the portal, feeling that this candidate should at least know he's coming to talk to him.
It's almost the opposite, he feels the fire of the pit madness flaring a bit, but instead of immediately trying to spread, to threaten to consume him unless he tempers it himself, it is still burning just as strong and wild, but kept in one place by an icy chill, an aura of cold, clear fury and calm in equal measure, it doesn't thaw from the fire anymore than his fire dies from the lack of heat around it.
They sustain each other, impossibly.
So Jason and Danny finally meet and give each other the rundown of their side of things and agree that maybe the best bet to not only stop ghosts from attacking Jason and proposing to Danny, but perhaps the key to overthrowing the GIW so the realms' denizens don't have to afterlive in fear and portals can be reinstated to allow travel through the realms and back, not to mention keeping the GIW from going after Jason himself who by their definition is certainly considered an ecto entity, is in fact to go through with the Ring and Blade ceremony.
Jason, at this point, is more of Earth than Danny, who has unfortunately had to step back from his normal mortal life when he turned 18 to take care of realms business, despite still only being Prince.
He was meant to have more time but with the GIW advancing like they had been it was in the realms' best interest as well as his own that he decree the realms going no contact with humans for the foreseeable future.
It's been nearly 3 years since then and they are still getting ghosts back from parts of the world who have been avoiding humans as much as they can.
As soon as he turned 21 all this ghost marriage nonsense has has been making his job of protecting the ghosts in all the realms a lot more difficult, so when ghosts realized he didn't want to be challenged every day for his hand, they went to the next best thing, the top candidate.
Now, Phantom was saying that he's gonna marry the guy they've all been trying to defeat (and failing, to his credit, so at least he was worthy of being top pick)
A lot of them were upset or disappointed, but he explained how this arrangement could potentially help out everyone in the long run and most got on board when they heard the new plan.
Now the only problem is that getting engaged, as mentioned previously, is a ceremony that could prove dangerous to Jason and "not to be insensitive about it, but if you die and become a ghost that sorta defeats one of the main purposes of us even doing this." Danny points out.
"So what's our plan, Your Majesty?" "It's Royal Highness, I'm not king yet, thank the ancients for that." "Yeah yeah, so what are we doing, Your Royal Whinyness?" "Rude. Anyway, there's a chance you might become a full halfa during the process, that means getting a second form and a fully developed core and powers besides the All Blade, which would be better than you dying. So the best way to ensure that outcome, as much as any outcome can be guaranteed anyway, is to start the process of making you a halfa before the ceremony."
"Okay? How do we do that?" "Well, we gotta get some ecto in you - " "aren't you made of that? This better not be a pickup line" "no, not like that! I told you, this marriage doesn't have to be anything more than a contract, I'm about as thrilled about having to get married to save my people as you are about doing this to stop ghost from kicking your ass on a weekly basis." "Excuse me? I won all those fights!" "Yeah, after getting tossed into brick walls 5 times per ghost" "not every ghost tossed me into walls. Box Bitch did throw crates at me tho, that hurt." "Holyshit, Boxy is not messing around anymore huh? Well, makes sense, he's a father now. He doesn't wanna raise his little girl in these conditions. Still glad he lost, but I'm surprised Lunch Lady even agreed to him trying."
So they start Jason on his ecto diet and in the meantime the batfam is brought up to date about everything that's happening and they get to work, Batman gathers the JL to push back on the GIW's fuckery and all of Jason's siblings have an engagement party and a bachelor bash to plan. The girls decide to plan a Bachelorette party for Danny because he deserves to have a break as well.
Jason hates his stupid family, but Danny seems happy to be part of one again after so long, so he sucks it up and plays along.
It's possible that maybe while preparing and planning and helping each other and working together, Jason has gotten to know and developed a fondness for Danny.
Okay so maybe he's a sappy fuck who fell head over heels in love with him in the span of like a month, but this is still just a contract to Danny, and Jason isn't going to push for or expect anything more. Danny doesn't need that kind of stress in his life rn.
Danny has been freaking out since he met his soon to be husband because holyshit that's Red Hood, that is THE Red Hood! No wonder he passed the trial of the All Blade, and the way that fire burned around Danny's core, a fire he now recognized as the warmth answering from Jason's own, made him realize that this is way more than just a contract to him. Still, he'd been part of the realms for a lot longer than Jason ans he was their future king. Jason as part of this contract would be his equal but until the marriage was sealed, he was still technically Jason’s superior. And it didn't feel right to take adventage of that and suddenly change the terms of this deal, to make Jason in any way feel pressured by Danny's own feelings. No, this was just a contract, like Jason wanted it to be. He would keep that promise to him.
Jazz and Babs get together to help their idiot baby brothers figure out their unrequited love is actually very much mutual pining and they're just being stupid.
Anyway the marriage ceremony is a different ritual from the engagement ceremony, the All Blade wielder summons it and presents it to the wearer of the ring, who sheaths it back into the summoner's core, symbolizing that they both have power over the Blade but it belongs to its wielder, and even the king himself may not keep it without permission. The Blade as a manifestation of Jason's will.
(And as a bonus, we know Jason is a literary nerd so he recognizes and appreciates the romance novel tropes happening to him, especially in the high king's court, but he is not a weeb. So I don't think he'd recognize the Utena references happening to him. But you know who I think would? You know who is a weeb who loves swords and is soooo jealous of Todd and his husband right now? It's Damian. Damian's fucking seething that he doesn't get a magic sword. He's so pissed and it's very funny.)
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Hi. I saw this post asking for a fic that changed one's brain chemistry. Now there are a lot of fics I like; over 2000 bookmarked on ao3. And a lot of fics I love; I have 400+ of those fics tagged 'fave'. Of those 400, there are only around two dozen I would say legitimately changed me as a person. 1% changed the way I saw relationships and the world, changed the way I read and write. And I couldn't narrow it down to one - or ten - and didn't want to dump in OP's tags. So have this list of fics that permanently changed who I am as a person.
Warning: I love long fics, and some of these are the same specific tropes that I love or that really affect me personally (ex. arranged marriage). Expect angst, and especially angst with a happy ending. That said these fics are all objectively amazing.
(sorry to people who don't like long fics, but we are simply not the same. and that's OK.)
listed in order of fandom, then length.
Banshee In A Well - 43k, complete, DC, Tim Drake. Childhood trauma, childhood trauma, came back wrong/can't stop coming back! Tim is a little FREAK and I luv him.
straight on 'til morning - 102k, complete, DC, timkon/Kon-El. This is within the niche genre that for some reason appeals to me specifically, of characters having a LOT of feelings about sex and dealing with it poorly.
variations on a theme - 5k, complete, MCU, ironstrange. This is one of the fics that made me truly love ironstrange. Stephen sees through millions of possibilities and in doing so, falls in love with Tony. Evocative, beautiful, succinct.
The Art of Losing - 33k, complete, Red White and Royal Blue, firstprince. This fic made me cry. This fic BROKE MY HEART. And I WENT BACK TO IT. Multiple times! This is a breakup fic that breaks you down then puts you back together. You will come out different, and only you can say if it's for the worse or the better.
With so much of my heart (that none is left to protest) - 65k, complete, Red White and Royal Blue, firstprince. There are so many firstprince fics that essentially translate the events of the book into a different setting. And I love all of them. (My own fic, then fucking have me, also does this, self plug self plug self plug). I had to narrow this selection down to just one, and this is probably my absolute favorite.
You Don't Have To (Say Yes) - 192k, complete, Star Trek, spirk/Jim Kirk. This is within the niche genre that for some reason appeals to me specifically, of characters having a LOT of feelings about sex and dealing with it poorly (yeah, again).
THE MARRIAGE OF TRUE MINDS - 262k, complete, Star Trek, spirk. Star Trek arranged marriage epistolary fic. I read this 4 years ago, and I STILL think of a line from this fic constantly (we're aligned, we're aligned, we're aligned). If you don't read anything else for the rest of your life, read this.
DON'T THE WAVES PULL THE SAND? DON'T THE MOON PULL THE TIDES? - 58k, complete, Star Wars, finnpoe. I don't even go here. And yet. And yet. This is within the niche genre that for some reason appeals to me specifically, of characters having a LOT of feelings about sex and dealing with it poorly (yeah, AGAIN).
Not Part of the Plan - SERIES, 8 works, 337k, complete. Supernatural, destiel. This is an arranged marriage fic au series, that started with a oneshot pwp, and somehow grew into a sprawling, world and character building EPIC. And that to me is always a marker of quality. You KNOW it's good if the author couldn't stop themselves.
wander your own land - 379k, incomplete, Yellowjackets, shaunajackie and others. I told you I like long fics. Girl survival situationships, cannibalism, jealousy, cabin fever, hallucinations, trying to keep a fucking baby alive in some of the worst possible circumstances.
Infinite Variations of a Summer Day - 76k, complete, X-Men, Pietro Maximoff. I love Pietro, he is one of my favorite characters of all time, and this is such a great character fic. See Pietro slowly driven insane in a time loop that examines his relationships with himself, his team, his family, and his powers.
drop your own recs in the notes. and if you have any suggestions for griddlehark/the locked tomb, pLEA- *gunshots*
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a history of the major deities of the world of spyre
reference the legend lore database for descriptions of each deity as they pertain to this description.
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the beginning (trapping of the eidolons)
when the world of spyre was wrought from the fabric of the universe upon the material plane, many gods sought to shape the growing world and visit upon it their blessings.
but they could not easily influence the growth of this world, not without breaking through the barriers between planes.
to weave their works into the tapestry of fate, the gods accepted the aid of the eidolons, seven sister spirits of primordial concepts, of the elements that fabricate the universe:
chronoa, the endless passage of time terra, the giving and nurturing earth pyrria, the bright and destructive flame nera, the cleansing and ever-flowing waters zefira, the free and encompassing air anima, the beginning of all life talura, the ending of all things
the seven sisters shaped the world to the gods' will, bending the elements to new forms. for a time, the sisters served as the hands of the gods, instruments of divine will on the world of mortals.
after centuries of these workings, mortals began to realize the power of the eidolons, the primordial beings from the dawn of time. they united with them, sharing the desire for mortal will to influence the world. (note: this event led to the first genasi in the world of spyre)
when mortals had become too powerful by harnessing the power of the eidolons, certain infernal deities allied with the neutral deities to see the eidolons reduced in power, to take awat their ability to interfere with mortal affairs.
when it seemed that the eidolons were doomed to eternal suffering, the dwarven god logran soulforger, blacksmith of the universe, he who forms the stars that populate the skies, created a merciful prison for the seven sisters. a crucible; to choose a trapped life or disperse into infinity, losing a finite will and joining the fabric of the cosmos.
in return, logran took on the duties of forming the cosmos into his own hands, where it might remain safe and whole, even as his clerics languished in his absence.
the sisters were trapped in these enchanted mirrors, and given the choice. all, save talura, the ending of all things, chose infinite escape from the mirrors.
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the union of the pantheon (marriage of ankarna and cassandra)
at a time when the world and its peoples were young, two goddesses fell in love. ankarna, of the dawn, of fairness, justice, and conviction, and cassandra, of the night, of magic, mystery, and doubt. these goddesses, of different peoples but shared in love of the world and each other.
the goddesses came to wed in fallinel, attended by their respective sisters, ruvina and galicaea. the marriage ceremony was performed by sol, the brother of galicaea and cassandra, who sought to join the deities of sylvaire and the mountains of chaos, to bring a united pantheon to the peoples of spyre, from the elves, to the humans, to the sylvan tribes, to the giantkin.
for centuries after, the many peoples of spyre lived in harmony, witness to this blessed union of night and day.
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the war of shattered stone (fall of ankarna)
a millennium before the present day, clerics of sol journeyed to meet with warriors of the house of sunstone, to share in divine thought, that the house of sunstone might be best served by shifting the domain of the goddess ankarna.
this resulted in the reconstitution of ankarna as an infernal deity rather than a celestial--a consequence of this shift in domain was the separation of ankarna from cassandra. she left behind the dawn and justice for the inciting power of rage and conquest that her people, the royal house of sunstone, might use in their imperial pursuits. his change was opposed by clerics of other deities, but most notably by the clerics of ruvina from the house of frostblade.
as the war drew to its climax, the followers of ankarna expressed dissatisfaction with her lack of animosity towards her wife, cassandra and her sister, ruvina.
the war concluded with the sundering of the cliffs of colcath, as the house of sunstone fled from the mountains of chaos, chased by agents of the frostblade and the many subjugated tribes of giantkin.
belief in ankarna finally perished with the death of her last believer in the red waste.
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the sylvarian heresy and first rise of kalvaxus (fall of cassandra and rise of the nightmare king)
over a century after the war of shattered stone, war came again to spyre during the last great sylvan war. the tribes of sylvaire, the centaurs, treants, sprites, and wood elves, came into conflict over the correct means of worship for the goddess of mystery.
high elven clerics of galicaea approached the leaders of the tribes in the midst of the conflict and brought a prospective solution: the destruction of the name of the goddess of mystery, for was it not a heresy to know the name of that which is unknown.
to protect herself before this ritual came to pass, the goddess performed multiple great trans-substantiations on her symbols of power:
her spellbook, the cursed coin that carried her influence to the minds of the dreaming her familiar, the plague of the shadow cat, who lived among the illusions and sought the return of her deity her cottage, a curse to abjure the celestial from the forest of sylvaire, that the gods would not be able to seize her power again her broomstick, the tree at the center of the forest, that twisted the fears of those intruding upon her holy forest her name, the crown which symbolized her presence on the material plane and anchored her as a deific being
as her followers destroyed her name, the goddess performed her final trans-substantiation and became the nightmare king, the king of the dark dreaming, who was fae to the undead and undead to the fae, who fought for the abyssal in the blood war, who mastered the illusory arts and lived in the shadows of the world of spyre.
the nightmare king served as a lieutenant to kalvaxus in his imperial rise, solving arcane conundrums and capturing hapless civilians in dreams. as a gift, the nightmare king bestowed the trans-substantiated coin upon kalvaxus' hoard, that it might share in the collective curse of dragon madness and find the furthest reaches of the world.
some brave souls managed to get the crown and dispel the magic on it, without ending the curse on sylvaire. thus, a group of infernal warlocks created a boundary around the forest of the nightmare king to attempt to stop the spread of the curse, keeping anything from entering or leaving the forest without the permission of a high-ranking devil.
after the fall of kalvaxus, the nightmare king shifted back into the shadows, living as a source of fear for the world of spyre, while the crown was kept in the office of arthur aguefort.
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the second rise of kalvaxus (fall of sol and creation of yes!)
around five centuries after the council of chosen first defeated kalvaxus, the stirrings of a plan for his second rise came to fruition. the elven oracle eleminthindriel had prophesied thus:
when kalvaxus once again beholds his glittering treasure and seven maidens are once more chained at the mouth of his lair when war befalls the realm and a king and queen are crowned anew in solace then will the emperor of the red waste be released from bondage his destruction will know no bound the sun shall fall from the heavens and the world as we know it shall perish forever.
while agents of kalvaxus worked to fulfill the prophecy, the fall of the sun originated from the first death of the blessed saint kristen applebees, and the subsequent sacrifice of arthur aguefort.
aguefort borrowed kristen’s status as the chosen of helio to arrive in the plane of elysium by subterfuge. after kristen returned to the prime material, aguefort remained in heaven and struck sol down from his heavenly office. he continued to run the daily goings-on of sol’s domain for the better part of a year, before returning to the prime material.
on the night of the “prompocalypse” kalvaxus completed the terms of the prophecy with the aid of his allies and was faced by the adventuring party known as the bad kids; when all but one of the party had gone unconscious, kristen applebees was summoned to the heavens in a moment of divine intervention. she discovered aguefort’s subterfuge in sol’s office.
the saint herself entered the void of astral space and formed a new deity, of enthusiastic affirmation in the face of an uncaring world. this deity was borne into existence as sol fell from the heavens in the wake of arthur aguefort’s return to the material plane, but died soon after, as kristen’s worship was remanded to that of the helioic faith, in the guise of yes!/yes?
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the return of the nightmare king (reconstitution of cassandra)
on the night of the “prompocalypse”, agents of the nightmare king stole the crown of the nightmare king from arthur aguefort’s office, thereby removing the abjurative protections that had prevented attempts at summoning the nightmare king back to the prime material.
in the midst of war between solace and fallinel, agents of the nightmare further spread the curses that constituted the great trans-substantiations, causing widespread possessions and growth of the threat of the nightmare king’s return.
the adventuring party known as the bad kids traced these threats to the source: the shadow cat kalina, and her allies, the abernant family. these adventurers followed the summoners of the nightmare king into sylvaire, where they dispelled each of the great curses in turn and attempted to halt the summoning of the nightmare king.
the blessed saint kristen applebees, upon entering the forest of the nightmare king, communed with the lingering spirit of the unnamed goddess. due to this, she faced death at the hands of the great unicorn. she conversed with galicaea and sol in elysium before rejecting their worship and resurrecting herself from pure spirit to flesh and blood.
after the party struck down the nightmare king’s allies, the blessed saint proved the connection between the nightmare king and the unnamed goddess and opened herself up to worship of the unnamed goddess. she communed with the goddex, naming them cassandra and reconstituting them in the prime material as a deity rather than a deific being.
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summoning of kahaerin (destruction of leviathan)
the storm king kahaerin, known for his wrath, sought the return of his beloved daughter, who succumbed to the depths of the dark sea centuries ago as a marble relief, a statue reaching for the sky, for the embrace of her father; legends tell of her turn to stone as she ran across the waves, sinking down beneath the ocean.
any who brought the statue above the briny depths of umberlee would see divine storms, of power and anger never seen before.
followers of the storm king, led by the archdruid alamaria, sought to reunite the storm king with his daughter through a divine ritual; a storm summoned to manifest the storm king over the celestine sea. this group cooperated with a group of merchants that sought to sink leviathan--the sacrifice of lives in the city's fall would aid the infernal ritual, that fed upon the souls of captured tieflings.
residents of the shipwreck city took offense to the destruction of their home and beat back those who sought to sink it by interrupting the ritual and returning the souls of the captured tieflings; the last of the daughter of storms was seen in umberlee's maw, in unknown depths of the celestine sea.
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release of talura (infinite expanse of the eidolons)
the prophecy of the second rise of kalvaxus detailed the capture of seven maidens pure at the mouth of his lair. these maidens, as they broke from their chains, witnessed the release of talura as she mourned the loss of her dear sisters.
for many months did talura lie in wait, forming unnatural abominations of creatures in the mountains of chaos. as she searched for remnants of her sisters in finite form, she happened upon one of those very maidens, and gave to her a promise that they might be able to stay together as sisters, in exchange for a quest that might alter the fabric of reality.
in her fury at her sister's absence, talura took the power of her new pact and unleashed death upon the world of spyre, consolidating power in the necronomikron and drawing her sisters to her.
the party of seven maidens faced the trials of the necronomikron, enduring talura's manipulations of her sisters each in turn through both their own skill and timely divine intervention. talura was struck down by the maidens working in concert with her sister, and was guided to the infinite by her own warlock, sam nightingale.
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communion of logran soulforger (rise of the prophet ostentatia)
in the mythos of logran soulforger, he was an absent deity, too busy with the construction of creation to give words to his followers. clerics of the god of the forge contented themselves with prayer and the fulfillment of his eternal philosophy:
many miracles were granted to the world, and to mortal beings did [He] grant the greatest miracle of all: that the world might be reshaped through love and work.
a young cleric by the name of ostentatia wallace sought out former clerics of logran soulforger, including the three pilgrims of the temple of the earth defiant: asha hammerheart, kora ironbrow, and yvonna of the sundering hills. through their counsel, ostentatia was able to commune with logran in his divine workshop, the first cleric to do so in millennia.
upon meeting logran, ostentatia chose to aid in the creation of the works of the universe, not making demands nor shirking the work of her position. she thereby transcended her status as a cleric to become a prophet of the forge and share in the work of creation.
———————————
attempted apotheosis (restoration of ankarna)
descendants of the royal house of sunstone survived to become the clan of cliffbreaker, memorializing their defeat at the sundering of the cliffs of colcath. one member of the family, who went by the name porter cliffbreaker, sought to restore the legacy of the clan by resurrecting ankarna in her warped form and striking her down to take his place as a new deity of war. he fashioned himself a champion of ankarna, that he might make her body anew from the earth and draw her from the astral plane to the material.
the ritual involved nine distinct elements to bring ankarna forth from her dead form in the astral sea:
the goddess awakes where a god was borne her divine weaponry shaped for war with angry followers seeking her rise and physical domain brought to the skies a song to bring forth bountiful rage her spouse enshrouding in nurturing cage the word of her name-blessing champion the vessel's form altered for ascension and her name divine from ages of old in storm and fire must be told
porter and his allies, who had undergone a ritual to incite them to rage and grant them deific power, attempted to invoke the name of ankarna. they were initially stymied by the trickery of ankarna's true champion, figueroth faeth, the archdevil of rebellion, who granted them the false name bacarath in order to protect her deity.
the archdevil arrived with her party (the bad kids) in time to strike down porter's allies and commune with the goddess herself; she was aided by the blessed saint kristen applebees, who communed with cassandra, the spouse of ankarna, and beseeched her aid in casting doubt upon porter.
this communion successfully brought ankarna to the material plane in her original aspect, as a deity of dawn and justice. ankarna struck the usurper from existence and took form alongside her beloved to found a new pantheon, of dawn and twilight, doubt and conviction.
———————————
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lawsofchaos1 · 5 months
Text
Malec Promptlet: Royal AU
Asmodeus is the High King of Edom, a brutal and immoral overlord.
Edom conquered Idris two years ago after a long and protracted war, ended by the public execution of the King and Queen, Robert and Maryse Lightwood.
Alexander Lightwood, the Crown Prince and High General, is spared by Asmodeus, but only with the intention of having him serve as a living symbol of Idris' defeat by becoming the personal servant of Edom's own Crown Prince, Magnus Bane.
Prior to the war's end, Alec was able to send his siblings to safety in a neutral country across the sea, DuMort, even though he had to all but beg his sister and his shield-brother, Jace, to go. Alec had known that they were losing, the magic of Edom too powerful to fight much longer, and he'd played every emotional trick he could to make sure Jace and Izzy left their country and him behind. Max would need both of them with him to survive as a legitimate blood heir of a fallen kingdom.
Alec hadn't expected to survive himself.
But, when Asmodeus demands he bend the knee in the same room as his parent's bodies, Alec understands the trade at hand - his dignity for his remaining people's survival.
It's an easy decision for Alec to make.
The journey from Idris to Edom is hard, but Alec holds fast and eventually they make it to Edom's capital and he is thrown to the mercy of the Crown Prince's household. Every so often Asmodeus trots Alec out for some public humiliation, to prove Edom's superiority in front of visiting rulers wondering whether to take the offered treaty terms or risk negotiation, but for the most part everything is ... fine.
Magnus, as it turns out, is a kind master and Alec has no complaints.
As the seasons turn and begin to repeat, Magnus and Alec grow to be friends, confidantes even, though Alec is never truly able to forget the precariousness of his situation. Magnus desperately wants to be more, but he also knows that Alec doesn't have the power to say no, so he contents himself as they are. 
Magnus dreams of Alec being confident enough in their firm friendship and trust to perhaps want to be together as well, dreams even more secretly of the two of them ruling one day together as fully equal partners.
(Alec refuses to admit, even to himself, that he often dreams of similar tidings.) 
One night, however, Asmodeus calls Alec to serve him in his private rooms with a group of counselors and visiting officials from their southern neighbor. Magnus sadly watches Alec go, knowing exactly why Asmodeus wants Alec tonight of all nights. Negotiation begins tomorrow on a trade treaty, and watching Idris' fallen prince kneel to an enemy king is a powerful reminder of what it can cost to refuse Asmodeus' wishes.
Magnus goes to sleep, wishing futilely he was able to help without making things infinitely worse, hoping Alec will be well and whole in the morning.
It seems like his head has just touched the pillow when Magnus is woken up, suddenly and shockingly, the embers of the previous evening's fire providing just enough light to see by. Jolting up, heart racing, Magnus' mouth drops open to see Alec kneeling prostrate at the side of his bed.
Alec is frantic, broken apologies mixing in with barely intelligible explanations of something Magnus can't even begin to understand, so frantic and terrified is his friend. Magnus doesn't know what to do because Alec is shaking and trembling, and, even in those first days when Alec had thought he was to be executed and his people punished at the first mistake he'd made, he'd never been like this.
Magnus tries to comfort him, making calming sounds and promising that everything will be okay, but Alec doesn't seem to hear him. Alec won't rise and Magnus hates it because this is how servants react to his father, so he slips to his knees at Alec's side.
Thanking all the gods that Alec doesn't flinch at his touch - Magnus doesn't know what he would do if Alec did - the story finally comes tumbling out, Alec still refusing to meet his eyes.
Asmodeus and his retinue had been drunk, but Alec is well enough used to that. The casual slurs and violence they throw his way are what Alec has come to expect when he is called to serve the King.
(Magnus is livid at this unthinking confirmation. Alec is too quiet, too resigned to complain, has never mentioned this to him before - though Magnus had certainly suspected - and Magnus can do nothing but seethe helplessly as Alec mentions it as though it is nothing.)
But something had changed midway through the evening - there'd been a new horror lurking in the glint of Asmodeus' eyes. He'd grabbed Alec the next time he'd been close enough and forced him on his lap, laughing and wondering to the crowd exactly how well the Crown Prince of Idris would warm his bed.
Alec had panicked.
He keeps apologizing to Magnus and Magnus has a sudden, horrified image of Alec having grabbed a knife and slit his father's throat and the two of them having to run to escape charges of attempted regicide (because obviously Magnus isn't letting Alec run away by himself), but Alec keeps going and finally Magnus understands what had happened.
Alec claimed himself to be Magnus' bed slave instead- the only thing the King would have accepted as a reason for Alec to say no. Alec has no rights of his own in Edom. Only if Alec already belonged to Magnus, a possession that would irritate Magnus if someone else used it, could he refuse.
But Asmodeus won't hide this.
Asmodeus will think it hilarious, and Magnus heart stutters in his chest because he can't deny it without condemning Alec to the executioner's block now that it's been said.
Everyone will believe that Magnus cares not for consent and has chosen to use a former Prince and defeated enemy in the basest way possible.
And he cannot deny it.
But Magnus swallows his horror and holds Alec to his chest, running his hand soothingly across Alec's back until the trembling subsides and his exhausted friend is nearly falling asleep in his arms.
Tomorrow will be one of the hardest days of Magnus' life, but he will do anything to spare Alec from his father.
Anything.
[Insert Happy Malec Ending]
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aldbooks · 2 months
Text
A bit Helion angst for you this morning…
Helion was not a fool. From the first moment he'd seen the boy across a crowded ballroom while they both played the charming courtier, he'd sensed the power hidden deep within him and the invisible chains which kept it there. It hadn't taken but a small effort in logical reasoning for him to understand what it meant, and only a small effort more to understand why it had remained a secret.
For centuries, he had kept that secret, doing his best to keep his distance lest anyone suspect while eagerly drinking down every bit of news or gossip that reached him about the boy who was rapidly growing into an almost universally loved and respected male. It killed him to be so separated from both his mate and his son, but for both of their safety, he would endure almost anything.
Then came Amarantha, and Under the Mountain.
He'd been present the day that started it all. When Lucien Vanserra, brash and confident, had almost gleefully informed the witch of his friend's refusal of her proposal. The way he'd insulted her so boldly to her face might have been amusing if not for what happened next. How he'd managed to hold himself back despite his near blinding rage, he couldn't say. Perhaps that small logical part of his brain had known that attempting to interfere with a female infinitely more powerful than him would not have ended well for anyone. He'd been nothing then really, a distant member of the royal family, always welcome to their table but of no true importance...
Of course, it wasn't long after that the accursed masquerade ball was held and they were all plunged into the witch's wretched curse. A few months later he suddenly found himself the unexpected High Lord of Day, brimming with power he was unable to use. He had wondered and worried then how Lucien was dealing with the increase in power he had surely received as the new heir. Wondered if he understood what it meant. Wondered if he could control it, or if it might yet give away the secret he and his mother had fought so long to keep hidden. Yet everytime the fox showed his face, not one hint of what he was appeared, and Helion prayed it would stay that way even as he was forced to watch his son suffer further indignities while his brothers sneered and laughed at his torment.
What came after Amarantha might have been worse.It wasn't just the battle with Hybern while his son was off on the continent Gods knew where, looking for a queen who might have been impossible to find, or the High Lord's meeting when he'd come face to face with his estranged mate, unable to speak to her. It wasn't even the knowledge that Lucien had found his mate and yet seemed doomed to the same fate of being forever separated from her.
It was knowing he now had the power to rival Beron's and still somehow being unable to do anything about it.
Another war came upon them in the form of a death god and Helion began to despair that his broken family might never be whole again as they all perished to a seemingly insurmountable threat. But fate, it seemed, had other plans.
Through a combination of efforts and luck on the parts of many, their world finally found themselves facing the possibility of true peace. And his son was at the center of it's heros. By another stroke of luck, Beron's own sons had solved the issue of freeing his mate from the hateful male's hold and he now found himself standing in front of the family he had been so afraid of losing, unsure how to claim them for his own.
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hyenafu · 3 months
Note
I have to ask. What would it have been like if Sakido survived her escape from Hell? Like, how much would she have added if she was alive and with Rhea and Buwaro?
❗ Spoilers for my webcomic, Slightly Damned ❗ Darius would have had no idea where his children went. He would have no way of finding out unless he happened to meet Rhea somewhere. (page 894). Sakido was strong enough to carry both Buwaro and Rhea while flying. They could have easily flown over Fuzen'ro Forest and missed Kieri entirely. Kieri would not have survived without being found by Buwaro (page 147). Without Kieri, Buwaro may have never learned to read (page 857, page 1073). Both Rhea and Sakido easily lose their tempers when dealing with his bubbly and naive personality. Kieri is infinitely patient and gentle with him in a way that the others aren't. Taking advice from Rhea, Buwaro's desire for a relationship with Kieri motivates him to self improve (page 346, page 347, page 348). Having a relationship with Kieri is what motivates him to seek a way to end the war between Demons and Angels peacefully (page 952, page 956). Buwaro felt profound grief and loss when Sakido died. The experience of losing her permanently changed him. He felt guilty for not paying more attention to her needs, and became the emotionally sensitive lovebug we all know today (page 871, page 944). If Sakido lived, when would Buwaro have started growing up?
When Sakido died, Rhea promised she would take care of Buwaro in her place (page 92). With Sakido alive, Rhea might not feel an obligation to stick with the Demon siblings, seeing that she was free in Medius again. Either way, Rhea would have no reason to return to the Fuzen'ro Forest Jakkai village. She and J would likely travel together directly to Ghardin City to reunite with Ramirez (page 585). Sammy could still have saved the Fairy sisters, Eve and Willow, with the help of her family, The Sinclairs. But Buwaro, Kieri, and Rhea would not have gotten Eve's royal blessing, which is somehow detectable even by Fairies who have never met them before and makes them easy to identify (page 669). Miranda Sinclair would not have been able to make The Rainbow Reverie without harvesting ingredients from Kieri and Buwaro (page 446). Without the Green Rainbow Reverie potion, Lakritz would have died from his injuries (page 728). Rhea would have never drank the Yellow Rainbow Reverie potion, which jumpstarted her transformation into a snake as a result of being a direct descendant of Moku, the Earth Snake Guardian (page 827). Tsavo would not have been able to get a sample of the Red Rainbow Reverie potion for his research into controlling berserk Demons (page 829). If Buwaro and Sakido somehow met Iratu in St. Curtis, there are signs that it would not have gone well. Sakido used to be an elite warrior in Hell (page 90), but she left and lived as an outcast in The Ring of the Slightly Damned. When she flies toward the pillar of light to escape Hell with Buwaro and Rhea in tow, one Demon calls her a "crazy bitch" and assumes that Sakido has arrived to stop the Ascension ritual (page 90). Meanwhile, Iratu and the other antagonistic Demons are the ones doing the Ascension rituals (page 774).
...but really, there's an infinite number of ways you could tell a version of Slightly Damned where Sakido stayed alive. That's just not the story I chose to write. I planned to kill Sakido from the start. I had decided on it before the comic began. The chain of events that unfolded and the character development that followed were built with Sakido's death as part of their foundation.
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popatochisssp · 8 months
Note
tell us more about underfell fruition? :)
tw for confinement and medical abuse and abuse in general
Underfell Fruition
A young Sans’ attempt to escape his creator, the Royal Scientist, is a failure.
No one hears anything about it.
Life continues as normal for everyone Underground, with few exceptions.
A handful of shop owners around the Capital and the researchers working in the Royal Labs may notice that Dr. Gaster is sending a lot of new interns around on his errands instead of the young skeleton he had doing it, but nobody is especially surprised—the only surprising thing about it is that the guy had lasted so long.
The Royal Scientist gets bored of his interns easily, and everyone knows that.
Gaster is and continues to be a force to be reckoned with, a fearsome reputation and easily the power and ruthlessness to back it up.
They say he’s loyal only to Emperor Asgore himself, and he considers anyone less as utterly beneath him, minions to do his bidding and stepping stones along his path.
(Fodder for his experiments, the rumors say too, but there’s no evidence of that.)
(He’s far too careful for there to be evidence.)
Asgore allows the Royal Scientist the freedom to operate as he pleases, in spite of the doctor’s somewhat ill repute, for all the impressive work he does with the carte blanche he’s given, resulting in significant military advancements for monsterkind.
As the years go by, Gaster happily proves his worth, producing many innovations that will be invaluable when the time comes to seize the final human soul, shatter the Barrier, and take back the Surface by force.
His most famed creation is a device which produces magic limitlessly, boundless energy for its user to draw upon as if it were their own, infinite bullets and fighting potential without tiring or running dry—no one knows what it looks like save the Emperor and the Captain of the Royal Guard, but they vouch that it does exactly as advertised.
Gaster is still working on expanding the use of the device to more than one monster at a time, but its potential is clear.
In the meantime, while he gets the math to work on that, he hasn’t been idle.
His latest feat of engineering, painstakingly perfected, is a living war-machine that he calls 2P.
2P, while not truly sentient, is capable of comprehending orders given to it and employing basic problem-solving skills and intensive physical training to obey those orders with swift, devastating precision.
An army of monster-shaped weapons of its kind is a tantalizing prospect—soldiers for the upcoming war that won’t think or feel or do anything but drive forward, with unrelenting force…
But first, it needs a field test, to see if it’s viable.
Gaster lends 2P to the services of the Royal Guard, with instructions on how to command it and to report back when—not if—it satisfies all conditions of whatever tests and trials they put it through.
Captain Undyne is…far from satisfied.
Not with 2P’s performance, of course, for its strength and speed and obedience are everything the Royal Scientist advertised it would be.
But…
There are signs she’s seeing, things she’s noticing as she works with 2P that she…really wishes she wasn’t.
2P isn’t supposed to feel pain, but she’s caught it wincing or favoring something after a heavy blow.
It isn’t supposed to think for itself, but she’s seen it in Waterfall, gazing out over the glowing pools and sparkling crystals with an expression she can only describe as ‘thoughtful.’
It’s not supposed to be sentient…but she saw it, smiling when she told her soldiers a stupid joke during training—and she saw fear in its eye-sockets when it realized she was looking, before it went coolly, irreproachably blank again.
It’s only a suspicion, a gut feeling pushing insistently through the denial, but…
Undyne doesn’t think 2P is an ‘it.’
And if ‘it’ isn’t, that’s a very, very big problem.
She can’t report this to Gaster.
If 2P is more than a living construct meant only for battle, then telling its creator, the man with complete power over it, in charge of whether it lives or dies, is the absolute last thing she should ever do.
Emperor Asgore…
Well, she trusts Asgore, but…he’s a busy monster, weighed down by duty and grief as much as he’s always been and he trusts Gaster—as questionable a choice as that is. If it came down to the Royal Scientist’s word against her ‘gut feeling’…
She needs proof.
Something solid to open an investigation over, to really do it by the book.
Luckily, she may have an in.
One of Gaster’s assistants, a former intern, with rumors flying that she could even be his successor, if she lasts long enough.
Alphys is close to the Royal Scientist, and has clearly honed the ability to keep her mouth shut—which will be very useful for Undyne if it turns out that she’s trying to open up Pandora’s Box with her digging.
The young doctor is thankfully very willing to assist with the very very hot Captain’s covert investigation and freely shares all she knows.
Definitely only in the interest of cooperating with the law.
Yes.
But well, she is suspicious of Gaster herself and has been for some time—not because of 2P, but because of his ‘magic-creating’ device.
Alphys is a scientist and its never sat right with her, the idea of magic being created from nothing. It’s not possible, it should be coming from somewhere! But her boss always brushed off her questions, and when he started giving her looks, the same kind of looks he gave people who lost their jobs and were never seen again…she stopped asking questions.
Gaster is almost certainly up to something shady, and if the Guard is getting involved, maybe now they have a chance to figure out what.
Unfortunately, Alphys wasn’t brought in until well after 2P’s completion. She was never allowed to be involved in any of his training and refinement, so she isn’t much help there…
She does make an attempt to pull up its documentation, but what she can access is heavily redacted, and the rest is locked behind Gaster’s credentials.
The most she can find is a mention of an earlier iteration, a 1S, but nothing about it beyond it being put into storage, and nothing at all after that point.
It’s most likely just a failed prototype, but it could be a place to start, if they can track it down to wherever it’s been stored.
It takes a lot more digging, some risky exploration and a bit of hacking into systems she definitely should not have access to, but Alphys manages to find what she thinks is the ‘storage’ mentioned in the notes—an extremely deep basement level of the Royal Labs, far below the other floors and not shown on any blueprints, locked up tight.
She can’t investigate further…but Undyne can.
A gut feeling isn’t cause for a search, but a secret unsanctioned dungeon beneath the labs that no one knows about with such high security…?
That’s something that warrants the Emperor’s notice.
Asgore is not best pleased to hear that his Royal Scientist has kept such a secret from him.
He orders that Gaster be detained pending further investigation, and is quite unpleasantly surprised when—even at his order—Gaster refuses to cooperate and allow access to the elevator down.
Undyne takes Alphys and 2P with her to investigate anyway. If Alphys can’t hack the door, then 2P should be able to brute-force it.
Besides, whatever’s down there… 2P’s probably seen it before and can help handle it.
What they find…is not pretty.
There’s evidence there, the dust of monsters Gaster ‘disappeared’ because they got in his way, or simply because he could.
Shambling amorphous creatures that once were monsters, Fallen Down and resurrected with DT, only to melt into each other, amalgamated beings. ‘Impervious to damage,’ the Royal Scientist had written of the poor souls he kept locked away, ‘possibly useful, further testing needed.’
And…far back, in the very last room—barely the size of a broom-closet—a skeleton.
Another skeleton, strapped down to a chair and hooked up to more monitoring equipment than even Alphys has seen at one time before.
This one is nothing at all compared to 2P, short where 2P is tall, frail where 2P is sturdy, sickly-looking and seemingly half-dead where 2P is strong and healthy and alive.
“Th-this…must be 1S—”
“SANS.”
The captain and the doctor both jump to realize that 2P was the one who said it.
It doesn’t speak again though, for all that it’s staring very intently at the other skeleton in room, utterly frozen and immovable in the face of this sick and terrible discovery.
Because…the thing is…
………
He was just…gone, one day.
Their creator never spoke his name again.
He wouldn’t acknowledge him, that he’d ever existed.
And 2P…
He…forgot.
He tried to forget, because Sans wasn’t real.
Sans was never real, Sans was something he made up to pretend he wasn’t alone in a horrible place with a horrible man who said he wasn’t a ‘he,’ he was an ‘it’—and he had to forget any stupid ideas he had that he was anything but an object, a tool meant to take orders and obey and don’t think, never think, never want, never be anything but 2P.
Never be…
Papyrus.
He is…Papyrus.
And his brother is real.
Alive, though just barely.
1S—or, Sans, apparently, takes some time to come around from his heavily-sedated, comatose state, but all too eager to cooperate with the strange monsters hovering over him when he sees his brother is among their number.
The story as he tells it is this.
He and Papyrus were creations of the Royal Scientist, created from his body—his kids, if the man had been any less of a maniac, but since Gaster is indeed a maniac, he planned to keep them under his thumb for the rest of their lives and use them (but especially Papyrus) in all kinds of fucked up, illegal experiments, to mold them into whatever he saw as their greatest utility.
Sans tried to snatch his little brother up and run, but he got caught, and Gaster got to have his way.
Papyrus became the living war-machine dear old dad had always wanted, and Sans—who had fucked up by proving he was a stubborn, uncooperative jackass who no threat against him or his brother could seem to control—was repurposed.
See, he’d always generated magic at a pretty high rate, but after what Gaster did, he became a battery, a constantly replenishing source of energy to be drawn on at any time, an impressive little toy to win some brownie points with the Emperor and earn even freer reign to do whatever the hell he wanted, whenever he wanted.
Alphys has to double and triple-check the readings on the monitoring equipment around him to believe it, but he really is the source of Gaster’s impossible device, producing massive quantities of magic with such incredible range that (if she’s reading it right) Gaster or anyone else using it would be able to siphon his magic from miles away.
But that’s not the only thing Sans can tell them.
He also knows, and is more than happy to provide, several passwords and access codes that the Royal Scientist was too lazy or too cocky to change in the years since he put Sans under and locked him away.
Which is, of course, access to more than enough detailed and meticulously recorded evidence of Gaster’s crimes against monsterkind to shut him down.
Permanently.
The Royal Scientist is unceremoniously fired, convicted, and eventually, executed.
Alphys, who played a large role in bringing him to justice and is a brilliant and respectable scientist in her own right is ushered in as his replacement, and Undyne is given several honors for her dedication to uncovering and bringing down corruption at the highest level.
The skeleton brothers receive support—both official and unofficial—from the crown in order to integrate into society without undue hardship, after the significant hardship they already faced.
Life continues as normal, but maybe a little bit better now.
Carmine (Underfell Fruition Sans)
In poor physical condition at first due to how long he spent unconscious and immobile, but recovering mobility and independence as fast as monsterly possible (fuck the wheelchair, fuck the crutches, fuck soup, he is gonna walk his ass to a damn burger and nobody is gonna stop him)
Only vaguely aware of time having passed while comatose, but as his magic grew stronger and his range stretched, he developed an ability to poke into peoples’ heads. It’s very surface-level, mostly just skimming thoughts off the top, but he’s found himself drifting through enough monsters’ subconscious that these days, most people Underground might not recognize him but still get the feeling that he’s hauntingly familiar
Still overproducing magic at an extreme rate due to modifications made to his body, magic which he actually needs to use in large amounts regularly. If he doesn’t, he starts to physically overheat and things around him start to fritz a bit from the outpouring of excess magic, which is naturally something he’d rather avoid if possible
Eager to make up for lost time, open-minded to all kinds of new stuff he never got around to doing before he got locked up
A little bit cocky, loud and arrogant, but with just enough boyish charm and joie de vivre to pull it off…most of the time
Tank (Underfell Fruition Papyrus)
Extremely physically powerful due to biomodifications over the years as he was growing up, very tall, wide, and strong. His soul was also…adjusted, and he no longer takes damage from even the most vicious and lethal intent, only physical or magical attacks that land can harm him
Struggles significantly with free will and independent thought—largely due to how heavily punished and very not allowed any signs of choice or independence were. Slowly getting comfortable with being a person, and being allowed to be a person again, supported heavily by his brother and Undyne
Went a very long time under the impression that his brother was a figment of his imagination, and there’s some…complex feelings there, that he was real and alive and trapped the whole time and he didn’t do anything about it. Said brother doesn’t blame him in the slightest, but it may be awhile before the two of them aren’t a package deal everywhere they go
Likes things that are slow and with obvious correct ways of doing them—or at least no wrong way of doing them, so he can take it at his own pace and not be afraid of making a mistake
A little stoic and a lot intimidating, but (with a bit of patience beyond that first impression) curious and gentle and just starting to learn what it means to be himself
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holdmytesseract · 2 years
Text
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moodboard by the wonderful @mochie85 !
Baby Fever AU 《Masterlist》
The Baby Fever AU is set some time after the attack on New York. Infinity War, End Game and Thanos never happened. Loki's punishment had been to join the Avengers - where he met you. One thing came to the other and a few years later, you two are married - and now parents of a sweet girl, called Ella and a little boy called Narfi. This AU features the adventures you are expieriencing as a family - and a lot of dad!Loki moments, 'cause we all love Loki being a dad...
General Warnings: fluff, fluff and even more fluff! Pregnancy things, birth, etc.
Last Updated: May 9th, 2024
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《 Baby Fever - the Beginning 》
(How Loki's baby fever started...)
🍼 Part One
🍼 Part Two
🍼 Part Three
《 Before Ella... 》
(The oneshots here are from the time before Ella is born. Y/N's and Loki's story...)
🍼 The Beginning
🍼 You & Me Forever
🍼 Paper Rings
🍼 On one of Tony's team bonding parties...
🍼 About Time
🍼 When a God Loves a Woman
🍼 Hunter & Prey
《 The Dad Loki Diary - Chapter One 》
(What's the 'Dad Loki Diary'? The 'Dad Loki Diary' consists of drabbles and one shots of, well… Loki being Ella's dad and doing dad things. Things that come to my mind - or things that you want to read. If you have a wish what the little family should experience together, look if the requests for this AU are open and let me know! :D)
Headcanons
🍼 Disney Edition
Oneshots
🍼 Of Fathers and Sons
🍼 Daddy Takeover
🍼 Protecting Her
🍼 Father Feelings
🍼 A Precious Moment
🍼 How to Magic
🍼 A Painful Experience
🍼 First Steps
🍼 Insecurities
🍼 First Word
🍼 Not Your Little Girl Anymore
🍼 All I Need Is You
🍼 Asgardian Sightseeing Tours
🍼 Winter Wonders
🍼 A little Girl`s Wish
🍼 Merry Christmas!
🍼 A Fresh Page
🍼 Of the Birds and the Bees
🍼 Female Nature
🍼 Tempting Touch (18+)
🍼 Autumn Blues
🍼 Little Mood Changer
🍼 Capturing the Moment
🍼 Cravings & Food Rubs
Drabbles
🍼 Ella
🍼 Lullaby
🍼 He's Back - Part Two (Part One is written by @lokisgoodgirl )
🍼 Close to You
🍼 Sugar Sweet
🍼 About Scrunchies and Hair Clips
Blurbs
🍼 Ella, sitting on Loki's chest, raven locks in her tiny hands...
🍼 Loki and Y/N, sitting opposite their dining table, looking each other deadly in the eyes...
🍼 Five-year-old Ella is sitting with Loki at the small table in her room, colouring in her princesses colouring book..
🍼 Loki, laying in the bathtub with a glass of wine in hands, living his best life...
🍼 Loki, standing in the kitchen in order to prepare a little something for you to eat...
🍼 Loki, changing the nappy of a happily gurgling Ella...
🍼 The Promo Tour
《 The Dad Loki Diary - Chapter Two 》
(Well... Welcome to Chapter Two of the 'Dad Loki Diary'. :D Our favourite God is now a dad of two. <3 A new chapter in life has started for him, so I thought it's time to start a new chapter here as well! :D)
Oneshots
🧸 Narfi
🧸 Princess Meets Prince
🧸 Tummy Talkin'
🧸 The Price of Love
🧸 Royal Visitors
🧸 Bad Dream
🧸 Football Fever
🧸 The Equation of Love
🧸 Gym Sessions & Babies
🧸 Biggest Fear
🧸 Boys Do Cry
🧸 Infinite Love
🧸 A Stroke Of Fate
🧸 Little Prince
Blurbs
🧸 Y/N, tiptoeing towards the bedroom after a long and tiring day of meetings...
🧸 In the royal gardens of Asgard...
🧸 At Thor's and Jane's house; quite a few miles away from the Avengers compound...
🧸 ... and a Happy New Year!
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ming-sik · 19 days
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solemnly going back to the start of the rewrite im gonna post whenever i finish it and deleting the paragraph where i was like "so this is just gonna be a vague summary :) i might add more details later but this is just to get the AU solid in my head :)" because that is a lie. im doing summaries at the chapter level and therefore have only gotten to p3v5 in 19,000 words. im incapable of not doing this btw but to give you a taste of what im actually cooking i will do, my utmost, to summarize things in less than a thousand words:
rozemyne is born with laynoble mana that she only manages to compress to mednoble mana before her baptism, at which point she has devouring clumps, which work the same way as CAD and will also clump up if she consumes too much mana-rich stuff or channels too much mana into her body, so she's primarily reliant on magic tools and then her schtappe to get anything done. there is no cure for mana clumps, so using magic without one will always be life threatening, as mana toxicity cannot be treated with mana-rich potions or mana-infused spells. if the mana clumps add up too much, she will have a heart attack.
i'm calling this medscholar AU atp because its what's diverged almost everything substantially
hard difficulty spike on everything by taking away myne's infinite money mana and healing
hard spike on worldbuilding so you can look forward to shit like this and i have 5 dictionaries open right now
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most of part 1 is about developing an alphabet and deciding how myne is going to be trapped in either the temple or a noble contract after her baptism
part 2 she loses contact with everyone in the lower city because she enters as a grey priest. she becomes ferdinand's attendant and after learning the biblical language he allows her to become his pupil and eventually join noble society. meanwhile gilberta company develops paper based on a huge bundle of drawings and instructions myne left behind. bindewald happens then sylvester makes giebe illgner adopt her and makes a contract saying he'll take her on as a medscholar when she comes of age and can be put in charge of the printing industry.
part 3 elvira put in charge of the industry and the gang prints three whole books but in the process establishes good relations with liesegang after rozemyne invents chocolate and hartmut is introduced as is charlotte. wilfried is sent to the temple. georgine starts her scheming and plotting after someone sneaks through that veronica was imprisoned.
rozemyne enters the RA as hartmut's apprentice scholar, proving herself a star student and learning about the gods during which she starts to make contact with the gods, hartmut is taken on as charlotte's attendant on sylvester's orders. charlotte and sylvester's conflict starts to kick into high gear until charlotte snaps and contacts georgine who starts doing her thing. wilfried and gil start agitating for the rights of priests/shrine maidens. rozemyne becomes increasingly aware of the situation the royal family is in and wonders if a revolution is on the horizon. sylvester demands to know the details, hears about a world without feudalism, and after a very messy arc he decides to look into that, as well as start to try and rescue his daughter from georgine's faction. also rozemyne's like going to school and stuff, taking the scholar course, meeting the characters, participating in shenanigans. all goes wrong when hartmut is forced into a marriage with detlinde and rozemyne's shipped off to ahrensbach with him.
or does it? hartmut makes contact with lanzenave and discovers that they overthrew their colonial royal family and now have rebuilt enough that they could potentially afford another war. they're playing with fire, but they have no idea when an opportunity like a zent without a grutrissheit directly after a civil war that means population and mana are at an all-time low might come again. despite georgine's schemes and plots, after she's finally thwarted and sylvester is forced to kill her, with the combined might of the gods and idk put interesting tactics here they eventually pull it off in a climactic battle where they fight both dunkelfelger and the sovereign knight's order. then they abolish the monarchy and institute a democratic centralist party and sylvester turns directly to the screen to criticize feudalism as a system just to be safe
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bleachification · 1 year
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trojan horse - dazai
+ dazai x reader (fantasy au)
+ this is ch. two of all that glitters is not gold (the prologue)
ch. one is here: dissonance
ch. three: in reverence
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Golden armadas decorate the sea like jewels fastened upon a crystal hand, dotted plains of might and power—all at the behest of your nation’s adversary. The kingdom’s greatest foe… Prince Dazai Osamu. 
Princeling, as you used to call him. A nickname borne of affection and sullied by betrayal. 
Tonight, the royal fleet departs for its homeland with jewels, satins, and you aboard. In less than four hours, your vows will be cemented into your country’s history and the war shall halt—on paper, that is. The mere thought makes your head throb. 
Waving the useless deliberations away, you turn away from the window. A sweeping glance across the space before you elicits a tingle of discomfort that crawls up your spine and burrows its way into the back of your throat. Wooden chests and velvet cases filled with your most prized material possessions line the north-facing wall. The furniture, stripped of any and all embellishments, look like skeletons. Your room seems infinitely more spacious now that everything is packed up. Barren of comfort, you swallow at the sight. 
It is almost as if you are a stranger in your own home. 
“Is everything ready?” You ask. 
“Yes, your highness. As you requested, I have packed up all of the items written on your list,” the man behind you replies.
“Including…?”
“Yes,” he hesitates. “Although, if I may speak, your highness…”  
You turn towards the large window, gaze drifting across the sparkling cityscape wrought with peachy hues and sharp outlines. “You always do Chuuya. Go on, say what you intend.”
Chuuya runs a hand through his hair, huffing in irritation. “This is dangerous… foolish. Even for you.”
You crack a small smile at his bluntness. It is a comfort. “Did you just call me a fool?”
You’re teasing him. Just like you always have. Just like you did back when titles did not matter and your loved ones were not handpicked in favour of court politics. Back when things were much, much simpler.
Chuuya only scoffs. “You had to hear it. It may as well be from your childhood friend.”
You level your gaze at the ginger-haired man, the face you have known since birth only stares back at you, unfazed. “Ah, so you’re speaking as my friend, then? Not my personal aide?”
“And if I am?” He asks. 
“Then I appreciate your concern. But I will be fine. I have gone through much worse than that of a wedding, remember?” You raise a brow when he rolls his eyes so dramatically you fear they’ll fall out of that thick skull of his. When he doesn’t speak, you continue on, “I can handle this. I can handle him.”
“He is not the person we used to know! He never was,” Chuuya protests. 
A shooting star falls across the sky, leaving a glowing path in its wake. You make a silent wish and pray the heavens hear you. “I understand.”
“Do you really?” Skepticism coats his every word. 
You turn your head slightly, just enough so you can see him from the corner of your eye. Chuuya crosses his arms, impatiently tapping his fingers against his bicep as he expresses his disdain.
“Yes.”
Your answer only irritates him further. “If that was the case, you wouldn’t be packing belladonna in your bags and strapping daggers to your legs! If you insist on going down this path, Y/N, you could–”
“Die?” 
You are well aware of the consequences of your plans, death included. But if the cost of revenge is your life, you will gladly pay that price. 
Chuuya realizes this and his irritation fades to something softer. Something sadder—more fearful. “Yes. Precisely that. You could die.”
You step down from your windowside and make your way to Chuuya's side. Luggage litters the marble floor, causing a misstep or two. In what feels like a mere moment, the dying sunset casts the already lustrous room in a gorgeous light. Warm orange tones pour into the room like a golden tide, flooding out any and all dullness. 
You nudge his shoulder with your own, hoping to lighten the atmosphere. Chuuya looks like he’s about to go and strangle Dazai himself just to keep you from coming to harm. “You don’t believe I can do this? That I can hurt him? Bring him to his knees?”
Chuuya shuffles so that he is facing you, still scowling, still with arms crossed. “You know it’s not about that. He… Dazai is out of his mind. Who knows what he’ll do to you if he uncovers your true intentions.”
Chuuya says his name with such scorn you almost feel bad for Dazai. Almost.
“Do you really think that I’m unaware of how… cruel he is?” You pause, a distant memory floats around the back of your mind; a painful past you can never outrun, “I experienced that inhumanity firsthand, Chuuya… watched as it destroyed my family, and nearly my empire as well. I couldn’t burn the image out of my mind if I tried.” 
Your best friend falls silent. You do for a second as well, resolve hardening in the process.
“For that, he will pay. By no one’s hand but my own,” you vow. 
A hand that you have trained for years, all for the sole purpose of hurting him. To be able to bear the heavy weight of a blade—to lift it and apply just enough pressure that you are able to draw fear from his eyes and a line of red across his throat. The thought of having that much power over Dazai… it is addicting. Exhilarating. Terrifying. 
Chuuya stares at you in both irritation and concern, his nerves firing at every end as he paces the length of the room, muttering as he does so. “So damned stubborn… Cannot believe… Just like when…”
“Are you done cursing under your breath? I do still require your help with preparing for the ceremony,” you comment, rolling your eyes as his grumbles get louder. 
Chuuya practically stomps his way back to you, huffing in defiance. “If there ever was a record, let it be shown that I am vehemently against this moronic plan.”
You make a noise of agreement. “Duly noted. If that is all, will  you come help me with my cosmetics now?”
You stroll over to the cushioned seat tucked under the shimmering vanity hidden away in the corner of your room. A round mirror pebbled with milky pearls and brushed with diamond powder sits atop a glossy desk surface. The ornate piece was gifted by your father for your birthday many years before. For a second, you are glad for the marriage. For as long as it lasts, you will never have to see that sickening thing again—never to be done up on the whims of the Emperor. 
You sit down. The chair is soft—too soft—and you sink further into the cushion than desired. 
Chuuya grabs a few elaborate accessories, powders, and a shockingly large pile of fabric from the drawers and closet next to you. He drops them unceremoniously onto your empty bed and shifts through the mess before he finds what he is searching for; a small pot of safflower lotion. 
“Yeah, yeah. I still don’t understand the reasoning behind all this dress-up,” he mutters. He hands you the lotion and busies himself with the mountain of clothing on the bed. 
“It is something I hope you never come to understand, my dear friend,” you sigh. 
After all, there is no worth in a canvas without paint, much less a doll bare of face. 
✧ ˚  ·    .    
Four days and four nights. That is how long you have been at sea, a prisoner of your father’s accord on the enemy prince’s ship—No Longer Human. You find the name a bit morose for your liking, but there’s no accounting for taste, you suppose. The others following aren’t much better. You spared the various liners a glance before boarding the capital ship. From memory, there was one called Twin Dark, and another painted with swirling red letters of: The Crystal Rose. You’d much prefer being on the latter—roses are your favourite flower. They have been ever since childhood. 
You wonder… 
No. You shake the inkling of a thought out of your head. The chance that that man would remember something so obscure about someone he so despises… laughable. 
But you don’t laugh. You don’t do much at all. You stare out of the floor-to-ceiling glass that is more akin to a wall than a window. Vast ocean greets you, sparkling like a veil of crushed gems under the setting sun, sitting snug below an infinite sky. 
Someone knocks on your door—three quick raps. You make a noise of confirmation and the door quietly opens to reveal a stranger. The man who walks into your room is tall and lean, with thin wired frames resting on the sharp bridge of his nose. His hair, long and so blonde it almost glows, falls across his shoulders and ends at the small of his back. There is a sternness to his expression—humourless and collected, but not cold. In fact, there isn’t anything antagonistic about him. 
Under normal circumstances, you would give him a friendly smile, say hello, maybe even compliment him on his clothes. Today is not a normal circumstance. He wears garments stitched of a gorgeous blue silk, reminiscent of the midnight sky. Layers of fabric pool off of him, white and grey, all covered by a traditional robe. The robe is lined with silver edges and tied together at his front with a matching sash. The patterns on the outerwear swirl together, falling lotus petals that almost come to life with his movements. From the looks of it, he must be a high-ranking official in Dazai’s court. 
The blonde man pushes his glasses up with his left hand and adjusts the box he holds in his right. It doesn’t exactly look impressive, a rectangular package wrapped in silver paper. It’s the size of a large book. The only thing out of the ordinary is the black lettering on the surface; a phrase written in glittering cursive. Your name. 
The blond man bows. “I greet Your Highness, heir to the Northern Empire. I am Doppo Kunikida, Chief Minister and personal aide to His Majesty.”
“His Majesty?” You raise a brow. Last you heard, which was only three days ago at your marriage ceremony, Dazai was only a prince.
“Yes,” Kunikida says. 
You wait. The Chief Minister stays silent, something  you are sure he does quite often. 
“I am in no mood for games,” you state plainly. 
Kunikida straightens and nods his head almost imperceptibly at your thinly-veiled irritation.  “Apologies. His Majesty, Dazai Osamu, has succeeded the throne as of two nights ago. The formal coronation is set for three days' time, the evening after our arrival.”
You blink. Dazai is… king? The little boy who used to pick out flowers and break down sobbing when a thorn pricked him is now the leader of an entire kingdom? The leader of the enemy kingdom, you remind yourself. As the king, his power has risen considerably, along with the stakes of your position and plans of revenge. 
Guess you really can't call him Princeling anymore. 
You swallow down the uneasiness in your throat and turn your attention to the silver box, hoping Kunikida doesn’t pick up on your anxiety. 
“What is it?”
Kunikida hands it to you before taking a step back. “A gift.”
“Let me guess, a gift from His Majesty?” 
If Kunikida notices the sarcasm in your tone (and it is quite difficult to not notice it), he doesn’t show it nor comment on it. “A wedding present, he said. A small offering of peace.”
You want to shove the new King of Yokohama’s peace offering down his throat until he takes the shape of a rectangle. Sadly, Dazai isn’t here for you to do so, and it would be quite the scandal; ‘Royal marriage ends after three days due to newly appointed King Dazai’s death by cardboard box.’’
You thank Kunikida for the gift and he quietly leaves with another bow. It might be your imagination, but the stony-faced Chief Minister seems relieved to be dismissed. You hadn’t let your annoyance show that clearly, had you? 
The box isn’t very heavy. You set it on the large four-poster bed in the center of the room. 
You haven’t seen Dazai since the wedding—if you can even call such a stifling event that. He disappeared right after and left you in the care of the soldiers and attendants of Yokohama Kingdom. They are the ones who brought you aboard the ship and showed you to your cabin. Though “cabin” isn’t quite the accurate description for your quarters. Aside from the huge bed laden with piles of silk and cotton and the seemingly never-ending glass wall to your left, the room has everything and anything you can possibly think of. 
The marbled tiles under your feet are cold to the touch, and the deep blue reminds you of the midnight sea. Rows and rows of clothing, shoes, and accessories line the walk-in closet in the back, right next to the silver-gilded fireplace that lights up the room with warmth.  Across from it sits a large loveseat tufted with silk and made of black velvet.
And yet… despite the glamour and luxury of your accommodations, the only thing that catches your attention right now is the gift. You pick it up and stare at the shining letters. You should throw it into the fireplace. Let it burn to ashes. Better yet, you should chuck it off the side of the ship and pray a shark eats it. 
Your fingers twitch. 
About all of three seconds pass before you rip open the outer wrapping of the package and uncover it. There is a folded note sitting atop a gently folded bundle of satin—a stunning article of clothing. The garment is noticeably traditional wear, and very formal. It shimmers with every little touch, every little breath. It is coloured a deep red, a shade not unlike blood, that is beyond flattering against your complexion. 
The sight of it makes you want to hurl. First it was your father, now it's Dazai who thinks he has the right to dress you up… to show you off like some sort of war prize. 
You won’t let him have the satisfaction. You toss the clothing aside and reach for the envelope that came with it. You open up the folded paper and immediately recognize Dazai’s handwriting. It hasn't changed much since he was young. Slightly more polished, and definitely less chicken-scratchy. 
Y/N,
I have drafted letters like this one every single night for the past ten years, only to throw them all into the fireplace out of frustration. Or perhaps it was out of cowardice and shame. Even now, I am nervous—no—terrified at the notion of you reading this. Even now, you have such a startling effect on me. 
You must hate me. I understand. Anyone would feel the same in your shoes. Although…regrettably, I cannot say the same for myself. But that is an indication of my own weak constitution more than anything else. 
No matter. You hate me and that is that. But we are married now and I am set to change things. Our countries require our amicability, despite any personal feelings you may harbour. I will not force you to care for me—but I will try, for as long as I am able. 
Please join me for dinner service tonight. In three hours time; southern side of the upper deck. 
We have much to discuss. 
P.S. After much deliberation and many sleepless hours, I decided that red would look best on you. Though I fear even a paper sack would leave me quite speechless as long as you were the one wearing it. 
Your (beloved) husband,
Dazai Osamu
Your first thought is to punch a wall. Your second thought is to punch a certain king right in his smug face. After so many years, he is still pretending to be on your side. Still pretending that there is anything left between you that isn’t the shattered remnants of a tragic history best left in the past. 
The fireplace flares as it swallows up the last of the note and garment, leaving nothing behind but charcoal dust and a soft warmth that rolls over the room. You sigh, both satisfied and exhausted; completely drained from the emotional turmoil of the past week.
The sun is long gone underneath the waves, dark midnight now settled in its place. The moon, in all its glory, lights up a path across the sea for the ship to follow and casts a silver sheen over your room. There is not a speck of land in sight. It is as if the world had been swallowed by the sea, with only the stars as companions. The sight makes you sleepy… and just a little bit homesick, which surprises you. 
Kunikida shows up a short time later, ready to bring you to Dazai. You insist on taking your dinner in your quarters, much to Kunikida’s protests, and lock the door behind the maid that brings it. Just in case. Though the lock didn’t do much to block the incessant knocking on your door that sounds just as you are about to fall asleep. 
Peeved and a little puzzled, you stumble out of bed in a daze, making your way to the door that is currently taking a beating from the other side. 
Is it Kunikida? The maid from earlier? Who the hell could need you at this ungodly hour?
The answer comes in the form of Dazai Osamu. His hair is tangled and sticking in all directions, like he was tossing and turning. His clothes are nothing but a cream cotton robe covering a pair of loose matching bottoms, wrinkled and creased. He is still as beautiful as ever. 
You slam the door in his face. Or at least, you try to, but Dazai anticipates it and sticks a foot out to block it. He winces, ever slightly, but gives no other indication of discomfort. 
You are positively irked. 
Before you are able to cuss him out and physically push him away, he speaks up.
“Apologies. I couldn’t sleep. It seems that even in the dreamland, you manage to plague my every thought,” he says with a slight frown. 
Confusion and irritation swirl in your chest as you take in… everything. Is he out of his damn mind? More than usual? 
You narrow your eyes at him, not buying this innocent act of his for even a moment. “What, pray tell, am I supposed to do with that information? You act as if this problem is one I can, or even want, to help you solve. Though I assure you that is not the case. Unless there is an emergency—a real one—leave me be, Your Majesty. You and I have nothing to speak of.”
His frown deepens. “Who…You don’t need to call me that.”
Your left eye twitches. “What?”
Dazai swallows, an air of nervous energy pours out from him, along with annoyance. That just makes you even more mad—if anyone should be annoyed, it should be you. It also puts you on edge—Dazai is rarely nervous. 
“There is no reason for you to call me by a title. My name—it is yours to use freely,” he says.
“I disagree. Now, Your Majesty, why are you here?” You reject him flatly. 
Dazai is clearly unsatisfied with your decision but decides to drop it. For now. He clears his throat. “You didn’t come to dinner.”
“I didn’t want to.”
If your reply hurts him, he doesn’t show it. He just nods like he expected that answer from you. “Right. Is it because of the clothes? Kunikida said that it would be a nice gesture, a way to show goodwill, and I thought it would look—”
“No, not because of the clothes,” you interject. Is he messing with you right now?
“So it was because of me.”
You cock your head. Your mind is on overdrive trying to work out his motive for being here—for bringing up all these strange, irrelevant things. “If you knew that, why come here at all?”
He smiles sadly. “Wishful thinking on my part. I thought…” He hesitates, clearly unsure if he should voice his feelings out loud. He tries anyway, “Well, let’s just say it is a treacherous thing to be stuck in a past that no longer exists. I was feeling… nostalgic. It will not happen again.”
A small lump forms in your throat at the finality in his tone. You swallow it down and make a noise of agreement. “A wise decision.” 
You expect him to leave, but Dazai lingers at the doorway. This entire time he has been nothing more than a foot away from you, yet the distance between you continues to grow into an insurmountable gap. You wonder how you ever loved him; how you ever looked at him and felt something other than heartache and hostility. Those memories feel like a mere figment of your imagination nowadays. Perhaps they are.
After a moment of silence, he says: “It was never my intention to hurt you, you must believe me on that.”
Your knuckles turn white from how hard you clench the doorknob. It takes all your willpower and patience not to put a blade through his head, right then and there. 
Not his intention to hurt you? Believe him? Such pretty words undeserving of being spoken by such an ugly liar. 
“It's a shame I am not the naive little kid that you used to know. Because if I was…” You lean into him, until your mouth is right next to his ear. 
Dazai stills. 
“I might actually believe you,” you hiss. 
You pull back and ignore his stricken expression. 
Dazai shakes the shock away and nods. He takes a step back, understanding his cue to leave. He turns and takes a few steps before stopping and looking back at you.
“Good night, Y/N,” he softly whispers.
You shut the door without another word. 
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copperbadge · 1 year
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[ID: A narrow white "privacy panel" from Target stands in front of an orange chair covered in a quilt; attached to the screen with binder clips, and taped together, are nine sheets of paper with calendars printed on them, the numbering and words not legible. Various parts of the calendars are color-coded.]
The Shivadh Romances began as a single romance novel in which I explicitly would not have to determine when or precisely where it was happening, and the only timeline was "eight weeks" (it was initially written as a Hallmark movie script which are by design somewhat evergreen). Yesterday during some downtime I had to sit down and make myself a whole-ass three-year paper calendar because I kept losing track of dates and I don't do well "switching screens" so I wanted to see the whole thing all at once. I also wanted to use up the very last of the ink before I replaced my printer toner. This is the result. I both hate and love it in equal measure.
The left sheets (to the left of the central binder clip) are 2021; the right sheets (to the right of the central clip) are 2022, and 2023 is attached at the bottom. The tan in the upper left is Fete; the blue below it is Infinite Jes, and the purple on the top right is Lady And The Tiger (there are also one-off squares which represent short stories or events -- the purple square below Fete represents Jerry's ADHD diagnosis date, and a few blue squares represent important events in Noah's school career, because I keep forgetting when he graduates). The light grey near the purple is Twelve Points, and there's some dark grey in various places that is various holidays.
The second set of tan blocks in 2022, plus random squares in 2022 and 2023, mark events in Royals/Ramblers, which spans almost a full year and is really what required the calendar (there are super date-dependent events, mainly the weddings and Monday's pregnancy, but also I have to pace out Ioanna's storyline and some continuity from Twelve Points) and then you can see the mint green down in 2023 marking where The Chicken Salad War will take place, because it culminates on Reclamation Day, which is always the 29th of Av in the Jewish calendar (August 16th this year, prepare your crockery).
Those last three darker-orange squares at the end of 2023 mark the tentative start dates for the Football novel (already written as starting in the fall of 2023), the Roman Ruin novel (not yet dated) and Pride and Presidents, Ofelia's novel, which can really start anytime but slots in well in late 2023; Noah's gap year novel would also take place starting summer of 2023, but I've just marked that with his graduation day, for now. Where The Oleander Grows, about legalizing Davzda, which I might bump up in the writing timeline, would start in 2024.
Phew. Ambitious, but then why not be, I suppose. And now that I've got dates hammered out, the rest of Royals/Ramblers should go easier. The completed work at this point is sitting right at 50K with another 35K in pieces, though some of those probably won't get used. This might be the novel I try out a different printer from Lulu, since the "price minimums" are getting a bit out of control especially for books above 50K words.
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