#she looks good in dark brown but i was hoping to have ONE light-haired character to draw

[vigilskeep]

That haircut and the Stubble👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼 for scaea looks so good fr. But I was not expecting them to be blonde. Jumpscared

JGSNJJGSSJLS

this is actually incredible timing i am in the black emporium deciding what her hair colour should be for her to be less tethras coded right now. if anyone has thoughts i’m all ears. your vote could be what prevents her from being even blonder which IS on the table

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

All Things End 2

Warnings: non/dubcon, mentions of loss (death, miscarriage), and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Characters: Arvin Russell

Summary: Newly widowed, you take a job at the local grocer to make end’s meet.

Part of the Backwoods AU

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging.

Your shoulder only gets worse. When you tell your supervisor about it, he’s unfazed as he sends you to restock the cans of tuna. Those are small, he suggests. No matter, the repetitive motion only tweaks the knot firmly lodged beneath your shoulder blade. 

When you finish your shift, you’re almost in tears. You still need to haul your own groceries home as you spend twenty minutes collecting the bare essentials. Even the light load feels like pushing a boulder up a hill as you leave through the front doors. 

You wince as you cross the lot, searching out the beaten up Volkswagen. You stop as you see the bumper sticker, heart dropping at the reminder. You remember that road trip and how you rolled your eyes at Ben when he slapped the sticker onto the car. You tried but it wouldn’t peel off. 

You stop and lean the bag against the hatch. Ugh, just the thought of driving makes your muscles roar. It’s not far. 

You lift the bag again and a pang ripples up your neck. You cry out and drop your armful, the can clunking heavily as the brown paper splits and sends your groceries scattering. You slap a hand on the car and reach to shakily rub your neck. 

You quiver out a gasp as you look down at the mess. You slide your hand down the metal and groan as you reach for the can of mixed beans. It’s scooped up before you can get your fingers around the dented tin. 

“You alright?” Arvin asks as he gathers up the smattering of groceries. 

“Yeah, I… tripped.” 

“You know,” he stands, hugging the loose goods, “I told you to take it easy.” 

You look at him in exasperation, he means well. Still, good advice isn't always practical. You have to work. You need the paycheck. 

“I know, thanks,” you reach for his armful. 

“Let me,” he insists as he steps closer, “pop the trunk.” 

You groan and turn to shove the key into the slot, pulling up the hatch halfway until it opens all the way. You drag the empty box from the corner for him to put the groceries in. He puts them into the cardboard as you lean on the bumper and cradle your shoulder. 

“You think you can drive like that?” He asks. 

“Really, I’m fine,” you insist through gritted teeth. 

“Is that true or just something you say?”  

“Look, I appreciate it but you don’t need to worry that much. Enjoy not having to while you can,” you say. 

“I see someone who needs help and I help,” he shrugs, “it’s what my ma taught me to do. If she was still around, I hope she’d be proud of that.” 

You wince and look away. It can’t be easy losing a parent young. You regret being so defensive and over what? Your bum shoulder? If she were alive, his mother might be around your age. Maybe that’s why he’s so concerned. 

“Thanks, Arvin, that’s considerate, I’m sure she would be,” you force a smile. “I can drive, I got another arm--” 

“Isn’t safe like that,” he shakes his head, “please, I can give ya a lift. I’ll walk back into town--” 

You open your mouth but stop yourself from repeating that mantra ‘it’s fine’. Your mouth slants and you tilt your head one way then the other. You sigh through your nose. You really just want to lay down with some ice. 

“You’re not going to let me go, are you?” You ask. 

He grins and shakes his head, hair flopping, “’fraid I can’t.” 

You nod and hold out the keys, “shifter sticks, make sure you give it a wiggle.” 

🌲

Arvin drives confidently up the country roads. Everyone knows where everyone lives around here, even as the roads wind into the thicker brush. He slows as he comes onto the gravel road that leads to your marital homestead. Each time you see the arch of branches that crest the clearing, you’re reminded of the day you moved in. With Ben. 

There’s not much else left of him there. The pieces you did keep of your happiest years are all hidden away. More sore reminders of the lost. Aside from the stubborn rose bush. The petals are just as bright and pink as when Ben put it in. Your first year anniversary gift; it would be almost twenty if he was here. 

Your shoulder tweaks and the pain stokes the tears behind your eyes. You wiggle your nose and shake off the grief. It’s just this damn knot. It’s got you all twisted up. 

Arvin stops gently, the axle grinding loudly with the worn brakes, and he turns the engine off. You unbuckle your belt as he frees the keys and does the same. He’s quick but most people are quicker than you right now. 

He comes around to open your door before you can. You thank him as you get out, your purse dropping off your lap. He bends to pick it up first 

“Get yourself inside,” he hands you the keys, “I’ll get your things.” 

“You really don’t--” 

“I can hear it in your voice, just like those whiny brakes. I’ll have a look at those too,” he insists. 

“Arvin,” you utter, awash with embarrassment. 

“That shoulder won’t get any better if you keep being stubborn,” he grips the top of the car door. 

“What would you know? You got some years before you gotta worry about all this?” You kid as you slump your injured shoulder and touch it daintily. 

“I know pain when I see it and I know you’ve had enough of that,” he says, “go on. Let me get my good deed done for the day.” 

You nod and can’t help the tug in your lips. Right. He sees an old lady in need. You’re under no illusions. You know your age, you know what you’ve lost, you know what other people think. They pity you. Somehow, you hoped he wouldn’t share that. 

You sniff and step past him. You make your way up the front steps with tunnel vision. You try not to see the empty flowerboxes or the broken bench. The things Benny would have taken care of. 

You let yourself in but aren’t fast enough to keep the screen door from clattering into your shoulder. You cry out and stumble, catching yourself against the bigger inner door. You drop the keys. You don’t even need them. No one in Hammer Ford locks their doors. 

“Woah, hey,” Arvin’s footfalls rush up onto the porch, “everything okay? What happened?” 

You cling to the door hand and shakily look back at him, “nothing,” your voice is brittle, “the door... hit me.” 

“Ah gee,” he frowns, “come on,” he urges you in with his hand on your lower back, “you needa just relax, miss.” 

[allsouls-emma]

Hey!!! So I saw you opened your requests for Leon ! Could I request one? Maybe one where he and the reader is out and he notices her and likes her but thinks her friend is her boyfriend so he doesn’t come up to her but they meet again somewhere else and he finds out that the guy is just a friend and he asks her out. The date goes well and they go back to his/her place and it finishes with a smut 😏😏 if you are confortable with that !! Also could I add my own OC? If yes my name is Emma and I have brown hair, blue eyes and freckles and glasses!!! Thank you so much ♥️♥️♥️

✧✧✧ ─ Reading between the silver lining

Léon Marchand X Female!Reader, !Original Female Character

Warnings: SMUT, PnV, Mature themes, DNI if under 18!, No former knowledge of swimming nor american college. Enjoy!

I was very excited to start my requests, Here we go! I hope i captured the vision you had in mind x

"What do you think of the new menu?" Kyle asked, his eyes skimming over the freshly printed pages.

Emma looked up from her phone, brown hair falling into her face. She pushed her glasses back up her nose. "It looks good. But I can never decide," she said with a laugh, revealing a sprinkle of freckles across her cheeks. "I'm going with the usual, I guess."

"You and your predictability," Kyle teased, shaking his head.

The bell above the cafe door chimed, signaling a new arrival. A young man, tall with dark hair, walked in. He scanned the room, and when his eyes met Emma's, they lingered. She blushed, her blue eyes flickering away from his gaze.

"Who's that?" Kyle whispered, leaning in.

Emma shrugged. "Dunno. He's cute, though."

The stranger, Leon, took a seat a few tables away. He ordered a black coffee and pretended to read a book, stealing glances at the girl with the infectious smile and the guy who seemed too comfortable with her to be just a friend.

The cafe hummed with the low murmur of conversation and the clinking of spoons against porcelain. The aroma of freshly ground coffee beans filled the air, mingling with the sweet scent of baked goods. Outside, the sun began its descent, casting a warm glow through the windows.

Leon couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as he watched the pair. They seemed so at ease with each other, finishing each other's sentences and sharing quiet laughs. He wondered if they were a couple, if the universe had already paired her off. But something in her gaze, a hint of curiosity when she'd caught him looking, made him hopeful.

Emma's eyes met Leon's again, and she felt a strange pull. She'd never seen him before in this town, but there was something familiar about his smile. It was like a puzzle piece she hadn't known was missing. She nudged Kyle under the table. "What's his deal?"

Kyle followed her gaze. "Well, he's not checking me out, so I'm guessing he's not into guys," he said with a smirk. "But seriously, he seems to have a thing for you."

Emma's heart skipped a beat. Was it possible that this handsome stranger was interested in her? And if so, what would she do about it? She'd heard enough rumors about herself and Kyle, and she didn't want to lead anyone on. But the way Leon's eyes danced across her face made it hard to ignore the flutter in her stomach.

As the minutes ticked by, the tension grew. Would Leon come over? Would he leave without saying a word? The air was thick with possibility, and Emma found herself holding her breath.

Their conversation grew quieter, their smiles more tentative. The air in the cafe seemed to still, waiting for something to happen. The moment hung there, delicate and untouched, like a perfectly frozen snowflake about to melt.

Leon's frustration grew with every sip of his now-cold coffee. He'd never been one to approach a girl without confidence, but Emma's presence had him tied in knots. He watched as her brown hair caught the light, and her blue eyes sparkled with mirth at something Kyle said. He knew he had to do something, or he'd never forgive himself for letting her slip away.

Summoning his courage, he took a deep breath and stood. As he approached their table, the clatter of cups and the murmur of conversation grew distant. All he could hear was the thud of his own heart.

But just as he opened his mouth to speak, Kyle's laugh rang out, a little too loud, a little too forced. It shattered the spell, and Leon's resolve crumbled. He mumbled something about needing to go and retreated, his eyes never leaving Emma's until the door closed behind him.

Emma watched him leave, feeling a strange mix of disappointment and relief. She didn't know what she would have said if he had come over, but the fact that he hadn't felt like a missed opportunity. She turned to Kyle, who was watching her with a knowing smile. "What?" she asked, feeling her cheeks redden.

Kyle leaned back in his chair, his eyes twinkling. "You know what. You're totally smitten."

Emma rolled her eyes, but she couldn't deny the truth of his words. "It's just… I don't know. He's cute, and he seems nice."

Kyle's smile softened. "And you think because people assume we're a couple, you can't be interested in anyone else?"

Emma sighed. "It's not that. It's just… complicated."

Kyle reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "Look, Em, I'm your best friend. I'm not your boyfriend. You can like whoever you want. And if you want, I'll help you figure out how to talk to this Leon guy."

The offer was sincere, and Emma felt a warmth spread through her. "Thanks, Kyle," she said, smiling gratefully.

They sat there a moment longer, the cafe's ambiance washing over them like a comforting blanket. The sun had set outside, leaving only the warm glow of the streetlights to play on the windows. Emma took a deep breath, feeling a new determination settle in her chest. Maybe tomorrow she'd come back and see if Leon was here again. Maybe she'd work up the nerve to say hello. Or maybe she'd wait and hope that fate had other plans.

The next morning, Emma woke up early, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. She threw on a sundress that brought out the blue in her eyes and tied her hair back in a loose ponytail. It was a new semester, time for new beginnings. She grabbed her backpack and headed out the door, her thoughts still lingering on the mysterious man from the cafe.

The college campus was a buzz of activity. Groups of prospective students and their families shuffled from one building to the next, guided by eager tour guides. As she arrived at the meeting point for her tour, Emma's eyes scanned the crowd. And there he was, Leon, standing tall and handsome among the sea of faces. His eyes met hers, and for a moment, the world around them stopped.

The tour guide, a bubbly redhead named Linda, began her spiel about the school's rich history and state-of-the-art facilities. But Emma's attention was elsewhere. She couldn't help but steal glances at Leon as they walked through the quad. He was dressed in a simple white t-shirt and jeans, but the way the fabric hugged his muscular frame made her heart race. His eyes never left hers, and she felt a thrill run down her spine every time their gazes locked.

The tension between them was palpable, like a tightly wound spring waiting to snap. Every time they stopped at a new location, Emma felt the urge to break away from the group and talk to him. But she held back, unsure of what to say or how to approach him without making a fool of herself.

The tour wound through the library, the science building, and the student center. At each stop, Emma found herself lingering just a moment longer, hoping that Leon would make the first move. But he remained a silent observer, his eyes speaking volumes but his mouth saying nothing.

Finally, they arrived at the last stop, the college's picturesque amphitheater. As Linda wrapped up her speech, Emma felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. She turned to find Leon standing there, his eyes searching hers.

"Hey," he said, his voice low and smooth. "I noticed you at the cafe yesterday. I just wanted to say, I think you're beautiful."

Emma's cheeks burned as she took in his words. She opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. All she could do was nod, her eyes wide with surprise.

Leon chuckled, a sound that sent a warm rush through her. "I'm Leon," he said, holding out his hand.

"Emma," she managed to choke out, placing her hand in his. His grip was firm, but gentle, sending a jolt of electricity through her.

The group began to disperse, and Emma knew she had to say something before she lost her chance. She took a deep breath and looked up at him, her heart pounding in her chest. "Would you like to grab coffee tomorrow?"

Leon's smile grew, a genuine light in his eyes. "I'd love to," he said, squeezing her hand before letting go. "Tomorrow it is."

And with that, they parted ways, the promise of a new connection lingering in the air. Emma felt a mix of excitement and anxiety as she walked back to her dorm, her thoughts racing with what tomorrow would bring.

The next afternoon, Emma arrived at the same cafe, her heart thumping in her chest. She spotted Leon at their usual table, a book laid open in front of him, a cup of black coffee steaming beside it. He looked up as she approached, his eyes lighting up with a smile that made her stomach flutter.

"Hey, gorgeous," he said, standing to pull out her chair.

Emma couldn't help but blush as she sat down. "Hi," she said, her voice a little shakier than she'd have liked.

They ordered their drinks and fell into an easy conversation, sharing stories of their families, their hometowns, and their hopes for the future. Leon talked about his love for basketball and how he'd always dreamed of swimming for the for the college team, the Sun Devils.

"But you're totally not a jock," Emma said playfully, raising an eyebrow as she stirred her latte.

Leon laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that made her insides warm. "What makes you say that?"

"You read," she said, nodding at the book he'd brought with him. "I thought all athletes just listened to podcasts and stuff."

He rolled his eyes, but his smile never wavered. "Not all of us," he said. "I actually love literature. I'm just trying to keep up with the stereotype out there."

The conversation flowed effortlessly, and the hours melted away. They talked about their favorite books, their shared love for indie films, and their mutual disdain for overcooked pasta. Leon was charming and attentive, his gaze never leaving hers unless it was to laugh at something she said.

As they sat there, the sun began to set, casting a warm glow through the windows. The scent of freshly baked cookies filled the cafe, and the clatter of cups and spoons grew quieter as the last of the customers left.

"So, about that swim team," Emma said, playing with the edge of her napkin. "What's it like, being a college athlete?"

Leon leaned back in his chair, his eyes taking on a faraway look. "It's intense," he admitted. "But I wouldn't trade it for anything. It's like being part of a family."

"Sounds amazing," she said, meaning it. "But also, like a lot of pressure."

"It can be," he agreed. "But it's worth it for the love of the discpline."

Emma nodded, taking in his passion. It was clear that he didn't just swim; it was a part of who he was. And for some reason, that made him even more attractive to her.

As the night grew later, Leon reached across the table and took her hand. "Thank you," he said, his eyes earnest. "For giving me a chance, for not writing me off as just another jock."

Emma felt a warmth spread through her at his touch. "You're not just a jock," she said, her voice soft. "You're so much more."

Their first date had been nothing short of perfect, a blend of humor and depth that left Emma feeling seen in a way she hadn't in a long time. As they stepped out into the cool evening air, she couldn't help but wonder where this newfound connection would lead them. And as Leon walked her back to her dorm, his hand in hers, she knew that she was ready to find out.

They stopped outside her building, the tension between them thick enough to cut with a knife. Without a word, Emma reached up and pulled him into a kiss that was anything but gentle. Her lips crashed into his, her teeth catching his bottom lip in a way that made him gasp. He was taken aback, but only for a moment, before his arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer.

They kissed against the rough brick of the dormitory, the sound of their breaths mingling with the distant chatter of students walking by. The night air was electric, charged with the excitement of a first kiss that held the promise of so much more.

Leon's hands found their way into her hair, and Emma felt herself melt into the warmth of his embrace. Her heart hammered in her chest, her body alive with sensation. It was a kiss that said everything she hadn't been able to put into words, a declaration of interest that was as raw as it was thrilling.

When they finally pulled apart, both breathless and smiling, Emma felt a rush of exhilaration. "I've wanted to do that since the moment I saw you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Leon chuckled, his eyes dark with desire. "I had a feeling," he said, his thumb tracing the swollen line of her bottom lip. "But I didn't want to assume."

They stood there for a moment longer, their foreheads pressed together, before Emma stepped back. "I should go in," she said, her voice shaky. "But I had a great time."

Leon nodded, his gaze never leaving hers. "Me too," he murmured. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Emma nodded, her cheeks still flushed from their passionate embrace. "Tomorrow," she promised, before slipping inside the building, her heart racing.

The next day, Emma found herself counting the minutes until she saw Leon again. She'd never felt this way about someone she'd just met, but there was something about him that just clicked. They had plans to study together at the library, but all she could think about was the way his eyes had searched hers the night before.

When she finally saw him, her heart skipped a beat. He was sitting at their usual table, a stack of books in front of him, his dark hair slightly disheveled in a way that made him look even more attractive. As she approached, he looked up and smiled, the same smile that had captivated her the moment she saw him.

They spent hours poring over textbooks and notes, their legs brushing together under the table. The occasional glance and touch sent a thrill through her that she couldn't ignore. It was clear that their connection was more than just physical; they enjoyed each other's company on a level that went deeper than attraction.

As the night grew late, Emma found herself lost in his eyes, forgetting all about the assignments that lay untouched between them. "Leon," she whispered, her voice filled with longing.

He leaned in, his breath warm against her cheek. "Yes?"

"I don't want to wait anymore," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I want you."

Leon's eyes searched hers, a silent question hanging in the air. And when she nodded, he didn't hesitate. He leaned in and kissed her again, his hands cradling her face with a tenderness that took her breath away.

The library was forgotten as they stumbled out into the night, their kisses growing more urgent with every step. They didn't stop until they reached her dorm, their bodies pressed against the door, their hearts beating in time with the promise of what was to come.

It was the start of something beautiful, something that neither of them could have predicted. And as they broke apart, Emma knew that she'd found someone special in Leon, someone who saw her not just as Kyle's friend or the girl from the cafe, but as Emma, a person worthy of love and passion.

With trembling hands, she led him into her dorm, the excitement building with every step. The room was a mess, a whirlwind of textbooks and clothes, but she didn't care. All that mattered was the way he looked at her, the heat in his eyes that said he wanted her just as badly as she wanted him.

They barely made it to the couch before their kisses grew more intense, their hands exploring each other with an urgency that was both thrilling and terrifying. Emma felt the fabric of her dress give way as Leon's hands slid up her thighs, his touch setting her skin alight. She gasped as his fingers found the edge of her panties, his touch sending waves of pleasure crashing through her. His mouth however was fulfilling her like a man starved.

And then they were on the bed, the softness of the mattress giving way beneath them. Leon took his time, kissing and caressing every inch of her body, leaving her trembling with need. When his mouth found hers again, she could taste the desperation in his kisses, the need that mirrored her own.

Their clothes were discarded in a tangle of fabric, their bodies coming together in a dance that was both new and familiar. He was gentle but firm, his movements sure and deliberate, as if he knew exactly what she needed. And when he finally entered her, Emma felt a rush of emotion so strong it was almost overwhelming. It was more than just physical; it was a connection that went soul-deep.

Leon's eyes never left hers as he moved inside her, their bodies in perfect sync. She felt a building pressure, a coil of pleasure that threatened to consume her. And when she came, it was with a cry that seemed to shake the very foundations of the earth.

But Emma wasn't one to be outdone. With a fiery determination, she rolled him onto his back and took control, her mouth exploring his body with a hunger that surprised even her. She took him in her mouth, savoring the taste of him, feeling his body tense beneath her. And when he came, it was with a groan that echoed her own release, a sound that seemed to seal the bond between them.

As they lay tangled together, their breathing ragged and their hearts racing, Emma felt something she hadn't felt in a long time: contentment. This was what it was like to be truly seen, truly wanted. And as she looked into Leon's eyes, she knew that she'd do whatever it took to hold onto this feeling, to keep him in her life.

The next few days passed in a whirlwind of classes, late-night study sessions, and stolen moments together. They were insatiable, their connection growing stronger with every touch, every whispered confession.

One could argue a cup of coffee, a gay best friend and a touch of curiosity could always satisfy the most grueling of passions, lust.

end.

Thank you Emma (Anon) for your ask xx

[screamingatanemptyroom]

Please Fix the Story- Pt 30 - The Higher Realm

New part! This is the mermaid lower world. We will have one last part after this to end the story, and then a few side parts. I'm so excited guys, I'm so close!

Masterpost linked here

_________________________

Before I could spend too much time processing my new aquatic form, I felt ripples in the water from an impact above me. Looking up, a body had fallen into the water, slowly sinking into the depths. I glanced around, the ship this human had fallen from was already heading out of sight. Was this an accident or did someone throw them over? Shrugging my shoulders at the question, I swam up towards the drowning human. Might as well do my good deed for the day. Maybe I’ll get lucky and it will be Liam!

I hadn’t gotten the story mission yet, so I had to be careful as I progressed until I knew more about the world around me. I grabbed the human, recognizing it to be a human male, and dragged his body towards the shore. There was what appeared to be a deserted beach nearby, and this seemed as good as any place to dump him.

Ugh! This dude is HEAVY out of the water!  

With more awkward splashing and thrashing around than I would admit to, I finally dumped my human burden onto the sandy beach. Once he was safely on the ground and not crushing my poor mermaid back and arms, I sat down on the beach and studied him. Fortunately, although I was aquatic in nature, I appeared to be able to breath oxygen. I did feel a bit dry and uncomfortable being only half covered by water. Knowing I shouldn't stay out long, I carefully looked over the human.

Hmm… he should probably not be face first in the sand with his butt in the air. That seems to be more likely to suffocate him than save him. Oops.

With that, I flipped him over onto his back, brushing the wet sand from his nose and mouth with a few quick swipes in hopes that he wouldn’t breathe it in. He was a young man, with even, well-proportioned features, albeit somewhat obscured by clumps dirt and sand. His hair color was difficult to distinguish underneath the mud, but seemed to be a light brown or blond.

My heart sank. Probably not Liam then. He usually had dark or black hair when he entered stories. Said it was the Systems way of “identifying” him as the villain.

Still, probably should wake him up and see his eyes, just to be sure, Better safe than sorry.

I reached out and grabbed a nearby piece of driftwood, and poked him randomly. He didn’t stir at first, and I sighed with impatience, fighting the urge to swing the stick or at least poke harder.Finally, my aggressive stick poking seemed to do the job, and the human woke up.

His eyes fluttered open, and focused on me.

They were grey.

I groaned with disappointment, dropping my poking stick. Not Liam for sure. Suddenly, I felt a deep sense of longing and attraction from somewhere within me, but not from me. It was the feelings of this character. Obviously, someone she might have fallen in love with at first sight. I pushed the feelings away. They were not helpful.

I turned back to the ocean, preparing to swim away. As I did so, however, the man spoke up.

“Wait!”

The desperation in his voice made me turn around.

“You saved me! Who are you?” He studied my face intently.

I shook my head. I didn’t know if I could speak,  Didn’t mermaids sing? But I wasn’t gonna figure that out in front of this stranger. I didn’t want to give him anything to work with.

“Please, let me repay you, kind lady! I will give you anything you desire, even…” He paused with a slight redness tinging his cheeks. “...up to half my kingdom.”

UGH! HE’S A PRINCE! 100% THE HERO OF THE STORY! RUN AWAY! ABORT! ABORT! I shook my head faster and sank into the water. Fortunately, this guy didn’t seem to be possessed by Adonis. Just more like a run-of-the-mill hero-type character.

I wasn’t interested.

“Please! Let me repay you!” He reached out and grabbed my arms, which were still sore from carrying his heavy body onto the shore. Frustrated, I shoved his hand off my arm.  

He blushed again at the contact and tried to put his hand in mine. Is he mentally ill? I threw it off with disgust.

“What do you want? Marriage?” I shook my head adamantly at his question.

“Really? Are you sure? I’m a princ….” He stopped as I chucked a sea shell at his head and turned back towards the sea. “WAIT, what about money!

I stopped for a moment. He grinned triumphantly at attracting my attention.

“I can give you lots of money!”

Money could be useful...this character probably doesn't have much human currency.  I looked over his drenched form with disdain, though. Doesn’t look like he has much on him right now.  

Of course, when he checked his pockets, he came up empty and gave an embarrassed grin. “Sorry, I must have lost all the money I had on me in the ocean.”

Typical male lead. Useless. I rolled my eyes and decided to leave again. Fortunately, my mermaid tail was still in the water, and the broke prince hadn’t seemed to notice that I wasn’t human yet.

“WAIT! If you follow me to my castle, I’ll give you more gold than you could ever spend in a lifetime!” He shouted.

Bad deal. I shook my head and sank further into the water.

That was when the prince made the mistake of grabbing my arm a second time.

“I don’t know where you are trying to run off to, but I can promise that you will be much richer and happier if you come home with ME!”

THUD

Without changing my expression, I bashed him in the head with my nearby poking stick. He fell backwards, clutching his head with a groan. I hit him again, and then a third time for good measure, until he seemed to be unconscious if not just stunned.

“Idiot.” The voice slipped out before I could control it. My voice was light, ethereal, a pleasant musical sound.

The unconscious idiot stirred slightly at my voice but did not wake. I just hoped he didn’t remember anything about this encounter.

I could be lucky, right?

I swam away.

As I did so, the system’s message appeared in the water in front of me.

FINALLY! Hopefully with memories I can find Liam!

**** NEW WORLD: A Mermaid’s Tale ****

This is a dramatic retelling of the fairy tale involving a mermaid and her beloved prince.  

Called it! Prince is the hero! I said silently to the water, but no one was around to congratulate my accomplishment.

Similar to the fairy tale, this story features a young mermaid saving and falling in love with a young prince. She then makes a deal with a sea witch to become human, with the price of the change being her voice. She is also told that if she marries the prince and has true love’s kiss within 1 year, then she would become fully human, and regain her voice. If she failed to do so, however, she would dissolve into nothing but water and air.

Bad deal, girl. I shook my head in disgust.

In this author’s version, the prince’s kingdom was beset by the constant threat of a large army of pirates, led by the Pirate King. The mermaid, who had successfully reached a relationship with the prince with a plan to be married soon, heard news of an upcoming attack for her friends in the sea. Recognizing the danger to her beloved prince and his territory, she snuck aboard the Pirate King’s ship, trying to convince nearby sea life to attack the boat and sink it. However, instead she was captured by the pirates, and while she was gone, the prince met and married another woman. At that moment, the mermaid died, her body dissolving back into the sea, never to see her loved one again. The author, after receiving backlash from the audience, tried to compensate for the bad ending of the heroine by attempting to shift to the perspective of the prince. The second half of the story focused on his new romance and marriage, as well as his fight and revenge on the villainous Pirate King. This was met with very poor reception from the readers. The story was therefore abandoned.

What on earth did I just read? That’s even worse than the original story!

The author’s main regret is the tragic end of the mermaid. Your mission is to allow the mermaid to survive.

**** DO YOU ACCEPT THIS MISSION? ****

YES?                                           NO?

Does the mermaid still have to become human? I asked silently.

The mermaid must still sacrifice her voice and be magically changed to become human. You cannot change this plot point. 

But the only way to survive the spell is to marry the prince. I thought of the weirdly possessive man whose life I had just saved and shuddered. No thank you.

The mermaid must survive.  The words were cold, logical and blunt.

I thought about it carefully. I had to find a way to undergo the witch’s spell and survive. After a few moments of silence, I grinned.

I had a plan.

*** Soul transfer 80% complete. ***

I selected “yes" and received the mermaid’s memories. It was just as awful as I expected. Poor girl had loved the prince unconditionally and risked her life multiple times just to be near him and keep him safe. And her repayment? He married another woman two weeks after she disappeared. Her disappointment was a knife to the gut, and constant wrenching deep within my soul.

Don’t worry, my new friend. We’ll give your story a good ending. No prince required.

I felt her resentment fade quietly at my encouragement, and gathered my resolve. It was time to begin.

Following the memories I had, I swam to a deep, dark corner of the ocean. Where there was no life but scavengers, and the sunlight was smothered on its way down. Only the ghostly glow from bio luminescent aquatic plant life illuminated the path to where the sea witch dwelled.

I paused at the door, hesitating. Liam wouldn’t happen to be the Sea Witch… right? Trying to wrap my head around the thought, I entered the cave.

It was a place of dark magic.

A large caldron sat in the middle, the contents within a writhing mass of bubbles. Skulls of various creatures decorated the walls, alongside different jars of eyes and scales. The whole cave glowed with an eerie green light, and no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find the source.

And at the center of everything… was the sea witch.

A young, beautiful woman, with dark green hair floating in curled rings around her, carefully measured ingredients and mixed them into her pot. Her many tentacles all performed different tasks, including grabbing ingredients, stabling the cauldron, and stirring with a long spoon.  She looked up as I entered, her bright red eyes lighting up with excitement at the new prey.

Not Liam, then.  This made my plan both easier and harder. I still needed the witch to help me become human, and find the other villain of the story.

The pirate king.

“What brings you here, curious little fish?” The Sea Witch asked with an evil grin.

I matched her evil grin with an even more villainous one.

“I’m here to make a deal.”

_________________________

It took six months. Six months to achieve my goal, and set my plan in motion.

I awkwardly tightened the badly sewn dress around my body, and stepped further out onto the beach. My homemade sandals weren’t great, but protected my newly formed human feet well enough. I wiggled my toes, trying to get used to the sensation of not having a tail anymore.

Alright, now to find my Liam.

I snuck into the port city. The area was bustling with life, filled with merchants, performers, restaurants. Everywhere the eye could see there was something for sale. People crowded the streets, talking, laughing… after the silence of the ocean, the noise was almost deafening.

I smiled and walked forward, enjoying the chaos.

My smile stopped, however, as I overheard a nearby conversation.

“The prince has doubled the reward again.” A middle-aged woman said to a vendor, rolling her eyes as she counted out coins to pay for her goods.

“Again? That’s up to ten thousand gold now!  All for one mysterious girl?” The merchant shook his head. “The prince has lost his mind.”

“Oh it’s fine… He’s young and in love! Besides.” She raised her eyebrows. “Sound like the girl is quite the charmer by the description.”

Please no. I had a bad feeling. There’s no way he remembered me from our last encounter… right? All I had done was call him an idiot and bash his head with a stick until he was knocked unconscious…. So it can’t be me.

I walked away, heading over to a nearby wall where different notices and warrants were posted.

And there I saw it.

_________________________

WANTED!

MYSTERIOUS GIRL!

Hair as gold as sunlight, eyes as green as the sea during a storm.

VERY STRONG. CARRIES A STICK!

Capture alive and unharmed.

REWARD 10,000 gold.

_________________________

My gaze hesitated on the words, “carries a stick.”

Well, crap. That’s what I get for doing good deeds. Should have just let the prince drown. I read the poster again, frowning.

And what’s with the stupidly poetic description followed by the words “carries a stick” in all caps?  I sighed, mentally exhausted. Definitely better to avoid him.

I turned around, moving in the opposite direction of the palace.

THUD

A bird flew down into the street, dying on the cobblestone by my homemade shoes. A broken neck, covered with pure white feathers. A dove. Blood trickled out, starting to pool in specific patterns, but I walked away before the message could form.

I already knew what it would say anyways.

And I would not accept my fate.

As I made my way through the city, I began hearing murmurs about pirates.

“They lay ashore on the port at the outskirts of town!” One woman, bouncing an infant in her arms, told another.

“How terrifying!”

“Hardly, the last few months they haven’t been terrorizing anyone at all!  All they do is quickly get supplies and head out to sea again. Rumor is that they are looking for something.”

“Something out on the ocean?” The woman asked with a confused look. “Whatever could they find out there?”

The other woman whispered back “I heard the Pirate King is obsessed with finding mermaids.”

Both women laughed, but I turned towards the outskirts of town, grinning. Pirate King? Stopped terrorizing people around 6 months ago? Obsessed with looking for mermaids?

DEFINITELY LIAM!

I followed the rumors towards the outskirts of town. It took me a while, but I came across a large ship grounded on an abandoned stretch of beach. I got closer, too excited at the prospect of seeing Liam that I hadn’t noticed that I wasn’t alone.

“HEY!” Two pirates jumped out, grabbing me. I struggled briefly, and then stopped, once I realized they were dragging me towards the pirate ship, which was where I wanted to go anyways.

One of the pirates, sporting about half his teeth and a fancy eye patch, leered at me. “What’s a pretty girl like you doing all the way out here?”

I shrugged silently.

“Ooh, a quiet one, huh?” The other, a fat bald pirate, chuckled grimly. “We’ll see how brave you are when you are facing the captain!”

Eyepatch hesitated. “…Enty? I thought the captain said we weren’t supposed to kidnap people anymore?”

“She practically kidnapped herself!” The Enty replied. “Surely Captain will understand?”

“I don’t know… He’s scarier now.”

“…yeah…” Both men turned pale and silent. I wondered briefly if my Liam was really the terrifying Pirate King they were talking about. Only one way to find out I guess.

Finally, we were aboard the pirate ship. Men were scurrying everywhere, carrying out tasks, keeping their heads down. There was an uneasy atmosphere on the deck, fear permeating everything.

The fat pirate, still holding my arm, cleared his throat nervously, and shouted to the closed door on the center of the ship. “CAPTAIN, WE GOT SOMETHING FOR YOU!”

I raised an eyebrow at the wording, but stood compliantly, waiting. Hoping I was right.

“DID YOU FIND A MERMAID?!” A rough voice called out from the Captain’s quarters.

The pirate flinched. “No, Captain, It’s a woman!”

“A woman? Who cares if you found a woman?! Send her away!”   The voice was obviously disinterested.

“But she wandered onto our ship!” Eyepatch argued, joining in.

“So she’s a lost woman? Great. Send her home!”

“But she’s beautiful, Captain, don’t you want to look?” Enty added on in a wheedling tone.

“What does her being beautiful have to do with me? You want me to go congratulate her on her genetics and lifestyle factors that went into allowing her to be conventionally attractive? DO you think this is a beauty contest or a pirate ship?! NOW GO SEND THE RANDOM LOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN HOME AND FIND ME A MERMAID!”

The two pirates looked at me with a frown.

“He’s not interested.”

“Where are we even supposed to find a mermaid, anyways?”

“Who knows?!” Eyepatch shrugged. “I guess we got to send this one back. Captain’s orders.”

They started to drag me away, but I was done playing prisoner. I slipped out of their grip, grabbing one of their swords as I spun away.

“HEY, GIVE THAT BACK!” Enty shouted, patting his large belt as he realized I had taken his weapon.

“Yeah, girly, we’re trying to send you back!”

I shook my head vigorously. I didn’t want to go back.

“CAPTAIN, the woman doesn’t want to leave! She stole my sword!”

“THEN STEAL IT BACK! YOU’RE PIRATES!”

Eyepatch drew his sword and stepped closer, but I struck first, knocking his wrist with the flat of my blade and causing him to drop his weapon. I grabbed it as well.

“CAPTAIN! Now she has my sword too!”

“DO I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING?!!” As the captain’s voice shouted out in disgust, the door slammed open. I looked over, and got my first look at the villainous Pirate King.  

He was tall. His head brushed the top of the doorway, his broad shoulders filling the space. He had long dark hair and beard, both decorated with several intricate braids. He wore a black frock coat and vest, with long boots and a pirate hat.

His eyes were dark blue.

Initially he charged out, his face furious and impatient. But then he saw me, freezing in place.

“Captain?” Eyepatch asked warily. “You okay?”

 I waved cheerfully, setting down my swords. Just in time, as Liam the villainous Pirate King rushed forward and hugged me, lifting me off of the ground. He buried his face in my shoulder, and I felt a small amount of moisture from tears wet the fabric there.

“Bel.” He whispered. “I was so worried that something had happened to you.”

I patted him on the shoulder, comforting him. He looked up, seeming to realize that his entire crew was staring at him. “GO BACK TO WORK!” He started walking towards his quarters, still carrying me.

“I thought you didn’t care about beautiful women, Captain?” Enty ventured to question him, letting out a squeak of dismay as Liam glared at him.

“Bel is NOT a beautiful woman!” He paused, realizing what he said, and looking at me as I silently laughed at his words. “I mean, yes, she IS beautiful. But she’s not a woman.”

The pirates stared at me in confusion.

“I mean she’s not human!” Liam snapped and added. “Never mind. She’s Miss Bel to all of you! And she’s now a part of our crew, so you louts know what that means?”

“WE PROTECT OUR CREW MATES WITH OUR LIVES!” They shouted in unison. Liam nodded with approval.

“Exactly. You two will be rewarded for finding Bel. Everyone else, get this ship out to sea! I’ll be in my quarters.”

He carried me through the doorway, closing it with his foot behind us. Once we were alone, he set me down, looking me over from head to toe.

“I’m so glad you’re safe! It’s been six months, Bel! I thought something went wrong. All I could do was look for you.” He paused, staring down at my legs. “You’re human… but that means…?”

I spread my hands out silently and gave a wry grin.

“You had to give up your voice.” He reached out a shaking hand, and patted my head. “I’m sorry, Bel.”

Smiling reassuringly, I reached out and hugged him. He hugged me back tightly, letting out a shaking breath.

Once we let go, I walked over to his desk, grabbing paper, quill and ink. While he watched intently, I wrote on the paper.

I missed you, Liam.

“I missed you too! But Bel…” He hesitated. “If you were turned into a human by the witch, does that mean you have to marry the prince? I know he’s been looking for you too.”

I am getting married…

I was still writing, but as Liam read over my shoulder, his face fell. “Oh…. I suppose you have to so you don’t die…. I understand. I want you to live and be happy.” He had turned away as he spoke. Frustrated, I tapped his shoulder and pointed back to the paper where I had finished the sentence.

I am getting married to you!

Liam’s eyes widened, and a bright smile formed on his face, before quickly hiding again. “What about the witch’s spell?”

Slowly, I wrote out what I had done over the last six months, and what my plan was. Liam reading all this with an increasingly astonished expression, let out the loud, villainous laugh that I couldn’t.

“I should have known when I couldn’t find you for all that time! Brilliant!” He grabbed my hands. “Bel, I’ll arrange everything! My crew and I will put together the best wedding you have ever seen!”

I pulled my hands out with a serious expression, and went back to the paper.

If we get married here, you have to understand something. Making sure he was paying attention, I continued to write. Even though it’s a lower realm. even though we aren’t in our regular bodies. It still counts. If you marry me in this realm, It is Liam marrying Bel. Not the Pirate King and the mermaid. We are married no matter what realm we travel to.

Liam read it carefully, and then reached forward and hugged me again. “Of course, Bel. This is you and me. You’ll be the wife of a dragon, and no matter what world it is, I will always find a way to your side.” He pulled back slightly, so I could see the truth in his eyes as he continued. “I love you, Bel.”

I put my hand on my heart, and then on his. I wasn’t writing, but he knew exactly what I meant.

I love you too.  

_________________________

A few months passed. We traveled around with the crew, going on a few adventures. We searched for and found buried treasure. We fought with rival pirate gangs. We also attacked a few ships, stealing the gold and jewels from them. And if they all happened to be from the royal fleet, well… I mean, the prince DID promise me money for saving him. Between Liam and I, we were able to subdue any resistance, often making off with the treasure without a single shot fired. Liam’s reputation became even more wild , now with the added rumors of the evil silent Pirate Queen who fought at his side. We were preparing for a large pirate wedding, and nothing could make me happier.

Not that everything was perfect, however. Two things definitely caused a wrinkle in our happy couple pirate life.

First: the doves. Every morning a dove would throw itself to the ground at my feet, its blood spilling out the same message: You must accept your fate. The system was angry at my defiance of the story, and the ominous messengers came and died each day. At first, this caused a huge stir among the pirate crew, and there were murmurs about how having a woman on the ship was “unlucky.” After the first few battles, however, and they saw how much I contributed with my skills with the sword, their view of me changed for the better. That along with Liam’s explanation that the doves were the product of an evil witch’s curse, the pirates quickly accepted it as the new normal. Every morning Enty would rush over and quickly sweep the bird away, the deck clean before I could blink.

The second obstacle to our happiness was the prince. He never stopped looking for me, increasing the reward to such a ridiculous amount that even I was tempted to turn myself in for the reward. It very much restricted my activities in the towns, so Liam and I often hung back whenever we came into port. It was mildly annoying, but not overly so.

Then came the day we ran into the prince.

It technically was our fault. We DID capture his ship, looking for gold. When Liam and I had subdued all the sailors on board, the crew had searched the inner rooms and came out with a tied up, angry looking prince. As he was set down on the deck with his men, his eyes looked around, until they landed on me.

Oh no.

“IT’s YOU!” He tried to stand up, but was held down by pirates on either side. “My love, I’ve finally found you!”

Love?

“Love?” The pirates looked confused.

“Love?” Liam said, his voice calm, but somehow communicating a threat.

“You saved my life, and stole my heart!” The prince continued, not looking over at the increasingly dour looking pirate king holding a sword. “I have searched the world for you, my love! Come back with me and let’s get married!”

I shook my head no.

“…” The prince seemed confused. “I don’t think you understood, dear. I’m proposing, Follow me and go home!”

I shook my head and gestured at Liam. He nodded in understanding and spoke up. “She says ‘No.’ She also says to stop calling her dear and love because she doesn’t like you.” I smiled at him. Over the time we spent, we had adapted a few different sign languages that we had learned in different lower realms to communicate, teaching the pirate crew as well so I could talk to them. My communication with Liam was always the smoothest, however. He seemed to have some deeper connection to my soul, some level of understanding that went beyond the need for words. He often acted as my translator when no one else knew what I was trying to say.

“She didn’t say that!” The prince retorted.

“Yes she did.” He looked at me. “She also says you smell bad and you are ugly.” I grinned and nodded.

“Why doesn’t she just tell me then?”

“She can’t talk.”

“YES SHE CAN!” He shouted. “I heard her say something to me!”

I raised an eyebrow, obviously questioning.

The prince blushed. “You called me an idiot, remember?”

I rolled my eyes. I thought he was unconscious for that part.

Liam stepped in. “Well she can’t talk now. Not that it matters. We will be taking your treasure and leaving.”

“NO!” The prince shouted. “She loves me! She saved my life!”

I gestured, and Liam translated. “She says she only saved you because she was afraid your corpse would pollute the ocean. She has less feeling for you than she does for the poop bucket on the ship, because at least the poop bucket is useful.”

The prince was silent for a few moments, as if something was broken within him. “No.” He whispered, his voice developing into a shout. “NO! SHE IS MINE! WE ARE MEANT TO LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER!”

I shuddered. Even if Adonis wasn’t here, the heroes of these worlds had his shadow. They felt like him, sounded like him. It really made me want to punch him.

I moved my hands. Liam watched with a smile and then spoke. “She says she will have a happily ever after, but as the Pirate Queen. She says she’s going to marry me.” He grinned. “We’re going to get married and grow old together and have six eggs… I mean human children.”

I paused. I hadn’t said anything about children or eggs. Did dragons lay eggs?? Could Liam and I even have children? If Liam and I had children in the higher realm did that mean I would have to LAY EGGS? My mind raced, and I very much ignored the prince and Liam.  Finally, I came to the conclusion internally that Liam and I would have to have a very long talk about the future and possibility of progeny… and about relevant biology apparently.  But we could have that talk when we back on our ship. I looked back up, trying to figure out what had happened while I was spacing out. The prince appeared to be near tears and was screaming obscenities, and Liam was simply taunting him with an evil grin.

I patted his shoulder. He looked over at me and his smile became more genuine. “Time to go?” I nodded.

He held my hand and looked back over at the prince. “Just so you know. She doesn’t belong to you. She doesn’t belong to me either. If you keep bothering her, she’ll crush you into dust. And I’ll help!” He looked proud of himself. I couldn’t help but smile, and leaned over to kiss him.

The pirates whistled loudly and the prince seemed even more angry. Liam, now red, picked me up and swung back over to the pirate ship. He ran back into the inner quarters and closed the door. Setting me down, he faced me, his red face slowly returning to normal. “Bel. Can we kiss more now?”

I laughed silently, and complied, the prince forgotten.

_________________________

It was our wedding day.

The pirates went all out. We got married on an island that had been taken over by our crew. Large festive banners decorated everywhere. A brightly dressed group of pirates played instruments, the soft, romantic music strangely out of place for the violent, aggressive looking musicians. Large crews of pirates gathered to watch the ceremony, all waving flags and streamers as if they were spectating a fight, rather than attending a wedding.

I stood at the start of the aisle,  wearing a long dress of woven golden threads. I held a bright bouquet, and kept a sword strapped to my side. Liam, dressed in his finest pirate coat, stood nervously at the front next to a terrified, kidnapped priest. His hair had been cut short and his beard shaved. His men teased him, but he told me privately that he wanted to look a little more like the Liam of the Higher Realm.

Our eyes met, and in the familiar dark blue I saw love and reassurance.

I stepped forward.

_________________________

“DID YOU HEAR THAT GUYS? I’M GETTING MARRIED!” Liam hugged me as a ragged crew cheered. They discussed the use of explosive balloons as decorations with great excitement.

_________________________

A strange memory filled my mind. The same Liam, the same love.

*** Soul transfer 85% complete. ***

I continued to walk.  

_________________________

We were on the upper deck of the academy, the fight with the HIVE looming over us. A group of young women and my father cheered on. Liam, knelt before me, proposing.

_________________________

Another world, another marriage, the same Liam.

*** Soul transfer 90% complete. ***

I reached Liam, and we held each other’s hands, smiling. The priest overcame his terror and began his speech, talking about love, commitment, devotion to one another.

“Do you, Liam, take this woman as your wife.” He didn’t use Liam’s character name, by his design. This wasn’t the Pirate King marrying a mermaid.

This was us.

“I do.” Liam answered without hesitation.

_________________________

Liam and I stood before each other, a pair of elves surrounded by fairies and other creatures. We spoke our wedding vows, our voices filled with love.

_________________________

Different bodies, different voices, the same souls.

*** Soul transfer 95% complete. ***

“Do you, Bel, take this man as your husband?” The priest asked, looking at me.

I looked at Liam, who stared nervously back at me.

I still didn't have all my memories.

I didn't know why it seemed as though I had met him before, countless times.

But I knew the answer to the priest's question.

I couldn’t speak out loud, but I nodded and signed my response.

Yes. Forever.

Liam leaned forward with a smile and kissed me. “I love you, Bel. My wife.”

I responded back silently. I love you too.

*** Soul transfer 99% complete. ***

We were married. Whether this was the first, the second or the hundredth time.

“BEL!” An angry voice shouted out, and an army descended upon the wedding,

Hundreds and hundreds of soldiers, all wearing the royal colors, flooded in, holding up weapons. The pirates closed, in, trying to protect us, but we were split up by an overwhelming larger force. And at their head, with a grim smile on his face, was the prince.

But he wasn’t the same prince... not anymore.

Adonis had taken over.

“Bel!” His eyes were filled with a cold, possessive light. “It’s time to stop playing pretend. Come with me.”

I shook my head no.

“Don’t lie to yourself anymore, Bel. The fact that you can’t speak should be your biggest clue that your silly little ‘marriage’ isn’t true love. It means nothing.” His expression was triumphant. “How were you supposed to get rid of the witch’s curse? You needed to get married and share true love’s kiss.” He pointed at Liam, who stood protectively beside me. “You can’t have a true love with that monster, Bel. He’s just a worthless beast whose only purpose in life is to be stepped on by the heroes on their way to live a happily ever after.”

I shook my head again, my face angry.

“Then why aren’t you fully turned human, voice and all, Bel? Why wasn’t his wedding and his kiss enough to break the curse? You need your true love. You need a hero.”

He stepped closer, until he was within reach, and held out his hand for me to take. I ignored it.

“You. Need. Me.” He reached out this time and grabbed my face. “Accept your fate, Bel. We were meant to be.”

I smiled at him. I’ve warned him before not to grab my face. Seems like he didn't learn his lesson.

“No.”

My voice, strange to hear after months of silence, spoke now in melodious refusal.

Adonis’s eyes widened in shock, “You…?” He was then struck by an invisible force, and thrown fifty feet away, collapsing on the ground.

I stepped forward, raising my hands. “You said a lot of wrong things, Adonis… in fact, EVERYTHING you said was completely and utterly incorrect. But fortunately for you, I’m here to set the record straight. You said that marrying Liam was worthless, that he couldn’t break the witch’s curse.” I looked over at Liam with a smile. “Two wrong things there: Marrying the love of my life? Never worthless. The other wrong thing?” I laughed, a loud, full villainess laugh. It felt good to hear it again.

“I was never under a witch’s curse.”

From my hands, clouds of dark magic spring, It spread everywhere, until the island was filled with it. All of the royal soldiers and pirates were picked up and placed on their respective ships, and the ships pushed out to sea. At the same time, the magic wrapped around Adonis, binding him and lifting him in the air to hang in front of us.  The silence was deafening. It was just Adonis, Liam and me.

“I AM a sea witch.”

Six months earlier, when I had approached the Sea Witch, she had offered me the same deal she offered the mermaid in the story. Instead, I showed her my still weak dark powers, and offered to help her get revenge on an ex-boyfriend in exchange for her teaching me magic. She had happily obliged.

“I used my OWN magic to turn myself human. Of course, I still had to give up something, and I gave up my voice, as requested by the story. But I was never required to marry the prince. To marry anyone, actually. I just needed to decide my own future and accomplish it with my own efforts. I chose to become the Pirate Queen, and accomplishing that today, I was made fully human. Although still a witch, obviously.”

Adonis struggled against his magical bonds, his face pale. “You… can’t… do… this.”

“I can and I have, Adonis. I am not the heroine you so foolishly have put all your hopes on. If anything, I fit the role of villain much more naturally.”

He looked over at Liam with difficulty. “Your mission… doomed.”

Liam shrugged, walking easily through the flow of dark magic to stand right beside me. “My mission was easy enough, I had to be utterly defeated, along with my whole pirate horde.” He gestured around. “I’ve been defeated by the sea witch it appears. Oops. How sad for me.”

I nodded sympathetically. “Tragic.”

“I’ll never recover.” He smiled. “I guess I’ll just have to be a minion to the sea witch now.”

“How about a husband?”

“Even better!”

Adonis grew increasingly angrier. “YOU CAN’T! YOU ARE RUINING EVERYTHING!”

“Am I?” I held Liam’s hand, “I think I’ve really found a better path.” As my power surged within me, I saw a new message finally scrawl across the sky.

*** Soul transfer 100% complete. ***

I laughed again.

“In fact, I think I’ve finally got all the pieces back together.” I took full control of my power, and shouted towards the sky.

“DID YOU HEAR THAT, SYSTEM?! I DID IT! THE LAST STORY, THE STORY OF THE HIGHER REALM, IS COMPLETE! I CHOSE THE SAME ENDING, SYSTEM! COME OUT AND FACE ME!”

…

…

There was only silence.

“Nothing to say, huh? Well, if you won’t come to me…” My power reached out and tore the fabric of reality. “...We’ll come to you.”

We were transported out of the lower realm, and into a world of pure white. Not another lower realm. Not the higher realms. A new place. A place beyond the realms.

“Are you sure about this, Bel?” Liam asked quietly, still holding my hand.

“I’m sure. We’ll take it on, Liam. Our fate, the rules that have bound us, everything.” I looked around with a confident smile. “And we will win.”

Liam agreed as we stood side by side, ready to take on the System.

“Together.”

[docholligay]

Choose Your own Adventure: June 2024

Listen the quality is middling and I really really wish I had more time to work out the rough bits of this but it's 3021 words which is more than I've written in a month in a long, long time. So thank you all so much!

I’ve had nightmares ever since I was a kid. 

I guess that’s not actually all that impressive, plenty of people can say they’ve had nightmares since they were a kid. No, what I mean is, I’ve had the sort of nightmares where I dream too deep, and I can’t escape, since I was a kid. 

You ever dream too deep? Where you know you’re dreaming, but you can’t get yourself out of it. The most insane things can be happening around you--once I was trapped in Picasso’s Guernica, after I saw a picture of it in my sixth grade social studies book--but it must be real, because if it weren’t real, you could wake up. 

I was doing that. I couldn’t wake up, but I was in the most fucking insane situation of my life. Not a quite a nightmare, too strange to be a nightmare. Sitting in a historical house in England, surrounded by a bunch of people that aren’t real. Completely fake. Internationally trademarked, even. 

The fact that they weren’t real, however, wasn’t keeping me from building a fire in a glorious marble fireplace  while noted fictional characters Fareeha Amari and Haruka Tenoh moved furniture around, trying to get a space for everyone to draw their boundaries for the night. 

It was tense. Tension’s a lot more fun when you’re writing it instead of living it. 

Lena dropped an armful of wood beside me and crouched down, looking at the arrangement of logs. It’d be fair enough to question what I was doing. I’m good at building a fire, great even, but that supposes a number of things are true. I don’t know if they’re true here. Does wood even cure in the UK? It must, wood cures everywhere, but it’s just so goddamn damp here. 

“Set of matches upstairs.” She picked at the edge of one of the logs. “If you need.” 

I didn’t want her to go upstairs. I don’t know why, but it prickled across my skin. I don’t like it. There’s something odd about this place, beautiful as it is. Don’t get me wrong, I still wanted to wander around every inch of the house. The carved woods, the hand-knotted carpets, no one to tell me I couldn’t touch it, running my fingers across the flocked wallpaper. But I didn’t want her to. 

“Well, I’m just gonna look around here,” I stood up, stepping toward the mantle,  “has to be a match somewhere, it’s a fireplace for fuck’s sake. Can’t light it with hope. No need for you to run around all hell in the dark.” 

She chuckled appreciatively and got to her feet. 

“Oh, I’m alright.” She scratched the back of her head, “I’m the only one knows where it is. Improve everyone’s mood a bit, warm fire.” 

I’ve had these dreams all my life. The fastest way to get out of them, is to follow the rules of them. My brain wants these worlds to be real, and so they have to be real. If I call it a dream, if I try to break out, it closes in tighter. Dream people don’t like to know they’re fake dream houses like to stay firm on the ground. These dreams are waves to be ridden. That this one feels more real than anything I’ve ever had is all the more reason to be careful. All I needed to do was get through it. As soon as the tow truck pulls up, I would just fade into the dawn. I’ve done my part. 

But the reality of it. Even looking at Lena, I couldn’t imagine the perfection of her. Everything’s the way I know it, but have never seen. Her eyes are bright and brown and filled with stars. Her smile is crooked and constant, completely unself-consious. Her messy hair with its chestnut glimpses in the light. All perfect. But things I hadn’t imagined, either. Things that were completely correct, but I could never have written down. The barely-visible scar on her arm, from breaking it as a child. The rips in her sweater, lovingly darned. 

Was it like this for God, that his creations were made more real in their own time? 

Wow, comparing myself to God, that’s a fascinating level of arrogance on display as I’m freezing to death. 

“Haruka!” I call out behind me, “Can I use your lighter?” 

Lena looks at me. I shrug. 

“She smoked when we were in the van.” 

“Oh yeah!” She laughs and adds a small piece of tinder to the fire, “I forgot. She’s been round the backside of every pub we’ve stopped at.” 

Haruka tossed it, not leaving Mina’s side, not wanting to join the conversation. It doesn’t matter. She’s still young, and annoying, and I don’t expect it. If I could have picked, I’d meet forty year old Haruka. But the lighter is more important now, one step closer to waking up to my three year old running into the room. I’ve done this plenty of times. 

First fire. Then phone.

_________

Lena watched the fire catch, and then rose to her feet, offering Doc’s shoulder a pat. Everyone would be a better mood when they were a little warmer, and maybe Lena herself could cast off the strange feeling that had come over her since she went into the house. The house wasn’t talking to her, the house didn’t know her, the house wasn’t creeping around her like the ivy on the side of the house. 

Course not. 

That didn’t mean, though, that things weren’t odd. 

Fareeha was moving together couches and piling in bedding from another room. It was a good idea, they’d probably all have to spend the night here, and Lena ignored the twinge that she shouldn’t be using the fine coverlets, the down pillows. It was just like a thought said in another room, anyway. 

She should go apologize. She thought it would be funny to scare Fareeha--and it was--but Lena did whatever came to her mind first, and never thought a day, a month, a year past it. She should have known it would bother her, having spent so much time trying to professional in front of two people who wouldn’t know professional if it slapped them across the ass. Who, honestly, didn’t care about how well Fareeha ran the organization. 

But Fareeha did care, and Lena had upset her, and she cared about Fareeha even if she was an annoying stick in the mud who never met a rule she didn’t like. When you care about people, sometimes you have to pretend you care about other things as well. 

So she went to Fareeha’s side, and touched at the pillow on the couch in front of her, fluffing it slightly. 

“Listen, earlier, that’s the sort of thing you more or less expect from me andI I thought it’d be a bit of fun, and---alright, what I --I didn’t mean to embarrass you. In front of the posh poodles. Or what ‘ave you.” 

Fareeha barely looked up at her. “Who said that you embarassed me?” 

Lena gave a short sigh. Well, she’d done her part. Fareeha’s pride was what it was, and there wasn’t much to be done about it. 

“Right.” She looked at the shadows the fire threw upon the wall, squinting as if she could almost read them. “Strange place.” 

She said it quietly, almost to herself, but flicked her eyes back to Fareeha’s, knowing she would hear and hoping she would confirm it. Not quite a whisper, but most certainly a private conference. Fareeha said nothing, her eyes simply meeting Lena’s in silent assessment, but nothing was not a denial. Right, of course. Fareeha, for whatever her faults might be: Her stubborness and pride, for example, qualities that Lena herself most certainly did not embody, or, if she did, embodied them in a much less annoying way--for all that, she trusted Lena. She didn’t think Lena was crazy. 

She took the silence, as she took most silences, as leave to continue. 

“Don’t you wonder about this rain?”

“In England? No. I absolutely do not.” 

“It doesn’t rain like this.” Lena shook her head, trying to ignore the shadow play on the wall.  “It drizzles, London fog, grey, all that. Does this seem a drizzle to you? For hours now. Doesn’t strike you as odd. Just a bit? Something is not right.” 

Fareeha smiled. “We are,” she waved a hand and clapped it heavily on Lena’s shoulder, squeezing. “on a windswept moor, or something. You don’t hear ghosts, just Heathcliff howling.” 

Lena took a few steps back and shook Fareeha’s hand off her shoulder. 

“Right, first off, we ain’t in Yorkshire, this is Surrey. Buy a map. Second off, you’re really proud of finishing that book. Third off,” It reached a stage whisper, a wide gesture, “don’t bloody patronize me! Fareeha!”

“Fourth off, there’s a ghost in Wuthering Heights.” 

Lena and Fareeha both looked over to where Doc had appeared beside them. Lena didn’t much care for anyone to have quiet feet but her. 

“You think this house is haunted?”

“Not necessarily, I’m just givin’ a book report. I guess. Anyway,” Doc broke from Fareeha’s gaze, “Everyone’s mood would prolly greatly improve with some food.”

Food? 

When did she eat last? She ran back in her mind, trying to figure out what it had been. They’d been at the Spoons, for some ungodly reason ordering chicken katsu, and what had she had? A little pizza. A pint. Alright, two pints. She should be fine. She spent a lot of time talking, didn’t she? At least, Fareeha had said so, but you know--

She saw the pizza box in the back of the van, more than half full. 

“Right! I’m ‘ungry, is all.” 

Plenty of people who were supposedly experts in a thing that had never happened had said plenty of things about her, after the slipstream, and most of them had been only too happy to suggest Lena be tossed in the bin like a broken toy. She’d never be right, you know. MIght never talk again, then did, might never take care of herself, did that too, might never be able to work again, check, and she would have had her pilot’s license back immediately if everyone at the CAA wasn’t so bloody straightlaced. She had done it all, everything they said she wouldn’t. 

Might even be a danger to herself or others, for all she’s talking about seeing the pasts overlapping, about screaming into a London that was covered in soot that was under siege by the Vikings that was bombed to the ground that was her living room.He’d never let that go. She’d been a bit forgetful and chatty, with a tireless body, since she was small, but now everything she said and did was some proof of his theory. Everything was proof of an ‘unquiet mind’, never mind that they’d been happy enough to recruit her busy, loud mind before. She’d hated that insufferable prick the most, and that was quite the accomplishment. 

No one thought she was crazy, why was she thinking about this? Why was she thinking about the house? She was hungry. When she was hungry, it was easy for her to jump tracks. Happened all the time. 

Fareeha was looking at her carefully. 

“I have meal replacement bars in my bag. You can have any of them.” 

If there was anything worse than Fareeha’s constant criticism, it was her occasional concern. 

“Oh, right! The blueberry kale one.” Lena gave a bright smile, “Not to betray me English right of resignation to misery, but ‘ave we tried going the kitchen?” 

“I can cook. I’ll help.” 

___

I don’t know why I volunteered. Other than I knew exactly what kind of meal replacement bars Fareeha has stashed in her backpack, and even if there were only a few scant things in the pantry, it would be beter than a bunch of bars with the name “Superfood slam” or “Supergreen.” 

Also, I genuinely did think everyone would be better off with some food. I don’t know what Mina’s up to in the corner with Haruka, but she keeps giving me this stare, like she’s trying to peer into my soul. She knows something’s up with me. 

I just have to keep going until it’s finished. Six am comes real early.

“Alright.” Lena shrugs with a smile, “I can probably manage not to kill anyone, so between the two of us it’ll be a regular feast.” 

You’re actually a pretty decent cook, I want to say, you took an A level in food studies in a desperate attempt to get what you needed to qualify as a pilot. You grew up helping cook. You may be the best cook in this room who isn’t me. But I need to remember I don’t know these people, at least to them. 

Remember the dream about the opera? Remember telling your seatmate the end of the story? Remember how the stage caved in, remember how it dragged you down, remember how you forgot to believe in the dream? Remember how dark it got? Lena is a stranger to you and you don’t know anything about her you couldn’t have read in a magazine somewhere. 

Relax and enjoy the dream. Hell, maybe it’ll give you some ideas for that crushing writer’s block you’ve had. It’s easy, everyone agreed to send you two off, there was a flashlight given over, and you more or less understand the layout of older houses--why does this place look so familiar anyway? It’s not the Moss Mansion. It’s not the Biltmore.--so you thought you could find the kitchen. Easy. 

But why are there so many things I would never imagine? Why are the cell phones different? Why--

“What about you, then?” Chipper and bright. 

“What about me?” 

We were wandering the first floor, looking for a dining room, which would suggest a kitchen. The walls were dark, carved in relief squares with pictures and saints’ portraits hung, all of them watching, some directing, some whispering, but all watching. 

“You know,” she swung the flashlight in front of her, “Married. Kids. Sunday league team. Just making conversation in the dark.” She laughed at herself. “Nothing important.” 

“Yeah, married. Daughter.” I’m never sure how much to say, how to keep from betraying myself. I suddenly remember I’m not supposed to know anything. “Oh, you?” 

“Nearly there!” A sliver of moonlight hit her face, and the beauty of the joy in her face was illuminated in silver like a holy manuscript. 

“Going to ask ‘er next month, when we go on ‘oliday. Oh, but she’s beautiful. And so kind. Patient, which to ‘ear me family say is the only reason she can tolerate me. I don’t know ‘ow I ended up so lucky--you imagine, girl like ‘er, in me family’s pub with the sticky carpet and--but that doesn’t matter, i did manage to charm her, and now I’ve got the ring.” 

There was a strange twist in my stomach, then. Something deep and sick inside me, like I ws aboard a tossing ship. 

“Never really saw meself settling down, not that I didn’t want to, but it’s a dangerous life, mine, and--”

Ah. Guilt. That’s what it is. 

“Here it is.” I half-ran through the dining room. I couldn’t listen to her be in love anymore. “Kitchen.” 

___

Doc was flipping through the pantry, muttering to herself as she took the tops off a few spice jars, sticking her nose over the top. 

“Boy, no one here’s been particularly burdened by seasoning.” She set the jar of smoked paprika back down with a clink. 

“Yeah?” 

“Everything’s old.” She reached into the pantry again. “Least in here.” 

Doc moved away from where the unhappy jars sat, and went to another cabinet. People teased Lena, said that she never paid attention to anything, but the problem, Lena had often observed, was that she paid too much attention to everything, and it was hard to keep it all catalouged. Looking at Doc, watching her mutter to herself, the way her fingers drifted over surfaces, the way she bounced when she walked and how her eyes wandered. Lena couldn’t be sure, you could never really be sure of anything like that, but there was something kindred between them. 

“You’re a bit like me, I think.” Lena jumped up onto the countertop and opened a tall cabinet, revealing nothing but some old glassware. 

“No,” Doc shut the cabinet with an annoyed thump, “You’re a little like me.” 

Didn’t ask how she meant. Didn’t even think about what Lena might have been saying about it. Didn’t disagree. Doc stopped in the middle of the room and nodded. 

“I’m older than you, I mean. I came first.”  Doc shrugged. “So it’s you who’s like me. A little bit.”

She stood in front of the few cans they’d managed to gather and threw a pot on the stove, turning on the gas and striking a match all in a swift and praticed motion. The burner lit without dramatics. 

“Anyway, who the fuck wants to talk about it? Congratulations, we’re both twitchy and weird. Want to place bets on who can sit still the longest? Short game. Hand me that knife, will you?“ 

Lena sat down on the butcher block counter, her arms around her knees and watched Doc as she popped open cans and began to toss them in the pot. Not everyone wanted to talk about what made them tick, and it wasn’t even as if Lena had necessarily wanted a deep conversation about it. It was only an observation, an extension of friendship. Maybe she’d embarrassed her by noticing. Lena’d felt that way herself a time or two. It doesn’t always feel complimentary to have someone tell you they know you’re odd. Not every family was like Lena’s about it. She grabbed the knife and extended it toward Doc. 

Kill her.

Lena jumped back with the ferocity of it, the knife clattering to the counter. Doc turned to her, eyes narrowed. 

“What is it?” 

Kill her before she kills you. 

For next month

[the-s1lly-corner]

Hey I was just wondering if you could do a tadc x reader who dies their hair very often? like every month or so they dye it a different color and no one knows what color it'll be next

TADC cast x reader who dyes their hair a lot!

UEUEUEUUEU hope this is okay! i must admit i was a little uwuwuawua on ideas for a lot of the characters </3 grr finding new songs to play on loop to get me into writing is hard; though currently antonymph by vylet pony is doing things to my brain

CAINE:

makes a huge deal of things whenever you dye your hair simply because he thinks what you do with yourself is cool; and since its the digital world you can get away with dying your hair as often as you want! cant damage what technically isnt real! probably makes hair color suggestions and is absolutely thrilled when you actually follow through within the coming days. prepare to have some weird combos, though... probably changes the color of his suit to match your hair... even adds stripes if your hair has stripes, or any other pattern dyed into it

POMNI:

honestly? more power to you, thats her reaction mostly. would pomni dye her own hair, or otherwise get anything to modify her appearance? probably not... but she thinks you look great with it... probably asks why you chose the current color you went with, as well as asking whenever you change. nothing like "oh WHY? why THAT color?" but like genuine non-rude curiosity... doesnt like outwardly betting or wondering what color youre going to pick outloud since she doesnt want you to think shes rude or something

RAGATHA:

has probably made multiple color variations of accessories she has made for you so you can wear anything without having the colors clash... thinks your hair is pretty, me thinks! doesnt matter what color it is, could literally be the unpleasant green-pink-brown color gradient meme and she would still find something nice to say about it... does sometimes wonder what color youre going to choose next... probably has a hush hush bet going on between her jax and zooble on what color youre going to choose next... huh what no jax didnt just get all moody because you walked in with aqua blue hair- no hes not passing something to ragatha, what are you talking about?

JAX:

as mentioned above he makes bets with some of the other circus members on what color youre going to rock next... if you ask him for any suggestions on what color you should change to next, dont expect any serious answers. even if he is being serious, jax doesnt strike me as the type to care much about colors and shades so hes probably going to drop the most basic colors. ..

"purple."

"what KIND of purple? light? dark? pastel? reddish or bluish?

"purple."

stuff like that, i think! probably fiddles with your hair, especially if you dye your tips a different color... jax fidget headcannon strikes again

KINGER:

on a bad day he might just not recognize you for a short moment... i originally said that as a joke but considering he sometimes forgets gangle is literally standing right next to him, i dont... think thats much of a joke... but after the initial confusion, i think he would really like whatever color you choose! likes playing with your hair, if you let him! he finds it soothing in its own way, and now he just has pretty colors to look at! cant explain why but i feel like he would be very good at identifying colors, so if you come in rocking some new color hes going to ask if its (insert specific shade of red that no one knows the name of. like. amaranth red.. or something..)

ZOOBLE:

honestly, they get it! i like to think that they swap out their pieces in order to fit whatever look or vibe they want for the day; aaaand i personally hc that in the real world they would dye their hair and get a bunch of piercings! though, they dont really remember much stuff from the real world, at least not clearly... but the point still stands, you guys probably get together to make a new look together! though, on days where they dont give any input on what hair color you choose next, theyre making bets with jax and ragatha... dont know why but i think zooble wins the most in the bets... shrugs

GANGLE:

oh she thinks its so pretty! has probably always loved things like that, since its a form of self expression! and she can kind of relate to that since shes an artist, albeit her medium is paper rather than her body... thinks... probably gives shy recommendations for colors if you ask her, is also bad at masking (lol) her surprise when you actually take her idea into consideration and follow through with it... makes her feel some type of way that someone cares enough about her ideas that they literally apply it to their appearance, you know?

[drachonia]

𝐛 𝐚 𝐜 𝐤 𝐭 𝐨 𝐛 𝐥 𝐚 𝐜 𝐤 .

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: randomly thought up a little bit of an alternate ending awhile back, actually got to writing it finally today. not sure if i'll continue and turn it into a full series or not.

𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: themes of reincarnation and modern setting included. descriptions of gore, major character death, angst and general dark themes. OC name used instead of general MC. spoilers for William’s main route.

Every step that echoed in William’s ears as he made his way to what may as well have been the gallows. He stepped into the dark halls in the Tower of London, faced with dozens of sets of eyes that bore him a falsified sense of ill will.

He knew the hatred was only as deeply rooted as a dull blade was leveled toward him, aiming directly for the space between his ribs. Strangely, the monarch felt a sense of unease as the sharp metal dug into his skin. Though, the sense of unease faded with each breath, an odd hope blooming along with the red that dripped to the floor.

That day in Crown’s headquarters, the heavy wooden door did not open a second time until the breaking of the next dawn, when all was too late.

The scuffing of sturdy shoes echoed on the pavement near Trafalgar Square. Ink-black curls bounced among the crowd as a young woman weaved her way through, huffing in annoyance, hand gripping an envelope, “Goodness knows why the professor wanted me to deliver her letters, I suppose anything to help her this semester…” Elisabeth murmured, brows scrunched as crimson eyes narrowed beneath long lashes. A strong gust pushed through the calm autumn air, causing the lightweight paper to lift like a feather, only to twirl about and land at a dark alleyway’s entrance. The student’s steps faltered for a moment, her brows creasing slightly as she trotted over, picking up the envelope as she cast a bewildered glance down the unfamiliar location that she felt a sort of camaraderie to.

Only when she left to deliver the slightly dirtied envelope did a pair of fine leather shoes step from the alleyway, almost like a ghost.

“Alright, last stop.” Elisabeth breathed a sigh, “Then I can meet up with Allie and Jack and we can all have some of the pie dad sent.” She breathed as she scuffed her mary-janes at the brick road. This letter, she remembered, was specifically mentioned by her professor as one of utmost importance and caution. The young lady thought back on her mentor’s words:

“He’s a distasteful ol’ man, so keep your wits about you when you drop the letter by. Give it to ‘im in person, but leave immediately.”

She sighed out, fingers tightening their grip on the letter slightly as she trotted up to the door, about to knock before noticing that the door was the slightest bit ajar. And against her better judgement, like a girl lured by the promise of adventure, Elisabeth gently pressed it open. The scent of copper hit her nose like a rousing slap to the cheek.

A dizziness filled her head as she looked at yet another strange, yet familiar scene, a dead man’s body — one she could only assume was the intended recipient of the letter she possessed.

“Well, this is a bit troublesome…” a man who couldn’t have been much older than herself frowned, arms crossing as he pushed

“A friend of yours?” A soft but jovial voice reached her ears, she noticed she had been frozen to the spot with a strange sense of deja-vu. Head aching incessantly as it pressed to the front of her skull, claws digging in.

A man with light brown hair stepped in front of the body, blocking her view as he stared down at her, “Look, we’re just here rehearsin’ for a little play at that little theatre not far off from here, nothin’ to see here.” Elisabeth almost found the false smile he put on…comforting and friendly.

“You’re lying.” The words poured out of her mouth instantly, like she’d been bound to a script herself. She had wanted to go home, to go eat a warm dinner with her brother and sister but—

A disappointed sigh reached her ears as she sensed someone behind her, looking over her shoulder to see a young man dressed head to toe with clothes almost as black as his hair. Another joined him, noticeably shorter in stature, but twice as intimidating. He grumbled under his breath, lighting a cigarette with a few curses as he glared past her.

In contrast to the rest of the curious group that surrounded the corpse, one more man stepped in front of her, the brunette from before giving him plenty room. Elisabeth glanced up once more, taking note of the silvery-white hair and carmine eyes. Her breath caught in her throat as his eyes seemed to narrow almost affectionately at her, as if out of instinct.

“It seems that we’ll be bringing her with us.” His eyes never once parted from hers, red-painted fingers brushed her own as he took her hand, Elisabeth’s vision starting to blur and darken the deeper she looked. Those eyes seemed to whisper only one thing, wide with an ever-present, intense heat.

Found you, my sweet robin.

lace headers by saradika.

[mysticstarlightduck]

Character Profile Tag!

Thanks for the tag, @the-golden-comet (here) & @wyked-ao3 (here)!

Let's go with Luke Katt from Scrapyard Boys!

Full Name: Luke Alexander Katt

Kind of Being: Human (Mutant Variant)

Age: Around 18 years old

Sex: Male

Appearance: Luke is a tall and athletic young man with short but messy dark brown hair and dark green eyes. He has pale white skin and his arms have lots & lots of tattoos (he loves getting tattoos, especially of his favorite pop culture references). Luke usually wears a simple T-shirt with a black leather jacket, dark grey ripped jeans, and black boots.

Occupation: Runaway, Fugitive/Prison Breaker, Vigilante (Later On)

Family members:

Riley Katt - younger brother, ward

Brian Katt - father (deceased)

Lena Smiths - godmother (heavily estranged)

Daryl Jonham - godfather (deceased - killed by Luke, in a desperate attempt to protect Riley from him)

Pets: A snake he found in a junkyard

Best friend: Valen Cassidy + their gang of friends, but Valen's Bestie Number 1

Describe his/her room: Luke & Riley currently live with Valen and their little crew of misfits in their hideout deep in the bowels of the city of New Omnium, after running away from the law and from their former so-called "home". Now they have a real home - though it doesn't look like much from an outsider's perspective - by being with people they care about. Luke shares a room with Riley in their friends' improvised hideout - the room has an improvised bunk bed, lots of pop culture posters, Riley's crayon drawings and plushies, some cheap string lights, and piles of worn-out but comfy pillows & blankets. Luke keeps his pocketknife and a small gun hidden under one of the loose floorboards of the room for safety.

Way of speaking: Detroit Accent + New York Accent (fictional version)

Physical characteristics (posture, gestures, attitude):

Towards strangers: cocky, imposing/menacing, withdrawn, introverted, always looking around himself for any possible danger, a sharp smirk and unreadable eyes, speaks more loudly

Towards Riley & their closest friends: more relaxed, calmly confident, extroverted, wants to have fun, is gentle & patient, smiles more often, speaks in a more average tone

Items in his/her back pocket/ purse: Pocketknife, candy sticks, some knick knacks

Hobbies: Going to the arcade; listening to rock & jazz music; helping other mutants running from the law; knife-throwing; shadowboxing; watching adventure movies

Favorite sports: ... None, I think.

Abilities/Talents/Powers: Healing, Regeneration, Wound Generation/Hurt

Relationships (how he/she is with other people):

When he knows the person: fun-loving, easy-going, loyal, kind and observant

When he does not know the person: distrusting, dangerous/aggressive, brash, cold

Fears: losing Riley or being otherwise unable to protect him or provide for him; becoming a monster/losing his mind

Faults: aggressive, impulsive, severe trust issues, overprotective, can be paranoid if under stress

Good points: kind/loving, loyal, protective, creative, fun, efficient/pragmatic

What he/she wants more than anything else: Peace, safety, & freedom

Tagging (gently): @sleepy-night-child, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @smol-feralgremlin, @oh-no-another-idea, @littleladymab,

@winterandwords, @eccaiia, @sarahlizziewrites, @illarian-rambling

@agirlandherquill, @anoelleart, @ray-writes-n-shit

@the-golden-comet, @writernopal, @anyablackwood, @unstablewifiaccess, @forthesanityofstorytellers

@i-can-even-burn-salad, @cakeinthevoid

@lassiesandiego, @thepeculiarbird, @clairelsonao3, @memento-morri-writes, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams

@differentnighttale

@wyked-ao3 and OPEN TAG

Taglist for Scrapyard Boys below the cut 🧪

Scrapyard Boys Taglist (-/+): @ray-writes-n-shit, @sarandipitywrites, @lassiesandiego, @smol-feralgremlin, @kaylinalexanderbooks,

@diabolical-blue @oh-no-another-idea

@cakeinthevoid, @clairelsonao3,

@thepeculiarbird

@the-golden-comet, @urnumber1star, @ominous-feychild, @anyablackwood, @amaiguri, @lyutenw @finickyfelix

@thecomfywriter, @the-letterbox-archives, @differentnighttale @wyked-ao3

Let me know if you'd like to be added!

[iceprincessviviane]

Last will. - Heritage series prologue.

Paring: poly!BTS (Demons) x Female!Shy!Skinny!Chosen!Reader

Type: dark romance, horror au, soulmate au, poly relationship, slowburn, yandere.

Warnings: Horror themes, some religion themes (mostly demonic), gore, blood, manipulation, witchcraft, magic themes, death (side characters), mentionings of forced marriage, mentioning about past, loss, yandere, obsessive, possessive, swearing, low self-esteem,dealing with grief, sugestive content and silly jokes created by me. (If there is more to add let me know.)

Next chapter.

Summary: When old, lonely lady is dying, some mysteries are revealed, which none is expecting. Someone is going to take advantage of that for sure.

Author's note: It was around Halloween and I was getting inspired and decided to try something in good, old scary mood. I might be not good at it, so sorry! And it's based kinda of my strange dream. Action is supposed to be in northen Canada in make up city, this is how it was in my dream so I will let it stay. Sorry if that has no logic at all. Dream was really strange and first chapters are mostly based on that, rest it just written by me as continuation. Introduction is long and whole mansion is based on one from Tonb Raider series (Legend/Underworld). English isn't my first language so sorry for all mistakes.

Dedication for the @aris-ink meance (angel) which supporter me all the way along and mostly I'm posting because she gave me a wings 💖

MINORS DNI

In modern office was sitting very old and elegant lady. She had old-fashioned dress and her white hair were in tight bun. Fine jewllery was on her neck, same was for wrist and ears. The stones were shinging in light of the lamp. She sat opposite young notary, which was writing somethine with pen on his documents. Dame was visibly getting impatient, her assistant was making meaningful glances at worker, but he didn't even noticed. After few minutes she sighed and tapped her emaciated on light brown desk.

"I am sorry ma'am, it has to be perfect."

She rolled her eyes and looked around. Office was big and bright, outside was raining heavy, wall of water and sometimes the sky was pierced by thunder. There was computer on the other side of the desk and big bookshelf filled by documents and books about the law. On the wall was hanging put some awards and certificates which notary finished successfuly.

"My boy, I am sorry to interrupting you, but in fact I don't have much time. I am going to die very soon and I need to do a lot." Old lady said bitterly.

"I am sorry ma'am." He gave her sympathetic smile and put down pen. "I have ended your last will as you wished."

Notary handed her document. She read it with little frown. It was strange for her, but the time has come and she had to take care of last things in this world.

"I have concated the curator of museum you have mentioned. He is thrilled by your proposition and agreed to all your terms."

"I am glad then. I hope this will do good for next generations." Old lady smiled warmly.

"But there is one problem. Being specific about the mansion in Grand Hillsam." Man said looking at the name of the town.

Immediately old lady's glance became cold and suspicious. "What about it?"

"I have found that in fact it's part of Canadian heritage and it was just under your custody ma'am. It can't be given to any museum or anyone unless the government agree or the owner can't take care of it. I have tried to contact the office in Grand Hillsam and they have sent me to someone higher."

Old lady scoffed and waved her head with annoying expression. She tapped desk again, looked like wanting to light a cigarette.

"But they have stated that, after your death it will become clear what will happen to the mansion. It can't be made into museum if it's not proven that mansion would be left all alone."

"But I wanted to avoid passing it to anyone. That's why I wanted to make museum there and give all historical stuff away as gifts."

"They are very thankful, but your family last will is above that. You were not living there in fact, only someone who lives there can decide about mansion." Young man sighed taking out some documents. "I have searched it very carefuly, but can't do anything about that."

"That's bullshit." She cursed not like a lady. "I have paying all the bills and sending money to take some care of this mansion. I just didn't want to live there." She frowned.

"And as your family stated, only person who lives there can decided to such things as selling or giving up the mansion. After your death your family and far family will be informed about it. If they won't be able to take care of it, it will be made into museum." Notary said shrugging with helplessness.

"But I have no family. That's why I am giving away the money and things."

"Well... that's not true ma'am... the office searched through documents as did I. You have a very distant family, here in Europe."

"But they have been thrown out of my lineage almost three hundred years ago. The testement didn't include them in any case."

"Well... the office in Canada have stated that unless your famil won't care about mansion or simply can't because of money, then yes it will be made into museum."

Old lady sighed slowly, but then nodded. "If it's all, please let me sign it and let's end this farse."

Soon notary handed her all necessary documents. She signed them with diligence. They have left office and her assistant helped her by softly holding arm. He was middle age man, who served her long time. When they were in the car, driver almost immediately pulled into driveway.

"Damnit, it was so close to get rid of this stupid mansion and it's secrets. I am sure they have had their word in this." She said staring at the window and terrible weather.

"So what now? Your distant family will be called to Grand Hillsam that's for sure." Assistant said with worrying tone.

"I will make sure, that they won't want to stay there and will be protected. I need to be at home as fast as possible."

}*{

It was dark outside and was raining almost all time. Week has passed since old lady was in the office. Now she was lying at bed, weak and in fact annoyed. She lighted a cigarette and took a deep breath. Her assistant just left bedroom. It was quite big one, with canopy bed, balcony, big wardrobe and high bookshelf.

"You shouldn't be smoking." Happy voice said with concern.

"I am dying, I can do whatever I want." Old lady's words were horase. "I don't care how I am going to die, I am going to enjoy life till my last breath."

"You are still the same." Green eyes flashed in dim room, just on the bookshelf.

Small, dark as night cat hopped on the floor and made it's way to the bed.

"Thank's God, I was thinking that Harry was making you suspicious." Old lady said bitterly.

"It was hard to make my way here and this form." Cat said and stopped near the bed, that lady could see him.

"I need your owner'a help." She confessed.

"We know. That is why I am here, but don't know the details."

"I wanted to give up the mansion. To get rid of it, make family free. But of course they have stepped in." Old lady frowned with disgust.

"Well it was sure, that it won't be so easy."

"Officials said that until my last family won't be proven that don't want to take care of the mansion or simply can't take care, because of money, there is no way of making of it museum."

"So they even messed with office." Cat said perking it's ears.

"Yes. There is a threat, that all will start again. I have no time to meet my distant family and tell them about our messed up past. Pretty sure that they won't believe me anyway. So you will have to take care of that. They can't stay there and they have to give up this stupid building."

"Well it's not like when the building is gone, all the problems will disappear. The bond will be still there."

"Yes, but the ritual place will be no more, all the knowledge and items will be gone. Some spells will break. Even town might get free from dark influence. It will be hard for them go rebuild that somewhere else.

"I will go and tell my owner about everything." Cat promised and licked it paw. "But now let me keep your company."

Animal jumped on the bed and sit on old lady's lap demanding headpats. She gladly provided them till her hand stopped and last breath left her mouth. Cat purred softly making sure that her soul is safe.

}*{

Namjoon stepped out of the car and looked at building in front of him. He put his hands in the pockets. The gate was closed and strong walls were protecting land inside. It looked old and untreated. Through a gate you could see entrance to the garden and main entrance to the big manor. It was already late, moon poking from behind a clouds made a little light. He walked to the gate and put a hand in shadow place then

walk

through

the

darkness till he reached other side. He did the same with big doors and found himself inside. There was dust, unplesant smell and silence, but he remembered those halls too good. There was big, main space and staircase which were splitting up, leading up and to the left and right where were rooms. Entrance to the basement was also through this room, same as kitchen and second part of the manor. He wasn't alone.

Shadows shifted slighty and into his view came six characters. Wide smile appeard on his handsome face.

"Is thar true hyung? That's why we all are here?"Jimin asked coming closer.

"Better be that or I will throw hands." said Yoongi and leaned on pillar in opposite.

"Our man has confirmed that there is another descendant. They have rejected idea of the museum for now and have stated that it must to be prooven that descendant can't take care of mansion to make it museum." Namjoon has spoken quietly.

"So we have chance to take it all back?" Jungkook's wide and bunny smile appeard.

"Maybe, now they have to brought here this person."

"All right let's go back to the work guys." Jin stated and they all have disappeard in the blink of the eye.

[kk095]

Role Reversal

*good evening everyone! The poll has concluded and the first option received the most votes. I plan on posting the other two stories in the near future, so in the event you voted for those stories, don't worry! You'll definitely see them soon. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this story!*

Dr Lindsay is one of our beloved, go-to characters. She’s talented, smart, and always trying to go above and beyond for her patients. You can also add looks to her already impressive resume- she’s a tall woman in her early 30s, standing around 6 feet tall, with a slim but toned, athletic build, light brown hair, beautiful blue eyes, and a cute, tomboy type of appearance. Time and time again we’ve seen Lindsay’s hands inside a beautiful lady’s chest, but what if she was the one on the trauma room table for once? That’s just what happened in an alternate reality.

Lindsay was off that morning, but even on her days off, she’d get up early and go for a run. She ran track at a D1 school in college, and continued running even after her D1 days were over. This particular morning started off pretty uneventful. Lindsay woke up around 5:45 since she likes to run through her neighborhood when there weren’t very many people out and about. It was quiet and peaceful at that time, but also a bit chilly that morning, so Lindsay made sure she put on long sleeves and a pair of warmer leggings before heading out on what would be her final run.

It was still a bit dark out at that time, but the sun was slowly but surely making its way up. Lindsay had walked out into the street from her driveway, popped in her headphones, and off she went. The pace was a little slower at first since Lindsay was feeling a little chilly at that time. But nonetheless, she trotted along like she always did. About 10 minutes or so into her run was an intersection close to the entrance of her neighborhood. People would always blow through the stop sign at this intersection for whatever reason. Lindsay had countless experiences where she was almost hit by someone while driving to/from work, but never had that issue while running since she was always out so early in the morning.

On that day, in that alternate reality, there was someone out and about. There was a guy in a white BMW on his phone not paying attention to the road. The gentleman rolled through the stop sign, never even seeing Lindsay. Lindsay tried to get out of the way, but it was already too late! A loud thud was heard once the car struck Lindsay. The car struck Lindsay’s left flank/oblique area. The force threw her around, and her chest slammed into the hood of the car with tremendous force. Lindsay’s tall, 6 foot frame was thrown over the top of the car effortlessly before rolling off the trunk and onto the pavement.

The driver of the BMW jumped back and slammed on the brakes, making a squealing noise, but the damage was already done. “oh my God oh my God oh my God” the driver of the car panicked, finally putting his phone down and stopping the car like he should’ve when approaching the stop sign. Lindsay laid on the pavement face up. She was in complete shock, and the adrenaline was flowing through her body. Lindsay’s eyes opened up wide, her face having some abrasions and minor cuts on it. She looked up into the morning sky and took a few deep, but quick breaths. Lindsay tried to get up, but she couldn’t feel her legs. “no no no. This can’t be happening!” Lindsay thought to herself, the panic slowly but surely setting in. She had some sensation in her arms and tried to reach for her phone, but unfortunately it was in her pocket, smashed to oblivion. “HELP ME!” Lindsay screamed at the top of her lungs. The driver of the white BMW stepped out of the vehicle and slowly approached Lindsay. “oh my God…” he said, looking down at her like a deer caught in the headlights. “YOU HIT ME!” Lindsay said to the man, making eye contact as he approached. “miss…I’m so, so, sorry! I didn’t mean it!” the man said back, begging Lindsay for forgiveness in a way. “call 911! I need help! Please…” Lindsay says to the man while he continues to stand there in a daze.

Finally he dials 911. “Hey! I hit a lady with my car in my neighborhood! You gotta send someone here quick! It’s bad!!!” the man shouts into the phone. “it wasn’t my fault! I didn’t see her!” he shouts into the phone a moment later, presumably answering the dispatcher’s questions. Meanwhile, dispatch notifies EMS and medics Stephanie and Tracy are the ones to respond.

“Hey Steph, we gotta roll. Auto vs pedestrian over in Waterford Estates.” Medic Tracy said to her partner. “Waterford Estates? Doesn’t Dr Lindsay live in there?” Stephanie replied, having a gut feeling this would be a case she wouldn’t forget. “oh come on, there’s a bazillion doctors in there. What’re the odds it’s her?” Tracy responds, blowing off Stephanie. “hmm, yeah. I guess you’re right. Let’s head out.” Stephanie replied hesitantly, even though the gut feeling was still there.

Back at the scene, the driver of the BMW is pacing around, the panic really starting to set in for him. “oh God, what’s gonna happen to me?! Am I gonna get arrested? Am I gonna get sued?! This can’t be happening…” he thought out loud, showing just how selfish he was. Dr Lindsay is laying on the pavement in rough shape, and this guy’s only worried about what’s going to happen to him. What a jerk!

In the moment, all Lindsay could do was lay there and wait for EMS to arrive. She tried to move her legs again, but couldn’t move them in the slightest. The adrenaline was slowly but surely starting to wear off. The pain wasn’t unbearable, but she started to notice a few things. She felt a combination of soreness and tightness in her chest. Her flank/oblique area was painful to the touch, and some of the cuts and abrasions were beginning to sting. “he called 911, so they’ve gotta be coming.” Lindsay thought. But every minute felt like an eternity to both Lindsay and the driver for different reasons. Lindsay knew she was hurt pretty bad, and potentially paralyzed, but the exact extent of her injuries wasn’t known.

Finally, the ambulance pulls up nearby and comes to a stop. Stephanie and Tracy step out of the vehicle and make their way towards the patient. At first, Stephanie didn’t realize who it was- it just looked like a nameless, faceless female, but as she got closer, it all hit her, proving her gut feeling to be correct. “Dr Lindsay?!” Stephanie’s eyes widened, running over to her. Stephanie scurried over and knelt down, immediately tending to Lindsay. “Linds? What happened? Tell me what’s going on!” a concerned Stephanie asks. “He hit me…asshole was on his phone. Blew through the stop sign…” Lindsay says to Stephanie. Tracy heads over with the gurney and some other bits of equipment. “lindsay?!” Tracy exclaimed. “yeah…” Stephanie replied, nodding her head slightly. “possible spinal injury. I can’t feel my legs…” Lindsay informed the two familiar faces, tearing up a little. “blunt trauma to chest and flank area. Possible bleeding, maybe some broken ribs. Make sure I get a chest x ray and an echo when we get to the ED, ok?” Dr Lindsay says, ordering the two medics around as if she were treating a patient in the ER. Lindsay’s broken body was placed on a backboard and a c-collar was placed, and she was wheeled into the ambulance.

Medic Tracy was going to drive, while Stephanie remained in the back with Dr Lindsay. Once in the rig, it was go time- lights and sirens blaring, speeding down the road. In the back of the ambulance, Stephanie snipped off all of Lindsay’s clothes, stripping her completely nude and barefoot. Lindsay had some noticeable bruising on her chest and flank area, and there were areas that had road rash and other abrasions due to the nature of the incident. Medic Stephanie began sticking EKG electrodes onto Lindsay’s bare chest. “here…let me do an IV.” Lindsay insisted, reaching over towards Stephanie’s gear. Doctors always make the worst patients, amiright? “no linds, you’re not playing around with sharp objects in your condition. I’ll take care of you, ok?” Stephanie responded, gently nudging Lindsay’s hand away. Stephanie began setting up the IVs while Lindsay eyes scanned over, looking at her own vital signs. “80/40, tachy at 130, pulse ox normal. Alternating QRS complex. I bet I have cardiac tamponade and maybe some internal bleeding near the flank. Maybe it’s my spleen, but it could be my kidney if the right spot was hit.” Lindsay told Stephanie.

The rest of the ambulance ride was pretty uneventful, and Lindsay arrived at the ER with similar vital signs. It was an odd feeling for Lindsay when she was wheeled through the main entry doors. She was always the one doing the walking and talking, but was never the one on the gurney. Stephanie and Tracy continued wheeling Lindsay in, and ended up in a familiar place- the trauma room. “oh my God, Lindsay?!” Dr Sarah blurted out, shocked to see who the patient was. The other nurses all chimed in, but Lindsay kind of zoned out. Not only was this a traumatic experience for her, it was a bit odd being the patient for once. Lindsay was moved onto the trauma room table underneath the large overhead light. Everything went silent for Lindsay and she zoned out for a bit. She flashed back to her very last shift the day before. On the very same table during Lindsay’s shift was a pretty, 30-something blonde who had her chest crushed in by a steering column in a horrible car accident. Lindsay cracked her wide open and massaged her heart, hit her with the internal paddles a bit, but she ultimately didn’t make it. For whatever reason, it was at that moment Lindsay knew she’d suffer the same fate as the blonde lady the night before. She couldn’t explain why, she just knew.

“Lindsay? You with us hun?” Nancy asked, doing a sternal rub on Lindsay, noticing she was a bit zoned out. Lindsay snapped back to reality. “huh? Yeah…” Lindsay said to Nancy. “did you guys do a chest x ray and an echo yet?” Lindsay asked, looking over towards Dr Sarah. “not yet, ran trauma labs and started you on transfusions. I also wanna check your lower extremities. The medics said you couldn’t feel your legs?” Dr Sarah replied. “No… I tried to get up when it first happened, but I just can’t.” Lindsay replied, surprisingly calm. “ok linds, I’m just gonna go check.” Dr Sarah announced, walking towards the end of the table. “Hey Lindsay, wiggle your toes for me.” Asks Dr Sarah. Lindsay’s feet stay completely still. Dr Sarah grabs her pen light and strokes the sole of Lindsay’s right foot for a reaction. “you feel that linds?” Dr Sarah asks, looking towards the head of the bed. Lindsay laid there teary eyed, fighting back crying. “no… nothing…” an upset Lindsay replied. Dr Sarah repeated the same process on the opposite foot. “what about that?” she asks. Lindsay’s voice got weak and her eyes more teary. “nope…” Lindsay said.

With Lindsay snapped back to reality, the adrenaline worn off, and Dr Sarah’s tests on her lower extremities, Lindsay realized that even if she got out of this alive, her life would be very different. The fear and uncertainty was starting to set in for Lindsay. “I’m gonna end up like the lady from last night…” she thought to herself, going deeper down that rabbit hole. While Lindsay was psyching herself out, Sarah lowered her stethoscope onto Lindsay’s bare chest for a listen. “ahh!” Lindsay winced in pain, squinting her eyes. Lindsay’s chest was pretty sore, and she experienced some point tenderness when Sarah took a listen. “I’m sorry I’m sorry, I’ll be quick!” Sarah said. “lungs are clear, muffled heart sounds. Let’s get a chest x ray and an echo.” Sarah barked out to everyone else in the trauma team. The nurses sprung into action. Heather got all the x ray equipment set up, and nurse Nancy got the ultrasound machine set up.

First order of business was the chest x ray. The chest x ray showed a few broken ribs and a badly bruised sternum. The x ray also showed an unstable burst fracture at the L3 level. There were bone fragments embedded into Lindsay’s spine, and certain portions of the spine were completely severed, along with a hematoma in that general area- which is common. When the spine is injured, it tends to bleed a lot. Lindsay looked over at the x ray which confirmed her likely paralysis. She remained silent, but a tear rolled down her cheek. “I’m sorry sweetie.” Nurse Nancy says to Lindsay, stroking her hair a bit. An echocardiogram was then done, which confirmed Lindsay’s suspicion all along of cardiac tamponade. “yep, you’re right Lindsay. Tamponade. We’re gonna do a pericardiocentesis after I take a look at the abdomen, ok?” Sarah says to her. Lindsay remains silent but gently nods, tears going down her face. The abdominal ultrasound showed that there was a bleed in the upper left quadrant. “looks like a splenic lac, I don’t think your kidney or anything down that way was affected.” Sarah tells Dr Lindsay, looking at the monitor. “ok. So pericardiocentesis, then OR for me, right?” Lindsay asks, choked up. “yeah, that’s what it’s looking like. We’ll go ahead and get the pericardiocentesis going in a second, alright?” said Dr Sarah.

Lindsay saw Dr Sarah getting the big needle for the procedure and it struck a little fear in her since she was about to be on the receiving end of it. “I should’ve just skipped my run and slept in…” she thought to herself. She then felt the cold alcohol wipe sterilizing the area on her chest. Lindsay looked over and saw Sarah pick up the large needle. Lindsay looked over at nurse Nancy, tearing up with a nervous expression. “It’s gonna be ok sweetie. You’ve done this one a thousand times before. You got this!” Nancy replies in a reassuring tone, grabbing ahold of Lindsay’s hand. Sarah picked up the needle and took a look at Lindsay. “ok, I’m gonna start.” She says to her colleague. Lindsay looks over at Nancy and squeezes her hand, avoiding the sight of the large needle. Dr Sarah inserted the needle carefully into the 5th intercostal space a centimeter or two lateral to the apex. Lindsay felt a slight pinch, along with some pressure while the needle advanced further. When the needle was at the correct depth, Sarah carefully pulled back on the plunger of the needle. Lindsay felt slight burning, and a weird change in pressure inside her chest. The body of the needle filled with blood rather quickly, so Sarah delicately removed the needle. “repeat echo please.” Sarah said to the nurses. The echocardiogram was repeated, and Lindsay’s pericardium refilled with blood in an instant. “crap. That didn’t do the trick.” Sarah said in a frustrated tone. Sarah repeated the pericardiocentesis two more times, trying to aspirate all the blood that was squeezing Lindsay’s heart from the inside out, but the needle would fill up with blood, and the pericardium would almost instantly refill once the needle was out. “probably an active bleed from a cardiac chamber injury, maybe even a great vessel injury. You need to knock me out and do a thoracotomy and find out.” Lindsay told Sarah. “yeah… I agree. I’ve gotta open you up. I don’t think stable enough for the OR yet.” Dr Sarah replies in agreement. Lindsay gets choked up, and in a weak voice says “8.0 ET, push succs and etomidate. Get a thoracotomy tray…”, still trying to have a say in her own care. There was a pause, everyone realizing the gravity of the situation. “You heard her, let’s get going.” Dr Sarah breaks the silence, taking charge of the situation. Everyone began scrambling around, getting ready for the intubation and ensuing thoracotomy. “this is it…these are probably the last moments I’ll probably ever see…” Lindsay thought to herself. “They’re gonna crack me open, get the pericardium open, and I’m just gonna bleed out.” She added to her previous thought, going deeper down the rabbit hole.

The meds kicked in, and Lindsay went unconscious. Nurse Nancy got the 8.0 ET tube in, and secured it in place with a blue tube holder. Betadine was splashed across Lindsay’s bare chest, staining it a brownish orangey color. “pressure’s dropping doc.” Nancy said to Sarah, noticing the heart monitors are chirping louder and faster. Sarah then made a quick, decisive cut in Dr Lindsay’s chest beginning at the sternum, extending it to the left, underneath Lindsay’s hard left nipple, and ending a bit shy of her left armpit. While incising the underlying tissue, the monitors began beeping louder at faster. “BPs plummeting!” nurse Nancy nervously called out. Dr Sarah expedited the chest cracking, getting the rib spreader in, cranking the knob, and forcing her coworker’s ribs apart forcefully. Upon entry to the chest cavity, there was actually no blood loss whatsoever. “all that blood is probably in the pericardium. What’s the source of it though?” Dr Sarah thought, posing that important question to herself.

Next up, the thick, fibrous lining of Lindsay’s heart was opened. Sarah made a vertical cut in the pericardium, and quickly delivered the heart. With the heart delivered and the pericardium peeled back, there was a rush of blood. “suction!” Sarah asked. Dr Sarah then investigated inside of Lindsay’s chest cavity trying to find the culprit for her cardiac tamponade. Sarah both looked around and felt around, but couldn’t find anything. However, blood kept re-accumulating every handful of seconds or so. Suction was applied again, clearing the area out and allowing a line of sight to be reestablished. Lindsay’s vitals began to take a major nosedive in an instant. “push 250cc’s normal saline. Hang more o-neg on the rapid infuser!” shouted Dr Sarah, doing what she could to buy her colleague some time. The monitors beeped loud and fast, and the line of sight in Lindsay’s chest cavity became inundated with a tremendous amount of blood. Suction was applied to the area, making a wet slurping sound. Lindsay’s breathing tube began to fill with blood too. “hey, suction up here too!” Nurse Nancy called out. “Damn it, she’s crashing. Starting internal massage.” Sarah grumbled, reaching her hands into Lindsay’s bloody mess of a chest cavity and began vigorously massaging her heart. “airways clear.” Nancy announced. “meds in” said heather, injecting epi and atropine intravenously.

Sarah wrapped her hands around Lindsay’s strong, muscular heart and began pumping the frantically twitching organ with her own two hands. Nurse Lin stepped up to the plate and placed a vascular clamp on Dr Lindsay’s descending aorta near the diaphragm. “if it’s arterial, the bleed might stop.” Lin thought out loud. “good thinking Lin. Let’s hope we get to the bottom of this ASAP.” Sarah responded. Suction has been applied again to the thoracic cavity, but it was only doing so much. “how about a left chest tube for drainage?” Sarah asked, looking around at the rest of the trauma team. In a pinch, nurse Lin procured a chest tube and inserted it along Lindsay’s left ribcage. 1200ml of blood exited the tube and splashed Lin’s yellow trauma gown. The line of sight improved, but Dr Lindsay’s condition did not.

Lindsay remained in PEA for a bit, finally converting to v-fib a little after the 6 minute mark of the code. The internal paddles were charged to 20 joules, lowered into Lindsay’s chest around her heart, and the shock was delivered. A dull, wet thunk was heard, Dr Lindsay now on the receiving end of the internal paddles for once. Her heart more or less paused for a moment, then continued its erratic twitching motion. The internal paddles were recharged to 20 joules and lowered back in. A muted KA-THUMP was heard. Lindsay’s torso jolted sharply, but v-fib remained. “still nothing, let’s go again at 30. Everyone….CLEAR.” shouted Dr Sarah. The stronger shock caused Lindsay to grunt a bit and her eyes to open halfway. For a split second, the team thought they got her back because of that, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. “damn it! Again at 30!” Sarah yelled. The electricity of the next shock ran through Lindsay’s lifeless body, causing her toes to curl at the other end of the table, showing off the thin, prominent, silky wrinkles throughout the soles of Lindsay’s size 11 feet and the fresh coat of white nail polish on her toes. Unfortunately, Lindsay went back to PEA.

More meds were pushed and Sarah resumed internal massage. “come on linds…come on…don’t fuckin die…” the cute, nerdy redhead said under her breath. But that comment fell on deaf ears, and Lindsay didn’t regain a shockable rhythm for quite a bit. At the 19 minute mark of the code, v-fib finally reappeared. The blood soaked paddles were called for and charged to 30, another shock being delivered. Lindsay’s chest jumped quickly for a moment, her beautiful blue eyes remaining half open, blankly gazing up above. “still nothing, charging to 40.” Says Sarah. The large, spoon shaped objects are called for yet again, and the next shock is delivered. The stronger shock bends Lindsay’s already broken body out of shape for a millisecond before falling limp again. Dr Sarah shocks Lindsay again at 40 joules, once again to no avail. “come on linds… come on. Everyone….CLEAR!” Sarah shouted out, delivering the next shock. Dr Lindsay’s heart tensed up for a moment, then started to flutter uselessly again. “Still nothing!.... CLEAR!” Sarah yelled out passionately, hitting Lindsay with the internal paddles again. The jolt of electricity picked Dr Lindsay’s legs and feet up above the table as it traveled through her body, causing her feet to leap up and crash back down all within the span of a second, showing off her hot, wrinkly soles once again. After another 3 shocks, Lindsay deteriorated back to PEA, so internal massage was resumed, along with the next dose of meds.

Dr Sarah worked passionately at massaging Dr Lindsay’s heart. “come on…come on…” Sarah said under her breath, looking at the monitor, then down at Lindsay’s heart. Dr Sarah squeezed, trying to force blood through her friend and coworker’s body, attempting to temporarily do the job of her heart. Things only got worse as the code droned on. Lindsay went from PEA to agonal, then from an agonal rhythm to asystole. Dr Sarah could feel the movement of Lindsay’s heart grow weaker and weaker the longer she remained in cardiac arrest. Eventually, Dr Lindsay’s heart came to a gentle stop, becoming motionless, falling limp within Sarah’s gloved hands. Sarah kept massaging Lindsay’s heart, and ordered another dose of meds to be pushed into Dr Lindsay’s IV line. Even after several minutes worth of efforts and another dose of drugs, nothing changed.

The room grew eerily silent as the code droned on and on with no signs of improvement. You could hear a pin drop in the room, but the tension was palpable. Sarah kept massaging Lindsay’s heart, doing anything and everything she could, while nurse Nancy puffed the ambu bag every few seconds as Dr Lindsay’s beautiful blue eyes remained half open, staring upwards. Sarah stopped internal massage at the 30 minute mark of the code. “asystole on the monitors…” she says, shaking her head, forearms deep into Lindsay’s chest, massaging away. “pupils fixed and dilated, maxed out on meds.” Nurse Nancy adds. At that point, the scary realization hit the trauma team- Dr Lindsay was gone. There was an eerie pause in the room, and the only noise was the flatlined monitors. “does anyone have any other suggestions?” Dr Sarah asks. Nobody responds initially. “you can’t give up on Lindsay. We have to try a little longer, right?!” heather shouts passionately, teary eyed. Nobody answered heather, knowing exactly what was to come next. Dr Sarah ceased internal compressions, removed her hands from Dr Lindsay’s chest, peeled off her blood soaked gloves and looked over at the clock, making the most difficult decision of her life. “time of death, 6:49am. I’m sorry linds…” Sarah says, absolutely defeated, holding back tears, feeling partially guilty about being unable to save Lindsay.

Nurse Nancy detached the ambu bag and heather switched off the flatlined monitors. Lindsay’s eyes remained half open while the EKG electrodes were plucked off her chest, appearing as if she was watching nurse Lin do that. Nurse Heather started crying when beginning to fill out Dr Lindsay’s toe tag. “I can’t do it…” heather cried, storming out of the room, hands to her face. Nurse Nancy finished the toe tag, and Lin placed a cover over Lindsay’s body with her eyes still half open, concealing the face of their beloved friend and coworker. Last but not least, the toe tag was placed on the big toe of Lindsay’s left foot, dangling in front of her cute, wrinkly soles. Just like that, Lindsay became the beautiful woman toe tagged under a sheet in the emergency department. Dr Lindsay’s life ended in the same place she spent so much of her time.

[blueberrypancakesworld]

Hello!!! Long time no ask! Lol, I've been battling sickness, and I'm and out of hospitals and specialists, and whilst I sit upon my bed, I was thinking of how I used to absolutely ADORE your stories!!! So, I come here seeking a HOTD story!!!

Would it be possible for you to write a story/one shot about an old character I had asked you to make? She was the only child between Laenor and Rhaenyra, but never wanted the throne, in this story could you write her reaction to hearing about her brother, Lucerys' demise from Rhaenys? She was close to her brothers even though they were half siblings and I can't imagine how she must have felt knowing Aemond, who she had once been betrothed too and cared for, was the cause.

Goodness I miss your works and I look forward to seeing the HOTS season 2!!!

Loss of the wrong blood

Targaryen family x daughter of Laenor and Rhaenyra!reader

warning : angst, emotional, implied war, mention of death (of lucerys), mention of war and death, very slightly implied Aemond x reader, reader is female, no use of Y/n

Summary : Once the succession to the throne seemed secure with her being the true child of Princess Rhaenyra and her first husband Laenor. But that time is over, the war is upon them, and into the storm comes the news of Lucery's death, a time when much worse was to come.

Info : OMG I am so happy to have written this my dear I wish you all the best and the best of health I really hope you enjoy this and I am always open for more. It was really nice to visit old friends again and I wish you a lot of fun…everyone else too of course ;) Season 2 will be amazing and so sad at the ame time

masterlist

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The blood of the Targaryens, Velaryons and Hightowers all older than most houses. Three families that came together under the royal family a family from Alicent and the Hand of Otto Hightower grandfather of the three children of the queen who were also the uncles of the three blood infested children of Rhaenyra a daughter of King Viserys of the kingdom of joy and a woman who would one day ascend the throne.

The three princes, as they were often called, were three children with dark brown hair and dark eyes who knew that they were not the true heirs, born out of love for their beloved mother. Three sons without a father a real father who burned to death in the flames of his castle.

But in those dark days, in the days when Aegon was crowned king, the green ones were preparing for a first strike and the black ones were sharpening their blades and dragons around Rhaenyra, there was a trueborn in the family besides Rhaenyra and her three half-siblings, it was her only daughter.

The only daughter from the marriage between Laenor and Rhaenyra was born one night when it had worked out in a circuitous way with wine and potions with slaves and under the moonshine.

A night from which Rhaenyra's only daughter, the second-born child, was born with white light hair, violet eyes and a darker skin that resembled Velaryon's.

Eyes that now showed assurance as she raised her sword and pointed at her older half-brother who had also moved into position before the two approached each other under the command of the Master of Arm.

Swords slashing against each other, the dragon Vermax looked on curiously at the older Seasomke who was looking at his horse. A battle, a training between siblings, a battle in which Jace was seen to have the strength of his father Harwin, a battle in which the skill of the Velayrons came to the fore.

It was a back and forth until it came to the point where her two brothers moved away and she shrugged off his ,,I'll see you in a minute, you lame chick" with a roll of her eyes and saw the teacher's look of approval. But she saw how tightly Jace clutched the sword, nervous about his first mission for the empire, for their mutual mother.

She knew that she and Jace should have gone, not Lucerys, who was still too young for her. But I can't go…the heiress can't go, she thought, handing her sword to her holder hanging over the fireplace as she put on her formal clothes to say goodbye. Her eyes briefly lingered on the picture of the entire family of Targaryens, Velaryons and Hightowers at the family dinner.

Where everything was still sort of okay until Aegon ruined it, ,,And you defended me Aemond," she murmured and put her finger on her uncle her real blood relative not her half uncle like Jace, Luce and Joff. Despite the fact that it was only a picture, she could see the sapphire in his eye and she felt his gaze on her, he was always with her, had been promised to her.

He was a man she had once not disliked, their interests were similar and he was gentler and more affectionate than her first uncle Aegon. Soon she hastily put the picture away and closed the golden buckle with the dragon while seahorses and dragons in silver and gold appeared on her cloak and clothes.

It was a reminder to everyone here on Dragonstone and King's Landing that she was the only legitimate child and heir to the throne besides her little hall brothers Aegon the third and Viserys the second.

,,We are the true family they say but that's not true" she mumbled as she looked at the painting of King's Landing a painting in the glory days of the city a city that knew who the true heirs were she and her two half brothers and her two uncles and her dear aunt Helaeana and her three children her cousins.

As she left her room, she remembered one thing about Lucery's hopeful sad expression-hope for no war and grief that he was walking alone, his fears threatening to hollow him out.

,,Mother, father…Harwin the house of Velaryon and I we are all so proud of you my little Luce" she reminded him and placed a hand on the brown haired man's cheek looking into his dark eyes as he pulled her into a hug and gave a soft ,,Thank you sister" before she stroked his head one last time and watched him mount Syrax.

She felt Jace's hand on her shoulder, ,,He's going to make it our little Lucerys," her older brother said as he closed her in a hug and she watched him mount his dragon Vermax and watched her brothers until they disappeared into the sky.

But things were to turn out differently - they were messengers on behalf of Queen Rhaenyra, but Jacaerys fulfilled his mission to the Arryns and the Starks in the north…but Lucerys met a bitter, gruesome end over the sea, murdered by his uncle on Vhagar.

A message that came to her late as the fire burned in the hearth and she sharpened her sword as her stepfather Daemon had always advised her to do when waiting, ,,Keep your weapons and mind sharp so you can't be surprised," she remembered his words.

She felt his hand on her shoulder as they shared the few moments they had. Daemond was not like Laenor, she barely remembered her real father, but whenever she saw the sea, the air whirring around her and the fire, she knew he was with her.

Before an almost timid knock on her wooden door made her put down her sword, ,,Come in" she said and saw that it was her grandmother. ,,What brings you to me, grandmother?" she asked, but saw that there was something like sadness in the Targayren baratheon's violet eyes. She saw Rhaenys come to her and stand beside her, her grandchild having risen from the bed and looking at her uncertainly.

She was just about to open her mouth when she heard the news, ,,Lucerys is dead, killed by your uncle Aemond," her grandmother said and wrapped her in a hug that was not returned.

Violet eyes darted around the room looking for something, looking for Lucerys, his image seemed to blur until she saw the family picture…Lucerys is supposed to be gone? Aemond? Could Aemond have done this after all?

Releasing herself from the embrace she saw her grandmother blurred tears had entered her eyes and were running down her cheek as she shook her head, ,,No-what? You're making a horrible joke, Rhaenys," she mumbled, but she could hear the distant sobs of her two brothers, the conversations and voices of her mother and stepfather. Lucerys saw the dark eyes and felt his soft hair under her hand. a few hours ago she had seen him, but he was still alive.

The older woman wanted to put her on the bed and tell her what had happened, but her granddaughter pulled away, ,,No! No, it wasn't Luce, it wasn't my little Lucerys!" she screamed, shaking her head and grabbing her sword before running out of the room.

She felt abandoned by everything, had lost her beloved brother, had lost everything, all because of an iron chair that was hers…a family that brought death. Something had to be done, something had to be done, but the point of war had been passed with his death.

Running past the sleeping chambers and rooms, she arrived in the main hall breathing heavily from crying and running. ,,Tell me it's not true, mother!" she called across the hall, seeing the queen's expression mixed with tears as she broke away from her uncle and husband and slowly, almost shakily, approached her daughter with a ,,Dear child".

But before she could embrace her just as Rhaenys wanted to do, her only daughter threw the sword on the floor in front of her. ,,You-you're the queen, you have power mother damn it he can't be dead!" she screamed in rage, anger and grief, not noticing Jace watching her with tears as he hugged his little brother Joffrey.

,,Your brother, the Lord of Driftmark, will be avenged, you can be sure of that, daughter!" Dameon, who could hardly tolerate such behavior even if the lords and ladies and servants were no longer in the room, pointed out publicly. Lord of Driftmark she thought and laughed in her emotional frenzy the title goes to Joffrey a child and Rhaena now a widow her betrothed murdered even before the wedding with her cousin.

,,You Daemon…Lord of Driftmark do you all hear yourselves? Joffrey is it now, Rhaena is a widow mine-my brothers are bastards with no claim and I'm the only damn child left to a queen without a kingdom! What do you want to avenge Dameon!" she screamed at him, pushing past her mother and giving her uncle a look that was returned by the dragon's violet eyes.

Caraxes and Seasmoke could be heard outside and the other dragons joined in. They all felt the pain and suffering.

For a moment everyone seemed to think that Dameon was going to hit his stepdaughter and great niece but he just put his hand on her shoulder for a moment before walking past her, ,,I'll get us back to bloody Westeros if it means I can avenge this family," he said audibly to everyone and put on his helmet before walking out of the hall.

The doors slammed shut and silence returned to the Targaryen Velaryon family, all of whom remained silent. Going back to her sword and picking it up, she slowly walked to her mother and hugged her for a moment, listening to her sobbing words of comfort, but in the princess, in the only princess of the realm, an idea had already formed, an idea for which she was born.

,,Don't worry mother, everything will be all right again, the war will end," she assured her, looking into the sad violet eyes before she disappeared past her family into her room and stayed there.

She lingered there with the picture of the family in her hand and looked into his eyes, gazing at the gemstone before she waited for the mode to slowly open. A thought she knew seemed to be the only thing left to fight.

She was the only legitimate child of the black she was the only legitimate child of the royal family she had to do what she was meant to do. Putting the leather bag over her shoulder, the sword hanging from her belt, she reached for the bridle for Seasmoke who was staying on Dragonstone in the pits.

The moon was covered in clouds and darkness fell on the family as a shadow flitted through the corridors. Dragons and seahorses gold and silver shells and fire could be seen on her kelding as she ran her hand over the doors of her beloved family members. ,,Forgiven me mother, Jace, Joff and Raenys…forgive me father I will put it back into order" she murmured leaving the letter on the iron table before scurrying out of dragonstone to the hells and calling out to valyrish for her dragon to come to her.

,,We'll fly back Seasmoke we have to try" she said and put the leather around the pale silver gray dragon a growl made her look up and Seasmoke grumbled as they both knew that they had to fly through the storm, that it was the storm that awaited them that Aemond promised her hope for the offer as Aegon accepted the offer of marriage for the peace of his brother with his niece and she hoped that Alicent and Otto with Larys would finally leave the strings of power alone.

Mounting her father's dragon, Seasmoke flew into the sky with a roar, his roar and fire barely visible or audible. The dragon brought his rider safely to King's Landing into the courtyard, protecting her from the guards with fire and wings until the proclaimed king with his sister queen, children, mother, grandfather and his brother Ameond were in front of her.

Only then did she step forward and kneel before them, throwing down her sword, and it is said in the books of the secured that violet tears of the dragon rolled down her cheeks in the darkness of the night as she asked her uncle Ameond to marry her as a peace offering.

A marriage that should have happened much earlier when she saw the pitying yet devoted look on Ameond's face. It was the chapel in the Dance of Dragons where the marriage took place, a marriage that was short-lived as Daemon kept his promise and his great-niece became both prisoner and wife.

It was a time when both sides fought a side that the other took more and more. A family struggle that ended in death and the throne went to the true heir after Aegon's death.

The green blood was wiped out and the only true heiress, the daughter of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Laenor Velaryon, ascended the throne and the only thing she had left of her beloved family were her two younger half-brothers full of fear of tomorrow, her grandfather Corlys a man with sorrow and yet hope in him when he looked at her and her husband's sword in her hand while her mother's necklace hung around her neck and the symbol of the dragon joined the seahorse on the banner in the throne.

It was the Peaceful Queen's reign that unified the kingdom and made the way for her younger brother when she died. But she was in the place she hated surrounded by a small part of her family that was slowly rebuilding with the memory of her beloved mother and brothers for whom she had statues built.

The peaceful queen would never let the history of her family be forgotten…and so once again a Targaryen sat on the throne full of grief, hope and a story that began with the spilling of untrue blood the death of her brother Lucerys Velaron.

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[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Whisked Away 2

No tag lists. Do not send asks or DMs about updates. Review my pinned post for guidelines, masterlist, etc.

Part of the Sweet and Spicy AU

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as dubcon/noncon, and other possible triggers. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: You get a job at a bakery but your new boss only adds to your work

Character: chubby!baker!Thor

Please comment and reblog if it’s not too much. I always love getting to chat about these stories and hearing all your ideas! You all are wonderful and loved.

Delaney wishes you good luck as you go. Your heart is fluttery with nerves. It’s been a while since you actually had an interview. These days, most send you a link where you record yourself answering generalised questions. You never do well at those. In fact, you’d only ever had one job.  

You worked at a cafe in high school and after you went and got your culinary schooling done, you were promoted. It held you through the first few years of your twenties until Delaney got sick and you had to move to the city for her treatment. Your squirreled away savings got you the apartment and her stipend helped, but you’re running dry on credit. 

You need this. Desperately. But you can’t show that if you want it. You have to play it cool. Be a professional. 

You catch a streetcar down to the main row and check your phone. You’re well ahead of time. Good. You’ve never been to this particular place. You don’t go out much if it isn’t to the grocery store or the pharmacy. Delaney stopped wanting to go outside a while back. You try to encourage her but you can tell it only makes her feel worse. 

You follow the map directions on the app and stop before the cafe windows. They’re slightly tinted with curling golden calligraphy painted across them; Golden Crust. The facade is brown and yellow brick and there are flower boxes just below the windows. Behind the glass, loaves of bread lines a shelf, on display to tempt passerbys. 

The door is wide and thick and painted red. You push inside and pause to look around. The long counter is made of dark wood with clear glass cases on top containing dozens of colourful and sugary desserts. Behind the counter, the walls are lined with shelves; some ingredients, some with unfolded boxes, and more bread and packaged biscuits to go. It’s all finely organized. 

Lights hang above with brass shades, lending a low hue to the shop. Several customers wait in queue as two employees work tills at opposite ends of the counter. You don’t know whether you should join the wait or go ahead and let them know that you’re there to see Thor for an interview. That was his name, right? 

You look at your phone again. You have time. You wouldn’t want to be rude. You adjust your bag and stand at the end of the line. The women ahead of you marvel at the pristine mini white chocolate cakes with dark candied cherries on top as another whispers about cheesecake being devilish. Your own eyes wander gluttonously to the assortment. 

You peel away your gaze and look down at yourself. You put together the best you could; a striped blouse, navy blue on white, and a pair of straight-legged pants. They’re a bit outdated but professional at a glance. You hope no one notices the scuff on your right toe. 

You get to the front of the line and step up. The young girl behind the till asks what you’d like. You give an apologetic smile, “um, actually, I’ve got an interview.” 

“Ah, yes, another one for Thor,” she chimes, “well, you just come with me.” 

She’s young. Still a teenager. Her and the other cashier look to be barely graduated if that. 

She walks toward the end of the counter and she beckons you over, “I’m Thrud,” she pulls back the short little door for you to step through, “that’s Nari,” she gestures to the dark-haired worker at the other till. He’s too busy taking orders to notice. 

You introduce yourself as she takes you around to a doorway, “I think he’s just doing these in the kitchen. Last one ended early so...” she talks brightly as she bounds ahead of you like a happy puppy, “dad?” She calls as she enters the large kitchen. “Dad? I’ve got the next appointment.” 

Your anxiety spikes. You’re not the first or the last. The competition deflates your hopes even further. 

“Eh?” A deep grunt comes as head pops up from the other side of the large marble island. The man is so large his head hits one of the pans dangling from the ceiling rack. He rubs his brow and hisses, “sorry, I was just looking for my pen.” 

Thrud laughs as she crosses her arms. You notice the golden pen tucked behind his ear. She raises a hand, keeping her other arm folded, as she taps her temple. His brows arch and he feels around his wave locks and fishes out the pen. 

“Right,” he gives a sheepish look and wiggles it in triumph. 

“Anyhoo,” Thrud trills, “this is her.” 

“Thank you, Thrud,” he drones back. 

“Mhmm,” she turns and smiles at you again before she goes. 

“Uh,” you hesitate, unsure how to begin, “er,” you introduce yourself, once more “I have a resume on hand--” 

“No need,” he waves you off, “come, I try to keep these things straight to the point.” 

You near him and rest your hand on your bag, chewing your lip. 

“Wash your hands,” he directs you towards the sink, “you may put your things there.” He points to the empty counter on the other side of the deep metal sink. You put your bag there and scour your hands deliberately, taking your time as you scrub nails, knuckles, palms, every bit. You dry off on the towel he offers as you face him. 

“Here,” he gives you and apron, “would want you to make a mess. 

You tie on the apron as he turns and grabs a tray. There are half a dozen cookies on the sheet, some empty piping bags, nozzles, a bowl of icing and small tubes of food dye. You look between him and the cookies. 

“You may choose the design. You will decorate and I will ask questions, does that work for you?” 

“Um, sure,” you answer. It’s unexpected. “All six?” 

“All six,” he confirms and crosses his arms, making himself even broader. He is not only tall, but wide, and his apron does little to conceal his indulgence in sweets that gathers around his middle. 

“Okay,” you accept the challenge meekly. 

You step up to the marble island and take a moment. You twiddle your fingers nervously as you think. You don’t know what to do. You don’t want to go to simple. 

“Take your time, I’ll ask some questions and you can begin whenever you’re ready,” he assures, “so, you’re availability, it is flexibly? Our open ours are eight to six, but you are available on weekends?” 

“Yes,” you say as you set an idea in your head and read for the icing. You stir it with the wooden spoon, testing its consistency. “I have open availability most days.” 

“Most days?” He echoes. 

“Um, yes, I may have an appointment now and again.” 

“Oh, appointment?” 

“For my sister,” you explain, “but it wouldn’t get in the way, I'm sure.” 

You cringe. You’re already making yourself feel bad. 

“And so, you’ve had one previous role, what was included in that?” he asks. 

Only one... that can’t be good on paper. 

“I worked at a cafe. I was a barista for the first two years, then I was promoted to baker, and ended as assistant manager at the branch,” you explain as you fill one of the piping pages and fit the appropriate tip, “but I completed by culinary diploma while I was there.” 

“And after? What did you do? I see you’ve been out of work.” 

You’re quite as you lean over the cookies and start on the first one. Your idea is simple in premise but not in execution. Delaney loves to do cross-stitches, so that’s what you’ll do. First, the white grid and the lacing along the edges, then you’ll fill in the squares with all different colours to make the illusion of stitches. 

“I’ve been a caretaker to my sister,” you say quietly, “we only just moved here last year so I haven’t found much.” 

“And you would be able to work fulltime?” He asks. 

“Yes, she’s... she’s doing better now. I can do it,” you assure him as you keep your eyes on your precise lines. 

He’s quiet. You’re sweating. You just concentrate on the work. Maybe your answers aren’t the best but you hope your work is. You finish the crosshatching and look up. You find him watching your hands intently. As you pause, his blue eyes meet yours. He gives a smile. 

“Ha,” he scoffs, “my hands are too big.” He shows his thick fingers, “I can’t quiet get my lines that tight.” 

You nod and bow your head again. You’re not even done the first cookie. You have six to prove yourself. Six cookies to seal your fate. 

[baudelairebizarre]

why the "A Series Of Unfortunate Events" movie didn't work

If you are a fan of the movie pease don’t take offence. In fact, I have a selection of compliments for it. on the other hand, if you don't like the movie, I hope you understand my few praises. in the end, I hope that fans or haters will take my points as they are, opinions.

spoilers ahead

Cast

Some of the biggest highlights is Meryl Streep and Billy Connolly. Connolly’s Monty was warm, filling me with hope for the short amount of time we saw him. Streep does amazing as usual, delivering each line with the perfect amount of fear and justification, even sounding as if she often gave kids too villains on the daily.

Jude law is fine, narrating the movie in the role of Lemony Snicket, just as he does in the books, he often appears to add suspense with his jammed typewriter. Never seeing his face, the mysterious atmosphere of unsolved questions is added to by a foggy figure. Mr. Poe, played by Timothy Spell, does a fine job. Only appearing at the beginning and end of each time they spend with their guardian, he does the best he can with the time he’s given.

As for the children, Emily browning is by far the best. However, Sunny steals the show. Her quick quips and funny jokes can bring a small light to the miserable tale. Klaus is good, no complaints or major compliments.

One of my major issues with the movie is Jim Carrey’s performance. Yes, count Olaf is extravagant, Carey takes it to a whole other level. The flamboyant performance adds a comical Layer to the character which isn’t needed. He makes an idiot out of a rather smart individual, not many people could get away with such a plot, and Carreys Olaf definitely couldn’t. In no way is he believable and would not be able to get away with such plot.

Olaf as a character is funny, his silly costumes, the accents, the ideas, even the people he surrounds himself with. He is meant to be played by someone who is enjoying themselves. For me, Jim Carey is not having fun, he just wants to seem like he is.

Costumes/sets

One thing about this movie I can praise is the sets. Each distinctive location is given a distinctive colour palette, letting certain colours pop against the overall gloom of the story. The buildings are all marvellously done, the warm yellow hues surrounding montgomerys home and outfits contrasts the cold tones of Josephines house. Count Olafs house is dark, dirty and I believe they could’ve gone further with it. It looks messy, but clean and organised messy. As if he meticulously placed each item to look chaotic.

The 40s/50s Americana sketches from the book are turned upside down for this gothic, victorian aesthetic they decided on. Not that I’m against this change, I just find it interesting. As the books never specified when they are set, they are up for interpretation. The dark glow of the costumes add to a miserable feeling of dread. One costume change I did not like was them not giving Klaus glasses. His whole schtick was the fact that he read so much he needed glasses. Not to mention that the fourth book revolves around him wearing glasses, further proving that they never intended to adapt any more of the story. Also violets hair was a whole choice.

Why it was never going to work

Shoving three movies into one would never give the satisfaction that the books or show does. Around half an hour per guardian, the bond is never formed deep enough to make the falling apart have such impact. Moving the wedding to the end caused a dragging pace with having to add a whole other scene where they almost get hit by a train. Making Olaf get punished pushes even further that a sequel was never in consideration, also showing absolute cluelessness to what makes the books so good. The fact that he never gets punished adds to it individuality and its charm. The movie makers clearly didn’t understand it and that’s what makes it so disappointing.

[justsomeoneintoomanyfandoms]

Hi, I have a request if you’re interested, it’s an Azula X reader It’s basically like the episode in avatar last Airbender, the beach Basically reader is a spoiled rich boy and decides to throw a party at his dad‘s beach house. He invites, Azula and her friends and Brother. After he met them on the beach. Reader is instantly attracted to Azula and tries to make the move but Azula is awkward eventually though reader manages, and she eventually reveals her identity

Hi! Thank you for your request! Sorry it took so long. I hope you like the imagine!

Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender

Character: Azula

Word Count: 1k (1,010 words)

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A rewrite of the beach episode. You're hanging out at the beach with your fire nation friends on a rare relaxing day. Will you be able to win Azula's heart by the end of the day, despite her trying her best to flirt with other people?

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You couldn't take your eyes off her. But the burning net was starting to hurt your eyes so you supposed, in the interest of being physically able to look at her more in the future, you would look away now.

Since you had first laid eyes on the dark haired woman and her friends, you knew she was someone you wanted to know better. Her golden eyes held a fire in them that wasn't present in anyone else you had ever seen.

And then she destroyed that kid's sandcastle castle. Well we all had our quirks. You could certainly learn to live with someone that enjoys the tears of children.

Her friend, the flexible one with the long, light brown hair, was surrounded by men. You couldn't believe they were all over her when the dark, fire filled one was right there! Ah well, guess it just meant less competition.

The volleyball match was intense. Had you been able to tear your eyes off her and the flawless way she moved around the court, you would have seen half the beach captivated by the match.

When the net went up in flames, you could hardly believe your eyes. From the shouts from the others watching the game, you assumed you weren't the only one.

“Yes! We defeated you for all time! You will never rise from the ashes of your shame and humiliation!”

You weren't sure if pursuing this lady would be good for your health but you'd be damned if that was going to stop you from trying.

Gathering your courage (damn she was intimidating), you approached the small group.

“Hey, haven’t seen you around before,” You kept your eyes fixed on the woman who had so captivated you, “Y’know, I’m kinda a big shot around here.” The only guy in the group made to start forward but the lady you were talking to held out a hand, stopping him.

She smiled at you, a look made an inexplicable shiver run up your back though whether it was from delight or fear, you weren’t sure. “Carry on. You were saying?”

“I’m holding a party at my place tonight. You should come. Bring your friends as well. Just know that some important people will be there so try to be on your best behaviour.” You threw a wink her way, testing the waters.

Her smile grew and some unidentifiable emotion flickered behind her eyes.

“We’ll be there.”

~

The party was in full swing. Drinks were flowing swiftly and everyone seemed to be having a good time. You glanced around the room, searching for her. She and her friends had arrived at the exact time the party was meant to start, before anyone else had shown up. You had hoped to speak to her more then but you’d barely got out your warning that your dad didn’t know about the party before others had started arriving and you had been forced to play the host.

There she was, in the corner, staring back at you with eyes like molten gold. There was some unknowable emotion behind those eyes. You hoped it was concealed attraction but knowing what little you did of her, it could just as easily have been murderous intent.

You figured now was as good a time as any to try your luck. You weaved through the crowd, making your way towards her.

“Hey, having a good time?”

She looked at you for a moment before nodding.

“You wanna get some fresh air? There’s a balcony with a pretty good view.”

She nodded again. “Lead the way.”

The cool air and quietness of the balcony was a nice change from the energised atmosphere of the party.

You stood next to each other, taking in the view.

You decided to break the silence. “Is this your first time on Ember Island?”

“No. I used to come here years ago.”

“It’s pretty nice if you like sand.”

She laughed awkwardly loud. You looked across at her. She had a forced expression on her face. You hoped it wasn’t anything to do with you.

“Your arms look so strong.” There was that forced feeling again.

You turned to face her fully. Usually you would have taken the compliment but there was something weird going on.

“Are you okay? You’re acting strange.”

She sighed. “My friend said that to get a boy interested in me I had to look at him, smile a lot, and laugh at everything he says even if it's not funny.”

You felt your heart sink and rise at the same time. She clearly didn’t think you were funny if that forced laugh was anything to go by. But at the same time, what she had just said meant she was interested in you.

You were going to take that as a win.

“Well it worked. I’m certainly interested in you.”

But her expression didn’t change. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know enough to be interested in you. That’s all that matters.”

“Even if I’m the daughter of the Fire Lord?”

That threw you for a loop. This was the Fire Lord’s daughter? Azula? What was she doing at your meagre party? Oh god, you’d told her there would be important people at the party. She was without a doubt the most important person there.

You stopped your thoughts. Did that change how you felt about her? No. Not really. It just changed your perspective.

“So? Just because you’re the daughter of the Fire Lord doesn’t mean you’re not just a person as well.”

Her expression shifted. “Are you sure? There will be certain expectations. I’m very demanding.”

You smiled at her. “I think I can learn to live with that.”

A smile spread across Azula’s face. “Together, you and I will be the strongest couple in the entire world!” She lifted one hand, which filled with blue fire, “We will dominate the Earth!”

Yep, getting into a relationship with this one wouldn’t be good for your health. But that wasn’t going to stop you from trying.

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

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[camlannpod]

Hi!

Just started listening to your podcast (and absolutely loving it! Great work y’all, I can’t wait to discover more about the world and the characters!) and I was wondering if you have official designs or like mental images or references of the characters, because I’d love to do fanart!

Cheers, hope you are having a nice day! Thank you for sharing this wonderful story with the world!

Hello! Oh my goodness uhhh AAAAAH oh this is exciting and very very kind of you, thank you so much for the ask, you've made my whole day!!!

I should say up top that both Amber and I really value the fact that podcast characters don't have fixed canon appearances, and that people can project what they want onto them, so I want to be clear that we're never going to tell someone their idea of a character's appearance is wrong. Make them fat! Trans! Disabled! Have fun!!

This said, I also realise that might not be a helpful answer, so I can give you some broad stuff that's either already been mentioned or will come up as canon:

Dai -> Has messy thick black hair -> Is not athletic -> Loves pop culture, is easily excited -> Is proud of his Welsh heritage and his queerness

Morgan -> Has long dark hair -> Is physically strong (I imagine her as taller than Dai) -> Had a (long) emo phase -> Often comes off as either goth or a tomboy

(People often think Morgan and Dai are related by blood. They're not, they grew up together as neighbours on the same street of Aberystwyth, and are very much found family.)

Perry -> Has short thick wavy or curly light brown / dark blonde hair (specifically, a cowlick) -> Was described in a previous script as 'very neo-classical' -> Did not do any kind of gym / exercise before the apocalypse -> Big nerd (PhD Student studying Arthuriana)

Gwaine -> Very traditionally good-looking -> I always imagine him with stubble and brown wavy hair -> (Though Sir Gawain is often depicted with red hair!) -> On the university rugby team - he was a Fly Half, so fast and strong essentially. -> Loves the outdoors, exercise, rock climbing, working out etc -> Party boy

We have one more major character who I'm going to put under the cut, as they don't arrive til episode 3 so spoilers! (They are mentioned in the trailer)

I'm also going to put a photo of our cast under the cut! I honestly don't imagine the characters looking like the actors, and I think the cast agree with me, but I'll add just in case you're curious!

And last but not least, our other major character...

Shújūn -> Shújūn is British Chinese -> She is described as very beautiful and very feminine -> She was studying medicine, so she's used to long days on her feet -> She was alone for the longest in the wilderness, and it's left its mark on her.

[paintedscales]

FFXIV Write 2024 :: Day Five

Prompt: Stamp Characters: Nomin tal Kheeriin, Manaka Shimizu (unnamed), Jaydin Byrd (unnamed) Word Count: 606

Master List

As soon as the doors to the establishment known as the ‘Starry Garden’ were pushed open, Nomin felt that rush of warmth envelop her. The crackle of fire beckoned as a comfort that warmed the entire lounge of the venue, the smell of cooking food and baked goods beckoned her in further. As she walked further in, the knob of the door slipped from her fingers, the door slowly clicking shut behind her.

Ishgard was no more now that Nomin was fully within the venue. The floors were tidy, the rugs only holding the barest tinge of dirt from the outside. A gentle bubbling of chatter filled the air -- patrons who were seated to partake of a warm meal or dessert, or those who took refuge from the cold sitting on sofa cushions, sometimes nursing a warm cup.

What drew Nomin in further was the fact that there was another like her, standing behind the counter. Though not marked with scales dark as pitch, she was no less a cousin from that of the Raen. Her skin was as fair as her scales, making them seem like they almost blended right into one another…save for those little hints of opalescent glints when the lights caught her scales and horns just right.

“Well don’t just stand there. You here for a meal, a drink, some refuge?” The Raen’s tone was sharp -- almost as sharp as her piercing gaze.

“S-Sorry…” Nomin started, her surprise slowly wearing off. “I’ve…never been to this part of Ishgard before. I-I mean…I know the, um…the rebuilding stuff…happened. I, uh…”

It was just so…startling in a way to see an au ra such as herself working a job here in Ishgard. Had Nomin been here just a handful of summers ago, the very idea would have had the employer branded as a heretic and most likely slandered.

“Don’t mind her,” came a gentle voice from the other side of Nomin. Another one of the workers was walking by, donning the green apron and holding an empty serving tray. A hyuran woman with her brown hair tied back into a ponytail, and who had the cadence of someone from Ul’dah. “She’s bad at smalltalk.”

“Surely she’s just doing her job…” Nomin replied as the hyuran woman walked past the gate that separated the back of the counter from the rest of the venue and placed the empty tray into a rack with other similar trays. “B-But, um…sorry, I’ve not been back to Ishgard in some time. I was taken aback by…”

Nomin’s gaze went back to the Raen for but a moment, and she then cleared her throat.

“Apologies. It appears there are some things I’m simply glad for,” Nomin concluded.

“I hope one of those things happens to be something we can provide you with?” the hyuran woman pressed, a pleasant smile on her face. A look of remembrance flickered on her face, and she then leaned down. Nomin could hear a drawer being opened and then shut before the hyuran woman slid a card over top and then took a woodblock stamp. Ink was applied from one of the inkwells next to a guestbook, and the stamp was then pressed onto the card before being handed over to Nomin.

“What’s this?” Nomin asked, reaching for the stamped card and looking down at it.

“Something we’re trying out. It doesn’t expire, so hang onto it. Once you have eight stamps on there, you’ll get a drink and dessert on the house,” the hyuran woman cheerfully said, hands going onto her hips. “Essentially, it’s our thanks for being a continued patron of the Starry Garden!”