#since i wasn't there i wouldn't get all the nuances and tone | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

littlest-w01f · 3 months

Text

Siren song

Tarquin x Euphonia

TARQUIN MASTERLIST

MAIN MASTERLIST

Summary: When Tarquin hears a soft voice singing to him from the ocean, he follows, someone saves him.

Cw: None

part one - part two - part three

It was nearly sunrise when Euphonia returned to the depths of the water where she lived, not that it mattered since the sun couldn't reach there, she had set the heir on the waterside, on the wet sand, not wanting him to get a good look at her.

She felt horrible, no amount of wiping away at her lips would rid her of the feeling of kissing him while he was under her sister's spell, doing something she'd hated her own species of doing.

Gently paddling back towards her underwater grotto, Euphonia let out a sigh as she slipped beneath the waves. The cool, clear water washed over her skin, cleansing away the remnants of her recent encounter with the surface world.

As she swam, she couldn't help but dwell on the events that had transpired. She felt a pang of guilt for having kissed the prince, even if it had been under compulsion. But she consoled herself with the thought that her actions had ultimately served a greater purpose - saving his life and breaking her sister's spell. Despite this, a part of her wondered if there might be more to their connection than just the fulfilment of a love spell.

Reaching her grotto, Euphonia emerged from the water in the underwater cave, her skin glowing in the dim light. As she is outside of her water, her Siren self going back to Fae.

When she opened her eyes, wiping away the droplets of water, finding Kryqa, her Kraken friend, "Hello, aren't you early?"

Kryqa, the massive Kraken, loomed large in the grotto, he was one of the least high fae-like lesser faes, he was what one would consider a true monster, his many tentacles brushing against the walls and sending ripples through the water, some curled around the gold Euphonia had collected from many centuries and ships that had crashed, the treasure from all around Prythian. His enormous eyes glowed in the darkness as he regarded Euphonia. "I could say the same about you," he rumbled, his voice echoing throughout the cave.

"Where were you, Euphonia?" Kryqa growled, tentacles wrapping around her scaled hips almost so she wouldn't escape, but they both knew it wasn't to scare her, anger in his eyes, there was no denying where she had been.

Euphonia swallowed, expression solemn. "I... I was at the shore" She sank onto a rock, his tentacles letting him go, the weight of her actions heavy upon her shoulders as her tail wrapped around the rock, not looking at Kryqa to avoid his disappointment.

"I had to kiss the heir to break the spell of my sister. And then I swam him to the shore..." Her voice trailed off.

Kryqa studied her closely, his gaze intense. "you know you can't do that right?" He hissed, then his tone turned softer than before, "If someone had seen you..."

"I was careful." Euphonia said in an instant, "Besides, dawn was a few hours away, no one saw me."

His tone softened, clearly concerned for his dear friend, even though she was being reckless. "What are you doing? Do you remember what happened last time you interfered with affairs of land Fae?"

"Yes, I do," Euphonia sighed heavily, her slender fingers combing through her long, colourful hair. Her gaze drifted toward the shimmering treasure piled high near the ceiling of the cavern. "Our people had died..."

Kryqa nodded slowly, his gaze shifting to the pile of treasure. "That we did. And yet here we are, still living, still breathing. Still making the same mistakes." He turned his attention back to her. "So tell me, what happens now? Are you visit him again?"

"No... It's over with." Euphonia shook her head, "I just wanted to free him from my sister, nothing else."

Kryqa watched her intently, studying every nuance of her expression. "Your eyes betray you." he finally said.

With those words hanging in the air between them, Kryqa unfurled one of his immense tentacles and used one to gently caress Euphonia's Fae cheek. "Promise me you won't go near him again," he murmured softly, concern evident in his voice.

"I swear..." Euphonia nodded, not wanting to put her friends in danger

"Good." With that, Kryqa left her grotto, leaving her alone in the rather dark place.

Darkness clouded his eyes, he was being shaken awake, and Tarquin opened his eyes with a gasp, eyes locking with a worried fishermale, his eyes cringed at the sharp summer sun as he was pulled up, the male fussing over him, cleaning his royal clothing of sand. he was surprised to feel himself dry, not remembering most of the night.

The last thing he remembered was diving off the shore and then drowning in a dark pit in the Summer oceans, his eyes were wide, his ears ringing as he was unfocused, he'd seen Sirens, they were real.

He placed a hand over his lips, almost remembering the kiss when the memory slipped away from him.

"My lord, are you alright?"

The words rang in his ears as he simply nodded at the male who held him stable, he simply nodded.

The fishermale helped the dazed prince to his feet, supporting him until he seemed steady enough to stand alone. The sun shone brightly now, casting long shadows across the sand and turning everything a golden hue.

"My mate has gone to altert the High Lord that we found you," the fishermale spoke. "We should get you back to the palace. The High Lord would be worried for your saftey."

Tarquin blinked slowly, nodding again. "Thank you," he murmured quietly, his gaze distant as he looked out to sea, trying to see any signs of the Siren he'd seen. "May I have a moment alone?"

The fisherman nodded, understanding the prince's need to take a moment to collect his thoughts. There was little they could do except wait, so he remained silent, merely a distance away by the prince's side in solidarity.

Tarquin stood at the edge of the shore, the water lapping gently at his feet. His mind was filled with images of the beautiful siren who'd saved him from certain death. He couldn't shake the feeling that their paths would cross again someday.

Tarquin spent a long time standing by the shore, his bare feet sinking into the warm sand as he stared out at the ocean. He couldn't shake the memory of those beautiful sirens from his mind, nor the strange sense of familiarity he'd felt when they sang.

Eventually, however, he was forced to turn away as the sound of approaching horses echoed across the beach. With a sigh, he made his way back to the waiting figures, climbing clumsily onto the horse provided without another word.

After what felt like ages but was likely only minutes later, the sound of hooves echoed in the distance. A carriage soon came into view, drawn by two white horses adorned with the crest of the High Lord. The fisherman waved at it frantically to catch its attention.

Soon, the carriage stopped beside them. Inside was none other than the High Lord himself, who gave Tarquin a stern look once he climbed out.

Tarquin had a guilt-filled look in his eyes as his mother stepped out after his father, his mother rushed to him, worry clear on her face as she cupped his cheeks, looking for injuries, "Oh, dear! I was so worried about you, you weren't in your bed, I couldn't find you anywhere..." She rambled on. His father came to yell at him for sneaking away but she shushed him.

Tarquin let his mother fuss over him, allowing her to check him for injuries despite the fact that he didn't have any. He was more focused on the guilt gnawing at him than anything else. Feeling as if he shouldn't have gone outside, kept in his bed like his parents had told him. As his mother finished speaking, he cleared his throat awkwardly. "I-I'm fine, Mother," he lied, forcing a smile onto his face. "I must have fallen asleep down by the shore."

As they rode back towards the palace, Tarquin found himself thinking once more about those sirens and their song. How he longed to hear that song again. He remembered the voice of the one who had gotten him to the shore, the gentle voice of her, hoping he wouldn't remember everything he did.

{General Taglist- @nox-ceur @lilah-asteria @paleidiot}

{Siren song Taglist - @slut4acotar}

#acotar #acotar series #acosf #acomaf #acowar #my oc #tarquin #tarquin acotar #tarquin fluff #tarquin x oc #tarquin x reader #tarquin angst #siren #siren oc #a court of thorns and roses #summer court #heir of summer

40 notes · View notes

lena-in-a-red-dress · 11 months

Text

Nuanced Foil Lena AU Pt 3

After Lena's mic drop outside L-Corp, CatCo is aflurry by the time Kara arrives. During the morning's pitch meeting, James wants an official interview as soon as possible. Half the room turns to Kara, but she remains quiet, saved only by Nia volunteering herself as tribute.

"I'll reach out to her team," she offers. "Any particular angle you're looking for?"

James shakes his head. "We'll let her guide us on that-- make that clear to her people and it might get us in the door faster."

"On it."

---

To Kara's surprise, Lena accepts the interview offer with Nia almost immediately, and more than that, agrees to a fully televised interview at CatCo HQ. On the day of, Kara doesn't need to be there-- in fact, she's sure Lena would prefer if she wasn't. But she lurks in a corner of the studio with a handful of other reporters, watching as the finishing make up touches are made and the mic packs are given their final adjustments.

Her heart beats loudly in her chest as the room quiets, and the countdown starts.

"Thank you for being with us tonight, Miss Luthor." Nia's tone is rich and professional, betraying nothing of the relatively friendly conversation they'd shared before the cameras started rolling. "As I'm sure you can imagine, a lot of people have been asking questions following your comments earlier this week."

Lena smiles self-deprecatingly. "Of course-- Has another Luthor lost their mind? More at eleven."

She chuckles at herself, but where others might have seemed disingenuous in doing so, it only serves to make Lena more approachable. Nia's responding grin is a testament to that, with some of her first-big-interview jitters easing off, allowing her to relax just a little.

"But can you blame them? A Luthor speaking out against a Super certainly carries some heavy baggage."

Lena nods. "It does, unfortunately."

"So let's get the big question out of the way, shall we? Are you, Lena Luthor, denouncing Supergirl?"

"No, not at all," Lena delivers, her smile still in place. Historically, Lena's smiles in public interviews are a little too perfect to be real, but tonight the one she wears is warm, gentle, and humanizing.

"Yet you claimed Supergirl was a burden," Nia digs a little.

"I did. I do. Since her first appearance three years ago, National City's infrastructure has been overbudget to the tune of 1.6 billion dollars overall. That's a lot of money that the city simply doesn't have. It's money that its *citizens* don't have."

Nia nods thoughtfully. "But as a scientist, wouldn't you agree that corellation doesn't always equal causation?"

"Sometimes that's the case, and it can absolutely be said that equal or greater damage wouldn't have occurred without Supergirl in the mix. I'm certain studies are currently taking place to determine the true relationship, but really, the whole thing simply sheds light on the greater issue at hand."

"Which is?"

"Tell me, Miss Nal-- if you step out into the street and get hit by a car, what happens?"

Nia's eyes widen slightly. "Go to the hospital, hopefully!"

There's a laugh in her voice, and Lena joins in, waving her off. "Yes, of course! You're fine, maybe a few broken bones. But it's still an ER visit, maybe even an ambulance ride to get there. So who pays for all that?"

"My insurance, I would think. Or theirs."

"Bingo." Lena leans in, suddenly more intense. "Now let's say it wasn't a car that hit you. A hero pulls you out of the way, breaking your wrist in the process. They don't mean to, of course, but accidents happen. It may not even be a result of their speed or strength, just the wrong amount of pressure applied the wrong direction. What happens then?"

Nia blinks. She doesn't respond right away, which gives Lena the opportunity to continue.

"Do heroes have insurance that would cover medical bills? Could you take a hero to court and sue for damages?"

Kara's stomach clenches, and she has to fight every urge she has to not to interrupt, to rescue her protegee from the offensive Lena is suddenly on.

"What if Supergirl is investigating a crime, and believes there is relevant evidence inside your home. Do heroes have the burden of obtaining a warrant before entering your residence? If she gets the house number wrong, and enters an entirely different home by accident, what recourse do those homeowners have to get repaid for property and emotional damages?"

The studio is so quiet, one could hear a pin drop. But where everyone else seems stunned, Nia looks thoughtful.

"Are you saying that heroes shouldn't do what they do to help protect the public?"

Lena eases back in her chair a little bit, shaking her head. "I think it's clear by now that without heroes, National City wouldn't be here. It certainly wouldn't be the same city it is today, at the very least."

"So what are you suggesting?"

"Oversight. Legislation. Regulation." Lena shrugs. "Think about it-- every other position within our judicial system, as flawed as it is, requires demonstrable qualifications. Lawyers have the bar, police officers undergo months of training... to what standards do we hold a hero?"

"It's sounding a little like you're calling for registration," Nia hedges.

Lena lifts her hands. "I understand that's a slippery slope when it comes heroes, or really anyone with special abilities. I won't speak to that. And honestly, I'm not claiming to have all the answers. I'm just asking the questions."

Shifting in her seat, Nia glances at her notepad. "And what would you say to those concerned that you're following in your brother's footsteps? As you say, it can be a slippery slope."

Taking a deep breath, Kara watches Lena consider her answer. For a moment, Lena's gaze unfocuses as she thinks, looking inward, before sharpening with resolve.

"I would say... you're right to be concerned. I certainly was, making the decision to say anything on the matter. In a lot of ways, I don't feel like I have the right to ask these questions. But if not me, then who? Who has the platform or the privilege to ask and actually be heard?"

"So you have responsibility."

Lena smiles again, close-lipped and sweet.

"I'd say we all do, don't you think?"

#supercorp #nuanced foil lena au #getting juicy!!

108 notes · View notes

befuddled-calico-whump · 8 months

Text

Total$hit$how: Hail Mary

in which Benji tries to make a friend

cw: referenced torture/interrogation, death mention, adult language

previous /// masterlist /// next

×~×~×

They were summoned to the briefing room instead of the training bay that morning, and Benji stumbled through the door sleepy and uneasy, stuck with a pit in his stomach that had formed the second Vic pushed play on the video. It hadn’t exactly gotten worse since, but he had a feeling it wasn’t going away anytime soon.

He was happy Sahota was safe and not-currently-being-tortured, he was, but he didn't know how to respond to the whole situation. What did you say to someone who'd just escaped a brutal interrogation session? Literally hours ago? It wasn't the kind of event they made greeting cards for.

After last night, he could kinda get why their trainer was so intense all the time. What kind of sane person went through that and then, as Kaius said, just walked it off? Vic was right. None of them were used to he and Sahota's brutal lifestyle, least of all Benji. Even after Sahota had made it back, he'd still had nightmares about that stupid video. And as much as he felt bad for the guy, he was still every bit as scary as he'd always been. Maybe scarier.

Benji hoped their trainer wouldn't be in the meeting at all, that he'd take the day off, but he knew neither of them were that lucky. And sure enough, when he stepped into the briefing room to take a seat beside Kaius, their trainer was standing at the head of the table, looking over the contents of the Important Folder, face impassive as ever despite the bruises that covered it.

Shit, how was he standing? It wasn't even like he had to stand; there were plenty of seats. Did he just like standing that much? Or was this some kind of posturing? A ‘yeah I'm tougher than you, so what?’ type of intimidation tactic. If it was, it was working.

Still, it only seemed polite to congratulate him on the whole not-being-captured thing.

Benji cleared his throat.

“How are you feeling on this fine morning?” he asked, trying to keep his tone lighthearted. He had the feeling Sahota wouldn't appreciate something as pitiful as concern.

“Fine,” he replied flatly, and that seemed to be the end of it.

“If I were you, I would've stayed in bed,” Benji tried, and didn't know why. The guy clearly wasn't in the mood to discuss it. Maybe this really was as common an occurrence as Vic had implied. Just another Tuesday morning.

“You're not me,” Sahota replied, his eyes glued to the folder in his hands.

Okay, he'd take the hint and shut up now. If there was one person he didn't want to see pissed off, it was Sahota. Well… Sahota and Vic. As friendly as he normally was, Vic had shown he could be pretty scary when he wanted, and every threat he made was backed up by the cold hard fact that their lives actually were in his hands.

Kaius was silent beside him, and Benji wondered if he'd been similarly shut down by their trainer. Probably not. Kaius had probably read the room a little better and been quiet from the start.

Joy and Jericho were the next to enter, and he heard one of them wince in sympathy.

“Sahota…”

“Shit, dude.”

If Sahota recognized their less-than-nuanced reactions at all, he didn't address it. “Take your seats. Once Harbor arrives, we'll go over the new findings.”

Joy sat beside Benji, and when he saw her start to open her mouth, he tried to nudge her under the table in warning, but she ignored him.

“You're not looking so hot,” she said. “Maybe you should sit down.”

“I'm fine,” Sahota replied.

“Like fuck you are,” Joy said. “Isn't there a medic or something on this base? You should—”

“I'm fine,” Sahota spat. “It's not your place to tell me what I should or shouldn't do, Cavan. If I hear any more insistent comments, I'll meet you all on the sparring mats after this.”

Jericho’s face turned a shade more worried. “Now?”

“You think I can't?” When no one answered, he snapped the folder shut and tucked it under his arm. “I'll thank you all to remain on track.”

His touchiness about the subject seemed like more than just annoyance. Was he embarrassed?

Benji got that. A feeling like scraping your knee as a kid and wanting to hide your tears from your friends. Only Sahota wasn't crying. Benji wasn't even entirely sure he was capable of such a feat.

The door swung open and Vic strolled inside, Harbor on his heels. They'd been spending a decent chunk of time together. Private tutoring, or whatever. Maybe more than just that, judging by the way Harbor looked at Vic like he was made of gold. Not really his business either way. If Harbor was happy cozying up to the scary spy man, Benji wasn't gonna judge him for it.

“Good morning, everyone. Glad you could make it.”

“Wouldn't miss it for the world,” Benji said. What would happen if he did miss it? Would Sahota get in his face and threaten him again? Drag him out of bed? Would Vic coolly remind him that the alternative was prison?

“We've recently acquired new intel.” Vic crossed the room, taking the folder from Sahota and laying it in the center of the table. “Sahota will brief you, and then we'll be requiring some of your skills in order to refine it. Questions?”

A heavy silence answered him. Not even Joy raised her hand.

“Wonderful. I’ll leave you in his capable hands.” Vic clapped Sahota on the back, in a gesture that might’ve been friendly if it weren’t for the wounds Benji knew were hiding under his shirt. Their trainer stifled a yelp, his expression flickering from stony to pained, then back to stony in the blink of an eye.

“Ah, my apologies,” Vic said, though something in his voice had Benji wondering if he'd done it on purpose. Like some kind of inside joke. A little ‘gotcha’. Vic threw a smile at Sahota on his way out, closing the door behind him. Their trainer didn't acknowledge it.

Sahota moved to the table, opening the folder and fanning out its contents. It was only then that Benji saw the bandages on his right hand, carefully hidden in his jacket sleeve before now, binding three of his fingers together in a stiff white mass. When he glanced down, he saw a flash of white on his other hand, too.

Jeez.

“I’ve narrowed down our target to a single spot,” Sahota said, tapping one of the papers. “Rotorworx’s northwestern location. The Elysium Building.”

Benji swallowed down the unhelpful pang of sympathy that was attempting to shake him like a tambourine. Elysium. He knew of the place, vaguely. He wasn’t a city native, hadn’t even set foot in San Arbos before getting this bizarre excuse of a job offer, but when you’d been staging high-end robberies for over a decade, you tended to notice the shinier buildings when you wound up somewhere new.

Sahota slid a second paper from the pile. “They use a custom security program, but I managed to work out a few of the specs. Aside from that…” He pushed forward a third page. “I also compiled a list of names. Individuals who may be connected to the development of the Reality Cage.” He slid one page over to Jericho. “Davis, Cavan, I want you on security. See Vic about getting computer access.”

Jericho took the page, and Joy leaned over in her chair to peer at it over his shoulder.

Sahota passed the other paper to Kaius. “Manak, sift through the names and see if anyone listed is particularly relevant. Cross-reference with our database to find any knowns. We may be able to bribe an insider.”

Kaius’s expression darkened when Sahota added,

“Take Harbor with you.”

It was almost enough to make Benji chuckle, but not quite.

“Find out what you can,” Sahota finished. “We’ll reconvene at 1600.”

Each pair scurried off, assignments in hand, like elementary schoolers who’d just been tasked with a group project. Which left only Benji, shifting awkwardly in his chair as Sahota took the seat opposite him.

Shhhit, was he in trouble? He pored over any recent maybe-offenses, his stellar anti-confrontational brain at the ready to create an excuse or explanation or outright lie that would put him in the clear.

But… he hadn’t actually done anything, had he? Unless this was about how useless he’d been in the maze yesterday. Would Sahota even know about that?

“Um,” he began.

“Ruebin,” Sahota said at the same time, and Benji quickly shut his mouth.

“I need your skills for another task.” His hand dipped under the table, coming back with a little metal box, roughly the size of a zippo lighter. Its seam was so fine it was nearly invisible, a teeny-tiny lock on one end. A tubular cam in miniature.

“I’m guessing you want me to pop that open?” Benji said, holding out his hand. Sahota made no move to give him the box.

“Inside is a micro-USB with Elysium’s full floorplans on it. The box is titanium. Unable to be opened without the key or application of powertools. Brute force could destroy the intel within. The wrong key will destroy the lock and render it inoperable.”

Benji let out a low whistle. “That’s some real spy shit, huh?”

“I don’t currently have the finesse required to pick the lock,” Sahota continued, ignoring his comment in a way that Benji would normally consider rude, but since this was Sahota, it was pretty par for the course.

“What happened to the key?” he asked, deciding it was better to question that than Sahota’s lack of finesse. He already knew the explanation there.

“I had to destroy it.”

Benji raised an eyebrow. “And you don’t have, like, an extra one laying around here somewhere..?”

“Defeats the purpose of the real spy shit, doesn’t it?” Sahota muttered. “I need you to get it open.” At long last, he placed the box on the table and nudged it towards Benji. He picked it up, smooth metal still warm from Sahota’s palm.

“Hand tools are available for your use. Take all the time you need.” He laid a small leather booklet on the table, lockpicks the size of needles nestled within. “If you screw it up, chances are high that we lose the information inside.” His eyes met Benji’s, looking darker than usual against his bruised skin. “Don’t screw it up.”

Benji swallowed, closing the thing in his fist. “Roger that.”

It was bad enough being tasked with something that was both so critical and so easy to fuck up. It became a million times worse when Sahota made no move to leave, instead settling back in the chair across from him and sifting through the folder.

Benji cleared his throat. “Um…”

“What?”

Benji shrugged. “I, ah, don’t usually do this for an audience,” he said. Not entirely true, but he wasn’t about to tell Sahota that he made him nervous. “My best work has always come out of solo acts, so if you wouldn’t mind…?”

“I do mind.” A paper rustled in his hand as he turned it over. “For the purpose of the mission, the contents of that box are top secret. I’m not letting it out of my sight.”

Benji let out a heavy sigh before he could stop himself, but if Sahota noticed, he didn’t seem to care. He set the box on the table and pulled the lockpicks closer. A half-diamond pick would probably be a good place to start, at least for probing. Benji twirled the tiny thing between two fingers, trying to plant his gaze on the lock itself, and not on the man across from him.

Fuck, Sahota’s presence just made him more anxious about this. Stupid or not, his brain found solace in distance, reasoning that if he did fuck up, at least he had a head start on running away. As it was, he was sitting closer to an arm’s length. Within punching distance. Hair-grabbing distance. Sahota had already done that once, and that had been for the crime of fake-surrendering. What would he do if Benji messed up some actually-critical shit?

He was almost too nervous to hold the pick right.

Really, this was perfect. What was better than being stuck in a room with someone you were slightly terrified of? Being stuck in a room with someone you were terrified of but also kinda felt bad for, of course. If he hadn’t just watched Sahota get tortured, he might be able to sit quiet and pick the lock in an anxiety-fueled haze. If it were anyone else in his trainer’s position, he could just talk to them and make sure they were okay. But those two concepts just didn’t mix right, and the longer he sat in silence, the more the bizarre cocktail of worry and care and fear shook up inside him.

He had to say something. So far, none of them had really been conversational with their trainer, only interacting with him during the training itself. Maybe that was the root issue. Maybe a little chit-chat would make them both feel better, and kickstart Sahota’s defrost cycle.

“Crazy weather we’ve been having, huh?” Benji said, easing in the lockpick. A darting glance up told him Sahota was choosing to ignore the remark. Benji chose to ignore his ignorance.

“That was a joke,” he said. “Y’know, because I haven’t been outside in a week.”

Again, no response, but he didn’t look particularly pissed off, so Benji continued.

“Is this what your normal routine is like? 90-10, indoor-outdoor—?”

“Are you not capable of doing this quietly?”

Benji paused in his lockpicking endeavors. “Well no, not really. If I do have an audience, it’s polite to engage in conversation.” And for a lot of his sleight-of-hand tricks, it was necessary, a subtle distraction. It wasn’t like he was capable of fooling Sahota in this particular instance, but it sure made him feel more comfortable. If only he could say the same for his trainer.

“If you insist on talking, at least talk about something useful.”

“Like what?”

“Walk me through your steps. Recite fun facts. I don’t fucking know.”

“Or,” Benji said, swapping out picks, “we could get to know each other. Do you have a favorite food? Mine’s pad thai.”

He didn’t know how it was even possible, but Sahota’s glare got even more glare-y. “No.”

“No favorite food?” Were spies just quakers with guns?

“No, I don’t want to get to know you.”

Okay, ouch. “Not even a little bit? I mean I’m 20% of your prize team—”

“You’re a criminal we chose at random for your skillset and proximity,” Sahota said evenly. “You aren’t special.”

Wow. This was going so great. “And I suppose you are?”

“I’ve been doing this job for twelve years.”

Benji huffed. “Well I’ve been stealing and shit for like, ten. Can’t we agree that we’re both special in wholly unique ways?”

Sahota didn’t reply. Benji let out a heavy, exaggerated sigh, and set his attention back on the lockbox. He was almost tempted to try on the silence; the icy friend-rejecting attitude the other man wore so easily. But… in for a penny, in for a pound.

“How’d you get started on the job anyway?” he asked. “I doubt there’s many ‘help wanted’ signs out there for this gig.”

“I was recruited in the field,” Sahota answered after a pause.

“Recruited in the field,” Benji repeated. “Is that like, spy code for ‘recommended by a family member’, or..?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Were you recruited by Vic?”

“Yes.”

“So what, he just saw you in the field and was like, ‘I like the cut of your jib, kid’?”

“Yes.”

Benji slumped forward on the table, careful not to jostle the lockpicks. “Okay. Cool.” The conversation piece was way harder to traverse than he would’ve thought. Sahota seemed hellishly determined to remain as frigid and distant as possible, but Benji had one final hail mary.

“Is the job like this a lot?”

Sahota didn’t look up. “Like what?”

He gestured vaguely at the other man. “That. Y’know, violent. Sending you home with bruises.”

The trainer’s eyes closed, the corner of his mouth tightening. “What did I say about—?”

“I’m not insisting on anything,” Benji said quickly. “Obviously you can handle it and obviously you’re fine, but… I don’t know. You’re our teacher. Part of the team, technically. Aren’t we allowed to worry a little bit?”

When Sahota didn’t answer, Benji sighed, taking up the lock again. He’d tried. So much for his supposed ‘get along with everyone’ superpower. The two of them sat in silence for a good several minutes, nothing but the tiny click of lockpicks at work and the faint, occasional rustle of a paper being turned over or tucked away.

“Chana dal,” Sahota said, and Benji looked up from his work, squinting at him in confusion.

“Huh?”

“You asked for my favorite food. Chana dal.”

“Oh.” He nodded. “Yeah, that’s a good one, that’s… the one with the lentils, right?”

“Have you never tried it?” To his surprise, Sahota actually glanced up at him with the question.

“I probably have,” Benji said. “I just don’t fully remember.” He put on as harmless an expression as he could. “Have you ever made it here? Not to shit on Vic’s cooking, but it’s kinda… bland.”

He swore that almost got a smile out of Sahota. Almost.

“Vic does what’s necessary,” he said. “I’ve made it before. Usually comes out decent, but nowhere near as good as…” He paused, dropping his eyes back to the papers, the muscle in his jaw tensing. “I’ve had better.”

“I probably haven’t,” Benji said, carefully breezing past whatever Sahota was trying to keep down. What had he been about to say? A name? A restaurant? Something he missed, probably, maybe a family member. Benji knew that ache well enough, but Sahota’s own wasn’t his business. Not yet.

“Maybe you could make it for the team one of these days?” he said, readjusting the lockpick. “For luck.”

“Maybe.”

Click. The tiny metallic sound rang out from the box in his palm, and Benji looked down at it in surprise.

“Shoot. I… I think I got it.”

Sahota leaned forward. “Really?”

Benji pressed his thumb into the top half of the little box, gently pushing it open. Inside, in a felt-lined compartment that looked like it was molded to be an exact fit, a micro-USB was nestled like a sleeping puppy.

“Quicker than I'd expected.” Sahota opened his palm, and Benji set the USB in it, box and all, freely wearing a proud smile.

Look at him go, using his skills for critical work and shit. “I told you I was special, didn't I?”

Sahota's expression shifted oh-so slightly, reflecting something that Benji could almost read as impressed if he squinted.

“I guess you did.”

The others filed back inside eventually; Joy and Jericho with what he described as an ‘outline of an outline’ of a plan to hack the system, and Kaius with new notes written in the margins of the list he’d been given. Harbor trudged in after him, just as quiet as he’d been the last few days. Benji could’ve sworn the guy had been louder at the start, almost like he was trying to impress the rest of them with a wannabe-punk attitude. Maybe it had just been first-day nerves.

Kaius stepped forward to lay his paper flat on the table.

“Our findings indicate every name on this list has some level of involvement with the Reality Cage,” he began. “Interns, security, research assistants, and the like. Of this group, one individual sticks out. Rebecca Finley.”

“What's so special about her?” Benji asked.

“From what we can tell, she's the only one who overtly operates outside the law. She's a supplier for rare metals, synthetic gasses, and other materials that may have been used to craft the Reality Cage. Of the listed individuals, she'd likely have the best idea of how to destroy it, and may well be familiar with the comings and goings of the Elysium Building.”

Benji shrugged. “You got me there.”

“Do you have a plan?”

“Locate Finley. See if she'll cooperate.”

“If she doesn't?”

Kaius pressed his lips together. “We'll explore other options.”

On the far side of the room, Vic pushed himself up from the wall he was leaning on. “Finley doesn’t seem like the sort who’s willing to take a bribe.”

“She’s a direct line to Rotorworx's under-the-table technologies,” Kaius replied. “If we can’t bribe her, perhaps we can convince her in other ways.”

Vic rubbed his chin. “You could also kill her and steal whatever data she has on her person.”

Benji's mouth was suddenly dry. “Kill her? Like, kill her kill her?”

“I wasn't aware there was more than one variant,” Vic said, raising an eyebrow.

“Is… is that really necessary?”

“That method will get you answers far quicker than talking.”

Benji swallowed. “Okay, so maybe we should go after someone else?”

“Who else would you suggest, Ruebin?” Kaius asked, his eyes a level glare.

“Well, maybe no one. We've got the security info and the floorplans and the building. Isn't that enough?”

“You want to run in blind?”

“I want to not kill people.”

Kaius glanced at Vic briefly. “If that's our best option, it may be necessary. How do you plan on destroying it without insider intelligence? Hit it with a hammer?”

Something along those lines. “That usually works.”

“And just how many world-bending machines have you destroyed, Ruebin?”

“None, obviously, but I seriously don't think we need to—”

“Hey.” Joy held her hands in a time-out motion. “We can try and play it smart. Talk to Finley and figure out if she knows anything without revealing who we are”

Vic clicked his tongue. “And if she doesn't reveal anything herself, don't you think that's a waste of time?”

“I think it's worth a shot,” offered Benji, who really didn't want to have anything to do with the casual murder of someone.

Joy fixed her eyes on Kaius. “So? What's the plan? Do you have her address or something?”

“Or something,” Kaius murmured, tapping a line scrawled in pen on the paper. “A drop site. Supposedly where Finley picks up material requests from hopeful customers.”

And how exactly had Kaius figured that out? Seemed like a weird detail to find. Benji would've assumed a place of residence, or relatives, or even an officially listed job, especially if they'd had access to whatever database Sahota had promised.

“Material requests, hm?” Vic tapped at his chin. “Chances are you'd get more information from those than you'd ever be able to squeeze out of Finley.”

Kaius frowned. “I don't believe it's a literal drop site, just a meeting place.”

“Great,” Benji said through an exhale. “So let’s meet her there and talk.”

“We're on a tight schedule,” Vic said. “A fruitful interrogation is a drawn-out affair.”

“Whoa, I'm not even saying interrogate her," Benji said. "Why not just… y'know, have a conversation? Maybe she'll cooperate.”

“I can promise you, she won't,” Vic said.

“You don't know that for sure—”

“I do. She makes a living off of dangerous deals with dangerous people.” He slid the sheet of paper away from Kaius, glancing it over. “She won't give anything up.”

“But—”

“Kill her,” Vic cut him off. “Or move on. We don't have time to waste.” He set the paper back on the table and turned his back, leaving behind a roomful of uncomfortable silence.

Benji glanced around, looking for someone to make eye contact with, someone he could pin with a silent, this is crazy, right? Kaius was looking at the paper, Harbor was looking at his hands, and Jericho and Joy seemed to have their eyes fixed on the floor, expressions undecipherable. Finally, his gaze landed on Sahota.

“We're… we aren't actually going to kill her, are we?”

“Pursuing her as a lead isn't necessary,” Sahota replied. “At the end of the day, it's up to you to decide what intel you'll need for the mission. You can disregard the list completely if it suits you.”

Kaius frowned. “You bled for it.”

“I've bled for less. There are other options.”

Joy let out a heavy sigh. “It sounds like we'd get the most from Finley. Why can't we just talk? She doesn't need to know why we want to know anything. We can just make something up. Pretend to be customers or some shit.”

“You heard Vic.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I'm not killing anyone.”

Jericho was already nodding. “What Vic doesn't know won't kill him, right?”

“You're underestimating what Vic is able to figure out,” Sahota said.

“At the end of the day, it's up to us to decide what we want, right?” Benji ventured. “You just said—”

“That doesn't mean going against orders,” Sahota shot back, moving to the table to collect the papers.

“Just let us talk to her,” Joy said.

“You think she'll listen? She'll see right through you.”

“Fine then.” Joy threw her hands up. “Maybe we will interrogate her.”

“It won't work.”

“Well you won't know that for sure if we don't try—”

“I do know for sure.” Sahota dropped the folder onto the table, looking like he was about to follow Vic out the door. “Like Vic said. You can kill her, or—”

“How do you know?” Joy stood. “You might be smart, and a ruthless operator, and all that shit, but you don't know all there is to know about us.”

Sahota stopped. “You want me to prove it?”

“Yes.”

He turned around, sweeping the room with a cool gaze. Benji wasn't sure he liked where this was going. Sometimes he wished Joy wouldn't push the envelope. They'd probably be fine if they listened to Vic and just left it alone, they didn't need need Finley, did they?

“Show me what you've got,” Sahota said. “If you can prove me wrong, I'll let you try it. If you can't, I'll kill Finley myself.”

Joy frowned. “So, what? You want me to have a conversation with you?”

“No.” He rolled his shoulders like he was warming up for something, and Benji couldn’t help but cringe at the next words that left his mouth.

“I want you to interrogate me.”

×~×~×

tag list:

@theonewithallthefixations , @violets-whumperflies , @whump-me , @pirefyrelight , @soheavyaburden , @snakebites-and-ink , @whumpsday

#total$hit$how #aftermath of whump #angst #he's trying okay #writing #this is the first narrative chapter since the sahota drama blew up so hhhhhhh

59 notes · View notes

cirilla-fiona-riannon · 4 months

Text

Galileo Galilei Main Story

Translations may not always capture the exact nuances or tone of the original text. Expect grammatical errors and inaccuracies. This is a rush translation.

The next day, the sun rose high between the clouds.

(I wonder where Galileo went.)

After peeking around indoors and in the garden, I returned with a sigh.

(He's not in his room either.)

(Maybe...?)

I reached a certain conclusion and made my way to the door.

(Has he gone beyond the door alone?)

Since I came here, he always told me to come along whenever he used it, but...

(Yesterday, I intruded into Galileo's heart and hurt him.)

(It's only natural if he finds me unpleasant.)

Recalling his clear rejection made my chest ache.

(But if he used the door, he might be suffering alone now.)

I couldn't help but worry just thinking about the possibility of him suffering, so I reached out to open the door.

Drake: "Stop that."

I turned around and saw Drake standing there with a serious expression.

Drake: "Something weird is happening beyond that door. Without this harness, you could end up anywhere."

Drake: "You might not even be able to come back."

Mitsuki: "You're right. Sorry for being reckless."

Mitsuki: "Since I couldn't find Galileo, I thought maybe..."

Drake: "I'm pretty sure he didn't use the door today. But are you really that concerned about him?"

I nodded and looked straight up at Drake.

Mitsuki: "You know what Galileo is up to, don't you?"

Drake: "Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here."

Mitsuki: "Then can you tell me what he's trying to do?"

Mitsuki: "What is he looking for with the door, and how does he plan to put an end to this world?"

Drake looked at me for a moment, then shrugged lightly.

Drake: "I told you before that you'd have to see for yourself."

Mitsuki: "I understand. I also wanted to understand Galileo with my own eyes."

Mitsuki: "But the more I try to get close to him, the more I feel like I'm hurting him."

(I want to understand Galileo properly, but I don't want to hurt him.)

Feeling unsure of what to do, I clenched my fists tightly.

Drake: "......."

Drake: "I quite like the fact that you ventured in alone to get to know him."

Drake: "But I want to see the same view as Galileo, so I won't help you."

Drake: "But I won't interfere either."

Mitsuki: "Huh?"

When I first came here, Drake said that he would take my life if necessary.

Hearing him say he wouldn't interfere now feels surprisingly unexpected, so I gave him a questioning look.

Then he quickly stopped smiling and said,

Drake: "Hey, Mitsuki. What are you planning to do when you learn the truth about Galileo?"

Mitsuki: "If he's up to something dangerous, I'll try to stop him."

Drake: "For what purpose?"

Mitsuki: "To break the chain of hatred and sorrow."

Drake: "Do you think his actions breed hatred?"

Mitsuki: "I don't know. But if it does, I'd hate that."

Drake: "If he continues to achieve his goal, would you stop him even if it means killing him?"

Mitsuki: "----!"

I wasn't honestly thinking that far ahead and found myself struggling for an answer.

As I remained silent, Drake's expression softened.

Drake: "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter how you decide for now."

Drake: "If you're still willing to go through all that trouble for Galileo, I'll be sure to witness the fate you bring."

Mulling over the notion of fate, Drake smiled as if he were an observer.

As the day began to wane, I arrived in the city, tinged with orange hues.

(It's been a while since I saw Galileo.)

Drake permitted me to go out today.

Under the guise of buying groceries, I walked through the city streets, seeking escape from the labyrinth of my own thoughts.

(All that trouble, huh?)

(Drake said that, but what should I do?)

My chest tightened just thinking about hurting Galileo again.

(I'm not just afraid of hurting Galileo.)

(Am I also afraid of being rejected?)

It's only natural to feel sad if the person you want to know and get closer to rejects you.

But just imagining it fills me with a mixture of loneliness, pain, and worry.

(Why am I feeling like this?)

As these faint doubts arose, I suddenly heard a passerby.

Resident 1: "Hey, did you hear? They say the folks in the slums caught a vampire!"

(They caught a vampire?)

Resident 2: "Yeah, I heard. Wanna go see if it's real?"

I heard their conversation and involuntarily stopped in my tracks.

(Could something have happened to someone in the mansion?)

Mitsuki: "Um, excuse me! Could you please tell me more about that story?"

Feeling anxious, I called out to them, and although surprised, the men agreed to tell me.

Resident 1: "You know about the rumors of a vampire lurking in the slums for a while now, right?"

Resident 1: "When the residents caught it, it turned out it was a kid."

(A kid?)

I was relieved to hear that it wasn't someone at the mansion or the old castle, but...

Resident 1: "He has blond, curly hair and blue eyes. At first glance, he looks human, and he was apparently with his sister."

(What!?)

The characteristics he mentioned fit Miguel perfectly.

If that was the case, then the little sister they mentioned must be Mireia.

Resident 2: "I really don't believe in vampires, but they say those creatures were feeding on human corpses."

Resident 2: "That's not something humans would do. Terrifying, isn't it?"

There was a hint of curiosity in his tone.

After thanking them, I hurriedly left, my heart pounding loudly.

(Miguel and Mireia are vampires?)

(I can't believe it.)

With disbelief flooding my mind, I recalled the way they acted and suddenly realized something.

(Come to think of it, both of them complained of thirst.)

(Were they craving blood?)

(Then, did they drink the blood from corpses to quench their thirst?)

Connecting the dots, speculation began to form in my mind, but I abruptly cut off that thought.

(The issue isn't whether Miguel and Mireia are vampires.)

(What will happen to the two of them after being caught by the residents?)

(Will they turn them over to the police, or...?)

Recalling the men's curious tone, I became anxious about their safety.

(I can't just leave those little kids alone.)

I turned back towards the slums, intending to search for Miguel and Mireia.

At that moment, I accidentally bumped into someone coming towards me.

Mitsuki: "Sorry一Galileo!?"

Surprised by his calm demeanor, Galileo looked down at me silently.

Galileo: “What are you doing here?”

Mitsuki: “I got permission from Drake to go out. No, that’s not important right now! Something serious is happening!”

Mitsuki: “The boy we met in town seems to have been caught by the people in the slums.”

Galileo: “The boy with the curly blond hair?”

Mitsuki: “Yes. He might be a vampire.”

Galileo: “So what?”

(What?)

Galileo’s reaction was so indifferent that I hesitated for a moment.

Mitsuki: “We have to go help him!”

Galileo: “Then do as you please. It’s none of my business.”

Mitsuki: “Why would you say that?”

Galileo: “I knew the boy was a vampire when we met.”

(What?)

Galileo: “Dhampirs can sense the presence of vampires.”

Galileo: “The boy probably noticed my presence as well, but that’s all.”

He spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.

Mitsuki: “If you knew, why didn’t you do anything to help him?”

I blurted out without thinking, immediately chastising myself internally.

(It's unreasonable and selfish to expect others to act according to my ideals.)

Even though I understood that, there was one thing that bothered me.

Mitsuki: "Did you not help him because he's not a Dhampir?"

Galileo: "........"

(Does he really not care about anyone who isn't a dhampir?)

Even as I questioned him, he didn't change his expression.

Galileo: "To me, it was just another vampire caught in the city."

(......)

He uttered this with a sharp, icy coldness.

Mitsuki: "Are you serious? What about how Miguel and Mireia must be feeling right now?"

Galileo: "If they hunted them down here, then it's fate."

Galileo: "I've said it before. It's presumptuous for someone as powerless as you to think they can help anyone."

(Powerless...)

That word stung me deeply.

As he said, I was powerless.

Even when I traveled back in time, I couldn't save the dhampirs, but...

Mitsuki: "Even if I'm powerless, I can't just stand by and do nothing!"

Galileo: "........"

Mitsuki: "Even if I can't change what happened in the past, I might be able to make a difference now."

Mitsuki: "I don't want to give up!"

With those words to spur me on, I rushed towards the slums without knowing what he thought.

Just as Galileo watched Mitsuki's figure grow smaller, a figure approached.

Drake: "She's quite strong-willed to confront you like that, huh? Maybe she really is the woman of destiny?"

Galileo: "Drake, were you watching over that girl?"

Drake: "Well, sort of. And you?"

Galileo: "I was observing the movements of the vampire hunters. It seems some of them headed towards the slums."

Drake: "So what's going to happen to those vampire kids who got caught?"

The fate awaiting them was easy to imagine.

Drake: "If she jumps into that mess to protect those vampires, she might be in danger, you know?"

Drake: "She might end up being seen as one of them."

As he spoke, Drake gestured across his throat with his thumb.

Still, Galileo remained unfazed.

Galileo: "But if that girl truly has the power to influence fate, then the future is uncertain."

Galileo: "Her actions could move historical figures and alter the course of destiny, even in this situation."

Galileo: "On the other hand, if she were to die here, it would simply mean she wasn't the woman of fate."

Drake: "So you're willing to abandon Mitsuki and those vampire kids just to test that? Is that it?"

Galileo: "........"

Drake's blunt question prompted a momentary flicker in Galileo's eyes.

Galileo: "It's a trivial matter. Regardless of the sacrifices made here, my purpose remains unchanged."

Galileo: "I cannot afford to lose sight of the bigger picture."

Drake: "........"

With firm resolve, Galileo muttered.

His stubbornness seemed like a warning to himself, but Drake didn't press further, simply nodding in acknowledgment.

Drake: "If that's what you want, I won't say anything."

Galileo: "......."

Galileo stepped in Mitsuki's direction, intending to witness everything.

Galileo: "Let's make this the final observation of what fate Mitsuki will bring."

Previous Part ╎ Masterlist ╎ Next Part

#ikemen vampire #ikevamp jp #ikevamp #ikevamp translations #ikevamp galileo #ikevamp drake #cybird

46 notes · View notes

isfjmel-phleg · 2 months

Text

July 2024 Books

Magic Most Deadly by E. L. Bates (reread, sort of)

It's been a while since I read the original version, so I couldn't minutely compare the two while reading the revision, but I did find this version more succinct and better-flowing. An enjoyable start to the series.

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

I think this is one of those books that I'm going to have read a second time to really get it? Very beautifully written, a lot more going on than my exhausted brain was ready to handle (not the book's fault, but mine).

Skylark and Wallcreeper by Anne O'Brien Carelli

I did not choose this book. Quite a while ago, I had ordered several used books from an online vendor, and this one came instead of one I had selected. They couldn't or wouldn't send what I had originally ordered when I reported the problem, so I was stuck with this one. Perhaps for the better, since I ended up ILLing the book I had tried to order and ended up hating it. This book wasn't...bad, but the two storylines didn't work well together for me--their tones were very different. The WWII plot was a bit underdeveloped. There were some oddities, such as the treatment of some characters' not having a passport as a sign of their being practically agoraphobic/unhealthily opposed to travel. (Quite a few people in the present-day US don't have passports, for a variety of reasons that usually have nothing to do with abnormal psychology--and often have a lot to do with class and finances--so I don't know what reality this narrative is living in.)

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (reread)

A July craving. Always a pleasure to revisit.

The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry by Anna Rose Johnson

I wanted to enjoy this one more than I did, but I struggled to warm up to the protagonist, and some developments of the climax pushed the bounds of suspension of disbelief too much for me (our heroine is suddenly able to do something she has been afraid of, something that requires physical skill and wouldn't just become possible to one the moment she stops being afraid, and after almost an entire book of only incidental religious references, her faith suddenly becomes very important to her--this could have been set up better from the beginning).

Power of Three by Diana Wynne Jones

I liked this one, it had some fantastic twists as Jones stories do, but for whatever reason it took me approximately 80000 years to finish it (and it's not even that long, under 400 pages) and the slow pace meant I kept getting lost, which is not the book's fault but mine. This will need to be a reread at some point.

The Gammage Cup by Carol Kendall

I enjoyed the social satire of the beginning of this book, but the ultimate plot didn't do much for me, and I was baffled by the antagonists. We never really got to understand who they were or what they wanted; they just showed up, were the bad guys for some reason, our people killed a bunch of them, and we were supposed to be thrilled about that. Yes, this is a children's fantasy, and I'm not asking for complex villains, but I'd at least like to know what these people did that was so villainous besides get in our heroes' way.

Pax by Sara Pennypacker

Beautiful writing, beautiful characterization, sometimes over-simplistic in its themes. (War is a complex topic to develop, especially in a children's book, and oftentimes this narrative does that well, but I'd like a little more nuance than implying that anyone who voluntarily enlists in the military does so because they crave violence.)

Comics

Various issues of Damage (reread)

I have a lot of Grant thoughts sitting in drafts that I haven't had the energy to unleash on the world yet.

Impulse #50-53, 62-67 (Thad Thawne's original appearances, including the Mercury Falling arc) (reread)

Another July craving. Lots of thoughts on this one waiting in drafts too. If I ever have energy again, it's all over for you guys.

The Flash 1987 #74-79 (Return of Barry Allen arc) (reread)

Reread because I wanted to compare it to Mercury Falling (both are stories about a Thawne impersonating an Allen for motives rooted in envy while the hero has a personal crisis about believing that he doesn't meet expectations). Full observations at some point in the future. This arc is one of writer Mark Waid's best, his answer to hidebound fans who complained that the current Flash wasn't as good as his predecessor. The character development is significant and transitions Wally into a stage where he is no longer viewing himself as only Barry's legacy but a hero in his own right.

This arc is also notable for introducing Max Mercury, Waid's reboot of an obscure and underdeveloped Golden Age speedster. He gets dragged out of retirement, drops some insight bombs on Wally, helps save the day, and slinks back into the shadows--very on-brand. Until the next time, when he's dragged back out to raise a kid that no one else knows what to do with...but that's another story.

#random personal stuff #it's been a difficult month for reading because I have been so wiped out #I work around books all day and that sounds fun but these books are dull and what I do with them is tedious #so by the time I get home it's hard to be enthusiastic about picking up a book #even if it's personal reading and not like the boring tomes I have to withdraw or update records for #I don't enjoy feeling like this toward books but burnout is where I am right now #I am hoping that an upcoming vacation and some travel reading might help

10 notes · View notes

aspiringwarriorlibrarian · 2 years

Note

Hmm...I dunno.

I feel like something that's been bothering me is that I feel like RWBY is as much about questioning the idea of treating life as a fairy tale.

When we hear about Fairy Tales, as is portrayed by RWBY, it's sometimes seen as either a silly fantasy, or as a necessary morality tale, or as a righteous path to be followed.

Or in the case of Ozma, a means to try to piece together and frame his life and the neverending misery he's in.

But the point about RWBY I've come to the conclusion about is that it's a story that actively questions why we treat people's stories as a fairy tale AT ALL.

Not every story should be so black and white, or at the least it shouldn't be treated so black and white. And it feels like the story is going out of it's way to question why we're so keen on shoving the story into the narratively black and white moral framework of a fairy tale, when it's plainly clear that life isn't a fairy tale at all.

Life is consistently portrayed as messy, complicated, where people can take the wrong meanings from other people's stories, or find inspiration in ways that can be seen by others as overlooking the complicated nature of what really happened.

Take Pyrrha. Her mom framed her ultimate sacrifice as something positive, that she knew what she needed to do and everything.

But the actual Pyrrha was a complicated mess of a person who was put into a terrible situation where there wasn't really a good answer at all. It was no fairy tale, but a tragedy where the moral wasn't straightforward, if it existed at all.

Fairy Tales boil things down to easy morality tales with good and bad examples, while often times conflating or removing the nuances of the situation entirely.

I dunno if I'm doing a good job explaining this or not.

With that in mind, reducing Neo's situation (and arguably even Salem and Cinders' situation) to being a bog-standard "they will be proven completely wrong and used as the bad example in a fairy tale" situation doesn't sit right with me. Because I think the actual situation is going to be substantially more complex than we give it credit for.

Oh it's definitely going to be more complex. It's Neo herself who will simplify it, because that's what she's always done. She took the entire millennia long battle between Salem and Ozma and turned it into her personal revenge story. She repeatedly refuses to consider other people as their own agents and not supporting characters to her protagonist. So of course she's going to decide she's The Hero and ironically condemn herself to the role of minor villain. It's what she's always done.

And while RWBY is more complicated than fairy tales, it is not a stranger to bad examples. Pyrrha dying because she went off on her own, Ironwood dying because he tried to hold up Atlas alone, Ozma dying over and over and over because he wouldn't trust people. The moral of how dangerous it is to see yourself as a lone hero is repeatedly stressed. And I highly doubt Neo is going to break the streak, especially since she's effectively used her Semblance to become her own friends and cut off everyone else. Her character arc and the tone of the story don't support her suddenly getting to cheat her way past the character development the tree demands.

#rwby spoilers #rwby theories #neo politan

29 notes · View notes

lemonhemlock · 2 years

Note

That being said, I'd like to add that Aegon agreed to send Rhaenyra those generous peace terms after he was crowned + the debacle with Meleys. So he may have liked how the crowd responded to him, but he wasn't so high on power that he refused to do what his mother advised.

That whole Meleys scene should be a monumental beat for all characters facing her! And for King's Landing as a backdrop (and greek chorus, one would hope?) but I doubt they will since they boldfaced stated they did that all for an epic MCU moment which is such a shame.. like that's major??? Guess just another Tuesday in King's Landing huh?

Like I really wonder do the writers understand the major implications for, at least, the main cast of characters? Background characters and settings such as the peasants aside for now. Like I believe you're absolutely right in your reading of Aegon by the end of EP10 as at least cooperative to a certain extent, but are the writers? IDK what it looks like inside a writing room and what it's like having to share a narrative with so many people but IDK Scoobs it's not looking that bright.......

I totally follow prev. Anon's line of thinking and I really hope for something nuanced that won't clock you over the head.

I actually don't think we will stay with Aegon a lot... everyone working on HOTD seem to agree that Alicent and Rhaenyra are the MCs and heart of the show which I have nothing against but by nature of it Aegon is secondary to tertiary character. And I say tertiary because they made a bigger effort to put us in, for example, Aemond's POV and I expect them to keep it up going forward. I see no reason why they wouldn't, tho, If I remember correctly, Condal did say he's very interested in the reign of Aegon II so maybe they're saving Aegon-focus for his Hysterical King Arc. Additionally, Aegon will be down post-RR while Aemond is doing fuck all as Prince Regent and Local Terror of Riverland, then Aegon disappears from the face of the earth and the narrative until Sunfyre hits him up again. OFC this is all speculation on my side and depending on the narrative they decide to shoot for, focus and POV can shift. Yet, once again, I see no reason why they would.

I fully expect to see Fight over Dragonstone focalized thru Baela's POV (tho there's much more wiggle room in visual mediums), which I don't mind; she barely gets anything to do in the war as it is.

Rhaenyra being chosen as a POV for her own death march to Dragonstone is a no-brainer.

His return to KL in F&B is already super gloomy and cursed. Hell, his reign is called The Sad Short Reign LMAO so I expect the tone to be kept as oppressive and gloomy as the coronation, if not worse. Like this man is not gonna have a "facing the white stag" fairytale moment. Maybe a dove will anoint him by shitting on him IDK!

Hope the vibes of this ask aren't too bad; I'm in fact rather cheery since I'll be entertained either way!

That whole Meleys scene should be a monumental beat for all characters facing her!

Agreed! Aegon finally has his confirmation that Mother loves him. He should be obsessed with that, instead of towering over her (IDK??) Isn't that more interesting, at least? Trailing behind her like a puppy? King Chihuahua?

Yeah, I expect there are going to be inconsistencies when you have many different writers, each with their different take on the characters (that's inevitable), but there should be someone in charge to even things out and keep track of them thematically. Maybe that's why we had Alicent bitchy @ Rhaenyra in one episode and then wanting to reconcile in the next, with little context/explanation in between?

If I remember correctly, Condal did say he's very interested in the reign of Aegon II so maybe they're saving Aegon-focus for his Hysterical King Arc.

I hope you're right and I hope it means he'll get something to work with.

Aegon disappears from the face of the earth and the narrative until Sunfyre hits him up again.

They could do a lot with this actually. He has to convince some Dragonstone people to take him in and care for him, defect for Rhaenyra and fight for his cause instead. That's no easy feat and could constitute for some meaty, compelling characterization. I hope they're not going to show him in a coma for 3/5s of the show. 💀

This is the perfect time to go full-Commodus!!! But there has to be some sort of progression to get there, otherwise what's the point of his arc? If he's just a flat character.

Hope the vibes of this ask aren't too bad; I'm in fact rather cheery since I'll be entertained either way!

No worries, I also aimed to be entertained. I just hope we get the best possible story. 😭

#ask #anon #aegon ii targaryen #i'm spamming his tag amn't i #hotd critical [aegon]

17 notes · View notes

twstedtales · 3 years

Note

What if when the MC got sent to the twst world they weren't able to read the language there? Like, they can hear it and understand it, but the letters are weird and they have no idea how any of it works. What do you think Malleus, Azul, Leona, and Kalim might do when they find out? Would they teach them how to read?

𝐌𝐈𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑, 𝐌𝐈𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐋.

❝to have another language is to possess a second soul.❞ - Charlemagne.

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | malleus draconia, azul ashengrotto, leona kingscholar, kalim al asim × gender neutral reader

𝐭𝐰 | none!

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 | I assume this request was platonic, no? If not, feel free to request this again 🗿💦

Malleus would definitely help you, if and only if you asked him to. He's not really the one initiating it, or being vocal about wanting you to turn to him for help, though his obvious actions would give away his feelings to genuinely teach you stuff, especially every time he saw you struggling reading textbooks and writing essays and assignments.

If that happens, Malleus' way of teaching you involves him snatching your book and reading it aloud for you while showing you what words are used for what. It was similar to reading a picture book to an infant and you don't know whether to be flatter at his actions or be offended.

Lessons with him would be quite enjoyable, to say the least. And since he had lived for long enough, Malleus surely knows all the nuances and perks of their own languages that he would teach you, though some of them are quite old terms that even you honestly thought were already obsolete. Still, you have to pay respects to his efforts of teaching you somehow.

Aside from languages, you weren't also quite sure how your serious talk about tutoring you and stuff turns into talks about gargoyle, in all honesty. When you pointed it to him, Malleus would tell you that knowledge is still knowledge and he was still teaching you anyway.

Azul will be willing to help you, of course, with a price. Even if he considers you a friend of his and someone he trusts, he would waste no time to absolutely squeeze every drop of advantage he could get from you.

Since you can comprehend and understand their language, Azul would just resort to tutoring you especially if you need help with essays and stuff about books. He would always make sure that he was there when you're in dire need of help, you don't know how or why he knows it, but he sure knows his way of stringing up things about you.

He would invite you to the VIP Room of Mostro Longue during those times, like when he was sorting out his other contracts and if you ask him something, Azul would turn his attention on you and patiently teach you the things you don't understand. True to his bragging and advertising himself, he was an excellent teacher and he would explain things in a way you would understand quickly.

Of course, Azul would have a soft spot for you so the details of his tutoring contract with you would at least be toned down. Just a little bit. He wouldn't exactly ask you to be a (slave) permanent helper at Mostro Longue or something as extreme as tricking you, but do expect payments. Business is business after all.

Leona wouldn't certainly help you willingly. Why would he waste his time teaching a herbivore like you when you two could just nap instead? He wasn't even constantly in his classes, so what makes you think he would have the patience to teach you?

Though if you perhaps begged cutely and pestered him enough, Leona would begrudgingly agree, with lots of complaints and threatening growls. So you better be a fast learner because he certainly won't tolerate slow pokes and absentmindedness if the 'inspiration' to teach you strikes him.

Though there were a lot of complaints and threats, Leona was surprisingly a patient teacher as well, and a very good one at that if he was in the mood to actually do it. I'm pretty sure he had handled teaching Cheka, perhaps some Magishift techniques, at some point so it wasn't exactly a new experience for him.

Since Leona had been in the school as a student the longest, he has more knowledge in stuff so he's another excellent candidate as your tutorー-setting aside his grumpiness and indolent nature. You just had to be patient in dealing with him too, because if he realised that you were serious in learning, Leona could be as great as a licensed professor.

Turning to Kalim for help is similar to inviting Jamil to be your private tutor as well. It wasn't because of his carefree personality or intelligence, but it was due to the fact that Kalim can be easily carried away and be distracted.

Instead of studying with you, Kalim would want to drag you to play somewhere, party in Scarabia, or have fun on a magic carpet ride. Though if you vehemently refuse him, he would be understanding and would try his best to help you out, though Jamil had to pipe in dryly once in a while to keep him in check.

If he stayed focused enough, Kalim would be an adequate tutor as well. Especially since he's a heir to a great family in his country, he would surely know lots of thingsーeven though it would sound ridiculous and rather useless to many, Kalim's knowledge about things would be useful in some ways you least expect it to be.

Kalim would try his best to help you, but he knows as well that he may not be the best teacher for you to learn from. So to speak, he would recommend Jamilーto his eternal disappointment and exasperation. And even though his friend was teaching you instead of him, Kamil would be very vocal cheering for you and letting you know how much he was supporting you and proud of your improvement.

311 notes · View notes

alsaurus-loves-dean · 3 years

Note

this is going to sound so bitchy of me but i have to say it. i'm already seeing so many people complaining about misha's cas/destiel answers being melancholy in tone and it's like. one, the man is still clearly in a sore headspace anyway because of his literal divorce, cut him some slack, but two. imo misha's Not Straight and it kills me how a bunch of younger lgbt people don't understand the nuance of tragedy when you grew up in a markedly different and more openly hostile climate as a (1/2)

member of the community in that generation. this isn't the first time he's gotten choked up on stage over it either. even if he was a straight ally, i'd think people were being a little harsh on him, but it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth that he's trying so hard and honestly to his own detriment (since he's clearly still being discouraged or forbidden from talking about cas, talking as cas, etc) and giving us beautiful turns of phrase (2/3 lol whoops sorry i'm clearly impassioned)

like "quiet simmering contentment that he carries with him" and people are still so critical. i'm gay too, i know it fucking sucks to subsists on scraps and to be grateful when we're given so little in comparison to what the cishets have, but misha's been with us the whole time and he's still with us and we wouldn't even have destiel (or arguably the show past season seven) to even be talking about if it wasn't for him. literally leave the man alone. (3/3)

This. All this.

There's also the fact that like... If he thought he might someday play Castiel again and have the storyline with Dean resolved, WHY would he resolve it himself on stage whenever someone asks about it? He fucking wouldn't. He'd have to leave the conflict of the story in place. I mean come on, people. the fuck

do you WANT more destiel on screen or not? literally GET YOUR HEADS IN THE GAME PEOPLE

#anon

14 notes · View notes

mellie1409 · 3 years

Text

Practice day

Knock knock knock

'Y/N, it's time to wake up you hear Jin say.

As usually, he leaves the door open on a crack, through which the early morning sun rays sneak in paired with the sound of people talking in raspy morning voices.

It had been a month already since you moved in with BTS and you still didn't get used to wake up in a foreign house full with silly and loving laughters 24/7.

As you stood up to open the curtains, you stretched your back, sore from what had been weeks full of intensive dance training, to try and lift your dance level up to the rest of the group's.

You opened the window and took a deep breath in of fresh air. 'Another day, another practice and a day less to debut! ' you told yourself. Then headed to the bathroom to put on your lenses and get dressed for practice.

As the boys knew you weren't a morning person and, on the same way some people didn't liked being talked to before their morning coffee, you said you didn't like being talked to before having your contacts on as you "couldn't hear if you couldn't see".

Today, you decided to wear comfy clothes as it would be a busy day and you quickly put your hair up in a messy bun before going out of the bathroom.

You walked trough the corridor heading to the living room, but before getting there you stopped by Yoongi's room. The door was open and you saw he had been working on his music equipment on a new song. He had been working on new music whole nights since August D-2 came out.

You saw he had fallen back at sleep after Jin had woken everyone up, so you walked up to him and shook his shoulder. 'Yoongi, we need to leave in 10 minutes, Sejin is already here' you say softly.

Yoongi opens one eye to look up at you before closing it again. 'That means I still have 5 minutes of sleep, please Y/Nssi, don't tell Jin I'm still sleeping. ' he answered in a soft murmur.

Of course you wouldn't say anything after he so sweetly had asked, so when you walked in the living room ready to pack your breakfast and Jin asked you where Yoongi was, you simply answered: 'he is still saving some files from last's night work'.

Jin decided to believe you as he finished packing the 4 maknaes breakfasts with Jimin's help. On the meanwhile J-Hope approached you with a very sleepy look but fully clothed and ready to leave. He handed you a banana milk as you shook your head.

'Thanks Hobi but I have singing lessons this morning and I want my voice to be clear and fresh. ' you try to argue.

He simply looks at you and say: 'Y/Nssi, we all know you get nauseous in the car when you don't eat anything and the last thing you want is to miss a practice day right before debut right? Plus, it came right from the fridge, so I'm sure your throat will feel refreshed ' he says while putting a silly face on.

You let out a dramatic sigh but quickly take the banana milk and drinking it all at once as you were truly thirsty. J-Hope just looked at you and shook his head while laughing.

At that moment Namjoon runs into the room, with a concerned face. 'Guys, Sejin is waiting for us, but I can't find my left shoe... ' And that was the queue for the whole group to start a search expedition for Namjoon's shoe.

In the car the ride is silent, everyone still too tired from waking up early to talk. But this silence is interrupted by Jin.

'Sugassi, did you get to save the files on time before leaving?' He asks with a funny voice.

Of course, Suga didn't know that was the excuse you had given Jin for his lateness. So his answer was just: 'Huh? Which files?'

And like that everyone started laughing and the silence was broken and interrupted with all class of chattering while the manager, Sejin, drove around Seoul, with a smile on his face.

First thing you had to do today was a singing lesson with you vocal teacher. You went to the studio to find Ms. Kim Sungeun already there. As you were a foreigner, she allowed you to call her by her name, but, in front of other people, you had to keep the formalities.

'Sungeun, good morning!' you chirp happily.

'My my, you are so happy today! I see you haven't forgotten about what day it is today' she says smiling.

Of course you hadn't, tonight you would be recording you favorite song of the playlist: louder than bombs. You had been waiting so long, and today finally was the day.

With the excitement that kept you jumping up and down you started practicing.

You were about 1'5 hours in and you had gotten to the adlibs part of the song. These were improvisations you had to make around the main vocals to make the song have more melodies. Because you were knew to the world of singing, Sungeun had prepared some adlibs for you to try out.

You were shy at first, but Sungeun kept encouraging you to sing louder and louder until your inner voice came out. You continued like that for 5 more minutes.

Right as you were on one of the highs the door opened at once, a surprised face appearing in the opening. You look startled at Jungkook as Sungeun turns off the music.

'Are you the one signing Y/N?' he asks. You nod shyly as his face lits up. 'WOW I didn't know you could do that!!! I mean I knew you are and exceptional singer, but this is more than that Y/N, this is inborn talent!!!! '

You let out a shy but happy 'thank you' as you start to blush. At that moment, Jungkook steps in and closes the door.

'Let's try to harmonise to this song' he says while getting a enthusiastic nod from Sungeun.

And like that, the most fun vocal lesson of your life continued. Harmonizing with Jungkook to the rythm of Louder than bombs.

After that you have Korean lesson with a different teacher, as you were fluent, but still missed some nuances of the Korean language.

When you finished the lesson you walked to the end of the corridor. There was a small kitchen and dining room where the groups had to cook in if they didn't want to go to the cantine in the first floor.

You sat on the only round table in the left corner of the room and took out your Korean books. Your teacher had given you a lot of homework and you knew you would be staying up until late already today, so you didn't want to add up homework to the mix. So you chose to study instead of eating.

Ironic isn't it? You thought to youself. 'I thought I had gotten out of studying when I chose for the idol life and yet here we are. Studying my ass off to be able to achieve my dream. ' You laugh innerly at yourself before starting to make the exercises the teacher had given you.

3rd person pov

What Y/N hadn't realized was that making homework in a comfortable sofa after being sleep deprived wasn't the best idea. Before she could even realize it, she had fallen asleep, lying on the sofa, invisible for anyone that came in, except for her feet.

And that's what exactly happened. The TXT members that had just finished their dance practice and had some spare time to eat walked noisily in the room. No one noticed Y/N until Yeonjun stopped at once in his track.

The others members looked at him surprised asking why he had stopped so suddenly. But he shushed them at the same time he pointed at your sleeping figure, or shall we say, shoes? Once they were aware of the situation they lowered their volume as they made their way to the small kitchen to the right.

It took not long until the air of the room was filled with the smell of ramen being cooked and melted cheese on top of it. And this was enough for Y/N to wake up with a rumbling stomach. She looked confused around her and we she realized the TXT members were there, eating while standing so the wouldn't get her books dirty, she quickly stood up and started tidying up the table.

'I'm so sorry, I didn't realize you guys were here and that I had fallen asleep' she said in an apologetic tone.

'Don't worry' Hyuning Kai says happily while sitting down next to you with a full bowl of instant ramen. 'We understand how hard it so to be about to debut. ' he continues while shrugging.

One by one, the other members start sitting around the table until only Soobin is standing up. Looking around to see why it's taking him so long, a smile suddenly appears on Beomgyu's face.

Soobin has prepared two ramen cups, one for himself and one for Y/N. As he walks up to the table being careful not to spill the how contents in the paper cups, he says: 'Here you go, Y/N. I thought you would be hungry as you haven't eaten and you need to stay strong before debut. Forget about the diets, no one is going to say anything, right boys? '

They all quickly shake their heads, agreeing with their leader. So you happily enjoy the cup of ramen Soobin had prepared you while having some fun talks with the other TXT members.

End 3rd person pov

When you finish eating, you say goodbye to TXT and head off to the dance practice room.

Today you would be practicing the dance to Dyonisus, as you had been doing for the past few days.

When you came in, all the boys were there already. You fastly bowed as an apology for being late, but Jimin quickly sneaked you in before anyone could realize you were late.

'Y/N! I hadn't realized you were here! ' Taehyung says while looking at you together with Namjoon.

'She's pretty quiet today, right Y/Nssi?' Jimin lies.

You get to choose the warm up song as always. And as always you choose the same song you had been obsessed with since the first dance practice you had had together: Daddy from PSY.

Of course the first time the boys saw you doing the dance, they were quite surprised as you had always been pretty shy while dancing and the song's dance was quite explicit. But it took Taehyung no time in joining you. And this time it was no different, everyone becoming hiped up. Flying pulls and jumpers announcing that you were all well warmed up.

The practice started and it was going very good. To the happiness of a strict J-Hope and Sungdeuk, no one messed up and you got to rehearsing the end of the song quicker than any other day.

But then, it happened. You were all supposed to step on top of a table for the ending. Right as you were about to do it for the 12th time, you legs gave up and you fell on your butt. Collective laughter filled the room as you, more embarrassed than hurt, accepted J-Hope's help to get up.

It was quickly decided that it had been enough practice for the day as well as that the table would be lower to accommodate your shorter stature.

As you were cooling off, you couldn't help but blush at the recent memory of you falling of the table. Taehyung saw you and came to give you a comforting hug telling you it had also happened to Jimin a lot, because of his short legs. Of course, the latter heard this and started chasing Taehyung around the room trying to playfully hit him and scold him. You laughed and completely forgot about the incident as you got your things and watched the Tom and Jerry game they were playing.

Last thing of the day before heading off was recording your part of the song of Louder than bombs. As you enter Namjoon's studio, you start to get nervous. This is your first full vocal song and the first time you will be doing adlibs. Namjoon notices and gives you a reassuring smile while setting everything up.

You go into the room that is connected to the studio by a glass door and stand in front of the microphone.

In the beginning, you feel anxious and your voice isn't full. But as Namjoon's patience never ends you start to grow confident and your inner voice starts to come out.

You sing the song with your full heart and it isn't until Namjoon has come into the recording room and is hugging you, that you realize you had been crying. This is a very special song to you, the mening being it always hit your sensible spot, so it wasn't strange that singing it triggered such a reaction in you.

As you sobbed uncontrollably into Namjoon's chest, the tiredness and hunger of the day getting to you, Namjoon spoke softly: 'It's okay, it has also happened to the best of us. No need to worry. You are just tired probably and this is quite an emotional song. Why don't we stop for today? Hmm? '

'But the adlibs... ' you say while sniffing.

'Don't worry about them, we can record them tomorrow. Why don't we order some take out and eat it here only the two of us? ' he says cheerly.

You of course don't mind being with the other members, but sometimes it got tiring having to show that you were good, that you were the best and that's why you had been chosen to debut with the biggest boyband of the world. Being able to show your vulnerable side to Namjoon felt good, and you didn't mind being able to do so some more time.

'That sounds like a great idea' you answer with a soft smile having fully stopped crying by now, the thought of food helping to your emotional state.

After having ordered some fried chicken (that will totally skip the diet you you were supposed to follow, but never did as you were a rebel), you sat down on Namjoon's studio's sofa, waiting for the delivery to come.

Namjoon looked at you and spoke up: 'Y/N, I know you are under a lot of pressure joining us into this crazy journey. But please, let us take care of you. You are after all the maknae and our little sister. So don't worry about trying to show us you are worth it, just do your best for yourself. '

This took away all your worries of the past few weeks that hadn't let you sleep well, worried about you daily performance in front of them, the mask you had set up to always show your happy side and never you worries. And as you ate the chicken that had finally arrived, you told Namjoon about all your worries and problems.

#bts #kpop #baby mochi #bts army #bts jungkook #bts suga #j hope bts #rm bts #golden maknae #good boy #bts jin #bts jimin #bts taehyung #bts 8th member #bts female member #bts female addition #kpop female member #bangtan sonyeondan

24 notes · View notes

slowlyreadinghouseofmirth · 3 years

Text

Page 7

In truth, he had never liked her as well as at that moment -> Selden's affections here are plain to see, made so especially by subordinate clause 'in truth' which conveys an honesty and freshness about his feelings. Most importantly, he likes her when she is being her true self, unconventional, and willing to take risk. It's likely informed by his disillusion with high society and finding commonality in someone willing to disregard its etiquette. This is where Lily is unique.

There's also this sense that Selden likes Lily because she is impulsive and this sparks his curiosity to try and understand why she does the things she does-- understand Lily as a person.

He knew she had accepted without afterthought: -> This reaffirms Lily's lack of hesitancy, which alludes to how willing she is to be in Selden's company. It also shows how comfortable she is with him as she is aware of the rumours that could occur but never merits them with being a possibility, showing great trust.

Alternatively, being aware of the risks and having not afterthoughts could suggest that she doesn't fully understand the risks' depth and nuance as in future the situation at Monte Carlo would suggest, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

he could never be a factor in her calculations -> there's a colon that separates this clause from the previous one which suggests this is an explanation for Lily's certainty. To me this would point more towards Lily not really associating the risk of rumours with Selden because she trusts him so much. i.e she does not think of him when she thinks of the risks. But given that they are going up to his apartment it seems strange that Selden would not think himself a factor in her decision. It's therefore possible that he thinks that Lily does not think of him worthy of great consideration.

Also the noun 'calculations' would suggest a lot of thought had gone into the decision where it was previously implied it was one of impulse. This seems like Selden thinks that Lily is playing an intricate game, which further demonstrates his curiosity about her and need to understand her.

there was a surprise, a refreshment almost, in the spontenaity of her consent -> This further contrasts Selden's perception of Lily's 'calculations' and I think the narration is a fine weave between objective reality--where Lily is impulsive-- and Selden's subjective perceptions-- where Lily appears impulsive but there is something more complex informing her decisions. I think this is meant to show that Selden is blinded somewhat by his affections for Lily, seeing things deeper than what are there or what everybody else sees. Alternatively, we as the reader lack Selden's sight into the complexities of Lily and so she is introduced to us as other people see her, which isn't well at all, and we have to learn how Selden sees her. It's a challenge to care for Lily as he does.

The spontaneity invokes a light hearted and refreshing feeling of being in love which mirrors the honest of truth mentioned earlier.

So there's Selden's surprise at Lily being so spontaneous which draws back to a previous point about she is unique for being impulsive almost reckless. It's like we get a sense of her character and her environment from how the two are at odds with each other. Lily is impulsive; noone else of her class should be like that. In a way that makes her free from the system and yet shows her struggle against it but ultimately her struggle will be more defining.

She noticed the letters and notes heaped on the table -> I assume that this is a reference to future letters although I don't know if they would be the same ones. If they were, I don't even have the mental capacity to unpack that. Just the thought that Lily's fall is inevitable, that even when she is happy, having a nice time, an unknown omen lurks within the same room that will bring her sorrow... oh its symbolic, for sure. But I don't want to think about it.

Lily sank into one of the shabby leather chairs -> the verb 'sank' shows how at home Lily really is with this kind of surroundings, how the shabby whilst not fashionable or expensive, is comfortable. From this we and the the pile of letters we get an image of a a slightly disorderly but well-lived in home. This is one of the tragedies where we see the possibility of what her future with Selden could look like where it is unconventional but Lily is comfortable at home even with it.

"How delicious to have a place like this all to oneself! What a miserable thing it is to be a woman," -> I love Lily's exaggerated turns of phrases like 'delicious' and the exclamations; I think Wharton's emphasis on these exaggerations is to capture Lily's innocence through her speech by making it similar to that of a child who is easily excitable.

Again with the exaggeration but this time with 'miserable', we get the sense that Lily has found the world difficult as a woman to live in but miserable seems too strong of a word, certainly at this stage in the book and is sort of hidden within her other hyperbolised expressions. Maybe this creates a kind of cry-wolf situation where, when Lily properly starts to struggle, people don't take notice not only because it wasn't the done thing to do to talk about struggles but also because of her melodramatic personality, everyone thought the same stuff was happening as it had before and Lily was making a big fuss over nothing.

There is repetition of 'miserable' in association to being of female sex further down the page which is another example of Lily's melodrama. But at this point we as a modern audience start to question if she is actually alright (or at least I did). I'm not sure if a contempary audience if the time would have given the strict taboo over discussing any kind of struggle financial/physical health etc. let alone the discussion of mental health. From the impression I get of the time, the only real source of outlet for people struggling with mental health beyond self medication was art, which makes me wonder as to the position Wharton is writing this from.

she leaned back in a luxury of discontent -> The juxtaposition of 'luxury' and 'discontent' raises an important theme that wealth does not equate happiness and that Lily is not happy as a socialite but happy in the company of Selden, and that actually money is the source of Lily's unhappiness. In this specific context, she is lamenting her lack of freedom to live the lifestyle that Selden does.

"Even women," he said "Have been know to enjoy the privaledges of a flat." -> Putting the discourse marker directly after the subject of 'women' breaks it apart from the rest of the sentence and emphasises the extraordinariness of women being able to live independently. But it also raises the possibility of it and suggests that Selden thinks Lily is extraordinary and unconventional enough to achieve the possibility if she chose to.

"Oh governesses– or widows. But not girls– not poor, miserable, marriageable girls!" -> Again we have the breakdown of womanhood into distinct classes like governess, widows, and girls,which creates the idea that there's no intersections between any of them and is a reflection of of societies fixation for categorisation which loses sight the complexity of situations and problems. And it also makes it easier to place social stigmas like those on governesses and widows. Those stigmas are made apparent here but in contrast to how Lily describes girls, being a governess or a widow seems desirable.

In the list of adjectives 'poor, miserable, marriageable', marriageable is equated to these other adjectives and we see that Lily associates marriage with a poverty of kind, of the heart.

It's also interesting that Lily talks about herself as a girl where Selden speaks of her as a woman. Lily plays up her innocence as she has probably been taught to to make desirable marital match, but with that Lily carries around an air of immaturity and naïvity; she's still very child-like. Perhaps that's a part of her that's trying to cling to her youth so she doesn't have to face her future where she will need to marry to survive. Lily sees her adulthood as a constraint on her and her desires whereas Selden sees her potential.

"you mean Gerty Farish," she smiled a little unkindly. "But I said marriageable–" -> Okay so definitely a little tone deaf on Lily's part buts she's honest to a fault and her honesty is refreshing and entertaining.

I'm no expect on autism and don't claim to be but there's something about Lily's mannerisms here that reminds me of people who I know and am very close with who are autistic. And it makes me wonder if Lily was autistic and neurodivergence was recognised in her time if her fate would have been any different.

"Her cook does the washing and her food tastes if soup. I should hate that you know." -> I just love the imagery of the first sentence, it strikes my funnybone. I guess it also illustrates that Lily's privileged upbringing if she thinks this is a bad situation to live in.

Okay I'm going to bring in a bit of a technical term to describe the verb 'should'. So it's a modal verb (expressing possibility based on context) but specifically a deontic modal verbal, meaning that Lily's hate depends on social rules. When she says she should hate it it implies that society wants her to hate it but she wouldn't necessarily hate it. That's what that verb phrase implies in today's english, but language has changed since the time it was written so it may not have been written with this meaning, especially as a signifier of an older text is the use of modal verbs in places we wouldn't today and a lot more of them.

The shift from Selden's reflections to the quick dialogue and short simple sentences of action creates a lively and charged atmosphere that feels almost flirtatious in its rhythm but by the nature of the content is more domestic (preparing afternoon tea). The balanced turn taking feels comfortable in that they both have equal power in the conversation, being allowed to say what they want to and being listened to. It goes towards simulating what a possible future could be and also shows how happy they are in this moment.

#House of mirth #hom blogging #hom meta #Page 7 #Okay so I'm writing out these explanations ant half two in the morning off an emotional high/low of finishing sex ed s3 so apologies #I also did an English exam today so I may be more formal than usual sorry

8 notes · View notes

hashinanaho · 6 years

Text

Violent Blue Random. 17

I drew a side comic from scratch, so I thought I'd write the fic first, just to clear the idea and get it done neatly. Please look forward to the comic!

It wasn't exactly a view he wished to see.

Seeing his Trainer drenched while standing still in the rain was not what the Mewtwo expected for her to do, especially in this weather. The subdued eyes of Myuu seemed to agree with him, as well.

"Myuu.."

"Indeed, something is off," his eyes narrowed slightly before he continued, "Her bag is missing." ("The blue one.")

"Myu!"

The young Mew waved its arms around in refusal, then pointed at Zai as he tried to explain his nuance.

'She looked more cheerful and ran around in the rain last time.'

The Mewtwo nodded in agreement, his hand held his chin in thought.

"I see. That is true."

Then again, after last night's incident he couldn't exactly question her silent behavior. When he saw her sobbing to herself back then, Mi chan couldn't do anything. Was greatly shocked, but couldn't even help her.

What really seemed unpleasant, though, was that she never came to her team later for comfort. Although it was her habit to keep her worries bottled, Mi chan never chose to accept that. He wanted to aid her somehow, right now if possible.

But even so, his Trainer looked far different from what he imagined her to be. Zai began turning around, reaching her arms out to the rain. Then she took a few steps while spinning, it seemed to be more of a dance than a skip in the puddles.

'And yet.. as if nothing happened, why do you still smile now?'

When Zai noticed Mi chan and Myuu as she paused, her face retorted into a scowl. Or more accurately, her mouth spat.

"Tch."

'Of all times.. really?'

The watching duo were not expecting their Trainer to glare them off as soon as she saw them. What made this worse were the following shouts.

"What is it now?!"

Mi chan was almost too sure Zai wouldn't hear him as he instructed Myuu to go back to the dorm. Because whatever made her snap was in control of her mind now.

"Analyzing my condition again? I said this before, but don't dig into my mind as you please!"

Even when the Mew nodded and hovered inside, she still held that infuriated look. Seemed like she had a grudge on the Mewtwo, then.

"This is why I can't stand you! No matter what I do," Mi chan only walked to her as she continued, "you never listen to me! Just leave me alon--"

The scarf that covered her head without warning caused Zai to stop shouting. She was too surprised when Mi chan grabbed her by the neck of her shirt, only had wide eyes to spare when she was pulled closer.

"Stop trying to act about it."

What escaped Mi chan's notice was Zai's confusion at his statement. It did not last long, however.

"Ah- you mean the dance just now?"

Wait, what?

"Dance--?"

"Are you good at it, Mi chan?"

"... I only know the basics."

Her eyes beamed familiarly as she kept asking, the infuriation earlier was forgotten. "Can you teach me?"

---

Could it be.. she really was dancing?

"..Since yesterday?" ("Dancing practices.")

"Ah, yes. You knew?"

"I just found out."

"Well, it was really difficult to do well. Especially last night!"

The Mewtwo would have liked to smack himself for not looking into her mind before. He crossed his arms in hidden frustration as she continued.

"My lower body ached all over, and my legs were sprained. It was really painful!"

"..."

Zai shifted her gaze away and rubbed her left cheek with a nervous hand. "Umm, I'm sorry for shouting. I thought you were going to stop me."

His eyes sought hers momentarily, but then dismissed it.

"I would."

Zai frowned at his tone; he was serious. The hand that rested on her head was an indication of something else.

"Because you clearly need to rest."

To be continued in the comic. Thank you for reading! ^^

#pokemon #au fanfic #short comic #mewtwo #mew #oc #zai namazaki #trainer oc

13 notes · View notes

rockcandyrebels · 7 years

Conversation

A Really Important Chapter

CaraBanned:

So let's see...how did the last dream end? With Kysme jokingly saying "that totally makes me wanna kiss you" and Liyah just going "Well, why haven't you?" not so jokingly...

I assume there wouldn't be a real action taken right now? Instead, Aaliyah just...turns her head back towards the sky, silently. "I kind of mean it, Kysme. Why haven't you kissed me yet?" And there was silence, or at least a certain type of white noise in which you know somebody is talking, but the words fall on deaf ears. (I imagine Kysme replies dumbly, "What do you mean", or a variation of that)

" Actually, no, I have a better question- do you think there could ever be anything between us? I don't mean anything casual or like friends with benefits sort of shit. Could you see us being more than friends, the meaningful way?" No white noise, only silence. Aaliyah probably huffs, her face feeling kind of hot on account of being embarrassed. She shouldn't have brought this up, but oh well, it's already up. She might as well continue. So she does. "You don't gotta lie to me or anything, coddle my feelings or some shit. I just wanna know! And I'm not trying to force anything on you, because I don't really know how I feel about you either. I know that I care about you at least, and sometimes i mix feelings up within myself. I just want things to be clear. So..." She'd blow a strand of hair out of her face with a sigh. "Yeah."

There, she said it. Now all she has to do is wait.(edited)

And that's when things got unclear because how the fuck am i supposed to figure out meaningful dialogue for kysme by myself-

Memphis-Rex:

My girl.

//Clutches chest

CaraBanned:

LMAO MEMPHIS

Memphis-Rex:

SHE JUST LAID IT OUT STRAIGHT AND BARE IN ONE SHOT.

The bravery-

CaraBanned:

GOD YEAH tbh I think the whole journey of this dreamscape just...came from that talk a long time ago? Me asking you if you think that kysme could toy with the fact that the two could be something more? (Rightly named in the blog "something more") basically just liyah putting her heart out on her sleeve all vulnerable and what not and trusting kysme to be serious with her for a second.

if only I could be like that in real life tho, shitttt

Memphis-Rex:

I feel serious Kysme would be silent a lot since he's actually taking time to chew over his words before spitting them out. So yeah those silences are something-

CaraBanned:

Oh gosh, glad that was right on the mark then. Don't take too long though, Kysme. Liyah might start feeling real silly, getting up and trying to brush it off like

Memphis-Rex :

And hmmmm. I feel like he might counter with a question first. After a tense moment he relaxes back into the grass, staring at the sky as well. "I don't know. I don't usually feel this way about people either. Am I even worth a genuine effort at something more? I fuck up so easily."

In that brief moment his tough guy persona slips aside, and you can see his own insecurity of losing things he cares about and his fears of being emotional.

Maybe, for once, his voice sounds gentle.

Kysme is fully aware of how shitty he can be. Sometimes he can't help it. In a way, he doesn't want to be the one who hurts her.

Would he be able to forgive himself for such a thing.

CaraBanned:

Oh, hey Memphis?

Fuck you???

This hurts more than it should?? Vunerable Kysme????ouch???

Lmao you can sleep now though if needed, you'll be rewarded a nice piece of HC. Thank you for your efforts.

CaraBanned:

His response would make liyah do a double take-turning her head to watch him again, her face obviously surprised by his change of tone. Wow. Just wow. Imagine her mouth opening to form words, though not being able to really say anything at first. Just studying his face.

"You're worth it."

Not a general, safe, 'everyone is worth it', or a shrug and wishy-washy kind of deliverance. It would be said with a quiet kind of conviction, like she actually means it. Because she does. And she smiles a bit at that, fondly. "Trust me, Kysme. I've been through the ringer a couple times with this kind of shit. Fucking up comes with the playing field- don't be so hard on yourself."

And I can see her doing something sweet, like reaching out and grabbing a hold of kysme's hand, gently so. Something to know that she's there, that she hears him. "But someone else's words probably mean nothing when your mind is convinced. Maybe you have to convince yourself that youre worth it, yeah?" She'd sigh, still her hand on top of his, a comfortable sort of silence.

Memphis-Rex:

There's gonna be a pause as he relishes the sensation of her hands on his. You know with how often he takes her hand jokingly to stare at its glistening surface, it's probably the first time she held his hand of her own accord. He'd bite his lip, say something like "I'll work on it." Another moment. Then, a careful movement as to not crush the arm that was previously holding his hand, he rolls over to lie on his side, closer to her, propping himself up on one elbow. There's this intense look in his candy colored eyes as he gazes down upon her face, and this time he doesn't hide it (recap-- the time he'd get distracted looking at her while she talks about movies). He's just taking it all in, up close, straightforwardly. "...But we can change one thing first." He says, referring to the earlier question of why he hasn't kissed her yet. And---

(ok if Aaliyah isn't down with this we can always change it XD)(edited)

Memphis-Rex:

Pt. 2--- Hypothetically speaking, if they do indeed get together, I feel nothing too much will change about their dynamics? They still have their silly banters and teasing, but finally they're not repressing their feelings so it feels more..liberating? To show some act of affection.

And I'm not saying Kysme becomes perfect boyfriend material immediately. He still makes her eyes roll to the sky with his stupidity. ("Shit, he's the biggest dumbass in the world but he's my dumbass" suddenly crosses my mind)

But there are some subtle changes in the way he acts now.(edited)

Is she going to feel bothered by his habit of occasionally sleeping with strangers (seeing her past with another pretty boy cough cough)? Cause I think the amount of times he fools around will dwindle if he's in a relationship but habits/hobbies die hard...He would try to be transparent about the matter though.

CaraBanned:

(I FUCKING FELL ALSEEP WAITING FOR THIS. GOD. FUCKING. DAMNIT.)

(First of all aaliyah is down yes of course the fuck you think memphis //still reading/)

Memphis-Rex:

(HAHAHA)

(And you woke up?! Now?!)

(also doesn't hurt to double check lel)

CaraBanned:

(LOL my body must have realized that I was missing straight up PERFECT QUALITY HCING)

(And true! Okay hold on while I respond something good.)

Oh gosh, your respond to the HC kind of like, feels like the perfect end already, but I will add on one thing to it- the idea of Aaliyah's heart thumping faster and faster as she realizes what exactly kysme is about to do. A loud thump, thump, thump pounding against her ears. Her eyes growing wider and her heart jumping at her throat, because holy shit...is he really gonna do it? Is he really going to do it? and when he does do it, its like something clicks in place with her head. Something nice and tender and a little scary. She'd close her eyes and sink into the kiss almost immediately, moving her hands up to cup his cheeks and hoping to god that that burning sensation comes soon- it would be safe to assume that she herself has been guilty of wondering how it would feel on her lips, sue her. (If it does come soon then she's probably left breathless and panting and if kysme asks if she needs a second she just goes "Fuck no." She was waiting for this kiss, even if she didnt think she was ever going to get it. (stay tuned for pt.2)

And I was gonna say that too, tbh! Like...they didn't need much to shift at all- theyve always been pretty comfy with each other and to the outside viewer it probably doesnt look like anything at all has changed unless they spot some nuances (like couch hand holding, aaliyah not complaining when the guy touches her, even if he grabs her by the waist or something, her sitting on his lap while watching a movie, etc) It just kind of...comes naturally. Liberating, as you say. Just...everything is right for once. (Also don't mind me but I totally wouldn't mind if this became non-hypothetical, if ya know what I mean, hueh hueh. //rubs my grubby raccoon hands together/).

The stupidity becomes endearing in a way, exactly as you say ("my big pink dumbass").

No, I don't think she's going to be bothered by it if he's honest about it (and as long as he saves his sweetest parts for her, you know? Like don't go confiding in strangers when you have a perfectly good girlfriend here to cuddle with.) The issue that destroyed her and Samael's relationship, besides the politics, was the lying to cover the hookups and the using and emotional abuse. It wasn't the fact that Sam was sleeping around, its the fact that she was the last to know, usually through other people. And what a shitty feeling is that. So even if he still has trouble with the deep conversation portion or the relationship, as long as he isn't lying to her face on petty shit, she wont make a big deal about it. Maybe even jokes about it when he tells her. ("Oh, cool. So is that the one you were talking about organizing the threesome with?") And that is to say that although she herself isn't someone to sleep around, I could see her branching out herself, once or twice. Lol (also speaking of which if we are going down this road she 'll likely tell him about that whole relationship fiasco, get ready for that can of worms kysme)

#headcanon txt

0 notes

cirilla-fiona-riannon · 10 months

Text

Francis Drake Main Story

Translations may not always capture the exact nuances or tone of the original text. Expect grammatical errors.

A pleasant day with a clear blue sky一

Mitsuki: "Drake, since the weather is nice, I'm thinking of washing the bed sheets. Can I come in?"

No response came from inside, even after calling out from outside the door.

(Huh? Is Drake not here? This has happened before, hasn't it?)

I opened the door, and just like before, the room was empty.

(He's not as unpredictable as Dazai, but he tends to disappear like this sometimes.)

At that moment, I could hear a flapping sound outside the open window.

Draco then flew in from the garden and perched on the chair.

Mitsuki: "Hey, Draco. Do you know where Drake went?"

Draco: "........"

Draco, who usually responds with something when spoken to, blinked his eyes without saying anything today.

And then he flew back to the garden through the window.

Sebastian: "Drake? I haven't seen him today either."

I told Sebastian about Drake's absence, and he tilted his head.

Sebastian: "He has disappeared without a trace before, right? I believe it was about half a month ago."

Theo: "So, is it the same this time?"

Theo, drinking coffee at the table, joined the conversation.

Theo: "We're not doing roll call or anything, so there's no need to worry too much."

Mitsuki: "That's true, but..."

Arthur: "Could it be that he went to meet a girl?"

Arthur, who came to the dining hall, grinned and sat in front of Theo.

Mitsuki: "Arthur, do you know where Drake might have gone?"

Arthur: "It's not like I know for sure. I just thought it was a bit suspicious last time."

Arthur: "I mean, if he's going to spend time doing something, wouldn't it be with a girl rather than drinking?"

I suddenly recalled something Drake mentioned.

------------Flashback-----------

Isaac: "Drake, you were resurrected without a contract, right? Wasn't there something you wanted to do in your previous life?"

Drake: "Hmm, if I had to think of something, it would be things like wanting to drink more alcohol, eat delicious food, or meet the woman of my destiny."

Isaac: "The woman of your destiny?"

Drake: "The most amazing woman."

---------Flashback Ends--------

(He joked about it, but he did say something like that.)

(Why do I suddenly feel uneasy?)

Whether Drake had someone like that or not, it wasn't something I should have pried into. However, as soon as I started thinking about it, my chest tightened.

Sebastian: "Mitsuki, why did you suddenly go silent? Is something wrong?"

Mitsuki: "No, it's nothing. I'll go wash the sheets now!"

Trying to mask the atmosphere and my own inner turmoil, I quickly left the dining room.

Watching Mitsuki leave, the remaining three exchanged hushed voices.

Arthur: "Is it just me, or does Mitsuki seem to be developing a subtle crush?"

Arthur: "They've been spending a lot of time together, too."

Theo: "I don't know what Drake's intentions are aside from being a bit of a troublemaker, but he's like seaweed. Hard to get a grip on."

Sebastian: "Let's not tease too much; it might affect her work. Let's just quietly watch over Mitsuki's feelings."

The men smiled, looking like Mitsuki's older brothers.

Afterward, I stopped by the Seine River while shopping, but Drake wasn't there.

When I asked the other boatmen, they said he hadn't come today, so I headed towards the main street.

Mitsuki: "Vlad. Hello."

Vlad: "Hi, Mitsuki. Are you out shopping?"

I saw Vlad handing bouquets to customers.

Mitsuki: "It smells so nice. There are so many beautiful flowers blooming today."

Vlad: "Thank you. I'm happiest when I see you enjoying them."

With his silver hair swaying, Vlad had a smile that captivated everyone.

(Right. If Drake is anywhere on the main street, he might have seen him.)

Mitsuki: "Vlad, did you happen to see Drake? He hasn't been at the mansion all day."

Vlad: "Drake? I haven't seen him."

Vlad: "If someone from the mansion had passed nearby, I would have sensed it, but I didn't feel anything."

Mitsuki: "I see. Thanks, and sorry for interrupting your work."

Vlad: "No problem. Looks like you've become quite close with him."

Mitsuki: "Yeah. I wanted to help him since he didn't know anything when he first came here. But now, he is the one helping me."

I chuckled, and Vlad gently narrowed his eyes.

Vlad: "Oh boy. I was planning to take you away to our old castle, but now you have another precious person in that mansion."

(Precious…?)

Mitsuki: "That's true. Drake is also a precious member of the mansion, just like everyone else."

Even as I said that phrase, it left me feeling unsatisfied.

(I'm acting weird.)

(Why do I react this way when it comes to Drake?)

At that moment, I struggled to calm my racing heart over something so trivial.

Watching Mitsuki walk away, Vlad muttered to himself.

Vlad: "Francis Drake. Drake, huh?"

Vlad: "I feel like I've heard that name somewhere."

The name resonated with Vlad.

While it was a common surname in Europe, he felt a more intimate familiarity with it, somewhere far back in the past that even Vlad himself had forgotten.

(It's already this late.)

I looked up and saw the moon rising in the almost night-colored sky.

(I wonder if Drake will come back tonight.)

(Well, he's free to be wherever and do whatever he wants. It's none of my business.)

(Even though it has nothing to do with me, why do I feel concerned?)

(Is it because he might set out alone somewhere in the night?)

I thought about how he might go far away, like a boat advancing on the river.

While thinking about such things, I caught sight of a familiar cloak at the edge of my vision.

(Is that Drake over there?)

Excited, I took a few steps to call out to him.

But as soon as I saw his face, I involuntarily swallowed my words.

(His expression is different from usual.)

Those eyes harbor a sharper and more beast-like aura than I had ever seen.

(I've seen him give me a cold stare in the past, but now it feels like it's even more tense.)

(It's kind of scary.)

I didn't want to think that way, but it was the first thought that came to mind.

He continued down a less crowded path, opposite the way back to the mansion, without noticing me.

(It's not good to secretly follow him, but I'm worried about his unusual behavior.)

Listing excuses in my mind, I followed Drake.

After entering a dimly lit alley, I heard a deep male voice coming from the direction he went.

Man 1: "Hey, buddy, did you just bump into me?"

Drake: "Ha?"

When I peeked around the corner, Drake was surrounded by several strong-looking men.

They were complaining to him, saying he had bumped into them as they passed each other.

(They're just picking a fight for no reason.)

Despite his strength, their number made me uneasy.

(What should I do? I need to call for help.)

Man 1: "Hey, where's your apology? Say something, bro."

Man 2: "Or did you get scared? Hahaha!"

Drake: ".........."

(Drake...?)

Contrary to the aggressive men surrounding him, Drake remained expressionless.

(He would usually have a confident grin in a situation like this.)

(But now he's strangely quiet, and somehow...)

A shiver ran down my spine.

Drake: "Hey, it's a full moon tonight."

Drake: "So, don't provoke me too much. I might let you go this time."

Man 1: "Ha? Who the fuck do you think you are!?"

(Drake!)

The provoked man raised his fist and punched him on the cheek.

I froze in fear, unable to utter a word.

Stumbling a few steps, Drake licked the blood trickling from the corner of his lips and flashed a menacing smile.

Drake: "I told you not to provoke me."

Man 1: "What the—ugghh!"

In the next moment, he head-butted the man in front of him, and as the opponent recoiled, Drake delivered a punch to his torso.

Man 2: "You arrogant bastard!"

As the leader groaned and fell backward, the other men rushed at him.

Despite being restrained from behind, Drake kicked one of the attackers, then grabbed the arm of the man behind him, throwing him to the ground.

One by one, he overpowered the men attacking him.

Man 2: "Demon...!"

Someone exclaimed at Drake's overwhelming strength.

(He's so strong, but...)

Drake: “Haa...haa...”

He stepped on the fallen man’s head next to him, exhaling a beastly breath.

Then he looked down at the screaming man and drew his knife from his waist.

(That’s enough!)

The other men hurriedly fled, and the fallen man, his face drained of color, looked up at him.

Man 1: “Sorry! Please, stop!”

Drake: “.........”

He glanced at the knife in his hand and tightly gripped his own wrist with his other hand.

Slowly, he sheathed the knife.

Drake: “Guh...ah...”

Suddenly, he clutched his throat in pain and staggered away.

I stood there, dumbfounded.

(He's not acting himself.)

(He's like a beast that has lost its reason.)

I didn’t know what happened to him.

Alarm bells rang in my head, and my hands had been shaking since earlier.

(Drake is dangerous right now, but...)

(I can’t just leave him in that state.)

Motivated by that thought alone, I urged my trembling legs forward and followed him into the alley.

Navigating through the narrow pathways, I eventually arrived at the place where he had gone.

(I think he went in here.)

The place he entered was a building located in a secluded area.

Although I hesitated to enter without permission, my concern overcame my hesitation, and I stepped inside.

(Whoa…)

The first thing that caught my eye was the twinkling stars overhead.

The room, complete with furniture and bookshelves, was like a planetarium with its round dome.

(What is this place? And why is he here?)

Drake: “Ugh... haa...”

I heard his painful sigh and quickly shifted my gaze to where he was leaning against the window.

Mitsuki: “Drake, are you okay!?”

Drake: “Mitsuki!?”

Drake: “Why are you here?”

Mitsuki: “I saw you in town and noticed something was off, so I followed you.”

Mitsuki: “Are you in pain? Hold on to me. I’ll support you.”

Drake: “Don’t come any closer!!”

He forcefully rejected me, and his body jerked.

Drake: “Of all days, why now?”

Drake: “Get out of my face, Mitsuki.”

(.........)

The words he said pierced my chest like a knife, but...

Mitsuki: "I can't just leave you like this!"

Drake: "You always..."

Drake: "Damn it, I can't stand it anymore."

Drake: "This is all your fault, so don't run away."

(Huh?)

My mind went blank.

I couldn't comprehend what was happening as a sharp pain ran through my neck.

But in the next moment...

(What is this...?)

An irresistible sense of pleasure spread from the place where he buried his face.

It infiltrated my entire body, spreading through my skin and penetrating deep inside.

Drake: "The taste of your blood is driving me crazy."

Drake: "I want more. I can't stop."

Feeling his animalistic breath, akin to devouring small prey, I finally realized:

(I'm...)

I'm being bitten by Drake.

Previous Part ╎ Masterlist ╎ Next Part

#ikemen vampire #ikevamp #ikevamp drake #francis drake #ikevamp jp #cybird #ikevamp translations #ikevamp francis

60 notes · View notes