#something something what we have is poison but ill keep drinking it for you

[wr-n]

give me any unhealthy pairing and i will brainrot over them

the emotions and experiences they go through is just *chef's kiss*

[robbinghisdick]

"Good afternoon, baby boy!" Wade cheerily greets, swinging himself over the back of the couch and dropping himself hard into Logan's lap. The older man grunts slightly, but doesn't push Wade off as the man pulls up his mask just enough to plant an exaggerated kiss on his cheek. "Where have you been all day?"

Now that he had gotten a good look at Logan's face... something was off.

Logan was quiet for a moment, considering. "Well, you know how I've been feeling sick lately?" He asked. Pain was nothing new for him. The weight of his bones and poison from the adamantium made sure to keep his body in some level of pain. One thing his healing factor prevented was illness. If he managed to get sick, he didn't stay sick for very long.

"Yeah and I said, "you should get that checked out" and you grumbled and whined like a dog being taken to the vet?"

Logan rolled his eyes and continued, "Well, turns out I'm pregnant."

It was one of those rare times Wade was rendered silent. The mask also made it annoyingly impossible to get a good read on his face.

Wade, meanwhile, was trying to gauge whether or not this was a good thing. Logan didn't seem particularly happy.

"How the fuck did we manage that?" Wade asked. "I mean, it's not like my cancer ridden body makes healthy little swimmers and you said the adamantium poisoning rendered you infertile."

"According to the doc, unless I literally don't have a uterus, there's always a freak chance," Logan sighed, leaning heavily back into the couch and running his hands over his face. "It doesn't matter either way. We can't have a baby."

Logan waited to see if Wade would agree or disagree with him. He found himself half tempted to rip the mask off so he could get a better read on him.

Who's to say the baby would even make it to term, and what then if it did? Have two dads who's lives were marked by death and tragedy? Two guys with a list of enemies a mile long and would target a kid without thinking twice? Their lives were messy and dangerous, they couldn't bring a kid into that.

There were a million reasons why they shouldn't bring a baby into the world, but that was all too much weight for Wade. "I mean, you're right, but like, what if it develops the wolverine claws in the womb and bursts out of your stomach alien-style? That'd be kinda cool."

Logan's nose crinkled in disgust, nearly shuddering at that mental image. "That's horrific, thanks."

Wade just grinned, cupping Logan's face with both hands and kissing him.

"But seriously, whatever you think is best."

...

Later that night, Logan stared up at the ceiling fan, the blade whirling at full blast because Wade insisted on snuggling despite how hot both of them ran. He was splayed out like the world's most clingy starfish, head on Logan's chest. It was clear he was still awake too as one of his fingers idly tracing over Logan's arm. This quiet, domestic routine had become the norm.

When Logan thought about it, they were truly in a better place than they had ever been before. Logan had a home and family. The mansion was a home, but this one was his. One he chose to share with Wade. He had friends who loved him, a partner that stuck with him no matter how grumpy he got. Hell, he wasn't even drinking or smoking as much as he used to.

There were still battles and hardships, but never before had there been such a strong sense of support and community.

Logan was... happy.

"Wade?"

"Hm?"

"I..." he trailed off, unsure. "I think I actually want to have the baby." He couldn't particularly explain it. For years he fought against being put in a fatherly role when it came to all the young mutants he had met and looked after. Somehow, though, the thought of going on that journey of parenthood with Wade actually seemed kind of exciting. He loved that man more than he'd ever be able to put into words.

Wade sat up so fast it made Logan flinch.

"Oh thank FUCK!" He exclaimed, reaching over and turning on the bedside lamp while he straddled Logan's lap. His eyes pratically sparkled as he looked down at Logan. "Seriously?"

"Yeah," Logan stared back up, surprised. "Wait, you wanted to keep the baby?"

"Of COURSE I want to have a little baby wolverine with you!" Wade waved his hands as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Like, yeah I think we're probably not the best parent material in the world and Jesus the CHRIST is it terrifying, but I wanna be dad."

"Why the fuck did you not say anything earlier?!"

"I'm not the one carrying it!" Wade shot back. "Besides, I never thought I'd have kids anyways, so not exactly a deal breaker, sweetheart." He patted Logan on the cheek. "Also, you know how many orphaned and abandoned mutants we run into? We always had a chance. If only Laura were younger, coulda started there."

Laura was an adult by the time Wade came into Logan's as a romantic partner. She was still young, but not a kid that needed parents to look after her.

"So... we're gonna have a baby?" Wade asked, a grin on his face.

"We're gonna have a baby."

Wade surged forward to kiss Logan, enthusiasm rubbing off on him as he smiled against Wade's lips. His face was peppered with more kisses and whispered "God I love you so much."

When Wade calmed down a fraction, Logan had to bring him down a bit more. "I'm only a few months along, we don't know if the baby will even make it," he reminded him. So many things could go wrong it was terrifying.

"Nope! This little guy--gender neutral--is a little fighter!" Wade insisted, hand splaying over Logan's stomach. They're gonna make it and be beautiful, and then we get to name them something cool!"

Logan scoffed but couldn't keep the smile off his face. "We're not naming the baby after any of your cartoons."

"You are absolutely no fun," Wade pouted. "I'll sneak something by ya."

Logan just pulled Wade down into another kiss to shut him up.

...

((They name her Allura, from Voltron lmao.

Writing this has made me incredibly sad for reasons I'll say if asked, but decided not to say so y'all don't just get randomly sucker punched.

This is NOT movieverse, exactly, but just a vague timeline. Movieverse poolverine end up with the kid tho. Which you can read here.

ALSO YES I KNOW THIS IS THE 3RD BABY AU ON THIS ACCOUNT. I have problem. I don't even want kids 😭))

[mcflymemes]

AS SAID BY DORIAN PAVUS  *  assorted dialogue from dragon age inquisition, updated version

i don't care what they think about me. i care what they think about us.

i like you. more than i should. more than might be wise.

discretion isn't your thing, is it?

all this dancing, politics, and murder makes me a bit homesick.

i suppose it really depends. how bad do you want to be?

living a lie... it festers inside of you, like poison.

i'm a man of many talents. what can i say?

the moment i saw you, i thought "there's a man who knows quality."

if you don't come through this, i swear i'll kill you.

i'm curious where this goes, you and i. we've had fun. perfectly reasonable to leave it here.

here is my proposal: we dispense with the chitchat and move on to something more primal.

i tease you too much, i know.

i'll have to find something we can do that doesn't involve teasing.

time to drink myself into a stupor. it's been that sort of day.

i see you enjoy playing with fire.

i like playing hard to get.

i'm not suggesting we venture into mutual domesticity.

if it's a trap, we escape and kill everyone. you're good at that.

talk to me. let me hear how mystified you are by my anger.

oh, i'm not arguing. just pointing out the ridiculously obvious.

if you choose to leave your door unlocked like a savage, i may or may not come.

now... what was i talking about? ah, yes. me.

i am apparently an incredible ass at accepting gifts.

i prefer the company of men.

would you prefer me bound and leashed?

sometimes the ones you love are also the ones who disappoint you the most.

you are the man i love, [name]. nothing will truly keep us apart.

the things you ask are just... very personal.

sometimes... love isn't enough.

there will always be an "us." we'll just be... farther apart, for a time.

i had no idea something like you was possible.

i'm imagining what you would look like in a dress.

i've never seen you smile so much!

i have no idea what you're talking about.

you stand there, flexing your muscles, huffing like some beast of burden with no thought save conquest.

you're shaping the world for good or ill. how could i aspire to do any less?

my footsies are freezing, thank you.

don't you ever bathe?

you're not suggesting we're similar.

watch where you're pointing that thing!

i'm not wearing a skirt.

it's significantly more impressive than hitting them with a sharp piece of metal.

i only meant to say i'm very sorry for your loss.

we can continue this dance forever, if you wish.

i'm saying we should be careful what we assume when it comes to such matters.

demons don't appreciate a man with good hair.

what i wouldn't give for some proper wine.

your outfit's entertaining. i'll give you that.

he had to leave early on account of assassination.

it's nice to know you have friends.

i'm here to do what is right.

come on, just answer the question.

they were asking me about you. personal things.

you said we'd be ass-deep in trouble. this is more like knee-high.

so what's your estimation? think we can win?

you can't call me pampered. nobody's peeled a grape for me in weeks.

you startled me. you're always so... nondescript.

you're a special and unique snowflake. live the dream.

i wanted to see you make flowers bloom with your song. just once.

you've done a lot less dancing naked in the moonlight than expected.

i've never seen anyone in this part of the world do it.

i realize there's more to you than that.

have i offended you?

for hating the outdoors, you sure seem to like bad weather.

i can't figure you out, [name].

you don't play their stupid game, they send an assassin or three your way.

i can't believe you're scared of magic.

i'm going to take that as a compliment.

still don't like me, [name]? after all this time?

[name], i owe you an apology.

i suspect people will use any excuse to hate us.

why be ashamed? power should be respected, not swept under the carpet.

maybe you're not a complete moron.

i just need to know you're capable of higher thought. for my own comfort.

it would take work. and soap. lots and lots of soap.

[darkbluekies]

Dr Kry asks #4

Previous one

Concept: I've put multiple asks into one post to avoid too much loose posts on my account! This way, you have more to read too<3

Warnings: mentions of ed, otherwise the normal Dr Kry stuff

I wonder how Dr Kry would feel if his darling developed romantic for him but was waiting to leave the hospital to officially ask him out. They'll say stuff like "I can't wait to leave this hospital bed so we can finally have a proper date together !",  "I would love to go see [movie name] in the theaters with you!" Or "I'd love to be with you but once I get better I promise! You deserve more than the semi-vegetable that I currently am." I guess he'd be a little conflicted, would he let his darling free from the hospital so they can have a somewhat normal romantic relationship or would he keep them here ?

He'd let his darling get well because he doesn't want anything else than the traditional house hold and only keeps them ill because they're not complient. But if they actually do like him and see a future together, then he can begin to live out his dream.

How would dr Kry react to a coworker reader who figures out he’s been telling people they’re dating and tries to leave him?

He'd be flustered. You weren't supposed to figure it out, you weren't supposed to know! He'd try to justify his actions while making you feel bad for leaving him.

"But Y/N, please, I'm doing it for you. If people think that we're together they'll not bother you. I've seen how people eye you in the corridor. It's disgusting. I'm just trying to help, so please don't leave. It hurts my feelings. I'm just trying to help ..."

He might say that you're pretending now, but he'll fake it til he makes it.

At this point I’ll let Dr kry talk for me,like yes please finish of my setences Cuase sometimes words are hard and it’s hard to speak so that sounds amazing

Careful, he will do it. As long as you're around other people, he'll finish your sentences, but he'd like for you to talk to him when you're alone. He loves to hear your voice so much.

I remember when you said that Dr Kry would worsen the toxic air purifier if we ignore him till it hurts too much, me personally I'm petty as hell, he'd have to see me DIE before I speak to him because thats what he gets, I'm petty to the death ✊

I- .... i don't know what to say.

My headcanon voice for Dr. Kry is Sammy Lawrence from Bendy and the Ink Machine.

Omg, you are so big brain. I would say his voice is a tad bit lighter in my head, but other that that, damn.

Does dr. Kry bathe reader or he only does if the reader is very sick?

He does it all the time. Since the reader is too weak and dizzy and everything from the poison 24/7, he doesn't trust them. They could hurt themselves in there. Besides, he likes being able to take care of the reader in every aspect. This is the closest he'll come to their nudity without it being uncomfortable for him.

Would Dr. Kry let the reader customize their hospital room if they asked nicely?

Of course! If he knows that they're okay with being there (and even fix the room to their liking) then it'll just make him happy!

do you think kry would treat darling differently if she has an ED and won’t eat much?i have an ED and just wanted to see how my favorite boy might take it :’) feel free to ignore lol

He will. Every action will be calculated and well thought out to make you calmer and more open to try to eat. He won't force you, but he'll encourage you. He's studied this, he knows how dangerous something like this can be. And that's why he wants to help you as much as possible.

Me whose been sick for 3 weeks with an awful cough and body pains. "Please dr kry come kidnap me..just wanna sleep and not work"Have been working weekends with my sick body because the boss doesn't give sick leave for flu

Careful, he will do it.

I love dr kry but he drinks coffee all the time so his breath probably STANKS. Hes a 10 but he has constant coffee breath.

Well DUH HE IS A COFFEIN ADDICT. don't bully him :(

[whenicarusflies]

we know about 'id die for you romances' we know about 'id live for you romances' we know about 'id get better/fix myself' for you romances' but what about 'ill get worse for you' romances. what about when you see another person who can never love you back (they probably don't even know you exist) and you see that the only thing you can do for them is destroy yourself. what about when you drink the poison and give them the shitty wine, and you know they think youre shunning them but you don't really have a choice do you. what about when you do what they cannot. when you kill that person, steal that thing, start something you can't stop for them. because they can't. because that'd make them a bad person, a murderer (from then on every time you wear red lipstick they think of the red staining your hands, your soul). what about when you destroy yourself to let them live. when you convince them you hate them when the love is tearing you up inside. what about the feelings that are always an open wound, the memories that can never heal because you keep ripping the back open. what about when you kill yourself on their sword because after all this time you have made yourself the villain. and what if, maybe, all this time, they loved you back.

[iriel3000]

Hurry, She Needs You - part 4

Summary: Natasha becomes ill from what they think is food poisoning. Tony and Bruce try to care for her until Clint arrives home from a deep cover mission. Part 4 of 6

Whumptober Day 4: Shock

Natasha whump, light whump, emotional whump

Precisely five hours and 47 minutes after Clint’s phone call, he burst into Natasha’s medical suite. Still in full uniform, he ripped off his arm guards and rushed to her side.

Bruce and Tony politely stood off in the corner.

Barton whispered something in Russian, caressing Natasha's cheek with the backs of his fingers.

"Hawk?" She stirred.

"Tell me who did this."

She reached for him and wrapped her arms around his neck, forcing him to lift her into his arms.

“I’m here, I’m here. I got you.” Clint repeated over and over.

She curled into a tight ball against him.

“Get us out of here.” She whimpered.

“We’re safe. We’re at the Tower.”

“No, I saw James. They injected me...Tony.”

“Followed my orders, Widow. They gave you the antidote.” 

“Don’t leave.” Natasha buried her face in his neck.

Barton swallowed hard.

“Not with a gun to my head. I will never leave you.”

He looked over at Tony.

“What time was the first shot?”

“Over three hours ago, she’s due for her second one soon.”

Barton exhaled, his troubled scowl lessening a fraction. Head Nurse Joyce Miller walked into the room.

“You're late.” 

“Plane only goes Mach 2, I’ll have to make some modifications.”

“Well, hopefully now that you’re here, we can get her heart rate down. It’s been too high for my liking.”

Joyce adjusted the bed to a reclining position, moving about the room and talking to Barton as if one of Strike Team Delta on death's door was common. 

He went to set Natasha down but she whimpered, clinging to him. Joyce clicked her tongue and Hawkeye turned sideways, keeping a tight hold of Nat. Nurse Miller removed his quiver, two pistols from his thigh holsters, and a large Bowie knife, allowing Clint to settle on the bed, adjusting Natasha across his chest and between his legs.

Joyce called attention to the monitor. Tony and Bruce watched Natasha's heart rate go down as she relaxed against Clint.

Without asking, Nurse Miller placed two fingers on Barton’s wrist and checked the clock on the wall. 

“That always amazes me.” She shook her head. “I’ll be back shortly for the second round. See if you can get her to drink some water, please.”

She left the room. Tony and Bruce pulled their chairs closer. Bruce handed him a cup with a straw.

Before giving it to her, Clint made sure Natasha watched him take a drink. 

No.” She whimpered, trying to knock the cup out of his hand.

“It’s safe, Nat.” He took another drink.

Trusting him like always, she sipped at the water, making a face.

“One more.”

“When can we go home?”

“Soon. I want you to get some sleep first.”

“No, they’ll take you.”

“Tony and Bruce won’t let them. They’ll protect me like they did you.” She glanced over at the two of them.

Tony hid a smirk. Barton and Romanov could give a shit about their own lives, but threaten the other...

“Nothing will happen, Nat.” Bruce promised. 

She nodded. Clint hugged her close, nestling her into his side. She fought sleep for the longest time but eventually drifted off. 

“I’ve never seen her cry like that before, Clint.” Tony kept his voice low. 

“I know it was hard. We didn’t have your medical equipment last time. Thank you.”

“What happened in Thailand? How was she poisoned?” Bruce asked. 

“Therillium is an assassin’s dream. It can be solid, liquid or gas. She was exposed when the Yazaki detonated a warehouse of hostages. I was too high in my perch to be affected.”

“Thankfully, or you both would be dead.”

Clint gave him a thoughtful look. 

“How did you know what it was?” Tony wanted to know. 

“It took two arrows to find out. Four more to get what she needed. She went into shock before the first shot.” He shuddered, wrapping his arms tighter around Natasha. “I didn’t think she was going to make it.”

“She did and she’s gonna get through this again.”

“Because of the two of you and Bucky.”

“Clint, it was Killian. We think the poison was meant for me. I’m sorry.”

Barton narrowed his eyes.

“Then I’ll rip both the bastard’s arms off, not just one.”

find the whole story below

Hurry, She Needs You

[avislazuli]

Joy to the world

Story: Joy to the world (Tori’s Christmas 4*)

Notes:

Unproofread and done for training purposes using lots of dictionary

Imouto gimi = young sister (+respectful honorific)

Mimi-chan: Tori’s sister’s stuffed toy who Mika repared in Poison a la Mode scout

Writer:  Yuumasu

Season: Winter

Yuzuru: Young master, imoutogimi, the tree is ready.

Tori: Thank you, Yuzuru.

Now, decorate with your big brother, I brought some adorns I thought you would like

Look, this stuffed animal is similar to Mimi-chan, isn't it? I was surprised when I saw it in the city!

Kagehira-senpai put flowers and jewels in it for me. It was a long time ago, but it seems that he still remembers.

He still cherishes the drawing you gave him! He even asked "how is your sister doing~?"

...

...Hey, why have you been so quiet all this time?

Why are you avoiding my eyes...?

(...I already know the reason. It's my fault that she is like this.

Daddy and mommy won't come back home for Christmas because of their work. And not just that, I'm busy this year too, my schedule is full

I wanted to spend time together even if it's before Christmas, that's why I came back today.

I was going to decorate the tree with her and give her a present, so she could enjoy Christmas at least a little earlier.

But she got angry when she knew that we couldn't spend Christmas together.

She was having fun talking about what she wanted to do for Christmas until a while ago, of course she is angry...)

...Hey, I actually brought a present for you―

Wait, where are you going? Come back!

She is gone...

...

Yuzuru: Excuse me, young master. Are you okay?

Tori: Yuzuru… I ruined it. I’m not a good older brother…

Christmas is special for her. She is often at home, so it's a rare opportunity for her to be with her busy family.

I'm sad. I thought I could make my sister smile if I became an idol. But I ended up taking her smile away.

Yuzuru: Young master, don't make that face. If your face is clouded by those feelings, the whole mansion would be wrapped in sadness.  

If we keep like this, the memories of this Christmas will be bitter. Now that you're back, shouldn't you face up with her?

Tori: ...Yes, you’re right.

[After a while]

Tori: ...  

...Hey, open the door and come over here.

I brewed tea for you. 一Would you let me talk? It's okay if it's only the time until you finish drinking.

Thanks. I'm sorry for making you feel bad.

...Yes, I know. You're a kind girl, so you understand my circumstances.

But the Christmas schedule you were looking forwad to just disappeared, you can't simply accept it right away.

But it's because I'll be absent for Christmas that I came here today.

Only for now, your brother is only yours. I’ll spoil you for daddy and mommy too. I’ll do anything.

So please tell me, what do you want me to do?

...Branco? Oh, have you been watching the PV everyday?

Fufu, I’m glad to hear that. Can I tell everyone in Branco? I’m sure they’ll be glad too.

Huh? Why are you apologizing? ...Were you angry at yourself?

...You can't help feeling lonely, even though you understand the importance of my idol activities, and that bothers you一  

Well, I used to feel like that in the past too, so I understand your feelings.

I knew our parents were busy, but I kept wondering “why can’t daddy and mommy stay with me?”

I hated that part of me that couldn’t smile when I had to say goodbye.

Fufu, we are similar in many ways, aren’t we?

...Oh, right. You said you thought about the PV as a Christmas present, right?

Follow me, I want to show you something.

[An hour later]

Yuzuru: We’ve arrived. Please, watch your feet.

Tori: Yes. ...Hey, isn’t it cold? Are you okay?

Are you struggling to move? Yuzuru made you wear those winter clothes.

It’ll be bad if you get ill, so please bear it.

...That’s right, our parents would never bring you here because they’re worried about your health.

That’s why we must keep this as a secret. A secret only between us...

Here, take my hand, so you won’t fall down. Let’s go this way.

...Look, it can be seen from here.

What do you think? It’s more beautiful than when you see it through the screen, right?

Fufu, your eyes are sparkling with happiness. I’m also happy to have brought you here.

...Would you accept the present I couldn’t give you before? I hope you like it.

...Thank goodness. I wanted to see your smile, so I visited a lot of shops and did my best to choose.

Thank you for always being there to support me.

Merry Christmas, I love you...   ♪  

[rim-draws]

Farûnian Writing Challenge

Day 3 | SFW

First encounter with their love interest

Tav rubs their forehead, looking down in the scribbles of what supposed to be notes in their makeshift journal. 

Something something, orb in Gale’s chest. Something something, Shadowheart and her still refusing to say anything. Something something, totally missed that guy that Lae’zel wanted to speak to, shame. Something something, Astarion’s last straw with Tav was when they swore to drink Nettie’s poison if they turn. Something something Wyll is dead now, they’ll get to reviving him eventually. Something something, needs a healer for brains with thick letters and multiple underlines.

They slam the book close. That random fight with that priest was a downright disaster. 

Tav had wanted to be on Astarion’s good side so against all their good judgements, they attacked the damn priest goblin. Now everyone is dead. 

Tav kicked Wyll’s slowly rotting body. Yup. Definitely gone now. And they have no magic items left to feed Gale at this very moment which he has just been revived yet almost exploding again. Astarion is close to death and Tav themself is not in any better shape. 

“Maybe you should have brought the cleric instead, have you thought of that?!” Astarion mopes, multiple bruises and wounds on his body. 

“It was you who wanted chaos, knowing we are terribly ill-equipped. Don’t put it on me.” Tav spoke with a certain growl in their speech, proper annoyed. 

Their entire body hurts. This was so damn stupid in every way. Gods, if they weren’t so down bad for the damn elf, they wouldn’t be in this mess. 

Hauling Wyll on their shoulder, they snuck to a discreet corner in the goblin temple where their party’s camp was before quickly gathering supplies to keep on moving.

“We’re not going to rest??” Astarion groaned. “I’m in serious need of a good sleep.”

Tav pointed at Gale, “Can you still cast?” 

“Yes. Shamefully I perished before I was able to do much. However, I believe we shou–” 

“Then we head forth.” The tone in Tav’s voice made even Gale, who has been holding them in decent regard up until this point, upset. “There is a healer to rescue. Do any of you want to turn into a mind flayer?” 

They all share a look and start walking again. 

Everything is starting to get under Tav’s skin in ways that are most literal. The squenching of the goblin eating outside makes their ear itch in the most annoying way. The buzz of flies infesting the area constantly looks like it’s flying straight into their eyes. The damp temple makes their skin feel even more disgusting than usual. That is without mentioning the stench of this place. 

If this healer everyone in the grove has been saying is not worth it, Tav is going to make sure everyone pays for wasting their time.

Storming in the chamber with the locked cells, a scene appears before them. More goblins, two worgs in one cell, totally ignored, a big brown bear growling in the other, rocks thrown at it by snickering goblin children. 

They squint. It’s the same group of kids who were kicking a corpse outside before whining upon being threatened. The most annoying kind. 

The part of Tav’s brain that has been keeping them alive all these years whispers: You should play along, not get involved. They remembered how that went last time, getting involved. They had felt guilty upon torturing the prisoner, and couldn't bring themself to go through with it. What was supposed to be torturing the prisoner to death had turned into a small massacre of the goblins that were involved along with its witnesses. Which had left them vulnerable to the fight involving the damn priestess. 

“If you’re going to do that, pick a better rock.” Tav said, picking up a slightly jagged rock, hurling it at the bear. 

It growled in pain, their eyes catching one another for a split moment. The bear is… scared. Angry, yes. But mostly scared. 

Of course he’d be scared. Tav out of all people would know best the reason why. Bears are often captured, killed just when they barely reached adulthood then skinned to be stuffed back in with cottons or other material to be hung on the walls or stood upon someone’s door. 

Tav glanced down at a big pointy rock and the goblin kids that are so excited to harm a creature who had no power to protect itself, no means of escape. 

They’re about 98% sure they’re an asshole. But if they do this… 

Tav holds the rock in their palm. 

… what kind of lowlife scum would they be?

Blood boils from inside their guts. They hurl the rock towards one of the kids, caving their head on impact. The bear roars in great enthusiasm, charging forward, bringing the cell’s door with it. 

Everyone jumped into action. 

Tired as the team may be, all welcome a fight. 

The lack of time spent with the current setup did not hinder Shadowheart’s ability to work seamlessly with the group. Gale was getting his groove back a lot better compared to his first run, Astarion is quick to cut off any means for the goblins inside the chambers to contact those outside while Tav smashes everything that moves. 

Tav kept an eye on the bear throughout the whole fight, giving signals they gave to their teammate to said bear, genuinely shocked when he followed the lead. They never let too many goblins crowd the bear for too long. When it does happen, Tav would assist either from afar or by directly jumping into the fray while the other three focus on those who are further away. 

“Careful!” Gale had shouted. 

In the midst of chaos, the worgs had broken down their cage. One jumped out with great vigour ready to snatch up the–

WHOOSH. 

The bear rushes by, his thick jaw clamping on the worg’s middle. It howls in pain. 

It went as quick as it came. 

By the end, they’ve all been once again reduced to a bruised bloodied mess. Astarion is groaning on the ground, Gale is still standing miraculously, Shadowheart is giving out the little bits of healing magic she has left as Tav pulls Astarion back up. 

“Well I hope saving the bear was worth it. I just about had it up here with you.” Astarion complains as he often does about Tav. 

“Maybe the bear has some clues for us about the druids.” Shadowheart added, unclear whether she’s teasing or actually serious. It’s infuriating either way. 

“You want me to hurt a bear?!” Tav snapped back, pissy as they usually are. Same old same old.

All of the sudden, a ray of light in the bear’s direction. Its fur retreated, its claws sunken back. Emerges from the golden leaves of druidism powers, a big, muscular elf - wood elf? - comes into view. Arms covered in hair, chin strong and square, eyes green and sunken, features drenched in wisdom and age. 

It was clear the moment he came to view that he wasn’t a bear, or even just a simple druid. He is the druid. The Archdruid Halsin they’ve been searching for. 

“Gods, he’s big.” Someone blurted under their breath. It might have been Tav. 

“Definitely very big for an elf.” Astarion nodded behind them. 

“Big for just about any race, surely.” Gale added. 

Shadowheart managed a choked sound, started saying something then swallowed her tongue half way. 

It took Tav until the man mentioned something of goblin guts for them to snap out of it. 

“I need your help with the Emerald Grove.” 

Astarion huffed. “I’m sorry but we have much on our hands already to—” 

“We’ll do it.” Tav spoke quicker than they’d like to admit. “We’ll help you.” 

Astarion openly gasp. “What has gotten into you?? Have you forgotten how they treated us? And the tadpole in our brains???” 

Gale, however, pushes forward. “Yes, that’s the spirit. That’s the leader I know.” 

That urks Tav slightly. They’re no leader, and definitely not a good person. This is just… purely selfish. Yes. That is all. 

“You can’t deny he does have another lead for us. Moonrise is the best we have so far. Everyone else has been wanting our eyes or wanting to brand us.” Shadowheart reasoned. Astarion groaned.

Halsin practically beamed. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go right now.” 

Tav straightened, “Yes, let’s—” 

Their group of badly injuried members yell out, for once agreeing on one thing: 

“NO!!”

[taggedmemes]

SENTENCE MEME ⟶ OXVENTURE PRESENTS: DEADLANDS / ch4 always feel free to tweak the sentence to fit your muse.

'they've got the power to kick a man apart, i heard.'

'have you thought about maybe trying to befriend a little one first?'

'so powerful. those thighs.'

'straight to the gates of hell!'

'i mean, that is the colour of horses eyes.'

'i feel just peachy, ma'am.'

'it was said that she was a serial killer.'

'it was said that she favoured poison.'

'the coward's way. i see.'

'she had a series of jobs and people kept dying in mysterious circumstances.'

'she's wanted for killing forty people.'

'i'm sorry i can't be of more help.'

'i'll be exclusively drinking alcohol to counteract the effects of any poison.'

'i'll just have two fingers of whiskey to settle my stomach.'

'every time i see a horse i avert my eyes just in case it steals my soul.'

'what's with all those boarded-up houses?'

'people've been disappearing as well; it's the strangest thing.'

'best we can do for them is nail them up in their homes.'

'there's no kind of a life for a lot of people here.'

'they say they can cure the incurable up at this place.'

'this wouldn't happen to coincide with the plague, would it?'

'i try and stay indoors at night because of what they say.'

'sounds like you've got a problem on your hands.'

'screw your job, idiot!'

'now i'm gonna have to sweep my own damn floor.'

'heard about that, did ya?'

'some of these folks... they vanish, never come back.'

'i tried draining blood. i tried putting in different blood. i tried tinctures. i tried a syrup made from opium and cocaine.'

'seems there's one medicine for the likes of us and one medicine for the likes of them.'

'it's a real shame what's happened to this town. it used to be a nice place to live, and now it's all horror.'

'that kid drinks too much whiskey.'

'i've got a new plan: we go up. we say we've got money.'

'it's the only haunted-ass building in the place, but okay.'

'he looks like a partially inflated balloon.'

'i just have it in case anyone needs it.'

'we do not speak of this to anyone.'

'there's some sort of fancy mechanical thing going on here.'

'i'm so ill i can't remember my name!'

'did you see my fancy shoes?'

'did i tell you how wealthy i am?'

'this feels like hospital propaganda.'

'do you have any cocaine?'

'perhaps some cocaine would make you feel better?'

'well, it was exhausting being fancy anyway.'

'nothing in life is free.'

'you're the weird guy!'

'everyone thinks you're super weird.'

'there's something very odd about his face.'

'it's very loud and very close.'

'i can't believe i touched that with my fist.'

'that was lucky. i could have contracted a chronic disease there.'

'my powerful immune system took care of that one.'

'there's no telling some people.'

'i don't like it! it's stressing me out.'

'he's not a good doctor he's a bad doctor! a very bad doctor!'

'you know, i don't even think he's a real doctor.'

'i think my only option really is to keep shooting at this guy.'

'where the hell were you hiding that?!'

'there's blood everywhere. pouring out of him.'

'bet you'd rather be next to a horse right now.'

'we're in!'

[cyprus-green]

My Dearest Malfoy, You can shove that offer up your entitled pureblood...

My Dearest Malfoy,

You can shove that offer up your entitled pureblood arse.

Frankly, your 'letter' is hardly worthy of a response. However, your equally gaudy and obnoxious eagle owl will not stop pecking at my window with an expectant glare. Therefore I will spend no more than 15 minutes replying to your utterly outlandish, villainous excuse for a proposal.

Draco Lucius Malfoy. You are undoubtedly the most deranged, unhinged, entitled boy I've ever met. Wizard or Muggle. Even beyond the insanity of your Lord and Keeper, you seem to have lost the plot.

I once would have called you an intelligent peer with a sharp wit and competent skill. Not anymore. No, I fear that is all a facade aimed at fooling the populous into believing you have any ability to reason.

Have you been ill? Caught a chill. Eaten an undercooked potato? Perhaps taken a swim in the black lake and been exposed to a brain-eating protozoan. Have you fallen from some height? Or perhaps been injured during a game of Quidditch? Have you been subjected to some kind of charm or a mind-altering curse? Are you taking some kind of illicit substance, potion or otherwise?

It must be something to this effect. As I have no reason to believe that you were in your right mind while authoring that letter.

It's absurd. Disturbinly so.

Perhaps it was a joke. The deepest part of me hopes it so. Or perhaps someone posing as you. A charmed quill perhaps? Enchanted paper? Either way, all must perish.

If you for one moment think that I would ever consider such an offer, you are truly beyond help. We might as well ship you off to St. James Thickey Ward at St Mungos. Truly.

In the same stroke of your pen you laude my beauty and mind, the next you mock and degrade my blood.

I wish to make this clear. I would rather die than become yours. Your slut. Your pet. Your wife. Your mistress. I will have none of it. You are a foul man. I would never keep your bed. Never. You would have to kill me first.

Keep your appendages away from me. I will curse them to ash or bite them off if need be. It sounds crude. But again. I'm just a filthy mudblood whore who doesn't know better.

Waste my talent and blood Draco. I care not. I would sooner drink poision, lead, molten rock, than taste you.

You violated my mind. What you saw, was nothing more than hormonal daydreams. Perhaps you saw only what you wished to see. You are perverted and deranged.

I fear years of inbreeding have caused your lovely pureblood mind to turn. You must have some Inherited inbred illness. Silent and invisible mental infirmity that has now only sprung up.

I don't give two shits about your Dark Lord. Let him come. Let him try. We will fight. And fight.

I would slit my own wrists than bear your children. Rather see them wilt and die in my womb that bring our children into a world of pureblood supremacy.

Our children. Would be beautiful.

And tainted not my blood, but by your hate.

You know. I once dreamed of what it would be like to feel your hands on my skin. Or your lips upon mine. But all of that is but poison.

I pity your sincerity.

[randomingoftherandomness]

A/N: I call this one "3 people fall a bit in love with Yuanzhi Didi and his Gege who gets jealous”

—

i. Yun Weishan

Objectively, she knows when something is beautiful. She’d been trained to be heartless and cold, but Wufeng could never quite smother out her ability to find beauty even in the most unlikeliest of moments.

Just like now, as she is sitting in Gong Yuanzhi’s laboratory sipping tea, placidly commenting on the poisons that the young man has developed.

He’s still got his edges, of that Yun Weishan has no doubts, and the likelihood of him ever fully trusting her is about as much as a snowflake’s chance in the heat of summer. She thinks it is a good survival instinct so she isn’t doing much by way of assuaging his paranoia, even if her husband has decided that sending over the strangest new herbs and plants from far and wide to his younger cousin is the best way to foster a relationship with him

“How about this one?”

She eyes the powder. “A quick death?”

“Slow.”

“Naturally.”

Gong Yuanzhi smiles. Pleased and small, and for a moment, Yun Weishan feels her breath catch in her chest at the way the watery sunlight catches on his cheek as he carefully exchanges the small dish with one that has a clear unguent.

"And this?"

Yun Weishan clears her throat and gathers her wits to study his offering. She blinks and Gong Yuanzhi cocks his head to the side as if curious.

She lowers her eyes. Best not to be caught looking at him too long.

ii. Elder Yue

Despite himself, his thirst for knowledge ultimately trumps whatever propriety or austerity he needs to keep as one of the three Elders of the family. At the heart of it, he will always be that Young Master who snuck out of the back hill to catch a glimpse of the Chuyun Chonglian grown by a prodigy in the family.

The same prodigy who is handing over a box of that same bloom.

"For you to study." Gong Yuanzhi respectfully says. This brat has always had an edge of impudence when talking to anyone who isn't his Shangjue gege. Why the sudden change of tone?

He thanks him, waving for an attendant to bring it away for storage. "Is there something you'd like in return? A gift needs to be reciprocated after all."

Gong Yuanzhi smiles. A genuine and honest one that floors Elder Yue for a beat before he surreptitiously steadies himself with a hand to the railing. Feeling heat suffuse his cheeks, he has to look away.

"I'd like to see your laboratory," Gong Yuanzhi says.

"My laboratory? It's no different than yours, I believe."

Gong Yuanzhi shakes his head, still smiling. Elder Yue thinks his own face must resemble the red of a New Year's couplet.

"I'm sure it's different." He insists. Pausing, before squirming a little. Looking a little bashful, he grows serious. "Our skills are complementary. Every poison has an antidote. Every illness has a cure. We are amongst the greatest minds in our generation. I'm sure if we put our minds together, we can come up with the solution to what the world needs."

Elder Yue purses his lips. "That... I did not expect that reasoning out of you."

Gong Yuanzhi relaxes his shoulders. "Too idealistic?"

"I would have never pegged you for it." Elder Yue counters with a soft grin. Turning, he beckons. "Come on. Follow me."

iii. Gong Ziyu

It's his first Mid-Autumn festival since ascending to the position of Sword Wielder. There's a sense of anticipation as the sound of his family fills the hall, all intermingling and chatting as they enjoy their meal.

Ah Yun is next to him, smiling as she pours him a cup of wine. Close by, he can see Jin Fan being secretly fed mooncakes by Zishang jie. Elder Xue and Elder Yue have their heads bowed, deep in conversation, while Xue Tongzi is silently drinking on his own.

The room feels full yet empty of faces that should be here. The thought sits heavy in his chest. There's still much to rebuild, much to heal and restore, but that will be a job for when the sun rises. Tonight, Ziyu is content to exist in the warmth of his family.

Then, his eyes travel to where Shangjue gege is seated with Yuanzhi didi.

There's a sense of quiet grace about them. Though they're not apart from the merriment, there's a feeling of separation. As if they exist in a world of their own and are happy to be so. Watching them a little longer, he sees the almost unspoken understanding between them; a careful chopstick serving of Yuanzhi didi's favourite dish, a pouring of wine into Shangjue gege's cup before he even asks for it. A little dance between them with steps that only they know.

Yuanzhi didi says something that has Shangjue gege smiling and that in turn has didi beaming. Happiness radiates as he leans into Shangjue. Distantly, in some part of him that still remembers the romantic notions of a youth he has left behind, he thinks that in a different life, Shangjue and Yuanzhi would make a good looking couple.

In the candlelight, Yuanzhi glows when Shangjue gege tilts his head to whisper something into his ear. His face goes slack with surprise and Yuanzhi turns to face Ziyu.

Their eyes meet across the hall. Yuanzhi is the first to smile, toasting him with his wine cup. Ziyu returns the smile and toasts him back.

+ Gong Shangjue

Gong Shangjue is not a jealous person, thank you very much.

No. He prides himself as reasonable. Logical and calm. Always thinking with his head over his heart, never being led by his emotions and always able to think things through before he acts on them.

He doesn't covet. He doesn't crave.

But when it comes to Yuanzhi didi's smiles?

Shangjue wants to hoard every single one of them for himself. Every time Didi smiles, he wants to sit and paint the exact arc that his lips takes and how it makes his eyes light up in a way that has him mesmerised. Shangjue wants to write odes and poetry, wax lyrically about how his world comes alive when Yuanzhi is by his side.

He wants to hunt down anyone Yuanzhi has shared his smiles with; wants to climb to the highest point of the mountain and shout to the world that this was his man and his alone, and no one can have him.

Heavens above, he knows he is insufferable when it comes to his little brother and he doesn’t care. The world will just have to deal with how much he loves and adores Yuanzhi.

And don’t get him started on how he calls him “Gege”.

Some days he just wants to lock Yuanzhi up next to him so that he is never out of sight. It’s ridiculous.

But then he remembers that he is the only one who gets to come home to Yuanzhi’s hugs, how Yuanzhi will always be there waiting to greet him at the end of a long journey away from the valley. Shangjue will forever be the only one to know how Yuanzhi looks tucked up against him in sleep, how he tastes when kissed in the middle of the day, how he feels when being made love to.

Shangjue reminds himself that Yuanzhi knows his blood as well as he knows his. It’s enough.

Thus, in conclusion, Gong Shangjue is absolutely not a jealous man, no. He’s just one who knows the gem that he has by his side.

[slusheeduck]

Fictober 2023 Day 6 - Prompt: "Are you with me?" Fandom: Baldur's Gate 3

“I say it’s time for a celebration. Are you with me?”

Falerin’s attention, drifting aimlessly as he sat on the rocks by the water, was abruptly caught by a bottle, shoved right in front of his face.

“Arkhen’s Hoard. Well, I think it is. The thing about found liquor is that the labels always seem to go missing.” The bottle gets pushed into Falerin’s hands, and Gale settled down on the rock beside him with a long sigh. “Tell you what: you get the honor of the first drink.”

“So you can be sure it’s good?” Falerin asked with a wry smile. He pops open the cork—seems like it’s already been opened and examined—and takes a drink. He pulls it away, squinting as he looked over it.

“Well?”

“…I have no idea what Arkhen’s Hoard tastes like.” Falerin passed it back, a little smile on his face. “But it’s good.”

“Then that’s good enough for me. In these circumstances, anyway.” Gale took a long drink, then passed the bottle back as he looked up overhead.

“So…what are we celebrating, exactly?” Falerin asked, tapping a nail against the bottle.

“Well, it’s another day past without sprouting tentacles! That’s good enough cause for celebration for me. Especially because we should have long since been reduced to a life of cephalopodic horrors.” He wiggled his fingers in front of his mouth for emphasis, making the half-drow laugh.

“All right, all right. I’ll drink to that,” Falerin said, and so he did. He grew thoughtful, though, as he passed the bottle back. He often did, really; seemed his head was in the clouds more often than not. Not a bad trait, as far as companions went. If anything, it made Gale’s conversations with him all the more valuable.

“Copper for your thoughts?” he chanced.

Falerin’s eyes fixed on him: one dark, and one a bright, nearly luminescent purple. The latter wasn’t an unusual color for drow, but there was something…strange in it. Otherworldly. Like someone else—well, a non-tadpole someone—was looking at him through it. Warlocks often bore marks from their patrons, but that didn’t make them any less unsettling…or fascinating, depending on who you asked.

“You were really upset when Nettie poisoned me,” he said after a moment. “I’ve been meaning to ask why.”

“Is that…not what friends do?” Gale asked, brows furrowing as he held the bottle to his lips. “Do let me know. It may be hard to believe with my charm and wit, but I’m a bit out of practice.”

“So am I,” Falerin said with a laugh.

“Ah, see, I knew you were a kindred spirit.” The wizard let out a sigh, looking up. “Do you ever just…click with someone? Where you meet, and chat, and it’s like you’ve known each other all your life? Granted, maybe it’s some form of…trauma bonding, but…” He held the bottle out to Falerin, who took a quick drink before passing it back. “In that moment, when that druid poisoned you, I realized just how devastating it’d be to lose a friend like you so soon after meeting.” He shook his head. “But that’s likely just the ramblings of a very lonely, very stressed man. Change the subject, would you?”

Falerin gave a little smile, warm and understanding, then rubbed his knee. “Guess how old I am.”

“If you’re having me guess, my answer’s not going to be right,” Gale shot back, passing the bottle.

Falerin smiled, swirling the wine. “I’m sick, too,” he said quietly. “My heart doesn’t work properly; I wasn’t supposed to make it to twenty-five. I did, I think through sheer spite, and I wanted to keep living. Initially, I turned to magic, but ultimately, I went to the fey.” He shrugged. “My patron…liked me, for whatever reason. Took me to her court and kept me there. I don’t know if she thought of me as a…a pet or a plaything or what, but I was comfortable, and my illness was halted.”

Gale regarded him for a moment. “So why leave?”

Falerin chewed his lip. “My illness was halted. I wasn’t cured.” He looked up at Gale. “I don’t expect you to know what it’s like, but…being in a place of such beauty, full of immortals who don’t know what it’s like to be sick, and feeling the…rot, the poison of your own mortality in your veins—it’s maddening.”

Gale’s eyes darted away. “I might know that better than you think,” he said quietly.

Falerin took a long drink, then passed it back. “So I asked to leave. My patron agreed—a lot more easily than I thought she would. She offered to give me power, to give me enough fey magic to not only survive, but thrive—for a time, anyway—in exchange for my right eye.” He tapped just below it, purple blazing in the dying light. “She wanted to see my adventures, because she knew I’d have them.” He shook his head, puffing out a laugh. “Obviously, she was right.” He dragged his heel through the dirt. “I thought I’d just been away for ten years. Turns out it was a hundred. My mother, my friends, my mentor…all gone. I was just trying to get my bearings when the nautiloid picked me up.”

Gale was quiet, looking off somewhere very distant. “For a time, you said. Do you know how long?”

Falerin shrugged. “With the fey magic in me? I’d guess about a decade.” His brow furrowed. “I feel…stronger, with the tadpole. Even more than I did in the Feywild. But it seems a shitty deal to keep living just to end up a Mind Flayer.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Gale said, tipping the bottle in a one-sided toast. “Tell you what. You’re already helping me with my condition. I’ll do whatever I can to help with yours.” He gave a grim smile. “If we both survive, obviously. But…I hope we do.”

Falerin gave him a wide smile, taking the bottle from him. “I’ll drink to that.”

Fictober 2023 Drabble Master Post

[shamera]

NaNo day 14-15

...i got distracted last night and ended up reading manga instead, whoops. where am i going with this story? i feel like i need another idea to sustain my nano. just so i can work on something else when i get distracted, rather than staring blankly. then i can alternate or something.

anyway, here's wonderwall.

“No one helped you back?” Fang Duobing sounded heartbroken. 

Li Lianhua reached to pat his hand. “I was ill, and an outsider. It was kind enough of them not to throw me out. For all they knew, my illness could be contagious. Besides, Hulijing helped me back.”

A touching story, for sure. Di Feisheng shifted his weight as he eyed the dog, and then asked, “I’ll believe half of that.”

It was too sweet a tale to be entirely true, and seeing Li Lianhua’s bitter smile as he told it, Di Feisheng would reckon that half was a lie to placate himself. He didn’t know what parts were true, but that wasn’t the point. It was whether this story could convince Li Lianhua in the future to trust his words, even if the story itself was a lie. So long as he recognised it as his own lie, then it was fine. 

Fang Duobing, however, had a different reaction to that tale being exposed. 

“What?” The young man asked, looking between the two of them. “What do you mean— what really happened?”

Li Lianhua reached to flick him on the side of the head lightly when he pushed into his personal space. “Exactly as I said. You don’t need to worry about it any further.”

To Di Feisheng, he said, “Tell me about what happens in the village.”

— 

In the end, they write down a whole chart. Nonsense, most of it, but Li Lianhua looked satisfied nevertheless. Di Feisheng frowned as he realised how little he remembered from the first go at the day. There hadn’t been much that stood out to begin with for me, but with the repetition of days, there were details he couldn’t remember if it happened on the first iteration or on a repeat. 

“If this is only happening to you, what did you do?” Fang Duobing asked, and while his words were rude, his tone was genuinely curious. “Touch something weird? Killed the wrong person?”

“I stayed standing when the two of you were knocked out.” Di Feisheng told him. 

Fang Duobing flushed and puffed up. “I think Lao Di is lying.”

It was the truth, but with the look Li Lianhua was giving him, Di Feisheng dropped the topic. 

“We’ll look once we get there.” Li Lianhua said, and the three prepared for a trip that this time they knew would end disastrously. 

— 

Having foreknowledge did not mean it went any better than usual.

— 

The first family they met was deceivingly polite, and Li Lianhua clocked the drugged tea immediately with a smile, just as he had the very first time. With the added knowledge that the entire village was likely attempting to drug them for some reason, this time he subtly switched their drinks with the hosts’, and the three of them left after the family passed out atop their table. 

“Did that happen before?” Fang Duobing asked as they made their way across the tiny and unassuming village with none the wiser. Di Feisheng was unsure how to answer. 

The second family they spoke to was far more suspicious, quiet when asked about the missing travellers, cooperating only when Fang Duobing revealed himself to be a Baichuan Court detective. Di Feisheng did as he always did and stood menacingly to the side while the other two asked questions, keeping an eye on the two mischievous children who were whispering by the doorway. When the tea was poisoned once more, Li Lianhua merely gave a flat smile after snipping the liquid and this time set it down as if distracted by another thought. 

When none of them drank the tea, the family changed their antics and claimed to need help with something, attempting to coax them toward the back of the house before Di Feisheng interfered and knocked the two parents out, seeing at the young children was now nowhere to be found. 

“Did that happen the first time?” Fang Duobing demanded as they dragged the bodies to a more comfortable position. 

“We can just head straight to the dungeon.” Di Feisheng suggested. 

Li Lianhua shook his head as they closed the door to the knocked out people. “The point is to retrace your steps. We may have arrived because of the missing travellers, but… Whatever you saw, did, and where you went… did you follow them the first time?”

“No.” Di Feisheng confirmed. He grimaced at the thought of the third family. “...Fine, let’s get this over with.”

They didn’t have to go looking for the third family, as it was the third family that found them. Or rather, two of the five unmarried daughters of the third family who attempted to bodily collide with Di Feisheng and Fang Duobing respectively, and fell into a swoon on the ground even when their collision didn’t happen. 

“Apologies, young masters,” the younger one, a dainty thing with such weak wrist bones that Di Feisheng doubted she could so much as lift a sword, called out as she clutched onto the fallen arm of her older sister, who had a sleeve raised to her face in faux distress. “A thousand apologies! My sister and I are in dire need of your help!”

For a moment, Fang Duobing looked like he would reach toward them to actually help despite the fact that Di Feisheng warned him in advance of this exact situation, but then he pulled back with a regretful expression as Li Lianhua kicked him in the leg. 

If Di Feisheng could avoid this family, he would. In fact, he was tempted to do so despite the hard look Li Lianhua was throwing his way, already knowing what he was thinking. 

“Of course we’ll help.” Li Lianhua told them, and the sisters tittered at each other as they stared up at him with large doe eyes. He gestured with a sleeve when they got up (unlike the first time when Fang Duobing had reached to help them up and received an ‘accidental’ cut across his arm). “Lead the way.”

— 

The knockout incense Di Feisheng unapologetically swiped from Lotus Tower kicked in right after the ageing parents eagerly offered up their daughters to be wed to the prominent detective and his friends. Their choice of the lot! There were five of them to choose from, after all! 

Fang Duobing had a white cloth to his face, wet to absorb the smoke before he could inhale too much of it. It didn’t hide his disturbed expression. 

“They really did that.” He said, wide eyes turning to Di Feisheng. “But… that’s their daughters! They don’t even know us!”

Di Feisheng gruntled an acknowledgement, one hand holding his own wet cloth to his nose as the other started rummaging around the room, attempting to find the clues that had originally led them to the dungeon. Behind him, Li Lianhua was the only one without a cloth, carefully setting a few of the daughters who had fallen at awkward angles into a more comfortable position on the floor. 

“Some families struggle to feed everyone,” Li Lianhua placated, which Di Feisheng thought was far too generous a statement considering the youngest daughter was perhaps ten years of age. And for the fact that there was something very wrong with the village, and the family was one of the ones attempting to poison them. 

A thud toward the back of a drawer, and Di Feisheng pulled out an inscribed stone triumphantly. He shook the palm-sized stone up in the air to catch the attention of the others. 

“Here,” he said, tossing the stone over to Fang Duobing, who caught it easily. “Skip the pleasantries. They offer their daughters, Li Lianhua claimed he already had a fiancee, they offer their daughters, and you tried to say the same but they didn’t believe you—”

“That is unfair.” Fang Duobing exclaimed. “He doesn’t have a fiancee.”

“And you do.” Li Lianhua nodded along, the amused smile barely hidden in time as he turned his head away from Fang Duobing’s accusing stare. 

“And they didn’t offer you?” Fang Duobing asked Di Feisheng, tone accusing. Di Feisheng, on the other hand, just gave him a flat stare, attempting to convey that of course he was far too frightening for the couple to offer him one of their daughters in marriage. 

(The truth was that he was uncomfortable thinking about just how close their eldest daughter sat the first time they were invited for tea, leaning into his space to whisper her opinions and senseless words to him while inching her way closer to Di Feisheng by the moment until she was practically on his lap and he had to physically shove her off, which was what started the skirmish in the first place. Then one of the daughters tried to stab them with a poisoned knife, and Li Lianhua knocked her out.)

“We ask around the village,” Di Feisheng continued his summary. “Eventually find a cavern by the well that leads to the dungeon. Congratulations, we’ve saved an entire sichen of search time.”

“We should be doing the search.” Li Lianhua reminded him. Fang Duobing was squinting at the inscriptions on the stone, holding up and tilting his head as if the changed perspective would make sense of what was written on it.

“There were a lot of trees.” Di Feisheng said. “Grass. Dirt. We encountered few people, and none came close to us. No strange smells, no strange sounds.”

Li Lianhua gave him a flat look. “You’re risking missing pivotal information nevertheless.”

“If that happens, I’ll go back again.” Di Feisheng said. 

Li Lianhua narrowed his eyes. “You’re assuming there’s an ‘again’. And if there is a limited amount of repeats for you to find the cause of the situation?”

“Then there are a limited amount of repeats, and I live past them. And we solve what happened here tomorrow. Or leave.”

“Then why bother with this?” Fang Duobing interjected when it looked like Li Lianhua was too irritated by those words to respond. “If you’re repeating today, but you seem to be okay with it… you’re not worried about things going wrong, and you’re not worried about this not ending, it seems…”

Di Feisheng didn’t understand it fully himself. While curious and mildly inconvenienced by the repeating days, he had also been relieved and used the time to spend his days… exploring. He had the time to search for the Styx flower now, and there were no worries clear in the future with the repeats. Some days he woke and trained, other days he woke and allowed the repetition of conversations wash over him like rereading a worn book. Other days, like the previous iteration of ‘today’, he did something new. 

Perhaps it was because his training would amount to nothing when the day restarted. 

“So I can answer your questions when I do live past this day.” Di Feisheng answered them. He turned and shut the drawer he had taken the stone from, uncertain why it would rather not face their stares at this moment. “Whatever is causing this may be useful.”

He didn’t know why he felt like a liar. 

— 

The dungeon underneath the cave was filled with the same curious trinkets, the same cells, the same gaping entrance that he thought couldn’t possibly trap them with how wide it was. There were the same cobwebs and the same torches, the same mismatched tiles interlaced on the ground and the same stifling air that made it almost hard to breathe. 

Fang Duobing picked up the same broken bronze plate, frowned, and tossed it the same place as the first time he did that. Li Lianhua leaned in with his torch to examine the same unreadable inscription on the wall. 

“Superstition and folklore,” Li Lianhua concluded after a thorough examination of the pictures and words, torch flickering as he brought it around. Di Feisheng stayed near the entrance, arms crossed as he leaned his shoulder against the wall. “Warnings to not venture out late at night in fear of vengeful ghosts, and goddesses that demand sacrifice.”

“Sounds more like demons,” Fang Duobing said. 

“Perhaps it was.” Li Lianhua made a considering noise before turning his torchlight toward Di Feisheng. “Was there anything in here you touched? Disturbed? Knocked over, perhaps?”

“I let the two of you handle this place.” Di Feisheng told him. He didn’t remember actually examining anything in particular, only the violence that came after.

“A-Fei,” Li Lianhua said with a sigh, “you are no help at all.”

“Hey,” Fang Duobing’s voice called to them from across the dungeon toward the back of one of the cells. “I think I found something.”

They made their way over to him, where Fang Duobing was holding a red lacquer box the size of a pillow, worn and dusty but otherwise in good enough condition it didn’t fit in the setting of the dungeon. He brushed the dust from the box, frowning as he turned it one way and another. There must have once been vivid paints along the grain of the box, but now it had faded into something that only hinted at its once brilliance. 

“It looks old,” Fang Duobing remarked, “but recently handled. Look here—” 

He was correct in that there were areas on the box more worn than others, the colours fading into pale wood through the lacquer, like fingerprints where it was held over and over again. The layer of grime was higher in those areas, but the dust entirely gone. Along the crease between the opening of the box, there was a scent of metallic bitterness. Fang Duobing attempted to open the box, but it didn’t budge.

Li Lianhua lowered his torch to get a better look, even as Fang Duobing raised the box, searching for another method of opening it. 

Di Feisheng didn’t recall seeing it before. He frowned, crowding in close. 

“Got it!” Fang Duobing said triumphantly as he touched a mechanism mostly hidden along the bottom of the box, hearing a click as a latch gave way and he fingered the seam once more. 

“Wait—” Li Lianhua started, and Di Feisheng smelt the metal and sulphur a moment before he saw the glint of fire in the corner of the room, grabbing each of them with a hand to drag them backward only for the tiny flint of light in the corner catch ablaze within a split moment to become a roaring blaze, the walls of the cell coated with something that whited his vision immediately. 

— 

Di Feisheng woke up in Lotus Tower, entire body tense with the aftershock of fire running along his nerves, and breathed through lungs that felt seared from a nightmare. 

For the first time since the repeats, he grit his teeth and had to swallow down failure.

[sumgirlthatwrites]

I remember it was a cool November night.

Well, or rather early in the morning.

That “night,“ morning... whatever you want to call it, consumes my thoughts and invades my dreams.

It was seven o’clock but the colors of the morning hours are reminiscent of the night and that’s how it felt to me...

A terrible night that never ends although time keeps going on.

I hear a knock on the door. I stroll to the front door to unlock it. I open the door with a sleepy look but nobody is there. I crawl back into my warm bed that I left a minute ago. I close my eyes, concentrating on falling asleep again. I hear another knock on the door.

Am I crazy? Am I hearing things that are not there?

Oh.

It occurs to me that we have two doors. The front door leading to the exit and another one leading to the balcony.

To convince myself that there is nothing here and no one knocked on the door, I take a look to calm my conscience. I look through the transparent disc and see a narrow, delicate shape in front of me.

My mother.

Her body covered by a short grey mottled dress. She lies on the cold concrete. Next to her, a leaked poison - a cleaning agent.

She looks up at me and sticks out her pierced tongue. Her eyes are glazed.

She doesn’t recognize me.

Her heavy hands grab me... she doesn’t know how much power she has... her nails are drilling into my flesh. It hurts so much that I know I will carry a bruise from it.

From zero to one hundred, I've been thrown into freezing cold water.

I’m wide awake.

I commence to cry... tears are falling down my cheeks.

She screams some things about my biological father. She isn’t herself anymore. I try to help her but I don’t know how.

She shouts, “I’m thirsty! I need something to drink!” and with that sentence, she opens the faucet and the water flows like a waterfall into her beautiful mouth.

I’m angry and confused. What the fuck happened tonight?

We’re going to the hospital. Now!

I run into my room to open this too huge closet to find some clothes.

I reach for the first thing that catches my eye. My clothes are too large for her but at the moment I don’t really care.

I run back to her like it is my life that is in danger. Everything happens so fast.

I touch her tender arms and try to undress her but she gives me a bump. At the same time, my stepfather appears and assists.

I don’t know how much time has passed as my aunt enters through the door.

A few seconds later I perceive how she dials a number - the emergency call.

My mother begins to lose consciousness.

Everything feels like my own hell. It feels like eternity till the ambulance finally arrives. They’re busy helping her. It’s something I should know about, I am learning this stuff. But in that moment, I am not able to move and to think about the things that I’m normally very well aware of.

The people who look like they could be my work colleagues carry her out of our flat.

The next thing I remember is that I grab a jacket, no matter which one it is, and run to my aunt’s car. During the car ride, I can't help but think about our fate...

Why do such things happen? Is she still alive? And what am I going to do when I lose her?

As we arrive at the hospital we search for the intensive care stations. And they have a lot of them. As we reach the station I settle myself down on a hot heater. I don’t feel the heat on my posterior. It doesn’t matter anymore. I don’t feel anything but I feel everything, you know?

I start to pray. I cannot remember the last time I spoke so much to God.

With nothing but fear in my stomach, I am waiting for a sign. Anything. Everything.

For the first time after fucking long hours, we are allowed to enter her room.

I see her with her eyes closed and a patient shirt and a lot of hoses and a venous access. She is pale and looks like she is terminally ill.

The typical definition of a patient.

It starts to turn dark again. And she finally opens her eyes.

[russellsppttemplates]

While in vacation/reunited with Pierre's family, reader gets a bad case of food poison (like Lando in Brazil), feeling ill and not being able to eat or drink for a few days. Pierre takes such good care of her, with the help of Pascale, and the reader gets touched to see how worried the family got about her.

Tw: being ill/stomach bug

Vacation with Pierre's family had been going great until something you had to eat did not settle well with you, anything that you had to eat or drink ending up coming right back up, much like right now, your arms crossed on the toilet while you rested your forehead in your forearms, taking deep breaths in hopes that you wouldn't throw up the tea and Palin toast you had managed to keep down for a few hours, your discomfort increasing when you couldn't do it, "Mon coeur", you heard Pierre's voice before you felt his hand on your back, rubbing softly as you emptied your stomach, "you should be resting, you just finished the season", you tried to say as you grabbed the towell and wiped your mouth, your boyfriend helping you sit up so you could rest your body against his chest, "at this point I might just give up, anything I eat ends up out like that", you muttered as you felt his hands soothing your skin, "you're the one who should be resting too, your body needs some time to heal and get better", he said lovingly before he managed to get both of you up and into bed once you had freshened up.

You had spent all of the morning in bed wirh Pierre, the much needed cuddles taking you out of your slightly miserable state, when you heard a knock on the door of the room from the house you were staying in, making Pierre ask for who it was, "It's me, I have some tea", Pascale said as she entered the room after confirming she could, setting the tray on the bedside table by her son's side of the bed, "how is Y/N feeling?", she asked as she watched you sleep on her youngest's chest, "last night was not easy on her, but she seemed better this morning before she fell asleep", he said before he kissed youe forehead in an attempt to lull you back to sleep after you stirred, "call for me if you need anything, okay? I'm thinking of making some soup too", she smiled before she left the room.

Pascale's soup had made a good difference and you had been able to keep it all down, food actually comforting on your stomach for a change despite being the only thing you dared to eat for the time being. You had moved to the chair on the room by the window that led to the pool area, choosing to stay inside as the sun and heat still bothered your system, "Y/N, Bonjour, are you feeling better?", you heard Jean ask like he did everytime he passed through the window, "Bonjour, yes, I am. Hopefully tomorrow I feel good enough to head outside but for today I'm staying in the shade", you replied.

"The kids made you this", one of Pierre's sisters in law said when you sat down for dinner as she encouraged the kids to sit near you, the 'Get well soon' card signed by everyone in the best of their ability, "Merci, guys, this is very kind of you!", you said as you gave them a quick cuddle, the kids being careful to not squeeze you too much despite wanting to hug their favourite auntie, "thank you, all or you", you looked at the adults, "You've been incredible and even though I ruined some of the vacation, I promise I'll make you a good dinner to compensate", you said, since making food for other people was part of your love language, "when you can eat it though", Jean chuckled as Pascale squeezed your hand as she sat next to you at the table, "No need to thank us, dear, we just want to make you feel better", she admitted as you squeezed her hand back, "Well, that and also make Pierre stop running around like a headless chicken. I think at some point I saw him read a book online about what to do with how sick you were and seeing my brother read a book is quite concerning, I must say", one of his brother's said as Pascale playfully flicked his ear, shaking her head, "That's what happens when you love someone".

(Thank you for submitting an ask 🤍)

[puppyexpressions]

Christmas Hazards for Your Dog

We've put together our top tips to make sure you’re in the know about how to keep your four-legged friend safe this Christmas season, so your dog can enjoy the festivities too!

Which parts of a Christmas dinner can I give to my dog?

Providing your dog is healthy and is not allergic to the following foods, it’s safe to feed your dog a little bit of these foods at Christmas:

turkey meat (no skin or bones)

salmon (fillets or cooked in spring water are preferable to smoked salmon)

lamb meat (no bones)

green beans

Brussels sprouts

parsnips

carrot

peas

swede

mash potato (best without added butter)

new potatoes

sweet potatoes

Note: New foods should always be introduced slowly, as too much can cause an upset tummy. Foods high in fat or salt should also be avoided.

Toxic Christmas food for dogs

Christmas is the time for eating, drinking and being merry, but lots of our favourite festive foods are toxic to our dogs and should be kept well out of paws reach:

chocolate – chocolate is toxic to dogs and even small amounts can cause serious illness. Find out what to do if you think your dog has eaten chocolate.

Christmas pudding and mince pies – grapes and dried vine fruits, including currants, sultanas and raisins, can cause severe kidney failure if eaten

onions (and garlic, leeks, shallots and chives) – these all belong to the allium species of plant and are poisonous to dogs whether cooked or uncooked. Avoid feeding foods that include these ingredients, such as gravy.

alcohol – alcohol has a similar effect in dogs as it does in their owners. Make sure your dog can't help themselves to any unattended alcohol left lying around.

macadamia nuts – macadamia nuts can cause lethargy (tiredness), weakness in the back legs, increased body temperature, tremors and stiffness

leftovers – don’t be tempted to give your dog leftover Christmas food – they can include hidden ingredients toxic to dogs and mold in leftovers can make them ill

sweets – many of the sweets we eat over Christmas, such as candy canes, contain a sugar-free sweetener called xylitol, which is poisonous to dogs

Important: If you think your dog has eaten something they shouldn’t, contact your vet for advice.

Are real Christmas trees poisonous to dogs?

The most common types of Christmas trees including pine, fir and spruce are not highly toxic to dogs, but oils they produce and the pine needles that drop from the tree can pose a risk. Not only can the sharp pine needles get stuck in your dog’s paws, they can also cause a mild stomach upset or blockage if eaten.

If you have a dog but would like a real Christmas tree, you can opt for a non-drop variety – just remember to never leave your dog unsupervised around the tree.

Dog proof your Christmas tree

Christmas trees can have hidden dangers for your four-legged friend – here’s our top tips to keep your dog safe around the tree.

Keep decorations out of paws reach

Decorations such as baubles and tinsel can cause a dangerous stomach blockage if swallowed. Hang Christmas tree decorations up high to prevent mischievous paws (or tails) from knocking them off, and remember to never hang chocolate decorations as chocolate is poisonous to dogs.

Don’t leave presents under the tree

Christmas presents lying under the tree can be too tempting for our four-legged friends – especially if the gift is edible! It’s best to keep wrapped gifts out of paws reach, as wrapping paper can cause a blockage in your dog’s tummy if too much is eaten.

Keep fairy light cables tidy

The wires on fairy lights can be tempting for your dog to chew. Keep any cables out of your dog’s reach and remember to switch them off at the mains when they’re not in use.

Always supervise your dog

Whether you have a real or an artificial tree, it’s always best to supervise your dog around the Christmas tree, so you can spot mischief before they get themselves into trouble. It may be a good idea to keep your dog out of the room completely while you’re out.

Christmas poisonous plants

Christmas plants make the season all the more festive, but these traditional Christmas plants are toxic to dogs:

poinsettia

holly

mistletoe

ivy

potpourri

Stress in dogs at Christmas

The festive fun can get a little overwhelming for our four-legged friends – here are our tips for a stress-free Christmas with your dog.

Get to know the signs of stress

You can help your dog to deal with stress by understanding the signs – this will allow you to be aware of when the festivities are getting a little too exciting. 

Don’t dress them up

Dressing up might seem fun for you, but remember that your dog will find it stressful. If you want to get your dog involved with the festivities, you could try making them a homemade Christmas present of their own instead.

Provide them with a safe place

Christmas brings with it lots of guests, but too many can be stressful for your dog. It’s best to prepare for visitors before they arrive, by providing a safe space for your dog to retreat. This could be a quiet room or a den – just make sure it’s somewhere where your dog can’t be disturbed, and remember to provide them with their food, water and any familiar toys, so they have everything they need in their safe space. This also applies if other pets are visiting your home.

If you are expecting visiting children during the Christmas period and your dog isn’t used to their company, take a look at our advice on keeping your dog and visiting children safe.

Stick to a Christmas routine

Routine can often get lost in the chaos of Christmas, but sticking to the routine that your dog is used to, can help minimize stress. Try to make sure your dog eats at the same time, still goes on the same amount of walks and has plenty of time to rest – Christmas can be tiring for our four-legged friends!