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atlas-of-a-human-soul · 3 years

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Broken trust

Summary: Finding out the truth about the Darkling, Y/N recounts the way they met only to realize she must say goodbye.

Warnings: angst

Series Masterlist

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Loving him felt like the most exquisite form of self destruction. She should have known sooner that he would be the source of the greatest pain she had ever known. Perhaps that's the problem, she never loathed the darkest parts of her that felt drawn to him from the first moment he had gazed upon her.

She never trusted anyone, not even her best friend until years have passed. She barely trusted herself for that matter. Trust didn't come easy for her, neither did love, but Y/N trusted Aleksander from the start, she didn't even question him and that is why it hurt so much, why it tore into her and ripped her to shreds.

She looked at him through a tear-clouded blur, her chest aching as her heart constricted inside with the iron fist of betrayal squeezing it tightly.

"How could you have lied?" She pauses, placing a hand on her chest, "To me?"

His jaw clenches, his eyes widening ever so slightly, "Would you have stayed?"

His voice is even, a calm in her raging storm and she can't help but hate him for it. While she is falling apart, he seems perfectly fine.

Her bottom lip quivers as her hands form fists, but when she speaks, she does so through gritted teeth, "When have I ever given you cause to question that?"

Aleksander steps closer, but Y/N is quick to take one back. His lips part, the way she can't even stand his presence inflicted hurt he didn't realize he was still capable of feeling.

"Do you remember when we met?" She asks, unsure why she's reminiscing now.

Walking into a Grisha tent wasn't quite a bright idea on Y/N's behalf, but sometimes you realize there are people worth risking your life for, and for Y/N, her best friend Mal was that person.

She had accepted a wager that would guarantee no one would pick on Mal, all she had to do was retrieve some grapes from a Grisha tent and this particular one seemed to be the only one unguarded.

She looked around at the dark colors inside with a frown etched in her face. She couldn't understand who'd enjoy living in such darkness. Isn't the world dark enough as it is?

Shaking her head, she looks to the table and upon the table she find the grapes that meant Mal would be safer. Wasting no time, her hand clutched the bowl and yet as she took it in her hand, a voice had startled her.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?"

Nodding, Aleksander pursed his lips. His eyes are dark, two pools of infinite darkness she had liked upon her before. She wasn't quite sure if she enjoyed his attention anymore.

"You were in my tent." He raised an eyebrow, "Uninvited.",

Gasping, Y/N turned around, her hands remaining behind her with the grapes safely hidden.

"I am sorry, I got lost." She came closer, her eyes meeting the intimidating black ones of the man much taller than her, much more powerful than she could ever be.

He raised an eyebrow, his eyes trailing her from head to toe, studying her as she realized he didn't believe her.

"I was just transferred back after a mission, I didn't realize the tents have been moved around. Mine used to be here", she managed a nervous smile, walking around him and toward the exit in hope of him letting her go.

"And yet you didn't leave once you realized it was not yours anymore", he spoke, his gaze following every step she takes. He steps in her way, blocking her from leaving. He's close, close enough for her to feel the faint smell of alcohol on his breath.

Swallowing thickly, she keeps staring at him as if he had chained her eyes to his, as if he had enchanted her. She doesn't even feel as his right arm moves around her, not until his hand plucks a single grape from the bowl, bringing it to his lips.

"Don't they feed you over in the First army?"

A faint smile forms on Aleksander's lips, just enough for the corners of his mouth to move, to capture her attention.

"You were stealing from me", he notes and she holds her breath as her heart, as treacherous as it is, jumps at the nearly lighthearted chuckle escaping him.

"And you stopped me from leaving", she adds, a sigh passing her lips.

"I should go" , Y/N blurts out, passing by the unknown Grisha as swiftly as possible. Just as she's about to reach the exit, to see the light of the day, cold, long fingers wrap around her left wrist, effectively pulling her back to face the Grisha.

A gasp escapes her once her eyes meet the dark shadows around the Grisha, more so when a light explodes around them. A warmth like she had never felt before spreads inside her, beams around her and the Grisha whose eyes are wide in shock, awestruck just as much as she is. The light encases them, her body shaking with the magnitude of their reality, yet she cannot comprehend where the light is coming from.

Breaking away from his eyes, she looks to his hand wrapped around her wrist, securely holding onto her. The glow of her skin, a thousand suns emerging from every inch of her makes her breathless. Her knees buckle and still, instead of the fall, she feels an arm around her, pulling her up and closer, much closer to the Grisha she had just met.

The shock of his arm around her dims the light, the darkness blinding her temporarily.

Only then does she hear the excited murmuring and whispers around her, only then does she look back at the Grisha holding her, keeping her from falling to her knees.

"Wh-what just happened?" She breathes out, her eyes flickering from his relentless gaze to his lips as they form a smile.

"You are a Sun summoner."

Leaning back on the table, Aleksander crosses his arms. "I had no intention on hurting you when I did. Your light must have felt it or it wouldn't have responded to me."

Scoffing, Y/N averts her gaze, "It was naïve." Locking her eyes on him once more, she adds, "And so was I."

"If I had told you, would you not think I'm evil from the start? Would you not have hated me?" Aleksander's eyebrows furrow, a single strand of hair falling to his forehead and it took everything in Y/N not to laugh. His disheveled look, if she could call it that, is still a thousand times more perfect than any other man.

"You could have trusted me." Tucking her hair behind her right ear, Y/N sighs heavily. "I trusted you. Now we will never know."

Unnerved, Aleksander comes before her in just a few strides, his hands cupping her face as she holds her breath, afraid of letting him know she still cares for him. It's an advantage she refuses to hand him.

"I don't want to lose you, Y/N. You're all I have", his voice is quiet, almost vulnerable, something she had only sensed in him once before and that was when he spoke of the burdens of his legacy. That was a lie, so was this not a lie as well?

She placed her hands over his, letting them linger momentarily before pulling them down, away from her with all her strength.

"I am not yours to lose!" She walks past him, just as she had done on that fateful day they met, and his hand catches her wrist just the same, pulling her back into his chest.

She pushes against him, trying to get away but his hold on her is stronger, unmoving like a force of nature.

"You may not be mine, but I am yours. There is no one like us in this world, Y/N", Aleksander's voice is softer, more tender than his embrace feels.

Shaking her head, Y/N croaks, "Don't make me hurt you."

"Hurt me?" His worry and pleas are replaced by arrogance, a smirk appearing on his lips. He could never imagine her to be powerful enough to harm him physically, but her leaving? That would break him.

Staying with him would undo her, Y/N knows that. She's tearing to pieces and not at the seams, it's much harder to heal when you break in an uneven patter where you can't stitch yourself up and move on. No...Aleksander Kirigan will be a gaping wound for a long time and then a nasty scar to serve as a reminded why she shouldn't trust easily, or anyone but herself.

"You once told me I would be your equal", she raised her chin defiantly, the smirk on her lips rivaling his. "You were right."

She raises her hand to his face swiftly, a light emerging from her palm in such bright intensity she could feel her skin burning with it.

It didn't last long, for her it felt like a few seconds, but his pained scream would remain in her head like an echo for a long time to come.

For Aleksander the pain was momentary, he healed rather fast. But when his vision cleared and she wasn't by his side, that pain would last a lifetime, fueling his darkness as he sets out to find her - the only light that can chase away the shadows he invited on the day the fold was created.

Y/N once believed he was worth loving, that he could be saved. Aleksander vowed to make sure she does again.

PART 2

#shadow and bone #the darkling #the darkling x reader #aleksander kirigan #aleksander x reader #general kirigan #kirigan x reader #the darkling fanfiction

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thebadgerclan · 2 years

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Abandoned

Pairing: Aleksander Morozova x Alina Starkov

Summary: He won’t leave her...

A/N: This is a canon divergence from chapter 14/15 of Shadow and Bone, but if you’ve seen the show, you’ll still understand what’s going on

Aleksander climbed the stairs to Alina’s room, his heart beating quickly in his chest. He’d asked if he could come to her tonight, and while he hadn’t said yes, she certainly hadn’t said no. It played into his plans to make Alina trust him, yes, but Aleksander couldn’t deny her beauty, her charm, the innate draw he felt to her. He desired her, but if she said no, he would leave her be, no matter how much he might want her.

But as Aleksander approached Alina’s door, he was overcome with an odd sense that something was amiss. He knocked on the door, and when there was no answer after several minutes, Aleksander opened the door. Any semblance of desire he felt withered at the sight that met him: Alina was knelt on the floor, her head in her hands, sobbing. “Alina,” he said, kneeling at her side. “Alina, what’s the matter? What happened? Are you hurt?”

His mind was spinning with possibilities of what had happened; she’d been stabbed, cut, shot, hurt and left to die. She lifted her head, her face a mask of pure agony, and Aleksander couldn’t help himself; he took her face in his hands, scanning her for any injuries. He felt her power brushing against his, strong and vibrant, and there was no blood, she didn’t shy from his touch, so Aleksander discerned she was unharmed, at least physically.

“Alina,” he said, and she opened her eyes, looking at him. “Tell me what has happened.” “Mal,” she managed before letting out another sob. The tracker, Aleksander realized, her tracker. The one she’d been writing to since she arrived, the one she pined over, the one who had found the stag. “I saw him, and he…he said such horrible things about me! About us! He called me a cosseted little princess, he said you own me.”

Rage flared in Aleksander’s chest, but he tamped it down, forcing himself to remain calm for Alina. “Oh milaya,” he said, pulling her into her arms. Alina was desperate for comfort, for reassurance, and she sobbed into his chest. “Shh, let it all out, Alina. I’m here, I’m right here.” She cried for a moment, letting her sorrow envelope her before speaking again. “He left me,” she croaked. “I told him to go, but he left. The Mal I knew would’ve tried to talk it out, but he just turned and left.”

“I know, Alina, I know.” Aleksander stroked her hair, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I can’t imagine how torn up you’re feeling, but I need you to hear me when I say this. I am here, and I will never leave you. Whatever happens, I am by your side until the very end. As your friend, as your general, as anything you want me to be.” It was all he could bring himself to say on the topic when Alina was hurting, but he needed her to know to offer stood. If she wanted him, he was hers.

Alina sniffled, wiping her nose on the sleeve of her kefta. “I’m sorry,” she said. “This isn’t why you came here tonight, to see me crying over some ass.” Aleksander shook his head. “No, but I don’t mind. Nothing is expected of you, Alina, nothing will ever be expected of you.” Alina managed a weak smile. “Even when I tear down the fold?” He paused, cupping her cheek tenderly.

Now wasn’t the time to explain his true plans, not when Alina was so distraught, but he would. He would make her see that Ravka needed a change, and this was the only way to accomplish it. “Not even then,” he said. “But I have good news on that front.” Alina cocked her head as she wiped her tears, and Aleksander smiled. “What do you mean?” “My men have found Morozova’s Stag,” he said. “We head North in two days’ time.”

Alina gaped, and to Aleksander’s delight, she smiled. “Really?” “Really,” he confirmed, shifting her in his lap. “When you have it, you will be unstoppable. Like I said, you and I are going to change the world.” She smiled wider before leaning in and kissing him, taking Aleksander by surprise. He allowed her to deepen the kiss as she saw fit, resting his hands on her waist.

For nearly a half hour, they sat on the floor in each other’s arms, trading soft, tender kisses. Alina eventually rose and changed into a nightgown, finding Aleksander stripped to his boxers when she emerged from behind her dressing screen. “If you don’t want me to stay, I can go,” he said, and Alina smiled, lifting the covers of the bed. “No, I want you to stay.” Aleksander climbed into bed at her side, pulling her into his arms. Alina fell asleep snuggled into his chest, any thoughts of Mal far from her mind.

#darklina #aleksander morozova x alina starkov #aleksander x alina #the darkling x alina #general kirigan x alina #shadow and bone fanfiction

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cheekygreenty · 3 years

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In My Head - The Darkling x Reader

Supppeer angsty and kinda sad?

The fire engulfed the golden kefta in a water-like rhythm. The cracks and sparks echoed in the open field amongst the silence that settled around all of you. Alina was exhausted, Zoya was grieving, the Ketterdam criminals looked shaken too. But you were unmoving, as still as a painting and not showing a single emotion. They had all witnessed your heartbreak as it fell and crashed the world around you, breaking every part of you. They watched as realization flooded you that you never truly knew Aleksander. They watched as he tore your heart from your chest and threw it into the depths of the Fold to rot.

Painted a picture,

I thought I knew you well

It was humiliating. Alina had tried to warn you but you played her off as selfish and unwilling to use her powers for the good of all Grisha. You told her she was stupid and foolish for loving an otkazat'sya when in reality you were the fool for loving a man that didn't exist.

You told her she was crazy, that Aleksander would never lie to you and that he was good because you knew him. In truth, you were no better than him. You blindly followed everything he said, completely ignoring the alarm bells in your head. You had grown used to them as weeks went by, to the point of the alarm playing a low comforting tune in your mind all day and all night.

There weren't enough apologies in the world to say sorry for the things you'd done and said to Alina and she'd insisted that no apology was necessary because it wasn't your fault, 'It's not your fault you only see the good things about people' she whispered to you before she left to change. But the good things about him weren't there; they never existed. It was all in your head, a mind so desperate for love it concocted a whole new Aleksander, one which you loved so much and would do anything for.

I got a habit of seeing what isn't there

'We were all fooled Y/N, Don't blame it all on yourself' Despite her grieving and sorrow, Zoya's hand rested on your shoulder briefly as a sign of comfort. Without her, you wouldn't have been here right now, alive and breathing.

'I don't blame myself. I hate myself for being so blind'

'Me too'

I thought that you were the one

But it was all in my head

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You could feel the nothingness of the Fold threading through your hair even inside Alina's tunnel of safety. You stared at her shackled feet, pushing the guilt away and replacing it with a sense of righteousness. There was nothing else that could be done to keep her in check, if she wanted to escape and hide from her destiny forever then she would do so over your dead body.

The Fold needed to be gone and if chaining her to the skiff was going to be the only way she obeyed then so be it. Your mind quickly spiraled back to her hasty words back in the tent. She was panicked and desperate, clinging to your arm like a wailing child begging to be heard. Her lies were bizarre and abundant, no doubt the works from her long journey to the Stag but they were unbelievable. So extreme even a Fjerdan would laugh at their ridiculousness.

The skiff suddenly stopped, Novokribirsk visible in the distance with lines of First-Army troops standing in neat lines.

'Why have we stopped?' A dignitary asked and you wondered the same thing. You searched the skiff for anyone with an explanation, but everyone looked equally as confused but Alina looked mortified. What is going on?

'One more demonstration. You’ve seen what the Sun Summoner can do' You whipped your head around to him slightly moving away but his arm pulled you back to his side with an edge. You heard the loud jangle of Alina's chains as she tried to move. 'Now bear witness to what I can do… with her power.'

He pushed you to Ivan, who took no time in holding you back by the arms, caging you in his grasp. You resisted on the simple basis that you didn't know why you were being restrained just like Alina but the answer came all too soon. There was no time to shout or gasp as Aleksander raised his own hands and the black shadows of the Fold expanded into Novokribirsk, killing everything in its path.

You stood motionless as the horrible sounds of volcra swarming and humans screaming flooded the air. Alina's words came back to you again but you didn't listen. No, you didn't want to. Zoya seemingly came down from the mainsail and looked at the black void in a hypnosis-like stare but nobody dared say anything. There was a silence on the skiff while hundreds and thousands of lives ceased to exist in a matter of seconds.

The comforting tune in your head had suddenly turned into a blinding screech, rendering you frozen and flabbergasted. He did this, Aleksander did this. How could he do this? You tried to fight the heartrenderer off, squirming desperately in his arms to cover your ears from the slaughtering sounds. Your knees had given out by now and Alina was on the floor of the skiff, struggling to get up due to the heavy and awkward chains. I put them there.

'Today, we redraw all the maps. With the power of the Sun Summoner at my command, I control the Fold.' A sob erupted from your throat right at the minute you realized Alina was right. You didn't listen, this is all my fault. Ivan pulled you back up, roughly smacking a hand over your mouth to stop your pathetic cried of betrayal. You fought a little harder, trashing around in hopes of escaping his hold or at least getting someone's attention but nobody seemed to care. They all feared for their lives.

'All countries will answer to us. For who would oppose us now?' He briefly shot a look in your direction but spared you no emotion. It was then that you saw the real Aleksander, blood-thirsty for power and revenge. The Black Heretic.

Everything you are made you

Everything you aren't

The next five minutes were a complete blur. You somehow found yourself fighting for your life and those around you. Your head was empty of its usual whirling thoughts as survival mode kicked in. Kill or be killed. You stopped counting how many hits you got or how many bruises were forming on your body. It was primal and in your Grisha nature to protect those around you, and in that haste of battle you made your allegiance to Alina obvious.

There was no time to think about Aleksander. You weren't quite sure you wanted to think about him. He was on this skiff with you, on the opposing side that just murdered a town full of people yet the part of your brain, your imagination, craved to be by his side. To please him by obeying, to get his touch in return. You were addicted to the man who had ruined your innocence.

'You betrayed me' His voice was right behind you as was his hand, creeping up the side of your throat and forcefully pushing you against the barrier of the skiff, ready to throw you over to the unlit Fold.

'I betrayed you?!' Your shout was loud and hearty, overflowing with sadness and shame at being relieved for being next to him again. You clawed at his tightening hand, feeling your airways restrict and your vision become fainter and fainter. You would die at the hands of the man you loved.

'Look what you made me do Y/N, do you think I want to kill you?' Your head bopped but your stupid heart grasped at the sadness in his words, he still loves me. 'I don't want to. I really don't'

'Then don't' you chocked out, your hold on his wrists becoming limp. You felt the ever-so familiar touch of his lips grace your temple and then he retreated.

The world went dark but your body hit the deck of the skiff, not the soft sands of the Fold and your lungs abruptly filled with forced Squaller air.

Yes, I did it to myself, yeah

Thought you were somebody else

'What are you going to do now?' You still sat by the fire while everyone stood. Zoya had left your side and was talking with Alina but you filtered out the noise. Your head was too full of your own self-hatred to stand any more voices so Jesper's question to you went unnoticed. 'Y/N?'

You looked at him and shrugged. You didn't want to move, your body still ached too much from being dragged away from the brink of death to make your way somewhere safe.

You would never admit it around anyone, but as Alina spoke of the Darkling being dead, a wave of grief washed over you. It was cold and unpleasant; unwelcome. But you knew love didn't disappear overnight. You didn't know who saved you on the skiff, whether it was he who had let you go, or was it Zoya who battled to have you freed from his grasp.

As much as you had created the Aleksander you viewed, the foundations were all him, you had only added on or omitted the parts you did and didn't like. You prayed it was him who spared you, you prayed there was something real about your Aleksander, that that was a foundation.

The tears that fell down your face in a stream were assumed to be for the betrayal and the horridness of what the Darkling had done to you and others, when if fact they were for him. You cried because you would never see him again, you cried because the people who had helped you get out of the Fold were the same people who had killed him.

-------

When Mal caught your deathly stare in his direction, he had to do a double-take. You had the same look in your eyes as the General did when he fought him in the Fold, that exact replica of coldness and rage; revenge. But surely he was wrong. You were happy to know the Heretic was dead. He betrayed you the most out of everyone here and almost killed you. Why would you be vengeful?

He waved it off with a shake, it's all in my head.

------

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malghra · 3 years

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tenderest touch leaves the darkest of marks (1/3)

Darklina Week, Day 7: Soulmates

AO3 link

Soulmates aren’t the ones who make you happiest, no. They’re instead the ones who make you feel the most. Burning edges and scars and stars. Old pangs, captivation, and beauty. Strain and shadows and worry and yearning. Sweetness and madness and dreamlike surrender. They hurl you into the abyss. They taste like hope. ― Victoria Erickson

"I thought I had raised you to be smarter than this," she told him. "It does not do to fill your head with dreams and fairytales, boy. Love is a weakness the likes of us cannot afford."

Ana Kuya's knitting needles stopped clicking and she laughed softly, shaking her head. "It was just a story, Alinochka. Now, go to sleep."

Aleksander believes his name was Anton, when he first heard about soulmates, or perhaps it had been Leonid, or Vasya. The names and cover stories have all blurred together into an endless succession of lies, he barely recalls them. He does remember the names from the story. Galina and her Igor.

His mother had been serving at some fat nobleman's estate at the time, and Aleksander had snuck out of his room to find a mirror in one of the many chambers in the main house and search his body for a mark. Because of what they were, he had never belonged anywhere, had never known a place he could call home, and probably never would, but belonging to another person sounded almost as good as having a home.

His mother had been the one to find him. He feared she would be cross with him for sneaking into the house, but she only sighed and shook her head.

"I thought I had raised you to be smarter than this," she told him. "It does not do to fill your head with dreams and fairytales, boy. Love is a weakness the likes of us cannot afford."

Ana Kuya didn't use to tell many stories, and when she did, there was usually some lesson or warning in her tale. But when Alina was seven, Ana Kuya told the orphans at Keramzin a story that had her listening with bated breath.

Alina had always been prone to daydreaming, and over the next few weeks, she often caught herself thinking about Igor and his Galina, while she was doing her chores or picking flowers in the meadows beyond the walls of the estate. Alina had always been alone. She could barely remember anything from before. Someone to belong with, just one person to call her own in this world, it was everything she had ever wanted.

Alina couldn't wait until she would meet her soulmate and leave the orphanage.

"When will I get my soulmark?" A fever-plagued Alina asked Ana Kuya one night, when the older woman had decided to stay by her bedside to watch her.

Ana Kuya's knitting needles stopped clicking and she laughed softly, shaking her head. "It was just a story, Alinochka. Now, go to sleep."

"I wish we could stay here forever" Luda sighed as she put her head on Aleksander's chest. She looked softer like this, and this fierce woman's tenderness almost surprised him.

"Perhaps we should." Perhaps they should forget about everyone and everything out there, stay in this hut, where it was just them, and kings and allegiances and wars didn't matter. He didn't know if he loved Luda, but he thought he could, and perhaps this would be the only way they could defy the rest of the world.

He'd searched his body earlier, in the light of the candles. No mark had appeared on his skin since he'd met Luda. He wasn't sure he had been expecting to find one, whether he even wanted to find one, but he had still felt disappointed.

"Do you believe in soulmates?" he asked her.

She twisted her neck, bracing herself on her elbow to look at his face. "Why, would you like to see your name on my ass, Aleksander?" she drawled at him with a smirk. The sound of his name on her lips stirred things in him. His mother would call him a fool who never learned if she heard it.

"What? No," he muttered. "I meant..."

She giggled, nuzzling at his chest before meeting his gaze again, arching an eyebrow.

"You don't have a soulmark," he observed.

"You had yourself a good look then, did you?"

"I had more than just a look," he reminded her, grabbing her by the waist to pull her on top of him.

"No," she told him as she inclined her head to kiss him. "I don't have a soulmark."

"Doesn't that bother you?"

"No, Aleksander" she moaned as she rubbed herself on his hardening length. "It doesn't. I won’t let the saints decide my fate. I make my own choices."

He groaned even as her words brought a smile to his face. She was right. He decided in that moment that he did love her, even if he shouldn’t, and apparently that was all his own doing, not some mysterious plan made up by the saints.

Alina was used to having nightmares about the raid on her village, which often left her sweaty and panting, but although the images in her dreams had been much the same, today was different. Her hair and nightgown were sticking to her damp skin as usual, and the dull headache was not unfamiliar either, but the pain in her lower back was, and so was the stickiness on the insides of her thighs.

When she sat up, she felt a gush of warm liquid. She threw back the covers and rucked up her nightgown, discovering bright red splotches on her skin and a darker stain on the bedclothes. She squirmed away, kicking at the covers, almost falling headfirst to the ground as she struggled to get out of the bed. She ended up on her hands and knees, half slouched against the side of the bed, heart hammering in her chest.

"Saints!" she hissed. Ana Kuya was going to kill her for staining the sheets.

To Alina's surprise, the older woman was surprisingly gentle with her as she gave her a bundle of rags and instructed her on her entrance into womanhood. She even allowed her to indulge in a cake and released her of her chores that morning.

Hours later, she noticed the itch on the skin of her left breast. She rubbed at it lightly through the fabric of her tunic, mentally hearing Ana Kuya's voice chiding her, for it was unseemly for a girl to scratch herself, but the itch wouldn't stop.

When she unlaced her tunic to look at the itchy red blotch, it started burning. She he ran to her water basin, hoping cool water might ease the sting. She dabbed at the wound with a rag, and when it stopped burning, she uncovered it to see two words written an inch above her nipple.

A story long forgotten returned to her, and she clasped a hand over her mouth as the realization hit her. She snuck out of her room and tiptoed through the hallway down the stairs to slip into Ana Kuya's bedroom, where she kept a mirror on her dressing table.

Shifting between twisting her neck and squinting at the letters curling on her breast in the looking glass, Alina deciphered the name written on her skin. Aleksander Morozova. She had no idea who that was. Her heart sank into her stomach, and she realized she'd been hoping for a different name.

Luda died. Aleksander had always known she would. His mother had warned him often enough. It still happened too soon, it was too brutal, too callous, and it hurt so much he could barely breathe.

Afterwards, he had finally come to accept his mother's lesson that love was a weakness he couldn't afford, but he had still defied her by using merzost in his grief and his rage. Creating the Fold had changed him. He had become a dark god of death and destruction. Even if the small, lonely boy inside of him still craved it, he knew he couldn't risk getting attached to mortals again.

Hundreds of years later, he decided it was for the best he had never received a mark. Watching every single person he ever met die was bad enough as it was, and he'd learned to shield himself from the grief. But he had also witnessed the heartbreak, the devastating and soul-crushing pain, the sharp-edged, gaping hole tearing a person apart after they had lost their soulmate. He was not arrogant enough to think he might survive that.

He took lovers over the years. He was still a man after all, and he'd learned that nothing could replace the feeling of skin on skin and human warmth exchanged in the meeting of two, or more bodies. He tried to avoid other Grisha though, at least until after he'd built the Little Palace and he could be sure he had enough power to protect himself from their greed. He had not forgotten Annika.

There was a Shu princess once, who would become a saint later. She believed in destiny, and though she knew what he was from the moment she first touched him, she wanted more from him than killing him and wearing his bones. Aleksander was sure that she loved him, but he had become incapable of returning those feelings.

He still remembers her eyes searching his body in the soft glow of the firelight after he had bedded her for the first time. He knew her name would not appear on his body, and that suited him just fine.

Her own mark had been burned off on orders of the King, a king she would bring to his knees years later. She would take his throne and his country, and rule it wisely. He could have stayed by her side for that, but soon enough, he would sneak off in the dead of night, leaving her with a broken heart to protect his own.

He took lovers, and he enjoyed his time with them, but he made sure to armour his heart, and he never looked for a soulmark again.

Alina was only days away from her sixteenth birthday when Mal became the first person to see her soulmark. She'd come to accept that he was not her soulmate, but she still hadn't figured out who Aleksander Morozova was, so she told herself there was no harm in letting Mal kiss her in the meadow or behind the stables.

And that was how she had ended up in the pantry with him. He had removed his shirt and kicked off his boots, unfastening and shoving his trousers down.

Alina was down to her tunic, her own leggings lost somewhere in a corner. She moved to close the distance between them. She pushed herself up on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss him.

He splayed his hands on her back and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. She rubbed her thighs together as she could feel his hardening length against her belly.

He fisted his hands into the fabric of her tunic and started bunching it up. She froze in his embrace.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

Alina hesitated, but she had known for a while that she couldn't hide this from him forever. "Promise you won't hate me?"

He frowned, but nodded.

She reached for the hem of her tunic and pulled it over her head, resisting the urge to cover her breasts with her arms.

Alina spotted the moment the desire in his eyes shifted to revulsion, or fear perhaps, she couldn't be sure. There was definitely pain, she decided, as she tried to grab his arm.

He flinched and danced away from her touch, not meeting her eyes in the faint light.

Hesitantly, she reached for him again. "I’m sorry," she whispered, but he was already collecting his clothes and heading for the door.

When Alina wakes up after her first night at the Little Palace, she tries to insist that she is perfectly capable of washing herself, but the army of maids that has suddenly infiltrated her rooms just won't listen to her. They have her out of her clothes and in the bathtub in a matter of moments, and Alina can only sit back and stare at them with her mouth hanging open.

She doesn't want any of them to see her naked. Mal had been the first, and for now, she wants him to be the last. She even kept her tunic on when she bedded Yuri in the cartographers tent, pretending to be too shy to take it off.

She can see it happening, and she tries to stop it, but before she can do so, the girl closest to her brushes her hair back and bares her chest. She gasps and whispers, "Madam Safin!", clasping a hand over her mouth.

The tailor who has introduced herself as Genya approaches them and takes one look at Alina's mark, before clapping her hands once and ordering all of the maids out of the room.

"I'm so sorry," she tells Alina with a sad smile on her face. "I can't fix that."

"I've had it for five years," she says dumbly, not understanding why Genya is apologizing to her. She crosses her arms over her chest and keeps her head down.

"Ah," the beautiful redhead remembers. "You wouldn't know, of course."

"Know what?" Alina wonders, head snapping back up to look at Genya.

She kneels next to the bathtub. "Do you know the story of Sankt Ilya?"

Alina nods. Ana Kuya had told all of the saints' stories countless times to the orphans of Keramzin.

"Grisha know him as Ilya Morozova, the Bone Smith," she continues, resting her arms on the edge of the tub. "You've heard the tale of his martyrdom?"

"Yes," she answers, though she remembers there were several versions. There was always a child, though.

"Ilya had two children. We don't know their names, but perhaps one of them was your Aleksander," she mumbles. "Ilya Morozova's children died with him, and their deaths ended the Morozova line."

She shakes her head. "What does that mean?"

Genya sighs, her big blue eyes filled with pity when she looks at Alina. "I think it means you are both blessed and cursed."

When General Kirigan leads Alina into his council room on the night of the winter fete, she hasn't thought about Aleksander Morozova in weeks. And when his lips meet hers she almost forgets her own name.

Alina has been kissed before, drunken endeavours, awkward fumblings, most of them mistakes, often either too tentative or too bold, but this, this is different. Kirigan's mouth and hands are sure, moving and touching with purpose. His body is hard and insistent against hers, but never crossing that line of suffocating aggression, even if part of her wouldn't mind it.

He kisses her like a starved man, desperate and craving whatever it is he may think she can offer him, and Alina feels like she is drowning. Her head is spinning, she feels weightless and too heavy all at once. It's too much, so overwhelming part of her wants to push him away so she doesn't lose herself in the feeling of kissing him and being kissed by him, but she's too hungry for it.

Instead, she grabs the lapels of his kefta, bunching the fabric in her rabid fist and cards the fingers of her other hand through the hair at the nape of his neck, pulling on the strands to ground herself. She's losing herself, but she's never been less afraid in her life. It's not truly loss, it's transcendence, a promise of something far greater, a concord of beauty and terror that has her straining to reach it.

He groans into her mouth, and she swallows that groan greedily. His lips leave hers to nip at her jaw and suck on her pulse point, drawing a mewl from her throat. His hands are still everywhere, roaming, exploring, holding, caressing, as are hers.

She doesn't register the first knock on the door, but the second one makes her gasp, makes her reach for him with greedy fingers as soon as she feels him starting to pull back.

"Don't." She's not begging him, it's a feral growl rising from her chest.

He rests his forehead against hers and chuckles, stealing another kiss that has her craning her neck when he steps out of her embrace. Her heavy eyes flutter open, finding the black pools that are his and she feels liquid warmth swirling in her core.

"Don't," she repeats, and this time it does sound like a plea, but she knows it's no use. Just a moment ago, he was in as deep as she was, but now he's striding for the door.

He comes back for her, if only for a moment, but he returns to kiss her, only to leave again. It's a continuation of their game, this push and pull, but somehow there is no doubt in Alina's mind that he will be back. And she'll be here waiting for him.

She still feels dazed, and giddy, caught up in a warm, golden haze, when a creak behind her snaps her slow mind out of it and forces her to whirl around and call the light.

A panel in the wall closest to her had swung open and Baghra was standing in the doorway it had been hiding.

"Come, child, come quickly!" she whispers, and despite herself, Alina obeys the urgency in her voice.

"What's wrong?" she manages to ask before Baghra coaxes her into the tunnel behind her and starts walking, Alina following along.

Baghra tells her about the Fold and the Black Heretic, and she warns Alina that she's in danger. She claims that Kirigan is the danger.

Alina objects. She keeps mouthing, "No!" her voice growing stronger until Baghra's stern look forces her to say, "I don't understand."

"Child," Baghra intones, grabbing her by the wrist. "Aleksander is the Black Heretic."

"What?" she blurts out. She should tell Baghra that she's not making any sense, that what she is telling her is impossible, completely ridiculous even, but she can't focus on any of that. Her hand flies up to cover the top of her left breast.

"What did you call him?"

Baghra huffs. "Did you think Kirigan was his real name? It's Aleksander Morozova."

Baghra tells her more, so much more. She summons shadows and shows her a painting, but Alina barely registers any of it. She keeps seeing his face. She hears his name inside her head, over and over again. Aleksander Morozova. Baghra leaves her, orders her to keep walking and to turn right at the fork. Her accomplices will be waiting for Alina there.

Alina doesn't turn right at the fork. She's not ready to trust whatever Baghra has planned for her. She could wait and return to the Little Palace, follow the tunnel all the way back to Kirigan's—no, Aleksander's chambers, talk to him, tell him everything and demand an explanation.

Alina doesn't go back. She turns left at the fork and keeps walking, speeding up to a jog. Too much has happened tonight, and it's overwhelming her. She needs to get away from all of it. So she runs.

#darklina #alina x the darkling #alina starkov x aleksander morozova #darklinadaily #darklinaweek2021 #soulmates

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theyanderespecialist · 3 years

Text

MY Winters: Various Yandere Resident Evil 8 X OC Female Ethan (Story Teaser/First Chapter)

Marie Winters, she will do anything for family even make deals with people in obsessive love with her. Anything to get her daughter back.

[Side Note this starts right when Heisenberg catches you this was originally going to be a mini series in the horror and slasher one shot series but it became a story so please enjoy

WARNING This has a LOT MORE SEX And Sexual tension in it!]

Wattpad:

https://www.wattpad.com/myworks/270098192-my-winters-various-yandere-resident-evil-8-x-oc

Quotev:

https://www.quotev.com/story/13860317/MY-Winters-Various-Yandere-Resident-Evil-8-X-OC-Female-Ethan

Heisenberg's Deal

This was going to be a mini series and now it is a full fledged story elsewhere and this will just be the first chapter posted here as a teaser. Stay sexy and please enjoy!]

(no one's pov)

"Fucking creatures.. fucking people, I said don't go back and what does she do? She goes back. Why won't people listen? Why?" Marie muttered to herself, angry but also saddened she failed those people. "..Rose... I'm coming for you.. I promise I won't ever let you out of my sight again.." Marie muttered as she went into the mine, wrapping her hand around a lever..and pulling as she stopped and realized it was too heavy for one hand as she had to wrap two of them, still nothing.

"....you're fucking- god damn it, how am I still alive?" She mutter as she was about to put all her weight in, as she jumped causing it to go down a bit as she groaned before she felt eyes on her.

(wow Marie is..Jesus Christ. Yeah let's hope he didn't see that, I mean Christ embarrassing)

(XD Yup)

"Well well look at you." She hears someone say and she jumps up.

She didn't know what to say, she just stared as he walked out of the shadows.

"I didn't think anyone was left, you must be pretty tough huh?" He asked tossing a cigarette to the ground as metal floated around him.

"Wh-Who are you?" She asked.

(Oh what's that? French? Forigen, exotic woman fetish xD jk

(No wait (SNIFFF SNIFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF SNNNNNNIFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF) I smell the accent fetish in this man XD He love the french ladies~~~)

He paused then smiled. "Your not a local, Mother Miranda is going love you." He says and knocks her out.

She fell, nearly hitting the ground if he didn't stop her, using the metal to act as handcuffs as he carried her out to the meeting, placing her on the ground as others looked at her.

"Well now..what do we have here?" "Found her in the mines." "Oh my, Marie Winters I see..the question is..what do we do with her." Mother Miranda spoke, but she already had plans.

"Oh give her to me mother..my daughters and I so do love to entertain foreigners.." a woman spoke looking at the girl as a doll checked her out as she let out a groan.

"j'ai mal à la tête.." (my head hurts

He shudder at that.

“She’s awake!!!” The doll cheers

This creature hobbled its way over to her, dripping some mucus on her dress, but was quickly pushed aside. "She's awake she's awake~! And I saw under her skirt--" "both of you shut the fuck up!" The man said

“Silence!” Mother Miranda says. “Since Heisenberg captured her he will decide her fate.”

"wh-what's happening? qui est Heisenberg?" She asked scared, now realizing she had no way to shoot or stab anything handcuffed like this.(Who is Heisenberg?)

Heisenberg stood up and picked up Marie over his shoulder. “See you al later.” He says

"where are you going?" Lady Dimitrescu asked as .other Miranda even looked confused. She was expecting him to try and kill her as a show and then have Marie escape only to then run into more danger and somehow survive that..but he just walked out on them.

(Meanwhile.)

"Let me go! Why won't you when answer me?! What are you going to do to me?!" She asked some anger, but once again, the main emotion was something else, this time, fear

“Pipe down.” He says. “We are almost there.”

"where?!" She asked as he didn't answer as she saw..was it a junk yard? No..the building behind was far to big to be a junk yard. He walked in as she still tried to get out as he stopped only just realizing she was moving.

"If you're going to kill me then just kill me! Otherwise let me get my daughter!"

(Oh you know if she doesn't virgin and the mold changes her body to regenerate..then she may constantly be a virgin, in the sense of a hymen, but she's not a virgin in the true sense Because say it with me Hymens do not mean virgin. To me virginity is the first CONSENSUAL sexual penetration. )

(Amen! Even if the hymen tears it does not mean you had your first time! )

“I will let you do that. After I make you mine that is.” He says and carries her to a bedroom.

Well...it was a bedroom, it was the cleanest one...meaning it had been dusted in the last week and the sheets were washed..2 weeks ago.

"Wh-What the fuck does that mean?!" She snapped.

“I think you know dear.” He says

She looked confused before it sunk in when he placed her down, putting the hammer down, making sure she would see it, as a deterrent for running.

"W-Wait no no no no no, no that- I'm just here for my daughter." She said looking up at him scared.

(Heisenberg pov) (Yas Metal daddy

"God I am not going force you." I say sitting next to her and taking my work boots off. "I am going make you a deal and tell you what is going on."

She looked at me. "Y-Your not going force me?" She asks.

"Hell no!" I say. "I may be a shit man but I DO NOT Rape."

She seemed to relax a bit and I take off my hat and push back my hair.

(Okay can I be real for a minutes yeah Heisenberg is not the best guy and will kill someone in his way but I do not see him even as a yandere the type to rape or even force a kiss most of the time. Yeah if he looses his temper he may swat at you hard with his hammer but if it was someone he truly loved I think he would regret it terribly. So he is most likely going to manipulate Marie into sex but he will hold up his end of the deal.)

(Yup definitely, to him it's a show, but it's no fun if the other person isn't enjoying it. And yeah one hit from that hammer and broken ribs)

((Yeah he of course regret it but he still got his issues but he will be the one to nurse you back to health and I also see him the type to work on his anger issues like the next time he gets angry again he punches the wall instead and storms out taking it out on anything else but his darling. like he learned his lesson and now he is trying this guy is one of the better yanderes to have really)

"look, I've been stuck with that bitch Miranda for almost a damn Century. You have any idea how HUMILIATING and DEGRADING it is to be treated like a servant- but I knew, I knew something was up, I'll make you a deal...you act like..let's say a caretaker of this factory, and..in about let's say 1 month we'll see how we are doing. There's a ritual taking place, 6 months from now that involves Rose. You take care of this place..and I'll let you leave and even help you on the way. Deal?" She looked at me.

"O-Okay..."

“Just so you don’t run off we will sleep in the same bed. Don’t worry clothes on you under the covers me on top of them, pillows acting like the Berlin Wall.” I tell her and she nods.

I start to show her around and have one month for her to fall in love with me. Or I am fucked.

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lover-of-trash-and-people · 3 years

Text

nobody is reading these, why do i post? idk: netflix shadow and bone s1 e4 rewatch reaction? thoughts? idk (spoilers)

First of all, is it called otkazat'sya because Mal-based episode? because that's amazing okay mal's scar mirroring Alina's scar, fucking amazing (we love good retcons) Mikhail and Dubrov being deserving of all of my love what is that fucking drawing? so show Alina has been dreaming of the stag all her life? interesting Mal raising his scarred hand Alina rising up from her bed like a fucking Disney Princess, god I love her Love the genyalina dynamic so much okay I'm not going to talk about how much I hate the choice of giving away the Darkling's name because if I start I may never stop I love my crows so much Freddy sir what is your hair doing and why is it so sexy THE WAY KAZ'S SMIRK LED INTO JESPER SAYING YES TIME FOR A HEIST AND INEJ IMMEDIATELY SMILING GOD I LOVE THEM The only hint at Jesper's bi-ness is him saying lovely barmaid (and also him being him but we don't talk about that) during his adieu to Milo also why is he so adorable Every time Alina smiles, my heart goes thump thump thump I hate it when I know when you're lying to her, alek 'you can say it' I kind of earned the name but babe you ARE a 'reminder of the problem' NO DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT DUMB FUCKING LINE YOU USE WITH EVERYONE you broke my fucking heart you don't get to do this to me Mikhail and Dubrov being Mal's true besties having my whole heart, I hate what's gonna happen Baghra training montage is gorgeous but I must admit I hoped for more IVANOVSKY THE SCULPTOR I FUCKING CAN'T IM WHEEZING i love the small hint of the bell ringing when the man goes inside to get the blueprints because they use it later to get Inej out I love Jesper's sway as he walks, it's so cool I love them incorporating Inej's wraith-ness I know this smol heist was fanservice but I love them for it I love small flashes of the Darkling being stern with his soldiers Arken you little bitch I love your sneaky bitch energy omg the magical deer scat lmao 'Did you- did you pick up the stag shit, Dubrov?' girl, bye I'm losing my mind omg Helnik time I know people have talked about this but Nina eating the bread out of Matthias' hand is kind of um hot? kanej being the irritated foster parents of Jsper Llewellyn Fahey, I love them so much Jesper's side eye to Inej as soon as Arken says 'in desperate need of someone with the skills to replace their star performer'? Everything. Goodness I love Freddy's scowls THE KANEJ TENSION WHILE INEJ REMOVES HER KNIVES AND HANDS THEM TO KAZ and again, Tumblr has talked of this already but Kaz's murder eyes at the men while Inej gives her audition thingy ALSO ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR AMITA SUMAN'S WORKOUT REGIMEN I half thought Kaz will launch into some illusion or sleight of hand stuff because he loved that shit so much but I have decided I love the becoming one of the oprichniki too Show Baghra being the biggest anti of them all is the best thing okay young Malina are so fucking cute omg Baghra that's harsh Have I talked about how beautiful the score is yet how is Jessie so beautiful It's time for the you are not alone reprise scene omg he's just standing there with his forearms why are they so soft around each other IF THEY ARE TOXIC AND NOT ENDGAME YEAH IT WAS PERFECT THE ACTING'S ON POINT, THE EFFECTS ARE ON POINT, EVERYTHING IS GORGEOUS I love that it reflects on her face how she's fighting against herself as he's holding her face and she says I should go No don't show me Mal and the lads and make me grow more attached to them only to kill them off THE SCORE IS SO FUCKING GOOD Okay I know I've said it before but I'm in love with Alina "Truth is, when you lit up Kirigan's tent, there was a sound. A high tone. I knew it was you. When we were kids, you'd hold my hand and sometimes I'd hear it in the back of my head. ... Then I hear that sound again. Softly. Calling to me." OKAY THAT'S SOME GOOD FORESHADOWING Me knowing what's about to happen doesn't make me any less sad Okay Mal hitting the quartermaster on the head made me smile Alina tearing up as she looks away from Genya healing her scar to the black kefta? Immaculate. The

next episode is going to break my fucking heart into wee little pieces all over again

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willadisastercry · 4 years

Text

Part 1 of the: ‘Lance has epilepsy and gives everyone an absolute heart attack’ series

tw: epileptic content, migraine symptoms including aura symptoms, seizure activity

also (((( I do not have epilepsy but I am familiar with the condition from first hand experience with a friend, the content described consists of specific symptoms they experienced at one time or another due to several other outside factors and are used to convey a fictional circumstance. Nothing of ill intent here to belittle the condition!! ))))

Lance managed to successfully hide the fact that he has epilepsy from the doctors at the Garrison, telling them the hospitalizations on his file were for fibril seizures and that he’d grown out of them. His parents only let him do it because his condition had been under control for a while after he found the right balance of medication once he’d stopped growing. He hadn’t had a grand mal seizure in years. But he’d only had so many pills on his person when he got thrown into this mess of being a juvenile defender of the universe... and he’s officially run out.

Lance woke up from his nap with a start and winced.

His head was throbbing and the strings of light that flashed before him despite the darkness of his room were nauseating so he pressed his eyes shut, maneuvering shakily into a sitting position to try and steady his breathing.

His headache hadn’t gotten much better in the time he’d spent trying rest. He’d finally managed to fall asleep only to spend it thrashing around and getting tangled in his sheets, kicking them to the floor after he’d worked up enough of a sweat.

He knew this type of headache. By the time Shiro called it quits for training earlier his eyes had felt so strained and his brain had pulsed so angrily within his skull that when he blinked a blur had appeared at the bottom of his field of vision, like he’d had something in his eye making it tear. Except he didn’t.

It was a blind spot of blurred vision from the aura migraine his headache was developing into. But Lance simply wasn’t ready to admit what was coming next so he stubbornly convinced himself that he could just sleep it off.

Because he would be fine. The only other activity he’d had was earlier in the training session when he nearly face planted after succumbing to an absent seizure he’d been trying to fight. It was his turn to spar with the simulated sentry but his feet remained firmly planted underneath him, his mouth frozen in a slanted gape.

Hunk was at his side immediately trying to break the spell, assuring the team he had just gotten lightheaded and needed a minute. It lasted for thirty seconds tops but the amount of effort it took to finally make his feet work left him briefly confused and disoriented.

“You know you need to tell someone, right?” Hunk asked worriedly as his grip on his friends shoulder tightened.

All he could do was nod and promise to tell Shiro and Allura later. It took another minute to convince Hunk that he was fine to finish training, that he was out of the spell and felt a lot better.

But that was admittedly a huge mistake.

Because now his aura migraine had gone from mild and manageable to very concerning. He only ever saw flashes of color or light before he had a seizure and he didn’t even have rescue medicine with him so there would be no preventing it now.

He needed Hunk. He needed to get to his room before the tingling sensation that was making its way up his arms and legs got any worse.

He swung his legs over the side of his bed and waited while he woke up a bit more to get settled in with the orientation. Before the blood rush making his ears ring dissipated a pins and needles sensation crawled up his neck and his jaw clicked as he fought how it wanted to lock, the slow churn of anxiety in his stomach picking up as his head turned to the side without him wanting it to.

No, nope! Gotta move.

He scooted to the very edge of his bed and planted his feet firmly on the floor.

Your gonna get stuck for who knows how long and by then you could be seizing.

Gotta get up, gotta go.

His legs felt like jelly beneath him when he sent his body up into a standing position, letting the momentum of the push take him stumbling to his door. It whooshed open swiftly before the blood rush that hadn’t even settled from when he sat up in his bed could even dissipate, worsened by standing up so quickly, and he tumbled forward boneslessly. He was just able to snag a hold on the door frame when the bright lights of the hallway assaulted his eyes.

And then before he could even ride the nauseating wave of pain from the sudden exposure to such strong lighting he was met by a solid force that threatened to take him to the ground if they weren’t holding onto his arms so tightly.

“You know you’re supposed to have your eyes open when you walk, right?”

Keith.

It was Keith, it was anyone. Lance could’ve cried he was so happy to have quite literally stumbled upon someone who could help.

The other boy’s hands stayed holding Lance’s arms firmly as he fought his rapidly stiffening neck to attempt to look him in the eyes, wincing when he tried to open them and finding that he literally couldn’t.

“Wait, what’s wrong with you?”

He would’ve replied had it not been for the sudden overwhelming surge of blood from his head to his hands and legs. He was about to pass out, shit.

He fought desperately to wrench his jaws apart to speak, coughing and sputtering through pursed lips at the effort but eventually hearing a click and then launching into the renewed ability before it disappeared again.

“Need to sit, like now,” Lance spat urgently, his face paling almost in sync with his statement.

“The fuck—okay, okay, i’ve got you,” Keith started, Lance’s legs buckling not even a beat later, but his arms were around the other boy’s middle and guiding him to sit against the wall before he could even hit the ground.

He groaned pitifully as his head lolled to the side before it locked into position for the absent seizure he’d postponed, still conscious but frozen and battling the not so fun affects of being so very close to fainting but not actually.

“Lance what’s happening?”

Keith’s voice was pitched higher than before and his words came faster, his hand was on his forehead checking for a fever that wouldn’t be there. They then moved to his cheek and the other his neck, his pulse was strong but fast.

“Can you hear me?”

He could, but his face was stuck in a grimace. He made an annoyed noise through his gritted teeth and managed to flick his hand, Keith taking it up hesitantly.

“If you can hear me, uh, squeeze my hand...” he waited and gasped when Lance squeezed, well attempted to. The absent seizure wasn’t sticking which meant that he was going to have a grand mal like a lot sooner than later. He wanted to cry.

“Do you feel—are you sick? You don’t have a fever...”

He hummed and managed to move his head away and back into place, not really a nod but Keith got the idea.

“Okay... can you speak? Like I don’t know what’s wrong but it seems like—“

“Pillows.”

His jaw clicked again and he bit his tongue as he choked the word out, the taste of iron filling his mouth.

“Pillows? What? Why would...? Shit, wait does that m—“

“Keith... pillows.”

Lance didn’t have to ask again, Keith was in his room tearing the covers off of his bed and snatching up the abundance of pillows on Lance’s bed that would have confused him before but now made perfect sense. When he got back to the hallway Lance hadn’t moved except to lay on his side far from the wall, his face wet with tears.

“H-hunk,” Lance pleaded, his voice barely audible as Keith scrunched up the blankets behind him and then nudged him to pick up his head so he could place his pillow beneath it. He was pretty sure what was about to happen and he was terrified for his friend.

“I... I don’t want to leave you alone like this, your scaring me,” Keith said, the fear in his voice genuine and the care sincere. Lance didn’t have to have his eyes open to know exactly how Keith must look with how distraught he sounded and would’ve been really touched if he weren’t so goddamned scared himself.

“Get Hunk. Go now. Hurry.”

His voice broke on the last word and Keith took off in a dead sprint for Pidge’s workspace where he’d seen him last.

Lance wasn’t sure of how much time passed before darkness washed over him... but it wasn’t darkness, he wasn’t seizing yet... someone was here. With the cover of their shadow he managed to work one eye open to test if it would still be agonizing even with the shade.

It was Shiro. He looked more amused than concerned, but Lance couldn’t blame him.

“Lance?! What the fuck, bud?”

He almost laughed but found he couldn’t even do that, his body was too tense, stiffening up but not in the tonic stage yet because he was still conscious. It was getting close though, the seizure would happen soon but his body relaxed as much as it could knowing that Shiro was here with him and he wouldn’t be alone.

“Like I wanna ask, but then again I also don’t know if I want to know—Lance? Wh-Lance?! Lance what the—shit.”

Lance’s sensitive eyes flew open, wide and unseeing before they rolled back and he let out a strangled whine, head snapping back against the pillow so aggressively that the momentum sent him the rest of his body with it. Now rolled onto his arching back while his limbs straightened and stretched out, his middle rose steadily off the ground against his long legs digging into the floor.

Shiro paled and sat in utter shock for a moment before he seemed to snap right into action, realization hitting him in the gut as he wrangled the younger boy’s rigid form back onto his side, just in time for the drool to flood from his mouth in enough of a quantity to have had him choking.

“You’re okay, Lance. That’s it, you’re okay,” Shiro soothed as he scrambled over to his other side so he could use his body to keep him from rolling onto his back while he corded his hand through his now damp hair and rubbed circles between his tensed shoulder blades, this way he could still keep an eye on his face and where his hands were.

The tonic phase lasted a minute, maybe even more, but that was already too long.

Shiro heard footsteps just as Lance’s body shuddered, the prone boy groaning deeply and gurgling hard on more saliva, his hands now rising with speed towards his face but Shiro was quick to catch the fists before they connected, letting them settle at his neck after he’d stopped the force of what would have been a painful blow.

“No, no, shit!” Hunk ground to a halt and dropped down next to Lance, Pidge there a second later immediately rushing to resituate the pillows where they’d leave him with fewer bruises in the morning.

“When did he start seizing?”

“Uhm, literally a minute ago... well no. He started twitching right before you got here but he’s been stiff for a while... Hunk what’s-what’s wrong with him?”

“Well, nothing’s like wrong with him I guess-I don’t know... he just-he just—“

“He has epilepsy.” Pidge offered and Hunk sighed deeply before continuing, Lance’s twitches not letting up and his grunts getting louder.

“It’s been under control for years, once he’d stopped growing and gotten his medicine right, that’s why he was able to pilot for the Garrison. But he ran out of pills last week, god, I told him to tell you! He’s so stubborn... I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for Hunk, you’re a good friend. I’ll chew him out when he’s, uh, better.”

Pidge squeaked when she caught a boney knee to her side after leaning too close to fix the blankets and Hunk shooed her back protectively.

“How long are these supposed to last...?” Keith asked worriedly as he hovered over the scene.

“Hmm, this is actually kinda long for him, they’re only ever a minute or two,” Hunk frowned.

“It’s probably because he couldn’t properly wane himself off of his medicine... he tried to but he kept getting auras and his arms would tingle and he told me, and I quote, that he needed ‘not tingling arms to shoot a gun’.”

“Well, it’s certainly helpful—“

“Hey, I think it’s ending,” Hunk interrupted as Lance slowly began to wind down into the pillows beneath him with steady shudders but not full on spasming, his eyes fluttering closed a minute later with a few residual twitches every now and then.

“What now?” Shiro asked.

“Now we should probably tell Coran and Allura, we need a new way to stop his seizures and until we do he’s going to keep having them,” Pidge said as she straddled Lance to get on his other side and then pushed him onto his back and laid against his side, nearly on top of him, with her hands in his hair.

“I’ll get them,” Keith stated before running off again, happy for the out because he was still rattled and just not good with the comfort stuff.

“We also need to see if we can rouse him, he’s probably gonna be confused when he wakes up... pressure helps him not panic,” Hunk prompted when he saw Shiro eyeing Pidge’s minstrations with confusion.

Hunk leaned down and started rubbing his sternum with his knuckles and whispering close to his ear.

“Come on hermano, open your eyes. It’s over, it passed. You’re okay now.”

His eyes fluttered open slowly but closed quickly and he winced as he turned his head to the side. Shiro moved to block the light like he had before and the pain seemed to wash away instantly.

Pidge cupped his cheek gently and turned his face back up. When he opened his eyes again it didn’t hurt and he softened back into the pillow... wait pillow, why’d his eyes hurt? He wasn’t in his room and Shiro was leaning over him and staring down into this soul but he was also upside down, what—

“Calm down Lance, you had a seizure. You’re okay now, it’s over, just relax,” Hunk soothed as his face came into view over Lance and he let out a small “oh” before taking a deep breath.

“Hey Pidge,” he said after a while and she smiled into the crook of his arm and he returned the sort of hug.

“Hey, stupid.”

“Ugh, rude. Give a guy a break, will ya?”

“Not until you stop being stupid!”

“Pidge has a point, you can’t just keep stuff like this from us. Coran could’ve helped! And what if we were on a mission and Hunk or Pidge weren’t with you to—“ Shiro stopped himself and sighed.

“You just worried us and the point is you should’ve come to us, but I think you get that now... yeah?”

He nodded sheepishly as Shiro bent down to ruffle his hair.

When he seemed less out of it Hunk pulled him up into a sitting position but he was uncharacteristically weak, even for just getting out of a seizure and slumped back immediately, Shiro quickly filling in behind him and keeping him upright. He squeezed his eyes shut now that his shade was gone and breathed through the dizziness.

“You’re eyes still hurt...? Hm, a migraine that long isn’t good,” Pidge mused sympathetically as she continued to run her hands soothingly through his hair and his face scrunched up in frustration.

“I think we should get him to the infirmary and have Coran check him out,” Shiro said as he shifted behind Lance to hold him better.

“Think you can stand or do you still feel weird?”

Lance shook his head slowly, careful not to move faster than he needed to with his head aching once again.

“That’s alright, I’ll give you a lift.”

Piggy back rides from Hunk are always welcome, but not like this. Lance was sad, also sort of embarrassed but mostly really tired. He wasn’t even aware he’d nodded off until Hunk deposited him onto a cot that Coran had set up in the infirmary.

“Lance! Oh, you must stop scaring us all like this!” Allura urged as Shiro placed a hand on her shoulder to ease her tension.

“Scared the crap out of me...” Keith chimed in, Hunk nudged him in approval for having done so well in handing such a bizarre situation given the circumstances.

Lance assumed that everyone was here but refused to open his eyes, his stomach was in knots and he didn’t want to test the stability of his stomach in front of everyone by trying to be a tough guy. Coran seemed to recognize the wrinkling of his nose and flutter under his eyelids for the internal debate that it was.

“Ah, my boy! You can open your eyes, we’ve turned the lights down considerably and have shaded bifocals—right, sun-glasses, for you to wear so you aren’t in pain.”

Lance opened one eye cautiously. The lights were in fact dimmed but even the muted brightness seemed to make his head throb so he reached for the glasses from Coran, grateful when they took the edge off the ache.

“This is better...” he sighed and curled up under the blanket that had been laid out for him now that he knew it was there, holding his arm out for Pidge to resume her position.

“You’re so cold, what the heck,” she fussed as she rubbed his hands aggressively, hoping the friction warmed them.

“It’s probably a side affect of stoping such a strong medicine cold turkey, you’ve probably felt somewhat ill the past few days too...” Coran provided as he hustled around the infirmary, getting supplies as Allura and her mice resumed typing away on a tablet.

“You should’ve told me you experience seizures regularly! Alteans have a similar phenomenon that’s easy to remedy... it might take some time to find the right balance for you, but I think I have several things that we can try, how does that sound?”

“Sounds good, anything so I can keep piloting Blue...”

“Oh... is that why you didn’t want to tell us?” Shiro asked sadly, “because you thought we’d replace you or forbid you from piloting?”

Lance didn’t answer, he only sunk somehow further into the bed but welcomed Pidge’s tightening grip around his chest and could feel Shiro’s hand on his leg as he sat on the edge of the cot.

“We never would have done that, Lance. We would’ve figured something out, tried everything before it came to that and even then how could we? You’re the blue paladin and there’s nothing that could change that.”

Lance was crying again, thankful he had glasses to cover his tears.

“Thanks, Shiro. S’pretty stupid.”

“Shhh, stop saying that. Only I can call you stupid!” Pidge grumbled.

“Aha, right. Sorry, thanks guys.”

“Don’t thank us, bud, it’s our job.”

#lance whump #vld fandom #vld fanfic #whump #voltron whump #voltron fic #tw: epileptic content

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raleighcarrera · 4 years

Text

sparks

blades of light and shadow | mal volari x mc (raine nightbloom)

a penderghast college of elemental magicks au. for @bladesappreciationweek day 7 (mc/wild card) 💕

tags: @choicesarehard ; @empressazura; @zigtheeortega ; @pixeljazzy ; @withbeautyandrage

~6.6k words | T

“you’re kidding,” raine said flatly, staring imtura down from across the table they’d stolen away at in the corner of the dining hall for breakfast. her expression was unimpressed over her plate of yorba eggs.

“i’m not,” she insisted, “tyril heard it from kaya who saw the file in admissions herself. mal volari transferred in over the summer. he’s dorming in the east residence. probably moving in right now while we sit here talking shit.”

“but why,” she whined, prodding miserably at her food, “didn’t he have the cushiest athletic scholarship ever at gildegraive? what could he possibly get out of transferring here?”

“a new set of romantic prospects?” imtura suggested, leaning over to snag one of the dragon links off of raine’s plate with a shrug. “either way, you should prepare yourself for thief tryouts. you know that’s the first place he’s headed.”

her stomach sank further as she considered the inevitability of imtura’s words. of course he was going to want to play thief. he was the best player gildegraive’d had in centuries. he’d expect to walk on to the varsity team at penderghast and would, doubtlessly, probably without even having to try out.

“just kill me,” she muttered, “i can’t possibly play my last season on the same team as mal volari. imtura, he’s insufferable.”

“he’s talented,” her friend shrugged, “you’ll get over it. maybe it’ll be nice to be playing with him instead of against him, for once.”

“nice isn’t the word i’d use,” raine grumbled, mind suddenly flashing through the last three years of thief matches against gildegraive in quick succession, recalling volari’s arrogant smirk and endless taunting, the whips of flames that always followed him around the stadium. “i give it four days before we kill each other.”

“that’s generous,” imtura scoffed, finishing off the last of raine’s dragon links in two quick bites, “my bet’s on serious tragedy striking after practice today.”

it didn’t help that most of campus was acting like they suddenly had a celebrity attending school with them. mal was in her first class of the day and so were the whispers that followed him, her classmates’ gaping so prevalent that she and nia were the only ones who actually managed to complete the spell they were supposed to be working on in advanced spellwork for seniors.

the one silver lining of it all was that nia seemed to see through his charm, too. “what are we missing?” she whispered to raine, as mal ran a hand through his hair to the tune of excited giggling from the girls in the last row of the room, grinning to himself as he did so. “he’s just a student like everyone else.”

“worse,” raine returned, comforting herself by imagining the look on volari’s smug face when she’d drenched his stupid fireballs in water and plucked his flag from his belt in the championship game at the end of last year. he was furious and soaking wet when they popped back into the stadium and the rest of the dryxmars had hoisted her up into their arms, and stomped off into the stands like the sore loser he was so his admirers could start to lick his wounds. “i can’t even stand the sight of him.”

nia looked at her warily, concern pinching her face. from a glance at her expression alone, raine realized how hard she was glaring across the room, and sighed as she slowly schooled her face back into something neutral and unclenched her fists, turning her gaze back to the plant on her desk she was meant to be taking through its life cycle, from sprout to blossom to apple tree and back again.

“you should ignore him, if he isn’t going to be nice to you,” nia murmured comfortingly, easily coaxing a bright red, shiny apple to form through the blossom of her tree’s flower, “it’s our senior year. we shouldn’t have to worry about anything.”

“that’s a nice thought,” raine sighed, blinking in pleasant surprise as her anger seemed to push forth a burst of magic that had five or six blossoms sprouting in her tree all at once, “but if he’s going to insist on playing thief with us i don’t know how possible ignoring him is going to be.”

they both fell silent as professor johnstone slowed to a stop in front of their desks. “ms. nightbloom, ms. ellarious. excellent spellwork. your plants could be an example for everyone else in class.”

as if on cue, the rest of the students turned to look their way. raine felt her face grow hot as her eyes met mal’s across the rows of desks. he looked surprised to see her sitting there, which made her mouth twist with annoyance again.

her tree wobbled, and one of the apples dropped off the leaves and into professor johnstone’s outstretched hand. raine looked up sheepishly, an apology on the tip of her tongue, but their professor only spun the fruit around for observation before lifting it to his lips to take a bite, chewing thoughtfully before nodding his approval. “amazing, ms. nightbloom, truly. top marks for today. for the rest of you, i expect to see thirty perfect trees when we meet again on friday.”

she and nia walked outside together, their steps slow as they turned in the direction of the sun-att classroom. “we’re still meeting in penn square later, right?” raine asked, assuming she’d need the distraction after what was bound to be a disastrous thief practice.

“of course,” nia answered with a smile, “you know how much it’d upset tyril if we eschewed tradition.”

“aww, i like our annual stroll through the rose garden just as much,” raine laughed, “it really sets the tone for the semester.”

“i agree,” nia said, “and i think --”

“oi, nightbloom!”

she and nia stilled as a loud voice interrupted their conversation, and she only had a moment to feel horror take her over completely as nia stifled a smile before the sound of mal volari jogging through the grass and stopping beside them reached her ears. he flicked his head to the side to push his hair out of his face and smiled charmingly at her. “raine, hey. long time no see.”

raine blinked at him, glancing at nia as she tried to process what in the six hells he was doing, running to catch up with her. “hi?”

“hi,” he echoed, the expression on his face stretching into a grin. of course his teeth were white, shiny and straight, like something out of a newspaper advert. she resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

there was a prolonged beat of science before nia interjected, “i’m nia, by the way. it’s nice to meet you.”

“likewise,” mal agreed, finally tearing his eyes away from her to shake nia’s hand. “are you an earth-att? that tree you made was amazing.”

“sun, actually,” nia said, so humbly she didn’t even give mal a chance to be impressed, “my secondary attunement is water, like raine’s. we were planning to spend our free period in the sun-att classroom, if you wanted to...”

she trailed off, teeth biting at her bottom lip as raine widened her eyes at her, as though silently demanding, what do you think you’re doing?

from her left, mal shrugged, completely unbothered. his winning smile didn’t falter for even a moment. “oh, no, that’s alright. i was sort of hoping to have a moment to talk to raine, if you wouldn’t mind.”

nia shook her head good-naturedly even as raine narrowed her eyes. “and what about if raine would mind?” she demanded, folding her arms across her chest, “that doesn’t matter as much?”

“i’ll catch up with you in elemental manipulation, raine,” nia cut in, waving at the both of them before turning on the lawn so quickly her skirt whipped around to follow her stride across campus.

she huffed. now that they were alone, mal certainly wasn’t smiling, anymore. the rest of the students in the quad were openly staring at the both of them, gossiping behind their backs. “did you need something?”

“well -- i wanted to talk to you about thief, i guess,” he said, lifting a hand to scratch at the stubble lining his jaw. for the first time in as long as she’d known him, he seemed unsure. “i know you and i don’t have the most positive track record.”

“and whose fault is that?” she shot back, suddenly seething, her annoyance made worse by the fact that she had to tip her chin up to look him in the eye. “you’ve been a massive dick to me since freshman year. you’ve always played dirty, always been a sore loser and always talked trash behind my back. the only thing i want from you this year is to stay out of my way.”

“don’t you think that’s a little extreme?” he asked, seemingly surprised by her outburst. gods, the arrogance of this man. “sure, we’ve had a bit of a rivalry, but --”

“a rivalry i’ve never been interested in and certainly don’t care about now. it’s my senior year just as much as yours. i don’t need you making things difficult for me.”

mal’s expression darkened, but she hardly gave him the chance to sneak another word in. before he could open his mouth to bite back at her, she turned and stomped off after nia, as quickly as she could with the rest of the student body still whispering about her as she zipped past.

thief tryouts were as much of a disaster as she’d predicted they’d be.

her co-captain was nauseatingly enamored by mal and waved him onto the team at the start of practice without a single question. he hardly spared her a glance as he got himself a jersey and pulled it on, either completely shameless or oblivious to the way the rest of the team gaped at his bare chest while he changed on the pitch.

it wasn’t like she could do anything about any of it. the rest of the team would stage a mutiny if she tried to stop volari from joining. her hands were tied.

but she had to draw the line somewhere, and felt herself reach her breaking point when one of the juniors on the team stumbled into one of their own traps because they’d been watching mal work, tangling herself up in thorny vines raine had to come over and cut her out of.

“for fuck’s sake,” she snapped, as the girl dropped back onto the stadium’s pitch with a sigh, “he’s just a regular person. either pay attention to practice or get out.”

the most annoying part was that he was good. she knew that, objectively, from years of playing against him, but watching mal up close, without the distraction of a game to win in the way, was like watching art. infuriatingly, she spent most of practice trying not to get caught looking his way instead of checking up on how the rest of the team had progressed over the summer.

the fact that she couldn’t find a single fault in his form was maddening. his spellwork was flawless, his technique was perfect, his athleticism was superior. already he was stronger, faster and smarter than ninety percent of the team.

what a dick.

jesse, one of the other seniors on the team and her best offensive forward, sauntered over to the side of the stadium she was doing her best not to outright drown while she focused her magic into creating a trap that looked like a puddle with the depth of an ocean. “you look like you swallowed a lemon.”

“i just need five minutes where i don’t have to look at his stupid face,” she muttered, hand held aloft in front of her as the puddle between them rippled and expanded, swirling with an angry current a puddle of water shouldn’t be able to have.

“i get that,” jesse answered, and she blinked, surprised by his understanding. “it must be weird for you, having to just... get along with him, now.”

“everyone expects me to just get over it,” she bit out, water splashing up out of the puddle at her feet and onto the grass, spreading out to widen the distance between them. “but why should i have to be the one who plays nice? why should i have to be the one who doesn’t get to enjoy senior year because i have to babysit some stuck-up, egotistical, glory hungry shampoo model? why?”

they both fell silent as the water surged up suddenly and a wave crashed over the empty stands, soaking the bleachers. to her surprise, a fish flopped out of the puddle she’d created and thrashed on the grass until jesse banished it with a sigh.

the entire team was looking at them now. she could feel everyone’s eyes on her back and read their stares in jesse’s expression, which was pitying and concerned in equal measures. “i need some air,” raine said, dashing out of the stadium without waiting for a response.

the sun was starting to set as she made her way onto the bridge. raine stopped to lean out over the side and squint up into the hazy colors the clouds were turning, pushing her hands through her hair in frustration that only mounted when a hesitant set of footfalls paused a few feet away from her.

she looked down, saw a pair of familiar boots and groaned.

of course it was mal.

“are you alright?” he asked, somehow managing to make his voice sound genuine. evidently he’d been practicing, since that afternoon.

“are you not able to just leave me alone?” she countered, “i feel like i’ve made myself pretty clear.”

“well -- i wish you wouldn’t.” raine tuned her head to the side and found him frowning at her, his dark eyebrows pinched together. “i don’t know why you’re so set on avoiding me.”

she scoffed, turning away. “guess.”

“look.” that tightness from the courtyard was back in his voice as he stepped up beside her on the bridge, moving in closer. “i’d really prefer not to spend the entire term bickering. i want to play thief and enjoy my last year, same as you. it’d be a lot easier to do that if you and i could get along. can you give me a break?”

“you’ve been a thorn in my side for three years; we’re not going to be best friends overnight,” she snapped, grateful for the encroaching darkness of twilight as she could feel her face start to flush. “especially not with you being so -- you.”

mal pursed his lips. “what’s that supposed to mean?”

“i mean, thea collins almost gave herself a season-ending injury at practice because she was too busy staring at you. i mean the flexing and the hair-flipping and the smirking -- you’re distracting people.”

that made him grin. “am i distracting you?”

“not on your life,” she laughed, “but i can’t have my best defense benched because some guy winked at her. if you want me to think of you being on the team as tolerable, you’re going to have to tone it down.”

“for the record, i didn’t wink at her,” mal argued, folding his arms across his chest. “i don’t think i even know who you’re talking about.”

“right.” all the anger deflated out of her suddenly, making her shoulders droop. “well -- whatever you did, just don’t do it again.”

“i’m not sure i know how to suppress my natural charisma,” mal said innocently, in a way that had her rolling her eyes with force. “i don’t intend to be charming.”

“you don’t succeed at it, either,” she quipped, biting down on the inside of her cheek to stop her lips from twitching upwards when the comment made mal’s head tip back with a loud peal of laughter.

“fair enough,” he murmured, and then they both turned on the bridge in unison to head back to the stadium, the tension between them momentarily dissolved. as they walked off, flames danced in mal’s palms to light their way back through the dirt path. show off. after only a beat of silence, he cleared his throat and said, “so, you were talking to that guy for kind of a long time. number eleven.”

“jesse?” she clarified, eyebrows arching. “he plays offense with me. he’s one of the best on the team. i think he was trying to make sure i wasn’t drowning the poor grass.”

mal didn’t say anything, only sort of exhaled in acknowledgment of her answer. she snuck a glance at him and saw the flames from his hands reflected in his eyes, dancing along warm brown irises and dilated pupils. “i remember that trap,” he said finally, breaking the awkward silence, “the one you were practicing. sophomore year quarter-finals, yeah?”

raine blinked. he was right. “yeah,” she answered, “you didn’t fall for it, though. jumped right over it like it wasn’t even there.”

they’d lost that year, making last year’s victory all the sweeter. but their triumph as juniors didn’t make remembering the loss to gildegraive smart any less, and she still had a scar on her arm from where one of mal’s party tricks had gotten too close and burned her, fire incinerating the sleeve of her jersey clear off.

“adrenaline,” mal murmured by way of explanation, like he was thinking about the burn, too, and the way she’d screwed her face up tight to stifle the angry tears of pain that threatened while the healers patched her up. “sometimes i don’t even realize what’s happening, while i’m out there.”

“well, that’s not going to fly on my team,” she instructed, as they reentered the stadium to come face-to-face with twenty-four players doing their best to pretend to be busy. “so, like i said... tone it down.”

they both seemed to notice the two girls staring and whispering from across the field at the same time. mal smiled, and in their rush to turn away now that he’d made eye contact with them they tripped over each other, tumbling down onto the grass.

he held up his hands when she turned her glare on him. “hey, i’ll try.”

because practice ran over she was late to penn square, sweaty as she raced over to the rose garden. predictably, she was the last of her friends to arrive.

“you’re late,” said tyril, frowning down at her windswept hair. “and causing a stir, it seems.”

raine doubled over, trying to catch her breath. she turned her questioning gaze first on nia, and then on imtura, who grinned crookedly at raine and helpfully said, “i heard from, like, twelve different people that you and mal volari were flirting in the courtyard.”

she reached out to shove imtura, for all the good it did. her eyes snapped incredulously back up to tyril. “you heard that?”

from beside him, kaya laughed warmly. “that’s how you know word’s gotten around.”

“great,” raine sighed, tipping her face up to squint at the stars now blanketing the sky. “so, i’m dropping out, then.”

nia gasped, shaking her head. “you can’t drop out, raine! not so close to graduation.”

with a groan, she stood up to her full height, arching her back to stretch her spine. “fine, i’ll stay. but only for you.”

nia smiled brightly at her, stepping up to link their arms together. “come on. i’ve still got to study when we get back later.”

they strolled into the garden, the rest of their friends following behind. raine was quiet as nia started gushing over a new patch of blooms that had been installed over the summer, staring unseeingly at the rows of roses swaying in the breeze before them, winking through a cycle of pastel colors.

her mind was still back in the thief stadium, thinking about her conversation with mal. was it really possible for them, to have a fresh start? could she pretend like three years of history never happened, and put it all behind her in the interest of, what? getting to know him better? being friends?

imtura’s shoulder bumped roughly into hers, jostling her from behind. “earth to raine. what’s wrong with you?”

“huh?” she asked, tearing her gaze away only to find that everyone was suddenly staring at her, “oh, nothing. just tired. practice ran long -- there was a whole thing.”

“is volari any good, at least?” imtura asked, arching her eyebrows. raine could see kaya tune into their conversation while tyril rolled his eyes from beside her, muttering to himself as he walked on ahead to look at the other roses in the garden. “he didn’t forget how to play over the summer?”

“he’s perfect,” raine huffed, “of course. he doesn’t even have to try, it’s nauseating. most of the team thinks he’s the gods’ gift to this school. they were tripping over each other just to get a glimpse of him. it was like trying to coach a group of overexcited toads.”

“i hope you’ll be able to find a way to get along, raine,” nia interjected as imtura snorted with laughter, a worried frown fixed on her face. “it’s not right that the rest of the school is talking about you.”

“it’s fine,” she dismissed. it’d hardly be the first time. the rest of her class had only just moved past her incident with the dean’s daughter freshman year. “let’s go let tyril teach us about roses before he has an aneurism.”

“i heard that,” tyril said calmly, but as they stepped up beside him he did start explaining the significance of the new roses and the enchantment they’d been given to make them change colors, so she figured that was a win.

mal sat with them at breakfast the next morning.

as in -- he physically put his body into the open chair at their table, leaving imtura blinking at her in surprise and nia politely coughing into her hand, as though to suggest that raine should rearrange the look on her face from horrified confusion into something more acceptable for company.

“morning,” he grinned brightly, like raine wasn’t gaping at him like he was something that had crawled out of the lake, “happy second day of term.”

“uh, what are you doing?” she asked, emboldened by the fact that tyril wasn’t there to kick her under the table for being rude.

“eating breakfast,” mal answered innocently, as though they were friends now, or something. there was a plate piled high with eggs and toast in front of him.

“but why are you eating it here?”

“raine,” nia cut in, “stop it, of course mal can sit with us.” she lifted her head and shot mal a sunny smile while raine turned towards imtura and rolled her eyes. “how are you liking penderghast so far?”

“it’s different,” he said, “the food’s a lot better than at gildegraive.”

raine stared down at her cereal while he and imtura introduced themselves from either side of her. her prophecy o’s were still whizzing around in the bowl she’d snatched from the buffet nearly twenty minutes ago. she sighed, smacking the bowl with her spoon. “cheap trick. at this rate we’ll miss the potions seminar entirely.”

“those things still spinning?” imtura asked, leaning over to take a look into her bowl. “maybe that means you’re going to have a really fucked up day.”

“i don’t need the cereal to tell me that,” she muttered, scowling when her answer triggered mal’s warm laugh in response.

they all watched as her cereal slid to a stop abruptly. “seize the day or be seized by the day?” raine read aloud, her brow furrowed, ��what is that supposed to mean?”

“sounds threatening,” mal said, and she jumped as she realized how close he was to her, leaning over her shoulder to look into her bowl. her face felt hot when she reached out for his shoulder and shoved him away.

“that’s prophecy o’s for you,” nia interjected sympathetically, “woefully vague.”

raine ignored her, stuffing a spoonful of cereal into her mouth. for some reason, she heard herself say to mal, “you know the whole school’s gossiping about you, right?”

evidently he didn’t know that. his eyebrows arched up almost to his hairline. “really? why?”

“because of our argument in the courtyard,” she answered between bites, viciously swirling her spoon through the milk to scramble the letters away.

“oh,” mal said, recognition jumping into his gaze, “you mean they’re gossiping about us. i figured that would happen.”

she hardly noticed nia and imtura clear their plates and make their goodbyes with the way she was staring at mal. “you did?”

“sure.” his voice sounded as though it should have been obvious. “we’re the biggest names in the sport and now we’re at the same school. can you blame people for being curious about what that means?”

“i think you’re oversimplifying it a little,” raine said, because he was. “we basically made each other’s lives miserable for the last three years.”

“well, yesterday you said it was just me ruining your life, so this feels like an improvement,” he grinned, nodding down at the large bowl of cereal she was still working her way through. “you do know there’s still two other meals today, yeah?”

“shut up,” raine said, without chewing or swallowing that time, because nia was gone and he totally deserved it. “some of us actually do magick here, so -- we use energy. i wouldn’t expect you to understand.”

“that hurts, raine.” mal laid a dramatic hand over his heart, very nearly pouting at her from his seat at the table. “i’m more than just a pretty face, you know.”

“you’re barely even that.” around them, other students were staring as they milled around in the dining hall. the way the room was emptying out meant that she was probably going to be late for the potions seminar they were both expected at. “we should probably get going.”

mal shrugged, toast held aloft between two fingers. “or we could ditch.”

her eyebrows arched in surprise. “ditch class?”

he laughed, a grin springing onto his face. “rich reaction, coming from the girl who got caught with the dean’s daughter in the --”

“okay, lower your voice,” she rushed to say, glancing around before shrugging carelessly. “i don’t care about ditching potions, but... what would we do instead?”

mal flung the crust of his toast back onto his plate, dusting off his hands. “you have the keys to the stadium, right?” she did. his eyes glinted as his grin grew larger. “how about we play a little one-on-one?”

not only did she have the keys to the stadium, but raine was also experienced in programming the game simulator, which left her at an advantage as she picked the scenario they’d be playing in. she chose something that was sure to play to her skillset -- a sprawling beach with a big, beautiful ocean, perfect for her to manipulate.

“you’re still not going to beat me,” mal taunted, seated in the middle of the field and lacing up his shoes without touching them, magick crackling visibly in the air around him. “no matter how much you cheat.”

“big talk coming from gildegraive’s biggest cheater,” she returned calmly, shifting to tie back her hair. “when i beat you it’ll just be because i’m an all around better player than you are, but it’s not surprising you’d want to allege cheating now to get in front of your loss.”

“don’t think you’re going to confuse me by sounding smart.” he leapt to his feet, and she took notice of the white flag tied around his waist with a roll of her eyes.

“sorry, i’m sure you’re confused enough just being yourself.”

“exactly,” mal said triumphantly, and then, as the stadium started to dissolve away around them, “hey, that’s not what i --”

the sound of his voice faded in favor of the noise from the beach. as raine crept silently along the sand, she could hear birds above and waves on the shore; in the distance, there were the beginnings of a boardwalk and a pier looking out over the water.

unfortunately, there wasn’t much in the way of cover. eyes alert for mal, she started off down the sand quickly, coming up to a short stop when the beach started to rumble beneath her feet, almost as if there was an earthquake incoming.

her teeth bit at the inside of her cheek to stifle her grin. if there was one thing she’d learned playing against mal for three years, it was that he wasn’t subtle.

she waited for him to bust up out of the sand before sending a wave from the ocean crashing down on the rocks that erupted beneath his feet, immediately extinguishing the fire that followed him wherever he went on the pitch.

if it was satisfying to watch as saltwater completely soaked every last inch of him, even ruining his pristine, fluffy hair, it was even more satisfying to grin in his face before she took off running, waiting for him to give chase.

raine was almost to the pier when he caught up with her, and from there, their magick met in the middle, water and fire twisting around each other while they paced in circles on the sand. it was rare that she got to play against someone she was so evenly matched with, and she was thrilled to have a challenge after a summer spent messing around with her friends and taking things easy.

mal had improved a bit since she’d beaten him at the end of last term, loathe as she was to admit it. at the very least, he’d been practicing being less predictable, something that was more than mildly irritating, given how much she relied on knowing all of his moves.

as she crashed another wave from the ocean down over his head, raine realized she was going to have to do something unexpected, too, if she ever wanted to get his flag and shut him up for good. before he could push his wet hair out of his face, she lunged forward and tackled him onto the sand, trying to pull his flag off his belt.

“what are you doing?” mal demanded, reaching for her arms and wrestling them away, “this is cheating.”

“not technically,” raine reminded him, because it wasn’t. thief wasn’t exactly a contact-free sport by any stretch of the definition.

and there wasn’t anyone around to moderate when you blew off your morning classes and snuck into the stadium, so as far as she was concerned -- all bets were off.

“you’re such a brat,” he huffed, doing his best to roll them over and succeeding in shoving her onto her side while she wiggled around in his grip, “you can’t ever be wrong.”

“you’re the insufferable one,” she insisted, “showing up here, acting like you want to be friends.”

mal finally managed to shove her down that last inch, pressing her back flat into the sand. his hips held her down at the waist, but before he could go for her flag, he had to stop her arms from flailing, trying to rip his own off his belt. “i do want to be friends,” he grit out, wrenching one of her arms down, “fucking hell, you make everything so difficult.”

“me,” raine scoffed, “okay, sure. i make everything --”

the words died in her throat as mal leaned down and kissed her, sealing his lips over hers. her eyes went as wide as the sun, then slammed shut when he pressed in closer, gently moving his mouth against hers.

of course he was a perfect kisser.

her fingers pushed into his hair, damp and sticky from the saltwater, and she felt him settle over her more fully, skin warm from the sun. her body sunk into the sand and though she knew she’d be shaking out her hair long after the illusion faded and they went back to the stadium, she couldn’t quite bring herself to care about anything other than the all-encompassing weight and breadth of him above her.

mal made a soft noise in his throat that sent a shiver down her spine and she responded with an answering hum, arching up off the sand to get closer to him.

for a moment, it was easy to forget who and where they were. all thoughts of school and thief and the pressure of making their senior year one to remember disappeared, replaced only with the peace of the waves and the dead silence that came with knowing they were completely alone.

gradually, she became aware of how fast her heart was beating. her brain suddenly reminded her that she was kissing mal volari, and awareness crept back in, overshadowing how nice it had felt to be in solitude together with panic.

raine reached down and yanked mal’s flag off his belt, ending the game. all at once the illusion around them shattered, yanking them rudely back to the stadium. in the confusion, she wriggled out from underneath his body, standing up to put some distance between them.

from the ground, mal stared up at her in surprise. “raine,” he started, voice low and hoarse, “i...”

“still lost, even though you cheated?” she waved his flag around with more bravado than she felt, resting her free hand on her hip. “yeah, you did.”

“i didn’t cheat,” he argued back, effortlessly taking the bait, “you were the one who gave up on the rules. and i didn’t -- i wasn’t trying to distract you, fuck.”

the optimism she’d felt a moment earlier when she assumed she’d be able to argue him out of this conversation evaporated like smoke. “no?”

mal rolled his eyes at her. “don’t be stupid,” he said. an uncharacteristic shyness flickered over his expression. he rubbed sheepishly at the back of his neck. “you know i like you.”

“um, no i don’t,” she said dumbly, before she could stop herself. “i mean -- what?”

he sighed, then rolled onto his feet, too. there was sand all over his arms -- not that she was looking. “look, if you want me to back off, i will. but, honestly... there’s not a single thing at this school that interests me except for getting to know you better.” mal shrugged in a way that was hopelessly endearing, then admitted, “and thief, i guess.”

“this is really weird.” the look on mal’s face seemed to suggest that he thought so, too. but he didn’t say anything, so she continued, “but... i don’t want you to back off. i -- um, i’d like to get to know you better, too.”

mal smiled slowly at her, and she realized all at once that her pulse still hadn’t calmed from the frantic pounding it’d been doing back on the beach. she drew in a deep breath, hoping it’d help.

instead of calming down, her stomach felt suddenly swarmed with butterflies, beating their wings inside her ribcage like a hurricane.

still, it didn’t stop her from shifting on her toes so that some of the sand fell out of her clothes, and smiling back.

despite the many, many times she’d practiced saying it that morning in the mirror, raine knew her voice did not sound casual or nonchalant in the slightest when she told her friends, “i invited mal to come to the solstice party with us this weekend.”

predictably, each one of them stared at her as though she had completely lost her mind -- even nia. “mal... volari?” imtura asked, voice measured.

raine nodded, averting her eyes. it had been so much easier to pretend to be casual in her room in the mirror. “yeah. he hadn’t heard about it so i said he could come with us.”

“but -- why?” imtura asked, frowning at her, “you said he was a tool.”

“yeah.” she’d said much worse, too. she pushed her food around her plate without elaborating.

“i thought you two hated each other,” kaya tried, though if the little smirk on her face was anything to go by, she didn’t really think that at all.

raine shrugged. she looked up from her dinner just in time to catch sight of mal making his way over to the buffet, and though she did her best to look away before she’d start to flush, she wasn’t quick enough to miss the once-over he gave her, or the genuine smile that followed it, something like affection in his gaze.

“well -- he’s not totally terrible,” she muttered, reaching for her glass while still doing her very best to keep her voice level. “it probably won’t be so bad.”

“i think it’s great,” nia interjected brightly, “we could always use more friends.”

casual, she reminded herself, for once in your life, act casual. “sure -- friends. definitely.”

imtura gaped at her. “oh my god, you already hooked up with him.”

kaya’s grin stretched a mile wide. she clapped her hands excitedly in front of her plate. “what?” raine spluttered, stomach churning with a deep mix of embarrassment and dread -- if she knew her friends as well as she thought she did, they were never going to let her hear the end of this. “i did not!”

“okay, was it incredible?” kaya asked, rolling her eyes at the look tyril sent her way. “what? don’t act like you’re not curious.”

“oh my god, we just kissed,” she said, because the alternative to just admitting it was so much worse. “can we please not talk about it anymore?”

“no need,” imtura said, and raine only had a split second to relax before she smirked and continued, “here comes your boyfriend now.”

“stop it,” she hissed, kicking her friend under the table before mal dropped into the empty seat beside her with all the familiarity of someone who’d done so a thousand times before.

“hey,” he said, like he had dinner with them every night, “how was class?”

“oh, um -- fine.” raine returned to what was left of her dinner, back to pushing her food around. silence settled over the table, heavy and oppressive.

mal let it linger for a moment, then lifted his head and smiled at her friends. “it wasn’t really a big deal, we only made out.”

raine groaned loudly enough to draw the attention of a few nearby tables, piquing the curiosity of the students around them who’d been doing their best to pretend like they weren’t already eavesdropping. “please don’t encourage them.”

it was too late. kaya was already bouncing in her seat, demanding every single detail -- when, how, why and for what length of time and in what way -- and even imtura and nia looked entertained.

mal leaned in close while the rest of them bickered behind their backs. “why not?” he whispered, the rough sound of his low voice in her ear making her nearly bite her tongue clean off mid-chew. “i think this semester’s going to be really fun.”

“i think it’s going to suck,” she said, once she’d very carefully swallowed and managed to get a grip on her even breathing again, “because you suck, and are terrible.”

“that’s the spirit,” mal said fondly, reaching out to sling an arm over the back of her chair.

raine pursed her lips as whispers broke out from the nearby tables. she was halfway to turning around to give the nosy student body a piece of her mind before she saw the warmth in mal’s eyes and gave up on pretending to be anything but happy, tilting into his hold and leaning into the open space at his side while they joined the argument with her friends, together.

#bladesaw #mal volari #mal volari x mc #blades of light and shadow #bolas #myfic #long post #this was so fun to write i hope u all like it :-)

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blue-heronstairs10 · 4 years

Text

R&R quotes I tabbed

*RUIN AND RISING SPOILERS*

key:

{…} = thoughts in book

(…) = my commentary

*…* = action

emojis = expressions

[…] = my subtitles

italics = it’s italisized in the books

-…- = not actually said in book

——————————————————————————————————

Apparat: he should not address you so.

Alina: why not?

Apparat: it was the Darkling’s title and is unfitting for a Saint.

Alina: then what should he call me?

Apparat: he should not address you directly at all.

Alina: next time he has something to say, I’ll have him write me a letter.

——————————————————————————————————

Zoya: are you ever going to name that thing?

Harshaw: she has a name.

Zoya: Oncat is not a name. it’s just Kaelish for cat.

Harshaw: suits her doesn’t it?

——————————————————————————————————

{David and Genya kept falling behind, but he seemed to be the one responsible for the lag. finally, Toyla hefted the huge pack from David’s narrow shoulders.}

Toyla: what do you have in this thing?

David: three pairs of socks, one pair of trousers, an extra shirt. one canteen. a tin cup and plate. a cylindrical slide rule, a chondrometer, a jar or spruce sap, my collection of anticorrosives,-

Toyla: you were only supposed to pack what you need.

David: *nods emphatically* exactly.

Alina: please tell me you didn’t bring all of Morozova’s journals.

David: of course I did.

Alina: maybe they’ll make good kindling.

David: is she kidding? *concerned look* I can never tell if she’s kidding.

Alina: {I was. mostly.}

——————————————————————————————————

Genya: David is oblivious. he’s been babbling about mineral compounds for the last hour.

Zoya: maybe he and Toyla will just put each other to sleep.

——————————————————————————————————

Harshaw: *cuts the sides of his scalp so there’s only hair in a single stripe down the center of his head*

Zoya: *shrieking* what did you do? you look like a deranged rooster!

Harshaw: Oncat insisted.

——————————————————————————————————

Mal: everyone okay?

Genya: never better.

David: *raises his hand* I’ve been better.

——————————————————————————————————

Mal: I am becoming a blade.

——————————————————————————————————

Ekaterina: I saw the prince when I was in Os Alta. he’s not bad looking.

Nikolai: *in the trees* not bad looking? he’s damnably handsome.

Nikolai: *still in the trees* brave in battle, smart as a whip. an excellent dancer. oh, and an even better shot.

Nikolai: *shoots Luchenko between the eyes*

——————————————————————————————————

Nikolai: first vomit, then tears. don’t tell me I’ve lost my touch.

Alina: I’m just happy you’re alive. though I’m sure you can talk me out of it.

——————————————————————————————————

Alina: thank goodness we had the foresight to be captured.

——————————————————————————————————

Nikolai: Saints, Alina. I hope you weren’t looking at me to be the voice of reason. I keep a strict diet of ill-advised enthusiasm and heartfelt regret.

——————————————————————————————————

Nikolai: we’re heading into Fjerda.

Alina: oh good. enemy territory. and here I was starting to relax.

——————————————————————————————————

Nikolai: it’s good to see you, Oretsev.

Mal: you too. thanks for the rescue.

Nikolai: everyone needs a hobby.

Mal: I thought yours was preening.

Nikolai: two hobbies.

————————————————————————————��—————

Nikolai: Baghra, how are you this evening?

Baghra: still old and blind.

Nikolai: and charming. never forget charming.

Baghra: whelp.

Nikolai: hag.

Baghra: what do you want, pest?

Nikolai: I’ve brought someone to visit.

Alina: hello, Baghra.

Baghra: the little Saint. returned to save us all.

Nikolai: well she did almost die trying to rid us of your cursed spawn.

Baghra: couldn’t even manage martyrdom right, could you? come in and shut the door, girl. you’re letting the heat out.

Baghra: *turns to Nikolai* and you. go somewhere you’re wanted.

Nikolai: that’s hardly limiting. Alina, I’ll be back to fetch you for dinner, but should you grow restless, do feel free to run screaming from the room or take a dagger to her. whatever seems most fitting at the time.

Baghra: are you still here?

Nikolai: I go but hope to remain in your heart.

Baghra: wretched boy.

Alina: you like him. *disbelief*

Baghra: greedy. arrogant. takes too many risks.

Alina: you almost sound concerned.

Baghra: you like him too, little Saint.

Alina: I do. he’s been kind to me when he might have been cruel. it’s refreshing.

Baghra: he laughs too much.

Alina: there are worse traits.

Baghra: like arguing with your elders? *turns to Misha* boy, go fetch me something sweet.

(I’m sorry it’s so long it’s just,,, they’re so iconic and cute)

——————————————————————————————————

Alina: how does Nikolai know you’re the Darkling’s mother?

Baghra: he asked. he’s more observant than the rest of you fools.

——————————————————————————————————

Mal: I don’t reserve my friendship for perfect people. and, thank the Saints, neither does Alina.

(did mans just insult himself ?? 💀)

——————————————————————————————————

Genya: *talking about how David didn’t look at her before*

David: I know metal.

Genya: what does that have to do with anything?

David: I...I don’t understand half of what goes on around me. I don’t get jokes or sunsets or poetry, but I know metal. beauty was your armor. fragile stuff, all show. but what’s inside you? that’s steel. it’s brave and unbreakable. and it doesn’t need fixing. *kisses Genya*

Genya: 👁👄👁

Genya: *kisses David back empathcially*

David: *kiss ends* *😳😊*

Genya: *☺️😄*

(they’re the sweetest S&B couple don’t @ me)

——————————————————————————————————

Mal: you can introduce him to Ana Kuya.

Alina: I already unleashed Baghra on Nikolai. he’s going to think I stockpile vicious old women.

——————————————————————————————————

Mal: but I guess I’m the same selfish ass I’ve always been. for all my talk of vows and honor, what I really want to do is put you up against that wall and kiss you until you forget you ever knew another man’s name. so tell me to go, Alina. because I can’t give you a title or an army or any of the things you need.

Alina: goodnight, Mal.

(😳✋🏼)

——————————————————————————————————

Alina: *hits the side of a mountain with the Cut*

Everyone besides Baghra: *claps and whoops*

Baghra: hmph. they’d clap for a dancing monkey.

Nikolai: all depends on the monkey. and the dance.

——————————————————————————————————

Nikolai: does Morozova strike anyone as a little…eccentric?

Alina: if my eccentric you mean insane, then yes. I’m hoping he can be crazy and right.

——————————————————————————————————

Genya: I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Nikolai is growing on me. he’s nothing like his father. and the man can dress.

——————————————————————————————————

Nikolai: if you’re going to jump, at least give me time to compose a ballad in your honor. something with lots of sad fiddle and a verse devoted to your love of herring.

Alina: if I wait, I may have to hear you sing it.

Nikolai: I happen to have a more than passable baritone. and what’s the rush? is it my cologne?

Alina: you don’t wear cologne.

Nikolai: I have such a naturally delightful scent that it seems like overkill. but if you have a penchant for it, I’ll start.

——————————————————————————————————

Zoya: toss him over. break his heart cruelly. I will gladly give our poor prince comfort, and I would make a magnificent queen.

Alina: you actually might, Zoya. if you could stop being horrible for a minute.

Zoya: with that kind of incentive, I can manage a minute. possibly two.

——————————————————————————————————

{they wanted a Grisha Queen. Mal wanted a commoner Queen. and what did I want? peace for Ravka. a chance to sleep easy in my bed without fear. an end to the guilt and dread that I woke to every morning. there were old wants too, to be loved for who I was, not what I could do, to lie in a meadow with a boy’s arms around me and watch the wind move the clouds. but those dreams belonged to a girl, not to the Sun Summoner, not to a Saint.}

——————————————————————————————————

Genya: the day I curtsy to you is the day David performs an opera naked in the middle of the Shadow Fold.

——————————————————————————————————

Baghra: I am Morozova’s Daughter, and the Darkling is the last of Morozova’s line.

——————————————————————————————————

Alina: or a Ravkan heiress or a Grisha like Zoya.

Nikolai: Zoya? I make it a policy never to seduce anyone prettier than I am.

——————————————————————————————————

Nikolai: I love it when you quote me.

——————————————————————————————————

Genya: you’re the prettiest walrus I know.

——————————————————————————————————

Alina: turned out I needed a good cry.

Zoya: next time, invite me. I could use one too.

——————————————————————————————————

Zoya: do you know what Baghra told me at my first lesson with her? pretty face. too bad you have porridge for brains.

Harshaw: I sent fire to her hut in class.

Zoya: of course you did.

Harshaw: accidentally! she refused to ever teach me again. wouldn’t even speak to me. I saw her on the grounds once, and she walked right by. didn’t say a word, just whacked me on the knee with her stick. I still have a lump.

Nadia: that’s nothing. I had some kind of block where I couldn’t summon for a while. she put me in a room and released a hive of bees in it.

——————————————————————————————————

Mal: same way Ana Kuhn got me to stop begging her to keep a lantern lit at night.

Alina: really?

Mal: yes. told me I had to be brave for you, that if I was scared, you’d be scared.

Alina: well she told me I had to eat my parsnips to set a good example for you, but I still refused to do it.

Mal: and you wonder why you were always getting the switch.

Alina: I have principles.

Mal: that means, ‘if I can be difficult, I will.’

——————————————————————————————————

Zoya: if you’re not up here before I count it ten, I’m going back to sleep and you can carry me to Dva Stolba.

Alina: Mal, if I murder her in the Sikurzoi, will you hold me accountable?

Mal: yes.

Mal: that means, ‘‘let’s make it look like an accident.’

——————————————————————————————————

Alina: *being mad and realistic then apologizing*

Zoya: maybe you’re hungry. I always get mean when I’m hungry.

Harshaw: are you hungry all the time?

Zoya: you haven’t seen me mean. when you do, you’ll require a very big hanky.

Harshaw: to dry my tears.

Zoya: to stanch the bleeding.

——————————————————————————————————

Toyla: he watches her the way Harshaw watches fire. like he’ll never have enough of her. like he’s trying to capture what he can before she’s gone.

Zoya and Alina: 👁👄👁💓

Zoya: you know, if you turned a bit of that poetry on me, I might consider giving you a chance.

Toyla: who says I want one?

Harshaw: I want one!

Zoya: Oncat has a better chance than you.

Harshaw: *holds up Oncat* why, Oncat, you rogue.

——————————————————————————————————

Zoya: you really didn’t think they were ghosts, did you?

everyone: 😬

Zoya: I am surrounded by fools.

——————————————————————————————————

Harshaw: Oncat objects to the landscaping.

——————————————————————————————————

Alina: Mal is the third amplifier.

——————————————————————————————————

[TW: hanging]

{the oak I’d once climbed on a dare still stood, untouched by the fire that had taken Keramzin. now it’s branches were full of bodies. the three Grisha instructors hung from the same thick limb, their kefta fluttering slightly in the wind- purple, red and blue. beside them, Botkin’s face was nearly black above the rope that had dug into his neck. he was covered in wounds. he’d died fighting before they’d strung him up. next to him, Ana Kuya swayed in her black dress, her heavy rings at her waist, the toes of her button boots nearly scraping the ground.}

Darkling: she was, I think, the closest thing you had to a mother.

——————————————————————————————————

(unfinished)

28 notes · View notes

rist-ix · 3 years

Text

Shadow and bone afterthoughts, spoilers for show and books beneath the cut

Ok, first some rambling. I felt a bit disappointed directly after watching the show, with how prettied up Malina was and how underdeveloped Darklina felt, but after rewatching, I really don’t know where I got that feeling from. If anything, it’s the other way round, but all in all I feel pretty good about the show.

I never liked Mal in the books, but show!mal? A sweetheart. Ride or die for Alina. The mutual yearning had me awwing a lot, Archie’s performance is wonderful. I hope he lets his locks grow out next season, he really deserves fancier hair.

I’m still not invested in Malina, but I know I’ll feel much better about their endgame in the show than their ending in the books. I get what the stans see in them. The show is obviously saving some of their more important moments for the next seasons, but more on that later.

Darklina too is very different from the books, and at first I felt a little underwhelmed. It goes hard fast, with less build up than expected, but their intensity is spot on and I love this new version of them. Book!Darkling is more aloof and composed, and whenever Alina makes him lose that composure, he is angry about it. Show!Darkling though? Loves her and has no regrets about it. Cries every time Alina looks at him. So happy to have her. A jealous bitch, and valid. Gets his girl flowers and steals dating advice from his rival.

Ben Barnes is an artist, when he improvised that second kiss in the war room?! I died.

Alina herself takes more action in both relationships than her book counterpart, which I love. She’s DETERMINED, whether it’s about following Mal into the fold or snogging her dark prince. Her soft, tender looks are to die for, I get why Kirigan tears up every time. And, ahem. That look she gave him during her performance at the fete? Hot.

Points I didn’t quite like:

They made Malina a little too ideal, in my opinion. I feel like there’s too little room for development, especially if the next season keeps the course of the second book. I like that they took away some of Mal’s worst moments, like his jealous little fit at the fete and all that, but they glossed over most of his other flaws too. His wariness of the Grisha is dropped pretty quickly, and most of his character now revolves around Alina. They took away the parts where Mal is more promiscuous, and oblivious of Alina, which makes his “but I see you now” line feel undeserved. His tryst with Zoya was given to Kirigan instead, and his popularity and charisma compared to Alina’s mousiness fell a little flat. They’re taking away a lot of possible conflict material, which makes me scared they’ll go stale and stagnant too soon. He also didn’t have any emotional arcs of his own, his side plot is pretty boring save for the final moments. I do like how they are setting up his heritage and skills already, though, and there’s still time for development in the next season.

It’s been a while since I read the book, but I do think Alina and the Darkling communicated more about amplifiers and the stag, back then. The hunt for it was a mutually wanted thing, not something the darkling did behind her back. I liked Alina’s ambition, I don’t want the show to make her all pure and humble. The drama about it felt too sudden and random, but that’s just my personal opinion.

I felt bad about the Darkling’s changes at first, mostly because it seemed the show wanted to nerf Darklina before it got too powerful. Alina’s parents falling to the fold instead of the Tsar’s constant wars screams unnecessary, his lack of the Darkling title and openness with his name disappointed me a little. Then again, this darkling is less of a cold commander and more of a respected leader here; I like how he interacts with his Grisha. It really hammers home how much he cares about them, his interaction with David made me crack up.

The name reveal was too little, too soon, but it’s consistent with Kirigan’s “openness” and I’ll get over it. I talked about the amplifier thing here, so I’m not gonna go into more detail again.

Something makes me wonder though, and it’s his dialed down evilness. The Darkling in the books was cruel and impersonal in battle, and Novokribirsk demonstrated that perfectly. Which is fine! I like the darkling villainous too, but that’s not what we see here.

In the show, Kirigan doesn’t... do all that much evil stuff, actually. He keeps the hunt for the stag from Alina, I guess? I would have liked more emphasis on his exact plans there.

He reads and keeps her letters too, but that’s petty manipulation and not grand-scale evilness. His great sin, the fold, was an accident and later a safeguard for his kind, and his attack on Novokribirsk felt kinda justified in the shows context.

Book Novokribirsk was a starving village full of innocent civilians, and its destruction was a calculated sacrifice to the darkling. I felt bad for their deaths.

In the show, however, it’s an industrialized city and military headquarters of an enemy who tried to kill Alina, and would have tried again if the skiff had docked as planned. That’s just not as tragic, it doesn’t garner as much sympathy.

It’s destruction isn’t just for show and effect, it’s not a needlessly cruel “sacrifice”.

It’s an act of war against a scheming general and his forces. The innocent rest of the city perished too, sure, but the only real connotation the audience has with that city is general Zlatan and his supporters. That waters down the evil-level of it, from a narrative perspective.

The antler thing looks... uncomfortable, but Alina got rid of that pretty soon so there’s not even the lasting reminder of the book!collar. Alina takes Kirigan’s hand and stands up to receive it, giving her a bit more agency too. (Probably wouldn’t have mattered if she had refused, but that’s not what the audience gets to see)

Kirigan doesn’t plan to execute Mal or to make Alina watch; another one of the Darkling’s villain moments. He’s pretty soft actually, compared to his book version.

Which gives me both hope and apprehension.

Either they’re doing that on purpose, in order to divert from the books, which seems unlikely but not impossible. Maybe they’re planning to let him live at the end of the third season, he gets revived in later books anyway.

Or his downward spiral has only just begun, and they’re saving the big things for later.

I hope they decide early on whether to keep the darkling redeemable, by mainstream standards, or to go all out with his evilness, because I don’t want a middle path. If he’s a better man than in the books and still dies, I can’t handle it. If his death is still what they are aiming at, I have to feel like he deserved it and there was no other way.

No more “redemption in death” scenarios please. Either embrace the villainy or give him a happy ending, just be decisive.

My heart can’t handle more tragedy, I’m a crybaby.

#shadow and bone #shadow and bone spoilers #darklina #grishaverse

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mikaelsrose · 4 years

Text

sun maiden

pairing: Tyril x human!MC (Selene)

word count: 1200+

warnings: generally none, but i guess it is the tiniest bit of angsty

a/n: i thought that i could try to fill in the two-day gap the team spent on sun maiden, waiting for the storm to pass soo... this is me trying. just a chill, sunny, short fic.

tags: @lxdy-starfury @tyrils-star

“We’ll make history,” Mal mumbled as he plopped down on the Sun Maiden’s floor, playing with his dagger. “We’ll be the first to die out of boredom.”

“I can’t even look at the cards any more,” Selene sighed, crossing her arms on her chest.

“I, for one, enjoy this little break from the adventures,” Threep said as he stretched on Nia’s lap, enjoying her scratches on his belly. “As well as the free access to fresh fish.”

“My opinion of nespers abates with your every word,” Tyril sighed.

Selene slumped down next to the mage and grinned, seeing him instantly tense up.

“I won’t bite if you touch me, you know,” she nudged him, chuckling. “In the bunk. The position you sleep in must be uncomfortable. Besides, I’m a much better cuddling candidate than your sword.”

Tyril blushed and averted his eyes, fixing them on the captain of the ship talking to his crew. She could see he was fighting a smile.

“You take up a lot of space.”

“That’s my sneaky way of making you hug me,” she winked and Mal whistled.

“Why didn’t you say you have such adventures on this wreck?” he commented, engaging the whole group in their conversation. “If you wanted to snuggle, you could just say so, kit,” he winked.

“I’m sorry, Mal, but I’m trying to figure this one out,” she chuckled, teasingly placing a hand on the elf’s thigh. Tyril gulped.

“Alright, I had this stashed for a sad, rainy day, but I think the time has come,” Mal sighed as he uncorked a bottle of ale and offered it to Selene when Nia declined.

“Saviour,” she groaned and emptied half of the bottle at once and then offered it to Tyril who also declined.

“We’re stuck with two prudes,” Mal teased, taking the bottle from Selene. “Even better for me.”

The conversation died down pretty quickly and the group was again engulfed by the sound of the sea.

Selene busied herself with not-so-subtle gazing at the stoic features of the mage’s face while Mal and Nia talked about some of his adventures. There was no denying that Tyril was handsome—beautiful even. She knew that elves are generally easy on the eyes but Tyril’s appearance kept leaving her speechless. His piercing gaze, full lips, those cheekbones, that sharp jaw line. That, the aura of mystery around him, and the fact that so far she’s been the only one to make him smile made her heart flutter whenever he spoke or laid eyes on her. Selene was thinking about the way his thick black hair glistened in the sun, how soft it must’ve feel and how much she wanted to run her hand through them, when the elf spoke, startling her.

“You’re staring.”

Embarrassed, she averted her gaze and bit her lip. Caught.

It physically pained her that she couldn’t touch him. So far, they’ve touched twice, accidentally. Selene hoped that he would touch her eventually as they shared a bunk, but he slept with his arms crossed on his chest, with the sword next to him.

His touch was electric. Addictive. Forbidden. She felt drawn to him. Whether it was his magical energy or the aura of mystery was yet to be discovered.

“I think I’m gonna hit the sheets early today,” Selene announced when a series of yawns escaped her lips, making Nia chuckle. She scratched Threep before getting up and took a last look at the orange sun mirrored in the water.

Despite the overwhelming tiredness, Selene couldn’t fall asleep. She kept tossing in the bed for a solid hour, growing more and more anxious as her mind began to travel down the locked path, bringing up the memories of her brother. Guilt was the feeling that dominated her mind since Kade was sucked into the Shadow Realm. Guilt and grief. Although she didn’t want to admit it, a part of her knew that she might never find him or that she would, but too late.

She felt like a burden to the group. Nia was about to ascend to the Priestess of Light, Mal knew how to fend for himself and could pull off almost anything, and Tyril would be completely fine without any of them. She was terrified, even more with every day as their journey grew more serious and dangerous. All she could offer was the rage and the determination to rescuing Kade that motivated her every day.

A lone hot tear spilled from her eye and she cursed, wiping it angrily. “Don’t be a baby,” she murmured, clenching her jaw.

Selene took a few deep calming breaths as she heard someone’s footsteps and turned to her side, facing the wall.

“What’s the matter, Selene?”

She cursed in her mind. Of course, it was Tyril.

“I’m good. Just can’t sleep.”

“I have eyes,” he continued and sat down on the edge of the thin mattress, his armour creaking quietly. “You might’ve fooled the rest, but I’ve been watching you and I can tell that something is bothering you since we boarded the ship.”

An angry sigh escaped her as she turned to face the elf, looking at her with a stoic, but a little concerned look on his face. She was angry because he figured her out just like that. And she was angry because she was tired.

There was no fooling him, she knew that. Selene appreciated the fact that he actually cared and was bothered enough to go and check on her. She knew all of that but she was just so sad that she couldn’t think straight.

“Do you really think we can save him?”

“I have hope,” he answered without hesitation. “I will do anything to help you find your brother, Selene. You have my word.”

After looking at him intently for a while, she slowly nodded and mumbled quiet thanks. However, she was still on the verge of tears and all she wanted at that moment was for someone to hug her tight and lie that everything will work out eventually.

“The truth is... I don’t want to set back our mission. I can’t help feeling like a burden to you. I don’t have anything to offer,” she chuckled sadly and sniffed. “Nia’s got magic, Mal is good at pretty much everything, and you’re an amazing warrior and a mage. How can I compete with that?”

Selene shook her head and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. “I’m sorry; it must be the booze talking.”

“What strikes me the most is that you don’t see your potential,” Tyril spoke up after a while when she composed herself. “You’re a quick thinker, passionate and stout-hearted. You find a way out of every situation and don’t give up when things don’t work out. And if you’re half as good a fighter, then you shouldn’t worry about being a burden,” he stated, looking straight into her glassy eyes. “It’s not a shame to feel scared, Selene. I would be concerned if you didn’t feel that way.”

Having weighted his words for a while, Selene nodded, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“Thanks, Tyril,” she touched his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “So what about the hugging?”

#blades of light and shadow #tyril x mc #bolas fic #yall this was sitting in my notes since december #choices tyril #tyril starfury

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justice4harwin · 3 years

Text

Summon of the Sun

A/N: IDK what possesed me to write this, but i havent even checked it so there’s probably all kinds of mistakes. Sorry. English isnt my first language. I sould really be practicing for my lesson right now instead of doing this lol. If you see any mistake, please, point it out, and please, if it’s not too much to ask, let me know what you think

Summary: Even after everything, even after all those years, the girl still tries to find solace in the shadows. Darklina

She knew she could probably never admit it out loud, especially not to Mal, but there were days when she couldn't ignore the longing in her heart, buried so deep nothing could ever reach it anymore.

She'd stand under the sun on summer's hottest days for hours on end, and yet the feeling wasn't the same. Still, she remained, even if her skin turned red and she then couldn't stand the brush of clothing over her skin later on.

In winter, she'd go out to take a long walk during the night, when the shadows were at its deepest and no one else would dare go out.

She looked for him, for any sign; a slight pull at the connection they once shared, a whisper by her ear, the flicker of a shadow.

She was the only one who dared go outside at such hours.

"Don't stay out late or The Darkling will snatch you." Parents told their children to get them to behave; she had even heard the staff at the orphanage saying so to her kids.

"There's no need to fear him." She had told them later on, still turning the lights on so they could rest easy, a sad look on her face. "There's no need to fear the dead. Nothing lurks in the shadows."

Except she didn't believe that last part. She didn't want to.

Mal sometimes asked her why she really took those long walks.

"I just wanna stretch my legs." "I just need to feel the air." Or jokingly, she'd say to him: "I need to be far away so I don't kick you."

He didn't ask her anymore, probably to avoid an inevitable discussion. He probably suspected why she searched in the shadows, but she'd never voice it to him.

Out, in the cold, she looked from one dark place to another, her heart and mind calling to a long dead bond.

She’d close her eyes and try to feel that pull, but all she felt was a void.

Sometimes, if she was feeling too brave, or bold, or desperate -depending on who you asked- she’d even call his name.

“Aleksander.”shyly whispered into the nothingness, receiving only the sounds of nature as an answer.

She was ridiculous. Or mad. Probably both. That man -for she had long ago stopped calling him a monster, at least inside her head- had only bought her pain; not only to her, but to those she held closest to her heart.

Still.

...still.

She gave up, turned around, and marched back to the house, barely visible in the dark. The only light coming off of it was that of the fire by which her husband awaited for her with a cup of tea; it was a little ritual before turning in for the night.

She entered the space and there he was, stoking the fire before letting himself fall back on a couch with a heavy sigh.

Silently, she sat next to him, and Mal put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

It warmed her heart, but it didn’t burn.

Maybe she’d end up becoming like Baghra, locked up inside a room steaming hot trying to set herself ablaze. She knew it wouldn’t work, but at this rate, she might as well try.

Winter went on as usual, freezing everything which had no refuge, killing everything soft, colder and colder, and darker yet,...nothing.

Then spring came, and very so slowly, the snow began to melt, and the trees gave birth to small flowers and the grass was visible again.

Mal and the staff had decided to take the children out on a picnic, but she had decided to stay.

“I’m not feeling very well.” she had said, to which her husband had frowned and pressed a hand to her forehead. “It’s nothing, really. I’m just tired.”

He’d smiled and kissed her goodbye before leaving with the little rascals, and she had smiled too, waving at them and wishing them fun.

Slowly, she walked up the stairs and entered their bedroom. After a minute of contemplation, she kneeled by the bed and pulled out a box. It had the royal sigil on it.

She opened it and took the note, affection nugging at her.

“You will always be one of us.” it read, in Zoya’s elegant handwriting.

Carefully, she set the note atop of the bed and took the blue kefta. The golden trim was beautiful, and so detailed; it expanded all the way from the neck, down her sides and to the back, meeting in the shape of a sun.

She raised up to her feet and, almost trembling, put it on for the first time. One sleeve at a time. Button by button.

She pushed her hair back and stood in front of her too large mirror -a gift from Genya and David-, and took a look.

It fit a bit too tight, having been made years ago, yet she felt perfect in it. She eyed herself from all angles and giggled, surprised at the sound.

She heard a sound and rushed to the window, but it was just some crows.

She looked up at the sky and closed her eyes, taking in the sun again, as she had done plenty of times before, as she’d do plenty more in the future. Her hand went up and quickly flickered.

Nothing.

She pressed her cheek against the wood and planted her palm on the glass, trying to swallow back her disappointment.

A shiver went up her back; it was cold but not uncomfortable. She took a step back, the light seeming to recede from her, and then she felt it.

Soft, freezing, lingering.

It was like a kiss on her right cheek, while the other still burnt from the exposure to the light.

Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes shut. Her arms went around her, fingers digging into her own waist as she struggled to decide if it had been real or not.

“Aleksander?” she asked into the void.

Something cold surrounded her, like a blanket,...no, not a blanket.

An embrace.

Tears filled her eyes but she wouldn’t spill them.

It was so strange. The cold at her back and around her arms only; a chill over the right side of her face.

She dared herself to open her eyes; the shape of her own shadow at a slightly odd angle. Fearful of the cold going away, she moved her right arm up, stretching it to her side. The shadow waited, and after a few seconds, followed her movement.

She felt a cold breeze running down that arm, down to the tip of her fingers.

“Aleksander.” she sighed, almost smiling.

All she felt was another pressing cold against her cheek, and then it was all gone.

She turned around, not knowing what to find. Would he be standing there? Like he had all those times she had unknowingly called on him at the Little Palace?

But all she saw was the dark wooden wall, the same stain of humidity on its place.

Quickly, she took off her kefta and put it back in its place, along with the note, and ran down the stairs.

She was insane, surely.

Was it really him? Or was she so desperate that her mind conjured it all up just to get her to drop it?

She placed her hands on the sink and looked out. Any trace of the people who lived in the house with her had long since disappeared in the horizon. A butterfly flew across the window and settled on a pink flower.

She looked down and found a loaf of bread left behind.

She didn’t think about it. Her hand went up, her fingers twitched, and the shadow cast by the bread upon the counter shifted and then moved.

It stopped after a few seconds, and she dropped her hand, truly feeling tired this time.

A smile graced her face, and she slowly walked to the couch, where she laid down for a nap.

She examined her fingers with a soft look, and then placed her hand against her right cheek with a silly smile.

Turning, her eyes spotted the first dark corner they could find, and finding some semblance of solace, she drifted off into a world of fantasy, where things may have just been a little bit different.

#shadow and bone #shadow & bone #alina starkov #the darkling #fanfic #darklina #alina x darkling #mentions of mal #mentions of zoya #mentions of genya #i just had to get this out of my head #i love them so much #and this world

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thewatermelloncat · 4 years

Text

Back to the Isle

Check out the character art I did for this here

Summary: Reader is the daughter of Scar and one of the original VKs sent to Auradon. She is asked to help them bring Mal back when she runs away to the Isle. But the reader’s intentions aren’t what the rest of the VKs initially thought…

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“Why is it my problem if she doesn’t want to live here?” you say sweeping your long hair over your shoulder, starring at your boots kicked up on your desk. Feigning uninterest.

“She’s our friend” Evie says from your doorway, tears threatening to spill out her eyes again.

“She’s your friend” you correct starting to play with the feathers at the end of the little braids in the underlayer of your hair. “You know I’ve never exactly fit in with you.”

“We need help, y/n” Evie pleads, tapping her foot impatiently against the floor. Whether or not you were going to help her, she needed to get moving soon. “Come on, just quit the front. I know you want to go.”

“Yeah I do,” your face spreads in a wide smile as you kick your feet down from the desk. “When do we leave?”

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It wouldn’t be wrong to say that your 4-inch high heel boots clomped loudly against the tiled staircase as you descended the flight down to the lobby of the dorm rooms. You could tell from Ben’s expression that he was intimidated by your appearance.

Bright green leather showed from under a ripped black leather jacket like claw marks, worn over a splotchy dark green singlet. Pants made from different sections of golden-brown shades of leather, tucked into your spiked midcalf boots. Lastly, dark green fingerless gloves with bright green knuckledusters attached to the ends like claws. You smiled down at them, your black lips stark in contrast to your bright white teeth, making your canines stand out like fangs. Your look wasn’t like the rest of theirs, perfectly tailored with added zips just to be edgy but serving no purpose. Your outfit was deadly, and if looks could kill you were going in for the slaughter.

“Well waiting around here isn’t going to bring your girlfriend back, is it?” you chirp clasping Ben on the arm as you walk past him. The bright twinkle in your eyes sets him on edge, seeming like you’re excited to be heading into your potential demise.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It was a ridiculous notion to cover the limousine in tarpaulins and expect it to stay hidden, but it was the best they could do. Ben shivered in the darkness of the old garage under the pier, pulling his leather tighter around him as he turned around to where the cold breeze was coming from.

Away from the rest of the group finishing covering up the car, y/n stands alone looking down a large pipe, an odd smirk on her face. “What’s in here?” Ben asks coming to stand next to her.

“You don’t want to know” Jay says suddenly appearing from behind him and pulling him away from the pipe.

“Let’s get moving” Evie suggests beginning to stride off through a gap in the wall. “Y/n, you coming?” she asks when the other girl doesn’t move.

After a few seconds y/n tears her eyes away from the pipe, seemingly with great difficulty, and follows after them.

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The streets of the Isle are worse than Ben could have ever imagined, even with Mal’s descriptions. Children sleep in fraying boxes, people are passed out drunk in alleyways, and every minute or two a scream echoes from some undisclosed location.

Ben can’t help but notice it looks like his friends are walking on egg shells as they creep through the streets, even Jay who Ben hadn’t expected to see caution from. Though y/n’s body language is completely different, while the rest of them seem to shrink down into the shadows, she stands tall striding along like the place is hers for the taking.

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Ben’s heart was crushed as he walked down the metal stairs outside of Mal’s hideout. He acted on autopilot as Evie told him that she would try talking to Mal, and for now that was the hope he held onto. Though if he’s honest, he didn’t see much hope in Mal changing her mind at all. Why would she want to stay here, imprisoned on a dangerous island instead of being safe in Auradon with him, with everything she could ever ask for? It didn’t make sense to him.

Y/n smirks slightly as Ben re-joins the group, his chat with Mal clearly having not gone to plan. She had never thought it would work in the first place. Although Mal may not be her favourite person, she knows that she’s headstrong and wouldn’t change her mind over being offered a shinny gold ring and a handful of empty promises. Serves the King right to have his heartbroken, it’s a lot less painful than the lives people have to live here.

Nonetheless, when she sees Ben disappear alone down an alley, she pushes off the wall she was leaning against, rolling her eyes as she follows behind him.

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“I know you’re the King but you can’t walk off alone” y/n says as she catches up to Ben as he exits the alley into the market place. “If you think these people like you or respect you, you’re sadly mistaken.”

“Why doesn’t she want to come back?” is all that he says in return.

“Did you not hear what I said?” y/n checks, becoming frustrated at his lack of forethought. “It’s dangerous here, you can’t walk around alone.”

“Especially if you’re the King” a heavily accented voice enters the conversation as its owner steps out of the shadows.

Ben stumbles back in fright at the tall boy in a red leather jacket standing dangerously close to him, unbeknownst right into the arms of two other boys who had closed in behind him. He struggles against their grip on his arms. “Y/n, help!” he pleads to the girl who ignores him, seeming to be having a silent conversation with the boy in the leather jacket.

Suddenly she smiles and laughs throwing herself into him, and he laughs manically before their lips lock together. Instantly his hands go around her tracing along her body from her jaw down her neck and her chest to her waist. Her hands go up his neck and into his hair as their lips work passionately against each other. He takes hold of her leg and pulls it up to his waist, she hooks it around his back and lifts her other leg off the ground latching it onto him as well. Ben senses the boys behind him watching with interest as they smile and chuckle to each other, seeming like they are enjoying the show. But Ben feels sick as he watches her abandon him.

After what seems like an eternity the two break away and the boy turns to boys restraining Ben, “take ‘im to the ship.”

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“Maybe she’s with him?” Carlos suggests in an attempt to calm Evie as she paces frantically at the base of the stairs.

“Should we tell Mal?” Jay asks hesitantly, already fearing how she will react.

“No” Evie immediately shakes her head. “Not until we know for sure that something bad has happened to him.”

“So, you don’t think Mal would lose her shit if she found out that you didn’t immediately tell her about Ben going missing?” y/n says as she steps out of the alley. Harry at her side walking hand in hand.

“Harry” Evie breathes, her and the boys stepping into a tightly formed group for defense.

“What did you do with Ben?” Jay demands puffing his chest up as he looks at Harry.

Harry does nothing but laugh at the pitiful display of dominance, while y/n glares at Evie who is looking at her accusingly.

“What? You think that I augustrated this?” y/n raises an eyebrow at her. “I was in Auradon with you!”

“And did you?” Evie crosses her arms and leans her weight on her hip.

“Nah” y/n shakes her head and shrugs her shoulders, “I just didn’t argue when it did.”

“Y/n, step away from him” Jay says in a tone aiming to control her, eyes locked in a glaring match with Harry.

Y/n takes pride in the fact that Harry’s hand doesn’t tighten around her own, him not doubting her loyalty. She doesn’t move and though Carlos can see she doesn’t intend to, he tries his hand at one last-ditch effort.

“You can’t go” he begs. “You don’t have to go back to being bad.”

Y/n’s face spreads in a wide smirk and the chuckles that shake her shoulders morph into a maniacal laughter that bounces off the walls of the alley. “That’s where you’re wrong… I always was.”

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Ben had been watching puddles form from water dripping from the ceiling above him for what seemed like hours. The depths of the ship were damp and dark, the only light coming from a few faded lanterns that hung from the walls around him. About five minutes ago he had heard a mighty cheer sound through the floor boards as someone appeared to be welcomed onto the ship, but that had since faded into the back of his mind. It didn’t mean much to him until he saw who it was that walked through the door.

“I don’t understand” he says blankly.

“The world is complicated” y/n states coming to sit on a crate in front of him, casually kicking one leg over the other.

“Who are these people and how do you know them?”

Y/n chuckles darkly seeming to ignore him. “You know it’s cute that you ask about my life only when your life depends on it.”

Ben’s fearful look deepens as she speaks her next words.

“This is my old crew.”

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“What you need to know is this place is hell” y/n begins. “Our parents want us to be independent, to not rely on anyone, but you’d be an idiot if you did it alone.”

Ben shifts, sitting up straighter against the post he’s tied against. Something in his eyes tells y/n that he is interested in this for more than diplomatics.

“Uma found me when I was 11. Found myself in a bad place...” Y/n trails off for a moment it being clear that she doesn’t want to continue. “She took me in and didn’t ask any questions. Gave me a home and food – a safe place. In exchange I would work for her. Same with everyone else on this ship.”

“What kind of work would you do for her?” Ben inquires.

“You really didn’t research me, did you?” y/n kicks her legs forward and leans back on her hands like she owns the situation. “Put it this way. If you knew the things that I’ve done, you would have never let me step foot in Auradon.”

“But in Auradon you seemed like such a good person” Ben stutters in disbelief.

“I’m a master manipulator, Ben” she says bluntly. “It’s what we’re taught here.”

“But you can change. You can be that person you were in Auradon” he tells her adamantly.

“I can’t” she shakes her head. “… I won’t.”

“Why not?” it almost sounds like he’s whining.

“Because I don’t want to” y/n snaps at him, leaving them in a long silence.

“Who was that boy?” Ben voices quietly after a while. “The one with the red coat in the market. You seemed rather fond of him.”

Y/n scoffs, a smile appearing on her face, “Harry.”

“Who is he?”

“He’s Uma’s first mate” she says with a proud look in her eyes.

“And who is he to you?”

“We’re in a partnership.”

“A partnership?” the pitch of Ben’s voice raises in confusion and he furrows his brow. “Like an alliance or you’re dating?”

“No one dates on the Isle, Ben” she tells him seriously. “At least not around here. We belong to each other.”

Ben goes silent while he considers something. “Come back with me” he says looking back up at y/n still lounging on the crate in front of him. “Untie me and this will all be forgiven.”

“Why would I come back with you? I’ve made my alignment pretty clear” she fights back the temptation to laugh at his stupidity.

“I’ll let Harry come back with us.”

Y/n laughs dismissively, actually sounding joyful. Her smile showing off her fanglike teeth. “Harry would rather die than go to Auradon.”

“Well, then you can choose someone else to come back with you. Do you have any siblings?”

The pitch of her laugh changes at his offer, the dark sound filling the room. “Your bribery won’t work on me. How many times do I have to tell you?” y/n pauses crossing a leg over the other like she wasn’t planning on moving anytime soon. “I’m not going back.”

#disney descendants #disney descendants fanfiction #harry hook x reader #scar

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lover-of-trash-and-people · 3 years

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netflix shadow and bone s1 e5 pt3: peak darklina

the first kiss scene Alina is so beautiful Her little smile as she picks up his kefta after he hears him call out for Ivan to get it like ooh I'm gonna play a little trick on Alek Her making him smile with a joke that's not even funny The tentativeness of it all, them tiptoeing around each other, testing the boundaries Him being taken aback by her offering to help him put on his kefta but still wanting her to and immediately resorting to business voice asking questions about official sun summoner stuff And putting on his serious business face him trying to explain away the gloves by calling them a safeguard, not a sign of him not trusting her abilities the face he makes after saying spectacle either depicting his distaste for the showiness of the event or depicting his embarrassment at how he phrased the sentence, like what the fuck did I just say (more likely the first one) Her quickly turning around and walking away after the eye contact makes her realise how close they are and him pulling a puzzled look as she does so Just. Just how adorable the energy is. Both of them making jokes to diffuse the tension, her gripping the table to maybe steady or calm herself, the looks they give to each other as if engaged in a delicate dance; god-like Him straight up just blinking and looking down and gulping as she says 'we can offer Grisha and Ravkans hope' (could be multiple things he's thinking at this point, and all of them interest me) 'That means a lot to me, Alina.' *her turning to look at his face* 'You mean a lot...' *her immediately lowering her gaze and tracing where her mal scar used to be lmao* 'to everyone' *her raising her gaze to him again* The music swelling as she walks up to him, her barely grazing her fingers against his collar, his eyes looking across hers as if in disbelief, her looking at his lips, and then her closing the gap between them. Him being a little stiff, indubitably from being shocked, and yet giving into it almost instinctively as if he can't help it. The violin coming in powerfully yet softly to emphasize the tenderness of it all. This thing has been made with so much love and I can't contain myself about it. Him opening his eyes half a second after Alina, almost as if waking up from a dream and then, following a relaxing of his facial muscles as he clearly regains his composure, immediately looking inscrutable. Her doubting herself, not losing eye contact as he stands up from the desk, but her sudden fear, regret, and embarrassment clear on her face. Her sides of her lips slowly rising giving way his own self mirroring her and breaking into smile and composing himself and breaking into smile again before saying 'Not many people surprise me, Miss Starkov'. Her now fully breaking out into a smile, her face a picture of unguarded joy, she looks down only to have his gaze follow her face. Both of them giddy in the other's presence and the audience can feel it. It feels like he is leaning in for another one when the sound of the door opening makes them spring apart, regaining their composures and standing at a respectable distance from each other. Her poorly suppressing a smile, him looking at her visibly, her mimicking him with a glance out of her periphery, causing her to give in to her smile completely. Him looking visibly distracted as he attempts to pay attention to whoever came into the room. the Jesper of it all Jesper the mega idiot not being able to control his face from doing a thing as he realises the person who caught him where he wasn't supposed to be is the same person he was making sexy eyes at before and yet regaining his composure in record time The poor stable hand actually being interested in Jesper and being adorable with Jesper just being like charm itself Can you believe looking at Jesper Llewellyn Fahey in the flesh and having him make sexy eyes at you and then forgetting about it? Because I simply cannot. The line about light role play? Felt a little not right. GO OFF STABLE HAND WHO PUSHED JESPER AGAINST A WALL AND KISSED HIM, HE LITERALLY SAID IM POPPING OFF AND

THEN HE DID Zoya Zoya saying fuck off to the random racist comment made by one of the guests, but she was racist to Alina herself? (I mean South Asian-East Asian hate is not uncommon so idk) David omg the cutie pie adjusting his hair at the fete HEARTRENDER FUCKING HUSBANDS Fedyor insisting on Ivan eating the sweet and Ivan's solemn head shake like no babe im on a diet and Fedyor being like heart eyes please eat the sweet my love and then Fedyor holding Ivan's face to make him nibble off a corner and Ivan's face splitting into a reluctant grin Kaz the actor Seeing Kaz the actor instead of Kaz the master of trickery and plans is an interesting thing Kanej being Kanej cute banter interaction, would recommend, 10/10 hints at Arken being sus The look Kaz gives Arken when Arken leaves, I really should have known, I was simply being a clown Darkling and the dumb royalty We love the Darkling suppressing his anger at these otkazat'sya rulers dissing the grisha and the little palace Alina's entrance The soft hum that we hear when Alina enters but we don't see her face Alina's adorable peeking The Darkling's expression changing despite being done af with these mfers and instantaneously on catching a glimpse of Alina, she really has that power huh He really made it look like his pupils dilated and who knows maybe they did Him trying to call her out for not following protocol but him melting and saying 'you look lovely, by the way' Her saying 'you look like you needed saving' I can't breathe you're so cool ballroom at the little palace I must confess I expected the ballroom of the winter fete to be bigger

GENYADAVID looking at each other and pretending not to look at each other, my fucking heart Kanej being Kanej Kaz implying they're gonna try to trick the people into thinking that the fake sun summoner is real and Inej being done with his shit Alina's demonstration HER NAME IS ALINA STARKOV yes mfer The way people back away as he steps, god the power of this man Inej looking at Kaz omfg Okay him clapping the darkness into the room was cool af I love the shadow summoning effects so fucking much The first bit of light that Alina summons lighting up the gold parts of her black kefta, absolute perfection Alina just enjoying her power and then looking to Alek, his lips parting when she does Aw Fedyor looking at Ivan in a I told you she could do it way Genya and Fedyor exchanging glances as Alina besties THE CROWD SAYING SANKTA ALINA INEJ SAYING SANKTA ALINA WITH HALF A TEAR IN HER EYE DAMN THIS IS POWERFUL Jesper and Dima IMMEDIATELY TRANSITIONING TO JESPER SAYING 'SAINTS' AS A NAKED STABLE BOY GETS OFF OF HIM AGAHSJSJSJKS I CAN'T IM CACKLING AT THE AUDACITY OF THIS SHOW HOW ARE THEY SO PERFECT (his name's dima btw) Poor fucking Dima getting frightening orders from his superior as his hookup sneaks out with horses that are definitely not his Arken the little shit Ah Arken why'd you have to go and do this I was actually amused by you before the malyen factor omg Mal's here and someone saw him getting here apparat and faith? The apparat literally jumping out of the palace walls at Alina lol man I do love the religion angle of this universe and it would have been so fucking cool if it were explored a bit better ew apparat that grab was very violent mal/darkling interaction the darkling's reaction at his recognition of mal was so funny ah yes my arch nemesis, the other angle of this teen immortal love triangle how utterly delightful someone explain the darkling's 'are you alright' to mal, is it because Alina was worried sick, is it mind games, is it curiosity, what is it Im still don't know how to feel with them attaching a literal symbol to the sun summoner, to Alina's dreams and to the stag itself 'not until I see Alina' THE LOYAL HIMBO ENERGY IN THIS ONE ISTFG I have never known nose acting until I saw Ben Barnes, he uses his nose in his acting and it is absolutely wonderful; case in point, the 'i beg your pardon' to mal with the rage making his voice shake okay but why is every mal darkling interaction like, everything the prompt answer our baby mal gives and the satisfaction it brings to his face, fucking amazing the darkling being literally struck by this, his mouth literally agape, king this is a 20 year old lmao Baghra! OMG WE GOT A GLIMPSE OF BAGHRA'S FIRE YES Genya supremacy Genya beating Arken up let's fucking go Marie's plot influence and Racism? Yellowface? again? hmm bardugo (then again, I have no authority over this, I'm south asian) Ive already talked about how I'm interested in knowing if and how changing Marie's time and place of death going to influence the plot much because in the books it caused a chain reaction doing a lot of stuff Alina, my love Alina just, laughing with other Grisha, feeling at home, ah be still my treacherous heart Mal's confrontation scene with Alina that was in the books being retconned to Mal calling out to her body double, hmm, probably to make Mal more likeable, I don't have any feelings about this particularly Nadia and Fedyor Okay the both of them, smiling and walking, hand in hand, cute mlm wlw solidarity moment that I missed during the first watch Kanej interacting with Alina Why is Alina literally so adorable The music picking up as the Inferni catches sight of the 'limping man' (what? it was funny when he said it) Blue Irises Alina's face showing a certain sense of calm when Alek shows up Alina's face after the Darkling says 'for you' and presents her with blue irises is something like gasp okay you've got game sexy shadow man mal fite time omg I thought she was taking mal to talk to Baghra or smth not to kill him 🤡 aren't oprichnikis like

otkazat'sya or am I missing smth? Because Baghra's spy is obvs a fabrikator THE DESK SCENE omg the scene hath arriveth the fact that Alina can't stop smiling gods, the flirting 'I don't recall this, being part of the schedule' him turning back and saying 'it isn't' her hiding her face through the cover of smelling the flowers and just how coy she acts, like the literal eyelid batting Ma'am how embarrassing for you to have feelings rn these two are my absolute favs of all time the camera moving as they move from their spots on which they had to stand on to get the shot of their shadows almost kissing her nodding and smiling at him saying 'she'll probably be alright' like okay I'm ready for smooches kiss me already and him going 'don't you think' trying to savour this moment IM SORRY BUT THE FUCKING SCORE AT THE MOMENT THEIR LIPS MEET YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND I CANNOT COPE the way his hand is so big that he can almost hold her entire face in it the way she grips the back of his head I'm sorry I feel so disrespectful saying this but the sounds they make+I think that's a um titty grab or maybe it's just a holding someone and the placement was um unintended but I doubt it because everything in this fucking show is so intentional+ the lift up onto the desk+ the faces they make+ um god I'm going to hell for this but when they sort of grind into each other (I understand this is acting and they're just good at their job) but god does all of this make my heart race and also makes me happy I guess LITERAL GIGGLES I can't I'm soft 🥺🥺🥺 his little head shake at the knock on the door when he goes in for one last kiss before she gets off the desk and her eyes going all oy you, go get the door, I'm not going anywhere don't make whoever it is wait is so adorable and domestic her just standing there mouth agape to herself when he walks away HIM STILL FLUSHED AND BLUSHING AND HIS HAPPINESS CLEAR AS DAY ON HIS FACE WHEN HE OPENS THE DOOR his gaze flits to her when Ivan says Alina was the target 'I'll be waiting' love, I physically can't anymore Little cheek hold and walk away Her little smile to herself nearly fading before he jumps back in again to her surprise and to ours to hold her face with both his hands and kiss her one last time, and yes, he does kiss like he's being drafted for the war in the morning Her little mouth open and close and then her little smile to herself after he leaves I refuse to watch the rest of the episode right now because no let me steep in the darklina bliss

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storyofmychoices · 4 years

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Plan B: Once a thief...

[Mal Volari x Daenarya Masterlist] [Mal’s Orphanage Series]

Characters: Mal Volari, Daenarya (F!MC, human), Rayden (OC), Lydo (OC), Vayne (OC); Threep, Loola

Warnings: brief allusion to child endangerment; some violence (adult/adult)

Setting: Mal tried to rescue Lydo through negotiation; Vayne, the leader of the Thieves Guild said no. This is Plan B.

This follows Welcome Home

(This is the fifth part of Rayden & Lydo’s story.)

Synopsis: After failing to rescue Lydo, Mal regroups and comes up with a new plan. With the help of Daenarya, Threep, and Loola, can he succeed?

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

“Wait!” Threep scoffed, holding his paw over his chest, feigning offense. “You invited me as… a distraction… As if I were bait?”

Mal pretended to consider it a moment longer, his fingers stroking his beard. “Yup! You’re really only here because we need your girlfriend.”

“She’s not my girlfriend.” Threep puffed out his chest. “And, I’ll have you know I—”

Mal cut him off. “Your girlfriend has ice magic, Daenarya has light magic, and I’m a legendary outlaw and hero who knows that complex better than anyone else. Remind me again what you do beside deliver mail.” He chuckled to himself, “drink milk?”

“Why you!” Threep hissed, the fur on his back standing up, his claws extending, ready to pounce.

“KITTY!” Rayden popped in the room, rushing toward the nesper.

Threep tried to move away from the child, but Rayden scooped him up, pulling him closer. “Hey, watch it!”

The light glistened off of Rayden’s widened eyes as his mouth fell open. “You can talk?”

“Of course! I’m a nesper, an ancient being of noble ancestry that should be worshiped and—oh, that feels quite nice. Oh!”

Rayden scratched between Threep’s ears as the nesper’s eyes closed stretching into the child’s warm embrace. “Cute magic kitty!”

“I am quite adorable!” Threep nestled further against Rayden enjoying his pets, blocking out the Rogue’s deep guffaw.

“Can we keep him?” The boy turned to Daenarya hugging Threep snuggly.

She knelt beside him. “He’s not a pet, sweetheart. He is a special creature who deserves to be free.”

Rayden’s lip quivered slightly as he looked down at his new friend. “But I love him.”

“I know.” She caressed his cheek. “I’m sure Threep will come to visit some times, won’t you?”

The nesper purred contentedly, “It would be my honor.”

“Oh, great! You mean we have to see more of the mangy cat?” Mal scoffed.

Daenarya shot him a look, before turning her attention back to the child. “Rayden, we need Threep to go rescue your brother. So, I’m going to need you to put him down.”

“Aww,” the boy and the nesper whined almost simultaneously.

“Oh, Threep. Have a little respect for yourself,” Loola rubbed her paw over her eyes.

“Let him stay,” Mal shrugged. “We can do without him. Besides, babysitting sounds far more his speed.”

“Threep, what do you want to do?” Daenarya questioned.

“I’ll go where I’m appreciated. Since that is not with you lot, I’ll stay with the boy!” Threep shifted under Rayden’s touch. “A little to the left. Right there. Ahhh.”

“Be careful! And, don’t let him leave the house,” Daenarya instructed.

“I think we will manage just fine,” Threep purred, looking up to Rayden. “Got any cream cakes?”

“Loads!” Rayden nodded, carrying his new favorite friend off to the kitchen.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

The dim light they carried flickered against the rough, stone walls of the underground tunnel. The path turned and curled deeper into darkness, the cold of the earth prickling at their skin. Daenarya shuddered, her heart beating faster with each step they took. It wasn’t as though this was their first adventure, but they had been so focused on fixing up the orphanage, that adventuring sort of fell away. Her stomach tightened, hoping this plan would be enough, she couldn’t bear the thought of going home without Lydo, Rayden would never understand. He had already set aside some of his things for his brother. A smile crept across her face, hidden by the shadows. She hadn’t known Rayden long, but she loved him dearly.

“Okay, this is it.” Mal held up his hand.

Loola fluttered softly landing on his shoulder.

“Remember the plan. You find Lydo and bring him back here. Loola and I will buy you as much time as we can. You got this, Kit,” he reassured her, before turning out their only source of light. “Meet back here in 10 minutes!”

“Mal?” Daenarya questioned, stopping him for a moment. Despite the darkness, her lips found his softly, her fingers tangling in the hair at the base of his neck. “Please, be careful.”

“Always,” he brushed a kiss on her forehead before turning away. The old latch on the door creaked and clanked, the noise echoing through the abandoned tunnel behind them. “Good luck!”

The door opened into a small room, stuffed with what could only be described as junk. They had to shove it, pushing away a pile of broken furniture, to even make enough space for them to slip in.

As they reached the next door, Mal motioned Daenarya to the left, as he and Loola turned right.

Daenarya took calculated steps, careful as she turned corners, staying close to the wall in the unfamiliar space. She had memorized the directions Mal had given her, now she just had to hope the kids still stayed in the same room they did ten years ago.

“Vayne! I know you’re here.” Mal called, as he made his way through the building. He opened any door he passed by giving him multiple escape routes for his retreat, or at least, letting them think he could be in any one of them. It would buy him a little time. There was actually only one room he needed to make a quick detour to.

His voice grew louder and more urgent. “VAYNE! Come out and fight, old man.”

Loola fluttered safely above the Rogue, near the high ceilings, keeping watch and ready for his signal.

The heavy footsteps of guards from all over the compound headed in their direction, exactly where he wanted them.

“Come and get me.” Mal challenged, his fingers already flirting with the hilt of his daggers, ready for whatever awaited him.

Daenarya drew in a sharp breath ducking into an alcove as a guard rushed by. She counted to three, steadying herself. She was starting to wish she hadn’t agreed to let Threep stay behind. She wasn’t used to not having back up.

Swiftly, she swept through the long corridor peering in each open room, to make sure it was safe before proceeding. She found the place she was looking for near the end.

The large room revealed more than a dozen children sitting or lying around the room on scattered piles of dingy blankets and pillows. All of the children darkened with dirt, faces worn and tired, desperately needing more than they were getting. They quickly averted their gaze from the stranger, moving closer together for safety.

“Lydo. Lydo?”

A boy with the same shaggy dark hair as his brother caught her attention. From Rayden’s description, she expected the boy to be closer to twelve or thirteen, this child was less than ten, possibly only a year or two older than his brother. She knelt beside him. “Are you Lydo?”

He quivered, shifting away from her. “Yes.”

She held out her hand to him. “I’m here to get you out of here.”

“I can’t,” he cried, his eyes welling up in fear. “They have my brother. They said if I left, they’d kill him.”

“Rayden? He’s safe. Come with me and I’ll take you to him.”

“They said you’d say that. They said they’d kill him,” he whimpered. “He’s all I have. I won’t let them hurt him.”

Daenarya could easily grab the child and carry him out, but that would risk causing a scene. Her fingers tapped nervously at her side as she thought of a way to convince Lydo of the truth. “When it rains and there’s thunder, you sing a song to make it less scary for Rayden.”

“How do you know that?”

“He told me.” Daenarya held out her hand again. “I promise, if you come with me right now, I will take you to him.”

“Is he okay?” His face lightened, as he breathed fully probably for the first time since being taken all those weeks ago.

“Yeah.” She took his hand. “He just misses his brother.”

“What about the rest of them?” Lydo questioned, his gaze shifting to the other children, who still turned away from them, knowing the punishment for trying to escape.

A tear fell from her eye, knowing that the hard choice was the right choice. For now, they were safer there. It wasn’t a good life, but Mal had always said it was better than living and dying alone on the streets. “We’ll come back for them. I promise. We don’t have enough time or resources right now.”

She took his hand and guided him through the compound heading back to their meeting spot.

“Now then.” Mal quirked an eye and twirled his daggers, eyes trained on the two guards closest to him.

With a flick of his wrist, the smaller one sailed through the air behind him, landing with a thwack in the guard’s leg, causing him to fall on the spot. He lashed out quickly in front of him, the larger dagger clutched tightly in his fist, pierced the guard’s side between his armor; Mal immediately kicked his weapon away. As more guards headed his way, he let a few further blades shoot through the air, each one easily finding its target.

“LISTEN TO ME!” He whistled loudly to get their attention. “You and I are no different. I was where you are once. I served Vayne every day as you do. And what do you get for it? Huh? Nothing. He promises you a better life, but he takes everything you have. Look around. Is this what you want? I am proof that you can leave this place. There is a world out there waiting for you. Why serve a self-appointed king. Take a stand today, and be a pawn no longer. What do you say?”

The men looked at each other, their weapons holding steady toward him, but none advancing.

A slow clap echoed behind the guards as Vayne moved closer. “Nice try, Volari, these men will not accept your lies. Unlike you, they have loyalties. Now, I believe I made you a promise?”

“A promise to return the gold you took the other day?” He countered, reaching behind him to grab a bag of coins from his belt. “Because, I already helped myself to your treasury. You really think you’d change the location after the last time.”

“I’ve been waiting a long time for this.” The old man sneered. “Kill him.”

“Wait! Just one moment.” Mal held up his finger. “It looks like this bag of gold does not belong to me. I guess you’ll be wanting it back. He threw the bag into the air above the guards’ heads, gold coins showering around them. Each thinking the same thing. “NOW!”

As the guards clamored around the fallen coins, Loola’s eyes brightened, flashing white as the floor beneath the guards turned to ice.

“He’s getting away!” Vanye yelled. “After him.”

As Mal and Loola made their escape, they heard the cacophony of armor clashing against armor as the men slipped and fell over the ice. Loola left a few other patches of ice along the way, just in case any guards happened to make it off her skating rink.

“I can’t believe you got rid of the gold,” Loola marveled.

“As if I only took one bag,” Mal smirked.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Lydo barely got in the door before Rayden ran, jumping into his brother’s arms, almost knocking the frail boy over.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” Rayden cried. His little arms wrapped tightly around his brother, refusing to let him go. “I was so scared.”

Lydo held his brother equally as close, his eyes swelling with tears. “I’m sorry, Rayden. I shouldn’t have left you. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t ever leave me again,” Rayden sniffled into his brother’s shirt. “Please don’t leave me.”

“I won’t,” Lydo breathed, burying his head in his brother’s hair. “I love you, Rayden. I’m so sorry.”

“I love you, too, Lydo!” Rayden smiled, happier than they had ever seen him.

Mal wrapped his arm around Daenarya as she held back tears of her own. She knew better than most the love of having a brother, and what being separated from them feels like. Luckily for both of them, they were reunited with their brothers.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Perma tags: @lilyoffandoms ; @raleighcarrera ; @mfackenthal ; @the-soot-sprite ; @virtuallytakenby ; @zeniamiii ; @kaavyaethanramsey; @choicesobsessed; @xjustin-ethansgirliex ; @caseyvalentineramsey; @trappedinfandoms; @anotherbeingsworld ; @tyrils-star

Blades Tags: @princess-geek ; @brightpinkpeppercorn ; @missameliep ; @mvalentine; @walkerswhiskeygirl ; @nyastarlight

#Mal Volari #Mal Volari x MC #Blades of Light & Shadow #Threep #Bolas #Loola #Mal x MC #fanfiction #daenarya #mal x daenarya #Rayden #Lydo #Vayne

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