#that seeing someone so small and so mortal doing what he does is just incredible

[xiaosonlybeloved]

Promises- Xiao

featuring:- Xiao, gn!reader tags:- fluff only (...again.) a/n:- ughhh this is only for new year i swear not again. as usual, not proofread and whoo im back to writing for genshin!

wc:- 0.9k || masterlists

Xiao stood silently on the terrace of Wangshu Inn, watching the hustle-bustle of the mortals, lost in thoughts. It would be midnight in an hour or two, and with it would come the beginning of another new year. 

Xiao didn’t get all the excitement these mortals created around New Year. Nevertheless, as usual, he did his job to protect Liyue every night. 

He was staring at the brightly-lit scenery in front of him, countless stars twinkling above and all sorts of lanterns burning bright below, when he felt a familiar presence come up to him. And a rare small smile graces his pretty face, when he sees you stand next to him with a grin. “Enjoying the view? The celebrations this time are even more festive than last time.” You ask. 

“I don’t see the point in these activities. Perhaps these mortals have nothing better to do.” He scoffed, although there was no sting in his words.

Often Xiao wondered how he had been so lucky to find someone as extraordinary as you. You- kind, caring, empathetic, understanding, and yet you could also be ruthless, merciless and fierce when it came to protecting your loved ones. You, who stayed with him all of this long time, never once abandoning him, even when he came home exhausted, covered in blood, late into the night. It couldn’t have been easy, to put up with him all this time, and yet you did. And when you passionately told him that you’d always stay with him, no matter what, he could somehow believe your reassuring words. Sometimes, no, often, Xiao felt like he did not deserve you, not knowing that you felt the same way. After all, he was one of the great adepti, and incredibly reserved and antisocial. How you’d managed to get him out of his shell, not even you knew. But oh well, enough of all that. It is New Year after all.

“Alright, alright, Mr Adeptus.” you laughed jokingly. “Come on, I have somewhere I wanna take you to.” Sensing his hesitance, you add, “Don’t worry, I’ve made sure no one’s there. Its pretty secluded, so it’ll be just the two of us. Its my surprise for you for New Year’s.” And again, he falls a bit more for you like he does everyday, at your care for him, something he’s undeserving of. (In his opinion- you would beg to differ.)

So you two set off, with Xiao following your lead, silently admiring you from behind. The atmosphere between you is quite comfortable as you hold his hands easily, leading him through some forest to a hilltop. Judging by the lights and the activity they could see in the distant Harbor, the clock was close to striking twelve, and you hurry him through the final stretch before they emerge into a familiar clearing. 

“Remember this place, Xiao?” you ask with a grin. He nods in response, looking around the place where he first met you, where his life completely changed for the better. “How could I ever forget it.” He murmurs, looking around at the decorations you’ve set up here. There was a small hut here, and you ‘d put up lights on it and the surrounding trees. In addition, there’s also a comfy picnic blanket and homemade food. Everything here has a little touch of you, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Again, a comfortable silence falls between you two as you rest on the blanket, overlooking the bustling Harbor, occasionally munching on some goodies (aka you stuffing food in his mouth because he refused to eat.) As the fireworks go up throughout the Harbor together, illuminating the sky brighter than the stars, you lean against him as you take his hand and put something in it. He carefully holds it as if it’s a valuable treasure (Which it is- anything given to him by you is), seeing a beautiful pendant that matches his attire. “..Did you get this for me?” He asks softly, touched by your gesture. “No, I made this for you as your New Year gift.” You respond quietly. “Should I put it on for you if you want?” “Yes, please.” After a bit, he says, “Thank you so much.” You merely smiled as you finished clasping the pendant behind his neck, and then backhugged him. 

He speaks up again. “I… also have something I made for you. It’s not as good as what you gave me, but it’s an adepti protection bracelet. It could help you out sometime.” He cautiously puts the mentioned item into your hands, and he thinks the effort he put into making it is completely worth it when he sees the beautiful smile on your face as you immediately put it on, admiring it.

You spend the rest of the night on that hilltop where everything began, watching the celebrations of a new start, a new chance far below, in each other’s loving company, with the promise of a long and happy future ahead.

Reblogs, votes and comments are very much appreciated <3

[glitchyko]

I’ve decided to just go wild and start showing off my ocs and stories here that I’ve had in my brain and have made art for, even if they make absolutely no sense, starting with my oc that arguably makes the least amount of sense, but I still love her despite that, Xiǎodàn

To explain what’s up with Xiǎodàn, she kind of started as a sort of silly what if thought I had that went something along the lines of, “What would happen if someone was like, born in the scroll?” I’m not sure how to explain it, but before I knew it I was just running with the idea and Xiǎodàn is the result of that-

I’m still working out some of the details of Xiǎodàns story, but I have a sort of general idea of her backstory and her family’s to an extent

So this story starts with Xiǎodàn’s mother, Xīcai, who was a celestial maiden, though she was only a servant/attendant, nothing too grand or special. But she was forced into assisting in a crime (this is one of the things I’m still thinking on) and was caught and sentenced to be imprisoned in the memory scroll, however her punishment was reduced to be only temporary since it came out that she wasn’t helping of her own free will

But when Xīcai was eventually released from said scroll, two things were different about her now, one being her divinity was taken away from her (this was part of her punishment) and she was pregnant-

To explain that Xīcǎi, falls in love with a man who is a apart of the ink scroll (he’s the memory of someone else, I don’t really know how to explain it, ink scroll stuff is hard to explain, but basically he’s not the actual guy, but a memory of him) and stuff happens from there that leads to Xīcai to be expecting when she’s freed from the scroll

So now that she’s a mortal woman, and soon to be a mother, Xīcai works her ass off building a life, getting a home and job and integrating into the mortal realm and raising her daughter, who she named Xiǎodàn, and her daughter looks and acts completely like any mortal human kid would

That changes after Xiǎodàn’s 13th birthday

One day, Xiǎodàn noticed on the very tip of her middle finger, was a small black mark, that no matter how much she scrubbed and wiped it, wouldn’t go away. And with each day that passed, that black stain quickly got bigger and bigger and more appeared as well, and within a month or two, she was basically an ink person, though unlike the ink demons shown in s4, her body has more physicality, she’s got flesh, bones, etc, and her body doesn’t stain everything it touches

So while Xīcai is trying to figure out what to do about her daughters transformation and who she can go to for help, Xiǎodàn stays home and in her room most of the time, since she can’t go outside with her current appearance, cause of this, she’s grown incredibly lonely since she can’t see or talk to her friends in person now, the only person she can talk to face to face is her mom. One day at some point she’s just curled up in her room, and she mutters how she just wants someone else to talk to, before pressing her face into her knees, unaware of drips of ink on the floor slowly coming together and forming a small puddle, until a figure starts coming out of said puddle

It turns out Xiǎodàn can summon Inky (that’s what she calls the protective curse/ink MK) and de summon him whenever she pleases-

In a way Xiǎodàn is kind of like a walking scroll, she can create/summon ink people, but she can’t imprison people in the scroll (maybe she could if she had a piece of the scroll but I’m still deciding on this)

Xiǎodàn is not super eager to trust this ink monkey person who appeared in her room, and Inky isn’t super keen on trusting her either, though they are very curious about what exactly Xiǎodàn is and what she could be capable of, since she was able to bring them out of the scroll without a having a piece of it, and Xiǎodàn summoning inky and talking to them does make her wonder what exactly can she do (inky helps spark her curiosity) but she doesn’t tell Xīcai about this because she doesn’t want her mother to worry or freak out, and Inky advised her not to. So Xiǎodàn sort has Inky as a secret friend, summoning when she just wants someone to talk to about whatever.

One day inky is summoned by Xiǎodàn, and inky notices some bags are being packed and asks what are those for, and Xiǎodàn explains that her mom says they’re going to go to a city called Megaopolis to meet someone Xīcǎi says might be able help her, and when inky asks who, Xiǎodàn says he’s called the monkie kid and Inky just quietly says with a smile, “Interesting…”

And that’s all I’m gonna share for right now, I know this oc and this story don’t really make sense when you think about it, and there’s things I still need to decide on, but I wanted to share these here cause why not

[shadowqueenjude]

Lucien finally loses his shit and does something batshit crazy part 4

“When he spoke again, there was nothing but Autumn Court fire in his voice.”

Lucien has approached Nesta about the mating bond that has her so worked up!

Nesta’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “I am not mated to that brute.” She spat the word brute like a curse.

Lucien sighed. “Why would I make this up?” He dared a step closer. She didn’t step away, holding his gaze. It felt like her stormy blue eyes were branding him with the look that glittered in them. “Search deep within yourself. It’s how you knew he was about to die at the hands of the Cauldron. It’s how he knew you were in mortal peril at the library. You can feel the thread, deep in your gut. It may not be strong, but it’s there. Lingering. Close your eyes. Concentrate. Then you’ll feel it.

To his surprise, Nesta obeyed with little hesitation. “I see what you mean,” she said quietly. “It’s… like a little tingly. The sensation. It’s faint, but it’s there, glowing just slightly.”

Lucien’s eyes narrowed on Nesta. The magic eye was able to register the thread, thin and feeble as it was. Lucien sent a silent thanks to Nuan, his incredible tinkerer friend who had created this masterpiece for him. “I can see it too.”

Nesta’s brows flew up. “Wow, that magic eye must be really special, huh?”

“Yeah,” Lucien grinned.

“What did you mean when you said you could resolve the mating bond? I thought nothing could break it.”

“No one has succeeded yet,” Lucien corrected her. “But based off of the nature of the bond, someone very powerful with the correct gifts could technically do so.”

Nesta’s eyes narrowed. “You have fire in your blood.” Not an insult, but a question.

Lucien’s grin turned wider. “That’s not all that runs through these veins.” The power he had only revealed once, and as far as he knew, no one had ever suspected of being anything other than chance.

Nesta looked him over. A frank, cool assessment. “And what makes you think I want to break the bond?”

Lucien snorted. “Please. You’re living in the slums when you could be living as royalty. You didn’t show up for any of the holidays. I already know from your sister that you despise the Fae. All of this together shows me you hate being here as much as I do.”

Nesta blinked. Not in surprise, but to buy herself time. “I see why they call you the fox.”

Lucien smirked. “Who told you that?”

Nesta shrugged, leaning back against the kitchen counter. “Does it matter?”

“I suppose not.” Lucien idly began braiding a few strands of his hair.

Nesta crossed her arms. Then said, “Cassian tried to give me a gift.”

Lucien stilled his hands, waiting.

“I told him I didn’t want it, that I didn’t want anything of his.” Nesta took a deep breath. “He was furious. He threw his gift into a river. Then he followed me all the way to my house. Insufferable man.”

Lucien scowled. “Bastard. I see where the Illyrians get their terrible reputation.”

A small smile from Nesta at that. “The worst part though, was that I couldn’t feel anything. Until now, I thought I had lost the ability to be normal.” A look at him, grateful this time. “Thank you.”

Lucien blushed. “I didn’t do anything.”

“You listened,” Nesta said simply. “Nobody else bothered.”

She offered a hand. He took it. “Trying to break the mating bond- it won’t hurt me? Or Cassian?”

Lucien shook his head. “It’s not a part of you. Think of it like a bridge between souls. A connection. You lived your whole life without such a connection. You will be able to do so once it’s broken.”

Nesta nodded, closing her eyes. “Then, try it. Do your worst.”

Lucien concentrated. He had been tunneling deep into his power for the past several days, rallying enough power to try and break the bond. He now poured all of his magic into that one thread that connected two souls together. He had already warded the Night Court palace where he was sure Cassian would be for an extended period of time, so he wouldn’t detect anything amiss. And since Nesta hadn’t accepted the bond, there were countless explanations for what happened besides him.

At last, he reached the bottom of the thread. The absolute base of the mating bond, the essence of what it was.

And he found out what the mating bond truly was.

The Mother smiles upon her loving descendants. When she is in a loving mood, when her home is bathed in beautiful colors fit for spring, she sees fit to create bridges. Only her bridges aren’t made of anything found on this land, but rather, the unconscious needs that simmer in the abyss of our minds, things we never knew we wanted or needed because it’s something we dare not voice even in our own heads for fear that someone may hear and snatch away our dreams. These thoughts are blended with the threads of destiny. All who are Fae are born have a mate, but only those with great destinies are fortunate enough to meet their mate. Most faerie mates are born in an entirely different era, never knowing that their mate had not been born yet, and had they lasted another 200 years, they may have lived long enough to meet them. Then at last, these threads are woven into the tapestry of desire, for even the most perfect people for each other cannot last without the chemistry that sparks romance. Because a mating bond consists of these three different kind of threads, it is exceptionally rare to meet your mate, have that mate be somebody who actually wants to be with you in every possible way, and have the relationship last forever. After all, a mating bond is not a true mating bond until it has been consummated.

And then the Mother spoke to him.

You dare try to hand back my gift?

The voice was soft and hard, hot and cold, soothing and harsh, beautiful and terrible, all at once.

Lucien managed not to shudder in fear of the voice that spoke in his mind. Steeled himself. When he spoke again, there was nothing but Autumn Court fire in his voice.

A gift she did not ask for and does not want, with a male who will never deserve her.

Impudent male. You dare speak back to me?

I’m not known to fear any man or beast in this world.

I am not of this world, child. I am this world.

See, you say that, but to me you just sound like a typical arrogant superbeing who’s used to getting what they want.

A musical laugh. I’ve never encountered a creation with quite so much impertinence and bravery as you.

Happy to be of service.

He could’ve sworn there was a smile in her voice as she spoke again. For simply daring to speak to me like that, I shall not eviscerate you.

Gee, thanks.

Quiet, child. I have a great destiny lined up for you, and it would be a shame to ruin it now. You wish to break the thief’s mating bond? I suppose it is fair enough. She takes my powers, and I take her mating bond back in exchange.

That’s settled, then. I also want to break Feyre’s mating bond.

Ah, Feyre Cursebreaker. The girl with two mates.

Lucien’s heart stopped. T-two mates??

Surely, you knew the truth, my lovely fox. I gifted you with brains that none can rival. Feyre is indeed Cauldron-Blessed. She not only has two mates, but they’re both High Lords. Rhysand and Tamlin. Didn’t you know? Why else were you so certain Tamlin would seek out Feyre on Calanmai? Did he not bite her on her neck, claiming her as his own in a way only mates do?

But-

Feyre has two distinct sides to her. The person she was as a human, and the person she became after she let too much darkness infect her heart. No light exists without darkness- but Feyre’s has been twisted and convoluted into the kind of darkness that can only be described as wretched. She has lost her sense of right and wrong. She can never picture herself or her husband as wrong in any situation. My creation has been led too far astray. So perhaps I ought to listen to you and break the bond.

Lucien sighed with relief. This was going pretty easy. Too easily if he was being honest. Honesty wasn’t helping him in this situation, however.

But understand, Lucien Spell-Cleaver. Should you have me do this, you will owe me a debt. For every choice you make, there is a cost. Always.

Lucien did not like the sound of that. But he said, I shall pay that price when the time comes.

I know you will, my darling fox. But will you be prepared when payday arrives?

@readingwritingwatching

[marshmallowprotection]

Vampire fever finally caught me, but as always my mind chooses the path of angst—

And by angst I mean SE Saeran, of course.

So how would my favorite vampire deal with the mixture of guilt and bloodlust? Would he starve himself? Would he absolutely refuse to bite his partner again, even when they implore him to do so because it hurts them to see him suffer like that? I'm so, SO curious.

- Assistant Anon.

At first, he tried to starve himself.

Saeran's self-destructive tendencies are in full-swing.

He wants to destroy himself because he sees no purpose in going on from where he stands. Depending on what happened when he was rescued from that situation he was in, if you were the one to get hurt in the line of fire instead of Jihyun—that would break him.

I imagine he would have built up an image of you in his head, one that imagined you to be indestructible because no matter what he did in a moment of impulse, you would never break. Even if you were human and that meant you could be destroyed, you never felt, so in his head, it almost felt as though nothing could get rid of you, not even him. 

If you got hurt... if he nearly drained you dry... if he hurt your body with any capacity of his brute force?

Well, he would blame himself for it.

You deserve better than the devastation and destruction he brings everywhere he goes. You brought kindness into his world when he didn't know it and even if he didn't deserve it, you still gave it to him readily and he never wanted to put you in a position that would get you hurt. The only reason why he took you was because your blood was so strong, so sweet, and meant for him. 

You were meant to be together, that's what he thought, but after seeing you laying in a pool of your own blood, that would make him want to leave you behind because why would you ever want to be with a damned soul that could kill you at any moment? 

You don't deserve to be damned... to be a monster... to destroy everything you hold dear in a fit of blood lust you can't control. God, he nearly took you away from this world... why would you want to go back into his arms? Get away from him! That's what he screams if you try to come close to him. Get so far away that you can have a normal mortal life!

He can't bear the idea of having been the one to kill you. He can't stomach it.

If he had a stomach, all of its contents would've been expelled the minute he thought about what it would feel like to be the one who killed you.

Saeyoung would have to force blood bags down his throat to keep him alive. That's how bad it would get. But, considering Saeyoung's actions in the canon universe, he already had to be on guard with every attempt Saeran made against his life. This is no different. No glass this time, just blood bags he pays someone off for to ensure his brother is taken care of... since he's afraid of trusting Jumin's offer on the off chance Saejoong thinks something about that when he goes looking.

I imagine that he wouldn't allow himself to feed from you. Even if it was an incredibly desperate situation, he would go out of his way to find something else or just get rid of himself because if it comes between your safety and him becoming a monster, he would rather get rid of himself than have you get hurt again.

It's the same reason why he keeps the tattoo after everything that happened, it is a reminder of what he did and what he was, and as long as it's with him, he can never forget. If he never forgets, then he will always be conscious of his actions. 

He is trying everything in his power to make sure it never happens again, and it is definitely not healthy but it's the only way he knows how to cope with his situation. That's not to say that he doesn't miss the sensation that comes with the intimacy of sharing that moment with you, he does, but to him, it's just... not worth the risk of losing you. 

That is something he's terrified of. 

But, there is a chance... a very small one... that he might let himself drink your blood again. It'll come down to a heated conversation at his worst when he's denying blood bags, and Saeyoung is at his wits end. Obviously, he doesn't want to hurt you, but your blood... the way it works in this universe... it tastes better than any blood... it gives his body the power he needs... way faster than any other blood he takes in.

He will try everything to push you away, but you'll offer your arm up and no matter how much he wants to push it away, you'll keep it in front of him. You were always like that. Even at his worst, you thought about what he needed to survive instead of what you did. It's not a good look for you, but at the same time, he can't deny that kindness in your eyes always made him feel good. 

"Saeran, I want you to take my blood, okay? You're not going to hurt me."

"I could."

"You won't."

"I could."

"But, you won't. Saeyoung's standing outside if that's what you're afraid of. I know you better than that, Saeran, and I know you won't do anything to put me in danger. But if you're so afraid of something going wrong, the minute I make a noise that sounds wrong, he'll stop you. You can't keep denying yourself what you need to survive."

"I can get other—"

"We both know my blood is what your body needs, Saeran. We both know the difference between what happens when you get something for me and when you get it from somewhere else. It's day and night. Let me do this for you. You're not manipulating me to do it, I want to do it."

"...You're insane."

"No, I just love you."

[welcometoteyvat]

Xiao stops by Qingce Village from time to time on his nightly patrols, for the restless spirit of the old chi is not easily quietened. He can feel it sometimes—a sickening heat in the air, agitated whispers in the earth beneath his feet, an oppressive heaviness gathering around the edges of his vision. When the thrumming of violence starts ringing louder and louder in his ears—here, here, come here—he must chase it to its source, slay it, devour it whole—

Xiao inhales sharply. He forces the karmic binds to subside.

Qingce is a quiet little place, and it does not deserve to be tainted by an old god’s hatred.

Tonight, it is peaceful. Crickets chirp in the terraced fields, accompanied by the murmur of water from the slowly turning mill. A half-moon hangs in the sky, bathing the terraced fields in its soft, blue-white glow. Everything is as it should be. And yet…

It feels different— strangely lighter, almost, but Xiao knows that is impossible. It must be something else.

There’s a disturbance by one of the small houses near the outskirts of the village—the chi’s doing? Xiao teleports into a tree on the hill leading down to the fields, makes sure that he is hidden, and listens. There’s a muffled thump from inside the house, and he makes out the movement of shadowy figures against the light of a lantern.

“A-yun? Chongyun, can you hear us?”

“He’s passed out.”

Someone sighs. “His yang energy… what are we going to do, Zitian?” Wait. His… yang energy? Is that why—

“We can discuss that in the morning. Let him rest for now; I’ll get some water for him to drink when he wakes.”

Scuffling noises, and then footsteps growing fainter. A small figure is settled into the bed by the window. It is apparent that nothing dangerous is present—no spirits, no chi—but Xiao is distracted by something else. Because it is unmistakable now; he does feel lighter—freer. The constricting heaviness that weighs on him has lifted, as though a thousand years of karmic debt have been wiped cleanly away. In its place is the gentle night breeze, summer’s touch on the bare patch of skin on his back, the faint fragrance of qingxin in the air.

(He could, perhaps, grow used to this impossible feeling.)

He looks back at the house. There is a blue-haired boy lying in the bed, cheeks slightly flushed, his otherwise pale face illuminated by the soft white moonlight. One skinny leg sticks out from underneath a light blanket as he sleeps, dreamlessly.

So, this is the mortal whose overflowing yang energy must have temporarily rid Xiao of his karmic debt. He looks incredibly unassuming. Xiao cannot remember another human with such an imbalance of yang, even after many centuries of serving Liyue. The condition is rare, and his involvements with mortals rarer still—he may never have met the few other bearers of this peculiar gift. It is impressive, he supposes, that someone so young could have such an effect on curses so old. It is also unlikely, he knows, that he will ever see this boy again. That would be best for both of them; even a unique constitution is far from enough to withstand the nature of Xiao’s karma, and for Xiao, this brief respite has already been enough.

If it is fated, they will meet again.

He slips away before the moon is halfway across the star-speckled sky.

---

author's notes time! a) I have a headcanon that chongyun's family owns some kind of small house in Qingce that's convenient when they're on long trips. b) Zitian is a random name I chose for Chongyun's dad—there's no deeper meaning, I just thought it sounded nice. the 2 ppl talking are Chongyun's parents. c) this scenario wouldn't happen in my head actually LOL. I think if cy were to take a trip out when he's young, he would get sent with an older cousin or two, his parents would probably stay in their mt tianheng residence (wherever it is). idt you need a full set of parents to just bring a kid to tag along on some spirit exorcising d) rather unsatisfied with this ngl but it took me 1 week and I want to be Done with it so here you go. e) probably made up some lore in this take things with a grain of salt f) the most important thing to know about me is that i fucking love writing descriptions and inner monologues and I hate coming up with plot

ok thanks for reading !! <3

also on ao3

[nyctophobia-au]

hmmm OK. I think I got something, sorry if this has already been answered,

How did they meet?

Also just to keep the conversation wheel turning so there's more then just one question to answer/thing to say, I'll just include one of my own headcanons and you can weigh your thoughts in if you want /nf

I feel like Grimm would 110% be the type, where in public, he'd just sort of subtly flirt (and probably be suggestive with it) trying to get pk to blush/be flustered. Just very smooth subtle slips into conversation and little gestures. I can see him probably doing stuff like, if he is going to whisper something, leaning in reeaally close (way more so than he actually needs to)

No, it has not been answered, and you are a God send bc I wanted to talk about this. /pos

Okay, so when they first met, Auri sort of tried to eat him almost,,, LET ME ELABORATE. So, before they met, they were both extremely solitary individuals. Auric was (and still is) afflicted with anxiety and EXTREME tokophobia. He was afraid to interact with other Wyrms for fear of being killed in a territory dispute, or (in his opinion) worse, ending up mated. He was a relatively small Wyrm compared to others (a little runt bitch baby, lmao) and so, he stayed solitary and far away from other Wyrms. He was not able to speak to mortal bugs either. I mentioned this in my Higher Being post about him (you can find it here for more elaboration), but when he was a Wyrm, he was only able to communicate with others telepathically. I often describe it as the ability to "project his voice into others' heads." Vesla actually does this all the time to communicate (she does not have a mouth), but unlike her voice, Auric's voice can be incredibly painful to hear when he wants it to be. As a Wyrm, he was unable to control his voice at all and simply hearing it would be debilitating for any normal bug. Even if it hadn't been painful for others, Auri wasn't exactly interested in speaking to them anyway, being that they were mostly mindless and lacked sentience. So, he was incredibly lonely and unsocialised. Grimm, similarly, didn't really have many companions either. Before his Troupe, he worked relatively alone. He would travel to different fallen kingdoms and find someone to perform the Ritual. His life was a constantly repeating cycle of boredom. His only companion at all was the voice of the Nightmare King within his head (and the two of them really hate each other and fight constantly).

So yeah, the two of them were both really lonely hermits who did not know how to socialise very well (especially Auri).

They first met by chance one evening during a pretty nasty storm. Grimm was wandering the wasteland and desperately looking for a place to take cover from the weather, when he happened upon the cave. When he slipped inside, he realised pretty fuckin' quick that he was not alone in the cave (RIP). Auri was in the midst of a nesting cycle (I also talked about that in the aforementioned Higher Being post), and he was not enthused or happy to be disturbed. Being fatigued and well-fed, however, he did not make an active effort to attack Grimm though (lucky man, I stg). Grimm was initially quite scared for his life!!! But, upon speaking to the Pale Wyrm, he realised that he was actually rather reasonable for a giant, carnivorous apex predator. Also, Grimm was the first ever person who he could actually speak to without hurting. Being that Grimm is the Vessel of a Higher Being, he was able to communicate without any hardship. This whole thing is what led to Auric believing that Grimm himself was the Nightmare King, which was a misconception that Grimm actively fed into and never corrected until the proposal like,,, a century later. But ANYWAYS (getting rambly and off-topic here,,,), Grimm asked big Wyrm Auri if he could sleep in his den until the storm calmed and Auri reluctantly agreed. From that point forward, the two of them began building up a rapport and became amazing friends. Being that Grimm was an entusiastic traveller himself, he adored it when Auri told him about the places he'd been and things he'd seen. Their relationship took on a more romantic context about fifteen years after their meeting, which is hilarious to me because Auri was still a big, giant Wyrm LMAO. Idk how detailed I should get after that, but yeah. Overly-detailed summary. <3 And as for your headcanons about Grimm, I 110% agree! I've always felt he gets a kick out of pushing Auri's buttons and being flirtatious in public. He also strikes me as the really touchy type, enjoying physical closeness. /pos

[moonloredraws]

I just found your blog! Do you have a list of your setting’s gods, their names, and info about them? I’d love to learn about the gods related to those holy symbols :D

Hello and welcome!! Glad you've taken an interest in my lil homebrew setting, and since you're not the first person to ask, I guess it's time for me to make a CHUNKY post about all the info I have so far on my Setting's gods! Now, these are the most commonly worshipped MAIN gods of the setting, I also have other pantheons, and there are local smaller deities that different cultures have, but these 20 are just the main ones that can be found around Manala.

Please be aware that these are the pantheon for my world, you can take ideas but I'd appreciate it if you didn't copy them word for word, thank you in advance!! Let's see if a read more works

Oki doki! Let me copy and paste everything from my google docs that I have for the setting!

Satha, The Lady of Dawn

Alignment: Neutral Good

Domains: Light, Life

Names: Satha, The Lady of Dawn, The Matron of the Morning, The Grand Morrow

Holy Symbol: A ribbon tied around the rising sun

The Lady of the dawn, Satha, is seen as an incredibly gentle deity who eases in the morning light after the harsh uncertainties of deep night. Her followers describe her as gentle and comforting, and her blessings are said to feel warm and kind, and as if the gentle hand of a grandmother had soothed away their worries.

Satha generally appears and is depicted as a elderly woman, with long white braids held together by overly long yellow ribbons. She dresses herself in many layers of clothes, with several shawls, coats, jackets and all other manner of overclothes seeming to bundle her up, and she generally has a very cozy look. Her colours are yellows, oranges, and warm browns.

Kass, The Lord of Dusk

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Domains: Arcana, Trickery

Names: Kass , The Lord of Dusk , The Boy of the Stars, The Tricky Moon

Holy Symbol: A Star over the Setting Sun

The Lord of the Dusk, Kass, is a mischievous deity who’s presence is said to soothe the minds of those who fear the dark of the night. He has few followers, as the few who have come across him don’t know what to think of him, as his actions in front of mortals vary wildly from small pranks, to epic performances of song and dance, to straight up whisking someone away to a place they have never seen before. A select few understand these actions to be distractions, to get people to stop worrying about the horrors that nights on Manala can bring.

Few descriptions of Kass exist, and most of the time he is depicted as a youth, no older than 18, to no younger than 7. His actual appearance varies wildly, to having long brown unruly hair, to short curled locks of white, though one descriptor is a constant: He is always wearing an indigo vest of silver embroidered stars. His colours are said to be bright blues, silver and white.

Aramana, The Glow of the Day

Alignment: True Neutral

Domains: Light, War

Names: Aramana, The Glow of the Day, The Searing Sun, The Everlasting Blaze

Holy Symbol: A sword in front of the Sun

Aramana is the primal deity of the sun and it’s light. Many worship her with an intensity that rivals the shine of the sun itself, and though she is seen as a positive force by many, it’s only her most devout worshippers who know she is cruel in her indifference. Aramana is also seen as a deity of war, and many pray to her and drink toasts in her name before a hard battle. When she reaches out to individuals, she does so because their intense passion for the arts of war have caught her eye, and those blessed by her are most often non-magical generals of great kingdoms.

Aramana has not shown herself to many, as most mortal affairs do not faze her, but the few exceptional warriors who have seen her describe her as an incredibly tall woman with a heavy build, her face always obscured by her helmet, a golden tower shield in one hand, and a platinum greatsword in the other. Her armour is incredibly intricately carved and she has an aura of grandeur. Her colours are Gold, Blood Red and Maroon.

Shalis, The Soothing Night

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Domains: Knowledge, Order

Names: Shalis, The Soothing Night, The Wise Moon, The Hope of the Dark

Holy Symbol: a set of stars joined to form a crescent

Shalis has many followers in the far northern and far southern continents, where nights are long in the dangerous winters. Compared to his solar counterpart, Shalis is actually very invested in the lives of the mortals who inhabit the world of Manala, and his blessing has been received by many. His most zealous worshippers are researchers and sages who aim to gather as much knowledge to arm themselves against the unknown as possible.

Shalis has appeared numerous times in front of people, and each of the accounts has described him as looking the same. His physical form resembles that of an elven man. He has white long hair, slicked back and bewitching purple eyes. Under his simple navy overcoat he wears a white button up shirt, and black trousers and boots. The only sign that gives away his divinity is the glittering band of stars that seems to be drawn onto the skin of his neck. His colours are navy, dusty purple and black.

(Venn is the Avatar of Shalis!)

Haurak, The Roiling Sea

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Domains: Tempest, War

Names: Haurak, The Roiling Sea, The Lord of Storms

Holy Symbol: Two waves crashing away from each other

Haurak is generally known as a war-like god that inhabits storms. Many northern countries worship in hopes that their voices would dissuade his storms passing through their lands, though it never works. He is likened to a madman, thrashing and flailing, causing destruction in his wake. Barbarians and Raiders in the cold lands drink a brew known as “The Heart of Storms” before battle which causes them to go into a violent frenzy, and they lose themselves to the chaos of battle easier.

Haurak is seldomly seen, though when he is, this hulking pale grey figure, with a tall crown of interlocked antlers is described as wearing ragged pelts of greys and browns with completely white eyes, and seeing him is now seen as a bad omen, with many people immediately getting ready to flee the impending storms. His colours are cold browns and greys, and his worshippers wear ragged furs and torn cloaks.

Veranis, The Sweet Winds

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Domains: Nature, Trickery

Names: Veranis, The Sweet Winds, The Sailor’s Lover

Holy Symbol: Rippling water.

Veranis is the gentle god of the winds known mostly to the people inhabiting the warmer coastal areas in Manala. Veranis takes on many forms, and accounts of them vary, at times they take on a feminine form, other times a masculine form, though almost always fey-like with solid glittering emerald eyes. They are applauded for the gentle winds that allow for safe travel between ports, for the cooling winds on a hot day, and for providing good weather in general.

Veranis has been seen by a fair few people, though accounts of their appearance vary with their mood. They always have long straight brown hair, regardless of form, and their green eyes that have no pupil or iris are what they are recognized by. Their colours are spring green, yellow, brown and white. They are the twin of Tharanis.

Tharanis, The Tempest Winds

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Domain: Grave, Tempest

Names: Tharanis, The Tempest Winds, The Whirlwind, The Death Winds

Holy Symbol: A Whirlpool

Tharanis, unlike their twin Veranis, is the god of deadly winds, tornadoes and hurricanes known to the peoples of the warmer regions of Manala. Just as there must be good weather, so must there be storms, and they are often said to be fighting their twin, trying desperately to tip the scales of the winds either way. Few worship Tharanis, and for good reason, their worship grows their power and produces more storms. The few cults who do worship this god usually vie for the destruction and “cleansing” of the world.

Tharanis has not taken on a mortal form before, but descriptions from Veranis describe them as a very gaunt looking figure of ambiguous gender, wearing a mess of sheer overlapping fabrics that never cease to stop moving, with eyes of solid black. Their colours are Blue, Grey and Black.

Kerk, The Bladeforger

Alignment: Lawful Good

Domains: Forge, Order

Names: Kerk, Bladeforger, Steel’s Fire

Holy Symbol: A hand grasping the hilt of a blade

Kerk is the patron of blacksmiths and crafters of blades. Many forges have a holy symbol hanging over their front door, and many smiths pray to him before they start their work day, in the hopes that their work will go smoothly and come out as good as possible. His more devout worshippers build temples near volcanoes in the hopes that their god would be able to hear them better, as he is said to have built his Star Forge where “The Ground spills itself out from inside The World”, and as such, Volcanoes are said to be his holy sites.

Sightings of Kerk have been rare in modern times, but many who have seen him describe the god as being extremely tall in their physical form, with cracked skin through which a molten core seems to move around. He has a bald head and a dark complexion with soft golden eyes, and he is describes as being very kind and patient, teaching his techniques to a few exceptional mortals. His colours are Gold, Orange, Brown and Black

Harme, The Whisper of Words

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Domains: Knowledge, Trickery

Names: Harme, The Whisper of Words, The Spiller of Secrets

Holy Symbol: A pair of open lips with stitch marks

Harme embodies all the dirty secrets people keep, and is the main reason why “politician” is a bad word. He latches onto people’s insecurities and comforts them until secrets are spilled, which he then goes around and plants into the hands of the wrong people. He is the patron of criminal masterminds and relishes in the feelings of despair as people’s worst secrets come to the surface.

Harme does not have a physical form, he only appears as a disembodied voice, and often a flick of shadow from in the corner of one’s eye. His associated colour is black.

Mourne, The Gravekeeper

Alignment: True Neutral

Domains: Grave, Nature

Names: Mourne, The Gravekeeper, The Inevitable

Holy Symbol: A yew sprig with berries

Mourne is a peaceful god, who’s symbol is always carved into the entry arches of graveyards. Across all of Manala, she is worshipped by all who want to have a peaceful passing. Many pray to her in times of plague, to be spared, and if not, that their ends should come swiftly and painlessly. Though she is unaligned, she is seen as a benevolent goddess of death with no desire to cause suffering to bring the inevitable to the present. She abhors undead, as they go against the natural order of the world. “If you do not die, then you stop new life arriving” is a mantra said by many priests and graveyard keepers. She is the god who is seen most commonly in Manala.

When the dead and those who have had near death experiences all describe Mourne as a willowy woman wearing exquisite black robes with white embroideries of various plants. Her physique is much akin to a mummy, her skin pulled over her skull and hands tightly, though most of the top of her face is obscured by a lace veil. Her colours are White and Black, though sometimes her worshippers wear the greens and reds seen on yew trees.

Lailanne, The Mother

Alignment: Neutral Good

Domains: Knowledge, Life

Names: Lailanne, The Mother, The Hearthfire

Holy Symbol: hands crossed over, palms up

Prayers to Lailanne come from all over, since there is a multitude of people wanting a happy home, and safe births. She watches over people having familial troubles and her blessings soothe over and worries parents may have for their children. She takes care of children, and is often seen by small children who she has saved from a spot of trouble, be it stopping them from getting lost in a forest or eating poisoned berries, to stopping potential kidnappings.

To most people she appears as a dishevelled new mother, slightly tired looking but always glowing with an unnatural light. Every person who sees her in this form always gets this feeling that she looks like their own mother. Often, though, she walks through the streets of towns, in various forms that fit the situation, keeping children out of trouble. Often the children do not realize they were helped out by a god until they look back one day, when they’re with their families, and remember the strange glow from a woman who helped them. She does not have specific colours associated with her, but she is always seen with brightly coloured clothes.

Reike, Bringer of Love

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Domains: Arcana, Light, Trickery

Names: Reike, Bringer of Love, The Sweet Kiss

Holy Symbol: An Eye within a star

Reike works in strange ways, a chaotic force that blesses new lovers, often sowing seeds of feelings between people who should not conceivably develop these for each other, but Love works in strange ways. Not much is known about this mysterious god, but many know that she’s up to no good, making people fall in love with anything conceivable. If someone has an obsession that takes hold of them suddenly, the blame often falls on Reike. She acknowledges that love comes in different forms, and for different people and things, so she’s known for being quite creative with where she uses her powers.

The descriptions of Reive vary wildly save for the incredibly long rose gold locks she wears in various styles, and her clothes are always impeccable in terms of their quality. She often appears to incredibly lonely people and personally blesses them with something they will end up loving, be it another person, a hobby or craft, or a place. Her colours are Gold, Pink, Red and White.

Yemek, The Shepherd

Alignment: Neutral Good

Domains: Life, Nature

Names: Yemek, The Shepherd, The Farmer

Holy Symbol: A Stalk of Wheat

Yemek is the god that the shepherds and farmers revere and pray to in hopes of good harvests, easy births, and luck in avoiding famines and plagues. Not much is known of the god, and few outside of farming communities pay him any mind, so any temples to this god are small things, often at crossings on roads and in fields.

No person who has seen Yemek knew that he was a god, as he shows up with very plain clothes, the only thing that can give him away is his boundless wisdom and knowledge on techniques to keep crops alive, and where the best pastures are. His colours are forest greens and browns.

Thane, The Dragonslayer

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Domains: Knowledge, War

Names: Thane, The Dragonslayer, The Beastslayer

Holy Symbol: A sword passing through scaled skin.

The patron of monster hunters across the whole of Manala, Thane is most often prayed to by adventurers about to go in for a very dangerous attack against a dangerous foe, in the hopes that they would be blessed with a killing blow and that their companions would not fall in battle. Thane, though war-like in his essence, praises strategy and being aware of your prey’s weaknesses and strengths before making any moves. His doctrines encourage that anyone looking to slay a foe be well informed on everything they can glean before charging to battle.

Thane has sometimes been seen by bands of adventurers after slaying a particularly powerful or dangerous beast, having performed a service for humanity. Thane always appears as a seasoned adventurer, with a collection of weapons and well worn armour, but his face is always obscured by a helmet of some kind.

Sherbhek, They of Many Eyes

Alignment: Neutral Evil

Domains: Grave, Knowledge

Names: Sherbhek, They of Many Eyes

Holy Symbol: Five eyes in a cluster

Sherbhek is the patron of necromancers, often encouraging particularly strong necromancers to continue on their chosen unholy path by blessing them directly. Many places of unholy power arise from worship of this twisted deity. They like seeing the natural order of the world torn asunder and changed into a shadow of it’s former self.

When they appear, they are described as having a vaguely humanoid form, with robes of green and black, and though the bottom half of their face is vaguely normal, the top half of their head is just an amalgamation of eyes, all moving independently of each other. Their colours are Black and Green

Ianti, The Forest Lord

Alignment: True Neutral

Domains: Nature

Names: Ianti, The Forest Lord, The Wolf God, The Panther King, The Black Tiger, The Mane

Holy Symbol: An Oak Leaf with an Acorn

Little is known about this god who roams the places most untouched by civilization. He often stops advances by civilization in an attempt to preserve exceedingly important natural places, and he is known to become incredibly aggressive if his words are ignored.

In his physical form, Ianti changes to fit his surroundings, wearing the skins of the animal at the top of the food chain. When enraged, he shifts into a giant form of the animal and hunts down those who purposefully ignored his words. His colours are Greens and Yellows.

Elestra, The Lady of the Mountain

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Domains: Arcana, Tempest

Names: Elestra, The Lady of the Mountain, The Snow Woman.

Holy Symbol: A single peak in front of the crescent moon

Elestra is a mysterious god, mainly due to the fact that she answers to no prayers, and that she acts erratically when seen. She is one of the deities who has a habit of appearing often in front of mortals, and she is known for appearing in front of single mountaineers who are lost. She would ask the mountaineers to join her, if they refused, they were left to die of frostbite, and if they joined her, they would be whisked away to an opulent cave home. Few would be able to leave, she would keep them there forever, those who did manage to escape don’t recall how they did so, and it must have been the luck of the ages that befell them that they would be able to escape.

Though she does not answer blessings, which makes people believe that she is just an incredibly powerful spirit than a deity, there are those who believe that she can bless them to stop them getting lost in the mountains.

Elestra is always described the same way, human looking, with white hair and electric blue eyes, dressed in warm brown furs, with climbing gear at her side. Her colours are Browns and Blues.

Shix, The Golden Sands

Alignment: Lawful Good

Domains: Life, War

Names: Shix, The Golden Sands, The Dragon King, He of Gold Scales

Holy Symbol: A Gold Dragon Facing forward with 8 crown-like horns.

Shix is the patron deity of all metallic dragons, and all dragonborn, despite their colour. He is said to be a giant hulking Gold Dragon with horns that resemble a crown atop his head. Like the dragons that are said to have descended from him, he is a paragon of justice and is always fighting all sorts of evil, but most often stories of him depict him fighting Vuhz, the patron of all chromatic dragons.

Clerics and Paladins of Shix believe that it is always worth fighting for hope and justice even in the face of overwhelming evil, and will keep fighting even when it seems that all hope is lost. There are no documents describing what Shix looks like asides from his horns, and there are no records left of anyone having seen him in person. His associated colours and white and gold. (Elerath is the Avatar of Shix!)

Vuhz, The Diamond Scaled One

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Domains: Trickery, War

Names: Vuhz, The Diamond Scaled One, The Rainbow Serpent

Holy Symbol: A dragon coiled in on itself into a knot

Vuhz is the demonic dragon deity that is patron to all chromatic dragons. She feels that she has been robbed of her station as primary deity of all dragons, and is in a fierce never-ending battle to dethrone Shix and claim her place as the ultimate dragon. Her body is not that of a true dragon, she is incredibly long, has one pair of wings and 3 pairs of legs, and looks more like an amalgamation of a dragon, centipede and lindwurm. She has white iridescent scales, and two long horns that sweep back elegantly, but far too many teeth for any mouth.

Vuhz does not have a proper clergy, but more clever individuals will pretend to be clerics of another deity and infiltrate the ranks, often corrupting the priesthood from the inside, before moving on to new places to sow dissent and chaos in other places. Because of how Vuhz looks, any and all colours are associated with them, and their clergy wear what they wish.

Thalia, The Muse

Domains: Light, Arcana

Names: Thalia, The Muse, The Inspirer

Holy Symbol: A ribbon laced around a curled piece of paper

Thalia is the Goddess of the Arts on Manala. She is said to be the fountain of inspiration that feeds into everyone’s creative pursuits. Many Artists, Musicians, Actors, Bards and all other manner of creative person usually worships Thalia, though her worship comes in many forms. Most people simply dedicate a piece or two towards the Goddess, since her official clergy do not ask for any active worship, and simply ask that people create to make her happy.

Thalia takes on many forms, typically feminine but is also known to take on more masculine forms, it depends entirely on who has encountered her, as she takes on the forms most inspiring to them. She has no set associated colour, but most agree that dedicating bright colours to her makes her most pleased.

---- That's that for the main gods of the Prime Material Plane! In addition to these I also have the Everwild and Shademurk (the Manala version of the Feywild and the Shadowfell) but those ones yet don't have holy symbols, and the Shademurk ones are a work in progress because I only have like... 6 gods? Yeah there needs to be more. I'm able to answer more questions, just ask! Or you can have a look at my D&D sideblog @cantrollthatperfect20 of the tag #The World of Manala!

[bandedbulbussnarfblat]

Nothing

My latest Armand/Daniel one shot. Read it here or below

“Why do you want to be a vampire?”

It’s late and Daniel is exhausted.  Armand has kept him up talking and talking, debating philosophy, the nature of being a man in the twentieth century, why mortals love wars.  All Daniel wants is to sleep.

But this is a chance to get Armand to change his mind.  He has to take it.

Daniel rolls over to his side on the small bed and snuffs out his cigarette on the ashtray on the nightstand.  Armand is sitting in the chair in the corner watching him with an unreadable expression.  

Armand is hard to figure out, but Daniel keeps trying.  

He doesn’t know where to start with his answer.  The power?  The thrill of being something more than human?  It’s hard to put into words.  “Why did you?”

“Love, I suppose.”

Daniel sits up and looks at Armand closer.  He can’t tell if he’s telling the truth or just playing with him.  By now he’s got to have guessed that Daniel has certain feelings towards him.  Incredibly stupid feelings, considering Armand is chasing him to eventually kill him.  But Daniel’s heart often leads him to stupid places.  

“What do you mean?”

Armand eyes him intently.  “I had someone I wanted to be with forever.”

Okay, he’s definitely playing with him.  

“And they made you a vampire?”

Armand shrugs.  “Eventually.”

Daniel swallows and blurts out.  “Would you ever do it?  Make someone a vampire?”

Armand smiles and tilts his head.  “What are you asking, Daniel?”

“Nothing,” Daniel says.  Then “Unless…”

“No, Daniel.”

Daniel sighs.  “Fine.”

There’s a moment of silence, then Armand says “You didn’t answer the question.”

“Oh, right.”  Daniel says.  He flops back down on the bed and closes his eyes.  He tries to think of how to put into words what he wants to say.  “I guess I just don’t want to die.  I don’t want it to be over, you know?”

“So you fear death?”

“Doesn’t everybody?”  Daniel says and glances over at Armand.

“No.”

Daniel sits up and swings his legs round to face Armand.  “I don’t want to die, because it’s the end.  There’s nothing more than this.  We all know it; it’s why we’re afraid to die.  Because once it’s over, it’s over.”

Armand doesn’t say anything, but he’s listening with rapt attention.  It feels kinda nice to be the center of that attention.  “Like, we make up shit about an afterlife or reincarnation or whatever, because we don’t want to accept it.  That we get one shot at this, then it’s over.  Nothing.  I don’t want to be nothing.”

“So you have no faith?”

Daniel laughs.  “What?  Like, religion?  No.”

“When I was your age, I was quite pious.”

Daniel can’t really see it.  This being is a creature of the night.  He can’t imagine it ever seeking out some higher power.  Why on earth would a vampire ever need to?  “Are you still?”

Armand looks away from him and says nothing.  Figures.  He never talks about himself.  This tidbit was rare enough.  Daniel will have to cherish it.  

“Does it get lonely?”  Daniel asks.  Undoubtedly, Armand can see where he’s steering the conversation, but Daniel is nothing if not stubborn.  Besides, he and Armand are practically friends at this point.  If you don’t think too hard about the intended murder part.

Armand’s eyes swing back over to him.  “Yes.”

Daniel keeps his gaze and leans forward.  He wants to touch him, but doesn’t dare.  “You don’t have to be, you know.  Lonely.  I could be your companion.”

Armand just looks at him for a long moment, then stands.  “The sun will be rising soon.  Until next time, Daniel.”

Then he’s out the window and gone, leaving Daniel wondering when he’ll see him again.  “Goodbye Armand,” he says softly and crawls back into bed.  

Maybe next time, the answer will be different. 

[razzle-zazzle]

What do you think Gisu's home life is like? Do you think she lives with parents? Has siblings? Rich? Middle class or anything else? Popular in the school she went to? (Also plz feel free to explain how Gisu is different in each of your Au's.)

Gisu has both the vibes of a younger sibling and an only child—so my take is that she has an older sister who is much older than her; like, say, 8-10 years older.

I think Gisu and the other junior agents still reside in dorms in the Motherlobe, but they probably do get breaks during which they can go home and visit their parents. I'd peg Gisu as somewhere middle class, though that's a more tentative headcanon.

As for how Gisu does in school...

I'm going to project a bit here, because Gisu strikes me as the kind of girl who's more than capable of getting good grades, but always has trouble with actually doing the work, especially if it doesn't interest her. Teachers always had the "she's very brilliant, but..." spiel to say about her on conference nights. Her best subjects were science and math.

And popularity? This is a weird one, because on the one hand, she comes off as someone who was reasonably well-liked by her peers. But she also has those "was considered weird by her peers" vibes. So my headcanon is that she had trouble making friends until middle school.

I'm going to put the rest of this ask under a cut because it's getting long.

Starting with the most obvious difference, Acrobat and the Spider Gisu is, well, a spider due to her curse. She's also 21, and more cynical than other iterations (relatively. She's still an idealist, even if the curse has worn her down a bit).

I haven't written out this part of the story in Pooter Pile, but RA3 runs off after the incident. Gisu's immediate reaction? "Alright, time for a field trip." And then she drags Dion off to go find him.

Rapids Gisu is very worried over the fact that Raz disappeared after she asked him to do the psychoseismometers. That his helmet was found in a river and his goggles on a bank upstream is a small comfort. Also all the drama going on between the Aquatos and the Psychonauts is very loud and stressful and she is. not having a good time.

Gisu is very impressed with River Runs Deep Frazie's trick of turning other people invisible! She and Frazie end up developing a cute little friendship.

Buried Beneath Gisu's a year older, and accompanies Raz in going into Arc's mind to unearth Dion. She's definitely incredibly resourceful, and being able to keep her balance on her levboard is key in that particular boss battle.

Gisu plays a pretty big role in Undead Acrobat! She's smacking Forces Beyond Mortal Understanding with the scientific method, lamenting the entire time that she's an engineer, this is not her area of expertise, why is she the one doing this, etc. She gets a nice little arc where she has to balance her own scientific curiosity with reason and ethics; just because she has a proven case of necromancy doesn't mean she should let that be public knowledge. The Deluginists were not the only dangerous group attempting to trifle with such arts.

Psynautica Gisu is the most ambitious Gisu! Also I'm changing it so that she doesn't dislike Dion for being Alterra's lapdog; she dislikes him at first meeting because she feels that the whole issue is overrated, and more importantly, he's incredibly quiet and distant towards Raz when picking him up from the summer camp, despite it being the first time they see each other in years.

[the-firebird69]

Tropical Storm Philippe Public Advisory

This storm is predicted to start a northerly direction and north northwest tomorrow and we don't see it a lot of people don't see it it doesn't make sense you know it does the weather near Florida is kind of stagnant but that Northern stream has moved over to the east and it's a different ship it's the one in Greenland and it will attract attention the one that's up in Canada is cycling down for one last cycle up and that will be coming up probably Monday and both of those will drive that thing North

Thor Freya

Olympus

Zues Hera

I told him it'll do it probably tonight and Monday both will be doing that and it's an incredible amount of thrust and the one in Greenland is going to be ready

Tommy f

And it's going to happen that the cycle is going to continue for other ships everyone hates it and they're just going to kill the clones because it's nonsense and the guys are more antibody he is a moron okay it should use what's going on now but you can't really no you could he didn't want to as he's stupid and he wants to stick it in his face he's getting killed. Hey I thought the clones ate his family so he's doing it to them. There's also a note we don't want our son to live here with these imbeciles and we have a different plan we want people on board we want to do the plan it's an awesome plan and it's to treat him well and to treat him right to let him know who we are and have him try and figure it out so he's not the strange person to us and we need to do it he's going to be growing too and needs food and he's planning on holding it out on him I want some action on this today I want people to sign on for the duty or accepting applications for top level positions and all positions I will note that most people will be accepted well really and did he wants you to sign on even if you're a clerk who's worked two days at your job if you want to sign on for this you'd appreciate it because it is about our people and it is not about judging someone from past experience and things like that it's about seeing who they are and we're going to go ahead and do that right now and put it out like that too it's our motto and it's our way I know a lot of stuff about everything and I know that other people are just as strong as I am and can do things it's from watching my son and daughter they're amazing people and they're very young we do need the help

Thor Freya

Olympus

All right so are I doing a little but not much there's a lot of stuff going on and I want to say that we have to get really going on a lot of projects Meghan Markle and the other companies are doing great one of them dropped out and it's getting gobbled up by the mall and he's going off to do his light cycle finally he didn't want to do the other stuff and he is trying to get more prestigious and he needs it and can't handle it but he needs it which is terrific other people are doing stuff they like I took people there is one who loves doing it and he's not admitting it it's BG and my husband went to him this morning and said you must face your fears your inner demons and make your trip took and get away from me and he said shut up so my husband left he said I'll do it I'll see you must be in ceremony like mortal Kombat but a lot less crazy and real and we can do it at Chinese food place I'm going to ask the Chinese to help us out with it he said we're going to do that and it'll be us so it'll be okay. That's how it is with them there into fooling people to do things and BG thinks he can fool him and it's going on there's tons of stuff going on and people want to work and they want to work and they want to do the job and Garth is saying he wants to do something, and my husband says the obvious Chinese dirt bikes are fine the motives are too small you buy a motor and you pass them down the line so he's going to start that it's an easy thing to do you just order a bunch of bikes and you change the motors out they're practically in the right spot and he's going to go set it up and he's going to have factories doing it and he knows where he can get the first motors to drop the motors down the 125 is smaller and you put a 250 in it and it goes like the wind you change the sprockets and you make the tires a little bigger and they're moving on it right now. It's going to be a different day but I just wanted to say that some of these things

Hera

He wants to have an income of some kind in a small business doesn't really care what it is if something he can do though renovation work is difficult and requires teamwork and he doesn't have anybody helping and they kind of pooped out on it and they don't want to do stuff even stuff that would be evil like the cartoon balloons it's crazy everything they have a problem with so it started over again at the list and they keep barking and don't want to get him anything and BG said I do and the rest of them might get on board it's a good idea he wants them to distribute stuff flyers and things like that and Ken would be into it and probably get a knee bike so we're going to work on it

Frank Castle hardcastle

Is the location we can put a flea market in and sell some of our stuff and you have ideas too and can put something together with Ken some of it's pretty good.

Bg

We're going to start this idea we need it and we need people to have stuff in this hell hidden idea to start a smacks down here and do train extras and things like that and they have them their odd lots and really we could open it up down here as a branch of the other one he just thought that and it's a good idea and we can get odd lots and sell them I can have them down there just moving stuff around and it's a good idea to start on what BG was thinking it's very advanced for what people are letting him do to have him have his own products or be part of it but it was a makes sense for him to just scoot around probably on the scooter or something and move odd lot stuff since it's his idea and I can pay him cash and be a scam against the nonsense people who are running social security

Mac

That's a terrific idea I'm in too I'll do the trash

Ken

I do understand you did that before and talk to my grand nephew and he didn't like it so I want Ken to do stuff with our grand nephew he thought he'd have to humble himself but we get it you might be having doing the trash but it's more fun doing the items

Mac Daddy

And I get it I'm looking down the barrel and he's saying there's nothing in there and I look again and he says there's nothing in there and again and again and he says nothing nothing of value so I look up Adam and I have to look down in the barrel again. So I'm going to try and do the other thing and I'm going to try and get in on setting it up they have went down at the entertainment center but we have trouble getting there it's small and not many people go to it and we know why it's indoors kind of in this weird it's like this concrete building and people people are just not going I guess things cost too much and they're telling me it's not season or something but Max says they just don't sell things it's something the same stuff it's store bought or they make it here and it's not what we're talking about we're talking about Job lots or odd lots and it's freight trains that sit around and trucks and they sell them off for very little money and $500 and it's $20,000 worth of stuff for $200,000 and you take the whole thing and you sell it off and you keep doing it the people coming in and they see the daily sale and they tell people and they all start pouring in it's really a weird process but it works I want to do that that's how I started smacks and this place needs something like spags need somewhere you can go and you can get all the hardware and tools you can and it's not a mix like hardware stores have some tools car places have others I want you to be able to go in and get everything you need eventually I'll put listing you can buy them right there it's a great idea and I think I'll call it Spanish and have the big hat and it might start off the dukes of Hazzard but that's how it goes

Mac

We're going to go ahead and help is a great idea and it's probably what starts to show and he opens one in Florida we think but he also opens one where the show is made and it's in the south it's not Georgia it is Alabama and yeah haw

You know where the general Lee is and the others and we go collect them now

Bow and Luke Duke and his idea is great our friend wants you to put one at each location and up on stands and you bring it in every night and it's a show car and you put it up on stands like angled and stuff or up on the platform and it'll be the Hallmark for the store it's from the south you see and we get that and it's a rebel symbol

[confused-gay-raccoon]

Returning to the Shadows || Chapter 2: A Long Trip Ahead

I wake up on a cot, wrapped in soft blankets with my head on a feather pillow. I look over and see Nova sleeping on a cot next to mine. there's only a few rooms on the ship and the others are being used as storage rooms so Nova offered to let me sleep in his room. I hardly minded seeing as how we've been getting along great. He showed me some of his magic skills and I find them absolutely incredible. I sit up and hear quiet knocking, before the door slowly opens. I don't understand why someone would bother to knock when they were going to open the door anyway, but it must be a mortal thing. The horned one, Emrys, walks in and motions for me to come to the door. I get off of the cot and walk towards Emrys, not expecting it when he grabs my hand and pulls me out of the room.

"Sorry," he responds to the confusion on my face, "Nova is a light sleeper and he get's grumpy when he gets woken up."

"Ah, I get it."

He leads me to the main deck where the winged brother, Orion, is setting up breakfast. He has a bowl of diced fruit, chocolate drizzled pastries, and tea. I didn't expect such a rough looking man to be the one who makes such a sweet breakfast, but I won't complain. The three of us sit at a small table and begin to eat. I watch as Emrys clasps his hands together and mumbles under his breath before even touching any food. Orion notices my confused staring and shoots me a look that suggests I shouldn't ask, so I don't.

The longer I'm with these brothers, the more questions I get. Orion hardly speaks to me, but he doesn't treat me as though he hates me. In fact, I've hardly seen Orion speak to Nova or Emrys. Emrys is even more of a mystery to me. He seems to talk to himself, or perhaps someone we can't see. I tried asking Nova about it but Nova's only response was 'shadows'. What could that imply? I wish I knew, but I can only hope I'll learn more with time. Nova has been an open book with me, and yet I still don't understand him sometimes. His way of words is beyond me. At least I can honestly say I enjoy being with these people. The mystery is intriguing to me, and I'm excited to learn more over the course of this adventure, which should be plenty of time. Nova said our next stop isn't for a week. It seems I'll have to find interesting ways to entertain myself while on the open seas.

.

"Are you sure we should do this?" I ask nervously.

"We do this all the time. Trust me, it'll be hilarious." Nova assures me.

"And hey," Emrys cuts in. "If you don't want to join in, just sit back and watch the fun."

I nod and follow them into the kitchen. Orion is cooking fish over the gas stove. Emrys puts his hands out in front or him and conjures a very real looking spider. Then I watch as it attempts to scurry away and I realize the spider is indeed real. I hadn't thought to consider that Emrys also has magic, but now I wonder how I hadn't noticed it. Nova does a pulling motion with his hand and an invisible force pulls the spider into the air, dangling it between him and his brother. Nova swishes his hand and the spider goes flying in Orions direction. It lands just out of Orions eyesight, or at least I must assume seeing as how Orion doesn't react. I hear Emrys mumble the word 'forward', then I watch as the spider walks forward, towards Orion. The second the spider reaches Orions hand, he jumps back and shouts. Nova and Emrys laugh loudly, and I join in nervously. In the blink of an eye, a raw fish hits Nova right in his face, and a spatula bounces off the top of Emrys' head. Now that gets a genuine laugh out of me. I look up to see Orion giving me a flustered look, which causes my laugh to die into silence. I honestly wish he'd thrown something at me instead.

.

I lean against the railing, watching the ocean as I wonder what I can do that doesn't involve hurting anyone. Emrys hasn't stopped complaining about his head hurting yet, and Orion hasn't looked me in the eyes. I hear footsteps approaching me, so I turn to see Nova walking in my direction. He leans on the railing next to me with his back to the sea, one hand on the bar and the other keeping his hat from flying away.

"Are you avoiding us because of earlier?" he asks.

"I wasn't intentionally avoiding you." I answer honestly.

For a moment, all he does is look into my eyes. "You must think Em and I are asses, huh?"

"I wasn't thinking that."

"Well you should. All three of us are."

It takes a moment for the best response to come to me. "I don't think any of you are asses really, just..." I trail off. I just can't find the right word.

Nova looks at me, waiting to see what I'll come up with. I sigh, then look back into the water. "You guys aren't what I expected." Is all I can get out.

"Well," Nova starts, "neither are you."

I look at him, puzzled.

"What?" He asks. "You aren't. You're sickeningly sweet yet mysterious."

I can't help but smile, though I don't quite know what to say to that. 'Sickeningly sweet'. The words contradict, so I can't quite tell if it's a good or bad thing.

[chaos-has-theories]

Okay wait I know I'm going to procrastinate this Forever so uhhhh,, well first of all basic silley worldbuilding

Everyone has their own Magic Thing they can do <3 like it's not Only that but that's what they're good at it's like. Circles. U can do Ur Thing easily, it comes naturally. U can learn things similar to it with a bit more difficulty,, and so on and so forth. U can learn stuff further from Ur Thing!! But it generally requires special training and is hard to do even then,, and there r limits,,,, so someone who's main power revolves around fire might be able to do smth with steam or lava given enough time and effort but definitely not. Water or rocks

There's like. Parallel universes. Bc I want there to be <3 the one most of my ocs come from is one where most ppl can use magic in some capacity,, I don't have names so they r world1 (<-ppl have magic) and world2 (<-ppl don't)

The other one is. Later. And almost no one there can use magic and it turns out magic is a finite resource and just existing in that world as a magic user is a Massive power boost bc no one is using it,, not to use the fire thing again but if ur power in world1 was "light candle" it's now more like "massive bonfire on command"

There r ways from world1 to world2 but not any ways back (as far as anyone knows. Also as far as I know bc I haven't thought abt that)

oc basics I guess

Orion: was raised as an assassin/thief since a very young age, lost his mentors to. Idk smth dramatic and violent probably. Blacked out and when he came to again he had an eldritch deity in the back of his head going awwwww over every single puny mortal being it sees,,, he carried on with the assassin thing bc well. That's his job. Except Eldritch Deity likes to properly possess him all the time bc it thinks mortal beings r So Cute and Interesting,,, he gets Cool Powers from it so it could be worse but he's always rlly close to messing up and getting caught abdjdndjdn. And eventually it does happen and his face gets put on wanted posters everywhere and now he's on the run

Osian: it stumbled into world2 by accident as a small child and got picked up by a family in a little village nearby,, it didn't realise at the time that magic was Rare so it was using it all the time (it's powers at the time were animating little clay figures/toys/whatever,, making them come to life to be playmates,, it's actually more than that but it was like 7 so who can blame it) and news spread and it kind of got. Kidnapped by the local nobility,,,,, got treated like a prince but was never allowed to go anywhere and spent a lot of its time just. Making those living dolls,,,, they were all little tiny things made of wood to help w makeup/to do up buttons/etc. And it never gets to see its family from before. And one day smth happens and one of those members of the nobility dies, idk how. But osian is the first to find them. And after a brief moment of panic it's like wait. Hang on I might be able to use this. And it makes its first life size puppet and long story short by the time I want the plot of this potential story to happen, osian is puppeting the entire government of this part of the world and then some

Also I forgot abt alchemist/eden/whatever their name is bc I literally can't pick one. He's just an alchemy apprentice having a good time

YOOOOO I found your ask again!! All of this sounds so incredibly cool I swear

the eldritch being just wants to pet the humans... Osian my beloved...

Also I love that context for that one art of it with the puppets. go control the government I've got yo flower

[korereapers]

Title: Closer

Fandom: DnD, Original

Ship: Ohmrom von Allmen/Barkilara

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: CBT?? I guess. Very unhealthy coping mechanisms. A warlock having sex with the entity he made a contract with blahblahblah

AO3

He knows it was supposed to be a threat. A suggestion so offensive he had uncharacteristically angered his usually nonchalant devil.

Dare to repeat that, and I’ll twist your balls from the inside.

Which should have been terrifying. A god, or a devil, so incredibly strong threatening to hurt him in the most humiliating way. Take his manhood and make it the source of the most excruciating pain. The most pathetic whimpers.

Ohmrom sees himself in the fantasy, and embarrassingly enough, he finds himself enjoying it.

He thinks about the pain, about air leaving his lungs violently, his body spasming and trying to fight the sensation.

It's not that he finds pain particularly pleasurable. He avoids it like the plague most of the time, born and raised to endure it, and deciding not to. Onir knows the amount of pain he can take before losing consciousness, the amount of blood he can lose, until his sight is blurry and his legs are trembling.

He just keeps going. Takes it with or without honor. Pukes some blood. Shits some other. Gets patched up by a cleric and does it all again. Running from pain, and yet seeking it like an addict. Even if it's not what he truly wants.

He feels an inquisitive mind peeking into his own, maybe trying to discern what's making him feel this weirdly excited.

Ohmrom tries to conceal it. He really does. His mind might be simple enough for someone as powerful as Barkilara, but he has always been good at hiding. Himself, his true intentions. His cards close to his chest, even more when his deepest and darkest secrets are at stake.

Still, he knows it's futile. He feels like a child trying to cover his own face, trying not to show his eyes, in case anyone can see how scared he is. Cornered in his own mind, his own fingernails digging into his palms, consciously trying to even his breath, to make his heartbeat less loud. It drums in his ears like a battle cry, and he just sighs, closing his eyes and making himself look smaller.

Maybe, that way, he will become invisible yet again.

I didn't think I could ever get surprised by a mortal, even less a human, and yet…

"Just. Don't say anything."

He can almost feel his brain being read like the most precious tome. His aching soul a little jewel in claws that seem to treasure it, just accepting it as it is.

Do you really want me to do it? He hears inside of his head, a buzzing sound between his ears. Would it please you?

Ohmrom thinks it would.

Your puny little god… I wonder how much would displease him to see one of his men like this.

He wants to protest. He really does. He opens his mouth, even, but what comes out of it is not a word. It's an undignified cry, his whole body contorting on his bed because, Onir be damned, it hurts. Like hell. His organs being twisted from the inside, one of his hands unconsciously holding himself, as if that could somehow ease the pain.

Amber eyes are a little wet, and he complains softly, biting his lip until it almost splits. It hurts so bad he wants to vomit. He craves the pain, because it’s the most intimate love he knows. Punishment feels more natural for him than kindness. Kindness is alien, welcomed but undeserved. A small indulgence. He knows that much.

He is being watched intently, Barkilara doesn't have to utter a single word for him to know. He focuses on the pain, on the way it lingers, on how exposed and weak he feels. He is indeed shaking, he realizes, discolored fingers trembling when he dares to look.

More?

"Please…"

It's not as brutal at the first time, but he does feel pressure on his balls, way more than it would be comfortable. Nothing similar to a hand or a claw, as it seems to be coming from the inside. His blood flow constricted, his muscles and organs reacting to Barkilara's power.

He hears a laugh inside of his head, and in his feverish fantasy, he feels that the devil is laughing at him. Humiliating him, making him kneel in the most coarse way.

The pressure is unbearable, the pain so overwhelming and his blood flow so easily and roughly manipulated he fears a heart attack. That's exactly when the pressure stops, and he swears his mouth does taste like vomit.

Enough?

And he wants to say that no, that it's not enough. That he wants to lose consciousness, to feel like a ragdoll in his hands. So utterly powerless he doesn't have to fight anymore. So that he can finally rest, in peace.

Enough it is, then.

"No… no. Wait…"

We'll keep playing, once I get another little puppet for our sweet little games. Now that I know your limits…

Ohmrom groans in frustration, the sweat on his forehead making his disheveled hair sticky.

"Wait-"

We are even. Relieve yourself. You have earned it.

He absentmindedly realizes that indeed, he is hard against his pants. It hurts, it fucking hurts, but he has been forgiven, and after his punishment, he deserves to enjoy himself a little.

He feels dirty when he takes himself in his hand, so overwhelmed it takes him mere seconds to reach his peak, his body processing the pleasure in a way that makes him feel exhausted.

He groans against the pillow, too weak to even try to clean himself. What a fucking mess he is…

Ohmrom closes his eyes, his body and mind about to shut down from the exertion. He swears he feels a slow caress on his head, as if someone was combing his hair with their fingers.

A heavy and dense sadness overflows him mere seconds before he loses consciousness.

[redrobin-detective]

*crawls through you bedroom window* actually sorry I’m not done talking about the tragic, complicated clusterfuck which is Ben and Rook’s friendship/partnership. Because of how it was set up and their own personalities at the time, it was doomed to fail. I mentioned previously how neither got to know/understand the other and I retract that because it’s not entirely true. They did get to bond in a way that you almost have to when you’re in life or death situations together but they never talked about it and so each went on thinking they weren’t important to the other.

The whole nature of their partnership reeks of impermanence. Max obviously knew ahead of time that Gwen and Kevin were leaving for college and had time to prepare. Ben being on his own, reckless and stupid, was not an option. I wonder how many candidates they went through before they got to Rook. They chose someone who excelled at Plumber training, who knew the rules Ben never bothered to learn backwards and forwards. Someone who would balance out Ben and keep him reigned in. Someone who was obviously destined for higher management so why not give him the best field training possible? Rook, if not Ben, was certainly aware that it was a temporary thing. Ben was 16 going on 17, soon he wouldn’t need a partner anymore; this was the last attempt at training wheels. I imagine the partnership dissolved not long after Omniverse ends, when Rook becomes Magister and probably has new training and responsibilities. Ben, almost an adult by human standards and hopefully positively molded by Rook’s influence, is deemed ready to be on his own. 

So imagine you’re Rook, you’re a newly graduated Plumber who was ready to take on the universe. You’re informed you’re heading to Earth and you will be working one on one with your idol, the Ben 10, the one who inspired you to leave your traditional, isolated homeworld. You meet your hero and while he’s got the watch and the quips, he’s also a child in a culture you don’t understand. You’re disappointed that your hero isn’t as perfect as rumor and propaganda told you. You’re angry and frustrated and you don’t bother to hide it, Ben almost seems to retaliate by being more obnoxious. The more time you spend with Ben, you realize there’s a method to his madness. He wins more battles than he loses, what Rook at first took to be Ben’s flaws turn out to also be his strengths. Seeing Ben in action snarling and laughing in the face of certain destruction, he realizes that Ben is, at the same time, a stupid, idiot kid who barely has an idea of what he’s doing but also twice the hero Rook thought he was. Suddenly Ben 10 isn’t just a poster in his room or a radio show to listen to in the dark, he is a real person and that makes him even more worthy of admiration.

And Rook does admire him, quietly. Ben keeps up his walls and Rook lets him because who is he to try and really befriend Ben 10? Rook is just one of billions of Plumbers in the universe, Ben is the universe’s savior. I bet before Rook ever stepped foot on Earth it was drilled into him that Ben Tennyson was to be protected at all costs, that Rook’s life was nothing compared to Ben’s. Rook already comes from a very restrained and private culture, he won’t initiate anything beyond what is needed for to the mission and to save his partner. It is enough for him to be able to work alongside his hero (even if said hero is thoughtless and ridiculous and has no sense of self preservation and he drives Rook insane but by gum does he respect the hell out of Ben when he isn’t contemplating murdering him). When the time ultimately comes for Rook to depart, he will be sad but not mention it. Because he imagines he is only a blip on Ben’s radar, a temporary partner before Ben goes onto bigger and better things. He never tells Ben that his loyalty wasn’t to the Plumbers, to Ben 10 but to the scrawny, sleep deprived kid who always remembered Rook’s favorite smoothie flavor. 

Now imagine you’re Ben. You’ve saved the universe at the cost of your privacy, chance for a normal life, general sense of safety and sanity. You’re quickly losing track of what part is you and what part is the myth about you. Two of your three major support systems abandon you without notice. Over the years of AF/UAF, Gwen and Kevin saw all your brokenness, fears, vulnerabilities, watched you go from dumb kid to hero. You didn’t have to tell them these things, they saw them happen and just knew. And now they’re gone and you only have your grandpa who you love but is also sorta of your boss now. He tells you you’re being assigned a new partner, someone chosen without your consent, someone you’re expected to trust your life and secrets with. Fine, this Rook fellow will do. He can watch your back but he’s not having any pieces of your broken heart. 

You fight, both bad guys and each other. The two of you have such opposite styles that you clash. He may have training and discipline but you have experience and incredible power. You fumble and bicker and somewhere through it all find an understanding. Suddenly the rumble of his voice is familiar as Kevin’s once was, his logical approaches and teasing barbs slot in where Gwen’s used to be. It’s not bad, you tell yourself. You know this isn’t forever, that it’s not real, but it’s not bad. Because you know first and foremost that Rook is a Plumber and you are not. You also know he is a fan and you are acutely aware how short you fall from the perfect hero ideal. Ben laughs, clinging harder to the arrogant hero façade and pretends Rook’s disappointment doesn’t crush him. If someone who’s forced to work with him doesn’t like Ben, then how can he be the beloved savior everyone tells him he is even though he doesn’t quite know how he got there? He’s just a kid doing his best and soon buries himself in his perceived role.

Time passes, Ben and Rook have been through so much. Against your will, he’s seen some of your broken parts. He sees past your cracks, sees your guilt and grief and bone deep fear. But he doesn’t seem upset, even more disappointed by the failure hero. He is kind, friendly, understanding. Not enough that Ben feels comfortable to open up but he relaxes, just a bit. Rook isn’t just a forced upon partner, he’s now a friend. But he knows Rook is only here because he was ordered, he feels Rook’s annoyance with him and believes his kindness is only out of duty. It’s fine, he’s used to everyone around him bleeding him dry of everything he has and then some. Just another part of being a hero. He’s not Kevin or Gwen but he is Rook and he is grown on you because Ben is always an open soul, one who wants to receive some love he gives so freely. You finally feel steady, like you can stop pretending so much and try and find some peace and happiness in your dangerous, chaotic life.

Suddenly so fast, you’ve saved the universe once more and Rook is moving on. It’s like Gwen and Kevin leaving all over again. Rook himself seems excited to move up the ranks, to get more tassles on his uniform. He is a soldier at heart, you are not even if you play the part of one. You are a child only you’re not anymore, while you were busy saving everyone again and again your childhood was stolen from you. Now on the edge of adulthood, you’re told it’s time to take responsibility. You want to scream you’ve been doing that since you were 10 years old, that someone else can do  it for a change. You want to beg Rook to stay, to drag Gwen and Kevin home, to hide your loved ones away with you and not have to confront the big, bad universe alone. Instead, you do what you always do. You swallow all your fears, your wishes and hopes and shake his hand goodbye and wish him well. You don’t tell him you’ll miss him, neither does he. 

Rook and Ben part as the strangers they never stopped being even if both of them aches at the loss of the close proximity, of the friendship. Both are very much aware that the relationship was weak, transient, that it might have been something more if they gave it more attention. However, too many things were between them and both of them genuinely believed the other didn’t care as much. The rest of their lives they remain friendly, distant but polite. It’s not much different from when they fought side by side even if they wish it different.

[euthym1as]

your faves, but they see past the fourth wall

this is because i am on a sentient!game bend, genshin keeps sagau-ing and i cannot cope so heres this

also where did all y'all come from hi hello i shitpost here welcome (send asks i want to build a community)

this is also not a god!reader au this is more player!reader and 4th wall breaky

uhh mentions of violence in the golden house fight for childe's part

characters: venti, mona, bennett, xiao, tartaglia, ayato

- Venti hears you sing a tune while hunting down Treasure Hoarders robbing people outside of Mondstat. He strums his lyre, ready to sing along to the next verse, and it doesn't come to his head. That's impossible. He knows every song ever sung in Teyvat. This, what you were singing, was... new. It contained memories he didn't recognize, places he didn't know. What was the land of Ellay, and why were you singing about staying young? There was one song- one you told him was called Bohemian Rhapsody, that entranced him, especially when you sang it. It wasn't from this world. It probably wasn't from this universe. He hears you sing that song, and hears the chorus of thousands of people far, far away ring in his ears. Venti feels so, so small in that moment, even as a god.

- Mona reads your star chart in her room the day she meets you. She opens up her hydromancy to your energy and gasps at the picture in front of her. These stars were... unknown. She recognized none of them. The sky was vast, and she could pick out what looked like constellations, but none of them formed something she recognized. Where was Lepus? Pavo Ocellus? Her eyes spot what she thinks is Leo Minor, but it looks squished. New constellations spring to her vision- a bull, a maiden, a crab, a scorpion. Was she looking at a new sky? Why were your stars different? A feeling clutches at her heart, and she has to keep her breathing steady. Was the sky really a lie? Was he telling the truth? Was she real?

- Bennett doesn't feel too off that morning, he only had one trip down the steps of Mondstat's cathedral. When you ask him to come on an adventure, he's excited. Mona and Sucrose come along too, and he's thrilled to be in such an intelligent party. He balks a little when you suggest fighting a Cryo Regisvine, and you convince the party it's worth it. He can feel Sucrose and Mona keeping their distance from him just in case something goes wrong, and an icicle almost falls on them on the way in. You stop them just before it does. It's a little strange when you ask them all to do their most powerful move- Sucrose going first, then Bennett, then Mona, then you. They have to follow your timing exactly. Bennett is nervous, but he slams the ground with as much power as he can muster and watches you hit the Regisvine so hard it falls to the ground and dissolves into dust. You destroyed it in one hit. He asks you how you did it, and you say that it wouldn't have worked without his luck.

- Xiao knows that someone as fearless as you is either incredibly powerful or incredibly stupid. He sees you take on Osial and hears about your feats with Dvalin and Tartaglia and figures it must be the former. He is one to appear at any mention of his name, and there have been a few run-ins with you thus far. One was in front of a Domain in Mondstat, with a green and white flower in your hand. He heard his name and appeared as fast as possible. You seem to internally curse at yourself. You told him the flower was for him. He accepted, not quite sure of how that happened. The second time was in Liyue, sitting on top of Jueyun Karst, and you were holding a long green spear in your arms. The same spear Morax had made to destroy Baiqiu so long ago. He asked you how you acquired it, and you smiled and gave it to him. You said it belonged to him now, and to cherish it. He knew something was different about you ever since that day. No mere mortal could acquire that spear from the depths it was thrown to.

- Tartaglia is in a daze. Like clockwork, every Monday, you show up in his nightmare, fighting him in the Golden House. He just thought they were memories at first. Then, he started waking up with bruises where you hit him. He woke up with the sounds of crackling Electro in his ears and a massive headache. Only on that day. Sometimes you brought people he knew, and he woke up in a cold sweat after Zhongli- his cherished friend- had his eyes glow a menacing yellow and called down a massive fucking meteor on himself. That entire day, he was sore. He asks you about it in Inazuma, when you're trapped in the Labyrinth domain with him and Xinyan. He asks if you have the nightmares too. You keep your gaze away from him, and try and hide the shard of Foul Legacy from his gaze.

- Ayato is thrilled to meet your acquaintance. Ayaka had said some very nice things about you, and anyone his sister trusts, he can trust. You spend a day with him, and he greatly enjoys your company. Only problem is, you keep excusing yourself and coming back with strange cuts and scrapes. You put a glowing blue stone away, but not before he sees it. He confronts you about your flakiness, and you explain to him the Chasm in Liyue is finally open- but not to anyone else but you. You had to spend your time with him and the Chasm, lest the news of the Chasm reach you first. This confuses him. The Chasm had always been there. You seem exhausted when you come back again. You mention how, finally, you had enough. The last thing Ayato sees is a golden streak in the sky.

[thesunicarusfellfor]

Mortal of Gold - Part 3

(Yandere!C!Techno x GN!Shy!Reader x Yandere!C!Philza)

Anyone want my list of the characters as gods? There were a few characters that I couldn't think of like Ponk, so I just left them out. ANYWAY. Hi, how's it going? ALSO I CANT EDIT THIS DAMN POST AND THE SPELLING ERRORS ARE SO IRRITATING

Part 1 Part 2 TW: Mention of amnesia, memories being altered Send me a message via inbox if you wanna be added to a general or series tag list. Make sure to turn off anon, please. ------- “They weren’t born… A mortal?”

A light wind brushed over your features, causing you to give a small sigh and roll over onto your side in an attempt to block the light from hitting your lidded eyes. It was nice and quiet for once… “(Y/n)?” A distorted voice echoed softly, causing you to flinch a bit. You opened your eyes slightly to see a silky blackbird sitting on the sheets beside you, a few golden trinkets laying beside it. Upon seeing your eyes slide open, the creature hopped up onto its legs and began making soft cooing noises, “(Y/n)! (Y/n), you’re awake!” Glancing around at the surroundings you had been placed in, racking your mind for any sort of familiarity but failing to come up with anything at all, even who you were. You sat up, slowly brushing your fingers along your ombre silk clothing before putting your hands on the sheets below your body, frowning as you didn’t recognize the bed as yours. “Hello…” You murmured softly, reaching your hand out to the crow who eagerly jumped forward to nuzzle your hand. The feathers of the bird felt… Odd. They felt more like grabbing at misty fog, but with a light staticky cotton texture that caused a buzzing sensation on your fingertips, “I’m sorry, my memory… Seems to be a tad faulty… Could you tell me your name?” “I’m Chat, Dadza- er… Philza’s familiar! I was a gift from Mumza, oops... Kristen, the Goddess of Void and Death.” It chirped, its voice having multiple layers in your head, causing you to shake your head a slight bit, “No, they’re not married, only parental figures to the souls that pass on to the afterlife or those they saved sometime before they passed on… I believe they have more of a co-worker relationship.” You nodded slightly, pursing your lips at how the creature’s voice sounded in your mind. It was unsettling and caused shivers to crawl up and down your back, but at the same time, it was incredibly calming and had a soothing aura. How that worked, you had no clue whatsoever. Brushing off the unsettling voice of the bird, you decided to focus on the name that caused a light to go off in your head, “Alright… Philza… I think I remember that name…” “Yeah! Dadza- Eck… Sorry. Phil, he’s the God of Survival and Crows! He controls not only every crow in the mortal land, but he also controls whether or not someone will survive a situation. If there is no way that the mortal can survive, he will send a crow down and have them guide the soul of the mortal to him! Then he escorts them to Kristen! He has gained the name Angel of Death because he works for Mumza!” You decided not to question why the crow called Philza and Kristen Mumza and Dadza, knowing that you’d probably find out later, but by the sound of it Chat seemed to be multiple children, “Okay… Makes sense…” You mumbled slowly, nodding your head up and down. With a sigh you slowly brought your legs over to the side of the bed, only now becoming aware of how large the soft mattress was. Lowlands! (Hell) You could probably fit six people who were ten feet tall in it with room to roam! Pushing yourself off the bed, you also realized how high the beautiful bed was off the floor, Gods, whoever lived here was tall! Behind you, you heard a small chirp, and you saw Chat watching you curiously. With a small shrug, you decided to pick the familiar up and hold it in your cupped hands as you walked out the door, “Oooh! Dadza never carries us like this, and Technoblade does only when he’s about to yeet us out a window!” “Yeet?” You scowled in confusion as you walked through the arched doorway, your bare feet padding silently on the quartz flooring, “I'm scared to ask. Technoblade? Is he also a god of some things? He sounds familiar as well…” “That’s its word for throwing something. Well, it yells the word when they throw something or get thrown, so I assume it’s yelling in excitement,” A deep voice spoke from in front of you, causing you to gasp and lift your head from the crow. The telepathic chirping and squeaks from Chat in your mind quickly formed the name Technoblade, so… You had a feeling that your answer was on its way past his

lips, “I’m Technoblade, or Techno, the God of Blood and War. It’s… nice to see you finally awake…” He shifted awkwardly on his feet as you curiously studied him. His appearance could certainly be described as godly if anyone asked you. His long pink hair was mostly twisted and tied into a braid with bits of golden chain and a polished golden crown adorned with rubies, garnets and diamonds. Upon his pale skin, dozens of scars of varying sizes decorated his skin in different areas, but they were displayed in an almost proud manner. Almost. When he spoke, his dark pink eyes hidden behind cracked glasses searched your form for any sort of injury, “I’m… (Y/n)... I think. I don’t know if this bird is exactly trustworthy in its information… Do you know where I am?” Techno snorted as Chat gave an offended squawk at your statement, “That’s very fair, to be honest. You’re in the Tundra of the Upperlands, and this is my palace. No there is no snow, I believe the person who named this place has never looked into the name or word Tundra, but it’s been like this for too long to change it-” He paused for a moment as he noticed you looking extremely confused, “Ah. Right. Desert. Don’t worry about it.” “Oh… Okay…” You frowned at the tusked male for a moment before shaking your head, deciding not to question it much, “Now, uh… How did I get here, and why don’t I remember anything about myself? Or, about you and this Philza guy, I was told about.” You lifted Chat slightly toward Techno as a silent indication that Chat was the one who told you about Phil. “That’s uh… Phil’s field of expertise.” He rubbed the back of his head with his black-tipped fingers before adjusting his crown, “I don’t understand much of what happened, and Phil will tell you what you need to know that will keep you safe.” Hesitantly, he held his free hand out towards you making you realize that he was easily over seven and a half feet tall, “C’mon, I’ll take you to him and get you the answers you need.” His hand was extremely steady, you noticed as you stared down at it cautiously. Once you noticed that he didn’t seem to want to do you harm, you slowly shifted Chat into one hand and used your free hand to take the one extended to you, which you couldn’t help but notice, made Technoblade very happy, “Okay. Thank you.” The god held your hand in his calloused one for a few moments before beginning to lead you down the tan and white hallways that were turned a light golden hue from the rising sun. It was quite a long walk filled with a slightly uncomfortable silence, but you distracted yourself by looking around the palace curiously. It was obvious he was the God of War by how many swords hanging on walls and sets of armour he had placed on armour stands in the hallways. Eventually, he walked you through an archway that led into a wide-open room with multiple windows that had many crows perched on the windowsills, some chirping and singing some little tune in perfect unison while others shuffled around, seeming to do a little dance. You were quick to realize the whistling of one of the birds didn’t match up and noticed that it was coming from the man with the large white and green striped hat as well as massive black feathered wings dangling on his back, fluffing themselves up every so often. When you and Techno stepped in, the blackbirds started chirping loudly, losing the rhythm of the tune the winged man was whistling as Chat started telepathically squealing about… 2/4? Two out of four what? “Ah!” The hat-wearing male turned around and clasped his hands together upon seeing you standing up, “(Y/n), you’re awake. I was worried the injuries you sustained were enough to keep you out cold for a few more weeks. I’m glad to see I was wrong. I’m Philza, God of Survival and Crows, and I see you’ve met Chat and Techno. Pesky bird, I told it not to wake you...” You pursed your lips for a moment, analyzing the shorter god as the bird squealed out its protests. While he was shorter than Techno, he was certainly tall, standing roughly around six feet tall, his wingspan

probably double that for each wing! His blonde hair was long around his face but was pulled into a loose braid like Techno’s was, although instead of gold intertwined into his hair, it was silver. His outfit was made up of a loose green shirt and black pants, with a red heart-shaped pendant dangling off of a chain into the center of his chest. Why did that pendant… Look familiar? You slowly rose your hand up and clasped at the pendant around your neck, noticing how Philza smiled softly, “Technoblade… Said you could tell me why I can’t remember anything?” “You’re still wearing my gift, I see,” Philza gave a soft hum as Chat jumped from your hand and onto his shoulder, before gesturing for you and Techno to take a seat where he already had drinks and some form of cakes set out, but they certainly weren’t there when you came in. Upon seeing your confused blinking, he gave a soft laugh, “I’m a god, mate, magic is no difficult task for me, let alone creating some measly tea and desserts. Now, sit down and I will tell you everything…” - General - None Mortal of Gold -@generalalmond @binas-idea-vault @ohworm-writes