#the finest of all fine china

[assortedvillainvault]

Me, sending Thalassa another ask after a long tumblr absence? It's more likely than you think ;)

My request this time is more Shen x Reader...but through the Henchwolves' POV

Gimme that minion gossip 😆

It's benn a Goddamn Minute since I wrote anything for the murderbird, please accept this humble offering my friend! This is set loosely within Shen's hostile takeover of his family's palace, just pretend it's taking a few months longer for Po and the Furious Five to arrive.

Lord Shen x Reader (Henchwolves POV)

Sooo...the boss’s in looovvveee…

Ok well it’s more like Shen is speed-cycling through every emotion under the sun, like some kind of cursed knife throwing merry-go-round.

From an outside perspective that part is no different to how he normally is, really, potato tomato.

But ever since YOU entered the picture, he’s been swinging between regality and rage like it’s going out of fashion.

This would normally be time for the wolves to about-face and shamelessly hide behind the hired muscle of the rhino and gorilla guards, but between your bemused reactions and the Soothsayers amused snorts they have front row seats to China’s cheesiest love story and they’re not missing ANY of the drama.

Don’t forget, the wolves have followed Shen for nearly two decades by now – they know him. His ins and outs, his twitches and grandiose gestures. The way his right eyelid twitches when he can’t feel the knives in his sleeves.

They’re not familiar with the way his elegant steps stumble when you surprise him. Or how he loses his train of thought and sputters when you question his judgement. Or how he seems to fight the noble training of several years to fidget with his robes before posing just so to meet with you.

Guards from both the throne room and the gardens noticed his tail sweeping and twitching when talking to you, and in their experience, Shen’s tail is a dead giveaway for his flintstrike temper and at the time they were 99% certain he was about to stick a knife in your back and call it a day…

...until he presented you with a custom ordered gift and his overwrought nerves had his tail nearly leap into it’s classic fan as he awkwardly swallowed a squawk into a cough, trying to pretend this was a spur of the moment thing rather something he'd agonized over in private for five days.

At guard change they all but barged into the guardroom mess, hollering and sniggering.

“Shen’s PRESENTING!”

Chaos ensues. Bets are taken, at least one table is broken. One poor bastard ends up tossed from a fifth story window. He's probably fine.

It’s all boss wolf can do not to roll his eyes.

In contrast to the rest of the henchman – he operates much closer to Shen in a day to day capacity. So HE’s the poor bugger having to endure Shen’s erratic mumbling as the neurotic bird pores over battle plans, supply chains, letters and negotiations from nobility and powerful individuals to bribe. All that, he can deal with.

...What he can’t deal with is the way Shen’s eyes will glaze over mid mumble and suddenly he’s got an earful of spoiled royal lamenting how 50 reams of china’s finest silks isn’t even close enough to a satisfactory nest and How is he supposed to curry your favour if you only have 25 colours to choose from???

Fucking. BIRDS and their obsession with shiny shit.

Meanwhile, the Soothsayer is very much enjoying watching Shen work himself into a knot over whether or not he should ask her for a love life prediction.

It’s just a waiting game before he cracks. And she’s more than happy to trip him up and poke fun in the meantime, catching your eye from the background and winking as she eats his sashes and pulls fake prophesies out of her ass.

(She approves of you, don’t worry, and she lowkey is happy for Shen to have found someone as wonderful as you, but also: you deserve better and her lingering fondness for Shen as his former nanny doesn’t blind her to that.)

Hope you enjoyed these headcannons friend!

[philistiniphagottini]

Heyo!! I was hoping to send a request for your domestic bliss event too with you know who 😔🙏 very hard to pick because I want them all 🥲 but!! Can I request jing yuan with a gn reader for ☕️ cafe date?

Hi Honey! I'm so happy you've dropped by and asked for something. I appreciate the support. And I know what you mean. Jing Yuan fits so many of these prompts so well that you are spoiled for choice. I hope you like what I wrote, it's almost 2k words of pure, self indulgence. Take care xx

cw. fluff, gender neutral reader

Domestic Bliss

"You’re spacing out again."

You snapped back to attention as Jing Yuan brushed a stray strand of your hair out of your eyes, the wisps curling around the tips of his finger as he gently tucked it behind your ear. Your cheeks burned, the tips of your ears turning hot as Jing Yuan retracted his hand and placed it back in his lap. Your eyes flitted away nervously.

"Sorry" you mumbled.

A warm chuckle breezed past Jing Yuan’s lip as he rested his chin in the upturned palm of his hand, a smile playing at the edges of his lips as his eyes shimmered with amusement in the warm, afternoon sun. 

"It’s quite alright."

His words did little to ease the heat simmering in your veins and drenching your body in a hot flush. You could feel beads of sweat prickle the back of your scalp despite the cool air that permeated the humble little cafe that you and Jing Yuan decided to dine in. You each had a drink placed in front of you and a myriad of the finest sweets that had caught Jing Yuan’s eye the moment he had stepped foot in the shop. You had mentioned to him not to spoil you and he politely didn’t listen to your suggestion. 

You idly picked at the skin under your nails, trying to stop the tremble of your knee as your leg continued to bounce under the table. It was getting harder for you to contain your nerves by the second. This wasn’t the first date you had been on with Jing Yuan, but the budding romance that was shared between you had only just started to blossom. You had been friends longer than you had been lovers. The shift in your relationship still made you a little nervous. And being seen out in public with him in such a casual setting did not help calm your frantic nerves. All eyes were on him constantly and since you were frequently by his side, those eyes were now on you too.

The cafe was quiet today, only a few patrons speaking amongst themselves over the soft tunes of classical music that occupied the space in between hushed whispers. You were sure you could hear someone mention his name a few tables over. Though your table was seated behind a wide folding screen, Jing Yuan’s voice was distinct and it was very easy to pick him out in a crowded room. Jing Yuan, on his part, didn’t seem worried. He was as calm as he always had been, lazy eyes half lidded and a smile stretching his lips. He did not care what opinions others held for him and you envied that lackadaisical nature. You wished you could be more like that. Instead, your head continued to spin like a broken record as you continued to worry and fret over such trivial matters. 

You took a deep breath and reached for your coffee, the mug warm in the palm of your hands as your fingers curled around the fine china and you brought the rim to your lips. You gently blew on it, the stemming steam disturbed by your heavy breaths as you glanced in Jing Yuan’s direction over the rim of your cup. You tried your best not to let your nerves get the better of you and decided some small talk would be a nice distraction. 

"So, how’s work?" you asked. 

Jing Yuan opened his mouth to respond but he was cut off by you as you abruptly corrected yourself with a shake of your head. 

"Right, you’re the General. You probably can’t talk about official business" you said. 

Jing Yuan was ready to retort to your comment but didn’t get the chance as you took a swig of your coffee and immediately regretted it. You had briefly forgotten that you had been letting your drink rest because your coffee had been made as hot as the sun itself. You remembered when you singed your tongue on the scalding liquid. You sputtered as you swallowed your mouth full, tears pricking the corners of your eyes from the boiling heat that tickled the back of your throat. You coughed roughly; hand placed over your mouth as you tried to hold onto what little dignity you had left. Jing Yuan didn’t hesitate to reach over the table once more, large hand wrapping around your wrist as he tugged it away from your face. 

"Relax" he said. "Just breathe."

He brushed his thumb along the sensitive pulse on the inside of your wrist, causing goosebumps to erupt along your arms from the soft touch. Your coughing fit subsided as you started to relax, eyes focused on the way Jing Yuan rubbed soothing circles into your soft skin with the calloused tips of his fingers, drawing unfamiliar patterns that you only faintly recognised as the erratic beat of your heart quelled. Nervous butterflies fluttered in the pit of your stomach as you offered him a sheepish smile.

"Thank you" you murmured.

Jing Yuan cocked his head to the side, a small furrow in his brow as his smile dropped off a fraction.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

Your tongue darted over your cracked lips as you swallowed thickly. You nodded gently, your other hand coming to rest over the hand he held you with. Your fingers struggled to curl around his wrist and you were mildly fascinated with how your fingers didn’t even touch. His skin was pleasantly warm placed against your own searing flesh and it felt like little bolts of electricity were shocking you when he dragged his fingertips over your pulse. 

"I’m okay. Just nervous" you admitted. 

Jing Yuan offered you a warm smile. He was well aware of your nervous habits, even before you had been properly acquainted. He found your modesty completely endearing and he was always patient with you.

"There’s no need to be nervous" he replied. "There’s nothing to worry about."

You hummed in acknowledgement. You knew that. You knew how silly it sounded. And when Jing Yuan touched you like this, he was able to calm that fierce storm inside of you. He had the innate ability to be able to calm you, no matter the situation. Your jittery nerves started to calm the longer Jing Yuan held you, your deep breaths subconsciously syncing up with his own, steady breathing as your tense shoulders slumped. You eyed the spot next to him and you were sorely tempted to request that you sit next to him, just to help control your unruly nerves. You knew it was a selfish question yet your lips parted around his name as you attempted to ask.

"Jing Yuan, can I…"

Your voice trailed off when your brain finally caught up. You shook your head, trying to shake the thought out of your mind as you forced a smile on your face, gaze still looking longingly at the empty spot beside him.

"Never mind."

Jing Yuan gently squeezed your hand as he let go and you silently mourned the loss of warmth, your skin tingling from the lingering heat of his skin. He idly patted the spot beside him on the seat, a smile curling his lips. 

"Come, sit with me and indulge in these sweets."

You blinked owlishly at him as he patted the spot beside him once more. He had noticed your staring and he was not going to stop tapping his fingers against the plush cushion until you got up and occupied the space beside him. You couldn’t contain the smile that lit up your face as you sprang to your feet and trotted over to his side of the table. Jing Yuan scooted over just a smidge before raising his arm and ushering you closer. You missed the dangerous glint smouldering in his golden gaze when you went to sit down, a sly smile playing on his lips as he snagged his arm around your waist and dragged you the rest of the way down. You swallowed the squeak that bubbled up your throat, a sharp gasp of surprise whistling through your teeth as Jing Yuan practically pulled you into his lap. You panicked in that instance. You cared about his public image. But he did not.

"Don’t worry so much" Jing Yuan said with a light chuckle.

Your cheeks puffed up as a small pout tugged at your lips. Despite the small spike of panic, it was quick to quell when you settled in Jing Yuan’s lap, his hand by your side and soothing your frantic mind. If you were really uncomfortable, he left you room to climb out of his lap unhindered. Yet you didn’t, the smell of his pleasant cologne curling in your lungs as you nestled against him, his chest warm against your back. 

"Scoundrel" you commented.

Jing Yuan nodded along as he plucked one of the sweets from the tray, peeling the delicate wrapper from it as he offered up to you. 

"Yes dear. Now, say ‘ah.’"

You opened your mouth and let him push the sweet past the seam of your lips. You hummed softly as you bit into the small treat, the burst of flavours dancing along your tongue as you rolled it around your mouth. Jing Yuan watched you with rapt attention, watching as the tip of your tongue timidly licked your lips and lap away the sweetness still clinging to the plump flesh. 

"How is it?" Jing Yuan asked. 

"Good" you replied with a nod. 

You reached over and picked up the closest sweet to you, mimicking Jing Yuan’s actions as you peeled the wrapper off and brought it up to his lips. Fluffy strands of white tickled your chin as you leaned closer, close enough to notice the bob of his Adam’s apple as your warm breath brushed over his jaw.

"Say ‘ah.’"

Jing Yuan’s lips parted and you deposited the sweet in his mouth. As you pulled your hand away his teeth playfully caught on the tip of your finger, pinching the soft skin before you wrenched your hand further away from his nippy mouth. A chuckle rumbled in his chest as you scowled softly. You pinched his cheek in retaliation, waiting until his skin flushed red under your touch before you let go. You had many choice words rattling around in your brain but you swallowed them, not wanting to draw attention to yourselves. You were just thankful that you were both obscured behind that folding screen otherwise you didn’t think your heart would be able to take it. Jing Yuan’s casual pda never failed to catch you off guard but…you didn’t exactly hate it. 

Jing Yuan hummed softly as a thought struck him, idly reaching for another sweet to offer up to you again. 

"Next time, I shall show you my garden" he mused. "It’s a lot more…private" he added, large hand squeezing your plump stomach.

You nodded in agreement as you took another sweet from him, indulging in the vibrant flavours that melted in your mouth. Your heart was ready to jump up into your throat at the elation that pulsed through your system, ears ringing as your name dripped from his mouth like warm honey and warmed your throat. You swallowed your food, a shy smile playing on your lips as your mind already started to swirl with anticipation.  

"I’d like that."

[ecrin-de-litterature]

Tucked away tight in the cramp space of the Court of Fontaine sits a quaint bookshop, hidden down an alleyway between much larger, bustling stores filled to the brink with odd trinkets and gadgets. As you enter, you push the door open slowly, a little hesitant at what may wait for you inside; after all, Fontaine had been nothing but a box of surprises since you'd arrived.

Yet you are greeted with the mildly sweet aroma of herbal teas and the nostalgic scent of yellowed pages belonging to books older than you could ever imagine. A small, round glass table sits in the middle of the bookshop underneath a skylight window. Sunlight reflects onto the patterned glass table in ripples, creating an effect on the marble floor that reminds you of the waves. As you ponder it, it's an oddly fitting aesthetic for the Nation of Hydro.

Two young women sit at the table, their legs crossed neatly as quietly converse amongst themselves over slices of numerous cakes and sweet treats, sat on small porcelain plates and the culprit of that alluring smell of hot tea - two light blue stained teacups of tea in their gloved hands. The small bell that hangs above the entry door finally chimes as you push the door completely open, alerting the women of the new arrival.

"Oh, you're finally here," one of them muses, lifting her teacup and saucer in her gloved hands as she moves to take a sip of the hot drink, quenching her presumed thirst, "bienvenue, we've been expecting you."

A brief moment of confusion crosses your face and it doesn't go unnoticed by the other female, whose eyes sit two different shades of blue as they look over you. They'd been expecting you? You guess word travels fast regarding your whereabouts.

"Lynette, you can't just leave them hanging like that," she chirps, her tone slightly scolding before she gives you a faint smile, unique eyelashes fluttering over those eyes of hers, "you're already well acquainted with Miss Lynette's twin, he informed us of your curiosity about our little bookshop."

Lynette makes a subtle noise, her nose scrunching up as she takes a sip of her tea once again. Furina also sips her tea, the two women sitting in an awkward silence before Furina clears her throat, demanding the room's attention be on her.

"We should... explain this place a little further - this is Écrin de Littérature. We're a safe for work network for Hoyoverse creators, focusing on writing and artistic flare," the actress seems quite pleased with herself, plump lips turned upwards into another smile, "we accept those aged thirteen or over."

"Lady Furina-" Lynette begins, her tail curling neatly over her thighs as the young girl sighs but Furina cuts her off, a nervous laugh escaping her under her breath.

"Just Furina is fine, Lynette, please..." Her voice trails off, meek and there is the undeniable hue of light pink on her pale cheeks. The air filters into silence again, much more awkward than the first time as Furina fidgets in embarrassment.

"Furina," Lynette corrects herself, "we should tell them what is in it for them..."

Furina nods in agreement, her hand raised to her chin as she ponders her next move. Lynette is indeed correct and you find your attention drawn to the empty chair seated at the table between them. A teacup sits empty in the fine china saucer adjacent to it. Suddenly, Furina snaps her fingers as if she'd cracked a detective case.

The short woman raises to her feet, heeled boots clicking on the spotted marble floor as she approaches you. You tense, it's an honour to be this close to the leading director of 'The Little Oceanid,' after all. She stops promptly in front of you, a gloved hand extending out to offer you a collection of papers, "here, a collection of our finest reviews."

You take the papers, lowering your gaze as you begin to read over each individual review with care.

10/10 — tearrific ! - joining this server was a wonderful decision. full of friendly, welcoming people, it’s a lovely environment to grow both your tumblr and as a person. - i recommend anyone to join, be it to make friends or to share your works and ideas with people in the same fandoms. — join écrin today !

we're cool AND funny !! we will spam reblog ur fics and be ur #1 supporters. no matter if ur blog is big or small u r welcome here no matter what (as long as ur a nice person). join ecrin today to become a fellow litteraturer

join us. embrace the chaos and let go of your last braincell. we have nice people here. very talented too. join our little silly network and meet our very cool networkers <3 you will not regret it!! #trust

EDL is like a place where you can interact freely (believe me i was scared to even text or react to a message), i joined during 2nd applications and honestly didn't regret it ppl here are nice and i met alot of cool mutuals n ppl who i didn't expect to actually follow me back . THATS WHY I VOTE EDL AS THE BEST HOYO NETWORK EVER AND PRESIDENT, WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL ACROSS THE WORD UR SURE TO FIND SOMEONE LIKE U. JOIN NOW

We are a little silly, in a silly goofy mood crazy? i was crazy once- 9.9/10

Anygays 10/10 cuz goofy and i love goofy and funny

ECRIN!!! i joined after seeing the blog and i am so glad i did, the people here are not only welcoming and v skilled BUT ALSO RLY SWEET AND HILARIOUS!! from chaotic moments and funny jokes to fun conversations about all sorts of things!! it can be really funny and chaotic at times but still is able to retain the vibes of a very homey cozy server!! 10/10 server would reccomend to people who want to promote their works or people who want to make new friends!!

Upon finishing the wide range of questionable reviews, you give the two women a determined nod. The gesture makes their stoic faces light up, twinkles in their eyes that reflect in the sun that begins to set over the Court of Fontaine in a breath taking scene of oranges, reds and pinks. Lynette takes this moment to raise a clipboard as she stands - wait, where did she get that from? These magicians... - and wanders to you, "welcome to Écrin de Littérature."

━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━

Another dawn rises for the Écrin de Littérature team and we're excited to share this upcoming adventure with you! We're here once more with welcoming open arms to see what stories unfold in our partnership together!

For more on how to join our network, please see here.

Bonus: Are you suffering with an extreme gambling or genshin or hsr addiction? Not to worry! This network helps you with that ! You can also seek comfort here as we are all gamblers, too! Take me for example, putting my hours into strongboxes and emblem but does that mean the fellow members criticize me? No! Remember, 99% of gamblers stop before they hit big and this server can help you become that 1% that doesn’t stop!! Join Ecrin today to become a better gambler and receive higher rewards!!

(The reviews channel burnt to the ground during the making of this post.)

[odditycircus-2002]

Saudade

featuring MK11 Medusa!Reader

Saudade: Meaning (n.). A nostalgic longing to be near again to something or someone that is distant, or that has been loved and then lost; "the love that remains"

A/N: This takes place before the events of Mortal Kombat 1, in a timeline where you, the reader, gained power over the Hourglass. Shang Tsung isn't a fellow Titan or holds a similar position since you're still bitter that Kronika crafted your ENTIRE existence to act as a tool. A tool specifically made to keep Shang Tsung in line and assist in his task for Kronika. If you want to know, read more about this storyline and master list, here.

/

Within the grand Kolosseum, a sea of Outworld onlookers watch as the Emissary of Outworld and Shinnok's Right-Hand Man, Quan-chi, fight desperately against Prince Goro of the Shokan. Observing from the highest vantage point on her gilded throne, positioned with a perfect view of the arena, is a woman dressed in a flowing xuihefu dress made by the finest designers in all of creation. Upon her head, she wore a finely crafted Dian Zi, where her snakes rested behind, save for two that hung by either side of her head; the centerpiece is a sleek silver crown that glowed a ghostly green. On her face, she wore an expertly crafted mask made of gold, carved with a neutral expression. Standing on either side of her, as her dutiful bodyguards, were the demi-gods Raiden and his brother, Fujin. All which is befitting an Empress of Creation and Time.

Yet, the Keeper of Time watches the fight with her face leaning against her fist, her boredom evident despite the neutral mask. Y/N has always appreciated a marvelous performance, whether the shrieks of pain, the resounding snapping of bones echoing in the air, or the squelching of flesh as it's stripped from the body. Most originated from watching the Shokan Prince tearing his opponents/victims into a paste. Y/N smiles to themselves beneath the mask, recalling the past timeline when you would observe similar matches with Shang Tsung, such as one where Goro picked up an opponent with his lower arms before pummeling them within an inch of their life with his free arms, then finishing them by piledriving their head into the ground, hard enough that their entire head exploded like a crunchy watermelon.

"I do love to watch Prince Goro in Kombat."

"I concur; his variety keeps the matches from being too dull."

Shang Tsung looks at his wife from the corner of his eyes before looking back at the unfortunate Earthrealm Champion as his skull is shattered against the courtyard's stone floor, his grin evident behind his beard.

"One could almost feel pity for the fate of Earthrealm, as they're just four more losses away from merging with Outworld."

Y/N turns her head with a tilt of her head, which her snakes mimic.

"Don't tell me you actually feel sympathy for them."

"Of course not; it's just amusing to think about."

Shang Tsung chuckles in amusement at your expression, further deepening his crow's feet and smile lines. A look that you mirrored behind your mask with a matching smug grin.

"You are absolutely horrible!"

"Is that not why you agreed to be my wife?"

Shang Tsung teases, shifting his hand over yours as you continue to gaze at one another with eternal devotion.

... It was all so marvelous.

Y/N holds out her free hand to conjure a polished jade orb that fits perfectly in her hand. She pulls her attention away from the match to look into the orb, which shows her a clear Shang Tsung scene. In the timeline Y/N made, she and Shang Tsung have never married, much less crossed paths. Still, she finds herself watching the man- who just happens to be the current Emperor of China- celebrating some occasion while surrounded by his Imperial court. Y/N notes the familiar smug smile on his wisened face as he raises a tokkuri full of sake for a toast, appearing to be having a better time than she currently is.

Y/n pockets their jade orb before rising to her feet, which immediately attracts the attention of everyone in attendance, including Goro—freshly drenched in blood. They all bow before her in awe and instinctual fear, no one daring to make a peep when she speaks.

"Prince Goro, you have performed well today."

"Thank you, My Empress. I hope my performance today pleased you."

The Shokan Prince respectfully replies. Y/N waves their hands dismissively, already done with the whole respectful spiel.

"Normally, you would have. But I grow tiresome of it all."

This causes the crowd to mutter to themselves about whatever the Empress could mean, as she always seemed to favor Goro. The latter appears to share in the crowd's incredulity, too caught up in his mind to notice Y/N taking off her mask. He looks up from his bowed posture to finally voice his inquiry.

"Whatever do you me--?"

Goro never finished his sentence as Y/N had turned him to stone from where he stood, surrounded by the pulpy remains of Quan-Chi. In that same instance, 3/4 of the crowd are turned to stone, frozen in surprise. The rest of the panicking crowd began to run for the exits, only to be blocked by the most dangerous beasts in Outworld with a snap of Y/N's fingers. The crowd began to trample onto one another as Kolloseum beasts descended upon them, tearing into their flesh and running the steps a bright red. Y/N grinned amusedly before speaking to Raiden and Fujin without glancing at them.

"I want you two to eliminate any survivors you come across, but save one of your choosing."

"Yes, My Empress."

Raiden answers for both himself and his brother. Meanwhile, you sit back on your throne and make yourself comfortable as you watch the pandemonium unfold before you.

/

[After Resetting the Timeline]

Y/N caresses the tube containing an Edenian and Tarkatan hybrid clone she's familiar with. A clone that happens to be one of many clones, all floating within their own tubes, that line the walls of the vast laboratory from top to bottom, in various stages of development. Currently trailing behind Y/N are Sindel and the former Khan, Shao, her obedient servants. Sindel clasps her hands together as she gives her report to the Keeper of Time.

"Despite a few regrettable losses due to incompetence, a good majority of the clones for Project Mileena are flourishing."

"Good, good, good, and what of those behind such incompetence?"

Shao's guttural voice answers.

"Disposed of. They currently fertilize your more plant-based experiments."

Y/N smirked under her veil as she thought of the other facilities she had made, all dedicated to creating hybrids other than Edenian and Tarkatan. The current Keeper of Time has always been fond of monsters and their natural capabilities; now, she can explore these capabilities even further and beyond with ALL living beings across the realms. After all, if life is to flourish at its peak, then its resistance and adaptability must be put to the test. Y/N clapped her hands together as a fanged smile crossed her face.

"Excellent! How goes Project Dragon?"

Sindel and Shao exchange anxious glances at the news they must report. Shao's clenched jaw and hesitation do not escape the Titan's attention.

"Onaga has almost escaped his chains again, your Majesty."

Y/N hums to herself as she raises a hand to her chin in thought.

"Mmmhhh... That is a problem. It would be such a waste if he escaped captivity before I could collect his genetic materials."

She then turns to her side as if to address another person.

"Do you think I should-"

Y/N catches herself before she can finish her sentence. The Titan recalls how she and her former husband spent sleepless nights working on Kitana's clone, exchanging ideas and theories about perfecting a stable clone. She was so caught up in her excitement among these clones that Shang Tsung's absence momentarily slipped her mind. Y/N digs her claws into her hands, deep enough to draw rivelets of blood.

Shao and Sindel tense at their Mistress's abrupt silence after seemingly talking to thin air. They have served under Y/N long enough to know how sporadic her moods can be and just how dangerous their consequences are. When their Empress turns, Shao and Sindel are barely able to contain their flinches.

“Give me the room, please.”

Shao and Sindel share a confused look before Y/N continues.

“Wait outside until I give explicit permission for you or anyone to enter.”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

Both Shao and Sindel answer simultaneously, bowing before exiting the vast laboratory. Once the heavy metal doors slammed shut, did Y/N then conjure her jade ball. As always, her orb showed her Shang Tsung, who currently sits at a grand dining table splayed out with a feast befitting royalty. Keeping him company is Prince Goro, alive and well. The two currently appear to be conversing over something that Y/N couldn’t make out.

The polish jade begins to crack under Y/N’s claws, threatening to shatter from her strength. Ultimately, the Titan hurls the jade orb into the stone floor of her laboratory, scattering its shards on impact. Y/N pays the remains no mind, even as they let out residual wisps of magic, instead focusing on her work table placed within the center of the Laboratory. Circling the table are shelves and bulletin boards covered in schematics and sketches for the many beautiful abominations Y/N plans to unleash on to all the realms. She lifts one schematic of a Shokan and Tarkatan hybrid to remove a small ivory chest with a dagger inside.

Y/N then places the open chest on the table and takes the dagger in her hand. She raises her free hand, allowing her magic to flow into it, takes a deep calming breath, and begins to chant under her breath. Y/N then plunges the dagger into her sternum.

The sound of screams were nothing new within the Titan’s laboratory. Shao and Sindel didn’t flinch at the wounded animalistic noises, even as it continues for what seems like hours. Such screeching have become white noise for the two servants; for all they know, you were creating another monstrous construct from scratch.

Which is why when Y/N finally summoned them back into her lab, they aren’t surprised to find their Empress and the dagger she held, covered in scarlet blood. However, they are surprised when the Titan presented them with a locked chest, stained bright red, which seemed to be pulsing at the touch.

“Take this to Geras and have him hide it where no one, not even I would think to find it.”

“It shall be done, Your Majesty.”

Shao replies both he and Sindel bow respectively then go to carry out their task. Sindel glances at the shattered pieces of what looks like jade as she passes by it, but chooses to say nothing. When both representatives of Outworld finally leave, Y/N takes a deep breath; feeling their mind to be clearer than ever before. A sense of calm seems to wash over her, despite the physically sting from her healed wound. Y/N no longer felt that ache in her chest from the thought of Shang Tsung. In fact, she felt nothing at all in her chest.

…

It’s funny really, how Titans besides herself are so easily plied by their vanity, their greed, their fear. Y/N plucks one little string within their intricate web of fate, and they’re at each other’s throat. In this case, it’s very much literal.

Y/N floats midair far from the war unveiling before her, with Shao and Sindel on either side of her. Her fellow Titans tore into each other, bleeding out their life forces which mixed and mingled in the space around them. The Keeper of Time laughs to herself as she watches reality around her start to unravel at the seams.

”Can you believe they’re willing to destroy themselves over such petty reasons? It’s absurd!

Y/N wipes away imaginary tears of joy as entire stars blink in and out of existence. Often in brilliant bursts of light and color before nothing but never ending voids remain, slowly returning Time and Space to how it once was in the beginning. Sindel and Shao could only stand and watch besides their Empress, expressions unreadable and unable to comprehend the destruction around them. Shao is the first of the pair to speak.

“Agreed, your Majesty. It seems absurd.”

Sindel opens her mouth to speak, but whatever she was about to say is blocked out by a resounding THUD echoing across the entire battlefield, the realms, the universe. The origin of the sound sends back everyone on the battlefield, including Y/N, light years away from the impact. The Titan cackled in exhilaration from the powerful force, clapping at the spectacle.

“What a performance there! Wouldn’t you say?”

“I concur, Your majesty. Nothing like I’ve ever seen in my eons of life.”

Sindel replied as she stumbles in midair, trying to somehow find her center. Y/N shoots the Edenian a scowl before turning to watch the Heavens themselves burn away, revealing a new glistening world shining in through the tear. She smiles maniacally at the new world before her. A new world to influence and bend to her will.

“Glorious, is it not?”

“Indeed.”

Both Shao and Sindel answer at the same time. Whatever awe Y/N had in her eyes are snuffed out at the monotonous response. She gives a displeased hiss as she leans the side of her face against her hand. No longer did she feel any anticipation at the prospect of her finding new territory for her creations to expand and conquer, rather Y/N felt… dissatisfaction.

‘If he were here, he’d perhaps make this new discovery of expansion-‘

Y/N thoughts come to a halt. With a frustrated hiss and a resounding SNAP from both hands, time came to a complete stop. The Titans freeze mid-action of their war, as did all their weapons and their magic, capturing them all in a cosmic moment in time. Yet, Y/N didn’t pay any mind to the grand display or even the rip in Space Time; she became too caught up with her mad rambling, pacing in mid air with her snakes writhing and snapping at the air around her. She barely paid Shao or Sindel any mind, who could only watch.

“Why does this keep happening?!? Why can’t he ssssstay out of my head???? Moments of triumph and entertainment, interrupted by the intrussssive image of that man! The AUDACITY to remain within my mind, when I have sssssurpassed him! I have made this entire reality from SCRATCH, I have learned the intricacies of time manipulation, uncovered secretssss cannot EVER be shared, I had terraformed ALL the realms and filled them with my beautiful creations! I have made Titans tear at each other’s throats to the point that REALITY itself shredssss itself! ALL that I have made and have accomplished was becaussssse of ME, not HIM! So WHY-“

Y/N spins around to face Shao and Sindel, both taking a step back when their Empress’s snakes snap centimeters away from their face.

“Why? Why doessss he continue to haunt me?”

Without any warning, Y/N teleports them all before the Hourglass, paying no mind to its cracks. She waves a hand, instantly conjuring an image of Shang Tsung; who is offering a jade pendant to another woman, that’s noticeably NOT Y/N. The Titan hisses venomously as the rest of her snakes baring their fangs at the image of the other woman, appearing ready to strike at the interloper. In the midst of her rage, the floor of the Hourglass’s Keep begin sprout red fleshy vines with thorns that begin to cover the entire floor. Shao, knowing that letting those red weeds’ spikes touch him would mean instant paralysis, speaks.

“Your Majesty, if those Earthrealmers caused you such agony, then I offer that I travel to Earth realm to annihilate them both- GAHHH!!!”

Without any warning, the fleshy vines impale themselves through Shao’s deltoids and thighs. He gives out another cry of pain as the vines begin to wrap themselves around his limbs, their poison leaving him immobilized. Shao is then lifted so he’s face to face with his creator, whose gaze pierced him from behind her gilded mask and her wings flared from behind her. Y/N cups his cheek in her claws in a mockingly sweet gesture juxtaposing the position Shao’s in.

“You are to NEVER lay a ssssingle claw upon Shang Tsung. If you dare to even think you could, I will tear your body into piecessss to make better and more obedient mutts before DEVOURING your sssssoul to savor for ETERNITY!”

With each second pass, Y/N claws dig deeper into Shao’s thick skin to the point of drawing blood. She gives a mockingly sweet smile that Shao and Sindel could HEAR from behind the Titan’s mask.

“Blink twice if you understand.”

Shao complied and is released from him bondage, leaving him crumpled on the ground. Sindel, despite her reasonable fears, is the next to make her voice known.

“If I may speak freely, My Empress, I would like to make a suggestion for your plight.”

The former Empress of Outworld tenses as she readies herself for Y/N to lash out, only for the latter and her head of snakes to, instead, focus her attention on Sindel.

“Speak.”

Sindel only hesitates for a moment.

“What if you just miss this Shang Tsung?”

Y/N remains perfectly still on the spot for, what very well could’ve been, eternity with her gaze focused on Sindel. The Titan then walks and stops in front of Sindel, who keeps her eyes focused on the ground. The former Empress feels her heart race as Y/N raises a hand… only for the Titan to use it to tap a claw against the side of her mask.

“Mmmhhh… Thank you for your council, Sindel.”

Y/N waves her hands in Shao’s direction, manipulating time as to reverse the damage to his wounds and paralysis. Fully healed, Shao bows in thanks to his creator.

“Many thanks, Your Majesty.”

“If you truly want to show your gratitude for having me sssspare your life, then go to Earthrealm,”

Y/N and her snakes hisses as she points to the woman depicted in the Hourglass.

“And eliminate THAT woman.”

“It shall be done, your Majesty.”

Shao bows respectfully. Y/N nods in approval before dismissing him and Sindel.

“Good. That will be all.”

/

Y/N spins and weaves the sands of time, as she has done so many times before. Only, this time, the life she brings back costs more than just a little bit of her power, but by means not enough to weaken her. The life in question that emerges from the sands is a humanoid female with periwinkle skin, a crystal halo floating behind her head, and with flora acting as hair that fall to her shoulders.

While Y/N despises Cetrion for taking part in cursing her, she knew that the Elder God is her best and safest option. The current Keeper of Time wouldn’t dare revive Kronika, so it’s fortunate that the late Titan’s loyal daughter is likely to hold the answers she seeks. Unfortunately, it seems that Cetrion isn’t in a talkative mood as her first action when revived is to take a defensive stance and summon divine her divine energy to smite Y/N. Admittedly, while engaging Cetrion in combat, the Elder God did make the new Titan put in more effort than she has in eons. Their fight didn’t even last for half an hour; by the end of it, Y/N had Certrion’s neck under her foot.

“Did you revive me just to have me watch the destruction of our reality?”

Cetrion inquires in her dual-tone voice, however strained from having Y/N’s pressing against her wind pipes. The unraveling of matter down to its barest particles didn’t pass the Elder God’s notice.

“The thought of watching your despair as I undo everything Kronika strived for is an amusing thought, but mostly, no. It’ll be even sweeter if you continue to struggle, yet Nevermind that,”

Y/N waves her hand dismissively. Her tone becomes less playful and more severe.

“You’re breathing now because of a question I want answered.”

Cetrion’s brows furrow in confusion as she tries to read Y/N’s face from her position, attempting to guess what exactly the new Titan wants.

“You were there when your fellow Elder Gods cursed me, it can be reasonably assume you were also there when Kronika crafted my destiny. After all, Shang Tsung was integral to your plans for the Crown’s creation and thus resetting the Timeline. What better way is there to make a treacherous man comply, than to hold the one person he values over him as you would with a donkey and carrot?”

Y/N then kneels to Cetrion’s level, replacing her foot with her knee with enough force to create cracks around the Elder God’s head and break her halo.

“I admire the ingenuity there, I would even praise your dearly departed mother for the idea if it did not infuriate me so. I suppose my question is, why even after rebuilding my ENTIRE being over and over again, carving out my heart sssso as to avoid the pain, I sssstill yearn for a man I’m no longer bound to in any way? He is now BENEATH my station and ssssomeone I never needed at all if it weren’t for Kronika’s interference!”

A beat of silence hangs over. Cetrion heaves before speaking.

“You do have some semblance of virtue.”

Y/N tilts her head in curiosity.

“Explain.”

Cetrion’s expression doesn’t change even with Y/N snakes flicking their tongues inquisitively at her.

“It is really quite simple, despite my Mother’s interference and your denial, your heart betrays your love for Shang Tsung. As unfathomable as it may sound to the likes of you.”

Y/N’s snakes stop mid-hiss and retract from Cetrion’s face. The new Titan rises to her feet and raises an index finger and thumb to her chin in deep thought. Cetrion takes the opportunity to take a deep desperate breath. She uses her floral tendrils to upright herself, just as Y/N gives a heavy sigh.

“I suppose there’s no harm in confirming this. Thank you for your advice, Cetrion.”

Cetrion opens her mouth to reply, only to find venom sprayed into her mouth and on her face. The Elder God feels her limbs become numb as the ground shifts underneath her, the sounds of reality disintegrating are nearly deafening. Cetrion could hear Y/N speaking to her, who may as well been underwater.

“To answer your question, I’ve given you a new brand of venom of my making, this one psychedelic.”

Cetrion rubs her eyes but it does nothing to improve her vision, as time seems to fast forward.

“You always talk of virtue and how others should pray to you for it. So,”

Cetrion feels something being placed in her hand. She holds it out in front of her, feeling the movement was both somehow too slow and too fast at the same time. In the Elder God’s hand was a shrapnel of her crystal halo with a particularly wicked edge.

“Why don’t you take that crystal to your face and show me how much virtue is inside of you?”

Cetrion, without any resistance, complied and takes the shard into her face to behind carving off large strips of her flesh. Y/N just watches, the inside of her chest now lighter.

[In Another Timeline]

Y/N watches from behind bamboo as a genuinely young Shang Tsung starts hiking down a trail, basket strapped to his back. The Titan had purposefully set up that he would walk down this trail as a “shortcut”; now she just had to enact the next step of her plan. Y/N summons her glamor to exactly how she looked before she was cursed. There’s no need for a mask, as she has long since learned to control her petrified stare. Y/N steps out from behind the bamboo and begins to walk parallel to Shang Tsung.

“Hello there, you seem interesting.”

[In another Timeline separate from Y/N’s]

Titan Shang Tsung looks over his vast Empire on his intricately carved balcony, the lights of the cities in the distance visible in the night. A smug smile settles on his face at the reminder of all he has conquered. His smug expression is replaced with one of confusion as daylight suddenly lights up the night sky. Shang Tsung shields his eyes with his hand as he's temporarily blinded by the intruding light.

It takes a moment for his vision to adjust; when it does, he's greeted by the sight of an upside-down Earthrealm. At least, what appears to be Earth Realm is that the landscape is covered in briar bushes, with twisted monstrosities roaming the land. As soon as this new reality appeared, its portals began to mend themselves until they completely disappeared, leaving no trace of its existence. Save for the few monstrosities resembling giant bats that flew through the portals to descend to the city below Shang Tsung. No doubt to feast on its residents if the cacophony of screams is anything to go by as citizens are swiped from the ground.

None of the unfolding chaos bothered the Sorcerer, who stared up at the night sky that, not so long ago, had patches of daylight streaming in. Shang Tsung taps his armored claws against the marble banister in thought.

"Interesting... Perhaps I shall pay my new neighbor a visit."

Playlist While Writing This:

“Lone Digger” by Caravan Palace

“Davy Jones” ver RafScrap ft. @LaceySings18

“Dream Sweet in Sea Major” by Miracle Music

“Always on My Mind” feat Mary Elizabeth McGlynn

[zhongrin]

tsunami

◇ characters ◇ zhongli, childe

◇ tags ◇ yandere, unhealthy relationship, obsessive behavior, not poly - 2 men competing for your attention

◇ a/n ◇ lmao you’re so fucked good luck first submission for my ᴇʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʟ ϟᴜᴘᴇʀᴄʜᴀʀɢᴇ collab

𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑏 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡 ⬙ 𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡 ⬙ 𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡

getting caught between these two is akin to getting engulfed in a tsunami - childe being the wave that consumes your whole being, while zhongli is the moving earth plates; the catalyst that pushed the ginger to do so.

it was fine at first. childe’s curiosity makes him wave and calls out to you whenever he bumps into you in the harbor. he makes small talk, discovers something new about you, and leaves you with a smile.

only… after a few times, his questions start getting more and more personal, he starts to intrude on your personal space, and before long whenever you’re just walking down the street, if you feel arms snake around you from behind, you immediately know it’s childe.

zhongli does the same, although at times he would not be opposed to tagging along with you, surveying the market stalls and helping you do your errands. it’s very gentlemanly of him, and he’s always so ever helpful, so of course you would enjoy his company, of course you would willingly spend more time with him, to the point of inviting him over for tea, because you’ve got to repay the man somehow for never failing to help you with things, right?

yes, it’s all fine and dandy until one day, childe spots the two of your together, and it would have been fine if he hadn’t seen how the ex-archon kissed your hand as he excused himself.

and the worst part?

you were giggling, seemingly embarrassed by the gesture, and yet anyone can see that you liked it.

oh.

oh, the hunt’s on.

from thereon, childe treats you like a conquest: lavish gifts begin to flood your doorstep; from pieces of jewelry to exquisite chinas to bouquets of the freshest flowers. he laughs when you try to give them back, and for the first time, he tells you things like how you’re worth all the mora in the whole teyvat. that he just wants to make you happy because you’re important to him.

zhongli gives you a bouquet of flowers when you met him that day, and you sheepishly joke that you don’t have a vase to store them in, since the ones you have are currently housing all the flowers childe has been giving you these past few days.

hm? childe is giving you flowers now?

interesting.

the relationship between zhongli and childe is… up in the air, up until that point. they weren’t exactly friends, yet they were no strangers to each other. they’re not hostile to each other, yet they aren’t exactly the most amiable. their motives and goals differ from each other, and therefore when there are no reasons for them to mingle, they prefer to stay out of each other’s way.

but now, there’s you.

a tiny sprout that childe wishes to shelter and nurture all on his own. the finest gem zhongli wishes to possess and examine in detail. a fleeting butterfly that managed to mesmerize them with the elegant flutter and the intricate patterns of your wings.

beautiful.

hypnotizing.

brittle.

they simply have to compete to entice you to settle onto their palm. surely you would be happier if you were to be put in a garden they’ve made just for you? a space full of your favorite flowers and the only one person who would be able to appreciate your entirety to the fullest?

and if your perfect wings has to become just a little bit imperfect for you to end up in his grasp, then that’s a small price to pay, doesn’t it?

“as someone who's willing to give up the nation he’s built for thousands of years, why don’t you be the gentleman that you are and back off this time, xiansheng?”

“i do not think you understood my actions correctly. never have i ‘given up’ on liyue and its people. in fact, i believe i have never given up anything that managed to catch my eye throughout the course of my life - for you see, i pride myself of having an eye for the most exquisite crafts. whenever i recognize such brilliance, i must add them to my collection. no matter how much it costs.”

𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑟𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑑𝑟𝑎𝑔 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑠𝑒𝑎, 𝑜𝑟 𝑏𝑒 𝑠𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑒𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠? 𝑒𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑎𝑦, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑠𝑢𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑖 𝑖𝑠, 𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒, 𝒖𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈.

© zhongrin | 2022 ◆ no repost. reblogs much appreciated. feel free to reach out to submit suggestions, feedback, comments, or if you just want to talk!

◇ taglist ◇ @thestarsofenkanomiya | @genshinparty | @abyssmal-skies | @hamdehlesmis | @depressivecomforts | @sophiethewitch1 | @why-am-i-here-someone-save-me | @sunnshineflxwer | @heartonthemoon | @yuutasbabe | @percyval-archives | @carbs-need-more-love | @rebeccka | @queen-belial | @stygianoir | @niverine | @silentmoths | @niktwazny303 | @dustofthedailylife | @herdrops | @clovcly | @marina-and-the-memes | @angryhope | @mixed-kester | @shuangxo | @fiannee

[nat-seal-well]

It’s almost the end of my work week and to celebrate surviving my 3 AM shift, I’m posting a snippet from the one-shot I’m working on! The Sewell family is so intriguing to me and I’ve been playing around with them.

As expected, Natalie took to Persian as naturally as she had to every other language that was offered to her. Milton did his best, but like every other young boy, his attention was directed elsewhere: tales of glory and honor, and the maritime stories that only seemed to be rising in popularity.

News of Britain's colonies in the New World ignited fires in the imagination of its people. The continent across the ocean seemed to be full of possibility: pristine nature, opportunity ripe for the taking, if only one were brave enough to take to the sea to get to it. Milton, however, could not have cared less about the wild land that gripped the rest of the nation’s mind. Instead, he fixated on the large, wooden vessels that were needed to get there.

It frightened her, even if she did not speak of it. The ocean took just as easily as it gave. She knew that as well as anyone. The thought of her only son daring to leave dry land was unimaginable, for more ways than one. Thankfully, however, she was not the only one who abhorred the idea of it.

“I want to join the British Navy,” Milton announced one day at dinner, when he was all of thirteen years old. “I want to be a sailor.”

Her response was to narrowly miss choking on her venison, and she took a sip of wine to help recover. It was as red as blood, and the sight of it did little good, but it gave her time to think of what to say that did not betray the wrenching of her heart.

“You will do no such thing,” Lord Sewell said simply, as he sliced away at the meat, seasoned with a blackberry wine sauce, on his fine china plate. “You are the Sewell heir; heirs do not go to sea.”

“I’m not the eldest, though. Natalie is the eldest. Why isn’t she the heir? It doesn’t make any sense,” Milton protested.

“That simply is not the way things are done,” Lady Sewell managed at last. “But even if you were not destined to take your father’s place, you cannot be a sailor—it is far too dangerous, darling. I cannot bear the thought of you boarding a rickety, old boat, and sailing away from me.”

Milton seemed to take it as an affront. With an air of indignance that would only be mustered by a child of thirteen, he said, “They aren’t ‘rickety old boats.’ They’re the British Navy. They’re the finest ships in the world, and I want to command one.”

[nativeofsumeru]

His Majesty (Zhongli x fem! reader)

A/N: This too is an old fic I wrote way back when so apologies for any errors.

(Not proofread)

(I might post some of the next parts I wrote that follow this story if there's enough positive feedback.) UPDATE:

(AU-Liyue is a kingdom, Zhongli is a dragon with a humanoid form with his special arms and horns and tail, he is the deity/king that rules over Liyue, this is more of an ancient China theme inspired fic. you are a from a high class, wealthy, and influential family who is friends with the royals. Hu Tao is a princess whom you've grown up with that Zhongli has adopted. Xiao is an adopted prince. Both were poor orphans for the first few years of life before he took them in. Ningguang is your sister. There is also parent mistreatment.)

(Y/N) clutched the fabrics closer to her body. She wasn't cold, but it was for a sense of comfort. It must've been the upteenth time she's wandered these halls, and yet, they still feel so lonely. The high ceiling of the palace made her feel small. The warm colors decorating the walls didn't make the setting any more welcoming. Her fabrics were a rich red made of the finest silk flowers, hand crafted and hand designed. Buying a single section of this kind of quality fabric of such a color and with such patterns could easily set back a commoner family decades in the financial department. And here she was. Wearing it practically for free. The hall stretched on for miles. She couldn't even begin to imagine how many lives must've been lost to create such a structure, at the hands of a god. Her attention was caught further down the hall. A faint yet familiar "Yahoo!" could be heard heading her way. (Y/N) smiled warmly and walked briskly towards the voice, her long fabrics flowing on behind her.

"Hu Tao?" She said, her voice was a little raised.

"(Y/N)!" Her friend came into view. They embraced each other smiling."It's been so long!" (Y/N) nodded.

"Yea...it has. How's life been? I haven't seen you since the wedding..."  Hu Tao sighed.

"Don't be surprised. I think I'm the unluckiest woman in the world to have been married to that guy. If Master didn't arrange the whole thing I would've gladly stayed here with you. I know it gets lonely here." (Y/N) looked down at the ground sadly. "Yea..."

"He's on a trip though, going to sell some things in Inazuma so today I was able to escape the maids and pop in for the visit." (Y/N) was shocked to hear that.

"What?! But aren't you afraid?" Hu Tao acted nonchalant., hands on her hips and smiling.

"Of what? The Dragon's Gaze? I can deal with that old man if his wrath ever comes near me. I'll be fine. Besides, it's not fair that you're here all alone by yourself every day."

"I guess so." Her friend put a hand on her shoulder. (Y/N) looked up and here and smiled.

"Come on, let's go to the stables or something and enjoy our time while we're here." The smile faltered.

"Uhhh, about that..." Hu Tao was surprised.

"He doesn't allow you to go to the stables too?!"

"No no no no no, not that. It's just that, I don't think I'm allowed to ride the horses or anything."

"Why not? We always used to do it. Have you not been able to since I left?" Her friend frowned at her. (Y/N) wrapped her arms around her stomach.

"I'm, uh...banned from any strenuous activity for now. Um, the doctor says I might be with child."

"WHAT?!" Hu Tao quickly covered her mouth, she hadn't expected to be that loud. She didn't know whether to be happy or sad, but based off her friend's reaction, (Y/N) didn't seem all that thrilled.

"He doesn't know yet and I'm scared." Her friend took her in her arms again and squeezed tightly.

"How did I end up here?"

~~

(Y/N) walked around her estate. It was a bright sunny day, no clouds in sight, and the weather was warm. Not too far above, a mighty woosh could be heard and the shadow of a  dragon soared in the sky. It has shiny metallic brown scales, large golden horns, and a glowing golden and orange mane. The most distinguishing feature of this dragon was it's piercing honey gold eyes that could strike fear in even the bravest of men. She remembered the lesson from her history class.

'Long ago, 500 years into the past, the kingdom of Liyue was a small yet prosperous nation, the only one in the area for miles. The people lived peacefully at first, however, then the Queen of Monsters awokened from her thousand year slumber. She pillaged the land with her monster kin, destroying homes, and flattening cities. The militias and armies fought valiantly at the old Emperor's command. Yet all efforts to quell the threat failed. More monsters had begun infiltrating the capital and it wouldn't be much longer until the Queen had arrived upon the land and ended every human life, except those she deemed worthy to be her followers. You could see her silhouette on the horizon, growing nearer and nearer. The people fled as quickly as they could for their lives, when suddenly...a massive dragon burst forth from the earth, filled with beauty and might. He fiercely took down the Queen of Monsters in a monsterous battle alongside the humans. He fought valiantly until he eventually ended her life with a bite to the throat. He made quick work of her remaining followers and monster kin, those who were lucky enough to escape his punishment fled far beyond the mountains, never to return again. The mighty dragon became known as The Protector and the people began worshipping him for years to come. As time went on, Liyue began rebuilding from scratch under the Dragon's Gaze, the modern day name of His Majesty's army and special forces to protect the people. Eventually, the need for a new ruler became apparent with the death of the previous royals and many of the upper class. The people were all in agreement that The Protector should be the one to rule over Liyue. He listened to their wishes and had transformed himself into a more humanoid form that would allow him to tend to specific matters. He expanded the kingdom and brought prosperity to the once weakened people on the brink of extinction. Since then, the dragon has lived on, protecting the people and ruling over Liyue.'

"(Y/N)! My dear, let's go! It's time for dinner with the royal family!" Her mother ran over and almost dragged her to the dressing room in their mansion.

"Mom, do I really have to wear this?" Her mom yanked at her hair mid styling. "Ow-"

"Yes, and I will not hear another bit of complaining from you. Now shut it and sit still while I try to tame this lion's mane." Her sister walked out from behind the changing screen.

"How do I look mother?" She asked. Their mother let go of (Y/N)'s hair letting it fall back down to have to be styled again as she rushed to her sister. Their mother gently put her hands on her sister's face.

"Oh Ningguang you look beautiful! Absolutely beautiful! His majesty will surely accept your hand in marriage!" Ningguang gave a frustrated sigh.

"Mother, how many times do I have to tell you. I'm not interested in that old man. I'm just going because the family is, I could care less that he's lonely and wants a wife now."

"Nonsense!" Their mother said joyfully while returning back to (Y/N)'s hair. "Your father and I have worked so hard for this moment, Ningguang! Now if you'll excuse me, I need to return to tending to her sister's erm, unique hair." Ningguang walked out of the room. Their mother tightened her grip on (Y/N)'s hair and whispered harshly into your ear, her cheery expression fading.

"Now you listen here. You will lay low and let your older sister have the spotlight. You are not to look at His Majesty at all and you will simply do your best to act as if you didn't exist, alright dear?" 

"Yes mother." The cheery tone and smile returned.

"Oh I'm so excited! I can't wait for your sister to be married!!"

                                                                    ===Later===

The family entered the palace and were told that His Majesty was running a little behind and that they could feel free to roam the palace while they waited.

"Hey Mother, is it alright if (Y/N) and I explore on our own?" Ningguang asked.

"Of course dear! You go and have fun!" Their mother was practically star struck. "Oh to be in the palace of a god, The Great Protector!" The girls walked away. They walked down one of the many halls. (Y/N) was fascinating and in awe whereas Ningguang seemed unfazed. If anything she seemed bored.

"Hey sis?" (Y/N) snapped out of her trance.

"Yea?"

"I'm going to find the lady's room, ok? You stay here." (Y/N) nodded and her sister walked away. (Y/N) slowly walked around the hall, forgetting her sister's instructions to stay put. They would be seeing each other all at dinner anyway. One hall had painting and engraving carved into the wall and various sculptures depicting the events of 500 years ago and The Protector's rise to power. (Y/N) stared at the artwork, it inspired her. Eventually at the end of the hallway was a statue of a humanoid figure although he had some dragon-like characteristics. (Y/N)'s hand slowly found themselves running over the features of the man lightly. She couldn't help but admire the amount of craftsmanship put into such a piece.

"What are you doing?" She screamed and jumped back in fright from the voice behind her nearly falling to the ground. But something caught her arm before she could.

"You should really be more careful." The deep male voice said again. She looked up to see the piercing golden eyes of His Majesty, The Great Protector. Time seemed to stand still. Her eyes widened and he helped her regain stability on her feet. She immediately looked away and bowed her head, putting her arms together and profusely apologizing.

"I am so sorry, I am so sorry, I am so sorry, I am SO sorry, i am so sorry, Your Majesty. I promise to never ensite your wrath again, I am so sorry." His expression didn't change.

"There is no need to apologize." She looked up at him surprised as he turned his back. "I understand humans are naturally curious. You seem to have a keen eye for artwork." The GREAT Protector, His Majesty, was speaking to HER.  "Am I wrong?" He said as if waiting for her to respond.

"O-Oh um um um y-yea uh haha um uh y-yes. I-I like work I mean art I mean artwork yes um....yea." He faced her once more. Those eyes were so....entrancing.

"You are the daughter of my guests I am hosting this evening are you not?" She remembered her mother's rules.

"Oh um yea, and my sister uh-"

"Excellent, we will be dining soon. Please go to the dinner table now. Your parents are already there. I will be arriving shortly." (Y/N) nodded profusely. 

"Yes, Your Majesty, thank you." And she briskly walked away.

She sat at her seat in the dining room which might as well be a ballroom, it was massive. Her parents were present however she was yet to spot her sister. 

"Where is your sister?" Her mother asked, frustrated.

"I don't know-" A servant entered.

"All rise, for the entrance of his Majesty, The Great Protector." In walked His Majesty, in expensive shining fabrics changing the atmosphere of the room with his presence. (Y/N) looked at him. Was he always this handsome?

(Y/N)'s mother was grinning ear to ear, trying so hard to advertise herself as an amazing mother. Her father didn't change much, he was still expressionless and seemed indifferent with the situation at hand. (Y/N) sat farthest from where The Protector would be seated and began her process of laying low. Her mother began buttering him up and making excuses for her other daughter's temporary absence which His Majesty didn't seem to care much about. (Y/N) swore he had been glancing at her multiple times throughout the dinner. She only ate small portions and never asked the servants for extra food or service unlike her mother who was basking in the feeling of being royalty.

Eventually her mother had enough.

"(Y/N)!"

"Yes mother?"

"Where is Ningguang?! I wanted her to meet His Majesty!"

"Ma'am," a different servant entered the room.

"WHAT?!" Her mother snapped.

"Your daughter was found boarding a ship at the docks not long ago."

"SHIP?!?!?! WHAT SHIP?!" His Majesty looked over mid tea sip.

"The Crux ship of Captain Beidou!"

"Pirates kidnapped?!?!?" Her mother began looking worried. The servant nervously passed a piece of paper to her.

"Um..Not exactly Mrs....She dropped this while smiling and flipping off those trying to stop her..."

-Mom, Dad, I haven't been kidnapped. I like women. See you never. :)- 

Her mother became frantic. His Majesty gave a small chuckle. (Y/N) looked at him and blushed. Gosh he was handsome. They made eye contact and she shifted her gaze back to her very interesting bowl of empty soup. Very interesting. 

"My apologies, your Majesty, but we must be heading home now!" Her mother said sweetly through gritted teeth.

"Oh, is that so?" 

"YES." She clutched (Y/N)'s shoulders so tightly she gave a small yelp. He took notice. (Y/N) got up and solemnly followed them out the door.

"Wait," He said sternly and calmly arose from his seat. "I would like her to stay."

"I'm sorry Your Majesty, whom are you speaking of?" Her mother said pushing (Y/N) out behind the door.

"Her. Your other daughter ma'am." He pointed at said (Y/N). 

"W-What other daughter?" He didn't falter. "O-oh her, she's not our daughter, she's some servant's daughter we got paid to take with us. 

"Hm," He said. "No wonder she is so well mannered. Tell the servant who birthed her that her daughter was fortunate to draw my keen eye and I would like her to stay the weekend at the palace." (Y/N)'s mother seemed like she was going to explode knowing where this was going.

"Of course Your Majesty. I will relay the message. Are you sure you want this dirty servant girl?"

"Yes." She dragged her daughter back into the room and left without saying another word. She was admittedly near tears. She never expected that her parents would lie to The Protector about her to deter him from her.

"You never have to see them again. The wedding is tomorrow afternoon. Anything you wish to have on that day shall be granted. Simply tell my servants and if it is in my power to bestow it upon you I shall." Then he left.

The bed was comfortable. This is what royalty could buy. Her new husband entered the bedroom and began to undress himself. It was time to consummate the marriage and make it final. She stared at him in awe and was nervous. He was muscular and extremely well built, almost as if he hadn't been alive for centuries. He was big too....Wait. Consummate the marriage?!

~~

"I was the first one to sleep with The Great Protector." (Y/N) said drunkenly, holding her glass up.

"You go bestie." Hu Tao slurred. A worried servant was tending to the two.

"U-um your majesties? Don't you think you've had enough?" 

"Pour us another Katheryne!"

"My name is Xingxi."

"That sex was fuckin great lemme tell you."

"Tell me."

"Damn right I rode that dragon baby." Xingxi took the remaining alcohol and left the vicinity to do other chores.

~~

She layed in bed on her back, staring at the ceiling. Intricately painted and carved designs of dragons decorated it. She missed him. It was unfortunate that the war had happened so soon and that her love had to go fight it. He was The Protector after all. She kept her hands above her stomach. It would surely grow in 9 months. If The Protector were to...no. Let's not think about that. No heir is needed. The Protector would return in due time. She stroked her stomach. Would she really have a baby? She felt a faint thud vibrate the ground.

"Your Majesty?" A servant knocked on the door of her room. (Y/N) sat up and made herself decent.

"Come in."

"Your Majesty, he has returned." Her eyes widened and she quickly sprinted out of the room and out the door. She rushed down the many halls and bumped into many different servants.

"SORRY!" She yelled back at them. Her footsteps were so loud. She rushed outside to the courtyard nearly crashing into a servant who had been quick enough to open the door.

There he has. The massive dragon looked at her with it's soft honey gold eyes and walked towards her. It blew on her face and gently nudged her head. She smiled and cried and hugged its face holding it close to her. The dragon let her and closed its eyes as its wife held on tightly. She stroked its face and they looked at each other.

"My love." She heard it say.

[rey-jake-therapist]

Nina from Black Swan vs Will from Hannibal

Another parallel no one asked for: Black Swan and Hannibal, or more precisely, Nina and Will.

I rewatched Black Swan yesterday. And wow, it's not because I'm currently in my Fannibal era but the parallels between Nina's story and Will's just jumped straight at my face. They're so (tragically similar).

They both suffer from an illness but don't know it. For Nina, it's likely to be a mental illness that remained undiagnosed and gives her hallucinations when she's under great stress. Also she's prone to self harming, as we see several times during the movie. For Will, it's encephalitis, which under Hannibal's 'treatment' gives him similar symptoms.

They both hate themselves and express it by engaging in a process of self destruction. They're both very good at their job. To do it right, they're forced to dig deep inside themselves and confront themselves to things which existence they denied all their life. Their job slowly but surely destroys them, they know it but they refuse to stop because they believe it's the only thing that gives them a value. What drives Nina is to be 'perfect', an unreachable goal in essence; what drives Will is to save lives thanks to a gift he has, but he can't save everybody. Worse, he can't seem to be able to save himself, his 'gift' turning out to be more of a curse for him.

They both have an authoritarian figure in their life who smothers them and project their past failures on them (the creepy mother who forces her into staying a child while guilting her for being born for Nina, Jack Crawford who watches him destroy himself, and uses him in a goose chase against the Ripper for Will). Both Nina's mother and Jack Crawford treat Nina/Will as, in Hannibal's words, "their finest china, used only for special guests". There's something deeply disturbing in the way Nina's mother keeps disrespecting Nina's boundaries while she's a woman in their 20s, that's not existent with Jack Crawford (though it could be argued that when he insists that Will keeps using his empathy disorder to solve crimes even after Will clearly tells him it harms him, he also disrespects Will's intimacy in a way), but it's about the influence they have on Nina/Will. They also have in commun the fact that they know something's wrong with the person they're supposed to protect, but choose to do nothing about it because it doesn't serve their personal agenda. Nina's mother for example, knows it's not the first time that Nina engages in self harm and yet, the only thing she does is yelling at her and shaming her. Jack Crawford watches Will's mental and physical health get worse and worse, but chooses to ignore the warning signs and to pretend he believes Will when he claims he's 'fine'. When Will expresses his discomfort he's deaf to his distress and proposes him with disdain to quit, knowing that's not what Will wants.

They both have a smoking hot DILF man in their life who pushes them to accept the darkness in them. Both male figures are abusive in a different way (Thomas has no respect for Nina's boundaries, forces her to kiss him and touches her in a very inappropriate way, then humiliates her based on the idea that she's not "fuckable" enough to be the Black Swan; Hannibal manipulates Will through brutal therapy methods), but their goals are similar. Thomas feels that Nina represses a lot of things and wants her to listen to her pulsions so she can be both the White and the Black swan Queen. Hannibal feels that Will secretly enjoys killing and wants him to admit it so he can embrace his true self. Both men are... Bad men lol and they end up doing more harm than good. One could argue that without them neither Nina or Will wouldn't have learnt so much about themselves, but the price to pay came very high: Nina stabs herself during an hallucination and Will jumps off a bridge with Hannibal, to free themselves.

Both Nina and Will suffer from a similar type of hallucinations: they are face to face with a darker version of them, who sometimes takes someone else's face: the dancer Lily for Nina, Gareth Jacob Hobbs for Will. In both cases they're characters for whom they have ambivalent feelings: Nina is extremely attracted to Lily but in her paranoia believes she conspires to steal the role from her, while Will sees Gareth Jacob Hobbs as an horrible murderer but can't help but feel he's becoming one with him. They both hallucinate that a monster lives inside of them and tries to dominate them at some point.

Both Nina and Will discover they're attracted to a person of the same sex while also considering this person as an enemy. Actually in Nina's case I think it's more a case of internalized homophobia, nourished by her abusive mother who always kept her away from the external world and from exploring her sexuality, and probably fed her with fairy tales about a fair noble prince who will take her on his white horse one day. Surely her mother never discussed sexuality matters with her, considering that even though Nina's in her 20s she keeps treating her like a literal child. Where Will considers himself straight, Nina probably never even allowed herself to question her sexuality. When Thomas very rudely asks her if she's a virgin she blatantly lies because she realizes that telling the truth will make her look weird; and I got the feeling in this scene that she was disappointed not to have sex with him that night, not because she had a crush on him, but because she wanted to seem "normal" to him, and for the world in general. But it's very clear she's not attracted to him, or to any other men. The only person she wants is Lily, a woman. And since the idea of being sexually attracted to Lily terrifies her, and also because Lily isn't interested in her that way, it makes very much sense that in her craziness Lily becomes her enemy.

For Will, it's a bit different: the problem with Hannibal isn't so much that he's a man (as I say I think Will considers himself straight by default but I don't think it would stop him from admitting his feelings for Hannibal were the circumstances different), but that he's a serial killer and a cannibal. Will's goal is to save people from killers like Hannibal. That's what drives him and I don't think that it will ever change. So Hannibal is Will's natural enemy, in a way. That's the tragedy of this romance: they can't be without the other but they also can't be together BECAUSE what drives them is completely, utterly different, opposite even. At least that's the significance of the double suicide in The Wrath of the Lambs. They survived and Will has apparently decided to renounce his main goal to co murder and eat Bedelia du Maurier in a season we'll probably never see, but I can't see how doing that could turn good for him. Will will never be like Hannibal imho, no matter how hard he tries :(

And yet I can find another similarity: Lily is everything that Nina wishes she is: free, attractive, with no self put boundaries. I think Will also envies Hannibal to be the way he is, and that a part of him wishes he could become like him. He wants Hannibal to change him, but it goes against his main goal (saving people), hence his internal struggles.

Both Nina and Will choose suicide as their way out, completing their tragic arc. For Nina of course it's a poetic mirror of the Swan Queen's fate; the queen, reduced to stay a swan forever because her lover was seduced by the Black Swan, throws herself off a cliff (!) and finds freedom from her curse in death. Nina, however , kills herself believing she's killing her enemy, the message being of course that the only enemy she's got is herself (doesn't Hannibal tell Will something like that at some point? That he's his worst enemy?). Will kills both his internal enemy, the part of him he can't accept (the Will who enjoys killing and wants to kill again to feel powerful), and Hannibal, the man who's by definition his enemy, but also the man he can't live without because he's the only one who accepts the darkness he has in him.

Finally, both Nina and Will believe they reach their goal when they 'die': Nina's talent for dancing reached perfection in her final performance; Will jumps taking Hannibal with him thinking he's saving the world from Hannibal. Both endings are tragic, because they lie on the same sad conclusion: they couldn't accept themselves enough to live with themselves, so they embarked on a journey of self destruction that lead them to their death, wether it's a physical or metaphysical death we're talking about. Nina may be still alive at the end of Black Swan, and we know Will still is. But what part of them survived the fall?

[merakiui]

A W FOR MR RIDDLE ROSEHEARTS ?!? OH MY.... honey take out the fine china, riddle is finally getting a w !! And a very nonsensical and hentai one at that, it's a w for all of us !!!

THE FINEST OF CHINA!!!!!! This makes three Ws thus far (fem Riddle's w in boyfriend, Dr. Rosehearts's w in ftf, and now this Riddle). I love giving Riddle well-deserved Ws!!!!!! No Ls here. <3

The plot is simple: you're hired to teach adult virgin Riddle Rosehearts sex education. It goes about as well as you can expect with a wild concept like this one hehehe. >:3c also,,, he wears glasses in this fic because Riddle with glasses is very beloved to me. orz

[15-lizards]

hello 👋 do you have any south east asian pics in your folder? clothes or fabrics or hair. please can you assign them asoiaf houses or regions for funsies? i’m south east asian and i’m dying to see it 😍

Yesss I love southeast Asian fashion let’s go!

THIS IS SO OLD VALYRIA TO ME Thai fashion you will always be famous. The simple but elegant silhouette, the gauzy and silk fabrics, the intricate patterns and ofc all the of the detailed gold jewelry!!! Just imagine it giant dragon shaped crowns and ear cuffs and wrapping bracelets inlaid with gems and passed down as family heirlooms it’s too good. And the outfits themselves are perfect for the muggy and hot Valyrian weather but are still able to to exude elegance and give off a sense of power by the rich who are wearing them bc wealth is in the details!!

Vietnamese clothing my beloved I think this kind of fashion would be see on the outskirts of YiTi, (but not actually in YiTi bc ancient China is what I think of) so the close proximity would mean outfits are pretty similar. Loose pants/skirt with a loose shift, and then any number of extra skirts and robes (silk and embroidered for the rich, cotton and plain for the poor). But unlike YiTi there are not extra belts and drapes and other complex additions. Also hats!! these kind of circular hats for everyone bc the rich ladies need to keep pale skin also they live fairly close to the Red Waste

Myanmar is kinda of giving me Volantis honestly. Many can afford to dress finely bc they’re the richest of the free cities and a trade port, so skirts and sleeves are nice and long and jewelry is made from the finest metals. But since the weather is very humid and sticky, clothes are thinner and there are never more than two layers, with the under layer being made of something breathable. And outer layers are loose enough to catch a breeze. Since the city is very old and very crowded, the general vibe feels very cramped, leading people to wear a long silhouette, instead of a wider one

Traditional Laos clothing reminds me a lot of the Tokars worn in Ghischar and Slavers Bay. A simple straight skirt and sleeveless top (but well made and well decorated) with the addition of a long drape of fabric over one shoulder. The more expensive and longer the fabric is, the richer you are. Also lots of gold jewelry for an elegant look, probs inspired by Volantis since they’re rlly close (though maybe a little bit simpler than Valyria cause slavers bay is never going to reach that level of power soz)

And Indonesia is rlly giving me the islands and lands around Tyrosh and Myr. It’s a costal area in a hot climate so I feel like there is just a lot less need for a ton of coverage. Simply cut wrap skirts and dresses but the patterns man the patterns!!! So beautiful and have fringe and are just so unique 🫶 ALSO headdresses are very important for like religious ceremonies and weddings and such and it probably isn’t hard to get one since the Tyroshi are insane ab fashion (to me) and Myrish artisans are the best in the world so yeah

[diludae]

𝓐 𝓛𝓲𝓯𝓮𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝓛𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻. 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓲𝓼 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓘 𝓼𝓮𝓮𝓴.

happy v-day! love ya lots! <333

diluc x gn!reader // fluff/angst? // valentines day 2023 // enjoy! <3

It always started with a knock.

The first knock was way-back-when in days of old, when Diluc was still as young and as righteous as the knights that he took pride in. You, the owner of the Dawn Winery’s local strawberry garden, opened the door in a hurry.

“My deepest apologies! I never meant for Willow to eat some of your berries, and it is entirely my fault. My father will surely pay you back ten fold-”

All Diluc heard was the faint sound of a giggle, and the guilty “neigh”s of his horse, now known to you as “Willow,” behind him.

“It’s quite alright, Mr. Ragnvindr. Besides, Miss Willow only ate a few. As long as she is fed, I have no need for payment.”

“Are you sure? It really would be of no problem for neither my father nor the winery to reimburse you-”

“I am positive, Ragnvindr.”

Well, now the atmosphere was plain awkward. Diluc’s plan was to apologize, pay you back like the gentlemen his father had raised him to be, and then leave. Now what was he to do with your kindness?

“May I.. pet her?” “Who, Willow?” “Yes, may I?”

“Of course!”

You and Diluc began rambling on about each other's lines of work. Diluc’s training, your gardening, and of course the ever-mischievous Willow. From that day forward, you heard a knock at your door at almost every opportunity in which Diluc found it appropriate to do so.

Of course, there had to be another knock.

Was this the thousandth? Ten-thousandth? Quite honestly, you and Diluc had lived together for so long not even the Gods in Celestia could bother to count all of the knocks that Diluc had given before he entered your shared bedroom.

“Love, I’ve got you a gift.”

For the past 2 years, you’ve been bedridden. Old age was not gracious to many, and not even you could escape time's clutches as your body started to weaken and wither. To be fair, Diluc wasn’t in the best shape either, but at least he could still move about. You didn’t envy him for it, for you only stared in awe every time he stood, his cane in one hand and yours in the other.

Diluc’s voice was hoarse, but after spending 72 years with him, he still sounded as kind and gentle as ever. In his hand, he held a small, red box wrapped in ribbon.

“Please love, take it. I know you can still move your arms.” He ended his sentence with a small smile, one which held both humor and a twinge of sorrow.

You took the box in your hands, its wrapping as soft as Willow’s coat. Inside the box, a stunning ruby necklace sat. 

“You got this for me?”

“Of course, dear. I hope you cherish it as much as I cherish you.”

Later that evening, Diluc assisted you out of bed. He knew he was not supposed to, but he couldn’t let tonight go to waste. What kind of husband would he be if he didn’t dance with his dear spouse on Valentine's Day?

So, after dressing you in the finest of silks, Diluc brought you downstairs next to the fireplace, and turned on the phonograph. Out came the sounds of a smooth, romantic piano. 

He tried his best to dance with you, but ultimately, he only held you like a fine piece of china. His grip was strong, safe, unmoving. The both of you stood still in the living room, the only sound in the room being that of the phonograph.

“I love you, Y/n.”

“I love you too, Diluc.”

A kiss was shared between the two of you, one that the both of you hoped would last a lifetime.

And, in a way, your wishes did come true. For Diluc had a love and a passion for you that lasted 72 long, lovely years, and even more to come.

Once it was time for you to rest peacefully, several years after that night, he shed a single tear before holding your hand to his lips.

“We’ll meet again. I’ll make sure of it, my dearest.”

[lamentingocean]

JAHA X READER

The dark clouds of the sky but only a memorable day of potentially dangerous rejection and love can occur into the streets of China, jaha didn't know what to do since he had always been the smartest in every situation and in every battle.

of when his clothes are bathed in the blood of powerful fighters and soldiers along his path to his goal, and to a world of bliss for rules to not be followed by such a class of martial artists,

Throwing their yuan away in such a cocky mentality, the master of the black rabbit clan knew how to take care of threats like that, even if it means having shards of a enemy's sword getting scattered in the ground of class, even if it means protecting ilyang, even if it means protecting Y/N from the dangers of this world, the dangers of China and therefore their path to power and vengeance leading to destruction and wars,even if it means the essence of insanity scraped his soul.

yuan rattled on his hand as he surveyed the remaining gifts to buy for Y/N. It was pure ruby earrings. It was a beautiful chinese dress, it was perfumes of the finest caliber of scents. there are so many options.

A flashback banged into his head. He suddenly remembered what you like, and what you like mattered to him even if he's a cold-blooded killer with an aura called the definition of danger.

"I actually like blue earrings, I like the way they shine, and they look like the ocean to me? Don't you agree?"

he came inside the shop where the earrings were stored at, there were many shades of color, blue, green, white, black, gray, orange. the blue one on the side caught his blood red eyes.

the beautiful earrings looking into his eyes were called.

The forbidden city of the ocean, it all spelled out in Chinese, and a rare Chinese ink to make it stand out more. he picked them up in slight awe. thinking: Would they look good on her? a voice interrupted his thought process. it was a man in the first desk.

with an angry look on why he dared touch a fine piece of jewelry, wearing his hands like an illuminating necklace, jaha questioned in his ordinary sass.

"What the fuck are you looking at?"

"You're touching a rich peice of jewelry? If you aren't going to pay for that, then get the hell out of my shop?"

he picked up the jewelry anyway and walked up to him. The intimidation scared the man that insulted a master terrified him to the brink. like it went through his thick skull. a large amount of yuan slammed onto the desk.

"I need to pay for this."

"First of all, you don't come up to my shop like that sir, most people treat the jewelry with respect."

It was at this point that this man was pushing him to the brim, even the vein on his forehead shown it as a sign to stop talking before death kisses him in the face into the afterlife. the man hesitated on spitting out the next words that will spill in the next second.

and if he did, then he had a 30 chance to be alive. His red eyes took his mind into a terrified panic. his words spit out orchestras of fear.

"FINE. IT'S FREE. TAKE IT. JUST DONT HURT ME.."

his sweat soak his armpits, the filling shit of his system kept pouring down out of fear of whoever this man is.

"W-who are you?"

his footsteps walked to the door, and jaha didn't want to speak to him any longer after his terrified voice almost gave him a nearing headache. He looked at the real price of the earrings.

"Hmm..50,000 yuan."

he went to a place he knew you would be at, since that's a place that stored the most memories of you inside that insane head. It was raining blossoms.

he saw you near the lake, looking beautiful as ever, with (whatever chinese outfit you like) somehow. he felt happy and a sensation of peace in his aura. like he felt like he was in heaven with you. Blossoms coated his void black hair cutely.

you turned with a bag of desserts on your arm, happy to be spending time with jaha after all the missions and drama you two have gone through.

From the demonic cult, the martial arts league, the light faction, and the dark faction.

you saw him with an existing happiness and popped a strawberry, chocolate cake that is small as a kitten in his mouth.

"COME ON♡ LETS GO TO THE QIXI FESTIVAL!"

(my comeback era for writing came back)

[hamsterclaw]

Trust

Taehyung and you find that old sins cast long shadows.

The final part of the 7 hours series.

Pairing: Taehyung x F! reader

Rating: 18+

Genre: Smut, angst

Word count: 4.2k

Warnings: Explicit sex, explicit language, lactation kink, past infidelity

Present day

You’ve just got in the door and slipped off your shoes when you hear the key in the lock.

The front door behind you opens, and you turn to see your beautiful, besuited husband.

He’s alone.

A sick sort of panic blooms in your chest.

‘Tae,’ you say, urgently, ‘where’s Jiwon?’

Taehyung, fast as ever, grabs your arm. ‘Come on, let’s go.’

You follow your husband down the stairs in a panicked half jog, trying to calm yourself.

Jiwon is your 8 month old son, he’s been in nursery all day, and Taehyung was meant to collect him and take him home.

‘Call them,’ Taehyung says, tersely, as he ushers you into the car and starts the engine.

The time on the dash says 6.15pm, and the nursery closes at 6pm.

You’re trying to work your phone when you realise it’s switched off.

‘No battery,’ you say.

The worry in your voice has Taehyung glancing over at you. 

‘It’ll be fine, baby, don’t worry I’ll get us there as soon as I can, ok?’

He tosses his phone, unlocked, at you, and you scroll through, quickly, to get to the nursery’s number.

Taehyung’s phone lights up as you’re scrolling, a message that has your heart nosediving into the pit of your stomach.

No time for that now. 

You swipe the message away and call the nursery.

Thank god, the keyworker who answers assures you that Jiwon is fine, and they’ll wait for you.

You end the call and put Taehyung’s phone in the cupholder between you, carefully like it’s made of the finest china. Like you’re worried you’re going to break it.

It’s you who feels shattered into a million pieces.

The message you’d swiped away had been from Hana.

Hana, your husband’s ex- assistant, the woman he’d cheated on you with.

It’s been three years, and yet seeing her name on his phone makes it feel like you never really escaped your past at all.

***

Jiwon’s sleeping in your arms, freshly bathed, lips pursed sweetly. You sniff his head, inhaling his scent.

He’s a gorgeous baby, all chunky folds and soft skin, and eyes that are the exact same shape as your husband’s. 

He’s perfect, and if your marriage with Taehyung broke down again you’d still be forever grateful for it because of Jiwon.

You lay him in his cot gently. He snuffles a little, shifts onto his side and sighs.

And now it’s just you, alone with your thoughts.

You know you have to face them, you have to speak to Tae, but you’re terrified of what he’ll say.

Worse, you’re terrified you’ll never trust him again.

So you lay your head on Jiwon’s cot, face pressed to his tiny foot, and breathe him in because he’s the only thing right in your world right now.

***

You’re awakened by Taehyung’s arms around you.

‘Baby, come to bed,’ he says, deep voice husky, affectionate.

You’re halfway down the hallway with him when it all comes back to you with a jolt.

You feel sick.

‘Need the bathroom,’ you mumble to Taehyung.

You stumble into the ensuite, barely getting the door closed behind you before you drop to your knees and retch into the toilet.

Your stomach is empty, nothing comes up but bile.

You’re breathing slow, trying to work through the nausea, when you hear Taehyung’s voice at the door.

‘Hey, are you ok?’

He’s trying the handle, you’d locked the door.

‘I’m fine,’ you call through the door.

Maybe if you say it enough times you’ll convince yourself.

***

Taehyung’s pacing outside the bathroom when you come out, face creased with concern.

It’s not the way you would have wanted to confront him but the words come out because in recent years you’ve learned to ask for what you want.

‘Why is Hana texting you, Tae?’

His mouth opens, and you can see him cycling through sentences in his head, trying to find the words to manage the situation.

It’s you. You’re the situation, when you should just be his goddamn wife, the fucking love of his life, the mother of his child.

‘She wanted to know if I could help her find a job,’ he says.

‘Are you going to help?’

‘I told her to contact Sang-cheol,’ Taehyung tells you.

You search his face.

He’s a beautiful man, your husband, he still stops your heart and takes your breath away. 

He’s reaching for you now, but you hold up your hands.

‘Are you lying to me, Tae?’

‘I’ll show you the messages,’ he says, ‘here.’

He holds out his phone to you.

You stare at it.

‘I can’t spend my life checking up on you,’ you say quietly.

Taehyung’s stepping closer, trying to hold you.

‘I swear to you,’ he says, serious, soft. ‘I’m not going to make that mistake ever again.’

And now here you are, at another fork in the road you didn’t see coming.

The marathon you walked with Taehyung three years ago flashes into your head. You’d made the choice then, to try to move forward together, because although your husband is annoying and infuriating and impulsive and impractical, he’s never been a liar.

He’s always told you the truth, even when it wasn’t what you wanted to hear.

Hasn’t he?

***

Ten years earlier

You’re so fucking gorgeous that Taehyung’s constantly half-hard looking at you.

Maybe more than half-hard right now, partly because of the frankly indecently short dress you have on, but mostly because he’s on his way to the registry office with you. 

In an hour and change, you’ll be his wife, and Taehyung can’t quite believe how lucky he is.

You’re looking at him from across the limo you rented, one big expense in your otherwise low-key, quiet wedding. The gleam in your eyes makes Taehyung want to pull you on top of him and kiss you senseless.

‘Hey, c’mere,’ he says, lips curling in that smirk you seem to like a lot on his face.

‘Yeah?’ you ask. 

Taehyung openly eyes your legs, admiring the length of them from your outrageously high heels to your beautiful thighs, to the glimpse of white panties you’re showing him on purpose.

‘Yeah,’ he murmurs. 

He spreads his legs, gesturing between them. 

‘Come sit,’ he invites.

You clamber into his lap, all legs and breathless giddiness and the smell of your shampoo.

‘Gonna put my cum right here, ok?’ he tells you, fingers, hooking into the fabric of your panties between your legs, knuckles nudging your cunt.

‘Inside?’ you ask, like you don’t already know.

‘Inside,’ Taehyung agrees.

He unzips, draws his cock out, gives himself a pump, hissing as you tug your panties to one side, spread on top of him.

He traces a finger over your clit, and somehow he does it even better than when you do it. Maybe it’s the smirk on his face, the way his dark eyes look to you for your reaction, like hearing you cry out isn’t enough for him. 

He pushes two fingers into you, and the sound of your slickness makes your face heat. 

‘Why so shy, baby? I love that you get so wet for me,’ Taehyung taunts, voice husky, mouth pressed to your ear. 

‘Just fuck me, Tae,’ you plead. 

‘And then marry you?’ he asks. 

‘Just the fucking is fine,’ you say, rude. 

Taehyung laughs, and his mouth is still so close to your ear you shiver helplessly. 

He pull his fingers out of you, and you’ve barely registered the loss before his cock is nudging into you, and then he’s all the way in. 

You’ve fucked so many times the feeling of him inside you is more familiar than not, but it thrills you every single time. 

You think you could fuck him forever. 

Taehyung’s big hands grip your hips as you start to move on top of him, stopping you. 

‘Tae!’ you protest. 

‘Nah,’ he says, ‘I asked you a question, baby, and I didn’t fucking like your attitude when you answered me.’ 

‘Tough,’ you mutter. 

You clench your cunt around his cock in the way you know he loves, and your unpredictable husband-to-be barely blinks. 

Buildings flash by you as you lock eyes. You’re nearly at the registry office, and you know Taehyung’s stubborn enough to leave you wet and frustrated. 

You also know that if you ask him to get you off, your beautiful fiance will do anything it takes. He’s good for it. He always has been. 

So you cup his face, and press a sweet kiss to his firm lips. 

‘Help me, Tae, I want to cum for you.’ 

He groans, already helping you move. 

‘Anything, my love,’ he promises, kissing your neck. 

He moves deliberately, every thrust precise, controlled, not because he gives a fuck about time pressure but he knows you well enough to know that you do. 

‘There, baby,’ he grunts, flexing inside you. ‘Take it.’ 

His hand scoops under the neckline of your dress to cup your breast, thumb rubbing your nipple. 

You’re still cumming when the limo stops. Taehyung grips your hip, hard enough to bruise, as he thrusts up into you again. 

‘Come on, cum and then let’s get married,’ you say. 

Taehyung smiles wickedly at you. ‘I’ve already cum, love. Don’t make a mess, your dress is pretty.’ 

‘It’s short,’ you say, worried, tugging down your skirt. 

Taehyung just laughs as he gets out of the limo. 

He turns, holds out his hand to you. 

‘Let’s get married, and then we can do this for the rest of our lives,’ he says. 

The sun outside the registry office is blinding, but not as blinding as your gorgeous husband in his vintage suit, his hair ruffled from your fingers through it, the smile on his face that you’ve always found irresistible. 

You take his hand. 

It’s only when you develop the pictures from your ceremony after that you notice the hickey Taehyung had deliberately left on your neck. 

You still laugh about it. 

***

Present day

Taehyung looks at you over the dining table. 

Things haven’t been right between you since you confronted him about Hana’s text, and he doesn’t know how to make them right. 

He pushes the plate of beef slices between you closer to you.

‘You should eat more,’ he says.

‘It’s good,’ you say. 

There’s a divide between you now, and Taehyung’s worried that if he lets it, it’ll build until it becomes the chasm it was when you separated.

He can’t lose you, and Jiwon, not now.

His old sins have cast shadows so long he doesn’t know how to escape them.

Taehyung realises you’re looking at him.

Your words, when they come, hurt unexpectedly not because of what they are, but because of the way you sound underneath it all.

Uncertain. 

‘Are you lying to me, Tae?’ you ask.

‘I’m not,’ he says, coming around the table to kneel at your feet, clasping your hand.

You cup his face, and he’s reminded of when you fucked in the limo on the way to your wedding ceremony, all those years ago.

And just like then, he’s ready to promise you the world.

‘I’m not lying,’ he says, looking up at you.

You stare at him, and he has no idea what’s going on in your head, only that he can’t stand the sadness in your eyes.

‘This dick is only yours, baby,’ he says.

Your snort of laughter makes his heart sing.

‘I don’t want it,’ you say, pushing his hands away, getting up.

Taehyung follows you into the living room, admiring the curve of your ass in the silky shorts you’re wearing.

‘It wants you,’ he tells you.

‘Tough,’ you say, dropping onto the couch.

Taehyung’s eyes drop, like they often do these days, to your breasts.

You’re still nursing Jiwon, and fuck, he’s obsessed.

At this point he could write a whole fucking speech about your tits, how gorgeously rounded they are, how they get all full when Jiwon sleeps through the night, how they look when they’re leaking milk.

Fuck, even the nursing bras you wear are strangely erotic, how they’re designed for access to your breasts.

He’s got off in the shower more than once to the image of milk dribbling from your nipples the last time you fucked, how you’d clasped your hands over your tits like he wouldn’t want to see.

Like it would turn him off when fuck, he’d cum so hard looking at your glorious tits he’d almost passed out.

He’s hard now, and the wary look you’re giving him shows him you’ve noticed.

‘No,’ you say, clearly, pre-emptively.

‘Can I jack off on your tits?’ he asks, hopeful. 

You wrinkle your nose. ‘All over your son’s food?’

Taehyung doesn’t know whether to cry or laugh. ‘I’ll run you a bath after, you can wash it off.’

‘No.’

Taehyung sits next to you on the couch. 

He doesn’t miss how you’re eyeing his cock, tenting his loose sweatpants.

He flexes. ‘He says hi,’ he tells you.

You laugh again. ‘Why do you act like we’re still at uni, Tae Tae?’

His chest blooms with warmth at the nickname.

‘I love your tits,’ he declares, in case you need to hear him say it.

‘Oh my god, shut up,’ you say, rolling your eyes.

‘And you too,’ Taehyung amends. 

There’s a pause, then you say, very quietly, ‘do you?’

‘Always,’ Taehyung vows. 

‘Still not gonna fuck you,’ you mumble, curling into his chest.

‘I can wait,’ Taehyung tells you. 

***

Ten years earlier

Taehyung wakes to a darkened, unfamiliar room. 

It’s palatial, the Presidential suite in the fanciest hotel downtown, money you don’t have but you spent anyway because, as you told him, you’re only planning on marrying him once and your next husband’s gonna be loaded. 

Taehyung loves you so much sometimes it makes him feel restless.

He wishes he were the type of man who could be happy watching you sleep, admire the line of your bare back, the curve of your naked ass under the crisp sheets, your hair in your pretty face.

But Taehyung’s always loved you more than how you look. He loves the essence of you, your irreverent humour, your irrational hangups, your fierce independence.

The way you need him even though you lie and pretend you don’t.

Taehyung loves the way you need him because it makes him feel less alone in the way he needs you too.

You make him laugh, you bring him to tears, and his love for you burns bright like a lifeline in the fabric of his life.

You turn over, and his gaze falls to the hickey he deliberately sucked into the skin of your neck in the limo yesterday, because it wasn’t enough that you were going to marry him, and take his name, he wanted to mark you as his. 

It’s dumb, he knows that, but the hickey on your beautiful neck makes his cock stir.

‘Hey,’ he says.

You open your eyes, and smile. 

‘The tub, the bed, or the long ass sofa?’ you ask.

Taehyung tilts his head.

You reach out, and stroke his skin. 

‘Where do you want to have sex first, husband? The tub, the bed, or the long ass sofa?’ There’s laughter in your voice, and a gleam in your eye that makes Taehyung feel a little desperate, if he’s being honest.

‘Bed first,’ he says. 

‘Good choice,’ you murmur, spreading your legs so he can fit between them.

‘We have all day,’ you remind him, breathless as he kisses down your neck.

‘We have always,’ Taehyung says. 

You still, and then you look up at him. Like this, under him, you’re so soft it’s irresistible. 

Taehyung lowers his lips to yours. ‘I’ll love you, always,’ he tells you.

‘Even if I ——‘

‘Shut up,’ he says. ‘Don’t ruin it.’

***

Present day

Taehyung loves Jiwon’s chubby hands, his chubby feet that are somehow always warm.

Jiwon babbles in his highchair, a contraption you’d sourced that clamps onto the kitchen counter, and bangs his spoon on the counter.

Taehyung chuckles at the outraged look on his face when he tries to eat a spoonful of mashed carrot and it goes onto his cheek instead.

Jiwon is his son, but his personality is all you.

‘Don’t look at me,’ he teases, ‘you’re the one who wouldn’t let go the spoon. How am I supposed to feed you?’

Jiwon eyes him, and in that moment he looks so much like you it takes Taehyung’s breath away.

‘Here,’ he says, holding out his hand.

Jiwon bangs the spoon into his outstretched palm. 

Taehyung’s lifting the carrots to his mouth when you appear in the kitchen.

‘Hey baby,’ you coo, face scrunched, eyes crinkled at Jiwon. You plant a kiss on Jiwon’s head and turn just in time to see Taehyung gaping at you.

He closes his mouth.

‘You’re beautiful,’ Taehyung says.

You tug at the low square neck of your dress, self-conscious. You’ve dressed up for a social media event with Joan, your boss.

‘Thank you,’ you say. ‘It’s not too tight?’

‘Your tits are busting out of it,’ Taehyung sighs, a little dreamily. 

‘Should I change?’

‘What? No, fuck, you look incredible.’ 

Taehyung gets up and pulls you into his arms. 

‘You look stunning. Where’s your wedding ring?’

‘You could always put a hickey on my neck again.’

‘Yeah,’ Taehyung agrees. ‘Can I put one on your left tit? Over your heart and all.’ 

You’re laughing now, but you stop when you realise he’s genuinely waiting for an answer.

‘Maybe later,’ you say. 

You sidestep neatly as Jiwon hurls a blob of carrots in your direction.

‘See you later Tae.’ 

‘Call me if you want me to pick you up,’ Taehyung says.

***

You’re unbuckling your shoes at the front door, trying to be quiet so you don’t wake everyone up.

When you get into the bedroom Taehyung’s a lump under the covers. 

He turns sleepily in bed. 

‘All ok?’ he asks, voice deep and low. 

‘Yeah,’ you say. 

‘Let me help,’ he says, getting up to unzip your dress.

Taehyung’s behind you, helping you slide your dress over your shoulders.

He lays his chin on the shoulder he’s just bared, and one hand comes up to stroke over your tits.

You hiss. ‘Gentle,’ you murmur. ‘They hurt.’

‘They look like they’re gonna explode,’ Taehyung observes.

‘I need to pump,’ you say. 

You glance at the baby monitor, where Jiwon’s fast asleep.

Taehyung’s quiet a moment.

‘Can I?’ he asks.

He pushes you into the armchair by the bed, kneeling between your legs.

He licks over the upper curve of your aching breasts, and you hold your breath, wondering where he’s going with this.

You know Taehyung’s been fascinated with your breasts since you had Jiwon, he’s been open about it, but you don’t know how you feel about it.

‘Tae?’ you ask. 

Taehyung’s warm hand lands on yours.

‘I’ll stop if you tell me to, love.’

He waits until you relax back into the chair to tug a strap off your shoulder, exposing your left breast.

You follow his gaze. Taehyung shudders at the sight of you, nipple peaked and full. He flicks his eyes to yours, then lowers his lips to your nipple.

The sound you let out when he swirls his tongue over you surprises you.

He sucks, and you squeeze his hand. ‘Does it hurt?’

You find your voice. 

‘It doesn’t but if you want to help you’ll have to use your bottom lip.’

Taehyung huffs out a breath. ‘I’m so hard,’ he tells you. 

Then he’s back on your breast, working his jaw this time. 

You whimper as milk starts to let down from your breasts.

Taehyung groans, and closes his eyes, throat working as he swallows.

You’d been worried about this, worried it would put you off nursing Jiwon, but it’s completely different.

Your husband seems to think so too, judging by the outline of his hardness in his sweatpants. 

He pulls off your breast with a pop, big hand coming up to squeeze, lips milky.

‘The other one? Does it hurt too?’ he asks. 

He swirls his tongue over your nipple, and you moan.

This time, he keeps one hand splayed over your back, and the other hand moves between your legs. 

You don’t realise how wet you’ve become until he groans, long and loud.

He slips his fingers into you, thumb stroking your clit. 

He grunts as he fingers you, arm flexing, fingers curling. He laps at the milk streaming from your breasts, and you stifle a moan.

‘Tae,’ you say, urgent, trying to press your thighs together. It’s too much, the familiar pleasure of your husband’s hand between your legs, and the way he’s sucking at your breasts the way you used to love before you had Jiwon.

Taehyung reads your body like he always has, and his lips gentle on your abused nipple. Then he licks up a trail of milk that’s streamed down your body, scissors his fingers inside you and you cum, gushing all over his hand. 

‘Fuck,’ Taehyung groans. His hand doesn’t stop working until he’s wrung every last bit of pleasure out of you and you slump against the back of the chair, spent.

You squeeze the hand between your legs. ‘Let me —‘

Taehyung’s smile is devastating, lazy. ‘You don’t need to take care of me, love,’ he says.

Your gaze follows his to the dark stain on the front of his grey sweats.

‘Yeah,’ Taehyung says. He laughs. ‘I came in my pants. Shit, that was so hot.’

‘You weren’t kidding about that lactation thing, huh,’ you say, affectionate.

Taehyung shrugs. ‘I love your body, I love your tits, and you were all sore and full of milk.’

He leans his head down to lick at your nipples, and you whimper at how sensitive you feel. 

‘Let’s get cleaned up,’ he says.

You’re freshly showered and back in bed with Taehyung when he turns to you. 

‘Do you believe me?’ he asks, his voice clear in the darkness.

You’ve always loved the tone of his voice.

‘I believe you, Tae.’

‘I wouldn’t hurt you and Jiwon like that,’ he says. 

You’re on your back, still as Taehyung moves on top of you. 

His hardness presses against your centre, you can almost feel the warmth of him against the two flimsy layers of fabric between you. 

‘Again, Tae?’  You want to sound nonchalant about it, but you need him as much as he seems to need you.

‘Again,’ he says, firm.

You and Tae have always done your best communicating with your bodies, and as he kisses you reverently and enters you again, you can feel how much he loves you. 

He tells you with each press of his lips to yours, with each thrust, with the way he touches you even when he’s pinning you down and holding your wrists together above your head. 

Taehyung loves you.

This much you know.

***

Some time in the future

You’re straightening your dress, looking in the mirror, when Taehyung comes up behind you, wrapping an arm around your waist.

‘Jihye’s sent a message on the group,’ he says, rolling his eyes. ‘She’s at the restaurant. We should get going.’

You smile at the mention of your headstrong, fiercely independent daughter. Taehyung often says she’s like you. 

He says Jiwon is like you too, your firstborn who’s grown into the spitting image of your beautiful husband.

You’re glad there’s something of you in both your kids, especially since they seem to have inherited all of Taehyung’s best physical features.

It’s Taehyung’s birthday today, and you’ve managed to arrange a family dinner, trickier now that Jiwon’s working for a law firm in another city and Jihye’s at university.

Taehyung nuzzles your neck. 

‘No hickeys,’ you warn.

Taehyung just laughs. ‘They’ll find the wedding photos after we’re gone,’ he says, reasonably.

‘Well if I go first, you’ll have to explain it.’

Taehyung shrugs. ‘They know we have sex, we had them both after all.’

‘Just don’t tell them we fucked in the car on the way to the wedding,’ you say, lightly.

Taehyung says, ‘or about the time you left me in a holding cell overnight because you were mad at me?’

You fall silent thinking about how your life’s been full of shared moments, both heady heights and lows. 

Taehyung’s made mistakes, you both have, but you’ve also had a lifetime of making things up to each other. 

Taehyung pulls you into his arms. He’s older, you both are, but he’s still the man you chose all those years ago. 

You have no regrets.

His hand slides over your waist, fingers over your hip. He’s held you like this so many times his handprints must, by now, be imprinted into the very bones of you. 

He leans down to kiss you, and it’s as sweet and lovely as it ever was.

‘Hey,’ he says, ‘I’ll love you, always.’

‘I love you Tae Tae,’ you reply. 

He helps you on with your coat, locks the door behind you when you leave.

Then he holds out his hand to you. ‘Ready, my love?’

You’re ready. 

Author note: It's been a tough old week, and I drew comfort from writing this couple. I think this is going to be the final part of the series, and I'm sad because I love them so much. If you've read this far, thanks for being a part of this, and I hope you've enjoyed their story.

©hamsterclaw 2022

[dmndvtt]

@biiigtime , bc i had to.

there's always featherlight touch with her. despite knowing all too well how strong, sturdy the irish woman is, his fingers meet her flesh like she's made of glass, comprised of the finest china. slow, silent blinking as the back of knuckles find skin of face. for a while, he hadn't said anything, hadn't needed to ... not yet, not when he's perfectly content just admiring her.

rain pelts furiously against window above them as they occupy the couch. so much for going to the gym today. finn supposed that would be fine, more than so even if it meant spending more quality time with becky. finally, he finds it in him to speak. " ya up f'r a day in, love? i can order us some takeaway ... put on some pearl jam, have some time ... just you and me? "

[motherfuckingmaneater]

I need more baby Delph content >.> so what about toddler Delphi causing chaos at a family gathering?

She’s screeching again. Luckily this time it’s in excitement, but it still makes both Bellatrix and Voldemort sigh. What a ruckus their little daughter creates wherever she goes; more so now she can walk. Cygnus plucks his little granddaughter up and tosses her into the air, catching her as she falls into a fit of giggles. Bella’s family swoon over their little heiress.

Cygnus puts the toddler between himself and her mother who tells her simply: Behave. Delphini smiles sweetly at her mother and within moments she’s making a mess of her food. No one seems to much mind, not even Voldemort. Delphini is a child, he supposes should let her be one and the Blacks seem keen to fall over themselves for her anyway.

She is safe here with her family, a luxury he never had. He will teach her to be cynical and guarded later. For now let her play freely and scream her laughter and demand attention of them all. She is so very good at it after all. She’s let loose and within moments the noise of something shattering is heard from the other room. Bellatrix sighs and disappears to collect her menace of a daughter but Voldemort spells back whatever has broken with a lazy flick of long fingers as Druella frets. She brings back a writhing, giggling bundle, black curls amassed at the top of her head and sprouting out from their hair-tie bouncing about.

Behave, her mother warns once more — to no avail. Voldemort knows what’s going to happen before it does. He watches as Delphini spells magic nonverbally and vanish her grandfather’s fine china. Voldemort pulls it back from the ether before it goes too far, his daughter is a clever little creature. A trickster in the making.

Dinner goes down a treat despite that she’s thrown peas everywhere, hitting Druella in the eye twice much to Bellatrix’s amusement. The Blacks are a loud family when they’re all around the table together and in private, happy and laughing, bedecked in the finest luxuries, eating their fancy dinners and drinking their ludicrously expensive wines.

She’s exhausted herself before long and Bellatrix has her in her arms as she drinks her wine, Delphini’s legs lazily slung either side of her mother’s lap as her cheek rests on Bella’s chest. She's taken the hand her father had attempted to put on her mother's lap too, holding with a viper like grasp around her father’s smallest finger and leaving him his other hand free to drink his wine, lulled to sleep by her mother’s heartbeat and her father’s calm voice amongst the warmth and happiness of the Blacks.

[actualbampot]

Untitled Biker AU WIP

Paring: Cinder Fall/Ruby Rose Trans character with gender-neutral pronouns

Summary: Cinder is an ex-bike gang member trying hard to stay on the straight and narrow. Ruby is a reckless delivery driver on a rickety moped. They collide. Literally. AN: I'm posting a WIP because I'm bored of seeing this unfinished in my docs. Take it, god please. If you want to see art related to this: LINK LINK -

Ruby swallowed down a metallic taste.

She had been to a few bars, sure. Sometimes an in-town local for a solitary sunday lunch between her delivery shifts. Others, a popular spot in the upper-city blaring with colorful strobes and upbeat music. This was a little more…rustic than she was used to.

Ruby glanced at her surroundings. For better or worse, it took a while to notice how the poorly air-conditioned building heightened the stale tinge of old booze. Worn upholstery seats that had undoubtedly suffered more than a few drunken fights were dotted with dubious blotches, while underhand, a mahogany-stained bar top left behind the sticky residue of one too many spilled drinks.

Tinny acoustics drifted from one corner of the room, not sure if she could chalk it up to the ancient-looking jukebox, or if everything was just a little garbled right now. 

All were things that sat somewhere in the backseat of her mind, slotted behind a firm wall of arctic adrenaline, hands and feet pulsing with an aching cold.

Her legs wobbled like viscous jelly, the beginnings of pain springing somewhere in the background, even if she couldn’t quite pinpoint where yet.

Maybe opting against the hospital, and agreeing to jump on the back of the very motorcycle she'd rear-ended wasn’t her finest moment. It was more a question of which one she could afford. 

“Just give me the back room for a few-” "And pay off another peeler to ignore whatever shit you've just walked into my bar again? Do you think I'm made of money?"

Trying not to listen in on the heated conversation went about as successfully as expected: A dive bar in the dead of the afternoon didn’t exactly provide Ruby with many distractions. Trying hard not to listen in she squirmed uncomfortably. The leg that was raw red and exposed between her decimated jeans bounced on the footrest of her bar stool. 

"It’s not like that. Not this time. I know I messed up the -"

"Two-thousand that i'll never see again,” Hissed a woman with an accent so far flung that Ruby was having trouble keeping up, “A bull in a fucking china shop is what you are, Cinder."

"Fine, not in the back- out front. Just till’ she's fixed up, then I'm out of your hair."

The sidelong glance Ruby couldn't help taking saw a thoroughly unimpressed frown as the angry woman shifting her weight, arms crossed. The sheer size of Cinder- that was their name- in comparison to the two others was staggering. 

However it wasn't hard to deduce that this was something of a routine. 

"She just went into the back of me.” Cinder urged, and something told Ruby that these two were not used to hearing the truth. “That’s it, I swear. C'mon C."

Flanking the angry woman who Ruby summarized to be the bar owner, The shortest of the three had stood, silent and assessing up until now. 

Intrinsic ink stretched over broad shoulders and thick arms that were crossed in a similar fashion, blooms of watercolor spinning life among sleeves of flowers and skulls. 

They leaned in, muttering something into the ear of the woman, C, who then looked up, over her shoulder and directly at Ruby, a pinpoint blue glare melting into resignation.  

"I expect money to cross my counter,” C finally announced after a moment, “and then I want you and her out, you hear me?"

-

"Thanks for that, A." Cinder said, and it earned a narrow stare.

“Didn't you rip the centerpiece off the roof,  and beat someone with it last time? On top of that you conveniently forgot to pay your tab before the police arrested you. So no, I didn’t do it for you.”

"Hey, he was a big guy. And I thought you hated that tacky chandelier?”

"I did. But she loved it." Candidness chased a flicker of affection warming in the bartender's eyes, as they watched the owner, C, flitting around the room cleaning tables in an angry frenzy. 

Ruby thought It was kind of endearing.

"Looks like you could do with something stiff."

Ruby snapped to attention when she realized A's statement was directed at her. There was an easy, non-threatening kind charm in their expression that eased the intensity in the room.

Ruby skimmed the menu above the bar. Her orders had forever been whatever tooth-rotting drink was on the menu, typically topped up with so much caffeine that she could feel her hand vibrate on the throttle of her scooter during the drive home.

But perhaps this time the bartender, A, was onto something. Anything to steady her shaking hands sounded good right about now, and considering how much of a mess she must have looked right now it wasn’t like she’d be driving anytime soon.

"Have you maybe got Tilt? Or, uh, Dragon Soop?"

Ice clinked against glass, a low chuckle emanating from the bar stool beside Ruby. A tumbler of rich amber was tipped back between a shrewd, air-chapped grin, drawing Ruby to the warm color of her company's eye, alight with glinting amusement. 

"What?" Ruby grumbled.

When the barstool next to her creaked under a shift of weight- a lot of weight- Ruby was trying not to look at Cinder. Which was very difficult.

“Another old-fashioned, A. And a coke for soft-boiled here.”

“I hate coke.” She didn’t, but she did hate the absolutely crippling loss of control she was experiencing right about now. 

It wasn’t even about crashing her bike anymore. No, that was just the beginning in a string of poor decisions.

 She was no expert, but the kind of patches littered on the leathers of a biker that was as broad as they were intimidating gave away particular gang allegiances, even if Ruby couldn’t be completely sure what most of them meant. 

And of course, she had to T-bone the back of one of them. 

The next was arguably not her fault, and started somewhere around the point she’d been scraped off of the ground, bleary and disorientated. She hadn’t quite realized that instinctually obeying the gruff request of ‘Hold On’ meant that her torso would be pressed to the rider’s chest, or that she’d be bodily carried under her thighs by a single arm.

Ruby didn't remember a lot about the walk other than it feeling like an eternity, not really thinking about the fact that she’d probably hit the ground some ways from wherever her vespa ended up, but that she was clung to a complete stranger like a stupid koala.

From there, it only got worse. 

When she'd been placed on the tail seat of a large cruiser, Ruby remembered the proud throb of a v-twin engine thumping low in her breast.

 An armored glove holding her face had kept her firmly centered while answered a few basic questions among the static.

3 things came to light: She had no money on her, her scroll and wallet were nowhere to be found, and the broad tower of leather above her was utterly intimidating. 

As if bearing the sight of them-of Cinder- *without* all that leather wasn’t bad enough, the fact that it had been thrown around Ruby was even worse. 

That heavy jacket hadn't moved from Ruby’s shoulders since the accident, though the surrounding weight was comforting, holding her together where adrenaline would see her shaken to pieces. Something about the smell eased her nerves too, old leather and tobacco sitting above the cutting smell of engine oil. Ruby was silently glad she hadn’t given it back yet.

“So are you going to tell me your name? Or do I have to wait for the invoice to repair my bike?” “It’s Ruby. And you already know I don’t have any insurance.” Otherwise she’d probably be sitting in A&E right now, not in this sweltering hole in the wall. 

A returned shortly with both drinks, a bottle of coke with the cap intact and a bottle opener passed Ruby. A thin, knowing smile was offered with no prompt for payment before she and Cinder were left alone again.

Ruby didn’t question it and popped the cap anyway, until Cinder chimed in: “In case you think one of us is packing benzo’s.”

“I didn’t think that.” Ruby countered immediately.

“Maybe not, but I can tell that an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people is setting off all sorts of alarms between your ears right now.” 

That she couldn't argue with. 

“C has a temper like a banshee. And A could probably put me in the ground if I deserved it. But they’re good folks. Better than most.”

"Can I..uh..ask about the letter thing?" Ruby said after a moment.

Cinder shrugged, "You can ask."

Ruby didn’t, raising the coke bottle with a trembling hand and taking small, conservative sips. Her stomach was still full of knots, but admittedly the sugar was helping. 

Polishing off a second glass in moments, Cinder sank forward on her stool, a curious, solitary eye burning heat in Ruby’s face. 

She imagined its twin and missing left arm had all met the same fate; A stub at the epicenter of scar tissue consumed the entirety of one side, reaching across from beneath an oil-stained tank to color Cinder's face and chest like a jagged, broken web.

Despite that, Cinder was far, far thicker than Ruby first gave credit for, a stacked physique hidden beneath perforated leather when Ruby's trashed Vespa had been dragged off the road, dumped it on the sidewalk like it weighed nothing. 

The stool next to Ruby made a creak of relief as Cinder stood, and Ruby's eyes nearly bugged out of her head when watching them sink to one knee. The hand around her leg was so large that Ruby’s ankle nearly disappeared under Cinder’s  grip, rippling warmth felt even through her sock. 

Angling Ruby’s leg a little towards the light, it was the first time she’d really acknowledged the state of herself: The road rash looked gruesome, raw red from calf to thigh with gravel and god-knew-what-else was caught in her skin. Her arm stung too, but she’d taken the worst of the fall on one side.

Her jeans hadn’t stood a chance against the road, mangled around her leg as Cinder lifted pieces of it away from her skin with shocking gentleness. It stung like heck, but it wasn’t responsible for making her cheeks warm. 

“Could have been worse.” Cinder commented while Ruby burned under the inspection, “Could have been better.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ruby muttered, in case it came out in any way breathless. Cinder moved her foot, letting the sole of her shoe press on the top of a very broad thigh. Reaching for a back pocket, Ruby stiffened at the click of a pocket knife snapping free from its handle in Cinder's hand. 

If Cinder noticed the tremble in her knee she didn’t react to it. The blade must have been kept sharp, watching as it sheared through the denim with barely a tear until cool metal kissed Ruby’s thigh. 

Cinder leaned forwards, body pressed into the motion of the slice in the absence of another hand to steady the fabric. They smelled just like their jacket, burning oil and smoke with a stronger hit of cologne, grounded and spiced and so good that it made Ruby’s mouth dry up.

A complete stranger had a blade between her legs and she was thinking about everything except how dangerous this whole situation was. Typical.

“It means you scooter drivers end up as a statistic because you think you’re too good to wear some basic gear.”

Pursing her lips together and swallowing hard, Ruby tried to look anywhere that wasn’t the rolling flex of her broad shoulders. “I deliver takeaway for tips. What makes you think I can afford real riding gear?”

“Fine. So what were you doing?" Cinder asked, "Fucking around on your scroll?” Oh god. The way the cuss rolled low off the tongue like it was part of the sentence shouldn’t have been so..so..

"I told you I don't know.” Ruby grimaced, gripping the sides of her stool like a lifeline. “I just- I was distracted."

“The bike goes where it's told to.” 

That was the first lesson the instructors had drilled into her and around half a dozen greenhorns taking their basic motorcycle training. Sure, she’d had some close calls before, a few angry shouts thrown her way when in hindsight, one maneuver or another hadn’t been her smartest move. She’d always scraped through. Barely.

“Must have been one hell of a distraction. I’m pretty hard to miss.”

Cinder’s voice was low and smokey, flashing Ruby a lazy grin that showed a glint of metal teeth. The bridge tracked back from a sharper incisor, probably lost by whatever had claimed the rest of their left side, and it wasn’t attractive, didn’t fill heat in Ruby’s cheeks like a jug. 

"Thought I hit a pothole to be honest." The knife circled just a few inches above the knee, shearing from Ruby's inner-to-outer thigh. "Leg up." Cinder said.