#the selection fanfiction

[captainsophiestark]

Dive Bar

Maxon Schreave x Reader

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Written for my personal fic writing challenge for 2024, Sophie's Year of Fic! Featuring a new fic being posted every Friday, all year long :)

Fandom: The Selection Series

Summary: As one of the Elite, a finalist in the Selection, Y/N gets to bring Maxon to her hometown to show him around on an official royal visit.

Word Count: 1,841

Category: Fluff

Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.

I smiled, trying not to squint my eyes against the bright lights flashing in my face. All this time, and I still hadn't gotten used to that.

"Thank you all for coming, but we're going to have to call it a night! Our official tour of the city starts bright and early tomorrow morning, after all," said Maxon Schreave, the man I stood arm and arm  with, a brilliant smile on his face as he addressed the press. They kept cheering and taking pictures as the two of us smiled, nodded, bowed, then headed inside the hotel arm in arm.

As soon as we were through the doors, I sighed and let some of the tension ease out of my shoulders. Maxon kept his posture and demeanor proper until the elevator doors closed on us. Then he sighed, too, and turned to me with a tired smile.

"Well, that was certainly a long day. But I'm happy to be here with you."

I smiled, my face warming. Moments like this, just the two of us with no one else watching over our shoulders, were incredibly rare. I wanted to savor every second of it that I could.

"I'm glad you're here, too. And the tour tomorrow is going to be fun, even if it's also a media circus."

Maxon laughed, offering his arm to me again as the elevator doors opened and we stepped out together. Servants and staff waited to escort us to our  separate suites.

The two of us stopped to face each other in the  middle of the hallway, before going our separate ways. As one of the finalists in the Selection, I got to bring Maxon back to my hometown for a tour and a look at where I'd come from. Aside from being a fun  experience spending time with the man I loved in the place I called  home, it was also the first time we'd spent togehter without the other members of the Selection. Even with all the media and people surrounding our every step, it had been fun.

"I suppose I'll see you in the morning for the circus," said Maxon, taking my hands and staring into my  eyes with a sparkle of mischief in his I grinned back.

"Yeah. I'll see you then."

Maxon hesitated for a minute, then leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on my cheek. I smiled even wider, although that was hardly possible, then said goodnight to Maxon and headed to my room.

I went through my regular nightly routine, sending my ladies in waiting away to get some rest of their own. I curled up in bed and closed my eyes, then started my mental clock running. I was going to give it a full half hour, to really minimize my chances of getting caught.

When I'd first heard about the hometown dates, I'd mentally planned a full week of various activities from when I'd lived here before someone burst my bubble. We were coming here with the Crown Prince, sole heir to Illea, while the rebels remained a threat. He would not be going anywhere the palace  hadn't planned and approved.

As someone who'd spent most of my time in this city far away from anything the palace would ever select, I'd been furious. What was the point of a home date if Maxon didn't actually get to see my home?

I knew better than to bring that up with anyone, though. So instead, I'd continued to make my own plan. If Maxon was on board, we were going to have the night of our lives.

I slid out from under the covers in the darkness, listening carefully for any sound or movement from my suite. When I heard nothing, I slipped into a more comfortable pair of  clothes (featuring beat-up blue jeans and a ballcap from my original wardrobe when I came to the palace), then headed to the window.

I'd worked in this hotel for a few odd jobs here and there, and I knew I could get to Maxon's room via balcony-hopping if I really wanted to. So that's what I did. I slipped out the window, closing it most of the way behind me so hopefully no one would notice, then moved carefully from one balcony to the other until I got to Maxon's room.

I listened at the window for a minute, and when I didn't hear any conversation, I leaned in to peek through. The room was empty save Maxon, who was just climbing into bed. I grinned and tapped on the window. He looked up, his face changing from surprised to delighted to concerned in a few  seconds. He glanced at the closed bedroom door behind him as he hurried to open the window for me.

"What are you doing here?" Maxon asked, his voice a frantic whisper. I grinned.

"Trying to take you on an adventure, if you're up for a little bit of risk."

Maxon hesitated for a moment, glancing back at the closed bedroom door again. Then, he looked back at me with a smile.

"Just let me get dressed."

I ended up having to help Maxon pick his outfit, since only a few things in his entire wardrobe would give him a chance at blending in with non-royals. I gave him an extra ballcap and told him to keep his head down, and within a few minutes, we were heading through the city to my absolute favorite spot.

"This is it!" I said proudly, turning with a smile to face Maxon. We stood on a dirty street, in front of a glowing red neon sign for my favorite place in the world. They sold the best shitty pizza and seriously toed the line of dive bar, and it had been one of the things I missed most since going to the palace.

"This... is it? Are you sure this is the place, my dear?"

"Oh yeah. Just you wait, you're in for the best night of your life. The palace could never compare."

Maxon smiled and shook his head, but he took my hand when I offered it all the same.

"Alright then. Let's see what this place has to offer."

****************

"Yes!" Maxon shouted, leaping up in the air before landing with a sheepish grin. "I got my first bullseye."

"I saw!" I laughed, beaming at Maxon's excitement. It had taken him the better part of an hour to relax, but now we were playing darts while eating terrible pizza and sipping local beers, like any other normal  couple from my city might. It had been magical.

"If I'm keeping  score correctly, that means I win unless you also get a bullseye, doesn't it?" he asked, fixing me with a brilliant smile. I picked up my dart and nodded.

"That's right. You better cross your fingers, Schreave."

Maxon laughed as I stepped up to the line, leveling my dart at the board. I'd done this so many times before, it was like second nature, even though I  hadn't played a lot of darts at the palace. I drew back, then followed  through and let the dart fly. It smacked into the board just slightly to the left of the center bullseye.

"Oh my- did I just win?" asked Maxon, a slightly delirious joy in his voice. I beamed as I turned around to face him.

"Yeah. I guess you did."

Maxon laughed in disbelief, then moved forward to wrap me tightly in his arms. He picked me up off my feet and spun me around, and I smiled. I hadn't missed a game-winning shot like that in years, but I wanted to see how happy Maxon would be if he won. I'd made the right decision.

"Does this mean I'm the darts champion now?" asked Maxon, a teasing quirk to his mouth as he set me down. "Since I beat you?"

I shook my head, still smiling as I went to retrieve the darts in the board.

"You've  gotta do more than beat me once with beginner's luck to take the title of champion," I said. "Put a dart board in the palace and we can really see what's what."

Maxon grinned. "You have a deal, my dear. Prepare to lose again."

I chuckled. Maxon's words didn't have any heat behind them, and it made my heart soar to see him so happy and carefree. I wished I could give that to him all the time, but I'd settle for tonight and look for opportunities in the future.

Unfortunately, by the end of that game of darts, we had to head back to the hotel or risk being caught  sneaking out. We took our glasses up and dropped them off at the bar, then I settled our tab. Maxon and I walked out of the place together arm in arm, this time no different than all the other regular strangers milling around on the street.

"Thank you for bringing me here tonight," he said as we walked, the cool night air perfect and refreshing. "I don't often get the opportunity to be among the citizens of Illea. That in itself is a treat, but getting to do it with you is the best thing I could imagine."

"I'm always happy to spend time with you, Maxon. Thank you for taking the risk and sneaking out with me."

"I'll sneak away with you every time I can get away with it, and maybe even a few more times than that."

"Well, good. But let's try to make this one of the not-getting-caught times, okay?"

"Of course."

Thankfully,  we made it back onto the balcony outside Maxon's room without issue. His room was dark, the door still closed, meaning none of the palace staff were any the wiser about where we'd gone. Maxon hopped back through the window, and I smiled before turning to go back to my own room, but he caught my hand and pulled me back.

"I just wanted to  say... I really enjoyed myself tonight. I find that I enjoy most times that I spend with you. I... I love you."

I beamed. "I love you too, Maxon. I love every minute we spend together, even when it's many, many minutes of letting the press take pictures of us. You even make royal procedure meetings enjoyable just by being in the room next to me."

Maxon laughed. He glanced down at my lips, then back up at me, a tentative smile on his face.

"Can I kiss you?"

I grinned. "Absolutely."

I leaned forward, and Maxon and I shared a long, sweet kiss through the window. After a moment, we pulled apart, both of us positively glowing. I took a half-step back, never taking my eyes off Maxon.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" I said. He grinned, leaning out the window even further.

"Yes you will."

"Okay. Good. Then goodnight."

"Goodnight, my dear."

I floated back to my room, thankfully also without getting caught, and fell asleep with a smile on my face. I couldn't wait to experience a thousand more places with Maxon, and play a thousand more darts matches together. Anything the future brought, as long as it was with him.

****************

Everything Taglist: @rosecentury @kmc1989

The Selection Taglist: @valkyriepirate

[drowning-with-style]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: The Selection Series - Kiera Cass Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Maxon Schreave/America Singer, Kriss Ambers/Maxon Schreave

Summary:

What if Maxon never forgave America at the end of The One? What if he married Kriss, and left America to move on with someone else?

20 years later, widowed America Singer's son Elias enters The Selection held for Maxon and Kriss's daughter, Meredith.

To America (and Kriss's) dismay, Elias makes it to The Elite-- which means a family visit to the palace. And Maxon and America soon find it very difficult to stay away from one another.

[alastor-simp]

Alastor with a female reader who is selectively mute Part 1

I always wanted to know how Alastor would react to a demon character like this or who is similar to Komi-san from Komi Can't communicate, so this is going to be my take on it.

**First Meeting**

Your arrival in hell wasn't a pleasant one. Literally the second you fell, you were approached by demons left and right, either trying to rob you or offering to sleep with you. Yelling at them would have been easy, but you were a very anxious person to the point you were mute with everyone you encountered. Surprisingly, you were able to run away from the unwanted problems you faced in hell, and was able to come across a flyer that was taped to one of the alley walls. "Come stay at the Happy Hotel" it read, and you figured that it might be a good place to stay for a while and try to make a sense of what you could do now that you were in hell. Having followed the map that was on the other side of the flyer, you were able to come across the hotel, but the neon sign was different then what the paper said, but you figured they probably were remodeling it.

The hotel was huge, it was plastered with neon signs, but also had a radio tower on one side, a large fish like contraption, and a pirate ship. "Amazing" you thought to yourself as you made your way closer to the door, and lightly knocked. A cheery voice was heard on the other side and soon the door opened to reveal a pretty, blonde girl. She had devilish features, but a very adorable baby face, and her smile was quite cute as well. "Oh! Hello! My name is Charlie Morningstar. How may I help you?", she said to you with big bright eyes, as she was patiently waiting for your response. Clenching your jaw, feelings of anxiety began to well up in your stomach, but you bared with it and simply held up the hotel poster in front of Charlie. Charlie was a little curious about your strange response, but she put the pieces together that you were wanting to stay at the hotel. "SQUEAL!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING!", she said as she threw her arms around you in a bear hug, then letting you go as she pulled you into the hotel.

The inside of the hotel was nice, but needed some remodeling, but you liked it overall. Looking around, you noticed the other demons that were in the hotel. A mini demon was zipping around in a cute dress, cleaning the ceiling with a duster, a cat like demon was chugging a bottle of booze at the bar, and a very tall spider was standing next to the record player, picking out a song. Stopping what they were doing, they all turned to look at you, curiously. Nervous, you raised your hand at them, signifying a hello. The cat demon just nodded his head and continue chugging, while the fast demon zipped in front of you, waving back with a smile, before zooming away to finish cleaning. The tall spider gave you a wink, as they walked to the bar and took a seat. "Vaggie! We have another patron!" Charlie said, as she yelled out next to you, while also leading you to one of the lobby couches to have a seat. As Charlie walked away, your eyes began to scan around the hotel, taking in every detail, and also glancing at the portraits hanging on the wall with Charlie and what looked to be her parents.

"Why Hello there! Who might you be?", a static voice said, as you looked up to see a red suit man with a very sharp smile standing in front of you, leaning down to place his face closer to yours. He was dressed to the nines in a red striped coat, along with a monocle and bow-tie. He also appeared to be holding a microphone staff? Was he a singer by chance? Realizing you were getting distracted, you just nodded your head at the man, and pointed to the poster, similar to what you did with Charlie. The man raised an eyebrow, as he continued to lean closer, most likely waiting for your answer, as his smile got wider, almost breaking his face.

**Alastor POV**

Alastor's eyes continued to stare at the quiet demon, who was holding the poster and kept tapping against it frantically. Amused, Alastor leaned closer, while moving his staff to tap against her chin: "Something wrong my dear? Cat got your tongue?" Alastor watched as the demon remained silent, but he could tell by their eyes that they were nervous, oh how entertaining. "Oh Alastor! So nice of you to show up! This is our new patron who just arrived at the hotel", Alastor heard, as he turned to see Charlie smiling at him, while dragging Vaggie by the hand. Leaning back from his position, Alastor continued to gaze at you while turning back to Charlie. "Ah! So this wayward sinner is here to stay at the hotel! Excellent!" Alastor beamed, as he look down at you, while you shifted in your seat.

**Your POV**

You started to feel a little uncomfortable with everyone's eyes on you, making you clench your hands on your lap. You noticed the other demon next to Charlie. She had long grey hair, and only one of her eyes was showing. She did give you a hard gaze when she saw you, but it softened after few minutes. As she came closer to you, she waved her hand as a hello, while also asking what your name was. You stayed silent, as the butterflies in your stomach made you feel like you wanted to vomit, as everyone was watching you, waiting for your answer. "Whats the matter with you, toots? You deaf or something?", The spider demon had taken a seat next to you, while wrapping an arm around your neck with one of his arms, while poking your cheek with his other hand. Freezing up, you felt your eyes start to water, and you started to slightly shake. Charlie noticed your reactions and bent down on her knees to gaze at you, asking if you were alright. Taking a slow deep breath, you nodded then made a notion with your hands asking for something to write on. Charlie quickly got up and ran to the desk to grab a large notepad and pen, before coming back to you. Once you had the notepad, you began to write down what you wanted to say, before turning the notepad around for everyone to see, while giving them a shy smile:

"Hello my name is Y/N. I just arrived in Hell a few minutes ago and I saw your poster and wanted to stay here. I'm sorry for not responding to you guys normally, but I am selectively mute, I'm sorry again. Its very nice to meet all of you!"

Everyone around you slowly read the notepad and all turned back to look at you. Charlie and Vaggie looked very apologetic, the spider just shrugged his shoulders, the mini one just continued to smile at you, but more softly this time, and the cat demon just continued to drink from the bar. The man in red, or Alastor as they called him, continued to smile at you, seeming unfazed by what you wrote, but you noticed his eyes soften a bit, but he made sure to hide it from the others. "Oh! I'm sorry if we made you uncomfortable." Charlie began to bow her head, but you waved your hands, letting her know it was alright. Charlie raised her head, and soon her frown turned back into a bright smile: "Oh yes, let me introduce everyone! This is Vaggie, my girlfriend. The spider next to you is Angel Dust. Niffty is the small cute one. Husk is the one at the bar, and this is Alastor." You listened to all of the names Charlie said, and looked at everyone, while smiling and nodding your head. Angel Dust smirked while looking at you, turning you head to look at him: "You're quite a cutie aren't ya? I bet your voice sounds very sexy." Angel continued to wrap his arms around you, continuing to flirt with you, until Alastor's staff smacked him on the head. "Now my good fellow! It's not proper to talk that way to a lady! Please kindly remove yourself from them!" Alastor said, as he gazed at Angel, smiling still, but it looked more menacing this time. Angel let you go, while rubbing his head: "Satan F*** Al! You didn't have to hit me with that thing!" Vaggie then yelled at them both to be quiet, as she walked over to front desk and grabbed what looked like to be a room key. She walked back and handed it to you, telling you that your room is on the fourth floor and you can go up there and get settled. Nodding your head as a thank you, you began to walk over to one of the elevators and made your way to your room.

Arriving in your room, you scanned around the interior. The room had some dust and cobwebs, but a little cleaning would help with that. The room was decorated in a maroon red, with a large bed with black sheets, two large windows with curtains, a bathroom and a very wide closet. It almost felt like you got the home suite, which made you feel guilty as you really didn't need a extravagant room like this. Still in thought, you were alerted by a rhythmic knock on your door. Walking over, you looked in the peephole to see Al standing there with his big smile. Opening the door, you nodded your head at Alastor, as he smiled down at you. "Hello again my dear! I was wondering if you had time to chat!"

***Alastor POV***

The quiet sinner nodded her head at Al, while opening the door, allowing me to come in. How adorable! He thought, while making his over to the center of the room and turning back to look at them. "Now my dear! I am here wanting to apologize for how I acted in the lobby! I wasn't behaving like a proper gentleman and I understand if I made you uncomfortable, so let me offer you my sincerest apologies! Let's start over from the beginning, shall we?" Alastor bowed his head a bit, as a sign of him apologizing, and extending his hand out in a handshake. You appeared taken aback in Alastor's eyes, ,but you gave him a soft smile and shook his hand. Once you finished shaking hands, you grabbed the notepad and pen again and began to write to Al, as he gazed at you, wondering what you were writing before you turned the notepad around. Alastor leaned closer, and began to read the message:

"It is alright, Alastor. There is no need for you to apologize. And besides, I'm the one that should apologize for not answering your question when you asked me."

Alastor finished reading, and turned his eyes towards you. His sharp smile slowly turned into a soft grin and his glowing eyes had softened. "Don't worry about that my dear! Now I take it since you will have just arrived in Hell, you are lacking some necessities correct?" Alastor had moved away from you, as he continued to talk while walking around your room. Turning back to you, you gave him a small nod. "Then we will head to the city! Me and Charlie can accompany you! What do you think?" he said, as he turned back to you, with his large grin coming back. Nodding your head at Alastor was his indication that you accepted. Smiling wider, Alastor turned back to you, as he made his way to your door. "It feels that I have extended my stay, so I will leave you be darling! Do make yourself comfortable!" he said, as turned his head back to you. Pulling out the pad again, you wrote down another message and showed it to Al.

"Thank you."

"Your welcome my dear! Have a pleasant evening! Also don't forget to head to the kitchen later! My mother's famous jambalaya is on the menu for tonight! So good, it nearly killed her! HAHA!" , Laughing out his response, Al watched as he saw you give him a smile, a real smile this time. "My! What a gorgeous smile!" He thought, as he bid you adieu and made his way back to the lobby. As he made his way back, Alastor stopped and thought about you. Puzzling was a word he used to describe you. He had never encountered a sinner down here who chose to not speak while having the ability to do so. He mostly assumed you were terrified of him, due to his status as "The Radio Demon. Most feared overlord in Hell.", but that wasn't the case. Something about you made him feel odd, hell he even apologized to you, which he would never do given his massive pride/ego, so he wondered why. Seeing you write on the notepad and apologizing for not responding normally, made his heart ache. Why should you apologize for something like that? Realizing he had stopped in the middle of the hallway, he carried on back to the others, still thinking about you and also how would your voice sound when you spoke out loud. Alastor smiled wider, as he thought you were going to be a very special and entertaining sinner here at the hotel.

Part 2 of the story is Here

[t00muchheart]

It’s just that, in Faith, Dean thinks he’s going to die, and he’s braced for it, and when he lives, it’s only because someone else died in his place. And then, in In My Time of Dying, it happens again, and it’s even worse this time because that’s his father who died for him. So by the time All Hell Breaks Loose rolls around, of course Dean sacrifices himself: he’s already living on borrowed time, after all, but Sam? Sam is only here because he was dragged back into this life—he deserves to have the chance to leave it behind again, for good this time.

And sure, faced with the consequences, Dean can see that he doesn’t deserve it—not to die, and certainly not to go to hell—but he still believes that it’s better this way: better him than Sam, even if it would be best if it was no one at all.

But it has to be someone, and so Dean is dragged to hell, and after thirty years on the rack, Dean breaks—and after ten more, when he wakes up in his grave and pushes his way to the surface, he thinks that maybe he deserved it after all, maybe he deserved every bit of torture dealt to him and more.

And then he meets an angel, and the angel tells him that he was the one to raise him from hell, and the angel wonders at the fact that Dean doesn’t think he deserves to be saved, because even after everything, he sees something beautiful in Dean Winchester, something worth preserving. And the angel believes in Dean so much that he can’t help but start believing in himself again, just a little.

[selineram3421]

*is now craving sushi* Dang. 🍣

Other Worldly

Part 2

Part 1

Alastor X Shy Reader

Warnings ⚠

⚠ selectively mute reader, food mentions-seaweed, song lyrics Drift Away-Trillian ⚠

Alastor took the mer up to their hotel room, the halls empty as he made another water pun, which earned him a fin slap to the face.

"I could drop you, you know?", he said but continued to carry them towards the bathtub.

Setting them down gently, he made sure to get a towel and put it somewhere within reach for them to take when their legs returned.

"There you are dear!", he said before standing up straight. "I'll leave you here now. Don't try to get up too soon, you'll just flop right over!", he laughed and turned to leave.

"Wait.", they spoke softly.

Like an exciting rush, he felt chills run down his back as his body followed the command.

"Don't tell anyone about what you saw..", they paused. "Or what you heard from me. Please."

As soon as they were finished, the 'spell' had broken and he was able to move again. Glancing over his shoulder, the Radio Demon snapped his fingers and his coat was clear of the water spots they had left on him.

"Very well.", he said and began closing the bathroom door. "This will stay our little secret~", he placed a finger over his lips before shutting the door.

He stood there for a moment, hearing the mer let out a sigh before the water turned on.

Satisfied with his findings, the deer demon left their hotel room, making sure to lock the door before closing it.

As he made his way to his radio tower, he thought of ways to get the aquatic demon to sing around him.

I should ease their worries somehow.. He thought. I wonder if there is a way to lure a siren.

.

You hated the transition of your legs returning.

Every time, you felt like your tail was being torn apart. Your scales felt like needles piercing into you when they sunk back into your skin. The webbing on your fingers was the only thing that didn't hurt much, but your hands would cramp a few times the day after.

This is annoying. You thought as you dried yourself completely after taking a bath.

Next was the hard part.

Grabbing the edge of the tub, you slowly stood up. Your feet feeling like you walked many miles without rest, aching as you stepped onto the tile floor.

It hurt.

Step by step, it felt like you were walking on glass, thorns, or hot coal as you made your way into your room to get dressed.

As soon as you could, you dropped onto your bed with a whine, staying there for a moment before crawling under the covers. After turning off the lamp on the nightstand, you hoped that the red dressed demon wouldn't say anything of what he saw.

Yes, you told him a command but the other half was a plea.

Let's not worry about it. He did say it would be our secret. You thought before going to sleep.

The next day was a little odd.

After getting breakfast, the smiling demon began talking to you like you were old friends.

It confused you.

What did he have to gain from talking to a quiet person? There was nothing you could say without hypnotizing him.

.

It was simple.

All he had to do was get them used to him and they'd be comfortable enough to let their guard down.

What better way to do it other than talking?

Food.

Throughout a few weeks, the Radio Demon experimented with all kinds of food. Taking notice of their expressions and the amount of food that they left on their plate. Later, he noticed that they enjoyed snacking on seaweed.

He wasn't sure where they had got it from, but it was something that he made sure was kept stocked in the kitchen and at the bar.

"The fuck? Why seaweed?", Husker grumbled.

"One of our guests enjoys it and the Princess ordered a surplus of the snack.", Alastor said as he watched the cat demon put the box under the bar counter.

Of course, it didn't really work out like he wanted. They were still quiet, still just out of reach, wary of him and his every action.

So he tried a different tactic.

Continuing to talk to them in open spaces but once they left, he hid in the shadows and observed them.

And then it happened.

It was exactly what he was waiting for.

Though he was hiding within the shadows of a dark theater room, he still was able to catch them, to listen to them sing.

Dark brown wood and red velvet from the room had made the area darker than it really was, but they still managed to find a ledge to sit on. They started off with soft hums before a real note came out from their lips.

"Here in the garden

Let's play a game

I'll show you how it's done

Here in the garden

Stand very still

This will be so much fun"

Like before, he felt the pull in his chest, the daze their voice submerged his mind into.

"And then she smiled

That's what I'm after

A smile in her eyes

The sound of her laughter

Happy to listen

Happy to play

Happily watching her drift away"

His shadows held him back from crawling out of the darkness. Something he was quite grateful for as he didn't want to disturb their singing.

"You keep on turning pages, for people who don't care

People who don't care about you

And still it takes you ages, to see that no one's there

See that no one's there

See that no one's there

Everyone's gone on with out you.."

Such a peculiar thing. To feel what they felt through their song, waves of sadness brushing against his mind.

"And aren't I the fool to have

Happily listened

Happy to stay

Happy to watch her drift

Drift

Drift...away."

They finished their song and sighed, wearing a frown.

Something Alastor couldn't just stand by for.

"You have such a lovely voice.", the deer demon spoke up.

They let out a noise of surprise and stood quickly , looking around the room like a frightened animal.

"It's a shame you hide it.", he continued.

He could hear how quick their breathing became as they backed away towards the nearest exit. Before the mer could touch the door, the Radio Demon came out of the shadows behind them and took their wrist.

They gasped and froze, not daring to look at him as he held them close.

Now is his grasp, he hummed in content and put a finger under their chin, lifting it up so they could look him in the eye.

His smile grew wider once they made eye contact.

"Let's make a deal~"

I did not have sushi but I did get to eat seaweed.

~Seline, the person.

Part 3

Taglist@

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ML I Alastor🎙 | ChL OW🦀

[sandinthepipes]

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Give me your favourite destiel fic

[got-ticket-to-ride]

"Uh, I need another drink, baby!" says John. Paul goes to the phone. "Hello? Yes, send us six single scotches-No make it doubles, yeah, doubles." -From the Beatles book "Love Me Do" by Michael Braun

[batfam-fanfics]

My Scars Aren't Silent (Selectively Mute Jason Todd) by CreamcheeseBagel

5 works - 15925 words

After years of rehabilitation and running, Jason returns to Gotham after having had his throat slit by Batman.

On good days, Jason can speak. More often than not he can't - communicating through sign language instead.

Returning to Gotham entails Jason facing his demons, and reconciling with his family. Well most of the family, bar one. All under the nose of Batman, of course.

But can Jason keep from falling under Bruce's thumb?

(An AU amalgamation of RHATO Post #25, Under The Red Hood and Jason’s PTSD).

[qsmpbutwithsignlanguage]

Okay. Let's talk, QSMPblr, because I want to talk.

The Brazilian side of this fandom is actually insane. If nobody else has said it yet (which I highly doubt, but I'll put it out there anyway), then I will.

You guys are some of the smartest, most die-hard, committed fans I've met. And you're insanely positive, which might seem like a weird thing to say, but I feel like I've seen it anyway. On that note.

I've talked about this fanfiction in the past, so if you saw that post, you'll know what I'm getting into here. But I want to delve into this a bit more.

'The Reason' by Nan_Yelo is the most kudosed work of fanfiction in Brazilian Portuguese, period. It is in a fandom that has only existed since March of 2023, up against the translated version of the most kudosed fanfiction on AO3 (All the Young Dudes by MsKingBean89 translated into All the Young Dudes by wolfuckingstar) and multiple other fandoms and fanfictions that have existed far, far longer. Every time I find the fanfic again, I am continuously flabbergasted that it got to where it was.

However, its placement in kudos is not its only astonishing accomplishment. I've talked about it's kudos. I've lamented and waxed poetry about its kudos until the night turned to day and I reached my mental QSMP limit (which is astonishingly high, might I say). But the kudos are not the only place where 'The Reason' has done astonishingly well.

Clocking in 88,844 words, 128 comments (including one of my own, awkwardly gushing about the fanfiction in English because my Portuguese can let me say the word 'cheese' and 'I don't speak Portuguese, sorry'), 143 bookmarks, 35,035 hits, and probably most notably, 1,628 kudos, 'The Reason' is honestly a record-breaking fanfiction in more ways than one.

It is about a fandom that has only existed since March of 2023, and about a duo that really only came around in April of that same year.

It is the tenth most kudosed fanfiction under the QSMP tag, which I think is actually insane. Officially, the QSMP has thirty-four streamers displayed on its members page, plus Quackity's Spanish channel and the straight up QSMP streaming account. Of this five are Brazilian. Slightly more than 1/7th of the total streamers. One former member was also Brazilian, so adding them into the mix would bump that number up to 6/35, or a bit more than 17%. Not half, not a quarter, not even a fifth of the total number of streamers.

And despite this fact, in spite of this fact, fanfiction about the Brazilian members of the QSMP has been some of the most popular in the fandom.

That out of the way, not only is 'The Reason' the most kudosed Brazilian Portuguese fanfiction, it is also the most kudosed Portuguese fanfiction period.

Compare it to the most kudosed European Portuguese fanfiction available to a user logged in on AO3, 'E Depois do Adeus (And After Goodbye)' by Palacios_Modernos.

244 kudos, and the most kudosed European Portuguese fanfiction. Then look at 'The Reason'. 1,628, meaning that 'The Reason' is the singular most kudosed fanfiction in any type of Portuguese published on AO3. (I have checked Uncategorized Constructed Languages and the other language tabs for any other registered types of Portuguese, and none exist, meaning that European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese are the only two out there to look at).

It is the second most bookmarked fanfiction in Brazilian Portuguese, at 143 bookmarks, which is only 15 below the most bookmarked fanfiction in Brazilian Portuguese (Rainha de Sothoryos by MarVermelho), which has has less than half the kudos and 10,000 less hits.

Comparing these two fanfictions to the most bookmarked fanfiction in European Portuguese, which clocks in at 33, this can also claim its title as the second most bookmarked fanfiction in Portuguese period.

And when it comes to hits, 'The Reason' clocks in at fourth out of all Portuguese fanfiction available to a user signed into AO3.

This fanfiction is six months old, part of a fandom that has been around since March of 2023, up against three fanfictions from Harry Potter, a franchise that has been around for decades (yeah, I'm going there, I'll make everyone feel old if I feel like it). And it is genuinely record breaking in every definition of the word.

Is this post long as fuck? Yes. Is it entirely deserved? Absolutely.

Go read it, because 'The Reason' is actually insane. It has been fully translated into English and partially translated into Spanish as of February 19th, 2023, and it's honestly beautiful.

[captainsophiestark]

Pegasus

Maxon Schreave x Reader

Masterlist - Join My Taglist!

Written for Fictober 2022!

Prompt: “Is this safe?”

Fandom: The Selection Series

Summary: Y/N joined the Selection, and against her expectations, fell in love with Maxon Schreave. Now that things are coming to a close and the Rebel activity is picking up, everyone's more stressed than usual, but Maxon has especially being running himself into the ground. He needs to take a break and take care of himself, but he hasn't been organizing that for himself. So, Y/N takes it into her own hands to give him a bit of a mental health recharge.

Word Count: 1,968

Category: Fluff

Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.

I took a deep breath as I straightened my dress in the mirror, mentally running through a checklist. The food, the blanket, and everything else I'd decided to set up for the night were all ready and placed. I'd asked my maids to give me the evening, and they'd agreed while also promising to keep prying eyes and ears away. There was nothing else I needed to do.

When I'd first entered the Selection, it had been for my family. We'd needed the money, and it wasn't like living in the palace for a while was the worst thing in the world, if I did get Selected. When I'd been chosen, marrying the prince wasn't particularly on my radar.

Then I got to know Maxon.

He was without a doubt the sweetest, kindest, most wonderful man I'd ever had the pleasure of meeting. Things felt easy with him, for some reason, and despite all the structure and official procedure that was supposed to come with the Selection, we'd quickly formed a close friendship that had turned into more.

If I'd told myself at the beginning of this thing that I'd be falling in love with Prince Maxon, and him with me, I would've laughed in my own face. And yet, many weeks later, here we were.

Recently, as the Selection worked its way to a close and Rebel activity had picked up significantly, I could tell Maxon was seriously feeling the stress. I'd barely seen him, and whenever he did have time to say hello to me and the other ladies, his mind was clearly elsewhere. He'd started to look more and more sleep deprived at meals, and so I'd decided yesterday to find a way to give him a bit of a break.

I couldn't do much, especially since I wasn't officially marrying him yet. I couldn't get officially involved in the meetings, politics, or anything else, and even though Maxon did consult with me about those issues sometimes, I couldn't actually go to meetings to help him deal with things. So, I'd decided to give him a complete break from the stressors in a way he probably didn't usually get to enjoy.

I'd gotten in touch with him this morning through a friendly castle servant to ask him to meet me tonight, a few hours after dinner. With the help of my maids, I'd spent the rest of the day getting everything together, and now all that was left was for Maxon to show up.

Right on cue, I heard a knock at my door. I smiled to myself and crossed the room to open it, then found Maxon, looking exhausted but still smiling at the sight of me.

"Hello, my dear," he said. I smiled.

"Your highness." I dipped into a curtsey as I said it, and Maxon immediately grinned and shook his head at my antics.

"Please. You know we're well past that level of formality."

"That we are." We shared a smile as I stepped aside to let him into my room, then shut the door behind him. He wandered into the middle of the room, looking like he wasn't quite sure what to do with himself, then turned to me.

"So... what did you want to see me about? Is everything alright?"

"I think that's my line," I said. I crossed the room and walked past him to throw open the doors to the balcony. I turned back to Maxon, only to find him staring at me with an eyebrow raised in question. "You've clearly been stressed out of your mind lately. I thought you could use a little break."

"You're not wrong about that, darling."

"Luckily for you, I know just the thing. Come on."

I motioned for him to join me on the balcony, which he did. He took a deep breath of the cool night air and let it out slowly, releasing some of the tension in his shoulders with it.

"It does feel good to be out here," he said.

"Yes, it does. But this isn't all we're doing." With that, I turned to the railing of the balcony and carefully moved to stand on it, using the wall of the castle to balance myself. I heard Maxon gasp, but I ignored him as I climbed the rest of the way up and onto the roof of the palace, above my room.

"Y/N! What on Earth are you doing?" he asked. I popped my head back over the edge of the roof to look at him.

"Giving you a relaxing evening. Now just trust me and get up here, carefully."

Maxon hesitated for half a second before I saw him make the decision to throw caution to the wind and follow me. He moved to the edge of the balcony to follow the same path that I'd taken, and I reached out a hand to help him. A few seconds later, and he was on the roof with me.

"Y/N... Is this safe?" he asked, hesitating a bit and looking behind him, over the edge and towards the long drop into the palace garden. I gave his hand a tug to get him to focus back on me and everything in front of him.

"Yes, I'm sure," I said. "I've been up here more than a few times myself to get some space from... well, everything about palace life, really. Balconies and gardens are nice, but as you'll soon see, nothing quite beats sitting on the roof, out of sight of everyone and staring up at the stars."

Maxon huffed a breath and smiled, and I could tell the idea appealed to him as much as it did to me. I stood and led him a few steps further onto the roof, away from the edge, where I'd laid out a blanket and set up a picnic with all of our favorite foods.

"Ta-da!" I said, gesturing grandly with my arm and facing Maxon with a beaming smile. He stared at the setup in disbelief for a moment, then turned to me with a dumbstruck look on his face.

"Y/N... did you really do all this for me?"

"Yes I did. You take care of everyone else all day long, me included. It's about damn time that someone else took care of you, pardon my language."

He laughed, a smile slowly spreading across his face as my words sunk in. He crossed the roof and closed the few steps of distance between us, wrapping his arm around me carefully and pulling me into his chest.

"Thank you, my dear. For this, and for everything else you do for me," he muttered into my hair as he leaned in to kiss the top of my head. I lifted my chin and met his eyes, then leaned up to give him a soft kiss on the lips. We'd kissed a few times before, but it still felt special and new, and I could feel tingles running through my entire body despite the fact that our lips only met for a few moments.

"I'm happy I could help," I said softly, meeting Maxon's tender gaze with one of my own. "Now come on, let's enjoy this beautiful night."

Maxon and I shared a smile, then moved to lay down together on the blanket. We made our way through all the snacks I'd gathered, then when we were completely full, we laid fully on our backs and stared up at the stars.

"Do you know anything about identifying them?" I asked after a few moments of peaceful, comfortable silence. "What they're called, or the stories behind them?"

"Not much," he replied, his tone full of regret. "Most of the stories have been lost or destroyed. But do you see that grouping of stars there?"

He pointed up, gesturing to a few clusters that were close to each other, and I hummed in affirmation.

"I read in one of the books my father keeps under lock and key that those stars are called 'Pegasus'. Pegasus is a great winged horse that flies through the night sky, and used to help the heroes and gods of stories told so long ago they've been completely lost to time."

"That's beautiful," I sighed, shifting closer to Maxon as I did. He wrapped his arm around my back and waist, and I rested my head on his shoulder and curled into his side. "Do you think Pegasus is still out there somewhere?"

"I think he must be," Maxon replied. "Roaming the skies or the stars, and waiting for someone to let the world remember him."

Neither of us spoke for a minute, and I could feel all of Maxon's frustration at his father and the way so many things in the kingdom were currently being run radiating off him in waves. I traced patterns over his chest, hoping to sooth him a bit by being there and reminding him that I was with him, no matter what.

"If that's the case, then I'm sure Pegasus will be back soon," I said, keeping my voice low but sure. "When you're King, Maxon, things will be better. You'll finally have the power to make them better. And it'll probably mean worlds more stress than you're dealing with right now, but it will be more of the good kind, the kind that comes with the business of affecting change. And much less of the bad kind, of being forced to sit by while people make decisions and create policy that makes you want to scream."

Maxon took a long, deep breath in and out, then wrapped his arm around me a little tigheter.

"Since when do you know me so well?" he finally asked, his tone light and joking. I smiled.

"Since I realized I might actually be persuaded to like a prince, of all things."

Maxon huffed a laugh, then pinched my arm in a bit of payback. I whacked his chest in revenge, but he just laughed again.

We relaxed back into comfortable silence, staring up at the stars and relaxing in each other's warmth and the temporary feeling that it was just the two of us in the entire world. Maxon's heartbeat echoed in my ears as I closed my eyes, feeling the rise and fall of his chest with each breath. I'd just started drifting off as a result of the feeling of complete security and relaxation when Maxon spoke again, his voice a low, quiet rumble.

"You'll be right there by my side, Y/N," he said. He absently rubbed circles on my waist with his thumb as he spoke. "The two of us will make the world right, together. King and Queen, in love, a perfect team."

I smiled and hummed, my heart practically ready to burst at his words.

"Darn right we will," I agreed. He pulled me closer to him, although that was hardly possible, and his hand squeezed securely on my waist, reminding us both we belonged with each other.

We were both young, and there would be plenty of challenges for us to deal with along the way. But I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that things would work out for us. Laying together under the stars, the two of us finding a moment of peace in a swirl of chaos, I was completely confident in our happy ending. We'd continue to fall for each other every day, get married, change the world, then find our peaceful storybook sunset. And nothing could possibly stand in our way.

[gallavichthings]

A.U.gust 2023

It's A.U. time!! Here's the list of prompts for this year (sorry it's so late, I literally just realized it's almost August!).

As usual, any kind of fanwork is accepted. Really, any. All you've got is a headcanon? We want it! Drabble? Yes, please! Moodboard? Do share!

There's no need to sign-up, but do make sure to tag me (using @) in the body of the post - sorry, doing it in the tags doesn't work.

There's one prompt for each day of the month, so please don't post ahead of schedule, but feel free to post a bit late, just please make it clear which day your fanwork is for.

Here's the AO3 collection, and I'll also keep this post pinned, so feel free to check it any time you need. And send me an ask if you've got any questions.

One last thing: these prompts are for Alternative Universe fanworks. So, for instance, if it says Circus or Pirate, it can't be a work in which them, in our universe, go to the circus or dress up as pirates for Halloween. This time it's got to really be an AU.

Now, without further ado, the prompts:

Noir Detective

Surfer/lifeguard

Bodyswap

Teacher(s)

Cyberpunk

Genderswap

Merpeople

Circus

College

Zombie Apocalypse

Coffee Shop

50's

Reincarnation

Hallmark

Pen pals

Soulmate

Pornstar

Robin Hood

Sports

Magic

Celebrity

Bodyguard

Pirate

Regency

Vampire

Reality TV

Royalty

Time Travel

Office

Cowboys

Free day (but still AU!)

[dre6ming]

Playing for keeps

Chapter I

Masterlist

Pairing: Austin Butler x Y/n

Plot: Austin is the next in line for the throne, but he can’t be king if he doesn’t have a wife. In your country tradition says that a selection formed of 35 young women must be formed for the prince to find a wife. You are obligated by circumstances to participate against your will. What are the chances that you might be the next queen? None right? Right?

Warning: none

Word count: ~4000

"To heal the soul by the means of the senses and the senses by the means of the soul" or something like that, is what Oscar Wilde said to make me really understand why something so simple as feeling the bristles of my brush stroke the rough surface of the canvas. My lines look a little jagged today, my hand keeps shaking and no matter how many deep breaths I take, the rock sitting on my chest hasn't gotten any lighter.

Thirty five, what a strange and odd number, why so many? Why not more or less? Did they have a mathematician who centuries ago did the math for them and concluded that thirty five was the lucky number to find a wife out? I take a deep breath as the word "wife" bounces off of the walls of my skull. It's not just a wife, it's the future queen.

It's been a little more than 30 years since the last selection, when queen Lori was selected out of the bunch by King David and now the result of their successful selection, their son, prince Austin, is about to have his very own selection. All of the girls in the kingdom between the ages 18-22 were asked to submit an entry into the competition, to hopefully end up being the princess of the kingdom and the future queen.

Emphasis on the word "asked" , we were not obligated to do it, at least not by our government, our parents however? Well the forced me to apply, dragged me down to the office where the applications were collected and made me sign up.

"Y/n it's time, come come sit!!" My mom shouts for me and I put down the paint brush, wiping my hands on a rag, brushing back some hair as I make my way to the very small, very crowded living room. My mom , dad and all my 5 siblings are spread around the tv, watching it like hawks. "Come sit!" Mom pats the spot next to her on the couch and I squeeze between her and my older sister.

I can't help but feel angry at the whole situation, my parents live in a poorer side of the country and the fact that they had 7 kids did not help, I'm right in the middle, being the 4th to be born, my older siblings, are married off to their own households where the also pop baby after baby, that is except for one of my eldest siblings, my sister Hannah, who's the reason why mom put me into the selection in the first place.

To back track a bit and explain, my parents met and got married when they were 20 years old, my brother Josh came a year later, he's now 26 married and expecting child number three, his income already stretched thin. Then came Anna, she's 24 she married in a more stable family, but with baby number two, turning into babies number 2 , 3 and 4, yes that's triplets that she's having, money is low. Mark, 22 now, not married, he's actually, well we don't know, he ran away with a girl from around here, we haven't heard anything in years and since we barely have time to live our own lives and win enough for a living, we've put him aside. My sister Hannah, 22 as well, she's Marks twin, she's supposed to marry, but the guy she chose is from a family of twelve and they have little to no money.

Then there's me, Y/n, 20 being auctioned away in the hopes that the weekly allowance my family will get for my participation would be enough for my sister's wedding and some other things for my youngest siblings. After me my parents had kids 2 more times, Kyle 14 and then the other set of twins, this time identical Tana and Lane, 10 years old.

My mom works as a nurse and my dad is a retired guard from our region. Money is low so we all have to work, but with 2 siblings out of the house and one waiting to marry, we lost working hands. I sell paintings on commission and I also work at the local bakery to try and make some extra money, but it's not enough to support me, mom and my younger siblings. Which is why I was forced by mom to join the selection, the family of the girl competing gets a weekly allowance for as long as she stays in the game, not to mention the chance of actually being queen.

As names are being drawn on tv I can feel everyone in the room tense as the 34th girl gets called out and it's not me, I had 34 chances and I lost them all, now I get one more, but I hope I'll lose again. I don't want to go, I don't want to meet the prince or be his wife, I'm not meant to be queen, I'm just not.

My breath gets caught in my chest as the host, Lucas, puts his hand back in the bowl of names. My ears are ringing as he read the name and I almost faint seeing my picture there. "You got it, hon, good job!" Mom says and all of my present siblings start to chant my name, happy for me. I can barely hear them though, so I get up with tears in my eyes, brushing everyone off, walking out, out of the room, out of the house.

My bare feet, touch the sharp gravel, but I can't give into the pain, all I know is I need to run, run for now, or at least until tomorrow when the people from the palace will be at my door to package me up and send me to their prince. Staring out into the midnight sky, I could see everything I had being ripped apart, I didn't have much, but I had enough. Dropping to the ground and letting the cold grass soak my thin cotton dress, I close my eyes, scared to death about the outcome of what I had just gotten myself into.

The next time I open my eyes, two guards from the royal guard stand in my door and my mom hands me a bag I didn't pack, pushing me out the door. I take one last look back at the people I'm leaving behind and I tell myself I have to at least make it a few weeks, so that my sister could use the money for her wedding, then I'd come back and move to a richer part of the country, where I wouldn't be able to ever see my family. Those are the rules, after you get into the game, when you live you have a higher status and income so they move you and you can no longer interact with your past the way you used to.

Watching my step getting out of the car that took me from the airport to here, I take in the palace, with it's high towers and beautiful architecture. People are outside, forming a pathway for us to walk as they chant different names of other girls who also got selected. I am so out my element here, the dress my mom picked for me was too tight and itchy, the high heel shoes hurt my feet and my hands were sweating too much. "Here it goes!" I say under my breath stepping forward and into the unknown building. The inside even more beautiful than I could describe, high ceilings with crystal chandeliers, gold accents and mahogany furniture, underneath my heels white marble floors.

"Ladies! Welcome, I am Silvia and I'll be you're etiquette advisor and teacher, I'll also be your voice here, anything you need, you ask me and I'll make it happen if it within my powers. You will now be less to yours rooms where you will meet your maids, they will help you with hair, make up and clothes and anything else you might need. Dinner will be served in your rooms tonight and breakfast is at 7 am tomorrow, after breakfast you will each get to talk with the prince and get to know him. I've left some pages on your beds with instructions about tomorrow as well as the schedule of our classes. Good evening going forward!" The tall blonde woman left our sight walking gracefully in her long gown. I wonder if I'll ever be like her? Back so straight, shoulders so strong, hair so put together, make up so natural yet so beautiful, voice so clear, everything about her spoke volumes on everything I was not. I don't know how they expect me to last a day here.

In my room, I stand and wonder how can a place for one person be the size of my home which currently houses 7, now that two of my siblings had moved out. "Lady Y/n!" Two petite women curtesy in front of me, they look like sisters, about the same age as me, but one of them looks a bit older. "Just Y/n" I lick my lips fiddling with my fingers. The older one nods, smiling. "A-and you are?" They seem confused by my question. "Your maids lady!" The other one explains in a sweet voice.

"Yes no, I know, I meant, your names, what are your names?" I ask again hoping I'm not making them uncomfortable. "I'm Jules and she's my older sister Jane, we're very happy and honored to meet you, lady Y/n" I nod, smiling as well, as they start pacing around the room fixing things up. My eyes watch them move, mesmerized by how synchronized they are. "Can you stand and turn around lady Y/n? We have the water running in the tub, so you can take a bath."

I stand and turn so that Jules could undo my dress, then sliding my arms through the silk robe. "Just Y/n please!" I ask again, all these official things making me uncomfortable. "Lady Y/n, if I may-" I open my mouth to correct Jane, but she puts her hand up stopping me. "You are now a lady, his majesty will refer to you as such and you have to keep to these titles, at least until you get to know him better." I nod at her kind advice and follow her into the bathroom, where she helps me step into the tub, taking my robe away and checking the water temperature one last time. "Well relax lady Y/n, when you're ready, call for us and we will get you ready for bed."

Before she leaves me to my own, I dare to ask her one more thing. "Jane, is he nice?" I ask, this being the first time I actually my curiosity about the prince, spiked ever since I was selected. Jane gives me a soft smile, fixing the creases on her apron. "That's for you to decide lady Y/n, but his majesty, prince Austin has always been well liked by the staff." She leaves before I get to asks anything more and I take that as her polite way of saying that's how much she's allowed to say.

The bed here is so much softer than the one at home, the one I uncomfortably share with my twin sisters. The sheets are so soft and silky, it feels like I could turn to fast and fly off the bed. Jules and Jane left shortly after, brushing my hair back and helping me into my silk night gown. Even in this big room, air feels compressed and I want to walk, so I find myself putting on my slippers , taking a moment to look at them, I've never had slippers before. I the dark of the room I make out the location of the door and I turn the knob slowly, trying to make no sound.

I feel a cool breeze brushing my bare legs and I follow it thinking this could be the way to find a door leading outside. Only thing stopping me are the two guards standing in front of it. "Miss are you lost?" One of them asks, making me blush, finally so aware of the fact that I left my room wearing only my thin silky night gown. "N-no, I was wondering how to get to the garden." I say hoping my voice didn't sound too shaky. "No can do miss, you need to get back to your room." The guard tells me, his eyes staring straight ahead. "Please, I, I just need a moment." I beg, taking a step closer and that's when they both move their eyes to look at me, their mean stares making me shiver. "Not allowed, back to your room miss!" The other guard speaks.

Suddenly another set of steps are heard and the guards stand straighter. I don't dare to make a move and look at who it might be. "Your majesty!" They say in unison and the blood freezes in my veins. I've never heard him speak before, his voice sounds so clear, a bit raspy, but still sweet, like warm honey. "Lay her be!"

"Your majesty, we can't-" the guard protests. "I said let her be, open the doors!" They do as he says and I don't wait to walk out, the cold air hitting my warm skin leaving goosebumps. "Stay 5 minutes, then back to your room, if you won't go willingly they have my permission to drag you there." I stop and without turning around I say. "Thank you, your majesty!" My voice sounding like it's under water.

I didn't stay too long after I heard him walk away, running back to my room almost immediately after. Sleep came to me easily after that, but I still felt restless now as Jane brushed my hair into a braid. They put me into a floor length light green dress, with beautiful lace details all around the corset. I looked like a princess this morning when I looked at myself in the mirror and I couldn't believe it and then for just a moment too long I had questioned why I pushed this competition away so vehemently. That last thought however got send back to the depth of my mind and I was now patiently waiting for my turn with the prince, tormented by the wonder of whether he would recognize me from last night or not. 

At last my turn comes and I get up from my seat, fixing my dress as I walk with my head down toward the table where he awaits for me. Sitting down, I still keep my eyes on the ground scared to look at him, feeling my heart thudding against my corset concealed chest. "Y/n? Right? Pleased to meat you, I do hope you're feeling better." His voice comes out first, breaking the silence and making me finally look at him. I had seen him on tv, but the screen did him no justice, the blue in his eyes is so electric, the gold in his hair, is so endearing, my fingers itched with the wish to have a feel at it, his pink lips look so soft and warm. Everything about him is inviting and the way he seats in his chair, leaned back with his legs crossed, his chin in his hand, makes him look so young and careless, which he is, being only 22 and a prince. 

"Yes, your majesty, I'm quite well, thank you!" I blush deeply, my hands clutching the material of my dress in a stupid attempt to calm my nerves. Austin's eyes move to my hands and back to my face, a concerned look painting on his god like face. "Are you all right? Lady Y/n?" He asks, changing his position in the chair, leaning towards me. "If you're not feeling well, I can have for the doctor to come and see you later Lady Y/n." He says in a whisper. The word doctor makes me immediately let go of my dress and smooth down the creases, breathing deeply. "I am fine your majesty, it's all nerves." 

Austin hums and I expect him to go back to his previous sitting position, but he doesn't, he actually leans a bit closer if that were possible. I can now smell his woodsy cologne and a warm fuzzy feeling takes over my body. "You don't need to be nervous, I'm just a boy, just as you are just a girl-".

"But you're not" I find myself rudely interrupting him. "You're going to be king some day and 35 women were randomly chosen to come here and allow you to peruse them. 35 is a strangely small number compared to all the women out there that could be potentially way better for you than any of us."

"Then why come here? Why put your name in the ballot in the first place?" He asks and I can't read if he's been offended by what I said or not. "Your majesty, I apologize!" I look away from him and I can't help but notice that the other girls are all watching us, just like I had watched the previous ones when they were up here. I can only imagine they are analyzing if he likes me better or not. 

"Don't apologize, keep talking, I feel you have a point." Austin urges me and I bite my tongue. "Lady Y/n, my situation is unique, but I have no choice, it does not matter if the love of my life is someone outside these walls, I am not allowed to meet them. So please keep talking!" I feel sad for him, it's clear he's thought the same thing as me, what if his one true love is not one of us, but he's obligated to choose one of us either way. 

"My favorite book, "Withering highlights" the protagonists were not allowed to love each other but they did and the impossibility of being together killed them, had they not ever met, they would've been able to love someone else and live. I think what I said is quite wrong your majesty, maybe neither of us will be the love of your life, but with time you might find someone among us, that you could learn to love and survive." 

Austin opens his mouth to say something, but he doesn't get the chance, since it's announced that our time is up and I must go in order for the next girl to come. I get up breathless and do a very bad curtesy. 

The rest of the day I can't help but feel like I'm sitting on egg shells, I knew I had let my stupid mouth speak before I gave to much thought, but something about him made me feel like I could speak my heart. Jane brushes my hair, as Jules arranges things around the room,  taking the pillows off the bed and putting in place the last things for me to go to bed. 

A knock on my door makes Jane jump as she brushes my hair and Jules goes to open the door. "Your majesty!" I hear Jules say and so I turn to see him, in all his glory, wearing the same dark brown suit from breakfast, only he's discarded the jacket and the tie, a few of the buttons from his shirt being undone and revealing some of his chest, the sleeves are rolled up and this look suits him much better than the previous. Realizing I was just sitting and staring, I quickly get up and curtesy. "Your majesty!" 

"How would you like a stroll out in the gardens, Lady Y/n?" Austin's voice is calm and my ears are ringing, so I barely make out what he's saying, but I nod. "Yes, um Jules, my robe please!" I say, remembering I'm just wearing my night gown, which was very inappropriate. "Lady Y/n!" Austin extends his hand and I walk the few steps over to him, putting my significantly smaller arm around his. 

He takes the lead and walks us out of my room and to the gardens. My thoughts are racing, I'm not stupid I know he could have every advantage right now to try and make an inappropriate move onto me, but he doesn't seem like that kind of guy, but how does that kind of guy look anyway. 

"You're awfully quiet." He says as we walk through the dimly lit gardens. "I was waiting on you your majesty." He stops and turns to look at me. "Why so?" Austin asks blinking. I simply shrug my shoulders. 

He sighs and licks his lips, walking further into the gardens without another word. The whole situation is rather spooky and I can't help the anxiety building up inside me. Soon we get to a table, decorated with candles and flowers, steaming cups of tea resting on it. "I thought we might enjoy some hot tea, it's a bit chilly out." He pulls my chair out for me and I sit down hesitant. 

"Tell me more about you, your favorite book is "Withering highlights", what else do you like?" It takes me a moment to realize that he is being serious I can't stop the giggle that comes out. Confusion is once again shown on his face, but this time is accompanied by something else, the corner of his mouth slightly pointing up, he's amused too. "You really want to know?" 

"Well I must find a wife somehow." The breath gets knocked out of me by his statement, for a split second I had forgotten why I was here, to play in the game of selection. 

"I like to bake and knit, I make clothes for my siblings all the time, but by far my favorite thing is painting, there's something so strange about being able to use my own hands to capture a moment I time li you would a picture." He looks at me as I talk and something in his demeanor tells me he's actually interested. 

"Picture, I, well I don't paint, but I do enjoy photography." He admits, his eyes glimmering with excitement. "Really? And what do you find best to photograph? Objects, humans or nature?" I ask, Austin blushing slightly. "All, I can't say I'm that good, I don't have enough time to dedicate to the hobby, but I enjoy it." 

"I don't believe that you must show me one day, any kind of art is good art. I don't have any of my paintings here, but perhaps if I got the supplies I could paint you something!" I propose, trading the experience of showing off our works of art. "Perhaps one day." Austin says absentmindedly, clearing his throat before getting up. "It's late, I should escort you back to your room!" He says hastily. 

I don't bring up how neither of us even touched the tea or what a short time had passed since we got here, the tea still steaming in the cups. Something about him has changed, he's much colder, stiffer if you may. No more words are exchanged between us, except the good night he rapidly wishes me, before walking away.

I'm left confused and with another feeling stuck in my heart, because for a moment there I actually let myself go and I got happy? Maybe, I don't know. 

Sleep came to me very difficult and when I woke up this morning I had a headache, I didn't want to see or talk to anyone. As Jules is complaining that I had tangled my hair so bad in my sleep another knock is heard and my heart stopped. Is this hope I'm feeling? Hope that is Austin? 

"Lady Y/n, a package for you!" Jane announces. 

I get up taking the note from her hand, looking at the huge box that bigger than her. I open the small envelope and the first thing I notice is the very clean and neat handwriting. 

 <Lady Y/n,

I hope you will forgive me for leaving so hastily as I did last night, but I figured that our encounter wasn't quiet up to etiquette and in fear of damaging you or me, I thought it better continue some other time. Please forgive me and accept this gift, I hope you'll have a painting to show me soon enough

A.B>

Tags: @galaxygirl453

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@samaraannhan20

@marlowmode

@myradiaz

@areuirish

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[ihni]

Things I love to read in Billy and/or Harringrove fanfiction:

(Inspired by @grey-sides and in the hopes of spreading some love)

Billy and Max overcoming their problems to form a united front and start working together, and become better siblings to each other.

Realizations. The "oh" moments. The "oh shit" moments, the "oh fuck" moments, the "oh no no no..." moments. ALL the realizations! (So, like ... the boys finding out they're into each other, anyone finding out about Billy's home life, Billy finding out about monsters, both of them finally seeing another - more vulnerable - side of each other, etc etc etc)

This whole post

Billy getting to fight monsters too, especially if he can use it as an outlet for all that aggression and be badass and save people's asses and then be all blasé about it like "what? it's not like it's hard" *hair flip* (also Billy and an axe will NEVER be over-played!)

Physical whump (bruises, blood, hiding injuries, fighting, being pushed up against surfaces, threats, hands grabbing faces and throats and hair, being made to kneel, incapacitation, fighting through exhaustion/illness, manhandling, etc etc. I'm a whumper at heart, I want to inject all these things into my veins).

Emotional whump (being left out of things/ostracization, feeling lonely, overhearing something hurtful, keeping a straight face even though you're hurting inside, not expecting someone to come and save you when you're hurt/captive etc etc - ie my bread and butter).

Billy patching himself up (BOTH phisical and emotional whump, so, like a double-whammy!)

Billy in the upside down, as a very capable survivor. Give me Cast Away, only with Billy, and the Upside Down instead of an island ... ALL THE VERSIONS of that. I like my boy capable, and fighting for survival (I'm normal, I swear)

This post

Billy being touch-starved. I eat that up with a SPOON, all versions of it but especially the ones where he gets touch (angsty version; it's not a good kind of touch but he seeks it out anyway, fluffy version; he gets all the pets and hugs!)

The boys coming back from the upside down and having gotten used to being close, so they get anxious when they don't have eyes on each other (yes I've written it. yes I've read it. yes I love it)

Having to share a room/doing a project togehter because their last names both start with H. Like forced proximity, school version. Mmmm, delicious.

When Billy is ridiculously weak for Steve and would do anything for him (especially if Steve has no idea about he power he wields). Basically Steve as the Billy-whisperer.

Billy getting good parents. I don't even care who at this point, I'll read all of them: Joyce, Hopper, Claudia, Mr Clarke (Mr CLARKE <3), Bob, Flo, that grumpy librarian ... Just give him good parental figures (and let him STRUGGLE with accepting that he's finally safe!)

Scars. All the fics about scars. Angsty scars, proud scars, mental scars, scars on the skin, first time someone is allowed to touch someone else's scars. Just, <3

Badass, BADASS moments, by both Billy and Steve. Smashing demodogs to pieces, rescuing themSELVES from bad situations, etc.

Guilt. <3 That usually comes after the realization moments, but mmmmm, a side of guilt to that? Fucking delicious, I will live off that for weeks. Like, having someone realize what Neil is doing and then feeling GUILTY about it (maybe they caused Billy to be hurt, or maybe they made it worse, or maybe a beating could have been avoided if they'd acted differently), that's my JAM.

That moment when Billy/Steve start calling the other by their first name instead of their last name ...

Self-sacrifice (filed under whump, but can be both physical, mental or simply implied). There doesn't even have to be a real threat of getting hurt, the self-sacrificing idiot (I prefer Billy) just have to THINK there is.

Basic needs not being met ... until they are. (So, say ... Billy being hungry, thirsty, tired, thrown out of the house ... and then finally getting to eat, drink, sleep, get inside)

[mygayasslovesbluealiens]

FLUFF FIC IDEA

imagine, when Jake and his family first visit the metkayena village, y/n, his second oldest kid who has selective mutism is very anxious about interacting with new people, they meet Tsireya who's sweet and patient with them. The more they spent time with the reef girl the less anxious they became. As time passed the two started liking each other and it was really obvious that their families were teasing them about it.

[fuckyeahgoodomensfanfic]

Good Omens Fic Rec: Social organization and adaptability in Xenoerpeton anthropoides: transference of social bonding habits and mate selection

Publish or perish has never been more apt. Professor Aziraphale Eastwise finds himself in the privileged position to engage with a Xenoerpeton anthropoides (or merlotl). An elusive, semiaquatic evolutionary cousin shrouded in mystery. And the answers he receives aren’t what he expects of a simple creature—even one who is human-like. Crowley is a social pariah among his kind who is undeniably funny, curious, sensitive, and intelligent. His discovery of the depths of merlotl thought could cement his fame and renown for decades to come, but this opportunity comes at a cost—Aziraphale is trapped in a cave with slowly dwindling supplies and rapidly diminishing hope. The longer he’s trapped, the more he finds himself considering questions of a forbidden nature. Questions that can’t possibly be ethical. Or wanted. Besides, surely it isn’t productive to even consider what attraction or mating behaviors look like in merlotl. After all, if a primate and an amphibious creature fell in love, where would they live? And Aziraphale needs rescue soon. Or: How budget cuts lead to the discovery of a century—and Aziraphale's heart. A story about falling in love with the subject of one’s research grant.

Length: 106,757 words

AO3 Rating: Explicit / Spice Level 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Best for: Mostly Safe in Public/At Home, Human AU,

Triggers: None

Read it here, fic by Liquid_Lyrium

Note: This is a locked work you must be logged into AO3 to read

*Minor Spoilers* That is definitely the longest title I've seen for a fanfic! Okay, so where to begin with this one... In this AU, Aziraphale is a researcher who finds himself trapped in a cave. In this cave, he encounters a merlotl, essentially a mermaid axolotl, who is this story's version of Crowley. What follows is a really beautiful and complex story of discovery, survival, and patience.

I admit that this isn't something I probably would have chosen for myself! But I'm really glad I approached it with an open mind. It was very interesting, and the world-building was excellent. The story handles the morality of the situation very well, and I love that towards the end, Aziraphale ensures Crowley knows he has agency and freedom. The cave scenes were absolutely fascinating. I loved trying to puzzle out Crowley's behaviors and the process of them learning to communicate. My favorite section was right at the end, where Crowley can fully communicate. I wish that section had been longer because it was really thought-provoking, and I wish we had gotten more explanations about the merlotl from Crowley himself.

Most of it is safe for public, but the sex scenes themselves are pretty explicit, so you'll want privacy for those parts. It was top-tier wet & messy!! Overall, this is a really unique and interesting story! The 100K words will fly by so fast for you.

Read it here, fic by Liquid_Lyrium

[yanara126-writing]

They Had To Die - 1

Corvo Attano enters Dunwall tower fully intending to kill the Lord Regent. It doesn't work out how he intends.

-

Read here or on Ao3 (3090 words)

Have fun! Comments always welcome! :)

-

Corvo slid the audiograph into the slot to play it for all the city to hear without much thought. He didn't quite know what was on it but whatever it was it would ruin the man. Perhaps even exonerate Corvo himself, though he wouldn't bet on it. His luck was not that good. Really he hadn't planned on doing it, hadn't even considered the possibility of proving the man's crimes, until the technician had brought it up. There was a vindictive part of him, the part that had demanded he take care of- No. That he kill the Royal Interrogator, the man who had tortured him for months on end and whose torments were the only interruption to his nightmares about Jessamine. Even as he skulked around everyone else, unwilling to kill people who had no idea about the atrocities being committed around them, that man had to die. That same part that had driven him to spill the only blood he had in the last week also demanded that he not simply kill the Lord Regent, the Spymaster, the Traitor. No, simple death was too good for the man who had Jessamine murdered and Emily held captive for months.

Whatever it was he'd been expecting when the audiograph slid out of view, it wasn't what he heard. Not a confession of plotting for the throne, not at first. The plague. The plague had been his fault as well. Corvo finds himself slumping against the machine, listening as raptly as the rest of the city surely was. There was so much more here than even he had been expecting. And yet... He thought he should call it worse. Jessamine would. And he was angry, not only for the lives pointlessly lost on accident when the plague had apparently gone out of control, but also for those intentionally extinguished, murdered for one man's idea of prosperity. Yet still, with honesty that was only possible in the corners of his own mind, he knew he wouldn't call it worse. That deep in his heart he could never consider anything worse than the murder of Jessamine and the pain inflicted on Emily. And then Burrows kept talking.

"I knew the truth would come out eventually. So there was no other way than to be rid of her, and take power myself. She had to die, you see. SHE HAD TO DIE."

The words, dry and almost desperate themselves kept reverberating in Corvo's ears as he bonelessly slid down the metal wall, his legs giving out underneath him. He'd known Burrows had been behind her murder. It was why he was here. He'd known, even before the Traitor had made it perfectly clear, that day before his scheduled execution. But hearing this now, hearing his twisted reasoning, hearing that Jessamine had been killed for being too close to uncovering a conspiracy... He should have seen it. It didn't matter that reconnaissance wasn't part of his job, he should have seen the danger to her right in front of his face, should have known that something was up when they sent him away, out of reach to protect her. He hadn't and now she was dead.

SHE HAD TO DIE

SHE HAD TO DIE

SHE HAD TO DIE

SHE HAD TO DIE

The words just kept roaring through his mind and he curled up tight, hands desperately pressed over his ears and face into his knees as if that would help, as if it could ever keep out the guilt drowning him. Suddenly the mask felt suffocating, as if it was melding into his head, weighing it down and pressing in with violence, so he yanked at the fastening and threw it across the small room, only dimly hearing it clank loudly into the wall. Distantly he could feel his nails start to dig into his scalp and something hot running running down the side of his head.

SHE HAD TO DIE

Over and over the torturous echo thundered through his mind, bouncing off every nook and cranny to be found there, louder and louder until he was sure his ears would bleed. Burrows was still talking, some distant, unreachable part of him that was still aware of the outside world supplied, but Corvo heard none of it. He vaguely registered the ping of the audiograph popping back out of the machine eventually and while it did nothing to quell noise in his head, it did make him aware of his location and his own ragged breaths. His head felt too warm, whether from tears, blood or exertion he had no way of telling or caring. But he had to get out. Now.

He stumbled his way to his feet, unsteady and clumsy and wobbled over to where he'd thrown the mask. Without any thought but the blaring need to get OUT he picked it up and put it back on. It still felt suffocating, wrong, but even that took a backseat to the all-consuming instinct to just run. One foot after the other and head filled with a cacophony of screams he stumbled his way down the stairs, past the deactivated arch pylon and out into the abandoned hallway. He blinked to a lamp and then down to the door more from muscle memory than active decision. The door surrendered to his forceful push and suddenly he was outside, surrounded by giant headlights and tallboys strutting across the yard. Cold air crept into his collar and under the mask, making him shiver for a moment, but it didn't help the earsplitting, blinding fog in his head.

Heedless of the lights and possible guards that he'd avoided before Corvo made a beeline for the Pavillon. For her grave. The stone with her name on it. He reached his goal in a haze, standing in front of the headstone and the world around him vanished.

She had to-

She had t-

His breath quickened and yet there was not enough air in his lungs. He gasped desperately trying to breathe past whatever was pressing down on his throat. Something was suffocating him slowly but surely and he couldn't- Where- he was in Coldridge strung up to a table and the torturer was slowly tightening the metal bands around his chest and throat. He couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't breathe because SHE WAS DEAD-

Excruciating pain exploded through his back and he was thrown forward into the balustrade of the pavilion, slamming his head into the stone railing. Everything burnt and he was pretty sure he was bleeding from multiple open wounds but the fog had receded somewhat. He was at Dunwall Tower, and he had to not be here. Survival instinct took over, pushing past the suffocating feelings and Burrow's words still playing over and over in his head as Corvo realized a tallboy must have spotted him. He heard it charge up yet another electrical blast behind him and from one moment to the next he registered the blaring alarm.

Fuck.

With no moment to think, to focus and remember himself, Corvo simply threw himself over the railing, off the cliff and down to the walkways a good few metres below right as the charge hit the stone where he was just laying, blasting off part of the railing with a thunderous crack. The impact of his body onto the ground rattled something loose in him, both in his head and probably his chest considering the stabbing pain shooting from his ribs, and he remembered that he could have just blinked down, saving himself the probably broken ribs. Well, too late now.

The alarm was still loudly ringing through the complex and there were footsteps coming closer, as well as, more alarmingly, dog barking. Hissing through his teeth at the pain Corvo struggled to his feet and started running into the direction of the water-lock. No time for stealth, he'd already been spotted and deep in bones he knew that if he stayed still too long and let the adrenaline dip he would never get out of here again.

He only made it a few steps up the stairs to the gate when the dogs got him, the guards thankfully still a ways behind. One dog got him in the lower leg, sinking its teeth into his already bruised and burt flesh. A second one leapt onto his back as he stumbled, ripping into his right shoulder. He couldn't help the scream as he tripped, pushed over by the momentum and slipping on his own blood, only just managing to bring up his arms and not slam his head into the stairs. Desperately Corvo reached for his sword and stabbed blindly behind himself, catching one dog with the blade and irritating the other into letting go. Before it could latch on again he kicked his still somewhat whole leg out with as much force as he could muster. Something cracked but he didn't stay to check if he'd killed the cur. He scrambled back up and ran, forcing the doors open with his shoulder and nearly screaming again from the pain as the bloodied mass collided with steel, but the door gave.

Then the guards started firing at his back, loud cracks of pistol shots adding to the cacophony sounding through his ears. Finally at the edge of the water-lock Corvo made out a ledge further down where the bullets couldn't reach him, at least until the guards caught up, and forced all his remaining focus into a blink, but his concentration was too far gone. He threw himself through the void, the tell-tale tingle in his fingertips insignificant next to the burning agony, and reappeared a split second later, a hair's breath away from the ledge. He'd misjudged the distance. His eyes widened and he desperately threw his arm out, trying to catch himself on the ledge, but the stone was smooth and his strength fast fading. The ledge slipped out from under his helpless fingers and he plummeted down to the water below.

When he hit the surface his vision went white with pain and then everything felt suddenly very far removed. He could feel his body go limp and sink further down, detached, as if he was simply an uninvolved observer, and for that moment it was almost peaceful. Then the pesky need to breathe reared its head and from one second the next the agony returned, as well the raw, uncontrolled urge to survive. Without thought of anything he started struggling against the force dragging him down, kicking and throwing his arms to get up, Up, UP again until he finally broke the surface and gasped for air.

But he couldn't stay there, eventually the guards he could still hear shouting above him would think to look down. Dredging up the last bit of adrenaline he could still reach Corvo started swimming, ignoring the burning of open wounds and broken bones and the bloodtrail he was certainly spilling into the water. By the time he had left the lock behind himself and was in eyesight of Samuel and his boat his limbs were giving out. He dragged himself through the water as far as he could but it wasn't enough and just outside the boat's reach he started to sink again, body heavy as his arms and legs refused any further movement. He tried to get back up for air, to get into the boat, he tried, he tried so hard, *Emily, forgive me, I swear I tried*-

Water started pouring into his mouth, down his throat and into his lungs the same second as hands grabbed him under his arms and pulled him upwards. He broke the surface and started coughing, barely more than a limp, useless fish as his saviour yanked him over the side of the boat where Corvo stayed down only just so managing to undo the mask before he continued coughing and vomiting up water, lacking even the strength to claw into the wooden surface from the pain. After a moment of shuffling a blanket was gently draped over him which did little to really help the bonechilling cold settling into his limbs but it was appreciated anyway. The boat started moving as Samuel - it must have been Samuel, who'd fished him out of the water and given him the blanket, bless his soul - turned on the motor and started steering them away from the chaos that was Dunwall tower.

They stayed in relative silence for a while, Samuel keeping his hands on the rudder while Corvo was hacking out his lungs and shivering at the bottom of the boat, desperately clinging to the blanket. Only when they were a good distance away from the Tower where it was unlikely anyone would still be looking for them did Samuel speak up.

"Are you- are you alright, Corvo?" The question was certainly driven by honest concern, but Corvo nearly started laughing hysterically. Even drawing another breath had him coughing and spitting again however, his throat burning from the abuse along with the rest of him. "No, that was a stupid question, I'm sorry," Samuel muttered and the boat stopped moving as the quiet hum of the motor fell silent. Corvo was too tired to even wonder why. He found out regardless as Samuel crouched down beside him and started gently rummaging through Corvo's pockets, careful not to jostle him. Perhaps it should have concerned him to have someone else fumble with his stash that includes quite a few weapons while he was incapacitated like this, but it was Samuel who'd been nothing been kind to him and more importantly Emily, and Corvo was so, so very tired. It didn't take Samuel long to find whatever he was looking for and Corvo found himself pulled up into a halfway sitting position, leaning against the other man and unsure of how he'd gotten there. A bottle was pressed to his lips, tipping its cool contents into his mouth and he reflexively swallowed. The elixir ran smoothly down his throat, calming the itching burn that came from too much coughing and alleviating the pain throughout his body. Even his mangled leg stopped bleeding quite as badly and his ribs set somewhat. He still felt sore all over but at least it wasn't quite as agonizing anymore.

For a moment Corvo simply closed his eyes and breathed, leaning against Samuel who patiently sat still and waited. He was so, so cold and desperate for a change of clothes as well as a towel to dry his hair that was sticking to his head in a horrible mop.

"I can see it wasn't quite smooth this time, but you did a good job Corvo, you should know that. Even from the boat I could hear the announcements that they arrested the High Regent." Corvo went completely still, eyes suddenly wide, staring into the night sky above them. He'd- he'd forgotten about the mission. About killing the Traitor. The recording- it had shaken him so much he hadn't been able to think about anything else. He'd simply run. He hadn't killed the High Regent. He'd failed.

His breath started coming more quickly again as his chest felt too tight. The darkness of the night sky, blacker than the void, came closer and was about to swallow him whole. He couldn't- He didn't-

A hand started hesitantly rubbing circles on his back, the warmth pressing through his clothes in a startling contrast to the freezing wet cold. "It's alright, Corvo, it's over. We're almost back and I'm sure everyone- I'm sure Lady Emily will be happy to have you back. Everyone will shower you in praise and you can get something dry to change into. I'm sure they'll even get out the good stuff from the back cabinet. It's a big occasion and all with how you saved Dunwall. The High Regent is gonna rot in Coldridge forever with the confession you played for everyone. No getting out of that one without causing a riot." The words were halting, stumbling every new sentence as if unsure if they were the right ones. Rambling designed to distract with their amount rather than intended to truly communicate anything.

It did help a bit, grounded his thoughts back in reality. No, he hadn't killed Burrows. Maybe he should have. Maybe it was the right thing to do, but what was done was done. Burrows wouldn't get out of Coldridge, he had no allies that would risk their neck to get him out. And if it came to it, if heeded to be put down (if he needed to die)... Well, as Royal Protector to- to the new Empress. Emily would be empress. As Royal Protector to the new Empress he would have more than enough authority to have the man executed. Do it himself even. He could- he could fix this. His breathing evened out and the hand slowly receded though the older man made no move to leave completely, only looked at him with open concern.

Corvo wanted to thank him, assure him it was fine (it wasn't, would never be again, but that wasn't Samuel's fault), but the words wouldn't come. It happened sometimes, more since Coldridge. Instead he lifted a hand to his chin, the left one, as his right shoulder still protested painfully, and signed the thank you. Samuel, well meaning as he was, just seemed confused though assured that at least he was lucid again, and Corvo sighed, wiping away a drop of water that had run down into his eye. In the end he settled for simply nodding to the boatsman, an easy enough gesture to interpret, and Corvo sighed, wiping away a drop of water that had run down into his eye. In the end he settled for simply nodding to the boatsman, an easy enough gesture to interpret, and Samuel relaxed, a relieved smile on his face. He gave Corvo one more clap on the shoulder and got up with a grunt to bring them back the rest of the way, leaving Corvo to lie back down and try to rest, if only for a few minutes. He mercifully did not ask anything about the mission and Corvo offered nothing in return. They remained silent the rest of the ride back to the pub, only accompanied the splashing of the fans in the water, the quiet hum from the motor and their own thoughts.

She didn't have to die. Corvo didn't know if that was a comfort or not.