#the tone and writing style changed so much throughout help

[liveontelevision]

Demon Barber | Lucifer X Reader

IT'S DONNNEEEE

FuCk i slaved away on this one but y'all wanted a novel, so here she is!

Content Warning: Smutsmutsmutsmut +18, a little bit of angst and fluff, and Lucifer and Reader being kind of shitty people

☆☆☆

Everybody knew how much of an icon Queen Lillith was. She immediately blew up any form of media when she started uplifting demonkind. As time went on and more sinners were sent to Hell, a ripple effect of styles and trends rang throughout the city. It was important to Lillith to stay up to date with them. She hated to admit it, but she couldn’t keep up. She decided to take the opportunity to bring a new face to her team. At that point, the Morningstar family had already hired a handful of imps to keep little things in line, but this was a position that needed the point of view of a sinner on the streets.

Lucky you, you were one of the first sinners to work personally with the most powerful couple in Hell! You weren't that different from anyone else, but you are a chronic people watcher. It was an important hobby that helped you keep up with what everyone was decorating themselves with. A perfect pair of eyes for adorning the most beautiful creatures in the realm in a modern fashion. You started your glamorous job a couple of thousands of years before the Hotel was built. Even with your immense age, you did a surprisingly good job at keeping an open mind and becoming knowledgeable in most cosmetic and costuming work. You managed to make it through every extermination and more in this career. The protection from being housed with royalty definitely had its benefits.

On your first day, you went through Lillith's already existing wardrobe, in awe at the quality and unique aesthetics that she had. Even with your praises on her gowns, she insisted she needed your knowledge of street style incorporated into her wardrobe. You definitely fit into the Pride ring of hell at that point. The queen of Hell needs your personal opinion on what she wears? That went straight to your head. You became the head of a team and were credited with dressing up Lillith in some of her most iconic outfits. It didn't exactly bring you any fame, you weren't advertised or really credited in any other form than writing. Sometimes, if Lillith was put in an outfit she really enjoyed and her makeup and hair lasted through an entire performance, she'd give a little shout-out. You didn't really mind, you loved doing what you did, and the sweet praises Lillith gave you sufficed your need for validation. It felt amazing to see her face plastered all over Pentagram City, and being able to say hey, I did that. The salary helped, too.

As time went on, you noticed how little Lucifer made public appearances. When he did they were exclusively with Lillith at his side. And of course, he looked.. He was definitely a handsome ruler, but he didn’t have a lot of variety in his wardrobe. And it wasn't exactly up to your or Lillith's standards. She would often suggest taking some styling tips from you, almost begging at times, but he would refuse every time. You did little things, steaming and restitching his wardrobe, doing some touch-up makeup for shoots, but his suit? It stayed the same almost every day.

One day, Lucifer suddenly had a change of heart. He looked disheartened but begrudgingly agreed to be dolled up for a shoot that was happening soon. You were almost as ecstatic as Lillith was, getting this chance.

"I want you to give it your all, dear. Maybe I can convince him to do some more in the future if all goes well..." She'd tell you in a hushed tone, the two of you standing in front of the double doors that led to your studio." Do what you do best!" She said cheerfully, her hand on the small of your back. She practically throws you into the room once it's open, leaving you alone with Lucifer. There was no music, none of your other artists had shown up yet, and the only thing you could hear was your breath shaking. You breathed in heavily, then put on your best customer service face as you exhaled. You played professionally at the beginning, but it's always easier having some personality and small talk when you're planning on being in close proximity to clients for so long.

"Your Majesty! I hope you're doing well today, I'm glad you decided to join us this time!" You spoke in your people-pleaser voice, trying to hide the nerves that suddenly washed over your body. "Why the change of heart?" You started questioning, in a desperate attempt to find some sense of small talk with the intimidating figure seated in front of you. As you spoke, you stepped in front of the vanity he was seated at, having to stretch by his crossed legs to lay out your supplies. "I'm doing fantastic. Obviously." He spoke in an aggravated tone. You sucked in your lips, unsure if you should laugh. Luckily he didn't need a response before answering your other question. "You've seen Lily, she can be quite convincing." He puffed out his chest in his seated position, insinuating something vulgar. Your eye twitched, trying your best to not let them roll.

That didn't stop your face from heating up, the image suddenly materializing in your head. You cleared your throat, turning your attention back to the array of makeup brushes and some colored powders you had picked out specifically for this shoot." She is a beauty, I agree." You felt the need to respond in some way before getting to work.

You loved doing your job. No matter who you worked on, you'd always focus on your technique before anything else, which helped calm you down while you delicately held Lucifer's jaw, twisting his head around to get a general idea of what you were working with. You examined a solid purple bruise that decorated his neck before he had the chance to stop you. "Oh! I just - ran into a doorknob. Yeeah.. I.. tripped." He rambled a pathetic excuse, learning away from your touch." Sure, let's go with that." You replied, finally rolling your eyes at his words. "But you said it yourself, the Queen is indeed quite convincing." You teased, twisting around and grabbing a brush. When you went to move behind his chair to start running a comb through his impossibly soft golden hair, you caught how red he had turned at your remark." Oh, it's okay, I'm just teasing. You know how long I've worked on Lillith, I've had to cover way worse." You added, genuinely thinking that would help calm him down. He let out a quiet groan of embarrassment, smacking his hand against his face.

It went silent for a while as you worked on his hair. You saw how it usually was put up, and you didn’t want to scare him with too drastic of a change, so you only added some subtle layers that left it a bit fluffier than normal. You’d stop every now and then, placing your hands on his shoulders and looking at your work in the mirror. He'd flinch at your touch each time, leaving you concerned at first, then just giving him a suck it up attitude for the rest of your session. You went on to do something that didn't need your full attention and looked over his shoulder to get a peek at his phone screen that he used as a buffer for the awkward silence. It displayed a little calendar, he swiped through each day mindlessly. "Looks like you have a packed schedule, huh? How's that been going?" He looked up and pulled his phone into his lap, a squint across his face. "It's fine, I'm handling it. It's my job after all, ya know. Important things." He didn't seem to want to get into too much detail, so you let out a nervous chuckle and agreed before immediately finding some music to play to cover your mistake. You were convinced he would fire you at that point. Or worse.

As you finished up, you viewed him from multiple angles, twisting him around in the chair. You leaned down a bit, your eyes at his level then reached both your hands out and took the pieces of hair that framed his face, curling them up a bit at his cheeks. You stepped back again and placed your hands on your hips, letting out a satisfied hum.

He definitely calmed down by the time his hair was done, leaving behind the crude jokes and little rude quips from before. Now onto the makeup. This was far more intimate, so you gave him a quick rundown as you rummaged through your things." Alright, you definitely don't need any makeup, since your skin is perfect, but there's a chance the cameras and the lighting could wash you out, so I'll just use a blurring effect with this pow - " you stopped talking when you saw his confusion." I'm.. I'm gonna doll you up. Basically.." You summarized it bluntly. It was clear to you how uncomfortable he was with being touched excessively, you did your best to accommodate. You applied some translucent powders to his skin, then brightened up the cute little red circles on his face, after mentally kicking yourself for thinking of them as cute. This is the king of Hell, knock it off. You cleaned up the heavy bags under his eyes, then noticed a tired purple hue to his eyelids. Going in with a lilac color, you emphasized them.

As you were gathering some other things, stepping back a bit, he turned his head to look at his appearance in the mirror. He was expecting some ridiculous and dramatic work, but he really just looked brighter. More alert, more alive. He shut one of his eyes to see the color you had added to his lids, "I.. like that.." He spoke quietly and sounded surprised as if he didn't want to admit that to you. You let out a little chuckle, the compliment completely going to your head, before passively scolding him for touching his face before you had finished. He let his hands fall back into his lap with a pout on his face. Adding any color to his eyes or lips required precision, so you were lifting up his face by his chin to do what you do best. You were honestly a little surprised about how well he handled the rest of the session. For someone who's refused any sort of cosmetics for literal centuries, he looked like he was enjoying the pampering.

You had only worked on Lillith before, and even if she was intimidatingly gorgeous, you adapted to being physically close to her. Going into a sort of auto-pilot mode, you held your breath, tracing out his best features. Pulling away to check on his full appearance again, you noticed that he seemed to be holding his breath as well. He finally let it out once you stepped away, his face already a little flushed. You didn't think too much about it, you were mainly annoyed that the composition of the makeup was being thrown off by this sudden blush.

"Well! Once wardrobe comes in, you'll be taken down to set. What do you think?" You stood behind his chair and spun him back around to face the mirror. He leaned in, making sure not to touch his face since you scolded him before. He moved his head around, even admiring the coverage of the hickey that Lillith so generously gifted him." Hm! I suppose this works. As long as Lillith likes it, that is." His voice wasn’t enthusiastic, but you recognized the satisfaction plastered across his face. He looked up to meet your eyes in the reflection of the mirror. "She's right, you are good at what you do, I'll give you that." You gave a little nod and began to pack up your things. "I'm glad it's acceptable, your highness." You pulled up some finger quotes as you spoke the word acceptable. "You were really nice to work on actually, your hair looks great and your face is already near perfection, so I didn't need to do much. Plus, you sat very well." You spoke nonchalantly, compliments like that coming as second nature in this field.

You turned once more and bowed your head a bit before sending a smile his way. His eyes were wide, and it looked like he was struggling to stiffen a grin. He cleared his throat, covering his mouth with his fist and looking to the side. "G-Good.. Glad you enjoyed the.. Uh - Enjoyed it.." His voice muffled behind his hand. You didn't overthink his nervous reaction since you were in a hurry to get Lillith ready next. "Oh, for sure! I hope I see you around more often! I'm sure the shoot will be great." You chimed in, finally dipping out of the room as a crowd of imps barged in, finishing up his look.

The rest of the day was spent getting Lillith ready for the shoot, which took considerably longer than Lucifer's preparations. The whole time you chatted with her about how Lucifer did, calling her out on the damned bruise that you had to cover up, and general catch-up that had become routine at this point. Once everything was up and moving, you floated around the set fixing up some small details on both Lillith and Lucifer's look when needed. And of course, the shots they got were fantastic. You couldn't stop yourself from admiring your work once the posters and advertisements were distributed.

That was the first time you worked with Lucifer. Not much changed after, you became a little more popular around the staff; getting complimented on how you dressed him and answered some silly questions about what he was like. You did see him around more often, and you’d make small talk. After a few weeks, while working on Lillith, she brought up another shoot that was proposed for a big event coming up. "And get this! Lucifer asked me to put him in the shoot!" She was absolutely giddy to tell you the news. "Well, of course, he wants to be in the shoot, it's because I prettied him up so well!" You bragged in a joking tone, making Lillith let out a sultry chuckle. She placed her hand over yours, a sincere smile across her already-painted lips. "Thank you, dear. He needs the pampering sometimes." You blushed at the sudden contact and grinned in response.

---

Lucifer did in fact join that shoot. The process was about the same, but he seemed to engage in conversation more and asked more questions about what you were doing at each step. It warmed your heart to talk about your passions, you were unknowingly gushing about your interests every time he asked.

As the years went on, he joined more and more shoots, accompanied Lillith to more public appearances, and generally just wanted your opinions on his looks more often. It didn't take long for you two to become close. He'd ask for help on outfits, sometimes becoming a nervous wreck about what to wear on dates. With his wife. It was adorable the way he worried about how he looked after being with Lillith for so long and essentially running a new world together. He seemed to really enjoy having his hair and makeup done, occasionally making a fuss if you weren't the one to do it. You would scold him, talking about how he's wasting your time, and that you trained each of your stylists, so he has to trust them. He pouted the whole time.

Being around the power couple of the century unfortunately had its flaws. Like having to witness its downfall. Both of them became quieter a decade or two before Lillith's disappearance. Any time you'd try and tell a funny story about Lucifer to Lillith, she would change the topic almost immediately. On the opposite end, Lucifer wasn't supplying you with the same amount of jokes and puns as usual and reverted back to flinching at your touch. You couldn't ask about what was going on, that'd be rude.. Right?

"You know, Lillith was just talking about some sort of Gala for the Sins, are you going with her?" You had some hidden intentions by bringing this up while you were fixing Lucifer up for his day. "A Gala, huh? Haven't heard anything about that, so - I guess not!" He blurted out, clearly irritated. Shit. " Are.. Are you okay? Is something going on?" You leaned against the back of the vanity, stopping what you were doing to give him your full attention." Well, if you want to talk about it, that is.. Aaand as long as I won't get in trouble by asking." You shrugged and crossed your arms over your chest. That happened once or twice, but it was for little things; spoiling an anniversary gift one time, or accidentally getting an imp fired when you were venting about workplace struggles. "Yeah, of course it's okay! We're fine. It's fine. I'm fine! Stop asking so many questions!" He got increasingly aggressive as he spoke, you threw your hands up, stepping away and returning to the back of his chair. "Okay, okay! I believe you, jeez!" You responded to it as a joke, hoping you could recover.

You didn't talk about it after that, lifting his mood a bit by asking about his projects and other little things. As you finished up his hair, you noticed him closing his eyes and leaning his head into your hands as you ran your fingers through his hair to coat it with some kind of styling product. He'd fallen asleep in the past, so you didn't worry about it too much. You went on to work on his makeup. He asked you recently if you wouldn’t mind coming up with a more subtle everyday look for him. Apparently he just really liked your work. Or, he needed the pampering. Either way, you couldn't refuse.

He was loving the treatment today. He would hum every time you used your thumb to brush a speck off his cheek, and would start leaning forward when you stopped touching him. You pushed him back by his chest mindlessly, just needing him to sit back in his chair.

You then started to apply makeup to his eyes. Covering the bags underneath them became increasingly difficult throughout the years. You pulled him in like usual, your hand lightly leading his head up towards your face. When you paused at some point to evaluate whatever you were doing, he suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze meeting yours, then flashing a quick peak at your bust that had been accentuated by your stance. He leaned back, a nervous look on his face.

"Um, hello?? I was kind of in the middle of something! That’s it. Tell me what’s wrong." You scoffed, confusion and irritation plastered across your face. He quickly dismissed it, letting you work again. He could feel your shallow breathing fan across his face as you went on. His breath was picking up, heart rate elevating as you kept this proximity. The leather on the armrests of his chair squeaked as he gripped his claws into the fabric.

After a while, you silently leaned back, only now noticing him falling apart. He leaned in slightly, dropping his jaw to let out a shaky breath. He would've hit your face if you hadn't stepped away. Possibly even met your lips.

"Uh – Your higness..?" You were oblivious, so you decided to question this behavior. He popped his eyes open and immediately leaned back into his chair." A-Are you done yet?" He squeaked out, examining the damage he had done to your chair with a nervous chuckle. "I'll uh.. I'll get you a new chair." He muttered, before looking into the mirror for just a moment. "Looks good to me! Excellent job as usual, my dear, I better get going, I have a meeting to get to so – " You watched in silent confusion, seeing him squirming and screwing up his words. He quickly stood up, not assessing how close he would be to you and how close your back was to the vanity. You stumbled backward, placing your hands on the vanity to keep yourself from falling any farther, and acting as a buffer between the counter and Lucifer. He tripped over your stumbling feet, his flailing arms landing beside yours. You were effectively trapped, his knee had bent between your legs while trying to find his balance.

A moment of silence. All you heard was the beating of your heart ringing in your ears. He looked down at you in a way that clouded your judgment. Neither of you said anything, but you fluttered your eyes shut subconsciously. He did the same, then cocked his head to the side and slowly lean into your face. He roped his arm around your waist, pulling you forward a bit, but not quite flush to his chest. Yet. You felt his shaky breath fanning over your lips, before snapping back into reality. "No! Nope - " You quickly broke free of his arms and began cleaning up your things, avoiding his gaze as it followed you frantically getting your things together. "You have a meeting, right? I just finished up, so you should be all good now! I'll just – I-I'll see you around! Have a good day, sir!" You quickly left the room, not letting him get a single word in. He reached out to you as you left as if that would suddenly draw you back towards him, but of course, it did nothing. "Well, shit." He let out bluntly, waiting for a moment in your own studio before b-lining it back to his office.

What the fuck was that?

You avoided Lucifer after the incident, and he seemed to respect that. He let one of your stylists do his daily pampering, knowing that stopping that routine would cause too much suspicion. He didn't enjoy it as much, but stopping altogether would make Lillith ask about it. Fuck. Lillith. A flood of emotions wash over you. In reality, you were closer to Lillith than her husband. You two gossiped and chatted on the daily. It was a struggle to face her after this, but what choice did you have? 

She was completely silent during her last few sessions, so you drowned out your guilty thoughts with music. She disappeared a few years after that. You absolutely panicked. So did many of the staff members, but your sole concern was if it was your fault. You were quick to find Lucifer after the announcement was made, only to see him in your studio, running his hands across the rack of gowns that Lillith had left. "Lucifer. What happened? Where did she go? What did she say?" You rambled approaching him, but being careful not to get too close. "She didn't say anything. She left a half-assed note, and she's just.. Gone." He pulled a dress into his arms and gripped it tightly before letting it drop to the floor. He let out a vicious roar, throwing the rack to the side." How could she do this?! What about the kingdom? What about Charlie? Dammit.. What did I do?? We slept next to each other that night.. The same night she left… I-I could’ve stopped her, I should've - She just disappeared..!" He rambled on, quickly unraveling in front of you. You watched his tail and horns start to form, and you hesitantly gripped his shoulder. He finally stopped, taking a deep breath before turning to face you. He hadn't looked into your eyes since..

His horns shrunk back into his temples before he let his head fall onto your shoulder. You almost stepped away, but.. He needed this. And you needed answers. "Sir.. Was it because.. Did she leave because of me..?" You spoke softly, your breath a cool sensation against his heated skin. He quickly shot up, planting his hands on your shoulders and looking at you with a stern expression. "No! No, I promise it wasn't your fault. Fuck, none of that was your fault. She.. I-I'm not sure why she left, but that's not your burden to bear." He spoke calmly, a stark contrast to the raging mess he just displayed moments ago. 

You two stood there for a while, his hands drifted down to hold your arms. What was he supposed to do now? He looked around the room for some kind of answer. Before he could realize what was happening, he was pulled into a tight embrace, his head just barely reaching the top of your shoulder. "It's gonna be okay.. I’ll be here, Lucifer. No matter what." It felt.. weird for a moment. This was the first time you'd gotten close to him this way. And actually, the first time you'd said his name without any sort of title. He let out another exhausted sigh, his hands snaking around your back and accepting the much-needed affection. As his head pressed against your collarbone, you stood there until he decided he’d had enough. You were there for a while.

It wasn't Lucifer's fault, but after that, you didn’t work much. There really wasn't a lot to do, without someone pushing public appearances and emphasizing the importance of image, you generally just mended and fixed up the staff's uniforms and Lucifer’s wardrobe. You were technically a stylist, but you've been doing this long enough that you could handle these jobs entirely by yourself. Actually, you did handle the job by yourself. Lucifer fired or sent most of the previously employed stylists away, along with most of the staff. About five years into Lillith's disappearance, the place had widdled down to a handful of workers. Some in the kitchen, basic housekeeping, a noisy secretary to answer some calls, and you. You started to question why he kept you around. You hated to admit that you still blamed yourself for Lillith leaving, but why else would she suddenly disappear? She was cold to you as soon as you kissed – almost kissed – Lucifer that day. You tried your hardest to avoid that thought process since you stuck around the mansion.

You were surprised to find out that Lucifer accepted an invitation to be on the cover of a magazine for Helluva Times. He hadn't needed makeup or hair done since Lillith left, and in reality, you barely saw him around. You were ashamed about how excited you were to see him again. Of course, it won't be the same as before, but you were looking forward to it nonetheless. You were taken to the studio where the shoot was being held since the one in the mansion was turned into more of a workspace for mending clothing. The studio was brightly lit and bustled with imps and some stylish sinners doing their part. You wondered if It was always like this, or if it was just because of Lucifer. You approached the vanity, the king of Hell seated in a movie set chair, with a golden star on the back, his name embroidered to the center. You were stopped in your tracks when you saw the dark circles that surrounded his eyes. Jesus, he was exhausted. You weren’t exactly surprised, more like distressed. Now that you think about it, Lillith really did a lot of heavy lifting when it came to keeping Hell in line.

"Your Highness." You gave him a little smile and nodded your head, beginning to display your usual setup on the vanity in front of him. "Heyyy! You..! Good to see you, Ahha.. ha.. h-how've you been..? How's... work been..?" He put on a fake smile and propped his head on his hand in a sad attempt to act casual. He switched to crossing his arms, unable to sit still and make eye contact with you at the same time. You didn't know how to react. The last time he was this nervous, he ended up pinning you to a table with his arms around you. You quickly got to work, trying to get the image of that day out of your head.

You go to comb his hair, recognizing that it's been a while since he let anyone tend to it; it was nearly grown to the bottom of his neck and wasn't exactly the cleanest. "Do you have wrinkle-free, clean, clothes every day?" You asked in response to his nervous ramblings from earlier. He nodded slowly," Then work is fine." You picked up on the sudden attitude you had, and it even surprised you. He quickly shut his mouth and started to spin the wedding band on his finger as a nervous fidget.

You had to put some effort in since he wasn't getting the same attention he used to. You gave his golden locks some much-needed attention, running a number of products through them and taking the time to restore it to its usual length. You found yourself peaking at his face every now and then, which he didn't notice. He was too indulgent to even keep his eyes open. You tried to stop yourself from looking at his relaxed expression, but you found yourself turning away only when he opened his eyes. You checked the clock, you definitely had some time for a more thorough session. You dug your fingers just a bit deeper into his hair, lightly running your nails across his scalp. In several swirling motions, you had him melting in your hands. You had to stop every now and then and push his head back up after it lulled to the side. It usually kept him alert for a moment, but it never lasted long. He let out a subtle hum every now and then, making you bite your lip in some attempt to keep whatever you were feeling at bay.

After you finished your little massage, you quickly finished up his hair, giving him a very-needed trim and styling it to its usual glory. You instinctively placed your hands on his shoulders once you finished and leaned in a bit to look at the results.

"So? What do you think? You needed a haircut, sir, you should… keep in touch.. If you need me, I'm here." A grin grew on your face and he couldn’t help but sigh at the sight of your smiling face. He turned his head to the left and the right, reaching up to touch his face delicately. He was less worried about messing it up and more worried about you scolding him for it. He let out a little huff and he opened his mouth, with no words coming out. It took him a moment." It's great, but uhh.. Could you do the – " He spun his fingers around his cheeks," you know, the.. Little loopy.. Bits..?"

God, what a cutie.

You let out a little chuckle and nodded, turning his chair to face you." My bad, how could I forget the loopy bits?" You teased, reaching out to either side of his head. Your hands lulled over his cheeks for some reason you wouldn’t explain. Finally, you untucked the bits of hair from behind his ears, pulling them forward and twirling them with your fingers. You placed your hands on your hips, still bent to be at his eye level.

"There. Ready for makeup, Lucifer?" Your words didn't come naturally, it took you a few seconds to debate whether or not to call him by his name. With his voice cracking in an attempt to respond, he just nodded, attempting to keep some dignity intact. You did your best to act professional, despite his lovely reactions. You started as you usually did, applying an easy base and highlighting his rosy cheeks. You never needed to do much to his face, and even after all this time, you still didn’t need to. Must be his angelic abilities, that his skin never really changes. You shrugged off the thought, getting ready to focus on his eyes. Instead of keeping his chin up, you took a light hold of his jaw, your fingers grazing his neck and your thumb placed dangerously close to the side of his lips. You both reacted to this new method, but you quickly went to work to prevent any more eye contact.

You took your time and it was clear neither of you cared to bring it up. He was past his call time, but when some poor stylist working for the news team came in to get him, Lucifer used his threatening status to give you both more time. After you finished covering the dark rings surrounding his eyes and prettying them up a bit, you mirrored your other hand and essentially cupped his cheeks. You did your best to make it look like it was for work purposes, but damn you were enjoying this. Such a beautiful creature in the palm of your hands, looking away because he was too embarrassed to meet your eyes." Look forward, please?" You spoke softly, lightly tapping his cheek to get him to follow your commands. He let out a huff, then finally prepared himself to look into your eyes. The noisy workers coming in and out of the room suddenly disappeared, the room going silent. He had your complete focus, and suddenly there was nothing more important than gazing into his red eyes. His hand moved to your wrist, holding one of your hands in place while he pressed his cheek against your palm. What a sight. You leaned in, not knowing what would happen, but also not really caring. Any chance to get close to –

"Alright your Highness, we're gonna need you on set in five." The harsh sounds of the room suddenly returned, a Hellhound making a more stern request to get this shoot over with. You quickly stood straight, taking up a brush and fixing up the small smudges you had created by holding him. "Rrright! Yup, pretty sure we're almost done, sooo... I'll be right there..! Thanks." He clenched his pointed teeth, as he thanked the brute, who walked off with a scoff. "Good golly – I'm their king! What gives that mutt the right to – " He stopped his rambling once he saw your sheer embarrassment. He took it as a sign that he went too far, that just maybe, he read you wrong.

He turned his head, looking back to his reflection and tracing his little curls with his fingers before letting out a satisfied hum. "Great work as always, my dear." He stood from the chair, stretching his stiff legs with a groan." I should uhm – I'm gonna get going, I have to.. Do the.. Thing – with the thing.." He walked backward towards the exit, pointing over his shoulder. "You mean go to set and get the shots? Hope everything goes okay, sir." You chuckled, going back to cleaning some things up. "Okay, well – oh! Thank you! Right, forgot that part. So, thanks..!" He just kept talking. Like he might never see you again once he left the room. "My pleasure, Lucifer." You hummed, still attending to your tasks. Oh, you should’ve seen the winded look on his face. He let out a wheezing chuckle, tripped over himself, then finally left the studio.

Once all your things were neatly tucked away, you were invited to the shoot. They had an extensive team of people behind the scenes, so you got the chance to just observe the process. They had him run through a number of poses, some regal, some more.. Provocative. Just for fun, they said. It made you cringe, it definitely wasn't his style. Finally deciding on a composition, he had his arms crossed over his chest, and he rested his thumb just below his chin, drawing your eye to his devilish smirk. How could someone who's been hurt as badly as he has, smile for the cover of a magazine?

You made some mental notes on his makeup and his hair, which they squished down with a comically oversized tophat. Trying to keep your mind purely professional became increasingly difficult when he kept looking over at you, his smile twitching every time. He must be tired. That’s clearly why he's acting this way.

"All right, we got it! Wrap it up, people!" An aggressive shout took you away from your phone screen, and you looked around at the rush of workers. You tried to catch anyone's attention to see if you could help with anything, but you never got anyone's attention. It was definitely a change of pace from your past experience, considering you were the lead on a team that really only dressed two people, even if they were royalty. By the time you got back to the studio, it was basically cleaned out, other than your little cart with all the supplies you brought from home. You assumed you were good to go straight home and find something to do other than feeling up the king of Hell; speak of the devil!

"Oh! I.. didn't know you were still here, I thought you left..?" A soft, and mildly raspy, voice came from the door, making you catch Lucifer's eyes in the reflection of the vanity you stood in front of. "No, I was enjoying the show." You leaned against the tabletop after turning to face him, a little smirk on your face. "You did good, by the way. The shots came out really well." You pulled up some of the shots that the company sent to your phone. "These are some very handsome photos.. You're welcome, by the way." You were gloating. He had walked forward to get a better look at your phone screen, squinting his eyes like he needed glasses, despite it being impossible for him to have poor vision. He scoffed at your comment, crossing his arms over his chest. "Well don't let it go straight to your head, dear, you didn't do all the work. I'm just naturally gorgeous, right? You used to say that all the time." He nodded his head to either side as he spoke like he was winning some argument.

"Well, I meant it and it's still true. So, don't let that get to your head." You responded like you were trying to one-up him. He immediately turned red. He can shoot his shots, but deflates at any quick or clever rebuttals." W-Well! I'll try not to.. T-thanks for being here. Not like, here, but like – helping with the shoot, and doing meee – my hair! Love my hair, came out great." Good job, Lucifer. You startled him by running your hands through his locks, attempting to fix up the mess they made by putting a heavy hat on him." Ugh, they ruined it.. It should be an easy fix, I guess... that stupid hat." You grumbled, running your hands along the sides of his head to smooth it out. He was biting his lip when you sent him a quick look." I-I like the hat..." He said weakly. You couldn’t help but let out a little laugh, beginning to pull your hands away. Clawed hands took hold of your wrists, keeping them hovered on either side of his face. "You said... that you'd be there for me no matter what. Do you remember that..?" He relaxed his face, but his hands were shaking just a bit. You nodded slowly.” Well, I’m - I appreciate that.. And you.. I-I appreciate you..”

“If you still.. I don't know, it's been a few years since – but if you still wanted to.. Ugh, dammit..! I don't know how to – " He stuttered over his words, becoming visibly upset, something stopping him from speaking coherently. You couldn't assume he was talking about the little incident from years ago, but if it was still on your mind after all that time, maybe it was still on his. He stepped forward just a bit, his grasp still lightly holding your wrists, keeping him close to you. Waiting for you to respond to a question he never really asked, he gulped, then let out a breathy, fuck it. In one fell swoop, he released your hands and immediately pulled you into a tight embrace. This wasn't like before, this wasn't to console him. His hands were wrapped around your back and cradled the base of your neck, leaving no space between the two of you.

Your entire body tensed, the breath you didn’t realize you were holding in was knocked out of you, and your arms were stuck with your hands pressed against his chest. He loosened his grasp as soon as he held you, but never actually let you go. His head had sunk into your shoulder, trying to hide some kind of adorable expression, you were sure. You had the opportunity to push him away, nothing was truly keeping you there. Physically, at least.

As you stood still, deciding what your next move would be, you'd feel him adjusting his head and turning it to plant his cheek on your collarbone, his breath hot against your chest. You knew he had to feel how hard and fast your heart was beating with how he was nuzzling into you. Focusing on one thing at a time, you tugged your arm out of his hold and lifted his face upwards, at least preventing him from being too close to your rapid heart rate. The next problem was your noses almost touching due to how close you were. His eyes were wide, full of some sort of desperation or fear, and a little bit of excitement. Your fingers still lightly hovered under his chin, and you could feel his pulse. Just as fast as yours, maybe even faster.

You felt him gulp, his face now heating up. Maybe the look in your eyes was too much for him to handle. You looked at the vanity that was just a few feet away. That should make him understand. Taking small steps backwards, which he didn’t understand, but also didn’t question, you kept moving until you felt the table hit your back. You leaned back slowly, forcing him to brace himself against the table to keep his balance. His eyes darted around as it clicked finally. You had put yourself in the same position that you were in years ago. His hands caged you in, and his knee sat between your legs for stability. You remembered it so clearly, you had no trouble bringing the two of you right back to where you left off. You took one of his arms and guided it to support you by the small of your back, then snaked your arms around his shoulders. Then, you closed your eyes and just waited. Just sitting there, anticipation bubbling in your stomach.

Before you knew it, he had softly pressed his lips against yours. You jumped at first, startled by something you were waiting so patiently for. You felt his lips pull away in response, but you were quick to pull his shoulders in, closing the gap again. He let out a little cry against your lips, as you pulled him even closer by wrapping your arms around his neck. He kept one hand at your back and sent the other to your outer thigh, slightly lifting your leg to sit against his hip. With a more secure hold on you, he leaned forward further, until you felt the back of your head hit the mirror with a light thump. "Mmph! Are you okay?" He pulled away for a moment to ask, which only upset you even more. You looked at him as if the answer was obvious, and fisted the collar of his shirt, pulling your lips back together. Clearly, you were fine.

Becoming intoxicated by your lips, he practically begged for a more intimate kiss. He placed a hand on your chin, pulling your mouth ajar with his thumb and quickly entering his tongue in your mouth. The sudden motion left you muttering incoherent praises onto his lips. He pulled away, leaving you in a daze. Once you regained your focus, you were able to reassess your situation. You had slid down the entirety of the vanity, your back fully against the cold material of the counter. One of his hands were propping himself up directly above you, the other still holding your leg, and keeping you from moving away as he pulled you impossibly closer. While letting you catch your breath, he sent a few kisses down your jaw and neck, making you grip his shoulders and hold your breath. He pulled himself away after pressing another quick peck on your lips. "Hey. Breathe. I'll take care of you, don't worry - " How dare he. How could he act so flustered when you did his hair and applied his makeup for literal centuries, then tell you to calm down? You scoffed and smashed your lips back against his, mainly to shut him up, but he wasn’t complaining.

He let out a little yelp against your lips, struggling to keep up with your sudden change of pace. Running your hands through his hair, ruining all the hard work you put into it, you lightly tugged at the hair at the nape of his neck. A shakey sigh met your lips, as you took control of the situation, taking the opportunity to explore his mouth with your own tongue.

After this went on for what felt like forever, which you didn’t really mind, you pulled away to breathe. Looking up to him, your eyes explored the lipstick that messily covered his lips. You tipped his head upward by his chin forcing him to look at himself in the vanity's mirror. He let out a pathetic little wheeze, looking back down at you with a suddenly confident smirk." Beautiful work as always, my dear." He spoke flirtatiously, "You missed a spot, though." Dipping his head back downwards and indulging in your warm presence for as long as he could.

You were clawing at his back, untucking his shirt as you struggled to keep a hold of him. Both your legs had spread, making your hips flush against his. He kept you close, as he nipped and kissed across your collarbone, his sharp teeth grazing your skin without hesitation.

Sucking on the softest part of your neck, you let out a breathy moan and arched your back into his chest. The sudden motion sent friction to his lower half, making him release his teeth and suddenly bolt upwards. The reaction made you nervous, "I-I don't - I haven't.. It's been… Awhile.." He stammered out, putting an emphasis on the word awhile." I know, It's okay." He winced at your nonchalant remark, remembering how often you witnessed his last relationship essentially fall apart, as you went back to kissing his neck. He gently pulled himself away. "Nono, it's been awhile- awhile… I hadn't been close with.. anyone… for a couple.. Decades..?" He spoke nervously like he was embarrassed to admit it. You sat up for a moment, making him question whether or not he should've said anything." But.. It's only been five years, right?" You weren't sure if this was the best time to be getting into this, but these are answers you’ve been wanting for years.

"I don't know what happened, sweetheart, but we lost what we had long before any of this. I'm sorry if you thought.. I can't have you take on that burden.. Okay?" He cupped your face, shifting to a more tender approach. You tried piecing things together in your mind, which was still cloudy from the past few hours. Of course, that still doesn’t make what you two did right. Of course, you blamed yourself after all this time. He pulled you out of your thoughts, by tucking a bit of hair behind your ear and keeping his tender hold on your cheek. You couldn’t help but smile and nuzzle your face into his hand.

"We can stop if you want, love." Oh how you wanted to say stop. To say that you were terrible people for even feeling this way after all this time, while he was with his wife. Who also happened to be your employer. How scandalous. "No, I want this." You said without a hint of hesitation in your voice. It shocked him a bit, but he didn’t have much time to react before you leaned forward, unbuttoning his coat and pushing it off his shoulders. You pulled him in by his collar again, continuing to remove his vest, then opening his shirt, letting it hang open loosely, his white skin just barely peeking out. He shrugged comically, before going back to working on your neck, pulling at the hem of your blouse that had already fallen to your shoulders.

He ran his hands along your curves, eliciting a shiver down your spine. You reached your hands into his open shirt, your warm hands trailing across his even warmer chest. Your physical pleasure was subdued for a moment, absolutely in awe. "You have beautiful skin, Lucifer." Your voice was breathy, he lulled his head to the side, melting at your words and intimate touch. After a moment he let out a sweet chuckle and shrugged his top completely off. "So I've been told." Implying your constant praises from before, he puffed his chest out.

Oh, he was loving this. You sat up, your legs just at the edge of the countertop as you arched your back into him, closing the gap between your hips. You started by pressing a little kiss on his cheek, his face heating up even after all he's done to you. You then, moved your way down to work your lips across his neck and collarbone. Gently tracing his spine with one hand the other traveled downward as you pulled his hips into yours. Messaging his hip and continuously running your fingers along the center of his back, you sent him into sensory overload. You weren't surprised by the sudden bulge you felt hitting your center, in fact, you reveled how that confirmed you were doing a good job. You began sucking and biting on the skin, stopping to let out breathy mewls into his ear. The massaging of his hip turned into you pulling him in, then pushing him away slightly, only to viciously repeat the motion, forcing him to start grinding against you. Your hand on his back continued to trail up and down his spine, only you started to drag your nails across his skin as well, digging in a bit harder whenever you heard his voice hitch. You let your fingers slip into his pants every now and then, the cool sensation of your hands making him let out a little whimper.

"Your skin really is perfect, Lucifer. You are entirely beautiful. You're absolutely stunning, my king." You hummed into his ear, your skilled hands continuing to drive him crazy. He could barely keep up, his head falling back whenever you'd reach up to run your fingers through his hair. "K-Kiss me.." You heard him almost whisper, making you pull back for a moment to assess his stature. He had his hands on your hips, to keep you close, but also to keep him standing on his swaying feet. "I-I need you to.. kiss me.. Please.." He spoke in choppy sentences, he was too lost in his own pleasure to keep his head up, so you kept it forward by cradling the back of his head. When his head would start to droop too far forward, you gave his hair a light tug to remind him where he was. Did he need permission? You enjoyed the 180 he had made from the flirtatious tease just moments ago, humming in thought and tapping your chin like you were still deciding. Like you were considering not kissing him as passionately as he could handle.

He was lightly grinding his hard-on into you but still seemed patient enough to wait for your answer. "Well.. Since you said please." You finally said after far too long. He let out a sigh of relief as you inched towards him. You left your lips just over his, only letting him feel your heated breath against his lips. He shifted his stance but never moved towards you. You brushed your lips against his, not locking them together, just barely grazing them. He let out an impatient groan, his eyes clenched shut as you teased him so cruelly. Who knew this is what would bring tears to his eyes? You ran your hands up his chest, then dug your nails into him as you went back down. You finally met his lips, deciding he had enough after you wiped away a tear from his watering eyes. You don't know how he still managed to keep the kiss so tender after acting so desperate beforehand. You continuously wiped the tears off his face, keeping your hands on his face and caressing his cheeks with your thumbs. As you pulled away, he followed your lips, disappointed in the sudden disconnect. He took the silence and the look on your face as a sign, that he needs to tell you what he wants.

He dropped to his knees, the warmth you had sitting between your legs was hit with the cool air of the room as he did. He kept his hands off of you and himself but fiddled with his thumbs to keep them busy in some way. He took in a deep breath, before speaking quickly," Can I taste you?" His voice was embarrassingly loud like he was just waiting and waiting to finally say it. It sort of shocked you, you assumed he’d be nervous after admitting he hadn't done this in a while. You pulled your legs together, finally feeling how wet you were becoming, but needing to commit to the bit. You crossed your ankles to furth prevent access. "I suppose so.. But what do you saay?" you reached down and tapped the tip of his nose, as you dragged out your words like you were speaking to a child. "Please..! I need to touch you, please.." He quickly replied, with no hesitation at all. "Good boy." That was it for you.

You realized you sealed your fate, as you felt him take a hold on your knees and pull them back apart gently. He moved forward until he could rest his head on your plush thigh, which he did for a while. He lifted your skirt up to your waist, then took a moment to appreciate the view. You were finally becoming a bit embarrassed, attempting to close your legs instinctively, but he pushed your legs farther apart, keeping a tight hold onto your thighs. When he looked up at you, his eyes were wide and innocent, as if he wasn’t keeping your legs apart and wiggling his hips to give some much-needed friction to his own growing problems.

He blinked, then looked back down, trailing his clawed finger across your wet underwear. You covered the sounds you were making with the back of your hand, still struggling to keep your legs open for him. He bent his finger and pressed it deeply into your still-clothed entrance. The sensation of the fabric digging into you made you groan, but that didn’t affect him at all. He licked his lips and began gathering spit in his mouth and he pushed your legs back in place, keeping them apart this time. Running his forked tongue across your panties, you squirmed under his touch. As he lapped at the fabric, the heat from his breath and the wetness he was coating you with caused you to fall back onto your forearms. "L-Lucifer - " You said weakly, quickly drawing his attention. "This is cruel." You pouted, continuing to let out a little whimper as he kept running two of his fingers across your underwear.

He cocked his head to the side as if he didn’t understand the damage he was doing. He was playing dumb." Oh? I'm sorry, love, how should I touch you then?" He was way too calm for your liking. He let one of his fingers just graze the hem, only touching a bit of your skin. You let out an annoyed groan, and move your underwear to the side, guiding the tip of his finger to your entrance. With your hand holding his wrist, you pushed his fingers inside of you, a strange sensation to say the least. It was embarrassing. He noticed your discomfort and finally dropped the act, sending you a sweet smile and kissing your thigh before starting to pump his fingers inside of you.

You let out a sultry moan, a mixture of relief and pure pleasure finally hitting you as you felt him add another finger without any real warning. You lulled your head back, not able to see his absolute focus on matching the rhythm of his fingers to the circling of your clit. Before you could fully comprehend, he pulled his hands away and back onto your thighs, delving into your center with a heated, open-mouthed kiss. Letting out a gasp, he delved into your folds, his tongue easily slipping from your entrance and back up to your clit. He lifted a hand to continue to slowly rub his thumb in small circles, so he could focus his tongue on thrusting in and out of your entreance with ease.

He showed no sign of faltering as you bucked into his face, desperate for more of him. Your hands moved to his hair, taking a tight hold as he hit right where he was supposed to. He scrunched his face, letting out a low growl as you yanked at his scalp, the vibrations startling you in a wonderful way. He only sped up when you started to babble about being close, letting your thighs tighten around his face as you finish into his lips. He continues his rapid pace, the adrenaline from being squeezed by your shaky legs taking over. You finally pulled his head away from you after the pleasure of overstimulation started to ache in your core. You sunk backward, your body twitching on occasion.

He planted a kiss on your thigh before rising back to his feet. He leaned into you, the fabric over his groin coated in your juices the longer he pressed in. He pecked your temple, looking at you, completely unphased." Too much? How did I do..?" He seemed genuinely interested in whether or not he did a good job." Y-you did.. Great.. It was g-good.. Felt good.." You gave a pathetic thumbs up as you caught your breath." W-what happened to the whole it's been a while thing? Fuck, Lucifer." You sat up finally seeing that he split the fabric of your underwear at some point to gain better access." Guess I've still got it." He said with a smirk, waggling his eyebrows at you. You couldn’t take him seriously. Your wetness and lipstick stained his mouth, the eyeliner you had applied had ran down his cheeks and rubbed under his eyes. Not to mention, he was covered in your marks. It's fine you can cover those, you thought. Even with his sudden burst of dominance, you took pride in the fact that this was all because of you. He was all yours.

☆☆☆

If you're curious, that one is pushing 10k words ;)

(Tagging some people who might appreciate it) @saints-wrapped-in-plastic @bat-boness @christineblood

[atlasofthestaars]

[MK X READER] New Era - Chapter .013

first part | previous part | next part

NOTE: Sorry these chapters are taking a while, I hope the longer length makes up for it all! <3 Experimenting with a more descriptive style of writing, so sorry if it is a lot!

Would you guys want a repolling of Rain? I’ve been considering it after seeing all the love for Rain recently in the comments, let me know!

Also I went back and added chapter names for everything ! ty for avianlily for the help!

I know it’s Mortal Kombat, but warning for descriptive gore!

FROM THE EYES OF ONE WHO SEES SOMETHING LIFE CHANGING

That night your memories returned to you, for the first time, in a dream.

You found yourself standing in the middle of a grand coliseum. At least, that’s what you remember it as. The walls rose high around the arena to accommodate for the massive amount of seats needed for all the people that filled them. It almost felt like a cage with how high up the walls were. The sun beat down harshly upon you, bestowing you with a thin of sweat upon your skin. The scent of dust and blood mingled in the air and your nose scrunched up at it.

You craned your head up to look into the crowd. The stares of the people were unnerving. It was as if you simply breathed wrong they would be ready to jeer at you. You felt more like a zoo animal rather than a person. You took in a deep breath, straightening your back. You would not let their stares make you cower and back down.

Despite all that, you were not the person of interest among the many who were in the coliseum. The crowd was much more focused on the fight happening in the center of the arena. A bandaged man with glowing eyes was beating Johnny Cage to a pulp as if he were a mere training dummy. Every blow the man dealt seemed to echo throughout the arena with how strong it was. Johnny probably had a few broken ribs at this point. 

The crowd’s approval roared in your ears, but you could only grimace as you crossed your arms. How could anyone find enjoyment in such a sight? You’ve never understood why anyone would enjoy bloody fighting as entertainment. What drove people to enjoy such bloodlust flew completely over your head. You understood enjoying sparring and friendly fights…nothing like this.

Johnny, worn down and bruised, threw a sloppy kick in the man’s direction. Predictably, it was caught. Your eyes widened as you saw the bandaged man reel his arm back. You already knew what was going to happen. You averted your eyes, gritting your teeth as you heard the sickening crack of bone. That man had broken Johnny’s leg like it was a simple twig. You heard a thud, then a groan, and then you knew it was over. 

“Ermac wins!” A voice announced among the crowd’s cheers.

“I’ll help him.” You said to the thunder god at your side. Raiden’s eyes looked at you, an unreadable look on his face, then he nodded. You strode over, looking at the tarkatan who had tried to drag Johnny away. There was a grumble, a reluctant growl, before he let you retrieve your ally. Despite the resistance, you nodded respectfully to him. No reason not to be disrespectful. “Brace yourself, Cage.” You muttered, hoisting Johnny up. You slung his arm over his shoulder, doing your best to keep the pressure of his leg now that he was lame.

“Thanks.” Johnny muttered, a groan leaving his lips. You knew he probably was aching all over. You could also tell he was swimming in and out of consciousness with the weak way his head rested against your shoulder. You looked over to his face, or at least the parts of it you could see, noting how the bruises painted his skin like grotesque watercolor. You sighed, wishing all of a sudden that you had healing powers instead of your shifting ones so you could whisk away his pain.

“Thank me later, try to keep awake.” You chided, your firm tone dissonant with the way your heart was hammering in fear for your ally. He was lucky they showed him mercy, you knew he could have easily been wiped out like nothing. With a grunt of effort, you led him to the back of the crowd, making sure he was situated away from the fighting and beasts Shao Khan let roam in his coliseum. He had enough for today, you figured. Looking up, you noted Kung Lao and Liu Kang walking in.

Relief washed over you as you saw them. They were safe.

Liu Kang had made a beeline for the princess. You sighed, watching him walk past. You had been caught up in the whole tournament and unable to help assist her. Well, at least Raiden had insisted you were more needed on standby than to help the princess. As you watched your long time friend go to assist her, a pit of guilt formed in your stomach.

You should have helped her.

You knew you were justified in staying back, after all you had to be on standby just in case you needed to fight. After all, the number of champions fighting for Earthrealm were much, much less than those for Outworld. But still the guilt grew. 

“Not now!” Raiden pleaded, chasing after the man. “Smoke and Johnny Cage have been defeated, and I no longer sense Jackson Briggs’ and Sonya Blade’s presence in Outworld.” The thunder god cried out, trying to make Liu Kang understand the gravity of the situation. You walked by them now, deciding you better listen in on the conversation. You walked to the right of Liu Kang. “Despite my doubts as to whether you are Earthrealm’s savior, you must fight!”

Liu Kang looked at Raiden, a look akin to a betrayed pet. The pyromancer’s gaze drifted towards you, his gaze seeming to search for something as he looked at you. Your eyebrows furrowed at the expression. Was he looking for your approval? What good would your approval do, compared to a god’s? Still, despite your self doubt, you thought about it. You took in a deep breath, then you looked away, down to the dusty ground. Then, after a moment of contemplation, you nodded your head towards Kitana.

“I have other things to do.” Liu Kang, with the voice of a man scorned, told Raiden. His determination seemed to have been bolstered by your encouragement. The man looked at you once more, his gaze much softer. Instead of the smoldering embers of hate, there were merely cinders. He walked forward, not caring for the threatened stances the tarkatans gave him. Shao Khan’s gaze followed, his cold orange eyes assessing the man. He let him pass, not caring for what he did with Kitana.

Vile man.

“Raiden!” Shao Khan’s voice boomed out, his voice sticking out loud and proud among the cacophony of sounds. He looked all too smug on his stone throne situated in the middle of the arena. He lounged too casually, as if he knew his victory was assured. It riled you up, making you grit your teeth and glare at him. “Put forward a worthy champion…if you can.” 

From the corner of your eye, you spotted Kung Lao moving forward. A mixture of emotions swelled inside you at the sight. The first emotion you identified was pride for your friend at his confidence in his skill. The second was fear, especially after the brutal beatings you had seen Smoke and Johnny Cage take. You feared he would suffer the same fate, if not worse. He had not fully stepped forward, looking towards the thunder god before stepping back into place.

Kung Lao’s desire to prove himself and to fight for Earthrealm was obvious. You tried to keep your mixed emotions on the matter less obvious. You knew your friend had issues with feeling equal to Liu Kang, your look of mixed emotions would only drive him to doubt himself. That among many other things was not what you wanted.

Raiden looked at you first, a contemplative look on his face. For a moment, you considered whether he was planning on throwing you out there. You took a deep breath in, preparing yourself for that very possibility. You were strong enough, you believed, but your faith in your abilities wavered after the brutalities you witnessed today.

Raiden then turned his eyes towards Kung Lao, noting his more eager attitude. It was like night and day. It was as if he were trying to volunteer to pick up the mail, not to fight in a bloody tournament. You knew he was eager to prove himself, but did he not realize the gravity of it all? You felt your nails create marks on your palm from how hard you clenched your fists upon the realization of what was to come. 

It was obvious who he would choose.

“Perhaps you are meant to be the victor.” Raiden said. His words felt like the final nail in the coffin. Your stomach churned with fear as you watched the all too pleased look on Kung Lao’s face. You felt guilty at the conflicted emotions within you. You shouldn’t be doubting your friend’s ability, and in truth, you didn’t. But you just didn’t want to see him get hurt like Johnny Cage and Smoke already did.

“One second.” You said, stepping forward in front of Kung Lao. For a moment, you sucked in a breath, trying to seek the courage to tell him to not do it because of the way your gut twisted and turned. And yet, upon seeing the look on his face, your resolve crumbled. Your gaze dropped, and you raised a hand to rest on his bicep. “Just…stay safe, Kung Lao.” Your fingers pinched at his skin. 

“You worry too much.” Kung Lao told you, your name spilled from his lips with a comforting tone. He placed a hand on your own bicep and pinched it back. A light laughter left his lips, and your lips pressed together. “I’ll make sure to beat these Outworlders and come back victorious, for all of us.” He paused, squeezing your arm. “I promise.”

You could only hope that he kept that promise/

“May the elder gods bless him.” You whispered to yourself as you stepped to the side and watched Kung Lao walk up to take the challenge. You were unable to keep out the hint of fear in your prayer. Thankfully, the sound of the crowd washed out your voice so your friend would not hear it. The air was filled with sounds of disapproval towards him, but Kung Lao preserved. You only hoped that your prayer still made it out to the gods despite all the noise. 

You felt Raiden’s eyes turn to you. His glowing eyes felt like lasers burning into your head with how intense it was. He surely must have heard your plea. You avoided eye contact, keeping your eyes trained on your razor hatted friend. You didn’t want to know what the thunder god’s reaction was to your prayer, though you had a bit of an idea already.

You heard a pained grunt come from behind you, tearing your attention away from the announcement of the fight. You spun around to look at the person who made the noise. Your eyes scanned the crowd, scrutinizing all the faces. With a sigh, you noticed that it had come from Johnny Cage who had moved from his spot. His leg was now displaced from an attempt to move. With a disapproving shake of your head, you strode over to deal with the actor. 

Kung Lao would be fine, surely. You had to have faith in your friends.

“What did I say about moving?” You chided, straightening out Johnny’s leg so it was no longer bent at an awkward angle. You were used to gore and gruesome sights, but you couldn’t help the little hint of distaste you felt upon seeing the injury. At least no bone was sticking through his pants. You couldn’t tell the full scope of how bad it was from his pants, though. “I should help you now that I’m not needed.” You muttered, kneeling down as you took out the medical bag you kept with you.

“Sorry.” Johnny muttered, and you could hear guilt dripping from his voice. “I saw that Kung Lao was going to fight…wanted to see.” He explained to you in a labored tone, his voice lacking his usual cocky tone. He was still slightly out of it, and it was hard to look at his bruised face. You huffed as you pushed the man down so he didn’t strain himself any further than he already did. 

“Don’t talk, don’t move. You’re going to hurt yourself doing that.” You told him, sending him a small glare. It was a half hearted attempt as your gaze softened as you saw how tired he looked. “I appreciate the apology though.” You sighed as you observed the cuts and injuries he had sustained. You reached into your bag, taking a rag to clean the open wounds. “This will sting, feel free to squeeze.” You warned him, offering your hand out as you swiped the rag over the wounds. 

His hand hesitantly took yours. You heard a hiss come from the actor as you began to disinfect his wounds, and you knew from how hard his hand was gripping yours now it must hurt like the deepest part of the netherrealm. You made sure to bandage his wounds properly, watching with slight concern as bits of the bandages turned slightly red. 

“You’re doing good.” You reassured him, running your thumb over the back of his hand which had lessened its grip. “You’re brave for going out there, Cage.” You said, deciding to distract him from the pain by playing up to his ego. You felt his hand weakly squeeze yours. You smiled at him, it was at least reassuring to know he could at least do that.

You nearly jumped as you heard the creaking of metal. Turning your head, you heard the crowd roar in approval as a metal gate opened on the side of the coliseum. A tirgar shokan emerged, and you recalled that he must be the one named Kintaro that your father had told you about. He roared as he exited, the sound echoing throughout the area. The crowd seemed to be bolstered at the display.

With heavy steps, he approached Kung Lao who seemed to be faring well after his last match. He wasn’t badly hurt like Smoke or Johnny was, at least. Relief filled you at the sight. He was okay, and that’s what you really needed to see. You huffed at the threat that Kintaro gave Kung Lao, telling him that he would eat his heart. How brutish.

The match captivated you. You knew Kung Lao was skilled, you helped train him after all, but it was something else to watch him in motion in a real fight. His technique was top tier, and the way he moved with his hat made it feel like it was merely a part of him.

His punches felt impactful with every blow he landed, and you swore you heard the crack of a rib from all the way back here. His hat sliced through flesh and muscle with ease. Kintaro’s blood splattered upon Kung Lao, decorating him with his signs of victory. Long gone was the proud tirgar shokan, he seemed like a pitiful kitten with the beating he was suffering. Anyone who watched could tell Kung Lao had been training his life for this.  

How could you have doubted him?

It didn’t take very long for him to defeat the shokan. With a weak yowl, he tumbled into the dirt. Dust clouds rose up from the heavy impact. For a moment, the arena went silent. Then, the crowd around began to boo and jeer the man. You frowned at the noise. The hate sent his way left a bitter taste in your mouth. Yet, Kung Lao didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he basked in all the attention, spinning and bowing, You sighed and turned away. While he didn’t mind it all, you were uncomfortable with it all. You didn’t want to watch it.

You continued to bandage Johnny up, having paused the task to observe the fight. You furrowed your eyebrows as Johnny began to move. Or rather, struggle to move. You pushed him back, sending him a disapproving look. You already scolded him, he surely didn’t need more lectures? The actor was arrogant and headstrong, but he wasn’t this stupid, was he? It wasn’t until he pointed behind you that you realized he was trying to warn you of something.

“Shao…Khan.” Johnny rasped, continuing to intently point behind you.

“What?” You said, furrowing your eyebrows at the words he said. You turned to look where Johnny was pointing. As your eyes landed on the man creeping behind your friend, it felt like the wind was knocked out of your lungs. You stood, dropping your medical supplies all upon the ground. You didn’t care though. You dashed forward towards the crowd, limbs trying to transform into whatever would get you there faster. Your hand was outstretched to the man. “Kung Lao!” You called out, heart hammering with fear.

“Earthrealm is free-”

You were too late.

Time slowed as you collided with Raiden, but the impact did nothing to tear your eyes from the horrific sight of Kung Lao’s neck being snapped. You barely registered the shriek that echoed through the coliseum as yours, you were far too focused on the sound of his neck being snapped. It was a loud crack paired with the sickening sound of muscle and flesh twisting in a way that the human body was not meant to go.

It was ugly and wrong.

Your limbs felt like they were suddenly made of lead as his body, all too limp and still for a man who had just been breathing a moment ago, slumped to the ground. As it finally hit the ground and dust clouds rose, you felt like you could finally move properly.

You threw yourself to the ground, ignoring the sneer the tyrant sent your way as you dragged Kung Lao’s body into your lap. Terrified prayers to the elder gods hoping that somehow Kung Lao was okay left your lips. You stared down at his head which was grotesquely twisted in an unnatural angle. His eyes were wide open, yet they had no life behind them. Although all the signs were there that he could not possibly be alive, you shakily raised a hand to check his pulse, desperate for anything at all.

Nothing. Just a body that was quickly losing its warmth.

He was, without a doubt, dead.

A scream left your lips as you tumbled out of bed. 

You hissed as you felt the impact of the floor. Thankfully it was not a long fall for you, so at most it would only be a minor bruise. Your side ached dully as you laid there, processing what you just witnessed. Through all the noise in your head, all you could hear was your shaky uneven breaths. You turned to face the ceiling, staring at what you could see with the assistance of the crystal lamp.

What was that?

Your vision was blurry, as if you were looking through a foggy window. You reached up to your face, rubbing at it harder than you needed just to make sure you were even awake. You winced at the rough texture of your hands. Your limb, despite you not willing it to transform, was a reptile claw. Still, it did not deter you from wiping at your eyes. 

Tears were wiped away, and you saw your other limbs were in a sort of disarray. You were mostly not human right now. You stared at your limbs, flexing them and trying to return them back. Your vision blurred again, but this time with tears of frustration. No matter how much you tried to will it away, you could not transform back. 

You were no stranger to gruesome and awful sights in your memories. It seemed whatever life you once lived was filled with grief and pain, it was something you’ve come to learn with the memories you’ve recovered. You’ve seen bloody scenes and lifeless bodies, moments of grief and solitude. And yet what you had just seen had shaken you to the core. 

You’ve never seen someone you cared about, or used to care about, die in front of you.

Your mind raced with the details you witnessed, trying to catalog every moment you had seen. Part of you wanted to squeeze your eyes shut and try to force out the memory. To try and forget whatever you had seen and how it would inevitably scar your memories. Before you could let your irrational thoughts get the better of you, you forced your eyes wide open with a single thought.

You had to be calm to dwell on whatever horrifying sight you had witnessed, you couldn’t let yourself forget. Maybe, just maybe, a calm mind would help your body come back to normalcy as well.

You rubbed at your eyes with the heel of your palm using the other hand which had turned into a bear paw. You counted carefully the amount of time you took to breathe in, trying to regulate yourself. Then, for the same amount of time, you forced yourself to breathe out. The panicked frenzy of blood rushing through your ears settled down, turning into a quiet stream.

Your limbs slowly transformed back into your regular form, and you worried a little less now.

You laid on the ground, sprawled out as you let your body and mind recover from the memory. As your rational thoughts overtook the frenzied ones, you finally let your eyes close. You flinched at the flashes of memory the darkness brought. A broken leg, an angry glance…a snapped neck. You groaned at the vision, trying not to remember that particular part.

Taking another deep breath, you focused on what you remembered. That place indicated a tournament, why else would you all throw yourselves into such bloodshed otherwise? You couldn’t tell if it was the same tournament that you remembered yesterday or not, but it was definitely in Outworld. Kitana was captive, but why? She had been a princess of Outworld, there was no reason she should need saving, especially from Earthrealm.

Why were you all even fighting? Somewhere in the back of your head you knew it was for an important reason. You knew that the thunder god wouldn’t send you into meaningless conflict. You stared up at the ceiling for a few moments more, trying to piece together the pieces you barely had. Why was Liu Kang so upset with the thunder god? Was it because Raiden had doubted he was Earthrealm’s savior?

It couldn’t possibly be, the Liu Kang you knew now was far too humble. But then again, was he always? You weren’t sure, in all honesty, your memories with Liu Kang felt blurred. You let out a resigned sigh as you draped an arm over your eyes. This was far too much to think about for just waking up. You rubbed your eyes once more. 

Maybe right now wasn’t the time to think about all that tragedy. With another sigh, you forced yourself to get up. As you stood, you grimaced at the mess you made of the bed. It was like staring at a massacred corpse. Deep gashes exposing the mattress were left, and the pillows were torn. The blanket you had tangled with as you fell was even shredded.

You reached up and fiddled with the dragon necklace you wore, a habit you developed. You had no idea how to explain the mess you had made. At least, not without either seeming suspicious or having people worry about you. You’ve never lost control before, how could you explain that a dream…no. How could you explain that a nightmare had made you go berserk? Not to mention you could only confide the contents of your dream to Liu Kang, and after the conversation with him yesterday, you were reluctant to. 

You rubbed your face, agitated. You’d deal with this all later, you decided. You were far too stressed out for this right now. You felt a tad bit guilty about just abandoning it, but you decided it was for the best. With how unstable you were earlier, it might act up again if you looked at it too long or stressed over it. Still, even with your rationale, the pit of guilt didn’t go away.

To move past it, you sluggishly moved towards the mirror. You saw your appearance, you looked like you had just been in a scuffle. Grabbing a new set of clothes, you quickly changed into it. You chose not to look at your back. Then, after feeling a bit better about donning a new outfit, you took the time to make yourself seem more composed.

By the time you were done, you looked normal. The only indication of your earlier frenzy was the slight redness of your eyes. That was only when someone got close and really took the time to look at them. You rubbed at your eyes once more, wishing it’d go away faster. Alas, it didn’t work. Shaking your head, you tested out a smile, seeing if you could fool yourself.

Good enough.

Smoothing out your outfit one last time, you stepped out of the room. You took in a deep breath as you stepped into the light. At least the beauty of the palace was somewhat comforting. It wasn’t quite the same as waking up for the sunrise, but it was still a wonderful sight.

Footsteps echoed from the hall. You looked away from the wonder around you to the otherside of the hallway, half expecting to see princess Kitana. After all, who else came down this way around this time of day other than her? Or anytime in general. it felt like. And yet, the person you saw walking from down the hall was perhaps the last person that you wanted to see right now.

Kung Lao. 

“Ah, Kung Lao.” You greeted, hoping the smile upon your lips didn’t seem too forced. You scanned his face. It seemed he was far too tired to notice any strange behavior. The drowsiness that clung to him seemed to go away slightly as you walked closer. A smile appeared on his face. You held back a grimace upon noticing how it looked all too similar to the one he had before he died. “How are you?”

“Tired.” Kung Lao admitted, a yawn escaping his lips. His eyes traveled downwards, and his expression seemed to brighten at what he saw. “I’m glad you like the necklace.” He commented, with amusement twinkling in his eyes. You blinked owlishly at his seemingly random comment before drawing your own gaze to where he was staring.

The dragon necklace. The very same you were fiddling in your hand. Your gaze softened as you looked down at the design, then looked back up at the Kung Lao in front of you. Your eyes traveled to the dragon insignia upon the left side of his chest. Perhaps it was not exactly the same size or design, but the similarities between the two designs of the two versions was enough to made you grip the necklace just a bit tighter. For a moment, you allowed yourself to wonder why there were so many similarities between the two worlds.

Then you stopped, feeling that damned headache remerge at just the thought of overthinking again. 

“Yeah.” You said, nodding as you continued to stare at the design on his chest. Bringing yourself to look up at Kung Lao in the eyes felt like a herculean task at this moment. Your smile melted into one that was a touch softer, a bit smaller. “I really like it, actually.” You looked back at the dragon which you rubbed between your forefinger and thumb. 

“I knew you would.” Kung Lao remarked, a nearly smug grin on his lips. A satisfied expression settled on his lips as he observed you for a moment more. Then, in the next he stepped over so he was by your side. “Let’s go to the Great Hall, I’m starving.” You nodded a small chuckle leaving your lips. You followed him to the Great Hall. Your eyes kept wandering around like a duckling without its mother. They seemed to land anywhere but the man beside you.

Even if you were composed right now, you didn’t quite trust yourself if you were to look at Kung Lao too long. They were just so…similar that it made your chest hurt. You weren’t sure what was quite causing it: the idea that the man beside you could succumb to a gruesome fate like the one you had seen before, or the fact that the man beside you was close enough to the one who had died. It was like seeing an imperfect recreation of the man before.

All too similar to give you a sense of nostalgia and to nearly trick you into thinking he was the same. And yet different enough that you were bitterly reminded that the man you had known as a friend was gone for good. Part of you was comforted by the sameness, but another part of you wished that he was just different so you weren’t reminded of a man whose death was seared into your memory.

The walk there was shrouded in a veil of awkwardness, but thankfully your walking partner didn’t notice. You were too conflicted internally to initiate much conversation, battling yourself with the newfound feelings of sorrow and grief for a man who has passed long ago. You did, however, talk back whenever Kung Lao attempted to throw in conversation.

Would Kung Lao ever believe you that you once knew him, in another life?

You were never more relieved to see the Great Hall than now. Trying not to make your excitement to not be alone with Kung lao too obvious, you slowed your pace just a little to allow the razor hatted man to reach the fire god and his friend first. 

Both Liu Kang and Raiden greeted the two of you cheerily. You smiled upon noticing the more upbeat attitude the champion held today. The nerves that once clung to him the past few days seemed to be gone. Or at least, gone for the most part. The only indication of his nervousness was in the smile that was a little too wide as he handed you and Kung Lao some breakfast foods. Your heart seemed to flutter at the simple gesture.

Well, that was breakfast sorted out.

You gratefully took your portion, and noted the excited way Kung Lao snatched the second serving that Raiden had also gotten him. You felt a little relieved to be falling back into some sort of normalcy after that horrible dream. Eating the bit of food also helped calm you down and not make you feel like you were walking on a tightrope around others.

“So who are you fighting today?” Kung Lao asked, peering over to Raiden. He wiped away the remnants of the food he devoured. By the time you had finished your portion, he had finished both of his. How he managed to scarf down food that fast alluded you to this day. “Not that it matters since you’ll easily beat them.” The former farmer sent his friend a confident grin, to which Raiden returned, albeit not as confident.

“Raiden will be facing the Osh-Tekk known as Ko’atal, or Kotal.” Liu Kang answered. His eyes seemed to squint just a touch in warning towards Kung Lao. The man sent a grin that was only partially apologetic. You felt the familiar buzz of nostalgia in your head at the name. You wondered if there was ever a time you’d stop experiencing this sensation. “He’s one of their best.”

You supposed you wouldn’t. Not until you unraveled all of your memories, at least.

How many more bits and pieces did you have left to find? That question lingered in your head as idle chatter was passed between the group. You didn’t realize how long you spaced out until you were surprised to feel an arm slung over your shoulders. You jolted in surprise at the contact, looking over to see the culprit.

It only made sense that it was Johnny Cage.

“How you doing, Teach?” The actor asked, a wide grin on his face. He leaned his head towards you, his eyes seeming to search your face. He seemed more chipper this morning. Everyone in general seemed in a better mood. Well, everyone but you. You felt a bit guilty that you didn’t share their energy. Still, you put on your best smile. Fake it until you make it, isn’t that what actors say?

“I’m fine, Cage.” You responded. Your eyes dragged over his arm which draped over your shoulders. For a moment, you considered shrugging it off, but there was something about the contact that felt…comforting. “You seem to be in a better mood.” You pointed out, looking back to Johnny. His smile seemed to grow a bit wider.

“I was conversing with one of the princesses yesterday, she was totally giving me the look.” He said, all too proud of himself. You found your somewhat fake smile turn a little real as you wondered what the look on the actor’s face would be if you told him you’ve been conversing with both of the princesses for a bit now. Granted, one was more willing than the other, but he didn’t need to know that. “She’s totally into me.”

“Are you certain she wasn’t just amused by you and your attempts to woo her?” You joked, sending Johnny a look with raised eyebrows. You heard what you thought was a little muffled snort covered up by a fake cough. Looking over, you saw Kenshi covering his mouth with his fist. You could barely detect the amused crinkle in his eyes. 

“Ah, you’re just jealous of how close I’m getting to them.” Johnny teased, you let out a short bark of laughter as you rolled your eyes. His hand rocked you back and forth in a playful manner. In what way did he want you to interpret that? You getting jealous of the princesses, or getting jealous of him? “Don’t worry, Teach, I’m not going anywhere.”

“I know, unfortunately.” You replied in jest. There was a shout of protest from the American at your comment. In the midst of your light hearted banter, you temporarily forgot your woes. How Johnny manages to keep on cheering you up seemed to be a secret talent of his. You wondered if he knew what he was doing, or even was aware of it.

The same fanfare from yesterday played out once more. The entrance of the Empress and princesses was followed by the parting of the crowd. It felt almost comforting to fall into a routine again. You watched as once more, Sindel rose again from her seat on the throne to address the crowd. 

“Yet another day of this wonderful tournament.” Sindel announced, a smile on her face. Her arms were spread wide as she looked among the crowd before directing her gaze at Raiden. There wasn’t quite hostility in her eyes, but you sensed there was a sense that she was becoming just a touch less warm towards the champion.

You assumed, or at least hoped it was only due to how he was progressing further than she had expected.

“You have proven yourself well against Reiko yesterday.” Sindel commended, though that lingering sense of little contempt was underneath her welcoming tone. “Let us see if you can continue to prove your fighting prowess within this next match.” She sat down once more, leg crossed over the other. Her head turned to look at General Shao. “General Shao, whom did you choose to fight next?”

“Your Majesty.” General Shao stepped forward once more. You looked away from the man, deciding that after the dream you had today you really didn’t want to look at him. “I have chosen one of my respected officers, Ko’atal.” 

A figure you have not seen before, at least in this lifetime, emerged from the end of the hallway. He strode forward, his figure muscular, broad, and tall. His eyes seemed to have a hint of glow to them, though they did not shine like Liu Kang’s. Glowing paint was streaked in jagged patterns down his chest and limbs. He strode in with a humble confidence, much different than Reiko before him. Ko’atal’s face was set in fierce determination as he marched forth. 

Just as you predicted, your head seemed to buzz at the sight of him, but you could not glean much else from his appearance.

“Kotal is the pride of the Osh-Tekks, and one of their fiercest warriors.” As the General spoke, Kotal seemed to flex his muscles as if to show off the paint upon his skin. His armor, though had traits of the other uniforms that Shao and Reiko wore, had unique gold embellishments to them. “He is ruthless and loyal, and knows how to take down an enemy easily with the strength he has earned.” You rose an eyebrow at the toned down speech compared to Reiko. Seems like someone has favorites.

“So you are the one who took down Reiko?” Kotal asked Raiden, stopping a few feet away from his opponent. His voice was deep, and boomed naturally. His eyes searched Raiden, sizing him up with a natural caution. It seemed like he respected the man in front of him, or at least as much as he respected any other opponent. Raiden nodded after taking in a nice long breath. “Then let us see how you did it.”

And without much else bravado, the fight began. 

Ko’atal fought in a very brute force style. He knew he towered over Raiden, and used it to his advantage. His strikes were much slower than Raiden, but they were filled with such power that every time he did manage to land a hit they seemed to knock the wind out of the champion. His paint, or were they tattoos? glowed as he fought. They changed color depending on what he did. He even summoned totems within the battle. 

The warrior even seemed to naturally bask in the sunlight that filtered in through the open architecture. It was like he was charged by the light, and used its power against the electricity user in battle.

How strange, how different.

And yet even with the different fighting style, Raiden adapted. He used the bulkiness to his advantage, going in for quicker strikes to counter his opponent. He used his weight against him, having him fumble and falter when he did miss. It only made sense that Earthrealm’s champion remained victorious during the fight.

“It was an honor fighting you.” Raiden said, his breath coming out labored as he recovered from the intense fight. Kotal, sluggish from the exertion, nodded at his words. He got up, seeming worse for wear. Both men seemed to nod once more in respect for the other, before Kotal walked away, taking his loss respectfully.

“Another well fought match.” Sindel complimented, though her smile felt just a tad bit more strained at the sight of Earthrealm’s victor. She cleared her throat as she stood to address the mass of people. “Once more we shall adjourn at first light.” The Empress declared. Then, after another moment, the crowd began to disperse, even more people seemed to send glances at Raiden’s way this time.

“Another well earned victory.” You commended the former farmer. He seemed to brighten up at your words, eyes wide with joy at the praise. He nodded quickly. “Keep it up, and at this rate victory will be assured for Earthrealm.”

“Thank you.” Raiden said, his voice a bit breathy from the battle. You returned the smile he sent your way. Then, the rest of the champions seemed to join in, throwing their compliments towards their friend. “I have never seen someone fight like him before.” He admitted, adjusting his hat. “It was a very interesting fight.”

“The Osh-Tekks have an innate connection with the sun.” Liu Kang explained, his hand gesturing to the sun which shone in the sky. “Ko’atal in particular had a stronger and closer connection with it, which allowed him to fight so valiantly.” He regarded his champion with a smile. “It is exceptional that you took him down.”

“Do you think he would be open to acting?” Johnny asked, looking towards where Kotal had left. Upon seeing all the looks sent his way, he held his hands up. “Hey! I’m just saying this movie I was working on would kill to have someone like him! I personally think I would be doing him a favor.” He huffed, crossing his arms.

“You could start by doing us favors, Cage.” Kenshi piped in, his own arms crossing as he sent a glare towards the actor. “For example, by giving me Sento.” This now prompted a little bickering between the two men. While amusing, you couldn’t help but to let out a small sigh at the antics. Your eyes drifted away from the duo, before they landed on a figure heading your way. You perked up at the sight.

“Ready for your tour?” Rain inquired, a small smile on his lips as he stopped near you. You nodded enthusiastically, the whole tour plan having slipped your mind due to the dream earlier. At least you had something exciting to get your mind off of that. 

“Tour?” Kung Lao piped up. You turned your head to look at the man. He looked between you and Rain, eyebrows raised. It looked like he was trying to scrutinize what was going on, his face changing slightly as he processed it all.

“Oh, Rain’s the High Mage.” You introduced him, your hand gesturing to the man you were talking about. Rain bowed his head. “He offered me to go see the Imperial Academy yesterday due to my interest in magic.” You explained, recalling just how you got into this situation. “I’m quite honored, by the way.” You said, turning your attention back to the mage.

“Can I come?” Kung Lao inquired, his eyes seeming to light up at the prospect of going to a place that had such a high reputation. Your eyes drifted over and noticed how Liu Kang had even taken notice of the conversation.

“Sorry, but you can’t.” Rain said, his voice polite but firm. He offered your friend an apologetic smile. “I already arranged for just one visitor. The Academy is quite strict with who is permitted to visit, but seeing how your friend has such potent magic I was able to pull some strings to arrange a visit.” You looked over, surprise upon your features as you heard about the lengths he went through. 

“Sorry, Kung Lao.” You said, shrugging at the news. You sent him a reassuring smile at the pout he displayed. You put a hand on his bicep, rubbing it gently. You swallowed your nerves upon seeing his eyes, fighting the memories of what he used to look like. “I’ll be back for dinner, don’t worry, okay? I’ll tell you all about it when I return.” You pinched his arm lightly before letting go, only realizing what you had done until after it was done.

“I’ll be holding you to that.” Kung Lao said, your name cheerily falling from his lips. For a moment, you stared at him, hoping that he would return the gesture, but he didn’t. You nodded, looking back to Rain who looked at you expectantly. You nodded at him, watching as he gestured towards the hallway leading to the outside.

“Well, shall we go?” He inquired. You nodded, stepping to be by his side.

“See you guys later.” You said, waving to the group. A chorus of goodbyes arouse, sending you off. You, however, didn’t notice the lingering stare that was sent your way as you left. You both walked in relative silence before you noted how you were alone now. “I’m honored you invited me to see the academy, but I’m a stranger to you, why go through the effort?” You inquired, peering over to the man. 

“You have a very powerful magic, like I mentioned.” Rain answered simply. “And our ideals of growing stronger, pushing past our limits…it’s very rare to meet someone else who understands that drive. I could tell the look in your eye when you said that was genuine.” There was a pause. “I simply wished to extend this invitation as a sign of friendship.” 

“I see.” You said, scanning the man for any sign of ill will. When you saw none, a smile pulled at your lips. “I accept your invitation of friendship then. I hope we shall have a pleasant one until I must go back to Earthrealm.” 

“Indeed.”

The Imperial Academy towered high over you, a place of majesty and wonder. It was almost nearly as tall as the palace itself. It even resembled the palace, being made of the same white stone. To set it apart, black stone of the same quality made up the rooftops of the academy and accented certain arches and overhangs. This provided great contrast to the golden embellishments which were set into the building. Symbols were carved into the architecture, giving the building texture rather than letting it be simply smooth.

Lush foliage draped along the railings of the academy akin to banners. Deep red and purple flowers peppered the vines. The way the flora intertwined with the building imbued it with life, as if the nature here and the building were made to coexist rather one conform to another. It was harmonious. 

It was located a little further on the outskirts of Sun Do, but it was still close enough that one could travel to and fro from the city. It was nearly intimidating to see it. You could practically feel all the power and magic held just from standing outside of it. It was potent enough that you could almost describe the scent of what raw magic was. 

“Wow.” You said, your jaw dropping at the sight of it. It felt almost wrong to be here, especially since you had heard of just how difficult it was to get into this place. “Are you certain I’m allowed here?” You asked, looking over to your companion with raised eyebrows. 

“I was just as amazed when I got here.” Rain admitted, looking at you. A slight amused look was on his face, but he did not appear to be judgemental of your awe. If anything, he seemed to take pride in what he deemed was an acceptable reaction. He looked back at the building, a gleam of nostalgia in his eyes. “But when I finally stepped foot in here, it felt like I finally understood my destiny.” He looked at you once more. “I wish I could say perhaps the same will happen for you, but you are from Earthrealm.”

“A pity.” You said, not knowing how to feel about that last sentence. Your gut twisted with unease. You drew in a deep breath, driving out your nerves. “Let’s hope I don’t get too attached then.” You told him. You could only hope to yourself that your own words would become true. You wouldn’t know what to do with yourself if you found a piece of yourself here, in a place that didn’t think you belonged.

“For your sake, I hope so too.” Rain replied. nodding. His words were tinged with pity, a sentiment that made you feel a bit worse. You didn’t blame your companion for your feelings but…pity was one of the worst feelings in the world. You followed him, stepping carefully over the bridge that led over a stream that was in front of the academy. It bubbled softly beneath you like a little lullaby from nature.

Your fingers trailed along the handhold of the bridge, the bumpy surface becoming engraved in your mind. As you two approached the entrance, the doors loomed even taller, dwarfing both of you. You couldn’t even recall if the palace had doors this extravagant. The High Mage cast a look your way once more, his eyes searching yours. It was like he was searching for validation within your reaction. You offered him a smile, one that he returned.

With a wave of his hand, the doors parted. They glided open effortlessly, revealing the building’s contents with ease. They didn’t even make so much as a creak. The both of you ascended the steps to get a closer look of the interior. 

To say the inside was immaculate would be an understatement.

The grand hall opened wide and tall to accommodate for a grand statue of a woman you couldn’t quite name. Even without knowing her, you could easily tell she was revered and beloved. At the base of the statue was an altar that was littered with gifts and more of the breathtaking nature. The vines and flowers wound and rose around the woman’s carved dress up around her waist and into her arms which were presented forward with hands cupped. Her eyes were alight with life despite being made entirely of stone. Despite all the foliage that grew around the woman, the statue itself was well maintained.

Even with the stunning statue in the center of the hall, the rest of the building was not any less disappointing. The marble stone below, checkered white and black in a hypnotizing fashion was polished to perfection. You leaned forward, and you were met with a smiling reflection that was almost substitute enough for a mirror.

The walls around you opened wide for many rows of hallways that seemed nearly endless. Stairs that were perfectly symmetrical in fashion twisted up and around to lead to a secondary floor that stood a little higher than the waist of the woman before you. These too lead to more hallways of the academy. Just how many rooms did this place contain?

“What do you think?” Rain asked, his voice snapping you out of your admiration of the area. You sucked in a breath, your eyes traveling over the area once more. It was only now that you noted the hustle and bustle of the area. Students rushed around, brushing past each other perfectly as if they were performing a choreographed dance. The footsteps, which would have sounded chaotic and overbearing anywhere else, sounded almost rhythmic. Magic danced in the air, whether it be in the form of sparks, light, or a creature soaring through the air. Some attendants knelt at the base of the statue, mumbling softly.

“It’s amazing.” You admitted, eyes darting around. A few glances of curiosity were sent in your direction, but ultimately no one approached you. It was like stepping out of their little routines would ruin the delicate ecosystem set in this place. “I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It’s like everyone and everything here are in perfect harmony.”

“That is why the best of the best are permitted here.” The mage reminded you with a small tilt of his head. He caught the glance of a student who peered at him. A smile was sent the student’s way, and it sent them into a grinning mess before they scurried off. For a moment, you felt special. After all, you were allowed to be among what must be the most elite magic users to glance into a peek of their lives. Not only that, but you were also accompanied by the High Mage of the royal court. “Come, let’s pick up what I came here for before I give you a tour.”

“You needed to pick up something?” You inquired, peering at the man. Your footsteps tried to match his as he led you down a hallway. Perfectly spaced doors lined the walls. Each was labeled with a neat golden plaque which was also engraved with an equally neat font. “I thought you no longer studied here?” You asked, hoping your tone did not sound too blasphemous.

“I don’t.” Rain confirmed, a small nod showing that he did not think your question was overstepping. “But my studies sometimes require equipment and items that can only be found at this institution, as of late I have been conducting research to help a fellow court member.” You both took a few turns before you arrived at a door which had Rain’s name labeled on it in bold lettering. “This is the laboratory I use at times.” 

Opening the door revealed a neat and orderly space. A tall bookshelf was on the left side wall. It was filled with hefty books and some scrolls. On the back wall was a shelf that was lined with various equipment. Some of them you could guess the usage, but some were far too odd to even think of what their usage could possibly be. 

Then, on the right was a simple desk right next to a table. The desk didn’t have much of note, but you did spot a simple picture frame. In it was Rain with an older woman. His mother maybe? The table next to his desk was the only place that had an indication of disorder. Some paper with notes written upon them were scattered. Vials and tubes bubbling with unknown substances sat upon a higher section of the table.

“Excuse the mess.” The mage said, stepping into the room. With more caution, you followed. He wandered over to the table, picking up a vial that had been bubbling while sitting atop a gentle blue flame. He swirled it, the soft blue being reminiscent of ocean water. “Feel free to look around.” He told you, his eyes concentrated on the liquid he inspected.

“Alright.” You said, your gaze falling on the shelf lined with equipment. You stopped a foot away, squinting at the items. In your head, you tried to guess the use of them from their looks alone to pass the time. One item in particular caught your attention. 

A small cube colored gold sat away from the other items in its own little section. It was rather unsuspecting. You couldn’t quite put a finger on why it drew you in, but you were enraptured by the small thing. Your fingers twitched, wanting to reach out to grab it, but you restrained yourself. A gentle footstep behind you snapped you out of your daze.

“Something caught your attention?” Rain inquired, stepping beside you. He looked towards the shelf, peering at where you had been moments before. He reached out to pluck the cube and looked at you, before holding it out to you. You held your hand out, and the cube, which was heavier than you were expecting, was dropped into your hand. “That’s a magic sensor of sorts. We use it to sense the potency in magic in things, whether it be solutions, in the air, or even in a person. Give it a try.” 

“Okay.” You said, looking down at the cube. You stared at it, perplexed before glancing back up at your companion. You saw his hand squeeze at the air, indicating what you should do. Gently at first, you closed your hand around the cube, before putting all your strength into it. When your hand released, the cube began to glow.

Letters in a language you didn’t quite recognize appeared on the cube. A soft white glow appeared behind them. Your gaze flicked from the cube to the man. A delighted look appeared on his face, like he expected exactly that. Then, cube began to glow stronger before bursting into a flurry of colors. Bright pinks, greens, yellows, colors of any kind began to erupt out. You nearly took a step back, and you returned your gaze to Rain.

His reaction was a mixture of surprise and awe, far different from the reaction he had previously.

After the color show died down, you stared at it for a moment, eyebrows raised. You were dumbfounded, not knowing what any of that had meant. There was a brief silence that hung in the air. You sucked in a breath, putting a smile on your lips.

“Did I pass?” You joked, trying to diffuse the tension. You looked back and forth between the mage and the cube. The awestruck look on his face faded into something that seemed to indicate respect. He nodded as he grabbed the cube. He held it up, looking over the fading glow of the letters before placing it back onto the shelf. There was an undeniable gleam of interest in his eyes.

“With flying colors.”

“I’m back.” You announced, walking up to the table where all the Earthrealmers had been. The tour had gone all afternoon and leaked into the night. You both had been amazed by the fact that time had flown so fast past the two of you. The sky had just begun to turn dark when you had exited. “Did I miss much?” You inquired, looking at the group. You spotted an open spot, right between Kung Lao and Kenshi, and walked over to claim it.

Your mouth watered at the smell of the foods laid out to feast on. Your eyes alone feasted on everything in sight, and in that moment you understood what Kung Lao must feel like. After that realization, you snapped out of it.

“We all did our own thing, for the most part.” Kung Lao responded after swallowing the large mouthful he had been eating. You reached over and grabbed some food that had been out on the table, adding it to your plate. His eyes twinkled with excitement, the same excitement that made you tense up at how familiar it was. He leaned towards you with a happy grin. His elbow nudged your side. “So, how was the academy?”

“It was beyond anything I could have dreamed.” You admitted, cutting into your food. You popped a bite into your mouth, chewing it carefully as you considered the right words to say. It tasted even better than it looked “I was honestly amazed at how much magic could be contained within one place. Magic seemed to spill from even the walls.”  Your eyes lit up as you recalled the grand statue in the academy. “They even had a grand statue to the goddess Delia. She's the goddess of magic.”

“They worship someone else than my main man, Liu Kang?” Johnny asked, eyebrows raised as he looked at you in surprise. He shrugged, and muttered something under his breath along the lines of go figure.

“What else do you expect?” Kenshi asked, sending a sharp look towards Johnny. There was a hint of exasperation in his face and his voice. “Do you really think Outworlders would worship an Earthrealm god?” He paused and sent an apologetic look to Liu Kang. “No offense, Lord Liu Kang.” He quickly added before returning to his meal.

“I take no offense, Kenshi.” Liu Kang replied, a pleasant look on his face. He turned his attention back to you. With a fork he gestured for you to go on. “Please, go on. I would like to hear about your little adventures within the academy.”

You nodded, a wide grin splitting your face. You went on and on, retelling all the wonders you had seen within the walls of the academy. From your lips was the praises of magic and how beautiful it could really be in the hands of those who wielded it. You talked on and on to the point where your food had gone slightly cold. As your speech ended, you noticed the way the others looked at you. Your cheeks flushed.

“Sounds like you fell in love with the place.” Kenshi observed. His eyes peered at you with careful observation. There was no judgement in his voice, something you were thankful for. You spotted a gleam in his eye, even.

“Yeah, the last time I’ve seen you this excited was when I told you that there was another Ninja Mime in the series.” Johnny pointed out, his fork pointing at you. He let out a small laugh. “I didn’t take you as the type to like magic that much, wildstyle. I thought you were all in on the whole teaching people how to fight thing.” 

“A person can have multiple interests, Cage.” You said, rolling your eyes. “But I guess you’re not wrong, Kenshi.” You said, thoughtfully staring down into your plate. Even the marks left by the food you ate seemed to remind you of the swirls of magic you had seen earlier that day. “I ended up liking that place more than I was expecting. I forgot how much I loved to learn about things.”

“Do you think you would take an opportunity to study here if you could?” Raiden inquired, curious brown eyes looking at you. You paused, moving your fork around to push your food. Your lips pursed, and you looked up to see the gaze of Liu Kang staring at you. You remembered, for a brief moment, how this question felt all too familiar.

You tore your gaze away.

“Maybe.” You admitted, shrugging. You felt the burning gaze be lifted from your form as your answer left your lips. “I doubt I would be given a chance anyways, I’m an Earthrealmer.” You said, your gaze now falling down to your plate. “Plus, I think I’d miss you guys too much.” You added on, offering a small smile. 

“We’d miss you too.” Kung Lao said, a wide smile pulling at his lips. His shoulder bumped yours. Your heart warmed at the sentiment. Your little smile grew a little wider as you picked up a piece of food and put it into your mouth. Mentally you replied to him. The mere thought of telling them this sent your heart aflutter and your cheeks went a little warm.

I know. 

Sitting under the moonlight, you gazed up into the stars. You were sitting on the same bench, this time being the one waiting for the princess. You tried to see the constellations, the ones you had learned about earlier today, within the myriad of dots within the skies. This realm apparently had different stars, it was all so…interesting.

“Waiting for me today I see.” Mileena’s voice rang out, capturing your attention. You glanced over, seeing an amused smirk on her lips. You nodded, glancing back up to the starry night sky for a moment more before turning your full attention to the princess. She caught your gaze before looking up to the sky herself. “What is so enticing about the sky tonight?”

“Oh, nothing in particular.” You said, also returning your gaze to the sky above. “It’s just…different from Earthrealm.” Your hand gestured to the stars above. “For example, I learned that you have different constellations than we do back in Earthrealm. I suppose I just appreciate the differences between our homes.”

“Really?” She said, her gaze lingering on the sky for a moment. She squinted, as if trying to see what you did within the sky. “I never thought someone would be captivated by something as simple as a mere night sky.” The princess admits. Though her words felt almost demeaning, there was no bite behind them. It was just mere honesty. She stepped over to the bench and finally took a seat at the other end. 

“I guess it is because our skies are a lot different.” You said, giving the princess a soft smile. “Our skies are a deeper blue, and our stars are not as numerous.” You say, indicating with your hand to the sky. “Some places can’t even see the stars even with a clear sky.” You paused, thinking back to the night sky back home. “But it feels like our stars do glow brighter where I’m from.”

“I see.” She said, her voice carrying a hint of intrigue. She stared at you, scanning your nearly awestruck look. “Not even our astronomers seem to hold the same reverence for the sky as you do.” She pointed out, a teasing tone to her voice. 

“Maybe it’s because they haven’t seen the stars in other realms.” You offer up as an explanation. “Sometimes, to appreciate what you have you must see other perspectives and things that you are not used to.”

“Perhaps.” Mileena replied, a tone you couldn’t quite place down in her voice.

“I must be boring you.” You said, realizing you had rambled on about the stars for a bit too long. You forced your eyes away from the sky, back onto the ground. You cleared your throat and straightened up, collecting your thoughts. “What type of story would you like to hear about today?” You asked, already trying to narrow down which movie to recollect to her.

“I think tonight I would like to simply hear you tell me about the differences between Earthrealm and Outworld.” Mileena said, her eyes seeming to hold a hint of encouragement. “I’ve never heard someone speak so kindly about both realms…it’s refreshing.” Her hand gestured to you, and you couldn’t help the wide smile. “It almost makes me want to seek out these differences when the next tournament comes.”

“If that’s what you wish, then let me fulfill your request, princess.”

And so on this night, the story you told was of two realms, and just how their differences made you appreciate them both a bit more. 

part fourteen

tagged - @bonezisded @lollipopin @simpxinnie @zhivaxo @koisuko

[it-happened-one-fic]

Dancing With Visions - Beautifully Vulnerable - Rumba - Kaeya

Author Notes: So, some of you may know that I did a dance-inspired series of fics for Twisted Wonderland. This is going to be the first fic for a series of fics inspired by varying dances for Genshin Impact: "Dancing with Visions." I'm actually really pleased with the way this one turned out! The rumba is a very romantic, Latin dance and, as it says within the fic itself, it is sometimes referred to as "The Dance of Love." I listened to "Night Moves" By Lissie while writing and editing this fic which influenced the general tone of this fic. Reader is technically going to be female throughout this series of dance fics simply to accomdate the fact that a fair number of dance styles work better with a male and female couple due to lifts and what not. I hope you enjoy!

If you would like to read more of this series, the fics can be found here: Dancing with Visions Masterlist

Type: Female reader/ Romance/ pining/ fluff/ comfort/ dance/ sfw/ technically childhood friends to lovers

Word count: 1712

I watched the people swaying rhythmically to the music with a slight smile on my face. It had been quite some time since I’d been to one of these parties. But Adelinde had insisted I come, so here I was. In the Dawn Winery once more, as if nothing had ever changed.

There was a comfort in being back in this building where I’d spent so much of my youth. Playing hide and seek with Jean, Barbara, and the brothers, running through the halls giggling as children will do.

I waved slightly to Diluc and Jean as they passed, mingling with the guests despite how much I knew they’d like to rest on the sidelines. All of our lives had changed so much as we’d all grown.

Diluc had suddenly become the head of the Dawn Winery after his father’s unexpected death; Jean now led the Knights of Favonius; Barbara was at the church; and Kaeya…. Kaeya was filling the position of cavalry captain and had been ever since Diluc had left the Knights.

I idly swirled my glass before finishing my drink. Kaeya was one of the reasons I hadn’t wanted to come. Because even after all this time, there was still that tension between us that a large part of me wished had never appeared.

Being attracted to someone like Kaeya was always risky business, but it felt like that was even more the case since I’d grown up alongside him. 

I knew more about him than he really cared to let people know. Because Kaeya preferred to be mysterious, and for reasons known only to him, he kept his walls up. 

Both of the Ragnvindr brothers did, but Diluc was a little gentler about it, and I hadn’t fallen in love with him. No, I’d fallen for Kaeya, and it hadn’t been just the dance lessons from all those years ago that had caused it.

Though, to be fair, those certainly hadn’t helped considering Kaeya had chosen the rumba.

I could still hear Crepus' laughter at his son’s choice of dance and him asking if Kaeya had asked me if I was alright with that before making his choice. And of course Kaeya hadn’t, but it wouldn’t have mattered. Back then, we were still young and didn’t entirely understand how embarrassing of a dance the rumba could be.

I noticed Diluc stop off to the side next to his brother, who’d been lingering on the opposite side of the room. Directly in my view, but separated from me by an entire horde of people.

They were talking about something, and the sight brought a slight smile to my face. Because it was a relief that they’d made up to some degree or another after their fight.

I didn’t think I'd ever forget Kaeya showing up on my doorstep that evening, with a bloodied eye, burn marks on his face, and a new vision glowing in his hand.

I still didn’t know why he’d come to me instead of Jean or someone more skilled, but I hadn’t turned him away, despite how shocked I’d been. How could I when he’d been in such shape?

 He’d stayed with me for at least a week, though it was hard to say how long it had been now. But during that time, we’d somehow, impossible as it may have seemed, become closer than we ever had been before.

A part of me wondered if it was because I’d ended up being the one supporting him through that time that he’d withdrawn from me. Perhaps the fact that I had been the one with him throughout all of that meant I’d become a reminder of what had happened back then.

But I doubted I would ever know now. Somehow we’d become more distant, and it caused a twinge in my heart when I thought about it too long. Most days, it was fine, but events like this only served as a reminder of what I’d lost.

It made me wonder if that connection I’d thought we had was just something I’d dreamed up, just as much as I questioned the reason why these feelings persisted.

Typically, I ignored the affection I held for the young man and was able to even interact with Kaeya in an easy manner, so long as nothing came up to remind me of that closeness. But here I was, watching people dance with their lovers, and all I could think of was how I’d used to dance so freely with Kaeya in my youth. 

Once, before I’d known of the intimacy a dance could cause, and later, after I’d come to recognize that quiet affection that could permeate a space when two people danced.

I sat down my now empty glass, sighing slightly as I made up my mind to say my farewells and go home. It wasn’t as if I was getting accomplished here anyway. 

It was beyond clear that tonight was going to be one of those nights where all I could do was reminisce and wallow in the sobering nostalgia of what once was.

But as I turned to go, the song slowly slipped into something slower, with an almost slinky tune that had many of the less confident couples abandoning the dancefloor. And for some reason, I hesitated as I recognized the timing of the song. 

Yet another reminder of when I’d dance in that large room, always cleared of furniture so we could better learn the motions of the dance so many called the ‘dance of love.’ And the rumba was a romantic dance, filled with strong emotions once one came to understand such feelings.

My hesitation cost me as a shadow fell over where I stood, fingers lingering on the edge of the table. I turned slowly to see the young man with a star in his eye.

He had that same, perpetually easy smile on his face as he looked at me with a slight tilt to his head as I spoke. His name came out as more of a whisper than anything else, “Kaeya.”

“You weren’t going to leave before I could ask for my dance, were you?” His voice was teasingly accusatory. Playing at pouting just like he so often did.

I found myself smiling, despite myself, as I admitted to my actions that he’d seen through so easily, “I was about too.”

He pressed a hand to his chest, “How hurtful, and after I waited all this time just to get over here to you.”

I almost snorted at his words as I shook my head, “Because I was so busy and you couldn’t make it over here?”

“Oh no, because everyone has been keeping me so busy here tonight.” There was a glimmer in his eye as he paused before continuing, “But a knight always has time for his lady, and I do believe I’ve kept mine waiting long enough, hm?”

I almost wanted to be frustrated with how quickly he could have me slipping back into this easy fondness. Like nothing had ever changed, even though his soft tone showed exactly how much we both knew our relationship had grown throughout the years. Slowly drifting closer and closer to something beyond that of childhood friends as the other companions of our youth watched on. Slight smiles on their faces.

He bowed slightly at the waist, a grin curling across his face as he kept his gaze on me, as if he knew exactly what his attention could do to me, “So, will you honor me with this dance, my dear lady?”

The way he extended his hand made it look like he was offering me something, and I suppose in a way he was. He was offering not only to lead me through yet another dance, to add to the already long list, and simultaneously offering for the two of us to become just a hair closer. And something told me that even though we were already past returning to being ‘just friends’ this dance would seal the deal.

But my hand slipped into his, as natural as it always had and always would, as I responded with a smile of my own, “But of course. My first and last dance has always been yours, Sir Knight.”

His grin spread as I played along with the two of us being a knight and his lady as he straightened and led me out to the dancefloor. Walking backwards as he still insisted on keeping his gaze on me.

It was almost embarrassing, as the crowd around us seemed to go quiet as he pulled me closer so that we were almost nose to nose. 

A smile crept across my face as I remembered what Jean had told me the first time she actually saw me and Kaeya complete a dance.

“It was so beautifully vulnerable; I’ve never seen him like that before…. But then, he is more open with you, isn’t he?”

Beautifully vulnerable. It was something I’d wondered about. But I couldn’t deny that there was a certain sensation when it was just me and Kaeya, like there was nothing hidden between us while there was also so much that hadn’t been said and might never be able to be put into words.

Because I really didn’t think there were enough words. Not for this feeling that so often haunted me when it was just me and Kaeya.

And it was true that when we were dancing, there was a difference to Kaeya as well. Almost as if there was more gravity to him, like such moments were of utmost importance to him.

I loved Kaeya’s usual joy, but there was something about his seriousness in this moment, just like it always was, that made me feel oddly secure and like it didn’t matter what else happened; I had him.

It was so starkly different from those moments when I’d question if everything I felt between us was imagined that it made me wonder. It really was like nothing was as it ever seemed. Like these emotions ran far deeper than I could ever realize as we danced through the room. As hypnotic as two shadows that were eternally intertwined, whether surrounded by darkness or blinding daylight.

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[daaydreamy]

love is foolish (and so addictive)

summary: love is complex, yet also simple. love is confusing.

warnings: none.

pairing: harry styles x fem!reader

•••

They were just so gone for each other.

Harry hadn’t dated many people before he met Y/N. He tried new things, dipped his toe in the water to check the temperature, but it just never felt right. Despite not knowing what true love even really felt like, or not really believing in it for a while, it just never felt right then. It was confusing, but Harry decided to let time tick by, let the moon fall and sun rise. He had a few one-night stands, but he didn’t really mind them all that much, as he had only been with those people for one single night, which were all nights dedicated to sex. So, all in all, Cupid hadn’t aimed just right enough.

Y/N was quite similar. She hadn’t dated lots of people, always just quietly watching her other friends get partners of their own that they were so dedicated to. She thought it was a little stupid, being so obsessed and addicted to someone, letting your happiness come from them. She could make herself happy, and lots of other things could also make her happy, and she thought it was sort of funny to watch how much people depended on each other for support.

Harry changed her mind.

God, it was like he was some drug she had gotten addicted to and she couldn’t stop. He was intoxicating. Harry could say the exact same about her. She had planted herself into his heart and slowly started growing all throughout him until delicate flowers were sprouting from his skin.

Love fucks you up.

But it fucks you up in the good way. Waking up beside someone, especially with their arms wrapped around you like the safest blanket you could ever have, is something else. Love makes you forget about morning breath. It just makes everything seem so special in some kind of way. Even mundane things like brushing your teeth together, looking at each other through the mirror and giggling around your toothbrushes with toothpaste-filled mouths.

Sometimes Harry and Y/N were so icky, so sickeningly sweet with each other. They tried to tone it down whenever they were with friends, of course, but sometimes they couldn’t help themselves. But especially when they were by themselves, in a place they call home, they’re all over each other. Whether it be stroking each other’s hair, taking a nap together on the couch, bumping hips and brushing each other’s hands “accidentally” while cooking in the kitchen, they just couldn’t stop.

Love like that can make you grimace from afar, but up close, it can make you stupidly happy.

“God, you’re so annoying!” Y/N laughed, and despite what she had just said, she leaned in and gave Harry a chaste kiss. He laughed as well and wrapped his arms around her waist to keep her close, pressing his lips to hers, kissing her longer, his lips eventually tugging up at the corners once more.

“You love me.” He murmured against her lips.

“Do I?”

“Very much, yes.” He replied cheekily and she smiled, “And I love you too.”

They trusted each other so, so much. They’ve shared so many intimate moments, whether it be through sex or tears falling down their cheeks. They told each other everything, because they weren’t scared to. They never felt an ounce of nervousness around each other, no rushes of fear that made their hearts race.

Harry could write a million sonnets about her by hand and sure, it’d get sore, but so would his cheeks from smiling so much as he did. He didn’t know what she did to him. She captured him, took every single part of him, and god was he glad. Even just looking at her made him happy. Hearing her voice was the most relaxing thing he ever felt. He could listen to her ramble on for hours, days, and he would never get tired of it. He would probably have a soft smile on his face the entire time, too.

Harry still gave Y/N those stupid fluttery butterflies and a warm heart. She just wanted to spend all of her time with him, to do nothing and bask in his presence. Sure, she loved going out on little dates with him and such, but there was nothing like doing nothing with him.

Harry was sure he was going to be happy with her for the rest of the life, and Y/N felt the exact same way. Even when they’re all old and wrinkly and can barely walk (or move, old people are weird), they’d probably still be all over each other, pressing kisses all over every inch of skin they could reach.

a/n: short, i know, but i thought we’d start the year off with some loving! inspired by nothing - bruno major :)

🏷: @crow-i-guess, @girlintrauma, @planetflos, @harrycanyonmoonn, @bxtchboy69, @sweet-as-lilacs, @lyricalniall, @venusincleo (couldn’t tag you!), @bxbun111, @tenaciousperfectionunknown, @emispleased, @goldenhrry, @cinnamongirlrry, @manifestrry, @niallhoranshotgf, @sad1esgf, @taylorsreputationsversion, @violetsandfluff, @purplefishingline, @a-strange-familiar, @moonlightbea-33 (couldn’t tag you!), @famedrs-blog, @coochiesteak, @blahblahblah-888 (couldn’t tag you!), @milesisntdonewritingyet, @cherrycoucou18, (couldn’t tag you!), @alexxavicry, @harrysgoth

[laundrybiscuits]

Director's Commentary: what will today's adventure be

Wrote this on the bus even though absolutely nobody asked for or needed it! Posting because why not. It's 1300 words of commentary for a 3100 word story. WHY NOT.

I've had the vague idea of Erica running a MLP game for a while, but seeing her little speech in Hellfire absolutely locked in her potential as a DM for me. I jotted this down in my ST scratchpad a few weeks back:

I desperately want Erica Sinclair running a MLP GURPS game. Dustin and Eddie are 10000% on board and wildly delighted. Mike is a massive dick about it the entire time. Lucas is in agony between acknowledging that it’s a pretty fucking well-designed game and he’s kind of proud of her but also HIS LITTLE SISTER HAS INFILTRATED HIS NERD GROUP WITH HER GIRLY CARTOON PONY SHIT. If Will’s around, he’s a little skeptical but quickly gets into it; it’s not his genre/style, but he can have fun trying something new. It’s ruthless, and clever, and slightly unbalanced because she hasn’t figured out how to calibrate on the fly for dumbass player decisions yet. She’ll get there. She’s got the taste for it now. The campaign ends when the party ends up luring the innocent Sea Ponies into a blood sacrifice to defeat the demon lord through necromancy and take over his dark reign. Steve shows up for the last fifteen minutes to drive the kids home, just in time to hear Erica describe the incredibly gory showdown, and tries to telepathically communicate to Eddie that this is NOT APPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN; Eddie just grins back like hell yeah, baby, you got that right.

Obviously it has changed a bit since that initial thought, but not a huge amount, dynamic-wise. I was somewhat hampered by the fact that I remembered absolutely nothing about my brief stint with GURPS a billion years ago, and also the fact that I have literally never consumed any MLP media whatsoever. No, not even Friendship is Magic, although I was on tumblr during that initial era so I picked up a thing or two via cultural osmosis. To write this ficlet, I ended up spending a very instructive hour or two on YT watching old clips and commercials, and now the G1 theme song is permanently lodged in my brain.

This has more or less been my first time writing Erica, so I tried to put a lot of thought and care into it. In fact, I based her primarily on what my own little sister was like at that age—my sister was a regular player in my D&D games growing up, but she also went on to be a wildly popular homecoming queen, and is a very politically active adult. She's the coolest person I know, and it was an honor to be lovingly bullied by her all throughout our childhoods.

One thing I really hope I get across in this fic is that this Erica is the type to double down when she's uncertain. She's smart and funny enough to get away with it most of the time, and it's actually a big part of what makes me so sure she'll be a great DM; that's definitely a core DM skill, spinning up some off-the-cuff bullshit with the kind of authoritative tone that makes it sound like you've been masterminding this twist for months.

I wanted her to be somewhat uncertain and insecure in this fic, because running a game for the first time, in a (VERY dense) system you've never played before, is kind of a big deal! I've done something similar myself when I wasn't that much older than Erica is in this fic, and you absolutely need nerves of steel to pull it off.

I also wanted her to be fully resolved not to let that uncertainty show, because Erica strikes me as the kind of person who haaaaates being vulnerable. Given her vocab (i.e. probable reading level) and practical inclinations, I think she'd probably deal with it all by over-prepping, which experienced DM Eddie obviously clocks.

She wouldn't have gone to Eddie for advice or help. That's not how she rolls. She'd rather work through the difficult stuff on her own and show up triumphant and already perfect. It's probably something she's going to have to unpack in therapy later in life, but it is also actually a pretty solid DM instinct. Smoke and mirrors, baby.

So anything Erica says can and should be taken with a grain of salt. She's working very hard to have her audience believe she's in charge and absolutely correct about all things. (I also just thought it was pretty funny to include that bit about GURPS being the future of TTRPGs, given the wild ascendancy of DnD and the relatively low profile of GURPS nowadays, but in retrospect I'm not sure that came across.)

By the way: I know it can get confusing when actual kid-acquisition is sort of a trope, but I hope everyone knows that this Eddie's not being serious/literal when he makes the internal comment about adopting Erica! He just loves her a lot and wants to be in her life in a permanent kind of way, and he's a dramatic dork. If he had to pin down a specific extant familial role he literally wanted with Erica, it would probably be "weird gay uncle." The Sinclair fam seems relatively stable/healthy which is a rarity for these kids, but family can always expand, and Eddie is definitely angling to be another part of Erica's familial-type support network. That's just way too awkward and serious a thing to say, hence: joke about adoption.

I actually didn't mean for the Steddie part to come on so strong, but I put them in Steve's house because I thought it'd be funny to have a bit about Dustin casually breaking in to all their houses, and then it became instantly clear when Steve opened the door that the whole setup would be some kind of wild domestic fantasy for him. Like, in his head Eddie is already 100% wifed up. (Not that I think that would be a particularly comfortable dynamic for Eddie, but Steve's allowed to have his little fantasies.)

And then I just wanted to write a little bit about them being really comfortable with each other and being a team, taking care of each other as they deal with the minor inconveniences of everyday life, working together to look out for kids who are their friends but not quite their peers.

I don't think I got too deep into that particular dynamic, but it's one I'm pretty invested in; they're really only a few years older than the kids, but they're also responsible for the kids' care, and it's a very nuanced thing. I've been on both sides of that, and it's an absolutely incredible gift either way. Having friends who are a little further along their paths than you is amazing; having friends who you can provide for and support is amazing. It gives you so much perspective. I don't think of my mentees (for lack of a better word) as anything like my children, and I don't think Steve and Eddie think of the Party that way either. It's a very specific dynamic that I might need to spend more time on in a later fic.

As for the ending...normally I go hard on the pining, as y'all know by now, but this just felt like a very different thing was happening. Also, one time a girl did pull that "talk about what? lol jk come here" thing on me IRL and it was very cute.

Finally, just because I did in fact come up with them, here are the Party names and pony types:

Dustin: Jester the Pegasus Pony

Lucas: Nettle the Pegasus Pony

Mike: Skullcrusher the Earth Pony

Will: Glint the Unicorn

Eddie: Belladonna the Flutter Pony

[ltcolonelcarter]

heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. you know what TIME IT IS

you do also realise I could’ve copy pasted literally any extract from any fic…. (this one is less then 500 words I think)

Last Call - Chapter 2

You were sure you’d ruined things with Connor that day in the alley. The thought was devastating and you’d used it to fuel your anger with your boss, thinking that’s all it was good for; when he came back, to check on you, it broke something deeper in you.

To care is to feel uncomfortable, and you understand that, but seeing Connor care in return despite everything was ruinous. He’d watched, unmoving, android eyes keen and all-seeing, barely speaking except to ask interrogative questions, to offer help, but he didn’t once condemn you. He never reacted to your anger with anything other than sympathy.

The entire encounter leaves you with a sick feeling of regret, a discomfort that comes from knowing you made Connor believe, for however short a time, that you dislike him, when really that couldn’t be further from the truth.

He’s patient with you. Even when you snap, even when you walk away only to return with an earnest apology and a paper-thin excuse about feeling overwhelmed. It’s the truth but you’re still surprised when he believes you every time, a soft I know on his lips, acceptance on his face. It’s alright.

If he keeps saying it like that, you’re going to start believing him.

You make your peace with the fuck up. He’s kind, he’s easy-going and respectful of your boundaries, and a part of you feels like that’s far more than you deserve. With that you decide: you’ll be his friend, you’ll make him laugh, and you’ll live quietly with the consequences of your actions, lying with a smile if necessary.

….i will be back soon with more

SIGH of course you’d pick last call. buckle up, babe. I’ll pour the drinks.

pick 500 words of one of my fanfics and I’ll give you a director’s commentary

This fic sprawled out of literal nowhere: I had a one-sentence premise and half a scene as a basis, and everything snowballed from there. It was interesting to write because it was so vivid.

Also as a fun fact: you’ve managed to pick the section of prose I literally hated throughout the drafting process. I needed a transition moment, a quiet reflection to bridge the gap left by the POV change, but it’s very different to the style I usually use and felt too forced for a long while. I didn’t realise it at first but I suspect there was a little bias on my part there: it’s fairly emotional in tone, and shows reader dwelling in a way that is atypical for her.

I disliked it because it felt v alien to me, to be so caught up in it, but it’s where she really starts to realise how attached she is to Connor and how much she regrets their misunderstanding. Author vs character attachments are… different, hence the literary heebie jeebies.

Now, I like it a lot more. On rereading it made sense, to have reader stuck a little in her head, struggling to be better and honest but wanting to be, showing her owning her fuckups and trying to be a friend first and foremost.

what a fool

You were sure you’d ruined things with Connor that day in the alley. The thought was devastating and you’d used it to fuel your anger with your boss, thinking that’s all it was good for; when he came back, to check on you, it broke something deeper in you.

Looooook at her, stuck in her mistakes! Driven by emotion when she doesn’t show much! Finding awkward and inappropriate places to put her anger! Regretting things!

Also, emotional context. Reader has some kind of life beyond Connor, concerns and interacting events that intersect with and affect her relationships. Remember that thing I said about world building? Yeah, I have a problem. Not stopping tho

To care is to feel uncomfortable, and you understand that, but seeing Connor care in return despite everything was ruinous. He’d watched, unmoving, android eyes keen and all-seeing, barely speaking except to ask interrogative questions, to offer help, but he didn’t once condemn you. He never reacted to your anger with anything other than sympathy.

The entire encounter leaves you with a sick feeling of regret, a discomfort that comes from knowing you made Connor believe, for however short a time, that you dislike him, when really that couldn’t be further from the truth.

look at this idiot, caring all over the place

so I wanted a standoffish character, as seen from Connor’s perspective—a small mystery, nothing extravagant, just a small wonder at who she is. what she’s like when she’s not at work. what kind of person she is. I wanted a tangible tone shift from ch 1 to 2, as well, to show how much she feels even if she isn’t perceived to: we jump from Connor wondering what she thinks to her detailing exactly what she thinks, and I think it gives a very clear lay of the land for the audience to see there is care there, but maybe just two people who aren’t good at emotionally navigating it yet.

He’s patient with you. Even when you snap, even when you walk away only to return with an earnest apology and a paper-thin excuse about feeling overwhelmed. It’s the truth but you’re still surprised when he believes you every time, a soft I know on his lips, acceptance on his face. It’s alright.

If he keeps saying it like that, you’re going to start believing him.

This is supposed to give a sense of time passing, so we’re building to scene transition properly. I wanted this fic to feel like a LONG term build up of friendship based on mutual respect and effort after a rocky period, to show how far they’ve come, and specifically how much reader has tried to be less of a brick wall.

Also, and perhaps more importantly, the subtext here is that Connor can read her better now. She’s a bit more free with expression, a little bit more open. Connor knows she’s trying. They’re both reaching out and feeling the other reach back. it’s just a nice moment, hm?

You make your peace with the fuck up. He’s kind, he’s easy-going and respectful of your boundaries, and a part of you feels like that’s far more than you deserve. With that you decide: you’ll be his friend, you’ll make him laugh, and you’ll live quietly with the consequences of your actions, lying with a smile if necessary.

ah, she’s back; practical and level headed, reader pushes feeling aside, once she’s done dwelling a little, to make sure her mistake doesn’t interfere with what she’s built with Connor. she’s making a false assumption here—they Connor isn’t as attached as she is—but it’s because she’s trying so very hard not to cross a line with him again. she cares, and she’s trying to put him first.

as usual, thank you ✨✨✨ this was a fun fic to write, I looooved the setting and the characters for it, and there’s something very fun about idiots to lovers realising that their silly little feelings are requited but they were just too careful to bring it up to one another.

come back whenever you like babe 😌

[nerdynatreads]

☆☆YouTube | Tumblr | Instagram | Storygraph ☆☆

book review || Ocean’s Echo by Everina Maxwell

video review || ARC Reading Vlog -- Ocean's Echo

A much-anticipated new book and it did not disappoint! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the beginning, I like that we’re dropped into this society and forced to put together pieces as we follow the characters. By the end, I found this was a pretty well-developed world, with a strong sci-fi quality to it, that sometimes made me think of Mass Effect. I really liked that the people of this world were edging into a more evolved group via their telepathy skills. It made me intrigued from the beginning and the relevance of it in the political plots made for some high stakes.

The start of the book felt very focused on establishing our characters. I liked Tennal from the start. He is a rebellious mess, who’s desperate to escape his own mind, but also terrified of any commitment. I could help but liken him to Mariner from Lower Decks. Surit, on the other hand, is pretty gruff and grumbly at the start, but lordy, he’s gotta sweet interior, which we often don’t see from his words or thoughts, it’s in his actions.

It was a ride to see these two get to know one another and slowly develop from fake comrades to friends to something more. There are small moments and actions that showcase their feelings becoming more than platonic. This is so slow-moving and definitely a lot lighter in regard to romance, but still, I loved every little moment between them. I was so taken off guard at how much I’d grown to care about each of them by the end of the book.

Slowly, the underlying politics that run throughout the book began to become a more prominent plot point. At the halfway point now and I both felt like a lot had happened and not a lot had happened, meaning the pacing was pretty odd. However, I was hooked when this started building up the political scheming more and exploring the imbalance of the society and the injustices that the readers were subjected to. This area was where the action really kicked up a notch and the ending? Oh, it was punchy and leaned a lot more into the sci-fi elements that had been hinted at previously.

With a setting in the military, the writing matched by being pretty stiff and formal, with a really proper tone to match, except when the author dives into the telepathy, then it edges into a more flowery, romantic style, that I much preferred.

This is stony sci fi fanfic change my mind

Oh damn, this ending was pretty punchy, DEFINITELY went harder into the fantastical and sci-fi elements that had been hinted at previously. The writing around the final fight was probably the most beautiful of the book and I was pretty close to crying.

The way this story wraps up is satisfying while also not really being the end of this world’s story. There’s definitely more to occur, but it’s a natural ending point for the book.

As for characters, I was so taken off guard by how much I’d come to care about Tennal and Surit by the end. This definitely was a lot slower in regards to their relationship, with much more focus on the main plot, but that didn’t mean I was squealing at these two finally realizing their feelings.

4 / 5 stars

[shippingfangirl013]

hiiii, how are you?💕

for the fic ask: 8-12-27-48-50-76

Hi! I’m good! Just working through writers block and Vet School interviews for the time being! Thank you for asking 💕

8. Post an out of context spoiler from a WIP. So this is from my Modern College AU fic that was kind of inspired by another fic (FOG), my most recent Gilmore Girls re-watch, and Taylor Swift’s Midnights album.

12. Do you outline your fics? If yes, how detailed are the outlines? How far do you stray from them?

So, it depends on the fic. Usually I’ll have an idea that I want to write about, sometimes song lyrics help me out, other times, it’s more so history inspired, and even then I might end up with some works that are mildly canon divergent depending on what I want to write about. Then, I end up outlining. So far, two of my longer chaptered fics have outlines of where I want them to go, one is canon compliant, the other is the college fic I mentioned. They’re pretty detailed in terms of how I want some scenes to play out, but if I have to change it and kind of Frankenstein the outline to get to a reading flow that makes more sense, I’m not afraid to do that. The scenes I tend to have in depth in the outline are the angst scenes, where there’s arguing, fighting, injuries, sad experiences (like crying scenes), and near death experiences. I tend to keep in line with the outlines, unless I think of something that I like for the plot better. One of my fanfics that I wrote in 2016 had a major character death, and I’ve decided that I don’t always enjoy writing those. I have a few newer ones with character death, but as of right now, they’re only the historical based fics.

27. What area of writing do you feel strongest in?

Description of a background setting for sure, but I feel pretty confident with dialogue and internal struggles that the characters are having, too. Sometimes I feel like my writing isn’t great, and that occasionally stops me from publishing fics, but I might start having beta readers for a few fics that I’m working on.

48. Who is your favorite character to write for? How has this changed since you’ve started writing for that fandom?

Will Byers hands down. I love writing from Will’s perspective, because there’s such a range to his character that we see on screen, but I want someone to allow him to actually get angry for once. He’s good at hiding his true emotions at times, and it’s fun for me to try and work different angles from his perspective. He doesn’t think he’s the heart of the party, but Will is the person that keeps the Party together and united. Mike is also the hearts, but in the sense that he’s able to inspire others (when he’s not plagiarizing others speeches.) I think I enjoy writing from Will’s perspective so much, because I feel like my personality is similar to his character in a lot of ways. Will is always going to do the selfless thing even when he wants to be selfish. I’m also similar to Mike and Nancy, and I think, being able to see why they might react the way that they are throughout the seasons, and trying to better understand them as characters, has definitely helped me in my writing.

50. How would you describe your writing style?

Aside from very ADHD —> if I don’t set deadlines I don’t get it done…? Umm…

I tend to write fics in a more informal manner, but if its one of my original books, there’s more of a formal tone about it. I’m just glad I don’t have to write fanfics in Chicago style or the way we write (and cite) biology papers.

76. How do you deal with writing pressure, whether internal or external?

When I’m told to write for an assignment or a project, I will 100% procrastinate almost up until the last minute. It’s bad. Sometimes, I’ll make an outline, and gather quotes that I want to use, so I’m a little more prepared. But if there is external pressure or deadlines for me to submit something, it sometimes kicks in 2 days before the assignment or draft is due, and then I write the best paper I’ve ever written. I wrote a solid 10 pages of a History term paper off of a rough outline and a compilation of quotes that backed my argument. 4 hours later, I had 10 pages on Medieval Queens and how they contributed to warfare during the Crusader era. Basically if I’m asked to write, I’ll do it, but it can be a bit tricky to get commit to getting it done.

As for internal pressure, if I’m feeling upset or there’s something I need to get off of my chest, it usually comes up in a vent fic. I kind of write when I want to between school and work.

Thank you so much for the ask @rebellius! I was so excited when I saw that I had one! 💛

[chorusfm]

Hovvdy – Hovvdy

If I was in Hovvdy, I would be very tired of the word “nostalgia” by now. It’s been mentioned in countless write-ups and reviews (this one now included), singling out the band’s biggest strength — down-to-earth earnestness and relatability — and occasionally spinning it as something manufactured. Any detractors of the band are unlikely to change their minds about Hovvdy’s new self-titled double album, although fans will no doubt be pleased that the band continues to retain their carefree and approachable image, likely because it serves as such a complement to their songwriting. Even more than 2021’s True Love, Hovvdy fulfills the goal of most self-titled records, as well as the goal of many records this far into a band’s career; it is kaleidoscopic while remaining cohesive, a defining work by an artist in their prime that captures nearly every sound the band has explored over their first decade of existence. In my recent interview with the band (likely to be published next week), songwriter Charlie Martin mentioned revisiting the sound of their sophomore slowcore effort, Cranberry, and it’s easy to hear how that has informed Hovvdy’s overall style and tempo. But even between upbeat singles boasting delicate piano interludes and familiar tones (“Bubba,” “Jean,” “Forever”), a track like “Shell” harkens even further back to the band’s debut, Taster. And in between throwbacks to their past iterations? Hovvdy fills this largely subdued collection with quiet, introspective moments inspired by songwriters like Bruce Springsteen, Randy Newman, and Jeff Tweedy. Two of these moments come in the form of highlights “Heartstring” and “Til I Let You Know,” both of which make you feel like you are in the room with songwriter Will Taylor; in the former, he questions his past decisions, before landing on a slightly humorous (albeit frustrated) refrain of “That’s why I run my mouth around like that/’Cause I know what you know.” Much of the album’s raw production, largely focused on live takes and helmed by the band along with frequent collaborators Andrew Sarlo (Big Thief, Bon Iver) and bassist and multi-instrumentalist Bennett Littlejohn, hints at a newfound darkness; songs seem to reference death and isolation while always retaining a glimmer of hope. Still, Hovvdy mitigates the effects of what could be overwhelming sparseness with songs like “Meant” and “Make Ya Proud,” the latter’s boisterous drums and deep piano chords helping the band to sound as full as ever. Miraculously, Hovvdy manages to avoid the pitfalls of so many double albums before it, hardly featuring anything resembling a dud and simply providing fans with more of what they love about the band’s songwriting. Many of the album’s tracks sit right around, if not under, three minutes, encouraging listeners to revisit their favorite moments as opposed to giving them too much to chew on throughout a 50-plus minute runtime. Of course, it helps that the album is paced with precision, offering two more energetic highs in the album’s second half. Both “Every Exchange” and “Bad News” find the band operating in their most interesting and comfortable space, operating a playful combination of organic instrumentations, electronic drums, and processed vocals. After a double album bursting at the seams with some of the band’s most personal material, Hovvdy still manages to close their self-titled album with one of their best songs to date; the twinkling, slide-assisted “A Little” feels like the closest thing to a standard that the band has ever written. Still, it’s lyrical moments in songs like “Jean” (“I’m at your exit, five blocks to your house/You got a cousin says he can help me out”) and “Angel” (“Let’s take the long way, we could use the extra mile/I could do a little dance, do anything to make you smile”) that truly boil down the essence of Hovvdy, offering unique turns of phrase that can simultaneously feel completely silly and shockingly honest in their simple presentation. At the end of the day, Hovvdy are talented and… https://chorus.fm/reviews/hovvdy-hovvdy/

[medacarpyl]

I dont know if this has been asked before but what are your favorite vns?

*cackling evily* Anon, you just gave me an opportunity to proselytize. This is going under a cut. Also, please do keep in mind: I've been playing visual novels for close to two decades now, you're getting a handful of favorite VNs with justifications as to why they're some of my favorites lol

So, to start: SubaHibi is one of my favorite VNs ever. If you couldn't tell this by looking at my profile, I don't know what to tell you. I could wax poetic about it for ages, but long story short, I loved the writing style and how well it managed to set the tone and mood, and set the tension, and manage to keep that tension up (or dispell it, as the scene needed). It's one of the few VNs that's made me cry at multiple points throughout the VN. There's only a few

I'm also just a denpa fan in general? So I really loved Sayonara o Oshiete as well. I like stories that deal a lot with the cycle of abuse and trauma, and I think much like SubaHibi, it managed to set a good tone and tension. The visual art for it is absolutely stunning, even two decades later, and it has an almost timeless quality to the beauty. Also, the music was amazing. Don't get me wrong, I think the ending could have been better, but I disagree heavily with the people who think it brought SayoOshi down completely. I personally saw it coming from a mile away, and while I find the "omg protag was insane ALL ALONG" trope to be tiring as both a system and a delusion-haver, I think if there's enough foreshadowing and justification in canon, it can be pulled off at least semi-decently, and that is my cross to bear. I think SayoOshi pulled it off!

Hatoful Boyfriend and Holiday Star are two of the best visual novels I have ever played. No spoilers, because I feel the first game works better if you don't know the twist, but please play Hatoful Boyfriend, including the True route. This is not irony, or joking, or exaggeration, not even a little bit. Please, god, just play it.

I played Saya No Uta when I was far too young to be playing it, somewhere around middle school. I shouldn't have been playing it then, however, it heavily shaped my tastes in VNs. It does a wonderful job at giving an absolutely unsettling atmosphere, and it's absolutely grotesque yet deeply gorgeous, especially in some of the descriptions. The OST remains one of my favorites, as well. It isn't quite denpa, but it absolutely helped introduce me to denpa as a genre. Also, I played it pretty soon after a traumatic car accident, which probably didn't hurt.

I played Sweet Pool for the first time around the same time I played Saya No Uta, and a lot of what I said about Saya No Uta applies to Sweet Pool as well. VLG is still one of my favorite VN songs ever lol

Look, man, I know I shouldn't have gotten deeply into guro in middle school, but... My first visual novel I played with intent to play a visual novel was Absolute Obedience at around age 10, which is how I learned to change locale, download an untranslated visual novel, download a patch, and troubleshoot the game itself, because my parents were divorcing and I had a complicated relationship with gender and didn't know what to do about it other than look at boys kissing. At a certain point, you should just expect that I would get into edgier VNs, y'know? Anyways, this was a tangent, but despite being aggressively mid, I do have a soft spot for Absolute Obedience. I wouldn't recommend playing it, but... I guess it does remain one of my favorites?

Last, but not least, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. It was my gateway into visual novels, and the first game I ever played without needing a walkthrough. It still remains one of the best satires of the justice system, and even after two decades, I think it still holds up quite well! Regardless of what VNDB says, I believe it is a visual novel, even if it doesn't fit their narrow definitions of what counts. I mean, come on, they have HOMESTUCK listed as a visual novel, why do they need a disclaimer for Phoenix Wright? Anyways, side tangent over!

Looking through this, I'm starting to suspect my favorite visual novels say something about me as a person. I'm going to choose to ignore that!

[existentialmagazine]

Review: TAVVI’s new bright indie offering ‘Complicated’ layers in a pained narrative of heartbreak, feeling catchy but sincere

Starting to make music from his family home just last year, the Eastbourne based musician TAVVI finds his musical spark always starts best in the familiarity of his house before cleaning things up in a studio. Influenced by Lauv, Khalid and Quinn XCII, TAVVI’s bright indie sound is one known to the masses but still distinctly his own and his addictive flair shines through his latest offering ‘Complicated’, setting a new standard for his style and sound.

Led in by floaty beats and synth-soaked keyboard keys, ‘Complicated’ immediately flows into an upbeat tempo for the opening verse that you can’t help but get whisked away in, lost to the atmospheric highs of the sounds. Deeper beats switch things up for the first choruses introduction, adding a funkier intermission whilst falling into more of a bold styling that’s picked up by emphatic little electric guitar bursts, all-together simple but perfectly conveying both the catchiness of sound and heaviness of the message behind it. Despite the song’s constant cheery outlook, TAVVI’s vocals add a more emotional edge to every pulsating instrumental, capturing a saddened edge in his tone that you can’t help but ache along with in how every word so clearly seeps with an emptiness behind it. The bridge builds-up with each instrumental rising and tensely leaving you awaiting their peak, creating a moment of heightened emotion before one final chorus sees things out. Bearing a completely contrasting feel throughout, it’s hard to decide whether to dance or cry along to ‘Complicated’ and that’s what makes it so special, as TAVVI so effortlessly interweaves the two stylings so whatever you’re feeling, you can get in the mood for.

Penned straight from the heart, TAVVI found himself writing ‘Complicated’ amidst the lows of the same situation its lyrics drew inspiration from, expressing the difficulties that come with the ending of a relationship but finding yourself still deeply caring for them and having difficulty letting go of all the ways they changed your life. As he looks to progress forward but still finds his memories lingering, lines like ‘it’s not easy when you move on, ‘cause everything we’ve done, it never mattered’ encapsulate the woes of heartbreak, almost regretting the time spent that’s gone to waste and finding trouble in watching them from afar doing better. Still wanting the best for his ex partner while every word shows he’s evidently hurting, TAVVI sings ‘you moved on, I’m happy to hear… I know you’re leaving me behind, it’s complicated but I’m fine’ expressing the double-sided feelings at play all throughout, yearning for their happiness while still tinged in a heartache that they’re no longer a part of his life. Hinting towards his own struggles too, lyrics like ‘no one would like who I’ve become’ also offer a self-awareness of TAVVI’s own mental health issues, determined to be better and pull himself out of the rut he’s been feeling stuck in. As the title expresses best, ‘Complicated’ is very much a narrative and experience that has and always will be overtly complicated, with TAVVI wonderfully interweaving the conflicting emotions that fight between one another all throughout a period of such an immeasurable low.

Check out ‘Complicated’ for yourself here to unpack the sweet but saddened lyrical message and bouncy indie sound TAVVI has interwoven so beautifully!

Written by: Tatiana Whybrow

Photo Credits: Unknown

// This coverage was created via Musosoup, #SustainableCurator.

[whatsvivireading]

🧡🖤A Court of Silver Flames Review 🖤🧡

3.75/5🧡

I finally picked up A Court of Silver Flames because I've Kind of been on a Sarah J Maas binge recently, I’m just so obsessed with the worlds she builds, and also because I’ve been SO scared of accidentally stumbling upon spoilers online. I would be sad to have finally caught up on the ACOTAR series, but I have SO many more Sarah J Maas books to read!

This book is primarily about Nesta’s healing journey, and is supposed to be an emotional, character driven story. It’s a lot of training and learning how to deal with difficult emotions, and coping. I’m not sure what others would call it, but it gave me montage vibes. Along the way Nesta does learn to trust people and let her family in, but she also makes new friends, her own found family that she never really experienced before. In the background of this emotional journey, the immortal queen is stirring up trouble, and they need Nesta’s help to take her down.

Nesta is primarily the main character, but it is Cassian who is tasked with training her and monitoring her progress. Nesta has been at rock bottom for some time now, and she isn’t willing to let anyone help her. And Cassian has this need to help people who are hurting, so the pair works together perfectly. Well not really, because Nesta is fighting him basically the entire book, and he just wants to see her try again. But it makes for amazing sexual tension, and when things heat up…oh damn do they get extremely steamy. Nesta faces major (and much needed) character development which absolutely wouldn’t have happened without her family's involvement and Cassian's stubborn determination.

Coming to terms with every aspect of yourself, even the dark parts, and being able to forgive yourself, and finding the people who accept you are two major themes that show up throughout the novel. My favorite part of this book really highlights being able to forgive yourself.

Page 506:

“All the things I’ve done before—”

“Leave them in the past. Apologize to who you feel the need to, but leave those things behind.”

“Forgiveness is not that easy.”

“Forgiveness is something we also grant ourselves. And I can talk to you until these mountains crumble around us, but if you don’t wish to be forgiven, if you don’t want to stop feeling this way … it won’t happen.”

This part…really hit me hard. Something I’ve struggled with for a very long time has been letting go of the past and forgiving myself. It’s still hard to forgive myself, to find myself being worthy of forgiveness, but I will never move forward if I only hang onto the past. It was also probably from about this point where I stopped finding Nesta as annoying as I did in the beginning and started to understand why she’s like this.

I have always loved Sarah J Maas’ writing style. The way she crafts her world, the scenes that turn into a movie in my head, she never fails to completely whisk me away from reality and this book is no different. The tone she uses perfectly fits the disparity and uncertainty Nests feels in the beginning of the book, and changes very slowly to hopeful, strong, and willing. It is beautiful to see, and her writing style definitely is the reason I was able to finish this book so quickly! I devour all of her books in days though!!

So, what are my thoughts on this book?

I could not stand Nesta for the first 70% of the book or so. It bothered me so much that she was in such a mindset where she really truly believed no one else would ever understand what had happened to her, when she was surrounded by Fae who are hundreds of years old, her sister who was thrown in the cauldron with her, and her youngest sister who started hunting when she was 14 to keep them alive. I know how deep this book goes into her grief and I loved reading her journey, but Nests was insufferable for the majority of the book. In the end I like her more than I did in any other book, but I still don’t love her. I also think Cassian is way too good for her, but she also thinks that so I’m not really going to touch more on that. I should also mention here, I was an only child, and I have seen a lot of people mention “big sister trauma” hitting different, so maybe I’m just more disconnected from Nesta as a character. Her trauma is valid even if I can’t understand it completely, but that doesn’t forgive her for intentionally hurt those around her over and over again.

[aimlay7research]

How to Write an Academic Journal? 

An academic journal is a publication that focuses on scholarly research and is typically peer-reviewed, meaning that articles are evaluated by experts in the field before being published. These journals cover a wide range of subjects and are an important source of information for researchers, scholars, and students. 

What is a Journal? 

An Academic Journal is a publication that focuses on scholarly research and is typically peer-reviewed, meaning that articles are evaluated by experts in the field before being published. These journals cover a wide range of subjects and are an important source of information for researchers, scholars, and students. 

How to Write a Journal? 

When you start writing your journal, it is important to keep in mind that you are writing for yourself. You want to write in a friendly tone and use simple language. 

Use a simple language: You will find that some journals have complicated sentences with multiple clauses or even entire paragraphs that are difficult to understand; however, this can make your message less clear and efficient. Instead of using complicated words or phrases, try using simpler ones if possible (e.g., “I felt sad when my friend left me” instead of “my friend left me sad”). 

Use clear style: It is also important not only how much effort you put into describing something but also how well it was done! If there were any issues with clarity, then they should be addressed immediately so everything flows smoothly throughout the rest of the piece without any confusion whatsoever. * 

Follow the rules: An academic journal writing requires a specific set of rules that you must follow, if not then it could result in your paper being rejected. These are usually listed at the end of each journal issue, or they can be found online via their website. Make sure that you read these carefully and understand what they mean so there will be no confusion when writing your paper. 

Edit thoroughly: After completing the first draft of your article, go through it again to make sure all grammar mistakes have been corrected and any changes needed have been made. 

Why Write in a Journal? 

You might be asking yourself, "Why should I write in a journal?" Well, there are plenty of reasons. 

Journal writing is a great way to express yourself and share your thoughts with the world. It can help you improve your skills as an artist or writer and reflect on your life experiences. 

Journaling also helps improve relationships with others—especially if you're going through some tough times in life (and who isn't?). When we talk about journaling as part of self-care, this is what we mean: taking time out from work/school/soccer practice/etc., so that we may get into our heads and think things over deeply enough to understand why they happened; where they came from; why they seem important now but didn't seem so important then; etcetera! 

Writing an academic journal can be beneficial to the writer himself as he grasps the credit and the authorship of a specific journal. It is a big achievement if someone is appointed in the education sector.  

The Benefits of Writing an Academic Journal: 

Writing an academic journal article can offer a wide range of benefits, both personally and professionally. Some of the key benefits include: 

Contribution to the field: Publishing an academic journal article allows you to contribute to the existing knowledge base in your field. By sharing your research and findings, you can help other researchers and scholars to build upon your work and advance the field. 

Recognition and visibility: Publishing in a reputable academic journal can help you gain recognition and visibility within your field. It can also lead to new opportunities for collaboration, speaking engagements, and grants. 

Career advancement: Publishing in academic journals can be an important factor in career advancement for academics and researchers. It demonstrates your ability to conduct high-quality research and communicate your findings effectively. 

Intellectual growth: Writing an academic journal article requires extensive research and critical thinking. This process can help you deepen your understanding of your topic and develop your analytical and writing skills. 

Credibility and authority: Publishing in an academic journal adds to your credibility and authority in your field. It demonstrates that your work has been rigorously reviewed and accepted by peers, which can increase the impact and influence of your research. 

Personal fulfillment: Writing and publishing an academic journal article can be personally fulfilling, as it allows you to share your ideas and contribute to the scholarly conversation in your field. 

Overall, writing an academic journal article can be a valuable and rewarding experience, both for your personal and professional growth, as well as for the advancement of your field 

Brief about Journal Writing? Is it Difficult? 

An academic journal is a peer-reviewed publication that contains articles written by scholars and researchers in various academic fields. The articles typically present original research, review existing literature, or provide critical analysis of a topic related to the field. Academic journals can be discipline-specific, such as a journal of psychology or physics, or they can be interdisciplinary, covering a range of topics. 

Writing an academic journal article can be challenging, but with careful planning and preparation, it is an achievable goal. The process involves extensive research, critical analysis of the literature, and clear and concise writing. It is important to adhere to the journal's guidelines and style requirements, as well as to ensure that the research is of high quality and rigor. It is also important to submit the article to appropriate journals that are a good fit for the topic and scope of the research. 

Submitting an article to an academic journal also involves a peer review process, where experts in your field review your work and provide feedback on its quality and suitability for publication. This process can be time-consuming and challenging, but it is also an important part of ensuring the quality and validity of the research that is published in academic journals. 

Lastly, A Journal can help you reflect and improve your skills. 

Yes, writing an academic journal article can help you reflect on and improve your skills in several ways. For one, it requires you to conduct thorough research on your topic, which can help you build your knowledge and expertise in your field. It also requires critical thinking and analysis, as you need to evaluate and interpret your findings in a rigorous and systematic way. 

Writing an academic journal article also requires strong writing skills, including the ability to organize your ideas, communicate them clearly and concisely, and adhere to the conventions of academic writing. The process of writing and revising your article can help you hone these skills and develop your ability to express yourself effectively in writing. 

In addition, the peer review process that is typically involved in publishing an academic journal article can provide valuable feedback on your work, helping you to identify areas for improvement and refine your research and writing skills. 

Overall, writing an academic journal article can be a valuable opportunity to reflect on and improve your skills, as well as to contribute to your field and advance your academic and professional goals. In conclusion, academic journals are a vital part of the scholarly world, serving as a platform for researchers to share their findings and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in their field.  

Writing an academic journal article can be a challenging but rewarding experience, providing opportunities for personal and professional growth, as well as recognition and visibility within the academic community. 

The process of writing an academic journal article involves extensive research, critical thinking, and clear and concise writing. It requires a commitment to adhering to the standards and guidelines of the journal, as well as a willingness to undergo the peer review process. 

Source URL : HOW TO WRITE AN ACADEMIC JOURNAL?

[soulgreys]

Nathaniel rateliff backup singers

#Nathaniel rateliff backup singers code

This bit from Paste Magazine’s ‘10 Reasons Hamilton Dominated 2015 and Will Own 2016, Too’ doesn’t sum it up perfectly, I don’t know what would:įamously, composer/actor Lin-Manuel Miranda (who wrote the music and lyrics for In The Heights, which ran on Broadway from 2008–11) was on a beach vacation nearly a decade ago, read Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography of Hamilton, and was shocked that no one had yet turned it into a hip-hop Broadway musical. It’s not that I wasn’t at least tangetially aware of the musical’s existence, I just never thought about it at the right time to check into a recording. I have a predilection for musicals, particularly those constructed around a modern musical style, so the surprise here is not that I like Hamilton, but rather that it took six months after its release for me to realize the recording was out there. Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording) ‘Joy Rides’ is a great lead-off track, ‘Monument’ is a steady hit, and I love ‘Vitals’, ‘Used To’, and ‘Best of Intentions’.

#Nathaniel rateliff backup singers code

I spend about 25–30% of my time at work writing code and this album sets a great tone for that work. Does this mean I’m totally new to Mutemath’s music? Of course not, it just means I’ve never binged on it like I have the last couple of weeks. Vitals is the first MUTEMATH album that’s ever found its way into my library (thank you, Apple Music). Vitals by MUTEMATHĪccording to Wikipedia, Mutemath have been making music together since 2003. The ACL performance linked above and this Tiny Desk Concert performance should be plenty to help you decide if your in the mood for some Night Sweats. As they often do, NPR Music has you covered for a great raw introduction to an artist. That’s quite a lead in – and I’m not saying Nathaniel Rateliff is in that company, but good lawd that boy can sing. In her glory years, Aretha Franklin musically conversed with her family of backup singers, the Sweet Inspirations Otis Redding upped his own unbeatable energy in dialogue with the Memphis Horns. One of the central musical relationships in soul music is between a band’s lead shouter and the other voices supporting her or him. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats (self-titled)Īnn Powers, where are you taking me right now? The album starts out in hyperactive, but the pace slows a bit once it hits ‘A Change of Heart’ without becoming a complete drag a shift that appeals to me but be forewarned if that’s not really your thing. The genuinely accomplished If I Believe You finds Healy’s loneliness climaxing in an understated sax solo. People listen across genres, argues Healy, so his band ought to deliver that breadth.Ĭonsequently, I Like It When You Sleep tries to do it all – not just brash 80s funk and pop-house chant-alongs (The Sound, a withering look at a relationship), but shoegazey dream-pop (Lostmyhead), mawkish piano ballads (Nana, about Healy’s departed grandmother and the nonexistence of God) and gospel-tinged slow jams. With his mop of Michael Hutchence hair, his semi-ironic leather trousers and slight air of Johnny Borrell, singer Matt Healy makes no apologies for the band’s prettiness, their pop ambitions, their self-aware derivations, or the sheer variety of the 1975’s latest output. Kitty Empire, writing for The Guardian, sums it up pretty well: It wasn’t quite what I expected, but I was immediately struck by the Eighties nostalgia that flows throughout the entire album (much in the same way as Haim’s Days Are Gone and the recent CHVRCHES release, Every Open Eye). On a whim, I decided to spin it up one day at work and I was actually quite pleasantly surprised. I wasn’t particularly anxious about the release of this album, only vaguely connecting The 1975 in my foggy memory with one of their breakout hits, ‘Chocolate’, from a couple of years ago. Anyway, I spend a fair amount of time in Apple Music and there was a lot of hype surrounding the release of this album within the app, primarily because there was an exclusive live concert streaming on Apple Music. I’m going to go all When the Dawn … on them and just call it I like it … from here on out if you don’t mind. I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it by The 1975 Here it is, my co-opted reviews of: the new album from The 1975, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Vitals by MUTEMATH, and Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording). Rather than try to spit out a thousand rambling words about the four albums that I’m currently obsessing over, I thought I might go all linked list on you and just pull out a blurb from my favorite review on each album.

[masterplank36]

How to Choose the Perfect Dining Table and Bench Set

When it comes to choosing the perfect dining table and bench set, there are a few things to consider. First, you need to decide on the size of the table. Then, you need to determine the style of the set. Finally, you need to decide on the material.

What to consider when choosing a dining table and bench set

When choosing a dining table bench set, there are a few things to consider. The first is size. Make sure to measure the space where the set will go and choose a size that will fit comfortably. Another thing to consider is style. There are many different styles to choose from, so pick one that will match the rest of your decor. And finally, consider price. Dining table and bench sets can vary in price, so pick one that fits your budget.

2. Size

There are all sorts of different sizes in the world. Some people are small, and some people are large. Some things are small, and some things are large. But what is the right size?

There is no right size. The right size is the size that is right for you. If you are small, then small things are the right size for you. If you are large, then large things are the right size for you.

It is important to be comfortable with the size you are. If you are small, don't try to be large. And if you are large, don't try to be small. Be comfortable with the size you are, and be happy with the size you are.

3. Shape

There are many shapes in the world. Square, circle, triangle, and many more. Each shape has its own unique properties and can be used in different ways.

A square is a four-sided shape with right angles. It is often used to create a solid, stable base. A circle is a two-dimensional shape with no corners. It is often used to create a smooth, round surface. A triangle is a three-sided shape with corners. It is often used to create a pointy surface.

Each shape has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is important to know how to use each shape in order to create the best results.

4. Style

Styles are important in writing because they help to create a voice and tone for the author. A style can be simple or complex, but it should be consistent throughout the piece. There are a few considerations to make when choosing a style for your writing.

First, think about your audience. What type of language will they be comfortable with? If you are writing for a scholarly journal, you will likely want to use more complex language than if you are writing a blog post for a general audience.

Second, consider your topic. If you are writing about a serious subject, you may want to use a more formal style. If you are writing about a light-hearted subject, you may want to use a more casual style.

Finally, be consistent with your style throughout the piece. Choose one style and stick with it. Changing styles can be confusing for the reader.

5. Material

I sit on the cold, hard ground and scavenge through the pile of materials. This is the best I can do. I have to make something of this. I have to make something to keep myself warm, to keep myself alive.

I select a few pieces of wood, some cloth, and a few nails. I get to work.

It's not much, but it's something. I can make a small fire with the wood, I can make a simple cloak with the cloth, and I can make a shelter with the nails.

This is my life now. This is all I have. But it's better than nothing.

6. Price

The price of a product or service can be a difficult thing to determine. It is important to find the right balance between being too expensive and losing potential customers, and being too cheap and not making enough money. There are a few different things to consider when setting prices.

One factor is the costs of producing and selling the product. You need to make sure you are covering your costs and making a profit. You may also want to consider how much your competitors are charging for similar products.

Another factor is customer demand. If there is a lot of demand for your product, you can charge more than if there is less demand. You also need to take into account what people are willing to pay.

Finally, you need to think about what your goals are. If you want to make a lot of money, you can charge more for your product. If you want to attract more customers, you may want to charge less.

There is no one answer for what the right price is. It can vary depending on the product and the circumstances. It is important to experiment and find what works best for your business.

With so many options available, it can be hard to decide which set is right for you. But by following these simple guidelines, you can find the perfect set for your needs. Buy Dining Table Sets Bench from Masterplank.

[screamingwormsasplayedbypasta]

everyday i roll up to my awakening, read my silly little gay fanfic, talk to my friends, usually eat something and then let the sheer longing to be a part of the type of love found in star trek tos take over my existence until it is time to sleep.

like. there's the obvious K/S right? the longing looks, the understanding, the fact that Kirk touches Spock so openly and Spock Lets Him even reaching back. the idea that they are so wrapped in each other kills me. they are T'hy'la, they are lovers, friends, partners. in every universe it will always be them.

but there's also the others, the quiet friendship between Spock and Uhura (in tos it's much more subtle then aos but there are Scenes of them just. goofing around, Uhura sings and Spock plays his lyre, they complement each other and fill the little pockets of each others lives with quiet loving companionship.) in a lot of ways they are a mirror to Kirk and Bones.

Speaking of:

Kirk and Bones are rough and honest and endless loyal, they've built each other up and have changed each other, handprints litter their skin and bones (ha) from years of touch and friendship, both have seen the other at their worst and best, in so many scenes Bones pokes fun and banters but when it's serious, when they all truly might die, when Kirk might die. you can see the humility and love written across both their features, worn and comfortable as an old cotton shirt.

Spock and Bones are different, they gripe and bicker and insult each other with enough malice where someone who was a little bit unaware might try to bring it to the Captain's attention. but Spock doesn't take Bones' insults like Jim does, he doesn't take "i don't know why im on this metal tincan with you lot" and respond with "because you love me" Spock fights back, a quip or statistic always up his sleeve (even if im p sure he's lying out of his ass most times) and you can see Bones thrive on it. thrive on having someone be just as bitchy as he is, you can see the respect forming in the set of his shoulder and the stance of his feet. and he fights back with everything he can. and for Spock, there is very few times he lets himself (really lets himself) be as emotional as he is when he bickers with Bones. there is no logic in fighting back, no logic in insulting Bones at any given chance (on and off duty) but Bones gives him a space to be illogical and emotional and petty. Bones and Spock fill a role in each others lives that i honestly don't think anyone else could and they Love each other goddmanit, when Spock is hurt Bones takes care of him with the same ferocity that he otherwise only does with Jim, and Spock goes to great lengths just to be there with him. they love each other guys. they fuckin love each other.

and that's not even TALKING about the others!! Sulu and Chekov bantering and pulling pranks, quietly making fun, and damnit they work well together too, you can see the way they move together, K/S? they have a literal mental bond, Sulu and Chekov? they're just Like That. Scotty and the Enterprise (yes im doing them too) while different, it's still teeming with love. the love of your work and the love of your creation, building and healing (because it is healing isn't it? you never look at Scotty repairing the Enterprise and think "yep. just a guy putting together some metal" it's healing. fucking fight me on this i don't care) and honestly? i think the Enterprise loves him back, as she does the rest of the crew. she hears their footsteps and quiet warm touches. she hears the private conversations and offers help where she can

"give me a sign," whispers Rand. "if I shouldn't do this...tell me now." Janice is shaking, crying, the Enterprise doesn't know what it is. doesn't know if a sign is a good thing. everyone is always moving, talking so she doesn't know what started this but- she shifts, puts her energy to the com in Janice's room. it buzzes to life and Janice laughs, broken. the Enterprise doesn't know if she's helped, doesn't know how to make it better. she tries again.

"Janice- I love - you." spirts the machine. different voices stolen from audio files on the device. and Janice finally smiles.