#the way it does indeed blend into the side of the mountain and NO ONE KNOWS

[rosedere]

Our Spring Secret

Jade Leech x Reader x Azul Ashengrotto (Modern/Office AU)

Summary: You find yourself as the new acting CEO’s Friend with benefit— but little does he know about your secret involving Azul.

MDNI 18+

General cw: Yandere content, NSFW, non con, Kidnapping, drugging, pregnancy (reader), love triangles, Suicid3 attempt.

Sequel to Murder Mountain. (Can read separately though)

Pt. I, Pt II (you are here), Pt.lll, Pt.l, Pt.IV, Pt.V,Pt.VI,Pt.VII,Pt. VIII,Pt.XI, Pt.X, Pt.XI

You don't know my brain the way you know my name, You don't know my heart the way you know my face, You don't know what I've done, I'm wanted and on the run. I'm wanted and on the run. So I'm taking this moment to live in the future

-

Lately, your days have began to feel like they all blended in together.

You used to work almost every day until Jade decided to have your hours reduced because of your “stomach issues”, now only going in every three days out of the business week, and when you were at work most of the time you were completely bound to your desk doing paperwork the minimum.

Assuming Jade decided to let you off on a certain day, you couldnt even go home without an immediate call to your phone from Jade asking for some “private time” with you at his penthouse.

Completely at his mercy you gave up going back to your small studio apartment deciding to let a friend take over your lease while you stayed with Jade. It made sense in the long term anyway since you wanted your bloom to have a more spacious place to live than a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment in the bustling part of the city.

The day when you had told Jade your plans to simply move in with him was the day he began to practically bend to you. Massaging your feet after work, driving you anywhere you desired, occasionally cooking for you when you’d be utterly exhausted.

He truly was sticking to his promise of treating you like a princess during the little arrangement you both had going on.

All you had to do was just please him and hope he didn’t tell Azul you tried to kill him.

Which is where you currently were while Jade and Floyd were at work; turning the electric stove on while you scurried the spotless kitchen for pots and pans to begin their dinner for this evening.

Anything to get brownie points with Jade.

Grabbing the ingredients to make Floyd’s dinner, you opened the fridge to get eggs and butter to fry the Takoyaki balls sitting on the cutting board patiently waiting to be thrown into a circular pan.

Reaching for the top shelf where the egg carton was in the cold French door fridge, a tiny flutter in your flank area tickled you.

Lightly tapping the top of your abdomen before you kept on searching for the butter.

Only this time when the flutter came back again tickling your flank once more, accompanying the feeling this time with an angry punchy kick inside the thin skin of your abdomen.

“I know—you don’t have to remind me twice,” you let out a frustrated huff patting the top of your abdomen wall where you knew they were curled up against.

Putting the eggs and butter to the side. Your priorities shift from Floyd’s dinner to your sassy little one, who was giving you a daily “shovel as much of whatever it was craving for the day into you before feeding anyone else” reminder.

Recently, your body changed: your stomach rounding slightly like an oval and the hard texture around your stretched skin creating small stretch marks around your naval. It hadn’t pertruded yet; your breasts had also started to get well… swollen, heavy and discolored from what your doctor said was just your body beginning to recognize your small bean beginning to grow.

It was official: your body was finally showing signs that you were indeed pregnant.

But this unfortunate change meant if you were noticing these changes to your body: so was everyone else.

Occasionally when Jade wasnt home you’d allow your belly to breathe getting compliments from other women way older than you about how cute your bump looked.

You assumed you did a good job hiding your pregnancy, Jade never really commented on your appearance changing, but you weren’t sure if he didn’t because he didn’t want you to feel self-conscious, or if he was genuinely clueless.

The changes harder to hide as well since Jade was eager for any kind of intimacy when Floyd would leave you both alone for the night.

Almost being caught when Jade wanted to lay you on your stomach for a change of pace instead of having you always riding him. It just was beginning to make you paranoid when he would finally bring it up to you about your stomach.

But you had to create the illusion of being obedient to Jade.

Slipping your once-broken mask onto yourself again.

You had to admit that after Azul had ripped your mask off the first time by turning the situation in his favor, you were angered but felt equalized by him being knocked down a few pegs by your doing.

But you still had a burning hatred for him. Sometimes waking up remembering the horrible morning in broken pieces.

Always knowing what was about to occur, but being powerless to scream or deviate from the script your tired mind made you reenact every night.

It’s partially why you submit to any of Jade's requests with glee; the sadistic thought of turning up with Jade of all people while he’s writhing in pain in his hospital bed alone excites you.

Making him watch you be happier with Jade.

Only a part of you didn’t. 

A small voice.

He loves me right? He did put a child in me? It’s impossibly rare to get pregnant your first time was what the doctor told you…

You didn’t have much before in your life besides a good-paying job and briefly your ex-lover when he was willing to see you, but even then you still felt unneeded.

No one relied on you ever, which broke your heart, especially when Azul started to turn everyone at work against you.

The pain of coming home to your apartment with no one to greet you after a long day was painful.

So dark had your life became, but you began to realize your little bloom would be your entire garden, watering it and giving it the light and nutrients it needed to grow.

In an ironic way, you were grateful to Azul for giving you someone who would love you in your life.

Even if they made you raid the fridge for the 7th time today…

You’ll probably ask Jade to let you buy groceries after dinner since you’ve been eating all of his snacks and food recently, only confirming it when you looked inside the pantry for something sour only to see flour and pasta shells left in the tall frosted glass pantry.

Gingerly eating a bag of healthy mushroom crisps Jade had on the very top shelf, You continued on your cooking quest hoping the quick snack was enough to quell them until you finished Floyd’s dinner.

But as you began to finish the preparations you slowly realized the issue.

You forgot to make you and Jade’s dinner…

The most important part of your ritual…

…

Grabbing your phone you immediately ordered most of the items to make a quick dinner for the both of you, multitasking making sure the delicate fried balls wouldnt burn as you tried to think of something creative to make for the evening.

Finally settling on making chicken and mushroom dumplings was the way to Jade’s heart you hurried around the kitchen trying to keep everything together.

After a few hours later than you would like you were finished with everyone’s dinner.

Taking a sigh of relief as you rested against the counter.

“6:30”

You only groaned; having little under 20 minutes to yourself before Jade or Floyd would return.

Exhausted from being on your feet, you shuffled down the long monochrome hallway over to Jade's frosted bedroom door, hastily propping the door open your logic was to just lay in his bed for a little while before the two brothers got home.

“Twenty minutes” you thought to yourself as you tucked yourself in underneath the fleece lined blanket on your side of the white bed.

Of course, your body betrayed you as you fell back into the soft bed and lazily stared at the ceiling, closing your eyes slowly before falling into a peaceful sleep, fading out remembering your little bloom making a few small flutters.

-

You awoke to a gentle shift in the bed besides you. Awakening to see Jade’s gleaming eyes watching you from the bedside where he sat.

Still in his pressed dark plum suit, he gradually was taking his attire off folding his suit jacket on the bed, kicking his shoes off from the side of the bed.

Deciding to finally wake up you lifted yourself up against the plush headboard, unwrapping yourself from the several blankets you didn't realize you had been underneath.

“Sorry I didnt greet you Jade; I was just so exhausted,” you murmured rubbing the sleep from your heavy eyes.

“Why the apology? You know you're allowed to sleep in my bed anytime princess.” You could feel him reach your back gently.

The movement rousing your little bloom from within, you guessed they also decided to drift off with you.

Instead of giving a reply, you just stretched yourself out from your spot on the bed, letting a small yawn out.

“Have you eaten yet? I left our on the stove if you want me to serve you,” you began to crawl towards Jade still sitting on the side of the bed, your low hanging belly weighing you down as you moved across the king sized mattress.

You were almost right next to Jade before he gingerly scooped your body up effortlessly and with care as if you were made of glass, now currently having you crane your head against his neck.

The overwhelming scent he had on filled your nostrils with sandalwood, amber, and a hint of green, reminding you of the forest.

Dreamily inhaling his scent, you let yourself melt into Jade’s hold on you.

Jade sneakily laid a small peck on your out-of-place hair from where you had fallen asleep.

“I’ll only eat once you eat, dear.”

You pouted against him, puffing your cheeks out.

“Knowing you well you probably just had snacks all day instead of eating a meal” he tutted at you.

"Fine, you caught me” you sighed against him, “I just didnt want to eat alone again” you murmured.

“And dont say I can eat with Floyd I hate having to clean up after that messy eater, like does he even chew his food” you complained.

Jade only chuckled in response rubbing your back once more.

“I forgot to text you that we’re going to be alone for the night; Floyd is busy with a task I gave him Monday,” Jade reassured you with another peck to your cheek.

“Really? Perfect timing I think I am a bit hungry,” you excitedly replied, perking up out of bed and heading towards the kitchen.

“I made a different recipe I saw online since I almost forgot to make us dinner” you giggled to yourself.

You could sense Jades presence, a silent but calm aura, as he followed you down the hallway to the stove where you had made his dinner and yours sitting on the stove wrapped in the cross cross wooden basket steamer you had bought.

Grabbing a chopstick from the side of the stove top, you pried the basket lid open grabbing onto a succulent dumpling in the bottom of the basket.

“Jade” you playfully called for him, who was already at the kitchen counter behind you.

“Try one” you held the chopstick up to his lips, “I made it just for you”

Blowing on the dumpling you let him reach for it biting into it.

“It’s good right” you asked looking up watching his eyes light up, “how did you know I was craving Mushrooms” he teased taking another hungry bite from the chopstick.

“ just had a little feeling” you replied, discreetly rubbing the top of your bump.

Turning around you began to plate Jade’s dinner first. Thankfully, you made a huge portion due to both of your enormous appetites and then some in case Floyd would burst in and want more as well.

Grabbing the pots and smooth clay plates, you started to serve Jade, hoping the food would be warm enough to suit his tastes.

passing through the double glass doors past the living room you reached the open dining room in front of the balcony besides the side of the apartment. Placing the plate in front of Jade’s spot.

Jade shortly sat down in front of you, seeming like he had washed his hands before seating himself in the expensive granite table. Planting a tender kiss on his cheek, quickly racing to the kitchen to serve yourself.

Grabbing your plate you began to scoop the soup dumplings on your plate along with some of the rice you originally made to go with Floyds dinner just in case your little bloom was in a mood for something else besides dumplings.

Remembering their presence you gave a light pat on the top of your bump. It had become you and your baby’s greeting to each other, the tap signaling them to move towards the sudden tap.

Grabbing your plate you finally sat down with your full plate.

Having your appetite back once more was a gift and a curse.

The aromatic smell of your dinner had you eagerly begin shoveling the food into your hungry mouth barely using your chopstick or fork as you chewed and ripped at the delicate buns.

"Im glad to see you eating again (name)”

“I’ll take this is my warning to come home faster” he chuckled from across the table watching you with care.

Pausing, you’d forgotten about him being across from you at the table while watching your ravenous display of feeding yourself.

“Well the doctor did say with the medicine I should be back to my old self soon, most pr—” you stopped yourself before continuing.

“er.. most women with gastrointestinal issues feel better after a few months on the medicine” smiling with a few bits of food on the corner of your mouth.

Jade only pointed to the corner of his mouth alerting you to what you had accidentally done.

You reached for a napkin on the corner of the table, wiping the corners of your lips.

Resuming with stuffing yourself full you noticed Jade was watching you; he had done so more often after the incident in the elevator.

“Jade, I have to ask you something important,” you furrowed your brow, putting the napkin down beside your plate and chopsticks.

"Oh, I don’t like the way you framed that question,” Jade smiled before laughing his usual nervous laugh, “What did I do?" He asked taking another bite out of his dinner.

Giving a “really” look, you before you spoke up.

“Nothing you did, but it might break my heart depending on how you answer,” you eyed Jade, taking a small bite of the rice in front of you.

“Oh? You must tell me now,” he dropped his fork into his plate.

“Hopefully it’s what im thinking your going to ask” He smiled.

"Well," you trailed off, “do you actually want to be with me beyond—this—or are you just well…waiting for something better to come along?"

“I’ve been thinking about what we talked about at the doctor's appointment every day, and you never answered me,” you frowned, tapping a finger on the table.

He perked up at the mention of the last sentence.

“Do.. you love me Jade Leech?”

Staring into his eyes, you waited for his response, picking at your rice.

Jade dropped his silverware before he laid his napkin next to his nearly empty plate.

“You remember the retreat, right?” Jade began

“What I had said that night and what I promised you”

You blinked in surprise at his response.

"That one from all those years ago, right? When you…”

Jade nodded in agreement.

“I love you, but I wanted to prove my worth to you (Name)”

“Since I’m most likely going to become the CEO of Mostro Inc. for a while, and since Azul is out of the picture, I feel like I can be a great husband” Jade smiled to himself messing with his plate, “and maybe even a father eventually..” he looked away towards the balcony.

You had truthfully forgotten his promise; it had been a while since the retreat all those years ago when you first joined the company.

You could see tears lining his eyelashes as you looked closer at his bashful face.

Even someone as straightforward as Jade has emotions too.

“You say that as if you weren’t somebody before; you may not have been as famous as Azul, but you were still the glue that held the company together Jade” you instinctively reached for his hand across from you, playing with his warm hands with a small grin.

“You dont have to become some huge big shot for me to fall for you” you sighed.

After you said that, Jade once again fell into silence, leaving the whole dinner with lingering thoughts about the conversation.

Excusing yourself, you went to the sink to start washing the dishes from you and Jades dinner, scrubbing the two plates as Jade sat at the table waiting for you to finish, seemingly in thought about something.

Your bloom contently full just sitting idle inside of you, for now however…

Probably in a few hours he’d bring it to your attention for you to eat a whole Melon and egg before bed.

Finally loading the last dish into the dishwasher, you went to the stove. Floyd hadn’t come home yet, leaving his dinner untouched in the simmering pan on low. Sighing, you turned the stove off before grabbing a plastic container to store the flavorful fried takoyaki in when a sudden, loud slam of the entrance door was heard, causing the two of you to turn to the source of the sound.

“Heyyy I’ll tell ya that was one hell of a job, but it’s finally done, like you asked Jade."

After a few footfalls, Floyd entered the kitchen, causing you to begin to abandon your original task of packing his dinner into containers.

“Hey floyd, sorry I thought you were going to go out partying again”

However, just before you were to greet him, you recoiled at the sight of him.

Usually he was a wild card when it came to his appearance, occasionally dressing up in whatever casual clothes he had or a fancy tracksuit.

But this was not even close.

His hair was disheveled and matted with a liquid; you weren’t sure what it was. There were scratches on his neck, ranging from deep jagged cuts to small slices in his alabaster skin. His clothes though, had dark crimson stains and what appeared to be earthy soil caked onto the front and sides, which apparently dripped to the bottom of his jeans and cool electric blue shoes, making them a muddied dark violet.

And… a horrible odor came off of him every swing of his arms, something like onion and rancid iron coming off of his jacket.

The dark liquid was now trailing down the apartment floor, another mess you had to clean.

You made a small gasp as you stopped filling the to-go container.

Jade, noticed your worried expression, got up from his chair and walked towards Floyd, who was standing on the opposite side of the kitchen.

"Floyd, could you come here and talk to me for a moment?" Jade asked sweetly.

Pushing his chair out, he immediately swarmed around floyd who was lazily looking over at you both.

"Aww, why are you mad at me? I was in a good mood and everything until you made that face at me,” Floyd pouted as Jade guided him by the shoulder, ushering him out of the door he’d come from.

“Erm, Jade?” You asked, “I’ll be back (Name)” Jade’s voice echoed down the hall.

“If it’s not too much can you bring me a melon and some vanilla ice cream” you requested.

The door slammed with no confirmation.

Sighing your stomach growled as you leaned against the kitchen island.

You silently turned back to look at the container, deciding to walk towards the stove resuming placing the contents back into the pan to warm for when Floyd came back from whatever Jade and he were discussing.

A bad feeling bubbled into your gut.

Not wanting to deal with whatever Floyd did and the gross mess on the ground, you quietly waddled back to the bedroom to get ready for the night. Trying to distract from whatever you saw in the hallway.

You tried to take your time showering and drying off to hopefully talk to Jade a bit more as you both did at the end of the day, Lying on your side in Jade's bed, you drifted off to the thoughts of what you’d tell Jade when he got back.

Your stomach growling slightly reminding you of your predicament from earlier. Deciding to ignore the feeling you patted your small bloom.

-

Jade

Of course, Floyd had to come in at the worst time.

That was all Jade could think of when he practically dragged his dirtied brother into the vacant hallway by the arm.

"Where are we going anyway? I’m hungry and tired. I’ve been up since 5 a.m. hunting our target down,” Floyd wailed.

Eventually Jade stopped near the emergency staircase towards the end of the hallway, going through the dark doors into the concrete stairwell.

“I understand, but you have to remember we have to be stealthy, as I’ve said numerous times to you, Floyd,” Jade sighed, “I just need to confirm if you did it or not. You put your effort in just this one time and I’ll put my part in.”

Floyd just made a long sigh before finally digging through his pants pockets, shuffling for several things.

Finally, he retrieved a white napkin stained with something saturated in a deep brown liquid that had dried sometime earlier.

With a smile Jade retrieved it carefully, opening the napkin with a smile.

Looking at the item, he quickly refolded the napkin, putting it in his pants pocket with satisfaction.

“My Floyd, I didn’t think you’d actually do it…but I have to know—“

"Yeah, I snagged some of his journals and stuff. I don’t know if he had a lot of stuff in his drawers; I just grabbed it all and put it in a garbo bag in my trunk."

Floyd yawned before lazily grabbing what appeared to be a book stained in a crimson liquid splayed across the cover.

Jade cautiously grabbed it before examining the cover of the book.

“Yeaah I’m not sure what it could be either, but he had it on him when I jumped him behind the parking lot.”

“He gave me a struggle trying to keep me from it, so I just figured you might want to look at it; all I found was boring reports and stuff,” Floyd kicked at the ground in boredom.

Floyd was right; after Jade carefully inspected the contents inside, he realized he had ultimately struck a gold mine.

Initially, Jade was going to use the items to destroy the competition by using the same tactics as they had found success with, but the new information he came across could create a scandal big enough to wipe the competition out by just leaking the contents within.

Though Azul would seem like a better person, it could bring the company good press. It was a start he was willing to make time for he thought to himself.

Smiling, he escorted Floyd back inside the familiar penthouse.

-

It was close to midnight when Jade got back to the bedroom.

You were blissfully sleeping in an oversized nightgown wrapped under one of the various blankets ontop of the bed.

Sighing to himself he debated if he should wake you so you could eat the melon and tub of ice cream he had drove to get in town.

You seemed to be deep in sleep, not even snoring or loudly breathing into your pillow as you would do during these nights.

His hand began to snake under your dress.

A heartbeat.

Leaving his hand above your stomach.

The flutter returned as he ghosted over your naval once more.

You stirred suddenly causing his hand to retreat from your sleeping form.

Hesitating for a moment from his side of the bed he began to make his move towards his desk, he still held the book and the items Floyd had given him a moment ago.

Opting to throw them into his bottom drawer that was vacant, he threw various papers and pens over the pile of items just in case someone were to pry.

“Jade? Where were you?” Your tiny voice echoed from the bed behind him.

Turning around and dawning his signature smile, as he always did to reassure you

"Oh, just discussing business with Floyd; I had a word with him about how unprofessional it was to barge in with all of the filth on him, so you can only imagine where he is now,” his tone demure as he closed the drawer he had been in.

“Don’t tell me you made him mop! I’ll have to clean the floor tomorrow; he doesn’t know how to mop at ALL” you groaned crossing your arms from under your blanket.

Jade found you adorable when you let yourself become so soft around him compared to how you’d usually act at work around him. It almost made him feel bad for what he had ordered done not too long ago to your ex-lover.

“Oh? So you don’t want to come with me tomorrow to see Azul?” Jade observed your previously sleepy self become animated in seconds.

“Y-yes if you want me to come with you…”

“But what changed Jade?”

“I felt bad. I promised we could see him Wednesday, but I got busy with work. I just figured it could be somewhat of a date,” he smiled, merely shrugging.

“We haven’t been out together as a couple yet and I would like to change that” he eyed your swollen belly under your night gown.

"Well, I can’t wait then” you rolled back towards the otherside of the bed.

“you just better not flake out on me again,” you threatened.

Waiting to hear your light snores again, he quietly retreated to his nightstand for the evening. Changing into his own night wear for the evening.

Sliding into bed next to you, he only closed his eyes wrapping his arms around the curves of your body.

Until tomorrow, he can focus on his next victim: Azul Ashengrotto.

Note: btw my requests are open for Twst and genshin stuffs! Last call before I temporarily close them for September!

Also this story deviates slightly from the AO3 version so if your interested in seeing the alternate storyline feel free to read there :)))

[batfall-moved]

   1   /    10    BATCAVES   ,   𝚒𝚝   𝚠𝚊𝚜   𝚜𝚊𝚒𝚍   𝚒𝚝   𝚠𝚊𝚜   𝙵𝙰𝚁   𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖  𝚐𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚖   𝚋𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚝   𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘   𝚝𝚑𝚎  𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎  𝚘𝚏   𝚊   𝚖𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗.   𝚑𝚘𝚠   𝚑𝚎  𝚍𝚒𝚍  𝚒𝚝  ?   𝚠𝚎’𝚕𝚕   𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛  𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠.   

[alcinadimitrescuwu]

Listen hear me out. A nb reader with Alcina and one day readers gets to wear the strap and “top” our 9 foot baddie ! Maybe reader makes Alcina beg and after Alcina is super surprised and slightly embarrassed because she’s never been successfully topped before. If it’s to crazy just tell me !

Not crazy at all! I hope you enjoy!

Warning: NSFW

The carriage makes its way around the craggy mountainside. You open the window slightly and take a few grateful mouthfuls of fresh mountain air. You’d rather not have had to be in a stuffy carriage for hours on end, but you had been assigned to accompany the Lady Dimitrescu on her latest business trip for the Sanguis Viriginis Wine Company.

She sits across from you now, waving her fan in front of her beautiful face. Her carmine lips are pursed in annoyance, the current generated from her fan making a few loose curls from under her pinned hat dance. Her gaze turns to you and she gives you an uncertain smile.

“It shouldn’t be too much longer now,” she says, taking out her cigarette holder. You are already at the ready with your lighter that you had taken from your vest pocket. She inclines her dark head close to yours and you breathe in her perfume as you light her cigarette for her. From up close you can see her laugh lines and her long lashes that kiss the tip of her cheekbones. She takes a few experimental puffs before settling back in the carriage seat. Taking a long drag, she blows the smoke out the window, the smoke blending in with the clouds that surround the Romanian mountains.

You are suddenly feeling rather hot in this cramped carriage. You begin to unhook your arm bracers so you can push your shirtsleeves up to your elbows. When you look up, you see that Lady Dimitrescu’s golden eyes are staring intently at your arms as you roll up your sleeves, muscles standing out tautly under a soft down of dark hair. You meet her eyes and she quickly looks away, but not before you catch a glimpse of the high color rising in her cheeks.

“If I may, my Lady,” you posit, resting your hand on her leg. “My offer still stands.”

“No. It can wait,” she says, stiffly, but you can tell it takes her great effort. The two of you had had a few torrid nights this summer and you could tell she was stressed from the preparations for the trip. She had been spending night after night poring over ledgers and spreadsheets and by the time she was done, all she wanted to do was go to bed and sleep.

It had been a long time since you had enjoyed the pleasure of each other’s company, to say the least.

The driver breaks your train of thought as you hear her yell, “Going to be a bit bumpy on this next trek, my Lady. I’d suggest finding something to hold on to.”

Alcina sniffs in annoyance and puts out her cigarette in the ashtray next to her.

The ride does indeed start to get more bumpy. Alcina puts a hand to her hat to avoid crushing it on the roof of the carriage and you press yourself into a corner to avoid being jostled around too much.

BANG!

The carriage hits a particularly rough spot and you are sent flying. You land on something soft and when you look up you realize that you are in Alcina’s lap and your hand is cupping her breast. You make eye contact with her and you can see the want in her aureate eyes, feeling her nipple stiffen through her clothes under your touch.

You chuckle at her. “When are you going to let go of your foolish pride, my Lady?” you ask, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. You brace yourself against her by wrapping your arms around her neck. Your legs straddle her hips, and each jolt of the carriage sends a current of electricity through the both of you.

“It’ll just be for a couple more miles, pet.” Her voice is hoarse, belying the desperation in her eyes.

You grin wolfishly. “Well, then...Let’s see how I can test your limits until then. Like this.” You begin kissing the side of her neck and she leans back against the wall of the carriage, sighing. “Or this.” You draw your hand further down the front of her dress and move your thumb in a circular motion around her areola. When she inhales sharply, arching into your touch, you know you are close to breaking her. “Or-”

You don’t finish the rest of the sentence as she grabs you by your necktie and begins kissing you fiercely. Her lips move hungrily against yours as she reaches for your belt buckle.

BANG!

Another sharp bump in the road makes you bang your head painfully into hers. Alcina growls with frustration and raps her large hand on the side of the carriage to alert the driver.

The driver hops down from her seat and opens the carriage door. Her face grows bright red at seeing the two of you entangled together. Alcina ignores it, saying primly, “I do believe the horses need watering. You’ve been driving them rather hard and they need their rest.”

The driver nods, crisply. “Very good, my Lady. And uh…” She glances at the two of you again and looks away quickly. “I thought I saw an inn up a ways and I think I’ll take my lunch there.”

The carriage stops at a nearby creek and with a wave the driver heads over to the inn to take her lunch. You and Alcina are finally alone together.

Without delay, Alcina opens her reticule and takes out the strap. You can’t help it. You burst out laughing.

Alcina narrows her eyes at you. “Has something struck you as humorous, dear?”

“I’m sorry, my Lady,” you say, wiping tears from your eyes. “But you just had that in your purse the whole time?’

Alcina glares defiantly back at you, but her cheeks are burning with color. “I wasn’t sure when we’d need it.”

She takes the strap and harness and begins to move her skirt up her leg but you put out a hand to stop her. “If you don’t mind, my Lady, I would like to wear it this time.”

Alcina grins. “That sounds like a wonderful idea, pet,” she purrs. She bites down on your lower lip as she helps you secure the strap and harness around your hips. Her tongue enters your mouth as you unhook the pearl buttons running down her back. Her dress pools around her ankles and she kicks it aside. She is now only in her corset and garters, her generous bosom straining against her basque.

You lower yourself and when you peel away her panties you see her thighs are already slick with her arousal. You rasp your tongue along her inner thigh and you feel her body positively thrumming with desire.

“Please, darling,” she begs. “Please don’t tarry any longer. Take me here. Take me now. I want you inside of me.”

“Patience,” you purr against her thigh. “Good things always come to those who wait.”

Your tongue teases at her entrance, stroking her sensitive walls. She takes you by the shoulder and low, furtive moans escape her ruby lips. You dart your tongue quickly in and out, almost but not quite reaching her clit.

You know you’re being unfair, but something about Alcina begging for you is just so irresistible.

You chance a look up at her and her golden eyes are pleading. You settle yourself back on top of her and push in slowly filling her walls with your mass. You begin to ride her hard, bracing your hands on her quivering thighs.

You lean in and whisper in her ear as you’re riding her. “Do you like that, my Lady? None of the other maidens have ridden you like this, have they?”

“No,” she gasps out as you unlace her stays. “Pray, continue.” Her corset falls away and you toss it to the side of the carriage. Her breasts are now bared and you latch yourself onto one, suckling and nipping at the sensitive bud with your teeth. You find your own thighs are now wet with your arousal as the great Lady Dimitrescu becomes undone before your eyes, howling and pleading with you for more, more, more.

You see no reason to deny her. You slide one, two, three fingers in, before just deciding to put your whole hand inside her core. She cries out and yips as your fingers quest along her walls, stroking her sensitive nub at the center. Her hand flies out and hits the window, making the glass crack and splinter.

She buries her fingers in your shoulders, looping under your suspenders. “Please, darling. I’m so close! Don’t stop, I beg of you!”

You put all of your body weight into each thrust now, filling her so completely with your cock and with your fist. Your hips are screaming from the strain. But you can’t stop until she orgasms. You want her to praise you. You want her to agree that no one has treated her better than you have.

When she finally climaxes, she screams your name so loud that you're pretty sure the poor carriage driver can hear it all the way from the inn where she is taking her lunch.

Alcina leans back against the carriage walls pulling you against her as she tries to regain her composure. The cracked window is soon fogged up from the both of you gasping for air.

When she finally gets her breath back, Alcina runs a hand through your hair, weaving each strand between her fingers. “Very well done, my pet,” she cooes. You glance up at her and her cheeks are crimson. She looks away self-consciously. “You were right, my dear. No one has touched me the way you did tonight.” She gives you a sloppy kiss. “I shall have to look forward to the next time.”

You smile at her, taking her hand in yours and kissing the back of her knuckles. “Of course my Lady.”

You help her dress and once the carriage driver comes back you lay your head on her lap and quickly fall asleep as the carriage makes its way to the next town.

[thelampisaflashlight]

Because I just spent an absurd amount of time trying to open a wine bottle, only for it to be basically flavorless, y’all get some “Dinner with the ghouls & Copia” headcanons. Indeed, I will use anything to facilitate making more headcanons. Below the cut for ease of scrolling, take a piece of cheese from the charcuterie board before you go.

Copia: Definitely tries to make an event out of the meal, he wants his guests to have the whole “dinner and a show” experience, but he can and will do something embarrassing part way through the evening. Be it fumbling the wine bottle or accidentally dropping sauce on his fancy outfit, he’s going to be incredibly dramatic about it, even if most of his “truly devastated” behavior is an act.

He tries to make the effort for when Sister Imperator comes to visit or other important church figures, but if it’s just him and the ghouls? He’s leaning over the coffee table eating chicken wings and pizza and making an absolute mess of himself. Worse yet, he’s feeding the bones to the ghouls because they like the crunch. Simply atrocious.

Aether: He tries, he really does. He puts in the time and effort to make things nice, and hey, it works out just fine! ...Uhhh... most of the time. The first time he cooked for anyone after being summoned was a disaster, the second time was just as bad, and the third time he at least remembered to remove the egg shells from his omelet attempt.

Nowadays he does pretty well, and is a wonderful host, but, much like Copia, if he can swing a no stress meal that lets him sit around in his boxers and watch tv, he will.

Dewdrop: He’s ordering dinner for everyone, he doesn’t have the time or the energy to make a fancy meal for a bunch of hungry people. He just doesn’t. He will remember your extra order of fries, he will ask if they can put the sauce in a separate container, because, “Mountain doesn’t like the ranch ON his food, he likes to dip it. I know that the little plastic cup will cost 25 cents more, he wants his ranch on the side and he’ll have it on the side.”

If he’s by himself though? Five star chef mode suddenly activates and he’s making himself single serve lasagnas and homemade pasta, because, “I deserve it, fuck you.”. Hard to say if his cooking is actually any good taste wise though considering the ghoul can and will eat soap.

Swiss/Multi: He’s taking people to a fancy restaurant to show off, and acts all proper and charming and it’s working dammit. He’s laying it on thick for his group, and he WILL wind up getting dessert for free because the staff thinks he’s handsome. He’s the dude who shows up with a really expensive box of pastries for people to eat that he got with a discount, because he “knows a guy”.

However, he’s also the one crunching down on chicken bones in the first scenario.

Rain: He’s got a box of mac and cheese with your name on it. No, really, he labelled it so he’d remember not to eat it before his dinner date rolled around. A connoisseur of the finest chicken nuggets the freezer section has to offer. 

He knows how to make all kinds of fancy dishes, but he’s a ghoul of taste, and knows sometimes simple is better. He will pair Kraft dinner with wine though.

Mountain: He’s going to to try and make you something you haven’t eaten before, keeping any dietary restrictions in mind of course. Likes making the meal alongside his guests and getting them to try the individual ingredients to see how they blend together to make the overall flavor.

Very polite host, who makes sure his guests have plenty of snacks, but is also secretly hoping there are lots of leftovers so he can eat them later after everyone has left.

Cumulus: She’s like Mountain, in that she likes having her guests help out with the meal, but she’ll also settle for them bringing their own individual dishes to share. If her and Mountain team up to make dinner, chances are there’s gonna be six other very curious and hungry ghouls lurking behind the kitchen island.

Cirrus: Makes the best pancakes anyone has ever had, but that’s about it. She can cook, but she simply will not. You’d sooner convince Dew to make dinner for everyone than get her to handle the hassle of feeding eight hungry ghouls. Nope, not happening. 

However, if Cumulus asks, well, she can’t say no, because she asked so politely and agreed to help wash the dishes afterwards.

Sunshine: She’s on par with Rain in this case, but Swiss feels, as a fellow multi ghoul, that she deserves better than boxed mac and cheese. Rain wholeheartedly disagrees and thinks it’s the pinnacle of dinner foods. It’s a whole thing.

She can microwave a hotdog without it bursting in the microwave, and Copia will consider that a win compared to the destruction the other ghouls have wrought on the abbey’s kitchen over the years.

[i-did-not-mean-to]

Diary found in K---D--- : Part 2

So, here's the next little part of this :D

Imagine by @lathalea is indented!

Enjoy <3

Taglist: @shrimpsthings, @mulasawala (so you see where I'm going with this lol)

(Yes, there will be MORE artwork coming, stay posted...)

Fandom: Hobbit

Characters: Ori x OC

Rating & Warning: Fluff and silliness

His name was Ori and he was a scribe in Erebor. It turned out he visited the forest often to sketch the animals and plants. You spent the rest of the day together. In the evening, you exchanged campfire stories, sharing a meal. At one point, he shyly asked about where you came from. Blushing, he admitted, almost whispering, he never saw a person with such beautiful hair before.

You told him that you came from another world, from a region called East Asia, where many people looked similarly to you. He was very curious about your homeland, your culture and your world. You spent hours telling him everything about it and he listened to you in awe.

“Ori.” He replied, his lips quirking a tiny bit as if he was not used to speaking his own name. “I’m a scribe. In Erebor. The Mountain.” He pointed to a tree beyond the clearing.

Thankfully, I was familiar with the Lonely Mountain and did not think that he didn’t know the difference between a living organism and a pile of minerals.

“I have never seen you, neither here nor in that Mountain.” I replied, for I went into the halls sometimes to translate for travellers, but for the most part, I let the king be his grumpy, glorious self.

“I come here often, to sketch, but I seem to have lost my way.” He admitted with a tiny frown. Ah, a real dwarf. They only knew up and down seemingly and if there was no way into a hill, they’d stubbornly trek up until they tumbled off the other side again.

As if to prove to me that he was not lying – dear reader, he had a face that was utterly devoid of malice or dissimulation – he showed me rather good sketches of the fauna and flora of the dense forest surrounding us. “That is really good, Ori, the scribe, from under the Mountain.” I commented which made him blush with a fierce and, apparently, unexpected pleasure.

In an expression of indescribable cuteness, he literally wiped his face with his sleeve as if he could clean away the rosy hue like a stubborn ink stain from under his skin.

“What are you here for?” He then asked, pushing out his chest heroically. As a reminder, he was the one who had lost his way, but apparently, he wanted to defend either the forest from me or the other way around.

“I am here to think…in silence.” I replied; he retreated a few steps. “Oh? I’ll leave you to it then, I guess. It was great to make your acquaintance…”

I gave him my name, after all, he had given me his, and he chewed on it for a few moments before his face split into a smile that was like the sunlight breaking through the cloudy afternoon sky: tentative, warm, and strikingly beautiful.

“Stay. I like your face.” I heard myself saying. Maybe, it was my teasing, mischievous streak acting up, but I had liked his embarrassment so much that I couldn’t help wanting to coax more of these blushes out of him.

“My…face?” In that weird dance he had been engaged in for the last few minutes, Ori stepped closer again, shuffling his feet in the heavy boots dwarrows insisted on wearing.

No, your ass, I thought, but bit my tongue; Ori the dwarf looked like someone who would die on the spot if I said anything even remotely inappropriate…as I was wont to do when nervous.

My sarcastic thought spurred my own interest though and I examined him a little closer: he was indeed swaddled like a babe, beads of sweat pearling down his temples on account of the steep climb and the stubborn blush powdering his nose and cheeks with pink blotches.

“Sit down, you’ll get a heat stroke.” I invited him and pointed to a patch of moss beside me while rummaging in my pack for the flask of ale I had brought.

“Thank you ever so much.” He plopped down in a cascade of earthen-coloured wool and awkward limbs. He did smell warm, I noticed, a blend of cinnamon and comfort.

Also, he had one of those faces that only became better when seen up-close, I admit freely; there were golden stars dancing in the depth of his dark eyes and he had the most adorable freckles as if some outlandish fairy had sprinkled gold dust over that heart-wrenchingly handsome face.

“Are you thirsty, Mistress?” He asked, nodding at the flask in my hand.

Handing it to him rather abruptly, I realised that I had spent the last moments intently staring at his face as if I had never seen a male dwarf before in my life.

“I have work to do.” I snapped, feeling immediately guilty for taking my own embarrassment out on him, but he merely nodded and pulled his sketching supplies into his lap.

Strangely enough, Ori did not disturb me. If anything, the silence felt fuller, richer, deeper with him by my side. As I translated a letter, as a spinster I had to support my family and my insufferable sisters as best as I could, I felt like the chirping of the birds and the vibrancy of the colours around me were even more enjoyable now that I shared them with someone else.

…

The sun crept along its never-changing arc slowly and yet, much too fast.

As I looked up, I wished I was a better painter myself, for this dwarrow was made for sunsets.

The way the last golden hurrah of a perfect day exploded in a halo of warmth around his figure, the way all the greys and the blues seemed to bleed out of the world to leave nothing but warm tones behind, and the way his smile was the perfect expression of this mellow, unhurried mood…it struck me deeper and more violently than a thunderstorm in all its booming rage would have.

“Will you join me for dinner, Ori?” I asked gently, “I shall escort you back down.”

“It would be my honour.” He nodded, tearing out a page of his notebook and handing it over.

“It was an invitation; I do not demand payment.” I said seriously, for the sketch of the doe was so good, it might have been worth actual money. “Oh…” His nose crinkled at little at that.

“I wanted you to…have something beautiful. I have seen you work very hard.”

Of course, he was a scribe as well, he would consider the scribbling work, I thought and gave him a thankful smile. “You’re beauty enough for one day.” I shrugged.

He gasped, bringing his notebook up to his face as if to shield himself from my words.

“You’re having me on, aren’t you? Dori has warned me that girls do that sometimes.” He sounded utterly dejected. “I am not having you on. Has nobody ever told you that you’re handsome?” It was my turn to be wide-eyed with shock.

“And who is Dori?” I followed-up when he didn’t really reply to my question even though I thought I had seen his braids move like strings of pearls in a draft. The minutest of shakes of the head, a quiet admission of inadequacy that sunk ugly, ragged claws into my soft heart.

“He’s my brother. I have two of them. Dori…and Nori. They’re…” – “Older than you.” I completed. “Protective.” He supplied.

He was still holding his drawing out to me, and, after a moment, I took it gingerly and put it between the pages of my own writing supplies. I would hang it in my room and look at it daily.

Nowadays, there were but very few gifts for me; all the money went to my two younger sisters who were still nubile and would, if Mahal willed it so, be able to make a good match.

Busying my hands with making a fire, I asked him to tell me about his brothers.

“Oh, Nori is…agile. He’s…funny and brave and resourceful.” Ori started, his voice warm with affection and admiration. He sounded like a proper rogue to me, and as it turned out, he was, but he also deserved every single ounce of the deep-felt care Ori held for him.

“Dori is…fussy. He’s polite, he’s very caring, and he’s exceedingly proper.” Ori went on as I waved a hand for him not to stop. I enjoyed hearing about the life of other families than my own.

“So, is he the one who raised you to be this…warmly clad and gentle?” I asked, turning to place the foodstuffs I had brought up and stored in the cool lake water on spits to roast over the fire.

“Warm? Oh yes…I was a sickly pebble and he’s been worried ever since. I hope I have behaved in a way that would not make him disappointed in me.” Again, he worried his lip.

“Let’s see, you’ve startled a bird and an unsuspecting dwarrowdam.” I listed with a wicked gleam in my eyes; his face fell, and he looked properly guilty.

“Then, you’ve kept me company, and the best company I’ve ever had, it has been, on my grandmother’s grave, I swear.” I went on and that treacherous blush was back with a vengeance.

“I didn’t mean to startle you.” He then said in a low voice. “Great beauty is always startling.”

“I am hardly Thorin Oakenshield.” He laughed. Readers, you cannot imagine that sound just by reading my words. If flowers blossoming had melody, if the sun setting on the eternal sea had a song, if autumn leaves dancing on a gale had a tune, they would have sounded like nails on scree, like cats having their tails trampled, and like kettles going unheeded compared to Ori’s laughter.

“There’s beauty in the doe as much as in the wolf.” I replied gently.

“May I…can I ask where you’re from? I don’t seek to be rude, but I’ve never seen anyone quite like you; your hair looks like those fabrics the Elves weave. It…seems so soft, so liquid, so smooth.” He blushed a darker shade yet.

This might well have been the first time that someone had asked me about my origins without making it sound like an accusation; there was honest fascination in his demeanour.

“My family and I have come from the Far East. I have travelled a lot, Ori, I have seen landscapes entirely made up of rock and sand, I have walked forests so stiflingly hot and moist it felt like being underwater, and now, I am here in the land of tall trees and taller mountains.”

I said, surprised by my own frankness.

“That sounds amazing.” He took the food I offered readily enough, and I told him about the people I’ve left behind to be stranded at the other end of the world.

“This is good, is that a recipe of your homeland?” He asked, looking down on the piece of meat I had seasoned with herbs I had grown myself in our small backyard.

“It actually is. I’m glad you like it. I had not planned to have company, otherwise I’d have brought something more palatable to the local tongue.” I apologised quickly.

“No, I like it. You should definitely trade some recipes with Dori…and Bombur…oh, and if any of your delicious herbs are medicinal, Óin.” He laughed again when he saw my dumbfounded expression.

“I make a good honeycake, if I can interest you in that? Maybe…” He fell back into silence.

…

A look at the sky told me that it was too late to go down in the inky darkness.

“We’ll have to stay here for the night.” I mumbled, slightly uncomfortable at the idea of spending the night with a dwarrow who had not lost a single word about a wife.

“Are you married, Mistress? Will that endanger your wedlock?” He asked shyly.

“No, I am not and I have no name to lose…It’s a long story.” I didn’t feel like blurting out my disgrace, lest it give him strange ideas after all, especially as he would easily have been able to overpower me if he so chose.

“Neither am I. I don’t know about my name…Doesn’t look like I’m going to be married either. There’s not enough dwarrowdams as it is, and I think the royal line has a prerogative there.” There was no resentment in his tone; he seemed to accept this as a fact.

How could someone that sweet not be married, I wondered. He was courteous, he was cute, and he would have made the fortune and happiness of someone.

“Well, in that case, I think we can risk our reputation rather than our necks.” I grinned, rolling out a blanket I kept tied to my pack for emergencies and stretched out next to the fire on the moss.

“Erm, yes…Good night…” He mumbled, fidgeting around with his different layers of clothing. Apparently, he was deciding which one he needed least on his body to use it as a bedroll or blanket.

I eyed the proceedings with interest and a good deal of amusement.

“I can offer you my cloak to lie upon…the ground will grow very cold and wet soon.” He said in a low voice, not sure if I had already fallen asleep or not.

“Alright, I can offer you a spot under the blanket then?” I extended my own graciousness.

“With you?” No, with the red bird, I thought, rolling my eyes internally.

“Yes, Ori the scribe, with me. I will not eat you, as you have witnessed, I have had dinner.” Not that he did not look good enough to devour, standing there with his cloak in his hands and his face all crunched up in embarrassment.

“Hmmm…I guess.” He muttered doubtfully, spreading out the cloak and sitting down on it carefully. Impatiently, I scooted over and spread my lousy blanket over the both of us with a flourish.

“Sleep!” I commanded as I turned around only to find him staring wide-eyed at the spot where the back of my head had been only a second ago. Now that he was presented with my face, only inches away from his, his eyes grew even rounder and bigger in wordless distress.

“Friend…Have you never lain with a woman? And I literally mean, lying next to one?” I laughed for there had been friends and cousins aplenty in my own life and the feeling of having another body so close to mine was not a new experience for me.

“Well, I fell down on the battlefield once, next to a foe…I’m pretty sure that was a Lady-Orc. She was dead. There was a…” He gestured, indicating a spear or a lance sticking out of his chest and brushing against my own with the back of his hand. Dear reader, he flinched back as if I was a tiny Durin’s bane wreathed in flames.

“A Lady-Orc, indeed…” I mused; no doubt, he could hear the smile I hid in my voice for his face crunched up in embarrassment.

“I am sorry.” He sighed, rolling his eyes, and thinking – there was not a shadow of a doubt about that much – of his brothers who would have mocked him mercilessly for his stammering.

“There’s no need to be sorry” I tried to reassure him, but I admit now that there were things that I did not tell him right away then. We had only just met, and he was blessedly unaware of my shameful past.

How could I have made him understand – without hurting his feelings – how much I enjoyed that air of purity about him that I had squandered myself on an undeserving fiend? As a daughter amongst others, I had been used to dwarrows coming to court or to seduce, their eyes ablaze with greed and their hands wandering.

He would not have comprehended how much the absence of that voracious hunger that had plagued my youth and had ended up destroying my promising future meant to me.

“Sleep.” I repeated, unable to put into words how miraculous and precious the things he seemed to be most ashamed of were to me.

“Good night, Mistress.” He breathed with a soft smile that was nowhere near the wolfish baring of fangs I was used to and so, it was easy to return it.

You who may or may not have stumbled upon this ludicrous account of the most important story in an otherwise unimportant life, you shall hear another confession I did not make at the time.

I was fiercely aware that – had I but leant forward a little – I might have pressed my lips upon his; I was young still at that time and, despite what had happened, parts of me, that should have withered and died in the aftermath of my botched engagement, were much alive.

He smelled like our dinner and warmth, and the gentle reticence of the curve of his smile was more inviting than any flashing grin I had ever seen before.

Yes, in that very moment, on this very first evening, I had already been conscious of the shrewd attraction this self-effacing dwarrow held for me…and it scared me half to death.

…

Part 3

[mariahthelioness29]

You Can Stop...or Not

Paring: retired! Steve Rogers x Black! reader 

WC: 3.2k 

Warning: Absolute filth, mi gente, mention of alcohol,  SMUT, unprotected sex ( wrap it  before you let .... tap in ), medium rough sex, recording sex and photo taking. spanking, facial. 

So the inspiration came around thanks to this post  Thanks to @blackmissfrizzle  @rasberrylemon​ for encouraging me and @saint-bvcky for being my enabler. 

@avintagekiss24 @siancore @xbuchananbarnes @honeychicanawrites @sapphirescrolls @honestlyfrance @helahades @glittercake @lotusss-flowerbomb @buckybarnesplumwhore @canumoveurseatup-no  @stacee-not-jaxx @extremelyblackandwhite @deansblackbeauty @afriendlyblackhottie @emilykjh @cherienymphe @readinginsilence100

You are at the edge of the pool, taking in the scenery. The pool blends with the vast ocean in front of you. 

It is a beautiful scene, vast blue ocean with islands scattered here and there and the silhouette of mountains far away. 

I’m still in love with you playing on the speakers. You sway to the rhythm. 

“ I’m still in love with you booyyy”, you slurred. That wine is getting you now and you want your Stevie here with you but Stevie was not here yet, he was taking pictures of the local market for some fancy magazine about islands. 

Who would’ve thought Steve Rogers as a photographer, art curator, art director ?  

You smile reminiscing his first exposition, which was you and the clients of Jurnee’s beauty salon. 

You and the journey of taking your braids off and giving care to your natural hair, with his Kodak Duex camera and with other cameras.  Art circles and artsy people made  a new meaning and something revolutionary out of it ,just as the shock of Viola Davis, taking her wig off in How to Get Away with Murder. 

You laughed remembering, cause he did it out of absolute boredom when your friend, hairdresser Jurnee was taking care of your hair.

He was intrigued, you told him it will be a long time and process. Being the stubborn mule he is, he insisted on going with you. Only to be in shock how much time it takes and the procedure. His mouth was agape, when he heard Jurnee telling a woman, how much it was for her microbraids. 

You never heard a group of Black women laugh that much at an expression. Steve Rogers, ex-Captain America, fought purple aliens, dropped from skyscrapers yet he is shocked at the price of microbraids. 

You are a little tipsy so you step out of the pool, dry yourself and wrap your hair in the towel, like a headwrap.  Dancing to your vacay playlist. 

“Shake dat ting miss, Cana, Cana

Shake dat ting miss, Annabella

Shake dat ting yow, Donna Donna

Jodi and Rebecca

Woman, get busy

Jus shake dat booty non-stop”, blasted the speakers. 

When you heard one of your favorite songs, You just had to get on your fours on the lounge chair  and start throwing ass in a circle.

What you did not know is that a very sneaky, quiet Steve was there with his phone, recording. 

Steve just sighs in content, seeing you relax, happy. 

He takes his shirt off, just dropping on the floor.

He sees the bottle of wine that has gone down quite a bit. He chuckles in silent at that. 

You are swaying your hips to the rhythm of those songs you love so much, oh but then you go on all fours and start moving your ass. He has an idea. He takes his phone and starts recording you. He does his best to be quiet, so that you don’t shy away. 

After, coming back from the past, realizing that even going back in time cannot fulfill or make the what ifs come true. He came back but he still had a void. Sam and Bucky tagged him along to various social causes and projects to help the community and it satisfied him but still he needed the warmth of companionship. 

One day he goes day drinking, just cause. He is retired and he can do whatever he wants.

You were the bartender and you clicked instantly . Your warm smile, the gold clips in your braids, your vibrant attitude. He felt something stirring in him. 

He never exposed his layers to someone so deep and so fast. Maybe it was you and the Asgardian mead. 

 The rest is history. You have been inseparable since then. 

“ Oh, what a sight for sore eyes, indeed ”, Steve sigh 

You gasped, and stood up in a flash. When you turn around it was Steve

You let a breath out in relief. 

“ Stevieeee”, you whine

“You have to stop scaring me like that” , you pout. 

“Aww,  I’m sorry, doll. Keep doing what you were doing, honey pie, you’re so beautiful”, Steve smiled again, while picking up the phone again. You roll your eyes, feeling your cheeks heat up but you do as told. 

You get on all fours and start to throw your ass in a circle, you turn your head, seeing Steve in trance with how your ass jiggles. You turn around and bite your lip when you see that  big tent in his pants forming. 

Steve, on other hand, is totally forgetting how to breathe. You always leave him breathless with everything you do. 

He loves this, that he only gets to see this part of you. 

The way your white thong brings out your skin, the way you are moving sends shivers to all his body. You turn around and smile.  He smiles back at you. 

“ Come here, stop recording”, you faux chide him. Steve stopped the recording and put the phone in his pocket. 

or… not”, You tell him, you wink at him. 

He feels his breath hitch. 

“ You sure, doll ?”, Steve breathes out, narrowing his eyes. 

You love it, when he is so full of desire, the Brooklyn accent comes to the light. 

“Let’s make a movie, daddy, not a silent one, full of color”. You smile biting your lip, you walk to him. You turn around and you beckon him with your finger. 

He darts his way to you and grabs you, flush to him and kisses you. 

It is passionate, fierce but slow and cadent. You feel all of him and he feels all of you. 

You break up the kiss after a while. You are closed but you smile to his lips. 

“ Your phone”, you point to his pocket. He takes it out and hands it to you. 

You embrace him with his phone on your hand. You stretch your arm to the side , so you can record him kissing you and press record. 

The glint in your eyes, let him know you are recording. You kiss all tongue, slowly, putting on a show for the camera. He nuzzles your cheek ,then he starts peppering your jaw with kisses.  He dives in the crook of your neck and kisses , suckles and licks your pulse point. 

You hiss and sigh with small whimpers  concentrating that you don’t drop the phone. 

“C’mon baby,  you told me is not going to be a silent movie”, Steve reminds you. 

With that he takes the phone away from your hands. 

He makes you lay and spread your legs. He curls his finger and  takes your thong off and throws it on the ground.

You talk a big game but when he makes you spread your legs, you still feel heated under his stare. He kisses your cheek.

You’re breathing is ragged. 

He records how your center flutters around nothing, how you are glistened and glazed like an overflowing honey pot. 

“Look at all that”, he says in awe. 

“Fuck, all for me, baby”, he asks you looking at you 

“ Yes, Stevie, all for you”, you nod, biting your lip. 

He keeps recording how he slips a finger in you and withdraws it  slowly and enters two fingers. 

“Stevie”, you breath

“Hmm”, he just hums when you are moaning.

He withdraws the two fingers and pushes in three fingers. 

“Daddy, please-, your moans die in your tongue. Steve is entranced seeing the recording and biting his lip. 

Your eyes are rolled in that back of your head and your mouth agape. You are moving your hips up  You whimper when he fingers you faster and faster. 

He hiss with you. 

He angles the phone to your face to record how your face contorted in pleasure. 

You look so fucked out and he has barely begun. You whine when you feel his fingers slipping out of you. 

“ Daddy”, you whine.

He licks his fingers, eyes closed, savoring you off his finger. 

“So good” , he slurred 

You just look at him, salivating. 

“ I’m not done, doll, I am going to taste you”, he rasped

He hands you the phone. You change the camera so that it is recording him now. He blows a kiss to the camera and goes down. 

You jolt and moan with the phone in hand.  You grabbed the phone steady and he starts eating you like a starved man

“Yes, Stevie, make me cum like that”, you cry out and you push your center to his face. 

His face flush against your center. His arms looped around your thighs. He looks at the camera, while giving fast tongue flicks on your clit. 

“Ahh, fuck”, escapes you with  high pitched sounds. You are squirming  but he puts in your place. He enters his fingers in you again and you go cross eyed and  almost drop the phone. 

“ If you drop it, I won’t let you come all night, understood ”, he reprimands you. 

You nod furiously. 

He goes back to business, you are a moaning mess. 

He sucks on your clit and slips his fingers in and out fast against that spot. Your thighs are shaking. 

“Daddy, Stevie”- you shrill. 

Everything is heightened, his lips on you and his beard tickling your inner thighs 

You shriek, “Stevie!!” along with a deafening moan as you cum. 

Steve eyes twinkle in the camera. It is the excitement he feels, because he makes you feel like this along with your taste. He flat his tongue, receiving everything you have to offer. He makes out with your pussy. You cry at the sensitivity. He smirks and then stands up.

He takes the phone from your hands, he saves the recording and then kisses you. 

You both moan in the kiss, sharing the taste of you. 

He breaks the kiss and grabs the upper cushion of the lounge chair. 

He drops it on the floor. 

You get the clue and you drop on your knees on the cushion. He presses record again. 

“Take it out, honey”

You do it and it pops out of his shorts. 

You love it. It is as pretty as him. Slightly curved, long and thick, head glistening  with pre-cum. 

You lick the throbbing vein on the underside, while looking him dead in the eye. 

He exhales “ damn, doll”, with his eyes fluttering. 

Little by little, you put his dick deeper in your mouth until you feel him tickling the back of your throat. He grunts “fuck”, when you cough, taking your head back. His dick is wet and glistening from your spit. 

He is moaning, his hand a little bit shaky, holding the camera. 

He guides your head up and down on his length. 

“You like that honey pie, taking all of me?”, he croaks  

You look up to the camera and your eyes smile while your mouth is full of dick. 

He is a moaning mess, cursing and and his eyes close a little. 

Your saliva coats your chin and the corner of your lips. You are teary eyed. 

You jerk him and suck him. You gaped out of breath, you smiled at the camera, while jerking him off.  

“ You like that, daddy ?”, you ask with faux innocence. 

“You know, I do, honey pie”. He breathes out. 

“Daddy, you are going to split me open with this” and you jerk him faster.

“ Yes, baby, I want to so much,” he croaks 

You go for his balls and tug them and you flick your tongue on them.

He groans, “y/n, baby”. 

You just keep doing it, while you keep seeing his mouth open, strangled moans coming out him. 

“ Y-”, he can’t even form a coherent sentence. He just groans and bite his lip. 

You are just bobbing your head up and down. Every now and then you lick the tip. 

“Baby, if you keep doing that, I am going to cum, he rushes in a whisper

You stop and he stops recording, saving the recording. 

He exhales a breath, and traces your lips with his thumb. 

“You and that mouth”, he shakes his head grinning. 

“ I love sucking you off, daddy”, you look up at him grinning too. 

You suck his thumb and then stand up. He takes your hand in his, turns you around and spanks you hard. 

You yelp, surprised by the slap on your ass cheek. It stings so good so you moan out.  

He lands on his knees on the lounge chair. You sit in front of him. He brings you flush to him. He hands you the phone. You know what to do.

You start the camera, press record. 

He is breathing you in. He starts kissing the back of your neck and nipping your earlobe. 

His chest against your back. He snatches your biking top of you and starts jiggling your breast playfully. You both laugh at the camera. He kisses your cheek. You feel his beard tickling your cheek. 

He caresses your perky nipples with his thumbs, putting a little pressure on them. 

You sigh and your head falls on his shoulder, your eyes fluttering, you are still holding the phone. He says to your ear “ I love you”, honesty dropping in every word, while squeezing your breast. You put your hand on top of his and  you say “I love you, too”. 

“ Ass up, face down, doll”, he orders using his Captain voice. 

Here I thought you loved me, hmm, you say with faux disappointment. 

He laughs “ I love you so much, but let me show you how much with my body”. With that you stop the recording and save it. 

You hand him the phone. 

You are ass up and face down. He enters you while filming. 

“Damn”, you groan. Your walls still need to adjust to him after all this time. 

He breathes heavily.  

Wine slow was playing on the speakers 

“ I love it when you shake it, baby, you have the prettiest ass, show me how much you want my dick doll” , he grits out  filming you and the scenery in front of you. 

You shake your ass, almost pulling him out of you and then you slam your ass flush against his hips. You are moaning incoherent sentences, while you were moving your ass to the rhythm of the song.  

“Stevie, daddy, I feel in you in- you moan- in my stomach”, you croak.

He records it all, he encourages you  “ That’s it, honey pie, I’m all yours use me baby and he spanks your cheek. You whine. He takes your hip in one hand and starts thrusting his hips with madness in you. 

You open your mouth in a scream but nothing other than strangled noises comes out. 

He spanks your ass again. He moans when your walls spam around him. 

“ Let me hear you, sweetheart”, he pants. 

He grunts and groans, seeing on the phone, how much you are creaming for him. 

You are whimpering, feeling him in your guts. You feel your inside getting tight, squeezing him

He groans “Fuck is like vice ” ,he grunts. 

“Daddy, I’m close-, you cried out. 

He pulls out, you groan in frustration: “whyyyy!”

“Calm down, baby, my hand is just tired, let’s go to the room, I put this phone on the nightstand and fuck you proper”, he explains to you. 

You stand fast and he just laughs and you laugh. 

“Eager little thing”, he bops your nose and you cast your eyes down, smiling. 

He brings your face up with his thumb and forefinger on your chin and gives pecks to your lips. 

You walk to your room hand in hand naked, the phone in his hand. 

He puts the horizontally on the nightstand against the lamp and with the volume key, he hits the record.

You are laying on the bed and you receive him in your arms. You spread your legs real wide for him. You both kiss until you are out of breath. 

“ I love you”, he pants. 

“I love you”, you repeat to him. 

He folds you more when his knees meet the back of your thighs. Your legs are beside your ears. 

He starts pounding into you without mercy. The room is filled with his pants and grunts along with your cries. The sound of skin against skin. “ You’re so deep, daddy”, you cry out eyes wide like you could not believe he is this deep. 

“ Take it, doll, that’s..- fuck, ahh- that’s where I belong-hmmm- deep in you”, he gruffs. 

He pistons his hips against yours, non-stop.

You can only fist the sheets and moan to the ceiling. 

He look so hot like that, eyes full of love and lust with his hair hanging on front of him

He feels you squeezing on him and he lets out a long moan. He knows he will not last. He starts rubbing your clit fast. 

“ You gasp and you start whining, “ Stevie, baby, just like that”,  you croak. 

You arch off the bed with a long moan, you drop your body back on the bed, you feel electricity from head to toe. 

Steve pulls outs and straddles your torso. 

You start encouraging him. 

“ I am so dirty, daddy, I even let you film me daddy, you coo at him

He is just jerking himself fast. His eyes are almost black from the lust. 

“ Paint my face with your cum, daddy, I needed” , your smile at him. 

“Fuck, y/n, baby, fuck you are such a sight,” he pants. 

You stuck your tongue out to him. He was done for.

He cums with a strangled mention of your name, and a long moan and groans.

You close your eyes, smiling spurts of warm cum, landing all over your face and mouth. 

Steve mounts off your torso. He sits next to you. You sit up against the headboard. 

“ Such a good girl”, he says in awe. He gets off the bed and goes to his bag. He takes his polaroid in his hand. 

“Say cheese, honey pie,” 

You smile big for him with your face full of his cum. The picture slides out of the polaroid camera. He puts it on the nightstand. He coos “ So pretty”, looking at the picture. He sits next to you on the bed. 

He scoops his cum  in his fingers and lets you suck it off his finger. He does that until there is no trace of cum on your face. He kisses you deep. 

“ You think we did good enough for a porn”, you ask him. 

“ I know we did, pornstars, it is their job, and they do a damn good job but we are different, It is love”, he assures you. 

With that he stands up and he picks his phone and stops the recording and saves it. 

“ You know, doll, I like this recording thing”, he says while wiggling the phone in his hands. 

“I already know where I want to do it, next”, he smirks and winks at you. 

“Oh..”, you blink your eyes in surprise with a hand on your chest. 

“How about tomorrow in the deserted beach on the other side of town”, he smiles. 

“ Loving on an island 2”, You say seductively.

You both laugh. He goes to the bed and lays scooting to you.  

He lays his head  on your chest and you  run your fingers through his hair.  Both sighing in content. 

“You know, we have our clothes outside”, you remind Steve

“ I’ll pick them up later”

This is his life right now, enjoying the world he was once denied along with you and his friends. There is only the present and he will enjoy it. 

[dwellordream]

“…In one way, pre-Roman Italy was quite a lot like Greece: it consisted of a bunch of independent urban communities situated on the decent farming land (that is the lowlands), with a number of less-urban tribal polities stretching over the less-farming-friendly uplands. While pre-Roman urban communities weren’t exactly like the Greek polis, they were fairly similar. Greek colonization beginning in the eighth century added actual Greek poleis to the Italian mix and frankly they fit in just fine. On the flip side, there were the Samnites, a confederation of tribal communities with some smaller towns occupying mostly rough uplands not all that dissimilar to the Greek Aetolians, a confederation of tribal communities and smaller towns occupying mostly rough uplands.

In one very important way, pre-Roman Italy was very much not like Greece: whereas in Greece all of those communities shared a single language, religion and broad cultural context, Roman Italy was a much more culturally complex place. Consequently, as the Romans slowly absorbed pre-Roman Italy into the Roman Italy of the Republic, that meant managing the truly wild variety of different peoples in their alliance system. Let’s quickly go through them all, moving from North to South.

The Romans called the region south of the Alps but north of the Rubicon River Cisalpine Gaul and while we think of it as part of Italy, the Romans did not. That said, Gallic peoples had pushed into Italy before and a branch of the Senones occupied the lands between Ariminum and Ancona. Although Gallic peoples were always a factor in Italy, the Romans don’t seem to have incorporated their communities as socii; indeed the Romans were generally at their most ruthless when it came to interactions with Gallic peoples (despite the tendency to locate the ‘unassimilable’ people on the Eastern edge of Rome’s empire, it was in fact the Gauls that the Romans most often considered in this way, though as we will see, wrongly so).

That’s not to say that there was no cultural contact, of course; the Romans ended up adopting almost all of the Gallic military equipment set, for instance. In any event, it wouldn’t be until the late first century BCE that Cisalpine Gaul was merged into Italy proper, so we won’t deal too much with the Gauls just yet. I do want to note that, when we are thinking about the diversity of the place, even to speak of ‘the Gauls’ is to be terribly reductive, as we are really thinking of at least half a dozen different Gallic peoples (Senones, Boii, Inubres, Lingones, etc) along with the Ligures and the Veneti, who may have been blends of Gallic and Italic peoples (though we are more poorly informed about both than we’d like).

Moving south then, we first meet the Etruscans, who we’ve already discussed, their communities – independent cities joined together in defensive confederations before being converted into allies of the Romans – clustered on north-western coast of Italy. They had a language entirely unrelated to Latin – or indeed, any other known language – and their own unique religion and culture. The Romans adopted some portions of that culture (in particular the religious practices) but the Etruscans remained distinct well into the first century.

While a number of Etruscan communities backed the Samnites in the Third Samnite War (298-290 BC) culminating in the Battle of Sentinum (295) as a last-ditch effort to prevent Roman hegemony over the peninsula, the Etruscans subsequently remained quite loyal to Rome, holding with the Romans in both the Second Punic and Social Wars. It is important to keep in mind that while we tend to talk about ‘the Etruscans’ (as the Romans sometimes do) they would have thought of themselves first through their civic identity, as Perusines, Clusians, Populinians and so on (much like their Greek contemporaries).

Moving further south, we have the peoples of the Apennines (the mountain range that cuts down the center of Italy). The people of the northern Apennines were the Umbri (that is, Umbrian speakers), though this linguistic classification hides further cultural and political differences. We’ve met the Sabines – one such group, but there were also the Volsci and Marsi (the latter particularly well known for being hard fighters as allies to Rome; Appian reports that the Marsi had a saying prior to the Social War, “No Triumph against the Marsi nor without the Marsi”).

Further south along the Apennines were the Oscan speakers, most notably the Samnites (who resisted the Romans most strongly) but also the Lucanians and Paelignians (the latter also get a reputation for being hard fighters, particularly in Livy). The Umbrian and Oscan language families are related (though about as different from each other as Italian from Spanish; they and Latin are not generally mutually intelligible) and there does seem to have been some cultural commonality between these two large groups, but also a lot of differences. Their religion included a number of practices and gods unknown to the Romans, some later adopted (Oscan Flosa adapted as Latin Flora, goddess of flowers) and some not (e.g. the ‘Sacred Spring’ rite, Strabo 5.4.12).

Also Oscan speakers, the Campanians settled in Campania (surprise!) at some early point (perhaps around 1000-900 BC) and by the fifth century were living in urban communities politically more similar to Latium and Etruria (or Greece, which will make sense in a moment) than their fellow Oscan speakers in the hills above, to the point that the Campanians turned to Rome to aid them against the also-Oscan-speaking Samnites. The leading city of the Campanians was Capua, but as Fronda (op. cit.) notes, they were meaningful divisions among them; Capua’s very prominence meant that many of the other Campanians were aligned against it, a division the Romans exploited.

The Oscans struggled for territory in Southern Italy with the Greeks – told you we’d get to them. The Greeks founded colonies along the southern part of Italy, expelling or merging with the local inhabitants beginning in the seventh century. These Greek colonies have distinctive material culture (though the Italic peoples around them often adopted elements of it they found useful), their own language (Greek), and their own religion. I want to stress here that Greek religion is not equivalent to Roman religion, to the point that the Romans are sticklers about which gods are worshiped with Roman rites and which are worshiped with the ritus graecus (‘Greek rites’) which, while not a point-for-point reconstruction of Greek rituals, did involve different dress, different interpretations of omens, and so on.

All of these peoples (except the Gauls) ended up in Rome’s alliance system, fighting as socii in Rome’s wars. The point of all of this is that this wasn’t an alliance between, say, the Romans and the ‘Italians’ with the latter being really quite a lot like the Romans except not being from Rome. Rather, Rome had constructed a hegemony (an ‘alliance’ in name only, as I hope we’ve made clear) over (::deep breath::) Latins, Romans, Etruscans, Sabines, Volsci, Marsi, Lucanians, Paelignians, Samnites, Campanians, and Greeks, along with some people we didn’t mention (the Falisci, Picenes – North and South, Opici, Aequi, Hernici, Vestini, etc.). Many of these groups can be further broken down – the Samnites consisted of five different tribes in a confederation, for instance.

In short, Roman Italy under the Republic was preposterously multicultural (in the literal meaning of that word)…and it turns out that’s why they won.”

- Bret Devereaux, “Citizens and Allies.”

[royalstorm]

better off   *   xiaoqing // ; xiao x keqing //

content warning : pda, negative thought patterns

Xiao's infatuation is not a slow boil. His heartbreak is.

It's a realization that had dawned on him months ago. He vowed to himself to keep it tucked away, on the backburner left to simmer. To worry about an uncertain future would be to neglect the demands of the present, is what he told himself. He had believed it. He had been pretty convincing back then.

Then, last week...November 20.

In the air that day was a hum of excitement, one that persisted in spite of his itching ears. The people amongst him, too—grinning, giggling, resonating on a frequency that he was tone deaf to.

Even the thrumming in his own chest was akin to a death march.

Her voice had been his only saving grace—the symphony stringing away con brio, above all the noise. And when he offered her his present — clumsily wrapped, barely held together with a ribbon — she graced him with a "thank you" that silenced the discontent in his mind — the darkness in his heart — if only for a moment.

But that same night, the realization Xiao had forced down all those months ago resurfaced, bubbling with a vengeance. How he wished he had just rested, instead of patrolling where he had not been needed. Maybe then, he wouldn't have had to stand testament to the tragedy he came upon on Mt. Tianheng. It was a simple tragedy, but a tragedy nevertheless.

Raining down on him, like a hailstorm, were three eagles — all skewered by a singular, steely arrow.

It was when they reached ground zero — nothing short of battered, bloody feathers at his feet — that it was he who'd taken a shot to the chest.

Memento mori.

"Remember you must die."

Remember she must die.

Flash forward to the adeptus' current state: a state of motion. Running. Practically flying. For the past thousand or so years, all he knew to do was stay still. Physically, he was and continues to be on the move. Evil never sleeps, after all.

But spiritually and emotionally, where it truly mattered, he had been complacent: to the shifting sands, to the rising tides, to the erosion of Liyue's many mountain ranges.

It's useless, he chides himself. A loud thwack! punctures the air as he descends, polearm first, from a rooftop to the cobblestone ground below. He rises from his squat form to better regard his surroundings.

To think that the esteemed Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing would willingly live somewhere ordinary...remote, even. Indeed, he's still roaming the streets of Liyue Harbor, but he would've been fooled quite easily had someone told him differently.

"I don't care to live lavish, even if it's something I am able to afford," is what she told him once, when they were discussing philosophy. "Once in a while, it does you no harm to treat yourself, but it feels ... unnecessary flaunting that which so many can’t have themselves, and—" She had chuckled here. "—Never mind. You get my point, don’t you?”

Xiao keeps that thought at the forefront of his mind as he nears the front door. Upon reaching it, he silently thanks the archons for her residence's ease of access: on the first floor and as one of the very first units of the complex.

Lifting a hand, he knocks once...twice...

The door handle on the opposite end almost immediately rattles in response.

"Xiao?"

Keqing's voice is a colorful blend of concerned and (pleasantly) surprised. She fidgets with what looked to be an empty rice bowl in her hands.

"Keqing," he acknowledges, amber eyes suddenly skittering to the ground. Ignoring the heat rising to his cheeks, he follows up with, "My apologies for the unexpected visit. I hope you don't mind."

From his periphery, Xiao can see that she's still fiddling with the bowl — shifting it, inclining it, turning it upside down and right back up. He isn't sure what it means.

"No, of course I don't mind," she reassures him. Even as his eyes avoid hers, he can tell she's being earnest. Something soft and warm to the touch permeates the fabric of his glove. Eyes darting to the side, he sees her hand clasping his — on the verge of tugging him her way.

The "come inside" catches in Keqing's breath as the adeptus simply allows himself to be ushered in. Bowl now nestled solely in her other hand, she shuts the door closed with a foot. His hand still in hers, she then leads him down the main corridor and into the kitchen, where she'd been enjoying a late night dinner.

They seat themselves in her dining room, chairs directly across one another's. He ignores the arrangement of food scattering the table in favor of examining the rest of her home. The walls are relatively bare, save for two swords displayed in their respective racks front and center. Most, if not all, of the furniture looks decent enough—nothing too gaudy or flashy, though nothing secondhand, either—but even their presence is minimal ... underwhelming for a common civilian, let alone an aristocrat.

"Sorry if you were expecting something more grand." Keqing's voice rustles him from his observations.

Xiao rekindles the will to look her in the eyes. He attempts to ignore the dark circles weighing them down. "There is no need for you to apologize. I quite like your home, actually." When she chances a dubious brow in his direction, he adds, "It seems comfortable."

Keqing exhales a breath that is half scoff, half laugh. “Great save.” She props herself up on the dinner table and begins adding contents from each dish into her bowl. Xiao watches her from his periphery, realizing that this may have been one of the first times he’d seen her eat.

“You are free to help yourself to whatever you please.”

This time, he visibly flinches — once again, roused by the Yuheng’s voice.

“I will have to politely decline.” And before she can protest, he follows up with, “Adepti do not require the same amount of nourishment needed by human beings.”

Keqing’s shoulders roll into a lazy shrug. The sound of chopsticks scraping porcelain rings in the air. “So be it. Just know that the offer is yours for the taking whenever.”

For the next few minutes, the pair sits in silence — one that is only curtailed by the occasional sound of Keqing’s chopsticks against her bowl. Silences between them have been comfortable, for the most part...perhaps not in the beginning — back when they could not yet see eye to eye, back when they found faults within each other, back when they could not acknowledge those same faults within themselves — but that tension came to pass the moment their fondness for each other began to bloom...as friends and then, eventually, as...more.

Tonight, the silence feels especially oppressive, perhaps even more so than it did when they first got acquainted with one another. And as it continues to crescendo, looming over them like gallows, Xiao can only assume that she feels similarly.

”Keqing–“

”Why have you come here tonight?”

Xiao freezes, stunned. Consider the image of a deer in the headlights — not only only the fear and the wide eyes, but the acceptance of a certain, untimely fate. In hindsight, it’s foolish for him to react so severely. Hadn’t he paid her this visit for a pressing reason?

Or perhaps he still didn’t want to accept that pressing reason himself?

He’s too quiet. He hesitates for too long. He is always too quiet and hesitating for too long. The sound of a bowl settling atop mahogany, chopsticks following suit, fills his ears. With bated breath, the adeptus feels her presence shift from the seat across his to standing right beside him.

It takes everything in him not to pivot.

“Xiao.” Keqing’s voice is firmer now...still gentle, but far more stalwart in intention. His eyes glaze over briefly, searching hers, finding in them the stubborn concern he’d grown to cherish so much.

When he still offers her no reply, she lifts a hand to his arm, fingers gently running over the exposed skin. “I know you aren’t just here for the sake of being here.” Keqing continues skimming his arm with that feather light touch, just barely cognizant of the slight bumps left in its wake. “After all, it’s a Thursday night. You know better than anyone that I like to spend these nights in solitude.” Her hand halts upon contacting his bird bone wrist.

The adeptus feels his mouth dry at the tenderness of it all, sucking in a breath once her fingertips stop at his wrist, a hair shy out of his reach. He wonders if intimacy would always feel this...strange. Exhilarating. Or was this merely her Vision’s power at work? She is an Electro user, after all...

“Please talk to me.” There’s a meek lilt in Keqing’s voice that coerces Xiao to not only look up, but to also maintain his hold on her gaze. How pathetic, the way he can stare at hell itself square in the eye but could barely muster the courage to expend even a glance her way.

“I–“ Pause. Falter. Swallowing thickly, Xiao rises from his seat. He slowly takes the hand adorning his wrist into his own — intertwining the fingers one by one, marveling at how perfectly they fit together.

Then, bowing his head and releasing a sigh, he finds the courage to speak his piece — to voice his pressing reason...

“You are better off without me.”

Xiao feels the hand in his go limp.

”What? What do you mean?” There’s an incredulity that leaks into the Yuheng’s tone that he isn’t familiar with. He doesn’t like it.

”I am not worthy of you, Keqing. What we have, it cannot be.” What vile things to say. What vile, disgusting things. The words lapping his tongue taste almost as bitter as the blood he’d once shed, so he does exactly what he did all those years ago.

He gulps it down.

”You deserve better. You deserve the world. I don’t say this with the intention of discrediting myself. But I–“ Xiao trembles in spite of himself. He feels her other hand cup the small of his back. “–I am not capable of offering you all that you deserve, or even half of that amount.”

He doesn’t quite know how he sounds at that moment, let alone how he looks, but as he feels Keqing’s arms adjust to wrap around his frame, he figures it can’t be good.

”I don’t understand you sometimes,” she whispers into the crook of his neck. “You say you don’t mean to sell yourself short, yet that’s exactly what it sounds like you are doing.” She squeezes him softly before leaning further into the embrace. “Besides, who are you to tell me what I do and do not deserve? Who is anyone to decide that? Shouldn’t that decision be mine and mine alone?”

Whenever she talks like that, Xiao finds it difficult to fathom her mortality...to grasp the idea that she would one day be nothing but ashes at his feet. Yet, as he holds her, and as she holds him, her breath, her small frame, and the bray of her human heart become all the more clear to him.

”I suppose you’re right. Forgive me. This is novel territory for someone such as myself.” The adeptus feels her form loosen as she chuckles. He rests his chin upon her shoulder. “But still, I can’t help but feel that the life you lead has far more meaning than mine.”

Xiao withdraws from their embrace, if only to get a full glimpse of her face. Noticing the hints of tears pooling at the corner of one eye, he takes a thumb and lightly brushes it away.

”But you are the protector of Liyue, handpicked by Rex Lapis himself.”

Classic Keqing. Always so quick to counter him. He begins trailing his thumb down her cheek — slowly, softly. Her eyes reflexively draw closed. “While that may be so, my time here knows no limits. I can afford to be complacent. But you–“ Xiao pauses again. At this point, his thumb is bordering the curve of her jaw and her bottom lip. “–Your time in this world is finite. As a result, you cannot afford to spend it with regrets.” Now, it’s his turn to shut his eyes. He bows his head again. “I fear that may come to pass if you continue to involve yourself with me.”

The Yuheng allows her eyes to flutter half-open. She too bows her head, if to just press her forehead to his. “You don’t know that for sure.” Lifting a hand, she rests it on top of his. She prods his thumb so that it rests on the flush red of her lip, right where it meets her skin. “Even knowing the fate of our bond, much of the future is still uncertain.”

Xiao‘s head dips lower. Their noses brush. He can feel her breath hitch. “I understand that better than most. Nothing in this world is completely certain. Even the word of our gods is something that, at times, must be taken with a grain of salt.” He almost smiles saying that. You taught me this yourself. His thumb begins gingerly grazing her bottom lip. “But wouldn’t you want to pursue that which would yield you the most certainty?” Xiao can sense his feelings going awry once more. He breathes deeply and prolongs the exhale that follows, as if to ground himself. “That includes entering a relationship with...another mortal. Someone who can provide for you. Someone who is always present. Someone...whose love will not be lost to the whims of time.” He sighs in spite of himself, consciously commanding that his voice stay as level as possible. “Is that not what you want?”

Not even a second elapses before Keqing scoffs. Whether it’s ironic or not is completely lost on the adeptus, but what he does know for sure is the feeling of his other hand being claimed by hers — of it being lifted to her face, of it cupping her cheek.

”Do you even hear yourself right now? I’m not sure whether to call you foolish or stubborn, but that doesn’t matter right now.” She releases a breath. “What matters is you knowing, with absolute certainty, that no, isn’t at all what I want.” Keqing’s face nears his even more so. Lips, parted. Eyes, half-lidded. Xiao’s thumb moves to frame the curve of her chin.

”What I want is you.” Their lips brush for a fraction of a second. Her breath is a strange comfort, hot in his mouth. “Xiao, I choose you. For better or for worse. I want to spend this lifetime with you ... and if not that, then at the very least, every second of  the time we’ve been allotted with each other. Nothing can hope to alter those facts — nothing except how you decide to proceed with this information.”

He opts to respond by, at long last, closing the last bit of distance that separates them. Lips pressed against lips, body pressed against body, hands pressed against hands.

They need not talk even after they pull away from each other, the tingling in their lips and blush sweeping their cheeks speaking volumes for themselves. Moments later, they’re close again – practically insoluble as they envelope the other in their arms, as their heads settle warmly atop each other’s shoulder.

There, they stay for a while.

There, they reconcile with their comfortable silence.

[silence-burns]

Please Hate Me //part 35

Fandom: Marvel

Summary: Based on: “Imagine having a love/hate relationship with Loki.” by @thefandomimagine​ Who would have thought that babysitting a god could be so much fun?

Genre: slow-burn, enemies to lovers

Clint was woken by the delicious smell that snuck into his slumber. It was one of the more pleasant ways of being woken in the Tower, and Clint was equally surprised and suspicious when he opened his eyes. 

Natasha sat with her legs crossed on the couch to his right. Banner chose the seat by the table. And in front of Clint laid the plate that made his mouth water. He reached for it, noticing his friends already finishing up theirs.

-took you long enough- Natasha signed. 

Clint started, turning his hearing aid on. 

"Sorry," he mumbled, speaking around the food already shoved in his mouth. "Did I miss anything?" 

"A couple of hours. Two emotional breakdowns. The usual.” Banner shrugged, pushing baked potatoes around his plate. 

The Tower did actually feel strangely quiet, especially if confronted with the noise and chaos of just a few hours ago, when Clint had been dragged to that same room without even hearing a reason behind it. 

Clint frowned. 

He turned to Natasha. "You knew about them?!" 

She didn't look the tiniest bit guilty. "It's not my fault you drop off mid-conversation. Like today, let me remind you." 

Touché.

"What about you?" he turned to Banner, busy reading a newspaper over his plate. 

The scientist shook his head nervously and fixed his glasses. "It's not like Loki is my favorite person in the whole world. I don't have many reasons to follow his every step, unlike Peter." 

Clint finished his dinner. His eyes locked on Bruce's plate. There were still a few cold potatoes left. "You gonna eat that?" 

Bruce just pushed it to him. 

"Speaking of which, I'm surprised they didn't smuggle the kid somehow," Natasha said. 

"Are you sure they didn't?" 

She smiled. "I saw him leave the Tower some time ago, and he still looked like himself, if a little beaten up, but… well. It wouldn't be below them to smuggle him in later, when everyone's focus is turned elsewhere." 

Clint whistled. The mustache drawn in a black marker suited him well. "You evil woman, you'd help them, wouldn't you?" 

"Who knows?" 

*

The ride through the Bifrost was something Loki spoke in great detail beforehand, in fleeting hope that it might help you. But even though he clearly tried his best, nothing was capable of preparing you.

The moment the light came down upon you was an instantaneous blinding experience. You clutched Loki's leather armor, and you felt his hand grip you hard in turn. Despite that, you felt every particle of your body stretch and be ripped apart by an unstoppable force of the universe. It must've taken only a moment, but you felt your very being torn to pieces and ripped away from you-

-and then you were whole once again, but nothing else was as it used to be. 

"We're here," Loki said. His hand rubbed your back in soothing circles as you pried yourself off him. 

The first thing that hit you was the smell of the place. There wasn't anything you could pick up or focus on, but it felt as if the essence of the air you breathed changed. It was somehow colder, or filled with a strange dose of ozone, as if lighting was just about to strike, even without a storm. 

The second thing was the colors. 

The world you opened your eyes to was vivid and stark. It was a blur of shades and lights and the darkness prowling right behind them, making them stand out even more. A deep violet bathed the strange new world in a glow coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. 

The sky above your heads was somehow bigger and closer than the one you were used to on Earth. There was no moon that you could discern, and no clouds, but that didn't mean the dark, bottomless sky was empty. If anything, it was far from it. 

The darkness looked eternal and utterly absolute. It stretched as far as you could see, and even though you couldn't place the reason for that feeling, focusing on that darkness felt like looking into a bottomless void, where one wrong step could send you spiraling into the never ending emptiness. 

But darkness was not all that the Edge's sky was made of. The darkness was a prominent feature, but it merely played as the canvas to the rich kaleidoscope of color as if fragments of the sky had frozen and flaked away. The longer you stared, the more difficult it got to grasp what the other side of the universe was like. There were stars, but they were closer and somehow more alive than they should be. Some of them shone green, the others were painted in reds and blues unseen in your home part of the universe. But the stars were difficult to discern from beneath the vivid swatches of cosmic dust, gliding in swirls and currents greater than anything you could comprehend. 

Loki tapped your arm. You weren't alone. 

The wide balcony you had been transported onto connected to a castle of marble and stone. The arches and turrets climbed impossibly high as if they were made to reach the sky. The walls seemed so thin a mere breeze could knock them down. The mountain rose behind the palace, blending in with its structure in perfect harmony. Under the violet glow, it was impossible to discern where the building ended and the mountain started. 

Movement caught your eye. From the shadows of the archway in front of you, a piece of night separated itself from the darkness. It took you a moment to discern a vague shape of a person. A pang of pain flashed through your head as you stared at the approaching man. 

He was tall, that much you could tell. The sense of otherworldliness was amplified by the set of horns sprouting from his head, the curve of bone glistening under the stars. 

But no matter how hard you tried, your eyes couldn't focus on the details of him. He moved without a sound, and you could almost see a cape flowing behind him, so thin it felt like it was made of spiderweb and dust. But the edges of him seemed to blur before your eyes, and change constantly, as if he was one with the starlit sky and the shadows shifting through the dark. 

The man stopped in the centre of the balcony. His skin was a mirror to the sky, the glowing particles in place of the stars. 

"Welcome," he said. His eyes bore into your soul. 

Loki bowed his head and you followed quickly. There was very little time you had before being transported, so Loki had only shared the essential details of paying respects. 

The man eyed the two of you. 

"I am the High Prince of the Edge," he said after a moment of silence. "Has my request been answered?" 

"Yes," Loki nodded. "Asgard recognizes the need to investigate what happened." 

Prince’s gaze fell on you, cold as ice and just as welcoming. "Does it? I remember being very clear about the conditions I had set." 

"They have been met." Loki took your hand, straightening his back. "This is no Asgardian." 

The Prince didn't move. Your head hurt as if it could split any moment, but you had finally begun to see some details of him. His eyes indeed shone like ice, and were just as warm. He must've been at least a head taller than you, and without even counting the horns. 

"Looks like you haven't changed, Loki of Asgard," he said at last and turned back to the palace. 

You frowned, but Loki shook his head. He'd answer all of your questions later, once there was enough time for that. 

He was still holding your hand as the two of you followed the Prince inside. There were no doors to speak of, and no glass in the places you at first took to be windows. The air was chilly, but not to the point of discomfort. The walls and arches enclosed you in a cage of stone as you walked deeper into the structure, but even then it felt as open as if you were still outside. The columns supporting the many floors over your head felt strangely thin, especially with all the carvings you didn't have the time to look closely at. 

There was no explanation of where you were being taken. It was nagging at you, but one look at Loki was enough confirmation he knew exactly as much as you did. Usually, you wouldn't wait to ask, but there was tension in every move made, and in every step taken. It was in the air too, in that strange smell of ozone, as a warning that the strike could come at any moment. 

The corridors were wide and lustrous, as there were rarely any large plains of wall. The columns opened one side to the mesmerizing view of a world bathed in violet, and to the galaxies shifting over it. Despite the lack of any lanterns, the light given by them was enough to navigate through the palace. You were glad for the steady, warm hand Loki held you with. You devoured every detail you could on your way, and your head constantly turned. 

The palace stretched for eternity, but there was only one person you  met on your way. She stood on one of the balconies open to the starlight, with her hands clasped together. You couldn't see her too well, but she looked… pale. 

"Mother," the Prince bowed gracefully. "Our guests have arrived." 

She didn't seem to notice him. You weren't sure she was breathing. 

"Please, forgive our Queen," he said once he resumed the walk. "She's already begun her fading." 

A shadow crossed Loki's face. For a moment, he might've wanted to say something, but it was then that you' finally made it to your destination. The Prince stopped in front of a set of doors. 

"Please, rest tonight. You must be tired after your journey, so I think it is best for us to begin our task properly tomorrow morning. Until then, I encourage you to stay in your rooms. This place is… no longer safe." 

The moment Loki and you crossed the threshold, the heavy doors closed behind your backs. There was no audible sound of a lock being used, but somehow you still had the feeling there was nothing you could do to pry them open. 

You exchanged stupefied glances. "Are we under house arrest?" 

"That sounded ominous. I have no idea." 

The antechamber he walked into was a grand place, lit by the galaxies casting their glow and a few sparkles spelled to stay in the corners and out of view. The rounded space, cushioned and dressed in silks, was nothing unexpected in a place like this. Not much stood out, because not much was meant to be there. Another, smaller archway led to the bedroom with a connected bathing chamber. Loki put down his bag near the dresser. 

"I don't think there's much point in unpacking everything," he said, approaching you where you'd been wandering through the chambers. 

"Do you think they'll try to kill us tonight?" 

There was no sarcasm in your voice as you looked up at him. 

"They might. It depends on what's actually going on here." 

There was no point in hiding the truth. The situation, from the few scraps of information Loki'd gathered so far, was too severe to hide anything. Besides, there was a part of him recoiling from doing that. There was truth in saying that only the wise didn't trust others, but there was also the truth that nothing of value could be built on rotten foundation. 

Truths seemed to be a complicated matter. Lies, Loki gathered, were easier to handle, even if not so rewarding at times. 

Still, he found with surprise, Loki was willing to try it the other way around, for once. He wasn't sure where it would lead him, but if you walked that path by his side, he was willing to find out. 

He slowly walked towards where you stood by one of the large windows, the chilly breeze falling freely into the room. It was looking out over a garden, rich with trees and plants you couldn't quite picture from so high above. Somewhere to the right meandered the silver ribbon of a river you'd already noticed on your way through the palace. 

Loki breathed in your scent as he stepped behind you. His fingers intertwined with yours over the thin marble windowsill. 

"I promise we'll get through this," he whispered into your neck. 

"I know we will. I'm just worried about what happens before that. All of this… It's just so complicated and strange here. I don't even know what to look out for."

"The Edge has always been different," Loki put his head on your shoulder. "Do you know it's not even a realm? It's more of a… state of being. A concept, too unnatural and difficult to grasp for an outsider to properly understand. If we forget about whatever killed those men two days ago, I'd suggest that the next most dangerous thing there would be the rifts. Like that one."

You followed to where he pointed. The darkness prowled through the world, set alight in some places so much that the others seemed burrowed in eternal void in contrast. On the verge of where those two met, close to where you thought the river should run if not for the thick canopy, stirred… something. 

At first, you put that to your exhaustion and overwhelming amount of events during the day, but the closer you looked, the stranger that one spot felt. It was if the air froze and broke there, making the parts of space not fit together anymore. 

You frowned. "What is it?" 

"The Edge, in general, is the fragile state between the known universe, conquered and tamed by the sentient races, and what lays beyond them. The rifts are places where the buffer of the Edge thins out almost to the point of breaking. I'd suggest we stay away from them if we ever cross paths."

"You seem to know an awful lot about this place, Loki," you smiled, pushing your frame more into his warmth. 

"I… have visited this place twice in my life, as a child. I might've grown a little too fascinated with it. I might've also devoured every scrap of information about it once I was back home." 

If you didn't know him any better, you might've thought he sounded as close to embarrassed as someone like him ever could. You turned in his arms to face him. 

"Once we make sure this place has no hidden compartments for alien assassins to hide in, I want you to info dump every piece of information you have about this place to me," you said, making sure he understood every word. 

Something in your chest tightened at the bashful smile that rose to his face. "Looks like we'll be having a long night." 

"I hope it won't be our last. Nights with you are way too pleasant."

[the-slasher-files]

DIFFERENT PREDATORS - chapter 1

INCLUDES ANDREI KULOKOVA x XAVIERA LAH-MO

I am utterly obsessed with my oc Andrei and he just might have finally met his match after 27 years of a brutal life lived. Once I saw @horrorslashergirl oc Xaviera I knew she was going to be Andrei’s perfect battle, a clashing of a wolf and snow leopard waiting to become something more... thank you for all the Andrei support!! Hope you enjoy this paring as much as I do 🔪💕

Chapter 1 from Xaviera’s perspective linked HERE

MASTERLIST

The wolf was on the hunt again. Leading him far away from his motherland and into the Himalayas, a place unfamiliar to him. In dense woods on a mountain side, he hunted, waiting for the prey to come into the large clearing, ice blue eyes were sharp and focused, breathing slow and squeezing his rifle, patients fading. 

The customer didn’t give a reason for the wolf to kill, but he didn’t need it. Just to see the blood ooze from the wounds under the broken bones, the smell of his gunpowder to the copper of the crimson liquid coating his hands as he squeezed, feeling the life drain away between his fingers, and the look, oh the look of prey when he would meet their eyes for one last time before they were gone underneath him. That was enough for the wolf. It was always more than enough. 

The prey followed the trail into the clearing as he knew they would. The snow creaked beneath his boots as he took his spot. Removing the cigarette from his mouth, letting it melt in the snow as he pulled up his half face mask, some sort of wolf and human combination of white teeth displayed on the black background; Becoming the full ruthless wolf he was trained to be, his uncle’s voice in his head “Take the shot”. With a large inhale his grip tightened on the metal in his hands, bearing his canines under the mask as the hair seemed to stand on the back of his neck, beckoning the hunter to survey his environment, watch for other predators lurking within the tress, but the desire for blood was too strong. He was lost in it.

Breathe... Wound the prey... Be grateful for the hunt... And enjoy the thrash of the body beneath you... Breathe

In a deep exhale the wolf took the shot, wounding a man in the knee forcing him down, trailing his blood. Wanting to bask in the odor of the gunpowder and the cracking of the guns release, it was cut short. Another shot rang out from the mountain side and reverberating off the trees of the forest. The wolf perked up with keen trained ears as he ran through the dense snow in protection. Two more cracks of the gun in the winter air sounded, helping him locate the position of the other hunter, higher on the mountain side. 

The gunshots were like home. Ones he knew well. Ones he grew up around. They were from a sniper rifle. 

Could she have found me? It’s been so long... Why now?... Why here?... Amaria...      

Turning his lips into a snarl seeing his prey gone to waste. The wolf moved within the forest quietly and rapidly, chasing his new challenge. Seeing the movement from where the shots had been taken, someone climbing down the ridge, a small prey indeed. He waited in the forest, among the trees. This was a chase he desired too much for guns to get in the way, he needed to feel the pulse beneath his skilled fingers. 

As the prey came closer the wolf saw a woman. Small, blonde with rosy cheeks from the bitter cold wind. “Amaria.” He ripped off his mask, hooking it along his holster. Taking a few steps foreword, huffing and licking his canines she turned to face the beast, icy blue eyes challenging and yet holding him captured within the gaze for a moment. 

This was not his sister, but a different predator. His instincts took over, desire and lust formed a pit in his stomach, as he started the chase. A wolf chasing a rabbit. Fingers twitching at the thrill of potential, claws and teeth bared. 

She was so small... So breakable... One to take home

The prey ran straight back up the ridge, a hard angle for anyone to accomplish but she was fast and agile, perhaps he got the animal wrong; she was more like a snow leopard in these mountains, she was at home here. However, this only added more fuel to the fire of the wolfs heart, wanting to conquer and devour any one that dare challenge him. The little one lost speed and fast as he stalked her. 

Only a few feet away she challenged him again, stopping and turning to the wolf, maybe trying to bargain or pled like he loved the prey to do; but there was something more to her, making him for once, a little unsure of himself. The woman grabbed something from her jacket and spoke confidently “One more step and you’re dead. I don’t suppose you would want a dose of Russell’s Viper venom into your bloodstream. Even if you survive the venom, the effects are life-long term.”   

The man huffed at her arrogance. She didn’t know his past, his training. The wolf moved swiftly and precisely, dodging her darts with ease and grabbing her small wrists in his massive left inked palm. Pinning her against an old pine tree, she tried to struggle against him but the little thing was helpless under the wolf who towered her. She looked up at him through her thick lashes, doe eyes making him want to devour her whole where she stands. Hissing and snarling like a little kitten trying to threaten a wolf, he smirked, canines on display as he moved to stroke her cold soft cheek.   

“Easy little mouse, easy...” Andrei spoke deeply, enjoying this one a bit too much. However the prey’s eyes changed, now wide and scared. Looking up there was a wall of snow coming fast, crushing trees and anything in it’s path. Andrei pushed away trying to claw at something until the snow hit him like a freight train, tossing his large frame like a doll into trees and knocking out the solider.  

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

Blinking slowly, Andrei opened his ice blue eyes, groaning at the soft light and the pain shooting through his body. Running his hand through his light brown hair he remembered the hunt, the avalanche, the prey. His adrenaline sparked again, army training engraved in his brain over riding any pain. The wolf needed to find out where he was, who saved him, if he was safe. 

Looking around he was in a cottage, warm light coming from the ceiling light. Snow was failing outside and the wind howled at the windows drafting through the old wood. The wolf was in a bed, bandaged and shirtless, weapons removed.

Eyes whipped to the door that opened in front of him, the girl walked in holding a cup of tea, white long hair flowing as she walked. The prey from before, on the mountain side. She was gorgeous and even smaller without the large winter coat weighing her down, it sparked a sense of warmth in his heart but the coldness persisted.

“Why did you save me?” he roughly questioned. The wolf did not care for who she was, he just needed to know why she helped him. What was she after.

“Would you have preferred I let you die under the ice-cold snow and bleed to death?” An American accent no doubt. She was somehow unfazed by him, most people would stare in fear at the shear size of the wolf, and cower when his canines were on display. She did not. It lit some sort of fire within Andrei, so small with no fear. Arrogance or strength, he did not know yet.

“That still doesn’t answer my question.” he grumbled and she raised an eyebrow at him, her icy blue eyes matching his own predatory gaze. 

“Are you a poacher?” she asked with her arms crossed over her chest, trying to intimidate the wounded beast laying in bed. The question made him pull his crooked smirk as he rested against the headboard of the bed. 

“A poacher of sorts…you can say dat.” yeah, killing people for money was sort of like poaching. She spoke quickly back not giving him a chance to remember some of his best hunts.  

“If you touch any animal I’m gonna skin your scalp off.” she told him, with no hesitation in her voice, making him raise his scarred brow. Shaking his head a little he grabbed the hot tea from the nightstand; it was shockingly his favorite kind, a deep earl grey; not the Russian blend of course but it was good nonetheless. 

“My hunting is different, little one….Humans are the real monsters. I think that we can agree.” Andrei explained gruffly knowing his past, then sipping the tea.  

“Food is almost ready. I will bring the tray upstairs, since your ankle is twisted I don’t want you stumbling down the stairs and twist your neck too.” And with that she left the room, confidentially and beautifully, like a winter cat truly at home here.

This one was different, a new predator he had never come across before. Much like his sister but softer, and with a different edge incasing her. Fishing in the pockets he found his cigarettes and lighter, pulling them out and lighting one up. Taking a long drag he looked at the snow falling, trapping the wolf inside. 

Sighing Andrei thought ‘What have you just got yourself into wolf’               

[hannah-deserved-better]

The Union of the Companions Chapter One

Part one of my Dungeons and dragons style four fandom crossover. 

Summary: The land of Faerun is just one of Chuck’s many realities, as is Middle Earth, and Kenshin’s Meiji era Japan. He’s been toying with Kenshin, Drizzt, and Fili, and Kili just like he toys with the Winchesters. Now, as the Winchesters rebel against him, he’s decided to bring them all together for one final showdown. 

This is a dungeons and dragons style story of eight companions traveling Faerun, looking for a way home and encountering many villains.

Pairing: Castiel/Hannah. This will be the only romantic pairing as this fic will focus primarily on platonic love and brotherly love. The characters will be Drizzt Do’Urden, Kenshin Himura, Sam, and Dean Winchester, Castiel, Hannah, and Fili and Kili. 

Fandoms: Rurouni Kenshin, Supernatural, The Hobbit movie verse, The Legend of Drizzt Dark Elf Trilogy by R. A Salvatore

Warnings and tags: fandom typical violence, massacres, blood, and gore. Tags may change as the story progresses as I haven’t planned details for that far ahead. Note that this story does fall within a canon timeline, it is AU. For Supernatural, it takes place shortly after the events of s15 e03 “The Rupture.” For the Hobbit, it takes place after the battle of the five armies except for an alternate ending in which Fili and Kili survive. For Drizzt, it takes place during the early events of the book “Sojourn,” and for Kenshin, it takes place after his fight with Shishio in season two of the anime. Although for Kenshin, this will be a blend of the anime and the live-action movie trilogy.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29948202/chapters/73718643

FFN Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13837115/1/The-Union-of-the-Companions-The-Eight-Companions-of-Faerun

Chapter One

“How long will they pursue me, Guenhwyvar?” Drizzt lamented as he peered down into the ravine to see the small band of adventurers who had been on his trail for days. No matter how he tried to evade them, they pursued him, spurred on mostly by a large burly human and his dog.

That human wanted revenge on Drizzt for their encounter which had ended the life of one of the man’s dogs, and had left him without an ear. Drizzt hadn’t wanted to hurt him, and it pained him to have to kill such a loyal companion. After all, where would he be without Guenhwyvar? His faithful black panther had stayed at his side and accepted him where no other had. 

But the human had left him with no choice. He’d been cornered, and forced to defend himself. His need for acceptance and his distaste for violence hadn’t yet extended to the idea that he should sacrifice himself to such principals. 

After all, he’d avenged the bloody murder of the farming family, a murder scene that he still couldn’t get out of his head. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the terrible slaughter, the children dead in their beds.  

As Drizzt stood on the lip of the ravine, peering down at the humans, shrouded from their view by a copse of trees, he imagined himself being accepted by them. If only they could see past his drow heritage. Belwar the gnome could attest to that. Of course, it would help if Drizzt could speak their language.

The sun was beginning to set and Drizzt was getting tired. He was still wounded from the barghests. His chest ached, although the bite of pain was less than it had been before. He was healing, but he continued to walk with a limp. 

“Let’s find a secure place for the night,” Drizzt said to his panther companion as he struggled towards the mountains, searching for a cave. When he rounded the sheer cliff and came upon a thick growth of trees, he saw a twinkle down by the trees. Kneeling, he picked up a thick blade laying in the grass. It was broken in two, but the hilt bore a strange insignia, and the design was reminiscent of a goblin.

Looking further, Drizzt saw what seemed to be blood smeared in the grass. With a frown, he exchanged a glance with Guenhwyvar before getting to his feet and putting a hand on the hilt of his one remaining scimitar, moving slowly into the forested grove, cautious and alert. 

He ventured further into the forest, the trees dimming the light above. He walked a few feet until he came to a small clearing, and there, he discovered a travesty. Bodies were scattered everywhere, spears impaling some corpses, and others were hacked to bits. Drizzt counted about six prone bodies.

Upon closer inspection, Drizzt discovered that they were elves. Four females and two males. The image brought up haunting memories. The last time he had witnessed such a sight was after his own kind had murdered and massacred an entire village of surface elves. Drizzt squeezed his eyes closed, silently praying to any gods or goddesses who were just, that this was not the work of his kin. 

He opened his eyes, steeling himself, and examined the torn bodies, looking for the telltale sign of drow weapons. There would be the slashing wounds caused by swords of the Underdark, and crossbow bolts. There certainly would have been a priestess in the party, so Drizzt looked for signs of enchantments.

He let out a sigh of relief upon finding no signs of such weapons. The bodies were surrounding the remains of a campfire. A few feet away lay an overturned cart and two dead horses.

“Traders, perhaps,” Drizzt murmured to himself. He wasn’t sure what kind of creatures could have caused this atrocity. He was unfamiliar with the creatures of the surface world. He thought perhaps they could be gnolls or goblins, as he recognized the spears. But he couldn’t be sure. One thing he did know is that he would have to remain in the region for longer than he had hoped if he was going to ensure that nothing threatened this village.

The villagers may hate him and they may blame him for their recent calamities, but Drizzt bore them no ill will, and he was determined that before he could leave the region and search for a new home and possible acceptance, he would have to find the killers of these magnificent elves, his cousins.

Drizzt had hoped that he would meet elves upon coming to the surface. He’d been curious about them ever since the massacre more than ten years ago now. They were slender, agile, light on their feet, with ears shaped like his. The only thing that differed was Drizzt’s dark skin and white flowing hair. 

And indeed, one of the members of the party currently chasing him was an elf. Drizzt longed to make contact with him, talk to him. But he did not dare get close. He knew his pursuers were likely after his life, spurred on by hate and a need for revenge over the massacre they assumed he had caused. 

But here, strewn across the forest floor, were more of his elven kin. Silenced forever by some unseen foe. Drizzt promised to himself that he would avenge them. One way or another. Silently, he slipped away and further into the forest, searching for tracks that could lead him to his new enemies.

**

Chuck watched as Drizzt set about burying the bodies of the slain elves and then limped off in search of shelter. The smug deity smirked. There were only a few of his worlds left. He thought he should be upset at all his failed projects, but this was all the Winchesters’ fault, after all. 

He’d saved the last couple of worlds because they were his favorites. The drow elf experiencing the surface world for the first time, the samurai who vowed never to kill again, the dwarf brothers who followed their uncle into battle and saw more than they were prepared to, and of course, those pesky Winchesters. They’d always been his favorites. 

But lately, his favorite creations were causing him far too much grief. He was the writer after all, and they were only his creations. How dare they try to control themselves? He had ultimate control. 

As he wandered through the woods, he wondered where the story should take him next. Juggling this many projects at once was challenging, even for a god. He had been indifferent to all the others, but these last few were the most challenging, with characters as willful as these. Writing was hard after all. And Amara was being a total bitch to him. Well, he hadn’t bothered to tell her of these other projects that he’d kept. He fully planned to get around to destroying even these last few worlds, but he wanted them all to go out with a bang. 

Then, just as it always had, inspiration struck. He grinned as the idea came to him. Maybe instead of juggling these projects separately, he’d put them all together! But that would take some major planning. There would need to be a plot, a setting, and of course, plenty of conflicts. But it could work. When he glanced around at this world, he couldn’t think of a better setting for his master plot. The world of Faerun was certainly one of his masterpieces. He’d created the entire reality just so he could watch his favorite pet in this particular reality- Drizzt. Unlike Sam and Dean, who were a constant thorn in his side, Drizzt wasn’t even aware of his existence. Sure he knew of all the other gods and goddesses who had stepped in to help him with this place, but he didn’t know that he was simply a playing piece on Chuck’s massive chessboard. And he certainly didn’t know how many chess boards Chuck had.

Well, maybe now was a perfect chance for his favorites to meet each other. Chuck rubbed his hands together as he set about putting everything together Prepping this world for the others would be quick work for a god, but it still took perfect planning.

[clairecrive]

“Chaos”- Bane x OC [Requested]

After a long therapeutic writing session, I’m back with some Bane goodies as promised! this was requested a long time ago by a girl on wattpad but idk why I never had enough ideas/inspiration to finish it until a couple of days ago. And so here it is. It’s been a while since I’ve written so I’m hoping this isn’t that shitty lol. Anyway, I hope you’ll enjoy it!

Tag list: @mollybegger-blog​, @br0ck-eddie​, @of-love-and-of-the-sea​, @evelynshelby​, @shadow-of-wonder​, @deaflikehawkeye​, @innerpaperexpertcloud​, @fandom--0verdose​, @sopxhiea​, @fuseburner​ (let me know if you wanna be added or removed)

Blending in the shadows had always been the accomplishment Ace was the proudest of. Throughout the years, she had mastered it to the point of perfection, so much so that even the man who claimed to own the shadows hadn't been able to spot her. She wasn't there to spy on them so she'd eventually come forward and make her presence known. Only when the time was right though. For now, she had to listen and observe.

When she heard the mercenary give the last instructions to his men and was about to dismiss them, Ace decided it was time to come forward.

"That's an excellent plan indeed, except that it will fail." Emerging from the shadows she walked into the room with confident strides. As soon as they saw her, the men pointed their guns at her. However, she didn't pay them any mind. Ace's eyes and focus were solely on the burly muscular man standing at the centre of the room. He was in control, that much she knew, alas the men wouldn't move a muscle without his permission.

"I didn't ask for your opinion, did I?" Straightening his posture, his hands landing on the straps of his vest, Bane quickly shut the intruder up.

"Nevertheless, I gave it to you. Now, you should be wise and take it because I'm right." Standing in front of him, Ace held her head high for better holding his gaze. From this position, she could see how he was able to instil fear in everyone. However, Ace acted as if the difference in height was nothing more than a fact. Like he was a man and her a woman.

"And why would you know anything about strategies and plans?"

"Does this mean that you don't recognize me then?" Pouting, Ace twirled a strand of her hair between her fingers. To be fair, Ace was pretty known in the underworld. Being the right hand of a mass murderer and a sociopath will do that to you.

"Should I?" Ace knew it was his way of minimizing and mocking her but she only mirrored his smirk. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Well, no matter. You should know though that I'm pretty good at this stuff. Me and my partner were quite famous."

"I don't entertain myself with gossip." Was his simple answer almost as if he was explaining to a little girl that no, he didn't play with dolls.

"Anyhow, I don't need my reputation to speak for me. Hear me out, let me be a part of your plan and then you'll see why he called me Ace." She proposed feigning confidence. To be fair, she knew that putting herself in the mercenary's dent could be extremely dangerous. Bane had the power to end in her life with just a snap of his fingers. However, Ace was sure of her abilities and she knew that Bane was a good strategist so he'd be able to see that.

"Ace up my sleeve?" He arched his brow at the not so subtle wordplay. What could you expect from a clown, Bane smugly concluded.

"You get the point then, great. I'll admit that I hated the name at the beginning. I'm more than a plan B, even my partner knew that. It was just for show. The only difference between men and women is cultural, after all." This was a fight Ace would always advocate for. Hell, her whole existence and the role she played were a testament to that. Of course, since the very first moment she started, Ace knew that in a predominantly male business she'd have to deal with a lot of sexism and belittling. But she was ready, she'd endured it all and now she'd mastered the art of shutting them up exposing their ignorance.

"Plato." He noted. Would you look at that. The notorious Bane, infamous mercenary and revolutionary, was familiar with the classics to the extent that he could recognize whose quotation it was. Remarkable.

"I'm surprised you know." She had to give him that. One had to give credit where credit is due.

"I know plenty of things." Well, now he was just being cocky. He could afford that, sure, but that didn't make it less annoying.

"Of course you do," she replied with a smug smile, "So what about that plan you were talking about?"

"You realize what you're getting into, don't you?"

"And you'll realize who you're dealing with because apparently, you don't yet."

"Very well." Nodding, he mutedly allowed her to join him. Returning to the map he was previously looking at, he moved so that there was enough space for her to stand next to him.

"Let's hear your idea then," he prompted her and she could feel the challenge in his tone. One she gladly took.

Once she offered him her plan, a better plan, that highlighted the weakness of the previous one, Bane valued his options and at the end, without any reservation, admitted that hers was indeed the most practical and efficient one. They were now all shackled in a van, armed to their necks, ready for the mission. She was sat in the backseat behind Bane who was sat in the passager seat, arm in her hands. They weren't the only one in the car, there were at least other five of Bane's soldiers but the only sound you could hear was the ones coming from the streets. Maybe it was because she was used to working with someone who couldn't shut up to save his life, but the silence was growing to be deafening.

"So, are sitting in front of us because you're big as a mountain or because you're the boss?" Her voice cut through the quiet vehicle. The men around and behind her didn't move a single muscle to show that they had heard her. However, Bane turned around slightly, now the sound of his mask hissing was louder and clearer. If looks could kill, Ace would at least have been cut by his.

"You should stay focused. This mission is extremely important. I won't tolerate any incompetence." He admonished her like a father would a little girl. And while Ace wouldn't mind that comparison in another context, wink wink, she also wouldn't mind if he was a bit looser.

"Please," rolling her eyes she leaned against the back of his seat, her mouth next to his ears since his face was still turned to her, "you really don't know anything about me, do you?" Feigning offence, her dark red painted lips pouted, Ace quickly wondered if he was just messing with her or if he was really clueless. Bane struck her as a quite thorough person, he'd have certainly done a background check on her by now. No matter, she decided, he's going to know soon either way.

"I'll just have to show you how I got my nickname, then," The pout had now shifted to a smirk and she leaned back to her seat. Her attention back out of the window while Bane's eyes lingered on her face a little longer before he turned back, imperceptibly shaking his head. This woman could either turned out to be a blessing or a curse. Now it wasn't the moment for such thoughts though, he had a mission to accomplish.

Since traffic hadn't been that bad, they had gotten to their destination quicker than expected. The van they were in pulled right outside the building they were going to sack, Gotham's bank, while the other vehicles and consequently Bane's men, parked on a secluded street right where the back exit of the building was. Those people were literally never going to see them coming. Before climbing out of the car, they assessed the situation, controlling that the information they got, on which they were basing the success of their plan, was still correct. Ace could only wait 'till Bane had finished his check-ups since she was sitting behind him and it was one of those cars where people in the back had to climb out through the reclined seat in front of them. The men were busy with their tools and electronic devices to notice that a slight change in plans was going to be needed.

Ace watched as a black limo neared the building and eventually stopped in front of it on the other side of the street. Whoever was in the car had to be someone important, not only because of his expensive choice of cars but also because he wasn't travelling alone. When a suited man stepped out of the car, he was immediately followed by a group of bodyguards as he made his way inside. Ace hadn't recognized the man, she hadn't even had the chance to look at his face but she knew that he wasn't supposed to be there. Her and one of Bane's hacker had studied the schedule for every single employee working that day and also the manager's one too. He wasn't scheduled. That also confirmed her theory of him being someone somewhat important along with wealthy since everybody knew that there was at least a one-month waiting list to be received by the bank's manager. And here he was instead, this mystery man who had put a glitch in their operation, that calmly strolled over the security checks like he owned the very ground he was walking on. Ace hated men like that. Here was another thing she had in common with Bane.

"He shouldn't be here." Bane's voice met her ears. Without turning to him, her eyes still in front of her trying to assess the number of the armed men, Ace simply nodded to let him know that she'd heard him.

"We'll have to use a different approach." She pointed out as the layout of a new plan was slowly forming in her mind.

"We should wait for other of my men to join us. We're not prepared to face such a number." Bane huffed, annoyed for the delay that this hitch was going to cause.

"Nonsense," Ace disagreed facing him, "I have an idea." A smug smirk formed on her face as she explained what her plan entailed. She was just going to need two men with her while Bane and every other man were to enter from the back. This was they were going to sneak up on those snob men up there and get what they came here for.

"Have you failed to see the van parked right there, which holds at least ten fully armed men? How are you going to hold them off with just two men? I was not aware you were suicidal." The patronizing tone in his voice was evident but Ace tried to ignore it. He doesn't know what you're capable of, she told herself. Not yet, she concluded.

"That's because I'm not. This is the second time you underestimate me, Bane. However, I won't take it personally since you've yet to see me in action. I assure you I'm more than capable of what I'm telling you." Her face now void of any smugness, her eyes solemn as she spoke, Bane wondered if she was too full of herself.

"What is the other name others call you?" He asked, knowing it had everything to do with her choice now that he saw her infamous smirk making a comeback.

"I'm the Lady of Chaos, oh great Bane. Whenever I go, that's what I bring and that's what I leave as a trail," sure of herself, Ace elaborated and in front of her confident façade, Bane could do nothing other than believing her.

"For your sake, I hope you deserve that title," he observed before he signalled to his men that it was time to move. While they silently climb out to make it to the back entrance unseen, Ace and the two men Bane chose, walked to the bank's entrance. To avoid drawing unwanted attention to them, she tried to make small talk with them. Attempted to tell a lame joke either, just to sell the idea that they were a group of friends and not some mercenaries on a mission.  Despite the sketchiness of their clothes, they somehow managed to walk in without catching the eye of the mystery man's security.

As soon as they stepped in, the two security officers gestured for them to walk through the metal detector. That won't sit well with the two gun Ace was wearing but that won't be a problem. Not a second after the loud alarm of the detector was heard, Ace drew the gun shooting some warning bullets in the air before pointing to the officers that had stepped near her. Just like the two men behind her did. Understanding that they were greatly outnumbered, the officers hold their hands up letting their arms go.

"Now now gentlemen, would one of you be so kind as to show me your office?" Taking the piss out for men was Ace's favourite thing. She nodded the men to walk in front of her while the two mercenaries guarded the entry door.

She didn't have to walk long since their office was near the security check. Both men walked in and waited for Ace to instruct them what to do. She saw them glance at each other causing her to roll her eyes, she knew what was going through their heads.

"What a big of a  fool do I have to be to have wondered away alone with two strong me like yourself, you must be wondering. Am I right?" She waited a bit before speaking again. Not that she was waiting for them to answer, merely for the theatrical effect. "But of course, because after all women are not that strong, are they?" Lowering her guns, she walked in front of them.

"I have taken upon me to prove everyone who would think that wrong," she foretold hinting at what she was going to do. But of course, they were too idiot to take the hint and so the same ease one would steal candy from a baby, Ace knocked them out with her guns. With the right amount of strength, one hit was all it took.

Chuckling while admiring her work, she felt oddly reworded. Men, she thought shaking her head. Taking her eyes away from their bodies, she looked around the room to look for what she needed.

"Ah," reaching for it she pushed the button that would ensure their plan could be carried out with any more surprises. The front doors of the bank automatically locked while a bulletproof gate quickly lowered, keeping out the inconvenience that was those armed men. Hearing the noise, Bane knew it was his signal to proceed. And so he did, swiftly and quickly making his way inside the building and the floor where he knew his target was.

In the meantime Ace that was soon joined by Bane's men, was making sure that all the people on the floor understood perfectly what they had to do and what will happen to them if they didn't obey.  Once she was certain the situation was under control, she strolled to the floor where Bane was. He had been there for almost 15 minutes now, he should be about to finish by now. The two men that she had left behind knew that they had to join them in about five minutes so that they could leave unnoticed through the back entrance.

She reached the highest floor and was pleased to see that bane's men had subdued the guards and the bodyguards of the mystery man who had got caught in this. Smirking she saluted him as if to say "well done". It wasn't hard to spot the room where Bane was. Yes, it was the only room on the floor, right at the end of the hallway. But the screams coming out of it were a dead giveaway too. The mystery man was putting up a fight and causing problems, hence the screams.

Stepping in the room and assessing the situation, Ace could see that Bane was having no problem at all in dealing with the manager. The smug look he sent her way, confirmed that thought letting her know that he was almost done. So she turned to cause of such ruckus and noise.

"What's got your panties in a twist dear?" Using a patronizing tone, she crunched to be at his eye level.

"Of course he has a whore at a hand. What is your problem, lady? Don't you see he's a fucking beast?" Struggling in the mercenaries' grip, the man barked outraged. Ace couldn't stop herself from laughing in his face. Men.

"Haven't you heard? Behind a beast, there's a prince." Roughly patting his face, Ace readied to deliver the last blow. She had nothing against this young man. Well, apart from the fact that she hated everything he stood for and the city herself. Now, however, things had gotten personal. She hated misogynistic men, and even more misogynistic slurs.

She smiled sweetly at him, the gestured in sharp contrast of the movement of her hand. But that's what she wanted. Messing with his head so that he wouldn't be able to see her blow coming. And, as a matter of fact, he didn't. And that alone gave Ace immense satisfaction. Even more than seeing the red print of her hand on his cheek.

"Oh, and another thing," she feigned to have just remembered something, "don't ever refer to women you don't like as whores, okay? For future references." She added smiling with her lips in a thin line. "Good boy," stretching her legs she lifted from her position and moved aside knowing that now it was Bane's turn to deal with him.

Since he wasn't supposed to be here, Ace didn't know if he had been one of Bane's targets or if he had just become one. No matter, she knew that Bane would either let him leave to tell the tale and warn others or if he'd just kill him to avoid any further inconvenience. As the masked man walked toward them with long calculated strides, Ace knew. The man wasn't going to get the chance to put her advice into practice. And it seemed that the man understood that too and showed that he hadn't understood his lesson since he started begging her, thinking her as the weak one.

"Don't you have a heart?" The man pleaded to try to appeal to her humanity but it only made her laugh.

"Isn't it funny that people always assume that you're heartless?" She pondered out loud looking at Bane, "instead of facing the fact that maybe it's this wicked world we live in that made us who we are." Finishing her thought, she bent down so that her mouth was close to the man's ear.

"I wasn't born without a heart nor with all these scars, neither of us were." She whispered like it was a secret but really, was it so hard to understand? Quickly glancing around her shoulder, she made sure that Bane knew her next move. He slightly nodded. She had his approval.

"We are a product of the circumstances of our lives, Bane." Finishing the man off, she stood up rubbing the dirt off her hands and turned to the masked man. "We're not so different, you and I."

"While I'm not sure about the accuracy of that statement, I wouldn't mind having an ace up my sleeves." The wrinkles around his eyes became more evident as he recalled the wordplay she had used during their first meeting. But that wasn't his style. "Or you could be my Lady of Chaos, my Persephone." He added displaying once again his knowledge of the classics, unaware that it was the perfect way to appeal to her. After that and after seeing the way he worked, the way he had treated her, with respect, like they were equals, she didn't need any further convincing. She was sold. Taking the hand he was offering her, she sealed the deal. He could be the Hades to her Persephone. Both roles unexpectedly fitted them perfectly. Content for the successful outcome of the mission and the allegiance that had just been sealed, they both walked out without rush knowing that they were in control. Useless were the police sirens that were approaching. They didn't stand a chance against them. And while they didn't know it yet, as Bane and Ace glanced at each other once they were sat in the car, she knew that everyone was going to know it pretty soon. Very soon.

A/N: for anyone who doesn't know the name Persephone means "the one who brings chaos", so I thought it was extremely fitting Ace.

[ktheist]

thirteen.

chapters:  12 / 13 / 14

knight!jungkook x princess!reader

x

It’s a silent exchange.

The young guard does not say a word when he bows and unlocks the door to your knight’s sell. You nod in acknowledgement despite knowing his head is kept too low to see it, hand outstretched for the bags of shillings. It’s an established routine at this point.

“Can you smell the roses?” His back is on you, facing the minute window just inches from the ceiling, as though he could see what was beyond the pitch black of the night and the patches of grey in the scar.

The journey to the tower is lonelier than usual. The moon smiles behind dark clouds but the stars bear witness to your nightly schemes. Somewhere along the way, you pass the garden. Indeed, the roses are in full bloom.

“They’re not as pretty as the ones back home,” you set the basket of bread on the wooden bed, joining him on the ground.

He shrugs, a wistful smile on his lips as you wonder if he remembers what home is as the memory fades away for you with each passing day. That’s not to say you have more time to admire the gardens at home than you do here. A different kind of affair occupies your time. You’ve set foot in the village a few days ago; that’s more freedom you get than you first arrived.

The villagers were... tolerable for the most part. You don’t expect to run around in a circle with the maidens and sing hymns of peace when the aftermath of the war is still a fresh wound to most of them. Losing your face with a rotten tomato and eggs in your hair is something not too far off your imagination when you decide to step out of the castle’s gates.

“I heard she offered herself to the prince once she realized she’s losing. And now, she’s pregnant with Prince Taehyung’s heir. That’s the only reason for the royal marriage.”

“So it’s true. Didn’t her mother, the current Queen of her kingdom, come from a lowly noble family who enchanted her way into the King’s heart?”

That was when you heard a crack! against the back of your head.

“Go back to where you come from, whore!”

“Murderer! My brother died in the war because of you!”

“You will never be our Queen!”

The onslaught of rotten food being thrown at you only increased from then. Your face was bruise-free but you couldn’t say the same for your arms that you used to shield your face. The evening stroll turned to a run when you had to rush away from the town, having chosen to go by foot instead of a carriage that you could have escaped into.

“Who did this?” Taehyung’s heated demand reverberates against the walls of the dining hall when you showed up to dinner with a scarf around your head because Eunha was shaking while she washed your hair in fear for losing her job if she didn’t finish in time; she didn’t but you promised she was your maid and the only one who can fire her was you which you’d never do over uncleaned hair. He easily put two and two together having been the prince and someone who likes to stick his nose where he shouldn’t,“who dares commit a crime against the royal family?”

“Oh, sit down, son.” You were sure the Queen rolled her eyes at her son’s dramatic exclamation before feeding a piece of well-sliced steak into her mouth.

Taehyung’s reaction took you off guard but it’s easy to brush it off as an act of pride. Those who dared insult the Princess insulted the royal family as a whole. Not paying much heed to his extended inquiries in the bedroom, you disregarded his presence with a short, “it’s been a long day, your highness. I shall have my hot bath and rest.”

Your maid had picked up where she left off with your hair. It wasn’t too much work so she proceeded to massage your shoulders while you almost fell asleep in the tub.

By the time you thanked Eunha for her effort (to which she hurriedly credited it to her line of work), Taehyung was snoring softly beneath the sheets. He’s been getting better at doing whatever he wanted since Jungkook’s absence. You held your breath as the flickering candle that colored part of his unclothed chest a golden tan when you went to blow it off next to him.

It was a risk but you hadn’t seen Jungkook for five days, thus you deemed it a risk worth taking as you tip toed out of your chamber, cloaked in a black robe that assists you more than once to blend in with the shadows when you come across with the patrols.

Jungkook inhales the baked goods with zeal. Perhaps, this was the closest he’s been as a commoner if he hadn’t lead a vengeful life.

He brings a piece to your mouth, thumb lingering on your bottom lip a tad longer before his gaze makes you hot and shy all at once.

“Have you been trying to burn the royal kitchen?” He smirks, revealing the egg shell he picked from your hair.

“I went to the village nearest to the castle,” you swipe the shell piece off his hands and throw it behind you, “which is safer than trying to cook, thank you for worrying about the kitchen.”

“Doesn’t explain why you have egg shell in your hair,” he sets the bread on top of the mountain of pastries in the basket, shifting so his upper body is facing you.

You stay quiet, smiling at him somberly. It would do no good to burden him with the knowledge of the people - now, your people - and how they welcomed you but if you lied, he could see through it.

“They threw eggs at you,” his words are laced with a sort of venom that you’re no stranger to, if anything it reminds you of home, how within the walls of the castle you grew up in, Jungkook had sworn to protect but most of all, to kill those who dared came in your way.

“I’m not hurt,” you clarify as he cups your cheeks in inspection, “it’s my favorite dress being ruined that puts a bump on the evening.”

At that, Jungkook finally relents. Hands dropped onto your lap, caressing yours, he comments on your interest in dresses and the newfound information that you have a favorite.

“Besides the concerns of the citizens that Lord Park allowed me handle, there’s not much to do besides admiring the types of lace on a dress.”

Rueful silence hangs in the air for half a minute before Jungkook speaks again, “at least the crown treats you fairly well.”

“The crown is kind because I am of use to it,” you’re aware that your voice is shaking but you keep your gaze firm.

This silence is different yet telling. The kind of silence that doesn’t need you begging for a change, for an escape. You’ve known then and you know now but there’s a part of you, one that longs for freedom and a life without the chains of the blue in your blood.

Jungkook is the first to break eye contact this time. Those eyes that have always looked straight at you, peeled the deepest layer of you, has turned away from you. It doesn’t show - you make sure the hurt doesn’t show across your face.

“It is a duty to borne by every Queen,” he slowly speaks as if it isn’t a cruel expectation set by your predecessors.

“Is that all women are good for?” Oh, no. This isn’t good. The first tear wets your left cheek before another falls on the other, “to... to...”

The words gets choked in your throat. Just like the night you watched the flicker of flames licking the houses of the villagers, you try to push him away until you tire yourself. Jungkook’s arms are strong yet gentle as ever.

He holds you closest tonight and touches you softly. But his words are sparse. Jungkook never showers you with sugar coated words just to ease your heart. He says it for what it is or not at all for you are no fool and you of all people know what morning has in store.

x

“Your highness!” Eunha burst into the room with a couple of maids trailing behind her. They’re carrying trays of your breakfast.

When she saw Yerin, your recently appointed lady-in-waiting, was doing your hair, her head drops almost instantly as though coming face-to-face with her was a great sin. Yerin is part of the higher noble family. At some point, you heard from your resourceful maid, that she was to be paired with Taehyung who is now your husband. To serve the woman who she must have seen stolen her place was one thing, but you were understood that her father, a high ranking officer, had been maimed from the war and the family income had gone to treating his injury. That was why she volunteered to be a lady-in-waiting. 

Naturally, she wouldn’t like Eunha or any commoner worker that acted familiar with you, the enemy-princess-turned-wife to the Prince. You dismiss Yerin as soon as she’s done with your hair, telling her that you would be in the office the King set up for your personal affair as you were more involved with the affairs of the kingdom, so you wouldn’t need the usual over-the-top royalty appearance.

“Your highness, have you heard?” Eunha is by your side in no time along with the other two maids.

You take a sip of the tea. It’s catered precisely to your liking. Sweet but not overly sweet.

“Certainly, I haven’t.”

“Prince Taehyung sent guards to the village. They carried away those suspected of disrespecting you yesterday!” She clasps her hand to her chest as she stares at you with stars in her eyes.

“Does he intend to punish them?” You set the teacup back on its causer with a sharp click that seems to have resonated through the maids’ growing gushes. 

The breakfast remains untouched when you get up from the gold-encrusted armchair. You barely remember the maids leaping to their feet and dipping into a bow as you exit through the door.

x

You intersect Taehyung at the fountain. He waves his personal knight off as you approach, the conversation before you arrive too low for you to catch.

“To what do I owe this honor to/.” he acknowledges but without the smirk. You’ve seen glimpses of this side of him, mostly when he chooses to disregard your presence or have a more important matter to attend to.

“The commoners you had the guards force out of their homes,” the voice you use is smooth but the tightness of your face is not concealable, “what do you plan to do to them?”

“Do you not have your own work to do?” He’s referring to the concerns of the citizens. It was part of the Queen’s duties to listen to them but Lord Park had managed to convince the King to delegate some of the work to you.

If the Queen felt threatened by your taking over some of her work, she didn’t show. The curt dismissive tone she used to make her son shut up could mean anything. She might have truly felt irritated over the fuss made by her son over you.

“It couldn’t be that you missed me so much that you came all the way here just to see me,” there it is. The smirk. The silence you choose over entertaining his retort has invited another one, “I heard you spent the night at one of the maid’s rooms last night. You can’t run forever.”

At that, something stirs deep inside of you but you don’t allow your face to display more than what is already in the open. That doesn’t mean you don’t, all of a sudden, want to slap that smirk off his face.

“I don’t know what you are planning, your highness but the cruelty you show towards your people will not be beneficial for you,” his lips twitch but that’s it, so you go on, “keep in mind that Lord Min, your cousin has a claim over the throne. I pray that no revolt rises to roll you over. It will be an inconvenience for me.”

The last part is the truest. If he is ruined, if the people has had enough and knew of the recluse cousin of the Crown Prince and a chance for a kinder monarch, then you’d be ruined too. 

“I shall take my leave, your highness.” You brush past his speechless figure. Whether the guards or maids who were around chooses to relay the lack of court etiquette displayed to the Prince, you have no control over it. But after the complete drop of the Prince’s smirk, you’re sure that you’ve gained what you came here to do.

x

Tonight, it’s safe for you sneak out of your chambers, hood cloaked around your body and a maid’s outfit underneath. Eunha had willingly lend it to you when you told her that you wished to step out of the palace’s walls without having eggs thrown at you. Or at least without anyone realizing the pearls and diamonds hanging off your dress screamed royalty.

...or so you thought.

Your body turns to ice at the figure standing in front of you. Unlike you, he didn’t look like he was caught red-handed though the wide eyes tells you he is surprised.

“You -”

His long strides takes him to you faster than you manage to get out any words past that. With a hand cupped on your mouth, he pulls you into a corridor and presses himself into the shadow. The only part of you that is visible is your ankle which you have no other space to squeeze it with the way the light slants across the tiny space.

The sound of footsteps causes you to involuntarily clutch his sleeve until they’re gone. You breathe out in relief only to have the goosebumps return at the sharp, accusing look peering down at you. With only the light from the flames burning behind you, the tug on his lips appear more sinister than it should.

“Look who lost her way.”

[awastelandheart]

Sebastian’s personality analyzed through his theory-crafted natal chart: The perspective of a professional astrologer.

PART ONE: SUN SIGN.

i apologize in advance to any capricorns i unintentionally read to filth in this post.

          i think out of all the bachelors   &   bachelorettes, Sebastian has the oddest, most abrasive post-marriage dialogue. i’ve heard plenty of people over the years complain about how awkward being married to him is   &   i, myself, tend to not marry him when i play since locking him in pelican town like that when he so clearly wants to leave feels bad. even before marriage as well, he has a lot of almost cringey   &   certainly concerning dialogue. Sebastian’s not a man that’s made for marriage or long term relationships i think, at least not in his early to mid 20s which is how old i believe he is in canon. unlike the rest of the bachelors   &   bachelorettes, his character arc   &   development don’t do much for melding him into someone worth being with. even Shane who is troubled in a much more obvious way than Sebastian has more moments of reflection that convince the player that he’s a good person despite his flaws. Sebastian may seem to be gentle in his internal struggle, it’s easy to believe that, at most, he’s rude   &   depressed, but i think there’s a lot more to unpack here that suggests he’s violent, angry to an awful degree,   &   possibly the worst marriage candidate, if not just the worst townie out of the whole cast.

          to start off with, i believe Sebastian’s sun sign is Capricorn. my reasoning for this is a blend between a post on reddit i found that used a simple algorithm to convert the in game dates to real dates. taking into account the slightly flawed method that gives each date 2-3 days worth of wiggle room,   “ january 17th ”   implies he’s on the Capricorn side of january. to be honest, when i was first thinking about what sun sign i wanted Sebastian to have, i was leaning towards Aquarius since he has several lines about escaping the town   &   wanting his freedom   ( both being very Aquarius-like qualities ),   however i think the case for Capricorn is much easier to make. to start off, i’ll give a run down of the most defining Capricorn characteristics, then i’ll move onto showing in-game examples of how Sebastian demonstrates these traits   ( while leaving room for his other natal positions that i’ll extrapolate on in more posts to come ).

          Capricorn is an earth sign, reveling in stability with a handful of almost toxic traits to display if that stability isn’t achieved. ruled by saturn, or kronos if you wanna get greek, Capricorns are at a constant war with themselves between the general human experience   &   cutting out as much superfluous expression   &   feeling as possible. the story of kronos is very reflective of the Capricorn struggle:   it’s the tale of a man   ( god, but that’s not important )   whose wife is predicted to bear a child who will surpass him   &   take his legacy. kronos, in his anxiety to prevent this change, begins eating each of his wife’s children as they’re born until one day, his wife replaces one of the newborns with a rock so that it will survive kronos’ consumption. of course this leads to the child growing up   &   indeed surpassing kronos just as the prophecy foretold. the lesson to be learned from kronos is one of restriction   &   the inevitability of time.

          between their earthly reliability   &   love of practicality, Capricorns are viewed as the traditional fathers of the zodiac sphere. they guard their values of yesteryear close to their chest. anything too different is cast far away from themselves or, rather, consumed until all traces are disposed of. thankfully not as stubborn as poor Taurus   ( another earth sign ),   Capricorns have a touch of adaptability in all their logic. their modality is cardinal, implying they take charge of situations. they are the leaders next to Cancer, Libra,   &   Aries:   any good leader knows when to give up their morals for the betterment of their charge. to boot, Capricorn is represented by the mythological creature, the sea-goat   ( a creature created by dear old kronos, himself, consisting of the torso of a goat   &   the tail of a fish );   the goat half delivering on that steady earthly nature of an unrelenting climb to the top of a mountain called life, yet the inclusion of the ocean in this aesthetic implying an amount of emotion only water signs can relate to.

          in the typical male-dominated, fatherly way, however, emotional expression does not exist for Capricorns, resulting in this implied depth to lurk well below a Capriorn’s surface. they are deeply independent in a way that leads to intense loneliness. they must do everything for themselves, another thing lovely kronos has taught us here. why look for a different solution to this problem when i so clearly have found one for myself, the ruler of saturn proclaims. a Capricorn’s independence is almost panic charged in this way. they so dearly want to be seen as capable that they will shred their own livelihood as a price. they are masters at self control for it, each having taught themselves the art of stoicism from a young age. Capricorns are at best, friendly in a superficial way. knowing their loneliness is created by their own hands but never knowing how to move passed their own cold   &   distant heart to enact any change necessary to improve their relationships.

          something that is often associated with Capricorns   &   the other earth signs is the act of earning money. while Taurus enjoys earning money to support their lavish, venus-ruled lifestyle   &   Virgo sees money as something to worry over thus resulting in them hoarding it, Capricorns crave for their income to be stable   &   plentiful in order to provide for their loved ones, or for the more lonely Capricorns, to provide for themselves.

          saturn is the first planet to take a substantial amount of time to complete its cycle through all the signs. compared to earth, which takes one year to complete its solar rotation   &   jupiter which takes 12, saturn takes upwards of 30 years. we astrologers take that as symbolical for how Capricorns get significantly better with age, as well as their   “ slow   &   steady wins the race ”   attitude. Capricorn is a sign of wisdom but only at the hand of experience. young Capricorns frequently find themselves discontented with their environment   &   lifestyle, craving a stability that cannot exist without first having established themselves in the world. every seven years it’s said, a Capricorn reaches a new level of understanding   &   maturity, as it is about every seven years that saturn completes 1/4th of its solar cycle.

          Capricorns, like Scorpios, love their privacy. regarded as one of the more shady signs of the zodiac, a Capricorn is the type of person to have everyone believing they know everything there is to know about them while simultaneously only ever revealing surface level knowledge about themselves. Capricorns love having friends   &   spending time with their loved ones, however they lack a sense of trust that would allow them to form deeper connections. while a Capricorn does experience their emotions as thoroughly as the rest of the zodiac, they have an equally intense insecurity about expressing them. a Capricorn lives their life wanting to be depended on or at least wanting to provide for those that do depend on them. emotions are seen as a weakness that cannot be spared.

          with the basic personality of a Capricorn outlined, i’ll now go through some choice quotes that demonstrate these traits   &   then talk about a few parts of his heart events that do the same.

“ if i just disappeared would it really matter ? ” “ i was thinking... people are like stones skipping over the water. Eventually we're going to sink. ” “ what am I going to do today ?   probably nothing.”

          when the player first meets Sebastian, he is overtly depressed   &   never goes out of his way to hide it. there is a solemn dark cloud filled with rain, ready to burst constantly following him   &   it’s difficult to ignore. this seriousness is very characteristic of many signs, Capricorn being one of them as it is ruled by Saturn, an outer planet with a very melancholic tone.

“ hey, don't let me stop you from getting your work done. if you aren't busy i don't mind if you stick around. ”

          this quote demonstrates the productive mindset of a Capricorn. compared to all the other bachelors, Sebastian is the only one to ever really consider the player’s work schedule.

“ i was so close to screaming at mom for throwing away my old comic collection   ...  but something stopped me. hmm   ...   with age comes wisdom. ” “ the older i get, the less i'm drawn to the city. ” “ sometimes i feel so angry  ...  but when you show up i always start to calm down. maybe i'll mellow out with age. ”

          while these quotes are also depicting other personality traits, for now i want to emphasize Sebastian’s constant referencing to the passage of time. time is always on a Capricorn’s mind, even the less self aware ones always feel the effects of its passage harsher than other signs. after dating   &   at points in marriage, which is when these quotes are from, Sebastian begins to view time as something more positive   &   optimistic. he recognizes that he has anger issues, at the very least,   &   hopes they’ll get better as time goes on. it’s quite the feat to make a Capricorn see growing older as something positive instead of something anxiety inducing, so from this alone we can really tell that Sebastian is absolutely in love with the player, without a doubt.

“ i couldn't sleep last night so I went for a night ride on the motorcycle. i need to stay independent, even though we're married. that's just how i am. i still love you, though. ” “ hey   ...   want some coffee ?   i needed some   ...   woke up early from a nightmare   &   i just couldn't fall back asleep. ” “ hey. i couldn't sleep last night so i took a walk to the caves. ” “ i'm going to take a walk today. i need some time to myself. i'll see you in the evening. ”

          Capricorns tend to be almost predisposed to sleep issues due to their immense amount of anxiety that comes with the disconnect between productivity   &   incapability, or craving emotional connection   &   viewing emotions as unnecessary. Capricorns are also fiercely independent, so independent that it’s no surprise Sebastian’s the kind of person to sneak out of bed   &   go off alone when feeling anxious instead of waking his partner up for comfort.

“ i don't want to get soft now that i'm a married guy. maybe i should start eating more hot pepper   &   working out ?   just an idea   ... ”

          while i’d also be willing to chalk this expression up to Sebastian being anxious about not passing as masc, i’m also willing to attribute this to a Capricorn being afraid of time passing   &   “ missing out ”   on life. growing soft can be a fear of a sign so dedicated to seeming tough   &   dependable.

“ i don't really feel like doing work today. maybe i'll see what's on tv. ” “ i did some work on the laptop today. ” “ i'm debating whether i should work or just read comics all day. ” “ you know, i should be doing something productive right now. i just lose focus too fast   ...   maybe i should drink more coffee ? ”

          Sebastian references his work so frequently, in typical Capricorn fashion because the urge to justify one’s pleasures by mentioning the fact that they’re also being productive is something ever-present. they are a very guilty breed;   on top of their other burdens, they feel especially bad for moments of relaxation or times when they should be doing something, but cannot bring themselves to.

“ you’re probably making a lot of money on your farm, huh ?   i guess i should get a job soon   … ” “ we should raise more slimes. in big quantities they can be really profitable. ” “ i did some work on the laptop today. i was actually brainstorming some ideas for a game i want to make. with your farming income, i can afford to do what i want with my life. it’s pretty amazing. thank you. ” “ hey. look at me. never forget that i love you   ...   you’re everything to me. now go make us some money. ” “ are we doing okay on money ?   i don’t want to have to sell my laptop   ... ” “ *sigh*   ...    if gas wasn’t so expensive i’d ride my motorcycle to the city today. so what do you do when you aren’t working ? ”

          Sebastian talks SO much about money   &   to me, it’s really hard to imagine concernedape didn’t intentionally make him a Capricorn with this much dialogue about income when no other bachelor or bachelorette has any mention of the topic   ( except for harvey who mentions he’s afraid he’s not bringing in enough money from the lack of people in town ).   the biggest one that jumps out at me to really signal a significant change in his personality after marriage is when he mentions having the freedom that comes with a steady income, a freedom that now allows him to do what he really wants which is, apparently, to make a video game. another one that jumps out at me here is his immediate association with feeling like he should get a job after assuming the player is making a lot of money. since income is such an important subject for Capricorns, it’s easy to imagine Sebastian feels inferior in comparison to the player since he’s   “ just ”   a freelancer.

“ i often felt unappreciated at home   ...   but here i feel like i really belong. ”

          this quote kind of hits Capricorn’s need to be appreciated   &   useful directly on the head   &   is a good transition for me to talk about the fact that Sebastian never progressed very far in his career while living at home with his family because he felt unappreciated. compared to how he almost immediately has a dialogue line after marriage where he tells the player he’s been inspired to make a video game, it’s easy to see the almost instant maturity Sebastian obtained just from moving out;   something he had assumed was in the far off future, implied by his heart scenes.

now let’s break down Sebastian’s heart events.

          his first heart even opens with him busy working, already a very Capricorn setting honestly, as i’ve said a few times now since Capricorns are prone to productivity. Robin enters after a moment   &   informs Sebastian that Abigail is looking for him, to which Sebastian responds to ask if his mother had informed Abigail that he’s working. Robin says that while she had, Abigail still intends on visiting Sebastian at some point today. Sebastian’s next piece of dialogue is very important.

“ *sigh* no one takes my job seriously. ”

          this is an incredibly Capricorn thing to say, both because Capricorns always feel the need to be taken seriously   &   also due to their signature insecurity about income.

          the scene continues so that the player can ask Sebastian what his career goals are. he explicitly says:   “ well, i’m trying to save up so i can move out of here. probably to the city or something, ”   which by itself is obviously very Capricorn, both nailing their need for income, their constant validation that they deserve what they want,   &   their desire for independence, however his dialogue continues for another textbox that contains the most Capricorn lines i’ve ever heard.

“ you know, if i went to college i’d probably be making six figures right now … ”   

          Sebastian is so very   &   obviously obsessed with money, it’s crazy to think he’s any other sign but Capricorn. this portion of the heart scene ends with him saying, 

“ but i just don’t want to be a part of that corporate rat race, you know ? ”   

          this dialogue i’m willing to attribute to another one of his signs at a later date in another post, but in my experience, i’ve known several Capricorn suns that feel the same:   that while they strive for a stable income, they hate participating in capitalistic culture.

          this first heart scene ends with Sebastian dismissing the player, saying he   “ has to get this module finished by tomorrow, ”   indicating he has a very set schedule when it comes to his work. organization being yet another characteristic trait of Capricorn.

          Sebastian’s second heart scene opens with the player catching him working on his bike. after a moment of introspection, Sebastian starts talking, again, about how when he saves enough money, he’s going to get out of the valley, just him   &   his bike. this scene doesn’t have anything specifically Capricorn about it   &   i plan on revisiting it when i talk about his other placements.

          likewise, Sebastian’s third   &   fourth heart scenes don’t have anything outrageously Capricorn in them   --   in fact neither scene tells us very much about Sebastian in particular aside from pointing out that he likes tabletop games   ( which obviously isn’t exclusively Capricorn by any means, but i’ve known so, so many Capricorn suns that have been hardcore into dnd over the years   ...  )   &   has social anxiety. i’ll most likely dip into his fourth heart scene a little more when i talk about his other placements, though.

          Sebastian’s fifth   (   &   final before marriage )   heart scene is, of course, important,   &   probably the most memorable for anyone who’s played Sebastian’s route, but it honestly doesn’t tell us much about his core personality. what it does tell us is how he acts   &   feels when he’s in love, so i’ll definitely come back to this scene when i talk about his venus position.

          &   that’s on his heart scenes !

          so, in summary, i believe Sebastian has a Capricorn sun because he shares many qualities with how astrologers perceive the position. of course this is all just my personal interpretation, but i hope this was an interesting read   &   shed some light on the kind of person Sebastian is !

[duskandstarlight]

Embers & Light (Chapter Two)

Ao3 (for all chapters so far)

Chapter Two Nesta

Despite being airborne, Nesta slept during the journey. It had been a late night and with the alcohol flowing in her veins after her quick fuck she had slept fitfully, dipping in and out of a blend of dreams that thankfully hadn’t turned into a nightmare of snapping bones and hoarse screams.The alcohol helped with the nightmares. It kept them at bay. It was one of the reasons why she drank so much; why she embraced that slow, sticky layer of numbness that crept across her bones until it settled like a blanket.

By all accounts, Nesta should feel humiliated over what had happened at the house, but when she reached inside herself there was simply nothing. No emotion, no icy rage — just hollow exhaustion that seemed to ooze over her bones like thick oil. Her hangover was hitting her in full force now too, and without another drink to chase it away she could do nothing but close her eyes to the moving landscape and hope Cassian wasn’t pissed enough to drop her in the Sidra.

Nesta had felt Cassian’s rage in that stupidly extravagant house as if it were her own, the anger blasting through that numbness. It had startled her; the unchecked swell of it. Not that she had let it show. She was a master of blocking her emotions; of ensuring that nobody was privy to the thoughts inside her head. It helped, of course, that too often she felt nothing at all. As if she were an empty shell — a lone, battered vessel floating at open sea.

Hours later, Nesta woke to awful lurch in her stomach. When she had opened her eyes, the world was rushing around her in a blur of white. Panic slammed into her with such fierceness that all the breath was knocked out of her as they shot to the ground at breakneck speed. Fear gripped her in its talons as she braced herself for the crash, but then Cassian had flung out those huge powerful wings, flapping hard…

The world righted and steadied as she gasped for breath, but Cassian showed her no mind as he landed with the grace of an Illyrian warrior. Mud and snow slid down the protective bubble he had thrown around them — it was like dirty rain running down glass. Nesta watched a tear swell and break, tracking the thin line as it trickled down to meet the earth.

“We’re here,” Cassian said roughly in her ear.

Insults surged through her but her heart wrestled and thumped so hard against her ribcage she couldn't form the words. Instead, she loosened her grip on his neck and focussed on rebuilding that wall of ice in her mind — brick by brick — until she no longer felt anything at all but that dark, bottomless void.

The numbness swept in soon after that, especially when he didn’t even deign to glance at her. Those brown-green eyes of his scoured the perimeter, a strand of his dark hair flapping in the wind unnoticed from where it had escaped his leather.

Nesta followed his gaze but was only met with the relentless flurry of thick snow. She could barely see a foot in front of her. If she squinted, she could just make out what looked like a one-story stone house to her left. To the right — where Cassian had fixed his gaze — she swore she could see moving shadows through the gaps of falling snow... But it hurt her eyes to concentrate and she blinked as pain lanced through her temples. It seemed it would take more than a few hours of shuteye to get rid of her hangover, after all.

It was with that realisation, that Nesta decided she was done playing the fair maiden.

Making her voice as cold as the punishing wind, she said, “Well, are you going to put me down? Or is this how I’m expected to travel from now on?”

She felt him tense and when Cassian finally looked at her, his eyes were hard and unyielding. She watched a muscle feather in his jaw; surveyed the layer of stubble; the bruised smudges underneath his eyes. There was a tiredness to him that she hadn’t noticed before.

The unusual lack of playfulness in his voice was disconcerting as he said shortly, “With that shoe choice? You’ll get frostbite.”

He strode towards what was indeed a stone building on their left and stepped up to a wide wooden door that was, Nesta realised, designed purposefully for Illyrian wings. As if she weighed nothing, Cassian freed the arm wound around her back and rested his palm against the wood. His siphon gleamed and Nesta just made out the click of a lock through the howling wind as he shouldered open the door and set her down on a large doormat.

The stiff bristles poked through her flimsy shoes, biting into her skin but she didn’t protest. Instead, she surveyed the space before her.

In front of her was an open living space centred around a stone hearth on the opposite wall. A glowing log burner stood in place of the traditional fire grate, its black chimney rising up to meet the high ceiling and a huge u-shaped sofa framed the hearth, the material charcoal grey. In its centre — between the sofa and log burner — stood a rustic pine coffee table with black stud detailing. Uplit bookshelves lined the deep blue walls, which Nesta was surprised to see were neatly arranged with books and ornaments rather than misplaced weapons.

“This is my home,” Cassian said gruffly from behind her. “We’ll be staying here.”

Turning stiffly, she found Cassian taking off his leather boots. He knocked them against the door frame to get rid of the parcels of snow that had wedged itself into the grooves of the sole. She bent down to untie her laces and remove her stained shoes. He nodded tightly, as if in thanks.

“Cassian, stella meus!”

Nesta’s head whipped up at the sound of the voice, her spine stiffening instinctively. Her temples throbbed again and she wished that she could just lie down and fade into nothing.

But instead she watched as a female stepped out from one of the alcoves framing the side of the hearth. She was petite and by human standards, Nesta would have guessed she was around fifty years old, although Nesta had no idea what age that made her in fae terms. She had the same complexion as Cassian, but her dark ebony hair was streaked with grey and her skin was more weathered, as if the brutal conditions of the mountain had hardened her body.

Her face was alight with affection as she placed two wrinkled hands on the side of Cassian’s face and kissed both of his cheeks in turn.  

Cassian’s smile was full of a fondness Nesta had never witnessed — not even with Mor — his expression soft, as he asked, “Tiya, sunt tibi beni?”

The female Illyrian shrugged noncommittally as she pulled back to peer into Cassian’s face.

She patted him on the cheek — the gesture motherly — and then said in the common tongue, “Still not sleeping enough, I see?”

The corners of Cassian’s mouth quirked upwards. “Nothing gets past you, does it?”

The female stepped back, her eyes falling on Nesta. “And this is your guest?”

“Yes,” Cassian replied, waving a hand between Nesta and the female. “This is Nesta. Nesta, this is Masak — or Mas, as I call her. She looks after the house for me. She’ll be here most days.”

Mas studied Nesta carefully, a ghost of a smile on her face as she bowed her head subserviently. Nesta willed herself to speak but she felt the words push themselves down far, far into herself.

She forced her chin to dip in greeting instead.

Mas didn’t seem deterred by Nesta’s lack of vocal chords. Instead, she surprised Nesta by taking her hands in her own and squeezing them softly. Her skin was warm but her palms were rough and chapped, and Nesta wondered how they had come to be so worn.

“You tell me if you need anything, anak,” Mas said softly to Nesta. Then she turned to Cassian. “You will be gone soon, I assume?”

“I’ll be in and out,” Cassian replied vaguely. “I have business visiting the camps further north.”

Mas gave a snort of disgust, her wings flaring slightly, but she didn’t comment any further. “I made bigos for you yesterday. It’s on the stove.”

Cassian’s groan was one of joy. “You spoil me, Mas. Thank you.”

Mas nodded as she took her coat from the hook behind the front door, “I will be back later.”

“Do you want me to fly you to the market?” Cassian asked.

Clucking her tongue, Mas pulled up the hood of her coat. “Don’t fuss, sinta. It’s only a bit of snow, or have you lost your Illyrian skin spending so much time in Velaris?”

Cassian muttered something under his breath which made Mas tut again but he waved her through the open the door. A blast of wind and snow howled through the entryway, obscuring her figure, and in the blink of an eye the tiny Illyrian was gone.  

Cassian shut the door and turned back to Nesta.

They stared at each other for a second before Cassian gestured to the living space.

“Make yourself at home,” he said.

When Nesta didn’t move, he tried again. “Let me take your coat — ”

Nesta stepped neatly away from him as he tried to make up the distance between them. She knew she should feel angry so she made herself so, commanding her eyes to flash as she bit out, “Oh, so now you’re acting chivalrous?”

She unbuttoned her coat and unwound the scarf he had made her wear — the birthday gift from Elain that she hated. It was just a reminder that even her favourite person in the world had abandoned her. The thought made her hands tremble, and it took her a few times to free the ivory buttons, but eventually she managed it.

Cassian had tugged his hair out of its leather by the time she looked up. He palmed his face in exasperation.

“Gods Nesta...”

“Don’t ‘Gods Nesta’ me,” she snapped, forcefully pressing her belongings into his hands. She ignored the bulge in his biceps as he instinctively lifted his arms to catch her clothing, “I didn’t see you publicly disowned by your sister earlier.”

“You haven’t been disowned — ” Cassian started, but she interrupted him.

“No? Well, it certainly seemed that way to me.”

A pause.

Cassian stared her down and she could feel his temper as if it were its own creature; a dark shadow pacing restlessly at her feet. She wondered if others could sense his power like she could, if that’s why they balked from him on the battlefield, as he cut down men as if they were nothing but wheat and he a scythe.

In her ears, Nesta heard the frantic tempo of his pulse as it pushed against the olive skin of his throat. She pushed the sound away, praying it would disappear. Gods, she wanted a drink more than anything. Her hands shook again and she willed them to still.

“I’m tired,” she made herself say flatly. “I’d like to go to bed.”

Resigned, Cassian waved an arm to the door on the left-hand side of the living room.

“Through there. There’s a shared bathroom down the hall, if you need to use it.”

She left without another word.

***

Nesta woke to grey light and a mouth so dry she felt as if it had been stuffed with cotton wool. She wrestled off the throw that certainly hadn’t been around her last night and pushed her sweaty hair from her face. She sat up.

Water. She needed water.

Her gaze snagged on the food tray on the bedside table. Beside a bowl of what looked like cold soup was an empty glass and a jug of water. She poured herself a drink and gulped it down with shaking hands. She poured another and did the same. Then she studied the soup in front of her. Her stomach growled with hunger but she didn’t touch it. Eating was often accompanied by nausea these days, and it was too early to risk eating before she’d lined her stomach with a cup of tea.

She’d prefer alcohol of course, but she doubted she’d be getting that here. Knowing Cassian, he had probably spent the evening clearing the house of bottles.

She already hated him for it. Hated how he cared. How he ignored her order to stay away.

Through the brain fog, she vaguely recalled him coming in the night before, encouraging her to eat. She had pretended to be asleep, even though she knew he could tell by her breathing that she was awake. Nesta wondered how often he had checked up on her throughout the night, but then decided she didn’t want to know.

She was still in her clothes from the day before; her grey dress crumpled and in desperate need of a wash. She was in need of a wash, and the stabbing pain in her bladder was enough of a warning that she needed to find the bathroom, fast.

Ignoring her ever persistent headache, she climbed off the large bed and hunted through the dresser for something to wear. They were mostly empty, save for a drawer full of ghastly bright clothing, embroidered handkerchiefs, an assortment of engraved knives and red satin boxer shorts — the last of which she recognised as a Solstice present from Mor.

Snorting in disgust, Nesta pulled open the bottom drawer of the dresser to find thick, fluffy towels in charcoal grey. She grabbed one and the only plain shirt she could find — a soft grey blue, which reminded her of the open sky — and opened the door to her room.

Thankfully the living room was empty, but the distant clink of dishes chased her as she walked down the hallway to her left.

She found the bathroom easily — the door was adjacent to her bedroom — and she slipped inside, turning the lock.

Safe.

The bathroom was a good size but it was still modest in relation to Feyre’s palace back in Velaris. The square bathtub took up the majority of space, having clearly been made with wings in mind. A long, wide spout had been built into the tiled wall above the tub and a shelf hovered to the right of it, neatly arranged with bottles and soaps.

The tense set of her shoulders eased. Although she had mastered lowering her body into the bath, Nesta still struggled to put her head under water. It made washing her hair an internal battle that usually took up all the strength she could muster.

After she had relieved herself, Nesta fiddled with the brass taps of the bath, eventually finding a button on the underside that redirected the water to the spout above. The water was hot, cleansing and liberating and in her minds eye she could almost see those layers of grime and filth stream off of her, down the plug hole and out of sight.

Nesta had reached for a random bottle of shampoo and was halfway through rubbing a palmful of it into her scalp before the smell of fresh, untamed air, pine and musk overwhelmed her. She closed her eyes as she lathered the scent of him into the ends of her hair, trying not to think about the first time she had smelt Cassian up close; the feeling of his nose as it grazed the curve of her neck, the heat from his body…

With a growl she snapped herself out of the memory and tipped her head back to wash away the suds. It did her no good to think of Cassian like that. She had drawn an unforgiving barrier across the path between them, a blockade against all of them so immovable that they had given up on her.

Watching the suds stream out of her hair and swirl down the drain, Nesta concentrated on freezing over the small crack that had started to spider in one of her mental bricks of ice. By the time she had scrubbed her skin clean — of course, his soap smelt the exact same — and pulled the shirt over her head, her wall was impenetrable.

Good. She had a feeling she’d need it today.

A few minutes later, Nesta entered the kitchen to find Cassian at the stove removing a saucepan from the heat. He poured the contents into a teapot and turned to place it on the kitchen table. He stopped when he saw her, his eyes snagging on her bare legs, before travelling up her body, slowly drinking in the sight of her in his shirt, her damp hair...

His eyes gleamed and his nostrils flared. Deep down in the depths of her gut, something twisted.

She raised her chin defiantly. If he’d had the audacity to deprive her of her belongings, she was going to do everything in her power to unnerve him, and she knew that the sight of her in his shirt would throw him off centre.

“Well, you certainly look better in my shirt than that other males,” he drawled eventually.

Nesta didn’t grace him with one of her disgusted snorts. She only ignored him as she slid into one of the low back chairs at the kitchen table. He turned back to the stove unbothered, and she watched the solid set of his broad shoulders as he transferred whatever he was cooking to a plate.

He was dressed in brown fighting leathers today. He wore an olive green tunic over the top and an empty weapons belt was slung low on his hips. Despite the gear, Cassian looked relaxed… casual. Even his hair was down and shining, rather than windswept and tied back.

Cassian cast her a look over his shoulder. “Did you figure out how to redirect the water to the spout above the bath?”

Resetting her frigid posture, Nesta said tightly, “Yes.”

“Good.”

He set a glass with an inch of amber liquid in front of her.

“Drink this first,” he ordered. “It will help.”

Disbelieving, Nesta took the glass and sniffed. The familiar smell of alcohol hit her, paired with woody undertones — he had given her whisky. She tilted the glass towards her, watching the liquid tip invitingly, but didn’t make a move to drink it.

In her peripheral vision, she saw Cassian’s hand grasp the edge of the table. She could sense his closeness; smell the notes of pine and musk and that clean, bracing taste of sky. She gripped the glass hard but her body betrayed her: her hand shook.

She hated herself for it.

“You’re not the only one who has dealt with alcohol withdrawal,” Cassian said, his voice surprisingly soft. “I don’t fancy Nesta Archeron going cold turkey, so drink up. That should stave off the shakes for a bit.”

The alcohol burnt the back of her throat as she knocked back the whisky. Immediately, her body purred in thanks, that numbness seeping into her bones. It wasn’t enough to completely rid her of sensation… but it would do for now.

“Good,” Cassian said, putting the empty glass in the sink and placing a pot of tea and a plate of plain, toasted bread onto the table. “Now eat.”

The command was clear but her stomach rolled. She shook her head.

“Nesta.”

It surprised her that his voice was pleading now. His large hand gripped hers, his fingers encircling her too slim wrist as he slid into the chair beside her.

“Please eat something. You’re wasting away.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Liar.”

Nesta stilled at the force behind the word, and deep inside her, the beast stirred. Cassian froze, as if he too knew what lurked beneath her skin. She took a long breath, slowing the thrum of her veins until the creature went quiet; slumbering in the darkness.

“I can’t,” she snapped.

Cassian studied her for a moment, settling back in his chair as if he was there to stay. They sat in stalemate for what felt like eons, their gaze never breaking. Cocking his head to the side, Cassian stared at her as if she were a puzzle he was trying to figure out, his gaze assessing.

Everything about him screamed General — a warrior who would take no shit — but it seemed that her stubborn defiance won out as he suddenly stood and strode towards some double doors set into the wall. He disappeared inside, emerging with a jug of purple liquid.

He poured it into a new glass and set it in front of her. “It seems we're sticking to a liquid diet. Drink up.”

“What is it?”

She examined the contents and smelt… berries? Her stomach growled but for once, there was no sweeping nausea.

Cassian snickered. “You’ll like it.”

It annoyed her more than he knew that she did like it. It tasted of summer and honey — of warm, lazy days in the garden with Elain, reading a book on the grass.

“Ok?” he asked.

He was watching her closely, as if he was ready to whisk her to the bathroom as soon as she started retching.

After a few tentative sips, she reached for the tea pot he had placed on the table. She poured a milky tea into her mug — the only thing she had really wanted for breakfast — and sighed as she tasted it, the sound escaping her before she could stop it. It wasn’t black tea after all. No, it was unlike anything she had tasted before. It was warming and fiery and sweet, with hints of ginger and cinnamon and cloves…? She almost didn’t care what was in it. All she knew was that it was the best thing she had ever tasted and under no circumstances could she let him know.

Looking up over the rim of her mug, she found Cassian staring at her brazenly.

“Stop watching me,” she ordered coldly.

A slow, cocky grin. “Why? Does it unnerve you, Nesta?”

She arched an eyebrow — a picture of cool indifference. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”

Leaning back in his chair, Cassian stretched his wings lazily. “What better things do I have to do but spend time with an angry witch?”

Drinking deeply from her mug to stop herself from snarling, Nesta bought her time to reinstate that expressionless mask. She knew what he was doing. He was trying to rile her, provoke her until she snapped, because emotion was better than no emotion. But she was fed up of these petty games, so she got straight to the point;

“I need my clothes.”

Cassian smirked. “I think you look fine.”

“I am not here to amuse you,” she hissed.

“What a pity,” Cassian said, helping himself to her toast. “Here I was, looking forward to my strip tease.”

He spread a large dollop of strawberry jam over the bread. It reminded Nesta of the remains of the battlefield victims that had faced Styrga. She looked away.

“Although,” Cassian mused, “Mas usually arrives at midday and I’d hate to scare her off.”

“I believe we were talking about my clothes before you wandered off into your far-fetched fantasy,” she snapped.

“Speaking of Mas,” Cassian continued conversationally, as if she hadn’t even opened her mouth. He took a bite of toast, “aside from the Inner Circle, she is the only person who is allowed in and out of these premises. Nobody else is allowed to enter without my say so and anybody who tries to get in, will find the magic around the door and windows throwing them backwards thirty feet.”

Nesta snorted at that. Oh, she saw straight though that casual announcement. It was wholly laughable that he thought that she would bring someone back to his own house. It was nice, she thought, to think that not even he thought she had a sense of boundaries.

So she hit him where it hurt.

“And am I allowed to leave? Or am I trapped here just like Feyre with her half-wit ex-boyfriend?”

Lowering the toast that was halfway to his mouth, Cassian levelled her with a hard stare, one that he no doubt used to keep his armies in line. She stared right back at him, her body frozen with that unnatural stillness that she knew scared the shit out of all of his happy, little circle — him included.

Leaning over the table, Cassian curled his fingers around her arm. They were warm, like fire to her ice.

She didn’t move an inch as his voice dropped an octave, so it was little more than a rumble as he said, “Listen sweetheart, Illyria is not like Velaris. You can explore the camp as you like in the day, but at night it is not safe for you. The drinking hole here is dangerous for females and the bastards here will not think twice to take what they desire — and i’m not talking consensual. Do you understand what i’m saying?”

Her chair legs scraped angrily against the floor as she stood up. She was done.

“Am I to wear this all day or did anyone in your happy circle deign to bring any of my belongings?” she snarled.

Cassian moved so fast he became a blur. Before she had time to blink, his hand was across the doorway, blocking her from her exiting the kitchen.

“Nesta,” he said fiercely. “Am. I. Clear.”

She surveyed him for a moment, taking in his broad heaving chest and the dark tattoos that snaked up his arms. Then she stepped towards him.

The first thing she noticed was his warm, ragged breath on her cheek. And the smell of him... it was overwhelming, as if it sung to her and only her. Slowly, she turned her face up to his, relishing in the way that every muscle in his body tensed. Satisfaction thrummed through her as his dark eyes flitted to her lips — as if he couldn’t help himself — before his gaze locked with hers. The action alone was like a key clicking as it turned in a lock and heat flared inside of her. It was a warmth that started in her chest and flooded through every bone in her body, threatening to thaw the ice that coated her veins…

“Nesta,” Cassian murmured, her name like a prayer on his lips.

His hands dropped to rest lightly on her waist and her chest burned and pulsed. There was no other way to describe it. No other way to explain that pulsing in her blood that felt fast and slow all at once. Nesta waited — she waited patiently until his resolve wavered and his breath hitched.

As his head bent towards hers, she shoved him hard in the chest. And Nesta questioned his ability as a warrior when he stepped back in surprise, leaving the doorway open wide for her to step neatly past.

She held her head high as a primal snarl ripped from him, the sound reverberating around the room with such force that the shelves rattled.

Pausing at her bedroom door, Nesta finally deigned to look back at him.

Cassian was staring at her, his eyes stunned and burning with unbridled rage. She wondered how many women had refused him before her. None, she would wager, apart from Mor.

If she could have, she would have laughed.

But she couldn’t, so all she said was, “We are crystal clear. Now leave me alone.”

[fauzhee10069]

JoJolion: What actually happened in Mamezuku Rai's past? (with some villains’ theory & motivation)

The X-Files theme is playing... (& TL;DR at the bottom post)

Back in chapter 75 during Ozon Baby arc, we got a glimpse of of how Mamezuku Rai's past happened.

JJL chapter 75: Ozone’s Baby Pressure – part 3

When he was a child, his parents grew prized high-class pears which would sell for millions of yens. However, because their techniques were leaked, a competitor tied to money-lenders ravaged Rai's parents' orchard, ruining their crop and forcing them to sell the land. Unable to forgive his parents' incompetence, Rai secluded himself on a mountain slope and managed to cultivate fruits in spite of the harsher climate. He was found by Norisuke IV and then he was appointed in secret as his personal fruit grower and appraiser.

However, in recent chapter (99) of JoJolion, we’ve been told that Rai’s father just passed away.

In the flashback, Rai told that he found his parent's orchard infested with insects. After informing them, his father rushed out of the house to deal with it, but was killed by a landslide caused by a typhoon. He then attended his father's funeral. However, there was also Akefu as one of the guests in the funeral, though it seemed that no one know him (including Rai).

Back to the present time, Head Doctor Akefu as Tooru’s Stand revealed his name as “Wonder of U”. He also revealed that he was the real cause of the death of Rai's father.

JJL chapter 99: Endless Calamity – part 5

He told Rai that his father had accidentally triggered the pursuing when he rushed out to deal with the insects, causing him caught in the flow of calamity.

Therefore, in these two chapters (75 & 99), it seems that Araki retcons Rai’s backstory. In the Ozon Baby’s arc, it was told that what damaged Rai’s pear orchard was the act of sabotage by the usurpers who were connected with local money lenders to cut the pear branches. The chapter also said that it was because Mamezuku’s cultivation techniques had leaked to other people in the industry. However in this chapter 99, we’ve been told that it was the work of rock insects and “Wonder of U”.

It is as if the story has changed, but the JoJo fandom page (wiki) actually considers it as if the two events took place at different times in a row. But does this mean that Rai's pear orchard had been destroyed twice?

Rai and The Rock-Humans

Wise Anon in 4chan also suggested that the usurpers who destroyed Rai’s pear orchard could be the rock-humans as well.

Then what was the motivation of those rock-humans to destroy Rai's pear orchard, twice?

JJL chapter 99: Endless Calamity – part 5

I think it's still quite difficult to be able to really tell the motivation of Akefu/”Wonder of U”/Tooru as major antagonist lately. But what Akefu said here sounds like a declaration of war between silicon-based & carbon-based humans.

We have just been shown that Tooru is indeed a rock-human. Urban Guerrilla had also implied that the goal of the rock-humans is to be superior being and reach the peak of society (compared to those ordinary carbon-based humans).

Then in this chapter 99, we’ve been told about the reason the rock-humans are created, it is as the backup for those carbon-based being in case their existence fails. But if so, why were they created together and living together at the same period?

There is also an interesting idea by u/Mamezuku from reddit:

What if rock-women no longer exist anymore? We have never seen any rock-woman (besides the flashback), only groups of men so far. What if the Doctors are trying to use the Locacaca in order to create a legacy, a rock-baby? That's why the perfect New Locacaca is very important to the Head Doctor’s gang. Notice how the narrator specified in this very chapter how normal men can make babies with rock-women, but not vice versa. The growth process that a rock-human has to go through is extremely harsh and difficult, hence why there's not many rock-human alive. What if no rock-women survive in this generation and only rock-men are left now? This would be an awesome motive for the rock-humans (Tooru) and so far it looks like it's heading this way.

Rai and Higashikata

Another interesting thing that I saw in Rai's flashback was the Higashikata family as funeral guests.

We see that Norisuke IV along with Jobin and Hato came to the funeral, we did not see Joshu and Daiya, probably because they were too small at the time. But clearly we don't see Caato here, even in panels when Norisuke IV and Rai were having conversation. I mean, she did not appear in this flashback at all.

This implied that Caato might have been in prison by then, which means that the equivalent exchange in her infamous flashback with Jobin already happened. Jobin and Hato also seemed not much different compared to them in the moment just before Caato got arrested.

Then according to Rai’s old backstory in Ozon Baby arc, he got hired by Norisuke IV as his plant appraiser when he was around 17 years old. Let’s do a little math, JoJolion took place in 2011, Mamezuku Rai is 31 (as his name & age were written in the chapter of his first debut). 31-17 = 14 years ago, 2011-14 = 1997, it was the year Norisuke IV have recruited Rai.

Then the time when Caato got arrested, in present time, she just finished her prison term and was released from prison. She was sentenced for 15 years of incarceration. 2011-15 = 1996, it was the year Caato was caught by the police.

Therefore, the time of Rai's father's death and the destruction of his pear orchard occurred around a year after Caato was jailed. At the funeral, Norisuke IV consoled and gave him his support, he also expressed his concern regarding Rai's pear orchard and the fate of his family. It seemed that Mamezuku family was in a real trouble at that time.

Norisuke IV is the man who is able to see someone's talents precisely. Seeing Rai's talent and the trouble faced by his family at that time, he also helped Rai by inviting him to work together as a plant appraiser in his family business.

The relationship between them turns into mutualism, Norisuke IV saved Rai from poverty due to his family's bankruptcy, while Rai helps Norisuke IV advancing his business further until Higashikata family becomes more successful and prosperous.

So what did Caato have to do with all this? This brought me back to her confusing and mysterious statement during her family reunion:

JJL chapter 58: Dawn at The Higashikata House

This out-of-nowhere claim have been causing those Caatofags to speculate and support the theory regarding her involvement with the cooperation between Higashikata and Damokan Group to the extent that they set aside Jobin’s role as an active player in this shady business. Of course, I believe that Jobin was the only one who initiated the cooperation with Damokan Group secretly (outside his mommy’s influence).

But what if instead of working with Damokan Group, Caato has actually cooperated with Head Doctor’s gang? I think HD gang might have made contact with Caato. It is possible that a contact was made when Caato was in prison (given the interval from her arrest to the destruction of the Rai’s pear orchard) or maybe even prior to that.

What motivated Caato?

Perhaps to prosper Higashikata family business and get rid of their potential business rivals, including Mamezuku family. With Rai's expertise, it is very likely that one day his family will be able to rival or even surpass the success of the Higashikata family. However, by (indirectly) bringing Rai to work for Higashikata family, their business will increasingly prosper. Basically, two birds in one stone.

I always love to see Caato as a foil for Holy: if Holy is a woman who is into scientific matters, Caato could be a woman who is more into business matters. Even her design gives a little hint about that:

Caato is already considered an outsider for Higashikata family, but it is quite interesting to see her wearing one of the attributes of the family on her clothes. However she prefers to use the fruit seller mark rather than the family crest symbol, kinda implying that she no longer cared about the family but still cares about their business.

What motivated The Head Doctor’s gang?

Answering this one is quiet trickier, maybe because it’s still hard to really read their motives. I want to return to the theory of procreation above, but what is already clear is that “the rock-humans really need New Locacaca” and we already knew that the formula of New Locacaca is to plant regular Locacaca on Higashikata’s land that has the property of “equivalent exchange”. However, this formula has just discovered after the birth of Josuke as a fusion-human.

Even so, according to Makorin, the issue regarding the ability of Higashikata’s land to do equivalent exchange has long been known by the citizen and most likely the rock-humans also already knew about it. Besides, by blending with society, it is highly likely that rock-humans (particularly the HD gang) have found out about Rai's talent in horticulture. Perhaps those HD gang (Tooru) have intended to direct Rai to the Higashikata’s land and make him cultivate a whole new type of Locacaca there.

Just like Holy, the HD gang is into scientific matters too. So HD gang has devised a plan to bring Rai to the Higashikata family, namely by eliminating Rai's family’s business and making him work under the Higashikata. HD gang may have used Caato to make this happen.

How did Caato (Higashikata) and Head Doctor’s gang work together?

Seeing the contrast of their motives and the relationship between those Higashikata and the rock-humans all this time, I can’t see their relationship as in a boss/the head and subordinates. They might have worked mutually just as how we have seen Jobin and Damokan Group working together. On the rock-humans’ side, both HD gang and Damokan Group already have their respective bosses (Tooru/HD & Damo), whereas I think Caato had worked independently like Jobin.

You are right, I cannot accept the concept that is often believed by other readers, that there is a single top leader among them (especially the Caatofags). What is most appealing in JoJolion is that each individual has their own situations, motives, and needs, they also have different characters and backgrounds that shape them. However, all of that leads them to one objective: the Locacaca fruit, leading to the race of the New Locacacaca that involving various factions.

How did they meet and who initiated it first?

Because this is still purely a theory, I cannot really answer who started this cooperation. So I will answer how this could be most likely played:

Caato

If Caato was really the one who initiated it, assuming that she made contact with HD gang before she went to prison. She could simply make a call or go to wherever the HD gang was at the time.

But what if it started after she was already in prison? At this point, this will be mere speculation and hype (as a result of the limited information we have about her). The big question is how can she interact with the outside world? Caatofags often hold the idea of how OP her Stand is, mostly by comparing her Stand to D4C. The assumption that she was able to make contact with the outside world happened at the moment when Caato was able to take out her newly released cellphone despite her 15 year-long incarceration.

But since when did she have that phone? Has it been several years before (time travel)? Or did Caato always hide her cellphones in prison and replace them with the latest model every year? Assuming that in the first year of her incarceration, she was able to smuggle her phone. Of course the possibility that he could communicate with HD gang was simply by calling them.

Another bigger question is how Caato knew about Head Doctor’s gang? Could it be just a flashback that hasn't been told to us? Another speculation and hype by Caatofags is that Caato herself is a rock-human, particularly a rock-woman. This theory is also being widely discussed again after the most recent chapter 99 gives brief information about the rock-women. For me, this theory is too far-fetched (and almost bullshit).

Moreover, while this theory is still unconfirmed, those Caatofags have already made up a further theory that Caato is the top leader above all existing rock-humans (including Tooru/HD). I really wonder why Caatofags are so delusional… (and this one really sounds bullshit).

Head Doctor/Tooru

I also don't really know how Tooru got to know Caato or the other Higashikatas (or even Rai), we also need to look further into his background and backstory about it. However, being a rock-human he is, this is more possible for him. We all know that rock-humans (which are silicon-based) generally have longer lifespan than carbon-based humans. Rock-humans can live for up to 240 years. Rock-humans also grows by transformation, which causes them to be much older than what they look (example is Wu Tomoki who looks 33 despite his actual age being 70).

Therefore, Tooru himself might be much older than we think. We have seen the birth of Tooru in chapter 99, but we don't know exactly when he was born. But judging from the flow of panels, during the explanation of how a rock-woman gave birth to her baby until the baby grew up as Tooru. We can say that Tooru was born around Meiji era (1868-1912) or even 1901, the year in which Johnny died. The same year Rina was stricken with the rock-disease.

Whatever it is, this makes it even more likely that Tooru knows the history of the Higashikata family, especially if he knows the ability of equivalent exchange on their land. As a long-lived rock-human, he has many opportunities to learn many things and get as much information as possible. Also keep in mind that Tooru knows about “the saint”.

Then how did he make contact with Caato? With his Stand 「Wonder of U」, I am sure that he is able to do it, even if Caato was already in prison at the time. WOU can move through reflective surfaces while manipulating objects around it, it can also move in 2D and 3D alternately. In chapter 96, we’ve also seen that WOU is indeed capable to enter a prison as it was shown when Rai was in jail. 

With the possibility of Caato's ability to hide a phone with her Stand and WOU which is capable to move through cellphone, of course it's very possible they can communicate. Caato didn't even need to have a phone at the time, because WOU is able to move through any reflective objects not limited to cellphones. And as we have seen in the latest chapters (98 & 99) that WOU/Akefu is able to converse with Josuke and Rai.

Though I'm more convinced that Tooru is more likely the initiator, I don't really see him as the boss who's ordering Caato... or vice versa.

This is the difference that I felt when talking about Caato and Tooru (the two main villain candidates): talking about Caato is like composing a fiction where we only get a couple of sentences to develop into a few paragraphs, or even a story. Whereas talking about Tooru really feels like I'm doing an actual analysis based on some factual data, using the pictures, dialogues and information, comparing and linking several related events.

Then, what had HD gang/Tooru and Caato done to Rai and his family?

The key players who had ruined Rai's family (according to both chapters: 75 & 99) were the money lenders, the unknown usurpers/competitors, the insects (which is likely rock-animals) and The HD/WOU itself.

The insects and WOU were nothing but the work of HD/Tooru, therefore the money lenders & competitors could be the work of Caato.

However, the problem is...

It still feels strange if Rai's pear orchard have to be destroyed twice. Also, according to the chronology on his wiki page, the sabotage by money lenders happened first (because in that chapter 75, Rai's parents were mentioned as "father and mother"). After that, Rai's father died by calamity when he went to deal with the pest insects.

This chronology does not support the idea that Caato and HD gang had worked together, as if they had worked independently in ruining Rai's life.

If so, is that really what actually happened?

There is still hope, considering that Caato was in prison, which means that she had limited mobility. Therefore, the first incident of the damage to the Rai's pear orchard could have been done by Caato with the help of HD gang.

Then seeing that Rai's family was able to recover again, HD/Tooru took second action which eventually caused the death of Rai's father.

But the other last problem is why did Caato still care about helping her family business when she had been jailed (and abandoned by them)? As I said before, there are two possibilities: the cooperation happened either “before” or “after” she was jailed. Perhaps Caato already planned it before she was jailed. Whatever it is, it means that Caato had committed two sins and hid them from Norisuke IV: “murder & sabotage”, all for the sake of her family.

Perhaps the first event with money lenders happened before she went to prison whereas the second event with insects & WOU happened after that. Surely, they ruined Rai’s life twice because their main objective was "to get Rai into the Higashikata family."

Another interesting trivia is that Rai's age had actually been retconed from UJ release to the tankobon release. Originally, he was meant to be 32 years old, but Araki changed it into 31. If he was initially to be 32 years old, then he would be 17 around 15 years ago! The same year as Caato's prison sentence and what she claimed that she has role in the 15 years success of Higashikata business. No wonder she thinks that she deserve her compensation.

Also, take a note that the Caato said her controversial claim in chapter 58 whereas Rai was first mentioned in chapter 59 and debuted in chapter 64. Perhaps Araki had originally intended to involve Caato in Rai's past (although I wonder why he changed it for some reason).

I dislike the hype Caato as the main villain, therefore I often try to debunk any far-fetched theory from her supporters. But that does not mean that I shall disregard Caato’s potential role as long as the theory that support it makes sense.

TL;DR Caato might have been involved in Rai's past, she could have worked with Akefu or did it personally. This could be the answer for the "15 years" claim she said about helping Higashikata business back during the family reunion in chapter 58.

That's all I can think about Rai's past and Caato's claim, which are both confusing af.  Though it's also quite odd, if Caato is the person behind the goal of making Rai work under Norisuke IV, why didn't Jobin know Rai's identity as their family plant appraiser? Why didn't Caato tell him?

Read further:

Mamezuku Rai's past and Caato’s missing potential (invalid)

Caato’s potential role in Rai’s past