#there are brighter things than diamonds / coming down the line

[john-gosh-darnielle]

the things that you've got coming will consume you

[solomon-revisited]

some mountain goats lyrics are like prayers to me

[ashensgrotto]

Why, greetings my dear anon! I’m happy that you enjoyed the ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ to read it that many times - and I apologized that I haven’t been able to get started on the Scarbia segment yet (between that and Raison D’être plus work & other stories… and GloMas, I really need to get my priorities straight seriously -_-). However, I do intend on working on it as soon as I can so I can get it out sometime this month or in December - I mean, I think that would be the most logical since that one takes place during holiday break, right?

Now, for your request - I hope head cannons are alright for the time being. I’ll try to come back to them and do short stories for each of them that follows the same concept design as “Am I Feeling Love?” - which is the first installment of the Yandere!Azul series. I'm also going to divide this into two parts - about halfway through I realized I hadn't posted anything in a while and thus, I want to make it up to all of you for not writing or posting anything for some time.

Part 1 (Here) will feature Riddle Rosehearts, Leona Kingscholar, and Jamil Viper

Part 2 (Here) will feature Vil Schoenheit, Idia Shroud, and Malleus Draconia

***

Vil Schoenheit

Vil is a combination yandere - he is both a studdle stalker type, but also a projection type. Of course, in his youth, he was an up-and-coming movie star… famous for the villainous roles he played. This caused a lot of grief in his childhood, not to mention some of the trauma he had endured from other children who believed everything they saw on the big screen - thinking it was real, even though it was just special effects and players playing their roles on the stage. And, even though Jack Howl became the closest thing he had to a friend, there was nothing that he could do to shake the fear of wanting to be ‘the good guy’, the ‘hero’... to be the most beautiful of all.

As a junior in Night Raven, Vil and the rest of Pompfiore were just as shocked as the rest of the school when you appeared. At first, Vil was not interested in what you may have to offer - but ever faithful Rook was the one to point out certain features you had; soft cheeks, a creamy complexion, eyes wide and filled with wonder - not to mention a figure that would’ve had some acting agencies dying for; you almost reminded him the the princess the fairest queen had raised years ago. Vil was reluctant, but stepped forward and offered the headmage a place for you to stay in Pomfiore until you could return home. 

It was at this point that Vil realized that you were more than what you appeared. Whatever he asked of you, you did it - to nearly perfection. Scrub the ballroom flooring? It shone brighter than diamonds when you were done. Wipe down the windows? Clear as crystals. Tend to the gardens around the dormitory? Neat and tidy without a single flower or bush out of line. This, of course, caused Vil to backpeddle a little bit - if anyone from outside the dorm found out about how well you followed instructions (specifically a certain lion or scheming octopus), there would be trouble. Hence, Vil decided to try and keep you close, luring you in like the villain he was always meant to play.

He learned quickly that your home in your world was… chaotic. You often traveled back and forth between two families, plus your grandparents. If you had a choice in the matter - you would’ve stayed with your father and your stepmother full time as your mother and her on-again-off-again boyfriend often mistreated you. You were in charge of the cooking, cleaning, and caring for the home while under your mother’s care and were often trapped in her home more times out of the year. Vil had remembered about Niege LeBlance’s situation when the two stars were children - he could sympathize with your situation - and decided to take you under his wing. Vigorous training began shortly thereafter, and you soon found yourself secured under Vil’s thumb. You, along with Epel, were put through beauty regimens regularly, vocal and annunciation lessons followed classes and chores, and fashion and gossip columns replaced your books at night; and if either of you tried to escape or slip out of something, ever faithful Rook brought you straight back to Vil - a disapproving scowl on his face, arms crossed over his chest, and heeled foot tapping, looking very much like a disapproving mother.

With the arrival of spring and the fast approaching date of the Cultural Fair, Vil’s energy became more focused on the SDC - working long hours into the night perfecting the team for the competition. You did try to help sooth much of the stress that had fallen on the headwarden and offered your assistance in any way you could, Grim acting as your assistant under the watchful eye of Rook. It was also here that things slowly began to take a turn for the worst - after the mention of Neige LeBlance, Vil had begun turning to his phone more often, asking it every day who was the most beautiful of all. Mira always answered… Neige LeBlance.

The last straw was when you and Rook attempted to stop him from poisoning Neige, the vice warden ordering Neige to run and evacuate the premises. The other members of the team rushing in at the sound of Rook’s shouting. Vil couldn’t forgive himself for what he had attempted to do… he was as ugly as the poison that he created. If only he was the fairest… if only Neige LeBlance hadn’t walked into his life again… if only you could understand what it meant to be… the fairest one of all…

Idia Shroud

Idia would also be a combination type yandere - possessive and clingy on a short list, with subtle stalker on the longer list. Not that anyone can blame him of course - his childhood was spent in it’s entirety on the Island of Woe, the next Shroud in line to take up the mantle as the Watchman of the Underworld. He, and his little brother Ortho, were the only children that lived in the facility, spending their days playing video games, reading manga and comic books, as well as creating original characters of their own. However, tragedy struck when the two boys snuck out of their room during a routine lockdown and one of the phantoms possessed the younger brother - Idia’s grief and self-blame pushed him away from others, even after he was able to reunite with his brother… in a technological sense.

Years later, during his junior year at NRC, Idia was surprised when Ortho volunteered to bring you into Ignihyde - as many other students were. When Idia demanded an explanation - Ortho explained the scan he did on you indicated that you had a lot of the same qualities as many of Ignihyde's students. What a drag - but what's done is done, and Idia found himself, not only in charge of a dorm, but an unexpected guest as well.

For the first few months, Idia holed himself up in his room - trying to avoid an encounter with the ‘normie’ of the dorm; the magicless guest of Ignihyde. Ortho attempted over and over again to get him to come out and meet the new member, telling him all about how interested you were in manga comics, fantasy RPGs, and the like - but Idia always refused… until one night during a routine midnight snack run, he ran into you. You were smaller than he expected you to be, the dorm’s heavy leather jacket baggy over your form - also swapping the typical heavy denim jeans and boots for leggings and slippers. Idia was even more surprised when you offered him a large roll of chocolate chip cookies you had picked up from the school store, a smile on your face, “Hello, I’m (y/n). You must be Idia, right?”

And following that first encounter, Idia slowly began to warm up to you. He was drawn to your sassiness and imagination, especially when the two of you talked about video games - Idia even went as far as to introduce you to his online friend, Muscle Red - the gamer excited about having another runner in the mix for events. 

However, what no one knew was that Idia slowly began to worm his way into your online presence. He hacked into your computer that Ortho had provided for you and watched when you were online, who you interacted with, and what you talked about. At first, Idia reasoned it was a way to get to know you - the best way to find out the internal workings of someone was to figure out about the mask you wore, right? But even so, the real pusher was when he was spying on a chatroom you were a part of and one member began insulting you - saying that you weren’t really a gamer, that you didn’t know anything about online gaming, or anime, and that you were a fake… a ‘normie’. If Idia had been standing next to you, you would have seen his typical calm blue hair turn red hot - hotter than the flames of Tartarus. No one was going to get away with calling his friend a ‘normie’ - magicless or not.

In the months that followed, Idia began to slowly attach himself to you - spending more time in your presence than ever before. Then, when he was summoned back to the Island of Woe to test the students that had overblotted, he brought you along with him, keeping you close as each test was conducted, examined, and recorded. The look on your face and the questions you asked him, yes, brought him joy.. But also made him worry - what did you think of him now that you knew what he was doomed to become? Would you eventually end up like Ortho because of his mistakes? Idia didn’t want to think about that… but even so, to be free of his responsibilities… to not have to be the caretaker of the Phantoms any longer… to reset the world… maybe then, you would be safe…

Malleus Draconia

Malleus follows the same combination style - he’s definitely the obsessive, the stalker, and possessive style. Living in Briar Valley, it’s no secret that as the next in line it is his duty to help provide an heir that will take over for him when the time comes. As his mother and father had loved each other before him, Malleus often wished for the same kind of companionship that they had - however it is hard with Lilia away caring for a young human and Sebek, hence the only thing Malleus has is the comfort of his dreams. He dreams a lot, images of a fair young human traveling through the forests of Briar Valley playing in his mind - Malleus far too fearful to approach.

Many years later - during his junior year at NRC - Lilia informs him of a strange individual that has arrived - a magicless guest that is to be taking residence within the Ramshakle dorm that was on the school campus. Of course, Lilia had known about Malleus’ tendency to spend quiet nights in the dorm, listening to the sounds of the old building creek, the windows rattling against the wind… the silence and stillness of the place. Even so, Malleus does continue to travel to the dorm at night, walking around the premises like a dragon guarding his hoard. One night, however, he encounters you - the child of man with no magic abilities whatsoever - and is surprised by how easily you talk to him, without any fear in your eyes, even more so when you nickname him ‘Tsunotarou’. It slowly becomes a habit for him, heading to the Ramshakle dorm each night daily to spend time with you and talk to you - the first friend he has outside of the protection of Silver and Sebek. 

Malleus often sends Lilia to keep an eye on you, much to the chagrin of Sebek - the elder warming up to you and sharing everything he finds interesting with you with his charge - how you love visiting the other dorms, spending time with Ace, Deuce, and Grim, the struggles you encounter… never mind each of the overblot incidents that cause destruction and harm. Malleus then uses the reports to gain your trust, always lending out a hand to help when needed and offering comfort when there was none to be had. You slowly became his secret treasure - something he wanted to hide away, to protect endlessly until the end of your days.

But still… to a fae, a hundred years can pass in the blink of an eye… a thousand years was just the same way… And when the revelation of Lilia’s powers slowly depleting became noticeable, Malleus became lost for words. He was losing the closest thing he had to a father… and you were close to finding a way back to your world. He couldn’t allow that - he couldn’t lose anyone that was close to him.

When the others attempted to stop him - Malleus easily overpowered them. After all, he is one of the top five mages of the world - his power as a Draconia was more than enough to defeat an army, let alone students in a magic school. With ‘Fae of Maleficence’ casted, darkness covered the school - pulling everyone into slumber and keeping them as they were indefinitely. Everyone could be the protagonist of their own story… everyone could be happy… to live in their current state… and he would never be alone again…

[legally-allowed-to-slime]

All was cal-

No, wait. A disturbance in the water.

There was a thunk as the oar collided with the sand. The boat swayed unsteadily in the water for a few seconds before it popped into an inventory.

An inventory belonging to the intruder who gingerly stepped over the cherry bushes that lined the island border, before trudging into the muddy puddle below the oversized wooden heart. He sucked in the cold air through his teeth and looked up the ladder.

“Come on in” was the verdict that boomed from above.

He steadily ascended and reached the top, an uneven wooden platform that went up on both sides, cast in shadow by a cherry leaf curtain.

Ooh, I shouldn’t have come here at night, it’s chilly, Jimmy thought. He looked up at the three men that were stood at seemingly random spots.

There was a pause, thick with tension and-

“Why’s he staring at us and not saying anything?” Skizz whispered to Tango.

“Shh!’ Tango shushed him. “We’re a cool, unbothered mafia group, remember? Stop ruining our image!” He raised his voice said menacingly, “What do you want, mortal?”

“We’re mortals too, you know,” Bigb mumbled, but no one seemed to be listening.

“Also, ‘’mortal’ is more of a god thing than mafia thing, Tango,” Skizz advised. “It ain’t Decked Out.”

Jimmy tried to ignored them and reached into his inventory, clutching a cold, hard diamond. “Keep it down. One of these, and maybe place a few extra in the dropper, eh? If you know what I mean.”

Skizz came forward and took the diamond. “Consider it done. Say nothing about this.”

“Or you might end up on the… Naughty List,” Tango called from his perch above.

“Tango! That just makes you sound like Santa Claus!” Bigb hissed. “You’re one to talk about being, oh, so cool, and suave, ooh, look at me, I’m wearing, you know, slick sunglasses-”

“At least I’m trying!” Tango snapped back, “You’re just sitting there being silent and weird.”

“What? It’s threatening! It’s about the suspense-”

Skizz cleared his throat. “You heard him. Don’t anger the Foundation, or you’ll be off the dropper. Right?”

“Got it. Got it,” Jimmy said hastily, and threw in an extra diamond for good measure. “I’ll be off.”

He left.

Skizz turned to the other two.

“What, and we’re not even going to rig the dropper?” Bigb said, not looking up.

“Who’s gonna know?” Tango grinned, and shrugged. “It’s free diamonds. It’s dirty money. We already have the server in our hands. They’re all giving up this precious stuff just for a chance to gain those three bloody hearts.”

“Hey, no swearing,” Skizz said.

“Bloody as in, the colour of blood. Red. Okay, maybe a bit brighter. It’s a metaphor, Skizz! My point still stands.”

“It’s true, they won’t even dare to touch us ‘cos they’ll be off the list.” Bigb said.

“I do know that,” Skizz smirked, or whatever his idea of a smirk was anyway. “And I plan on using that to our full advantage. MuahahahaaAAAhh-!”

“He’s choking, man!” Bigb said in panic, “Tango, help!”

Tango rushed forward. “Heimlich Manoeuvre, Heimlich! First step, okay, are you choking?”

Skizz stopped, straightened up, and groaned. “No thanks, Tango. Aw, being evil isn’t good on my throat. I think I’ll stick to being wholesome.”

Pause.

Imagine a camera zooming out on the sun setting over a tranquil ocean, as the boys settle down for a good night’s sleep.

Okay, now all was calm.

[skzloversblogsposts]

Letters to my lover 📝[y.j][f]

Warnings: none

Your fingers ruffled through the tuffs of grass beneath you , wet slick coating them from the rain prior leaving a shine of liquid across your skin , picnic blanket forgotten as you pressed your knees to the sand cold wet sensations running over your skin , jeongin sat next to you book in hand as he gazed out into the vast open sea that sat before you , it’s water rough and violent from the storm , it’s opaque turquoise contrasting the dark blue beneath it as the two of you sat , silence over coming you as the sounds of jeongins pen clashed against his paper in a silly attempt to scratch away whatever he wrote prior .

“What are you writting ?” You asked curiosity taking over you as the burn in your knees flashed over your body , cramping needle like pain strumming through you in the most unpleasant way as you adjusted to sit more comfortably “ a letter “ he spoke , words minimal and quick , leaving no room for questions or assumptions “ what kind of letter ?” You pressed your body naturally gravitating towards him slotting yourself in the middle of his crossed legs , a grumble rising from his chest as he moved the book away “ I’m not done “ he spoke closing it and placing it down next to him .

“ are you writting to me ?” You asked , watching as the tips of his ears redden at the mention of his romantic act , “ yes” he spoke , eyes never leaving the sea before him “ what is it about?” You asked your voice laced with curiosity as you observed jeongin , his black hair splayed back contrasting agaisnt the gloomy grey sky “ it’s a love letter “ he spoke words as if they were nothing , easily rolling off his tongue and into the air for your ears to soak up “ can I see it ?” He shook his head .

“ can you read it to me ?” You asked pout visble on your lips he smiled , his lips drawing a thin line as he held you closer to his chest, placing a hand on your head “ impatient aren’t you love ? “ he chuckled “ but who am I to deny you” jeongin cleared his throat after flipping through the many pages in his journal , each coloured or containing a pretty drawing , your name in highlighted pastels drawing your attention to the many subjects he wrote on .

He stopped his fingers folding the page back as he bent the book “ are you ready ? “ he asked smiling when you nodded agaisnt his chest “ alright I’ll read it to you “ your breath stilled awaiting the valuable letter jeongin seemed to treasure so deeply , time moving slower as he prepared to read it to you, your nerves getting the best of you as you watched him lick his lips “ To my dearest yn , My Love, My light ,

As I am writing this letter today. I have a milion thoughts running through my mind. I am uncertain , conflicted and confused as to how I should express my love to you . Such a simple act that comes easy to most I find myself struggling , it’s not because I lack words or phrases or cannot find gifts or acts to convey my love , but rather it is because my love runs much deeper than any of these things would allow me to express “ jeongin paused , his fingers stilling over the taupe pages as he caught his breath

“ This letter is a testament to the love I feel for you - a love which is difficult to put into words because it is a love that can only be felt , so pure , so innocent and so intoxicating filling my mind with thoughts of you fogging my memory and corrupting my heart with images of you . Your smile so perfectly bright like a lighthouse waving it’s sailors home providing comfort to their lonely hearts , your eyes sparkling like fresh snow under the sun brighter than any diamonds money could buy and of your heart so beautiful and kind filled with love , more than I can understand . “ jeongin smiled his eyes casting over yours taking in your expression , your ears slightly redder and your lips parting in awe at his words “ on most nights more often than I’d like to admit you lay next to me in bed sleeping but I lay there wondering what miracle I’ve stumbled upon to have you in my hold pressed so tightly together soaking in your scent making me feel so whole , to call you mine and have the pleasure of keeping you safe . You alone are the one who has reached out and showed me the true meaning of what it feels like , tastes like “ he smirked slight laugh falling off his lips as he spoke “ and what it looks like; maybe I do lack the words to describe how I feel , how much I feel and how you make me feel , maybe I am silly and pretentious when it comes to us , cherishing every moment as if it’s out last . Maybe I’m star struck , love sick , and hung up on you all at the same time so much so that it makes my head hurt and my tummy funny . Maybe just maybe ..” he paused taking your hand in his , his light touches sending shivers down your spine “ maybe I love you more than anything I ever had , ever will and ever want to for as long as I live and years after death” he smiled bringing the back of your hand up to his lips , a chaste kiss sealing the end of his letter a silent promise amongst the two of you .

[sunshinebingo]

The Princess and the Knight

Chapter 11

A/N: This is the final chapter 🤭 Thank you so much for all the likes, reblogs and comments. Thank you for just reading this fic. I hope you enjoyed the journey and…yup…thank you (sorry I’m feeling a little shy rn) As always, a special mention to @headcanonheadcase and @shadowsxgwynriel. @trashforazriel this is for you too bb 😉❤️

Synopsis: The Princess and the Knight dance at the Autumn Equinox Ball before ending the night together.

Word Count: 2.3k

Warning: NSFW!!

Read the previous chapter here

Read the bonus chapter here

Read on Ao3 here

The honour of your presence is requested at the AUTUMN EQUINOX BALL to celebrate the coming of the new season with Her Majesty THE QUEEN and the Royal Family. The festivities will take place at the ROYAL CASTLE in the Capital of Sangravah on the 20th of September and will begin at sunset.

Sincerely,

Her Majesty, the Queen of Sangravah

……

Every new season brought with them new beginnings. Autumn, with its dying trees and cooling weather, was the time to let go of certain things in order to focus on what really matters. Autumn required one to trust the change. It promised that better days would eventually come. But the princess trusted her knight more than she trusted the season. That is why she devoted all her attention to him and only him, instead of everyone else in the ballroom.

They had both been nervous about making their first public appearance as a couple at such an event. Especially Azriel. But everything had gone better than both could have imagined. Perhaps the others had heard of the last one who had tested the princess and did not want to end up like him. Not that she would sentence anyone to the dungeons for not approving of her choice to be with a knight. Frankly she did not care at all. And neither did Azriel.

He had been awestruck when she had descended to stairs to meet him in the grand foyer earlier. Dressed in a big gown of deep emerald, Gwyneth looked every bit the queen that she was in line to be. Her dress was dusted in golden sparkles, with more gold embroidery along her cleavage that were a perfect match to those on Azriel’s black suit. The diamonds of her crown reflected every candle and fairy light in the room, making them shine even more than they already did on their own.

‘’You are a very good dancer,’’ Gwyn said in surprise as Azriel guided her through the dance on expert feet.

‘’Did you doubt that I was?’’ he asked with a teasing grin. They separated for a moment so he could twirl her around several times as they rounded the tree in the middle of the dance floor.

It had taken a while to put the giant tree there, but the efforts of the staff and decorators were worth it. It looked magical with its twisted branches that were close to touching the high ceiling. The fake leaves that it was filled with looked as real as the ones on the various trees outside the castle that were starting to change colour. Fairy lights were placed all around the trunk and branches to illuminate the dance floor and shine down on all those who had come to enjoy themselves tonight. Candles and chandeliers burned bright along the walls to further illuminate the rest of the room. More candles were placed on the elegantly decorated tables along with dried leaves and flowers in the colours of autumn.

The Queen herself had insisted that the whole castle must be turned into an autumn wonderland for the occasion. Knowing the Queen’s love for her balls, many of the guests had even come dressed in the new season’s colours.

‘’Is there any secret talent of yours that I should know of?’’ Gwyn asked her lover when they met again.

‘’There is,’’ he smiled down at her. ‘’But it’s best enjoyed in private,’’ he added. The blush that started to spread on her cheeks was brighter than the makeup she had there.

‘’That must be a bad talent if you don’t want anyone to see it,’’ she said in an attempt to subdue the heat rising inside her. To her delight, Azriel snorted which caused them both to start laughing. Even through their laughter, Gwyn noticed her mother and her aunt smiling at her as she and Azriel swirled past them. But she could not bring herself to look away from him.

‘’If I am not mistaken Gwyneth,’’ he brought his mouth close to her ear before he continued, ‘’You seem to enjoy my talents when we’re alone.’’ He pulled away just enough so that their noses were only inches apart.

‘’Maybe you could show me more so I can judge better.’’ Even through their clothes, she could feel his heart beat matching her own racing one where her breasts were pressed against his chest.

‘’I will,’’ he promised and sealed it with a kiss on the tip of her nose.

Gwyn rested her head on his heart. And when she moved her hands to place them around his neck, Azriel brought his own hands around her waist. The rest of the dance passed with them lost in each other. More people joined the dance, even her aunt had come to dance accompanied by the Count of Day. The music changed several times. But the princess and the knight danced mostly danced to the beatings of their own hearts.

‘’Azriel,’’ she looked up at him after a while. He looked down at her, matching her bright smile with one of his own. ‘’My Azriel.’’ She brought her lips close to his but did not move further. ‘���My knight in shining armour.’’

‘’Would you prefer if I was a prince instead?’’ he asked, brushing his nose with hers.

‘’I don’t want a prince,’’ Gwyn shook her head, the loose curls that framed her face swaying with the movement. ‘’I want a knight who will make my enemies bleed before carrying me into the sunset and fuck me until sunrise,’’ she added in a dramatic way yet low enough so that no one but him would hear her talk like this.

Azriel was unable to contain his laugh at her statement. Although he was used to it, her ability to say the most ridiculous things with so much seriousness always amused him.

‘’Well princess,’’ he said as he brought their bodies impossibly closer. ‘’I don’t believe there is anyone who deserves to bleed tonight.’’

‘’But?’’ she raised an eyebrow at him, knowing well that his thoughts were going exactly where hers already were.

‘’But I did promise to show you more of my hidden talents.’’

The grin that spread on Gwyneth’s face was positively devious. One second, they started swirling again among the dancers, and the next, as soon as they neared the closest exit to the dance floor, she was pulling on his arm to drag him away from the party. Azriel ignored all his fellow knights and guards that were on duty around the castle as he followed Gwyneth with a hand interlaced in hers. It did not take long before they reached her quarters and pushed the door to her bedroom open.

Unlike the rest of the castle which was bathed in autumn colours, this room still had an air of summer to it. The light blues and golden tones brought an additional warmth to her bedroom along with the lit fireplace.

As soon as the door was shut, Gwyn was in Azriel’s arms again, her hands tangled in his hair and her mouth exploring his. His own hands were already starting to undo the laces at the back of her dress. Her crown was quickly removed, more curls escaping from her updo in the process, and thrown on the small table next to the door. A few strong tugs and the laces were lose enough that the dress pooled at her feet. Gwyn stepped out of her dress and shoes and jumped in his arms, feeling his hardness already pressing against her centre.

Their lips remained locked as she removed his jacket and started to unbutton the black shirt underneath. He carried her until they reached the edge of the bed. When he was finally rid of the shirt, he lowered her on the mattress. Gwyn arched her back when he started trailing kisses down her neck. The stings from his small bites made her dig her nails into his back.

A loud moan escaped her when his lips closed around her peaked nipple. More whimpers and moans followed when he slightly bit her there too and continued playing with her breast with his mouth and teeth. He grabbed the other one in his hand and gave it just as much attention.

Meanwhile his other hand found it’s way lower until he reached her soaked underwear. He quickly pulled it off and threw it across the room. There was an urgency in his moves that made Gwyn almost tremble in anticipation. She lowered her hand and started to feel him through his pants.

She had had her hands on him countless time before. Yet it always felt as good as it did when she first did it. It was even better now that they both knew exactly what to do to send the other tumbling over the edge.

‘’Az,’’ she whined at the loss of contact when he started to pull away from her. He brought his mouth to her ear.

‘’Get on you knees for me Gwyneth,’’ he said and bit her earlobe. She did as he said, turning around to kneel before him on the bed. He smirked at the sight of the wet spot that had already appeared on the sheet where she was lying seconds before.

Gwyn turned her face around and looked at him with pleading eyes. She needed him to do something. Anything. Her breathing turned harder when he started to get rid of his pants. His eyes remained fixed on hers the whole time and she almost drooled when he finally stood fully naked behind her.

Azriel moved closer to her. He licked his lips and Gwyn felt herself getting even wetter when he started lowering his mouth right where she needed him. He winked at her before he parted her folds with his tongue. He inserted a finger inside her while his tongue kept swirling at her entrance.

Her moans turned so loud that the guards posted beneath her balcony were probably aware of what they were doing. Azriel put another finger inside, moving them in and out of her until her wetness was running down her leg. He would never get enough of this; seeing her like this, dripping for him and moaning his name like he was a god she was praying to. The heat inside her was enough to almost undo him.

Fortunately for his painfully hard cock, Gwyn was close. He curled his fingers inside her, hitting a spot he knew would make her forget everything but his name. His teeth sank into the soft skin of her backside. It did not take much longer before she shattered and came around his fingers. He removed his hand instead of waiting for her to come down as he usually did. And Gwyn understood why a second later when something much bigger pushed inside her.

The sudden feeling of his cock filling her and his mouth coming down to kiss her neck and shoulders was enough to immediately bring the heat inside her to new heights. She fisted the sheets while his hands held tightly onto her waist. The way his name sounded coming out of her lips urged him to go faster and harder. When he was moments away from spilling himself inside her, Azriel moved one hand down in front of her. He started to leave a trail of small love bites down her back while his hand circled her clit. He kept thrusting inside her, each push and pull bringing both of them closer to the edge.

Gwyn placed a hand over the one he had between her legs. She tried to speak, to beg him to make her come again yet nothing but whimpers came out. But he knew what she needed. He pressed his hand harder against her clit. A few more thrust was all it took before Gwyn was arching her back and coming hard. Azriel followed right after feeling her walls tightening around him. He bit his bottom lip so hard that he almost drew blood.

Soon, they both collapsed onto the bed. Azriel moved to the side and lied next to her. They both looked at the clouds painted on the ceiling while trying to regain control over their heavy breathing. But the room did not remain silent for long. The sound of their pants was soon replaced by Gwyn’s laugh. Azriel moved his head to the side and watched as she laughed with her eyes close. Her hair was a mess and her makeup was a little smudged. She was stunning.

‘’What is it?’’ he asked when she stopped.

She looked at him then and moved closer. She placed a kiss on his neck before nuzzling her face there. ‘’I love you,’’ she said barely above a whisper.

Azriel wrapped her tightly in his arms and rested his head on hers. ‘’I love you too.’’

She remained like this, wrapped in his warmth, while Azriel started to remove all the pins from her hair. Once it was loose, he ran his hands through the silky strands. He curled them around his fingers and watched how the light from the fireplace turned the copper even brighter.

“Az?’’ She lifted herself up to look at him. Gwyn traced the tattoos on his chest with a finger while he kept playing with her hair. He raised an eyebrow at her, waiting for her to keep talking. She replaced her hand with her lips by placing soft kisses across his chest as her hand swirled lower and lower. She hummed in approval at the way his body was reacting to her touch.

‘’You still want me to fuck you until sunrise?’’ he asked when she wrapped her hand around his already hard cock. Gwyn smiled. How could she not say yes to that.

And they lived happily ever after. The End!

[borathefallen]

The Lake In The Moors

The sunshine was brighter than you've ever seen it before, in the kingdom everything shined brighter, the food tasted better. whatever you desired, the kingdom could provide. the village people always told you to stay away from the forest beyond the kingdom. they told stories of bad things living beyond. yet that never stopped you from exploring and going on adventures. so one night you decided to explore, of course logically it was more than dangerous and you could've gotten yourself killed but something about what lies beyond drew you closer and closer past your curiosity. a little thing about you that everyone in the village enjoyed was that you were a split image of your sister who is now the queen aurora, but by mind body and soul you carried your own personality on your shoulders. aurora mentioned a few times about her fairy godmother living in the moors, yet she never once showed you where she lived or what she looked like. it always made you sad because doesn't that mean she's part of the family? though you were beyond excited knowing that fairytales were your go-too's day to day and couldn't imagine the thought of not seeing a single magical creature before your days end. the moonlight shined in the cracks of the trees, the stars sparkled and shined like diamonds. nothing could ruin the moment, except the snapping of a twig and the caw of a crow.

shivers ran down your spine as you didn't exactly know where to go or even where to hide. of course you were a bit peeved since you only made it a few feet into the moors and were likely to die before you even saw an ounce of magic. "i must hide" you told yourself scrambling to get somewhere, anywhere. "aurora was right, i should've just kept my curiosity at a minimum". moments later you heard a sly chuckle. "that wouldn't have been any fun though would it." the deliciously low voice made its way past your ears through the frontal lobe of your brain. who could that enchanting voice belong too. you thought to yourself. "who's there"? you ask softly. "i'm warning you, you so much as lay a finger on me and the kingdom will come for me". you said trying very hard to sound authoritative but failing horribly. the footsteps began making there way towards you, not with haste, or with predatory means but slowly. almost curious yet confident. "the question should truly be, who are you my dear". the voice asked. "after all you are in my territory". it said once again. "i am princess y/n, sister of princess aurora." you said softly making your way into the moonlight. an opening in the tree line made a spotlight shine through the lake of the moors. "aurora is queen now." the voice said almost spitting back. "yes, yes she is". you said softly now seeing the silhouette of the figure that was standing behind the tree. "who are you might i ask"? you asked curiously. the figure finally stepped out from behind the tree into the light. your breath was almost taken from you but not in a bad way, you were taken back by the beauty of this...creature. " i am maleficent." she said lowly eyes darkening as if singling in on your tiny form. "f...fairy godmother"? you whispered. " what"? she asked. " your my sisters godmother, she talks so much about you, especially mentioning the part where you are very pretty". you said seeing her in the true light of her domain. you didn't know what was happening but your chest was getting warm and your cheeks showed your true expression for this creature. the look she saw from you wasn't fear... but admiration and contentment. yet the look she gave seemed devilishly playful and territorial. "oh i'm gonna have fun with you little bunny." she smiled wickedly. "that nickname nearly had you fainting already, i don't know what plans she had for you. just know that night you didn't get off the hook easily.

[tawaifeddiediaz]

the lights we cannot see

this was previously posted during a tumblr ask game for @scattered-winter​ but i turned it into a whole fic so...enjoy xD buck is absolutely extremely sappy in this so.

[AO3 Link]

Word Count: 1201 words

The stars aren’t out yet.

Despite that, Buck feels like he has their locations memorized.

He knows that if he looks at this one particular square of sky for the full half an hour before nightfall, he’ll see Ursa Major start to emerge from the light until it stands out in stark brilliance. He knows that if he looks a little bit to the left, he’ll see Ursa Minor. A little down, Draco, then Hercules.

He knows these things, because he seeks them — he seeks the sky like an anchor that could root him to Earth.

There was a structure on the ranch in Montana. A tall one, in the middle of a field where it had no business being. Despite that, the owners refused to tear it down, refused to answer questions when Buck asked about it.

(They used to exchange fondly amused looks with each other, though, and that was answer enough for Buck.)

He’d spent evenings and nights and days and mornings on that structure, flat on his back with his face turned up towards the endless sky, chin tipped as if the he could rule over his world with just one haughty gesture. 

It hadn’t mattered what he did, though — hadn’t mattered how many times Buck had wished for the stars to sparkle a little brighter, or to come out a little earlier, or to spin into easily-recognizable constellations. The stars always came and went on their own time, spinning stories for the world to call their own, to deem new meanings to a meaningless moment — independent of all human meaning, something extraordinary on its own.

Buck had wanted to lose himself in the freedom of it then, just as he wants to do right now. He could’ve laid on the grass to do it then too, but on that structure, there was a weightless quality to spreading out under the stars. As a few feet would bring him infinitely closer to touching the star-studded sky, diamonds hung on the midnight canvas of space.

He’s followed these very stars for years, from Hershey all the way to Los Angeles, finding comfort in the same sky following him. The same sky that stays permanent year after year, the constellations only changing position but staying in his line of sight.

There’s irony in that. There’s irony in most things, Buck thinks, for him to be finding his gravity in space, in the stars where he could float with no physical anchor at all.

A hand brushes the side of his own, and Buck remembers that he has his physical anchor right here. Someone whose orbit belongs to Buck alone.

Eddie’s smiling when Buck turns his head to look at him, spread out on the blanket next to him without a care in the world. He looks lighter these days, more free. Buck sees his smiles more than his smirks, more genuine happiness than the dry humor Eddie uses to deflect anyone from seeing the broken, bruised, battered man inside.

And he loves him for it.

He loves him for how he’s risen above his worst moments, how he’s constantly put in the effort to be better for himself. He’s loved him even when therapy and breakdowns and gunshot wounds weren’t in the picture, but Buck thinks he fell in love with Eddie again when his smiles started reaching his eyes again — four months after the day Buck found him in his room.

He loves Eddie for a lot of things, he thinks, but he loves him most when he proves how well he knows Buck.

He thinks that he’ll never stop falling.

Before his thoughts take too dark of a turn, a pinky finger moves to rest over his own. There are no expectations in that movement, the rest of Eddie still where he watches Buck but Buck reads a world’s worth of declaration in that tiny action.

I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere. 

Their pinky fingers interlace quietly, hooking together, one step in the thousands that have come before them, but a new step, onto a new path from the crossroads they’ve been standing at for days and weeks and months and years.

It’s fitting for Buck to tie his anchor to Eddie knowingly, underneath the spread out Los Angeles sky, where the sun is breaking on the horizon into fragments that won’t be put together until hours later, when the night wraps each piece back together into a ball of light.

Buck thinks that Eddie’s his night.

He’s not conscious of rolling over to press Eddie into the grass, but he is conscious of their pinkies still tied together in a childish gesture, conscious of the soft smile on Eddie’s face, conscious of those warm eyes without an ounce of fear — conscious of the soft, muscled planes of Eddie’s body pressed against his, holding him like he’ll never let go.

Conscious of Eddie taking his weight like it means something for him to share the burden of existence, just like Buck had all those months ago in the middle of a wreckage-torn room.

Lying here, on top of Eddie, he feels like he’s splitting into fragments as miniscule as the stars dotting the sky above them, breaking into rays that Eddie will twine together with his moonlight, wrapping around him until they’re one again.

The only sun and moon, the only day and night that won’t escape each other, that will never be two passing ships again.

“Hi,” Buck whispers, his voice barely loud enough to be construed as actual words and sounds.

There’s so much he needs to say to Eddie underneath this sky that he’s always watched alone before him. So much he needs to say about Eddie following him to the outskirts of Los Angeles to find the one spot where he can view the stars free of the light and noise pollution from the city. So much he needs to say to fill the uncharacteristic, but not uncomfortable, silence between them.

Eddie hears him, anyway, just like he always does.

The quiet laugh that he lets out wraps around all of Buck’s bones and tethers him to his best friend irreversibly, and slowly, Buck allows himself to be pulled into Eddie’s orbit even further, until he remembers the night and the day, and the pieces of each other that they’ve put together to coexist in this beautiful thing — the most beautiful thing Buck’s ever been a part of.

Something he wants to bury himself in for the rest of his days.

“Hi, Buck.”

And it really is just that simple.

He lets himself be kissed just as night breaks into streaks of pending midnight on the horizon. Eddie’s mouth moves skillfully under his until Buck’s consumed with nothing but Eddie, Eddie, Eddie, and Buck leaves his own mark on Eddie’s mouth so no one can ever separate them again.

With his back to the sky, Buck can’t see Ursa Major or Ursa Minor or Draco or Hercules or Sagitta or Aquila as they come into visibility against a darkening sky.

But it doesn’t matter, because he sees the stars he loves anyway.

He reads the constellations in Eddie’s eyes, and he smiles.

[ohporcupine]

Tmg lyrics!!! the young thousands - @cryptic-symbols

"There must be diamonds somewhere in a place that stinks this bad There are brighter things than diamonds coming down the line"

not actually a song i have listened to a lot before but a good one, tyty

[fearforthestorm]

but I love my friends!!!!!! they make me feel alive again!!!

[easterndaylighttime]

the ghosts that haunt your building have been learning how to breathe

they scan the hallways nightly, vainly searching for a sign

there must be diamonds somewhere in a place that stinks this bad

there are brighter things than diamonds coming down the line

here they come: the young thousands

here they come: the young thousands

[natureofthefungi]

I've been listening to we shall all be healed a lot lately, and like, it's one of the best-named tmg albums right?

In the song of the same name (which if you haven’t listened to go do it now) the narrator goes to their old abandoned apartment and is faced with the fact that their friends are gone and most likely dead, but still says that they will all be alright, fixed up as good as new.

Hoping for something that might be imposible because it keeps you alive and on the path of healing is, in my opinion what the album is about and I think the words we shall all be healed sums that up really well.

There must be diamonds somewhere in a place that stinks this bad/ there are brighter things than diamonds coming down the line- The Young Thousands

Out in the desert we’ll have no worries/ out in the desert just you and me- Mole

And when I wave my magic wand/ those few who’ve slipped the surly bonds will rise like salmon at the spawning- Quinto

This song is for the soil/ that’s toxic clear down to the bedrock/plant your seeds there let them go/ let em all go- Cotton

When the last days come we shall see visions/ more vivid than sunsets brighter than stars/ we will recognize each other and see ourselves for the first time/ the way we really are- Against Pollution

Let some mysterious chunk of space debris/ puncture the roof and set me free-Pigs That Ran Straightaway Into the Water, Triumph Of

[fallout-lou-begas]

john darnielle of the mountain goats: the ghosts that haunt your building have been learning how to breathe. they scan the hallways nightly, vainly searching for a sign. there must be diamonds somewhere in a place that stinks this bad. There are brighter things than diamonds coming down the line

me drawing the next issue of @ikroah: yes exactly. exactly john

[imagineryupfuckedworld]

Are you okay?

Fandom: Solo Leveling Genderneutral Reader Pairing: Sung Jin Woo x Reader TW: Uhm mention of blood, depression, abandonment Part 1? Idk

You always knew he was something special. Even though it needed time to come through. It needed time to become, what he is now. Like a Diamond who once was coal, he now shines brighter than anyone. Maybe “shine” is the wrong word, but regardless, everyone now knows it. Everyone can finally see it. The way you always saw him. Sung Jin Woo finally broke through the shell that was around him. You never knew why he changed. What happened, except what was heard from others. After his major change Jin Woo begun to keep his distance. Maybe it was unintentional, maybe not. But he keeps drifting apart from you. Week to Week, day to day, hour to hour. No more daily calls till one fell asleep. No more patching him up and scolding him lightly because you were so worried about him. No more Bubbleteas and weekly get together. No more need to help him pay for the hospital bills and rent. No more anything. Jin Woo now reached a World, were you can’t be a part of it anymore. You aren’t a Hunter. So you can’t even support him in that matter. Helping him to pay off the bills was one of the only things you could do to support him but even now that isn’t needed anymore. Not to mention being emotional support when he needed it. He doesn’t need you anymore. Or so you feel. He doesn’t call anymore. He doesn’t tell you about the dungeons, how his family is. He doesn’t reminisce about old days with you anymore. Not even a text that he is okay, alive, unharmed. Nothing. No updates, only what you can see online from his new friends and his sister. Seemingly forgetting about you. You are happy for him. That people finally realize what a good person Jin Woo is. That he gets what he deserves for having such a difficult life. But it hurt that you don’t seem to be a part of it anymore. Even after he was...is such a major part of your life. Is it because you are weak? Ugly? Annoying? You don’t know because he never told you. He doesn’t tell you anything anymore...and you begun to keep silent about your life. At the beginning, you still updated him about your life, trying to keep small talk and texting about random things like you always do. Sending him memes and videos. But it slowly faded after his replies got shorter and shorter and shorter, then left in read and in the end, you weren’t even worthy enough to be left on read. It all came to a halt. No texts, no calls, no meetings. You even begun to avoid everything that has to do with him. Things that would remind you of him. All the pictures, gifts, everything physically was but into a box and placed somewhere, where you wouldn’t see it. You can’t. It just hurt to be reminded of how worthless you got. Your daily life changed and you tried to forget him, even to replace him but it was difficult. Somehow you managed to get your act together. When you have to socialize it is. At home, alone, it was a different story. It broke you how easily you were tossed away. As happy as you are for him, it hurt as much. You tried to talk to him so often, but he always found a way to avoid you. The more often you tried, the easier he slipped away. This was till you two had no choice but to interact. When the Dungeonmonsters came out of the Gates, all hell broke lose. It was terrifying seeing the things that Hunters are supposed to hunt, for yourself. They were monstrous, tall, bloody, horrendous and dangerous. Nobody expected that such things would come out, even though everybody feared it after the JeJu-Island-Raid. At that time, you were near the Gate. Shopping for Groceries. You were almost squashed to death from a big foot that stepped right in front of you. Your throat tightening. Gulping down a scream you fell on your behind. The groceries were now splattered everywhere. You saw dead bodies between the big toes of the Monster, seemingly the Hunters who wanted to clear the Gate. Wasn’t it a small D-Rank-Gate? Why are these monsters here? You did not had the time to think about it as the Monster seemed to notice you. It bend downward, his arm reaching out to you. You tried to scramble away. To get up and run inside in hope you would be safer there but you toppled over and over. Tears begun to well up into your eyes. Hiccups bubbling in your throat and your heart clenched. Your breath irregular. You don’t want to die. Yes, you go through so much pain right now and life is shitty but you don’t want to die. Help! Was your only thought. Someone, please help me! Anybody! any “anybody” came to rescue you. The second he took you in his arms you knew, who it was. The smell was what gave him out. The smell of Ebony that never left him. He shielded your eyes, so you wouldn’t see the blood he spilled or anything else, that would be to gruesome for you, knowing how sensitive you are. You can’t even watch a horrormovie properly without hiding your face in his shoulder. “Are you okay?” hearing his voice after so long made you tear up. The question he gave you, these simple words, stirred something up inside of you. It wasn’t pain or sadness that you felt all the time. No, it was anger. Anger at him for that it was of all the people him that rescued you. That he asked this question, after all the time. Asking, because of the monsters and not, because of all the other things or because he really want to know. You pushed him roughly away. Your head turned away so you wouldn’t see him. Not wanting to spare him any glance. “Thanks...” You tried to rescue what you could from your groceries, not waiting for anything he could say. You just want to go before you say something that you could regret. But what is it, that you would regret? Saying how you feel? How Jin Woo made you feel? How he threw you away? Or is it, that you would regret saying all these things knowing, it could hurt him like it has hurt you? “I asked if you’re okay?” The grip around the now ripped plastic-bag tightened. Your lips formed a thin line. Why can’t he just go and leave you alone like he already did? He is stirring up emotions, you never wanted to feel regarding him. “Why do you care?” It was a simple question. But filled with so much emotion and at the same time none. He looked taken aback. His eyes widened a bit when you looked him dead in the eyes. You gaze as dead and hollow as you feel at night. He opened his mouth to say something but you beat him to that. “I mean, you didn’t cared since a long time ago about me, no? Ignoring me, avoiding me, replacing and throwing me away. And now? Now you come here, rescuing me for what I am thankful, but asking me if I am okay? No. I am not. A monster almost killed me. In fact I am scared to death and at the verge of crying,” your voice begun to break a little, hiccups threatening to come out “But it is also a fact, that this isn’t the worst of all the things.” instead of hiccups, a bitterly laugh came out. “No, worse is, that it is you who rescued me. The Person who I did not wanted to see. So, no, I am not okay but it doesn’t concern you anymore, so goodbye.” Leaving your groceries behind you ran. As fast as you could. Never stopping or looking back. Not before you got home. You ran so much and so fast, you almost doubled over and puked on the floor. Your entire body was shaking, you sweat. You feel hot and cold at the same time. Your mind was racing faster, than you just ran. Everything just bubbled up and came out. It was too much to hold in it, so you screamed and trashed. Screamed our lungs out till they gave in and your throat begun to hurt and burn. You knocked everything over, throwing and kicking things. Hammering your fist against the walls till they bleed. You don’t know how long you did that but you stopped when you felt his arm around you. Again. The smell was intoxicating. A cloud of his smell formed around you. “I’m so sorry...” it was then and there, that you begun to cry. You pounded against his chest. Cried. Screamed at him. Merciless at how much he hurt you. How you hated him. How you never want to see him again. Asking him why he did that. Insulting him till no end. While you did all that. he just silently embraced you. Taking everything in you said. Never saying something against it or making excuses. Only these three words came out of him. Over and over and over.

[redorich]

In the HermitCanyon au, How is my favorite Bee armored Admin doing? How long does it take for Xisuma to become.. aware of what is happening? For the first few sections it seemed like he was in a coma/unconscious. In the most recent bit Impulse tells Etho to get Xisuma, so at least theoretically he can now move, but how long has it taken him to get there, and where is he on the scale to full recovery? Are the other hermits keeping him safe with rabbit stew? (if they have rabbits that is...)

Part 2 of this.

Etho comes back twenty minutes later with a solemn look on his face. (At least, Puffy assumes. She can't actually see most of his face because of that mask of his.)

"X is in a bad way today," he says quietly. "I can take Puffy to him if you guys would like to stay here with Zedaph."

Impulse and Tango look nervously at each other. On one hand, they very much would like to stay with Zedaph, who is mostly healed but still very loopy and probably should not be moved. On the other hand, allowing Puffy deep into the Hermits' inner sanctum is a risk in and of itself, let alone with only one Hermit with her. Etho's a good fighter and a wily bastard, but Puffy is most certainly no slouch.

In the end, it comes down to trust. How much can they show Puffy before they can no longer trust that she won't snitch? How sure are they that she won't try to kill them all and steal their stuff?

"Tell Xisuma I said hi," Zedaph warbles from the bed in the corner of the room, out of any window's line of sight.

As Etho presses a button which removes a panel of the wall in a whir of piston noises, Puffy snorts out a little laugh. "I'll be sure to do that."

Tango nods subtly to Impulse. If Puffy brought Zedaph back to the canyon, saved him from a painful respawn, and didn't once ask for anything in return, then the Hermits can trust her at least this much.

Etho leads Puffy through a short hallway into a large circular room with a domed ceiling. The room is mostly quartz, though the walls are lined with sea lanterns and oak leaves. It’s beautiful. This place has been hiding under her feet this whole time?

“This is the Atrium,” Etho says, “or at least the main one. Come on, getting a mule will be more trouble than it’s worth if you’re not carrying anything.”

Puffy is speechless, utterly and profoundly, when Etho takes her through a tunnel on the opposite side of where she entered. It almost looks as though the tunnel here was carved by hand, then completely redone in dirt and grass and vines to give it a secretive, high fantasy look.

“Hey, Etho!” says a dark-haired man with a big smile as he comes trotting out of a branching hallway to the left. “Hey--” He catches sight of Puffy and his smile dissipates into panic. He shouts incoherently and dives back into the hallway he just exited.

“Hey Bdubs,” Etho greets impishly, then turns to Puffy. “Man, it’s like he saw a ghost or something. Maybe Mothman.”

Puffy bleats out a surprised laugh. Up ahead, she spots another Hermit lurking around the corner of the archway Etho is leading her toward.

“Etho,” says a tall blonde woman. “Cleo wants to talk to you about, er...” The blonde woman glances at Puffy. “Her thing,” she finishes lamely.

“Well, as you can see, I’m a bit busy at the moment. Would you mind telling Cleo so she doesn’t skin me alive?” Etho says sweetly.

The blonde woman snorts. “Face the music, Mothman. I’ll take care of Puffy from here. I assume you’re taking her to Xisuma?”

Etho wilts. Clearly, whoever this Cleo person is, she’s not someone to piss off. Puffy wonders what Etho did.

“See ya around,” Etho waves, somehow both cheery and morose at the same time, like a funeral for someone nobody liked. Puffy and the blonde woman watch him go.

“My name’s False, by the way,” the blonde woman says. “Thanks for the bandanna. Normally I’d be wearing it, but I just got back from beating up Iskall.”

The woman-- False-- laughs. Puffy is once again taken aback by the idea that the Hermits actually use the items that she makes for them. 

False takes off in a brisk walk toward the archway she’d come out of. Jumping a little bit at being torn from her thoughts, Puffy hurries to follow. It’s hard to keep up, since all Puffy wants to do is stare. She must be in the living quarters-- they let her in the living quarters?! Each door matches the high fantasy, underground sort of aesthetic, but a few doors are left open and each one is remarkably different on the inside. One room is built entirely out of red and white concrete, whereas another is Nether-themed with actual fire, and the room down the hall is entirely underwater!

One door is different. It’s got blue-purple banners along the frame, and when False opens the door for Puffy, she can see that the room is made of blackstone bricks. Maps of the Dream SMP line the wall, and in the center of the room there is a mildly ornate table made of warped wood.

At the end of the table in the back of the room, opposite the door, sits a trio. To the left, there is a plain-looking man with a beard and an “at” symbol on his shirt. He speaks in a Southern accent to a man on the right side of the table, who wears a red sweater and twirls a feather between his fingers like the cat that got the canary.

In between the two, at the head of the table, rests someone very unique. He’s obviously tall, that much is obvious even when he’s sitting down. He’s also got mesmerizing purple eyes which glow faintly against the dark of the blackstone. Puffy doesn’t know why, but she gets the feeling that they’re supposed to be glowing much brighter.

As taken by the man’s eyes as she is, Puffy doesn’t notice the non-invasive breathing tube the man also has (a cannula? She doesn’t know what it’s called, but that sounds right) until the man’s gaze falls upon her, still standing in the doorway next to False.

“Oh,” the man says. “You’re not supposed to be here. Welcome.”

False steps forward, breaking Puffy from her trance. “Puffy, this is Xisuma, Joe, and Grian. I’d introduce you to them as well, but... you know.”

“I don’t know-- oh,” Puffy says awkwardly, catching sight of the massive crochet blanket she’d made for the Hermit months ago, draped across Xisuma’s shoulders.

“Why are you here?” Grian asks with a tilted head. “No offense or anything, but I just lost a bet. I had three diamonds on Cub bringing you in here eventually-- he’s the one you usually meet at the barrel, you know.”

False interjects, “I didn’t bring her down here, it was Etho!”

“Shoot,” Joe says. “Cleo wins yet again.”

“It was Zedaph, actually,” Puffy says. All eyes turn to her. “I found him on the surface. He was really injured, so I brought him back here. Impulse and-- Tango? Yeah, Tango-- told Etho to take me down here.”

Puffy uncharacteristically twiddles her fingers a little bit, feeling in over her head. “Uh, you know I’m not gonna tell or anything, so... Why am I here?”

The full weight of Xisuma’s piercing stare falls upon her. Even as fragile as he looks, even as strong as Puffy is, she feels a jolt of apprehension.

“You’d know more about the red vines than we do,” he begins. “Etho mentioned that they’re what hurt Zedaph; he’s mentioned them on multiple occasions, and never in a good way. How long do you think it would take for those vines to reach our village, and what do you think would happen once they do?”

“As far as we’re aware, there are several players who are proponents of the vines, and claim they originate from some sort of egg?” Joe adds. “I’ve had a hard time calculating how big of a mushroom we’d need to make an omelet out of the egg, but apparently most of my fellow Hermits do not in fact want evil eggs on their omelets.”

“And how come the End is inaccessible?” Grian cuts in with a whine. “I want my elytra.”

Xisuma huffs a laugh into the cannula. “As you can see, we have many questions which only a native Dream SMP player like yourself can answer. In the interest of keeping ourselves safe--” he trails off into a coughing fit.

Puffy bites her lip, feeling as though she really shouldn’t be seeing this. Joe rests his hand on Xisuma’s back.

“You give us answers, and we’ll give you diamonds, netherite, whatever you want. And when we move out-- well, it wasn’t much of a secret anyway-- we’ll offer you a safe place with us,” Grian speaks up on Xisuma’s behalf.

A thousand thoughts spin inside Puffy’s head. She feels like Dorothy in that tornado, and Grian’s offer is the Wicked Witch. “Did you guys really save Tommy’s life?” she finds herself asking.

The Hermits seem taken aback.

“The blond kid?” False asks. “Yeah, but he was unconscious the whole time. I think Scar told the kid to keep us a secret, but... I don’t think any of us expected that to actually work.”

Puffy laughs disbelievingly. “He’s the one person on the entire server who keeps insisting that you guys aren’t real.”

“That’s good to hear,” Xisuma says quietly. “Do you have an answer for us, or would you like some time to consider?”

There are a thousand and one variables Puffy needs to think about. What is Dream’s stance on the Hermits? Who will she be setting herself against by allying with the Hermits? What will Puffy have to expect, from both underground and surface-dwelling players alike? Which players can she take in a fight?

Fuck it, she thinks. “You’ve got yourselves a deal.”

Xisuma smiles. Despite his ill condition, she gets the feeling that this nice, mild-mannered man is far more dangerous than she could ever hope to be.

“I’m glad to have you on our side, Puffy,” he says. “Thank you for your help.”

[god1ngs]

━‎ end of the world

synopsis; a forbidden love told for generations

contains; human reader, major character death, swearing, mentions of war, spoilers

god c!technoblade / reader, 3.4k wc

note; the title doesn't make much sense but whatever lol ,, this is for @mayasimagines 's 600 event! congratulations and i hope you like this :)

   throughout the fall of countries, the crumbling of empires, there stood a man. he gazed upon the vast land, the grass stained red. buildings had crashed down, debris staining the area around them. they layed in heaps of piles, taller than most. the fallen down buildings had been a sign of the empire's loss.

   there was no one alive to commemorate the loss however.

   screaming rung inside of his head, shouting and yelling, with some other tones mixed in. displeased and ecstatic and mocking tones blended together, sounds of chaos lingering in the mind of the man. he only sighed, walking away from the destroyed country.

   he's seen this happen too many times before, the repetitive cycle of watching a country build itself only to come crashing down years later. they never lasted long. always the one for chaos, he sometimes participated in the destruction of the countries, though most times he didn't need to.

   humans were savage, brutal creatures who only cared about themselves. by studying their nature, the way they go about certain scenarios, he had figured out that much. selfish, twisted beings who would betray each other in a heartbeat. all it took was more wealth or a promise of better gear.

   how easily swayed they were. technoblade sneered, his red cape dragging beneath him as he stalked the hallways. pillars of quartz, chipped at the edges from years of standing, lined the hallway. they reached the ceiling, some even going higher. the magnificent red carpet he stalked down had ended at a throne.

   a throne made of gold, the shiniest material he could get his servants to find. emeralds and diamonds and rubies lined the top of it, the same jewels lining the gold of his crown. at last, he sat down, the voices calming down at the familiar seating area. they always got loud whenever there was destruction.

   technoblade, the blood god. also known as the god of war and chaos to many, he wasn't very popular among the peaceful people. people often worshipped him for protection, to which he rarely granted. protection from him, a god of war, was seldom. often he didn't care about the hunans enough to waste his protection on them.

   yet, one mortal, had caught his eye. they were nothing too special, middle class and usually someone technoblade wouldn't even spare a glance at. they were different though. they outshined any ray of sun, their smile proving to be the brighter of the two. he found them, despite all odds, very interesting.

   later, after wine and more sparring, the man had caught wind of philza coming over. philza, the angel of death, had been one of technoblade's good allies, even so far as to consider the blond a friend. he brought saints to their knees in their final moments, allowing them either an eternity in hell or a peaceful life above.

   he wanted to meet them, and technoblade always gets what he wants.

   even before technoblade had become the god he is now, forever cursed to watch humanity rip itself apart, he knew philza. the two fought wars together, never straying from their path of loyalty. the blond perched himself on the windowsill, his striking white wings folding on his back, as he smiled at the other. "hello technoblade." he greeted, ever the polite man.

   technoblade only scoffed, shaking his head with an amused grin. "please, phil," he drawled, looking from his red wine to the angel of death. "no need for the formalities. just call me techno." the blond threw his head back with a laugh, wide smile painting his features as the other chuckled. "of course, mate."

   silence washed over the pair for a moment, a comforting silence that allowed them to bask in the moment od seeing each other. they didn't get to visit often, one thing they mutually hated about being in the sky palace, usually swamped with other duties. philza with guiding people to the afterlife, and technoblade with causing conflict.

   "i actually wanted to talk about somethin' with ya, mate." phil broke the silence, hopping off of the marble windowsill to come lean against one of the pillars. the pink haired man, ever so interested, hummed questionably. "and what did you want to speak to me about? come on, spit it out." the man said, looking down at philza.

   he sighed, glancing up at technoblade. "you've been acting off, mate. less wars are starting, and that's weird for you. i know you also started protecting that one mortal. fuck, what was their name?" he murmured, brows furrowed. technoblade sighed in annoyance, not wanting to be pestered with questions.

   "[name]." he answered phil quietly, not bothering to look back at the blond man. the clouds danced with each other in the sky, entertwining and morphing with each other freely. sometimes he wishes he could be as free as the clouds. "you know," phil said, a mischievous glint shining in his eyes. the blood god could only dread what he was going to say. "rumor has it that gods only protect mortals they're interested in."

   the teasing, despite only being light hearted, had a quizzical undertone. while technoblade had been acting strange, protecting somebody was something phil had never expected. either something was special about that mortal and their family, or someone had begun fantasizing. he could only hope it wasn't the latter.

   with more conversation, technoblade denying any feelings blooming for a human, phil left to go do his job. he was alone with his thoughts, the voices making him tug at his own hair to keep them quiet. they craved the mortal, despite how much he willed himself to stay in his throne room, the man had to go see them.

   it was a normal day for you. nothing was different, much less weird. it was only normal, a basket of bread in your hands as you walked home. you hummed as you stepped on the path, enjoying the peaceful walk back to your house. you were content with your life, having a few people and more deaths than you could count.

   and see them he would.

   you partially blamed philza, the angel of death, for the passing of your loved ones, but you also knew he wasn't the one to kill them. he simply took them to the afterlife, guiding them to where they would spend the rest of their days. the deaths in your family had piled up, mostly from war and some of falling ill.

   you spent your days worshipping gods now. you were always the lonely type, choosing to stay by yourself rather than interact with others. you never minded the comforting embrace of being alone, the silence enveloping you at every given moment. it provided you with a sense of comfort you couldn't get anywhere else.

   while you did worship other gods, you mostly worshipped technoblade. he was the primary god, you giving up all your offerings to him ─ ranging from bread to trinkets to gold galore. the tales of the blood god, always grand stories with daring adventures that had you on the edge of your seat, had always intrigued you.

   your favorite, the one you read the most to the slim amount of people you did contact, was the tale of the butcher army. when he was human, a detail that many didn't know whether to believe or not, he blew up many countries. it hinted at the start of him being the god of war many years later. for punishment, the butcher army hunted him down.

   they lied to the man, once they had captured him, in which they had prepared for his execution. some say he died that day, only to be revived due to the gods holy whim; others say he had never died, and broke out of the iron bars to kill the men who had hunted him down. learning about the magnificent god, a god you admired, had faced an army of four and won, allowed you to admire him even further.

   once you got home, setting down your basket of bread, you had sighed. you always liked coming home, your safe space filling you with a joy like no other. the everlasting comfort of your home, a familiar place you longed to be at constantly, helped you feel safe. the comforting feeling of being home at last filled you at peace.

   until it wasn't so peaceful anymore.

   from your kitchen came a clanging noise. there were a few grunts followed afterwards, your eyes wide. fear flooded your system, nervousness coursing through your veins. you stayed silent, hoping you'd either been dreaming or had been imagining sounds. however, once a voice spoke, you knew that was not the case.

   from your kitchen came, with his red cape dragging behind him, technoblade. you stammered, confusion replacing your previous nervousness. your grip came loose on the item you were holding, not being able to process what you were seeing. "well this is awkward." the god stated, putting your kitchen utensils he had just knocked down back on your counter.

   if anything, this was awkward. very awkward. who expected a god to come through their kitchen window? "uh, do you," you stuttered, voice measily yet you still tried to fight it out. "do you mind telling me why you're here?" it was more than odd to see a god in your kitchen, the sight one hard to believe for even yourself.

   technoblade had sighed, draping himself over your couch cushions as if he lived there. his arms, unlike your bare ones, spread across the back of your couch, the sight making you nearly sigh. "well, mortal, i had taken intrest in you." he answered bluntly, your mind still reeling from the fact that he was even here, but taking interest in you? no, this had to be some kind of joke.

   the visible confusion highlighting your features made the god chuckle. it was amusing, seeing the looks on mortals' faces whenever something odd or unexplainable happened. "what's so confusing? i took interest in you, and so i came down here to see you." the blood god explained, shrugging his shoulders. the confusion you felt only worsened.

   why was the question. why was a god in your house? why had he taken interest in you? you shook your head, suddenly feeling lightheaded. "sorry, i need to sit down." you muttered, trying to regain your footing. you sat down, going slowly as to not pass out in front of him. "so," you spoke up as soon as you had calmed down. "why have you taken interest in me?"

   a cloud of silence loomed over the two of you, technoblade falling into his thoughts. why had he taken interest in you? there was no particular shining traits in you, even if he studied you as if you had carved out the world with your own hands; he watched you as if you had brung down a fantastic reign upon everybody.

   "who knows?" he wondered aloud, a hum of amusement following his words. technoblade didn't know the reason for it, and despite itching with curiosity, he didn't bother trying to find out. he only let it be, coming to terms with the fact that you, a mortal, had piqued his interest. you kept him entertained, and that's all that mattered.

   after the two of you talking more, you still trying to get over the shock that the blood god was in your home, you had to say that he was fairly a nice guy. maybe he was kinder than all of the other ones, however you've never crossed paths with a god either, so you couldn't tell. when technoblade had stood up, braided hair falling against your couch, you knew it was time for him to go.

   he turned to look down on you, his towering figure highly intimidating. there was a reason he was feared across nations. he stared at you for a second, maybe deciding on what to say, though you couldn't tell with his blank expression. the man only sighed, wishing you a good day, and then turned to leave.

   "you've got me interested, technoblade."

   you only spoke to the god more after the first encounter. seconds turned into minutes and then minutes turned to hours. he was an interesting guy, choosing which emotion to show and when to show it. perhaps it came with being a god. as he came by more, each visit surprising you, you only talked to him more.

   "as you've got me, [name]."

   soon he started telling you stories. the butcher army, the l'manberg war, how he met philza. he told you great things of philza, the angel of death, so much so you nearly stopped disliking philza. you were always interested in his stories though, no matter how long or how action packed. each further lured you in to his grasp.

   technoblade, however, had stopped visiting so often. with more conflict arising everyday, he didn't have as much time to visit you anymore ─ philza was starting to catch on as well. how he wasn't home as often or how he lied to philza each time he asked him where he was. he was getting suspicious, and wanted answers quickly.

   philza confronted technoblade on this issue a while later. his wings puffed up confidently, he was so sure something was going on with his eldest friends, the edges torn at the seams. "technoblade." he addressed politely, standing in front of his throne once again, as he did not so long ago. he would get answers out of him.

   technoblade only sighed, his cheek pressed against his closed fists as he stared at philza. "yes, philza?" he asked, voice heavy with exhaustion. the recent wars, as much as he loved the excitement and panic that came with it, have been too tiring for him. he also couldn't visit you that morning, only pissing him off more.

   "have you been seeing the mortal you told me you had interest in?"

   silence crashed over the room, violent in its malicious intent. phil's questioned nipped at the blood god, desperately pleading for an answer. philza sighed, one of disappointment and perhaps even anger. the silence was enough of an answer. "mate, are you kidding me?"

   technoblade merely sighed, eyes narrowing at the blond. "you have no say on who i take interest in, phil. that is none of your concern." he dismissed the blond, turning back to look at the window. philza had no say in what technoblade done with his life, no matter how long the two have been friends.

   "none of my concern? mate, they're a mortal and you're a god! hell, the blood god! for fucks sake, mate, you can't be seeing mortals!" philza snapped, brows furrowed and cheeks red from anger. the trouble a god could get in from seeing a mortal was irredeemable.

   if technoblade got caught with the mortal, he would lose not only his titles, but his life. he would be executed.

   technoblade merely scoffed however, rolling his eyes. "as if i'll get caught, philza. those laws are stupid anyways. what, are you going to tell on me?" he arched his brows at the angel of death, sneering at him. how dare he barge into his temple and then go off at him; a beloved friend of his.

   however, the mortal was too intresting to not keep seeing. he may of even caught feelings. how laughable ─ the blood god, feared across empires, falling for a mere mortal. philza only sighed, rubbing his temples. he weighed his options: technoblade could continue seeing the mortal, get caught, and then both of them get in trouble.

   or philza could tell the council. tell them of his affairs, tell them why he hasn't been here as often. once more, a vicious silence swept over them. only for a moment, for philza had declared:

   "if you don't stop seeing this mortal, i'll have no choice but to stop it. don't make me do it, mate."

   his evening visit was late that night. you had already prepared dinner, setting it up for when he was to arrive. from what he's told you, he hasn't had human food in a long time. he told you that gods didn't need to eat nor sleep. you had decided to make him food for when he comes, wanting him to have food even if he doesn't need it.

   the gust of wind from deceiving angel wings swept across his face. messy hair cascaded over his face, and for once, the blood god had found a problem he didn't know he could solve.

   ten minutes. twenty minutes. thirty minutes. you sighed at the mocking tick of the clock, each passing second being another sign that he wasn't going to come. perhaps he had better things to do. frowning, you began to gather the food up, knowing you wouldn't eat it all, before the familiar two knocks came at your door.

   rushing over, once you had opened it, you were surprised to see something different than you were used to.

   technoblade was there, but he looked different. more angry, perhaps even upset.

   worried, you frowned at the god. "are you okay?" you asked, hoping the man was alright. the god only nodded, staring at the ground. he came back to you after a moment of silence, sighing. "yes, just got caught up in some things. nothing for you to be concerned of." he said, brushing you off before you could even speak.

   when technoblade had gone back to his temple, rubbing his temples with a sigh, something unexpected had greeted him. there was philza, perched on the window with a firm look of coldness. "visiting the mortal again, were you, mate?" he asked once he had came into view. technoblade had half a mind to tell him to fuck off.

   that night provided a great distraction from what would come the following days.

   no words were spoken from technoblade afterwards. the betrayal of another friend, a promise to do something about his meetings, had wounded him. he didn't want to lose philza, but also had begun to realise something ─ he had caught feelings for the mortal.

   for you, who had been the sunshine on his darkest days. call it a cliche, but technoblade truly didn't know happiness if you weren't by his side. having watched countless deaths and falls of kingdoms over the many, many years of being alive, the man had never found as great of a comfort than by your side. you were the sun to his moon, a forever shining force to his immortal darkness.

   though the moon and sun are destined to never touch.

   that night, philza had technoblade bring him to your house under promise of telling the council. they had shown up to your house late at night, when the world was asleep. it had been abrupt, the two males coming into your home. you were shaking, scared as to what this meant. the angel of death and the blood god inside your home could mean nothing good.

   and you were right. that night, that forsaken night, technoblade had been cursed in front of your eyes. the wide eyed look on his face, the shock of what a former friend could do. you tried to reach out for him, but were stopped by philza. he permitted you to stay still, or else your blood would be on your walls.

   "technoblade, the blood god and the god of war, i hereby sentence you to an eternity of reincarnation. as long as you are alive, your lover, [name] [last name], will be killed and reincarnated. only ever letting you get close enough to hardly touch them."

   your words were caught in your throat, the cruel punishment knocking the wind out of you. philza's eyes shone, bright in an unholy way, rising up with his wings behind him. technoblade had felt the burning sensation of a marking, a forever sign of the curse, on the side of his neck. a flower had been burnt into the side of his neck, your favorite flower.

   "i'm sorry, technoblade." were the last words you heard before a sword made of light had stabbed through your stomach.

   the blood god had frantically scooped up your body in his arms, panicking for the first time since you've seen him. he tried to get you to say anything, although the words were too hard to say, no matter how hard you tried to get them out. he reassured you would be okay, despite knowing the inevitable would happen.

   "you should've listened to him ... heh, you're a dumbass, you know that?"

   you took your last breath seconds later.