#this killed her and it also brought her back to life

[persevereforahappyending]

A Beacon in the Dark |2|

Pairing: Joey x Reader

Summary: Joey likes helping people, it's what she's best at. Hunting down the monsters of myth and legend might be the best way to save people.

Warnings: None

Word Count: 3.7k+

Main Masterlist | Series Masterlist

Part 1 | Part 2

Ana made Caleb breakfast as usual, she helped him make sure all his stuff was in his backpack like usual, and she walked him to school like usual. She tried to keep everything as normal as possible, when she got back home the other night her note was still on the counter and Caleb hadn’t mentioned anything yet, so she assumed he didn’t wake up in the middle of the night. The only thing Ana did differently was she couldn’t help her eyes darting around constantly, looking for you or any more surprises, she also had her gun tucked in her pants, covered up by her shirt. She was supposed to be done with the type of life they would involve her carrying around a gun, especially when she was with her son, she couldn’t believe she was considering your job offer.

Ana couldn’t deny that she was curious. She was struggling to find a job, ideally, she wanted something in the medical field she knew that wasn’t going to happen though. The only way she’d be able to continue helping people that way would be to keep being an underground doctor, but that very thing was what led her to getting captured and almost killed by a vampire. She wouldn’t be able to continue to make enough to live off of if she only helped specific people or didn’t do big injuries where she could potentially kill the patient. She was clean and she had no intention of slipping, but she didn’t want to give herself the opportunity to fuck things up again.

“I have a job interview today,” Ana said as the school got within eyesight.

“Cool,” Caleb mumbled.

“I’m not sure how long it’ll take but I should be done in time to get you from school.”

Caleb just nodded. Ana held in a sigh; she didn’t need Caleb to be excited for her, but he was acting like he didn’t expect much from it. She couldn’t really blame him; he’d seen her spend every day applying and getting rejected by jobs. When Ana did get an interview, she always came home already knowing she wouldn’t be called back.

“See you later,” he mumbled before running off and catching up with his friends.

Ana opened her mouth ‘I love you’ on the tip of her tongue but she didn’t bother finishing this time, she knew Caleb wouldn’t hear it anyway. She stood at the entrance until the bell rang, signaling all the kids that it was time to get to class. She waited there until all the students had filed inside and she finally lost sight of the top of Caleb’s head. Just as she turned around to walk away you pulled up in a Jeep.

Ana rolled her eyes, when you said you’d pick her up after she dropped her son off, she didn’t realize how literal you meant it. You had clearly been watching her, you knew where her son went to school and what time it started, your timing for pulling up was perfect, too perfect. She glared at you when you rolled down the window, smirking at her, your eyes were once again hidden behind sunglasses, but she knew your eyes were on her.

Ana flung open the door and jumped in the passenger seat. “If you try anything, or if this is a trick in anyway,” Ana turned in her seat, glaring into your eyes despite the sunglasses. “I will shoot you.”

“And a good morning to you,” you said, not losing your smirk as you turned to face the road again. You checked your mirrors before pulling out and began driving to wherever you were taking Ana.

“I’m serious,” Ana continued to glare at the side of your head.

“I brought you a coffee,” you looked down at the coffee in the cup holder. “I got it black; you didn’t seem like the type to want a bunch of sugar and crap in it.”

“Do you think I’m joking?”

You let out a small chuckle, but quickly covered it by turning it into a smile. Ana wasn’t sure if you were just that arrogant or what, she was tempted to shoot you just to prove to you she would. “I assure you; I am well aware you’re not joking.”

“So, do you just have a death wish then?”

You let out a humorless chuckle. Ana made a note of that, she had been joking, half joking, but it almost seemed like you did have a death wish. “You’re not going to kill me,” you said confidently. “You’re incredibly capable of that.” Ana raised an eyebrow. “But you won’t kill me, not if you don’t actually have too.”

“Where are we going?” Ana asked, rolling her eyes.

“Out of the city,” you said simply. Ana’s eyes widened; she told Caleb she would be back in time to pick him up. “Don’t worry, you’ll be back before your kid gets out of school.”

Ana snapped her gaze to you, narrowing her eyes. “How’d you know I was worried about that?” There was something about you, something Ana couldn’t quite pin, she knew you weren’t a vampire, there was nothing to indicate you were something more than human, but Ana had a feeling. You knew so much about her, what happened during her last job, about vampires, about her son, and just now, you knew what she was worried about. It wouldn’t be a completely crazy leap to think you could read minds.

“I’m not a mind reader.” That certainly did nothing to disprove Ana’s theory. “You love your son,” you shrugged. “It’s clear you’re trying to makeup to him, you don’t want to let him down.”

Ana continued to stare at you, you nailed it, she didn’t like it when others could read her just as well as she could read them. You continued on driving though, never once glancing at her. She wondered what made you tick, if you were always this calm or if it was only for her. You read her so well the night before, despite having a gun pointed at you, you knew she wouldn’t shoot you. It was the same as today, you knew Ana had a gun on her, you had to have, yet you were relaxed and driving as if the two of you were on a road trip out of the city.

The trip continued until the two of you were well out of the city, driving down a two-lane road lined with trees on both sides. It was a gorgeous drive; however, it was also out in the middle of nowhere. Ana didn’t know who you were, where you were taking her, or who you were taking her to, the only thing she knew was that you wanted her for a job, but even with that you had been vague on. The woods were thick enough that if you took Ana out there, she could be lost forever, no one would know what happened to her.

You turned on your blinker, turning down another paved road. Ana furrowed her brow until, finally, you passed a mansion, it had a long driveway, completely fenced in, and the large house sat all the way back, well away from the road. After a few more minutes, you passed by another mansion, with a similar layout. The mansions in the middle of nowhere reminded Ana of the one Abigail lived in, the place her last job took place, where everything happened, but these mansions didn’t look run down and abandoned.

You kept driving down the road, passing mansion after mansion on each side every few minutes. Ana couldn’t imagine living in a place like this, giant houses, with who knew how many rooms, several minutes apart from the next house. There was complete and total privacy, one could hardly consider them as neighbors with how far apart they were.

You finally turned down the driveway of one of the mansions. After slowly coming to a stop in front of the large metal gate, the gate was all stone and metal, the tips of the fence pointed so that if anyone were to climb it, they’d most definitely injure themselves. You rolled down your window, staring at the little box without saying a word. A second later there was a loud grinding sound and the gate slowly slid open. You rolled your widow back up and continued driving forward, the gate closing almost instantly after you crossed the threshold.

Ana shoved her hands in her pocket, fiddling around with the candy she had shoved in there. She debated for half a second before grabbing a piece of candy, quickly unwrapping it, and shoved it in her mouth. She caught you glancing at her out of the side of your eye, but you didn’t say anything. Ana straightened her back and continued to stare out the windshield as you continued to drive up the long driveway. Her mouth fell open, nearly losing her candy in the process, as the mansion fully came into view. The house was newer than the one Abigail had, but much bigger. Ana couldn’t imagine living in a house so big, she could imagine having to decorate that many rooms.

You pulled the car around, coming to a gentle stop right in front of the front steps. Ana glanced at her watch; it had taken nearly an hour to get wherever you had taken her. “We’re here,” you said, smiling at Ana before jumping out of the car.

You ran around the car, pulling the door open the rest of the way after Ana opened it. You held out your hand to help her out. She rolled her eyes, stepping out of the car and walking right past your outstretched hand. Ana ignored the small sigh you let out, choosing to continue walking up the steps and waiting for you at the front door. You quickly closed the car door and ran after her, smiling at her as you stood in front of her again. She raised an unamused eyebrow at you.

“Has anyone ever told you you’re just delightful when being interviewed?” you asked, smirking.

“I’m here for your boss,” Ana said, giving you a tight-lipped smile. “I don’t have to be anything to you.”

You let out a small hum and then put your hand on the door handle, giving Ana a mischievous smile before allowing the door to swing open. You made a dramatic gesture with your arm, allowing Ana to enter first. Ana walked through the door, turning in a circle as she took in the high ceilings and the various art and weapons hanging on the walls. Ana jumped, whipping around when she heard the large wood door slam shut. She eyed you as you walked away from the door, she hadn’t forgotten that the last time she was in a mansion, she got locked in and nearly died.

“This way,” you said, nodding your head for Ana to follow.

Ana followed you through a room, then down a long hallway. The mansion was massive, it had items in every room and on every wall, it almost didn’t look lived in though. Everything was clean and perfect but as they passed a sitting room Ana couldn’t imagine someone had ever sat on the couch or any of the chairs in the room, though there were shelves lined with old books, their spines worn from age or years of being read.

You came to a stop outside another rather large wood door. You gave a small knock, but you didn’t wait for whoever was on the other side to acknowledge it before opening the door. You held the door open, allowing Ana to step in first once again. Her eyes widened as she took in the room, unlike the rest of the house, at least from what she had seen, this room had a blonde woman sitting at a desk with five computer monitors in front of her, the wall behind her was plastered with various images, sketches, and newspaper clippings of monsters or reports of strange happenings, from all over the world. Off to the right was a peg board on wheels, with the same thing, news paper clippings, online articles and social medias posts printed out and pegged on, though unlike the wall, the board seemed to be all about the same event, in the same place.

The blonde woman stood up, stepping out from around the desk. Ana looked her up and down, she was wearing some jeans and a simple jacket. If Ana had seen the woman walking down the street, she would never have imagined she lived in a mansion and had the type of money she must have.

“Ana Lucia Cruz,” the woman said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she held out her hand. “My name is Grace.”

“Nice to meet you,” Ana said, giving Ana’s hand a shake. So far, she liked Grace better than you, so she was considering the meeting a success for the moment. “And I would prefer Joey, if you don’t mind.” Grace tilted her head at the request. “For privacy reasons.”

“Of course, Joey,” Grace nodded, giving her a kind smile. “Please, join me,” she gestured to the other side of the room, leading Joey to a set of chairs next to a small table.

“Thank you,” Joey took one of the seats while Grace took the other. You moved to stand behind Grace on her left, as if you were her own person bodyguard. “I have to say,” Joey said, shaking her head as Grace offered her a cup of tea. “You have much better manners than your,” she flicked her gaze up at you, “associate.” Your only response was a smirk.

“What did you do?” Grace turned to you, exasperated.

Joey silently chuckled at the way your face fell. “You asked me to recruit her,” you said, pointing at Joey as you tried to defend yourself.

“Outside my son’s school,” Joey added. “Right after I dropped him off.”

Grace shook her head in disappointment. “How else was I supposed to do it!” you gestured widely with your hands. “This is the first person I’ve ever tried to bring in.”

“No, one else does this?” Joey asked. She figured there weren’t many people in this line of work, but she didn’t expect you and your boss to be the only ones. “Well, don’t I feel special,” she mumbled.

“You are special,” Grace said, leaning forward. “You survived something horrific, something unnatural.” Joey looked up, meeting Grace’s eyes, she saw determination, but she also saw compassion staring back at her. “Not many have the capabilities to survive something like that, it takes a particular kind of person to see a darkness like that and not runaway.” Grace leaned back in her chair. “That’s exactly the kind of person we’re looking for to join our cause.”

“Your cause?” Joey raised an eyebrow. “Y/N told me you experienced something similar to me.”

Grace tensed up, glancing at you out of the side of her eye, making you cast your eyes down to the floor like a scolded child. “I have, it’s why I do what I do. I don’t want anyone to suffer what I-what we have.”

“And you, what, just have so much money you don’t know what to do with,” Joey shrugged. “So, you might as well pay people to go fight the supernatural?”

“I mean it is the one thing that Le Domas fortune is good for,” you mumbled.

Joey’s eyes snapped to you the same time as Grace’s but for vastly different reasons. Your eyes widened as if you just realized you said that out loud. “Le Domas?” Joey whispered. “I recognize that name.” She rifled through her memory; she didn’t know the Le Domas family, but she knew she had heard of them. Her eyes widened when she realized why.

Joey shot out of her seat so fast, reaching behind her to grab the gun in her pants as soon as she was on her feet. “Don’t,” you said. Joey froze, slowly lifting her eyes to see you standing in front of Grace, in the line of fire.

Joey slowly took her hand off her gun and raised it, showing you her hands were empty. Joey wasn’t one to scare easily but the way your voice changed, the look in your eyes, Joey had missed judged you. You had been friendly with every interaction, to the point it was irritating. However, seeing you stand in front of her now, she saw it, the look in your eye, you would not hesitate to kill her if it meant protecting Grace.

“Guess you really are her guard dog,” Joey mumbled. She didn’t take her eyes off of you, she noticed the way yours darkened at her comment.

“It’s okay,” Grace said. She stood up, resting a hand on your shoulder to ease you back. It took a second, but you slowly relaxed and moved to stand behind Grace again.

“Whatever you think you know,” Grace said softly. “I promise you, it’s not even close to the truth.”

“Everyone knows the story of the Le Domas family,” Joey said, trying to relax again. She didn’t want you to see how on edge she was. She thought her guard was up before getting in the car with you, that was nowhere near to how on alert she was now. “A very rich, very prominent family, all dead, their bodies in pieces, and it all happened on their youngest son’s wedding night. They couldn’t prove she had done it, though everyone suspected, considering she came from nothing, and they were rich beyond imagination.”

Grace rested her chin on her hand as she nodded at Joey’s words. “They made a deal with a demon,” Grace finally whispered. “I thought I was marrying the love of my life and getting the family I always dreamed of,” she gave a sad smile, letting out a humorless chuckle. “Then they tried to kill me.” She looked back up at Joey again.

Joey slowly sat back down; she saw you take a step back, looking back down at the floor again. “It was a thing of theirs,” Grace continued. “If you married into the family you had to play a game, if you picked Hide and Seek then you hid, while they hunted you down,” she was staring off into the distance, seeming to be talking to herself more than anything. “If they didn’t kill you before sunrise then the whole family was going to die, that was the deal they made with Mr. Le Bail, he was the reason they had their fortune to begin with and in returned he required a sacrifice.”

“And you were…” Joey started but she wasn’t sure how to finish her sentence.

Grace nodded. “I married Alex, then that night he and his entire family tried to kill me,” she gave Joey a sad smile again. “Clearly, I survived,” she looked down at herself. “Mr. Le Bail allowed me to live and though their investigation was thorough, there was no evidence I had killed the entire family, so, since I was technically the last living relative after my marriage, I got everything,” she shrugged.

Joey nodded; she thought her night trying to survive a ballerina vampire had been bad. She couldn’t imagine thinking you were marrying the love of your life only for him to try sacrificing you to a demon his family made a deal with. “And now you use their fortune to help others.”

Grace nodded. “I try, figured the money should go to doing some good.” She cleared her throat, blinking away the tears that had seemed to begun to fill her eyes. “I also use it for payment, it’s how I pay Y/N for jobs, it’s how I could pay you. I assure you, the job may be dangerous, it may be shady at times, but the money is legit.”

Joey nodded, taking all the information in. That was one of the things she was worried about. It didn’t matter how much she could be making from a job, she still had to go through a process to make sure it wasn’t traceable and that it looked legit. Grace’s money was legit, she could pay Joey no problem and Joey could just have it go into the bank, no questions asked.

“And what about you?” Joey asked, looking at you. “What’s your story?” she tilted her head, waiting to see what kind of answer you gave this time.

Even from a distance Joey could see the way your body tensed up at her question, but you looked up, meeting her gaze. “Werewolves,” you said simply.

That piqued Joey’s interest, but it was clear you weren’t going to elaborate anymore. “Look,” she sighed, slumping back in her chair. “I admire what you want to do but I-”

“One job,” Grace said, leaning forward in her own chair. “We can call it a trial run,” she smiled. “On both sides, we can see how you do, and you can see exactly what we do, you can see if this,” she gestured around the room. “Is something you want to be a part of.”

Joey opened her mouth ready to reject the offer, even though she was tempted. “You’ll still get paid of course,” Grace said quickly. “Just one job, just see what we’re all about.”

Joey stared at Grace for a second, she could see the woman hardened by the trauma she experienced but she also saw compassion, someone who wanted to help others despite everything she had been through. Joey flicked her gaze to you, she didn’t know how you came to be with Grace but your loyalty to your boss was clear, she also saw underneath all the jokes and banter was someone incredibly guarded and trying to atone for something in their past, though Joey couldn’t image what for.

“Okay,” Joey said, looking back at Grace. “One job.” Grace smiled at that, which Joey couldn’t help but return. Joey had been curious ever since you approached her, she wasn’t sure she fully knew what she was getting into just yet though.

Taglist: @thinking1bee

[six-eyed-samurai]

YUUJI ITADORI’s whole family is in the movie business, but he’d only starred in minor roles before the directors were looking for someone to play the main character in Jujutsu Kaisen and his uncle Sukuna, who was already cast, recommended him and his brothers. Was quite psyched about dying his hair (because Kaori wouldn’t let him before) but he spent a hell of a long time having to learn fighting techniques and complained about the pain but definitely bulked up a little. One of the most social of the cast, he’s sort whose social media is bursting with photos of him on set, fellow actors and fans. And yes, real life Yuuji is just as clueless as his on-screen persona.

MEGUMI FUSHIGURO brought his actual dogs to filming - originally there were only supposed to be one Divine Dog but he didn’t want to bring one without the other. The stylists love him because they never have to do anything with his hair as it’s already naturally spiky and messy. He and Yuuji’s on-screen interactions are a hundred per cent genuine as they get on pretty well. Off-screen Megumi looks and acts emo as his character, but more playful and judgmental. Nobody knows or suspects it was actually him that stole Gojo’s sunglasses, Momo’s broomstick and Noritoshi’s arrows. As he’s the one with the most experience with filming, having played secondary rules in teenage TV series or a cameo in his dad’s movies, Yuuji and Nobara actually look up to him a lot but do not trust his “advice” for acting. Tsumiki was going to play a bigger role alongside Megumi but with other projects coming up she decided to just play his character’s sister.

NOBARA KUGISAKI is, on the contrary to character, a city girl. One thing she does share with her Jujutsu Kaisen character however is the impulsive urges to over shop but for exotic food. Nobara is the most Internet famous actors on set due to being a part time social influencer rating restaurants. A running joke amongst the cast is how Nobara arrived to the auditions: getting directions wrong for another audition, Resonance, and ending up at Jujutsu Kaisen but decided to ball and go along with it. Sadly she eventually decided to leave Jujutsu Kaisen for Resonance when they called her back so the directors had to kill off her character; everyone will deny it but they all cried during her leaving party. She still hangs out with the JJK cast though.

CHOSO KAMO is no stranger to the movie industry, having played a few cameos in movies like Wing King, Blood and Supernova or some ads; he was so hyped and proud when the directors announced not only would they be casting Yuuji as the main role but Eso and Kechizu would be voice acting he wouldn't stop crying or taking photos (he and Jin, actually). He had to grow his hair out for the role but after that decided to keep it long, delighting his mother and all his female co-stars as Choso's very okay with them playing or styling it. He's definitely the big brother to the entire cast, splitting up Nobara and Yuuji’s arguing, chasing after Megumi’s dogs and even trying to protect everyone from Gojo’s pranks. That scene where his character started sobbing at being called big bro? When asked how he pulled it off so realistically in an interview Choso admitted he just thought of when all his younger brothers started walking and crawled to him instead of their parents. Then proceeded to bawl his eyes out again.

GOJO SATORU is a doofus both off and on screen. Some joke he barely has to act at all, seeing as his behavior never changes, varying between entertaining the younger actors with his boasts of being the best sensei ever and impressions of past characters played in Infinity, Hollow Purple and Six Eyes or annoying all his co-stars by pretending he can’t see through the blindfold despite the thinness and bumping into everyone and everywhere. One of the first people cast in Jujutsu Kaisen, he “persuaded” the directors to also star his best friend Geto, claiming they had never ever ever done a project without each other before and wasn’t going to start now. Absolutely the sort to sign everybody’s autographs and wink at the ladies at fan events but a menace to reporters as he’d just shout “Teleporting!” and run off with his long ass legs ever since JJK started. In response to people grieving over the death of his character he only posted “They think its Gojover, I’m offended”.

GETO SUGURU was originally going to play a role on the good side - the role Nanami took, actually, before the directors decided he was better as Kenjaku and Gojo decided it would be funny if the both of them were enemies. Geto is looked up to by his younger co-stars (Gojo complains that it isn’t him) for support and advice due to his even longer experience in acting in Cursed Spirit and Night Parade of a Hundred Demons. The only time he’s ever caused trouble was when he somehow found a megaphone and nobody could stop him from shouting exaggerated instructions - “Sojo Gatoru, again!” “Punch harder, IIIITADORIIIII!” “Cleave! Cleave! I said cleave, Ryomen!” - at everyone currently acting. During an interview he said the only time he couldn’t stay in character was when Kenjaku popped open his brain; he was rather grossed out by the whole thing.

KENTO NANAMI’s makeup takes about as long as Sukuna’s and that’s because it takes forever to sharpen his face and cheekbones and is not actually a blond. Is as fed up with Gojo’s antics as he is on screen, but off-screen Kento is quite relaxed and the one to post a lot of those “I’m about to get ready for filming and you’re coming with me” tours behind the scenes. He’s one of those underrated actors who don’t get the main roles but whatever they do they do well - Kento only got his big hit in Seven to Three that led to his role in JJK. They had to retake his death scene many times since everyone couldn’t stay in character, sad that he would be leaving so soon; Kento joked about going to Malaysia after his role was done in Jujutsu Kaisen.

RYOMEN SUKUNA was one of the first the directors hired for Jujutsu Kaisen, thanks to his fame from his long acting as villains in Malevolent Shrine, Divine Flame and Disgraced One. He wasn’t too happy about dying his hair pink but the tattoos did grow on him over time, as did the habit of calling all his co-stars “brats”. He’s absolutely terrifying when filming but at most he’s just old-man cranky off screen; if you see any photos of the cast they uploaded on social media, he’s the one who’s always caught off-guard and face frozen in some scowl at being suddenly photographed. Also a complete dumbass when it comes to social media, so his account is pretty much handled by his brother and manager Jin Itadori or recently his nephew Yuuji.

[elucienweekofficial]

Elucien Fanfic Crossword Answer Key- Monsters And Creatures

How did you do? It's our hope through this week of puzzles that folks are able to find an existing fanfiction that speaks to them! Consider these a small masterlist filled with recommendations from the community itself. Below you'll find every fanfiction recommended attached to the author who created it, added in the order they were submitted! Fics were also categorized to their best of our ability. Check them out below!

[Please check all tags before engaging!]

Home Is Where Your Heart Is Set In Stone by @c-e-d-dreamer

“My love.”

Elain jolts at the sound of a voice, at the strange nickname. She whirls around to find a man standing in the shadows just inside the tree line. He’s tall. Even from this distance, Elain can tell he must have over a head on her, and his eyes are pinned solely on her.

Elain has to swallow hard before she’s able to find her voice again. “Hello?”

The man steps forward, into the moonlight, and Elain realizes with a strike of fear that he’s not a man at all. He’s a monster.

Clear Blue Water by @separatist-apologist

In the middle of a storm, Elain Archeron hears a song that pulls her outside. There, laying among the wreckage of the beach, is a dying man who needs to be rescued.

Or is it her who needs to be rescued from the wreckage of her life?

OR: blah blah VANMERMAN blah blah blah

Into the Water by @kingofsummer93

On the morning of her eighteenth birthday Elain wakes with a taste for blood.

Her task is simple. She must take a man's heart, while it still beats in his chest.

Unfortunately for her, Lucien doesn't plan on going down without a fight.

All Over You by @separatist-apologist

Elain Archeron has spent months listening to a stray cat scratching at the back door.

On full moon, she decides to let it in.

Unaware of the monster waiting to claim his mate

Seven Tears for the Sea by @yourstarsmyscars

Elain Archeron has spent years watching the seals that play in the waters along the coast of her village. The oldest legends claim selkies once lived in these waters, but Elain has never considered the possibility until one summer she spots a red seal along the coast.

All The Monsters Come Out At Night by @separatist-apologist

Elain Archeron has been warned not to go into the woods- they're filled with monsters. When the drums begin to call, and her sisters leave without her, Elain has no choice but to follow.

She has no idea what is waiting for her

Out of the Woods by @separatist-apologist

The monsters turned out to be just trees

Elain Archeron has been warned not to go to Autumn. She's been told what sort of monsters lurk just within the woods.

But the magic is calling.

And Elain is far too curious not to answer

Lily In A Twilight Place by @xtaketwox

The Archerons are new to London society. The rumors go that Viscount Archeron brought his daughters to London after the death of their mother in the south of France. Lucien is struck by the beauty of Elain Archeron from the first moment he sees her, but little does he know the Archeron family is hiding a secret that may just get him killed.

Turning Darkness Into Light by @asnowfern

When ghost-seeing Elain moves into the flat Lucien has been haunting, she has only two rules for him: 1. They are not friends 2. He is not allowed to enter her bedroom

This is how Lucien breaks both of them.

I've Given You Sunshine by @the-lonelybarricade

“Good morning,” Elain chirped to the sleeping figure. He didn’t respond, which was no surprise to Elain. She stepped closer. The underbrush hissed beneath her feet, as if warning her not to come any closer. Gradually, the silhouette became more distinguished—the proud nose and the full lips, the long vines of hair that spilled over his shoulders and onto his strong chest. She liked coming here in the mornings, before the light hit, because it was when he looked the most human. When the sun rose, it would illuminate the bark of his skin, the twisted wood of his bicep, the hollow of his just-parted mouth. And she would remember that he was just a tree branch with unnervingly human-like features. - Or; Lucien VanTree

Or; An attempt at a Prythain Little Shop of Horrors AU

What Hand Dare Seize The Fire by @starry-mantle

He gave Elain a smile she might’ve called charming, if not for the fang it revealed, or the hellfire glow rimming his golden eye. “I am here for my witch, and nothing less.”

-

A witch's magic calls to demons, and demons bring destruction. When Elain Archeron is sentenced to burn for the crime of witchcraft, a demon named Lucien saves her from the flames and binds her life to his in an unholy pact.

Elain can accept losing her soul to a demon - she's far more frightened of losing her heart.

Bow Down by @shadowisles-writes

When one of Elain's rituals releases more magic than usual, a much bigger demon than what she has ever protected herself against comes to her door. No amount of hidden traps and talismans can protect her from what he wants to take.

Cursed, Hexed, and Bonded by @thelovelymadone

Elain and Lucien are found to be mates in modern magical society. The thing is, they had a one-night stand with one another and neither wants to admit it was the best night of their life. Now, they gotta work together and figure out: who is trying to steal the sun.

Wonderland by @separatist-apologist

Haven't you heard what becomes of curious minds?

In a kingdom where a Maiden is forced to be sacrificed to appease the monster in the woods, Elain Archeron is chosen out of spite by her spurned suitor, Graysen. Trapped in a tower with her beast, Elain must unravel if she can truly trust the monster promising not to hurt. She doesn't know he's freed every maiden he's ever been sent...but her? Her, he intends to keep.

[midnightsslut]

listening to hoax rn and what struck me about the chorus is that she is implying that this faithless love is the ‘reason’ she needs in order to stay on the cliffside instead of driving off (a parallel to this is me trying imo), yet the song makes it clear that this same thing has ‘frozen her ground,’ turned her into ash, killed the hero in the movie. in taylor’s own words, the song is about three different situations, and perhaps the only thing they have in common is that they all involve people she loved and let into her life (‘you knew the password so I let you in the door’) who ended up betraying her in a way that felt comparable to the greatest pain of her life. the difference is that the other two muses (a business situation and a ‘relationship that was like family’) are now out of her life, but she clings to this love as the one thing that keeps her going even if she has to resign herself to eternal sadness (‘don’t want no other shade of blue but you / no other sadness in the world would do’ —> ‘gray skies, every day, for months, would you still stay?). idk hoax is a lot of a lot.

[soullessjack]

Amara: I brought your mother back to show you that she isn’t just the perfect mother image in your head and is actually a whole complex flawed human being with her own life

spn fans: oh my gawd mary is such a terrible mother why doesn’t she love her sons immediately and want to just be their mom again she’s literally worse than john

[thisisallthehattersfault]

Wen Ning came back wrong.

He was still gentle. He was still sweet and shy. Wen Qing’s soft-spoken little brother, with his big, dark eyes. Shy and awkward around people he didn’t know. Too shy and too awkward to get to know almost anybody. Ever-eager to help, ever-willing to offer kindness to anyone willing to take it. The same as he’d always been.

But Wen Ning came back wrong.

He’d been frail and fragile when he was younger, and timid and spineless when he’d grown. He’d needed Wen Qing to protect him, helpless and weak as he was. She’d tried to bully him into standing up for himself, but mostly she’d tried to shield him from the harshness of the world. He was so naive, so idealistic, so oblivious to the darkness in other people. Her brother, always so afraid. Her brother, who did as he was told, who trusted her to make decisions for him. Her brother, who never ever talked back.

His defiance started with Wei Wuxian, but it didn’t stop with him. Wen Ning had been apologetic and guilty before, when he went against her orders. He’d at least had the shame to wait until she turned her head before he broke her rules. Since his resurrection she hasn’t been able to get him to do anything he doesn’t want to do. He doesn’t even pretend to listen to her. He refuses her, now, quietly but unquestionably, and no amount of arguing will convince him to stay where she can see him, where she can take care of him, where she can keep him safe. He goes where he pleases, and she cannot hold him.

Which means Wen Ning came back wrong.

He used to waste so much time with his bow, hours and hours shooting targets when he should have been helping her brew medicine. Now he spends his time testing his new and terrible strength. He tears ancient trees from the ground root and all. Shreds the training dummies Wei Wuxian builds for him into kindling, and when Wei Wuxian makes them sturdier Wen Ning hits them harder. She stands on the edge of the wards surrounding the Burial Mounds and watches Wei Wuxian layer talismans around the boulder they’re using as the target’s head, chattering about the strength of helmets and the density of the human skull, how much pressure it takes to deal lethal amounts of damage through armor. Wen Ning reaches out and, almost casual, crushes the boulder into so many chunks of debris. Wei Wuxian sputters and laughs. Her frail little brother flexes his pale, clawed, deadly fingers, looking oh so very pleased with himself.

He hunts. He patrols their settlement with a lethal kind of control in his movements, coiled-tight and waiting. He rips resentful creatures apart with his hands. Wei Wuxian asks if he’s ever killed a human before, during the war or the camps, before his death. Wen Qing wants to say of course not, because Wen Ning is her brother and her brother was not a killer, could not be. Only Wen Ning had tilted his head to the side, bird-like. Kneaded his fingers against the edge of the table like he was finding his grip on a weapon. Asked why Wei-Gongzi wanted to know, and nodded earnestly when Wei Wuxian mentioned needing a bodyguard for his trip to Lanling.

Wen Ning came back wrong.

Wen Qing can’t figure out how. Can’t describe it, exactly. No one else seems to notice or care. Their sweet a-Ning, their gentle, kind, soft-spoken a-Ning. He’s still here. He’s still right here.

But Wen Ning came back wrong.

He came back wrong.

He had to have come back wrong.

Because if he didn’t… then Wen Qing never really knew her brother at all, did she?

[empty-blog-for-lurking]

Me: I don't know what to do with Veronica's character in post s8 au, I don't want her to be Just Lance's sister and Kuron's friend with Pidge's storyline slapped on her, but also I'm not really sure about her character. Sure there's the whole lying to her family thing but I don't think that's enough?

Brain: ok so what if Veronica started out as trying to look for what was Lance upto but she ends up being so obsessed with finding the truth that not only she repeatedly puts herself in harms way but also the original goal falls on wayside.

This could be her way of dealing with trauma which is getting engrossed in the Mission and a problem to fix while suppressing her grief and refusing to actually acknowledge her problems and her own emotions a foil to Kuron's arc that is him being literally driven by emotions. She's angry at Lance for leaving without a word and angry at her family for their clinginess, however she keeps it to herself and just avoid them pretending everything is fine and normal

Also a foil to Lance who started as trying to figure out what was going on but as soon as he realized that 1) Allura and Kuron are still sorta alive 2) he can bring them back, he got obsessed with it consequences by damned.

Plus through her we can actually explore how quintessence actually effects and changes humans rather than become aware of the end result

Also there's something a character who is obsessed with truth but is also such a frequent liar

[alchemiclee]

been looking in tags for a few days now to see if anyone else found the whole high cloud quintet and related story to be a bit.....poorly written, nonsensical, contradictory, full of plot holes and loose ends, etc. apparently i'm not the only one. (and i'm not even talking about shipping stuff, because any time I saw someone mad about bad writing, someone always replies to be homophobic and laugh about failed ships. weirdos.) it could have been so good but was thrown into the garbage for the most part (IF you noticed all the plot holes and contradiction. if not, then it's a fine enough story tbh. I expect most people to see it on surface level and not read all the little hidden lore bits and try to piece it together like my autistic brain did. which is ok! enjoy it if you liked it and ignore me 😆)

[selunesfavouriteprincess]

thinking about my Durge Pollux and his dynamic with Shadowheart and Lae’zel. because he definitely sees parts of Orin in both of them even if he doesn’t remember who his little sister is any more. he recognises the love of the kill, the skilled way she dispatches their victims in Lae’zel’s efficient military outlook, the well-trained understanding of perfecting a kill. and in Shadowheart he connects to the artistry, the almost playful love of the macabre, how she gleefully describes everything that can go wrong with the gallows the same way she talks about her favourite books. and both of their stubbornness, well, if that isn’t the most infuriating yet familiar thing he’s ever experienced.

and he unknowingly starts to treat them both like his little sisters, looking out for them the way he once looked out for Orin (because he did love her and want to look after her, in his own confused Bhaalspawn way), encouraging their kills, showing them how to please Bhaal even if he doesn’t realise that’s the goal behind his actions. the fact they almost fight to the death weekly is good, that’s how they should behave, and he tells Lae’zel how Shadowheart’s braid is a huge liability in a fight, reminds Shadowheart that if she’s physically weaker she has to fight sneakier. and he couldn’t be prouder whenever one of them has the other at knifepoint.

[bijesperfahey]

Thinking about how Lark and Normal had such different reactions to what they saw on the throne and how ‘Larks’ entire monologue was about how it was all his fault, about how Lark blames himself for everything that has happened, and earlier in the series Sparrow refers to ‘what they did’ but Lark says it’s what he did

Thinking about how when Henry touches Lark on the throne he feels Love, Confusion, Betrayal, Sadness and Anger.

How Anthony says that he looks at Lark and sees sadness and self hatred in his eyes

How in Anthony’s monologue the Doodler specifically feels Lark’s self hatred and resentment. How it’s that that grows into the resentment for everything in the world.

It’s your fault and everything is bad- and it’s obviously not just the Doodler that feels that way

About how the Doodler looks at humanity as it’s dad, but also it resents humanity as much as it loves it and wants it’s validation

These flashhbacks are only a few years post season 1- sure he’s older but he is still a literal child being confronted by the weight of these emotions from an eldritch being that directly parallel so much of what he’s gone through and actively stem from the choices he made

Does he say they have to kill it because he knows what it’s like to feel this way? Because he knows what that rage and resentment feel like to him, a human being, and knows what it grew into for him, and can you imagine how much worse it is coming from the Doodler? They can’t risk not stopping it and the surest way to do that is to kill it?

Does he say it because killing the Doodler is the only way he’ll be able to forgive himself for releasing it? To make sure this can never happen again, by getting rid of it completely?

Or does he say it because he can’t imagine a way to help it? It’s just something he can’t comprehend, there’s no other way to end it, there is no happy ending.

And Normal now is the age that Lark was then, and he’s going through it too but in a completely different way! Normal is also dealing with a lot of incredibly complicated feelings, especially regarding his parental figures. He’s darker than he was at the start of the series, but all he wants is to be loved respected for who he is.

And maybe it makes a difference, but he has a support system that’s not just one person (Sparrow for Lark)! He has friends, and people to talk to and he still has so much hope for himself and compassion for the world, so of course that’s going to extend to the Doodler. This entire time the teens have been saying they need to find another way, that they can’t doom a whole planesworth of people just to save their home

So like. Why wouldn’t that extend to the doodler, now that they know it’s an option??

[surskip]

my favourite kingdom hearts characters are the ones who appear in like. one unknown side game and have the most tragic stories. im talking about like.. replica riku (had his own memories replaced against his will and died fighting his 'true' self after learning that he was just a copy meant to carry out a plan. died with his last few few sentences being about how he's scared to die because he doesn't know what awaits replicas after death) and data sora and riku (also created solely to carry out a plan with little thought to the fact they are also sentient people, who essentially die at the end of the game). can i count xion and namine in this? well, i'm going to

[saucerfulofsins]

So there's a pretty darn obvious Easter egg in the most recent 1988 art I did, lol. Not sure if people just haven't mentioned it, or if they haven't realized!

As for the bouquet Patrick was picking a while back: prairie crocuses are the official flower of the Manitoba province, roses are the official New York state flower, and the violet is the official state flower for illinois!

Additionally, rainbow dyed roses are used during gay prides, and violets have historically been used as covert slang for queer women and to a lesser extent men, who might be called pansies in the UK or the more general (and objectively amazing) horticultural lad.

Most of all, all three flowers yes I'm ignoring the fact the prairie oyster is technically an anemone are mentioned in a poem by the Queen of queers, Sappho (which is why queer women associated themselves with violets to begin with):

Many crowns of violets, roses and crocuses …together you set before more and many scented wreaths made from blossoms around your soft throat… …with pure, sweet oil …you anointed me, and on a soft, gentle bed… you quenched your desire… …no holy site… we left uncovered, no grove…

[fuzzyunicorn]

U girls all humiliated me in a very, very public manner over things I did not do; god will also humiliate each of u more publicly than mine (even the gossipers) at least times three w things u all have actually done with proof readily available to all to see

To continue the tag below: who the tf casts black magick “come back to me” spells on their ex boyfriend she tried to kill when he left u as well as attempting to murder me & our four innocent children multiple times so he’d only be focused on u? U think my death wouldn’t greatly affect him? What about when he finds out u were responsible had ur plans worked out…? U sicced demons on him to rip his head off… (babe the demon sitting on the edge of my bathtub ran so fast 2 tell me what she was gonna do 2 u and which demon she was gonna sic on u so I could stop it & the demon who told me was the very same demon she tasked to take ur decapitated head) are u sure u love n care 4 him? Yeah girl u really won the pick me contest by resorting to black magick force-u-2-love-me spells that made him pick u. Stop interfering w people’s free will for your own sake, not even god does that shit & that should tell u something. U really think ur paid black magick practitioners won’t sing like little birdies? I told u god is going to make an example out of ur evil ass. Remember girlie if u truly loved someone you’d want the best for them not trying to sic demons to decapitate him🖤 cause he didn’t do as u commanded & when demons pull ur head off they do it so very slowly & use magick so u won’t pass out or die they draw ur deaths out for as long as possible & they can do that w magick & u wanted that for him. Uh girl how could u marry him & bear his children if u murdered him & sacrificed his soul to Hell? Like how does that work? No person whose ex tried to murder them & his soulmate & children would ever go back to their attempted murderous ex if there wasn’t black magick interfering w free will & common sense. U really fuckin’ shot urself in the foot w that info alone & there’s proof of transaction payments…. & the paid practitioners are about to squawk. U think ur former friends who were directly involved can’t corroborate this info? U girls took cute little artsy videos of doing the many spell works & chanting all around the fire under the moonlight together lmao what was done in the dark will come to light it always does that’s the natural order of things

God is using me n my soulmate as real life examples of proof black magick does exist & it does in fact work bc how else can u explain y he came back to u after all this? Yeah girl god wants every1 to question that if such severe things were done to ur “ex” my soulmate repeatedly for so long then y in the world is he back w u when god handed him his soulmate in a wrapped gift basket? He wants u all watching this saga to realize that’s odd and not at all logical. God is showing every1 non-believer & believers he is real & magick is real & most humans use it exclusively for harm which is exactly what u n ur friends n family did n keep doing n paying more black magick practitioners. Girl don’t u know ur magick spells aren’t permanent they all have an expiration date. & this is most of all proof to him my soulmate magick is real and what can be done w it. This has been his fucked up crash course lesson that magick is real & can affect him not just a little bit but by a lot & can force him to do things he doesn’t want to do. So girlie u were commanded by god himself to relinquish ur death grip on him since u keep trying to kill him when he doesn’t do as u command & u refused so now god has sanctioned & ordered ur fingers to come clean off u will be forced to let him go even if we the Divine Beings have to break ur fingers and yank them off w pliers. U were commanded many times & u disobeyed multiple direct orders from god himself the Boss Man & he should only ever be made to speak once u little fucking satanic brat. U think I don’t know y ur coven made u pounce on him & keep him chained to ur prison ball like some Heredity movie shit bc the Satanist need to stop our union so we can’t fuckin’ Sparta kick their fuckin’ asses down to Hell they want to stop the apocalypse & we as a Divine Couple are not only involved but we fuckin’ spearhead this whole operation. Our children are vital to the restoration of this planet. Everything hangs in the balance & to literally save the world & make sure the meek (those who r wronged but don’t seek vengeance) inherit the Earth is by reversing the apocalypse so it is to wipe out each & every Satanist & put them in Hell not innocent souls. All the demons care about is each torture rack is filled & supplying pain it doesn’t matter who from just as long as energy is harvested. It all depends on us this is our Soul Contract to god & he simply won’t allow it to be dashed n ruined. What the fuck are u all going to do when god starts mind controlling those involved in this situation? U really think he alone can’t kill ur immortal souls for this fuckery? U all keep gassing him up to skip the torture of my forest & go straight to killing all of ur immortal souls. He promised me he would do exactly that if fingers don’t let go of my soulmate. The world depends on our union & he said he won’t allow it to b stopped. If u think god won’t dare to kill ur immortal soul u r sadly mistaken. He told me he’s just gonna direct all the death spells cast on me onto these people & add his fuel to it. So keep fucking around keep white knuckling my soulmate & see what happens when u refuse to obey god’s commands. Girl u think the demons attached 2 u aren’t poised at the ready 4 his signal (all demons have no choice but to obey him & u should take a cue from that)? God is more tired of this than my soulmate & I. He’s at his wits end is what he told me & from what I’ve witness in my past lives that’s when he starts taking lives in a rapid fire manner. I wouldn’t test god to see if this is a bluff that turned out very badly for every1 in the past who thought it was. U will be made to let go the hard way since you chose that over the easy way. U cannot and may not interfere with any soul’s free will without major consequences & this is the absolute highest law of the universes that no one is to ever mess with any1’s free will. The consequences for breaking this law & repeatedly are of the upmost severity. This is at the coven near me & all world wide. Ur all working together & this particular coven was 2 stop our union

[arolesbianism]

Thinking abt rabbit au so hard rn... Nikola sitting there having initially thought having two bosses with questionable morals was rad as hell as he watches one of said bosses try to solve one accidental murder by doing like 3 other murders and one of them might have included him but he doesn't realize that yet

[youareinacomawakeup]

You know what's wild to me about people's complaints about Steven Universe?

"Blah blah blah something something Not Every Problem Can Be Solved By Talking About It"

...The show knows that. That's why Jasper and Kevin are there.

[insanechayne]

~ ~ ~